The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-02-24
BIDDEFoRD, ME-, FRIDAY MORNING.
The Work which different Countries prac-
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Industry has curious local attachments,
and clings with feline fondness to particular
spots. Thus, watches can DO made most
cheaply in Switzerland. where the men and
women of fifty villages together arc all busy
on toothed wheels, main springs, and jeweled
holes. Soap and cheap perfumes. nasty ~
we'll US cheap, are hest compounded in Cen.
tral Germany. The Tryol and tho Black
Forest have three resources for the long win.
tor evenings, when the soil is frozen stiff,
and the snow is heavy on the pine boughs-
clocks, straw hats and toys. All over Mid
do Europe you see the Black Foreet clocks,
made by peasants round the cottage hearth
as plentiful as Mr.. Samuel Sticks lackered
time pieces in Canada. Baden compctet
with Italy in staw-plaiting while for toys,
old Deutschland bears the bell. ... p.
Itlsa curious thing that tho toys which
English children love so dearly, and which
they break, naltreat, and dsmolish 80 viva.
ciously. should be all foreign. Here and
there. perhaps. rocking-horso or straight.
legged spotted ste"d with his harness nailed
to his body. may be tho work Of an English
artisan, but not often. Caleb Plummor. in
tho Cricket on the Hearth, is the representa-.
tive of q class that does not exist, and sa,
making Nosh's arks and barking dogs that
are apparently beyond the compass OF Brit
ish art. AT any rate "box toys" as they are
technically called, have never been attempt
ed in England-The wooden beasts and birds
in the geological collections, the puzzles, the
bricks, the gaudily. y.dressed Turks and hus
sars, squeaking lambs, and creaking card,
come from Germany; 50 domarbles, "Dutch'
dolls, and baby houses. Paris gives US the
superb waxen doll, in her satin and spangles.
America sends over the gutta percha ugli.
nesses and clock work mice.
As with toysso with goloshes Quite two
thirds of the overshoes that keep our feet
from wet bear the French or American eagle
boastfully embossed upon their soles. On
the other hand, England sells India rubber
tubing. waterproof cloth, and gutta percha
in fifty forms to continental nations. The
French buy more Of our brandy than we buy
Of theirs-an exchange OF which we wish
them Joy /; while our silks continue the cheap.
est, and theirs the richest and most tasteful.
In all that relates to calico they own our
merit they prefer our broadcloth to their
own; hut declare and justly, the superiority
of their scarlet-dyed woolens 10 ours. AS
for boots. they are cut out by millions oi
pairs in France sent to England to be closed,
returned for the operation Of "clicking" and
re-cxported rs of pure Paris make.
The Americans have great aptitude for the
manufacture of small. delicate, labor.saving
machines. II has always been an object with
them to get through their work with rs lew
hands rs possible, and VIC owe to them oil
manner OF dainty devices for economizing
manual power. London is full OF elegant
little complications OF steel rods, fairy fly.
wheels, and cylinders no bigger than a wine
bottle, devised for stitching all stitcbable ma.
terals, for punching, drilling, and cutting.
for metallurgy and agriculture. Our own
machinery is commonly Of grand and solid
cbaracter-great massive engines that are to
be found ut work all over the world. pump.
ing water out OF mines in the Andes, lashing
thu waves of far.of oceans into foam. crush.
ing quartz in Victoria, and dragging burdens
in Brazil.
We cannot, perhaps, quite boat Prague in
turning out stained glass and colored services.
glowing with tho deep pure tints OF enor
nous rubies, emeralds, and topazes nor are
our tubes and ale'nbics 50 fit to 60 through
fire MS tho Bohemian. The old ware of CHI
ma, tho old Japanese jars, tho finest French
ind German porcelain, have fragile beauty
beyond our limitations. But our potteriss
only need the "open sesame" of free trade
to set their good and cheap products-plates
that can bear heat, glass fairly cut into sharp
facets, and vases modelled on choice shapes
from Greece and Etruria-on every middle
class table abroad. French housewives who
store away their preserves in wretched jars
coated with poisonous wbito lead, and dare
not heat their plates lest they should fly to
fragments, and whose clumsy coiTee cups aro
an inch thick. are not slow to appreciate tho
merits Of Mr.. Gladstono's treaty of com.
merce. ,rt.r...t..
In some respects England seems certainly
in the light Of Rip Vun Winkle among M.
tions. Her peasantry appear never to strive,
as their blouse.clad brethren do, to profit by
new discovery. 1t is profitable, in the
country, at least, to keep poultry, and yet
how seldom do we see chanticleer and his
mates strutting about the cottage door.
Franco and Ireland send us over eggs by the
million and our Gallic and Belgian neigh
bors deluge our markets with early vegcta-
bles, turkeys, cherries, butter. their best
fruit. and plumpest fowls. We consume,
but do not produce. We even ask Ostend
for rabbits. with leagues Of natural warren
lying neglected Our fishermen, save only
ut Whitstable, no moro think Of cultivating
the oyster than of seeking the philosophers
tone.--EagLish Paper. ~ uof@sIr 1T"