"How nicely I have mended it! Nobody will ever notice that it has been broken."

THERE is a great deal of good sense to be found in the "London Punch," given in a humorous guise. The following article upon the way that many females wear their bonnets is to be commended. We may add that ladies in this city do not wear their bonnets as Punch describes them.

A WORD ABOUT BONNETS.—When Mr. Punch, in his fashion reports, stated that ladies' bonnets would this season be worn on the small of the back, he only slightly exaggerated the reality which has come to pass. We believe that this article of the female dress has shrunk to a proportion which renders diminution impossible. Lightly poised upon the remotest peak of the hirsute promontory which decorates the head of beauty, it is calculated to arouse feelings of wonder as to what is its practical value, and why it is worn. Certainly, as a protection against the blasts of winter, it is utterly worthless. If the wearers suppose that it adds one iota to their personal charms, truth compels us to say that they are the victims of a complete self-deception. It is destructive to that air of modesty which every one wishes to observe in a sister or a mother, and has a jaunty air of effrontery. We have a trembling hope that things in this respect will shortly grow better, for we do think that human ingenuity cannot concoct anything uglier, nor smaller, if resort be not had to total annihilation. These gauze monstrosities may linger a little longer, tenaciously clinging to the outermost frontiers of weak heads, but the good sense of the community, we doubt not, would rather go back to the scuttle-shaped formations that surrounded our grandmothers, than suffer their relatives and friends to go to and fro in the microscopic fixtures which the fashionable world charitably calls bonnets.

THE following is a description of the residence of Madame Rachel, the celebrated French tragic actress:—

The tragedian's dwelling formerly belonged to Walewski, the present French Minister at London, but she has altered and remodelled it to such an extent that nothing remains of the original fabric except the foundation and the outer walls. The exterior presents nothing remarkable; four windows on a floor in front, first floor over an entresol, and servants' rooms over that. Entrance by a porte-cochÈre, like almost all French town-houses, but the gate is oak, and the carriage-way floored with wood to deaden the sound of wheels. Square court-yard with fountain, and ivy round the sides. Gothic staircase elaborately carved in stone, and mysteriously lighted from above by a dome of colored glass. On the entresol an antechamber in oak; dining-room to the left in Etruscan style, containing a splendid collection of antique vases. Between the dining-room and kitchen is a butler's pantry, where a richly carved oaken closet holds a magnificent service of plate, made partly in Paris and partly in London, and valued at $20,000, or more. All this story is laid down with Turkey carpeting, a rare thing in France, where the dining-rooms and antechambers of even the finest houses have seldom anything to show but the polished floor. On the right is a parlor opening on the court by three windows, and commanding a fine lookout over the neighboring gardens. The ceiling of this room is white, the walls hung with chintz of a Chinese pattern, large crimson flowers on a sea-green ground. Curtains, sofas, &c., to match; the rest of the furniture buhl-work, except some fancy arm-chairs of different stuffs, silk, velvet, and brocatel. Here is an endless collection of nicknacks, Dresden and Sevres China, Louis XIV. enamels, ivories, bronzes; among other curiosities a strange collection of Asiatic weapons. There are also several valuable paintings by Boucher, Isabey, Tony-Johannot, and other native artists of different periods. Chinese and Japanese vases (for which clumsy objects all the French have a weakness) complete the picture. This parlor opens into the library in a wing of the main building. The furniture of this room is carved oak, the walls and ceiling draped in myrtle-green cachemire. The tragedian's desk, richly carved and covered with green velvet, stands on the left of the door, with a Venetian mirror just behind it. The whole length of the wall opposite the three windows, as well as the spaces between the windows, is occupied by bookcases. Rachel's library comprises about four thousand volumes, all in very quiet bindings.

The second story, or the first floor over the entresol, is in white wood and gilding (a usual French drawing-room style), carpeted with purple flowers on a white ground. A large crimson sofa in the antechamber is flanked by two busts of Clesinger's on pedestals, Tragedy and Comedy. On the right is the grand drawing-room, running the whole width of the house. The panels of its walls are adorned with groups of children and cupids, by the celebrated painter, Charles Muller. The white marble mantel-piece is carved with arabesque and allegorical masques. The sofas and chairs are purple brocatel with carved gilt frames, the rest of the furniture rosewood with bronze medallions. The clocks, candelabras, and bracelets are or-molu of the most costly workmanship. It is hardly necessary to say that there is great abundance of looking-glasses; they all bear their owner's cypher on their gilt frames. Among other objects of art in this room is a bust of Napoleon as First Consul, by Canova. On the right of the antechamber is the show bedroom (Rachel, like many other Frenchwomen, has a quieter one for use in the third story). The bed has purple velvet curtains, a Turkish carpet of silk and gold embroidery for a quilt, and a lion-skin for a foot-rug. The furniture is rosewood, with medallions of Sevres china. A likeness of Adrienne Lecouvreur, in tapestry, and a marble bust of Taglioni, are the most conspicuous of the works of art in which this room abounds. A secret door near the bed leads into a little boudoir on the Chinese style, all lacquer, vermilion, and porcelain. The dressing-room is hung with chintz, garlands of flowers on a blue striped ground. The walls of the bath-room are sea-green stucco.

THERE is no trifling with nature; it is always true, grave, and severe; it is always in the right, and the faults and errors fall to our share. It defies incompetency, but reveals its secrets to the competent, the truthful, and the pure.

THE following we extract from the "Journal of Health":

PALPITATION OF THE HEART CURED BY SODA-WATER.—A lady, about forty years of age, had suffered for twelve years from periodical attacks of palpitation of the heart, so violent as to shake the bed on which the patient lay. During one attack, feeling thirsty, she expressed a desire for some soda-water. No sooner had she swallowed the first draught than her palpitation left her, and recurred no more until the period of the next attack. As soon as it commenced, she sent for her medical attendant, and told him what had occurred a month previously, and requested to be allowed to try the same remedy a second time. He consented, but, wishing to ascertain which of the ingredients of the soda-water had relieved the complaint, he gave her a dose of citric acid by itself. This had no effect. He then gave her a dose of carbonate of soda, which also failed. He then mixed the powders, and gave her some ordinary soda-water, placing his hand at the same time on her heart. The moment she swallowed the first mouthful, the palpitation ceased, and recurred no more for that time. From that period, whenever the palpitation came on, she could always stop it by this simple remedy. It appears, from the experiments made by medical men, that the carbonic acid was the active element in relieving the complaint, because, until the gas was liberated by the mixture of citric acid and the carbonate of soda, no benefit accrued.

A FRENCH surgeon has written a discourse to prove that the more a patient cries and groans during a surgical operation, the more likely he is to survive it.

THE LAST PARIS ITEM ABOUT FASHIONS.—Dresses are more costly than ever; gold, silver, and ornaments of velvet are still adopted for full dress. For instance, a pink crape dress, with five flounces, each flounce having an elegant and delicate wreath formed of black velvet. These flounces, made to diminish in width as well as in the size of the wreath as they ascend towards the waist, are also vandyked, the festoons being edged with a black velvet stripe. The body has a bertha forming a point in front and behind, trimmed with a narrow wreath, and surrounded with deep frills in the same style as the flounces on the skirt. For sleeves, a small puff, with a row of small velvet flowers, terminated with two deep frills, the same as the bertha. Another style, which is quite different, but equally pretty, is a dress made of white taffetas, with three flounces, each one trimmed with five rows of green curly plush, woven in the material, and separated by a velvet stripe. This plush and velvet diminish in width and change in shade as they ascend, so that the plush and velvet are of quite a delicate green towards the waist. The body has a bertha forming a rever, and coming down as low as the waist, in a point, both behind and in front.

STEAMBOATS ON THE DELAWARE.—The numerous steamboats on our beautiful river were put in motion early in the spring. They are now running, not, indeed, in fearful and dangerous opposition, but each in its "appropriate sphere," and competing only in the excellency of their accommodations, and in the safe conveyance of travellers and pleasure-parties to and from the various points which line the shores of the Delaware from the Capes to the city of Trenton. Among the number thus employed are the large and handsome boats of the Camden and Amboy Company, the John Stevens, Captain Kester, and the Trenton, Captain Hinkle. These boats, as well as their gentlemanly commanders, are old and established favorites of the travelling and pleasure-seeking public. It may be said with great truth that there is not on any route in the entire range of the United States more safe, quiet, and punctual conveyances, or better accommodations, than are afforded by these boats, or officers more attentive to their duties, or more anxious to infuse feelings of confidence and comfort among their passengers, than are their commanders. We must not forget, however, to do justice to the unwearied exertions of W. H. Gatzmer, Esq., the principal agent of the company in this city. To his zeal and watchfulness, in the discharge of his arduous duties, the public are indebted for many of the facilities afforded for quick and speedy travel, as well on board the company's steamboats as on their railroads.

Neither should we forget our old friend, Captain M'Makin, of the steamer Edwin Forrest, who continues his exertions to accommodate the public with the most commendable spirit of "competition," and who, we hope, is reaping a just reward for his labors.

THE "FLORIST AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL."—We have received the last number of this beautiful and interesting work, containing a splendid colored engraving.

EARLE'S GALLERY, 216 CHESTNUT STREET.—A free admission gallery, and where quite as many good paintings can be found as at any pay exhibition. The walls are lined with beautiful pictures; but among them we must particularize a school scene: The master is about castigating a boy, when a new scholar with his father enters. The look of astonishment of both of them is admirably painted; but the picture is full of incidents, and ought to be seen by all. There are two other pictures, "Sheep in the Fold and in the Field"—admirable productions. A new painting has just been added by an American artist, George C. Bingham; it is called "An Appeal to Buncombe." The principal figure is, of course, the speaker, who appears to be stating his "platform" to the gaping auditory grouped in varied postures about him. The chairman is a man of prodigious size, and is probably a portrait. The newspaper reporter is taking down the speech, as delivered, on the top of his hat. We believe it is to be engraved as a companion to a former picture by the same artist.

"NEW YORK PICAYUNE."—There is great merit in the humorous engravings in this paper; they are well designed and well engraved. The reading matter is also excellent. The Lectures by Cesar Augustus Hannibal contain many satirical hits, though made in the negro dialect. They deserve to be republished separately.

"THE BIZARRE," of this city, which, by the way, is an excellent publication, says: "A better selection could not be made than 'Letters left at the Pastry Cook's.' It is one of the most amusing and lifelike descriptions of a girl's boarding-school ever written."

SUMMER BEVERAGES.—Now is the time for our subscribers to provide themselves with these excellent and temperance receipts. See advertisement on cover.

LA PIERRE HOUSE, BROAD STREET.—We are happy to find that our prophecy about this splendid establishment has been verified. It is now the most fashionable and best conducted house in the city.

WE beg leave to differ with our friend of the "Western Pioneer." We have not placed the "cap-stone" yet, and he will see that it is not impossible to excel it. "There is no impossibility to him who wills." We will not differ with him on this point: "It is the best specimen of artistic and mechanical skill we have ever seen." We may thank Messrs. Collins & McLeester, who made the type, and Messrs. T. K. & P. G. Collins, who printed the "Book," for that. Thank you for your very kind notice.

WHAT LETTERS SHOULD BE.—Many people, and well-informed people too, sit down to write a letter as if they were about to construct a legal document or government dispatch. Precision, formality, and carefully worded and rounded periods are considered all-essential, even though the epistle be intended for a familiar friend. Others appear to be writing for publication, or for posterity instead of making epistolary communication a simple converse between friends. Away with such labored productions! A letter on business should be brief; to a friend, familiar and easy. We like Hannah More's ideas upon the subject. She used to say: "If I want wisdom, sentiment, or information, I can find them better in books. What I want in a letter is the picture of my friend's mind, and the common sense of his life. I want to know what he is saying and doing; I want him to turn out the inside of his heart to me, without disguise, without appearing better than he is, without writing for a character. I have the same feeling in writing to him. My letter is therefore worth nothing to an indifferent person, but it is of value to the friend who cares for me."

RURAL FELICITY.

WE do not hear much of the mothers of great men. What their fathers were—what their reputation, qualities, and history—is related to us with great particularity; but their mothers are usually passed over in comparative silence. Yet it is abundantly proved, from experience, that the mother's influence upon the development of the child's nature and character is vastly greater than that of a father can be. "The mother only," says Richter, "educates humanly. Man may direct the intellect, but woman cultivates the heart."

A PARENT would rush, in the greatest alarm, after a child that was indiscriminately eating wild fruit and berries, for fear it should lay hold of a poison. How much greater care ought to be exerted in preventing an indiscriminate use of books, lest the morals should imbibe a poison that will stamp the future character with irretrievable dishonor.

HOUSE PLANTS.

From Mrs. Hale's New Household Receipt-Book.

PLANTS require much light and fresh air; a light garret is an excellent place for them; even those which will not bear the outer air must have the air of the room frequently freshened by ventilation, to preserve them in health. They should not stand in a draught of air. In frosty weather, the windows should be kept close, and at night the shutters. In sharp frost, instead of stirring out the fire, leave a little on retiring to rest, with a guard before it for security.

As a general rule, never water plants while the sun shines. The time should be in the evening, or early in the morning, unless it be confined to watering the roots, in which case, transplanted plants, and others in a growing state, may be watered at any time; and, if they are shaded from the sun, they may also be watered over the tops.

The water, if taken from a well or cold spring, should be exposed one day to the sun, otherwise it will chill the plants. A small quantity only should be applied at a time, that it may have the effect of refreshing rain.

Rain water is the best for plants; next river water; hard spring water is the worst.

TO AIR PLANTS, AND VENTILATE ROOMS WHEREIN THEY ARE CONTAINED.—Plants should have air every day in the year to make them grow well; but this matter, in sitting-rooms, will not, of course, be regulated for their sakes, especially in the colder seasons. Wherever placed, however, some attention should be paid to airing and ventilating the rooms regularly, by opening the windows, and occasionally the doors, in order to excite a free circulation of air. This should be done to a certain extent every day, according to the state of the weather, except in the time of severe frost, when it would not be advisable to admit external air. But at such times, if bad weather be of long continuance, the rooms may be ventilated by means of the doors, and by exciting a current of air in the passages or other parts of the house.

In very severe frost, or in a continuation of damp weather, moderate fires should be made for the sake of the plants, if placed in rooms not occupied. The window shutters should also be closed at night.

HINTS TO LOVERS OF FLOWERS.—A most beautiful and easily-attained show of evergreens may be had by a very simple plan, which has been found to answer remarkably well on a small scale. If geranium branches taken from luxuriant and healthy trees, just before the winter sets in, be cut as for slips, and immersed in soap-water, they will, after drooping for a few days, shed their leaves, put forth fresh ones, and continue in the finest vigor all the winter. By placing a number of bottles thus filled in a flower-basket, with moss to conceal the bottles, a show of evergreens is easily insured for the whole season. They require no fresh water.

INSTRUCTIONS IN KNITTING.

THERE is not one art practised by ladies which is more deservedly popular than knitting. It is so easy, requires so little eyesight, and is susceptible of so much ornament, that it merits the attention of every lady.

The first process in knitting is known by the term casting on. There are two ways of doing this; with one needle and with two. Take the thread between the second and third fingers of the left hand, leaving an end of about a yard for every hundred stitches; pass it round the thumb of that hand, giving it a twist, so as to form a loop. Take a knitting-needle in the right hand, insert the point in the loop and pass the thread from the ball round the needle; then bend the point of the needle through the loop, which tighten, and one stitch will be complete. Continuing to make loops over the thumb, with the end of thread, and knit them with that from the ball until the proper number is cast on.

To cast on with two needles (generally called the Spanish method), begin by making a loop on the end of the thread, into which slip the point of one needle, holding it in the left hand. Take the other needle in the right hand, and slip its point into the same loop; bring the thread round the point of this needle, and bend the needle towards you, so that the thread forms a loop on it. Slip that also on the left needle, without withdrawing it from the right. Put the thread round the right again, and repeat the process.

Plain Knitting.—After all the stitches are cast on, hold the needle containing them in the left hand. Pass the thread round the little finger of the right hand, under the second and third, and above the point of the first. Then take the other needle in the right hand, slip the point in the first stitch, and put the thread round it; bring forward the point of the right hand needle, so that the thread forms a loop on it. Slip the end of the left hand needle out of the stitch, and a new stitch is knitted.

German Manner.—The thread, instead of being held by the fingers of the right hand, is passed over and under those of the left. The process is exactly the same.

Purling.—Begin by bringing the thread in front of the right hand needle, which slip into a stitch pointing towards you; that is, in the reverse of the usual mode. Put the thread round the point of the needle, still bringing it towards you, bend the needle backwards to form a loop, and withdraw the stitch from the point of the left hand needle.

When knitted and purled stitches occur in the same row, the thread must be brought forward before a purled stitch, and taken back before a knitted one.

To make a stitch.—Bring the thread in front, as if for a purled stitch, so that when you knit one the thread will pass over the needle, and will make a hole in the following row. The thread is put twice entirely round the needle, and then brought forward, so that the next knitted stitch will take it over a third time. In doing the next row, knit one, purl one, knit one of these stitches; however many are made, they must be alternately knitted and purled in the next row. When the stitch following the made stitches is to be purled, the thread must be entirely passed round the needle, once for every stitch to be made, and brought forward also.

Slip stitch.—Pass a stitch from the left needle to the right, without knitting it. There are two ways of decreasing; first, by knitting two, three, or more stitches as one, marked in knitting, as k 2 t, k 3 t, &c. Secondly, in the following way: slip one stitch, knit one, pass the slip stitch over; this decreases one stitch. To decrease two; slip one, knit two together, pass the slip stitch over.

A reverse stitch is taken off the left hand needle, in the reverse way to knitting and purling. In both these, the right hand needle is inserted in the middle of the stitch, and the point brought out towards you or otherwise. But to make a reverse stitch, you insert the point of the needle in the stitch at the back of the work, and bring it forward through the opening in which it generally is inserted. The thread is to be placed round it, as for a purled stitch.

To reverse two, three, or more stitches together, insert the needle in them all at once, from the last to the first.

To take up stitches.—Insert the needle in the loop, pass the thread round, and knit it in the usual manner. Do not draw out any loop more than can be avoided, while knitting it.

To knit two pieces together.—To do this, there must be an equal number of stitches on both. Hold the needles together in the right hand, and knit as usual, inserting the left-hand needle in a loop of each at the same time, and treating the two as one.

To form a round.—The French manner of performing this process is by casting the whole number of stitches on one needle, and then distributing them on three, or perhaps four. But the English mode is to divide the number of stitches, and cast so many on each needle, not withdrawing the last stitch of each needle from the point of the next needle. When all are cast on, the round is made by knitting the two first stitches on to the last needle. Four needles are employed for stockings, five for doyleys and other round articles.

To cast off.—Knit two stitches, insert the point of the left hand needle in the first stitch, and draw it on the other. Knit another stitch, and treat these two in the same way.

THE EMPRESS OF FRANCE.—A correspondent of the "Morning Post," describing the appearance of the Empress of France at a ball, says: "The grace and beauty of the Empress were observed to the fullest advantage. Her faultless delicacy of feature, and the elegance of her figure, were well displayed by a very chaste costume of white lace, ornamented with ribbons of violet color, falling half way down the skirt. The headdress was exquisitely beautiful. Her Majesty's hair is of a beautiful light brown tint, and it was disposed last evening in tasteful rolls over the forehead, leaving disclosed the ears, from which diamonds were pendant. Her Majesty wore a diamond necklace of marvellous brilliancy, every stone of which reflected its myriad hues, and a pair of somewhat small bracelets en suite."

Another writer says:—

"From some statistics of the Legion of Honor just published, it appears that this body numbers about 52,000, or little more than a two-hundredth part of the male population of France. It was usually supposed to be larger; the English used to say that every third Frenchman in a respectable position was a 'Knight' of the Legion. In Louis Philippe's time it was conferred on some odd subjects, old Galignani among others, whose chief merits were, keeping a circulating library, printing English books (before the late international legislation on that subject), and publishing a newspaper of selections which put in all it can find in disparagement of the Americans.

"By the time a man has lived two or three years in Paris, he generally fancies himself pretty well posted up in French cookery; but I came across something the other day which knocked me, and will probably astonish you too, as it is founded on what we are accustomed to regard as a peculiarly national comestible. Every American is acquainted with pumpkin pie, and a good many of us like it. But what do you say to pumpkin soup? Till you have tried it, you don't know of what the vegetable is capable. PurÉe de Poturons; it is made just like PurÉe de Pois, or any other purÉe (and consequently is improved by the addition of croutons), pleasant to the eye (a rich golden yellow), and delicious to the taste."

THE MANNER OF DOING GOOD.—When your endeavors are directed towards doing good to an individual, in other words, doing him service, if there be any option as to the mode or way, consider and observe what mode is most to his taste. If you serve him as you think and say, in a way which is yours, and not his, the value of any service may, by an indefinite amount, be thus reduced. If the action of serving a man not in the way he wishes to be served be carried to a certain length, it becomes tyranny, not beneficence; an exercise of power for the satisfaction of the self-regarding affections, not an act of beneficence for the gratification of the sympathetic or social affections.

YANKEE DOODLE, WITH VARIATIONS.—Who is there among our readers who has not heard several of his favorite tunes played with variations? And who is there that could, when the musician got pretty deep in said variations, ever recognize the original tune? It should be with alterations, instead of variations. A recent writer, in the following, justly ridicules this "variation" business:—

A few evenings since, I had the satisfaction of being present at Signor Sivori's farewell concert. I was exceedingly diverted by the performances of that clever violinist, which also reminded me of an idea that had occasionally occurred to me before on hearing Ole Bull, Liszt, and other professors of musical gymnastics.

I perceived that the talent of these gentlemen lay principally in executing variations on certain favorite airs; that is, in disjointing their different portions, and filling up the intervals with divers fantastical and eccentric movements of their own—runs, shakes, and so forth; thus interspersing the original music, which was expressive of some sentiment, feeling, or state of mind, with passages which, having no meaning at all, formed an agreeable contrast to the melodies wherewith they were blended.

Now, the idea that occurred to me was that the principle (so greatly to the gratification of the public) acted upon by the musicians might be advantageously applied to the sister art of poetry. I think that Shakspeare with variations would very probably be received with great applause. The variations, of course, should correspond in expressiveness and intellectuality to those above alluded to. For instance, let the line to be varied be—

"To be, or not to be; that is the question."

The theme might first be recited entire, and then treated as follows:—

Drowning men will catch at a straw; and, considering the present declining state of the drama, I seriously recommend the suggestion to the notice of the managers. Its adoption will doubtless astonish the weak minds of many, to whom Shakspeare's sense, at present too strong for them, will be rendered more palatable by dilution.

A WOMAN was walking, and a man looked at her and followed her. The woman said, "Why do you follow me?" He answered, "Because I have fallen in love with you." The woman said, "Why are you in love with me? My sister is much handsomer than I! She is coming after me; go and make love to her." The man turned back and saw a woman with an ugly face. Being greatly displeased, he went again to the other woman, and said, "Why did you tell a story?" The woman answered, "Neither did you speak truth; for if you are in love with me, why did you go after another woman?" The man was confounded. We should rather think he was.

GODEY'S GALLERY OF SPLENDID ENGRAVINGS.—We have received the first number of this collection of over twenty-five of the finest of those beautiful engravings that have appeared in the Lady's Book in former days. Those who are wishing to procure books of engravings for the centre-table cannot better consult their own interest than by sending fifty cents to Godey for his beautiful "Gallery."

BOOK OF THE TOILET.—This neat little publication contains a large number of recipes for the preservation of health, and beauty, and for the preparation of the various kinds of cosmetics in general use. Personal beauty is a gift to be prized, and the preservation of a youthful appearance is by no means to be condemned. The "Book of the Toilet" will enable ladies to prepare their own cologne, toilet soap, et cetera, at a much less cost, and less adulterated, than when purchased, ready for use, at the druggists. Price of the Book, fifty cents. Address Louis A. Godey, Philadelphia.—Western Literary Cabinet.

THE "Sandy Hill Herald" says: "How any lady can manage to get along without Godey, is more than we can imagine. Why, if we were a woman, we would not do without it any more than we would do without a husband, and we would be sure to have both."

Friend "Herald," there is one woman we wot of that can't get along "without Godey;" and she thinks that a certain ceremony that was performed some twenty years since gives her a pretty good right to him.

WE give the following as we find it—without vouching for its correctness, although the paper was read before the Royal Asiatic Society in England:—

HOW TO MAKE ARTIFICIAL PEARLS.—It was stated, in a paper read a short time since before the members of the Royal Asiatic Society in England, "that the artificial production of pearls from the mussel-fish is carried on to a great extent at Hoochow, in China. The fish are collected in April and May, and are opened by children, who place a small bit of bamboo in the orifice to keep the shells apart. A piece of brass or bone, a small pebble, or a pellet of mud, is then introduced, a dose of three to five spoonfuls of fish-scales, pounded and mixed with water, is poured on, and the stick removed. The fish are then placed a few inches apart in ponds, the water of which is from three to five feet deep, and which are well manured with night soil four or five times every year. In these ponds, the fish are allowed to remain from ten months to three years. Upon taking them out, the shell is cut through with a fine saw, the pearl is separated from the shell and the pellet, or other substance within it extracted. It is then filled with white wax, and a piece of the shell carefully attached, to conceal the aperture. Several millions of pearls are thus produced annually, worth from about a penny to eight pence a pair."

GENERAL AGENCY FOR PERIODICALS.—Many persons wishing to subscribe for different publications do not like the trouble of writing several letters. This may be obviated by sending the money to the subscriber, who will attend to all orders punctually, whether for publications monthly or weekly in this city or elsewhere.

Any information asked for by any of our subscribers we will cheerfully give, if it is in our power.

We will attend to purchasing any goods that may be desired, and will forward them at the lowest market price.