es--there being three stages, and a change of four
horses each stage. The total horses employed by these coaches was
therefore 168. Now each horse consumes, on an average, in pasture,
hay, and corn, annually, the produce of one and a half acre. The whole
would thus consume the produce of 252 acres. Suppose, therefore,
"every man had his acre" upon which to rear his family, which some
politicians have deemed sufficient, the maintenance of 252 families is
gained to the country by these steam-coaches. The average number in
families is six, that is, four children, besides the father and
mother.--The subsistence of 1,512 individuals is thus attained.

* * * * *

[Illustration: DIALLING.]

(_For the Mirror._)

The following method of constructing a dial, may be novel and
interesting to many of those readers of the _Mirror_ who are fond of
that ancient art; whilst its simplicity and the great ease with which
it may be constructed, will render it acceptable to all.

_To make a Cross Dial._--A cross dial is one which shows the time of
the day without a gnomon, by a shadow of one part of the dial itself,
appearing upon another part thereof. _Observe._--In making this dial
you need have no regard to the latitude of the situation, for that is
to be considered in the _placing_, and not in the _making_ of it. 1st.
Prepare a piece of wood or stone of what size you please, and fashion
it in the form of a cross (see _fig._ 1) so that _ab, bc, cd, de, eh,
hi, ik, kl, lm_, and _ma_, may be all equal: the length of _ef_ is
immaterial, it may be more than double to _a e_. 2ndly. Set one foot
of your compasses in _e_ and describe the arc _h n_, which divide into
six equal parts for six hours, because it is a quarter of a circle;
lay a ruler from _e_ to the three first divisions, and draw the lines
_e o, e p, e q_. 3rdly. Now the position of this dial being such that
its end _a m_ must face the south, and the upper part of it or the
line _a f_ lying parallel to the _equinoctial_, it is evident that the
sun at noon will shine just along the line _a b_, and _m l_;
therefore you must place 12 at _b_ and _l_, then from 12 to 3 P.M. the
shadow of the corner _a_ will pass along the line _b c_, therefore
take from the quadrant _h n_, the distance _h o_, and set it from 12
to 1. Take also _h p_ and set it from 12 to 2, _h q_ being equal to _b
c_; at _c_ you may place 3 where the shadow of the corner _a_ goes