CURIOUS CUSTOMS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2212, 11 September 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

CURIOUS CUSTOMS.

The civil life of the Jews in Khiva, who are estimated to number about 6000 soul*, is regulated by several curious customs. Ah regards taxation, every five years the minister of Finance writes to the heads of the Jewish Congregations A Committee, consisting of the Bethdin and Wardens, assesses each member of the congregation; students of the Talmud, widows and orphans being* wholly exempt from the payment of taxes. The Jews have their own police, who also serve as a fire brigade. The police shut the entrances to the Jewish quarter at sunset, and re-open them at sunrise the next morning, and they are also charged with the supervision of the Jewish prison, in which criminals from other parts of the Khanate, if sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, are confined. Women are never imprisoned, and are therefore let off with a fine. The prisoners are treated with great consideration. Heads of families are liberated on the eve of Sabbaths and festivals, in order that they may spend these days with their wives and children.. At the close of the sacred days they return to prison. They are aKo temporarily released on "occasions of family rejoicings and on the death and burial of relatives. The Bethdin acts as the Je<vish Criminal Court, and sits for this purpose twice a week in the house of the chiof Rabbi. The present Secretary of the Congregation, Muley Yacub, is in ! high favour with the Emir on account of his fidelity, integrity, and great business capacity. Be is also highly esteemed by the English, JFrench, and other European merchants who have commercial relations with Khiva, or have erected factories in i the country itself. The confidence which the Emir places in Muley Yacub is ap parent from the fact that to him. His Highness has entrusted the management of all hia financial affairs. — Jewish Chronicle.

A horse's own taste for salt is considered the best guide as to the quantity he needs hence the benefit of having it within hig reach at all times. The most convenient way, and perhaps the cheapest, in to have a piece of rock salt in the manger or box. If it can be made profitable to keep mares for breeding purposes alone, as some claim it can, there should be no question about there being profit in breeding mares when they can be worked for nine or ten months out of the ye<ir. If horse breeding on the farm i« not m ide iemuncrative it is for lack of judicious man, igoiiient.

EXTLI4IMENT.S luivc Ikmjii tiiod in Franco for propagating potatoes by transplanting rooted shoots and tubciN. As many and as large were produced from the shoots as from the main plants. From two potatoes 98 shoots were obtained, producing 1 48 lb. of potatoes, and those were fully m 'i tared suv wwk* b-'fore r.lio crops grown m the ordinal y way. Cuttings having five or six leaves wore taken from the stems of potatoes, the two lowest leaves being" removed, and in twenty days there were tubers nearly an inch in diameter on each cutting.