ft a ivy £uppHe# 
pU0ceUaneoas> 
capable of designing a good heading for the 
Youth’s column. 
Those Cousins who write to Uncle Mark 
must send their full name and address, or else 
we caunot recognize their letter. No full ad¬ 
dress will be given in published letters or arti¬ 
cles, so that no one need have any fear in sign¬ 
ing their address in full to coimnuuications. 
"My men have tried the Kemp MANURE 
SPREADER and are well pleased. I saw it 
spread a load of man arc in two minutes and do 
it heller than a man could by hand in all day. It 
is a most valuable machine. {H. B. Claflin.) 
See page 267. 
A NEW HOME "OUT WEST, 
ANY have heard the advice 
of Horaee G reeley: "Go Wext, 
young man!" and many seem 
to thiuk that all there is to do 
is to “go West" and begin to 
coin a fortune. 
PROFESSOR 
Wk have revived some very good papers 
for our next discussion, but we have room for 
a good many more. There is only one more 
week in which to send iu articles. The time 
is up May 1st. 
The W est is a 
W splendid place aud any one 
with health and grit can soon 
be on the high road to compe¬ 
tence, but you have to have 
them or you will be apt to fail. But where 
can we get along without them? Let me tell 
you about a few of our trials and vexations. 
One rainy morning in the middle of Novem¬ 
ber, after waiting for nearly a month for the 
weather to get better, I bade a long farewell 
to the home of my childhood (which was now 
home no longer.) as the dear ones ouco gath¬ 
ered there were scattered far and wide) for a 
home in the western part of Iowa. We took 
our furniture, cattle, horses, birds and dog 
along as well as pleuty of fruit, canned and 
dried, with some flower and fruit plants to be¬ 
gin with. I will tell how we packed the plants 
to keep them over Winter. We first procured 
a boot box. got the roots ready, cut off the 
tops to about, two inches, then procured some 
nice soil, or “chip dirt," leaned one end of the 
box on a chair and left the other on the floor. 
We first put iu a layer of soil, then packed a 
layer of roots, covered them with soil,then more 
roots and so on until the Itox was full. We put 
them in the cellar when we arrived here and 
in the Spring they came out as nice and fresh 
as if just taken from the garden, aud I was 
ready to begin gardening. The first, day’s 
journey ended at last with no accident, but 
some one took a fancy to a box of trinkets 
containing a fruit-knife and rare coins which 
I never saw again. On the way I sat behiud a 
couple of Iowa legislators who were going to 
Des Moines (the capital) to attend the Legisla¬ 
ture, and was very much surprised to hear 
their conversation; not on political matters, 
not on crops, weather, nor anything but a mess 
of “nonsensical nonsense." Boys of the Ru¬ 
ral army! make a beginning this Spring if 
you have not before, to educate yourselves to 
be competent to take part in making our laws 
so that we as farmers may be heard: that our 
rights may be looked after aud, above all, be 
true; do not let auy man have your vote when 
you become voters that offers you money or a 
position for your influence. This is an “aside" 
as they say in the plays. 
The morniug when I arrived at my new 
home was ushered in with a cold northwest 
wind and a snow storm. My friend had come to 
the station twice before, but on account of bad 
roads and bad staging I was not there, so this 
morning he came with a horse and wanted me 
to wait at the hotel till he could come with the 
team, but I did not wish to do so, so mounted 
the horse and started. I reached the house 
about daylight. It was a peaked-roof frame 
house 10x34 feet in size, without lath or plaster, 
but lined with heavy paper like paste-board. 
It being a dark day everything looked dismal 
and gloomy, I made up my mind that I would 
go back. I began to set things to rights. The 
first. thing was the dishes to be washed. I 
broke the first dish I tried to wash, which I 
concluded was a bad omen. Getting things 
fixed up the best I could (for my trunk and 
bureau had not come so I could not change 
my clothing) 1 opened the organ and found 
the mice had been iu it, and 16 keys were out 
of order. But the worst w as yet to come; it 
was iu 1877 during the hard times. The money 
we expected to get did not come; w lnit we 
had was used to procure a stove, fuel, etc. 
There was no work to be had yet we were not 
much worse off than many of our neighbors 
who had nothing to sell, aud if they had it 
brought nothing. Corn was 13 to 15 cents; 
w heat, 40 to 50 cents; hay, $3.50 to $3.00 per 
hundred. For three months we had not money 
enough to pay postage on a letter. At last 
there came an imperative call for a letter on 
business and we got our letter ready, thiukiug 
we would have to borrow a stamp, when ft 
w oman came along and wanted a little hair 
work done, so we got our letter off. But we have 
always found that “where there’s a will there's 
a way;" if you seek work you will find it. In 
this busy world of ours there is a living for all, 
but we must earn it. In my next I will tell 
you of the prairie flowers, etc. 
Maggie Woolman Thomas. 
? y 0 SPHA 77 c 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSHSTS. 
Dear Uncle Mark: — I am going to tell you 
as near as I can how I succeeded with the 
seeds you sent me. May 8. Planted 73 hills of 
the White Dent Corn in the garden, two 
grains In a hill, two by three feet; plowed 
once and boed twice. Five entire hills were 
missing aud several others had but one stalk 
to the hill; no suckers, aud five or six stalks 
bad no cars. Oct. lfi. Cut it. The tallest 
stalk measured 18 feet out* inch iu length and 
four aud five-eighth inches a round at the butt. 
Oct. 26, Husked it out. Weight of cars 86 
pounds. The longest cur was JO inches long, 
S’l, inches around at the butt, had 18 rows of 
grains and had 43 grains in a row, making 
750 grains iu nil. Average length of stalk 
about 13 feet, average length of ear from eight 
to 10 inches. Season cold aud wet. The plot 
had not been manured any for two yeans past. 
Soil a loose loam. 
May 9. Planted 1 bushel of Beauty of 
Hebron Potatoes in an old sod. Soil inclined 
to clay. Plowed once und hoed twice. Yield 
about 25 bushels; a splendid potato. 
May 18. Planted about seven pounds of 
White Elephant in the same plot, one eye in a 
hill, 18 inches apart, by three feet the other 
way. Yield about six bushels of fine tubers. 
A splendid potato. Cultivation same as above. 
The Hollyhock seed came up, but the season 
was so wet aud cold they made but a slow* 
growth. The Celery seed did not come on w ell 
and what did come it was so w et. and cold it 
merely lived. Owing to mv crippled-up con¬ 
dition and for the want of a good location I 
did not sow* the varieties of wheat you sent me, 
but if health and life permits me I will plant 
them, or have it done, another season. Now*, 
Uncle Mark, 1 feel that I cannot thauk you 
sufficiently for these favors. I did the best I 
could, and though not fully satisfied with the 
result in full, I feel that I have been well re¬ 
paid for my labor. Yours truly, 
Hur. County, W. Va. Wm. Harbert. 
MANUFACTURED BY 
CHAPIN (Sk SMITH, 
Poulmey, Vt. 
Semi postal card for circulars 
Made from Professor Horsford’s Add 
Phosphate. 
Recommended by leading physician*. 
Makes lighter biscuit, cakes, etc., and 
Is healthier than ordinary Making Pow¬ 
der, 
In Bottles Sold at a reasonable price. 
The llorstord Almanac and Cook Hook 
sent free. 
Rumford Chemical Works, Providence, R 
H.M. ANTHON V, Ag't 1UU and 102 Reade 8t N ' 
NEW YORK 
THE FERGUSON 
BUREAU CREAMERY 
Makes the Best Butter 
Itdevelo 2 sthefrneRtflftvorandcolOT ; _jrhe_lmtter 
has^Lebestjpi^imjmdlieegjuKqjialiti*. 
It makes the most butter. Uses tlxo least ioe, and 
saves the most labor. 
Hundreds have discarded deep Betters and adopted 
tlie Bnrean. 
DON'T BITS* ANY CANS, PANS OR CREAMER, 
or send your milk to the factory, until yon have sent 
for our large Illustrated circulars and price lirts. 
THE FERGUSON M’F’G. CO., Bn HI net on. Vt. 
SEED DRILL 
MATTHEWS’ PATENT.) 
Buy the best and only perfect Drill. Send 
for Circular. 
Higganum MTg Corporation 
HIGGANUM, CONN., (r. s. a. 
IWOSELKl’S CABINET CREAlUhRY, 
CItKAMEIlY ft UKKRIUKHATOR 
COMMIXED. 
Sizes for one cow to fifty. 
For families, large & small 
dairies, factories and for 
the croani-gathorlng sys¬ 
tem; for hotels, restaur¬ 
ants, hoarding school.* and 
like Institutions. 
Adapted for Summer and 
Winter dairying. Used 
either with or without 
Ice. 
^-Ow«Vu». 
-< • f*, 
By Professors Webkr & Scovtu.k, of Cham; 
sent free on application to Geo. L. SQUIRE,Bi 
For tin* Preservation of all 
kinds of Fruit and Vegeta- 
| bias. During the 10 years it 
. has proved the only* practical 
Eva j* *rator constructed, and 
operated on strictly pb.ilo- 
sopliical principle®, it is t he 
cheapest machine sold for 
quantity aud quality produc¬ 
ed. and is the only one that 
will dons much or more than 
Uguiiniutood. Itvrilletapor- 
at .1 tlvMm I he amount of any 
oehernmehine, with one hall 
the help, ami no more fuel, 
besides the quality of the 
work ia far superior, as all 
can learn by impi iringof firrrt- 
olaas dealers in New York or 
Boit on. It is practically fire 
proof. Send for our circu¬ 
lars and investigiito before 
buying. Manufactured by 
S. E A J. M SPROUT. 
Money, Lyeiuntog 0».. Pa., 
forth* Eastern, Middle,ant; 
Southern States, and Can. 
Ada*, and by JOHN WIL¬ 
LI A MS A HON. Kalamazoo. 
Michigan, for the West and 
Southwest. J. 8. TWOM- 
BLY, 23 Commercial St., 
Boston, Mass., Agent for 
Maine. New Hampshire and 
Massachusetts. 
Dear Uncle Mark: —About a year ago I 
wrote to you asking pcnnission for Brother 
Daniel aud myself to become members of the 
Horticultural Club. I told you theu how* w*e 
fenced and sot apart a little lot, 16x30 feet, and 
dedicated it to Uncle Mark, and now I must 
tell you how* we managed it last Summer. We 
manured, dug and pulverized it in order to 
plant it in melons, but as we got no seeds 
we planted Climbing Roses, Honeysuckles 
Wistarias and Madeira vines around a portion 
of it and planted the beds with Mignonettes, 
Pansies, Ageratums, Calladiums, Asters, Car¬ 
nations, Pinks, etc. We theu double-decked it, 
or made a second story by driving sharp- 
pointed stakes about three feet long in 
the ground, nailed small pieces of boards 
on top of them, and placed small, scpiare 
wooden white-washed boxes, tilled with leaf- 
mold. in which we planted Celocias of dif¬ 
ferent varieties. The C. Superiio plumosa, 
with its leathery* plumes, looked grand, as 
did C. Cristata uanas. The little Bantams, 
surrounded by Portulaeas, lobelias and Lich- 
nis, looked as if they were crowing for joy. 
The whole enclosure looked like* a little 
paradise. But you, dear Uncle, living in that 
grand, bustling city of New* York, aud having 
nephews, nieces, and perhaps grandchildren, 
too, almost as numerous asleavea in Valombrosa 
to attend to, uever dreamt that in the back¬ 
woods of W. Va. w’here it is all above us sky.and 
where forests are all around, there was a little 
flower-garden dedicated to you, watered, nur¬ 
tured and cared for by a rustic niece of yours. 
(I hope all my Cousins will extend to yon some 
tokeusof gratitude for the many kind advices 
you have given them through the Rural.) I 
shall not feel insensible of the obligations that 
are binding me to still cultivate your little 
gardeu with redoubled energy next Summer, 
as papa says he will let me have the Rural 
seeds lie sent for last week for that purpose. 
I will write to you next year and let you know 
w'hat success I had. Your loving Niece, 
Wetzel Co., W. Va. Mary C. Hurley. 
Rectangular ami Square Box 
Churn-*. Cheapest because the 
best. No Inside fixtures, ami 
always reliable. 7 sizes of 
eurlt klUil made. We make 
Curtis's Improved Factory 
Churn and Mason's Power 
Butter-worker. I 'nyuestioned 
proof Riven of tilelr superior 
qiialitiatlu material and con¬ 
struction not dreamed of by 
other makers. Send for />ai- 
nr» mu, free. Cornish & Cur¬ 
tis, Ft. Atkinson, WIs. 
The only Double Mill made in 
the West. Twenty different 
styles and sizes, suited to 
every capacity, from one 
third of an acre to thirty-five 
acres per day, prices ranging 
from #35 to #6,iX)U. 
. I I- A. Hedges, after testing It 
; with other*, says it Is the Best 
TjjllilSiSJ 1 Evaporator made. It took the 
J only premium awarded for 
work done at the St. Bonis Fair in 18S2. 
HraFulI stock ot SPG Alt .HA KICK S’ SUP¬ 
PLIES. Send for Circular to 
J. A. FIELD A C ©. 3 
■Oight h iSk Howard Sts., Ml. Louis !Ho., 11. S. A. 
for unloading.has no equal In capa¬ 
city, adaptation or saving of time, 
labor or expense. It embraces the 
true principles of unloading hay 
and grain; 6i loads unloaded iu six 
hours. For descriptive eireular, ad 
dress 
EVAPORATING FRUIT 
, F* SENT FREE. Wonderful result. 
T I Tables of Yields, Prices. Profits, 
C-ASar' L I and General Statistics. Address 
AMERICAN M’FNJ C0„ 
American Fruit, Drier Wn vneatipro. |*n. 
YAM SICKLE 
Shortsville. N. 1' 
STEVENS FRENCH BUHR 
FEED MILLS. 
The cheupost 
und best mills 
In the world. 
Prices #80 and 
upward-*, sub¬ 
ject to eash dis¬ 
count Send for 
clrettl ars to 
A.W S T EVENS 
ft SON. 
Auburn, N.Y. 
Mention this 
paper. 
NOTES BY UNCLE MARK, 
NEW MEMBERS OF HORTICULTURAL CLUB : 
Evelyn G. Richards, Edgar J. Lewis 
Goo. W. Daniel, Wm. Rivers Daniel, Frank 
Power, Perlee Power, Mary Murgatroyd, 
Harry Risk, May Risk, Georgio Risk, Mont. 
Smith, Pearl D Buscorn. 
The designs for a heading for the Youth’s 
Department have been very much neglected 
by the Cousins, and but few drawings have 
been received. Out ol' tbo great number 
1' nieces and nephews, it seems to Uncle 
M irk as though there ought to be some one 
0C t o 00 n l»er day at home, samples worth #5 free. 
Address Stinson A Co., Portland, Mo. 
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