S HEH.T IRON CCIUNC 
baby brother who died years ago. We sat on 
this stone one day, and threw pebbles into 
each other’s laps, while mother picked cherries 
from the tree near by. Now we cros9 the 
wheat stubble and come to the little maple 
grove. There are not many (lowers here now, 
so we will go on across the pasture to the large 
woods. Look off to the north. It is a pretty 
view when the trees are leaved out, and here 
is a large rock on which we can rest. 
We see ouly a few Hepatieas and Spring 
Beauties, t laytonia, in the edge of the woods, 
but we will go on toward the little creek. 
Here is Crinkle-root, Dentaria diphylla, bud¬ 
ded. We will pull up some and eat the root. 
This Blue Cohosh is not very pretty, but we 
will pick some. Now we begin to find the 
flowers plentiful. The knolls are covered 
with Spring Beauties, and here is Addei’s 
tongue, Erythronium Americanum The 
Squirrel corn and Dutchman’s Breeches, 
Dicentra, are not very pretty yet, but there 
area few buds that perhaps will open in water 
and the leaves are pretty. The Birth-root, 
Trillium, is budded. Now we come to the 
creek, and I wonder if the waterfalls I 
made last year are in good order? Yes; here 
are some of them. But perhaps you will not 
think it very lady like to play in the w a ter. 
so I will only poke away the leaves from these 
two which are close together, and we will sit 
on the bank and visit, with the falling waters 
for music. 
Now we will walk up the stream a little 
way. There are pleuty of stones, so we will 
not need to wet our feet. The dam has broken 
away here, and the water is running around 
this log instead of over it. Really, 1 must fix 
it, and those who think it uulady-like may 
look the other way, while 1 stop it off with 
stones and leaves. 
Up a little further south in the woods are 
dark purple Hepatieas, and the Spring 
Beauties tempt us to stop at every step aud 
pick them. Now, we will go back out of the 
woods and across the pasture, and we find 
ourselves on the top of the hill, south of the 
little maple grove. Now, isn’t it a splendid 
view? Back of usarethe woods; and uorth- 
east of them we catch a glimpse of farm 
bouses, barns, aud wind-mills. In frout, to 
the west, we look across the valley througn 
which Hill Creek tudf to the south to the 
opposite hills. It is warm, and the distant 
bills and valley to the north and south lock 
very hazy. I think we have one of the pret¬ 
tiest views to be found. 
Away down almost at the foot of the hill is 
our bouse, with the tall butternut trees in 
front Just below that is the millpond and 
our little city. glennie hope. 
The dandelions, plantains, and other weeds 
that grow in lawns can be killed and the lawn 
cleared from them by keeping at the work. 
I have known the boys and girls of a family 
to divide the door yard into sections aud each 
one undertake to keep one section free from 
weeds. They succeeded too. Cannot some of 
the Cousins try this plan? 
MAPLE SUGAR, 
JOSEPHINE C. POOLE, 
Don’t rob the birds’ nests of their eggs, we 
need the birds, for their good work in catch¬ 
ing injurious insects, and while the nests are 
full of the little hungry birds that seem to be 
almost all mouths, the parents catch hundreds 
and thousands of iusects to feed them. 
The seventeen year Cicada is to be here 
this year. These injects are peculiar in that 
they spend nearly all of the 17 years of their 
existence in the ground, coming out of their 
grub like form iu the 17th year to make the 
forests resouud with their drumming. You 
will find empty skins here aud there; these 
are not dead Cicadas, or locusts, as they are 
ofteD called, but are cast-off skins. The Cica¬ 
da leaves this skin through the opening you 
will see on the back wben it first comes out of 
the ground, and becomes a winged insect, 
when freed from this skin. 
Tlie Committee in charge of the construction of 
tin* 11 it si- and pedestal for the reception Of this greot 
work, In or if it In ruinf fiuiils lor its comple¬ 
tion. have prepared a mini mire Statuette st^tnehea 
in lieit/Ht, - the Statue Bronzed: Pedestal. Mckel-sll- 
vereil,—which they arc now delivering to subscrib¬ 
ers throughout the United S'ates at One Dollar 
' Tom*attractive souvenir nnd Mantel or Ueflc orna¬ 
ment is a )>er fact facsimile of the model furnished 
Uy the artist, ^ 
Thu Statuette 111 same metal, tn-elve iw'Jw* high, at 
Five Dollar* Each, delivered. 
Tbo design* of Statue and Pedestal are protected 
In U. S, Patents, and the models can nnlti oe fur¬ 
nished by tie* f.'ornmtttrr, A 'dress With remittance, 
RICHARD BUTLER, Secretary, 
American i'rnnwittrr of th? Statu? ot I ib?rty f 
33 iUercer Street, .New York. 
Uncle Mark:—I suppose my name has 
been struck from the list of Cousins because I 
have not written. We have had quite a severe 
Winter; the snow was about two feet deep on 
the level. The coldest day mercury was 27 
degrees below zero. Last year I raised 10 
bushels of White Elephant Potatoes from oue- 
balf bushel. Father has four bushels of Blush 
Potatoes. There are two kinds; the lightest 
colored is the best. 1 have IS hens and pullets. 
They lay quite well. I feed them corn, meal, 
and oats. I am going to get a setting of 
Wyaudottes, as I think that thoroughbred 
fowls pay tte best We have 300 tomato 
plants raised from the Rural seeds. I think 
I shall study botany this Summer. Uncle 
Mark, will Lima Beans ripen in this latitude 
(42 degrees)? chas. w, jngraham, 
Broome Co., N. Y. 
[the earliest varieties of Limas will ripen 
in latitude 42 degrees; the beaus we send to 
the Cousins are an early variety.— uncle 
mark.] 
just a. little was left. It was funny and 
amusing as a game to see them. Father would 
blow one way this time, and another way the 
next, so uncle had to jump to be on time to 
catch them ail. They acted like boys! By 
the time this sport was over, quite a large ball 
of fine waxy sugar was collected upon the 
knife; it was almost white, and as fine and 
delicate as the icing for a cake when moist. 
Father said it reminded him of a little story. 
He said lie used to tend the sap-boiling just 
as Cousin Harley was doing, aud evenings bis 
young friends often called to see him when 
they were out sleigh-riding. One night quite 
a party of them came, mother with the rest, 
and they stayed to “sugar off,” (this is the 
term for enjoying the sugar, as we had been 
doing!. While they were there father blew 
quite a ball of “white wax” for mother to take 
home. The cabin was very warm inside, aud 
he thought be would put it on a snow-bank 
just outside the door to cool. Now Ponto, his 
favorite dog—and a valuable one, as he was a 
real sheep dog—stayed around the cabin and 
gave father quite a feeliug of safety, A little 
while after father bad put the ball of wax on 
the snow, a strange, moaning, choaking sound 
was beard, and a running or rushing on all 
sides of the hut. It was dark, and nothing 
could be seen, only a dusky figure on all fours, 
running around and around. After a minute 
father saw it was a dog, and knew it DiU9t be 
Ponto; but how, or why, he should act so was 
most astouishiug. He called “Pont,” “Pont,” 
but the more he called, the more violent was 
dog s speed, and his howls though smothered, 
seemed more distressing. He grew tired at 
last, and lather managed to catch and bring 
him to the light, to discover what had caused 
him to act so like a mad dog. His sympathy 
was lost in amusement; for the greedy dog 
seeiug the candy there, had tried to take a bite 
of it—a good big one too. The warmth of 
his mouth had softened tlie wax as his sharp 
teeth bit into it, aud it was so large it filled 
his mouth entirely and there it stuck; aud 
there it stayed. The poor dog could hardly 
breathe. He shook his head and tried every 
way to free himself from the sweet mass, 
which was thus punishing him for his roguery? 
and he actually looked both guilty and peni¬ 
tent in all his distress, as if he knew he did not 
deserve any sympathy. The candy was taken 
from between his jaws after some trouble,and 
Ponto freed from his distressing condition, 
but poor mother had lost her candy.” We all 
laughed heartily over this story of old times, 
but I thought i saw a tear in mother’s eye as 
she recalled them. 
Insect Exterminators 
LETTERS FROM TEE COUSINS 
Polsfltdtig bv WlioliunW' hi Gardens, 
nrcll*r,l,nudricli1.. W 00(1 a SO II S 
Pat. Exterminators 1,111 unJer 
i lie leave* ol Poutioc*. Umpe V lues,Fruit 
Tree-. Kto., pi'rleeily n-yulsMug Its own 
■•apply, with 1'mnb‘rs,Sulphur, Ashes, 
IOC. Ivioc. fl.w, liquid AUilulzerBel- 
low h fur Onrdenars and Florins, kills 
the Rose limp Cnhhnee and Tobacco 
", Worms, Price, $2 do. Fee It r ,T;irti Flies 
1 and Hue Hollows for house use, $1.00. 
J Powder for ‘ale. Aceut, wanted. 
T WOOD A SON, 
j 74 Cioalpert Art., Chicago, 111. 
Dear Uncle Mark-.—I would like tojoiu 
the Horticultural Club. I live ou a farm of 
about 100 acres. 1 am 11 years old. We keep 
10 cows, two sheep and one horse. Pa has 
taken the Rural about one year, we Jibe it 
very much. We received the seeds last year; 
the corn did well, but was too late for our 
climate; the peas were the earliest we ever 
raised. The sheep ate off the oats and the 
Horsford’s peas, but they grew again and we 
saved seed from them. What is the best 
watermelon for this climate? My letter is 
long enough for the first one. 
Your nephew, fred o. buell. 
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. 
[l’he earlier varieties of melons will be the 
best in your locality. Ice Cream or Peerless 
is a good early variety. You are very wel¬ 
come to our Club.— uncle mark ] 
Itti.sctUancou.sf gMvfrtteiug 
LOOK WHAT Y OU CAW GET! 
6 Silver Fluted Tea BjHJOtlft 
I •• •• Child's Knife. 
1 “ ** Child's Fork. 
I « “ Child's Simon. 
AVoKiinrnntrrnll tqbeSI EVER. 
IM.ATED, A'oi Tfn lYush. To In¬ 
troduce goods we give each person 
ordering the above 00 Klcyant as¬ 
sarted, latest styIfjirlMtny card s with 
your name printed an .JT3J 
NOVELTY MFC .CO., 
“Big pay to Ag in." Wallingford, Ct. 
“OurSoMo.” 
We do what 
wo Advurlisu 
to do. 
55c 
Stamps 
YOUR 
Uncle Mark:—I wish to tell you that it is 
my pleasure to read the letters from the 
Cousins, but I do not see many from this 
State. I will tell you of our birds. We have 
five old birds; one of them laid three eggs, 
but ate one; the other two hatched, but we 
found one of them dead iu the bottom of the 
cage this morning. Another bird is setting 
on three eggs. 
I have five brothers and one sister. My 
sister’s name is Bessie. Father has 27 sheep, 
two hogs and 12 little pigs. Each of my 
brothers also own a hog and some sheep. My 
oldest brother has a horse of his own, be calls 
him Charley'. 
Of poultry we have four ducks, three tur¬ 
keys, and 40 or 50 chickens, and we get from 
30 to 40 eggs a day. 
Can you tell why the hens ate their eggs 
the first of the Spring? 
Father made maple sugar this Spring from 
700 trees; he made about 2,000 pounds of 
sugar; it sold for from six cents to a shilling 
a pound. Yours truly, eva m. smith. 
Barry Co., Mich. 
[The hens probably ate their eggs because 
they began to need a change of food toward 
Spring, a lack of a variety of food seems to 
be the cause of this bad babit among hens. 1 
hope the little bird left in the nest is still safe 
and well .—uncle mark.] 
Uncle Mark:— 1 am going in the woods to 
look for wild flowers, and 1 thought, perhaps, 
you aud gome of the Cousins would like to go 
with me. We go up the hill back of the 
house; and we will take Major, the dog, with 
us. J ust north is the orchard, which will be 
in bloom in a few weeks; aud here is the big 
flat stone that always reminds me of the little 
and outbuildincs with 
Stewart’s Iron-Fibre Paint. 
SEND FOR CIRCULAR. 
W. H. STEWART. 74 Cortland! St . New York. 
READY ROOFING FOB NEW ROOFS. 
AGENTS WANTED 
Honorable and steady employment, at good wages 
for capable, energetic men. Apply at once. 
Address Druwer “S3, Rochi'sler, N. 
N •*7XTT , C!' Vtul,,Ml *’> Die UliMe Nurseries, 
AUriliiN X D Introducer* of Biococi: Itaoptorry. 
Growers of a fall lino of Fruits and Ornamentals. A 
Oooil Opening for llmirsl. Energellc Men. 
The business easily learned Full Instructions given. 
Address It. U- CHASE <S. CO. Philadelphia, Pa. 
[OOPVRIOMTEO.] 
NOTES BY UNCLE MARK, 
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. 
H. H. WARNER & CO., Rochester, N. Y 
Many of the Cousins write that their Lima 
beans are planted and beginning to grow. 
Give them the best of car©; give them good 
poles before they begin to vine; and do not 
touch the vines when damp with rain or dew. 
FOR 
Alilz W EAK1V E SSES 
OF DIGESTION. 
$1.00 A HOTTIiE. 
H. II. WARNER & CO., Rochester, N. Y. 
Prof. J. q, ADAMS, South 8yrneu*c, N. Y.. reeom- 
meuds Warnc’s IIPPECANOK. The Host. In the strong 
est terms for dyspepsia and stomach disorder. 
Write us about your seedling strawberries 
if they bear fruit this Spring. If you wish 
to grow seedlings this year, take the straw¬ 
berries when ripe mash them and wash the 
seeds free from the pulp, then plant them 
right away, in good, mellow soil. Keep the 
soil uioist, shading it in the middle of the day 
if the sun is very hot 
The seeds of the strawberry you will 
notice are all ou the surface of the berry and 
these little seeds are the true fruit the centre 
being the enlarged fleshy receptacle. Iu the 
raspberry the receptacle is left on the stem 
when the “cap” is taken off, and in the black¬ 
berry it forms the core of the berry. 
FOR 
111' T1IE SYSTEM, NO SURE 
RIOR. 
.(H) A. BOTTLE. 
We will send Til E LIGHTNING W ELDER, 
void by all seedsmen at 50 cents, IKKKIIV MAIL 
to any one who <n dors Tine Uocskkkrpkk, a beauti¬ 
ful mummied lO-pngo monthly. fullof va liable KeeipoH, 
Hton s and Household Lire, on Irhil sr months at 
Ml cents. Price in $l:0o porye.ni. Thus tip) Weeder 
costa you nofliTUK, and it i< worth 50 ceatsailar 
lu any vegetable or flower garden, i* is oil tempered, 
Iwfireiiharp edge*, uud is rapid, practical and 
thorough, specimen copies of llorHKRFKi’KH FREE 
to any address: BlICKKYE 1*U B. CO. , 
apulls, Mlnm 
TON INI 
II. II. WARNER & CO., Rochester, N. Y. 
J. H. DENTO. Bkc|., of Albion, N. V.. yearn Hgo was 
token with stomach disorder sleeplessness, nielati 
choly, headaches, etc. He gave up his busluess and 
resorted to farming In tin hope that out of door ex¬ 
ercise would restore Mm. He exhausted all the 
known mcutis of Che beat physicians lu valu. In lHsi 
begun taking VVaruer’s TippkuanoB. The Best, and In 
March, 1SS5. he stated that Ids health was better than 
It had been for your*, uud that no medicine he kuew 
of or ever had heard of eonailed Waruer’8 Tippe¬ 
canoe. Tho Best, fur stomach disorders. 
a month easily nmdo by oltbor 
sex. half as much ovoulugs 
World MTrCo [$3«utflt 
122 Nassau Street N Y 
412 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JUKE 13' 
