158 The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Nov. 1, 1S85. 
lengthened by the addition of 600 feet. Mr Bignell has brought some 
specimens of the coal to Warrnambool. He has undertaken to supply 20 
tons to the contractors for the jetty there. One of the seams is a con- 
tinuation of that first discovered in Victoria.” Our latest information in 
regard to the doings of the Cape Otway Coal Mining Company, of whose 
directors Mr. W. S. Helpman is chairman, is of a most satisfactory 
character ; but still better developments are being waited for, before the 
venture is placed upon a footing that will let the public in on terms 
sufficiently profitable to the promoters. We hear also that Ballarat enter- 
prise and capital are likely to be engaged in Cape Otway Coal 
prospecting. 
The heliotrope has evidently been elected queen of flowers in the 
world of fashion for the present season. We hear that its sweet odour is 
to reign supremely in ladies’ sachets, and, it may be presumed, in the 
toilet-box of the “ masher.” Now it is unfortunate that even the olfac- 
tory nerves, which are by no means the least sensitive and discriminating 
of human organs, should thus be led into slavish compliance with 
fashion’s whims. Heliotrope — nothing but heliotrope, when the variety 
of perfumes is so great ! Sweet though it be, even the dullest nose must 
feel the inconsistency of recognising “ fashion ” in a scent. One of the 
keenest pleasures to the sense of smell is that derived from a good, old- 
fashioned flower garden, and what is the reason of its charm? It is that 
the many varied odours are so blended that it would be almost impossible 
to award the palm to any one flower — either the honeysuckle, jasmine, 
carnation, lily, or the rose. We can imagine the feelings of old James 
Hervey — who wrote “ Reflections on a Flower-garden,” and delighted in 
the balmy fragrance that “ not only regales the sense, but cheers the very 
soul ” — were he here now to know that a particular scent should be 
the “ fashion.” But the heliotrope, whose perfume, by the way, we do 
not wish in the least to depreciate, is also to set a scale of colour. Ball 
dresses, tea gowns, and dinner dresses, in a great variety of materials, have 
taken its hue, and very delicate it is combined with such contrasts as gold 
embroidery, gold ornaments, white satin, or leaves of rich-toned brown. 
We hear that one of the most widely known of the popular publishing 
firms has in contemplation certain changes which will revolutionise the pro- 
fession of authorship so far as this particular firm is concerned. The un- 
punctuality of those who follow the calling of literature is proverbial — justly 
or unjustly — and the particular house to which we refer has suffered as 
much as any of the other publishers. It deals with a multitude of 
literary people, and most of them disappoint its business managers in 
point of time, The supposed cause of the evil is want of method on the 
part of the authors. And what the firm contemplates, as we are told, is 
to have all its work done upon its ow r n premises, except where the writer 
with whom it contracts is one whom it cannot bring down to that level. 
Reports from Alberta district, at the eastern base of the Canadian 
Rocky Mountains, state that though having some fifty thousand 
head of cattle the amount of butter manufactured in Alberta does not 
nearly supply the local demand, and this summer farmers found a ready 
sale for all they could make at from 35 cents to 50 cents (is. 5d. to 2s.) 
per pound. The high price of dairy cattle may in some measure account 
for the fact that a greater number did not undertake dairy farming last 
season, but a large number of cattle were imported this year, and in a 
short time the local markets will be supplied by home produce. The 
