and is called a " So-c," or garment of leaves. 

 On the water it is used for making sails and 

 covers for boats, for fishing-rods and fish-baskets, 

 fishing-stakes and buoys. Catamarans are rude 

 boats, or rather floats, formed of a few logs of 

 bamboo, lashed firmly together. In agriculture, 

 the bamboo is used in making aqueducts for 

 conveying- water to the land; it forms part of 

 the celebrated water-wheel, as well as of the 

 plough, the harrow, and other implements of 

 industry. Excellent water-pipes are made of it, 

 for conveying springs from the hills, to supply 

 houses and temples in the valleys with pure 

 water. Its roots are often cut into the most 

 grotesque figures; and its stems finely carved 

 into ornaments for the curious, or into incense- 

 burners for the temples. The Ning-po furniture, 

 the most beautiful in China, is often inlaid with 

 figures of people, houses, temples, and pagodas, 

 in bamboo; these form most correct and striking 

 pictures of China and the Chinese. The young 

 shoots are boiled and eaten, and sweetmeats are 

 also made from them. A substance found in the 

 joints, called " Tabasheer," is used in medicine. 

 In the manufacture of tea, it helps to form the 

 rolling-tables, drying baskets, and sieves; and 

 last, though not least, the celebrated chopsticks — 

 the most important article in domestic use — are 

 made from it. However incredulous my reader 

 may be, I must still carry him a step further, and 

 tell him that / have not enumerated one-half of the 

 uses to which the bamboo is applied in China I 

 Through life, the Chinaman is almost dependent 

 upon it for his support; nor does it leave him 

 until it carries him to his last resting-place, on 

 the hill-side — and even then, in company with 

 the cypress, juniper, and pine, it waves over and 

 marks his tomb. — I cannot help thinking, my 

 dear Sir, that a record of these little-known facts 

 will assist greatly in giving Our Journal even 

 an increased value. If you think so, I shall often 

 be troublesome with my literary love offerings. — 

 Caroline E. 



[Begin, kind Caroline, from to-day, to be as 

 troublesome as you will ; and keep on sending us 

 your " love offerings," till we bid you to hold 

 your hand. We have already read your cha- 

 racter.] 



Cod Liver Oil. — When " Consumption" is so 

 fast entombing its victims, it is only kind to 

 make extensively known the best and readiest 

 means existing for its alleviation. Cure for it, 

 alas ! we too well know, there is none. Some 

 people have written books to prove that there is ; 

 but gain was their object, at the expense of truth. 

 Cod liver oil is the subject of which I speak. 

 It has done, and is doing, much good. My object 

 in now addressing you is to bring under your 

 notice a curious case of consumption, alleviated 

 by an exterior application of the oil, taken into 

 the system by absorption, The lady patient 

 resided at Kingsdown, near Bristol. When the 

 symptons of consumption first appeared, the aid 

 of the most eminent of the faculty was called into 

 requisition, and the disease having made rapid 

 progress, large doses of cod liver oil were ordered, 

 as the only effectual means of restoring the 

 sinking constitution. This medicine the lady 

 found it impossible to take, as the vomitings it 



produced rendered it of no avail. Her medical 

 attendant then recommended change of air., and 

 advised his patient to proceed immediately to 

 Sid mouth, in Devonshire. Here she again sought 

 the advice of a medical gentleman, who recom- 

 mended the use of the same medicine as our 

 fellow citizen had been previously giving her. 

 She told him it was impossible for her to retain 

 the medicine on the stomach, when the doctor 

 recommended the application of the oil externally, 

 which system was adopted, by means of com- 

 pletely saturating linen cloths with the oil, and 

 applying them to her chest. These were con- 

 tinually changed by day, and by night; and in 

 less than three months, the lady was able to 

 return to her family. Some people object, that 

 the taste and smell of this oil are such as to 

 prohibit its use. This is idle, when the benefits 

 derivable, so far exceed the drawbacks. — Medicus, 

 Brighton. 



[ We quite agree with you in all your remarks. 

 A friend of ours is, at the present time, making 

 use of cod liver oil; and he tells us that the good 

 he derives from it is incalculable. We hardly 

 need remark, that it is not in cases of consumption 

 only, that it is so largely beneficial.] 



A Merry Heart. — My dear Mr Editor — As a 

 pendant to your immortal article on " The Christ- 

 mas Tree, and its Associations," (in No 46) do 

 pray insert the following lines, by Charles Swain. 

 Christmas will soon be here; and it will be de- 

 lightful to see two such subjects, treated by two 

 such men, bound up in one cover: 



'Tis well to have a merry heart, 



However short our stay ; 

 There's wisdom in a merry heart, 



Whate'er the world may say. 

 Philosophy may lift its head, 



And find out many a flaw; 

 But give me the philosophy 



Thai's happy with a straw ! 



If life but brings us happiness — 



It brings us, we are told, 

 What's hard to buy, though rich ones try, 



With all their heaps of gold! 

 Then laugh away — let others say 



Whate'er they will of mirth ; 

 Who laughs the most, may truly boast 



He's got the wealth of earth ! 



There's beauty in a merry laugh,' 



A moral beauty too — 

 It shows the heart's an honest heart 



That's paid each man his due ; 

 Aye, lent a share of what's to spare, 



Despite of "Wisdom's" fears; 

 And made the cheek less sorrows speak, 



The eye weep fewer tears. 



The sun may shroud itself in cloud, 



And tempest- wrath begin; 

 It finds a spark to cheer the dark, 



Its sunlight is within. 

 Then laugh away ! Let others say 



Whate'er they will of mirth ; 

 Who laughs the most, may truly boast 



He's got the wealth of earth! 



Here is moral philosophy for you, that does 

 the heart good ; and teaches a man to be contented 



