SPORTING.

SPORTING NOTES. [by robin hood.] The annual meeting of the Ashburton Racing Club will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, November 19 an2o. The programme has been issued, and provides six events for each day’s racing, and the character of the stakes should ensure large fields and good sport. A feature of the programme is the number of events confined to district horses, and after hav ing devoted a large amount of considera tion to the subject, and carefully weighed the many pros and cons I am decidedly of opinion that the conservation is advisable. Much as we may desire to encourage the breed of horses, and the development of higher sport, we must admit that contests between local horses have hitherto been more acceptable to the subscribing public .than the Bay or Goodman coup, each of ■which carried away large sums of Ashbur ton money, without affording equivalent sport. The condition of the course is not so far advanced as I should like to see it, but doubtless the Committee will push tb:« matter forward at once. . The ball is set rolling on the first day by the Open Hurdle Race of 40 sovs. Judging from the number of entries which similar events have attracted at Geraldine and Waitaki, this should be a popular item and the added money is sufficient to induce the better exponents of the ‘ ‘ illegitimate business to patronise our course. A good <WI of interest will centre on the County Hurdle Race, and I think an excellent race will be produced. Last year s winner, Nellie Gray, is still in the district, and if her new owner elects to start her, fit and well under a moderate weight, she will be a very formidable opponent. Lonehand, if still aspiring to turf distinction, is better adapted to big country and long distances, but if trained for this contest would beat anything below mediocrity. Merlin will doubtless be entered, and if the handicap per is lenient, I must regard his chance as a rosy one. Raven, after his Queen s Birthday Steeplechase form, is entitled to the premier place amidst our cross-country performers, and if-his condition is up to ♦W. in which he last appeared, he will take a lot of beating. Tam O’Shanter is another horse 1 much fancy, and I hope that we shall again see him out, with better luck than that which befell him on his last appearance. Mr Carter will probably be represented by something good, both in the flat and hurdle races, and I hope that this popular sportsman may secure some ofthe good things; the command of a horseman like Lawson is always something in his favor. Faugh-a-Ballagh is looking well, and much sounder than I have seen him. He is a nice fencer, and I think has more pace than is generally attributed to him. Billy Buttons has, I fear, retired permanently from the turf to the seclusion of a grass paddock; if the ill-tempered little grey should- again put in an .appear ance, I should still accord him respect ful consideration. Barry Lyndon, Why Not, and others from the same stable, have had a lot of practice during the winter with houuds, and certainly are the best schooled lot in the County, but I understand that none of them will take part in the annual meeting. I hope that I am misinformed in this matter, as the Hfill horses have always shown some form. I hope that we shall receive entries from Mount Somers, Longbeach, and Rangitata districts, as many good sportsmen are resident in those localities, and I am sure that they will be most heartily welcomed by their Ashburton confreres. WAITAKI RACES. Oamaru, Oct. 2.

Maiden Plate of 30 sovs. 1J miles. D, O’Brien’s Fenella, 3 yrs (M. Allen) 1 Mr Osborne’s Black Prince, aged ... .... ... ... ... (Owner) 2 Mr Sutherland’s Magician, 4 yrs ... , ... (J. Allen) 3 Littlejohn, Kelpie, and Loyalty also started. Time, 2 min. 56 sec. Waitaki County Plats —a Handicap of 40 sovs, 1A miles. Mr. S. Waddell’s Eangitira, 6 yrs, 7st’ gibs. ... ... ... (J- Allen) 1 Hr EL Goodman’s York, 4 yrs, 7st. (Rudings) 2 Mr. A. McKay’s Blue Peter, aged, 7st. 51bs ..i ... (A. Hoskings) 3 Mr H. Goodman’s Play Boy, 3 yrs, 6st Tlta ■ , (W. Allen) 0 Time, 2 min. 45 sec. Waitaki Cup—Handicap of 100 sovs, 2

miles. Messrs Mason and Vallance’s Pinfire, 5 yrs; 7st 121bs ... (Harris) 1 Mr H. Goodman’s Chancellor, 5 yrs, 7st 51bs (Rudings) 2 Mr Walter’s Libeller, 3 yrs, 6st 121bs, ... ... (Taylor) 3 Maritana and Unknown also started. Won by a length. Time, 3 rain. 44 sec. ' A 3-mile trotting match was won by Mr o. B. Mooney’s horse. Time, 10 min. A Hack Selling Race of 30 sovs, in which ten horses took part, was run in half-mile heats, Mr. D. O’Brien s Fe- being the winner. The filly was sold after the race for £37.

C. J. C. HANDICAP. The following are the acceptances for the C.J.C. Handicap : st. lb. Templeton 9 8 Fishhook 9 5 Mata 9 3 Maritana 8 7 Natator 8 3 Longlands ... . 8 2 Pinfire ... ... ... 8 0 1 Chancellor 7 8 Caraballo 7 7 Laertes 7 5 Dundee 7 4 Oberon 7 0 Betrayer 0 18 Naiad ... ... 6 12 Atlantic ' 6 8 Maid of Honour 0 8 Piscatorius 6 6 Libeller 6 6 St. George 0 2 OnDit 6 2 Marie Antoinette 6 2 Adamant ... ... ••• 6 0 Noma 6 0

NORTH ASHBURTON ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the above Board was hold on Thursday. Present— Messrs. H. T. Winter (chair- E. Saunders, H. Frixdlander, and Joseph Hunt. CORRESPONDENCE. An application was received from Hugh Kennedy and others, asking for cuttings to be made and the road formed, to con nect Wilson’s road with the Beach road. The Surveyor was instructed to report on the matter. From residents in Trevorton, calling attention to the bad state of the footpath on the Beach road, and asking that the footpath be shingled, and Trevor road formed to the Terrace, so as to lead the water from the main road.

The application was granted. Application from Mr. Leadley and others, to have the Wakanui township road shingled. Postponed. From Nicholas Fitzgerald, offering a right of road through his land at £lO per acre, providing the Boai'd fenced the land, or £l6 if he had to fence it himself. From James Wilson, offering land for same object at £22 per acre for improved land, and £2O for unimproved. The Surveyor was instructed to reply that if the ratepayers wished to have the road the Board would be willing to pay half the cost, and failing their consent to this course the Board would take a drain age area through it. Messrs. Collinson and others applied for a road off the Seafield road to be shingled, leading past Messrs. Hooper and Dodson’s.

Mr. Denshire also applied for a road near his residence to be shingled. Both applications were postponed till later on in the meeting. From Weeks and Dixon, soliciting a shrre of the Board’s advertising. Mr. Friedlander proposed that the ad vertising be divided among the papers equally, -without adding to the expense. Agreed to. From the County Council, stating that they could not according to law alter the name of the district.

It was resolved to correspond with Mr. Wright, the member for the district, asking him to try if he could do anything in the raattex-.

Mr. J. E. March, Immigration Officer, wrote asking if there were any unoccupied cottages in the district. The Secretary stated there were none. The Surveyor’s report was read as fol lows :

According to instructions we accepted tenders for one month for maintenance of Beach road, Wilson’s road, and Wakanui roads. The following roads have been inspected :—Gardner’s road —This road has been completed in a satisfactory man ner. Chertsey road —The contractor is proceeding with this work. Fitzgerald’s road—This road has been completed. With regard to roads requiring metalling, the following we think are necessary : Estimated

Chs. Cost. Ru ! es and Cochrane’s roads ... 745 ••• £ ll S4- Denshire’s ~ ... 260 ... 4°3

Wakanui Township „ ... 175 ••• 2 7 1 Leaddley’s ~ 186 ... 279 Corbett’s ■ ~ ... 14° ••• 21 7 Butterick’s ~ ... 37° 573 East Belt „ • - 55 ••• Boundary 3 2 ° 49 6 We have examined the ground through which it is proposed to connect the Beach road with Wilson’s road, and recommend the one proceeding along the boundary between Fitzgerald and Wilson for a dis tance of 33 chains to the terrace ; thence to a point on the opposite terrace; this route has natural facilities for a roadway. It will take about nine acres out of rural section 4844 and 3 acres out of rural section 17261, the price for which will be laid before you. The cost of making the road we esti mate at £250. Tenders will be laid before you for the maintenance of roads in the district for twelve months ; for formation and metalling of Gibson’s road, and for forming to full width the Beach road. It was decided to shingle the following roads : , Rule’s road, 430 chains ; Denshire s, 180 do. ; Leadley’s, 279 do. ; Smith’s, 85 do ; Butterick’s, 573 do. Mr. John Carter wrote applying for payment for shingle taken out of rural sec tion 1120, for shingling Jones’s Road. The Board resolved to pay Mr. Carter, providing the High School Board, to whom the land belonged, offered no objection. The Clerk was instructed to urge upon Mr. J. E. Buchanan the necessity of at once taking steps to recover all outstand ing rates. Tenders were opened for the following works :

Gibson s road —E. Thomas, formation, per chain, 7s 9d; shingling, Is Id per yard, maintenance of roads, W. Silcock, 2s 5d per chain. The pay-sheet was passed, and the Board resolved to strike a rate of Is. in the pound for the year 1879-80.

OPENING OF THE WATERTON HOTEL.

By the invitation of Mr. F. Doherty, the proprietor of this hotel, a large number of hia friends in Ashburton and surround ing districts attended the opening of this now house, which took place on Wednesday evening. Vehicles of all sorts and descrip tions were brought into requisition, and daring the day it was almost impossible to obtain a conveyance of any sort, con sequently a good many of Mr. Doherty s well-wishers were unable to avail them selves of their • invitations. At the hotel itself every preparation was made for the welcome and convenience of the guests, who numbered altogether about 200, the whole of whom were amply provided with refreshment in the shape of a good, sub. stantial, and well-laid-out supper, which did credit to Host Doherty and his ser- everyone had done ample justice to the good things provided, Mr. Ivess, in a very appropriate speech, proposed the health of Mr. Doherty, and in doing so referred to his pluck and perseverance in building and opening a house such as the Waterton Hotel, in the face of the late financial depression, and hoped that Mr. Doherty’s venture would not only prove a successful one for himself but a source of great convenience to the travelling public and residents of the district. Inference was also made to the well-known career of Mr. Doherty as a public servant and a business man. Although Mr. Doherty, like many others, had lately had reason to feel the heavy commercial depression which had existed throughout the colony,

the speaker 0-xprenaod a hope that Mr. Doherty’s friends (and they were many) would at all convenient times rally round him and accord him that support in his new venture which his past career entitled him to.

The toast was received with much en thusiasm.

Mr. Doherty, in reply to the toast, said he felt himself bound to say that he was exceedingly proud and gratified to see so many old faces present; and that fact in duced him to hope his new vocation would be a successful one. So far as it lay in his power he would on every occasion en deavour to meet the requirements of the district, and also to use his best endea vours to please everyone who patronised his house. Mr. Doherty concluded by thanking the ladies and gentlemen for their attendance, especially those from a distance, who, lie believed, had at great personal inconvenience, accepted his in vitation.

A good band was in attendance, and dancing and merriment was kept up till an eai’ly hour in the morning, all appearing to enjoy themselves thoroughly.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Friday, October 3. (Before Mi-. F. Guinness, 11. M.) DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. William Hamilton was discharged with a caution. CIVIL CASES. DeEidder v. Kearney (Mount Somers) —Judgment for amount, £3 ss, and costs, £1 11s. Same v. D. Gainey (Eakaia) —Judg- ment for amount, £2 8s lOd, and costs, 9s. Same v. John Boucher (llakaia) —Judg- ment for amount, £1 13s Id, and costs, Cs.

A. Dupuis v. Patching.—Judgment by default for £2 Cs, and costs, ss. Orr and Co. v. M. Nealas. —Mr Purnell for plaintiffs. This -was a claim for £8 5s 6d, amount due on a dishonored promis sory note. Judgment confessed. Nealas v. Arthur—Claim £3. Judg ment by defaidt for amount, and costs, Gs.

BROKEN PROMISES.

When the Gr y Government acquired the reins of p. ■ jr, one of the most prominent features in their promises of economising was the reduction of ex penses in the Government telegraphic despatches, and another the sale of one of the Government steamers. How these promises of reductions have been kept the following figures will show : —The Govern ment telegrams for the year ending June 30th, 1878, were 194,843, costing £19,148; those for the year ending June 38, 1879, were 246,961, costing £26,949. This ex pense does not show the cost of electioneer ing telegrams, which must have been a good round sum ; but the increase shows in a most unmistakeablo manner the reck less extravagance in these matters as exercised by the Apostle of Econony (Sir George Grey). Another evidence of the Government’s extravagance is the fact that the Hinemoa Government steamer has been so seriously damaged that she is now unfit for work. When a sea going steamer is kept running for six months on a stretch, without oppor tunity taken to remove the scales from her boilers, which invariably collect from the constant use and evaporation of salt water, those boilers must necessarily get burnt through in a very short time. It seems that this is what has taken place with the Hinemoa in her forced trips round the colony to convey Sir Geo. Grey on his great mission of alleviating the sufferings of humanity. The employment of special trains for Ministers, no matter whether on Sunday or week day, is another remarkable instance of the eco nomy practised by the Government ; and if all the extra travelling expenses were totted up, we think the public would look aghast at the figures. Let us hope that the future Ministry, if not so openly and wordily patriotic, will give us the more solid and useful service of work in their various departments.

INCENDIARISM.

A wilful attempt was made during Tues day night to burn down the Christchurch Resident Magistrate’s Courthouse. At ten minutes to five in the afternoon the bailiffs office was locked up, and at half past seven the assistant bailiff, when passing the back of the Courthouse, looked in through the window' of this office, and saw that everything w'as safe. At ten minutes to eight on Wednesday morning, when he opened the outer door, he per ceived a strong smell of something burning, and on hastening to open the door of the bailiffs department, saw smoke proceeding from underneath a large heap of burnt paper, which had been stacked on a chair in front of a table and near the wooden linin" of the western side of the room. The scat of the chair, which had been of wood, w’as completely burnt out, a little of the lining of the wall burnt, and a portion of the leg of the table. All the pigeon holes on this table, which had contained between 250 and 300 summonses of various kinds, to he heard within the next few days, had been cleared and heaped on this chair, in addition to between 700 and 800 forms, and then evidently set fire to. An end window looking out from this table was unfastened and it appeared as if the incendiary, after completing his work, had got on to this table, and in getting out through the window had pushed the pigeon-hole frame on one side. The officials were in the habit of leaving keys of some of the offices hanging in the lobby for the accommodation of those who might have to return to work at night, and this must have been known to the perpetrator, as the door had been opened with the ordinary key. From the large heap of tinder left, and its proximity to such dry w'oodwork, the great wonder is that the flames did not spread. The loss of the documents destroyed will ■ occasion the department and the public a a good deal of inconvenience.

HINDS TO RANGITATA.

[by OUR TitAVKLI.INO RBUORTER.]

The Anama Downs, and slopes of the plains adjoining, at all times known for the rich quality of their pastures, are now looking remarkably well, and those pad docks; laid down in English grass this season arc as fully forward as similar places nearer the sea. The native blue tussocks, on which all classes of stock thrive so well, exhibit more than ordinary growth, and appears not only to have held its own against the intermixture of English clovers, but rather to have increased during the last few years. The grain crops at present in the ground are looking well, though, as in other places, they are inclined to run up a little thin in the blade, owing to the rapidity of growth. This, however, will tend to be checked by the rolling, which operation is now being proceeded with almost universally. In some in stances feeding olf} the young crops with sheep has been adopted. This plan finds great favor with some farmers, and we have known crops which looked hopeless completely renovated, and made to yield a good return, when treated in this man ner—both in the old country and in the colony. From various causes the farmers seem to have delayed their ploughing until the season was rather far advanced for wheat sowing, and between the South Ashburton and Rangitata the breadth of wheat sown compared with oats and barley is much smaller than in previous seasons. In fact, barley has never been sown to so great an extent in any previous year, and there is scarcely a farm in this area which will not have a paddock of this cereal. Towards the upjier Rangitata plain the farmers have a first-class quality of land, but have had a difficulty to overcome in the shape of the exceptionally large stones, or we should say rocks, which encumber the surface, in some places the land being completely paved witli them. It is as tonishing to notice the progress which has been made in this part of the country bv sheer energy and hard work—much of this land being now comparatively clear of stones, under crop, and looking as well as any other portion of the district. Stone-picking hero is altogether beyond a joke, and the numerous pyramids of boulders, 20 feet in diameter and upwards of 5 feet high, will testify to the work the pioneers of this district had before they could attempt to cultivate their land. The quality of the laud here is, however, good ; and it is satisfactory to report that the farmers here have a good prospect of success, which will he furthered by the speedy prospect of railway communication. The settlers, one and all, are loud in their demands for the continuation of the Mount Somers line to its terminus, so as to bring them within a day’s carting of a railway station. The Hinds Forks, some 15 miles above the Hinds railway station, and which will for the future bo known as Mayfield (the name given to the lately-established post-office here) is al ready becoming an important centre of population, and a petition -is now in course of signature for a school in the locality.

THE RELIGIONS OF THE COLONY.

We take the folio w’ng interesting analy sis of the religious beliefs of the New Zealand people from the “New Zealand Wesleyan” for the month. The figures have been supplied by the census returns of the colony for 1878: — “ It will be matter of surprise to many that, in a European population of less than half a million, nearly 100 different sects and denominations have been enrolled. In some of these the number is exceeding ly small, but the record is interesting as showing the vagaries of religious belief, and the tenacity with which men cling to their opinions. One solitary brother calls himself a ‘Dawsonite,’ and by his side there stand a, ‘ Congregational Methodist,’ an ‘ Andorsonian,’ a ‘ Glassite,’ and a ‘Trinitarian,’ each being the only repre sentative of the body. The ‘ Church of the Future ’ has four men and three wo men upon its roll, while the ‘ Church of God,’ so called, has seventeen. “Considering the noise Spiritualists make in the colony, and the space they occupy in the newspapers, one is surprised to find that only 52 have so enrolled themselves. Probably some have not the courage of their opinions, and it may be that others who believe in spiritism still remain mem bers of other churches. So far as these returns show, the number of Mormons fifty-seven—is in excess of the Spiritists. “A somewhat ominous sign of the times, and an evidence of the general unsottled ness in matters of creed, is that so large a proportion as 10,504 —or one in 40 of the whole population— ‘ object to state ’ their belief. As against this 30 have the courage to avow themselves Atheists, 7 dub themselves Materialists, and 400 are Freethinkers. Nineteen persons - ten men and nine women —are evidently seek ing more light, for they subscribe them selves ‘ Free to choose. ’ “ There are in the colony 1424 Jews, 39 Mahometansj while a field for Missionary effort is revealed by the entry ‘4379 Pagans.’ The ‘Catholic and Apostolic Church,’ founded by the late Edward Irving, has 55 adherents, and there are also 5 Huguenots or French Protestants. “ Taken in numerical order, the Church of England, and Protestants not otherwise defined, comes first, with 170,337, or 42.55 per cent, of the whole population. Next follow the Presbyterians with 95,103, or 22.59 per cent.; Roman Catholics, 58,881, or 14.21 percent.; and Methodists, 37,879, or 9.14 per cent. No other denomination number 10,000, those who come nearest to that being Baptists, 9159; Congrega tional Independents, 5555; and Lutherans, 5G43. In view of the fact that the Pagans, composed chiefly of Chinese, show a de crease of 8.08 per cent, during tlie foui years, there scarcely seems any need for agitation about their coming. “ The proportional increase of the ad herents of the several churches from 1874 to 1878 show’s the Methodists to stand first with 50.20 per cent. The others follow in this I’atio: Roman Catholics, 45.85; Lu therans, 44 17; Baptists, 44.12; Church of England, 38.6 G; Presbyterians, 31.22; and Independents, 2.10. It will be somewhat of a surprise to many that in the City of Dunedin, usually reputed as “ time blue throughout, there arc almost as many Episcopalians as Presbyterians, the num bers being—Presbyterians, 7G58, and I Episcopalians, 6736.”

TEE AUCKLAND BRIBERY CASS.

At the Auckland Rjsid mi. Magistrate s Court, ou Thursday, Thomas Machitte, cliairman of Dr. Wallis’ Central Com mittee, was charged by Joseph Newman with giving or having caused to have been given on the day of polling for the City West, refreshments to the electors, whereby the said Joseph Newman sought to recover the sum of 40s. Messrs. Heakoth and Tyler appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Cooper for the defendant, and gave a denial of eveiything that the plaintiff alleged. Mr. Tyler opened the case, and called Richard Salter, librarian of the Young Men’s Christian Association Rooms, who desposed that the refreshments con sisted of ham and bread, cheese, coffee, and lemonade. Machitte, said they must have some beer, and a lad obtained it. The beer bill amounted to £2 lls. No beer went into Mr. Hurst’s room, only sandwiches and coffee. The committee of the Young Men’s Christian Associati n disapproved of beer, and would not let the rooms to candidates in future. The beer provided disappeared with wonder ful rapidity. Newman's refreshment room was conducted on temperance principles of sandwiches and coffee only. Machitte deposed that he helped to return Dr. Wallis. He objected to say whether he was an agent, and also declined to convict himself. Ho had no authority to act as agent for him, but acted as agent at the election. Ho ordered beer, but did not consult Dr. Wallis. Ho had some beer paid for by Dr. Wallis, but could not say whether the beer was on the bill. He He did not ask Mr. Hurst to pay half the accoutn. He hinted to Brooking, Mr. Hurst’s agent, that Mr. Hurst might pay his share of the expenses, including the beer on the day previous to the election. Those who took refreshments did so with out authority. James Campbell, the por ter, deposed that he went into Messrs. Wallis and Hurst’s Committee rooms after voting. He tried the can and got one glass, but no more. He helped himself.

A STRANGE STORY.

A remarkable will case which came be fore Sir James Hannon recently has been compromised! - The inquiry affected seri ously the honor and reputation of more than one person; and the validity of no fewer than three wills and several codicils, made by a young Welsh squire, Mr. John Davies Lloyd, of Alltyrodyn, in Cardigan shire, in favour of Mr. Allen, his solicitor, was in dispute. Mr. Lloyd was the repre sentative of an ancient family which had time out of mind lived at Alltyrodyn, or near it, in Cardiganshire. But the old blood had received plebeian mixture. There had been a succession of misalli ances in the family. The grandmother of the testator married a servant at a hotel, and left him a life interest in the property. The only child bora of this marriage took to wife the daughter of a publican near Woolwich. The testator, who was born of this union, married a ballet-dancer at the Alhambra. Whether it was the ple beian or the old Lloyd blood which worked too fiercely within his veins, ho was hot tempered, impetuous, and wild, and his education and circumstances were not such as to teach him self-control. His father died when he was only two years of ago; his mother married again, and he found himself at twenty-one his own master, without councillors, and in possession of estates yielding a rental of £3OOO to £4OOO. He drank hard; and exposure and excesses quickly ruined his vigorous constitution. Ho was recklessly extravagant, spending in one year £44,477. He purchased six acres of diamond diggings in Africa, spent £755 a year on tobacco, hired a negro melodist to instruct him in the banjo at a cost of £l2O, and, on the strength of his accomplishments, proposed to become a member of Parliament. In the course of a suit in Chancery he became acquainted with Mr. Allen, who was at first a manag ing clerk and afterwards a partner of a firm of solicitors in Bedford Row. Shortly after Mr Lloyd came of age he made a will, bequeathing all his personal estate to Miss Crbwhurst, who became his wife, and devising the whole of his real estate to his half-uncles, who, as it happened, were rather younger than ho. This will made Mr. Allen executor, and left him an an nuity of £SOOO. About a year later Mr. Lloyd made a second will, by which his friend’s legacy was increased to £IO,OOO. From time to time ho added codicils, and one of these increased Mr. Allen’s legacy by another £IO,OOO, making £20,000 in all. A third will was executed shortly before Mr. Lloyd’s death, and by this all the estates were left to the testator’s chil dren, with remainder in fee to Mr. Allen. The testator also bequeathed to Mr. Allen a legacy of £25,000, subject to the obli gation of paying his debts. All that his sister was to receive was an annuity of £300; and this was ultimately revoked by a codicil. It was this will which was in dispute. The terms agreed upon were these—the name of Mr. Allen was to be struck out of the will of February, 1873, and, there having been a revocation of all the previous wills, he woidd take no part of and no interest in either the personal or real estate of the deceased. The estates would, therefore, remain in the family of the testator, and tne personal property would be divided according to their rights between the members of the family. As to costs, it was thought right that that burden should not be put upon Mr. Allen, and a sum of £SOOO would be allowed him to be applied by him to that purpose.

THE FARMER.

Why Vegetation is less Injured by ■frost in the Hills.

[G'-rrespon lout of “ Sonoma Doom- at."]

It must be new to many to leim that the so-called sheltered valleys are more liable to frost than the more exposed hill aides. Jhit this is shown very clearly in your interesting comparison of the daily sunrise and midday temperature of De cember, in the Santa Rosa Valley, with those of 200 feet higher elevation. Of course ly day, as every one knows, the hill is much cooler ; it is at night only that the valley becomes the colder ; hence “a warmer belt of temperature,” is hardly a correct designation, for had your comparison extended into the sum mer mouths, it would have shown (there are exceptions, of course) that the mean annual temperature was greatest in the valley. Still your point holds good that the valleys are more liable to frost than the hills within a certain range of eleva tion. Probably the first clear demonstra tion of this fact resulted from the estab lishment of meteorological stations in Switzerland. There the great height of the mountains and the narrowness of the valleys showed their difference much more markedly, and to as great a height as 5000 feet. Santa Rosa Valley is so largo and wide in comparison to the height of its surrounding hills, that the difference is neither so marked, nor can it extend to so great a height. Probably in our smaller valleys, and the great Sacramento Valley near the foot of the higher Sierra, will be found many low-lying grounds subject to night frosts even late in the spring season.

The main cause of this peculiarity in the distribution of low temperatures is to be found in the but slight heating effect of the sun’s rays on the atmosphere. The sun must first heat the soil, and the soil heats the air. Conversely the cooling of the air is also affected by the soil ; and hence the air nearest the soil is always the hottest wher the sun is shining, and the coldest when the sun is absent. For the same reason the surface air experiences the greatest changes of temperature. So it comes that the air of the valleys being hedged in by a surface of soil on every side, gets rapidly heated when the sun shines, whereas that of the hills has not only less surface for an equal quantity of air, but it is almost constantly in motion, and each new supply keeps down the temperature of the surface soil and air. The glaciers of the Sierra and the snow capped peaks of high mountains even in the tropics, bear witness to the fact that the direct rays of the sun have but little power to heat the atmosphere, for other wise the higher we ascended the warmer it woidd be. All solid bodies exceed air in the rapidity with which they receive and part with heat. This slowness to change its temperature is a valuable quality of air, and every gardener takes advantage of it when he covers his plants in frosty weather with old bagging, or any loose material that will confine the air about the plant. If the night is calm it is simply astonishing how slight a cover ing will protect a plant from a pretty severe frost. This protection, too, is almost as valuable in the forenoon when the frost is thawing out, for it prevents the sudden heating of the frozen plant, which is even more dangerous than its freezing. Few have any idea of the extreme changes of heat experienced by the sur face soil! When the maximum ther mometer in the air will r egister 70 or 80 degrees, one on the soil may reach 110 to 130 degrees. But even before the sun sets, and as its rays cease to heat the soil, the surface rapidly cools down, and after a calm, clear night it will be found, as a rule, from four to eight degrees colder at sunrise than the air four feet above it. How, as everyone knows, cold air is heavier than hot air, hence what forms in the valley remains there. But what of that on the hill ? As the air on the hill cools, it begins, like water, to seek its lowest level, and as the cooling process goes on, every watercourse, ditch and hollow becomes a channel down which the cold air flows just as if it was so much water. Consequently near the foot of the hill every little valley and depression of the surface becomes a little lake of the frosty fluid. Here it accumulates in pro portion to the stillness of the night and severity of the frost. At the same time the hill surface, as it loses its cool air, must get a now supply, and this, of course, can only come from above, where the air of the day, being out of the reach of any solid body to cool it, has lost only a portion of its heat. So by night the soil of the hills is constantly bathed with air of a comparatively mild temperature, whilst the valleys receive of cold far more than their share.

Constitution in Sheep.

{Journal of Agriculture,)

A Cotswold sliccp or Southdown has constitution for laying on f!osh and early maturity under high treatment. Consti tution in a Merino sheep will admit of all these meanings of the term and still lack what we claim as the essential purposes a sheep is kept for. A sheep must produce a fleece and a carcass. 'I he two must be in harmony and unanimity. If it has constitution to grow more wool than car cass it will he a failure. If carcass and a light fleece it will be unprofitable to its owner. If for the pastoral regions to run in the natural way with the flock, it must be constitutionally fitted io tvave l , do ser vice, and secure a living on the range. If for the purposes of breeding on a flock in the hands of the average farmer or brooder, the broad back and well-sprung ribs are sought for. They are found to lie the bettor feeders and best to lay on flesh and grow large and heavy carcasses, and by some it is claimed heavy fleece. The claim is not as well sustained for fleeces as for oarcasses.

A Spanish merino sheep that has it per fect constitution for the purposes for which a sheep is kept will have coustitu tion written all over it from top to bot tom. It will show it in every fibre of its fleece, in its bone, muscle, in its stand up and bright shapely appearance. In the merino the fineness of the fibie usually tells its constitutional vigor and stamina. The taxons were tender and feeble under some climatic influences and systems of treatment. So are some of the finer fibered families of the American merinos. The stronger fleeced families are the heaviest shearers and most rugged, robust, healthy, long lived of sheep. They with

stand hardship, travel, had troafnciff un equalled by any sheep known as thorough bred. The Cotwolds, Leicosters, and Downs are constituted for an especial pur pose, and till it with perfect promptness and litness. In them the indices of vigor are as plain, as sure as in merinos. The idleness of fibre may be loss distinct in vital f rees than in the merino, but, doubtless, follow the .same rules one as the

otter. When a breeder says he breeds for con stitution, he ought to say for what pur pose, so that we may know just what good thing he means. If he says to grow wool, we should like to know if they grow too much wool to be healthy and vigorous with good treatment. If they are vigor ous from fullness of constitutional vigor, we would like to know how much they would shear in 3C5 days—an almanac year, not a sheep shearing year for breed ers who would show big fleeces. One of the handsomest samples of wool we ever received came from a ram who had taken prizes at a Western fair. I showed the sample to a judge of wool, and told him where it came from. Ho said he saw the ram, and that he was no account to any man, for he had no constitution at all. That ho saw him at their last fair, and ho stood up all the time and slept, with his oars hanging down like a sick mule. In this case there was a constitution to grow handsome hmg fibred fleeces, and not get up enough to lie down to sleep. We have seen some vigorous, bouncing, pounding, thundering rams without fleeces; at least too little to use in a vigorous flock of ewes. These had vigor ous, physical constitutions, but not of a character to grow wool. There has to be a proper combination of vital forces to make up what is desira ble in constitutional endowment. I once asked my family physician what he would call constitution in an animal. lie said an animal’s constitution was in its belly. Ho said constitution meant stock with its capibilitics of digesting and assimilating food to the various wants and purposes of the animal.

We think this true, but have seen a sheep with stomach vigor enough to insure health, large symmetrical carcass, but its skin so illy fitted for growing wool that for that purpose it might as well have been an imbecile scrub. Constitution is ;r tho culmination of a fostering system of treatment, and not as claimed by some who are ignorant of all laws of physical development, and think neglect and hard treatment hardens and toughens young animals. As if suffering and shivering could possibly aid in secur ing a perfectly full physical contour. Queer hygienic treatment for a feeble man or woman to put them out of doors in cold, stormy nights to toughen up. Under such a system the frailest ones die and the hardier ones survive, and the flock may appear more vigorous, but what a shame would come to a really intelligent man to think what a cruelty he had been guilty of in securing the dea h of bis feebly constituted animals. It’s as mean as turning the faithful, honest old horse into the road to find a living or die of hunger or thirst. w .

The Price and Manufacture of Butter.

fFrotn the Aberdeen Free Press. ] When Wight, of Ormiston, the Scotch Arthur, Young, visited Muiresk, on Deveronsido, about a century ago, ho noted the excellence of the dairy manage ment and the superior quality of the butter. The best proof of the former, ho remarks, was that the butter, even in the heat of summer, was sweet and firm. “ In general,” he writes, “I admire the quality and cleanness of the butler over all this country ; and yet the price is very low. They ought to salt the butter and send it to better markets.” The suggestion was acted upon, and north country butter long hold a first place in the home market, a place which it has since lost; and the fact was very explicitly dwelt upon at an agricultural meeting held some time ago at Turriff, in the very locality referred to by Mr Wight. The depreciation of value which the produce of the north has under gone represents a large sum annually, and it is worth inquiring whether it be pos sible to prevent it, and if so, how it is to be done.

Butter has a natural price. Tbe same quantity of food that will produce a pound of beef, will produce half a pound of butter. It follows that the price of butter ought to be double that of meat. Butter, indeed, is not the sole product of the food which produces it. It is asso ciated with casein or cheesy matter, and the sugar of milk, which gives sweetness to whuy. But these are required to com pensate the extra care and labor which the dairy requires. Wo find, accordingly, that at different times and places the average price of butter is rather more than double the price of meat. Caird, for instance, in his recent book on “ The Landed Interest and the Supply of Food,” states the price of meat and butter iu Englond, at different dates, thus :

1770. 1850. 1878. Price of meat per lb. 3j-d Os sd. Os Od Price of butter per lb. 5d Is Od Is 8d Inglis, the well-known traveller, in his tour through Switzerland about fifty years ago. was careful to note the prices of pro visions at the different towns through which ho passed. The price of moat varied from 2ld to 3ld per lb., that of butter from 7d to Bd, falling only in a single case to 4ld. Wo have thus a simple test by which we can judge whether the price of butter is what it ought to be. if the price of butter be not about double that of beef there is something wrong. Now, in the north of Scotland, we may safely say that none of the butter fetches anything like this price, that, in fact, the pr.ee which the producer obtains for it ap proaches more closely to the price of meat th in to double that figure. In this part of Scotland the production of butter is not one of the chief ends, of agriculture, but our system of husbandry involves the keeping of a large number of milk-yielding animals, and it is, of course, desirable to turn their productive power to the beat possible account. The value of butter as an article of food depends on its flavor, and that, though differing naturally in different samples, is liable to still greater variation according to the amount of care which is bestowe I on its preparation, and particularly on the degree of cleanliness with which it is prepared. As long as only one price is paid lor butter, whatever may be its quality, as is usually the case in the country districts,' there. .«ld. be no hope that north country the place it once hold in ih|^p^ket.

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

3

Saturday. October 4. 1579.]



PbesidentGbant’s Book. —The Ameri can News Company are reported to have refused 260.000 dollars for their contract to publish “ Grant’s Travels Around the World.”



Barnum’s Show. —Barmun’s great show now in Canada took 57 railway cars to bring it to St. John’s. There are 307 people, 202 horses and ponies, 78 wag gons, 11 elephants, and 6 camels con nected with the concern.



Thr Nihilists. St. Petersburg ad vices announce that considerable excite ment has been caused by the Nihilist Committee addressing summonses to nu merous rich merchants to deposit large sums of money, under penalty of death, to recover the expenses of the revolution ary propaganda. Several merchants, fearing that these threats might be carried out, have paid over the amounts de manded. New Orleans has got rid of half a million of its debt by g r ing quitely into the market and buying up its bonds in small qunatitios at 25 cents on the dollar. Healthy. —No less than twenty pages of a late Victorian “Gazette” are filled with the names of selectors in arrear with their rents, under various sections of the Land Act. Lady Editors. —Two of the best journ alistic positions in New York City are filled by women, the editorship of a week ly and monthly publication ; each is said to receive £IOOO a year.