426 
FEB.IB 
^failing for % Jjomtg. 
DAISY’S YEAR IN SOUTHERN CALI¬ 
FORNIA. 
ALICE I’. ADAMS. 
Live-Oaks and Ollier Tree*. 
“I had an Idea,” said Daisy one afternoon, 
“ that there were woods all around you. On the 
contrary. I see there are very few trees on the 
Alhamhra that have not been planted." 
“Yes," replied Mrs. Erman smiling. “ before it 
became civilized the Alhambra was a nearly tree¬ 
less plain. There were a few scattering live oaks, 
but nothing else relieved the barrenness. A little 
north of us, however, you will 11 nd plenty of oaks. 
At Pasadena there la a fine grove on the slope of a 
hill, and In Wilson’s canyon there are grand old 
trees wreathed In wild grape vlneB. Violet, we 
must take Daisy through the canyon the next 
time we go to Pasadena.” 
“Very well, mamma, well remember and go 
that way. But Daisy need not wait till then to see 
a live oak. Ours in the cornu Is nearly as large as 
any In the. canyon. Come on and see It." So out 
of the house the girls skipped Into the dellghtrul 
March Bunshlne. 
“ There were six oaks on the place,” violet ex¬ 
plained, “ butflveof them were out in the orchard, 
and papa was afraid they would lDjure the orange 
trees, so ho had them cut down, and we have only 
this one left.” 
“This one” was a handsome, well-proportioned 
tree with spreading branches, standing In the mid¬ 
dle of the corral or “ barnyard” as Daisy insisted 
on calling It. 
“I don't know what we would do without this 
tree. It Is so nice and shady for the horsrs In 
Summer.” 
“ What makes It so even on the under side ?” 
asked Daisy. “ It looks as If It had been trimmed." 
“Ha, hi!” laughed Violet, “It has been 
trimmed, but the old cow did the priming! She la 
very fond or the leaves and young branches, and 
mp 3 them oil as rar as she can reach.” 
“itdoesn’t look at all like an oak tree. The 
leaves are so small and such a different shape. 
Does It have acorns?” 
“ Yes,” answered Violet, “ but they are longer 
and more pointed than common acorns. The 
horses like them very much, and will follow me 
all around the corral If 1 hold out an acorn to 
them.” 
“ Why should the tree be called a Hue-oak?” 
“ I suppose because it is never bare. The old 
leaves stay on all Winter, and fall In the Spring 
after the new ones come. The old leaves are fall¬ 
ing now ; In a few weeks they will all he gone, 
and the tree will be twice as preti y, the new leaves 
are so bright and glossy and free from dust.” 
“What do you call those tall slim trees?" In¬ 
quired Daisy, pointing to a row that surrounded 
the corral fence, 
“ Those are Eucalyptus trees; people commonly 
call them “Blue Gums.” The leaves have a pe¬ 
culiar odor; come and see if you like It.” 
Daisy picked a lew and presented them to her 
nose, but dropped thorn quickly while her nasal 
member assumed an expression of august. 
“Ugh! Isn't it horrid ? I shouldn’t want those 
trees very near the house 1” 
“ Oh, 1 have become so accustomed to It that I 
don’t mind the smell; papa uses the leaves for 
rheumatism and I believe he thinks they are a 
panacea for every 111. But do you notice, Daisy, 
the two kinds of leaves on the tree?” 
“ So there are. I was taken up with that de¬ 
light ful perfume, and didn’t think of anything 
else. Why should there be two kinds ?” 
“I’m sure I don’t know, only such Is the case. 
The lower leaves, which you see are rather broad, 
are the growth of the first year or two; while the 
long slender leaves do not appear, usually, until 
the tree Is about two years old.” 
“ How old are these trees, violet ?” 
“ A little over three years old, and you seethe 
tops are way above the oak tree. Papa planted 
the seed the Thanksgiving Day alter we came. I 
think the Eucalyptus t rees grow faster than any 
others, and that Is probably the reason so many 
are planted.” 
“ Violet 1” called Mrs Erman, “ where are you ?” 
“ Out here by the mrrai," answered violet. " We 
are talking about the trees.” 
“ Well, Daisy, it you want to see something beau¬ 
tiful, come here and look at my pepper tree.” 
The girls walked toward the house. “ I wanted 
to ask about that tree,” said Daisy, “but every¬ 
thing Is so Dew, and 1 have asked so many ques¬ 
tions that I should think you would be tired of 
answering.” 
“ Mamma Is always ready to talk about pepper 
trees,” Interposed violet; “I believe she likes 
them better than any others.” 
“ Yes, 1 do,” said Mrs. Erman, “ orange trees not 
excepted, Noi king can he more graceful than a 
fine, well-proportioned pepper tree, its red ber¬ 
ries, drooping branches, and delicate leaves, which 
sway In every passing breeze, have a charm for 
me that no other tree can give.” 
“ I always admired weeping willows, but this Is 
a great deal preti ler,” said Daisy. 
“Yes, and U has an advantage over the willow. 
This Is an evergreen, while the willow looks most 
desolate In Winter when stripped of Its leaves." 
“Do the berrleB always come In the Spring?” 
Inquired Daisy, reaching up to pick some of the 
crimson beauties. 
“No," replied Mrs. Erraan, “If you were to ob¬ 
serve a row of street trees, next to the one bearing 
berries you might And one laden with the small, 
white blossoms, and very likely, the next might 
have green berries." 
“Do the pepper trees glow as fast as the Eu¬ 
calyptus trees? You see, perhaps, we may come 
to California to live, and then we shall want to 
know all about these things. 
“I wish you might all come, dearohlld. No, 
THE RURAL MEW-YORKER. 
the pepper trees do not grow as fast. This was 
planted at the same time the Eucalypti were, aDd 
you see It Is not more than hall as tall. Still It 
grows rapidly compared with trees In the east. 
Now, Daisy, whenever you feel like It, go down In 
the orchard, and ask Mr. Erman about the orange 
trees. He can show you the different varieties, 
and tell you about them much better than I can.” 
—To be continued. 
— — - — 
FARMING BOR BOYS AND GIELS-NO. 12. 
HENRY STEWART. 
Coin]i out*. 
No farmer ever yet had enough of manure. It is 
the trouble of every careful farmer to supply 
this want which never can be satisfied In the usu¬ 
alway. He gathers from swamps, from woods, 
from roadsides, and every other source that he 
can reach, and the muck, the leaves and the 
scrapings which he thus collects, he works up Into 
composts In such a way as to cause them to decay 
and become fit for plant food. The term com¬ 
post Is derived from a latin word compos (turn 
which means put together and expresses precisely 
the action of the farmer in this business of mak¬ 
ing manure of substances which alone would be 
of no value to him. The effect of this action de¬ 
pends upon a natural law the result of which Is 
the conversion of organic substances Into their 
elements. This process is what we know as de¬ 
cay or decomposition. The meaning of the word 
decomposition Is, a taking apart of a compound 
substance. It Is always accompanied by heat 
which Is always produced by chemical action and 
decay or decomposition Is ihe effect or chemical 
action. Decomposition Is In fact a slow process 
of burning as much so as ir fire waere used 
to produce the result. The final effect Is the same 
In both cases, the mineral matter or ash only be¬ 
ing left. 
When the farmer forms a compost he gaihors 
these substances and makes them Into a heap, 
and to hasten the end which he has in view he 
adds to It, evenly mixed through the heap, a cer¬ 
tain quantliy of frei-h manure. This begins to 
heat very soon, and Just as the yeast mixed with 
the bread sponge of the baker, starts the fermen¬ 
tation through the whole mass, so the small 
quantliy of manure starts the heat and fermenta¬ 
tion through the whole of the heap of the com¬ 
post. But to produce the best effect thero must 
FIG.105. 
be a cerl ain supply of moisture, for unless there 
Is sufficient water In the mass the process of de¬ 
cay will not go on. Dry matter may be pre¬ 
served, and will not decay, for many years; and 
until it. Is moistened with water It will suffer no 
percepilble change. The compost heap must, 
therefore, be made of such a shape that It will 
hold as much moisture as possible. 
It 1 b usually put up about four feet high and as 
long and broad as may be convenient, with the top 
made flat and holtow to collect and hold the rain 
which falls upon It. Lime Is often add< d to com¬ 
post heaps aDd Is very useful, because It helps to 
decompose the vegetable matter m them and makes 
the compost fit for use sooner than It would other¬ 
wise be. 
The usual time for making compost heaps Is In 
the Fall, so that there may be ample time during 
the W inter for It to be made ready for the Spring 
work, By carefully gathering and saving all the 
materials mentioned, and working them up Into 
composts, the quantity of manure may easily be 
doubled and the crops enlarged In proportion. One 
load of well-made compost may be as useful as the 
same quantity of common manure, and as It is al¬ 
ways in a well broken and fine condition. It 1 b tbe 
most valuable fertilizer that can be procured for 
spreading upon gnus lands. 
Composts may be greatly em lched by the addi¬ 
tion of the manure from tire poult ry house, by tbe 
wastes from the house, and by ground or burned 
bones. In this way very valuable manure may be 
made for gardens or fruit trees, If nothing else can 
be procured for the basis of It, than common soil. 
The soil Is an excellent absorbing material for the 
richer qualities of the other substances, which by 
themselves would he too strong and rich for use. 
in making a compost heap the farmer first spreads 
a quantity of the coarse materials, such as Bwamp 
muck, leaves and sods, on the ground, ct an even 
thickness, but more thau a foot la depth. Upon 
this Is spread some fresh manure, well broken up 
with the fork; then a layer of the coarse stuff and 
some lime or wood ashe3 may be mixed with it. 
Upon this more manure is placed, and then me 
heap is finished with some coarse stuff and some 
manure mixed together. The topis then leveled 
off and hollowed so that tbo rain ihat falls upon It 
will remain and be absorbed. The above engrav¬ 
ing shows the right shape for a compost heap. 
--- 
A PROPOSITION. 
I am sure there are good letter writers among 
the Rural Cousins, and there are, doubtless, some 
young artists and mechanics among them also. 
Now In order to bring out this “ latent talent," 1 
propose to give a nice book ol poems as a prize to 
the member or our Club, who, within three months, 
sends the best drawing (outlines simply) of any 
useful or ornamental farm or household article. 
If the diagram represents something lnyented by 
the one who draws It, this fact will be taken Into 
consideration In awarding the prize. A descrip¬ 
tion must accompany each drawing, clearly ex¬ 
plaining the construction and use of the article 
represented, and accuracy in drawing must be the 
alra. The diagram and description which best 
fulfill all conditions, will be Inserted in the Rural, 
over the name of the successful competitor. Now, 
hoys and girls, sharpen your pencils and your wits 
and let’s see who’ll win the prize. Uncle Mark. 
abljat| limbing. 
SERMON OF THE SNOW. 
LETTER EROM THE COU8IN8, 
Dear Uncle M ark l have long wanted to Join 
the Horticultural Club, so If you will let me I will 
do so. I like so much to read the letters from the 
cousins about their flowers and pets, My mamma 
had a good many flowers last season, such as roses, 
hollyhocks, phloxes, portulacas, geraniums, Ac. 
Pa takes the Rural, so we got the seeds that you 
sent us last Hprlng. But we had bad luck with 
them; the dry weather caused all of the flower 
seed to perish after they were planted. The oats 
were very fine, but the telephone peas did not 
amount to much on account of the drought. One 
of the cuthbert raspberries lived. We were so 
much disappointed In not saving the magnolias 
and Dutchman's Pipe, as we expected to have an 
arbor over our front door made of the latter. I 
hope we will have bettor luck the next time. We 
have some pets also, our big dog Carlo Is very 
wise, We can send him to the house (If we are In 
the field) any time w6 want him to go. He will 
carry a large basket or bundle anywhere we want, 
him to; he Is very good matured. Pa has a colt 
that used to open the kitchen door every ume we 
let the string of the latch be on tbe outside. She 
would put her head into the door and beg (In her 
way) for salt or bread, which the children would 
give her. Kitty used to have t o keep the string ln- 
Blde to have any peace while at her work. 
We have on our place an old stone chimney 
which is nearly 300 years old. The fireplace ts so 
larje that we can sit In the corners of It, while the 
fire Is burning, It would hold half a cord of wood, 
it ts called Powhatan’s chimney, and was built by 
old King Powhatan, by order of capt .John smith, 
the same who had his life saved by the young and 
pretty Pocahontas. My little cousins can read 
about these things In the history of our oouutry. 
l’a has an old history that gives the account, of 
the building of the chimney and everything about 
It. A good many people come here to see It; It Is 
considered a great curiosity. Claude Irwin. 
Hayes Line P. O., Gloucester Co., Va. 
Dear Uncle Mark.— We live In the Rocky 
Mountains about firty miles from Denver and 
South Park railroad. Papa takes the Rural and 
we Uke it very muoh, especially the letters I am 
very fond of gardening hat I leave my little sis¬ 
ter to raise most of the flowers as she likes them 
so much. I am very fond of hunting and fishing. 
I have a Winchester rifle with which 1 killed my 
first deer last Fall. We have some wild animals 
about, sometimes the wolves and mountain lions 
come around the house at night, but we do not 
often see them. I am thirteen years old and 
sometimes have considerable work to do. 
Charley M. Taylor. 
Deer Valley, Park Co.. Cal. 
fujjkr. 
HIDDEN FISHES. 
1. Buckle on your sword. Fisher. 
2. The price of the sheep she added. 
3. Even Turnbull pouted. 
4. Juno saw a perl wink. Leon’s Mythology 
says so. 
5. in Connaut I lustrous silks did wear. 
0. Why, Poll 1 okra Is a vegetable. 
7. I care not a white-Kf Is hateful. 
6. Drink is a sad evil, Fisher. 
9. To write in this hubbub, reams of paper 
would be wasted. 
10. This pawn eases the power of the knight, and 
I checkmate. 
11. This quill is useless. 
12. Helstarf is her husband. 
13. ’Tls a resne kernel. 
14 . The line is too taut, Ogden. 
15. Let Eatace and Fanny go. 
ig. With rash Ervmg I joined the club. 
IT. I’ll tell Torp, Ed only teases him. 
is. I have the third ace and queen. 
19. Simon Arwha left school yesterday. 
Answer In two weeks. Little Onb. 
A QUADRUPLE CROSSWORD ENIGMA. 
My first Ism Mlchllllmacklnac but not In Onton¬ 
agon; 
My second Is in Choctawhatchez but not In Living¬ 
ston ; 
My third la In the Adlrondacks but not In Lehigh; 
My fourth Is In Enlscorthy but Dot In High. 
My whole are three counties of Michigan and one 
of Florida. L. 0 . 
Answer in two weeks. 
CHARADE. 
The whole Is discordant, 
The last Is to sound; 
That the first Is a vessel 
I’ll surely be bound. 
nr Answer In two weeks. a. 
WORD SQUARE. 
1 . A mistress. 2 . A genus of Trees. 3. To design. 
4 . The osprey. “ Gus.” 
nr Answer in two weeks. 
-—»— 
PUZZLER ANSWERS-Feb. 5. 
Square Word.— 
N A 
A N 
O N 
Charade.—A lley-gaiter. 
Double Crosswords.-Q 
With the softnciw of silence, unceasing, though slow. 
In the low, leaden light comes the crystalino snow. 
80 untiring it rwem's, so Impartial withal. 
And so obii*;toning to all that it touched in its fall 
It appears mb if dropped by the kind Father’s hand 
As a mantle of charity over the land 1 
While its thick woven webs hide the Giver on high, 
Every stain on the earth is concealed from the eye; 
And ro bounteous the beuison to mortals below, 
From the earth to the sky there seems nothing but 
.snow; 
Since the sweet boon of Charity, nevor alone. 
But in multiplied blessings is dropped from the 
throne, 
80 the snow that to-day robes the earth in the pride 
Of a blooming roung maiden arrayed as a bride, 
Will to-morrow be tern by the boreal blast; 
Will be worn by the wanton south wind wooing past; 
And it* beauty bo lost and whiteness undone, 
By the light, loving entile and warm kiss ol the sun; 
Then, reaolved luto tears—as the new life is found— 
It will faithfully serve the great need of the ground. 
And at length, in the roundn of the fleet-footed hours 
Como to bless us again in the birth of the flowers? 
-- 
A SUNDAY AT VERONA, 
It was 011 a rainy Saturday towards the end of 
September, that a party of English travelers ar 
rived at the venerable town of Verona, In North¬ 
ern Italy, intending to spend the Sunday there. 
The guide-book had mentioned that there was 
Protestant service held In the town, and this was 
in itself au Inducement to choose Verona for the 
Sunday’s resting place; for the uncertainties of 
traveling Incline one to embrace with special 
readiness all opportunities of public worship. 
Upon Inquiry It proved that the Protestant ser¬ 
vice spoken of was In connection with the Italian 
Vaudols. The next day was gloriously fine and 
bright, as towards mid-day we set out on our quest 
for tbe Vaudols church. The sun beat down 
fiercely, but it was only In the open squares that 
onebecamo aware of Its full power, the Darrow 
streets and projecting roofs affording elsewhere a 
grateful shelter. On we went, for some considera¬ 
ble distance, passing under the shadow of the im¬ 
mense amphitheater, that glorious old building 
which for more than fifteen centuries has stood 
overlooking the city. Now, the crannies of the 
massive flrey stones are beffig filled up with tufts 
of the little common maiden-hair—an Innocent¬ 
looking covering enough tor a building originally 
destined to such savage uses as an amphitheater. 
Passing through one or t o streets we found 
ourselves In a narrow alloy, on the right-hand 
side of which was an archway leading Into a gar¬ 
den. We mounted the stairs, and at the top found 
ourselves In a not very large room, fitted up some¬ 
thing after the manner of a lecture-room, with a 
platform at one end and rows of desks facing It. 
Here some thirty or forty people were assembled, 
belonging mainly, to judge from their appearance, 
to the respectable middle classes. Whole families 
were there-fathers, mothers, and children. The 
occupants of one of the Eeats readily made room 
for the strangers, and placed at their disposal 
some of the Bibles and hymn-books with which 
each seat seemed to he amply provided. 
The absence of all ornament whatsoever, the 
austere plainness of the room, was In striking con¬ 
trast with the Romanist churcheB of the town, all 
of them highly decorated In some form or another, 
but one or two of them going to a point of elabor¬ 
ate tawdriness unusual even In continental 
churches. One could wcU understand that ifco 
excessive attention paid all around them to the 
externals of worship, should have driven the 
Protestants to the other extreme of excessive 
simplicity. 
in a few moments the pastor entered and took 
his place at the raised desk, from whence he began 
to read aloud Psalm cxvlll,, the congregation dili¬ 
gently following in their Bibles, A long extem¬ 
pore prayer was then offered up, the congregation 
all standing for this, and sittlng during the sing¬ 
ing of the hymns, as Id the French Reformed 
Church. 
A chapter horn the Second Epistle to Timothy 
was then read, and after another hymn had been 
sung, the pastor began Lis sermon. Taking his 
text from the chapter just read. “ The Lord know - 
eih them that are his,” he drew outat some length 
the difference between the •* sons of God” and the 
“ daughters of men.” Calm and quiet when first 
he began, his kindling cnlhuslatm showed Itself 
in voice and manner; his utterance becoming 
more rapid, his gestures more Impassioned; reach¬ 
ing a climax at the end of a sentence and subsi¬ 
ding into quietness, only to rise again as before. 
The close of bis sermon was tender and beautiful, 
as he depicted the blessed security of those sheep 
upon whom the Shepherd hath set His seal, that 
seal which causes Dim to know them for ms own 
whatever the sorrows and cares lo which they may 
he for a time exposed, file sermon ended, the 
pastor once more prayed, first for the nation and 
for all In aulhorlt y, and afterwards for the spirit¬ 
ual welfare of all men, and more especially of 
those now present, that they might receive for¬ 
giveness of slnH and he fulfilled w it h all heavenly 
ble&sirgs. one more hymn brought the short ser¬ 
vice to a conclusion, and then a buzz of conversa¬ 
tion arose, as friends greeted friends, and the 
pastor began to speak to one and another of the 
little congregation. 
Slowly we left the shady up-stalrs room, and 
passed out Into the bilUlant sunbhine, carrying 
with us lasting memories of the earnest, simple 
worship of those “ two or three” gathered together 
In the name of Christ. f. a. 
-♦♦♦- 
Those old people whose blood has become thin 
and steps feeble are praising Hop Bitters for the 
good they have done them. 
