INDUSTRIES AND FIRESIDES. 23 I 



forest has recovered its hold ; but the tradition is pre- 

 served in the name of the rock. 



While it is probable that this tradition does not reach 

 back to so early a date as 1750, yet the case is a fair illus- 

 tration of the earliest method of preserving apples. 



A large proportion of the apples in those days were 

 made into cider, which was used in every home as a bever- 

 age and in far too many as an intoxicant. 



About a favorite pear tree belonging to Aaron Pratt, of 

 Beechwood, son of the first Aaron, there comes down 

 through the generations an amusing incident. Aaron's 

 faithful negro slave had tried to catch the thieves who 

 persisted in robbing that pear tree, but with no success. 

 When the time came for the negro to say his last earthly 

 farewell he made this dying request, that he might be 

 buried beneath that pear tree so that he could see "who it 

 was that stole massa's pears." 



Two of the most interesting food processes on the farm 

 were cheese making and butter making. Butter making is 

 still a very common industry, but the old methods of 

 doing it are fast becoming obsolete. The broom-handle 

 churn, with its up and down dasher, is now only a relic, 

 superseded by revolving churns; but the "chugg" and 

 "splash" of the old dasher into the thick cream will be 

 long a treasured memory with those who have heard it. 

 The milk was set in broad, flat dishes because it was 

 thought that the broader the surface the more the cream. 

 A huge clam shell was often used to skim off the leathery 

 layer of cream, leaving the "skim milk" for calves and 

 pigs when it could not be otherwise used. The modern 

 method of pouring gallons of milk into one deep can and 

 then after a few hours drawing off the skim milk from 

 below was not dreamed possible. Much less could have 

 been foreseen the creamery separator which does no wait- 

 ing, but simply spatters and whirls every globule of cream 

 out of the milk before it has time to settle. An old- 



