JUHE 
maybe you shove a board from a window in 
the rear of your horse. Why do you do this? 
For no other purpose than to enable you to 
see, even imperfectly, to do whatever you 
have to perform. But your horse is left, day 
after day, to stand in the dark anti poke 
around the rack and manger for its feed, and 
you take no thought about the matter. Do 
you suppose its eye-sight is not strained by 
this exert ion and the sudden transitions from 
darkness to light whenever you lead it out of 
the stable? You can depend upon it many a 
horse suffers from imperfect eye-sight because 
of this very thoughtlessness on the part of 
its owner.... 
Then, again, light is essential to health, con¬ 
tinues the same writer. You cau not. dwell iu 
a house or apartment where the sunlight never 
strikes and the full daylight never comes, 
without becoming depressed, gloomy, sour and 
sick This fact is beginning to lie well recog¬ 
nized by many intelligent persons. The same 
effect in kind, if not in degree, is produced on 
the horse or other animal that constantly 
stands iu the cold twilight of a nevor-sun- 
lighted stable. You must have light, as well 
as air and food or you cau not enjoy perfect 
health. Neither can your horse. 
At the Elmira Farmers’ Club, as stated in 
the Husbandman, it was remarked that by 
t.lu> use of cream separators the percentage of 
cream is increased; that is, more is obtained 
than by the ordinary process of sett ing the 
milk. It was stated, however, that the quali¬ 
ty of butter made from separated cream is 
slightly inferior, and that the skim-milk makes 
very poor cheese.,. 
Experiments have been made in England 
with a new fertilizer—basic cinders—the refuse 
of steel works. Analysis shows that it con¬ 
tains 14 per cent, of phosphoric acid and 41 
per cent, of lime. Applied to heavy day soil, 
the fertilizer gave excellent results. It was 
particularly valuable for root crops. 
Sir J. B. Lawes tells English farmers that 
the present depression in English agriculture 
will indeed he a calamity if it does not weed 
out some indolent habits, obsolete customs 
and unbusiuuss-like methods of farming. 
Hard times sharpen one’s wits and work is 
reduced to the simplest methods. 
Prof. E. W. Stewart says that when the 
ensilage system shall have become perfected, 
corn, clovers, millet and many grasses will go 
into the silo together, or when necessary to 
preserve separately, will be fed together in 
Winter, and in this way milk can he made in 
Winter as well as upon grass in Summer. 
Corn, he says, is in the tost condition for 
the silo when the ear reaches the dough state. 
The stalk and the ear iu this condition contain 
all the nutriment possible in the corn crop. 
When the ear begins to glaze the stalk has be¬ 
come too woody for the best, result... 
An English writer notes the fact that cat¬ 
tle and sheep do not eat at random, but that 
they select grasses which they like and reject 
those which do not suit their taste. This ex¬ 
plains why it is that worthless grasses run to 
seed while good grasses rarely seed except on 
meadow lauds. The National Live Stock 
Journal holds that the above fact shows that 
the taste or instinct of the animal is a good 
guide to us in our selection of food for it to 
eat. It also shows why the best grasses often 
run out while the poorer take possession of 
the soiL If the rank, rejected growth could 
be mowed, and the more desirable growth 
kept up by sprinkling the right kind of seed 
over the pastures, a good gaiu could be made.. 
A writer in the Country Gentleman calls 
for justice for the pig. He very rightly says 
that the trouble with a dirty hog does not rest 
with the hog itself but with its master. The 
hog has both decency and manners if only 
permitted to practice them. A pen was divid¬ 
ed into three compartments—a feeding room, 
a sleeping room, and a room for necessities. 
With little or no trouble the hogs were trained 
to use these rooms; where it was intended 
that they should sleep, a dry place was select¬ 
ed and filled with straw. A quantity of man¬ 
ure placed in the other room taught them the 
purpose for which it was designed. The arti¬ 
cle states that a cold and hungry hog can 
squeal off in a day what we have been at pains 
to put on it during a week of careful feeding. 
If the rum shop could to eliminated from 
the labor problem, says our respected friend 
the Western Rural, it would be. easier of solu¬ 
tion by a very large per cent. The money 
spent for liquor iu this country is much great¬ 
er than that spend for any article of consump¬ 
tion, and several times more than that spent 
for education... 
It is true that the family may to suffering 
privation, but it is also true that it might, 
perhaps, be well provided for if a portion of 
the man’s wages did not go for rum. 
We know that if we could stop every still, 
and shut up every rumshop and plug up every 
rum barrel, every human being and the best 
interests of society would be better off. 
The hog must he fed less corn and more 
food that produces llcsh, not fat. 
Clare Sewell Read, M P., states in the 
London Lave Stock Journal that English show- 
yards have much to answer for the disrepute 
of pedigree stock. They have encouraged 
flesh to the detriment of milking and breeding 
properties of all their high-bred animals, and 
as a general result the females are shy breed¬ 
ers and poor milkers, and so fanners who have 
to get a living by selling store stockaud dairy 
produce do not breed from them. To the com¬ 
paratively few who sell ouly pedigree stock 
the case may be different. 
A writer in the London Live StocK Jour¬ 
nal says he thinks for butchers’ purposes there 
is nothing can boat, a cross between a polled 
Angus bull and Short-horn cow They make 
good weights, and for early maturity and 
lightness of offal they are second to none. 
They are also very good dairy cows. He deems 
the polled Angus bull the most impressive sire 
of the day... . .. 
When is the precise period that a pullet be¬ 
gins to be a hen; a pig a hog; a heifer a cow?. 
There is in Ireland, says the Loudon Live 
Stock Journal, a strong preference for the 
Booth strains of Short horns—heavy-fleshed 
animals, strong in the horn, and masculine ill 
character. As a rule, they are moderate milk¬ 
ers, an important point in these depressed 
times. 
(Jhu'njwljm', 
TRANSCONTINENTAL LETTERS.—LI. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
Olympia , capital of Washington Territory; 
a profitable and artistic door yard; on the 
road to Portland; a dry season. 
It so happened in the course of our journey¬ 
ing iu Washington Territory, that the very 
last place which I visited was its capital city, 
Olympia, situated at. the head of Puget Sound. 
Aside from being the seat of legislation, this 
little town of 2,000 inhabitants has long been 
famous on this coast for the charm of its social 
life, the refinement aud intelligence of its 
people, its tasteful homes, and "New England 
appearance.” A lady once said to me: "In 
Olympia, everybody has a door yard full of 
fruits and flowers, and keeps a Jersey cow. It 
is the prettiest and most hospitable town in 
the Territory.” .So it was with a mind fully 
charged with pleasant: prejudices that we 
boarded the steamer “Messenger,” which plies 
between Seattle and Olympia, and after a 
charming sail of about eight hum’s, under a 
cloudless sky, we reached our destination. 
The town lies on a gentle eminence, which has 
a gradual slope to the water, and the hills and 
bluffs, which give great rugged ness to the .site 
of most Puget Sound “cities,” have here re¬ 
treated far enough inland, and are sufficiently 
modified in character to leave to Olympia a 
distinctive location. The town would un¬ 
doubtedly have acquired commercial impor¬ 
tance, if its hartor, at low tide, bad been 
capable of receiving sea-going vessels. As 
the capital, it is so far from being a central 
point in the Territory, that its chief chance of 
retaining this distinguishing privilege lies in 
the probable disagreement that will prevent 
any other town from being accepted us the 
capital, because of the rivalry between East¬ 
ern and Western Washington, which might 
harmonize their differences by having two 
capitals, as had Rhode Island, some yeare ago. 
Captain P-, who owns and commands 
the “Messenger,” and has a very picturesque 
home in Olympia, told me that off his homo 
lot., consisting of less than a quarter of an 
acre, he hail cut the past season a ton of hay, 
sent to market 40 boxes of apples from the 
trees, while from the garden his family had 
had an abundance of strawberries, raspberries, 
and blackberries, with other garden produce, 
and that he had given to his little son the 
privilege of selling all the cherries not de¬ 
sired for the use of the family and friends, 
and the little fellow suid he got $20 for what 
he had sold, and had the money in bunk. 1 
thought it a profitable as well as an artistic 
door-yard, and from it 1 had, on October 15, 
a bouquet of exquisite roses, mignonette, sweet 
alyssuin, carnations, abutilous, aud many 
sweet-scented things. 
The Rural has a subscriber at Olympia, 
and to him and his hospitable family we owed 
much of the pleasure we enjoyed in our visit. 
During the hour and a half we were driven 
about the town a,fid its envirous, we had 
abundant opportunity to note the fruited 
gardens and the horses as well as "Jersey cows” 
nipping the luxurious pasture. We saw no 
pretentious dwellings, but the streets were 
beautiful with great maples planted years ago 
for shade trees—another distinct feature of 
Olympia, as Puget Sounders are, as a rule, 
afraid of shade trees—and cosy, tasteful, 
home-like dwellings peeping out through the 
foliage, for all the world like an Eastern vil¬ 
lage and delightful to Eastern eyes—none of 
the unkempt, crude and vulgar pomposity 
that so often characterizes the Western town, 
that has been inflated beyond its strength by 
a “boom.” Our drive led us through a very 
picturesque suburb called Trimwater, which 
is Chinook for waterfall. These Trimwater 
Falls are in three series, which form a liberal 
distribution of water-power to various indus¬ 
tries. During our drive, we saw two or three 
cemeteries, 011 c Masonic aud another “Odd 
Fellows,” lying adjacent with a fence between, 
as a saving grace, one must suppose! As 
much as secret societies abound in the East, 
they abound still more here. There are all 
sorts of societies with high-sounding and 
mysterious names, but what they accomplish, 
beyond consuming enormously of time and 
money, is not very apparent. From Olympia, 
Mount Ranier shows its three peaks in distinct, 
relief, and looking seaward, the blue range of 
the Olympic Mountains lay outlined agaiust a 
background of yellow and vennillion—a 
wealth of color left iu the sky by the setting 
suu. Our host drove us back to his home to 
“tea,” of home cookery, which only a tired 
traveler knows how to appreciate fully, and 
where the laddie had a wild romp with the 
bright-eyed little people—Avis, Ida aud Claude 
—a visit full of charm to us and long to be 
remembered. 
At seven o’clock the next, morning, we left 
Olympia by rail for Portland, Oregon. This 
railroad is a narrow-gauge affair, runs south¬ 
easterly through a level country for a distance 
of 10 miles to a town called Tenino, where it 
forms u junction with the Northern Pacific. 
The railroad fare is $1.20, For some distance 
out from Olympia, we saw comfortable and 
prosperous-looking country homes, imbedded 
in gardens of fruit trees, and considerable 
cleared aud cultivated laud. The woods had 
a park-like appearance, aud, all iu all, the 
ride was an interesting one. Considerable 
amusement was afforded the few passengers 
by a man in charge of a drove of spotted pigs. 
These black-and-white quadrupeds were com¬ 
pletely demoralized by the passing train, and 
at once whisked about and began to run a 
race with it, while the drover, a red-headed 
man, threw off his hat and coat, aud running 
at the top of liis bent tried to head them off. 
What success he had we did not learn; but the 
last we saw of him he was still endeavoring to 
master the situation, with his arms beating 
the air. During a halt by the way, I saw a 
boy trudging along with a school book in 
his hand, and I asked him how far he 
had to walk to school. He said three miles 
and that there were 18 pupils in the school, 
which, if he spoke truly, was pretty fair evi¬ 
dence of the sparsness of the population in 
that, locality. 
It was about a 3 r ear prior to this time that 
we traveled over this part of the Northern 
Pacific from Puget Sound to Kalama, a point 
on the Columbia River at which we took boat 
for Portland. But now the cars cross the 
river here on a huge transfer ferry, and as it 
was noon, there was half an hour for dinn er 
in a fully fitted-up restaurant in the ferry 
boat, which occupied that length of time in 
the transit. It was the first time I had seen a 
restaurant under such circumstances, aud, iu 
the language of the Wcst, l thought it quite a 
“scheme.” We hod a beautiful ride iuto Port¬ 
land, the weather beiug of the finest descrip- 
tion, aud the snow peaks of Rainier, Adams. 
St Helen’s and Hood standing as if in a direct 
line in the range of the Cascade Mountains. 
St. Helen’s rounded dome was almost devoid 
of snow, an unprecedented appearance, I was 
told, aud last year when I saw it it was per¬ 
fectly white. But every one seemed agreed 
that the past season bad been one of extraor¬ 
dinary warmth and dryness on this North¬ 
west coast. Indeed, whenever and wherever 
we went we had superb weather—altogether 
perfect—but. everywhere we heard “old set¬ 
tlers” say, ’Oh, tills is exceptional weather,” 
until we have come to think that all weather 
is “exceptional. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
llalifomin. 
Drytown, Amador Co., May 8. —We are 
just in the middle of haying, and the grass 
crop is the heaviest 1 have ever known here, 
and 1 have been in the State for 30 years. A 
trifle too wet for lino haying weather. Stock 
which three mouths ago was too thin to cast 
a shadow, is now roiling fat. Peaches aud 
apricots very thin crops, as the continuous 
cold, wet weather during March aud April 
caused the fruit to drop from the trees. Plums 
and apples will be heavy crops. d. b. r. 
Canada. 
Fernhill, Ontario, May 20.—Times are 
very dull here, and prices are very low. Fall j 
wheat will not be half a crop, as a groat deal 
of it has been plowed up. Spring frosts were 
very heavy and did far more damage than at 
first supposed. Seeding is all done and every¬ 
thing looks well. The season is much in ad¬ 
vance of what it was this time last year. Pears 
wintered well. We will have no peaches this 
year, and on May 8 there was n heavy frost 
w hich may injure pHunsaud cherries. Apples 
will not he as plentiful as last year, while 
there are very few pears or grapes grown in 
this district. Plums and cherries have been a 
failure for some years past, but are coming iu 
again. J. M. w. 
Ruiau, 
Sheridan, Sheridan Co., May 0.—I have 40 
acres of fall wheat, aud 10 acres of rye that 
look as fine as any grain I ever saw. I came 
out West only last year, aud took up a Govern¬ 
ment homestead ou timbered laud, and though 
I have a wife and seven children, I raised last 
year plenty for my family to ent, I didn’t 
expect to do auy more as my land was all new. 
Alhion, Calhoun Co., May 14.—The wea¬ 
ther has been cool and pleasant this Spring. 
Wheat and grass are looking well. Oats are 
up, aud last week fruit trees were in full bloom. 
s. G. e. 
It'ew York. 
LIornellsville, Steuben-C o., May 22.— 
The Spr ing opened here all of two weeks 
earlier than last year. Barley, wheat and 
oats all sqwu and the greater part of them up; 
aud some very early sown barley is nearly 
ready to stalk. Grain never looked better in 
May, to my knowledge, than now, for the 
time sown. A large acreage of all kinds of 
spring grain sown. Winter wheat and rye 
looking fair, but badly winter-killed; very 
forward, and we look for an early harvest 
and a medium yield. Pasturing from two to 
three weeks ahead of last season and extra 
good; cattle turned out, generally, on or be¬ 
fore the first of May. Timothy meadows 
looking well, and promising a heavy cut of 
hay of good quality. Clover and now-seeded 
meadows, iu some sections, badly winter¬ 
killed and much turned under for spring 
crops: but what arc left are early and looking 
well. Potatoes and corn are going iuto the 
ground from a week to 10 days earlier than 
common; some early planted fields are already 
showing wel) aboveground. About average 
amouut of coni planted; potatoes planted, 
planting and to be planted in large quantities. 
Iu fact, the farmers in this section are fast 
putting the potato crop at the bead of their 
1 ist. For general profitableness and certainty 
of yield. Burbanks, White Star aud Snow¬ 
flakes are the favorites for general culture in 
white varieties, and Blush, White Elephant 
and Adirondac for red. Fruit of all kinds has 
been in blossom for the last w eek, and blown 
the fullest for years; and at present no frost 
to do a ] article of harm. Strawberries and 
Other small fruits at least two weeks ahead of 
time and full of blossoms; and, if the weather 
continues as for the last four weeks, we shall 
have home-grown berries on our tables by the 
middle of June. Weather is aud has been all 
that one could ask, and more than he could 
expect; just moist ouough, aud with uiue- 
tenths f>f the heat, day and night, of J uly. 
Sheep being washed; hut none as yet sheared 
in this Vicinity. Beef and store cattle in good 
demand, but plenty; they are In extra good 
condition for the time of year. Dairy stock 
iu fair demand at good prices; butter and 
cheese doing a little better thau at same time 
last year. c. J. p. 
Ohio. 
Yankee Ridge, Coshocton Co., May 5.— 
Season very dry aud backward till the middle 
of April, when warm weather brought every¬ 
thing forward with a rush, so that now vege¬ 
tation is fully two weeks ahead of its condition 
at this time last year. A few farmers have 
begun to plant corn and others are getting 
ready as fast as they can. The ground has 
been pretty dry for plowing for some time, 
and farmers who make a habit of letting their 
stock run over their fields in wet weather have 
laid u pretty tedious time in breaking it up. 
Early sown wheat looking well; but late- 
sowed was badly frozen out. Then drought 
and bad weather came on so it will be very 
thin on the ground. A good prosjieet for seed¬ 
ling peaches, but budded ones are a total fail¬ 
ure. Outlook for apples never better at this 
season; indeed all kinds of fruit are making a 
fine start, except pears which are a failure. 
Very lew berries are raised here; hut what 
we have look flue. My Shaffer’s and Doolittle 
came through the Winter in fine condition. 
Prices of all kinds of produce are very low: 
butter, 12 cents; eggs, 10 cents; bacon, Scents 
to 8 cents. Potatoes were worth to cents per 
bushel till about 10 days ago, when they fell to 
80, and now the prospect is downward. Wheat, 
80 cents to 80 cents; corn, 40 cents; oats, 30 
cents; other things in proportion. j. 11 . d. 
