Weekly Mail

QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED. CBy J. MTJIU, Olencairn, Sandon, Chelmsford.] Veronicas.—M. Lamont.—Thanks for your further letter, which is quite satisfactory. Rabbits for the Table.-—"J. D."—The Flemish Giant and Belgium Hare were much the finest specimens shown amongst many at the recent Dairy Show in London. Pigeons Dying.—J. Foules.—It is probably roup. or they may have been too young when you got them in. Get some peppercorns, and give them two each daily, and put a few drops of sulphate of iron in their drinking water. I would have been glad of fuller parti- culars. Pigeons for Profit.—"T. A."—Your loft is very suitable, indeed, for them. It is the best use you could put it to, but the details are too lengthy to publish here. You should get the book, "Pigeon-keeping for Amateurs," published at the Bazaar-building#, Drury- lane, London, price 2e. 6d. Fox Terrier with Cough.—M. Reynolds.—As the dog is so old, I advise you to give it a tablespoonful of cod liver oil every other day for several weeks. This will help the cough, but you should also give it a cough mixture. This should ooneist of paregoric elixir one part, syrup of the oxymel of squills three parts. Give one teaspoonful morning and evening. Name of Fern.—"Amateur."—Aeplenium Foulanum. It ie usually increased by spores. which are the seeds found in a brown powder- like state on the backs of the fronds. Any ferns which produce little growths on the fronds may be increased by putting the fronds flat down on the soil, and the little plants will root into it. They can then be detached and potted separately. Spring is the best time to increase them. Canary Plucking Its Feathers—"Birken- head."—You should clean the cage thoroughly with warm water and soap. Catch the bird and dust it with insect powder, and give it a few drops of Condy's Fluid in its bath water. Give it plenty of green food and lettuce seed. Put a rusty nail in the water, and put a little old mortar in the bottom of the oage. Do not give it sweets or fattening foods, such as hemp seed. Give it a bit of salt to peck. Brewers' Grains for Milk Cows.—"Shorthorn." —They are a very favourite food-with dairy- men in the winter time. They are of no use as a fattening food, but they increase the supply of milk very much, especially when the cows are receiving dry food in winter. You are fortunate in being near a brewery where you can get them conveniently. You can give each cow two bushels a day. The grains are also good for pigs that are giving milk or stores. Treatment of the Myrofcella Plum in Hedge. —Samuel Lee.—The Myrobella plum is a good hedge plant when treated as such, but it wil! not bear fruit if kept cropped down. You can cut down the plants of it you have here and there in your hedge to correspond with the other part of the hedge, but let one stem grow up in each place to form a. tree, when you will secure much fruit. It is a very useful and acceptable fruit for cooking or prc- serving. Privet Hedge from Cuttings.—Hairy Piera. —It is rather a new dodge for anyone to go round offering to plant a privet hedge, and then make it of rootless cuttings. The one thing in its favour is that it is the right time of the year to do so. Some, or the majority, may grow, but others will die, and I do not think it is what you can term a "square undertaking." Privets are cheap. It would be better to buy little plants with roots; then you would be pretty sure of get ting a regular hedge. Lime Tree Upsetting Wall.—"M. W. J."—The limie tree is too large to move. It would hardly grow afterwards, and, if it did, it would be more shaky than ever for some con- siderable time. Your best way will be to cut the largest branches off and reduce its head. It will then present little leaverage to the wind, and will not sway much. At the same time, you could cut down between the wall and the roots, and this would prevent the roots from growing under the wall and up- getting it in that way. Give it attention at once. Hydrangea. and Palm.—J. Nelson.—Do not Out the hydrangea down. You can remove the Old flower heads, but no more. You can take it outside and plunge the pot up to the rim in ashes in a. sheltered, sunny spot. It may remain here all winter, but you can give it a. little protection in severe frost. The Kentia is not a. very quick-growing palm. It will make little or no more progress thi* winter. Keep the roots merely moisit, let it stand in the full light, and sponge the leaves ocoa sionally. Be sure you do not keep it too wet at the root. Dividing ft Draecena Plant, Ac.—"Loidos."— If the plant has more than one stem coming from the roots, you can take it out of the pot a.nd divide it into ft* ma.ny plants all there are stems. If it has only one stem, which is usual, you cannot divide it. but in Maroh you can cut the stem into pieoes two or three inches long, put them in pots, and each will prow into a plant. There are little buds at the ends of some of the roots, which may also be cut off and put in to grow. March is thr proper time to deal with them. Try putting some cayenne pepper down for the purpose you name. Fuchsia. Rooting Out at Bottom of Pot.— "W. R."—I am glad to hear the soot has been satisfactory with your plants; I knew it would. Your fuohsia. mast be in robust {iealth. It will not injure it for next year if the rootm have grown through the hole at the bottom of the pot this season, even if aJl the outside roots are cut or die off; but when it starts into growth agaih next string you Should put it in a. pot two or three inches more in diameter than the one it ia in now. This reader, who evidently takes a keen inte- rest in his plants, says he is convinced fuchsias will not thrive in roosns where gas is used. Bulbs in.Wa^r, &o.—"E. B."—You cannot grow Spanish iris and snowdrops in dishes of water in the houae. Narcissi, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths all submit readily to this treatment. As it is seasonable, I am dealing with bulbs now, and will detail the water-growing process soon. As the asparagus plant is a large one, and has not been re- potted for two years, I think it is suffering: from deficient root room and poor soil. Do not attempt to re-pot it now. Keep it as it is until Maroh next, then re-pot it into a larger pot, or you can divide it into two or three pieces. It should ha.ve a rich, gritty soil. Keep the soil it is in now rather dry during the winter, as it will enjoy a rest. Try and retain the two or three new leaves it has just formed. Lilacs; Chrysantherhame; Michaelmas Daisies.—"Harrogate."—The Michaelmas daisy shoot you send is bearing a considerable number of flower buds, but they have not developed, owing to want of sunshine. If it is in a partially-sihaded plafle, transfer it in March to a position where it will get more sttnshine. The lilac requires the same treatment. Thin the Shoots out if they are very crowded, and do not give it any manure, to oause the production of much growth. It almost invariably flowers freely when the shoots are hardy and well-rooted. The chrysanthemum is small, but a nice blOOm. Cut the stems down to near the ground when they wither. Let all the young growths remain, and in March these should be treated as cuttings. I will be giving details at the right time as to how to treat them. We^Ja on Walks; Manuring Strawberry Plants, Ac.—Ireland."—A weed-killing liquid, such ad all seedsmen eel], would kill all the weeds on your walks, and their clearance wouli1 be permanent. You can apply it now, but it must be on a dry day, as if it rained it might wash it off to where it was not wanted. After applying it keep the fowls off till it has been washed two or three times by rain. It will then be quite harmless. You should put a thin layer of good manure round and between your strawberry plants now and again early in April. What are known as hairdy perennials or herbaceous plants will be the best to put in to last for the three years of your tenancy. If yon get a nurseryman's list you ean select what you think will please you most as to colour, time of flowering, Ac. They ma.v be planted now or in Match. The plants Will ooet about threepence each. Late Propagation of Carnations and Pans leu.—T. Jones—I am rather eofry you omitted to put in your oarnatkm cat- tings and layers a.t the right time, all well as the pansies, as you evidently take an interest in them, and it throws one out somewhat not to have the wma-1 sttpply of young plants. You oan layer the carnations now. They will not root much until the spring, and they will be less robust then than if they had been layered in August or September, but you will have to put up with that for a year, until you get into a stock of plants rooted at the proper time. The pansy cuttings should not be put in at present; they would never root. March would be a better time, and then probably you could divide the plants into many pieces, with some roots to each. Names of Apples; Pruning Fruit Trees; Liquid Manure.—J. W. Riohardson.—Apple No. 1, Ecklinville Seedling (cooking, a splendid specimen); No. 2, Pitmaston Pineapple (dessert); No. 3, Worcester pearmain 1dessert. not anything like so bright in colour as it is in a sunny season); No. 4, Cellini (cooking, not in its best form). I am glad you have such fine crops. Apple and fruit trees generally may be pruned from November till March. I will give full details very goon. The liquid from your cow manure tank will be most beneficial to all the fruit trees and crow generally. Never let it run over- use every drop of it. You can put it round the stems of the fruit trees several times during the winter, and in the summer time, too, especially after the fruit is formed. Transplanting Thuja, Lobbi, fco.—"Bed Boee.' —The thuja is not such an easy subject to transplant as some. You should dig the plants up in November with a good ball of soil to the roots of ea&h. an<j pjant them where you desire. Do it when the soil is dry, and do not leave them long out of the ground. They will have formed many roots since they were planted last spring, and there is little danger of your losing any of them in trans- planting this time. The green-leaved Euonymus Japomca and E. Japonica argen- teus variegata would both look well Oil your rookery; so would the Genista Andreana. The golden yew is also lID ornamental Plut for such a position. G-ive them all fi-oh, dsep soil, and plant in November. This reader appreciatively remarks: -In jasfioeto yon, I may say that your notes have been of greater help to me thAa two jfarden papers I formerly took. Disposing of Large Quantities of VegetaMee. —G. Man—I quite agree with what you pro- pose doing. You will find it pay you very well. and the soil is quite suitable for the crops you name. Deep cultivation and plenty of manure should be indulged in. Market growers very often send large quantities into salesmen to sell under the hammer; in fact, this is the usual and most satisfactory way. If near A large town, greengrocers may be supplied direct, and many of them oome round and boy the atom m growing; but all surplus should be sent to the auction. You might find a ready sale for all you produce in the large Midland towns; if not, Covent Garden will take it. It is well to go and see one or two of the auctioneers personally. Mangels can always be sold to dairymen who keep cows in towns, but they do not pay so well as the vegetables. It would be a great advantage to you to be near a. town and station. Vegetable Ashes; Hydrangeas, &c.—"Mor- ton."—Ashes from any kind of vegetable refuse are an excellent manure for plants in pots, flowers in beds, vegetables, &c. Their chief manurial ingredient is potash, and this is a valuable nlant food. Make, save, and use all you can. It is natural for the hydrangea flowers to wither at this time. Cut the flowers off close off under the head. Wash the foliage, and place in greenhouse, and keep rather dry at the root all winter. Dry the fuchsias off gradually, and when the foliage has gone lay the plantsi on their sides under the stage in the greenhouse. Keep them quite dry. Maidenhair feme cannot be kept in good health in an unheated green- house during the winter, but if you kept them in your house when the wea.ther was cold and moist and in the greenhouse when more genial you could retain them in orna- mental condition. Do not overwater them at the root. Fowls Dl.-C. Ba.tting.-It is a very bad case of roup, the worst of all fowl diseasesi The man you bought them from near Frome ought to be ashamed of himself to send you them in that state. Now you say he will not reply tp your letters. That is just like some. You did quite right to isolate the worst of them, as it is extremely infectioua and will soon extend to all your stock. Dust the place you keep them in often with carbolic powder. Keep it very clean. Put dry ashes or lime on the floor. Wash their heads and mouths daily with warm water and Condy's Fluid. Give half a teaspoonful of Epsom salts to each every other day for a week. Get a chemist to mix you the following:—Balsam copaiba, one ounce; liquorice powder, half an ounce; piperell, one drachm; magnesia enough to make a mass. Divide into sixty pills, and give one night and morning. Be sure you wash out their drinking dishes daily and give clean water. One grain of sulphate of copper may be put in a pint of drinking water each time. I hope you may prevent it from rea-ch- ing your other fowls, as this is a bad time of the year to have to deal with it.

I RURAL JOTTINGS. VALUABLE HINTS AND INFORMA- TION. IN FAVOUR OF BULB CULTURE. Of all the flowers that grow in the garden, under glass, or in the open air, no class, how- ever rare or expensive, Is capable of giving more delight to everybody than bulbs. The qualities of most of them are well-known. They are extensively grown in many gardens, and Some are found in almost all, but it is quite impossible to have too many. They submit readily to forcing and growing under srlass, and in the open air they never fail to ?row and bloom profusely. An inspection of the bulb farms in* Holland one Eastertide was one 0. the greatest floral treats I ever expe- rienced in my long association with flowers; but a good display in the greenhouse or cottage garden delights me almost as much, as when clumsy to admit of being arranged gracefully or artistically, and the leading desire now is to grow flowers that are beat adapted for decorating in a cut state. For this purpose the daffodils and narcissi are charming. Their colours are mainly yellow, but their forms are exquisite, and, individually or col- lectively, they are quite perfect on the dinner table or in rooms. They, too, are sweet smell- ing. Tulips come next. They are deficient of fragrance, but their colours are most attractive and their forms good. Crocusses are of little service cut, but they come early, and this is a, great recommendation. SELECTIONS OF BULBS. Altogether there are thousands of varieties offered. On £ wonders what demand there can be for all of them. Selections of the best are much sought after, and all named in the catalogues cannot be classed as the best; many are inferior. In naming a dozen of each in the various classes I have avoided going in for expensive kinds, and have selected the very best of the cheaper ones that are capable of giving perfect satisfaction. Some prefer double, others single, flowers. But the single are the most graceful. It is, no doubt, owing to this that single varieties are much more plentiful than double ones. Hyacinths, single White and shaded: Crown Princess, Grandeur a Merveille, and Queen of the Netherlands. Light blue, mauve, &c.: Baron Von Humboldt. General Have lock, and Lord Melville, Red and carmine: Duchess of Richmond, King of the Belgians, and RDmeo. Yellow: King of the Yellows, Bird of Paradise, and Centennial. The following are a good half-dozen doable hyacinths: La Tour d'Auvergne, Sir Bulwer Lytton, Lord Wellington, Bouquet Royal, Crown Prince of Sweden, and La Grandeur. Tulips, single: Artus, Pax Elba. Van der Veer, Yellow Prince, Queen Victoria, Royal Stan- dard, Rosa Mtindi, Potter, Brutus, Keizers- kroon. Vermillion Brilliant, and Potterbakker. Double Tul'ps: Hercules, Imperator, Rubroeum, Rosine, Yellow Rose, La Candeur, and Overwinnaar. Narcissi and daffodils: Figaro, Golden Spur, Bicolor, Horsfleldi, Irish King. Poeticus, P. Orantus, Prinoeps, Bicolor Grandee, Incomparabilus, Alba., and Sir Watkin. SOIL FOR BULBS IN POTS. All kinds of bulbs succeed in the same kind of soil or mixture. This may consist of three- parts loam and ope-part of half-decayed manure, with a liberal addition of sand. Lea.f soil may be substituted for manure. Horse and cow manures are both good for bulbs, but never quite fresh. Some may not have loam as soil. This is the top part of a pasture field, to which many have not access. They may have to fall back on the soil in the garden, and this generally suits very well. Sand, too, is sometimes scarce, and in that case gritty road scrapings, mixed with the droppings and put with the garden soil, will grow them well. I know of many amateurs whose bulbs are a fine success every year who grow them in this mixture. A little soot is always bene- ficial in bulb soil. Artificial manures gene- rally are not suitable, and I do not advise their use in potting, although some of them may be made into liquids and given when the bulbs are showing flower. Then weak guano planted in the smallest spaces between other bulbs, and when they come into leaf and flower they will not shade and orowd other plants. Although they are not often seen amongst rock plants, they are very suitable for such positions. Rock gardens were not .often very bright with flowers in the early spring, and a few bulbs increase their attractions wonderfully. Little groups of bu 1 3 can often be planted here and thcie, and they will often succeed even in a thin soil better than their owners anticipate, as good drainage is beneficial to them, and this is generally found amongst rocks or arrangements of stones. Snowdrops, croci, narcissi, daffodils, ixias, jonquils, scillas, eparaxis, and the glory of the snow, Chionodoxa Lucilise, are all fine rockery sub- jects. If the soil is very shallow and light, as it often is on rockeries, a handful of manure should be put over the top of each bulb when planted. GROWING BULBS IN WATER. At one time hyacinths were the only bulbs grown and flowered in glasses of water. They proved showy, sweet, and interesting, and this naturally led to other bulbs being tried under water conditions. The result has been highly satisfactory, as the narcissus and the daffodil succeed admirably with the treatment, and crocus does so, too. Tulips do not, but the daffodils are a, splendid addition to the hyacinths. Ineed, they surpass them in beauty, as they are more graceful in growth and flower. The hyacinth glasses of various colours are legs used now than they were, too, as only one bulb could be grown in each, and that had always an isolated appearance. Now low dishes and bowls are much employed. Groups can be grown in them, and they make a most artistic display as table ornaments and in different parts of the rooms. I advise readers to try these dishes and groups, when they will be intensely pleased. The dishes should be nearly filled with sand and little stones—not full of dirt, but clean. Place the bulbs about one quarter of their way up in the sand. Keep the sand always moist. Stand the dishes and bulbs id a dark cupboard till plenty of roots have formed and the top growth is prominent; then put them in the window or in a position where they can have light. The atmosphere of a sitting-room will induce them to grow quite well, and their attractive blossoms will follow. When hyacinths are grown in the old-fashioned glasses they should be treated in much the same way in keeping them in the dark and then bringing them into the light. The glasses should be filled with water, and the bulbs put on the top, merely touching the water. The water must be kept up. A few little bits of charcoal are an advan- tage. These can also be put in the bottom of the dishes before putting the sand in. This water system is the most unnatural way of growing bulbs; therefore, it should not be indulged in at present, when the shortest day- will have to be contented with. but it may be started about Christmas-time and onwards None but well-matured bulbs should be used. This mode of culture enables dwellers in towns and all who have no garden to secure flowers of their own growth, and nothing can be more gratifying. It espe- cially appeals to invalids, too, who are denied

^SrflMPRECEDEIITED SUCCESS^@|k UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS AS THE UNIVERSAL REMEDY FOB ^851% l Coughs, Colds, M$tj& Bronchitis, Asthma, Whooping- Tfylgk Jijf Cough, Influenza, Hoarseness, &c. fOflMge! 11 (yng TónlC PB ESjptl TO BE AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY TO EVERYBODY. JpJPj' 9 Important Notice: SUBSTITUTiON. —There are so many imitations of iSPfcok this successfuh amd therefore popular, remedy that MEwem it is of the utmost importance you should use the IffapSk word OWBRIDGE" when buying Lung Tonic, s and TAKE NO SUBSTITUTE. JjhSw by W. T. OWBRIDGEJ^M.P.S., CHEMIST, HULL. JBEAFFL Bold everywhere in bottles, at 1*. 21. get., 41. and OOl'naf61rf. I

HEAVY CARDIFF FAILURE. PRINTERS' LIABILITIES AMOUNT TO OVER 26,000, The first meeting of creditors of W. J. Jenkins and Co., Cardiff, printers and paper merchants, was held on Monday kt the London Bankruptcy-court (before Mr. George David, Cardiff, offioial receiver). The accounts sSwvr total liabilities £ 6,221, of which JB4425 168. 5d. is expected to rank against net asseits £3,,428 15s. Debtor started in January, 1892, a. new business, and was assisted by a firm of wholesale paper manufacturers and merchants with both goods and cash. The failure is ascribed to bad debts, keen compe- tition, involving small profits, and defalcat- tiODS of a traveller. Debtor's offer of 7s. 6d. in the L was not entertained, and Messrs. R. H. March and C. E. Dovey, chartered accoun- tants, both of Cardiff, Were appointed joint trustees to administer the estate in bank- ruptcy, with a committee of three creditors.

CARDIFF GUARD'S SUDDEN DEATH. William Jones, a railway guard, aged a-7 years, and residing at 38, Coburn-street, Cathays, Cardiff, met with a sudden death at Mardy on Saturday evening while following his employment. He was connecting some truolm, and the brakesman, receiving no signal from him, went to see what was the cause, and found Jones lying dead clear of the rails. It is supposed he died from heart rtisessfi

THE TRAINING OF TEACHEBS. ADDRESS BY SIR WILLIAM ANSON AT SWANSEA. An extra collegiate meeting of the Guild of Graduates of the University of Wales was held at Swansea on Friday. The guild met at the Hotel Metro- pole. The business was private. It was understood that one interesting subject discussed was the continuation of Sylvan Evans's Welsh Dictionary^ There was a general feeling in favour^ of pursuing the work to its completion. The main idea was that an editor shouM be appointed, together with various "readers" throughout the Principality, forming sections of the work. It was left to the officers to prepare a scheme, which will be discussed at the next regular meeting of the gaild. At the evening meeting at the King's-hall there was a large attendance. The chair was occupied by Mr. T. Marchant Williams, the warden of the guild, who was supported on the platform by the Mayors of Swansea and Cardiff, Sir William Anson, M.P., Mr. Morant, Mr. A. C. Humphreys-Owen, Miss Dillwyn, Mr. Graham Vivian, and Mr. Ivor James. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said that the guild had so far confined its operations almost entirely to literary work. The texts of several Welsh classics had been carefully edited and issued to the public, and they hoped to take in hand shortly the con- tinuation of the Welsh dictionary of the late Dr. Sylvan Evans. He was glad that the Treasury had placed at their disposal a sub- stantial sum in aid of the undertaking. He could not fairly say that the guild had as yet effected an appreciable influence on the social, intellectual, and moral welfare of the nation, but he made no doubt that in time it would so. (Applause.) The guild had served the purpose that day of bringing together old friends to exchange experiences and confi- dences, and it would be a memorable day in the history of the guild. As a guild, they recognised no distinctions of party or sect; their religious and political differences were ignored at the meetings. Swansea sent a deputation to the last university court, and the court had been absolutely captured by their arguments. (Laughter.) He thought they would also capture Sir William Anson and Mr Morant during their visit to Swansea. They would show them their excellent tech- nical schoels, and he thought that when they were ready to extend and widen that scheme they would not go to Sir William Anson and Mr. Morant for assistance in vain. SPEECH BY SIR WILLIAM ANSON. Sir Wrlliam Anson said that education had many controversial points, but it was on one of the absolutely uncontroversial points that he wished to speak to them that night, One matter on which a settled opinion had been arrived at was this—that whatever might be the subject of education, whether the teaching of science, of history, of language, of geography, the business of the teachers was not 80 much to impart information as to create the interest and develop the intel- ligence of the learner. THE BUSINESS OF THE TEACHER. The business of the teacher they now recog- nised to be this—to create a faith in the -i-n" e of knowledge and a desire to attain it, to inform the mind in such a way as to give it an aptitude to grasp new ideas and readiness by observation and reason to put those ideas to useful results. They wanted to make the mind apt and eager to grasp new thoughts, to be skilful in their pursuit and in their application, that was to say, they were to consider training rather t'aan acqui- sition of knowledge. What was the conse- quence of this? It wae that, if they were to create this habit of mind, if they were to impart to the youth of the country this belief in the value of knowledge, they could not begin too soon. (Applause.) If the boys md girls were allowed to grow up with the feeling that what they learnt was a painful task. that it bad no connection with the realities of life, that it was not to be retained, th .t it could be readily forgotten, this painful result might follow, that by-and- hye, when the man began to realise the value of knowledge, he found he had either not that leisure necessary to acquire it or he had lost the habit of mind which made one capable of acquiring it. It was either, "I don't know or I can't learn," because the capacity for learning must be acquired in youth. Half the business of teaching was to teach the learner how to learn-(bear, hear)—to put him in the position to acquire knowledge as opportunity might offer. If he was right in this view—that the primary busi- ness of the teacher was to create a desire for knowledge and capacity for acquiring it, and that this could not be imparted too soon —then it was clear that our elementary educa- tion, whether public or private, was of supreme importance. THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING. What was the science of teaching? It was that the mind of the teacher should not be a thing apart from the mind of the learner. The College teacher dealt with a mind which was very nearly approrimalteto his own. At a public school the master dealt with a mind with which he could obtain some familiarity, although the mind of a boy was, he admitted, almost unfathomable. (Laughter.) But the master in the elementary school had to deal with the child from the London slum and lane, and had to attract his mind by the topics which were familiar to him, and so lead him to take some interest in the sub- jects he was going to put before him. There was a large middle class which could be got at by the efforts of the Board of Education. It was important that the teaeher should regard his teaching as an art, ae a be art. He might impart information, dexterously summarise it into small spaces like their lozenges of small bulk which would support life for a considerable time, yet he might find that weariness would come at last, soep- ticism as to the value of what he was teach- ing. and next as to the truth of it. (Laugh- ter.) He could say that from experience as a lecturer for some years on various branches of law, once he could be got to believe that the process of teaching was a process of awakening the intelligence, then, as he saw the intelligence awakened he would know that, although one lesson might fail. the next might succeed. A haircutter once told a client that haircutting was the study of a lifetime—(laughter)—and that the head of every customer presented a fresh problem. (Laughter.) The teacher, in his more exalted sphere, might bear that in mind, that the mind of every learner had a new interest and field for experiment; but, besides that, they wanted the teacher to have some store of interest outside of his teaching, for, unless he had that, how could his mind be kept fresh and vigorous for the exercise of his pro- fession. The pupil teacher, by the time he had finished teaching, often found himself too tired to learn. Now he advocated that a boy or girt who was going to be a teacher should spend some time at a secondary school. SYSTEM OF SCHOLARSHIPS. He did not think that was a very large demand to make, but, no doubt, there were financial difficulties in Mie way. How were tftey to be met? Well, they might be met by a system ol scholarships He thought he vas not over-stating the oase when he said that we at present spent on elementary education £9,000,000, on the training of teachers £9fi5,OOO, on evening schools £310,000, and on secondary sfehools £218,000. Now. he did not think that the proportion was well maintained between elemen- tary and secondary education, and if the Board of Education were to bestow scholarships for any purpose he thought they should not bestow them on promising boys and girls, but the small sums at their dis- posal should be used for the purpose of advancing those who were going to embark in the profession of teaching. There was thia difficulty in the way. How were they to have the assurance that the boy or girl would become a teacher? After passing through the course he might think other avocations more desirable. One way of meeting this would be by deferred scholar- ships, so that when a student had passed the King's Scholarship examination in the first or second class, he might then demand a considerable proportion of his expenses at the secondary school. It was a plan which he considered feasible, and should like to see carried into effect. If they oould not, how- ever, get education at a secondary school, they wanted the teacher to get the best eduoation which could be provided for him in his particular area. He thought the pupil teacher centres, although they varied very much in different tocalitiee, were insti- tutions to which the local authorities should give immediate and assiduous attention, because that was the turn- ing-point in the career of a teacher. But the pupil teachers' centre was only the half-way house to the training college, which was the final and most important stags in this training. MORE TRAINING COLLEGES WANTED. Now, we wanted more training college*— (hear, hear)—and they wanted that in them there should be more preparation for teach- ing and lest) of what might be called aca- demical training. Colleges had, he believed, thrown too much force into what he might call academic teaching, because those who went there had been imperfectly prepared in the foundations of a liberal education. If they could prepare them better, then the training colleges would be able to throw their efforts into imparting the theory and practice of teaching. The day training col. leges had some connection with the univer- sity colleges, and he should like to see that connection strengthened as far all possible. Sir William went on to descant on what he considered the real value of a university career, and then remarked that the physique of the nation ought not to be neglected, and that commercial eduoation was a requisite if they were not to fall behind in the race for commercial supremacy. Our education had! a commercial value, but there were higher reasons I for insisting on the proper training of teachers. Then was a moral value in education, in the inte rest which the teacher could awaken in litera- ture and art in the mind of the ordinary citi- zen, interest which might possibly help to stay the great plagues of drink and gambling, and might afford resources which were not to be found in the public-house or the sporting papers, and in that way it might raise the standard of life throughout the whole community. (Applause.) A TAUNT AND A RETORT. The Mayor of Swansea proposed a vote of thanks to Sir William Anson and Mr. Morant for their addresses, and in seconding it Mr. Humphreys-Owen, M.P., endorsed every word that Sir William Anson had said, but said there was a fly in the pot of ointment, and ii had been introduced by those who had brought into the humane culture of the twentieth century the dark religious con- troversy of the seventeenth, and until they got rid of that their work would be undone. The resolution was carried with acclama- tion, and in reply Sir William Anson said that no one was more sensitive than he was of the bitter drop in the cup to which Mr. Humphreys-Owen had alluded, but the bulk of the Education Act wa? outside the range of controversy, while he echoed every word Mr. Morant had said as to the great desire oi th*. Board of Education to forward educa- tion in every department. A vote of thanks was also passed to the Mayor of Swansea for his hospitality.

NEW SCHOOL AT LAMPETER. ADDRESSES BY MR. M. E. SADDLER AND MR. DARLINGTON, H.M.I. A new board school, re-placing the former edifice by three departments fitted up with all modern requirements to the great advantage of teacher and scholar, waa opened at Lam- peter on Saturday. Previous to the school being opened a meet- ing of the oounty Association of Teachers was I held, and addresses were given by Mr. M. E. Saddler and Mr. Darlington. A public meet- ing was held at the College School-hall, the Rev. E. Evans, vice-chairman of the board, presiding. Mr. Darlington, in an eloquent Welsh speech, dealt with the'advantage of the new. educa- tional authorities compared with the old. There was to be a great change in the history of the country; and the new administration would not be so confined or parochial as ill. the past, and it would also make the co-ordina. tion of primary and secondary schools more possible. Proceeding, he dealt with technical instruction, but urged the importance of learn- ing human nature rather than from nature itself. He described the effect of German edu- cation as the creation of scholars, the French education as the creation of officers, but the effect of English education was the making of man. Moral virtue was more than education and knowledge. It lay at the root of a nation's success. Mr. Sadler said that to a student of educa- tion Wales was a strong attraction. (Cheers.) There was an ancient national passion for schools. He had had a translation 01 an old Welsh saying that the features of a country side was a farm, a smithy, and a school- (Laughter.) He doubted whether there were many nations in the world who had preserved in their ancient literature a sentiment so sane and inspiring. What had been done in Wales during the past twenty years had arrested the attention of students and ministers of education all over the world. At every critical period of Welsh history large plans of educational reforms had corns into the minds of those men who interpreted Wales to herself, and who, therefore, were really the leaders of her people, and those critical periods had been for the most part critical also in the intellectual history of Europe. There was a great deal to be thankful for even in a time when the whole country itself had really been aroused to a sense of urgent necessity and wisdom. He felt thankful that the old view of education, as reading, writing, and arithmetic, had greatly disappeared. A school was something which was kept to train character, and he was not satisfied that the curriculum was narrow and limited in idea. He urged tha importance of discipline and the power of saying "No." and concluded with the saying of Philip Sidney tha.t "The end of earthly learning is virtuous action." The Rev. Daniel Jones, the late chairman ot the school board, and late vicar of Lampeter, in apologising for not being present, wrote that he had been a passive resister against the proposal to erect the boys' Bchool, but he now confessed that in that he was wrong. He hoped that his conversion would be the earnest of the conversions among another class of passive resistors.

CHECK WEIGHER'S CASE. RESUMED MAGISTERIAL PROCEED- INGS AT PONTARDAWE. The case against James Evans, check* weigher, Cwmllynfell, who was summoned by the proprietors of the Tirbach Colliery Com- pany, Ystalyfera, to show cause why he should not be removed from the colliery, was resumed at a special sitting of the Pontardawe magistrates on Friday. Mr. Kenshole (Aberdare) was again present to prosecute, and Mr. D. Randell (Llanelly) defended. For the defence Mr. Randell oott- tended that there was no infringement on the part of the defendant under the Mines Regulations Act with regard to the Checkweighers Clause. The evidence which had been called for the prosecution was, he declared, insufficient to substantiate the charges. The defendant said he knew that the employes had held a meeting disapproving of the action of the company in putting a man named Morgan back to his old work. He told them that it waa not a wise thing to do. On the following day the men passed another resolution to the effect that the pro- prietors could employ anybody else instead of Morgan. They virtually rescinded the resolution of the previous day. The proprie- tors and the other omcia-Is were then doing the hauliers' work. Be denied h,a;fing done anything to keep another man who had- taken Morgan's place oat of employment. He admitted putting up the following notice: A general meeting will be held this evening again to consider the banks haulier's case. Please attend, Important. Three witnesses were called, and the case was again adjourned until Friday next.

ARRESTED IN A TRAIN. SEQUEL TO A SENSATIONAL INCI- DENT AT NEWPORT. A few days ago a. somewhat sensational arrest was made at Newport Station, when the ex-cashier at Bond's Brewery, Bristol, was arrested on being recognised while seated in a train which had oome from Cardiff by bystander who knew that there was a warrant out against him. There was a sequel at Bristol Police-court on Friday, when. George Edward Redman (30), was charged on remand with having on July 20, being a ser- vant to Bond's Bristol Brewery (Limited), stolen JEM in money belonging to that firm; also with forging..a cheque for £60; also with stealing a cheque for £50. and alternatively with stealing the sum of JE50 in money. Mr. W. S. A. Brown, who prosecuted, stated that an accountant had been through the books of the company and had found further defaloa.tions amounting to £4{¡ odd upon which, however, no charge was to be made. He went on to say that prisoner had feT- bome years been cashier 110 the company thus holding a position of trust, and all t1 cheques, consequently, passed through ) hands. On July 16 a cheque was signed JESO by Mr. F. J. Bond, one of the direct, it having previously been signed by secretary and another director. Pris< called at the bank on July 20 and asked and obtained gold for the cheque. He tendered a cheque for £60 payable to t expenses. Mr. Bond would tell the bench he never remembered a cheque being payable to trade expenses, and that signature upon the cheque was not his t ture. also that he never authorised it signed. Evidence having been given in suppc this statement, prisoner was committe trial on the charge of forgery and thi larceny of £110.

RAILWAY SUBSIDENCES. ALARMING INCIDENTS IN TI SIRHOWY VALLEY. A signal-box on the Great Western seoti of the Sirhowy Valley Railway, about t miles above Risca Station, has subsided e. siderably. Owing, it Is presumed, to the w weather and also to the box being built < land under which colliery workings :11 carried on. The box had been showing «igj of giving way for some time, and during th last few days it had to be abandoned, and th contents removed for safety. On Friday i. subsided about 9ft., and partially toppled over, thus being practically wrecked, and portions of the embankment also fell, necessi- tating the working of the railway traffic all on a single line. A further subsidence or obstruction also took place higher up the valley on th4 London and North Western section of thf railway.

v CHILD DROWNED AT RESOLVEN, At Resolven on Saturday Yr. Howei Cuth- bertson, county coroner, held an inqufir^ touching the death of Ivor Steel, ag^d thre^ years, whose parents reside in Oory-street From the evidence it appeared that the child was playing on the Square on Thursday 1 afternoon, when he fell over a low wall into the brook beneath and was drowned. The jury returned a verdict of J^onnd drowned," and added a recommendation, that railings be placed alone the top of the wall to prevent the recurrence of such a fa'vallty.

at their best the flowers are always so bright, fresh, and sweet, and there are fewer failures amongst them than any other class of plants I know. None require so little attention to give a return. Those who say they have no glass and cannot grow nice flowers have omitted or forgotten the bulbs, which would respond splendidly to any attention they may t-eceive in the open ground. Even those with no garden need not be without them, as they laxnriate in pots, and may find delight in growing them in dishes of water in the cup- board first, and in the windows or elsewhere later. The bulbs possess every recommenda- tion that anyone can desire—easy culture, free flowering, most artistic blossom*, attractive colours, and the sweet -4t fragrance. It is impossible to overpraise them. I deal at considerable length to-day with bulb oultdre, and I have some other good ones-stul to write of. BUYING- BULBS. All who grow bulbe will now be contemplat- ing buying them. They are offered by all nursery and seedsmen, and some not in the trade, while large consignments are sent from abroad to different auction centres. As a rule, nurserymen and seedsmen of repute secure the best bulba. They bespeak the pick from the flowers, and sell them at a higher price than others to those who wish the beat. They can also supply cheaper ones, and those sold by auction are generally the third or fourth sixes. The larger the bulb the finer the spikes and display of blooms, but I am not going to cry down the cheaper bulbs. They may be small, but such are generally well ripened, and very few, indeed, of them fail to flower. The flowers of such, too. aitralways as bright and sweet as those on the beet, and the difference is merely in the size of the flowers, which is not very important, as huge flowers are not always the most convenient, especially in floral decorations. The best- bulbs, whether they are expensive or cheap ones, should be picked out for growing in pots. Those who grow a great many out of doors and some under glass generally buy two lots, one the best, the other cheaper for the open. Few plant the very best bulbs in their flower beds. Some of these cost Is., 2a., and 3s. each. These are both hyacinths and tulips, and those who grow for exhibition generally include them, but none of such is planted in the beds, The superior or inferior way bulbs bloom depends a great deal on how they are ripened. Quite a Bmall bulb thoroughly matnred will produce a larger and more sub- stantial spike than the largest that is not matured. Soft bulbs am the unripe ones; they shofdd be avoided. If such ace forced they will often fail to flower. A deep colour is an indication of ripeness. The cheapest bulbs are those which are sold in mixed colours, and these often make a fine show in the little gardens of cottagers and amateurs. THE MOST USEFUL GLASSES OF BULBS. It is mostly a. matter of taste which bulbs to grow, but some are more useful and showy than others. Hyacinths, although the most expen- sive, are about the least useful. Their tall, heavy spikes are showy, and all are fragrant, but the larre hyacinths are not very txooept- able as out fiawsrs. Thfay MM too stiff aH J or Clay's Fertiliser answem. Heavy cKty eotle are not desirable for bulb growing. BULBS BEFORE PLANTING. Bulbs are generally bought in during November. Slomo may have them now, and many do not plant them till mid-winter or into spring. The bulbs may be kept in paper bags, or they may be spread out in a room, box, or drawer. When kept for a time many of them are apt to start into growth at both root and top. Nothing worse oould happen to them; it ohecks and spoils them greatly, and is a Bad waste. I, thire- fore, urge all to keep an eye on their stored bulbs, and plant or pot them before growth begins. To retard growth as long as possible, keep them spread out in the light in a cool place. POTTING BULBS. Very many will now be thinking of potting their early bulbs, and, as all are potted the same, whether for early or late flowering, I will deal with the subject, to include them all. The pots used should always be quite clean and dry. Each one should be efficiently drained. When this is omitted the growth may come up and the plant promise flower, but this often fails before fully developed, as over-moist soil rots the roots and hinders per- fect development. The large flowering bulbs, especially hyacinths, are usually potted singly —one in the centre of a six or seven inch pot. Tulips, generally Roman hyacinths and daffodils and naroissi, are usually potted in groups in from three to Beven or eight inoh pots. If the pots have to be put in vases in rooms when the plants are in flower small pots are usually the beat. If the flowers are intended for cutting chiefly they ma.y be grown in groups in large pots. Do not pot the bulbs 1 too deep. Let the crown of each one be visible through the soil. TREATMENT OF BULBS AFTEm SPOTTING. As soon as bulbs have been potted they should be placed out of doors in a group to- gether. They should then be watered sum- ciently to saturate the whole of the soil. Let them remain exposed for a day or two to drain a little, and then they must be covered. No bulb will be a sttccess that is potted and left exposed, and to succeed they must be buried for some time. This may seem some- what odd, as those planted in the ground grow well without covering, but the potted ones are under different conditions. They are more artificial. The pots containing the bulbs should be placed together in any odd corner in the open or in a, frame, and then covered with fine ashes to a. depth of one foot. This will not smother them, but they will grow and make both plenty of roote and tops under them. When covered thinly they do not grow so fast as when they are under about one foot of it. They require to be grown three to five weeks under the ashes, and they should not be taken out till well rooted. BULBS IN ROCKERIES. require much sftaee. The bulbs ou. be. One advantage in bulbs is that they do not I "r the pleasure of seeing the development of leaves and flowers in the open air. I ROMAN HYACINTHS. These are great favourites for early and mid-winter blooming. They have small, almost white, bulbs, and are sold cheap. Some of the bulbs produce a Single spike, but many of them tWo and three. These are abottt one foot in height, and very graceful. They are of the purest white, and delightfully fragrant. They are ebaxming as cut flowers, and millions of them are forced to flower at Christmas and mid-winter. They can always be depended on at that time. and they are altogether most useful and desirable. Now is, the time to pot them for flcNUWin* from December onwards. EABtfiY NABOfBM. These are capital mid-winter companion flowers to the Roman hyacinths. Two of the best are the Doubal Roman and the paper white. The latter hae single flowers, and both are Quite indispensable where many flowers are wanted at Christmas. Each bulb produces a number of spikes over one foot in height, and they a-re both elegant and sweet. Indeed, a quantity of those flowers are suM- cient in themselves to decorate conservatories and rooms in a most satisfactory manner. Bulbs to flower at Christmas should be potted at once.