
PUBLISHER'S 
THE BERKSHIRE COUNTRY. 
It is now the season of the year when 
the Berkshires, which are so constantly 
compared to the Middle and Western 
counties of England are at their best. 
During the present month all who can 
possibly make a visit to this charming 
section of Western Massachusetts will get 
a fuller measure of enjoyment than can 
possibly be obtained in any other way. | 
have just returned from a brief stay, mak- 
ing headquarters, as usual, at Stock- 
bridge. Although it has been my custom 
annually to visit the Berkshires, it seems 
as thoug’: never before was that country 
so exquisitely beautiful as now. The 
Berkshires are now inexpensively and 
easily reached, a trip from Boston to 
Pittsfield being a most attractive and en- 
joyable one. The Boston & Albany road 
is not only one of the best in the world, 
but it operates a train service between 
Boston and Pittsfi ld, on its way to the 
Western cities that is simply perfect. Sev- 
en times daily their through trains to 
the West cross the old Bay State between 
Boston and Albany, 4 of which are en- 
tirely by daylight. You should select 
one of these day trains, for the scenery 
en rcwute, particularly the 50 miles be- 
tween Springfield and Pittsfield is super- 
ior to anything el: .in New England. At 
Pittsfield, which is the heart of the Berk- 
shires, passengers can, in the same sta- 
tion, either go North over the Boston & 
Albany road to North Adams, but a few 
miles from Williamstown, or South to 
. Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Barrington 
and Sheffield. It makes no difference 
what way one goes from Pittsfield, it is 
one constant joy and pleasure. There is 
certainly no county in Massachusetts, or 
in America, that equals Berkshire for 
beauty and picturesque scenery. There is 
no trip that can possibly be made during 
the coming month that would give as 
much pleasure as one to this section, be 
it brief or long. Mr. A. S.: Hanson, G. 
P. A. of the Boston & Albany Railroad, 
Union Station, Boston, will furnish full 
information regarding this beautiful coun- 
try and their constant train service. 
—Exchange. 

KING SENDS OUT A NEW BOOK. 
The great appreciation shown to the 
little: book, ‘‘Hints on King’s Semi- 
Smokeless Powder and _ Peters’ Car- 
tridges,” has induced the 2 companies is- 
suing same, to put out another edition, 
which is far more elaborate than the first. 
Beside the valuable matter contained in 
the first edition, it gives the results at the 
DEPARTMENT. 
141 
Sportsmen’s exposition tournaments, 
where Peters’ cartridges, loaded with 
King’s semi-smokeless, made such phe- 
nomenal winnings in the various classes, 
showing a number of the targets made in 
these most interesting events. By way 
of answer to the hundreds of sportsmen 
who are now organizing or are interested 
in revolver and pistol clubs, a great deal 
of information has been compiled, as to 
how such clubs may be organized and 
conducted. Rules are given as to Man- 
agement, Rifles, Targets, German Ring 
Targets, Columbia Targets, String Meas- 
ure, Marking, Scoring and Signaling, 
Position, Ties, General Rules, Penalties, 
Rules for Pistol and Revolver Shooting, 
Selecting and Building a Range, etc. 
These “Hints” are well written. Tech- 
nical terms are either avoided or careful- 
ly explained so that readers of all classes 
may understand the rules and appreciate 
their significance. 
Any sportsman may own a copy of this 
book, free of charge, by addressing The 
King Powder Co. or The Peters Cart- 
ridge Co., of Cincinnati, mentioning REc- 
REATION. 

THE CENTRAL IS AHEAD. 
The Interstate Commerce Commission 
has published preliminary returns of the 
earnings of United States railroads for the 
year ending June 30, — 98, from which it 
is possible to see what revenues came to 
the various passenger departments of the 
large systems all over the country during 
that period. The gathering and arrang- 
ing of the statistics neces ary to make up 
such an exhibit is a task of great mag- 
nitude, hence it is some time after the 
official year has expired before results 
can be made known. The advantage, 
however, in adopting the figures put out 
by the Commission, is that they represent 
returns made by all the roads for one and 
the same period—the year running from 
July 1 to June 30—and not the various fis- 
cal years of the railroad companies them- 
selves, some of which ended December 31, 
others on March 31, and so on. 
Proof is furnished of the supremacy of 
the New York Central over all other sys- 
tems. of United States railroads in the 
matter of passenger department revenues, 
which include earnings from mails, ex- 
press, etc., as the total reached $38,373,- 
695 for the year named. This places the 
New York Central $701,495 ahead of the 
Pennsylvania, upon whose Eastern and 
Western lines the receipts of the passen- 
ger department footed up $37,672,200 for 
the same period. 
