QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 159 



Tomato — Stewed. — Scald with boiling water to remove skin, cut in Cooking 

 small pieces, removing cores, place in stewing pan with butter, salt. Receipts. 

 pepper, cook for a few minutes, thicken with corn starch, or bread 

 crumbs. 



Fried. — Cut in thick slices, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and 

 fry with hot lard until brown on both sides. Serve hot. 



Turnip — Boiled. — Peel and cut in small pieces, boil until tender, mash, 

 add salt, pepper and butter, or serve in light cream sauce without being 

 mashed. 



903. Q. At what date were Garden Seeds first grown for sale in this EarUest 

 country ? Seed Culture. 



A. Possibly some were grown in colonial days, but there is no record 

 in existence of such culture, everything being imported so far as known. 

 The first recorded seed culture was by David Landreth, of Philadelphia. 

 1784, followed by John Mackejohn in 1792, by William Leeson in 1794, 

 and by Bernard McMahon in 1799, all of Philadelphia. 



904. Q. Which seeds of garden vegetables are richest in albuminoids? Albuminoids. 

 A. Peas and beans, vegetable casine being found in them to the extent 



of 20 to 30 per cent. In potatoes, vegetable albumen is found in large 

 proportion, and in wheat, vegetable fibrin. 



905. Q. What proof is there that diversified farming is the safest to Profitable 



pursue ? Farming. 



A. The report of the United States census for 1890 shows that of the 

 farms sold on foreclosure 98 per cent, were those devoted to one or two 

 crops only, while on farms devoted to many crops only 2 per cent, were 

 thus sold out. 



906. Q. When planting cucumber seed and other seeds of vines, how vine Seeds. 

 many should be planted in a hill and how many plants left to stand ? 



A. The average number planted is six or seven, but more is better. 

 Farmers' boys use the following rhyme as to corn : 



"Two for the wire worm. 

 Two for the crow. 

 Two for the blackbird. 

 Two to grow." 



907. Q. I am thinking of laying out a lawn of about three to four acres Lawn, 

 around my house, and inquire what should be the leading idea governing 



the plan? 



A. As a rule lawns are planted without any artistic or practical plan, 

 and you do well to contemplate laying out the work after a defined system. 

 You will do still better to employ a landscape gardener to draw a plan just 

 as you would employ an architect to design a house. The first thing is to 

 decide on the number and directions of vistas or lanes of open views from 

 the windows, doors or porticos, and then stake them out and positively 

 adhere to keeping these vistas open. These vistas may be three or four or 

 more, giving views of distant counlrj^ of hills, valleys, water or other pleas- 



