"Pocket Burroughs" In the British Parlia ment. "Pocket burroughs" derive their quaint appellation from the fact that the individual commanding their votes carries them, as it were, in his pocket. Not all the pocket burroughs, however, are under patrician control; the purse of Plutus holding influence over a good ly number of them. It is a well-known tact that there are scores of them pur chasable as any other commodity of the market can be bought up. lock, stock and barrel, and are so bought. The late commission of inquiry into contest ed elections gave ample evidence of this, having brought to light the astrounding revelation that the voters of seyer&l such burroughs—not small ones either—were bribed, almost to a man! Mauy of them even boasted of the large sums they had received, after stipulating for, and chaffering over there, without thought of shame or qualm of conscience. One would naturally expect lhat a candidate for Parliamentary honors would be required to give some proof of his fitness for Parliamentary duties. But m boroughs like these no such qualification is needed. With them, political and knowledge of statesmanship—or, indeed, other know ledge of auy useful kind—are the least and last things thought of. Money will make them take the wall; aud well the man of money knows it—feels as certain of entering Parliament, if he only pays the price, as he would of au opera box by purchasing a ticket. It is simply a question of hew muoh he is disposed to pay; and that he arranges w.tb the electioneering agent, who in turn makes it square with the electors. There are always constituencies open to represen tatives of this kind, and who care for no other, and would not have any other. Nor does the candidate need to be resi dent among them or even have previons acqua ntaiice with them. He may be a total stranger of unknown antecedents, brought lrom some distant part of the ooumry—Bon don or elsewhere his first introduction to his constituency that is to be given him by the iocal lawyer who acts as his electioneering agent, often only a few days before the election. But the lawyer himself has been pre viously made acquainted with his legislative capabilities by having heard the jingle of u>B gold. This communi cated to the covetous constituency has a marvelous, almost magical, effect, aud presto! the unkuowu Plutus, who may he the veriest adventurer, becomes one of the Senatorial grandees of the great British Empire, on which the sun never sets! Down the Flume. Ed. Falconer, lormly railroad station agent at Durham, now working in the mills at Smoky Flat, came to Chico, Cal., recently in the flume. He started from the mountains about 7 o'clock in the morning, when the atmosphere was cold and crisp, making one wish for an overcoat. He mounted a raft and shoved of£ and did stop until he had reached a warm and sunny station along the watery side. Traveling in the flume is dangerous but exciting sport. One is sometimes gliding smoothly along on level water, and then is suddenly dashed forward on a down grade at an almost lightning speed, with the boat or raft riding at a seeming angle of 45 degrees. Along the flume, through the canyons the most picturesque scenery"t£e Sierras which would make the heart of a true artist leap with joy. Very few accidents have ever occurred on the Sierra Lumber company's flume, but if there should be a break at some of the high places, a person riding along would suddenly be dashed into 4 'king dom come." Biding down the flume has a striking similarity to sliding down the a hill on a sled—it is fun to shoot down ward with a tremendous velocity, but difficult to ascend. Very few persons are allowed to ride in the flume, and it is only by hard ef - forts that the mill hands can get permiss ion to make tne trip to Chico. Boxes of trout are sent down from the tourists to their friends in the valley, and a few years ago this wonderful forty-mile length ot flume was used as a sort of message-carrier in bringing down orders for supplies and calls for physicians, the messages being written on a board or nailed up m a small box. But now, since we are connected with the mount ains by telephone, the custom of mes sage sending by water has "gone up the flume." Japanese Farui Lite. Something more than one-hall the population of the empire, of Japan is agricultural, and the half of these are women. In 1874. 12,000,000 acres were under cultivation, or about three-fourths of an acre per head of the farming population; but the tillage is most t orough, and two ciops are invariably raised each year. All farm labor is hard labor. A plow is seldom seen, and labor saving machines are unknown. Wages for farm labor seem low. Thir ty- five dollars a year with board, or fifty dollars with out board, for a man and ten dollars with board and twenty five to thirty dollars with out it, for a woman ; and then, as the clothing for a laborer costs but four or five dollars a year, and he gets a three-room (bamboo and paper) house for eight or ten dollars a year, and clothing for family of four or five costs not to exceed twenty dol lars, and his garden will produce one half oi his living, the farm laborer is not in a desperate condition, and being exceedingly frngal, he manages to lay up something every year. Yet the Japanese farmers are prosperous. Near ly all can read, write, and keep farm accounts, while the boys are sent to school and the girls taught music and needle work at home, and there is not a house, not even among the coolies, or laborers, that does not have its bath room, which is put in use every morn ing. Chinese Wedding. Previous to the great day the bride groom gets a new hat and takes a new name, while the lady, whjse hair has hitherto hung down to her heels in a single heavy plait, at the same time be oomes initiated into the style of hair dressing prevalent among Chinese mar ried ladies, which consists in twisting the hair into the form of an exaggerated teapot, and supporting it in that shape with a narrow plate of gold or jade over the forehead, and a whole system of bod kins behind it. On the wedding morn ing, presents and congratulations are sent to the bridegroom, and among the rest a pair of geese; not sent, as we might imagine, by some wicked wtg or nraclaimable bachelor as a personal re flection on the intellectual state of his friend, but as an emblem of domestic uaity and affection. AGRICULTURE, SHBBP KOR HARD TIMES —The past season, characterized by climatic extremes followed as it must necessarily be ny a winter in which feeder's resources will be heavily taxed to avoid a sacrifice of a por tion of his live toc* f will serve to give prominence to the claims of the sheep to a foremost place in the farpi economy. Sub. sisting through much of the past season on a meager supply of grass aud water, it is now ready to combat such viccissitudes as may be iu store for it with less detriment than will result to any of its farm-yard companions that may be subjected to like treatment. Such tests of endurance are by no means desirable in the case ot the sheep—are far lrom those conditions by which it should be surrouuded where the best results are hoped for, but the fact that it will successfully withstand them Is just so much to be credited to its favor, By the rule that a ''penny saved is a penny earned" does the sheep DH make money for its owner, under circuinstances where other auimals would baukrupt him? Thus it is that the farmer who can enumerate among his live 6tock a fair pioportion i f sheep, will be enabled to partly recoup himself against the loss to which he is lU evitably subjected iu mauy localities. If those less fortunately circumstanced will take the lesson home to themselves, and apply its teaching to their future poli cy, much good lhat is now not apparent to them uisy be In ought out ot their pre-eut adversity. THE Poultry Monthly says that, as a rule, one variety of fowls is enough for al most any person to manage successfully and profitably, and this is especially true with beginners, who have to iraln their t x perlence in all the varied details of poultry management. If a breeder has beeu suc cessful with one variety, has not merely made good sales, but has produced birds of such a high order of merit that the sto£k makes a good advertisement and a permanent one for the breeder, it can be taken for granted that it will pay to take up one or more breeds, provided the same care is bestowed upon each variely as was formerly accorded the single breed, anil provided there are ample conveniences, rixim and quarters for them. it seldom pays to attempt raising poor breed poultry unless there is ample room, both in yards and houses, for they must have this to in sure their heaithlulness and consequent profit. PLANT ITICKKT TREKS.— Many people would lite 10 tiave a hickory grove, but have a vague idea that it ia a terrible thing to get. But it is not so much of a task. Plow your ways four feet apart,follow the marker with a roller which will not efface the mark. Do this the first wesk in Octo ber, or may be earlier. 'lake a hoe, and at eica crosdn* of your check rows plant a nut about au inch and a half stepping hard upon it. Next spring run a harrow over the ground quite early, say as soon as the frost is well out. When your trees come up cultivate them the same as corn, being careful not to bruise in any way. After they get too nigh for the cultivator attend to them with a hoe. Mulch in the fail sufficiently to keep the weeds out the next spring. If any should come, keep them pulled. In ten years you will have all the hickory nuts and tim ber you want, It you have an acre in your grove. A moist location is the bett—just as wet as will do to plow—if you have it. A MASH composed ot two-thirds wheat bran and one-third corn meal for solids, the morning when about blood heat,makes a good breakfast for poultry, especially for laying hens. Oats and buckwheat for midday teed, and corn and oats for supper are excellent for poultry. Clean, fresh water is a very essential article. The above feed is recommended tor poultry when the ground is frozen and covered with snow, but with the open weather we have had thus far this season, but little extra feed or care has been required. The large amount of insect food which poultry Las been able to pick up this season has so far rendered the extra feeding of animal food unneces sary. HOOT FRCNINO FOB TOMATOES. —Root pruning for tomato plants is recommended to induce early maturity of the fruit. While the plants arc young they are transplanted several times, which ef course destroys some of the roots, aud after they are put into their final resting place, a spade is once in a while thrust down into the ground a foot or so from the main stock, in tnie. of course, size, and perhaps quality, are sacrificed to a few weeks earlmess; but many are willing to pay this penalty for the sake ef the early dish. Those who wish to secure an early ripening of fruit will do weil to practice this system of root pruning upon a portion of their plants. Tomato plants produce better aud more evenly ripened iruit when afforded some support, as by stakes or trellises, to keep the vines from the ground. A FATAL scourge has prevailed in Loui siana for tome time kuewu as Spanish lep rosy or farcy, which has killed a large Dumber ot mules. It seeuis particularly destructive to these valuable animals, and some planters have lost nearly every ani mal on them places. This visitation is particularly unfortunate at this eeasou of the year, when farmers need every work animal they can use. Borne persous claim that it can be cured, but the most ot the farmers consider it beyond remedy, and it does its work in a very short time. THE value of all manufactured fertiliz ers d pends upon their solubility, and thise manures should all be appropriated by the growing crops. To expect any such fertilizing matter to remain in the ground for another year is to presume that the fertilizers are not properly man ufactured. Bone dust, however, will re main in the soil several years. A Q' OD remedy for all the ordinary ail ings of the peach tree is potash. An East ern chemist found the tissues of peach trees sjffering from the "yellows" gorged with starch, and potash would prove a remedy. He gave an instance where it seen ed to prove a rempdy, although he was not positive that the ailment was 'yel lows." STARTLING as the statement may seem the destruction of crops by noxious insects in the United States has reached the enor mous sum of $400,000,000 hi a year. "CAN'T you trust me darling?'' mur mured Spilkins to the daughter of the old money lender. "Not without real estate security," replied Isabella, absent mindediy. ' OH, you be darned," a# the Christ mas present said when it slipped through the hole in the heel of the hung-up stocking. "MY life has not been one of unalloyed delight. I haye had the measles, the chicken-pox, the typhoid fe\er and in flammatory rheumatism, but I never kuew what real misfortune was until I married a burglar alarm," DOMESTIC. MENDING CHlNA. —Dissolve an ounce of gum-mastic in a quantity of highly rectitied spirits of wiue; thou soften au ounce of isinglass in warm water, and finally dissolve it iu rum or brandy till it forms a thick jelly. Mix the isinglass and gum-mastic together, adding a quarter of au ounce of finely-powdered gum-ammoniac; put the whole iuto au earthen pipkin and into a warm plaoe, till it is thoroughly incorporated togeth er; pour it iuto a small vial, aud oork it down for use. Iu using it dissolve a small piece of the oement ill a silver tea spoon over a lighted caudle. The broken pieces of glass or china being warmed, and touched with the now liquid oemoot, join the part# neatly together, and hold in their places till the cement has set; then wipe away the cement adhering to the edge of the joint, and leave it for twelve hours without touching it; the joint will be as strong as the china itself, Mid if neatly dime, it will show uo join ing. It is essential that neither of the pieces be wetted either with hot or cold water. FURNITURE POLISH. —Put throe gilis of cold drawu linseed oil iuto a quart bottle with sixteen drachms of aquafor tis, and fill up with vinegar. This mix ture is invaluhle for furniture that lias been French polished, but is getting the worse for use, or, it may be, abuse; and also wbeu wood having been only par tially seasoned, the resiu rises up through the polish, causing unslightly cracks and spots. This the aquatortis in the mixture eats dowu and restores the work to somethiug of its original brightness. To use it, first wash the furniture thoroughly clean with a sponge and lukewarm water, shako the bottle well, and rub on the polish being CHreful to use only very clean oloths. Old rags do best, as thoy will not wash after being used with tins mixture, and are only fit to be thrown away. For furniture that has never beeu French polished, nothing is better than the old fashioned beeswax and turpentine melted together by a gentle heat, aud applied with plenty of elbow-grease. PORK AND BEANS. —No chemical an al jais could lead to a better combination. In the beana the flesh formers are in large proportion to the heat producers, and as an abundance of both are needed, the fat jf pork is added as a heat pro ducer. We have not the data from which to make an accurate estimate, but have no doubt that for those who take active exercise in any occupation, the wastes of the body may be more eco nomically supplied by this generally palatable food than by any other. Those who have not eaten pork and beans in a lumber eamp, can have no idea of this food in its most perfect condition. The beans are first boiled, then placed in an iron pot which is covered. A bole is made in the grouud, and a tire built there; when this fire has burned to coals, the pot is set in, and the whole, pot and coals, covered with earth. This is doue in the evening, and the pot is uncovered and taken out at breakfast time the next morning. No wonder that the lumber men are the sturdy fellows that they are! CHICKEN DRESSED AS TERRAPINS.— Boil a tine, large, tender chicken; when doue, and while vet warm, cut it from en salad; put it iuto a stew pan with one gill of boiling water; then stir together, until perfectly fmooth, one-fourth pound butter, one teispoon flour, and the yolk of one egg, which add to the chicken half at a time, stirriug all well together, then season with salt and pepper. After letting it simmer about ten minutes, add one-half gill Madeira wine, aud semi to table hot. To BRIGHTEN SMALL IRON ARTICLES.— Glean the article* to be brightened iu a hot solution of half to a gallon of com mercial potash for a quarter of an hour; then wash in a solution of one to twenty sulphuric acid half an hour, and dip iu a bath of nitrous acid; wash in cold wa ter and dry in sawdust—warm sawdust it> best. IN caring for youi fowls provide them with a vessel of lime water for occasion al driuks. It is prepared by pouring hot water over quick-lime, and after the lime is settled and the water ooveriug it has become clear, pour it off. It will keep fit for use for a considerable time. PraveßiZET) alum possesses the prop erty of purifying water. A large spoon ful stirred Into a hogshead of water will so purify it that in a few hours the dirt will all sink to the bottom, and it will be fresh and clear as spring water. Four gallons may be purified by a teaspoon ful. Do not let knives be dropped iuto hot water. It is a good plan to have a larpe tin pot to wash them in, just high enough to wash the blades without wet ting the handles. Keep your castors covered with blotting paper and green flannel. Keep your salt spoons out of the salt and clean them ofton. To BRIGHTEN GILT FRAMES.— Take sufficient flour of sulphur to give a gold en tinge to one and a half pints of water; boil in this water four or five ouions, strain, and when cold, wash with soft brnsh any part that requires restoring; when dry it will come out as good as now. IF all steel <co e. if. nln.n l Ais paprr. No family shoulu *> without LYDIA E. PJNKriAM'S LIT Kit PIiJ-1. TMey euro comftlpatiun, hiiiousnosa, and torpidity of the liver, gj cent* per box. C.2" bold bz nil Drr.~.uits. "i>s if ig aBJy ii 11111 ■ll ■ I ■w of business,wak man of let- wPti ■ ene>l by the strain of ■■ ters tolling over mldJa ■ your duties avoid night wont, to res-l Pxtlmuhuiu and use V tore brainnerveanoM Hoo b ttora. ■waste, use Hop B. rf l yon are young -ndßsuffenng from any ln-fl discn tion or d.sKipaMt .dn ; if you ar.-niar J rit>d or single, old crHyoung, sui!er luquiiy (by letter or through frienda) be probed to the liotiom and fouud to be full of truttx Among hundred* cured by Kheumatlne OouUline our present spare allows u* to refer to Mr. Hardlck, 118 Plymouth at, Brooklyn; ulster suffered with chronic rheumatism many years. Mr. Hastings, 294 Pearl st., Brooklyn —severe rhe* matic gout. Dr. Oaemmerwr, 347 Baltic st, Brooklyn—acute and chronic rheumatic gout 6 years. Mr. Roehsler, 366 Court st. Brooklyn—solatia rheu matism 8 years: had expended over SI,OOO in other medicines and doctors, Mr. Nevin, 461 Third av„ Brooklyn—chronic rheu matism 4 years. Mr. Mayland, 360 Bainbridge st, Brooklyn—acute Inflammatory and chronic rheumatism, ana very biul chronic dysiiepsia, Mrs. PUkingtnn, 188 Twenty-fourth st, Brooklyn acute and chronic rheumatism for years; had tried everything. Dr. Goodrich, New York City—chronic rheumatism. Mrs. Williamson, 68 Grove st. New York—terrible acute inflammatory rheumatism 30 year*, fingers un join ted by it. Mr. Dixon, 142 West st, New York—chronic, nerv ous rheumatism 3 years- Captain Nathan Wood, 104 South st. New York— chrouic rheumatism 23 years. Mr. Abrams. 77 Greenwich av.. New York—chronic rheumatism and kidney disease. Judge Grossman. la Oakland av., Jersey City ohronic rheumatism several years. The above named gentlemen know many others cured by our U, G. of rheumatism, dyspepsia, liver and kidney disorders. Now, give this matter deserved attention, or write us for circulars with 1 urther particulars, and you will bless the day you saw this advertisement ELMORE. ADAMS k CO., 36 Atlantic av„ Brooklyn, and 106 William St., New York City. iy porcsliln-Ilned Pmp rs manufactured ■ndsr I lcsnte,and buysrs are guaranteed against any and all claims from the Company holding the patent. Don't foil to tnaUe a not* of CiW# fmrnommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmrn & \ Carefiiflr made \ ALL of l \ the most Best Selected \ wjj \ Valuable Timber. \ \ Improvements. WXMZ-Jm The BLATCHLEY PUMPS are for gale by the best houses in the tra-s. Name of my nearest agost will bo faralsbod oa application te C. O. BLATCHLEY, Manufacturer, • 908 MARKET ST., PHILADELPHIA. PA.'' Prepared for Immediate Ust Ui> i'tnn r-- ' tJ. I'l "'■> iniws.l h, ImiH liave to be repainted every three yearn. The beet Paint cannot t>e made by hand mixing. The Paint used is the smalie* iieui to cost of painting, labor the twrgeet. Any building w:ll be repainted at our expense If not satis factor!'y painted with our Paint. For sale by one dealer in every city anS town • n the United States. tVPERTUS* Celebrated Single Breeeh Loading fchot Qnni at Via sap. Double Barrel Breach Loader*, fie Up. Fsrrhsnd dk Wediworih Choke bore Shi. sir Breeeh Loading (lens, nt 114.66 up. Ifaixlesnd Breeeh Loading Gant and Pl*. So is ct most approved Knglih and American makes. Ail klartsi ofSporilag ImplemeoU and artt ctas required by sportsmen and Gunmakers. JO*, c. <>Rl* SB dk CO., n* Barket Rt, Bead Xceut btamp for PriooList Philadolohla. YOUWG MEN and ba osrtaia at a situation. address VALENTIN! •808. Janasvilla. wieoonawL 08. H. W. LOBB, MEDICAL OFFICES, NO. 829 NORTH FIFTEENTH STREET, Philadelphia, Pa. 1$ years' experience. (EataU llflhed for treatment with purely vegetable medi cines.) Dr. Lobb's long experience In the treat ment of diseases enables him to guarantee a cor* in a|l cases. Consultation free and strictly eon ■dentlaL Call In person or by letter. Offloe bears: 11 to $ and Tto 10 evening. Engines, Bailable, Durable and Economical. wa /WaM a §&>■? Medical and Sirdcal Institute. For the treatment of diseases of men onlv. Dis eases of the generative organs recent or chronic, blood poison, pains in the flesh and bones, red spots, uloers, strictures, kidneys and bladder, weakness, nervous ane general debility, prema ture decay, mental and Dhysical prostration, and other special diseases speedily and permanently cured. Patients may send a description of their symptoms, etc., and appropriate remedies with di rections will be sent to any address, DRB. J. W. GRINDLE and A- D. GREY, Physicians and Surgeons, W1 West 12th Street, New York. s£7 A MONTH and board In jour county. Men or • Ladies. Pleasant business. Address, P. W. ZIBGLEK & CO.. Box 81, Philaddphia,Pa. gag f 1 A STOPPED FREE ■ Marvelous success. M&KvaSngX! cure for Fits, Epilepsy and Nerve Affections. ■ frstdafsuse. Treatise and $2 trial bottle free to H £ lt patients, they paying expn ssage. Send name. ■P. O. and express address to Pa. KLINE. 931 Philadelphia. Pa. i!kcprinciD(dand or wife, with name. time' >■ aud place of roosting, and date of marriage, pejcboluji- JrVdi' . ieallr predicted. Monej returned to ell not satisfied. WESHW9Rf lutdnea t-Nf. L. MartU.es, 10 Mart'; FL., Suites, ttaia. VP