Untitled

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2531, 29 September 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Texas Live Stock Journal very truly remarks that the sheep of the Uuiteil States should he raised for mutton first and wool afterwards, and quotes with approval Professor E. \V. Stewart's dictum to th'j effect , that " to breed and teed sheep simply for wool is little batter than raising wheat for straw, the more valuable half goes to waste." The meaning of all this is that where sheepfarming iu the United States is found to be profitable, it is not by growing merino wool, but liy growing muttou ou crossbreds and English sheep. For its supply of insrino wool the world will soon have to loo , : to Australia, South Amenca, and South Africa. An American paper says that the new magazine rifle, with which thi BritUh troops will soon lm armed, is the invention of a Canadian, Mr James P. L»o, formerly a resident of Gait, but who Ins for some years past lived at Utioa, N. V., where ho has been employed at the arms fon miry of the Remingtons. Mr Lee has invented sporting rifles, but the British magazine rifle is his latest product, aud the outline of it was perfected whiie he was on a visit to his friends in Gait a few years ago. The London Echo says the build of a Lee rifle is stronger' than any other pattern of its class hitherto constructed. The bore is small aud the trajectory low, and if necessary forty shots can be fired iu a minute. The rifle has also been adopted, by the Governments of China, Spain, Denmark, aud Mexico. A good story is going the rounds just now aneat the management of a station owned by a gentleman who seldom visits it in person. He began to have hie suspicions as to why the returns were gradually getting low, so, allowiug his beard to grow, arid disguising himself .as a shearer, he visited the slation. From the first man he met he if he could stay the night, and was merwith a cheerful reply in the ailirmative. On enquiring what sort of a place it was to work ou his informant promptly replie 1: "Oh a -fine place." "What part ol the woik have you ,to do?" "Oh, nothing much ; just mess about, help the boss, aud say ' Yes.' " " What has he to do; then ?" " Oh, nothing much." There was a change of management before the week was out. The weather was so cold in London during the middle of J nue that furs were worn by the ladies. The Grand Duke Alexis, brother of the Czar, is said to bo able to drink more chan - pagne than any other European Prince, even in Russia.- . . ■■ : ■ Loud LoKDESDOitouGH has in his possession a curious w.ilch, formed after the semblance of a duck'. It is of silver and was made in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Thb traffic receipts ou thirty-three of il\e principal railways on tho United Kingdom for the past half-year amounted to nearly 33 millions sterling, nn increase of ebrnnthipg Jike £050,000. . . : ,