GROUP OF ELK. — Sketched from Nature and engraved for the American Agriculturist , 
We have iii America several interesting and 
remarkable animals of the Deer kind. The lar¬ 
gest among them is the Moose , or American Elk of 
the books, which is as large as a horse, having a 
head of great size, with long upper lip, and broad 
and immensely heavy horns, a short, thick neck 
and very long coarse legs. It is a water ani¬ 
mal almost, feeding upon lily-pads and the suc¬ 
culent vegetation of the swampy forests of the 
northern part of the United States and British 
possessions. Next in size to the moose is' the 
Wapiti, commonly but incorrectly called Elk — 
the Stag of America (Gervus Canadensis), repre¬ 
sented in the above engraving. This beautiful 
animal closely resembles the stag of Europe, is 
graceful and stately, bearing powerful antlers 
which often weigh 25 to 30 pounds, and having 
many more branches than are represented in the 
engraving. The horns frequently spread from 
4 to 5 feet, and in size they considerably exceed 
those of the European stag. The prevailing 
color is greyish in winter, and in summer 
tawny, of various shades—the ears and front 
of legs blackish—and there is a large yellowish 
white spot upon the rump surrounding the 
short white tail. The hair on the neck of the 
male below the throat, over a broad space, is 
long, very dark and tipped with red. This no¬ 
ble animal once common over the northern part 
of this country, is now seldom found except in 
scattered families in Maine, Michigan in the 
lake Superior region, and a few in the Adiron- 
dacks, and these are fast disappearing. In the 
Rocky Mountains and at the head waters of the 
Missouri and Yellowstone they abound, usually 
running in family herds of 6 to 12 individuals. 
The flesh is esteemed, but it is not so delicate as 
that of the common deer (Gervus Virginianus). It 
feeds upon a variety of herbage, and the twigs 
of shrubs and trees. It is not fastidious in its 
tastes and will get a good living in any forest or 
low woods. It is easily domesticated, and 
readily eats the same feed as farm cattle. The 
hinds become exceedingly gentle, and are han¬ 
dled as easily as cows; but the stags, though 
comparatively gentle during a part of the year, 
are wild and even dangerous during the autumn. 
The hinds go 8 months witli young, which are 
dropped usually during the month of May. 
The engraving which we give represents a 
group of elk (properly called Wapiti), of which 
a large number are now stabled in this cily pre¬ 
paratory to being shipped to Italy. They be¬ 
long to Victor Emanuel, King of Italy, and have 
been collected by his relative, Count Castiglione, 
who has been for some time in this country. 
Several of the finest were raised in a condition 
of domestication by Mr. Lorenzo Stratton of 
Cattaraugus County, N. Y., who has bred 
them for several years with great success. Mr. 
S. states that he can raise elk for the New York 
market cheaper than he can beef. Harnessed, 
they make a pretty fancy team, but he does not 
value them as draft animals. We understand 
the number of animals of this kind which it is 
intended to transport to Italy will reach 150. 
They will make a fine herd, and a noble addi¬ 
tion to the extensive “ preserves ” of the King. 
Gardening for Ladies. —An excellent sys¬ 
tem for gardening for ladies: Make up your beds 
early in the morning; sew buttons on your hus¬ 
band’s shirts ; do not rake up any grievances ; 
protect the young and tender branches of your 
family; plant a smile of good temper in your 
face; and carefully root out all angry feelings, 
and then you may expect a crop of happiness. 
Walks and Paths. 
A good walk, one which is dry in wet, and 
firm in dry weather, one which will not “ track ” 
into the house, and which will not allow weeds 
to grow in it, is something very desirable to 
every one who lives anywhere except in paved 
streets. There is no difficulty in making walks 
to answer all these conditions, if the materials 
are readily obtainable. Most perfect specimens 
of walks may be seen in the Central Park, in the 
city of New York, where abundant means are 
at hand. An excavation of a foot or more in 
depth is first made, then a foundation of coarse 
stones is laid down, this is covered with several 
inches of stone broken by machinery to about 
the size of a walnut, and over this a layer of 
gravel. Where good gravel can be obtained, 
there is perhaps no better material for a walk. 
Three or four inches laid upon a proper founda¬ 
tion of stones or brick rubbish, and well rolled, 
will make an excellent surface. Unfortunately 
all gravel will not pack, and loose gravel is 
worse than none at all. The next best thing to 
gravel is hard-coal ashes, which pack down 
with the aid of the roller into a firm smooth 
walk. A path neatly paved with small stones, 
though not so pleasant to walk upon, is the best 
that can be had in some places. Over-burnt 
bricks, such as have been too much heated for 
building purposes, may be made to serve a good 
purpose. In many parts of the West, plank is 
used, but it must be always in straight lines, and 
