146 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ October, 



Germantown, Pa., Sep. 26, 1876. 



My Bear Sir : I have just received your 

 note and specimen apple. I do not think we 

 have any now in this neii^hborhood, but I will 

 publish a part of your note, which may elicit 

 information. Most of the apple trees of 

 which we had so many standing twenty-five 

 years ago, are dead or removed, owing to the 

 encroachment of buildings and streets. The 

 property I own had many apple trees upon it, 

 but I was obliged to cut them down. But 

 none of the variety sent me. 



I really think the specimen is the Holland 

 Pippin, called by some the Summer Pippin. 

 Many Hollanders settled in this place and 

 neighborhood, and they brought many apple 

 and pear trees with them, or introduced them 

 subsequently. I have pear trees on my premi- 

 ses fully one hundred and fifty years old — 

 Early Catharine, Windsor and Colimer, and 

 some half dozen were cut down. 



This specimen apple is a Pippin, and seems 

 to meet all the conditions of the Holland. 

 Thanking you for it, I am 



Yoiu's Eespectfully, 



S. S. Rathvon, Esq. • P. R. Fkeas. 



In conclusion we would say that the average 

 weight of these apples is eight to ten ounces — 

 perhaps eight would be the safest— and the 

 form is somewhat irregular. When fully ripe 

 the color is "golden yellow," and the flesh is 

 tinged with the same color. It is just suffi- 

 ciently tartish to give it a positive quality, and 

 therefore it is free from that insipid negative 

 character which distinguishes so much fruit 

 after it is cooked. In pies, dumplings or frit- 

 ters, by the time the pastry is sufficiently baked, 

 the apples are thoroughly cooked ; and when 

 cooked, the pulp retains its original color, or 

 nearly so, and never turns brownish, as is the 

 case with so many varieties'of the apple. Some 

 of the fruit weighs nearly a pound, but much 

 more of it about half a pound, but the weight 

 above named is about the average. The tree 

 is about twenty feet high, the branches irregu- 

 lar and spreading, and the twigs, buds and 

 fruit-spurs heavy. It is a kind of canopied or 

 umbrella-shaped in form, and with a step-lad- 

 der nearly all the fruit may be gathered from 

 the outside. Mr. Sener states that he usually 

 commences making a culinary use of the fruit 

 about the middle of July, and that even thus 

 early it is sufficiently positive in its taste to 

 make — with the aid of a little sugar — an agree- 

 able relish, and just at the season too, when the 

 appetite craves something of a tartisfi flavor. 



We have no doubt that by budding or graft- 

 ing the fruit might be much improved, and 

 we hope our fruit-growers will make an eflbrt 

 to perpetuate it. True, they may not all live 

 to gather their reward, but others will, and 

 among the things of the first century of oiu- 

 history, that are worthy of transmission to our 

 second centuiy, we feel very confident this 

 fruit is entitled to a prominent position. — Ed. 



THE ANIMAL AND THE VEGETABLE. 



Their Physical Relations to Each Other. 



Prof. Brainard, of the U. S. Patent Office, 

 read before the Potomic Fruit Growers' Soci- 

 ety, in July last, an interesting paper on the 

 "Food and Diet of Plants," the concluding 

 paragraphs of which, as condensed by the 

 Gardeners'' Monthly, are. the following : The 

 sources of plant food may be gathered from 

 some analyses and contrasts. Plants feed on 

 carbonic acid, animals give it off. Plants give 

 off oxygen, animals consume it. Plants de- 

 compose carbonic acid, water, ammonia, &c., 

 animals produce them. Plants produce uitro- 

 genized compounds — albumen, gluten, casein, 

 &c., animals live upon them. Plants also 

 produce non-nitrogenized compounds — starch, 

 sugar, green oil and acids ; animals consume 

 these. Plants endow mineral matter with 

 properties of life, animals deprive them of these 

 properties. Plants impart to chemical atoms 

 the power to nourish animals, these reduce 

 organic matter to a condition suited for the 

 support of plants. Plants convert simple into 

 complex forms, animals convert complex into 

 simple. The plant is a mechanism of construc- 



tion, the animal a mechanism of reduction. 

 The plant is an apparatus for deoxidation ; 

 the animal an instrument of oxidation. The 

 plant alisorbs heat and electricity, the an- 

 imal produces them. " From these observa- 

 tions," adds the editor, "we infer that ani- 

 mal excretions, especially urine, afford most 

 valuable and appropriate food for plants. And 

 our cities are impoverishing the country by 

 emptying their sewers into the rivers. The 

 time will come when this wanton waste will 

 be stopped, and the wasted matters will be 

 utiHzed." " A convenient method of saving 

 this liquid manure is to collect it in a cask and 

 deodorize it with dry earth and coal ashes." 

 A recent number of the Scientific Americcm 

 states that two ounces of kerosene oil and six 

 gallons of water make an excellent fertilizer, 

 as also an antidote to the ravages of insects. 

 It is to be applied with a watering-pot between 

 the rows of plants and around the trees." 



We have for years been thinking that the 

 contents of cess-pools and sewers might be 

 utilized, as recuperating elements of soil, and 

 before the country celebr.ates another Centen- 

 nial anniversary, this subject may be more 

 popular than it is now. On this subject we 

 would refer our readers to an article entitled 

 Chinese Agriculture, in the August number of 

 The Farmer, beginning on page 119, which 

 contains the basis of what may ultimately have 

 to be done in this country if the unity of its 

 government, or at least its civilization, contin- 

 ues to exist. We have now only attained our 

 hundredth year as an independent nation, and 

 even if we go back to the discovery of the 

 American continent by Columbus, we are not 

 yet four hundred years old, and already we have 

 vast tracts of poor and worn out lands. This 

 is not the case yet with China, notwithstand- 

 ing the teeming millions of her population, 

 and her three thousand years of agricultuaal 

 experience. The relations between animal 

 and vegetable life seem to be more practically 

 carried into efiect in that country, than they 

 are in ours, although the scientific principles 

 of the subject may not be so well understood 

 among them as they are among us. It is true 

 a vast amount of prejudice will have to be 

 overcome before we are able to rationally util- 

 ize much that we now permit to run to waste ; 

 but the march of intelligence and the diffusion 

 of knowledge will do much in preparing the 

 agricultural mind of our country forany whole- 

 some innovations that experience may finally 

 develop as essential to our general prosperity. 

 Many things that are now looked upon as pos- 

 itive evils, when their constituent principles 

 are properly understood, may be converted 

 into blessings. Some of the wisest agricultural 

 philosophers are beginning to comprehend the 

 doctrine that " there is no such thing as dirt. " 

 All appearances of such are merely the differ- 

 ent phases of chemical change. By the powers 

 of chemistry, some of the finest and costliest 

 cosmetics and perfumes are elaborated from 

 the conunon refuse of a gas factory, and we 

 cannot fix a limit to the inventive energies of 

 the human mind in this respect. Agriculture 

 has, perhaps, a greater need of scientific aid 

 than any other pursuit among men, for upon 

 its success and its multifarious productions, 

 the whole superstructure of human society 

 must repose. We therefore ought to be will- 

 ing to "live and learn," no matter from how 

 humble a source true knowledge may spring. 

 " Facts are stubborn things," and it behooves 

 us to be able to make an intelligent discuimi- 

 nation between " fact and fancy " when they 

 are brought under our supervision. — Ed. 



Thanks to Mr. Jos. Windolph, of Marietta, 

 for a most magnificent lot of lucious Sheldon 

 Pears, which are worthy fellows of Mr. Henry 

 Sener's pippin apples. If any body else values 

 our good opinion ou such a subject, let them 

 send around their apples and pears — especially 

 pears. 



We are also under obligations to Mr. Wm. 

 Weidle for fine specimens of Doyenne and 

 Duchess d'Angouleme pears — rare luxuries in- 

 deed to one so unaccustomed to such dainties, 

 as we so long have been. 



"HOW TO KEEP THE BOYS ON THE 

 FARM." 



This question became a subject of discussion 

 at the October meeting of the "Lancaster 

 County Agricultural and Horticultural Socie- 

 ty," and elicited some very sound and sensible 

 sentiments, expressed in a fi'ee, offJiand man- 

 ner, by a number of the members, as a careful 

 perusal of the proceedings in another part of 

 this number of our journal will illustrate. 



Without intending to indulge in that ful- 

 some flattery which is so agreeable to the 

 "putty-brained" simpleton, but sodisgusting to 

 the man of common sense, we nevertheless de- 

 sire to notice complimentarily the progress 

 which our farmers have made — and especially 

 the young and middle-aged among them — and 

 the abilities they have developed since the first 

 organization of our local society, not only in 

 their public speaking, but also in the literary 

 improvehient of their contributions to our jour- 

 n.al, and if we have any cause for regret, it is 

 that the latter are generally " so few and far 

 between." 



The problem involved in the caption of these 

 remarks, and which was the subject of the dis- 

 cussion alluded to, is one that is not of a very 

 easy solution, simpl}' because of the great di- 

 versity of human minds and temperaments. 

 If the natural tendencies of all minds were 

 the same, and all possessed the same degree of 

 strength, the difficulty of elaborating a system 

 of discipline would perhaps not be as great as 

 it is under its present varied constitutions. 

 We do not presume to be able to enlighten our 

 farmers on the best course they can pursue to 

 " keep their boys on the farm ; " because, in 

 the first place, we are not a farmer — ive sincere- 

 ly wish we were — and in the second place, per- 

 haps, it is not advisable thutall shmdd remain 

 on the farm. 



We may be permitted to suggest, however, 

 that farmers are endowed with the same men- 

 tal and physical faculties which usually pertain 

 to the rest of the human family, diftering, per- 

 haps, only in relative strength and the pro- 

 clivities which are incidental to their peculiar 

 modes of life. 



Therefore, if farmers desire to have their 

 sons remain on their farms, and pursue the 

 honorable calling of their fathers, anterior to 

 any system of discipline for their mental and 

 physical training — whether voluntarily or ar- 

 bitrarily exercised — is a discipline which they 

 by self compulsion should enforce upon them- 

 selves. It is not to be expected that children 

 will be long contented with a farm-life when 

 their parents habitually indulge in yearnings 

 after the occupations and speculations of the 

 towns. The children by hereditary transmis- 

 sion liecome themselves infected by these yearn- 

 ing desires, and in cases where this is not so, 

 it is only the manifestation of a temporary ex- 

 ception, and not the rule. But this is only the 

 primitive cause of disaffection on the part of 

 children ; a secondary cause is the absence of 

 those external attractions, which are incidental 

 to the mental and moral development of a 

 progressive people ; and the false inculcations 

 which obtain, through popular conventional- 

 ism and social misconceptions. We sincerely 

 believe, io the language of the "great consti- 

 tutional expounder" of our country, that ^Hhe 

 farmer is thefounder of civilization ;" and. occu- 

 pying that exalted position, he has nothing to 

 look up to but his God; and whenever his mind 

 seeks an other plane of view he is obliged to look 

 downward. This is his legitimate status, and 

 it is only when he perverts or misapprehends 

 it, that he becomes a mere "hewer of wood 

 and carrier of water." In the degree that he 

 can appreciate this position, in that degree 

 will he "feel the enviable independence of an 

 American farmer, for while he turns the fur- 

 row and scatters the seed, he has the assur- 

 ance that he does not labor for a master." 

 This self-reliant attitude need not necessarily 

 make him selfish, imperious, ascriptive and 

 uncharitable; indeed, if he cultivates his mind 

 in the same proportion that he does his fields, 

 and does not neglect the longings of his moral 

 nature, he will be humble without indulging 

 ill the more ohjactionable pride of humility. 



