for tl )t Bomt0, 
FREE SEED DISTRIBUTION 
TO THE 
YOUTHS’ HORTICULTURAL CLUB OF 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Once more the time has come for Uncle 
Mark to remember his nieces and nephews, so 
as is the custom, he again sends out his little 
packets of seeds. The seeds are all those of 
flowers, but are different from those sent out 
in th» Rural Free Seed Distribution this 
Spring, a very nice collection of mixed 
scabiosas ha ving been added, as well as nu¬ 
merous other varieties, so that a really choice 
collection has been made up. Let the Cousins 
take good care of their flowers so that they 
will thrive and grow in beauty. Nearly 
every farm has plenty of melons, tomatoes, 
cucumbers, etc,, but a great many do not 
have the beautiful flowers that are so cheaply 
and easily obtained. If you will care for 
these well, 1 know that they will brighten 
your homes, as well as perhaps the homes of 
others, and the labor expended will be small 
compared with the pleasure derived from 
them. And so, dear nieces and nephews, care 
well for your beautiful, silent friends, and 
with them beautify your own and other 
homes. Cut nice bouquets for the family 
table, the church or school, and show in the 
many r ways that you can, how much good you 
can do with your flowers. 
I have a plan to suggest to the Cousins; 
most of you know how unpleasant and dreary 
school grounds usually look. Now suppose 
each does all he can to help beauti¬ 
fy the school-yards by means of some flow¬ 
ers. Take a few plants from your own gar¬ 
den to the school, and fix up a little flower 
bed. Get the teacher and scholars interested, 
and see if y'ou can make it pleasanter and 
more beautiful where you have to spend so 
much time. If you will think this suggestion 
over, I imagine you will believe it a good one. 
Why, I know of one school here in the big 
city of Brooklyn, where the boys aud girls 
grow flowers and seeds, theD write composi¬ 
tions about them, and read them before the 
school. And how much more room you have, 
than boys aud girls have in the great, crowded 
city of Brooklyn! 
O. F Fuller tells us, in another portion of 
the Youth’s Department, that he has formed a 
farmers’ club. Who will tell us that he has 
done something towards making the school 
grounds more pleasant and attractive by 
means of plants and flowers? Now is the 
time. UNCLE MARK. 
[You are bound to be a successful fanner, 
aud I hope you will get great good from your 
experiments with the seedlings in more ways 
than one. I should not be very well able to 
test your seedling, but if you will send it to 
the Rural Grounds at River Edge, New Jer¬ 
sey, it will be well cared for. You are deserv¬ 
ing much credit for organizing a Farmers’ 
Club, and I wish the Club a happy and success¬ 
ful future, as well as its enterprising secretary. 
I think it would be interesting to have some 
of the pi'oceediugs of the Club published in 
the Youths’ Department of the Rural. 
UNCLE MARK. 
OUR PET SHEEP, PEARL. 
That old familiar step! How often we 
have wished we might never hear it more. 
But, alas! like many another wish, it was 
blasted ere uttered. No sooner were we 
comfortably seated, thau pit-pat sounded 
Miss Pearl’s daiuty footsteps upon pur spotless 
woodshed floor; her nose was raised with a 
sniff, as much as to say, “Have you anything 
good to eat here; if you have, I’ll put my 
smutty nose in, and take a share first?” 
We bounded after her with the broom-stick, 
but, pshaw 1 what was the u;el She sprang 
away with a leap like a deer. When at a safe 
distance away, she faced about, wiuked both 
eyes, nodded her head, and said, “Bah! hah!” 
meaning, "Don’t you want to try it again?— 
it’s fun for me,” We closed the woodshed 
door and walked away, when presently rap! 
rap! sounded Miss Pearl’s little forefoot 
against the door. We knew who was doing 
the rapping, and quietly called Rover, think¬ 
ing we would dog her to the lot; but when we 
said, “Sick ’em, Rover!” he only bow-wowed 
at something else, and not even once disturb¬ 
ed ischievous Pearl 
For this reason, we suppose, when she was 
a wee bit of a lamb, her mother disowned her. 
It was then we took pity on her. and taught 
her to drink cow’s milk, giving a tablespoon¬ 
ful four times in 24 hours. As she grew older, 
we increased the quantity, and fed her only 
twice in 24 hours. After she had drank the 
milk, she would walk into Rover's bed and 
cuddle up to him as close as a baby would to 
its own mother, and go to sleep. After her 
nap was over, she would run and play with 
the dog, as if he were a lamb. He enjoyed it 
too. How funny! and then to think why her 
mother wouldn’t own her, simply because she 
was a ewe lamb! She never was known to 
own that sex. but always had twins, one of 
each sex, and seemed to think as much of the 
other lamb as other sheep did of theirs. Her 
grandmother did the same thing. We have 
yet to write a chapter on Pearl and her lamb 
—that is if she ever has one. 
Binghamton, N. Y. MRS. J. L. J. 
POTATO .SEEDLINGS. 
I take the pleasure of writing to you about 
mv seedlings, in which I know you are all in¬ 
terested. I don’t see much in the Youth's 
Colunm about seedlings. 1 am afraid I am 
the only one that is in the business very ex¬ 
tensively. 1 have now r about 150 potato seed¬ 
lings growing in the house, eight strawberry 
seedlings, 15 Niagara Grape seedlings, and 
three seedlings of another kind of a grape. 
The following is the way 1 plant my potato 
seeds: I mix the seeds with sand, and put the 
sand over the eart h in a box that is nearly full 
of good rich soil. When the seedlings are up 
and are growing in good shape, I si ft on the 
box a little rich dirt, and sort of hoe the 
plants. Mine came up in about three weeks, 
this time. They are the seedlings of the Belle 
Potato. 1 have about 25 varieties of potatoes. 
The reason I have so many kinds is, 1 make it 
an object to raise a large variety of potatoes 
to carry around to the fairs. I received six 
first premiums on potatoes and other vege¬ 
tables last year—but that is not talking about 
seedlings. My other seedlings did not turn 
out as well as I wish they had, owing to the 
dry weather. I did not put any manure in the 
hill. Some of them grew to be good-sized 
potatoes, and some were fair-sized. I wdllsend 
Uncle Mark one of the seedlings in the Spring 
to test, and if it proves to be a good potato. I 
would like to have him name it whatever he 
wishes. 
Potato No. 34 did the best of any; it yielded 
well, and I dug 30 out of one hill. 1 raided 
about a peck of this kind. No. 18 grew 10 in 
a hill. This potato was about five inches long 
and three inches in circumference; color red. 
No. 20 yielded fairly; color a pale red, with 
very red eyes. I hope some of my seedlings 
will prove satisfactory, after all the trouble I 
have had iu trying to raise new kinds. 
It may be of interest to you all, as well as 
to Uncle Mark, to know 1 have organized a 
Farmers’ Club here in Blackstone, of which I 
am the secretary. If there are any other 
members that can say they have organized a 
Farmers’ Club, please let them tell of it. 
Worcester Co., Mass, o. F. fuller. 
THE YOUTHS’ HORTICULTURAL CLUB 
DISCUSSIONS. 
[Concluded.] 
J. Clarence Jackson:— The year before 
setting the plants, 1 prepare the ground by 
manuring heavily and planting some hoed 
crop, letting no weeds go to seed. 1 begin by 
setting on one side of the vegetable garden, 
aud set. two rows the first year, the first row 
being three feet from the fence; the rows 
should be three feet apart, and the plants one 
foot apart iu the rows I prefer to set plants 
iu the Spring. In setting them, use a large 
stick to make the holes with, and press the 
dirt firmly around the roots; there is nothing 
more to do, blit keep down the weeds. 
Most of these plants are Crescents, each and 
and every tenth being Sharpless, to fertilize 
the Crescents. I raise my' own plauts, except 
when I want new kinds. I prefer to let the 
plants mat in the row ; the next year, I set two 
rows on the other side of the garden, because 
it is out of the way of the plow, aud I allow 
no berries to set the first year. There should 
not be any trees or grape-vines in the vegeta¬ 
ble garden. After the strawberries are picked, 
the bed maybe plowed aud planted with early 
corn, winter cabbage, tnruips, or any crop 
that will mature before Winter sets in. J pre¬ 
fer to take but one crop from the bed. Tbe 
ground should be manured after the straw¬ 
berries are off. 1 set this ground with straw¬ 
berries next Spring again, as before. About 
the first of December I mulch them with 
bushes and limbs, with the leaves on. Iu 
Summer the plants need no mulch, being in 
matted rows. I will not tell the Cousins how 
to eat them, but I like them with plenty of 
sugar aud cream. 
Clinton H. Woloer: —I think that the 
strawberry is very nice, and I am glad that 
the Cousins are going to talk about it, so that 
I can learn all about it. The Wilson aud 
Charles Downing do the best with us. The soil 
should be moist and rich, and if it is sandy, 
all the better. The plauts should be kept free 
from weeds, well hood ;und cultivated. The 
runners must all be kept cut off. 
A Clergyman’s Remarkable 
Experience. 
Evidence of the wonderful results which are 
following the use of Cmiiponnd Oxygen accu 
mulates with an almost bewildering rapidity. 
There seems to be no phase of bodily suffering 
and no type of disease, which this subtle 
agent will not reach. The subjoined commu¬ 
nication gives the history of one of a class of 
cases especially found among clergymen, 
aud all professional men and brain workers. 
The changes wrought in three months, as re¬ 
lated by the writer, are truly marvellous. 
From a state of physical and nervous prostra¬ 
tion, which had become alarming, he was re¬ 
stored to such vigorous health, that, to use his 
own language, ‘‘I found myself a hie to preach 
Hunday morning, teach a Ctilile class of seven¬ 
ty-five or a hundred after sermon, attend au 
afternoon service often, and preach to a con 
gregationof a thousand persons in the evening, 
that I was not conscious of any more weaii- 
ness than when I began iu the moruiug.” 
This seems almost incredible, but Dr. Cush¬ 
ing, pastor of the Fii'&t M. E. Church, Roches¬ 
ter, N. Y.. is a clergyman of wide repute, aud 
no one who knows him will for a moment 
question his statement. It is given herewith 
iu his own words: 
16 N. Fitzhtigb St.. Rochester, N. Y., 
January 11th, 1884. 
Drs. Starkey & Palen ' 
Dear Sirs: It, is nearly four years since I first 
used Compound Oxygen. I have often spoken 
of its effects to others, but have never, I think, 
made any statement to you. There are others, 
doubtless, who would lie glad to know of its 
effects in a case like mine. I was not sick, 
though my strength had been greatly impaired 
by sickness in earlier life. But for fifteen 
years 1 had been carrying very heavy burdens 
and doing very hard work, i found myself 
gradually losing the power of endurance, so 
that my work left me too much exhausted. 1 
could see that, my whole nervous system was 
giving way; that there was a mauifest lack of 
vital force This was most apparent and most 
alarming when I went to my study. There 1 
discovered a lack of the usual quickness of 
perception—a lack of power to hold on. My 
mind was losing its grip. At the point where 
I needed most strength, I found it suddenly 
failing me. This alarmed me, though I am 
not aware that mv friends had discovered i . 
Connected with this case was a lack of that 
physical vigor necessary for good digestion, 
and a consequent lack of nutrition. Sleep 
was fitful, insufficient, and unrefmshing. Un¬ 
der these circumstances I btgan the use of 
Compound Oxygen. At first 1 saw no results 
After a time I observed my digestion was 
much improved. More restful sleep followed. 
At the end of three months I found tnvself 
able to preach Sun da}' morning, teach a Bible 
class of seventy-five or a hundred after sermon, 
attend an afternoon service often, and preach 
to a congregation of a thousand persons in the 
evening, and say iu truth at the end of my 
evening service, tb3t 1 was not conscious of 
any more weariness than when 1 began in the 
morning. My sleep was as refreshing on Sun¬ 
day night as on any other night of the week. 
My mi nd has never worked better than during 
these four years, and in no other time of my 
life could I do as much work, or do it with as 
much ease. 
I do not use the Oxvgeu now unless I find 
myself getting a little weary. Then a resort 
to it tor two or three weeks puts me m normal 
condition again. 
This is my experience, and I have much 
reason to be grateful for it. Sincerely, 
CHAS. W. CUSHING, D.D. 
Many other eminent clergymen bear testi¬ 
mony to the efficacy of Compound Oxygen as 
a curative agent. It is also unequivocally 
endorsed by such leading public men as Hon. 
W. V. Kelley, member of Con less from 
Penn; Judge Flanders, of New York City, for 
many years law partner of Vice-President 
Wheeler; T. S. Arthur, the veteran author 
and temperance writer, aud Win, Penn Nixon, 
publisher of the Chicago Inter Ocean. 
Drs, Starkey & Palen, IRK) and 1111 Girard 
St., Philadelphia, are the sole dispensers of 
this remarkable curative agent, and will send, 
without charge, their Treatise on Compound 
Oxygen, giving all desired information iu 
regard to it, to any one who will write to 
them. 
^crYameri 
BUTTER. 
-1 SIMPLEST AND BEST. 
1 
BUTTER WORKER 
flout Effi*rU tt unil mmi L*iO, *tU© 
Power Workers, Butter Print¬ 
ers, Shipping Boxen, etc. 
DOC POWERS. 
Write for Illustrated Cat a loyu*. \ 
A. H. REID, 
26 S !6ff Street, Phila. Pa. 1 
■ the largest cooling 
y surface, takes less 
rooting material, 
takes less labor in 
.operating it, and 
* GIVES THE 
BEST RESULTS 
Has ft glass the whole 
depth Of C*n thftt shows 
outside the condition 
of the milk, without 
touching the Creamery, 
and can see the eream- 
tln« th* whole leiurth 
in drawing of • It 
{Koines all ('renin 
between milkings. 
For circular ftddreu 
CD Sole Mftnufsct’r, 
tn SYRACUSE, N. T. 
WROUGHT IRON 
Punched Rail Fence 
Buyable for Private Park*. Court Honac*, CcOMrtcrlei or Pabli* 
Qroui’ii* rtuulr eithrr Plrtiti nr Orn«meulftl Ainu, mmifirhiuri of the 
1KGN TLHBiNK tVIND £MJrNB» t Iff CKE’l F. FORCE fUMPS 
H • OK K V K 1 . * \V> MOVt ERS, ETC 
Bentlfnr Illustrated Cat*lo£ur > gtal I'ritte 60 
MAST. FOOS & CO.. Springfield, Ohio. 
McSKERRY 
GRAIN DRILL. 
Sows Fertilizers splendid I v. It is very accurate, 
and strictly first-class. Works to the entire satisfac¬ 
tion of ev.-ryhodv who knows what a Grain and Fer¬ 
tilizer Drill ought to do. All who appreciate excel¬ 
lence and accuracy, prefer the McSH ERIt Y. 
Mention this paper. 
I). K. McSHEURV * CO.. 
Dayton, O. 
EMINGTON 
SHOVELS, 
SPADES, 
SCOOPS, 
Remember 
that our Goods 
are always 
RELIABLE. 
Made in tiie 
Rest Manner, 
by skilled 
WORKMEN 
Address, TAYLOR MFC. CO. 
U’taaaci Mention this /'norr.) Pft 
T C I FfiPA !>HY * SHOUT-HAM) Tnuirht. 
.LturtHrn 1 Situations forntsbed. Circulars 
ttrmt V.blwnoe If \T . » . V..T.I a . T .. a . .. o — I 1 1. . W7 I 
Bent free. Address R. Vai.kntj.se, Juuesville, Wls. 
STEVENS FRENCH BUHR 
FEED MILLS. 
The cheapest 
and wst nulls 
In the world. 
Pr.eS >A) and 
upwards, sub¬ 
ject to cash tils- 
vvjnnt Send for 
Ctreul ars to 
AW ST FA EN5 
dr HON. 
Annum. B V. 
Mention iMls 
paper. 
.ft 
€w.o 
JStg ADVERTISEMENT ON PAGE 
Cooley Creamers, 
Made In four styles, all 
sizes, for dairy or lactors 
use The only creamer ever 
deemed of sufficient merit to 
be awarded u Gold Medal. 
See large advertisement 
last or next week, send post¬ 
al for Illustrated Circulars 
containing testimonials. 
VT. FA KM MACHINE CO., 
Bellows Fm ijl V.t. 
IMPROVED FARM IMPLEMENTS. 
Non-Ex plosive Steam Engines, Beat Hallway A Lever 
norse Powers,Threshing Machines. Straw-Preserving 
Threshers, LUiow’s Disc aud Hire) SpringTouth Hur- 
rows.Kagle Sulky Horse Unites.Cultivators,Ford Mills, 
Feed Steamers, otc.etc. WiimtLftaAMEUCKCo .Albany, 
N. Y..Established 1880. Send for Illustrated Catalogue. 
THE UNION HORbE-POWER 
Hu thft Lftrgeat Track WUftfii DOUBLE GEARED. 
No Koils,Chilled Hearings 
LEVEL TREAD 
Separator nnd Cleane 
Grist It I ill. Feed Cutter 
