424 
fHE RURAL WEW-YORREH 0 
<SUNE 20 
lower forms of plant life, and the higher 
and most curious are described. Bacteria, 
molds and rust, mushrooms, mosses and 
lichens are among the flowerless plants 
noted. The Compass Plant, Pitcher Plants, 
and those known as carnivorous plants are 
among the curious growths described. There 
is much of interest in this volume. 
W. H. Stewart., 74 Cortlandt St., N. Y.— 
Circulars of Stewart's ready roofiug and 
Stewart’s iron fiber paint, showing the 
method of applying each, and describing the 
qualities in each that are claimed to be 
superior. Inasmuch as the main cost of 
erecting and maintaining a builiing is in the 
roof, it will pay all to consider this matter. 
Horticultural. Directory ofthe United 
States —We are in receipt of this convenient 
book, containing a complete list of all the 
nurserymen and florists in the U nited States 
and Canada, and with its supplements, those 
of the most important countries of the Old 
World. It is supplied by the publisher, Isaac 
D Sailer, Philadelphia. Pa., price $6. It is 
edited by Cbas. F. Kvans. 
F. W. Wilson, Chatham, Ont., Canada,— 
A descriptive catalogue of fruit and orna¬ 
mental trees, grape vines, small fruits, ever¬ 
greens. flowering shrubs, roses, etc. Acolored 
plate of the Niagara Grape. Our Canadian 
friends should send for this catalogue: and 
those in the United States maystill be supplied 
with certain plants that, south of Canada, are 
too far advanced to be transplanted. 
Higganum Manufacturing Co . Higga- 
num, Conn.—Circular of the Dutton knife- 
grinder, a very efficient little implement for 
carrying to the field and attaching to the 
mower, by which the mower knife can lie well 
and quickly ground. Worth reading, and this 
is worth looking into, as a sharp knife saves 
horse muscle, and this saves feed, and feed is 
money. ____ 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
The Divine Origin of Christianity In¬ 
dicated by' its Historical Effects —By 
Richards. Storrs, D.D , LL.D. Published 
by Anson D. F. Randolph & Co. Price, 
8 vo., cloth. $3 50. 
Since we heard the lectures which have cul¬ 
minated in this boob, we have often found 
ourselves using—almost unconsciously—the 
statements therein contained as arguments 
against the so-called aesthetic Christian liber¬ 
alism of the time. This book is wholly free 
from sectarian bias and theological assump¬ 
tions. 
Its arguments are not intended to controvert 
the grosser forms of materialism, atheism 
and infidelity, but rather the soplusucal phil 
osophy of so-called Christian teachers. It is 
to the Christian more than a breast-plate, it is 
a weapon-keen edged and delicately pointed, 
a sword of offence; a weapon, efficient and 
worthy of the most brilliant opponent. It is 
altogether the most comprehensive, concise 
and eloquent argument for the divine origin 
of Christianity, ever produced. It may be 
read with equal enjoyment and profit by 
members of all denominations, and by those 
who belong to none. 
Some one has said, ‘‘it ought to be in the 
hands of every minister in the land;” we will 
go further and say it should be in the hands 
of every person who desires to know or to use 
the true statement of the claims of “a partic¬ 
ular and commanding scheme of religion, 
commonly known by the name of Christian¬ 
ity,” which “has for many centuries been in 
the world.” 
Hearing and IIowto Keep It, by Charles 
H Burnett. M D. P. Blakiston & Co , pub¬ 
lishers, Philadelphia, Pa Price, 5b cents 
This is a little work of 145 pages, full of the 
best information, about the ear. It is some¬ 
thing none can read without profit. 
fpit XUflmen. 
CONDUCTED BY MISL RAY CLARK. 
THE UNWELCOME VISITOR. 
As this is predicted as a “locust year.” per¬ 
haps some of your readers might like to bear 
a little about them. Rumor says that they 
will be worse this year than they have been 
for a century past, as the “seventeen year 
locust” and the common locust or Cicadae will 
both pay us a visit together. 
All locusts are vegetable feeders, and in 
many cases their voracity is so insatiable, their 
jaws so powerful, and their numbers so count¬ 
less that they destroy every vestige of vege¬ 
tation wherever they may pass, and devastate 
the country as if a fire had swept over it. 
Such is the case with the Migratory Locust, so 
called from its habit of congregating in vast 
armies and traveling from place to place. 
In champing the leaves, grasses uud other 
vegetation, they make a terrific noise. They 
are dreaded by all wherever they come,except 
by the Bushman who has no crops to be de¬ 
stroyed. He alone welcomes them, as they 
will provide him with food without the labor 
of hunting for it. He kindles a fire and they 
become smothered with the smoke, and fall to 
the ground. He gathers them up and makes 
a feast on them. What he does not. need for 
immediate use he grinds up into a sort of meal 
and dries in the sun. Tlii3 will keep for a 
long time without becoming putrid. Al¬ 
though the thought of eating them is abhor¬ 
rent to us, Dr. Livingstone says they make 
a very wholesome dish. 
When they leave for new quarters they riso 
in a dense cloud which seems almost, for a 
time, to obscure the light of day, and the 
sound of their wiugs is as the mighty rushing 
of the sea. This species is often called “Pharo ” 
They usually pay us a visit once in 17 years. 
The locust with which we are most familiar 
is called Cicadae (cicada Septemdecem). They 
somewhat resemble a large dragon fly, and 
have long deep-veined wings. The female 
lays from six to seven hundred eggs in a sea 
son. She bores long grooves in the limbs of 
trees, in which she deposits her eggs. When 
they are hatched they are about the size of a 
flea. They then bury themselves in the ground 
about three feet in depth. When it is time 
for them to make their appearance they come 
to the surface. We then find them encased 
in a shell, called pupal, it Is transparent, and 
the exact shape of the locust without the 
wings. It crawls through a crack In the back 
of the pupa, and leaves the shell intact. 
While in the larva state they subsist by 
sucking nutriment from the roots of trees, 
plants, etc. 
Yesterday I found three locusts belonging 
to the last named species on a tree in front of 
our home. One had entirely emerged from 
the pupa. The other two had not come ont, 
but were about to do so. I placed them under 
a glass so that I might examine them. When 
they came out, they were white, but the light 
and air colored them almost instantly. As 
soon as the}’ discovered each other, they be¬ 
gan figbtiug. I could not separate them, so 
they fougbtunt.il they killed each other. 
The “Locust” no w so plenty over the coun¬ 
try is not a locust at all but the Cicada Sep¬ 
temdecem, last above described, and its eating, 
all being done while in the larval state, it will 
do no damage beyond boring the limbs. 
Now I believe I have told you about all 1 know 
concerning locusts, unless you would like to 
hear of a stoiy about them which had no end¬ 
ing. If so, I’ll begin. “Once upon a time, 
here lived a king who had a beautiful 
daughter, who was sought in marriage by all 
the princes, kings and noblemen in the coun¬ 
try. The king loved her very dearly and did 
not want her to marry at all, but he could not 
find excuses enough for not allowing her to 
wed, as the greatest and noblest In the land 
sued for her hand. Finally he said: *He that 
can tell me a story which has no ending, can 
claim my daughter for his bride. 1 One after 
another came to the palace to tell his story, 
hoping that the kiDg would tire ere he 
finished, and grant him his request. Oue 
after another they failed. At last came a poor 
musician, handsome and graceful, charming 
in voice aDd manuer, but without gold. The 
king consented to listeD, expecting him to fail 
as the rest had done. He began: ‘During the 
year of famine in Egypt, Joseph commanded 
a great granary to be built, and .in it stored 
all the grain that could be gathered through¬ 
out the country. In building it, a knot-hole 
had tieen left open, and a locust went in and 
took a grain of corn; then another locust 
went in aud took another grain of corn; then 
anotheifclocnst went in and took another grain 
of corn, etc., etc.’ He kept on repeating this 
until the king could stand it no longer, and 
granted his request for bis daughter’s hand.” 
Hoping you have not wearied or me or my 
letter, I remain your felllow-reader, 
DORA HARVEY. 
AMONG THE BILKS. 
It is a common phrase, and a true one, that 
if one “only had a little money, how far It 
could be made to go now when things are so 
cheap.” 
That everything is at its lowest price, no 
one can doubt who has done shopping, in any 
line, lately. Carpets, furniture, dress goods, 
shoes, underclothing, in fact, all things which 
are needed for home or personal comfort, are 
within the reach of such as are in “moderate 
circumstances." This class has by far the 
majority. 
Dress goods were never displayed in greater 
variety, or of neater, more tasty designs. 
We had occasion to visit some of our large 
dry goods establishments, and as our purpose 
was to inquire into the kinds and qualities of 
silk, we will give the readers of the deal - old 
Rural, ibe benefit of our trip. 
Entering a Broadwuy store and making our 
errand known, a gentleman courteously es¬ 
corted us into and through their immense 
silk departments, where there were thousands 
of pieces of silk, and satin: silks plain, silks 
changeable, silks checked, silks embroidered, 
and silks of every style and quality. 
The first that met our eye was a counter of 
foulards, which are so cool for summer wear. 
There was the beautiful silver gray, with a 
figure of royal purple pansies; brown, ecru, 
and cream, with figures of contrasting colors. 
These range iu prices from 80 cents to 81.25 
per yard, according to quality, and, whether 
domestic or French goods. 
Tricotine is another summer silk, having a 
beautiful lustre, and is a little heavier than 
foulard. Louisine is comparatively a new 
material. The weave has the appearance of a 
corded check, the warp aud woof being the 
same size. This was shown in 25 styles—all 
combinations of color, checked and plain. 
The latter is exceedingly neat and handsome. 
McCreary & Co., are the manufacturers of 
these goods, and guarantee for them good 
wear. 
Surah is a t willed silk It is to be bad in 
several qualities, but that which sells for 81 25 
per yard is sufficiently heavy to look well, 
though the prices run up much above these 
figures. For costumes there comes a strip 4% 
yards long, handsomely embroidered. This 
is for the front of dresses, also for waist and 
sleeves, or can be used in any other way one’s 
taste dictates. This length with 12 yards of 
the plain silk to match, is sufficient. This 
material is soft, yet quite weighty, and all 
who have worn it speak highly of its wearing 
qualities. 
These four weaves of silk, foulard, tricotine, 
louisine, and surah can be purchased at prices, 
ranging from 80 cents to $2.50 per yard 
and either will make as pretty a costume as 
one could desire. 
There was a dress from the famous Parisian, 
Worth. Had we not been told so, we should 
have supposed it to be a design from some one 
of our many American artists. The material 
was cream colored faille, of a very heavy 
quality, and delicately embroidered with gold 
—nothing showy, but simply elegaut in its 
quiet richness. Faille is only a heavy corded 
silk. It was shown us in the delicate eveuing 
shades of blue, pink, and cream, also iu the 
more durable colors of dark green and brown. 
It is as elegant a material as ever il was, but 
only such as have plenty of money can in¬ 
dulge their taste in purchasing a dress of it. 
This firm pays prompt attentiou to all or¬ 
ders sent by mail, and samples of sufficient 
size to judge of even a large pattern, are sent, 
if the order has the atmosphere of becoming 
a purchase, which fact is not always difficult 
to ascertain. 
We often read of silks at $25.00 a yard, so 
while we were among them, this kind was in¬ 
quired for. Eveniug shades were shown. 
Doubtless they do not come in dark colors, 
because they are used for bridal or state 
dresses only. The figures are pronounced, 
being a rose with leaves, or a lily, aud they 
are outlined with threads of gold or silver. 
Those threads must of course run across the 
entire width, which makes the material so 
costly, for silver and gold used in any way 
always claim their own value. • 
Our visit convinced us, that even though 
wool and cotton goods were very cheap, so 
were silks, for when $14 00 will purchase one, 
and when they are a dress always sufficient 
for all occasions, we say, this is the day when 
a little money will go a great way. c. 
Domestic Ccotiomi) 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
HOW TO PAPER. 
Many people in the country are so situated 
that it is necessary for them to do their own 
papering or leave it undone, and to aid such 
let me suggest a few poiuts, which, if follow¬ 
ed, will make papering a by no means difficult 
operation. 
In selecting paper, remember that the very 
lowest-priced is not by any means the cheap¬ 
est. It is much more work to lay it well, and 
if Dot well laid, it will look very bad and will 
always be an eye sore. Light papers make a 
dark, dingy room much more cheerful: large 
figures make a small room look much smaller 
and occasions much waste in matching the 
figures. All low rooms should be papered 
with striped paper, having the stripes running 
up and down, as it makes the room seem much 
higher. Subdued tints take off the glare of 
too many windows. The best effect is pro¬ 
duced by having a paper with pattern and 
colors of a quiet tone, such as does not at ouee 
strike the eye ou coming into the room. The 
paper should relieve aud set out the furniture 
that stands In front of it,not attract attention 
from it. In trimming the paper, it is better 
to cut off the right margin as it lies right side 
up before you with that which will be the 
upper end of each strip from you; this will 
cause the matching to come on the right side 
of the paper — much the most convenient 
position. 
If the room has paper on the walls, it is 
much better to remove it, and this can easily 
be done by thoroughly wetting the walls with 
hot water, using a white-wash brush and 
plenty of water, going over it the second 
time if necessary. The paper can be removed 
with a steel scraper,or clean hoe. If the walls 
have been white-washed, sweep them with a 
stiff broom,and then go over them with a wash 
made of one ounce of glue, two quarts of 
water and a pint of strong vinegar. The paste 
should he made of wheat flour; stir a large 
pint into sufficient cold water to make a thick 
batter, and when thoroughly mixed and thin¬ 
ned to the consistency of gruel, stir it into a 
gallon of boiling water, and keep over the 
fire, stirring constantly until it becomes semi¬ 
transparent, thick and glutinous; the more it 
is cooked the better, providing it is Dot allow¬ 
ed to born. To prevent all unpleasant smells 
and to keep all insects away add to the paste 
a half teaspoonful of carbolic ocidto the gal 
loo. When ready to operate, have a board a 
little wider than the rolls of paper, aud as 
long as the room is high; lay this on two stands 
or ou “horses” made ou purpose. Cut the 
strips of paper of sufficient length to reach the 
whole bight of the room, and take pains to so 
cut them that, when put on, the figures will 
match. Place a dozen strips, more or less, 
with figure side down, ou the board, one over 
the other. For applying the paste, use a small 
white-wash brush that is half or more worn 
out, and always paste the lower part of the 
strip first; when pasted, double over the lower 
half upon the upper, theu turn back the upper 
half of that which lies on top just so that it 
will reach to the middle fold; this prevents 
the figured side of the paper from coming in 
contact with the wall, which should be lightly 
coated with paste, while attaching the upper 
part of the strip. In hanging the paper, com¬ 
mence ia some corner of the room or by the 
side of a door, if me reaches the extreme 
length of the room, aud work to the left, if 
the strips have been trimmed aa above direct¬ 
ed. Have a stool or bench on which to stand, 
that will enable you to reach the highest part 
of the wall. 
In commencing, it is well to measure out 
from the corner just the width of the paper, 
and drop a plumb line so as to get the first 
strip perpendicular. This will make it much 
easier to hang the paper, so as to have the 
figures match. Take the prepared strip bv 
tbe upper corners,and carry it to the wall and 
apply the top to the wall so as to have the 
Ittiscdtancousi Advertising, 
Free of charge. A full size cake of Ivory Soap 
will be sent to nny one who can not get it of their 
grocer, If six two-cent stamps, to pay postage, are 
sent to Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati. Please 
mention this paper. 
