OCT. 30. 



MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 



353 



©be tartltr. 



Sketches from tbe Alps to the Adriatic. 



Tai Brenner Poathense, on the highest point of 

 the pass, Is four tboaeand three hundred and 

 seventy-five feet above the level of the sea. The 

 road ii one of the easiest and oldest across the 

 Alps. Itwasnaed and fortified by the Romans, and 

 tbe hosts of barbarians from tbe North, who 

 overwhelmed ancient Rome, passed Into Italy over 

 Brenner. Tbe pass ia a narrow gorge. On either 

 band rise lofty peaks, thetr bases covered with 

 patches of fir forest, Intermingled with green pas- 

 tares, but the extreme summits are sterile rock, 

 half covered by the snow. Straight down the 

 precipitous side of one peak, Hows a torrent which 

 draws its floods from tbe lowest snow banks, and 

 dashes them over tbe rough rocks, till they rival 

 the whiteness of their sources. It pours them 

 through the forests, where they glitter among the 

 green trees, and finally it drops their smoke-like 

 wreath, daintily ai it seems, over a high precipice, 

 to tbe bottom of the gorge. There tbey tarn the 

 wheel of a saw mill, and then rush on through n 

 channel worn three or four feet deep, In a direct 

 line to tbe opposite peak, bat turn to the right af- 

 ter going a short distance. If that torrent should 

 be checked for a time, and that channel filled 



■ oihlyti 



■■ l.rlm 





, 1,1 1, 



again, yon could not tell whether tbe inclination of 

 the land would lead them to the right or left. If 

 they turned to the lefi tbey would flow to tbe Ion, 

 the Danube, and tbe Black Sea, but ns they go to 

 tbe right they find their way to the Adlge and the 



The descent towards Italy is much steeper thin 







is twenty-five miles distant, t! 

 gorge — the valley of the Elsi 

 the valley of the Taster ei 

 Eleack, there la a strong fc 

 commands the road. There 

 land, at tbe latter place, on 



e wny to Brixeo, whlc' 

 s rood posses tbro' a 

 „ At Brixen, where 

 ■s the valley of tbe 

 ess that completely 



enough for the boiling river, and tbe road 



the rock, with an overhanging precipice 



of feet high on one side and a railing of 



the other. The river Eisacb which, at 



ment on Brenner, I could easily leap across, grows 



rapidly lorger, and ot Bozen, fifty miles from Ita 



source, is nearly as wldo as the Adige which it 



joins, I saw on the route many large wheels, turned 



slowly by the current, raising water to irrigate 



The Bndden change in climate which ono ob- 

 serves, when passing from the Northern to the 

 Soothora declivities of the Alps, is remarkable,— 

 At the time I was In tbe valley of the Inn, sum urn 

 bad not asserted there tbe foil supremacy of her 

 swny. The earlleBt cherries were like green peas, 

 and the Indian corn had but jnet burst forth to tbe 

 Hunshine — the grass, and the barley, and the rye, 

 waved headless In the breeze— the trees had not 

 soiled their fresh garments of joyous green— and 

 no shepherd had dared to pipe his obedient flocks 

 to the high paatareB on the mountains. Half a 

 day's walk direct from Innspruck brings one to the 

 summit of the pass, and from thence to Bozen, the 

 distance ia fifty miles. When I Brrived at Brixen, 

 I saw, for the first time, vineyards in the TyroL At 

 Bozen the hay harvest bad commenced several 

 days previously, the barley and the rye were grow- 

 ing yellow for tbe reaper, the cherry trees were 

 red with ripe fruit, tbe air was warm at sunset, yet 

 pure and invigorating— the balmjness of Italy 

 mixed with the purity of tbe mountains Orange, 

 lemon, chcatnut, and fig trees, stood on the slopes, 

 and vineyards covered the broad valley below. 



I went up tbe valley of the Adige to Meran, 

 which is twenty-four miles from Bozen. Tho 

 slopes that rise upwards from this valley are very 

 beautiful, they are green with forests and meadows, 

 and many villages and castles are scattered over 

 them. I stood in one place and counted six cas 

 ties. At tho "Post," iu Meran, I made the ac- 

 quaintance of a young German who was my com- 

 panion in two excursions. One was to the caatle 

 Tyrol, which, anciently, was the seat of ita princes, 

 and has given its name to the country. Three 

 hundred years ago, a rain storm took place among 

 the mountains and the clouds sent down so power- 

 ful a torrent of water, that It washed a deep gaily 

 close to the castle, and bore away eome of the 

 walls. The view from the ruin, over the valley and 

 on to the mountains, amply rewards the exertion 

 of an hour's walk from Meran. Oar other escur 

 sion was up the valley of the Paaaeyer, to the 

 house that was occupied by Akdmw Hofeb. We 

 started in the middle of tho forenoon end returned 

 ot eleven o'clock at night. The valley itself Is 

 not very interesting, as it is narrow and the moun- 

 tains rather monotonous. The only road is a foot 

 path which crosses the Pssaeyer several times by 

 wooden bridges. Hofib's house, which is now, as 

 formerly, so inn, stands close to the river's brink, 

 and is larger, and better bailt than the majority of 

 peasant bouses. Behind the house is a small patch 

 of tillable land, b*--- 



Sunday the peasf 



with their rioes. 



We returned i: 



walk. I shall n< 



fore tho door hung 

 oles, of which many 

 ld that nearly every 



■ and «boot at targets 



a pleasant 



le evening, and hai 

 'orget how the foil 

 over the mountains, lighting up their rocky"«o™ 

 peaks, and chasing the shadows outof the vslleji 

 The sky looked bo warm and beautiful, the air was 

 so pore and balmy, and scented by new mown bay. 

 As we nesred Meran, wt fonnd the most of tbe 

 path wholly nnder water, bnt by springing from 

 stoua to stone, we avoided wet feet. This overflow 

 of w*,t« wu caused by tho opening of dams in the 

 fields above, where the water that came down the 

 mountain* In small rlvnlets had been gathered foi 



of bis notion* He did all by rule, always stopping 

 to consider what effect a movement would have on 

 his health before he executed it. Be very much 

 regretted that he bad not brought along three 

 clean shirts, and said that when be ascended one 

 of the mountains near Meran, a trip of a few hours, 

 he had carried half a dozes, all of which he used 

 to keep himself dry. At the inn where we dined 

 be took off his shirt, bad It washed, dried, and 

 Ironed while we waited, and then declared himself 



The romantic environs of Meran, and its agreea- 

 ble sod healthy climate, make it an excellent place 

 for passing a few summer and fall months. There 

 are two well conducted and convenient hotels, 

 which, In the time of tbe grape harvest, are often 

 filled with strangers, consisting of invalids that 

 resort thither for tbe benefit of tbe grapes, and 

 peraons seeking for pleasure. At the time I was 

 there, a couple of English families had already 

 been quartered some weeks at the hoteL The land 

 in the valley is not remarkably rich, but the South- 

 ern climate together with the advantages of irriga- 

 tion, render It easy to grow two crops on the land 

 at the aame time. The vines are trained over hlgb 

 arbors, extending from one side of the field to the 

 other, and completely shut out the eun's rays from 

 the surface of the ground, but beneath these vines 

 corn, potatoes, wheat, barley, and rye grow and 

 produce abundantly. It looked cool to see men 

 lazily hoeing the corn in the shade nnder these 



LINGERINGS WITH NATUBE.-NO. I. 



Not celebrated in story— not named in song, 

 save through Perceval's gentle notes, it yet re- 

 flects the blue summer sky and paints the living 

 green of its bunks upon the hearts of all who bask 

 in its warm splendor, or catch its first bright 

 spring smile. A dream of rural quiet and sylvan 

 shades comes floating with the morning mists as 

 they Bweep down with the wind and rise to reveal 

 the green slopes of the adjoining grove-dotted 

 landscape. Pleasant thoughts of the valleys be- 

 yond, of the glens and hill-sides, where the vines 

 and flowers nestle and flourish, come with the glad 

 sunshine, as It lies aslant the distant bill-top, or 

 glowBupon the burnished water. Like thwarted 

 human hope the winding shoreB of the lake show 

 tbe gentle but powerful eurgings, the Bweep of the 

 tempest and the unnoted washing of tbe waves; 

 yet, like that same unconquerable hope, ittnrna 

 not from Its general course, bat with steady force 

 bean onward to Its destination. At the head of 

 the lake, after a glance at its dark waters, we tarn 

 to "Glen Maria"— a rocky defile— the mark of some 

 sudden convulsion in nature, leaving a sonl-Iiteye 

 in the rock-bound face thug opportunely revealed 

 toonrvlew. Like Its elippery paths andtortuooa 

 waya are those of the sin-guided soul, ever tramp- 

 ing upon the narrow ledges and scaling tbe doubt- 

 ful precipices from which a single mia step might 

 burl to certain ruin. 



Damp, dark, wonderful and wild— tbe slaty rock 

 worn Into narrow crevices and channela — the 

 r-ciiiuby evWgreeni fastened to the rooky sides and 

 the tall trees leaning to meet above— all bring a 

 strange, weird feeling of awe and rapture, won- 

 der and reverence. Following the winding shores 

 of the Seneca, and pausing a moment to gaze at 

 the Painted Rock of Indian warfare we come sud- 

 denly upon tbe long, foaming line of whitened 

 waters known as Hector Falls. Leaping down be- 

 tween its green banks, revealing the dark line of 

 the bridge mid way, and rivaling in whiteness the 

 adjacent cottages, it eecma an abiding life, a living 

 picture. Miles beyond a series of garden fields 

 and fragrant orchards, the wild glen. Rock Stream, 

 or the " Fall of the Silver Thread," but ebowa its 

 grim portal ere tbe majestic volume of Big Spring 

 Fall deafens our ears and enwrapa oar souls in 

 new visions of awed delight. Tumbling, roaring 

 and bounding, it angrily rushes down the jutting 

 rocks, to check its fury against the calm surface 

 of the silver lake, burying and deadening 



ill I. V 



The I 



.nitlin 



,-,■,,!<, 



■ hills 



past the many picturesque 

 points and rough wharfs; the sloping hill sides ate 

 dotted with villages— tbe rich meadows waving with 

 grain and ripe with plenty. Wo finally land at 

 Geneva; beautiful beyond description, yet wanting 



tinted and fire-lifted peaks, as they lie against the 

 clear Bky, to bring a memory of Switzerland and 

 the Alps. StttI, ita wondrous summer beauty lies 

 upon many a hear), and inspires many torpid souls 

 with holy thoughts and heaven-born purposes, 

 whioh loftier hills and sunnier skiee may never 

 have awakened. 



Beautiful Seneoal ef life a fitting type,— chang- 

 ing, yet ever the same— smiling with tho sun and 

 frowning with the clouds— continually wasting, yet 



THE RHINE, 

 of I 



St. Louis Democrat 

 describes the Rhine thus:—" Every letter writer is 

 ao full of praise of the Rhine, or its wonderful 

 scenery, that I shall pass it all by with one or two 

 brief remarks. In width, current, and general op. 

 pearance, it resembles the Ohio at a good stage of 

 water. It is of a beautiful light green, different 

 from the waters of any western river I have ever 

 seen. The current ia quite rapid, but not go rapid 

 as tho Mississippi Little, low pressure steamers, 

 like those on the Thames, of from 60 to 150 tuna 

 burthen, are constantly passing up and down for 

 passengers and towing barges; but none of these 

 steamers are as fine or as comfortable as those of 

 oar western boats. They have no staterooms or 

 cabins on the npper decks. There are, all along 

 the river, on both sides, sloping hills, which often 

 rise into mountains, with here and there a ruined 

 castle on the summit, but though these elopes are 

 often cultivated with vines almost to the very top, 

 there Is nothing In all this scenery which is equal 

 in sublimity to the Hudson, or in beauty and varie- 

 ty to our own Mitslasslppl shove Prarie du Chien." 



Tb» prosperity of man lies In this c 

 Education. Convey humanity to this 

 happiness, and y 0o bestow everything; 

 of power and greatness. 



THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA. 



In Pisa, a walled city of Tuscany, Is the famous 

 Campanile, or Leaning Tower. Thi8 tower ia one 

 hundred and seventy-eight feet in height, fifty feet 

 in diameter, the uppermost atoryover hanging tho 

 base about fifteen feet The material used in con- 

 struction ia marble — the dealgn, eight rowa of 

 pillars, one above the other. In reference to ita 

 history and its architect, the Cyclopedia Americana 

 very briefly informs us, that it waa "built in the 

 twelfth century, by a German of the name of 



WlXLIAM." 



It is a matter of doubt whether tbis beautiful 

 pieoe of architecture has actually sunk, or whether 

 It was designedly built with its present inclination. 

 However, we have in the Leaning Tower a re- 

 markable illustration of the principle, that the line 

 of direction must fall within the base upon which 

 tbe body Btands for support— if it falls outside of 

 the base, the body overturns. A line cast from 

 the summit of the Tower to the ground, and pass- 

 ing through the centre of gravity, falls within the 

 base, and it stands secure. Were an attempt made 

 to build tbe Tower a few feet higher, so that a 

 perpendicular line, passing through the centre of 

 gravity, would fall beyond the base, It would topple 

 to destruction in an instant. This fact demon- 

 strates another philosophical proposition, viz: — 

 " The larger the base of a body, and the nearer its 

 principal mass is to the base, the more firmly it 

 will stand." 



OUR SUMMER FRIENDS. 



Who is notbothered with flieB in snnimer? Who, 

 at this present Beason, has not been tempted to dif- 

 fer from the benevolent humorist's opinion, that 

 the world Is wide enough for him and the wingei 

 torments? Tet, what a profound knowledge of th 

 animal structure can be obtained from the flies tha 

 pester us while wo sit in our rooms! A work has 

 just been published by t*v gifted men on the 

 house-fly and the earth-worm, with n 

 scopic Illustrations. In this volume attention in 

 called to the wonderful organization of the fly, 

 abling It to walk on the ceiling with its feet 

 wards, or on tbe smooth panes of glass, aett 

 apparently the lawa of gravitation at defiance- 

 feet, in fact, are furnished with countleBB minute 

 suckers, that operate in tbe same manner i 

 leather suckers used by school boya to lift heavy 

 Btones. Then look at the neatness of the fly; bow 

 indefatigably it brushes its wings, and rubs its legs 

 against each other, to remove any particles of duet 1 

 Those diminutive legs are covered with hairs thai 

 serve as dusters. 



A scientific gentleman observed the other day in 

 our hearing that the common horse-fly stood mid' 

 way among living creatures in point of eize; thai 

 is, taking the elephant as the largest among ani- 

 mals, and the mite as the smallest, there were as 

 many classes of creatures smaller as there 

 larger than the fly. Not only ita wonderful little 

 frame, but its nervous system, is an interesting 

 subject for discussion. As to Its habit?, it 

 marvellous fancy for human companionship. It 

 visits ua familiarly, partakes our food, and culti- 

 vates, as far as it car, a friendly familiarity with ua 

 Without hesitation it will alight on our faces and 

 hands, and examine everything we do. It Is among 

 insects what the dog is among animals. Now, be- 

 fore we spurn tbe smaller intruder as an u welcome 

 guest, let us see if it con teach na no lesson of ad- 

 miration and wonder at the Creator's power.— 

 Viewed in this light, we ahall find these summer 

 friends capable of affording us the opportunity for 



,ch learning and profitable thought. 



MICROSCOPIC WONDERS, 



one. the most remarkable of those myriads 

 of animals which exist in every drop of water, is 

 the navicula — a little creature which has some 

 twenty or thirty legs, and iB endowed by Nature 

 with an armor of flint. In a paper which was re- 

 cently laid before one of the scientific societies of 

 London, some curious facts concerning this dimin- 

 utive animal were stated. Among other things it 

 u mentioned that if an observer watches nar- 

 ■ wly for five or six hours, he will note a thin trans- 

 parent line spreading across it in some direction, 

 the line makes its first appearance it becomes 

 moment more distinct, and rapidly increases 

 dth. At length tho creature begins wrig- 

 gling ItBlimbB violently, the body splits asunder. 





; of c 





The animal has something like a hundred 

 and its month, which hi situated near one extrem- 

 ity, U surroonded by a number of almost Invisible 

 tentaculo, with which it grasps its food; but as 

 as the transparent line appears, which de- 

 its approaching division into two, as another 

 h will be wanted another is seen sprouting 

 the other extremity, and is ready to perform 

 notions as soon as the separation is effected. 

 The navicula divides itself In two, once in twelve 

 hours, under ordinary circumstances. But there 

 are some kinds of navicula: which split them 

 selves into sixteen instead of two in the same 

 space of time. Were there no checks to the in- 



■ 



f the t, 



producer of many hundred 

 in a month.— Port/olio. 



e would become the 



THE "SURAL" III THE FAMILY 



I»p»r thupiy, for ir it »<J»pc>i*f f*miniii» Agriculture, 

 throw onr»eli into th. br.ich (perh»p* we ought to i 



Thi above notice, from a " readable weekly " 

 on political, literary and local New England topi 

 — is highly complimentary, though perchance i 

 tended to be IronlcaL Any journal which is 

 "highly esteemed by ladies and children " mi 

 a welcome visitor, and wield great intluence s 

 in the Family Circle. We often receive I 

 which say that of the six, twelve, or more papers 

 taken in the family, the Bubal is the most anxious- 

 ly looked for each week, and the fint taught and 

 toonttt and mott read of the whole collection. 

 Tots proves that the Kfral ia appreciated by those 

 for whose bene lit it ia designed, and to promote 

 whose welfare we devote earnest and continuous 

 labor — the various members of the Family. Onr 

 talk is not exclusively of cattle, pigs and chickeni 

 —of plowiug, planting, harvesting, and selling 

 wheat, corn, potatoes, Ao; but we believe that 

 while these are properly discussed, It is also our 

 duty, as it is our pleasure, to discourse of many 

 other subjects of Interest to fathers and mothers, 

 sons and daughters, and that in ao doing we in- 

 crease the knowledge, pleasure, contentment, and 

 consequent happiness of tens of thousands of 

 people who, we trust, occupy the only foretaste of 

 heaven on earth— peaceful and happy Homes. As 

 to the Rpral's "advocating feminine agriculture, 

 or the rights of women to dig potatoes, " Ac, wo 

 assure onr contemporary that it doea not believe 

 such things heretical. Moreover, it holds that, 

 while the men have their reapers, threshers, and 

 other labor-saving implements, the wome 

 entitled to similar "aid and comfort" in tin 

 partmeut— such as sewing machines, and the 

 various improvements for lessening the labors of 

 the dairy, kitchen, Ac. While onr friend goe 

 "liberty or death,"— and, like many other 

 thinking mortals, wants aU the liberty on the 

 culine aide— ire think the wives, mothers, si 

 and daughters of the ■ rural districts " are entitled 

 to a little more liberty, and /w of the slavery which 

 insures premature death, mental and pbyaicaL 



It would of course bo much easier and cheaper 

 to make the Bubal all Agricultural— for papers 

 which are devoted mainly to one subject, (wbcihi 

 Agriculture, Religion, Politics, Literature, < 

 News,) require far less labor and expense than 

 one combining several important topics— b 

 shall continue to furnish one which, while it is 

 reliable on Practical and Useful Subjects, shall[aIso 

 comprise such instruction, entertainment, a 

 cnniiM !s relative to mental and moral training 

 we believe adapted to the wants and welfare 

 almost every family in the country, 



— Since tho above was written, our attention t 

 been oaQed to the following article from the li 

 number of the Chicago Journal. It is so much 

 the point, and so handsomely endorses our notiu 

 and practice, that we cannot refrain from giving 



itint 



s connection: 



pleasant to p»t to tb> boj», and somethings 



— And here is an item from the Wen 

 Transcript of tho 20th inst— received 

 foregoing waa placed ia type— which 

 commends the Rural, and lis objects and tenden 

 cles, that we are constrained to quote it in con' 

 cloBion: 



iter Daily 



totalis! 



WORK, AND THE LOVE OF IT. 



ttsVamSi Ens:— I have noticed that there has been 

 quite a war between some of the Yuuko Hckii its 

 for a few weeks past, and I have wanted to help on 

 one side or the other bad enough, bat thinking 

 ■ discretion the better part of valor," I have con- 

 tented mytelf by looking on. Now, I come Id and 

 take a view of the field, after the combatants have 

 retired. If they are not through )ct, I'll back oct 

 quicker. The pen — a formidable weapon when 

 wielded by a practiced hand— has been flourished 

 pretty freely on both aides, and considerable mi 

 ahed, bat I hope none of the competitors have 



I agree with Habky Diiutm, when he says,— 

 "some persons pnttm d tbey like to work, and I 

 pretend to assert that that la abcoVately false." I 

 don't call it work to go into tho garden and weed 

 onions half an hour every day, or scatter tho dirt 

 around two dozen bills of beans; but to roll logs 

 from sis in the morning till sunset, or pick up 

 stone and put them into heaps, or build fence with 

 heavy oak rails, when a person will feel the next 

 morning m if the cartilage waa started from every 

 joint— that** uatk t It is not reasonable for me to 

 suppose that n person should be censured for com- 

 plaining of "ctmttihtfimal vstarbmt " under such 

 circumstances. 



I can see just how some of thoao wouldbe in- 

 dustrious persons work. "O.dear! Imustpotmy 

 glovea on, or these Utile delicate hands will bs 

 stained and sunburnt, and won't be tit to be seen 

 Ina month! "A man can be ?< honorable if he 

 gets his living by his education as one who gets It 

 by farming. The merchant is just na much en- 

 titled to a place in society as the farmer; and al- 

 though his work 1b not the aame, his row la just as 

 wido and long as any other. 



Many young men are persuaded that they most 

 aojmt a* thrir fitOtrt did, if they have been bro't 

 up on a farm tbey are good for nothing but farm- 

 ers. Thats not so. Must I grow broom corn for 

 a livelihood, just because my father did? I havo 

 lived on a farm for fifteen years, and worked too, 

 and when I wanted a leisure moment I had to take 

 it, for it never eamo u me. I have a "repug- 

 nance" to farming, and I begin to think It's 

 ••natural." Like the man who did not like to saw 

 wood. - I ain't buxtt right!" 



You may think that I am laiy, but there is no 

 6uch word in my vocabulary,— though I bad a very 

 strong bint that way once when I did not hoe q 



those farm it wllO 



like it- 





, let 



LOOKING-GLASSES, 



Tbe manufacture of silvered mirrors, as at 

 present carried on, is one of the most curious of 

 modern arts. The process or thus silvering glass 

 mirrors is very Hi tuple. The sheet of tin foil, some- 

 what larger than the mirror, is laid nponn smooth 

 table, and quicksilver poured over it until It covers 

 the tin-foil with a thickness of one-tenth of an 

 inch or more; when the mercury has been swept 

 by tbe edge of a stick to clean off the drops from 

 Its surface, the glass plate, scrupulously clean, Is 

 brought even with tbe edge of the table, and 

 pushed gently forward tideways, so as to slide 

 over the bath of mercury, its edge jnst dipping be- 

 neath its surface, ao as to puah before It all Impuri- 

 ties, and to exclude all sir-bubbles. Weights are 

 then evenly applied over the bock of the mirror, 

 and the whole table Inclined to such on angle as to 

 favor the drawing off of the superfluous mercury. 

 This requires some days or weeks, according to 

 the size of the plate. Here Is an additional risk 

 nn.i r^st in large mirrors, alnce the lime consumed 



email, and the danger of fracture Imminent Cadbaoi Rorrmo-WlU some of your readers 

 Tbe amalgam sometimes crystallizes, producing inform me through the RtrttAL what will prevent 

 imperfections which require the renewal of the cabbage from rotting? My cabbage rotted last 

 whole procesa- nnd the health of those engaged in «ason when the heads first became Ann and solid, 

 and are effected this season.— A Tocko Bchalmt. 

 mtport. Pa., IS 



D guide ia certainly e gTcat mischief; but Btottoig Bibdb, Ac— Mrs. J- A., Paris, C. W.- 

 blinds those whom he Bhould lead is The information needed you will find in tbe first 

 undoubtedly a much greater. f 0Qr nU mbera of the preset 



LETTER FROM A MINNESOTA BOY. 



Dear Bcral:— I saw in a late number a letter 

 from a correspondent In Oregon, and thooght I 



would let your readers know something In regard 

 to Minnesota, for I think it is one of the most de- 

 sirable States In tbe Union. St. Paul (tho present 

 capital) ia on the east aide of the Mississippi river. 

 It contains about 15,000 or 1G,000 Inhabitants. In 

 morals the present St. Paul ia not quite bo perfect 

 as the one of old. However, it Is to be hoped that 

 as he grows older he will be steadier. 



There ia one peculiarity about Minnesota rather 

 strange, viz.:— most of the rain falls In the night 

 Minnesota is a land of flowers. No one will deny 

 this who has been up here. The editor of the 

 Phnter and Democrat says:— "In a space of twenty 

 acres we counted no less than forty-seven different 

 varieties." If that is not flowery what Is? 



I have one fault to find with your paper, viz.:— 

 you do not put any more articles on Natural His- 

 tory in the Young Bcbaljstb' column. Now don't 

 think me fault-finding. I was almost afraid to 

 write to yon, but as yon promised the young folks 

 to put their articles in "shipshape" and good 

 order, I summoned up c oarage, and the "deed Is 

 done." Minnesota Bor. 



How TO Preserve The Rcbal.— Can you tell ua 

 how tbe Rural may paea through the hands of a 

 half dozen Individuals, be read and bandied to 

 satisfaction by each for one week, and be referred 

 to every "now and then" till the cloBe of the 

 volume, and then be In a tit condition for binding? 

 I have tried reading aloud, so that one reading 

 would do for aU, but to little purpose, as they have 

 to be handled and seen, every Inch of them, by all 

 tbe family, before they are satisfied; so that at the 

 close of the volume, I find that many of them are 

 out at the elbows.— Youwo Rpbalibt, Marion, W K 



Remarks —We don't know as we can help oor 

 young friend over the difficulty. Aa soon as a 

 number has been read by the family, it should be 

 filed with previous numbers. Thle Is not only a 

 convenience in referring to back numbers, but 

 keeps them in good order. Any Ingenloua boy 

 can make a good paper file. Try It, and If this 

 faile, you will have to take two copies— one for 

 present reading, and one for preservation. 



Fibb-Eattno.— I would like to be informed as to 

 what •■ !i,t--'iters" use to prevent burning their 

 mouths.— Y. L. C, Cmtralta, III. 



Remarks — We keep our month from being 



burned by being careful not to pot anything hot 



into it Some fire-eatert not only barn their 



mouths, bat their fingere. Dilated sulphuric add 



we believe ia the preparation used by magicians 



and others to give their flesh the power of resisting 



tctlon of fire. Several applications Is necea- 



No sensible boy would think of puttlngsach 



In his mouth, or of trying such foolish and 



dangerous experiments. Leave such things to tbe 



