NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



307 



in distress. He stopped to find out the cause, and to 

 see if he could render any assistance to the distressed 

 bird. On approaching the tree, he saw a bird's nest, 

 with little fledglings in it, putting up their heads 

 and chirping, as it' asking for protection. The parent 

 was near, fluttering around it, and apparently strew- 

 ing a certain kind of leaf around it with all haste 

 possible. The observ'cr watched the motions of the 

 bird intently, and saw her place leaf after leaf about 

 her nest until it was entirely surrounded, when she 

 retii-ed to an adjoiuing limb of the tree, seemingly to 

 rest, and perfectly composed. The impression upon 

 the mind of the witness was, that she was awaiting 

 the issue of some threatening danger at hand ; but 

 as yet the cause of the alarm was not discovered. 

 Soon, however, on closer examination, there was 

 seen a serpent slowl}' and stealthily approaching the 

 nest, in search of the young birds. He had already 

 come within a few inches of his prey, when he was 

 seen, and in a moment he came in contact with the 

 leaves with which the bird protected her young, 

 when in an instant he recoiled from their touch, and 

 returned to his secret place of retreat. The antidote 

 was perfect. The leaf was poison to his viperous 

 touch, and the bird by instinct had learned this les- 

 son, and thus she saved her young from the deadly 

 fangs of a voracious enemy. 



How beautifully does this illustrate the value of 

 revealed truth to the young, as a sure protection 

 against that insidious enemy who is ever seeking 

 their destruction I How invaluable the instruction 

 of the Sabbath school, to guard the heart of youth, 

 by fortifying it with knowledge of the Scriptures, 

 and interweaving the wreath of principles around it, 

 which will repel at once the every approach of the 

 soul's enemy, and cause him to shrink back with 

 shame to his dark abode ! 



Write early the truth upon the heart ; imprint it 

 deep upon its flexible nature ; mould it in all the 

 thoughts ; entwine it with the earliest affections, and 

 so instamp it upon the soul that its memory will 

 never be lost ; and neither change nor death itself, 

 in after life, will destroy its influence. 



^caltl) ^Department. 



"Uses op the Black Cukrant. — The black Eng- 

 lish currant is represented to have qualities that en- 

 title it to extensive propagation. A kind of wine 

 has been manufactured from it, which is celebrated 

 for its medicinal properties. The Boston Medical 

 Examiner, quoted by Fessenden, said of this wine, 

 •' It has all the good properties of the best Port, 

 without any of its heating or constipating effects. 

 We could name several instances, where, in great 

 debility and exhaustion, after protracted and severe 

 fever, and from other causes, nothing else could be 

 thought of or taken with pleasure or advantage, in 

 which this wine proved grateful to the palate, and 

 most friendly to the stomach ; in whicli, indeed, it 

 was the principal means of conducting tlie patient to 

 health and strength. Its exhibition luis been at- 

 tended with remarkable success in the early stages 

 of cholera and dysentery ; and again in the later 

 stages of these diseases, after the symptoms of in- 

 flammation or febrile excitement had ceased. It has 

 been strikingly remedial in the low stages of typhoid 

 and bilious fever. We have not room to enumerate 

 many other morbid afl'ections in which this wine has 

 proved useiul. In sore throat, it has for many years 

 been considered almost a sjjecitic remedy." 



These opinions are confirmed by other testimony. 

 Konrick, in his American Orchardist, says, " From 

 the black currant a jelly is made, of considerable 



medicinal efficacy ; a wine is also made from it, 

 which possesses far superior medicinal virtues to 

 Port wine. The jelly has been highly recommended 

 for disorders of the throat, and as a necessary article 

 in the stores of ships sailing to the East Indies. A 

 liquor is prepared from the black currant, which, 

 Mr. Forsyth states, is possessed of great medicinal 

 efficacy in obstinate coughs, &c. The currants, for 

 this purpose, are l^ruised, and being jjlaccd in a jar, 

 whiskey or any other species of alcohol is poured 

 over them; the jar is then covered close for a fort- 

 night ; after this, the liquor is strained and bottled." 



The jelly from the black currant is further de- 

 scribed as being fine for the table ; and the wine as 

 of peculiar flavor, which, to those long accustomed to 

 its use, is delectable. 



A friend of ours, who has many years made use 

 of this currant in his family, as a remedy for some 

 of the above-named affections, especially for diar- 

 rhcea, fully concurs in the foregoing estimate of its 

 value. He considers it also excellent as a preserve. 

 — Michigan Farmer. 



Life is shortened by indulgence in anger, ill will, 

 anxiety, envy, grief, sorrow, and excessive care. 

 The vital powers are wasted by excessive bodily ex- 

 ercise in some cases, and want of a due portion in 

 others. 



iUccljanics JDepartment, !2lrtg, ^c. 



Electric Telegraph across the Atlantic. — 

 This project, to which we have before alluded, is 

 referred to in the Manchester Guardian as follows : — 



The New York papers give full particulars of Mr. 

 John Wilkes's plan for forming a lino of electric tel- 

 egraph between North America and Europe — for 

 carrying out which, a company is stated to be formed 

 in that city. He proposes to lay down, at the bottom 

 of the sea, a wire of solid ii'on, well insulated, from 

 the eastern coast of Newfoundland to the western 

 coast of Ireland. On the good anchoring ground 

 which lies five hundred miles distant from the first 

 of these countries, he will establish a repeating sta- 

 tion, by which the length of Avire will be reduced to 

 one thousand and si.x hundred English miles. How- 

 ever deep may bo the Atlantic, he proposes to con- 

 duct his wire along the bottom. According to all 

 appearances, he says, the depth nowhere exceeds 

 two miles, and he has reason to believe that it is little 

 more than one. But even supposing there may bo 

 submarine valleys of ten or twenty miles in depth, 

 and fifty or sixty in width, he is of opinion that such 

 hollows would present no great obstacle, as the wire 

 might be made to pass over them by means of sup- 

 ports, fixed (we are not told how) at intervals of two 

 miles or less, so that the wire should be kept always 

 two hundred fathoms below the surface of the sea. 

 Every hundred miles ho would anchor a small raft 

 with mast and flag, communicating with the wire, 

 that the latter may lie taken up when rccjuiring to 

 be repaired or renewed ; but his opinion is, that there 

 is no possibility of a wire laid at such a depth being 

 injured. To lay down this telegrapliic lino, two 

 ships, working by a very simple process of ma- 

 chinery, will, he says, suffice. The work will be 

 done in two years, and will cost about !f)i300,000. 



Process of Enoravino upon Ivouy. — The llevue 

 Scientificiue, of Paris, gives the following exposition 

 of the interesting process of ivory engraving : — 



The process used to cover ivory with ornaments 



