MISCELLANEOUS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume I, Issue 3, 31 January 1890, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

In a receatly published pamphlet, written by a German, scieu'.ist, the author describes experiments carried •nit by him wi h a view to aseertainui,' whether blossoming is detrimental to tue development of potato tubjrs. T.ie fforts of the plant to proviJa for its reproduction by uuans of s;els se-in'o result, in a orrespon ling weak less in tue root growo.i, and tin siza aril nmner of the tuoers.. T.ia evpeauienis were carried out on a uunoer oi plots of si nilar soil. Oi one plat the p.ants ware allowed to bl>.>.» as mien <is tiiey liked; tne blooms of toe imi-r p.i)ta were eut olf at different ti.ues. L\ie crop that ha I not bjeu toppel ai di wis the worst yield, a<id tie uesi crip was the one 'that hid been prevented I'rwi i)lu>m.u 3 ', by being at frequant intervals. Tno'se'iuac vyare toppad at the latest stage of t.ie plant's growth were not'bo satisfactory as in Mie ctse of tue crops fraqaenUy toppe I itf Tha theory tuatcl'.uuie nave a great de.il to do with t,i s y.eld if potatoes has of lata y-irs ivceiv.-d emfii'iiiitioii, dryness and a>u,i laied of sans lina u.'ing ton.id to in In a muaa •loom, wiil) a dun si/ seeun on.-e fav'mra tie to the f»rm m m ,( on iars.

T.ie arrivals in tu : U oi)i/ tiio ino.ith of D.jj^iu.>ur, l6 l rfsro IJ6\ audi fciia

were—lo 67 from Victoria, 817 from New South Wales, 643 from the Uniied Kingd un, 119 from Tasmania, one* from Queensltr.il, and 141 from ot'>r paces. The departures wra—62B to New Sourh Wales. 357 to Victoria, 80 to the IJ.iitd Kingdom, 1$ to Tasmania, and 654 to other places. If we re .tin the population of the globe at one thousand two hundred millions of human-beings, there would be room for them all on tne frozen surface of the Lake of Constance (Switzerland), and the crush would not so very great either, as there wou'd be a space of four squire.feet f >r each person. If the ice .were to break, and the whole human race were thus to sink into a wat-ry grave, the level of the lake would only be raised six inches.

A shocking fata* accident hippened at the Bnidigo races lately, when the steeplecuase was being run. Wild Dog and Salford were leading, Salford being ridden by a jockey named Arthur Francis Newlands, Salford, wh-n rising to the jump, struk the top rail heavily with both lore feet. He turned a complete somersault, and, the jockey was crushed beneath him. A constable who was close at hand at once went up and fouud him to be dead. Singular to say the bride was wound twice round Newlaud's left leg. Fortunately the horse, which was unhurt, only moved a few yards, and was quietly grazing. It was found that Newland's chest was completely crushed, and the back of the skull broken in, so that death must have been instantaneous.

It is told of a well-known American map agent that on a recent trip through a wild district he was attacked uy Highway robtiers, who demanded uis money. JSjiug mure prudent thin to carry money in such a place, they failed in making a .haul. "But" said our i r aukj •,'"! have soun splendid maps of tne cmiitry along wiu me, wliiou I snoiild like to sho.v you ;" and in a twiuk.iug ne tfas off his horse, and uad a nvip stuck up on a pole, and he exul.uuei io so t-ffcoualiy tiat he sold .aca of thj baitlitti a map, p 'cketed tue money, and resumed uis journey, jetter od: for his enouuter.'

Mis* Minnie PaluiT (tin Cinderella of ti r M.jjsty's pinto,u &•) was iu-Lei-vi.j.vdJ at Sie-iLld She cjtil S 3 -J t > 11 p ayed fin* ia " My otfv-eta.idrt" 2,5/3 times ; a'so to being tne p Msessor of j Wjls wnien are iusmvd ior £diJ,OJiJ, aiso to having 18 pot d->gs, JL± of wuiei, u.»»eye;*, are " at .i.iißj" (iu Njw SToclc) ; aal dually—tins is aa io.-.iu lur ta • l.iJidrf—»o having ier (stage stockings, it ia presume!) aiw.iyd made iu.';JE\ti\s. A man naimd Lee, while bathing in t ie tfoutu Mel oourae bo,tiis, diVo I l'r.>in a ueuj.it.of twelve feet into a Tow feet of vvdtei', fracturing his spine, and alter lingering for.a ie*v uuurs die! in tne nospital. i\vo diys at't-r, two more accidents of a precisely similar nature occurred. A una ua.u-d John io.uers dived into fc»vo' feet of watjr in tae 6b KilJj, uatas, and sustaiued concussion oil the braiu, his injuries terniaatiug fatally ; .ml lao;rou tne'same liy a nun luuiei Edwird 0' leill'did t.i« a;uae foonsn thing m trie Port Melbourne batns, and uoy. lies m a critical coalition. In ev&'y ease' the. ucuhnu were ciusd by tae earei'ess* ness of-the bithers, as urall tiu bi,tha notice posos are erected to "uurk the depth of the water.