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with lime, and skimmed, and then it is drawn off as a clear 

 yellow liquid ; it is then exposed to the air in open vessels, and 

 poured from one to another. It is left to percolate slowly 

 through the spongy stem of a Water Plantain : thus it forms 

 into crystals. After this it is ready to be packed in casks for 

 exportation. 



The time of gathering in the fruits of the field is, and ought 

 to be, a time of thankfulness and rejoicing. But, alas ! the 

 teeming harvest of the Rice field is too often collected amidst 

 the cries of the oppressed slaves. Longfellow associates slavery 

 with this harvest in his poem, " The Slave's Dream." 



" Beside the ungathered Rice he lay, 



His sickle in his hand ; 

 His breast was bare, his matted hair 



Was buried in the sand. 

 Again, in the mist and shadow of sleep, 



He saw his native land." 



But this is not universally the case. Many a rich harvest of 

 Eice is gathered in by free men, and we hope many a hearty 

 thanksgiving arises to the Lord of all, who giveth meat in due 

 season. Seed-time and harvest are full of deep meaning to the 

 thoughtful mind ; their constant recurrence is a proof of the 

 faithfulness of God, who promised that " seed-time and harvest, 

 summer and winter, should not fail." Many are the touching 

 pictures of harvest which are presented to us in Scripture. 

 Miss Howitt enumerates some of them in her poem of " Corn 



Fields." 



I feel the day, I see the field, 



The quivering of the leaves; 

 And good old Jacob and his house 



Binding the yellow sheaves ; 

 And at the very hour I seem 

 To be with Joseph in his dream. 



" I see the fields of Bethlehem, 



And reapers many a one, 

 Bending with their sickle stroke, 



And Boaz looking on ; 

 And Ruth, the Moabitess fair, 

 Among the gleaners stooping there, 



