466 
JULY IF 
with no outlook, not even a glimpse of Shasta. 
Here lives the superintendent of the stage 
company, and here we changed our stage for 
a large passenger coach, capable of accommo¬ 
dating sixteen, when full inside and out, and 
nearly every seat was taken. The change was 
speedily made, and we set out with a fresh and 
social driver. Yrekais a mining town, with 
some fairly good buildings—for it has age, 
such as California towns can boast of, that 
came into existence after ’4!). All about it 
lies the Shasta Valley, a great stretch of level 
agricultural land, of course requiting irriga¬ 
tion; and there is a water-ditch !•(> miles long 
leading into Yreka, and furnishing water for 
a large section of country. As we were riding 
out of the town, I was reminded of an amusing 
story in connection with it, and upon retail¬ 
ing it, a young man who sat upon the seat 
with Anaximander, in rear of me, said that it 
was true; he lived in Yreka and he had often 
heard it. It was this: In the early mining 
days, the people, in order to furnish amuse¬ 
ment ior themselves, had amateur theatricals, 
ami in the hall where they had their plays, 
they had a bedroom for the accommodation 
of mothers who could not leave the babies at 
home. Upon one occasion, a wag, during the 
play, changed the clothiug of the infants, 
who, in the haste of leaving when the play 
was over, were recognized by their clothing 
and carried off. Of course, the parents found 
upon reaching their homes that each mother 
had the wrong baby, and it was several days 
before the children were properly redistri¬ 
buted. 
We passed some fiue farms, with large, two- 
story frame houses elegantly framed in trees, 
and the driver pointed out two as belonging 
to two of the richest men in Northern Califor¬ 
nia—they were early settlers who had taken 
up land, and he added that all the men who 
took up land and farmed were rich, and nearly 
all who went into the mines were now poor, 
it, is quite characteristic on this coast for farm 
bouses to have a piazza for the upstairs rooms 
as well as for the ground floor—the upper 
veranda being generally without a roof. For 
quite a little distance after leaving Yreka, 
there were small pine trees scattered about 
much as in the country about Spokane Falls, 
in Eastern Washington. Peaches about Yreka 
have this season been killed by a late frost. 
The great fields—farms of thousands of acres 
—were nibbled bare of grass. Here there 
were fences along the road, and the driver 
said that the fences were called corrals. At 
length the sun went down on Mt. Shasta, 
which rose continually iu front of us. The 
igneous rocks, the conical foot-hills, the near 
and far-away ranges, the man}* tints of varied 
hues were transfigured into a multitude of 
shades of such colors as yellow, red, and blue. 
It was a graud and novel sight, and quite un¬ 
like anything we had hitherto seen. Bo indi¬ 
vidual in its character, and so majestic, we had 
learned the lineaments of Shasta by heart, aud 
were all ready to declare that we could draw it 
from memory, so long and intimately had we 
gazed upon it. Its ascent is not difficult, but 
tedious, and its summit has probably been 
visited ofteuer than that of any other lofty 
snow peak on this coast. Many tourists visit 
in Summer one of the valleys near its base— 
Strawberry—where there are exeeileutliuuting 
and fishing. 
When we left Ashland we intended to stop 
at Strawberry, a little beyond Buttoville, and 
remain for a few days, but when we reflected 
that, we would be obliged to make the remain¬ 
der of the stage ride by night, that now the 
moon was full, the roads good, and ourselves 
in possession of the most desirable seats, we 
thought it the better part of wisdom to go 
directly through—a decision we had no cause 
to regret. Iu the summer season the stage 
company arranges its schedule so that passen¬ 
gers can make the trip by using only the day- 
part of two days; but this arrangement came 
to an end at the close of what is called the 
tourist season. It was dark when we reached 
Butteville, tho station for supper, and it was 
growing quite cold. We had an excellent sup¬ 
per, and a cheerful fire in a tidy, roomy house. 
There was in waiting a family of six, the 
father and mother invalids, goiug from East¬ 
ern Washington to California for their health. 
They had come thus far several days before, 
stopping for rest, and for a night when they 
would have more room in the coach—but they 
had finally to be packed in like sardines, one 
of the children coughing terribly from whoop¬ 
ing cough. One of the drivers told me that a 
man who lives in San Francisco, and has 
“liver complaint” annually makes this stage 
journey to have his liver stirred up, and he 
refuses to make use of any' other remedy. On 
the top of the stage the jolting was so light 
that I quite forgot about the miseries of those 
inside the coach. 
After supper we prepared for the night ride, 
putting on all the wraps we could muster, for 
we had been warned that it would be cold 
riding over tho mountains, and the Senator 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
who was unable to procure a blanket for his 
logs suffered very considerably. At Butteville 
we were furnished with anight driver, a large, 
pleasant-faced man, who smiled good-natured¬ 
ly' when he saw the small passenger who was 
to sit at his left. The laddie had fallen into a 
doze before we had reached the supper station, 
but from that time ou he was thoroughly alert 
the entire night through until nearly morning, 
when he fell asleep, Mt. Shasta stands at the 
separation of the two ranges—where the Coast 
Range diverges from the Sierra, and this spur 
of connecting mountains we had to cross, and 
our entire night seemed to he sjient among the 
mountains—all wooded with magnificent pines 
—climbiug up a mountain laboriously, and 
then flying down it with our six horses “liclc- 
itty-split,” as the laddie said, and the way in 
which the driver would turn his six-in-hand 
around the oft-recurring corners was so ad¬ 
mirable that I would not have lost one for 
much. He knew where was every rough or 
wet place, and all the tricks played by the 
shadows, for scores of times it seemed to my 
eyes that we were driving straight into a river, 
or against a high wall or embankment, or 
over fallen trees, when, to the driver’s eye, 
the road lay clear and unobstructed, as it so 
proved. At length our road lay along a deep 
gorge, in which rushed the head-waters ot the 
Saeramento River. It was just to the left of 
the narrow road cut along the ledge, the 
mountains toweriug at the right. Many a 
time iu fancy we saw bandits step out from 
the trims, the shadows of their forms thrown 
across the road, and at last, about one o'clock, 
there was no mistake, a live man was in the 
road ahead of us, in high-topped boots aud 
with a pack ou his back. “Your money or 
your life,” cried the driver, laughingly'. “Oh, 
it’s only an Indian,” assuring I v observed the 
Senator, but when we passed hint he proved 
to be a tramping Irishman. After midnight 
we passed a camp of railroad surveyors and 
Chinese, the latter working on the railroad 
construction, which is being pushed from the 
California terminus. 
Maguifieent as was tho ride, we all began to 
feel greatly- fatigued toward morning, and the 
last 35 miles seemed longer than the entire 
hundred we had traversed. But the end came 
at last, aud we reached Delta in time for the 
train. W e had had 10 relay’s of horses for the 
drive. I felt uncertain whether I should lie 
able to stand up ou my feet when Delta was 
reached, but I got down from my high perch 
safely, although painfully conscious of a reel¬ 
ing tendeucy. A glance about the dusty, 
windy, crude town showed evidently enough 
that it was no place for one to rest in, ami 
covered with dirt as we were, our faces sun¬ 
burnt almost to soreness, hungry and so weary’ 
that I, at least, from nervous exhaustiou, was 
unable to look at the passing landscape, we 
at once got into the cars aud rode on to Red 
Bluff, where the family of John Brown the 
martyr once lived for several years,aud which 
an old woman in Ashland bad assured me was 
the prettiest place iu the world—could I but 
see it, I would want to make it my home! 
We reached it in a few hours, and going to 
the best hotel called for a quiet room, and 
after refusing three or four rooms because of 
the uncleanness of the bods—the one piece of 
furniture that I looked at with a critic’s eye 
in a hotel—we finally secured an apartment 
where we could begin the work of ablution 
and the renewing of our souls and bodies. We 
slept all of that afternoon and all of the suc¬ 
ceeding night, and the next morning were in 
fairly good trim for further journeying. Al¬ 
ter breakfast we had an hour or two for be 
holding the beauties of Red Bluff—so named 
from the red soil of the Sacramento River 
beds on which the town is built. There were 
oleander trees, high as the houses aud iu 
masses of bloom, bdfch red and white, great 
fig and orange trees, stipurb roses, trimmed 
evergreens, eucalyptus trees overgrown with 
ivy—but so hot everywhere and so dry, the 
mercury in Summer rising in the shade to 110 
degrees. Shriveled i noun tain, apples sold for 
$1.50 the box. Fifteen years ago they sold 
for $33.00 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Arkansas. 
Poteau, Scott Co., June 29.— The past 
Spring was a little late, but a very favorable 
one for all crops grown here, except oats ami 
potatoes. May was so dry that many failed 
in getting iu a good stand of cotton. But 
June lias been unusually wet throughout, 
therefore all crops that have been properly 
cultivated are looking well. Compared with 
last y’ear, crops are about as follows: Wheat 
acreage less; yield about the same; oats acre¬ 
age greater, yield less—about half a crop; 
corn and cotton acreage the same, prospects 
better; fruit of all kiuds not so good as last 
year, except it be wild blackberries, which 
are fine, H. c. b. 
California. 
Duarte. Los Angeles Co. June 20.—Com and 
wheat good; oats not many grown here, and 
much rusted; barley the best crop for years: 
potatoes good; garden truck iu abundance; 
apples and pears half crops; peaches almost a 
total failure; apricots a quarter crop; grapes 
promise a very large yield; hay, as well as 
blackberries, raspberries aud strawberries, 
very heavy; oranges and lemons, our chief 
produels, promise one of the heaviest crops 
ever gathered in Southern California; wal¬ 
nuts will he a very poor crop next year. Our 
fig trees are full of fruit—will be ripe iu about 
one month from now. J. s. 
Kansas. 
Strong City. Chase Co., June 20. —The 
Rural’s Marlboro Raspberries all grew 
nicely last Summer, but all winter-killed to 
the ground. They are sending up an abun¬ 
dance of suckers which I shall try another 
wiuter. Our Greggs were somewhat injured, 
but are bearing pretty well. Some apple, 
peach and early Richmond Cherry trees were 
killed last Wiuter and others injured. Early 
in Spring I got $1.00 worth of Japan Chestnut 
trees—two about eight inches high. The tops 
of both seemed to have been dead tor months; 
at this date they’ show no signs of growth. 
We thank the Rural, very much for its out¬ 
spoken treatment of monopolies. If every 
paper would tell the whole truth there would 
soon be a commotion. Land-grabbers have done 
and are still doiug untold injury to this Coun¬ 
try. If we want to go to a point three miles west 
of here, we must travel nine miles to get there, 
and about the same if we waut to go east, or 
else we must trespass ou large inclosed areas, 
and somo places are much worse off thau this. 
Kentucky. 
Green Co. —I find your Alaska Pea a very 
early variety’. Planted the same time as 
American Wonder, it is now (June 19) several 
days ahead. It came up quicker and blos¬ 
somed nearly a week earlier. Vines grow of 
good size and bang full. E - p - 
Bedford, Thimble Co.—The weather for 
growing crops has been good through the 
whole season, but as harvest is now here, 
farmers are predicting serious trouble iu sav¬ 
ing’ their crops. Wheat is generally good, but 
considerably fallen down and but little has 
been harvested. It has been raining here 
most of the time for two weeks, and still rain¬ 
ing, with but little indication of better 
weather. Clover is good: but very little has 
been cut, owing to the unsettled condition 
of the weather. Coni was made late and ir¬ 
regular by the cut-worm, and at present has 
been neglected and is in a very bad condition. 
Prospects for a good oat crop equal to last 
year's. Meadows generally good. Stock dull 
at almost, any price, with the exception of 
good horses and mules, which are in demand. 
Hogs generally scarce throughout the country. 
F. M. 
Massachusetts. 
Southfield, Berkshire Co., July 1.—Corn 
is not looking as well as last year. Oats, fair; 
potatoes look well. It was predicted that hay 
would be a light crop, as it was expected to 
be as forward us the season; I now think we 
will have a fair crop. Tobacco is doing well 
—some trouble with cut-worms. Iiast. year 
was our apple year; prospect of a fair supply 
this year. E - **• G. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to insure attention. Before 
askliiK a question, please see If It Is not answered Iu 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on a separate piece of paper. | 
AN ALYSIS OF SOU.. 
C. L. N., Tulluhomn, Tenn.—l. When 
chemical fertilizers arc used, does any of the 
fertility remain in the soil for the following 
year, or does the present crop get all the good 
of them? 2. Has Tennessee any State Chemist, 
and how can I get. soil analyzed so as to dis¬ 
cover what fertilizer it needs? 3. Will bear¬ 
ing grape vines set out iu Spring produce 
fruit the following season? Will they if set out 
in the Fall? 
Ans. —1. Yes. Most of the phosphoric acid 
and potash remains in the soil if not taken up 
by the plants. Our friend should know that 
the three food constituents which chemical 
fertilizers furnish are the two above men¬ 
tioned and nitrogen. Most of the nitrogen, 
if supplied iu a soluble form, as in sulphate of 
ammonia, or nitrate of soda, is either used by 
the plants or leaches through the soil the first 
season. If supplied by farm manure, bones 
horn, hair, wool, etc., the nitrogen becomes 
soluble slowly and may therefore remain in 
the soil in a gradually available condition for 
years. 2. We do not think Tennessee employs 
a State Chemist. At least four “determina¬ 
tions” or separate analyses would be required 
to analyze any soil, and the “mean” of 
those would be the given analysis. They 
would cost at least $5 each. A serviceable 
analysis would cost iu all about $30, and that 
would determine only the ingredients of tho 
speeiiucu analyzed. It would not determine 
the degree of solubility of the various plant 
foods in the soil, and it is well known that 
most soils contain a large supply of plant 
food—enough for many successive crops— 
but locked up in an unavailable form. 
You cannot, therefore find out what your soil 
needs 1 >y a ualysis. Chemists may tell y ou what 
it is made of, but they cannot tell you whether 
it is in such a form that plants cun take it up. 
3. No, not as a rule. Indeed it would not be 
well to allow them to bear before the second 
year. Generally they will not bear before the 
third season. If, however, grape-vines be taken 
up with grea t care, so as to preserve the root 
fibers, with soil about them, they might be in¬ 
duced to bear the first season. But, as we 
have said, it would be better to destroy any 
clusters that formed. 
AILING TEATS IN A COW. 
F. S., Blair. Neb.—My five-year-old Jersey 
is to come in in September, having dropped 
her second calf ou J une 21.1885. While milk¬ 
ing her three weeks ago, the flow from one 
teat suddenly stopped. Greater pressure 
forced out a lump of stringy matter, aud the 
milk flowed freely again—no swelling, heat or 
soreness apparent about either teat or udder. 
Iua few days it occurred again, aud shortly 
afterwards the same tiling occurred in another 
teat, the first, affected updating all right at 
that time. Siuee then it has occurred, several 
times, first in ode teat,then in another, and for 
several milkiugsall the teats appeared all right. 
She has not been hurt, so far as l eau see; she 
is driven with a lot of others only a quarter of 
a mile to and from a good pasture; what is 
the trouble-? How is it likely to affect her 
milking qualities hereafter? Is it safe to use 
the milk, especially as a drink for children? 
What is a remedy? Hitherto the milk from 
the affected teats has been kept separate, as 
soon as noticed, but several times a part has 
entered the pail before we noticed the teat 
was affected. 
ANSWERED ry k. l. kilborne. 
Judging from the symptoms and the fact 
that the Jersey is very liable to tuberculosis, 
we suspect tuberculosis of the udder. It may, 
however, be simple inflammation due to some 
unknown cause. If due to tuberculosis both 
milk and cow should be condemned. The 
milk is especially dangerous from such ani¬ 
mals, being very liable to transmit, the disease 
to auy other animal or to persons drinking it. 
If the difficulty is due to simple inflammation, 
the cow should soon recover, after which the 
milk will he good. Try .injecting into the 
touts, after each milkiug. a solution of five 
grains each of carbonate of soda aud perman¬ 
ganate of potash, in one ounce of water. If 
the cow does not soon recover, tuburculosis 
may be suspected, and a competent veterin¬ 
arian should be called to condemn her if such 
is the case. 
RAISING HUCKLEBERRIES. 
L. H. S. mo address).— How ore huckle¬ 
berries propagated—by’ seeds, layers, cuttiugs 
or offshoots? How should they be cultivated? 
ANSWERED BY PROF. L. M. BAILEY, JR. 
There is undoubtedly a bright future before 
our huckleberries. It is well-nigh useless to 
attempt to give any directions for their cul¬ 
ture, however, as tho sum of experience in the 
matter is very small. There are no less than 
H5 wild sj>eoies of huckleberriea in the United 
States east of the Mississippi. These are 
known under u most perplexing variety of 
names. Many of them produce fruit in every 
way superior to the wild oritrinnls of some of 
our garden fruits. It now remains for the 
horticulturist to succeed iu cultivating them. 
The difficulties in the way of cultivating are 
not yet well understood,because almost no culti¬ 
vation has been attempted. We have set aside 
an acre upon which to experiment with huck¬ 
leberries. We shall try all methods of culture 
of which we eau hear, and shall endeavor to 
grow all the species. We solicit suggestions, 
and also specimens of the best fruits of any of 
the species. This Spring I bought from a 
nursery u few plants of each of the several 
varieties, but they were evidently wild roots 
of common species. They amounted to noth¬ 
ing. So far as I know, there is not yet any 
reliable nursery-grown stock. We shall pro 
pagate from wild plants. 
Ag. Coll., Lansing, Mich. 
CHRONIC CATARRH OF WOMB OF A MARE. 
G. H. B.. Hear lie, Texas.—I tried the 
remedy for catarrh of the vagina aud womb 
