Besides all these standing dishes, there are, of course, a few stray articles on all kinds of subjects.  In a copy before me is one of a series entitled, ‘The Goldfields,’ of special interest to miners, and treating the subject technically.

But the two departments which may be said to have made the Australasian are the Sportsman and the Yeoman, which, to all intents and purposes, are separate papers incorporated with the Australasian.  Of the Sportsman, I don’t think it is too much to say, that it is the best sporting paper in the world, not excepting the Field, and it fully deserves the supreme authority which it exercises over all sporting matters south of the line.  The page begins with ‘Answers to Correspondents.’  Then come one or two leading articles on sporting matters, which form the stronghold of the department; then Turf Gossips, the Betting Market, full descriptions of all Australian and the principal New Zealand race-meetings, special training notes from Flemington, Randwick and Adelaide, intercolonial sporting notes and letters from special correspondents, winding up with ’Sporting Notes from Home.’  Cricket next has a leading article and notes, followed by descriptions of the more important matches.  Yachting, rowing, coursing, pigeon-shooting, hunting, shooting, football, and lawn-tennis all come in for a small share.

The Yeoman is not much in my line, though it is looked up to as a great authority upon all agricultural and pastoral topics.  Taking a current number, I find it begins with ‘Answers to Correspondents;’ then comes the ‘Weekly Review of the Corn Trade;’ ‘Rural Topics and Events;’ a series of short editorial comments; a leader on’ Wheat-growing;’ ’The Crops and the Harvest, by our Agricultural Reporter, No.  IV.;’ ’In the Queensland Down County, No.  VI.;’ ‘The Water Conservation Act, No.  III.;’ ‘The Melbourne Wool-buyers and the Wool-brokers;’ ’Separating Cream by Machinery;’ ‘Selling Live Cattle by Weight;’ ‘Fancy Price of Breeders;’ ‘Competition between Draught Horses;’ ‘Butter Cows;’ ’The Black Walnut at Home.’  ‘Public Trial of Hornsby’s Spring Binder;’ ‘Correspondence;’ ‘Horticultural Notes;’ ‘Gardening Operations for the Week;’ ’Plant Notes;’ ‘Notes and Gleanings;’ ‘Impoundings;’ etc., etc., etc.

So much for the Australasian, of which it must not be forgotten that the Sportsman and Yeoman are only component parts.  As its name implies, it has a wide circulation beyond Victoria.  In the Riverine district and a considerable part of New South Wales, it is the principal paper taken; and even in New Zealand and Western Australia all hotels and many private persons subscribe to it.  To the wide area over which, and the good class of people amongst whom it circulates, is largely due the leading position which Victoria occupies in the minds of all the other colonies, and the views they take of her