The Aberystwith Observer

PLINY attributes the invention of soap to the Gauls. If he attributed it to the Turks, he would be regarded as an unreliable historian.

THE BREEDING OF HUNTERS. The following notice is published in the Bating Calendar, which has just come to hand: Spring Show of Thoroughbred Stallions, suitable for breeding hunters, to be held at Nottingham, on Thursday and Friday, February 9th and 10th, 1888. Last day of entry, January 21st. Post entries, with double fees, received until January 28th. Five equal premiums, consisting each of zC200 and a special gold medal, are offered for thoroughbred stallions, three years old and upwards, suitable for getting hunters, and other half- bred horses, subject to the condition and restriction that the premium winners shall serve not less than fifty half-bred mares, if required, during the season of 1888, and shall stand or travel (at the owner's option) in such parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincoln- shire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and Rutlandshire, as are hereafter specified, at a fee not exceeding 40s. for each mare, except to members of the Society, to whom the fee will be 30s. Entry forms and further particulars can be obtained of Mr. Ernest Clarke, Secretary, of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

COLLAPSE OF A CANAL BANK. An accident of an extraordinary character occurred on Tuesday at the embankment of the Birmingham Canal, near the iron works of Messrs. Hingley and Co., at Old Hill. The embankment at this point is made up of cinders and ashes, and it has been ascertained that thefirefrom some adjoining furnaces penetrated through this, and, extending to the puddling," reached the water, with the result that a tremendous explosion en- sued, tearing up the embankment for fully 50 yards. The water in the canal at once began to pour through the gap, flooding the streets and houses in the vicinity. A gang of men were speedily set to work to fill up the gap and prevent further escape of water, but after strenuous efforts had been made the attempt was abandoned in despair, the volume of water pouring through the gap with such fury as to sweep away tons of material. The canal gradually emptied itself, and in about an hour had run com- pletely dry between the locks above and below the sceue of the disaster. Had the lock gates not been securely fastened almost as soon as the bank gave way the inundation would have been on an immense scale. As it is, several high roads have been rendered impassable, upwards of 50 houses flooded, and great damage done to property. The highways have been cut up for the distance of at least a mile, and many fields are still under water. Traffic on the canal is of course completely stopped, and in consequence work has been abandoned at several ironworks and collieries in the neighbourhood. Engineers are of opinion that it will take at least a month to reconstruct the embankment.

STRINGENT LIQUOR LEGISLA- TION. A report from Mr. Phipps, of the Embassy at Vienna, just issued by the Foreign office, discusses a bill for the regulation of the liquor traffic in Austria recently presented by the Government to Parliament. "It is intended to combat the social effects of drunkenness, a vice which has made great progress during recent years in Austria." The statistics cited at the Vienna Hygienic Congress also afforded proof of the salutary effects of the legal restriction imposed on alcoholism." Fifty years ago in Sweden the average consumption of alcoholic drinks was 54 litres per head per annum; now, owing to legislation, it is only 8 litres per head. In Norway a reduction of from 16 litres to 3! litres per head has been effected, while 2 in the Netherlands the number of brandy shops has been reduced from 43,000 in 1881 to 27,975 in 1885. By the new Austrian projet de loi licences are required for trade in liquors in less quantities than five litres no other trade can be carried on where liquor is sold, not even that in eatables, except in hotels, dining- rooms, &c. This stipulation is regarded as of exceptional importance, inasmuch as shops in small localities are frequented by all classes, and women and children who would be ashamed to visit or frequent public-houses acquire in them a taste for strong liquors." The number of public-houses is restricted to one for every 500 inhabitants communes with less than a population of 500 cannot have more than one public-house. Shops where spirituous liquors are sold must be closed from five in the afternoon of the day preceding Sundays or feast days until five a.m. of the next succeeding working day. This does not affect dining-rooms, coffee-houses, &c. Debts incurred for liquor in quantities of five litres and under are not recoverable at law if the debtor can be proved not to have paid a similar debt previously." All mortgage or guarantee bonds or promises given for such claims are null and void. Persons convicted three times of drunkenness may be prohibited by the local authorities from visiting any public-house in his neighbourhood for a year. This law is mainly founded on Dutch legislation. "It would be difficult," con- cludes Mr. Phipps, for any person who have resided in Vienna or elsewhere in the province of Lower Austria to believe that this legislation can be requisite to meet circumstances prevalent here, for this popula- tion is remarkable for its sobriety.

BRIDGING THE CHANNEL. The Monitmir states that the engineers of the breat Creusot Steel Works are engaged in drawing out plans and estimates for the bridge across the Channel, advocated by Admiral Cloue, late Minister of Marine, and that the latter is supported in his scheme by several leading French engineers. It is proposed to rest the bridge on concrete piers. The height of it is to be 40 yards, thus enabling the largest vessels to pass under it, and it is to be built of iron from the above-named works. It is to start from Cran- aux-CEufs, south of Cape Grisnez, and run in a straight line across the Channel to Folkestone this distance not being the smallest but offering the least depth of water. It is maintained by the promoters of this scheme that the bridge, unlike the Channel Tunnel, will be of no strategical value in case of war, as the blow- ing up a few pillars at either end would deprive an enemy of its use. The journal named further states that M. HSredia, the French Minister of Works, is in favour of Admiral Cloue's plan, and he is already tak- ing steps for inducing the English Government to assist in carrying out this gigantic scheme.

GOSSIP ON DRESS. THE handsome mantles of the present season are (remarks a writer on Home Dressmaking in The Lady) elaborate and fanciful to the last degree, and might almost be described as opera wraps of dark colouring. Braiding, intermixed with beads, is ex- ceedingly fashionable, and many of the long wing sleeves are covered with elaborate designs of em- broidery and beads. With a little ingenuity, it is pos- sible to make really extravagant-looking mantles at a very small expenditure, more especially when there is a useless yard of brocade lying by, or where a broclie velvet mantle can be utilised. Handsome broclie cloth is now much in vogue, and this is so effective that it can be used with plush or velvet, and trimmed with real furs. The one danger in these combinations is that the figure may be widened if the sleeve portion is too pronounced in pattern or too light in colour; and when this is the case, it is hope- less to attempt to narrow the figure by a close fit, or by making the sleeves unduly small. On the other hand, if the back and front portions are of brocade, or of light-coloured material, a sleeve of dark plush or velvet will give a slender appearance to the figure, which may be further heightened by a pointed bonnet of the darker plush or velvet, and a high bow in which the lighter shade is reproduced. For the amateur—who, however clever she may be at bodices, the mantle is a difficult problem as regards fit-the most simple plan is to first join the back and fronts, and fixing a string exactly in the waist-line to try this on, minus the sleeves. The back should be narrow, but not so narrow that it draws the sleeves on to the flat portion of the back, and so increases the size of the sleeve. At the waist the back of the mantle should define the turn of the waist, so that the sleeve begins where the back begins to turn to the side, and by this means it is possible to get a proportionate sleeve and back without giving the effect of a broad figure. THE tea-gowns bid fair to replace entirely the demi-toiiette "-the black merv or grenadine, with the square cut corsage, that was for so long con- sidered an indispensable adjunct to a lady's ward- robe. Some very handsome tea-gowns are being worn this season, dressy enough to be worn at the smartest dinners. Mrs. Lee of St. Valery is wearing one of fine white veiling, the front of white crepe de Chine, the side pieces of watered silk, on which are laid perpendicularly strips of coffee-coloured lace-a very effective arrangement. The sleeves, which are loose from the shoulder to the wrist, are of crepe de Chine, and the close cuffs are of watered silk and coffee-coloured lace. Another very handsome tea- gown worn by the same lady is of v-ieux rose faille with a front of rich pompadour silk of the same colour, brightened by a small running pattern of pale blue flowers and bronze leaves. For those who can- not afford such handsome materials, the coarsest of white or cream flannels may be used with good effect, and trimmed with string-coloured yak or furniture lace. Anything is better than cheap plush which never looks handsome, and soon begins to look com- mon and shabby. A FASHIONABLE woman, not wholly unknown to literary fame, appeared at a reception the other evening dressed entirely in .red. A red gown, un- relieved by trimming of any kind, red shoes and stockings, and even a, red pocket-handkerchief. She carried a limp posy of white flowers, and it made a rest for the eyes frcm the fiery glare of the costume. ALL Paris just now-all bonneted Paris, that is to say—is wearing the veil down to the chin, or even below it. The wisp of lace, barely covering the nose, is now voted out of fashion and very bad style. The only novelty in ball dresses to chronicle is the intro- duction of veilings of different coloured tulles, one over the other-rose over pale blue, sea-green over amber, orange over grey; it is a pretty style if the skirts are draped to perfection. But everything lies in the if." A LARGE ball was given recently in tho Metropolitan Opera House, New York, by one of the leading Uni- versity societies, to over 600 guests. Some of the dresses were very magnificent. Miss Ethel Gardiner wore a charming robe of passion flower brocade, draped in pale green gauze, violets, and diamonds. Miss S. W. Scott had on a gown of pink satin and crepe de Chine; the corsage was long in the waist, and covered with a very elaborate and pretty passemen- terie. The sleeves were puffed, somewhat after the fashion of our own aesthetic gowns, and in her hand she carried a bouquet of Jacqueminot roses. Miss Jose- phine Potter was dressed in white moire and crepe de Chine, with a long pointed corsage, and draperies of white and purple heliotrope; her ornaments were pearls. Miss E. M. Paine wore a very beautiful gown of sea-foam green silk, draped with lace, and trimmed with glistening silver. Miss Condit appeared in Spanish yellow faille and gauze, garlanded with jasmine blossoms. THE latest novelty at fashionable weddings is for the bridesmaids to carry satin shoes filled with flowers, and the result is charmingly pretty. At one wedding the shoes were of ealt de Nil satin, and were filled with blush-pink roses. At another there was a very effective combination of pink satin and maize- coloured roses, while the delicate structure depended from the bridesmaid's arm by pink satin ribbons, like a veritable miniature hanging-garden. At a third the shoes were pink satin, and the flowers were golden- brown chrysanthemums, toning from dark brown to pale yellow. In some cases these shoe bouquets take the place of ordinary posies in others they are merely supplementary to huge clusters of flowers carried in the hand; sometimes, however, by way of intensifying the novelty of the innovation, the bridesmaids are divided into two detachments, half carrying shoes filled with flowers, and the other half being supplied with bouquets of the regulation pattern. SOME very pretty dressmaking has been done in London for the Ranee of Kutch Behar, who recently returned to India. They are made particularly grace- ful by the sari, or large scarf, which is really the mark of the Brahmin caste, but is always worn by all Ranees. Part of it covers the head in its original form, but in the slightly modified shape now worn— a kind of lappet to match the dress is placed on the hair. The dress on which this sari looks, perhaps, prettier than any other is of plain white glace silk and white mousseline de soie with a silk stripe in it. This white dress is intended for wear in India. The front of the skirt and all the left side are made in plain box pleats of the silk, over which the sari falls; it is draped from the right shoulder, where it is caught by a cluster of ribbon bows right down to the bottom of the skirt on the left side. Here it is knotted together with another bow of ribbons, for it falls on both sides of the figure, in front and behind. In the extremely soft mousseline de soie its lines are classical in their grace, and nothing could be more becoming..The right side of the skirt, which is quite free from the scarf, is covered entirely with the tiniest flounces of white silk, all pinked out at the edges, and put on in curved lines, going from the waist downwards towards the front, so as to shape the figure very prettily. Its appearance is not unlike a mass of wreathing made of white rose petals. There is a vest of this pinked flouncing just at the neck, above the sari. The Ranee looks particularly well in pale blue, which is rather a favourite colour of hers. Another dress made with the sari is of very pale blue satin brocade, trimmed with a most wonderful spangled silver passementerie. This passementerie is very wide, and is made to look like lace; three pieces of it are put across the right side of the skirt, with a fine pleating of blue tulle under the dropping spangles which hang from it. The sari on this dress is very voluminous it is made of plain pale blue mousseline de soie spangled all over with silver. This has no ribbons, but is simply knotted thickly together at the bottom of the skirt, and on the right shoulder it is fastened by a diamond brooch. This dress, like the white one, is made as the Ranee always wears her evening dresses, high in the neck, and with no train. But the sari gives a very elegant and full dress appearance, and also shows to greater advantage on a dress like this than it would with a train to confuse the eye. The milliner's skill is shown in arranging it over a simple skirt, and using its effectiveness to the utmost. A pretty tea-gown in pale blue and coral pink is made without the sari, as it is only intended for morning wear. It is in the simple Princess shape, opening in front over an under- skirt. The outer dress is of pale blue faille, lined with coral pink the under-dress is of the coral pink, and is entirely veiled from the neck to the feet with Valenciennes piece lace.

ANOTHER PRIZE-FIGHT. For some time past considerable rivalry has existed between a hairdresser named Bennett, residing in North-lane, Canterbury (well-known locally as an expert boxer), and a bricklayer named Brett. They tried conclusions with the gloves some time ago, but, failing to settle the question of superiority to their liking, the present encounter was resolved upon. About 40 or 50 persons assembled to witness the fight, which was brought off without any interference from the police. The North-lane boxer is about 5ft. 7in. in height and somewhat heavily built, but he is, nevertheless, very active. His opponent is about 5ft. lOin. in height, and weighs about 12st. Fourteen rounds were fought, and a fair amount of punishment was inflicted. The faces of the combatants were somewhat damaged, but no serious hurt was sus- tained. The North-lane boxer seems to have followed the tactics of Kilrain in the recent international prize- fight, for he repeatedly threw his opponent, and his friends claim that he also had all the best of the fighting, delivering several knock-down blows. By mutual consent, a draw was agreed to after about three-quarters of an hour's fighting. The shorter man has expressed his willingness to meet his rival with the gloves to fight eight rounds.

LIGHT IN DARKNESS. One of the distinctive features of the present century has been the wonderful development of that love for humanity which prompts and carries out schemes for rendering comfort to the afflicted and enables those who under Providence are deprived of one or other of the senses which render life enjoyable to overcome in some degree their special disability. It is no doubt more than two centuries since attempts were made with some success to teach the deaf and dumb, but no movement for the thorough education of these or of the blind was carried on to any important extent much before the present century. Doubtless the teaching of the blind is very different in its character from that of the deaf mute, for in the former the hearing is in general acute, and there is no difficulty in viva voce instruction, while the latter can only read by the eye and, save in exceptional cases, are rarely capable of receiving what is termed advanced education. The blind also have the advantage of enjoying conversation with their friends, while to the deaf mute such enjoyment is limited within a somewhat narrow compass. The deaf mute, however, has this great advantage, that when he has been taught to read he can enjoy him- self with any ordinarily printed book, while the blind have, until recently, been cut off from any such en- joyment or means of advancement, unless the sufferer is in a position to obtain the services of a good reader. For them many modes have been proposed and adopted, the first and most obvious being the printing of books in embossed letters. It was, how- ever, at once apparent that such books must be like the ancient Greek manuscripts in uncial characters, that is to say, printed in capital letters, as the small letters would not be so readily distinguishable to the touch even of the blind, which is in most cases much finer than that of those having the sense of sight. It was, however, ere long discovered that even the blind, though naturally having a fine sense of touch, found the discrimination of even capital Roman letters somewhat difficult. Moreover, many of them have to earn their living by the use of their hands in such a way that the skin of their fingers is hardened, and thus the sense of touch is dulled. In a large blind school at Glasgow many years since an alphabet was invented, the letters of which consisted of peculiar knots made upon a long rope, and when the rope had been knotted into the proper wads, it was wound upon a frame, which re- volved as the blind man or boy read it. It is obvious, however, that such a plan as this would fail in supply- ing any important amount of literature, for a book of knotted rope would be expensive and extremely cum- brous. Not to dwell further on other schemes for blind reading, the mode now most generally adopted is that of Dr. Moon, of Brighton, who became blind in the year 1840, and soon perceived the need of an im- provement in the mode of printing books for the blind. He applied himself to the problem, and ere long devised an alphabet, based on the English letters, but so simple and well distinguished that the coarse touch of a ploughman now suffices to peruse books em- bossed in the characters. He subsequently formed a society which has been for 40 years at work supply- ing the blind with books which they can easily read. Somewhere about 700 volumes, including among them publications in 46 languages, have been issued, and these are by no means restricted to any one class of literature,biblical, historical, scientific and other instruc- tive works form, no doubt, the largest proportion, but volumes of travels, biography, tales and anecdotes, as well as some of the best-known novels are now to be found in this library for the blind. A free library has also been in existence in London for many years, from which many thousands of readers have been supplied. In addition to these, maps and some pictures and portraits have been embossed, and the balance sheet shows that more than £ 1400 was expended in the work during 1886. Her Majesty is the patron of the society, the trustees are Sir Charles H. Lowther, Lord Mount-Temple, Dr. Moon and Mrs. Moon, Dr. Moon being also honorary treasurer and secretary, and also superintending the large printing establishment, from which are issued various other appliances for enabling the blind to write to one another or to those who, having their sight, are accustomed only to the ordinary alphabet.

PLEASURES OF PARLIAMENT. The way of doing Parliamentary business in Berlin must commend itself to the Marquis of Salisbury. For instance, the German Deputies meet in the hos- pitable house of Prince Bismarck, or some other Minister of State, in quite an informal free-and-easy manner; members of every party are brought together, bills are discussed in quite a friendly manner between two courses, political enemies are brought into close contact, and often discover over a glass of Rudes- heimer that, though holding opposite views, they are very good fellows. Some of the terrible Social Demo- crats, and even a stray Alsatian or Dane, have been known to sit down at the hospitable board. After dinner, when political and party differences melt away in good fellowship, the German legislators on these occasions wind up the evening at Count Her- bert Bismarck's delightful bachelor snuggery.

A COSTLY MEAL. At the dinner (says a correspondent) which Mr. Chamberlain gave in Washington to the American Fishery Commissioners twenty-two guests were pre- sent. The American papers gave minute particulars of the feast. United States flags formed the chief display over the windows and mirrors. On the menu card portraits of American statesmen appeared sepa- rately on each. Among others pourtrayed were Wash- ington, Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Clay, Lincoln, Grant, Logan, and Arthur. The reverse of the cards showed the American and British flags in colours, and the motto, Blood is thicker than water." Two huge fishes were designed in international jelly. Dishes familiar to America, such as terrapin and canvas- back, were the staple; and turbot had been pro- cured from England. On their part the Americans have lavished hospitality upon their guest, and have indulged extravagantly in the decorations of the table. Instances have occurred at millionaire banquets of the toast list being engraved and embellished on silver tablets. A compliment paid to Mr. Chamber- lain went beyond this in extravagance and excelled it in taste. At the dinner given by the American Com- missioners carte blanche was given the floral decorator to provide orchids at any price. Only a few could be procured at Washington, enormously dear. Off went the decorator hundreds of miles north to Albany, where there is a famous collection in the possession of Mr. E. Corning. He bought the lot at an average cost of X2 each. The banquiting hall was decorated, but at what a price One good feature of the affair is that the proceeds, according to arrangement between Mr. and Mrs. Corning, go to the Episcopal Building Fund of New York. It is said the amount would go near building a church.

A CENTIST, when he gets down to business, has the inside track. CHASING a bull across a soft swamp is the kind of agricultural pursuit that even the independent farmer does not relish. FOUND in an album at Nice Nothing is more diffi- cult than for a woman to decide when to begin her thirtieth year." Miss GOLDSBY: How does my new gown strike you, papa ?" Papa (laconically): For about two hundred and fifty, I suppose, my dear

WHY is a physician's prescription a. good article to feed pigs on ?—Because it is composed of grains.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. The London Gazette has published the following proclamation: By the Queen.-A Proclamation. Victoria, R.- Whereas our Parliament stands pro- rouged to Friday, the 13th dayof January, 1888, we, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, hereby issue our Royal Proclamation, and publish and declare that the said Parliament be further prorogued to Thursday the 9th day of February, 1888; and we do hereby further, with the advice aforesaid, declare our Royal will and plea- sure that the said Parliament shall, on the said Thursday, the 9th day of February, 1888, assemble and be holden for the despatch of divers urgent and important aSairs and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the knights, citizens, and burgesses, and the commissioners for shires and burghs of the House of Commons, are hereby required and commanded to give their attend- ance accordingly at Westminster on the said Thursday, the 9th day of February, 1888. Given at our Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, this 29th day of December, in the year of our Lord 1887, and in the fifty-first year of our reign. God save the Queen." The Convocations of the Provinces of Canter- bury and York stand prorogued to Feb. 10 next.

SUICIDE AND PANIC IN A THEATRE. According to a telegram from Carthagena the other night a broker seated in the stalls of the principal theatre committed suicide with a dynamite cartridge. The effects of the explosion reached a lady in a box, wounding her in the face and hands. Pieces of the skull of the suicide reached the stage. The lights were extinguished, producing a panic among the 'u audience. In the confusion more than a hundred persons were injured. Finally the police succeeded in restoring order.

CATTLE DISEASE IN IRELAND. A deputation from the Royal Dublin Society and Royal Agricultural Society has waited on the Chief Secretary for Ireland, and proposed that, as the cattle disease was now to all intents and purposes confined to the Dublin Unions and district, no cattle should be allowed to pass therefrom alive. That was the only way to stamp out the disease once for all within the three kingdoms, and the present was a great op- portunity. Mr. Naper said there was a general agreement now that the dairy-yards in Dublin were the root of the disease, and that the way to stamp it out was that no animals should be allowed to leave the Dublin dairy yards alive. This proposal sounded as if there would be a great loss to those whose animals were slaughtered, but in Scotland cattle were brought in, milked till they were dry, and then fattened, so that there was not really as much hardship as would at the first blush appear. In the spring the dairy yards of Dublin were active, and the cattle were sent out to graze in the neighbourhood, and then those animals which were in association might be sent off to England at any moment. Their suggestion was that no animal should be allowed out of the dairy yard on any occasion whatever, and that those who were in the same lair or shed with them should be also slaughtered. A great deal was done in spreading the disease by the calves which were sent out into the country. Baron de Roebeck said it was found that, accord- ing to Mr. Headley's report, 225 cases had not been reported, and in all the cases which had been disputed the veterinary department was found to be correct. He (Baron de Roebeck) was certain that was a com- plete slaughter, as proposed, would satisfy the people on the other side of the water. The present state of affairs involved a loss of something like £200,000 to the Irish cattle trade, and this loss was caused by the dairies in Dublin. The Chief Secretary, in reply, said I am extremely glad you have brought this important matter under my notice-a matter which I am perfectly well aware is one of great importance to the community at large. Agriculture, we know, some of us by experience and some by repute, is in a very desperate condition. Everything that can legitimately raise it up must be an object of close attention to those responsible for the government of the country. Lord John Manners, if I understood aright the extract from his speech, read at the beginning of the proceedings, said it was necessary, in order to carry out efficiently any mea- sure for stamping out the disease, that the Irish and the English authorities should act harmoniously. I entirely share that view, and I can only say, so far as the Irish authorities are concerned, there will be no backwardness on our part in meeting the views of the English department or co-operating with them as to the measures necessary to carry on the objects we nave both in view. I think you have very clearly demonstrated what I believe is hardly disputed by any competent authority, that practically the disease at this moment in Ireland is concentrated in Dublin and the district around. It is practically and substantially concentrated in that small area, so that we have this anomalous state of things, that a very small district of Ireland, owing to the fact that disease is not stamped out in it, injuriously affects the cattle trade of the whole country from one end to the other, and, no matter how far the Irish raiser of stock lives from Dublin, his interests are injuriously affected by what occurs in the dairy farms and dairies of the north and south unions of Dublin. I entirely concur in the view laid before me that this is an occasion on which the Government should seriously consider whether this is not the time when the disease can be finally stamped out of the United Kingdom. Of course there are difficulties in the way. We have to consider the injuries that would be effected; we have to remember that so much would be thrown on the rates of the north and south of the city; how the interests of the dairymen would be affected, and I suppose, also, how far an injury to the milk trade of Dublin would hurt not merely the dairy- men, but the customers-the consumers of milk as well as those who provide it But I do not think the problem ought to be beyond the capacity of the officials concerned to deal with, and I shall be very happy to consult my English colleagues in this matter, and see if in concert we cannot arrive at some such measure as all interested in Irish agriculture have in view—re- lieving the Irish stock rearers from the heavy and un- necessary burthen under which they at present labour. The deputation then withdrew.

AGRIOULTURAL ITEMS. So FAR AS WEATHER is concerned, the timely frost, following an open season, comes (remarks a writer on farming in the London Daily Chronicle) like the herald of better times. It is just the weather a farmer could desire to put the land in order, and to lessen the cost of carrying manure from the yards to the fields. The winter hitherto has been most favourable. In many cases the live stock, up to this time, had been still in the pastures, saving hay and roots, and lessening expenses. The wheat crops are spoken of everywhere as looking, even on the ground, strong and vigorous, sheep in the folds are doing well, and if provender is short feeding stuffs are cheap. Correspondents in the manufacturing districts are already anticipating the effects of improved trade in the wages of labour and the price of meat. The present average prices of corn form the worst feature of the agricultural position. They are as follows: Wheat, 30s lOd. per quarter barley, 28s. lid.; oats, 15s. lOd. In the last century, according to the market report of the Kendal Weekly Mercury, pub- lished May 3, 1735, prices were wheat, 29s. to 31s. per quarter barley, 14s. to 18s. oats, 12s. to 14s. Malt sold at 16s. to 21s. per quarter; the price of coffee was 5s. to 5s. 6d. per pound, that of green tea 10s. to 12s. per pound, and hyson tea 24s. to 26s. per pound. These figures support our contention that the low price of corn has become a question of rent and of replacement of corn by produce of greater value, IT SPEAKS WELL FOR FARMING that the Royal Agri- cultural Society, which lost ground a few years since, has now a total of 9449 members, showing an increase of 166 during the past year. Another item in the same direction is that in Warwickshire, where the county agricultural society has suffered a loss of Y,934 recently by the failure of a bank, an appeal to the county has brought in ample funds, and a committee has been appointed to consider the means of increas- ing the usefulness of the society. AN INTELLIGENT FARMER writes as follows on the subject of feeding for meat instead of fat: I had a piece of Harris's Wiltshire bacon the other day, and the fat did not boil out into the water like the fat of much of the bacon does, and when cooked it was much more firm and solid than ordinary bacon. The difference, I believe, is due to the feeding. Probably too much starchy food and too much Indian meal is used in feeding generally, and oily fat is produced instead of stearine fat." This is perfectly correct. Professor W. A. Henry, of the Wisconsin Agricultural Station, reports that the Americans eat less and less pork, and that the foreign trade is falling off owing to the cheap production of maize-fed bacon in the States. He adds The bones of our hogs are so weak that in many cases their legs are broken in handling in and off the cars." Professor Sanborn, of the Missouri Agricultural College, has carried out experi- ments with a view of answering the question, Will the character of the food influence the character of the bone and muscle of the hog ?" He fed several lots of pigs on maize, which is rich in heat and fat- forming constituents, and other lots on other foods thatvare rich in protein and ash elements, which go to make up bone and muscle. The professor's elaborate report, accompanied by diagrams showing the pro- portions of fat and lean in the various carcases, shows that quality depends on feeding. It is lean not fat streaky bacon, and plenty of muscle on the leg or loin of mutton or joint of beef which feeders should aim at producing. The fat stock shows, and especially the Smithfield Club, should look to this. Mr. Darwin shows, in his Animals and Plants under Domestication," that the length of head in the wild hog is one-sixth that of the body, and in some breeds of domestic hogs only one-eleventh. The intestines have been lengthened from six times the length of the body in the wild animal to eleven and oven sixteen times its length in the tame. The period of gestation has been abbreviated, and that of maturity wonderfully changed, especially in recent years. No creature has been so shockingly modified as the pig, who is often born hairless and tailless, while his legs snap at a touch. The bacon curers have protested strongly against the abuses of breeding and feeding, and ac- cordingly the Tamworth pig, with an appreciable snout, has lately come into fashion, with the Berkshire and some of the other old-fashioned sorts carrying lean meat, when properly fed, in proportion to the length of their heads. ONE OF THE UNSETTLED POINTS in agriculture has been the expediency of cooking food for cattle. It is always satisfactory in these matters following the lead of a successful man, and therefore we report the practice of a large farmer of the Midlands, who for the past fifty years has cooked his cattle food in a large copper, mixing chaff and bran in the bottom of the copper to prevent burning, Barfey, oats, peas, beans, wheat, and linseed are then added, covered with water, the copper filled u pwith chaff, and the con- tents brought to the boiling-point and stewed four hours. The corn should be ground into meal, or some of it will escape digestion, even in the case of ruminants. A HEAVY CROP of oats for a dry season was threshed on a sewage farm the other day, the straw being bright and good for feeding and the corn rather light, worth, perhaps, 15s. or 16s. per quarter. It would cost at least 3s. 6d. per quarter, or £ 2 2s. per acre to thresh, clean, and market a crop of 12 quarters per acre, or about 20 per cent. of the whole value of the corn. The reason assigned for this costly operation was that cattle passed oats whole unless they were ground. It may be so, but horses do not, and the loss, in the case of cattle or sheep, would not amount to anything appproaching 20 per cent. Such a crop of unthreshed oats, chaffed with the corn in it, and de- livered at a reasonable rate by the railways, would prove capital food for omnibus and tramcar horses, or it might be cut green and made into ensilage. AT THE SPRING SHOW of thoroughbred stallions to be held at Nottingham in February, under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society, five premiums of S200 each will be given for stallions suit- able for getting hunters and half-bred horses, each winning stallion to serve not less than 50 half-bred mares in the season of 1888 in Derbyshire, Leicester- shire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Rutland- shire, at a fee not exceeding 92 for each mare, or X 1 10s. to members of the society. The Queen's Plate money, with the addition of the Government grant, will be expended over the whole country in a plan of distribution prepared by the Royal Commission on Horse Breeding, the premiums offered for stallions absorbing £4400, leaving £600 for expenses. We have fre- quently pointed out that wealthy land proprietors might greatly benefit the agriculture of their districts by the purchase and distribution of good breeding stock. In connection with that subject we may notice the ap- proaching ninth show of shire-bred horses to be held at Bishop's Stortford on Feb. 2, when prize-money, amounting to Y,109 10s., is offered by Mr. Walter Gil- bey. This seems to us one of the most useful shows in the country as an example for all England. THE BRITISH DAIRY FARMERS' ASSOCIATION will hold its Conference in the eastern counties next year, May 22, 23, and 24. Local skill will be subjected to the test of a butter-making competition at Ipswich in the first day of meeting. Various trips have been arranged, including visits to Messrs. Ransome's works, to the Duke of Hamilton's seat at Easton-park, Framlingham Cottage, and Ickworth-park, the seat of the Marquis of Bristol, the President of the Association. IT IS COMMONLY SAID that "breed goes in at the mouth," and no doubt feeding is all-important, and weight and quality may be produced without purity of blood. We learn from Suffolk that Mr. W. T. Everitt fed a young cross-bred bullock in 1886, which at 554 days old had gained 2-591b. per day, live weight. In April the same year he paid £ 14 10s. for two heifers, which produced calves in May and July. Mothers and calves ran together, and were fattened together, and in April 1, 1887, the two former were sold at £30. The two latter were slaughtered at one- and-a-half years old, selling at X50 16s., and one of them at 517 days old had gained daily 2-591bs. from birth. At the recent Smithfield Club Cattle show the highest gain by any of the animals was 2451b. per day from birth. As Mr. Everitt feeds for profit, this shows what skill with good materials will do, and it supports our frequent contention as to the great importance of a general distribution of improved breeds. ——— THE TRUCK ACT passed last session renders it illegal for any farmer to supply his labourers with beer or cider, or any other alcoholic drink, in part payment of wages. On the whole, perhaps, the change will be beneficial; but for men who will have one of these beverages, whether supplied by their employer or not, the prohibition will be disadvantageous, as they will pay more for worse liquor if they buy it; and they are not all in a position to brew at home. The most awkward effect of the Act, however, will be its appli- cation to the case of an indoor farm-sevant, if it applies to him at all, and there is nothing to show that it does not. If the farmer has beer on his table, and has been accustomed to supply it to his indoor labourers, they will think it very hard to be compelled to drink water. Perhaps, provided that the liquor is not mentioned in the hiring contract, the Act will not interfere with the dieting of the labourers, any more than with that of female servants.

FIRES IN THEATRES. The burning of the Grand Theatre at Islington will again attract attention to the dangers to which theatres are liable from fire, and to the inadequate measures taken to secure the safety of the public. Had the fire occurred earlier, it is much to be feared that we should have had a repetition, it may be on a smaller scale, of the Exeter catastrophe. Herr August Folsch, in a recent paper on this subject, says that the re- corded list of fires in theatres includes over 600 cases in which the buildings were entirely destroyed. The record given extends from the 16th century up to 1882; but mention is also made of the destruction by fire of 11 Roman theatres, chronicled by classic authors. If the latter are ex- cepted, the first recorded fire was in 1569, when the Teatro della Carita, in Venice, was consumed by the flames. Amongst the most disastrous fires was that of the theatre of Capo d'lstria in 1794, when about 1000 persons lost their lives. Nearly 800 persons perished in the flames when Lehmann's theatre and circus, at St. Petersburg, was burnt down on February 14, 1836. But the palm is carried off by the dreadful calamity which happened on May 26,1845, at Canton, when a huge Chinese theatre—constructed, as usual in China, of bamboo, mats, boards, and light stuffs, the whole being surrounded by four walls, only one exit being provided-was destroyed. The official reports state that 1370 corpses were found, and that no less than 2000 persons were injured, 300 of whom expired shortly after. Another disastrous fire occurred in China in May 1872, at Tientsin, with a loss of 600 lives. One of the most horrible scenes was that of the destruction by fire of the Brooklyn Theatre, on December 5, 1876, attributed to utter recklessness. When the extent of the latter became known the ex- asperation of the American public knew no bounds. Its indignation found vent in the verdict of the jury, but that verdict was most effectually emphasised by the public, when for weeks and months after that dire evening they stayed away from all theatres, although their proprietors, so far as they had not been brought to the verge of bankruptcy, provided exits in abun- dance, bought fire-engines and fire-hose wholesale, and, to use the language of the American press, "laid on whole aquariums behind the scenes." About 300 persons lost their lives at the Brooklyn fire, 283 corpses being found in the ruins, whilst a good many died of injuries received. It is a remarkable fact, established by statistics, that, instead of diminishing, fires in theatres appear to be rather on the increase in recent years. Whilst 69 theatre fires occurred between 1851 and 1860, and 99 fires between 1861 and 1870, their number rose to 181 between 1871 and 1880. But 1881 beats them all with a record of 28 fires in theatres, two in that year involving appalling loss of life. We refer to the fires at Nice and Vienna (Ringtheatre). At Nice the remains of 69 persons received public burial on March 25, 1881, but it is a fact that subsequently, when the ruins were cleared away, remains of human bodies were found en masse, and that at the Mairie of Nice no fewer than 280 persons were recorded as "missing." The most disastrous fire, however, in recent years, was that of the Ringtheatre, at Vienna, on December 8, 1881, the official death-roll being fixed at 450. Although fires in theatres have been of as frequent occur- rence as ever since that date, there has been, fortunately, no case in which such holocausts of human beings are on record until the fires at the Opera Comique in Paris in May last, and at the Exeter Theatre in the following September, which deplorable events are fresh in the memory of our readers. At the Opera Comique 100 lives were sacrificed, whilst at Exeter the victims were upwards of 130. Great as has been the number of fires in theatres recorded, and the suffering entailed thereby, there is no cloud without a silver lining. Very frequently disasters are prevented by the presence of mind of a few. When the Surrey Theatre, London, was burnt down on January 31, 1865, not a single life was lost, thanks to the coolness displayed by several actors, but thanks also to the excellent arrangements made for the exit of the spectators. Another remarkable in- stance of presence of mind, which probably saved hundreds of lives, was that in Crosby's Opera* Chicago, when one evening in February, 1870, the stage manager suddenly noticed a fire smouldering at the rear of the stage. Instead of announcing the fact to the spectators he ordered the curtain to be lomrdied, and, stepping before it, intimated to tneia that something had happened which made it imperative for the performance to cease at once. The audience was startled but retired in order. Only when they arrived outside did they learn the danger from which they had fortunately escaped. It may be news to many of the present generation that Astley's amphitheatre has been burnt down four times (1794, 1803, 1830, 1841); that Drury Lane, Covent Garden, and Her Majesty's Theatre have each been consumed by the flames three times and that of existing theatres, 12 have before been destroyed by fire. No less than 36 fires in London theatres are chronicled, the next largest number (30) being recorded in the case of Paris, New York following with 26, and San Francisco with 21. The latter is a very full record for a city with such a short history. In London and Paris nearly every theatre has, in its turn, been burnt down. A re- markable instance is that of Edinburgh, where four theatres were destroyed within 12 years--1865, 1875 (two), 1877. In Glasgow 12 theatres have been destroyed by fire, the Royal Theatre heading the list with four instances-1780, 1829, 1863, 1879. Of foreign theatres, the case of the Teatro Atarazonea, in Seville, deserves mention for frequency of fires. An old chronicle records that it was burnt down in 1615 for the sixth time, that it was rebuilt in 16 31, and that it was destroyed by fire for the seventh time in 16f5. American cities supply a good many instances of fires in theatres. New York and San Francisco have been mentioned. In Philadelphia, 18 fires have occurred since 1799 one theatre, Sandford's Opera House, has been destroyed three times (1853, 1871, 1872). The Chicago record includes 14 cases, but seven of them occurred in the great fire of October 8 and 9, 1871, and can, therefore, not be attributed to theatrical mismanagement. Boston lost 11 theatres by fire and Cincinnatti 10. The fire statistics for the last nine years show that the metropolitan theatres have suffered greatly. The Elephant and Castle Theatre was destroyed on March 26, 1879. On March 16, 1879, the East London Theatre was destroyed the Duke's Theatre was gutted on July 5, 1880 the Park Theatre was burnt out on Sunday, September 11, 1881; on September 6, 1882, the Philharmonic Theatre was destroyed; on December 7 of the same year, the fatal and destructive fire at the Alhambra Theatre occurred; the Raglan Music-hall was gutted on November 13,1883 and Lusby's Music- hall, Mile-end-road, was burnt out on the 20th of January, 1884.-Mornin,q Post.

WHAT is that which is often found where it is not ? -Fault. HARSLETT Why, Clarence, old man! what are you doing in the fireplace ?" Briskett: Mamma objects to having the curtains discoloured, old fel. Come in and have a cigar. Plenty of room, you know."