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FARMERS* REGISTER— APPLES-CLOVER MACHINE, &c. &c. 



of New York, the foil is preferable only for the 

 apple, pear, plum, cherry, quince, and all other 

 trees of northern latitudes ; whereas, the spring is 

 to be preferred for the peach, apricot, nectarine, 

 and almond, which, for the reasons before stated, 

 might, during severe winters, sutler from the in- 

 tensity of the frosts. Still, I do not mean to assert, 

 that trees of these kinds are certain to be injured 

 by the winter; as, in very many seasons, they are 

 not in the least affected: but they are exposed 

 to vicissitudes which may or may not occur. — 

 Many gentlemen, however, of excellent judg- 

 ment, make their plantations in the fall, even of 

 the more delicate fruit trees; which only serves to 

 prove, that even in the most intelligent minds a 

 diversity of opinions exists. 



Very respectfully, 



WM. R. PUIjNCE. 



GATHERING APPLES. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

 Apples for late keeping should be gathered be- 

 fore over ripe, and before the hard frosts of au- 

 tumn. They should be hand picked, and if the 

 quality is such as to allow it, they should bespread 

 upon floors or straw, and not allowed to lie more 

 than two or three deep. Some require to be gath- 

 ered sooner than others. The apple known in tiiis 

 section by the name of Pound Sweeting, should 

 be gathered as early as the last week in Septem- 

 ber, otherwise they will become " water cored" as 

 it is called. If gathered early this will be pre- 

 vented, and they may be kept until February or 

 March, and will be found excellent for the table, 

 and for baking, we do not know of an apple equal 

 to them. If apples can be so exposed as to become 

 a little shrivelled before they are put in the cellar, 

 they will keep the better for it. When put in the 

 cellar, they should not be allowed to lie too thick. 

 Apple bins should be so arranged, that floors can 

 be laid one above another, at a distance of about 

 two feet. The floors should be laid with narrow 

 boards, and the cracks left at least two inches wide, 

 to allow the air to j)ass through the apples freely, 

 which will carry off the moisture produced by 

 evaporation. Those who would carry apples, pears, 

 quinces, or peaches to market, should pack them 

 in chaff, or fine grass of second growth, a layer of 

 fruit and a layer of grass. In this manner fruit 

 may be delivered fresh and sound, and one bushel 

 of fruit free from bruises is worth more than three 

 that are brought in casks or boxes in the common 

 way. 



CLOVER MACHINES. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 



Farmers who have thrashing machines in opera- 

 tion at their barns may with a little expense, put a 

 clover mdl in operation by the same horse power. 

 A cylinder of the same length as the one used for 

 thrashing grain, covered with sheet iron, punched 

 full of holes like a grater, revolving within a con- 

 cave of the same description, will answer all the 

 purpose of a more expensive machine. By pas- 

 sing the clover chaff after it has been thrashed from 

 the straw, through this machine, the chaff is ground 

 fine, and may be separated from the seed by the 

 common fanning mill. 



REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF SHELLS IN 

 NEW JERSEY. 



From Finch's Travels in the United States. 

 In the northern counties of New Jersey are nu- 

 merous marl pits, formed by the decay and disso- 

 lution of fresh water shells. Some are of great ex- 

 tent. A very singular one in the vicinity of 

 Marksborough is called the Snow Pond. I. Thomp- 

 son, Esq. politely went with me to view it. When 

 seen at a distance, it appeared as if the ground was 

 covered with drifts of snow, although it was in the 

 month of August. On arriving at the spot, I 

 found it was caused by innumerable small white 

 shells, which formed a border to a pond three miles 

 in circumference. 1 he shells extended in many 

 parts a hundred yards from the shore, and a cove 

 which extended a mile was completely filled with 

 them. Towards the centre of the pond the bank 

 of shells declined suddenly to an unknown depth ; 

 many attempts had been made to fathom it, but 

 without success. The shells are extremely minute, 

 none of them more than three lines in diameter, 

 and many one third of that size. They appear like 

 grains of sand. The quantity amounts to many 

 thousand tons. Recent shell fish of the same kind 

 are nodoubt living in the centre of the pond, but have 

 not hitherto been noticed on the surtace. No use 

 is made of this immense deposit of sheik, although 

 a very pure carbonate of lime. A small dam 

 thrown across one end of the pond was said to have 

 been made by the beavers. 



TO PRESERVE GRAPES. 



From tlie Genesee Farmer. 



Where there are several bunches in one branch, 

 it may be cut off, leaving about six inches in length, 

 or more, of the wood, according to the distance be- 

 tween the bunches, and a little on the outside of 

 the fruit at each end; seal both ends with common 

 bottle wax, then hang them across a line in a dry 

 room, taking care to clip out with a pair of scis- 

 sors any of the berries that begin to decay or be- 

 come mouldy, which, if left, would taint the others. 

 In this way grapes may be kept till February; 

 but if cut before the bunches are too ripe, they 

 may be kept much longer. 



Grapes may be kept by packing them in jars 

 (every bunch being first wrapped up in soft paper) 

 and covering every layer with bran, well dried, 

 laying a little of it in the bottom of the jar; then 

 a layer of grapes, and so on, a layer of bran and 

 grapes alternately, till the jar is filled ; then shake 

 it gently, and fill it to the top with a bladder tied 

 firmly on to exclude the air; then put on the top 

 or cover of the jar, observing that it fits close. 

 These jars should be kept in a room where a fire 

 can be kept in wet damp weather. 



FAMILY STEAMER. 



From the Wilmington Press. 

 There has been introduced into this place, a lit- 

 tle apparatus, admirably adapted to destroy nox- 

 ious vermin, and to prevent their increase. It is 

 a portable steam generator, and is very easy of 

 application; the smallest crack or fissure is tho- 

 roughly searched, and not a bug or insect can es- 

 cape destruction. It is an article which every 

 tidy housewife ought to possess. 



