202 
THE BUBAL fSEW-YORKER. MARCH 27 
(fctjtrgtojjtri. 
NOTES FROM AIXEN-(S. C.) 
Tub bluest place on the face of the earth is 
a “Health Resort” in bad weather. The in¬ 
valids growl as if they were suffering personal 
wrongs, and their long faces are in keeping 
with the gloomy Bkies. Nearly a week of rain 
or drizzle has, as a matter of fact, tried the 
patience of patient well people, and about the 
only enlivening thing to be found here in 
*' Aiking”—as it has been with a grim face¬ 
tiousness called—is the cheerful pine-wood fire 
in the old-fashioned open chimney-place. “It 
is an ill wind that blows no good.” While the 
coughers are coughmg worse, the land, from 
this week of storms, is receiving just what it 
sadly stood in need of. Strawberries were dry¬ 
ing up and the thousands of rose-buds that 
were ready to unfold were looking as if nipped 
by frost. Now all this iB fast changing. In 
a day or so, the gardens will be a mass of 
roses, while the buds of trees are swelling and 
expanding as fast as ever they can. Speaking 
of Roses, we have here Fortune's Yellow offer¬ 
ed two or three years ago as the “Beauty of 
Glazeuwood,” first in England, then here. The 
colored plate of this “Glazenwood" was not 
only captivating, but was actually enough to 
set an ardent rosai ian quite crazy, being about 
eight inches in diameter, of a lemon-yellow 
color striped with red. But its identity with 
Fortune’s was soon discovered, and its buds 
(unlike those of the American Banner) never 
came to be worth their weight in gold! 
A very common method of raising potatoes 
here is as follows:—Prepare the soil in the 
usual mauner and plant piece* (cut to single 
or double eyes) six inches deep. Cover with a 
foot of pine needles. The vines grow through 
this, while the tubers form among the leaves 
(“needles” or “straw”) and are taken out by 
hand, as needed, without injury to the plant 
which keeps on growing and forming new 
potatoes through nine months of the year. 
It is a Btrange fact that the “ straw” or “nee¬ 
dles” (leaves) of pine trees have been regarded 
as not only worthless as manure, but positive¬ 
ly injurious to vegetation. What a costly 
error! I have j ust been looking over a garden 
in which the “straw” has been spaded under 
in immense quantities, and there left to rot. 
The proprietor tells me that though, ’tie true, 
roots must not come in contact with uudeeayed 
straw, yet, when rotted, it constitutes a valua¬ 
ble manure rich iu both potash aud phosphoric 
acid. The appearance of his Strawberries, 
potatoes and Roses seems to indicate that his 
estimate of its value is not much out of the 
way. _ 
Here I find that the identical Doura of which 
the Rural New-Yorker has of late said so 
much, has been well tested, and the report 
more than corroborates your estimate of its 
value as grown upon your Experiment 
Grounds. After the Pearl Millet deceit, no 
doubt your readers will touch new fodder 
plants with a dainty floger. And it is well 
they should. I merely desire to convey to 
them the estimate which those who have 
tried this particular kind of Doura place 
upon its value for this part of the country; 
that is, as I have already intimated, that it is 
the most valuable fodder plant yet known. It 
may here be cut three times during the season 
and “grows all the better for it.” Each 6eed 
here, as with you, seuds up an average of about 
eight stalks. These, if not cut back, seed 
freely and the fruit head is precisely the same 
as represented by your eugraviug on first page 
in the issue of last December 27. 
[The panicle referred to was drawn while 
the grain was in the milk. Some of the grain 
had not even formed.—E ds.J 
The “Green Valley Grass” (I believe it was 
so called), Sorghum halepense, is also being 
tested here, with some prornUe that it, too, 
may prove of value in this land which so 
stands in need of this class of plants. The 
roots are quite hardv here and the leaves are 
now a foot high. The roots, or rather root¬ 
stocks, form a complete net-work in the soil of 
which they will take complete possession in a 
few years. How long, however, they will 
yield a paying quantity of leaves is not yet 
known. _ 
March 15.—We had a glimpse of the sun yes¬ 
terday. Last night it rained in torrents and 
to day is overcast and muggy. The Chinese 
(purple) Wistaria is making a beautiful dis¬ 
play. The following Roses are in bloom or 
“nearly so:” Gen. Jacqueminot. Bon Silene, 
Duch. de Brabant, Isabella Sprunt, Lady War- 
render, Mad.Ristori, Safrano, Agrippina, Bour¬ 
bon Queen, llermosa, Louis Philippe, Souvenir 
de la Malomison, Soinbreuil, James Spruut, La- 
marque, Marshal Nicl, Reve d'Or, Prairie 
Queen, Amazoue, Solfaterre. Arcbduchesse Isa¬ 
bella, Archduke Charles, Adrienne Christo- 
phle, Bougere, Clare Carnot, Clare Sylvain, 
Cheshunt Hybrid, Count de Chartres, Caroline 
de MarineBse, Comte Bobrinsky, Dueh. de 
Thuinge, Emp. Eugenie, Isabella Gray, Le 
Phoenix, Lucullus, Mad. Herman, Pink Daily, 
Verdiflora (this is the green rose), Anna de Dies- 
bacli, Cardinal Patrizzi, Triomphe des Beaux 
Arts. Major. 
- 4 ♦ 4 - 
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE. 
Rt78siA. St. Petersburg, Feb. 23.—The Tri¬ 
bune or the 4th Inst, notices the fine display 
of flowers iu the roorn6 of the New York 
Horticultural Society on the day previous, 
in spite of the wintry storm outside, which 
may be something extraordinary for New 
York, but is nothinguuusual here in St. Peters¬ 
burg. The establishment* for floral exhibi¬ 
tions here are very numerous, large and ele¬ 
gant, affording the choicest collections of 
flowering plants aud cut flowers during the en¬ 
tire winter season, say from November until 
May. The display of Hyacinths, Tulips, 
Amaryllis, Liiies, and Crocus, is something 
remarkable, thousands of which are sold 
daily at from ten to fifty cents each, The 
chief attraction, however, is the modest Con- 
vaiiaria. with its most delightful fragrance. 
Here it is cultivated in enormous quantities 
in pot< and boxes, plain and ornamental. 
Ordinary flower pots, with from ten to fifteen 
roots and as many flower stalks, are sold at 
from 50 cents to $i.00; ordinary little willow 
baskets 8x14 and six inches deep, filled with 
from forty to sixty roots covered with the 
graceful Lycopodium on the top, sell at from 
$2 to $4 each aud as I have been informed, the 
daily sales of the Lily of the Valley (Conval- 
laria), in this way, during the months of 
Jauuary aud February, amount to from $2,500 
to $3,500. 
During January, February and March the 
Roses attract universal attention, chiefly the 
Tea aud Bourbon. All the newest and latest, 
varieties produced by the French, English and 
German raisers, can be found in the various 
floral establishments on exhibition and for 
Bale in bushy and well grown specimens from 
18 inches to three feet high, covered with 
healthy foliage aud perfect flowers, raugiug 
at prices from $1 to $3 per plant. The 
Azaleas make their appearance by the middle 
of January iu large quantities ; stocky speci¬ 
mens covered with a mass of flowers of great 
variety aud brilliancy, bring from 50 eeuts to 
$3 each, plants from three to five years old. 
Theseand Camellias are purchased by the mass 
and are usually met with iu every bouse dur¬ 
ing the winter months. Many rare green¬ 
house and stove plants are exhibited aud sold 
in these establishments, especially Orehids and 
richly colored foliage plants, such as Marautas 
Aroideae, Caladiums, Ficus, Palms aud Coni¬ 
fers. 
The show of cut flowers aud bouquets is 
magnificent aud the demand for them enor¬ 
mous. Rose buds sell at from 20 to 30 cents 
each; violets al 25 ceuts the dozen, etc. Bou¬ 
quets, depending on the selection of the flow¬ 
ers, shape and size aud general make-up, cost 
duriner January, February aud March, from $3 
to $100 each, aud baskets, made ud iu the 
most artistic style, take often out of the pock¬ 
ets of the gallants the nice little sum of $250, 
to be thrown at the feet of some favored ac¬ 
tress. priucess or countess. During the operat’c 
and theatrical season not less than half a mil¬ 
lion dollars are harvested by florists in this 
way. For balls, parties, decorative and fune¬ 
ral purposes, at least a million dollars are ex¬ 
pended during the season. 
The establishments exhibiting and selling 
fruit and vegetables are equally attractive aud 
inviting; here can be seen during the winter 
months, tastefully arranged, every variety of 
fruit, such as pine-apples, Uot-house grapes, 
oranges, pomegranates, pears,Apples, peaches, 
cherries, strawberries, plums, etc., iu great 
perfection aud large quantities, selling, how¬ 
ever, at high prices, on account of their being 
raised iu bot-houses, with the exception of 
the oranges, pomegranates, pears aud apples 
which are imported from Italy, dpaiu and 
France. 
In the vegetable line, the variety is great 
and choice during the entire winter season, 
nearly all having been raised under glass aud iu 
forcing houses. In spite of the severe climate, 
the thermometer raugingthroughout the winter 
between zero and 30 degrees below that frigid 
point, and despite the short days and the ab¬ 
sence of sunshine, the wealthy can supply 
their table daily with string beaus, cucumbers, 
radishes, lettuce, in fine, solid heads; spin- 
nach, cress, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes 
Xreth from the gardens, of course at high 
prices only. The ordinary supply of winter 
vegetables is also remarkably large and fine, 
and they sell at reasonable prices and consist 
of every known variety of cabbage, the finest 
turnips I ever saw in any couutry, onions, 
beets, cellery, both the English and German, 
carrots, artichokes, fair potatoes, etc. 
The floral establishments and fruit stores are 
great institutions here in St. Petersburg, aud 
surpass those iu London, Paris, Vienna or Ber¬ 
lin. W. R. Bebgholz. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Ills., Baldwin, Randolph Co., March 13.— 
We had another snow storm on the 12th inst., 
followed by a cold night which will almost 
surely kill the frail,as the buds were very far ad¬ 
vanced and in some cases Peaches and Apricots 
had blossomed out. We have also had con¬ 
siderable rain, so that the ground is soaked 
with water, and the woods are very bud. In 
low. flat land the wheat is nearly all water- 
killed while in some places the fly has entirely 
ruined it, so much so that it will hardly pay to 
let it stand until harvest. Where the land is 
well-drained, however, and was well plowed 
twice and well-prepared before the wheat was 
sown in the lull, the outlook is very good. So 
far the prospect for fruit has been good, and 
unless the present storm and freeze injures the 
buds, we will have a good crop The outlook 
now is that we will have a late spring, as it 
will take several days of warm, dry weather 
to make theground suitable for plowing. Far¬ 
mers arc anxious to sow oats. n. j. s. 
Iowa, Luui, Wright Co., March 10.— This 
country is fast becoming a corn aud stock rais¬ 
ing country. Improvements are going on very 
fast, and if it continues at the present rate it 
will soon lose all the romance of a uew coun¬ 
try, and the sooner the better. O. e. f. 
Kansas, Cedar Vale, Chautauqua Co., March 
13.—Suow four iuches deep ; weather cold. 
Fruit prospects, bad. Wheat looks fine. Plow¬ 
ing about fiuished. Forty years' experience 
with eows has taught me that a cup of the first 
milk of the cow, after calviog, put on the 
small of the back, just forward of where 
the hips unite with the back-bone, will re¬ 
move the after-birth. I have never known it 
to fail. ' P. H. L. 
Missouri, Springfield, Greene Co., March 10. 
—Our ice crop for this time is very thin—a 
failure. We have not had winter enough to 
drive the larks and robins South, or hush the 
sweet poetry of the cooing doves. Only one 
effort at a snow-storm during the whole season. 
Ou the night of the 12th ult., snow fell rapidly 
to a depth of six inches, but was melting next 
day and was soon gone. West of us, in Jasper 
Co., there was less, and at the Kansas line none 
at all. March is lovely thus far. sunshine and 
showers alternately bring forward the wheat 
and blue-grass. Plows are moving; oats are 
being sowu, peas, beets, onions, potatoes, 
etc., are “ falling in‘o lino” in the garden ; fruit 
buds are all alive yet—Apricots, Hard-Shelled 
Almonds and the first Peach buds began to 
burst nearly a week ago—critical moment. 
May He who held off from us the Frost King 
all winter hold him still in spring till our fruit 
shall be safe! s. h. 
New York, Fluvauua, Chautauqua Co., 
March 9.—Weather mild. Winter wheat look¬ 
ing Due. Hay plenty at $10. Corn, 30c; oats. 
38c; beef, 5e. Potatoes are plenty at 40c; 
prime butter brings readily 27c(&28e. Milch 
cows are a slow sale-at from $30 to $40 Many 
poor grades can be bought at $25 to $30. Grass 
seeds are ruling high, $3.25 to $3 50 for tim¬ 
othy ; clover, $5.50 to $t>00; orchard grass. 
$2. The ice crop though usually abundant, 
is very short, not one quarter of the usual 
supply has been gathered. Wc have had 
abundance of snow but little sleighing. There 
is a great tendency throughout the agricultur¬ 
al districts, especially in those sections more 
remote from the city, to sbiftlessness or waut 
of care of farmiug implements, fences, etc. 
Thousands of dollars are annually squandered 
by neglecting to bouse tools, vehicles, etc., 
properly. No farmer can patiently endure 
a first attempt to plow with, the rusty im¬ 
plement which has remained in the furrow 
where he left it in November last. Nothing 
can possibly be gained, but much unduly 
squandered by this slipshod way of trying to ob- 
taiu a rouumerative return for the outlay of 
money aud labor. A tidy farmer is as muetr to 
be commeudcd as is a tidy housewife. The 
old adage that “a woman can throw out with 
a spoon as much as a man can throw in with a 
shovel,” is all very^well to heed, but what 
would we say if we saw the housewife set her 
sewing machine, which cost $35, out-ol-doors 
when not in use; while it is a common thing 
to see the mowing machine, which cost double 
the amount or more, left for the year where 
last used, aud not a word said. We censure 
the women too much and the men far too little. 
Many a farmer squanders more every year in 
rot and rust ou his many implements, wagons 
aud sleighs than would pay hta taxes and leave 
a little to replace old and poor tools by new 
aud improved machines. 
Another item is worthy of mention, that of 
wood. How perfectly absurd to indulge in 
the luxury of green wood for constant U6e! 
Many a man who thinks himself a thrifty, 
prosperous farmer is willing to endure the an¬ 
noyance and vexation of a hand-to-mouth 
custom in procuring wood. Dry wood pre¬ 
pared one year in advauce, is better than 
bank stocks or four-per-cent, bonds. Dry 
wood aud plenty of it, add much to domestic 
cheer. It is far more enjoyable than apples 
and cider. There is no labor expended during 
the short days of winter that pays as large a 
profit in dollars and cents—to say nothing of 
peace of mind and the joy and comfort of the 
honsewife—as that preparing dry wood and 
properly housing it. n a. w. 
Penn., Bald Mount, Lackawana Co., March 
15.—Weather warm for this time—scarcely any 
snow, plenty of rain and mud. Wheat went 
into winter-quarters in first-rate condition, but 
owing to the frequent freezing and thawing, 
it is badly killed A larger area than usual 
was sowu, but from preseut prospects the 
amount in bushels will be less thau last year. 
Wheat now is worth $1.25; rye, 70c.; oats, 45c.; 
corn, 65e.; horses have advauced in price 
about, 25 per cent., eood farm horses arc worth 
about $150, cow6 $30@45. d. w. r. 
tTlic <£umst, 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Stock Queries, 
J. S. B , Lost Nation, La., asks, 1, how to 
treat a horse with lumps all over his hind¬ 
quarters from the back down to the hock 
joints; most of them are the size of a hen’s 
egg ; the animal seems to suffer whenever they 
are touched by the curry-comb or otherwise; 
they are worse iu summer than at other sea¬ 
sons and have now lasted three years; 2, what 
will cure heaves in a horse ; 3, what is good 
for a thick-winded horse ; 4, what is ditto for 
sprains, swellings, Eore shoulders, etc.; 5, 
where can he get the best and most compre¬ 
hensive works ou the horse, the cow, the hog, 
the sheep and on poultry. 
Ans. —To gain the information he desires our 
knowledge-seeking friend should take a course 
in BOine agricultural college and fiDish off with 
a couple of terms in a veterinary school. 1. 
That horse, no doubt, is affected with farcy in 
a ehronic form, aud the lumps are “farcy 
buds.” This disease is due to the same poieon 
as glanders, seeking elimination through the 
skin instead of the mucous membrane liuing 
the nose. It is an incurable disease fatal to 
man and other animals. Iu the absence of 
competent veterinary authority, we would ad¬ 
vise that some old, useless horse should be 
inoculated with the pu8 from one of the tu¬ 
mors, and if the effect is carefully observed, it 
will be found—if our diagnosis is correct—that 
glanders will be tbe result, as a horse inocu¬ 
lated with farcy is likely to exhibit glauders, 
and often vice versa. Or, give the animal a 
laxative diet for a few days and follow with a 
purging ball—aloes five drachms, calomelhalf a 
drachm. After this depletive treatment gland¬ 
ers will be developed. When our diagnosis of 
the malady is confirmed, as the disease is high¬ 
ly contagious to man and noises, and as 
there is uo known remedy for it in either case, 
the patient should be destroyed. His life may 
be prolonged a short time by the use of green 
food, but tbe risk of contagion is too great U> 
be incurred by any man who regards his own 
welfare and that of his neighbors. 2. There is 
uo recognized cure for heaves in horses; but 
tbe effect of tbe disease may be palliated by 
giving feed of good quality aud small bulk 
namely, plenty of oats, ground corn and wheat 
brau and 25 pounds of hay per week. We have 
seen good results annouuccd from the use oi 
prairie hay or grass, and also from that of 
corn-stalks. 3. Much de pends on the scat of 
the disease—whether In the nostrils or iu the 
larynx or trachea. Locate the disease. 4, 
Spi ains—first cold water, bandages or bathing; 
secoud, hot fomentation; third, blitters, aud, 
above all, “ rest.” Swellings—ascertain the 
cause—perhaps an abscess—then poultice and 
when it points, a bold incision with a huife ; 
or if the result of a sprain—see Spraiu. Sore 
Shoulders—collar galls—bathe with tincture of 
arnica, opium or myrrh equal parts, and give 
rest until well. 5. Perhaps “The Farmers’ 
Veterinary Adviser’—price $3—by Prof. Law, 
of Cornell University, Jtlilca, N. Y., is the best 
work on tbe horse, cattle, sheep and hogs, that 
we can advise, as it Is thoroughly good, plain 
and comprehensive ; then the uuuuul reports of 
the Commissioner of Agriculture at Washing¬ 
ton, D. C. Of works trealingof special subjects 
the following are as good ns any: For the 
cow, Armitagu’s Clatter’s Cattle Doctor, price 
$6; for the hog, Coburn’s Swine Husbandry, 
$1,75; for sheep, Stewart’s Shepherd’s Manu¬ 
al, $1.50; for poultry, Lewis’s Practical Poultry 
Book. $1.50. All the above cau be had through 
local booksellers, or from the American News 
Co. of this city - 
How to Make Walks for Kurnl Grounds. 
Mrs. J. E. M., Felicity, Ohio, a-ks for infor¬ 
mation as to the method and material for 
making cheap, durable walks for rural 
grounds. 
Axs.—It is not alwaj s possible to make a 
cteap, and at tbe same time durable, walk ; in¬ 
deed, it is, not uufrequeutly, quite impossible. 
Much, however, depends upon he situation 
and the available material at hand. If much 
used, U is very desirable that the walk be dry 
and pleasant to tbe feet, and these ends can 
only be secured iu one way. If the soil is 
light and porous, dig out the walk about six 
» igphes deep; if heavy or playey, it should be 
