Evening Star Newspaper, July 27, 1889, Page 9

STAR: é Written for Tux EVENtee Stan SUMMER AND FALL WOODCOCK. Where They Are Found and How to Kill Them. WHY SUMMER SHOOTING SHOULD BE PROBIBITED —WHAT KIND OF DOG TO USE—SOME INTER- ESTING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BIRD—HUNT- Xe IN THE FALL. (Copyright, 1889.) If I were asked to describe a game bird I would give as close a description as possible id any man or dog that is fa- ng bill,” “snipes,” ““pee-wee” or “bogg-sucker,” as he is sometimes called, , I think, agree with me that he is the most distinguished member of the feathered tribe. To most sportsmen woodcock shooting has a fascination that is found in no other kind of wing shooting. He is a splendid bird on which to work a dog, as he leaves a strong scent, sel- dom runs while the dog is pointing, and lies so close that it is often necessary for the gunner to walk in ahead of his dog to flush him, He apparently makes no friends, even among his own tribe, and just as soou as he is old enough to grub for himself he lives « life independent of his family. It is seldom that two birds are put up together, and when such is the case it will be noticed that their flights are in opposite directions rather than the same. HOW HE FEEDS. His bill, which is conspicuous for its length. answers the combined purpose of drill and tweezers. With this instrument the woodcock probes away down in the soft soil in quest of worms. The end of this horny drill is a center of nerves and so sensitive as to enable him to tell the instant it comes in contact with a worm, when “presto!” the drill has changed into a pair of tweezers whose grasp marks the end of the wriggler’s earthly career. It is claimed, and by good authority, that ‘a wood- cock will devour twice his weight in worms at @ single repest. One would hardly imagine that bis capacity was equal to this, as he is the owner of but one intestine. As a table delicacy they rank foremost, and, differing from other game birds, are the finest cating when cooked soon after being killed. They are placed before the consumer still decorated by the long-billed head. 3 ‘HIS HABITS. A glance at the woodcock will show that he has an unusually high forehead, and when you become cognizant of his peculiar ways, you will have convincing proof that he knows how to use it. There are a number of unsolved prob- lems regarding his habits. For instance, there may be an abundance of birds in the month of July. The arrival of August will disclose the fact that every one bas disappeared, and just es suddenly they reappear in September, and are found in the cornfields bordering a stream where the soil 1s rich and soft, Now, where they were in August and what they were about isa mystery. Some will say they were molting, which is quite possible. But why was it neces- sary for them to disappear from the face of the earth to accomplish what other birds do in plain sight? Then, to add to the mystery that surrounds this bird. he does all his traveling and most of his feeding after honest folks are abed. Another inte: is Mrs. Woodcock’s mode of transporting her Young, which is shown in the accompanying cut MRS. WOODCOCK TRANSPORTING HER YoUNG. The degree of skill attained by the experi- enced woodcock hunter is astonishing and to the novice is almost beyond belicf. bird, on jumping up, will invariably make a nearly perpendicnlar ascent and disappear over the top of the brush. It is unnecessary for his fight to be at for a few feet. efore the report 8 are about seven out of ten that a few of the shot will succeed in penetrating the foliage and bringing him own. SHOOTING TOO QUICKLY. The mistake an amateur makes is that of shooting too =, He realizes that the bird will be almost immediately out of sight and thinks he must fire before tlic meteor-like target has disappeared. This is all wrong; for even if he succeeds in killing his bird by this method it will be at such close quarters that nothing but a few feathers will remain for his ame bag. In bunting woodcock a staunch log is required. and he should be trained es- pecially fog this kind of sport. It is essential that he sRould be a close ranger, otherwise most of the time he would be out of sight in the thick brush, willows or alders, for such are the places that woodcock frequent. He must also be a thoroughly-good retriever, for with- out a persistent retriever nine-tenths of the dead birds would be lost. Even then a number _ — will be left hanging im the top of the rush. SUMMER AND PALL SHOOTING. Woodcock shooting may be divided into two kinds, summer and fall si ooting. In the hot days of the former he is found in the most ro- mantic and picturesque spots, such as along the cool and shady banks of a stream or Take, where he s all day long under the pro- tection of a spreading brake or overhan, in} willow. At this season he is mentally aud phys: ically but partially developed, and agaiket a staunch dog and a fairly good shot ghost of achance. He gets up on weak wings and is such a chump that if fired at and missed his flight will measure but # few yards, when he will drop in most any spot, whether con. spicuous or not, and quietly wait to be kicked up and shot at again. ind of thing will go on indefinitely until the “shoemaker” (for shoemaker he is—a sportsman would have downed him the first or second shot) has either killed him by « lucky chance or, as is often the case, left in disgust. swearing that woodcock shooting is no good. anyway. For this early shooting a light 25-inch barreled 1 The shells should be tightly reamed and loaced with 33¢ drams of quick powder and 1 ounce of No. 10 chilled, shot with two wads over the powder and one over the shot, using wood powder. which is smokeless, in the barrel that is first fired. Most of the birds will be killed at very short range, and the result striven for is he shot be evenly scattered over as rritory as possible, for one or two of these small shot would be sutticient to kill the young burd. SCARCITY OF Woopcock. Where twenty birds could be found some fifteen years ago there is but one now. And this pitiable state of affairs is mainly due to the killing of young birds. Luckily, there are but few state: present whose game laws do not protect woodcock in the summer months, ‘The sooner they all have strict laws against the “slaughter of ‘the innocents”—for innocents they are until the latter part of Angust—the better it will please suy true sportsman, NOW COMES THE FALL SHOOTING, when No. ot should be substituted for the No. 10, and every woodcock killed will be worth two of the July birds. Proportionately to the bird's increase in sige is his growth in wordly wisdom. And if he is not brought down at the first shot the chances are he will make a long 7s and if not killed on the second rise he is (or Occasionally there will be what is termed a silent bird. That is, be gets up without the whistle that the expects to hear, and bis dight isso rapid that he is nearly out of range before the gunner bas realized it is & woodcock st all. jasn't a & sting and original custom | This | is required, and | 2-gauge, cylinder-bore gun is prefer- | heavy frost, and when the full moon comes they travel very rapidly. The greatest trouble is found in striking the flight. For instance, a good piece of fail ground may be hunted very carefully to-day and nota bird put up. To- morrow morning you may hunt that same cover and kill fifteen or twenty birds on it, all of which dropped in during the night. If not disturbed they might have en eete few days, But it there were a heavy fros' chaness are they would have left Saring the following night. THE FAVORITE GROUND FOR DROPPERS, as the flight birds are called, is second growth timber, especially silver poplars that are situ- ated on high ground near a swamp or stream, Ifthe nights are very cold the birds will be found under second-growth bemlocks or pines. Every locality, however, has its favorite wood- cock grounds, where the birds are sure to drop, and other covers that look all right that never hold a bird. “As sportsmen know to. their cot, the iano: tlooking hayseed wearing a“! ohn” Cronies sieeve tells alie when asked if he has ‘‘seen any woodcock this season?’ THE BAYSEED WITH THE “TRUTHFUL JOHN” EXPRESSION. As is aften the case, he does not even know what a woodcock is, nevertheless his answer comes without the slightest hesitation. “Yaas, there be quite some around. Half an hour ago I were a-fetchin’ th’ cows and see She seare up a lot of 'em.” that so? Did they fly far?’ and the sportsman’s eyes fairly bulge from their sockets as he awaits a reply. “Wall, no; not so all-fired far. They sailed off easy like’an’ lit up in the old button ball ye see yonder.” Here is where we get the bulge on the coun- tryman. It is a well-known fact that a wood- cock never alights in a tree, JW. a ~-o0— Written for Tum EvENina STAR, FARM AND GARDEN. Information and Advice About Poultry, Trees and Flowers. A word or two may be said about young chickens that may be ofjinterest and profit to some. When the young chicks are about three | days old they should be greased on top of their heads, under their throats and beneath their | Wings with pure lard. This will destroy the parasites aud prevent many after diseases. The mother hen should be treated in the same | manner. Choose a bright, warm day for this | work, and rub the grease in well just before | 0 to roost for the night. The grease will then have a chance to soak in before they rub it off. It would be well to repeat the op- eration about two weeks later. THE GAPES, The gapes were formerly supposed to be caused by vermin accumulating on the young | chickens, but there is abundance evidence now | that this is not true. Grease was then recom- | mended for the gapes. If the vermin on the fowis ieid eggs which hatched into worms, which caused the gapes, there would be no better remedy for this disease. But there is no doubt that the worms which cause the } gepes are hatched from the eggs which the young chickens pick up. These eggs can only picked up on old ground where poultry has n kept for some time. The only effective | way of preventing the gapes from getting among young chickens is to have fresh clean ground, The poultry yard should be plowed | two or three times a year, and the young broods kept in the garden away from the old hens, S. W. Cuampers, Trees for Windbreaks, Trees are invaluable for windbreaks in the west, where destructive storms of wind will frequently ruin thousands of acres of cultivated fields, In the east they can be utilized for windbreaks and for other purposes, Some of the tender fruits, such as the peaches, plums and apricots, thrive much better if a thick row of trees protect them on the north, During the cold winter months they suffer from the severe freezing spelis and biting winds, and wheu spring opens it takes some time for them | to recover and send forth their leaves and blos- somes, Often the season is too short for them. | They do not get an early start and frost is here again before their fruits are matured, THE NORWAY SPRUCE probably stands first ag a useful tree for this purpose, The young trees can be purchased at | low rates by the thousand, and their growth is sorapid that they make efficient screens for protection, When planted on small plantations they serve as good timber forests as well as rotections from high winds. The trees do not Bora very high positions on the market on ac- count of their knotty appearance; but by close planting the formation of knots’ may be pre- vented. The trees will run up tall and straight, and give more timber to the acre than when planted in any other wi THE WILLOW is almost 2s good as the Norway spruce for pro- tective purposes, and it is used largely in the west for this purpose. Nearly all of the varie- ties of the willow are easily propagated by cut- tings, and large plantations may be made readily on cheap land. The timber of this tree, too, is becoming valuable, and large quantities of it are being used for the bottoms of carts and wagons for carrying stones and other rough things. There is no doubt that if these two kinds of trees were planted abund- antly over the whole face of the country in the form of belts or screens they would prove of | great value in partly checking the high winds and in increasing the productiveness of certain kinds of fruit. Gro, Wiisox, The Heliotrope, Heliotrope is a favorite flower with all, and its fragrance is so sweet and soothing that no flower garden is complete without it. It is al- ways suitable for bouquet making and for cor- e wear, and plant growers usually finda veadymasket fori, It fo easily prehin in the garden or in pots. All that it requires is good geil with plenty of plant foot in it anda suuny exposure. If planted in @ poor, dry soil or put in the shade of some larger plant, the hehotropes are never satisfactory, The finer varieties will have their f¢ ittacked by rust if shut out from the sun light, and the only preventative is to expose them Seely to the open air and sun, The queen of violets is the darkest and handsomest variety, but unless oe treated its leaves are always covered with rust, spoiling its beauty and appearance POT CULTURE OF THE HELIOTROPE is as simple as the garden culture of it Make your soil rich, composed of equal parts of sandy loam and rotted menure, and stick a newly-rooted cutting in it. With a medium temperature it will immediately grow bg rep- idly. Pinch out the point of the shoo} Shem a: begins to reach three or four inches ight, ‘This will reduce branching and make the roots spread in the pot, In time the roota will get so numerous and branching that the plant will have to be removed to a larger pot. It will re- quire a pot, so that its roots can have plenty of room, After remov- of the Pittaburgh Dispatch. ; “So you've gots little sister et your boase,” said a maid of eight or ten years to another of about her own age. “Yes, and she's twins,” was the 4 “What are you going to name “P4 like to name one of ‘them Isabella, mamma.’ | arequest which coul | $150,000 does not seem an exaggerated estimate Written for Tax Evawire Stan. ‘ ‘MILLIONS OF DOLLARS’ WORTH OF JEWELS IN THE HALL OF STATE—A THRONE OF GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES —'‘THE SEA OF LIGHT" —REAPS OF PEARLS AND OTHER GEMS. (Copyrighted, 1889.) Milton, in one of his magnificent periods, gives expression to the ideas which have long Prevailed regarding the splendor of the east: be hich PS ee et Satan exalted wat." With inimitable touch the great poet de- scribes all this wealth aad pageantry by the usejof the word barbaric. Splendor—wealth almost beyond the power of fancy to con- ceive—there has been in the far orient, andsuch there still is, But itis not distributed, but ac- cumulated rather ina few palaces, and often displayed with a certain crudeness that dazzle»! and astonishes rather than pleases individuals of strictly refined and cultivated taste. At the } ime it cannot be denied that very high ari effect is somctimes reached in this way. as by the flat tints which predominate in ali oriental landscapes, which are fuil of a certain decorative result, which, perhaps, partially ac- counts for the style of pictorial art common among the ancient Greeks and among oriental artists generally. PERSIAN WEALTH. No oriental country, at least none west of China, is at present better able to present such spectacular effects 28 Milton alludes to than Persia, She is not a populous country. She is by no means relatively as powerful or wealthy as in her former periods of pros- perity, On the other hand che is not poor, | lor debt; the shah annually lays by a certain Proportion of the revenue, and he still pre- serves @ goodly number of the princely and, in some cases, priceless jewels wrested from other nations by Persia’s conquerors of old. Were these treasures turned into coin they might reasonably be expected to realize enough to pay a Targe part of the expenses 2 @ war even in these days of costly war- ‘are, THE CHIEF PALACE of Nasr-ed-Deen shah, and the one he occupies | at the capital, has for one of its most remark- able features a superb hall of large proportions, which serves at once as an audience chamber on | Sreat occasions of state and as a store house in which he keeps his vast accumulation of treasures, It is not easy to gain access to the splendors of this hall, ‘partly because some of the jewels are often in actual use by the wives and daughters of his majesty, who may disply them for a day, these jewels being collected when visitors are expected to visit the palace, and partly because there seems to be a lurking dre of too often and too publicly displaying the spoils that might reward a successful in- vader of Persi When, after months of patient effort, the writer finally succeeded in receiving an invita- | tion to inspect the royal treasury, he was imme- diately besieged by requests of Europeans to permit them to accompany himself and family, only be granted spar- ingly. Twelve royal feranshes or attendants in searlet livery preceded us as we went to the palace, and one of the high ministers of the realm was present to receive us and exhibit the wealth of Persia, THE HALL OF AUDIPNCES or treasury is « superb apartment some 180 feet ong and 60 broad, paved with the tiles for ywhich Persian art is famous, arranged in ele- gant designs, The ceiling is vaulted and dec- | orated very elaborately in stucco, an art in which the Persians excel. The treasnres were arranged in cases about the sides of the apart- ment like book cases and in glass-covered re- ceptacles resembling show cases. The first ob- jects to attract our attention were the chairs and tables covered with beaten gold. There were about forty of the former, shaped like any arm chair, but differing from the usual bouse- hold furniture in being entirely overlaid with sheets of gold nailed on with gold fastenings. These chairs, we were told, are worth $4,000 each; they certainly are of great value, and ) for the entire number. The tables were about 6 feet Jong and were completely covered with the same precious material, These sumptuous articles are truly oriental in character, and from the earliest times beaten gold has been a favor- ite method of decoration in the east, and is often mentioned in their poems and tales, TRE PEACOCK THRONE. It was an easy transition to pass from examin- ‘ing these objects to an inspection of the famous peacock throne. This is one of the most cele- brated treasures of the east. Ages before it | was acquired by Persia it had,a world-wide celebrity, It stood in the audience hall of the eat palace of the Moguls at Delhi, and was a evocite object for eliciting the enthusiasm and descriptive talents of European travelers in India, Tavernier, himself a jeweller, well known both in Europe and Asia as such, estimated its value at some twenty millions of dollars, Other experts have valued this astonishing treasure as high as thirty-five millions, while some place its worth under thirteen millions, Its name is derived from the form of the back, which radiates like the tail of a ock, each separate feather glittering with the matchless irideacence of countless jewels of price. The frame of the throne is of gold and the surface is A BLAZE OF GEMS arranged in intricate patterns, combining to a common effect a mosaic whose splendor has never been approached, much less surpassed since the days of Solomon or the storied mag- niflcence of dad when at the zenith of her glory and power. This bewildering combina- tion of the wealth of oriental mines and the skill of oriental artists was siezed by Nadir hah when he conquered India at the head of the armies of Pe: early in the seventeenth century. After distributing spoil to the value of $1, to each of his soldiers he brought home with him, it is said, treasures to the value of upward of one million, of which the peacock throne was the chief. Wherein the wealth of the east differs from that of Europe is its less even distribution. It is concentrated in the hands of the monarch anda few of the noble, and hence, ile the country ta give an im- premion of poverty the court is always able to by pageantry and genuine treasures, WITH THREE KEYS. On the seat of the peacock throne was a small box covered with cloth of gold. The key to this box, which is metal, is retained by the shah about his person, except on the rare oc- casions when the case is to be opened, when it is given to the lord keeper of the treasury, whose head must answer for the result. In- side of the case is a silver casket, of which the key is hidden in the royal jibesay in a box re- sembling a book. Within the silver casket is one of fold, whose key is kept by the lord keeper himself. On this occasion the three keys were forth- coming, and the lord keeper, pisces the pre- cious packet on his lap, opened one case after another, When the golden lid of the inner one was raised a splendor like the radiance of the sun burst forth and we looked on the fa- mous Dar-i-Noor, or sea of light. This is the great diamond of Peasia—one of the largest, most magnificent and ‘MOST COSTLY GEMS IN EXISTENCE, | Ita exact weightIam unable to state, but it aa ESPetvices i i & 8 g & & i u i I | : 2 all have something; there is no public | t | gold. majesty on ordinary occasions of state. He isa man of medium although stature and sightly near-sighted, but hi is dignified, not to say majestic, and is well fitted to set off the pomp of an oriental king. A FOOT OF PEARLS, We were next shown acase covered a foot deep with pearls lying together ina heap like sand on the seashore. The pearl fisheries of Persia have long been famous; the avers of Orrmnus and Bahrein have rivalled those of Ceylon in the treasurers they have erected from the deep, and for ages pearls were no more accounted for at Ispahan than silver at Jerusalem in Solomon's time. The supply seems at present to be somewhat less, 0 to the fact that the divers each year are forced to plunge farther down to find the — m. ut to jndge from that mass pearis I in- ferred that there were still a few left in Persia, VALUABLE COINS, In an adjoining case was a glittering heap of mohurs, a coin formerly current in Persia, al- though none have been struck since the time of Feth Alee shah, the grandfather of the present king. There examples are kept like a mine of pure treasure, for the gold is yellow and with- out alloy. These pieces are nearly the size of @ small saucer and worth about $500 each, There appeared to be several hundred in the case. Several cases were filled with magnificent examples of work in turquoise—the chief tur- juoise mines of the world being in Persia; no mer specimens of that beautiful stone are to be found than those in the shah’s treasury. In other cases we saw the armor of Shah Ismael, of Shah Abbass andother great monarchs of Persia, To those who are interested in ancient armor no more interesting spe®imens can be seen elsewhere ‘than those superb helmets, bucklers and scimetars, exhibiting, as they do, famous skill of Persian artificers in metal ied to its last degree of perfection, But oa wonderfully attractive for the superb chafings in gold which decorated the surface and the gems that still glitter amid the In the center of the buckler of Shah Is- mael gleamed one of the largest and most MAGNIFICENT RUBIES OF THE EAST. I should not forget to speak also of the silk rug spread before the peacock throne, thickly embroidered with pearls, on which, of course, no one treads but the shah and ther ~nly to sit on it when giving audience to his nc. tes on his birthday or the great festival of the new year. But time would fail to speak of all the other costly objectstgarnered in that truly imperial throne room, and I can only allude to the treas- ure the state has stored ina strong vault un- der the palace, as I have been told, consisting of many millions of bullion saved from the rev- enue and preserved against a possible time of need, which we may all hope may long be averted from Persia and from so worthy a monarch as Nasr-ed-Deen shah. 8. G. W. Bexsam. WASHINGTON’S FRUIT SUPPLY. The Watermelon and the Trade in This and Other Fruits. A STROLL AMONG THE WHOLESALE DEALERS— THE WATERMELON CROP AND HOW IT IS BROUGHT TO WASHINGTON — ABOUT CANTA- LOUPES, PEARS AND OTHER FRUITS. The scenes about the establishments of the wholesale fruit dealers in Washington just now present a pleasing and animated appearance. Stacks of crated peaches, huge piles of water- melons, rows of carefully boxed pears and bar- rels of cantaloupes feast the eyes of the passer by. With allof these products the season is just opening, and choice selections of either find ready purchasers and generally bring good round prices. Vashington,” said a prominent Louisiana avenue dealer to a representative of Tug Star, “though what might be called merely a con- sumptive market 1s one of the best in this country in the long run. New York and Chere eae do not, asa rule, prove the most profitable for consignors, tak- ing in the entire season, They provide asteady demand for fruits and produce, it is true, and on that account attract the large shipments which so frequently cause “gluts,” at which times consiguments bring consignors into debt. Such a thing rarely occurs here. It is true prices get low and some stuff is spoiled, but the supply never exceeds the demand to such an extent that a disposition cannot be made of it at some price, when received promptly and in good condition. No great boat loads or train loads of fine ripe fruit are taken and dumped into the river when caught on an over- crowded market to save handling and time com- mon to the larger cities,” Then, again, it may be said when a particu- lar fruit or product is wanted and found to be scarce, there are those, and not a few, who are willing to pay any price to get them. In the early season strawberries brought #8 a quart at wholesale, a figure, so far as known, higher than reached at any other point, Thus, it is claimed, that those who ship steadily to Wash- ington, ep bad as wellas good report, enerally find the average result better in Wastttngton than any other place. RED TO THE RIND. The fruit most abundant just now, and the one that can fill the largest cavity for the least money, is the watermelon, They are plentiful and cheap, and getting cheaper as the season advances. Walking along B street or Louisiana avenue, westof the Center market building, one sees them piled in pyramids by hundreds,of all sizes and varieties. The best melons to be had now are from Georgia and are selling at $10 to $18 per hundred. The best for eating are the select round ones from the fact that they endure shipment better than the long ones, rolling instead of bumping about en route, thus P Reeapbeg to a greater extent their firmness, They are six to eight days on their way and are brought through without change by fast freight over the Richmond and Dan- ville system, which com: is exerting itself to facilitate transportation. It would appear on casua) thought that water transportation would be pretccenie, but such is not the case. Freight charges are somewhat heavier, but ex- perience has taught that by rail the fruit reaches market sooner and in better condition. SHIPPING MELONS BY BAIL. A fruit train sometimes contains seventy carloads of melons with about 1,000 to a car. This is equivalent toa good ship load. The terrain, however, carries thirty to forty cars. ear cuore the melon is taken directly from the field to the car and itis not disturbed until it reaches its point of destina- tion. The utmost precaution is used to keep them in good condition, The fruit cars do not hold the melons in such large bulk ag boats, hence th is enabled to get at them, @ very nec matter, No meng made, and probably never will be, to dle the melons in bulk or barrels, They must be passed from hand to hand, and long lines of men are formed for that pi » The rail- road people claim that less dling is re- gs by rail than by water, and the point is ubtless @ good one. SHIPPING BY WATER, Large cities like 58 it : i a F 3 8 i Ly Hi} E 3 in fi it é | fi ? E i i f i thet H E E I : t a fe fle tit mi i B f rae thal tew homes and melon A stray melon is or broken entails a struggle between bever-failing crowd of erson, mostly the small boy. snd disappear in e'yelp, whle the, Seeet juice a , wi sweet feasters ag the oil flowed down the beard of POINTS ABOUT THE WATERMELON. Among melon-dealers the bolief is wide- spread that the fruit is good for kidney troubles. The effect upon the kidneys is al- most as quickly perceptible as that of aspara-~ gus, while to te fevered tongue the taste is as delicious as So can etenge. ea, kept in Good, sound melons, not crack a shady place, will keep three or four weeks. Many attempts have mmade to keep them all winter, but the fruit preservers have not as ‘et made a success of it. Some pr d to do it by varnishing the outside, so as exclude the air. Some say the best way to keep a melon all winter is to bury it in the ground where it will not freeze. No attempt has been made to kee watermelons all the year round as a_ commert- cal speculation, except that a few have occa- sionally been _ in cold storage, and once in a while a gardener raises a few in a hot house for the benefit of those who do not like any- thing that is got in the nominal way. HOW TO TELL A GOOD MELON. Many judge by the stem. When fresh the stem is firm and green. As time wears on after the gathering the stem withers and darkens proportionately. Some dealers have a habit of cutting off this stem, which cuts off with it this simple method of testing freshness. Others can tell by thumping it, a good melon re- returning a firm, solid sound. Much elasticity when pressed by the finger indicates and long pulling. Some people tell by pressing the sides together, which produces a firm, crackin; noise within. This, however, many dealers wil not allow, as it is injurious to the fruit. The underneath or white looking side, which is caused from its lying on the ground, is also a ood criterion. is is scratched with the inger nail and if the skin is tender and the melon firm to the pressure of the finger, nine out of ten will be worth buying. SOMETHING OF A TID-BIT. About this season is the harvest for the melon-slice men, who cut up a fifteen-cent melon into a dollars’ worth of pi which are eaten on the spot, mostly by the colored small fry. They grasp these delicious morsels in both hands without ceremony or handkerchief, and disdaining a knife. bury their mouths, nose and eyes into this nectar of the Ethiopian gods, THE CANTALOUPE. This delicious fruit is just beginning to come into market in respectable quantities. It is rather early yet, however, for them to be good. Those arriving come trom North Carolina and Virginia, and bring from $3.50 to $7 a barrel. A barrel will hold 35 to 40—the ordinary three- bushel barrel. The best coming in now are from Virginia, beyond Danville and Peters- burg. but even they are green and must be ripened after arrival—thus greatly deteriorat- ing their quality. t will be several weeks yet before the near-by cantaloupes will be availa- ble, but when they do appear they are by far the best to be and as a relish before breakfasting, in season, heads the list of all fruits of tree or vine. The pale green and yellow meat has a peculiarly delicate flavor and piquancy that delights the paiate and sharpens the appetite as no other fruit can claim. THE RICH AND JUICY PEAR. Pears are also getting under headway. In- deed, they are coming in briskly, though, as with cantaloupe, in rather a green and undesir- able state, The best on the market is proba- bly the Le Conte, which comes from Florida. Pears promise to be very plentiful and cheap. Some are also arriviug from sections adjacent to Washington, the lower Potomac and the country around Frederick, Md. These are the Bartlett and the Bell, and bring about 23.50 per barrel. Those arriving are mostly suitable for cooking purposes, Those sold at retail for eating purposes are ripened artificially and | have neither the flavor nor juiciness others will have ina week or ten days from now. OTHER FRUITS. Good apples are scarce. Few of those here now are really suitable for eating, but used mostly for cooking. Some from about Char- lottesville, known as the Blue Ridge Beauties, combine both eating and cooking qualitics, They are a medium-size apple, with red color- ing and stripes around the stem ends. They wholesale at 75 cents to ¢1 a box—about oue bushel to the box. Grapes are coming in from South Carolina and Georgia and some very fine ones are to be seen. The white varieties, large,plump bunches, bring 10 to 1214 cents a pound. The dark, pur- ple grapes, while not so attractive in appear- ance are as eatable, perhaps, as the white, and sell at 5 to 6 cents a pound. From two weeks from now until the middle of September the market will be at its best, and during that time Washington will equal in a general assortment of fine fruits and berries any city in this country. Written for Tre Evexmne Stan. Block Island Air. Block Island is a barren isle. But there the air is bracing, ‘Where folks resort to see the sea, And be from cares and business free, ‘To roam the beach, and watch awhile The waves each other chasing. I met a haggard there, A native, wretched case in. I asked what might her ailment be; “The doctor says,” she answered me, “That ralely for my health the air Is rayther too embracin’.” I packed my duds and sailed away, From this new danger racing. Of solid, warm embraces I Am somewhat fond, but then might die, I thought, if I should longer stay Where the air ts too embracing! —W. L. SHOEMAKER, ————+oo_______ A NEW CIGAR HORROR. Elegant Wrappers for Cigars Now Made of Patent Rye Straw Paper. From the Pittsburg Commercial Gazette. Among the latest imitations which have been successfully introduced into the tobacco trade of this city and other cities are cigars the wrappers of which are made out of a specially perfumed paper. A gentleman well known in the iron manufacturing circles of this vicinity was the first to inform a reporter that smoking material of this kind was now in the market. He has recently returned from a visit to Nor- tolk,Va,, where he met a drummer for a large tobacco factory of New York state. This gen- thon introducing ‘as inltatiog eigwr wraprer n an imi ion Wray which was so deceiving in its character That experts could scarcely distinguish it from the mae ae pre Ww, was to steep the and one portion of the material in a strong solution made from tobac- SUMMER RESORTS. SPRINGS AND BATHS. a Great Norch Sn. Wu 1g miles frooe Wipe With relay of horses, mak- SaaS SEA-SIDE-JERSEY COAST, A ANTA rea ATLA TLA! a See Ss ae ces SSF SPL SS RTESCUR athanse Ci. fits L ALBION,” ATLANTIC CITY, NJ. nA a see oe Serme moderate ae, eae as KROPEN: eband e . Watkins Lek weS-sim ew 81.50 to $2 p cr day: @8 to : Douse on the inland st these rates. JAMES 8 MOON. _ yj ALATESTA HOTEL_ATLANTIC 5 Corner N. Carolina and Atlantic aves. ; good table ; terms moderate, _3y/8-1m MARK MALATESTA. Prop. Gin Mars usa Avante Atlantic City, N, rer aves... nB, J. Now Re-leased for this mytéeoomn i. CENTRE ws, THESIS, Atlantic oe Xe Michigan ave, near the Beach. oes JAMES STOKES. HE COLONNADE, ATLANTIC CITY, ¥. 2 Prices, good table. Special inducements to Wi _G A. RINES, of the Elamere, thie city. Je 20- ue MANSION, ATLANTIC CITY. N, J—LAR- geet and most prominently located hotel. Newand CHARLES McOLADE. ATLANTIC CITY, &. J. to the Beach. DW X GUESTS 400) TED jouse, Camp Al EROLD. é ce, RDRED EXEL ABOVE FIGOD MARE: sere, A ew ak ae. $e No.1 cook. Address ie We : > ‘Open duty * eO-2 S ~ 9 iVUSE, DELAW. WATER GaP, vate grounds; electric bells: " sanitation, (mylOwimaj AT LA ILL, FOr HOUSE, HARPER'S FERRY, W. Vv. #6 per ‘Ook ENLARGED AND IMPROVED. _ Balt W: toe Dane yuse, aeraton, | aToasT. BRIDGE HOTELS, Howe > OEavanee _Jelg-am e“konents s sons | N sencatiuercaslg HE CLIFTON, COR. ATLANTIC AND OON- — — ‘athontic GUL Those three hotels, ares mage ty Friends ent. Faint 15-2m SOSEPH ENG! all under one management, with all modern p unprovemente, within 1 the famous Natural Bridge, one of the soutiuent; Pure water: bay fever unknown ; 8. ctret reas o9-6-3m ob HIBB, HE AURORA HOUSE AND J the Alleghanies: no fogs. no by 4 by Siarfice “Addrew J. SHAFTER: Aurea, Ve, | ENGLER, Proprietor. _ HE VICTORIA, SOUTH CAROLINA AVE., Bear the Beach, Atlantic ty, ¥. J. Open all the year. cold weg bath 9 house, onal 203511 ED STATES HOT) ou TES HOES eLANTIC CITY, N. J. ‘The Largest and Leading Hotel. iB WARDEN, Manager. _B.E.BROWN,Propr. del 2 SBURY PARK, N.J.THE BRIGHTON, 3D AVE, ‘one aud balt blocks from ocean. Large well ven- —— WiLLiAusPoRr, Pa. mumunicating rooms ; tion; artesian water snd gas special terme for June and Gave rt ess Mus. HAM. Bes: ‘Situated. Finest Pennpivan. a i oh FF and ali modern improvements. First-class scoommo- Forcincalan ee “Forcircular. Jel-cozm MRS. D. McDONALD. WATER GaP HOUSE DELAWARE WATER Gar, Pa. A beautiful tain resort the Blue Ridge. Hotel mode 4 pan POTOMAC RIVEK BOATS. STEAMER JOHN W. THOMPSON—FOR POTO- Sa River, Lea’ Wednesday SBURY PARK. N. J.—THE VICTORIA FAMIL\, Hotel, near ocean, gas, artesian water, and all jnodern int uinth season; terms ‘ate; open KEMPE. “mol 4-0 SoS? Bouse, ASBCRY PARK N. J. ‘Thirteenth Season, mI 100 Yards from the Ocean. E_ A. MARTIN. RK, N. J. yuse from ASBURY PA . fourth bor HE FENIMORE, ASBURY PARK, THIS located house, 14 blocks ‘and will be OB. S (GLAND, ASBURY PAI Located one block from th ventilat Te AN RING Ray ane | BRANES TANG A ING BE RR . =— 7 Te Pull vowal thetic Haw seas, | Paya and a THURSDAYS at 76. m. for Potutiae Biver ; , ry % creck.” Grinder’ —o Pie | s down and Wednesdays up. Soren y (aid SOOTY — ot Poiut, Thursdays down and Mondays aisd Wed OCEAN AVENUE, NEAR THE ye up. Location. very. desirable; F. L. TOLSON, Agent, 7th st. whart. the ocean; near iron pier | my4-3m JNU. MOGAMEE. Agent, Alexanarie Va. an jater baths. Special rates families for the season. MKS. J. A. MYFES, of Balti- more. .P. 0. Box 884, Cape May City, N. J. ap20-codm HiGtez LAFAYETTE, CAPE MAY cr Open'all the year. | Strictly first-class, ” 61 Girectly on the beach, opposite iron pier. Rates $2.50 to #4. VICTOR DENIZOT, Prop: HE ALDINE, DECATU! first house from beach; posite. Terms reasonable: cS JUR POTOMAC HI) En aa nwas STEAMER W, rfom MONDAY y Koturning TUESDAY, AVS p. mn, touching st River Landings ae far as Nomini Crevk, Va. St Cleinemts Bay % ltown, Md. Counects with Band Bhtitomer Scr tchciuie. SOR B PADORTE, ‘W. RIDLEY, Manager. poromac “TRANSPORTATION LINE 2 NEW For Baltimore snd River Landings, Steamer Su, Tee Oe Capt, heal. eaves Stephenson's Whart every PENS JUN. Sunday @c'clock p.m ur further informatiwa oO} EL JAMES MOONEY, Owner. apply to FRANK H. HILDRETH, Jeo-2m_Late of the Hotel Lafayette, Proprietor. _ T= “WINDSOR, CAPE MAY, N. J. STEPHENSON & BRO. OCEAN STEAMERS. yILL OPEN r BURG-AMERICAN PACKET CO. pasate one HS HESS SEAVICE between, New York, South- the Lew twin-ecrew stesiners ee a WW. GREEN, | orT0000 tons ama TE00 burec power, Fasteagets MossouTH House, London and the Continent, steamers unescelled tur safety, speed and comtort. REGULAR SERVICE: Every Thursday from New Zork to Fymouth Lowden), “Cherboure’ Pape) abd Bunbury.’ "Purough tickets to London and. Parts Excellent fare Rates extremely low, Appiy to the mJ Office, —— | ora ime - American Packs De J0., 3F a N. 3. 16) Browdway, Ns am DP. DROOP, O25 be ave. uw, QHORT ROUTE 10 LONDON, SPONRORDBE TECH i LLOYD 8. 8. CO. SPRING LAKE BEACH, WILL OPEN JUNE 29. For terms and other information address L. U. MALTBY, Monmouth House, Spring Lake, N.J., or Jel5-tu.th,s20t Hotel Lalayette, Puladelpinin Pay \ ILLBURTON-BY-THE-SEA, SPRING LAKE N. J. From June to October, Direc LETCHWORTH. tay3-Sin Sa anaes cneBARNROAT crrr. ‘pen June 2: 5 at ee 4a re a Ea > . Bet, Aug. 3. 10 ler, Wed., Aux. 7, 2p.u. saloon appointments. Prices: Ist cabin, @100 upward a berth, according to location ; 2d esbin, ghd @U0 an adult: steeraye at Jow rules F. DROOP, 925 Penn. MEDICAL, &. seat — i. LEON, ‘The Uldest-Fstablished and ouly Reliable Ladies? sivian tu the City, can be consulted , 464 C xt, between 436 and Oth ete. Dw. treatment. Correspondence and ta tion ctictly contdeatial “Separste roonse te taaine ” a“ Vf Bay at Tendency O01, ue Nr ores to¥ p.m. with 2-Lau* Je1-3m EW HOTEL, ted directly on the beach ; 1 ited ity. ‘Utean Grove, eS FO, Box S004, JOSEPH WHITE, Prop’. SEA-SIDE--NEW_ENGLA’ cK ISLAND, KR, L—OCEAN VIEW HOTEL. B@pen Sune St Fine bass and bine Saning cellent bathing. Electric 7 and bells. it striig aud brass. Gable Block Island, RT. Orchest: 5 5 oe hotel ‘ye 4 20, under sane Wuanagenent as last os culare at Star office, “Hound-trap tieyete rood forte fopm season, reduced to” old, rato—@8. Thro rains 17 and 4:1) Arn ie OP WALTER BB'S ISLAND, snore See . le ‘inia’s Seuside Resort Atlantic Ocean, T HAS NEVER BEEN CONTE DICT ee ee tON OF Tat Dr, BROTHERS i the oldest-cxtatu of hotel nm, new buildings, ladies’ Physician in the city. ements. goufdently commait Dr. kos HE KS, b and surf bathing in the world. Su- ye runing. r hhed frou Norfolk by steamer Northamp- Tmt BROTHERS, 000 BST. and thes “ perb ton via Gheeryetone, Mo mn or dally by New York, days. or daily Passengers transferred to island bj muntzonee Gay, Wu 50, Fates por week. O12, rates per on . cipkin det Nora | JQEAD AND BE WisE—DR « ideat i Pebiished Expe Dc. Sites s Notary Pabliein . 3 4 Golumibia, this 34 day of July, 1588. ANHOOD RESTORED BY USING A two of Dr. BROTHERS’ Lpvigorating oF two of Dr. BOT aN CoxGRESS. HALL, OCEAN CITY, MD. resent proprietors fring tie tax He ite -tuune euage- tous Hodat ited appertaining to the comfort of ‘Excellent, home-like Table. Bat! their rueste. $ioipec mock ae and 7q HUBY, POWELLS ((oLOSIAL BEACH HOTEL OPEN FOR GUESTS, pens ti Sion of ite roeste. ienes it salt water bathing ou the Potomac river. fetus aud information: address SHARPLESS & CO., o29-1m, * Colonist Beach, Now PSNR AINA pa ee as err ence $e22-39t ad LADIES’ GOODS. © REAL ACCORDION ST. TI through the on the coast. cries | Qyexs VE, Se See ee be & Pills ff For particulars are Sb 28 CHESA-