THE GARDEN.

(By llortus).

Calendar of Operations, April 19.

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 Cor respondents must give their full names and addresses, though not for publication.]

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Tkexciiino RK Pkaijcino (It.G., Cambridge).— It is little good trenching unless you drain. Trenching under these circumstances only makes a deep pit for the water to lodge in, especially in soils with a still'retentive bottom. Light soils with a porous bottom, where the water can easily get away, may bit trenched without drainage. There is a good description of how to drain, showing the number of tiles required to nn acre, etc., in "Brett's Colonists' Guide," besides much other matter which is of the utmost value to country settlors.

BURNED Ci.ay (A.8., Whau).—Where the soil is of a still'retentive nature, one of the quickest and cheapest methods of bringing it .into good working order is to get a few heaps of wood, brush or any materials which will burn easily. Place heaps of this in convenient places over tho ground, partly cover them over with clay, light thcni, and when the fire has obtained a good hold, cover tho fire up and keep doing so as long as the heat will consume more clay Allow thia te cool, then spread over the (surface as you dig the ground. The effect ol the burned soil the bulk when it becomes incorporated is wonderful.

TRKNCHiNf; GROUND (Amateur).—lt is not possible to trench an acre of ground for the sum of £2, no matter though _ Ir Federli says so in his pamphlet printed under the authority of the New Zealand Government. The coat -would vary according to the character of the soil to be trenched ; £2 is about the price charged for sub-soiling, or what is called sub ploughing an acre'of ground hore. Prices might vary a little between Canterbury and here, but not much.

Kitchen Garden.

Continue planting out small plots of cab bage and cauliflower. Sow mustard, cress, and radishes. Trick out lettuce; tie up the eaves of a few to blanch overy fortnight,

as to keep up a succession. Tomatoes

will be advisable to strip oil' a good deal

the foliage of these now, so as to admit the sun's rays to the fruit to ripen it Give occasional dustings with lime to kill caterpillars. Make another sowing of the prickly spinage for winter use. Sow a large break. Continue harvesting all crops as they ripen, clear away all rub bish, and have it manured and turned over while the dry weather lasts. Ground laboured in dry weather will always be sweeter and in better heart for cropping than when laboured in wet weather; it then becomes clayey and sour, and it takes some time to get it back into a good state again. Have all weeds and rubbish token away to the rot heap, and mixed with fresh stable manure and coarse salt. Try, by every means in your power, to increase tho quantity of manure.

Flower Garden.

In the mixed borders most of the flowers will be over. Have the debris all taken away, and any plants which are of a strong growing habit, 'and have overgrown the spaces allotted them, cut them back to their proper dimensions; also all herbaceous plants which are past flowering. Cut out all dead stems; reduce some of them ; mark the places where all bulbs and tubers are allowed to stand in the ground all winter ; stake and tie all plants that have still to flower. Having thus cleared away all de caying matter, have plenty of good, well rotted manure conveyed all overthe borders; spread this over the ground between the plants. Recollect, while putting on the manure, the more you give the border tho better the return in flowers next season. The manure can lie for a few weeks, and then be forked into the ground. The lawns should now be kept in a good state. Keep the grass short, and roll heavily whenever the soil receives a shower of rain. Keep walks clear of weeds ; roll occasionally, so as to bind them.

Orchard.

Those who intend extending or making new orchards during the incoming planting season should do their utmost to have the soil drained, trenched, or sub-ploughed during the end of this and beginning of next month. Formerly an idea prevailed that it was of no importance whether the soil was wrought or not, but planters are beginning to find out that the better tho soil is laboured the greater success with the orchard. If possible always plant the orchard on ground that has been under cultivation for a few seasons, and during that time has been well manured. A piece of ground that has been under crop will simply want sub-ploughing at present. It is better to plant a few trees every season and have the soil well laboured for their reception, than to plant a large number in one year and not give the soil any pre paration.

Leaf and Flower Impressions.—Oil a white piece of paper on one side ; hold the oiled side over a lamp or pine-knot smoke till quite black ; place the leaf on the black surface, as the veins and fibres show plainer on the under part. Now press the paper on all parts of the leaf with the fingers; then take up the leaf and put the black oiled side on the page of a book (made for leaf impressions), with an extra piece of paper on the top to prevent smutting the opposite page. Press it a few moments; then remove the green leaf, and the im pression will be left on the page as beautiful as an engraving. Flowers of single carolla can be pressed in the same manner. Many of the geranium leaves make beautiful im pressions. The impression book may be made still more interesting by giving botanical classification of each leaf and flower.

The First Dahlia.—This was intro duced into England by Lady Holland, and is thus alluded to in "Holland House," the recent works of the Princess Marie Lichten stein :—" Having been much gratified some where in the south of Europe by her first acquaintance with Palestine soup, and ascertaining that the main ingredient was the Jerusalem artichoke, Lady Holland procured what she supposed to be a root of it, and forwarded it (probably by a king's messenger) to her gardener at Holland House, when a beautiful flower came up instead of a succulent vegetable. _ She gazed on it with a feeling near akin to that of the fox-hunter who complained that the smell of the violets spoilt the scent; but the value of her acquisition began to break upon her when the London seedsman who came to look at it offered 30 guineas for a root. Another version is that a root was given to her at Valentia in ISO 4by a celebrated botanist, who had just received it as an unknown rarity from South America.

Renovating Old Grape Vines.—The fact that the season is.now on for preparing or obtaining new seils for increas ing the dimensions of the vine borders induces me to give a few extracts which will meet the caße of a few growers here. The extracts are taken from "Gardening Illustrated." They are written by one of the best growers in Britain. " About six years ago an amateur consulted me on a house of vines that were in a most unsatisfactory Btate. They were from fifteen to twenty

yoars of age, and ought to have beon just in their prime. Before consulting me he had been advised to root them up and plant young ones. I examined the border, and found, as I expected, the roots had travelled beyond it into cold wot sub-soil, which had brought on shanky to an alarming extent. The old border, which was in a bad state, was entirely cleared away, saving as many as possible of the roots. The drainage was seen to,and anew horde* of chopped turf (in which a little bone was incorporated) was made. The roots were shortened and care fully laid out, and the border was well mulched with manure. Tho canes inside the house wero thinned out antl shortened. Thoy wore allowed to break almost naturally tho next season, and the result was a good crop of fruit with scarcely a shanked berry, whilst beforo they were lifted it was no un common thing to sec whole branches go off." Shanking.—This disease is caused by a deficiency of supply of nutriment at a critical period of the growth of the fruit, and this deficiency frequently arises from the roots penetrating into a cold subsoil ; they having travelled boyond the prepared border, become in an ungetual soil sluggish and inactive, and aro therefore unable to supply the heavy demand made upon thorn, and the fruit fails. Another fruitful source of shanking is making tho borders too rich and heavy, and neglecting the drainage. I have investigated one or two cases, where I was satisfied it arose from lack of moisture at the roots. Extremes of all kinds aro bad. Vines in dry seasons should be well supplied with water, especially in shallow borders. Tho exhausting inllucnce of a heavy crop of fruit for a series of years, especially in lato houses, where the fruit is required to hang a bug time, tends to induce shanking, and it is the knowledge of this fact that ha. in duced many good cultivators to cut the grapes when ripe, and preserve them by in serting tho ends of the shoots in bottles of wator, thus relieving tho vines of their hea\ry burden, to their manifest ad van (ago. I lately had an opportunity of visiting one of our best grape-growers, and in a conver sation about old vines he remarked that one of his best houses last year was furnished with some old vines be found there more than twenty years ago ; but of course they had been thoroughly well managed, both roots and branches.

Makim: Guai'i-: Vi.vk BonnM. .-— In mak ing a vine border the lirst requisite is thorough drainage ; the next is a gootl sup ply of good turf from an old pasture. This turf forms tho staple of all the best vine borders I have ever scon, and I believe very good grapes may be grown on it alone, without any addition whatever. Of course, I am not against adding crushed bones where necessary, or, if the loam is heavy, old mortar or charcoal may be added with tho advantage. The only way of keeping vines in good bearing condition for many years is to look after the roots, for when any falling-oil' is ob served, there generally tho cause must be sought for, and the remedy of lifting and shortening the roots applied : draining at the same time if required, taking away a portion of the old soil and replacing with a further supply of good turf. The majority of vine borders must of necessity bo less than twenty feet in width, but the roots, unless theymcet with an impenetrable bar rier, wander far beyond this limit ; soft and spongy unripe wood, with other evils, soon follow. Of course there are some soils so favourable for grape-growing that almost without any extra caro good crops can be grown.—("F." in "Garden.") Now is about the best time of the year to get the turf carted and stacked in a heap ready to put into the old vine borders or the making of new. The best turf that can be obtained for this purpose is from a good rich friable loam.

Traffic in Wives.

The price of wives seems to have gono up lately. Two who were recently sold fetched respectively half-a-crown and sixpence ;but wives rule higher at Ruabon, where it seems that a really superior article fetches no loss than ten shillings. This, at any rate, is the figure at which a Ruabon minor parted with his wife, though the enhanced price may be due to the fact that some children seem to be included in the bargain. The bargain was anticipated by the elopement of his wife with her subsequent purchaser. The pair went, it seems, to Tyldesloy, in Lancashire, and the abductor wrote to the husband a friendly letter, asking whether the latter would frivo the lady up. If the swain who found himself preferred was a sensitive man—of which, however, there does not seem to be any evidence —it must have pained him deep'y to tell the husband that Sarah preferred death to the company of her lawful spouse. "Therefore" the writer continued, with some little confusion between the postal and telepraph depart ments, "if you are willing, kindly wire a note, signed by your own hand, stating you are willing for me to make her a comfortable home and the children, and I will forward you ten shillings in cash for a New Year's gift after you do me that kindness." The husband readily did "that kindness;" but it is to bo feared that none of her Majesty's judges will endorse the bargain.

The Justice of God.

" Wha can tell," rejoined another, who had a judicial look about him, in spite of an un shaven beard, and a certain general disre gard to appearances, " wha can tell but the sins of oor fathers may be lying upo' some o' oorsel's at this varra moment ?" "In oor case, I canna see the thing wad be fair," said a fifth. "We dinna even ken what they did." "We're no to interfere withe wull o' the Almichty," rejoined the former. " It gangs its own gait, an' mortal canna tell what gait is. His justice winna be con teit." (Donal here asks leave to join the talk.) " Weel, wad ye please tell mo what ye ca'the justice o' God?" "Onybody could tell ye that. It consists i' the punishment o' sin. He giea ilka sinner what his sin de serves." "That seems to me an unco ae sidit definition of justice." " Weel, what wad;/, mak' o' 't?" "I wad say justice means fair play; an' the justice of God lies i'this—'at He gies'ilka man, beast, and. deevil fair play." "I'm dootfu' aboot that," said a drover-looking fellow. "We maun gang by the Word ; an' the Word says He veesits the ineequities o' the fathers upo' the children to the third an' fourth generation. I never could see the fair play o'that." -'Dinna ye meddle wi' things, John, 'at ye dinna un'erstand' ; ye may wauk i' the wrang box," said the old man. "I want to un'erstarrd," returned John. "I'm no sayin' He disna dv richt; I'm only sayin' I canna see the fair playo't." "It may weel be richt an'you no see't. " " Ay, v. eel that! But what for sud Ino say I dinna see ? Isna the blin' man to say his blin'?" This was unanswer able, and Donal again spoke. "It seems to me," he said, "we need first to un'erstan' what's conteened i' the veesitin' o' the sins o' the faithers upon the children, afore we daur ony jeedgment concernin' 't."— "Donal Grant," By George Macdonald.

SPORTING.

PRINCIPAL RAGING FIXTURES.

Now Zoaland.

Papakura Races April 23 Cam bridge J.C. Autumn... .April .'{fl and May 1 Dunedin J.C. Winter May 23 and 21 Grand National Steeplechase Meeting..May 21 Takapuna J.C. Winter Meeting May 21 Wanganui J.C. Steeplechase Meeling....May 21 Hawke's Ray J.C. Steeplechases Ittne 2li Australia. S.A.J.C. Autumn May 10. 15, and 17 Adelaide R.C. Meeting May 21, 20 and 31

Dates of Nominations, Entries and Accep tances.

Nominations Wanganui Steeplechases,...May 1 Nominations Hawke's Buy Steeplechase. .May 20

To Correspondents.

A.J. 1.. (Panmure). ■■- Salvage we believe was bred by the Hon. W. Robinson. IWason arrtl Vallaneo owned him when he won tho Auck land Cup.

G.K.—New Year ran second to Canard in Ihe Hurdle Race at tho A.R.C. Summer Mooting of INS:!-:). He hits never been placed ill a Steeplechase in Auckland, p.F.—Navigator won the V.R.C. Noruianby Stakes. Ascot Vale Stakes, A.J.C. Derby, Mares' Produce Stakes, V.R.O. Derby. V.R.C. St. Leger, Australian Cup, and A.J.C. St. Leger. Dispute, Hamilton. — Strathoarn was not placed in the Sydney Cup threo years in suc cesalon. lie was second to Democrat in 1878. third to I'etrea and jMartlndale ill IS. I. and niruin lllled second position when Progress won in ISBI.

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

Tun Auckland Racing Club Autumn Meet ing has now joined tho [last, and so far as weather and attendance is con cerned, it was ono of tho most successful that has yet been held. Equally good was the racing, for with tho exception of the Steeplechase, tho finishes in each wcro very close and oxciting, and seldom indeed arc two dead heats chronicled at a meeting, but it is much to bo regretted that equal praise cannot be bestowed upon tho arrangements. The totalisator working, and the means of getting tickets nndreccivingdivideuds,were very unsatisfactory, and justly caused no end of grumbling, but worst of all was the bungle caused in tho starting of the Con solation Race. Owing to the darkness, it was impassable to sco from tho grand stand whoso fault it was, but there is ono thing pretty certain that had the race been run over again, as was dono in tho case of Fusi lier at the Summer .looting, general satis faction would havo been given to all con corned, and the Club saved tho scono that took place at tho termination. With regard to tho racing itself, tbo local horses man aged to hold their own, for out of the twelve events that were run, seven fell to their lot, and the honour, wero pretty equally divided. This cannot be said of the visitors, for out of the live events won by them, four were secured by the Wairarapa sportsman, Mr P. F. Tailored, whoso pretty "blue ami canary" banner was for the first time unfurled on the Ellerslie course. In Consul he has a good colt that I think will some day be heard of in connection with a big raco, and tho wiry-looking Administrator may be depended upon to always pay his way when among his own class. The two year-old races showed us what a gem Mr .1. Marshall haa in Xecklace, and hot- beating of Krupp ill the Mares' Produce Stakes was nothing to the surprise occasioned in the Ellerslie Plato, when she was coiioedint. the big son of Maid of Athol Sib, and then ran a dead heat with him. Her brilliant run ning shows that her victory at Christmas was "no llukc, and Colonel Fraser evidently thinks so now, for it may be mentioned that shortly after that time ho wagered a level tOO that she would not get home in front in another two-year-old raco. Of course her wins are in no small measure duo to tho excellent condition that Chaafo had her in, and tho clever horsemanship of Sutherland. In our next Derby, the pair will meot to fight their battles o'er again, and if Trenton and one or two other of the Southern cracks also be among the field, we will indeed have a race worthy of the name. There is littlo need now to go over the ground how tho Easter Handicap was lost and won, but suffice it to say that after a great battle the judge gave his verdict that it was a dead heat between Administrator and Radames, the favourites, Nelson and Leonora, being unplaced. Tho running of the Napier mare did not givo universal satisfaction, but whether there was anything wrong lam unable to say. In the Publicans' Purse, however, there was not tho slightest dcubt about her being ridden out, for Edwards got well away, and was pegging at her the whole distance. Nelson's gallop in the Easter Handicap evidently did him good, for he won the big event on the second day rather easily, running the mile and a-half in tlie good time of 2.40.. The Steeplechase was a very tame affair, Chandler winning as he liked, not one of the other horses succeeding in getting around the proper course. New Year broke down very badly, and for racing purposes is now useless. The only other matter that calls for comment at the meet ing was the fast time in tho different races (almost boyond belief), but when it is veri fied by several private timists, besides the official one, it must be accepted as cor rect. Trenton's win in the Champagno Stakes at the Canterbury Jockey Club Meeting is another feather in the cap of his sire Mus ket, but the credit of tho colt's breeding falls to those spirited gentlemen, Messrs T. and S. Morrin, who aro tho owners of his dam Frailty. Mr Stead, it will be remem bered, purchased Trenton when on a visit to our last Summer Meeting, and in selecting him it says a deal for his knowledge and good judgment, and I can well imagine the hearty cheer that went up for the Russley sportsman when Wat-tie returned to scale. Trenton's victory is sure to bring him into a deal of prominence for the-next C.J.C. Derby, and there can be no hiding the fact that in the event under notice, he met a very high class field. On a perusal of his pedigree it will be seen that he is closely related to Martini-Henry, his dam Frailty being got by Goldsborough (a son of Sylvia). As was generally anticipated, the Great Autumn Handicap run on Monday last pro duced the best race of the season, the fine field of fourteen going to tho post. The winner turned up in Vanguard, who was backed by the Grip Lodge party to win a good stake, thus making amends for the disappointment he has caused them on several occasions. Considering the bril liant field behind him, the time telegraphed, viz., 2.48A, is very poor, and the slowest that has yet been recorded for the event, but there is just a probability that it is in correct. On the second day of the meeting thut game bit of stuff, Tasman, secured the big race, the Easter Handicap, and with 9st 51b ran the mile in 1.432-

Honours among tho sires were pretty evenly divided at the Auckland Autumn Meeting. Musket claims Necklace (win ner of the Mares' Produce Stakes), Krupp, and Mitrailleuse. The Premier, through

Consul and Administrator, had the Trades men's Plate, Publicans' Purse, and Flying Stakes nlaced to his credit; while in the big event of the meeting his son Adminis trator also shared the honours with Rudume.-, who was got by Leolinus. In the jumping races, ('handler and Minuet did good service for Ravonsworth, Nelson won the Autumn Handicap for King Cole, Paramena the Selling Race for Sator, and Witiora tho Shorts for Bedouin. In the matter of jockeyship.A. Sutherland was far and away tho most successful, for ho rode no less than five winners ; while George Williams, .1. Rao, K. Heaton, Vaile, Mc- Cluskey, MoMiunimim, and Hickoy had ono winning mount each.

Tho Papakura races will take placo on Wednesday next. Favo, the Sydney Gold Cup winner, was got by The I. ruminor from Romping Girl, and is a full brother to Masquerade. So far us I can gather ho has never previously won a race, so that on public form ho had nothing whatever to recommend him. It would seem from the cablegram received that the Hon. .1. White had a narrow escape of losing Martini-Honry in tho race, for soon after tho start ho broke away and fell, but fortunately escaped uninjured. His stable companion Morpeth, however, did not fare sowoll.forhebrokehislej.whichnecessitated his destruction. This will be a serious loss to his owner, for not only was he a brilliant performer, but I know from private in formation that ho would probably have gone very near winning. In tho St. Legor, Martini-llonry must again havo shown temper, or lie Grand would novor have settled him in so easy a manlier. Tho following are the amounts that passed through tho totalisator atthoA.R.C. Autumn Mooting : — Firstday 51,213 Second day .•_'- Total 8,_5 I understand that Major George has writ ten a letter to the Auckland Racing Club expressing his dissatisfaction with the handicapping. Wapiti was certainly not fairly dealt with in tho Tradesmen's Handi cap at the Autumn Meeting, but for the life of me I cannot sco that the Major has cause to complain during his connection with racing. During the last few Jays the owner of Krupp has received three oilers from tho South for his purchase, but I am glad to state that ho does not care to part with so promising a colt. Tho reason of the oilers is on account of the form Trenton showed in the Champagne Stakes on Monday last. When tho Southern metallioians were hero nt Christmas timo, some of their number took libortios with the son of Musket and Frailty for tho next C.J.C. Derby, and it is very evident that they now want something that can oppose him with somo degree of success in Novom ber next. Taken on the wholo tho sale of thorough bred stock on Wednesday by tho Now Zealand Stud Company must be considorcd successful. As 1 anticipated, there was a deal of competition for the Loolinus—Potro louse colt, ami it is gratifying to see that our local sportsman Mr Lushington secured him, giving tho good price of 245 guineas. A filly by Loolinus out of Miss Laura also fell to his nod. Mr J. Marshall got a bargain in tho Muskot— Perfume colt, and among the other buyoi . wero Messrs Tail ored, W. Prollitt, W. Douglas,W. Edwards, and W. Stock, the four last named all being residents of Napier. The 'true-running Sardonyx has once more managed to get his head home in front, for wc learn by cable that on tho first day of tho A.J.C. Autumn Meeting, ho beat Archie and Sweet William in the Autumn Stakes ovor a inile-ai.d-a-half. To day the Meeting is to be concluded, when an opportunity will benllbrdcd Sardonyx of meeting the cracks in the Cumberland Stakes, three miles, weight-for-agc. Not tho least interesting item of to-days pro gramme will be the match for 1,000-Ovs. a sitle between the Hon. J. White's lolanthe (winner of the Maribyrnong Plato) and Mr. Cox's Buckingham. Tho distance of tho race is live furlongs. The Auckland Racing Club havo decided to subscribe to the N.Z. Turf Register that is to be published by Messrs Whetham and Walker, of Dunedin, and also give £10. I loam that the eompilors are well forward with their work, and it will bo issued as soon as possiblo after the closo of the season. They havo experienced great diffi culty in getting returns of race meetings anil replies from the Auckland country clubs—why, it is hard to say, for not only will the Register be a great boon to them, but the racing mon of the colony at large. The New Zealand Stud Company have had to destroy their stallion Sterlingworth, owing to severe rheumatism. He was pur chased by them in Victoria in 1882. Ster lingworth was a real woll-bred horse, being got by Sterling (son of Oxford)—Chillian wallah, by Newminster —Lady Cough, by Launcelot—Jeanette, by Birdcntcher- Per dita, by Langar. He was bred in England in 1875, and imported to South Australia in September, ISSI, after which he was taken to Victoria.

Twenty-seven nominations were received on Thursday last for the Canterbury Jockey Club Champagne Stakes of 1885. Messrs Prollitt, W. Percival, W. Robertson, J. Marshall, H. Westmacott, H. Horsfor'd, P. J. Tancred, Hathorn, Hon. G McLean, and A. Town, have nominated oae each ; Messrs P. Butler, Clifford, J. Stephenson, Hon. W. Robinson, and G. G. Stead, 2 each ;J. Carter, 3, and the Middle Park Stud Com pany, 4. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club netted a profit of £G22 by their recent Autumn Meeting.

The Dog and the Telephone.

The manifold uses to which the telephone may be put are constantly enlarged upon by the Amorican press. The other day we heard of a doctor who economised his time by means of the telephone, through which he spoke with his patients, inquired the progress they -were making towards re covery, listened to their coughs, and pre scribed for them, without leaving his own house. The latest story from New York is as follows:—A valuable dog, answer ing to the name of Jack, had been lost in the streets by his master, who resided at some distance from town. During the evening of the same day a friend of his happened to come across the dog, which he thought, but was not abso lutely sure, belonged to his acquaintance in the suburbs. To clear up his doubts on the subject he took the animal to a telephone office, was put in communication with his friend, and inquired whether Jack had strayed away from home. He was told that he had. He replied that he believed he had found him, and requested Jack's master to call his name through the telephone. To theory, "Jack, Jack," the animal, whose ear had been brought into contact with the apparatus, responded by abark of recognition and demonstrations of joy, which removed all uncertainty as to his identity with the missing dog. The intelligent brute, it is said, could not be induced to leave the office, believing, evidently, that his master would come by the same route as his voice had done, so he was kept there until his owner arrived to take charge of him.

FIELD SPORTS AND AQUATICS.

(BY ACTACON.)

CawkuhOOK Cricket Club takes the Dune din Senior Cup for the post season.

There will be live football clubs within a radius of twelve miles from Napier this season.

Dunedin kickists are jubilant at the ro-appearanoe of Dixon, a bold, dashing, playor, in the football arena.

Farquhar, ex-captain of the Dunedin Pirates Football Club, has died at the early age of nineteen years.

In viow of the approaching Australian football tour, tho local kickists should make a start without further delay.

Tho Belle, whicli won the lirst race at the Ponsonby Rogatta, was built by Warbrick about three years ago.

Warbrick is building a pleasure-boat for Mr Dacre, of Hamilton, and another for Mr McElwain, of Waiuku.

The dingy in which A. Bailey won the Culling race at the Ponsonby Regatta was uilt a week previously by C. Bailey.

The Domain presented quite a forlorn appearance last Saturday, and it was evident that cricket was at an end for the present season.

Mr Clarke, of Dunedin, hus written from Sydney to the effect that ho has suceccded in inducing Hanlan to pay tho southern city a visit.

The Canterbury Rugby Union has recom mended clubs within its jurisdiction to play matches in two 45-minuto spells, and to scoro by points.

Tho linal cup match between tho Can terbury Midland and United Clubs hus resulted in favour of the latter by ono innings and more than 100 runs.

Dunedin footballers are in dilliciiltics re garding a ground, tho Caledohian Socioty having signified thoir intention of reserving tho oval for cricket.

Donald Dinnio has reached Melbourne, ami is giving exhibitions of feats of strength in connection with Willis and Pickergill's diorama.

A Sydney paper says that several in fluential gentlemen have expressed their intention of backing Trickett for large sums against 1 lonian.

The open boat Ivy, which came second in the small sailing race, was built by F. l'errot. She is a smart-looking little boat, and sails very well.

There will probably bo another raco be tween the twenty-feet open sailing boats Mascotte, Imp, Ika, and Dream tit an early dato.

I hear that St. George's Bay Rowing Club juniors havo challenged the Ponsonby juniors to a whaleboat raco, tho idea being that tho former will row in the Waitemata Club's new boat.

Seven lirst prizes and three second prizes at the Ponsonby Regatta went to G. Bailey's sheil, while threo other first prizes were won by kills who had served their apprentice ship there,

I have it on good authority that .loe Warbrick is quite willing to make one of the Aucklantl contingent for the proposed Now South Wales football tour. As an all round man, he cannot be beaten in this part of the colony.

The foul which occurred in the whaleboat race (seniors) at the Ponsonby Regatta shows how necessary it is that in such races each competing boat should have a .separate point, otherwise collisions are almost sure to occur.

Hanlaii and Trickott, after rowing a number of miles recently over the Nepean River course, expressed themselves pleased with it, and stated that they preferred it to the Parramatta champion course. It is probable the latter will be abandoned.

Wellington had a great difficulty to get together a cricket team to play against Canterbury, and at a meeting it was con sidered desirable to pass a resolution re solving to persist in sending down a team notwithstanding the apathy that had been shown.

A captain's gig for the Dovonport Naval Artillery is to be built by Warbrick. _ She is to be diagonal built, with grating?, brasswork, etc., all almost without regard to expense. The dimensions of the gig will bo : Length, 30ft. ; beam, sft. 3in. ; depth, 2ft.

The American cricket team, made up of Philadelphia gentlemen, will play fourteen matches in Great Britain in June and July next. The teams they will meet are the Gentlemen of Ireland, Dublin University, Mnrylebono, Cheshire, Leicestershire Glou cestershire, Hants, Yorkshire, Liverpool, Northumberland, Derbyshire, Surrey, Sus sex, and Kent—all gentlemen players.

In connection with tho next visit of an English cricket team to Australia, the ser vices of the following have so far been se cured, viz. : — Shaw, Shrewsbury, Barns, and Flowers, of tho Notts County Eleven ; Ulyett and Bates, of Yorkshire ; and Maurice Road, of Surrey. Gunn (Notts) has been asked to join the team. At pre sent nothing has been decided in his caso, and it is possible that Pilling (Lancashire) will go out as wicket-keeper. The Rita (with Mr Thomas Henderson and party) and the Arawa (with Mr Bloom field and Captain A. D. Bennett, of tho Naval Artillery, and Mr Renoylds) left last Wednesday night for a cruise, calling at Barrier, Kawa, Bay of Islands, &c. The Waioua (with Mr Walker and party) and several other smaller yachts left on the Easter cruise, but for a shorter trip, about the same timo. The two first yachts will bo away about 10 days. A. Blacklock, the youngest member of the Wellington cricketing family of that name, played a fine innings of 65 (run out) for the Ashley Club against the Standard Eleven, the former winning by an innings and 34 runs. This is the second or third large score young Blacklock (who has just attained his thirteenth birthday) has made this season, and is tho third highest made on the Basin Reserve, his elder brother Robert having made both the larger soores.

Dan S. Newhall has written asking Alfred Shaw to go over to America for a month prior to tho embarking of the Philadelphians for England, taking with him the best left-arm bowler he can get, in order to coach them for their English tour. Shaw's engagement with Lord Sheffield will prohibit a visit to America, and there fore Flowers and Peate have been recom mended, the Marylebone C.C. having con sented to allow the Notts man to undertake the trip, providing he returns; in time for the game with the Australians on May 23. It is strange indeed that for the past three seasons the Canterbury Midland Cricket Club, after having performed in fine style, should finish up their season, usually about the end of March, by being beaten in an innings. In ISSI-2, they finished the season by receiving a severe beating at the hands ot the U.C.C.C., who scored 257 to their 113 and 11G ; in 1882-3, U the last Cup contest, they succumbed to lancaster Park, the scores being 383 to 136 and 157; and this season the United Club i beat them by an innings and 118 runs,

The only item of particular interest at the Thames races on Easter Monday was the sweepstake match of £1 per man be tween Tregonning, Herbert, Ogle, Hall, McGregor, Patterson, Barnett, Richardson, Moorcraft, and Oodkin. The match was run in three distances, allotting (J points to the first man in each division, -1 to the socond, and two to the third. The 150 yards heat was won by Patterson, with Herbert second, and Godkin third. In the half-mile, Tregonning camo home first, Moorcraft second, and Herbert, who finished third, was disqualified on the ground that he failed to breast tho tape, falling with exhaustion as he reached it. Herbert was winner of tho quarter-mile contest, Tregonning second, and Ogle third. Tho aggregate points thus placed Herbert and Tregonning on a level with 13 each, and it is probable that these men will run over again.

Bott's Intermundane Seance.

Tin' littlo apartment where Bott hold what he called his " Intermundano Suancos " was small and stuffy. A simulacrum of a chest of drawers in one corner was really Bott's bed, where the seer reposed at night, and which, tilted up against the wall during the day, contained the rank bedclothes, long innocent of the washtub. There were a dozen or so of cane-bottom chairs, a littlo table for a lamp, but no other furni ture. At one side of the room was a small cupboard without a door, but with a dark and dirty curcaiu hung before its aperture. Around it was a wooden railing, breast high. A boy with a high forehead, and hair combed behind ears largo and flaring like those of a rabbit, sat by the door, and took tho tickets of invited guests and the half dollars of the casuals. The seer received everybody with a nerveless shake of a clammy hand, showed them to seats, and exchanged a word or two about the weather, and tbe " conditions," favourable or other wise, to spiritual activity.

The crowd wero mostly artisans, whose lovo of the marvellous was not held in control by any educated judgment. They had long, serious faces, and every man of them woro long hair and a soft hat. Their women were generally sad, broken-spirited drudges, to whom this kind of show was like an opera or a ball. There were two or threo shamefaced believers of the better class, who scoll'ed a little, but trembled in secret, and a few avowed sceptics, young clerks on a mild spree, ready for fun if any should present itself. Bott stcppetl inside tho railing by the closet, and placing his hands upon it, ad dressed the assembly. Ho did not know what peculiar shape the manifestations of tho evening might take. They wore in search of truth ; all truth was good. They hoped for visitors from the unseen spheres ; he could promise nothing. In this very room the spirits of the departed had walked and talked with their friends ; perhaps they might do it again ;he knew not. How they mingled in the earth-life he did not pretend to say ; perhaps they materialised through the medium ; perhaps they dematorialised ma terial from the audience which thoy re materialised in visible forms; as to that, the opinion of another—he said with a spacious magnanimity—wasas good as his. He would now request two of the audience to step up and tie him. One of the long-haired rumin ant mon stood up, and a young fellow, amidst much nudging and giggling among the soorners, was also forced from his chair. They came forward, the believer with a business-like air which showed practice. and tho young sceptic blushing and ill at case. Bott took a chair in side the curtain, and showed them how to tie him. They bound him hand and foot, the believer testified that the binding was solid, and the sceptic went to his scat, playfully stepping upon the toes of his scolling friends. The curtain was lowered, and the lamp was turned down.

In a few minutes a scuffling sound was heard in the cupboard, and Hott's coat came Hying out into the room. The believer pulled back the curtain, and Bott sat in his chair, his shirt sleeves gleaming white in the dusk. His coat was laid over his shoulders, and almost as soon as the curtain was lowered he yelled for light, and was disclosed sitting tied as before, clothed in his right coat.

Again tho curtain went down, amid a sigh of satisfaction from the admiring audience, and a choking voice, which tried hard not to sotird like Bott's, cried outhointhe cup board, "Turn down the light; we want more power." The keroseno lamp was screwed down till hardly a spark illumined the visible darkness, and suddenly a fiery hand appeared at the aperture of the closet, slowly opening and shutting its long fingers. A half-dozen voices murmured. " A spirit hand ;" but Sam Sleeny whispered to Maud, 'Them are Bott's knuckles, for coin." Tho hand was withdrawn, and a horrible face took its place—a pallid corpse-like mask, with lambent tire sporting on the narrow forehead and the high cheek-bones. It stayed only an instant, but Sam said, "That's the way that Bott will look in—"

"Hush !" said Maud, who was growing too nervous to smile, foi fear of laughing or crying. A sound of sobbing came from a seat to the right of them. A poor woman had recognised tho face as that of her husband who had died in the army, and she was drawing the most baleful inferences from its tier.y adjuncts. A moment later, Bott came out of tho cupboard crouching so low that his head was hardly two feet from the ground. He had a sheet round his neck, covering his wholo person, and a white cap over his head, concealing most of his face. In this constrained attitude he hopped about the clear space in front of the audience with a good deal of dexterity, talking baby-talk in a shrill falsetto, '•Howdy, pappa? Howdy, mamma? ltty Tudie turn adin !" A rough man and woman, between joy and grief, were half hysterical. They talked to the toad-like mountebank in the most endearing tones, evidently believing it was their dead baby toddling before them. Two or three times the same hor rible imposture was repeated. Bott never made his appearance without somebody recognising him as a dear departed friend. Tho dim light, the unwholesome excite ment, the servile credulity fixed by long habit, seemed to produce a sort of passing dementia upon the regular habitues. The light was now tur_ed on agaiu, and the tying committee was requested to come forward and examine the cords with which Bott still seemed tightly bound. The seeplic remained scornfully in his seat, and so it was left for the believer to announce that not a cord had been touched. He then untied Bott, who came outfromthe cupboard stretching his limbs as if glad to bo free, and announced that there would be a short interchange of views. Then came an unhealthy and even naus eous chatter on all things in heaven and earth, after which people began to drop away one by one. When the last guest had gone Bott rose from his chair, with no pre tence of spiritual dignity, and counted his . money and his tickets,—From " The, Breadwinners." '

Plague clouds in England.

Mr Ruskin, lecturing at the London In stitution on Feb. 3, said he was desirous of drawing attention to a series of cloud phenomena which, so far as he could weigh existing evidences, were peculiar to our own time, and had not hitherto received any special notice from meteorologists. In olden days when the weather was fine it was beautifully fine, and when it was bad it was abominably bad ; but then there was an end of it. Now, however, we had these plague-clouds for months without inter mission. His first experience of the plague-cloud was in 1871. when walking from Oxford to Abingdon, and he then described it as ap pearing to be composed of dead men's souls, blown hither and thither as if doubting which was the fittest place for them. The scientific signs of the plague-wind were briefly these. It was a wind of darkness, the sky bacoming suddenly black. It was a malignant quality of wind, unconnected with any one quarter of the compass. It always blew tremulously, making the trees shudder, and it polluted as well as en hanced the violence of all natural and necessary storms. If they wanted to know what the sun looked like in one of these plague-clouds, they had only to throw a bad crown into a basin of soapy water. If he were asked the meaning of these venomous clouds, he could tell them none according to their modern belief. He could tell them what meaning it would have borne to men of olden time. For the last twenty years England and all foreign nations, either tempting her or following her, had blasphemed the name of the Deity deliberately and openly, and every man, by the advice of his superior, had done as much injustice to his brother as it was in his power to do. The seers of old predicted physical gloom : and we had had so much physical gloom the last few years that it had been said that England was no longer the Empire on which the sun never set, but had become one on which the sun never rose. What was best to be don. ? Whether they could bring back the sun or not, they could assuredly bring back their own cheer fulness, their own honesty, and their own tranquility of mind. The paths of rectitude and piety once regained, who should say that the promise of old time would not be found to hold good, and that the windows of heaven being opened blessings would be poured out so that there would not be room enough to receive them ?

A Peculiar Russian Sect.

A Russian print, the " Novoje Vremja,' puts mothers in the Czar's dominions on their guard against a religious sect, the dangerous doctrines of which are abun dantly exemplified by what it narrates about a recent occurrence. In the town of Rostov, on the Don, an officer, it says, not long ago took into his service a respectablo middle-aged woman as nurse for his little son, about three years old. The Woman appeared to be a good servant; she was attentive to her duties, and seemed attached to her young charge ; but after remain ing in the gentleman's family about two months, she abruptly left the situation and quitted the town. On the day follow ing her abrupt departure the child became ill, losing its spirits, and suffering from drowsiness. A week later it died, without the medical attendant being able to give a precise name to the malady that had proved fatal. On the day of the funeral, however, a young woman called on the bereaved parents, and, bursting into tears, exclaimed, " The boy is poisoned. The same woman who was in your service was previously my nurse, and killed mychild." According tothe Russian paper, the statement was true, for it has since transpired that a society of child murderers exists in Rostov, the members of which poison children with narcotics. They are instigated to commit crimes of the kind by their leaders or preachers, who tell them that it is their duty, and that they are fulfilling a pious mission in sparing the evils of life to as many infants as possible, and securing for these innocents the bliss of Heaven before their souls have become cor. taminated.

The Queen of Tahiti in Paris.

The Queen of Tahiti, who arrived in Paris the other day, will be the guest of France for, it is stated, a lengthened period. The spouse of Pomare V., who is not, it seems, living on the best of terms with her husband, has expressed a hope that she will not be annoyed during her stay in the French capital, her greatest desire being to preserve the strictest incognita. Will this very na tural desire on tlie part of her Majesty be respected by those irrepressible Parisian Dress reporters, who intrude on the privacy of everybody with a handle to their names, and vie with each other in being the first to publish an account of an interview ? It is to be feared that it will not ; in fact, already the poor lady, who wants to travel about quietly, and be "simply Madame instead of Queen for a period," has been pounced upon by an over-zealotia reporter, who went down to Havre and boarded the steamer bringing the distin guished traveller to France wbil.t it was lar out at sea. Thus entrapped, it wo* difficult for the Tahitian Sovereign to avoid the infliction of an unknown gentleman's visit, however unwelcome the intruder may havo beon. But she dees not appear to have been very communicative, the enter prising journalist being forced to content himself with describing her handsome features, hertall, commanding figure, nnd tho style of her attire, She requested him to do her one service, however, with an earnest ness that he ought to have taken as a hint for himself. "lam anxious," she said, "not to be bothered or worried whilst in France ; and you will do me a real favour j if you will give this wish of mine the fullest I possible circulation and effect,"

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1884

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VTEW CITORYI "VTEW QTOKYf JNew otory! JMejt otory! IN THE Star Saturday Supplement. on saturday next, april 2g, WILL APl'SAlt THE OPENING CHAPTERS OF "HAND AND RING," A New and Tiiuii.linu Stobv by Anna Katiiehink Gkeb. , Author of " The Leavenworth Murder," " The Sword of Damodes," "Tho Defence of the Prude," etc. As this Story is one exceeding even in sensa tional interest tho clevor novel by the samo author which appeared in the Star Supi'l.k -mbnt some timo ago, readers should be care ful to secure the opening chapters next Satur day.