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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1957-08-15, Page 3Eatirgg In 1atme En Nish Style Today's visitor to Rome may get one of his milder surprises as he comes up one of the busy shopping streets from the Corso into the Piazza do Spagna and sees across the old square on the left of the famous Spanish Steps what appears to be at once an anomaly and an anachronism. These two words, as Webster won't tell you, translate into "Babington's English Tea Rooms." The sign tops the shop front. It is also carved on a stone plaque, quite classic looking but only loud enough to attract connois- seurs, as it probbly was origin- ally meant to do. ssOut of place and out of time? Well, Babington is not a usual name hereabouts, where Via Condotti entters the piazza at Bernini's fountain, and Borgog- nona, Frtina, and Mignanelli with their sound as of delicate tuning forks strike the key for even. mundane speech. But to the right of the broad stairway that rises to the church called Trinita de' Monti another shop sign vouches for its appropriateness. This one is "Byron," and the window be- neath it, as you would expect, displays apparel with a special appeal to a man's vanity. Anyone who knows the square well knows also that other Eng- lish names are to be found in courts and hallways off the pi- azza. As an American might look for Americans at Paris' Cafe de la Paix, and as likely nowadays along Rome's Vi Vitorio Veneto, so for a hundred years or more Britons have expected to find their countrymen on the Piazza di Spagna. When Signora Petri had the house at the bottom of the steps near the sleek little ° haberdashery, Keats and Shelley rented rooms from her, and in 1821 Keats passed on there. The rooms are a sort of monument a memorial to them. In the subdued English -Italian atmosphere of the lunchrooms today . you hear more American than British accents. Americans not only talk louder but go more places now that currency con- trol nips the British tourist in the pocketbook. These lunch- rooms are as ort of monument, not to the literary tradition of Britain but to the heyday of em- pire at the turn of the century. Many a Briton who as a child mi- grated regularly with his ,fam- TTHREE COUNTRIES -All decked out in his Alpine outfit is two- year-old Mark Jones of Scotia, Calif. He's chomping on a hot dog in -well, of course -London, England., Mark is the son of Air Force sergeant stationed in London and was attending an Air Force party at the Festival Gardens in Battersea. sly from London to the Piazza di Spagna will at one time or an- other catch himself wondering about the postwar fate Of the little restaurant. An Italian Contessa with a good Italian name owns it today. She is a charming woman who speaks English with a pure south- ern English accent. With her fresh complexion and graying hair swept back from her fore- head, she seelns at least as Eng- lish as her tearoom. Lunches are served "all• day" as the old brass sign indicates they always have been. The menu is more up to date, reflecting the American invasion of the Old World in such items as waffles, cheese sandwiches, club sand- wiches, ice cream sodas. But you can get also those thin pancakes that Americans often call "Eng- lish" but which the British call "French," thus passing the com- pliment - anda real one it is. The pots and pitchers shine silvery on the straw mat sof the small tables so that the place seems always alive and warm, Maraschino the cat may be wait- ing for you on the table near the door if he is not sitting face to face with the cashier in her cage and causing her to bob now this way and now that as she deals with her acconuts. In his black coat and white shirt- front it is obvious that Mara- schino considers himself the head waiter and conducts himself with the called -for arrogance toward the employees but with a ration- ed graciousness for customers, writes Carlyle Morgan in The Christian Science Monitor. And yes -the old, long -re- membered pictures line the walls of the rear room, the colored lithographs of London scenes by F. W. Wheatley, R.A., and the miscellaneous hunting scenes with plenty of pink coats being lifted over hedges by beautiful horses. Yes, the flower boxes let blooms look into the front win- dows of the rom, as ever, and vines drape teh diamnd-paned window that opens against the side of the Spanish Steps. The flower merchants can still be seen from your table, picking faded petals from their roses and bunching carnations under their huge umbrellas at the foot of the vast stairway that climbs the Pincian Hill. It was Cardinal Mazarin, he who had so many ideas about Europe, who foresaw what an im- pressive ascent a flight of stairs from,the Piazza to the Trinita de' Monti would make, though some- one ense executed the plan. Today, as for generations, the stairs are sat -upon. as -Stitch ` as they are climbed. The habitues form an audience that many a playwright would be happy to be assured of for his first night, curious, ever -watchful of happen- ings in the square, or about the boat -shaped fountain, or on the steps themselves, and frequently appreciative and commentative. But such inquisitiveness and such a crowd, plus thehaste and nonchalance of the Roman traffic thaat sweeps and swerves through the piazza, can become wearing to a northerner, let alone to the stereotype known as the "shy Englishman." In the cool and quiet of the cozy lunchrooms, there is a refuge from it, which makes its proximity pleasur- able, like the sounds that come into a lonely room from children at play. Very little English is spoken by those who serve you your scones. But they serve you as if you were English. And no matter what the British may say on that point, you could be treat- ed worse, and you will rarely be treated better. "Dad, why is a man not al- lowed to have more than one wife? 'My son, when you are older you will realize that the law protects 'those who are • incap- able of protecting themselves.' CROSSWORD PUZ LF AC"11.088 1. Healthy 5. Daddy 9, Animal's stninnr11 1'.. Notion 12. Dry 11, Dessert 17. 131111111 16. Stubbed 9h' too , 1R.De11ri1're. 29. Ttet.peetful 1911' 21. 1 ,h1ts 11'' 23. T)isrriwina- tion 23,' Vole' lower than tenor 0n. now 01. Night before 32: wear away 31. T:rel-billed '"rlinn 31. Not so much 37. Throe -pronged implements 39. 1:ncleavors 41. English sc11001 12 1 nl it stand 44 1 11 enesses 48.1:99:11 51. 111nnofaeture 62. Shoop 53.1:..t:Yto 314. Sn,nnt.ft 55 1 ski's 50 1 adt stands 81. l or fear t slat r1(')WW 14 ] Sttil.es 2. Ent ranee 4t, 1,.,sniting g 1,1,1,1* 4. Wit 110111 c11 faculty 5. Permit to 1ravei 0, Painting 7. Nome of 12 popes R. Let in 97, Declare 3. Ancient in- 28. Opposed habitant of 30, Puhlicatiotls Asia Minor 29. Philippines 1n, Expert flier Esau 11. Marry 3G. Son of Adam 17. Contemptuous 33. Glossy coating child 40. Chairs 19. Head 43. Loyal 22, !Breathe loud- 43. Presented ly in sleep 46, Augments 24. Canvas shelter 47. Dispatched 25, Godliest; of 48. !Meadow discord' 49. Aoknowledge 26, Girdle = 60. 1Vrath / °. 3 •7 ;$+x5 4, 7 8 . 9 co ,r , �Z.N ' 1 (+ z 78 8 0 FJ �2+' 3y 'J/+ j3. ,�i., •, 97 :.;.m..:220z.'. :tiff, ' YS' 4 'F7 _ .4ty sz o 53 +1411 yy Answer elsewhere on this page. MECHANICAL HEN? -"Fresh from the nest" is the advertising claim on the side of this egg vendor, and most children think that means right from the wooden hen perached atop it. The first of its kind in Ohio, Lewis Enquist, a local poultryman, gives it the once-over. So far it has been very successful, with many people who may not really need eggs putting their money in just to see how it works. Chickens have long been an important item on Canadian din- ner tables and there is no indi- cation of a decrease in their. popularity. •Canadian shoppers, however, are showing a definite preference for small, tender, young birds. The poultry divi- sion of the department of agri- culture recently announced that the large roaster chicken was being replaced by the so-called broiler chicken which could be produced in less time and with greater feed efficiency, thanks to modern broiler rations. * * 11• Behind the chicken a busy housewife buys at her favorite;, meat counter is a major indust offering; employment ',pito tic sands of Canadians. It begins in a chicken hatchery and ends with the marketing of the finished bird neatly packaged in a poly- • thene bag or overwrapped with cellulose film on a cardboard tray. Amongst the business men who cater to the Canadian ap- petite for chicken is Edouard Robert, owner of Sunny Brook Farm near Ste. Adele, Que. * * * Located in the heart of the Laurentians, Sunny Brook Farm looks more like a luxury tourist resort than a broiler "factory." And a luxury resort it is, at least for the 35,000 broilers which oc- cupy the five modern chicken houses. Here for 10 to 11 weeks the broilers live a pampered ex- istence carefully guarded by Mr. Robert and a staff of three men. * * * They arrive at the farm as chicks and are immediately placed in a thoroughly clean and well -disinfected room in one of the de luxe poultry houses. As many as 1,600 broilers occupy one room, enjoying the ultimate in chicken comfort. Instead of old - fashioned brooders, they have infra -red heat lamps to keep them warm. Four times a day an automatic feeder places carefully prepared feed before them with a minimum of dis- turbance. They have nothing to do except eat and relax. * * * For the first six weeks, the birds are fed chick starter in small pellets. They are then graduated to larger pellets of more concentrated feed. In 10 to 11 weeks they weigh 31 to four pounds •- the weight at hxch they are killed. Before 'rated broiler rations, were sed the time required for the • same gain in weight was usually 15 weeks. * * * Mr. Robert keeps his farm op- erating at capacity. Every 10 days, 3,000 broilers are ready for sale and 3,000 new chicks arrive to take their place. Although some are sold locally, most are shipped to Montreal where they are killed, dressed and packaged for the retail trade, Those sold locally are killed at the farm which as its own killing plant with a capacity of 1,000 birds a day. After the birds are killed they are plucked by machine and hung on racks. The racks are wheeled to a cold stor- age room where they remain overnight at a temperature of 35 degrees. The following day the birds are cleaned and packed for delivery. 114 * * Not even the offal is wasted at Sunny Brook Farm. It is frozen and stored in a deep-freeze until sold to district mink farmers. The temperature in both cold storage rooms is regulated by a compressor and the refrigerant used is fluorinated hydrocarbon. The farm has an emergency power unit of its own in case of power failures. * * * Farmers have found that even the most expensive seed, once it is placed in the soil, is defence- less against seed -borne and soil - borne enemies. Unlike man, to whom most bacterial, virus or fungus infections are disagree- able, but not necessarily fatal, a plant once stricken with disease rarely recovers. Some plants can be attacked by as many as 30 different disorders. For many years farmers found their best protection in careful selection of disease -resistant va- rieties of seed and in a system of planned crop rotation. Now, per- fection by atricultural scientists of seed disinfectants has given them a new weapon in their war on plant diseases. '0 * * . Seed disinfectants are widely used to protect seed grain from the attacks of organisms that cause root rot, smuts and seed- ling blights. Armed against such diseases, treated seed has a bet- ter chance of producing healthier stands and richer yields of wheat, rye, barley, oats and flax. Other crops have benefited, too, from applications of seed dis-' infectants. Treatment of seed potatoes not only disinfects the surface of the tuber but also pro- tects it from many disease at- tacks after planting. * * * In the United States and Can- ada extensive field tests using seed disinfectant on alfalfa have resulted in increased stands of hay, and also in larger, healthier plants with more vigorous root systems. * * * Truck farmers and market gardeners have obtained in- creased yields from beans, peas and other vegetables by treating the seed before planting. Sugar beets, corn and even flower seeds and bulbs also respond success- fully to seed treatment. * * * Seed disinfectants are now available in a variety of forms and strengths: liquid, for use in ready -mix treaters; a standard dry formulation; and dustless powder which is dissolved in water and mixed with a special sticking agent to ensure complete coverage of the seed. Sharks Save Lives Until recently sharks were of very little use to man, despite considerable scientific study of their carcases. But scientists at the University College of North Wales have now discovered a use for at least a small part of a dead shark. Batyl alcohol, taken from a shark's Iiver, was injected into a cow which had poisoned itself by eating bracken. Previously, a synthetic substance of batyl al- cohol had been used, and this was very expensive to produce. The shark's liver, however pro- vides the richest and cheapest extract of batyl alcohol. Sharks -live ones this time - may prove to be of value to man in another direction. Professor P. W. Gilbert, a zoologist of Cornell University, recently ar- rived in the Bahamas with the intention of anaesthetizing some sharks, so that he can study their glands. He hopes this will be of value in studying the human re- productive system. (7r4' IINMY SC110011 LESSON • By Rev. R. Barclay Warren S.A., 8,D, Jonathan, Noble in Friendship 1 Samuel 18: 3-4; 19: 1-7; 23: 15-18. Meinory Selection: A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17. Here is Jonathan, prince of the realm and heir apparent to the throne of Israel. He is at- tracted to the ruddy faced youth who has just slain Goliah and given his report to King Saul. It is the beginning of a great friendship. "The soul of Jon- athan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathon loved him as his own soul." As a token of his love he gave to David his robe, garments, sword, bow and girdle. Would this love last? Saul be- came David's enemy continually and sought to slay him. This put Jonathan in an embarrassing position. But he was true to David without being untrue to his father, King Saul. Even when it became known that David had been anointed by Samuel to suc- ceed to the throne of Isreal Jonathan's love did not waver. He pled for David with Saul but to no avail. The Spirit of God had departed from Saul. David made a covenant with Jonathan to always show kind- ness not only to him but also to his descendants. On the day of their farewell "they kissed one another, and wept one with an- other, until David exceeded." Jonathan was slain with his father King Saul in a great battle with the Philistines. Part of David's lament was, "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of battle! 0 Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to ,me was wonderful, passing the love f women." David remembered his pledge to Jonathan. When he was es- tablished on the throne he found Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son wiTo was lame on both his feet. To him he said, "Fear not: for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's salve, and will restore thee all the land of Saulthy father; and thou shalt eat bread at any table con- tinually." If I had to choose between friends and money I would choose friends. They warm the heart. Francis Bacon wisely taught that to share one's joys with a friend is to double them and to share one's sorrows is to reduce them by half. Thank God for friends. Upsidedown to Prevent Peeking 1. N 3 S S 2t 3 9 a 3 J. N '3 3 n b 9 N v -i •; S N W 0 dp I N©1 3 9 } 9 S e 3 9 1 3123 3 A SS 3 1 9 a 3a 1. 3 MV 't 1 3 e 14'ws ch�ti -res, 311 3C 1 OVH WHEAT STORY: SHE'S GLAD; HE'S SAD -In Salina, Kan., this golden `sand pile" is a happy sight for Rose Mary Martin, 4, as she plays in a wheat truck (left) and watches another load of grain shower down from the combine. Rose Mary doesn't know It but here imitation "sand pile" is worth hundreds of ddllars to her parents. In Rhineland, Mo., it's a different story. Fl litened by recent torrential rains, this once proudly waving Wheat field (right) is the object of sad scrutiny by Walter Lauer. Holdit;g a few of the storm -shattered stalks, Lauer indicates the heigilt of tho grain before the rains tame. The Missouri Farmer'J' Associt tion reports that this year's wheat yield has been c•.1t in h«i in many sections of the state because of hod wea:dl;:r