THE GARDEN.

(Br Hoetus.)

Calendar of Operations, July 14th.

DO CORRESPONDENTS. "Hortuu" Is willing to answer any queries. Correspondents most give their fall name and address, though not for publication. Stow Soil (A.S.)—Break up during dry weather. Leave it in a rough state. Sand, lime, burned clay, or any free open material incorporated with it, wilt help to bring it into a better state for cultivation. Such soils as you describe should never bo touched during the winter or in wot weather. Suckers on Fruit Trees (J.D.)—They should be removed as they appear by pulling them up. If they are too strong to pull up, dlj: down aad cut thorn off clean at the root. From your description, I believe your trees are worked on me Kentish stock, which 13 bad lor suofcer growth. Pkab(W.A>—The autumnal flower 13 caused DT the moist autumns. There is only one practical method ot stopping it, and that ia to rest-prune at once if the buds show any indi cation of swelling in the autumn. Potatoes (F.W.I—A few gardeners here do cultivate tho sweet potato. I believe the market value this suaeon was about one penny per lb. wholesale. "Any of tha Auckland floods men should be able to supply you with tabors of the boat varieties One or two tubers will produce a large number o£ sets. Olka (D.H.>—lf the olives were grown In quantities. I believe it would pay to manu facture oil. Thore are several trees now in the Auckland district which have been carrying good crops of fruit for two or three years. They have not come to full maturity yet.

Kitches GARDEN.—In favourable wea ther plant out a few caboae;es and cauli flowers. Sow one drill of parsnip-*. On light dry, aaady, or volcanic soils, plant a few potatoes lor early use. Heavy clay or retentive soils it will be better to leave alone for some time yet. Sever sow seeds or plant out vegetables when the soil is cUggy °r adhesive. Seed will not germin ate freely when toe soil is In the above state.

Slower Garden. — Keep the walks clean, mow the lawn, and apply the roller as frequently as possible. The shorter the sraas is kept aud the more frequently it is rolled at this season, tbe better sod jou will obtain for next season. So encourage a clover growth ; give a slight dressing of bonedust. Plant ont a few common gladioli bulbs. The sooner all ro~es are planted ont now the better, if left till next month, they will not flower so freely next season.

tiKEKHHOUSE. — Pelergonioms and doable scarlet geraniums in pot, which have been placed in winter quarters, re move into the greenhouse. fc>tack and tie out and place them m an airy situation near the glass. All pots which have been in use last season .should be thoroughly washed and cleaned for future use.

Fonous Growth on Kktjit ibbes. — In climates where there is a superabundance of moisture during part of the season, fruit trees get covered with a parasite mos?, which aaps the juice of the tree, and affords a resting; place for the larva of insects. I have seeu many trees here with a coating nearly hilf-an-inch in depth. The bark of a tree is similar to tbe skin of animals, and fangus growth thereon is quite as injurious as insect life on animals. Troes infected with this growth should receive a wash with a strong mixture of lime and water. Lime is deadly poison to all kinds of fungus. The best time to apply it is wtoen the trees are at rest or the leuf is off—for instance, during tnis month, before buds swell in the spring.

Eakly AND LATjB FRUIT. — From ex periment* lately ttied in America on soft stcne fruits, young plants grafted or budded from certain parts or tue tree will ripen their fruit much earlier in the season than buda or grafts taken from other portions of tbe tree, .Fruit and wood which is exposed to most of the rays of toe sun will ripen earlier than those on the other side of the tree. And it is possible to prolong the frailing season ot such varieties for a period of from six weeks to two months by a Judicious choice of grafts or buds.

The aCS of TKEKf.—There is a popular belief that the age ot a tree can be told by the number of rings—each ring represent ing a year's growtn. A series of experi ments has shown its falsity. Some of the eucalypms trees which were tested were from 6 to 12 years of age, and from 12 to IS inches iv diameter. Those trees had from 80 to 100 layers of rings, clearly showing that if the popular theory was correct, the trees should oe nearly 100 years old. I nave myself cut down pine tree 3 which showed 47 rings when the trees could only have been about 14 or 15 year 3 old.

Hegistekino FeuitTeees,—ihose who planted out young trees in the orchard should be very particular in registering the different varieties. It can easily be done in a small book, commencing with a row on one side, going down ihe row, registering each tree by name and number in row. Then take the next line, and so en, till finished. Planters always receive their trees labelled from tbe nursery, but by the time the tree fruits the label has been lost or defaced. Then the orchardi«t is puzzled to know what they are, and calls in some wiaeacre who knows everything. He, of course, names every one. More than half t!is names are given wrong, a«d misnomens are thus multiplied. Always register immediately after the planting is finished. It will not take much longer time than writing ont the names of the trees.

Fruit Growing.

(Cominucd from last week),

After the rest-pruning is completed if you have a stock of seedlings, or other plants which you have established for grafting, so as to extend the orchard, when the weather is fine and the aoll is in good working condition lift all tbe young stock, and again plant nut in nur sery lows, bo as to have them ready for grafting. J> ever, if possible, graft the yoang clock while they are crowing under the same conditions as they grew last season, or rather without lifting and trans planting them ; and when litted, greatly reduce thei> roots. If this is not properly ■done, the graft after it is taken in the spring, will rush away with a rank, strong gnwint; shoot, which makes the uninitiated -biuk they have a splendid lot of young .roes. The cause of this is too much root iction for the scion. The roots collect and send up too much sap, which the young tree has to generate and manufacture Into wood and leaves, making them rank and strong. Theee arc not the kind of trees I would plant out an orchard with. They would do if the object was to grow timber, but aot for fruit. The yonng seedlings should be lifted and transplanted out. Lifting and cutting the roots back Rives the stock a thorough check. Then, when the gralt is applied ;iud the spring starts them into growth, there is not so much root ac tion, and the graft does not rush away with that rapid, rank growth, but with a Blower, firmer, and closer-grained growth, and at. the end of the season these trees will suc ceed better when planted out in their per maaent situations, will come in for bearing fruit quicker, also making sounder and healthier trees. The same remark will apply to young stock which was budded last autumn. A budded tree Ihe winter

after the bud has taken is headed down to immediately above the bud, thus cut ting away all the wood which would have generated the nap into more wood and leaves (of course it requires to go), leaving only the bud. The result, if the young tree is not checked (a* already explained), is that the rush of sap will be great, the bud will start to make wood rapidly—in fact, will soon assume tbe appearauce of a forest of fishing rods, instead ofntre, snitll, hardy, fruit tieiß. Now the young stock shoi.ll be lifted, the roots shortened back, aud the tree headed back, and transplanted in nursery rows again, lliis will give root and bud more equal chances, producing a more hardy tree. , The next season tbis young tree should be allowed to crow un checked all the winter sea-on. 1 will give the rensou3 when we deal with the ques tion of training. Ceitainly, even after lifting, a number of dormant buds will break out into shoots uom the base of the stock below the buda. These ought to be picked off as they appear, which is called disbudding (which I stmll deal with farther on). Ihese shoots will not be so strong as the ones giowiog on the trees that have not been lifted.

{In my next I shall deal with the question of stocks.)

Annamese Funeral Customs.

IN the Consular reports recently issued, Consul Tremlett gives some new and inter esting particulars relatingtothe Annamese. The respect with which they treat their dead gives, he says, to f uuerala considerable importance. A s its numerous titea are not written law they axe easily neglected to the prejudice of and danger to the family. The ceremony naturally varies according to the position the deceased held in the family, and the wealth ot the mouroers. The method of determining death is by means of a flake of cotton which the least breath would move ; when death is assured tbe visage is covered with three leaves, ordin ary paper, a led handkerchief covering all. The operation is called "d;lp mat," and it i3 an imprecation to general use to wish an enemy so poor that this expense cannot be afforded him ; next, three grains of rice are placed in the mouth ot tbe deceased, three bowls of cooked rice are arranged in half circle about the head, and two candles placed there ; from the moment ot death a relative is put in charge of the body to ?ee that no cat passes over it; for it is the cat that seeks to steal the soul. Comrsare often readyyearain advance.and are made of valu able woods that remain intact for a long while ; they may easily cost £40. The layiDg out is usually done by a stranger. It any member of the family happens to have been born immediately alter the deceased, he must leave the house for fear of con tagion of death. The body is bathed in perfumed water, dressed in its best clothes and a black turban; r-ilg are cut and deposited about the head. When the various bandages are in order, a favourable hour is awaited, which must not be the hour of birth of any near relative; then the body is placed in the coflin ; this is placed in tbe centre of the bouse for a father or mother, but at the sides for a son or daughter ; various offerings are exposed and reoewed at the usual hours for meals ; three days afterwards the coffin is varnished to prevent the attacks of wnite ants; mourn ing habits are of unbleached and unhemmed cotton of native manufacture ; various in scriptions are placed upon the doors and a lantern with blue characters hung in front; these are allowed to remain until they decay, but are not renewed. The coffin re mains in the house sometimes for three months, during which time the eldest son sleeps at its foot upon the ground. Should the wife of the heritor during the period of mourniDg (two or three years) become tnciente, the relatives may demand her con demnation for impiety. Order of procession: Two lanterns, a banner of silk or paper, a sheet of white silk suspended between two poles represent a door, gongs, table with candles and other offerings, gong, model of a house, lanterns, the bier, tables of offerings. The coffin is sometimes placed in and sometimes above the ground ; the tombs are of all sizes and stages ot orna mentations, and are of various forms— those of priests are pyramidal. The coffin once deposited in the tomb, the relatives and friends throw a handful of earth over it, verses being; recited by the usual paid mourners ; then the relatives salute the friends who have assisted, and offer them wine and betel ; an altar is placed before the tomb with offerings ; a tablet is put in place with the name and titles of the deceased.

A Hear Shave.

AMONG the many humorous stories told of the happy art the late Mr Sheiidan pos seased in getting rid of a troublesome credi. tor, or, in the language of St. James's "bilking a dun," whatever sucn atones display in delicacy of execution, we believe few show more origl'ualitv of invention than one told of the mother of a late unsucces ful Tcandidate for the representation of a northern county. The lady in question resided most of the year at the country mansion of her lord, who was a great agriculturist ; and aa agriculturists in those days were occasionally troubled with an epidemic now raging, vulgarly denomi nated want of cash, the noble mansion was every morning haunted by some tradesmen, whoss attendance could have been dispensed with. Among others, a cooper, who was alike distinguished b> the importunity of his demands and the blackness of his beird, one morning happened to escape the porter, and found his way Into the library, where tbe lady of the mansion had just finished puffing a little hair powder over the hoary honours of her lord. The unwelcome tub hooper presented his grubby visage, hut the lady, like a trne daughter of Eve, could not be ''put out." "'Are you not ashamed (says she) to come here with such a beard !" The cooper mad* some excuse about bad razors. *' Well, ait dowa then (returned the lady); heie is an excellent case : I always shave «ir John, and shall shave you too before you go out ot this house." The cooper was in amaze ment ; the scarlet blushes of surprise shone through hla sunburnt face ; he would have refused the proffered honour, but all in vain; her ladyship would take no denial. Tuba was placed in a chair intended for a nobler burden, a milt-white napkin spread over his bosom, and the lather-brush of the worthy baronet condemned to scrub over his bristly snout. The operation over (we shall not say how) the half-petrified cooper was released from " durance vile," and her ladyship, making him a low courtesy, said. •'Now, Mr Cooper, you have a bill against Sir John for' 181 6d ; I never shave under one guinea ; so if you will just pay the half crown in balance, we Bhall be quits." The story got wind; and the cooper hooped all the tubs for the good women in the neigh bourhood which were in decay ; and,indeed, it was at times whispered by the gude-metl that the tubs were left out in the sun by the wives to afford a pretence to call the cooper, and hear a second edition of his story. The avaricious dog was certainly amply indemni fied for his "dear shave " by the extra ordinary notoriety into which it brought him.

FOR THE LADIES.

Fashions, Social Gossip, Etc,

[COMPILED BY OUR LONDON CORRESPON-

DENT.]

A LADY at a party the other evening re quested her husband to inform her " what difference there was between the meaning of export and transport?"—"My dear," replied'the gentleman, "if you were ex ported I should be transported."

Camellias remain this season in dis favour in London. No one cares for this once fashionable flower, the gardenia bein»> the chief blossom that has taken its place. The average value of cut flowers sold daily in London just now, when, it must be remembered, Society ■matinees are "on" inthoir full severity, iis said to be close upon £1,200.

Ladie3 are wearing Scotch crooks as para sol sticks, which are beconiiog more aad more pronounced. One was to be seen in Hyd« Park the other day, which could not hive been less than fiv? feet long, measur ing fro-r: tne brass tip at the end to the lip of the lady's nose, which it reached, aud ,»he was apparently ot the true height of Venus. The ring part, or handle, would have gone over a small mp'e head, and caught 'he wearer. The Scotch shepherds use them to catch sheep

Spalrj, like Ireland, says " Modern Society," has her " marriage-stone," the virtues of which are equally remarkable ; for any single person, maie or female, v/ho touches it, is absolutely sure to be married within a twelvemonth. The stone forms part of the masonry of the college of Sacra Monte, in Grenada. Abont fifteen months ago the young ladies paid a visit to the old Moorish capital, and were sbown over the college by one of the reddent clergy, who acted as cicerone, and who treated the fair visitors with unusual deference and re spect. When they came to the "marriage stone" the padre smilingly explained the peculiar powers with which popular superstition credited it. "i ouch it," said one of the ladies to her sister, who lau-jhed incredulously, but followed the advice none the less—touching the stone, not once, but twice or thrice. The two young ladies ware the Spanish Infantas liona Isabella and Dona Paz ; and the latter it was wbo touched the stone. She did so on April 3 of last year, and she waa married to Prince A-ouis of JtJavaria on April 2 of the present year. What do you think of this, ladies ? Domesticity as a Cause of Insanity. —Mrs M —, aged forty-four, mother of eight children, had acute mania. Her husband, when asked If he could suggest any cause for her illness, exclaimed with much agitation that he could not conceive any reason. "Sue is a most domestic woman ; i 3 always doing something for her children; is always at work for us all; never goes out of the bouse, even to church ou Sunday; never goes gadding about at the neighbours' houses, or talking from one to another ; ha* been one of the best of wive' and mothers, and is always at home." The Superintendent of the Hartford Retreat for the Insane (from the report of which the case is taken), in commenting on it, says : " J his appreciative husband could hardly have furai^b^d a imre graphic delineation of the causes ii his wife's insanity, even bad he understood them ever 30 thoroughly,"— "London Medical Review."

" Madge " says iuher letter to "Truth" —We saw a very pretty costume ot black silk, picked out with cardinal, at the Prince de Polignac'3 wedding. It was on a very nice girl, too. The wedding was a very quiet one, bnt the bride was exquisitely dressed, with such a graceful fringe of flowers round the edge of her dress, and some aaorable old lace. We coveted her bouquet—an extensi%-e one—of white lilac and stephanotis.

We went one day to see "La Nationa'e," the new "square waltz," danced at St. James's Hall. It ia graceful, and not in the least stagey ; but I fancy people will scarcely take the trouble to learn a new dance. It is much more brisk than the languid qnadrille ; but 1 think "La Rationale" would be prettier if danced with a " leetle " less conscientiousness, especially by the gentlemen. One can hardly imagine the typical " masher" takiDg such infinite pains to perform hi.3 step 3 accurately. There is a little " chassez " step, which is exactly like hiccoughing with the feet.

At the private view of the Royal Academy, "Madge" continues, Ir. was the usual curious mixture. Mammon and models ; artists' wives and danghters ; strong-minded women in ";sensible bon nets, and girls of n wholly frivolous nature, whose headgear was of the fly-away variety! Among the men, Bohemia was well.repre sen ted, the unconventional velvet coat a^id not quite Immaculate tweed suit rubbing shoulders with the Vhilistinic conventiona lity of the frock-coat or the "cut-aways."

The loose trotisers and uncompromisingly " comfortable" boots of the Bohemians (the boots not too carefully Slacked) con trasted with the tightened knees and pointed toes, in which not even the veriest Apollo could look picturesque. The Byrnnic throat? of the dwellers in the country, -whose capital ought to be, but is not, Prague, with deeply turned-down collars and flowing ties, were a delicious satire upon the utter discomfort of the two-inch breadth of starched linen which the ''ma=h~r" wears, It w an amusing " bhow."

A lady writing to " Modern Society " on the subject of riding habits for ladies, says : One of the leading teachers lays great stress upon a |proper corset, or, rather, he is in favour oj dispensing with that article, if the figure under consideration is such as to bear its absence. Otherwise he stipu lates that the stays shall be much shorter over the hips thai tnual, aid cut of an al together different shape with elastic at trie back. But in respect to costume he is powerless against the dressmaker, and must accept the conditions imposed by that im portant functionary of fashion. The high silk hat is out of date, and a low one of silk or felr, a Derby in shape, and with either a broad brim or a narrow one, wound with a gnaze veil, has taken the place of that stiff and hideous article, big bows and long streamers are not in favour, and easi'y become dangerons in a high wind by frighteniDg the horae. For the same reason there is safety in the fashion for riders of dressing the hiir in firm braids or in rolls pinned tightly to the head and hanging down below Ithe hat behind. The skirts of riding habits are now made of three breadths—the front, the Bide gore, and the back. The bodice iB tight fitting, and with very short basques, or none at all, so that a quick trot does> notcause a ridiculous flapping. The lower parts of tbe trousers should be of the same cloth as the habit and the upper portion of soft leather."

At Her Majesty's last Drawing.room (says "lima" In the "World") gome of tilt dresics were lovely. In bouquets

yellow predominated. Ariiliviul flowers of the mo»t unnatural sizes were strewed upon or looped up the trains. On one train eccentricity had devised the owner's monogram in flowers. Lovely brocades, which, untrimmed, would have shone to advantage, had their beauty spoiled by masses of white tulle and meaningless ends of ribbon. One of the loveliest gowns had a white satin petticoat, with large pattern half embroidered and [minted with large pink roses; the plaia white satin bodice had a narrow waistcoat em broidered like the petticoat; the round train of myrtle-green velvet was turned back on one side with pale pink, on the other with white lace ; a large bouquet of pink roses at the bottom of the train, and in the hand magnificent rosoi of every shade of pink. A train of yellow brocade, attached by rosettes to each shoulder; large bouquet of yellow tulips, and petticoat and bodica one niass of pearlo. a black brocade, with pink and yellow rosm; a ca«cade of lace on one side of the train, on the other a ruche of different-coloured roses; the petticoat one mass of tiny ribbon", intermixed, the same colour as the roses. Kibbons ar« the rage. 1 saw a black ball-gown, ihe entire front of which was composed >f beading and narrow ribbon* ; there were narrow ribbons on the top of th« long gloves and on the short black lace sleeves, and the waterfall of tulle at the back was caught and tied by narrow ribbon rather low down. as distinction is pleasing to one's prMe, it i- gratifying to see some alight alt. ration in the gowns, as a relief from the etornal waterfall in tulle.

"lima" says that for morning wear, peplums as they were called, have returned to us iigain. A gray cumin. : the basque was formed in four points, the two side ones long and decided, the two at the back smaller ; each point had a long chenille ornament. A kind of hood in nun's veiliog was draped on a flat piece ot stuff, which should be carefully cut to the fjgare; the tunic, of nun's veiling, was short in front; long tails added on came from under the hip 3, and we re so artfully arranged that they had the appearance of being loosely tied.

" Iris " says in "Society " : "Time was, but a year or two ago, when bonnet-strings were optional. It was permissible to perch a little erection of lace and flowers on the head, fasten it invisibly with elastic, and if no neuralgia followed the experiment, to assume that strings had never had any existence in bonnet land. Now strings are dc rigucur, be they lace, ribbon, or narrow velvet. Two three-qunrter inch ribbons are worn together at each side, colours diverse, and as the backs are reversible, four colovrs may go to one bonnet. The rumour of the coming in of broad toed shoes must be true, for so many ladiee had abandoned the little pointed shape, which is certainly a daintier form than the sqna'e toe.

Rosettes of orange velvet, and swallow tailed, decorate bonnet 3 either black or coloured.

The fashion which still prevails of hostesses carrying an enormous bouquet throughout an entire evening's entertain ment, lasting in some cases three or four hours, must be a relic of barbarism, Either the object mwt be to anchor the ladj on the right spot to receive her guests, or to enable her to hide her blushes at the delightfnl compliments she expects to receive, or else that the perfume of the flowers she holds in her hand may rise and inspire her with floral soft nothings for the "hot-house plants" who frequent modern ball-rooms.

Chapman, in his comedy "The Gentle man Usher." thus describes the value and influence of woman : — Come near mo. wife, I faro the bettor far For the BwKt food of thy divine advice. Let no man value at a little price A virtuous woman's counsel: her wing'd spirit Is feather'd oftentimes with heavenly words And (line her beauty) raviahing and pure, The weaker body still the stronger soul. When pood endeavours do her powers apply, Her love- draws nearest man's felicity. O. what a treasure is a virtuous wife : Discroet and loving ; not one gift on earth Makes a man's life ao highly bound to heaven : She cave him double forces, to endure And to enjoy, by being one- with hi'". Feelincrs his joys and griefs with c*. . .' senge.

A true wife, both bchbo and sor.l 'lelights. And mixeth not her go<.d with any ill; Her virtues ruling heaiis, all powers command

am store without her, leaves a man but poor And with her. poverty is exceeding store : No vime is tedious with her. her true worth Makes a true husband think his arms enfold (With her aloi-e) a complete world of gold.

It was a calm, still night, a soft air played caressingly with the tresses of a lovely girl, and the moon abed its gentle ray over the radiant brow of her lover. Her small bro'her meanwhile, just home for the holidays, \ras accidentally wandering in quest of a bat in the neighbourhood, when he heard the voie.es of his sifter and her be trothed . Prompted by the natural curiosity of youth, he linpered to listen, and after a few inarticulate mutmets, he became con cioua of the sound of osculation, and enjoy ad his position exceedingly. Later in the evening, he met the pair at tea. " I heard yon kiss Fred," he abruptly remarked to his sister. " What do you mean, you rude boy?" cried the sweet girl, turning scarlet '• Oh, its no use denying it," replied her brother. "You can't gamm >n me; I Know the sound, you know. It was just like a cow pulling her hoof out of a raudhole."

Irish Discontent.

In Dublin the legal charge for a short ride In a public carriage is sixpence, but Pat expects you to give him more, and if you a^k him his fare, he invariably " laves it to your honour;" but, when you bave paid him, no matter how many times the lawful amount, he is nerer satisfied. Two American gentlemen in Dublin made a bet, one holding that he would give the driver ouch a fee that be would ask no more. This his friend declared was im. possible. They took a car, the first they, met, and rode a distance of about two milt:". " flow much do 1 owe you? " inquired the gentleman at the end of the journey "Sure an' your honour can give me what ever you like," said the driver. " But I would rather you would name your charge." " Indeed an' I won't. It's not for me to say what a foine gentleman like you will give me." '.thus put to the test, the "foine gentleman" banded him over hclf.ii sovereign in gold for a ride that should have cost sixpence at most. The driver looked at the coin, and then at the gentleman, as if doubting the evidence of his senses at this unexpected muni licence; but soon, recovering from his surprise, he put his hand to his hat in respectful acknowledgment of his gratitude. " You have lost your bet," whispered the friend as they turned away. But before he and his companion had -walked half-a-dozen steps, the driver, leaving his hoise and vehicle to take care of themselves, was by their side, hat in hand. Well, what do you want bow ? Haven't you got your fare! "So I hare," said the driver, with and insinuating smile ; "an' it's yourself is the gintleman that gave me a foine one this blessed day; but yer honour, haven't you got a spar sixpence in you pocket? I don't like to change the goold."

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

[By Eutkkpe.]

Miss Juno's Dramatic Company, after doing a remarkably good "business" every, where en route from Auckland, opened in the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, on the 30th ult. with Mr McGowan's dramatisation of "The Heart of Midlothian," which the local press highly praise. The company was cordially received, and is drawing capitally. Mr McGowan has received the mppoiutiunut of manager In theatrical mat ters for Mr H. JSJ. Abbott, of the Opera House, and he expects to return to Auck land, with Mrs McGowan, during the first week in August.

Archibald Forbes leaves for America by the next mail steamer.

Blondin h?s arrived at Western Australia from Batavia.

Madame Emily Soldene has leased the new Gaieiy lheatre at Bastirjg*. Eng land. ° ' s

There has recently been produced in Lon don a musical novehy in the shape of a symphony in E, which Schubert left at his death only in sketch.

Signcx- Verdi having pneacpri Misa Alice Rees aa prima donna, has lea-ed the Sidney Gaiety for a eeseon. "Carmen" is to be produced.

"Mr and Mrs Polk, with th-ir company, are Bbortly expected in Auckland, with ' Jhe Strategist," wnich proved «nch a trump-card a.% Brisbane.

Mr Kuskin has consented to prepare for the press a new edition of his " Seven Lamps of Architecture," the second of his works, originally published in 1849.

The Lynch Family of Bellrinr/ers after concluding aa extraordinarily .successful tenr of that generally unprofitable colony, Western Australia, sailed for India on May 27th.

Stanley and Darby-shire* Juveniles "ran' "The Grand Duches " to good "business" at Dunedin, and have just replaced ft with "Ihe Pirates of Fen zance."

At the Melbourne Theatre Koyal, " Ro maDj-Kye," with fcignold in the title rf>le, was withdrawn on the Bth instant to make roomfortheDrury Lane sensation, "Pluck, a Story of £50,000,"

The action brought by Harry Saville and wife against Dr. Gilbee resulted in a ver dict for the defendant .Nearly a hundred theatrical people in Melbourne signed a letter of sympathy, which was sent to the doctor.

Baker and Farron are claying at the Gin ciDnati Opera House, while Walter Key nolds i* engaged at the Windsor Theatre, New York, with a piece called " A Lode Strike."

Mr Arthur Elliott is acting as agent for Mi's Louise Pomeroy, who returns to India from Melbourne shortly. She has been '• drawing" at the Opera House with Shakespeare and other legitimate drama.

The Cambridge University Press will ehoftly publish the second part of the first v.-lume of thn ''Treatise en Natural Philosophy " by Sir W. Thomson and Prof. Tait.

The director of the National Gallery has acquired a most desirable tre.T-n.re. Tim is a superbly-painted, exqnisitely-finlshed, and perffc'ly.preserved portrait of a man by flntom-Uo ra Messita.

A soldier en'e^ si fully into the spirit of the mimic fight in the piece '• Waterloo," at Hengler's. Newcastle, that be jumped on the stage, seized » gun, and began to assist the British in real earnest. He was secured and removed.

The Kennedy Family of Prottitch vocal- Utp, have be«ri coining money at Ballarat, where also Williamson, Gatner & Co.'s Troupe have beeD playing " Patience." Tbe latter tn>up« sbortlv inaugurate a sea son of opera boutFe at the Princess, Mel bourne.

"Diplomacy," a dramatisation of the novel, after being placed with snecess at the Melbourne Jbijou by Wybert Keeve's company, gave place to Wilkie Collins's "A\ oman in White." Tbe company ig likely to visit New Zealand after Christmas, when "The King's Dragoons" will be one •f their novelties.

Mr J. P. Macdonald, who was last here •with the " Patience " Company, is to pilot Mr George Kignold through New Zea land at the beginning of next year. The troupe will play " .Lights o1 London," " Youth," and Mr Sim's latest melodrama, " The Komany Kye,"

Nicholas Uernardini, of leeeo, Italy, Is engaged in the herculean task of compiling a universal dictiouary of the newspapers of the world, with full details as to each paper, and historical sketches of the most prominent editors and journalists. He hopes to receive a sample copy of every newspaper published.

The Clarendon press will publish very shortly, in two volume*. " Corpus Poeti cum Borcale : a Collection of Old Northern Poetry," edited by Mr a. Vigfusson, M.A. ana Mr F. York Powell, M.A. It has for its subject tho whole body of old northern poetry from the earliest times till the period when tho old ideas and forms of Scandina vian verse were breken down by foreign influences.

■seven out of the ten promised volumes of Mr Arber's " EDf;li»h Garner " are now ready. Vol. VII. include*, in addition to other content*, Kemp's " Nine Days' Wonder ; " Sir F. Vere's commentaries ; seven tracts of Defoe, in prose or verse ; Deloney's three ballads on the Armada fight; a set of madrigals by J. Wilbyc ; nnd "Diella : Certain Sonnets," byK. JL[inche].

Mr Saintslmry's " Specimen of French Literature from Villon to Hugo" -will be published immediately. The passages se lected number 102 in all. Care has been taken to select extracts which add to their own literary interest that of supplying the key or the origin of other Interesting litera ture. No living author is represented, with the exception ef M. Victor Hugo.

The Jews are a musical race. They have produced the following composers : - Meyer< beer, jjarschner, Ernst, all the Strauaa family, Eerdinand and Felicicn David, Joachim, Pasta, GHenbacK, Jules, Bene dict, Otto Goldsmith, Klaus, Kalevy, Moscheles, and Mendelssohn, Ferdinand Hiller, Nicolai and \Vienia, Strakosch, Grisl, Carl Loewe, Bluemeuthal, Aacher, Sterne, Levy, Eichberg, and Wulff.

A carious book containing life-size dia grams of the palm and back of the hands of twenty-two eminent persona has just been published in England. Each member as represented has a decided character of its own. Charles Darwin's hand -was oblong and solid ; Mr Gladstone's hand is remarkable for the extreme atraightness of its edge from wrist to little finger; Mr WUkle Collins's handiis small and almost oval, and that of the Duke of Argyll is demonstrative, and is said to look as if it would rather like to box the ears of anyone #ho lefosed to be dmnonatrated to.

STAB SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, JULY 14, 1883.

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