I hear only the most pleasant remarks, and he 
seems to be growing into the good graces of 
Washington people daily. Om day ou the 
plaza at the Capitol Ids horses and carriage 
were halted near, and I indulged my curiosity 
in looking at the turnout. The carriage is a 
finely-made landau, dark in color and not at 
all showy. The horses are beauties—nearly 
mouse color, perfectly matched, and the black 
coachman assured us they were “ lovely in 
disposition,” and that their names were 
“ Frank ” and “ Bill.” He grinned extensively 
when he said “ Bill,” as though he thought it 
an undignified name for the President's horse. 
About the harness there was a good deal of 
silver-plating, with eagles distributed about. 
The check-reins were silver-plated chains. 
In the parks about the Capitol I noticed 
that a large number of rhododendrons had 
been planted, while everywhere throughout 
the city are clumps of what are commonly 
called yellow jasmine in bloom. I have seen 
it, when trained against a sunny wall, in 
blossom in mid-winter, in the neighborhood 
of Philadelphia. Mary Wager-Fisher. 
---- 
SOMETHING ABOUT OSTRICH 
FEATHERS. 
Not many of our readers may know in what 
manner the ostrich feathers, which are so 
much worn and al ways beautiful, are obtained; 
and as the sight is one that an American can¬ 
not see unless they are fortunate enough to 
have plenty of money and take in a visit to 
the Cape of Good Hope in their voyage around 
the world, we venture to give the following 
information as to their abstraction, and not 
extraction. 
First of all the birds are worth from $225 to 
$500 each, and it certainly would not pay to 
kill them for the sake of from $20 to 
$50 worth of plumage. Neither would it be 
profitable to pluck them alive, for that was 
tried at first, but found to produce fever in 
the bird and the next plucking was poor and 
comparatively worthless. 
The plan adopted therefore is, when the 
feathers are in prime condition they are cut 
out with a pair of scissors or sharp pen-knife 
about half an inch from the base, consequent¬ 
ly quite clear of the skin. Each plume is cut 
separately and very carefully so as not to in¬ 
jure the bird; the stumps wither and fall out 
easily after a lapse of about ten days, for it 
must be remembered that the feathers would 
be cast naturally in moulting—only if left till 
then they would be spoilt for commerce. 
Efforts have been made to obtain an instru¬ 
ment that w ould hold the plume while being 
severed from the bird, but so far, nothing long 
enough nor strong rough has been invented. 
So this is the way our exquisite feathers are 
abstracted! Well, we hope the bird, through 
some transmigration of thought or instinct, 
may know how glorious the feathers he yields 
gets to be after having passed through the 
dyes of royal purple, bright scarlet, etc. But 
nothing handsomer is reached than the pure 
white, which in i s perfection of shape and 
size is truly a thing of beauty. c. a. C. 
<ri)e 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to Insure attention 1 
Continued from page 254. 
AMMONIA, ETC. 
A G., Cameron Mills, N. Y. 1, What are 
ammonia, aqua ammonia: and spirits of harts¬ 
horn 1 2, My Dutchman’s Pipe grew only 
three or four inches lust year, how shall I treat 
it to make it grow better this year? 
Ans. —1, Ammonia, or the volatile alkali, 
in its pure state and at the ordinary temper¬ 
ature and pressure is a colorless gas of a pun¬ 
gent smell and alkaline taste and reaction. It 
is composed of one volume of nitrogen and 
two of hydrogen, the three volumes in combin¬ 
ation formiug only two. It is extremely 
soluble in water, one volume of water absorb¬ 
ing 700 of the gas, and then yielding the liquid 
ammonia, aqua ammoniae, or spirits of harts¬ 
horn of the shops. Ammonia occurs in the 
a tmospliore as carbonate and nitrate, in salt 
water and many mineral springs. Carbonate 
of ammonia is obtained in large qualities by 
the purtrefaction of the urine of animals or 
the dry distillation of animal matter. The 
greater part of the aqua ammonias of the shops 
is obtained from the waste liquors of the manu¬ 
factures of illuminating gas. Ammonia is 
also obtained from the boracic works of Italy, 
from the manufacture of beet sugar and from 
various ammoniacal salts. Gua.no is a great 
repository of it. Refuse animal substances 
are made to yield a variety of ommonia salts 
by distilling them. Commercial ammonia 
was formerly obtained from the sal ammoniac 
of Africa but this source is entirely insuffi¬ 
cient to supply the present demand ; ourprin 
cipal commercial supply is now obtained from 
the destructive distillation of bituminous min¬ 
eral matter,though a gre it xnanv other sources 
contribute more or less to the supply. 2, The 
Dutchman’s Pipe rarely makes much growth 
tne first season after transpl mtation. See that 
it is in well-drained ground. Spread some fine 
old manure on the surface of the ground over 
the roots and scratch it in the soil. It is a 
fine vine. 
W. IL, Bryant, la.— What is the nature of 
the Guenon escutcheon, the explanation to be 
given so fully and plainly as to help farmers 
at large who do not understand technical 
terms. 
Ans.—T o do this in a satisfactory manner 
would require more space than we can afford 
for it. The system is intricate, and requires 
a lengthy explanation and a good deal of study 
to make it of practical use to farmers in judg¬ 
ing of the mil king capacity of cows. An ex¬ 
cellent little illustrated work, by Willis P. 
Hazzard, plainly explaining the escutcheon 
theory and practically applying it, is pub¬ 
lished by J. M. Stoddard, 727 Chestnut Street, 
Philadelphia, Pa.: price, 50c, in paper and 75c. 
in cloth. Guenon on Milch Cows, 75c., an 
other work on the Bubject, can be had tlirough 
any book dealer. 
A. L. A., Hannibal, Mo., having to build 
three miles of wire fence this year or next, 
asks whether it would pay to wait in the ex¬ 
pectation that Washburn & Moen’s patent 
will be pronounced invalid, and the price be 
lowered in consequence. 
Ans. —The fight against this patent is car¬ 
ried on most vigorously in Iowa, and there the 
Grangers seem confident of soon upsetting the 
patent, but although we have made considera¬ 
ble investigation we have not been able to 
obtain sufficient information to base an intel¬ 
ligent opinion with regard to the prospect of 
their doing so. Can any of our Western friends 
send us papers or full information with regard 
to the matter ’i 
B. U. Jlf.j Oakville, Ont .—What botanical 
work gives the medicinal properties of plants ? 
Ans.—N o one, so fares .ve know. The best 
works for the purpose are the iSational Dis¬ 
pensary, by Stilleand Maisch; an l the United 
States Dispensary, by Wood aud Bache. 
THE RURAL SEED DISTRIBUTION. 
We give below a brief summary of the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker’s present Seed distribution 
for the instruction of those who have not read 
the details as given in the Rural’s Supple 
ment as reprinted from the Fair Number. 
This supplement will, however, be for¬ 
warded free to all who apply for it. All ap¬ 
plicants for the seeds must be subscribers and 
they m ust forward us in their applications 
two three cent postage stamps as their sha re 
of the postal expenses, unless they subscribe 
for the Rural in connection with some other 
journal which offers the Seed Distribution in 
connection with both papers. We would add 
that the chief object which the Rural has in 
requiring subscribers to pay a part of the 
postage is, as far as possible, to provide 
against applications being made by those who 
have little or no interest in their proper care 
and cultivation. Full instructions to those 
who desire to compete for the $ 2,000 worth of 
premiums offered will be given in due season. 
THE RURAL’S 
Present Seed Distribution. 
1st, The Rural Heavy Dent Corn. 
The heaviest weight of kernel and ear. One hundred 
and seventeen bushels of shelled corn per acre on 50 
acres. So certified to. Or 
2d, Rural Thoroughbred Flint Corn. 
Raised in the Rural family for 20 consecutive years. 
Longest ears 10 inches. The applicant has his choice 
between the two varieties. 
3d, Wysor’s Cross-Bred Fultzo-Claw- 
son Wheat. 
The largest Kernel of any wheat in cultivation—so 
claimed. Hardy, dlsease-resistlug, prolific. 
4th, Surprise Wheat. 
Four kernels in a breast. Very prolific and hardy. 
At the rate of 72 bushels per acre has been raised on 
small plots. 
5th, Shumaker Wheat. 
Early, prolific and hardy. 
6 th, Challenger Lima Beans. 
;Seed selected through three generations. 
7th, Perfection Golden Heartwell 
Celery. 
Several Hearts to a stalk. 
8th, The Perfect Getn Squash. 
A marvel of productiveness. Fine-grained, sweet, 
dry—combining the excellencies of both the Sum¬ 
mer aud Winter squash. 
9th, Rural Chater Hollyhock. 
A perfection flower. Throe feet of brilliantly col- 
ored rohelUrfl— white, lemon, butt, Tose, rod, crlin- 
son, maroon and nearly black. 
$2,000 worth of Valuable Presents 
from leading Men of the Country 
for the best yields from the Rural Dent and Thor¬ 
oughbred Corns and Wysor’s Fultzo-Clawsou Wheat. 
Address 
RURAL NEW-YORKER 
34 1'nrli llow. New Y'ork. 
PRESENTS 
JL ^ ~->= 0 rORTHE o =S—- 
I Best YIELDS OF CORN 
For the BEST YIELDS of the RURAL 
DENT or THORO UGIIBRED FLINT 
CORN, from the SEED of the R U- 
RAL NEW-YORKER FREE 
DISTRIBUTION. To he 
planted THIS SPRING. 
One Loring & Blake Palace Organ, pre¬ 
sented by the Rural New-Yorker. (See 
page 590 ) $ 205 , 
New Spring Tooth Sulky Harrow, with 
Force-Feed broadcast Seeder, presented by 
the Wheeler & Melick Co., Albany, N. Y. $ 60 . 
Big Giant Coni Mill, latest improved, size 
No. 2 , presented by J. A. Field & Co., St. 
Louis, Mo. $ 60 . 
Farmers’ Friend Two-Horse Corn Planter, 
with drilling attachment, presented by Fann¬ 
ers’ Friend M’f ’g. Co., Dayton, Ohio. § 55 . 
Fertilizers from our stock of complete 
Manures, pure bones, &.C., to the amount of 
fifty dollars, or Fifty" Dollars in Cash, as 
winner may select, presented by Mapes 
Formula and Peruvian Guano Co., New 
York City. $ 50 . e 
Silver-plated Tea Service, six pieces, Tea, 
Coffee and Hot-water Urns, Cream Pitcher, 
Sugar and Slop Bowls, presented by the 
Rural New-Yorker. $48. 
Porter’s Patent Wire Cable Derrick com¬ 
plete, with Champion Hay Carrier, presented 
by J. E. Porter, Ottawa, Ill. $45. 
Veteran Corn Sheller complete with Table 
Crank and Band Wheel, presented by Sand¬ 
wich M’f’g. Co., Sandwich, Ill. $33- 
A selection of Vegetable and Flower Seeds 
and Bulbs, presented by J. M. Thorburn 
& Co., 15 John St., N. Y. $ 30 . 
Collection of Plants, presented by Peter 
Henderson, & Co., 35 Cortlandt St., N.Y. $ 25 . 
Collection of Vegetable and Flower Seeds 
and Bulbs, presented by J. M. Thorburn & 
Co., 15 John St., N. Y. $ 20 . 
One No. 3 Cornell Corn Sheller, present¬ 
ed by Treman, Waterman & Co., Ithaca, 
N. Y. $ 18 . 
Adamant Plow, presented by New York 
Plow Co., 55 Beekman St. $15. 
Hoosier Corn Drill, presented by Hoosier 
Drill Co., Richmond, lnd. $15. 
Planet Seed Drill, presented by S. L. Allen 
& Co., Philadelphia, Pa. $ 14 . 
One handsome Silver-plated Ice-Pitcher, 
presented by the Rural New-Yorker. $ 14 . 
Collection of Flower and Vegetable Seeds, 
presented by Peter Henderson & Co., 35 
Cortlandt St., N. Y. $ 10 . 
100 Manchester Strawberry plants, pre¬ 
sented by J.T. Lovett, Little Silver N. J. $ 10 . 
Collection of Flower and Garden Seeds, 
presented by R. H. Allen & Co., 189 and 191 
Water St., N. Y. $ 10 . 
One Silver-plated Cake-basket, presented 
by the Rural New-Yorker. $ 9 . 
One Aqnapull, (Force Pump,) presented by 
lhe Rural New-Yorker. $9. 
One Peerless Clothes Wringer, No. 2, pre¬ 
sented by the RURAL NEW-YORKER. $8. 
Patent Screw YYT-dgc one-horse Cultivator, 
presented by the Wheeler & Melick Co., 
Albany, N. Y. $ 8 . 
Peter Henderson, four books, Gardening 
for Profit, Gardening for Pleasure, Practical 
Floriculture and Hand-book of Plants, pre¬ 
sented by Peter Henderson & Co., 35 Cort¬ 
landt St, $7-5°‘ 
One Keystone Washing Machine, present¬ 
ed by the Rural New-Yorker. $ 6 . 
^Qne dozen Silver-plated Tea Spoons, pre¬ 
sented by the Rural New-Yorker. $ 6 . 
One Silver-plated Cup, presented by the 
Rural New-Yorker. $4. 
1 R. N-Y. 
hjk- _ . 
The Great Popular 
Rural J ournal 
OF AMERICA. 
Examine It. Compare it with 
other Farm and Horticultural 
Journals, and Subscribe 
For tlie Best, 
Progressive Fanners cannot afford to da 
without the RuhalNkw-Yorker. Speci¬ 
men copies will gladly be sent without 
charge on application by postal card. 
We desire that all should have the oppor¬ 
tunity of examining it, and of judging of 
its value for themselves. 
-- 
It is always the first to place before its 
readers original engravings and descrip, 
tions of all new fruits, plants, seeds and 
farm implements. It is the recognized 
medium for their introduction. 
--- 
Over 500 Illustrations from 
Nature Yearly. 
Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Swine, Poultry, 
Milk, Butter, Cheese, Diseases of Ani¬ 
mals, Bees, Injurious Insects, Grain, 
Grass, Small Fruits, all Ornamental ana 
Useful Trees and Shrubs are among the 
prominent subjects treated in its columns. 
THE BEST WRITERS IN 
THE WORLD. 
--- 
Those who have not seen the Fair 
Number of the Rural should send for 
the SUPPLEMENT. This will be sent 
gratis and explains the 
S Q , O O O 
worth of Presents offered to all subscrib¬ 
ers who produce the best yields from our 
Valued Free Seed Distribution* 
-H#- 
It is the first Journal to have made free 
seed distributions among its subscribers. 
It lias introduced many of the most valu¬ 
able farm and garden plants in cultiva¬ 
tion. 
-- 
It has worked a New Era in rural jour¬ 
nalism. It is true to the farmers’ true 
interests. It is conscientious, aggressive, 
outspoken, sparkling, original. Thous¬ 
ands of testimonials from good men iij 
all parts of our country. 
■--- 
It. mil cost yrn hut $2.00 per year — 
it may save you hundreds. 
-m- 
It is original from beginning to end. 
It is conducted by practical farmers and 
gardeners. It strives to do good and to 
merit the full confidence of its readers. 
--—- 
The most vigorous and able combination 
of Practical Writers ever collected to¬ 
gether in the columns of any Agricultu¬ 
ral Journal: 82 acres of Experiment 
Grounds. Its motto is 
“The Progress aud Development of American 
Horticulture and Agriculture,” 
--- 
The objects of the Experiment Farm 
of the Rural New-Yorker are to test all 
kinds of new seeds and to present the re¬ 
sults to our readers; to produce new va¬ 
rieties of grain by cross-breeding; to test 
new farm implements and methods of 
culture, with a view to producing the 
greatest yields at the smallest cost; to 
disseminate among its readers seeds of 
varieties which, from our own tests, have 
proven of unusual worth without cost to 
them, and thus advance the agricultural 
interests of the whole country. The Rural 
New-Yorker has no personal interests to 
subserve. 
Send for Specimen copies—Send 
for specimen copies for your friends ! 
Scud for the Supplement. Examine them. 
The Rural New-Yorker is the groat Amer¬ 
ican authority and the acknowledged 
Head of the Rural Press. 
Sixteen large pages—fine paper. The 
best Artists—Onward and upward. 
1 34 PARK ROW, NEW YORK. 
