height on the equipages and promeneurs tlxat crowd the Boulevards and streets of these 

 magnificent capitals. 



Some have young trees of lime, maple, and «lm, six or seven feet high, with wide-spread- 

 ing branches over head, which aiford as much shade as is wanted ; and there is, besides, 

 what is called a Berceau, at one end of the balcony, neatly trellised over, and covered with 

 vines, and in which there is a divan, or one or two seats. This is a perfect screen when 

 the sitter is in the open air, but as private as within doors ; sometimes a window is left, 

 and a curtain, to drop as required, is left among the branches ; an elegant aviary at one 

 end, in which a dozen happy birds, of various colors, keep up a continual concert, are often 

 an accompaniment, or a large cage, with a richly plumed parrot, may be seen in the centre, 

 with the lady and children intent upon their books or needles. Many a charming Havana 

 is consumed here after dinner, in the warm evenings, and many a litre of ruby wine. 



In order to prevent anything like litter in the interior of the house, from frequent carrying 

 out and in of plants, requiring fresh soil, or other attentions, a quantity of soil, with pots, and 

 sticks, and trowels, and scissors, are kept in a cupboard-like box, under a seat. Such is one 

 mode by which the European cheats time of its ennui, and lives in a civilizing atmosphere. 



Home, and Home Education, is the title of an Address at the opening of the schoolhouse 

 at Evergreen Hamlet, near Pittsburg, by William N. Shinn, May, 185 6. It consists of a 

 vast deal of common sense, aided by good feelings, and, if we had more space at our com- 

 mand, we should be glad to insert one-half of it ; as it is, the following passage possesses so 

 much merit, that we copy it alone : — 



" There should subsist between the teacher and the learners a sort of community of pur- 

 pose — a mutuality of object, as though all were learners in different stages of progress ; and 

 the respect felt for the master, as the head of the school, should be that kind which natu- 

 rally follows an exhibition of superior wisdom, and not such only as may be exacted by 

 the fear of punishment. The pupils should be co-workers with their tutor, and not merely 

 passengers, having nothing to do but show their tickets at meal time, and answer "yes" 

 when questioned about the payment of the "fare." Ten wrong answers, in aiming to give 

 the reason of a fact, are of more utility, in education, than twenty correct reasons committed 

 to memory and repeated verbatim ; for, every answer implies an exercise of intelligence 

 which adds strength, and, should success crown the last efiFort, there is a permanent lodg- 

 ment made in the understanding ; whereas, in the other case, it may only be in the memory, 

 and may or may not remain there as a permanent investment in the stock of knowledge. 

 We say, tritely, that ' knowledge is power !' and so it is, just as powder and ball are destruc- 

 tion. But it is true of the one as of the other, that without appropriate application no 

 sequence follows. Without a cultivated intellect to guide knowledge to its end, it is not a 

 whit less inert than the cannon ball when no impetus is given to it." 



The pamphlet has a good picture of a very neat and substantial schoolhouse, such as we 

 should be glad to see more of in our land. 



A Pear Orchard. — It will be recollected that Messrs. Parsons, of Flushing, Long Island, 

 parted with a large portion of their standard pears, which were set out as an orchard for 

 market fruit, on account of the land they occupied being reqtxired for building lots. Many 

 of these and some smaller ones found their way to our own neighborhood. Mr. Abraham 

 Barker has 300 of these fine trees in excellent condition, and giving promise in a few years 

 of most abundant returns. Among them we noticed 125 Lawrence, a pear that is said to 

 be easily barrelled up, and keeping as well in that form as apples. His assortment com- 

 prises, besides the above, Bartlett, Duchess D'Angouleme, Louise Bonne de Jersey 

 Bergamot, Henry Fourth, Howard, Seckel, Aremberg, Andrews, &c. &c. Tlie blight 



