

52 KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 
Sea-side ‘ Plants” and Pleasantries.—We all 
know, Mr. Editor, the various schemes which 
are at this season ‘‘tried on’’ at our watering- 
places. The following “ plant,” which appears 
not to have ‘‘taken,’’ will serve to raise a smile, 
if it does not put any intended victim upon his 
guard. The child seems to have learnt mamma’s 
lesson perfectly ; and her failure was “not for 
the want of any exertion on her part :”— 
“The Marquis is not to be won, Mamma; 
My advances he seems to shun, Mamma! 
I appeal to you— 
What amI to do? 
O, tell me what's next to be done, Mamma ?”’ 
“ Have you sat by his lordship’s side, my child? 
And every blandishment tried, my child ? 
Have you heav’d deep sighs, 
And look’d in his eyes ? 
And adroitly flatter’d his pride, my child?”’ 
““O yes; and I’ve done even more, Mamma ; 
Things I never have done before, Mamma; 
For I fainted quite, 
In his arms last night, 
As we stood on the sea-girt shore, Mamma!” 
“Ifthe man is proof against that, my child, 
Why the sooner he takes his hat, my child, 
Between you and me, 
The better ’twill be, 
For you see he’s not such a flat, my child!” 
Kk. C. W. 
[This is a very fair specimen of maternal 
mancuvres, which are now ‘‘on” for the season. 
Flats! look out.] 

How to Cultivate Water-Cresses—Choose a 
moist situation—if near a pond, or the pump, the 
better, with a light rich soil. Procure either 
seeds, or plants, or cuttings, in the spring; if 
plants, set them about six inches distant. They 
will soon grow, and the produce will amply repay 
the trouble. Keeping them moderately moist, 
they will continue many years, growing good 
crops.—G. H. 
Biack-Beetles and Cockroaches—You have 
told us of several things which these animals 
stand in dread of; but nothing will so effectually 
get rid of them as quick-lime, spread over their 
haunts. It fairly burns them up if they approach ; 
and they instinctively dread coming in contact 
with it.—W. S. 

Justice and Mercy not inseparable—In the 
days of Nelson, my dear sir, justice on board a 
man-of-war was tempered with mercy. It is not 
sonow. We hear of men being scourged with 
the lash, and we are told it is necessary by way 
of example! Now, Nelson had a heart, and yet 
he was a good commander! We are told he 
was always unwilling to inflict punishment, and 
when he was obliged, as he called it, ‘‘to endure 
the torture of seeing men flogged,” he came out 
of his cabin with a hurried step, ran into the 
gangway, made his bow to the officers, and, 
reading the articles of war the culprit had in- 
fringed, said, “ Boatswain, do your duty.” The 
lash was instantly applied, and, consequently, the 


sufferer exclaimed, ‘‘ Forgive me, Admiral, for- 
give me.’’ On such an occasion Nelson would 
look round with wild anxiety, and as all his offi- 
cers kept silence, he would say, ‘‘ What! none of 
you speak for me? Avast, cast him off!” And 
then added to the culprit, “ Jack, in the day of 
battle, remember me.’”’ He became a good fellow 
in future. A poorman was about to be flogged— 
a landsman—and few pitied him. His offence was 
drunkenness. As he was being tied up, a lovely 
girl, contrary to all rules, rushed through the 
officers, and, falling on her knees, clasped Nelson’s 
hand, in which were the articles of war, exclaim- 
ing, ‘‘ Pray, forgive him, your Honour; he shall 
never offend again.” “Your Face,” said Nel- 
son, ‘‘is a security for his good behavior. Let 
him go; the fellow cannot be bad who has such 
a lovely creature in his care. This man rose to 
be heutenant; his name was William Pye. A 
record of the above in our Journan, Mr. 
Editor, cannot be out of place at this particular 
time. ‘ Discipline” is about to be “ rigorously 
enforced,” it is said. May mercy guide the 
hand that inflicts the torture!—Viouter, Wor- 
cester. 

Green Parrots.—The family in which I reside, 
have long had a favorite parrot; and have always 
been in the habit of feeding it with bread, butter, 
indeed anything of which they have themselves 
been partaking. A few evenings since, they gave 
‘Poor Polly” its tea asusual. It appeared quite 
well and happy. However, in less than two hours 
afterwards it dropped from its perch and died 
suddenly. We found on examination, that its 
mouth was full of bread. Can you tell me the 
cause of its death? JI need not tell you how 
truly grieved we are at its loss.—F. 8. B., Jermyn 
Street. 
[The bird was no doubt choked. Not being 
able to swallow its food, it hada fit. This termi- 
nated in death. We have known several occur- 
rences of this kind. Great care should be taken 
to prepare the food properly.] 

Canaries, and Goldfinch-Mules—I consulted 
you Jast year about my birds. Your answer was, 
“Keep your goldfinch until next year. Your 
old canaries are useless to breed from.’’ I did 
not see this advice printed in the Journat till a 
very long time after it appeared, as the book- 
sellers persisted in saying the ‘“‘ work was discon- 
tinued.” Indeed, to this day, I am deficient of a 
great many back numbers.* Under these cir- 
cumstances, I placed my goldfinch in a breeding- 
cage, with a canary one year old. In two daysa 
nest was formed, and shortly afterwards I found 
in it six eggs. These, however, were quickly 
broken by the goldfinch. Another nest was 
built, and four eggs this time were laid. The hen 
sat twenty-one days ; but the eggs were all unpro- 
ductive. <A third nest was formed, and four eggs 
laid. The hen sat twenty days, but the result 
was “as before.” The old birds made no nest. 
So much for last year. This year, I tried the old 
* Apply for your deficient Numbers and Parts 
at 12, Great Castle Street, Regent Street. You 
will there be able to obtain what you require.— 
Ep. K. J. 

