THE BEST FTTH, 
Fei.u Holt, the Radical. By George Bliot, Au- 
thor of “Adam Bede." etc. [pp. 5S»] New York: 
llarper & Brothers. 
The principal characters who figure in this relation 
are portrayed with considerable skill and power, but 
the aid which «ood morals ts to derive from the acts 
of some of them, 1* not; readily perceptible. If it 
was the author's design to prove that, what Is denom¬ 
inated “good society " is no better than it should be, 
he must be accorded the meed of praise attaching 
customarily to success, but the propriety of making 
such proofs public is questionable. The hero of the 
piece may challenge respect for his stubborn honesty 
of purpose, but his acts, us a general thing, do not 
enlist the feelings of the reader very warmly in his 
behalf. The heroine, so to speak, is a fine creation, 
who hy acte of feminine gentleness and firmness of 
purpose in pursuit of the right, deserves the warmest 
commendation. Sold by Steele & Avert. 
“ Now, boys, I’ll tell you how we can have 
some fun,” said Freddie B-, to his compan¬ 
ions, who had assembled on a beautiful moon¬ 
light evening for sliding, snow-balling, and fun 
generally. 
“flow?” “Where?” “What is it?” asked 
several eager voices at once. 
“I heard Widow M- tell a man a little 
while ago,” replied Freddie, “that she would 
go over aud set up with a sick child to-night. 
She said she would be over about eight o’clock. 
Now, as soon as she is gone, let’s go and make 
a big enow man on her door step, eo that when 
she returns she cannot get Into her house with¬ 
out, first knocking him down.” 
“Capital,” “first rute, ” “hoora,” shouted 
some of the boys. 
“ See here,” said Charlie N-, “ I’ll tell you 
the best fuu." 
“ What is it? ” again Inquired several at once. 
“ Walt a while,” said Charlie. “ Who’s got a 
wood buw ? ” 
“I have;” “so have I," answered three of 
the boys. “ But what in the world do you want 
a wood saw for?” 
“ You Bball see,” replied Charlie. “It is al¬ 
most eight o’clock now, so go and get your 
Baws. You, B’reddle and Nathan, get each an ax, 
and I will get a shovel. Let us all bo back here 
in fifteen minutes, and then I will show you 
the fuu.” 
The boys separated to go on their several er¬ 
rands, each wondering what the fun could be, 
and wbat possible use could bo made of wood- 
saws and axes In their play. But Charlie waa 
not only a great favorite with them all, but also 
an acknowledged leader; aud they fully believed 
In him and his promise. The curiosity gave 
elasticity to their steps, and they were soon 
assembled. 
“Now,” said Charlie, “Mrs. M-Is gone, 
for T mot her when I was coming backso let’s 
Stramonium, p. 1304. 
I .oaf, Flower, and Fruit. 
Rhubarb, or Pie plant, p. 1137 
Nepenthes, 
p. 881. 
Pitcher Plant. 
Narcissus, p. 874, 
Muaa sapfentum, p. 888, 
Sugar-cano, p. 1323, 
Strawberry, p. 1306. 
Leaf, Flower, and Fruit. 
Nightshade, p. 886, 
Nettle, p. 8S3. 
Noll me tangere, p. 889. 
Tanghinia venenata, p. 1352, 
Taro, p. 1354. 
Papyrus, p. 945, 
Orchis waacula, p.919. 
Black Pepper, p, 967, 
Tephrosia toxicarin, p. 1365. Thistle, p. 1376 
Common Teasel, p. 1858 
Peppermint, p. 067, 
Poppy, p. 1012, 
build a great snow man ; and when Mrs. M-- 
cornea home from her watching, she will feci as 
much surprised to find her wpod sawed as she 
would to find a snow man on her door-stop, and 
a great deal more pleasantly surprised, too. 
What say you? Will you do It?” 
One or two of the boys rather demurred at 
first. They didn’t like to saw wood, they said. 
But, the majority were In favor of Charlie’s pro¬ 
ject; so they finally joined in and went to work 
with a will. 
“ I’ll go around to the back of the shed,” said 
Charlie, “ and crawl through the window and 
unfasten the door. Then we’ll take turns in 
sawing, splitting, and carrying In the wood; 
and I want to pile it up real nice, and to shovel 
all the snow away from the door, and a good 
wide path, too, from the door to the Btreet— 
wou’t it be fun, when she comes home and sees 
it?” 
The boys began to appreciate the fun; for 
they felt that they were doing a good deed, and 
individually experienced that self-satisfaction* 
and joy which always results from well-doing. 
It was not a long, wearisome job for seven 
robust and healthy boys to saw, split and pile 
up the poor widow’s half a cord of wood, and 
to shovel a good path. And when it was done, 
so great was thuir pleasure aud satisfaction that 
one of the boys who objected to the work at 
first, proposed that they should go to a neigh¬ 
boring carpenter’s shop (whero plenty of shav¬ 
ings could be had for the carrying away,) and 
each bring an armful of kindling wood. The 
proposition was readily acceded to; and, tki3 
done, they repaired to their several homes, all 
and by this simple agency he succeeded of them more than satisfied with the “ fun” of 
ag signals through the whole length in the weary evening. And next morning, when 
sro than a second of time. A few years the weary widow returned from watching by 
w incredible such a statement would the sick-bed, and saw what was done, she was 
mded! It seems, indeed, that the slm- pleasantly' surprised; and afterwards, when a 
if the fact, has taken even electricians by neighbor (who had, unobserved, witnessed the 
. When a cable was first laid across the labors of the boys,) told bow it was done, her 
readth of the Atlantic, it was atiticlpa- fervent invocation, “ God bless the boys,” was, 
t, an unusually high power would be of itself, if they could have heard it, an abundant 
e to drive the current with sufficient reward for their labors. 
irough such a length. Iu the first in- Ah! boys and girls! the best fun is always 
therefore, they used a battery with fifty found In doing something that is kind and usc- 
iid afterwards employed live hundred fuL This is the deliberate opinion of a gray- 
but, if you doubt it in the 
Raspberry 
Fruit, p. 1087 
Toad stool, p. 1389. Tobacco plant, p. 1390 
Quince, p. 1076 
Rhododendron 
p. 1130, 
Trivet, p. 1039, 
Trufilc, p. 1419, 
The fruit of 
Sweet-eop, p. 1338, 
Strawberry-pear 
p.1306. 
Common Wheat, t>. 1506, 
Venus's Fly-trap, p. 1488. Vietortu rugia, p. 1474, 
A. T’JAGrE OF I TjTT STXi, AT IONS FltOM WEBSTER’S 11 ICT'lOTSTAiiV 
surface and the Territories 1,206,019 square 
miles, as exhibited by the eighth census of 
1860. The number of Inhabitants iu the United 
States returned in I860 was 01,446,1321—in the 
States 31,148,04*, and 295,275 in the Territories, 
thus showing an average of seventeen inhabit¬ 
ants to each square mile in the 8tates, while in 
the Territories there are four Bquare miles to 
each inhabitant, aud exclusive of the District 
of Columbia the territorial area would repre¬ 
sent five and one-fifth square miles to each 
inhabitant. If the United States was us densely 
jiopulated as France our popululiou would num¬ 
ber 528,000,000, or if populated as densely as 
England and Wales 924,000,000; and if accord¬ 
ing to Belgium’s density of population (397 to 
the square mile) the United States would con¬ 
tain 1,195,000,000, which Is 110,086,000 more than 
the entire population of the world in I860. 
In this connection some- statistics connected 
with Lake Superior and other lakes will be read 
with interest: 
Sixty years ago there was scarcely a craft on 
these waters larger than an Indian canoe—now 
the tonnage of side-wheel steamers alone is 
100,000 tons. Iu 1841 the gross amount of the 
lake trade, independent of the property con¬ 
stantly changing hands, cost of vessels and 
profits of passenger trade, amounted to 865,* 
000,000. In 1851 it had increased to $300,000,- 
000, and in 1861 to $550,000,000. 
Among the greatest works of internal im¬ 
provement on this continent is the ship canal 
around the falls of St. Mary's, at the outlet of 
Lake Superior. It is built on the Michigan side 
of t.hc river, and blasted through the solid rock 
for a distance of three-fourths of u mile. The 
capacity of the locks, three in number, is suf¬ 
ficient to admit the largest lake Btearners afloat. 
The number of passengers through this canal in 
1855 Was 4,270; in 1857, 6,650; and in 1865, 10,- 
A First Latin Ueadinu Book. Containing an epi¬ 
tome of Caesar's Gallic Wars, and Lomond’* Lives 
of Distinguished Romans. Bv William: Smith, 
I.L I)., atid Henry Daisj.su. LL. I>. [I0mo.—pp. 
375.] New York: Harper <fc Brothers.—1860. 
Tins is the second book of a short series designed 
to facilitate the study of the Latin language, and em¬ 
braces matter, in Roman History, peculiarly well 
calculated to Arrest the attention of the young, a« 
warlike relations are mod certain to do in whatever 
language presented- In addition to this the volume 
contains a dictionary which will be found A valuable 
aid to the young student. Sold by Steele & Avery. 
WEBSTER’S ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY 
Tub accompanying page of illustrations from 
the Pictorial Edition of the most popular Dic¬ 
tionary ever published— Webster’s— will prove 
interesting aud Instructive to many of our read¬ 
ers. Those who possess the invaluable treasury 
of knowledge—Webster’s Unabridged—under¬ 
stand that the illustrations arc given in the 
body of the work with proper explanations, on 
the pages to which the figures under the above 
engravings refer,—though they are also classi¬ 
fied and given at the close of the work in the 
style here represented. An article on our Horti¬ 
cultural page describee or alludes to several of 
the plants, flowers, etc., above represented. 
The new pictorial edition of Webster’s Una¬ 
bridged Dictionary is in many respects a won¬ 
derful work. It contains over three thonsand 
Illustrations, and of printer's eras (the square of 
the type) 18,492,5631 It contains more than fix 
times as much matter as the Bible,—or as much 
as six Bibles, or thirty fair-sized octavo volumes 
and Is undoubtedly the largest single volume 
ever published. Bat what 6eems the most 
remarkable Is, that the results of so much labor 
as has been bestowed upon this work can be 
given in a single volume, and thus rendered 
easily accessible. Its 1,768 large pages are a 
vast storehouse of useful knowledge, and much 
of it is so necessary to everybody who 1 b or ever 
expects to be anybody, thdt the work should be 
considered indispensable in every household in 
the land. It was this thought that indneed us to 
oiler the new Illustrated Edition of Webster’s 
Unabridged Dictionary as a premium for 
subscribers to the Rural, and we hope to place 
It in the homes of hundreds of families during 
the present winter. 
Jennie June's American Cookery Book, containing 
over Twelve Uantlred Choice mid Carefully Pre¬ 
pared Receipta, embracing nil the popular dishes. 
Ac. By Mrs. J. C. Croi.y, (Jenny June,) Author of 
“Talks on Woman’s Topics.” etc. [lGmo.—pp. 
325.] New York: American News Company. 
The title page of this book will sufficiently indicate 
its character. It 16 an effort to systematize the busi- 
nees of cookery and housekeeping by one whose tal¬ 
ents are favorably known to the women of the coun¬ 
try. For sale by Dewey. 
Eleanor’s Victory. A Novel. By M. E, Braddon. 
New York: llarper A Brothers.—1866. 
This is a reprint of a serial production, and com¬ 
bines the customary traits of this class of light read¬ 
ing. The characters are varied, and some of them 
well limned— especially the leading one, who per¬ 
formed her mission of revonge for wrongs done to 
her father with tireless pertinacity. But when the 
victory waa achieved milder influences prevailed and 
forgiveness of wrong took the place of long cherished 
vengeance. For sale by Dewey. 
headed old man; 
leaBt, just try it for yourselves, and you will be 
convinced. 
University of Vermont and State Aorioultu- 
bal College.— The First Annual Report of the Man¬ 
agers of this united or consolidated institution has 
just been issued. The union of tho two colleges 
took place one year ago, but the Agricultural and 
Scientific course of studies was not entered upon till 
tho 31st ol July last. Applicants for admission to 
the Agricultural Department must bo at least fifteen 
years old, and be able to sustain an examination in 
all the parts of a common Bchool education. The 
College is located at Montpelier, and is under the 
Presidency of James Burrili. Angell, A. M. The 
institution is in its infancy, but the hope is expressed 
that it will soon acquire the strength and influence 
of maturity. 
Parlor Game. —Among the parlor games oc¬ 
casionally used, is one called “ squaring a word.” 
It consists iu arranging words In such a manner 
that a perfect square of known words shall be 
made which shall read vertically in the same 
order as horizontally. The problem of “squar¬ 
ing the circle,” which has puzzled mathemati¬ 
cians for ages, has been solved in this way. 
Thus: 
CIRCLE 
ICARUS 
R A R E S T 
CREATE 
L T S T R E 
E S TEEM 
A Successful Bore. — The arid waste of the 
Desert of Sahara, under the hands of enterpris¬ 
ing Frenchmen, is to be clad with verdure, and 
water Is to spring up iu abundance to the sur¬ 
face wheresoever required. Five places are 
named where dee]) wells have been sunk on the 
Artesian principle, and the result has been a 
flood of water to the surface, continuous and 
vast, lit side this, there is something for the 
epicure, who, on his travels, has tasted only 
dried meat, dates and dried fish; for fish have 
come to thcsurface with the stream, which flows 
from some mysterious source beneath the crust 
of the earth. 
The capacity of the American lakes for inter¬ 
nal navigation is Bhown hy the following table: 
Length, Breadth, Depth, F.lv’n Area, 
Miles. Miles. feet, at sea. sq.m. 
Superior. 400 120 900 600 32,000 
Michigan.... 820 70 9(H) 578 21,900 
Hnron.270 143 200 576 14,950 
8t. Clair. 25 18 20 470 300 
Eric. 250 45 80 501 9.300 
Ontario. 190 40 SCO 234 7 300 
fit. L. river ., 70 
Vessels drawing ten feet of water can run 
from the head of Lake Superior to the Atlantic 
Ocean, a distance of nearly 2,200 miles. 
UNITED STATES—TERRITORIAL EXTEN 
POPULATION—LAKES AND THEIR COMMERCE. 
From a Report made up in the Department 
of the Interior at Washington, we select the 
following interesting statistical facts: 
The land and water surfaces of the United 
States are equal to 8,250,000 square miles—land 
2,010,370, water about 240,000 square miles. The 
States embrace 1,804,351 square miles of landed 
‘•Once a Month.”— This is the title of a “Free 
Magazineof Miscellaneous Selections,” published by 
W. J. Holland & Co., Springfield, Mass. The pecu¬ 
liar feature of the publication is the alternation of 
reading and advertising pages. Ten thousand copies 
are distributed gratuitously each month, but those 
who wish it regularly will be required to pay one 
dollar per year in advance. 
Love’s best arrowis tipped with gold, and hia 
best quiver a casket of jewels. 
