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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10422, 21 April 1897, Page 5

Of all avocations the gardener and tho parson stand at the top of the list as having the most healthful employment, and the best chance of a long life. Gardoning, indeed, is alleged to be the healthiost catling under the sun. And yet there are exceptions; for in Great Britain, singular to state, not a fow gurdoners are epileptics, some being incapacitated from work altogether, while others can work at intervals Of course, persons subject to the sad affliction find great difficulty in procuring; omploymont, and in retaining situations continuously. For tho relief of those liable to epileptic attack? some good Samaritans have found a " colony" for their reception, in order to the amelioration of their condition and circumstances. This colony is situate at Chalfont, in Buckinghamshire. SofartheeolonyandtberroAlment received appear to be a success. The following letter, sent to n London journal, giving details of the colony, may prove of interest to renders of these columns:—"lt may probably interest your readers to know that the 'colony , recently established »t Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks, for tho employment of epileptics in gardening, farming, and other occupations, hits already proved, a great success, and is being very rapidly developed. The 'colonists' live in detached homes, each containing eighteen to twenty-four inmates, and eovoral new homes will be erected in the course of this year. Everything that adds to the brightness and attractiveness of the surroundings increases the happiness of the colonists, and indirectly tends to the improvement of their health. Round each of the homes, therefore, will bo a small flower garden, and gifts of trees or shrubs would be highly appreciated."—l am, etc., G. Penn Oaskell, Secrolary National Society for Employment of Epileptics, 12, Buckingham street, Strand, W. 0." During the past two decades only twice has the wine crop of Franco been larger than that of last year. The yield for 1896 is said to have been 1,000,000,000 gallons, or ut the rate of 230 gallon* to the acre. French vineyards in 1895 produced only half that quantity. Large, however, as was the yield of wine last year, ib is far from being sufficient for the requirements of France, The imports of wine into that oountry rose from 6,000,000 gallons in 1875 to about '244,000,000 gallons in 1890, and it is estimated that 200,000,000 gallons will be needed in addition to the product of 1896. Large imports are sent into France from Algiers and Tunis, while Spain alono sends over tho Pyrenees more than 100,000.000 gallons a year. Twenty years ngo France exported something lilto 100,000,000 gallons of wine. But since that time the exports ha?s gradually decreased, and are now only about 40,000,000 gallons. If experiments now being tried prove successful, binder twine in due course may be cheap. It seems that a syndicate has secured control of a large area of the famous Kaukakee swamps, and proposes to utilise the long r»nk grate, ia making twine and paper.