482 
JULY 27 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Rafting far % fjomg. 
“POCKET-MONEY FOR THE YOUNG 
PEOPLE.”—No. 11. 
annik l. jack. 
“bot,’’ sayspractical Josle, “you know, manD 
ma, tUe grapes were three years before bearing.” 
•< True," 1 answered, “ that was learning to labor 
and to wait. But, It you want a fruit that yields 
quick returns, listen to this report of the little 
boy who planted Black-cap raspberries." 
Two years ago, a small, but Intelligent lad, or 
ten, was looking over tho catalogue of fruit, when 
a picture of “ Mammoth Cluster " attracted his 
fancy. He had “ pocket-money,” and after asking 
If he might plant his “ tips ” in the last furrow of 
the headland nearest the fence, and receiving 
permission, sent by mall for nfty or said tips. 
They were planted, grew and flowered the first 
season, and he was a proud boy In August, when 
he could bring In a dish-full for tea, as was done 
several times that year. The next summer a few 
stakes were put In and a wire run along near the 
top; the raspberry vines were thrown over, and 
xwlned along the wire, and the tips set out In an¬ 
other row; besides a sale of fifty wblcli repaid 
the first outlay. The berries ripened full, large 
aud black, and were regularly gathered and sent, 
to market, in tlve-cent gallon baskets, although 
experience hss proved that quart-boxes, as used 
for strawberries, would be better. During tbe 
flush uf picking, this boy hired his brothers and 
sisters who could be spared, paying them live 
cents an hour, and they seemed to enjoy the busi¬ 
ness. The profits, after paying expenses, were 
twenty-two dollars, and this season the oldest 
vines and ;last year’s planting are alike thrifty 
and full of bloom. Black-caps, especially the 
Mammoth Cluster, sell better than any other 
black berry we have seen la tho market, and al¬ 
though prices may vary, I think I may safely say 
that there is pocket-money In this choice variety 
of raspberry. 
One year, not very long ago, one of our girls de¬ 
termined to try peas, she chose “ Carter’s First 
Crop,” and with a proper forethought, had begged 
of papa the previous autumn to make a few rows 
on a high knoll where tbe ground Is first bare in 
spring. Here, one sunny day In March, the peas 
were sown, a loot apart, every third row being 
omitted to form the double rows so convenient ror 
staking. This pea does not need tall stakeB, and 
a girl can chop and point apple branches quite 
easily, aud put them lu as neatly as a boy. When 
the peas were ready to pic k they were measured 
and put Into old boxes, holding a bushel each. 
At the same time roses, lily of the valley, and 
fragrant honeysuckle were la their flrBt bloom; 
and this enterprising girl went to the woods for 
moss; picked and arranged dainty Utile bou¬ 
quets, rolling up the stems In moss and placing 
them around the peas. They were not plentiful 
on the market, and tho dowers paid expenses of 
marketing the peas, and left a dollar balance, 
while the Carter’s being the first fresh home¬ 
grown peas, brought In $2.50 a box, thU9 clearing 
$5.50, on the Jlrst which was, of course, the best 
picking. The chief secret was In getting the peas 
in early, having tho rows ready In autumn, It 
did nol Injure them when. In April, a heavy snow¬ 
fall covered the ground; no doubt the poor mart's 
manure, as It is called, was beneficial to them, 
and they were soaked slowly' and ready to start 
while the ground was damp. I would impress on 
the minds of youBg people the necessity or plant¬ 
ing the heat of everything, as It costs no more la¬ 
bor, and you know, your grand old poet, Whittier, 
says; 
"Give fools their gold,and knaves tlielrpower, 
I,el fortune's buliblea rise and lull; 
Who hows a field, or trains a dower, 
Or plants u tree, Is more thau ah.’’ 
■- * > ♦ - 
SPENDING-MONEY FOR THE GIRLS. 
J. K. M’C. 
A little girl called In one day to ask me If 1 did 
toot wish to have her crochet some narrow edging 
for me. She showed me some pretty samples, told 
Uie how well It would wear, outlasting two sets of 
garments, and altogether was so convincing that 
I engaged her to make for me tho amount of one 
spool of cotton. She set her price according to 
the cotton used, which was a very fair way, as It 
took about the same amount of crocheting to 
make up two hundred yards of thread, whether 
in wide or narrow lace. 1 was well pleased with 
my oargaln, and found tUat the trimming wore 
ror several years, though In regular use. 
I found that she did a good deal of the work for 
other people, crocheting a beautiful wide lace for 
pillow-cases, that would almost last a lifetime. 
The reason Susy made her pocket-money by tuts 
work was that she had perfected herself In It. Any 
bright, little girl a dozen years old might do 
tbe same, with the same painstaking, but not 
wltUout. Then, she went among her own and 
her mother’s friends, and modeaMy solicited cus¬ 
tom. She did not press her wares offensively, 
but sbe went to work in a way that meant busi¬ 
ness. She was always ready to oblige, and would 
as readily crochet a strip for a pair of cuffs as for 
the hem of a skirt. 
Half effort, or half knowledge never accom¬ 
plished much, and a manner that is not pleasing 
will rarely meet with success. 
l wish out good girls, who ere so Badly la need 
of pocket-money, not merely for nick-nacks, but 
for the real necessities of life, as dresses, shoes 
and hats, were not so averse to helping a neighbor 
through her weary summer work. If they would 
cheerfully engage with some good house-mother 
for fair wages, for a few months, they might not 
only save the tax of their board at home, but 
also earn enough to supply the winter wardrobe 
handsomely. The experience they would get in 
regard to ntew modes of doing work (as each 
housekeeper lias her system), would be worth as 
much as their wages. It Is part of her business 
education. Just as book-keeping Is a part of a 
boy’s business education. For as long as tbe 
world stands, and Is divided off into households, 
the housekeeper’s business will be the main trade 
for every woman to follow. 
Perhaps the lady you live with Is not exactly 
your ideal of sweetness and gentleness; but never 
mind, be as brave os the boys are in their pur¬ 
suits. How much do they mind lr their " boss " Is 
not of tbe most approved type, so that they can 
learn their trade well with him. Don’t he out¬ 
done by the boys In these days when there is such 
a buzz about “ equal rights.” Be brave enough 
to stick out this new line independently for your- 
seir, and never fear that you will lose the respect 
of others. Very likely you may induce some good 
girl to try the same experiment, and so be doing 
a double good. 
But whatever your tastes or aspirations, do not 
suffer yourself to be a burden to poor, hard-work¬ 
ing parents when you can by some means help 
yourself. 
Think over the subject by night and day, ask 
your Sabbath-school teacher or some other good 
filen-d, to advise you In tho matter, and, above 
all, &9k dally your Heavenly Friend to show you 
the way, and no doubt a way will be opened. You 
will taste the sweets of handling money fairly 
earned, and nothing else will ever show you tho 
real worth of money. Be helpful yourself to¬ 
wards others, and you will never want for good 
friends. 
•- 4 4 4 
OUR FOREIGN COUSIN 
Telia of Some Methods of Farming. 
Dear Ultra r. Cousins: With great pleasure 1 
noticed to-day In the Rural that two more boys, 
** Green John” and “ Box Boy” desire to Join our 
Cousinly Circle, and I am sure that all my new 
relatives will greet them with me with a hearty 
welcome. 1 think Box Boy is quite right about 
Hlaycrorconcelt, and 1 would advise the boys to 
take a lesson rrom this example in using more 
polite, language towards the cousins of the ten¬ 
der sex, because we never can gain any advan¬ 
tage over them ; they are too smart, and witty 
for us boys to dispute with. 
lu my last letter I promised to write some more 
about Switzerland and I shall fulfill that pro¬ 
mise in describing, first the duties and burdens 
of the Rural, women and girls, for I believe that 
the greatest difference In tbe agricultural life 
of these two countries Is found In the occupations 
of the fairer sex. To give you a true illustration 
of the work of a well-to-do farmer’s wife or 
daughter, I will try to describe Just one of their 
usual day’s-work In summer, as I have witnessed 
it very often. 
Tne woman or girl of the house is the first one 
to rise in the morning, usually at half past three 
o’clock. She lias to prepare a cold lunch for tho 
men. wake them up and wait on them. After 
tho men are gone, she cleans out the cow Btahir; 
feeds tbe cows and milks them, takeB care of the 
milk and cream, and arter this Is done she feeds 
the pigs, dogs, cats and ocher domestic animals; 
then she takes a tub, goes with It to tbe public 
fountain, perhaps a quarter of a mile from her 
home—fills It up with water, places the tub on 
her head and walks home straight as a soldier, 
never mtudlng the weight of about fifty pounds 
on tbe fop of her head. The next thing la to get 
breakfast ready. That consists of beefsteak and 
eggs? Oh no i of notblng but boiled milk, coffee 
and brown bread. After breakfast, while the men 
are doing chores and smoking their cigars, the 
women wash up the dishes, clean the house, make 
the beds etc., until in a very short time the men 
with scythes ou their backs are appearing before 
tbe doorsteps, hallowing for tbe women to come 
In the Held and to fetch with them tbe forks, 
rakes, a Jug-full of wine and a loaf of bread, and 
then the poor women have to drop their house¬ 
work and follow the men out Into the field where 
4 they have to handle the forks and hand-rakes 
until noon. Then all go home together, the 
women tu prepare the dinner and the men to 
hammer the edge of their scythes thin again, for 
they never use any grindstones to grind them. 
After a hearty dinner consisting of boiled pork 
and potatoes,—the whole year round the same 
thing,—plenty of grape wine and bread without 
butter, the men harness up the oxen and take 
the whole family out In the field again. The 
men pitch and load the hay, the women have 
to rake It up. After the hay Is loaded they all 
go home again to unload It, the men pitch It from 
the wagon and the women have to store It away: 
In this way they keep at work until night. 
About sun-down the women go home, milk the 
cows, feed the domestic animals, and get the 
boiled milk and coffee ready again ror supper. 
If the ordinary house-work is all done and It 
happens to be Saturday evening, the hired girl 
has to grease the hired men’s boots and snoes 
and mop the tioors in the kitchen and dining¬ 
rooms, and for all this hard work the ladles be¬ 
longing to the family don't get anything In re¬ 
compense, not even a calico dress; they have to 
make the dresses during the long winter even¬ 
ings, and the hired girl gets generally only $‘25 
a year, a couple of aprons and a pair of shoes 
with strings to them, aud on Christmas the hired 
men make her a present of ten cents for greas¬ 
ing thdr shoes and mending the whole year! lu 
the spring the women have to go out almost 
every day in the meadows and grain fields to pull 
out thistles or other weedB, load them on a kind 
of wheel-harrow, and carry them home to be fed 
out to tbe goats. The hoeing, the grain-cutting, 
or binding is mostly done by female help. I could 
tell you a good deal more about female occupa¬ 
tions In my native country, having had sufficient 
chance to compare the difference between the 
female labor In Europe and America, but I am 
afraid that some of my lady cousins here might 
feel a little offended towards me, thinking per¬ 
haps, that at a future day I would be one of those 
,! great lords too, who ilk© to see women doing the 
* 
work that belongs to the masculine department, 
certainly I tbtnk sometimes that many of the 
American ladles are too extravagant. Some of 
them aro too proud to do even the lightest house¬ 
work, but the greater part, of them, and I hope 
that all our Cousins belong to them, under¬ 
stand their place and ruture position and make, 
through their work, the flre-sldo a pleasant and 
agreeable place, not only for themselves but for 
everybody. With the ardent desire that I may 
not be mistaken in those hopes, I ask once more 
the girls’ Indulgence and bid adieu! 
Clinton Co., N. Y. John Schwyn. 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
RUSSIAN COMMUNAL VILLAGES. 
Amongst the families composing a Russian 
village, a state of isolation Is Impossible. The 
heads of the households must often meet together 
aud consult In the village assembly, and thetr 
dally occupations must be Influenced by the com¬ 
munal decrees. They cannot begin to mow the 
hay or plow the fallow field until the village 
assembly has passed a resolution on the subject. 
If a peasant beeoines a drunkard, or takes some 
equally efficient means to become Insolvent, 
every family in the village has a right to com¬ 
plain, not merely In the Interests of public mo¬ 
rality, but from selfish motives, because all the 
ramifies arc collectively responsible for his tax¬ 
es. For the same reason no peasant can per¬ 
manently leave the village without the consent 
of the commune, and this consent will not ho 
granted until tbe applicant gives satisfactory 
security for the fulfilment of all his actual and 
future liabilities. If a peasant wishes to go 
away for a short time, in order to work else¬ 
where, he mu9t obtain a written permission, 
which serves him as a passport during Ills ab¬ 
sence; and he may be recalled at any moment 
by a communal decree. In reality bo Is rarely 
recalled so long as he sends home regularly the 
full amount of his taxes—Including the dues 
which he has to pay ror the temporary passport 
—but sometimes the commune uses the power 
of recall for the purpose of extorting money 
from the absent member. 
jsabhtfi pairing. 
WHAT OF THAT 1 
Tired I Well, what of that 1 
Didst fancy life was spent on beds of ease. 
Fluttering- the rose leaves scattered by the breeze 1 
Gome, rouse thee ! worthwhile it is called to-day I 
Coward, arise! go forth upon thy way ! 
Lonely ! And what of that 1 
Some must be lonely 1 His not given to all 
To feel a heart responsive rise and fall. 
To blend another life Into its own 
Work may be done in loneliness. Work on. 
Dark I Well, what of that t 
Didst fondly dream the sun would never set f 
Dost fear to lose the way f Take courage yet! 
Learn thou to walk by faith, aud not by sight; 
Thy steps will guided be. and guided right. 
Hard ! Well, what of that t 
Didst fancy life one summer holiday, 
With leusona none to learn, UDd naught but play ? 
Go, get thee to thy task I Conquer or die! 
It must be learned! Learn it, then, patiently. 
No help I Nay, ’tis not so I 
Though human help be far. thy God Is nigh. 
Who feeds the ravens, hears his children cry. 
He’s near thee, wherew.ie’er thy footsteps roam ; 
And He will guide thee, light thee, help thee home. 
-♦ 4 » - 
OF READING. 
E. J. S. C. 
Were we asked to name one or the most Im¬ 
portant influences that can affect tho complex 
machinery of the brain, or mold the character 
of the mind for good or evil, we should reply— 
Reading. And this because we are fully convinc¬ 
ed that its subtle power over our moral and In¬ 
tellectual natures Is beyond the power or calcula¬ 
tion. Memory, that mystery or mysteries, never 
fathomed because unfathomable, is ever repro¬ 
ducing in endless variety all that has passed Into 
the brain through this medium by the Instru¬ 
mentality of books. Too orten, however, does It. 
happen that the good loses its hold but too 
quickly, whilst the evil Is retained tenaciously, 
and endlessly recurs In thought. Our sinful na¬ 
tures are prone to assimilate the evil Impressions 
produced by reading, rather than tbe beneficial, 
which pass but too rapidly away. Aud It Is be¬ 
cause we feel that so much of tho evil that Is In 
us Is due to tho Influence of reading, and Is yet 
so little realized or considered to be thus Intro¬ 
duced to the mind, that w© have selected the 
subject for an essay addressed to Sunday-school 
teachers. They surely, of all classes, need to he 
most watchful regarding what they read, since 
upon the healthy tone or their minds must of ne¬ 
cessity depend so much or the good effects result¬ 
ing rrom their teaching. Reading therefore Is 
especially an important subject, and wo solicit 
attention, to a few “ thoughts ” thereupon. 
The most casual observer must often be struck 
by tbe tact tbat great variety exists amongst his 
fellowinen ns to the methods of reading'. This, at 
first sight , might seem a trivial and unimportant 
matter; but on consideration we think other¬ 
wise. To read In a state of true and perfect In- 
tellect'ial enjoyment we firmly believe that soli¬ 
tude Is necessary. Buzz or conversation or of 
company, distracting Influences of what kind 
soever, must of necessity divide the attention of 
the reader between bis book and other objects. 
Probably, nay likely, this remark will hardly 
apply to “light reading." This we can quite 
understand. But to reading that has a didactic 
object In view, reading which promises some¬ 
thing more than amusement for a leisure hour, It 
does apply; and such classes of reading, to be 
fully appreciated, and to prove beneficial, ought 
to be perused whilst the reader Is In a state of 
ease and solitude, with naught to distract the 
thoughts from the subject or subjects In hand. 
A few remarks on fiction, as relating to Sunday- 
school teachers, will be necessary at this point. 
Should teachers read Uctlon ? We think that 
within certain limits they undoubtedly may, and 
ludeod ought to do so. But what, it is asked, 
are these limits? Where is the line dividing 
commendable fiction from objectionable? What 
Is the criterion for deciding what Is fit for read¬ 
ing, and what only for rejection? Truly im¬ 
portant questions these. Yet we imagine that 
the heart attuned aright, the mind that loves 
to linger over the sacred pages of the word of 
God, will not. err much In Us selection. Fiction 
which, without partaking of the sensation ele¬ 
ment, Is merely an allegorical mode of inculcating 
good truths and a pleasant way of increasing our 
knowledge, cannot be objectionable unless read 
to excess, when Its effects, on the mind must be 
weakening. But what shall we say of the harm¬ 
ful sensational literature so abundant? Truly 
such literature, pandering to our lowest appe¬ 
tites, is but a powerful agency for deteriorating 
the youthful mind. Shun it, teachers; for be as¬ 
sured that its evil effects are beyond the power 
of computation. 
A word, however, regarding Quantity of reading. 
Wo are not of those who uphold what Is termed 
“ book devouring,” or, to speak plainly, an in¬ 
ordinate desire for new books to aDy extent Im¬ 
aginable, We are of opinion that the many are 
not at all bettered by tUe quantity of reading they 
manage to get through. Depend upon It, far 
greater Importance lies in the quality than In the 
quantity of the books perused. The fact of a per¬ 
son having read an immense number of works 
does not render It certain that a commensurate 
amount or knowledge has been attained. On the 
contrary, It very frequently happens that those 
who read with such ast onishing rapidity are as 
Ignorant of the real design and drift of a book 
when they lay It down as before perusing it. 
Fast reading Is a mistake. To fully master the 
sense of any work In which thought has been ex¬ 
ercised by the author, a certain amount of reflec¬ 
tion, varying of course with the intellectual 
ability of tbe reader, must be exercised by blm 
when reading. Indeed many books require to be 
gone through several times before they can be at 
all appreciated or understood. Or course the 
more obscure the writer the greater must be the 
amount of study on perusal. And works of this 
nature, thougU popularly called “ dry,” are par¬ 
ticularly suitable reading ror teachers, expand¬ 
ing their power of instructing, and giving force 
to their powers of comprehension. 
And, whilst speaking of suitable reading for 
teachers, let us devote a Tew thoughts to another 
branch of the topic. We think that 8urday- 
school teachers hardly attach sufficient lrnpoi t- 
ance to the necessity of understanding In some 
measure difficult portions of Scripture. They too 
often lose sight of the fact that the absence of 
knowledge on such points will probably cause as¬ 
tonishment lu their little hearers, proternaturally 
quick In selecting difficult passages for explana¬ 
tion and seeking a key to hidden mysteries. To 
the end that all such difficulties may be obviated, 
teachers should devote more of their time to the 
study or God’s word; and aided by commentaries 
and other works elucidating difficult texts and 
passages, they might be more fitted to teach. In¬ 
stead of needlug themselves to be instructed (lu 
tho moBt Important of knowledge), as Is but too 
often the case. They would t hen be more ready 
aud able to dissipate the darkness lingering over 
the youthful minds of their charge In regard to 
the mysteries of t.he Bible. There are so many 
works on these subjects that touchers need never 
to be at a loss f#r the means of filblo doctrtnes 
that they may have to explain at future times to 
their children. Careful and prayerful study of 
the word of God, therefore, should form the most. 
Important branch of reading in which the teacher 
can engage. 
Historical and biographical are especially bene¬ 
ficial reading ror .Sunday-school teachers, a 
knowledge of the lives or good aud great men, 
and general Information regarding history, re¬ 
lating both to our own and other countries—these 
arc almost Indispensable adjuncts to the teach¬ 
er’s requirements it he would touch efficiently 
and well. The power of Illustrating his addresses 
to the young Is thus very greatly Increased, en¬ 
abling UUn to rivet the attention and augment 
the interest, of ids class. Such reading, besides 
fitting Tilui for his labors, Is of course extremely 
expanding In lis effects upou tho whole tenor or 
his mind. So also is the study of works relating 
to nature. Whilst loving the word of God, teach¬ 
ers should not neglect, the open book of Ills works. 
Truly a marvelous hook Is this! Heading ou 
natural history,lu order to the possession ora 
knowledge of God’s handiwork, is drslrable for 
every Sunday-school teacher. For In teaching 
the young concerning the goodnesa of a kind Cre¬ 
ator to Ills creatures, how greatly Is the effect 
deepened and strengt hened when the teacher can 
Illustrate his meaning by giving Instances of re- 
maikable and Interesting r.tcts In the economy 
or nature! Therefore should teachers never 
neglect this class or readlug. remembering tnat 
the young heart Is often led. by simple wonder 
and astonishment at tho goodness of the God of 
nature, to love and serve the God of grace re¬ 
vealed In the word read aud explained. 
Finally, we particularly wish our readers to bo 
Impressed with a sense of the vast Importance of 
the subject, liy some this may be considered a 
trivial matter; but to us it. la one of great, nay or 
solemn moment. Those who have not, carefully 
and thoughtfully considered the question cun 
hardly comprehend how wondrous is the effect of 
reading on the mysterious tracery of the mtnd, 
the under-current of its subtle workings held In 
memory’s casket, Truly we aro fearfully and 
wonderfully made! Reading tiicro Is before us, 
of two classes—good and bad. We choose the 
bad: and lo 1 how mlgbty Its evil Influence 1 Tbe 
unbidden evil thought, desire. Imagination, the 
objectionable morals, and low •' mannerism, 
once Implanted In the mind by reading and nevi r 
effaced,—all these, and many other evils, rise up 
from time to time, continually reproaching us, 
everlasting sources of wrong thinning and wrong 
acting. But if we select the good, how genial and 
beneficial Its effects I How invigorating Its Influ¬ 
ence over our natures, how great Its power of in¬ 
creasing our intellectual capacities 1 
