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-iUELl) AM) h AliM. 1
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iUELl) AM) h AliM. 1 AUTUMN WORK. I The ceatre of Agricultural interest has now (re- marks the" Agricultural Gazette ') shifted from the harvesting of the corn crops to the work to be done in preparation for the winter and the ensuing season. It is true that there are arrears of corn still to be secured, even in England, and more in the Highlands of Scotland and the hill districts of Wales; but the late harvesters have had so good a tiare for their work recently that the quantity of corn left in the fields is small in com- parison with what has been stacked. In the early districts the cultivation of fitubbles is nearly finished, and a considerable acreage has been sown with rye, tares, wheat, and other winter craps. Few mangels have been secured:at present; but the time has come for storing that crop. Thereis a disposition to leave the roots standing as long as possible, in the hope that there will be sunshine enough to ripen them more completely, or more rain to swell their bulk and make them keep better in the -clamp-as the roots should not be too dry when they are got together. But, considering the immense advantage of carting them off the land when it is in a dry and solid condition, together with the risk of damage by frost after the middle of October, there is much to be said in favour of securing the roots as soon as possible. The crop will take some time to pull and cart, as the number of roots to the acre is greater than usual, and the total;weight3 also. At present, however, ploughing for and sowing wheat may be regarded as more urgent than the harvesting of the mangel crop, so that the former may claim precedence where both can- not be carried on at the same time. A fortnight hence we should put the preference conversely, as "there is less risk in leaving some whea.t-sowing until November than in trusting the weather so late in the year in reference to mangels. Since the gales abated there have been some favourable op- portunities of threshing corn, and we may expect to see the deliveries in the markets increase rapidly. MAIZE SILAGE. I Gr een maize is one of the, if not the best (says Prof. John Wrightson) materials for silage. It is largely used for the purpose in Austro-Hungary, but in this country it has been little grown up to the present time. Recent correspondence in these columns has, however, shown that it is capable of producing very heavy yields per acre, and we are told that its cultivation is on the increase. It may appear incredible to some that maize can grow lift, high in our climate, but with an example exhibited before our eyes as it was at the Diary Show, the question is conclusively settled. It is some years since Mr. Hurford, who manages for Mr. Thomas Fowell Buxton, of Waters Place, Ware, kindly sent me a sample of maize from 10 to lift, high, which is still to be seen in our museum in an excellent state of pre- servation. In a letter received this morning, Mr. Hurford informs me that he is sending a few stalks over 10ft. high, sown on June 2, and as the past summer cannot be regarded as favourable for exotic growth, such a result is strongly confirmatory of the value of maize. Disappointments in maize growing have been due either to the use of wrong seed, errors in culti- vation, or unsuitable conditions of soil and situa- tion but when these mistakes are avoided it is evident that maize may become an extremely valu- able fodder crop. The vigour of its growth and its great height preclude the idea of folding it upon the land, while its succulence and thickness forbid the alternative of converting it into hay. It is no doubt admirably fitted for silage, and it is not too much to hope that as maize cultivation spreads we shall see a revival of interest in ensilage. An important point in connection with the ensi- lage of maize is the now acknowledged simplicity of the process of preserving it. When ensilage was first introduced, 30 years ago, to our notice it was described as a simple process followed by the peasants of Hungary. They placed the long maize in trenches, and covered it with a long mound of soil, which suggested a grave. These trenches were about 3ft. wide, 5ft. or 6ft. ,deep, and of any required length, and were roughly lined with slabs of timber. The weight of soil, used as a protection from rain and snow, consolidated the silage, which came out in the winter in good condition. The simplicity of the process was not sufficiently apprehended by Eng- lish agricultural leaders, and no sooner had the idea of silage caught on, than we began to read of expensive brick-built, cement-lined silos, fitted with pulleys and weights, or even with hydraulic presses. Next came the wire rope system adapted for stack silage, and rollers specially designed for consolidating the materials. At one time the interest in silage was intense, and came to a head in the Ensilage Commission. Since then there has been much less heard of the process. It was never a favourite one with labourers nor yet with farmers. Then came a run of good haymaking years, and hay was preferred as pieasanter to handle and more easily realisable than silage; hence paragraphs about ensilage in the papers became much less frequent, and the system followed by comparatively few. After the interest in silage from a landlord's point of view had slackened there was a return to simplicity in the form of the clamp silo, in which the grass or other fodder was carted together on the manure-heap principle. The clamp was placed on the ground and built up with vertical sides, and well rolled during the process. The carts were:passed ever the heap, and the tongues, or eloping ends, were finally cut off and spread over the top. After the heap had settled, it was recommended to build a hayrick upon the silage bottom, and thus to weight it. The silage clamp with a hayrick on the top proved satisfactory, and certainly had the advantage of being inexpensive. I have made silage on this principle and found it come out well, and without injuring the hay; but during the last few years the weather has been so favourable for hay-making that we ceased to in- terrupt the time-honoured process, and made hay- ricks instead ot silage clamps. C HOUSING FARM STOCK. I Cold nights are already (F. Wilson remarks) upon us, and quite sharp frosts have been experienced. How cold it is one scarcely realises unless duty or pleasure calls one out of doors late at night or in the small hours of the morning. There is an unusually good bite of grass on the pastures, and most people are anxious to make the most of it; but the question of housing stock at night must not be too long deferred. It is a mis- taken idea and an altogether false economy that leaves the farm horse, after his more or less hard day's work, exposed to the frost and cold of a late autumn night. There is always a prevailing ten- dency to put off bringing them in at night too long. This fact was brought forcibly under the writer's notice a season or two ago, when a neigh- bour lost a valuable cart horse, a strong upstand- ing iron-grey, through this self-same thing. Horses vary very much in hardiness of constitu- tion, some being very susceptible to colds and chills, and it is always a wise thing to be on the safe side. Instead of letting them remain out at night as long as possible, the better plan is to give them the shelter of the stable as soon as frost really makes its appearance. The loss of one valuable animal would neutralise everything in the way of lesser cost in food through lying out. The dairy stock, too, often suffer in this respect. They get chilled with the cold, and develop coughs and other ailments, all of which tell very decidedly on both the quality and quantity of the milk yield. Let them by all means be pastured during the day, but it will be found to be by far the truest economy in the end to see that they are warmly and com- fortably housed at night. Cows appreciate warmth and comfort, and do their best under such condi- tions. A good shed or shelter is of the utmost value where stock of any kind are wintering out, and as such conveniences can be run up at but slight cost they might well be more frequently met with than they are. We do not often see our sheep and cattle during the "wee sma' hours," or note would be taken of the fact that warmth and shelter is as much appreciated by them as by ourselves in cold and inclement weather. They crowd together for comfort, and seek the shelter of hedges of trees that miti- gate in some measure the sweep of the biting blast or the downpour of the rain. We want our animals hardy and healthy, of course, but the middle course is this, as in many other things, is best, and, taking this, we shall neither pamper them with over kindness nor, on the other hand, injure them by exposure and neglect.
GARDENING GOSSIP.
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GARDENING GOSSIP. Outdoor Garden.—There is material for plenty of good cuttings springing up from the cent"e of Pansies, which in many instances may be detached with roots, and if planted in a cold- frame in sandy loam, with a little leaf-mould, will make good plants in a short time. All kinds of improvements may be carried out now (observes Mr. E. Hobday, in "Gardening Illus- trated") in the .way of planting and turfing. The most important work in connection with planting operations is in the preparation of the ground. Nothing should be planted without breaking up the ground deeply. Even when single plants are dropped into an established shrub- bery, a hole large enough to spread out all the roots and something more should be made. The time is at hand for clearing the beds of their summer occupants and filling in with spring flowers. Up to the present the beds of Geraniums, etc., hav« been very bright, and though there has been oiTe or two light frosts no great harm has been done, and we are reluctant to pull up plants till the flowers fail. Beds can be cheaply filled with spring flowers by using autumn sown annuals and such biennials as Forget-me-nots, Wallflowers, Can- terbury Bells, and other Campanulas, especially the blue and white varieties of C. carpatica. Primroses and Polyanthuses sown early in heat and then pricked out in a shady border are now strong plants, and will flower in the spring. Though bulbs are cheaper than they were, if many beds have to be planted a good deal of money can be sunk in them. The cheapest things are Tulips and Crocuses. White Fox- gloves make charming masses among shrubs in the wilderness, and may be planted during the autumn. Spring Gardening.—Where beds have been occupied with summer subjects, there is nothing ("Leahurst" remarks) to be gained by keeping the plants therein any longer, as by this time they present a worn-out and battered appearance. If it is not intended to supersede them by other plants for spring blooming, it is, at any rate, desirable that an early clearance should be made. Now is the time to remove into their final quarters Wallflowers, Daisies, Forget-me-nots, Primroses, Aubrietias, etc. Tufted Pansies also make a brave show in spring, and, if planted on a warm border, will blossom in company with Hyacinths and Tulips. Cuttings of Tufted Pansies, struck a few weeks ago, may be safely removed to a sheltered border. Hardy Herbaceous Plants.—In planting new borders with hardy herbaceous subjects, or in replanting old ones, from now on to the middle of December, presided frost does not hinder, is the best time w the year to proceed with the work. In old borders, for instance, one can generally locate the whereabouts of certain specimens, because of the foliage, etc., which still remains; but when one puts off the matter until the spring there is a likelihood of thrusting the spade through the clumps, unless each root has its own labels, a precaution which is not always followed moreover, the plants which are divided, say, in November, and placed in new quarters, get established by spring fairly well, and, this being so, their chances of blooming another season are much greater than newly- planted stuff. That it is needful for many plants of a herbaceous nature to have an overhauling and -viding at stated periods is admitted, and one has only to leave for a few years clumps of Rudbeckias, Starworts, Delphiniums, Phloxes, etc., to find out how ungainly they become, and, what is as bad, how they degenerate in the quality of their blossoms. Conservatory. Tuberous Begonias and Gloxinias have now ceased for the most part to be attractive, and should be removed and encouraged to go gradually to rest for the winter. If kept dry, Gloxinias, though regarded as stove plants, do not require a stove temperature when at rest. They may be kept quite safely under the greenhouse stage, the pots being laid on their side till there is some sign of growth. The fibrous-rooted Begonias are now coming in, and will take the place of the tuberous-rooted kinds. Though the flowers of the winter-flowering sorts are smaller, they are produced very abundantly, especially such kinds as Gloire de Lorraine, which is one of the brightest plants for the winter in a moderately warm conservatory. As soon as the plants are fairly settled in their winter quarters it will be necessary to be on the look-out for insects. Green-fly is pretty sure to be present as soon as fires are lighted, if not before, and, if not destroyed,, they will spoil the flowers and damage the health of the plants generally. Nicotine is the best remedy for insects, and the best mode of using it is to fill the house with the vapour, which is easily done in a simple way with a spirit lamp and a copper dish supplied by the manufacturers of the nicotine. It has been discovered that spraying with nicotine mixed with water is as effective as vaporising. Thus, if only two or three plants are attacked and if these are promptly dealt with, the insect attack may be nipped in the bud, so to speak, and a considerable saving effected. In the case of a conservatory attached to the dwelling-house, there is no danger of the fumes of the nicotine entering the dwelling-house < and producing unpleasant consequences. When Cape Heaths and other hard-wcoded plants are taken to the conservatory, they should be placed in a light position, and be lifted up off the damp border or placed on a stage, if there is a stage or stand of any kind in the house, and the water- ing must have special attention. Hard-wooded 0 plants do not require more water than other plants, but, if neglected, they will die. Other plants will recover from a deficient supply of water, but Cape Heaths seldom altogether get over a thorough drying, though they may linger some time. Crowea saligna latifolia is a pretty pink-flowered greenhouse hard-wooded plant in bloom just now, and not difficult to manage. Salvia grandiflora is very bright now, and a group or two will contrast favourably with the Chrysanthemums. Cuttings of this Salvia, rooted in February or later, will. make good flowering plants the same season. Vegetable Garden.—Look after Cauliflowers turning in; frost may at any time come suddenly. Root crops may be lifted and stored. All roots, including Potatoes, retain their proper flavour best when covered with earth. If kept in a shed Beet and Carrots should be packed in sand. A stock of Horseradish should be lifted before bad weather comes and laid in on the north side of a wall where it can be easily covered. If any seeds of Peas remain in the seed-bags use them for producing green tops for flavouring. Sow them rather thickly in boxes any time during winter; but the later sowings should have a little heat under glass. The present dry, cooler weather will check the growth of late Broccoli, and if planted in firm ground, and dwarf and sturdy, they may pass through the winter safely without disturbance, but it is generally safer to heel them over with heads to the north not later than the end of October. Those who want green Basil and Sweet Marjoram during winter will have potted up a few of the best plants and will keep them under glass, where a little warmth can be given. Beetroot is hardier than is commonly supposed, but it is not wise to leave it exposed to severe frost. Lift at once, if not already out of the ground, and pack in sand in a stove or clamp of roots like Potatoes covered with earth. Fruit Garden.—Root-pruning, where necessary, should be done early in the autumn. Begin far enough away from the trunk of the tree, and save as many of the smaller roots as possible. The work is usually spread over two years, but in careful hands the roots all round may be lifted and trimmed. Green Gage Plums when young seem on most soils to require root lifting and pruning a little to bring them into bearing. The Transparent Gage and Oullin's Golden Gage are more reliable than the old Gage. The latter only does well on certain soils. On the whole, this season has not been a good one for either the fruit grower or the consumer, as the fruit has been lacking in flavour from the absence of sunshine. There is no better bearing or handsomer Plum than the Victoria. It comes at a time when there is likely to be a glut in the market, but even then it pays better than most other kinds, aad the tree is vigorous and healthy. Monarch is a good plum, and there is no better dessert plum than Coe's Golden Drop. The two best dessert apples in my opinion are Cox's Orange Pippin and Lord Burghley. The latter is in season from Christ- mas till March or later. Both require a deep, warm loam, and in places do well on the Para- dise stock.
I OUR SHORT STORY. I
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I OUR SHORT STORY. I I FROM I>ARKNESS TO LIGHT. I THE LOVE ROllANOB OF Å. RUSSIAN. Said Ivan Onetz, the shadow of calamity in his eyes," If I might see her—just once more-be- fore the dark comes!" Decidedly this new acquaintance of mine was interesting. I watched him narrowly as he stood there, by the rail, with twilight heavy upon the sea and misty stars rising from the edge of that dark, flowing rim. If I may speak a word of introduction, I will say that the following story is just the love affair of Ivan Onetz, the Russian. Part of the drama was played before my eyes; the rest I have heard from one or two persons. That is a wish which should find a fulfilment,' I answered somewhat tamely, after a long sil- ence. You think so ?" tf Why not ? Lady Gren is at present in England —at least, the papers have not told me other- wise." You take an interest in her movements, then ?" Well, scarcely an interest. You see, Lady Gren is well known in my country. And then the sudden death of that old husband of hars left her young, beautiful as a summer morning, immensely rich, the envy of half the women in England." "Ali i" said Onetz, his handsome, bearded face a little pale. She will marry again, 1 expect." Probably." She has alres^y had offers-eh ?" "Undoubtedly." She may even be engaged ?" he ventured, biting Z, his lip. "As a matter of fact, shelis-to a man named Goresby." I had bluntly told him everything. Delusive hopes are best swept away, and this Ivan Onetz was certainly very much in love. He went quite white then he laughed. What does it matter to me ?" he said. What indeed ? since for him the sun was darkened and the world filled with shadows; and in a few weeks he would be absolutely blind. Beneath our feet the decks of the Racer throbbed to the panting of her engines. A choppy sea rubbed confidentially against the sides of the steamer, as if the fretful waters were glad of the stream of light pouring from the saloon windows. We were homeward bound-at least, I was but this acquaintance of mine, this Ivan Onetz, was leaving his home that he might see again, and probably for the last time, one woman's face of all the world's millions. He had told me of the matter an hour ago, after dinner, during those moments when one grows more confidential, or, perhaps, less discreet. A year since he had accompanied, as a subordinate, a powerful official who had visited England on a politi- cal mission. There he had met Lady Gren, and had straightway fallen in love with her. Duty ultimately recalled him to Russia, whither he re- turned with a new image and a new memory. He could not efface the first, or banish the second. The beautiful Englishwoman had made him dream and when his terrible affliction came upon him, and he was told that a short period only lay between him and blindness, he vowed thai, while there was time, he would see again the face he loved best in the world. Onetz said to me, suddenly. Do you know Lady Gren, Mr. Markham ?" I do ?" And will you contrive that I shall meet her F You see, I have no pretext for calling upon her, and "—he passed a hand across his eyes—" in this extremity I must be a burden to someone." To me, then; but it is no burden." He thanked me politely, and went below. About two months after my return to England and when I had almost forgotten Ivan Onetz, I re- ceived an unexpected visited from Philip Goresby whom I knew well. He began to say loudly- The next time you make any interesting ac- quaintances, my friend, keep them to yourself." I did not like his tone or his passionate looks, so I kept quiet. This fellow, this blind nobody whom you took the liberty of introducing to Lady Gren, had better be careful, or there'll be mischief!" he continued, flinging himself down in a rage. And it is all owing to your indiscretion." What is the matter with you ?" Merely that his was just the sort of case to touch the romantic, stupidly sentimental heart of Lady Gren. She has introduced him all round; he is here, there, and everywhere-curse him!" ~What is that to do with you? Don't be so absurdly jealous. Are you not engaged to Lady Gren ?" I have led you and one or two others to believe that," Goresby answered; but as a matter of fact, the thing isn't absolutely settled." I whistled ^softly as I recollected that Philip Goresby, though exceedingly well connected, was yet head over heels in debt. I began to under- stand his anger. But if he thought of marrying the woman for her wealth, I vowed that he would get little sympathy from me. I said coldly- But this poor beggar is blind-or nearly so." Absolutely—now, and, I am told, hopelessly." Then I am sorry for him. Are you so stupid as to believe that Lady Gren would shackle her- self to a blind man ?" I don't know," growled Goresby. She is enormously interested in the case, and has even sent to Hamburg for a famous specialist. I tell you I do not like it; and if this Onetz comes be- tween me and my intentions-well, he had better look out for himself, that's all." I merely shrugged my shoulders, and he got up and went out in a rage. He is very jealous, and his debts worry him," I said to myself. If he is not careful he will make himself ridiculous." And then I thought of Ivan Onetz, of his strange love and hopeless sorrow and I did not wonder that the woman had given to him friendship and pity. I saw Goresby a week later. He was pale and excited, and he passed me without speaking. As I learned afterward, he was going to call on Onetz at the private hotel where the Russian was staying. I give the particulars of that strange interview as they were told to me. Oiiet-x was alone. He looked up when he heard a visitor enter the room unceremoniously. The intruder said thickly, You know me. I am Philip Goresby." I recognised your voice," said Onetz quietly Sit down, monsieur." Goresby forced himself to do as he was bid. He said, with an effort, Pardon my bluntness; the matter on which I wish to speak to you is of vital importance, and I shall go straight to the point." I wish you to do so." Then it is this. You are paying attentions to Lady Gren." Well ?" They are odious to me." Well ?" And they must cease." Onetz leaned back in his chair. Your voice trembles, monsieur," said he; and I can hear great excitement behind your words." "Never mind my feelings," cried the other, deathly pale. You heard what I said ?" How could I help hearing ?" Then you understand me ?" Perfectly; you made an unusual request in a somewhat insolent way. You may prefer me, mon- sieur, to forget all about it." Take care!" said Goresby hoarsely, starting to his feet. "If you come between this lady and myself, then, by Heaven, you shall bear the conse- quences." Which are ?" said Onetz mockingly. Something glittered in Goresby's hand, but the passion which had placed in his pocket that weapon of death so shook his hand that the barrel swerved to right and left, and up and down. Then by a great effort he mastered his shaken nerves and levelled the pistol straight at the Russian's head. Oh, monsieur!" said Onetz, raising his calm, sightless eyes so that they fell full upon the other's distorted face; "you do me wrong, and yourself." A violent shudder passed through Goresby's frame, and his extended arm fell at his side. How could he press the trigger in such circumstances ? You accuse me of making love to this lady," continued Onetz in a perfectly calm voioe. Do you imagine that, even if-if she cared for me, I would ask Lady Gren to be my wife ? You know my affliction. That would be a union as disastrous as if you married her, my friend." What do you mean by that ?" said Goresby. "You asked me to pardon your bluntness; I will make a similar request. Monsieur, when a man, overwhelmed by debts, marries a woman for her money, he adds misery to desperation." Goresby uttered a frantic cry. He stepped for- ward, one idea only possessing his brain. In another moment Onetz would have paid for his advice with his life; but again, at that critical instant, the Russian lifted his tranquil eyes, and seemed to gaze steadfastly upon his enemy. You do not answer," he said; and I presume that you regard my words as an insult. Yet I have no wish to offend you. What I have said was between man and man." Goresby uttered a groan, thrust the revolver into his pocket, and dropped into a chair. If I have hurt you, monsieur, pray pardon me," continued Onetz. I am willing to help you. Do not start; I repeat that I am willing to assist you, although just now you were near to blowing my brains out with that pistol which you have wisely put away." Goresby sprang to his feet, thrust his chait from him, and recoiled with a cry. He was livid. Oh, I saw it all," continued Ivan Onetz, with a terrible smile. That Hamburg specialist has given me enough light to see things close at hand, and bids me hope for more. You will acknowledge, my friend, that I am not afraid of you." A period of silence ensued. The perspiration rolled down Goresby's face. "And now to business," said Onetz. "As I said, I shall help you, if you will permit me. I have made it my affair to learn something of your financial embarrassments. Pardon me again." As he spoke, Onetz unlocked a drawer, and brought out a cheque book, in which he wrote. He then tore out the slip of paper and handed it to Goresby, whose fingers closed mechanically upon it. There was a longer silence. Onetz, leaning back in his chair, regarded the other with an inquiring gaze. Goresby looked at the cheque in his hand, which was for a large amount. A wave of colour poured over his face. Then he raised his head and ventured for a second to look his enemy straight in the eyes. Thank you," he said hoarsely, What a brute I am! But-but you have taught me a lesson." And he tore the slip of paper into fragments, tossed them on the floor, and went out without another word. It only remains for me to say, in concluding this story, that Ivan Onetz recovered much of his sight through skilled treatment. Also that his strange love affair reached the happiest of issues, for he married the woman of his heart, and toofe her back with him to Russia.
I .;EIGHTY MILES AN HOUR.I
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EIGHTY MILES AN HOUR. An experimental train was run the other day on the Midland Railway between Leeds and Car- lisle, the object being to test the powers of a new compound 115-ton engine. The train was com- posed of corridor carriages equal in weight to 16 vehicles, and Ward, of Leeds, was the driver. The distance from Leeds to Carlisle is 112f miles, a.nd it had been arranged that, in spite of the gradient drawbacks and the heavy load, the special express, in which only officials travelled, should leave Leeds at 10 a.m. and arrive in Car- lisle at 12.11 noon. This time was ten minutes less than that occupied by the fastest train at present on the system, which leaves Leeds at 4.4 a.m. and reaches Carlisle at 6.25. The ex- periment proved successful. Five minutes were lost on the way owing to permanent way repairs, and Hawes Junction was passed seven minutes behind booked time; but the 20t miles from Hawes Junction to Appleby were covered in twenty minutes, and the last 30f miles from Ap- pleby to Carlisle in twenty-four minutes, giving a speed of almost 80 miles an hour. Pig iron had been placed in the carriages of the train to represent passengers. The performance eclipses anything hitherto done in the country with so heavy a train.
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The three largest railway signal boxes in the country are London Bridge (Brighton line), North Cabin, 280 levers; Waterloo, A Box, 250 levers and Liverpool-street, West Box, 240 levers. The London Bridge and Waterloo boxes have each a staff of ten signalmen, who work in shifts, four in the daytime and two at night; while at Liver- pool-street, during the busiest hours of the day, there are as many as five men on duty together. Each box has also a staff of tiain boys, who carry messages, attend to the telephones, and write up the train books. Egg-shells may be used to advantage in starting delicate plants for transplanting. The half shells are filled with earth and set in a box also contain- ing dampened earth. A hole is made in the point' of the shell to allow drainage. A single seed is then planted in each shell, which is easily broken when transplanting is done, without the slightest disturbance of roots. This use of egg-shells is the discovery of a French gardener, who claims that they are vastly superior to the little pota generally used for the purpose by florists. An American scientist has come to the con- clusion that the tendency of too much education or intellectual development in women is to make them lose their beauty. He instances the Zaro women of India. They are supreme. They woo the men, control the affairs of the home and the nation, transmit property, and leave the men nothing to do. The result is, says the scientist, that they are the ugliest women on earth. In the town of Hiideskein, in Germany, is a rose bush said to be 1,000 years old, and sprouts from its branches have realised enormous sums. Some years ago a rich Ulnglishman offered £ 10,000 for the entire tree, but, the sum was in- dignantly refused. This wonderful plant clings amid thickly-grown moss against the side of tue famous old church of St. Michael. It is claimed that it has bloomed perennially since the days of King Alfred.
IEPITOME OF NEWS. I
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EPITOME OF NEWS. I According to a Note communicated to the Rome Press by the Aganza Italiana, a semi- official agency, King Victor Emmanuel will visit England some time in the first half of next year. He will travel by way of Switzerland and Belgium. The British Refugees Fund has transmitted the sum of £ 1,000 to Lord Milner to be used at his discretion for the benefit of British refugees returning to their homes. Aocording to a private correspondent of the "Neue Freie Presse" an increase of the civil lists is anticipated by the Austrian and Hun- garian Governments. Each Government expects an increase of two million kronen each. The owner of twenty-three acres of agricultural land near Cromer, required in the construction of a new railway, has been awarded by arbitra- tration £ 10,100, with £ 6,460 for consequential damages, and £50 for timber-in all, £ 16,610. It is said that the only thing Scotch in a set of bagpipes is the sheepskin find tartan. The wood —ebony or cocus-comes from Africa or Jamaica, the ivory from Africa, the horn from Australia, and the cane for the reed from Spain. Twenty-five scholarships and exhibitions for girls and fifty-two for boys are offered by the London School Board. The preliminary examinations will be held on December 2 and 3. Inquiry is to be made by the Bradford Cor- poration into the condition of the needy blind in the town, with the object of ascertaining what can be done to assist them. Prince Frederick Leopold, who married a sister of the German Empress, and is known as a strong pro-Boer, has fitted all his men servants at his palace near Potsdam with Boer uniforms and slouch hats. For some years a spring in Nottingham Arboretum has been reputed to possess medicinal qualities. It has now been found that the "spring" is fed from the town's water supply. Benedetto Onofrio, a railway porter at Rome, has been informed by the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs that he is the heir to L80,000 left by an uncle who has died in the United States. Mr. Rae, of Redcourt, Cheshire, late Chairman and Manager of the North and South Wales Bank, has left about £ 3,000 to Liverpool and Birkenhead charities. The net value of the estate is £ 192,899. A Treaty has been signed by China and Por- tugal, by which Portugal obtains a concession for a railway from Macao to Canton and a Customs station within Macao. On the other hand, Por- tugal loses her claim to the present delimitation of the Macao boundaries, and accepts the tariff clause of the Protocol. Two Russian torpedo-boats, to be named respectively Zavetny and Zavidny, are now being built at Nicolaieff. The new vessels, which will each be of 350 tons burden, with a speed of twenty-six knots, are intended for the Black Sea fleet. Professor Henry A. Ward has discovered in Western Mexico a huge meteorite. The stone weighs over fifty tons, and is 13ft. lin. in length. It lies buried by the terrific force of its own momentum Igift. in the earth. Captain Henry Barnes, of the Grimsby steamer Lancaster, has been presented by the German Emperor with a gold watch and his Majesty's photograph in recognition of assistance rendered to the German steamer Adolphine when in distress. Complaints have been made by Edgbaston residents who were not invited to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham's recent "At Home. They say that they are never missed when his lordship appeals for money for philanthropic or other purposes. Yarmouth Town Council at one sitting voted L16,500 for extensions of its electric light system and £ 7,500 for reconstructing part of Wellington Pier. At its next meeting it will be asked to spend L45,000 in extending its electric tramways. The largest salary ever earned by any con- ductor will be ;hat paid to Mascagni during his sixteen weeks' tour in America. The celebrated composer will receive £ 1,600 a week, together with all his expenses. The sum realised for the tour will, therefore, amount to over £ 25,000. The sentence of six months' imprisonment passed on Mr. John Roche, M.P. for East Galway, for an intimidatory speech is no new experience for that redoubtable member, as he has already been imprisoned no fewer than five times. tie is the leader of the Clanricarde tenantry, and has represented East Galway sincp 1890. A regulation issued by the Paris Prefect of Police forbids cabmen to smoke while seated on their vehicles. A cabman recently transgressed this regulation, and has been ordered to undergo a day's imprisonment and pay a fine of 4s. lie has given notice of appeal. It is the duty of the under-sheriff, on behalf of the Sheriff of the City of London (says the "Tailor and Cutter") to pay the fees to the heralds, the footmen, the coachmen, and the tailor, who does his part in endeavouring to keep up the traditions of the Sheriff's office. Thanks to the liberality of the Dowager Countess of Carnarvon, of Pixton Park, Somerset, the children attending the Bury school have been presented with a library. Her daughter, the Lady Victoria Herbert, has signified her interest in the school by offering to provide prizes for needlework. The election "barker" is at present peculiar to French soil. At critical moment? in a can- didate's speech the "barker" puts him out by imitating a dog, and a really efficient man at the business is worth good money at such times. Half-a-dozen of them in Paris are reputed to earn enough at election times to last them for a year. Captain Elliott, of the Army Service Corps, has been found "Not guilty," and has been honourably asquitted on charges of embezzle- ment and being privy to the making of a false statement of accounts. He has, however, been found guilty of neglecting to keep proper accounts of money received, and sentenced to be severely reprimanded. A storekeeper named Gert Scnyman, of Har- rismith, has been fined Y.10 and costs for selling to a native a bottle of perfume containing more than 60 per cent. of pure spirits. The evidence showed that the native drank the perfume, and was discovered shortly afterwards, hopelessly intoxicated, lying in the gutter. It is reported from Morlaix, in France, that three members of one family, named Gueminet, aged respectively eighty-two years, seventy, and sixty-eight, celebrated their golden weddings recently. The feast was provided by an elder sister, aged eighty-four, who had remained single. The three married couples had no fewer than 123 descendants present at the feast. One of the leading officials in the Ministry of Justice of the Canton Berne has recently made a. singular bequest, leaving the bulk of his large fortune to the bears in the Zoological Gardens for their permanent upkeep. It was hoped that the legacy would have been vetoed by the Council of State, but it has been officially sanctioned. In India, China, Japan, and adjacent countries are about 400,000,000 people who rarely eat meat; yet they are strong, active, and long-lived. Darwin is the authority for the statement that the Andean natives perform twice the work of ordinary labourers, and subsist almost entirely on a diet of bananas. The number of persons who left the United Kingdom for places out of Europe during Sep- tember was 51,256, as compared with 39,156 in September, 1901. The promoters of the Birmingham scheme for providing sanitary and cheap workmen s dwell- ings have received offers for more than the £ 10,600 required. The Bishop of Coventry and his family have been making holiday at Beddgelert, and the Bishop has been trying to learn the Welsh lan- guage. In the silk factories of Italy the usual work hours are from four in the morning till efaht at aight, and the wages sixpence a day. The United States War Department has given orders for the regular army of the United States to be reduced to the legal minimum of 58 600 men. The death is announced of Mr. D. J. Van Wyk, member for Riversdale in the Cape House of Assembly. Mr. Van Wyk it was who declared that the 50,000 troops sent to the front when the war broke out "would only provide a breakfast, for the Boers." The Marquis Raimondi, an Italian nobleman, has so many estates that Ii. visit to each of them every yeat is out of the question. He is con- sidered one of the richest landowner* in the world. The outbreak of cholera at Gaza, in Pales- tine, is officially confirmed. The deaths number thirty to forty daily. The epidemic is spreading rapidly northwards in the direction of Jaffa. The New York undertakers have issued a notice to their drivers informing them that in future under no circumstances must they smoke when driving a hearse or mourning carriage to or from the cemetery. At the Motor Exhibition in Paris next Decem- ber there will probably be on show a 300 horse- power motor, the product of a German firm, j The motor is to be made for a submarine. j Recently a new member paid F,16,600 for ? seat on the New York Stock Exchange. In addi- tion to this he had to pay £ 500 for the initiation fee, making the total cost £ 17,100. It is announced by the journal "Djibouti," which has just reached Marseilles by the last mail, that the Emperor Menelik has issued a decree totally prohobiting the hunting of ele- phants throughout Abyssinia until further notice., A Hungarian peer, Count Matuska, has been arrested in Austria on a charge of systematic forgery of railway tickets. The fraud, it is alleged, has been going on several years, and j there were twelve accomplices, who made and j distributed the tickets. An enterprising draper employs at New York an assistant who is a special artist in arranging cravats in the most fashionable shapes. The assistant attends weddings, and helps the bride- groom and best man to properly adjust their ties for so auspicious an occasion. His charge is 12s. 6d. Mr. Evelyn Cecil, M.P., chairman of that Steamship Subsidies Committee, has completed his draft report, which will be circulated forth- with among the members of that body. The committee will meet again on November 3, and it is hoped that the report will be presented tof Parliament before the end of the Session. Tamagno is divine as a tenor, but he is only a i poor architect, if we may believe the "Gazettai del Popolo" of Turin, which ought to be accu- rately informed since the incident it reports took place in the city where Tamagno was having A house built in the Pianezza-street, and in an ill* advised moment decided to become his own archi- tect. Having just reached the first storey, the whole fabric has collapsed. The workmen en- gaged had a lucky escape. Growers in the English flower market at Covent Garden are complaining of the action of the Duke of Bedford or his agents in making I certain re-arrangements of the stalls in that j market. The "Fruitgrower" admits that buvera j will doubtless appreciate the change, but insists j that their accommodation is certainly at the } exppnse of the grower. The journal adds that I when the foreign flower trade is in full swing j the congestion will be exasperating. 1 Some idea of the vast changes made in the j Fleet during the last ten years may be gathered j from this record. France, which at one time stood second to Great Britain on the list, is now superseded by Russia, Germany, and the United stood second to Great Britain on the list, is now superseded by Russia, Germany, and the United States, which are likely to possess more battle- ships of the first-class than France. But Greafl Britain still maintains her supremacy with 29 first-class battleships and 41 first-class cruisers, more than double the supply of any other Euro- pean Power. An extraordinary murder was recently com- mitted in St. Petersburg. Two men were dining together at a well-known restaurant, apparently j on the best of terms. When dinner was over ona I of the men left, and some time afterwards it was discovered that the other, who had been appa- rently leaning over the table, had had his throat cut. He proved to be a well-known tailor named Subotine. None of the other diners in the restaurant had heard or seen anything unusual between the murderer and his victim. An intimate friend of Tolsti, who has visited him several times since his return to Zasnaia Pobana, states that though apparently restored to normal health, the Count's constitution is en- feebled, and a physician is in permanent reside ence at Zasnaia Pobana to be in attendance on the first symptoms of renewed trouble. The St* Petersburg correspondent of the "Yorkshire Ob- server" states that in spite of this, the Count's industry in prodigious. Besides a new novel; just completed, he is busy with a series of short stories, and profession of social theory in thei form of a "letter to working men" whom he es- pecially advises to study American economics" has been published during the present week. 0 In addition to the strengthening of the pro- gramme of the Palace Theatre in London by the inclusion of Miss Ada Reeve, who will remain. there as a great centre of attraction until her de- parture to Paris early in December, Mr. Morton! has engaged the dainty Miss Marguerite Cornille with a new repertoire. Not content with this" he has also secured Mr. Fred Russell, the up- to-date and versatile Ventriloquist. Not only is London better provided with parks and open spaces than is any other centre of population in the country, but it possesses a con- siderable area of agricultural land. This latter fact is instanced in a report just issued by the London County Council. Thus we are told that the metropolis has 94 acres devoted to wheat cul- ture, the estimated production being 2,984 bushels 413 acres to potato culture, the produce being 2,443 tons; and 3,586 acres to grass, the hay forthcoming representing 86,079 cwts. These are but three of many sources of agricultural in- come that are mentioned in the report. Among the most remarkable men in the Britisli Navy to-day is Captain Percy Scott, of the Terrible. As an inventor and mechanic he has won golden opinions at the Admiralty. The suc- cess which has attended his many projects is said to be due to the innumerable experiments which he makes previous to the final test. The story of how he saved Ladysmith is now famous, but it is not generally known that previous to sending his guns up country he made something like flftj experiments with model gun-carriages while hi« ship was still at sea. Some years ago, while in Hong Kong, a dredger sank in the harbour., Many endeavours were made to raise her, with- out success. Meantime, Captain Scott was ex- perimenting in his cabin with models made to scale, and ultimately raised the dredger without the slightest difficulty. The King has been pleased to select Admiral Sir James Elphinstone Erskine, K.C.B., to be promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, in' tho vacancy caused by the retirement of Admiral, of the Fleet the Earl of Clanwilliam, G.C.B.* K.C.M.G. The King has been pleased to appoint Admiral Sir Edward Hobart Seymour, G.C.B.^ O.M., to be his first and Principal Naval Aide- de-Camp, in the room of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James E. Erskine, who vacates the appoint- ment on promotion. The following retirement and consequent promotions have been made:- Admiral of the Fleet the Right Honourable Richard James, Earl of Clanwilliam, G.C.B.,& G.C.M.G., has been placed on the Retired List. Dated 3rd October, 1902. Consequent thereon the following promotions have been made from the same date, viz.:—In pursuance of his Majesty's pleasure, Admiral Sir James Elphin- stone Erskine, K.C.B., to be Admiral of the Fleet. Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick George Denham Bedford, G.C.B., to be Admiral in his Majesty's Fleet. Rear-Admiral the Right Hon. Lord Charles William Delanoer Beresford, C.B., to be Vice-Admiral in his Majesty's Fleet. Cap- tain the Honourable Hedworth Lambton, C.V.O., C.B., to be Rear-Admiral in his Majesty's Fleet. Captain Charles James Norcock to be Rear-Ad- miral on the Retired List. i
A TERRIBLE TRIPPER.I
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A TERRIBLE TRIPPER. In an hotel in Tokyo, there just now is staying an American lady, who, if restlessness is a characteristic of her countrywomen, is a good type of her sex in the States. The lady is Zula Rosamund Hart. She likes a little travelling, and has seen it. Ever since she was sixteen, when she began to earn her living as a school teacher, it was her determination to travel round the world in such a way that when the trip was over she would be, so to speak, a part of every place she had visited. She decided to teach in each country, and then through the pupils she would have access to their homes, and could then best study their home life, customs, and religion. In August, 1898, Miss Hart left home for Honolulu. After being there a little time, she received an appointment in Hilo where she taught Hawaiians, Portuguese, Russians' Japanese, Scotch, English, Americans, and Chinese! The work Miss Hart found intensely interesting. In July, 1900, Miss Hart threw up her appoint- ment and went to Japan. She did not linger in Japan, but hurried on to the Philippines, and became a teacher in a Manila public school. Miss Hart says this school was horribly dirty. She was sorely tempted to take the first steamer home. But she stayed, and in four weeks, so she says, she had turned the school upside down. When she had settled this little problem she was made principal of the Sampoloa Girls' School, with 300 pupils and six assistants. Besides this she mastered Spanish and Hawaiian. This apparently was during term time. In her vacation she explored Luzon, Bohol—" the only place where I was ever in any danger of getting lonesome "-Pannay, N egros, Mindanas, and other parts of the archipelago. Incidentally she learned the Tagal and the Vassayan languages, and accumu- lated a stock of folk-lore and facts concerning Spanish rule, the Friars, and native habits and customs. After all this one is prepared to find her resigning her appointment in the Philip- pines and proceeding to Canton and Shanghai, and thence again to Japan. She is there now, and thinks of spending a year in that country. Then she will strike the Straits Settlements, Ceylon, India, Egypt, and Europe, with England thrown in, and she will wind up with South America and Mexico. At the end of all this Miss Hart gravely declares that she will return to America to continue there her educational work. Sometimes," she says, I am tempted to abandon my undertaking, but I say to such cowardly thoughts, I Get thee behind me, Satan!' an4 immediately they get. Miss Hart is a formid. able person, is she not ?