“The Champion is a chance seedling that 
originated on the grounds of Mr. George Perry. 
id Fairfield Co., Conn., in 1865, fruited for the 
first time iu 1869, and the original tree has 
fruited every year since. The tree is a strong, 
free grower, and usually comes in bearing the 
second or third year. One tree, only three 
years from hud, produced half a bushel of fruit 
the past season. The variety is a regular 
and profuse bearer, never having failed to pro¬ 
duce a crop during the past nine years. The 
fruit is of large size, and in shape much like a 
well-formed Duchesse Pear. Color, a pale yel¬ 
low, not as bright and attractive-looking as 
the well-known Orange variety, although I 
think it fully equal, if not superior, to that va¬ 
riety, in flavor. It has been tested on a variety 
of soils, including some quite dry, gravelly ' 
land, and was found to do well wherever plant¬ 
ed. This spring, we shall plant several acres 
of the Champion on a sandy loam, and by deep 
plowing and heavy enriching, we expect, in 
three years, to begin to gather the rich, golden 
harvest. 
“ The strong, vigorous habit of the tree, and 
its disposition to early bearing, together with 
the large size, perfect form and excellent qual¬ 
ity of fruit, make it the most valuable acqui¬ 
sition to the quince family yet introduced. 
Had it only the color of the “ Orange,” we 
should say that “ Perfection” would be a more 
appropriate name than “ Champion.” The en¬ 
tire crop of fifty bushels this year, sold for 
five dollars per bushel, showing that it is ap¬ 
preciated in market.” 
tervals of seven or eight feet. Pulverize the 
soil thoroughly by the plow or spade, and pre¬ 
pare the hills by incorporating two or three 
shovelfuls of well rotted stable or barn-yard 
manure in each. Plant eight or ten seeds in a 
hill, and when the young plants have three or 
four rough leaves, remove all hut the three 
strongest. The seed may be planted two to 
noticed some very large and fine specimens of 
Banksias, Metrosideros, Melaleucas and some 
remarkably handsome specimens of Araucaria 
excelsa, about fifty feet In hight. Next we 
stepped into the “ Acacia House ” filled with 
the choicest specimens of this numerous 
and beautiful genus of plants from the 
temperate zone. Many of the trees have at¬ 
tained a hight of over thirty feet, and are cov¬ 
ered with a mass of golden-yellow flowers per¬ 
fuming the atmosphere most delightfully. 
On leaving this, we were led into the “ Camel¬ 
lia House,” 600 feet in length, which with its 
trees of from 30 to 35 feet in hight, reminded us 
of the Magnolia groves in Florida. The collec¬ 
tion is very large, embracing ail Lhe newest 
varieties produced from time to time in Franco 
and Belgium. Unfortunately for us, but few 
( varieties had opened the luxurious-looking 
bnds with which they were covered. From 
this we entered the glory of the institution, the 
“Palm House.” In this immense structure we 
enjoyed all the tropics afford. The collection 
of Palms and Cycadaceat embraces all the rarest 
and choicest varieties from every part of South 
America. Many of the specimens arc from 30 
to 30 feet high, and of beautiful form and 
j>roportion. Next we come to the “ Orchid 
House,” to us the most, interesting and charru- 
ing of all. Here yon find all the curiosities 
of Nature—insignificant-lookingplants adorned 
with the most peculiarly-shaped (lowers of the 
most brilliant colors and exquisite, perfume. 
The collection of Orchidacesc is rare and large. 
Here we found also our favorites, the Nepen¬ 
thes family, well represented; but the speci¬ 
mens, so far as regards vigor, size and beauty, 
cannot be compared with those T have seen in 
New York, exhibited by Mr. Such of Amboy, 
to which I have seen no equal in all of Europe. 
On leaving the “Orchid House,” which we did 
most reluctantly, we came to the “ Fern 
House," which presents to the lover of this 
most delicate and graceful family of plants a 
charming appearance. The collection isarare 
one, and embraces every variety in cultivation, 
from the most dainty-looking specimen to the 
grand and majestic-looking Tree Fern of front 
10 to 15 feet in hight. Next we came to 
(he “Stove House," tilled with the choicest 
specimens of foliage plants from every part of 
the tropics. From this we enter the house for 
coniferous plants, which contains a valuable 
and fine collection of evergreens, some very 
large specimens of Araucarias. Cryptomeriae, 
Liliocedrus, Thujas, etc. Theuce we pass into 
the "Azalea House,” coutaiuiug an immense 
variety of Chinese Azaleas aud Rhododendrons, 
well cultivated specimens. From this we wan¬ 
dered through several other houses filled with 
collections of Pciargoniurns, Fuchsias. Cac¬ 
tuses, Cape bulbous plants, Tea Roses, Cinera¬ 
rias, Primulas, etc., etc. 
All the structures, built of iron and glass, 
are of some architectural pretentious, heated 
The average number of mills levied for teach 
ers’ wages 
was five. The county receives 
about $3,300 annually from the interest on the 
6ale of school lands, being more than twice 
the amount paid by the county to the State 
fund, and this amount is divided among the. 
districts in the proportion to the children of 
school age residing therein. The railroad 
company owns about 60,000 acres of land in 
the county, which they are selling at from $1 
to $4.00 per acre. 
Of the productions corn yields from 30 to 
80 bushels per acre on old land ; oats, about 
40 bushels. The average yield of wheat one 
year with another, is 20 bushels per acre. 
Fruit, with the exception ol Currants, do 
remarkably well, and Kansas is confessedly 
one of the best, fruit States in the Union. The 
apple crop for 1877, was estimated at 2.408.54S 
bushels at an average price of 60c. per bushel, 
amounting to 81.445,128.80. Yates Center, the 
county scat, is situated in the center of the 
county. The situation is an elevated one and 
gives a good view of the surrounding country. 
I think it would be far better for those now 
coming to Kansas to settle in the eastern and 
southern counties, instead of going farther 
west. The land is better, and is about the 
same price; markets are nearer and better , 
coal, wood and water are more plentiful. Lum¬ 
ber. too, is cheaper. I would also advise those 
coming West to come in the spring rather than 
in the fall, as by so doing they are uble to 
raise some sod corn and vegetables, put up 
hay, and prepare grouud for winter wheat; 
while by waiting until fall, everything has to 
he bought and the ready cash is soon spent. 
The prices now are as follows : Wheat, 70c. 
per bushel; oats, 25c.; corn, 25c.; potatoes, 
75c.; cows, $20 to $30 apiece; wood. $2 to 
$2 50 per cord. The reason grain is so high 
here is because it is about all used for home 
consumption, there being over 8,000 head of 
cattle and 5,000 head of sheep iu the county, 
beside the milch cows and horses. What 
Kansas needs is more practical working farm¬ 
ers, who come here to stay and work. There 
are enough of the shiftless and visionary sort 
here now. j. d. 
Missouri, Wellsville, Montgomery Co., 
March 1.—The writer lives about 90 miles 
from St. Louis anti about midway between 
the Mississippi and Missouri Rivera. The land 
is high-rolling prairie intersected here aud 
there by belts of timber. Boil is not so rich 
as the bottom lands of Illinois, but better adapt¬ 
ed to mixed farming, this being also a good 
fruit country. Though not so favored as our 
sister State. Kansas, by immigration, yet we 
get some new-comers and are slowly but stead¬ 
ily settling up. Where ten years ago. when I 
first trod these prairies, one could look for 
miles in every direction and see only three or 
four homes with stretches of prairie between, 
I can now- stand in my door and count thirty 
houses within range of vision. The curse of 
slavery rested here aud left a sort of shiftless¬ 
ness among the eaily settlers, but the indomi¬ 
table Yankee found his way here and things 
are fast improving, though there is room 
for greater improvement. Another curse still 
rests upon this place, which is. I believe, com¬ 
mon to the West, that is ; the dissatisfaction 
and restlessness of many people, causing them 
to be constantly seeking some better place, 
some garden of'Eden, generally further West, 
which I fear many never find. 
To show what can be doue hen by a content¬ 
ed person, I will cite au instance of a neigh¬ 
bor, which comes to my mind. In ten years 
he has transformed 120 acres of raw prairie 
into as beautiful a homestead as one will find 
further Ease among ordinary farmers. Broad 
meadows stretch here and there, skirted on 
one side by a row- of tall Maples, as a wind¬ 
break to the entire length of [sum. while a 
grove of them may be seen uot far off, and the 
house is surrounded by shrubbery and a thriv¬ 
ing orchard. So much for energy and perse¬ 
verance with hut little capital. Our crops last 
season were a fair average. Corn, a fair yield ; 
oats, 30 bushels to acre; hay. good, worth uow 
$4 per ton. delivered. Wheat has been some¬ 
what neglected for several years back, hut a 
larger area was sown last fall than the previ¬ 
ous, and it looks w ell at present date- Potatoes 
scarce. Produce brings very good prices for 
the times, and will compare favorably with 
places cast of us, where land is double the price 
of ours. Quotations for last week: corn, 27 
cts.; wheat, 90 cts.; oats, 20 ets,: hogs. 31 cts. 
per pound; butter, 12i cts.; eggs. 12^ cts.; 
apples, 40 to 60 cts. These are prices where 
laud is worth from $6 to $20 per acre; raw 
prairie, $6 to $10. m. a. e. 
Texas, Corsicana. March 4—This winter has 
been so cold and w et that farmers have done 
nothing till within the last two weeks, when 
all good farmers huve been busy planting eorn. 
1 finished 25 acres yesterday and expect to put 
in 25 more next week. The ground is getting 
hard, aud will be too hard to break in one week 
more, unless it rains. Farmers here, as a 
class, arc making but a sorry living. At least 
one-half of them are in debt and pay one to 
two and a halt per eout. interest per month, 
and money scarce at that. The law does not 
allow over twelve per cent, per annum, hut 
bankers and money-holders exact, more and 
get it; a bad crop would bankrupt many. 
Good farm hands (negroes) get from $8 to $13. 
aud (whites) from $12 to $16 per month, and 
board. Tramps numerous; petty thieving a 
common occurrence, and so is an occasional 
murder. Nothing but a strenuous tramp law will 
rid the State of white vagabonds, and nothing 
but the old-time whipping-poet will teach the 
negro that he must not steal; as to being jailed, 
be cares uothiug for that. u. a. l. 
Virginia, Thoroughfare Station, Prince 
William Co.; March 6.—Thus far we have had 
au eveu winter, mostly dry aud cold—fine 
weather for young lambs. "Cattle are doing 
well, and have plenty of feed as yet. e. k. 
lUTliKARU SQUASH. 
three weeks earlier than usual, by giving the 
young plants some protection. For this pur¬ 
pose lay a box, ten or twelve inches square, 
ou the prepared hill; heap the soil up around 
it six inches high, and pack it well so it can 
keep its form ; remove the box aud plaut the 
seed in the hole thus formed, aud cover it with 
a pane of glass which may be removed on mild 
days, aud replaced at night. We have plauted 
both melous and squashes fully three weeks 
earlier than would otherwise be advisable, by 
adopting this method of protection. 
It is a very common, though questionable 
custom, to plaut squashes among the corn, aud 
in the same hills. This Interferes with the cul¬ 
tivation of the corn, and is detrimental to the 
yield of both. It is well-known that in the 
whole family, the stamens and pistils grow iu 
different (lowers—which therefore depend upon 
insects or the wind for fertilization. The 
Btaminato, or male flowers appear first, and 
the pistillate, or female flowers, later. They 
are sometimes situated so far from one an¬ 
other that artificial fertilization, or the trans¬ 
fer of pollen from the male flower to the pis¬ 
til of the female, becomes necessary. Espe¬ 
cially is this the case if it is the iutcntiou to 
raise seed from a certain variety, as the varie¬ 
ties are very liable to “ mix” one with another, 
and with melons, cucumbers and other plants 
of the same family. The pollen may be trans¬ 
ferred with a eamcl’s-hair brush, or by remov¬ 
ing the whole male flower and bringing it iu 
contact with the female flower when the latter 
is fully expanded and ready for the reception 
of tho pollen. 
There are many varieties of squashes ; we 
enumerate a few of the best: For summer 
use, Turk’s Turban, Early White Bush, Early 
Golden Busli, Boston Marrow. For winter 
use, Hubbard, Winter Crookneck, Marblehead 
and Yokohama. Our engravings show Turk's 
Tuiban and Hubbard. 
EGG PLANT (Solanum Melongena.) 
The Egg Plant is a tender annual, related to 
the potato and the tomato. It is a native of 
Africa and tropical America. It is not grown 
in the country and among farmers generally, 
nearly so extensively as it merits, its cultiva¬ 
tion being coufiued to market-gardeners and a 
few private families. The plant is very ten- 
EARI.V LONG PURPLE. 
der, and the seed should not be sown in the 
open ground until about the first of Juno ; if 
wanted earlier, it must be sown in a hot-bed. 
Bet the plants about two feet apart each way ; 
hoe the ground frequently to istir it, aud to 
keep it clear of weeds. Each plant, if well 
grown, will produce seven to nine eggs which 
arc cooked in several ways, according to the 
skill of the cook. Twenty-five to thirty plants 
are sufficient for a family of six or eight per¬ 
sons. The engraving shows Early Long Pur¬ 
ple ; this and New York Improved are con¬ 
sidered the best varieties. 
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE. 
The St. Petersburg Botanical Gardens. 
St. Pktkksiicro, Russia. January 29,18T9. 
This being a rather mild morning, the ther¬ 
mometer on ray outside parlor window indi¬ 
cating 19 deg. below zero only, and having for 
the day no other engagements affordiug 
me the enjoyment of fresh air, I instructed 
my “ izvoshtaluk" to prepare himself for a 
drive to the Imperial Botanical Gardens, situ¬ 
ated about three English miles from the cel¬ 
ebrated Winter Palace of the Emperor, the 
most marvelous specimen of architecture in 
the whole of Europe. 
A brisk drive of some twenty minutes, upon 
the Nova, brought us to the grand entrance of 
this magnificent institution. Ou entering the 
grounds, which cover an area of over 200 acres, 
laid out iu tho English style of landscape gar¬ 
dening and adorned with every variety of 
deciduous and evergreen trees aud shrubs 
hardy in this severe climate, we were met by 
two officials who conducted us to the grand 
Rotunda, the place for the safe-keeping of the 
Imperial Herbarium. Here a servauf, iu showy 
livery, became our guide through the rows of 
immense glass structures rich in treasures 
from every part of the globe. The green¬ 
houses, which arc connected with each other, 
afford a promenade of over a mile iu length, 
through groups of plants of every description 
and style of beauty. 
On leaving the grand saloon, one passes 
first into a house of low temperature, con¬ 
taining the largo aud choice collections of 
Ericas, l’imeleas and other Horticultural treas¬ 
ures belonging to that beautiful and delicate 
tribe. From this you enter the “ New Hol¬ 
land House" iu which may be seen every 
variety of plants found iu Australia, aud at 
the Cape of Good Hope. Among these we 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS 
Kansas, Everett, March 4, 1879.—Woodson 
County, Kan., is situated between 87.40 aud 88 
degrees of north latitude. It was settled iu 
1855 aud organized iu 1857. It contains 323,- 
670 acres of which only 28.677 are under cul¬ 
tivation. The population, on the 1st of March 
1877, was 5,041 and it will now probably number 
nearly 6,000. The value of assessable property, 
is $4,049,700. The county lias not a dollar of 
bonded or floating indebtedness, and there is a 
respectable balance iu the treasury. The face 
§t the country is rolling prairie and bottom¬ 
land, interspersed with water-courses of whieh 
there are two rivers—the Neosho and Verdi¬ 
gris—and fifteen creeks. The wells are from 
15 to 50 feet deep, aud usually give good water. 
Iu some localities the water is hard : in others, 
soft. In some places some difficulty is found 
in digging wells on account of soap-stone, but 
those who have dug through this have always 
got water: 
There is considerable timber in the bounty, 
more than iu many of the western counties. 
The varieties are: Oak, Hickory, Black-wal¬ 
nut, Hack-berry, Pecan, Honey-locust, Syca¬ 
more, Elm. Rod-bud, Box-alder. Soft Maple, 
Coffee-bean and Mulberry. The wild fruits 
are: Plums, Grapes, Cherries, Gooseberries, 
running Blackberries or Dew-berries, Paw-paw, 
Persimmons etc, all iu abundance. Coal is 
found iu considerable quantities and is said to 
underlie the surface of the whole county. It 
is of good quality. Building stone of good 
quality is abundant. Lead is found iu some 
localities, but not iu paying quantities. There 
are 56 school buildings, nearly all of which 
are supplied with maps, charts, etc. In 1877 
the average number of months taught, was 51^. 
SQUASHES 
The several varieties of squashes are all 
members of the gourd family, Cucurbitacete, 
aud, as such, closely related to melous, cucum¬ 
bers and pumpkins. 
This class of vegetables finds a ready mar¬ 
ket in all large cities and is raised extensively 
by market-gardeners, though it is not among 
the most profitable crops. Large quantities 
