helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit;” with these he waits and prays, "the only posture worthy of a Christian," and with these he conquers, and dies; and what after death? He receives a crown of glory from the great Captain of his salvation, under whom he has fought and conquered, whilst the triumph of the unchristian warrior ends with his death. "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

We are also told of the same great warrior, that when informed of the death of his son, who had fallen in battle, "he was at first inconsolable; but when, having inquired how he fell, he found that the youth had behaved with great courage, and that his wound was in the breast, the feelings of the father seemed lost in those of the soldier ; his grief was changed into joy; "Would to God," exclaimed he, "that I had as many sons as I have hairs, that I might lose them thus!"

The Christian, upon first hearing of the loss of a beloved child, may, like this nobleman, appear inconsolable; and, like him, his first question will be, “How did he die?" and his grief will be lessened or increased according to the answer he receives: but here lies the difference of the two men, viz., in the value they set upon the manner of the death. Whilst the worldly warrior is satisfied, and even rejoiced, to hear that his son has fallen fighting bravely, such an assurance affords no comfort to the Christian parent, unless he hears that his departed son had "fought the good fight of faith," and "had laid hold on eternal life:" tell him this, and though the "feelings of a father" may not be so entirely lost in those of the Christian as to "change his grief into joy," yet it will be greatly lessened, and he will be able to rejoice in the manner of his child's death, and to thank God for it; and though he will not wish for more sons, that he might "lose them thus," yet he will feel, that had he as many more as the hairs of his head, he could willingly and thankfully resign them all to his heavenly Father. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord," equally blessed, whether taken from the field of battle or the bed of death.-Sent by a Correspondent.

BEET-ROOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR POTATOES. BEET-ROOT cannot be too much recommended to the notice of mankind as a cheap and salubrious substitute for the now failing and diseased potatoe. Hitherto the red kind has been only used in England as a pickle, or as a garnish for salad; even the few who dress it generally boil it, by which process the rich saccharine juice is in a great measure lost, and the root consequently rendered less nutritious by the quantity of water which it imbibes, as well as by parting with the native syrup of which it is thus forcibly deprived; it is, therefore, strongly recommended to bake instead of boil them, when they will be found to afford a delicious and wholesome food. This is not an untried novelty, for both red and white beet-root are extensively used on the continent; in Italy particularly, they are carried about hot from the oven twice a day, and sold publicly in the streets; thus they are purchased by all classes of people, and give to thousands, with bread, salt, pepper, and butter, a satisfactory meal. There are few purposes for which baked, or even roasted, or fried beet-root would not be found preferable to boiled. If these roots were as universally cultivated in England for human food as they are on the continent of Europe, and baked and sold as cheap as they might easily be, many a poor person would have a hearty and good meal who is now often obliged to go without one; and now that the potatoe crop is again failing, the above information cannot but be of infinite service if generally known, for there is a good deal of beet in the country, although only planted or sown for the use of cattle.-Carmarthen Journal.

DRUNKENNESS.

(Summer Assizes.—Liverpool, August 20.-Crown Court.—Before Mr. Justice Wightman.)

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TO-DAY the Grand Jury were discharged, and upon coming into Court with the last of the bills found, they made the following presentment to his Lordship:

"The Grand Jury having concluded the examination

of the cases submitted to them, feel it their imperative duty to place on record their opinion as to the prevalent habit of drunkenness, so forcibly alluded to in the charge delivered to them by Mr. Justice Wightman, as being the cause of at least four-fifths of the offences comprised in this as in almost all other calendars, as well as with regard to the best and most efficient means that can be adopted towards the extinction of that degrading practice. It is obvious, from all the records of crime, that a very large proportion of offences are committed by those who are imperfectly or not at all educated; and on this most striking fact the Grand Jury rest their conviction, that no great improvement can be expected until the means of education are placed within the reach of all classes of the people. They are at the same time sensible that such an object can only be obtained by means of a provision for national education, to be made by the State; and for this purpose they do respectfully call upon the Government to introduce in the ensuing session of parliament a measure which, by its comprehensive and conciliatory nature, shall be likely to obtain a general consent, and which shall have the effect of securing the general education of the population of these kingdoms. The Grand Jury are satisfied, that while early education alone can gradually eradicate vice and prevent the evil consequences of drunkenness, it is also most important that a better spirit and tendency should be produced in the mass of the community by providing the means of recreation and employment in leisure hours in other pursuits than those which now so unhappily prevail; and they point with great gratification to the exertions which have lately been made in this town and Manchester by the establishment of public parks, museums, and libraries for that purpose. It is in vain to look for any amendment in the national character until an inducement can be offered to those who have hardly any other enjoyment, to relinquish the evil indulgence of habitual drunkenness. The Grand Jury are aware that this is not the occasion to enlarge further on these points, however important, but they earnestly hope that this public expression of the feelings

consequent on their position will conduce to the public good by promoting the consideration of these subjects. "On behalf of the Grand Jury,

"WM. ENTWISTLE, Foreman."

THE CHURCH AND THE LABOURER.

A RECENT trait of good feeling among a class little understood, and often harshly condemned, deserves, we think, passing record at our hands. The clergyman at Kirton had a portion of his glebe this year in wheat. When nearly ripe a body of labourers working on a neighbouring farm sent him this message:-"We see, sir, that your corn is nearly ready, and we are glad to see it looks well; but we don't hear who is to cut it. Now we should like to cut it; and, if you'll give us leave, we will come down some evening, after hours when the day's work is done, and reap it for you." Assent was readily given; and on two evenings-" after hours "-a band of ten or twelve labourers, true to their word, came down to the glebe, set to work with a hearty good will, and very speedily put the crop in sheaf.-Ipswich Journal.

THE SWEDE TURNIP.

THE following letter has been addressed by Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney to Lord John Russell:

"My Lord,-Your recent observations in the House of Commons on the subject of the potatoe disease have induced me to lay before you the following facts, which I believe not to be generally known, and because I have no means of making them so, believing them important, and likely to be useful.

"From careful and repeated chemical analysis, and from close observations on their effects on animals, I have reason to believe that 3lb. of the Swede turnip contains as much nourishment as 2lb. of potatoes. Last year all my cottagers used the Swede turnip as a substitute for potatoes, and felt the loss of the latter much less than they or I expected.

"In 1844 I transplanted the Swede turnip, as an experiment connected with some agricultural question, so late as the 3rd of September. This did very well, and

produced a crop at the rate of about from eight to twelve tons per acre. Last year the experiment was repeated with the same result; they were transplanted during the first week in September. My cottagers, and all in the district, are all now busily engaged transplanting the Swede turnips in the ground where their potatoe crop has failed, on the faith in the success of these experiments. Transplanting turnips so late in the year has never to my knowledge been practised, and possibly if it should suggest itself at this moment may not be thought likely to succeed. There are plenty of turnips still to be thinned out from the growing crops, which are generally good, possibly sufficient to supply all the cottage gardens in the kingdom. Ten tons of potatoes per acre is an abundant crop, seven about the average. Fifteen tons of Swede turnips is an equivalent for ten tons of potatoes; therefore, if from eight to ten tons of turnips can now be grown per acre in the ground where potatoes have failed, we shall feel no loss of provision. The transplanted Swede, so late in the year, will not succeed, unless the ground be fresh ploughed or trenched, and some active manure (no matter what the natural fertility of the soil) be placed immediately in contact with the roots. The most successful result was from fifty grains, about as much as can be held on a shilling, of guano put in about the bulb and roots of each plant; they were planted eight inches apart, in twelve-inch drills. If the landed proprietors will provide a little guano (the Ichaboe or Peruvian will do) either on loan or gift to their cottagers, where Swede plants can be had, I believe great good will result. The plant which did best was large, the bulb not less than a pheasant's egg.

"I believe these facts important, which I am sure you will consider a sufficient apology for my troubling you; and should you think so, you have the means of immediate communication in the proper channel: there is no time to be lost if worthy attention,

"I have the honour to be,

"Your Lordship's obedient servant,
"GOLDSWORTHY GURNEY."

Bude, August 22.