Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

SINGING AND SMOKING.—The Rev. Dr. Parr, who was a popular clergyman in the olden times, was very proud of his peal of bells and his choir, whom he always encouraged to sing a long hymn or an anthem before the sermon, during which he used to steal into the vestry and get his pipe. When they had done the clerk informed him; and if the doctor had not finished he would say, John, tell them to sing the two last verses over again my people love singing, and I love smoking." n ki

HOW COTTON IS MADE. Here lie heaps of the snowy cotton wool as it has been opened out of the bales in which it was carried across the Atlantic. Take up a tuft of the wool and examine it. The fibres lie in all directions, and are apparently in a state of hopeless entanglement. It is evident that before they can be formed into a thread they must be brought to something like parallel order. Accordingly, we find that the first business to which the cotton-spinner applies himself is to give the fibres the needful parallel arrangement. This lie does by means of a machine known as a carding engine. This consists of a series of drums or cylinders, covered with fine wire spikes. As the wool is passed through between the cylinders, the spikes catch the fibres and draw them straight. After this operation has been repeated a sufficient number of times, the wool is drawn off in the form of a soft rope about the thick- ness of one's finger. As yet it has received no twist, and consequently has to be dealt with tenderly. The rope of fibres, having been wound upon large bobbins, is taken to the first of the series of spinning-machines, by which it is drawn out and slightly twisted into a cord about the thickness of a quill. This cord is then passed to another machine, which draws it out still farther, and gives it some more twist. After it has been brought to the desired degree of fineness by operations such as these, it receives its final drawing and twisting on the spinning-mule, a most complicated piece of mechan- ism. So far we have got only a single yarn towards the formation of a thread, and we must fol- low that yarn to the doubling machine. Before being placed on the machine, however, the yarn has to be passed rapidly through a gas flame in order to burn off the loose ends of fibre. Were tins not done the finished thread would have a rough exterior, and would not be so easy to sew with. Two lengths of yarn are now twisted together, and then three of those double filaments are formed into a thread. The thread is reeled off into hanks, and in that form is either bleached or dyed as may be desired. All that is now necessary to do is to polish the thread by passing it between rollers having a peculiar motion, and to wind it upon the bobbins on which it is sent to market.— Little Folks.

MARKET GREENS. With all kinds of winter greens a drug in the market—and, indeed, so abundant that, to use the words of a grower, "You can't give them away "—it would be interesting to learn how far the people of the metropolis and surrounding districts, the vast, army of consumers, are benefited by the exceeding plenty. The season has been marvellously favourable to the development of all kinds of green stuff, so much so that almost ere the end of March is reached turnip tops will have become useless, so very pre- cocious are they, and in such haste to bloom. One of the most popular and widely grown of greens, purple-sprouting broccoli, has come in with a rush, so that immense breadths are being cleared off with wondrous rapidity indeed, the delay of a few days means spoiling. Then, to make matters worse, not only all kinds of kales, and the Brussels tops, but even autumn-planted cabbages arc bolting, and there seems in the brassica family an unanimous haste to be seeding. We learn of loads of turnip tops going at 4d. per sick-a price that leaves the grower the inte- resting problem to solve of how to get ricli out of no- thing." Not a few are having their breadths eaten off with sheep, and are tnanKitu mat a nock ot these very profitable animals are to be had. We shall no doubt have to pay the piper presently for this present abun- dance. In a week or two only the white broccoli and cabbages will remain, and when those useful kinds are gone and the mild weather will not spare them either there must be a long interregnum ere peas, beans, and other largely grown vegetables, are ready. Blessed, indeed, will those be who have good stocks of early cauliflowers and spinach, with seakale and asparagus, to fill up the void Nature has thus so arbi- trarily created.—Gardeners1 Chronicle.

EXPLOSION AT A NITRO-GLYCERINE FACTOny.-At, Dayton the nitro-glycerine factory of the Repanno Chemical Company, on the Delaware river, sixteen, miles below Philadelphia, exploded on Sunday." Seven persons were killed, including M. Lamott Dupont, one of the owners. This is the manufactory of the famous Atlas powder used in recent outrages in London. It contains seventy-five per cent. of nitro-glycerine. The Repanno Works are among the most extensive in America. The explosion caused a shock for many miles around.

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS An individual, who wanted a person to take care of his children, advertised in an American paper "for one whose patience is inexhaustible, whose temper is tireless, whose vigilance is unwinking, whose power of pleasing is boundless, whose industry is matchless, and whose neatness is unparalleled." The young ladies in Vermont, it is said, still con- tinue to kiss the lips of young temperance men to see whether they have been tampering with toddy. The two-headed lady on exhibition at Cincinnati says that two heads are better than one, or else she would not be receiving—S25 a week salary. A little girl joyfully assured her mother the other day that she had found out where they made horses —she had seen a man finishing one. He was nailing on his last foot," she said. In a dime museum in Chicago a lady is exhibited who said Thank you when given a seat in a street car. St. Louis has not found a girl who ever yet had a chance to say it. I know we are somewhat poor, my dear," argued the husband. "But then you must bear in mind that it isn't wealth that always brings happiness." But it brings sealskin sacques, and diamonds, and silk dresses," responded the wife. x It is related of an assistant to a quack doctor 'in Colorado that he was once sent into the woods to get some of the inner bark of a certain tree. Tom," said the doctor, as he departed, I want you to scrape this bark downward. It is for a cathartic. Don't scrape it upward, or it will be an emetic. And what- ever you do, Thomas, don't scrape it both ways. If you do, nobody on earth can tell how it will act." An Eastern paper alleges that a) youth in Connec- ticut, engaged to a girl, laconically deserted her with the following note: "Money is scarce and girls are plenty. Guess I will give up the contract,"

A PHENOMENON.—An American traveller, describing a tropical shower, wrote to a friend in the following words The rain-drops were extremely large, vary- ing in size from a shilling to eighteenpence." WHY, INDEED ?-" Why do guns burst?" asks a contemporary, and then devotes nearly a column to answering the question. Guns burst because powder is put into them. You might use a gun seven hun- dred years, and it wouldn't burst if you kept powder out of it. < HUKBANO AND WIFE.-While husband and wife are living together one cannot take criminal proceedings against the other in respect of property under the Married Women's Property Act. But this can be done while they are living apart, though not even then as to any act done while they were living together un- less property has been wrongfully taken by one of them when about to leave the other. If criminal pro- ceedings be taken by the wife, both are competent to give evidence one against the other. But if the pro- ceedings be taken by the husband, there is some doubt as -to, whether he is admissable as a witness against her. To remove this doubt a bill has been introduced by Sir Ricbard Cross and Mr. Hinde Palmer.

GARDENING FOR fHE WEEK CONSERVATORY AND GREENHOUSE. Balsains to be kept growing freely if starved they are spoiled. Let the soil be sweet, light, and rich, with plenty of fibre and thoroughly decayed manure. Keep the plants near the glass, and let them have plenty of water. Cacti and Succulents generally require attention now, if they have not yet, been dressed up for spring. y c!" They require liberal feeding, and as long as sunshine is abundant ought to be grown freely, and then be rested perfectly, and as the result they will bloom abundantly. Those that are pot-bound may have a small shift; some of the old soil to be picked out from the roots; the potting to be done with care, plenty of drainage, the soil equal parts broken brick and chalk the size of walnuts, good turfy loam, and rotten cow- dung. Those not in need of a shift should have a little of the old soil removed and replaced with the new mixture. Give plenty of water while they are growing in earnest, and as much light as possible. Herbaceous Calceolarias will be smothered with green fly now that the weather is mild, unless they are well looked after. The best preventive is to keep them growing freely; and if any need to fumigate do it promptly and effectually. Fuchsias are growing freely, and must be shifted as they need it. Over-potting, usually to be avoided, is not an evil with fuchsias, if they are warm and are not saturated at the root. STOVE AND OltCIIID HOUSE. Achimcncs started into growth may now be put into pans for flowering, and have a little bottom heat to give them an impetus to extend their roots. Stove Plants should have free ventilation early in the day, when the weather is bright, with westerly winds, which will allow of shutting up early, to reduce the firing. Plants that have flowered, and are not yet cut down, must have immediate attention, for the tendency of everything now is to grow, and the growth from the first should be as we wish it. TORCING AND ORCHARD HOUSES. Melons advancing to a fruiting state to have a good temperature by linings or otherwise, and though they require less water and more light than cucumbers they must not be too dry, or the red-spider will take possession of the foliage. Young plants lately turned out must be kept rather close to encourage free root- ing. but as soon as growing freely to have air, or they will become drawn. In thinning the shoots endeavour to promote a regular growth, evenly spread out and rather thin, so that every leaf will be fully exposed to the light. The night temperature to be 00 deg., rising by day to 75 deg., or 80 deg. at the utmost if beyond 75 deg., give air to reduce the heat. This is a good time to sow for succession, and also for those who must depend chiefly on sun heat for their produce. Teaches that have passed through the stoning pro- cess to have more water at the root, and occasional syringing to keep down red-spider and help the young growth. Those lately set to be thinned moderately, remembering that in the process of stoning a con- siderable quantity of fruit will fall. Tines swelling their fruit will be benefited by clear liquid manure; when ripening to be kept dry. The fruiting house to range from 65 deg. to 80 deg., the utmost day temperature to be 85 deg., and that only when there is a strong sun heat. Succession stock may go down to GO deg. at night, and rise to 80 deg. by day. Plants newly potted to be watered with great care until they begin to make new roots. Strawberries must have as much light as possible in every stage of forcing and never suffer through insuffi- ciency of water. A good heat may now be allowed. Where the berries are acquiring colour give less water at the root and none overhead. Vinery.—Yines just showing fruit to have the bunches thinned as soon as possible, and with the greatest care. Tie up the shoulders carefully, and avoid all rough usage of the bunches, and do not allow the hand to touch the berries, as rust is commonly the result of such contact. Ply the scissors so as to leave plenty of room for the berries to swell, and to give the bunches as fine an outline as possible. Re- move useless shoots stop laterals; see that the border is moist enough a foot below the surface. FLOWER GARDEN AND RLEASURE GROUNDS. Annuals of every kind may now b(\ abwn, indoors and out. It is early for Stocks and Asters, but these may also be sown, together with Balsams, Zinnias, Ipomceas, Egg Plants, Clintonias, Amaranthus. Salpiglossis, &c. All these things require light soil, and it is best, when they are sown in pans, not to mix any kind of manure with it, but to enrich the mixture when they are potted off, as if the soil is too rich in the first instance they are apt to damp off. t. Bedding Plants to be shifted if needful, but generally speaking the business of importance now is to get them hardened off by transference to pits, cradles, &c. Some who have to deal with large quantities put them into trenches dug as for celery, and lay boards, old lights, or mats over at night, and this simple way of disposing of a difficulty is found to answer exceed- ingly well. Clear up everywhere and everything that has a touch of untidiness about it without delay. At the first break of genuine sunshine the ladies will be ex- ploring the garden, and there ought not to be a withered leaf, or a broken flower-pot, or a scrap of stick, or cast-off tally anywhere visible. Make all bright and firm with broom and roller, and thin out dead wood from all trees and shrubs. This is a good time to trim the grass verges, and give beds and borders a final pointing over. Chrljsanthcmums growing freely must be shifted on and stopped as required without any delay beyond the proper time. It is the securing an early growth that is the key to success in forming fine speci- mens and obtaining an abundance of bloom of good quality. Roses to be pruned if not yet done; no danger now in any part of Britain, and teas may be pruned with the rest; the young shoots are the most valuable, and these must be left a sufficient distance apart to allow light and air to benefit them equally. KITCHEN GARDEN. Broccolis to be sown in variety and quantity for use in autumn, winter, and next spring. Cauliflowers wintered in frames may be planted out in southern and western districts, but in cold or damp places it is as yet too early, as if cold weather occurs many will be destroyed and the rest will be crippled. Plants pretty strong in seed pans will be greatly benefited by planting them out in frames on a slight heat, or they will do without it if in light rich soil and carefully managed. Celery standing out will now begin to bolt; so, to save some as late as possible, take up the remainder of the crop, and lay it in by the heels in a shady corner, or pack it in dry sand in a shed till wanted. Plants in seed pans in a forward state to be pricked out on a bed over fermenting material giyiijg.a gentle heat; the surface soil to be light and rich. In the absence of any source of heat, make a bed of manure and leafmould on a hard foundation; put a frame over, and prick out the plants in it. Lettuce to be pricked out from seed pans, as advised for celery and cauliflowers. The winter bed may now be thinned out, putting the plants on well- manured ground, but leaving some in the bed to supply a few small hearts earlier than those planted out will do. Onions.—Sow main crop with as little delay as possible. Pcas.Sow succession crops, and earth up and stake any that are ready. The wrinkled varieties are the best to sow now. TIIE iiorse. The small conservatories attached to suburban residences may in many instances be made much more attractive, than is usually the case at a very small outlay, and without incurring any additional labour in the matter of management. It is a quite common occurrence for these little houses to be either unoccu- pied or to present a most uninviting appearance, owing to their being filled with plants of a weedy or insignificant character; and yet, with a few cheap plants of the right sort, they might be very useful to smoke and gossip in at times, and a very little outlay, with a very little good management, would render them what they should be-winter gardens, cheerful and gratifying to the tasteful eye and creditable to their owners. How to do it is the question ? Im- primis, there are certain plants of noble aspect and peculiar toughness of constitution that are not diffi- cult to keep alive, but are really difficult to kill. As it is always desirable in gardening to produce an effect at once, without waiting half a lifetime for it, the prudent way to begin would be to buy large plants at once, and spread them out and fill in amongst them with small cheap things that are known to need but little care. In the spring bulbous plants such as hya- cinths, tulips, and narcissi; and herbaceous plants, such as dielytra spectabilis, may be brought into re- quisition. For the summer season the fuchsias and zonal pelargoniums will perhaps be found the most useful. During the autumn the early and late flower- ing chrysanthemums will afford a cheerful display of colour; and in the winter bring into requisition pot plants of the laurestinus, the very cheerful Grislinia littoralis, the free flowering broom (Cytisus racemosus), and the garland broom (Coronilla glauca), and as many sedums and sempervivums as can be scraped up. The large plants would require to be repotted every second and third year, and to be supplied with plenty of water all the summer, and very little all the winter. During the summer they should have plenty of air, and in the winter they must enjoy a free circulation of air during mild weather; and in times of severe frost a little fire heat to keep them safe.Gardellcr'" Magazine.

TRADE ROUTES IN AFGHANISTAN. A paper on the above subject has been read before the members of the Society of Arts by Mr. Griffin V yse. The lecturer explained that his object was to refute statements recently made regarding the routes through Afghanistan. It seemed hardly credible, he said. that one of our leading journals should have stated only a few weeks ago there are only two passes from Afghanistan into India, that there is no trade in that country, which is a land of rocks and stones, and its people unfriendly to our rule. It was true that until the late Afghan war we knew of only three or four passes leading from India into Afghanistan, viz., the Kyber, Gumul, Sanghar, and Bolan. but we know now of the existence of 289. Many of the old abandoned trade routes, supposed to be blocked or impassable, he had been through, when field engineer, with one of the columns during the late war and found them open and capable of being used by all arms of the service, mountain artillery included. Extemiw" deserts," so called on the map. they found rich fertile soil, watered by perennial streams and capable of being turned into vast gardens. Other parts of the country marked "unexplored, supposed waterless tract." proved to be magnificent high plateaux 3500 feet above the sea, where water was in abundance, the climate most agreeable, and where the land was ready for the plough. Having given interest- ing details respecting the geography, climate, and inhabitants of Afghanistan, the lecturer said the construction of a railway to Kandahar was most essential, and the opening out of the roads into the heart of the rich prolific country of which that city is the central point would cause the people, with their strong commercial instincts, to turn their tulwars into ploughshares, become traders with our Indian Empire on a very large scale. The miraculous change in the Punjaub since it had come under our rule would give us a fair picture of what the Zhob and Pishin provinces might speedilf become. Kandahar, which is 3000 years old. and was once the capital of Central Asia, might be regarded as the great central point where from the earliest times the chief trade routes in el either from Central Asia or Persia.

MIRACLE PLAYS. Miracle plays went through no transition stage after the manner of the caterpillars till they were transformed to something altogether different. They survived unchanged long after they had passed their prime: indeed, till the time of the youth of Shakes- peare. and they disappeared then altogether because the use for them had passed away. The Bible in their own tongue had been given to the people. Inasmuch as these sequences of incidents from Scripture, always: chosen for their bearing upon cardinal points of Christian faith, imposed a more continued strain on powers of serious attention than it would be possible to maintain, places of relaxation were provided by the interpolation of jest, and this was draw always in England from incidents not in themselves scriptural. Noah would be provided with an obstinate wife to provide comic business, and so forth. Between the Old Testament and New Testament series there was an interlude, the Shepherds' Play, that led up to the birth of Christ. The shepherds supposed to be keep- ing their llocks at Bethlehem were presented as common shepherds talking, jesting, wrestling, one of them playing especially the part of the country clown, till the song of the angels was heard. At first they mimicked it rudely, afterwards they became impressed, they were led to the infant Christ in the manger, knelt, offered their rustic gifts, and arose prophets. There is reason to believe that this Shep- herds Play had its independent origin in rustic sports outside a town, arranged by the clergy, who con- cealed a choir arrayed as angels to raise the Gloria in Excelsis at the proper time, and then lead the rude actors and their audience into the lighted church. Here there had been set up a representation of the new-born Saviour, and as the shepherds knelt by the manger the organ pealed, the Gloria re- sounded through the church, and the people, realising the occasion, had their hearts stirred with emotion. The Magi, too, in Eastern robes, would ride into the town and bring their offerings. So also when Easter was at hand persons in Oriental dress entered the market-place, selling spices, spices to be bought for the anointment of the Lord. It happens that in the Wakefield series there are two Shepherds' Plays pro- vided, either of which might be chosen by the guilds who acted the whole series. One of these furnishes the usual dialogue and sport, but the other happens to develop a short farcical story which accidentally fulfils the requisite conditions, and so becomes our earliest known piece of acted drama.^ CousseiTs Library of English Literature.

CROPS FOR THE HOME FARM Where live stock is large in proportion to the extent of pasture land the cabbage crop is of no ordinary importance, for under a well-devised course of culture the produce obtained from a given area is simply enormous, and at all times and seasons is much relished by the stock. Indeed, on deep holding loams that have been deeply cultivated and liberally enriched with manure, crops ranging from fifty to sixty tons per acre have been produced, but forty tons may be considered a good crop, and.will afford an ample return for the cost of production. Such cabbages as Enfield Market, when raised from seed sown at the end of the summer and planted out early in the autumn, two feet apart each way, or at the rate of 10,890 per acre, will yield a large amount of green food that will be found of much value for sheep feeding during the summer. The same or similar sort is useful for sowing early in the spring to be fed off in August and September, but for feeding during the winter and spring the Drumhead varieties are decidedly the best. To sow now, Early Oxhart and Early Drumhead are most useful, as they will be ready by the time the spring crop of the Enfield Market is dis- posed of, and will be available for feeding purposes until the end of December, or even later but from midwinter onwards the large late Drumhead is the most profitable. The three varieties here mentioned will, if sown now, ensure a succession from August until the May following, provided of course the area planted is in proportion to the consumption. But when it is desired to have the large Drumhead in use from the end of November until the end of the spring two sowings must be made, one at the end of July to furnish plants for putting out as earlv as practicable, and the other in March for planting out in May or June, and the crops will be available from November to February, and from the month last mentioned to May, respectively. The large Drum- head should invariably be raised from seed sown in beds, and be transplanted when of proper size, but the others may be either raised in beds or the seed can be sown, or rather drilled, where the crop is to stand. More seed is of course required when drilled than when sown in beds, the usual quan- tities per acre being I lb. and 41b. respec- tively, but the labour of transplanting and the risk of the crop being checked by dry weather when the transplanting operations are going on are avoided. The drills should be two feet apart, and the plants thinned to the same distances in the rows, for to ob- tain full-sized hearts two feet from plant to plant each way must be allowed. The large Drumhead requires an additional twelve inches each way. and in the production of exhibition specimens four feet each way is usually allowed. The soil cannot well be too rich or too deeply stirred, but it will suffice to apply a moderate dressing of manure and plough the land in the usual manner. As in the case of garden crops, the frequent stirring of the surface is most beneficiai in its effects, and therefore the horse-hoe should be brought into requisition as often as may be necessary, until the leaves have extended so far over the inter- vening spaces that the implement can no longer be employed with safety.- Gardetiers' Maaasinc.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS. (From the Illustrated London. Suu.) The will (dated June 16, 1883), with a codicil (dated November 1 following), of Mr. Robert Han- bury. for more than fifty years a partner in the firm of Messrs. Truman. Ilanbary, Buxton, and Co.. late of The Brewery, Brick-lane. Spitalfields and of Poles, in the parish of Tliundridge. Hertfordshire, who died on January 20 last, was proved on the 10th inst. by Charles Addington Hanbury and George Hanbury, the sons, Edmund Smith Hanbury. the grandson, and Thomas Fowell Buxton, the executors, the value of personal estate amounting to upwards of £ '694,1)00. The testator leaves all his freehold, copyhold, and leasehold messuages and hereditaments in the county of Hertford to his grandson. Edmund Smith Hanbury, the son of his late son Robert Culling Hanbury. M.P.; a house and land at Highworth, Wilts, to his son Edgar Hanbury: a house and land near Ascot to his son Gurney Hanbury: and a house in Onslow-square to his granddaughter Emily Hanbury. He directs certain freehold farms and lands in the counties of Essex and Wilts to be sold, and the proceeds to go with the residuary personal estate. The residue of his free- hold. copyhold, and leasehold estates he gives to his said grandson. He bequeaths £ 500 to the President and Council of Ilaileyburv College, the interest to be applied for a theological prize or prizes £,-)00 each Christelitireii Schools, Ware the Schools at Wadesmill; the Church Missionary Society; the Church Pastoral Aid Society: the British and Foreign Bible Society the Church of England Scrip- ture Readers' Society; and the Home for Little Boys at Farningliam; EiOO to the Hertford Infirmary S50 to the Old Men's Society, Ware; all his manu- scripts and personal chattels and efe(. the pl.it t. pictures, and engravings at his mansion house atF Poles, the money at his bankers at Ware, and £ 50.000 to his grandson, the said Edward Smith Hanbury £ 60,000 to his son CbarL-s Addington Hanbury; £ 94,000 to his son George Hawuiy"; £ 47,000* to his son Gurney Hanbury £ 65,000 to his son Edgar Hanbury; £:moo to 1, grand- daughter Emily Hanburv: £ 5000 to hit- grand- daughter the Hon. Mrs. Mabel Tollemaciie £)CH)J. upon trust, for his granddaughter Caroline Rachel Hanbury £ 5<X)0 each to his grandsons Evan Han- bury and Anthony Ashley Hanburv: pensions to various persons in connection with his firm; and numerous legacies to relatives, friends, every clerk in the employ of his firm, household servants, labourers. under-gardeners, and others. The several policies of insurance uii his life, amounting 1 with all the bonuses and other sums receivable there- under. are left to or upon trust for his daughter, Mrs. Madeline Chapman, in addition to the money settled on her at her marriage. As to the residue of the personalty, he leaves one-eleventh, upon trust, for his said daughter for life, and the remaining ten- elevenths. and also the one eleventh on the death of his daughter, between his four sons. Charles Adding- ton. George, Gurney, and Edgar, and his grandson Edmund Smith Hanbury. The will (dated Nov. 4. 1882^ of Captain Noel Bryan Hovenden Yardon, late of No. 5, Queen's-gate, South Kensington, who died on Dec. 24 last, was proved on the 19th ult. by George Norwood Ryan, Egbert Pell Yardon, and Charles Richard Durant, the nephew, the executors, the value of the personal estate amounting to upwards of £ 144.000. The tes- tator leaves his house in Queen's-gate..his stables in Queen s-gate-mews, his furniture, pictures, and plate, and £ 50,000 to Mrs. Katherine Yardon :C.uU each to his aunts. Mrs. Bertha Yardon and Mrs. William Maude; each to his executors: and the rest of his estate to be equally divided between his sister. Mrs. Emily Laura Bethune Walker, his nephews, and niece. The will Jated Feb. 18, 1880), with a codicil (dated April 13, 1883). of Mr. John Henry Dall- meyer, late of No. 19, Bloomsbury-street. W.C., optician, and of Sunnyfield. Hampstead-heath. who died on Dec. 30 last, was proved on the 13th ult. by Mrs. Elizabeth Mary Dallmeyer, the widow, one of the executors, the value of the personal estate amount- ing to upwards of £ 78,000. The testator gives to his wife his residence, with the furniture and effects, and £ 600 per annum for life, to be reduced to £ 100 per annum if she marries again; and there are specific and pecuniary bequests to children, and legacies to clerks, foremen, and workmen. Special provision is made for one or more of his sons to succeed to his business in order of seniority and the fund kept at the London and County Bank for the disabled workmen and workmen's widows, is given to such son as shall succeed him. The residue of his property, subject to a discretion given to his trustees, is to be held, upon trust, for accumulation, until his youngest child attains twenty-one, and then for all his children. The will (dated July 10, 1883), with a codicil (dated Jan. 17, 1884), of Mrs. Mary Tait. late of No. 22. York-terrace, Regent s-park. who died on Jan. 18 last, was proved on the 21st ult. by John Cook and W orsley Battersby, the acting executors, the value of the personal estate amounting to over £ 71.000. The testatrix bequeaths an annuity of to Mary Jane Carlvle in satisfaction of the annuity of £ 500 given to het* lie will of testatrix's brother. Robert Carlyle and other legacies. She also bequeaths, under the name of The Carlyle Bequest," E2000 each to the Royal Infirmary Lunatic Asylum and Lock Hospital, the Northern Hospital, the Southern Hospital, the North South md East Dispensaries, the Infirmarv for Children, the Training-ship Indefatigable, the Liver- pool Homes for Aged Mariners, the Seaman's Orphan Institution, the Blue-Coat Hospital, the Boy's Orphan Asylum, and the School for the Deaf and Dumb, all of Liverpool:—the Merchant Sea- men's Orphan Institution. Snaresbrook the Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest, Broinpton the Royal Caledonian Asylum, Cale- donian-road; St. George's Hospital, Hyde Park- corner; St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington: tl'e London Orphan Asylum, St. Helen's-place the National Life- boat Institution, the Birkenhead Hospital, and the Birkenhead Industrial School £1000 each to the Bootle Borough Hospital, the Consumption Hospital, Liverpool: the Eve and Ear Infirmary Liverpool; the Girls' Orphan Asylum, Liverpool: the Infant Orphan Asylum, Liverpool; and the School for the Indigent Blind, Liverpool; and the general residue of her estate, including, on the death of Mary Jane Carlvle. the capital sum to be set apart to meet the annuity to her. to be applied in augmentation of the charitable bequests proportionately to the respective amounts thereof. The will (dated Sept. 8, 1875) of Mr. Thomas Chenery, editor of the Times, formerly of No. 17, Connaught-square, but late of No. 16, Serjeant's-inn, Fleet-street, barrister-at-law, who died on Feb. 11 last, was proved on the 1st inst. by Mr. John McMillan, of 161, Adelaide-road. N.W., barrister-at- law. and Mr. John Cameron McDonald, of Printing House-square. E.C., the executors, the value of the personal estate being sworn under £:21,000. The testator, besides legacies of £ 500 to each executor, leaves the residue of his property, upon trust, for the maintenance of his sister, Miss Mary Byron Chenerv, an invalid, the said J. McMillan being designated her guardian and on her death he bequeaths the residue, with any accumulations, subject to a legacy of E300 to his friend Dr. Christian David Ginsburg, to be equally divided between the children of his executor Mr. McMillan.

PARLIAMENT AND LOCAL TAXATION In the House of Commons on Friday night in last week, on the Order of the Day for going iuto Com- mittee of Supply, Mr. Pell rose to call the attention of the House to the subject- of local taxation and to move, That this House, while ready to entertain any necessary reforms in local administration, depre- cates the postponement of further measures of relief acknowledged to be due to ratepayers in counties and boroughs in respect of local charges imposed on them for natural services." After a prolonged debate, The House divided, when the numbers were: For going into Committee of Supply, 197; against, -08; majority against the Government, 11. The announcement of the numbers was received with loud and continued cheers from the Opposition, followed bv cries of "Resign and much laughter. Mr. Pelfs resolution was then put from the chair and agreed to without a division. Referring to the debate on Mr. Pell's local taxation resolution, the Time* in a leader savs Apart from the result of the division, the interest of the debate centres in the speech of Sir Charles Dilke. We are all tolerably familiar with the method by which relief has hitherto been given to the over- burdened ratepayer, and also with the standing argu- ments for still further advancc in the same direction. But Sir Charles Dilke made a distinct contribution to our knowledge by indicating the principles upon which the Government intends to deal with the question, as soon as an opportunity can be found for introducing the comprehensive measure ir has prepared. In such a case as this details are of the highest importance, and it would have been inexpedient and even impossible to attempt to give them. The advocates of the ratepayers ought, however, to take comfort from the declaration that the Government measure is one of relief. It will effect a new division to the advantage of the rate- payer between the Imperial and local objects. That it will do this to the complete satisfaction of every- body would he too much to expect; but it is at least something to be assured that its general effect will be favourable to tho ratepayer. Further relief will be afforded by recognition of the principle that per- sonal property ought to bear a share of local burdens. This is a question offering scope for endless diver- sity of opinion. The Government proposals, be they what they may, will doubtless be keenly canvassed, but few will deny that with proper limitations and distinctions personal property is a fair subject for local taxation. The existing system of rating has been adopted rather as a matter of convenience than for any other reason. The fundamental idea of the poor law system is that every one should contribute according to his means, and the visible property which he owns or occupies has been taken as a rough index of his ability to pay. But it is much less ser- viceable in this respect than it once was, and every one can supply illustrations from his own experience of the inequalities of the burdens imposed by the existing rule. The local expenditure will be further reduced by the reconstitution of the local authorities, or if it is not the fault will lie more dis- tinctly than at present with those who have to find the money. The Government measure will provide for the simplification of areas, and for placing the control of each for purposes alike of revenues and of expenditure in the hands of an elective authority. Under the existing system the money which is spent by one set of men is frequently collected by another, and all true sense of responsibility is thus lost, while further mischief is done by intrusting imperial funds to local administrators. There is a wide distinction, which some speakers apparently failed to grasp, between such a partnership of imperial and local authorities as exists under the Education Act and the relation created by the system of grants in aid. Mr. Pell, in moving his amendment, deprecating the postponement of further measures of relief ac- knowledged to be due to ratepayers, argued, as did the other speakers on that side of the House, that reduction of local burdens ought not to wait upon the reform of local government. There is no prospect, say the Conservatives, of passing such a great and complicated measure as Sir Charles Dilke described, and in the meantime there is a great and crying in- justice which can be remedied almost by a. stroke of the pen. livery one must admit the fascinating simplicity of the subvention, but it has the somewhat serious drawback that it is a mere stopgap.. It effects no radical reform of any kind, it does not lighten the national burden, but merely takes money out of one pocket rather than the other, and it sets at defiance the great principle that those who spend money ought to have the responsibility of finding it. It seems to be thought that another sub- vention or two can do no great harm, since we have already had several. But it is admitted on all hands that, apart altogether from the relief of ratepayers, local government stands in urgent need of reform, and the Government is well aware that every payment in aid from the Exchequer, reduces the leverage at its command for effecting fhe needed reorgnisation. Hence while the Op- position demands immediate palliatives for the local trouble, the Government, aiming at the cure of the malady, offers the patient permanent relief on condition that he submits himself to proper treatment. It is quite true that the passing of the Government measure seems at present to be an affair of the far future. We have the Franchise Bill on hand: we have the London Municipality Bill not yet introduced Mr Chamberlain is understood to be recasting his Mer- chant Shipping Bill; and behind that looms a mea- sure for regulating the relations of the public with the railways. We are now within a few days of the Easter holidays, and the first of these measures has not passed the second reading, while the routine busi- ness of the year is in arrear. But all that is no reason for perpetuating a faulty system and increasing the subsequent difficulty of dealing with it. On the contrary, the pressing claims of the ratepayers ought to spur a deeply sympathetic House to make at least moderate exertions to put down needless talk or open obstruction, and to get through the work before it as it well knows how when it chooses. -W-

AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. In an article on The Agricultural Outlook," the Daily Telegraph says The forwardness of tillage operations will enable farmers to prepare seed beds for mangold-wurzel, cabbages, and thousand-headed kale at much earlier periods than has hitherto been possible, and it is well known and generally confessecl that the first-named crop is usually put in much too late. Whereas April is the proper month for the seeding, the majority of farmers have been well content to have it effected about the middle of the following month, and the season being untoward the operation has frequently been delayed until quite late in May. The evils of late sowing for mangolds are manifold. There is greater risk of loss of plant; the bulbs fail to swell out to their natural size growth is retarded until autumn; and during October and the early part of November, when harvesting ought to be taking place, the plants appear still to be so active in growth that lifting and storage are not unfrequently delayed until severe frosts come to affect the skins of the roots and impair their keeping properly. For these and other reasons all well-experienced wurzel growers prefer to have their lands sown about the middle of April or, at any rate, the latter part of that month, by which heavier crops are secured and found to be always fully matured and fit to lift and store in October. When it is con- sidered that the average of late sown half- developed crops seldom exceeds twenty-five tons per acre, and that it is possible by abundant manuring and early sowing to grow from sixty to seventy tons per acre, it will readily be seen that a great deal more might be made out of this crop than is done at present to promote stockkeeping interests. Mangolds are also very serviceable as almost the only resource to fall back upon in very barren springs, that this forms another reason why they should be more generally cultivated. All stock are fond of them, especially after being kept a considerable time, when their astringent properties get converted into sugar, just as green apples lose their acidity by storage i and when not wanted for spring consumption in a season of plenitude like the present, they are tolerably sure to become serviceable for some kind of stock or other w during summer, or even the ensuing autumn, pigs being specially fond of them after a long storage. When sowings can be performed in April, the seeds 's of both cabbages and kale may be profitably deposited by a drill direct to the land from which the crop is intended to be taken, just as in mangold cropping. This is termed the Bakewellian system, because Robert Bakewell, the renowned sheepbreeder of the last century, was the first to practise it. And it may be remarked that the field culture of cabbages was paid considerable attention to in Bakewell's day. One advantage in drilling cabbage or kale seed directly into the land is that the surplus plants, when ready for pulling out, will serve for trans- planting into other lands as they are ploughed and got ready for the purpose later on. Thus fields actively maturing crops of vetches, tri- folium, &c., at the period of first sowing, would most likely have their produce consumed by the time the surplus plants are ready to be removed for trans- planting, and the ground being ploughed and prepared a successional green crop might very readily be put in. Such cabbage crops would come ready for con- sumption in autumn from September to the end of November, and often still later, and few farmers have too many of them, being not only one of the most nutritious and healthiest foods for sheep, but pre- eminently serviceable in enabling milch cows to hold out large supplies of milk when pastures grow short of herbage late in autumn. Thousand-headed kale culti- vated in the way above indicated could scarcely fail in being valuable to sheep farmers. The first cropping by seed drilled direct into the land should, perhaps, have been effected a month earlier, as the produce would have formed a good substitute for rape in lamb feeding, and kale plants fed down close to ground late in summer will shoot again so as to yield excellent second produce for spring consumption. Throughout summer surplus plants of kale drawn from the rows of an early sown crop would be of great use in being transplanted to other lands which could be ploughed and prepared for the purpose, being calculated to yield winter and spring sheep feed of far more value than crops of turnips.

AN ARK-EOLOGICAL QUERY.—'■ John writes to know how the ark was propelled." We would say to John that the ark was a row-boat, and was propelled by a Noah. BLISSFUL IGNORANCE.—Bertie.—Confound it, how badly they're rowing! Why, they haven't any swing." Gwendoline.—Why don't they buy one. hen ?—Funny Folks. t

A REVERSE AT KHARTOUM. Writing from Khartoum on the evening of March 16th, the correspondent of the Times says Yesterday's victory has been followed by a rather serious reverse. This morning it was arranged to attack the rebels drawn up opposite the palace on the other side of the Blue Nile. The rebel lines, two miles long, about eight distant, and parallel to the Blue Nile, stretched from Halfiyeh to some wooded sand- hills. At an early hour our troops, about ;¡()()() strong, marched. The Bashi-Bazouks and Egyptian regulars were in a long line facing the enemy, and also parallel to the Blue Nile. On the left flank was a small square of regular Soudan troops with one field gun. On the right front flank was a handful of mounted troops. As our men drew near the rebels, the latter began to file away to the right of our line, disappearing behind the sandhills. This supposed retreat commenced at 9.40. At 10.30 all had disappeared behind the sand- hills. The enemy's rear was covered by about sixty Arabs, mounted on horses and camels. Our line still advanced, and the artillery fired two shells at the retiring rebels. Our horsemen having entered the woods at the foot of the sandhills we saw to our astonishment the five principal officers of our force, who had been riding a little ahead, dash back, break- ing through their own ranks. At that moment the rebel cavalry shot out at full gallop from behind the sandhills on our right. Their appearance was the signal for a disgraceful sauve qui pent on the part of our men, who broke up and rushed back without firing a shot. The sixty horsemen, who were only armed with lances and swords, dashed about, cutting down the flying men. I saw one Arab lancer kill seven Egyptians in as many minutes. He then jumped off his horse to secure a rifle and ammu- nition when a mounted Bashi-Bazouk officer cut him down. The rebel infantry now appeared, and rushed about in all directions, hacking at the men dis- abled by the cavalry charge. This slaughter con- tinued for nearly two miles, our men not stopping to fire a shot. Then the Arabs halted and an oflic rallied some of our troops and they commenced. dropping but harmless fire at the enemy, who seemed content not to advance, but treated us with the greatest contempt, some riding quietly on camels in front of our muzzles. This continued till midday, some of our men dropping from stray bullets fired by the Arabs. The rebels then drew off to their old position, carrying a lot of rifles and cartridges and one mountain piece. The irregulars instead of re- turning into camp coolly adjourned to a neighbouring friendly village opposite the palace. When they had completely looted this and killed some of the inhabi- tants, they strolled into camp. I, who had seen every incident of the battle from the palace roof, crossed the river to our fort opposite. Here was a scene of confusion. Men of the Egyptian regulars and the Bashi-Bazouks were crying out that their two generals had betrayed them. These two worthies were among the five horsemen whom I saw break through their own lines, and were now hidden in a house afraid to go out lest they should be murdered by their own soldiers. There is no lack of evidence that when they galloped back Said Pasha rode towards a gun and slashed through the brain the sergeant in charge, who was in the act of laying the gun. At the same time Hassan Pasha cut down two artillery- men. I then found that up to that hour, seven hours after the battle, no doctors had seen the wounded. I found them lying scattered through the tents bathed in blood, and each man with three or four wounds—all from the sword or spear. There were only about 20 wounded, as the Arabs gave no quarter, and only left the wounded when they be- lieved them to be dead. I doubt whether any will survive. Colonel Stewart got them on board a steamer and transferred them to the hospital. On going back to the camp, I met the army surgeon in charge, who coolly informed me that there was no wounded, and was very reluctant to go to the hospital when I told him that there were. As I write parties of Ba shi-Bazouks are carrying the bodies of friends who fell near the camp. Look- big from the windows here in the palace, I can see the moonlit plain dotted with white marks in all directions each mark represents the body of some poor wretch who never had the ideas, the hopes, or the courage of a soldier, and whose only instinct was retreat. All the bodies brought into camp bear the first inflicted wound on the back. Our loss is about 200 killed; the enemy's loss has not exceeded four. From this will be clearly seen the worthlessness of the soldiers now left in Khartoum with which the Govern- ment seems to think General Gordon can work wonders. • Officers and men alike are useless as soldiers. To-day they had every advantage on their side, yet GO horse- men without firearms signally defeated 2000 armed with the best European weapons Remingtons, bayonets, and revolvers. So terrified were the soldiers during the retreat, that until the Arabs ceased slaying not a shot was fired nor saw I a bayonet fixed during the day. It may be asked why General Gordon made a sortie after the examples of the utter worth- lessness of the troops afforded by the late war. For the last three weeks the cry of the whole town, troops, and Bashi-Bazouks, was to be allowed to meet the enemy. This demand was intensified by the victory of the loth, and the general opinion was that a sortie would be successful, the rebels being .demoralized by the defeat of the day before. If it had been successful the rebellion in this portion of the Soudan would have been finished. In fact, the rebels were in full retreat when their covering cavalry made the charge which defeated our men, and then the retreating infantry returned, followed up the charge of the cavalry, and now occupy their old positions. The Arabs captured a field piece, 58 rounds of shell, and If),000 rounds of ball cartridges, besides the rifles of the killed and wounded that were thrown away.

A MORAL IAIPROVFD. Handsome is that hand- some does," quoted a man to his wife the other day. —" Yes," replied she, in a winning tone, as she I held out her hand; for instance, a husband who is always ready to hand some money to his wife. T e mora lzer was concerned, and this is why the wife appeared in a new bonnet the next day.

A NEW BLEACHING PROCESS- The New lorK correspondent of the Standard states that many scientists and millowners assembled at Salem, Massachusetts, to hear Professor Richie, of Harvard L'niversity, illustrate Charles Tappan's dis- covery of a new method of bleaching. They saw flax fibre made perfectly white in twentv-seven minutes. The inventor claims that one dav is "long enough for any material: hitherto ten days' have been required, and in the process the fabric was injured. Tappan s process is said to strengthen the fibre, and l only decreases the weight fiTe Per ^en" r.n stead of twenty-five, as at present, Ihe i c i • nf this discovery lies m chief commercial importance of t aTailable the enormous increase which^ |o be textiles of ^tton and coni^ f«r weaving. Even scarcely 'nfenor to ibe c ]g {qt thpead cotton rm,^may« mthin fonr Ws CocQa_ flax was eec]]es can be converted into good hUSer andPbromeh'a and ramie yield readily to CTappan's earlier patents. A strong syndicate has been formed in New York and Boston to test these dis- coveries on a large scale.