£tH E ‘ 
m a ^ i k¥i jTi -i laa a 
precisely like Tom. There was a whisk and a 
snap and away went puss with poor Frizzle In her 
mouth and we could not catch her though we 
raced half across the pasture. So we never saw 
Frizzle again. 
great, busy metropolis, to know something about 
the obelisk or Cleopatra’s Needle, which has lately 
been erected in Central Park In this city. It may 
seem strange that a great stone of red granite 
about to feet in length and seven feet square at 
the base, gradually tapering till It ends at the top 
In a small, pointed, four-sided pyramid, should be 
called a needle, but such is the name by which It 
Is known. This Needle was erected at ileltopalls 
about 3000 years ago by Tbolhmes III., one of the 
ancient Kings of Egypt, but from that place It was 
taken by Augustus Ctrsar, the Roman Emperor, to 
Alexandria where Cleopatra had formerly lived. 
It was a trophy of Cmsar’s victory over the kings 
of Egypt. 
“ now did It happen,” some of the children may 
have already asked, •• tliat this huge stone weigh¬ 
ing over 200 tons was brought over to America.” 
Well, this was the reason for It: 
Our American Consul, knowing tliat Mehemet 
Alt, late Khedive of Egypt, had a peculiar liking 
for America, thought he would ask him for one of 
the many obelisks in his kingdom, but he did not 
suppose that, the great Cleopatra’s Needle would 
be the one given. But sure enough, the Khedive 
proposed to give us this one. Ina^puch as It stood 
right on the shore of the Mediterranean, and was 
in danger of being undermined by the waves, 
The Khedive said he would give half the money 
required to remove It, If the people of Alexandria 
would give the other half, but this they would not 
do. Mehemet All being much displeased at this, 
made up Ids mind to make the great obeli-k a 
present from the oldest nation of the world, to the 
youngest. When his intentions were made known 
In America, one of our wealthy citizens said fib 
would give $75,000 to pay for the removal as soon 
as the huge stone was erected In Central Park. 
But, Lieutenant-commander Gorrlnge, w ho has 
brought It safely over the waters to 1W destlna 
tlon, has done all this thus far at his own expense, 
and he deserves great credit, for It. Wc can hard¬ 
ly imagine what a wonderful undertaking It has 
been to remove such a heavy body from Its founda¬ 
tion away on the shorts ol the Mediterranean, 
lower It. Into a great vessel, transport It across the 
sea, uuload it by cutting a great hole In the vessel 
tu rough which to drag It our, and after 98 days 
from the Ume of landtng, place It In an erect posi¬ 
tion In Central Park, but all this has been success¬ 
fully done, without Injuring or defacing the obe¬ 
lisk at all. Uncle Mark. 
A CHILD S SATIRE 
LETTER FROM THE COUSINS 
Children want always the “ truliest" things. 
The things that come nearest to life: 
Grown-up and real; for—Sweet tittle things 
They believe in the world and his wife. 
Katie wanted a doll Tor her Christmas this year, 
A doll that could do something grand ; 
“ Not cry; that’s for babiesnor might it suffice. 
That she simply could sit and could stand. 
“ And I don't care for eyes that will open and shut, 
“ You did,” " Well the care is all gone, 
“ lv’e seen ’era enough, mamma; I want a doll 
With hair that taken off and nuts on." 
Besides the largest and most complete genera 
stock of Fruit nn l Ornamental Trees hi the l nltcd 
States, we have iho ploiiMiro to offer the following 
Choice Noveltiest APPLES. It"! BteOghettter, 
Stump. SUttou Me..uty. 1'IiA It Souvenir du Con 
grem P<!tlU! Ms4i*Kllt 1 rtt4>, Airoult. JrfcAl'll K“*—™ a 
r.Tloo, I’onkhng. (1 If A PM-*.—Monroe, Rochester, 
Ladv Weshlngi.m. STKA W UK It l< I !■>.—Sliarpless 
amlottiers, Ai.-o, tin- best new fieetctuonsOrnamental 
Trees and Shrubs, Kvei groyns, etc. We always secure 
the best novelties u i home and abroad, and all who 
intend to plant should uot fail to run suit our fata 
logueK. which contain full descriptions of all tne new 
and old fruit and ornamental trees worth having. 
Priced Cnrnlneiie* sent ns follows: No. j, 
Fruit* with plate, IA ets, * plain, 1 • els. Ko.2»Orna 
Dear Uncle Mark For 12 long months I have 
promised myself to ask admittance to your Horti¬ 
cultural Club, and be enrolled among the cousins of 
the grand old Rdral. Pa has taken the Rural for 
the last year, and among some hall-dozen or more 
papers, that he receives (several of which are agri¬ 
cultural), he and all of the family look more eag¬ 
erly for the coming of the Rural than any other, 
and the first question asked on returning from the 
post- office on •• Run al’s dayas we call It, Is, • • has 
the Rural come?" it ts literally impossible tor 
us to get along without It. I love to read the cous¬ 
ins’ letters, and even Pa reads every one of them. 
Won't you remember me, Uncle Mark, when you 
dist ribute seeds, Ac. this year 7 I will get Pa to In¬ 
st ruct, me, and Iry how well I can do with them, 
lie is all the time experimenting with some new 
kinds of seeds or plants, and 1 tell him thathe doc¬ 
tors his plants more than he does his patients. 
Mary Lee StqnSbaokek. 
FARMING I OR BOYS AND GIRLS—NO. 13 
ELLWANGER & BARRY, Rochester, N. V, 
HENRY STEWART 
How Plants Grow. 
One of the most wonderful thlng3 In nature Is 
the growth of a plant. We take a seed and hang 
It by a thread to the cork of a bottle which con¬ 
tains water, very close to the water, but not touch¬ 
ing It, and as it absorbs moisture It, swells and 
soon pnt.8 out a tiny rootlet and afterwards a spire. 
The rootlet seeks the water and the spire reaches 
upwards Into ths air. The rootlet, at first, seems 
to he a single slender thread, but the human eye 
is unable alone to see of what this thread Is com¬ 
posed. Although It Is so small that a hundred of 
them laid close together side by side measure but 
one inch, yet by the aid of a powerful microscope 
we can easily make It to appear several Inches 
thick and then see Its whole structure. The 
farmer’s boy or girl who owns a microscope of even 
a very cheap kind Is. as it were, supplied with a 
new eye, by which some most wonderful and beau¬ 
tiful things can be seen; and there is nothing 
more Interesting to a young student than the 
study of growing plants. By examining, then, the 
tiny root which starts from a grain of corn sus¬ 
pended by the thread, we find It Is made up of 
what are crHled cells, and first we will see what a 
cell Is. Although very small and lnslgnffioant, 
every living plant and every animal Is wholly 
made up of cells. Oue of t he lowest In the scale of 
plants is the yeast plant, or which the yeast used 
iu making bread consists. If we examine a small 
quant tty of yeast under a microscope, we can see 
the plant growing. We And It to consist or what, 
are called simple cells: these are verj r small, round 
bodies which contain a fluid surrounded by a thin 
membrane, and are shaped something like eggs. 
Eacn one contains a central germ or nucleus In 
Dear Uncle Mark:-i have never written to 
you, but will try and see what I can do. I am 10 
years old. host May I planted a half bushel of 
potatoes and raised io bushels from them; l also 
raised citrons, beans, beets, etc. l have a Holstein 
yearling; his head and shoulders and hind parts 
are black, while from his shoulders to Ids hips Is 
white. This gives him the appearance of being a 
black calf wearing a white blanket. His name Is 
“ Ellsworth.” Very cold weather commenced hero 
Nov. 21 st, and we have not had a thaw since. 
Traveling is good, and that makes business lively, 
especially lumbering. My cousin, George w. In¬ 
graham, was one of the mail agents who was 
burned at. Tioga center recently. The post office 
and firemen s hall are draped In mom nlng for him. 
I have lots of tun coasting this Winter. 
Binghamton, N. Y. CHas. W. Ingraham. 
BUSINESS OF ROSES. SO LARGE HOUSES 
for ROSE? alone. .We deliver Strong P<’t Hants, 
suitable for inmici.lia.to btoqni, mtfc'V by mail, postpaid, 
at all i>oat ■offices, 5 splendid varicaps, your choice, 
nil labeled,for SI: 12 for 82 ; H> for $3; 20 for S4; 
35 for 85: 75 for 310; 100 Tor 813. Wo Cl YE 
AWAY,in Premiums and Extras, more ROSES 
than most establlshmonts grow. Our NEW CUIDE, 
aeomplc.tt Treatise on the Itnse.ld j>p. elraantlij illustrated, 
Over 1 .>00 distinct varieties. All MronK Plant*, 
t-noli labeled, delivered safely by mail. Larues,! nssorl- 
nt,'lit. Low prices, Inbrensss 27 years, Onarantec 
salt'net too, Slock oomprieps <itl dnarcud* varieties. Only 
i i ■ ' . ; • • | i! iim i Maiwl-Boolt, 
M<Tit tiwi, contain* name and description at each plant, with 
in*| t ii.fi 01 lb ft >f t-nro 1 --1 cl I'Vilttvaf on. Votdtpifrchaf.e plants 
. before ■ rnrliti'l I’ 1 " Lr tj A R3R• Dllfli II 
Alllnvyrsof fiairn-s should fiuvnour EinilH DUvn 
Every buyer of cheap plan’s stuinld have it. B very one want¬ 
ing tkhj and chair* plan’s „liMild send for Mi;r Hand-Book. 
HOOPl'S, BROTHER .V THOMAS. 
Cseiiby Hill NuiiaBnUfs, W*wt Chester, Pa. 
Dear Uncle Mark : If you were less obliging 
your numerous nieces would not trouble you so 
often for favors. Will you please give me the ad¬ 
dress of cousins Anna Crouse and Estelle B. Hun¬ 
ter, whose letters appeared In the Rural of Dec. 
23,18S0? Please remember mo in your free seed, 
distribution for 1881,1 wfll try to have better luck 
with my seed this year than I did last, cousins 
don’t you think we ought to unite and make Uncle 
Mark a present on his next birthday as a token of 
our appreciation of his klndne.sa ? Will sosno of 
the cousins make some practical suggestion ? 
Kusselvllle, Ala. Alma Allen. 
rAnna Crouse’s address Is Doylestown, Wayne 
Co., Ohio, and Estelle B. Hunter’s ts Southington, 
Hartford Co., Conn. Alma is exceedingly kind but 
Uncle Mark Is content to take the “will for the 
deed.”—U. M.] 
Dkar Uncle Mark and rural Cousins:—I am 
a little girl ten years old. I go to school and study 
Kay’s Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, and read 
In the Fifth Reader. We live In a small village on 
the B. & o. R. R. The school house Is on the sec¬ 
ond lot from our house, We had a vacation dur¬ 
ing holiday week. 1 have a real Uncle Mark, and 
If you are as full of fun as he is i would like to see 
y ou. We have u jolly good time whenever my Un¬ 
cle Mark comes to sec us. He makes every body 
laugh, whether they want to or not. 
I have four pets: a cat, a white rabbit and a pair 
of canaries, l would like to Join your Club, for 
1 am a great lover ot flowers. We have a great 
many flowers in Sunmer, but not very many house- 
plants this Winter. If this does not go in the 
waste basket I will write again. Your niece, 
Marshall Co., Ind. Florence A, Emerson. 
TOM AND FRIZZLE 
Established less. 
■nUTCHESS NURSERIES. 
,U Small Pratt Menu* a Specially. 
TbUTCHESS SEED STORES, 
A/ xonc unt Tested Seeds sad out. 
MAUDE MEREDITH. 
Tom had the sharpest claws, and the wickedest 
teeth of any cat l ever saw. 
“ What a treasure,” all the neighbor's said, 
when Tom would deposit an old rodent or fat Held 
mouse just ou’slfle the porch door, and he was al¬ 
ways bringing t hem, so you see he had lots of com¬ 
pliments. But Tom never thought to be vale. He 
was very wise any way and could be talked to so 
much ; 11 he did not understand all we said he did 
some of It, for when we bought Dick, a beautiful 
German canary, we told Tom all about It, and he. 
never offered to catch the bird, but would drive 
all other cats out of the yard; first send them 
spinning, and how the cats would go over tbeback 
yard fence when he skurrled after them ; and we 
always thought It was to save Dick. 
I think the most wonderful feat, he ever per¬ 
formed was to catch a chicken hawk. 
Wonder how 7-Tom used to enjoy sitting 
upon the fence, and watching the little chickens. 
When ho was small, he tried to catch one, and his 
mistress, to teach him better, pounded him on his 
head with a new tin paD. I guess It did not hurt 
much, but It made an awlul noise, and ever alter 
that he would shake hla head whenever he sa w 
chicks, climb up somewhere, and sit and look 
down. So this day he was up on the end of a pile 
of boards, I presume out of sight, for the hawk- 
pounced down,and had Just set Its sharp talonsinto 
the poor chtck, while there was a great fluttering 
and screaming all over the poultry yard, when 
down came Tom, great heavy fellow that he was, 
and set his teeth into the back of the hawk’s neck. 
Brother Charlie saw It all, and ran out and 
helped Tom. 1 made a little duster ot the long 
white hawk feathers, and saved It in honor of 
Tom’s bravery. 
But he could also be gentle and kind, and when 
Frizzle came, he took him for a play-fellow and 
never harmed so much as a hair of his bushy tall. 
Frizzle you see was a squirrel, a little striped 
“Chipmunk,” that Tom brought In one day, and 
when Charlie said, “Tom 1 let me have your squlr. 
rel,” he let go of him, and off the little fellow rau 
like a flash, around the stove to where Charlie had 
just set his bools to dry, for It was a rainy day in 
Spring, hud down he went In one cf them. 
Then we sat an empty bird cage on the floor 
placed the boot In front of the door, rapped on ll, 
and away went chippy Into t he cage. 
lie was wild at first, and a little lame, for Tom 
had hurt him some, but he soon got well,^ and 
grew real tame. 
We called him Frizzle or Friz, and he would 
prick up his cunning little ears, and look- about 
when we called him. 
We used to set the cage on the floor, and let Torn 
see It; afterwards we let Friz out about the room, 
and In time he and the cat, would play together. 
And such fuuny places as Friz would hide In, but 
Tom would hunt him and with velvet paws give 
him a pat, to let him know he was found out, then 
l’rlz would whisk off with a loud ch-u-r-r, and 
scamper all over the chairs and sewing-machine, 
and once he ran out on the top of the bird’s cage, 
and scared poor Dielc almost to death. 
When Tom would curl up on the low stove- 
hearth In the kitchen and telgn sleep, Frizzle 
w'ould whisk over and over him and at last bite 
hla ears, for which he would often get a cull that 
sent him out Into the middle of tne floor. 
We kept Frizzle for a long time but one unlucky 
day he ran off over the garden fence Just lor a race, 
and went very near to a great gray cat that looked 
— Xonc nut Tested Seeds sent out. 
Combined catalog-ms free upon application. 
\Y T . L FEURIH, J fi.. Pnnulikeep’Hc, N. Y. 
office of Nnvseri’ and Need Store, uhi and 38 i Main St. 
ARE PURE, FRESH, TRUE TO 8ASV1E, 
iv.j\rr) n 33 XjIa.btj33. 
It will PAY you to send to c. W. DORR, Des 
Moines, Iowa, fur Ms new 
IOWA MANUAL, 
Published annually for free distribution. Contains 
complete list of choicest Seeds and Fruits for 
Farm and Garden, with descrip' tons and directions 
i‘o r cultivation, Besides many ml-celhvr-ous articles 
and much valuable lntoirnatlou for all, sent free. 
PLANT CELLS AND ROOT.—FIG. 108. 
which Its vital principle or life exists. As the 
plant, grows a new celt buds out at the end of the 
parent cell as shown in fig. a. until a string of cells 
is formed; when these break from each other, 
each cell begins business for Itself. This Is 
the lowest class of cell lire, but the highest plant 
or animal is made up of such cells, which, how¬ 
ever have a different method of Increasing them¬ 
selves. 
At llg. b. Is shown a part ot the root of a corn 
plant magnified tco.ooo times or too diameters. 
The cells of this are seen to he long and narrow. 
They have no separate life and do not Increase by 
budding, but by the growth of new cells at the 
extremity of the tissue. 
The tissue is the matter formed by the cells 
which adhere together In a mass and make up the 
substance of the plant. The cells contain water 
la which Is held In solution the substance of which 
new cells are formed, the food of the plant, In fact. 
The spire or plumule of the plant which grows 
upwards and which In time forms the stem, Is 
built up of cells in the same manner as the roots. 
It has been thought and said by persons who do 
not know, that the seed contains the whole future 
plant, of very small size, but fully formed and 
needing only to be enlarged gradually until It at¬ 
tains its lull size. This Is not correct. The seed 
contains the germ or t.he beginning of the plant 
precisely as an egg contains the germ or begin¬ 
ning ot a chicken. When the seed starts Into 
growth the cells of the germ enlarge and others 
are addPd to them, the young plant just started 
Into life feeding upon the substance of the seed 
which is changed by the moisture and the warmth 
of the soil from starch into sugar, which nourishes 
the growing cells and affords material for the 
structure of new ones. When the seed Is exhaust¬ 
ed, or all used up by the young plant, the new 
roots begin to feed upon the soil, and as new food 
is thus found new cells are formed and the plant 
grows by the addition ol these cells. In this man¬ 
ner ilie smallest blade of gTass, the perrect wheat 
or corn plant, or the largest tree grows and forms 
itself by the force of a law or plan which never 
makes a mist ake; the root grows downward the 
stem upward; the leaf, the flower and the fruit 
are all formed, each in Its own peculiar manner, 
by one of those unerring and mysterious, hut ever 
certain laws which are the woDder and the admi¬ 
ration ot the studious person, who will take the 
trouble, or rather who will enjoy the pleasure ot 
investigating the works ot nature. 
Dear Uncle Makk: — I received the seeds that 
you so kindly sent me. The flowers were beaut,1- 
tul and bloomed throughout the Summer. We had 
a great many roses also. The weat her was damp, 
so they bloomed a great deal. The musk melon 
did not, do so well. The fruit rotted before ripen¬ 
ing, but we secured a couple of Specimens and 
saved the seed from them, which we shall plant 
this year, when we hope for better success. The 
Winter has been very wet, and cold. This is the 
tlrai. Winter In several years that we have had 
enough snow lor sleighing. The snow Is all gone 
and the ice ts out ot the lakes now, and I will have 
to commence-work in my flower garden soon. 1 
savf to-day that the hyacinths and stars of Beth¬ 
lehem are peeping out of the ground- 
Norfolk, Va. 1„iluk 8 . Barcook. 
Dear Uncle M akk :-We all like the Horticultural 
Club first-rul e until It comes to the reporting, and 
t hat we don’t like one bit, for It one has been suc¬ 
cessful In growing the seeds and plants, It looks 
like bragging to tell about It, and if one falls to 
make them grow well, one hales to confess it. We 
received the seeds the first week In April, and all 
were planted In boxes except the mignonette. We 
had only seven plants ot the phlox, but the other 
seeds all did better. They were transplanted about 
the middle or May, and they grew uud bloomed 
beauiJfully all Summer. There were two or three 
of the portulacaa different from any we ever 
had. The Chinese Pinks were of great variety 
and very nice. So, altogether, they have given us 
much pleasure, for which we wish to thank Uncle 
Mark most sincerely. Irene M. Smith. 
Tangent, Linn Co., Oregon. 
Danvers Yellow Globe, White Portugal* 
Red Wethersfield* and all other varieties. 
Illustrated Catalogue rent freo on receipt 
of address on postal card. 
HIRAM SIBLEY & CO 
Rochester, N. Y. and Chicago, 5il 
NORTH STAR 
Seed Farms 
Fifth Annual Catalogue now ready, free on applica¬ 
tion. Former correspondents will bo served without 
application. The product, of there S< ed Farms, the 
inORt Northern in America, have established beyond 
controversy the grout oixanlc law "that the. lurlher 
North seeds are grown, the earlier their products will 
mature. 1 ’ 
Our St. Paul Tomato, Early Minnesota Sweet Corn. 
Rod River of the North and Hunaw Corn^Pure Scotch 
Kjrfe Wln-al (eeed stock). Carrots, Beets, OutOUB, Min¬ 
nesota Amber Sugar Cane, and nearly everything in 
Vegetable Lint, cannot be equaled in America. 
Tlio Seed Grower 
IS THE LKG1TJMATKSKED DEALER! 
T. M. JUUTi AliF, 
SEED GROWER ANE JOBBER. 
8 T. PAUL, MINN. 
Dear Uncle Makk: I do not know whether you 
are related re all the readers ot the Rural or not. 
But l wiah that you would be tny uncle long 
enough, t.o tell me whether a young lady with a 
tew ucres of ground within three miles of Phila¬ 
delphia could make hop growing pay. and If there 
lb anything I could read on hop culture! If you 
will be kind enough to enlighten me, I will be very 
much indebted to you. Helen. 
[Although hop culture has not paid very well 
for a few years past, 1 Bee no reason why It should 
not be fairly remunerative in the location ot which 
you speak. You can obtain a little book entitled 
“ Hop Culture ”or the American News Co. of this 
city. Price 30 cents.—U. M. 
CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE 
1 ARUIT TREES by Mail.—Small Apple, Peach, Cher 
1 ry, Plum, Apricot, Ouince, etc., packed to carry 
safely. Postpaid bv mail. Send for prices. etc. CHAN. 
BLACK ,V BKO., Village Nurseries, Hightstown, N. J. 
To produce real genuine sleep and childlike re¬ 
pose all night, take a little Hop Bitters on retiring, 
Perhaps It would be Interesting to the 
rural cousins who live far away from the 
442 
THE B y B AL 
FEB. 26 
