THE CARDED.

(Bit lIohtUS).

Calendar of Operations, January 12.

[Horttjb is willing to answer anj" queries. Cor respondents must give their full names and addresses, though not for publication.]

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Hviiridisixo (A. J.. Ponsonby)—l do not know of any special work devoted to the question of hybridising. A great deal has been written on the subject by various horticultural ■writers. By procuring a good work on struc tural botany, you will obtain sufficient infor mation so as to be able to hybridise and cross plants. Ido not believe it is possible to pro duce a hybrid between the water and rock melon, but try. Collect the pollen from one flower when dry, and apply it delicately with a light touch to the stigma of the flower in tended to bear the seed.

Cucumber fWm. M., Auckland).—From what you say, your crop is too heavy. I would thin out a good deal of the fruit. Those left will be much improved in sizo and quality. The small cucumbers make splendid pickles. Pinch back and thin out some of the super fluous vii.es at the same time.

Kitchen Garden.

Finish planting out the main crops of celery and leeks ; tho sooner these crops are in tbe ground the better, so as to give time for them to make large plants before the winter. Continue earthing up those planted for the earlier crop. Attend to the occasional sowings of peas, French beans, and the running varieties. Earth up and stake the earlier planted crops ; give them occasional waterings with liquid manure— give plenty. Tomatoes : Tie up, pinch, thin out and regulate superfluous shoots, allowing no wood to grow except that carrying fruit. Cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins : Pinch back and regulate super abundant growth. Give the cucumbers and 'pumpkins plenty of water, and occasionally liquid manure. Melons are better in flavour and firmer in ilesh if kept in a moderately dry state. Have all pieces of ground from which the early crops have been taken o^i dug roughly. If wanted for early autumn cropping, give a good dressing of maatr. ■_ while working the ground. Ke'i ■' ...e going so as to keep down wee'- ■ :n_r this department as clean and ti.:.. ..- pos sible. Flower Garden. If the arrangement of flowers has b■■■ ti studied, if the soil has been properly worked, and proper attention has been bestowed on the different plants, the florist will now be revelling in the beauties of his garden. -Everything ought now to be looking its best. Continual attention must be given to the pinching and pegging down of such plants as the verbena, etc., so as to keep - them within proper bounds, and also to in crease the number of the flowering shoots, give the beds heavy drenchings with water, and occasionally liquid manure so as to prolong the flowering period as long as pos sible. Mulching with long straw grass or similar materials will also greatly assist the same object, especially in all light dry soils: it keeps too rapid evaporation from taking place. In the mixed flower border many of the plants will be making vapid growth. Stake, pinch, and tie up those that may require it. Hoe and rake, leaving the surface soil neat and trim. Greenhouse. Give plenty of air and water. Re-pot such plants as may require a larger pot. Stop ail strong or rank growing shoots— encourage only such as will produce the most bloom. Clinibers will require continual attention arranging and tying tip the shoots. Tuberous-rooted begonias, coleus, and plants of similar free habit of growth ought to receive liberal supplies of liquid manure. Look, well after insects, using the different preventatives so as to keep them under. Shade the house on all bright, sunny days. Budding. The season is now approaching when the orehardist will be considering the advisa bility of working some of his fruit trees by A budding. A few words of advice might be >'-' of some use to amateurs. Most of the stone fruits succeed best budded, particularly peaches and apricots. Apples, pears. '>nd plums equally as well budded as grafted. Budding is an opera tion by which a bud is taken from a branch of onetnee and incorporated on a branch or €tern of another tree-. The conditions of __, success are—skill on the part of the opera tor, affinity between the stock and bud (or - what we might term the scion), seeing that the bud is properly cut and inserted in the bark of the stock and tied up, also that the operation is performed at the proper season. If it is young stock that is to be bt-rtd«d, see that such stock is vigorous and healthy, using no suckers for this purpose, as a stock from, a sucker is sure to reproduce sucker growth at its roots. The best stock is such as is raised from seed cutting or layer, and even of these discard any which are unhealthy. Again, the tree from which tbe bud or scion is take should be a healthy tree* as any bud taken from an unhealthy tree is sure to reproduce any defects which the parent tree possessed. Another thing which ought, to be kept in view is that it is better to take the wood from which the buds are cut off tree 3in full bearing, as buds taken from such trees are sure to pro duce fruit much earlier than from buds taken from trc.-s which have never produced any fruit. Buds taken from trees which have produced fruit have some "of the necessary germs already in their constitution. Avast deal depends on the quality of the wood used hi _."'.<l::ic- or graftingso as to produce fruit early. it is possible by using a.fruit bud to produce fruit the next season, but no wood. Again, by using a bud taken from a sucker or very rank growing tree which has never produced fruit, such tree ■will not produce fruit for a good number of years, but it will produce plenty of timber. There is a happy medium, and that is to take your buds irom a sound, healthy tree In full bearing. Take nice, well-formed shoots from the tree of this year's formed wood, choosing the best of the buds. Those buds which are well formed and havo a fine heriithy leaf aro the best. to select. Buds taken from such trees will produce a good, healthy, free-growing tree, and iv a few years a good crop of fruit—that is to say, if they afterwards arc properly attended to. When a choice Las been made of stock and scions, select a bud, make an incision above and below, cutting out the bud with a portion of iuo wood and bark attached, about an inch to an inch and a-half in length, the bud being one-third of the length dis tant from the top ; then separate tho bulk of tho wood from the bark, leaving a little speck just under the bud, which is called its eye, and without which it will not grow. The bud being now prepared, make an incision in the stock like the letter T, taking care fo cut completely through the baik without injuring the wood. The bark is then raised on each side and the prepared bud inserted.. A bandage is then applied so as to exclude the air from the •wound. I would advise those who have

never soon the operation of budding per foraiod to consult " Brett's Colonist's Ot-vV 're "tensive descriptions are

given with figure explaining the operation. Ky tracts. Value of Hek-m.vSure.—We saw on the premises of a first-class farmer, some time ago (says a writer in an American paper), a wjll-constructed hen-house, though not atall complying with the conditions which hen fanciers would impose. It was designed only for laying and roosting in ; and it at first seemed strange to find at mid-day, with a cool atmosphere, turkeys and chickens occupying it. They had free egress and ingress, and were not fed or watered in it; yet the chickens always went there to lay. The secret was revealed, however, when the proprietor informed us that he had it cleaned out every week. All the droppings of the fowls were scraped from the floor, which was an inclined plane, into a trough or receiver, from which they were shovelled and heaped up, and the place whitewashed frequently. This required but littleoverhalf-an-hour, andthemanure from last season was estimated at 1_!0 dollars, and quite sufficient in quantity as an appli cation to his entire crop of corn. As a rule, we do not think farmers pay as much atten tion to their hen-houses and the manurial product as their real importance demands. Here was a most valuable amount of fertilising material, obtained with littie labour, upon the premises, ready for use when needed, which would have cost a heavy sum to provide; besides from tho excellent arrangement of the house, which was by no mean 3 expensive, an increase of eggs was obtained which more than covered all tho additional expense and labour.

What's in a Name ?—The Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, President of the American Pomolo^ical Society, in his recent address at Philadelphia, had something to say about the naming of new fruits, which, it is to be hoped, will be heeded by those who may have produced new varieties worthy of being disseminated. He says: "Let us have no more Generals, Colonels, or Captains attached to the names of our fruits ; no more Presidents, Governors, or titled dig nitaries ; no more monarch's, kings, or princes; no more mammoths, giants, or Tom Thumbs ; no more nonsuches, seek no furthers, ne plus ultras, hog pons, sheep noses, Big Bobs, ironclads, legal tenders, Sucker States, or stump-the-worlds I" He advises the use of the simplest names, and only one word will, as a rule, form a better name than two or more. All the big and little names mentioned above are now at tached to fruits in cultivation, and it, is time that simpler ones were employed.

Orchards.—The orchard must be taken care of if any success in fruit culture is expected. There is from nearly all parts of the country a complaint that the fruit crop is a failure. It is becoming a serious ques tion whether the farmers of some sections can longer grow fruit at a profit. They certainly cannot without attention to the manuring and fighting of insect enemies. The production of anything re quires care and attention, and every branch of farming has its drawbacks, and there fore diligence, patient work, and con stant attention is required. The horticul turist, perhaps, has the most difficult war fare of any other, in this, that his success is more intimately connected than others, and his exertions and watchfulness are worth less, or nearly so, unless his neighbours exercise the same diligence. It matters not if one orchardist does all in his power to destroy noxious insects. If his near neighbour is careless with his orchard he must suffer from the carelessness of his neighbour, for many pests have wings, and he who breeds them in his orchard cannot prevent them from destroying the crop in his neighbour's orchard. A united effort mu_t be put forth. No sluggard should own an orchard.

FOR THE LADIES.

[Compiled by oue London Coiiiie.spon _-.-3__.t].

The best advice to be given to any dramatist is to write a play that will please the women. A play that is antagonistic to women's interests and iaeas must necessarily fail. If, on the other hand, the fair sex is contented to be pleased with any form of entertainment, the men must like it, or, at anyrat c, they will be dragged to the theatre whether they like it or not. Miss Mary Anderson is emphatically a woman's success. All the women rave about her. They buy her pictures, they want to find out where she lives, they must see her. She is the new beauty. She is a fresh diversity, and she must be worshipped accordingly. Mrs Langtry has gone. Miss Ellen Terry is being worshipped in New York. The female world, in want of a eultus, has taken strongly to Miss Mary Anderson. There is little wonder at it. She is a good, as well as a beautiful woman, and she looks it. The winning over of the fashionable and female world to Mary Anderson has been gradual, but it is very complete. Since Miss Ellen Terry inaugurated the Portia fan—which hangs at tho side, is cir cular, and does not fold up—all sorts of pendant screen fans are worn. The palm leaves, which cost about a penny each, can be made to look seasonable by sewing on coloured everlastings, red berries, and ivy leaves, and tying some little bows of rib bon round the handles. If something bet ter is required, the frame of the palm leaf can be retained, a piece of foundation net sewed over it, a few rows of lace run round, and the centre ailed with flowers. The lace for this fan will be the chief expense, and it ought to be pleated and pressed before being sewed on. Brighton Season Dresses. Two or three words about the Brighton dresses. The weather has still often been so favourable in the middle of the day that ladies have been able to appear when they pleased without anything over their shoulders above tbe dress. Thus it has been possible to see that in a large propor tion of eases the new kind of waistcoat is worn. This consists of a piece of light material, very oi_en a bright-coloured silk handkerchief, which is put on outside the dress, at the shoulder and under the collar very loose and full, and continues so down to where the dress begins to slope for the waist. Here it is gathered so as to narrow it in to the figure. It either ends at the waist, or just beneath ; if the latter, it is again spread out, so as to form a double fan shape. When the dress is of a dark colour, and tight-fitting, a brilliant gold, or scarlet, or plaid handkerchief thus arranged makes a very stylish and effective waistcoat. The hooks are hidden under neath the folds. There was even a jersey at Brighton triim»ed in this way with a crimson handkerchief, and finished by a velvet collar to match.

Among the quietly elegant dresses upon the pier was a skirt of brown watered silk, laid in large triple box pleats, at the bot tom of which appears a frill of brown cash mere. Tho polonaise is of tho same cash mere, and is made "bagged," reaching to tho knee in front, and somewhat longer be hind. Another dress, which was very quiet in reality, although the description may sound somewhat loud, was a short satin, which was iridescent blue green. The en tire skirt and waistcoat wore of thii satin, and the bodice, which was coat-shaped be hind, and had long narrow panels at the side, siich as I described last week, was made of peacock blue velveteen. The bod ice, and down each side of the panefa^frere trimmed with a number of small gold 'but tons.

Two dresses that really were ultra-glaring were worn by young ladies of tho Jewish persuasion, apparently sisters. Their skirts were of navy blue satin, kilted deeply, and draped over the top with crim son silk. The jackets of the blue satin, though fitting to the figure, hung loose in front, over crimson waistcoats, which but toned with large gold buttons. Turned - down collars of tha crimson, and toque hats, to match the costume, completed the much too-conspicuous rig-out. What a contrast to this was the next dress I noticed ! It was a rough flannel costume. The skirt had alternate white and dark blue stripes ; the polonaise was of cream colour, with cuffs, outside pockets, and collar of dark blue flannel ; and a toque hat of the blue and white striped material wasalso worn. I saw this young lady soveral times in the same dress, and it was always finished by a little bunch of violets at the throat. It all looked so simple, and in such perfect taste, and the face above it was rarely beautiful—a trans:_endentcomplexion, unspoiled by a touch of other cosmetic than the sea air, which drew into the young cheeks a faint tint like that of the heart of a blush rose. A Silver Klng-3 Daughter. " Truth's " Paris correspondent, writing to that journal in Novemher, says :—"I was shown a few days ago, in a back issue of a San Francisco paper, a very droll * 'inter view" with Miss Mackay, the onlydaughter of a Silver King, who had been jilted by the son of an illustrous American General of wide-world fame. In California there would be nothing extraordinary in it; but in Europe it would bo outrageous. The young lady, according to the San Fran cisco papor, received the reporter alono.and then called in her mother to fix the date on which she gave the inconstant lover "a pair of gig horses, that cost §15,000 each, with which he made off" in quitting the country. One of tho quostions put to her was, " Had you any very pro nounced sentiment of amativeness in the earliest stage of the courtship?" "No : ambition was stronger than love. There's nobody so rich as I shall be on this side of the Pocky Mountains, and I made up my mind that since the eldest son of the Prince of Wales is too young to marry, I would at least aim at the son of a first man in the United States." "When you woro engaged, did a softer sentiment prevail?" " Yes. I admit that I felt in heaven when I danced or went out to ride with him in tho gig." "Did he show appreciation of the feelings you expressed?" "Sometimes he did, and gazed at me so fondly." " You were quito unprepared, I auppos®, for the wheel-about and march off?" "No ; not quite. I was warned by a friend that he called me behind my back a freckled, red headed Biddy, and said that he could never take me, without blushing for any want of refinement, round the Courts of Europe" " What did you do when you heard this?' " I taxed him with it." "And what did h»do?" "Hesaid he was not sorry that I heard it, for that I had no manners, find ought to go, to post myself up, to some convent in France, whero the daughters of nobility were educated." •' And then ?" "I cried, from pure vexation." "What happened next?" "He put hia arm round my waist and kissed me. "And what did you do?" " I told him to let me alone, and go back to. his Kings and Queens in Europe." "And what did he say !" "Ho said he would, because they wero real good company. We then made it up." " Are you still ambitious !" •' Yes, very. Love flies out of the window, position remains. I'm tired of California, and of hearing people 3ay they remember fattier a whisky slinger. If alord don't comofrom England ]to court me, I'll go to England to court a lord and to become a titledlady."

A Crofter's Medicine.

Amongst those who joined tho steamer at Tobermory was a sturdy Highlander re turning from a visit to a relative in Mull. We tried to enter into conversation with him on the crofters' grievances, but whether ho did not feci strongly on that subject, or whether he suspected us to be in search of evidence to lay before the Royal Commission, I cannot say, but he certainly showed mi inclination to enlighten us with his views on tho land question. A* we steamed through Sleat Sound he pointed to a lonely cottage close by the shore, behind which ran a nr.rrow patch of half ripe corn. "There," said he, "ia my croft." "A lonely enough abode, in all conscience," remaked our friend the doctor. "By-the-bye," said ho, "how do you get on for medical aid in such an out -of - the - way place ?" "Well, we don't bother that much, to be sure. The nearest doctor, you see, is thirteen miles away, and wo might send for him and find that he was visiting a patient so far distant in another direction, and good time would be lost, so we just do our heat without sending for him at all." "Do you mean to say that if your wife were ill you wouldn't send for a doctor?" " Yes, to bo sure. " Then what on earth would you do with her?" "Do with her ! Och, justgive her a class of whusky." '' Would that cure her?" "Well, yes, if she was not ferry pad." "But if it did not, what then? " Just give her another class of whusky." "That might fail also; you would then change the treatment, I suppose, or send for the doctor at last." "Well, no, I would try her with one more class of whusky." "And if thero was still no signs of improvement, you would give her another glass of whisky ?" " Och, no ; I would make up my mind then that she was not going to get potter, and I would waste no more whusky on her, what over, but just ler her die, and not trouble any mere with her at all."

Crushing a Masher.

Among the passengers in a first-class car riago going to Scarbarough lately was a handsome woman, whoso husband shared the seat with her, and who would have been picked out as a quiet, sedate, absent-minded man. The seat opposite was occupiod by a flashly-dressed masher, with a lady-killing moustache, and he was considerably sur prised when the husband handed him a daily paper, with the remark, " Havo a glance at the news. Plenty of excite ment around the country, I observe." The young man , was busy with the paper for half -an • hour, and then the husband offered him a popular magazine. This entertained him for an hour, and he had scarcely closed the book when the good man reached over with—"Havo a cigar. Those are prime Havanas, and I know you will enjoy one." The young man accepted with thanks. After he had smoked Li. cigar, the gentleman said, " Perhaps you'd like to look at the latest novel ? Very en tertaining, I assure you." He rend until weary, and upon being offered another cigar replied that he was to leave tho train at the next station, and added, " I want to thank you again for your many courtesies." "Ob, don't mention it." You never saw me before?" "Never." "Don't know my naino?" "No." "Then tell me why you were so very courteous to an entire stranger." "Young man, I will explain. In times past when a snob sat and stared at my wife I invariably threatened him. This gave me much trouble and expense, and I changed my programme. I now carry books and cigars to bribe them. Had you been going a hun dred miles further I would have offered you a drink of brandy, a new puzzle, two more dailies, and another cigar, and my wife would have secured quite a rest." "Sir? I " "Oh, its all right—all right! It was cheaper than throwing you out of the window, and 1 hope you'll get to your destination safely. Good day, sir— good day—glad to have met you !" And the young man with the lady-killing moustache and the crockery-coloured eyes, and hair parted on an even keel, walked out without being certain whether he had been smashed in a collision or pulverised under a land-roller.

The Organ-Grinding Trade.

OnuAN-grinding is not such a bad trade after all. It appears that a few years ago an Italian and a girl purchased an Italian piano, and went to Birmingham. By play ing in the streets they rapidly ac cumulated a sum of £100. With this the man went back to Italy, and en gaged a number of men, some of them actually brigands, with an equal number of prepossessing girls, to serve in his employ, paying their expenses to Birmingham. He rapidly developed his calling, and at the present time he has under him up wards of 200 individuals, who do nothing but play organs in the streets of Bit-, mingham and neighbouring places. They all live together, and have rooms specially provided for their eating, cooking, and other domestic arrangements. The chief of this remarkable tribe has, in the course of a few years, accumulated a sub stantial fortune, and is now a large owner of property, both in Italy and this country. Nor can this be wondered at, seeing that it is admitted that, some of the men and women earn as much ns £10 a week by organ-grinding alone. It is a common thing for the men to go to Italy in tho summer for a holiday, and to send their wives to the seaside for two or thre« weeks' relaxation. During the remainder of the year they turn the handles of the Italian pianos, and gratefully receive coppers from a "benevolent public." We might perhaps venture to say that if this same " benevolent public " kept its pennies for tho support and assistance of its own countrymen, instead of giving them to more or less dirty, and often immoral organ grinders, tho nation would be better ofl. !

One important English periodical ho_3 at last says the " World " "a fighting editor."' Mr Walter Pollock, recently appointed to the " Saturday Review," fetho socond.bost fencer of England, the best being Mr- Farquhar.

There is a report that Miss Minnw Palmer, who appears at the Gaiety witinaest on Saturday afternoons, in a " varhfcy piece," called '' My Sweetheart," may hjle permanently engaged at that theatre. Her style is decidedly music-hallish, but Ihis should be no dotrimont to her success at the Gaiety, I should think. All depends, I expect, upon whether the patrons of the stalls really take to the littlo lady, and " run after her," so to spaak. She has a fund of comic talent, mobile features, can sing, dance, and act well; she would soon take the shine out of some who but thin); themselves clever, and get oast for p»i;ts> that they are unfitted for.

STAK SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, "JANUARY- 12, 1884

4



MONSTER CLEARING SALE O-F CLOTHING AND DRAPERY ! __» y.gQ.OOO worth of £20,000 OF Drapery & Clothing to be Slaughtered. ■S. COOMBES & CO., Being about to CLOSE THEIR CLOTHING ESTABLISHMENT (next the Azichland Hotel), and in order to REDUCE their STOCK as much as possible previous to STOCK-TAKING, will hold A MONSTER CLEARING SALE Of tlic whole of their LAF.C4E and WELL-ASSORTED STOCK of :Z^*> DRAPERY AND CLOTHING AT BOTH SHOPS. .< • -■«__►• . «■ — S. COOMBES & 00. Have Purchased two well-known Stocks for less than 10s. in the Pound, which will be included in their Monster Clearing Sale. i ill i HJIIU-»- -■^.■■BIIWii — REMEMBER : TZHZIE SALE 2sTO"Vv 03ST I On the Premises lately occupied by J. Cosgrave &. Co:, and our Clothing Establishment (next the Auckland Hotel), where everything will be slaughtered ! SAMUEL COOMBES & CO., CANADA BUILDINGS, QUEEN STREET. j