DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
j - 
From the Diary of n Centleman near New 
York CLv. 
IS IT PROFITABLE ? 
April 3.—This appears to be the great ab¬ 
sorbing question of a majority of inon’r 
li ves. The boy who trades marbles and the 
man liaudling millions of stocks and bonds 
are standing on the same plane, as both aim 
at nothing higher t han to get the best of the 
bargain. I am not disposed to enter a pro¬ 
test against this very human trait , so long 
as wealth is the scale which weighs every ¬ 
thing human, and a great deal that we are 
inclined to call divine ; but I do object to 
counting no transaction profitable unless it 
can be shown to be such in hard cash. 1 
own to having been many times annoyed at 
this ever-recurring question, “ Is it profita¬ 
ble?” or, in other words, “Do you make any 
money out of iff” Several years since 1 
was visiting the neighborhood where 1 hud 
resided for u long time before removing to 
my present home, and while passing along 
the street met a good old Quakeress who 
had known me almost from my boyhood 
days. After passing tho usual salutations 
upon such occasions, she said, “Well, friend 
L—, how does thee gat along in thy new 
home?” I replied, “Finely; my surround 
iugs are beautiful; we arc all healthy and 
happy.” 
“ Yes, yes; that is all very well,” respond¬ 
ed my inquisitor, “but art thou making 
money V 
Now, this good “friend” had an eye to 
what she considered the “main chance” in 
life, and us her husband had built up a large 
fortune by making money-getting hislmbhy, 
she thought all success rested upon Die same 
basis. 1 never could understand why a dol¬ 
lar rose bush could not bring as much pleas¬ 
ure to tho possessor as a dollar gold piece; 
in fact tho enjoyment to bo derived from 
eithe.r depends entirely upon the capacity or 
character of the possessor, 1 will admit, 
however, that the gold is always a marketa¬ 
ble article, while the rose bush is not; and 
more’s the pity, because it show’s the low 
standard of taste in the masses. 
AGASSIZ, HUMBOLDT, 
nor any of our great naturalists, ever found 
their studies or labors very profitable in a 
money point of view; still who would un¬ 
dertake to measure the pleasures they de¬ 
rived from a study of nature, or estimate 
the value of their discoveries to the human 
race 't One man piles up dollar upon dollar, 
while another contentedly adds specimens 
to his cabinet, each deriving pleasure from 
their accumulations, and both may be 
equally successful In obtaining that which 
they seek. Which is the most profitable de¬ 
pends entirely upon the individual ideas of 
the appraisers. The roan or wonmu who 
values home and its surroundings no higher 
than what they will bring in money is plac¬ 
ing a very low estimate upon life in general 
and themselves in part icular. 
This spring many will count the cost of 
the trees and other plants set out around 
their homes, and probably lix values in pro¬ 
portion to estimated profits in cash, instead 
of pleasure and knowledge to be gained in 
cultivation. It is not always best to look 
too closely at this matter Of cash profits, be¬ 
cause there Is a higher and more noble kind; 
and when both are sought judiciously the 
possessor may enjoy a fullness of life un¬ 
known to those who make hoarding money 
the chief object and aim from beginning to 
end. 
MORE ENTOMOLOGICAL LIGHT- WANTED. 
Daily Rural Life— Dear Sir 1. Please 
give me the name of the inclosed chrysalids. 
They were found adhering to the southwest 
side of tile house, where I think there are 
still a hundred remairing. As 1 was anxious 
to watch their development I have not al¬ 
lowed them to be swept down; but it just 
occurs to me that they may be the chrysa¬ 
lids of the cabbage buttoSiily, and if so, had 
best be destroyed. 
2. What books would you recommend for 
u course of reading in natural history, adapt¬ 
ed to the capacity of one just beginning its 
study i 
3. Can yon recommend to me some kind 
of magnifying glass, vary to the eye, and 
still not too expensive I 
4. Also, how do you prepare Insects for 
preservation, and bow ought they to bo ar¬ 
ranged in a cabinet {—at ns. A. B. MuKiNS- 
1 BY, Luzerne Co,, Da. 
April 4. — 1. The chrysalids which you 
placed so carefully between laj’ers of cotton 
were crushed out of all recognizable shape. 
I wish my correspondents would remember 
that there are sometimes tons of mail matter 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER. A'PBIL 48 
piled up in a heap, and Uncle Samuel's clerks 
walk over the mail bags, tramping them 
down, and handle such things generally in a 
manner to hasten the destruction of all 
fragile articles inclosed within. Butterflies, 
moths, chrysalids and similar delicate things 
stand a very poor chance of passing through 
the malls uninjured unless inclosed in tin 
boxes. 
Although the chrysalids sent were crushed 
flat and broken, I think there is little doubt 
of their being the cabbage butterfly (Fieri* 
rupee). Destroy all that can be found; and 
if you desire to secure a few of the butter¬ 
flies, put a few chrysalids in a box or under 
an inverted goblet and place on u shelf in a 
warm room. 
2. Natural history in all its branches is a 
pretty large field for any one person to think 
of exploring, or even glancing over super¬ 
ficially in a lifetime. If you will tell me 
what particular branch you desire to study, 
I may be able to name the most desirable 
books. There was a time when men thought 
it possible to become quite familiar with all 
the plants of the world in a few years, or 
with u 11 the insects, minerals, shells, or other 
great branches of natural history. But the 
world seems to enlarge as we advance in im¬ 
portant discoveries; men who at present, 
think of becoming eminent in any particular 
branch or course of study, take up some one 
order, or even family, and make this a life¬ 
long specialty, ]f it is botany, then the 
plants of a certain region of country will be 
sufficient, A hundred botanists have spout 
their lives studying tho plants of the United 
States, and there still remains enough to do 
for all who may desire to enter this field. 
The same is true in entomology’; and it ir- 
useless for any man or woman to think of 
becoming familiar with all tho members of 
any one Order. 
For instance, in the new Check List of Col- 
eoptera (beetles) just published, the names 
of 7,430 species are given, and new ones are 
constantly being found and described. The 
mere naming and describing of a species is 
but the first step towards ascertaining its 
history. The butterflies, moths, bees, bugs 
and flies arc all important branches of ento¬ 
mology, and almost unexplored, although 
there have been many laborers in the field. 
Any good work on zoology, like Tenney’s 
Manual, will give you a general Idea of ar¬ 
rangement anil classification of the members 
of the Animal Kingdom; and after carefully 
reading a tew such books, you can probably 
make up your mind what particular branch 
It is most desirable to pursue as a specialty. 
There is really no difference in point of in¬ 
terest, any more than that there is one tiling 
more wonderful In nature that another; but 
individual tastes lead us In different direc¬ 
tions. 
3. A small pocket lens, three-eighths to a 
half inch glass, with a small, brass handle, 
which can be purchased of an optician for 
$ 1.50 to $2, will answer every purpose for 
examining ordinary objects, such as plants 
and insects. 
4. No other preparation is required for pre¬ 
serving insects than merely mounting them 
on entomological pins and then keeping in 
shallow, tight boxes. I will endeavor to 
fully answer this question soon through the 
columns of tho Rural New-Yorker, as sev¬ 
eral correspondents have asked for informa¬ 
tion on the same subject. 
SMALL ERUITS FOR THE NORTH. 
Daily Rural Life:—W ill the small fruits 
mentioned in yottr Diary of Feb. ltitli do 
well as far north as the northern part of New 
York State?—<3. A. A .Potsdam, X. 1'. 
Yes, with the exception of Wilson’s Early 
Blackberry. The three varieties of Rasp¬ 
berries, requiring protection in some locali¬ 
ties, would certainty need it in your neigh¬ 
borhood. Strawberry plants are usually so 
protected by snow in northern localities t hat 
even the tender sorts succeed well. I never 
saw better small fruits anywhere, and of 
nearly all the loading sorts, than near Platts¬ 
burgh, which is fully as cold a locality as 
Potsdam. 
-- 
Charcoal and Qulxine for Wounds.—A 
correspondent of the Scientific American 
says The best simple remedy I have found 
for surface wounds, such as cuts, abrasions 
of the skin, etc., is charcoal. Take a live 
coal from the stove, pulverize it, apply It to 
the wound and cover the whole with a rag. 
The charcoal absorbs the fluids secreted by 
the wound, and lays the foundation of the 
scab ; it also prevents the rag from irritating 
the flesh, and it is antiseptic. If, however, 
you prefer a white scab to a black one, use 
quinine instead. This possesses all the virtues 
of the charcoal, and is, besides, astringent, 
and tonic. 
flatroiU) of Hitiibaiulnr. 
ITEMS FROM THE GRANGES. 
Fa mars' Rights. — A Western farmer, 
evidently a Patron, talks in this straight¬ 
forward way, protesting against farmers 
taking “the ground that all other classes are 
arrayed against them,” and prating “about 
our not having our rights,” &c. lie says : 
Now, the fact is we have always had all the 
rights that we have had the pluck to ask for, 
and the capacity to enjoy. The truth is we 
are prospering in a greater degree than any 
other class of citizens, considering the indus¬ 
try, economy, and brains that we are bring¬ 
ing to bear upon our business. Let us be 
reasonable, and if we are not making money 
as fast as we would wish, let us go out and 
count, up the old reapers, plows, seeders, and 
threshing machines that are lying around 
loom, and see whether wo have not discov¬ 
ered that the fault is iu ourselves and not in 
these “cussed” middle-men of whom we 
bought the machines, but who cannot make 
them lust more than four or five years, or 
as long as we leave them in the fence corners 
from one year to another. 
Opposed to Farmers Becoming Sovereigns 
of Industry. —T. It. Allen, Master of Mis¬ 
souri State Grange of Patrons of Husbandry, 
talking of this new Order, says:—My opinion 
is, that farmers should by no means go into 
it, unless they want to break up the Patrons 
of Husbandry, If farmers will stick to their 
own organization faithfully, and live up to 
its principles and purposos, they can accom¬ 
plish more titan all others together. If they 
go on Into tangling alliances, I fear they will 
full and tall Into ruin. If the other classes 
will organize as we have done, and faithfully 
carry out their principles, and co-operate 
with us, and wc with them, on a common 
basis of right and justice, Combined, wc can 
do all that wc ought to do for ourselves, and 
bring about a thorough reform of present 
abuse and corruptions. But let us be and 
remain separate and distinct organizations. 
Less Cotton, Less Land and Better Cul¬ 
ture. — The Meridian (Miss.) Grange has 
adopted, among other equally commendable 
ones, the following resolut ions : 
1. That we will, in future, cultivate less 
land and more thoroughly prepare and culti¬ 
vate what we do plant, using all possible 
means to fertilize as much as possible; as it 
is a fact beyond dispute that one hundred 
acres tints prepared, manured and cultiva¬ 
ted, will produco more than two hundred 
acres in the old, ordinary way, at oue-lialf 
the cost, thereby doubling the profit. 
2. That wo will, for all time to come, re¬ 
gardless of the price of cotton, provide boun¬ 
tifully for every thing necessary for home 
consumption, lor man and beast, before we 
hunt one stalk of cotton, and at least one- 
lalf, if not two-thirds, of the laud cultivated 
should be planted in corn, peas, oats, rice, 
hay, potatoes, &o., the remaining oue-thira 
or one-half in cotton. 
Improving the Ability of Patrons to Tali;. 
—A California Patron says of the results of 
this Organization in his neighborhood: — 
“ The discussion of questions of practical in¬ 
terest to Patrons, which forms a feature of 
our Grange, is having a tendency to develop 
not only a better manner of expressing our¬ 
selves, blit a greater willingness to make the 
effort. Grout Improvement has already been 
observed in even the little practice we have 
thus far had.” 
Whether Catholics May Join a Orange or 
Not has been submitted to the decision of 
the Pope, who returns answer that he “allows 
the petitioner to join the Grange of Patrons 
of Husbandry and be a member thereof if he 
find nothing therein conflicting with his con¬ 
science or the creed of the Catholic Church.” 
Catholics are now joining the Granges. 
Keeping Outsiders Out. —A Minnesota Par 
tron thinks lawyers, merchants, grain buy- 
era, &c., because they have farms outside 
their regular business and have an annual 
income therefrom, are not therefore entitled 
to become Patrons of Husbandry. He be¬ 
lieves in making the Order a Fanners’ Or¬ 
ganization, pure and simple. 
Throw Aivay Party. — An Indiana Patron 
says: — “It is my opinion that the Patrons 
of Husbandry’ should throw party away, as 
the filthy weeds of autumn, and give sup¬ 
port to uo paper that is opposed to our or¬ 
ganization, and for office select only such as 
are faithful, henest and capable. 
His Clothes Hang Better. — An Oregon 
Patron tel Lathe public that he took the fourth 
degree at a certain time and place, and adds : 
“I have felt better ever since; my clothes 
hang better and look like there was some 
one in them. 1 would like to take 14 more 
fourth degrees.” 
Protest Against Horse-Racing .—On the 
subject of racing at Fairs the Patrons of Los 
Angelos Co., Cal., say that they can see no 
“reason why the State of California should 
thus encourage public gambling under the 
guise of fostering agricultural interests.” 
Although of weakly parents, our chil¬ 
dren’s healthy, robust appearance is the 
cause of man}’ remarks by our visitors. 
Since thpy were large enough to take other 
than the lacteal diet, the natural wants of 
their stomachs have been carefully studied. 
Having an over-indulgent mother, and being 
predisposed to dyspepsia, enables me to 3ee 
more plainly tho ruinous course many are 
pursuing—ruinous to both body and mind ; 
for where is the person who is capable of ac¬ 
complishing much, either physically or in¬ 
tellectually, that is continually reminded of 
a heavy load at the stomach i Mismanage¬ 
ment of children’s stomachs is indeed a great 
sin ; it causes many aches and pains, and 
even death. 
Truly, the “ children’s teeth are set on 
edge” through ignorance, carelessness, and 
thoughtlessness of parents, I always oblige 
my children to ret ire early in the evening, 
believing in Dr. Franklin’s maxim, “Early 
to bed, &o.” 1 let them sleep as long as 
they want to, telling them to arise as soon as 
awake, protect themselves well from the 
wind, and take a fresh breath out doors. If 
In good health, give them plain, nutritious 
meals. Do not fill their stomachs with some¬ 
thing that has so little nourishment that it 
will not satisfy them. Cakes, pies, and even 
jellies and preserves, if judiciously given, are 
not so injurious as a weak diet. Tho quan¬ 
tity of different kinds of victuals should be 
regulated l»y older heads than theirs ; if, for 
instance, they wish too much meat and 
gravy, I advise them to eat some rice, fruit, 
orsyrup. For tea, their diet should be light, 
Otherwise they will have but little appetite 
for breakfast. Keep their limbs well clothed. 
They can not bathe amiss unless they miss 
being bathed. When first symptoms of ap¬ 
proaching sickness are discovered, give a 
thorough physic, let the disease bo what it 
may : then bathe, sweat, draw with mustard, 
or apply cold wet cloths as the ouse may re¬ 
quire. Mingle in a few starvation pills, and 
within twenty-four hours they are able to 
play, and no physicians’ bill to pay. Let 
them have an abundance of fresh air and 
sunshine, evon at the risk of a good, healthy 
brown Color, which is, in fact, preferable to 
the color they will get if kept in an improp¬ 
erly ventilated room. Ann Hopkins. 
-*-*-*- 
CATARRH AND LIVER COMPLAINT. 
As the columns of tho Rural New York¬ 
er seem to be open to all seeking information 
on any subject, I venture to come for a little 
advice also. I have been afflicted with livex - 
complaint and catarrh fora number of years. 
Have employed such medical aid as we could 
command In the place, but received no per¬ 
manent benefit. Have tried many of the so- 
called patent remedies without finding a cure 
In any. Many of tho remedies were liquids 
containing salt, (which many recommend as 
u cure of itself,) to be snuffed up through 
the nostrils. Salt may be beneficial iu some 
cases, but with me it only makes it worse. 
My head being ulcerated, it aggravates in¬ 
stead of heals. Inhalation seems to be tlio 
favorite mode of treatment of catarrh, at 
present, and if any of your readers will fut'- 
nish directions lor preparing an inhalant 
which they know to be good, they will re¬ 
ceive the grateiul thanks of at least one suf¬ 
ferer. 
By strict attention to habits of diet, exer¬ 
cise, etc., I have improved my general health 
slightly ; but my catarrh and liver affections 
seem to be of too long standing to be re¬ 
moved without farther aid. Will some one, 
who is competent, please give me the benefit 
of their advice, and if they will please give 
their prescriptions in English they will add 
to the obligation, as I am not posted in Latin. 
As we have taken the Rural New Yorker 
but a short time, my question may have 
been answered before ; if so, please repeat, 
as it may benefit some other new subscriber 
besides Boston Myra. 
-- 
Remedy for Burns,— Lard and flour is rec¬ 
ommended. Spread lard on a cloth and 
sprinkle a thick coat of wheat flour on it and 
apply at once. No doubt it will afford imme¬ 
diate relief. 
