io8 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



June, 



"^e Household 



Canning Fruit. 



In canning fruit, that- should be chosen which 

 is fresh and well ripened. This is of special 

 importance with Strawberries, which at best, 

 are more difticult to keep than most others ; 

 they should also always have the best cans. It 

 should be added, that the color of this fruit 

 may be retained by using plenty of boiling 

 syrup to begin the stewing. 



Acid fi-uits of all kinds, aside from considera- 

 tions of taste, should be well sweetened to im- 

 prove the keeping. With others this is also 

 desirable, but of less importance. Sweet Cher- 

 ries keep well with but little sugar. Sour 

 Cherries are improved in canning by heating 

 slowly, and then draining the first strong juice 

 from them and adding water and sugar instead, 

 in which to can the fruit. 



In the operation of filling, set the cans on a 

 folded towel, wet with cold water, and none 

 will ever break as the hot fruit is poured in. 



An abundance of .iuice is always important, 

 even if increased by the addition of sugar and 

 water syrup. There must be enough in every can 

 to cover the fruit, and allow besides for the set- 

 tling. As every can is filled, work a spoon- 

 handle several times through the fniit to cause 

 the air bubbles to rise, after which more fruit 

 may usually be added. Fasten the cover tight, 

 testing the work by inverting the can. Then, 

 after standing an hour they will bear tightening 

 once more. After the work is done, store the 

 cans in a dark place. 



Some kinds of fruit are, for variety, very fine 

 for being mixed, as sweet with sour Chen-ies; 

 Red Raspberries with Red Currants ; Quinces 

 with Pears or sweet Apples. The flavor of 

 Peaches and most stone fruits is improved by 

 adding the meats of a few stones, or even by 

 leaving them wholly or in part unstoned. 



Grapes are about the easiest of all fruits to 

 can, and may sometimes be put in cans not 

 trusted for other kinds. 



As regards the utensils for canning, a granite- 

 ware or porcelain lined kettle should be chosen 

 as being the best; those of tin or brass answer 

 well, but with this caution: that the fruit 

 never be allowed to cool in them. 



Glass jars seem preferable to all others; but 

 let it be seen to, that the glass tops are free 

 from anything like nicks or cracks. 



Many fail in canning, through so small a 

 matter as the rubber rings, which are used on 

 all cans in these days. Let us say that all such 

 are useless after losing their clasticit}'. Should 

 any that are otherwise good prove to be too 

 thin, use more than one. These rings are in- 

 expensive, so no risks should be taken in this. 



Brieflets. 



How to live cheap: Visit. 



Have the screens iu place before fly time. 



Chlorine Water, it is said, will remove scorching 

 marks. 



Flannel or bunting, but not black, for camping- 

 out suits. 



Warranted to remove grease spots from clothes 

 —cut them out. 



Oranges may be served nicely at table, by cutting 

 into eighths, and not peeling 



Instead of blacking the cook stove so often, try 

 rubbing with paper; it will save your hands as well. 



Poached or Dropped Eggs. Salt the water in 

 which they are cooked It must not boil after the 

 eggs are in 



Flat Irons that have been over-heated sometimes 

 stick ; to prevent which iron over a slightly waxed 

 paper a few tiuses. 



Does a glass stopper fail to loosen? Then expand 

 the bottle's neck by burning a match under it, when 

 it will soon start with ease. 



Stove Pipes. Rust in sunmier is the great enemy 

 of these. Now, before taking down your coal stove 

 make a wood fire in it, to fill all the pipes with 

 wood smoke. You will find that this will aid in 

 their preservation by preventing rust. 



Pineapples. No fruit is more delicious when 

 canned. In getting aroimd a supply don't wait un- 

 til they are scarce and dear. Sometimes one can 

 buy a lot cheap, which a dealer finds will not keep 

 tor the next day's sales. Should such contain a 

 few specks, indicating decay, by carefully cutting 

 them out to the core, the rest will not be affected. 

 The hard, tough core is useless. 



Fcru colored curtains can be washed without 

 fading by doing so in bran water. For each large 

 curtain use two quarts of bran, boiUng it half 

 an hour in water to cover, afterwards straining 

 through a coai-se towel. To use. enough water can 

 be added to give it a slightly starchy feeling. By 

 washing in this about three times, they will also be 

 properly stiffened. It always surprises us to see 

 how readily the dirt comes out without the aid of 

 soap. To dri", stretch and pin carefully upon sheets 

 that have been fastened to the carpet. 



Carpets. Who of our readers, but have to move 

 sometimes, calling for the refitting of carpets. If 

 the carpets are made rug-fashioned to fit almost 

 any room by the addition of a material called fill- 

 ing, a gain will be made at moving time. Filling 

 may also extend f.ar enough from the edge of the 

 room to be fitted around mantles, registers, etc., 

 which, in the old style of fitting, spoil cancels so 

 badly. Regular border material may of course be 

 u ed in the same way; we would advise buying an 

 extra yard or two for piecing out with. 



poMltry. 



The Future of the Poultry Business. 



BY H. S. BABCOCK, PROVIDENCE, R. I. 



The interest in poultry has been years grow- 

 ing to its present dimensions. Its growth has 

 been a healthy one, resting upon a solid basis. 

 Eggs and flesh are demanded and will continue 

 to be in demand so long as human appetites 

 need to be satisfied. 



As great as is our present production, it is 

 less than the present demand. For years we 

 have been importing eggs in ever increasing 

 (juantities, and while we have been increasing 

 our production the demand has constantly out- 

 run the supply. 



We imported in 

 1876, 4,903,771 dozens, valued at $ f)ao,393 

 1880, 7,773,492 " " " 901,933 



1885, 16,098,450 " " " 3,476,072 



And this is the way that the poor, over- 

 worked American hen has to compete with the 

 pauper hens of other lands where the glorious 

 doctrine of protection has never been preached ! 



It is to be noticed that in the last ten j'ears 

 our importations of eggs have increased from 

 4.903,771 dozens to 16,098,450 dozens, and their 

 value from $630,393 to A3,476,('73, or in round 

 numbers, our egg imports have nearly quad- 

 rupled. Our population has increased in five 

 years, in round numbers, from 49,000,000 to 

 55,000,000, or about 12 1-4 per cent. The in- 

 crease for ten years at the same rate would be 

 about 24 1-2 per cent. 



While our population has increased about 

 34 1-3 per cent, our importation of eggs have 

 increased nearly 400 per cent. But, as we have 

 already said, our production has greatly in- 

 creased within the same period, so that the 

 consumption must have increased more than 

 twenty-five times as fast as the population. 

 Should this state of things continue, we should 

 never be able to supply our own markets, and 

 high prices would continue indefinitely. 



We scarcely expect this to be the result. A 

 steady' and growing demand will tend to largely 

 increase the supply. At last, as has been the 

 case in all other branches of business, the cost 

 of production will regulate the price of the 

 products. 



CONDENSED POULTRY NOTES. 

 Oats aif excelleDt for egg production. 

 For rapid growth feed the chicks often . 

 Fowls are better off if kept in on rainy days. 

 Late hatching for ducks will hardly answer. 

 Throw fresh sods to confined hens sometimes. 



If ©g'&S seem to nm scarce, perhaps a thief is the 

 cause. 



Have you whitewashed the poultry house? It's 

 getting late, hut not too late. 



If hens in confined places cannot have the best 

 of care, then better not keep any. 



Above all else, see that chickens have a good 

 place to roost and in which to lay, the year around. 

 Such a place needs to be wind-proof, water-proof 

 and well ventilated. 



One of our poultry -growing friends is enthusias- 

 tic over his cross between Black Spanish and Brah- 

 mas for lajing purposes. He brags on them, and 

 perhaps justly enough. 



The color of eggs for sale iu the markets of the 

 coiuitrj-, being darker now than twenty years ago, 

 simply proves that the Asiatic blood has been 

 largely introduced throughout the countr>', leaving 

 its mark on the color of the eggs. 



Chicken-coops frequently prove to be a nuisance. 

 A yard of some size, which confines the hen and 

 lets the chickens run. is much better — enough so. in 

 fact, as to make it an object to substitute for coops. 

 Coops are too often filthy and unhealthy. 



Profitable Poultry. If your desire to know 

 whether jour poultry is profitable, keep an account 

 of the expense and income, the latter of course to 

 include all the products consumed at home, a big 

 item usually. By such a course a good many peo- 

 ple would be surprised at the results— some pleas- 

 antly, some otherwise : but a good deal would be 

 learned by this means. 



Aim to Prevent Disease. Fowls may be kept 

 free from all diseases bj' attending well to their 

 common needs. They should above all things have 

 clean aparrments, and such as will thoroughly 

 shelter them from wet and wind. The food should 

 embrace grain, green stuff, and meat or scraps 

 from the table, and be fed in only such quantity 

 as will be eaten up clean each time. Clean water, 

 and no other, should always be within their reach. 



Movable Poultry Quarters, ^'ith the use of 

 such some poultry can be kept in confinement in 

 small groimds to as good ailvantage almost as 

 when they have a free run on a farm. For a dozen 

 hens, make a structure ten feet long and sbc feet 

 wide. Four feet of one end should be boarded up, 

 roofed and fitted with floor, feeding and other 

 conveniences ; the remainder should be onlj' 

 two feet high, and made of lath or nai-row boards, 

 for a yard, but without a floor This structure may 

 be easily carried by two men, or it might be fitted 

 to move on rollers. It should be located on a grassy 

 patch, and moved its length every day or two. 



Fowls Eating Their Feathers. These fowls are 

 suffering from a tlepraved appetite, which is usu- 

 ally brought on by the bird's digestive organs being 

 upset. A general change of food, with such vege- 

 tables as can be found— swedes or mangels, for 

 instance— would be beneficial. I should imagine 

 the grit is not of the right kind. Give some broken 

 oyster shells, old crocks and broken bones, 

 while if the birds could have a fresh run it 

 woidd be a very good thing. Such fowls as eat 

 feathers should be separated from the rest, or what 

 is better, killed off. for they are not often cured. 

 The water should be wholesome, and a rusty nail 

 might occasionally be kept in it I liave never had 

 a feather eater in my farm yards, but they are not 

 uncommon when enclosed within limited space. 

 No man knows the variety of food a fowl takes 

 when at liberty. They love to frequent a newly- 

 mown field, as they find an old pasture does not 

 supply all their wants. It is a good plan to kill or 

 sell all birds after their second season. J. W. R. 



Keeping Eggs from " Cheap to Dear." The 



writer has practiced it successfully for years. I 

 use the racks of the Batcheldor egg cases, each 

 rack holding six dozen; these I fill in summer or 

 early faU, placing them iu a cellar, cool and quite 

 dark. A spare rack is kept and once each week 

 all eggs are turned by placing the spare rack over 

 a full one, and carefully turning the lower rack on 

 top, as one does with incubator trays. All are soon 

 turned over. The one strong jioint is to take abso- 

 lute new fresh eggs; then they will keep for four, 

 six or eight months <>ne of the heaviest egg deal- 

 ers in our state, when told of the above method, 

 said: '" You have my method almost: for years my 

 "wife has sewed a strong lr)op on each end of fifteen 

 or twenty of my small salt sacks, and we put a 

 couple dozen fresh eggs in each oue early in the 

 fall, close up the opening, hang the bag on hooks in 

 my cellar at home, and by turning the sacks once a 

 week, hanging them up bj- loop on tlie other end, 

 we have all the fresh eggs needed for use till spring." 

 —Cor. Farm, Field and stocktnan. 



