The Sugar-cane is always propagate from cuttings, and varies exceedingly in its growth, depending upon the nature of the soil. In new and moist land it sometimes attains the height of twenty feet. The hoeing of a cane-field, when performed, as it must be, under the rays of a tropical sun, is a most laborious operation. Formerly this task was always effected by hand labour, but, of late years, where the nature of the ground will admit of the employment of a plough, that instrument has been substituted, to the mutual advantage of the planter and his labourers. The planting of canes does not require to be renewed annually; in such a case, the utmost number of labourers now employed on a sugar plantation would be wholly inadequate to its performance.

When the canes are fully ripe they are cut close to the ground, and being then divided into convenient lengths, are tied up in bundles and conveyed to the mill. The canes, on being passed twice between the cylinders of this mill, hav all their juice expressed. This is collected in a cistern, and must be immediately placed under process by heat, to prevent its becoming acid. A certain quantity of lime in powder, or of lime-water, is at this time added, to promote the separation of the grosser matters contained in the juice. When these impurities are, as far as possible, removed, at a heat just sufficient to cause them to collect on the surface, the cane liquor is subjected to a very rapid boiling, in order to evaporate the watery particles, and bring the syrup to such a consistency that it will granulate on cooling. Upon an average, every five gallons, imperial measure, of juice, expressed from about one hundred and ten well-grown canes, will yield six pounds of crystallized sugar.

When the sugar is sufficiently cooled in shallow trays, it is put into the hogsheads in which it is shipped to Europe.

These casks have their bottoms pierced with holes, and are placed upright over a large cistern, into which the molasses— which is the portion of saccharine matter that will not crystallize-drains away, leaving the raw sugar in the state we see it in our grocers' shops: the casks are then fitted up, headed down, and shipped.

The molasses which have drained from the sugar, together with all the scummings of the copper vessels in which the sugar was boiled, are collected, and, being first fermented, are distilled for the production of rum.

Abridged from "Vegetable Substances used for the Food of Man."

7.-The Old Man's Comforts, and how he gained them.

You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
The few locks which are left you are grey;
You are hale, Father William, a hearty old man,
Now, tell me the reason, I pray?

In the days of my youth, Father William replied,
I remember'd that youth would fly fast,
And abused not my health and my vigour at first,
That I never might need them at last.

You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
And pleasures with youth pass away,

And yet you lament not the days that are gone,
Now, tell me the reason, I pray?

In the days of my youth, Father William replied,
I remembered that youth could not last;
I thought of the future, whatever I did,
That I never might grieve for the past.

You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
And life must be hastening away;

You are cheerful, and love to converse upon death,
Now, tell me the reason, I pray?

I am cheerful, young man, Father William replied,
Let the cause thy attention engage;

In the days of my youth I remember'd my God!
And he hath not forgotten my age.

Southey.

Ne-glect'ing, omitting; Leb'a-non, a mountain in Palestine; en-deav'oured, tried; par-tic'u-lar-ly, especially; un-de-filed', not polluted; prof'it-a-ble, advantageous; lim'it-ed, circumscribed; i-dol'a-try, worship of idols.

THE Jews were well informed on subjects of Natural History. They were acquainted with the nature of the different animals and plants, and other objects of creation. But their knowledge on these points was very inferior to that which God has permitted us to enjoy. We have in this, as in many

other respects, more talents committed to our care, and we ought, therefore, to beware of neglecting to improve them. King Solomon was so well skilled in the sciences that he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake alzɔ of beasts, and birds, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes. We are told that this, as well as his other knowledge, was given him in answer to his prayer for wisdom, and, doubtless, the people profited from his instructions.

There are also other places in the Bible which show that the Jews, and other nations, were not ignorant on these subjects. There are many beautiful passages in the book of Job which prove that the patriarchs were accustomed to observe the works of God, and the wonders of creation. Moses, also, frequently refers to animals in a manner which shows that he was well acquainted with all circumstances respecting them. From the eighth Psalm it is plain that David used to study the works of creation: indeed, pious persons in all ages have endeavoured to make themselves acquainted more or less with the works of the Almighty. Young persons should remember this, particularly those who live in the country, as they have the best opportunity for making such observations. From what the Bible says about the ant, the spider, the horse, the sheep, the eagle, and other animals, and from what it also says about plants, many useful lessons may be learned. It ought also to be remembered that the texts in which things respecting these animals and plants are alluded to explain other passages; thus, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb," explains how patiently Christ endured all the pains he suffered for us. "The lamb without blemish or spot," shows us that Christ was holy, harmless, and undefiled. It would be profitable for the young to exercise

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themselves in making a list of such passages, and the texts which explain their meaning. As the Jews had not the advantage of telescopes, their knowledge of astronomy and the heavenly bodies was more limited. From many passages in Job and elsewhere, it is plain that they observed the stars and all the host of heaven. The inhabitants of the country round Babylon early observed the stars with great accuracy, and ascertained much respecting the motions of the heavenly bodies. The wonders they beheld induced them to worship the host of heaven, which was the earliest species of idolatry. Job alludes to this when, speaking of the power of God, he says, "He hangeth the earth upon nothing," which shows that they understood something about the wonderful manner in which the earth is, as it were, suspended in the heavens. Some learned men have written much to prove that most of the wonderful things now known respecting the sun, the planets, and the stars, were known to the wise men in ancient times; but we need not examine this particularly. The Bible was written to make men wise unto salvation, under the teaching of God the Holy Spirit. This is so fully set forth that even a plain man may understand the evil of sin, and the truths of the gospel; though he might be very much puzzled to comprehend a learned book about natural history or astronomy. When any remark is made in the scriptures respecting the sun, moon, and other heavenly bodies, they are usually spoken of just as they appear to our view. We ought not, however, to neglect any useful knowledge. The younger and poorer persons amongst us should rejoice that there are so many books now written to explain these matters to them; but let all beware of neglecting the one thing needful. From that knowledge we shall gain charity, or love to God and man, without which, as St. Paul says, though a man