County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

I GARDENING- GOSSIP. I (From '■* Gardening Illustrated.") CONSERVATORY. I Arum Lilies will now be outside ripening growth, little water being given from time to time to check undue haste. Arum Lilies will grow altogether in water planted round the edges of a pond, but they must be deep enough to prevent frost reaching them. They take their rest in the winter, and they are always late in starting into growth. The flowers are never so fine as we grow them under glass for winter and spring flowering, with the usual rest after blooming. Most of the liard-wooded plants may now be placed outside in semi-sheltered places partially shaded. The watering and syringing during the summer must be attended to, and the plants will flower better for their outing. Repotting is usually done in spring just as the new growth is starting away. Forced Roses should be plunged outside, as should also Deutzias and other forced shrubs. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora is a useful plant when well grown, and it comes in when most of the spring- flowering things are over, and is, therefore, all the more useful. Plumbago capensis, though com- monly planted out in the borders of the conserva- tory, may be grown into a handsome specimen in a pot. A gardening friend has a large, old plant which is turned out of the pot and planted outside against a south wall in summer, and is even more effective outside than under glass. Years ago this Plumbago was used as a bedding plant in the London parks and elsewhere, and appeared happy enough. Some of the stove -plants may be worked through the conservatory in summer. Bou- gainvilleas, especially glabra, will keep in condi- I tion a long time. Eucharis Lilies, if in flower, will do well in the conservatory during the warm season. Priimdas and Cinerarias for winter flowering will now be brought on in cold pits or frames. The earliest Cyclamens will now be ready to go into 5in. pots, but it is well to let the plants get thoroughly well-rooted before shifting them on. Later some of the strongest plants may be shifted into 6in. pots. The compost should be mellow, old turf one half, and the remainder equal parts of peat, leaf-mould, and sharp sand. Stimu- lants can be given when required. Sow more Cinerarias. rn I STOVE. Shade in such bright weather as we have been fav oured with lately is, of course, absolutely neces- sary. Where anything of a permanent nature is used there is always the danger that the shade may be too heavy and the growth weakened thereby. Hexagon netting is easily put up and taken off, and is heavy enough to keep things com- fortable beneath. Where limewash and size is used it may be put through the syringe after being ^.trained, and a good deal of glass maybe shaded in live minutes, and it is more effective than when daubed on heavily with a brush. Summer cloud is useful for small houses for Ferns or flowers. Of course, there is nothing better than roller blinds, but they are expensive, and could hardly be used on a very large scale. The internal atmosphere must be kept in a genial condition by damping floors as often as necessary. We have discon- tinued fires for the present, although the nights have been cold. Certainly there should be no fires going during the day, as no one wants to encourage red-spider and thrips. LATERAL GROWTH ON VINES. As a rule, its prompt removal is necessary. There may be cases, where the Vines are weakly, that a little expansion in any direction where there is room may be beneficial during the colouring of the fruit but there is generally danger in it, espe- cially if it continues too long. A little filip to the roots in the early stages of colouring may do good, but late rooting is not desirable, especially for early forced Vines. It may be mentioned as tend- ing to fix something definite in the mind that many good growers rub off all sub-laterals below the bunches, and pinch to one leaf all above. The rubbing off of the lower sub-laterals is done as -is soon as they show, and for the other continuous pinching is necessary. CUCUMBERS UNDER GLASS. I Rich top-dressings are the life of the Cucumbers, and should be applied as frequently as is neces- sary. During the early stages of bearing, when the growth is rapid, an inch or so of sweet fresh soil may be given with advantage every 10 days or so, and the roots will speedily occupy it. The top-dressing is usually fortified with a little artificial manure and thoroughly mixed. Next to top-dressing the regular pinching of the young shoots is most important. One leaf beyond the fruit will suffice; more growth will overcrowd and check bearing. The Cucumber grower cannot keep to regular hours if he is to earn his salt at this season. Abundant moisture, a light shade, and not much, if any, ventilation will produce hundreds of Cucumbers where dozens only would be grown under less favourable conditions. Under such conditions there will be no red-spider nor yet green fly, unless other plants have been grown beneath, where there is a temperature to do the utmost possible with the space. OUTDOOR GARDEN. I It is always important that what may be termed routine work should have attention at the right time. A good deal of the gardener's work is of this character, and the proper carrying out of the various operations to be in time often demands considerable energy, and the intelligent observer may often save himself a good deal of work. We often hear complaints of Roses doing badly and being eaten up by green-fly and maggots. When this point is reached, with the remedies for de- stroying insects include a more generous diet for the plants, either liquid or solid or both. Roses or any other plants in a badly nourished condition are more subject to insect attacks than those properly fed. Lift Tulips, and when the bulbs are properly dried store them away.- The season has been too dry for vigorous growth anywhere, but flowering shrubs have been lovely. Magnolias especially have been conspicu- ous. Among herbaceous plants, Pyrethroms have been and are still most usefnl where cut-flowera are in demand. Do everything possible to hasten the growth of Dahlias, as the season is s short one at the best. Pteonies in a mass have a gorgeous effect, and a good-sized patch of Dictamnus Fraxi- nella is attractive. FRUIT GARDEN. I The hose, where water pressure can be obtained, should be used freely among fruit-trees, both on walls and in the open. The breast wood should be shortened back to four or five leaves on Plum- trees, but enough young shoots favourably placed should be left for laying in where there is a vacancy. On porous soils a mulch of manure will be beneficial to Raspberries and Gooseberries. Black Currants also must have help in a dry time. There is a fine crop of fruit of all kinds set, and help must be given if it is to be well developed and ripened. There should be a full crop of Royal Sovereign Strawberry this season, aR the early blossoms escaped the spring frosts which are frequently injurious to the early blossoms. Help of a liquid kind will be useful now if the weather continues dry and hot to swell up late fruit. There is generally a full crop of Cherries, and here again moisture will add to the weight and consequent value of the crop if it is given at once; but water when fruit is nearly finished may do harm. Nothing spoils the flavour of Peaches so soon as a soaking of water when the ripening is nearly finished. Inside Vine-borders should be kept in a moist, healthy condition, and outside borders, where the drainage is right, may require a good soaking of liquid-manure. DRINK IN THE TRANSVAAL. I Mr. Theophilus Lyndall Schreiner writes nov as follows on the proposal that the Government should control the liquor trade in the Transvaal and Orange Colony: I submit that the proposed scheme is bad, (a) because it would identify a British Government with a trade hurtful to the community, which it is its duty to curb and restrict, but not to carry on (b) because, though under a Crown Colony system of government the scheme might not work so badly, its influence on general politics would be pernicious in the extreme, when responsible government is established; (c) because the pro- hibitory liquor law of the old Orange Free State was successfully administered and deserves to be maintained, and it will not do to have one system in that State and a different one in the Transvaal; (d) because the scheme is based on an immoral principle, and will tend to vitiate the national conscience on the matter of the drink traffic and drunkenness. It is allowed on all hands that the liquor interest in the Transvaal is one of the most powerful agencies with which the Government will have to contend. If the liquor traffic be carried on by the Government's own officials, all the power of this liquor interest will be arrayed against it; and if the Government employs the individuals who represent the liquor interest and allows them to carry it on, all the former evils will result, aggravated by this fact, that the Government will be responsible for them. I submit that the only course for the Government of the Transvaal to pursue will be: (1) To enforce the prohibition of the sale of liquor to natives. (2) To confine the retail sale of intoxicating liquors to bona-fide hotels and restaurants. (3) To limit the number of such licensed hotels and restaurants according to the European population. (4) To keep the granting of such licenses and the regula- tion of the traffic allowed by such licenses in its own hands.

AMUSEMENTS OF BOER PRISONERS. The Boer prisoners at St. Helena amuse them- selves in many ways (says the Photographic Chronicle). They are very fond of cricket and football. They have a recreation hall, in which toeir musical club frequently gives concerts. They have among them a musical composer named Schumann, who claims to be a collateral descen- dant of the great composer. He has written a Boer hymn since his captivity. There are many tradesmen among them, and they are constantly encouraged to ply their trades. They carve napkin rings from beef bones, and make fine walking-sticks, for which they are granted mate- rial from the Government forests.

THE MURDER OF CAPTAIN WATTS JONES. Router's Agency is informed that full details have now been received from Pekin as to the murder of Captain W. A. Watts Jones, R.E., at Kwei-Ff ua-Cheng, in Sliansi. From these it appeara that on his arrival at that town with an escort of Chinese soldiers and with four Chinese servants, he was escorted first to the Yamen of the sub-Prefect Kao, then to the Yameu of tle Taotai Cheng. Both these officials refused to give Captain Watts Jones a further passport, but the sub-Prefect invited him to partake of refreshments, after which he and his party went to the inn for the night. The next morning early the Taotai went to a large Manchu camp at Tai Huan, about two miles north of the town, had a long consultation with the Tartar general Tong, and returned with 400 Manchu soldiers. He then got the sub-prefect to invite Captain Watts Jones to his yamen, where he went about noon. Captain Watts Jones sat with the sub-prefect, drank tea, and was informed in the most friendly manner that the Taotai had decided to give him a passport and an escort for Pekin, and wished him to go to his yamen to talk the matter over. He accordingly went there in the afternoon. Ha found the soldiers drawn up at the essyance to the yamen, and was at once surrounded by four of them, with drawn swords, and was taken into the Inner Yamen. Here he was forced to kneel down, and was questioned as to his name and occupation. Suddenly at a given signal he was seized from behind and was bound from the waist upwards. He was wearing a sun-hat, which fell off in the scuffle. After he was bound he asked for it to be replaced, which was done. He was then marched out of the Yamen, and a short distance outside was felled by a violent blow from behind, and the soldiers with one or two strokes cut off his head. The same evening the head and body ) were placed in a Chinese coffin and buried in a placed called Kao-hua-yuan. I The soldiers went back to the inn, arrested the four servants, and imprisoned them in the sub- prefect's Yamen, where two of them subsequently died of starvation. The remaining two were, in December, sent back to their homes. The soldiers stole all Captain Watts Jones's property, burnt his papers, and distributed his clothes amongst them- selves. He was the first foreigner killed in Kwei-Hua-Chcng. His brother, Lieutenant H. L. Watts Jones, R.N., came to China in August to render any assistance possible. After arranging for the return to England of Mrs. Alan Watts Jones and her infant son, he accom- panied the expedition to Kalgan in December, and in common with other English officers was most anxious then to go on to Kwei-Hua- Cheng. This, however, was not allowed by the General in command. In February, however, find- ing that a priest of the Belgian mission, the Rev. Pere Hustin, wished to go to some stations in the north-west to see after his converts, Lieutenant Watts Jones arranged to accompany him, and the two, with ten Chinere converts armed with Mannlicker rifles, started north. They visited several stations on the way, and after a hazardous journey of about 400 miles arrived safely at Kwei- Hua-Cheng. They found that the Taotai had fled, but Lieutenant Watts Jones had the sub- prefect arrested. The Chinese had been ex- pecting the nearest relatives to claim the body, and gave all assistance they could. There was no possible doubt as to the identity of the diseased, but all papers had been destroyed, and the two surviving servants sent home. Lieutenant Watts Jones, bringing his brother's body, then returned to Pekin. A decree was issued for the immediate decapitation of the Taotai, but it is not known whether he has yet been found. The Chinese themselves consider the murder as especially atrocious, because the victim had a passport and was a commissioned officer. He had always been on the friendliest terms with the Chinese. One of his last acts was, an arriving at a small mission station, to dress and bind up the leg of a. poor Chinaman who had come for medical treatment, but whose case was^ beyond the resources of the missionaries. Captain Watts Jones, having a small medicine chest with him, scraped the leg and poured in iodoform, and the man rapidly recovered.

BLOOMS ONOE. A CENTUEX I One of the rarest of botanical phenomena is now to be seen in Victoria-park, London—the flowering of a Great American Aloe or Century Plant. At leafet three-quarters of a ce.otury old, the plant sitoWed tllC first symptoms of flowering the second week in April. Sinc-e then the flower spike has grc-sra "bjvinehea a day, and the plant is now be- tween 18ft. to Hiit. in height. When the bloom is ftilly out, which will be about the end of next maSith, the aloe will have a gorgeous crown of gslden flewera about bft. high. Only once in its life does aloe bloom, and after about six weeks the bloa-scm will fail, and the plant will die down to the ground. In their Central American home these plimtfJ usually flower in their seventh or, eighth year, but in our hot-houses not till the 80th or 100th—hence the name. _1.JWØ11I

A BOOK on the ears as an index of character having been published by an English author, a learned reviewer, Dr. A. Keith, mentions his own elaborate study of the ears of more than 40,000 people, including 800 criminals and 2000 insane I persons, besides' those of 300 apes. He was forced to conclude that the ears gave no clue to nerson.il traits. I SALVATION OVERSEA COLONY. J The oversea colony, the last link in General Booth's Darkest England scheme for raising the "submerged tenth," has at last been provided. Over 20.000 acres of land, situate beside the Collie River, Western Australia, have been acquired by the Salvation Army from the Colonial Govern- ment, and will be utilised forthwith. Commandant Herbert Booth, the General's youngest son, has been relieved from his charge of the Australian Salvationists generally, in order that lie may devote his sole attention to the development of the estate, and the reception of colonists. The step- ping-stones by which, according to General Booth's scheme, the submerged were to be raised were these: First, their reception into the shelters, at home, then their employment at the army's eleva- tors or workshops, or at Hadleigh Farm Colony, and, finally, after probation, their emigration to the oversea colony, if they wished to go, and were of approved fitness for the agricultural work before them.

THE LATEST PASSENGER STEAMER DEPARTURE. The new turbine steamer King Edward, which has been built by Messrs. Denny, of Dumbarton, for a syndicate, in the construction of which the greatest secrecy has been observed, to test the merits of the turbine in regard to its development and introduction into passenger and cargo steamers, went out for a preliminary trial recently. Only the builders and inventors were on board. A number of runs were made on the measured mile at Wemyss Bay, the results of which were highly satisfactory. On the mile the turbine developsd between 19 and 20 knots per hour, a speed in excess of what was originally contemplated. The famous Clyde boat Galatea was brought alongside, and a spin from Dunoon along the Bulwood shore took place over a distance of four miles. The turbine left the clipper far behind. The trials gave intense satisfaction to all on board. The absence of vibration and the complete steadiness, even j when going at full speed, was highly satisfactory. ) The ship has tubular boiler and five propellers, two on each side and one at the stern. These can be worked separately.

THE VIEW FROM RICHMOND- HILL. There is some hope that practical efforts may now be made to avert the destruction of the classic view of the Thames from Richmond-hill. Sir J. Whittaker Ellis has not been content with calling attention to the speculative builders' invasion of the scene which Turnerpainted and Sir Walter Scott described; he has approached the London County Council, the Surrey County Council, and the Middlesex County Council, as the three adminis- trative bodies primarily interested ,in the matter; and there is reason to believe that his action has not been in vain. But Sir Whittaker's efforts have not been confined to the county authorities he has also placed himself in communication with the owners of the threatened Marble-hill estate, ap- parently with not less promising results. The preservation of Marble-hill alone, however, will not save the famous scene from being marred. The glorious bend of the river at the foot of Richmond-hill includes in its expanse not only Marble-hill, but also the historic demesne of Orleans House, and the beautiful grounds of the j Lebanon estate. If the famous view is to be I made secure against future menace the two latter I properties must be considered, and Sir Whittaker Ellis has approached the owners in each case. From the encouraging outcome of his negotiations he has little doubt that arrangements may be made whereby the proprietors of all three estates will covenant not to build upon the glades, and will assign to the public the right of purchase whenever the properties become no longer desir- able of retention as places of private residence. Terms will, of course, have to be based upon the value of the estates as building land, and Sir Whittaker, as an expert in such matters, thinks there will be no great difficulty in this respect. Sir Whittaker Ellis also hopes that the Govern- ment may be induced to take protective action, on the ground that the historic view is of national interest and importance. He argues that inas- much as masterpieces of art are purchased out of public funds for the delectation of the nation, a view such as that from the terrace of Richmond- hill should have an equally strong claim to public preservation. Whether he succeeds in this direc- tion or not, he has already received many distin- guished offers of assistance, either in the way of joining a preservation committee or of subscribing to a purchase fund.

THE NEW OLD DRURY. The great Strand-Holborn scheme is not the only improvement that is being effected in or about Drury-lane. The world-known playhouse is being modernised and brought into touch with present- day requirements, and although the threatre has now stood for nearly 100 years, in three months it will have no superior, judged from the stand- points of safety, lighting, ventilation, and comfort. In the last seven or eight years between forty and fifty thousand pounds have been spent in im- provements. Ten thousand more are being ex- pended in the present vacation in completing the scheme, and the contractors are bound under heavy penalties to have the theatre ready for the produc- tion of the autumn drama in September. The work at present in hand consists princi- pally in the reconstruction of the stalls and the grand and first circles. A number of the old boxes on the stall floor are being removed; a larger number of stalls will thus be made room for, and, even more important still, the former gangways are being widened and other new ones ptcrided. Anew exit giving on Russell-street is in cour.se of construction. The circle tiers were formerly of wood. All this has now been taken out, and given place to steel girders and fireproof concrete flooring. This is the case on both tiers, and likewise in both instances, the seats, particularly at the ends, are being so arranged that from every part a full view of the stage will be obtained. An entirely new system of ventilation is being installed throughout every portion of the house. Powerful fans are being fitted in the basement to assist the ingress of fresh pure air, and equally potent appliances will be employed to secure the passing-off of the vitiated atmosphere. The theatre is being re-wired for electric light from top to bottom, and in future it will not be dependent upon one source or corporation for its supply. Under this arrangement, in case one service should fail, another will be available, and in these conditions the necessity for gas as an alternative illuminant will be altogether avoided. The architect, Mr. Philip E. Pilditch, of Pall Mall East, has also designed an exceedingly beautiful scheme of redecoration and upholster- ing, which also will be completed in time for the autumn season. There will then be no better playhouse in all London, and Old Drury will be itself again. itself again.

JAPAN'S COMMERCIAL PROGRESS. In the report on the trade, &c., of Japan, recently received at the Foreign Office from H.M. Legation at Tokio, it is noted (says the Board of Trade Journal) that foreign trade for 1899 had reached the highest figures recorded since Japan first had commercial dealings with other nations. That record, however, was in its turn surpassed by the result revealed by the returns for the year just ended. In 1900 the value of imports was £ 29,324,646, of exports P.20,868,895, giving a grand total of £ 50,193,541.

THE PRINCE OF WALES'S LIGHT HORSE. Lieutenant-colonel Owen Thomas, who raised the Prince of Wales's Light Horse in South Africa, writing from Pretoria on May 25 last to Welsh newspapers, makes an appeal to his fellow- countrymen of Wales to fill the vacancies caused in the regiment, which was composed mostly of Welshmen from all parts of the world. He says: The regiment has been on active service at the front for nearly six months with the result that its ranks have been .considerably thinned through casualties of every kind, and, as many of the men who are now serving are about to complete their term of enlistment, I am compelled to appeal to my countrymen to assist me to replace them. The regiment up to the present has been the strongest mounted corps in South Africa. Most of the men who came out from the Principality to join the regiment at its formation paid their own passage to the Cape, and as I hear there are many more ready and willing to come but unable to pay their passage, I am in hopes that some gentlemen—when they know we are in need of them—will find some means or other to send suitable men to the Cape to join and to strengthen the ranks of the Welsh Horse. The terms of enlistment is 'six months, and the men receive 5s. per day, with all equipment found. At the close of the period of service a gratuity of £5 and a free passage back to England are granted, but if men sign for a further six months they are allowed in addition to the gratuity a month's holi- day or a month's pay with free passage at the close of their service. Applications may be made to I Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas at Cape Town. in iii !■ 11 ■■ inrn

HOUSE OF LORDS' ACCOMMODATION. The report of the Joint Select Committee of the two Houses of Parliament appointed "to con- sider the acommodation available in the House of Lords when the Sovereign is personally present in Parliament, and the advisability of substituting Westminster Hall on such an occasion for the House of Lords has been issued as a Parliamen- tary paper. The report states that the committee began by examining Mr. Tritton and Sir Henry Fowler. -Nvho endeavoured to follow the Speaker to the House of Lords on the occasion of the last opening of Parliament by the King on February 1'1 last. Neither of them succeeded in attaining his object, and Mr. Tritton was severely injured, owing to the overpowering rush of members who eagerly struggled to secure the limited number of places available below the bar of the House of Lords." The committee has come to the conclu- sion that increased accommodation can be found in the House of Lords without much difficulty. A careful examination of precedents and standing orders has led it to the conclusion that" Peeresses can claim no right to be present. At the same time it would be a matter of regret if a privilege of such long standing, the exercise of which adds so much to the beauty of the ceremony, should be restricted more than is absolutely necessary." The committee has no doubt that all the judges are technically bound to attend the opening of Parlia- ment that the eldest sons of peers are entitled to the use of a box holding 12 persons; and that foreign Ministers or foreigners of distinction are permitted" to attend. In regard to the proposal that in future Westminster Hall should be used on such occasions, the committee finds that to this there is no constitutional objection. But it is pointed out that the opening of Parliament usually takes place in January or February, often in very inclement weather, which might prevent the attendance of many persons, especially ladies in full dress, and many seats would be left empty in the vast hall. The committee was informed that the hall, which has been used for sittings of the barons, for State trials, and for Coronation ceremonies, would hold from 2000 to 2500 persons on the floor, and perhaps 1000 more if galleries were erected. In regard to the acoustics, however, Sir John Taylor said: "I should think the greater part of the 3500 would hear but little at the end of the building." After carefully considering the evidence the committee is of opinion that before so great a change is effected a fair trial should be made of the accommodation which would be available in the House of Lords if the following recommenda- tions were carried out: (a) On the floor of the House, if the table be removed, there will be seats for 558. Of these the judges occupy 20 on the Woolsack. On the last occasion about 16 were present, and though all the 29 judges might at- tend, yet no more than 20 will probably be able to leave their important duties elsewhere. Some 20 seats should be reserved for foreign Am- bassadors and their wives; the substrac- tion of these 40 places from the total of 558 leaves 518. There is in addition standing-room, still leaving ample space for those who are in attendance on the King and Queen, for some 20 or 30 peers near the Throne. On the last occasion about 250 peers attended, and 286 peer- esses applied for and received untransferable tickets. They were probably not all present. On no previous occasion had more than 95 applied. The exact division of the seats available between peers and peeresses, which would be 518, is a matter for the consideration of the House of Lords itself, (b) The two small boxes below the bar should be, as on previous, occasions, assigned respectively to Black Rod and to peers' eldest sons. (c) In the south, east, and west galleries there are seats for 102. The committee recommends that these be assigned to persons nominated by the King, the Queen, and the Royal family; to foreign Ministers and other members of the Diplomatic body, and to wives of high officials. The distribution of these seats remains in the hands of the Lord Great Chamberlain. If the accommodation for peeresses in the body of the House is found insufficient seats may have to be assigned to them in the galleries, (d) The galleries usually occupied by members of the House of Commons and by strangers afford seats for 148. In the space behind, as the committee found by experiment, there is standing room for 54. The Reporters' Gallery has seats for 25 per- sons. The committee recommends that the places mentioned in the paragraph (d), viz., 148 and 54, together 202, be assigned to members of the House of Commons. In the space on the floor below the bar experiment proved that there is standing room for 256, besides the Speaker and Black Rod, and the Serjeant-at-Arms. Of these some 80 would be in a less favourable position under the gallery, but the committee was informed that raised steps could be placed at the back for two rows, without interfer- ing with the Speaker's path of approach. The seats and standing room in the galleries and below the bar would thus together hold 459 members of the House of Commons. The com- mittee is of opinion that, judging by the attendance at the last ceremony, which was probably excep- tionally large, the number that could thus be accommodated would seldom, if ever, be reached, and that the fear of not obtaining a satisfactory place having been removed, the members of the House of Commons could follow the Speaker in dignity and comfort. The committee also recom- mends that the Royal Gallery be fitted up so as to allow peeresses who may not be accommodated within the House of Lords itself, as well as the wives of members of the House of Commons, to view the Royal procession on its way from the robing room.

"You say," pursued the chairman of the inves- tigating committee, that he resorted to no bribery whatever during the election, so far as you know ?" "Yes, sir," replied the witness, "that's what I said." Did he not circulate several boxes of cigars ?" Yes, sir, but them cigars wasn't bribes. Here's one of them. You can try it." A SHOPKEEPER named Danger moved across a street and put up his notice J. Danger, from over the way." Another man, who took his pre- mises, put up this notice: This is the safe shop no Danger here." A.: "Did you hear about Watson's whiskers ?'i B. "No what was it?" A.: Why. they looked 130 ugly thai all the neighbours signed a. petition asking Watson, as a, matter of public policy, to shave them off." B.: Well, did he do it?" A.: Yes, he did." B.: Well, what then ?" A. Why, the very next day the neighbours signed a petition asking Watson, as a matter of public policy, to let them grow again."

A LAND OF MORTGAGES. I Mr. Consul Ladenburg, in his report on the trade and industry of the Grand Duchy of Badet. for last year, states that agriculture in Germany, as iu other countries, is not prosperous, and tht position of the peasantry and landowners has grown more or less precarious. One of their organs asks for an averege wheat price equivalent to 50s. per quarter; it would enable farmers to flourish without bread being dear. For Baden the matter is of supreme importance, above all for Mannheim, the chief corn market for South and Western Germany. He goes on to say: One feature that has had some influence in bringing about the present position, and which may continue to affect it, is the system of mort- gage in Germany. No other nation in the world has carried it to such development. This natural resource of a country long comparatively poor in capital under ordinary conditions appears perfectly legitimate, and in Germany has been gradually brought to the utmost efficiency. Without its help, indeed, Germany would hardly have arisen to its present rank. When a man buys land, or builds a house or a factory, unless rich, he will in most cases seek to liberate his capital again by mortgaging the investment. It is customary to do so, and he enjoys every facility for doing so. No prejudice exists on the point as in the United Kingdom, and not merely private individuals, but landowners, manufacturers, and public companies freely avail themselves of such resource. Germany has some 34 mortgage banks or institutions, whose collective issue of obligations amounted up to June 30, 1900, to 6,496,150,000 marks. The amount of capital invested in mortgages is somewhat diffi cult to determine. Dr. Felix Hecht estimated the total for the public mortgage institutions of Europe at the close of 1898 at 26,690,000,000f., of which Germany's share alone reached 11,600,000,000°., while Russia had 6,570.000,000f., Austria- Hungary 2,840,000,000f., and France only 1,790,000,000f. A wealthy country like France had no occasion to burden its land and other real property with debts as poorer countries must do to furnish themselves with capital to develop their resources. The total amount of capital placed in mortgages is, of course, much larger. For Prussia alone it was reckoned in 1892 at 16,600,000,000f. and the rapid growth of obligation of the Hypo- thek banks from about 3.970,000,000 marks at the end of 1893 to 6,298,000,000 marks in 1899 is re- markable. The latest authority on the subject, Herr Rudolf Eberstadt, puts the present total capital invested in mortgages in Germany at the frightful (erschreckende) sum of no less than 40,000,000,000 marks, or upwards of £ 2,000,000,000.

WHAT NOVELISTS EARN. Dr. Nicoll says he has made a very careful estimate of living English novelists, and the facts are somewhat startling. At the outset there are not more than 40 novelists in the country who can live in a reasonable way on the profits of their books alone. The serial market, however, is very large, and this makes the very successful novelist moderately rich, and provides for some who other- wise could not live by fiction. He calculated that there are 85 novelists who can live by what they receive from the publication of their books as serials, as well as in volume form.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY. In the course of the work of restoration of the old church of St. Peter of Montmartre, now being carried out under the direction of M. Sauvageot, the workmen (says the Paris Siecle) discovered a tombstone of the 12th century, having a figure carved on it. The head, which is encircled with a Royal crown, appears to indicate that the stone in question covered the tomb of Queen Adelaide, wife of Louis VI., and foundress of the Abbey of Mont- martre, into which in 1153 she retired, and where, a year later, she died and was buried.

THE KING AND THE PRESS. When the King was Prince of Wales he refused to attend public banquets if the Press were not seated among the guests. On one occasion (says the Irish Field) the reporters were to dine by themselves in another room. They refused, and brought the matter under the notice of the Prince personally. He sent for the mayor of the town, said a few pointed remarks, and when the banquet commenced the reporters were accommodated with seats from which they could have shaken hands with his Royal Highness.

TRADE OF BELGIUM. The trade of Belgium, states the Independance Belge, shows a decline in both exports and imports for the first five months of the present year, and in each case the decrease is the same, namely, four per cent. The importations amounted in value to 850,832,000f., as against 888,377,000f. last year while the vulue of exports was 694, 166,OOOf. as against 725,541,000f. Custom House dues during the same period were 20,767,292f., as against 22,330,819f. in 1900: a decrease of seven per cent.

PROTECTING THE OWNERS. The Local Government Board is inserting in certain gas Provisional Order Bills this Session a clause enacting that any fittings let for hire to consumers "shall not be subject to distress, or to the landlords' remedy for rent, or be liable to be taken in execution upon any process of any court or any proceedings in bankruptcy against the persons in whose possession the same may be, provided that such fittings have upon them respectively a dis- tinguished metal plate affixed to a conspicuous part thereof, or a distinguished brand or other mark conspicuously impressed thereon sufficiently indicating that the undertakers are the actual owners thereof."

NEWS FROM TRISTAN DA OUNHA. The small volcanic island of Tristan da Cunha, situated in the middle of the Atlantic between South Africa and South America, is one of the most solitary points of the earth, its only regular communication with the outer world being by means of the British warship which calls there once a year with the mail, and occasionally takes away an inhabitant who is tired of his isolated life. Other vessels call there very rarely now, since the whale-fishery in that part of the ocean has declined so much. In May last year, however, the German ship R. C. Rickmers, under Captain Otto, touched at the island on the voyage from New York to Hong Kong, and the captain's account of his visit to this "last least lump of coral" of the British World Empire is not without interest. He relates that when his ship was about four knots distant from the island a whale-boat came alongside with nine persons aboard. They brought with them meat, milk, and eggs, to exchange for flour, rice, tobacco, &c. They were also glad to receive old clothinr. They were healthy-looking, powerful individuals, and very reasonable in their barter. They stated that there are 63 persons on the island at present. They possess from 500 to 600 cattle and a great number of sheep. The harvest of 1900 was a failure, in consequence of the heavy storms which hindered the growth of the crops. Meat, vegetables, eggs, butter, milk, and potatoes are in plenty on the island, but there is often a dearth of flour, tea, coffee, and also tobacco, although there are only live smokers there. The occupants of the boat related that latterly numerous steamers had passed without touching, which Captain Otto thinks were the transports of the British Govern- ment carrying cattle from the Argentine ports to Cape Town. The area of the island is 164 square kilometres, and its extinct volcano attains a height of 2000 metres.

THE average length of a man's stride Qnetelet estimates at 31|-in., and the distance an average traveller can cover at this rate is 7158yds. an hour, or 119yds. a minute. The number of strides would be 7500 an hour, or 125 a minute. The length of the stride in the various European armies is as follows In the German army it is lin., with a cadence of 112 steps per minute; in the Austrian army 29§in., with a cadence of from 115 to 130 per minute; in the French army 29iin., with a cadence of llS per minute in the British army 30iu., with a cadence of 116 per minute.

GUNS WITH HISTORIES. I The first and last guns fired in the civil war are to be seen in the Government building of the Buffalo Exhibition. The former is a four-pounder cast-iron smooth bore gun, fired by a citizen of Vicksburg at a U.S. steamer passing that place, supposed to be bound for New Orleans with U.S. army supplies and rations. This shot was fired several days before the firing at Charleston took place. The other piece is a three-inch wrought- iron rifle, and is the last gun fired before the sur- rnnder of Lee at Appomattox. Both guns are from the West Point 31 use am.