ANECDOTE OF A STORK. 
THE CLOSE OF THE TEAK. 
Our Horticultural Department this week is 
limited, as readers will perceive, owing to 
the necessity of publishing the Index, Are., 
in the closing number of the volume. We 
take occasion to thank our contributors to 
this Department for their numerous and 
valuable favors during tire past yeflfr, and we 
invite lor the coming volume a continuance of 
correspondence from practical and experienced 
cultivators. Facts and information bearing 
Horticulture, gathered thus from all parts of 
the country, and under different circumstances 
of soil, exposure and climate, are of great value 
and interest. In the Future, as In the Past, we 
shall endeavor to keep this Department fully 
even with the advance of Horticultural science. 
The proceedings of Horticultural Societies will 
be noticed, new and valuable fruits, plants and 
flowers, described and illustrated, and extensive 
and successful fruit growing regions visited by 
the Editors or special Correspondents, with the 
view of gathering knowledge of intrinsic value 
to our readers. We Invite the aid and co-ope¬ 
ration of Horticulturists everywhere. 
ILLINOIS STATE HOBTICULT’L SOCIETY. 
f Dear Rural The above Society held its 
11th annual session in the city of Champaign, 
I1L, Dec. 11th to 14th. The attendance was at 
least double that of any former meeting; and 
the first time that every Congressional district 
in the State has been represented. 
On account of Dm severe cold—the weather 
sending the mercury to zero—the show of fruit 
was not so large as anticipated. The largest 
collection was fifty varieties from the south 
part of the State. Of wine there were eight 
samples. 
The first day was mainly devoted to reports 
of Standing Committees, followed in the even¬ 
ing by a lecture on the “ Status of Horticul¬ 
ture’? by M. L. Dunlap. The second day to a 
revision of the Fruit List in the morning, and 
in the afternoon to an excursion en masse to the 
nursery and grounds ot M. L. Dunlap, 
miles south of the city—a special train having 
been tendered by the L C. I». R. for the pur¬ 
pose. In the evening B. D. Walsh, the editor 
of the Entomologist, addressed a very large 
audience. This was followed by a .discussion 
on cherries, of a very interesting character. 
What is known as the May cherry of the West, 
or sometimes called Early Richmond, was de¬ 
cided to bo a native or American seedling, 
originating near Richmond, Va., from -whom 
the elder Prince took scions to Long Island 
and christened the true Early Richmond, and 
Downing committed the error ot making it a 
syuonism af Kentish. It is supposed that the 
French cherry, Donna Maria, may be the same 
one sent back to us under this new name. At 
all events the Society decided to call this cherry 
“ Early May,” and if our French friends lay 
claim to it, let them prove It. 
This cherry is the only market cherry of 
much importance in the State, and now stands 
at the head of the iist. It was stated that there 
was an orchard of IUX) trees in bearing near this 
city; and that the trees Were now heeled-in for 
one orchard of two thousand trees, and three 
of one thousand early, besides small lots of 
fifty and a hundred euch. 
It was further decided that the common Mo- 
rello suckers, or the seedling of the Morello, is 
the only 6tock suited to this cherry; that on its 
own roots it is less productive and ripens later, 
while on the Mazzard and Mahaleb it was of 
little value—often being killed by the sudden 
changes of winter and liable to lose the crop by 
early frost. There were some exceptions stated 
to these positions, but on the whole they were 
sustained by the facts. The impression that this 
is only a cooking cherry was denied, as it is 
almost the only one sold by the fruit stands in 
Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis, where large 
amounts are eaten daily in the cherry season. 
The large English Morello comes in a full 
month later and is only fit for cooking. The 
tree is hardy, a good bearer, and, like the other, 
should be grafted on the Morello. 
These two cherries make the entire list for 
market. Along the Mississippi river bluffs, es¬ 
pecially at Alton and Warsaw, many of the 
sweet cherries do well, hut as this section is nar¬ 
row, being confined to the soil known as Loess 
by geologists, it was not thought proper to con¬ 
sider its claims, in making a list for the three 
divisions of the State,—yet May Duke and Black 
Tartarian were added for family use at the re¬ 
quest of a few members. 
This cherry question has been tending to this 
result, practically, for the past half a dozen 
years, and may he considered as settled for some 
Dme, at least until 6ome new kind shall have 
been fully proved. Every cheriy grower con¬ 
demned the Mazzard and the Mahaleb for stock, 
and it is more thau probable that some of the 
old Borts when grafted on the Morello, in cer¬ 
tain locations, may give reasonable satisfaction. 
Much was said pro and con in regard to the 
suckering habit of the Morello, but this is less 
serious than generally supposed, the bearing 
trees producing fine sprouts, and these are easily 
destroyed when young. 
Apple List.— Little attempt was made to re¬ 
vise the Apple List. Among the new sorts, 
Stanard, Ben Davis, and Rome Beauty were 
highly commended, but no vote was taken on 
them. Ben Davis was already on the list for 
fmarket for all parts of the State ; Rome Beauty 
or the south only, but it is probable that for 
Central Illinois it will 6oon take a commanding 
position. The Stanard is a seedling sent out by 
Col. HODGB Of the old Buffalo Nursery, under 
the name of Stanard’s Seedling, bat it does not 
appear to have attracted any attention m your 
State. Here and in Northern Illinois it is 
rapidly growing into importance, and promises 
to be one of the most popular winter apples. . 
Th<- third day Fear Culture was discussed. 
Close"planting, on well drained soil, with shel¬ 
ter from the wind, and to some extent shaded, 
were the points contended fur. The blight was 
discussed at length, but no valuable facts were 
elicited, in the evening N. J. Colman, Editor 
of fiie RunifWorld, St,. Louis, guv* an interest¬ 
ing lecture on the Small Fruits. 
The last day was occupied with miscella¬ 
neous business, and various topics of local in¬ 
terest to the State, except on the subject of tree 
peddlers. These came in for no measured 
amount of abuse, if it is possible to abuse these 
fellows. At the eamc time a resolution was 
passed, without opposition, to the effect that 
the authorized traveling agents of responsible 
nurseries should be considered in good standing 
with the authorized traveling agents of any other 
reliable business, and that they should not be 
confounded with the self-constituted agents or 
peddlers. 
The new officers are : Frc&dent— Hon. Elmer 
Baldwin of Lasallc county; Secretary —W. C. 
Flagg of Alton; Trcrmrer— 0. Huggins of 
Macoupin; with a list of fourteen Vice-Presi¬ 
dents, one for each Congressional district. The 
Society agreed to make a display of fruit at the 
meeting of the Americau Pomological Society. 
Yours truly, M - 
Champaign, Ill., Dec. 14, 1806. 
IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING WELLS. 
The method of getting water by driving gas 
pipe iuto the earth without excavating, which 
we illustrated in the last number of the Rural, 
is certainly very practical w here a body of this 
flnid can be reached, sufficiently large to keep 
the few inches of the bottom of the pipe im¬ 
mersed in it — a very email reservoir — con 
st&ntly full. But wide as >be regions are where 
this method can be successfully adopted, those 
where it would utterly fail are far wider. On 
hills, rolling land, and a large part of the prai¬ 
ries, only small springs and veins of water are 
tapped at the bottom of the wells, and in nu¬ 
merous instances the natural soakage from the 
moist earth is the oniy reliance. In these cases 
a reservoir nnut be formed »or the water to 
accumulate in before a quantity can be pumped 
out. Hep O'- the necessity of ordinary wells, 
dug to the proper depth, and stoned or bricked 
up. We Illustrate a method of making wells in 
such localities which possesses some superiority 
over the ordinary one. The earth is excavated 
as usual to the proper depth, but instead of 
bricking or atoning the well to the surface of 
the ground, ouly six or eight feet of the space 
at the bottom Is thus prepared. This forms a 
reservoir for the water. A cap stone is then 
placed over the reservoir and a gas pipe reaching 
from the surface of the earth inserted through a 
hole in the cap-stone to r< ally the bottom of 
the well. The space above the cap-stone is 
filled in with earth. A pump is attached to the 
top of the pipe and the well is completed. 
In localities where stone are scarce this plan 
saves much expense, and even if they were at 
hand it is still cheaper than to continue the well 
to the top. The iron pipe makes the best kind 
of a pump, and one that will last longer than a 
life-time. The bottom of the pipe should he 
left open so that any article falling into it will 
pass readily out, and small holes should be per¬ 
forated for some distance upwards. 
An experienced friend, and contributor to the 
Rural, at our elbow, to -whom we have shown 
this article, endorses it, and suggests that an 
inverted iron potash kettle, with a hole drilled 
in the bottom for the pipe to pass through into 
the water, would be stronger than a flat cap¬ 
stone, and cheaper than an arch of masonry. 
He has known of wells thus constructed which 
gave the best satisfaction. 
Written lor Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
TAKING A PAPEB. 
A VERY SEASONABLE AND SUGGESTIVE DISCOURSE. 
Taking a Newspaper is a most august trans¬ 
action—aa Important era in a man’s life 1 How 
much it will cut and carve your theology, twist 
your politics, modify your philosophy and form 
your general estimate of things you are not fully 
aware. With pjomp and circumstance, with a 
parade of logic and metaphysics, with patient 
consultation of eminent authorities, you adopt 
your creed and profess your faith. Not so; 
your creed, aa you really hold it, was made for 
you long before; it came to you through the ten 
thousand avenues of sentient existence; it is the 
reflection of your life's experience aud training. 
You -consulted books aud summoned logic to 
justify foregone conclusions; your statements 
nod formularies represent but in part the real 
faith that is in you. 
How tenderly should we watch, and how 
assiduously cultivate the heart in its young 
growth ! The smallest thing in time may de¬ 
termine the weightiest interest in eternity! 
What shall we soy, then, of our literature?—the 
pabulum, par excellence on which the young soul 
feeds. Especially what shall we say of our 
Newspaper Literature, the most potential of atl 
literatures — the moral lever that moves the 
world? How careful should we be that these 
periodical visitors should fairly reflect the truths 
of Nature and of God —that they should ob¬ 
scure nothing and distort nothing —that t^eir 
pictures of life should be genial, loving and 
ennobling. 
With what transcendent horror should we 
recoil from those sordid adventurers in the world 
of letters, who pander to depraved tastes and dis¬ 
ordered Imaginations—who seize on the love of 
the marvellous to draw pictures, which, if they 
represent life at all, represent only its worst 
phases and its most unhealthy conditions. They 
feed us on food seasoned so high that nature’s 
Bimple flavors become iusipid. You may know 
this ciass of journals by the absence of facts and 
the prevalence of fictions. AbJ lire them and cast 
them out. Forestall them bjynt reducing prac¬ 
tical aud useful journals la the departments of 
Religion, Science, Agriculture, Politics and the 
Useful Arts. 
I will only add that, since Agriculture, as an 
Art aud a Science, is etill iu its infancy, it needs 
the fostering care of ably conducted and well 
supported journals. Agricultural papersskould 
be enriched by the choicest and most suggestive 
experience ol farmers and thinkers everywhere. 
Whatever they would communicate to a neigh¬ 
bor, as a valuable aod useful hint or suggestion, 
they should tell to the larger audience of news¬ 
paper readers in simple, plain and concise lan¬ 
guage. Thus, Agricultural Papers are, and 
should be, store-houses of Important facts that 
everybody ought to possess. There are three 
duties, which, if they are not put down in the 
Catechism, are nevertheless binding upon the 
consciences of the Rural Population: 
First— To take an Agricultural Paper. 
Second —To contribute to it short facts and sug¬ 
gestions. 
Third—To get others to subscribe. 
There is no reflective , sound mind engaged in 
Agricultural or Horticultural pursuits, but can 
get ten times Its cost out of any well-conducted 
Agricultural Journal. Men have stopped their 
paper because they could not afford to take it, 
when it had saved them lifly times its cost! We 
want a paper, not merely to tell us what we 
don’t know, hut remind us of what we doknow. 
We are not bound to follow implicitly all the 
advice that is given us, but we are all dull schol¬ 
ars indeed if we can’t, in the exercise of a sound 
discretion, turn the facts, conjectures, theories, 
and suggestions, furnished by intelligent minds 
to some good account. The eplcndid super¬ 
structure of modern discovery has been reared 
by myriad hands, each adding hut a mile to the 
grand, result! The illustrious names belong to 
those who luckily put on the “ cap stones," and 
so, in too many cases, took credit for the whole. 
It is not a wise man who undervalues the wis¬ 
dom of a fool. There is no one but knows some 
things better than anybody else. Treasures of 
rich experience are to be found in the humblest 
walks of life. These, then, are reasons why all 
should write. They are reasons why all should 
read. My idea of a good Agricultural and Fam¬ 
ily Newspaper i6 a periodical stored with the 
choicest bits of human experience, gathered 
from the four corners of the earth. 
All honor to the journalist who strives for and 
expects success by deserving it. His position is 
one of great delicacy, responsibility and labor. 
It is only rare talent that succeeds at all in this 
department, and I take it upon myself to say 
“ without fear or hope of reward " that the per¬ 
fection of human meanness is to grudge the 
printer the few shillings he receives for hi3 
paper. He generally earns it by a laborious life 
and an early death. Timely and efficient en¬ 
couragement on the part of the public will 
enable him to make a better paper with less per¬ 
sonal labor. The best thing each subscriber 
can do is to get others to subscribe, and so en¬ 
large the parish of readers, and consequently of 
writers, and put it into the power of the editor 
to do better service. How many, to suppose a 
case—and bring an idea to its practical bear mgs— 
how many will.devote a day to their best inter¬ 
ests by getting subscribers to the Rural New- 
Yorker ? Here is one. h. t. b. 
.rest. 
O heart, sore tired 1 thou hast the best 
That Heaven itself could give thee,—rest,— 
Rest from all bitter thoughts and things 1 
How many a poor one's blessing went 
With thee beneath the low green tent 
Whose curtain never outward swings 1 
Btrds do not often voluntarily take passage 
on board ships bound for foreign countries, but 
I can testify to one such case. A stork, which 
had rested near one of the palaces' on the Bos¬ 
phorus, had, by some accident, injured a wing, 
and was unable to join his fellows when they 
commenced their winter migration to the banks 
of the Nile. Before ho was able to fly again he 
was caught and the flag of the nution to which 
he belonged tied to his leg, so that he was easily 
identified at a considerable distance. As his 
wing grew stronger, he made several unsatisfac¬ 
tory experiments at flight, and at last, by a vig¬ 
orous effort, succeeded in reaching a passing 
ship, bound southward, and perched himself on 
a topsail yard. I happened to witness this 
movement, and observed him quietly maintain¬ 
ing his position as long as I could discern him 
with my spy-glass. I suppose ho finished the 
voyage, for he certainly did not return to the 
palace. 
READER! SPARE THE BOOK.* 
[Dedicated to all Possessors of Volume XVII of 
the Rural New-Yorker ] 
Reader ! span ihe book ! 
Cut not a single le-if 1 
You dresm not of the pains we took, 
Ot you'd regard our grief. 
For many a lioughtful hoar 
’ We cull'd oar fruitful brain 
To set before you fmit*nd flower 
All strung or. bem'y's chain. 
Reader! spare the book t 
Iris our fancy’s pc'; 
Tu-n diintily i»s leaver, and look - 
How tsstefutly 'Us set' 
There’s learning in i»a prges 1 
There's hum'>T In Its lines! 
And there the wi-dom of the sage 
With poe*y comb'ne? 
1 
RULES OF ETIQUETTE FOR GENTLEMEN AT PARTIES. 
Act very brazingly, 
Stare round amazingly, 
Stmt in stuck uppishly, 
Bow very pupptshly. 
First to the lady who 
Sent round the card to you. 
Then you may condescend 
Three or four words to spend 
On some notoriety 
Who guilds the society; 
Or whispers quite killingly 
To some belle who willingly 
Passes time fllrtlngly; 
Laughing— oh, certainly! 
Whispering bashfully, 
Checking you blushingly. 
Whisper tilt riuglcts fall 
Over your neck and all: 
Until distressingly, 
. Thrilling, caressingly, 
Oil in a waltz you go 
Spinning, half crazy, oh; 
This is propriety 
Out in society. 
» 9 * - ■- ■ ■- 
TOUCHING INCIDENT. 
A gentleman travcliug from the West in a 
sleeping car, witnessed the following scene: 
In the same car with him was a gentleman try¬ 
ing to still a crying child by carrying it to 
and fro in the ear, and which, by its screams, 
finally irritated a man in one of the berths to 
such a degree that he could Btand it no longer, 
and cried out, profanely, “ What is the matter 
with that young one?" And soon again, 
“ Where is the mother of that child that she is 
not here to pacify it?” At this the poor gen¬ 
tleman in charge of the child stepped up to the 
berth and said : “ Sir, the mother of that child 
is in her coffin, in the baggage car!" Our in¬ 
formant says the gruff grumbler immediately 
rose, compelled the afilicted father to retire to 
to his berth, aud from that time until morning 
took the little orphan under his own care. 
LONGEVITY OF MAN. 
A writer in the Atlantic Monthly proves by 
statistics that a man’s longevity is in exact pro¬ 
portion to his educational attainments, provided 
his health has not been Injured by over mental 
exertion. It seems that increasing Intelligence 
and decreasing war have prolonged the average 
length of life in Europe from twenty-flve years 
iu the sventeenth century to thirty-five in the 
eighteenth, and to forty-five In the nineteenth. 
.The best educated communities are the longest 
lived, and the best educated soldiers live amaz¬ 
ingly longer than the more Ignorant, and seem 
to wear a charmed life, not so much against bul¬ 
let and bayonet, os against the effeAs of disease, 
privation, and even severe wounds, on their 
constitutions and lives. 
Whistling.— An English exchange publishes 
the following challenge, which will at once at¬ 
tract attention from its novelty: " Whistling.— 
J. H. Adams will whistle any man within twenty 
miles of London, for .i'L up to £5, who has never 
whistled for a like sum. Man and money ready 
at Mr. Phillips’, Langley place, Commercial 
road, east." If the challenge should be ac¬ 
cepted, the contest itself will prove more novel 
than the proposition; and those who assemble 
to witness it will then have some excuse for in¬ 
dulging in the slang expression, ‘‘prepare to 
pucker.” 
A Good Suggestion.— “A Traveled Parson” 
writes to au English paper: —‘‘In some parts 
of Germany every bottle containing, poison is 
labeled with a death’s head and cross-bones, as 
black as printer’s ink can paint them. Every 
parcel of poisonous medicine sent to the patient 
has a similar label oyer the address, pray help 
me to urge upon our chemists and druggists the 
adoption of this very simple method which is 
plainly within the comprehension of the dullest 
boy that ever handled a pestle and mortar.” 
A Sheepish Con. —Archbishop Whately once 
puzzled a number of clever men in whose com¬ 
pany he was, by asking them this question: 
“How is it that white sheep eat more than 
black ? ” Some were not aware of the curious 
fact; others set to work aud tried to give 
learned and long reasons; but all were anxious 
to know the real cause. After keeping th em 
wonderiDg for a while, he said, “ The reason is, 
because there are more of them,” 
About Bonnets.—A lady asked a noted doctor 
if he did not think the small bonnets the ladies 
wore had a tendency to produce congestion of 
the brain. ‘‘0, no,” replied he, ‘‘ladies who 
have brains don’t wear them.” 
So. long as life remains to us our duties are 
unfinished. There is n& room for idleness here. 
Reader ! spare ihe book! 
Make it your diWy pride, 
And keep It iu a cherish 'd cook 
Yonr canning skill to tuide. 
And if yonrfile is not comple et 
Please name the lickng number, 
And yon shall be in its receipt 
Before you long can slumber. 
* Not by T upper, nor entirely original, 
t By onr mailing machine. 
CLOSING ITEMS AND REMINDERS. 
Close of Volume XVII—“ Time Up.” — This 
number closes the Year and Volume of the Rural 
New-Yorker, and terminates our engagements with 
a great majority of its supporters — all whose sub¬ 
scriptions now expire. As our term* arc strictly in 
advance,—the cash system being the best for both 
Subscriber and Publisher,—all interested will bear in 
mind that a prompt and substantial Invitation is 
necessary to secure an uninterrupted continuance of 
the Rural’s visits. Those whose time is up may 
know It from the fact that no numbers are given on 
address labels—except In cases of those who paid for 
over one year in advance at a time, who wli) find 884 
after their names. Of course we expect all former 
subscribers to renew, and that many will induce their 
friends to take the Rural for 1867. 
The Title Page and Index , given herewith, 
compel us to omit several departments, abridge others, 
and defer several columns of new advertisements—but 
as the Index is indispensable, especially to the thou¬ 
sands who preserve the Rural for future reference, no 
one can reasonably object. By a glance, it will be seen 
that the Index, though mainly comprising practical 
and useful matters, indicates that the volume contains 
a vast amount and variety of valuable reading, and 
many appropriate and handsome engravings. We 
reckon no subscriber can justly complain that- be has 
not this year obtained full "value received” for his or 
her money,—yet wc hops to do much better next year. 
How to Help the Rural,— There are numerous 
ways in which its friends can aid lu circulating the 
Rural. First, show the paper, or talk to your friends 
about it, or both. Get up a dub, or aid some friend 
to do so — or Induce your P. M. to act as agent. Our 
premiums are liberal and euro Bend for the list, 
which (together with show-bill, prospectus, Ac.,) we 
Bend Tree. Aud when you receive the documents post 
up the bills and circulate the prospectus for names. 
A little effort will secure a good club In almost any 
locality, and this is the beet season to make the effort. 
Reader, will you please see that the matter is attended 
to in your neighborhood t 
About Premiums, Ac. Agents and others who 
form dabs for our premiums will please he careful, 
in sending in their lists, to note which arc the new 
subscribers and which are the renewals. This is es¬ 
sential that [we .may keep the accounts correctly. 
Any one using deception will forfeit premium,—but 
of course no honorable man or woman (and all our 
recruiting friends are supposed to he such) will at¬ 
tempt any dodge or deception In the matter. 
Form Clubs Noun— Don’t wait for the close of the 
year and volume, hut ‘‘pitch rightin’’ and see how 
large a club you can raise before New Year's Day. If 
the trashy papers and cheap re-prints get the start of 
the Runan you will be sorry, and so will —the Pub¬ 
lisher 1 Bat they won’t, if you are as kind and active 
as have been our friends in former years. 
Remit Farly ! — Agents will please send in their 
lists, or parts of them, as soon as convenient, in order 
that we may get namesin type for mailing machine as 
fast as possible. Those forming clubs of ten or more, 
can send 4,6 or S names at the club rate for 10, and 
after that fill out llBts and secure extra copies, pre¬ 
miums, &c. Please report “progress,” also, friends. 
How to Remit.— Agents are requested to remit 
by Draft or Post-Office Money Orders, so far us con¬ 
venient, and either may be mailed at our risk. We 
are willing to pay cost of exchange in all cases. We 
rarely remit money otherwise than by Draft—so that 
our preaching accords with our practice. 
Additions to Clubs are always la order, whether 
in ones, twos, fives, tens, twenties, or any other 
number. Subscriptions can coi' imence with the vol¬ 
ume or any nnmber; bnt the runner is the best time, 
and we shall send from B f° r some weeks, unless 
specially directed other"* 8 ®- Please note this. 
Keep a List l—V eactl will keep a list of all 
the names Bent ms with dates and amounts of remit¬ 
tances, it will sfeAtijr facilitate the correction of any 
errors which may he midQ a t eiiher end of the line. 
jfo Traveling Agents are employed by us, and 
we give no certificates of agency. Any person So 
(jiaposed can act as Local Club Agent, on his or her 
own authority, and compete for premiums, etc. 
Appreciation of the Rural.—‘We are daily 
favored with encouraging letters. As a sample, we 
give the opening sentences of one just received from 
Mr. C. Thompson of Kent Co, Mich.: 
Mr. Moore.:—I am an entire stranger to yon, but 
vou are not to roe, for you have been talking io me, 
through your able Agricultural Journals, lor at lease 
twenty-five years. 1 was a reader of the Michigan 
Fames-, while you published it at Jackron When 
you purchased tn« Genesee Farmer, I subscribed for 
tijau and row have .a few volumes of the old Genesee 
Farmer. In a pecuniar;, po'nt of view, your publica¬ 
tions have paid me more than a hundred fold . I can 
freely say that m tny tumble opinion the Rural New- 
Yorker teacaes far morepractic il knowledge 'or the 
advancement of agriculture than alt the Agricultural 
Colleges in the United States. 
