1 
PROGRESS  and  IMPROVEMENT 
a  famine,  or  very  sliort  crops.  Ever  so 
low  prices  for  labor  and  all  manufactured 
articles,  is  in  part,  if  not  wholl3'  compen¬ 
sated  by  tlie  abuudance  of  food  ;  forindth- 
out  the  latter,  there  ciui  bo  none  of  the 
former.  We  hear  of  manj'  of  our  fanners 
Avlio  say  the,v  are  about  discouraged  at 
the  low  rates  and  slctw  movements  of  farm 
products  generally ;  but  despondency  will 
certainly  do  no  good,  while  the  ojiijosito 
may ;  conHeijuently,  we  say,  hold  on  ; 
sacrifice  as  little  as  possible ;  reduce 
expenses  wherever  practicable  ;  Avcetl  out 
unprofitable  animals,  but  do  not  kill  off 
whole  flocks  of  sheep  because  wool  is 
low,  or  dispose  of  cows  on  account  of  a 
depression  in  the  jirice  of  butter  and 
cheese.  The  jirices  of  farm  jiroducts  are 
always  open  to  fluctuation  from  year  to 
year,  and  the  man  who  can  hold  to  a 
steatly  cause  is  certain  to  renii  the  benefits 
of  high  rates  which  will  olTset  any  losses 
occurring  through  a  gliilted  market.  It 
is  the  old  story  of  the  race  ladweeu  the 
hare  and  tlie  tortoise — the  one  wlio  jiro- 
cceds  slowly  but  steadUv  is  far  more  likely 
t3  win  than  ho  wlio  undertakes  to  make 
frequent  changes  in  order  to  fill  the  sails 
of  his  craft  with  ('.v 
exactly  as  he  would  say  to  his  own  imme¬ 
diate  family,  “While  I  am  ti’ying  to  pay 
off  the  mortgage  upon  my  farm,  I  must 
jiractico  such  strict  economy  that  mj’  cir¬ 
cumstances  will  not  permit,  my  entertain¬ 
ing  you  this  Kiitnmer.”  But  this  requires 
too  much  courage  for  him,  so  he  gets  one 
of  the  girls  to  write  Maud  that  they  will 
be  delighted  to  see  tliom  all. 
Tlu;  month  of  August  lurives  and  with 
it  tbo  vi-sitora,  A  warm  welcome  is  ex¬ 
tended  and  then  Aunt  Sarah  and  the  girls 
go  into  the  feeding  business  on  a  large 
scale,  the  additional  cost  of  which  wouhl 
nav  for  the  girls’  schooling  and  the  hired 
help  to  take  their  idnces.  Pa  comes  too, 
each  week,  and  while  he  is  with  them  the 
horses  must  be  taken  from  their  farm  work 
and  uscil  for  pic-nics  and  riding  parties. 
Aunt  Sarah  aud  the  girls  ait  up  half  the 
night  pre[)ai-iug  the  next  day’s  lunch. 
TJiis  process  is  repeated  every  little  while, 
for  “  It  is  so  delightful,  jou  know,  to  let 
ths  children  enjoy  the  pure  air  and  h<  e 
the  country.”  Well  thej'  come,  they  see, 
and  they  conquer,  nil  becau.se  Uncle 
Hexry  had  too  much  pihle  and  lacked  the 
courage  to  tell  the  truth  to  his  own  sister. 
WiuJe  this  picture  is  not  true  in  all  (‘..sscs 
of  visits  to  relatives  and  friends  in  the 
country,  it  is  too  frequently  the  c.-iao  and 
should  be  well  comsidered  i),v  all  citj' j)ta)- 
ple  before  making  their  ami  uni  playtime 
a  matter  of  severe  labor  and  expense  to 
their  rural  friends.  The  best  waj',  after 
all,  is  to  pay  yoxrr  way  wdierever  you  go 
and  go  but  seldom  wliere  that  privilege  is 
denied  j'ou  througli  a  mistaken  sense  of 
couz'tesy  or  hospitality. 
RURAL  NOTES 
Tho  Locusts  Again. — Once  more 
the  Rocky  Mountain  locusts  have  com¬ 
menced  devastating  extended  regions  of 
country  in  Colorado,  Nebraska  and  Min¬ 
nesota,  contrary  to  many  assurances  that 
such  a  visitation  was  not  at  all  likely  for 
several  years  to  come.  Gov.  Piulsbury 
of  Iffinnesota  has  published  a  letter  in 
answer  to  one  from  some  prominent  gen¬ 
tleman  of  the  State,  asking  for  advice,  in 
which  he  saj-s,  “I  believe  tho  tho  tirao 
lias  arrived  when  an  organizetl  and  deter 
mined  effort  for  their  extenaination,”  &o. ; 
to  which  we  say  lunen.  But  would  it  not 
be  well  to  know  something  of  the  soiu’ce 
from  whence  these  pests  come,  and  en¬ 
deavor  to  “nip  them  in  the  bud,”  instead 
of  making  an  attack  upon  the  full-fledgetl 
insect  ?  After  a  few  more  millions  of  dol¬ 
lars’  worth  of  property  has  been  dcstrox'ed, 
perhaps  State  or  National  aid  to  ”  tho 
amount  of  h  few  thousands  can  be  secured 
to  enalile  a  commission  of  intelligent 
jiractical  entomologists  to  investigate  and 
report  niion  this  subject. 
A  NATIONAL  ILLUSTRATED 
ANDREW  S.  FULLER,  Editor 
ELBERT  S.  CARMAN 
Associate  Editor, 
X.  A.  WILLARD.  A.  M.,  Lillie  Falls.  N.  Y,, 
Eiiitiib  or  m*  Dipibtmi.vt  nr  Daibv  HuaniNnKV 
G.  A.  C.  BARNETT,  rnbllHlicr. 
TERMS  FOR  1876,  IN  ADVANCE, 
tNCLDDlNO  POSTAfiK,  WHICH  PUBLISHERS  PREPAI 
Sinaia  Uooy,  $2.15  pur  Yiiar.  To  <'|ubB;  KIre  Cop¬ 
ies.  iind  one  copy  free  to  Agent  or  gutter  up  of  Club. 
for$13.40;  Seruu  Copies,  and  onn  free,  tor  $17,20:  Tep 
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cents  estrii— or|;i.60in  all.  Dnifu.  Post-OITice  .Money 
Orders  and  Re/lsteroO  Lotlurs  luay  be  nmlled  at  our 
nsk.  riF* Liberal  Premluni«  In  all  Club  Agi  nis  nbu 
do  not  tsku  free  copies.  Spooiiuen  Numbers,  8b(iw- 
Btlis,  soul  Ireu. 
The  Drought. — From  Germany, 
Holland,  England,  Tridand,  and  some 
parts  of  Franco,  we  have  tho  same  news 
of  a  drought  which,  in  some  instances, 
has  Horiously  affected  tho  cereal  crop.  In 
addition  to  all  this  we  are  informed  that 
“  In  consequence  of  the  contiuuauco  of 
tho  drought  in  Cliina,  the  imperial  au¬ 
thorities  prayed  fifteen  times  with  groat 
ccreinoriy  for  rnim  As  rain  did  not  come, 
an  edict  was  issued  forbidding  the  slaugh¬ 
ter  of  animals  for  three  days,  it  being  sup- 
liosed  that  the  harmony  Ijetwecn  heaven 
and  earth  would  thereby  be  re-estab¬ 
lished.” 
ADVERTISING  RATES: 
Insldb.  14th  Hbd  lotb  pugesi  Apste  spunel.f’Oc.  per  line. 
“  lath  piipc . 70  ** 
Ootsldeor  iBst  pBue . l.OO  " 
Fifty  per  cent. extra  for nnuKua) diairlay. 
Special  NpiIoub,  luiidud,  by  count .  ,..1.26 
Euslne-*  "  t..yi  " 
Reading  ‘  ..,...,..2.0(1  *' 
Discount  on  4  Ipsenions.  Id  per  ct.;  n  Ins.,  1.5  per  cl.; 
13  ins.,  20  per  ct.:  26  lua..  35  pur  ct.:  52  Ins.,  per  ct. 
GF"  No  adTorttaeinent  Inserted  for  teas  than  $3. 
cry  passing  breeze. 
Wool,  beef,  buttcT,  cheese,  corn,  cotton, 
wheat,  aud  similar  staple  articles,  are  al¬ 
ways  in  demand,  although  the  price  may 
fluctuate ;  still,  the  producer  luiows  that 
they  are  necessities  which  no  freak  of 
fancy  or  fashion  can  rule  out  of  the  list 
or  drive  from  market.  Hold  on  and  be 
not  discouraged,  is  tho  best  jjauacea  for 
dull  times  and  low  prices  of  farm  produce. 
Address 
RURAL  PUBLISHING  CO., 
78  Duane  Street,  New  (fork  City 
HORTIOULTURAL  EDUOATION,' 
!Mr.  Parsons  in  his  interesting  article 
under  the  above  title,  published  else¬ 
where,  deems  ten  years  not  too  long  to 
acquire  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  land¬ 
scape  gimleuing.  It  is  a  truth,  however, 
that  while  a  great  majority  of  our  people, 
satisfied  with  iiroclaimuig  their  Jove  of 
flowers  aud  plaute,  are  not  willing  to  give 
the  time  uecesstuy  to  distinguish  by  name 
one  from  another,  or  any  rlionght  to  tho 
great  necessity  tliat  exists  in  tliis  money- 
grubbing  laud,  of  establishing  horticul- 
tunil  institutions  of  learuiug-  there  is 
little  need  of  tiic  tliorough  hnidscapo 
gardener;  little  encouiMgement  for  him 
to  permst!  the  v:i 
whicli  are  essential  to  a 
Holding-  lor  High  Prices. — As  an 
instance  of  the  disappointment  some  per¬ 
sons  are  liable  to  experience  from  holuiug 
their  prod  nee  for  high  prices,  we  note  that 
tobacco  planters  in  Ohio  who  refused  flc. 
a  pound  for  1874-75  are  now  selling  the 
same  stock  at  4c.  It  is  far  the  best  iiulicj’, 
take  one  year  with  another,  to  sell  u  croii 
soon  after  it  is  ready  for  market  than  to 
hold  it  over  a  season  and  run  the  risk  of 
loss  luid  still  lower  prices. 
SUMMER  VISITORS, 
I  About  this  season  of  the  year  manj^  of 
our  liural  friends  are  congratulating  tliein- 
selves  that,  tho  time  lias  arrived  or  is  near 
at  hand  for  their  relatives  and  friends 
from  the  city  to  wend  their  way  home¬ 
ward.  This  may  seem  to  be  an  extreme 
statement;  but  ite  truth  will  strike  di¬ 
rectly  to  the  heart  of  iiniiiy  an  overw  orked 
farmer’s  wife  and  lUiughhus  who  generally 
have  to  bear  the  brunt  of  Hus  annual  im¬ 
migration.  Not  only  is  it  a  pleasiuyj^,iH4d 
pJiyfiically  lirofilable  thing  to  do,  'tins 
going  to  the  country,  but  it  has  liecome 
tho  “fuhJiiou"  among  denizens  of  large 
cities.  And  what  better  place  is  there  on 
earth  to  go  to  than  Uncle  Henry’s  on  the 
faim?  Then,  too,  Aunt  Sarah  maltes 
such  delicious  pies  and  cakes,  both  so 
appetizing  after  the  sweet  home-made 
bread  amt  fat  poultr3%  And  eggs  aud 
milk  are  jilenty  and  cheap,  not  to  men¬ 
tion  the  fresh-made  butter.  Aunt  Sarah 
however,  has  the  other  side  of  the  picture. 
Uncle  Henry  has  just  begun  to  pay  off 
the  morlgage  on  the  farm  aud  must  econ¬ 
omize  in  evei-y  way.  Hired  help  is  too 
great  an  expoiiso  to  be  thought  of  so  long 
us  Aunt  Sarah  and  the  girls  have  willing 
bands.  Ho  would  like  to  give  the  gii-ls 
greater  educational  advantages ;  but  the 
SATURDAY,  SEPT.  2,  1876, 
DON’T  BE  DISCOURAGED, 
RURAL  BREVITIES 
aried  aud  expensive  cuurses 
comprehensive 
uuderstaiuling  of  this  noble  yrr. 
It  is  true,  ns  Mr.  Parsons  says,  that 
W'ealthy  people  are  ready  to  pay  §500  for 
a  piece  of  furniture  that  would  bo  as  truly 
beautiful  and  useful  at  fllty  ;  but  wlieii 
the  ganlen  mid  grounds  are  to  bo  laid 
out,  the  smallest,  meaue.st  nllow'anco  is 
made.  Trees,  shrubs  and  iluwer.s  are  se¬ 
lected  and  purchased  as  if  the  purclaiser 
were  blindfolded.  They  are  stuck  iii  the 
ground  here  and  there,  wirliout  fJie  slight¬ 
est  care  or  knowimlge  of  tlieir  forms  in 
maturity  or  tho  situaLiaua  in  which  alone 
the^  can  thrive,  fciich  plantations,  though 
it  18  true  they^  add  a  species  of  beauty 
and  liuish  to  the  home — since  trees  aud 
shrubs,  however  wretchedly  selected  aud 
distributetl,  are  objects  of  Beauty — must,' 
uevertlieless,  fail  to  afl’oid  that  lasting 
delight  and  satisfaction  which  an  educated 
taste  would  have  secured. 
Oiir  people  in  most  of  the  other  trades, 
arts  and  sciences,  are  tho  ijeers  of  older 
countries — but  in  ail  that  pertains  to  flor¬ 
iculture,  arboriculture  aud  landscape  gar¬ 
dening  in  their  every  branch,  we  are  piti¬ 
fully  behind — pitilully  indeed,  when  we 
consider  the  quiet  gratification,  the  inspir¬ 
iting,  exalting  effects — tho  moral  tenden¬ 
cies  of  homes  so  suirounded  with  verdure 
as  to  show  artificiality  in  its  studied  con¬ 
cealment  alone.  The  shade  of  frees,  the 
luxui’iauce  of  their  healthy  growth,  the 
beauty  of  a  pleasing  preseuiatiou  of  tlieii’ 
many  shades  of  green ;  choice  though 
never  profligate  displays  of  flowers— as 
concentrated  manui-es  must  in  measured 
qiiaulitios  be  spread  over  fields  of  soil — 
togethea-  constitute  one  of  the  most  fertile 
somces  of  life's  pui-est  pleasiu-es. 
We  w’ould  feel  proud  if  the  Bubal  Xew- 
Yobkeb  could  be  made  instrumental  in 
cultivating  a  love  of  this  art  proportionate 
to  the  enlightenment  of  our  people  in 
other  brunches  of  tasteful,  usetul  ami 
moral  learning ;  and  pursuant  to  such  an 
aspiratii/ii,  onr  first  aud  di-eplj-  re.spectlul 
request  would  bo  that  oiu- scores  of  “Bu-  ' 
ral”  uiuneBakos  would,  under  their  head¬ 
ings  of  “Floriculture,”  “ liLudscape  Gar¬ 
dening,”  “^Arboriculture ”  aud  “Horti- I 
Geo.  Grant  of  Victoria.  KaiisaH,  will  exhibit 
some  lino  live  stock  at  the  Ceateimial. 
Mas.  CiiKsswELL  will  greatly  oblige  us  hy  giv¬ 
ing  her  street  muubcr ,  hs  letters  lah  (o  reach  ncr. 
Seably  as  often  as  once  in  tla-ee  years  a 
drought  can  coufidently  be  expected,  and  jet  its 
euimug  hiuls  oveiyhody  unprepared  for  the 
emergency,  which  is  now  almost  a  periodic  cer¬ 
tainty. 
Sales  of  Short-Horns  this  season  show  no 
failing  oil  iu  the  general  appreciation  of  the 
breed.  The  domuuu  for  them  in  Japan  is  likely 
to  open  a  new  market  and  aid  iu  keeping  up 
prices. 
Tul  Canada  P’ai-mer  says  it  has  heard  nothiiig 
hut  favorable  repoils  of  tho  ••  Gold  Medal 
Wncat  ’  this  beasou,  and  wo  should  be  pJeaBtd  to 
hear  from  the  readers  of  the  Rukal  Kkw-Youkeb 
iu  regiud  to  tliis  variety. 
SuBSCEiBEBs  will  ploase  accept  onr  thanks  for 
tho  many  kind  expresbioiis  of  commendation 
which  wo  are  daily  receiving  through  the  mails 
and  also  our  assurance  that  tho  Rubal’s  watclr- 
word,  *•  ExcELeiOB,”  shuli  be  constantly  before 
our  eyes. 
Tins  loss  txj  the  French  vineyardists  this  year, 
tlirough  the  deia-edations  of  the  Phylloxbra,  or 
graijo  louse,  is  eetimated  at  $27,U0U.OU0.  A  re¬ 
ward  of  i^bO.OOO  is  offered  by  the  Freuoh  Gov¬ 
ernment  for  a  cheap  aud  efficient  deotroyer  of 
tins  pest. 
Whether  to  plant  this  fall  or  to  wait  until 
next  spring,  is  a  question  that  soon  must  he  de¬ 
cided.  Wo  again  remind  our  readers  that  the 
opportunity  to  plant  Centennial  liees  is  last 
I  drawing  to  a  close — an  opportunity  that  will 
probably  not  occur  again  in  some  time. 
Some  of  om'  readei's  may  remember  that  a 
grain  was  advertised  and  distributed  in  1870 
under  the  name  of  ”  Montana  Rye;"  the  same 
thing  is  now  offeretd  by  certain  i>ariies  as  “  Ne¬ 
vada  Rye.”  Wo  should  be  pleased  to  hear  from 
any  one  who  has  had  experience  with  this  grain. 
The  weekly  press  now  seem  to  be  following 
in  the  Bubal's  wake  uptm  tuo  treatmont  of  Ag- 
rioultm-e  at  the  Centennial.  VS'e  notice  that  tev- 
eral  sleepy  contemporaries  have  aotiiAly  discov¬ 
ered  that  Something  is  wrong  m  PiiiudoJi)hia. 
Go  ahead!  friends!  Poih.ips  by  ItlTH  .'/ou  v.ill 
discover  that  there  existed  such  an  iio-tUutiou  as 
the  "  Centcuuiiil  Dairy  Ring.” 
WmuiE  is  Europe's  hoartted  civiliwition,  V ben 
Turkey,  uudw  its  immediate  nose,  i»  peiniitted 
U>  cxeroiso  brutality,  cruelty  and  lihrbaiity,  in 
its  tServiau  war,  of  a  kind  wliicdi  noutd  j  ut  to 
hlUbh  llio  most  ferocious  North  American  tav- 
age  ?  Tortures  which  tho  tieudish  ingenuity  of 
the  old  Spanish  Inquisitors  never  dreamed  of  are 
said  to  l>e  not  the  excejitiou  but  the  rule  with 
the  Turkish  soldiery. 
country  been  placed  in  a  more  peculiar 
and  anomalous  position  than  they  find 
themselves  at  tins  time.  There  is  an 
abundance  of  all  ilie  necessities  and  luxu¬ 
ries  of  life,  for  there  never  have  been 
greater  croifs,  taking  the  whole  country 
together,  than  in  this,  our  Centennial 
year  ;  in  fact,  the  great  sliip  of  agriculture 
seems  to  be  so  heavily  laden  that  there  is 
no  known  power  at  this  moment  capable 
of  giving  her  a  rapid  motion.  Wo  have 
no  occasion  to  “go  do3vn  to  Egyjit  for 
com,”  as  our  grauarias  are  full  and  enough 
to  spare  ;  but  the  horn  of  plenty  appears 
to  be  full  the  country  over,  hence  cus-  1 
tomers  are  scarce. 
This  state  of  afliiirs  is  certainly  some¬ 
what  iiTitating  to  those  who  have  money 
obligations  to  meet ;  but  it  is  better  than 
