652 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
them very rarely in my land where Julus is 
abundant, probably because it is a dairy farm 
and the cow manure encourages it. It is not 
surprising that wire worms (the true wire- 
worm) should be found in one locality and not. 
in another near it. From their character uud 
habits they do not travel, or if they do must 
go very slowly; while the elater beetles can 
fly and soon spread extensively. 1 have them 
numerously in one part of my garden and in 
a field where cow manure has been used tor 
years every year, and also in the cow-yard, 
but nowhere else.” All we have to say is. 
that there may be other causes of scab in 
potatoes. But we repeat for the tenth time, 
that the wire-worm (Julus, a myriapod, not an 
elater) is the cause of scab in potatoes at the 
Rural Grounds. 
Dwarf Peak Trees Objectionable.— 
Mr. P. T. Quinn abomiuatesdwarf pear trees. 
He says, in the American Garden, in summing 
up, that if he were about to plant a pear 
orchard now, and could get dwarf trees for 
nothing, and he was compelled to pay *500 a 
thousand for standards, he would not hesitate 
a moment in making the selection of stand¬ 
ards. The tempting theory thut dwarfs will 
bear fruit in a couple of years from the time 
of planting, is a dangerous and bad theory to 
practice. A pear tree should not be allowed 
to bear any fruit until it is five or six years in 
place, and one healthy standard pear at 12 
years of age, is worth a dozen dwarf trees kept 
as dwarfs at the same age. Still, we think 
there are two sides to the question. 
Evil of Debt.—A writer in the Agricultu¬ 
ral Gazette, of London, says that the difficulty 
and misery all round, arising out of keeping 
tage in the University, so long as the subject | 
itself is not recognized as part of the necessary 
qualification in order to obtain a degree. It I 
is evident, Dr. Lawes continues, that the own¬ 
ers of land in Eugland are not likely to have 
such an easy time in the future as they have 
had in the past. Political, social, and econ¬ 
omic questions relating to the tenure and man¬ 
agement of lauded properly are discussed at 
the present time with a freedom which shows 
that the population of that country takes a 
lively interest in such subjects. This being 
the case, it is surely desirable that the future 
owners of the soil should not complete their 
education without some slight knowledge 
with regard to the land from which they ex 
pect to derive their income. With regard to 
the education of those who intend to pursue 
farming us a business, it is quite evident that 
the old routine system—to which the son to 
be successful had merely to follow in the foot¬ 
steps of his father and grandfather—has 
broken down. A thorough knowledge of the 
practice of farmiug in all its branches is as 
essential at the present time as it ever was; 
but what is required in addition is a liberal 
education, which would enable the cultivator 
to adapt himself to the altered, and ever 
chauging circumstances which the increased 
wealt h of the community, and the competition 
of the whole world have brought upon him. 
Keep the Bust. —The Now York Tribune 
says that one capital error—because a waste of 
capital on the farm—is to keep poor horses 
and vows, A $50 horse is not worth one- 
fourth as much as one that is worth $100. It 
will eat as much uud cost as much for har¬ 
ness, and will neither do as much work nor 
live so long. A $20-cow, that makes throe 
Astrachan and Tetofsky in Nebraska, Dakota, 
Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. 
Within a few weeks Prof. Budd bas examined 
over 40 varieties of Russian apples, the size, 
appearance and quality of which, when ma¬ 
tured might astonish the Kansas man who 
wrote this sweeping resolution The real 
truth about the fruits, forest trees, ornament¬ 
al trees, shrubs, cereals, grasses, etc., of the 
great ‘‘East Plain” of Europe, is that it has 
hundreds of things which will prove very 
valuable in some parts of the great Mississippi 
Valley. _ 
BOILED DOWN AND SEASONED. 
A volume written by George Wardman, 
U. S. Treasury Agent, and called “A Trip to 
Alaska,” has the following paragraph, which 
tells a long story in a few words: “I have not 
seen a man in any position in Alaska who 
would advise a friend to come out here as a 
settler, either in trade or agriculture. 
Sow the Rural Diehl-Mediterraneau, if not 
already sown, in a plot marked off one foot 
each way. Plant a single seed in every inter¬ 
section one inch deep... 
Henry Stewart says that some farmers 
have actually found the purchase of a costly 
reaper, for which they were induced to go 
into debt, the first step on the road to ruin.... 
The “all-purpose cow” is described as “a 
little of all sorts and good for none.”. 
Potatoes dug and stored about the 1st of 
September will wilt, and sprout sooner in the 
Spring than those that remain in the ground 
later, says a writer In the Farmers' World. 
Even if there should be rot to contend with, 
it is better to let the potatoes remain in the 
seen are the flowers; and the size to which 
some of our poor little potted plants in the 
East grow in the open ground here, is at first 
altogether surprising. Fuchsia, heliotrope, 
geranium, and plants of this order of hardi¬ 
ness are left in the ground the year around. 
When the Winter is more than usually cold, 
as was last Winter, they are likely to freeze 
down, but sprout again in the Spring. Fuch¬ 
sias grow to be several feet in higbt and seve¬ 
ral feet in diameter, forming a great bush 
when leftuntrimmed, like our spirams, and are 
used as hedges, while their bloom is enormous. 
Pelargoniums and geraniums grow to a simi¬ 
lar size—six to eight feet high. I saw in Oak¬ 
land, a suburb of San Francisco, an abutilon 
fully 20 feet high, nearly covering the large 
side of a dwelling-house. Oakland is an ex¬ 
ceedingly beautiful city, and in its most fash¬ 
ionable quarter the lawns and gardens are 
wonderfully fine. They are not large, but are 
kept in perfect order, and in perfect freshness 
by means of hose and water. A great 
many cypress hedges inclose tho lawns, and as 
cypress grows here in tho greatest luxuriance, 
it bears any amount of pruning, and the trees 
and hedge*are trimmed into any desired shape, 
quite os fantastic as those one sees at the Ver¬ 
sailles gardens in France. 
The eucalyptus trees grow to a striking 
bight, and have the drooping habit of the elm, 
but are more slender in form. The new leaves 
are of an altogether different shape and hue 
of green from those of an older growth, and 
when on the same tree they form a curious 
appearauee. With the exception of some rows 
of Lombardy Poplars, I have nowhere seen a 
uniformity of trees planted along the streets; 
but willow, locust, eucalyptus, cypress, Live 
money in your bands, 
which is not yours, can¬ 
not be exaggerated. To 
make all shop-keepers 
money-lenders, too, is 
always folly; often it is 
immorality; and more 
often than you imagine, 
it is cruelty. Wealthy 
families, to whom in 
comparison with others 
life is 'little but a pas¬ 
time. who take their 
pleasure and their holi¬ 
day while bills remain 
unpaid, should consider 
sometimes the trouble 
and distress which with 
light-hearted thought 
lessness their neglect 
has left behind them. 
Paltry matters as they 
think them, creating 
only petty iritation 
here, may there be cre¬ 
ating sleepless anxiety 
uud gruff, and even 
ruin. “Riches make 
themselves wings.” 
There is but one excej)- 
tion to this truth. That, 
portion of your means 
which bus been used to 
pay a just debt is alone, 
so far as you are con¬ 
cerned, absolutely safe. 
WILD GRAPE VINK. (From a Photograph.) Fig. S>*4. (See page *>51 ) 
tropical trees and 
shrubs, which have 
been chiefly brought 
from Australia, are 
plauted, and the effect 
is very rich and luxuri¬ 
ant. Heliotrope grows 
as rankly as wild roses, 
but loses its fragrance 
after having been ex¬ 
posed to the hot sun. 
It is often trained iuto 
tree form, as ore roses 
and fuchsias. From 
wbat 1 have seen, roses 
do not bloom perfectly, 
at least, in the summer 
months, the dry weath¬ 
er causing the blossoms 
to blast. Dahlias bloom 
magnificently, and a 
plantation I saw of 
them iu the Golden 
Gate Park was a splen¬ 
did sight. This park 
has been reclaimed en¬ 
tirely from “saiid lots,” 
over 1,000 acres of sand 
being planted with 
trees, made into lawns 
and flower gardens, 
that are dazzling be¬ 
yond description. The 
part that has been put 
iu order is of exquisite 
beauty, the trees and 
Pay your debts then. 
promptly. Not to do it is dishonesty: and 
even to delay it is to palter with dishonesty. 
Agricultural Education. —Sir J. B. 
Lawes, in the course of a late article in the 
Gazette, mentions that his associate. Dr. Gil¬ 
bert, during the present year has been elected 
the Sheldouiau Professor of Rural Economy in 
tho University of Oxford, but. hesays,as might 
have been anticipated, his lectures have been 
delivered to empty benches. Although Dr. 
Lawes considered that Dr. Gilbert was emi¬ 
nently suited to occupy the chair, for his own 
part he regretted tho loss of valuable time in¬ 
curred in preparing and delivering these lec¬ 
tures, which no one could expect the under¬ 
graduates would attend unless they formed 
part, of the regular system of the University 
education. Oxford and Cambridge, uo doubt, 
turn out many accomplished scholars, and 
meuof high culture in various lines, but the 
future owner of the laud finishes his education 
in complete ignorance of the first principles of 
agriculture, including the system of tenure, 
aud management of landed property. It is 
to this fact, Dr. Lawes says, that may be 
traced the want of intelligence, or apprecia¬ 
tion of the subject, which is often found iu 
those whose interests are most deeply affected 
In justice to Dr. Giiitert, it may be said that 
he gave Dr. Lawes several reasons why the 
students at Oxford did uot attend his lectures 
in greater numbers. The lecture-room, it ap¬ 
pears, was too far off, and the hour chosen 
was inconvenient, with other excuses of a like 
uature; but, says Dr. Lawes, the real explana¬ 
tion is to be found iu the fact that teachers of 
science must always be at a great disadvau- 
pounds of butter in a week, costs as much for 
everything, labor and utensils included, as one 
worth $100 that makes 10 pounds a week- 
Another error is to work poor land, Many T a 
inau has broken his back and lost his heart on 
a poor farm which he has suffered to run 
down by bad management, lie bus spread his 
labor and capital over 100 acres, when by con¬ 
fining himself to 25 or 20, he might have be¬ 
come happy and rich. The way to repair such 
a capital error is to begiu with one field and 
get. that into good condition, aud let the rest 
he, and so go on through the farm. One rich 
field will then make it easy to enrich another 
or two; aud while the beginning is slow, it is 
downhill work, and as the eud is nearly 
reached progress is fast aud easy.The 
worst of all capital errors is for the farmer to 
neglect his own improvement and education. A 
man who has $10,000 in a farm aud stock, may 
easily have twice as much iu himself and 
make his work pay 10 per cent, on his value. 
He is the greatest part of his capital and it is 
the greatest of all errors to misuse himself. 
Russian Apples. — Prof. J. L. Budd, of 
Ames, Iowa, says in the Farmers’ Review, 
that the resolution of the Kausas Horticultu¬ 
ral Society, denouncing all Russian varieties 
of the apple except the Oldenburg, Astrachan 
aud Tetofsky, will do much mischief, as the 
papers East aud West are copying it. If we 
admit that the Russian apples are not as valu¬ 
able for general culture in the peach grow ing 
sections of Kansas, we should not use such a 
resolution as an argument against planting 
dozens of sorts already fruited, which are 
very much better in tree and fruit than the 
ground. They are in the best place possible 
when left in the soil where they have grown, 
until there is cool, clear weather to harvest 
them. This has not been the belief of the R. 
N.-Y., but we have never made comparative 
tests...*.. 
Dr. Law ks remarks, in the North British 
Agriculturist, that the descent of manure iuto 
the subsoil proceeds very slowly, and even 
where he has applied 14 tons of dung per acre 
annually for 40 years, the second nine inches 
of soil contain comparatively but a small 
amount of increased fertility.. 
Tre editor of the Canadian Horticulturist 
says that the Hansell Raspberry with him 
seemed to be a poor grower ami a poor crop¬ 
per, judging by the experience of the past 
season. Nor does he think t here is any supe¬ 
riority in its quality to atone for its defects 
in vigor and productiveness.. 
A friend sends us a clipping to the follow¬ 
ing effect: “William Bean, of South Wheelock, 
Vermont, recenty picked 4,002 kernels of 
wheat from one stalk. 
TRANSCONTINENTAL LETTERS. 
IX. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
Since my last letter from San Francisco, I 
have been seeing the “sights of the town” and 
visiting some adjacent places. A noticeable 
I feature of all California homes that I have yet 
shrubbery iu particular being charming. 
The gardener told me that 200, 000 trees 
had been plauted this last year. The park 
grounds extend to the ocean, and it is 
curious to see acres of sand Hills planted with 
small pine and other trees that will grow in 
sand. Some of the hills are planted with a 
kind of sea grass to prevent the sand from 
blowing, for it drifts aud blows about in the 
wiud like snow. The City of San Francisco is 
built on just such sand htlls,and all excavations 
for foundations that l have seen, have disclos¬ 
ed vast beds of sand and nothing more stable, 
which retniuds one of the parable of the two 
| house builders; but the houses here seeui to 
stand as well as if built on a rock. 
in the grounds of the State University, 
whqj-e there is an experimental farm, a species 
of ice plant is being used for some parts of 
the lawn, in lieu of grass which becomes 
quite brown in the dry summer months. It 
is curious in its effect, bears a red flower, but 
is not nearly so pretty as grass. The State 
University is superbly located with the Contra 
Costa Mountains in the rear and an outlook in 
front, that takes in the bay aud the Goldeu 
Gate. It is well wooded with Live Oaks, and 
these trees are the most picturesque itnagiu- 
able. The leaf is much like that of the En¬ 
glish Holly, and when the tree is only of inod- 
ate size it resembles, in the distance, a large, 
broad-topped apple tree, but in this land of 
light, rich soil, with much sand, all kinds of 
trees and shrubs have to be firmly staked and 
tied while growing. But the Live Oaks that 
uature planted, were swayed at will by the 
wind, and they have grown in most queer and 
■ grotesque shapes. When overrun with a mass 
