rustic work of grape vine or cedar. Anoth¬ 
er space saving device is 
Tlie Wire I’ot Holder. 
It is made by bending stout copper wire 
into a circular form; the straight part is 
bent at right angles at any desired distance 
from the circle; the perpendicular wire runs 
down through, a couple of staples fastened in 
the window casing. These receivers are 
turned before the windqw in the day time 
and at night swung back against the wall. 
They are especially pretty in a hay window. 
Beautiful and unique brackets are made 
from the hard fungi so oiten found upon 
stumps; make the braces of stout fir t" igs; 
set a vase made from a knot upon the 
brackets, and let the ivy from the vases be 
strained down and around the braces. 
A miniature Wardian case may he made 
by putting a pane of glass over a wooden 
box, and in this mosses and lichens grow ad¬ 
mirably. Ferns flourish in a deep dish 
covered w ith a glass shade, or keep fresh for 
a long time In soft water. 
Was any one deterred from building a 
rockery because I “ chartered a steamboat ?” 
My MS. said “ stoneboat."— Dore Hamilton. 
- +-++ - 
CHEAP FERNERIES. 
Will you or some of your many readers give 
mo a few practical hint* In regard to ferneries? 
—not the expensive kind, blit such an one as 
can lio made In a rustic basket, covered with 
such a glass as is used to protect wax flowers. 
What kind of ferns jmiw beat in this way com¬ 
mon names, place and what kind ot care do 
they require? Any other hints gtadly received, 
—HATTIE E, H. Key KM. 
Presumin'!! that our correspondent de¬ 
sires to grow the native species of ferns 
(and there are really none more worthy) she 
has only to notice the situation and soil in 
which they arc found to guide her in pre¬ 
paring a place for their reception. Ferns 
found in shady woods and moist soils will 
require leaf mould or peat; but those from 
rocks and hills will thrive best in a mixture 
of stone, gravel and leaf mould. Large 
flower pots will answer for home culture, 
and if the plants arc covered with glass they 
will assume a more brilliant green than 
when exposed, 
If common names were the same every¬ 
where, we would use them with pleasure, 
but as they arc not, scientific names must ho 
given when referring to wild or cultivated 
species of plants. The following are small 
growing, native species of ferns suitable for 
growing in pels. We add a common name, 
when one is known : 
Adiantwm pedatum , (Maiden Ilair,) grows 
one to two feet high; beautiful; common in 
shady, wood and stony soil. 
Arplcni'un pinncUifidum , (Bird’s Nest 
Fern,)—a very small and beautiful species; 
rare, except on the Alleghanios. 
A. Trichomona ,— A very pretty fern, 
growing about eight inches high, and form¬ 
ing immense tufts. Common North, among 
rocks. 
A. cbeneum grows a little larger than the 
above, and is found in similar situations. 
II. Ruln-mururia (Wall Rue.) — Grows 
upon and among limestone rocks in the 
Northern States, and in some localities 
South. A neat little fern, with fronds sel¬ 
dom more than four or five inches long. 
Polypodium vulgar* (common Polypody.) 
—This is rather a large species to plant in a 
pot with smaller young sorts; but the fronds 
are very deep green and handsome. It is 
one of the very few native evergreen ferns, 
found in the Northern States. 
P. incaiwm. — Very similar to the last- 
named but smaller, and the color of the 
fronds not quite so rich a green; thrives in 
almost any situation if not too wet. We 
might add the names of many other native 
ferns that are well worthy of cultivation; 
but the above will suffice for a first experi¬ 
ment. 
— ♦- 
ABOUT TUBEROSES. 
How soon may I expect the bulbs of tuberoses 
which blossomed Inst fall, to do so again? And 
what must I do to them i his winter? They have 
been in the garden all summer, and I am at a 
loss whether to put them in Jars or Jay them 
away for another winter.—H- S, n. k. 
A tuberose bulb never blooms but once. 
Offsets, however, are formed on the old bulb, 
which will flower as soon as they get large 
enough. A portion or ali of the little bulbs 
or offsets should bo removed from the large 
bulbs each year, and planted separately, for 
the purpose of growing a stock for future use. 
It requires two or three years to grow a 
blooming bulb, consequently a few small 
ones should be put in every season. After a 
bulb has once bloomed, il is of but little value 
except for propagation, as small bulbs will 
form on it, if it is replanted the following 
season. 
Aralin Sicbnlili, 
Tms is one of the herbaceous species of 
Aralia of recent introduction from Japan ; it 
is hardy around London and Paris, where it 
has come into use in sub-tropical gardening. 
It is a plant of easy culture and is very orna¬ 
mental in the green house or in the dwelling 
house during winter; there is a variety of it 
with variegated foliage. The herbaceous 
species of Aralia arc readily propagated by 
cuttings of the roots. [See Rural, Sept. 24, 
page 205, for engraving of this plant. 
bt flarific feottsi 
T. BART HYATT, EDITOR: 
Post-O mm Aoumh, StK Feawcwco, CAttronsTA. 
CALIFORNIA: 
Its History, Geography, Progress and Resources. 
IN FOUR GRAND ERAS. 
I. CALIFORNIA—ITS CHAOTIC. A IlNOMM AL, OR NO¬ 
MA I) Era—FW m H* Discovery in 1542. to the Estab- 
lUhmcnl nj I he Jamil MUfiohs, in I TO'). 
II. Its TIAV Hit FAX, OK POLITICO- REI.IOIO ERA— 
From the Advent ot tin Jesuit Minsionurk*. in 1769. 
to in A n ur ration to the United Htaf.n, in ISIS, and 
the Diecoveru of Void, In IMS). 
III. ITS RK8CRRBPTBP. PROORB8MIVK, OR GOLDKN 
Era From tt* A nnrrnlUm to the United Sin tee, in 
JH4H. itrifl the Dtfr.nvrru of Hold, in ISIS, Io (hi Advent 
the Firry SU/tm-mirn, tierom the Plain* and 
Itochy Mountain*, •■oma < oto the Atlantic with the 
Pacific, oi Iron bond*, in w#. 
IV. The Present, or tbe Era of Breadstuff*. 
of Prut In and Wine aetd Ifnme Manufacture*, and 
of Plenty, Prosperity and Pray rent. 
ERA THE FIRST. 
I. CALIFORNIA He Chaotic. Abnormal, or Nomad 
Era, from il* J)t*co ill 1542, to the Establish¬ 
ment of the Jesuit Mo stone, in 1700. 
Well, what of the History and Geography 
and Progress of California? Is not every 
school-boy familiar with them? Perhaps the 
school-boys of to-day may be, hut those of 
yesterday—of the past generations—the men 
of to-day, found little or nothing in llicir 
geographies or school histories about Cali¬ 
fornia, in their school days. And besides, 
the California of three centuries past,or even 
a quarter of a, century ago, is not the Cali¬ 
fornia of to-day. And every intelligent man 
or woman should know something of the his¬ 
tory and progress of this wonderful country. 
Hence these sketches, wliieh may be new to 
some, and may refresh the recollections of 
others, are given to the public through the 
popular columns of the Rural New- 
Yorker. 
What was California when first discov¬ 
ered? What said the geographies and his¬ 
torians of that day of this now great and 
flourishing State? As long ago as 1579, 
(nearly three hundred years ago,) an old 
chronicler of Sir Francis Drake, who was 
on a buccaneering expedition against the 
rich Spanish galleons on their way from Ma¬ 
nilla to the western coast of Mexico, says that 
while cruising along the coast, until “they 
got into thirty-eight degrees north latitude, 
where Own discovered a country which, from its 
white cliffs, Quay called Nova Albion, though 
il is now known by the name of Califor¬ 
nia. They here discovered a Day, which, 
entering with a favorable gale, they found 
several huts by the water side, well defended 
Irom the severity of the weather. Going on 
shore, they found a lire in the middle of each 
house, and the people lying around it upon 
rushes. The men go quite naked, but the 
women have a deer skin over their shoulders, 
and round their waist, a covering of bulrushes, 
after tlie manner of hemp.” This was named 
Sir Francis Drake’s Bay, and is sit uated some 
forty or fifty miles north of San Francisco. 
Sir Francis, or then only plain Capt. Drake, 
at his departure from this place, “set up a 
pillar, with a large plate on it, on which was 
engraved her Majesty’s name, picture, arms, 
and title to the country, together with the 
Admiral’s name, and the time of bis arrival 
there.” 
Tilts was California in 1579 ; and it was 
but little better than this up to 1849. Not a 
very promising country at that time 1 Some 
years earlier than this, even, in 1534, Lower 
California appears to have been discovered 
by a Spanish buccaneer, one of Cortes’ col¬ 
onizers, named Zimicnes. 
The California of to-day, however,— our 
California,—seems to have been first discov¬ 
ered by Juan Rodriguez Carrillo, one 
of the pilots of Cortez, on the 27th of 
June, 1542. Carrillo, though in the Span¬ 
ish service, was a native of Portugal. He 
touched at various places on his voyage, 
among others at a cape, to which he gave 
the name of Cape Mendoza, or Mendocini, 
and is in what is now Mendocini county, 
which name it still bears. But these points 
were merely touched at; nothing seems to 
have been done in the way of exploring the 
country inland. Nearly two hundred years 
later, in November, 1709, another British 
filibuster , Capt. Moodes Rogers, while pur¬ 
suing his buccaneering expedition in this 
portion of the Pacific Ocean, touched on 
the coast of California—at what particular 
point does not clearly appear. He described 
the natives as being “ quite naked, and 
strangers to the European manner of traf- 
fieing.” (To the buccaneering “manner," 
we suppose.) “They lived in huts made of 
boughs and lea ves, erected in the forms of 
bowers, with a fire before the door, around 
which they lay and slept. The men were 
quite naked, and the women had only a 
short petticoat reaching scarcely to the knee, 
made of silk grass, or the skins of pelicans 
or deers. The men are straight and well 
built, having long, black hair, aud are ot a 
dark-brown complexion. They live by 
hunting and fishing. They use bows and 
arrows, and are excellent marksmen. The 
women, whose features are rat her disagree¬ 
able, are employed in making fishing lines, 
or in gathering grain, (wild oats?) which 
they grind with a stone. The people were 
willing to assist the English in filling water, 
and would supply them with whatever they 
could get; they were a very honest people , 
and would not take the least thing without 
permission What a pointed rebuke this 
must have been to these English freebooters! 
In the intervening periods of time, be¬ 
tween the first discovery of California, in 
1542, and the time indicated in the preced¬ 
ing sketch, the Spanish made various at¬ 
tempts to settle this country, and to teach 
morals and religion and a better civilization 
to these aborlginese, who were “a very 
honest people,” but who were bo stupidly 
blind to the superior civilization of these 
christianized Europeans, that they “ would 
not take the least t hing without permission.” 
Several fruitless efforts were made by the 
Spaniards, for the purpose of settlement, in 
the years 1015,1633,1634,1640, 1642, 1648, 
1665 and 1668. Some of these expeditions 
seem to have been induced by the fabulous 
stories of the great treasures of pearls, gold 
and diamonds , with which this new El Do¬ 
rado seems even at those early periods to 
have been invested. For the chronicler of 
the expedition of Sir Francis Drake’s ad¬ 
vent to these shores had given out that 
“the admiral and some of his people, trav¬ 
eling to a distance in the, country, saw such 
quantities of rabbits that it appeared an en¬ 
tire warren; they also saw deer in such 
plenty as to run a thousand in a herd. The 
earth of the country seemed io promise rich 
veins of gold and bilveh, some of the ore 
being constantly found on digging." 
Sljt jljcrbsman. 
NOTES FOR HERDSMEN. 
Enlargement ot the Leg. 
In Rural New-Yorker, Sept. 17th, one 
of your readers requests to know what lie is 
to do to cure an enlargement on the off fore 
leg of his mare, said enlargement being 
caused by the mare striking herself while at 
work. Our answer is:—The injury that has 
grown hard under the skillful practice of his 
veterinary adviser, we do not propose to 
meddle with; leave had alone. But the sec¬ 
ond enlargement, which is still soft, cau be 
absorbed by causing the animal to wear, at. 
all times when she is at rest, a bandage with 
a pocket on it; the pocket half of an inch 
larger than the superficies of the enlarge¬ 
ment, aud firmly stuffed with sponge; the 
sponge must not be packed in so tight as to 
lose Us elasticity, yet it must offer a decided 
resistance, so as by gentle pressure to pro¬ 
mote absorption. This bandage must be ap¬ 
plied wet, must extend from the coronet up¬ 
wards to the spring of the knee; and at night 
il will he well to cover the leg with a single 
fold of thin sheet paper, made water-proof 
by immersion in gQtta perc.ha,—price, four 
cents. While at work, a soft dealer’s boot, is 
the best preventive from injury.— Midy Mor¬ 
gan, Agricultural Editor N. Y. Times. 
Cows Chrwlnu Bones. 
We have some fine cows on our farm- 
good milkers, in good pasture, with plenty 
of water. We feed green corn, stalks and 
all, twice a day, They pick up and chew 
bones by the hour. We would like to know 
the cause and the remedy.— a. t. m. and j. 
l. s. 
We do not know the cause of the cows 
chewing bones. Our correspondent does 
not tell us whether his is a limestone soil or 
not; if not, we doubt not it would pay to 
apply lime to it; and it will do no harm to 
mix air slaked lime with the salt given the 
Arnica for Garget. 
A correspondent of the Maine Farmer 
advises an inquirer for a remedy for garget, 
to “ give the cow one teaspoonful of the tinc¬ 
ture of arnica in bran or shorts, three times 
a day, and bathe the bag thoroughly with it 
as often. Reduce the arnica for bathing one- 
lmlf in warm water, and bathe with the hand. 
I have a cow that has been troubled with 
t he garget for wore than four years. In that 
lime I have given her over live pounds of 
saltpeter without much effect. Last spring 
1 tried arnica as above directed, and the cow 
has not had a sign of garget since.” 
Cure for Block Leg in Cattle. 
A subscriber of the Warren, Pa., Chron¬ 
icle gives the following as a sure cure for 
black leg now affecting cattle in that sec¬ 
tion “ Wash thoroughly the diseased leg 
in strong soap suds; rub till dry; t hen scrape 
the knots with a dull knife; then take one 
ounce of vitriol and dissolve in strong vine¬ 
gar; after which, bathe the leg. 
Remedy for Cows’ Swelled Bng*. 
An excellent remedy for swelled bags of 
cows caused by cold, &c., is:—One-lialf 
ounce camphor gum to two ounces of sweet 
oil; pulverize the gum and dissolve over a 
slow fire. It is equally good for chapped 
hands and other sores on men and beasts.— 
C. A. B. 
iclir if tops. 
GRAMA GRASS. 
Travelers, on their return from the 
Western plains, often refer in complimenta¬ 
ry terms to certain kinds of wild grasses, 
without giving their specific or scientific 
names. This we do not wonder at, inas¬ 
much as very few of the men who visit that 
region of country know anything about wild 
plants; consequently common names like 
“ Grama Grass,” “ Bear Grass,” “ Buffalo 
Grass,” &c., are used with great freedom, 
but we gain very little information in regard 
to their peculiar characteristic or value. In 
fact, we may confidently assert that, as a 
general thing, no particular species is re¬ 
ferred to; but the local name which some 
“hunter and trapper’ has bestowed upon 
one of a dozen species all growing together, 
is about as near a distinction as is usually 
obtained. 
We have had shown at the “ Farmers’ 
Club” several specimens of what our late 
California excursionists called “ Grama 
Grass.” From one of these specimens the 
accompanying illustration was made. This 
is probably Bouteloua oligortadhya , a small 
species of Bunch grass, growing from six to 
twelve inches high. But there are several 
other species of Bouteloua growing in the 
same region of country; and they are all 
called “Musket” or “Mesquit” grass in 
other localities. The Bristly Mesquit, ll hur- 
mta, grows from one to two feet high, the 
leaves slightly hairy, hence the name “ hur- 
suta Another species, B. curtipendula, 
grows three or four feet high, and from 
very largo tufts or stools. 
In passing southward into Texas and Mex¬ 
ico, we find that almost every low growing 
species of grass which flourishes near or un¬ 
der the shade of Mesquit trees, ( Algarobia 
glandulosa ,) is called Mesquit grass by the 
residents of those countries. In other locali¬ 
ties, every species that grows in large tufts, 
is called “ Bunch grass,” whether it he a 
Bouteloua, Vhoudrosium, or any ot her of the 
hundred species that take this form. In 
some portions of the West and South, the 
common Yucca grown in our gardens, is 
called “hear grass;” but in Colorado and 
southward into Mexico, a species of “ Dasyli- 
ron " Is known by the same name, but neith¬ 
er belong to the grass family. 
Our readers can judge from the above, 
how much the names given to plants, by un¬ 
scientific travelers are worth, and the amount 
of practical, useful information that can be 
conveyed by the constant repetition of the 
same. 
We will also add, for the benefit of those 
who think that every grass or other plant 
which they happen to find growing on tbe 
Western plains is new to science, that novel¬ 
ties in this line are exceedingly scarce. 
-- 
PREPARING POTATO GROUND. 
Now is the time to prepare potato ground. 
Select sod ; plow pretty deep, (of course you 
are not to select a wet spot for potatoes.) In 
the spring this wants to be plowed again, 
broken up and pulverized, the fiucr the bel¬ 
ter. The land should be subsoilcd; but this 
is rarely done, and, indeed, it is not always 
advisable. Where the ground is a little un¬ 
even, and water is apt to stand on parts of 
it—if, in other words, it has rather an im- 
pervous subsoil,— do not loosen the ground 
below, as it will make a mire if plowed in 
the spring, thus increasing the difficulty. 
But where there is good drainage, subsoiling 
is a decided advantage. It prepares you 
against tbe drouth. Such a spot, thorough¬ 
ly, deeply cultivated—the lower soil with 
the subsoil plow, and left there, tbe upper 
soil thoroughly mixed aud comminuted,— 
will produce a good crop of potatoes, resist¬ 
ing drouth and extreme Avet. also. This 
deep, rich, fine (pulverized) condition is 
what is wanted, not only for a good crop in 
a good or ordinarily good season, but more 
particularly as a guard against the drouth, 
which is getting to be our most dreaded 
enemy, and almost every season inflicts 
damage. If it does not, an excess of wet is 
pretty sure to supply its place, and, luckily, 
tlic same soil that will do for the one will do 
for the other, deep, rich and mellow. This 
pays. The labor pays. Do not think you 
can raise potatoes any way; few products 
pay better for the treatment., and they leave 
the ground fit for anything, with a single 
plowing, and insures the crop to fallowing, 
and, if you want to seed it down, a sure 
catch. Almost any ground will do for pota¬ 
toes i f thus prepared. A clay is best in a 
drouth; but of course in a deeply, finely 
pulverized condition; otherwise avoid it, as 
a drouth will kill your crop. 
Too much sand of course is not good. 
But considerable sand may be in the soil— 
it may be termed a sandy soil or sandy 
loam—providing always the seed is put in 
dee]), not less than seven inches, and eight is 
better. But in a soil Avlierc clay predomi¬ 
nates, six inches should he the rule, and 
never less. This will keep the potatoes 
from seeing the sun, and they will he 
(down) in a moist,cr condition. Of course 
no “hilling” is to he done in such a case; 
let the surface he level and kept level, using 
the cultivator and hoe to keep the weeds 
down and the ground mellow and moist. 
This may be done till the vines interfere, as 
there will be no young potatoes near the 
surface. The drouth in such case has also 
much less effect; the difference is great. 
But—and this is perhaps the most impor¬ 
tant of all—plant early; plant quite early; 
plant, as early as you can; plant, before you 
sow or plow for grain. Remember your 
soil is in a condition to plow early; 
and the work is soon done ; then immediate¬ 
ly, after a thorough pulverization, plant. 
The frost, if it, comes, will not reach your 
tubers (the seed) as they are avcII down, and 
if they should be reached, the gradual draw¬ 
ing out of the frost will obviate all harm. 
The wet will draw off, and the seed will not 
rot. 
Begin now with the potato lot, and do as 
directed, and there will be not only a crop, 
irrespective of the season, but a good one— 
a good one when others have a failure, and 
when you would have had one without this 
preparation. It pays; it is the only way 
that will generally pay. 
A Avord more:—Do not think that there 
should be made a distinction between early 
and late sorts Avith respect to planting early, 
all sorts want to be planted early. The late 
sorts will then get the fuller benefit of the 
season, and the early will more or less escape 
the drouth. f. o. 
We do not agree Avith our correspon¬ 
dent at all when he says subsoiling is not 
always advisable, especially “Avhere the 
ground is a little uneven, and Avater is apt to 
stand on parts of it.” Of course such land 
should be drained; but if it is impracticable 
to drain it, the next best thing is to subsoil 
it. Such is our experience. No matter if 
the water does stand below the surface; it 
had better stand there than on the surface. 
Subsoiling never injured any field crop on 
any soil in any kind of a season. 
-- 
FIELD NOTES. 
Jute in Louisiana. 
A correspondent at Buras, La., writes 
the South Land that he received from the 
Agricultural depart ment two varieties of 
Jute seed—one from Calcutta and the other 
from the South of France—which he plant¬ 
ed June 1st, In drills sixteen inches apart. 
In a few days the plants appeared and grew 
rapidly. In three months the French Jute 
grew nine: feet and the Calcutta over ten. The 
latter still grow ing. The French specimens 
throw out numerous branches and a dense 
foliage, while the Calcutta has no branches 
and but. few leaves. He believes it will 
thrive in lower Louisiana, but desires to 
know AvJmt kind of machinery is used to 
separate the wood from the fiber. 
Jerntinlcm Artichoke Stnlk* for Ilay. 
A correspondent at Muskegon, Mich., 
asks if we have known the stalks of the 
Jerusalem Artichoke to be cut, while green, 
and cured like bay for winter feed, and 
adds: — “They giw very well here and 
horses and cattle appear to he very fond of 
them when green; but 1 have had no ex¬ 
perience with them cured for forage.’’ We 
have, and they make excellent food, in the 
cured condition._ 
Curious Growth of Potatoes. 
John Burlingame, Franklinvilie, N. Y., 
writes us of a hill of potatoes, in which he 
says “ there were potatoes under ground, and 
forty perfect potatoes on the vines. One 
large potato grew two leet from the top of 
tha ground on the vine—a perfect potato. 
There were six good sized ones and thirty- 
four small ones on the vines. They grew in 
my garden, and are what are called Jackson 
lutes here.” 
