THE GARDEN.

Calendar of Garden Operations July 30.

[BY HOBTUS.]

. .„oT.<:werar.r queries. Cor iWfflW*&.^r and ad-

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

T .Tm-tc_r).-Iu sowing seed tne «_«8 Seed U££fbMi-S it in wo ground Bw»SS_SSwS-5 seed Large seed V2a\m&>_^% tc. should bo. put in the $fl bea*,S o from half aa inch to an 1. -_ rrot onion, cab gVS b. wrted.from half an inch UP fltc" . er seeds about tho sauio size »a^ rterV«tho same treatment. Allseed luJd P^gbSS ™ ure requires to bo sown ffine dust-nkc natuio i Qa m& S^ Uf__-ffi SSiS « aftorw-rds. Srface and. sSonUicsurface will require |i|S be kept continually moist 9 ueftheyouns Plants havo formed roots. t*& __ a /ri-(l) To obtain a succession liflm prune at different times. rf" 568.. tho buds begin to .xpand prune ?P *£__ buds on all the branches of a tew *. totCo_tiau- this from time to tune til Hale- wu" winning to oxpanu. 'inosc SWjMS^SB' will flower early; wereJTtc should llower late. (2) those P'Tiws should be planted.out as Bulbs and W™l" « _, so£ shooting Ir S Sto'form roofs or leaves in the air thoy jjlfered to m™ o _ t at Qnoo BUCn gl _ dl . SStting.

Kitchen Garden.

ffcSKVS. a favourable opportunity occurs I di&ren- breaks of ground should be lland FeP ared for early spring crops. 1 plant ont a few cabbages aif cauli- M On light dry sandy or volcanic 2 plant a few potatoes for early use. j, heavy wet or clay soil it would be defer for some time yet. Sow a of parsnips- As the season for plant in, and sowing the regular spring and crops in the kitchen garden is ap- a few lines to amateurs may be j^lne, When sowing or planting out crops, always sow or plant in 0. it possesses many advantages over broadcast system. When planted or -„in drills, you can more easily regulate required between the mdivi m nlants to fully develop in. You also Lfpeatsr facilities for hoeing between Aiiow for keeping weeds under ancl at lame time pulverising the soil. While Scropsare growing, frequent stirring and "L of the surface of the soil is one of •jacalest agencies for promoting a uuly sound growth. Another great felt with those who only possess a small is of ground is planting or sowing Illy, from an idea of economy. njj jjjea nearly always defeats it f] and ends in bitter disappoint mt to the owner; for an in fejj crop is the result, the plants not juiag sufficient room to develop in. feis a happy medium with regard to b distance between the row 3 of crops. sadefinite rule can be laid down to suit all 'ia>, Ia rich soils the plants will take m space; in poor, less. Practice alone !f teach each cultivator exactly what Better too much than too Hi Sever sow seed or plant vegetables iSatie so- is cloggy or adhesive. When m-itcb, the seeds will not germinate Wj! teles which, it greatly injures M-

Flower Garden. -Strergreen ancl hard-wooded shrubs, ttt,Wd be planted out now, as the RBHidvanc'ng. Roses should also be ifcjSßsoon as can be. If possible, give (_![_. plenty of manure. This is the fe-U oi the year for thinning out old -_i--\es lrhich. are becoming too thick, ufcrpraning the permanent plants. The cig k_ sooii clothe them with new i-S hiding the effect of severe |Wf or thinning. Where considerable lislt lave been left it is easy to fill up t-iuje flowering annuals for next sea ts. Riot oat a few more gladiolus bulbs 2at!j fevering. Lawn : Keep the grass : lirt 13 possible. Roll frequently so as rtjtpm swelling. The oftener it is Gd railed, the .thicker you will en ■B tie sward to grow. Also give a fi fating of bopedust. Keep walks

Greenhouse. Mpfffliiuas and double scarlet Nw in pots remove into the Nwsj place them in an airy situa «»wr tie glass. Calceolarias and *WB continue repotting into larger I*»% require it Give each plant and keep them near the « Potifem Mums and amaryllis for {Pnrfne. Give plenty of air on aU ■Pwayoaye. . Horticultural Show. '*&$ Auckland Horticultural As mm their annaal Camellia Show IWm in the Agricultural Hall. > W4-WB of camellia flowers was a the rough boisterous »a few days preceding the exhi- JSw of the- flowers were in The display of late or P» apples- and pears was really orchard planters T_!u! btaiDed a g°od idea as to what L?** "neties to plant so as to be -_3-IJ the market at a season when !£g couldl be obtained. There was iSSI l oitrU3 {ruits ' especially JJfjbyMrDobie,of Whingarei. g2»»fif dispjjy of miscellan- SL-N. *<*c fully np to the Jjgring the season of the year. K« TO the best of the class taltw place in Auckland,, and wtot ourffiild wiaterg c ttn a? °f fi.wers- Itis be Ci .nm,al sPrinS sh<™ will S»_Xiu a s?P e™<% over pre lfeffi?! wmto have exerted a I™^» getting up the show, C<% hope their success will

t p"»ainK (Continued.) Kte\B °( trees the UreesancUhri]bsre _ iWisff. a- year; fm" one render <£ "c several times during MSr? lan.tneedsiMtshould -&lhei ed t Uefclonofs«Perfluous JWtt frl °, 01* more sh°°t3 *Ct^h? and ?PP«Si?e ?h! fc^ fch°y ha^e made that « ettei' for the tree -^Sl,., PresT ed- lf th<> L*.Cbdh_H a ftar. m bßi*er omit pruning

m tree, a *to audi-!! n<? Bsuauy need «w which the trees Sf^VfcS?? for timber ' a S.yS^.^ to time may mgouUhel^ing &r4fo?_. are^ethan 8016.". 3 a»d wind U-b6 fci.Vsp&e should.'take Bta*.H.-]urtwthe8 ta*.H.-]urtwthe sap is .hus fttfS^S^ also W « *rnl*V*T Youn £

STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By Euterpe.)

A well-known local musician has been for tunate enough to obtain a copy of Verdi's latest operatic production, " Otello," and kindly furnishes me with the following notes upon it:-" The libretto is from the pen of Airigo Boito (the composer of ' Mefistofele'). In the necessary pruning of Shakspere's tragedy he has exercised a judicious hand. The first act of the ori ginal is entirely discarded, and the opera opens with the landing of Otello at Cyprus, and includes the quarrel of Roderigo and Cassio, with the latter's dismissal from Otello's service. The second act is the least interesting musically, but develops tho first awakenings of jealousy in the Moor. The third gives us the conversation of lao-o ancl Cassio relative to Biauca, which is overheard by Otello, and concludes with the arrival ol Ludovico and the ambassadors, before whom the infuriated Mcor curses his wife. The final act is the murder scene, without deviation from the original, and with a close adherence to the text of Shak spere. The music Verdi has wedded to this libretto must rank as the master's iinest work. The score is, on sight, so materially different from anything else of Verdi's that it is difficult to attribute it to his pen. Throuo-hout it is marked by a charming originality. Of many instances I may notice lago's song in the first act, the love duet of Otello and Desdemona at the con clusion thereof, and the Willow Song in the fourth act. Leit-motivcn are, strangely enough, conspicuous by their absence. The beautiful little subject whcro Otello kisses Desdemona in the first act is certainly re peated in the fourth act, where he again kisses her as sho sleeps, unconscious of the death awaiting her on her awakening; but it is simply a musical reminiscence, and cannot be classed with the elaborately de veloped leit-motif. The importance of this opera, along with t.e works of other Italian composers, lies in this fact, that if it is to be the precursor of other works from the disciples of its school, its successful production in an Italian centre marks the freedom of Italian art from the bonds of conventionalism and the dawn of a new era in its musical history."

Miss Amy Sherwin has been making a triumphal progress through Tasmania, her native land, and the people have been " de monstrating" in her favour at a great rate. On landing at Launceston she was met by the Mayor and Mayoress and a Public Re ception Committee, who had carriages in waiting, and in processional order they moved through the cheering crowds to the Academy of Music, where the Mayor pre sented an address of welcome. Miss Sher win replied in the following terms : —"Mi- Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, —I cannot ex press my feelings for the good wishes which you have conveyed to me. lam too much overcome by your kind reception for many words. My gratitude is due to the com mittee and to all who have been so kind. I feel I have no words to tell you how sincerely I appreciate this honour, and I have no need to say much, as most of you know me well. When I come before you to sing I will try to show that your confidence has not been misplaced." The whole of the tickets for her two concerts in Laun ceston where secured in advance. Miss Sherwin was honoured with quite as flatter ing a reception in Hobart. The Jubilee illuminations were used for the occasion, and the Mayor, Reception Committee and a large concourse of people received the cantatrice at the railway station. Pre ceded by the Garrison Band, they then drove off to the Town Hall, where 4,000 people were assembled. The Mayor pre sented a complimentary address, and Miss Sherwin replied as follows : —" Mr Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, — I have to thank you very much for your kind reception. It is the most beautiful welcome home I could possibly have received. I have looked forward to my return home for many years, and have often felt a heart-aching to be back to my old home and friends once more, and now that I have come I have received a most hearty welcome. I cannot find words to express all I feel—one can nob upon such an occasion—but I thank you all most sincerely, and I trust that when I sing to you you will not be disap pointed." The lady was subsequently serenaded by Steinbach's Glee Class. Miss Sherwin is probably now in Dunedin, and may be expected in Auckland about six weeks hence.

The "Pall Mall Gazette" at last announces the result of its competition in regard to the best novels. "We did not," it says, " expressly limit the competition to Eng lish novels, but our readers have been patriotic, ancl hardly a single foreign book appears in the list. The result may be taken, therefore, as embodying the current opinion of the day on English novels and novelist..: 1. The best historical novel, Scott, 'Ivanhoe.' 2. The best humorous novel, Dickens, 'Pickwick.' 3. The most imaginative romance, Rider Haggard, ' She.' 4. The best' novel with a purpose,' Charles Reade, ' Never Too Late to Mend.' 5. The best tale of seafar ing life, Marryat, ' Midshipjnan Easy.' 6. The best tale of country life, George Eliot, 'Adam Bede.' 7. The best sensational novel, Wilkie Collins, 'Woman in White.' 8. The best tale for boys, Defoe, ' Robinson Crusoe.' 9. The best Irish novel, Lever, ' Charles O'Malley.' 10. The best Scotch novel, Scott, 'The Heart of Midlothian.'

11. The best novel of all, Thackeray, " Vanity Fair.'"

The interesting letters which Dr. Axel Munthe contributed to a Swedish daily paper, whilst he was serving ab Naples during the cholera epidemic, have been translated by Miss Maude Valeric White, under the title of " Letters from a Mourn ing City," ancl published by Murray in a 63 A rolume. The book is a most interesting one.

The "Athenaeum" pronounces Walter Besant's new story, " The World Went Very Well Then," his masterpiece. Chatto and Windus are preparing a new library edition of Besant and Rice's novels, to be published at Cs a volume. The first will be the inimitable " Ready-Money Mortibpy."

The concert which Herr Schmitt has undertaken to give in connection with the Y.M.C.A.'s winter course of lectures may be looked forward to with interest. It will be a very enjoyable affair.

The author of the famous "Obiter Dicta " about which there was so much speculation two yenrs ago, turns out to be a Mr Augustus Birrell, a gentleman hither to unknown to fame.

Neither Grisi nor Lind ever got more than L6O for a single night's singing. Patti's highest fee was LI,OOO per night in 'Frisco. In Mexico she took L 3,800 at one concert,

Lynch Law in Kentucky.

The town of Louisville, Kentucky, has been greatly excited by attempts to storm the city prison, and lynch two negro prisoners confined there for brutally attacking a ser vant girl. Two attacks were made during the night, and another was delivered next morning, but the police protected the prison, and beat back the assailants, several of whom were injured. The troops were called out.

We eeliijvk that if every ono would uae Amcikan Co.'s Hop Bittors freely thoro would be much lees sickno'fl and mißery In tho world, and people aro fast finding this out, wholo families keeping well at a trifling cost hy Its use. We advise all to try it. Read. B \

DRAUGHTS.

The game of draughts having become very popular in Auckland (and no doubt it will become more so if tho " Herd Laddie," as Mr J. Wylie is familiarly called, visits Auckland), at the urgent request of the Auckland draught players we intend to devote space in these columns every Satur day to further the interest in the game. If antiquit}' gives any claim to reverence,then the game of draughts is worthy of our greatest regard, for it is said to have pre ceded chess, which is at least four thou sand years old ! Be this as it may, the game is a good one, and when well played, is really a fine exercise for tho mind.

THE NUMBERED BOARD. As this board will not be repeated, and it is useful to follow the games, players are requested to cut it out for future re ference :—

The following game was played.at the Auckland Draughts Club Room between It. Battersby and H. Henderson.

The first numbers give Henderson's move ; the second his opponent's, and so on throughout the game : —

Game : Single Corner. Henderson moves first.

Mr A. Craighead, of Ashburton, Canter bury, when recently on a visit to Auckland, contested twelve games with H. Hender son. The result was : Henderson wins live, Craighead wins three, ancl four were drawn. Tbe following is one of the games : —

Game : Whilter. Craighead moves first.

9-14 23-19 14-18 10-15 32-28 WW "This move loses 14-17 would have drawn —D. Ed.

An Adventure with Bears.

The American papers publish an extra ordinary account of a visit of bears to the encampment of two men who were return ing with provisions to their station in the San Francisquita, in California. The two men, named Frank Brandon and Rick Pfister, had visited Los Gatos, where they bought a sack of flour, bacon, a small keg of molasses, and other necessaries, which they put on the pack-saddleandstarted back across the Gabilans. As they started late, they had to camp in their blankets that night on the side of the mountain. They selected a nice spot near some tall trees, unsaddled the horses, put the pack at the foot of a tree, and prepared to make things comfortable. Brandon led the horses down to the creek to water them, and hobble them where there was grass, and Pfister went skirmishing for dry wood to make a fire. They returned to their camping place together, and were grievously surprised. It was dark, but they could see that something was the matter in camp as they came through the brush. When they emerged into the clearing a big piebald lump of something alive came rolling toward them. It growled in a very terrify ing manner ; and it was too big to be stopped by revolver bullets. Brandon and Pfister had no weapons but light revolvers, and they did not try to stop the singular monster. Brandon went up the nearest tree, and Pfister threw his armful of wood at the piebald object and skipped. He got up another tree, just in time to escape a vicious blow of a paw that made the bark fly. The piebald object growled and went back to the place where the provisions had been left. The two men in the trees then made out two large animals rolling and tumbling about in camp. They weie black and white; but the arrangement of colour seemed to be variable. The more they rolled the bigger frew the white patches. They wereeviden tly aving a great deal of fun with something. Brandon started down from his perch to investigate ; but his descent made a noise, apd Pfister shouted to shin back up the tree. He got back. One of the things in black and white galloped lumberingly toward the tree, made a slap at it, and went back. When the moon came up, ancl the light struggled through the trees, Pfister and Brandon saw two large grizzly bears making a wreck of the things in camp. They had knocked in one end of the molasses keg, ripped open the flour bag, smashed the eggs, eaten the bacon, and got them selves smeared with butter and molasses. As they rolled about on their backs trying to discover some way of get ting at the inside of the beer bottles, they covered themselves with flour that stuck to tbe molasses. The men in the trees tried their revolvers to the hears, but the excitement and exertion had rattled their nerves, and their shots told only occasionally. The result of the firing was to bring both bears growling to the trees, and in their rage they made efforts to climb up that were not so absurdly unsuccessful as to be reassur ing. Brandon and Pfister concluded that it would be safer to let the bears run the camp in their own way for the rest of the night. The molasses orgie lasted until near daylight, and the two men were about ready to dr*ja. from their perches, when they saw the alsreputable looking revellers pick themselves up and move away. In rolling about the bears had got their faces covered with a mass of molasses, leaves, dirt, and forest debris, and were nearly blinded. They blun dered through the chapparal, bumped their heads against trees, growled at every bump, and made a great row getting away. A series of furious growls and the crashing of branches told that they had gone head first over the brink of the gulch and were rolling to the bottom. Then Brandon and Pfister dropped to the ground. When the stiffness of their limbs wore away they drank abottleof beer each, caught their horses, and cleared out. The bears had destroyed both saddles, and they had to ride bareback to the San Francisquita, which did not tend to alleviate the pains accumulated during the pight gpenfc astride of tree-branches. When they get limber enough to run or plinth, trees there, will be a gn^ly hg^fc in the Gabiland Mountains.

NOT GUILTY.

An Innocent Man Convicted on Cir cumstantial Evidence.

There is a case recorded by the " National Gazette" of Berlin which will go far to shake public confidence in circumstantial evidence. Four years ago in Elberfeld the wife of Albert Ziethein was discovered murdered. Robbery was not the object of the crime, as some 9,000 marks were left undisturbed. The husband was absent, or at least it so appeared. He and his wife did not live together happily, on ac count of a difference of religion. His wife was a Catholic, and he was a Protestant and kept a mistress at Cologne. On ac count of his double life and the differences between himself and his wife, the jury found .that he was the only person who could have committed the crime A farm boy had testified that he had seen the husband of the wifo strike her five times on the head. Ziethein was sentenced to death, but the Emperor commuted his sentence to hard labour for life.

Ziethein's father did not believe in his guilt, and ho has worked four years to dis cover the real murderer, and" has finally succeeded. The murderer was the farm boy. In a fit of drunkenness he confessed, and upon subsequent arrest by the police he confirmed this confession. He had first made advances to Ziethein's wife, and she had threatened him with her husband's rod, and to escape this he took her and compelled silence by killing her before ho was aware what he was doing. The innocent Ziethein will at once be released.

MARVELLOUS MIRACLES.

Twelve Remarkable Cures Effected

by "Mensuration."

J. T. Hand of Halifax writes : On August 4, 1265, was fought the battle of Evesham, at which the Barons were defeated, and their leader, Simon de Montfort, was killed. His body was mangled and mutilated ; the hands ancl feet were cut off and sent to different places. His memory was long revered as ono who had died a martyr to the liberties of a nation, and miracles were ascribed to him, comprising numerous varieties of cures. The process chiefly em ployed appears to have been " mensura tion." This was the application to the sufferer of some fillet or string which had been previously put round the saint's body. No less than 512 of these miracles have been attributed to "Simon the Righteous." Twelve of them are related to have occurred in Kent. Herewith inclosed are translations from tho original in " Rishangor's Chronicle." I desire to acknowledge with gratitude the opportunity of having con sulted such a mine of historical ancl anti quarian learning as that of Furlcy'o "His tory of the Weald of Kent." The following is the list of miracles :

I. Ralph de Boklindo of Thanct, beyond Canterbury, having ha i tho gout for threo years and seven weeks in his left leg very painfully, so that he continually lay in bed on his right side, was " measured " (men suratus) to the earl ancl his leg washed with water from the martyr's fount (many seeing the aforesaid fount), ancl he recovered; wherefore, all the island of Thanet testiiies this.

2. Roger, chaplain ancl vicar of Hythe, in Kent, had an unknown infirmity, whereof the physicians despaired, and also had the quartan ague for another year. He being " measured " to the earl recovered without delay. Of this the whole township of Hythe renders testimony.

3. HeHseus, the son of William de Mid dleton (Milton), in Kent, having a "tracem" in his left eye and left cheek for twenty four weeks, being " measured " to the earl, recovered. Of this the township of Middle ton renders witness.

4. Simon Secher of Rye, who laboured under the disease of frenzy for five weeks, came to Evesham, ancl before us in the choir, being bound in iron chains, was miraculously cured by the Earl's merit. 5. Ralph de G. fie Atewode, in Thanet, having laboured under similar disease for five weeks, was "measured" to the earl, and a penny being bent he recovered. Of thjs the whole island of Thanet renders witness.

G. Thomas, the Clerk of Canterbury, son of Robert Yeo, had the falling evil for forty days, and bein<r measured to the earl recovered, and the infirmity never returned to him. Of this John, vicar of Sellinge, in Kent, and many otheis bear witness.

7. Alice de Ariteam, in Kent, a trust worthy woman, narrated that a certain boy 4 years old, the son of Wolksham of Kent, by name Alexander, who, in a fight between serving men, by chance fell into the fire and lay there almost half an hour, and four rascals upon him, his eyes and other members being thns almost entirely con sumed. He was " measured" to Earl Simon and at once gloriously cured without any injury. The universal multitude of Kent are witnesses hereof.

8. William de Pickering of Canterbury had a son who was sick unto death, and who being " measnred" to Earl Simon, recovered, aiid iv token of recovery he brought a waxen boy to Evesham. Of all this the parish of St. Andrew's, Canterbury, tenders witness. 9. The same William de Pickering of the same town, having a son with ono knee so swollen that the joints of the foot were scarcely visible,bronght him to Earl Simon, and immediately the entire swelling disap peared. In sign of recovery he brought another waxen boy. Same witnesses as before.

10. Emma de Dene, struck with paraly sis for four days, was conveyed to vari ous saints' places. At length, being " measured " to Earl Simon, she recovered so that she had the power to imprint on herself the sign of the holy cross, but she did not long survive. Richard, vicar of Wingeham, with the whole parish, bear witness to this.

11. Christiana do Lullingstone, who had the gout painfully from the shoulder-blades to the hands, and from the hands to the sole of the foot, being " measured " to Earl Simon recovered. The parish of St. An drew's, Canterbury, witness the above. 12. A certain woman of Canterbury, Agnes by name, wife of Henry the Physi cian, had been struck with severe gout in the right hand, which was stiff for a year and a half so that she could not move it, and thought she should lose it altogether; but being " measured " to the earl she im mediately recovered her former health. And in token of this thing she sent a waxen hand to the said Earl Simon, at Evesham. Of this all her neighbour testimony.

The Pope's Jewelled Tiaras.

The present Pope has no less than four tiaras, the most noted one of which was " built" expressly for. Pius IX at the order of the ex-Queen Isabella of Spain in 1854. Although presented to the Pope at the time mentioned, it never was worn until the ser vices of the proclamation of the dogma of the immaculate conception. Its form is ovoid, with a foundation (or rather the thing is bet ter expressed by the French word fond) of silver cloth, upon which, piled one above the other, are three crowns, magnificent in brilliant diamonds and other, precious stones and pendant pearls. On the summit of this ovoid structure is a cross made of diamonds, on top of which is perched a globe of precious stones, supported _by great deep azure, sparkling sapphires. The crowns resemble ducal crowns en blazon— the pearl ornaments alternating with leaf ornaments. The *: would-be pionotony of the lower circle is avoided t>y golden linea or bands, between which are literally eown, as in a field, erne

raids, rubies and pearls. This beautiful piece of headgear weighs two and one fourth pounds, and cost a trifle over 500,000 francs.

Now, Pius IX. —the'representative of Him who when on earth had no place where to lay his head—wanted, on the proclamation of his favourite dogma, a chalice to go along with his tiara. The Queen of Spain and other Catholic monarchs had neglected that important article in the service of the Roman Catholic Church. But His Holiness was something .of an inventor. In the year 1853 Abdul Med jid, the Turkish Sultan (he of Crimea War memory), sent Pius IX. an oriental saddle, whose cloth and leather portions, except the seat, were studded with precious stones, mostly diamonds. Now, the highest ex pression of the Turkish Emperor's ap preciation of a person, whether an am bassador or the ambassador's master, is a horse or saddle. But "the. tur band Turk," who doubtless had seen old pictures and engravings representing the "head of the Church" in procession on horseback, did not know that since Clement XIV. (who became Pope in 1769) was thrown from his horse in the Roman forum, the pontiffs havo ceased equestrian perfor mances. The Sultan's saddle had then no practical or possible destination beyond being hung up on a peg within a glass case. However, one clay a happy thought came to Pius IX. He ordered the saddle to be taken from its pep- and the precious stones to be picked out in order that they might become the decorations of a -halice which should equal in beauty, brilliancy and costliness the tiara presented by ex- Queen Isabella. So the Vatican jeweller built up a vessel which was enamelled over with the deepest blue. On this blue enamel tho diamonds were grouped in bouquets, but the real piece de resistance was a cross made wholly of diamonds that stood out in mag nificent relief against the azure fond. The chalice was used on the occasion referred to, and the clerical journals say that the sight of it " produced a profound impression." 3

England When the Romans Cause There.

At the first coming of the Romans by far the larger part of tho country was probably covered with wood. During the centuries of Roman occupation some of the less dense parts of woodland were cleared. In driv ing their magnificent straight highways through the country, tho Roman legionaries felled the trees forseventy yardsoneach side of them to secure them from tho arrows of a lurking foe. So stupendous was the labour involved in this task that they gladly avoided forests where that was possible, and sometimes swung their roads to tho right or left to keep clear of these obstacles. For many hundreds of years after the departure of the legions vast tracts of primeval forest remained as impenetrable barriers between the different tribes. In these natural fastnesses the wolf, brown bear, and wild boar still found a secure re treat. Even as late as the twelfth century the woods to the north of London swarmed with wild boars and wild oxen. Everywhere, too, the broken men of the community betook themselves to these im penetrable retreats, where they lived by the chase, and whence they issued for plun der and bloodshed. The forests were thus, from time immemorial, a singularly impor tant element in the topography. They have now almost entirely disappeared, and their former sites havo as yet only been partially determined, though much may doubtless still be clone in making our know ledge of them more complete.

A Panic at a Bullfight.

The " Petit Marseillais " gives the follow ing account of a very exciting scene which occurred at a bullflght outside Saragossa:

After two bulls had been despatched without any special incident, the third, an animal named Salado, jumped over the barrier into the ampitheatre, crushing an old man and a lad of eighteen. It would be difficult to give an adequate description of the panic and tumult which ensued. Tho whole of the spectators jumped to their feet. In the twinkling of an eye the space around the bull was vacated, and the crowd rushed into a corner, trying to protect itself by means of planks and sticks from his sxpected charge. The bull made a desperate rush for a young girl, who with a shriek fell to the ground, but one of the toreadors, with great presence of mind, trailed a red cloth in the path and thus diverted his attention from the girl, who was dragged unconscious to a place of safety. The bull next trampled under foot an unfortunate vendor of drinking water, and forced his way into that part of the ring known as the "Tertulia." A young man in one of the boxes tried to shoot him, but the three bullets from his revolver which he managed to lodge in him only served to increase his fury. One of the men tried to run him through^ but missed Ids aim, and the bull charged him furiously. The man stepped aside, and the bull's horns went so deep into the wooden paling that before he could withdraw them the two men plunged their swords into him. Even this did not kill him outright, the enraged animal staggering some thirty yards, and breaking down a number of benches before the Dreath was out of his body.

English Imports of Dairy Produce and Fresh Meat.

From the London Times of May 18th w e take the following :—The B Bill of Entry supplies 6gures showing that during April we imported 131,863cwt. of butter, against Ml,G27cwt. in the same month of last year, Sweden sending 13,513ewt., against 13,362cwt. ; Denmark, 43,364cwt., against 39,115 cwt. ; Germany, 17,9820wt., against 17,656cwt. ; Holland, 19,582cwt., against 40,364cwt. ; and France, 31,659cwt., against 25,835cwt. The quantity of butterine im ported during the month was 96,542cwt., against. 60,008cwt., Holland alone contri buting 89,226cwt. of the total against 57,287cwt. Of cheese we received 58.582 cwt., against 68,463cwt., including 27,405 cwt., from Holland against 17,352cwt., and 26,624cwt. from tho Atlantic ports of the United States, against 45,546cwt. As regards eggs, the number of great hundreds received in the month was 811,658, against 1,043,779, the following figures showing the chief sources of supply being also given in great hundreds :—France, 385,382, against 430.606 ; Germany, 207,380, against 275,591 ; Belgium, 139,243, against 263,648; and Denmark, 66,329, against 66,062. From particulars supplied by the B Bill of Entry it appears that our imports of beef last month amounted to 48,473cwt., against 63,037cwt., 46,953cwt. coming from the Atlant'c ports of the United States, against 59,507cwt. The quantity of mutton imported was 89,963cwt. against 37,948ewt., the consignments from New Zealand amountingtosl,33Bcwt., against2s,4l7cwt., from the Argentine Republic, 18,639cwt. apainst 9 353cwt., and from the Falkland Isles 16,481cwt;. against nil in the corres ponding month of last year. The quantity of pork imported was 12,621cwt., against 4,816cwt.

To th Washington, D.C., April 3,1883. Siße Hop Bitters Co. : freats:-I write this as a token of the wa appreciation I have for your Bitters, seves aflhcted with Inflammatory Kheumatiam any n years, and no medicine seemed to do nic Bittgood until 1 tried threo bottles of your Hop as eers, and to my surprise I am as well to-day ces ver I was I nope you may have great sue on s in this great and valuable medioine. Any j„ c wiphing to know more about my cure can • am by addressing me. E. M. WILLIAMS, 1,10316 th St.

Extraordinary Letter to a Wife by an Ex-New Zealander.

At the Nottingham Borough Police Court, Henry Warren.of Windsor-street, Liverpool, an elderly man, was charged on remand with having sent a letter to his wife, couched in the most extraordinary terms, threatening to shoot her, and adding that her sister, the Bible woman, might look out too. Prisoner,who last week appeared weak in body and deranged in intellect, was now evidently in an improved state of health. The Chief Constable (Mr S. Stevens) stated that during his remand the prisoner had received medical attention. Mr W. H. Stevenson appeared on behalf of the prisoner, and said that no doubt he was suffering from a serious complaint, and it was necessary to use opiates and things of that sort, under the advice of the doctor, and at times he was not responsible for what he said, but there was no practical clanger of his carrying out the threat contained in the letter. The prisoner had been in gaol a week, ancl he asked tho bench to let him out on his own recognisances. The Chief Constable said the prisoner required looking alter. He wanted very kind treatment. Mrs Jane Warren entered the witness-box, and in reply to the magistrates said that it was two years since she last lived with her husband. He went to New Zealand, but returned. The Bench remarked that they thought it inadvisable to liberate the prisoner unless someone undertook to look after him. Was there anyone at Liverpool willing to receive him? Prisoner replied that he had a son there, but he had turned against him. He (Warren) for some time had been living on money that he had brought home from New Zealand. Mr Stevenson said there was a gentleman in connection with one of the churches in Not tingham who was willing to take him and look after him. Mr Butler said that that would be taking a very serious responsi bility. Mr Stevenson : Suppose he became chargeable to the parish, his wife would have to contribute towards his maintenance. The Chief Constable thought the bench had better order him to be sent to the Union. He would there be under medical treat ment. Prisoner expressed his willingness to go to the workhouse, and in the mean time it was understood that his friends would consider what could be done for him. Prisoner was ordered to be taken to the workhouse, being bound over in his own recognisance i .f L2O to appear and answer the charge wL .1 called upon.

A Gigantic Russian Enterprise.

You may not have already learnt that the Council of the Russian Empire has just decided upon an enterprise that will doubt less prove the greatest undertaking of tho twentieth century ; yet such, I am assured, is the fact. I refer to the construction of a railroad from St. Petersburg to Pekin. The news of this decision on the part of the Council is said to have already caused the greatest excitement among the Siberians. The cities aro vicing with each other in offers of money and other induce ments to secure the construction of the road through their territorial limits, and thus secure for them permanent prosperity. Tho expense of building such a line will be less than might at first be supposed. No land will have to be purchased, labour is Avhat may be termed " dirt cheap," and in some localities the cities have offered to pay the navvies, while the country is so that that no costly engineering works will bo necessary. Besides, mines abound in Siberia, and iron is abundant. The labour of Russian exiles can be utilised in the great work, and Chinese help will also be readily obtainable. In short, the construc tion of such a line of railway will present far fewer serious obstructions than were encountered in laying the iron bands that unite the Atlantic and Pacific slopes of the American continent.

This tremendous enterprise is not, of course, entered upon for the benefit of the travelling public. State and trade reasons are the only ones that have suggested it. Russia wishes to be able to carry out her pet _«heme of Asian conquest more readily, and also to divert the current of commerce now flowing towards the Pacific, and which the British are endeavouring to turn towards Burmah, and the French towards Tonquin in the direction of Siberia and Ural and Russia in Europe. Siberia is pro vided with enormous rivers, all navigable, and already traversed by quite a fleet of steam crafts. It is to connect these silent highways—open to navigation for nearly two-thirds of the year—that the first sec tions of this immense line of railroad will be laid. — Paris Correspondent " New York Graphic."

SOMETHING ABOUT FEET.

Variations In the Size of the Foot in Different Races.

" How beautiful are thy feet in shoes, oh Prince's daughter!" sang Solomon nearly 3,000 years ago. But time works wondrous changes, and we fear the wise King could not repeat his compliment, were he living in tho midst of us now, without doing violence to his conscience. There is no beauty left in the feet of the Princess after she has tortured them for years in the narrow leather case raised up at one end, miscalled shoes.

The foot has struggled bravely to be come something more than a mere base of support, and often a painful one, for the human animal. In our supposed progeni tors it was so flexible and handy a mem ber as even, though erroneously, to receive the designation of the hand, and the apes were called by Cuvier, quadrumani. Even in some of the human races at the present day the foot is almost as useful for prehen sion as is the hand. Thus the Caledonians are said to run up trees with the agility of a cat by grasping the trunk and boughs with the feet and hands alternately, using the two with equal facility. And the in stances of individuals, born without arms, or having lost those members in early life, who have been able to write, paint and per form other tasks requiring precision and accuracy of touch by means of their feet alone, are not unknown. But these rare cases of what might be called compulsory atavism only serve to emphasise the failure of the foot in its attempt to raise itself higher than nature intended it should be raised. The moralists might draw from this a warning for those who are ever striving to do what their limited capacities i render impossible.

The size of the foot varies in individuals within wide limits, but the average length among different people is pretty constant, and would appear, with certain exceptions, to be an indication of the degree of civilisa tion to which the community has attained. Thus, according to a series of measurements collected from various sources, we find the proportionate length of the foot to the height of the individual, represented by 100, to be as folloAvs: Parisians, 14-8; Russians, 155 ; Hungarians, 15"4 ; Chinese, 15"1 ; Australian aborigines, 15*1; Al ferians, 14-8. The Chicago foot is said to ear a much larger proportion to the size of the individual, and a similar disproportion has recently been affirmed of the pedal extremity of the Bostonian by a popula writer, but neither of these reports is sub stantiated by scientific measurements, and, coming from lay sources, they are not to be relied upon as scientific facts. [ The shoes worn by the majority of civi lised men are an abomination. They are wrongly constructed, and are the cause of most of the acquired deformities of the foot. The axis of the sole of the shoe should not be a straight line, but should be curved, following the curve of the foot, with convexity outward. The sole should be of moderate thickness and flexible, and the uppers should fit snugly, but nob so as to cramp the foot in any part.

POETRY.

THE HAWAIIAN REVOLUTION.

July Bth, 1887. "Arms asd the man Tsing." The " anfis " are harmless and the "man's" the

King Of Hawaii Islands, in the calm PacijJj, Where even revolutions do not seem terrific.

The steamer Alameda, on arriving At Honolulu, fou d the people thriving In spite of ten days' popular revolt Against a Government who " shouldn't oughti" The Opposition stoutly held Taxation to have swelled beyond all bearing The Ministers all sharing, without caring Even to hide with any decent cloak What seemed to them a joke. All they obtainrd by public plunder, Which was that worst of crimes—a blunder. " Kill a man's family," you know the rest, " vV'h t ere is best, administered is best In Governments, no matter what the form, And kings, unlike the poet, must be made, not

born, That is, I mean, without the slightest doubt, They're or.ly kept in shape by pressure from without.

Tho pressure used in Honolulu city (ft hose people arc about, as wise and witty As ttose who dwell in any othor place) Consisted of a statement of their case, Banked by a hint that, failing quick redress, The king and court would soon be in a mess, And find, themselves reduced To dive for dollars (as the king once used) In the blue sea, instead of people's pockets. And Ministers, who had gone up like rockets, vv ould fall like sticks, never again to rise— A fate they might avert if they were wise. No need to fire l The threatened coon crawled down, And easier lay the head that wore the crown.

The "ins" went out, the "outs" became tho

"ins," And half-a-dozen men were punished for their

sms— All lost their place and pay; the Premier went

to gaol. The King, though dark, perhaps turned a little pale, And thought regretfully of " cakes and ale." " No more for me," he cried, " that life so jolly Led, and still might lead, but for my folly. I've been misled, and nearly come to grief; I feel, in fact, that I'm a Royal chief W ho might be punished if the law permitted

That Chinese merchant I of late outwitted, To serve me with a process, short or long. 'Tis lucky that' the king can do no wrong.' So the law says, see section twenty-nine Of our great constitution, which agrees with mine.

But stay! In History I've somewhere read. Thanks to this maxim, King Charles lost bis

head, I shall keep mine,to me it's worth a lot. I see such maxims in these days are not. So our old constituiion may simply go to pot. The people want me to amend the thing; I'm willing to do anything as king To keep the crown and peace and all that's

nane, With just a li! tie of the Right Divine. I'll do as I'm requested, rignt or wrong, After ten days of strife for quiet I long. None but a fool with threatened danger trifles; Reasons are powerful when enforced by rifles. Bly rather rosy visions of a kingly lite have

vanished ; But this, I know, is better far than being shot or banished.

I have my little failings, but I love my native

land— I love its hills and valleys, I love its sea-washed

strand, I love its green, luxuriant trees and brilliant scar et flowers, 1 love its stream s and mountains and its cool re*

freshing howers— This is the land in which I first drew breath, To leave it now, to me, were worse than death, ' I'll take a thought,' and mend my ways (As Burns advised him whose abode is paved

with goo'l int ntions, But whose precise address one never mentions). And in the Hawaiian Kingdom end my days. And perhaps, in time, all men will say- He was a good man in his way.'" Quickly the constitution was amended, And so this bloodless revolution ended— The " arms " not used, the " man " remained a

king. And that's about tho whole I have to ' sing." M.L.C.,

New Zealand,

S.s. Alameda, July Bth, 1887.

Leaseholds and Freeholds.

Professor L. B. Arnold, who, according to the English Live StZck Journal, "stands in the first position as an authority on dairy ing in the United States," has recently paid a visit to England. He has since his return given the New _"ork States Dairy men's Association a full account of hia observations and impressions of British dairying. Referring to this report the Live Stock Journal says :—Professor Arnold heard complaints by English farmers as to the burdensome rents they have to pay. In travelling through some fifteen of the Midland counties, he found the rent varied from 20s to 50s an acre, the great majority paying 30s, equal to 7 dollars 50 cents, on land valued at 150 dollars an acre, making the rent 5 per cent on the invest ment. This 5 per cent., he says, pays for the use of the land, and also pays the tenants' taxes and tithes, and furnishes materials for necessary repairs and improve ments He adds : " The money we invest in land is worth 6 per cent and we either pay or sacrifice that interest in all our in vestment in real estate, and on top of that pay for taxes, improvements, and repairs about 1 per cent, more ; so that what English farmers pay 5 per cent, for we pay about 7 per cent. for. The tenant-farmer has another advantage in the fact that whereas we have our capital, and too often more than all our capital, invested in our farms, the tenant-farmer has his capital in his hands ready for use in his business. Tying up all the capital one has in the purchase of land, and going without the means necessary to carry it on to advantage is often a serious drawback to American farmers, especially in newly settled parts of the country. [Exactly the saime diffi cultyis often experienced in New Zealand.— Ed.] With all these advantages, the English farmer is pretty well prepared to compete with his Western relatives, and it seems to me need not stand in the fear he does of being ruined by competition with them."

A Man of Many Wives.

The German people of Morrisania are con siderably excited over the escapades of George Amberg, who has been employed W the last sixteen months at David Mayer's brewery as a driver. Amberg has only been in this country a few years, and during that time has married four different women, ono of whom lives in Boston, another in Brooklyn, a third in Jersey City, -and one at No. 1,243, Washington Avenue, New York, who was the last victim, and who is now mourning the sudden departure of her husband for some unknown place. Tha cause of his sudden flight was the appear ance of a fifth wife with two children. _he latter arrived from Germany a few days ago in search of her truant husband, to whom she was married six years ago in that country. She had not heard from him for a long time, and set out to look him up. She has friends in this city who aided her in her search, and in a Jew days Amberg was found to be at the brewery. Tha woman's friends called there the other evening, inquired for Amberg, and learned that he was married and living with his wife in Washington Avenue. I hither the inquirer went, and found Mrs Amberg taking care of an infant. Amberg learned of his German wife's presence in this city, when he came home after his last wife had been visited, and on the following morning obtained an advance of 15dols. from his employer and left town. It was learned ab the brewery that out of his wages, amount to 18dols., he had to pay Bdols. of it to his Boston wife, and 7dols. to his Brooklyn wife. It has also been an open secret that these five wives are not all that bear his name. He has travelled extensively, having been in almost every country in Europe, and women in Russia, Denmark, and Sweden, are looking for his return. There are children living by six of his wives. Hia last wife lives with her mother, a Mrs Reed, who is in comfortable ckcumstances.—^Tew York Tribune,

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JULY 30; 1887.

3



11-15 22-18 15-22 25-18 8-11 29-25 4- 8 25-22

11-16 18-15 10-19 24-15 16-20 22-18 7-10 27-24

20-27 31-24 10-19 24-15 9-14 18- 9 5-14 26-12

12-16 22-18 6- 9 28-24 9-13 18- 9 16-19 23-16

8-11 16- 7 3-28 9- 5 2- 6 30-26 6- 9 26-22

9-14 32-27 28-32 27-23 32-27 22-18 13-17 _s.w.



11-15 23-19 {Ml 22-17 3- 8 25-22 11-16 2(5-23 7-11 29-25 16-20 31-26 11-16 17-13

21-17 14-21 23-18 16-23 18-11 8-15 27-11 20-27 32-23 12-16 22-1S 10-15 25-22 6-10

10-23 26-19 15-24 28-19 10-14 IS- 9 5-14 13- 9 1- 5 19-16 *14-18 22-15 5-14 15-10

16-12 18-23 10- 7 23-27 7- 3 27-31 3- 7 31-27 7-10 27-23 12- 8 23-IS 8- 3 18-23

23-27 15-19 27-32 11- 7 2-11 3- 7 32-27 7-16 27-32 19-23 4- 8 16 19 8-12 19-24

24-27 12-16 23-26 16-20 26-23 28-24 27-32 24-27 23-19 27-31 19-16 20-24 16-19

