THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BV1L ErEECT8 0" EXCESSIVE HOME WORK FOB Jl MOK I't IML.V Th* following an extracts from a letter j strength, bat overstrain tn on "Our Kducational System" from Dr. W. I loss of ton* and in the end enlseblement. ' It is Urgely among this class ol children that overstudy at school makes its greatest havoc. The hrain.a* ths organ of ths mind, is overtaxed in the struggle 'or This debate organ is pat to its tension and crowded to its utmost capacity J. Wilson, ol Richmond HOI. The present syiteni ha* *om* edvant- ages, bat, like all other systems, ha* sow* serious drawback*. . . Bat bile there are improved method* of teach- ing arithmetic in ear eahools, our children are forced to do a peat deal of arithmetic j in study, especially in memorizing, during at home, and of a character that reouiree | its formative stage al growth. Thi in*tru- the help of parent* or whoever may be nrent of cells and nbrs i* rouaed to in beat available for the parpoee. If they bad a I effort! at a killing pace, to satisfy a teach; lew straight question* for home-work, | er' ambition or a parent'* priela, or it may which they could do without helpand which , be a pupil'* love of prais*. No on* would would amount to jolt *o much practice, dream ol tan* unduly testing th* musciee there would be lee* objection, but rach is or th* other organ* ol the body during not alway* th* CAM, and again it U Dot | juvenile growth ; y*t the brain U on* of the every child who can get the necessary help workshops in the body, mbject to the lam* for hi* home-work. People taught by th* genenl law of recuperation. race and decay. old method*, and rusty eren in them, are , * are all the other laboratory in thi* not alwayi able to *nt*r into the newer , wonderful factory of humanity. It U true method* of thought and thow the child j that much has been done in recent yean clearly how hie question ihould be done. Thi**tate of affair* give* children, when help U available, a very great advantage over other* who cannot get *uch help. Then i* joit *o much work to go over each term, and thi* n followed at the cioae of the term by a promotion! examina- _ lion. If, at thi* examination, the child j excess. To them, much ol what i* required to reduce the hour* and day* of itndy among the younger children in oar Province ; at the tame time, the number of new (tndiee i* increasing, eo th* gain i* more apparent than real. The) mere committing to memory of didactic itudie* i* a tremendous mental train on young children when pushed to oomes up to a certain standard in each subject he is promoted to the next clasa. This promotion is looked forward to by toe pupil* during the whole term, and every nerve is strained that they may be able to pass. . . . By the examination system each child IB supposed to be able to put down what he knows as well as every other child, aad no allowance can be made for nervousness or temporary ailuents, which may pot be enough to pre- vent th* child from writing, but may make all the difference between pass and "pluck." On these examinations depends tnaaiiisr- ably mon than this. The teacher is judged by his reeulte by the numbers he csn promote each term and, knowing this, there is ths constant inducement to cram the childiea in every possible way. This condition ol thing* exists from the time a child enters the lowest division of oar Public School until he leave, the High School. He is forced by work both at school and at home from on. cli vs te at a rate that cannot possibly be in th* interest, of true education. A child's education should b* eo conducted as to bring out his reasoning powers, aad fit him for any position in lif. in which he may be placed. A training which has lor its sole object the passing of examinations is net well calculated to attain this ideal nor even. in the estimation ol many educators, to give a true test ol what a pupil know*. /' 1 if fio<M / li/e. It! it * efan* o/r tke body kat at a rim* trie* ft mas; strioHsfs; M/nr* tin ekUd. On aaoount ol this rapid growth and development neither mind nor body sksnld too over-worked during the early year* of hie. If th* growth and development ar interfered with from improper food or over work, the individual i* influenced by it through hi* whole life, and there i* danger of instability of mind and condition* pre- disposing to cither insanity or rrime The criminals of the world an oa an average small men, and, while their under - lie has been mostly due to over work, improper food, and poor care, the educat- ed criminal of to-day and it is notorious that educated criminals are becoming njers numerous may than konr cram educational system for ths waiting of both mind and body which predi posed to his unfortunate position. U here the men. tai condition from hereditary cans* o r otherwise is unstable, early cramming a t school will certainly favor th developmen ( of mental disease. This accounts forour fact that, while the general condition of the people has steadily improved and other diseases have decieeeed. mental d hav* been steadily on the increase. This is a question of great importance to th* state. and should be carefully looked into. The time has come now when we should call a halt, aad look whither we are dnf ting. It would pay as to make haste slowly. Our komfuvrt vntu'ii 4V Vrler *s> tirrly droppnt in (Ae P*bKf Srltoul* ; and. instead of the harassing examinations, let a daily report be kept of each child's work, and then make th* promotion when, by hie whole work, he shows himself fully qnali- baa no mon definite weaning than has San- scrit to a Zulu. II rach young brains hav* Inherent degeneracy, then undue stuffing means, in the long run, dwarfag* ol mizd-power, not only in youth bat ileo in adult years. When disease arts in, then is there grafted into the system on* or more of a brood ol uerve troubles including in- sanity, and generally of a hopeless kino. It needs little observation to know that as a rule the criminal classes are largely r*cruit- ed from that stratum of society in which in low intelligence, and as * cooaoquence fesbte judgments to guide and control conduct." A ratepayer laid before the trustees, as evidence that in 4h town of North To- ronto it was necessary attention should be directed to the subject, the following ex- ample of the kind of hssae work given to pupils of the junior second cl*e of pupils from S to 1 1 years ol age : ' I. Wisp of Hay. 1 Bob-o link X Stole. i. Plniii tree. 4. Bow-wow (. Mean. T. Vow. 8. Hair*. ft Anjhow. AGRICULTURAIs. Sterilizing; Milk. Tat sterilization ef milk for children, now quite extensively practised in ardor to destroy the injurious germs whisk it saay mints in. eaa be satisfactorily accomplished with very sissy is nnarslsa The vsesel -Viiniag the (silk, which may be the bottle tress which it is to be need or any other suitable Y easel, is placed inside sf a larger veasslof metal whkhcobtainsihswater. If a bottle, it moat be plugged with absorbent cotton, if this it at hand, or in its absence, other clean tsetse will answer. A small fruit jar, loosely covered, may bs used in- stead of a bottle. The requirement* an simply that the interior vessel shall be raised about half an inch above the bottom of the other, aad that the water shall reach nearly or quite a* high as ths milk. The apparatus ia then heated ens range or etov. until the water reei?hss a temperature ol 155 degreee Fahrenheit, when it ia n- moved from the heat and kept tightly covered for half an koor. The milk- bottles are then taken out and kept in a cool place. Th. milk may be used at any time within twenty four hours. A temperature of ISO dOflTsMI Dl*BUAtoaliMti tot aoafalf (VB saVOttf 19 mXmmt to JesUuy any corns likely to be prssentm the milk, and it IB found in practice that raising the temperature to 155 degrees aad then allowing it to stand in ths heated water 'or ball an hour insures the proper temperature for ths required time. The Uisiperature should not be raised above 136 aad quality of the milk will be impaired. The simplest plan is to take a tin pail aad invert a perforated tin pie-plate in the bot- tom, or have mad* for it a ren rforat. t Yelhvv brat*. l Treat. it. WOOL U. Taiefc 1C Trick. IT. Feather. It. Wove them U. Scorn to . Brood M. Cn'rr-e-whirr. ti. I'nif I. a Wonder. Sa. " that the popil* ol the above bad It was pointed eat not been taught the meanings o words i which had occurred in their reading leesonj, but that they wn required to fiud them eat a* best they could, write th down, and to b* prepared next ing net only to produce the meanings, bat to bs sbi* correctly te spell both the meaning* sad the original words. under penalty of bail marks or being kept ia at riESBS, if there wen more than three mistakes. It was also shown that the pa> pils required toaccomplish ths above were also <iven six lengthy sums of subtraction besides. The speaker pointed out how in I several instances on* pupil who had wree'- tled with this task had boon wrongly m- | structed at home, owing to parents who had net referred te the context giving the wrong meaning, a* for instance that of the word 'mean " as "stingy " when it should have bssn cowardly or " contempt- r ible." It was shown that ths result m I of inch hap-haiard instruction could only he disastrous and disappointing, and the question was put te the trustee* " Why should parent., after being taxed to build and equip moderu school Tooiidiogs, and to pay the salaries of qualified teachers, bo called uion to undertake the work of in- struction themselves T" *. a. riaa It is announced that Secretary Carlisle has accepted bid* for fifty million dollar* of United States gold bonds, bearing five per cent, interest, the premium on which will carry the amount to $oS,"UU.OUU. This sum is required to replenish the I". S. treasury with gold, then not being enough ol th* precious metal to moot constsnt de- mands and avert a gold panic. It is under- stood that thees bonds will be all taken up in the States, and that then is enough specie in the National banks to man than cover the issue, financiers expect that this relief will tide ov*r present difficulties till g>ld is Rained by duties en customs when the importation ol foreign goods ie resumed en the revival of ths "good times." The extraordinary statement was also made by Secretary Carlisle demanding $UK.OOO,OOO to pay the war pension* for the next financial year. This sum has, however, bssn cut down by the Advisory Committee to $150,000,000. to which has to bs added back bounties $444,OHO, and lor artificial limbs for soldier* $196.IX~0, or a total of $150,640,000. It is sn astonish- ing statement that then are onwards ol - y n,, K n. u, - , 9,3, y^, ^j^,. , tlll M ,. ' ror.x.mp.n.redHy Snr ., y ln 7..gg^K ofth. immwS The following in from the OtwoaWa Almwutt- for IS&4 portions of an article on "Insanity and Crime," by I'r. Daniel Clark, medical superintendent of the Insane Asylum, Queen street, admitted to be one of the very highest authorities on the subject of mental disease., as follows : ' Th. factors which eater into presumed cause* may b* very obscure, or they may only be occasions which merely make mani- fest the deterioration which ha* been latent and oomes to the surface under favourable conditions. The magaiioe of gunpowder is harmless as granite until a (park u applied, which set* in action the explosive force ; so a physic*! condition of ba 1 tendency may give no sign until som* excitant rouse* the malign latency into astivity. Bad environments, unhealthy food and air, ._ oUtioas of the general laws of health, brain tension aad such like, added to a beqneathment of heredity, accomplish meu- tl dethronement. In estimating causes two or three combined may produce one result, but which separately might be com- paratively harnil * . ~ I V^*l WUW SBBBBBl SJ and worry, injury to the head sad - o. t h. p*a*WUreu must be well fou D ,,ea stroke, intemperance and want, religiou. or TB . A^"^ .4.,, ^^ ^ rm , M ^ ln political excitement and on. or more of the , 1885 B<-br , S9 y^,.^ Tak ^ ^ diseases which impoverish the \ , Terag , ^ of ^ Jj i-r ^ ^ ^ wou , d make the average if* of tbevj pensioner* each M year* at th* prevent date, but it i* hardly credible that such a number can till be alive now. One satisfaction the Government has is that thi* ptodigiou* drain is now at its h*ight, and that in the natural course of human events the numbers in receipt of service pension* naval, mili- tary, nuress, etc. must leoceforth be yearly reduced by death. Handbill*, dated London, aad threaten- ing th* life of President Carnet, are in circulation in Algiers. Old minds an like old hones; you man eiosris* them if you wish to keep them in working ardor. various physical syitem. may in a cumulative way unhinge reason. It may be transmitted | tendency plus any exciting cans* ol th* multitude which exist and operate in our complex condition of society. Of course, to the medical profession, it U of paramount importance to ascertain and consider all the factors of aji untoward nature, which, singly or generic-ally, may, and do, contribute to produce unaouadnese ofmind. Totheteaohingprofessiouitisf no lees moment to keep in view the character- istics, mental capacity, physical strength and brain-dynamics of children at a sus- ceptible age, when over mental preeiurs in many children means nun in after life. Natural *xerci*e of th. mind along normal line* lead* to mental robustness, as much as muscular gymnastics '.remote physical removable false i with holes and having lass ball an inch high, to allow circulation of ths water. The milk-bottle ie set on this false bottom, and sufficient water is pot m'o the pail te rssoh the level of the surface of the milk ia the kettle. A hole may bs punched in the oarer of the pail, a cork inserted, and a i hsmiisl thermometer put through the cork, eo that the bulb dips into the water. The temperature can thus be watched without removing the cover. may be need aad the tese.psrs.tun tented from time to timeby removing theliJ. This is very easily arranged, and a just as satis- factory as the patented apparatus sold for thesan Ra!xJd WatsriarPlac*- Streams from caar-by elevalionsfrvquvnt- ly cross or run parallel with highways, from which elevations, pines can be laid to the side of the roedbeu. This gives a head of water that will sot only cause it to rise in a trough, so that a bone may bs watered without uachecking a gnat convenience but will also afford such a movement of the water, if the inlet is rightly arranged, that ice will not form, at least ever the entire surface, even in extremely odd An excellent roadside be made .by takingasecuoa of iron sewer or water pipe, two feet or mon in rlisaoter. This of course, will have no bottom, and one must be made in the foundation that is provided, which should be el rocks, gravel. this founduon. th. .upply p.p. ba,carr,ed up on one side of Kwoj. trip of on the stays loagert. A gentle slope will be best, Have a little Uss depth to the frame at the lower end than at the upper, or a ths groemd will nesain cold. Put ' let the in milmg Have the sod nch. A single planting of peas in the garden it only an aggravation. They an gone helots you know it Plant every wesk, from ths usts the ground is dry enough to work. Fer market you will find that the later plantings pay about as well ss the early ones. THE WEEK'S NEWS. Then an at present-fix vacancies in ahe Canadian Senate. Mr. J. & Carvell, Lieutenant Governor ef Prince Edward Island, died so.ede.ly yean ef age. Already mention is made ef is a l.'.tls time in mid- one has peaa in their own Then the market is dnlL garden. Olaaaixg 8ed Oats, Ae lands intended for oats rhnlrl (sleeted and the seed cleaned and readme**. Many farmers never (risen oat* They my that oats arj oats, and HwsT VkBBW*B*V aTsTsBTaf^lf for the trial ship- Ma on to be smelted oatof thebia.heavy i* llsflss. _ood aad bad.all mixed together. If then si say advantage to he gained by planting nssmd wheel sad no far taialy must bs in sowing the best of oats. ROB the seed oats through a good fanning mill this sprig aad see if it dees not make a marked dinorene* ia the yield and quality All know hew very ftickle the id that we 3an of theorem, is. and in at a time in j which any farm work can be done, then- j ton everything should be in perfect resdi- to make a dash when, the opportunity in yield ol twenty boa en in two fields of oats i The first were pa: in at just . benefit, of a the right time te get the ram, or to mature just befon a hot wind. eraahoewr fo'lowed by a scorching sun struck them. And when grass seed was sewn with the osts I have ssea a few days ike the diaereace between a good catch and a complete failure. In nine cases out ' ten tke earliest sjjring snirs oats an the rest to yield a good crop and nturn most pro^t. Frank ia Wists*. et British Columbia < at Swansea, in Wales. The Karl ol Kinton. Governor of West, era Australia, intends sp sorting a fortnight in Canada next svooth prior to hi* Bailing to will be few new amlurs of the House of Commons te bs introduced to Mr. Spsaker. The City Council of Kingston, Unt., was petitioned on Monday sight to reduce the number of liquor lie. shops and taverns, to give only ' Charles Chamber! -. ef alleged inniss KIOS I m trial by the Police Magistrate at peg on two charges, one for pen and nether tor perjury. The Rev. Dr. Shaw, professor of Biblical ireek m the Wesleyan Theological CoBnan in Montreal, has been appointed acting principal of the college, to fill the tempor- ary vacancy caused by the death of the Rev. Dr. Douglas. Mr. A.R. Angers. Minister ol Agncol- tun, has forwarded to the Imperial euinor- ities a report upon the Canadian cstd* mains below the frssing point for weeks at a time, beef aad other freshly -killed may be kept in a fresh state for weeks by banging up in the left of the Kouse or other hsulding in which no lira is kept. To ssake it readily available, the meat should be eat up in slice* or in piece* suitable for cooking, if intended for boiling or roasting. It may then be hung up in a basket out of ths reach of eats and dogs. Chickens may b* thus kept, but should have trade, in which it is rlsrmed established beyond dispute that then is no pieuro-poeumonia in Canada now, nor nee then boon at any time since the controversy commenced. la the ease ol Mr. Sonvalle. editor of La Paine, against Mr. TardiveL editor ol La Vent*, tried before tke Superior Conrt ia Mr. Sou vail* was called a Met*- ved. and will prove can If the assess an rubbed with fine salt when fint c*t up they will keep in a better con- , diuon. The salt may be partly removed by snaking in warm water befon cooking. DaaiD Cellar Floors- To rid the cellar of moistun, dig a chan- net about one foot wide and an inches deep , through th. wet portion, leading it into a drain or outlet ; fill this with coarse gravel ' to the very up. pounding it firmly in place; New Zealand is urging the Imperial GOT- ernmeal M subsviis* the Canadian- Austra- lian steamship Una, The City of Melbourne, Australia, had 4.HT bu.inees failure, in 18. with total deficiencies ef one million and fifty-six pounds sterling. Mr. George A. Uoodwin, a following his proieanoo in London, has I elected president ol th* Society ef " -ill carry off all the ground water be. fan it reaches the sortaee. The dram ~/ have allow th. water aoakmg mto the a right angle, so that the indowing water may form a constantly flowing current around the circular iadosnn. W hen this iron trough has beta placed in position en th* foundation prepared, the space which it incloses at it* base may be esmsntsd. after which fine, clean sand should he filled in for six or more inches. A sufficiently tight bottom may perhaps be made by tamp- ing in a loot or man ef sand. The greater th* force with which water enter* such a trough the stioager will bs th* circular current within, and ths less likelmood will there be that the surface will fool may Short For row* The man who thinks that a farm is behind the age. Good resolutions are all forgot a neighbor's pigs get in sad root up a piece of newly planted corn for you. Havs a small resetvs gardes when plant* can be grown for a succession, to be trans- planted when required to replace such as are out of blojm, or have bssn lest by acci- dent. aad till tone. it with gravel or finely bottom broken Kxpectinga cow that atands unprotected I in the cold winter blasts w give a large 1 quantity of good sad rich milk, i* about I an dairy taste at Chicago indicate that it SIM of Dairy Cow*. In selecting a good dairy cow. there an mon important items te be taken '-'.a so- 1 count than that ef SBBB. This, however, is , ens of the ooaUellsae- factors when judged from a purely nsmmirni*! stead paint of protit. The practical dairyman take* little account ot the beef value of an animal that aas to be carried so many yean. He de- mands his dividends once a year, and to make them as large as possible he cute down expeoeos te the lowest practical point. To do this he Bast not carry a machine that is too Urge for the labor to b* performed. It I has been quite clearly provea that a given somber of pounds of oarcass divided among email animals will make greater prod: for when thoee pound* umber of cow*. To the slsphsst could never be made as profitable a milk produc- er as th. goat then ia too mock waste ma tsrial to carry. The exact six* ol a cow at which ths greatest profit can be produced has not been determine i. but the Columbi. i Emperor William 1 of hh) intention to pay i land next summer. Mr. Yarrow, who is building a -orpods boat destroyer for the British l.ovemment, hope* to give her a speed ef thirty knots. or thirty-four and a halt statute miles, an sour. The Bishop ol Rochester will go to Flor- ice just befon faster, and will stay then during th* Queen'* rmiincs at Villa Feh- brieotti. in order to onksete at tlw services which will be held on Good Fndev and Ksster Sunday for her Majesty and the Royal family. The import* into Gnat Britain from Canada for January showed an increase ol one hundred and three tsnuess*l pounds. Mr K4mun.it Birton, ex Attorney-Gen oral of Xew .South Wales, ie agitating for- th* federation of the Australian ooloaiee. Sir Henry VVrtxom say* that New South Wales is the only colony keeping federation back. Sister Alvina, one of the nurse* at the Chicago Smallpox hospital, died oa Tuesday night, having contracted the disease while milk productioo than a* reasonable as te look for rrsssn from an loeberg, IB making butter then i* no neceeeity for manipulating it with your hands, ss erne ignoraatly do. A wooden ladle is the proper utensil te use for working and handling this product. Memory holds the melodies of the corn- sulk fiddle of childhood mere sacred than th* moat exquisite strains el the mastsr musician that may have for a little while chanted the matured ear. Do not let a cow ran dry progressively unless yoa really wish to curtail her milk yield. Feel that yon can control th* volume of ber milk secretion by th* amount and character of her daily rations, A good, warm stable i* not only an indi- cation of a kind hearted, merciful owner but it also signifies that he is a frugal and ssnanminal man, maktig practical use of hi* knowledge that warm snslten are great feed saver*. The little wood duck is a marvelous pictsre of diminutive feather beauty. It possesses a plumage as gorgeous as the most perfect peacock. Ite worth to the farmer is largely in it* plumage, consequently few keep them oa th* fans. feeds aad If you cannot go to the trouble and ex- pense of hotbeds for itarting some early plants for the garden, you can. at least. Lav* a cold frame. One that is six feet square will give all the room that M needed for a private garden, and you will find it a great aid. Th* success of th* gardener depends large- ly upon the quality of his seed. L'nlees you have a separate plot ol each item for the especial purpose of growing seed, better buy from a seed man. Usisg what happen* to be left ever from a crop for seed is not good business economy. Select for the cold frame tsat spot in ths garden whan the sun come* earliest and lies somewhere between six hundred and a tbeoaand pounds. TB Spring; Campaign- All the necessary tools, harness and farm eqipment should be in perfect working bly t should be ia order, aad suck repair, as might be needed in the spring should bs Tim* is too pnoioue to be (pent in hunting up whitnetnes. clevises, chains aad buck- les, or in polishing plowshares and sharpen in* narrow teeth when the opportunity to tow spring crop* is at hand. Do not allow yourself to be caught unprepared. Every good goneral holds a force in reserve. After you have determined en the quantity ef land you will sow to oats, spring wheat or barley, it i* a good idea te decide ia your mind what you will do with it in case a wet spring pnveate you frum sawing these grains ia good season \\ hat will it pay yen to do with it * Sow it to millet, buck- wheat, or sweet corn for autumn feed, or te grow some crop en it that eaa b* turned oader in the form ef greea manure for winter wheat? A Blanket of Snow- A covering of mow will prove a gnat protection to meadow land and to fall sown wheat and rye. It should b* induced to remain as long as posmbls, not only oa the crops named, but over strawberry plants aad about ths trunks of tress, currants, raspberries and sh rube. It should not be allowed to accumulate to a sufficient depth te pros* ths canes and stalk* te th. ground. as they are often injured by the keaYy packed drifts. Snow throws up around the foundation walls of the dwelling house will prov* a great protection te the con- tents ef the cellar, and frequently save them from diastreos frewing. Te retain now upon lieids swept by winds, brush scattered over them will produce the result. Even corastalks scattered about will ac- complish the same sad . The Pnuoem Coioane etetes that she fled from Paris to New York because she believ- ed that her husband was plotting to kidnap one of ber children. Th* statistic* of the New York Pasteur Institute for last year show that not a single case of hydrophobia has been eo- served among the eighty-five persons treat- ed. A snowskde crashed through the rcof of tke Trasepertauoa building at Jackson park. Chicago, on Tuesday. It took piace at the asilh eel earner et the aaaex. when tke rolling stock exkintuou was lo- cated. About thirty feet ef roofing was crushed in. HMsV The Duk. of Sax. Coburg Gotha intend to farm on a large seed, us uermaay. The report that Emperor William aad the Duke of Cumberland had agreed upon the Brunswick succession M semi -officially denied. The Warsaw polios elaim to hav* die- eovered an eiwneive eeewpiracy to secure t he freedom of Poland. It is nported that Admiral d (.ama. of tke Brenl insurgents, who was wounded IB fi^ht at Armaaao, is in a critical condition, and thai his injuries may result in death. A BsUe of Bull-fighting in Spain has always beta mon or lees under the religious baa, but Pope Uo shows uausual oourage IB atadons the last rights o/ the Chi forbidding the altinssBai ef the faithful. Of resent years a priest has always beea ia attendance in the ante-room of a Dull fight ready to thrive ike snul of any man unfor- tunate enough to find death on the bora* of a bull. But earlier the rule which Leo now revive* was the recognized practice in Spam . Fortunately for the Pope, public opinion in Spain has been steaiily growing against this relic ef barbarism, ia wh'ch, it is true, then an fewer f weens killed and maimed in the count of a nassa thsn in football ia Eng- land, but which kas its wont fault, not ia its brutality, hut in its cowardice. The bull is given no chance for hii life. Wind- folded hones an pitiably slaughtered aad tke men hav. .very opportunity to escape the result* ol their erueky, which would commend a higher respect if it wen attend- ed by more danger. It ia sa'e te *ay that uatii Spain outgrows the bull-fight the BBSJen will never have reached the otatun of self-goTemmeut.