The North Wales Times

CAMBRIAN GOSSIP. Mr. Ffrangcon Davies, lit would appear from the American papers to hand, is having a right royal reception in the States, where he is now appearing at a number of con- certs. • A statue of the great Daniel Rowlands, of Llangeitho-an exact duplicate of the me- morial statue which is at Llangeitho-has been presented by a lover of the institution to Bala Theological College. » » • A parent wrote to a Board school teacher the other day as follows :—' Please not to let them het them bocase I cept them home for to fech coak for me, they could not get coak Tuesday morning, this morning they got her.' • • One of the chief Welsh contributors to that stupendous! work the 'Dictionary of National Biography' is the Rev. R. Jenkin Jones, Unitarian minister, Ab.-rdare. An- other Welshman who has written several biographical accounts in it is Mr. Lleufer Thomas, the secretary of the Welsh Land Commission. » • Lord Bute's experiment in wine-growing at Castell Coch continues to please him, and it pays its way. His yield last year, from 13 acres, was 40 hogshead of wine, albeit the autumn rains injured his crops very seriously. Should this realise a fair price, it would allow of something being carried forward to reserve. • • This seems to have reference to Lord Pen- rhyn. It was picked up the other night in the Lobby of the House of Commons :— The absurdity surely is great, And one's almost inclined to feel sorry, That a man's set to manage the State Who's unable to manage a quarry The Royal Welsh Ladies Choir, under the conductorship of Madame Clara Novello Davies, left Cardiff last week for Middles brough, where the choir sang on Wednesday night at the Harrison concert. A fortnight's concert tour in the North will follow, and the towns to be visited include Sunderland, York, Lincoln, Birmingham, Sheffield, Man- chester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Bradford and Nottingham. 9*0 The leek, having long done duty as the Welsh national emblem,is likely to be placed on the retired list. It is too obtrusive Mr. O. M. Edwards, who is great on emblems, has expressed a preference for the daffodil, which has been worn at several Gwyl Dewi gatherings. This charming bulb is in flower about St. David's Day, and as it is called Ceninen Pedr,' or 'St. Peter's Lek' in Welsh, its substitution for the Shakesperian leek would be easy. The Celtic Society of Aberystwyth Col- lege has been fortunate in securing the ser- vices of Professor Herkomer for the evening of 7th April next, when he will deliver a lec- ture under its auspices on Art Culture in Wales.' The same society will hold next term its second annual eisteddvod within 1 the College walls, and it is worthy of note that the College EisteddvSd held at Aber- ystwyth College last year was the first eis- teddvod ever held within the precincts of a college. « » The Most Rev. Dr. Emanuel van den Bosch, O.S.F.C., Archbishop of Agra, has been staying for some days with the Fathers of St. David's Monastery, Pantasaph, near Holywell. His Grace, who for an Archbi- shop is young, being only in his 43rd year, was Bishop of Lahore when he was trans- ferred to the Archiepiacopal See of Agra. Before the Holy See chose him for ecclesias- tical dignity he was a friar of the Order of St. Francis Capuchin. The Archbishop has paid a visit to St. Winifride's Well, which appeared to afford him great interest. < < The late Gwalchmai, it lis said, was the first to call the attention of the Congrega- tional Union of England and Wales to the great need of establishing English churches in Wales, in a paper he read before the meetings of the Union, at Newcastle, in 1854. On attaining his 90th birthday Mr. 1 Parry was entertained at a banquet at Llan- dudno, and presented with an iilluminated address in recognition of his services to Welsh literature. Lord Mostyn, the late Lord Aberdare, Sir George Osborne Morgan, and Sir John Puleston were among the sig- natories. • » In the report of the Welsh Land Commis- sion it was stated that the 'Dravod,' the weekly newspaper published in the Welsh colony on the Chubut river, Patagonia, was dead. It appears that this interesting little paper has been resuscitated, and shows signs of abundant life. One of the most curious features of the Dravod used to be its or- thography—the Welshy becoming in ic v, andff becomingf. Those who disliked this revised' orthography used to aver that-this and other peculiarities in spelling had a great deal to do with its temporary decease. • » The The University College of Wales Maga- zine 5 contains much interesting matter both for past and present students. Aberystwyth is old enough now to possess collegiate tra- ditions of its own, and these will be streng- thened and enriched by the esprit de corps which it is one of the purposes of the magazine to promote. Mr. R. Jenkyn Owen writes a short sketch of the career of Principal Ed- wards, a photograph of whom appears as a frontispiece. From the editor's note it ap- pears that the College authorities desire to place a portrait of Dr. Edwards in the Col- lege library, andgthat as the result of an appeal to past students and others interes- ted i-a the institution more than zC58 has been already received. It is also announced that the Worshipful Company of Drapers have made a grant of R500 to the building of the Women's Hostel, and that a large photograph, signed 'Alexandra, 1896,' has been placed in the Alexandra Hall in com- menoration of the interesting function which took place within the wall of the hostel last I June. • » It is said that the first time the late Edith Wynne appeared in South Wales was at the Merthyr Eisteddvod of the Cymmrodorion Dirwestol' in 1856 Three years afterwards she was engaged for a great 'National' Eis- teddvod in the same town, when the star of the evening concerts was Madame Dolby, then at the zenith ..If her fame. Edith Wynne was then only a mere girl of 18, and when the great Madame found that she was down on the programme for a duet with the humble Welsh maiden, she created a scene, and flatly refused to sin?. The story is told in the Tyst by Mr. Williams, who was the secretary of that particular eisteddvod. 'Miss Wynne was in an adjoining room,' he ,ontinues, 'and when she was informed that j ¡he London star would not sing a duet with 1 ler, her eyes filled with tears, but she soon < braced up and exclaimed, Never mind, Mr. Williams, the time may come when even Madame Dolby will be glad of my services.' And the prediction was verified, for in sub- sequent years the two arcistes often sang together.

THE WELSH UNIVERSITY. THE REPRESENTATION OF ELE- MENTARY AND INTERMEDIATE TEACHERS ON THE UNIVERSITY COURT. THE election has just taken place under the written instructions of the Lord President of the Council in accordance with the sta tutes. The lists of the schools were obtained from the Education Department, London. The number of the retiring candidates was three. The number of voting papers issued was 1,889. The number of persons voted for was 63. Not a single vote was spoiled I The successful candidates are :—Mr Thomas Roberts, headmaster of the Brynhyfryd Board School, Swansea, 153 votes; Miss Annie Rule, headmistress of the Radnor road Board School, Cardiff, 140 votes, and Miss Hannah Williams, headmistress of the Albany Road Board School, Cardiff, 124 votes. Mr Councillor Burnell, of Criccieth, received 107 votes, and Mr. Tom John, of Llwynypia (one of the retiring candidates), received 95 votes. Of the three retiring candidates Miss Annie Rule is the only one returned in this election. The number of Intermediate Schools opened in Wales and Monmouthshire up to the present date is 81. The number of per- sons voted for in the election which has just taken place was 34. The successful candidates are:—Mr. William Lewis, B.A., Headmaster of the Intermediate School, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, 14 votes; Mr. H. H Naylor, M. A., Headmaster of the In- termediate School, Machynlleth, Montgom- eryshire, 13 votes, aLd Miss Catherine Da- vies, head mistress of the Intermediate School, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, 7 votes. There were no spoiled voting papers. Not one of the three retiring candidates was re- turned in the present election.

POACHING AFFRAY NEAR TOWYN. KEEPERS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL At the Towyn Police Court on Friday, before a full bench of magistrates, two river keepers, named James Griffin and Edward Parry, were charged with maliciously woun- ding nine men, named John Jones, David Jones, David Owen, William Pugh, Rowland Whittington, David Jones, John Williams, Edward Owen Hughes, and Robert Hughes, all from the neighbourhood of Corris, on the night of Januarylll. The proceedings were commenced on Friday week, when two of the men were fined heavily for poaching. There was also a cross-summons, in which the keepers charged the other men with assaul- ting them. At the outset Mr. W. R. Davies, who ap- peared for the police, objected to' the pre- sence of Mr. Thurston on the bench, as he was not present on the last occasion. Mr. Thurston refused to retire, and the evidence taken at the first hearing was then read. John Williams identified a coat now pro- duced as the one worn by him on the night of the firing. It was riddled with shots Mr. Davies This is the man that had 95 pellets in his body. The witness, in cross-examination, said that he could not swear who fired the shots, but when he turned round he saw Parry, the keeper, standing in the field. He was shot before any scuffle took place between Griffin and himself, and when he made off, Griffin was lying on the ground, but he was not unconscious. The keeper hit him a blow on the head with a stone before the witness struck a blow. Rowland Whittington, who was also shot, was now called. He said that he warned the keeper to stand back, but he came on and struck one of the men. There were five shots fired, and he was struck with pellets in the legs and the head. The first shot was taken as a warning, but he did not strike Griffin with his spear. He did not see who fired the shots, but the only man who car- ried a gun was Parry, the gamekeeper. E. O. Hughes, another of the men, said that Griffin struck him first. Upon the third shot he felt that he was hit, and the shirt and drawers produced, bearing some dozen marks of shots, were worn by hjm on the night of the fight. He was in bed on the night of the fight. He was in bed on the following day, and was under the hands of a doctor, and was unable to work for a fortnight. In cross-examination the witness admitted that Griffin was called upon to stand back when he was seen coming towards the group of men. He did not see anyone strike Griffin, but he saw the keeper throwing a stone, and this was thrown back, but.he declined to say whether it struck the keeper. vVilliam Pugh stated that he was also shot in the hands. He heard Griffin shout- ing Shoot, Parry, shoot,' and he saw Parry firing. When Griffin was struck the keeper fell to the ground. Robert Hughes admitted that he was out on the night that the firing took place. He was shot in both legs, having 53 pellets in the front of the left thigh and 13 pellets in the right leg. He was helped away from the spot and remained in bed for a week. He saw the keeper Parry carying a gun. In cross examination the witness admitted that a warning shot was fired in the air. David Jones, another of the men, said that he was shot! in the right hand, the head, and the right leg. There were nine pellets in his body. He saw Parry with a gun in his hand. In cross-examination the witness stated that they left Griffin on the ground. By Mr. Haydn Jones (magistrate): Two shots were fired before the keeper fell. Mrs. Mary Thomas, wife of the tenant of the farm upon which the men met, gave evidence as to hearing sounds of firing and seeing Parry and Shaw, the under-keeper, standing near the farm. This was about one o'clock in the morning. Parry carried a gun and a lighted torch. Dr. Jones, of Corris, stated that he exa- mined the injured men, and found in some cases that the gun shots were embedded in the flesh. Some of the men were confined to the house for a fortnight. In some cases the men were shot in the eyebrows, face, hands, and legs. In his opinion the shot must have been discharged at a distance of 25 to 30 yards. This was the case for the prosecution. The defendants were committed to take their trial at the next quarter sessions, and were allowed out on S50 bail.

Sir John Lubbock expresses regret that the Government could not see their way to the adoption of his suggestion in favour of esta- blishing a national holiday in commemoration of Her Majesty's long reign. I was in hopes,' i says Sir John, 'that we might have had a fifth Bank Holiday yearly, to be called Vicioria- 1 day, or something of the kind, and I am sure < that it would have been extremely popular, e Perhaps it is not impossible now that if the i public manifest strong interest in the subject } the Government may be induced to takeanoth- i Br view.' <

THE PENRHYN DISPUTE. REJECTION OF LORD PENRHYN'S OFFER. ANOTHER mass meeting of men on strike at Bethesda took place on Saturday evening, and as on previous occasions, the ball was crowded, and the proceedings were through- out characterised by much enthusiasm. Mr. William Evans, who presided, ex plained that they had assembled to consider what line of conduct to pursue in face of Lord Penrhyn's latest offer of employment. It now appeared that the position of the 71 suspended men had changed (laughter), but it also appeared that there would not be room for all the men. It was not, be de- clared, the position of the 71 that they fought for, but rather for the great princi- ple of combination and the right of work- men to deal with their employers through their accredited representatives. Whatever happened to the 71 men, the men were now going to make it impossible for any persons to be again placed in a similar situation (loud cheering). The present fight was for a principle which was recognised among all working men of the kingdom, and if the fittht should be unsuccessful it would be a betrayal of the cause of labour (cheers). Mr. Henry Jones (Gerlan) declared that the reinstatement of the 71 suspended men was an inadequate concession if others were to be substituted. The demand of the men was that freedom should be extended to all without distinction. He moved the follow- ing resolution In view of Lord Penrhyn's notice, offer- ing employment next week, together with Mr. Young's explanation in the press, we desire to inform his Lordship that he has again completely misunderstood the princi- ples for which we have now been out for five months. Also we desire to restate that we never thought of interfering with the management of the quarry, but that we are determined to secure recognition of our just rights to discuss our affairs with the man- agement, and to rectify our complaints as a body of workmen through our duly elected representatives and officials, without these persons being in future open to sufier in any way for acting as our representatives' Mr. Robert Davies, in seconding the reso- Ition, referred to the allegations that the Quarry Committee had been guilty of inter- fering with the management of the works, and asked the meeting whether there was the slightest foundation for the charge? (Loud cries of 'No'). That certainly was the case. The committee was not to be held responsible if the quarry agents chose to con- sult certain persons as to how the works should be carried on (hear, hear). Some time ago he (the speaker) had occasion to refer to the importance of reinstating the 'king'on the throne. He complained that his meaning had been grossly misconstrued all he meant was that the men should insist upon their right of being represented by their own duly elected committee (cheers). He unhesitatingly laid the blame for the misfortune in which Bethesda had found itself for five months at the door of those men who had misrepresented to Lord Ppn- rhyn the doings and intentions of the com- mittee (loud cheers). Mr. John Williams ('Rynys), supported the motion, stating that while the men had fought their battle on honourable grounds, he was not certain that their opponents- with the exception of Lord Penrhyn—had not been hitting below the belt (hear, hear). He observed that the last notice issued was different from its predecessors; but let it be known that the Penrhyn quarrymen did not regard a change of persons as a change of principle (cheers). What they asked was that, having done fnothing wrong, they should all be reinstated. Their unity so far had been ,uch as to attract the commendation of the whole country, and he ventured to say that any week-kneed men that might be lured by the present notice would, become hopeless prisoners' (applause). The resolution was then carried unani- mously. Mr. Thomas Roberts (Vron), moved the following resolution :— Before we can go to work a clear under- standing must be obtained of the terms under which we resume work. Also we wish to remind his Lordship that the resolution we passed on September 30th, 1896, makes it impossible for us to accept the offers that have now been make three times by apply- ing for work individually. The resolution referred to stated that whenever we return to work we do so together, upon the under- standing that each one returns to his old place. That resolution is also consistent with the precedents at the Penrhyn Quarry in the setlement of previous strikes, namely in 1865, in 1874, and in May, 1896.' Mr. David Davies seconded the resolution, which was carried. ,r T) Another resolution, proposed by Mr. Ro- bert Thomas (Pen-y-bryn), was the to follow- ing effect We, as workmen, again desire to inform the Board of Trade of our wish to place all matters in dispute between us and Lord Pen- rhyn to be settled by them, or for them to arrange any mode of bringing about honour- ably a peaceful settlement by means of the Conciliation Act or any other method they might think fit to adopt.' Mr. W. H. Williams, in seconding the re- solution, stated emphatically that he was foremost among those who desired peace, but not peace at any price (cheers). There was probably truth in the statement that by going in on any conditions they might gain many things held out as a bait, but that was not the question. The men bad endeavoured to secure peace by almost every means known, and had had resort to the only Conciliation Act in iforce in the country, but they had failed. In this reso- lution another method was suggested. They were now willing that the dispute should be settled in the way the Board of Trade might think best. Outsiders laboured under the misapprehension that ithe workmen were the weaker side in this dispute, but if these outsiders thought the men would do any- thing unfair because of their supposed weak- ness they were greatly mistaken (loud cheers). This resolution was likewise carried una- nimously. It was announced that the col- lections made at the Dinorwic Quarry dur- ing the past month towards the Bethesda relief fund were X-173, while at Festiniog they were £ 178, and the receipts of an addi- tional sum of XIO was announced.

The Admiralfcv have decided to build two new sloops for the Royal Navy on similar lines to the Algerius and Phcenix, which were to be commissioned on Thursday for service on the China Station. The new sloops will be built at Sheerness Dockyard, and will be laid down early in the financial year. A painful sensation has been caused in the neighbourhood of Ballyclare, Belfast, by the discovery of the body of Mr. John Wilson in bhe river. Deceased, who was a large farmer, ind brother of Alderman Wilson, of Belfast, Lttended a meeting of Larne Board of Guard- ans on Wednesday, and on the following day fvas reported to the police as missing. There s a large cut on the forehead, but no other Ixternal injury.

darktrmg. [If any reader who isin a difficulty with reference to his garden, will write directly to the ad- dress given beneath, his queries will be an- swered, free of charge, and by return of post. —EDITOR]. THE FRUIT GARDEN. THOUGH, as a general iule, amateur gardeners prefer to purchase their fruit tiees already worked on suitable stocks from nurserymen, some few make a practice of raising a part of their trees, especially of the apples, pears, plums, and cherries, all of which are easily ob- tained by budding or grafting. Much has been written adverse to the method of grafting, but if proper stocks are selected, good results may be depended on. Indeed, so great is the in- fluence of stocks that varieties worked on different ones vary to the extent of several years in the time of commencing to bear fruit. A few words on the principal kinds may be use- ful, since very few people appear to have much acquaintance with the subject. The crab or seedling apple is used for orchard standard trees, and for pyramids)and bushes of the weak growing sorts, though for most bush apples the English Paradise stock is much to be preferred, owing to the short, close growth of its wood, and to its mass of fibrous loots, which do not penetrate the subsoil. The French Paradise has a still further dwarfing influence than the English kind, and it is consequently suitable only for rich land and small bushes. The broad- leaved Paradise is not unlike the crab in its robustness of growth, though its roots are more fibrous. For pears the best stock is the quince, which is used almost invariably now for dwarfs and pyramids, though it is some- times necessary to pursue the method knowD. as double-working, because a few pears, notably Marie Louise, will not unite directly with the quince. The difficulty issurmounted by w orking on to the stock a variety which takes well with it, and then in the following year the Marie Louise or other kind is worked on the pear &3 close to the quince as possible. The pear stock is used in every case for orchard standard trees, and occasionally for pyramids in poor soil. The roots have a bad habit of penetrating deeply into the subsoil, and on rich land this tends to make pyramid trees of too robust and vigorous growth. The Mussel plum is used for standard plums as well as for pyramids. Of the several different varieties in commerce, the most freely growing ones are best; adapted for large stan- dards. Another stock which has been much used is the cherry plum or Myreholan,a strong growing kind, which should be used only for poor and medium soils. If employed in rich land,the succulent late autumn growth is liable to damage from early frosts. The common plum is suitable for bush and pyramid trees, being rather dwarf. Of cherry stocks, the hardiest and best for orchard standards and pyramids is the wild cherry, though for small pyramids and for the morePo variety the mahaleb stock is the best. The paradise, quince, mussel, and ordinary plums are usually raised from cuttings, suckers, or layers, while crabs, myrobolon, and cherry stocks are ob- tained from seed. When they are large enough to plant out for working, they are lifted, and the side-growths near the base are trimmed away, the main stem being cut back to about 18in. in length, and deeply penetrating roots being severed. Plant them a foot or so apart in rows 2ft. asunder, and they will then be ready for grafting in the following spring, or for budding in July and August. The stocks which are to be grafted must be got ready in February, all side growths being removed to the height of six inches from the ground, and the tops being cut off at somewhere about the same height The scions are cut during Feb- ruary, carefully labelled, and firmly placed in the ground to wait until wanted. The object of this is to check tlio flow of sap, and to enable it to be stronger in the stock than in the scion at the time of grafting. Of course it is most important that only well ripened and clean wood should be chosen. The actual time of grafting is usually from March to April, but the work is necessarily greatly dependent on the weather. Tongue-grafting is the best ylan to adopt with young trees. The feci on must be about four or five inches long, and cut close above a bud. A sloping cut is made at the bot- tom or base, and a clean upward cut on the stock, to correspond as nearly with the cut surface of the scion as possible. From here, the top of the stock, make a downward cut- ting, forming a tongue; and place the two pieces of wood together, making the tongues pass one another, the scion being pressed down into the stock, so that the two barks exactly coincide or unite on one side Wind a piece of raffea firmly round the junction from the bot- tom to the top and then at once cover the whole with grafting clay. All that remains to be done is to renew the clay if it should ever be washed away by rain, and to remove it when the young growth is a few inches high. Graft- ing clay should be prepared before the work is commenced. Good, stiff clay should be selected, and mixed with finely chopped hay and cow manure. The resulting mass must be well beaten before use. Soon after the clay has been removed by sharply tapping it on one side, the raffea tie must be loosened to prevent it cutting into the bark of the young tree. Bup. port the stems with stout stakes if the situa- tion is at all exposed, to prevent the wind blowing the scions off. The operation of snag- ging is carried out in autumn by cutting off the end of the stock to the scion with a long clean cut. After this, the trees can be trained and pruned as may be necessary. E. KEMP TOOGOOD, F.R.H.S., Pro TOOGOOB & SONS, The Royal Seed Establishment, Southampton.

THE STOPPAGE OFv'WELSH Coll LIE RIE IT is stated that the directors of the Wynn- stay Colliery Company, Limited, Ruabon, have also decided to close the Plaskynaston Colliery at Cefn Mawr -where about 600 men are employed—in addition to the Green Pit-at which over 1,300 men are engaged— and the news, therefore, has caused very considerable excitement in East Denbigh- shire. The following is the text of the no- tice in question :— To the surface and underground work- men employed by the Wynnstay Colliery Company, Limited.-—Notice is hereby given to all persons employed by the Wynnstay Colliery Company, Limited, that from and after Saturday next, 20th February, all con- tracts of service will be terminated, and no workmen will be further required.' It is understood that the notice was is- sued as the result of the last meeting of the directors (of whom Mr. A. E. Boyd is chair- man), and owing to the nature of the dis- pute it is feared that the collieries wiH be entirely closed. The inhabitants of the district naturally feel great anxiety in regard to the situation. From past experience they know too well what it means to ihave 1,600 unemployed men in their midst; and more especially do the tradespeople feelithe gravity of affairs, A great many of them have never recovered from the effects of the last lock-out.

Prince George of Greece, whos name has come up so dramatically in connection with the troubles in Crete, holds the rank of commander in the Greek navy. He has made a special study of torpedo work, and all round is regar- ded as an accomplished naval officer. It will be remembered at the moment as a picturesque thing that it was Prince George who probably saved the life of the Tsar-then the Tsarevitch —when the latter was attacked by a madman in Japan. In contrast to his kinsman who rules over All the Russians, Prince George is a giant of six feet, and strongly built in propor- tion.