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48 
MOOBE’S RURAL MEW-YORKER. 
U 
Diarg of a Jtoralist 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
r From the Diary of a Gentleman near New 
York City. 
NATURALISTS' CATALOGUES. 
July 1. — Every one who has had occasion 
to consult the catalogues of our seedsmen 
and nurserymen during the past ten years 
must have noticed the wonderful improve¬ 
ments made both in content* and typography. 
Many of these catalogues which are now dis¬ 
tributed free to customers, are really elegant 
specimens of typographical art and at the 
same time encyclopedias of useful informa¬ 
tion. The dealers in such articles, however, 
have yo monopoly of printer’s ink, and the 
desire to let the rest of mankind know what 
one is doing has taken possession of every 
enterprising individual, and each strives to 
outdo his fellow laborer in the same held. 
Of course, such rivalry cannot fail to result 
in great good to al) ; lor extending trade is 
synonymous with dissemination of knowl¬ 
edge. At first glance wo might conclude 
that the use of catalogues was confined 
mainly to channels of trade where articles 
were bought and sold for money; but. if we 
search carefully hundreds of another class 
will be found—those belonging to what 1 
shall to m the scientific world. Our young 
naturalists, in particular, arc availing them¬ 
selves of the use of printer’s ink to facilitate 
correspondence, and 1 am in frequent receipt 
oi beautiful little catalogues contain ging the 
names of the specimens in privat e cabinets. 
For instance, a v oting man begins the study 
of conchology and at the same time forming 
a cabinet of specimens ; ns soon as a goodly 
number of species are Collected,*he will tie- 
sire to make exchanges, and to do this he 
must either have a written or printed list of 
the duplicates} he has to spare. Specialists 
in all departments of natural history uow r 
use either the catalogues published 1 by sci¬ 
entific societies as check lists to aid them in 
exchanges, or publish private lists of their 
own. 1 know of a lew instances where stu¬ 
dents have small hand-presses and fonts of 
type and are their own editor, compositor 
and publisher. When a young man starts 
out in this practical manner, he is pretty sure 
to learn and remember the names of "every 
species collected or procured, for there is no 
better way of fixing a name in one’s mind 
than by writing it. A person with strong 
mechanical faculties will remember the form 
and structure of a word, and perhaps forget 
its application, Avliile to another the thing or 
subject to which it belongs comes first to 
mind, whiie the mechanical structure ap¬ 
pears last. One will have no difficulty in 
spelling the word correctly, while to another 
this is the most, difficult part, although in re¬ 
sults there will be scarcely any difference. 
Tne exchange lists or catalogues of private 
and public cabinets are useful to all interest¬ 
ed, and I have been reminded of this great 
value in disseminat ing a knowledge of what 
co-laborers in the same field were doing by 
the reception of quite a number withiif the 
past few days. 1 have received a catalogue 
of the Lepidoptera of New Orleans and its 
vicinity from li. C. Kerr, Librarian of the 
Now Orleans Academy of Sciences. This 
list contains the names of over ‘100 species 
and shows us at a glance what one might ex¬ 
pect to find in the way of butterflies and 
moths in Louisiana. Gkokcje Dimmocik of 
Springfield, Muss., issues a beautiful little 
catalogue of the 1,800 species of cofiopfera 
(beetles) in ins cabinet. From several other 
sources I have also received similar lists, all 
of. which show that students of natural his¬ 
tory are constantly increasing in numbers. 
Horace Manx’s “ Catalogue of the Phte- 
nogamous Plante of the United States East 
of the Mississippi,” is a most excellent aid to 
those 1 who are forming herbariums. Such 
catalogues are only intended as check lists or 
for cutting up and using for labeling speci¬ 
mens in cabinets; larger works are required 
for determining the names of the species. As 
they are issued in pamphlet form, in order to 
be sent through tile, mails for a nominal 
postage, their usefulness among specialists 
can be readily understood. Our wealthy in¬ 
stitutions, which pretend to have for their 
object the dissemination of useful informa¬ 
tion, do occasionally publish catalogues of 
value to the scientific students, but, as a 
rule, they are slow coaches and far behind 
enterprising individual naturalists. Taken 
as a whole, our colleges, universities, insti¬ 
tutes and institutions, are mere hospitals 
for men who are either too indolent or do 
not possess the requisite physical or mental 
power to obtain a living by a fair competi¬ 
tion with the progressive minds of the age. 
There are, it is true, a few honorable excep¬ 
tions, but they are so few in number that I 
scarcely need attempt an enumeration. 
CHOICE RASPBERRIES. 
July 2.—A few of the earlier sorts of rasp¬ 
berries are ripening, although the drouth 
continues in all its scorching severity. 1 have 
been trying, for years, to ascertain which 
half-dozen or dozen varieties were the very 
best for my locality and soil ; but just when 
I begin to think the question is settled, some¬ 
thing turns up to unsettle my decision, and 
then I wait another year before making out 
my list. I begin to suspect that all mv 
troubles on this point come from having 
such an abundance of choice sorts, it being 
difficult to limit myself to a select few. Of 
all the black varieties which I have tried, I 
consider the Doolittle and Surprise the very 
best. The latter is a conical-shaped berry 
and not oval, like the majority of other sorts 
of this species. The Heneca is an excellent 
sort, a little later than either of the above, 
and of a Jet-black color, which is far prefer¬ 
able to those with a whitish bloom, as seen 
on the Mammoth Cluster, Ontario, and sev¬ 
eral other of the large late varieties. Any 
blaek raspberry with considerable bloom, 
looks dull and stale after being gathered a 
few hours, which, of course, detracts much 
from its value, especially when sent to 
market. 
There are several “yellow-cap” sorts which 
make a splendid show upon the plants as well 
as upon the table ; but very few persons 
would select them in preference to the black, 
and for this reason they are almost worth¬ 
less for market. Last winter was a severe 
one upon ali l ender sorts unless protected. 
Most of the black raspberries ns well as the 
native red varieties, will withstand the cold 
of winter without the slightest protection ; 
but the best foreign sorts or the seedlings 
therefrom must be well protected. J prac¬ 
tice the old, and 1 think best, system, which 
is bending down the canes in fall and cover¬ 
ing with earth. The expense is but a trifle 
at most, and by following this system one is 
almost certain of obt aining a good crop. 1 
do not believe any reader of the Hr RAT. New- 
Yorker would care to argue with me on 
this point could they see my Clarkes, Her¬ 
oines, Elizabeths. Von Turks, Kuevetts’ 
Giants, Dometts, and u score of other choice, 
sorts bonding down with their loads of splen¬ 
did fruit, as 1 see them to-day. I have been 
looking about among them, endeavoring to 
decide which was the best sort., but give it: 
up in despair. Taking everything into con¬ 
sideration, such as large size, brilliant color, 
vigorous growing and productive plants, I 
should be inclined to place the Clarke at the 
head of t he list for my soil ; but it may not 
do as well elsewhere. 1 had just decided in 
my own mind that it was also superior to all 
•others in flavor, when Mrs. Ruralist called 
out, “Do come and taste this CutbusJi’s 
Prince of Wales ;” and as I did so, my opin¬ 
ion changed uguin, and then avo (the whole 
family) united in council, and after due de¬ 
liberation came to the conclusion that all 
were worthy of good cultivation, without 
which even the best would be of little value. 
For the encouragement of those who have 
read the usual stereotyped advice to plant 
raspberries in clay, heavy shale or loam, I 
will say that mine are growing in a light, 
randy soil, made rich with barnyard manure. 
But I have discarded the double-crop system 
so generally practiced— i. e., one being weeds 
and the other raspberries ; the latter 1 con¬ 
sider enough at one time, especially in a dry 
season. 
•-«"4~*- 
Jit dus trial Sfojikfj. 
AGRICULTURE IN JAPAN. 
LARVA OF THE TURNUS BUTTERFLY. 
The name of the caterpillar which Mr s 
C. C. Stewart, Columbia, Term., sends us, 
in alcohol, is given above. It. feeds upon the 
leaves of various kinds of forest trees, but is 
more frequently found upon the apple and 
wild cherry. When fully gro%vn it measures 
tAvo inches or more in length ; of a green 
color, with small blue dots in rows on each 
side, also two yellow, eye-like spots with a 
black center, on the third segment. The 
head and belly ore pink. When fully grown 
it folds together a leaf or Iavo, Avitoin Avhich 
it spins a web, then casts its caterpillar skin 
and becomes a chrysalis. 
In the Northern States there is seldom but 
one brood, but at the South there are two. 
The butterfly is quite large, expanding from 
four to five inches. The prevailing color of 
the Avings is yellOAv. with broad margins of 
black, on which there is a row of yellow 
spots ; there are also four tapering black 
bands on the fore-wings, extending from the 
trout edge nearly or quite back to the hind 
margin. The hind wings are tailed as in 
Other species of the papilios. 
Japan is quite an agricultural country, 
and in the island of Nipon two crops are gen¬ 
erally obtained every year. At the end of 
the month of November or the beginning of 
December t he farmers sow their barley and 
wheat, and these crops are ready to cut in 
the months of May and June, when the soil 
is again turned up, and the land flooded for 
the rice, crop, or prepared for turnips, &c. 
The barley and wheat are not set so closely 
as we grow ours in England, the rows being 
about. 12 to 15 inches Avido ; after the wheat 
and barley plants are. about, S inches high 
they are enrthed-up on both sides. The 
I’Ioav used by the Japanese is made of 
wood, pointed at the cud with a small piece 
of iron, and is so light that a boy can carry 
it. It, is guided by a single handle only, and 
is a very primitive affair. The harrow is a 
piece of Avood 3 feet long, filled Avith iron 
spikes, aud with a handle to it, so placed that 
[ the farmer can press the spikes into the 
ground. After the barley and wheat crops 
are ripe they are cut with a sickle, the same 
as the Irish laborers formerly used. The 
crop being carried home, all the heads of 
grain arc pulled off from the straw by pass¬ 
ing through a number of iron spikes The 
heads are then thre*hed with a flail in a simi¬ 
lar way to what was formerly the plan in 
England, after which the corn is separated 
from the chaff by being exposed to the 
wind. 
The rice crop is planted in the folloAving 
Ayay After carefully preparing a bed, the 
rice is set very thick, the same as Celery is 
in England, and after it has grown to be 
about (i inches from the ground, it is replant- 
| ed in bundles of about six heads each in the 
paddy fields, Avhich have all been previously 
turned up, prepared, and manured for the 
purpose. The distance between each bunch 
is about 0 niches. The rice plant haring 
grown to about 1 foot high, the earth is 
pressed round each bunch by hand, and all 
weeds carefully removed. At, the end of 
October or the beginning- of November the 
crop is ready to cut, after which it is thresh¬ 
ed, and the rice put into straw bag*. Tur¬ 
nips, which are grown and used along with 
rice by the Japanese for their food, are sown 
in the mouths of May and June. They are 
not (lie same shape, or description us the 
English Turnip, but are about, the size and 
form of a very large carrot, only white in 
color. Carrots, potatoes, peas, sweet pota¬ 
toes, beans and mustard are cultivated in 
much the same way as we raise them in 
England. The grass here is very coarse, and 
sheep will not live on it. The Japanese Gov¬ 
ernment has commenced a largo farm in ( lie 
island of Yesso, Avhich I am informed is very 
rich soil, but owing to the severe winters in 
that, more northern latitude, only one crop is 
obtained in the year. 
Poultry is extensively reared. We have 
turkeys, fowls, geese, ducks and pigeons. 
The fowl.-: and ducks are very plentiful, and 
comparatively cheap. 
Fruit is very fine and plentiful. It consists 
of peurs, apples, grapes, pomegranates, mel¬ 
ons, peaches, plums and oranges. The lat¬ 
ter are of a very rich, swoet flavor, though 
small, and do not generally contain many 
pips. Your English gardeners would be 
surprised to see a Japanese orchard, as all the 
trees are grafted dwarfs, and appear to be 
heavily laden Aritli fruit—so much so that the 
branches are supported by bamboo props. 
I must not forget to mention Unit the Japan¬ 
ese have one great fault in the gathering of 
their fruit, and that is they nearly always 
pull it before it is ripe, and then leave it to 
ripen afterwards in the house. We conse¬ 
quently do not get the full flavor of their 
fine peaches and plums.—J. Tusker Foster. 
DUTCH TENANT FARMING. 
I have somewhere read, or have been told, 
that the Dutch when renting their farms to 
a tenant, always require him to raise cattle 
or hogs, so that the sales from this product, 
shall amount to as much as the sales of grain, 
liay, and roots or vegetables. If animals are 
kept manure is made, and the fertility of the 
soil kept. up. Won’t you be good enough to 
give your readers Avh.it information you 
have On the subject, as the Dutch arc very 
old, and very perfect cultivators of the soil, 
and the plan doubtless an excellent and 
necessary one, and should be practiced in this 
sectii m. —Header. 
Can any of our correspondents enlighten 
“ Reader '{” 
duitomoloiiinil. 
WORMS INFESTING ORANGE TREES. 
The Avorm which B. W. Galverton, Tex¬ 
as, sends in a paper box, was smashed be¬ 
yond recognition. We must again repeat 
that there is not one chance in a thousand of 
’insects arriving in a recognizable condition if 
sent by mail in paper boxes. Tin or wood 
should be used, and these made strong. Our 
correspondents should remember that sev¬ 
eral t ons of mail bags are frequently put into 
one heap, and those at the bottom are under 
an i m metric jiressure. T!i e clerks in the post 
Offices sometimes pnt one or both feet into a 
mail bag and tramp down the contents. 
Mail bags are also thrown from trains, or 
caught by them while going at the rate of 4) 
miles per hour. and Ave must make calcula¬ 
tions accordingly. 
-♦♦♦- 
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 
FIRE FROM RAILROADS. 
Some little time siuce a Pennsylvania far¬ 
mer had a barn and stables consumed Via fire 
from a locomotive, and sued the railroad 
company for damages. The buildings were 
some distance from the. railroad, but dry 
grass and weeds in abundance occupied the 
ground over the intervening space, and by 
this a long train communicated the fire to 
the farm buildings. The jury found for the 
plaintiff, and $2,300 were awarded. 
The railroad company appealed to a supe¬ 
rior court, in which the decision of the first 
trial was OA r erruled, on the ground that no 
one is responsible for accidents from remote, 
but only from immediute causes. The sparks 
from the locomotive did not fire the barn, 
Strong Alum Water, avc see it asserted, 
(but we do not knoAv Avho is responsible for 
the assertion,) is sure death to bugs of any 
description. Take two pounds of pulverized 
alum, and dissolve in three quarts of boiling 
water, allowing it to remain over the fire 
until thoroughly dissolved. Apply while hot 
with a brush, or what is better, use a syringe 
to force the liquid in the cracks of the walls 
and bedstead. Scatter all the powdered alum 
freely in all those places, and you will soon 
be rid of these insect nuisances Avhich fill one 
Avith disgust. 
Bark Lice —Dr. Le Baron, State Ento¬ 
mologist of Illinois, recommends, according 
to t he Prairie Fanner, a wash of soapsuds, of 
a strength varying with the age of the parts 
of the tree, to which the application is made. 
A A-.-hitCAvash brush is used, first with strong 
suds, made of one part soap and three or four 
water, and then a Avash of a Aveak solution, 
or many times diluted, applied with a syr¬ 
inge. This must be done the last of May or 
early in June, Avhen the young lice are just 
hatched. 
Cabbage. Lice.— The Horticulturist recom¬ 
mends, on the authority of a correspondent, 
opening the leaves as soon as the plant begins 
to head and the louse makes its appearance, 
and sprinkling in common salt, AA'hich it is 
stated has been entirely successful. 
-3*V 
but the grass, and it Avas the grass which 
fired the barn. 
It Avas the duty, so the court decided, of 
the farmer to guard against the possibility of 
such accidents, by not leaving a train of litter 
to communicate the. fire, While a party was 
liable fur damages Avithin reasonable limits, 
it was for the parties ^injured to show that 
they had taken reasonable precautions on 
their part to avoid the chance. The damages 
Avere therefore reduced to $200, the value of 
the grass. 
This, being a high legal decision, will no 
doubt rule, in similar cases ; and it will be as 
well for those who are in a situation exposed 
to danger to see what may be done on their 
part to lessen the risk. In Australia they 
have found much protection from fires by the 
use of live hedges along the lines, but we. 
suppose the railroad embankments are not 
full of the luxuriant weeds whir l, fill ours. 
When our fires once get under way a mass 
of green hedge foliage is but a feeble protec¬ 
tion. Still it Avould often check a weak firo 
AA'hich might, in time become strong ; and it 
might be worth while both for railroad com¬ 
panies aud for those who own property along 
railroad lines, to consider whether it Avould 
not be better for all parties to ha\'e fences of 
this material. These fences would also serve 
for snow-breaks. Much trouble is frequently 
experienced from snow-drift-, in cuts, and 
live hedges Avould be the most effective of 
protectors.— Forney’s Weekly Press. 
i 
