part; on the majestic rose, the Venus of flowers, without dreams of love and beauty; or on the golden flower of the Sun, nor feel intructed by an emblem of faith and constancy, and of a noble upward looking to the Soul and Centre of all things! Who could hold that dull, dry doctrine that calls itself utilitarian, in the presence of a flower? Are not, indeed. the floral hosts a very "cloud of witnesses" against that blighting spirit that recognises not the beautiful amongst the ministrations of the true-nay, that sees not the perfect union of the twain, a union solemnized by the hand of love "before the foundation of the world'? From what a world of joy and delight do such exclude themselves! Yea, they lose their right to that fair and broad inheritance in the wide kingdom of nature, which would enable them, by virtue of loving and teachable hearts, to "Call the glorious landscape all their own." Their eyes are clouded with the dust of care, "the fretful stir unprofitable, and the fever of the world," and their ears deafened with the whirl of its ceaseless activities; so that they see no beauty in the beautiful, and hear not the "still small voice" that these lowly ministers lift up; nor the high and glorious snatches of the heavenly harmonies that are permitted to float down to this neither sphere, to gladden and refresh the wearied soul of man, and to awaken in his heart that unconquerable yearning for his fatherland, which gives him assurance of his high original. Bloom on, then, ye lovely flowers! Keep for us, beneath your rainbow wings, that dew of our youth which the world's sultry breath would so soon exhale; weary not in your holy ministries; teach us to adorn, like you, the waste places of life; "Ye toil not neither do ye spin," and yet your Heavenly Father hath given you a glorious investiture of beauty; teach us likewise to depend upon Him, to fulfil the mission He hath given us; and to care not anxiously for the morrow; so shall ye fill up your appointed priesthood, and your voices shall not be wanting in those links of heavenly music, that are to draw the soul of man, as by the electric chain of a strong attraction, to God, the central sun of the spiritual universe. H. M. P. More sweet than odours caught by him who sails Poetry. A SONG FOR MARCH. BY JOHN CRITCHLEY PRINCE. Burly March rushes in with a boisterous wing, Give him welcome, though brawler he be, He is here to announce that the beautiful Spring Re-appears on the forest and lea; The blithe lark is aware, for his earliest song, As he flutters the breeze-broken cloudlets Cometh down like melodious rain; [among, The thrush startles echo with jovial voice, And a thousand glad throats that were made to Will soon tremble with music again. [rejoice Already the pastures are greening anew, Waking life is astir in the woods, The speedwell re-opens its sweet eyes of blue, From the mosses that mantle the old wood and Or the song of the brooklet below! [the steeps, There is health for the ailing who dare to be glad 'Mid the broad fields of nature awhile; There is hope for the doubtfullest soul that is sad, For the heart-stricken mourner a smile; There is beauty for poets, and pastime for clowns There is solace for workers that weary in towns, Let them snatch the rare joy as they can: There are charms for the senses, in holiest guise; There are teachers the spirit may hear, and grow There are spells for the moodiest man. [wise; What a phrenzied and perilous year was the past! With dismay and disaster how rife! While anarch and horror swept fiercely and fast Through the highways and byways of life! Let us bow to the rod, though the loss we deplore; Let us utter great vows, to retrieve, to restore, Under heaven's magnificent arch: If for deeds that may win their acceptance above, If for peace and progression, for justice and love, Let our word of endeavour be "March!" MONSTER IRON WAREHOUSE.-A most commodious iron warehouse, intended for exportation to California, has recently been built at Liverpool. It is 60 feet in length by 40 feet in width, and its extreme height, by external measurement, is 36 feet at the gables, and about 26 feet 4 inches at the eaves, and is divided into three storeys; the first of which is 11 feet in height, the second 9 feet, and third 8 feet. The whole is lighted with about 60 windows, all of which have iron mullions. The weight of the whole will little exceed 30 tons. THE PHILOSOPHY OF BREAD, &c. THE PHILOSOPHY OF BREAD AND BREAD MAKING. BY JAMES SHIRLEY HIBBERD, Operative Chemist. (Continued from page 25.) Is, then, the cereal plants are so well fitted in their mechanical structure and chemical properties to serve as the basis of every system of human dietetics, how important is it to adopt the best modes of preparing them, both in regard to health and economy. I have only yet spoken of wheat in a general sense; it will be necessary now to be particular and minute. Every grain of corn, whether it be wheat, oats, or otherwise, consists of a mass of vegetable farina, containing embosomed within it the vital gem of vegetation, and enveloped in a cuticle or preserving membrane. When the grain is crushed in the mill, these coverings constitute the bran. Now, the question arises, whether we shall separate and throw aside this bran, or whether we shall permit it to enter into the composition of our bread? It is a simple question of whole meal or fine flour, of white bread or brown. The chemist steps in, and tells us that of the material which furnishes the fatty and oily part of our bodies the 93 of a duty. This is one of the results of modern organic chemistry. It was all very well for the time of Sir II. Davy to suppose that all of (and none but) the dry substance of any vegetable which hot water would dissolve, and take with it through filter-paper, was "nutritive matter;" but practised men have proved this idea to be erroneous, and have established the fact that the fibrous and barky envelope of the corn grain which constitutes the bran is rich in the principles of nutrition, and that to throw it aside is to depreciate the value of the bread. There is another reason why meal-bread should be used in preference to that made of fine flour; viz., the mechanical adaptation of it to action of the digestive organs, for all fine food has the objection of impeding the influence of the acting walls of the stomach and small intestines, and of laying the foundation of dyspeptia, and numerous other affections, checking and irritating the minute lacteals and other absorbent vessels. The Deity has associated together in the grain all the materials for the complete nutrition of animal bodies, and just in the proportions necessary. This is a new reading in Natural Theology. by Admitting, then, that bread made of coarse, unbolted meal is preferable to that made from fine flour, we have next to enquire into the question of Bread Making. Brevity! There is a strong objection, on the score of economy, in the use of fermented bread. The introduction of yeast causes the first stage of the vinous fermentation to set in, or, as it is usually called, the "Panary Fermentation." During this process a portion of the starch of the grain is converted into sugar, and a portion of the sugar into alcohol. The alcohol flies off during the operation of baking, and being formed of the carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen of the flour, of course carries off just so much of the bread itself as is represented in its own elements. During the conversion of starch into sugar also, a large amount of carbon is set free, and combining with oxygen, forms carbonic acid. The formation of this carbonic acid within the dough causes those numerous little holes in the bread on which its lightness or spongy character depends. The loss of this carbon is another tax upon the bread, imposed by the use of yeast. The difference in the amount of carbon in starch and in the sugar produced by fermentation may be seen in the annexed formula of the composition of those principles:Starch, dried at 2120 C 12, H 9, O 9, H 0. Sugar, C 12, H 14, O 14 + Hence, in the transition of starch to sugar, there must be a loss of carbon. Experience proves the truth of this theoretical position. It is found that the use of fermented bread involves a loss of more than 20 per cent, of the nutritious portion of the meal. (To be concluded in next number.) *I only know one exception to this, and that is the Arabian Revalanta, which is exceedingly fine, but which is a specific cure for dyspeptia. + Read-Starch consists of Carbon 12 equivalents Hydrogen 9 equivalents, Oxygen 9 equivalents, and I equivalent of water. ALMANAC OF Spring! O, Spring! thou more dost bring, Prayer's offered up, and anthems sung. NATURE-MARCH, 1850. The trees are still leafless, and yet the unfolding of Spring may be seen in all directions. The daylight visits us earlier in the morning, and lingers with us longer at evening, as though expecting to behold a goodly sight, in the blooming of flowers, and the leafing of trees. The woods and roadside banks are quite gay with flowers; there are primroses, violets, several kinds of veronica, or speedwell, the common coltsfoot, with its golden star-like flowers, blooming before its stem is adorned with a single leaf; the golden saxifrage; the white wood-anemone; the lesser celandine and that comes before the swallow daises daffodils, and take the winds of March with beauty. Many of the forest trees are now in flower; the willow, with its soft downy catkins; the acers or maples, with their feathery blooms; the elm, with tufts of purple flowers; and the lime, with its whitish green flowers, emitting a delightful fragrance. The catkins of the hazel, and of the poplar are now very conspicuous, and as the month wears on, many deciduous trees come into leaf. The gardens are gay with the blossoms of the jonquil, crocus, narcissus, the mezereon, pink and white, the spunge-laurel, and the violet. Now the woods begin to resound with song; the garden-thrush is one of the most interesting of the British songsters, and like the nightingale, sings nearly all night. It lives principally on snails, and is very expert in cracking their shells to obtain the bodies of their victims. The nests of various birds are now filled with eggs, those of singing birds being usually speckled on a dark ground. The greenfinch, the common wren, and the willow wren, have white eggs, spotted with red; the eggs of the house-sparrow are of a dingygreen, streaked with black; and those of the hedge-sparrow, the magpie, and the crow, are of a greenish blue. About this season frogs begin to reappear, and congregate together in multitudes, making the green banks of streams and ponds quite lively with croaking and frisking about. The eggs of frogs undergo eleven changes before the perfect animal is produced, and for at least a month they remain in what is called a tadpole state, in which the creature has a large head, a long body, and is destitute of legs. The warty newt is in a state of great activity in spring. It is common in ponds and ditches, and feeds upon the tadpole of the common frog. The bees usually become very active in the month of March, and they are particularly fond of crocusses, which are generally in flower in this month, and to such an extent will they partake of their juices, that they frequently get intoxicated and lose the integrity of their locomotive powers, when crocusses are abundant. Towards the end of the month, the scene out-of-doors is one of great activity and life. Those noisy vagrants, the sparrows, go chatting, chirping, scratching, thieving, and quarrelling from morn to night; hiding, building, and breeding under the smoky leaves; and although sometimes as black as the soot of the chimnies around them, they are as proud and haughty as birds of paradise. The weather in March is usuallyvery capricious, and Spring and Winter seem to be contending for victory. Sometimes we have cold winds, with frost and sleet, then gleams of sunshine, and days like June, succeeded again uy December nights. The planet Mercury is a morning star all the month; he is not favourably situated for observation. He move eastward among the stars during the month. The planet Venus is in the constellation Aquarius at the com mencement of the month, and in conjunction with the Sun on the 3rd. She is an evening star towards the end of the month. The planet Mars is an evening star during the month, and moves eastward among the stars. The planet Jupiter is in the constellation of Leo, and visible throughout the night. The planet Saturn is in the constellation of Cetus all the month, and visible for a short time after sunset. He is in conjunction with the Sun on the 31st. F 1 Dis. of Sun from Earth, at noon, 94,190,000 m. 2 Moon in Virgo. First bee app. Wryneck app. Pale primrose, that die unmarried." S Su M T W Th F S 3 4 Moon in Lib. Len. day, 11 h. 1m. Willowwn. c. 8 Frogs hop and skip about on sunny days. Su 10 Moon in Capri. Ground beetle on sunny paths T12 Golden saxifrage, speedwell, & willow-grass fl. W 13 Moon in Pisces. Corchorus japonicus fl. F Th 14 Winter green (Pyrola) fl. Crocusses in full bty. 15 Stone Curlew seeks for insects on upland fields $ 16 Anemonies in fl. Sirius S. 7h. 3m. p.m. Su 17 Vipers appear in old woods. M 18 Moon in Taurus. Snow flakes in river banks, T19 Oak, poplar, & willow in fl. Castor S. 7h. 37m. W 20 Snakes wake from winter sleep. [p.m. Th 21 Arum maculatum fl. Storms may be expected. F 22 Daffodils, jonquils, and narcissus fl. S 23 Moon in Cancer Chaffinches muster in troops Su 24 Meadows get purpled with blossoms. M 25 Moon in Leo. Turtle and crane build nests. T26 Green vallies are filled with silver music. W 27 Procyon S. 7h, 12. p.m. Aspen & white pop. lf. Th 28 Moon in Virgo. Laburnum, lilac, hrse-chnt lf. F 29 Winter midge (Tichocera hyemalis) appears. 8 30 Wild strawberry in fl. Common gnat (Culex Sul 31 Stork's-bill, Dove's-foot A. [pipiens) numerous ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Answers to Correspondents, &c. Editor's Address:--16, Hardinge-street, Islington. I. P. E. Mr. Edmund Fry, the Secretary of the League of Brotherhood is the writer of the "Lever of Life." "Lines to a Mother,"- "Woman's Heart,""The Ravages of Cholera," Sight," A Peace-offering for the Million," received. "War," "The Dawn of a New World,""Too much and too little,"-" I do not want for time or place,"-" Love is the Heaven of the heart;" "The Island Green," received. M. respectfully declined. We could not insert any thing laudatory of war, let it be ever so good. Aslan's" Home," may some day be worthy of a corner. He has our thanks. I. E. Norfolk. We are obliged to him for the hint it shall be attended to. "W. F. Darlington, is quite correct in his inference with regard to our idea of dietary reform. No doubt the question will be discussed in future Nos. of "The Public Good." W. F. says,-Your correspondent Amicus would find that whatever dignity and beauty was acquired by wearing the beard, no saving of time would result from discontinuing to use the razor; for it would require more time to keep the beard thoroughly clean and trim than would suffice to shave. As to the laws of nature, apply the same reasoning to toe and finger nails. Chinese dandies allow these appendages to grow to the length of several inches. H. F. Islington, after several flattering remarks writes: "The lives of great men all remind us How should make our lives sublime, If such be the case, II. F. says, as undoubtedly it is of taking note and recording the doings of the good and great, how happy your idea as given in the Jan. No. as day by day we considered the unfolding of the natural world, so day by day our attention was called to the birth of some illustrious personage; and as we were shown the period of his birth, B. C. or A.D., so the mind was led to consider the circumstance of time and place, and trace the onward, upward progress of the individual, often struggling in hope against hope, until greatness had been achieved. How happy your idea of giving note of the birth rather than the death of the individual; the birth being often, if not invariably, as to circumstance and place, the best starting point to study an individual's history. I therefore beg you will give us the column, month aftermonth -day after day, and side by side with the calendar of nature. A press of matter prevented our doing so last month, but it is our intention, and especially after the sensible remarks of our correspondent, to do so in future, "A Would-be Constant Reader," Liverpool. Thanks for the information. W. B., Blackwater. We can only say in this place, that the advocates and proinoters of the Vegetarian Society are neither greengrocers or gutta percha-sellers, and certainly they are not influenced by such low and selfish views as those insinuated by W. B. "A sincere well-wisher." His "Woman's Mission" contains some valuable remarks. J. L., Mile-end. We cannot at present give the desired information. T. S. does not see much propriety in our advocating any questionable question such as the spelling reform. He thinks that our language is so extensively based on foreign languages, that there are too many difficulties to be overcome before the English language can be reconstructed on the Phonetic System; and as there are so many real abuses and evils in the world, and human life being so short, it would, he thinks, be better for reformers to apply their powers to some more substantial purpose than that of endeavouring to establish an Utopia. There may be truth in what our correspondent says, but we cannot but think that there should be some more grave objections raised to the "spelling reform,' than those of the difficulties in the way, before the parties who believe in its truthfulness and practicability should abandon it. We should rather ask, is the proposed spelling reform based on true principles, and would its general adoption produce substantial benefits to the community? If so, let us not be frightened at difficulties. "The amount of difficulty before us should be the measure of our determination to overcome it." F. P. C. "Kindness," and "Love is the Heaven of the Heart," most respectfully declined. M. Lynch, Dublin. "Female Toil" contains many good suggestions. It is our intention to have an article on the subject soon. Thanks to Mr. Lynch for his contribution. John Burbidge writes: "Your idea of a volume of 'Public Good Poetry,' is an admirable. one. Such a volume would meet with, I have no doubt, a large sale. We want such a thing. Verses embodying the great principles of the age, published at a cheap rate, and selected with good taste, would spread far and wide, and become not only Public Good Poetry,' but 'Good Public Poetry."" We merely gave a hint in our last number, about a volume of "Public Good Poetry." After re-considering the matter, we think that such a thing may with propriety be done. Instead of having a sparate volume of poetry which could not be brought out without loss, unless the circulation were very large, we think it would be better to have a supplemental number of The Public Good devoted solely to poetry similar in kind and tendency to that mentioned by Mr. Burbidge. If our numerous friends will furnish us with good and suitable poems, and promise us their co-operation in circulating the supplemental number, we will undertake to publish it. It will be requisite to sell at least 10,000 copies to make the number pay. We should be happy to receive the opinions of our numerous poetical friends on the subject. Poetry is never more beautiful and thrilling, and certainly never more useful, than when consecrated to the advancement of true principles and the moral elevation of man. "A word on Sanitary Reform" received with thanks. "Jacob Post." His system of Ecclesiastical Reform is very elaborate. It might be published as a separate tract. "The ravages of the Cholera" creditably written. "Working Men's Libraries," Carlisle. Honour say we, to those brave working men who called into existence such an excellent and useful Library. It is an evidence of what can be done. Working men of England, know ye not that who would be free, themselves must strike the blow; and never forget that God helps those who help themselves. A. K., Quiet House, in commenting on some of the articles in No. 1. "They who Rock the Cradle Rule the World." It is time she ruled the world openly, and not a mere cradle rocker. Woman the Reformer must carry out her work beyond the so-called home. We have had home politics, fire-side politics, cradle rocking politics long enough. These have been in operation all these ages, and see where they leave us. We want no longer behind-thedoor secret machinations; give us broad, plain, even-handed justice, exposed before the sun, open and above board-equal burdens, equal rights, and not so much pandering to a vitiated taste for sentimental love ditties, "True and Godlike by his mother's voice." Why not that mother's voice Godlike in the senate? Why not Madam Adelaide in the open Senate House? She was the private corrector of her besotted, never-learning, Bourbon brother." We beg to say that we rather differ with our fair correspondent about the dignity of cradle rocking. We think woman training, and educating the child, is performing an office as great and important as woman speaking in the Senate House. We cannot but think that woman has the same abstract right to sit in the Senate House as man; but whether it would contribute to her happiness, or the welfare of the world is a question to be discussed. It is G. F. B., Bath. If his MS. were received it must have been by some means or other mislaid. G. F. B. objects to the insertion of Cheap Dainties," "Fireside Fun," &c., in The Public Good. He thinks that such things are not in keeping with the tone and purpose of our Magazine. We can only say that others prefer the insertion of such things. difficult to please all parties, and if we were to attempt it, we should soon be in the position of the old man, who with his son and ass, tried to please everybody, but pleased nobody. Man is not only a thinking and progressing being, but he is a compound creature. He was made to eat and laugh as well to think, love, and aspire. Man has been called a "thinking animal," and a "laughing animal,' which we suppose means, that in laughing and Booking he differs from all other animals. And it so happens that laughing and eating are two important employments, and we cannot for a moment see why each should not have occasionally a column of The Public Good approriate to it. Homo lashes us most unsparingly for the use of some expressions in You-loo-fou's letter in No. 2. We beg to inform him that he has altogether misapprehended the author's meaning. The term "barbarian" was employed as the Chinese would and do use it. The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire always denomin. ate the English and the other people of Europe as "barbarian," and the Turks call us infidel." But we are not in really barbarian and infidel because we are so called. We hope Homo will be a little more scrupulous of his denunciation when he writes again. J. M., Yeovil. He will find some prospectuses with the present number. J. M. wishes us to issue a number fortnightly. Though not inclined to do so now, we will give it our consideration. Amicus, in his first letter, writes in a rather too dictatorial strain for us. He should bear in mind, that he is not everybody, and that there are other tastes and opinions besides those he possesses. An article like that he suggests in his second letter would be very useful. The term "Honourable" is applied to Legislators and Judges among the Ameri cans. A correspondent suggests that as the taxes on knowledge are very injurious to the moral and mental interests of the community, and as the agitation for their repeal cannot be carried on without expense, that it would be a very desirable thing indeed if each subscriber of the Public Good were to contribute sixpence to the funds of the Newspaper Stamp Abolition Committee. We can only say that we should be most happy to receive and acknowledge the receipt of as many sixpences as our very numerous readers may feel disposed to send us for such a praiseworthy object. We think the suggestion a good one, and well worthy of being carried into operation. Any money which we should receive for such a purpose would be immediately handed over to the Newspaper Stamp Abolition Committee, which has its offices at 15, Essex-street, Strand. In our next number it is our intention to have a "student's column," which will be devoted to the asking and answering historical, geographical, mathematical, grammatical, and other questions which particularly fall within the student's province; and also translations of passages from Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and German authors into English, and translations of passages from English authors into either of the languages just mentioned. We think that such a column will be found a medium communication of much interest and instruction to our readers in general, and the younger portion of them in particular. We should be happy to receive questions, prob lems, or passages for translation for our next number. Several important books will be reviewed in our next No. Several poems on Home have been received. T. S., Buckingham. "Past, Present, and Future," received. Cymro. We do not know who is the respon sible editor of the "Christian Times." J. C. T. may help us by circulating our prospectuses, recommended by himself, |