272 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 48 
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Chimney Swifts. 
ATTENTION! 
PRIZES TO BE OFFERED AS STATED 
BELOW. 
SEEDS FOR THE CLUB. 
HE seed distribution bas been 
sent to the grown folks with its 
corn, tomatoes, peas, beans, 
Johnson Grass and Garden 
Treasures; and the question 
comes, what shall we send the 
boys and girls? The Garden 
Treasures carefully planted 
will give flowers for all, and 
so we want to send something else to the 
Cousins this year. 
Knowing of a new and very choice variety 
of Lima beau and hoping our last Discussion 
has interested all the Cousins, even the very 
little boys and girls, in this vegetable, we have 
decided to send to each of you a little pack¬ 
age of these beans, and offer five prizes for 
the best results. The bean is rich and prolific 
and you will find it a pleasant experiment to 
work for one of the prizes. 
When the weather and the soil have become 
warm and settled, select the ground for the 
beans, put it in good condition, making it 
mellow, and, if needful, adding fertilizers of 
some sort, wood ashes and bone meal, or barn 
yard manure; then plant the beans in hills 
with hut one in a hill, making the hills three 
by two feet apart. Give them good poles 
as soon after they are planted as you can, so 
that when the vines start they will not lose 
any time in making their journey to the tops 
of the poles. When they reach that hight 
pinch the ends off so they will not grow any 
higher. 
Hoe the ground often, but never when dew 
or rain is still on the vines. If the ground 
was mellow before the beans were planted, it 
will be easier to beep clean and mellow than 
if left rough and full of clods. When the 
crop appears, watch it to learn which of the 
following results your vines give; do not for¬ 
get to plant bat one bean in each hill, other¬ 
wise you cannot find out tbe following facts: 
1.—The largest number of lieaus from one 
bean. 2.— The largest yield from 15 beans. 
3.—The largest number of pods from any of 
tbe vines with seven beans in each. 4 — 
The largest number of pods, from any of the 
vines, with six beans in each pod. 5.— The 
vine with the largest number of pod3 on it. 
These conditions will be published again 
and tbe prizes anounced before tbe bean vines 
bloom, so be on the watch for them. If you 
do not secure a prize, tbe experience you will 
gain, the beans you will save,and the facts you 
will learn about the growth of the vines, will be 
worth the labor you spend on them. And now 
I must paper the beaDS for you, and I will 
think, as I work with them, of your gardens 
all over the country where they are tc grow. 
And I hope every bean will grow well. 
UNCLE MARK. 
NOTES BY UNCLE MARK. 
Set out a few trees this Spring; measure 
their hight and circumference, writing tbe 
figures down, then, if the trees live, measure 
them again in the Fall. Some varieties will 
grow much faster that others, and you will 
find, too, that the soil and culture make a 
difference. 
So many good letters have come from the 
Cousins this Winter, and not one received 
since January 1st has yet gone into the waste 
basket. 1 have been trying to contrive some 
way to put five columns of letters into one 
column, so that all might have a share, but 1 
cannot contrive it, and those of the boys and 
girls who do not see their letters must not be 
discouraged. _ 
A blackberry vine trained against a build¬ 
ing makes a beautiful climber, and when in 
bloom will be a wonder to passers-by, and few 
will guess that it is only a blackberry viue. 
Have you been studying botany? The earli¬ 
est spring flowers are already unfolding and 
waiting to test your knowledge; their petals, 
sepals, stamens and anthers are waiting for 
your magnifying glass and inquiring eye, and 
with a little practice you can see all the 
peculiarities of a flower very quickly, but at 
first it will seem slow work, I know. 
Mamie Watts, Wm, Stewart, Libbie Steele, 
Jno. Hicks, Hope Alljn, Ileda Sharp, and 
Louie McLaughliu, forgot to give their full 
addresses; some omitted the State, others the 
post office, some both. Please send name and 
full address now on a postal card. 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Uncle Mark; I was very much pleased 
when I read the note about the gladiolus in 
the Rural of March 7. Eugene Scribe, one 
of the kinds mentioned, is my special favorite. 
Its form, texture, and color is exquisite. I 
think the Cousins would be highly pleased 
with this variety. Its low price—15 cents per 
bulb—certaiuly brings it within the reach of 
all. 
If I could have but three varieties, I would 
choose Eugene Scribe, Isaac Buchanan, and 
Van Spandonk. They are beautiful, distinct, 
and inexpensive; besides, they usually perfect 
their seeds, which is quite au item, as I am 
iuterested in raising seedlings. The Cousins 
would find this a very pleasant field in wnich 
to experiments The seeds germinate quickly 
and freely. I remove the outer covering, 
though it may not be necessary, and plant 
them the latter part of February, about one- 
half inch deep, in pots of light, sandy soil; 
cover them with glass, and set them iu a sun¬ 
ny window. They are transplanted to the 
open ground in May, and the soil kept mellow 
and free from weeds during the Summer. 
The bulbs are mostly conical in form, the lar¬ 
gest measuring an inch in circumference and 
three-quarters of an inch in length, Borne of 
them will form bulblets at the base the first 
year. My first collection of IB seedlings, 
mostly from Eugene Scribe, will bloom next 
Summer. My second, of 120, from 50 choice 
varieties, including Lemoiuei and Madame 
Lernoine, will blossom next year. W hen one 
first plants the seed, it seems a long time to 
wait for flowers, but after the first sowing 
comes iuto bloom one does not mind it, for they 
enjoy their reward every year. 
Next Summer 1 would like to cross some of 
the most distinct varieties. I suppose every 
flower on a plant may be fertilized with the 
pollen from as many different varieties pro¬ 
viding they are enclosed in tissue paper, or 
muslin bags. I think it would be a pleasant 
change if the Cousins would all raise seedlings 
from some special flower, or fruit, noting care¬ 
fully all variations from the type, then make 
a general seedling report two or three years 
hence. What says Uncle Mark? IVY green. 
[The suggestion is a good one, and should be 
acted on by all of the Cousins who have pa¬ 
tience to await tbe results. The reports would 
be very interesting, and the experience very 
useful to all who grow the seedlings. Some 
work of this kind has been done by members 
of the Club, and we have had reports of seed¬ 
ling strawberries, potatoes, etc. Let us hear 
from these plants when they blossom and fruit. 
UNCLE MARK. 
Uncle Mark and Cousins: I will try and 
write you something about the country, its 
timber, etc., here. This is a prairie country, 
with no natural timber within 10 miles. There 
is black walnut, Hard and Soft Maple, hickory, 
ironwood, elm, White and Burr Oak, linden, 
cottonwood, poplar, wild plums, and apple. 
The soil is very fertile, and does not need 
much manure. It has been veiy cold this 
Winter, 30 degrees helow zero here. I had a 
nice garden last Summer, and sold |20 worth 
of vegetables, besides enough for our own 
use. We have about 30 cattle and 8 horses. 
Which is the best cheap book on bee-keeping,, 
and the price? How did Uncle Elm succeed 
with his huckleberries? Yours truly, 
Kossuth Co., Iowa. w. s. pelton. 
[ L'he Bee-keeper’s Guide, Price $1.25, written 
by Prof. A. J. Cook, of Lansing/ Mich., is 
tbe best. If Uncle Elm sees your inquiry he 
will perhaps report his experience with huckle¬ 
berries. We will be pleased to hear from him 
again.— uncle mark.] 
Dear Uncle Mark:— I think I am a fit 
candidate for a Cousinship on your staff, as 
father is a four-year subscriber; and the first 
paper I go for when we get the mail is the 
Rural, We think we could not get along 
without it* weekly visit* to our home, in the 
valley among the hills of Northeastern Penn¬ 
sylvania. We keep horses, cows, poultry, 
hogs, and a tine lot of bees; and as I am the 
only child, it keeps me very busy when I am 
home from school doing chores and errands. 
I want to ask you a question: One of the 
neighbors has a small artificial pond, that 
covers about half an acre of ground, There 
are water animals in it, whose work is new to 
us. In tbe Fall, they built two mounds out 
of grass, weeds and sticks, one iu each end of 
the pond, they are about tbree feet high above 
tbe ice and about tbree feet through. They 
seemed to carry the materials a mouthful at 
a time and put them on the pile until it was 
peaked. Can you tell me what the animals 
are? I am afraid this is too long, so will stop. 
Your nephew, 
Bradford Co., Pa. .tulius s. allen. 
[The animals you describe are muskrats; 
they make their burrows with the entrances 
under water, and raise the mounds, as you 
describe them, above the water: they are 
nocturnal in their habits, being seen in day¬ 
light only occasionally. uncle mark.] 
PiiewUanjeaus 
GENERAL GRANT. 
Is the Old Hero Dving Because of 
Medical Intolerance? 
The American Homoeopathist has an ar¬ 
ticle on the treatment of General Grant by the 
Allopaths, in which it says: 
“General Washington was murdered by his 
medical attendants; but at least they were he¬ 
roically—too heroically endeavoring to ex¬ 
tinguish the disease. Their brutality was of 
the active sort, and in purpose commendable, 
though disastrous iu result. General Garfield 
was maltreated for months under an error of 
diagnosis, and at last escaped beyond the reach 
of his eminent torturers. Here, also, there 
was much medical heroism and activity dis¬ 
played, albeit misdirected. Other illustrious 
patients have suffered from eminence in the 
profession; but General Grant seems reserved 
as a shining example of cold-blooded expect¬ 
ancy. To him the little group of eminence 
have nothing to offer but a diagnosis. For him 
they purpose no relief but in the grave Ignor¬ 
ing thB only source of therapeutic salvation, 
they gather round bis bedside to observe his 
unaided struggle. The flat has goue forth that 
nothingcau be done. Those who question such 
a decisiou are quacks and cranks; but who 
ought not to be proud of such a designation 
from such a source? Scholarly, refined, cultur¬ 
ed earnest gentlemen as they are, of what avail 
are all these good qualities in the presence of 
of such therepeutic bankruptcy? On the con¬ 
trary, while so-called scientific medicine is to 
the fore, well may the daily papers announce 
io startling headlines. ‘A bad day for Gen¬ 
eral Grant—Seven doctors in consultation.” 
Yes, the hero of App mattox is dying! 
He who knew no fear in war, knows no fear 
in suffering. His quiet fortitude wins univer¬ 
sal admiration. 
President Lincoln, in visiting a hospital dur¬ 
ing the late war, noticed a poor Confederate 
boy, mortally wounded. With bis native tend 
erness he put his arms around his neck in sym¬ 
pathy. The sight melted the hospital to tears. 
The heart of the American people in like 
manner bleeds for Grant., the silent sufferer. 
It would have him get well, by any effective 
means. 
His physicians say he cau not recover. They 
fill him with auodynes but despite their fav¬ 
orable bulletins he is daily growing worse. 
A specialist who has won reputation in the 
treatment of cancer visits bis bedside. 
The opposition he encounters from the attend¬ 
ing physicians brings painfully to mind the 
story of the dog in tbe manger. 
And General Grant, perhaps, must die be¬ 
cause of this intolerance! Is it possible that 
there is no hope of cure outside of the medical 
profession ? 
Preposterous! 
For years medical men insisted that certaiu 
fevers were incurable, but Chincona proved 
the contrary. For centuries they have pro¬ 
tested that certain renal disordors were iocur 
able, and yet a special preparation bas cured 
and permanently cured the very worse cases. 
Why may it not be possible in like manner 
to cure a case of caucer? E. F. Lanabae, of 
Boston, was doomed to death by many etui 
neat. Boston physicians. J. B. Heniou, M D , 
of Rochester, N. Y., was given up by the best 
doctors of all schools. Elder J S. Prescott, 
of Cleveland, Ohio, was gravely informed by 
them that he could not live, and yet these 
men and thousands like them have been cured 
and cured permanently, of serious kidney dis¬ 
orders, by a remedy not oflleiftlly known to 
the code. W T hat has been done may be done 
again. 
General Anson Stager died of Bright’s dis¬ 
ease in Chicago last week. “Joe” Goss, the 
Boston pugilist, died of it. Hundreds of 
thousands of people perish of it every year, 
while in their doctor’s hands. The cause of 
death may bo called blood poisoning, paraly¬ 
sis, heart disease, convulsions, apoplexy, pneu¬ 
monia, or Borne other common ailment, but 
the real difficulty is in the kidneys. Physi¬ 
cians know it, but they conceal the fact from 
their patients, realizing tbeir inability to cure 
by any “authorized” means. The remedy that 
cured Larrabee and Hemon and Prescott 
(i. e., Warner’s safe cure) is a special, inde¬ 
pendent discovery. Its record entitles it to 
recognition, and it gets it from intelligent 
ppople. Its manufacturers have an unsullied 
reputation and are entitled to as great consid¬ 
eration ns any school of physicians. 
Professor R. A. Gunn, M.D., Dean of the 
United States Medical College of New York 
City, rises above professional prejudice, au 1 
on its personally proved merits alone, gives it 
several pages of the warmest commendation 
in his published works—the only instance on 
record of a high professional endorsement of 
such a preparation. 
Tbe unprejudiced people do uot want Gen¬ 
eral Grant to die. If there is in all nature or 
anywhere in the world a remedy or a man 
able to cure his cancer, give them a chance. 
Will they do it? 
No. 
Why? 
Is it not too often the case that many excel¬ 
lent physicians, who are greatly devoted to 
the code, would prefer that their patients 
should die rather than that they should re¬ 
cover health by the use of any remedy not 
recoguized uuder their code? 
That Tired Feeling 
The warm weather has a debilitating effect, 
especially upon those who are within doors most 
of the time. The peculiar, yet common, com¬ 
plaint known as "that tired feeling,” is the 
result. This feeling can ho entirely overcome by 
talcing Hood’s Sarsaparilla, which gives new life 
and strength to all the functions of t he body. 
“ I could not sleep; had no appetite. I took 
Hood's Sarsaparilla and soou began to sleep 
soundly; could get up without that tired and 
languid fooling; and my appetite improved.” 
R. A. SANFORD, Kent, Ohio. 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Sold by all druggists. $1; six for $5. Made 
only by C. I. HOOD & CO., Lowell, Mass. 
IOO Doses One Dollar 
ALL STEEL HARROWS 
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 187& 
BAKER'S 
Warranted absolutely pure 
Cocoa, from which ihe excess of 
Oil has been removed It has three 
times the strength of Cocoa mixed 
with Starch, Arrowroot or Sugar, 
and is therefore far more economi¬ 
cal, costing less than one cent a 
cup. It is delicious, nourishing, 
Btrengtheniinr, easily digested, and 
admirably adapted for invalids as 
well as for persons in health. 
Sold by tir ucers eve rywhere. 
W. BAKER & CO, Dorcirtr, Mass. 
MANUFACTURED AT ,«i 
THE MICHIGAN BASKET FACTORY OF 
/X. W WELLS ft CO. 
ST. JOSEPH, MICH. 
SEND FOR ILLUSTRATED PRICE KljSTjl 
' .ipor Atul Watcr— 
frr.lt. tail. Mineral > 
- >v (VntvMinUI Award, 
U « mM Diploma, 
I'P. fnrainu nr world. 
* Wh •£ Retail. 
OM Rrtth* Rrnewed. 
Sherwood’s Novelty Harness! 
FOR GAllDFNING! 
for Hit I,au>n anil farm. 
’ every kind and description. Lararrs' Stock In 
hL u».-iat ■ !• rij-.-M. Illustrated priced 
Implement*. 
Planet. Jr., Nntthewi’ Improved. Illggan. 
uni, Gem, Meeker, Coumtock Goods, ALL 
KEPT IN STOCK. 
J. C. VAUGHAN, 
4‘A La Salle Ht„ Chicago, III, 
