BOZ AND HIS MAHOGANY-FACED MEN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 588, 25 July 1873, Page 3

BOZ AND HIS MAHOGANY-FACED MEN.

(from THE ATl.antic monthly.) I am ingreat health ami spirits, anil pondering away at “Chuzz'.ewit,” with all manner of faostiousnesses rising up as I go on. As to nows, 1 have really none, saving that , who never took any exercise in his life, has been laid up with rheumatism for weeks past, but is now 1 hope, getting batter, My little captain, as 1 call him—he who took me out, I mean, and with whom I had that adventure of the cork soles—has been in London, too, and seeing all the sights under my escort. Good heavens ! I wish you could have scon certain other mahogany-faced men (also captains) who used to call here for him in the morning, and hear him off to docks and rivers, and all sorts of queer places, whence he always returned late at night, with rum-and-water tear-drops in his eyes, and a complication of punchy smells in him mouth. He was hotter than a comedy to us, having’ marvellous ways of tying his pocket-handkerchief round Iris nock at dinner-time in a kind of jolly embarrassment, and then forgetting what ho had done with it; also of singing songs to wrong tunes, and calling land objects by sea names, and never knowing what o’clock it was, bnt taking midnight for seven in the evening : with many other sailor-like oddities, all full of honesty, manliness, and good-temper. We took him to Drury-lane Theatre, to see “Much Ado [About Nettling but 1 never could find out what he meant by turning round, after he bad watched the first two scenes with great attention, and inquiring whether it was a Polish piece.

GARDENERS’ CALENDAR. —o — August. Kitchen Garden. —Those who have had their vacant ground dug up roughly to the action of the weather in the early part of winter will now find it in good condition for cropping, from the ease with which it can ho broken down and prepared for the sowing of seeds. Many of the principal crops of vegetables may be now sown, such as onion, leek, carrot, beet, parsnip, cabbage, and cauliflower. Sow peas, broad beaus, lettuce, radish, spinach, herbs, parsley, &c. Plant early potatoes. Land .up and stake early peas. Boots of carrot, parsnip, beet and cabbage intended for seed should now be set in sheltered places. Plant rhubarb, sea kale and asparagus ; also, tbe main crop of shalots. Keep the ground well stirred between the rows of advancing crops of cabbage, cauliflower, &c. Fruit Garden. °rocsed with transplanting of fruit trees, bushes, raspberry canes, and strawberry plants. Remove all suckers from tbe roots of fruit trees, and any pruning not yet done should be no longer delayed. Some haf decomposed manure spread over the roots of'newly-planted fruit will prove beneficial. Plant hedge rows of thorn quicks, sweetbriar, and broom. Flower Garden.- There are many late flowering bulbs, such as lilies and gladioli, which may still be planted. Plant flower roots of all hardy things. Sow both annual anil perennial flower seeds Transplant shrubs, and secure by stakes those which may be in danger from wind. Plant edgings of box, thyme, roses, chamomile, London pride, rosemary, &o.