more doubtful: the most certain sign is that of the queen, a day or two before, making a noise much like a cricket. Frequently, the swarm will leave the old hive, and return again several times, which is always owing to the queen not having accompanied them, or from having dropped on the ground, being too young to fly to a distance. In such case, if found, and placed in a new hive, the swarm will instantly settle. When a hive yields more than two swarms, they should be joined to the others that are weak, as from the lateness of the season, and small number, they must perish if left to themselves. They may easily be united to the others, by turning up at night the hive in which they are, and placing over it the one they are intended to enter. They soon ascend, and apparently with no opposition from the others, as they are never observed to fight. At the time of swarming much attention is necessary, in a point that is seldom thought of, namely, if the weater is wet, to feed them. People are often astonished, at this season, when their bees had fora week before, put on the most promising appearance, after a few days of rain, to see them become so weak and sickly as to be unable to leave the hive, and continue declining until they at last die. The young bees, for a short time before leaving their cells, and some time afterwards, require to be fed by the old ones; and, if the store in the hive be exhausted, and the weather such as not to admit the working bees going abroad to collect food sufficient, they starve each other. Make a rule, therefore, if it rains for two days together at this time, to feed the bees, whether they may require it or not.

Of feeding Bees.-Feed them either with pure honey, or else with good moist sugar boiled with water into a syrup. In feeding those which are light, to enable them to live through the winter, let this be the rule-if a large hive does not weigh thirty pounds, allow half a pound of honey, or of the

boiled sugar, for every pound that it wants of that weight; and, in the same proportion, for smaller hives. This should be done in good time in the autumn, that the bees may be able to deposit it in. their empty cells, before they are rendered torpid by the cold. By this mode, hives, not containing a pound of honey, have been preserved in excellent health through the winter, when the boiled sugar has been given in proper time, and sufficient quantity.

Time of taking the Honey-This may with safety be done, when the bees are destroying their drones. When the bees begin killing the drones, little or no honey is added to the store that year: therefore this will point out the time to take the honey.

A

Bees are entirely directed to their food by smell, as appears from the following experiment. cloth, through which some honey had been strained, was put into a tea-kettle, the lid secured, and placed about 200 yards to windward of the hives. Very soon the bees were observed following the different windings of the scent, till they reached the spout of the kettle which they immediately entered.

Plant round the edges of the garden plenty of crocuses, and early spring flowers, and, in the hedges and corners of the fields, and near water courses, alders, osiers, and sallows: the early catkins are of inestimable value to the bees,-and, in the garden, for the same purpose, plant nuts and filberts. The lime tree and the sycamore should also be planted in great numbers for the honey dew they afford.

N. B. The best way to give the honey, or boiled sugar to the bees, is to place a pewter plate under the hive, covering the honey or sugar with a paper pierced full of little holes, through which the bees may draw up the liquid without injuring themselves.

X. Y.

EASY MODES OF DISTINGUISHING OXALIC ACID FROM EPSOM SALTS.

Let a few drops of vinegar be mixed with it-if it is oxalic acid its colour will change-if Epsom salts

-not.

Dip a sliver spoon or put a sixpence into the mixture: if oxalic acid, the colour of the silver will be changed-if Epsom salts it will not.

X. Y.

We believe that the druggists are blamed some what oftener than they deserve for the fatal accidents which happen by mistakes in medicines, these mistakes being often made at home.

Nothing ought to be kept either in paper, or in a bottle, without the name of the drug being written upon it.

As we have before hinted, there is so decided a difference in the taste of oxalic acid, and Epsom salts, that the tip of the tongue applied to the solution, would detect it at once without danger. Oxalic acid is strong, hot, and very sour. Epsom salts have merely a gentle sort of bitter saltness.

EDITOR.

POVERTY OF SPIRIT.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." Matt. v. 3.

To be poor in spirit is to be of an humble and lowly disposition. They who are possessed of this blessed. frame of mind, have no proud or vain thoughts of themselves, at least they do not indulge them, but, by prayer, meditation, and the study of the holy scriptures, seek that, through divine grace, they may be subdued. They draw no comparisons, between themselves and others, in their own favour, never thanking God, like the Pharisee in the parable, that

f

they are not as other men are. They pride not themselves upon any qualities, or upon any talent, they may possess, but think more of their ignorance, their imperfections and their sins. Hence, they are patient of reproof even when it is rude and severe; and most grateful for it, when conveyed in the sweetening breath of kindness and affection. Deeply sensible of their own faults, and finding enough to do in the examination of their own conduct, they love not to find fault with the conduct of others, but are ready, on the contrary, to make every excuse for them, that charity can dictate, consistently with truth and justice. If any of their actions are praised and applauded by men, they give the glory to God alone; well knowing that it is through his grace and blessing that they have been enabled to perform them, and well aware, at the same time, that they are full of imperfections, and that should He be extreme to mark what they have done amiss, they could not abide it. They are moreover cheerful and contented with their lot, whatever it may be; from a thorough conviction, that, whatever is God's will, must be for their advantage, and that they, at all times, enjoy infinitely more than they deserve. Hence they murmur at nothing, and envy no one; but, with a grateful and resigned spirit (like that of Job) bless God, through Jesus Christ, both when he gives and when he takes away.

Such are the persons, not the proud, the bold, the haughty, and ambitious, spirits of the earth, whom our Lord pronounces blessed or happy;-and most truly; for, as they possess the disposition fit for heaven, the humble docile disposition of little children, their's is the kingdom of heaven; their's shall be its joys, its peace, and its repose, their's, too, some foretaste of them even upon earth; since they who are poor in spirit must have come to Christ, and they who have come to him, and taken his yoke upon them, must find that rest unto their souls which this world can neither give nor take away. R. B.

PRAYER.

GRANT me, O Lord, that poverty of spirit, that humility and lowliness of mind, which become so weak and sinfula being as man. Enable me, through the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to repress and overcome all vain and proud thoughts of myself, and all envy towards others. May I never murmur or repine at thy dispensations, but be ever resigned to thy will, and cheerful and contented with my lot. O let me not be high-minded, let me have no proud looks, nor exercise myself in great matters which are too high for me, but, may I ever refrain my soul and keep it low, like a child that is weaned from his mother. Thus, O Lord, let me be blessed, that mine may be the kingdom of heaven, through Jesus Christ. Amen. R. B.

SUDDEN DEATH.

A Call to Repentance and Watchfulness.

We have received the following Address, printed as a handbill, for circulation in the town, where we suppose the sudden death occurred. This is a very useful method of taking advantage of any striking event in a parish, and turning it to a religious use. Such little papers would be eagerly bought up in large towns, where the events occurred, if circulated immediately after the occurrence. Editor.

"Hear this, all ye people;-give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world both low and high, rich and poor together.'

Death in every form is a very serious thing, but sudden death is an awful thing; yet how frequently does it take place on every side of us.-Not a year, nor month, nor week passes, but we hear of it from