MISCELLANEOUS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7069, 15 February 1893, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

A French scientific agricultural has made a series of remarkable experiments with potatoes, in one of which ho obtained a yield of no less than 42 tons of (übers per acre. He selected the beat and soundest seed potatoes, ploughed the laud very deeply and manured it heavily, ilo also steeped the potatoes 24 hours in a solution made by dissolving 6ib of saltpetre and Sib of sulphate of ammonia in 25 gallons of water; then he allowed them to drain and stand for 24 hours for their buds to swell before planting them. Further reports have been received by the Victorian Bailway C. mmissioners in connection with the Taylor refrigerating cars, which have been running experimentally for some weeks past. It is found that the percentage of cost to tho freight earnol by the cars is abnormally Irgh, and unless some other arrangement can be made, tho Commissioners will not be able to adopt tho system generally. A considerable sum has been spent ou the experiment, and the Commissioners are thoroughly satisfied with tho rfiicieccy of the system eo far as that question is concerned, but in view of the excessive outlay entailed they cannot go any further with it. General Booth for a long time has been endeavouring to find a gold mine, and now one of his soldiers has sought and found, not a gold mine, but tho next best thing—a silver and copper mine. It is situated in tho State of Arizona, on the slopes of the Huaohuoa Mountains. Members of the j Army are working the claim and making it pay. Two rock-crushers and a FrewYanner concentrator are being used. Tho concentrates, it is stated, are worth £6O per ton in copper and silver, and sufficient ore is in sight to run the works for three years. It is the intention of the local executive to j establish a Salvationist colony at the mine, J which is in a very picturesque part of the j mountains. i

Captain 0. Vivian, of the Bailing vessel Imogens, writes to the Daily Telegraph from 6 Park Place, Exeter “On the way homo from the Azores in the Imogene a sailor fell overboard. It was blowing very fresh, but my mate, with the sterling pluck of the British sailor, immediately sprang overboard and reached the drowning man. However, both were lost. The saddest part remains. It became my extremely painful duly to break the sad news to the wife, who came to Plymouth expecting to meet her husband. The shock was too much for her and she died, leaving two little boys under eighteen months totally unprovided for. I should be glad (o give any particulars to the charitably disposed, or to receive any help on behalf of the children."

The details, contained in the Australian papers, of the case of wife murder by a Chinaman in Adelaide show that the man in queslion, who was an elderly individual, was

married about months ago at Trinity Church, Adelaide, to an English girl named Florrio Wellmit, about 18 yea-s of age The girl was married unknown to her parents, but had since lived iu a house in Register street, off Liodley street, her husband apparently being well-to-do. At an early hour on the Ist the constable, while reeking for Gin Gah on a charge of stabbing a Chinaman named Ah Dick, discovered the dead body of Mrs Gin Gah lying in the house with her throat cut from ear to ear. Gin Gah was arrested in a state of stupor caused by opium, and had to be taken to the hospital. The fact was then elicited that he stabbed Ah Dick from jealousy, believing that Ah Dick had been familiar with his wife. Ah Dick was removed to the hospital suffering from severe wounds, but he is not considered to be in a dangerous state. The unfortunate girl was of prepossessing appearance, and of a lively disposition. She did not seem to have lived in dread of her, husband until a few days ago, when she mentioned that Gin Gah had threatened her, and Gin Gah himself stated to a young woman in the neighbour* bourhood that he would kill his wife if she got any more letters from another man. The police found in the house a sheath knife with which it supposed the deed was committed. When Gin Gah was arrested he was cau* tionod by the detective, but be admitted having committed the crime. He died in the Adelaide Hospital at the same evening.