(£3) C&) '"Qj 
adding considerable drainage to the pots, in 
the form of broken brick, or some similar 
porous material. This addition of good 
drainage may not agree with Peter Hex- 
person’s theories of progress, but is very 
essential to the health of house plants, not¬ 
withstanding.— [Eds. Rural. 
about the size of a pullet’s, in the month of 
February, and t he young birds are found in 
March. • 
“ The natives assert that when the breed¬ 
ing season is over the kukapo lives in socie¬ 
ties of five or six in the same hole, and they 
say it is a provident bird, and lays up in the 
fine season a store of fern root for the bad 
weather. I have had five or six of the birds 
in captivity, but never succeeded in keeping 
them alive for more than eighteen months 
or two years. 
“ The only occasion on which the kakapo 
was seen to fly was when it got up one of 
these hollow trees and was driven to an exit 
rsntsstons 
WlreworniM in Mrniloiv*_K. L. Brardst.KY, 
W a iron ham, Pn„ asks the best course to pursue 
to kill out wirewonns in an old meadow—If 
plowing just before freezing would bo utlvan- 
tngoous. Deacon Kk\i>i: sniff yes, plow; but, 
although lie had crossed the Rocky Mountains 
to the Pacific slope, ns whs well k)uru/n, it was a 
tkov Idea to him that wlreworms work in grass 
lands. [These aro protmidy the lOInlers, or Spring- 
heel lve,(EUttrrMa-,) I ho 1 iuyr» of which a re known 
in Engkiiid i ls wire worms, and devours the roots 
of wheat, rye, outs and grass. Wo do not know 
that. It b t.ho American wiroworm that does this 
in tiiis country, but wc have scon meadows very 
much Injured by root-eating larvoe.-LEus. Ru¬ 
ral NEW-Yomcmi.J 
Potato 12x pertinents.— 
A. J. Hamilton, Super¬ 
intendent of t he Western 
Experimental Farm, In¬ 
diana, Pa., writes:—I pro¬ 
pose to give you the re¬ 
sult of my experiments 
made during the present 
year. Planted the first 
plot April 27 th on ground 
previously in potatoes. 
I plowed wiili.i Michigan 
plow, and applied four 
loads of compost: har¬ 
rowed mid rolled, fur¬ 
rowed out fho ground 
three feet wide, planted 
the potatoes (whito Uti¬ 
ca,) two rows of largo 
and whole, which yielded 
889 pounds; two rows of 
cut potatoes yielded 77<l>; 
pounds—h oi ng an in- 
crease of largo and whole 
over out of thirty Uush- 
fils to tlio acre. Second 
yielded 093# pounds, 
large and whole; two 
rows cnl: yielded 734 
, crease of ( hirty-slx Inisli- 
•f ' wMli 1‘ • ° 1 - plowed with com- 
“O* 1 plow, manured and 
g? J ^ 0 rketl Mio an me /is 
THE NIGHT PARROT OR KAKAPO. 
OUR illustration of the Night Parrot or 
Kukapo of Now Zealand will attract atten¬ 
tion. Its scientific name, Ptriffops, is derived 
from the close resemblance of its face to that 
Of the owl, an appearance caused by the 
radiating feathers around its eyes. Yet it is 
a true parrot. The ground color of its 
plumage is sap green, the feathers being 
yellowish in the center and marked with 
AMERICAN INST. FARMERS’ CLUB 
Note* ol DiMi'ugslonMi Extract* tram Let¬ 
ters, iVc. 
Tuts olieorful Commander controlled the Club 
again last Tuesday. The atmosphere of the 
room seemed brighter for the twinkle in hia 
eyes; and the wily his tongue enrries him out of 
all difficult, or embarrassing spots only proves 
the advantage of having that, unruly member 
well trained by straight common sense and 
Christian charily. 
Grass for n Name. S. H. SartTtl writes the Club 
CACTUS NOT BLOOMING, 
S. L. lias several species of the cactus in 
cultivation, but none of them bloom, al¬ 
though they grow vigorously throughout 
the whole year. All the species of cactus 
require a season of rest as well as growth. 
The Northern hardy 
kinds rest in winter, 
hut those from the trop¬ 
ics in the dry seasons, 
and tv lien the rains 
come they start into 
growth and bloom. 
Most of the common 
sorts cultivated as 
house plants will 
bloom freely if kept 
dry for two or three 
months, and water is 
then applied sparingly 
at first, increasing the 
quantity as buds ttnd 
llowers appear. 
We have grown and 
bloomed successfully 
many species of the 
cti<2tu$,and havealways 
considered them plants 
of the easiest culture, 
requiring very little 
care or attention. Dnr- ■0^ 
: 
iug summer the plants 
Ik Olid be watered fr< ti¬ 
ll, and at the approach 
of cold weather apply - 
very little or none at 
all, for some of the J$j &|| 
huge and coarse grow- 
iug species. Keep the JKm 
plants m a warm room ./• * 
•luring winter, giving .jjM mjj m/ '- ZfflO 
just, water enough to 
prevent withering; and 
if they do shrink a little 
it, will do them no 
harm; towards spring / 
llio buds will begin to 
show themselves, and 
then give tepid water ia 
small quantities at first, 
and not oftener than 
once a week, increasing 
the quantity as tho 
buds enlargo. But at 
no time does the soil 
around the roots need 
to he kept as wet as 
with fuchsias or gera¬ 
niums. Very few spe¬ 
cies of the cactus will 
bloom if they aro kept growing continually, 
ami our correspondent, and others, should 
remember this, and give their plants a chance 
to rest. 
S. L. also asks “ if it would be best to 
prime away the young steins.” This is not 
necessary, unless the plants are getting larger 
than desirable. Withhold water and growth 
will soon be checked. 
bushels to tbo 
wfWI/IJI 11 acre. Fourth plot, jilow- 
' *'(J with common plow, 
. 'V , 7 manured miff woi lu-ff tho 
m, > samo ns No. 10; planted 
potatoes (Poach Blow) 
May 5tb, two rows (me- 
ffiuin) yielded 089 pi.und.s; 
two rows (small seed) 
yielded 443 pounds -be- 
i ng an 1 norense of tillrty- 
- seven bushels in favor of 
medium shew seed over 
' small seed. Fifth plot, 
V' sod, plowed April 20tb, 
four loads of burn-yard 
manure, harrowed and 
rolled, furrowed out 
three l’eet wide, four 
rows to t he plot, potatoes 
(Peach Blow) planted 
May 7th. One row (largo 
and whole) yielded 398 pounds, one row (me¬ 
dium) yielded 31)1 pounds, one row (cnl ) yielded 
363 pounds, ouo row (small) yielded 803 pounds, 
allowing an increase of 
Large whole over medium of. 31 bush. 
Largo wholo over small of. 51 bush. 
Large whole over out of. 24 bush. 
Those have been practical tests of the sizes of 
potatoes. The plots aro one-eighth of an aero 
each, twenty rods long and one rod wide. I 
have (tied other experiments with potatoes in 
the use of fflllereut fertilizers, which t will re¬ 
port at, another day. 
From Olyinpln, Washington Territory, E. 
Mekkeii. Writes: — “This Is not strictly an agri¬ 
cultural country, although we have much good 
land in our river bottoms, tide lauds, and small 
valleys. Ten beautiful mountain rivers pour 
their waters into Puget Hound, becoming less 
turbulent as they approach tide water, and 
forming au alluvial deposit, rich lu fertile ma¬ 
terial from the mountain side, upon which alder, 
asli, maplo, and bglm spring up and grow, and 
have for centuries mingled their leaves and de¬ 
caying trunks with the soli, thus forming a 
quick and very fertile soil for Urn husband¬ 
man. Tills is emphatically a timbered country, 
the best, wo think, on the continent. Ship 
building ami the fisheries are being developed, 
and together with the lumbering business 
already established, furnish a ready and re¬ 
munerative market for nil the farmers raise. 
Tim climate ami water is well adapted to th 
dairy business. The ground is seldom fi- jZr ' u 
for more than a month during the wlnP <r J anf , 
grass grows from March to Decernti <r ' T1 
summers aro plousant— the nights r l N [ 
and bracing, ami the days not eX'jOssiveiy hot 
Although in latitude forty-sov*,, , Jet , 
menu temperaturo for the wb<£ 0 yeav ) s tb ' &t of 
Central Ohio, but tbo extremes aro less. Land 
is cheap, and to be had by pre-emption and 
homestead, but little fcjjr private entry. Wo 
have a healthy climate, ready markets, new- 
formed settlement^ *ncl a mixed husbandry to 
offer to the Imruf^aut. We shall havo email 
iruins, high culture, aud largo returns. This 
new Northwest will bo the New England of the 
Pacific." 
Sen Weed for Manure. -W. F. Howes, East 
Dennis, Maas., asks what fertilizing material 
there is in sea weed. Prof. Whitney replied, a 
large proportion of soda. It is an excellent Ter- 
tlllzer and mechanical manure when plowed 
Under. Mr. Lyman had known excellent crops 
of corn from poor soils produced by plowing it 
in; also Mr. Bkukn; ditto Deucon Reape. It 
was recommended to use It us a barn-yard 
litter. 
Digesting Cabbage .—a Virginian asserted the 
nelici tliuta man who has a stomach that, can 
always digest csi hbiige luis physical force enough 
to lay stone wall all day without fatigue. 
black; face pale umber. Although the 
xviugn are fairly developed, it rarely attempts 
to fly, but runs like a fowl with great quick¬ 
ness. It seems to he exclusively a vegetable 
feeder, with a voracious appetite, and its 
flesh is said to be tender and of exquisite 
flavor, the fat, which exists in large quanti- 
firm and white. 
The tilri- 
night kaka by the 
higher up. The flight was very short, the 
Wings being scarcely moved; and the bird 
alighted on a tree at a lower level than the 
place from whence it had come, but soon 
got higher up by climbing, using its tail to 
assist it.” 
The size of the kakapo is about that of a 
small fowl; the total length being two feet 
lour inches ; the wings aro eleven and a-half 
inches, and the tail nine inches long. 
1 BfMju mclosed four specimens of ijra^ l'or 
name. How if. came here, where it, originated, I 
know not; it has been cultivated here some two 
oi three years, and L find it excellent l’or pasture 
ami for hay. Any Information given respecting 
their comparative quality, will be gratefully ac¬ 
knowledged; or as to their comparative value 
with timothy or red top.” Mr. PULLER—Tho 
name of this grass is Hnlc.uAktnaK/U, also called 
Velvet Grass, Moadow Soft Grass, &c. It is au 
introduced species that is rapidly becoming na t¬ 
uralized in all parte of the country. Generally 
it is not considered us very valuable, either n>r 
hay or pasture, although there is evidently a 
great difference of opinion in regard to Its 
niorits. 
Transplanting Hugar Maple 
ties under the skin, bcin 
Sir Growie Grey says of it 
J fjops is called kakapo or 
I Aborigines of New Zealand, from the noc¬ 
turnal habits of the bird. During the day it 
remains hid in Holes under the roots of trees 
or rocks, or very rarely perched on the 
boughs of trees with a very dense thick foli¬ 
age. At these titnea it appears stupid from 
its profound sleep, and if disturbed or taken 
from its hole immediately runs aud tries to 
hide itself again, delighting, if practicable, to 
cover itself in a heap of soft dry grass; about 
sunset it becomes lively, animated, and play- 
lul, issues forth from its retreat, and feeds on 
grass, weeds, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and 
roots. When eating grass it grazes rather 
Limn feeds, nibbling the grass in the manner 
ol a rabbit or wombat. It sometimes climbs 
trees, but generally remains upon the ground, 
and only uses its short wings for the pur¬ 
pose of aiding its progress when running, 
balancing itself when cm a tree, or in making 
a short descent, half jump, half flight from 
an upper to a lower bough. When fcecliug, 
if pleased with its food, it makes a continued 
grunting noise; it is a greedy bird and choice 
in its food, showing an evident relish for 
anything of which it is foud. It cries re¬ 
peatedly during the night with a noise not 
very unlike that of the kaka (the nestor) but 
not so loud. 
“ The kakapo is a very clever and intel¬ 
ligent, bird—in fact, singularly so; contracts 
a strong affection for those who arc kind to 
it. Shows its attachment by climbing about 
and rubbing itself against its friend, and is 
eminently a social and playful bird; indeed, 
were it not, for its dirty habits, it makes a far 
better pet than any other bird with which I 
am acquainted, for its manner of showing 
its attachment by playfulness and fondling 
is more like that of a dog than a bird. 
“It builds its nest in holes under trees 
and rocks, and lays two or three white eggs, 
PLANTS FOR NAMES 
FECUNDITY OF RABBITS 
Martha C. sends the following plants for 
names: 
No. 1, which she says is called “ Wander¬ 
ing Jew” in her neighborhood, is Nepetn 
Okchoma , or Gill-over-tUc-Ground, Ground 
ivy, «fec. It is a native of Great Britain, but 
lias become naturalized in this country. 
No. 2 is Tradescautia procumbent!, a creep¬ 
ing evergreen species of what is often called 
spidenvort. 
No. :j is a PenUtcmon, probably P. angus - 
tifolum, or narrow-leaved ; one of the many 
native species of this country. The speci¬ 
men received, however, was too much 
broken up to determine, with any degree of 
certainty, its specific name. 
No. 4, named English Orchis, does not be¬ 
long to the Orchis family, but is one of the 
shrubby Calceolarias, of which there is al¬ 
most an endless variety. They are propa¬ 
gated Irom seed or cuttings of the young, 
succulent shoots placed in sand under abell- 
-iass, either in a green-house or hot-bed. 
- o-o » 
An Evea'-blooiuiu!' Chrysanthemum. 
A correspondent of the London Garden¬ 
er’s Chronicle says, at the Wimbledon House 
near London, the greatest novelty among 
'he bedding plants was n dwarf-growing, 
• hite-fiowered Chrysanthemum, which cou- 
tuuies in bloom all through tlio season, and 
> largely used for bedding out ami pot cul- 
tiirefor the conservatory, for which latter 
j r >rpose it is extremely useful at this season 
„ , year, when such structures are gener- 
tin* 688 flowers than at any other 
.Tonx IlnouGH- 
To:; , Salem, N. Y., asks If suarar maples, three or 
foui' Indies in diameter, cun be moved with 
safety, and if so, when. The replies wore " Yes,” 
and " Now.” 
Coi-UroBchcH. - N. W. Pietison, Huntley Farm, 
Va., uaku how to get rid of cockroaches. The 
Commander said dip a apontro in petroleum, and 
wet the spots tlio pests most liatinl. 
Mulnccn from Culling*.—W. Fisk, East Hamp¬ 
ton, Conn., asks if quinces will grow when st uck 
In the soil. The Commander said yes, us readily 
as a currant cutting. Deacon Rkade has a 
neighbor who propagates them by layering. 
Lucerne,— Freeman Brundaoe, South Gib¬ 
son, Pa., wnnH to know more about lucerne. 
The man who is not Stato Entomologist of New 
Jersey (ho says) says it was f ried some years 
since in this country, and the climate did not 
soom to be adapted to its growth. It is good in 
Ite native habitat , but. doubts if it will prove 
profitable hero. [Who of tho Rural New- 
Yorker's readers are growing or have grown 
Lucerne? Give us results.-E ds.] 
Improving LatnR-J. p. Marsh, Pulaski, O., 
thinks jt a wicked waste of words to talk about 
fertilizing worn-out, worthless soils, when there 
is so much good, cheap land to be hud. Tho Club 
thought If be had another idea or two ho would 
be wiser than hots. 
The (.’h Incite Denounced.— Tho Ohio MARSH is 
“utterly opposed to the Introduction of Chinese 
coolies and to allowing their labor to compete 
with that of tlio luhoilng class of this country." 
The Commander didn't, believe any race of peo¬ 
ple had a pre-emption right to this country. Any 
man Got) over rmulo should tie welcome to live, 
move and have hie being In America. So let the 
Uliirinso ooiue. Another letter wna raid from E. 
Tilton, New St. Louis, Kan., who sn.ts, “En¬ 
courage the importation of tho Chinese. We 
want them. Any nation that Is not ruined by 
Pat, osn stand John and prosper.” This was 
voted good, straight. Western common senso. 
The Peerless Potato —E. B. Hinds „f V'o.-mrmf 
them closely. Some idea of their rapid in¬ 
crease may bo formed from the following ex¬ 
tract from an Australian letter published in 
the London Field :—•About three years ago 
a Mr. Robinson, turned out thirteen wild rab¬ 
bits on his run, and nmv more than £7,000 
have been spent in trying to get rid of them. 
There, are said to be over 50,000 of them in 
the district, and ihey are spreading all over 
tho country. We are now about forming a 
company to kill and preserve them for ex¬ 
portation. Two thousand four hundred 
rabbits were killed in one day by a party of 
gentlemen with guns about three weeks 
since, and they were all destroyed, not one 
ol them used, to compel the dealers to kill 
for themselves, aud so help to destroy them. 
It is said that over 100,000 have been killed, 
and still they appear as numerous as ever; 
and all these from thirteen rabbits in a little 
over three years! 
The Oriole. 
The Oriole, that most beautiful of all 
birds, is rather rare in this section of the 
country. It is a bird of passage, comes 
late in the spring and leaves early in the 
fall. It builds a curious kind of nest, shaped 
like a bag or pocket, hanging on tho under 
side of a limb of a tree with only one place 
of ingress and egress, so that the young arc 
Safe from depredators until they issue from 
the nest. 
I was not aware what kind of insects Ihey 
subsisted upon until about, the first of Sep¬ 
tember, when I saw one fly across the 
street, alight on a fence-post, und after la¬ 
boring a minute or so lie flew away. Cu¬ 
riosity led me to examine the place, and I 
found in a crevice Of the post a whitish co¬ 
coon, which appeared to be a species of enta- 
pillar; he had made an incision in one end 
and extracted the contents and left.—A: 
W II,SON. 
