_Canary Birds._--In Germany and the Tyrol, from whence the rest of
Europe is principally supplied with Canary birds, the apparatus for
breeding Canaries is both large and expensive. A capacious building
is erected for them, with a square space at each end, and holes
communicating with these spaces. In these outlets are planted such
trees as the birds prefer. The bottom is strewed with sand, on which
are cast rapeseed, chickweed, and such other food as they like.
Throughout the inner compartment, which is kept dark, are placed
bowers for the birds to build in, care being taken that the breeding
birds are guarded from the intrusion of the rest. Four Tyrolese
usually take over to England about sixteen hundred of these birds; and
though they carry them on their backs nearly a thousand miles, and pay
twenty pounds for them originally, they can sell them at 5_s_. each.
_Braithwaite's Steam Fire Engine_--will deliver about 9,000 gallons
of water per hour to an elevation of 90 feet. The time of getting the
machine into action, from the moment of igniting the fuel, (the water
being cold,) is 18 minutes. As soon as an alarm is given, the fire is
kindled, and the bellows, attached to the engine, are worked by hand.
By the time the horses are harnessed in, the fuel is thoroughly
ignited, and the bellows are then worked by the motion of the wheels
of the engine. By the time of arriving at the fire, preparing the
hoses, &c. the steam is ready.
Fisher, bishop of Rochester, was accustomed to style his church his
wife, declaring that he would never exchange her for one that was
richer. He was a zealous adherent of Pope Paul III. who created him
a cardinal. The king, Henry VIII., on learning that Fisher would not
refuse the dignity, exclaimed, in a passion, "Yea! is he so lusty?
Well, let the pope send him a hat when he will. Mother of God! he
shall wear it on his shoulders, for I will leave him never a head to
set it on."
_Flax_ is not uncommon in the greenhouses about Philadelphia, but
we have not heard of any experiments with it in the open
air.--_Encyclopaedia Americana._
_The Schoolmaster wanted in the East._--Mr. Madden, in his travels
in Turkey, Egypt, Nubia, and Palestine, says:--"In all my travels, I
could only meet one woman who could read and write, and that was in
Damietta; she was a Levantine Christian, and her peculiar talent was
looked upon as something superhuman."
La Fontaine had but one son, whom, at the age of 14, he placed in the
hands of Harlay, archbishop of Paris, who promised to provide for him.
After a long absence, La Fontaine met this youth at the house of a
friend, and being pleased with his conversation, was told that it was
his own son. "Ah," said he, "I am very glad of it."
_Universal Genius._--Rivernois thus describes the character of
Fontenelle: "When Fontenelle appeared on the field, all the prizes
were already distributed, all the palms already gathered: the prize of
universality alone remained, Fontenelle determined to attempt it, and
he was successful. He is not only a metaphysician with Malebranche, a
natural philosopher with Newton, a legislator with Peter the Great, a
statesman with D'Argenson; he is everything with everybody."
_Forest Schools._--There are a number of forest academies in Germany,
particularly in the small states of central Germany, in the Hartz,
Thuringia, &c. The principal branches taught in them are the
following:--forest botany, mineralogy, zoology, chemistry; by which
the learner is taught the natural history of forests, and the mutual
relations, &c. of the different kingdoms of nature. He is also
instructed in the care and chase of game, and in the surveying and
cultivation of forests, so as to understand the mode of raising all
kinds of wood, and supplying a new growth as fast as the old is taken
away. The pupil is too instructed in the administration of the forest
taxes and police, and all that relates to forests considered as a
branch of revenue.
_The Weather._--Meteorological journals are now given in most
magazines. The first statement of this kind was communicated by Dr.
Fothergill to the Gentleman's Magazine, and consisted of a monthly
account of the weather and diseases of London. The latter information
is now monopolized by the parish-clerks.
_Goethe._--The wife of a Silesian peasant, being obliged to go to
Saxony, and hearing that she had travelled (on foot) more than half
the distance to Goethe's residence, whose works she had read with the
liveliest interest, continued her journey to Weimar for the sake of
seeing him. Goethe declared that the true character of his works had
never been better understood than by this woman. He gave her his
portrait.
_Liverpool and Manchester Railway._--The Company has reported the
following result:
Passengers entered in the Company's
books during the half-year
ending June 30, 1831 £188,726
Ditto, ditto, ending December
31, 1831 256,321