PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11149, 23 August 1899, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr. A. S. Walker, who has been associated •With the Streatfield process of gold-saving left for the South yesterday, in the Elingamite. Ml'. Bruce, ex-member for Rangitikei, is at present in Auckland on a visit. He intends to contest Rangitikei at the approaching general elections. Captain Blackburnc, Nautical Adviser to tho Government, who arrived from London by the Papanui, left for Wellington yesterday, by tho Elingamite. Mr. Thomas Mackenzie, formerly M.H.R. for Clutha (Otago), who returned from England by the Papanui, left for Wellington, en route to Dunedin, yesterday. Mr. Spencer H. Gollan, of Hawke's Bay, the well-known New Zealand sportsman, who arrived from Home by the Papanui, on Monday, left for the South yesterday. Bandmaster Trussed, who has been in charge of the Waiuku Brass Band, is leaving for Nelson to take the bandmastership of the Nelson Garrison Band. He received some souvenirs from his pupils. Mr. J. T. Oakden, of Dunedin, well known in Southern commercial and volunteer circles, and head of the New Zealand Lime and Cement Company, left Auckland for Dunedin by the Elingamite yesterday.

A London paper is concerned about the fate of English strawberries this year— frost having killed so many blooms. In some French experiments plants were grown in white, rod, green, and bluo light. Tlio result of the experiment showed that the greatest growth was made in a red light. An American fruitgrower advooates the plan of keeping pigs or sheep in orchards in sulficient number to keep the grass always short, to consume all the maggoty apples, and to manure the ground well, the animals being fed on corn or other dry food. Other growers object to the plan, and contend that surface cultivation and regular manuring are essential to successful fruitgrowing. This is questionable, however, so far as cultivation is concerned, as many experienced growers declare that apples, as well as cherries, do best, after being once established, in grass land, where their roots are never disturbed, though plums do not. Of course, where fruit trees are grown on arable land, it must be kept free from weeds, and there is one advantage in shallow cultivation which should not he ignored—that of turning up the larva and pups of injurious insects.

Parties interested in dinner-table decorations among the aristocracy may bo edified by the following account:— the occasion of Lord Salisbury giving a dinner-party, at his Loudon residence, to 75 of his adherents in the Upper House, the table was effectively decorated by Mr. Norman, his lordship's head gardener, in the present fashion of employing one or very few kinds of flowers. It is a well-understood rule at

dinner-parties that, the plants or cut-flower devices shall not obstruct the view of the seated guests across the table, and this was strictly adhered to on the present occasion. Shallow pans or saucers, measuring one foot in diameter, were placed together, so as to form groups 3ft in length, alternated with a solitary one. When filled, the width of each would be about Ift Bin. In every case sprays of Calanthe Veitchi, of a deep rose colour, formed the chief decorative material; and those being inserted in the damp sand with which the pans wore filled, fell gracefully outwards. In a few instances, flowerspikes of Ccelogyne cristata, Cypredium insigne, and lily of the valley were placed among and beneath the calanthe flowers. The groundwork of the pans consisted of Adiantum Farleyenso, lavishly employed, spreading over tlk tablecloth six inches beyond -the pans, and effectually hiding them from sight. In the seven circular groups the leaves of Grevillea robusta were used, together with the fronds of the adiantum; and ft species 01 Cyprus was used at the top, together with lily of the valley. As a material to contrast with, and tone down the excess of pink colour, sprays of Asparagus plumosus were stuck in amongst the calanthe blooms. The general effect was pleasing. The whole of the materials were produce*. at the gardens at Hatfield. AUTHENTIC MEDICAL OPINIONS WORTH KNOWING-Dr. Osborne says:—"l use SANDER A SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT as a spray for nasal catarrh, low fever, asthma, etc., with great success. I find this prepare tion superior to all others." Dr. Stalil: "I have used various preparations of Eucalyptus, hut I get better results from SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT than from any other." " Dr. Preston: " I never use any Eucalyptus preparation other than SANDER i, SONS', as I found the others to be almost useless." Dr. Hart: "It goes without saying that SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT is the best in the market." In in- . fluenza, all fevers, throat, and lung trouble, diphtherial.'' diarrhoea, dysentery, kidney complaints, rheumatism; wounds, sprains, ulcers, etc., it is invaluable. » See that you' get ' GANDER k SONS', and reject spurious preparations, which' are sometimes sosjilifti by, mEcruDßlous dealers, . . * ,