becoming, to a considerable extent, the bone and 
sinew of the country. 
While at Crystal Springs, some three weeks 
einco, I was introduced to a colored man who 
came to town for the purpose of selling his 
cotton, and in conversation, learned he had 
made twelve bales of cotton this year, that ho 
was the owner of 260 acres of land, of mules, 
oxen, wagons and other farming appurtenances, 
all of which were paid for, and ho out of debt., 
with his twelve bales of cotton ahead, Thin is 
one instance of tho success of the uegro, coming 
under my own observation. 
As i passed from town to town, and harnlot to 
hamlet, I noticed with peculiar interest and 
pleasure, the thriving condition of the entire 
country. The quiet inland town of former days 
that know no excitement beyond the usual ar¬ 
rival or departure of a four-horse stage coach, 
or a visit by some traveling circus, has given 
place to many thriving towns and villages dot¬ 
ted along the lines of railroads which now skirt 
the State of Mississippi, from north to south 
and from east to west. 
CONDUCTED 3Y EMILY MAPLE 
SHALL WE BEND TO OUR WORK, OR 
BENE OUR WORK TO OURSELVES.'? 
In the 
Cheap Fruit Cake. 
Seventeen ounces of brown sugar ; five eggs ; 
one pound of raisins: one pound of currants ; 
otic-fourth pound of citron; one heaping tea- 
spoonful of soda ; one-half cupful of molasses; 
one tumblerful of sweetened vinegar—I use 
that from pickled peaches or pears; one table- 
spoonful cloves; one tablespoonful of cinnamon ; 
one nutmeg ; one pound of flour. This will 
keep one year. 
Crullers. 
Three eggs ; one cup of sugar; butter the size 
of an egg ; a little salt; a very little soda; knead 
stiff, roll, cut into any fancy shape and fry in 
hot lard. These are very nice. 
Will some one please toll me how to make a 
good paste for a scrap-book ? Mas. Baht. 
early nays of onr mothers and grand¬ 
mothers, it was generally considered by good 
dames and housewives a moat unpardonable 
lack of thrift for a lady to commence a new 
piece of work—of sewing for instance—while 
an unfinished piece lay before her. And, indeed, 
so decided was my early (raining in this respect, 
that I have felt it sometimes to bo almost a dis¬ 
grace when, for lack of strength, I havo some¬ 
times been compelled to lay aside for tho time 
being incompleted work for aometbing lighter 
and more in accordance with my tastes and feel¬ 
ings, at that particular time. Indeed I Lave 
practiced humoring my peculiar moods—provid¬ 
ed they were not unreasonable—somewhat of 
late years, and ant fully satisfied that it is econ¬ 
omy to do ro: economy, not only of time and 
strength, but of good nature, and of general 
wear and tear of the system. I find that I am 
not aloue in this digression from the ways of our 
good mothers. 
An esteemed neighbor said to mo some two 
years since: “ I have done nothing but mend 
for three days,” excepting, of oourse, her daily 
household duties. “ I used to think," she con¬ 
tinued “ that, my mending must always be done 
at a certain time, but when Mother was here last 
Winter, alter noticing one day that my mending 
and 1 were not at all agreed, and that I could 
make no satisfactory progress, she said : “ Lay it 
away now, Minnie, arid perhaps to-morrow you 
will enjoy doing such ivork.” “She then gave mo 
a rule,” said my friend “ which I have adopted. 
. _ j n .. i ill • « * 
wnn sanguine nopes that could not be realized 
practically. A few years’ trial with lowering 
prices and a fulling market—in general with 
shrinkage of all other prices—disheartened many 
ehcet'G factory companies, and the factories have 
been closed or sold out for other purposes. Tho 
factories were run by associated effort. At first 
they were dependent upon Massachusetts, New 
York or Vermont for their cheeso-makers. They 
had to pay them high wages. Expenses were 
high, and just as they were getting prepared to 
run them economically—hence, successfully— 
tho reaction came, and the popular mind turned 
against them in many places. 
No State has better grazing land than Maine. 
It is peculiarly fit ted for a dairy country. It will 
eventually become a leadiug dairy State. It 
muBt henceforward dopeud upon the sheep-fold 
aud dairy for agricultural prosperity. Tho limit 
of selling hay and potatoes has been almost 
i eached. Wool, mutton, butter and cheese must 
be its exports. With these two leading branches 
may bo rnu as auxiliaries the hennery, tho orch¬ 
ard aud the swinery. 
The Maine Dairymen’s Association will meet 
this winter at South Paris, in Oxford Co. It is 
expected legislative aid will be granted to enable 
1 bo holding of fairs by this society, and to ena¬ 
ble it to better organize our dairy interests. 
The winter baa been remarkable so far. No 
sleighing (Deo. 24) and the month has been mild 
as April la-t year at this time, and usually, 
we have a foot or more of snow and zero weather. 
Maine is a great lumbering State. Men and 
teams are going into the woods for their winter’s 
operations in the northern part of the State, and 
largo quantities of logs will be cut. The Ken¬ 
nebec, Penobscot, Androscoggin, Union, Ma- 
cbias, St. Croix, and Aroostook Rivers furnish 
driveways for the logs, down which they are 
floated to the places of manufacture upon their 
banks. 
But were I to attempt to give an outline of 
om- varied industries, I should far exceed my 
allotted space, so I will reserve this interesting 
recital to future letters. In closing, lot me wish 
you tho best of success, and that permanency 
And while many of my 
I commercial traveling companions on the road 
complain of the hardships they have to Buffer, 
the terrible oppression of railroads taxing them 
five cents per mile, and extra for all baggage 
over 100 pounds, I for one consider it a pleasure, 
and doubt not. if they had been schooled under 
the old system of paying ten cents per mile, and 
tho privilege of “ toting" a rail, they too. would 
join me iu a hearty approval of present facili¬ 
ties. 
The railroads of Mississippi have been, and 
are still a blessing to the State; but while we ap¬ 
preciate them in fact, we cannot but censure 
them for many local grievances under which 
merchants and planters feel oppressed. 
We are informed the Mobile and Ohio and 
Mississippi Central railroads will carry cotton 
from Memphis, Tenn., to New Orleans or Mo¬ 
bile for one dollar per bale, owing to tho fact 
that boats on the river come in competition with 
them from that point; while from the middle 
portion of the State, some two hundred miles 
nearer the seabord, they tax the merohant or 
planter three to three and a half dollars per 
bale. This we regard as oppressive, and tho 
planter as well as the merchant should look to 
his interest in this matter. 
Passing np (be Mobile and Ohio road from 
West Point to Okolona 
Irish Cabbage. 
Chop fine a medium sized head of cabbage and 
season with butter, pepper and salt; add water 
enough to cook until very tender; then wheL 
almost dry add a cup of thick sweet cream and 
simmer a few minutes longer. This way of 
cooking cabbRge is a littlo different from any¬ 
thing I have road in the Rural and is one of tho 
many excellent dishes prepared by* a professional 
cook. For those who prefer cabbage with vin¬ 
egar, a good way is to use half cream aud half 
vinegar, or for those who do not have cream, use 
milk and Ih.cken with a little flour. 
To Color Brown with Dutch. 
For live pounds of cotton rags or yarn allow 
one and ono-half pounds of cutch ; two ounces 
of blue vitriol; two ounces of bichromate of 
potash. Use sufficient soft water to cover the 
goods; boil until the cutch is dissolved then 
add the vitriol; stir well: put in the cloth and 
let it remain over night; rinse iu the morning, 
and put into fts much boiling water, in which tho 
bichromate of potash has been dissolved as will 
cover the cloth ; let it remain fifteen minutes 
and then rinse in cold water. My experience 
,, wo pass over what may 
be strictly termed tho garden spot of the United 
•states. Here wo view the beautiful prairie 
stretching out on every side as far a 3 the eye can 
see, and the stranger, as he looks out over tho 
broad fields of cotton (some of which still re¬ 
main unpicked) cunnot help exclaiming, “this 
is truly a paradise for tho farmer ! " The soil is 
fertile, being of a rich black color and adapted, 
not Only to tbe culture of cotton and corn, but 
to ovary plant, shrub, and seed that grows and 
is adapted to the climate. 
In conclusion I will say, ir there are farmers 
at the north, not satisfied with their success us 
agriculturists, let them emigrate to Mississippi, 
where lands are cheap, and a sure remuneration 
for their labors awaits them. [Yet farmers of 
Mississippi arc thronging by railroad, boat and 
wagon to Texas.— Eds.] D. Snedeklr. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS 
Waukesha Co., Wig,, Dec. 17, 1 S 77 . 
I am often aided in my business by reading the 
letters you so kindly print in your very excellent 
paper—not only aided, but interested, We learn 
the customs of our fellow-farmers iu tho differ¬ 
ent localities they write from : tho prosperity 
they enjoy, etc. It makes ua feel a debiro to 
communicate with the paper, too, and give a 
littlo of onr own experience. 
Our home is iu Wisconsin, thirty miles west 
from Milwaukee, on the line of the Chicago, 
Milwaukee aud Saint Paul railroad. Our oouu- 
ty is principally oak openings ; the soil is a clay 
loam—excellent wheat land ;—there are soma 
small prairies of about three to six miles square. 
There is an abundance of water for all purposes, 
both for stock and milling privileges. The 
county is interspersed with beautiful lakes from 
a mile to three miles iu length, blocked with the 
finest of fish, Pickerel, bass, and numerous 
other kinds, excellent for the table, abound. 
I spoke of our soil as being adapted for wheat- 
growing ; I should have said spring wheat, as it 
is only an occasional winter that we are favored 
with sufficient snow to protect fall-sown grain. 
Last winter, however, was an exception to the 
general rule, aud the crop of fall-sown wheat 
was good. We are trying some again this fall; 
it is looking finely. Tbe same may be said of 
our j ye of which we now, more or less, every year, 
considering it a paying crop, especially as we 
usually seed after it, clover seed catching so 
much better when sowed on a covering of suow 
during the mouth of March, 
Prices current in our town are Wheat, No. 
1, 81.00; oats, 25o. ; corn, 40c. ; potatoes, 35@ 
40c.; rye, 45o.; barley, 50c. Our market town 
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS OF A “COM 
MERCIAL TRAVELER.” 
quilts and embroidered table-covers and Af¬ 
ghans, to some of the most beautiful oil paint¬ 
ings that ever gr aced a parlor in the West. She 
loses no time, however, always having some 
light work ready to do whenever she has visitors 
or is visiting. 
When she showed us some six kinds of work 
which she had begun and had determined to fin¬ 
ish before Christmas, I said“ You do not fol¬ 
low the teachings of our mothers, to always 
finish one piece before you begin another?” 
No, indeed,' she answered, “ I never should 
accomplish much if I did.” 
After all, I think that our mothers were right 
in forming such habits of “ stick-to-it-iveness” 
in early life; for after wo reach mature years, if 
a “new departure" seems necessary, it is then 
soon enough to begin. Homs Evermore. 
Having just returned from a busiuoss tour 
through Mississippi, it occurs to me the patrons 
of your valuable journal would be glad to learn 
something touching tho local and agricultural 
interests of that State. 
Twenty-four years ago, I made an extended 
tour through Alabama and Mississippi, and from 
that time for the following eight years, I was a 
constant traveler through the south, hence my 
familiarity with tho old system of agriculture, 
and with the practices adopted by planters in 
those days. Time has wrought many wondrous 
changes in the South. The rich planter of 
former years no longer folds hi3 aims and sits at 
ease upon tbe soft couch of his stately 
FROM MAINE, 
mansion. 
Tho overseer and numerous slaves are no longer 
to be seen gathered together in the broad field 
of their master, singing their happy songs as 
they toil in the cotton patch, or “ hoe de corn." 
To-day we find the planter, driven by force of 
circumstances, adopting other means by which 
to sustain himself and family. 
Those familiar with the cultivation of cotton, 
well know how essential it is to have skilled 
labor at their command, labor which they can 
conti ol at all seasons ol' the year, especially in 
early summer, when grasses grow rapidly and 
crops are endangered for want of prompt and effi¬ 
cient labor. This lias been, aud is still, one of the 
annoyances of a planter’s life, to overcome w hich 
many are cutting up their lands iu patches of 
twenty-five, fifty, or perhaps one hundred acres, 
BOMESTIC RECIPES, 
Tapioca Jelly. 
Soak three tablespoonfuls of Tapioca over 
night in a pint of water ; place over the fire and 
let it cook slowly until it is cleur ; add a cup of 
sugar, and after it is removed from the fire 
flavor with lemon to the taste. 
Tapioca Pudding. 
Prepare tbe same as for jelly and add one 
pint of cream and four eggs ; stir well aud bake 
until done. Perhaps while eating Tapioca we 
should some of us like to know what it is, and 
where it comes from. It is the starch obtaiued 
liom the rooi. of the iUanibot or Jatropha maui- 
hot, a native of Brazil. It is separated from the 
other substances of the root and dried on hot 
plates which are continually agitated, in this way 
forming the granular* which we see. The 
ju;ce of the plant is very poisonoua. 
Apple Pickles. 
Pare and halve the apple, removing the cores 
carefully, to keep them iu good shape; steam 
them ; heat spiced vinegar and pour over them, 
liio vinegar from pickled poaches is very nice, 
when cue has it. 
Cream Pie. 
Make a crust with cream; liue a pie dish; I 
lug the mouth. May followed equally favorable. 
Planting was a fortnight ahead of the average, 
and time was thus afforded for putting in greater- 
breadths or for making needed permanent farm 
improvements. Farmers being ahead of their 
regular werls, the whole season has given them 
the time to dig rooks, clear up rough places, 
draining low lands, swamps and meadows, re¬ 
pairing or building fences or buildings, and mak¬ 
ing improvements generally. More permanent 
improvements have been inaugurated and car¬ 
ried forward in Maine the Inst season than for 
five years—perhaps ten—before. 
The crops were light—hay, corn and beans 
being the best. Tho hay crop was less than an 
averago. Corn an average, also beans. Pota¬ 
toes tell off fifty per cent. Wheat nearly the 
same, other graius more. Apples a failure, 
bmall fruits about an average, except tho later 
ones. Pasturage poor. Stock came to barn in 
poor condition iu many cases. 
The three leading things that pay in Maine, 
and about tho only ones that will do to figure 
Dr. and Or. upon, are hens, sheep, and cows, in 
the order named. Tigs in connection with the 
dairy, will pay a handsome return. Bees cost 
nothing for pasture or keeping, except care and 
them on shares. By this means a mutual inter¬ 
est arises in the production of a crop. There are 
many instances where tbe negro rents the land 
at a fixed price. In either case the result may 
be viewed with favor, as in no other way can tho 
property owner control tho labor, or cultivate 
his lands with any assurance of success. We 
find, under the present system, the negro is 
rising to the surface, where he had been under 
the influence and training of a thorough master 
iu his days of slavery, aud thus gained some 
idea of system and economy; such negroes are 
