m&wn 
Practical and Scientific Fruit Culture. By 
Charles Baker of tin; Dorchester Nursefte*- Il¬ 
lustrated, [8 V *J<—pp.533.1 Boston Lee & Shepard. 
Perhaps we cannot more briefly give the reader 
an idea of the contents of the above work than to 
say it contains thirteen chapters, of which the first 
six treat of meteorological agents, and of the origin 
and properties, classification and adaptations, drain¬ 
ing, pulverizations, and fertilizations of the soil. In 
the remaining chapters, selections ot varieties, ar¬ 
rangement and transplanting, pruning and training, 
summer cultivation, gratting and budding, producing 
new varieties, and the diseases of fruit bearing 
plants, are the subjects discussed. The book bears 
evidence of extensive reading and research, aud con¬ 
siderable observation and experience on the part of 
the author. The chapter oa the selection of varieties, 
and their adaptations to different districts, prepared 
mostly from the Catalogue of the American Bornolo¬ 
gical Society, would be of value to any one intending 
to devoto much capital to fruit culture. 
In his preface the author takes pains to state that, 
although a business partner of the Hon. Marsuall 
P. Wilder, the latter la In no degree accountable 
for any peculiar sentiments expressed in the work, 
but he has received many valuable suggestions from 
Mr. Wilder, and Is largely Indebted to his library 
and mature knowledge. We fiud, likewise, in the 
preface a list of publications to which the author has 
referred for aid in compiling b'.s work. The list 
numbers forty-three titles, of which Transactions of 
the American PomoIoglcAl Society is the only genu¬ 
ine American Horticultural work mentioned. This 
discrimination in favor ot foreign authorities In a 
work designed chiefly for the American fruit grower 
is due, we suppose, to the fact that the author breathes 
Boston air, and to his supposition that New England 
is the fountain-head of PQmological science in this 
country. Ho should reflect, however, that where the 
stream flows broadest and strongest—at Us outlet—It 
is of the most practical value. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
HOUSEHOLD BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND 
CHILD’S HYMN 
Through the pleasures of the day, 
Wheu I read and when l pray, 
Let me over keep In view 
God is seeing all I do. 
When the sun withdraws its light, 
And I go to rest at night, 
Let me never lay my head 
On my soft and oasy bed, 
Till I lift my heart in prayer 
For my heavenly Father'e.'cure; 
Thanking him for all his love 
Sent me from his home above; 
Praying him to kindly make 
Me his child for Jesus’ sake. 
BY E. A. HAND 
NUMBER III.—THE BLUE BIRD. 
The ever welcome Blue Bird, (S'niia Wilsoiiii,) 
spring’s azure-winged herald, is the first of the 
summer choir to greet us with his mnsicul chirp; 
for, like the Oriole, all his notes, whether express¬ 
ive of pleasure or pain, m\> musical". He ordina¬ 
rily arrives between the twentieth and thirtieth 
of March, though he sometimes comes much 
earlier. At this time in Northern New England 
the ground is not nnfre<iuent.ly covered with 
snow, but usually It has in part disappeared 
from the high land. And it would seem rather 
difficult for a bird peculiarly insectivorous In Its 
habits, and which, like the ransieapa, captures 
mneh of Its prey on the wing, to find a suffi¬ 
ciency of food, but alreaily the buzzing of rc- 
awkeued insects may be beard In warm nooks 
aud on the south sides of buildings. 
The persoual appearance of this universal 
favorite, is too familiar to require a minute de¬ 
scription. He is one of the few of our song¬ 
sters who can boast of bright-tinted plumage. 
The hue of the upper portion of his body, as his 
popular name indicates, 1s an azure blue, and the 
color of ilia breast is ferruginous, fading Into 
brownish white toward the taiL The female is 
a pretty bird, though more soberly attired than 
her mate, the blue tints of her plumage beiug 
softened and shaded by brown, so that, she can 
without much difficulty be distinguished from 
her companion. 
Our Blue Bird belongs to the same sub-family 
as the English Robin red-breast, and is said to 
resemble him somewhat, in character. The Blue 
Bird commences her nest building about the 
last we.ek In April, or first week in May. She ap¬ 
pears to be very fastidious, and ofteu vacillating 
in her selection of a nesting place, I have seen 
her building in two boxes at some distance from 
each other, carrying her straws sometimes into 
one and sometimes into the other, apparently 
unable to decide between them. In settling 
fills point the male takes a prominent part, 
calling the attention of his mate to some suita¬ 
ble place—exploring and nestling iu the various 
cavities under discussion, chattering meanwhile 
iu a low tone to his more timid and cautious 
companion, as if he were endeavoring by his 
musical eloquence to quiet her fears and remove 
her scruples- In these examinations he some¬ 
times, like other explorers, meets with unpleas¬ 
ant mishaps, by insinuating his portly little 
body into crannies, from which he cannot easily 
extricate himself. When satisfied, they will 
occupy the same place for years if not disturbed, 
aud do not readily resign their choice to larger 
They usually select a cavity in a decayed 
Written tar Moore's Rural New-Yorker 
LITTLE NELL. 
The accompanying engraving gives a beauti¬ 
ful and truthful representation of the Niagara 
Suspension Bridge, which remains, as it was the 
first, day when completed, one of the wonders of 
the world. Far above the water, stretching over 
the fearful chasm, and apparently suspended by 
gossamer threads whose graceful curves describe 
lineB of true sublimity as well as beauty, appears 
the last great triumph of human genius and en¬ 
gineering skill. The distant observer is struck 
with surprise at its apparent, frailness. Every¬ 
thing in nature, which surrouuds it. Is in such 
majestic proportion, that the bridge itself seems 
a mere network of threads and lines, buoyed up 
by its owu Inherent lightness, aud the elasticity 
of the surrounding air. And yet, when we de¬ 
scend to a mathematical calculation of its size 
and materials, its strength and capacities, quite 
another idea takes possession ol’ the mind, and 
we merge its grace and bounty Into its utility. 
The passage way is divided into two parts or 
floors, one above the other. The upper is used 
for the transit of cars; the lower floor is the 
passage way for pedestrians and carriages. 
Neither the cost of the bridge nor the magni¬ 
tude of the undertaking is a matter of surprise 
or wonder. Them are very many mechanical 
structures, even in this country, which cost Im¬ 
mensely more money; but it is the boldness and 
the originality of the adventure, and its com¬ 
plete success 
in the face not only of natural 
obstacles, but also of the discouraging prophe¬ 
sies of the most celebrated scientific men, which 
render it remarkable. 
Distinguished English engineers pronounced 
adversely to its security, aud it was generally 
regarded as a very doubtful experiment. But 
that experiment has proved eminently success¬ 
ful, and thousands of passengers, and immense 
quantities of freight, pass over it daily, and in 
security. 
The following table exhibits the proximate, If 
not the absolute capacities, dimensions aud cost 
of the Suspension Bridge: 
Length of spun from centers of towers. 882 teet 
Height of tower above rock on American aide 88 “ 
Height of tower ulnmi rock on Canadian side 78 “ 
ftelght of tower above floor of railway. CO " 
Number of wire cable*... 4 
Diameter ot ssch cable.. tOf^mc’a 
Number ot No. J wires lu each cable. . 3,1159 
Ultimate aggregate strength of cables. 12,40$ tuns 
Weight of superstructure. . SiX) *' 
Woigkttof superstructure aud maximum loads l,2Gi) “ 
Maximum weight cable aud «tay>- will support 7,300 *• 
Height of track above water. 2 .vi feet 
Base of lowers ... y; tt.sq 
Top of towers. 8 •* 
Length of cables... 1 , 256 . 1 * feet 
Depth of anchor pits below surface of rock. .20to30 “ 
Ouuldc width of railroad floor. 2-1 •< 
Total length of wire in miles. 4,000 
Cost of structure..KIOO.OOO 
Every boisterous wind has sullenly retreated 
into its noisy cavern; the billows, that but yes¬ 
terday rolled their white summits to a fearful 
height, hare subsided into restless, musical 
waves that rock our vessel gently as she smooth¬ 
ly. slowly, almost imperceptibly glides over the 
calm waters. The sun—that veiled himBclf in 
thick, angry clouds, twelve hours ago—now 
shines gaily ou the dancing waves; and the 
warm, yellow raysglld our nniBts, and even peer 
silently, almost timidly, into the gloomy folds 
.of the flag that, at half mast, clings to the 
smooth oak, nor even flutters as a gentle zephyr 
passes by. Badly moves each sailor about his 
work. Silent—oh, how sileatt—i is tho noble 
commander, standing by the railing and gazing 
so vacantly over the oceau. 
No land In sight—nothing but the vast, mys¬ 
terious ocean around and beneath—tho bound- 
loss, blue canopy of heaven above. With bowed 
heads, bared to the sun, two officers approach, 
hearing a burden between them that does not 
seem a burden- Reverently they pause before 
their master, who, with averted gaze and trem¬ 
bling Up, motions to them where to place the 
precious casket, containing all that is mortal of 
sweet little Nell, the Captain’s child. Slowly, 
one by one, the sailors come to gaze awhile and 
drop manly tears on the thee of the Innocent 
child. How white those lids which veil tho eyes 
that were so bright and laughing. The tiny 
hands, resting upon the still heart, wiU never 
more be stretched out tn clasp the hard, brown 
hands that were always so ready to help over 
rough places. That dark lock rests so naturally 
upon her pure forehead, but the little fingers will 
never push it aside. Ah, those little full Ups! 
will they not open in silvery speech, aud will not 
the roguish dimples again play In her rosy 
checks and dance round the Innocent mouth? 
The little feet, whose patter on the deck was 
muBic to the ear, are still—so dill / Hark—is it 
death? Listen—does she not breathe? May It 
not be that this is only a deep slumber from 
wbieh she will 9oon awakea to cheer us again ? 
Ala9! no—it is death—but it is beautiful. 
Stand aside and let the father gaze for the last 
time ou his child. All is gone now. The gold- 
Lirs and Times of Andrew John?on, Seventh Pres¬ 
ident of the United States. Written fro. 'll a Na¬ 
tional Stand Point. Bv a National Mifu. [!2ino.— 
pp. 366.] New York: D. Appleton & Co.—1860. 
Tiu.m volume sketches the coarse of a mau of no 
ordinary character. Commencing Ufe without prop¬ 
erty, scholastic attainments or influential family 
connections, he find* hlmslf. at the age of fifty-eight 
years, the executive of one of the most powerful 
nations of modern times.’ Utifonteen circumstances, 
it Ib trne, have bad something to do with this ad¬ 
vancement ; still It is easy to see that much is owing 
to the native vigor and. talent of the mao, whereby 
these circumstances were made available to his par 
eonal elevation. The volume under notice contains 
numerous and affluent quotations from the speeches 
of Mr. Johnson, Congressional and otherwise, all of 
width are creditable alike to Mb talents anil his pat¬ 
riotism. His position is an anomaly in our history. 
He is President of the United States, while the State 
‘of which he Is a resident and citizen is out of the 
Union—In fact a foreign ou« ! The book is prefaced 
by a spirited portrait of (he subject of it. Sold by 
Steele Jfc Avery. 
occasion a brood left tho nest about noon. On 
tho morning of the third day from that in which 
they left, I observed the mother bird near the 
nesting box with straws in her bill; on examina¬ 
tion I found a nest bad been prepared in the box 
close beside the one just vacated, and already 
contained on egg. Four were deposited, aud 
she commenced sitting again in less than a week 
from the time when the first brood left the nest. 
Iu these cases the task of providing for the fam¬ 
ily must devolve almost exclusively on the mule 
parent. While unfledged they appear to he fed 
on worms, when older grasshoppers and millers 
form a part of their diet. So tiir as l have ob¬ 
served, no vegetable substance is inclnded In 
their blU of fare. When young birds leave the 
nest, they are nsnally able to fly a distance of 
two or three rods, but appear to have little con¬ 
trol over the direction of their flight, often in 
their first attempts striking against walls and 
trunks of trees, and flattering helplessly to the 
ground. This is a time of painful responsibility 
for the parent birds, as is evinced by their cease¬ 
less anxious cries, and restless, excited move¬ 
ments. Alter much clamor and commotion, 
the neetlings are bestowed in convenient Bhrubs 
and trees, and ordinarily remain comparatively 
qnlet for a day or two, the parents assiduously 
providing for their wants, loelng guided to their 
various retreats by their frequent chirpings. 
There are several species of birds that breed 
near our dwellings, which generally lead their 
young immediately to neighboring wood, and 
"only at Intervals re visit their former home ac¬ 
companied by their families. Among these are 
the Blue Birds; — although they frequent the 
vicinity of habitations for nesting accommoda¬ 
tions, they are not permanent residents there. 
No tender associations recall them to the cradle 
of their nestlings. They d0 not Beeni, like the 
Phoebe and Sparrow, to hover lovingly near the 
spot, endearBd by the memory of their parental 
Joys and sorrows. 
Tho time during which the young of the Blue 
Birds, or those of any other species, are fed by 
tho parents after leaving the nest, I have not 
been able to ascertain satisfactorily, but I think 
it is not less than a mouth. They are provided 
with nutriment until they arc nearly or quite as 
large as the adult birds. Those who have 
attentively observed young birds in the nest 
must have remarked the slight development 
of the hill, and tho extraordinary length Of the 
gape, giving the little creature an awkward and 
almost deformed appearance. The gape is edged, 
or bordered, with a fleshy selvedge of a light yel¬ 
low color, which remain* until some time after 
I conjecture that it is 
HOW TO USE DISINFECTANTS, 
Sermon* Preached on Different Occasions during 
the last Twenty Years. By Edward Me trick 
Goulburn, D. D., Prebendary of St,. Paul’s and oue 
of Her Majesty's Chaplain* ia Ordinary. Re-print¬ 
ed from the second London edition. Two volumes 
In one. [pp. 379 } New York: D. Appleton & Co. 
This volume contains tweuty.two sermons ou the 
following topics:—Confess!.'n ; The Doctrine of the 
English Church thereon; The Moral Instincts which 
lead men to the Confessional; Parc Religion and Ua- 
defiled; God Keeping and Breaking Silence; The 
Kingdom that comes not with Observation; Jacob's 
Dream; The Contagions luflaenee of Faithful Proph¬ 
esying; FinalImpenetence; Do Exemplified; Good¬ 
ness and Severity of God as Manifested In the Atone¬ 
ment ; Remedy, the only form of Doing Good: Christ 
Wielding the Keys of Death: The Revelation of the 
True God; The Dispensations; Learning a Requisite 
for the Ministry of the present day; Human instru¬ 
mentality in MunV Salvation; The Stolen Testimony; 
The Bonding tip of the Family; On Preaching Christ 
Crucified; Have Salt In Yourselves; The Last Sun¬ 
day of 1801. For sale by Steele & Avxnr. 
birds, 
rail or post, or some dark nook which will afford 
them concealment and shelter, and I have known 
a Bine Bird in the spring, before tho arrival of 
the rightful owners, to taku possession of ono of 
the clay tenements of the Cliff 8wallows under 
the eaves of the barn. They become strongly 
attached to a box put, up for their accommoda¬ 
tion, when its position and dimensions please 
them. 
The female builds, or rather gathers materials, 
with great rapidity; for little skill is displayed 
in the construction of the nest, which is little 
more than a mass of dry grass, or dry leaves of 
the pine, with perhaps a few feathers intermixed 
in the center wbeue the eggs arc deposited. 
They are sometimes composed almost exclu¬ 
sively of pine leavcB. I have found nearly a 
quart of these In oue nest. Tho male bird ex¬ 
hibits much interest in the building process, 
though never offering any practical assistance. 
He accompanies his mate in her little foraging 
expeditious, sometimes singing and performing 
a kind of aerial waltz in a delirium of joy, after 
the fusbion of the Bobolink. 
He may frequently be seen entering the box 
or peeping in the door, appearing to examine 
the progress of his companion’s labors with 
much solicitude. He vigilantly guards his pre¬ 
cious charge, doing battle with any neighbor 
Blue Bird who may venture too near, and dri¬ 
ving away smaller intruders. The number of 
eggs deposited is from four to six; they ire of a 
light-blue color, and without spots. 
The period of Incubation is from twelve to 
fourteen days, and the youDg are fed in the nest 
from fifteen to seventeen days. It iB difficult to 
assign a precise period for either of these pro¬ 
cesses, as the majority of birds commence sit¬ 
ting, with more or less regularity, before they 
have deposited all of tbelv eggs; and the yoang 
are not hatched simultaneously, but often with 
a difference of time ranging from half a day to a 
day aud a half, or perhaps more. The male 
sometimes feeds his mate while she Is depositing 
her eggs, aud very constantly daring incubation. 
I think thSt birds feed their mates at all times, 
even when they are not laying or sitting; yet, 
these attentions are not habitual, but occasional, 
possibly only when they have some extraordl* 
dary toothsome morceau to offer. 
The. young of the Blue Bird when fledged, are 
white or light,ash color on the breast, striped or 
spotted with wood brown. The back is wood 
Hand and Glove. A Novel. By Amelia B. Ed¬ 
wards, Author of “Half a Million of Money,’’ etc. 
[Svo,—pp. 122,] New York: Harper & Brothers. 
The scenes of this relation are in England and 
France—the developments of the story being mostly 
confined to the latter country. The prominent char¬ 
acter is a man of fine appearance, of great versatility 
of talent. He figured as a -peculator, sharper, thief, 
gambler and clergyman. Was branded in the right 
hand for crime committed; escaped from servitude, 
forged clerical papers and got settled among the hills 
of Burgundy, where he wooed and won the affections 
of a young girl of high position whose faith had been 
plighted to another. As the marriage cercmoDy was 
about being performed the character of the man was 
unmasked: he tied, took poison and died, The end¬ 
ing was a marriage with the first love, of course. 
There are a number of subordinate characters whose 
words and acts, serve to diversify the dramatic char¬ 
acter of the relation. Steele & Avery have it. 
A Brief Biographical Dictionary. Compiled aud 
arranged by the Rev. Charles IImi.i, b. A Trinity 
College, Cambridge With Additions and Correc¬ 
tions by William A. Wheeler, M A . Assistant 
Edjtorof \\ etnhe’s Dictionaries and Author of a 
“ Dictionary of the Noted Names of Fiction." etc. 
[lSmo.—pp. 4o’J.J New York Hurd & Hoaglitou. 
The purpose of this volume i* to afford, in a com¬ 
pact form, information as to the time of birth and 
the period of demise of the more prominent persona 
embraced la the world’s history, with a designation 
of the calling or position which has given prominence 
to their name?. In most case* bat a single line ia 
devoted to a name, and the date of birth and of death 
placed in parallel marginal columns. As a manual of 
reference, especially to the man of letters, this com¬ 
pilation cannot fail to prove highly acceptable. It is 
neatly printed, aud is for sale by Adams & Ellis. 
they have left the nest, 
not till after this disappears, aud the bill is fully 
developed aud hardened, that the young provide 
for themselves. It may be, too, that there is 
some weakness of vision, as their eyes are per¬ 
fectly opened but a short time previous to their 
flight from the nest. The Blue Bird sings moat 
constantly during the spring and early satmuer; 
later his song is rarely heard. He does not leave 
for the South before some time in October. 
MENTAL CULTIVATION 
What stubbing, plowing, digging and har- 
rowtug Is to land, thinking, reflecting, and ex¬ 
amining Is to the mind. Each has its proper 
culture; and as the land that is suffered to lie 
waste and wild for a long time will be over¬ 
spread with brushwood, brambles, thorus, aud 
such vegetables which have neither use nor 
beauty, so there will not fail to sprout up in a 
neglected, uncultivated mind, a great number 
of prejudices and absurd opinions, which owe 
their origin partly to the sollltself, the passions 
and imperfections of the rnftid of man, and part¬ 
ly to those seeds which chance to be scattered 
in it by every kind of doctrine which the cun¬ 
ning of statesmen, the singularity of pedants, 
and the superstition of fools shall raise.— Berk- 
Foim Year? in the Saddle By Colonel Harry 
Gilmoe. '• I light fairly and iu good faith." [pp. 
Atl.] New Yore: Harper Brother.— 1S66. 
A racy, sprightly and readable book, teeming with 
incidents of bloody encounter, escapes from cramped 
p.ucos, prison fare and discipline, during the South¬ 
ern Rebellion. The author entered the cavalry ser¬ 
vice of the Confederate States iu the early days of 
the struggle, and served till its close-being actively 
engaged, during most of the time for four year*, if 
the relation Is a trnthful one, the author was an active 
partizan and perfectly at home tq the saddte. Among 
the federal officers with whom he came in contact, ho 
mentions with high commendation. Major Charles 
Otis of the 21st N. Y. Cavalry, who treated him to a 
gunshot wound on a certain occasion. Steele & 
Facts Worth Knowing. —Folio denotes a 
sheet «f paper folded into two leaves, makiug 
four pages; quarto, or, i.s abbreviated, 4to, is a 
sheet divided into four leaves, or sixteen pages; 
duodecimo, l2mo, a sheet Into twelve leaves, or 
twenty-four pages. So, also, sixteen.?, lOtuo ; 
twenty-fours, 2-1 mo; thirty-twos, 82mo ; forty- 
eights, 4>jmo; sixty fours, 64mo, are the several 
designations of sheets, v. hen folded into six¬ 
teen, eighteen, twenty-tour, thirty-two, forty- 
eight, and Blxty four leaves, making each twice 
the number of pages in auy book. 
as directed ou this card. -Bet there be 1 
lect of domestic and personal cleanliness 
By acting as we ought to think, we end by 
thinking as we ought t« act. 
Fro it tho dust on which we tread spring tW 
flowers which we admire. 
