MOOBE’S BUBAL. NEW-YORKER 
3 
440 
Jhtrtr of it Huralist. 
DAILY ETIRAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Gentleman near New 
York City. 
FLOWERS AND INSECTS. 
The people along the line of our travel 
must think that we are a set of wild men or 
lunatics; for every time the train stopped, 
which was quite frequent, the entomologists, 
botanists and other curiosity collectors, would 
rush for the weeds, one pulling one here and 
there ; another with trowel, digging with a 
vengeance, us t hough not a moment was to 
be lost, while the entomologists went slosh¬ 
ing and sweeping over the woods and brush 
like one possessed with a desire to smash 
something, Wo, by which I mean those who 
wished to collect spoolmens of natural his¬ 
tory, were certainly in luck in getting a 
chance to leave the ears. First the locomo¬ 
tive gave out, and « twenty-minutes delay 
gave me a chance to make a line haul of 
beetles infesting the plants along the- road. 
Another start and a run of two or three miles 
and then another stop, this being repeated 
for at least fiO miles, our naturalists rejoicing 
and blessing the old locomotive for its ineom- 
petency. At last we got, another engine, and 
the impatient members of the party thought 
their troubles were over and our fun at an 
end ; but luck was still on our side, for after 
a few miles’ run a hot journal caused more 
delays, much, to the satisfaction of the plant 
and bug limiter.-. If the inhabitants along 
the line of the railroad won' astonished at 
our antics while collecting ; the strangers 
aboard the train who visited our car were 
equally surprised at the language used by our 
scientists when talking of their captures. The 
entomologis ts hurled their Latin about in a 
fearful manner. Lema MUneata , which has 
long been known as infesting the potato in 
the Eastern States, but supposed to be un¬ 
known at the. We 3 t, was found ; then follow¬ 
ed in rapid succession various species of Gn 
term'd, Coeci/np'la, DelaLyn chrysoehus, and 
other leaf-inhabiting beetles in addition to 
the moths and insects belonging to other fam¬ 
ilies and orders. The botanists wore also in 
liigh glee, as acres of the beautiful tall pur¬ 
ple flowers of hintria pycnoatochya came 
in sight. Thou that dry, husk-like plant, 
Erynginm ngnnrfolia, and PelalosU'.mtna 
candidma, and P. violar.ea, intermingled 
with hundreds of other interesting species of 
prairie plants, were looked over and gathered 
with a zest which no tine but a naturalist can 
feel or appreciate. 
Among the many visitors who called on us 
from the ears making up our train was the 
well known and quite noted “Brick” Pome¬ 
roy, who was on Ids way to Texas, where he 
is to deliver an address before an agricultural 
society. He joined me in my beetle-hunting 
expedition among the weeds, and captured a 
pair of Pusai m achna elongatua , and presented 
them to me as a memento of Ins iirst attempt 
in bug-hunting. 
ST. LOUIS TO DALLAS, TEXAS. 
July 2d. —We left St. Louis at night, con¬ 
sequently could see nothing of the country 
along the line of the road until morning, but 
at daylight wc wore in Seda!ia, Mo., a thriv¬ 
ing town in a magnificent country, where the 
people appear to be making rapid progress in 
building themselves beautiful homes. The 
well known “ Brick” POMEROY of New York 
joined us here, being on Ida way to Texas, 
w lie re ho is going to ascertain, practically, 
whether a Northerner can live in that coun¬ 
try during the summer months or not. We 
were furnished a special train by the Missou¬ 
ri, Kansas and T >xas Pi,. R. The crops all 
along the line of the road to-day look very 
promising, the fruit trees healthy and vig¬ 
orous. At ParsonB, another thriving town, 
we strike the Kansas border, and where a 
branch of the M. R. and Texas R, R. leaves 
the main line, running northwest to Junc¬ 
tion City, 151) miles, and over which we ex¬ 
pect to make an excursion next Friday. 
There is far more timber in sight of the road 
th.au 1 expected to see ; still, there is n scar¬ 
city in some localities. Coal is plenty and of 
fair quality, therefore none need sailer for 
want of fuel. Hundreds of fanners are cut¬ 
ting prairie hay and putting it up in large 
stacks, showing that the past rather severe 
winter iias taught them better than to rely 
upon pasture during the cold months. The 
want of laborers is seen everywhere in this 
region, still prosperity prevails. The set¬ 
tlers of this portion of Kansas are of a better 
class than is usually found as pioneers in new 
countries, as they are from Ohio, Indiana, 
Minnesota and other more northern locali¬ 
ties. They come here in search of a mild 
climate, and iu this I think they ore wise, 
judging from the plants and trees which 
thrive here. The farmer (in Southern Kau- 
sas, at least,) gets as good a price for his farm 
produce as those in Illinois or Wisconsin, and 
at the same time has the advantage of a less 
severe climate. Kansas is certainly well sup¬ 
plied with railroads, having more miles in 
proportion to her population than any other 
State in the. Union. 
INDIAN TERRITORY BY NIGHT. 
J uly 23.—We are now passing down through 
the Indian Territory by night. The weather 
is warm through the day, mercury frequent¬ 
ly reaching 1 ) 0 “ in our car ; but t he nights are 
coo], one sleeping quite comfortably even 
under a heavy blanket. The residents of all 
tills Western country say that this is the rule 
everywhere, and my former experience in 
the West has taught me that man can with¬ 
stand a high temperature during the day, 
provided he can have cool nights in which to 
rest. 
AT DENNISON, TEXAS, 
the citizens turned out enmattue, and tendered 
the hospitalities of the place to our party, 
Mi\ II. A. Rogers welcomed US to Texas in 
a short, pithy speech, n. T. WlX.TXA.M 8 re¬ 
sponded, and then we passed to the more 
practical part of the entertainment. After 
showing the citizens of Dennison that our ca¬ 
pacity for consuming the good things they 
had provided was of no mean order, we de¬ 
parted for Dallas, passing through Sherman. 
These three villages—or in Western parlance, 
" cities”—are rivals, each striving to be the 
city of Northern Texas. The progress which 
each ia making is somewhat startling to an 
Eastern man, but not. at all wonderful to one 
who has seen a Western city grow. A little, 
beyond Sherman we roach the highest eleva¬ 
tion between the Red River and the Gulf, it 
bring 873 feat above the ocean, This eleva¬ 
tion, of course, insures a pure and healthful 
atmosphere. At Dallas we were received by 
tlm citizens, who welcomed us in real West¬ 
ern style, which always means the best at 
command. In the evening the Common 
Council invited us to meet them and the 
more prominent citizens, to which we re¬ 
sponded in our Eastern style. This of course, 
needs no explanation. Northern Texas is a 
far better wooded region than I expected to 
see ; the oak, pc etui, elm and several other 
good timber trees beingquite abundant. The 
opening of the new railroad from St. Louis 
to this place, where it meets the Texas Cen¬ 
tral, has been a great tiling for this region, 
giving an outlet to the North. The busy 
street* and the rapid increase in population 
show that the railroads are the one thing 
needful to all of this Western country. Hav¬ 
ing done up Dallas we returned to Dennison, 
and remained here over night, in order to 
pass through 
INDIAN TERRITORY BY DAYIIOHT. 
July 24. — To - day we have been riding 
through a country almost unknown to tour¬ 
ists or other people, except the hunter and 
Texas cattle drover. Indian Territory is, as 
yet, entirely in the hands of the Indians, no 
white settlers being allowed to reside or hold 
property within its borders excel a under 
certain restrictions. The country through 
which the railroad posses is a charming one, 
being well supplied with timber, hut not 
enough to impede the progress of cultivation, 
should it ever be open to the white man. We 
have not seen 100 acres in the 300 miles which 
would not make a first-rate farm. The “ In¬ 
dian question” has been freely discussed by 
the various members of our party and the 
railroad officials who accompanied us. Of 
course, their opinions are as varied us the 
minds and characters of those who have ad¬ 
vanced them ; but eacli thinks he knows 
just how to manage “poor Lo” to the sat¬ 
isfaction of all parlies. 
A BIDE ON THE COY/-GATCKEB. 
Riding ou the cow-catcher has been the 
favorite amusement to-day, and Mrs, “Ru- 
ralist” and myself took our turn in this rat ti¬ 
er novel method of traveling. Riding on the 
cow-catcher is all very' well if you don’t hap¬ 
pen to pick up a cow or hog, which is not a 
very unfrequent occurrence in this wild coun¬ 
try, judging from the number of dead car¬ 
casses seen along the side of the track. The 
nearest we came to an accident of this kind 
(although it often seemed to be unavoidable) 
was the striking one of the real six-rowed 
breed of Western hogs. He was demolished 
at the first blow ; but being a very dry speci¬ 
men, we escaped a bath of lard or blood. As 
we wefe shot through the air, as it seemed, 
at the rate of 40 or more miles an hour, my 
long white hair streaming behind, I could not 
help thinking that the Indians would take 
me to be a flag of truce. We stopped at va¬ 
rious points along the road, gathering speci¬ 
mens of rock, petrified shells, and conversing 
with the few Indians who lived in huts near 
the wood. We visited one hut where we 
found the squaw washing and the papoose 
rocking in a cradle of civilized pattern. In 
answer to questions asked her by Mrs. “ Ru- 
ralist,” she said she was a Chickasaw, but 
her husband was Cherokee. She also in¬ 
formed us that she could read, having been 
educated at one of the many mission schools 
in the Territory. 
At several of the stations—If a small hut or 
two is worthy of such a name—wc saw tame 
fawns, which /unused us much, they appear¬ 
ing to have no fear of strangers; Rome of the 
wild flowers wore very showy, particularly 
the cmitncr. eoronopifolia , a beautiful plant 
with beautiful scarlet, flowers, frequently 
cultivated in our gardens under the name of 
Ipomopsis, or Bush Cypress, 
SWEEPING FOB INSECTS. 
I have used my sweep-net whenever I had 
a good opportunity, but found very few new 
species of insects, although I did obtain 
many which 1 was glad to add to my stock 
for exchanges. I found our Northern potato 
stalk weevil (Baridhis trinutalu) feeding 
upon the wild Suleiman rostratum. 
A DINNER AT MUSCOGEE, INDIAN TERRITORY. 
Eating houses arc not common in this 
country, and we had made preparations to 
lunch on the train if no better accommoda¬ 
tions presented themselves; but our Captain 
telegraphed this morning to Muscogee that 
// party of 80 would want dinner at the best 
hotel III the place. On our arrival we found 
that structure consisted of a rough cabin 
made of what, appeared to be pieces of old 
boards and slabs, picked up from among the 
flood wood of some stream. There were 
cracks in the side of the cabin large enough 
for the ingress or egress of a good-sized cat 
or prairie dog, and the floor was pure mother 
earth, trodden hard by the occupants and 
visitors to this primitive hotel. The uppeur- 
nnee of ibis Fifth Avenue Hotel of Muscogee 
was anything but inviting, although it was 
the largest building in this infant city. The 
ladies looked the picture of despair whan the 
establishment was pointed out to them as 
our dining saloon. But wc were all most 
happily disappointed with our entertain¬ 
ment; foi - , really, we. obtained a meal second 
to none since we started on our travels. 
The presiding angel of the establishment 
was a Northern woman; and, with the as¬ 
sist,/race of two Indian girls, she had really 
prepared for us a most agreeable surprise. 
The bread, butter, milk, tea, chicken and 
other meats, would shame many a New 
York dining saloon or first-class hotel. Two 
tame fawns greeted us at the door, and were 
petted by each one of us iu succession. I 
shall long remember this dinner at Muscogee 
as one of the little events that brought pleas¬ 
ure, physically as well as mentally to our 
ent ire company. 
THE ARKANSAS YALLEY. 
July 25.—Through the kindness of the 
agent of the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa 
Fe It. R., we were treated to a ride of 150 
miles up the Cottonwood and Arkansas Val¬ 
ley. Laud, land on every side, as far as the 
eye could reach; not a bush or tree to be 
Seen for fifty miles. Some of our company 
cried, "Wlmt a glorious country I” others, 
“What a dreary sea of grass!” This di¬ 
versity of taste is just what is required to 
fill up this or any other country. The soil is 
rich, the climate good, and both Government 
and the railroad Company invite settlers 
either to purchase or pre-empt the Govern¬ 
ment lands. Several New Yorkers have 
already pm-chased land and commenced 
making themselves homes upon these prairies. 
■ONES OF THE BUFFA10. 
Htmdreds of tons of buffalo bones were 
piled up along the track, having been gath¬ 
ered by the few settlers who are probably 
glad of the chance to earn a little money by 
gathering bones and delivering them at the 
stations for £5 per ton. These bones are 
shipped Eastward and used for making bone- 
black for the sugar refinery, or made into 
superphosphates of lime and then used for 
mauure. 
RECEPTION AT KANSAS CITY. 
Wo arrived here this morning and had 
breakfast at the Broadway Hotel. After 
breakfast carriages were sent for us, and we 
made the tour of the city, There are few 
Western cities that I have seeu which show 
such permanency in growth and struc¬ 
ture, the greater portion of the buildings 
being of brick and stone; besides they arc, as 
a rule, substantially built, having no specu¬ 
lative appearance as is frequently seen in 
Western towns. Chicago was far behind 
Kansas City in permanence find elegance of 
its structures when it only had 40,000 in¬ 
habitants, which is not far from the present 
number in Kansas City. It really seems to 
be a misnomer to name a city in Missouri 
“ Kansas City;” but the great State of Kan¬ 
sas Iras to bear tire affliction. The railroads 
have made this city, and 1 regretted to hear 
some members of a certain Secret Society 
talking loudly and defiantly against these 
very aids to Western progress and civiliza¬ 
tion. Nearly twenty years ago Mrs. “ Rural- 
lst ” and myself started for Kansas; but upon 
our arrival at. St. Louis news of the breaking 
out of the famous border war reached n:, 
and we halted on our march Westward. 
After waiting a year, near St. Louis, and no 
signs of a cessation of hostilities were ap¬ 
parent, we returned East, and thus just 
missed becoming residents of this now great 
and prosperous State. 
0EF FOR DENVER. 
After our ride around Kansas City, we en¬ 
tered our Pullman Car, and started for the 
great plains. 
HEALTH OF THE EXCURSIONISTS. 
The members of our party, as a whole, 
have enjoyed pretty good health, considering 
the temptation which has beset them at all 
points along the route in the way of fine din¬ 
ners. But nearly every day some one has 
been slightly indisposed to ta.ke the regular 
rations provided by our friends. I have kept 
my ears open and from time to time taken 
down the names of medicines offered as sure 
cures for the various afflictions of different 
individuals of the party. Considering that 
they all thought themselves healthy enough 
to travel 7,000 miles without having any op¬ 
portunity for rest or recuperation during the 
journey, besides being almost a unit against 
doctors and doctoring, the following list, 
which is correct as far as it goes, is some¬ 
what startling. I think that could I get the 
entire members down to the confessional, 
the list of nostrums provided in ca r of acci¬ 
dent might be extended ; but probably this 
secret should not be fully told, but here it is 
as far as made known to my old but still 
acute ears : — Brandy, 3 bottles ; whisky, 6 ; 
Catawba wine, 3; champagne, 1 ; Hosford’s 
phosphate of lime, 1 ; podophyllum pills, 
Ayre’s do. ; quinine do. ; homeopathic do., 
No. 4, 5, 6 and 10 ; bromide of ammonium ; 
pain killer ; ether ; chloroform ; Jamaica 
ginger ; glycerine ; pepsin ; camphor ; lauda¬ 
num ; Davis’ cough mixture ; sticking plas¬ 
ter; court plaster: arnica; rhubarb; essence 
of peppermint; chlorate of potash ; hydrate 
of chloral: alum ; borax ; scidlitz powders; 
Tarrant’s aperient; hot drops ; aconite ; cal¬ 
amus root; Sloan's ointment; cologne ; bay 
rum ; hoorhound candy. 
Now, if we don’t reach the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains in safety, it won’t be tor the want of a 
variety of medicines. We are a healthy and 
happy crowd so far. in spite of the poisons in 
our individual satchels. 
TIMBER IN KANSAS. 
As we go west from Kansas City, on the 
K. & P. R. It., there is very little timber in 
sight, and what there is grows along the 
banks of the river or the little tributary 
streams, and it consists of Cottonwood, Wil¬ 
low, Negundo Maple, Elm and Borne Ash ; 
but none sufficiently abundant to furnish 
seed from which new plantations should be 
grown. If I were to attempt farming here, 
the first work would be planting a forest, if 
for nothing more than to mark the place I 
wish to call my home. The oats and corn 
look fine all along the line of the road, and 
the fanners certainly cannot complain of the 
yield of their crops. But I wanted to get off 
the cars and give some of them a lecture on 
rotation and variation in crops. Cora is so 
abundant that it brings nothing in market, 
and much of the old crop is on hand; and 
still we see thousands and thousands of acres 
of this very grain being grow n while the cul¬ 
tivator has no prospect of selling his surplus 
stock. If there were sheep, hogs and cattle 
enough to consume it, then there might be 
some good reason for growing such large 
quantities; but there is not; and this is the 
weak point in a great deal of Western farm¬ 
ing. I would make beef, pork, butter aud 
cheese instead of selling corn; for these ar¬ 
ticles can be made profitable even in the 
far Western prairies. Brains and a little ex¬ 
perience are all that farmers here need to 
bring down the rates of interest and get 
themselves out of debt. 
-- 
As IllinoisCrofOF Wheat.—John W:xst- 
rich, Shiloh Valley, St. Clair Co., IB., has 
harvested (it is reported) from twelve acres, 
this season, 538'^ bushels of wheat. It is 
said to have been “ Bolz ” wheat, the seed of 
which was obtained in Pennsylvania. Can 
it be that it was Fultz wheat instead of 
“Bolz?” 
