Abergavenny Chronicle

For throwing ms ticket on the ground and refusing to pick it up and hand it to a woman collector at Woolwich Dockyard Station, a man was -fined 10s. The minimum wage scale to be submitted by the executive at the National Union of < Clerks' June conference prcvides for ?1 10s. } a week in urban centres and ?1 8e. ? rural t districts at 16 years, up to ?3 and ?2 5s. respectively at 21.

I z, I I "1: 0 ? THIS WEEK !N THE GARDEN. Sj kvi I I "As is the gardener, so is the garden.Hebrew Proverb. 1 Flower Beds.—Any spring Sowers whjch have passed out of bloom may be removed strajght away. The beds ca.n then be dug and prepaxed for the planting of summer bedding plants. They will then be ready in good time for some of the hardier plajita which can be planted with safety ten days or so before the majority. Climbers.—The vaxious climbing plants are making very rapid growth now, and under fa.voura.ble conditions this progress will 'be ma.intadned. Constant attention in the matter of tying will be necessary for those kinds that are not self-supporting; while even those that are can usua-Uy be made more effective by a certain amount of tra.ining, spreading out t)he growths as necessary. Avoid creating a too forma-1 cuect, however, and see tliit the shoots are not tightly tied; their subsequent growth must t*e allowed for. < Propagating Arabis.—A-rabig haa almost nniahed flowering, and attention should be paid to incrowitig the stock. The double ara-bis g'oea very well when harmonised cor- rectly with tulips. Good plants for such purpcso can only be obtained by early pro- pagation. Pieces pulled on' and dibbled in, 6 inches apart in rows, root readily. The leafless portion of the stem may be short. cncd, or the usuaJ method of making cut- tinge may be followed. In either case insert in light soil on a. shady border, and water during dry intervals. Strong plants will result by early autumn. If the plants are wanted for a rockery, or to cover a ba.nk, transfer the cuttings, aa soon as they ha.ve rooted, to their permanent positions, aJid water them in. Both sing-Ie ajid double ara.bia rcot quite readily. A Good Wall Plant for the Greenhou&e.— i One ia frequently a?ked to reeommcnd a plant suitable for clothing the back wall of a greenhouse. A very suitable one is Cassia corymboea., a loose-growing evergreen sTirub from South America.. The pinnate leaves are dark green, and during the summer the yellow novers are boine in loose clusters. Being strictly an evergreen, the wa.11 will be well furnished with foliage at all seasons. It is a plant of comparatively easy culture, for cuttings of the balf-ripened shoots will strike root without difficulty if taken in late spring or early summer, inserted into pots of sandy ooiJ, and placed in a close propa- gating case in gentle heat. Ordinary pot- I ting compost, such as a, mixture of 2 parts of loam to 1 part of leaf-mould oT peat, and n little sand, will suit this Cas&ia wpH. It does not attuch itself to the wal!, but will need to be secured to it. In such a popiticn it will be found more satisfactory if it c.ui be planted out in a bed or border than if ccnnne'd altog-pthcr to a, pot or tub. Kohl Rabi.—When turnips fail as a sum- mer crop, throug-h droug-ht or the ny/' kohl rabi is a good substitute. In wet or dry wea-ther it is rcJia.Ue, and is not such a prey to pests. Sow seeds now in shallow drilla a foot apart, watering the drills well nrst. If the ground is dry and hue weather is experienced this will assist quick germina- tion and givo the seedling's a chance cf making good progress. '\Vhen they are targe ) enûüg-h thin them out to 6 inches apart, and use tile hoe as much as IX)t-;hible between the rows to check weeds and aerate the ground. The plants may be pullcd for use when only half-grown, or left to develop; in the latt-er case they are less pal3.ta.ble, as they become eome.what hard. For succession, sow again in a month's time. < Edginga to Flower Beds.—The plants ud as edging's to newer beds on the lawn are often so tiny when put cut th,1t Uic precau- tion is not taken to keep them well back from the graas edge. The consequence is t li, tloiig before they have ceased growing, the ra,s edge is smothered and spoi!t. aHow for free dc-velopn2ent during the comin ID<mtJu., Drat;tice of Phmging Pot-PJaats.—The prafrtice of p)unging vaj*ious specimens <ind ot.h<?r plants in beds a?d border and en the lawn for I summer enect is fairly common. Due atten- I tion must be given to watering them. Na- turaJJy, the connned roots will beoome dry more quickly than those that are planted out. They should be helped with liquid manure whe-n it is surmised that the pote are full of roots, Chinese Artichokes.—These vegetables are used in a eLmila.r way to the Jerusalem artichoke, and these who Uke them eat the tubers raw. The tubers are sma,]!. ctiriouwy jointed, and p,>:arly whitp. Th-c artichoke is easy to cultivate, and those who have grown it np&ak very highly of ita \nlue as a yc'ge- t--ubl-o, _It_wIU succeed in ai:y ordinary soil, and all that ]s iiece-qqary in tlw wa y cf manure ia a Ltth- rotted' (111n.7 or dcc.aycd rk,f--u,c,, TIT? tu.bers are t-et in. driUs in rows 18 inches apart, 4 inches dp-ep, and 12 Inches from pAant to plant.. AH that is sub- scqucntiv Is t.o t'otir Roil cM"!sioimUy and k,C,C-P It* frpc' fioni 'pe<'<is. Lift 'as wanted durIng \viutcr, and dig them all up ¡n. Ma.rch, < Eunncr a 6'i'arp look out for the a.ppearanc.e above g-retiiii cf runner anf., and as soon as the first aM seen dust tlie row with soot and. 11m, and re- ppn,t thi? frpqucnUv to wrtrd o?f shi?s and ma-iLs. It i? just ag well t.o gtal.e them aa t--nalL,. It i?, iii??t a. ivell ?,o t b cin as S-0on as th?ey are up. Cucumbers in Cold Franks.—Most garden frames have serred the purpose of hardes- ino- the various bedding plants, and arc now em'ptv. A prohtabic T.ay cf using th<m uc-w is bv" fillin- th<-m to witjiin 6 or 8 cf the "tm) with Ipam. and old manure, if th<M.e can be obtained, or good garden soH if not, and planting cucujnbers or melens. The chief point will be to &ce that fu!I aevantago is ukrn of bllJi-heat, espe- ciallv by closu:? the frames early.

Snn!n!!Hn!nnnn!n!n!n!HnnHtn!nHnnnntn!nntnnnn!ntnnn!nnnnnnn!n!g I [Au. RieNTt Runitsvim 5 0- g 8 FA9rA]L FINGERS = S: By WILLIAM LE QUEUX, == fa By WILLIAM LE QUEUX, 5 SS Author of The Money Spider, The Riddle of the Ring," k ? lIlIln I II II t 111111111: I t ¡ 1111 t II 1111I1 (]U 11111 a III HIHIIII HI! IIIIIU 11: I II II H III II Ulllllllli: IrE CHAPTER XXV (Continued). CONCERNS THE UNEXPECTED. B"s)deso[d Aiexandrovski. of OJes.c; an ?-p;'f,fpssor at the tmpena! Hospitat?at "L0sc<tw. rf?fnt'y arrcs*t-d, Don Mariowas ttl(! only T(6'ui¡¡r and reliable purveyor of ?''s'.ns in Europe truiy a highiy lucrative ???riaking. ?he quick growth cf his secret clientele had been remarkabie. Apparently one person tecomm"m!ed him to another, even though ree. )nln)endati,)n was, in itself, tanta- mount to an -,(Irniss Ion of guilt. Truly any Of asnd<icn.asherenect''d.)tseemedto ')Q(',Ur to h.mto test the potency of the u.d he was about. to despatch to Cologne a::d Chartrps. Therefore he took a third n(.re, and. after nHing )t slowly, drew out n stt'uggltng rabb)t from the cage. W'tha<;ulck tnovetnent he injected the J'èadly flllid into the pntmai's blood. The effect was almost electr'cat. In "enty seconds the anuaai lay stretched, out <t\:Q. The hook-nosed o!d prifst watched the tesi", t. and grunted in satisfaction. He, the man who always expressed such l¡c¡tude for the wctfare of the poor of the Ullage he to whom the ignorant contadini tOj{'èd {'o]. guidanfc and assistance, the man ?elov?d e?'Cti hy th<?<; ?ut?iaa?y men ?ho 'Were HtDe better than the bygone brigands Qf the Maremma. was of strangely complex Character. His heart bled for those starving ('()ntadini, who w<'ro Htt)e better than the slaves of the padrone who lived in wealth and luxury" way in l'engia, Siena, or :Rome, and yet he cou!d took on at the tor- 'tred agony of those dumb animals without the RLght0f't trace of feeling. He sold those deadly litlle outfits. fuHy aware that, by I their agencv. innocent men and women, even children, were being sacr)hce<t by the crafty ends. t;eet-,re Iiis ot- her o dastai-di'v criminal to secure Ins ot her own dastardly Suddenly noticing the dog's hody lying there. muÜ I'V J<!¡'IWe 'Jf the terrible potency Of his most recent discovery, he took it, and dra,-(,i.llg it f(frth out ot the door, Hung it sway into the copse. Afterwardb he returned and cteanscd his Oands in tifebuck't of water standing in the (X)T!wr of LIlt: kJtl'ien The a-noent manuscript was lying haif Crlf'd up ¡'I¡on tile blJ!e, Rnd this he care- fUlly ro!!ed, i)t-ior to re-placing it in his P'chet. Suddenly, without warning. ..1C gave vent to a !ow_ horrihed shriek. He noticed that llívHl the faded p:rchment some uf the fatai IH)wdp!. had heen "pi It.. And he had touched it' H's hand had fODte into contact w.thtt.ft'r the tips of his I I-,(I (lusty, o. ni,) mo" he shr)eke<t in terror. "I—I tli"V<>r nohn'd it!" a.nd dashing across to the c"cket he again plun-t-(i both hands frauti- ca.Iy in<o the water. "Sur iy t a.m not to lw the nrst victim of *By own prepar;,ition! Biit--Santa Madonna! 1 fee! a pain. a strange pain down the ']iJne and he ptaced both hands behind h)s to himseif that nery pains kerned to be hhocting through him. Thfre was an absence of pain in his hands. The prison had been absorbed rapidly and 's ('fT,ting' its work Thespina)-coidwas U.rpaùv attacked. It was the first symptom! He stood rigid, aghast, as the horrible tru;h n'eame only too apparent. (( di Die'" he shucked wi)d)y again. I—I'm p<tisoned' T' and he stood stiff. ms cy.s starting from his head, his jaws fi:d. in unspcakabb'terror. His !)mbs were trembhng violently. He felt constriction in th''throat, tingling and numbness in the hands and feet and toss of IIIUscu]ar power. Diamine! Yt was my owii fault! I fuould have been more carefn] gasped the n}wprv man. looking hc!p)ess!y around his improvised laboratory, "it is Fate!— accm-RedFate that 1 should be the nrst to nie .1I.v the dcadty compound I have re-dis- (:vere(i --to dif. tti(- death of a clog Vioient spnsms sfixed him. He felt that he cou)d not breathe, and a cold perspira- tJt,)n stood in beads upon his brow. But R,ttJl thlrl' was no p:nn in the tips of his .fingers w)nc}t had come tntocontaet with the fa tal powder His face and hands were !Ivid. Of a sudden he left the tahle against which he had been supporting himself, and "taf,,gt,r,ti acrO::i8 hi the drawer, which stood haif open. From it, he snatched up a little hypo- dermic syringe, and with the last strength he possessed, filled it from a small phial and 8tllck the needfe mto his left wrist. Next second he fet) heavily forward upon th(' uoor. his !im))s sttfT and rigid, his mouth "pasmodica!)y closed. The eyes protruded, the pupUs were dilated, as though he were peering m horror into the torment beyond. A sharp spasm shot through him, causing htswhote body to shake violently. Then aH was BttH—the stiHness of death. 'J CHAPTER XXVI. THE FKSTA OF CORPUS DOMINI. When old Teresa set out the big bowl of coffee and milk and the lung rolls of brv id and Mm:d) pats of butter before the guest on that bright, sunny morning Mhe wished him Buona Festa." Jt was Corpus Domini. The procession wa.,i the great day of the year in Santa Lucia, as )n every other village, or iittte bor,-(), throughout the Apennines. The Smdacu. o[d Marco Simonctti, who was a. htx'ro pcns'ero, yearned to have it supprestsed. He would have forbidden banners. music. colours, lights, public s<;r- Vices. masses, aD(i vipers. But the villagers Were not of the same mtnd. They loved the gay processions which gave the girls an opportunity of showing off their finery, and they attended the mass said by their dear old Don Mario. Most houses had open doors and a full taule that day, and at oightf:di there were dancing and illuniiiia, t'ons i'n thu httle pt&zza. A'ready the old church-bells were jang- lmg. for 8) nee dawn Gaspardo. the hunch- back, who acted as sacristan, had been tugging at tho ropes announcllIg to Santa Lucia the one day of its year. Ambrose sat in the small bare room where the flies buzzed noisily in the Run- shinc, awaiting his host's appearance. Don Mario did not brea.k his f&st, of courtte. tdt after he had said ma<ss. The Enghshman sat in a low chair with folded arms, his face turned to the little garden where, through the open door, showed the wealth of roses, magnohas. and lemons, the Mlies and stocks, and 6weet- smeUing carnationa. while the little pergola was wen-shaded by a icafy vme—a vme that was cool and restful. Santit Lucia was waiting in eager expec- tation. The peoptc knew how very peace- fully and piousty the festa began. Then bow good-natured and gaity it quickly bc- c&me. for they, ignorant peasants as they were, mingled the sacred with the profane :tn a strange jumble. With devoutness they would one moment ping "0 Satutaris" as they followed the Host. and the next would hum waltz music or smg snatches of conuo Mngs as they jumped around in the dAnce. In the gloomy old church, gay with itghta and manv and women had assembled. All was hushed. Those who spoke whispered. They were awaiting the revered old curato—the man who was director of their festa. But they waited, and waited so long that everyone begnn to wonder. Gaspardo, in his frayed black gown, came into the prc'sbyterv and whispered with Teresa. Then he ascended the stairs to the Signer Reverendo's room. A minute later Teresa approached their English guest, paying with great concern: "Scusi tan to, signore, but the padrone is out. it is Tory strange that he does not return when he knows to-day is the festa." "Oh, I suppose he has gone out for a walk and ia detained," replied the English- man. "I am in no hurry; I will wait til] his return." And rising, he went forth into the piazza wher& many people had assembled in the bright sunshine, and where he received many good-natured greetings because h< was the curate's friend. A drum and some battered brass instru- ments were piled beneath a tree, and a stitll had been <?et up for the sale of sweetmeats to the children. All were dressed in their best. Most of the young men had their jackets slung on one shoulder and their slurts well rufned above the troueer-band. Some wore Jay's wings in their broad- brimmed hats set askew; others were in their evcry-day clothes, well-brushed, with polished boots. The girls were in bright colours, many of them with freshly-plucked nowers in their hair, a gay, laughing, chattering throng, full of anticipation of tlw day's merriment. Santa Lucia was in festa. On that one day in the whole year she forgot her troubles, the oppression of the Government and the landowner, the brutality of the fattore his agent, and the black starvation which was so often endured through the dark months of winter. Gradually the crowd in the piazza was in- creasing. The little church was already filled to overflowing, and everyone waited— waited for the coming of Don Mario, with- out whom the religious festival could not proceed. A man, & carter, approached John Ambrose, doffed his hat politely, and in- quired if the Signer Reverendo were indis. posed. "Oh, no," replied the elderly English- man in excellent Italian. "Not at all. He went out this ;morning for an early walk, and has not yet returned. He will, no doubt, be here in a few moments." The-carter explained this to & group of men standing near, and quickly the rumour spread that the curate was absent—mysteri- ouj)y absent. The first feeling was one of distinct an- tagonism. Don Mario knew that it was Corpus Domini, and at least he should be present. It was his duty. The Government paid him to be there, to fast, to say mass, and to conduct the procession and the sub- sequent festa. It was really too bad to keep half the village waiting in the church white he leisurely took his morning stroll. An hour passed, but the curatodid not come another hour, and yet Mother, even until the noonday sun rose high in the cloud- less heavens the people waited, wondering- and still wondering. Then wonder gave place to anxiety. Some- thing must surely have happened, they whia- pered among themselves. Wha.t could have occurred? Don Mario would never wilfully desert them like that. The whole piazza, was agog. The festa was forgotten in the intense anxiety as to what had befallen their beloved curato. 0:d Mr. Ambrose held council witherferesa and Gaspardo. "The padrone must have gone out very early," declared the old crone. "I was up scon after four, but I heard nothing. He must have gone out before then." "Something has happened to him," the hunchback declared huskily. "Heisalwaya so very particular that Corpus Domini should 'be kept well, and that the people' phall be satisned. He gives ten lire tv the man who keeps the sweet-stall so that the children shall have sweets distributed. I cannot understand." "Well, what shall we do?" asked Am- brose, himself alarmed at his friend's non- appearance. His secret fear was that Don Mario had descended the hill during his walk, and had perhaps fallen into the hands of a couple of carabineers awaiting him. Scotland Yard might have suspicion of him, and if so, they would requ&st the Publica Sicurezza iu Rome to eflect his arrest. And yet, as he reflected, he suddenly recollected that the Italian Government never gave up their. subjects for offences committed abroad. The thought was a gratifying one. And yet if Don Mario were a. free agent he would hear the fcsta bells of his own church still ringing, and they would surely recall him to duty; even if he had forgotten. Gaspardo urged that a party of men be sent forth to search the adjacent woods, for, as lie put it, "an accident may have befallen our dear curato, and he may be lying some- where insensible." Ambrose was silent. He knew not what to do. Perhaps if the party went forth they would ascertain that Don Mario was already on his way to Rome, handcuffed between two carabineers. If so, might it not be his own turn next? He knew well that Scotland Yard had as- certained the friendship between Richard Goodrick and Don Mario, who lodged in Denbigh Street. They had searched, and failed to find the priest. Perhaps they had now been successful, and had preferred some charge against him. Who could te!l? "But this absence of your master is not exactly unusual, is it?" he asked of the hunchback. "Oh, he has been absent often—for weeks and weeks at his own home away in the north," was the sacristan's reply. "But we always have a deputy, generally young Don Lippo, who comes from the Abruzzi. He has never before left us without a word." "Except once, Gaspardo," interrupted the old douna di casa. "You remember about three winters ago, when he suddenly disap- peared just like thie, and six days later we had a letter from him bearing a foreign stamp. It iva-s English, old Faello said. So he had evidently gone to England." "Bah! they say so, but I don't believe it. The padrone goes to see his brother some- where in Novara. He never goes abroad. That is only gossip," said the hunchback. "But he goes strolling about o' nights, Gaspardo," declared the old woman. "You know he does. You know what they've been saying of late about his midnight walks." "The sindaco and his friends say that- because they must say something against everybody. I know all about it. They've been busy hinting that he has a clandestine lovc-anair—he, at his age! Oh! really it is too funny!" "Yes; they say he goes down the hill in the night to meet somebody of the opposite sex," snapped the old crone. At this John Ambrose pricked np his ears. How long has this rumour been cur- rent r* he inquired of the old D:lan "Oh! about three months, I think, J eignore. Of course, it is only spread in order to prejudice him. They have never been able to say who the woman really is- and if they could, they certainly would." "Hut the fact remains that the padrone does go out very often at nights—on wet nights also, they say. Well, where does he go?" asked Teresa. "How can I tell, woman? If he has been watched, as you say, then the watchers must know," replied the hunchback quickly. "But they are saying all sorts of things out in the piazza," declared Teresa. "The only way is to tell them to search the woods —if the signore Inglese agrees." John Ambrose had no other course than to agree. He recognised that the attitude of the village, deprived of their festa. was becoming threatening. A. quarter of an hour ago, while in the piazza, he bad seen the black looks of the disappointed men. The little flags waved in the summer breeze, but there was no music, no gaiety, no laughter. The village had become sulky in its bitter disappointment. At two o'clock a large party of men assembled, and under the leadership of a tal}" swarthy giant, Vinronzio CantereIII, who kept a trattoria and wine-shop, and was known to all as Cencio, went down the hH!- eide to search the woods. Ambrose, standing beside the low wall of the piazza and looking over the sun-Ht valley below, watched the party with their dogs break up into smaller parties and go forth in different directions in search of the missing priest. Most of the men of Santa, Lucia descended to the plain to assist, leaving the women to chatter, gossip, and form all sorts of wild theories as to the curate's absence. The Englishman overheard some strange rumours during that long, anxious after- noon—rumours v.hich caused him to ponder deeply. That Don Mario was in the habit of taking nocturnal rambles was evident)y common knowledge, and though a love affair was hinted at, yet there seemed no tangible evidence of his ever being seen in conversa- tion with any woman. The long, hot hours dragged by, but the men did not return. From the piazza the women watched the tiny groups moving like insects over the green country deep below. And as the time passed, and the sun sank slowly over the Marem.na and the dis- tant sea, the anxiety increased. Something had certainly happened to Don Mario. A dark shadow had fallen upon Santa Lucia. Evening fell, but no one had the heart to light thoae little lamps hung around the piazza. The drum and the brass instru- ments still stood piled* against the tree. The sweetmeat stall had been removed. The day was over-it had passed for the first time for ten centuries without the feast of Corpus Domini. Men were arriving home jaded and fagged after a fruitless search. For many miics around the whole countrv-side had been examined—the quarries, the precipi- tous rocks, the woods and streams, had aH been patrolled to no purpose. Night waa closing in, and Don Mario was still missing. It was late, indeed, the moon had risen before the last search-party came up through the narrow mediaeval gateway, through which led, steep down, the road tc Rome. They were shouting, and quickly the village became aroused. The people rushed from the piazza to the old gateway. Then they saw, by the nickering lamps, that a dozen men were carrying something upon boards. "We have found him!" the men were thouting excitedly. "We have found him! cried' Ceucio. "But——" And the outburst of the anxious villagers drowned the rest of the man's sentence, as they turned with their burden up the narrow lane towards the small white pres'oy- terv. John Ambrose dashed towards them, a tantcrn in his hand. He held it high as he looked upou hit friend white, upturned face, then he uttered a cry, and the lamp dropped from his nervous fingers upon the grass-growa Kt<'nes. (To be Continued.)

I TRACtNG THE DEAD. I In reference to the Government refusal to grant f:Mulities for visits to tihe graves of soldiers in France, the Secretary of the War Office states that hitherto permits have only been given in very special cases, as, for instance, when relative's are returning to Austra.Iia. or Canada. The number of graves now identified and registered in France and Belgium is 373,351. The number of other burials reported is 154,833. In many of these caaes i&e (buria.ls took place under such conditions that subsequently the graves were never found, and in others all markings have been destroyed by shell nre. During the last month, however, 2,125 such. graves have been identified and registered, and it is hoped a considerable number more will be traced. In the forward areas the concentration of isolated graves is in pro- gress, and whilst this work is being done it is necessary to doge the localities. <

I VOLCANIC ISLANDS. I The volcano Stromboli, which is once again misbehaving itself, bears a name which was originally Strongy!e, meaning "round," and derived from the shape of the islet. It is one of a group of volcanic islands which, with neighbouring Etna, formed the world's oldest munition works, 'where Vulcan, using sweated Cyclops' labour, forged the thunderbolts of Jove. Formerly these little islands were tenanted by another god, a swanking old ruman named TEolus, who presided over the winds. He probably blew the bellows for the blackstnith-god, and "raised the wind" for him when he wanted capital. Neither Vulcan nor Æolus waa a popular deity with ancient mariners, who wisely gave Strom- boli a wide berth. And eo ends a little lesson in Mythology

DEARTH OF DRESSMAKERS Apparently there is a dearth of dress- makers, a:n.d costumiers are crying out that they cannot get enough women workers to produce the frocks that are in such great demnnd. According to Mrs. Ar-nott, one <'i the Northc'ru org-auisers of the National Federa-tiMi of Womeu Workers, there are not MuHicient girls pkinc-d iji dressmaking' in the country to meet preaert demands. Some ha,ve entered l>ett-:l'-paid occupations, but the great shortage is due to the fuel that g-irls have not beea coming forward dunng the war period, tn AprH girl d¡'ss- makers had their wages raised under Tiada Board Order to 30, a week ef 44 hours.

WiFeeden Free Church Council protect against the proposed use of the ?creanoK o-round cricket pitch for Sunday matches, and are pending a deputation to the General Purposes Committee of the borough ccun&H on the subject. Mr. Horace Blew. the Welsh inter- national, who wa& recently elected to th< Wrexham Town Council, is asking that the public parks bowling greens shall be opened for playing' on Sunday afternoons. T3er-:iionL.ey Guardian') have derided tc bUY 100 tons of coal, purchased during the shortage by the borough council In ordti to supply the needs of the poor, at :jG. 6d. a torr. Tomtits who have built their nest iu a roadside piUar box at Yarmouth, Isle c-i Wight, arc sitting on nine egg-s, although they are often covered with the letters posted in the opening' immediately abov€ them. Acred 9G, a dockyard pen:onn, the oide6t male resident of Sheerne.s, who ha& outlived mo.t of the members of hi.< family and hac no descendant, ha" been admitted to the Sheppcy Poor-law Institution at Minster. I

THE POULTRY YARD I ttit Helpful Hints for "Backyarders." By "COCKCROW." tftt Internal fatness is responsible for the great proportion of shell-less eggs laid; whilst the same condition also produces thE many abnormal eggs which are produced at this period of the year. In the case of ehell- less or thin-shelled egg's it need hardly b< pointed out that these are a danger to th< poultry yard, as they lead to the very per- nicious habit of egg-eating when dropped from the roost, and consequently broken by the fall. Great care should be observed in the prevention of internal fatness, as when thi.-< condition ie apparent fat accumulate: about the oviduct, and naturally prevents the organ from properly performing its functions. When the walls of the oviduct are coated with fat, and it is thus in an abnormal condition, elongated eggs and eggs of other shapes are a 11 natural sequence. The matter then of dieting and general hygiene must be carefully considered and practised. PRECAUTIONS IN DIETING. I It is most desirable now that the sun is daily gaining power to eo locate all drinking vessels that its rays do not reach the con- tents. Obviously sun-heated water is a source of danger, and will in effect cause bowel trouble. The use of mash food should now have been stopped, and further changes in diet might -with advantage be made, such as the elimination of maize, potatoes, rice, barley, and other similar starchy and fattening foods—especially from the rations of fowls kept on ungra&sed land or in con- gested quarters. With warmer weather it ia advisable to use more freely scalded bran and green cooked vegetables to ward off the creation of excessive intensive fat. Grit, of course, should be at the disposal of all classes of poultry, as apart from this the beat of food is next to useless. An excellent medicine will be found by including dande- lion leaves and the tope of stinging nettles with the fowls' mashes. r PREVENTING DISEASE. I A spell of warm weather will always find the weakest spot, and if the "spot" be a mismanaged poultry yard disease will in- variably crop up and cause the owner not only needless trouble but. also lorSS. CleanH- nej-ie ie, of course, the primary factor to be observed, and in all well managed poultry yards the roosting houses are cleaned out daily and ventilated freely. The nesting places should be supplied with fresh litter at least once a month, and dusted with in- sect powder occa-sionally. Perches should be brushed over with paramn once a week to keep insect peels under, and the shanks and feet of the fowls should also be treated with paramn to prevent the contraction of the parasitic disease known a<3 ecaly leg. Every four or five months the limewash brush is brought into operation, and old slaked lime is used as a disinfecting agent in the un- .grassed runs, the same being dug into the soil. Permanganate of potash is added to the drinking water occasionally to prevent the establishment or spread of infection. Vegetable matter uneaten bv the fewls is removed from the runs to prevent the conse- quences of decomposition, and plenty of pure, cool water, grit, aud ehell making material should always be found constantly within reach of the birds. In return for such good management obviously fowls steer clear of disease and continue to produce eggs. DisrOSAL OF OLD STOCH. The necessity for the getting rid of old Block is frequently forced upon the atten- tion of the average poultry-keeper at the ecason when the growing chicken begin to make more pressing demands upon &pace, but the economic di",¡xr.;al of such birdt. re- quires the due consideration of other matters, apart from the question of bousing or run accommodation. It is the custom in some dicftricr.s for farm poultry-keepers to dispose of their o!d hene to the higglers who buy their chickens, but although they will usually take them from these with whom they commonly deal, the higglers (who do not specialise in this trade) are not-, as a rule, over anxiou.s to acquire them. <-o that the price they offer M generally low. In the London markets, where so many fat live oM hens are got rid of, the general ten. deney is for prices to rf-sc gradually from January to April, and to decline from May to August, with relatively wide differences between the prices paid in al1; gin,n meuth) dnc almost entirely to the diSerences in weight. NATIONAL EGG-LAYING TEST. The report of the &ixth month of the egg- laying test being carried out by tje National Utility Poultry Society, in con- junction with t'he Great Eastern Railway Co., states that the record- show what will probably prove to be the high-water mark of production during this test. Th<? fi,,ur,36 were 13,770, as agaii.,t 13.1% during 'the previous month—an increase of 574 eggs. The proportion of Ui,st-grade ego-e (2oz.) was very satisfactory, a Mounting to U2.49 per cent. 115 eggs were laid outride the trap-ne,sth, and 53 were under weight and ) not recorded. The lowest daily record was 4SO eg-s, laid on the eighth day; and the highest, 540 k-g-s, on the 19th day. Four birds died during the month, making a total of 13 deaths eince the commencement of the te.st. Broodiness has been much more in evidence, and 88 birds piszc-d through the broody coops. TIPS FOR LAYIKG TESTS. Mr. Tom Barren, the wen-known Ijanca- ehire expert on poultry matters, giveg the following points for guidance in the selec- tion of pullets for competitions Pick out those that are Dear laying, he <?ays, and those with a epright!y, healthy appearance, tight feather, etc. Handle the bird6, and select those with the.-? pniiitg:-Sliarp, bright eye, rather narrow head, and eyes projecting from the skull, nne texture of comb, and not too large; stout, short beak, and rather short head, short, thin neck, long back, and wide across the w!ng; breast bone as short a-s I)o.-il)le, the .-horter the better layer; rather short legs, and flat bone, good -width between the Icg«, good wide cushion; the longer the distance horn the breast bone to the pelvic lJOlle-S the better layer the bird. It should be possible to get the width of four nngeM between the breast bone and the pelvic bones for a nr6t- cla&s layer, a wedge-shaped appearance when the bird is ,too<l erect, the bird to have an angle of 40 to 50 deg. when stood upright, eloping from front to back, the pelvic bones straight, thin, and well apart: the tail carried rather high; mcdluin'&ized bird, but not too <-maU, for thic is where the small egga come from.

? CRICKET NOTES HlI ffn By "WANDERER." Al I This queerest of r.tl cricket seasons hac not ten allowe{l to pr.p'r<'ssTpry far with- out a "nine days' wonder" cropping up. The incident at Tnuuton the other day, when Umpire Street declined to aUow Hoy- gate to bat for SU66ex because four minut&s had lapsed from the time the previous batsman k'it the 'wicket, hue. caused (juite a Jot of ink to 1e ipilt. Iiiesex wanted only one run to beat Somerset, but as Heygate had not fielded during the Somerset innings it was a.iUlllOO that he wou!d not be able to bat. However, when events 60 shaped that Sussex wanted but Dii4-, run to win., Heyg-ate hurriedly placed pad, over his ordinary attire, and went out to bat. Then one of the Somerset Welders appealed to Umpire Street as to whether the two minutes ru]e had not been broken. It had, and Street decided that Heygate could not bat. )\VAS IT "CRICKET?" That Street v.as Dbsolutely right in this decision cannot 1;(' gainsaid. The empire is p:aczd iu tb t po-itiontofee that the iav.'s cf the game are carried out, and it is one of the laws that not more than two minut-es eha, elapse between the dismissal elf one batsman and the arrival of his sue- ce-s&or. To argue that it wag contrary to tho spirit of the game to refuse Heygate permi,c6ion to bat in the&e circumstances se,-iri,3 to nu:' to be utterly absurd. Some people say it wa.- uot "cricket" to refuge But iu my judgment it wat3 Ju.t as much "cricket" to refuse Heygate the right to bat as it was "cricket" for to want to bat after everyone had assumed—including Heygatc himr,cH-that he would not be fit enough to do eo. THE UirrlRF, 3V-A-S RIGHT. There are ru]e;3 laid down for the proper conduct of a cricket match. If those rules are m-okci in one direction why not in another,3r.A where is the limit to be ¡ tixed? Why, by all th:Ü, wonderful, t-hould t.he M.C.C. be appealed- to in qt-der to decide whether Street was right:' What elf,.c, can the M.C.C. do but agree that he was right in view of the fact that they recently iE-sued a special instruction to umpires in general enjoining them to sec that the rules—and i especially the two-minute rule—were carried 'out strictly? I ren.ember the famous Tom ¡ Emmett saying on one occasion that there 'tvcre t<'n ways for a bat,,mail to be "out. Nine of them were ordinary, according to Tom, but the tenth be said was "umpired" out. Well. Heygate was "umpired" out by Street, nnd on thig occasion the umpire waa right. "EARLY CLOSING" XEEDED. f t In one respect I think the experiments cf this reason have already shown the urgent Meed for a rcvi.ion. The hour of drawing stumps-7.30-is too Ia.te. I have been to see several games this season, but in practi- cally everv case, when the game haa gone on to half-past seven, the grea.tcr proportion of the spect.-tors have left before the time for drawing stumps. The man who stays oTi the cricket ne!d ti" that time has "done ri" his evening, and experience proves that the average onlDokex prefers to get away from the cricket gro'cmd betAvcen half-past six 1 and seven o'clock. Moreover, the day :s a]so too long for the player, or. at least, it seems to be. Judging from the slackness which ecem? to creep into the play all I round by the time the hour for drawing ctumps approaches.