will be utilised.  The cost of the land was L6,576 8s. 5d., and that of the buildings, the furnishing, and the laying out of the grounds, L133,495 5s. 8d.  The report of the Lunatic Asylums Committee for 1882 stated that the number of patients, including those boarded under contract at other asylums, on the first of Jan., 1882, was 839.  There were admitted to Winson Green and Rubery Hill during the year 349.  There were discharged during the year 94, and there died 124, leaving, on the 31st Dec., 970.  The whole of the 970 were then at the borough asylums, and were chargeable as follows:—­To Birmingham parish, 644; to Birmingham borough, 8; to Aston Union, in the borough, 168; to King’s Norton, 16; to other unions under contract, 98; the remaining 36 patients not being paupers.  The income of the asylums for the year was—­from Birmingham patients L20,748 1s. 9.; from pauper patients under contract, and from patients not paupers, L2,989 9s. 5d.; from goods sold, L680 1s. 5d.; total, L24,417 12s. 7d.  The expenditure on maintenance account was L21,964 4s., and on building capital account L2,966 7s. 7d.—­total, L24,915 11s. 7d.; showing a balance against the asylums of L497 19s.  The nett average weekly cost for the year was 9s. 6-1/2d. per head.  Mr. E.B.  Whitcombe, medical superintendent at Winson Green, says that among the causes of insanity in those admitted it is satisfactory to note a large decrease in the number from intemperance, the percentage for the year being 7.7, as compared with 18 and 21 per cent. in 1881 and 1880 respectively.  The proportion of recoveries to admissions was in the males 27.7, in the females 36, and in the total 32.3 percent.  This is below the average, and is due to a large number of chronic and unfavourable cases admitted.  At Rubery Hill Asylum, Dr. Lyle reports that out of the first 450 admissions there were six patients discharged as recovered.—­The Midland Counties’ Idiot Asylum, at Knowle, opened in 1867, also finds shelter for some of Birmingham’s unfortunate children.  The Asylum provides a home for about 50, but it is in contemplation to considerably enlarge it.  At the end of 1882 there were 28 males and 21 females, 47 being the average number of inmates during the year, the cost per head being L41 13s. 6d.  Of the limited number of inmates in the institution no fewer than thirteen came from Birmingham, and altogether as many as thirty-five candidates had been elected from Birmingham.  The income from all sources, exclusive of contributions to the building fund, amounted to L2,033 3s. 8d., and the total expenditure (including L193 3s. 4d. written off for depreciation of buildings) to L1,763 15s. 7d., leaving a balance in hand of L269 8s. 1d.  The fund which is being raised for the enlargement of the institution then amounted to L605 15s., the sum required being L5,000.  The society’s capital was then L10,850 12s. 8d. of which L7,358 12s. 5d. had been laid out in lands and buildings.  Mr. Tait, the medical officer, was of opinion that one-fourth of the children were capable of becoming productive workers under kindly direction and supervision, the progress made by some of the boys in basket-making being very marked.