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ing, which I was glad to find that others did likewise; making excellent melody, and sounding through the church as if the people were not ashamed of singing" to the praise and glory of God,"-as I am sorry to say they appear to be in many churches. I was so much pleased with the appearance and manner of these girls, that I was desirous of knowing who they were; and I asked my friend the clergyman. He told me their history, which, he said, was a good example to all the parish. Their father was a common working man, very steady and industrious. About eight years ago he died, leaving a widow and a large family of children :—the eldest was a biggish girl, and the youngest quite a baby. The widow was an industrious hard-working woman, and, without seeking any help from the parish, she set about the management and maintenance of herself and family, with an earnest desire to do what was right for them. The eldest girl was particularly steady and industrious, and was a great comfort and help to her mother; and she not only assisted her in her work, but was her principal help in bringing up the younger children. It is this girl, which I have seen so often, bringing the younger sisters with her to church; and who had attracted my attention by the particular neatness of her appearance and propriety of manner. The widow was enabled to bring up her children thus creditably, by means of taking in washing; and she also had a mangle; and she taught them all to be industrious. All the children can now do something towards helping their mother in her work; and, by way of encouragement, she gives the little ones a penny, or so, at a time, for such help as they can give. The clergyman tells me, that every one of these children brings him a children_brings shilling a week to put into the " Savings' Bank;" so that, by the time they are grown up, they will have a considerable sum of money of their own; and the industrious habits which they have learned, and the power they have gained of earning a livelihood for themselves, will be to them as good as if any body had left them a little estate; and perhaps better. The eldest girl is now in service; but she is within reach of her family, and she takes her younger sisters every Sunday with her to church. There

are some boys in the family too; but I do not know any thing about them, any more than that I am told they are as industrious as their sisters, and are all doing well.Thus we see how much may be done by good bringing

up.

My friend bid me to notice another girl, who always sat in the same pew. He said she was not one of the family, but that they were great friends together, and that this girl was just like the others. Her mother, too, had been left a widow with a family. Their circumstances were very much alike:-but this poor widow was attacked with severe illness soon after the death of her husband; and, for several months, she was obliged to accept of help from the parish. When, however, she recovered, she maintained herself and her children by her industry, and has brought them up in the same excellent manner as her neighbour. I could mention the names of both these families; but, as this little book gets into their hands, it would not please them to see their names made public.

V.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETY IN IRELAND.

We understand that some ladies of rank, in Ireland, have become members of the " Temperance Society."-We must not suppose that these ladies were, before, in the habit of drinking spirituous liquors as many of the poor Irish, as well as English are;-but they joined the society, and engaged themselves to observe its rules, for the sake of the good that they might thus be the means of doing to their poor fellow countrymen and countrywomen. -It is common for the gentlepeople in Ireland to show their kindness to their poor neighbours by giving them a glass of whiskey or gin. This generally is done from good-nature, and a wish to please. But it looks like encouraging spirit drinking, and may thus be the means of doing much harm. It is so in England too. When a poor man asks you for a little gift,-he generally calls it something to drink."-In truth, when a man has once got the habit of drinking, he is always thirsty,-ready to drink at any time, and as much as he can get. A hard working man will naturally be thirsty, and wants some

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thing to moisten his palate. But this relief should be taken in moderation. Strong beer only relieves the thirst for a very short time. It does not cure thirst, as food cures hunger: and therefore to get into a habit of drinking beer, whenever it can be had, is producing perpetual thirst, and turning a reasonable creature into a poor and miserable sot. Drinking whiskey or gin, or any kind of spirits, is much worse; and brings on every kind of wretchedness and distress.

When there is a wish to give a man a trifle, it is often doing him a great deal of harm to give it him in the shape of spirits or strong drink:-and the ladies, above alluded to, have, by joining the Temperance Society, pledged themselves to give up this practice: and, if all persons who wish to be kind to their poor neighbours would think, not only of the means by which they may please them for the moment, but of the moral effect which is likely to be produced, a very great improvement might be expected to be the result.

V.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

ENCOURAGEMENT to cottagers and artisans to cultivate their gardens in the best manner they are able, ought, I conceive, ever to form one part of the plan of all horticultural societies. And whenever proper attention is directed to this important and useful object, there is found an especial ground for such societies to claim support from the wealthy and benevolent. That the managers of many of the various horticultural societies now established throughout England are not inattentive to this matter, will appear from the following notices of some of their meetings held during the year 1837. The extracts are made from the general annual review of these meetings, given, as usual, in the Gardener's Magazine.-1837.

D. I. E.

Cambridgeshire.-Cambridge Horticultural Society, May 17. The vegetables were very fine. There were numerous prizes, among which were sixteen to cottagers. Cornwall.-Royal Horticultural Society of Cornwall. May 24. The vegetables comprised some excellent sam

ples of potatoes, kidneybeans, asparagus, spinach, and mushrooms. In this class the baskets exhibited by market gardeners, as well as by cottagers, were very superior, and deserving of great praise.

July 19. Sir Charles Lemon, in his speech, first noticed some of the finest plants exhibited; he next called the attention of the meeting to the produce of the cottage gardens. In this most interesting department, great exertions had evidently been made; and the result might fairly be placed in competition with the productions of those who had greater opportunities.

October 4. The productions of the cottagers, especially their cabbages, onions, potatoes, and carrots, as well as several large and well assorted nosegays, were superior to those of any former exhibition, and excited great approbation.

St. Columb Cottage Gardening Society, September 26. The room for the exhibition of the vegetables by the cottagers, was neatly and tastefully decorated with arches of laurel covered with flowers, the gift of Captain Rogers R. N. who has taken a warm interest in the welfare of this society. The doors were thrown open at twelve, when the room was immediately filled; and, at one o'clock, Captain Rogers was unanimously called to the chair, who, in a short but able speech addressed the meeting. The suggestions and advice which he gave the cottagers was truly good, as well as the wish expressed by him and the committee in their report, for the aid and assistance of the farmers and landowners, not merely by giving their subscriptions, but also by allotting land to the cottagers for cultivation. The Rev. H. Stoneman, and Humphrey Williams, Esq. then addressed the meeting, expressing similar sentiments; after which, J. B. Collins, Esq. the secretary, read the report, (which expressed the wish of the committee, that the adjacent parishes might be induced to join it,) and a long list of prizes.

Devonshire.--Devon and Exeter Botanical and Horticultural Society, May 12. The vegetables were highly creditable to the cottagers, who have wonderfully improved in the practice of gardening, since the establishment of this very useful society.

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September 14. The show of fruit, plants, and vegetables, was very fine. At two o'clock N. Down, Esq. took the chair; and, in the course of his address, observed, that "the improvement of the condition of the humble cottager has been considered by the committee a subject of so much importance, that a considerable share of their time and attention has been devoted to this interesting branch of our exhibitions; and we have reason to believe that many persons of this class have been reclaimed from habits of profligacy and intemperance, by the various rewards and encouragements which have been offered by us for the promotion of industry, and by the useful and practical treatises on gardening which we have dispersed among them." In accordance with this feeling, among the prizes, were the following awarded to cottagers for personal good conduct:-To the cottager or labourer with small weekly wages, who has reared the largest family in habits of industry, "without parochial assistance:" 17. 10s. to David Pain, of Saltash, 76 years of age, who reared ten children.

To the cottager or labourer with small weekly wages, who cultivates his garden in a superior manner, the interior of whose cottage displays the greatest neatness and order, and whose children are educated in habits of industry and sobriety: 10s. to John Davis, Elbarton.

To the servant in the country districts who has remained the largest number of years in the service of the same master or mistress; and whose conduct has been exemplary: 17. to Robert Pawley, of St. Stephens, by Saltash, 40 years' service.

Gloucestershire.-Kingscote Horticultural Society, July 4. The productions (including those of the cottagers) were excellent.

Huntingdonshire.-Huntingdon Horticultural Society, April. Among the cottagers' prizes, was one to Thomas Shelford, for rhubarb, "grown in a chimney corner, in a box of earth." Above 147. was distributed in prizes to cottagers.

Lancashire.-Blackburn Floricultural and Horticultural Society. The show was not above an average one,