403 
If you must tipple, be honest enough to call 
for wine or beer—don’t try to humbug your¬ 
self and your friends into the belief that you 
are a temperance man by drinking koumiss... 
JUDGE says that Juno is good and fair and 
wholesome. Thera is that frankness and large- 
heartedness in June that no other month has. 
It is a pity that her annual life should be only 
JO days long....... 
Somebody recently asked the Scientific 
American to name an oil that could be rubbed 
into 1 toots and shoes without interfering with 
the use of the ordinary shoe blacking. From 
the discussion which has followed, it appeal's 
that crude castor oil gives the best satisfaction. 
It is stated that the boots or shoes may be 
polished at night and at once wpII painted with 
the oil. Tu the morning the leather will be 
found soft and pliable, while it can be readily 
polished. Castor oil is considered far better 
than grease of any kind. 
A report is given in the Rural Press of the 
case of ueo .v which died after eating oleander. 
The cow got into a front yard where the 
oleauder was growing. It is stated that the 
prussic acid in the oleauder was the cause of 
the death of the cow. 
(^Rcnjuiljcrc. 
TRANSCONTINENTAL LETTERS.— 
LXXXI. 
MAlllf WAGER-FISHER. 
From New Orleans to Mobile; a swampy 
land; summer resorts; peddlers; “ colored ” 
travelers; location of Mobile; a day in Ike 
city; chats with negroes; business dull; 
truck farming. 
From New Orleans we drifted on through 
the bayous of Louisiana skirting the Gulf of 
Mexico all the way to Mobile. The earth 
has boon thrown up for the railroad bed 
and the ditches left by the excavations are 
tilled With water—salt—and said to be thrown 
over the land by the gales from the Gulf. It 
was a picturesque ride because of the vegeta¬ 
tion and dowers—great plantations of iris, the 
flowers red, blue, and yellow—white water 
lilies ami palmettos without end. Vines grow 
luxuriantly over every bit, of floating wood 
in the swumps or pools, aud contribute to the 
general jungle of the swamps. The sigus of 
human or animal life were almost entirely 
absent, but we stopped at a number of sum¬ 
mer resorts, where wo wore told the people 
from New Orleans and elsewhere resorted in 
great numbers—and oue hotel at Bay St. 
Louis had rooms for 1,0(10 guests. The shore 
is indented all along by the encroach monte of 
the Gulf, and these lakes, or bays, as they are 
called, form pretty sites for towns and fur¬ 
nish good benches for bathing. Very tine 
oysters are also rnuglit hero, and upon the 
arrival of the train, venders, (chiefly colored 
boys} wore in attendance laden with small 
paper bags containing hot fried oysters and 
a piece of fresh bread—both of which were 
delicious. They also tried to turn an honest 
penuy by selling flowers—magnolias, water 
lilies, roses, etc. At one point a white man 
came into the train with brushes made from 
the root of the palmetto—all iu oue piece—the 
back of t he brush being the hard purt of the 
root, and the numerous flue fibers growing out 
of it, constituted the brush. He declared that 
they were no " humbug” but the most service¬ 
able brushes iu the market, ami the laddie 
bought oue to add to his stock of curios. It 
was more of a “curio” several duys later, 
when from warping, it. bad come to be quite 
out of shape. The trees in the swamps are of 
pine—the large ones cut—with branches well 
up to thu top. 
Some neatly dressed colored people came 
into our car, and were not expelled, although 
there was a special car for them "according 
to law.” Wo went iuto it, and found a pla¬ 
card up—on extract from the legislation of 
Tennessee requiring that first-class colored 
passengers shall be provided with a compart¬ 
ment free from siuokiug and obscene language 
ami as good and comfortable as the compart¬ 
ments for whites. The compartment was, iu 
fact, the half of a siuokiug car, a partition 
having been rim up, dividing the ear into two 
sections, and the conductor of the train aud 
another man sat iu it siuokiug, the few colored 
women in it either not minding the smoke or 
feeling the helplessness of their condition. We 
pa-ssed some saw mills, fragrant with piles of 
yellow pi no lumber, and as we neared Mobile 
(reaching there after a ride of seven hours), 
the woods were very Open and clean, the slen¬ 
der, straight pines, standing at generous dis¬ 
tances from each other. In places there were 
groat colonies of brilliant (lowers, resembling 
tulips, but we were unable to procure auy aud 
no oue was able to give us their local names, 
THE RUBAI. MEW“Y©RfCER, 
and the ignorance of the people everywhere, 
concerning the commonest things about them 
is astonishing 
Unless one has a very accurate map lie can 
form from it but an incorrect idea of the loca¬ 
tion of Mobile, The river which flows into 
the Gulf here, upon which Mobile is built, is 
at its mouth very wide, and is divided into 
two great streams, one of which is colled 
Mobile and the Ollier Tensas (pronounced Ten- 
saw), ami upon the west side of the former lies 
the city. We stopped here for a day, and were 
delighted with our visit. The finer residences 
are solid, stately, lurge, old brick mansions, 
free from all modem architectural "fandan¬ 
goes,” with large rooms for the exercise of 
that gracious hospitality which is a Southern 
characteristic—less so since the War, because 
of the poverty of the people. The magnolia 
trees along the streets were superb, and as I 
wondered how long a certain one had been 
growing, n lady sitting nearby at a window 
said it was planted 57 years ago, and we esti¬ 
mated its diameter across the branches as 
being fully JO feet. A climbing rose—the La 
Marque—clambered everywhere, and filled the 
air with the fragrance of its white blossoms. 
We went into a market house, and took some 
refreshments at a stull presided over by a 
neat colored woman, who had a stove iu 
it for cooking purposes. She had very 
nice fried sweet potatoes, but her coffee had 
been made early in the day, aud was simply 
hot and stale. The woman said that while 
colored people were better off in some ways iu 
the country, they were always imposed upon 
by store-keepers, who charged them dear for 
groceries, etc., and kept them continually in 
debt. She said she bad got tired of it, and 
bad told her husband that she was coining to 
the city for work; and yet so many did come 
to the city that wages were kept very low. 
We had u very amusing talk with a colored 
man, of whom we made some inquiry in the 
street, lie said that the “wah ,? had broken 
him up; prior to that he had real estate inot 
an extraordinary thing for a colored man to 
own slaves) but now he was reduced to the 
most menial employment at a wage of 88.50 
per week, and his wife had been ill these JO 
months. He had to keep his family wheel 
moving somehow on that; but it always went 
ahead and never back, for revolutions 
move forward! We asked him ubout the 
college for his people, aud he said it bail been 
moved two miles out into the country, and 
was a splendid school! All white teachers 
from the North, who went away in the sum¬ 
mer time. When the building was iu the 
City it was near a white school, he said, aud as 
the two schools Were let out at the same time 
in the ufternoon, the “chilieu were alius 
quaw’liu’ ”—the black hoys thought they had 
as much right on the sidewalk as the white 
boys, and so they had t rouble. Hut oue night 
the building was burned down—nearly burn¬ 
ing up the teachers—ami then they moved the 
school into the country. He said he often 
told the “cullud people” that they didn’t ap¬ 
preciate their freedom—they seemed to think 
it gave them the right to loaf around aud be 
lazy. 
The chief trade of Mobile, which was form¬ 
erly confined to cotton, now includes lumber. 
Business has beeu dull for five years, owing to 
the construction of railroads, which have di¬ 
verted trade from the city to other points. 
But business meu were hopeful and there 
seemed reasonable ground for a steady growth 
of the city. The town has no system of sew¬ 
age, hut the soil is of sand and gravel, aud the 
sewerage is qun-kly carried off iuto the water. 
There is a great deal of truck gardening iu 
the vicinity, the early vegetables going chiefly 
to Chicago and the Northwest. The soil is 
well suited for strawberries, but the people 
have not as yet engaged iu their culture to 
auy marked extent. Tuo berries were then 
selling in the Mobile market at 2U cents per 
quart. Bananas were abundant, as well as 
plantains, which are fried for food. It was 
the day before Easter Sunday and flowers 
were hawked about the streets for sale ami 
being carried into the churches. A girl had 
come aboard the train just before we reached 
the city with a superb bouquet of roses—a 
hundred or more. She said they had aiigrowu 
in one garden, but she ouly knew the name of 
oue variety, which, was yellow aud magnifi¬ 
cent: she called it "Cloth of Gold.” • 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Minnesota. 
Mentor, Polk Co.—Since my last the pros¬ 
pects for good crops iu the Red River Valley 
have changed for the worse. Extremely dry 
weather followed by heavy frost killed a large 
amount of grain. A refreshing shower 
shortly after the frost helped what was not 
past redemption, to regain vitality. The 
effect was most severe ou the oat crop, some 
pieces being almost entirely killed out. A few 
farmers are seeding over again, but it is so 
late in the season that they have small hopes 
of success. Garden truck and small fruits 
have had little or no chance between the 
drought aud the frosts. Pastures aud mea¬ 
dows are very short, and it looks as though 
“State Swamp” would be at a premium tbis 
year. One effect of the frost that will inter¬ 
est wheat raisers in the Northwest was a 
striking illustration of the advantages of a 
drill over broadcast seeders. There Is but oue 
farmer in tbis section who uses a drill; out of 
about 200 acres ho drilled in there was hardly 
an acre destroyed; while some wheat in the 
immediate vicinity, put in with broadcast 
seeders, was almost entirely destroyed. Oue 
party commenced to seed his oats with a 
broadcast seeder, but owing to the wind he 
changed it for a drill; the result is very plain 
—that so wed broadcast is mostly killed out,and 
the drilled is hardly hurt at all. f. a. h. 
New Jersey. 
Hahiiouhton, Mercer Co., June 4, 1887.— 
We are having good growing weather now ? 
and the outlook Cor crops is fast improving. 
Coru aud oats promise fairly, but wheat is 
likely to be almost a failure; even those fields 
that were sown early and stood the winter 
well are now attacked by the Hessian fly, and 
the straw is criukliug down badly and theears 
will not fill well. Grass is rather short on ac¬ 
count of a hard winter followed by a dry 
spring. Fruit not likely to be a full crop ex¬ 
cept peaches. Wheat is selling from 95 cents 
to 98 cents per bushel; corn, 52 cents; oats, 32 
cents to 3S cents per bushel of JO pounds; hay 
811 to -?12; butter 25 cents per pound, etc. 
D. J. B. 
New York. 
Newark, Wayne Co., June 2.—Spring 
grains are all sown. Corn and potato plant¬ 
ing is finished. Potatoes are largely planted 
iu Southern Wayne and the adjoining part of 
Ontario County, some farmers planting 25 to 
40 acres, using improved machinery for plant¬ 
ing, cultivating, harvesting. Peppermint is 
also an important crop iu this county. About 
the usual amount has been set this spring, and 
is looking tine. Old mint winter-killed badly. 
Wheat will boa light crop, having been injured 
in early spring by drying winds, and freezing 
weather. Market prices are. wheat, 85 cents: 
potatoes, 05 cents; butter, 22 cents: eggs, 13 
cents. We have had flue weather through 
May. All fruits, grains, aud vegetables are 
well advanced, looking remarkably well. 
w. H. K. 
Canastota, Madison Co., June 4.—The 
spring was very late so that most of the plant¬ 
ing has beeu done this week. It has been the 
driest May over knowu here; iu places it was 
so dry that it was impossible to plow; hut com¬ 
mencing with the 20th, we have had rain 
nearly every day. Wheat is looking fine. 
Burley and oats have been hurt by the 
drought. There are about 2(H) acres of onions 
sowed here; a few pieces have beer, hurt by the 
wire and cut-worms; the others are looking 
floe. Nearly 1,000 acres are being fitted this 
year and, should the crop be good,next spring 
there will be 1,500 to 2,000 acres of onions 
raised here. The ground seems to be particu¬ 
larly adapted to the crop, many growers say¬ 
ing that their crop last year only cost them 
12 1 » cents per bushel on board the care—that 
is for seed, cultivating, harvesting, use of 
land aud loading on cars. A small portion of 
the crop lias been contracted this season for 
42 1 j cents per bushel of 5(5 pounds, w. a. k. 
Tennessee. 
Maryville, Blount Co., May 28.—I have 
been taking the Rural New-Yorker for sev¬ 
eral years past at Stuart, Kansas. We are 
trying this climate for health. Laud here is 
fearfully run down and there seems to be but 
little enterprise compared with what one sees 
iu the West. Northern capital aud enterprise 
are beginuiug to stimulate business in many 
places where people from the North are com¬ 
ing iu aud settling. 1 do not mean to say that 
there is uo spirit of enterprise utnoug the 
people bora in the South; but this I do say 
that slavery still hangs like the shadow of 
death over the South in the existing system of 
labor, and that the different system in the 
Northern Slates will slowly but surely, as it is 
introduced by immigration, work a revolution 
in the mode of farming in the South, as well 
as stimulate to a better development of natur¬ 
al advantages. E. o. 
Communications Rkcbivkd for thk Wiser Endinu 
June ti. 1SS7. 
E K.-F. E. S.—T. T. L.—G. W. S.-C. H. P.-G. H. D. 
-S. W.-H. S.-T. O. C.—H. 11. KI-J. W. A., thanks.—A. 
M L.—F. M. L. -W. H. K.-J.T.S.—H. J*. A., thanks. 
H. S.-P. M.-A. C. G.-L. H. V.-P. H. M.-U. W. T., 
thanks a. O.G.—W. O. w,,mauy thanks. L.O H. 
T. II. II.—1\ H. J. -S. K K. M. II. —It. P. U.-U. S. H., 
thanks. O. J.-P. H. 3.-J. l>. C.-.V. H. A. T. H. 1L- 
S. K.- E. M. B.-W. S. S.—J. J. M. F. D. C.-W. IX—P. 
P.—VV. K. W.-B. F. A. -H. 0., thanks.-!). It. D.-G. A. 
S.-E. L. W.-D. M. F.-W. H.-H. A. W.-C. W. W.-P. 
A. F.-W. K.-W. H. B.-J. i).—E. C.-J. G. B.-J. ilcU 
PisscfUanfaujs 
How to Cure 
Skin &Scalp 
Diseases 
witir] the 
CuticUf \ f \ 
Remedies. 
T orturing, disfiguring, itching, scaly 
anil pimply diseases of the skin, scalp, anti blood, 
with loss or hair, from Infancy to old age, are cured 
by the Concent Remedies. 
CtmcutiA Resolvent, the New Blood Purl tier, cleans¬ 
es the blood and perspiration of >IIseano-sustaining 
elements, and thus removes the cause. 
CtmcCUA. the (front Skin Cure. Instantly allays itch¬ 
ing and Inflammation, clears the skin atid scalp of 
crusts, seules and sores, and restores the hair. 
CtmCL’VA So At’, uu exquisite Skin Beauttfler, Is tn- 
dJspenstiM.! In treating skin diseases, baby humors, 
skin blemishes, chapped and oily skin. Cuticuba 
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Sold everywhere. Price, COltcORA. SOu.; Resolvent- 
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orsend for "How to Cure Skin Diseases. 
TIN 
TED with the loveliest tlellcaev Is the skin bath¬ 
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How to SAVE re shingling, STOP 
leaks effectually and cheaply In 
roofs of nil kinds, or lay NEW roofs. 
Particulars FREE if you mention this paper. 
UNEQUALED 
For House., Barn, 
and all out-buildings. 
ANYBODY CAN PUT IT ON. 
PRICE LOW. 
Write for Sample nnd Book. 
1 t:t n ufkin* Sr.. SViw York City. 
INDIANA PAINT &. ROOFING CO. 
ESTABLISHED 1SSZ. 
JACKSON BROTHERS, 
NE77 7G2E STATS D2AIN TILE AND PIPE W02S3, 
-SL4.LV OFFICE, to THIRD AVE., ALBANY, N. Y. 
ROUND, SOLE AND HORSE-SHOE TILE, * 
Over 13 Inches long. By cargo or smallest quantity. 
Our tiew Improved machinery makes superior round 
and sole tile excelling anything offered heretofore. 
First premium wherever exhibited- l*ricelistou ap¬ 
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DROWNS 
° FENCE BUILDER, 
Send for circular. 
JOUIV P. BROWN 
RISING StTN, 1ND 
SEDGWICK STEEL WIRE FENCE. 
The best Farm, Garden, Poultry Yard. Lawn. 
School Lot, Park and Cemlte Fences and Gates. 
Perfect Automatic Gatos. Chen (test and Neatest 
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aud Filer. Ask dealers In hardware, or address. 
SEDGWICK BROS., Richmond, Ind. 
KI>\Y \I{|> SI TTOX. Eu-trrn Agent. 
3U MARKET ST.. PUILADELPUL4, PA. 
THt GRANDER FAMILY FRI IT and VEGETABLE 
’ EVAPORATORS. 
K 83.3U, $<>.00 and $10.00. 
j. Send for circular. LastkknManu- 
5 FACT’G Co., S. Fifth St., Phila. 
1* EABSON’8 
Hill Grade SnperpliosBiiates 
AT BOTTOM PRICES. 
SOLD FOR CASH DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS. 
Save agents’ profile, and secure Reliable aud Lasting 
FERTILIZERS. B 
Highest recommendations where tried side by side 
with other standard brands. 
Send for Catalogue. 
JOHN U. PEARSON, Hudson, X. Y. 
WELL DRILLING 
Machinery for Wellsof Any depth, from SOto 3,000 feet, 
ter " ater. Oil or Uma. Our Mounted Steam Drilling and 
Portable Horse Power Machines set to work In 20 minutes. 
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drilling 'Veils m earth or 
r i A *° Y S»rmen nnd. 'them .re making *2.‘> 
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business for Winter or Sommer. We are die oldest mid 
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THE BEST CATTLE FASTENING! 
SMITH'S 
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The only Practical Swing Stanchion Invented. Thou¬ 
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by F. G. PARsuNS ,t Co.. Addison, su-ubeu Co. N. Y. 
PliRIKiT 11 ATI 1 HER 
A.Nl) 
PEIUELT It ROBBER, 
The leading machines of the world for Artificial 
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the Perfect Hatcher the average wn» V7 per cent.** 
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an incubator until you see our circular. 
AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CO., LIMITED, 
ELMIRA. N. Y. 
