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FARMIXG NOTES.
FARMIXG NOTES. (From the "Agricultural Gazette.") MARCH. We should now be plunged (Professor Joifin W rightsnn observes) into the activities of spring work. March is proverbially an uncertain month, seldom passing without some storms of snow and returns of severe weather. It, however, is essentially a ap-ing month. Land dries in March, and it is the principal time for sowing spring corn, especially barley. It is a particularly busy month, not on'1 on account of the sowing of spring corn, but alsc -his preparation of land for potatoes', mangel, early rape, and even for other root crops. It is the best month for sowing grass seeds either for tempo- rary or permanent pastuies, for harrowing and rolling corn, and for preparing pastures and meadows for their summer's growth. Live stock also still demand the same attention as during the winter fat eaule and sheep, ewes and lambs, cows and calves, all need increased attention; while last, but not least, the poultry yard awakens to new life. and young chicken begin to"be a feature of the farmyard. The scene is indeed lively and inspiriting. Life in the field, the fold, the yard, all is in full swing, rnd the farmer be- ginning to feel the pressure of getting on with the various descriptions of farm work. BARLEY. This Feems to have become by far the most im- portant of our corn crops. Wheat, it is true, Iris recovered its value to a considerable degree, fer 30s. per quarter is not a despicable price in the light of the experience of recent years. Barley is, however, now the favourite cereal, anki is at present, of interest in connection with a proposal to agitate for a restora- tion of the Malt Tax. It is now thought by many capable men that the re-imposition of this tax would increase the price of English barley simply on account of the preference which would then be shown for it. In the old days of the Malt Tax it was urged that, while it increased the price of the best samples, it depressed the Talue of inferior ones; but many changes have occurred since then. Foreign barley has come in like a ilood, and an army of malt sub- stitutes as well. Pure beer has become a rare article, and it is thought that a malt tax would force the bands of brewers, by making them declare their con- sumption of this article. Far be it from me to dis- cuss this important subject here but any move which would raise the value of English barley and shut. out foreign novelties from the brewing trade —that is, restore beer to its true character of malt and hops-would be of benefit to the farmer and the public, and could harm no honest trader. The on I) matter of regret is that, the farming community should ever have been so mis- guided as to have agitated for its repeal Never was there a more unanimous demand, although even then manv far-sighted men saw the mistake. Whatever comes of the present movement, it at least shows the vast importance of barley to the country, and of every element which influences its value and its uses. At the present moment it is the cultivation of good barley which demands attention more than legislative enactments regarding it. The natural conditions are favourable, and it is for us to take advantage of tho season and secure one important element of success in one particular at least-namely, early sowing. When barley is sown in February or early March the tendency is to produce big corn. This is always much esteemed by buyers, as a big grain is richer in starch than a email one. There is less husk and more saccharine. The plumpness of barley, due to the stuffing out of the grain through starch cells, fineness of skin, and good colour, all help to make an attractive sample, which, further, is heavy and sweet. Scarcely any other qualities seem to be necessary. What can any buyer require more than a large, plump, well-coloured, fine-skinned, sweet, and heavy barley? These are, in fact, the points which it is very difficult to combine in perfection. Omit one, and the whole complexion of the case is changed, and the price falls to the level of pig barley. How far may early sowing be trusted to secure all these advantages? No doubt in many cases it makes all the difference, but not unless assisted by other conditions. I have already drawn attention to the rules for growing good barley. If we were to suppose a case in which every pre- caution was taken, the conditions of growth would be as follows: (1) Suitable soil. (2) Moderate condition. (3) Early sowing. (4) Fine and uniform tilth. (5) A good variety. (6) A favourable season. (7) Good harvesting. (8) Careful getting up for sale. The difficulty of producing a good sample lies ehiefly in the rarity of all these conditions being pos- sible. Many of them are to a great extent beyond control, and hence, cultivate as we may, a few (,-old nights, or bad weather during harvesting, may easily ruin the prospects of the crop. There nmst always be an element of chance in growing barley. And yet it is clear that some people always seem able to produce a flne sample—as, for instance, our great seedsmen who deal in pedigree seeds. They seldom fail, and therefore the faculty of taking pains must tell upon the production of good samples of barley. At the close of each harvest year we always report on an annual show of barley, but the methods of growing the prize samples vary verv considerably. We have always held that the best samples are grown after wheat, or even after oats, and this seems to be due to the less exuberant character of the growth, and probably to the fact that such barley is usually sown earlier than b,-irl-t-v after roots. SPECIAL MANURES FOR BAULKY. They are plenty of barley manures, and prize barleys are frequently raised from or after dressings of such fertilisers. It is singular that no far-reach- ing experiments have ever been instituted upon manuring barley with a view to proving the effect upon quality. Rothamsted deals almost exclusively with yields per acre, and no agricultural chemist has yet ventured to put forward a combination of fertilisers which may be relied upon to pro- duce a high class sample. Such combinations are left to the commercial-manure manufacturer. Agri- cultural chemistry might naturally be expected to tell us how to manure for barley. The list of fer- tilisers is too meagre, and seems principally to o cil- late between various combinations of two familiar substances-nitrate of soda and superphosphate. Potash is uncertain in its effects, but probably a mixture of these three would exhaust the list. We are, therefore, left comparatively in the dark its to the manuring of barley, and lean to the iden that a moderate condition of fertihiy brought about through ordinilry g'.od farming is the best for this purpose. There is, it is to be flared, much room for quackery in the fabrication cf barl.t-.v manures; but nevertheless a fair test of various manures manufactured for the specie' growth of barley might prove useful if the manufacturers would submit their wares to such a crucial test, and if a central experiment could be arranged. The question is extremely difficult, because each season has its own peculiarities, and each Eo:1 its own peculiar de- ficiencies. In the meantime tl e trade in such spec'al manures is chiefly supported by testimonials as to what has been achieved in particular cases. FIXE TILTH. Suitable soil, in suitable condition, and finely worked to a uniform tilth, are perhaps the chief con- ditions for securing a good crop of barlev. In ordfr to secure them careful folding, earlv ploughing, and the mellowing effects of weather are all required. Once ploughing may sometimes be all that is neces- sary, but twice ploughing is also recommended. In such a dry season as the present there is no fear of land having been battered down with heavy rain. Folding has been dry, and the ground breaks easilv. One plough and plenty of harrowing and rolling will, therefore, be found suffic'tcid,. Drilling is preferable to broadcasting, as more like.y to secure equal depth of sowing, equal germination, and uniform appear- ance above ground. ROLLING AFTER pr.ouGiusa. When folds are broken in dry weather the furrow should be at once rolled down, as it will be found to .pulverise better, and will not be rendered liable to cake or ettch in the sun. As the season advances, this tillage will be found to grow in importance. It w ono of the difficulties encountered in sowing lafe arley th&t the furrows catch and become intractable it? fr^n ^8 P^sn pointed out in this cojumn, os udy of tillage is a iaost important part of agri- cultural practice, and farmers who understand and take pains with ti, order asd timing of their simple operatioiis ,4-ill be quite as to bring out a good •ample of -barley as those who bestow more attention upon the spe&^i nianures recommended for barley..
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A MATHEMATICAL young V.Iln that ¡ during a period of tire years* i.e has wa'jfagJ 13.2-X5 miles in viiting his sweetheart, J-Jcw f^r jnyst lie J J\ '»
GARDENING GOSSIF. 1--
GARDENING GOSSIF. 1 (From Cotfr.ge Gardening.") FI,I)W I!. It Q,Utn1tN. The, land is now in prime working order, especially when-it. has been turned up and exposed for some time. It. should be clearly understood that flowers, It. stioti; if they are to bo grown well, must have niRrmre in some shape or form, but the compost which can be formed from the waste matters about the border is as valuable for many purposes as immure from the farmyard. Charred rubbish is capital stuf ffor dress- ing flower beds, especially (^fer tlie spring flowers are over and the beds and borders are dressed for tho summer bidders. Large-leaved plants, such as Holly- hocks and Dahlias, must have some manure worked into the site they are to occupv. Triromas should have some manure worked in round their roots also. Last winter very much injured our Tritomas, and others, also, have had losses. Autumn-sown annuals will transplant well now. Cornflowers are very strong, and will floii-ereiriv. These are cli irm- 109 for cutting when sown in autumn and grown thinly, as the flowers are much larger when thinly grown and the same remark apples to all annuals. The annual Chrysanthemums are exceedingly useful when sown thiniy on good land. The single varieties of the tricolor section are charm ing, and t lie more one cuts the better they (lower. Roses are breaking into growth, azid4by the middle of Sbirch, if the weather is open, the prunirg may be done-zit least most of ours will be pruned by that time. It is best to cut to dormant, buds if possible. I am averse to the laying down of hard and fast hnes for anything, but especially so for pruning Roses. There arc some among us who say, do not prune at all. But I fancy they are in a very small minority. Afost people who have had much ex- perience, and have given much thought to the matter, prune more or less, according to the condition of the plants. Stiong-growing plants are moderately pruned, moderate growers are pruned a little more, and those of weakly habit arc pruned rather hard back. Take each plant, and prune according to its habit of growth. But I think any collection of Roses, left for two or three years without pruning would require rather a drastic use of the knife to br;ng them into condition again. German Irises may be divided and transplanted now. They are showy things while they last, and there are so many shades of colour in a good collection. They are capital plants for the town garden. FRUIT GARDEN. The grafting of fruit-trees may be done rather earlier this season, Ps, in consequence of the mild winter, the sap is in vigorous motion earlier than usual. Put it is well to wait till the sap is moving upwards rapidly, as then the grafts make a better and quicker union. Whip grafting is best for young stocks. It is a very simple method. The only im- portant matter in grafting is to fit, the bark of the graft to the bark of the stock on at least one side. There really is no mystery about it. Of course the expert knifeman will make the best wc.rk, but there is nothing about grafting or budding that anyone may not soon learn, and as regards fitting the branches together, practice may be made upon any common trees to obtain command of the knife and the proper manipulation of the parts operated on. Young stocks may be grafted near the ground, and then be earthed up above the graft. This keeps the air from the wounded parts and prevents the clay from cracking and peeling off. Whip graft ing is performed bv cutting off a slice from the side of the stock, 2in. long in a slanting direction. A corre- sponding slice is cut from the side of the senn. The two cut surfaces are then fitted together, the barks on one side fitting as nearly together as possible. Some- times a tongue is made in the face of the stock, and a corresponding tongue is made in the graft, and the t wo fitted together. But I could never see much advantage in this, as, if the graft and stock are fitted together truly, and bound firmly with raffia or matting, the parts will soon unite. Older trees are grafted by a different method. Rind grafting and cleft grafting are both practised on old trees, but, rind grafting is the sinydest. Two or more grafts may be inserted in the thick branches. After the branch has been cut off, and the end smoothed with the knife, an incision is made through the bark in two or three places. We generally use a piece of smooth bone to open the bark, and the graft is then thrust in firmly and bound fast with matting. collo The hardiest bedding plants will be safe in col4 frames now if well matted up at night. Vegetable Marrows and Ridge Cucumbers may be started, te be ready for planting out under shelter early ia May. WINDOW GARDEN. Plants in spare rooms may now have water, as we may reasonably hope we are safe from severe frost now. Keep them near the light and open the window on bright days to harden the young foliage. cuttings of many things will strike now. Myrtles are a long time rooting, hut they will root in sandy soil in due time. A plant that may be made good use of for an outside window-box is Pelargonium Mille. Crousse, which is the best of aU window-box things for hanging down over the niches. The plant is strong in growth, and the pinkish-coloured flowers tie pro- duced in profus:on over a long season. Get the plants in good condition before they are put out, and if necessary repot them now, and pinch out the ends of the shoots tb encourage plenty of lateral growth, They must have a sunny position in the greenhouse, and not be stinted for water. This Pelargonium is more satisfactory than such things as the Creeping Jenny, as it gives very little trouble, and blooms throughout, the summer. Press into service also such varieties of Tuberous Begonias as pendula, and for the sides, to run up over the window, the yeilow- Bowered Cannrv Creeper is most useful. For filling the centre of the box a large number of things are available. Lobelias, Calceolarias, Fuschias, Cam- panula fragib's, or C. carpatica (near the edge to trail over), Zonal Pelargoniums, Musk, Begonias, and I gimilar subjects. PEUTZIA GitACILIg. When in good bloom this is one of the most pleasing plants in cultivation, the numerous pure white flowers contrasting admirably with the delicate green foliage. Although by nature a hardy shrub, and therefore of easy culture, it does not seem to be so well grown as one would think it ought to be- a fact attributable to the want of liberal culture after the blooming season. I would advise window gardeners to grow this little shrub in a tlwl room it blooms much better when it comes along vry gradually, and in the confined atmo- slai-ere of a living room the flowers are apt to come very small and deformed. Like Spirtua japonicn, the, Deutzia en joys a free root run in good soil through- out the growing time, and this is the way florists and market growers treat their plants. At the same time good results are obtainable when (h plants are ripe in the pots, but they require strict attention in the matter of watnand feeding wl;en making their growth. Deutzias often suffer much when they are turned out-of-doors after bloom- ing, and cold nights and biting winds cripplo the growth?, which are more tender than those ,f any flowering shrub that I am acquai ,ed \?itb and, therefore, they should remain undo cover, and where they get, plenty of air, until quite the latter end of May. Those who possess a cold frame will have no difficulty* in giving their plants the treatment they need after blooming but when this accommodation fails, select some sheltered, rather shady position, allowing them to rem aiu there for a week or two, and then placing in the full SIIII, Anotlier equally important point is nit to allow t,iie:ll to want for water and food, as such negicct induces a crippled condition, which it takes a month or two it liberal culture to remove.
[No title]
THERE is a story in Paris to the effect that when the Government decided to banish from the city all "bom-Lex iimtilcs," a citizen (who had previously declined to serve on rampart duty because he was near sighted) at once made up his bundle, and, wringing the hand of a friend, who had accompanied him to the railway station, said, with tears in him iyes, Ah, mon ami, it requires great courage to ieave PtI ris at snch a moment A j>Ki.u:iiTrcL story is being retold of the wife of one of the present. Cabinet MinUters whose name need not be mentioned to be known. Oil a certain dav the had decided to give a email dame at her house. As the guests arrived, it soon became a matter of universal comment that the men at. all events young men—were conspicuous by their absence. Finally, this lit Mo fact was mentioned to the hostess. In a moment tho horrible truth flashed across her mind. "Giod gracious!" she exclaiift-d, with a pathetic gesture, I quite forgot to sen4 out the IDen j in- vitations, 3hev are all ifl tfcfii box beneath the sofa." 4,
AMERICAN HUMOUR.
AMERICAN HUMOUR. I SHE that^you and Blank are on friendly term* again," he said to the man at his elbow, as they walked up Woodward avenue. Biank Why, Blank and I are the best of friends," was the reply. "But he's in the ice business." "Yes, of course." And last iummer, when I was walking down with you one morning, you couln't say enough bad things about him." "Why, I don't remember." "You called him a chea* and a swindler and a robber, and lots else, and you swore you would lick him on sight. Don't you recall it ?" It does seem as if I dimly remembered coinething of the sort, but it had quite slipped my mind. My dear sir, the seasons change and rneil change. When it was hot weather and the ice gave out, I have no doubt that I called the ice man a swindler and a robbor. It is now winter, however." And you—you— ?" I am down on the coal man, sir! Yes, sir, he is a regular highway robber, and if I meet him between here and my house I shall depend on you to hold my overcoat and cane while I lick the shortage on six tons of coal out of his hide!" I WAS waiting at the depot for a southbound train when a negro drayman approached me, hat in hand, and said: "'Scuse me, boss, but I wanter ax yo' a few queshuns." H All right-go ahead." A few weeks ago I sold Mr. Peters a mewl for fifteen dollars. Please put dat down." Yes." One time he pays me three dollars, an' agin he pays me two. How much did dat leave to pay?" "Ten dollars." "Den he borrows two dollars of me and lets it go on de mewl." That increased the debt to twelve." Den he pays me five dollars and borrows seven." That left him owing you fourteen dollars." Den he pays me fo' dollars an' borrows six, an' dat was de last transacshun 'till dis mawnin' If you are right about the payments he still owes you 16dol." Shoo! But yo' doan' say Why, dat man cum 'long 'bout two hours ago and gays to me Joe, I doan' want to bodder you 'bout money, but Ize mighty hard up, an' if yo' kin gib me de leben dollars yo* is owi n me on dat mewl trade I shall 'steem it a great favor.' Dat's what he said, sah,, an' I handed out ae money Well, it seems to be, rather mixed up." She do, sah. I reckoned Mr. Peters owed me nine or ten dollars, an' he dun reckoned I owed him 'leben dollars. Hu I Shoo Dat's the way of it. I nebber did 'sociate wid a white man in bizness dat I didn't git de wust of it, an' now yo' ba'r me when I say dat it's de last time—de last prevalin' occashun dat I make a trade wid any 'rithmetic in it!" TKACIIF.R: "What w&a Joan of Arc maid of?" Bright Pupil: Made of dust." MRS. WATTS I am afraid you don't love work." Dismal Dawson: Deed I do, mum, but I am so bashful." TEACHER So, Georgie, you were named, after George Washington, were you?" Young George: Yes'm sometime after." I HIKED a bicycle yesterday and took a spin." What did the rent cost you r1 Don't know; haven't heard from my tailor yet." MRS. WIGWAG: I hope you liked the cigars I gave you, dear. And, by the way, I had them charged." Wigwag: What with ?" YOUNG DOCTOR Do you have much difficulty in making your patients do what you want them to do ?'" Old doctor Yes; particularly when I send in my bills." FRIEND It must be awful to have the news- papers keep saying such things about you." Poli- tical Candidate Yes, but supposing they didn't1 say anything at all!" PROFESSOR The ancients used palms as an emblem of capture and victory." Smart Student I suppose that's why the modems use them so ex- tensively at weddings." SnoES were blacked as early as the 10th centnry," says an exchange. And it might have added that many of them look as though they had never been blacked since." BEEN married seven times, has he? Is he a man of leisure otherwise ?" Oh, no I He's a hardworking tailor." What a remarkable instance of the survival of the fittest." HORSE Gyp: Are you satisfied that the team I sold you is weU matched ?" Victim Yes, they're well matched. One is willing to work, and the other is satisfied to let him." "DoES the old fellow have money ?" I rather think so." Makes a show, does he ?" Oh; n«— but his daughter, who is 35 years old and awfully ugly, was married last week." WE have no use for bear stories," said the editor. Our readers demand something spicy." Well," said the man with the manuscript this story is about a cinnamon bear." SOFTLEIGH The Widow Passe proposed to me last night." Sappehead: Really What did you say ? Softleigh: Told her I'd be a son to her. You see, her daughter got there first." "ISN'T that Miss Smedley? I thought she was sick. Somebody told me Dr. Pankey had given her up." Well, he did sort o' give her up, but not till after he had tried five or six years to get her." HoAX: "The building committee has just met, and we're going to have a new story at our club." Joax: "Good! I've worked the old club stories so much my wife don't believe them any more." ALAS, 'tis eighteen ninety-six And bashful man must falter; For woman now with clever tricks Will speed hi m to the altar. "0, DEAR," sighed Mrs. Cumso as she tossed about in bed, "I'm suffering dreadfully from in- somnia." Go to sleep and you'll be all right," growled Ur. Cumso as he rolled over and began to snore again. MRS. WICK WIRE You don't know what a grief it is to have a husband who thinks he is funny." Mrs.- Watts: "What is the trouble, dear?" I asked him If.st evening to bring home some good up-to- date literature and he brought, a bundle of almanacs." UNCLE JOHN: I am afraid, Henry, that you will, never make much progress in the world, with your indifferent, easy-going ways. The secret of success, Henry, is hard work." Henry: Yes, I suppose so, Uncle John but, you know, I never did care much about other people's secrets." FEDJm; "What do you think of this dessert Needer: "What do you call it?" Feder: Charlotte russe." Needer Well, Charlotte knew her business when she named it. In all my experienco I never encountered a flimsier ruse for making a man believe he was having something to eat." £ HK golfed and biked and hunted, and she emulated man In every sport and pastime that a daring woman can But despite her mannish style of dress, her place in mannish strife, She could not tie a four-in-hand to save her little life. I BEE that they are making poker packs with some additional cards in them," said the sociable map, as he laid aside his newspaper. I don't want .pono in. mine," returned the westerner quickly. "Why, the claim is made that it's a great improvement and makes it possible for more people to play," persisted the sociable man. You see, they add an eleven-spot and a twelve-spot to each suit." Well, I s'pose there ain't no law ngin their doin* it, but you kin count me out when it comes to addin' any cards to a poker pack." Why ? Did you ever play with such a pa ck?'' asked the sociable man. Not on your life," replied the westerner. Then how do you know that it may not work first rate?" Ob, it may work bully, stranger, an' then agin, it may not. I heerd about a feller once who made it work, but it ain't in my line." "Did you ever know anyone who played with such a pack?" Meanin. a pack with extra cards in it ?' asked the westerner, as if to make sure that he did not mil- understand the question. Yes." I knowed one." "What did he say of the plan?" He didn't SI'Y nothin' nt all, stranger. He didn't have no time, f-or the first shot was fatal. He had an extra ace, an' 7te wa'n't asked for no explanations." TilE great joiner-the lawyer; he can replace tenant, empannel a jury, box a witness, bore tin court, chisel his client, auger the gains, floor witness, cut his board, nail the case, hammer tha desk, file his bill, and gouge the whole community. IT is not always in the most distinguished exploits that men's virtues or vices may be discerned bi,t frequently an action of small note, a short saying, or a jest distinguishes a person's real character mora than fields of carnage or the greatest battles. A PHYSICIAN was recently thrown from his carriage, breaking one of his legs. A lady, hearing of thn accident., remarked, "I am glad of it 1 Every docto/ ought to meet with suoh an accident once in a while so that he can hear an occasional gross from a 11tjut without lauerbinir at it 1" f1 Y
.HOME HINTS.
.HOME HINTS. (F" Cottage Gardening.) A USIIFVII HOUSH BOOK.—Buy a manuscript book with a strong cover and ruled N' Cut out every other page, leaving about half-an- inch, of the paper next to where the bed is sewn, so. that there shall be no fear of the opposite half tearing away. Then number the leaves to within a dozen or so of the end, leaving these for the index. Then write A at the top of the first, page, skip three or four, then mark the fourth (or fifth) B, and so on through the alphabet, omitting X and Z. Whenever you find a note, reply, or paragraph that will be of use to you, and that you wish to preserve, cut it out and paste it into your book, writing the heading on the line above, as, for instance, under B, Boots, to water- proof"; or C, "Chrysanthemums, to propagate," and so on. When you have a good many cuttings pasted in, begin to make your index thus: A, apples to stew, p. 3. B, blankets, to wash, p. 5. You wil' be able then to turn to any subject you want to refer to without loss of time. In some houses it may be worth while to start two or three of these volumes, keeping one for extracts relating to garden work, another for household hints, another for recipes or knitting and needlework patterns. Originality is not claimed for this plan, for" newspaper-cutting books" can be bought ready paged and lettered, but they are mover very cheap, and in country towns are either not procurable or absurdly dear. So I offer the above suggestion in hopes it will afford interesting'and useful occupation to the numerous persons who do not care to keep the whole file of old papers, and yet often have to write and ask over again for information which they vaguely remember to have been given in some back number, which has been destroyed or lost. Moss BOTTLH.—1 would like to tell the little people how to make something pretty. Take a bottle hold- ingabout three pints. of round shape, with a long neck, such as an old beer bottle; get tnamma to give you one of her old stockings (cotton), cut off the foot and gather the leg closely and tie well; put your bottle in this, stretching it quite tight, and tie around the top of the bottle, or rather an inch from the top; now, with a stick, poke the rest of the leg inside the bottle. The stocking leg should, be as long inside the tottle as it is outside. Wet the outside and.fill the bottle with water; roll it in grass-seed, taking care to have the seed adhere evenly all round, hang in a warm sunny place and fill the bottle with soft water twice a day; wet the outside at the same time, but be careful not to wash the seeds out of their places, and in a few days your bottle will be covered with a beautiful green moss and you must keep the stocking moist of-the seed will not grow. To PITKI'ARB GOOSE LARD.—This most useful article should never be wasted, as it often is. When a goose is drawn, stt-ip off all the superfluous fat from the inside. Let it stand in a cool place till next day, then cut it into small pieces, and put it into a stew- pan. Set it to melt on a slow fire, and, when the pieces of fat are turning yellow, warm a sieve, and strain the clear fat into a jar. Cover it when cold, and keep it in a cool place for use. Another way is to lay it in the dripping-pan while the goose is roast- ing, and ladle it off, as it clears, into a small jar. Let it, stand a night, then put the jar into a saucepan of water; melt the fat to a boiling heat, and strain it. COCKROACHES.—A correspondent thus describes aa easy, clean, and certain method of eradicating these loathsome insects from dwelling-houses A few years ago my house was infested with cockroaches, and I was recommended to try cucumber peelings as a remedy. I accordingly, immediately before bed- time, strewed the floor of those parts of the house most infested with the vermin with the green peel, cut not very thin, from the cucumber, and sat up half-an-hour later than usual to watch the effect. Before the expiration of that time the floor where the peel lay was completely covered with cockroaches, so much so that the vegetable could not be seen, so voraciously were they engaged in sucking the poisonous moisture from it. I adopted the same plan the following night, but my visitors were not nearly so numerous—I should think not more than a fourth of the previous night. On the third night I did not discover one, but, anxious to ascertain whether the house was quite free of them, I examined the peel after I had laid it down about half-an-hour, and per- ceived that it was covered with myriads of minute cockroaches about the size of a flea. I, therefore, allowed the peel to remain till morning, and from that moment I have not seen a cockroach in the house. Use fresh cucumber-peel every night. FOR YARNISHBD P AINT.- If a bag of flax seed is put in water to soak, some time Tjefore using the water for washing varnished paint, it will be a great help in cleaning, and will keep the paint bright. FRIED POT AToEs.Pael and well wash six potatoes; roll them in a clean cloth to dry them. Take a sharp knife and peel them as you would an apple, keeping the ribbons as near the thickness of a penny piece as possible, leaving them on the oloth as they are, peeled to keep them dry. Have ready a frying-pan half full of smoking hot fat, take the potatoes from the cloth on a plate and slip them into the boiling fat. Keep the pan well over the fire or stove, to keep the fat boiling give the potatoes a stir round with a fork to brown them equally. When a nice brown, drain away tho fat and put the potatoes on a clean piece of white paper to drain in the oven for a few minutes, and serve as hot as possible. JOHNNY CAKE.—Put -!lb. of flour in a basin make a well in the flour and pour in a teacupful of butter- milk, a little salt, a piece of butter as large as the bowl of a tablespoon, made hot and poured on to the butter-milk, and a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. Mix this well, adding a little more butter-milk if necessary to make into a nice dough toll it out on a floured board about an inch thick; put on well buttered tins and bake until crisp, basting the paste frequently with butter and sugar melted together. When nicely glazed serve hot for tea. PKITNB PUDDCNG.—Chop as fine as possible 3oz. of beef suet or butter, and mix in lightly 6oz. of bread- crumbs. Carefully take out the stones from Ib. of prunes and cut each one in four pieces. Mix these with the bread crumbs with a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two whole eggs. Beat up all together with a fork; it must be moist but not too wet. Well butter a pudding-basin, put in the mixture, tie a cloth over the top and boil for one hour and a half. Serve with a sweet sauce made with a generous lump of butter, a heaped table- spoonful of sugar, a tablespocnfal of water, -tnd the juice of a lemon. Let this boil quickly for five minutes, oour over the puddine and serve at once. SAVOY AND SHARP SAUCE.—Cut away the outer leaves from a fresh savoy, cut it in quarters and give it a good rinse under the tap. Have ready a sauce- pan of quite boiling water, with a teaspoonful of salt; put in the savoy and boil, with the lid on, for 10 minutes. Take it out carefully with a fork, and let it drain on a clean cloth, into a clean saucepan put two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a teaspoonful of sugar, plenty of pepper, if liked hot, a large piece of butter, and half a teacupful of water; let this boil up while you mix a heaped teaspoonful of flour, quite smooth, with a little cold water. When the contents of the -sauc.pan boil, pour in the flour and Water stir well, let -it boil for five minutes, then put in the well- drained savoy cover the saucepan and let it gently simmer for 10 minutes, and serve with either boiled or roast ingat,. HASTY PUDDING.—Melt in a frying-pan two table- spoonfuls of bacon fat or dripping. Stir into the fat as much oatmeal as it will absorb, pepper and salt to taste, and a small onion very finely chopped-this latter may be omitted if objected to. Stir the meal, &c., in the pan till thoroughly hot (about the minutes), but do not let it brown. Dish np, and use while hot. The above may be eeten with bread. OATAIEAT, PUDDING BOILKD.—Mix lb. of finely- chopped suet into lb. of oatmeal, one good-sized 2 onion finely chopped, and pepper and salt to taste. Put the dry mgredients into the centre of a floiired cloth, tie up loosely, put into boiling water, boil constantly for two hours. Turn out and serve 'with onion sauce. BOILED Titipig.-Tliis is a cheap dish, very nutri- tious, and also the mdst easily digested of ail animal food. For this latter reason it is frequently used even at good tables when a very light dish is wanted. The water in which tripe has been boiled should be converted into haricot, potato, or pea-soup. The cheapest way to get tripe is to buy the uncleaned stomach-bag of the ox. By adopting this plan a cottager may have two pound or three pound of the tripe for about sixpence. Tho bag must first be emptied, and then washed thoroughly in cold water two or three times; then put it in a saucepan, cover entirely with cold water, add a piece of washing-soda the size Qf a walnut. Stand the pan by the sid" of the fire and very slowly --ot the water get thoroughly hot, but do not on a account let the water boil; if you do so the tripe cannot be properly cleaned, or made to look white, as it ought. When the water is near boiling point take out tho tripe, put it in a basin with a little cold water &nd scrape. j; L .i • O-.i .tl
SCIENCE NOTES.
SCIENCE NOTES. TUB humming of telegraph wkesas a phenomenon which has not yet been satisfactorily explained. It is not caused by wind, for it is heard during perfect calms. It has been conjectured that changes of tem- perature, which lighten or loosen the wires, probably produce the sound. To the average eye not more than 50t0 stars are risible some persons having extraordinarily strong eyes can see about 8000 stars. Through the Lick telescopy and other powerful instruments about 60,000.000 stars are visible. There are believed to be stars in existence beyond the reach of any telescope yet constructed. OUR scientists find it difficult to fix upon a proper and pleasant name to the work done by the Rontgen rays. Dr. Hill-Norris suggests "radiograph" as a very appropriate name. Llectography' is pre- ferred by Captain Abney. Another well-known inventor thinks that Rontography would solve the problem. "Sciagraphy" or "sbadowgraphy" is mentioned, by some, while others consider electro- sciagraphy the best terra. THE Rontgen rays have forced their way into the dark corneis of Bordeaux, the capital of the French wine trade, whelle they have produced the most dis- concerting effects. The great dealers in claret," according to a correspondent of that city, are indig- nant with the experimenters, who accuse them of loving darkness rather than light, especially Rontgen s detective light, because their deeds are more profit- able to the wine trade than to wine-drinkers. IN connection with the new photography Lord Blythswood and M. Moreau have both succeeded in taking photographs without a Crooke's tube, the one by a discharge from a powerful Wimshurst machine, and the other experimenter from the brush discharge or an induction coil. Various other experimenters, after taking every precaution to exclude ordinary light,, claim to havi# taken shadow photos through aluminium, wood, &c., with light from oil lamps, electric, incapdescent, and other light sources, but at present these statements must be received with con- siderable caution. MR. R. A. FESSENPKN has advanced a new theory to account for the tails of comets. He regards them as consisting of carbon particles negatively electrified and driven from the head of the comet by the ultra- violet of the sun. The shape of the tail is produced by the following forces, gravitation drawing it towards the sun, negative electricity repelling it from the sun, negative electricity on the carbon particles repelling them from each other, and positive electricity on the bead attracting it towards the sun. M. CHARLES MARGOT, Professor of Physics in the University of Geneva, has devised a process of electro- plating aluminium, which is said to succeed better than former processes. It is fully described in the Archives des Sciences Physiques et Naturelltis" of Geneva, and consists in treating the surface of the aluminium with alkaline carbonate to make it porous and striated. The surface is then washed with running water and immersed in a solution of hydrochloric acid 1*20 strong, and again washed in pure water. The surface is next coated with copper by placing it in a diluted and slightly acM bath of sulphate of copper. It is then washed with water to remove all trace of acid, and electro-plated with other metals in the same way as copper. HAVING constructed an attachment which shows the extent to which the two limbs of a U-shaped spring have been brought together after plaeing them between the jaws and exerting a biting force upon the ends, a Dr. 11lack. of Jacftonville, Florida, has tabu- lated the results of a numbpr of trial bites made by 150 different persons of all ages. The smallest record was made by a girl of seven, whose laws were brought together with a pressure equal to that produced by a weight of 301b.; this was accomplished with the incisor or front teeth; between her molars she exerted a force equal to 651b. Several persons managed to reach and pass lOOlb. with their incisors and 2001b. with their grinders. One man, aged 35, got to the limit of the spring's register with a crush- 1 11 ing force of 2701b. The doctor's ohsert-ations lead him to conclude that jaw strength is practically inde- pendent of general physical power. VERY many diseases are brought on and otheiy ate aggravated by going ftp and down stair's in an i ncor- rect fashion. Few people go up stairs im a sensible and rational way. It, is the custom to rest, the weight on the ball of the foot, and give a little spring to the next step. This is not only hard work, but is ah unnecessary strain on the muscles, and very exhausting to delicate people, Gloing up in this way is bad enough, but going iown in the customary manner is a thousand times worse. To Ixfnnce from one step to mother, striking the weight on one or both feet, is almost certain to produce serious disease. If there is any weakness of the organs of the body, there is liable to be a breaking away of ligaments, or rupturing of the tissues. Seve're pain and long-continued illness have in more than one instance been traced directly to the pernicious habit of bouncing downstairs. At the moment the person does not realise it-indeed, may continue in the practice for a long time, suffering meanwhile, but either unable or unwilling to attri- bute the distress to the correct source. FROGS come in for many unsolicited atfentionB from tlxperiruental ,biologists; so do tadpoles. It is not, therefore, altogether surprising to read of some curious experiments performed by Dr. Waller at St. Mary's, Loader shewing that the tadpole is no exception to tho laws that) govern the relationship between animals generally and the electric current. Two tadpoles were put into a yyater-t,rou«h formed by a couple of pieces of plain glass kept in. ajwrt by a wooden bottom and brass end,, the whole, forming a live box for lantern exhibition. Tho brass ends were connected up with a battery, nud the current switched on. After wriggling about for a few seconds, tho animals took up a definite position with their heads towards the anode, and then seemed perfectly at ease. On reversing the current, they became agitated again, and continued so till tbey got their heads once more in the comfortable direction. Tails clipped off so all to leave i irt of the spinal cord inside behaved similarly to the whole tadpole, but when so short as to contain none of the vertebral structure lio^'moveiiient was exliibited under electrifi- cation. The ductility of pure gold is greatly impaired by traces of impurities, and the metal is rendered quite brittle by tho presence of one 500-th part of bismuth. The same amount of bismuth in pure copper renders the latter useless for electrolytic purposes, and various hypotheses have-been suggested to account for these phenomena/ Professor Arnold in a contribution to Engineering gives the results of a series of micro- scopic investigations cn the influence of traces of im- purities on the mechanical and other properties of pure metals which seem to throw special light on the effect of bismuth m the above two cases. On ex- amining specially-prepared samples of both gold and copper alloyed with s-.Tiall quantities of bismuth, he found, that the bismuth did not form a homogen 'ous alloy with either metal, bu t that the symmetrical crystaline structure, characte- ristic of the pure metal, was broken up into grains of crystals of the pure metal, surrounded with and cemented together by the added bismuth, or by a rich brittle alloy of bismuth and gold or copper, and thus the cohesion between the primary crystals of the original unalloyed metal was completely destroyed. This separation or segrega- tion of tho two metals was so complete that it was found possible to separate »ome of the crystals of gold from the cementing material, and these were feund to be entirely free from brittleness, and capable of being beaten out into thm leaf. The loss of conductivity in copper is also to a great extent explained by the evidence of the microscopic structure, as the electric ourrent, inste; d of having to traverse a homogeneous body of co] per, han to force its passage from one crystal of copper to another through a wall of bismuth, which is a notoriously bad conductor. These bismuth walls under the microscope were shown alsD to be divided by a distinct cleavage plane, which would offer still further resistance to the current.
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CBLONBL S. H. WINTER, Army Service Corps, has been selected for the appointment of Deputy Assis- tant Adjutant General of the Sen*«•!» Military District. ■ • ) t [0 I ('4'J I i> n- J.>4 I! t V ::& .¡.
ART AND LITKRATt^3
ART AND LITKRATt^3 PROBABLY the most important envoy of SIr a b Millftis 0 )( 6 coming Royal Academy will l Forerunner, a work that in some aspects rLi, A 'Ale hl& "St. Stephen of last year, but its Solour hi. intense and brilliant, and its contrasts more em The long, lean form of the ascetic rtands dark tio* a lurid sunset. He stands by a rude binding the cross-piece to a reed, gazing "Id is the emblem. The whole sky is incarnadined light filters through a wood, ere it touches the ^h« and sombre figure of the one crying in the "tore ness." The President will have several portraitg exhibition. The one which will, perhaps, Irt tb. most notice is a life-size t liree-qtiarter length of r Richard Quain. The distinguished physician; Si. presented in profile, with arms folded en his br reo- and the expression is one of earnest thought. ACCORDING to the British Weekly, within the 1 six months nearly 60,000 copies of the re» 1 edition and over 100,000 of the cheap edition » Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush," have been soU ■ America. There are also pirated editions whicK well. The rage for "Trilby has somewhat abaf8^ although in England the sale amounts to about i/w? a week. MJUU THE New English Art Club has fixed on llaroK ON as the receiving day for its spring emibition j April 4 as its private view day. Artists who wisk* be represented in the exhibition should note that- uZ rule under which the invitation of two member. necessary before any non-me.n'oer of the cluK submit work to theselecting jury has been re-eliceted. It was temporarily abandoned last year, and ^T* number of pictures sent up in consequence Wna absolutely out of proportion to the accOtIlklodFt- so provided in the gallery, and to the definite jj which it has always been the policy of the club to ► to the number of works hung, that the menlb decided to revert to the original arrangement as convenient and less laborious for the jury, club lias, by the way, just renewed its lease of th^ Dudley Gallery for a term of years. ALFRED STEVENS, whose name is identical with that of the wonderful Dorsetshire boy whose place British Art is, perhaps, hardly yet fully reeognjg. J was bora at Brussels in 1828. The Maison d'Art la Toison d'Or in that capital has lately been dev0t?j to an exhibition of his works, 60 in number ill trating different periods of his career. As a pain?8* of modern interiors the Belgian artist has few and in a certain style of elegant genre ho has no There is a preciosity in his rendering of fine tissu^ that is to be found nowhere else. No one eT6r oainted silk and cashmere as he has done, nor ever translated to canvas the lustre of mother o' PElarJ with so much truth and delicacy. Yet he infus" personality into all his work. THE materials for a final edition of Byron, which for long lay in the possession of the late Mr. John Murray, who had laboriously collected the-, may, it is to be hoped, in a short time be given to the world in symmetrical form. They comprise a number of unpublished letters and documents, Byron's con- tinuation of "Don Juan," and various poems,and fragments not yet printed. This new matter cannot but be of interest, considering by whom, or about whom, it was written, although it is improbable that thereby Byron's genius will gain in lustre. Meanwhile, Mr. Henley's edition of the poefc is in progi ess. SOME 300 pictures and drawings have been brought together for the spring exhibition in the Oldham Art Gallery. They are for the most part of only medium quality but the exhibition is not too large, and is hung with proper consideration for,the satisfactory display of every contribution! The most important works which have found their way to the gallery are Mr. Briton Riviere's Phoebus Apollo," Mr. Solomon J. Solomon's Echo and Narcissus," and Mr. Watts's New Gallery picture, Charity." THE Roxburghe Press have in preparation a work of considerable interest, entitled Jesus of Nazareth: a Tragedy," by Mr. George Barlow. Those who are admirers of Mr. Barlow's poems, The Pageant of Life," "The Crucifixion of Man," his novel Woman Regained." and other works, will look forward to this book, Mr. Barlow has dealt with his subject from a human point of view, at the same time with reverence and tenderness, and those who have seen the work state that it is the most powerful book the author has yet produced. IT is curious how art seems to be regarded (remarks a writer in the Globe) by all Governments as a kind of Cinderella, to be left at home and neg- lected whenever there is any attractive financial entertaiment on hand. Officialism in this country, if it finds itself committed to the spending of any particularly large sums of money, usually reconsiders its grants in aid of art with the view of recouping itself. This year we are to see an all-round reduction made in the amounts put by the Government at the disposal of the museums and national galleries, and a consequent partial crippling of the influence for good exercised by these institutions. There is the more reason to regret this redun because the total amounts' of money allotted in previous years have been so small that what is aaved now by the revision of the grants is by comparison with the income of the country a hardly perceptible sum, while art by such a docking of its limited allowance is brought from a condition of genteel poverty into one where it finds itself threatened with immediate starvation. There is no more injudicious economy than that which re- fuses to allow to our public galleries and museums an income large enough to compete on somewhat equal terms with other institutions which elsewhere ih the world have similar aims and pur- poses. The great art examples which the best known masters in past generations have produced are gradually being withdrawn from the market Is they find permanent resting places on the walls Of one or other of the galleries maintained as centres of national education. It follows, then, that if we by our parsimony miss the opportunities that occur now, our immediate descendants, no matter how liberally- minded they lIay be, will have no chance of filling up the gaps that we have left. All the first-rate work; of art will be by then absorbed, and students, justifiably discontented with the second-rate object- lessons available for them here, will be compelled to seek in foreign galleries the material for study which we, with our opportunities, ought to have provided for tfyem. IN April er May, Messrs. Putnam will publish Thomson Jay Hudson's" Scientific Demonstration ° the Future Life," a title of splendid assurance. Hudson promises to show that, from the nature of his physical, intelleutnal, and psychics structure, and organism, any other conclusion thilp that man is destined to a future life is logically "a scientifically untenable." The old arguments,' savs, are inconclusive, and he means to make fibo*11 work of them. He promises to prove the dual nature of man, from anatomy and from evolution. Mit. TVUIIELL GREEN,Lecturer in Theology at La"" peter College, has written a book on the Thirty-^11 Articles and the Age of the Reformation. The aiitho has ransacked a great number of contemporary do £ '1' ments on the subject, and enters into the question of historical aud doctrinal development of the Articles. The book ia to be issued by Messrs. Gardner, Dart0J"' and Co., who are at the same time bringing Rev. James Adderley's wock on the social questi<>1,» Looking Upward." p MR..CUNNINGHAMS GRAHAM, the late Socialist. M. t intends to entirely devote himself henceforth to literary work. g "Pierre Loti," who has been an Academician V nearly five years, owes his rapid recognition 1, literary circles mainly to the well-known editress 0 the Nouvelle Eei-ue. It was Mdme. Juliette AdaD|* whose generous appreciation procured the public^0" of "Le Mariage de Loti," then, in MANUSCRIPT' entitled Rahahu," and it was through the XoUL'~tm Hex'ue that Le Romaii d un Enfant" ran years ago.
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NOTIJIN-G can be more delightful than a rip through Iceland. The traveller sees tbo,lS'1.. & or mountains covered with eternal snow, *>utriva the Alps in grandeur great geysers aad innumera hot wells waterfalls, one of which—the Gull'o9S. j is second only to Niagara in size and beauty cr^ s.-c streams and dashing rivers lava bads of fantas 1 figures, covered with moss that, glistens in the like hoar-frost; and, as a crowning glory, f*J atmosphere is so brilliant that objects 80 1I1ile9 distant appear close at hand. 8 AT a recent meeting of the Suffolk Society for th Protection of Wild Birds and their Eggta, read from Mr. Williams, a coastguard ofiic*r Aldel urgb, in which it is stated that the sea along the Suffolk coast have often rendered aid to shipwrecked marine! g. They gave warning vessels sailing off rocky coasts. jjr. Williauis known instances in which the cries of the birds brought timely assistance to the crews of vessels. 't l ,1 ,«-• (. 'f >, •• .rr"4:l. i*.r li, jh. -v ¡,JJ 1J