Weekly Mail

BY HE. J. MUIR, Kargam Abbey, Q-lamotg-ansliire. ANSWERS TO COiiKESPONDENTS. Name ct Viower.—" William Samuel."—Anemone Stellata. S;-tu.V.>u.—i" X. Bj"—I will sretain your letter ),iiti utw, a on the first opportunity. Eczema in Do.— FWôie" and several readers.— rips.e tee njSBwfca in present issue, and be guided by ihom. Hen III.— B. Neale.—It evidently began with roup, but thai is now s; fa. advanced that I adv:.se you to kill the hen at c-ac-e and burv it. Lime\va.-h, dis- Infect, and clean your house and run thoroughly, and If you write and let me know if any more of them indicate suffering in the same way I will adivise you lurther. Red Oloire de Dijon Rose.—"A. J.It is quite as tardy es the old buff (Moire, and possesses all the good qualities of that well-known sort You should lJut a iaver of short manure round the sterns of your hohy hedge plants; water them well at ti e root, and damp them overhead on the evenings of brighti davs. The plants will yet do aU right. Skylark with Long Claws.—" E. H B."—The claws of all birde in cages grow long, and require cut-t. ng sometimes. If your lark io very wild catch it carefully, and with a pair of sharp scissors cut each claw through about the middle. If the first one you cut bleeds cut the other a little nearer the point, and after this you should cut them before they become too long, as they are a great impediment to the comfort of birds. Tomato Fruiu Not Forming.-B. Mortimer.—The sctl in which they are potted should be made very firm. If potted loose the flowers are never robust or fertile. If your soil is loose, ram it lirm at once. Do not water with liquids, but clean water only, tUl the crop is formed. Do not allow side growths to grow, hut restrict them to the main stems. Be particular in this. They should also have plenty of ventilation, admitted both at the top and bottom of the house, so as to cause a circulation of dry air. The Object of Earthing Up Potatoes.—"E. E."— There is no doubt it is a good and desirable practice. You can experiment for yourself. If you allow one of your rows to remain unearthed up you will iind the tubers when full grown on the surface of the eoil and exposed to the air, which makes them green in colour and bitter and bad in flavour, while those that are earthed up will be protected and of the right colour in all parts. The earthing up, too, prevents them from suffering from drought, and the operation is done by all the best potato growers. Sink Refuse, &c., for Farm Land.—"Beta."—I ran iiidge pretty well of the kind of information required from the great number of questions I receive, but I will be glad to receive practical notes from you or anyone on farming. The sticky matter taken from the sink or cesspool should be mixed with light, sandy soil w11fn it ds dry. You should alin add some soot to it, and turn it over two or three timer. before apply- ing. Road f.craping3 from roads on which limestone is used contain a great deal of lime, and is very mutable as a surface dressing for grass land, and it is also excellent to plough into soil intended for corn or rcot crops, and I advise you to secure as much as you possibly can of such materials for your land. Hanging Plant for Window.—Dock."—The "mother of thousands" does not grow very luxuriantly, and is only good where a, small plant is required. You shouid try the small-leaved golden variegated b<eysuckie, Lonicera aurea variegata. It is not often grown in pots for windows, but it is very suit- able for such a purpose, and its graceful branches will grow many feet in a season and droop down in a highly pleasing manner. The passion flower, "Constance Elliott," is another plant that should be oftener seen in a window where drooping foliage is desired, as it is very pretty, and both it and the honeysuckle are very easily grown. The passion flower has ivory white ttlowere, and they are very fragrant. Soil for Palm.—"G. J. B "—Palms require rather a Fciif srit, and the potting mixture shou'd consist of thr-ie-parts old turf, half decayed, a sprinkling of sand, and a little partially-rotted manure. Drain the pots well and put the soil very firmly round the root-. Water thoroughly after potting, but do not. saturate the roots constantly until they are in active growth. They require a great deal of water in the growing season. You should also moisten the foliage once a day. Palms are of slow growth in a window or room, and when bought in well furnished with leaves, endeavours should be made to keep th"m in health and retain these. They dislike draughts of cold air. This will always cause the foliage to become dis- coloured and wither. Weak Rhubarb, &c.—"Hopeful."—It requires a stronger toil or more manure. When the leaves are off in winter dig the roots up. Put.1a considerable quantity of (man ire on the soil. Where they have been growing dig it deeply and well in. re-plant, and put a further layer of manure over the surface of the roots. It will be as strong all you can desire next year after it lias had a little time to grew. If you examine the cuckoo spit," you will find a small green insect emeloped in it, which injures plants, but it can be readily destroyed by squashing it between your finger and thumb. Some of the soapsuds you have been water- ing your rhubarb with, if applied to the plants on which there is greenfly, would destroy these insccts, and one wineglassful of paraffin added per gallon would eradicate the pots completely. Palm Decaying.—"E. L."—As your palm had six leaves when you bought it, has since lost two. and there are two 111 >re withering, it is evidently decaying fast, and a larger pot would not do it any good. As a rule, palms are forced into growth in very hot, close gla.is 'louses. They appear green and healthy when taken from there and offered in the market, hut the deference of a room and where they have been growing is so great that they soon begin to wither, the deficiency of heat and moisture not agree- ing with them. It is a, difficult matter, too, getting a palm into good health once it becomes sickly. I thiinc you should let it remain in the pot it is in. Stand it out in the open air for an hour in the even- ing when the weather is wa.rm. Moisten it over- head then, and try and induce it to make new growth under your conditions, when it would becotme It useful plant. Do not give it manure water until it has more foliage, at they do not require stimulants when sickly. Lilies not Flowering: Fish Dying.—W. H. South- well.-I doubt your lilies must have been weak plants when you put them in the water. and, in that case, they may not flower lor a year or two till they become strong. In plant- ing lilies in water it is a good plan to put a quantity of rich earth in o. few do hampers, with some stones at the bottom to sink them, and insert the lilies in ihe soil, and then put them in the water. If you see that your plants are not going to grow much this season, you should lift them and re-insert them in this way. Trout are not so robust fish as some kinds. Thsy will not eucieed in all waters. Your little pond being 60 much shaded is agamst them. Could you not extend it that part of it might ba exposed to the sunshine? If not, you should tn- troduce a few carp, roach, or pike. The latter is not a choice fish, but it will exist in almost any kind of pond, and you could observe its movements in the 6ame way as the trout give you pleasure at present. Planting a Vinery.—J. Whittle.—The sketch of your vinery indicates a very useful house, and you ought to grow a good quantity of grapes in it. In a length of 35ft. you nray plant ten vines. As you desire a succession of grapes, you should plant them of different sorts. some to ripen early and others late. A good selection would be three Black Ham- burgs, two Foster's Seedling (white), three Black Alicantes, one Lady Downes (blccfc), and one Golden Queen. The Hamburgs would be ripe in July, and these and the Fosters would furnish you with grapes till October, when the other kinds would he quite ripe, and would, if you desired, remain good till January or later. The best soil for vines is the surface of an old pasture field. It should be 4in. or 5in. thick, and chopped into lumps the size of your fist. To each cartload add half a bushel of ground or crushed boues, or Thomson's vine manure, and a wheelbarrow load of cow or horse manure. Mix it all well together before putting it in the border. Be sure you drain the latter well, and the border should be about 3ft. in depth. Young vines pro- pagated from eyes this spring will now be, about a yard in height,. You should buy some of these and plant them at once, or during the next fortnight, when they will make strong plants before the winter. If you cannot plant now defer it till next February or March. "Waterinc Fruit Trees. As a rule, fruit trees do not receive sufficient w ater at the roots in a dry season. Flowering plants and vegetables and many crops of little value will be frequently saturated, but apples, pears, plums, and fruit trees generally are thought to have their roots down in moist soil, or be provided with humidity in other wavs that render artificial watering un- necessary. and1 the result is that the most rubbishy crops imaginable are often watered, while the most useful fruits are left to take care of themselves. In large orchards it might rot be easy to water all the tree3 thoroughly, but in" small gradens, where the trees may not be more, than a dozen or two, or less, there is no excuse for not watering them, and I can say it would be well com- pensated for by the good health of the tree and the extra quality of the fruit. The ground is; very dry in many parts at present. A go.od deal of ram might make it appear moist and give the impression that it must be wet. as deep as the roots' penetrate, but it would take a great deal to do th; t. and before the «nd' of June all trees should be treated) as if they were exceedingly dry and watered thoroughly. If they cannot all be done on one day, do them in succession. In recom- mending them to be watered before June is over, this ought to be noticed, as when once the tree is partially starved at the root and tlie fruit checked in its development, it will never attain the size and quality it would have done if such had not taken place, and that watering may be fully beneficial it ought to be done early in the growth of the fruit. The Avater that is often applied at the back end of the development of the fru't. under the water that is often applied at the back end of the development of the fru't. under the supposition that it will assist the fruit to "finish off to perfection," is only an idea and not a- fact in practice. Those Avho coull water their fruit trees well at present and again once or twice in July would produc-e a result that would ensure their watering their trees while in the early stages of their fruit growth ever afterwards, and all who saw them would, I feel sure, go and do likewise. Liquid manure is always acceptable to fruit trees, but clean water in abundance is a'so highiy advantageous. Tree- in light soil or growing under the protection of houses suffer most from drought, and should receive most atten- tion, but a little urop now and a little drop again is useless to them, the only and greatest- good being derived from a thorough satura- tion of the whole of the roots. Manure for Fruit Trees in Summer. Drought is most injurious to fruit trees, as it checks the foliage, fruit, and development generally. Dryness at the root is the form of drought thst is most injinious, as if they are moist there it does not prove very harmful if the top is in a hot sun or a. dry atmosphere. Want of time and water may be two reasons why fruit trees cannot be watered at the root so frequently as they require it, and a good way of assisting them to thrive in spite of long periods between waterings is to get a. quantity of half-decayed manure and spread it round the "tems and over the roots outwards from the stem for three, four, or five feet.. If this is done before they are watered. the water will take much of the property of the manure. down to the roots, and it will also prevent the moisture from evaporating quickly afterwards. The covering of manure induces roots to come to the surface, keeps them cool, and induces health in root and branch. Raspberries, currants, and all kinds of tree fruits should be surface dressed with manure, and borders in which vine roots are growing must not be omitted, as all the best grape groAvers adopt this system of assisting the roots. Vegetable Marrows. These do not grow well, or, rather, fruit well, in shady places. They Avill make any quantity of leaves there, but the fruit Howers will be scarce, and those that appear will generally decay without the fruit swelling. They re- quire plenty of air and sunshine to ensure this. As it is the hard, close grown Avood that bears the most and best fruit, the growths should never be allowed to crowd on each other, and where space will allow they may be spread out all round the root. A manure heap or any elevated place suits them, as the growths are there much exposed, -which they like. It it is not \rery often that the marrows are (ready till July or later, but the recent warm weather has been much in their favour and tiley will be ready soon. All the early fruit should be cut as soon as ready. It any are wanted for seed they may be allowed to mature in September. Give the plants abun- dance of water, but no liquid manure until they have been bearing for some time. Green Cherries Falling Off. Some of all kinds of fruit is apt to drop off while small and green, but one of the worst is the cherry. Wnen the fruit is newlv formed the branches are thicfcly covered with fruit, but some of them soon begin to turn yellow, then wither and drop off. This frequently occurs to such an extent that more than half the fruit that was formed falls off prematurely, and those that remain are not enough to be a profitable crop. This is not satisfactory, especially after such a fine promise of fruit, and more than one reader has Avritten express- ing disappointment. Trees that have formed an exceedingly heavy crop may refuse to retain them all under any condition, but all should retain sufficient to make a full crop. and one of the chief reasons they do not is owing to their being over-dry at the root. They may have been watered well when it was first noticed that the fruit were failing, but it was too late then to apply a. remedy that would be sufficient to save the crop. Weak lime-water is the best liquid with which to water cherries, as it assists the stones to 8wel1, and they seem to require more of it than other stone fruits. Syringing the trees, in the evenings, too, is a good practice, and tni? and the lime-water at the root are remedies against the fruit falling that ought to be ap- plied at once. Insects on Poultry and Cage Birds. Mr. Frank Urch, London, writes recom- mending a. free use of pyrethrum powder as an antidote for insects on fowls and Oiga birds, at this season especially, and at all times. Mr. Urch asserts that the canary bug cannot live where this powder is used. Overcrowding in the Poultry-yr,rd. "Hen wife" objects to this, and writes: — "The hatching season is now well nigS ever. I have experienced more successful years, and this is the complaint of many. I do not think there will be fewer fowls in the country this season than usual, as when it was understood that the weather was against the fertility of the eggs in the forepart an extra number of eggs were introduced for hatching, and by this time poultry yards contain as many chickens as formerly, and overcrowding ia, therefore, a question thst is necessary to consider. It is an evil that oours in all sized y&.rds. In towns, where the little runs are only sufficient to accom- modate from four to half a dozen fowls, ten, twelve, or more may be found in them, while in large yards capable of containing six, eight, or ten dozen, very many more may be found. They may all receive enough of food, but the overcroAvding soils the runs, breeds Arermin, and is altogether unhealthy. The general sy,tem of feeding all the fowls together in a large run is a mistake, as this encourages their crowding together, and they should be fed in different parts at the same time. Old fowls which are now discontinuing to lay should be sold off or used in the kitchen. Young cockerels should be sold as soon as ever they are ready, or, indeed, a little before it, as a great size is not the first recom- mendation of a chicken for the table. Any deformed birds—and there are alAvays some of these where many are hatched—should be destroyed without any consideration of their being ready for the table. It is by closely observing rules of this sort that the health of foAvls mav be increased' and assured, and the whole of their qualities will be improved by it." Failure of Field Turnips. From what I hear I do not think the weather is excessively dry universally, but in (south Wales at present rain is greatly needed to facilitate growth in all crops, more especially field turnips, which have baen sown for some time, and are having a struggle for existence of such duration that many of them are perishing, and all are so much weakened that it is impossible, even with the assistance of genial weather, that they can grow into profitable crops. I believe it will end in many of them having to be sown a second time, and it will be much better to do this than have the fields liaT blank for the season. If it has to be done, there should be no hesitation about it. but immediately the soil and weather are suitable, sow again at once. It may be a. little late now to do this, but many swedish turnips are sown too early, and they cease growing in autumn at a time when later-sown ones would still he developing freely. The crop is an important one, and cannot be done without on the farm, and, although second sowing will entail extra expense for seed and labour, it should be done, if possible. Mangolds, too, are far from luxuriant, as they are suffering in the same 'way as the SAvedes, but they bear transplanting well in damp weather, and they may also be sown a second time. Eczema in Dogs. Probably, owing to the warm, dry weather, I have received so many questions as to the cause and cure of skin disease or eczema in dogs that I quote what a. well-known authority. Dr. Gordon Stables, says on the matter in the "Kennel Companion": — "Eczema," says Dr. Stables, "is a. non- contagious ailment of the skin, (itz, as a rule, to errors in the proper treutiacnt of the animal. These mistakes are of a two- fold nature, and refer to the dog's feeding and to the treatment of his skin. Dogs that are grossly fed or fed on dainties and not permitted an abundance of exercise are sub- ject to eczema. So are those kept in damp or unwholesome kennels, and never Avashed. But over-washing, especially if strongly alkaline soap is used, may so produce the disease. In eczuna the skin is red, wet, or covered with pat dies of scurf, or it may be thick or swollen in places. There is much scratching, but an absence of the very dis- agreeable smell we find in cases of mange. -Nf?w, to get rid of eczema we must renovate the health thoroughly and treat symptoms. The animal may have Avorms; these must be removed. As a rule, the purging alone will do good. If his liver be out of order and appetite bad, &c., small frequent doses of taraxacum and podoplivliin will be needed, If fever be present, the diet should be reduced, plenty of well-mashed greens given, and a. mixture of Epsom and Glauber salts, with mindererus spirit, which any chemist can oake up. In Fowler's solution of arsenic we have a capital nervine tonic which exerts a curative and health-giving action on the skin. It should be made tasteless, tell the chemist—that is. Avithout the tincture of lavender; it can thus be put into the food with- out any chance of the animals refusing it. A course of arsenical treatment would occupy about six weeks. The dose should be gradually increased, a space of three days without the medicine intervening between each fortnight. Begin with from two to six minims, according to the size of the doe, and gradually increase to six and twenty. This t" ice or thrice a day in the food. For a simple case of eczema wash gently in lukewarm water once a week, using only the mildest soap, say. Sanitas, and afterwards anoint with oxide of zinc ointment, ben- zoted.

-4 HOME FOR INEBRIATES. A LADY TELLS HER EXPERIENCES THERE. A lady representative of "Cassell's Journal," in search of information, describes 11l that publication heT sojourn at the house of "a Christian couple," who advertised to treat, ladies suffering from dipsomania, the effects of chloral, or morphine. She represented herself, when answering the advertisement, as an orphan and a slaA^e of chloral, the habit having: been ac- quired through insomnia. By return of post a 1 eply came, in which she was addressed as 'Dear child," and the result was she was accepted as a patient at the rate of three guineas a week. On arriving at thei home she was consigned to the care of a matron in uniform, with the cast of countenance jha-t is cheerful bv system. "She led me straight off," the lady writes, "to the doctor—an old gentleman in spectacles, mild arid benign—who, an learning my symptoms. said that he would send me a soothing draught to alleviate cerebral excitement. ROUTINE. "Then I was free to join the other inmates a'; late dinner (seven p.m.). There were eight of them, all more or less shoAving traces of their malaclv in their faces. A lady, hand- some but hard, sat at the head of the table. She was one of the 'Christian couple'; the other was the-mikl-looking female. There was much made-up conversation, all in a. subdued tone. After, we adjourned to the drawing- room, where tea with lemon in it was handed iound; we discussed the ladies' papers and had some very indiiierent music. At 9.30 p.m. prayers were said by a sad-voiced Divine. Ther° were rules printed in every room; lights had to be put out by eleven p.m. no dciors v/ere. to be locked. We were visited once during the night, ar;d on each floor slept an attendant within call if wanted. Breakfast could be had at any reasonable hour wished in one's private apartment, and attendance at morning prayers was not compulsory, though the s bsemtees were virited bv ihe clergyman separately, and strenu- ously exhorted to amend their lives. Two car- riages-one one shut-came round at neon for a drive in the grounds: at two they took u outside. We were forbidden to discuss our past lives in public, and did not even know the names of our companions, but were called by the colour of the decorations of our apart- nents. I was Miss Cerise. PUXISHMENTS. "The punishment for infringing any of these rt striotions was the most peculiar part of this peculiar institution. For minor offences, the ltn on was omitted in tea, or the culprit was docked of her dessert. The handsome bard lady would say, in a marked tone of voice, to the waitress, Green, or Mrs. Brown, will not have any lemon in her tea to-night, or will have no dessert.' Whereupon all eyes were fixed upon the unfortunate delinquent, who blushed uncomfortably and fingered her table-napkin mrvously. The repetition of an offence, or the breaking of a cardinal rule., was forcibly im- pressed on the patient's memory by making her absent herself from the eATeninpr re-union, or. if she were present insisting<m total silence on her part, an attendant being always behind her chair to record in a book the number of times 9h8 transgressed. The introduction of alcohol or spirits meant a period of severe separation, with an attendant ever in eA-idence. Letters from the institution were desmtched unseen those sent to us were scanned before we got them. RECREATIONS. "Medicine wart put punctually on my mantel- piece. I as punctually watered the plants with it: they flourished-so did T. The; clergy- man read Dickens aloud one evening a week, but lie always chose the parts that made the good ladies cry. I, bein. £ the only three guinea boarder, was allowed a little latitude, and con- trived to strike up a friendship with the gardener, and had some exciting talks with the stable-boy; but even such amenities get stale, and. with the desperation born of despair, I asked to be allowed to get up some living pictures,' using the domestics for the figures." Permission was refused, and then, in despera- tion. the lady introduced cards,. but., being caught in the act of playing "Old Maid," the cards were confiscated, followed by a homily on gamblinc. delivered by the clergyman. The lady next sought comfort in writing, but her papers were impounded. Finally she Avearied of the regime and the menu, so. telegraphing to a relative to fetch her, she returned to town, where a non-temperance dinner and a visit to the theatre restored her to her normal condition.

BACK FROM THE DEAD. George Davenport, of St. Joseph, Mis'o.'ri, has been married to his wife a second time at Columbia, Mo. It is another Enoch Arden story. J hey were married many years ago, a.nd have been separated since Davenport went to ine war. His wife believed him dead, and married again. He believed his wife and child dead, and never Avent- back to his old hon e. When Davenport went into the army he lived on a small farm ten miles south of Columbia. He was wounded at Shiloh and left on the f eld to die, but recovered after an illness of mere thr.ii a year. Several years after his wife was married to John SmallAvood, a friend of her youth, and lived with him until he died. Daveaport wandered to California, where he lived nearly 30 years, and finally drifted mto the Soldiers' Home at Leavemvorth. After leaving the home he came to St. Joseph. A few Aveelrs ago he read something in a news- paper Avhich convinced him that his son was alive. He went to Columbia and found that his Aid ft-, too, was alive. It was some time be- fere he could convince her of his identity, but she became convinced, and they are now re- Bianied.

EDITED BY "UNCLE WILLIAM." "Who is 'Inquisitive Jack,' mamma? And where does be live, I pray?" 'Inquisitive Jack' is a very small boy, and he lives not far away. His hair is the colour of yours, my dear, and his eyes about the same, And a very big bump on his curly head has earned for him his name." "What is the bump, you'd like to know. 'Tis called 'curiosity,' dear. And it runs into feet, hands, lips, and eyes, and will bring him sad trouble, I fear. Into everyone's business 'Inquisitive .J aok' is prompted to peep and inquire, And to have a finger in everyone's pie he con- tinually seems to desire. "He meddles with this, he meddles with that— there's nothing safe in his way; Poor mamma is kept in a. state of alarm from morning till close of day. He talks, of course, and can talk, sometimes, as well as you or I, But his chief conversation consists of one word, and that is the question, 'Why ?' "You never have seen him? Oh! yes, you have. You look at him fair and square Whenever you're caught at my burcau-dra-Aver, in front of the looking-glass there; Oh! Teddy, you've guessed whom I'm telling you of, s.nd you never need ask again, 'Mamma who is Inquisitive Jack ?' since the mirror gives answer so plain." MARY D. BRINE. Ma-ny of "Uncle William's" nieces and nephews live in the country, and are able to keep few-Is. Nov?, in the "Church Monthly," the editor of "Fowls" (the Rev. J. Lacock) shows that keeping fowls is a source of profit, as well as of pleasure. Under the heading of EOOS, MEAT, AND A PROFIT, he srays:—"If each reader of this headline Avere asked which he most fancied—eggs meat! or a. profit !—we are fain to believe lie would experience some little difficulty in fixing his choice. An egg, perfectly new- laid, possessing that well-known bloom 'which bespeak? its freshness and the introduction of the spoon which reveals a rich golden yolk, instead of now and again a. half-developed chicken, is, indeed, a tempting morsel. To the strong, vigorous Avorker eggs prove excel- lent food, whilst in the sick ward what food is more, welcome? They can be taken raw as they are. whipped up with variou-g fluids, or cooked in a. hundred different -ways' to tempt the falling appetite. Used simply a.s an article of diet they are invaluable, and yet they prove of immense service in many other Avays. The white is used by the manu- facturer for fixing the colours in calicoes, muslins, &c. also in bookbinding, the facing of photagraphic papers, &c. Then, further, they are used for egg-powders, &c. and the dried yolk of egg is employed for finishing kid of the best kinds for gloves, boots, and in many other ways whilst tho-se who engage in party politics are aware that eggs—not new-laid, but otherwise—are not infrequently resorted to at election times, when argument has failed. "MEAT. "But, besides eggs, a poultry-yard supplies meat—the most costly item in the poor man's food. History tells us that when the Romans, under Julius Ctesar, invaded our shores they found both the fowl and the goose in a, state of domestication nevertheless, they were forbidden as food. That must have been very tantalising, for both form a very toothsome dish. Brillat Savarin—prominent in gastronomic taste-avers that he believed the Avhole gallinaceous family Avas made to enrich our tables, for, from the quail to the turkey, their flesh is a light aliment full of flavour, and fitted equally for the invalid as for the man of robust health. Now, a couple of fowls would make a very big hole in the wage of a working man but, depend upon it, if he will only set to work in a careful and intelligent way to grow his own chickens, his humble larder may be 'enriched' and his table 'furnished' now and again, without ex- trilvagance, with such wholesome and appe- tising fare. Then, last, but not least in the eye. of most folk, there is "THE PROFIT. "We have enjoyed all three portions our- selves—eggs, meat, and a. profit—and in this little series of articles we want to help many others to do likewise. Our experience is not an isolated experience; plenty of other peoplb have done the same more, may still do so. Many a working man to-day, by eschewing the public-house and devoting his leisure hours to his feathered friends, has found his poultry yard a source, not only of profit, but of considerable pleasure besides. Here is a. self-help opportunity within the reach of all. At a parochial tea, meeting on one occa- sion we seized a, plate of butter in one hand and a disb of cake in the other, whilst, a friend on our right followed our example with %sa-n-d-wiehes. Presenting them to an opposite neighbour, he cast a hungry glance at each. remarking at the same moment, 'Only give me time, and rn have some of each.' That is just what we want all the readers of these lines to enjoy, not to make a. of one item only, but to go in strongly for 'some of eacli'-eggs meat! and a. profit! As our friend at the tea- meeting found, it takes time—everything worth doing does—but it can be done, and success can be achieved by those who try." And it is quite as profitable to keep bees, as the folloAving incident will prove:- THE CURATE AND HIS CONVENT. A curate living in the South of France one day naci a messenger to say that his bishop was shortly coming to dine with him. The messenger went on to say that he was on no account to prepare s. costly dinner. When the bishop arrived he was rather offended to find that a luxurious meal had been prepared for lÚm. He scolded the curate for spending nearly his whole income on a single mnner. The curate replied that he had not spent a penny of his income as curate; he always gave that to the poor. "Then," said the bishop, "may I ask how you got this meal for me?" "I have a con- A-ent of young ladies," replied the curate, ''who supply me with nearly sverything." "Indeed," sa-id the bishop; "I had no irlea. that there -Mas .3.. convent near here." The curate said he vould take him to see it when dinner wap over. After dinner he fcook the bishop into a garden, round the sides of which were a number of bee-hives. "This is my convent," said he, "and these are my nuns. They bring me £ 90 a year, so the,t I can live comfortably without touching my income." The bishop was delighted, and whenever a young curate asked to be pro- moted to a, better living he told him "to be oootonsfc and keep bees." A HERO. He'd heard' about them every one, Those small, brave, story bovs He thought a battle must be fun, With all the guns and noise. He played he was an Indian scout, So brave to shoot and ride But when he had his tooth pulled out, This fearless hero-cried. PUZZLES. 1.—NUMERICAL CHARADE. I am a word of ten letters. My 5, 6. 8, 2, 3 is a criminal. My xO, 6, 8, 1 a place from which we get water. My 7, 9, 3, 6 is to be forlorn. My 4. 2, 3, 6 is departed. My 10, 9, 3 is to gain. My 10, 2, 9, 7 is an article of commerce. 7 My whole is the name of an American poet. MARY HUTCHINSON. 2.—SQUARE WORD. A stinging insect. Part of a church. A river in England. A movable habitation. MARY HUTCHINSON. 3.—RIDDLE-ME-REE. Eight letters compose the name of a well-known sweet-smelling flower seen in many houses during February. In each of the folioAving lines one letter is hidden:- I My first is in humble, but not in proud; My second is in cloudy, but not in cloud; My third is in table, but not in stool; My fourth is in current, but not in pool;' My fifth is in inkstand, but not in pen; My sixth is in many, and also in men; My seventh is in tulip, but not in crocus;' My eighth is in drench, but not in soak us. ETHEL CATLAH (Hull). 4.—CONUNDRUM. Mary Hutchinson wishes to know—Why have we reason to doubt the reality of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland? All answers to the above puzzles, if re- ceived by "Uncle William" not later than Friday next, will be acknowledged the ful- lowing week. ANSWERS TO PUZZLES OF JUNE 3. 1.—RIDDLE-ME-REE. Bloodhound. 2.—RIDDLE-ME-REE. Scissors. 3.-GHAR.ADE. Stephenson. 4.—CONUNDRUM. Potatoes and corn are like certain persons mentioned of old because they have eves and see not, and ears and hear not. Answers to the puzzles the numbers of which follow their names have been re- ceived from- Martha Ellin (Cardiff), 2. Eunice Fairbank (Cottingham), 1-2-3. G. H. Billamy (Ross), 4. Sarah Smith (Cardiff), 1-2-3-4. Richard Wanless (Cardiff), 1-2-3. Mabel Hicton (Swansea), 1-2-3. THE CARDIFF "WEEKLY MAIL" ANI- MALS' FRIEND SOCIETY. At present there are 290 members of the Cardiff "Weekly Mail" Animals' Friend Society. But any girl or boy can become a member by sending his or her name to "Uncle William," and promising to observe the following pledge — C> "I hereby promise never to tease or torture any living thing, or to destroy a, bird's nest, but to promote as much as possible the comfort and happiness of all the creatures over which God has given man dominion." All communications respecting the "Chil- dr.en's Corner" must be written on one sido of the paper only, and addressed to "UNCLE WILLIAM," 41, Broughtcn-larie, Maneke.it. r.

A FAMILY BUTCHERED. A Central Ncaa's telegram from Chicago on Monday says —A dispatch from the town St. Francis, in Kansas State, gives details e| a terrible domestic tragedy which occurred there on Saturday last. Frank Williams, a farmer, lived unhappily with his wife, and decided to separate from him. He threatened her life, and the woman, fearing that he In Wlt make some attempt upon her, started wiih 1 "lVCJ friends, intending to obtain a warrant fo" h;3 arrest. Williams se -ms to frive luecn mad1* aware of their errand, for he attacked them etJ. route, shooting all three. He returned to his house and murdered his two children, compl ing the tragedy by blowing his own brains out with a pistol.

Thin, emaciated persons find in Scott's the food that give3 them new life. Scott's enriches the blood, creates solid flesh, and strengthen the whole system. It is a preparation of merit, and is endorsed by the whole medical av°« so there is no mystery about it. Try it. L11&56