POINTS FROM LETTERS

STEEL COACHES.

On the more important American railways the old fashioned wooden passenger coaches are being rapidly superseded . by those of steel. Ample experience here has shown that, in case of a crash, the loss of life is far smaller than it would have been in a wooden train. This is due not solely, nor even chiefly, to reduced fire risk, but also to the fact that passengers are in large measure protected by the- nearly unbreakable steel walls. I am informed that the last Congress named a committee to consider and report on the desirability of enacting a law requiring railway passenger cars engaged in inter-State traffic to be of steel construction.—LAuxenua W. ANDREWS, Williamstown, Mass., U.S.A.

A SUGGESTION.

Would not the epigram from the Greek Anthology, para- phrased in page 755 of the Spectator (November 24th), read more compactly thus ?- " A sailor, buried on this coast, Bids you set sail.

For many a . . . bark, when he was lost, Weathered the gale."

• -•---THOMAS CARR, 39 Mortimer Road, Kensal Rise, N.W.10. HARE'S UNEXPECTED END.

Whilst partridge driving last week I was taking cover behind a stone wall, accompanied by my dog " Roy," a cross between .a golden retriever and a red setter. I saw a hare making in my direction, and as the birds had not yet started to rise I let him come on and kept quite still. He made for my left shoulder and leapt the wall there, and as he came down " Roy " came up and caught him in mid-air, by the neck, and held him till I had secured him safely.—FRANCIS CADOGAN, Hatherop Castle, Cirencester.

ANIMAL LOVERS AND THE NEXT ELECTION.

With few notable exceptions the attitude of politicians towards animal• suffering has been contemptible, and to their selfish acquiescence and indifference may be attributed the progress of that disgraceful traffic known as the export of worn-out horses. However, it is to be hoped that all voters who have the welfare of the. dumb creation at heart will bear this matter in mind at the General Elution, and will refuse to support candidates who are content without protest to see those noble creatures so cruelly wronged.—EDwrx M. BEEDELL, Wanstead, Pembroke Avenue, Hove.

A CHANCE FOR A CLASSICAL SCHOLAR.

The following advertisement appeared lately in an American paper :--- " Literary Man. Must have profound knowledge of the Classics. Needed to write the ads. for a new. toothpaste."

I feel your readers will be interested to- hear- that there are still openings for those who have received a first-class education in the classics.—INVERNESS-SHIRE READER.

PLANTAINS IN LAWNS.

It may interest some of your readers to know that plantains in lawns can be eradicated with sulphate of ammonia. The method is thus described by Sir A. D. Hall, F.R.S. in The Feeding of Crops and Stock, 1912, pages 251-2. Sulphate of ammonia, being such a concentrated fertilizer, only small quantities are required. It should be remembered also that

when used as atop-dressing it will scorch and kill the foliage of

any green plant on which it happens to- rest. For this reason kilphate of ammonia mixed with sand is often used to kill out weects on lawns ; when sprinkled over the lawn the solUble material lodges in the crowns and rests on the broad leaves of weeds like plantains, buttercups, and daisies, eventually killing them, whereas it does not touch the upright leaves of grasses, but slips dolvn to their roots and acts as a fertilizer. If a satisfactory result is to be obtained, however, the weather must be dry. A more effective plan is to choose a fine morning and put a pinch of sulphate of ammonia into the crown of the plantains and other flat-leaved weeds.—C. H. WRIGHT, Ibadan, Nigeria.

OSPREY FEATHERS.

In to-day's paper there is a photograph of a hat trimmed with osprey.. Is there no way of „seeing that the law is put into force, or are the police conniving at the violation of it by a few morally rotten rich women ?--NrAnto U. DYCE Antrim Road, Belfast, [We deplore the use of osprey feathers, but regret that there is no Act forbidding this. The only Act (1922) forbids their importation. We hope that someone will introduce an Act prohibiting their use before long.—ED., Spectator.] " MYSTERIES."

In your issue of September 22nd you review a book under the above heading by Lieutenant-Commander Gould, in which there is a- reference to- " strange footprints found in the snow (in South Devon) on 8th February, 1855." This is of special interest to me as I am. one of the very few people living who saw, these footprints. I was very young at the time, but old enough to take notice of such things. There were pictures of the " footprints " in an illustrated paper of the period—the London News if I mistake not. I have never seen any reference to a rumour that was current at the time, that in a neighbouring village the footprints went up a cul-de-sac and over a house at the end of it.— A. E. LORAM, Victoria Club, Maritzburg, Natal.

PROTECTION OF WILD FLOWERS.

The following appeared in a daily paper not long ago " A definite step towards the conservation of rural beauty has been taken by the Hertfordshire County Council by passing a bye-law making it an-offence to uproot wild flowers or ferns from any part of the county. . . . Another new bye-law prohibits the littering of county highways with paper or other waste material."

I feel your readers will be interested to see this and hope that the example of Hertfordshire will be followed by other County Councils.—A LOVER OF THE COUNTRYSIDE.

WILL " R." BE HEARD FIFTY YEARS HENCE ?

If your correspondent from Hetton-le-Hole (Spectator, November 24th) lived in the south of England he would have no fear that the use of the letter " r ' would be limited. Not only does it replace the letter "h," but it is constantly introduced into the middle of a word—a detestable Cock- neyism which has spread into the suburbs and is, alas-! now penetrating the provinces. The following is an example of this debased English which is beginning to be used by apparently well-educated people : " I had no idear 'e was at home till I sor 'im with Ader in the garden. He was droring water faw huh." " Ahar, I said it's thoring then ? " Roser 'ad a bunch of heathuh. I sor 'er with it." This is not in the least exaggerated.—F. M. SYKES, Wadbury, Frome.

CHEAPER BOORS.

" Indian Army " in your issue of September 22nd voices a real grievance. I have often thought that an enterprising publisher would get his reward for publishing books at a price within the reach of the average pocket in immensely increased sales. Books of an interesting nature (I do not refer to the ephemeral modern novel) constantly appear ; one longs to buy and possess them, but only too often the Price is prohibitive. I have had experience of small station libraries in Nigeria, but they are rarely successful. Tastes differ, and the usual practice is only too often to follow the line of least resistance and play for safety by ordering " best sellers."—T. S. PHILLIPS, Northern Provinces, Nigeria.

A ,SOLUTION FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

Much has been written about unemployment. Surely a solution would have been found if all the women who took on men's jobs during the War gave them back to the men when they returned' home ? I am sure that in most cases women have proved themselves even - more efficient in their work in the City than the men. But men must live and provide for their families, so, wherever possible, surely women could make the sacrifice and vacate their places to the ex-Service men.—HiLDA A. Duran, .23 Warwick Square, S.W. 1.

GOETHE.

Can any of your readers refer me to the work of Goethe in which the -following passage occurs :—"- Veux-tu com- prendre le tout et en- jouir,-apprends it le voir dans la plus petite de ses .parties- This nay be incorrectly quoted, but sufficient to give a clue to the original.—A. E, 0!tn.?!., 81 Hollycroft AVenue, Hampstead, N.W. 3.