418 
(Continued from page 157.) 
proving soft, or breaking from a flaw. A 
printed warrant is given with each knife 
sold. The market is at present flooded with 
cheap knives which are not, however, made 
to cut. We have used M. & G.’s lcuives of 
several kinds for years,and find them to be as 
represented. When needing a knife of any 
land (from *25 cents upwards) we respectfully 
solicit our readers to send for the circular and 
try this firm. 
Joseph Breck & Sons. — A very large 
catalogue (146 pages) well illustrated with 
wood-cuts and many colored pictures. Breck 
& Sons are the originators of the Angel of 
Midnight Com, and in the catalogue may be 
found to whom the premiums of $*200 offered 
by them for the best yields have been award¬ 
ed by the Massachusetts Horticultural Soci¬ 
ety. They are also the introducers of the 
now famous Pearl of Savoy Potato tested at 
the Rural Experiment Grounds three years 
ago. The catalogue is one of the best, and 
should be included among those examined by 
our readers. Nos. 51, 52 and 53 North Mar¬ 
ket St., Boston, Mass. 
W. W. RaWson & Co., 34 So. Market St., 
Boston, Mass.—We take pleasure in announc¬ 
ing that the above firm has made arrange¬ 
ments to continue the business formerly con¬ 
ducted by the well known firm of B. K, 
Bliss & Sons of New York, having secured the 
services not only of Mi*. Bliss senior, but 
also those of Mr. J. M, Gleason, who for 15 
years was manager of the old seed house of 
R. H. Allen & Co., also of New* York, and a 
member of the late firm of Everett & Gleason. 
The catalogue in which the above announce¬ 
ment is made is very large as to size, and 
quite original iu its get-up. though we can uot 
find space for a more particular notice this 
week. Our readers ought to send for it. 
Hale Bros.. South Glastonbury, Conn.— 
This is a catalogue of small fruits, and a stir¬ 
ring novelty is offered in the shape of the Ear- 
hart Everbearing Black-Cap Raspberry. We 
never like to speak too well of any new plant 
we have not tested. We might lead hun¬ 
dreds of readers astray, aud thus do great 
harm. The claims made for this berry are 
simply astonishing, and we merely express the 
hope that half of them will be realized. We 
have talked with Mr. Hale about, it, aud he is 
himself timid about speaking of the berry, as 
its merits seem to justify. The catalogue will 
be sent free to our readers. 
D. M. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich.—It will 
be remembered that on January 1 the immense 
warehouses of this well known aud trust 
worthy seed house were destroyed by fire, 
together with probably the largest stock of 
assorted seeds ever gathered under one roof. 
We are glad to learn that the untiring energy 
of the firm has promptly placed it on its legs 
again, ready to fill all orders from all its old 
customers and from all new patrons who may 
feel disposed to encourage such spirit and 
energy. As all the books were saved from 
the fire, all orders received before the catas¬ 
trophe will be faithfully filled, 
H. J. Baker & Bro., 215 Pearl, Street, N. 
Y.—This is the usual chemical fertilizer cata¬ 
logue or treatise issued in the form of a pocket 
book with blank ruled pages for each month’s 
memoranda. It is a very convenient affair. 
The book presents “Facts for Farmers,” speaks 
of “Large Yields,” “Complete Manures Made 
for Each Crop,” etc. All kinds of chemicals 
are offered separately so as to enable the far¬ 
mer to mix them as he chooses. This firm has 
a first-rate reputation and our readers need 
not hesitate to deal with it. All should send 
for and examine the book, mentioning the 
R. N.-Y. 
Injurious and Other Insects of New 
York. —The second annual report on this sub¬ 
ject is sent out by the State Entomologist, 
Prof. J. A. Lintner— au exceedingly valu¬ 
able pamphlet of 250 pages, profusely illus¬ 
trated ami carefully arranged. Every farmer 
in the State should jjossess a copy. It is 
impossible to do justice to the value of such a 
work iu a simple notice. Every country boy 
and girl ought to be permitted to study 
entomology, and be provided with microscopes 
for the purpose. It is a good time of the year 
now to study out the best methods of prevent¬ 
ing the depredations of injurious insects. They 
will t»e organized for battle a few* months 
hence. 
J. T. Lovett, Little Silver, Monmouth Co., 
New Jersey.—A catalogue of small fruits, 
grapes, large fruits, nuts, etc. We find the 
Japan Chestnut announced in this. A color¬ 
ed plate is given of the Lawson (Comet) Pear, 
w'hioh, if intended to show the largest and 
most brilliantly colored pears that this variety 
bears, is not far astray. The Lawson is very 
early and very* handsome. No one will object 
to such claims. The quality is fair for one of 
its season. That is precisely the view we take. 
There is another colored picture ef the Geldeu 
?Kl RURAL 
Queen Raspberry. There is much of originality 
and enterprise shown in this catalogue. 
Robert Scott & Son, cor. 19th and Cathar¬ 
ine Streets, Philadelphia, Pa,—An illustrated 
catalogue of roses. Directions for rose grow- 
ing, selection of varieties, enemies of the rose, 
aprotection and pruning are treated in a pre- 
ticalway T . Excellent lists are presented of 
Hybrid Perpetual, Ever-blooming, Hybrid 
Teas, Polyantha roses, and finally, a general 
collection. Collections are offered at low* rates. 
All may be sent by mail. Catalogue free. 
Standard Roofing. —Circular from A. F. 
Swan, 43 Cortland Street, New* York, describ¬ 
ing the excellent roofings and roofing mater¬ 
ials manufactured by him, with direction for 
applying the same. The circular also contains 
many letters from responsible parties and 
from all parts of the country, extolling the ex¬ 
cellence of these roofing materials. Tarred 
felt is largely used for lining barn and poultry* 
houses. 
C. E. Allen, Irattleboro, Vt,—An illustra¬ 
ted catalogue of seeds, plants and small fruits. 
It is now “quite the thing” to add colored fly 
leaves for the illustration and description of 
new seeds and plants. The idea is a good one. 
Mention the R. N.-Y., and send for the cata¬ 
logue. 
J, A. Foote, Terre Haute, Ind.—A cata¬ 
logue of farm, garden and flower seeds. A 
colored plate show’s the Mammoth Long Rose 
Radish. Self-husking Corn, Mikado and Sco- 
ville’s Hybrid Tomatoes, aud the Volga Wa¬ 
termelon, are among the novelties. Mailed 
free to applicants. 
R. D. Hawley & Co., 492 Main St., Hart¬ 
ford, Conn.—Illustrated catalogue of garden, 
field and grass seeds; agricultural and horti¬ 
cultural implements, etc. Free. 
Chas. C. McColgan & Co., 5S Light St., 
Baltimore, Md, An illustrated catalogue of 
seeds, plants, roses, etc., with many of the lat¬ 
est novelties. Free. 
Chas. T, Starr, Avondale, Chester Co, Pa. 
—Illustrated and descriptive price-list of flow¬ 
ering plants, bulbs, etc. Free. 
E. D. Putney, Brentwood, N. Y.—A select 
list of trees, fruits aud flowers, and a treatise 
on then* culture. Free. 
Citcranj. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
The Century for March has for au opening 
paper, “Italy from a Tricycle,” by Mr. and 
Mrs. Joseph Pennell. A novel pen and picto¬ 
rial account of a trip from Florence to Rome in 
a manner of travel aud description peculiarly 
their own. Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer 
contributes a second paper on “City Dwell¬ 
ings,” The accompanying engravings show for 
the most part interior views of some of the 
notable houses in Boston, New York and 
Washington. Mr. W. D. Howell’s novel, “The 
Minister’s Charge,” is continued; also the 
fifth part of Mrs. Mary Hallock Foote's story 
of mining life. This month’s war article is by 
Don Carlo Buell, called “Shiloh Reviewed.” 
“The Strength and Weakness of Socialism," 
by Dr. Washington Gladden, is considered 
from the stand]X>int of social agitators, aLso 
from that of conservative reformers. “Topics 
of the Time” takes up two important subjects. 
In “Open Letters,” Dr. Howard Crosby and 
Dr. A. A. Hodge contribute to the discussion 
of “Christian Union" or “Church Union.” 
St. Nicholas.— Oue of the principal features 
of this number is the first nine of the“8fc. Nich¬ 
olas Dog Slones. ” This series is to i nelude i nter- 
esting stories, sketches and anecdotes collected 
from various sources during the last five years, 
and will be published from time to time for the 
benefit of dog lovers. “Tit for Tat,” by H. H. 
Henry Eckford’s “Wonders of the Alphabet;” 
Horace E. Scudder’s biographical serial, 
“George Washington;" Fra-k It. Stockton’s 
“Personally Conducted,” are some of the con¬ 
tinued articles. There are several short 
stories, each fully and beautifully illustrated. 
Also Poems, Jaek-in-the-Pulpit, Editorial 
Notes, etc. 
Pom f Stic Ccohomi) 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
Attention is called to a series of articles 
upon California Housekeeping, by Mary 
Wager-Fisher, which will appear from time 
to time under this Department. The first of 
these interesting sketches appears below. 
HOUBEKEEKING IN CALIFORNIA. 
no. I. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
In comparison with New York City, 
“boarding” is very reasonable in California 
towns, and restaurant life, particularly in San 
Fraaeisee, is surprisingly cheap, theugh ex¬ 
cellent. The usual price for board in a pri¬ 
vate family, with “a sunny bay window 
room,” is $25 a month, everything in that way 
being rated by the month. This price is also 
general in Oakland, which lies across the Bay 
from San Francisco. But as “The Three 
Fishers” detest boarding-house life, and like 
the freedom of a home so far as we can secure 
it in our present migratory existence, we went 
house-hunting on the day following our arri¬ 
val in Oakland, where we had decided to 
tarry for two or three months. We w r anted a 
small, furnished cottage, with plenty of sun, 
first-class drainage, and ample nx>m for the 
laddie’s play ground. After a day’s hunt, we 
found what we concluded would “do”—a fur¬ 
nished cottage of six rooms—kitchen, dining¬ 
room, parlor, and a bed-room on the first 
floor; up-stairs t,w*o large sleeping rooms and 
a nice bath. House needed paint, furniture 
very ordinary, but sufficient for respectabil¬ 
ity and comfort. The lady from whom we 
rented sub-let the house, the furniture alone 
being here. She was a Boston woman, still 
young, and a woman of “faculty.” Part of 
her family was in the East and part of it here. 
The house had a large, open, sunny backyard, 
and at one side was a vacant lot. The street 
and neighlxirbood wore excellent. Our land¬ 
lady said that iu taking the house for herself 
she had counted on making her “fortune.” 
She could have the use of the vacant lot, aud 
in that she intended to keep chickens. The 
back yard she converted into a vegetable gar¬ 
den, where she planted everything that grows 
in a California garden. The grounds in front 
and at the side of the house she had laid out 
in walks aud flower beds, and ever)* flower 
she had plunted with her own hands. Thero 
were great groups of Cal la Lilies.in full bloom 
all Winter, roses, marguerites, astere,fuchsias, 
passion-vines, English ivy, abutilons 15 feet 
high, pelargoniums, carnations—among the 
best of bloomers —violets, primroses, sw*eet 
alyssum and mauy other plants, so that I had 
from the outset a (lower garden ready-made, 
from which 1 kept three vases in our little 
parlor, with its sunny bay window, filled 
during our sojourn. Theve was a bed of pars¬ 
ley by the kitchen porch, and beets, turnips, 
carrots, and some parsnips still growing in 
the garden! also a pumpkin-vine that was iu 
constant bloom until topped by the frost in 
January. For the first few* days I was con¬ 
siderably entertained iu noting how the land¬ 
lady’s ingenuity—peculiar to “thrifty” people 
—had helped her to make the best of things. 
She had evidently furnished her house by 
picking up much of the furniture piece by 
piece at auction sales, aud then remodeling it, 
covering the stuffed dining chairs with cre¬ 
tonne; making bureau and washstaud tops 
tidy with white oil-cloth veined lightly with 
blue to resemble marble! neatly tacked on; 
concealing Haws iu the walks with deft ar¬ 
rangement of Japanese and Chinese fans, 
and brightening up chairs with tidies. 
In acceding to my requirement for table 
linen—which it is uot usual to provide 
with a furnished house—she remarked that 
in her sister’s house where she lived—and 
her sister lived very pi*ettily—they only put 
a cloth on the table for dinner; that they used 
the white oil-cloth instead for breakfast, aud 
lunch; it was much more convenient aud 
economical; that jt cost 25 cents to have a 
cloth done up at the laundry! I observed that 
our dining table was furnished with the oil¬ 
cloth, which, like everything else, had a very 
clean aud wholesome look, and I am quite 
sure that if I had to wash and iron my ow n 
table cloths, I should take very kindly to the 
oil-cloth substitute. It is certainly one of the 
w ays iu which economy of strength, time and 
money may bo practiced without detriment to 
either health or manners. She had the same 
material, with ornamented edges, on the pantry 
shelves aud on a window shelf, where she had 
potted plants. The kitchen was very light 
and sunny in the forenoon, and she had fitted 
it up so that it was a cheery room, and she 
evidently bad spent much of her time in it. 
Over the lower window sashes—a single large 
pane of glass—she had tacked white Notting¬ 
ham lace, aud across the top, well up to the 
ceiling, she had frills of cretonne for lambre¬ 
quins. Chromo-lithographs were on the wall, 
and some boxes in which she had things 
packed, were also covered with cretonne. She 
lia<l painted the floor a pale, dull gray, the ex¬ 
act shade which never shows dust or mud 
tracts—a color, the ingredients of which ought 
to be known to every painter of kitchen and 
porch floore. In the middle of the floor was 
a square rug of tapestry nailed down. The 
wood-work of the entire house inside was 
“grained” to imitate ash or maple, and this, 
too, in the laud of red-w*ood forests, where 
red-wood is used in building as commonly as 
white pine is iu the East, and makes a beauti¬ 
ful finish when simply oiled. In the rear of 
the kitchen was an apartment for coal and 
wood, for the storing of fruit, vegetables, etc. 
After everything had beeu arranged, and 
the landlady, Mrs. D. had come to put up some 
fresh curtains (and she was a very good car¬ 
penter as well, having her box of nails, her 
hammer and stop-ladder), I asked her to name 
the annoyances I would have to encounter in 
living as a housekeeper in California. ‘’Ants,” 
she promptly resjxinded, “I can’t begin to tell 
you how we suffer from small block ants; they 
get into the pantry and iuvade every article 
of food that is not ant-proof. You can even 
find their routes of travel between houses. I 
think, however, I have extirpated them from 
this house; but I wont- be sure. You know we 
try everything on them here, but the best plan 
after all is to place a piece of meat in their 
haunts, which will soon swarm with them, and 
then drop meat, ants and all into hot water. 
You will not be troubled with mice. You can 
got a woman I know to come in and wash and 
iron and clean up for a dollar and half a day; 
it is the usual charge. She may not do the 
washing very good unless you watch her.” 
“I’ll not have her then,” 1 promptly respon¬ 
ded, “for I can’t afford to watch any body. I’ll 
send out the washing, and if I could send out 
the house, room l>y room, and have that swept 
and cleaned, it would be a capital arrange¬ 
ment; perhaps in the magnificent future that 
is so rapidly coming, houses will be built on 
such a plan and when a room needs to Ik* rehab¬ 
ilitated, all one will have to do will be to de¬ 
tach it from the main structure, and roll it 
away—for it will be on wheels—tothe house dec¬ 
orator, who will send it hack as good as new.” 
This small flight ot fancy seemed to induce 
Mrs. D. to remark that she would in a few 
days send a man around to kalsomine the diu- 
ning-room, a woman to dean the windows, 
and she would have the screen to the kit¬ 
chen door hung. But of course they never 
came. I reduced the abundance of fl ies iu the kit¬ 
chen very speedily by means of the old-fash¬ 
ioned trap, a honeyed piece of bread, with a 
lioleiu the middle, set over a glass containing 
soap-suds. It was the first week iu November 
and as no rain hail fallen for months, every¬ 
thing was as dry as a bone, except when kept 
moist by the hose. The laddie anticipated 
great fun in wateriug the flower garden, but 
in a few days it began torn in, and for three 
weeks it rained most of the time, with inter¬ 
vals of absolutely cloudless days. Grass 
sprang up every where, on the hills iu the dis¬ 
tance, the rose hushes filled with buds, it was 
like the Spring of the year. On sunny days we 
went off on expeditions of sigliLseeing, and on 
rainy days I tried to despatch my accumula¬ 
ted work, which I think it a good plan to keep 
below the level of one’s bead and care." 
MRS. HIGHTON’S DIARY. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
I remember once reading that “a wound 
to a man’s vanity leaves a permanent scar,” 
and the sentence flashed ui>ou my mind to-day 
when in speaking to Edgar this morning of 
the gentlemen we met at a party, last night, 
I happened to remark, “You haven't so much 
ease of manner as Dick Egerton." “Cheek, 
you mean," said Edgar, quite cross-like, and 
he left the house without much ceremony or 
attention to me. I wish I hadn’t said it; but 
I didn’t think men so absurd that they couldn’t 
heai* another man praised for on© good qual¬ 
ity while perhaps they have a dozen equally 
good, though not the same. 1 thought when 
we were one, we could speak our thoughts to 
each other; but I am learning that we are two 
in that respect and I must lie more guarded in 
what I say. It would be a comfort though if 
one could just think aloud even to one person, 
and know that he would not take amiss any¬ 
thing you might say. There’s nobody but a 
mother that it is safe to do that with; she under¬ 
stands. All day I kept repeating the song, 
“If 1 had known tn the morning 
How wearily all through the day 
The words unkind, would trouble my mind 
I aald when you wont away, 
I had been more careful, darling, 
Nor given you needless pain. 
But we vex our own , with look and tone 
We may uevor take buck again.” 
But when Edgar came home to dinner he 
ueemed to have forgotten all about it, and 
brought Mr, and Mrs. Bigelow, from Boston, 
without giving me a word of warning. I 
hurried to the door when the bell rang, intend¬ 
ing to give him au’affectionate greeting, and 
wus mot by the introduction to these strangers. 
I had heard of the lady, a relation of Edgar’s, 
but I disliked her the first minute I looked at 
^RteceUancouiB 
When Baby waa sick, we gave her Caetoria, 
When she waa a Child, she cried for Caetoria, 
When she became Miss, she clung to Caetoria, 
Whan she had Children, aha gave them Caetoria, 
