—_ a —_——= Eo The Dairying Interest in Canada. 4 SERIES OF LETTERS ADDRESSED TO TH AGRIC \ CAREFUL STUDY OF DAIRY METHODS | os ae ; ‘BD PRACTICES If GREAT BRITAIN AND| have been enjoying a mai ket in Montreal for BUROPE DURING A FOUR MOKTHs’ visir| 22° print butter, at a price even so high as 35 re 1888 | conte. The price has fallen somewhat, but I : OX believe it is 3C cents even yet. From this it ents aa | would appear that our home prices for best [This letter is copy righted and re publish- butter run so closely upon the low prices rul- ed in this paper by permission of the! ing abroad that the margin for profit would | reported author. | not appear to be encouraging to shipments. | Yet, in spite of the above facts, there are | AMONG THE BRITISH DAIKY FARMERS. | reasons for the hopeful view which [ am tak- | A sort of working holiday is what the Brit ish dairy farmer gives hims«lf when he attends | his annual association meetings. He wisely combines pleasant holiday excursions with ex W hile he works cellent worki: g conferences while while he travels, he travels he feasts, he feasts he grumbles, and one cannot easily But the English- even when face s say which he enjoys most man does enjoy himself, heads and bravest hearts. The smart saying that the Eng ishman takes even his pleasures sadly, may oot be full libel, but he certainly has a way, sometimes, of taking a good deal of solid enjoyment out of good solid work. MY FIRST WEEK SPENT IN ENGLAND Was a » in simultaneous lesson ’ sCaurhinyg rare rien and p tuat y for , Which, in 3] 9 many-sided to be understood at a lelineated epigramtically. There ‘at tempcution to elaborate the t Xp nre.taking id it afforded asure-taking, and it afforded the study of English yite of its strong-marked & fiaie Oppo t ype, is ik lance er 18, yurse, wre Striking hi. st impressi ms of a cruntry so re markable as England, but the limits of space, and the probable temper of my readers, de- mand that I keep within more prosaic lines. Phe first point of interest to Canadian dairy- men, broaght out by of the Gritish dairymen, was the probability that FUTI the discussions LE PRICES OF DAIRY WILL RULE Low. GOODS side of the b- It has been our habit, on this water to assume that the only question of o taining a fvothold in the British market for yur butter product is the i ‘ ing all juestion of quality along that all we our butter production the quality of our make British consumer. No] ioubt that this requirement is the first and imperative need of our butter industry, utit does not depreciate, its importance to | say that it is The teach-} We nave be t lave t rofitabie is to suit to the liking of the ml say ? »do to make nov. the whole need, ings of the conference suggested another and important problem, the “existence of which was later confirmed by a careful inquiry into the state of the Eagiish market- tin great market of the world. t was THE PROBLEM OF CHEAP PRODUCTION. Professor Long stated at the conference last May that, except ia favored cases, good but- ter was pot worth more than 20 cents a p ~_ nd in sume et ts less, This mr, cy be said to be pretty nearly the bottor wae for best butter In Englaod in te ak see the price may rule at about this ‘en : - months. Itakeit that Prof aon 4 ban ee . Long ‘eferred to the prices received by the farmer practi- ily wholesale prices. As to retaij i pri on I saw no good butter in the shops ‘ata lonian price than 22 cents, and was 21 cents. shops dur ri 4 the commoner price l saw dispiayed in some of the ing the summer, butter ranging at p es so high as 24 to 30 cents, retail] bes these appeared to be tep prices of t'ne seeten ivr the hi The bulk ot b atter sold doubtle 24. cents, | think these prices woald fully justify Prof. Long’s statement. A trade circuiar now before ce date dJduly 3 188%, gives fur gher confirma. tion. This circular quotes for ** hatter landed rs @ range of prices from lowest S,wedish. French or Dutch at 18 cents, ta highest Danish Swedish and “‘ Creameries” at 23 cents The above may give an idea of the summer prices which we may obtain foe butter in England if we can pl nce it in tae marke in gy Ey condition which characterizee the butter eaten there the summer Now, neet goods. $3, tor from 20 to + Su. + % all ae season. these prices, when allowa‘gce is made’ for transportation charges, will not strike the wremeapareat farmer as enough better than : nthe prices to be very promising of profit. It is true thy,t I am speaking only of the _ Summer season, when the large bulk of fresh-made butter de- presses the market to its lowest figure; but nothing that I could see gave much encour- agement to bope for very high prices, as a rule, at any” seasons in the years to coime. There Ps e, indeed, CAUSES WORKING AGAINST HIGH PRICES. Said a Bristol buyer: ‘‘If tine creamery can be sold for 92 to 98 shiilings (bout 20 to 21 cents) for summer's make, and for 102 to 108 shillings (about 22 to 23 cents) for fall make, it can be sold here. When it goes to 116 shillings (about 25 cents), it makes is difficult to handle, and it gets blocked out of the market by margarine and cheaper brands of butter."’ Refereuce is here made, of course, to wholesale prices. The point isthat while a limited quantity of butter may reach hig) prices, the bulk of the butter made must be sold at a price within the means of the aver age consumer, otherwise the consumption it self will be checked by the us+ of a substitute, The opinion quoted doubtless furnishes as en- be reasonably couraging an outlook as can hoped for, since THE COMPETITION WE ARE LIKELY TO MEET in the near future is likely to dull rather than to sharpen the edges even of the low prices which have ruled in the rear past. Let it be remembered, too, that even the prespective moderate prices will be possible gnly fur a fine quality. For inferior goods, he would be an optimist indeed who would hope in the future for any price good enough to pay form sking butter. With this not too rose-colored prospect be- fore us, WILL IT PAY US TO SEND BUTTER TO ENGLAND? While i was abroad, this very practical query often thrust itself upon me most, forci- bly, and sometimes the answer seemed doubt- fal. Leven heard te opinion confidently ex- pressed by others that it is unlikely that we shall again be able t» send butter to the Fwy- iis market profitably. The reasons givea, however, for this dark view were not to my- self conclusive. Notwithstanding a somewhat unpromising outlook, there were a few weighty covsiderations which lead me to take a somewhat hopeful view of the situatiom. There are really only two serious barriers jn the way of our finding in England 4 POSSIBLE AND PROFITABLE MARKET BUITER. These barriers are, first, the imperative dop- wand fora higher quality than characterized our shipments these late years; and, second, this fact, just referred to, of probable low prices in the futyre. Assuming, for the Mrunent, that we shall vet succeed in improv- ats; tae quality, let us now deal only with the other didiculty—that of which we have jusi beon writing, low prices, to encow. age shipment of produce abroad, the foreign prices need to be enough higher than home prices to afford a trade margin. Now, our own market offers for butter, for hom umption, prices very nearly as high 5 Wi we have jast seen have been ruling in Gagland. Some of our diirymen where Tam now writing (1 3 treal at this fur the firetvinsy eons a5 What THE LTURAL PUBLIC OF CANADA, BEING | Lhis, of course, tot fo } shlems th “e rorthy j ises s ‘ i . : : face with problems that are wot thy of wise St! was because there was a stiff demand for all party 1n Canada ; worid abviously be oe in ‘stern Townships) find in Mon- Sais tnoment (October) an easy market butter which they muke, > AILY | to see how shippers can risk buying this but- iter at this price for the English market. is salt butter, packed in tubs. Take print butter. Brome county farmers First, THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY "| ing. {of all our butter will necessarily have a ten- ideney to lower the prices of our best. The | present prices of our best butter are higher | because of the fact that comparative?.y little _of our whole make is good enough to compete with the best. When the beautiful print | butter of Brome County sold for 3%, cents it! there was available. The high f,rice stimul- sted production, and soon the supply was| | more adequate to the demand, fyhen the price i fell to 30 cents. It is quite lik ely to fall still, jlower, say to 25 cents. Had all our butter! been choice, the high price af 35 cents would | not have been possible ;9.nd as our general tnake willimprove, the yrete for the best will | weaken. This fact ts mot so unsatisfactory | as might seem at first sight. A lower price for the best, due to im provement in quality | ol the rest, may mean a better average price | for the whole. ‘Yo i:tus:trate: A fine package of bniter, begause thee are in the market | nine packages Ynferior butter to every | package equal to it, will bring say 20 cents | per pound. The improvement ia the quality of the wile lot which would bring down the} price of the singlt, package to, say 18 cents, | would also brivag up the price of the nine packages, perha psfrom 15 cents to 18 cents. {f each package weighed 50 lbs., the aggre- of gate return in the first case would a= = . be $77.50; in the second case $90, making a gaizi by improvement in quality of $t2.00, or: the whole ten packages, or an average gair, of $1.25 oneach package. This A VAR BETTER STATE OF THINGS in the common interest. Second —While between foreign prices for geod butter and the prices of our best butter aere there is little margin, there is margin enough, inall conscience, between foreign prices and the prices here for our lower grades f butter. When our best butter demands 20 25 per pound, there will be found to 2» cents poorer qualities of batter olfering as low as 12 to 15 cents! foreign market would not need. to net only IS cents for this butter, to give the producer far better returns with an ‘*bundant trade margin. If, therefore, be- cause of the home demand for our best butter the English naarket does not afford a tempting market for it, we might prafitably ship our lower-priced butter, if only ite quality were good enough to warrant the trade in doing so. Let it be remembered that 1 am dealing with the question of prices only, as affecting a pos- sible future trade, not with that of quality. Of course the future trade here claimed to be possible involves that the «quabity of the lower grades of our make be much improved, which means, as we shall see, that we improve our methods of manufacture, packing, shipping, etc., phases of the subject to be treated of in subsequent letters. And’! here we may well pause.to reflect on the quantities of ‘* store packed” butter that b.as been sold even as low as ten or twelve ceryts, which might have been sold for eighteen cents and upwards, if only it had been made: and packed in a way to command sale in the Euglish market ! Third—Beariug upom this question is the probability, or, rather, certainty, that from now on PRICES OF ALL PRODUCE WILL BE LOW. Multiplied production and stiff competition are slowly but surely bringing dowa prices of all farm produce. We may as ..wel\ sell but- ter as anything else at a low price. Indeed, when we consider the general econoniic ad- vantages of butter production, we ray be led to preter to. produce butter at low prices, to producing low-priced wheat or beef, or even cheese. The following extract from Prof. tobertson, of Guelph, will show some ol tie economic advantages of cheese naaking, as proved by actual results, and those of butter- making are even greater: ‘* Dairy .farming, notably in connection with the establishment of cheese factories, has saved whole districts from the fate of speedily becoming unproduc- tive. It has largely increased the productive capacity of exhausted lands and added to their yearly earning power. Many countries have been mace wealthy by the increase im the fer- tility of semi-exhausted soils. Were this an- nual return from this extra earning_power capitalized at 6 per cent. it would recut over thirty million dollars.” Let it be under- stgod that the production of butter is urged as advantageous not to supplant that of cheese, bat rather to supplement it. ; Again, while low prices will be general, it is a question if butter will not hold up more stiffly than almost any other farm product, since many other’ products demand for suc- cessful manufacture less intelligence and skill. In one of the p»pets read at the con- ference (by Mr. Smith) it was stated that ‘dairy products had fallen in value less than any other commodity.” Fourth.—Prices for butter can hardly be permanently too low in England to allow us to compete with the british and European producer. Against intelligence and enterprise we ought to be able to bring like qualities, and with new-world vigor. Against distance - market and perhaps dearer labor we have here CHEAPER LANDS AND LOWER RENTS The inventions of modern genius have a tendency to annihilate distances. The crowd- ed condition of the old world has a tendency to increase the cost and rents of land, taxes, eto. If we cannot maké a fair profit out of prices at which the Europeon will continue to produce, it will doubtless be because we em- ploy faulty methods. I heard grumbling both in France and England about the ‘* profitless ” prices of the day, and saw much evidence that prices are already nearly or quite as low as the European produger can comfortably live upon. I may again quote Prof. Robertson, than whom there is no better authority on this sub- ject, on the future prices of cheese: ‘* The prospect for high prices for cheese in years to come ig not very bright. Perhaps an average of eight cents per Ib. may be all we can ex- pect. At any rate, our farmers should try to produce milk cheapenough to be able to sell at that price at a profit, We can produce cheese at as low a cost as any country ; and if severe competition comes we will not be the tirst forced out of the markets.” EXAMINER, — = : aes | 20 cents, for Canadian tables. It is not easy |a pas de quoi, Monsieur. | goad, ena tee News in Brief. Lord Sackville called at Paris on his way home and was feted. M. Weiss, a brilliant editor of Le Temps was present at ntertainment and ventured te express the e politely his sympathy for the manner 10 which, in the heat of the electoral contro- Murchison letter had been mis- Thereupon Lord Sackville is replied, “Il m’y I am glad that | am well out of the couatry and that I have shaken off the dirt of the American soil for La bas ils sont des barbares, des suuvages. I wrote a letter marked _*Private’ as a personal favor to an alleged fellow-countryman. In a country where any code of honor exists this would have been respected, but you see this happened in America.” versy, the ! understood. to have | The sore straits to which the liberal is reduced is evidenced in the Globe's remark that Mr. Laurier, in the periud of his leadership, has done all that was possible for a leader to do. As Mr. Laurier has done nothing, it is clear that there is nothing for a liberal leader to do. In performing the absence ofduty he shows “good judgment,” and makes his work *‘ac- ceptable in every way,,” besides inspiring '** the enthusiasm and hearty good will of his followers.” The Globe probably thinks that a do-nothing policy is preferable to that of the lightning change artist, Mr. Blake, for it further says : “* It is true that he (Laurier) did not defeat Sir John’s gov- ‘ernment, but neither did Mr. Blake.” This is true—but how unkind of the Globe. The Empire says: ‘* The United States have a little trouble with Hayti over the seizure of a vessel, and their dockyards are busy trying to get some of their navy in condition for an immediate attack. If we were, as is so strongly advocated by some anti-British journals, an independent Can- adian Republic we might expect in a simi- lar case to be treated not so cavalierly as Hayti, but with for less consideration than if we remained part of the British Empire. The measure vf our neighbors in such mat- ters is the relative strength of the powers with which they have to deal.” Mr. Edison announces that he is able to transmit kisses by phonograph. Transmit them to whom? There are few things in this world that somebody could not be found ready to accept; but if any citizen of the United States of America wants phono- graphic kisses he has never disclosed his identity. Perhaps the great inventor ex- pects to invent a recipient as well as a transmitter. oon Personal, Macdonald, Georgetown, is in Hon. A. the city. Sir John Macdonald will attain his 74th year on Jan. LI. ag Archduke Leopold of Anstria, a cousin of Emperor Francis Joseph, has been stricken with insanity. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is’seeking a marriage alliance with the Russian branchy of the Oldenburg family. He hopes to solidify his position by marPying a Russian Orthodox related to the Czar. Henry George, in a lecture said that poverty prevailed in London to a greater extent than in New York, impressing a atranger with the fearful amount of degradation in the English metropolis. The Mohawk Princess Viorgna, who is now in New York, says the American women waste too much time on dress. She is#particularly severe on the ‘‘dog women,” as she calls they whom she saw ‘nursing dogs” in Central park. ———_—________$<+ 6+ Our Advertisers To-day. J. The ladies of St. Joseph’s Sodality hold a Christmas Tree in the Convent Hall on Mon- diy evening. ee Evrorean Piax.—Be sure and go to the Market Hail to-night, and have your tea on the European plan. Perhaps it.will be the last time you will have the chance. sdsieilliuts How Esrares ARE GopsLep Up. —The estate of the late John Metzler, of Halifax, has, we learn from our exchanges, just been settled in the Probate Court. The estate was valued at $68,000, but after settling the matter and paying all expenses, a balance of $8,000 only is left to divide among the heirs. Out of this amount the Judgeallowed John W. Merzler, who is now in the Unit- ed States, 32,600 for managing, but instead of that amount be drew $5,700, leaving only $2,300 for the heirs. Papers.— London Graphic, Pictorial World, Ladies’ Pictorial, London Hlnstrated News, London Duily Telegraph, The Queen, and many other leading English Magazines will be sold to-night at the Y. M. C. A. Reading Room at 8 o'clock. a Aquatic.—It is said that Teemer has just received word that Hanlan has arranged a race between Teemer and Searle. The money is already posted, and Teemer is preparing to sail Dec. 25th. It is said that Hanlan wants himself and Teemer to challenge any double crew in the world. Hamm will probably accompany Teemer to California, and endea- vor to secure a race with Peterson. St. John, Gaudaur’s backer, and William O’Connor are in correspondence, anda race no doubt will be arranged to take place at San Francisco in March. In the recent four days’ international scull- ing contest at Brisbane, Australia, Searle had an easy victory. Beach did not compete in the final heat, owing tothe committee re. fusing to disqualify Searle and Mattison for fouling him. The first prize was £500. nen One of the reasons why Scott’s Emulsion has such a large sale is, because it is the best. Dr. W. H. Cameron, Halifax, N. 8., says:— ‘‘T have prescribed Scott's Hmulsion of Cod Liver Oil, with Hypophosphites for the past two years, and found it more agreeable to the stomach and have better results from its use than any other preparation of the kind 1 have ever used.” Sold by all druggists; 50c and $1.00. ™ My steck of Boots, Shoes, #ub- bers. Overshoes, Felt Beots, Over- To sum up the matter, we may be hopeful of a possible foreign market ; but to succeed in the cowrpetition ahead of us; and to Bnd such a market a profitable one, it will be necessary for us, besides learning to make a superior quality of product, to study the SCIENCE OF CHEAP PRODUCTION. W. H. LYNCH. Danville, Que., Dec. 18th, 1888. : Rep a tobacco and coffee crops in the state of Vera Cruz, Mexico, pave been damaged by lew cold weubher , a ¥ socks. ieee, &c., is now com- Ss ' plete, au better assorted, larger and cueaper than ever. Please eall and examine.—R. K. JOS¢, (Boreham's Old Stand). oct9 eod wy tf Four thousand Men’s Womens’ and Child- ren’s Rubbers and Overshoes, best American |} and Cunadian makes, selling at the cheapest | prices ever sold in Charlottetown, at the Do- ‘mainion Boot and Shoe Store. nov29,dw tf The proposed evictions on the Clanricarde estates, Ireland, have been postponed. . oe TRSDAY nen ee =~ - XMAS TREE. their *“‘“XMAS CONVENT, THVHE LADIZS OF ST. DALITY will hold TREE” in ST. JOSEPH'S On Monday, 17th Inst. Besides the “* XMAS TREE” and FANCY WORK TABLE, there will also be RE- FRESHMENT and well-supplied TEA TABLES, where the Ladies in charge will be most happy to receive all who will kindly patronize them. Oysters and Ice Cream will be served at the Refreshment Tables. St. Dunstan's College attendance. Doors open at 5 p. m. decl3—dy & wky tl dte —>31889->— CHAPPELLE'S ALMANAC -AND— Epitome of Information, FOR 1889, Fifteen Cents Each. Band will be ia Admission 10 cents, pat For sale by dealers throughout the Island, by the Railway News Agency, and Wholesale and Retail by THEO. L. CHAPPELLE, : Diamond Bookstore, dec6—mon th tl 13th sum jour her 2i BANK STOCK. 2 ees - rywW BE SOLD BY AUCTION, at Sales- room, Dodd’s Old Stand, On Friday, t4th December, AT 12 O'CLOCK, NOON; 50 Shares in the MERCHANTS’ OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. R. BEAIRSTO, Auctioneer. BANK dec5S —dy 7i Sale of Papers and Magazines, ae THURSDAY, 5th INSTANT, IN THE-— Y. M. C. A. Reading Room. AT 8 O'CLOCK, P. M. A MEMBERS of the Y. M.C. A. are en- titled to attend this sale. _All the leading English and American Maga- zines will be offered, _ An opportunity is offered of procuring the best literature at much less than regular prices, CHAS. LEIGH, Jr, deap—tl dte (UNINTILAS TRADE Watches, Jewelry and Fancy Goods, G& oH. TAYLOR, As in former years, will give as @ XMAS BOX, A Liberal Discount, Or, if preferred, the same value in goods. No extra charge for Engraving. North Side Queen Square. decl0 GARD T0 THE PUBLIC. ee WE have accepted the invitation of Mr. Theo. L. Chappelle to remain atthe DIAMON!) BOOKSTORE until Tuesday morning, 25th inst.,, and would ask AN EARLY VISIT from our friends, so that all may be benefitted during our stay. SANTA CLAUS. SANTA G. CLAUS. Ch’town, Dee, 1, 188. Referring to the foregoing, I would remind the public that the DIAMOND BOOKSTORE is filled with THE VERY NEWEST, MOST VARIED and LOWEST PRICED stock of Christmas Presents EVER OFFERED HERE. Special Attention is called to the Grand BAZAR fitted up in the premises overhead. Christmas Cards of every Design, Quality and Price. In order to avoid the rush peculiar to Christmas Eve, it is requested that our numerous patrons call early and select their Gifts, thereby making it mutually agreeable. THEO. L. CHAPPELLE, Diamond Bookstore and Bazar. decl—w s t] 22nd Furniture! Furniture! I PARLOR AND BEDROOM SETS, in Walnut, Mahogany, Ash and Oak, Walnut Sideboards, Hair and Flock Mattrasses, etc. Intending purchasers would do well to inspect this Furniture before gving else- where. HAVE now on hand a large assortment of G. M. HARRIS, 4 DECEMBE PERRINS & STERNS’, —_—{x]———_- Horse Rugs, ‘Sleigh Robes, Fur Coats, S, | Wool Carriage Wraps, ‘Fur Jackets, —___—{x}—____- \ aley Goods for Girismas Presents, ———[x] —— AN IMMENSE STOCK OF WINTER BAY g00DS PRICES White Blankets, Grey Blankets, Bed Comforts, Colored Counterpane Railway Rugs, I » i rand tie . Nisnlay of i ‘ o Me phy (Hi i eb AT WHICH CANNOT BE BEATEN. Sh ERNS, i muantemnnenimanshmemanntinoens |X PERKINS & Charlottetown, Nov. 14, 1888—dy & why |——_ ER or FIRE! FIRE |--REMOVAL Great Slaughter in Damaged Goods at P. J, Foran’s, nO, erreemne WING TO THE LATE FIRE, we were obliged to remoy ov STREET, in Johu McLeod & Co.’s Old Stand, sinonst annua we will dispose of our whole Stock CHEAP FOR CASH. "% ee Our Stock of GENTS’ FURNISHINGS is complete CLOTHING to select from, : Clothing soiled by water at the fire will be sok them out at once. In our CUSTOM TAILORING DEPARTMENT > fucilities f urni FECT-FITTING GARMENTS are better . peri a ree a A nice line of FANCY TROUSERINGS just received. P. J. FORAN, Mercuant Tamor, Ch’town, Dec. 8, 1888—eod & wky UPPER QUEEN STREET K QUEEN iller Bios., where Over 500 Suits of UNDER. { atany price. We are bound to clear KATES | c ay JUST REC+IVED FROW MiaLaX: 500 PAIRS GENUINE ACHE CLUB SKATES WE ARE NOW SELLING AT GREATLY REDUCED PRICEs. DODD & ROGERS. November 22, IS88—3w 2aw Le NC mE one ab ae nN en skating cumienmeitinrcememeeen | K — Ow is THE TIME TO GET YOUR SKATING BOOTS MADE, and we can make them in any Style, Shape or Quality you want them, and at very reasonable prices. Having the latest styles in CANADIAN and AMERICAN LASTS, with good Stock and a first-class staff of workmen, we feel confident that we can give you entire satisfaction. CALL EARLY AND LEAVE YOUR ORDERS. ree A FIT WARRANTED OR NO SALE. Special attention paid to BOTTOMING WORKED OR FANCY SLIPPERS’ REPAIRING OF LEATHER AND RUBBER GOODS promptly attended to. J. H. BELL, Knight’s “ld Stand, Upper Great George Street. Im 3aw (tts Ch’town, Dec. 6, 1888 Me oo << RE ac REE é Sere. ae aS STOVES and RANGES, with the wonderful be the most atus made. Oven and in the sused by evap ration of juice s. WV YE guarantee the ‘‘ CHARTER OAK WIRE GAUZE OVEN DOOR, In 10 Ibs. of Meat roasted in a **( ordinary tight Oven the loss is from 3 to 4 lbs , e a fh 4 ~f f} Made in 18 Sizes aud Styiss for Sofi Geal and Wood cWwe will be pleased to show sampies, and ean rei istomers to many families in City and Country who are using ‘“CHARTER OAK.” Stoves, and are delighted with their me DODD & ROGERS. + . " : oe o 10 Wt pe: v LookKhlig Appai t : 2, 99 4? ; ; harter (lak there is a toss of ] 1b., rem ey ; ij2 novi2 Auctivueer, augs0—~2aw & why CHARLOTTETOWN.