1848. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



187 



gard to the opinions of the gentlemen present, 

 and we are therefore happy to give the follow- 

 ing note from Mr. Coppock, which sets the mat- 

 ter right, and is otherwise interesting : — 



Frif.nu Barry : — In the last (June) number of your 

 very excellent Magazine, you menlioned having received 

 from Mr. Johnson some very superior Northern Spy Apples, 

 and observe that had I and the gentlemen composing the 

 pomologieal discussions lield at my liouse in March last, 

 seen these specimens, the selection of the Esopus Spilzen- 

 burg, which we then took as a standard criterion whereby 

 gome 40 other varieties might be judged, would certainly 

 have been reversed in its favor. 



From these rema ks you have evidently mistaken the 

 opinions of myself and many of the gentlemen at that time 

 present, and indirectly charged us with libelling a glorious 

 friend. The Esopus Spitzenburg is, a.s both you and me, 

 and all agree, when taking into consideration all its quali- 

 ties, of rich flavor, growth and keep, a most excellent and 

 superb apple : and from the fact that it is so generally well 

 known, and admitted to be such, and the Northern. Spy 

 eomp;iratively (although rapidly making acquaintance) a 

 new apple — was the reason principally why it was selected. 

 In our classification you will recollect the iVorthern Spy 

 was ranked A, No. i — a pretty strong mark of favoritism, 

 which it undoubtedly deserves, notwithstanding some of 

 our highly respectable neighbors think otherwise. This 

 apple vvas exhibited with otliers at our May Exhibition, of 

 tiie Buffalo Horticultural Society, both by our friend J. H. 

 Watts, Esq., of your place, and myself, and those per- 

 sons who had not previously known it were particularly 

 struck with its excellent qualities. ' As a farther evidence 

 of its rank with us, I would mention that it has sold here 

 at $8 per barrel, and retailed in the s'treets at four cents 

 each. I have a few of the same sort left, for our Pomologi- 

 eal Convention. Truly yours, 



Bufalo, June 12, 1848. ' W. R. Coppock. 



Since the above was in type we have received 

 a communication from Col. Hodge, of the Buffa- 

 lo Nursery, of similar import. He says : 



" We adopt the Esopus Spitzenburg as a standard 

 by which to judge other fruits. We do not say that it is 

 superior to all others, but that, all things considered, it is 

 of equal value to any other. 



The Northern Spy with us stands high — no apple more 

 io. It is not so extensively known as the Spitzenburg. It 

 possesses all of the good qualities of a most superior fruit. 

 There are several large trees now in bearing in this neigh- 

 borhood , — was introduced here some eight or ten years 

 since. The trees are productive and fine growers, the ap- 

 ples large and fine. No apple retains its juices and flavor 

 better— a good keeper ; and in the month of April and May, 

 and even into June, I had almost said superior to any other. 

 No apple sells higher, or even as high, in the market. 



Some three or four years since an article appeared in the 

 Genesee Farmer saying that a man who had gathered 90 

 barrels of the Spy found them so small and inferior that 

 only 17 barrels were tit for the market. This article pro- 

 vented many from procuring, or cultivating tbis fruit. We 

 thought of •' Morns MiilticauUs," and " Chmese Tree Corn." 

 We had already been humbugged enough, and concluded 

 to wait a while. Two years ago I found Mr. Downing and 

 other prominent pomologists of the opinion that this apple 

 would prove inferior. But now, I believe that nearly all 

 consider it as "A, No. 1." 



In this same report, (April number of the Horticulturist) 

 that I have referred to, it is stated that the " Rhode Island 

 Greening does not always hold, in Western New York, the 

 color and flavor of the land of its origin." From this para- 

 graph I must beg leave to dissent. The true Rhode Island 

 Greening is of as rich flavor here as in Rhode Island. I 

 foel confident on this point. Let the next autumn show 

 determine this. I challenge proof to the contrary. I do 

 not place this fruit in Jlavor as number one ; but in all other 

 points as first rate. No apple is mere productive, often 

 producing wonderful crops. As a market fruit it stands 

 pre-eminent. B. Hodge. 



Buffalo Nursery, June, 1848. 



LADIES' DEPARTMENT. 



Items in Domestic Economy. 



To Color and Preserve Brass Ornaments. — 

 Brass ornaments when not gilt or lacquered, may 

 be cleansed, and a fine color given to them by 

 two simple processes. The first is to beat salam- 

 muniac iuto a fine powder, then to moisten it 

 with sofi water, rubbing it on the ornaments, 

 which must be afterwards rubbed dry with bran 

 and whiting. The second is to wash the brass 

 work with roche alum boiled to a strong lie, in 

 the proportion of an ounce to a pint; when dry 

 it must be rubbed with fine tripoli. Either of 

 these processes will give to brass the brilliancy 

 of gold. 



Sweeping Carpets. — Do not have carpets 

 swept any oftener than is absolutely necessary. 

 After dinner sweep the crumbs into a dusting 

 pan with your hearth brush; and if you have 

 been sewing, pick up the shreds by hand. A car- 

 pet can be kept very neat in this way, and a 

 broom wears it very much. 



Preserving Cheeses. — If you have a greater 

 quantiy of cheese in the house than is likely to 

 be soon used, cover them carefully with paper, 

 fastened on with flour paste, so as to exclude the 

 air. They should be kept in a dry, cool place. 



Remedy for Moths. — After the last of May or 

 first of June, the little millers which lay moth 

 eggs begin to appear. Therefore brush all your 

 woolens and pack them away in a dark place cov- 

 ered with linen. Pepper, red-cedar chips, to- 

 bacco — indeed almost any strong spicy smell is 

 good to keep moths out of your chests and draw- 

 ers. But nothing is as good as camphor. Sprin- 

 kle your woolens with camphorated spirit, and 

 scatter pieces of camphor-gum among them, and 

 you will never be troubled with moths. 



Cleansing Feather Beds. — If feather beds smell 

 badly or become heavy from want of proper 

 preservation of the feathers or from old age, emp- 

 ty them and wash the feathers thoroughly in a 

 tub of suds; spread them in your garret to dry, 

 and they will be as light and good as new. 



Earthern Ware. — It is a good plan to put new 

 earthern ware into cold water, and let it heat 

 gradually until it boils, — then cool again. Brown 

 earthern ware in particular may be toughened 

 in this way. A handful of rye or wheat bran, 

 thrown i:; while it is boiling, will preserve the 

 glazing so that it will not be destroyed by acid 

 or salt. 



Britannia Ware. — Britannia ware should be 

 first rubbed gently with a woolen cloth and 

 sweet oil, then washed in warm suds, and rubbed 

 with soft leather and whiting. Thus treated it 

 will retain its beauty to the last. 



