Since the installation of the first model of an elbowed equatorial of 11 in. aperture, in 1882, at the Paris Observatory, the numerous and indisputable advantages of this sort of instrument have led a certain number of observatories to have similar, but larger, instruments constructed.  In France, the observatories of Alger, Besancon, and Lyons have telescopes of this kind, the objectives of which have diameters of from 12 in. to 13 in., and which have been used for several years past in equatorial observations of all kinds.  The Vienna Observatory has for the last two years been using an instrument of this kind whose objective has an aperture of 15 inches.  Another equatorial of the same kind, of 16 in. aperture, is now in course of construction for the Nice Observatory, where it will be especially employed as a seeker of exceptional power—­a role to which this kind of instrument lends itself admirably.  The optical part of all these instruments was furnished by the Messrs. Henry, and the mechanical part by Mr. Gautier.

The largest elbowed equatorial is, therefore, that of the Paris Observatory.  Its optical power, moreover, corresponds perfectly to its huge dimensions.  The experimental observations which have already been made with it fully justify the hopes that we had a right to found upon the professional skill of the eminent artists to whom we owe this colossal instrument.  The images of the stars were given with the greatest sharpness, and it was possible to study the details of the surface of the moon and other planets, and several star clusters, in all their peculiarities, in the most remarkable manner.

When it shall become possible to make use of this equatorial for celestial photography, there is no doubt that we shall obtain the most important results.  As regards the moon, in particular, the photographing of which has already made so great progress, its direct image at the focus of the large 24 in. photographic objective will have a diameter of 11 in., and, being magnified, will be capable of giving images of more than 3 ft. in diameter.—­La Nature.

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LILY OF THE VALLEY.

There is no flower more truly and universally popular than the lily of the valley.  What can be more delicious and refreshing than the scent of its fragrant flowers?  What other plant can equal in spring the attractiveness of its pillars of pure white bells half hidden in their beautiful foliage?  There are few gardens without a bed of lily of the valley, but too often the place chosen for it is some dark corner where nothing else would be expected to grow, but it is supposed as a matter of course that “it will do for a lily bed.”  The consequence is that although these lilies are very easy things to cultivate, as indeed they ought to be, seeing that they grow wild in the woods of this and other countries, yet one hears so often from those who take only a