378 ^'May Be So" [August, 



occasioned him far more pain than a positive refusal of his request could 

 have done. 



"I will be more careful in future/' said I, as I lay thinking about 

 the occurrence, "how I create false hopes. Mj yea shall be yea, and 

 my nay, nay. Of these, cometh not evil." ) 



In the morning, when I awoke, I found Neddy in possession of his 

 wagon. He was running with it round the room, as happy as if a tear 

 had never been upon his cheek. I looked at him for many minutes 

 w^ithout speaking. At last, seeing that I was awake, he bounded up 

 to the bedside, and kissing me, said: 



" Thank you, dear mother, for buying me this wagon ! You are a 

 good mother !" 



I must own to having felt some doubts on the subject of Neddy's 

 compliment, at the time. Since this little experience, I have been 

 more careful how I answer the petitions of my children; and avoid the 

 ''May be so," "I'll see about it," and other such evasive answers that 

 come so readily to the lips. The good result I have experienced in 

 many instances. — The Muther's Rule, hy T. S. Arthur. 



Apple Tree Borer. — N. S. Smith, of Buffalo, N. Y., gives a 

 remedy for the "sure and total destruction" of the apple, quince, and 

 peach tree borer, "and at the same time a decided stimulant and 

 fertilizer to the tree." We copy the article entire: 



"Make a concave mound of mellow earth around the tree, rising 

 about six inches above the work of the insects. Thoroughly saturate 

 this mound with a strong common salt brine, twice, at an interval of 

 four weeks, at any time of the year when the ground is not frozen ; stale 

 beef or pork brine in its full strength, is just the thing. The mound 

 of earth holds the liquid in suspension, round the tree, until by capillary 

 attraction it is carried into the holes and burrows of the insect — ■ 

 where the salt is a sure destruction to every grade of this ravaging and 

 pestilent enemy. Vary the quantity of the dose with the size of the 

 tree. Be cautious with small trees. Old, large trees, three feet round, 

 may have a pailful at a time. 



"I have revived trees by this application from apparent death. 

 Apple trees, thirty years old, with their trunks perforated very badly, are 

 now perfectly healthy, and their wounds are healing over. Two Golden 

 SweetiDgs, eight years old, last June, withered and showed signs of 



