94 
ADOBE’S BUBAL W1W-YOBKEB, 
AUS, 9 
gistrj of a pluralist. 
DAILY DURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of r Oontleman near New 
York City. 
THE BIO-BUO OF KITTRElt SPRIMOS, H. C. 
July 14.—Among the letters received from 
the Rural New-Yorker office this morning 
I found the following letter in my box : 
I send you in the inclosed tin box one of 
the “Big-bugs of KiffcreU.” Please hand 
him over to the “ old gentleman ” of tue 
“ Diary,” for his use and to name. I suppose 
he has a plenty of the same kind on hand ; 
but as I have never seen one before so large, 
1 would like to kno a' his name. — T. J. 
Blacknall, KittrcU, N. C. 
The beetle referred to arrived in apparenty 
good health, as it was alive and quite lively; 
but a little alcohol soon put it to rest. The 
specimen is a female of our largest scavenger 
beetle, and its name is 7 Hnastcx t tyux, lloi’E. 
The male has an immense horn projecting 
from the top of its thorax forward to point, 
meeting another one starling from the top 
of the head and projecting upward. They 
vary somewhat in size, the largest being 
nearly two inches long and an inch 1 rood. 
The elvira are usually spotted or mottled 
with yellow and black. The specimen from 
Kittrell is the largest female Dynastes that 1 
ever saw, and for this reason it is a very 
valuable addition to my cabinet. 
BN THE MOVE. 
July 15.- At about 7 o’clock this morning 
the ladies and gentlemen who were to make 
up the proposed N. Y. Agricultural Editorial 
Excursion party to Utah and various points 
east of the Mormon Paradise, began to ar¬ 
rive at the Pennsylvania Central Railroad 
Depot in Jersey City. 1 noticed that a few 
of the number looked a little uneasy about 
something, and upon iuquiry leansed that 
they had not eaten any breakfast, which 
everybody knows is a bad thing to take along 
on a journey. At the appointed hour all of 
our party were comfortably seated in a Pull¬ 
man Palace Car ; not one had failed to put 
in an appearance, our train being a “special,” 
furnished by the Pennsylvania Central R. If.; 
and wo are to pass over the new Air Line to 
Washington via Baltimore, passing through 
the new tunnel made under the latter-named 
city. In old times a railroad passed to a city 
and from it —not through, over or under; but 
those days are passed, and the people de¬ 
mand haste and no delays, consequently 
cities, villages and mountains must, be tun¬ 
nelled, rivers and volleys bridged or filled up, 
the cost never counted so long as the public 
is benefited. 
Time is being annihilated by these railroads 
and telegraphs; but the gentlemanly officers 
of the P. C. R. R., not being content in send¬ 
ing us through at the rate of forty miles an 
hour, have added wliat fire known in fash¬ 
ionable. society as the el cetera*, iu the shape 
of a hotel car, upon the tables of which we 
have discovered various “pop” bottles, 
chickens roasted and saladed, salmon and 
lobster ditto, e’;c., etc. These things, oi 
course, add much to the comfort and pleas¬ 
ure of railroading. 
AT WASHINGTON 
the President failed to welcome us, but some 
other equally as great men did, although 
their names are not so well known in society. 
After a few moments of hand-shaking and 
exchanging of good wishes, we were trans¬ 
ferred to the newly - finished Washington 
Branch of the B. & O. R. R. to Harper’s 
Ferry. This new route is certainly a great 
improvement over the old one, being fifty- 
five miles shorter. 
HARPER S FERRY. 
Two hour’s ride brought us to Harper's 
Ferry, and our car was run upon a side brack, 
where we remain during the night. Of 
course everybody has read about Harper’s 
Ferry and John Brown’s raid; but it is only 
the visitors to this region that are made pa in¬ 
fully aware that the okl man’s “ soul is 
marching on,” in the simp a of scores of boys 
who visit every car which halts at the sta¬ 
tion, each trying to sell you the “ Life of 
John Brown.” Now, here is an unmistak¬ 
able in Elan ce that the poor old man has left 
an everlasting blessing and source of wealth 
to the inhabitants of this town among the 
hills. As distance is said to lend enchant¬ 
ment, etc., so will time give value to the 
“ Life of John Brown,” and boys yet unborn 
will drive a thriving business in veiling new, 
and I hope improved, editions of the martyr’s 
life. The old adage of “It’s an ill wind that 
blows no good to any one,” is certainly veri¬ 
fied in the case of John Brown’s raid. 
HARPER'S FERRY TO CHARIOTTEVILIE. 
July 1C.—This morning we left the above 
place in a special trlain provided by the Bal¬ 
timore and OJfio and Virginia Midland B. R. 
Co., accompanied by its efficient Superin 
tendont, 0. SPENCER, Esq. A few moments’ 
ride brought us to Winchester, where John 
Brown waa executed, and naturally enough 
the boys here drive a good trade in selling 
liis life to strangers. Agriculturally, the 
country about is not first-rate ; the corn, po 
tatoes and other field crops look poor and 
backward. Horn after leaving Winchester, 
going westward, wo ran Into a very hand¬ 
some country and one in which the people 
were, a few years since, rich and prosperous; 
but they have allowed that vile pest of a 
weed, Blue-Devils or blue thistle (ICchitem 
eidyarc), to take possession of thousands of 
acres, and now we see field after field one 
solid muss of blue flowers, reminding one of 
the Canada thistles of Central and Western 
New York. Our Virginia farmer lias prob¬ 
ably a better excuse for allowing such pests 
to take possession of his land than the North¬ 
ern farmer; but it is shameful for either to 
permit vile weeds to crowd out the useful 
plants. Corn looks poor all through this 
region of country, but the hay crop and 
wheat appear to be good. Much of the for 
mer still remains ungathered, and I presume 
for the want of laborers, nearly every avail¬ 
able man being at work on the railroads, 
new lines being built in various directions. 
TITLED GENTLEMEN. 
At almost every station we are visited by 
the titled nobility of the surrounding coun¬ 
try, and my old ears are constantly greeted 
with such prefixes as “colonel,” “general,” 
“major,” “mayor,” until I begin to long to 
see a man who inis no title except that oi 
plain “ Mr.” The oldest inhabitant has just 
been introduced, and he informed us that 
Winchester changed hands during the Rebel¬ 
lion 84 times, the capturcrs vicing with each 
other in stripping the place of its wealth ; 
but it five years of peace has done something 
towards restoring trade to this ill-fated city. 
A CURIOSITY. 
Our Pullman Palace is said to be the first 
of its kind which has passed over this road, 
and to many of the Inhabitants along the 
line it is a great curiosity. Whenever we 
halt at a station, numbers of persons come 
aboard to take a look at t he. car, and 1 was 
pleased to notice how polite and gentlemanly 
our conductor and other men having charge 
of the train were in answering the questions 
asked by such visitors. The mantle of the 
okl Virginia gentleman has certainly fallen 
upon some of the young men of this region, 
and I wish a like influence could reach the 
railroad officials with which 1 am sometimes 
compelled to Come in contact nearer home. 
YOUNG MEN AT THE FRONT. 
1 have noticed that nearly all the railroad 
officials with which we have come in contact 
are young men—few, if any, over 30 or 35 
years old. Sami,. Carpenter, Ticket Agent 
of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Geo. W. Bar¬ 
ker, Superintendent, and J. Wo loot .Tack- 
son, General Agent of the same road, are 
comparatively quite j'oung men to hold such 
responsible positions, while Mr. S. Spf.NCER 
of the Baltimore and Ohio road is a more boy 
in years, but no doubt as fully competent for 
his position as though he was sixty years old. 
I believe that the placing of worthy and 
competent young men iu such positions is 
just win it many of our railroads need to 
make them successful. An old man who has 
made his murk, or has failed to have done 
so, really finds no Incentive to drive business 
or even to bo honest and faithful; his ambi¬ 
tion and youthful ardor have cooled and he 
either works merely for a living or because 
he- thinks it his duty. Young men have the 
strength as well as a laudable amb lion to go 
higher ; for the world of fame and honor is 
before them and not behind. Of course I do 
not know who the principal owners are of 
the great lines of road over which we have 
passed, but I am certain of one thing, and it 
is, that the appointing power has displayed 
more wisdom in the selecting Of these officers 
who come in direct contact with the public 
t han any other of the many roads over which 
I have traveled. 
A STAGE RIDE. 
At one o’clock we bade adieu to railroads 
and took stages at Hirmonsburgh for Staun¬ 
ton, 25 miles distant. Now come a, little of 
old-time experience, which carried me back, 
in thought at least, to the time when the ar¬ 
rival of the stage with its four horses ujion 
a gallop, the driver blowing hia horn and 
cracking his whip alternately, brought out 
all the boys in the neighborhood. Even the 
old folks rested so long as the stage was in 
sight or the horses were being changed, the 
mail assorted and the driver and passengers 
lunched. A stage twice u week were great 
events, and the stranger passengers great 
people, else they could not afford to ride in 
such style. Throe of the old, fifty years ago 
pattern coaches were brought into requisi¬ 
tion to carry our party, but the drivers, alas! 
had none of the old-time pride In then* occu¬ 
pation. No whips were cracked nor stories 
told, but we lumbered along, at a slow pace, 
over a beautiful road and through one of the 
finest farming regions in the world. It 
ained one moment and 1 he sun’s rays poured 
down the next. Some of the ladies of our 
party took outside seats, in order to have a 
better view of the country as well as to enjoy 
the fresh air; and the laughter, sighs and 
oh 1 ’s which frequently' greeted our ears 
were proof that they were having a good 
time. 
AT STAUNTON, 
our arrival was anticipated, and an excel¬ 
lent supper provided, to which we did full 
justice. After supper we took the. ears for 
Charlottesville, where we rested for the night 
at one of the modern hotels of this region. 
TWENTY MILES FOR BREAKFAST. 
At six we are around, and informed that a 
twenty-mile ride is in order before breakfast: 
but twenty miles by rail is scarcely more 
than a walk of a mile, and before we got. 
fairly seated we arc brought to a stand-still 
before a neat little cottage up among the 
hills, and invited to step out and prepare our 
stomachs for a day’s journey. Of course, the 
summons was promptly responded to. 
AT WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS. 
This evening finds us at the Saratoga of the 
South, where we are the guests of Col. Pay- 
ton, the proprietor. I suppose agricultural 
editors can enjoy' good fare as well as their 
political brethren; but I cannot for the life 
of me sen where the fanning is coming in, 
unless wo are to take our cue from the choice 
vegetables on the table. Here we have met 
Pliny Fisk, Esq., of the firm of Fisk & 
Hatch, the well-known brokers of New 
York. This gentleman is to accompany us 
for the next two or three days and show us 
West Virginia by railroad. 
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS TO CHARLESTON. 
July 18.—We are wandering among the 
mountains by railroad, for one could call it 
little more, because the rood winds around 
hills and mountains — at least those which it 
does not go through, and these are not a 
few, there being some seven miles of tunnels 
on tills line. If I were an artist, and wished 
to find somo of the most. charming pictures 
naginable, this would he the place to find 
hem. Everything seems to be upon the 
randest natural scale hero; even thethun- 
cr showers are apparently got up to order. 
Lt one moment wo are enveloped in a mist, 
he next the rain pours down in torrents ; 
vc minutes later we are all out on the ob- 
ervation cm- enjoying the bright, warm 
unshine, 
A half-dozen loud reports from bursting 
torpedoes, placed upon the track, startl.d 
the party a few minutes since, and those who 
are familiar with the sound knew that it 
meant danger ahead. A few minutes later 
,mr train stopped, and right before us stamps 
and rocks laid upon the track, these having 
been loosened by the last shower and had 
slid down upon the track. "Workmen were 
at work endeavoring to remove these ob¬ 
structions. We ware delayed an hour or 
more, during which time we ull had an ex¬ 
cellent opportunity of enjoying the scenery 
of at least one spot among the mountains. 
SKETCHES GF CHARACTER. 
We have among ns probably as great a 
variety of character us could well be found 
among any' company of thirty well-informed 
persons picked up at random. Of course, 1 
am not going to try the painting of pen- 
pictures of the entire party, but cannot re¬ 
frain mentioning our artiste; for we have 
three. “Porte Crayon,” with his silvery 
beard, is looking for the graud and beautiful, 
while Fuecttske waits with patience to see 
the Canons of Colorado before lie unsheaths 
his pencil. Lusfley, however, keeps his 
pencil always sharpened, and half of the 
people he has met are already down in his 
Sketch-book and on the read to fame. If one 
of the party is caught napping and happens 
to get into a grotesque position, his or her 
portrait is taken without an order from the 
original. 
TAKING THE MAYOR S PORTRAIT. 
The Mayor of Charleston, the Capital of 
West Virginia, came some fifty miles from 
homo to meet us and welcome the party to 
the Capital. After hand-shaking all round, 
he went out upon the open observation cur, 
which has been attached to our train all 
through the mountains. A sharp gust of 
wind decapitated the Mayor, and his beaver 
rolled down the valley, and his honor found 
himself hatless and away from home. For¬ 
tunately', I had two hat* with me, and he 
graciously* accepted (>f one, no doubt feeling 
highly pleased with the honor of covering 
his head with a hat that had been worn by 
old “Daily Rural Life;” at least that is the 
way I looked at it! His honor, after chat¬ 
ting a few moments with the distinguished 
ladies and gentlemen who were about to 
visit Charleston, returned to a more com¬ 
fortable scat in the coach, and there rested 
his weary head (in my hat) against the win¬ 
dow, and was soon fast asleep. Lcm ley 
soon copied him, and while the Mayor 
dreamed of fame, honor and perhaps £50,000 
a year as President, a pencil was going with 
wonderful rapidity over the pages of a 
sketch-book, each stroke showing that his 
honor would soon be immortalized by our 
artist. His dreams over, he awoke amid the 
roars of laughter from his to be distinguished 
guest, while L. showed liis honor how a 
Mayor looked when asleep in a car going at 
twenty or thirty miles an hour. 
AT CHARLESTON 
invitations to parties, steamboat excursions 
up the river among the salt works and coal 
mines, are awaiting us as thick as musquitoes 
at Newark, N. J. 
AT HUNTINGTON, WEST VA. 
July 10. — YVe arrived here this evening 
and were met by a depatal ion of the citizens, 
and escorted to a fine new hall erected by 
the Land Company, and there welcomed in 
good Western style, which means plenty to 
eat and—no speeches or parade beyond what 
every sensible man and woman understands 
and appreciates. This new town, which is 
the terminus of the road over which we have 
been traveling for the past few days, is situ¬ 
ated on the Ohio river, upon a beautiful 
plain, where it must soon command the at¬ 
tention not only of capitalists, but those >vho 
desire to find a home in the healthy climate 
of West Virginia. The village is scarcely a 
year and u-hulf old, but even now its fine 
churches, stores arid other buildings show 
that, its citizens are wide-awake, enterpris¬ 
ing and intelligent, and mean to make Hunt- 
1 igton one of the choice spots which shall 
attract the wealthy and enterprising from 
all parts of the country. YV"e take the steamer 
here for Cincinnati, and bid adieu to West 
Virginia and her people, who have showered 
us with hospitality, giving us a cordial wel¬ 
come, as T believe they’ will give those who 
may come among them, either to visit their 
country or take up a permanent residence. 
AT ST. LOUIS. 
July 21. — Everybody who visits St. Louis 
for the purpose of knowing anything of her 
climate or natural or artificial suburban 
beauty, must see Shaw’s Garden, the new 
City Park, and Fail* Grounds. Of course we 
had to make the pilgrimuge this afternoon, 
paying our respects to the various officials in 
charge, not forgetting to reciprocate the fa¬ 
vors bestowed upon us by partaking freely 
of the good things provided for the inner 
man. The daily paper noticed our arrival, 
but in one instance I thought in rather a sar¬ 
castic manner, the editor giving a hit as fol¬ 
lows “Those Eastern Agricultural Editors, 
who are taking a summer excursion for the 
benefit of their healths and inspection of the 
growing crops, likewise the prospects of the 
chinch bug, and who are endeavoring to do 
so by stopping at the principal hotels of the 
large cities through which they pass, arrived 
here this afternoon at 2 o’clock.” 
"Whether the editor who penned the above 
thought we would have a better opportunity 
of e xaminin g a certain other bug which is 
most surely related to the chinch bug, by 
stopping at the best hotels at St. Louis, I do 
not know; but us our party is looking for the 
best of everything, probably the largest B. 
B.’s aie to be found in Missouri’s greatest 
city. The St. Louis editors may not think it 
proper for agriculturists to stop at good ho¬ 
tels, but if they can afford it, no one else 
should complain. Prof. O. V. Riley has 
joined us here, and I shall not hereafter, dur¬ 
ing the trip, be alone in my pursuit of rare 
or common insects. 
WESTWARD AGAIN. 
At 10:30 P. M. we started again on our 
journey westward, via the Missouri Pacific 
R, R., which extends from St. Louis to Vini- 
ta, Indian Territory, 304 miles. Of course, 
there, was no chance of seeing the country in 
the night; but morning brought us into one 
of the most beautiful regions that it has ever 
been my lot to visit. 
--- 
It is reported that Hemp, when the blos¬ 
soms are jiut opened, is an infallible pre¬ 
servative to textile fabrics against the at¬ 
tacks of moths. The stalk, with leaves and 
flowers, is cut when blooming (about July), 
and dried in the shade. 
f 
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