On one side of the park at Serlby isa wood in which rookery and to which a large! number of rooks come to roost, and who, previous to going into the wood, usually settle In the trees or on the grass in the park. One evening, looking out of the window, To saw a. very large number of rooks, at least 500, Settled on the grass ina very wide eivele, With an interval of some 20 yards were tome 25 rooks, also in a citole, and_alone in the middle of this inner circle was a solitary rook. There. was! 4 great deal of caving and bow: ing of heads, first by the inner circle of rooks and then by all the large outer lot. Suddenly the inner circle rushed upon the solitary rook, and after a short) interval all ow away into. the wood, leaving the solitary rook lying there. "I walked down to ike sure, and there the rook lay, quite dead. From all I saw: Lave no doubt it was a solemn, and the judgment given by the judges of the inner circle was confirmed by all the rooks assembled round before the sent-chee of death wan carried opt, What lave the ecaffers to say about it now?
'A. most welcome' renewal of interest that has been sadly lacking in recent years was evident at the annual Chrysanthemum Show of the Shanghai Horticultural Society in the Town Hall, on Thursday, People well qualified to judge were amazed when they caw the quantity and quality of the exhibits and unhesiratingly it was declared to be one of the best shows ever organized by. the Society, and certainly a long way ahead of anything seen since 1915.
Much of this encouraging success was due to the wholehearted support of Chinese horticulturists a no one grudged them winning a goodly proportion of the prizes. seemed pity that such beautiful exhibits should have so short a life, for a judge with the best credentials, asserted that there were many plants in the hall which could not be excelled anywhere in the world, The same colouring may be achieved and the same delicate beauty, and even larger blooms may be grown, but, pointing to a great purple mass of 70 flowers, he said:—"I am sure that nowhere else can. you get that number on one plant."
'A chrysanthemum show always is a trifle bewildering to others than experts for ench succeeding glorious bank seems more beautiful than those before. Whether they were the tiny "buttons" or the great fluffy mops, or anything in between, all were beautiful. And as though the competitive exhibits were not. sufficient, Mr. D. MacGregor had utilized the whole of the far end of the hall for n display of his own conception. The platform and temporary stage in front he had made into a terrace garden with pillars and balustrades, pond in the centre, and om mental statuary by Mr. B. J, Kock (who also had a very fine independent exhibit) guarding the steps. The open spaces were filled with solid masses of multi-coloured chrysanthemums, presenting scene of dazzling beauty. the usual, section for vegetables, this time well patronized that the exhibits appropriately overflowed into the kitchen, More numerous and more attractive table decorations have earlier shows, but some were quite tasteful. Some striking photographs and paintings were on view in the garden art section. The chestra played during the afternoon and avenin,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.