MOOBE’S BUBAL WEW-YO 
Jmrjr of :t ^nralist. 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
FROM THE DIARY OF A GENTLEMAN NEAR NEW YORK CITY. 
Birds, Cats, Rats and Mice .—July 1. 
—Almost everybody favors the birds and 
encourage their presence in the garden and 
on the farm. There are exceptions, how¬ 
ever, to this rule—at least some persons 
make an exception in favor of certain kinds 
of birds, such as crows, that pull up corn, 
king-birds, that catch and kill bees, robbins, 
and other frnit-eating birds; but, taking 
them altogether, they do us more good than 
harm. For my own part, 1 like the mis¬ 
chievous kinds best, and the crow com¬ 
mands my admiration above all others, for 
he seems to act out his true nature without 
any make believe of goodness, if there is 
none in him. But the little sparrows, wrens, 
and other smaller but more domestic 
species, who build their nests in the grass 
and among the shrubbery about our dwell¬ 
ings, are the ones which demand our atten¬ 
tion and draw upon our affections. But 
domestic life in this country would hardly 
be complete without the cat, and, as is well 
known, that animal is the greatest enemy 
the birds have, especially to the little, 
harmless, inoffensive kinds. We have bird- 
dogs, deer-hounds, fox-hounds, shepherd- 
dogs, in fact, breeds that will do a particu¬ 
lar kind of work and no other, even to the 
worthless poodle, -which can receive any 
amount of the ladies’ affection without giv¬ 
ing any in return. Now, why cannot, we 
have a breed of cats that will hum, rats and 
mice, and let the birds alone? Here is a 
chance for some evolutionist to work him¬ 
self into notoriety and do mankind a favor. 
I am decidedly in favor of tlm birds, as 
well as a steadfast friend of cats, for I know 
their value in keeping down the rats and 
mice, races which appear to have been 
especially created as food for Chinamen and 
cats. It will not do to annihilate the cats, 
unless we wish to be served in the same 
way by the rats and mice; neither will it 
do to expect that one will keep these two 
races from a half dozen barns and still do 
duty in the house. The truth is we expect 
too much of bur cats and then condemn 
them for a little recre.nl ion among the birds. 
The patent drug men have undertaken to 
run opposition to the cats in their rat and 
mice exterminators, but the thing won't 
work about dwelling houses, or at least it 
works too strong on the scent, line, A 
friend is down on cats, and the mice and 
rats soon found it out, and gave him a sur¬ 
prise party; consequently he was obliged to 
do something, and very quickly; so he tried 
one of the patent lightning rat poisons; the 
result was dead rats under the floor, in the 
partitions and ceiling—carpenters' and ma¬ 
sons’ bills repairing damages incurred in 
getting out the carcasses. Too many cats, 
rats, mice, or birds are a nuisance, conse¬ 
quently the war of races is well enough as it 
is, and only those who think they are wise 
would wish to make a change. 
A New Bedding Plant ,—July 2.—Last 
Spring Mr. B. IC. Bliss gave me a strange 
looking bulb, or tuber, the name of which 
he said was AmoTphaphallus Rlvrc — a 
plant of recent introduction into F.uropean 
gardens, and unknown here until the pres¬ 
ent season. I planted the tuber in a pot, 
but it did not. give any signs of growth un¬ 
til about four weeks since, when a stem 
fully one inch in diameter appeared, and 
has continued to grow until the present 
time. The plant is now about eighteen 
inches high, with a columnar-shaped stem, 
crowned with three large leaves, each divi¬ 
ded and sub-divided into many ovate 
somewhat lanecolate leaflets; stem and leaf 
stalks are of a dark green color, spotted 
with light gray, the leaflets being a dark, 
glossy green, without any markings. The 
plant, as a whole, is decidedly unique, if 
not what would be called really handsome. 
It is probably a near relative of our com¬ 
mon Indian Turnip, Arisama tripliijlluii). 
A Showy Bed of Begonias ,—July 3. - 
Begonias are beautiful ornamental leaf 
plants, if well grown, and a few of them 
produce very showy flowers. 1 have tried 
them for several years in the open border, 
as well as in baskets, with very poor suc¬ 
cess, and this season I concluded not to re¬ 
move them from the green house, but 
plunge the pots in sand on one of the side 
stages. The i-esult is entirely satisfactory, 
and all the species and varieties are as beau¬ 
tiful at this time as I could wish. The}’ 
seem to require n high temperature and 1 
moist atmosphere to insure a full develop¬ 
ment of foliage. The old Begonia rex is one 
of the most showy of the large leaved spe¬ 
cies, but the smaller and more brilliant 
colored sorts help to Jill up and give a di¬ 
versified appearance to a group of these very 
interesting plants. They are suitable for 
window culture in summer, being seldom 
attacked by insects. 
Extra Fire-Worlcs ,—July t.—I do not 
own to bo lacking in patriotism, still I am 
not partial to tire-crackers and the little 
pop-gun sort of display usually so common 
on this day. Besides 1 never feel exactly 
safe, in a dry time, with tire thrown here 
and there about my buildings. On this 
“ glorious t th of July" f concluded to keep 
quiet, a nd let ot hers burn powder and raise 
a smoke; but 1 was not to be let alone, for 
one of my tenement houses caught tire in 
the afternoon while the family was absent, 
and I soon had an expensive its well as ex¬ 
tensive display in spite of my premedita¬ 
ted design not to have any fireworks on the 
occasion. With the assistance of near 
neighbors the fire was confined to the build¬ 
ing where it originated, and the jolly patri¬ 
otism and generosity of the same men and 
women made John's loss good to him in 
cash, bedding and clothing. The building 
was insured ; for not to insure a building as 
soon as finished is a kind of neglect to which 
1 am not addicted; and although 1 have 
been paying premiums for twenty years, 
this is the first lqss by fire. It. is a great 
pity that every poor man, as well as those 
who are in moderate circumstances, who 
fail to get their lives insured for the benefit 
of their familes, could not be scorched just 
enough to make them do their duty. 
Jlrieiifijk and o toeful. 
ic $01’!; oinan. 
NOTES FOR HORSEMEN. 
Practical Horse Shoeing.—A work on 
this subject has just been published by D. 
Appleton & Co., N. Y., prepared by G. 
Fleming, F.R.G.S., M.A.I., etc. We pur¬ 
posed and did commence to review it at 
length with a view to giving our readers 
some of its more important suggestions; 
bn! we found that we could put segregate 
from if profitably, and accordingly aban¬ 
doned the purpose, and commend it here to 
the attention of every farmer who reads 
the Rural New-Yorker. Dr. Flemt.no 
says rightly, that the art of farriery in the 
country has never received a scientific de¬ 
velopment, but lias ever been a mere affair 
of routine and tradition; and he asserts 
that the horse’s foot is not. a crude block of 
insensitive matter, but a most wonderfully 
constructed apparatus, possessed of quali¬ 
ties which arc not to be found in any other 
part of the body. The work deals with the 
anatomy of the foot, analyzes the hoof, 
treats of the growth of the hoof, of shoeing, 
preparing the hoof for the shoe, shoeing, in¬ 
cluding objects to be obtained and pattern 
of shoe recommended, mode of applying the 
shoe, rasping, etc., etc. It is a book from 
which we would gladly make liberal extracts, 
but deem it better to commend its careful 
study to evgry horseman and farrier. 
Arab Horses.—When did the so-called 
“Arab breed” establish itself in the Fast; 
from what sources was it originally drawn? 
In the seventh century the Arabs had but 
few horses, and those of no great repute. 
Until within the last hundred years or so, 
when the preatlye of Arabian blood began to 
establish itself. Arab owners were content 
to trace a pedigree to one of the live ani¬ 
mals upon which Mahomet and his four 
faithful followers fled on the night of the 
Hegira from Mecca to Medina. Evidently, 
Arab blood had no great scope in the days 
of the prophet. Also, when Mahomet at¬ 
tacked the Koreiss, near Mecca, there were 
but two horses recorded in his whole army; 
and at the close of that campaign, though in 
his spoils there are enumerat ed 40,000 sheep, 
“4,0*HI camels, and 34,000 ounces of silver, no 
horses are recorded in tile plunder.— La ltd 
and Water. _ 
Farcy Remedy.—J ohn McMuxjlin’s an¬ 
imal has farcy, and he will give one. teaspoon¬ 
ful of copperas once in two days, and use 
good care in other respects it will cure. 
If it is-of some time standing, double the 
dose. This 1 have used, and seen used, in 
several cases; and 1 have worked a beast for 
years after having the disease cured; and I 
know it to be sure—at least, it has cured 
three for me.—A Reader, Cattarawjus 
Co., N. Y. 
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL NOTES. 
To Soften Old Putty.—The best appli¬ 
cation for softening putty is caustic soda 
or potash—preferably the latter. To make 
either soda or potash caustic, dissolve them 
in water, mix with freshly burned and 
slaked lime, and after the mixture has set¬ 
tled pour off the clear liquid for use. l’utty 
will be very rapidly softened if kept, moist 
with this liquid. Caustic alkali is also the 
best, and, in fact, the only thing that will 
remove paint spotsfrom t hoglassof windows 
after (hey have once become dry. A semi- 
scientific journal, in a recent, issue, advises 
us to use o .ralie add for this purpose, and 
the recipe has, 1 observe, been copied far 
and wide—a remarkable Instance of the 
lack of chemical knowledge that prevails 
among a certain class of so-called scientific 
men. Oxalic acid has no effect on paint, 
though it removes rust spots very effectual¬ 
ly. Caustic potash or soda, or even good 
soft soap, will remove paint. When soft 
soap is used, mix it with freshly slaked 
lime.— J. p. _ 
The Siphon Question. — Defective 
Knowledge of Hydraulics.—Your cor¬ 
respondent A.J., in stating that the reason 
given by W. H. 8. is “too thin,” and that 
a siphon will draw equally well whether the 
diameter of the ends be equal or not, shows 
a lack of thorough knowledge of the sub¬ 
ject. Tf the delivery end he always kept 
under the surface of the water, its relative 
diameter is of no consequence, but if, from 
any cause, the level of the waf er in the re¬ 
ceiving pit or vessel should fall below the 
end of the siphon, then, if the delivery end 
be too large, air will enter and prevent the 
working of the instrument. Upon this 
point A. J. need not raise any question, for 
we have exhibited tin* principle, us a lec¬ 
ture-room experiment, for years.— j. p. 
Ink for Zinc Labels.—A correspond¬ 
ent of the Country Gentleman recommends 
the following as an ink for zinc only, that 
will endure for years, cuts slightly Into the 
metal, has a black color, and is as legible 
after a dozen years as when newly written : 
“Take one part verdigris, one part sal- 
ammoniac, half part lampblack, and ten 
parts of water; mix well, and keep in a 
bottle with glass stopper; skake the ink be¬ 
fore using It. It will keep any length of 
time, Write it on the label with a steel 
pen not too line pointed. It dries in the 
course of a minute or two.” 
Cut-Worms and Cabbage Plants.—E. 
J. Ireland asks if any of our correspond¬ 
ents can tell him how to prevent cut-worms 
eating young cabbage plants. He says;—“ l 
have tried putting line salt around the 
plant as soon as set, but that does not stop 
them this year. 
Ijupnie information. 
HYGIENIC NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Dyspepsia Remedy.—I observe infor¬ 
mation is desired by Mr. I). A. White for 
a cure for dyspepsia. I have been a sufferer 
with that harassing complaint for several 
years, have tried remedies almost innumer¬ 
able. consulted with the best physicians, 
spent a great many dollars, and all to no 
permanent benefit. I would say to Mr. 1). 
A. White and other sufferers from that 
dreaded disease, if they will follow my di¬ 
rections, although thej r may think some of 
them pretty severe, I think at least they 
will find a permanent benefit, as I have 
done, and offer a thousand thanks to the 
writer. My remedy is simple, and everyone 
may have it. It has proved of untold value 
tome. It is simply this:—Sweet, cream or 
sweet milk—the richer the better; use as 
often as convenient. Whenever any burn¬ 
ing or sour sensation at the stomach ap¬ 
pears, drink a half pint of sweet cream or 
milk and relief is evident. Make free use of 
it at meals. Total abstinence- from the use 
of tobacco, coffee, strong drink, or anything 
very sour, must be strictly adhered to. Cof¬ 
fee is the worst of all things for dyspeptics. 
I commenced this practice about eight 
months ago, after all medicines had failed, 
the disease growing worse nil the time, and 
I am happy to say that I do not suffer as 
much in two months now as I did in one 
hour previous to the use of sweet milk. 1 
trust this simple remedy may prove as suc¬ 
cessful with the thousands of sufferers from 
that horrid disease as it has with your hum¬ 
ble servant, and my desire will be attained. 
—F. W. It., Lowell, O. 
Salt Rheum Remedy.—Several years 
since I was very much afflicted with salt 
rheum. I procured such root s as dandelion, 
burdock, red clover, both root and tops, a 
little blood root, a very little mandrake, 
sarsaparilla, some black maple leaves and a 
little prickly ash bark. These were boiled 
until the strength was extracted, and then 
the liquor was boiled down so as to be quite 
a strong sirup. It was then sweetened with 
loaf sugar, and enough Bourbon whisky ad¬ 
ded to keep it from turning sour. This 
taken three times a day, a tablespoonful 
before each meal, effectually cured me and 
I have never had salt rheum since. One 
need not have all the above named ingredi¬ 
ents unless convenient; the sarsaparilla and 
red clover, with burdock and dandelion, 
would alone make a good sirup.— Farmer’s 
Wire. _ 
To Cure Hoarseness.—Take J parts of 
raw linseed oil, 1 part hemlock oil, 1 part 
cedar oil, 1 part sassafras oil; put in a bot¬ 
tle with a little alcohol and, shaken well, 
give at night and morning a tea spoon half 
full. In case of croup give a tea spoon full 
every half hour until the child vomits; re¬ 
lief follows immediately. I have tried it 
i ) and it proved effectual. w. m. m. 
IT lie Jlatuealifit. 
A PLEA FOR CATS. 
Let me take exceptions to the views of 
your correspondent “S. H. J." of Perry - 
ville, <)., who advocates the extermination 
of cats to save the birds. Now, peoples’ 
tastes differ widely. While S. H. J. may 
like birds and detest cats, some one else may 
entertain a ■peftfihwtt for cats. God made 
the birds, and made the cats as well, and 
gave to them their natural disposition to 
devour birds. This will suggest to 8. H. J. 
that, in the universal fitness of things, pos¬ 
sibly the birds were made for the cats—at 
least, that room was found in the universe 
for both of them. 
“ I say. kill the cats,” says8. II. J., “and, 
if necessary, poison the rats and mice, or 
I t ake some other means to get rid of them 
beside the common One of keeping, as some 
do, a half-score of cruel cats.” Now, please 
to consider the fact that in every neighbor¬ 
hood are lawless boys, who go about every 
Spring in search of birds’ nests, which they 
rob and destroy. Shall we kill the children 
too? I have been pained many times this 
season at seeing these cruelties perpetrated 
by graceless urchins, but the thought of 
killing them had not occurred to me. It 
never seemed right to do so—not even to 
save the birds, or my fruit and melons; the 
suggestion, however, may be worthy of ex¬ 
amination. 
Persons who are fond of cats, too—what 
will you do with them? They will object 
seriously to having their cats sacrificed to 
the birds. I have a friend—a woman of rare 
cultivation, aud a great florist, too—who, 
upon removing to the West from Philadel¬ 
phia, hailed the event with great joy, be¬ 
cause it would afford tier an opportunity of 
becoming the happy proprietor of a “Cat¬ 
tery,” as she called it; and sure enough, in 
a few years, she had 27 highly cultivated 
cats, all named, atul each having a fresh 
blue ribbon, as occasion demanded, 1 fancy 
there would have been war declared when 
you undertook your work of extermination 
upon that “Cattery,” Wouldn't it be as 
well to cultivate broader views of life, aud 
conclude to allow the cats and their friends 
a place on this broad earth, and endeavor 
to think that even the cats have some good 
in them to compensate for their existence. 
There is many a family where sacred oat- 
reminiscences are cherished and handed 
down to posterity. 
Crown Point, Ind. Mrs. L. G. Bedell. 
-♦♦♦-- 
A Riddle for Naturalists.—Will you 
give the history and picture of a species of 
wire-worm that destroys young corn soon 
after it comes up, eating out the bud; it is 
most destructive during cool nights in May. 
Also, the horsefly and yellow-fly? —A Su u- 
SUR1BKH. 
IIow do you expect any one can answer 
such inquiries without specimens of the 
insects referred to. There arc several speci¬ 
mens known as wire-worms, also scores 
of horse-flies and yellow-flies. Such queries 
are riddles which no one need attempt to 
solve; and if you cannot afford to send us 
specimens, tve certainly shall not attempt 
to give the information desired. 
