AUG as 
S46 
THE RURAL MEW-YORKER. 
tf'X t\)t fining. 
INSCRIBED TO A MOTHER IN THE 
GRASS. 
O! the dreadful cares of n mother hen, 
Trailing around with n brood of ten, 
When the gras* is high And the worms are few 
And half that you hear Is, shoo! Old ! shoo! 
It's hard enough work In a world like ours. 
To scratch up a living, and not the Mowers, 
Without hearing u Biddy from ll&tlymassuo 
Shouting In horrible English, shoo! Hid ! shoo . 
I should like so much u good hen's diet, 
A handful of oats and a little quiet. 
1 am thoroughly slek of this Indian meal, 
And shoo ! Hid ! shoo! If a currant I steal. 
No lieu ever had sueb a terrible lot. 
Eighty children I’ve raised ; and all for the pot. 
.Six years I have dragged my misery through, 
With a constant succession of, shoo! Bid ! shoo ! 
BEE KEEPING. 
When my attention was first iliroetod to 
bees, I procured Mr. Quioby’s work and stud¬ 
ied it for the rest of the Kmmner, intending to 
buy a swarm or two next Spring, Unfor¬ 
tunately, events oeo irred in the Spring that 
prevented me from doing so, but the following 
year I bought two colonies in box-hives. 
My brother and 1 transferred them to mov¬ 
able frame-hives during apple-blossom, which 
is the best season in which to do so, as the little 
brood and honey are more easily handled, and 
also because the Ikmis are then gathering liouey- 
Very foolishly, during the Summer, I dis¬ 
regarded a maxim which every bee-lceeper wilj 
tell you — to keep nothing but strong colonies 
—for 1 divided my two into seven colonies, 
and as a consequence of weak stocks had to feed 
them in Fall to give enough food for Winter. 
For wintering them I crowded the bees on 
to t he number of combs they covered thickly, 
and then put chaff at the back of the division 
board. 
Having been told by several people who 
once kept u colony or two, that they had lost 
them by ice forming in the inside of the hive, 
I determined that no ice should form in mine, 
so 1 made boxes with movable water-tight 
lids, that would take in the whole hive and 
leave u space of six inches at bottom uud 
sides, with nine inches on top. The chaff was 
put six inches deep in the bottom of the box, 
then the hive was lifted carefully in, and the 
sides and ufterwards the top were well packed 
with chaff. When packing, 1 was very care' 
ful to leave their entrance perfect, as other¬ 
wise they would have boon suffocated. 
When the weather became cold, they were 
taken into the house, and on account of the 
packing wore kept in a temperature of dS de¬ 
grees, for if it got higher they became restless. 
The lids were taken off all the time they were 
inside, allowing the moisture to escape through 
the straw, thus preventing dysentery, which 
is mainly caused by dampness. In Spring, 
when put upon their stands, they were 
weak, but picked up very fast. I think 
that the straw paekiug kept the heat from 
escaping, so that, they were ready to swarm as 
soon as those of a neighbor, that, come 
out in Spring quite strong, but had no 
straw about them. The lurgo box and 
packing were removed about June 20, when 
the nights were no longer cold. This com. 
pletes my first year’s experience, and now for 
a few remarks to those intending to keep lreea. 
If you intend to buy a colony next Spring, 
get during the Winter a book on bee keeping 
from your county agricultural library, or, if 
that is impossible, save money to buy one, so 
that you may have good theoretical knowledge 
before you try the practical part. When 
buying you bad better get. a colony of either 
blacks, or pure Italians, taking care to avoid 
by brids, which are usually too cross for begin¬ 
ners, Honey being your object, Ik- sure above 
all things to keep your colony strong. During 
the wet days in Hummer study the best plan 
for Wintering, according to your surroundings. 
Montreal, Can. N. R. M. 
Dear Uncle and Cousins: I have been 
silent long enough, for if I don’t write soon, it 
will not be twice a year, as I promised; so 1 
will try to> write about something, though 
there is nothing more dillicult than to write 
something about nothing. 
We are having very fine weather at present 
Our harvest is not finished yet, but we expect 
to finish in one week more; wheat is poor; 
oats good, and flax will tie tolerably good. I 
hud no success with the melon seeds. 1 re¬ 
ceived six seeds, planted than in sandy soil 
sloping to the south; live of them came up and 
grew nicely, when one morning they were all 
gone; they either ''damped” off, or were cut 
oil' by a worm, so I can only write that word 
failure for the melons. I have not taken part 
in any of the Discussions yet, but send you a 
few notes for the next one. 
I suppose that most of the Cousins like to 
read llooks, so 1 would like to say a few wor ds 
to them about readiug books. Language was 
designed to convey thoughts from one prison 
to another, and whether language is written 
on paper or printed in books, it. still conveys 
thoughts. It is the duty of every person to 
make himself or herself useful in life, there¬ 
fore 1 would say, read such hooks only as will 
do you good in after-life. A novel is an abso¬ 
lute untruth, from beginning to cud—some¬ 
thing which never had existence—ami to read 
a novel is to feed the mind on nothing. They 
are generally of tin exciting nature, and much 
sought for by those who take no thought of 
usefulness in life, and when the great truth 
breaks iu upon them, that “ every man must 
hoe his own row,” they are utterly unfit for 
any position of responsibility. This is pot in 
rather strong terms, but I am speaking of t hose 
who have spent their youth iu reading novels, 
attending dunces, parties, theatres, balls, etc. 
1 hope there are none among the Cousins. Is 
there a young lady Cousin who sits iu the par¬ 
lor and roads novels while her mother does the 
housework < Is there ahoy Cousin who lounges 
around the store, spending his time in idle¬ 
ness ! If there are any, they had beet reform, 
for 1 know that Uncle Mark wants live, indus¬ 
trious nephews and nieces. For those who 
wish to read only for pleasure, 1 would recom¬ 
mend honks of history, travels ami explora¬ 
tions and biography. For those like me, who 
wish to study nature and the sciences, the fol¬ 
lowing books will be found useful: Botany, 
zoology, ornithology, ichthyology, entomology 
and several other ologiea, for the study of 
nature; and algebra, geometry, trigonometry, 
natural philosophy, chemistry, mental philoso¬ 
phy, etc., for science. No matter what hooks 
you road, strive to retain the good and useful, 
and reject the bad. 
Well, I suppose Uncle Mark is tired of this, 
so 1 will say no more about it. I think it is 
nice and instructive for the Cousins to ask 
e ach other questions, so here goes for some 
more questions in history. 1. What is the 
“ Ostend Manifesto f” 2. What is the “ Mon¬ 
roe Doctrine ?” Now let our historical Y. H. C, 
veut itself another time: I am beginning to 
think that two heads are bettor than one, i! 
one of them is a cabbage head, and t hat the 
Y. H. C. knows a great deal if it were all put 
together, and that-this will go in that 
dreaded waste basket. Ursa Major. 
Miami Co., Ohio. 
[I think the Cousins will thank you for your 
verygood advice about books; but 1 consider 
that you draw your statement too strong when 
you say, “ A novel is an absolute untruth, from 
beginning to end—something which never bail 
an existence—and to read a novel is to feed the 
mind on nothing.” I would remind the Cousin 
that many celebrated works of fiction have 
been founded upon facts, although the real 
characters’ names have been suppressed. Wal¬ 
ter Scott's novels were written after ho hud 
thoroughly acquainted himself with the tradi¬ 
tions which had clustered urouud the lo¬ 
cality in which his stories were located, ilis 
novels are gems of literature, and are so 
recognized by savants. 
The works of Bulwer, Dickens, Reade, Trol¬ 
lope, Howells, James, and many other authors 
of the past and present might be profitably 
read by the judicious, careful reader. 
I agree with you as regards the worthless¬ 
ness of tiie great majority of novels, which 
might much better uot be printed. He or she 
who studies English Literature, is very quickly 
enabled to judge what is best to read. 
Every reader should have a variety of read¬ 
iug, and the main point is, to got the best 
of its class. Uncle Mark.] 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Dear Uncle Mark: — I have beeu reading 
the letters that have been published in the 
Youth’s Department, so now l will attempt to 
write a few Lines for Hie Cousins. Papa has 
beeu taking your paper this year, and we all 
like it ever so much. He received the seeds 
that you sent, and gave me the flower seeds. 
Some of them did not come up, but those tbut 
did, are doing well. The corn, wheat ami 
watermelons are also doing well. The potato 
had eight eyes, so papa cui. it into eight, pieces, 
and ill sprouted and have grown finely. He 
says he will dig them and plant again and see 
how much that one potato will yield, i have 
three little sisters and one little brother, I 
attend to mamma’s chickens for her; 1 have 2d 
little turkeys, and SO Guineas and 250 chick¬ 
ens. My sister and I take turns in washing 
the dishes, and 1 think it is it good plan, for 
then wo know exactly what to do. As this is 
my first letter, I will not weary you with such 
a long one, and hope to do better next time, 
if this one is not thrown into the waste basket. 
Good wishes to Uncle Murk uud the Cousins. 
Yours respectfully 
Somerville, Tumi. L. R. 
Dear Uncle Mark: — I am 15 years old 
and work on the farm. We have 50 acres 
ubout ono-half of which is tillable. My l’ulhor 
has taken the Rural New-Yorker a good 
many years, ami for t he last four years I have 
taken a good deal of interest iu reading it. es¬ 
pecially the Youths Department. 1 like to 
read the letters received from the Cousins. I 
do not understand some things about the 
Youths Department, Suppose I wish to write 
a letter and have it printed, will I have to 
pay. My father said that if I wanted to write 
as a Cousin I would have to pay $d a year. Is 
that so f 
Uncle Mark, don’t you think you could get 
up a paper for the young: If you would a 
good many would take it; we could have it to 
ourselves and our fathers could have their 
paper to themselves. 
< hie of the Shoe-peg Coru Stalks measures 
ten feet, seven inches. Yours respectfully, 
Ersox Co., N. Y. LEWIS HELLER. 
[As your father is a subserilier to the Ru¬ 
ral, all you need to do is to send in your name 
to me, saying you wish to join the Club, and 
your name will be put on the list, of Cousins. 
As no one can join the club excepting thorn 
whose fathers subscribe to the Rural, there is 
no necessity of having anything more than a 
portion of the paper set aside for the youths 
in which I shall be glad to) see the members of 
the Club display as much talent as possible. 
Uncle Mark.] 
Dear Uncle Mark: —Received flower seeds 
rather late but sowed them, and find that they 
are just like those sent to Ma. by the Rural. 
Did not receive any Sweet, Williams, but 
s liould have taken the best care of them if 1 
had. My brother and I have a small plot up¬ 
on which we are raising corn, beans, ami sor¬ 
ghum. For pets we have two grey squirrels 
but having beeu bitten by them wo prefer 
fondling kittens. Seeing reports of storms 
from others, will gpcuk of one that passed 
here last Friday, said to be the heaviest fall of 
rain in 40 years It, carried considerable 
wheat, and some fences into the lake. Harley 
on low ground was flooded, causing it to be 
almost, a total loss. Ma would like to know 
what it is that eats her Golden Wax Butter 
Beaus; first the bushes were badly eaten and 
afterwards the pods, while the green beans in 
the same garden were not touched. If you 
know the cause, and a remedy please state, as 
we have never beeu able to discover any. 
Yours, etc., 
Seneca Co., N. Y. Calvin h. reed. 
[It is very likely some variety of beetle. 
Keep close watch and see if you can fiud them. 
From your description 1 cannot tell you what 
it is, never having soon or heard of boons being 
attacked like that. Uncle Mark.] 
- - - 
YOUNG QUERIST. 
E. M. T., Cornwall, Out .—What is the 
enclosed cactus, and how many years will it 
be before it blossoms f 
Ans. —It is a species Of Opuntia commonly 
called Prickly Pear, or Indian Fig. It will 
blossom in two or three years if well cared 
for. Thanks for your kiud offer, but 1 
have no place to keep it in, 
Don Folinno, New Yorlc City .—Give ad¬ 
dress of live stock insurance companies ( 
Ans. —The only one iu the East that I 
know of is the Agricultural Insurance Co., 
Watertown, New York. 
NOTES BY UNCLE MARK. 
Will the young person who wrote to me 
wishing to become a member of the club and 
only signed the letter “Ida,” please send me 
her full name. Otherwise, I do not see how 1 
can put her name on the Club list. All letters 
sent to me must lie signed in full, or else there 
may be danger of their finding their way into 
the waste-basket. 
Will Bessie Perry please send iu her little 
sister’s name, so that I can record it ? Read 
these notes for the information you wish about 
joining the Club. 
1 quite often get letters from the cousins, say¬ 
ing: "If I see this letter iu print I will write 
again. ] have now before me a letter in 
which the writer says: “As my last, letter was 
printed, 1 thought, I would write again,” and 
ended l*y saying, “if this letter is printed I 
will write again.” 
Now, thut is hardly fair and right. The 
meudiers of the Club should not say, “I will 
not write letters if they are not printed.” If 
t he first letter sent is not printed, do uot give 
up, but try again, and no doubt if you make 
a good effort you will succeed. 
The idea of the Youth's Department is not 
merely to print letters, but to give the mem¬ 
bers of tlicL'lub .-is much valuable Information 
as possible, so that those letters that will do 
the most good uud contain the most informa¬ 
tion, out of justice to the Club I must print. 
New Members ok Horticultural Club. 
—Fred Franklin, 1. Brodhead, Carrie C. 
Grove, Leon J. Rood, ixio Walters, Kay 
Walters, Rosa Fritz, Fred. E. Reeve. 
A Royal Food Preservative. — Tribune . 
‘REX MAGNUS.” 
(THE MIGHTY KING.) 
What it is, and what it does 
IT IS THE 
Humiston Food Preservative, 
ami as Its name signifies, Isa Mighty King, an Invinci¬ 
ble conqueror. II Is hi tf'e, tasteless, pure and harmless. 
Its special Held of usefulness Is the preservation of 
food, such ns llsh, moats, oysters, cream, etc., Cither 
in largo or'small quantl ties— and it .does it. 
Stubborn mill lueoulestiblr Truths. 
Cream, oysters, meats, et<>., preserved by this me¬ 
thod may be carried across the continent, or shipped 
lo Europe, retaining their frolhlirs:: and purity with¬ 
out the use of lee or nay refrigerating appliance : or 
they may lie kept at home for , 1 avs and weeks even 
In the hotlesi weather, hiipnanriii in tush , besides 
saving much (line and expense In the cost of lee and 
trouble In going to market, 
A ;{.» day* test inn InnpcrntiireuvernKingVO 0 
Prof. Samuel W. .Tolmsou, the well known chemist 
and for more than 28 years Identllled with the Scien¬ 
tific Department of Yale i 'ollege,furnishes the follow¬ 
ing concerning Rex Magnus: 
"My teste of W duys In dally mean temperature of 
ta, mi meuts, etc., bought in open market, have cer¬ 
tainly been severe, muJ I am sulisllt-d lluit the dilVer- 
eut brands of Bex Magnus, The liuinlston Food Pro 
servatlve, with which I have cxpcrUuoDtod, Auer ac¬ 
costuM claimed for them. So far os I have yet 
learned, the)/ are tin: onto preparations lt\at are el 
/native, and ill lliagiluie lima jiracUeahte, for domestic 
use. At the bamiuet on ■(rented' meals at the New 
Haven House J C ml hi mil distinyni-sh Intireen those 
ahull had hern she teen days in my lahoriuiiry unit 
than nemly taken from, the nfrlpernlar of the hotel. 
The oysters were perfectly palatable and fresh to 
my taste, and better, us n happened, than those 
served at the Slime time, which were reeeully taken 
from the shell. The roast beef, -leak,chicken, turkey 
and quail ire re oil it* f/nndju, /ham t ver eaten.'’ 
Bex Magnus Is safe, tasteless, pure, and Prof. John 
sun adds In Ids report; "1 should uni lelpale nn id 
results from Its use ami consider U no more harmful 
than common Halt.” 
Thousands of Trill Is. 
Such o test, and It to hut one of many which have 
been made, ought to satisfy the most exacting scep¬ 
tic, Ample corroborative testimony cau be furnished. 
Bex Magnus Is u perfect and .reliable substitute for 
lee, heal, sugar,-.nil or ah-obul.tn preserving food, 
which retains Its natural (luvor and sweetness, In all 
seasons and ctlinutcs, after having been treated with 
this “Rex.” 
Destroy* (terms of Disease. 
Bi:x Mahnos opposes and prevents putrefaction by 
the utter destruction or hold lug at bay of those para¬ 
sites that prey upon organic mailer. In Hie same 
manner II destroys nil germs of disease, thus render¬ 
ing the food wholesome and healthful. 
It I* Sole, Tasteless, Dure, Harmless. 
The different brands of Ilex Magnus urc, “Vlan 
dine," for preserving meals, poultry and game, fillet* 
per lb.: “Ocean Wave,” for preserving oysters, lob¬ 
sters, etc,, a.i ets, per lb.; “Pearl,” for preserving 
cream, $1.00 per lb.- “Snowflake.’’ for preserving 
milk, cheese, butter, etc.. On els. per lb.; “Queen,” for 
preserving eggs, $1.00 per lb.: “Aqua-Vitae/’ for keep 
log fluid extracts, etc., tun per lb.; “Anil KermeuK,’ 
“Anti Ely,” uud “Anti-Mold,’’ are special prepara 
tlons, whose names explain their uses, each HOets. 
per lb. 
P» noi eon ton ml this with the worthless 
compounds which Ini vc preceded ii. This mio 
coeds where nil ollieis have lulled 
You do not have to liny a costly recipe nor county 
rltflit* MV *c// it rltJitr onr nor the other / 
If your grocer, druggist or general store keeper 
does not have it In stock, we will send you nstimplc 
package prepaid by mall or express us we prefer. 
Mention the Rural New Yorker 
10 x Magnus Is cheap, simple In Its use. a child can 
use li unrulllug In It* < ifects and healthful. Try It 
and you will say so, too. 
THE HUM STONFOOD PRESERVING GO., 
72 Kilby St., Boston, Mass. 
[llis's^pavinOure. 
TRADE MARK. 
The most remarkable remedy of thcugc. 
'Otic only preparation that will cure spavin, 
A valuable remedy for cure of lameness. 
Remove* swellings uud Inflammation*. 
Ellis’s Spavin Cure does not blister or blemish. 
'Ve furnish punitive evidence of absolute mires. 
We send undisputed toolImoiduU of Spuvlus re¬ 
moved. 
(Ellis’sSpavluCure will cure apt!illsnml Ringbones.) 
Descriptive books with testimonials sent free. 
Any SeoiiTNMAN render may secure free pamphlet. 
Owners of lame horses send postal card lo us. 
Hundredsof cures described lUOUr book. 
Boud carefully and you will lie convinced. 
We only ask u full’ trial for Ellis's Spavin Cure. 
We prepare condition Powder* and Hoof ointment 
Heave Powders, Worm Powder, and Colie Powder*, 
All lie so on salt til Drug Sturt s and Harness Dealers. 
Price of Kllls's Spavin Cure,* 1 per bottle. 
For further particulars, free books, etc., write to 
ELLIS SPAVIN HI It K GO., 
No 50 Mu«lbury Si , Hohioii, IHumm. 
or “Hi Poill-tli A ve.. New Vin k. 
Wo will wend vou a watch ortiL-.ain 
BY MAIL OR UPRESS. C. <> D-.tobe 
examined beforep tyiu : any motley 
ami I f not gailBbu Wry, returned at 
uurrxi»etiae. We luunuiA' lure til 1 
lour watehe# and save yon 30 per 
cent. Catalogue of 280 style* free. 
ICviotr Watch Wxbiv»stm>. Addum* 
‘“MB H™ c “” 
