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DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Gentleman near New 
York City. 
A. THORN AND GOOD SEEDS. 
Aug. 31.—I notice that A. Thorn in the 
Rural New-Yorker ot Aug. 29 dissents 
frotn my advice in regard to farmers saving 
their own seeds, instead of depending upon 
the seedsman. Of course I have no objec¬ 
tions to allowing everybody to do just as 
they please in this matter, but the man who 
depends solely on the seed stores for a sup- 
lily will frequently be wofully disappointed. 
My critic brings in cheapness of seeds as an 
objection to saving, and says, “ Not one in a 
thousand is willing to relinquish the eating 
of the first-formed or largest fruit or vege¬ 
table for the sake of km cents’ worth of 
seeds all of which I am ready to admit, 
but this does not prove that they ought not 
to do it, but the opposite., lias not this habit 
of consuming and wasting the best and ear¬ 
liest fruits and vegetables arisen in conse¬ 
quence of the convenience of seed stores and 
depending upon others to do what might be 
done equally as well at home, if not better ? 
It is the self-reliant principle that 1 would 
inculcate from childhood to old age. Again, 
my critic says, “ It is not possible to grow 
and continue any one variety of seeds in 
proximity to others of its order.” dust so, 
and that is another argument in favor ol 
farmers saving their own seeds, for they are 
not in the habit of raising many varieties of 
the same genus, while the seedsmen are. If 
a farmer has a good variety of muskmekm, 
watermelon, or tomato, there Is no difficulty 
about keeping them pure if he raises no other 
sort of the Raine genus, and the seedsmen 
themselves know this so well that they get 
farmers in various localities to raise certain 
lands of seeds for them, instead of making 
the attempt even on the largest seed farm. 
But in the economical point of view I also 
disagree with A. Thorn, because I have yet 
to find a seed which will thrive in my garden 
which cannot be saved for less than it can 
be purchased, and 1 will put down the labor 
of gathering anywhere, from 52 to S10 per 
day. Twenty-five to fifty thousand dollars 
per annum expended by our largest seed 
houses must be returned in profits contri¬ 
buted by the purchasers of their wares. Of 
course I believe in patronizing the seedsmen, 
if for no other purpose than the encourage¬ 
ment needed to produce and bring forward 
new varieties ; but when a good sort has 
been procured from them, the possessor is 
stupid, to saj' the least, if he lets it slip 
through his hands because he. thinks seeds 
of the same can be had at any time for 10 
cents or *10 a package. Since mentioning 
this subject a few weeks since, I have had 
another occasion to test seedsmen’s seeds, 
and, by the way, it was from no “corner 
grocery ” establishment, but one of the 
largest houses in America. Thinking that 
my latest planting of sweet corn would not 
hold out in condition for eating until cold 
weather, I gave orders to have a few more 
rows planted, but. my man said he had fed 
out what was left from the previous plant¬ 
ing, not supposing any more would be want¬ 
ed. Again I was obliged to patronize the 
seed store. 1 procured a quart of a choice 
sort and gave it to my man to plant, or at 
least as much ns was required for a couple 
of rows 2U0 feet long. A warm shower came 
soon after planting, and I expected to see 
the corn above ground in two or three days ; 
but a week passed, 'and only' about a dozen 
spears appeared. I then went and examined 
what was left in the seed bag, and found It 
almost alive with the Red Weevil (Silvanus 
tnirmame.mis) and the well-known Angou- 
mais Moth ( Gelt chin cerealetta). These in¬ 
sects had completely eaten out the inside of 
the kernels and destroyed the germ. The 
loss of the value of the corn and the annoy¬ 
ance of not having u crop when wanted for 
use are not worth mentioning in comparison 
with the introduction into my buildings of 
two of the most destructive, grain-destroy¬ 
ing insects known. Had I gone to our 
‘petty grocery store,” to which A Thorn 
sneeringly refers, I should have probably 
procured better seeds than I did in New 
York City, for our groeerymau takes great 
pains with his seeds, which usually turn out 
first-rate. A man who is t.oo indolent or 
careless to save the very best of everything 
j he grows for seeds will be just the man 
never to raise anything worth saving. If 
the true history of our cultivated vegetables 
could be ascertained, it would no doubt 
show that a goodly share originated with 
MOORE'S BORA 
farmers and gardeners who believe in and 
practice saving the various kinds cultivated 
regardless of the cost. 
THE LARCH AS AN ORNAMENTAL TREE. 
Sept. 1.—Perhaps 1 may excite the wrath 
of somebody (which will be nothing new) if 
I speak my mind in regard to the European 
Larch as an ornamental tree, but without 
fear of consequences I record my opinion, 
and it is t hat it is the ugliest tree, ever intro¬ 
duced in lawn or garden. T am writing this 
within a few feet of what many persons 
would consider a very handsome specimen 
of this tree, some fifteen or more years old. 
From the very ground t o the topmost, twig 
it is as perfect as a large tree well could be, 
forming a pyramid of green, but ft few days 
later the leaves will drop, and then its ugli¬ 
ness will appear in the form of drooping 
branches loaded down with the dark, dirty, 
brown cones of the past half dozen years. 
While the larch is young, and before the 
cones appear, it is ready a pretty tree, with 
its very graceful, slender liranehes and light 
green foliage, but after the first ten years 
the branches become almost covered with 
cones of various ages, some brown, others 
black and half rotten, the whole being about 
as ornamental as an old plum tree covered 
with black knots. As a timber tree the 
larch no doubt ranks high among tlie useful 
kinds, but us an ornamental tree it does not 
fill the bill, in my estimation. 
PARASITES on grasshoppers. 
I have received specimens of the “ hateful 
grasshoppers” from a correspondent in No¬ 
bles* Co., Minnesota, which were liadly in¬ 
fested with the eggs of some kind of a para¬ 
site unknown to me. ! am asked to give the 
name of the parasite, but must confess my 
ignorance in regard to it, as I am obliged to 
do in thousands of instances when asked for 
information. I regret my ignorance more 
than any one else can, but have come to the 
conclusion that ever so long a life or the 
closest, application to study, will not enable 
any one man to know everything. It is a 
pity that, even the wisest should be unable to 
answer all questions asked them satisfactori¬ 
ly. If the fair correspondent who asked 
about t he grasshopper parasite could take a 
peep into my “den” and see the 30,000 and 
upwards of “ mummied” insects there, she 
would probably think there were few native 
specie* unrepresented in my collection ; but 
to my eye the blanks arc more numerous 
than occupied places, nnd when T cease work, 
no matter how many years hence, the collec¬ 
tion in no one order will probably be com¬ 
plete. The man who devotes a lifetime to 
any one branch of natural history, need have 
no fear of becoming a “weeping” Alexan¬ 
der in consequence of a lack of something to 
conquer. It. would certainly be a great, bless¬ 
ing to the Western States if the grasshopper 
parasites would become sufficiently numer¬ 
ous to kill off the entire race of the “hateful,” 
--- 
NATIVE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 
Among the most, common native plants are 
many which when cultivated are conspicu¬ 
ously beautiful. Take for instance the com¬ 
mon Poke weed ( Phytolacca dccandra). It 
makes a grand show both in foliage, flowers 
and fruit. The very common light and dark 
purple aster* which, with the golden rods, 
make such a show during the last of August 
and September, may be massed together 
upon a lawn with superb effect. What, is 
gayer than the orange - colored Butterfly 
weed (Anclepiao tuberosa) ? It is easily 
transplanted and is perennial. 
The editor of the Maryland Farmer tells 
this story of a thistle in good company, and 
there are a score of plants which do equally 
W ell A friend last year made consider¬ 
able sensation by placing in a conspicuous 
place on the best kept portion of his lawn a 
plant of the common Lance Thistle —Of return 
lancr.olatum. Now, this is not exactly a na¬ 
tive plant, having become a farm weed 
through an introduction from Europe ; but 
it serve* to illustrate the idea, of native or 
wild plants. This thistle Was one of the 
most striking objects possible on the lawn, 
and as rich manure was placed in when the 
thistle was planted, and the soil rather 
damp, it* usual character was so changed 
that friends thought a new and very rare 
plant, was being grown. It made an ornate 
growth of some three feet high by two wide, 
and as perfect in outline as if it, had been 
sheared. In the autumn its full heads of 
rosy piuk flowers were particularly' beauti¬ 
ful.' Of course some care had to be exer¬ 
cised to prevent the. downy seeds from 
blowing away ; but this thistle not being a 
rooter as the Canada Thistle is, does not 
spread to much injury—indeed is generally' 
found only' in waste places about cities, or iu 
neglected spot* about farms, where these 
beautiful wild plants might perhaps be as 
well as anything else.” 
NEW-YORKER. 
fairtwfj of 
COUNTY OR DISTRICT COUNCILS, 
We believe it has been the experience of 
Patrons throughout t he land that great ad¬ 
vantages are to be derived from the associa¬ 
tion of Granges in County or District Coun¬ 
cils. Properly organized and well managed, 
the Council bolds the same relation to the 
subordinate Grange that the Grange bol ls to 
its own individual members. The more 
Granges that can be represented in a Council 
of the kind the better, provided the place of 
meeting be not too remote, and the facilities 
for transacting its large business inadequate. 
A well organized Council, comprising a large 
number of subordinate Granges, with a 
trusty and competent agent located at some 
central point, would be found of much de¬ 
cided advantage in forwarding the object 
for which the Order of Patrons of Husbandry 
was formed. It, will readily he seen that by 
bulking orders from u large number of 
Granges, more advantageous purchases may 
be made by the agent, than though he or¬ 
dered supplies in more limited quantities. 
Rut the question of purchases is not the only 
one Which the Council can satisfactorily 
settle. Whatever i t, is desirous to accomplish 
on the co-operative plan may be more easily 
and thoroughly accomplished through a 
Btrong organization. By a strong organiza¬ 
tion we do not necessarily mean one repre¬ 
senting a large territory ; for it is clear that 
no Council should be formed covering, by its 
jurisdiction, bo much territory, that, the 
interests of the members would be at vari¬ 
ance. with each other, and consequently 
render tlie operations of the Council in¬ 
harmonious. 
We regard this matter of considerable 
importance, and firmly believe that the good 
of the Order would be promoted by the for¬ 
mation of Councils as above, indicated ; hut, 
like all questions, it probably lias two sides, 
and we would, therefore, be pleased to hear 
from any who may take a view of this sub¬ 
ject different from ours .—Georgia Grange. 
-- 
A GOOD POSITION. 
A Patron at Grand Rapids, Mich., makes 
a little sensible talk in the following words : 
Ours is a farmers’ movement. Let out- 
united influence preserve and sustain it as 
such, admitting none to our organization 
who do not properly belong to it. As Pa¬ 
trons willing to work and labor for the gen¬ 
eral good, let US come right lo the front, and 
by our united exertion and influence qualify 
ourselves to occupy the advanced position to 
which the farmers of the country are now 
aspiring. 
Let us cultivate the social and fraternal 
features of the order, and, iu matters of 
trade, let us move with caution and deliber¬ 
ation, so as to create no new prejudices and 
antagonisms. As Patrons, we disclaim any 
intention of disturbing or crippling any le¬ 
gitimate business interest, but desire to so 
regulate and harmonize that our own may 
not suffer. I found, while in Illinois, recent¬ 
ly, that tra sient, parties were canvassing 
tlie country soliciting orders for groceries and 
other merchandise, representing the same to 
he a Grange movement and claiming to sell 
at Grange prices. On my return home I 
found precisely the same movement at¬ 
tempted here. This is all wrong, and to set 
the matter right I wifi say that, as Patrons, 
we are decidedly opposed to any such meth¬ 
od of doing business, and assert positively 
that we will not countenance or support a 
class of itinerant peddlers, but will give out- 
support to those of our home dealers who 
wifi trade with us on a correct basis. 
-♦•*”*■-- 
SECRET ORGANIZATIONS. 
Some people do not like secret societies. 
Borne churches deem it impossible for men 
to be Masons, Odd Fellows and Christians. 
Yet we find some of the best tmd purest men 
in the land in these orders. We hear from 
time to time charges of all kinds uttered 
against the secret societies. These charges 
are, from the nature of the organizations 
ugainst which they are brought, very diffi¬ 
cult to meet and refute. Yet we believe that 
in the main they are baseless. A great so¬ 
ciety can afford to keep on in the even tenor 
of its way, letting those making guesses 
exercise their ingenuity. So long as its 
members are satisfied it is all well enough. 
Men will differ in their views on secret socie¬ 
ties, and we presume to say it is all right 
enough that they shall be allowed to either 
stay in them or stay outside of them.— 
American Patron. 
■ 1 
SERI.*2 
GRANGE NOTES AND ITEMS. 
The Waterloo [Iowa) Grange elevator has 
paid its stockholders twenty per cent, divi¬ 
dends, besides giving them from five to 
fifteen cents more per bushel for their wheat 
than they could have got by dealing in the 
usual way. 
The Ohio State Board has extended a 
special invitation to the Patrons of Husband¬ 
ly to attend the coming State Fair at Colum¬ 
bus, tendering them suitable rooms for the 
transaction of Order business on the grounds. 
Master Alien of Missouri, has traveled 
20,000 miles in his Grange work, has visited 
almost every county in the State, and now 
but two out of one hundred and fourteen 
counties are without organized Granges. 
A Dominion Grange was formed at Lon¬ 
don, Ontario, on the 18tli, ult., by the Master 
of the National Grange, assisted by Hon. S. 
F. Brown, Master of the State Grange of 
Michigan. 
Wald Wick Grange, Wisconsin, has given 
the Chaplain some work not clown in the 
regular ritual. A brother and sister, being 
true Patrons, were united in the grange. 
■ - ♦♦♦ - 
OFFICERS OF NATIONAL GRANGE. 
Master —Dudley W. Adams, Wan Icon, Iowa. 
Oocrserr —Thomas Taylor, Columbia, S. C. 
Lecturer —T. A. Thompson, Plainview, Waba¬ 
sha Co., Minn. 
Steward—A. J. Vaughn, Early Grove, Marshall 
Co., Miss. 
A Hs't St-cward— G. W. Thompson, New Bruns¬ 
wick* N. J. 
Cha'.-plain— Rev. A. IJ. Grosb,Washington, D. C. 
Treasurer —F. it. McDowell. Corning, N. Y. 
Secretary—O. II. Kelley, Washington, D. C. 
Gate Keeper—0. Dlnwiddie, Orchard Grove, 
bake Co., Did. 
Mrs. D. W. A damn, Wankort, Iowa. 
Pomona Mrs. O. H. Kelley.Washington, D. C. 
Flora- Mrs. J. C. Abbott, Clarksville, Butler 
Co., Iowa. 
Lady Ass't Steward —Miss C. A. Hall, Wash¬ 
ington, D. C. 
•-♦♦♦- 
NEW YORK STATE GRANGE. 
Master —George D. Hinklcy, Frodonia, Chau¬ 
tauqua Co. 
Oversea — Jay Dlnilck. Jefferson. 
Lecturer 8. Terry Hudson, Suffolk. 
Steward— W m. M cKee.W ashi ngt.on. 
Ass’t Steward —.Runes H. Lee, Oswego. 
Chaplain-A. J. Saunders, Cayuga. 
7Vf»( surer— Julian Winnie, Albany. 
Secret nr g— W. A. Armstrong, Elmira, Che¬ 
mung Co. 
(late Keeper- D. H. Norton, Allegany. 
Cores Mrs. L. Van Dorn, Cayuga. 
l'omona Mr*. O. K. Mann, Niagara. 
Flora —Mrs. Luke Fulton, Jefferson. 
Lady A m't Steward -Mrs. M. II, Riggs, Wayne. 
Executive Commute—Win. G. Wayne, Chair¬ 
man, Seneca Falls, N.Y.; S. R. Pratt, Secretary, 
Carthage, N. Y.; J. O'Donnell, Jamaica, N. Y. 
-» ♦ » 
OFFICERS OF STATE GRANGES. 
ILLINOIS. — Master, Alonzo Golder, Rock 
Falls; Secretary, 0.35. Fanning, Galt. 
Iowa.— Master, A. li. Smedley, Cresco: Sccre- 
targ, N. W. Garretson, Des Moines. 
Minnesota.— Master, Geo. L. Parsons, Winona; 
Secretary, 'Vat. P.ust, St. Paul. 
Wisconsin. Master, Col. John Cochrane, 
Wait pun; Secretory, II. F.. Huxley. 
Indiana. — Master, Klnley James, Marion; 
Secretary . M. M. Moodoy, Muncle. 
Kansas.—Master, — Hudson, —; Secretary, 
Geo, V\\Spurgeon, Jacksonville. 
Nebraska.— Matter. Wm. It. Porter, Platts- 
mout h ; Secretary. Wrn. MoCaig, Elmwocd. 
Mississippi.— Matter, Gen. A. J. Vaughan, 
Early Grove ; Secretary, W. L. Williams, Rienzi. 
South Carolina. Master, Thomas Taylor, 
Columbia: Secretary, Col. D. Wyatt Aikin, 
Cokeebury. 
Vermont.— Master. E. P. Colton, Irasburg; 
Secretary, F.. L. Hovy, St. Johnsbury. 
Ohm —Master, S. H. Ellis, Springboro ; Secre¬ 
tary, D. M. Stewart, Xenia. 
Michigan.— Master, S. F. Brown, Schoolcraft; 
Secretary, J. T. Cobb, Schoolcraft. 
Missouri.— Master, T. It. Allen, Allenton; 
Secretary, A. M. Coffey, Knob Noster, Johns¬ 
ton Co. 
Georgia.—Master, Co). T. J. Smith, Oconee; 
Secretary, E. Taylor, Colaparcbu. 
Tennessee.—Master, William Maxwell, Max- 
vllle; Secretary, J • P. McMurray, Trenton. 
North Carolina.— Master, Dr. Columbus Mills, 
Concord; Secretary, G. W. Lawrence, Fay¬ 
etteville. 
Arkansas.— Master, John T, Jones, Helena; 
Secretary, John S. Williams, Duvall’s Bluff. 
California.— Master, J. M- Hamilton, Guenoc; 
Secretary, W. H. Baxter, Napa City. 
Colorado.— Master, R. Q. Tenney; Secretary, 
P. M. lllnman. 
Oregon.— Master, Daniel Clark, Salem; Secre¬ 
tary, J. IT. Smith, Harrisburg. 
Pennsylvania.— Master, D. B. Manger, Dmtg- 
lansville : Secretary, R. H. Thomas, Mechanics- 
burg. 
West Virginia. — Mauler, B. M. Kitchen, 
Shanghai; Secretory, J. W.Curtis, Martmsburg. 
Dakota.—-Master, E, B. Crew, Lodi; Secretary, 
O. F. Stevens, Jefferson. 
Texas. —Master, J. B. Johnson, Fairfield; 
Secretary, H. H. Parker, Salado. 
Alabama. — Master, W. II. Chambers, Os- 
wiobee; Secretary, H. M. Law, Tuskegee. 
Florida—Abater, li- T. Wardlow, Madison; 
Secretary, W. A. Brinyon* Live Oak. 
Kentucky.- Master, \V. D. Davie, Beverly; 
Secretary, j. Eugene burner, Georgetown. 
Massachusetts.- -Master. T. b. Allis, Conway; 
Secretary, BenJ. Davia, Ware. 
New Jersey.— Master, Edward Howland,.Haiti- 
monton; Secretary, It. W. Pratt, Nowfield. 
Q 
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