©se ? 
sorts do not prove with him as great yielders 
as the late ones . 
Mr. Talcott is fully convinced tbata great 
portion of potatoes that were lost from rot by 
being left in the ground too long might have 
been saved the past season by early digging. 
The Times-Democrat calls tobacco the 
“national weed.” It claims that the cultivation 
of the plant is extending over the South into 
regions where it has always been supposed it 
could not be grown. North Carolina and 
Kentucky are now raising large quantities, 
and many cotton farmers find far greater 
profit in the culture of tobac jo. Southern 
papers seem to think that tobacco should oc¬ 
cupy an honorable place in diversified agri¬ 
culture; in fact, some of them speak of it as 
the salvation of the South. It seems hard to 
think that a country must be saved by a 
“weed.”........ 
Bhfore the sheep go Into winter-quarters 
examine their feet for “rot.” Cut away all 
decayed horn, and dress the sore places with 
tar..,... 
Mr. J. P. Day, of Oakham, Mass , thinks 
there is abundant encouragement for produc¬ 
ing beef at the East in competition with the 
beef from tbe West. He wants good Short¬ 
horn stock. Our farmers sell too many veal 
calves. He has sold fourteen months steers, 
home raised, at an advance of two cents per 
pouud over ordinary cattle of the same 
weight. A weight of 600 pounds at that age 
pays well. So says A. W. Cheever in the 
N. E. Farmer.. 
Some potato growers claim that the Early 
Ohio is ahead, in earliness, of the Early Rose 
and Beauty of Hebron. Have auy of our 
readers compared them? asks the editor of 
our esteemed contemporary, the Chatham 
Courier, It happens that we have had a good 
opportunity of auswering this question for 
every year during the past five. The Early 
Ohio is at least five days earlier than either 
the Early Rose or Beauty. 
We are glad to see a very true colored illus¬ 
tration of the new purple-leaved plum (Prun- 
us Pissardii) in the Canadian Horticulturist. 
This was first illustrated in the R, N.-Y., and 
cur description was from a plant growing in 
the Rural Grounds. It bolds its color better 
than any other purple-foliaged shrub or tree, 
and is thus far perfectly hardy... 
TRANSCONTINENTAL LETTERS—XLVI. 
ALASKAN CRUISE. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
AT SEA FROM SITKA. 
We left Sitka at two o’clock on the morning 
of July 20, and as a heavy fog had settled 
down in the night, the Captain did not deem 
it prudent to retrace his route through Peril 
Strait, aud so was obliged to put out to the 
open sea, sailing north until we reached Cross 
Sound, which lies between the mainland and 
Chichagaff Island, aud is a degree and a half 
north of Sitka. We entered Cross Sound 
about noon on Tuesday and in fine weather. 
I have heard tbe statement made that Mount 
St. Elias can be seen, on a clear day, from 
this point; but I doubt it. This mountain lies 
in latitude fits north, or thereabouts, and has 
rarely been seen by even the voyagers off its 
coast, because of the fog6 in which it is gener¬ 
ally enveloped. I have even heard it claimed 
by tbe ordinary Alaskan tourist that he had 
seen this mountain; but it is hardly worth 
while to say that he is altogether mistaken. 
The superb group of mountains that are seen 
from Cross Sound, and near at hand, are 
Mounts Fairweather, Crillon and La Perouse, 
from out of which flow the Muir Glacier and 
ANSWER 
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many others, including one with its foot in 
Taylor Bay, which opens into the mainland 
from Cross Sound to the West Glacier Bay, 
aud that much nearer to the ocean. The Tay¬ 
lor Bay Glacier, sometimes called “Brady,” is 
very remarkable, its width at tbe foot being 
estimated at from from four to six miles, and 
its sweep down between thb mountains, with 
the track of the moraine through tbe center, 
strongly marked, and the snow-white moun¬ 
tains towering high above, being altogether 
magnificent. The sight of this was ample 
compensation to us for all the sea-sickness 
suffered by some of the other passengers, 
and we were thankful for the l'oggy night 
that had driven us out to sea. 
In continuing our course east through the 
8ound, we again crossed Glacier i ay and had 
a distant view of its famous glacier, which 
was reported to have changed very consider¬ 
ably since our visit in June, and to be not 
nearly so accessible as then. Although twice 
asmauy people visit Alaska iu July and Aug¬ 
ust, as in June, still the latter month is to he 
preferred for mmy reasons. The “Ancon” is 
an old-fashioned steamship, tut well adapted 
for a large number of people, as the hurricane- 
deck is fully utilized, aud there is an awning 
over one end for the comfort of such passen¬ 
gers as do not like to sit in the sou. A milch 
cow was on board, and a number of beeves, 
sheep and chickens, to be slaughtered as the 
table required. The head cook was a China¬ 
man, not much larger than my eight-year- 
old boy, but of great capability for his posi¬ 
tion, and he worked like a Hash. The table 
throughout was excellent. 
GOLD MINING AND MINERS. 
On Tuesday morning we found the ship 
at anchor at Gastineaux Channel between 
Juneau on the mainland and Douglass Island. 
The large, new quartz mill on the island was 
now in operation, and the steamer would be de¬ 
tained here to take on board the first gold bul¬ 
lion, the product of this mill. The smallest of 
the gold bricks brought on board I held in my 
hand, and it was a solid fact, for it weighed 
297 ounces. One of the stockholders in this 
mine told me that the monthly output of the 
mill would be about $75,1X10, and I heard even 
larger estimates made. As we spent the en- 
entire day between the island and Juneau, 
Anaximander accepted an invitation to visit 
placer mining in the “Basin” back of Juneau 
—a land tramp of three or four miles. This 
Basin has been worked about four years, but 
it is impossible to give any accurate estimate 
of the yield of gold. The miners do not tell 
how much they get, but it is not difficult to 
“ guesB” as to their savings, as most of them, 
I am told, spend their summer earnings m 
Winter, at dissipation, and borrow money in 
the Spring for their mining outfit. Some of 
them take an ludiau girl for a “wife,” or go 
South to Victoria, and spend their money. A 
gentleman who has been in Alaska, said he 
judged that $120,000 were taken out of the 
Basin last year. 
The United States land laws which apply to 
other Territories, do not apply to Alaska, and 
mining claims are the only claims ao yet re¬ 
cognized. A man may build a house at 
Juneau and stake off a lot around it, but if 
another discovers gold in the ground he can 
claim the land. A quarlz claim has its limits, 
being 1 500 linear feet iu length and 300 feet 
in width from this line, on both sides. After 
the first year, in order to hold a claim, 
the claimant is obliged to put upon it 
$100, worth of assessment work, aud for each 
year after that the same, and at the end of five 
years he can then secure a pateut from the 
Government for it. In placer mining, a man 
cannot stake off over 100 acres for himself; 
but be usually stakes off for several “friends” 
as well, if he finds it a promising field. The 
miners here, I was told, get from $2 to $12 
per day—the latter for only skilled men, like 
assayers. The Indians get from $150 to $2 
per day. I bad a piece of gold from the 
“BasiD” given to me, which had been freed 
from all amalgam, and was valued at from *5 
to $10. It was a part of the first fee paid in 
gold dust to an attorney in Alaska—whose 
retaining fee, he told me, was a $1,000. He 
also gave me an “Alaska diamond,” found on 
the mainland across from Douglass Island—a 
very pretty quartz crystal. Douglass Island 
is said to be from 12 to 14 miles long and 
about four wide. 
Because of the mining excitement, Juneau 
is now quite a little settlement of new board 
houses; but it is not an attractive place like 
Sitka, although it has considerable business. 
When tbe many gold mines about Sitku are 
developed, that too, will have its revival un 
doubtedly. During our last day there we 
heard a great deal of mining talk, and Anaxi¬ 
mander was quite weighted down with speci¬ 
mens of quartz. One family there, each 
member of which has a mine, have been 
biding for 14 years the good time coming when 
they shall bo made rich, and the mother has 
grown very weary. She was from Philadel 
pbia, and longed to go back, although' she 
liked the climate in Sitka, both for Winter 
and Summer. It is not improbable that the 
mining interests of Alaska will prove, in the 
future, of considerable value and I siucerely 
hope that the hospitable family so rich in 
mines, will achieve all the wealth they desire 
as they seem justly entitled to it. 
VISIT TO WRANGELL. 
During the afternoon of our stay at Juneau 
it rained steadily, which prevented a trip to 
the Takou Glacier a few miles away, and the 
rain continued all of the following day, during 
which, late in the afternoon, we arrived at 
Wrangell. However, clad in our gossamers, 
we sallied forth, first paying a visit to Mr. and 
Mrs. Young, missionaries at this place, whose 
work impressed ns as being practical and a 
success. The Indians herp, as I have before 
mentioned, live very comfortably, and have 
attained to a fair decree of civilization. Mr. 
Young say’s he has a ranch of about 1,600 
acres of “level meadow land” at the mouth of 
the Stickeen River, on which he raised last 
year oats and barley, both ripeniug: buck¬ 
wheat was tried, but without success. We 
also met at Wrangell, Mr. Gould, who is a 
missionary at Kowkau, on Prince of Wales 
Island, and his wife and two children had 
been our fellow passengers from Sitka. Mrs. 
Gould is a sister of Mrs. McFarland, who was, 
T believe, the first American woman to live 
in Wrangell, she being stationed there 12 years 
ago as a missionary. She was also a passen¬ 
ger on the “Ancon” en iwite for the East, 
taking with her an Tudiau girl to be placed iu 
school. The Gould family were to go from 
Wrangell to Kowkau in a canoe—a trip cover¬ 
ing several days. Mr. Utuld told us that he 
bad picked within •> short time 13 edible 
ben ies, nine of which are eaten by the whites. 
One peculiar feature of Alaskan flowers is 
that nearly all are succeeded by fruit, so that 
It is common to say that everything nears a 
berry. 
MORE CURIOS. 
We parted with considerable more money 
at Wrangell in the way of curios. We had 
the good, or ill fortune to be introduced to 
two chiefs, one of whom spoke English fairly, 
and he took us into a private room in his 
house and showed us many valued heirlooms. 
Among these Indians, the nephew, instead of 
the son, succeeds to tbe chieftainship, and this 
young chief, Katisbfiu, had succeeded to his 
uncle, who was chief of the Stickeens, and he 
had his uncle's possessions. Among these 
were many old aud fiue wood carvings, hard, 
smooth and polished like old oak, aud a dance 
blanket of buckskin embroidered with beads 
—a very beautiful article, which he would 
not part with; also a dancing stick, which he 
did not wish to sell, but would if any one 
would give him $50. Anaximander made 
quite a draft on the treasures of this chief, 
while I captured a handsome marmot robe 
which 1 saw spread out on the bed of tbe 
other. Katirb&u’s wife had a hat which 1 
coveted; but she wanted $5 for it, and l felt 
too poor to buy it. They showed ns a Chilkat 
blanket which had been given to his sou, who 
is in school at Forest Grove, Oregon, which 
was valued at $35. These blankets are woven 
of the wool of the mountain sheep, by the 
Chilkat Indian women; they are long and 
comparatively narrow, enlivened with lines 
and figures in bright colors, finished with a 
deep fringe at the bottom, and worn in Che 
dance, although very heavy. One makes 
quite a striking lambrequin. That Katirbau 
would part with his treasures of the “long 
ago.” as be called them, is proof that an Iu- 
diau will sell anything he has, if he can get 
money enough for it, but unless one goes far 
beyond the route of travelers he will find but 
few of the * long ago ’ things any more. 
Katirbiiu carried on quite a trade with the 
Hydah Indians, and he had a Btone box which 
he bought of them for 10 blankets, each blan¬ 
ket beiug worth $2. Indiau3 put money into 
blankets as into ft bank, as they are market¬ 
able like hoods, and he sold the box to a 
trader on the “Ancon” for $35. He owned a 
canoe for which he said he paid $160. We 
left Wrangell on the following night and found 
ourselves early next morning at anchor in 
SALMON BAT, 
a fishing station in Prince Edward’s Island. 
The weather promised “to clear,” and I went 
alone early for u tramp along the beach iu 
search of wild flowers, but was overtaken by 
a shower and sat under the trees for half an 
hour, keeping as dry as If in a house. I found 
some fine specimens of castilleia, but nothing 
new. I got a man to row me in a canoe around 
a certain point, while Anaximander and the 
laddie went up the hay “to fish.” The man 
told me he had lived upon the Stiokeen River; 
that 30 miles up the river brought one into 
British Columbia, and that when the Coast 
Range of mountains was crossed, the climate 
was altogether different, beiug drier and cold¬ 
er—the mercury in Winter falling to 0O P be¬ 
low zero. He said he had horses there which 
lived’out-of-doors all Winter,I browsing on the 
grass from which the snow was swept by the 
winds. Concerning the fishery, he said they 
were doing nothing this year—I think he was 
the superintendent of it—because of the low 
condition of the market; but that last year 
they had put up 7,000 barrels of salmon, and 
from the way the fl-h jumped in the water, 
there were evidently thousands more that 
might be caught, I got quite wet tramping 
through the wet grass and over the wet rocks, 
but finally the sun shone out, and I dried my 
apparel. I sat on a rock and waited for a boat 
from the steamship to come for me. At no 
place along the beach could I penetrate into 
the woods further than a few yards, owing to 
the jungle of fallen trees and deDse under¬ 
growth. Small, grassy coves were frequent, 
an«l in these I found stalks and flowers long 
past their bloom. Finally a boat came, and as 
my family had again joined me, we were 
quickly rowed to the ship aud iu the evening 
were agaiu under steam. 
-» ♦ » — 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
• _ 
Canada. 
Hurricane Hill, Pictou, Ont,—The Cleve¬ 
land Rural New-Yorker Pea is still the 
favorite for early; the Stratagem is, all things 
considered, perhaps the best intermediate pea 
yet introduced. The Prince of Wales set 
many pods; but they failed to till. The beaus 
did well, but are far inferior to others grown 
here. One tomato was very fine; but the 
others were King Humbug to a certainty. 
The Johnson Grass remained invisible. The 
mixed corn grew seven feet high, and then 
blew down before it had tasseled; it might do 
for firewood, it is large enough; but it is 60 
days too late for us. I didn’t get a ripe ear, 
and our first frost was on Oct. 7. Apples a 
fair crop, but spotted badly. Potatoes rotting 
very much. F. c. 
Indiana, 
Beech Grove, Marlon Co., Nov. 18.— We 
like tbe King Humbert tomatoes .very much 
for preserves, they are much finer flavored 
than the old Cherry Tomato. The cross-bred 
corn w’as planted on bottom land. It was of 
all sizes and colors. 1 don’t think it suitable 
for this country. We think the LeatuingCoru 
the best. The beans yielded well, I do not 
think they are equal to the Limas. Prince of 
Wales Pea yielded unusually well. Tbe Sorat- 
agem did not do nearly so well, but the pods 
and peas were larger. Rural New Yorker 
Pea was the earliest we had the past year. 
The Garden Treasures did not start very well. 
We had one new kiad of flower, very pretty 
and one Russian watermelon vine and one 
rnelou. The Diehl Mediterranean Wheat was 
entirely frozen out the past Winter, Uncle 
Sam send me some more for seed this Fall; 
will report afler next harvest. S', c. mcc. 
WESTCHESTER, Jay Co., Nov. 14.—I had 
five pounds of the Diehl Mediterranean Wheat 
after the poultry had taken their share. They 
preferred this kind to other sorts which were 
nearer to them. Of the Thousand fold Rye I 
had about the same amount. I counted 65 
heads from one grain—a yield considerably 
greater than a “thousandfold.” Tbe Rural’s 
Cross bred corn will not amount to much iu 
this part of the world. I do not think any 
New York State corn would prove valuable 
here. I am three score aud nine, but love the 
Rural yet. p. w, 
iUlchlcnn. 
No. FARMiNGTON,OaklandCo.,Nov. 18.—The 
Rural Corn was planted May filth, and re¬ 
ceived good care all the season. Some was 
ripe August 25; some September 10; some 
matured in October, and some Is not ripe yet, 
and would not be before Christmas, if the 
weather was favorable. I have saved all that 
will grow and will try again. The peas were 
very nice, but the beans failed entirely. 
D. P. T. 
Nebraska. 
Fremont, Dodge Co., Nov. 17.— Crops are 
good in this section. Corn will not be so 
heavy as anticipated, on account of much of 
it being “soft,” but where it is a crop it is 
above the average. Small grains have been 
very good. e. e . f. 
New Jersey. 
Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., Nov. 1-4.— 
I tried the Rural’s plan of raising potatoes; 
Two and one fourth pounds of St. Patrick 
gave me 114 potatoes; all were of good size; 
no small ones. The Flageolet Bean did nice¬ 
ly; so did tbe tomatoes and corn; we have 
saved all the beanB, peas aud corn for seed. 
Tbe King Humbert Tomato grows wild in 
California; a few years since when l was 
there. I saw quantities of them in Ventura 
County. Shall try the Rural’s sjsttm infield 
culture next season; think I will have no 
difficulty in gettiug 400 bushels to the acre. 
J. E. F. 
New York. 
West Camp, Ulster Co., N. Y.—The Johusou 
Grass was sown May 15th,acecordiugto Rural 
