4887 
THE RURAL REW-VORKfK 
SOME MILITARY GARDENS. 
Among the interesting features to be seen 
at Fort Wayne, Detroit, the horticultural vis¬ 
itor is sure to notice the various attempts at 
gardening on the part of the soldiers. Fort 
Wayne is not a very promising field for such 
efforts; it is dry and arid, wind-swept at all 
seasons, so that even purslane refuses to grow 
without encouragement. But each little dry- 
goods-box residence in the quarters has its 
tiny slip of garden, where old-fashioned 
flowers dispute their territory with every-day 
cabbages. 
Judging from appearances the morning- 
glory must be the favorite army flower; it 
hangs over all the fences, aud does something 
towards hiding the ugliness of the houses— 
lime-washed with a peculiarly hideous crushed- 
strawberry tint. Some of the military gar¬ 
deners show an appreciation of the scurlet- 
runner bean, somewhat neglected in this 
Country, It is a great favorite with Euglish 
soldiers possessing gardening tastes, as a few’ 
of the beans may be carried for seed when 
traveling in light marching order. Lark¬ 
spurs, old-fashioned pinks and a few spind¬ 
ling geraniums were to bo seen iu these tiny 
gardens, the perennials being the most 
thrifty. 
The officers at the fort do not seem to go in 
for gardening; there is very little bedding to 
be seen around their quarters. One of the 
non-couimissioued officers, however, set a 
bright example; his place is surrounded by 
the most velvety turf, aud his bedding is more 
ambitious than the average. He has big 
clumps of evergreen primrose and masses of 
Nieotiana aflinis seeutiug the twilight air. 
It seems a pit}- that there is not more 
gardening done here, as it would make the 
Fort into a very attractive place, though we 
can hardly expect Uncle Sam to make an 
appropriation for such work. 
Detroit is rather deficient in horticultural 
interest, for such a really enterprising town. 
There is no park and no puI die beddiDg. True, 
there are some few dusty plauts at the base 
of the Soldiers’ Monument, in the Campus 
Martinus, and there is a square with a foun¬ 
tain and a bit of green, dignified with the 
title of C+raud Circus Bark. It is i-eully a 
beautiful town, but there is a decided lack of 
popular gardening. 
The city intends to have a park in the dim 
future; they have purchased Belle Isle, up the 
river, for this purpose. It is about twenty 
minutes’ sail from the city, aud will be charm¬ 
ing when finished; at present it is in rather a 
chaotic condition. 
The Itest gardening around the city is at 
the summer houses of wealthy Detroiters, at 
Crosse Points, St. Clair Flats, and Grosse Isle. 
The bedding is usually very pretty, and the 
near vicinity of the river prevents it from dry¬ 
ing up as it does iu other localities. While 
there are flower lovers here, as everywhere 
else, they rarely go in for expensive plants; 
in fact, florists are compelled to ask prices 
which leave them a very small margin of 
profit. This is the ease with cut flowers as 
plants; the prices given would fill a New York 
florist with absolute horror. 
Singularly enough, very few amateurs care 
for rose gardens, though the hybrid perpetu- 
als stand the winter well. They complain 
that Queen Rose requires too much care and 
is too much at the mercy of insects. Clematis 
Jaokmannii is the favorite climber,though, we 
see a good deal of Ampelopsis.. About Easter 
the florists sell a tremendous quantity of Aza¬ 
lea Indica and Hydrangeas; as house plants 
they are both extremely popular. Of course, 
amateurs rarely do anything with azaleas a 
second season, except in rare cases, so they 
cau scarcely be considered a very profitable 
investment We see surprisingly few window 
boxes here compared with the residence part 
of many other cities However, it is not so 
very long since they were scarce enough in 
Gotham, so doubtless her example will be fol¬ 
lowed here. Detroit is an euterprisiug town, 
though it has not yet awakened to the need of 
popular horticulture. 
EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
Velcdmm). 
MORTALITY AMONG HORSES IN NEW 
JERSEY. 
Fcm over a week there has been great mor¬ 
tality among horses in many parts of New 
Jersey, especially in the southern section, 
from a disease whose exact, nature does not 
seem to have been clearly diagnosed yet; but 
which is generally reported to be ^cerebro¬ 
spinal meningitis—inflammation ofj.the_p>ub- 
stance and coverings of the brain and spinal 
cord. Considerable alarm is felt among liorse- 
ovvners in Philadelphia and New York also, 
as a few doubtful cases are reported in both, 
and the disease is quite prevalent in the two 
adjacent towns of Camden and Jersey City. 
The malady is extremely fatal, very few of 
those affected recovering. It is very rapid in 
its course, and treatment appears to be 
of little of no use, even in the way of allevia¬ 
tion of suffering. Owners of valuable horses 
in the afflicted country have either already 
sent them to safer places, or they are prepar¬ 
ing to do soon the nearer approach of danger. 
The first recorded appearance of this type 
of inflam mation or fever, iu the epizootic form, 
among horses, occurred in this city in 1871, 
when it was quite fatal among horses used by 
the streetcar companies. Shortly afterwards 
it put in an appearance in Boston, and since 
then it has appeared now and then within 
small areas in several parts of the country. 
It hasnot as yet been recognized in Europe. 
The present outbreak seems to be the most 
extensive that has yet occurred. Accordiug 
to professor Williams, of Edinburgh, a high 
authority, it may he defined as being a ma¬ 
lignant, non-coutagious epizootic fever of the 
zymotic class, affectiug the coverings auil sur¬ 
face of the brain and spinal cord. He thinks 
it may be due to a specific poison, which, ex¬ 
isting in the air, becomes absorbed in the sys¬ 
tem. Dr. Law, of Cornell University, says the 
true cause is unknown, though in many cases 
debilitating conditions, like unwholesome food 
aud water, overwork, sudden exposure to in¬ 
tense heat, or suddenly induced plethora, will 
serve as an immediate provocative. It. is 
peculiar to no seasou. During the present out¬ 
break it has attacked all classes of horses, and 
well or ill drained and ventilated stables have 
been alike open to it. Along the Raritan 
river aud the lowlands towards the coast the 
ravages of the disease,however.have been most 
severe; on the uplands the suffering has uot 
been so severe except where commercial fer¬ 
tilizers have been used, so that there is 
a general belief that the fertilizers are in some 
way the cause, or one of the causes, of the 
disease. Others attribute it, in whole or part, 
to feeding musty oats. The heavy raius in 
July and August spoiled the oat crop in a 
great measure, aud much of the damaged 
gram has been fed to horses. 
The symptoms of the disease vary consider¬ 
ably. In the less fatal form they are gradual. 
The animal appears first dull with a stagger¬ 
ing gait, and more or less paralysis, usually of 
the hindquarters or of the throat aud lips, 
incapacitating the sufferer from swallowing or 
causing profuse slavering. In other cases 
the horse is seized with sudden cramps of the 
voluntary muscles, especially those of the 
neck aud hind-limbs, which soon give place to 
general palsy. In the commonest form there 
are premonitory signs, such as rigors, dullness 
of the eyes, lassitude of the whole system, fol¬ 
lowed iu from three hours to as many days 
by paralysis, the animal being barely able to 
support itself, or, in the worst cases, it lies 
prostrate on its side with limbs extended aud 
flaccid. In fatal cases coma and stupor usual¬ 
ly precede death. The pulse throughout 
varies little, being usually slow and soft at 
first, and weaker aud more rapid as the dis¬ 
ease advances. Breathing is at first little af¬ 
fected, but becomes deep and stertorious as 
coma sets iu. The bowels are generally cos¬ 
tive. Tenderness of the spine is sometimes 
detected by percussion, and indicates the ex¬ 
act seat of the local disease. The disease 
proves fatal in three ways:—1, by shock or 
collapse, from the extreme amount of virus 
absorbed, 2, more slowly by blood poisoning; 
3, by mal-nutrition of parts, due to deranged 
nervous functions. 
The disease is always very fatal, though the 
degree of its fatality varies in successive out¬ 
breaks. It appears to be unprecedentedly 
fatal in the present one, as very few affected 
animals recover—so few, indeed, that many 
of the attending veterinarians say treatment 
is of no use. The first thing to do, if possible, is 
to raise the patient and put it into a comfort¬ 
able sling; and if it is unconscious it should 
bo put on a thick bed of straw, ami should be 
carefully rubbed and turned every two 
hours. Unless it is slung within 24 hours 
from the time of the attack, there is slight 
hope of its recovery. If the horse is conscious, 
the appetite is generally good, and it should 
have laxative food—bran mashes, roots, etc. 
Cold lolious—niter and sal-ammoniac—or 
bags of pounded ice and bran should bo ap¬ 
plied to the spine, and the limbs should be 
band-rubbed, and mustard or other stimula¬ 
ting embrocations should be applied to them. 
Copious injections of warm water containing 
aloes or other purgatives iu solution, should 
he made through the rectum. Opium or 
chloral-hydrate may be given to relievo 
spasms of pain. Iu the early stages bromide 
of potassium aud ergot are especially useful, 
either as injections or, better still, sub-cutau- 
eousiy, the first in strong solution; the second 
as ergotine. They may be taken with the 
food, or otherwise administered by the mouth, 
when the animal can swallow easily. When 
the acute symptoms are over, stimulants such 
as ammonia, ether, alcoholic fluids, etc,, and 
tonics, such as quinia, cascarilla, boneset, 
etc., may be given, and Spanish-fly blisters 
applied along the spine. In case of recovery 
the palsy may continue several months after 
the disappearance of the other symptoms. 
CfltD. 
"Every Man is presumed to know the. Law 
Nine-tenths of all Litigation arises from Ig¬ 
norance of Law.'' 1 
RECENT DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO 
FARMERS. 
Co-operative Insurance. —A decision has 
just been rendered of importance to co-opera¬ 
tive insurance companies, which are so nu¬ 
merous in many farming sections, J. J. Al¬ 
bert, a Louisville barber, had $3,000 insur¬ 
ance against disability in the order of Chosen 
Fi iends. His hands became paralyzed, so that 
he could no loager wield a razor, but his 
claim for the insurance money was denied, 
and he began suit to recover it. Judge Barr, 
of the United States Circuit Court, decided 
the ease against him, on the ground that his 
disability was uot such as to prevent him from 
earning a livelihood. It was in evidence that 
Albert had kept a restaurant and clerked In a 
store since he became incapacitated as a 
barber. 
a chattel mortgage which contains a clause 
providing that if the mortgagor attempts to 
move the property the mortgagee may take 
possession of the property under the mort¬ 
gage. Held, that an attempt, for any cause 
whatever, to move the property out of the 
State justified the mortgagee in taking pos¬ 
session.—King i's. Wright—Minn. 
Where in the description of land in a deed, 
a line is described as ruuniug from a fixed 
monument on the edge of a branch up the 
same , by a single course, to another fixed 
monument, it will be held to run in a straight 
line between the monuments aud not to fol¬ 
low the windings of the branch.—Wharton 
vs. Brick.—N. J. 
Boundary —Where land described in a deed 
is bounded by a highway, unless a contrary 
intent appears on the face of the deed, the 
center of the highway will be the boundary 
line. Whether the roadway is the same as 
when the line was established or not is a ques¬ 
tion for the jury.—Holmes vs. Turner’s Falls 
Co.—Mass. 
Each State may determine for herself the 
rights of riparian owners. In Michigan the 
title of a riparian owner exteuds to the middle 
line of the lake or stream of water.—Webber 
e.s\ Pere M. Boom Co.—Mich. 
L. H., Worcester , Mass. —A hired a laborer 
to work on his farm for a stipulated time; B, 
a neighboring farmer, persuaded the man to 
leave before the end of the time by the offer 
of better terms; what remedy, if auy, has A? 
Ans. —If B knew that A had hired the man 
for a certain time, and then persuaded him to 
leave before the expiration of that time, A 
has a right of action to recover damages from 
B for all the inconvenience aud loss he may 
have suffered. A mere attempt to entice a 
laborer away, however, is uot* actionable. 
When a laborer hired for a definite term vol¬ 
untarily leaves before the end of that term, 
without proper cause or the eonseut of the 
farmer, the laborer, in most of the States, 
cannot recover any part of the wages that 
may be due at the rjme. In N. H., Ind., Ia., 
Miss., Texas and. perhaps, some other States, 
however, it is a general rule that a laborer 
leaving under such conditions cau recover 
what his services were reasonably worth, less 
the damage to his employer due to breach of 
agreement. If the farmer has made a partial 
payment to the laborer, bo cannot recover the 
money, and if he lias given a note for the 
amount already earned, he must pay the note. 
But he can recover from the laborer such 
damages as he has sustained by breach of con¬ 
tract, aud the laborer cannot set off against 
the claim the value of the work be has done 
aud not been paid for. 
G. F. B.,Fulton, N. Y. —1. Is barbed wire a 
legal fence for tho roadside or a line fence in 
this State' ‘2. Is au alien liable to poll-tax, 
and is there any law to make him work for or 
pay it? 3. If the road is blocked with snow 
can the overseer order out teams to help break 
itopeu? 4. If a horse gets hurt in such a road 
is the overseer responsible ? 5. If people re¬ 
fuse to bring out a team in the winter, can 
the overseer order them to work their tax out 
with a shovel in summer? 
Ans.—A barbed wire fence is a legal fence 
in New York. 2. An alien is liable to poll- 
tax. He bas the protection of the laws while 
residing here, and is, of course, liable to the 
payment of taxes; be is also liable to do read- 
work. 3. It is as much the duty of the over¬ 
seer to keep the roads passable in the winter 
as in the summer. 4. The overseer is not res¬ 
ponsible for damages to a horse hurt by reason 
of defective roads; but the township or coud ty 
is. and the overseer is liable to punishment 
for his neglect. 5. The overseer can order 
persons liable to do road work to bring such 
tools, horses, oxen, wagons, carts, etc., as 
they may have, and which are needed to do 
the work. The overseer’s orders are peremp¬ 
tory. 
C. W ., Roscoe, N. Y .—Suppose my part of 
a division fence is a substantial stone wall of 
the regulation bight required by law, and my 
neighbor turns his sheep against it, and com¬ 
pels me either to go to the expense of so fix¬ 
ing it that they cannot get over it, or else 
suffer loss from their depredations on my land, 
have I any recourse ? 
Ans. —If the wall is of the required hight 
accordiug to law, and sheep trespass on your 
property, your neighbor is liable to prosecu¬ 
tion for trespass. You are not required to go 
further than the law provides in making a 
fence of the lawful hight, and sheep which 
will climb a stone wall are unruly animals 
which the owner must take care of at his own 
cost. With your permission he may add to 
your fence or he must keep his sheep within 
his own boundary. 
R. H. M ., Geneva, N. Y. —Who is responsi¬ 
ble for injuries to man or beast owing to de¬ 
fects in the highway ? 
Ans.—A city, town or township is liable for 
damages occasioned by its neglect to keep the 
streets, roads and bridges in proper repair 
Thus, if there is a dangerous hole in a high¬ 
way and a person, or his horse, using ordinary 
care, steps into it and is injured, the town is 
liable for such injuries. But the person suf¬ 
fering the injury must in no way contribute 
to it by his own act; for if he knows the road 
to be dangerous, and can conveniently avoid 
the danger, or if he knows a bridge is unsafe, 
aud there is another convenient way of cross¬ 
ing the stream, he must use such way to avoid 
the danger. 
.S’. C. L., Michigan .—If a man dies leaving 
no will and no children, who inherits his prop¬ 
erty—his wife or his parents ? The property 
consists of notes, horses, carriages, etc. 
Ans. —Inheritance follows the nearest line 
of blood relation or consanguinity, conse¬ 
quently the parents inherit before the wife, 
who has only such interest in a deceased hus¬ 
band’s estate as is provided by statute. This 
is a dower right of one-third of the real estate, 
one-half (this differs in various States) the 
personalty, and the use of the husband’s home 
for a year and a month free of rent. This is, 
however, only when no children are left and 
no will (a husband may will everything to his 
wife) and after the debts are provided for. 
.4. P. S,, Kankakee , 17/.—A holds notes 
against F secured by mortgage on real estate. 
If both parties wish to extend the time on the 
notes when they fall due, will it be necessary 
to A’s interest to make out new notes and a 
new mortgage or will the same mortgage hold 
good; and if so for how long a time, provided 
interest is paid annually aud payments are 
made on the notes meantime ? 
Ans.—A mortgage or a note is good for as 
many years as the interest is paid. Every 
payment on the principal ot‘ a note acts as a 
renewal of the contract for six years, which 
is the limit provided bv the statute of limita¬ 
tions. With these provisos a mortgage on a 
note is good for all time. 
Pomxrlogicftl. 
RUSSIAN APPLES NOT ALL IRON¬ 
CLAD. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M. D. 
It seems to be generally supposed that all the 
Russian apples will resist any climate in the 
United States,if not in Canada. This.however, 
is fur from being the fact. Red Astraehan has 
long since proved itself no hardier than the 
Tolruan Sweet, less hardy than Ben Davis, 
and not nearly so hardy as Fameuse. On lake 
Memphramagog the Fameuse can lie grown 
quite successfully, especially if top-grafted ou 
an iron-clad. Tetofsky is au excellent stock 
for it, and for many other slightly tender 
sorts. Ben Davis will grow and bear a good 
many apples but our test winters wipe it out. 
Alexander is a Russian not fully iron-clad, 
and is much better top-worked on Tetofsky. 
And here I will uote the opinion which has 
been growing upon me that Wealthy will, like 
the’Baldwin, eventually.be found a^far better] 
