A Bengal syce worthy of the name can hardly in any country in the world be surpassed at his work. He is a most excellent groom; and by means of hand-rubbing—which he often practises for hours together—he brings out the muscles and sinews of a horse till they are as tough and hard as iron. It is a good custom to inspect daily the allowance of corn or grain provided by the syce for his charge, as not unfrequently dishonest grooms steal a portion of it and grind it for their own food.
The ‘grass-cutter,’ the last in our list, is a humble individual, who, as his title tells us, supplies grass for the horse to which he is attached. Hay is seldom seen in India; but horses thrive well on a particular kind of soft green grass, which the grass-cutter cuts, or rather digs up with a small iron instrument called a koorpah. It is well, every now and again, to examine the quality and quantity of the grass supplied for each horse, or else lazy individuals will likely enough bring in coarse hard stuff quite unfit for the purpose. In large stations, a grass-cutter who performs his work properly has often to walk many miles before reaching a spot where soft tender grass is procurable. The grass-cutter is under the immediate orders of the syce, and usually receives four rupees a month as pay for his services.
In conclusion, it may be mentioned, that one of the most important rules in the young Englishman’s household should be that each native servant regularly receives his pay on a certain date in each month. Without this being steadily acted up to, matters never work smoothly in an establishment, but will cause constant bickerings. Whereas, when paid regularly, and treated with kindness and forbearance, these poor people speedily become attached to their master, and exert themselves to meet with his approval.
J. H. B.
THE MONTH:
SCIENCE AND ARTS.
According to Nature, the much-dreaded scourge of the vine, the Phylloxera, has made its appearance in the vineyards of the Cape Colony. Some years ago, the most stringent regulations were made to prevent, if possible, the importation of these unwelcome guests. The Cape government even refused to allow consignments of beech-trees from England and tree-ferns from New Zealand to be landed in the colony, and fixed a very heavy penalty as a punishment for any infringement of the law. But by some mysterious agency, two or three of the vineyards are swarming with the Phylloxera. The most approved insecticides, carbon disulphide, &c., have been telegraphed for, for they are not at hand in the colony, and in the meantime the affected vines are being uprooted and burnt.
A curious instance of tenacity of vitality in low forms of life has been discovered by Professor Leidy. Upon examining a block of ice which formed part of a large quantity stored at Moorestown, N.J., and had been so stored for more than twelve months, he found it riddled with air-bubbles and drops of water. Upon melting a portion of the block, a number of worms made their appearance. They died almost immediately when liberated from their frozen prison. The worms cannot be identified with any known species, and Professor Leidy believes them to be of a form as yet undescribed.
It is satisfactory to note that the Emperor of Brazil has given orders for a photographic astronomical apparatus like that employed so successfully by MM. Henry of Paris, in order that Brazil may do its share in the proposed photographic survey of the heavens initiated by the French astronomers named.
Lloyd’s agent at Athens has recently reported some information as to the progress of the canal which is to cut the Isthmus of Corinth. Out of a total of thirteen million cubic yards of earth which must be dug out before the canal is completed, nearly three millions have been removed. The canal is to have a surface width of twenty-four yards, except at the entrances, which will be widened to between fifty and sixty yards. One thousand men are at present employed upon the works, which, at the present rate of progress, should be completed in five years.
The Austrian government offer a prize of one thousand ducats (nearly five hundred pounds) for the discovery of a system of working coal in fiery mines without shot-firing. The method must not be more expensive than that of ordinary blasting. It must not be capable of igniting fire-damp or coal-dust, and it must not leave any injurious products behind it. These are the chief conditions.