The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

WORK IN THE GARDEN. BY AN F.R H.S. AMARYLLIS CULTURE. The «,maryi's has several names; some people call it by suck names as the Barbados lily, the Mexican lily, and Knight's Star lily. Botanists cn 11 it the If: ;:|>ea^muti, but as a.rri;ifvllis most people know it. A reader, G. J. W. WKS when the bulbs siioukl be planted and other questions as to its culture. The bulbs can be planted in pota any time: from January to tlw end of March. Clea.n pots not le-.s than ó<ix inclu\s in rl arneter, and preferably seven or eight, <IJldrl be I's:jd, Mid as the bulbs ought to remain in the fams two or li-ive YE.'IR-I -special lit Ilt,:o,l should IK* devoted the drainage. One good, fairly 1": tt pitc-p en p:>t-!>.erd -should be placed over the ho'.e in the j horr-mi of each pot, and a layer or two of ¡ •"nailer n'cce,; arranged over till*. To prevent j; i;; fro in working down into the crocks, cover the latrer with a few pieces of rough. 1 >:un. Ll ith a compost, consisting of t\\ o of turfy loam. one part of cn a: ■ sand or clean ro«d-grit. well 1 :th t hull- lioneiiieai. To rtdju-T the l;l > 'i p; s:;> ■ :"11\,1 (\ from the centre of the o! -ei! ti sufficY-m ( isantity of the csw» i to o.ver thy 'muli on •-half to tvvo- th;r,.s d it.s The is made firm, the potting is completed the potted I br" -'uniid re.Temble that shown in the drav ng. POTTING AN AMARYLLIS BULB. One good watering after potting will suffice until the blooni-fspikes are well started into til, Illft-er which watering, with occasional weak applications of liquid manure, must not be neglected. The flower-spikes appear before the foliage, and -as far a; appearance is con- cerned this is an advantage. If the pots are ill fibre refuse in «• warm greciiho.i-e, and h{' soil and surroundings maintained in a fairly uioist condition. r(,ot- j action, is promoted and growth soen becomes vigorous. In such circumstances watering mt-L-:t Le done more frequently. 'l'l:e arnarylliis is increased by seeds or off- which are treated in much the <-ame way a.; ;;¡.IIPd 1)11;]" Tlie.se ofl-sets siiouiel be re- moved with care from old bulbs when the latter are being repotted, which may be done a: the present time. Five of these offsets may be grown on and developed in a 5in. pot; this i<s an easy means of increasing these plants. Reeds should be sown one-sixteenth of an inch deep in carefully prepared sandy loam in March in a, temperature of from bodeg. to 70deg. The resulting seedlings should be potted up indh idual'lv in 2iu. pots, maintain- ing the soil in moderately moist condition all the year round. Seedlings should flower in three years, though often this occurs at the end of two years. When the flowers are over, and the foliage has faded to some extent, cut down the flower- ing stems, reduce the supply of moisture, and let them go to rest in a comparatively cool and dry atmosphere. But enough water should be given to keep the bulb plump. When it is desired to start them again, shake out and pepot them as before, and grow on in the usual way. Any That appear to require it may be potted on into larger sizes as soon as the first pots are getting fairly full of roots, but, is a rule. they bloom better when in a moderately root-bound condition. A CAUSE OF PEARS DROPPING. A reader, W. H. J. asks if I can explain how it is t-hat last year some pear-trees wmcl1 previously had borne good crops should have dropped' their fruit when not half grown. The. question, he says, has been put to various gardeners without result, and while it is impossible to speak with certainty with- out an examination on the spot I think the premature dropping of the frutt is due to the pear midge-a pest which does a great deal of damage for which it does not get credit. Early pears, or rather those that blossom early, are most attacked, especially Williams Bon Chretien (the Bart-left pear, as Americans calls it). The fly. or midge, is only a tenth of an inch long, and is blackish grey in colour. It ap- pears about the time the blossoms are show- ing signs of the white petals, and continues on the wing until about the middle of May. 1 lie females lay their eggs both in the unopened and the expanded blossoms by means of the long egg-laying tube. In from four to six days the eggs hatch and the young maggots make their wav into the developing fruit. The majority of the maggots leave the pear (1) and (2) Maggoty fruitiets. (3) Maggot (much enlarged). (4) Midge (enlarged and natural size). THE PEAR MIDGE. I either by a cleft on the fruit or by some de- cayed patch. The fruit may or may not. fall I with the maggots in it; as a rule they escape when the pears are on the tree*. The mag- gots have the power of skipping, and when they leave the fruit 011 the tree* they move to the outer sur.'aee. bend their bodies, and make a spring on ro: the ground. There they bury themselves "nder the soil, usually about an inch and a-half from the surface. At the end of about t"o WYx-ks they have completed little papery coo tns of a dirty creamy silk, which become more or less covered with fine grains of earth. The pear is then nothing but a blackened mas., of pulp and excreta. The first signs of the attack are when the fruitlets begin to swell abnormally. By degrees these fruitlets become deformed, some rounded. others bulged out at the sides, and much distorted. On cutting them open they will be found to contain the grubs. I11 gardens the best remedy is hand- picking the diseased fruits where d'warf trees are attacked, but in orchards this is not pos- sible. A likely remedy is by spraying with paraffin emulsion as soon a. the blossoms I show the first white tal. and at the same time giving the ground a good drenching with the emulsion beneath the trees. Thus the pest might be diterred from egg laying and many killed, in the soil. This would have to be done at the time when the flies are appear- ing from the soil. The emulsion for the ground should,'of course, be stronger than lliat applied to the tree. Kainit spread undetf the trees has been most effectual in killing the grubs. TO B. a. IL p

TO CORRESPONDENTS. I All correspondence affecting this column should be addressed ro 1110 author, care of the Editor of this journal. Requests for special information mttfl I to pwompLnW by ttMnpwd addrftwed envelope

DRESSMAKING AT HOME. BY SYLVIA. This week I ha-re given eome thought to matronly war, and the first of the two sketches —No. 1,662—deplete a thirt blouse of the work- a-day order, which is sure to be appreciated, as such patterns are always reqtilivd. It is oi the yoke type, as I find this is one which pleases the majority, but a torch of novelty is given to it by the broad panel, which conceals the front fastening. This is secured to rhe right: side by a piping, and to the fiont of the collar, whence it slopes away to the left tide, just below the yoke. Useful Shirt Blouse. III the accompanying diagram I have shown tin method of the pattern from I 3 ;i, of 32-inch delaine. The lower jx-rcioa PATTERN NO. 1.6O2. i« opened onf ro its full width and {< cVu up rr» a .ptii of yards, on v. inch porti-m are p;c« d the trout, >lVev yoke, coll h v. and cuffs—the t wo la >r named being cut on the cross, the cuffs c-ii'.v being double. The upper portion is single, but is folded over prouyh to cut the back double, leaving the piecc for the front panel. Mark sound and allow necessary turnings when carting out. Keep both sid^s ey.act'iv alike, make and stitch the tucks on each side of front, also the box-pit-at in the centre oi back, then turn in and rack the edges of the yoke back and front, arrange the back under the corresponding portion of the yoke, tack evenly, then do the samp with the fronts, stitch quite close to the edge, and then again ii Ix), i an inch inside this. Now arrange the facing inside, being careful to keep this quite even, and nea ten the edges of front, which may also be secured by meaHS of two or three small hooks and eyes. Join up the under-arm portions by means of French seams, and fini-h off neatly. Now make and secure the piping to the Tight side of panel front, turn in and stitch the other, and neaten and strengthen it by means of nar- now tape, then "pw it in position, as in the sketch. Now tack the collar and hem the top j DIAGRAM FOR PATTERN No. 1,662. I edge, arrange and gm this on the nrcft, start- I ing it in the centre of back, and raking in the panel as well as the corresponding neck-part of yoke. Neaten the portion which is fastened round to the back, also the left side of neck of yoke, sew on the necessary fastenings, and finish off. Hem the lower edge, press all well; sew on the band, also fastenings on the panel and the blouse, likewise the buttons as a finish. Now join the sleeves, make the cuffs, stitching these to correspond with the yoke. Rather the lower portion of sleeve, arrange in the cuffs, which must have the necessary fastenings se- cured to the opening left in order to let them slip over the wrist, and face with material, or merely neaten with tape, according to the mate- rial chosen. ?Cow arrange in the armhole, sew in the upper portions betwem the edges of the yoke, and finish off nearly, ihen sew on the buttons, re- move the tackings, and press nicely. A Comfortable Underskirt. The next ckelCh-Xo. 1,662—is olle which those who require garments of the "out-size" order will welcome, as the underskirt depicted is not only simple to make, but is a well-cut and comfortably-fitting model for those whose waist measurement exceeds the stock size of 24 inches. It is four-piece in shape, so. whilst having no superfluous fulness at the waist, either at back or PATTERN No. 1,663. J front, it is yet enabled, by means of the sloping of the gores, to set easily wlierc required. It can be carried out in cotton for a washing affair, in alpaca, or moirettc, the trimming—or "bmlillonné" at the fort-part, which is the latest idea for an edging, consisting in this case of silk, cut on the cross; and about half as much again as the width of the petticoat must be allowed for fulness. When the skirt portion is seamed up. over- sewn, and pressed, and the waist and foot-part finished off. also the narrow tuck made about six inches from the lower edge, join the cross way strips for the puffing, snip all sedvedges, open and press seams. Mark in quarters, gather, using one thread, fQr each, mark the petticoat to correspond, draw up each quarter to fit. then make the piping and secure to each edge, the raw edges even. Now arrange in position on the petticoat, turn the raw edges inside, leaving the cording level, then sew through this to the petticoat, keeping the bouillonne quite even, and finish off. The petticoat will take 3g to 4 yards of 32-inch or 22 yards of double-width goods, and 1 yard, of 2 eilk, if vhis be used.

HOW TO OBTAIN PATTERNS. Oar paper patterns are specially cut for ns from dasipns expressly prepared for this column. and the post of each complete pattern 1s 6J1I.. post free. Address all retters. enclosing stamps for to Sylvia." Whltefriars House, Carmelite-street, Loudon, E C. Be snre and mention the number of ftk« pattern lequired when ordering. Patterns will Im despatched within tferM dafi of tbt application -being rMtlnd.

PO IT L T l Y AND PLIh. PROF IT A I) IA: HOBBIES. BY "UTILITY." A GOOD BLACK. Though on the whole 1 am convinced that fancy poultry keeping benefits the utility •ide, I am bound to admit that sometimes the chants in fashion tend to dri-yo useful vari,etie,a into Hit; background. At th* pre- sent time black varieties are somewhat un- popular with iartr.ers-, t.hat is why I have felt it to be my duty to give special atten- tion to some of them in this column lately, in the hope that. then" utility qualities «»iigtit nor, be forgotten or ov, rioted new Tarieti«s are the craze. Among good blacks the Black Leghorns take a high place, and their iirommeicc in the laying competitions of the past few years is quite characteristic of their good quali- ties. The variety appears to have originated in America, and to have reached England about twenty-five years ago, where has steadily ma.de a reputation for itself as a grand layer of fair-sized eggs. both in sum- mer and in winter. Some owners find it rather timid and disposed ro be wild, but this is more a matter of individual tempera- ment than of character inherent in the variety, and very much may be done by gentle and patient treatment to make them tame enough to perch on the hand and eat from it. Still, until the habits of new birds are known, it may possibly be best and safest to keep them in a high wired-in run. The chickens are easy to rear. being hardy and maturing rapidly. Though. like all the Mediterranean fowls. they are not first-class table poultry—the cockerels can easily be got into splendid condition for the table by the time they are three or four months old. Pullets hatched in Anril or May will come on to lay in October or November, and will continue laying right, through the summer when heavier breeds are mad broody." Their dark plumage makes them .ideal birds I tor the town backyard, as if kept. constantly I SINGLE-COMB BLACK LEGHORN HEX. I busy by having to scratch for their food they bear confinement, as well as any other variety. While anxious that the usefulness of the Black Leghorn should not be lost sight of, we wish, all success to the efforts which are being made to bring the variety back to public favour as all exhibition bird. Its plumage is a rich blue-black, free from feathers of any other colour, and with as much sheen as possible. Both beak and legs should be yellow. In breeding, birds of a pure colour should be selected, black to the ekin, as there is a tendency for many of the cockerels- to have white in the sickle feathers. The parent, cock should have solid wi-ngs and tail, good head points, and strong yellow legs. Hens should differ in accord- ance with whether fine pullets or cockerels are wanted. For breeding the former a hen with exaggerated head-points is much to be preferred; for the latter, size of body in the hen is more important than head-points, which, indeed. can safely be scanty. Owing to the risk of damage by frost to the large c-mbs in cold, exposed districts, a a double or rose-comb variety has been in- troduced, and promises to be fairly popular, but as it is a separate variety we may well leave it for another time. ANSWERS TO "C0R-RBSP0OT>ENT8. "G. F."—RED MITE is the same as grey I mite. Its colour changes according to the amount of blood it draws from the birds dur- ing the long nights. Red mites are nocturnal in their habits, and usually infest the cracks and crevices of the night-house, especiall-y the perches, where they can be seen as crim- son blotches. If the perches and other wood- work are saturated occosionally with paraffin the pests will seldom make their appearance. M."—WHEN AN EGG IS FRERH and in good condition the white is bright andi clear, and the yolk is in the centre. Z, If, when an egg is turned by the hand, the yolk swings out towards the shell, the egg is either not fresh or it is weak, and should not be classed as new-laid." W. H."—DISTINGUISHING WHITE WYAN- DOTTE CHICKENS is possible at an early age. The cockerels are the first to develop size of comb, and the comb when first hatched is a yellow colour, which changes to coral or flesh, and later on to red. They will be coral at about a month old. The cockerels will be bare of plumage at the shoulders, and. be shorter in back and larger in head. The pullets almost without exception will be well feathered, slighter in bone, and paler in comb. Pe rplexe(l. "E GG- EATING rarely, if ever, occurs among hens that* are kept constantly Z, scratching and searching for food. They are too busy to learn bad habits. Hens that have beef "crap and a plentiful supply of grit and oyster-shell or old plaster màshed. up fine have little inducement to eat eggs; but if eggs are broken before them they will eat them eagerly, and in this way they will readily learn the bad habit of egg-eating. An egg-shell filled with mustard and left where the egg-eater will find it will soon cure her. If not, unless she is a very valuable bird, it will be cheaper to fatten her off and kill her at once. N. H. C. W." GRIT FOR YOUNG CHICKENS is as important as it is for older birds, and I suspect the lack of it is the cause of your losses. Without it they cannot digest their food. Many makers of poultry foods recognise this necessity, and grit. forms one of the ingredients in their chicken food mix- tures. The fact must not be forgotten that I 'birds have no teeth, and that grit in the gizzard has to take their place. Cases are continually arising where, from lack of this, chickens are not thriving. They may be fed regularly on excellent food, and yet if they hare not grit in sufficient quantity to digest it they will not thrive. Therefore, a good feed of finely-crushed grit should' b-e the chickens' first meal. "First Sitting." -TESTING EGGS DTJBIHG INCUBATION is very necessary, to see whether they are fertile or not, or the chickens have died in shell at early stages. When they are clear they should be taken away at once. They are best tested on the sevelith day, and again on the twelfth day. The small end of the egg should be held in the right hand and the large end in the left before a lamp or candle. The maturing germ will be seen distinctly—a small black spot, having radiating threads. The size and distinctness of a germ depend upon its strength and upon the length of time for which it has been incubated. An egg con- taining a dead germ is lighter in colour, or shows a broken red lime against ,1M shell, or appears cloudy against the light.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. AH correspondence affecting this column should be addressed to Utility," care of the Editor. Requests for special information must be aoooov- pwawi by a NWDpod &"and onvokpa

f After Influenza. During the convalescense stage a glass 01 Merediths' Meat & Malt Wine will help to restore you to perfect health. 3s. PER LARGE BOTTLE. Is. 9d. PER HALF BOTTLE. invalid Port "Doctors'Own" Brand 2. 6d. PER BOTTLE. Is. 4d. PER HALF BOTTLE. ) ISTKONGLY RECOMMENDED. I jm Invalid Burgundy I M In Flagons and Half Flagons. I MEREDITH & SONS Wine Merchants, Brecon. MEREDITH & SONS, (Late M. WILSON & Co.) I BEG TO ANNOUNCE THAT THEY HAVE A H Splendid Sample of I CLOVER & GRASS SEEDS I Which they are ottering at the YEa Y LOWEST paICES consistent with QUALITY. ALL Seeds guaranteed FRESH. Enquiries respectfully solicited. Samples submitted on application. ADDRESS 8, High Street, Lion Street and Lion Yard, I BRECON. Telephone yl3. Telegrams Stores, Brecon. I CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS ANNOUNCEMENTS, I CHEAP WEEK-END TICKETS, Saturday to Monday Tickets are issued between any two Cambrian Stations, also to Stations on other Companies' Lines (with a few exceptions) at a Single Fare and a Third (plus fractions of a penny). These Tickets will be available by Ordinary Train E; -Outward-On Saturdays only by any Train; Return-Or- following Sunday by Trains leaving at or after 6 a.m.; on following Monday by any Train. Minimum Fares First Class 4s., Third Class 2s. 6d. EASTER HOLIDAY EXCURSIONS 1913. TO. DATE. PERIOD. London March 20th for 5, 6, or 8 days 22nd 3, 4, or 8 days 24th 2, 5, or 8 days Liverpool, Manchester 20th 5, 6, 8, or 15 days Leeds, etc. 22nd 3, 6, 8, or 15 days Scotland 20th.. „ 5, 6, 8, or 15 days WEEK-END TICKETS will be issued on THURSDAY. March 20th, in addition to Friday and Saturday, March 21st and 22nd, available to return on any day (except day of issue) up to and including Tuesday, March 25th. The 14 DAYS TICKET to Cambrian Coast and Mid-Wales Stations will also be issued on THURSDAY, March 20th. For further particulars of fares, and other excursions, see the EASTER PROGRAMME, to be bad at the Station. Football and Hockey Parties. PICNIC TICKETS are issued for a minimum of 10 full fares upon 3 days notice being given at the Stations. Early Closing Excursions. I EVERY WEDNESDAY until further notice, Half-day Excursion Tickets will be issued from BRECON by the 1-20 p.m. train, to TALGARTH, BUILTH WELLS, RHAYADER, and intermediate Stations. EVERY Friday and Saturday until further notice Week-end Excursion Tickets will be issued from Brecon to Cambrian Coast Stations, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other places. in A FORTNIGHT BY THE SEA. EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY Cheap Return Tickets will be issued from Brecon to Cambrian Coast Stations. TOURIST -TICKETS are issued to Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Pwllheli, Rhyl, Abergele, Llandudno, Carnarvon. Holyhead, Blackpool, Southport, Buxton, Matlock, The English Lake District, The North-East Coast of England, Isle-of- Man, Scotland, and many other places. See Tourist Programme. For any further information respecting the arrangements shewn above, applica- tion should be made at any of the Company's Offices or Agencies or to Mr. C. L. CONACHER, Trafflo Manager. S. WILLIAMSON, Oswestry, March. 1913. General Manager. For Cash Bargains In New Furniture GO TO W. COOPER, MARKET ARCADE, BRECON Good Prices given for Old-Fashioned Furniture, China, eta. You will Save Money and get Real Value. Antique Department; 15, CASTLE STREET I E. LICHFIELD (Late Hannah Price), Fishmonger & Game Dealer CASTLE STREET, BRECON. Frean Fish Twice Daily. Agent for Palethorpe's Royal Cambridge Saaaagt Springfield Potted Meats, &a ESIABLISHED 1775. TdephP.one.O. 75. Telegrams, Lichfield Breco