246 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 9 3 
etroykr. —ornithologists and Entomologists are 
always most properly and sensibly urging upon 
people tbe duty and necessity ot protecting the 
birds Tn fact when any destructive InRect ap¬ 
pears in overwhelming numbers, tbe good offices 
of our feathered friends would seem to be almost 
our sole dependence for protection from their rav¬ 
ages. And yet our laws and usages are singularly 
defective, regarded simply from a se’.fl D h point of 
Yle W _leavlng bwnaniry entirely out of the aues- 
tlon Bu’’h n matter is constantly forcing Itself 
upon public attention, and gradually we shall 
make laws which ought, to have been upon our 
statute books from the foundation of the Govern¬ 
ment,, To the meantime let. us all, who have this 
subject at heart, keep on "preaching ” until this 
glnrl ius end Is achieved. The observations I have 
b^en able to make during a residence of several 
years on a farm have convinced me that tbe com¬ 
mon house wren is really one of our most valu¬ 
able birds, not, perhaps, for wbat they have 
donA. hut from the possibilities wrapped up In 
their diminutive bodies. They are quite as social 
as the purple marlin or the bluebird, and greatly 
surpass both ot these In tbe rapidity with which 
they Increase. J began several years ago to pro¬ 
vide them with nesting places in the vicinity of 
ray buildings Sometimes T fastened the skull ot 
a horse nr ox. or a small box. In a tree top. But 
latterly I have made It a practice every Spring to 
obtain thirty nr forty cigar boxe*> for tbit purpose. 
It the box is long and large, I put a partition 
across the middle and make a hole through Into 
each apartment. It Is very seldom that theae 
boxes are not occupied by one of theae little lam- 
illes. l n most Instances t wo broods arc annually 
reared In each nesting-place. One of my boxes 
last season turned out three broods of young wrens 
_six little hungry blrd3 each time, or eighteen In 
all! I think a cigar box n»ver before did better 
duty—Am. Naturalist for April. 
Tub Atlantic Monthly.— Contents: The Por¬ 
trait of a Lady, XXl.-XXIV.; Concerning Dead 
Dove; What we .earn from Old Aryan Words; 
The Longing of Circe; Friends, a Duet; Voltaire’s 
Bcbool Days; The Wives of Poets, IV.; Her Ghost; 
Tito New Sunday; Sonnet; Reminiscences of 
Washington, XL—Tbe Ftlmore Administration, 
1650-1853; secrets; The British Philistines; John- 
ko'j’s Garrison, and other Biographies; The Last 
state ot English Whlggery; A Century of Dis¬ 
honor; Two German Novels; The Contributors’ 
Club; Books of the Month. 
English ignorance of America.— One striking 
trait or British Philistinism Is Ignorance of other 
countries, and chiefly Ignorance of America. To 
the Philistine this Ignorance Is Ills most cherished 
Intellectual treasure. He guards It carefuUy, and 
plumes himself upon It. To enlarge and confirm 
II, he reads the travels ot other Philistines In 
America, and tn some cases visits the States him¬ 
self to return with a confusion of mind and per¬ 
version of fact upon the subject which Is the occa¬ 
sion of protoundest self-congratulation, and which 
makes him for the remainder of his life an oracl ?■ 
upon American affairs among his untraveled 
friends and neighbors. Let me frankly confess, 
however, that a like Ignorance and confusion In 
regard to England among natives ot other coun • 
tries is sometimes courteously assumed by the 
Philistine. Some years before my visit, to England 
a pretty sweet-mannered, although not. very hlgh- 
cuss, Englishwoman waa telling me. with ineeyes 
and the voice of a dove, of something that had 
happened in Manchester; and then with gentle 
condescension, she added, inquiringly, “ You ’ave 
•card ot Manchester?” I said that I had, and she 
was satisfied. There are little courts and alleys 
Id London which are called mews; and l was kind¬ 
ly informed by one or two rrtends. as we passed 
some of them, that mews were places for the 
keeping of hawks In olden time. It was Impossi¬ 
ble even to laugh at Instruction so kindly gtven; 
nor did I tell my good leachera that any school-boy 
twelve years old In Ameilca knew that as well as 
they did. 1 he elegant and very clever woman who 
r ecommended me to read Kenilworth before going 
t.o sec the castle displayed this same sort of Pblils- 
llntsm. Wbat need ot telling her, either, that 
school-boys In America read KeDtlworth 1 -Rich¬ 
ard Grant White in April Atlanllc. 
mem \ 
poem; Life-Assurance does Assure; Young Man, 
Go West; A Laodicean, a novel; The Gateof the 
Orient, a poem; Editor’s Easy Chair—Editor’s 
Literary Record; Editor’s Hlstoileal Record; 
Editor’s Draw er. 
Fia. 1ST. 
Hamper's Magazine, — Contents: The Green 
Mount alna In Sugar-time; An English Cathedral, 
Arthur Gilman; Indian Education at Hampton and 
Carlisle; Italian Life in New York; My Farm In 
Switzerland; Art Embroidery, Alexander F, 
oakey; An Artist’s Reminiscences, 1. George; 
PatrolllDg Barnegat, A Poem; Milwaukee; Anne, 
A novel; Two StormB, a story; The Indian Camp, 
a poem; Darwinian Diversions; Vernal Faith, a 
fig. taa. 
Indian Education in Virginia.— The effort has 
been lor a natural, all-round growth rather than a 
rap’d one. Books, of course, are for a long time of 
no avail, and object-teaching, pictures and black¬ 
boards rake their place, with every other device 
that. Ingenuity Is equal to, often ou the spur of 
the moment, to keep up the interest and attention 
of the undisciplined minds that, with the best In¬ 
tentions and strong desire to know English, have 
small patience for preliminary steps. A peripa¬ 
tetic class was thus devlBed to relieve the tedtum 
of t he acbool-room and had, to speak literally and 
figuratively, quite a run. It usually began with 
leap frog, and then went gayly on to find Its 
" books In the running brooks, sermons In stones.” 
etc. Geography Is taught with molding sand and 
Iron raised dissecting maps; arithmetic at flist 
with blocks. The IndlanB are particularly fond of 
each, and t he advanced class Is quite expert In 
adding up columns of figures as long as a ledger 
page, aud equal to practical problems of every¬ 
day trade and Blmple business accounts.—Helen 
W. Ludlow, lu narper’s Magazine for April. 
Oob Little Ones —Contents: The Rain-Wagon; 
Fruits of the Tropics; Willie’s Carrier-Pigeon ; 
The Robin’s Song; The Bright Cent; A Good Fit; 
A Sail in a Tub; "Rats!" The First. Snowdrop; 
What a Big Man am T1 The Light-house; So 
Strange! The Shepherd; What I do Every Week; 
Bobby’s Blunder; The Spider and the Wasp; What 
Sainrny’B Monkey Did. 
This is one ot tbe prettiest magazines ot Its kind 
that we have had the pleasure ot seeing. The lit¬ 
erary portion Is appropriate and tUe illustrations 
finer Uian usually presented for oblldlsh apprecia¬ 
tion. Every article is accompanied with an Illus¬ 
tration. 
—-- 
0. JUDD’S ENDEAVORS TO BE THE NEXT 
COM. OF AGRICULTURE. 
Thou«and» of Circular* Sem About the Country 
Soliciting People to Write nt Once to 
the Pretddent Indorsing him. 
Tun following Is one of several letters that have 
come to us inclosing certain documents which 
Mr. O. .Judd is circulating about the country : 
Editor Rural New-Yorker, 34 Park Row, New 
York. 
Sik The inclosed circular which 1 received to¬ 
day, explains Uselr. 1 presume hundreds of thou¬ 
sands or them have been distributed. 1 think I 
"stmTl a mice." No wonder the A. A. has bo much 
fault to find with the Department and with 
Le Due. 1 would suggest that you mall this circu¬ 
lar to the President, if you have not already, it 
will show him huvv peculiarly fitted Mr. O. J. Is to 
pull the wires. Respectfully, 
Waverly, N. Y., March 25. ••• 
We make the following extracts from one of the 
circulars referred to: 
New York, March 25,1881. 
Dear Sir:—Y ou doubtless well know that the 
Department ot Agriculture at Washington has 
thus far been ot ltd le use, often worse than use¬ 
less, to the farming tnteres's of the country. A 
number of veiy Intelligent farmers and others In¬ 
terested tn agriculture have urged Mr. Orange 
Judd to allow his name to be presented for the place 
of commissioner of Agriculture, to act at least 
until the Department could be re-organlzed and 
placed on a tauter basis... 
Word has Just, come to me from Washington 
that the President seems disposed to make such 
appointment it it Is desired by the more intelligent 
farmers umi others of me country. 
if you agree with rue In the opinion above ex- 
pi> s.Y'fl. w m you please write at once a brief letter 
to the President ot tne United States, Washing¬ 
ton, D. C., uillug him in your own way that you 
recommend (highly, strongly, or otherwise, in 
your own words) Mr. Orange Judd of New York, 
for uommlRhouer of Agriculture and request him 
to make the appointment. A bo get as waDy 
others to write, or Join you In writing, as you read- 
liy can It la preferable that me requests come 
directly from the people In their own language. 
As several persons, in my opinion,wholly unfit for 
the place.are strongly pushing for the uppolntmenr, 
who claim It as a *• reward for political services,” 
and are using all aorit Of political lnlluenoe to se¬ 
cure It, it is highly aesiraoie to nave the above 
request go forward from yourself without a clau'x 
delay. Respectfully, 
George tuuhbkk, Editor, etc: 
We have no comments to make upon the above 
and are quite willing to aid Mr. Judd In its further 
circulation. 
-♦- 
A dramatic editor of a French paper had occa¬ 
sion recently to criticise severely tne performance 
of a somewhat popular actress. Shortly after¬ 
wards the lover of the young lady met the jour¬ 
nalist. In the theater, and presented him with a 
package ot goose-qulBs. “ This, sir,” said he, “ Is 
a present from Mias X.” " What I” exclaimed the 
critic, “ did she tear all thoee out of you herself ? 
How you must have suffered I” 
#or Mflittfu. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
DESCRIPTION OF CUTS. 
Figs. 197 & 198—Sleeveless Jacket; Crochet. 
Materials required: Three-quarters of a pound 
black double Berlin wool, one ounce scarlet Shet¬ 
land, bone books (Nos. 9 and 13.) 
This Jacket Is suitable and comfortable to be 
worn during the cold weather under the loose 
cloaks that are now so fashionable, and no diffi¬ 
culty will he found In shaping It a paper pattern 
Is cut the exact size, and the work placed upon It 
from time to time, to see where the increase and 
decrease Is necessary. The pattern Bbould he cut 
to fit tightly, as crochet stretches very much. The 
Jacket consists of four pieces-two for the front 
and two for the back; It Is worked lengthwise; 
only one pleat Is necessary to form the waist. 
With the Berlin wool and hook No. 9, four stltcbee 
and three worked rows form an Inch, so that no 
difficulty will be found In calculating the number 
of stitches required. Commence at the armhole 
with twenty-five stitches for an ordinary-size 
Jacket. 
1st Row: One double Into each of the chaln- 
stltcbes one chain, turn. 
2nd Row : Oue double Into each ot twenty-six 
stitches, one chain, turn : continue to work In tblB 
way, Increasing one stitch at the end or every 
row, until you have worked down to the waist, 
then work as many chains as are required to reach 
the bottom of Jacket—about thirty Stitches will be 
required ; work on all the stitches, still Increasing 
FIG. 199. 
oneln every other vow at the shoulder until you 
have worked to the top of the slope, which Is In 
all about fifteen rows. 
Now commence the fancy pattern which simu¬ 
lates the square collar, and Is worked as shown in 
the pattern Fig. 198. When within eleven stitches 
of the shoulder, work with the Shetlind and Ber¬ 
lin wool together two trebles Into each ot two 
stitches of the last row but one, one dou -le 
into eaoh of six successive stitches of last row 
but one, one double Into next stitch of last row. 
The following Is a plain double row 
In the 18th row: Work the pattern to simulate 
the collar as described in the 16th row, beginning 
the pattern eight Btltches nearer the waist. 
19th Row : Double. 
20th Row; Like 18th row. 
2 ist Row: Double. 
22nd Row : Like 18th row. 
23d Row : Work thirty double stitches only be¬ 
low the waist. 
24th Row : Twenty-five doubles. 
25th Row: Twenty doubles. 
26th Row : Fifteen doubles. 
27th Row: Ten doubles. 
This finishes the half-baok of jacket. The 
second half 1 b worked to correspond. 
The fronts are begun at the edge, amf worked 
towards the side with the pattern shown In fllg- 
ure 197. 
Make a chain Hie length required. 
1st How ; Oue double Into every stitch. Work 
as directed for the collar, with pattern shown In 
Fig. 198 untfi you have five rows worked. 
Continue the pattern. Increasing one stitch for 
the throat at the end of every other row. 
To Bhape the waist, pass over twenty-four 
stitches In the waist without working, work on 
the upper stltcnes to form the bosom of Jacket, 
through the double, so that It comes between two 
loops on chain of last. 
To make the button-holes up the right side ot 
front; when working the second row of point Mus¬ 
covite, instead of working the chain into the last, 
row, work two chain, pass over two stitches, and 
continue the pattern Into the next stlch; eight but¬ 
ton-holes are required. A crochet edge Is worked 
thus round the outl ne of fancy pattern on the 
bodice, and round the armholes one double Into a 
stitch, four chain, one treble into the first, pass 
over two stitches, and repeat. 
Figs 200 it 201.—Letter-Case. 
This case is made of dark 
ruby plnsb, cut in one piece, 
measurlug eighteen inches 
in length and five and a-half 
In breadth; the ends are 
turned up to form pockets 
three aDd a^half inches 
deep; the flaps measure 
two Inches deep ; they are 
of gold-colored salln to cor¬ 
respond with the corners; 
an embroidery design Is 
worked on one flap; the 
case la edged with ruby and 
letter-case. gold cord, and Is tied with a 
fig. 201 . fancy ribbon. 
Fig. 199-Cushion-Cover : Embroidery. 
This cover measures eighteen Inches square; 
tne foundation Is dark ruby plush ; t he embrold 
ery for the corners Is worked with crewels on 
silk canvas, which 18 appllqned to the foundation 
under embroidered bands of moire ribbon ; the 
cover Is finished by a tassel-frlngo with netted 
heading, 
Fig. 202—Roman Apron. 
The apron la o f crash, embroidered with cross- 
stlich border In green aud blue silk; the ends are 
finished with fringe, made by knotting lengths of 
silk Into the material, and the apron Is tied behind 
with wide ribbon. 
Mrs Senator Logan has never tasted wine; at 
a dffiner given to Prince Arthur, some yearesince, 
she declined It, and at, the recent lunch of a cab¬ 
inet lady she was the ODly one of twenty-five who 
was abstinent. She has brought up her children 
to share her feelings in the matter. 
Note.— The usual amount of space allotted to 
women has again been encroached upon, and the 
question arose:—Cuts or no cuts—more or less 
matter ? We have decided to put In practice the 
motto, Multum^tn-rarvo and thereby please 
varied tastes. R. c. 
--- 
CORRESPONDENT’S CORNER. 
Thanks —I’ tor one return thanks to Mary Wa 
ger-Fisher, for the hint In the Rural of January 
8, concerning scrap3 of silk and velvet, and bow to 
utilize them. As for silk and velvet I had none, 
hut I had a bag of scraps ot flannel; ot these I 
FIG. 200. 
and the lower for the basque. Commence each 
row four stitches farther from the waist each 
time, so that the plait may he gradually shaped, 
until you have seven pattern rows In the widest 
part; then work straight down with one double 
Into every stitch, decrease one stltoh at the be¬ 
ginning of every row to slope tbe shoulder and 
basque, until you have the width required at the 
waist; work the Dottom of this piece as described 
for the bottom of back. The other front la worked 
in the same way, but take care to keep the fancy 
pattern for the opposite side. 
Sew up the four parts on the wrong side with a 
needle and wool; three rows ot point Muscovite 
are worked round the Jacket and armholes. Point 
MubcovRb 1b worked as follows : 
1st Row: One double into a Btltch, draw up a 
loop through next Btltch, three chain. Repeat 
from the beginning ot the row. 
in the next row work up the three chain 
made a spread for my lounge to protect It, for the 
children love to play on It these cold days. Be¬ 
sides being useful It is very pretty. Malinda. 
I am thoroughly Interested In tbe Rural New- 
Yorker, have read It more or less since my child¬ 
hood, and write asking for Information. I will be 
as brief as possible. In the Issue of March 19th, 
Mary-Wager Fisher gives some of the best ot ad¬ 
vice to girls, hut one thlDg is left out; she speaks 
of possessing a cultivated voice, a well-stored 
mind, and the ability to express one’s-sell fluently 
and elegantly. 1 would like to have her explain 
what Is necessary to possess such a voice, and 
what books she would recommend to a mind not 
well stored, Many who have become mistresses 
of bou8ehoias desire to make the best possible use. 
or the few Bpare moments they have for reading 
and Improving, and also wish to urge their chil¬ 
dren to do the same. Yours with respect. 
Lake Co., Ohio. Improvement. 
Can you favor ub with designs for the border of 
rag mats ; they would be very useful and are often 
inquired for. a. j. c. 
We confess Ignorance and refer the above to our 
Rural sisters, some of whom, no doubt will be 
able to give description. r. o. 
Will you tell me how to renovate black silk ? 
Mrs. W. v. a. 
There are several ways of renovating black silk. 
Or e Is to dip tn a solution of coffee, anu press wit h 
a warm (not hoi) Iron, on the wroDg side ; another 
Is to dtp in a weak solution ol ammonia, and 
press as above. Still another 18 o sponge wlih 
weakened vinegar. The spoofing lu any ease Is 
better thau dipping, but of course not so quickly 
done. R. o. 
■, ■ - — - - 
Read of, procure and use Hop Bitters, and you 
wlU be strong, healthy and happy. 
