THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 22, 1857. 
most material point of view, there can be no question 
that a prosperous Sunday school in a village is a better 
security for property and order, than a band of con¬ 
stables or policemen would be. Amongst many other 
drawbacks to their usefulness, I will here allude only 
to three :—want of the means for getting books, &c., 
for the children; no want of earnestness in the teachers, 
so much as the want of knowledge and the aptitude to 
teach ; and when these desirables are all present, there 
is frequently a want of respect from the scholar to the 
teacher, because the latter may be only a little older 
than the former, and is placed in the same position in 
society. Now, it will be seen that these drawbacks 
i will be reduced to small compass in the school at-; 
where, every Sunday morning, the squire, and all his 
youthful sons who are at home, may be seen taking 
their places as teachers in the Sunday school. 
Most well-ordered families make it a point to as¬ 
semble their households twice a day to acknowledge 
the source whence their blessings come. But in ad¬ 
dition to this, Mr.-, finding he had from fifteen to 
twenty minutes to spare from his multitudinous duties, 
has had the whole of the garden men assembled every 
morning in a common garden shed ; meets them there 
to the minute ; makes himself, as it were, for the time 
one of themselves ; reads and explains a portion of 
Scripture; and finishes with simple earnest worship at 
the footstool of their common Creator. The gardener 
told me that he had at first great doubts of the plan 
answering, owing to various circumstances; but that 
a great and good change had been manifest. And not 
omy was the demeanour of the workmen much im¬ 
proved—a deeper respect, akin to but more than 
ratitude, manifested towards their worthy employer— 
ut a greater industry and an absence of eye-service 
were exhibited; the consequence, as he rightly thought, 
of the felt fact, “ that they were cared for.” 
Our social reformers would, in all likelihood, have 
been more successful, had they kept in view that man 
is a thinking and a social being. What a startling fact, 
that there is not a moment in our conscious existence, 
in which thought is not whirling through the brain ! 
We must think. Thinking is part of our nature ; upon 
what shall thought be fixed P the pure and the elevating, 
the degrading, or the trifling ? Thoughts will not con¬ 
tinue thoughts—they will issue in word and action. 
Even pleasure becomes pain if we cannot express the 
pleasure we feel. Each man, therefore, is n-ot merely a 
thinker, but a suggester of thought; a centre of action 
I and influence. What is there in many of our villages 
to give an elevating direction to thought P What to 
lead our social yearnings into legitimate virtuous 
channels ? Why, there are the excellent cheap publi¬ 
cations of the day. Yes! but are they yet found generally 
in village homes ? And if they were, what would be 
their use to those who could not hear them read, mIio 
had never learned to read themselves, or who, once in¬ 
structed, had, from want of practice, forgotten all 
about “ how to do it ?” And such cases, striking as it 
may seem, are yet to be found. Need we wonder, 
that in such cases, the field of thought should be 
rather barren of the useful? Need we wonder, that, 
prompted by sociality, a certain rendezvous should be 
too well frequented, where men can give full play to 
their lungs in chorusing some namby-pamby jingling 
of words m rhyme—smile knowingly at the indelicate 
jest—and laugh roaringly in commendation, at the 
, puniest and stalest attempt at wit P Condemn all this 
j as much as you please, if you will only take the 
trouble to inquire what other and better means exist 
j on working-day evenings, to meet the desires of the 
heart for companionship, different from those that can 
I be found at home and in lodgings. The worthy gentle¬ 
man referred to has tried to meet this want. A corn- 
177 j 
; fortable room, generally and easily accessible, has been 
! provided; furnished with tables, seats, slates, ink, and 
paper; and with fire and candle in winter. A good 
library has been provided; and many of the best 
periodicals are supplied regularly, such as those issued 
from the depot of the Messrs. Drummond, of Stirling ; 
the Religious Knowledge Society; the Tract Society, 
as “ Sunday at Homethe “ Leisure Hour,” &c. So 
far as I could learn from our friend, the very intelligent 
gardener at the place, the system adopted is as much 
as possible on the principle of mutual instruction. A 
feeling not merely of self-respect, but of mutual de- 
pendance is thus promoted. The young gentlemen I 
when at home, countenance it frequently with their j 
presence ; showing that they are willing to be either 
learners or instructors. I also understood from another 
quarter, that the gardener and bailiff felt it to be both 
a duty and a privilege to be present. It would be 
very interesting to have an account of the doings of 
this little room, though these could be varied to suit ! 
circumstances. Much of the success has, no doubt, i 
being owing to the tact and prudence displayed. As 
yet, the room has been well attended; and the fre¬ 
quenters are not only gaining in intelligence, but testify 
by their appearance and deportment, that they esti¬ 
mate, and are resolved to profit by, such means of 
improvement. 
I must here finish for the present these characteristic 
traits. Many curious people would like to know all 
about the who, and the what, of this philanthropic 
gentleman ; but, as all that I heard, led me to believe, 
that as he is too great-hearted to allow any opening for ; 
bigotry or intolerance, so is he too earnest in doing 
good, to wish his name to come before the public; anil 
therefore, instead of gratifying such curiosity, I 
would wish every reader to inquire, whether such an 
example is worthy of imitation; and if so, then ask 
ourselves how far could we imitate, and hdw far have 
we imitated, such an example. R. Fish. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
SHORT HINTS FOR DECEMBER. 
Auriculas, Polyanthuses, and Primroses. —This 
is a trying season for these lovely spring flowers. The 
greatest error in culture is keeping them too much 
protected. If kept in a dry atmosphere, and nearly 
dry at the root, they are as hardy as any plants from 
the alpine regions. Their grand enemies are damp and 
closeness. Give them, on all favourable occasions, a 
full exposure to the air and the light. If water be abso¬ 
lutely necessary, give it with a very small spout, taking 
care not to wet the leaves. Keep a good look out for 
slugs, and destroy them. See that every decaying 
leaf is instantly removed. Should very hard frost set 
in, have mats, or other coverings, ready to protect 
them; but do not let that covering remain on any 
longer than necessary. 
(Tarnations and Picotees. —The stock of layers 
should be looked over frequently, and every spotted 
leaf cut out. Should mildew appear, sprinkle with 
sulphur the leaves affected. Do not coddle them, 
but give them plenty of the air and the light of day in 
dry, moderate weather. Sometimes, even at this sea¬ 
son of the year, the red spider will appear. Whenever 
that is the case, let every plant affected be taken out 
of the frame, and the under side of the leaves be care¬ 
fully sponged over ; the sponge moistened with tepid 
sulphur and water. Towards the middle of the month 
go over all the plants, stirring up the surface of the soil, 
and clearing away weeds, decayed leaves, moss, and 
other offensive matters. Keep the ashes clear also; 
