Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1881 — Minnesota’s Great Fall of Snow. St. Paul Pioneer-Press. [ARTICLE]

Minnesota’s Great Fall of Snow. St. Paul Pioneer-Press.

The whole amount of snow which has fallen during the months of December ,January ,and February reaches the extraordinary figure of 6,68 feet, or adding the snowi fall of November, .12.51 feet. The average depth of snow remaining on the ground all winter, in consequence of the absence of any prolonged thaw, has been from two feet in the first half of winter to four feet in the latter half. The depth has, of course, widely difibred in different localities. It has been less in northwestern Minnesota, and greater in -the southern and southwestern part. Without being severely cold, the winter has been just cold enough to preserve an unusal proportion of of the snow which fell in such unprecedented volume, and to keep each successive layer in such a light condition that it was swept like thistledown before the winds for hundreds of miles across the naked plains of Minnesota and Dakota, and was only stopped by some ravine or grove or the trough of some river or railroad cut, or other gap or obstruction, where it was piled up by the winds in drifts of enormous depth. More over, the winter began a month earlier than usual. It set in early in November with the features that have distinguished it from its known predecessors, with heavy snow storms. In fact, the farmers of southwestern Minnesota were surprised in the middle of their fall plowing, and thrashing by a heavy snow-fall in October. But this was a local flurry which did not extend beyond a yellow belt. Commencing in mid-November, the winter has continued without any noticeable relaxation of its severity, though of course with mild spells, from that time almost to the middle of March. And even now, though we have had a couple of weeks of more spring-like weather, it has been unusually cold for the season. The snow is gradually but slowly melting away, and perhaps the slowness of the process, though it taxes the patience after a winter of such extraordinary length and stormine-s, will save the numerous river valleys from the disastrous floods whioh nave been anticipated as one Of the consequences of* the great depth of snow, if it passed off with the usual rapidity which marks the transition from cold to warm weather in (his region. }K

Mr. Robert Mann read an essay before the Ingham-County, Mich., Horticultural Society, a few days age, on “Kitchen Gardening,” that contained many facts, and useful hints, as follows: Peas require planting early, and at intervals of two weeks for succession Do not forget to put in some Champion of England; they are late, but will pay to wait for. The golden wax is as good as any of the snap beans and much better than the most of them. It is early and prolific, and as hardy as any. Plant when the weather is settled and warm: hoe when the plants are dry..

Lima beans are very nice, but require skill and patience to succeed. : They Should be planted with the eyes down in rich, warm soil. > Tomatoes should be planted early, in a hot-bed or in boxes in the house, and transplanted two or three times before setting In; the open ground, each time giving a little more room. If the stems look green they need more air and light. Spinach, if better known, would be more largely planted, as it is very easy to nfise, oomes early, and makes a nloe addition to the dinner. If planted late in August and covered with leavee it will live through the winter and soon be ready to cut after the mulch is removed in the spring, ft can also be planted ear hr ip the spring and at intervals of two weeks, so as to keep the table supplied all the season. Everybody knows how to raise cab-

bage; but cauliflower, something much nicer, i* rather more difficult, -on account of oarhot sab. The treatment is about the same as required J for cabbage. Plenty of moisture is required, and it should be planted so I as to head early in the season or in j the fall; a liberal supply of water once or twice a week will nay. Squash and cucumbers, as all know

require warm weather; rotten wood is a good fertilizer. Probably not one garden in 50 ever has a nice head of lettuee, one of the most easy plants to raise In the whole list. To have it nice it • should be started early, transplanted once or I twice before setting in the garden, I when it should be planted in verv rich soil, 10 or 12 inches apart, and allowed to grow until it has formed huge heads, which will be tender and of fine flavor; the light colored varieties are the best. Light frost will not hurt it.

Beets, carrots and parsnips should be planted as early as the soil can be worked, in good mellow soil, and must be kept clean. Persons who raise parsnips should raise their own seed, as it is not safe to plant seed over one year old. , Radishes are very easy to raise if you have suitable ground, which can >e tested by planting a few seed in different jiarts of the ground. In one dace the quality nlay be very poor, >ut a few rods distant very fine; plant long scarlet. Do not forget a few sweet herbs to dry for winter use, as they are quite an improvement to the thanksgiving turkey and spare ribs. , j

The Parte correspondent ‘of The Pall Mall Gazette writes: The ides of March have been fatal to the Qzar, and there were not aCalphurnia to beseech him not to trust to the precautions taken ’bjr'Oen. Loris Melikoff for his safety. The princess Dolgorouki dreaded foes in the imperial household, and wanted .to get away from St. Petersburg to/Can uvs with her children. She knew that if she! went there Alexander would follow her, for latterly be could not l*ear even temporary absence from her. When she was In the Crimea she Induced Her doctors to say she was threatened with a galloping consumption. If the Livadia had been the safe and comfortable floating palace which Admiral PopofT guaranteed, the opjortunity would not have risen for the Jzar’s enemies to assassinate him.] He would hav6 gone in it with his second family to make a tour In the Mediterranean, and would hav£ cast anchor in smooth, broad bays, away from the eyes of prying quidnuncs, reporters, and of those worshipers of cfowned heads who render sovereigns miserable by their fulsome adoration. A vika had been hired at Cannes for the new wife and her children. But the Queefi of Wurtemburg, who is precise, formalistic and an intensely ir< >ud woman,had gone to stay these. Elis imperial brother could not bear the idea of the Princess Dologorouki being her almost next neighbor in a j little gossiping place. He could have dictated to his brothers and children the ceremonial he wished them to observe toward the lady whom be loved and wished to honor, but he ad no means of compelling a sister who is the wife of a German sovereign to yield to his behests iu this matter So the villa which had been hired a early as last October remains tenant less. Gen Chanzy, in his private lei ters to the foreign minister here showed more faith in the strong baud of Gen. Melikoff than was entertained in the intimate circle of the emperor. The emperor was latterly himself not so apprehensive of jllota as he used to be, and fell into the old routine which he had been accustomed to follow before the duel of which he was to be the victim had declared itself between nihilism and imperialism. The fall of the Beacoosflekl government had 1 coincided with -a lull in home politics I in Russia.. This, as it has proved, deceptive calm had been noticed by the czarewitch to the corps diplomatique. A feeling of confidence, Gen Chanzy wrote home, was being , manifested everywhere except in the Inmost sanctuary of the czar’s household. Whenever Alexander went abroad his wife, althongh a woman of easy temper and lymphatic, was a prey to the gloomiest apprehensions. His safe return home was always the occasion, of a domestic te deum. . i t

House-cleaning hints. Helen Campbell, in her recent book on housekeeping, gives some excellent and helpfull hints in regard to house-clean-ing, which our iady readers, who are about passing'through that ordeal, will be glad, to see.. She says: It is not necessary to take up heavy carjets every year or often er than once n every two or three years unless they are in constant use. The tacks, however, should be taken out every year and the carpet folded back a yard or two and the floer washed in strong suds in which borax has Men dissolved at the rate of a tablespoonful to a pail of water, and after dusting black pepper on the edges tack the carpet down again. By this means moths are kept away, and as corners and folds;*!* their favorite hiding places they are searched out and destroyed. Ingrain and other carpets, after being taken up, can be brightened in color by sprinkling a pound or two ot salt over their surface and sweeping carefully. It is useful to occasionally wipe off the carpet with borax wa{er, using a wet flannel and taking care not to wet . the carpet, but only to dampen It; Mirrors should also be wiped with borax water, the cloth being wet enough to dampen it. In scouring paint sapolio is better than sand, and in aIL cases a little borax should be placed in the water. Mirrors can be cleaned with whiting, afterward being rubbed with a woo’en cloth, or they ean be polished and dried with old newspapers Oil paintings should simply be wiped with a damp cloth, and if picture-cool iasolled that should be wiped off to secure

against moths. Soap should never be used on varnished work of auy sort. An excellent way Of keeping winter clothing dunng the summer is to place it in bags made of several thicknesses of newspapert, printers Ink being one of the most sucoessftil protections against moths. Gum camphor is also good. A pound of com camphor sewed in little bags will last a long time. Before putting away woolen clothing, flannels, etc., theyshonld be carefully washed and shaken In order to get rid of any moth eggs;