140 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[September, 



dairymen, produce dealers and consumers to avoid it. 

 Since then this stufi' has been larjrely used to mingle 

 with skim-milk, for the manufacture of cheese, and 

 some dairymen have unfortunately been led into the 

 most surprising; advocacy of this adulteration by offi- 

 cers of the Dairymen's Association and a university 

 professor, to enter into the manufacture of this fraud- 

 ulent article. As pointed out two years asfo, and 

 often since, the public refuse to eat this trash ; the 

 markets are consequently overstocked with it, and 

 prices for genuine cheese are borne down by the pres- 

 sure of the unsalable adulterated article. The whole- 

 sale produce dealers are now very bitter against the 

 ' Oleo-Margarine,' and many manufacturers doubt- 

 less feel equally bitter against those who induced 

 them to make the unsalable chesse. The verdict of 

 the public, however, will be, 'served them right ;' for 

 those who undertake to adulterate food, and those 

 who encourge the attempts to do it, are both deserv- 

 ing of censure, which the public will not be slow to 

 inflict upon the delinquents. In self-defense those 

 factorymen who make genuine butter or ' full cream' 

 cheese, should take means to prevent this unfair and 

 injurious competition, by procuring the passage of a 

 law to prevent the sale of adulterated cheese or but- 

 ter, except it be conspicuously branded, and repre- 

 sented openly as what it really is, a mixture of milk 

 with beef tallow, cotton-seed oil, horse fat, or what- 

 everotber ingredient may be used in the adulteration." 



THE GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Take Care of the Tools. 



The tools employed upon the farm are costly, and 

 should receive the same care which is bestowed upon 

 other valuable property. There is manifested by 

 many farmers a kind of chronic neglect in respect to 

 the care of the implements of husbandry. Compli- 

 cated machines like those used for mowing, raking, 

 threshing, etc., with their iron wheels, levers and 

 cams, are allowed to rust and decay, so that iu a cou- 

 ple of seasons they are worthless. This neglect is in- 

 excusable, unpardonable. Some farmers become tor- 

 pid, frozen up, in winter, and appear to have no ac- 

 tive blood in their veins. They will not take up a 

 rake or a neglected hoe in winter, and put it under 

 cover. We have seen ladders, forks, harrows, shov- 

 els, etc., peeping out from under the snow in winter, 

 fn time of thaw, and have asked why they were not 

 cared for. Sometimes the reply has been, "We will 

 attend to it to-morrow ;" but that to-morrow never 

 came. There must be a society organized for " pro- 

 tecting farming tools," and the officers must have full 

 jiowcr to forcibly seize and put away all neglected imple- 

 ments, no matter upon whose premises they are found. 



Keep the Farm and Home Tidy. 



If you get a moment to spare, spruce up ; put the 

 gate on its hinges ; put a little paint on the picket 

 fence you built last year ; trim up the door-yard ; 

 make it cozy and inviting. Do not say you can find 

 no time to attend to these things. The fact is, you 

 have no right to be slovenly. It can do you no good, 

 but, on the contrary, it will mar your peace, wound 

 your self-respect, and impair your credit. Then, by 

 all means, spruce up a little at odd times, and even 

 times, too, for that matter. It will make you feel 

 vastly better, and maybe a trifle prouder of your pretty 

 homestead. Your wife and children will be made hap- 

 jiicr Ibr it ; your neighbors will be enriched, beauti- 

 ficil and blessed by it : and your farm will be worth 

 more money in the market, and of greater value to 

 you at home, if you spruce up a little now and then. 



How Easily Butter is Spoiled. 



"A Farmer's Wife "writes : "Of all the products of 

 the farm, butter is most liable to be tainted by noxious 

 odors lloatiug in the atmosphere. Our people laid 

 some veal in the cellar, from which a little blood 

 fiowed out, and was neglected until it had commenced 

 smelling offensively. iThe result was, that a jar of 

 butter which I was then packing smelted and tasted 

 like spoiled beef." Another writes that "there was 

 a pond of filthy, stagnant water a few hundred feet 

 from their house, from which an offensive effluvium 

 would be borne on the lireeze directly to the milk 

 room, when the wind was in a certain direction; the 

 result of which was that the cream and butter would 

 taste like the disagreeable odor coming from tliat 

 pond. As soon as the pond was drained, we had no 

 more damaged butter." 



The Value of our Crops for 1874. 



The total value of all agricultural products in the 

 United States for the year 1874 was ?2,447,.5:;8,C.59. 

 Tlie products derived, directly and indirectly, from the 

 grass crop, is estimated at .?i, 292,000, 000, itemized as 

 follows : Hay, 27,000,000 tons, at $20 per lun, Sr,0O,- 

 000,000; live stock, s], .'•,2.5, 000,000 ; animals slaugh- 

 tered for food, JioOO, 0(10,000 ; butter, S.'iU, 0(10,(100 ; 

 milk, .<;2.5,000,000 ; wool, «2."),000,000 ; cheese, $.5,000,- 

 000. The estimated total derived from grass is prob- 

 ably too large, for the reason that the hay crop, the 

 value of which is given as one of the items, must have 

 been used to some extent iu swelling the other values. 

 Still it is doubtless safe to say, allowing more than 

 half the value of the hay to go to this account, that 

 in round numbers the value of the i)roduetions depeud- 

 ing upon the grass yield for 1874 was $1,000,000,000. 



Work to be Done in October. 



VEGETABLE OARDEN. 



Place Lettuce Plants which are to be headed for 

 winter in hot-bed frames, and cover them at night. 



Set Cabbages for early spring in cold frames, but do 

 not cover them until cold weather. 



f^heltcr) Caidiflon-ers which show their blossoms 

 from rain and frost by leaves broken down over their 

 heads. 



Cabbages need their last attention from the hoe. 



Earth up Celery, but not when wet or damp with 

 dew. 



Cut Parsley well back — to force a new growth — 

 and transplant enough for winter use into frames. 



As frosty nights approach, cover Tomatoes — enough 

 for daily use— with cloth or straw. If the frost 

 comes sharp enough to kill the vines, gather all of 

 sufficient size and lay them in a warm, sunnv place, 

 covering at night. They may be kept thus for weeks 

 after the vines are gone. 



Melons require the same treatment as tomatoes. 

 Watermelons may be kept till Christmas. 



Dig Pool crojK, throw in heaps, and cover with a 

 few inches of earth to keep out slight frosts. When 

 the crop is removed, dig the ground over and leave it 

 rough and unraked, that the' frosts may mellow it, 

 as well as kill the eggs of insects and the seeds of 

 weeds. 



Make Mushroom beds in cellar of barn or house. 



Phnbarb and Asparagus beds are benefited by cov- 

 ering four to six inches deep with rough manure or 

 other litter. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Transplant Currants and Gooseberries, and prune 

 the old wood. Rust and milldew, so common ou the 

 fruit of the latter, is often avoided by removing old 

 wood, .and letting light and air into the middle of 

 the bush. Cuttings succeed much better when 

 planted in the fall. All but one bud should be 

 buried, and the soil pressed firmly against the 

 lower ends. 



\i Raspberries were not pruned last month, see to 

 them now. Last year's wood is now worthless, 

 either for growth or fruit. 



Prune Thimbleberries and Blackberries, and plant 

 new vines. 



FLOWER G.tRDEN. 



Spring-flowering bulbs, such as hyacinths, Tulips, 

 Crocus, Iris, Xareissns, Jonquils, Scilla, Snow-drops, 

 and all varieties of Hardy Lilies may be planted 

 this month. 



Peonies may be set out — September is the bet- 

 ter time. 



The seed of hardy annuals, such as Larkspur, Oilia, 

 Eschseholtzla, Candytuft, Alyssum and Mignonette, 

 are to be planted now if you wish early summer 

 flowers. 



Gladioli, Tigridia and Amaryllis Formossissi7na 

 should be taken up on any fine day before frost. 

 Dry them in the sun, and store for the winter in a 

 place free from frost and damp. 



As soon as frost touches the tops of DaJdias, Cala- 

 diums, Cannas or Erythrinas, take them up, dry in 

 the sun, and put in a dry cellar. 



If Tuberoses are in bloom, pot the best of them and 

 bring into the house to finish flowering. The bulbs 

 should be dried in the sun like Gladioli, but need 

 keeping in a warmer pl.^ee. 



This is the best period in autumn for planting 

 Evergreens and Hardy shrubs. During this or next 

 month, according to the season, protect all plants 

 that are in the ground, if not completely hardy. This 

 should be put off as late as possible. The coverings 

 may be of straw, Russia mats, canvas, boxes or bar- 

 rels. The two last must be perforated for ventila- 

 tion, or the plants will become musty and decay. 



Tender roses — of the China Tea and Bourbon class 

 — should be lifted from the open ground and potted 

 for blooming in the late winter or early spring. 



Zonale Pelargo/dums, Lemon Verbenas and similar 

 plants, desirable to be saved, should be taken up as 

 early as possible, potted and moderately pruned back. 



Grading, making new borders, latmsnud walks may 

 be done in the fine weather of tins mouth. 



CONSERVATORY AND HOUSE PLANTS. 



Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocus, JVarcissus, etc., intended 

 for early winter-blcjoming must be potted. 



Amaryllis and Cape Bulbs that are are now start- 

 ing to grow should be re-potted. 



Briug in all House J'hmis before the frost injures 

 them ; set in a room without a fire, and give abun- 

 dance of air every mild day. 



Callas may now be divided and re-potted. 



Put in cuttings of Fuchsias, Heliotropes, Verbenas 

 and Carnations. 



Baphnes, Camellias, Chinese Primroses, and any 

 other greeuhouse plants that require larger pots, 

 should be shifted, but only if the old pots are full of 

 roots. 



Over-potting — putting plants into pots too large for 

 them — is a common error of novices in floriculture, 

 and is very injurious to the plants. Plants that are 

 kept iu the house should have plenty of light>aud 

 air, and their leaves kept clean and free from dust by 

 frequently syriuging, watering overhead or sponging. 



Winter Protection of Roses. 



A plant well wintered is worth so much more than 

 one taken in and newly planted iu the spring that it 

 is very desirable to protect roses without removal, 

 when possible. This can be easily done in most loca- 

 tions by either of the methods given below. A rose 

 maybe winter-killed quite to the ground, but if cut 

 off early in the spring down to the live wood, it will 

 fisually push up new shoots, and bloom as well as ever. 



In winter protection, there are three rules that 

 should hot be forgotten. First, Bo not give too tnuch 

 protection! This is worse than not enough. Second, 

 Befer covering for winter as late as possible; woderate 

 freezing is not injurious. Third, Uncover at the pro- 

 jier time ire the spring. Just when this is, must de- 

 pend on the locality, the weather and the season. It 

 should, of course, not be done until the frost has en- 

 tirely left the ground and the growing season is at 

 hand. If the plants have had but slight protection, 

 such as evergreen boughs or straw, a few days earlier 

 or later will not make much difference; but if covered 

 with earth they are in a condition to be more easily 

 injured by sudden changes in the temperature, or dry 

 winds, and should not be uncovered until there is a 

 prospect of reasonably settled weather. Even then 

 it is well to cut off at least one half the last season's 

 growth, to guard against too rapid evaportion. 



To cover with straw or evergreen boughs, (if the 

 roses are set singly) drive a stake firmlyby the side 

 of the plant, and tie it nicely to the stake; then take 

 straw or boughs of a suitable size, stand them neatly 

 and closely around, and bind firmly together. If a 

 number of the plants are together in a bed, give a 

 covering of straw or leaves, that will be four to six 

 inches thick when settled; then put boughs thickly 

 and neatly over the whole. Boughs will auswer very 

 well alone, or leaves alone, if means are taken to keep 

 them from flowering off. To protect with earth, bend 

 the plant down to the ground and cover with fine soil, 

 six inches or a foot deep; or cover the whole bed six 

 inches deep with earth. Covering with earth is only 

 recommended for regions of severe and protracted 

 cold, where nothing else will save the plants. 



Another plan — and a very good one — is to take an 

 old box or barrel, knock out the top and bottom, turn 

 it over the plant and fill loosely with leaves, or clean 

 straw, or small boughs. When the covering is moved 

 in the spring and the plants pruned, the beds should 

 be nicely dug over and dressed. The Dingee >& Conard 

 Company, who are perhaps the largest rose growers 

 in the country, is our authority for these remarks. 



Hyacinths in Winter. 



Why is it that, as a general thing, persons are so 

 unsuccessful in blooming bulbs iu the winter? In 

 nine cases out of ten the bulbs certaiiily do not give 

 the satisfaction they should. We tlnnk the mistake 

 is that they are forced into growth too suddenly. 



A lady buys, say, half a dozen choice bulbs. She 

 does not care particularly to have a succession of 

 bloom. If they flower moderately well, she will be 

 perfectly satisfied. They are planted according to 

 directions, and set away in the dark for six weeks. At 

 the end of that time you may find them in the sun at 

 the sitting-i'oom window. In a day or two the points 

 of green leaves seen near the surface will open with a 

 little compact bunch of color in theceutre — and there 

 it will stay till it withers. Perhaps out of the six 

 bulbs three will throw up spikes of bloom. These 

 will probably prove of the white or lavender varieties, 

 which seem to be of freer habit than others. 



Last winter we succeeded in growing as fine blooms 

 of hyacinths as we have ever seen, and with very little 

 trouble. Late in December, after our fall stock of 

 bulbs was disposed of, we found a dozen or more hy- 

 acinths of various colors which had been overlooked. 

 To keep them from spoiling they were hastily planted 

 in four or Ave large pots, and these set away in an 

 out-building, where they would be free from frost and 

 have very little light. There they were left for three 

 months, and nothing done except to water them occa- 

 sionally. Expecting little or nothing from them, they 

 were not noticed till leaf and flower stalk were both 

 perfectly developed. The light had not been suffi- 

 cient to color the flowers, and thest^ were all of «. dirty 

 pale green. The pots were now brought to the sit- 

 ting-room and placed in the full sunshiue, and in a 

 few hours each spike had assumed its natural tint. 

 The ettect was very beautiful. Not a bulb had failed 

 — red, purple, yellow, blush and white were all large 

 and perfect. — American Garden. 



Root-Pits for Winter Vegetables. 



Choose a warm protected corner in a well-drained 

 field. One of the first requisites of a pit is perfect 

 drainage. Water would make it foul and disagreea- 

 ble, and cause the roots to decay. Therefore do not 

 attempt making a pit unless you are perfectly sure 

 that water will never enter it. Make a furrow about 

 three feet deep by running your ditch plow several 

 times in the same line, north and south. Lay the 

 roots in the furrow in a neatly built triangular stack. 

 Tlirow back the earth over the roots to the depth of 

 a foot or more, rounding the top so as to throw off 

 water; and cover the whole with straw. At intervals 



