64 
JAW. 27 
PUBLISHER’S NOTICES. 
TO THE LADY READERS OF THE RURAL. 
SPECIAL OFFER I tiers to serve on tbls Commission, and on the same 
__ _ . . day Uie.Iustlces of thoSupi-emeCourtof the Firsts 
OF RARE PLANTS AND SEEDS Tl,lnl * Eighth, and Ninth Circuits (Who are Jua- 
all bo submitted, and any or all of them to which 
objection Is made by one Senator and one Repre¬ 
sentative, shall be referred to a tripartite Com¬ 
mission, to be constituted as follows: Bach Douse 
shall on Tuesday preceding the first Thursday in 
In addition to their salaries. Perhaps they felt 
the neM of extra pay for their extraordinary 
sendees in falsifying accounts and perjurlug 
themselves. In view of such an exposure, Sena¬ 
tor nixby'a resolution of Inquiry about life insur- 
February, elect by a vivavoce vote live ofltsmem- I ance salaries acquires special pertinence, 
bers to serve on tbls Commission, and on the same The English sparrows have deserted Boston 
day the,Justices of the Supreme Court of the First, and gone West. A resident of Cambridge, who 
Having a few choice plants now growing in 
the Rukal’s F.xpeiumkntai, Grounds, which 
we think would be desirable to some of the lady 
readers of the Rural New-Yorker, we make 
the following offer: 
Those who, in renewing their own subscrip¬ 
tion, send us an additional name (not already on 
our list) with the sum of $4.90 for the two, may 
select any two of- the following-named plants 
and a paper of the seed of the Molucca Balm. 
Those who roceivo these premiums can divide 
with their friends, or koep them all, as they may 
agree among themselves, ns our object in mak¬ 
ing the offer is to induce old subscribers to 
send ns now ones, thereby increasing our list. 
The plants and seeds offered are very choice, as 
will be seen in description given below. The 
plants will lie sent by mail free, and carefully 
packed and forwarded immediately on receipt of 
subscriptions. 
A bullion Houle dr Nefjje. — The beet of the 
Abut lions. Us flower- are large anil white. It 
blooint throughout the whole your and therefore Is 
alike desirable for the conservatory and garden. 
i Murln l.cmolne. — Among a hundred or more 
varieties of double-flowered f J claroonlutns, new and 
old, this is yet unrl vnled. The Individual flower, or 
n delicate rose color, as well as the trusB, are the 
argost of their elnss. 
Hydrangea, pitolcnliitu Grnniliflorn. So 
much has been sold of this new Japanese shrub 
during the past yea: that, little need be added now. 
It begins blooming In early August, continuing until 
after hard frosts. Hard}. 
Variegated Ainpelopsi* or Wilt hcterophylla 
parUytita.— We do not hesitate to pronounce this 
one of the roost attractive vines in cultivation. The 
leaves are deeply-lobed and variegated with white ! 
and green. Hardy. 
Jerusalem Artichoke.— Belie vlng that the Je¬ 
rusalem Artichokes are exceedingly valuable as 
food for all lands of fnrm stock, wo place them 
among our valuable premium plants. They will 
yield more hushnlB of tubers per acre than l ho com¬ 
mon p itato and we bellovo them more valutible for 
feeding purposes; besides the Artichoke will grow 
vigorously whoro the potato would full entirely. 
We will send one-hulf pound each of the Txing J’ur- 
ptoand Hound While, for each new subscriber as \ 
above, or one pound of the tubers oT either variety. 
Wo sbnl I store a quantity of the tubers in the cellar 
for srndlug out this wtntcr; but those of our sub- 1 
scribcrs who reside north of the latitpdo of New 1 
York City had better leave their plant premiums i 
In our bauds after the first of January until early i 
spring. We will, however, “book” all orders re- . 
eelved during the winter, to be sent st the earliest , 
possible moment. . 
tlccs Clifford, Strong, Miller, and Field), shall 
| meet and select a fifth Associate Justice of the 
United .states' Supreme Court to complete the 
tribunal. All members or The Commission are to 
take a special oath to Impartially consider all 
I questions referred to them, and to decide them 
I according to the Constitution and laws. The de¬ 
cisions announced by this tribunal are to stand 
as finalities, unless overruled by the concurrent 
action of both branches of Congress. 
LONG ISLAND SEALS. 
Thk following event occurred In Rockaway 
Hay. just opposite the summer residence of Mr. 
Thomas D. Carman, tiic father of one of our edit¬ 
ors. Wo can, therefore, vouch for the trusts 
worthiness of the report: 
An unusual capture In these waters, that of a 
plump and good-sized seal, wan effected on Mon¬ 
day last In East Rockaway Bay. Through the 
kindness 01 Mr. Thorn as c. Baedeker we are en¬ 
abled to furnish an account of the event, which 
Occurred Jn this wise: On the day designated 
two men discovered a dark object afloaton a large 
piece of Ice, ana, after careful observation, con¬ 
cluded, from the fact that the object moved, that, 
it must ol necessity be a seal. A gun was speed¬ 
ily procured, and one of the men. taking careful 
aim, shot the amphibious visitor, without mate¬ 
rially Injuring It. Rowing out to the seal, which, j 
niter being wounded, liaa dropped from the ice ' 
into the wafer, lho men secured a by a fill and 
Unved it, ashore. They subsequently shipped it 
to N ew York, where the seal la now on exhibition 
Hi the Aquarium. The length of his sealsblp is 
reported as being exactly 4 icet and 9 inches. 
-« « »-- 
HOME NEW8 PARAGRAPHS. 
Aclianla mnlvavisrus or Mnlvavlscu* nr 
borrus. Tlio flowers ure bright red, of a turban 
shape, two lDChos long. It bloom* Incessantly 
whetbor Indoors or out. in the conservatory it mar 
be trained so as to cover wood-work as readily ns a 
vine. Its growth Is so rapid that small plants set *ur. 
-In the spring will cover a space four foot in diame¬ 
ter by fall. As a plant for the sitting-room, the lit¬ 
tle care it needs, its perpetual scarlet flowers, con¬ 
trasting elegantly with Its golden-green, plush-like 
leaves—its endurance of dry beat and dust render it 
most pleasing and satisfactory. We commend this 
plant with confidence. 
Moliiccolln Inevls. — We will send, also, to all 
who are entitled to a choice of any two of the above 
plants, a package of the seeds of the beautiful Shell 
Flower, an account of which and an engraving were 
given in the KuuAL of Aug 17, p. 117. 
TERMS FOR 1877, IN ADVANCE, 
INCLUDING POSTAGE, WHICH PUBLISHERS CREPAV. 
Himde Copy. $3.60 per Year. To ClubsFive Copies, 
and one copy free to Agent or getter up of Club, for 
$11.25, Seven Copies, and one free, for $16.% Ten Cop¬ 
ies, and otfln free, $20—only $3 per copy. The above 
rates include postage (under the new law) to any part 
of tlio United States, and the American postage ou all 
copies mailed to Canada. On papers mailed to Europe, 
by steamer, the postage will be 85 cents extra for each 
subscription. Drafts. Post-Office Money Orders and 
Registered Letters may be mailed at our risk. I>r~ Lib¬ 
eral Premiums to nl) Club Agents who do not take free 
copies. Specimen Numbers, Show-Bills, Ac,. sent free. 
^tins of ijjt 0.01 fell. 
THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION. 
After weeks of negotiation and consultation, 
the joint Committee of the U. S. Senate and House 
have at last agreed to report a hill which appears 
to be satisfactory to both parties. An aeVustment. 
of the question which has paralysed the business 
of the country lor two months Is first In impor¬ 
tance, whichever way it may eventuate politi¬ 
cally. If the matter is treated with deliberation 
and calmness next month, we may once more re¬ 
sume our normal condition of settled activity. 
The provisions of the bill are substantially that 
both branches of Congress shall meet in t he hall 
of the Douse on the first Thursday of February. 
In case of only one return being received from a 
State It shall not be rejected except by n concur¬ 
rent vote of the two Douses. In case two or more 
couillctlug returns bare been received, they shall 
te The city of Salem In Oregon has adopted this 
original method of dealing with drunkenness:— 
When any person becomes lntemperately given 
a ' 1 o strong drlnk, a certain number or citizens may 
nj petition to have him declared a drunkard. The 
n petition Is directed to the City Recorder, who 
n- gives notice, by publication In some dally paper, 
>r that the person named In the petition has been 
w declared a “ common drunkard." After such no- 
r- tlce, It Is unlawnu for any one “ to give or sell to 
r " such person, or assist him in getting any wine, 
** spirituous ormnIt liquor." 
ir Big Lake, In irvvln County, Georgia, began to 
S. run out, about, three months since, at an opening 
w in t he bottom about the size of a. flour barrel, and 
is up to a short while ago ran down from a mile 
y wide and several long, to the dimensions of a few 
acres, when the whole country, far and near, 
1 came to witness the sight and get. fish. Every. 
body was supplied with nil they could carry away 
- or the finest sizes a nd qualities of the finny tribe. 
n The. basin now presents bluffs sixty odd feetdeep, 
* and will probably refill in tho course of a year or 
r two 
1 I There are 18,000 Israelites In San Francisco, five 
_ synagogues In tlio state, and three in the city. 
If cost, a thrifty New Hampshire husbandman 
. $ 11,06 to sell a t hirty-five pound stone in a baleor 
a | hay. 
t The strike ol the lee-men on the Hudson River 
3 Is at an end. The companies resumed work at 
houses hereabouts, with full force, and thousands 
of men and boys are now engaged In cutting and 
' storing ice, which is of the best, possible quality. 
| So eager were the laborers lor work that, about 
5 500 came from the surrounding country, many 
traveling as lar as 10 and 12 miles, ami leaving 
home the even!ng berore to been hand in time 
f or worlc In tho morning, it la believed now that 
me vigorous action or the authorities prevented 
violence. 
• There are no differences or opinion as to the 
’ fact that thtslsan unusual winter for this region. 
J 'Hie most striking features at present are the fre¬ 
quency of Its storms, the amount or snow, and 
tUe long contlnuauce of the snow on the ground. 
A steady low temperature, varying little from 
freezing point for many weeks, has been the chlei 
ractorl.ii retaining the snow. Another circum¬ 
stance which added largely to this effect was that 
the ground bud been w r ell prepared at first by 
hard trost, and that the earliest snow was fast¬ 
ened by rain falling with Hand freezing as It fell. 
The reformed drunkards of Chicago bade Mr. 
Moody good-by at a temperance tea-party at Far- 
well Dali recently. Half an hour waa occupied 
with devotional exercises, and, at. the suggestion 
of the evangelist, a permanent organization wag 
effected. The ladles passed around sandwiches 
and tea, and the reformed drunkards were quite 
merry over their cups. 
An Erie Railway train that stopped at Bing¬ 
hamton on Jan. 13, had a figurehead standlug in 
front, unaer.tho head-light, and covered up to the 
ears with snow. The figurehead stepped down 
and, walking bank to the tourth car, remarked to 
i the conductor, “Didn’t. I tell you I'd get here 
ahead of you’.”’ The young man bad been pul. 
off the oars at Waverly for not paying ins faro, 
and had surreptitiously climbed ro his post on the < 
engine. The conductor was beaten by tour cars’ 
lengths, , 
Each new revelation concerning the affairs of 1 
the Security life Insurance Company brings 1 
, deeper disgrace upon Its officers. The latest i 
report Is that they were accustomed to divide 1 
among themselves a percentage of the receipts 1 1 
- has had leisure to watch the birds, and has kept 
I food for them on bis premises ever since the first 
1 snow fell, observed a falling offol the attendance 
• upon bis dally collation last week, and on Sunday 
) he had only one partaker of his bounty. He also 
1 noticed that large gatherings of the sparrows 
i generally ended in a high flight and a disappear¬ 
ance of the flock iff the West. They were cvl- 
1 dently disgusted with the climate of Boston. 
, The commanders of our naval vessels have 
been instructed to make detailed dally records of 
all meteorological changes while at sea. 
Count Beust, the Austro-Hungarian Ambassa¬ 
dor at London, composed a waltz, “ Lc Rctourdes 
lodes," to express bis tremendous delight over 
the safe return of tho Princeor Wales from India. 
It Is about, to be published, and the proceeds of 
the sale will be devoted to tho relief of distressed 
Duogrlans In London. 
The Postal i ’nlon, begun two years Bgo,qirorn- 
Ises soon to embrace the entire civilized world, 
since Brazil has just entered the beneficent 
league. Those who labor for uniformity In coins, 
weights and measures may derive encourage¬ 
ment. from the success which has been attained 
in equalizing postal rates in Europe and America, 
Korthe past few days there bare been rumors 
circulated affecting Geo. Weils, ODe of our most 
highly respected citizens, and to-day tho charge 
Is made that Mr. Wells, who has been President 
of tho Fanners’and Planters’ Bank of this city 
tor BO years, Is a defaulter to the bank in the sum 
I of $05,000. Mr. Wells very unexpectedly resigned 
| bis position on Monday last. At a meeting of tbe 
stockholders held subsequently It was disclosed 
that he is a defaulter ru the sum named, ills 
resignation was accepted, and Alex. Randall was 
elected President in his stead. 
Fighting Indians with Indians does not seem 
to be always the best policy. Col. Miles, In bis 
report, tells bow Uvo or tbe principal chiefs of 
tho Sioux coming into the camp were killed by 
the Crow scouts employed by the Government, 
although they bore a flag of truce. This sudden 
outbreak of savagery prevented tbe surrender or 
a thousand men; but. it has a much more serious 
consequence In easting a si am upon white war¬ 
fare to which it, is hardly used, and adding 
another to the long list of wrongs which tbe 
Indians have suffered at our hands. For the act 
of these semi-sa vages will inevitably bo set down 
as the act of their civilized employers. 
Tho meanest man in America lives in Lodi, 
Ohio. He is a well-lo-do fanner, and bis mother 
lives alone. In a small house near bis farm. Do 
supplies her with fresh milk from his dairy and 
makes her pay font, hbe does not require much 
milk—only enough to dilute her tea morning and 
evening—a lew tablespoontuls a any. Ue has 
ascertained how many spoonruis a quart measure 
contains, and keeps count, of the number which 
she receives dally. When the quantity consumed 
approximates a quart, he presents his bill. Milk 
sells for three cents a quart in the town. 
A congregation of Roman Catholics In Romp, N. 
Y., has gone over in a body to the Protestant Epis¬ 
copal Church. Tho members are Germans, and 
the movement grew out of a quarrel with their 
priest. 
A wonderful temperance revival in Pittsburgh 
and that neighborhood, has made id ,000 converts, 
and the excitement, is growing. Ten churches 
are crowded nightly by enthusiastic meetings. 
The Rev. John B. C. Abbott Is believed to be on 
his death bed. Ue recently wrote a farewell let¬ 
ter to Ills former congregation in Falrhaven, 
Connecticut. 
The Fourfh-ave. cars, of which there are 336, 
make six trips each day, averaging $3.33 a trip, or J 
$eo per day (or each car. This brings the total ! 
dally receipts up to $6,720, and shows a carrying 
capacity of nearly 100,000 persons. 
Ontario continues to set a good example to the 
i other Canadian provinces, by maintaining effi¬ 
ciently her public schools, in the estimatps tor 
the current year the Government even augments 
the annual appropriation. 
The Berlin correspondent of The standard 
declares, notwithstanding the reports to the con¬ 
trary , that the Poles seem determined ro take ad¬ 
vantage of Russ La's difficulties. The North 
German Gazette states that the Powers whose 
Intel rnts are involved are paying greater atten- 
tlon to Polish aglutlon than heretofore. Russia 
has rescinded the ukase by which emigrants 
were enabled to return to Poland under certain 
I conditions. 
| A special dispatch ro The Dally News from 
Berlin states that negotiations have been ro- 
opened between Germany and France, and there 
is now a probability that. Germany will reconsider 
her original decision and agree ro participate In 
the Paris Exhibition in 1S7S. • 
The Government or India has forwarded a dis¬ 
patch to the India Office at London, estimating 
the total cost to the Btatcon accountofthe relief 
works and other measures for ini ligating the 
famine In Madras and Bombay at $32,500,000. 
Flower missions have been very successful in 
English cities. The late Lady Augusta Stanley 
toon a genuine Interest In a cultivation of the love 
of flowers among the poor, and among her hap¬ 
piest days were those when the Westminster 
flower show was open to the poor, close to the 
deanery. 
A dispatch to Reuters’ Telegram Company, 
dated Cape Town, Africa, Dec. 27, via Madeira, 
says: “Alarming news has been rcoelved from 
Zulu-land. The Eulu King Cettywayo refuses to 
permit, the occupation by British troops 0 f the 
territory’ which is in dispute between himself nnd 
the Transvaal Republic. He lias returned un¬ 
opened a letter sent him by tho British Envoy, 
and has assembled 8,000 warriors in the disputed 
territory.” 
•-- 
Million* of bottle* of Bcrnett’b Cocoaine 
have been sold during the last twenty years, and 
the public have rendered the verdict that It Is the 
best hair dressing in the world.—AX 
-- 
SEMI-BUSINESS PARAGRAPHS. 
Tbe t limn x Ciotlie* Wringer has a Purchase 
trca?. I t turns with half the labor of other wrlDg- 
ers. Canvassers can do well in selling it. See ad¬ 
vertisement on next page. 
THE MARKETS. 
PRODUCE AND PROVISIONS. 
New York. Saturday, Jan. 20, 1W7. 
Dint* to FHitM’Rits.-raek produce «s firmly ns 
It* tin turn allow*; ntlierwlso tunny Hem* suffer In 
Appearance,|f not m quality, through me jostling 
Incident to transportation, no not mark phcKdiihh 
who any material tlu«t will smudge. A Rood t„n„t 
for iimiklmt purpmms can be made of biebiomme of 
potash and extract of logwuOd. Nailed crods are 
very laser 11 ro. Sorbing lino* of goods auaiklng 
Pluto or iinimi I* preferable innr.imury lettering at 
i the tune of shipment put a complete list ol the Int 
| Into one of me pucxagai. ini can le dine: hut bn 
*ure to mull to consignee a tub list, fuming dutn 
style of imcknxe* and contents. Aim to have each 
parcel or ro norm quality as far ro. possible; mixing 
Hlwuyx injures side. Boll uniter rimum be vmioued 
In clean white muslin. Dressed poultry shouldbo 
packed In well shaken dry strsw When luulirv 
sweats In Poxes »Lr»w-iUm ptvc&a mean look Break 
off-null points from lho inside ol out battels when 
they are used In ordur to nrovem properly from tear 
init. Short out dry slruw is better tor packing cites 
than anything else. Try snd avoid the srrivsl liern 
of summer items on Sulurduv. 0 
Bkxns SND Pkab.—T ha quotations for the stan¬ 
dard sorts urn still In buyers favor, compared with 
» fortnight ago. ’lho offer log. Inllerl, ha 8 been 
somewhat larger, uidiudlngtuudiuins lnmiha Wert 
We can hardly eall thw market weak. m, afidranv 
item shades off in puces these rimes. It Is oiffleint 
to run It, bank to any upper point it bus held. 
Holders of strictly choice mediums ami pi Hue 
bright, exporting marrows, express 1 onfldenee about 
them There in really no wlinWalo demunrt lor Pea 
or Kidney*; the light supply oFthnn.bijwever h„ida 
rates about where they were fo, rpeniiH w unis’ Can 
“dnio peaania nominal. Green peas have u steadier 
position. B. H. puna drm. 
FOREIGN NOTES. 
The defeat and surrender of Iglesias’ army leave 
Gen. Diaz In almost undisputed control of the 
Mexican Republic. Disturbances continue in So¬ 
nora, but they do not seriously embarrass the 
Dictator, it Is now In the power of Gen. Diaz to 
hold an orderly general election, and thereby es¬ 
tablish the coming administration on a popular 
basis. In order to do so he ought, m the first 
place, to annul tbe proscriptive decree by which 
some of tho worthiest Mexicans are debarred from 
being candidates. 
A dispatch from Berlin dated Jan, 16, says the 
Princess Maria, sister of the Empress and wife of 
Prince Charles of Prussia, Is dying. 
Official returns show that 63 Conservatives have 
been elected to tho Reichstag. The Conservatives 
will consequently be able to elect the First Vice- 
President, whe has hitherto been, chosen by the 
Progressists. The members elected are classified 
with regard to their attitude toward the Empire, 
as follows:—Supporters of the Empire, 194 ; op- 
posers, 133. 
A telegram from Pesth says a correspondent, of 
the Pesth*r Lloi/ds had an interview with Midhat 
Pasha, and reports that the Grand Vizier had tje- 
clared in the most positive manner that he would 
never accept an international commission or for¬ 
eign control over the appointment of Governors 
under any form whatever. 
Baron Edward de Rotlischlld has just purchased 
at auction a curious piece of furniture, covered 
with plates of Seyres ware, for seven hundred 
thousand francs, 
choice. $3.66®2.70 
Beeswax.-I tecelpt* are small, and holders firm at 
30X@.12c. lor Wi-stern and Southern. 
Butter.—S upplies begin to iirrive in larger vol¬ 
umes. hut the rate ofZO.UOO pkps. per week w ould not 
be deemed heavy if we v, ere enjoying «n old-fash- 
lonml winter s trade. It 1 - the snroe old an.ry - fine 
qualities urliing readily and other gn.de* drecging* 
and from the present outlook li would be unsafe to 
predict any better future this reason. Buyers of 
medium to good table butter have hud such lone 
and favorable access to Western, much above the 
avtiriigf grade, that the wbtindout common grades of 
State nave not hud any show in the limited trade of 
the season. Western in not now turning out ns de¬ 
sirable as it was. r.nd this may turn more trade to 
the accumulated Star* Buyers of this class hnvc.been 
taught low prices this winter and if they move State 
to anv extent, sellers will have to meer them with 
even further concession in prices than the recently 
eased up oDes, Tbe lack of life in the wholesale 
trade Is strongly expreseen by the late presence of 
full dairies. The extreme vo-day u «5c. for best 
dairies with the late tubs on. while the comm, n 
11 wlde ranee. Firkin dairies or dairies 
with the best tubs broken off. also hffvb 20 .-, for the 
starting pom* and seldom exceed 29c. Boll butter is 
dull except for selections. Exporters »retaking lust 
enough, to keep up the spirits of tellers who have 
been ao largely favored with British trade this »ea- 
hitn J iie »re the »Vfeed ouotations 
Hnowlnjj tile wer tendency Of beveral important 
grades. 
Htnte damps, with tub*, choice, 2U&3Q; i?ood to 
JliwSf* lair 10 tfood, iMiiii to fair, 
dMirlifs. tirldns, choice. 27&»SSt;. (rood to 
nnme, 25®)27c.; fair to good. 23®25c.; pour to fair. 30 
®<!3c.; very poor, llffllUe. Western creamery, select 
invoices, .i8c.; good to prime, 33®3Cc.; fair to good, 30 
