MISCELLANEOUS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 128, 29 January 1874, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

KnHHhtnCkL. — Here’s something calculated to send our Company’s prospects nhead, which we take from “ Scientific Notes ” in an exchange: —“ The atmosphere of oil regions, which is strongly impregnated with the odour of petroleum, is said to be beneficial to people afflicted with the asthma; it is also a preventative of consumption.” The Bay of Plenty Times learns "That the nativea (Tartini’s people) have resumed work on the East Cape Road between Marainui and To Kohs. The survey along the East Cape is also being pushed ahead. The branch road to Ohinemutu from the Great South Road is being rapidly proceeded with by the Ngatituau, under Captain Turner’s supervision.” A San Francisco milliner has invented a hat which will probably sell well, in cases where blushing is not so spontaneous as it might be, or used to be. When the wearer bows or lowers the head abruptly, a tiny pair of steel clamps compress the arteries on each side of the temples, sending the blood at onoe to the cheeks.

Mr. John Runciman, Inspector of Sheep, Horotuo District, writes to the Waikato Times respecting the number of sheep in the Waikato district. In No. 1 section of the district the number is 8,110; No. 2 district, 8,520; in No. 3 district, 14,260; making a total of 30,890. Mr. Runciman says the major portion average good long-woolled sheep, many of which it would be hard to beat in any part of New Zealand, and the owners report unanimously heavy fleeces, and intend increasing their flocks.

The Whakatane correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times writes to that journal as follows : —“ A large mob of cattle —to be increased ultimately to six or seven hundred—has been driven up the Whakatane river, to the run at Poriau, lately secured by an Auckland company, of which Captain Swindloy is to be the local representative. The herbage on these fine plains will thus be saved from waste, and a valuable industry established in the district.”

A quickly-played game of billiards is recorded in Bell's Life of the 27th September. Mons. Adrian Izar, the celebrated French Champion handstroko player, gave a gentleman amateur (playing with a cue) lot) points in a game of 200 up. M. Izar commenced the game with a “ missthe gentleman amateur failed to score, when M. Izar went in and run out with a break of 278 points in two minutes and n half

An Inch a 1 ear.—l will give some of my experience in deep, and also curly ploughing. In June, 1.868, I broke ten acres of oak grub land, on a ridge, with clay subsoil. I broke about, four inches deep. It was a wet season, and the blue-joint grass and artichokes got a good start for the first summer. In the spring of ’69 I sowed it with wheat, and dragged it until I felt as though I had been dragged over a corduroy bridge for three weeks. That year I had seven bushels per acre, and about three tons of blue grass and artichokes—the wheat stood about two feet high and the artichokes six. I ploughed it that season the scond week in August about one inch deeper than it was broke. In the season of 1870 I again sowed with wheat. It was very dry. The grain stood about three-and-a-half feet high without a weed, and the yield was 20 bushels per acre. Ploughed again in August, one inch deeper than before ; next crop stood about four feet high, although a dry season, and the yield was 27 bushels per acre. That season I ploughed it the forepart of September, an inch deeper, as usual -. last season, two weeks before harvest, the grain stood fire feet high, and some of it six, but by the time it was ready for the reaper it was not as high by three or four feet. The yield was 311 bushels per acre, and I don’t think I saved over three-fourths of the crop. Last Fall I did not go down for the extra inch. I feared if I kept until I got down 15 or 20 inches, the straw would grow 15 or 20 feet high, and that won’t stand the storms of Minnesota; but if we want long straw and heavy wheat, we must plough deep. One inch deeper each year is plenty, and, if this rule is followed strictly, our farmers will be in good condition 100 years to come. — St. Paul Pioneer. A correspondent of the Whanyanui Herald writing from Marton says :—“ An indignation meeting of settlers was held at the Hall to discuss the much vexed question of whether we are to dance or act the wallflower. The Rev. Mr. Reeves says we must not dance, or, in other words, dance and be eternally lost. The whole population say we shall and will dance. I agree with the latter. His own flock who heard his sermon on Sunday last are indignant at his nonsense. All the young ladies in Rangitikei, according to the rev. gentleman above named, are no better than they ought to be; and if only a small portion of Elijah’s cloak has rested on him, we may soon expect to have a dense population here. I know he feels ashamed, not sorry, for the rap he got over the knuckles last night. Nevertheless, would it not be more charitable, or wise, or something of that sort, to have him sent to Timbuctoo, or some other place of worship. After the Rechabito meeting on the 26th of last month, the young folks wanted to enjoy themselves in the beautiful new hall at Crofton, and Mr. R. did his best to prevent it. They did enjoy themselves, however, to their hearts’ content, and this is the upshot. What a pity * tis that a Friendly society should be the cause of all this nonsense. Had such a thing occurred in connexion with the Odd Fellows or Foresters, the almighty Fox would have advertised it daily in the Independent and weekly in the -Mai/, until all nations and languages should know it.” It is clear that dancing is going to prevail in spite of the asceticism of Mr. Reeves. Our opinion is, that the laughing, goodnatured ladies and gentlemen of Marton, who insist on the right of dancing, are in the r.ght, and that the wise, staid, and morose hea< of the Rev. Mr. Beeves is altogether in the wrong.