24 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[February, 



selves ; in size they are both large and small, 

 being adapted to the rcfiuirements of the par- 

 ticular species; the materials that enter into 

 their composition arc nearly the same through 

 the entire family ; these are generally cotton, 

 thistle-down, spiders' webs, hair, root tendrils, 

 moss and lichens. The nest of the Euby 

 Throated humming bird, which is the species 

 common in our gardens, may be considered 

 as representative of the entire group ; we have 

 always found it attached to the upper side of 

 a horizontal limb or twig, although Wilson 

 states having foimd it on a moss-covered 

 stump or some strong stalk or weed; the nest 

 is about an inch high and slightly less in 

 diameter, the upper margin being slightly over- 

 hanging ; some species build dome-shaped 

 nests, others conical ones, while some again 

 are cup-shaped and of extremely elaborate con- 

 struction, although this latter feature is not 

 common to them all. In most cases the ne.sts 

 resemble in color the limbs to which they 

 are attached so much as to l)e taken for a knot 

 or excrescence of the same. The nests are 

 never more than twelveor-fifteen feet from the 

 ground, and olten much less. 



In these beautifully elaborate nests, two 

 piu'e white eggs of nearly oval form, are de- 

 posited ; these are rather large in proportion 

 to the size of the bird ; those of our own spe- 

 cies measure five-eighths of an inch in length 

 and three-eighths in breadth. The eggs are not 

 laid at regular intervals, sometimes six or 

 eight days elapse between the laying of the 

 first and second egg ; the chick in the one is 

 often far advanced before the other is laid, and 

 this fact has given rise to the belief that some 

 varieties lay but a single egg, their nest having 

 been found with only one egg, and that one 

 in a partially brooded condition. — Frank B. 

 Diffenddffcr, Lunccister, Pa. 



[CONCLUSIOK IN NEXT NUMBEB.] 



For The Lancaster Farmer. 



LANCASTER COUNTY AS A GRAND 

 APPLE ORCHARD. 



I lived in Duchess county, New York State, 

 and it was, and still is called the "Garden 

 county of the State." It is richly decorated 

 with wealthy niral estates— highly embellished. 

 The farmers mostly own their farms, and are 

 descendants of Holland and Germany. Their 

 farming is skillful and successful ; it is clean ; 

 no wild bushes arc seen along the fences. 

 They grow great quantities of tree fruits ; es- 

 pecially apples. The Esopus Spitzenburg is 

 grown most plentifully. It is [iroduced in 

 gi-eat perfection and commands a high price in 

 New York city. Kieh and poor have their 

 barrels of cider for winter use. Farmers own- 

 ing their lands are wealthy and happy, through 

 their industry. 



I lived in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, 

 which is also well named the " Garden county 

 of the State." The farmers are skillful and 

 industrious; their fanning is clean, no waste 

 strips at the fences. The culture of tobacco 

 instead of tree fruits, is an evil ; it takes all off 

 the lands without giving any return ; that will 

 ruin the lands. It is an immediate gain, but 

 a severe less in the end. The a])ple "Cart- 

 house " was the favorite while I lived there. 

 I have traveled much over six States, and 

 nowhere could I find a better soil, climate and 

 lay of lands than Lancaster county for the cul- 

 ture of tree fruits. Yet they are not so much 

 grown as they should be. They would enhance 

 the value of farms it sold, or if divided among 

 offspring after the death of the parents. Oh ! 

 Lancaster county, make thyself the apple 

 orchard of the nation.— 0/(? Cultivator, Pliila- 

 delxjhia, Feb. 2, 1870. 



The Grangers : We print in this issue the 

 annual address of Mr. Jas. G. McSparran, 

 Master of Fulton Grange of the Patrons of 

 Husbandry, which contains much that will in- 

 terest, not only Grangers, but the general 

 reader. Mr. McSparran is one of the most 

 active and intelligent members of the order in 

 this county, and thoroughly understands the 

 aims and policy of the organization. 



For The Lancaster Farmer, 

 A FEW NOTES AND REMARKSON NEW 

 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



'' To the Editor of The Lancaster Farmer: Of 

 the many varieties of apples, it would be 

 superfiuous even to give the names of all that 

 have recently made their advent among ponio- 

 logists. Still, a few worthy of notice may be 

 named. The "All Summer," of Casper Ilil- 

 ler, is really a most valuable apple for the des- 

 sert — as a mild and pleasant eating apple dur- 

 ing its seascm. The " Mcllinger " is highly 

 spoken of by Charles Downing, and as both 

 these are Lancaster comity seedlings, they de- 

 serve to be more extensively planted. The 

 "Pearl " of Chester county, and the "Creek," 

 of York county, are both worthy of being bet- 

 ter known. 



Of pears, the "Souvenir de Congress," 

 though a foreign fruit, is highly reconnnended 

 by those who have it in bearing. "Pratt's 

 No. 22," Hon. M.P. Wilder tells us, isworthy 

 of being placed at the head of the list. Then 

 the " Ilosen Shenk " and "Neff" pears are 

 not excelled by any from foreign parts; and 

 being " to the Manor born," should be more 

 extensively planted, instead of untried foreign 

 varieties. 



Plums are so imcertain, owing chiefly to the 

 depredations of the curculio, that it is dis- 

 couraging to plant trees of the prunes and 

 gages, so that we should turn our attention 

 more to native varieties, such as the "Wild 

 Goose " and " Miner " plums. These, though 

 not equal to the finer kinds, are yet very valu- 

 able, as both are certainly of very good 

 quality, either for market or home use. Evi 

 dently the curculio does not cause these to 

 drop the fruit, probably owing to a difli- 

 culty of puncturing the tough and smooth 

 skin. As these varieties generally bear good 

 crops of very beautiful yellow plums, with red 

 cheeks, they are both valuable. For several 

 years agents have been selling some other 

 variety of plum trees for Wild Goose, thus 

 creating an impression that Wild Goose are as 

 liable to the attacks of the little "turk" as 

 any others, which is not true, in fact. 



Of peaches we are getting so many new — 

 very early and very late ones — that the peach 

 season will be extended to over four months. 

 Amsden June, Early Alexander, several of 

 River's of England, and a new one of H. M. 

 Engle's, all said to be earlier than Hale's 

 Early. Then comes Salway and S. Miller's 

 Steatly, prolonging the peach season into 

 November. 



Of cherries, the "Liets" is highly spoken 

 of; the "Black Republican," of Oregon; 

 River's "Early Amber," and the " Weeping 

 Bigarreau," from Canada, are all well worthy 

 of a trial. 



Grapes are also "too numerous to mention." 

 The many crosses between native and foreign, 

 of Rogers', Underbill's, Dr. Wylie's and 

 others, are certainly a gi^eat improvement in 

 quality over our former native varieties, and, 

 in most localities, are as hardy and healthy as 

 any. Unfortunately, there is a prejudice with 

 some persons, that foreign varieties crossed on 

 our natives causes the seedlings to be more 

 tender, as also more liable to disease. I have 

 not found them so, as most of those I have 

 tesetd (over thirty varieties) are as hardy and 

 healthy, indeed, moreso, than our old Catawba 

 and Isabella. There are now several persons 

 that we know of who are experimenting in 

 the crosshig, or hybridizing natives on natives; 

 and from what has already been accomplished 

 in this direction, if all said is true, we may 

 soon have gra])es sujierior to any " we ever 

 dreamed of." A Mr. Folsom, of Attica, New 

 York, raised a seedling from Isaliella, named 

 it "Eureka," meaning I have found it. From 

 this he again raised a number of seedlings, 

 some of them very early, and others of such 

 remarkable keeping qualities that some good 

 judges supposed them to be just plucked from 

 the vines, while the fact was, they were of the 

 previous season's growth, and simply kept in 

 a flour barrel in the cellar alongside of a bar- 

 rel of potatoes — the potatoes freezing and 

 rotting, and the gr.T ■ remaining in good eat- 



ing condition for twelve months. Through 

 cold of winter and heat of summer, these aeecl- 

 lings, it is said, are far superior to the parent 

 Isabella. At exhibitions, his grapes took pre- 

 miums over all others. Another gentleman in 

 southwestern Missoviri is collecting and rais- 

 ing seedlings of the wild .^Estevalis or Summer 

 grape, and claims that he already has several 

 that are superior wine giapes, and some as 

 table grapes; and that this species is free from 

 rot and mildew, so injurious to others. And, 

 again, there is an ex-editor in New Jersey who 

 Mr. Fidler says " has been experimenting in 

 raising seedlings, and in a half jocular, /air 

 warning to the {)rofessionals, like Mr. Ricketts, 

 Ilusmann, Campbell, Miller, and Caywood, 

 that they may look to their laurels, as the ex- 

 editor is certainly on their tracks, and with a 

 good chance of coming out ahead on pure 

 native grapes." From another source we hear 

 that he has already seventeen white and six 

 black grapes. His own statement is, "that 

 nothing in the United States can compare with 

 these gra]>es;" (!) but will not part with a bud 

 until he has gi'own a hundred plants of each 

 variety, when he will offer them for sale." 

 Thus the " coming grape " will be along pro- 

 bably before a second Centennial year comes 

 round. 



As to strawbenies, "Star of the West," 

 "Triumph of Cumberland," and "Colonel 

 Cheney," are said to excel any that have here- 

 tofore been grown. There are also several 

 new rasplterries and blackberries. 



Of vegetables, the Tong Qua, or Chinese 

 cucumber, is quite a novelty, weighing ten 

 pounds and over, said to be eaten in China 

 while small. The Bismarck cucumber, and 

 the singular Russian cucumbers, are alsonew. 

 The salad plant from Japan, growing into a 

 bush three feet high, and very fragrant; the 

 blossoms are cut off and salted, and thus form 

 an agreeable condiment. The '■'■ String melon,^^ 

 also from Japan, said to be excellent while 

 young. Another is a squash, from Japan, of 

 which, as yet, we know nothing. 



I might mention other fruits and vegetables, 

 but this article is already longer then I in- 

 tended. — J. B. Garber, Columbia, Pa., Jan. 



31, 1876. 



^ 



For The Lancaster Farmer. 

 MAKE HOT-BEDS. 



When this gets to the readers it will be time 

 to make hot-beds to raise early cabbages, 

 tomatoes and egg plants to plant out in June. 

 Eveiy industrious farmer wishes to make and 

 raise all his requisites at home, and everj' one 

 may have his own hot-bed, to raise tender 

 plants from seeds, for his garden, at a small 

 cost. Almost every carpenter can niake the 

 frame and sashes and have them glazed, all 

 ready for use. Make the frame 150 inches deep 

 behind and 24 inches in front, the sides sloping 

 and of the size for the sash. A frame of two 

 sash will raise all plants needed. The sash 

 may be five or six feet long, with fom' rows of 

 glass ; the panes seven by nine inches. Four 

 rows of seven inches, with half inch between 

 on laths, and the outer frame three inches 

 broad, will make the sashes three feet broad ; 

 a strip of two inches fastened upon the cross- 

 tie will make the frame six feet two inches 

 broad, and the length of the sash. A lath, an 

 uich thick, should be nailed upon the* upper 

 edges of tlie sides, to be two inches above the 

 edges, to keep the sash in their place. The 

 sash slide upon the cross-tie, in the middle of 

 the frame and the outer edges of the frame. 

 Set the frame in a sunny and sheltered spot, 

 half sunk and half banked up with soil and 

 sodded over. Put horse dimg in eighteen 

 inches deep, place the sash on close, aud cover 

 them over night with sfraw mats or wooden 

 covers. "When the manure gets very hot shake 

 it loosely up, then press it lightly down, so as 

 to slope from front to back. The frames 

 should be set sloping towards the sun, and to 

 face the south or southeast. Put soil, finely 

 liroken, six inches thick, all over the dung in 

 the frames. Put the sash close on and cover 

 over night. In forty-eight hours the soil will 

 be heated. Dress it finely with hoe aud rake ; 



