The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

ITALY DECLARES WAR. IRRAIN SEIZED BY AUSTRIANS. rbas declared war on Austria. The Hjafje,1'a^0n of the formal declaration was on t ,V ^le Italian Ambassador in Vienna Jg ,u'1(*ay afternoon. This action wan ren- trjn, ]J!evitable by the denunciation of the XhP^' Alliance by Italy on May 4th, and by Pari- an(l Friday's debates in the Italian fin» when the bill was passed confer- g extraordinary powers on the Govern inent. FRONTIER ENCOUNTER. PttblM ■^otne Giorncile d'Italia on Sunday ished a telegram from Brescia announc- es an encounter between Italian Chasseurs Cr^11S an<l an Austrian patrol which, had the frontier. The Italians attacked yigorously pursued the patrol. on* u,ot'ler message states that Austrians have, !».. frontier, seized a train which left With materiel and passengers. The in- eut has creatcd great excitement. ENTHUSIASM IN ITALY. T -1 Jf l ''egrams- from Turin, Genoa, Naples, Ka-and Florence state that the news of decree ordering the mobilisation of the a and navy aroused tremendous enthusi- 0:,111. among ihe inhabitants. ITocessions the flags of Italy and France paraded Ii\ Stret'^s *° tbe singing of patriotic hymns. L and theatres were crowded witih en I and cheers were given for the Kin? I 11 w' army. When the theatres emptied a R- procession of young men marched B.*r.°ag''i the principal streets welcoming the I" ^Nation of the forces and singing the • Clonal and military songs.

BRITISH PROGRESS. FRENCH SUCCESS IN ARCONNE. Tile. Field-Marshal Commanding the British f^J'ees in France reported1 on Saturday as Inhere was a violent artillery engagement on ljday evening north-east of Festubert, and "1 infantry fighting. We made further jj°~A'ess south of La Quinque Rue. On the k^ainder of the front there is nothing to r«I>on. i ,{ GERMANS THROWN BACK. J-$U}lEROUS ATTACKS AGAINST THE f| FRENCH. ^4 i following official communique was on Sunday afternoon The enemy j, several attacks Inst, night between the f !i and Arras. He was everywhere repulsed, {■ J1'' suffered Very lie:wy losses. The first of > attempts occurred north of Tpres, east fe; the Yser canal. The Germans did not suc- P'^(1 in debouching. Two other attacks were *?• ^d- at the plateau of Lorette. ■Starting if *°ni the north-east and south-west they were t. able to reach our lines. Two further j »*ltteks were made against our positions at K1, ^'ville-'St. Vaast, in the village, in the ^Ui-.terv, and further south in the region ||r Cjal!| Ü¡'e "LabyriIJth." 0C one point alcne wa the enemy able for %,Q;on^-it to gain a footing in one of our ad- <«fcrenehes, but he was driven out of it, JMgPd left many prisoners in our hands. In the -^B-fgonne the Germans exploded several mines tr our position". nnd attempted to oc- .py. th-e craters thus formed with strong i?r\v~- Our infantry threw them back to ir origin^l line under a storm of bombs IjJ'd grenades, inflicting heavy losses on them, enemy's defeat was complete. BRITISH PROGRESS AT FESTUBERT. Sunday night's official communique c-j.-iys: NN.'Ilulc. of the region to the north of fe'^Y" an<^ consequence of the defeats sitf- n'tv'i'! '1V ^ie ^errnans ]'n *'lie eourse of last S1' the fighting has continued at certain with extreme violence. S- „ British Army made progress to the k ra>; 0f Festubert. I. TVT° {he Ilorth"e«sfe of the Chapel of Notre If 'nie de Lorette we advanced several hun- yard; and took .some prisoners. i, To the north of Neuville St.-Vawt we & c*rr:o(l a series oT tranches and reached the ■L Cly-»«-roads to the north of the village. We ■ ?ai»tured, more-over, further groups of houses 3 ,n 'Jie village itself. enemy aeroplane threw three bombs he open town of Chateau Thierry. Uie German communique claimed that •^nth-west of Neuve Chapelle several partjgl *ta°ks which were delivered by the ErmBh jv ,v_arious times were repulsed. A number of rit^h coloured troops were taken prisoners.

I THE GALICIAN BATTLE. P ENORMOUS GERMAN LOSSES. The official communique issued in Petro- ff^d on Sunday by the Russian General |, *»tafF says: i, louring the day of the 20th inst. and1 the 2J°fning of the 21st the enemy's thrust on the 1- ftlician front showed some signs of -weaken- j S- In several sectors the enemy adopted a jfensive attitude. The enemy's artillery was also profuse in the expenditure of ammunition. ^Jn the left bank of the Lower San onr r°°ps assumed1 the offensive, carrying by S3ault the villages of Krawce, Burzi, Przys- ow, and Kamerale, and repulsed an enemy t,r- attack in the direction of Nisko. In » a salient of the enemy's front, on the right ank <rf the San, we carried the village of Ig- laee, on the River Lubaezuwka. ^the region of Przemysl there has been no aangc. East of Sussakow fierce enemy ^acks continue. The enemy succeeded in A Srrying a part of the trenches held by one te °Ur rcf?irn'ems- In our count-er-attacks we ade here 1,000 prisoners. On the rest of the Gafieian front the attacks ot the enemy, who suffered enormous losses, becoming of a more isolated character, principal efForts oi the enemy on th £ 20th fIre concenfcmted in the district comprised **tTveen the Rivers Tyemenier and Stry. In region -"f S'.oncko we captuT^d several of prisoners. Two companies of itioe "fny surrendered near village of Zovadon. the other sectors along the whole front has been no important engagement. In region of Sha'vli we continue to press the Germans on the left., bank of the tit rOdava and Wenta. On the Narew front F "'t e enemy has delivered partial eounter- is, the object of which apparently was to ^Ufitoni the troops to the use of ppieonousgM. i", n the left bank of the Vistula the enemy fb entirely passive. The enemy elements de- Opatow *re etrengtJtoning their Hj,Sl^°n and receiving reinforcements which oeing sent to them from beyond the Vie- a *nd. from Galicda.

TURKS LOSE 2,000 KILLED. COLONIALS REPULSE ENEMY. Th —— thp fallowing official telegram regardine «n ^rations in the Dardanelles was issued ^Saturday: May 19th, im the southern area»of th€ <>0 PoK. Peninsula, the French forces, in sanction with the British^ made a con- advance and have consolidated th« Position. Our aeroplanes dropped bomb! Afc11!3* Turkish reinloroementB landing in Baehi Liman and caused ooneiderahk On the night of the 18th-19th the ,1sh forces, made determined attacks and New Zealand in^s> "which were all repulsed with heavj their casualties being over 7,000, ol 2^000 were killed. Our losses did nol 600 t

RUSSIANS AT BAY. ¡ DETERMINED STAND IN GALICIA. I GERMAN PRESSURE ON THE SAN. The news from Galicia up to Friday mom ing was Oil the whole more satisfactory ,1.]] it had been since the great effort of the enemy began in the first days of the month, sajs 11: ,> Timet. In the main theatre, and particularly in the most important part of it. round about laroelau, the Russians are holding the AustiO-G«rmans, though they can claim illi victoary. The Petrograd communique describes the aEtostion in great detail, and even the official report from -Berlin, has ceased for the first time to boast of .successes. Battles are being foughi along the vhole length of the 250-mile line from South Poland to the Bukowina. Following this, line in a south-easterly direction and beginning ut South Poland, near Opa-tow. the Germans are here still giving ground slightly, and within three or four days had to yield ten miles of territory. In the next .-eetor. begiiwnng at the Vistula, the Ru-ssiirtis say that they engaged tihe enemy with success. Beyond this is the critical sector north -of .Taroslau. where, as was already known, the euemv have estab- lished themselves across the San, but Berlin speak*, of desperate Russian attacks, and plains no advance. The Vienna. official report, however, does as-erf that some ground has been gained. It now appears also 11 that south of Jtaroslau the Rus*;aiw are still holding out on the west- bank of the river. Przemysl is being attacked from the ru.st a.s well as the west, and Petrograd admits slight progress by the enemy on the east. From this point onward* there is 110 marked change, though at the most easterly part of Hie line, the Delatyn-Kolomea sector, licar Bukowina. the Russians made some progress. GREAT GERMAN PHALANX. According to the Yrmnya, ,-avs 1 Time* Petrogmd correspondent, the enemy has in Galieiu ihirt) -four corps, of whicli ten are intended for a demonstration o-n the and seventeen for the main blow at Prz-ri.iysl and Lwow. a.nd eight- for guarding the flanks towards Opatow and the Bukoivina. Gener- ally speaking, the Germans are distributed at the points of danger, while the Austi-ans are filling up the gap-. An authoritative account is published of how the Germans formed a phalanx of nearly 200,000 troops supported by enormous artil- lery forces and moved along the railway from Gorlice to and- Tizeszow, repairing it in the wake of the retreating Russian Army^afc the, rsite of four miles daily, advancing irre- sir-iiblv, like a. battering-ram. till they suc- ceeded in crossing the San at Jaroslau. The phalanx is believed to have lost one-third of its is s:r;i■ powerful enavzh to menace the rear of Prz+-my>I. The total losses of the enemy since his advance from the Dunajec are estimated at 150,000. The re- vival of the old Greek phalanx and its adapta- tion to modern surroundings reflects great credit on the ingenuity of General von Maeker.sen.

RUSSIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. rHE GREAT FIGHT AT THE SA RIVER. The Petrograd official report issued on Thursday night isavs: During the 18th' the battle in the region on the left bank of the Vistula south of the Pilica and on the wholeN Ga-lician front con- tinued with constantly increasing intensity. On this front were revealed new German dements which ap-pe-ar there for the first time. On the left- bank of the Vistula, west, of Ilza-Opatow-Koprzwjiica (the latter plaee nine miles west of Sandomierz) and, in the region of the confluence of the San with the Vrtula. M- far as the environs of Nisko [twenty miles from the confluence) our troops have pressed the enemy with success. The number of prisoners t.aken here in the course of the 18th exceeds 4,000. The great hostile forces which crossed the San after an obstinate fight have succeed-e-d in spreading over the sector Jaroslav-R-adtiwa- » Hieuiawa (a front of about sixteen miles, Ra- dawa being four miles of the San-, and the other towns on the river). In the region between rrzemys-1 and Jaros- lav we pressed the enemy somewhat on both banks of the Sail. Detachments of enemy aero-planes threw bombs on Przemysl, against which the enemy attempted no other action. To the south of Przemysl the attacks of the enemy were conducted with particular inten- sity in the seotor L u tkow J atw ieg i -R i ver Strwiaz (Lutkow is fifteen miles south-east of Przennysl, and the Strwiaz further south- east), where the euenJY succeeded at the cost of enormous sacrifices in capturing several of our advanced trenches. On the front Drohobycz-Stry-Dolina we continoued to repulse tenacious attacks, and inflict-ed immense losses on the. enemy. In East Galicia, to the west of Ko-lomea, the fighting on both banks of the- Pruch dur- ing the night of May 18th-19th continued to our advantage. In the Shavli region of the Baltic Pro- vinces our troops continue to push back the enemy on a wide front. We captured several more" hundreds of prisoners. The enemy is offering a very stubborn resistance nenr ths village of Kurszany (sixteen miles west of Shavli), where the fighting still continued on the 19th. In the other regions there have only been ■light skirmishes. 1 "V^

ON THE WESTERN FRONT. GERMAN AVIATORS BROUGHT DOWN. The following official report was issued in Paris on Thursday night: Betw.een" Nieuport and Arras the ground re- mains soaked with rain and impracticable. The dav has been marked by lively artillery duels, in the course of which two German. aviators were brought down, one by the British artillery and the other by ours. In Champagne, near Beausejour, we have made progress by mining operations as far as the enemy's trendies, and have maintained our positioji.,iii contact with them. In the Argonne, at Bagatelle, we repulsed an attack. In the Bois d'Ailly (Meuse) we have carried several trenches, taken some prisoners, aad hold the ground won. I ENEMY'S SILENT GUNS, A communique issued by the Bedgian Gov- ernment on Friday says: There was eimoSt complete inactivity on the part of the i enemy's artillery along the whole of the Bel- gi&n front yesterday."

IN THE DARDANELLES, I KiUTHIA HEIGHTS REPORTED TAKEN. An Athens message says: Reports from Tenedos state that folio-wing on bayonet at- tacks the Allies have occupied numerous Tur- kish positions on the heights of Kritlilm and Gabs. Tepej The Turks sustained greea losses, and the Allies took numerous prisoners. The Allies are now in an advan- tageous position to develop their future operations. Reports, not yet confirmed, state that all the forts on the Asiatic side of the Straits have suffered enormous damage b, I the bombardment of the fleet. The forts on the European coast have suffered leei fseverely. MAI DOS REPORTED OCCUPIED. BRITISH ABILOPLANIS OVEB GALLIPOU A' nfort fzem Mytiliane states that the de afcracMon of the foiia ait Kilid Bahr is 0IIII firmed. The bombardment of the Najgara forte is preaeadw continuously day and night.. g toa runKnir at lenedoe, Maides 1 was ow per" after a violent action. Brxtisk sberopianea low over the town of Gallipoli and dmpp" IJombl coultaining explaiiw4; of

AMERICANS IN GERMANY. "LEAVE AT ONCE, IF POSSIBLE." 'While waiting far Germany's answer to I President Wilson's Note American officials in Germany are taking precautions regarding their nationals in case diploma-tic relations are severed between the two countries. The Am-ericin Embassy and Consulate- General in Berlin, acting in conjunction, are, saye the Washington correspondent of the Daily Nrm*. taking a census of Americans throughout Germany. Every American Consul in that country is obtaining the full name. telephone address, date and number of pass- port, and the future plans and occupation of svery American in his district. Mr. Gerard, the Ambassador in Berlin. ha-s warned them that they should leave Germany at once if their business interests do -,ot seriously con- Sict. The State Department since the begin- ning of the war has looked with, disfavour upon Americans staying in any part of the war none.

BRITISH PRISONERS SHOT. EXECUTED FOR TRYING TO ESCAPE. People arriving in Holland from Louvain bring a story of another outrage in that town, this time against British prisoners, s'avs a Rotterdam correspondent.' Constantly trains full of wounded pas? through for Germany. On Saturday week there were amongst the passengers ten cap- tive British soldiers. These were seen at the station, but while the backs of their guards were turned all the men in khaki escaped. Six were soon retaken and promptly shot on the .statioii platform.

POISON GAS FOR LONDON? A Jloticw hag been issued in amplification of one published. early in the year advising member*, of the public, in the event of an air raid. to take refuge in houses so as to be out I exf the way of falling fragments of the shells that .might be fired at enemy aircraft. The Commissioner of Police is now advised that it would be well for persons thus taking re- I fuge to keep all windows and doors on the lower floors closed, -so as to prevent the ad- mission of deleterious gases.

THE BRAVEST THING I SAW." In a letter to the 4fornitig l'ost, a member of the Territorial Battalion of the Seaforths writes: And now the bravest thing I saw. Suddenly one of the wounded, ten yards or so in front, is seen to be burning, and the cart- ridges in his pouches going off bang! bang! Without a moment's hesitation the only N.C.O. left jumps up, runs up to him. take's out his own jack knife, and starts cutting away his jacket and equipment under a deadly rifle fire. and then feels his heart— dead. Fortunately our. corporal escaped without injury, but what an escape and what an act!

GOOD NEWS IN A PHOTOGRAPH. .There is a very happy woman in Dartford. Her name is Mrs. Cambers, of East Hill. Her husband was reported killed at the battle of Men's. Three months larF Mrs. Cambers received a card from him saying that he was woureded and a prisoner in Germany. The notification of death was thus apparently a mistake. There was always, however, the chance that- the statement that he wa-s a pri- soner aright lie a mistake. All doubt has now been set at rest. On Thursday a photograph of British prisoners of war in Germany was published in the London papers. Mrs. Cambers saw this picture, and the first man she in the group was her husband.

GERMAN'S ADVICE TO WOMAN. For using the name of another prisoner in a letter, Ben-no Kahn, a German prisoner of war confined at Douglas alien detention camp, has beeai sen te-ne-ed to two months' hard labour. Prisor-srs are allowed to write two letters a week. and Kahn used another prisoner's iname in writing to a young won.an. Kahn's defence was that it was a. common practice in the camp to get prisoners who were not writ-i-riig to allow cthera to use their names. In the letter he advised the woman to leave Emgl&nd. as she would be in danger when the Germans ir.vadted the country.

EIGHT MONTHS IN A GERMAN CAMP. Mr. John Smith, master of the Boston trawler Porpoise, sunk by bombs from a Ger- man torpedo-boat in August, bag arrived at his home in Yarmouth, after eight months' casptivity with 5,000 Briti-b civilians at Riih'teben camp. He was liberated with thirteen others. owing to his age, -sixty-four, and the state of hi's health. The prisoners, he 'd, li,a saiJ. had scarcely enough to live on, but were helped by parcels of food from this country.

A HUGE AUSTRIAN GUN. According to the Vossichn Zritunq, the Austrian troops used a new battery of 52cm. (20-5in.) mortars in the fighting round Tar- now. The first shot from one of these guns entirely destroyed a large tower at a distance of eleven miles. The shell weighs over a quar- ter of a ton more than that of the German 17in. mortars.

TO REPLACE THE OCEANIC. To replace the Oceanic, which was lost off the ShetIandis in September, the White Star line have decided to alter the character of a liner of 33.000 tons that- is being built. The new vessel is to be called the Homeric instead, of the Germanic, as was at first intended.

DETECTIVE AS A "FLAT." An eklerly confidence trickster, James Page, who was trapped by a detective, was at the London Guildhall on Friday given three monitbs' hard' labour. Detective Sergeant Berry,, of the Great Eastern Railway Police, posing as "a bit of a flat," entered into con- versation with Page, who was loitering about Liverpool-street Station, and led the old mail to brieve that he was a. stranger in London. The prisoner showed him round. When they passed' tlie Sessions House Berry asked, "What might that building be?" and Page tnformed him that it was the Central Criminal Court. d

'J., ALLEGED WOMAN CPV DIKCF *R,GED. Acting oil the instructions of the Public Prosecutor, the Newcastle magistrates have discharged Margaret Henderson Smith, who had been accused under the Official Secrets Act of having a plan of a fuse in her posses- sion, and of attempting to obtain and com- municate information likely to be of use to an enemy.

DEATHS IN BATHS. An order has been issued by the Home Office requiring that in all cases of deaths occurring in baths an expert pathologist shall be called in, in order to make a thorough in- vestigation of the circumstances and to give evidence at the inquest. In the Metropolitan District, Dr. B. Spilsburv, pf St. Mary's Hos, pitaT, will be the expert selected for this duty.

THAMES BOATING TRAGEDY. Private Totiey, of the Honourable Artillery Company, and a young lady companion named Hodges, were drowned in the Thames on Friday night. Their skiff was carried by the strong current over Suubury Weir and capsized. Two other occupants of the boat, Private Wilkinson, of the same regiment, and another young lady were saved.

FOULED A SUBMARINE? Examination of the bottom of the New- oastle steamer Loch Lomond, now in dock ai South Shields, shows that she was fooled bj an object under water off Folkestone, wher on a voyage from Port' Beira for the Tyne. She received a shock so violent that tile fire men rushed from the stokehold to the dsftfc t( know what was the causo. I

« A REGULAR SWANK My word! I got ,a hearty laugh Dow.n here the other day And at a native, too a youth I Who'd been a year away In London town-tl, junior elerk, Or something in a bank. Whate'er lie was up there,-flown here He was a reg'lar swank I I met him On iMondav 'long the pier. stys, off-handed like, What brings your lordship lt(,re? Bank bust, or have ye got the push? He frowned and stared at nk. If you're addressing ME." he says, Haw—do it civilly.

A reg'lar swank. "Besides, I've not the pleasur.c-haw- Of your acquaintance, sir." G'o*n." I says, ain't you the son O' Widow Forrester? I've known ye since ye were a kid, And, lor', it does seem queer That you don't know me, when you used To fetch my supper beer." He star.ed again. "Haw-to be sure, I've got a dim id fa h About some rough old sailor man I used to kiiowdowli heah. I Haw—yes, I know. You're Sailor Jack. I really did forget. I'm glad to see you, Jack, old boy- Hawhm'p do cigarette." I

I wouldn't move a muscle. For, as he spoke, a little kid, With paper-bag in hand, Came sauntering 'long the pier, and just Behind him took his stand. :Amd there he stood with open mouth, I A-listening earnestly, To the tall tale the City youth Began to spin to me. « I was at Southend," he^ went on, « And down at Rarosg&te, too, The day those Zeppelins dropped theif bombs, And—haw—they dropped a few. D'ye think I ran for shelter, Jack, Like most folk? Not a bit, I got a pail of water, and I caught the bombs in it

U Zeppelins J Bombst" The little boy with paper bag Was listening all the v. h-;e; When he heard thi.t.s fr.ee There came a ,I'. The paper bag v.u!h. And. blowmu -i-i He It nearly deafened me. The City youth sprang ten Zwk high, T*"«i with a f«ftzacn» ytil ootxld ha' beard a anile away fled dour* the pier pell-mell. | haven't seen that tool, calm joaiK From London tfnew that day, 0pt, lor'! I'd Kke to eee Urn wbflS • real bomb a awn to ~wayl «

AGRICULTURAL NOTES. BY A PRACTICAL FARMER. A DEMONSTRATION TRAIN. Demonstration trains are such a favourite method of educational work in America that it is surprising their advantages have not been more appreciated in this country. In- deed. the only demonstration trains that I have heard of were the two that visited Wales to demonstrate modern methods of poultry keeping. The first of these. Egg Train. a> they were called, visited 8011th Wales in 19f0, and the second went to North Wales in 1913. Both excursions were highly successful, and the 1913 trip to North, Wales resulted in the output of poultry produce in the district being quickly doubled. Now arrangements are being made for another Egg Train, which is to tour the, Wfst of England. The Agricultural Organisation Society have received from the Development Commissioners a gnillL for the purpose, and arrangements are now being made for the proposed tour, to start on or about July 7th next and last three weeks. The counties to be visited are: Dorset, Somerset. Cornwall, and Devon, and the demonstration train will be in charge of A. D. Allen, the A.O.S. pouliry expert, it is stated mat the eqtfp- 4nent of the vans will be strictly practical, keeping in view the requirements of farmers and others. Trap-nests, incubators and brooders, boxes, marking rings, egg- test-in g appliui: ;-es. &c., will all be included, as -,N e, I as models of poultry houses, &c. A poul- try expert will travel with the train to give demonstrations in the preparation of poultry for the table—plucking, trussing, packing, and marketing—and those who do not know -will be shown how to test. eggs to determine their quality. Where it is possible the County Council lecturers will board the train and give lectures in their own county. EFFECT OF IRREGULAR MILKING. Milk varies in composition according to the I breed and food of the animal from which it comes, and it is by a. steady improvement of strain and by scientific regard to food re- quirements that- the most productive herds are maintained. But there are other causes of variation in composition. Milk increases somewhat- in quality as the in-milk period approaches its full term, and evening milk is generally richer than morning milk. This is due, Undoubtedly, to the fact that a longer period elapses between night. I and morning milkings than between morning and night, and not to .any other causes. This has been tested several times, and in one case by a public authority. Ten cows in this ease were divided into two lots of five, and were specially milked for eighteen days. Fhe cows were milked at 8 a.m. and 4 p^m., and five at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The milk produced at equal intervals was richer than the morning's milk produced at unequal intervals; it contained 4 per cent, of fat, as agaiiist 3-6 per cent., and was there- fore 1 per cent. above the standard. And not only was this the case, but the cows milked twelve hours apart gave daily nine pints of milk more than the others. Naturally, the milk drawn at. four o'clock was the. richest, for, speaking roundly, the shorter the inter- val after the morning's milking the richer the In each ease, however, the solids other than the fat of the milk were practi- cally identical. Under normal, a healthy herd is not very likely to produce milk containing less th-an 3 per cent, of fat. If cows could al- ways be -milked at twelve- hour intervals the quality of the morning's milk would be such dairymen might cease to fear prosecu- tion for an offence against, the milk standard, and that is .a thing very devoutly to be wished. Failing this, the best plan is to own one or two Jerseys, or other rich milkers, to keep up the average of the milk fat. HAY FOR THE ARMY. An interesting statement lias been issued with regard to the purchase of hay by the War Office. The hay required for -use- abroad must be steam baled and1 mavst consist- only of good hard hav, such as some clovers, (Sainfoin or sainfoin mixture, seed mixture, lucerne and upland meadow hay. Landowners and far- mers are asked) to make every endeavour to render hay of this description available for military purposes. Hay requiroo for the Home Forces may be of a so: lewhat lower standard, provided that it is clean, sweet, and dry. The average annual production of hay in the United Kingdom for the ten years 1904 to 1913 was about 14,148,000 tons. The crop in 1914 was much below the average both as regards seeds and meadow hay, and is esti- mated to have been not more than 12,400,000 tons. Fortunately, however, the crop of 1913 was an exceptionally heavy one, estimated at 15,400,000 tons, and the surplus of the latter when added to the 1914 crop brings up the stocks of hay in 1914 to about, the average. It is stated that the quantity of hay re- quired by the Military Authorities amounts only to one-fourteenth of the average annual supply. It is evident, therefore, that if the average of prod-aetion is maintained the re- quirements of the Army can be met without any serious interference with the needs of farmers or of trade and private horse and stock keepers. In order to equalise purchases, and to pre- vent- hay from being acquired1 in dSstricti where there may be a comparative shortage whilst there is a surpkn in obhers, the War Office has decided' to require a return to be made of the stocks of hay in the country. The War Office hope to obtain all the hay they require bv frifendiy arrangement. Only where individuals unreasonably withhold hay re- quired for the use of his Majesty's Forces are the War Office likely to use their powers of requisitioning hay. It is not, and! has not been, their intension to use these powers with the idea of acquiring hay at a price below the fair market value. LABOUR-SAVING MACHINERY. Probably at no time in the biatory of British agriculture has such a general short- age of farm labour been known as at present, and, so far as can be seen, the shortage is likely to continue, in spite of the use of boya and women. Undoubtedly, it would be best for everyone who can do so to give long and careful consideration to the introduction of labour-saving machinery. The big shows afford an excellent means for manufacturers to make their modern machinery well known, and the trials held from time to time give valuable assistance to buyers in choosing the best. Yet it cannot be. said that labour- saving maeliine*ry has made its way to the average farm to anything like the extent that was expevltiu. ouisitj JO a.g, Probably force of circumstances will bring about the desired result. There are still many who think that there is much work that cannot be so well done by machinery as By hand labour; but, while this is true in a few casas, it can be said with every confidence that machinery will do the greater part of farm work quite as efficiently and at lower cost than when done by hand. I do not know of any better way of fostering the increased use of labour-saving machinery than by arranging farm tours frach as have made with great success in one or two dtstrictis lately. In my erienoo there are few farmers nowadays who aire unwilling to give neigh- bours the benefit of their experience in any trials they have made, and I do not think it would be at aR difficult in- any district to ar- range for a tour of inspection in order to en- abl-e farmers to see all sorts of labour-saving machinery at work. One farm may have nothing in particular to show except a. set of milking machines; but these alone would afford the greatest interest, and ail the visitors would find it very instructive to hear the results of a praetical trial. Another man might be found with one of the new types of agricultural tractors which wilt pultzoughs, cultivators, reapers, binders, drive threshing machines, chaff flatten, and other fixed machines, and also do useful road haiflage. AH these, and many other similar things, would be, inspected with the greatest interest, and while it would in no way be to the loss or disadvantage of the maD who ez. hibited his machinery II would be to the enormous benefit of his asighbours; while he, too, if he joined the party, would be able to pick up useful hints «B other farms. v ■; It 1

u POULTRY KEEPING. A' PROFITABLE 110I5BY. BY "UTILITY." A BAD HABIT. Feather plucking is a verv troubk: OTI- habit, and the- worst of it is that when ^e- a bifrd is permitted to indulge iu it for length of time it spreads over the whole flock and is almost impossible to eradicate. A le\.i which starts feather-picking should tb-ercfcu- be removed at once, and attempt* made tc cure it. Should the habit prove to be per- ister.t it may be best. to kill the bird, but- one v. ill hardly care to do this with a valuable pie men. A cure which I have found sin-ie -1 someotimes is the administration of a tiny quantity of flowers of sulphur in soft fore. Bare and raw places on the bodies of fowls should be bathed with a weak O:¡:è> of a disinfectant to reduce the irritation, and a. disinfectant powde.r should be dusted Oil the breast and under the wings. Disregard of cleanliness is a common eau-e of feather-picking, and vermin which jet up irritation should always be watched for ke*>t- in ch-^eV. ,1}J1" <i-wfjynr-b^HT "m- í fowls should be provided. Over-heating fe-d, coupled with too strict confinement, rnp.ly produces that unhealthy condition of the plumage which brings on the habit. Fowls allowed) a wide range a.re able to a consider- I able extent to correct enrors of feeding bv picking up grubs a.nd other animal matrer as well as greenstuff. Some say that the absence of animal matt-n- an the diet- caxises a craving which the fowls try to satisfy by pecking at their feathers. Others, however, aver that .animal food of anv kind is umiece'-sarv, and that feathe' nieking never occurs among closely confined fowls provided they can nnd occupation and can be made to take exercise. This is not at all a difficult matter. With a seratching-s.hed all the exercise necessary is afforded. THE LARGEST TURKEY. There are a number of different sorts of turkey, but the American bronze i? by far the largest and, according to most tastes, the most handsome of the domesticated varieties. It had its- origin in tlie Xonh American wild species, and with the exception of good fiii-ains of the black Norfolk, it is the hardiest and most" easily reared of any, while its abun- -4-InTit. flesh is of fine quality and flavour. H* i;c-e its great popularity for the C-hrisima.s maricet. The brotize turkey should have a long, broad head, powerful and well curved be a. and a large, pendulous wattle. On 11;2 head there should be a good development- of ihoKS fleshy lumps known as earuncuhe the neck should be long and well-curved, cartni- culated at the top near the head, and most of the front; the body should be deep thro 1)3; 1 the middle, with a well-rounded. very 'broad, v eil developed brea-st; curved bark; and large, powerful wings carried well np; the tail drooping and nearly touching the ground. The plumage is of a beautiful black bronze, with variegated, copper-coloured hues, which in the sunlight glistens with a metallic lustre, like burnished gold. The cock's neck is of a rich bronze; the back brilliant- bronze, each feathar terminating in a narrow black band, I MAMMOTH BROXZE Tt RKEY. I which extends across the end; the breast dark bronze; the body and fluff black shaded with bronze, but not as decided or as rich as that of the breast; the wing-bows black, with a brilliant blac-k or green lustre, the prim- aries black or da.rk brown, pencilled across with bart5 of white or grey, the colours chang- ing to a bronzy brown as the cenfcte of the back is approached, but with little admixture of white; the coverts rich bronze, the feathers terminating in a wide black band, forming a broad, bronzy band across the wings when folded, and separated from the primaries by a glossy black ribbon-like mark, formed by the ends of the coverts; the tail black, each feather irregularly pencilled with narrow bands of light brown, and ending in a broad black band, with a wide edging of dull wliite or grey; the thighs similar to the breast, but the colours less rich and decided. The beak is light horn at the tip and claA at the base; the shanks and toes in young birds are dark, approaching black; in adults, however, they are usually of a pinkish hue or flesh colour. The plumage of the hen is similar to that of the cock, but the colours are not as brilliant or as clearly defined, and the edging of the feathers is generally a dull white or grey. Adult cocks weigh 351& and hens 201b. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. R. T. L."—FATTENING WITH A FUNNEL. —For this purpose a white metal funnel with a pewter mouthpiece, which is soft enough not to injure the throat, is used. Hold the bird firmly between your knees with the neck stretched out, and, opening the mouth, pass the funnel quickly but gently down the throat. Use a, food prepared from finely- sifted meals mixed with milk and water to a paste that will flow readily. Give about one- sixteenth of a pint at eight-hour intervals for the first three days, and one-eighth of a pint for the rest of the period of fourteen to &ix- teen days. I described the method of feeding by bolus or pellet last week, and no doubt you have seen this since you wrote. "R. H."—WHIT* DORKING.—Yes, there is such a variety, and a beautiful one it is, though, strange to say, it is not at all well known. Those who have kept it say it is a good layer, and its fl-esh is characteristically whit.e, fine, and delicately flavoured. It does not like close confinement, but if given its liberty is hardy and active. It is bred with a rose comb, which is usually rather larger than the Wyandotte's. "F. M. R."—CROP ON OXE SIDIC.-It is strange that I ha e- several times been a4iEeo what to do for & bird which has its crop to one side. Except at night time, when the birds are going to rooet, I never like to see a bird with its crop so full as to be very pro- minent, because such a bird generally wants to stand about instead of taking the exercise which helps it t-o be a good layer. The crop generally hangs to the left of the breastbone, and its function is not only to store the food, but also to soften it somewhat before it is passed on to the gix*ard. G. A."—ROAD GRIT.—This is AN excel- lent grit for fowls' gizzards, provided it is not too t-me, as not only does it aid digestion, bui some of it dissolves and is absorbed into the bird's system. But I think it would be well to avoid collecting from roads where it Is likely to be polluted with petroL *'Ready TO Learn."—FXATHBK PLUCKING. —You w31 see I have d«alt with this snbjecl abore at some length, and I hope that it will Mitti the notice of other readers whose nonl- I tfy are troubled with this bad habit. It it siA a, subject on whioh one can give advice is »f«w lines.

in sorrMpondMM this Miami skoal# fee addressed to Utility, ear* of the Ztfflor. I SgatMSta tor special Isiortiitloi mast ta aeesn I mill by a stamped aMresssd •nvslope. I

I THE WEEK'S GARDENING. Mignonette seed may now be sown thinly in f good, well-drained soiL When the plants are I large enough to be easily handled, thin them I if they are too thickly plac,i together. Mignonette plants are often crowded in their early state, and as a result they will only throw up one or two starved stems, while if each plant is given a space of at least four or five inches each way to spread out its growth it will produce numbers of fine healthy spikes. Aphi,s or green-fly of roses, cn which it is quite the commonest pest, can be easily kept under in gardens where water is laid on froru the mains, so that a hose can be used with some power upon them; this is also a good preventive against other pests. Syringing I with force will answer the purpose. ;f done frequently. If the water is UN H! at a temperature of 150deg. Fa.hr., it is much more effectual, and will not injure the roses. Apply .sulphur dust to roses before the OUT- brea.k of mildew. By means of a powder- bellows, it is -distributed ss a fne ,11Ft. winch settles on tlte leaves and voting shuo.ts. To prevent the .sulphur from collecting in patches it. should be mixed with 10 per cent, of dried j slaked linv. \,h;"h Vi* 'n .(1f-1(I/" '>• prevent- ing the balling to-fW "f the n.trtieies. Should the disea-se have already st» -ied. the dusting 'might be performed about o j i fort¡¡;gh. prefer.tbly in dry weather. A stock of Michaelmas d-atsier- may soon be got together from seed sown at this -time of year. Sowings may be made in a box or pan, or a cold in light soil. Plants produced front 111;5 year's sowings will bloolii the autumn )r next year, and it. not infrequently I happens that from a packet of seed one ob- tain- varieties of great merit. Though it may be regarded as a slow procedure, it at k.t, involves but little expense. f The winter-flowering jasmine must now be pruned if it has not already been done. Then re-nail or tie in the growths left for tl,- supply of next season's flower*. An jrc.va- e of stock cal be obtained by layering some 01 the long shoots. These will be ready for planting in the autumn of the present year. Give copious- supplies of water during the • summer to trees growing near high walls. Large and bushy fuchsias look more effective than scraggy specimens. They ;e obtained by pinching out the points of the young shoots. This is best done when any plants have their pots fairly full of roots, and about three weeks before they are intended to be shifted into larger ones. Shoots usually form more numerously after such stoppings, if the soil about the roots is maintained at all drier than usual. A cheap method of providing a good stoek 4 of oar-nations is to ow seeds, and if one does not object to the after selection there is no easier way to secure a brilliant and varied strain of this useful border plant. All that is necessary is a cold frame, and handfuls of lovely blooms may be had merely by sowing a paeket ot seed. Fill a shallow pan with fine soil, scatter the seeds evenly, and slightly cover them. then water by immersing the pans to the rims in tepid water. Prick out in boxes when large enough to handle, harden off. and plant in flowering quarters i-n Sep- tember if the situation is favourable—-if other- wise. winter in frames and plant in open ground next spring. Plants for early sowings of broad beans are now growing freely, and a stout stake or two driven into the ground at intervals with a string attached will be found good support. The earliest orop should be stopped when sufficient beans are set; this will cause them> to mature more quickly, and is also the means of destroying the. aphis which invari- ably attacks the points. Tomato plants which are intended to be set out for an outdoor crop should now be placed in cold frames to harden them before plant- ing out. It is important to give them all the air possible, both by day and by night when the weather permits, so as to inure them gradually to outside conditions. A ouce-popular vegetable that is not much grown now is rampion, which is a member of the campanula family. The roots come in useful as a distinct sort of vegetable during the winter. Select a piece of ground in a sunny, open position, and dig it over, if not already prepared, and rake the surfaoe smoo'h. The seeds of rampion are very small, and i-t is easy to bury them too deeply. To avoid this, stretch the, garden lirte and make a slight hollow with the finger. Sow thmly and cover with a fine sprinkling of soil. It pays at the present time to keep the syringe in active use upon ell kinds of wall trait, so as to check the jproads of pests. Root action must be encouraged and assisted by copious supplies of water, and in the case of early-ripening fruit there should be no lack of liquid manure to help plump up and colour it properly. Plum trees suffer greatly from the attacks of the leaf-curling aphis. When bad attacks occur the leaves mav become diciAci and dried up, owing to the life juices oflhe leaves being sucked out by the insects. At times trees are practically defoliated by this pest when seriously neglected. Treatment must be given in the early stages. Whatever is done must be done before curling of the foliage takes place to be really effectual. When planting out vegetable marrow plants the roots should be set about an inch deeper in the soil than they were before, and- the pro- tection of a box, cloche, or liandhght sheuM I be given at night for a week or more. omee the roots have taken a firm hold on the soR they will grow freely, and when the shoots are about 18in. long it is a good plan to pinch owt the ends to induce them to branch. A mulch 01 lamg manure spread round the roots helps to keep the soil moist. Young melon plants in frames should have the centres pinched out M as tfeey have made five leaves; this witl induce side sheets to form. Select two of the strongest fivae each plant, and train them on the surface ef the soil. As soon as these have attained » length of about 15m., pinch the hearts omel them to induce them to form sads shoots. It is these side shoots which will bear tike flowers and fruit. As soon BoA three or fow fem-ale tiowers a.re open off ttese shoots si the same time, fertilise the stIgmata. or oentre columns of the flowere with grain polbe take.n from the anrthers of the male SOWM. This should be done on a. sunny day, when the pollen is dry. As soon as the young fruits are set, keep the frame warm by not giving too much air, and close during the afternoon, after syring- ing tile 4 ooaaorvc tin* K&a4 ef the sun.- Slightly ope* the frame again the Mit- moriiuig to sdmit • iiitie ..Cojter trflk mats wheti the nights are cold, a-Ttd add • little more soil the border from time te time an the soil becomes full of roots. Keep the soil moderately moist, giving less netw as the fruits approach ripeness. This out the young shoots, to prevent overcrowding of foliage, by cutting back to wiitliin times buds of their base. ♦

THE WEEK'S WORK. Sow mignonette and keep thin. Dust roses with sulphur for mildew. Sow Michaelmas daisies for next year. Pinch fuchsias to make them bushy. Sow carnations in cold frame. Pinch broad beans to prevent aphis. Harden off tomato plants. Syringe waU fruit. Plant out vegetable marrows. Thin root crops. Mulch raspberrieq and. thin outsucuet- Hoe potatoes. Plant out scarlet runners and make another sowing. i