secretary's budget. 425^ 



turing sort (I mean that matures its wood early) they have got fruit 

 earlier than on the young trees and they have hastily concluded that 

 such is the universal rule. — T. H. Hoskins, Newport, Vt., in JV. E. 

 Homestead. 



In the summer of 1884, in company with another, I made excursion 

 here and there in Champaign county to see for himself the condition 

 of orchards, and to note on what soils and in what situations apple and 

 pear trees were most vigorous and fruitful. One of these was down 

 the east bank of the Salt Fork of the Vermillion of the Wabash. This 

 country was settled between fifty and sixty years ago, the emigrants 

 coming from Ohio and Indiana, and taking up lands on the edges of 

 the timber. Here, orchards were planted, and in one of the oldest I 

 observed three or four apple trees remarkable for their size and vigor, 

 and laden with fair, smooth, and for the quantity on the limbs, large- 

 sized fruit. Curiosity being excited, a closer inspection was made, 

 and it was found that each one of these trees had one or more hog- wal- 

 lows under it of greater or less size. The site of the orchard was orig- 

 inally moist, if not wet, and close alongside it, and on the creek's banks,, 

 many of the gigantic burr oaks, blackwalnuts, blueashes and other 

 noble timber trees of the primeval forest growth, were still standing. 

 On this occasion I remember I asked myself the question : If the lar- 

 gest and most valuable of our timber trees grow best in a soil wet six 

 months in the year, and moist twelve, why not the apple ? — B. F. S. 

 in Country Gentleman. 



HOW TO USE CRAB APPLES. 



J. C. Plumb, writing in the Westei'n Farmer, says : 

 As this fruit is universally plenty and fine this year, while in many 

 sections the larger apples are very scarce, it is well to know some of 

 the many ways of making the Siberian family useful. The sweet and 

 subacid varieties are valuable for eating out of hana, for baking and 

 sweet pickles, and for these purposes alone find a ready market at the 

 prices of the best apples. But the common acid varieties, from the 

 Transcendent down to the Soulard, and the native crab of the woods, 

 have their uses, the most common of which are: 



Apple Jelly. — Stew until well cooked with water only sufficient 

 to cover the fruit, drain and press gently through a double cheese- 

 cloth ; sugar equal to juice, "pound for pound ;" boil twenty minutes ; 

 skim twice, and it is ready for the glass or crock. If glass is used they 

 should be taken from hot water. When cold lay a white paper on the 

 jell, and tie another over the top of the crock. Less sugar may be used. 



