132 
editor’s table. 
(ffbitor 0 ®able. 
Journal of the Texian Expedition>against Mier; 
with Reflections upon the Present Political and Proba¬ 
ble Future Relations of Texas, Mexico, and the United 
States. By Thomas J. Green. Illustrated with copper¬ 
plate Engravings. New York: Harper & Brothers, 
pp. 488, 8vo. Price $2.00. The nature of this work 
is sufficiently indicated by its title, and those who are 
desirous of obtaining information respecting Mexico, 
particularly at the present period of its history, should, 
before all others, purchase it. 
Latrobe’s Rambler in Mexico. New York: Har¬ 
pers. l2mo. Price 65 cents. Of recent tourists in 
Mexico, we think no one has given a more graphic 
picture of the manners and scenery of that country 
than Latrobe ; and like the above named work by Mr. 
Green, the Rambler cannot fail to be read with interest 
by all at the present time. 
Travels in Peru, during the years 1838-42, on the 
Coast, in the Sierra, across the Cordilleras and the 
Andes, into the Primeval Forests. By Dr. J. J. Yon 
Tschudi. In two parts. New York: Wiley & Put¬ 
nam, pp. 354, 12mo. Price 37§ cents each. This little 
work, which forms a part of the Library of Choice 
Reading, probably contains more information on the 
present condition of Peru, as regards its natural histo¬ 
ry, agriculture, manners, customs, and occupation of 
its inhabitants, &c., than any work extant. 
Dogs ; their Origin and Varieties; Directions as to 
their General Management, and Simple Instructions 
as to their Treatment under Disease. By H. D. Rich¬ 
ardson, Author of Domestic Fowls, &c., with twelve 
Illustrations, engraved on Wood. D. Appleton & Co., 
200 Broadway, pp. 115, l8mo. Price 25 cents. We 
seldom have read a work with more heart-felt pleasure 
than the little book before us. The origin of the Dog, 
the faithful and constant “ friend of man,” may be 
traced back to remote ages of “ Animated Nature,” and 
the training of this generous quadruped seems to have 
been one of the first arts invented by the human race ; 
and the result of this art was the conquest and peaceful 
possession of the earth. Various poets and moralists, 
both ancient and modern, have delighted in commemo¬ 
rating the virtues of what they have been pleased to 
call the “glorious, never-to-be-forgotten conquest of 
reason over instinct;”—yes, from the days of Homer, 
who hymned the fidelity of Argus, the old dog of 
Ulysses, in the Odyssey, to our own times, when Lord 
Byron, in his youth, penned the epitaph upon his faith¬ 
ful favorite at Newstead; and the late Thomas Camp¬ 
bell sang in one of his celebrated ballads, of the old 
harper, by the Shannon, and his dog—where the simple 
tale of Colin and “ his poor dog Tray”—the old shep¬ 
herd and the old shepherd’s dog—was adorned with 
plaintive verse. But more of this anon. The neat and 
tasteful manner in which this book is got up, its ex¬ 
ceedingly low price, and its general utility in the man¬ 
agement of the dog, cannot fail to insure an extensive 
circulation. 
The Family Kitchen Gardener; containing Plain 
and Accurate Descriptions of all the different Species 
and Varieties of Culinary Vegetables; with their Bo¬ 
tanical, English, French, and German names, alpha¬ 
betically arranged, and the Best Mode of cultivating 
them, in the Garden or under Glass; with a Descrip¬ 
tion of Implements and Medicinal Herbs in General 
Use. Also, Descriptions and Characters of the most 
Select Fruits, their Management, Propagation, and 
Culture. Illustrated with 25 Engravings. By Robert 
Buist, Author of the American Flower-Garden Direc¬ 
tory, Rose Manual, &c. New York: J. C. Riker. 12mo. 
From a cursory view of this work, and judging from 
Mr. Buist’s other publications, we commend the treatise 
to the attention of all who have a desire to improve 
their kitchen gardens. It is for sale by C. M. Saxton, 
205 Broadway, N. Y. 
Bagley’s Gold Pens. —We would call the attention 
of our readers to Messrs. Bagley & Co.’s advertisement 
of Gold Pens, in another part of our columns. These 
prime articles have long been in use, and when once ; 
obtained, one will last for many years without repair; 
and of course will prove cheaper in the end than any 
other kind of pen in use. 
Ainslie’s Brick-burning Kiln. —This kiln for dry¬ 
ing and burning bricks and tiles, is composed of various 
compartments, by which the heat from the first passes | 
into the second, from thence into the third, and so on— 
thus economising the fuel; and when the tiles in the 
first are burnt, those of the second are half burnt, to 
which the greatest heat is then applied, and the cham- ) 
bers are taken in succession—the thorough drying of 
the bricks being completed by using the heat after it j 
has completed the burning. This new apparatus has ' 
been proved on a large scale; and unlike the common I 
method, by which, frequently, one-quarter of the article | 
is spoiled, in this every brick and tile is said to be as j 
perfect in shape as it entered, and thoroughly burned.— 
Year-Book of Facts. 
Concentrated Gravy of Meat. —This article is 
manufactured at Sydney, New South Wales, from the 
carcases of oxen and sheep, which are bred there for | 
the sake of their tallow, wool, hides, and bones. The 
value of oxen in Australia is from 155. to 20s., and of 
sheep Is. Qd. to 2s. 6d. each. During the last year, the 8 
leg-bones of upwards of 109,000 oxen were sent over 
to England, the greater part of the flesh of the animals | 
having been thrown away. The object of the present 
manufacture is to reduce the lean of the carcase into a I 
solid portable soup, by stewing it down in its own gravy, 
without water, in double pans. By reducing it in this 
way, the water in the lower pan prevents the fire pass- j 
ing through and giving to the soup the burnt flavor 
which it has always hitherto had. When manufactured, 1 
it is sold in cakes of various sizes, at the rate of 2s. per I 
pound. One pound of the soup is said to be equal to 
24 pounds of the best gravy beef.— lb. 
The May-Flower, or Trailing Arbutus ( Epigcea 
repens ), the provincial emblem of Nova Scotia, is to 
that country what the rose is to England, and the sham- j 
rock to Ireland. Like the snow-drop in England, its ! 
modest and lovely blossoms are first to herald the de¬ 
parture of winter and the return of spring. By the 
latter end of March, or early in April, in the State of j 
New York, and gradually for a month or six weeks 
later as we progress northward, visitors to sylvan scenes 
may be seen bringing home a few solitary specimens 
of the “ promised bouquet;” but immediately after this, , 
especially after the first warm rains of spring, they may 
be found in great profusion near the borders of dry 
open woods, from Schenectady in New York to Nova 
Scotia and Newfoundland. It is a beautiful, small 
flower, most frequently white, but sometimes blushing 
through every intermediate shade till it reaches the hue 
of the rose. * It grows close to the ground, and like the 
violet, is almost covered with its own leaves, but may j 
be immediately detected by its rich perfumes. 
We know of no reason why this beautiful emblem 
of spring may not be cultivated in our gardens and cul- j 
tivated grounds; and as the season is at hand for select¬ 
ing roots or seeds, we hope some of our northern friends j 
will make the experiment. 
Curse of the Potatoe Crop in Ireland. —Cobbett i 
prophesied in 1826 that in twenty years the exclusive 
cultivation of the potatoe would be the curse of Ireland. 
He said, “ the potatoe will not last more than twenty 
years, when it would work itself out, and then you will 
see to what a state Ireland will be reduced. You must 
return to grain crops; and Ireland, instead of being the 
most degraded, will become one of the first countries 
in the world.” 
