IX. AGRICULTURE. HORTICULTURE, ETC.--The Queen Victoria Century Plant.--With an engraving. Charred Clover. A New Weathercock.--With one figure. X. MISCELLANEOUS.--New Monumental Statue and Landing Place in Honor of Christopher Columbus at Barcelona, Spain.--With an engraving. Scenery on the Utah Line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway. Captain Matthew Webb.--Biographical sketch.--With portrait. The Dwellings of the Poor In Paris. Shipment of Ostriches from Cape Town, South Africa.--With one page of engravings. * * * * * MONUMENT TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, AT BARCELONA, SPAIN. The cultivated and patriotic city of Barcelona is about to erect a magnificent monument in honor of Columbus, the personage most distinguished in the historic annals of all nations and all epochs. The City of Earls does not forget that here the discoverer of America disembarked on the 3d of April, 1493, to present to the Catholic monarchs the evidences of the happy termination of his enterprise. In honoring Columbus they honor and exalt the sons of Catalonia, who also took part in the discovery and civilization of the New World, among whom may be named the Treasurer Santangel, Captain Margarit, Friar Benardo Boyl, first patriarch of the Indies, and the twelve missionaries of Monserrat, who accompanied the illustrious admiral on his second voyage. In September, 1881, a national competition was opened by the central executive committee for the monument, and by the unanimous voice of the committee the premium plans of the architect, Don Cayetano Buigas Monraba, were adopted. From these plans, which we find in _La Ilustracion Española_, we give an engraving. Richness, grandeur, and expression, worthily combined, are the characteristics of these plans. The landing structure is divided into three parts, a central and two laterals, each of which extends forward, after the manner of a cutwater, in the form of the bow of a vessel of the fifteenth century, bringing to mind the two caravels, the Pinta and Niña; two great lights occupy the advance points on each side; a rich balustrade and four statues of celebrated persons complete the magnificent frontage. A noble monument, surmounted by a statue of the discoverer, is seen on the esplanade. [Illustration: MONUMENTAL LANDING AND STATUE TO COLUMBUS, AT BARCELONA, SPAIN.] * * * * *