give me a well-built squared timber shanty, and you may take all your lath and plaster houses, which rock like a cradle when the wind blows.

There are two kinds of log houses used in the backwoods of Canada -one called a shanty on account of the roof, which has only one side; the other, a square house with the regular roof to it; the latter, of course, is far the best, if you can afford it, and the outlay is so trifling that I would advise every settler to give the preference to the square house. It is by no means an uncommon thing to see no less than three houses close together, within a short space of each other, which have been occupied by the same owner at different periods of his life, clearly marking the progress of his fortunes: first, you notice the little shanty now used perhaps for poultry; next, the square well-finished log hut, converted into stable or barn; and lastly, the mansion of wood or stone, which throws the former two quite into the shade.

Most of the log huts that I have seen have been chiefly built either of cedar, hemlock, or pine. It is important that the logs should be straight, and as near one size as can be procured. To make the hut look well, the timber should be squared, and the corners dove-tailed; but this is merely a matter of taste, and of the least importance. The crevices between the walls are carefully stuffed with chunks of wood and clay; after which, you may either give it a coat of whitewash, or, if that does not please you, canvas and paper it. Shingles are always used in Canada as they are here, and a handy backwoodsman will make his own, which, as a rule, are far superior to any made by machinery, and fetch a better price. A square four-roomed hut, with underground cellar, ought not to cost much more than from twenty to twenty-five pounds sterling. The only expenses are the flooring boards, windows, and doors-that is, supposing he has been wise enough to call a bee, and handy enough to finish it off himself. A well-built log hut will last upwards of twenty years, and even after that it will be found useful for several purposes. The reader will doubtless have observed that I have made no mention of either fireplace or chimney in the erection of my house. This is easily accounted for, as in most instances stoves are used. Some people prefer the stove to a fire-place; but give me the latter, as there is then a good ventilation to any room. These stoves, in the depth of winter, are often heated until they become red hot; the consequence is, the air becomes baked and rarified, which must be very injurious to the constitution, and perhaps accounts for the apparently premature aged appearance of ladies in America, who have arrived at the age of thirty and thirty-five; this, undoubtedly, should be the prime of their life. We know it is so, both in this country and in England; yet, in Canada and the States, ladies look positively old at that age. During the coldest nights in winter, when your very breath freezes, and settles like frost upon your beard and whiskers, persons will leave their heated rooms, which are like a hot-house, to go out into the open air. Under these circumstances, I think it is wonderful that it does not shorten their lives more than it apparently does.

Time will not permit us to linger longer on this subject, for out-door occupations once more engage our attention. The preparation of the ground for seed is simple in the extreme. Nature in her bountiful goodness has done so much for man that little remains for him to do. The plough, that useful implement for preparing ground in every other country, is

entirely dispensed with here; also this same forest, which, for all we know, has endured for ages, has every succeeding year enriched the soil with its foliage, until the ground has become a rich loam two feet deep; so rich, indeed, that I have known three crops taken off the same land successively, without the least application of manure. This is indeed poor policy, and should be discouraged, as it must impoverish the land ever afterwards.

Sowing wheat in new bush land is conducted in the following manner : -You first provide yourself with a triangular harrow-a rough implement of its kind, constructed by yourself. With this harnessed to a pair of bullocks, you scratch in the seed, the same having been first sown broad-cast. Two harrowings is generally deemed sufficient. In early spring, you seed the same ground down with red clover and Timothy grass seeds, which is a famous plan, as the wheat shelters the young grass from cold winds; and the following year you have a splendid crop of hay, and are enabled to turn your attention to the clearing of the next ten acres. Before the wheat is above ground, you have ample time to fence your land in; and if you have been wise, you will have reserved from the burning all the straight pine or cedar logs, which may be suitable for splitting. The fences in Canada are the ugliest features in the country ; they are downright abominable, and completely mar the landscape. But to make amends for this great blemish, they are extremely serviceable, and can be put up in a remarkably short space of time-so short, indeed, that I have seen one side of a ten-acre paddock put up in a day. These fences go by the name of snake fences, probably on account of their zigzag irregularity. Besides their awkward appearance, they occupy a great space of valuable ground; and, what is far worse, the corners cannot be reached by the plough, so they become the nursery for thistles, docks, and other noxious weeds. The interval between burning and seed-time should be occupied in splitting rails. The quicker it is done the better; because the sun has then time to dry up the sap, which makes them much lighter to handle, the benefit of which you will reap when you commence to shift them. There is much more that I could say respecting bush farms; but were I to dwell upon this subject any longer, I fear I should only weary my reader, who must be anxious by this time to hear more about the scenery and general aspect of the country.

Nature seems to have formed everything in Canada on a gigantic scale. Her forests, lakes, and rivers all bear testimony to this. Here is ample scope for the pencil of the skilled limner; his fancy may revel in every description of romantic scenery. We will first notice the lakes; the largest of these, such as Eric, Huron, and Ontario, are, in fact, inland fresh-water seas. Ontario, the last in chain, and the most easterly of these American seas (which may well be considered the wonder and admiration of the world) is in form elliptical, and measures 172 miles on a central line drawn from its south-west to its north-east extremity; its greatest breadth is 59 miles, and about 467 miles in circumference. The water of Ontario, like that of the other lakes, and of the St. Laurence river, is limpid and pure, and fit to drink; also for washing, though it is not so suitable for the solution of soap as rain water. During the height of summer, the shore water is too warm for pleasant drinking, unless kept some hours in a cool cellar. Gales of wind on this lake are frequent, and attended with an unpleasant 66 sea." The refractions which take

place on Ontario, in calm weather, are exceedingly beautiful; islands and trees appear turned upside down; the white surf of the beach is translated aloft, and seems like the smoke of artillery blazing away from a fort. It is not on these large lakes, however, that you must look for the finest scenery; but rather on the back lakes and rivers, which have no place on the map, where only the clear ring of the woodman's axe, the crack of the sportsman's rifle, or the cheering cry of the deer-hound, as he hurries his quarry on to destruction. Where the wild duck rises from the Indian rice-bed, or the red-headed wood-pecker taps the hollow pine, garlanded with the crimson Virginian creeper falling in graceful festoons; or the drumming of partridges, as they call to their mates-all is beautiful; the hand of the destroyer-Man-has not yet been here. When, resting on our paddles in our Indian bark canoe, gazing on this lovely scene, the handywork of the Creator, we feel we have the book of Nature spread before us, which bears ample testimony to his omnipotence.

How wonderful, and how imperfectly understood, are many of the ordinary operations of Nature! No sooner does the axe of the woodman, or the accidental burning of the forest, destroy one class of trees and brushwood, when another race, perfectly distinct, rises up, as though by magic, from the disturbed and discoloured soil, and covers it with beauty. Wonderful as this is, I believe it has never been properly accounted for yet; some say, they suppose that it is the seeds of forest trees which have been deposited by some catastrophe, and are forgotten, pursuing, however, the vital principle for centuries, till accident brings them to light and life. We have much more to say respecting the woods of Canada, the different species of trees, the denizens of the forest, &c., but space and time will not permit us to intrench further upon these subjects, interesting as they undoubtedly are, and which we purpose to reserve for a future time. If, however, we have succeeded in piqueing the curiosity of our readers regarding Canadian life, our feeble effort will be amply rewarded, and we trust, in the next chapter, to awaken renewed interest in the sports and pastimes of that country.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF BULBS.

As almost every vegetable production has an aspect of beauty, so no ornaments can exceed those which the generality of bulbous flowers present, whether we consider the splendour, variety, and delicacy of their colour, the symmetry and minute detail of their proportions, the gracefulness of simple form, or the gorgeous luxuriance of their grouped masses. If to this we add the delicious odour which they constantly and spontaneously diffuse, we need not wonder that these flowers should be universal favourites, and that we should find them ornamenting the humblest cottage, as well as the proudest palace.

HYACINTHS.-These most beautiful flowers are either adapted for cultivation in beds, pots, or glasses. Many persons have been deterred from the cultivation of these charming plants by an apprehension that their culture was very difficult; but it may be safely affirmed that a more erroneous opinion has never been entertained; especially as the greatest difficulty is the rearing and maturing of the young bulbs during their infancy. The hyacinth will grow and flower far better when confined to small beds raised six inches above the surrounding level of the ground. The soils best suited for the growth and development of the leaves and flowers are as follows:

Any well drained soil is easily rendered suitable for the growth of the hyacinth. If the soil is of a strong adhesive nature, add two inches of sharp sand, two of decomposed turf, and two of well decayed manure, then incorporate the whole together, and after the bed has been dug over to the depth of one foot, and a few inches of the original soil taken away, then cover the surface of the bed to the depth of six inches with the prepared soil, and that is all that is necessary for their well being. When planting time arrives, which will be about the end of May or June, choose a dry day to plant the bulbs; place each bulb two and-ahalf inches under the surface of the ground, plant the bulbs about nine inches asunder every way, press the mould firmly to the bulb with the thumb and finger, then with a rake smooth the surface of the bed; it will not require any artificial watering at any period of the year. Stir the surface of the bed, and keep it free from weeds. In the Spring, when the flower stems are advancing, place stakes to each to preserve them from being broken off by high winds and heavy rains. When the blossoms begin to expand, a slight awning should be placed over the bed to prevent heavy rains from tarnishing the flowers, as blues and whites are soon disfigured by much rain, and also strong sunshine. As soon as the plants are done blossoming, take away all the old flower stems, and this will assist the maturing and ripening of the bulbs; do not injure any of the leaves, but rather tie them up so that they may not be injured by the wind, as it is the leaves that convey to the bulb the requirements of the following years' growth, and mature the embryo of the next flower. When the leaves begin to assume a yellow withered appearance,

it is time to take them up. With a fork remove all the plants to the surface, and lay a little soil over the roots for a few days before finally storing the bulbs. December is the time to remove the roots, but before laying the bulbs away, each one must be rubbed and cleaned; they should be exposed to the air and sun to dry for about a week or ten days; then put them in a flower-pot, mixed with dry sand, and place them on a shelf in a dry situation till the planting season arrives. The small offsets must be taken care of and planted in a piece of rich ground apart from the large bulbs, and if they show signs of flower stems, remove the buds, or cut the stems out as soon as they appear, as they only weaken the bulb. About the second or third year they will make fine strong bulbs for flowering, if treated as above described. Hyacinths grown in pots or glasses require a year to recover before they flower, as the bulbs are very much exhausted, owing to having little nourishment to feed on. The only way to bring them into a flowering state is to plant them out in the ground and pick off any flower stems as they appear, and they will flower well the following season.

The Polyanthus Narcissus grows and flowers in almost any soil in New Zealand, but the bulbs should be taken up and dried like the hyacinths. Plant single bulbs in a bed one foot apart, and the flowers will grow one-third larger than when left in bunches; always select the largest and finest bulbs for planting, and destroy the smaller ones, if not required to increase the stock. A bed of them looks very well in the early spring, and gives the place a cheerful appearance. The bloom can be prolonged by planting in May, June, and July, and even later; they may be had in bloom five months out of the twelve.

Narcissus Odorus is a beautiful orange flower; the perfume is delicious; it requires the same treatment as the Polyanthus Narcissus.

The Jonquil also requires to be taken up, and the roots divided; bulbs dried, and allowed a period of rest. In June replant, and put three roots in together, or within a few inches of one another in borders, along the sides of walks and edges of beds.

THE AMARYLLIS.-These magnificent plants are not so extensively cultivated as they should be; the varieties are so numerous, and the colouring so beautiful, that a small collection may have more diversity of colour, style of growth, and various periods of flowering, than many suppose. They all require a period of rest except "Aulica" and "Purpurea -as soon as the foliage begins to look yellow and dies at the tips; if they are grown in pots, withhold watering by degrees, and as soon as the foliage dies away the pots can be removed to some cool part in the house, or airy shelf, till the leaves begin to show themselves again, which will be in about three months; re-pot in larger pots if the pot is matted with roots. The soil best suited for this growth is a rather rich sandy loam, decomposed turf, sand, and rotten manure in about equal parts. In re-potting, press the mould firmly about the roots, and keep the top of the bulb level with the rim of the pot, then give a good watering, and place the pots near the glass in a warm part of the house. When the flower stems begin to rise, water about twice a week with manure water, as there will be a great demand on the roots then. In New Zealand almost all the varieties do remarkably well planted in a border or bed prepared, as above described for the Hyacinth, and when the leaves die away, take up the bulbs and plant in a box, till the return of spring.