Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-02-14
MISCELLAN E0US

CoRK.-MaEy persons see corks used
daily, without knowing whence come
these exceeding y useful materials. Corks
are cut from large slabs of the bark of
the Cork tree, species of the oak, which
grows wild IN the countries in the south
of Europe. The tree is generally strip
ped OF Its bark at about fifteen years old,
but before stripping it off, the tree is not
cut down as in the case of the oak. 1t is
taken while the tree is growing and the
operation may be repeated every eighth |
or ninth. year-the quality of the bark |
continuing each time to improve as the
age of the tree increases. When the bark |
is taken of, it is singed in the flames of
strong fire, and after being soaked for a |
considerable time in water, it is placed I'M
der heavy weights in order to render it
straight. Its extreme hghtness, the ease
with which it can be compressed, and its
elasticity, are properties SO peculiar to this
substance, that no efficient substitute for it.
has vet been discovered.-The valuable
properties Of Cork were known 10 the
Greeks and Romans, who employed it for
all the purposes for which it is used at
present, with the exception of stopples for
bottles, the ancients mostly used cement
for stopping the mouths of bottles or YES
sells. The Egyptians are said to have
made collins Of Cork, which being spread
on the inside with a resinous substance.
preserved dead bodies flom decay. In
modern times Cork was not generally used
for stoppIes to bottles, till about the close
of the 18th century, wax being till then
chiefly used for that purpose. The Cork
imported into Great Britain is brought
4 principally from Italy, Spain, and Portu-
gal. The quantity annually consumed is
upwards OF 5000 tons.-EmglisAP paper
REPosING IN HoPE.-The tranquility
of mind gradually reposing in the clear
est hope of better world, is an enjoy
ment that cannot be purchased at too dear
a rate. 1t is not easy sufficiently TO value
the peaceful close of busy life, provided
that repose is founded on the bright views
of Christian hopes, looking beyond the
| grave the mist of doubts and perplexltles
dissipated in the meridian spIendor of
gospel truth; the storms of life sottening
!. into silence; the delirium ofpleasure, and
the dreams of dissipation fed, and the
freed mind resigned to the dictates of rea-
SON the wounds of conscience cured by
the balm of eternal love; the heart, 4acer-
ated by the loss of those once so dear to
us, in full expectation of reunion never
! more to be broken; every angry passion
hushed into peace the evils of life sunk
in resignation to the divine will; the fer
) vent desires of the renovated heart ap-
preaching to the verge Of never-ending
enioyments, and the whole soul reposing
on the bosom of Savior's love. These
are the privileges of real Christian.
| ACTIVE BENEvoLENCE.
No man existing, be his station wha,
= it may, is exempted from the duty of in.
i. curing what good he Can co to others
The man must have seen little of man.
e kind who is ignorant Of human misery:
. vet such knowledge is not TO be acquired
: by those who converse merely with per-
o sons of their own rank they must enter
! into the cottages and garrets of the ~poor;
" they must see them naked, hun rrV and
thirsty, exposed to the incemencies of the
II weather., " tlIC Suuu6H dtIdCkS or SLOW
S wasting of disease; they must see the eff
= fects of their unruly passions, and thei
O grovelIing vices; they must be acouaint
h ed with all the consequences of. ignoran
j. poverty. Evils like these must be known
a before they can be renedied; yet the gen
n erality Of the upper ranks know little VIVA
+ their interiors suffer.
- ORION OF DIsEAsE.-I will tell VOL
q honestly what think is the cause of III,
= comp licated maladies of the human frame
it is their gormandizing, and stufing, an,
h stimulating these organs (these digestives
to excess. thereby producing nervous dis
order & irritation: The state of their mind
y is another grand acause-fidgetine, discor
: tenting yourself about that which cannt
= be helped, passions of all kinds, malignar
! passions, and worldly cares pressing upo
= the mind, disturb the cerebral action. an
: doa great deal Of harm. A5ernethy.
t. CoNFIpENcE--Neyer betray a con-
to Idence or trust reposed in you; there cal
ct not bea greater treachery than first to raj
ID confidence, and then todeeeiye or belrs
}; it.