Denbighshire Free Press

RURAL LIFE. i BY A SON OF THE SOIL, THE CHEERY-EED SHORTHORX. The Lincolnshire Red Shorthorn Associa- tion lias now enjoyed twenty years of activity, and its efforts have done much to spread the high reputation of the breed for a combination of milk and beef. Each April the Association holds an annual bull sale, and the past year saw the most successful sale vet held. Whether next April's sale shows equally good results must depend to me extent on the progress of the war, and also on the suppression of foot-and-mouth 'disease, which continues to break out at in- tervals, in spite of every effort to control and prevent it. Notwithstanding the restric- tions on exports of cattle caused by this dis- ease and by the risks in the earlier part of the war to overseas shipping, the Association granted no fewer than fifty-five export certi- ficates up to October 1st. Buyers of cattle for export to the hot countries always prefer 'animals of a red colour, as ic is the common experience that th's is best able to resist the fierce powers of the semi-tropical sun. Light- coloured cattle invariably suffer more, and, therefore, prove less profitable when sub- mitted to the pure, intense sunshine which floods the vast and almost shadeless ranches. The deep cherry-red colour of the hair of Lincolnshire Red Shorthorns is now well fixed, and for this breeders are indebted to Thomas Turnell, who owned a famous herd "near Wragbv,-which was in its prime a little over 100 years ago. Except for the fixed colour, the breed is similar to other Short- horns, though undoubtedly it owes its good constitution and great hardiness to the LINCOLNSHIRE RED BILL. ■absence of inbreeding in its more recent h's- tory. It has all along been open to outside blood, and even now, although the Herd Book is tWllty years old, the Association still allow a red bull entered in Coates's Herd Book to he used, and admit, the pro- geny to the Lincolnshire lied Herd Bock. Other qualities for which the breed claims special recognition are length of frame, •weight of carcase, and special capacity for 'milk production; and the Lincolnshire Reds have for some years past been prominent in the milk and butter classes at the dairy shows. In this connection it should be remembered that at the time when the Herd Bock was formed the Shorthorn was being bred much more for beef than fur miIV, and it was not until 1901 that the Shorthorn Sc e'ety could be prevailed upon to give prizes for cows showing dairy qualities, while the Dairy Shorthorn (Coates's Herd Book) Association was only formed in 1 Hence, Lincoln- shire Red breeders c?.n claim to ha\e given a valuable lead. Scmo of the individual breeders of Lincolnshire Reds have been pioneei's in the keeping of milk records, and the astonishing improvement in their herds has done much to turn other cattle-owners' attention to the great value of this system. HEDGE LIKE LOADS OF HAY. As the botanical name for the yew, Taxus, implies, the wood of this tree was formerly used for making bows, and in the times when our forefathers were content with such miki methods of death dealing the tree was exten- sively planted. Many of the trees now met with had their origin in this way. But the habit of planting yews in churchyards or in the gardens around sacred temples was adopted by the Greeks from the Egyptians, practised by the Romans, and also by the Britons. Yews are so rarely cut down—being much too slow growing for sylvieultural treatment—that the timber is hardly known to many lifelong users of wood. But'it is a very valuable timber, though drying exceed- ingly slowly after being cut. For cabinet work there is said to be 110 better wood. and tables made from it are some of the choicest. It is >Vry heavy wood, weighing when dry above 601b. per cubic foot, and it seems to be as nearly imperishable as any wood. it 1, UG.v;r, (i.3 n .1lHg- J.TJ.ra tunc n-:o yew is most valued nowadays, though its slow growth causes it to be passed over by gar- deners who want a natural fence or screen to grow in the minimum time. But if one is content to allow a yew hedge to take its own time, meanwhile, of course, giving it proper attention, it will grow to enormous size. At Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, there are yew hedges as wide over the top as a load of hay, and dense enough to bear the weight of the men clipping them. They do best 011 cal- careous soils where sufficient light and mois- ture can reach them, and it is a chalk soil that has produced the enormous hedges just mentioned. The common yew is the only British species, but this has given rise to YEW fit LIT3. I several varieties. The best know 11 and most remarkable is the hidl yew, which is of up- right., column-like habit. It originated in tht mountains of Fermanagh, where it wns found in 1780, and planted at Florencecourt, the seat of the Earl of Enniskillen. This tree is still living, its present dimensions being— height 25ft., circumference 66ft. This is the parent, of all the Irish yews known, and, al- though it is female, its seeds are of no value for purposes of propagation, cuttings being o the only method of reproduction. re- markable seedling sports from the common or English yew are the golden yew, the yellow fruited, and depress, a low spreading shrub The fruit of the yew is normally red and fleshy, and it contains a single egg-shaped seed, the testa or shell of which is hard and the kernel solid and white. These fruits are greedily eaten by birds, but, according to Henry, the seeds, protected by the hard testa, escape digestion, and are voided uninjured. They ar-a known to be poisonous, and birds that have swallowed them may sometimes digest them and thus be poisoned. Au alka- loid (taxin) is present in the leaves and seeds of the yew, but not in the fleshy part of the fruit. It is a curious fact that the percentage of poison may vary in different trees, which may account for the capricious occurrence-of poisoning. It is possible that some birds—for instance, fowls, pheasants, and turkeys- would dige.st the seeds, and thus be poisoned. The leaves and shoots are poisonous to cattle, and losses have been numerous through this cause. But^it hp.s been noticed that stock reared near yew do not touch it. The oilier AY'io'li, route ur wholly leruate nowers, yet, it w qurvo \V l::U;'J.VU..1.,1. !.J female trees to bear good crops of fruits each, containing a fertile seed. It is quite worth j while to make use of the seeds for raising a ( supply of young plants, and also on the chance of obtaining a new variety, for all the I numerous forms of the yew known are sup- posed to be seedling sports. TRENCHING WITH EXPLOSIVES Dr. Herbert E. Durham has mads remark- able experiments with explosives as a substitute for deep digging. Using cheddite, he found that a 4oz. cartridge of diameter, which is fired at a depth of oft. and 10ft. from the next, gives a Ico-ening effect in clay soil to a depth of 4-Jft., and attects a, circle of radius about aft. (equalling eight and three quart;r square yards). To test the effect of small charges, he also experimented with a 2-07.. lioz., loz., and loz. cartridge 8ft. apart. This was admitted'}" an ex:ravaga-iit distribu- tion, but the idea was to try whit might he calle^the intensive plan; for in giving a thorough opportunity to the e:;plorivc, a small area in a garden treated at a rat which would be absolutely prohibitive in cost where applied to the whole area. Roughly speaking, the cost of fuse and de- tonator may be put at about Fid., and the powder at Id. an ounce at retail prices; 'X) that on tho estimate of the working efToct of a. 4oz. cartridge, above, a 10ft. circle is worked for 6d. Th's is very iiitieli Ic-zi than would be the e,,¡,t- of trenching to the same depth (4}ft,). 1 he caiiritlgoj are dropped into hoIcE; made with a eiov.bar, soil being afier- warcl-s rammed down 0\1 top of them. Their effect lare:ely depends on the nature and con- dillon (If the ground. If it ii firm throughout, they pulverise it oompkt-Oy, brt if it is natu- ) rally loose or has been deuble-dug they lo.so power unless they are sunk deeper. Among the crops wlrch Dr. lirriiam after- wards grew on the site were potatoes and asparagus. One variety of the former, Crim- son Beauty, give a gain v.hich varied from 15 per ccnt. to 88 per cent., according to size of the cartridge used, as compared with the plants grov.n on unexplorled ground. In the case of asparagus, the difference in growth v a.s socn patent to the eye, and the luxuriance of growth was not very far from being doubled. TREATAIEXT OF SANDCKACK. Sandcr.tck is more or le's constitutional, but the imir.ecliatj cause is seme unequal pres- sure or sudden strain on the hoof producing a fissure wlr'cU is usually found on the inside of the fore feet- and in front in the hind feet, j Unless the sender nek is very deep and pene- trates to the sensitive laminm there is not often any lameness, but^ should it be very I I deep the sensitive portion of the foot is in- volved and all inflammatory growth appears between the walls of the cracks, causing great pain and lameness. While the horse is still not lame, it is best, says M.R.C.V.S." in the Marie Lane Express, to get the farrier to burn a furrow just below the hair and above the crack, nearly through the horn, so as to prevent the fissure extending upwards, and from that furrow make a figure Jike an arrow head- with the point at the top cf the crack and the lines pointing downward-.?. Then the farrier must make, an arch below the crack on the lower surface, so that the shoe dees not press on the crack. If necessary a tarred bandage or 0 string must be bound round the foot so as to support the hoof, A mild blister to the coro- nets is also of great assistance, though not necessary. As soon as the horn 11;1. grown down about lin. the- horse can be worked, but a rest is advisable till scne sound horn has grown. Some hc-of dressing cf oeatsfoot oil may be used every day, as this i- an excellent dressing for brittle feet. The farrier should not be. allowed to rasp the front of the hoofs after shoeing, only rasping'below the nails.

IIII ELM AX ISTtt AND KIDNEY TROUBLE. FREE TBEATMENT. Rheumatism is duo to uric acid crystal in the joints end mu;c!es, the result of excessive uric acid in the system that the kidney failed I to remove as nature Intended, and this acid is mostly tbe cauie oi luthichc, lumbago. sciatica, gout), urinary trouble, fetone, gravel, and dropsy. The success of Estcra Tablets for the treat- The success of Estcra Tablets for the treat- ment of ibeamatiem and other forms of kidmy trouble, is doe to the fact that they restore tl e (kidneys to healtny action, and thereby remove the cause of the trouble, which necessarily removes the ill-effects that epring from it, and have curcd numberless cages after the failure of all other attempted remedies, which accounts for them fast f upereediDg out-of-date medicines I that are eold at a price beyond all but the wealthy. I Ib is not expeoted etatements made in favour of Ettoia Tablets will be accepted aa true, and for this reason a limited number of full b-xeo are offered prratiB to prove they fully warrant their desciiptior-an honest kidney remedy at an honest price, J/1! per box of 40 tableti cr 6 boxes for 6/ Supplied by most chemists. This efferof one full be x to readers of the "Denbighshire Free Press" is on condition that this notioe be out out and sent with 3d. in stampe, otherwise requests will be ignored, the object being to prevent those having no real ned frcm abusing the tffar. I I Address Estara 00 132, Charing Cross Rd., London, W.C.

I nBYL EISTEDDFOD. Competitors from ell parts of Norih" Wales, Cheshire, and Liverpool took part II in the 20th annual Eisteddfod at Rhjl on Boxing D&y. Llifon acted as conductor, and the 1 results were :— Contralto sole-Miss C E Jocee, I Fiynnongroew. Pianoforte solo-Miss Mary Vincent, Llandudno Janetic-n. Juvenile Solc-Mies W Lloyd, Ffynnon- groew. Recitation—Mies P Williams, Rhyl Mies F M William", Rbyl Miss D Ri z; Mold, and Miss E Jones, Ffycnongrcew. Tenor solo-Mr G OweD, Liverpool. Qasrtrzt-A-Ir W Dovifs and party, Old Colwyn. Soprano soh-Miss fricp, Llat fair- falhaiarr. Welsh Rtcitdti! n-Ur T Alan Jon3Çf, Halkyn, and r.F.3 Mfggie Daviee, Gjffylliog. Mixed Cboral fompetition-P,'estatyn and District Choral Society, conducted by Mr W Humphrey?. Bavitone solo-Mr D R Jonee, WCEX- ham, Challenge scb—Mr G Oven, Livsr- pocl. Duet- Mr G 0 "tD, Liverpool, and friend. Jnverila choir competition Colwyn '1 Choir, conducted by Mr E Roberts. In the chief choral competition for male voicep,-Rbos Choir (Mr B Evans) beat J Hal'tyn Chcir by two points.

BRITAIN'S SURE SHIELD. Addressing the gathering, Mr J Herbert Lewis, M.P., said that although we had been at war forfive monthe, there were in the country people who really did not realise it. We owed that very largely to the protection offered and given- by that Bure and strong shield of the Biitish Kavy (applause). No doubt Eome people would be surprised (o be told that there was leES unemployment in He country to-day than 12 months ago. The trade routes bad been kept open, the food supplies bad regularly cime in, and the great manufaotories had been kept going.

GREAT WHITE THRONE AND ITS BLESSINGS. MESSIAH'S MEDIATOR I Alt DOMINION OF EARTH. I I Pastor Russell's text last Sunday was, "I saw a great White Throne, and Him that eat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found 110 place for them" (Rev. xx. 11). He said in part: Sin made moral cow- ards'of our raec. From early infancy fear and apprehension, especially in respect to th-ings future, have been impressed upon us. Wo realise that we are imperfect, that our God is perfect, that perfection is the only standard which He could approve, and that some kind of punishment for sin must be expected. The Adversary, taking advantage of our fore- fathers, misrepresented the Almighty, and has used our fears to alienate v.3 from God. St. Paul assures llS that this is Satan's general procedure that lie ever puts light for darkness and darkness for light. Thus it comes that our text, one of the most beautiful and comforting when understood, has to many become a, lash in the hands of their fears. This text is one of the symbolisms of a Book of symbols. God's people, girided by His Holy Spirit, in due time will appreciate these sym- bols. For many of them that due time is already here. the Throne is Messiah's, and represents his Mediatorial Dominion of earth for a thousand years. Its whiteness symbolises the purity, the jusiice, of his Kingdom under the whole heavens. The heavens and earth which will flee from hi.s presence will not be the Heavens of God's Throne nor the earth which He has given to the children of men, but the symbolical ones. In Bible symbolism the earth represents established civilisation the sea, the restless, dissatisfied masses of humanity, and the mountains, human governments, kingdoms, which constitutes tire backbone of present social institutions. The symbolic heavens represent spiritual influences — Ecclesiasti- cism, Churchianity. Thus interpreted, our text declares that when Messiah assumes control of the world the result will be that the present sceial system, as well as ecelesias- tieism, will pass out of existrTec-no place will be found for them. SATAN NOW THE PRINCE. Some may ask, Whatever may be said of the four thousand years before the coming of Christ, can it not be claimed that he has been reigning ever since his ascension to the right hand of God? We answer, If the Redeemer of men has been reigning as King of earth for the past nineteen centuries there should be something in the Bible so to teach. On the contrarv. the Master's own words tell us that Satan'is the Prince of tins Age; that Christ's Kingdom is not of this Age; that he will come again and receive his followers to himself; that he went into a far country to receive title to his Kingdom and will return to take possession of it; and that ar his Second Coming he will be the great King of Glory (John xiv. 16, 30; xviii. 36; Matt. xxi. 33; xxv. 14, in). When we rcau the pages of history during the past eighteen centuries we are convinced that Messiah has not been King. To think of him as such, with the omnipotent power we accredit to him, would be to chnrge him with responsibility for bloody and atrocious perse- cutions, for wars, pestilences, famines, etc. Surely no right-minded person, after mature consideration, can rationally accept the theorv that we have had the glorious Messianic reign of righteousness for the blessing of the whole world. No one can think that the reign of the great Mediator between God and men is in the past. We must agree with our text that it is in the future, and that, when established, its effect, upon present institutions—political, social, financial, religious—will be sv.eh ^that they will flee away, 110 place will be found for them. From this standpoint alone is there hone for tlie.iiicrld. -< o-aay we are nving at tne enmax 01 civilisation. Yet we Jjehold more clearly than ever before that the deeply-ingrained selfish- ness of humanity is a blight upon all our blessings. Selfishness is to be found in every one. Although a semblance of righteousness is insisted upon, and violators of that stand- ard are styled criminals, nevertheless it seeinq impossible to legislate equity, justice. Men's keen intellects find opportunities for circum- J venting the law and for committing theft, murder, and other sins with impunity. GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT, J Neither Jehovah God nor Messiah can in anv sense or d?:;rc2 be a party to injustice or inequity. The fact that injustice has been permitted, that inequity has been the rule for centuries, is to be accounted for by the other fact that during all this period the world has been under the reign of Sin and Death, the reign of Satan, the Prince of this world," of its darkness, selfishness, and sin—all of which his name represents; that the world has not been under the dominion of Messiah the Representative of Jehovah and His righteousness. The New Dispensation which Messiah's Kingdom will usher in is pictured in our text. It will be the world-wide dominion of purity, holiness, justice, truth a great White Throne. No wonder we read that the sym- bolical heavens and earth, representing the old order of things—social and ecclesiastical— will vanish away But let no one for a moment think that ecclesiastical, financial, and political princes will vpluntarily acknowledge that the hour has come for a full surrender to Messiah and to all the principles of his absolute righteom- ness. On the contrary, those privileged mem- bers of our race will be more and more drawn together for mutual protection. Even now we see the Second Psalm fulfilling. We are in the very time when Jehovah, through the Prophet David, calls earth's great ones to re- cognise the true situation of our wonderful day—that the Day of Messiah has arrived, that he should be recognised and his prin- « ciples of righteousness obeyed. jj But no The prophecy declares that we are in the day when the people, the masses, will have foolish imaginations—thinking that by their own strength they can inaugurate a reign of righteousness along the lines of Socialism or by anarchy. The people must learn that their help is in the Lord and not in themselves. They must see the force of the statement, Blessed are all they that put their trust in Messiah." God is no respecter of persons. Hence, be- fore His Judgment Throno punishments will be meted out to the small as well as to the fore His Judgment Throno punishments will be meted out to the small as well as to the great, when found to be violators of the prin- ciples of justice. Would that this fact could be impressed upon many of the lower classes .1 e who are crying out against injustice in high places while practising similar injustices themselves Let it be remembered that the great White Throne speaks blessings, Divine favour and uplifting to all who love righteous- ness and hate iniquity—both small and great. The people will not be judged by nations or by systems in society. The Books of the Bible will all be opened then—understood. All will see that the Golden Rules laid down" by inspiration through Moses and the Pro- abets, through our Lord Jesus and his Twelve 4pcsties, are the very ones which God will re- quire of men, and which Messiah will enable :he willing and obedient to comply with by insisting them up out of sin: and degradation. The test will be of works, whereas the l.e>>t of the Church is that of faith.