yfP■>*< 
.'-pCmrj<<-] 
j&tfltfe Rttfl 
now we pick the young growth. I can pick 
and “ tote ” it home, and a day’s work will 
weigh about 120 pounds. The price is from 
50 to 75 cents a hundred. I think any one 
would make more by cultivating corn than 
sumac. The White Elephant potatoes did 
well this year; there was no fruit this year 
but blackberries and grapes and persimmons. 
We had very good crops considering the dry 
weather. George Gordon*. 
Hanover Co., Va. 
H OW WATCHES ARE 
MADE. —In a Solid Gold 
Watch, aside from the necessary 
thickness for engraving and pol¬ 
ish ing, a large proportion of metal 
is needed only to stiffen and hold 
the engraved portions in place, 
and supply strength. The sur¬ 
plus gold is aftually needless. In 
Janu s 1 loss’ Patent Gold Watch Cases 
gjtnpimemp athl Vacuum}. 
this waste is saved, and solidity’ 
and STRENGTH secured by a sim¬ 
ple process, at to jf the cost. 
A plate of solid gold is soldered 
on each side of a plate of nickel 
composition metal, and the three 
are then passed between polished 
steel rollers. From this the cases, 
backs, centers, bezels, &c., arc cut 
and shaped by dies and formers. 
The gold is thick enough to ad¬ 
mit of all kinds of chasing, 
engraving and engine turning. 
These cases have been worn per¬ 
fectly smooth by use without 
removing the gold. This is the only 
Case made under this process and war 
POLLED ANGUS CATTLE. 
Just Imported. 
For Pedigrees and Prices, apply to FUJINC1S H. 
HKLiPII. Live Stock Importer oud Exporter, 
17 AND 19 BROADWAY, N. Y. City. 
Patent spark arresting Farm and Dairy Engines of 
all sIzch, from 2 to 12 horse power, mounted or un¬ 
mounted. Warrant' d to he the Rest and Cheapest 
engines made. Prices from Mi 150 upwards. Send 
for Illustrated Catalogue “A,” which will give you 
full information and prices to 
It. W I’AVNE & SON, 
Itox 811, Corning, N. Y. 
DEC 23 
SOUTHDOWN SHEEP. 
C ASSIUS M. CLAY, breeder of pure SOUTHDOWN 
SHEEP, Whitic-Hall, Kentucky- 
REGISTERED JERSEY CATTLE. 
“It is estimated that 
one dollctr per acre with 
such pulverizers as the 
Roller, Plank-drag and 
common Harrow, will 
ctdd five to ten bushels 
per acre to the wheat 
crop, and to other crops 
in the same proportion . 
This same work may be 
performed more cheaply 
and easily btj using the 
“ A CME” 'Pulverizing 
Harrow Clod Crusher $■ 
Leveler. With it, the 
three operations of crush¬ 
ing lumps, leveling off 
the ground , and thor¬ 
oughly pulverizing the 
soil, are pea'form ed, at the 
same time(See page 
87o, this paper.) 
Duna e \Y lilto Metallic’. Kn r Alai king Label, stamped 
to order with name, or haunt ami address and num¬ 
bers. It in reliable, cheap and convenient. Sells at. 
ehrlit and elves perfect satisfaction. Illustrated 
xTlce-List and samples free. Agents wanted. 
C. H. DANA, West. Lebanon, N. II. 
For Sale at Moderate Prices. 
T have had placed in m.v bands for sale, at low 
prices, a couple of dozen .IKKSEV CATTLE, 
A. J. C. C. IT. K.; Cows. Hulls, and Heifer and Hull 
Calves, embracing the Pansy. Albert, Knh Roy, Ra¬ 
jah, Alphea, Rioter, Lady Mary and Ollderoy strains. 
For prices and full part lcula»M, address with stamp, 
RICHARD GOODMAN, .la , 
Yokun Farm, Lenox, Mass. 
- '•willinotoh.,- — 5 
CLYDESDALK HORHKN, PERCH 1 C RON NORMAN 
HORSES. TROTTING BRED ROADSTERS, 
HOLSTEIN AND DEVON CATTLE. 
Our customers have the advantage of our many 
yean' experience In breeding and Importing larae 
collect ion s, opportunity of eoihpaidng different, brectls, 
lom prices, because of exten t of business and low rates 
of transportation. Catalogues free. Correspondence 
solicited 
POWKIiXi BROTCTEtRS, 
SPHINGBORO, CRAWFORD CO., PA. 
Mein Hon Rural N«w Yorker 
MOST EXTENSIVE PIJltE BRED 
LIVE STOCK ESTABLISHMENT 
IN THE WORLD. 
Sawing Made Easy. 
_. f.Y The New Improved 
HA. LH KOMftUH LIGHTNING 
t A or i, 13 the c heapest and best. 
1 A] -A~J A boy sixteen years old 
111 /|»> (m '7 cun suw lugs/ast and easy. 
VT 7 Sent on test, trial Send 
nostid for llloitnueil Cutulogue containing testimon¬ 
ials and full partleulars. AOI’XTS WANTED, 
Monarch Lightning; Saw Co., 1011 Randolph St., Chicago. 
SUMMIT STOVE-PIPE SHELF. 
Inipro.iMl Kilrudvn J tint PnlcnUA 
VTl/Jl/?- ACENTS WANTED, 
hkl | . ’/ (fl lOo.tio dilute by one 
L I 11 J jjf *ee'»< lu nfly-ilx days. 
NLi r. | Pull |tarUaular» and low of Agents' r*- 
C.T 'Yll -Srtt* ■ y parts, »t»t>wii»g quick Sale* and liug* 
1'roIIU, free, tfo Friiqht or Boxing 
K charge, to Agent*. Address at one* 
VM II ’9 PTlr k,ul ""Vf* «hulw territory IVee. 
CP ^ VJ J. E. SHEPARD & CO.. 
CINCINNATI, O. 
if| Large ohromo cards, no 2 alike, with name, 10c. 
4U Postpaid. G. L. Kkkd & Go., Nassau, N. Y. 
% J)oimg. 
BIRTHDAYS. 
ANNIE T,. JACK. 
“Whose birthday comes in December?’’ 
1 heard children asking one day, 
“For ours are In June and October; 
And yours are Jn April And May." 
One laddie with eyes blue and steadfast, 
Made answer quite Bolemn and slow, 
“Why Christ’s birthday Is In Deeember, 
That’s what Christinas Is kept for you know.” 
Then Lillie drew close to the firelight, 
And shivered and sighed as she said, 
"He must have been cold In that stable. 
With a manger at night for nie bed.” 
.-**♦- 
THE CHRISTMAS TURKEY. 
“Give me a fowl!” the housewives said, 
The market, stalls a-storming, 
V. hile the hungry looks of the crowd unfed, 
Showed similar wishes forming. 
They talked of birds: but not of beef, 
Forgot was weather murky; 
Each housewife had her own belief, 
But all said “ Turkey! Turkey!” 
Gone to the oven, but we will not deplore him, 
'Though oysters and sttub ug has cost us some cash; 
The cook with her big pan has gone In before him, 
A guide to the stove and an earnest of hash. 
-- 
“A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY 
NEW-YEAR.” 
That is what Uncle Mark w ishes for every 
one of the large family of Rural Cousins 1 
In a few days after these words greet you 
the “stockings will be hung,” and I hope they 
won’t begin to be large enough to hold all the 
good things Santa Claus brings. When I was 
a boy they used to tell me that the old gray¬ 
haired gentleman who travels over the house¬ 
tops and slips down the chimneys, would give 
presents to only good hoys and girls, so when 
1 wish them “full stockings” I simply express 
the hope that they have been ** good ” boys 
and girls, and of course only Ruch belong to 
our ClubI During the year which is drawing 
to a close Uncle Mark has enjoyed reading 
many kind words from tbn members of the 
Club, and he wishes to thank those especially 
w ho have shown a practical interest in mak¬ 
ing our department attractive; and, judging 
from what baa been done and what he knows 
the most of the Cousins can do, he can safely 
predict that during the coming year the 
Young Polks’ page will be not only more in¬ 
teresting but also still more profitable. The 
New Year ia a good time to make resolutions 
to keep, and when the list is being made up 
don’t forget to resolve that you will see how 
much you—each and every one—can do to 
please, instruct and benefit each other through 
the Horticultural Club the coming year. Once 
more let me wish Merry Christmas to all! ” 
Uncle Mark, 
■ 1 
KIND WORDS FROM UNCLE ELM. 
Dear Cousins of the Horticultural 
Club: —Uncle Mark has kindly invited me to 
write something for the Cousins now and 
then, but I suppose he forgets that I am not 
an editor, and that ideas worth printing do 
not always fill my heud. However, I can 
write and tell the Cousins how much 1 have 
been interested in their letters. Watermelons 
grew much better for some of you, the past 
season, than they did for me. If I had been 
trying for the prize, I would certainly have 
lost it. 
I think it is an excellent thing for boys and 
girls to learn how to write letters for other 
people to read- People who do not begin to 
wri’e when they are young, do not often be¬ 
come good writers after they are grown up. 
One reason why I like the Rural is, that it 
has always had a department for young 
people; 1 think every family paper should 
have something in it to ent rtain andinstruct 
the boys and girls. I can well remember how 
much I liked the RURAL, when I was at the 
age of some of the Cousins that write letters 
to it now; anil well remember that, the first 
letter I ever sent to a newspaper, 1 sent to 
the Rural, many years ago, when it was 
published in Rochester, in an entirely differ¬ 
ent dress from the one it wears at present. 
This is rather a dull time of year for gar¬ 
dening. 1 suppose most of the Cousins are 
thinking more about sleds and skates now 
than about watermelons or huckleberries, or 
anything that grows in the garden. But 
then, there is the window garden I I think 
a pretty window garden in Winter, when 
there is nothing green out-of doorB, is more 
beautiful than the handsomest flower bed in 
Summer, when all nature is teeming with 
verdant beauty. No matter how humble, or 
how elegant, a home is, it is made more 
pleasapt and beautiful by flowers. Some 
plants you know, such as the geranium and 
hyacinth, will blossom nicely in-doors, and 
the ivy, with its graceful-twining stem and 
pretty wax-like leaves, seems to enjoy grow¬ 
ing in the window garden. I suppose nearly 
all of the Cousins have a room in their houses 
where a fire is kept constantly burning. 
When I think though, I remember that one 
Cousin wrote me last Summer that he lived 
in a log-house a hundred years old. It might 
be difficult to keep plants in Winter in such a 
house as that, but it is pleasant to know* that 
the Rural visits suoh homes as well as the 
most elegant ones. 
But I was going to advise all of the Cousins 
to learn how to grow house-plants. Those 
who have made no begiuning for a window 
garden, will perhaps find it difficult to start 
one now, when the ground is frozen and all 
out-door plants are at rest. There is nothing 
to make it impossible, however, if one can 
obtain the plants. Geraniums anti some other 
plants are very readily grown from slips, 
that is by taking off the eud of a growing 
branch and planting it in a pot or box, the 
same a« if it had a root. If kept moist, and 
in a warm place, slips made in this way will 
almost always grow, and if they do well will 
bloom in a few weeks. The boys may think 
that taking care of flowers is girls’ work, 
but I am sure it will do any boy good to learn 
how to take care of a window garden, so that 
the plants will always look fresh, and will 
bloom nicely. I have not written just what 
I expected to, but perhaps it is just as well. 
N. Y. Ag. Ex. Station. Uncle Elm. 
-» » ♦ 
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM AN 
OREGON COUSIN. 
Dear Uncle Mark:— I had thought we 
would have learned all about watermelon 
culture ere this, but it seems the Club, usually 
so prompt when subjects for discussion are 
proposed, have fallen asleep over the melon 
question, or perhaps they have left It for me. 
Well, I should like to tell them all about it, 
but refrain for several good reasons. Indeed, 
to be candid I have had but little experience, 
never having raised any of my own, but will 
say that I thiuk many make a mistake in 
planting before the ground gets sufficiently 
warm, causing the melons to never forget 
their Spring chills soon enough to make a 
good growth, even if they find the courage to 
show themselves at all. Some one has advised 
planting the seed in squares of sod to start 
them and then transfer them to the garden 
when danger of frost is past. Why might 
they not be started in fruit cans, kept under 
glass or otherwise protected till the ground is 
warm enough to receive them ? By having a 
large opening in the bottom of the cans for 
drainage, the plants could be readily removed 
without disturbing the roots. 
While speaking of gardening, I will add 
for those who like the Chrysanthemum aud 
know not how easily it is increased by cut¬ 
tings, that by taking cuttings in April, put¬ 
ting them down where they are to remain, 
and shading from the light for a week or two 
they will almost certainly live and bloom by 
Fall. By pinching off the top after they get 
a foot or more high, they will throw out side 
branches and give more bloom. 
Thanks, Miss Lois, for the information as to 
how we may increase the number of our peach 
trees! Our peach yield was not very large 
this year, sister and 1 gathering the entire 
crop in one day. But as there were only five 
peaches we succeeded in getting them to the 
house without much fatigue, the greatest ex¬ 
ertion being to keep from eating them. Jack 
Frost nipped our box plants last night. lie 
took off so many for us last year we deter¬ 
mined tooutwit him this Fall. But, alas! it 
was so “Jongago” we had forgotten ourselves 
until he so sharply reminded us that a repeti- 
tiou of the same lesson again and again was 
frequently needed ere we learned topt oflt by it. 
I must not close without complimenting the 
cousins, one aud all, for their entertaining ai d 
instructive letters. Also Unel« Mark for his 
success lu making our portion of the Rural 
profitable and interesting. A merry Christmas 
to all, and to all a happy New Year! 
Your niece, Loretta Brown. 
Linn Co., Oregon. 
-» ♦ ♦ - 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Dear Uncle Mark:— Your invitation 
in this week’s Rural to the Cousins to 
send plans for a new heading in our depart¬ 
ment is very kind, so 1 inclose a plan which 
I think you will not accept, as it is not very 
good. I also wish to take part in the next 
discussion, if you accept inclosed; if you thiuk 
fit, all right. How about those badges ? I 
close, wishing you a Merry* Christmas and a 
Happy New Year 1 Yours, respectfully, 
New York City. Don Folinno. 
[Thanks for your prompt reply for the dis¬ 
cussion and design for heading. Won’t you 
suggest something neat for badges?—U. M.J 
Uncle Mark:—M y watermelons were a 
failure. I gathered sumac this Fall when we 
first came here; we stripped the leaves but 
ranted by special certifi cate. Por sale 
by all Jewelers. 150,000 of these 
Cases now carried in the U. S. 
and Canada. Largest and Old¬ 
est Fa6loiy. Established 1854. 
TO .TPrvra.KttBrv/V-T 
Our Ji»8- Bo>* Pulrnt (»obl 
■\VntolJ Cumsii bra bolus Imitated ^ upJ Mau 
by uuwupultfu* muker*. Wo 
caution you to avoid Imposition /[\ /|\ 
on j/0Urnfilva» and <‘untumrr* bjf /_{ \ 
taking none uxeept ilioae con* 
tulning our Undo murk and our stoned liuarantoo. 
HA08TOZ k TIIOttPK, J’iiiladki.ihu, r a. 
Send i t Hiiij* fut Illustrated Catalogue, and name this paper. 
Nisei & emu 
HOP AMO ,,rt ’ certainlv best, having been so 
UnUflHO (loerrvrt iu. every Great Wurld'x In- 
diiHlriul (Ntlilix'tilion for Sixteen Ycnr*| no 
other American uryuns having been found equal at 
tiny. Also rhcniM’xl. Hty li* IlO; nofaves; niffl 
di nt compass ami power, with host quality, tar p.ip 
\jluf snep’d ami secular music In sc Inn ,1s or fanillhs, 
at only (hie tnnilrrd oilier atyle», at *hi>, 
B87, *#«, 872, *78. *93. *1UK, *IH to *SOO a»fl up The 
larger styles are. wholly unrivaled by any other organs. 
Also for easy payments. New Illustrated cntaloKue 
free. 
The Mnson «te Ilnmlln Orutin and Plano Co., 
154 Trmnont St... Boston:4tl E, lull St, (Union Square), 
New York; 119 YVabasli Ave. Chicago. 
' THE VICTORY 
CORN MILL. 
The only mill that Is a 
A.romp'etr Mticcttnn In grlnd- 
XtftiiKenrn and cob together. 
» W,' defy competition on this 
Mud of grinding- It iiIko 
grinds shelled corn and alt 
other kind* of grain, coarse 
or line, ns desired. Capac¬ 
ity ten to twenty bushels per 
(?, h o u r. Self - sharpening 
plates, and warrunted in 
SS every respect. 
- TIKrtlAS ROBERTS, 
Springfield, Ohio. 
Mill Manufactory, 
-JgZ. Established 1851. 
V** ft fc*H.l!H r r 1V1 I J . L. IS 
g-* * * " SF -art tor iriutson bouk btonk. 
' -'-I-. Portable Mills for Farm- 
BPstStfit vq pns, Saw Mills, etc.; 16 sl- 
*es; over 2,000 In use. 
s, nL..^rdi£k !' «-v \ Price from *80 up. Com 
yjtt gls sgk plete MUI ami 8 h< lKr,*!r.. 
r tv&SpZi!** a boy can grind aud keep 
,n order- Adapted to any 
kind of suitable power. 
™r Complete Flouring and 
Corn Mills. 
Xordyko A: Dim-moil C'o., Indianapolis, ind. 
LABEL 
