LAMB FEEDING.

LAMBS are first put on turnips by the farmer, in order to accelerate the growth of the flock; but, not being used to this description of food, they regard it at first with distaste. They first begin on the green tops and leaves, but, by the time they have consumed the whole, the butt will have become soiled and unpalatable, and they will refuse it. A practical farmer informs us that the mode he adopts, and which he has found successful, is to put three or four sheep which had been fed on turnips the previous winter into the fold, which will attack the butt first with great eagerness; and the lambs, following the example, will, in a day or so, have become familiar with a species of food so admirably adapted for their winter sustenance.— Northampton Herald.

HAPPINESS DOES NOT DEPEND ON STATION.

Most persons imagine that those who seem above them in the world, must be happier than they. If they could but try different stations, for a little time, from their own up to the highest, they would find that every station has its cares and troubles, and perhaps the greatest are in the highest of all. At all events, they would find that there was but one golden secret of happiness in any station, high or low, namely to act rightly, and to be content.-Cottage Evenings.

FATAL EFFECTS OF DRUNKENNESS.

AN inquest was held before I. L. Ellis, at Petworth, on the body of Edward C.

It appeared in evidence that deceased had been drinking at the Masons' Arms public-house from half-past eight in the morning till half-past four; eight hours! that he was in a state of intoxication when he left the house, and asked the landlord's son to go part of the way home with him. The young man did so, and, after passing through two fields, deceased said he should do very well, and wished the young man to go back. Deceased then pro

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ceeded, alone, along what is called "the Parsonage Hill," being a terrace walk on the top of a steep declivity. Some little girls were at play on this walk, and one of them, who was laughing at the staggering gait of deceased, ran before him, and seeing him walking near the edge of the terrace, said, "If you don't mind, Master C., you will fall down the hill." Deceased replied, "If I do, it is no business of yours." The unfortunate man had hardly finished the sentence, when, shocking to relate, he fell down a distance of several yards and was killed on the spot.

The deceased was 74 years old, and it is a melancholy reflection that a man of his years has met his death in so unfit a state.-Hants Advertiser.

SPADE HUSBANDRY.

Ar the late meeting of the British Association, at Liverpool, Dr. Yellowly read a paper on spade husbandry in Norfolk. A farm of 317 acres, belonging to Mr. Mitchell, was cultivated with eight horses and twenty men, under a system of spade husbandry, which had required twelve horses and twenty men with the plough; and the general results were, better wages to the workmen, and an increase of one-third in the produce of the farm. Mr. Mitchell attached a garden of a quarter of an acre to each of the men, from which they derived a profit of 31. 3s. a year. Sir Edward Kerrison, in Suffolk, had made 200 such allotments, which were anxiously sought after. The rents were paid with great regularity, and the improvement in the condition and character of the cottagers was very manifest.

ANNUITIES IN SAVINGS' BANKS.

THE practice of workmen and domestic servants investing their savings in Government Annuities is on the increase, and St. Clement Danes Savings' Bank alone has paid to government upwards of 40,000l. in the space of three years, of which above 4,500l. was for the quarter ending the 5th ult. If this facility of provision for old age were generally made known throughout the country, it would be

much more extensively adopted, for the money paid in is in no case entirely lost. If the party do not live to receive the annuity, or be unable to continue the monthly or yearly instalments, the whole amount paid in is returned; so that by a payment of 45s. a year, (or little more than 10d. a week,) from the age of 21, an annuity of 207. a year is secured for life after attaining the age of 60; and with regard to immediate annuities, it appears that the terms allowed by the act of parliament are advantageous to persons of small means.-Globe.

THE VALUE OF ROOKS.

THE rook is a benefactor to mankind; and to the rook must be added the starling. We are under very great obligations to both these kind of birds; and though the rook may sometimes take a few grains of corn, and the starling occasionally invite himself to a little fruit, yet their public services, in freeing the ground from vermin, which would, in spite of the efforts of man, go on increasing in numbers, till famine was the result, do entitle these pretty creatures to the kindest treatment. Let the farmer content himself with employing children to frighten away their friends, when the seed is newly sown, or when the crop is approaching to maturity; but let the lives of the rook and the starling be spared.

IMPROVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE.

EVEN in parts of Ireland where little agricultural competition has hitherto been found to exist, improvement is now rapidly advancing. At a late show in Bandon there has been no less than ten candidates for the mangel wurzel prize, which was awarded to Lord Carberry; and there were numerous competitors amongst the working farmers for that as well as other prizes, amounting to twenty-five.

At the late Lismore cattle show, the Duke of Devonshire carried away the prize for the best bull and cow; and a tenant of his Grace, a widow named Keeffe, ob

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tained premiums for the best potatoes in drill, for clover with rye-grass, for vetches, and a prize of 5l. for the best cultivated farm generally. Of the prizes lately given on Lord Stanley's estate, four or five were also obtained by widows.-Northampton Herald.

THE SHERIDAN OAKS.

IN the grounds of Mrs. Graham at Crawford, Middlesex, are six thriving and handsome oaks, which bear the designation of the "Sheridan Oaks," from the following curious circumstance:-The celebrated R. B. Sheridan, in the year 1808, sent a brace of pheasants to his friend Mr. Graham, and in their crops were found six acorns. These acorns Mr. Graham planted, and they are now the oaks above mentioned.

FOR simplicity, and plain intelligible instruction, nothing can equal the Scriptures themselves. Perhaps the admirable Divine Songs" of Dr. Watts come next to them in adaptation to the capacities of children.-" A Word to Parents, &c." by Esther Copley.

To remove panes of glass.-Soft soap laid on the putty for some hours, renders it as soft as at first.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS, &c.

Accident from Fire-arms.-Lately as the son of H. W. Esq. was amusing himself with a fowling-piece which he had taken out of a drawer, not suspecting for a moment that it was loaded, the footboy entered the room with a message for the young gentleman, who in a playful manner presented the piece at him and pulled the trigger. Unfortunately it went off, the contents, slugs, dreadfully shattering the poor boy's left arm. Surgical assistance was immediately procured, but it is feared from the severe nature of the injury that amputation above the elbow will be necessary.-Never point a gun at any person.

Previous to sweeping a bed-room, mop it well over with a dry thrum mop, all the light dust will be collected, and nothing but the heavy particles remain, and the furniture, beds, &c. escape much dust.-Magazine of Domestic Economy.

Mr. Joseph Melhuish, a miller, at Pitcombe, Somerset, died lately at the age of 109 years! He enjoyed excellent health to the last. All his faculties were unimpaired. He daily read his pica bible and prayer-book, without the aid of glasses; his hearing and memory were equally good; and no one would have supposed him to be more than eighty years of age.-Salisbury Herald.

Floral Barometers.-Both the convolvulus and the pimpernel fold up their leaves on the approach of wet weather. The latter is called the poor man's weather-glass. In the same manner the different species of trefoil contract their leaves at the approach of a storm; and they have been named the husbandman's barometer. Chickweed is another plant which answers the same purpose. When the flower expands boldly and fully, no rain is likely to happen for four hours or upwards: if it continues in that open state, no rain is likely to disturb the summer's day. When it half conceals its miniature flower, the day is generally showery; but if it entirely shuts up, or veils the white flower with its green mantle, let the traveller put on his great coat, and the ploughman with his beasts of draught expect rest from their labour. -Salisbury Herald.

John Julian, late an apprentice to Mr. Geo. Glenday, of Sleaford, miller, who finished his apprenticeship on the 7th inst., told his mother, a 'poor widow belonging to that parish, who had been in the receipt of relief from the Sleaford union, that in future he would maintain her. On the Thursday following, their grateful thanks were delivered at the board for the relief the widow had received, and her name was taken from the pay list of the union at the young man's request.-Northampton Herald.

Manure. The ashes of kelp, or sea-weed, are said to form the best known manure for wheat, spread about two months before sowing-time. The next best substance is the ashes produced by the burning of broken boughs and under-shrubs.

It is said to be a common practice in Kent in planting cabbages, carrots, or any vegetable which it is intended to bring to remarkable size, to place a star-fish, or other refuse fish under each; the fish as it decays, forms a most beneficial manure.

Test of Pure Tea.-Make your tea in a large tea-pot, then pour off the first filling up of water, and, instead of replenishing the tea-pot for a second cup, turn out the leaves on a plate. If they are real tea, they will retain the usual colour; but if they are sloe, or ash, or any other such production, the false colouring matter will have been carried off in the water, and the leaves will remain quite black.-Literary Chronicle.

Economical Food for Horses.-Nine pounds of bread, made of oatmeal and bean flour, will afford more nourishment to horses than a bushel of oats of good quality, weighing twelve or thirteen pounds. A French farmer in Hanault feeds his horses during the winter with a mixture of boiled potatoes and chopped straw, giving each horse daily, at two feeds, about fourteen pounds of potatoes, which food agrees with the horses, and is much relished by them.-Northampton Herald.

Always keep your mouth open when near the discharge of heavy artillery. It is better to look a little gawky than to be deaf for a day, or to have a head-ache for an hour.

Adieu. In using this expression, which habit has rendered trivial, few persons recollect its real origin and meaning, and that in pronouncing it they recommend their friends à Dieu- to the protection of GOD.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communications of Y.; M. M.; L. S. R.; Eta; William; G. B.; F. Y.; M.; W. C. S.; and E. C.