come men. In the third year a rule was made, that, besides the bed of flowers, each boy was to grow a bed of sweet herbs. These things strengthen broth, and improve the flavour of meat and pudding. None were allowed to come into the gardens but the mothers and sisters of the boys; and they were not to interfere with any thing, but as it was found that, when the boys were employed, it was desirable that the vegetables should be gathered for them. Hence two benefits arose : the young girls learning how to gather vegetables properly, and also how to cook them. In the third year the boys were becoming young men, but would have thought it hard to be turned out; an acre and a half was therefore divided amongst new applicants. Eighteen new tenants, from eight to fourteen years of age, on one piece; but, it is added, that it would have been better had they been separated, and intermingled with those who had had land for three years.Labourer's Friend Magazine. TO THE YOUNG. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? Even by ruling himself after thy word. Psalm cxix. 9. O THAT this portion of the Psalm were deeply engraved on the mind and heart of every young person! Youth is the season of greatest danger; the passions are strong, the judgment is weak, and there is little experience; the world is flattering and enticing; and Satan is laying his snares in every path. If the young have nothing better to look to than their own reason and earthly counsellors, they are sure to "go wrong:" if they have nothing to lean upon but their own strength, they are sure to fall. Look to the word of God; take that for your guide, your daily guide in life; pray God to fix it in your heart, that you may remember its holy precepts in the hour of temptation, and be preserved by them from danger. Thus your blessed Saviour baffled and defeated the tempter, by appealing to the written word, (Matt. iv. 4. 7. 10.) and, by the same means, you will be enabled to conquer. And never be ashamed of confessing that your hope and trust, your comfort and delight, are resting on the sure promises 1838.] BEES. 53 of God. While the sons and daughters of vanity are fluttering about in their foolish pleasures, which are as a wasting lamp that will soon expire in outer darkness, do ye, Christian children, delight yourselves wholly in the Lord: there can be no happiness but in Him and from Him. "Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee." (Job xxii. 21.) Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.' (Eccles. xii. 1.) "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (Matthew vi. 20.) Rev. J Slade's explanation of the Psalms. BEES. THE following extract is taken from a clever little tract published at Oxford, called "A short and simple letter to Cottagers, by a conservative Bee-keeper." "Make your hive with a hole at the top, an inch and a half over, with a bung to fit into it. This is needful for the plan of capping, which I am now going to teach you. "In May, when your hives get full of bees, and they begin to hang out, put a small straw hive, which will hold about ten pounds of honey, on the top of the strong stock after you have pulled out the bung; the upper hive should have a bit of glass worked into the straw at the back, that you may see when it is full (a glass cap, if you can afford it, is prettier). In good places, or where honey dew is plenty, the bees will fill it sometimes in a week or ten days. As soon as ever it is full, take it off; it will be white honey; and, as the first in the market, will fetch at least sixpence, sometimes a shilling, more than that taken in September on the old plan. These little caps will give room for the bees to work, who otherwise would hang out idle at the mouth of the hives waiting for swarming. I have had them hanging out for more than a month together. The bees do not know the time when the queen will be ready to swarm. Even when she is ready, they are often kept back many days by clouds and wind; and they are too wise to tire themselves by work on a day when they may have a long journey to go in swarming. Not only are they idle, but the other bees are forced to feed them, for every bee that goes off with a swarm has his stomach full of honey, which is taken from the common stock. By means of the cap you make those bees work for you who would otherwise be idle. "The cap must not be larger than the size I have told you. If you put on a full sized hive, (as done abroad,) you give them so much room that they will not swarm at all. But this cap will not make them swarm one day later than they would otherwise do. Besides, if the cap is too large, the queen will lay her eggs there also; and, when you take it off, you will find black combs, instead of virgin honey. This is the most simple and easy change in the common way of keeping bees, which any one may try." TOOTH-ACHE. EVERY person seems to have "an infallible remedy for the tooth-ache;"-but, if you apply to a regular doctor, you find that he has very little to say about the matter. This pain is so severe, that it is not to be wondered at that the sufferer is willing to try every thing that is recommended; and, as the pain does not often continue for many days together, he is apt to believe that the last application has cured him. When, however, another person tries the same remedy, he does not find it a certain cure. Indeed, there is very little good to be expected from any outward applications. To prevent, however, the toothache from coming on, by keeping the teeth clean and preventing them from decaying, is what ought to be aimed at. They should be well brushed, morning and evening, and once more in the course of the day. The following is a good tooth powder, better than most that you can buy, and much cheaper :-Equal quantities of prepared chalk, powdered myrrh, and orris root. The chalk cleanses the teeth by its friction, without doing harm, and is indeed a useful tooth powder of itself,—but the myrrh preserves and strengthens the gums, and is of great use. The orris root is only to give an agreeable taste; half an ounce of each of these will make enough to last a long time; and the constant use of this will help to keep the teeth and gums healthful and sound. 1838.] GAMBLING. 55 Tooth-ache often arises from a disordered state of the stomach. In that case all outward applications will be of little or no use. If a few small doses of rhubarb be taken, one at bed time, and another an hour before dinner, or early in the morning, so that the stomach may be brought into right order, and the bowels be set right, then the pain will generally cease. But if the person be of a weak and delicate frame, then something bracing should be tried, such as a small glass of port wine twice a day; or bark, or quinine, may, by strengthening the system, drive away the pain. If the tooth-ache be of a nervous character, and there is a particular tenderness and irritability about the teeth, then something sedative and quieting will help to keep off an attack. The tooth powder to be used in common should then have in it some camphor, which is particularly soothing and quieting. Then it should be equal quantities of prepared chalk, myrrh, and camphor. FOR A COUGH. V. EQUAL quantities of treacle, good salad oil, and syrup of poppies. A teaspoonful of this may be taken when the cough is troublesome; rather more on going to bed,—but it would be well that the quantity should not much exceed two tablespoonsful in the course of the day. GAMBLING. LET every man avoid all sorts of gambling as he would poison. A poor man or boy should not allow himself even to toss up for a halfpenny; for this is often the beginning of a habit of gambling; and this ruinous crime comes on by slow degrees. Whilst a man is minding his work he is playing the best game, and he is sure to win. A gambler never makes any good use of his money, even if he should win. He only gambles the more, and he is often reduced to beggary and despair. He is often tempted to commit crimes for which his life is forfeited to his country; or perhaps he puts an end, himself, to his miserable existence. If a gambler loses, he injures himself. If he wins, he injures a companion or a friend. And could any honest man enjoy money gained in such a way? -Ten Minutes Advice to Labourers. THE DONKEY. "HE can't complain, but God's all-seeing eye Ile was design'd thy servant, not thy drudge: Poor brute! how few, save me, will sing thy praise; At least one lesson we may from thee learn, Tho' God commits the beast to man's own care, Thy daintiest meal-the thistle's prickly head, Oh! let us think how ill we do repay At night, the work which thou hast done by day; Till day returns, and labour comes again. Slightly altered from "The Varied Wreath."-Sent by D. I. E. GIN. IF the following account be true, which we have received from a correspondent, and which is abridged from a popular work, here is another good reason for giving up gin drinking. It is well known, that the gin that is consumed in London is composed of the most destructive poison. The dram-shop keeper, to make the liquor intoxicating, and, at the same time to increase his profit on its sale, adds oil of vitriol, sugar of lead, alum, turpentine, and other drugs', in large proportions. The spirit is sent out by the distiller in a pure form, and of uniform strength; but the gin-shop keeper dilutes and adulterates it in various ways. He commences operations on the gin as soon as 1 Accum. |