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HARDDONIAETH. Vcfjw GADWO'R FRENINES," AC A'l BEN. OITSJA A "BLWYDDYN NEWYDD DDA." J X)uw, cadw Fuddng deg, A. i gorsadd heb un brSg, Na gwg na gwall; Ein I»af fu idui'n graig, Y ri ferch, yn fam, yn wraig, l'w noddi rhag y ddraig, A Hid y fall. i Ar sedd y devrnag lio-li Caed fwyniant iiwyddisnt lloi I'w bron a'i bryd; I J I Gwarchadwer hi mhob gwedd Ehag poen, mewn hoen, a hedd pellTbell bo'i thranc a'i bedd, Hwnt gwyddfod byd. Ehagluniaeth lor o'r nen Ddyhidlo ar ei phen Fendithion fil; A llwydd i'w deiliaid lion Ar dir ao uwch y don, Fyw'n ffawdus, a phrit' ffon i bon a 1 hii. NATHAN DYFnf. MARWNAD DArR GARDDWK. 'Can loan Siencyn (y Bardd Bach;, o Aberteifij Circa, 1780. t Clyweh alarnad salw, G'.vrage'r cwrw'n arw u ewyn. .A'u sal araeth mwn eleri, 'Gyd yn crynu yn eu crwyn,— j 0 waith i'r Angeu a'i yrddau mwrddwr Chwerw'i bryd i chware'r bradwr, A my u'd i gei dded i, Dai'r Garddwr,* Tr hen gwmpniwr mwyn. Ar ei ol mae'r tafarn-wragedd, "'II,ri, o Gang i bang dan giaidd gur, J gvd ar bwys ei ffyu cerwyni, Wedi sori trwy'r tair sir, Tn ffusto'u peintiau wrth y pentan f, A'u cwartiau oil a'u cyrtau allan, ( O vraith eu vezo byth ni facsan', Fe ddarfu p.m botian bir. Pan oedd e'n ifane ac- yn heini, r '5 cario'r corn a'r couplings dur, Ei oreu genedl er pan 'ganed, Oedd bvtheuaid, huaid hir, Xi cheir ei glvw'ed byth ond hyny, gwaeddi uar^ncell, J^ill tor, I,nUjl Fe fYdd farw bore fore, Fe gaiff ei gladdu'n glir. Pan oedd e'n byw yn mysg ei nwmp'nl 'Koedd e'n rhodai'r cwrw'n rliad Fe dalai gini heb ymgonach, • Nidjoedd m'oi latiach yn v wlad; Peint. i'r gwr a bant a gyru' f, Health penaethiaid goreu Cymru, Cwn a meirch 'roedd raid eu parchu A gwaeddi gyda a gwa'd. Pe bai a brvnodd e' o gwrw, :a llynwen loew yn y wlad, tr;$1 r i -Ben y IVerini, ."4 rcyl)3rddion feddwi'n rhad, V 7 petris a^'r owningod, ,v' ^i'ioijod rhus a hen 'sg'farnogod, *n ei dtrment gwnai'r diwrnod, Bwyll hynod yn ben llnd. 0 b'le ceir saus ar draws y dyaglau- ) Gwyrddion lysiau fine eu bias 'i ,? T dwylo liwydion ant, yn lludu, Pu n eu planu o ddeutu'r plas. ;• Gwyr bon'ddigion sydd yn hoffi G .vrteitliio gv. yrddion gv'i'tau a gerddi 0 flaen eich ilenyreh fe dwyf llwyni Mieri o hyn i ma's. j Siae'n rhaid cael bearers cryfion, Xn bryfed geirwon o tlae'n y gwr, X cadno coch a'r byrfweh anferth, Y gath o'r berth a'r ei o'r dwr. Aphedair cenel o fytheuaid, 1" A rheiny'n bloeddio fel y bleiddiaid, f 0 flaen Dai'r Garddwr" yn oydgerdded, Naws diriaid fydd eu stwr. f tj.- Ar hyd y ffordd rhaid taenu rhwydau, 'oj; Gynt lie patrai'r petris man, T ullip a'r teuyn yn cyd-diwnio, 4 A'r spaniels yn penlunjo'n lan, A'r hen g<M byddar glafar glwyfau r.(-. A'r gwaledi yn gowieidiau, Wrth gladdu'i feistr yn gwneyd castiai O waith fe'i blinaii o'r bla'n. .( Hen weisionach gwyr bon'ddigion, A'ch capau liwydion dewch yn Uu, 'M Scip a'r Sewliwn pa'm naa gehrir, ip A'r wttreswyr brafa'u bri, -w. Doed tafarnwyr vr holl wledydd, t Bob un a'i gas): ar ben ei ysgwydd, I gael gloddest gyda'u gilyad, Wrth gladdu'r cynydd cu. t; Ni chaiff offeiriad na phregethwr Gladdu'r gwr na thraetha'u glod 'Ni fu erioed mewn Cwrdd nac Eglwys, Ue'r oedd gymhwys iddo fod v| Ond hen dafarnwr tyn ei berfedd, Ia A'i b!b dybacco rhwng ei ddannedd« A'r banlau'ri bur reolaidd. 141" Ar hyd ei fedd raid fod. » rRoedd o ochr y Pretender, Ac yn babyad mawr digoll, ip Roedd yn bygwth Brenin Ll0e*r V d^5rby" teyr,'Sed, treth ."a tholl Fe ddaeth y gair o Bufain lydan, xod ei enaid e'n y purdan, Bydd raid i JDoli dalu arian Cyn delo allan oil. AN911CHGERDD I SYR W. THOMAS LEWIS, '5C Maerdy, Aberdar, ar ei urddiad yn Favcliog, 1885 }; Wi! Harddamor fab athrylith- Glew etifedd mawl di ragrlth—• Arno heigia Duwies Bendith, ■ Badau'i blith a'i blawd; ■ Tn ein gwledd cawn dorchiln llewys Er urddoli'n gvforddylys, Hawl •• Syr William Thomas Lewys'' 1'11' rydeddus rawd Cymropur linachol—Aer (a) hynafiaid gwrot Prif beirianwyr, coethwyr call, Llawfoddau gallofyddol ;(b) O Forganwg hen yr hanyw— Arwr odiaeth Merthyr ydj-w, Haeddol idd ei urddas. heddyw ir c • ^^dwn awen wawd iiyfyriai fore'i fawrectd—gj'frin wera ei fucheddj Gwna a ddylit, doed (c) a ddel." Yn sail a set ei sylwedd J s, Hon fu canwvll oteu i lygad,- fe 6edd a safon ei gymeriaa, 4 Grisiau euraid ei dderchafiad,- > Pferyllt mad ei ffawd. ♦. n Drwy el fewnol benderfmiad, j-f Gvda'idalent dirf, ddi doliad,— Ymddolenodd am ddylanwad Cyrau'i wlad i'w Iwydd ■'P Dr^y ei awydd daer, anniwall A'i ddyhewyd llwyddai'i ddeall Bawdd a sylfon hliifion (d) rhyall, ■_ Heb un gwall i'w gwydd pnwog brif wyddonydd (e)— m9r a thir athronyddf/j— » Raenau'r glo mewn bro a bryn, A meini'r glyn a'r glenydd; Pensaer ceiiydd-mesui-onydd TSn a dwr meintona'n derydd, Ffroenau'r nwyau (g) ffrwvnai'n ufydd, c RhwymM r danchwa'n rhwydd n delidau'r (h) ynys sy'n ollawl wrth ei 'wyllys, Agoriadau'r aig yn swrth By'n erogi wrth ei wregys,— i. Vj, Cudd v. ybodau, masnaeh byvvyfl. £ ■ f;- By'n amlygwel i'w feddylfryd, 'if ij. Pair gyfilial' (i)—llafur hefyd$ ,I. Syflyd wrth ei swydd. If I^enaeth hawddgar miloedd gweithwyr» ffi ty Ufyddolion ffcibion llafur— '& .M l^'awgaledion ddewrion pyljyr <2 „ Tann *r y tonn P Pan egluront eu gwasgfeuon, 1 • Clust ymwrendy ar eu cwynion, Cydymdeimla law a chalon ?,« frawdgarol fron K- J t/awd a'i gyffes, egyr ddor ei fvnwes t&ZaA-yn ^fhawda y '(# Un nawdd a'i hael foneddes # Megis llacbar <j) huan hinon | X n gwasgaru ei belydron, if' Cydfeiriolant rew trallodion Dvfn y galon d&n Henwr eh werw i brofiad—gweddw ac tmddifad ¥ Ciaf neu gwyfus ar ei glwyd }-■ Diwallant fwyd a dillad; Pel rhyw ffynon fawr ddiysbydd In bwrlymu allan beunydd Llifa rhadau pur ein perydd (k) Mewn lledneisrwydd lion. vV Gairia'r (I) Cymro'i fyrdd bendlthioi Una'r Sais fig ef o'i galon,— t 'j Meib yr Alban ac Iwerddon Bloeddiant glod ein glyw (m), 41 Prif iachawdwr deiliaid llafur, > Yn y Sliding Scale gymesur, A'r Protection Code i'w cysur, Eryr Merthyr yw "'urttm gorfoledd hyd ddau Dy y Senedd ,i* Acltam y goroiau clyd Mon^meiria'n byd eyfanedd— g^vron Gwalia freimwX *?'L £ elrdd Tas mania,— DdyTsi^6^1"a Gi>'n Khondda, «< Merched ce^^1^" iwyr syirdKn™™\g-~mo\edd ein Pendeflg, Ein banon chWef «r^g- deg' • 5°"ViS'rh^dlg: (Hir a hwy mwyrfhagari^f^d' Teiroes gaffo i fyv, K°raeaa—, Uwch urddoler ein Pendefie Dyged eto'i drosuu asur, Atfbais eglur Arglwydd Merthyr Breiniau'n Modur mad; Boed hir tinioes 0rfoleddus Iddo ef a,, Lacly Llw Ts, Yn adnoddau gogoneiidus Iddynt hwy a'u had Ltwydd gorono'i fuchedd—mwyfwv tyfo't foneQQ Uwch, uwch hoedder ei lawrhad lu swyn ei wlad a'i Seiied'j Bendith Ion ar hwn a 1 haneu, A'i nawddogol foneddiges,— £ hies hawddgar—pendeliges Fawr ei lies a'i llad Gwiried wyrion wyrion, ianiar wers ein gwron, Gwna a ddylit., doed a ddel." £ Pel sel ddi g61 i'r galon Boed eu hit yn bendifigion, Cymru n nodded 11 Duw a digon," Tra. bo dwr yn Nhaf a Chynon, Alh.« giacynh^u'n gwlad. Arthan, 188O. NATHAN DYTHD. duty,^r" C6) Mechanics. (c) His motto, "Do thy •opher r ma-v- Mathematics, (f) ihilo- jng. (M Gases (h) Metals, (i) Capital. Q) Uleitn- WUuser. (1) Shouting. (»/) Governor.

HEALTH STATISTICS. Tbo p. toding Saturday wl'aL9 retu,rn for the week mortality to have, u shows tlle average rate of raortality to have, been 25-5 per 1,000. The fol- owing are the Ptlncipal death-rates ior the past Freek, duly arranged in ()r¡¡- Hull 160 Brighton 17 7 I Oldham 25'2 Sheffield 18'^ 1 Huddersfield 26-3 Sunderland 19'S } °1 hampton. 26 4 Derby 19 8 London 26 5 Cardiff I. 21-5 p 26'8 &ter 21 "J KlaekbiTr^ 26-il 5^ 2l"7 f7.i x'3to'- 22 2 Salford 27-9 fe"'? 22 9 liverpooV via Birkenhead 23 0 Preston 90.T •••• 23-3 Manchester" 29.5 Newcastle 23 o Halitax ^.7 ummgham.. 24-2 Nottingham. 36-3 ,or i.uuu inhabitants of each place.

Fair white handsu Bright clear con^plexion. pc.- healthful sUin. S'ttDart,l t OAP, for Toilet and Nursery, specially sensiWTl"^ fi?iicats.Skin of iadiea and children and rou»hi,= weather, winter or summer. Prevents 8a«uta<i Tiih'oV- an a cljayPia £ Soid every^rhere, ^3,, Smaller (Unsceuted) 6d.

CURRENT AGRICULTURAL TOPICS. :A,>. v»V [BY "AGRICOLA." OF THE Frer,D."L Butchers' rings, like every other form of dis- honourable combination inimical to the public interest, can only be rendered ineffective by counter associations calculated to turn the tables on the plotters and restore the pristine order of things. Fortunately, society can do without butchers and not suffer much inconvenience. Farmers in the neighbourhood of towns have only to form thpmselves into Meat Supply Associations and open sale-rooms, under competent managers, in those towns to get a far better price for the beef, mutton, and pork they produce than they can obtain at present by selling the animals to butchers or sending them alive to market; while consumers have a still more vital interest in dis- pensing with butchers altogether, because the latter have been fleecing them inordinately for a long time past by allowing them no share what- ever in the very great depreciation in meat values which has ensued. Under these circumstances it is highly gratifying to find Farmers' Direct Meat Supply Associations springing up in different parts of the kingdom. The East Riding farmers have a scheme nearly matured for supplying Hull with fresh meat regularly, and the Northamptonshire farmers have already commenced operations at Northampton. One advantage which will ensue by these direct supply combinations becoming general will be that farmers will know better how to cater for the public taste. At present a great deal of meat is rendered by far too fat for the profit of those who buy, and also, in a general point of view, for those who sell. It may be very true that if a lean, fully-matured animal be fattened the feeder will gain the largest proportion of remuneration in the latter stages, and the fatter the animal is made the more forcibly will the rule apply. But it is a well-ascertained fact that now-a-daysthe only way of obtaining a direct profit from breeding and fattening combined is that of commencing opera- tions with the infant animal, and laying on the flesh while it is growing. The statistics of the recent Chicago Fat Stock Show indicate that, while the beasts under two years which had been fed on the above system had gained from 2Mb. to over Slt). per day from birth, older beasts could only give a return of about lilt), per day from birth. This, too, although the meat of the youngest, having much less surplus fat, was far more edible and of far greater value to consumers. A moment's serious reflection will convince every inquirer that the public have a direct and primary interest in promoting the early maturity, not only of beef, but of mutton and pork, because they would have to buy with a much less proportion of tallow and surplus fat. A certain result, of farmers turning butchers and opening sale-rooms for meat in towns would be to make them fatten young and bring their animals to maturity in the least possible time, both because the meat of such would please their customers best and return them the greatest profit on production. The American Hereford Herd Book Society, at its November meeting, attempted to put an ex- tinguisher on the exportation of young bulls and heifers from England by making the entry for animals not bred in America £ 20 each for registry in the American Herd Book, Of course, everybody at the time saw through the move. The members of the Herd Book Society are breeders who would like to have the entire monopoly of the bull supply trade for the Western ranches. But there are purchasers as well as breeders in America, and the move suits the former's interests no better than those of breeders in England. Conse- quently, a voice has already reached our ears from the other side of the Atlantic suggesting a counter combination between breeders here and buyers there with the object of sustaining the present export trade. The most feasible way of counteracting the attempted mono- poly is thought to be that of publishing the Eng- lish Hereford Herd Book in America and endeavour- ing to get it recognised there as impatting to the animals entered into it an equal, if not superior, value to that of those entered in the American book. Mr. Thos. Carroll, in his vacation address to the pupils of the Glasnevin Government Model Farm and Training School, Dublin, spoke of the Irish dairy interest as being in a dying condition. Still, in doing so, he maintained that it would be extremely easy, not only to revive it from that state, out to make the interest thoroughly pros- perous, if only farmers could be persuaded to adopt better systems of management, so as to produce a superior article, which would readily command a much higher price in the English market. But the same danger of dairying 1 becoming a dying interest exists in England and the evil arises from the self-same cause: an indispo- sition or want of knowledge and skill on the part of farmers and their wives and daughters to adopt modern superior methods of management, so as to cause fresh butter, not only to be marketed in a sweet state, but to preserve this quality of sweet- ness for at least a fortnight or three weeks. The state of the English butter trade during the entire past year was most unsatisfactory, and there is every reason to suppose it will prove even worse in the one on which we have just entered, because the imports from the Continent go on increasing, and the great bulk of British con- sumers in towns prefer the Continental butters to our own. This is, perhaps, very unpatriotic on their part, still, who can blame them if home manufacturers will insist on bringing to market the old article, bitter, briny, and nasty, while the Continental ono is perfectly sweet, and retains the creamy flavour- which always renders butter most delicious? Dairy farmers both in England and Ireland may, then, be fairly convinced that, unless they very much reform their systems of management, the home dairy interest will be likely to go to the dogs. Managers of wholesale mercantile houses state that preference is given by proprietors of hotels and West End shopkeepers to Continental over British butters because the former can always be depended on to be rendered at the same even quality, while, on the contrary, the latter are very varied. A great many believe that the enormous pro- duction and sale of butterine have a great deal to do with the falling off in our home butter trade. In one point of view there can bo little doubt that, if England were polled from one end of the king- dom to the other, nine-tenths of impartial cus- tomers would prefer the best varieties of butterine as being more pleasant to the taste than the majority of English, to say nothing of Irish butters, customarily offered in the market. The Council of the British Dairy Farmers' Asso- ciation has been attentively considering this but- terine question, and it appears that Mr. George Barham, one of its most active members, has had a Parliamentary Bill drafted, which several of the newly-elected members of the House of Commons are prepared to back, designed to regulate the manufacture and sale of all spurious butters. One of its objects will be to enforce the compulsory registration of all factories where they are pro- duced, and another to strengthen the law for detecting and convicting offenders who sell them under the name of butter. This is perfectly right, as all foods offered to the public should be sold under their right names. But will prosperity re- turn to the home butter-making industry as the result? This is much to be doubted, unless it be conducted so as to produce far better wares than those rendered at present. Ensilage is still to the fore, for Mr. E. P. Blunt, Blaby Hall, Leicester, after examining the contents of his two silos and three stacks, which he filled and built last summer, states confidently his opinion that the adoption of the ensilage system .1 do more to benefit the English farmer, and aid him in getting rid of his difficulties, than any panacea for the depression yet brought under the public eye. Mr. Blunt finds that his stacks suffer only about 3 per cent. more waste than his silos, and that the full extent of waste from the former does not exceed 5 per cent, it may be taken for granted that if the stacking system be found to answer perfectly silage will speedily become a general product on most farms.

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GARDENING NOTES. [BY MB. J. MUIR, MARGAM.] MR. MARTIN ROPE SUTTON.—The 28th volume of the Garden, which was completed on December 26, has been dedicated to this gentleman, who is the head of one of the leading houses connected with horticulture in Europe. Judging by the well-known name, it will hardly be necessary to tell any of your readers that this establishment is situated at Reading, and the excellent portrait which prefaces the volume is remarkable for its faithfulness. Each volume of the Garden has been dedicated to some man of marked distinction in connection with horticulture, and the universal impression can only be that, of all the gentlemen who have had this distinction conferred upon them, none merit it more than Mr. Martin Hope Sutton, of Reading. JANUARY APPLES.—Two good varieties for cook- ing and two good ones for dessert are all that will be dealt with for this month, and these are—cook- ing, Reinette du Canada, large sized, conical, greenish yellow, tinged with brown on sunny side, flesh white, firm, and juicy, a very free bearer; Tower of Glamis, large deep yellow, brisk and juicy, a free grower and abundant bearer. Dessert, Pearson's Plate, small sized, roundish, and flattened at the crown, skin yellow, streaked with red, flesh firm and crisp, strong grower, prolific, Golden Reinette, middle-sized, roundish, golden yellow, russety, very rich flavour, excellent bearer. JANUARY PFARS.-The numbers now ripening are decreasing, and very large pears are scarce. but the quality this month is as good as ever. Knight's Monarch, middle-sized, roundish, greenish yellow, russety, melting, buttery, and rich, a good bearer, excellent. Winter Trellis, a little over middle sized, dull green, dotted with brown, highly flavoured, a good bearer. Selection and not collection should always be the main aim of pear planters, and although we could add to these, small growers will find two good varieties more satisfactory than a great number of sorts of doubtful bearing habit and questionable,in flavour. VEGETABLES IN 1886.-Now seed lists are now being issued, and varieties of vegetables increase so rapidly that those who have had no opportunity of testing many sorts may easily find themselves devoting their attention to inferior kinds while the really good ones, although perhaps not quite new. are omitted because they are not conspicuously advertised. From the many hundreds of kinds of vegetables we have tried the following are selected for their profitable bearing and excellent qualities, and they are in every way adapted for successful culture in small gardens --Beans: Broad and Seville Long-pod. Runner: Girtford Giant. Dwarf: Canadian Wonder. Broccoli: Veitch's Self-protecting Autumn, Winter White, Leaming- ton, andSutton's Late Queen. Beetroot: Dell's Crim- son, and turnip-rooted for shallow soils. Brussels sprouts: Reading Exhibition. Cabbage: Webb's Emperor, Sutton's All Heart, and Carter's Minia- ture Drumhead. Carrots: Stump-rooted and James's Intermediate. Cauliflower: Extra Early Forcing, Webb's Mammoth, and Veitch's Autumn Giant. Celery: Major Clarke's Solid Red. Cucumbers: Cardiff Castle for fmme and house culture, and King of the Ridge for open air. Leek: The Masselburgh. Lettuce: All the Year Round, Kingsholm, and Moor Park. Onions: Webb's Im- proved, Banbury, James's Keeping, and Giant Rocca. Parsley Myatt's Garnishing. Parsnips The Student. Peas: Ringleader, Champion of England, Telegraph, and Omega. Radishes French Breakfast and China Rose. Rhubarb: Royal Albert. Savoys: Green Curled. Tomatoes: Chifl- wick Red. Turnips Snowball and Orange Jelly. Potatoes Improved Ashleaf, Covent Garden Per- fection, Reading Hero, Snowdrop, Schoolmaster, Vegetable Marrow, and^Pen-y-byd. EARLY SPRING SOWN ONI0Ns.-At many of the summer shows prizes are offered for the finest specimen of spring onions, and the main desire of those who exhibit is to have them as large as possible, and one of the surest ways of accom- plishing this is to sow early. It is too soon as yet to sow in the open air, but they may be sown under the protection of a frame or hand light, Hot-beds are dangerous, as they force on the plants too much, but the seed may be sown in the ground and the frame or hand-light put over it, or a shallow box may be filled with good soil and sow in this. A box two or three feet square will pro- duce upwards of 200 plants, and this would make a nice early batch. The seed should not be put in too thick, and it should not be covered over more than half an inch. If sown at once it will not germinate for three weeks or so, and the plants will not grow very rapidly at first but by the middle or end of March they will be some inches in height, ready for transplanting, and far in advance of any which can be raised in the open air. Where frames or hand-lights are not obtainable, the seed may be sown in a few flower pots, and placed in the window. Young onions may not be very ornamental in such a position, but if these who own them win a prize with them before the season is over it is very probable that they may be heard boasting that they were "raised in the window." SHED POTATOES.—Early varieties which have been stored since August will now show indications of growing, but the growth are too early for planting, as if left on till then they would be many inches in length, and altogether too long to plant out successfuily. The better way is to turn the whole of them over now, and in doing so break off the most forward of the young shoots, then spread them out thinly in the light in a cool place, 1Wd the most backward shoots now will be robust,sturdy growths by planting time. It is very advantageous to deal with seeds of this kind. GOOSEBERRIES FOR PROFIT.—A contemporary observes:—" Those who wish to grow gooseberries for market will probably not find it advantageous to purchase the very large Lancashire kinds, first, because the trees are more costly than established sorts that are grown and sold by the thousand by nurserymen; and secondly, because they do not always bear freely. For gathering green we doubt if there are any to surpass Whitesmith and Lanca- shire Lad, the latter a red variety, and good also for preserving. Crown Bob bears heavy crops of tine fruit, but in all soils the trees do not grow freely. Early Sulphur is one of the best for afford- ing ripe fruit as soon as possible while for late use and general preserving purposes the Red Warrington has few, if any, superiors. If any of our readers can name more profitable sorts to grow by the hundred or thousand than those we have recommended, we wiJlreadily "publish the names, with any particulars of the varieties that are fur- nished." CHUYSANTHEMUJIS.—An American writer wishes that the name chrysanthemum could be shortened, as it causes some trouble to those who are not familiar with botanical names. Wo beilr them called cassanthiums, chrysantheums, as well as chrysantumbums, chrysants, and chryschian- thems." To these might be added a daring abbre- viation in common use amongst English growers —namely, the mums." CORDYMNE INDIVISA is an old greenhouse favourite of very easy culture, so that everybody having such a house should grow one or two plants of it. That this is not done is probably owing to the fact of its only being seen at flower shows under the guise of large specimens requiring more space than could be spared in the conservatories of small gardens. It is readily obtained from seed, the seedlings becoming large enough for decorative purposes in a year. We have not a more elegant plant for he dinner table, and, with due attention to watering and sponging, small plants continue in good condition for a long time. A USEFUL MANURE.—A correspondent of the Journal of Horticulture says:—I wish to bring before the notice of your readers a valuable manure too often neglected-viz., night soil. When properly prepared I know no manure to excel it in effectiveness, not even excepting the famous guano. It is more regular in its action than the former, and there is no risk in the use of it, like guano when used as a liquid manure. For cox- combs, gloxinias, celosias, and Chinese primulas it is excellent, and the latter seem to be especially at home in whatever soil the manure is mixed with. They can be grown easily to 18in. to 20in. span of foliage, producing large blooms superb in colour. I find it best to use very little leaf mould with this manure for primulas, as they have a tendency to produce too much foliage. We grow all our zonal pelargoniums in 4in. pots only, and with this manure they do extra well. On such kinds as the Rev. A. Atkinson, Masterpiece, &c., I have had at one time six fully-expanded trusses of bloom measuring from 15in. to 19in. in circumference, and that continuously through the season. One plant of Munroe's Little Heath melon grown in a box containing one pailful of turfy loam and one of this manure produced four fruits 14lbs. in weight; and one plant of Daniel's Duke of Edinburgh cucumber produced seven fruits from 24in. in length and Sin. in circum- ference to 273in. long and 9in. in circumference. 2 and straight as a ruler, with splendid bloom, and all the former receiving pure water only. In pre- paring the material to mix with tho night soil proceed as follows:—Procure some clay soil as heavy as possible, and let it dry, then get as many branches, old pea stakes, or any refuse of that kind, and make a good ring of them to begin with; then put on a layer of earth and sticks alternately, keeping the whole well together, leaving only a small aperture at the top to allow the smoke to escape and prevent it from blazing. If some bog earth be added it will be a benefit to the mixture, and when burnt out it may be watered and mixed. It is then ready for use in the closet, to which it is conveyed by a tin pipe with two stops in it similar to that in a powder flask, for regulating the supply. The calcined earth and charcoal prevents the various gases from being dissipated in the atmosphere; the rough portion falling to the sides secures the phosphoric acid, potash, &;c" contained in the usine. Or if having a quantity of night soil on hand, mix it with half the bulk of the earth, and leave it in some dry airy place for eight weeks or so. It will be found in a condition lor mixing in any compost, being minutely sub-divided by the action of the earth and perfectly modorous. I do not advance this as anything new, but as a simple means of securing all the good contained in so valuable a manure.

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. The Fanner says :—English wheat makes old quotations for picked dry samples. Foreign wheat neglected; price unchanged except where stocks are pressed. Flour is in rather stronger position than wheat, as foreign keeps firm. English quiet. Malting barley rather neglected at quotations only best lots wanted. Feeding barley unchanged. Oats steady and in fair demand. Beans Is. cheaper to buy for imported sorts. Pfias unchanged, and supplies moderate. Weather mild and rainy; foreign advices dull.

SPIRIT OF THE WELSH PRESS, [BY GWYLIEEYDD."] The all-important proposal to dismember the United Kingdom—which pretty nearly absorbs the attention of the English press-is entirely ignored by the Welsh newspapers, except a casual notice in the summary of the past year in the Celt, in the following terms:—"The sooner an Irish Parliament meets in College Green the better. Between everything, the tyrannical English aristocracy are in sad pin and sore travail. They know not what to do. They may as well take pills against earthquakes as to prevent the Irish people having Home Rule. And there is no doubt but that Wales will find a deliverer to lead the people—as Moses led the children of Israel-from the English tyranny under which they now groan. Let our people be ready, with staffs in their hands, to respond to his call when he comes." It is difficult, if not impossible, to account for the grossly and palpably erroneous statements made with regard to political matters by the editors and conductors of the Radical press of Wales. It would be a libel on their moral cha- racters to say that they state what they know to be untrue. But if we were to acquit them of this charge, the other alternative-ignorance of the subject-would place them in an almost equally reprehensible condition. I am inclined to place them in the latter category, and will give a few illustrations in support of my opinion.' The Goleuad says:—" Whatever Mr. Gladstone's greatness as a home legislator and reformer may be, we believe that his foreign policy, in ages to come, will be regarded with equal brilliancy and admiration. He was never seen to better advan- tage than in the negotiations with Russia last year, in the matter of the boundary between that country and Afghanistan. If Lord Salisbury bad been in office last March we should have been plunged in war with Russia." The Gwyliedydd, having drank from the same dirty foun- tain as his Calvinistic brother, makes the following statement:—" Let not our readers forget the great political fact of the year, if not of the century, namely, the coolness and determination with which Mr. Gladstone grasped the reins of the red horse that was prancing and snorting in Afghanistan, tamed him, and turned him back." And the Genedl follows suit thus:—" We narrowly escaped a bloody war on the borders of Afghanistan between the Powers of England and Russia. But, owing to the matchless skill and heroic determination of Mr. Gladstone, such a fearful disaster was turned aside. We cannot but congratulate the country that Mr. Gladstone was in power at the time, for if the other party had been in office a fearful war would have ensued." It is very possible that these reverend editors copied, or, rather, translated, their Reviews of the year 1885," from some low Radical print. There is a strong family likeness between them. The absorbing subject of interest this week is the strike at Llanberis Quarries. Mr. Assheton Smith, the owner, has refused to submit to arbitra- tors the question whether he or the workmen are to manage the works. The North Wales Radical press is furious, and threaten all kinds of pains and penalties upon Mr. Smith if he does not give in. The Baner, in its heavy, authoritative style, leads off thus:—" Let Mr. Vivian understand that such conduct as his may lead to serious conse- quences, and we would advise Mr. Assheton Smith to close his door against the gossiping parsons and curates who are endeavouring to injure good and honest workmen because they cannot repeat their religious shibboleth." The Genedl follows: And who is this Mr. Vivian who traduces the character of the workmen ? A sprig of nobility without sense, experience, and, maybe, principle also, who came among them two or three years ago. Will Wales stand this?" The Goleuad condemns the managers, the Herald re- commends arbitration, and Gwalia is silent. A straw will show which way the wind blows. The advice to Mr. Assheton Smith not to admit the parsons" into his house indi- cates the origin and purpose of the demand of the men to discharge the present manager. The disJ trict is over-run with chapels, and many of the preachers are working in the quarries. But of late the Church has been making steady progress, and the managers, being of that persuasion, sym- pathise more with men of their own faith than with those of a hostile creed. The spread of Church prin- ciples among the workmen lessens the attendance at the chapels, and diminishes the amount of the collections. A close reader of the Nonconformist press must have noticed of late years the increase of complaints of chapel debts and the difficulties attendant upon keeping matters going. A corre- spondent of the Seven has a long letter on the sub- ject, and shows a sad state of poverty among many of the Baptist Churches of Wales. Of Llanberis he writes:—" The debts are frightful (arswydus), and the poor brethren are in great trouble. Here are three small churches, near each other, with the following heavy debts due upon them:— Clwtybont, £ 800; Llanberis, zC600 Peny- groes, £ 1,200." This refers to a com- paratively small denomination; but if the facts were known it would appear that the Methodists and Independents are in the same insolvent condition. The state of things is becoming desperate, and desperate efforts must be made to stem the steady progress of the Church. The recent elections have exposed the nakedness of the land. Instead of nine out of every ten of the people being Radical and Nonconformist-as was freely alleged twelve months ago-they are not three to one. If the strike continues we shall find these good and intelligent" quarry- men stumping the country in pairs, and appealing for help against the tyranny of Mr. Assheton Smith and his agents. There will be as great a row as there was over the Blue Books in 1848. Great satisfaction is expressed by the Baner and other papers with the meetings of tenant farmers that have been held in several parts of the country of late. Soiiie demand the same treatment of the landlords as was extended to Ireland by Mr. Glad- stone. The Sum complains that many farmers voted for the Tories at the late election, and adds: The farmers may as well expect to obtain relief from the Conservatives as to expect light from darkness." It has always been a mystery to me to understand how it can be to the interest of a tonant farmor or a labourer to vote in opposition to his landlord or employer. Persons sailing in the same boat should pull together. The truth is that the farming interest suffers from the fact that other countries can grow corn and meat cheaper than we can. And it has been proved in scores of in- stances that farms will not pay rent free. The dissatisfied, especially those who endeavour to set class against class, ought to emigrate. A writer in tho last number of the Dryck states that any quantity of land may be had in America for a few dollars per acre, and that a company has been formed to establish a Welsh colony in that country and to help their countrymen to emigrate. The Goleuad devotes its chief leader to heal the breach occasioned by the attacks made upon the Rev. Edward Matthews for having written a sym- pathetic letter to Mr. J. T. D. Llewelyn, the Conser- vative candidate for South Glamorgan. The power and influence of Mr. Matthews are too great to be affected by the men who have attacked him. The editor of the Goleuad takes these scribblers to task, and says: We are bound to admit that Mr. Matthews holds Conservative views on politics, which he advocates with as much conscientious- ness as we do ours; and we are bound also to allow him the same liberty which we claim for our- selves. It is not impossible for a person to be an out-and-out Tory and a Christian, too; 'Rhydd i bob meddwl ei farn ac i bob barn ei llafar.' We ad- vise our Liberal friends in South Glamorgan not to lose their temper at the appearance of any letter, even from the eloquent and popular author of I Nyth y Ddryw. A spirited writer in Gwalia says that the attack upon Mr. Matthews reminds him of the cur that barked at the moon. Mr. Matthews knows how to handle his pen, and if his traducers came out in their true colours he would make short work of them." J have heard that the Monthly Tidings, in which a dirty attack was made upon Mr. Matthews by tho editor, .1 has been taken with the decline," and that its death is only a question of time. The Turian gives a report of a number of con- I gratulatory meetings held in honour of Mr. Abraham, M.P., in the Rhondda Valley. At one place lie received a handsome walkiug stick, and at another he sang, Hen Wlad fy Nhadau," at the urgent request of the people, in which they joined. The Gweithiwr, on the other band, allows Mr. David Morgan, of Mountain Ash, and others to abuse and throw dirt at him in its columns. It will do Mabon no harm, but it cannot do the paper any good. The Baner prints the adjudications of Professors Powel and Roberts on the translations of" Alcestis" elicited by a prize offered by the Marquess of Bute at the Aberdaro Eisteddfod. Professor Powel gives a short general notice in choice language, which makes one regret that he does not more often write in Welsh. Professor Roberts goes elaborately into the consideration of the several compositions, and treats them with marked ability and thoroughness. He com- plains of the bad Welsh of many of the competitors. "The Welsh is remarkably poor"; I "The Welsh is wretched The Welsh is feeble," are specimens. Professor Roberts is one of the best Greek scholars in the kingdom, and a credit- able Welsh scholar, too. He has done good service by exposing Welsh writers who are ignorant of the grammar and idiosyncracies of their language. The practice has grown in consequence of the readiness of adjudicators and Eisteddfodic com- mittees to reward the best-and, perhaps, most unworthy—composition under the false notion that they are thereby promoting Welsh literature. The National Eisteddfod Associa- tion has done much mischief in this respect by giving prizes for unfinished productions after the adjudicators have condemned them. They have done so at Denbigh, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Aberdare, with no doubt good intentions, but with most injurious effects. Productions having the stamp of the Eisteddfod should be as near per- fection as possible, otherwise the educational character of the institution will suffer and the standard of merit be reduced. The Herald condemns in strong terms-and very properly-the action of the Liverpool Committee in awarding a prize for an essay after the adjudicators had declared it un- worthy of it. If the Society for the Utilisation of the Welsh Language were to take this matter in hand they would render their country good service. I must reserve my notice of the Haul until next week.

DISTURBANCE IN CHURCH.—The frequent inter- ruption ca.used by coughing is extremely trying to preacher and congregation alike, and. under such conditions, to cou. ceutrate the attention upon the subject of the discourse becomes a supreme and continuous effort. "Powell's Balsam of Aniseed "the old cough reraedv-gilres instant relief. Hold by Chemists everywhere. Trade Mark—Lion, Net, and Mouse. In bottles, is.10. and 2s. 3d. Warehouse, i, Albion- place. Biackfriars Bridge, London, S.E. 66382c HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.-Sleeplessness, flatulency, acidity, nausea, and all dyspeptic Indications may be speedily relieYed by these famoua pills. of which large quantities are shipped to all parts of the world. The con- stantly increasing demand for Holloway's medicine proves its power over disease and its estimation by the public. In weakness of the stomach, in diseases of the liver, and in disorders of the system caused by cold or a sluggish circulation, no medicine is so efficacious, no remedy so rapid, as these Pills, which are altogether in- capable of doing mischief. By quickening digestion, they give refreshing sleep, sharpen the appetite, impart tone to the digestive organs, purify and enrich the blood, regulate the accretions, and strengthen the whole physical frame.

INTERESTING DISCOVERY AT LLANTWIT DIAJOR., It is always interesting to record the finding of anything that tends to throw light on the life or doings of the earlier inhabitants of South Wales. We, therefore, give the following particulars of the discovery at Llantwit Major of several bronze implements. Rather over a month has now elapsed since they were found. Mr. Richard Price, builder, of Cardiff, being about to proceed with the erection of a new house on a piece of ground belonging to himself in the Hayes Croft, Colhugb-street, Llantwit, found it necessary to purchase a small triangular plot of ground to give him the desired frontage to the main street. On throwing the two plots into one he took down an old boundary wall, and, on digging a slight trench for the foundations of the new wall, the rubbish was thrown out into the lane. Next morning, on the workmen com- mencing to shovel the earth into the cart, they found the bronze implements in question. No notice, however, seems to have been taken of them at the time, and the earth was carted away with other rubbish to fill in an old quarry, scores of cartloads being thrown on the top of it. It is too late now to see whether there were any other indications of pre-historic workmanship present, such as pottery, or smaller articles of any sort, the workmen having only retained the metallic pieces. This is a deeply-regrettable matter, because much of the value of such a find is gone when the circumstances under which it was found are in any way doubtful. It would have been much more interesting to have known whether they were enclosed in any crock, or in what way they were lying in the earth in relation to one another; whether any bones or pottery, ashes, or any other matter were associated with them; also their exact depth from the surface, which could not have exceeded 19 inches at the outside. As the alterations have been going on since the find no trace can now be seen of anything to throw further light upon it. The implements found are 3 1 2 A bronze spear head (1), 6 inches by l inches in breadth. About one inch of the point is gone, and it is rusted through the socket; in two places rivet holes well seen; good patina. Another spearhead (2), Pill. by 1in. Perfect, except. a piece of the socket broken off on one side; patina nearly scrubbed off by some of the workmen, and a pieae of the metal scraped to see whether it was gold. A third spearhead (3), same size as the last, very perfect, but patina injured by the same causes, the drilled rivet holes being well seen in this specimen. Next comes a bronze palstave, 5-Jin. by 1 9-16in. in the broadest place:- This is the finest instrument in the find, and is in beautiful condition; the patina is scarcely injured. This has the handle sockets deeply winged, the stops deep, and is altogether a for- midable weapon. It is ornamented with three raised parallel ridges on each side, and the loop for the thong fastening is large and strong. 1 2 Noxt, comes a serie.4 of celts, of which the first (1) is 4in. long and 2in. broad at the extremity of the axeface, plain body, roundish, oval in section, and with thickened ritn to socket. It bears evi- dence of much use, being hacked and blunted in several places. The next celt (2) is 4in. long and 2in. wide, square in section, and nearly equal in width from socket to cutting edge. It is ornamented with three diverging ridges, and the thickened rim of this shows tho mould marks very perfectly. O The next (3) is 3k by 2!, with a rather broadened hatchet face, three radiating bars, and thong loop. This celt is so like in every particular one found in the Great Wood of St. Fagan's many years ago, and now in the Cardiff Museum, that it might be thought they were cast in the same mould. The next celt (4) is smaller, being only 33- by li. In this the ridges are diverging, and the thickened edge is more stroDgly marked. I 5 6 The fifth celt is 3t x 2in. with a widened axe edge, ornamental ridges converging. In this the socket edge is broken, the edge being very much worn and hacked. The next (6) and smallest celt is only 2 by 17-16; good socket edge, consi- derably worn on one side only. The mould marks are prominent. There are also broken fragments of three separate celts, one of them evidently being a larger and heavier instrument than any of the perfect ones; one irregular-shaped piece of bronze, and a curved bronze blade, about 4in. in length, with two rivet holes, evidently meant to fasten in a handle. This bears marks of frequent sharpening, in fact, it is almost worn out by the grindstone; the point is, unfortunately, missing. It will be seen that this forms a fairly-complete series, and it is to be hoped they will soon be on view to the public in the museum. On our visit to the place where they were found we examited the place pretty carefully, and. through the kind- ness of Mr. Price, we have been able to examine one of them at our leisure. From the appearance of the mud still sticking to the palstave, in which is still to be found segments of extracriuus and spines of eemoderrics when seen under the micho- scope, we are inclined to think some slight mistake has been made as to the exact spot where they were found, and it would be interesting to spend a d&.V in proving the matter by a systematic dig of a half-circle of. say, four yards diameter. It may be interesting to state that in the same plot of ground human interments have been found in several places. Two of them we saw were within about 2ft. of the surface. The bones had, howevee, been removed, and nothing remained but a black powder to mark the spot where the body lay. A gold seal has also been found near the samt place, but had been handed to a gentleman in the neighbourhood only the day before our visit, so we cannot say anything about, it. During our conversations with some of the natives we learnt that one of the parties still sur- vives who, about 40 years ago, found, when digging a drain at Lachas Moor, near Llantwit, a gold chain, of which the only description we have been able to get is that it was as heavy as a pound of butter and nearly as soft; a sure sign of the purity of the gold. We have, however, not been able to ascertain the pattern, or in whose posses- sion it now is; but Mr. C. Wilkins, the owner of the land, put in a claim for it. Perhaps some cor- respondent may be able to give more particulars. We are indebted to Mr. J. Storrie, curator at Cardiff Museum, for the above particulars of this interesting find.

NEW MAGISTRATES FOR GLAMOR- GANSHIRE. MR, ALDERMAN AND SHERIFF EVANS. Mr. David Evans, alderman of the Ward of Castle Baynard, and sheriff-elect of London and Middlesex, was born at Llantrisant, Glamorgan- shire, on the 21st of April, 1849. He was educated at Long Ashton, Bristol, and at Merton College, Surrey, completing his education in the outh of France. The very sudden demise, at St. Etienne, in June, 1866, of his uncle, Mr. Richard Evans, the founder of the well-known firm of Richard Evans and Co. and of which he (Mr. Alderman Evans) is now the principal partner, necessitated his taking the reins of management at the very early age of seventeen, conducting this greatly developed business (of its class the largest in the world) from that date to the present time. In 1874 Mr. Alderman Evans was unanimously chosen to represent the Cordwainer Ward in the Court of Common Council and a year later the ward offered him the then vacant aldermanic gown, but which, on account of his youth, he declined. We believe we are correct in stating that he would have been the youngest man who was ever elected to the Court, of Aldermen had his modesty not held him back. In June, 1884, Mr. Alderman Evans was chosen out of a field of strong candi- dates to represent the Ward of Castle Baynard at the Court of Aldermen; and on Midsummer Day last year he was unanimously elected at Common- hall, by the liverymen of London, to be the senior sheriff of London and Middlesex (1885-6). Mr. Alderman Evans will serve the office of sheriff during the mayoralty of Mr. Alderman Staples—himself a man of extreme culture and University honours. This period promises to be of exceptional brilliancy, as upon the 20th of June, 1886, her Majesty will commence her year of jubilee. His many friends and supporters urged him to seek Parliamentary honours at. the recent general election; but, having regard to his many commercial and official duties, the alderman firmly declined. Indeed, in refusing (more especially the offer to stand for the Norwood District) it must have required strong resolution, as it was considered (at auy rate, by all who knew Mr. Evans) that he would have stood an excellent chance of being returned by any constituency whose suffrages he might solicit, being possessed of that winsome dignity which is not necessarily a characteristic of the aldermanic personality. Mr. Evans speaks his native tongue fluently, and if he eventually finds a seat in Par- liament he will be a great acquisition to the Welsh members. As an authority on matters of com- merce lie would also be of the greatest service to the House, for his engagements, commercially, are of the most extensive character. Mr. Evans is not a man to devote the whole of his best years to com- merce alone, and we anticipate an unusually early retirement from an active business life in order the better to attend to public matters, and for which he is so super-eminently adapted. His charming country residence-Ewell Grove, Surrey—was the seat of Sir J. Rae Rcid, Bart. MR. THOMAS WILLIAMS. At the Quarter Sessions, held at Cardiff on Wed- nesday, Mr. T. Williams, Glog, Llanwyno, qualified as a magistrate of the county of Glamorgan. Mr. Thomas Williams is well known throughout Eastern Glamorgan, and is highly respected by all. He is a native of Llanwyno, and after the death of his uncle, the late Mr. Williams, familiarly known as "Williams o'r Glog," whose name was almost synonymous with the music of his fox- hounds, the present 'squire inherited the Glog Estate, and took up his residence at the family mansion. Mr. Thomas Williams is the vice-chairman of the Pontypridd Board of Guardians and is a member of other local boards. Like the mighty hunter," his late uncle, lie is an ardent lover of the chase. He has. in fact, worthily kept up the traditions of the Glog family for their love of foxhounds, and the Glog pack can, with perfect propriety be designated The Bells of Glamorgan. I may mention the following, as illustrating the length of time during which the (.» log pack of fox- hounds have been celebrated in the district. One day, years ago, I met Lewis y Sacr, Pontypridd, who was then over 90 years of age. Seventy years ago," he said, I was one day goiug up the Llantrisant-road from Pontypridd with my basket of tools on my back, when I suddenly heard the music of the Glog pack in Craig-yr-Hesc, un the other side of where the town of Pontypridd now stands. I instantly concealed my basket in the hedge, and off I went. The fox was soon afoot, and the hounds in full cry. I followed," he continued, on foot, and where do yuu think we ran into the canddo ? Pontypool, by I walked back the same day, and found my basket where I had left it. Do ysu think I would have found it at the present day ? No! some stragglers y diawl would have taken it." Long may Mr. Thomas Williams enjoy his new dignity Long may he be able to ride a field to the music of the hunter's horn! Some few years ago the inhabitants presented Mr. Williams with a magnificent portrait in oil of himself and his hounds lying about his feet. It is a perfect likeness. Mr. Marks was the artist. The presentation was made after a banquet in Mr. Williams's honour at the Butchers' Arme. Foutypridd.

NEW MAGISTRATE FOR MONMOUTH- SHIRE. Monmouthshire has been favoured with an addi- tion to its magisterial bench of a gentleman deservedly popular, Mr. Edmund Hannay Watts, of Devonhurst, London, having just been made a justice of the peace for that county. Mr. Watts is a native of Blyth, but now resident in London, and may be fairly regarded as one of our representative English merchants. In the year 1872 Mr. Watts and his company commenced operations in the Western Valleys, and they infused new life into the district by their spirit of enterprise, the supposed worked-out district being made a centre of com- mercial activity. u addition to the enormous amounts of purchase money paid, new pits were sunk which involved an outlay of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Unfortunately, they en- countered a series of serious losses, but notwith- standing this, through the intrepidity and unre- mitting energy of Mr. Watts, their chairman, they not only surmounted their difficulties, but have successfully and progressively gone forward, and by this time they have an interest in a conside- rable portion of the South Wales coalfields, viz., the London and South Wales Coal Company, the Abercarn Coal Company, and the National Coal Company, Mr. Watts being the chairman of the whole. Mr. Watts is also chief of the well-known firm of Watts, Ward, and Co., of London, Blyth, Newcastle, Newport, and Cardiff. He was also an energetic promoter of the Barry Dock scheme, of which company he is a director.

"THAT PITIABLE COWARD, MILAN." Trzetli, says:-Tiie less likelihood there is of the Servians being allowed to fight, the more loudly do Milan and his gang shout Hold me back and swagger. At present, they seem to be engaged in shooting those of their soldiers who have not shot their own thumbs off. The Servians are a quiet, orderly people, who ask for nothing better than to he allowed to pass their time rearing their children and their pigs. That pitiable coward, Milan, has forced them against their wishes to quarrel with their neighbours, and has taken very good care to sneak away j whenever there was fighting. My advice to the| Servians is to turn this wretched impostor with his gang out of the country, and to ask Prince Alexander—who is a man, and a brave one—to become their ruier. There ought to be a personal union between Bulgaria and Servia, like that which unites Sweden and Norway.

A NEW BUTTERINE COMPOUND. Truth says:—I recommend the Irish to keep their eyes on Messrs. Cnper and Co., whose circular I append. They have a perfect right to make butterine at Manchester, and to sell it as I such. But. as far as I can perceive, the retail dealer is to sell it as Irish butter:- Dear Sir,—We beg to draw your special attention to our new brands of butter mixtures and butterines. They have been before the market for some time, and are wonderfully appreciated. It you require some extra fine qualities for your Christmas trade, ssind to us for a sample package on approval. At the following prices you cannot do better than give usvour Christmas order*, and ensure tor youtsell Glory, Victory, and Fame."— Yours truly, CKIFKR and Co. Glory. Nn. I.-This is a splendid mixture, 75 percent. butter. In 581b. Irish butts. 361b. boxes, and 36!b French baskets, 24s. Glory. No. 2.—A very fine mixture, 50 per cent, butter. Same size packages as above, 84a. Victory.—The quality of this brand is unequalled. In 561b. Irish butts, and 561b. Irish lumps. 74s. George and Draquit.-Tliis brand meet s with much favour, in 3Stb. cools, 561b. kegs, a.nd 561b. Irish lumps, 70s. 28. Pennel-strfet, Manchester.

HOME, SWEET HOME!—IHE SWKETEST HOUSES in this Town are those where Hudson's Extract of Soap is ia daily use. ItEMABKAjJLS BIoAPI EARANCa: Of all Dirt from everything By using EXTRACT OF Sttfcf.

THE CARDIFF SCHOOL BOARD. No. 2.-TAXATION. [BY SENEX.] In the former article I dealt with the question of the lavish expenditure of the Cardiff School Board, and the intolerable burthen it will prove to the ratepayers for the next 50 years, whose credit has been pledged by that board already to the extent of L300,000, and which will, without doubt, un- less a change in the constitution of the board takes place, be, within the next fcur or five years, pledged to the extent of half-a-million of money for school buildings alone. Under tbe system of voluntary education, the entire school accommodation now provided by the School Board would have been provided for £ 4-0,000, but the School Board has expended on their school build-, ings nearly £ 140,000. Much of the evil arising from lavish expenditure springs from the facts that the money so spent is not their own and the re- payment is made by" easy instalments," extending over 50 years. Men of business habits ought never to have fallen into such a trap, for they must have been well aware that money borrowed at 3t per cent. to be re-paid in 50 years 2 more than doubles itself in that period, and for every JElOOsoobtained about L220 would be re-paid. This evil is only now beginning to make itself apparent. The School Board tax has been growing so quietly that the ratepayers of the town have not observed the vast proportions it is assuming. The School Board issues its precepts twice a year on the mayor and corporation, and they, in turn, transfer them to the overseers of the several parishes included in the School Board district. The money so required is collected with the poor- rate, and is included in it. From 1875 to 1877 the sum of 12,850 was paid by the borough treasurer to the treasurer of the School Board for School Board purposes. From 1877 to 1880 the sum so paid was A;9,337, and thus the precepts had grown in three years from £ 1,425 annually to L3,112 annually. In 1881 the precepts amounted to 1;6,000, an increase of £3,000 in one year. In 1882 they were £ 8,200, in 1883 L10,000, in 1884 £ 12,000, and in 1885 £ 13,000, with every probability that those for 1886 will reach nearly £ 15,000. As this money is collected with the poor-rate and included in it, every person who is not an inmate of the workhouse or some charitable institution contributes toward it. Of the £ 13,000 received from the School Board pre- cepts last year ze6,000 went in the re-payment of loans borrowed for the erection of the school buildings. For this sum a school with ample ac- commodation for 1,000 children could be erected, and if economy had been exercised, and money ex- pended direct from the rates, the whole of the school accommodation required by the Education Department would have Deen provided in seven years, without incurring a single farthing of debt or pledging the credit of the rates to the extent of half a million of money. Now the ratepayers of Cardiff have, theoretically, to build a school for 1,000 children every year for the next fifty years. I will now endeavour to show the injustice of this tax. In the first place, the Higher Grade School ought never to have been built. It is in- tended to accommodate 800 children. There are at present on the school registers 308 boys and 181 girls, all of them children of parents who can well afford to pay for their education, and who ought not, therefore, to be attending a rate-aided school. According to Professor Jayne, the State and the ratepayers pay three-fourths of the cost of the education of every child attending an elementary school if so, the poorer classes of ratepayers are now compelled to pay three-fourths of the cost of educating the children attending this school, and whose parents, compared with themselves, reside in large houses and live in affluence. Besides this the School Board deprives of their means of livelihood as many school teachers as would be required to educate these children who, without tins Higher Grade School, would have been educated at private venture" schools, and where the cost of their education would have fallen on the parents alone. Exclusive of the Higher Grade School, the School Board provides accommodation for 7,500 children, but of this number nearly one half are the children of parents who can afford to pay for their children's education, and who did do so until the School Board system came into operation, and thereby a spirit of independence was destroyed which was of the greatest value to them. The actual cost of the education of every child attend- ing a Board School averages £ 117s. lid. a year. To meet this the parent pays 9s. lOd. annually in the shape of school tees. The ratepayer pays, in addition to the costs on the school buildings, 16s., and the Government grant amounts to 18s. Id., so that the parent pays least of all, and for every penny the parent pays the country pays three- pence, and a large proporlion of that threepence comes out of the pockets of those who derive no benefit whatever from the Board Schools. The elementary education of the children of Cardiff is pretty nearly equally divided between the Board and Voluntary Schools, the latter providing school accommodation for 7,000 children. The parents of those children who attend the Voluntary Schools pay for three- fourths of the education of the children attending the Board Schools, and, in addition, three-fourths of the cost of educating their own children, the one-fourth being made up by the Government grant. This is a matter which must press very neavily on the whole of the Irish population of Cardiff, nine-tenths of whom belong to the labour- ing classes, and not one of whom sends a child to a. Board School. It also presses very heavily, though, perhaps, not so heavily, on large numbers who are not Irish, but who prefer, from religious j and other causes, to send their children to the Voluntary Schools. Taking the population ol Cardiff, as estimated by the Registrar-treneral, at 96,000, there will be 16,000 children of school age. Not one-half of these children attend the Board Schools, and, therefore, the School Board tax is paid by a larger number of the parents ot children who do not derive any advantage from the School Board system than by those who do. It may be said, This is law. So it is; but the law supposes that the utmost care should be exercised in the expendi- ture of money to which all are called upon to con- tribute their i harc. The Cardiff School Board has never exercised that economy from its establish- ment. In the last report issued by the School Board of Cardiff there is this paragraphDuring the past three years the School Attendance Committee sat fortnightly. Tho fullest opportunity was given to parents to explain the cause of their children's abtence or irregularity. From timo to time a large uumber accepted this opportunity. Their explanations, involving too often disclosures of great poverty, trouble, and suffering, were patiently heard, and in not a few cases made pro- secutions before the magistrates unnecessary or useless." This alone should have convinced the School Board of the absolute inhumanity of dragging one penny more from the pockets of such people than was really required; and very similar cases came, no doubt, before the managers of Voluntary Schools; and yet during the three years 171 persons, chiefly, if not entirely, of the poorest claases, were fined for not sending their children to school; 99 warrants of distress were issued, and six commitments to prison. The fines paid amounted to f,19 5., but the cost, of these proceedings amounted to il34 63. 6d. Here is one case out of many. A few days ago a boy named William Taylor, the son of parents occupying one room in a wretched house in Tyndall-street, was brought by one of the school attendance officers before Mr. R. O. Jones, the stipendiary magistrate at Cardiff. He had been found wandering about the streets during school hours, begging for bread at people's houses. He was only nine yearn of ase, yet he was sent out by his parents to sell matches, when he could get them, and they beat him if he re- turned home without money. He lived on what people gave him at their houses, and when taken to the police-station was eating a crust of bread which had just been given to him. He had 011 a pair of trousers the ends of which, festooned in rags, descended only a little below the knees. The sleeves of his jackct were similarly festooned at the ends by wear. These were secured round him by a cord, and he had uot on a particle of clothing besides. His father had been out of employment for eighteen weeks, but he had been fined 5s. for not sending his children to school. He, his wife, and live children lived in one room, and the police-constable said that there was only an old mattress on the floor, a table in the centre of the room, but nothing more. Chairs, bedstead, everything, had gone for food, and the children when they slept there must sleep un the floor; and yet that man had, when in employ- ment, contributed his quota to the education cf children attending the Higher Grade School. The policeman who served the School Board sum- monses did not consider this a very bad case, but said he had met with others where the destitution wits even greater. The boy was sent to the Havannah Ship School for five years, where ho will be maintained and clothed at the expense of tho country. Under the circumstances the School Board officer did a wise thing in bringing such a case before the magistrates; but what can be said of a School Board lavishly expending money in the useless ornamentation of their school buildings when such persons as the parents of this boy have to contribute to the cost ? There is also another point to which reference might be made under the head of taxation. If the voiuntary system provide education for as many children as the School Board system, then, without the Voluntary Schools, the School Board tax would be nearly doubled, and yet, from the first, the managers of the Voluntary Schools were placed in unfair competition when the School Board opened, in c!ose proximity to them, more costly school buildings, and fitted them up with machinery the cost of which the Voluntary School funds would not permit. It is much to the credit of t he managers of the Voluntary Schools that they are able to hold their own against such a powerful opposition, but it is to be feared that, like the private venture schools, their days are numbered I and then the Cardiff School Board tax will press with double force on the ratepayers of the tov. n.

FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR. G. W. BARTON. The mortal remains of the late Mr. G. V. Barton, 11, I The Parade, Cardiff, were interred at the Old Ceme- I tery on Monday morning, when the Rev. D. Davies, B.A., curate of St. John s, ofifciated. The funeral was strictly private, and the arrangements were carried out under the personal superintendence of Alderman G. A. Stone, who gave every satisfaction. The following attended the funemi --First carriage: Mi .and Mrs. Davey (step-father and mother of the deceased), Miss Davey, Mr. J. L. Davey, and Mr.R. T. Davey. Second carriage: Rev. J. D. Watters, Miss M.J. Jones, Miss C. White, aud Mr. Davies (representing the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion). Third carriage: Air. E. W. Morris, Western Mail. Fourth carriage: Mr. J. W. Evans, Whit- church. Bearers:—Mr. C. Morgan, London; Mr. Margretts (Gopsill, Brown, and Co.), Mr. Sharp, headmaster Whitchurch Schools, and Mr. J. S. Parry, Y Llan. Several beautiful wreaths were sent by loving friends to be placed on the coffin.

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION MOVE- MENT; SPREAD OF THE SCHEME. IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY MR. R. G. MOULTON. A statement has been prepared by Mr. R. G. Moulton, M.A., who has been lecturing at Leices- ter, Northampton, Coventry, and other centres under the auspices of the University of Cam- bridge, as to the development of the University Extension movement. During ten years 600 course? of lectures bad been delivered under the Cambridge University scheme, attended by 600,000 persons at whole courses, while 37.000 indents have done more detailed work; and in s.van years 9,000 persons had presented themselves for examination. The towns have defrayed all local expenses, and paid about L30,000 to the Univer- sity. It is now proposed to greatly extend the movement by a scheme which has been adopted by the syndicate of the University, and which it is hoped will soon be sanctioned by the Privy Council and Parliament. This scheme lays down an extended plan of study by the combination of single courses, which will, as a ruie, occupy three years, and will be accepted by the University in place of the first year's attendance at the University. Students will then become affiliated students of the University, and will be entitled at any time subsequently to proceed to the University and obtain its degrees with two years' residence instead of three. By this means the University will have large bodies of students all over the country attached to it as associates, with every encouragement for them to become full members. Commenting on the above the Pall Afall Gazette says:—There is surely a cypher too much in the Daily News report of the statistics given by Mr. R. G. Moulton as to the University Extension movement. "Durin2 ten years," it is there stated, "600 courses of lectures have been delivered under the Cambridge University scheme, attended by 600,000 persons at whole courses, while 38,000 students have done more detailed work." We should surely read 60,000 for 600,000 otherwise we must suppose that there was an average attendance of 1,000 persons at each of the 600 courses. Even with this correction, however, the statistics are very encouraging, and justify the proposed enlargement of the system-the exten- sion of the Extension. The new scheme lays down a widened plan of study which will, as a rule, occupy three years, and will be accepted in place of the first year's attendance at the University. Students who have gone through this course will be considered as 11 affiliated," and will be entitled at any time subsequently to proceed to the Uni- versity and obtain its degrees with two years' residence instead of three. This proposal has re- ceived the sanction of the University, and now awaits that of the Privy Council and of Parlia- ment. It should do much to advance the cause of higher education.

THE CRUnCH ASSOCIATION AND THE RECTOR OF MERTHYR. The last issue of the English Churchman contains the following letter Sir,—I beg to thank you for inserting mv former let.ter. I also thank your correspondent tor giving me an opportunity ot explaining more fully the position of affairs. In order to be properly understood by your general readers, I should explain how it was that I mistook the remarks contained in the paragraph about which I first wrote to refer to the school of which I am the superin- tendent. There are (or rather were) three Sunday Schools connected with the Church in the town of Merthyr: the first, the Welsh School, does not come into this discussion; the second, the English (superintendent, myself), and the other is known as the Uagged School (superintendent, Mr. Churchwarden Jones). Ihis latter was closed on October 11. I quote the following from the para- graph referred to: Gentlemen who have taught ii the Sunday Schools for years past have been obliged to resign, and the children of these schools are now taught what our Articlei call' blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits. Now. sir, how can the in-ords "are now taught" apply to a school that lias been closed for over two months ? 1 musi now explain the reason why the school was closad. When the rector first visited the school oil October 4 Mr. Churchwarden Jones informed him that, as the school had been falling off in numbers for some time past, they had contemplated giving it p, asking what his (the rector's) wish was in toe matLer. The rector replied that he was opposed to closing the school; but 011 the following Sunday neither superintendent nor teachers put in all appearance, bo much for" resiglJ- ing." I should like to add that under the manage- ment of Mr. Churchwarden Jones, who has been the superintendent since its commencement, as- sisted by Mr. Sidesman Evans and others, the numbers dwindled from about 300 a lew years ago t,o about ten when the rector lirst visited the school, and those con- cerned know very well that that diminution came about very gradually. The reason for variation no doubt is to be found in the frequency or sparsity of the distribution of tea and cake. I do 1101 wish to depreciate the value of these agencies amongst the hungry I uu,(y call atten- tion to the reason of the falling off. It seems to me only necessary to ask any unpreju- diced person to read the whole of Article xxn, to see the fallacy of your correspondent's argument, relative thereto. If anyone, wants any furtlior enlightenment, I would refer him to Dr. Littledale's "Plain Reasons Against Joining the Church of Rome," edition 183:¡, page 103, wbich embodies my ideas as k. Purgatorv. He should also read carefully the Prayer for the Church Militant in the Communion Ofhee. I have nevf-r been anxious to hide my views upon Church matter;: under a bushel, as your correspondent, I expect, knows very weli but I must say that I think his atltmpt to taddle nie with the responsibility of what was done at a service in a London church is totally be- side the present question. LasTlv. lie brands me before the "Mertlivr public" as Oll who imbues the young millds of their children "with all the worst doctrines ot the Church ot Rome." I am perfectly content to abide the result of his warning; in the meantime 1 sliall continue iDeu Volentc) to carry out to the best of my ability the duties I undertook ma ny years a £ 0 at the pressing and urgent request of our late staunch Protestant" rector (God rest his soul!), who knew per- fectly well my (unaltered; views,and that I was a mem- ber of the English Church Union. B. R. 8. FKOST. Merthyr Tydvil, December ZC, 188[1, P.S.—By all means have a branch .,1 the Church Asso- ciation iJ; Merthyr it it is desired, as we. above all t hili 0'5, are anxious for a searching after the truth" We sliouid, however, rather dejire that it should he learnt by Jove than by bitter argument. The Merthyr Church people would le: jrlad to know what reason you have tor describing the secretary of the newly-formed branch a a souud and active Churchman."

lR ELLIS LEVER ON COLLIERY EXPLOSIONS, QLETS A SHAM. A MOCKERY, AND A DhLtSloN. Mr. Ellis Lever, ';f Bewdon, Manchester, in a letter which appeared in the Times of Tuesday, inakcs snmf, Revere slrictures regarding coroners' inquests. He says :—"Another appalling colliery explosion, by which 79 lives have bepn sacrihced at the Mardy Pit, near Ferndaie, the teene oi so many similar disasters, impels me to direct the attention of your readers to the manner 111 which inquiries are usually conducted in the case ot these terrible hjiooaujts. At Mardv Colliery the explosion occurred on the Wednesdav beiore Christmas Day, but the coroner did not appear upon the scene until noon on the Saturday fol- lowing, and the relatives of the slaughtered victims in many instances where the bodies liad to be conveyed to distant places determined not to wait, for the coroner's arrival. This is one phase ol the abusc that permits inquiries into these cases of wholesale sacntn e of human life to be placed in the hands of a tribunal which, I have urged over and over again, is utterly incom- petent and inadequate to deal with so important a matter [as the violent death of scores ot unfor- tunate ujiner-5. Had this feartul loss of life occurred in a railway accident or shipping disaster we should have had a searching Govern- ment inquiry into the cauz-e, and the blame would probably have been brought home to the respon- sible parties. In colliery accidents it is left to the local coroner—who cannot be said to be au official of the highest rank-and to a jury of petty trades- men, who know the colliery proprietors, and whom the colliery proprietors know, and, in many cases, have business relations with. to ascertain and state the cause of death. Six months ago 179 lives were sacrificed by the Clifton-hall Colliery explo-1 sion at Pendlehurr, near Manchester, and a coi-o- ocr's inquiry resulted in a verdict of accidental death, and no blame was attached to anybody. I have no hesitation in describing such an inquiry as a farce, and the resulting verdict most unjust. In this view I am confirmed by the Federation of Miners in Lancashire, whe declared, by resolution, that the verdict in this case was contrary to the evidence. My experience, extending over many years, confirms the conviction that I crowner's quest' law is a sham, a mockerv, a delusion, and a positive evil. A grati- fying sign of the times is the announce- ment that a national conference of miners is to take place at Birmingham from the 19th to the 23rd of January, under the presidency of Mr. Hurt, M.P., to consider a large number of ques- tions in connection with mining. Among these is a proposal tuat the certified manager of every mine should be held to be the person having the responsible care and control, shall be a properly trained and qualified viewer or mining engineer, and shall hold a first-class certificate, and that trained and qualified viewer or mining engineer, and shall hold a first-class certificate, and that guarantees should also be required of the under- manager and overman.' It is also suggested that more shafts are neccssary, and that no working place or places should bo driven more than one mile from any existing shaft until another shaft is put down. A Royal Commission on Acci- dents in Mine3 was appointed after the fearful explosions at Abercarn and Dinas Collieries in 1878, and thoso who know the terrible conse- quenccs of blasting by gunpowder and the use of defective lamps and lighting excuse themselves from doing anything pending the issue of the long- looked-for report of the Royal Commission. There are comparatively perfect lamps ready to be intro- duced in place of the wretchedly worthless ones now allowed to be used. There arc also many safe substitutes for gunpowder blasting. Iho prohibition of gunpowder, the use of only the best lamps, the appointment of a Minister of Mines and of additional inspectors duly qualified, and the abolition of the coroner's tribunal in cases of colliery disasters are among the reforms sorely needed, which Mr. Burt—with the many able coadjutors who have JLlst been returned as the representatives of the tnininsr population—will, I I am confident, 1..50 no time in bringing before the FIOUM for speedy adoption. These men I know are in earnest in their determination C0 learfen the fearful risks and to ameliorate the condition of the 1 underground worker and others whom they will represent in the reformed Parliament."

I A NEW METHOD OF PROPULSION. The idea of propelling out of pipes sternward has, aa is well known, been put into practical application. An analogous method, which consists in forcing gases against water, and thus establishing a means of propul- sion, has been devised in Brooklyn, U.S.A. The system will, says tho Electrician, soon be given practical trial, the ship with which it it to tie made having recently been launched. The method em- ployed, briefly stated, consists in ooDepressing a small quantity of air, which is then Impregnated with petroleum spray. This is then exploded by an electric spark, and the large volume cf ffas generated is forced out at the stern.

I PASBT AND Rq £ £ s's WtUh 1't.rns ere the | ben. 79Q5e

SHIPPING APPLIANCES AT THE BUTE DOCKS, CARDIFF INCREASED I?ACILTTIZSVDJI LOADING. NEW MOVABLE TIPS, The facilities* for tbe tapid loading of stMUFSn 'withcoal at Cardiff are abouVto b* increased by the employment of nntcbfnHy wWua enables different batches of the OVe it—niil| ill be loaded simultaneously, instead ot oinnonttfjyi. At present coal tips are placed, tances apart, so as to enable each steamer to UVW one tip, and tb6 different bolds are loadtftaoat after the other. the steamer being mo"dlbiehw wards and forwards so as to get each hatcb- rao* cessiveiy in position for receiving coal. The chip* ment of tbe whole of the cargo. as wdl «• the bunker coal, has thus to be done from one tip, and considerable time is necea" sarily occupied. It is clear that if steamer could have two or three tips brought to work into her different hatchways simultaneously the loading would be effected in a very much shorter time. With fixed tips this cannot be accomplished. In view of this, Sir W. T. Lewis has for some time had uader consideration tbe question of using portable machinery for tbe shipment of coal, and he entered into an arrange- ment with Mr. George Taylor, of Penarth, with regard to the application at the Bute Docks of the patent movable hydraulic coal tips introduced by that gentleman. The first of these movable tips, the erection of which has just been com- pleted at the Roath Basin by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Company, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has been set at work, and its performance is in every way satisfactory. The mode of shipment at the movable tip is exactly identical with that at the fixed, an object it was desired to attain, inasmuch as the method is considered the most perfect for avoiding breakage of coal and securing rapidity of work. The loaded wagon is placed on a platform within the tip, and is raised thereon to the required height and tipped by hydraulic power, the coal passing over a shoot to the hatchway in the usual manner. The anti-breakage and screen- ing arrangements are also the same at the movable as at the fixed tips. The movable tips are complete in themselves and quite independent of the fixed tips. They are considerably higher than the fixed ones, which will be a great advan- tage in bunkering large steamers. To provide for portability, their construction varies con- siderably from that of fixed tips, especially with reference to the hydraulic lifting machinery, which in fixed tips is usually sunk in the ground below, but in the movable ones is placed in the framework. Although the tip is of great weight, it is easily moved to suit the vessel's hatchways. At the Roath Basin two of these movable tips are tf be used in connection with a fixed tip, to form a set of three tips available for loading cargo and bunker coal into the same boat. The advan- tages of this system cannot be over-esti- mated, as the bulk of the coal exported from Cardiff is loaded into steamers of large size, whose detention is very costly, and by using three tips instead of one the loading would, of course, be done in a proportionately shorter time than from the fixed tip alone. Besides this, the use of movable tips enables bunker coal to be put on board whilst cargo is being shipped, which prevents much delay, and cannot be done with fixed tips. Great as is the advantage thus gained by steamers, it represents only one side of the question, there being a further substantial benefit in the fact that movable tips more than double the working power of a coal dock, as they enable two or three steamers to be loaded in the time occupied by one. To double the coal-shipping power of such a concern as the Bute Docks is a matter of no small import either to the dockowners or to the town of Cardiff; for whilst the new appliances will give the increased working power on the one hand, they will, on the other, draw to Cardiff an increased accession of tonnage, which will be bene* ficial to the town as well as to the docks.

THE AECHDRUID'S BIRTHDAY. [BY MOBIEN.J Tuesday was Old Christmas Day, and it was the 86th anniversary of the birth of Myvyr Morganwg," Archdruid of the British Isles. At the centre of the Executive Government of this country at, Westminster there are still preserved many customs, symbols, and observances the origin of which are clearly traceable to the old days of the Cambro-Britisb Empire. For in- stance, the dukes of the realm sit in one of the re- tiring rooms of the House of Lords at a round table. Tins table is, as it appears, an attempt to continue the. Round Table of King Arthur and his twelve knights. The Poet Laureateship, associated with the house-bold of the British Monarch, and also the Royal Harper. are noble survivals of ancient appointments associated with the Welsh Monarchy, when the whole of Britain was under the sway of our Unbenaeth. No wonder that scholars say that Wales is the cradle of the British Empire. The emblems of the English Monarchy, together with everything associated with them. are made up of patchworks, picked up on the battlefields of our Welsh sires. The English people never created anything of their own. but are decked in borrowed feathers, most of v\ hich have come from the Welsh. It is curious to find that Wales, after ali its past misfortunes, has never been without its representative ol the Gwyddon (Chief Bard or Laureate of Britain; In "tiie days old it was the duty of t-iiis great dignitary t" sing with his harp that ancient tune, kuown as The Monarchy of Britain," bcioie the army on tiie eve of its entering upon a campaign. In those days the bard sat high in hall, a welcome guest.' But a sad chang* came about in his condition. He clung to a religion which Jjud became unpopular. and he, by degrees, became furgut1,en, He sits to-day, a white- haired and white-bearded aged priest, alone in an upper chamber in Mill-street, Pontypridd. On Monday I visited him, taking with me a calenig from a most generous nobl" lord. It was the gift of a Christian chieftain to the chief Druid; it was a Nazarene sending a present to the greatest of the philosophers 0\ Hyperboroa. The momeDt I entered the lonely cell of the Druid the noble Tbeban. with flowing beard, stood up to meet me, and. witii extended hand, said, with sparkling eyes, Blwvddyn Newydd Dda" ("Good New Year 1 state matters in the order they came He then breathed a Druidic prayer for all blessing* to descend on the House ol Bute, and The Mardy, Aberdare, not forgotten in the evening orison of him who is preparing toL "Cylch y G wynfyd (the Circle of the Holy World;. He said J shall be 86 to-morrow. I am in a hurry to finish my writings for the benefit of the whole world, writings winch will restore the Welsh people to the van of the nations of the earth. My writings can be compared to the work of a man engaged m clearing away rubbish which has fallen into a spring of water. 0, the rubbish! O, the stuff! which have fallen and hidden from all eye6 the source of true religion!" He then said, Who will fight the battles of the gods when I am gone ?" He subsequently remarked that the day of bis departure was close at hand. He felt his strength growing less daily his memory, too, was not what it once was. I ventured to ask him what were his views respecting a future state of existence. His reply was, My father and my mother are well able to provide for me. and in them I trust, and not in anyone ebc." My hair stood on end, and a soon as I could collect myself I asked him what he meant by his "father and mother." Be leplied tu;) t, the Creator was his father and Anian was his mother. By Anian he seemed to mean the fecundating power in the earth revealing her ctlorts in the spring time of the year. This," lie said, is the Venus and the Cerelia and the mother of tue gods in ancient mythology. He seemed to regard all creeds as jumbling confusions of Druidism, and that his rulssion in the world was to restoio the primitive sublime order of ancient t.tLt;

THE LOYALTY OF FRENCH CANADIANS. Sir John Macdonald, Premier of Canada, was entertained on Monday night at St. George s-hall, London. Responding to Lhe toast of his health, ne said he had ofton been questioned respecting the loyalty of the French Canadians. He replied that if there was a loyal body of men within tue bounds of the Britisn Empire they would be found among the French Canadians. Their feeling respecting the execution of Kiel was a national one, and did not affect their loyalty. Tue French Canadians became subjects of the British Crown before the French Revolution. All their feeling was connected with the oid Monarchy of France and they had no sympathy with tbo mo,:em inti delity or the rabid democracy of France. Toucoitkk the question of Imperial Federation, be said ttijo must be. and, speaking for Canada, they were qwu ready to accept the increased reepoosiDihty.

BRISTOL A WEST OF £ XGLAl\T BANK. The report o £ the directors of the Bristol anci West of England BANK (Limited), to be issuer shortly, will recommend a dividend for the ball year ending December 51 last, at the rate of 9pei Cort. per SanUEII, making, with Ujc iai*iai dividend 7 per cent, per annum paid July last, 8 per cent.-far tfc* year 1585, and asaddiwitu of reserve fn»d.

THREE ACRES ANJ) A OO VV." A CYpo, cbe Bivwinpimk Gmtrntc t.be following ourioos cotpiiaticn froni she Old Testament bearing upon tfce ?bree Acres SJC £ • Cow leg ado ol UM Cbamberialsa MM" (MMr 9). TVi-s a-id gin 1 th*. I Cftantda 1) i and f: cr" (?*rec

Pvanc "1'<A'YS1S LaLre it^baiitted C.D.V.Y'. C»COA to ttsi*. and t tia result has always protad i.. £ T».it 'Al it kj Iõ sustaining and veansbifig taveraga, :BullI,ra flf iu&iuUcut. mm