Milch cows, in winter, should be kept in dry, moderately warm, but well ventilated quarters; be regularly fed and watered three times a day, salted twice or thrice a week, have clean beds, be curried daily, and in addition to their long provender, they should receive succulent food morning and evening. THE ROSE AND ITS CULTURE. The rose is "everybody's" flower. The ease with which it is grown makes it so; for it will live, as thousands of starved, deformed, sickly plants, put in the out-of-the-way room around the old farm-houses-choked by grass and overrun by weeds, and cropped off by cattle, fully testify. Its beauty makes it a favorite. Eyes whose perceptions are dull in discovering the tasty proportions of form and likeness of color in other flowers, sparkle forth its praises, even when its most perfect developments are seen in the miserable specimens whose parent branches have drawn their sustenance from the same exhausted soil for half a century-dwarfed down to comparative insignificance, and starved into disease. "As beautiful as a rose," has been a commonplace expression from the time to which our memory runneth not back, and it has been uttered with a dignity of expression which fully indicates the force of the comparison it is meant to establish. Its fragrance justly entitles it to commendation When the gentle dews of evening drop their richness on its opening petals, it gives back to the stifled air odors rich in luxury and health. And the gentle breezes of morning waft its perfume to gladden and refresh all who inhale its pure and delicious sweets. It has always been a wonder to us, as much as this plant is professedly admired, as numerous as its claims are, and as easy of cultivation as it is, that it has, by the mass of mankiud, received no more attention. True, almost every country door-yard has a bush or two of some humble, unpretending variety, introduced, perhaps, by a female member of the family, who, on advice of "the lord of creation," a class far too apt to suppose that any embellishment to the homestead, beyond a plot of beans or a hill of potatoes, as frustrating the designs of Providence, or as coming directly in opposition to his own utilitarian views of things, has given it a location in a sterile and unfrequented corner, where, struggling with quack grass and pruned by ruminating animals, it straggles on in gloomy uncertainty betwixt life and death-doubting in spring whether its feeble energies can produce a bud or unfold it to a blossom. If it does give a stinted bloom, it is such a sad abortion, compared with what it would produce under favorable circumstances, that it is no wonder that the parent shrub, if it lives at all, lives on unambitious of future beauties and future sweets. Yet every one is loud in their praises of the rose -hailing its beauties with rapture from the first rich tints its opening bud discloses, inhaling its sweets with expanded lungs amid loud panegyrics to its worth, until the beautiful and perfect flower falls into decay. A beautiful and perfect rose! Will it be charitable to suppose that three-fourths of the population of our country have never seen so rare and fascinating a flower? If they have, it must have been at some floral exhibition, where they were too much occupied with the beautiful and wonderexciting things around them, where they gazed in extatic astonishment on things in general, without going into detail of rare and beautiful objects in particular. It is certain the ill-formed, half-starved objects we have alluded to, cannot belong to this class, and it cannot be supposed that more than one in ten of the landholders of this country are in possession of any other. Now, although there are a large number of varieties of the rose, and many of them approach some other variety of the species so closely that it requires the eye of a connoisseur to trace the difference; and although all may be so cultivated as to become perfect in their variety, yet there are varieties which, constitutionally, will admit of greater perfections than the rest, under similar circumstances. These it should be the object of the cultivator to obtain. Although the first cost may be a trifle greater, they require no more ground and no more labor in cultivation than ordinary and inferior kinds, while one bush of the best will yield more satisfaction than half a dozen sickly, mean, almost good-for-nothing plants. In its demands on cultivation, the rose is modest in proportion to the remunerative satisfaction it affords. It loves a deep loam; so if the soil is shallow, it should by all means be trenched. If straw or coarse manure is laid in the bottom of the trench, a benefit will be found from the continued lightness of soil it will afford, and by its drainage in taking off superfluous water in heavy storms. The soil round the roots should be kept light and free from weeds. Like all plants and animals, it should have a sufficient territory to occupy, and healthy aliment. To afford a desirable supply of food, rotten manure should be forked into the soil around the roots to give an abundant and healthful wood for next year's bloom. Mulching with leaves or coarse manure, after the ground is put in order for the season, is highly beneficial, as it preserves an equilibrium of cold and heat, dryness and moisture, essential to the health of the plant. Its greatest enemy of the insect tribe that we know of, is the slug, which fastens on the under side of the leaf, and feasts upon its juices, until it is reduced to a skeleton, disfiguring the plant. The best remedy we know of for its ravages, is found in keeping the plant in good health, so as to insure a vigorous flow of nutritive sap and a firm growth of leaves and wood. With us it has succeeded admirably, and we commend it to all whose bushes are affected with a troublesome and wasting insect. WHICH IS THE BEST GRASS FOR MEADOWS? Mr. Editor,-Which, of all the grasses, is best for meadows? Is a mixture better than one kind? The custom here is to seed down with a mixture of clover, herdsgrass or timothy, and red-top. The first season, the clover predominates; the second, the herdsgrass; but afterwards the redtop. As the former dies out, the ground is left partially seeded. It is a well-settled opinion, that red-top is more valuable for hay than herdsgrass; and herdsgrass more valuable than clover. It is my experience, that herdsgrass and redtop will produce more hay, even the first season, than if mixed with clover, and that red top is preferable to either. That red-top will produce more feed after mowing, and is far preferable for pastures. A horse of ordinary size has been known to eat about six tons of herdsgrass (without grain) in a year; though performing very little labor. Orchard grass deserves notice. FRENCH MERINO SHEEP. General R. Harmon, of Wheatland, Monroe county, recently returned from Vermont, with about thirty choice French Merino sheep, procured from S. W. Jewett, Esq. of Middlebury. They are all young and splendid animals, and were, with one or two exceptions, all selected from Mr. Jewett's importations from France, during the past season. One ram, ten and a half months old, with a very fine fleece on his back, weighs 166 Ibs. SCIENCE AND ART. NIAGARA SUSPENSION BRIDGE. THE Lockport Journal says that laborers are busily employed in pushing the Niagara Suspension Bridge to completion. In remarking on the structure, that paper says:— Balance in favor of products of the ... ...... Balance in favor of the products of the forest.... Value of the products of the forest ex- Balance in favor of products of the £1,509,545 1,315,085 £184,460 £1,180,000 325,350 £854,658 "Imagine a span 800 feet in length forming a straight hollow beam 20 feet wide and about 18 feet deep, with top, bottom, and sides. There will be an upper floor to support the railroad and cars 58 feet wide between the railings, and suspended by two wire-cables, assisted by stays. The lower floor 19 feet wide and 15 feet high in the clear, is connected to the upper floor by vertical trusses. The cohesion of good iron wire, when properly united into cables or ropes, is found to be from 90,000 to 130,000 lbs per square inch, according to quality. The limestone used in constructing the towers will bear a pressure of 500 tons upon every square foot. The towers are 60 feet high, 15 feet square at the base, and 8 at the top. When this bridge is covered with a train of forest exported to Great Britain... cars the whole length, it will sustain a pressure of of the forest exported to Great Britain, has steadily Hence it appears that the value of the products not less than 405 tons. The speed is supposed to increased during the last three years; the numadd 15 per cent to the pressure, equal to 61 tons. bers indicating those values being in 1849, The weight of superstructure added, estimated at £670,914; in 1850, £741,901; in 1851, £854,658. 782 tons, makes the total aggregate weight sustained 1,273 tons. Assuming 2,000 tons as the tions, exclusive of pot and pearl ashes, and the It is thus seen at a glance that forest producgreatest tension to which the cables can be sub-furs and skins of animals, are of the highest ecojected, it is considered safe to allow five times the nomic importance to us, and yet who, that is regular strength, and providing for a weight of acquainted with the diversified trees of our forests, 10,000 tons. For this 15,000 miles of wire are required. The number of wires in one cable is revenue are neglected from ignorance of the value can fail to perceive that very extensive sources of 8,000. The diameter of cable about 9 inches. of many species of wood, which are especially The bridge, we believe, is the longest between adapted to the peculiar purposes of artificers in the points of support of any in the world." THE TREASURES OF OUR FORESTS. The products of the forests embrace the most important items of Canadian exports, and from their bulky nature secure to us a greater amount of intercourse with Great Britain than all other articles of export or import collectively. The relation which the products of the forest bear to other productions, in a commercial point Great Britain. We are led to these remarks in consequence of the information respecting forest productions which the recent Exhibition of All Nations in London has brought to light. Not less than one hundred and thirty varieties of British wood were exhibited at that magnificent exposition of industry. Among them, it may be well to mention, specimens of apple, pear, plum, and apricot trees were introduced, in consequence of those woods being much sought after by toy manufacturers, turners, &c. For obvious reasons, such woods would possess little value in this country, either as an article of export or for the purposes of domestic manufacture. Europe contributed forty-nine varieties of wood, most of them used in shipbuilding, carpentry, furniture, and dyeing. Asia contributed about two hundred specimens. The United States forty-two. Canada thirty-one. -Canadian Journal. A meteor of a very large size, was seen to fall at Rome, N. Y., on the night of the 20th November. The phenomenon was accompanied by a slight shock of an earthquake, which agitated the river for a few moments, and shook the windows in frame houses. The vorite trimming for the crown: drawn bonnets, both of velvet and satin, of rich dark colors, will be much in favor, some having short full feathers low at the ear, others nauds and ends of black velvet: for the interior, wreaths of flowers, groups of china asters or dark roses, with loops of black velvet intermixed, blond, and mixed flowers are all employed: the ribbons for strings are very broad. Dresses for the promenade will be of dark rich brocade, the bodies high and plain; the skirts of these are without trimming. Plain silks have flounces à disposition, or are edged, with narrow fringe of two colors, say black and green, or blue, about an inch and a half of each colour placed alternately. This style of fringe is used for cloaks with capes. We are indebted for our dresses to that distin Lafitte. meteor appeared about the size of a thirty-two guished artiste des modes, Madame Lafont, Rue pound cannon ball, and caused an illumination as brilliant as a noon-day sun would. AN EXTRAORDINARY LAMP.-Among the list of patents, is one taken out by Mr. E. Whele, for a candle-lamp of a very novel character. The lamp has a dial or clock face, and as the candle burns, the hands mark the hours and minutes correctly, and a hammer strikes the time. As a chamber-light for a sick room, it marks the time, and can be set to strike at any given periods, when the patient requires attention. As a night light, it marks the time on a transparent dial, and rings an alarum at any stated period, and in ten minutes afterwards, extinguishes the candle, or will continue to strike every second until the party gets out of bed and stops it; and, if a very heavy sleeper requires to be roused, it will fire off a percussion cap. As a table lamp, it marks the time and strikes the hours, and has a regulator and index, by which may be ascertained the amount of light and economy of consumption of the various candles of different makers. And all this is effected with very little machinery. which is of the most simple kind. DINNER AND EVENING COSTUME. Robe of glacée silk, shaded yellow and white; the corsage is low, opening in front to the waist, which is round: it has capes with deep vandyked edges, trimmed with a narrow plaited ribbon, couleur de rose: the sleeves are extremely short and trimmed to correspond: bows with long floating ends are placed on the top of the sleeves. The skirt à la robe is short, reaching to the heading of the first flounce of the jupe; the appearance of being looped back is given by the trim ming: it consists of a biais piece of silk, about half a yard wide; of course the ends will be on the straight way: this piece must be folded before it is put on the dress; first fold over one end for the top point which appears turned back; the silk must then be folded the reverse way for the next point, and then under again for the other point turned back; the next fold brings the silk to a point for the bottom of the dress: when finished, the trimming is about a quarter of a yard in width; to render what we have said easier to understand, the top point, which appears folded back, we will call the right side of the silk, the next, the wrong side; the second point folded back is again the MRS. GRUNDY'S GATHERINGS. right side, and so on: after it is put on the dress, OBSERVATIONS ON PARISIAN FASHIONS FOR AUTUMN is now giving place to winter, and our season. We observe that the season has produced a variety of mantles, which are all truly elegant, and of the style that will be the most prevailing during the ensuing winter. Dark rich velvets, lined with white satin, will be much worn amongst the aristocracy, as will also rich satins lined and quilted: embroideries and gimps of novel designs will be used to ornament velvets; and embossed velvet galloons will be employed for satins. There is a new material brought out by the house of Delisle, in Paris, called Quatine, which will be in great favour for morning cloaks. Bonnets are not worn quite so far back on the head; the brims are round and open; the edges are generally trimmed, which gives them the appearance of being larger; the fanchon is still a fa the edge is finished by a plaiting of ribbon, which OBSERVATIONS ON LONDON FASHIONS AND DRESS. DURING the present season flowers will be as much in favor as ever. Hand boquets of enor mously large size have been almost universally adopted by the leading ladies at the recent representations of the opera. In artificial flowers a variety of novelties has been introduced. Many of those intended for the hair are made of colored velvet, crape, and gauze, intermingled with gold and silver. Constantin, the celebrated French fleuriste, has at present under his charge a variety of diamond pins, aigrettes, and other ornaments of jewellery, which are to be mounted in this new style with flowers and foliage. One of the commissions he has lately executed for an English lady of rank consists of a coronet formed by a combination of flowers and precious stones. The style of dressing the hair is much the same as it has been for some time past. The full bandeaux are still very general, and we observe that many ladies are wearing the hair at the back of the head lower than ever, so that the flowers or other ornaments employed in the head-dress, droop so low as to conceal part of the neck. A very pretty style of coiffure was worn by a young lady a few evenings ago. The front hair was arranged in full bandeaux, and across the upper part of her forehead there passed a torsade composed of hair and coral intermixed. The back hair was arranged in twists, also intermingled with coral, and fixed very low at the back of the head. This style is peculiarly well suited to dark hair. The old fashion of wearing combs at the back of the head, which has been partially revived within the last two years, seems likely to meet with general favor this winter. The attempts made by some of the Parisian couturières to revive the bygone mode of short waists has not been successful. The only novelty we have yet noticed in corsages, consists in the waists being straight instead of pointed. But even when the corsage is so made, the waist is of the usual length, and the difference in the form has probably been suggested only by the dress being composed of some transparent material, as gauze or tulle. With this style of corsage a waist-band, fastened in front, is indispensable. The burnous is the style which predominates among the new opera cloaks. The 'small cloaks of colored cashmere, lined and trimmed with a different color are, however, likely to continue in favor as wraps at evening parties and places of amusement. mon. many ladies wear elegant little jackets, very much of the same form as the pelisses worn by the Turkish ladies. They are loose, that is to say not shaped to the figure, but cut straight at the back; the sleeves are slit open at the bend of the arm. These little jackets are thrown over a visiting dress, whether for dinner or evening, and they are worn until the room is rendered warm by the number of visitors. These jackets are made of white cashmere and are trimmed with ribbon woven in gold and silver, interwoven with Algerian colors. The ribbon is edged with a narrow fringe the same as the ribbon in mate rials and colors. Some of these jackets, of a less showy kind, are made of black cashmere and trimmed with gold embroidery, or a black ribbon figured with gold. This little garment is a charming fantasie, and it admits of as much elegance as may be desired. Its wide and easy form enables it to be worn over any dress however light or delicate. It will be found extremely convenient at the opera, when the cold renders it unsafe to sit with a low dress during a whole evening. THE PHILOSOPHY OF COOKERY.* To preserve, in dressing, the full nourishment of meats, and their properties of digestiveness, forms a most important part of the art of cooking; for these ends the object to be kept in mind is to retain as much as possible the juices of the meat, whether roast or boiled. This, in the case of boiling meat, is best done by placing it at once in briskly boiling water; the albumen on the surface and to some depth, is immediately coagulated, and thus forms a kind of covering which neither allows the water to get into the meat, nor the meat juice into the water. The water should then be kept just under boiling until the meat be thoroughly done, which it will be when every part has been heated to about 165 degrees, the temperature at which the coloring matter of the blood coagulates or fixes; at 133 degrees the albumen sets, but the blood does not, and therefore the meat is red and raw. The same rules apply to roasting; the meat should first be brought near enough to a bright fire to brown the outside, and then should be allowed to roast slowly. During the present winter cloaks have almost entirely superseded shawls for out-wraps. In the form of cloaks there are manifest indications of a desire for change. The Talma cloak, which was introduced last season, and adopted with favor at the commencement of the present, is now decidedly acknowledged to have become too comSeveral new shapes have appeared, and of these several of them approximate very closely to the paletot form, so much in vogue two or three years ago. These cloaks have sleeves, and are exceedingly wide round the lower part, so as Belonging to this question of waste and nourto afford ample space for the free flow of the ishment, it is to be noted, that the almost everyfolds of the dress. The trimmings, whether con-where-agreed-upon notion that soup, which sets sisting of fringe, lace, or any other material, is usually limited to the collar and sleeves only, the bottom being left quite plain. These cloaks are not made very long; even when trimmed at the bottom, they should not descend below the knee. This style of cloak has a very pretty effect when made in velvet, and, this season, black has been preferred to colors. Shawl mantelets of black velvet are trimmed with very broad and rich black lace, and sometimes with fringe and lace combined. Frequently a broad guipure is edged with a fringe made expressly for this style of trimming. Silk embroidery or narrow braid stitched on in a flowered design, or straight rows of braid made either of silk or velvet or both combined, are favorite trimmings for cloaks. The new braids present sufficient variety of design to satisfy every taste. Within doors, at the present chilly season, into strong jelly, must be the most nutritious, is altogether a mistake. The soup sets because it contains the gelatine or glue of the sinews, flesh, and bones; but on this imagined richness alone it has, by recent experiments, been proved that no animal can live. The jelly of bones boiled into soup, can furnish only jelly for our bones; the jelly of sinew or calf's feet can form only sinew; neither flesh nor its juices set into a jelly. It is only by long boiling we obtain a soup that sets, but in a much less time we get all the nourishing properties that meat yields in soups which are no doubt useful in cases of recovery from illness when the portions of the system in which it occurs have been wasted, but in other cases, though easily enough digested; jelly is unwholesome, for it loads the blood with not only • Continued from page 576, vol. 1. |