Abergavenny Chronicle

r- ———— < OUR LONDON LETTER. ] [From Our Special Corretpondeni.] I Much the most interesting of the new Miristerial appointments is that of Mr. Neil Primrose, Lord Rosebery's second son, to be "Under-Secretary to the Foreign Omcc. More than a score of years ago'Sir Edward Grey himself was the lieutenant of Lord Rcse- Lery, one of the most brilliant of our Foreign Secretaries. Now Sir Edward has the son of his old cr.icf as his pupil. Lord Robbery began his Ministerial career as Under-Secretary in the Home Om''e, with Sir William Harcourt as his chief. He was, of course, never a member of the House of Commons, and he is seldom seen in th, Peers' Gallery there. I believe the last occasion when he put in an appearance there was on the day when Mr. Neil Primrose, in whose political career his father has alwaya taken the keenest interest, made his maiden speech. It was a very successful eSort. and Mr. Primrose has made many good speeches since. He does not always see eye to eye with }"is distinguished father in political matter; Everybody will remember how he f;ppport;ù Mr. LL'yd George's famous Budget and the Parliament Bill, while Lord PIC,.Ieb,ry roundly condemned them. Women are drilling as well as men. The Women's Volunteer Reserve now has 3,000 members i<i London, and recruits are still coming in. It is a very democratic organi- tation. "Cooks and housemaids," says one account, "rtll in beside women of title." The writer adda, however, "that in a few cases mistresses Lave had to transfer to another company because they found themselves forming fours' with their own servants, which did nut seem quite expedient." It would be mo'e awkward still, of course, for a duchess to "dress by the right" at the word of command given by her own cook, TTomoted to be sergeant. But the women volunteers are very earnest and very enthu- siastic about t'heir drill, and very anxious to be of service. Their object is to make them- selves emcient as signallers, telegraphists, despatch-riders, motorists, and in other ways to fit themselves <o take the places of men so that more men nay be able to go to the firing line. Many of the members ara capital shots, but they do not expect the War Office recognition as an armed corps. Nursing and firt-õt aid are included in the training, and th; members receive instruc-- tioa in simple cooking. Money is one of the most powerful weapons of warfare, and it certainly count' f*)r mere in this war than in any previous war in the world's history. The silvel buUeL; will find their billet as well as the <:ther kind. So far as Great Britain; Fraac' and Russia are concerned, they are coins' to make the most of their silver bullets by uniting their nnaneial resourcea, as they have already done their military ones. This docs not mean a pooling of resources, hut it does mean that the State which is stronger financially will come tc the help of the weaker, so that the success of the campaign shall not be hindered by any sort of financial embarrassment. The three Finance Ministers of the Allies who took part in the momentous conference in Paris last week will recommend to their Governments that the loans made or to be made to Belgium and Serbia shall be taken over in equal shares by the three great Allies, who will aLto share any advances to be made to other countries who may even- tually join the Allies. The question of a big loan, of perhaps X800,000,000 or .81,000,000,000, guaranteed by the three great Powers, has naturally aroused the keenest interest in the City. Six months of war have not affected the theatres as much as most people expected. It was thought that in the general desire to economise people would cut down their amusements expenses, a.nd there were gloomy prophecies of closed theatres and out-of-work actors and actresses. But in spite of the rising cost of living it does not appear that the number of people who seek their amusement at theatres and variety houses is much smaller than it is in peace time, and only about half a dozen theatres a're closed. In many of the others reduced prices are the rule. The darkened streets tmaks the prospect of a.n evening in town less attractive to suburban residents than used to be the cas' but still a gocd number come up, and the theatres get tht:ir audi- ences. The schemes which were tried at one or two theatres of giving afternoon per- formances instead of evening performances did not sucewd. The habit of evening theatre-going is to.> strong to be broken by darkened streets. At more than half the theatres "revi vals" hold the boards. Old plays cost Ic;s than new plays to produce, of course, and besides, they are pretty sure of at any rate a moderately successful run; whereas a new play is not. I have no doubt a good many lady readers arc ju.-c j:ow nndiiig their fancy lightly turning to thoughts of making mar- malade. It will be a more expensive busi- ness this year than usual, owing to the in- crease in the price of sugar. It is possible, too, that oranges themselves may cost more. Co vent Gaiden is not prepared to guarantee that shipments will come along regularly, so that prices may remain at their present level. A good many people believe that all bitter oranges come from Seville, but as a matter of fact Sicily sup- plies a good many of them. Freightages are expensive and ships not so many as could be desired. The supply of bitter oranges may run short, a.nd careful housewives should take time by the forelock. The fruit is declared by experts to be now at its very best. Mr. Arthur Henderson, the Labour Fartv's Chairman, who has done such ex- cellent work in connection with the recruit- ing campaign, must have been interested to see a reference to himself in a German Socialist journal, the "Hamburger Echo. That paper is very much upset because Herr Henderson has been made a Privy Councillor. It declares with contempt that he has been bribed by the title of Eight Honourable, which is "about the same as Excellency," and "a correspondingly princely income." The news a bout the princely income" will be a pleasant surprise for Mr. Henderson. York House is to be the London home of Lord Kitchener. It is an integral part of St. James's Palace, and the King and Queen lived there after their marriage, when they were Duke and Duchess of York. It was the home ot the aged Duchess of Cambridge, and one of its former tenants was the Duke of Cumberland, the nft& son of George III., afterwards King of Hanover. Lord Kitchener purchased a country place, Broome Park, near Canterbury, a few years ago, but he has no town Louse. It is expected that he will enter intr, residence at York House at abcut the end of this month. A. E. M.

It is onicially stated that Bertua. situated in the centre of the Camercon.; uear the River Doume. was occupied by French troops on January 23 after two fights. The 6U<:Ck&" M unportant, as it continues the en- veloping mo\ p!Hcnt now being carried cut against the Germans in the Cameroons. The SwLSS Minister in Rome has stated to an mtervicwer that Switzerland would abandon itB neutrality if this were violated by another Pcwcr, if its territorial integ- -ritv were attached, or if the import of foodstua's were impeded, thua meEacing the country with starvation.

RECRUITING SATISFACTORY. BUT "EVERY MAN WILL BE NEEDED." I "Every man will be needed in this life and death struggle," said Mr. H. J. Ten- nant, the Under-Secretary for War, in his speech on the Army Estimates on Monday night in the House of Commons. Mr. Tennant pointed out that he wan de- barred from denling with the size of our forces and their distribution, the reason being that, though the enemy might know the' number of the Army in the neld, they could have no idea of what our strength would be in the future. Recruiting had been very satisfactory. Of course, it varied from week to week, and possibly at the present moment, if a little more energy were put into it, it would not be out of place. There had been no cause for discontent or disquiet. They wanted more men. The time approached at which they would be compelled to make inroads on certain industiies in which large numbers of men were employed. In an appeal to the Labour Party Mr. Tennant asked that during the war hours should not be limited, as they had been, and that other stringent rules should be relaxed. For instance, in certain cases where male labour was insisted upon, would it be possible for those who represented labour to get the trade unions to help the Government by saying that all male labour, of age aud physique fit to join the Army, should be dispensed with and replaced by wnmcn labour. He threw that out tenta- I MEDAL FOR WORKERS. I The Secretary for War, Mr. Tennant an- nounced, was considering the possibility of issuing a medal at the end of the war to certain technical workers in armament nrma for their assistance and devotion in the pre- sent crisis. Dealing with the Territorials, Mr. Ten' nant said that though not bound to volun- teer for foreign service, an overwhelming preponderance of the Territorial force had done &o. Mr. Tennant paid a high tribute to the Admiralty in safeguarding the trans- port of troops without a single casualty to them. "The variations and vicissitudes of this grout struggle may call for even greater sacriHees from the nation, as a whole, than any they have yet made," he concluded, "In.t i% iether the end comes sooner or later, The edcrts made during the struggle will rach as worthy of our past."

GERMAN NAVAL LOSSES. DESTROYERS AND SUBMARINES WRITTEN, OFF." A special correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle," in a menage from near the German Frontier," eays:— I learn that besides the published German naval losses there are eight destroyers and two submarines written off in the cnicial list,. Two of the destroyers were lost in the Channel on September 4, three on the Dogg-er Bank, and another, the SIM, in Asiatic waters. Cue of the submarines sank off Westendo and one near the Dogger Bank. Two others have been miasing for over three weelM. The armed auxiliary crui-ser Kronpri!i- zessin Cecelie Is also scratched on' the onieia! tab l(M. A statement ma/le by German bluejackets captured after the Heligoland naval battle of January 24 that the light crui.ser Kolberg Hank is conurmed, though not publicly ad- mittfd in German naval circles. The reports published <'a,rly in December that the German battleship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grœ.ae and the ar-libured cruic-er Hertha had been lost in the Baltic are in- correct. The armoured cruiser Fricdnch Karl sank after striking a German mine in the Baltic ou November 18. It was known that thLa vcfisel had gone to the bottom, but the manner of its loss has never been dennitely announced. CAUGHT' I "Boy, d'you smoke? Tell the truth, mind' "If you p-pleise, E;ir, y-v-v,-s, sir!" "Give me a cigarette then!"

WOMEN LIKE LONDON. The County Council's annual report for 1913 fj"'ctf's mi inten.;ting statement by the medicat pm<;pr. H<' holdo that London attracts women between tv/enty and forty-five years of age, and uiore especially between twenty-five and thIity-Sve, ia a greater degree than it attracts nialles. "It i he d<daus, "evident from the f]crure3 shown for London north of the Thames that at these ap-es there is a very cor-hiderable difference between the sexes in the balance of inward and outward movement, the male's at thia age having CDly inere-,sed by fourteen, while the females Iim-c increased by 11,386. The explanation is that London attracts females cf this age in g,-eitcr degree than ma!es. This fact is clearly apparent because at this age th6 tc'ualc population iii London ia more greatly in excess of the male population than at any other period of life."

Dublin police on Saturday made a seizure cf thousands of copies of a weekly paper called "The Worker." The export of vitriol and oxide of copper has been forbidden from the Netherlands. Mr. Hilton Young (Liberal) was returned rnoppMed for Norwich on Saturday, and I Mr. T. J. WiUIame (Liberal) -was returned :without oppo"iti( n for S V:;lnsa.

A. little turps added to the water when washing* a floor will preserve the carpet from moth. A saltspoonful of ground ginger mixed with the flour when making a cake will make it very light. Caraway seeda should always be bruised before putting into cakea. When you wash chamois skins you should tw.o warm water and plenty of soap, but do net rinse the soap out and the chamois will remain soft and almost like new. To make candlea last longer, get one pennyworth of whit-3 varnish from the oil- s hop, take each candle by the wick and give it a coating of varnish. Place on -one side to dry, and the candle will burn for half aa long again. To clean silver, place the quantity of whiting required in a saucer, and aid equal quantities of liquid ammonia, methylated spirits, and water. To this add a few drops of turpentine, and apply in the usual way. The addition of the turpentine gives a brighter polish with less labour, and the plate lasts bright much longer. Mint eauce should be slightly warmed before being sent to table. This will not hpoil the Savour, and will prevent the gravy from becoming "set" when the sauce is poured on the plates. To clean piano keys. obtain a little French chalk and mix with sweet oil and sal vom- ti'e into a paste. Rub this on wet with a c'ean piece of chamois leather; let it re- main on until dry, and then brush off. Dirty bamboo furniture may be cleaned with a small brufh dipped in warm water and salt. The salt prevents it from turning yellow, and the washing makes the bamboo look bright. Rub ver y dry with hot cloths. To DRY CLOTHES IN COLD WEATHER. ) Have at hand a folding clotbeBhorse, with rope instead of wooden bars, to connect the v.ooden standards. All the small articles of clothing may be pinned to the rope with clothespins in the house, and the clothes- horse taken outdoors and placed in the sun- shine. When the clothing is dry the horse may be brought indoors and the articles taken 06'. Another way is to have in the kitchen two hooks to which to fasten a p:«:e of clothesline, having a loop at each end. Outdoors have hooks on poot8 exactly the K'.tme distance apart as those in the hoiife. Put up the line indoors and hang up the clothes; then take it down, carr) it out in a b¡.;ht, and put the line, with the clothea .til pinned to it, over the outdoor hooka. Do not have the line too long or it will be too heavy to carry when the garments are wet. To IRON HANDKERCHIEFS. I When ironing handkerchiefs, begin by ironing the middle. If the edges are ironed Gret, the middle will swell and make the handkerchief very difncult to iron and fold property. Always test the heat of the iron ou a piece of ra? or paper befc-re ironing handkerchiefs, aa being thin they score? very eaaily. CABE OF THE TEAPOT. Once a week place a piece of soda in the pot, the size of half a walnut, then fill with boiling water, put on the lid, and when cool enough wash thoroughty. Push a small piece cf rag down the. epout, twist it about, then rinse well with cold water eevera.1 times, pouring through the spout. Wash- ing in the ordinary way is not sunicient to keep a pot wholesome. There are many homes in which teapots are never cleaned out, and it is well to know that many tinMS illnesses have been traced to this cause. To CLEAN ALABASTER. Alabaster, like marble, Is best craned with potash. Di&solve American potash in water, add whiting to make it a thin pabte, and paint this over the alabaster. Wash ib off, and it will bring with it all the surface dirt; but if the alabaster is stained, as by smoke, etc., lay it in damp &and, leaving the upper surface only exposed, and cover- ing thM with powdered whiting; the moia- ture rising from the stone drives the dis- colouration into the whiting. Do not leave the pqiacih long on coloured parts, or it may corrode them. The breakages must be joined with plaster of pari-s (superfine). Uop as little plaster as possible, yet, however neat the join<s, the line of opaque plaster crossing the translucent stone will be ruxe to show more or less. I SOME USEFUL RECIPES. 1 FIG PL'DDiNG.—This pudding may be made with or without eggs. Take a quarter of a pound of nour and a quarter of a pound of bread crumbs mixed together, a quarter of a pound of suet, chopped very iinc, a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, six ounces of iiga cut into small pieces, and a teaspoonful of baking powder. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly with a little miik and two well-beaten eggs if you have them, if not, a little more milk will be re- quired. Put the mixture into a greased mould, tie it over, and boil for three houjs. Of course, the eggs do improve the &g pud- ding. DANDY PlE.—Wash one ounce of rice and cook it in half a pint of mitk till it is a soft mas«, stirring it frequently. Roll out half a pound of pastry to a. quarter of an inch thickness and line a piedish with it. Fill the dish with layers of apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, mixed with sugar, a little nutmeg, and the rice. Do not add any water. Cover the dish with paste, make a hole in the centre, and bake. till the crust is weil cooked. Serve eit$ér hot or cold. OATMEAL PuDDiNG.—Mix together one ounce of nne oatmeal and half an ounce of Hour. Take one pint and 'a quarter of milk, mix the. nour and oatmeal to a paste with a little of this, and put the remainder on to boil, then add the paate, and boil for five minutes. Add a seasoning of salt, and when the mixture M cool, a well-beaten egg. Butter a pie-dish, turn the mixture into it, and bake for twenty-nve or thirty minutes. Serve with jam or treacle. POTATO BLOCKS.—Boil and mash one pound of potatoes, add one ounce of butter, the yolk of one egg, salt, pepper, and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Enead all together, then roll out on a noured board to about one inch and a half thick. Cut into blocks, brush over with milk and brown nicely in the oven. This is a cheap and tasty supper dish. TOAD IN THE HoLE.—Take four table- spoonfuls of flour, mtx it to a smooth paste, with two-thirds of a pint of milk, two well- beaten eggs, and a pinch of salt. Beat the batter well, so that no lumps remain in it. It should be the consistency of thick cream. I Have ready a pound of neck of mutton, or trimmings of any uncooked meat, or some ox-chpek or owidney, either, or a mixture of all three may be used; season with pepper and salt.' After cutting the meat into small pieces, put it into a well-but- tered pie-diih; pour the batter over. Stir the meat in it, and put into a brisk oven at once, bake for one hour and a half. Two pork sausages skinned and sliced improve the flavour of the pie

l'artlcnlars oi a novel tug-oi-war come from the Rava district. A German Taube aeroplane fell between the Russian and German tranches, which are not more than eighty paces apart. The airmen were killed, and the machine lay midway between the trenches. The Russians and Germans both tried to gain possession cf the aeroplane by means of hauling on ropes, but after. a long struggle the aircraft remained in the same position.

IN THE PUBLIC EYE. I THE "GOOGLY MAN." i Some time ago the Tumour gained wide- spread currency that Mr. Reggie Sehwarz. the famous Cambridge and England Rugby half-back and the South African and Middlesex cricketer, had fallen in the cam- paign against the rebels in South Africa. What reaily happened was, to use the words o,f a contemporary of Schwarz in the cricket (ield, that "he fell from his horse, and th'a WMe animal did no more than put hi.s foot [)n his hand. And so Reggie is fit and well Schwarz, who was at St. Paul's School and Christ's, Cambridge, got his Bine in 1893 (says the "Morning Post "), and afterwards played for England against Pcotland and secured two caps against Ire- 'fhe late Jr. land and one against Wales. The late Mr. R. E. Foster, in a tribute to Schwarz's googly bowling, decl&red that "Bosanquet taught Schwarz, and Schwarz taught the others [Vogler and Faulkner ]. It is rather hard to explain his success but the break varies from six inches to eighteen inches, and on sticky wickets he is quite capable of breaking a yard." Schwarx made his fame as a cricketer in the South African tour in England ten years ago. Even Ranjitsinhji confessed at that tune that the googly man wanted a great deal of playing. ———:o:——— LOKD ROSEBERY'S SON. I Mr. Nfil Primrose, who has been itpl),ointed to Minist<-riat oHice as Under- Secretary to the Foreign OFHce, is the second son of Lord Rosebpry. and begins his official career in the o ffi c e over which his father once presided wit;h such dis- tinction. Mr. Primrose is thirty-two years of age. He was educated at Eton and New Colter, Oxford, and he has always take n politico mo r e seriousty than Lord Dal. meny, his elder brother, who was himself a member of tho I House of Commons for some time. Mr. Primrose has been member for the Wisbech Division of Cambridgeshire since January, 1910. He is a capital spea ker, and on more than one occasion in the House of Commona has taken a strong and independent line. UNDER-SECRETARY TO THE HOME OFFICE, t The successor to Mr. Elite Griffith as Under-Secretary to the Home Omce is Mr. Cecil Bishop Harmsworth, who has been member for the Luton Division of Bedford- shire since 1911. He had previously .at for the Droitwich Division from W)6 to 1910. Mr. Ha.rmsworth was born in 1869. As Par- liamentary Secretary to Mr. RuTiciman, he has been identified with the Board of Agri- culture and Fisheries and the Board of Trade. He has done valuable work on be- htdf of our sea fisheries and fishermen. -:0:- I FINANCIAL SECRETARY. ) Mr. F. D. AclaJid, the new Financial j fretarv to the Treasury, is the eon of Mr. At H. Dyke Actaiad. who was iqinister for Education from 1893 to 1895. He is a Rugby and Balliol ma,Ti, and before enteLoing Par- !iamcnt was engaged in educational work. He was elected for the Richmond Division of Yorkshire in 1906, but since 1910 has sat for North-West Cornwall. After serving as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lord HaIdaDe, when Secretary for Wal" he be- came Financial Secretary to the War Office in 1908. Three years "later he wj-; ap- pointed Under Secretary for Foreign ASaire. -:0:- LORD SALISBURY'S COMMAND. I Colonel the Marquis of Salisbury, who has been appointed a division commander in the Regular Forces with the temporary rank of Brigadier-General, succeeded his father as fourth marquis in 1903. He nlled the posi- tions successively under the late Conserva- tive Administration of Under Secretary for Forei"-n Affairs, Lord Privy Seat, and Presi- dent ? of the Board of Trade. As Lieut.- Colonel in the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, he served in the South African War, and wan mentioned in dispatches. -:0:- NEW CABINET MINISTER. I The Hon. Edwin Samuel Montagu, who has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in place of Mr. Masterman, who has resigned, has been a member of the House of Commons for nine years, hav- ing been elected for the Chesterton Divi- sion cf Cambridgeshire in 1906. He was for two years Par- liamentary Secre- tary to Mr. As- quith, who was t li?n Chancellor of the Exchequer, and continued in that capacity for two years after Mr. Asquith had Income Prime Minister. In 1910 Mr. Montagu was appointed Un d er- re cret arv for India, and for several years it was part of his duty to introduce the Indian. Budget into the House of Commons. He succeeded Mr. Masterman a.s Financial Secretary to the Treasury last year. Mr. Montagu, who is thirty-nve years of age, is the second eon of the nrst Lord Swaythling n,nd the brother of the present peer. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. MARSHAL VON HiNDENBUBG. I Marsha! von Hindenburg, who commands the Kaiser's armies against the Russians, was in disgrace before the war. According to an American journalist who has been paying a visit to the German headquarters in Poland, VO1 Hindenburg had been pen- sioned off because at the Germau manoeuvres two or three years ago he was guilty of the uncourtierlike indiscretion of permitting hit army to defeat that commanded by the Kaiser. However, when there was real nght- ing to be done, and things were not going well with the Germans, von Hindenburg was remembered, and given a command. He is said to love cigarettes and dogs, and to hate Austrian generals and Prussian politicians. BELGIAN MINISTER RESIGNS. I Count de Lalaing, who has resigned h!s post as Belgian Minister in London owing' to ill-health, belongs to one of the most dis- tinguished families in the Low Countries. Jli," mother, however, was English, and his Excellency was born in London in 1856. After being educated in Brussels he entered the Belgian Diplomatic Service in 1879, and speedily obtained promotion, serving in various capacities at Vienna, Bucharest, Berlin, The Hague, etc. He returned to London in 1893 as Councillor of the Belgian Legation. And ten years later, after having served as Minister at Rio de Janeiro, Bucharest, Berne, etc., he again came to London, this time as Minister. The Count is well known in London, where he has re- presented Belgium for the pafit twelve years.

For some time past the L.C.C. Parks Committee has been considering the ques- tion of provision of rifle ranges. The com- mittee now recommends, as a matter cf urgency, that the power being sought from Parliament to provide apparatus for shames and recreations in parks and open spaces Liba-11 be extended to include rifle ranges For stopping runaway horses at consider- able risk near Warwick-garden's, P.C. Drab- bje, F Division, was presented with ;B10 at Bow street on Saturday. 'Drabble was knocked down and run over, but checked the horses so that they could be pulled up. Addressing the grand jury at the Middle- MX Sessions, where there were only five per- nons up for trial, Mr. Montagu Sbarpe said Uiat in eighteen years he had n<vpr known t:o few trials at that court. Excising the incorrigible rogues and vagabonds seut there for scutencee, crime had dropped 90 per cent.

Fragrans (Winter Sweet). —Tnis forms a nice bush in the open, but a wall or Jence gives welcome protection to the fragrant yellowijsh-bro'wn blossoms. Against a sunny south wall or wc.st waU and fenca, tne winter sweet may be trained into a nice fan-shaped tree. Pruning should be done in March after Bowering. Layering' is a faTourite means of propagation, and as seeda are sometimes produced, they can be sown in a cold frame, the soil being preferably rather light loam and 'well drained. < < < Erica Eybnda.—Thia hybrid heath hp.t been aptly described as the brightest plant in the outdoor garden in mid-winter. It is a hybrid between E. mediterranea and E. caritea, and was nrst distributed as E. mediterranea. hybrida. The plants grow from 1 to 2ft. in height, and are excellent dwarf, bn&hy shrubs for an edging, or groups aong the front of the shrubbery border. The rosy-lilac flowers are freely produced from November to May. Division and layering afford simple means of pro- pagation cuttings also can be rooted under glass in August and September. The plants thrive in sandy loam, to which may be added leafmould and peat. < < Mnsettias.—Plants that flowered early will have had a good rest, and may now be taken in hand with a view to starting afresh. O'd plants may have last year's growth pruned cicscly back, whilst young ones may be cut to from Sin. to 1ft. from CUTTING BACK AND PROPAGATING POINSETTIAS. A, old plant cut back ready for starting. U, yearling plant cut back ready for start- ing-. C, stem cutting ready for insertion. the soil. Pieces of the stems thus obtained and cut into short lengths, with an eye or bud, will soon grow and form nice little plants if placed in sand and nbre in a pro- pagating cas.e. Shallots.—As soon as the soil is in favour- able condition, shallots may be planted. The soil should be well worked Mid firmed, and the cloves pressed well down. For pickling purposes the English shaliot is far and away superior to the big red sort, whose principal value is for exhibition. Onions.—Those possessed of a lio-ht, warm soil may now make preparations for sowing this crop whenever the surface is dry. Strong early plants are more likely to escape the attacks of the onion Sy than later sowings. Dress the Rcil with soot and dry wood ashes, and, after getting a ihie tilth by treading and raking, draw shallow drills from lOin. to 1ft. apart, and sow thinly. < Cabbages.—A batch of these may now be p!antcd out where there is likely to be a demand for them after the first spring cuttings are over. Hoe amongst those that were planted last autumn when the surface is dry, and if not already dressed with titrate of soda give an early application. Grafting Pears.—Inferior varieties can be replaced by better sorts by means of graft- ing, which may now be effected at any time; or novelties may be tested by grafting on established trees, cutting back one or more branches for the purpose. In the case of HORIZONTAL AND FAN TRAINED PEAR TREES. Left hand. A, the proper branch to redraft a:id the part to cut off for regi-afting Right hand. A, A, A, A, branches, any cue of v.hieh may be redrafted. B, por- tion to be cut off. tan trained trees the branches to be relieved are those near the centre of the tree, in which position the graft succeeds much better than near the base; and in the case of those horizontally trained graft on the upper branches. The Week's Work.—Foliage plants for beds and borders which may be raised from seed sown now in a temperature of 65 to 70deg. are centaurea, chamaepeuce, perilla, ricinus, solanum marginatum, tobacco and wigandia. Golden feather may be sown thuily later on in pans or boxes of light soil in the greenhouse in April. Continue the planting* of roses including bushes, standards and climbing varieties. Where possible, plant of one variety only, selecting favourite colours among hybrid perpetuate, teas and hybrid teas, also Chinese or monthly roses. On good ground well trenched 3ft. deep, and enriched with cow manure, strong young plants of the herbaceous species of paeonies may be planted 4ft. apart on sunny or partially shaded borders. Thin out crowded shoota from all parts of the gooseberry bushes, aiming to retain a sumcient quantity of young weed, hrm, fully ripened and well furnished with bude. Trees trained on walls and trellises must be spurred in. Thread cotton over bushes in the open to protect buds from birds. Vinee which are starting growth must be disbudded early and gradually. Retain the best growths, if possible, nearest the main rod, and bearing a bunch. A warm growing temperature of 60deg. must be maintained, and as the vines approach the flowering period a steady heat of 65deg. Ensure a dry atmosphere when the peach .trees are in flower, using a little fire heat judiciously, and ventilate when the weather is favourable. Fertilise the Sowers at midday on bright days, by pass- ing a rabbit's tail lightly over the blooms. The best temperature at this time is 50 to 55deg. at night, with a rise to 60 or 65deg. bv day. Plant shallot bulbs half their depth in very shal'ow drills 6 to Sin. apart; in rows 9 to 12in. asunder. The soil should be light and rich, and the position open and eunnv. More caulinower seed may be sown in pans or boxes under glass in a mild tem- perature. Primula- Malacoides.—Though this prim- rose is a comparatively new one from China it has quickly asserted its value as a free flowering plant for the cool and cold green- hous t in winter. The flowers rise in tiers one above the other on a central stalk to upwards of 2ft. in height. Though in- dividual'y small, the lilac-pink rowers are produced in profusion. It is one of the easiest primroses to grow in pots, and thrives in ordinary soil. The p';ai.ts ripen seeds freely, and if they are stood outride in a sheltered corner in spring the seeds fall to the ground, and in a few weeks there will be plenty of young plants 'pricing -up, which when large enough, can be potted and placed in a. cold frame

The Prince of Wales has sent a communi- cation to Nottingham thanking the city and countv for th8ir generous support to the National Relief Fund. £20,DOü has recently been contributed. To furnish a pretext for the enormous omcmit of looting that has been done bv tliclr troops in Belgium the Germa.n authorities are imposing heavy fines en iiid announcing that if these are not paid tbey will distrain on the fl'Qperty.

OUR CHILDREN'S CORNER. I BY UNCLE RALPH. MT DEAB CHILDREN, One of my little niecea in her letter this week delights in telling me all about some of the beautiful mountains she has been for- tunate enough to view during the recent snows, and although the white mantle has now almost entirely vanished, I am quite sure she will always carry with her a picture of the scene described. This is just the kind of letter I most like, and, like Oliver Twist, I want more! Many of us no doubt, on holiday in the summer, have seen the beautiful mountains in various parts of our native country, but when they are capped with winter snows. and the tiny rivulets become rushing tor- rents, we obtain our first g'.impse of Fairy- land, and we cannot help a feeling of awe, of almost oppressive consciousness of our own littleness, stealing over us. Now I wonder how many fully realise that without the winter's rains and snows we should be deprived of the mountain and woodland flowers we all love so much? It is the snow showers of winter which pro- tect the delicate roots of these little plants, and result in the fine bunches of primroses and violets sold in our London markets and streets. Very soon these sweet blossoms will be with us again. How we shall we'ccme them' I have at this moment Teceh'ed & letter from another of my nieces who tells me she has already found some primroses growing in a held. Few of our spring nowers are more appreciated, and shortly- we shall be able to gather them to our heart's content. The violet, too, is a great, favourite, but we must search very dili- gcntiv for it in the shady spots of the woodland hedges, and in the long sheltered grass, for you see the violet is a very modest newer and hangs its head away out of sight. Some of my nieces and nephews write to My they have not seen a reply to their letters. I am sorry, but then you see Mr. Editor limits my space, or I would write to every one of you. This week I am giving Word Square Com- petition No. 4, which closes February 25. Do not forget to address your solutions to "Uncle Ralph," 8. La Belle Sf.uvage, Lon- don. E.G., on or before tli-tt date. Once again good-bye. With much love to all, 0 Ever your afPech.. onat,e. I UNCLE RALPH. THE CHILDREN'S CORNER UNION. FOUNDED BY UNCLE RALPH. (Open to Boya anr! Oirit under 15 years ) Please enrol me as a Member of the C.C. U." My a$.' M yeaf*. 10 amL. A d(treas .L)ate When 6igmed post to UNCLE RALPII, 8, LA BXLLS SAUVA(-.Z, LosDof, B.C. Members desirinc an illuminated rnemberahiD card. suitable for framing, should enclose DenD, atam, with this form. -1 I ANSWERS TO LETTERS. DOROTHY MARCHAT: Am glad td know you were so pleased with your prize. Try again. KATE ELY: Sorry to hear you have been ill. I hope you are now quite better. EvELTN CALVERT: It is quite a treat to hear from you again. Eve yn. I was quite sure you had not forgotten the "Corner." I am glad to know you are as interested in it as ever. EuwAKD :flTH: Many thanks for your nice letter, Edward. I did not know that you were in the Scouts. FRED PATTERSON: I am glad to hear you had such an enjoyable holiday. I always like to know just what you tLre doing. ALBERT BEST: Manv thanks for your nice letter. I am glad to know the book of battles pleases vou so much. You must trv again. FRANK BALLS: Try to keep Your writing neater. Frank. I know you are quite a little chap, but I believe you could do better. If you rule your pupcr nrst vou \ill find it easier. SARAH BAR- RELL So glad to hear you are pleased with your book, and that you find it in- teresting. PEARL WiNSToxE: Sorry you did not have an answer to your last letter, Peaci, but I know you will understsnd when vou read my letter to you all thi week. I am gind to know that you are stil! busy knitting for our soldiers. Yes, they need aU our help. GwEX RAisoN: You must not feel eo disappointed, Gwen. Yes. your solution was correct, but not quite the best. although I believe if you tried very hard you could improve your writing. Just see what you can do. ANNIE AvES: Glad to hear you have been having such a good time. ROBERT BALDWIN: Your No. is 570. Quite an old member. I SOLUTION OF WORD SQUARE. Couip€htion No. 1. 1 C H I N HOSE I S L E NEED I LIST OF PRIZEWINNERS. Volumes: Joycp Sale, Percy Voaden. Boxes of Fry's Chocolates: May Craig, Stanley Bonfield. Pictorial Blotters: Bertie Latimer, Agnei Grunwcll. I WORD SQUARE COMPETITION. I No. 4. 1. A-theatrical representation. 2. Atti,,el. 3. To .tay or continue in a place. 4. An honourable decoration 5. A feminize name. I New Members.—2,7G8, Alfie WilHama; 2,7(J9. Margaret Farlam; 2,770, Hetty Applcbv 2,771, N. Scanlan; 2,772, Be.sie Horo; 2,773, Ada Kilpatrick; 2,774, NoMe Hct''<-ru!gton; 2,775, Alex McArthur, 2,776, P-crl-x-rt Johneo-n; 2,777, Hilda Aves; 2,778, E. Ledbury; 2,779, A. Coleman; 2,780, Thomas "Bainbridge; 2,781, Beraard Pinckard: 2,782, Leslie BoniieM; 2783, F. A. HurriB. I A DREADFUL SURPRISE. "One two, three," said Mother Hen, "Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ttnt Yes, they an belong' to me; Wait, pigs, and you shall aee." So tlie, pigs .sat Ride by eide, Flushed of face and open-eyed, Watching Mother Hen, who sat Smiling' like, a Cheshire cat. "Very soon," ,aid Mother Hen, «'l'hey'll be htt!e chick.—but then Up she jumped, and "hrieking Bed For she hatched out ,tork.3 instead'

Glasgow police have arrested James Me. Dnnnach ou a charge of mujdcring Helen Taylor. s widow, who wa.s found dying in a Partick alley with a butcher's knife in her back. Major-General Sir Ltik-f, O'Conaor, the Indian Mutiny veteran, has been laid to rest in St. Mary's Cnt.holic Churchyard, Eensa! Green. Colonel Norrie represented the King- at the service, which waz conducted with full military honours. To mark the completion of twenty-Svo years as actor-manager. Sir George Alex- ander has been presented by admirers, at St. James's Theatre, London, with a George II. silver cup. inside which was a cheque for ;E200. which Sir George will give to charity. "Death from personal neglect" was th? verdict at a Southwark inquest concerning a woman of seventy-six, who? it: was stated, -,voiii.tn of w-?,o, it was stated,