ABSTRACT
A Girls' Club.-A Girls' Friendly Club has been P.l'oposed in Marylebone. Mrs. Symes Thompson, 3, Upper George street, London, W., will give all necessary information.
Sericicu,lture in A ustralia.-At an ordinary meeting of the Society of Arts held on April 26th, under the. presidency of t.he Duke of Manchester, Mrs. Bladen Neill read a paper on the subject of "Sericiculture in Australia." The authoress, who has devoted considerable time and energy for sevel'al years past to the promotion of the silk-growing movement in Australia, commenced by referring in complimentary terms to the prolonged scientific labours in connection with silk culture of Mr. Charles Brady, of Anthony Tweed River, New South Wales. The mulberry tree flourished throughout Australia with great vigour, and the ease with which it could be reproduced and multiplied both by seed and by cuttings was a circumstance beyond all others favourable to the rearing of silkworms, and accordingll the "Victorian Ladies' Sericicultural Company (LimIted)" -a company formed under Mrs. Neill's direction -had been enabled to introduce the best varieties, and to spread them widely throughout the colony. The selection of suitable" grain," as the silkworm eggs are technically called, was another point of vital importanoe, as some worms were more liable to disease than others.
