The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

agrtrulturc. "J_ 'I" THE OUTLOOK. "Extremes often meet" says the old proverb, and scarcely anything, it may be taken, could illustrate more vividly its truth than the behaviour of the weather of late, and for a long time previously. From heat to cold and from drought to extreme damp in the course, perhaps, of a few hours, have been the chief characteristics of our exceedingly changeable climate. Not that it was not always so; but in these days we get more im- patient of the weather and are less inclined to brook the inconveniences it brings. A fortnight or so ago we, in the northern half of the country, were complaining of being overdone with moisture, while our fellow-countrymen in the south were standing greatly in need of more. But times have changed since then, and they, like ourselves, have been visited by floods, and where the land was too dry for working the complaint is now of the other extreme. The same cry is being raised as to root-pulling. The only cheery note of difference in the story is in regard to the pastures which are mostly keeping green and affording a bite, if ever so short a one, that will go some way to help forward the prospects of stock holders; and if we should be favoured with a continuance of open weather there will be time to make up much lee- way between now and Christmas. On the whole, it may be taken that not much harm has been done at present, and if we are favoured with drying winds work on the arable soils will go quickly forward. The cheese markets have remained dull during the week, buyers, as is usual at this season, not being inclined to speculate. For English produce prices were unchanged, but Canadian and American imports to the London market were Is. to 2s. lower, New; York being cabled steady at the decline. At Liverpool, where the market closed quietly, quotations for Canadian were: —Extra fancy coloured 54s. to 56s., white 53s. to 55s., fine to finest 53s. to 54s., medium grades 48s. to 51s. THE ROYAL SHOW AT YORK. C At the meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Earl Cawdor pre- siding, Sir Nigel Xingscote, in presenting the report of the Finance Committee, said the Council would be sorry to hear, as he was to report, that the society's country meeting at York last June, on which so many hopes had been built, resulted in the very considerable loss of L3,468, which would have to be met out of the society's general funds, already most seriously depleted by the heavy deficits on the two previous shows. More and more demands were annually made upon the society in connection with its shows, and more of the burden of these demands ought certainly to rest upon those who were chiefly benefited by them, viz., the exhibitors. As the Cardiff meeting next year would be almost the last to be held under the present system, the Finance Committee did not desire by any sudden action of their own to imperil the success of that show but they had not concealed their opinion that the risk for which the society now made itself responsible in connection with the shows was too great. It might be that agricultural shows were now over- done, that there were too many of them and that they had ceased to attract the ordinary sight- seeing public as they once did. At all events, the Council would be wise not to base their calcula- tions in the future upon receipts at the gates reaching the totals that they were once accus- tomed to, and on which he was afraid they had in the past too much relied. THE ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS AND LEGISLATION. At a Council meeting of the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture, Mr. Victor Cavendish, M.P., presiding, Mr. Ackers, in moving the adoption of the report of the Cattle Diseases Com- mittee, said that there were seventeen outbreaks in eight counties since January, 227 animals having been attacked. Outbreaks of swine fever shewed a decided decrease compared with 1899. He was of opinion that isolation in outbreaks was not sufficient to stamp out the disease; all animals should be slaughtered, and compensation should be paid. There was a small diminution in the out- breaks of sheep scab, the numbers being 1,308, as compared with 1,378 in the previous year. Mr. Strachey, M.P., suggested that the Board of Agriculture should be empowered to insist upon all infected swine being slaughtered and compen- sation being given.—Mr. Beecroft seconded the suggestion, which was adopted.—On the motion of Mr. Bowen Jones, it was ordered that a statement of legislation required in the agricultural interest issued by the Business and Parliamentary Com- mittees, should be communicated to the Prime Minister, including local taxation, railway rates, tuberculosis, compulsory dipping of sheep, beer duties and brewing materials, sale of corn, fraudulent sale of foreign meat, damage to crops by sparks from railway engines, law of trespass, and injuries to farm stock by uncontrolled dogs. NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN AGRICULTURE. The next examination for the National Di- ploma in agriculture will take place at Leeds on Monday, May 6, and five following days, and the governing conditions have been published by the National Agricultural Examination Board. The examination is of a searching nature, and is designed to test the practical no less than the scientific knowledge of the student. The maximum marks for practical agriculture are five hundred, three hundred giving a pass, as against two hundred and one hundred and twenty respectively for the other principal subjects. A gold medal is awarded to the candidate on the honours list who obtains the highest number of total marks in the whole examination. -THE IRISH POTATO CROP. It is somewhat comforting to learn that the Irish potato crop is not likely to turn out so bad as was at one time feared. An Irish correspondent writes I have just returned from a 500-miles journey to south-west Cork, Kilkenny, and other counties, where I found that farmers generally were not grumbling very much, or at all, about the potatoes. Some parts were quite exempt from disease whether the crop had been sprayed or not, while other districts, on the contrary, have been badly hit. The disease has been partial in its ravages, which fact, if perhaps of poor con- solation to the victimised growers, is fortunate for the country as a whole. As regards prices growers of potatoes in Ireland have seldom had more reason for satisfaction. Current rates are stated to be about double what they were last year, and as it would seem that scarcity of supply M imaginary rather than real farmers have good ?. 3 f°r their comparative contentment with r Position and prospects.

LECTUI&lt AT THE Musicu3w.-Mr. J. D. Siddall delivered in the Lectbre theatre on Thursday evening the first lecture of the winter session in the geological section, his subject being Notes on the Geology of the North Coast of Anglesey." The lecturer disclaimed more than an intelligent interest in the ex- tremely difficult geology of North Anglesey a locality he often visited, and quoted some of the foremost geologists of the day to shew how varied were the opinions as to the exact place to which the bulk of the rocks of the district should be assigned, one of the most recent investigators (Mr. C. A. Matley, F.G.S.) claim- ing that the available evidence pointed strongly to the pre-Cambrian theory. Mr. Siddall briefly described the glacial action so apparent in the island, and lantern slides of maps of the district under review, with a number of beauti- fal rock pictures were then shewn and explained, those present afterwards inspecting foasila of the more recent beds and photographs ex- hibited by the lecturer. Mr. A. W. Lucas, F.G.S. (who presided), Dr. Stolterfoth, and others joined in a discussion and in a vote of thanks to Mr. siddau.

WHEAT PRODUCTION IN ENGLAND. ♦ WILL IT BE MAINTAINED ? PART 1. [CONTRIBUTED.] We cannot but deplore the decline in British wheat production—a misfortune, we fear, the late precarious harvest; and the many inferior samples on offer will augment. An extensive corn factor and miller recently, in addressing a meeting of farmers, asserted that much of the difficulty arose through the depreciation in quality of home-grown wheats during recent years, by the use of weak seed and injudicious manuring. Considerable misconception has arisen in regard to wheat manuring; agri- culturists not having altogether kept in line with the march of the times; some have forged ahead, others lag behind, and many have got out of the course. Lord Wolseley undoubtedly spoke correctly when, two or three years ago, he said, furnish me with money and I will guarantee the bread-loafbut let us cogitate; Lord Wolseley will not live for ever, nor shall any of us, nor is it desirable that we should, but it is desirable that in the mean- time we should keep our own powder dry. In September last, an able and well-known con- tributor to "The Field" made the following soundly considered remarks:—" The farmer's out- look in England from the point of view of the wheat grower is still as gloomy as ever; never- theless, a large number of men will continue to grow wheat-those, in particular, who occupy the typical wheat soils may be able to make the crop pay its way-for one of two reasons.or for both. A five-quarter crop, even at the low price of the hour, leaves a profit behind it, while a smaller return allied to the sum realised by the sale of the straw equally pays the grower, although in neither case is the profit worthy of very much con- sideration. Where the straw cannot be sold, and where the soil is not adapted to the production of an average crop even when tillage is more costly, there is more often a loss than a profit. It is difficult to advise any plan which will result in a material increase in the wheat area, but some plan is essential, not so much for the benefit of the farmer-important as this is-as for the safety of the entire country. Although war is in the air of Asia and Africa, and the alarm of war resounding throughout Europe, allied with threats as regards our country and its safety, which may be more or less extravagant, yet nothing is done to safeguard the food supply of the people, and we may be resting as it were upon the brink of an apparently inert volcano over-confident in the power of our fleet to safely convey our food from al quarters of the world. My own belief is that as regards our national food supply, the nation is asleep, and that unless adequate steps are taken the day is certain to arrive when our people will endure such privations as are unknown in the history of the British people." This is certainly a very striking view of the situation, but the question is—how is this neces- sary business to be accomplished? Some time ago I heard the Right Hon. Henry Chaplin, M.P., addressing a couple of thousand farmers who were clamouring for protection. The Blankney Squire said:—"I would gladly protect the British-pro- duced bread loaf, but until the majority realise the dangerous position, I am powerless; yet, I tell you wheat production must and will be continued in England." Just so, but again, how is it to be done? A few years ago, that far-seeing Frenchman, M. Georges Ville, told us that we should presently pay bitterly for allowing our wheat production to decline. At the same time he told us how we might avoid it. The Field writer quoted above says we can, even at present prices, grow wheat profitably if we produce 5 qrs. per acre. Yes, that may be so, but, again, how are we to manage it ? A good many can only get 3 qrs., and sometimes less than that. Mr. Primrose McConnell tells us the growing of wheat profitably at 30s. per quarter is no mystery at all, if we will but get the land into good heart to begin with." Yes, but again, how is it to be done? Many farmers say that the more heart they seem to put in, the worse the result. However, this is a vastly important subject, both agriculturally and nationally, deserving of more attention than is ordinarily given to it. Our next article will deal with a certain hitherto neglected factor in wheat cultivation-a factor now being regarded by some of the highest authorities as probably destined to bring about radical changes in the matter of production, tend- ing to great improvement in quality of straw and grain, and considerably increased bulk of both. (To be continued.)

WIRRAL LANDLORD V. TENANT. IMPORTANT ARBITRATION AWARD. THE TENANT WINS. Mr. George Sills, barrister, the umpire in the recent agricultural arbitration case, heard at Bir- kenhead, in which Mr. William Otho Nicholson Shaw, of Arrowe Park, Wirral, was the plaintiff, and Mr. William Newton, surveyor, Buckley, executor of the late Mr. John Price, of Arrowe Park Farm and Green House Farm, Greasby, was the defendant, has issued his award. The claim was for £1,656 6s. for damages for unlawfully holding over the farms and premises, and for over-cropping, dilapidations, and negligent and wrongful cultivation, want of repair and treatment of the two farms, contrary to the conditions of a lease for 21 years, dated March 17, 1862, which was granted to the late Mr. John Price. The action was originally brought in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, and was referred to the arbitration of Mr. William Fryer, of Leighton Hall, Neston (for defendant) and Mr. Cecil Holden, of Birkenhead (for plaintiff), and by an order of the Court Mr. Sills was appointed umpire to decide the questions in dispute. An important question of the custom of the country was involved in the case. The lease expired on Feb. 2nd, 1899, and the defendant contended that according to the custom of the country he was en- titled to put stock on the pasture lands of the farm not less than two years old up to the follow- ing May 1st and that he was also entitled to retain possession of the farm premises. The case occupied two days. Expert evidence was given on behalf of plaintiff by Mr. Peter Stephens, land valuer, Mollington, and on behalf of defendant by Mr. G. J. Roberts, of the firm of Messrs. Cunnah and Roberts, of Chester, who stated that the two farms were the best stocked in Wirral, and bv Mr. C. B. Davies, Eardswick Hall, Middlewich.—Mr. Collingwood Hope (instructed by Messrs. Garnett, Tar bet and Co., Liverpool) represented plaintiff, and Mr. Mclvor (instructed by Mr. E. Brassey, Chester) appeared for defendant. Mr. Sills, in the course of his award, says of Whereas the arbitrators were unable to agree, and gave me notice that they were unable to agree upon the questions in dispute which had been referred to them, and that they required me to decide the questions in dispute between the said parties, now, therefore, I having taken upon myself the burden of the said umpirage, and having heard the said par- ties by their respective counsel, and having duly weighed the evidence given on oath before me by the said parties and their witnesses, and having perused and considered the documents respectively laid before me by the said counsel respectively, do make and publish this my award and umpirage of and concerning the matters in difference between the said parties in the said action :— (1) I determine that by the custom of the country in the county of Chester, where the said farms are situate, an outgoing tenant ib entitled to hold over houses and premises included in the said lease until the 1st of May next after the expiration of the lease under which the farms fere held, and that the said custom of the country is consistent with, and to be incorporated with, the said lease of 17th March, 1862, and that before the said 1st of May the defendant thoroughly and completely put all the houses, premises, buildings, and cottages into a complete and thorough state of repair within the meaning of the covenants of the said lease. (2) I decide that neither the said John Price in his lifetime, nor the said William Newton as his executor, has committed any waste or dilapidation or breach of covenant of the said lease of 17th March, 1862, and that although in the last four years of their tenancy, to wit in the years 1895, 1896, 1897, and 1898, they have respectively sold produce from the said two farms, they have brought back more manure than would have been produced if the said produce had been consumed upon the said farms, and that they have in that respect, and in all other matters, fully complied with, and carried out, the provisions of all the covenants contained in the said lease. (3) I find that the said William Otho Nicholson Shaw is not entitled to succeed in respect of any matter in difference between himself and the said William Newton, either personally or as executor of the said John Price, and I give my judgment entirely in favour of the said defendant. I order and determine that the said William Otho Nicholson Shaw do pay within seven days, after taxation, to Mr. Ernest Brassey, of Chester, the solicitor of the defendant, the faxed costs of the defendant of the said action, arbitration and umpirage and that he pay the costs of the said arbitrators and myself, and if the costs of the said arbitrators and myself are paid by the said defendant, I order that the plaintiff do forth- with repay the same to the defendant. Given under my hand this 9th day of November, GBO. SILLS."

POACHERS' APOLOGISTS. 0 A Llangollen newspaper, which is apparently published in the interests of illegal fishing in the Dee, makes some absurd comments on last week's important fishery prosecutions there for snatching fish. The writer seeks to prove that the magistrates were biassed in favour of the prosecution because four members of the bench are also members of the Dee Conservancy Board, the prosecuting authority." Now the fact is there was only one magistrate on the bench who is also a member of the Fishery Board, namely Mr. Mvddelton, and we invite our contemporary to produce evidence that any of the other acting justices, Lord Trevor, Mr. J. C. Edwards, Mr. Williams, or Mr. Rooper belongs to the Board of Conservators. It is further alleged by our veracious contemporary that men having no interest in the preservation of salmon in the Deo would have viewed the evidence produced from a vastly different standpoint." It would, we fancy, be difficult in the whole watershed of the river to find, out- side the ranks of the pot-hunting poachers in that neighbourhood, any man, not to mention any magistrate, who has no in- terest in the preservation of the Dee as a salmon stream. The river is a rich heritage, a public asset, the value of which may be gauged I from the statement which was made during the recent Sluices Bill investigation that this fishery is worth about 914,000 a year in the matter of salmon alone, without including its value as a source of sport. Complaint is also inaccurately made by the organ representing the poaching interest that there was only one witness for the prosecution, the fact being over- looked that the Superintendent also gave testi- mony of having cautioned one of the offenders against the practice of snatching fish, while strong corroboration of illegal fishing is furnished by the circumstance of a dozen salmon having been captured in one hour, each one of them being foully hooked. It would doubtless have suited the con- venience of the poachers if the Fishery Board had sent a number of men in uniform to endeavour to get uR.a case, but the Board very wisely sent an unknown bailiff, who kept his mouth closed and his eyes open to all the flagrant poaching that was in progress. The pernicious custom of snatching salmon and trout where they thickly congregate at Llan- gollen Weir has been well-known for a con- siderable period past, but the difficulty of obtaining evidence has always been accen- tuated by the precautions taken by the illicit "sportsmen" of stationing watchers to warn them of the approach of the bailiffs. The destruction of fish has been a monstrous injustice to the whole fishery, and one which is justly resented by every lover of fair sport, who will rejoice to see the success of last week's prosecutions. It seems to be a sore point with the apologists of the poachers that the officer did not seize the fishing tackle that was being used, but there he exercised excellent discretion; for had he made a seizure, he would have given the secret away and made only one capture, whereas by maintaining his incognito he made a big haul. The Fishery Acts impose no obliga- tion upon the river bailiff either to disclose his identity to the poachers or to seize their implements, and it was fortunate in this instance that the officer did neither. What- ever may be the general feeling in Llangollen upon the stoppage of this highly injurious popular pastime, public opinion among the tisbing community of the whole district of the Dee, as well as among all genuine sportsmen, will emphatically support both the Fishery Board in its action and the magistrates in their decision.—" Cheshire Observer."

BOARDS OF GUARDIANS. 0 WIRRAL. The fortnightly meeting of this Board was held at Clatterbridge Workhouse on Wednes- day, Mr. W. Knowles presiding. PROVISION FOR EPILEPTICS. A DIFFICULTY. The Clerk read replies from various unions in the county to a circular which he had addressed to them, enquiring what arrangements they had made for the treatment of their epileptic cases. Mr. W. Congreve said if they communicated with the County Council they would probably deal with the difficulty by building a large establishment for epileptics, the cost of which might fall rather heavily on the different unions. He had nothing at all to say against the County Council, but he thought the Guardians were quite capable of considering the matter more fully before they referred it to some other authority. Mr. Townshend said he felt that the proper way to deal with the question was to divide the Cheshire unions in two or three districts and provide a house for the temporary lodging of these poor creatures, the expense of which would fall in proportion upon each union. That would be a much more economical way of deal- ing with the matter, particularly as there did not seem to be a very large number of these epileptics in the various unions. He agreed with Mr. Congreve that the County Council might feel disposed to erect a large building which would cost a large amount of money, and they (the Guardians) would perhaps have heavy establishment charges to pay. Mr. S. W. Gill said he thought it was the duty of the County Council to make proper provision for the treatment of epileptic cases, as that body was more responsible than the guardians. He was in favour of a proper institution for epileptics. They had in the workhouse at the present time a young man of a very respectable family of tradespeople. He was being kept simply as a pauper because he happened to be epileptic, whereas if provision was made in the proper way, he would not be in the position of a pauper. The money received for his maintenance at the work- house would keep him in a suitable institution without the stigma of being a pauper. The young man was very smart and intelligent. He moved a resolution that the County Council be asked if they have any special provision for epileptics in the Chester County Asylum. Mr. W. Christian seconded. The Clerk It is a question whether the County Asylum can take them in unless a doctor certifies them to be lunatics. The resolution was carried. HAWARDEN. MAGISTRATE WANTED FOR SALTNEY. A meeting of the Hawarden Board of Guardians was held on Friday, the Chairman (Mr. W. Fryer) presiding. Mr. John Jones (Sandycroft) called attention to the hardship Saltney suffered in not having a magistrate in the district. Recently there was a lunacy case at Sandycroft, and the doctor certified that the case ought to be sent to the Asylum. The doctor gave the relieving officer the necessary papers, and the latter left them at the residence of a Hawarden magistrate in order that they might be signed. The latter, however, omitted to sign them, and conse- quently all the arrangements for conveying the case to the Asylum the next day were upset. For two years the Parish Council of Saltney had been asking the Lord Lieutenant to appoint an additional magistrate, but so far without effect. As a further instance of the inconvenience under which they were labouring he mentioned that recently the assistant over- seer for Saltney had to go to Connah's Quay to get a supplementary list of rates signed. He hoped the matter would receive the attention of the Lord Lieutenant. A monthly statement was read in connection with Hope parish, shewing that the amount of recoverable arrears outstanding had been materially reduced.—A discussion arose as to the dietary orders, and it was agreed that a committee consisting of Messrs. Fryer, Milling- ton, Bellis, H. Jones, and Miss Thom, deal with the matter and report to the Board.—A letter was read from the Hawarden Parish Council suggesting a re-valuation of the parish of Buckley (Mold) when it was transferred to the Hawarden Union from the Holywell Union. It was resolved that the Assessment Committee should take the question into consideration.

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THE TRAMWAY SCHEME. « "MORE LIGHT." A Ratepayer" writes:—The negotiations for/ the purchase of the Tramways having been com- pleted by last year's Town Council, its successor's first task will be to give them effect. But though matters have gone so far, and though, without doubt, figures were carefully considered so as to lead those in authority to a just estimate of the future of the undertaking, the public have not had the advantage of any information upon either the probable cost or possible results of the Tram- ways after the scheme which had been adopted comes to be carried out. Let us throw a little dry light, while we wait, upon the subject. And first as to the total cost; the capital account will stand thus (electrical equipment): Road, 7 miles at £4,500 a mile, 231,500; cars, 10 for 40 passengers each at JB450, £ 4,500; purchase of company's road, stables, etc., £ 18,000; purchase of company's 11 cars ( £ 1,100), 50 horses ( £ 1,500), harness (£100), £ 2,700; total capital required, £ 56,700. To this should be added the cost of the Act, with legal and other expenses, but they will probably be covered by the result of the sale of the company's old plant. It is contemplated that the cost of picking up the existing lines will be met by the sale of old material therefrom. Our object being to obtain some reliable figures of probable traffic and working expenses, we shall first consider the Saltney route as it is now worked by the Tramway Company. From the company's time table it appears that 1,282 round trips of 2i miles each are worked per week all the year round, making a total of 183,300 miles per year. From close daily observation of winter and summer traffic an average is obtained of 10 pas- sengers per trip—6 outside and four inside—or, say, 2s. for every trip from the General Station to Saltney and for every trip from Saltney to the General Station. This will be admitted to be a liberal estimate, producing a revenue of L6,666 per year, or nearly 8fd. per mile, for the oarriage of 666,300 passengers. Here, then, is a close approximation to the aotual position of the Tram- way for which so large a sum is to be paid. It has probably earned 8id. a mile, and while the working expenses of the city of Glasgow horse lines, the lowest in the kingdom, are stated to be 8.81d. per mile, not even the close, one might say penurious, management of the Chester Com- pany is likely to have produced a better result for its shareholders. Let us see how the capital charges will stand for the reconstruction of the Saltney route, pre- mising that £ 4j500 a mile will complete a single road with crossings and turn-outs, including line, feeders, bending, and all outside equipment of the most modern design; and that we must allow an extra i mile of road for stable access: Road, 3 miles at 24,500 a mile, £ 13,500; cars, has probably earned 8jd. a mile, and while the working expenses of tne city of Glasgow horse lines, the lowest in the kingdom, are stated to be 8.81d. per mile, not even the close, one might say penurious, management of the Chester Com- pany is likely to have produced a better result for its shareholders. Let us see how the capital charges will stand for the reconstruction of the Saltney route, pre- mising that £ 4j500 a mile will complete a single road with crossings and turn-outs, including line, feeders, bending, and all outside equipment of the most modern design; and that we must allow an extra i mile of road for stable access: — Road, 3 miles at £ 4,500 a mile, £ 13,500; cars, S fr>r 40 nfld-aonoro**a onnVt a* -CO 9 £ A • mm .'W' "£.80 .v _.v", ,VU, yu.l,- chase of road, etc., from old company, £ 18,000; purchase of plant, less re-sale, £ 1,000; total cost of saltney route, £ 34,750. We can now pass to the working expenses, and, supposing that the Lighting Committee will supply the electric energy at one penny per unit, we shall be within the mark in estimating the road and general ex- penses at 6!d. a car per mile (Glasgow cost 6.38d. last half-year, Liverpool 7 £ d.): —Car mileage (as above), 183,300 at 6 £ d., £ 4,964; licences, rents, rates and taxes, nil; compensations, £ 250; sink- ing fund, l-30th of £ 34,750, £ 1,158; interest at 3 per cent. of £34,750, £ 1,042; depreciation, roads at five per cent. on £ 13,500, 2675; deprecia- tion, cars at 10 per cent. on 22,250, £ 225; work- ing expenses per car mile, 10.8d., total £ 8,314; estimated receipts per car mile 8.75d., total £ 6,666; loss per mile, 2.05d. per annum, £ 1,648. It must be understood that this estimate of working expenses applies to an electrical line from General Station to Saltney, and that the receipts are estimated upon the present fares and traffic. But the object of the Council is to pro- vide a speedier and cheaper service, and it must be taken for granted that while the present mileage will be maintained, the fares will be reduced and an increased traffic gained thereby, But supposing the average fare to be reduced from 2.4d. (as above estimated) to 1.2d., the number of passengers required to produce 2s. per trip must be 1,332,600 per year, twice the number now car- ried, or 3,680 per day; or 20 for every trip all the year round, each way, between Saltney and the General Station, and further, that by so much as the traffic fails to increase from 666,300 to 1,332,600, so would the loss vary from 21,648 to £3,296 a year. One can hardly take the three other suggested tramway routes seriously; an estimate of their prospects may be postponed for the present.

ANOTHER CENTENARIAN. « A WORTHENBURY WORTHY. 102 NOT OUT. Chester is not the only place in the district which possesses its centenarian, for there lives in the village of Worthenbury Mr. Charles Richards, who on Sunday attained the patriarchal age of 102 years. Born in the eighteenth and having lived almost throughout the nine- teenth, Mr. Richards essays, with every promise of success, to enter the twentieth century, in which event he will, incredible as it may seem, have lived in three centuries. He has seen the country mourning for the death of three kings, and participated in the rejoicings of three jubilees. One cannot realise all at once that one who was a young man when George III. completed what was then the longest reign in English history has lived to see the golden jubilee of George capped by the diamond jubilee of Victoria! The story of the Battle of Waterloo is becoming ancient history, but Mr Richards "distinctly remembers" the famous victory, and has had several conversa- tions with the Iron Duke himself. This veteran of veterans has voted since the passing of the Re- form Bill of 1832, and he was well enough to record his vote at the recent election. He is indeed a link with the "good old days," since which the march of science has transformed the conditions of life. The celebration of his 100th birthday, two years ago, was a unique event in the history of the parish of Worthenbury, in which he was born and has worked and lived the whole of his days, and where in the evening of his long life he has the respect and veneration of very many friends and neighbours. And the day Mr. Richards was able to number his years by three figures was one which will live in the memory of parishioners for many a long day to come. From the church tower tioated the Union Jack the bells were rung, and salvos of miniature artillery were discharged, all in honour of the event in which old and young alike took such keen interest. But that was not everything which was done to mark the occasion. There was a public ceremony in the schoolroom, at which Mr. Richards was pre- sented with a handsome Bible, subscribed for by a large circle of friends "as a mark of their veneration and esteem." Tea and a display of fireworks followed. One of the speakers at that ceremony recalled the interesting fact that Mr. Richards had planted a walnut tree and seen it grow to maturity I That tree measured four yards in girth and usually bore an excellent crop. A photograph of Mr. Richards and a newspaper report of the proceedings at Worthenbury were forwarded to the Queen, and a letter was received, concluding-" Please let Richards know how glad the Queen is to hear of his still being hale and hearty, and that her Majesty trusts he may so continue until the end of his already excep- tionally long life." Most people covet old age, but few live to realise their dream of longevity. Therefore, when such a remarkable case as Mr. Richards's comes under notice it is not unnatural that there should be a considerable amount of curiosity as to his habits, food and drink, in the hope of dis- covering the secret of old age. But the G.O.M. of Worthenbury has no secret to reveal. He has simply observed the golden rule of moderation in all things." He has led a physically active life, and he scarcely knows what it is to be ill. A few months before he completed his century he suf- fered from congestion of the lungs, but he re- covered and was as hearty as ever he was. Even to-day it is hard to realise that he is a centenarian, and certainly life after sixty years and ten has been no burden to him, for he is still youthful in spirit if not in body. He still resides in his comfortable little cottage in Wallington-lane, carefully tended by his kindhearted housekeeper, Mrs. Roberts. He is in full possession of all his mental faculties, and loves to talk of the good old times." Our Worthenbury correspohdent writes:—I saw him on Thursday evening seated in his cosy armchair by his cheerful fireside, and had an enjoyable half-hour's chat with him. He said he was feeling well at present, though he was suffering a short time ago from a severe cold, the result in all probability of his visit to the polling- booth on October 13th. Dr. Edwards Jones had been in attendance on him, and in his (Mr. Richards's) opinion had put new life into him." Having heard it doubted whether my old friend had really held a conversation with the Duke of Wellington, I questioned him on the subject, upon which he observed, "I shook hands with the Duke twice and conversed with him at Cheltenham." I asked him when he thought he would be able to come down to church to see the beautiful brass candelabra placed there in celebra- tion of his attaining his 100th birthday. He oheerily made answer Oh, I shall pop down to see it one of these days." He is able to read in strong sunlight, but, as might be expected, finds the dull November days against his enjoyment of books. He often takes a walk in his garden when the weather permits, and he relishes his food. His descendants number 11 children, 66 grand- children, 97 great-grandchildren, and 8 great- great-grandchildren, making a total of 182. His eldest son is 80 years of age, and his youngest descendant is a few months old. 102 not out" is a record in years to be proud of, and our readers will join with us in the hope that the crown and evening of Mr. Richards's life will continue to be one of content and rest- fulness.

0 /S> /ML Jm)* t • FOR (Qj^0/iuousness AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST DISCOVERY. Australia, the Land of Gold, has given to the world a great number of marvellous things, but the discovery made in that wonderful country by a Chemist and Scientist, Mr. Charles Forde, perhaps will do more good to the world generally than all the gold Australia ever has or ever will produce.. This discovery is of a Natural Vegetable Substance that has the peculiar properties of acting the same way in the process of Indigestion as Nature's own animal Bile. Mr. Forde, realising the great value of this discovery, and the boon it would be to the millions of digestion sufferers (who, according to the regular Medicine Science to date, were martyrs to Pepsin, Bismuth, Starving, and Purging), decided to spare no expense to perfect this remedy, and make it a cure for all digestive troubles and their attendant ailments. The result of this experimenting was the addition of some eight other ingredients the same being titled Bile Beans," a name given to express exactly what the preparation was, A Bean for the Bile." The expense and care in perfecting and compressing this preparation to the size of a small bean has been very great, but the result is a small oval bean that the smallest child can take with ease, and a medicine that last year the consumption of which reached some thirty millions of doses in Australia alone, the rich and poor alike being the friends of this marvellous specific. The consumption to date has nearly baffled the best efforts of the Proprietors, their laboratories working night and day to meet the demand. Bile Beans have been proved an undoubted cure for Headache, Biliousness, Costiveness, Piles, Liver Trouble, Bad Breath, Rheumatism. Influenza, Indigestion, Dizziness, Buzzing in the Head, Fulness after Eating, Lack of Ambition, Debility, Female Ailments, Pimples, and a Host of other Ailments that owe their origin to Defective Bile Flow, Assimilation, and Digestion, They will also be of great service in Nervous Disorders, Loss of Appetite, Debility, Shortness of Breath, Blotches on the Skin, Insomnia, and Troubled Sleep. They act quickly in restoring Females to Health, and for a General Aperient and Tonic Remedy they are almost unequalled. These beans are placed on the market in a form that anyone can take them without medical supervision and as the price is so very low, there are few homes that cannot afford to always have a box on the shelf for emergency. BILE BEANS FOR BILIOUSNESS. CURE LITER TROUBLES AND INFLUENZA. 0 A- FOR <^0^Luousness CURE HEADACHE & DYSPEPSIA. WHAT A LANCASHIRE PAPER SAYS OF BILE BEANS. (EXTRACT FROM THE COLNE AND NELSON TIMES.") NOTHING more troublesome, painful, and depressing can be imagined than the common ailment, piles and the state to which its victims are reduced is truly wretched. Miss Annie Elizabeth Davison, who is employed as a domestic servant at Mercer House, Barnoldswick, told the following story to a representative of the Colne and Nelson Times." Miss Davison, in the course of an interview, said Soon after I went into service 1 began to suffer with the ailment. I got worse despite the numerous medicines I took and as I was obliged to continue with mY work the agony I suffered was terrible. Time P after time I bought advertised remedies' but they brought me no relief. So ill was I that eventually I became quite desperate, and it was really in sheer desperation, and not because I believed they would do me much good, that one day I bought a box of Charles Forde's BILE BEANS for BILIOUSNESS. I commenced to take them, but before the first box was finished I had occasion to feel deeply grateful to the proprietors of the medicine I do not mean to say that the first box cured me. But after taking it I felt that the Beans were doing me good. So I purchased more and went on taking them." And what was the result ? queried the reporter. The result," was the reply, is that to-day every* trace of the ailment has left me. I am well and strong and can go about my work with gladnesS. I had fully intended to write to the proprietors of the medicine, telling them of the way in which I had benefited, and I gladly give you permission to use this interview as illustrating what Bile Beans can do." Now this is no isolated example of the efficacy of Bile Beans. Scores of such cases could be quoted. So widely is this remedy known that 150,000 doses are taken daily. Depots and Laboratories have been opened in England, and if you are unwell, and a sufferer, and have doubts whether it is Indigestion or not, the Manufacturers invite you to write to their London Office, giving a full description of your ailment, and, free of charge, you will be honestly answered, whether Bile Beans will cure in your case or not. Address the Bile Bean Manufacturing Co., 119 and 120, London Wall, London, E.C., and mark your letter Special." You can also send to London if your Chemist does not stock Bile Beans, and a Box will be sent Post Paid and Packed Free on receipt of Is. ltd., and 2s. 9d. per Large Box. There is only one genuine 2 Bile Beans, and that must necessarily have the name of the discoverer, Charles Forde," attached. You may obtain a FREE SAMPLE of Charles Forde's Bile Beans for Biliousness by sending to the London Office a Penny Stamp to pay postage, and mentioning the name of this paper. ^nea/i's ^^liousness