1876. ] 
PEESERVINa ICE IN STACKS. 
45 
wage of a well-skilled mechanic, and opportunities for its culture most limited. 
Yet still my garden has its pleasures, sweet and not transient; still it is a de¬ 
lightful thing, the “ concentration of a thousand pleasant objectsstill does 
memory present with fond affection its long array of beauties unfaded ; and many 
days of gloom and hours of monotonous toil have been relieved by pleasant 
reveries on flowers that were, and fond, anticipation of those to come. 
And shall I tell how pleasures so simple have been so sufficient,—how, with 
opportunities most limited in degree, I have needed never to repine, and how my 
daily bouquet has rarely for eight months in the year failed me ? Two short 
rules have sufficed. I have confined myself to flowers of the easiest culture, and 
have learned to be content with results easily attainable and within my reach. 
Early rising has compensated for long office-hours, and afforded time for those 
little attentions in themselves so sweet, and so delightfully requited. Strong 
health has been given me for a seeming sacrifice of rest; and nature, seen in 
her dress of richly spangled dew, more gorgeous than diamonds or Orient pearls 
in beauty, has been my daily enjoyment. 
Then, indeed, are the many glories of nature most glorious ; then are her 
sweetest odours poured forth; then is it we are most ready to sing, with 
Wordsworth,— 
“ God made the flowers to beautify 
The earth, and cheer men’s careful mood ; , 
And he is happiest who hath power 
To gather wisdom from a flower, 
And wake his heart in every hour 
To pleasant gratitude.” 
Then it is when pleasant gratitude ” rises most spontaneously to the Author of 
All Good for the richly varied beauties around us ; then is the Pansy most plea¬ 
sant, the Pink most delightful, the Wallflower most sweet, the Rose most 
charming; then strongest within us is the love of those sweets,— 
“ Which comfort man in his distress. 
Which smile when he is gay ; 
Their fragrance and their loveliness 
They yield him day by day; 
For patience and for humbleness 
No servitors like they.” 
And fostering them, we reap a rich harvest of peace and content—such peace and 
content, such pleasures as have been reaped by a poor office-writer, may be 
realised by every one ; and it will gratify his fervent wish if his brief reverie 
shall conduce even in the least to a wider difl'usion of the pleasures of a garden. 
—Nemo. 
PKESEEVING ICE IN STACKS. 
OME years ago my late employer had an ice-stack made, and this was repeated 
several years. The ice kept well, and thus it proved to be a simple way 
of providing a luxury in hot weather. The following was the course he 
pursued:—A space was fixed upon within ten or twelve yards of the 
lake, on the turf, and fully exposed—no shade from trees or anything. This 
