of Palestine and Persia, and throughout the whole region once known as Judea, cleanliness is regarded as one of the cardinal virtues; and with the Mahometans in general, and the Turks in particular, personal cleanliness is made a part of their religion. It is enjoined upon them in the Koran as one of the most important duties, and the Mahometans like the Jews are taught to believe that impurity of the body is so offensive in the sight of Deity that it will be punished with spiritual debasement. We have recently read the report made to the French Chamber of Deputies by M. Arago, the President of the Academy of Sciences of Paris, on the subject of M. Daguerre's invention. That celebrated philosopher deems it one of the greatest discoveries of the age. He states the fact that, so susceptible is the prepared plate to the action of light, that lunar rays, which have never been known to produce an effect upon any substance, make visible impressions thereon; and he gives it as his opinion that by means of the Daguerreotype, we shall be able to make photoThe bath is almost universally used daily in graphic charts of the moon, more perfect than the east, and where this luxury is denied, as is any now in use. In other relations to the science the case in the desert regions, the people have of astronomy, he views the invention as of great frequent recourse to ablutions of the extremities. importance. It enables the student of the celes-To the custom of washing the feet, we have tial regions, to measure accurately the compara- elsewhere alluded, and we propose here briefly tive intensity of light possessed by the sun, moon to notice the eastern mode of washing the hands. and stars; and he recommends its use to the me teorologist, in determining with precision, atmospheric effects at different hours of the day. In a word, M. Arago expresses his belief that this discovery will have an important bearing upon all the natural sciences, as well as the useful arts. So impressed were the members of the Chamber of Deputies with the importance of this discovery, as demonstrated in the report of M. Arago, that they voted M. Daguerre a pension of ten thousand francs per annum. THE ORIENTAL S-No. VII. Oriental ewer and basin. The orientals never wash their hands in water standing in the basin, but always, if possible, have it poured upon them from an ewer held by a second person, as shewn in the cut at the head of this article. This mode is doubtless much more refreshing and cleanly than the one used by us, and the Europeans in general. In the east, the basin and ewer are generally made of tinned copper. The latter has a division midway the top and bottom, raised in the centre and perforated with holes like a colander, so that the defiled water, passing from the hands, is concealed by this perforated covering. The ewer has a long spout and narrow neck, with a cover, as represented in the second cut. When the master wishes to wash his hands, a servant approaches with the ewer in his right hand and the basin in his left; and so tenacious are the orientals in the observance of this custom, that when a second person is wanting, they will wash in the inconvenient manner of taking up and setting down the ewer frequently, to pour water on their hands. This custom, now so prevalent in the east, was equally so at a very remote period. In the Scripture Book of second Kings, Chap. iii. verse 11, this custom is alluded to in the case of Elijah, "And one of the king of Israel's servants anWITH the people of the east, especially those swered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Orientals washing hands. Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah." The incident here mentioned occurred nearly nine hundred years anterior to our era. SHAVING THE HEAD. THE tonsorial business in the east is quite different from what it is with us, for there, instead of shaving off the beard and dressing and curling the long locks of hair, they dress and curl the beard, and frequently shave the head, as seen in the engraving. A fine beard, carefully attended to, is considered one of the most valuable of the personal ornaments of the males of the east, and they usually spend more time and care in the cultivation of this natural beauty, than in any other decoration of their persons. A custom is still prevalent among many oriental nations, of shaving the head as a sign of mourning. The origin of this custom is very remote, for we find it recorded of Job that when he heard of the desolation of his house he "arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head." their hair upon the body of the deceased to be buried or burned with it, and sometimes it was simply laid upon the grave. When men of high station in the state or army died, it was not unusual for the whole population of cities to be shaved. Purchas gives an account, on the authority of Peter Covillan, of an existing custom in Abyssinia, of an analogous character. The narrative relates to a public mourning for the death of their king. The party alluded to had just received the intelligence. "And because" says he, "it is the fashion of this country, when their friends die, to shave their heads, and not their beards, and to cloath themselves in black apparell, wee beganne to shave one another's head, and while wee were doing this, in came they which brought us our dinner, who, when they saw this, they set down the meate upon the ground, and ran to tell it unto Prete, who suddenly sent two friars unto us, to understand what had fallen out. The ambassadeur could not answer him for the great lamentation that he made, and I told them as well as I could, that the sunne which gave us light was darkened, that is to say, that the King, Don Emmanuel, (of Portugal) was departed this life; and suddenly all of us began to make our moane, and This custom was prevalent with the Jews, though it was interdicted among the priests. Mahomet forbade the habit, yet his injunctions are disregarded. The ancient Greeks testified their grief in this manner, and sometimes laid the friars went their way." VOL. VII.-59 FEMALE ORNAMENTS. Jewels of silver. In a former number we gave in detail, an account of the jewels and other personal ornaments used by eastern females. To that account we have nothing descriptive to add, but the above engraving, which we are enabled to present in addition to the numerous illustrations then given. This engraving is copied from one made up from Egyptian sculptures and real ornaments, in the British Museum, and may be considered a fair representation of a group of Egyptian belles in the time of the Pharaohs. We have in this cut nearly all the varieties of ornaments:-the head-dress, ear-rings, armlets, wristlets, necklaces, &c. ANNUALS. THESE beautiful souvenirs of affection and friendship, whose popularity is now fast waning, have, in their manufacture and sale, been the means of putting an immense amount of capital in circulation. It appears from an estimate given in the London Journal of the Fine Arts, that during the seventeen years that annuals have been published in England, a sum equal to about seven millions of dollars has been expended upon them. To this we may add, for this country, a million and a half more, which makes an aggregate of eight and a half millions. The following is an extract from the journal abovementioned : "Beyond question the character of the Annuals the passion for them, gradually declined. In has deteriorated; the fashion, we might also say proportion as they became unprofitable, exertions were relaxed; and if we look through any of the volumes published within the last five or six years, we shall perceive only mediocre engravings from mediocre paintings, while among the contributors to their literary contents we shall now find scarcely a single name of eminence. Publishers who used to pay largely for the assistance of both authors and artists, have been compelled either to abandon their speculations, or dole out recompense very sparingly; and their value as literary works, or as works of art, has nearly, if it have not altogether vanished. Yet they have, undoubtedly, been useful as well as agreeable, profitable as well as pleasant, both to literature and to art; and the sneers directed against them, just at the commencement of their decline, were as unmerited as they were unwise. Before their introduction into England, the Christmas gift-books were, as we have stated, and our readers know, paltry pocket books; their successors contained much to interest, and somewhat to instruct; the prints which used to ornament the chimneypieces of houses of the middle class, were taw dry-colored daubs, prejudicial to taste, and very by engravings after the choicest works of our often injurious to morality; they were displaced greatest British painters, executed in such a manner as to cultivate the eye, and give employment to the mind; and we are by no means to the Annuals spread through various channels a put out of sight the fact, that the popularity of very large sum of money every year, such sum being divided among persons whose occupations were beneficial to the country. For some years, We shall not be wide of the mark, if we assert, nearly 100,000l. per annum was thus expended that for several years, 150,000 volumes were cir culated. We made in the year 1829, a calcula- | may be as far advanced as possible before the extion of the expenses incurred, and on now refer- cessive heat of summer and frequent fall droughts, ring to it we have no reason to change our and as nothing that can be advantageously done opinion of its accuracy; it may interest, or at in the fall, should be left for the hurry and bustle least, amuse, the curious in such matters, at the of spring-fall planting may, in many situations, same time it will sustain our argument as to the be profitably adopted. benefit conferred by this class of works: for 150,000 volumes (including the "guinea" books, of which there were always two or three,) the public paid about 90,000l. This sum was thus distributed: Incidental matters Publishers' profits Retail Booksellers' profits 50,000 10,000 30,000 £90,000 1,000 FARMERS' DEPARTMENT. If the ground be properly prepared by depositing the necessary quantity of manure in furrows immediately beneath the seed, as has been recommended in spring planting, the fermentation of the manure in the spring, which will have been retarded by the frost of winter, would so warm the ground as to produce vegetation before the earth would be in a suitable condition for planting under ordinary circumstances. Other advantages would arise from the fertilizing effects of the frost upon the newly made ridges, and the destruction of numerous mischievous insects by this unnatural exposure to the rigors of winter. The crop being already in the ground would not conflict with the ordinary spring work, which is frequently, though erroneously urged by the advocates of the stand still system of farming, as an objection to the cultivation of roots. I say erroneously, for the culture of roots for stock need not be in addition to the usual amount of labor done on a farm, but as a substitute for a part of that labor. For instance, the farmer who plants his ten or twenty acres of corn, should plant one, two, or three of these acres with beets, or such other roots as his experience shall teach him is best adapted to his soil and situation. If he plant in the spring, he has but to plough his root ground in the fall, if the sward be tough; if ROOT CULTURE, FALL PLANTING, &c. not, as a clover clay, spring ploughing will anMR. EDITOR-It is, I believe, not generally swer. If fall planting be adopted, the same prepknown, or considered, that the seed of many of aration will be necessary. In either case the our most useful root crops will admit of fall plant-ploughing should be as deep as the soil will admit ing; and yet there are few farmers or gardeners of, and the earth be perfectly pulverized before who have not had the fact fully demonstrated by planting. the accidental falling of the seeds when they had ripened, and their vegetating in the spring without the least protection from the severity of the winter. At the instance of a very observing and enterprising gentleman of Philadelphia, who has done much for the introduction of a more general root culture into this country, I made the experiment last year upon a small quantity of sugar beet, parsnips, and onion seed. But as the ground had become frozen before the suggestion was made, I had to embrace the opportunity afforded by a partial thaw in December, to deposit the seed without any previous preparation of the ground; and to supply the deficiency of warmth in the ground from the absence of the freshly applied manure, I gave the beds a slight covering of horsestable litter, which was raked off in the spring, leaving the finer particles to be dug in as soon as the plants where large enough to admit of it. The result was, that I had a good crop of each, under these unfavorable circumstances. Now as the cultivation of the sugar beet for stock is becoming an object of great and growing interest with farmers, wherever the experiment has been fairly tried, and, as in many instances much depends upon early planting, that the crop The beet succeeds well on any medium soil; though fresh liming has in some instances been found prejudicial to its growth. The cultivation of roots for stock on suitable ground, needs but a trial to recommend itself to the favorable attention of every farmer; for among a great amount of authentic testimony on the subject, not one item other than the most favorable has been adduced. It not only enables the farmer to support more stock upon the same ground, or sell a larger amount of surplus grain, but it contributes largely to the health, comfort and growth of his stock, and the consequent increase of his profits. The sugar beet is eaten with avidity by all of our domestic animals, but to the milch cow, the sheep, young cattle and hogs, they are particularly advantageous. The fact that most animals grow and fatten readily upon grass, but will remain stationary or fall away upon hay, (the same article divested of its juice,) is conclusive evidence that some succulent is wanting; that the animal secretions are diminished from the want of green food; and as our climate will not furnish us with a natural supply during the winter, we must supply the deficiency by artificial means. Farmers' Cabinet, CAUSES OF SEEDS NOT GERMINATING. We have known and heard of considerable loss and disappointment from seeds, particularly onion seeds, not growing. We have thought and inquired in reference to the cause, and the result of our cogitation and inquiries may thus be stated: Without a certain degree of moisture, seeds will not germinate. On dry, sandy soils, and in a dry season, it seems highly probable, then, that seeds may be deprived of the requisite degree of moisture perhaps receiving just as much as will mould them and destroy their vitality, or being so near the surface as to be injured by the sun's heat and light. But the seeds may have germinated, and commenced to send out their roots and stem stalks, and yet be destroyed. If the soil is not pressed closely to the seeds, and very dry weather occurs just at this period of the process of germination, the root being too distant from the soil, and too feeble to draw any supply of moisture, the liquid food of the plant contained in the fermented seed may be dried up, and the life thus destroyed. If you would avoid disappointment and loss from seeds failing to grow, the preventive process is indicated by a knowledge of the causes most frequently productive of this result, which we think are those stated above. If you sprout your seeds before putting them into the ground, you will preserve them from the first cause of failure, but if you pulverize your soil thoroughly and press it in this state with a hoe, spade, or roller, upon the seeds thus sprouted, the root stem will soon and surely derive sufficient moisture from the soil. QUINCE TREES. THE cultivation of the quince is much neglect. ed, though it may be justly ranked among our most valuable fruits. For preserves it has long maintained a distinguished rank, and the fruit either in a green or dried state, is not surpassed by any other article for communicating a pleasant and agreeable flavor to pies made of apples. It is easily propagated by layers, and also by cuttings, and any approved kinds may be perpetuated by grafting in the usual manner. It produces the finest, fairest fruit, when planted in a soft, moist soil, in a rather shady or sheltered situation. It keeps well if properly managed, and always sells for a very high price; the markets never being overstocked with them, as is the case with many other fruits in plentiful seasons. The quince derives its name of Cydonia, from the town of Cydon, in Isle of Crete, whence it was originally brought. There are four kinds of quince:-the pear quince, from the resemblance of its shape; the apple quince; the Portugal quince, which is less harsh and more juicy than the two preceding kinds; and the eatable quince, which is less astringent and milder than either of the other kinds enumerated. The trees being small, they can be planted ten or twelve feet apart along fences, or in places where they will not interfere with other trees, or the business of agriculture. It is hoped that many seasons will not be permitted to pass over without the cultivation of this valuable fruit being considerably_extended among our farmers and gardeners. Put some cuttings in a suitable soil and situation, and see how they will grow and flourish; this would be an interesting amusement for the boys and girls who love good pies, and would occupy but a few minutes of their time. TO DAIRY WOMEN. Farmer's Cabinet. In a few instances I have found my neighbors blaming the seeds as useless, particularly of onions, carrots, and parsnips, when I have obtained a little of the seed and found it to sprout quite well. You may easily save yourselves from such reflections, or from the temptation to blame others, by steeping the suspected seed in warm or tepid water, from six to twenty-four hours, according is too often prevalent in cheeses, even when made To prevent that rancid, nauseous flavour which to the size and hardness of the seeds, and then of the richest milk, and which, otherwise would setting it away in a warmish place for a day or two. If good it will sprout in this time; if kept warm in a darkish place, and it does not sprout in this time, the seed is faulty. In connexion with this subject, I may state that several circumstances incline me to the belief that corn which has been sprouted-no matter in what steep-is safe from the ravages of the red or wire worm. It has been fashionable to steep in strong solution of copperas, and to ascribe the safety of the seed in this state, not to the change which fermentation has produced in the germe or chit which is usually first attacked, but to the change in the taste from the copperas. We have known corn soaked in simple water-in water alone to escape from the attacks of the worm as well as that soaked in the copperas steep. Until this matter is made more certain, however, I would hold it bad husbandry to neglect the copperas, as, in addition to the change produced by heat and moisture, we have also the disagreeable taste communicated by the salt. Cultivator. be delicious, salt the milk as soon as it is taken from the cows: I mean the evening's milk, which is kept in pans during the night, in order to be mixed with the new morning's milk. The quantity of salt to be used on the occasion, is about a tablespoonfull to each gallon of milk, and is generally sprinkled on the bottom of the pan, become incorporated. This early salting has enand the milk poured upon the salt, when they soon fore always hoven and detestably rank, now to abled many dairy women, whose cheese was beproduce excellent and well-flavored cheese, and on farms that had been pronounced totally unfit for the dairy system. BEE MOTH. MR. JAMES THATCHER, author of the "American Orchardist," &c. &c., in a communication to the New England Farmer, says :-"I will embrace this opportunity to communicate for the benefit of the |