THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JAN 40 
Biographical. 
OUR PORTRAIT GALLERY. 
PARKER EARLE. 
The subject of this sketch, whose por¬ 
trait is given on our first page, has for 
some years been a prominent commercial 
horticulturist, and has lately become more 
widely known as President of the Miss¬ 
issippi Valley Horticultural Society. He 
was bora in ML Holly, Vt., and bis early 
youth was passed on one of the lean mountain 
farms of that pastoral State. The small 
farmer’s of his neighborhood, in solving the 
problem of existence, found rigid economy to 
be the prime factor, and there was little mar¬ 
gin left with which to push the fortunes of 
their sons. To his mountain home and his 
native State Mr. Earle was indebted for a 
training in orderly methods of work, and the 
privileges of the common school. Proposing 
to himself a classical education and a profes¬ 
sional life, he entered upon a course of study 
at Troy Conference A cademy, a noted insti¬ 
tution of that day, located at Poultney, Vt. 
Here, although a mere boy, he maintained 
himself for some time by teaching for part of 
the year and economizing during the rest. 
The death of his father, after a very long- 
continued illness, threw responsibilities upon 
him, which made it necessary for him to relin¬ 
quish his plan. 
In 1851, obeying the general migratory im¬ 
pulse, he turned his face westward, and after 
some experimental years of teaching and 
lecturing, in 1855 he married and began a 
new acquaintance with the soil, on a consid¬ 
erable prairie farm in Northern Illinois. Not 
finding graiu raising very profitable, and 
being much interested in the growing of or¬ 
chard fruits, in 1861 he removed to Cobden, 
Ill., where be still resides. This place had 
just become accessible to the world by the 
completion of the Illinois Central Railroad, 
and was beginning to attract attention as a 
desirable point for fruit growing and market 
gardening. 
The industry which has since made Cobden 
noteworthy had then made a very small begin¬ 
ning. There were many fine, old groups of apple 
and seedling peach trees embowering the 
cabins of the early settlers; but the new era 
in horticulture was represented by two 
small orchards of budded peaches, a quarter 
of an acre of Wilson Strawberries, and one 
small garden, which had produced for the 
Chicago market a little lettuce and a few to¬ 
matoes. Cobden is now well known as the 
most important shipping station on the road, 
sending to Chicago, daily throughout the sum¬ 
mer season, a special train, heavily laden with 
berries, fruits, and vegetables. With the 
immense development of that locality Mr. 
Earle has been intimately connected. He en¬ 
tered into his new work with all the zeal of 
an enthusiastic nature. 
He and his neighbors were all quite ignor¬ 
ant of what was suited to their location, and 
the practical education which he commenced 
acquiring in the experimental school which 
the whole neighborhood afforded, was often 
very expensive; but a good amount of clear 
New England grit and a naturally hopeful 
disposition have helped him to make his busi¬ 
ness a success. He and his sons are now prob¬ 
ably the largest pear and small fruit growers 
in the West, having some two hundred and 
fifty acres planted to these crops. 
Mr. Earle has been particularly successful 
as a commercial horticulturist, supplementing 
his efforts at fruit raising with much study of 
the best methods of marketing bis products. 
An instance of this is the fact that for some 
years, by using refrigerator cars for carrying 
his small fruits, be has succeeded in doubling 
the distance of their safe transportation. His 
leisure has not been sufficient to allow him to 
be a profuse horticultural writer, but at 
different times he has contributed somewhat 
regularly to the columns of the Rural New- 
Yorker, Country Gentleman, New York 
Tribune, Prair ie Farmer, etc. 
Although his practical work has been 
mostly confined to the growing of fruits for 
market, he has al ways been deeply interested 
in all other branches of horticulture, whether 
ornamental or economic. It is no doubt due 
to a recognition of this genuine interest that 
he has so often been called upon to preside 
over the deliberations of horticultural socie¬ 
ties. He was president, during its existence, 
of the Southern Illinois Fruit Growers’ Asso¬ 
ciation, was twice president of the State 
Horticultural Society, and was elected to the 
same office by the Mississippi Valley Society 
at its organization, a position which he still 
holds, having been annually re-elected. The 
Mississippi Valley Society is now the largest 
horticultural society in the country, and we 
may say in the world, embracing, as it does, 
25 States and Territories in its field, and it 
was probably on account of his prominent 
connection with this society that the Board 
of Management of the World’s Exposition at 
New Orleans, last Autumn, sent for him to 
confer concerning the organization of a 
Horticultural Department. He proposed 
plans for a very comprehensive exhibition, 
which should, as completely as possible, repre¬ 
sent the horticultural wealth of all nations. 
His plans were substantially adopted, and he 
was requested to organize the exhibition on a 
liberal scale. On the behalf, and with the 
assistance of the M. V. H. S., he undertook 
the task, and having received the appoint¬ 
ment of Chief of the Horticultural Depart¬ 
ment, he has since given unremitting atten¬ 
tion to this work. Should it fail of becoming 
the brilliant success which it now promises to 
be, it will not be for lack of energetic effort 
on bis part. 
THE NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL 
EXPOSITION, 
(RURAL SPECIAL REPORT). 
THE CITY AND GROUNDS. 
Of us, “old residents” of New Orleans of a 
full month’s standing, new-comers are con¬ 
stantly asking, “How do you like the city j” 
In the lovely weather, the oranges glowing 
amid the dark-green leaves, the glossy clumps 
of pittosporum and ligustrum, the delicious 
fragrance of the sweet-olive and mespilus, are 
new delights to those who visit the South for 
the first time. But I question whether these 
new beauties afford more real pleasure than 
our familiar roses; for these are a perpetual 
feast. The Lamarque and Cbrometella en¬ 
twine the pillars of the verandas and run riot 
over the doors and windows. The Marechel 
Niel yields buds of wonderful substance and 
in great abundance. Over the garden walls 
are flung rosy banners of every description. 
The gentlemen go down to their business with 
a thought of home pinned to their lapels with 
a half-blown rose. The ladies wear matchless 
sprays as their choicest ornaments. 
This is, for the most part, an unpaved city, 
and the sticky, waxy soil is very retentive of 
water, and easily works into almost impassi¬ 
ble mud holes under the wheels of the pon- 
drous carts which are the chief vehicles of in¬ 
ternal commerce; and then the city is so flat 
there are no sewers, and nothing but surface 
gutters to carry off the water, and no place for 
it to go to, but to back up to the canal, from 
which it is pumped into Lake Ponchartrain, 
and when it rains it soon floods all the side¬ 
walks, and it is just “horrid.” 
The park is very pleasantly located, front¬ 
ing on the river, with St. Charles Avenue, 
one of the finest in the city, for its opposite 
boundary. The grounds are far from finished 
in their appearance. Last August they were 
covered with a dense growth of weeds ten or 
twelve feet in bight; a very dry Snmmor 
made all improvement impossible until after 
the fall rains. The adobe soil works badly 
except under the most favorable circumstan¬ 
ces, and should have been improved a year in 
advance, so as to give time for the growth of 
those beautiful shrubs and trees which are so 
at home in this climate. As it is, the planting 
is too new to be most effective. Nevertheless, 
the neighborhood of Horticultural Hall is very 
beautiful. The recent seeding to grass has 
been very successful. A variety of Meadow 
Fescue, called Randall Grass, was sown, aud, 
although scarcely six weeks planted, it already 
covers the ground with a rich, luxuriant car¬ 
pet. Many rare evergreen shrubs and flow¬ 
ering plants have been planted, some as per¬ 
manent improvements to the park, others as 
competitive exhibits. Conspicuous among 
these are two fine date palms and several 
orange trees in full fruit. 
Horticultural Hall is by far the most pleas¬ 
ing structure on the grounds. It stands in a 
slightly-elevated plateau where the ground 
was terraced In the time of the war, for the 
site of the Sedgwick Hospital. Standing in the 
doorway, you look down through 600 feet of 
lofty arches. In the center is a fountain, 
whose central jet reaches a hight of 60 feet, 
while 75 surrounding jets fill its 50-foot basin 
with feathery spray. When the cluster of 
electric lamps beneath the roof of the tower 
sends down its brilliant light glistening 
through the sparkling water, the effect must 
be dazzlingly beautiful. 
Around the fountain are palms, among 
them a cocoanut palm full of nuts and forty 
feet in hight. These are part of the Florida 
contribution, coming from Key West. The 
center of the large hall will be occupied with 
four rows of tables for the fruit exhibit, while 
the plants will be arranged on either hand. 
A portion of the conservatory is at present 
crowded with the material for the Mexican 
garden; orate after crate, constructed with 
sticks of wood, put together log-cabin fashion, 
and fastened with thongs of raw hide, is filled 
with unique specimens of cactus: Opuntias, 
Cereuses, Epiphyllums, and many other fami¬ 
lies are there represented in most fantastic 
forms; agaves and yuccas are offered in great 
profusion. A rival collection from Texas is 
waiting the completion of a small conserva¬ 
tory, which it will entirely fill. The grand 
avenue of oaks, through which you approach 
Horticultural Hall, fringed and festooned 
with the sombre moss, is the crowning glory 
of the park. 
It is interesting to walk across tbe vast 
length of the main building, and see what a 
humming hive of workmen it is. Some dis¬ 
plays are entirely in place, but as a whole, 
the work is too incomplete to forecast the 
uature of the exhibition, except to predict, 
very generally, that it will be full and varied. 
The vast Music Hal], in the center of the 
building, seems small in such a broad environ 
inent, and yet it will bold 11,000 people. Here 
the opening exercises took place. 
Most interesting to me is tbe rivalry among 
the State Commissioners, particularly among 
those of the West, to see who shall give the 
best illustration of his State’s natural re¬ 
sources, and its commercial and manufactur¬ 
ing development. What deep soils, what 
rare grains, what tall grasses, what splendid 
corn and tremendous pumpkins will attract 
the visitor! The collective State exhibits will 
bear wonderful testimony to the vast wealth 
stored up in our forests and fields. We shall 
know that whether dynasties rise or fall, there 
will be in this home of ours bread enough, and 
to spare. 
THE OPENING. 
The question, “What kind of weather shall 
we have for the opening day?” was upper¬ 
most in the minds for the last fortnight before 
the day. A few days of matchless beauty 
raised our hopes of good roads and dry 
grounds: but the rains began on Friday even¬ 
ing and continued almost unbroken till Sun. 
day evening. Tbe streets were flooded, and 
all locomotion, except bystreet cars, was well- 
nigh impossible. Those who had material of 
any kind to move were in dlspair. The city 
certainly assumed its very worst aspect, 
Monday, and Tuesday the 16th, the opening 
day, were both as fine as could be desired. 
Monday vras a busy day of preparation. 
All thought of completeness was set aside in 
the face of tbe immense amount of goods still 
arriving, and every euergy was bent toward 
setting tbe various departments in temporary 
order for the opening ceremonies. In the 
main building the noise of tbe saw and ham¬ 
mer became continuous, like tbe whir of some 
mighty machine. 
At uoon on Tuesday the work was suspend¬ 
ed for the day, every thing being arranged 
as comfortably as possible for the opening 
program. The main entrance was tastefully 
decorated with flags, the most conspicuous 
colors being those of the United States, France 
and Spanish America. Within tbe Music 
Hall, the gallery was draped around its entire 
frout, with red, white and blue. Between 
each two pillars supporting the arches, was a 
shield draped by two flags, bearing the coat of 
arms of some one of the States. The pillars were 
similarly decorated with shiolds, and national 
flags floated from staves in the galleries. The 
procession was formed in front of the St. 
Charles Hotel and consisted of Governor 
McEnery, his staff aud military' escort, the 
Governorsof several States,aud distinguished 
foreign guests. The trip from the city to the 
exhibition was made by river, and at the 
landing the visiting party was met by a vast 
Reception Committee consisting of President 
Richardson, Director-General Burke, the 
Board of Managers, etc., etc. 
I repaired early to the Music Hall, and as¬ 
sured myself of a good position in the audito¬ 
rium. As usual, the ushers and the master of 
ceremonies had much to do to keep the multi¬ 
tude out of seats reserved for such individuals 
of importance as were not provided for on the 
platform. An American public is apt to be¬ 
lieve itself to be a company of independent 
sovereigns, and no individual ever listens 
gracefully to a suggestion to take a back seat. 
At last all were duly assigned places. The 
seats were filled, the gulleries overflowed, and 
a multitude weut tramping up aud down the 
aisles. Soon after twelve, Currier’s Military 
Band, from Cincinnati, appeared upon the 
platform and executed the “Graud Exposi¬ 
tion March,” dedicated by the composer, 
Walter Beers, to Direetor-Geueral E. A. 
Burke. As the band ceased playing, answer¬ 
ing music was heard in the distance, and by 
turning our heads, we saw the beautiful red> 
white and green cockades of the Mexican 
band, who now came marching toward the 
platform in all the glory of their blue coats, 
silver buttons, short swords, and long 
spurs. They were about seventy in number 
and made a fine show. 
After them came President Richardson and 
Director-General Burke, and tbe whole pro¬ 
cession of officers and invited guests. Very 
conspicuous from its numbers was the depu¬ 
tation from the Exhibitors' Association. No 
one upou the platform was more the cynosure 
of all eyes than Mi’s. Julia Ward Howe, who 
sat, a placid, white haired old lady, amid a 
circle of lady commissioners. Near her was 
the pleasant-faced Clara Barton. Mrs. Felicia 
G. Porter, a stately old lady from Tennessee, 
was evidently looked upon as the most emi¬ 
nent Southern representative woman. 
It was precisely one o’clock when the mar¬ 
shall of the day, Major-General Behan, intro¬ 
duced to the assembly tbe Rev. Dr. Talmage, 
who made a singularly appropriate prayer. 
Perhaps It might be denominated a politico- 
economic petition in its summary of blessings 
which it bogged Divine Providence to vouch¬ 
safe as the fruit of this great exhibit of the 
union of Capital and Labor. Lot me quote a 
few paragraphs: 
“Lord, God of Nations, hear our opening 
prayer. Gathered from all parts of the land, 
and from both sides of the sea, and from un¬ 
der all skies, we ask for Thy blessing. * * We 
pray Thee that this Exposition may result in 
spreading out the folded sails of our paralyzed 
shipping, in putting bands on all the silent fac¬ 
tory wheels, and iu starting the plow in longer 
and deeper and richer furrows. * * Gracious 
God, we pray Thee, by means of this Exposition 
solve for us the agonizing qnestion of supply 
and demand. Alas! that there should be so 
many hungry in a land of so much wheat, so 
many cold in a land of so much cotton, wool 
and flax! We ask of Thee. O God, to come to 
the rescue of tbi3 nation.” 
The next thing ou the program was the 
formal presentation, by the Director-General, 
of the Exposition buildings, to President 
Richardson. The burden of his remarks was 
gratitude for accomplished results, and in 
view of the shortness of the allotted time and 
the magnitude into which the work had 
grown, he disclaimed any idea of apology or 
regret for w hat was yet incomplete. 
Pres. Richardson followed with a brief 
history of the rise aud progress of the Expo¬ 
sition work. The reception of the President’s 
speech by telegraph was warmly enthusiastic, 
for Chester A. Arthur is a great favorite iu 
New Orleans, and its people lose no opportu¬ 
nity to do him honor, and as his portrait was 
hoisted into place and the ringing of the 
electric bell announced his magic tonch on 
the button, which from a distance of 1,200 
miles set the machinery in motion, we knew 
by tbe chimes overhead and the distant whir 
of machinery that the great Cotton Centen¬ 
nial Exposition was opened. m. t. e. 
Bnfrufll’l Societies. 
NEW YORK STATE DAIRYMEN’S 
ASSOCIATION. 
The eighth annual meeting of this associa¬ 
tion commenced at Owego, on December 
16th, 1884, with a large attendance. Prof. 
Law, iu discussing the relations of coutagious 
diseases to national prosperity und public 
beallh, said it was fortunate, that so far, 
pleuro-pueuinonia had been confined to a few 
herds of blooded cattle. The Bureau of Ani¬ 
mal Industry is a good foundation, but at 
present it has no power, except to suggest. 
We need power to act promptly to stamp out 
the germs of disease. 
Mr. Terry, of Norwich, in discussing stock 
feeding, said all stock should be fed in barns. 
The barns should be light and warm [and he 
should have added,well ventilated.— Eds ] It 
costs as much to raise a poor as a good animal, 
and while you lose on the first, yon make a 
profit on the last. A fat cow gives rich milk 
which makes good butter. No dairy man 
should be content with a cow that makes less 
than 250 pounds of butter per year. 
Mr. Frank S. Peer, Mt. Morris, said tbe 
best cow is the one that will convert the most 
food into the greatest amount of the desired 
product in the shortest time. The neef cow 
should eat the least and get the fattest; the 
best milch cow should cat the most aud keep 
the poorest. He knew’ a cow to give 00 pounds 
of milk, which made only two pounds two 
ounces of butter; another gave 32 pounds, 
If the Rival's jrresents to subscribers will 
pay our f riends five dollars , or even more, 
for each subscriber they send us, would it not 
pay them to spend a few days—or hours—in 
securing clubs? Well , it looks at present as 
if the gifts would be aivarded upon such, or 
even more liberal terms. 
