1877.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



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plaul it asono of the best early fruits. Yet we read 

 onee in awliile in some distunl placetliat tlie "(iilfard 

 craclts Itailly." 'I'his ean liarilly 1)0 a close eoiistitii- 

 tiODal matter as in the case of the Butter ]iear, but 

 prohalily is owinp; to some very loeal and temporary 

 cause. 



We see the same thing of the Tyson jiear, a native, 

 by close neighborhood, of I'hiladelphia, and one 

 which in aeeordanee with the spirit of the good old 

 observation that a prophet is not without honor ex- 

 cept iu his own country. It is extensively planted 

 and valued here in its native home a.s among the 

 highest type of the pear race. It is sometimes saiil 

 that it does not bear as freely as some others, hut no 

 one ever thought of charging it with the meanness of 

 cracking. Yet we see it suggcefed in a distant con- 

 tcm|iorary who, after enumerating a long list of vir- 

 tues, adds, "hut it once in awhile cracks. — Herman- 

 town Teleijraj^h. 



Watering Trees. 



So far generally throughout the country s|n-ing- 

 planted trees have not needed much watering owing 

 to the moist season we luive had. But it often occurs 

 that, in such seasons as we have liad this year, the 

 latter part of the summer will be very dry, and we 

 may have a drought in August. 



Should this be the ease newly-planted trees may 

 require watering. By watering the surface of the 

 soil, a large proportion of the water is soon evapora- 

 ted by the heat of the surface soil or by the heat of 

 the sun, ami if the soil is any way heavy the water- 

 ing causes it to bake, thus exeluding the air and 

 preventing the moisture from being drawn up from 

 below. To counteract these injurious etl'eets and to 

 get the water into the soil uii'lerueath the trees, 

 make three, four, or five holes with a crowbar, or 

 stout pointeil stake, about IS inches deep, and the 

 same distance from the tree, and jiour the water into 

 these holes. It will soak away into the soil and come 

 into immediate contact with the roots, keeping them 

 moist and cool. 



It repays the extra labor of making the holes, in 

 that it does not require as much water for a giveu 

 number of trees as does surface watering, and so 

 saves the labor of carrying. 



Shall Old Orchards be Plowed ? 



The editor of the Rural llvtae, in describing the 

 farms of the Genesee Valley makes the following 

 mention of an orchard owned by a Mr. Greenwood : 

 " He has a remarkable orchard of four and a half 

 acres, which for the last eight years has been the 

 source of a liberal income. It averages about three 

 hundred barrels a year. About ten years since it 

 yielded over 600 barrels, which he sold for §5.70 a 

 barrel, making a nice little income of $3,400 that 

 year. It is composed of Baldwins, Greenings and 

 Rox-Russets ; Baldwins predominating and giving 

 the best satisfaction. This orchard has been in pas- 

 ture, without plowing for eighteen years, pastured 

 by'sheep, swine and horses. Think it would ruin it 

 to plow it after remaining so long in grass. Some 

 neighbors tried the experiment a few years since, 

 tearing up and drawing off large quautities of roots, 

 but It ruined the orchard." 



American Fruit in Europe. 

 Europe is now taking a surprising quantity of 

 American fruit. The purchases have amounted, ac- 

 cording to the New York Tribune, to over ?_',. 500,000 

 worth since June, ls70, compared with (ji(500,000 in 

 the same period the year before. Dried apples figure 

 largely in this movement. This country has exported 

 over ?12,000,000 pounds of them since last June, as 

 compared with rys2,0i}0 pounds the previous year. 

 This new addition to the trade of the United States 

 is due to invention, which has occupied itself of late 

 with improved methods for drying and preserving 

 for transiiorting fruit. The greatest progress has 

 been made in the way of dryers. Within a year some 

 notable inventions in this line have been perfected, 

 which are a great requisition to the resources of the 

 country. The fruit dryer tnds fair hereafter to be as 

 much of a necessity to every farming community as 

 the cider mill and the cheese factory.— .SVicK<i^f 

 Amerkan . 



Soot as a Garden Fertilizer. 



Perhaps it may have occurred to some of our lady 

 readers that the refuse soot of our chimneys is one of 

 the most valuable stimulants and feftili/.ers they can 

 have lor their garden flowers. The following inci- 

 dent of practical experience is from a lady contribu- 

 tor to the liural Carolinian : 



"During two seasons we nursed, fed, and petted 

 the Hartford Prolific grape vine, as much for Its 

 shade over the window as for its fruit; but it persist- 

 ed in remaining a stunted cane, yellow and refusing 

 to climb. Despairing of a shade iu grapes, and 

 roses, we finally bethought ourselves of soot as a ma- 

 nure, and forthwith made a "soot tea" by steeping 

 a teacup of soot in a quart of water. This we ad- 

 ministered, two doses each, to both the tree and the 

 vine. The vine grew six feet in height in the space 

 of six week«, the rosebush four feet in the same 

 length of time. Both, therefore, rejoiced in living 

 green." 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 



Setting Milk for Cream. 



It is not to be wondered at that the average dairy- 

 man 'of our State is pu/zlcd to know wliat to iTo for 

 the best. Professor Wilkinson tells liim [ilainly that 

 nothing but shallow i>ans and sub-carlli dui'ts will do; 

 while Professor Hardin is equally certain that deep 

 pans (20 inches), sunk to the rim In water, at a tem- 

 pei'ature of .'iO ilegrees, alone insuri: the largest yield 

 of the best (luality of butter; and now these are over- 

 toppeil by the new t'oolcy system, which proposes to 

 enclose the milk in a ileep narrow can, with a water- 

 tight lid, and sink it under water, which is carefully 

 kept at a low temperature by the use of ii-e. 



Our own experinu'nts satisfy us that both extreme 

 rules are right, provided, certain rules, as unaltera- 

 ble as those of the Medes .Tud Persians, arc observed. 

 At a tem[)erature above 00 degrees, deep cans will 

 not do; the milk will usually sour before all the 

 cream reaches the surface. When this temperature 

 is unavoidable, shallow and broad [)ans will give the 

 best results. When eohl water is abundant and the 

 means of keeping it at .50 degrees or lower are at 

 hand, it will be Ibund that cans, twenty inches deep, 

 and eight or nine inches in diameter, will save much 

 labor, and at the same time make quite as much and 

 better butter. Those dairymen whose situation Is 

 covered by the first case shoidd be cautious iu the 

 use of deep cans. It Is no doubt for the want of a 

 proper observance of these simple rules that we now 

 have a conflict of sentiment as to the comparative 

 merits of dci-p and shallow setting. — Phila. 2'iine^. 



Cleansing Feathers of Their Animal Oil. 



The following receipt gained a premium from the 

 Society of Arts : Take for every gallon of clean 

 water one pound of quicklime, mix them well to- 

 gether, and when the undissolved lime is precipitated 

 in fine powder pour off the clean lime water for use. 

 Put the feathers to be cleaned into another tub, and 

 add to them a quantity of clean lime water, sufficient 

 to cover them .about three inches, when well im- 

 mersed and stirred about therein. The feathers, 

 when thoroughly moistened, will sink down, and 

 should remain in the lime water three or four days ; 

 after which the foul liquor should be [separated from 

 them, by layingthem in a sieve. The feathers should 

 be afterwards well washed in clean water, and dried 

 upon nets, the meshes of which may be about the fine- 

 ness of cabbage-nets. The feathers must, from time to 

 time,be shaken on the nets, and as they get dry will fall 

 through the meshes, and are to be collected for use. 

 The admission of air will be serviceable in drying. 

 The process will be completed In three weeks; and 

 after being thus prepared, the feathers will only re- 

 quire to be beaten to get rid of the dust. 



Ventilation of Closets. 



Too little attention is paid in the construction of 

 closets to their proper ventilation. It is not always 

 convenient to have a closet door stand open, and if it 

 were, full ventilation cannot be secured in this way. 

 There should be a. window or an opening of some 

 sort from the closet to the outer air or to a hall, so 

 that a current of air might remove any unpleasant 

 odors arising from clothing that has been worn, from 

 shoes, or from anything else kept in the closet. A 

 garment that has been hung up for a length of time 

 in a close closet is as unfit to wear, unless it has been 

 thoroughly aired, as though the unwholesome vapors 

 it has absorbed were visible to the eye. The charm 

 of clothing new and clean lies far more in the absence 

 of these vapors than many people are aware. 

 ■»■ 



Simple Cure for Ear-ache. 



Many years ago two of ray children, one aged 3, 

 the other 1 year, had a terrible attack of ear-ache all 

 one day and night. I worked over the little sufferers, 

 doing all I could think of, and trying remedies sug- 

 gcsti^d by our neighbors. On the second morning of 

 the attack, a lady came hi and asked me if I had 

 tried burnt sugar. I told her no, that I had not 

 heard of tliat. She told me to put some live coals on 

 a tin plate, sjirinkle some brown sugar on them, set 

 a funnel over It, and then hold the child so that the 

 smoke could go into the ear. I did so, using the 

 remedy for both little ones. The result was marvel- 

 ous ; the pain stopped instantly, and soon both little 



sufl'ercrs were in a sound, refreshing sleep. 



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Shakers' Pickles to Keep Ten Years. 



Half-grown cucumbers fresh gathered, wash clean 

 and pack In jars. Make a pickle of salt and water 

 that will bear an egg ; put in a piece of alum the size 

 of a nutmeg to a gallon of brine ; boil and skim it, 

 and pour hot over the cucumbers; let it stand till 

 cool, then pour ofl. Boil enough vinegar to cover 

 your pickles, spice to taste, pour it over hot, first ad- 

 ding a small piece of alum. In two days these are 

 ready to eat. 



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Wax for Cans.— Hosin, eight ounces ; two ounces 

 gum shellac ; beeswax half an ounce. If you wish it 

 red, take F.nglish verraillion, one and a half ounces ; 

 melt the rosin and stir in the coloring (if used), then 

 add the shellac slowly ; afterwards the beeswax. It 

 can be heated whenever needed. 



Household Recipes. 



PicKi-ED Qi'iNTKs -Pare and quarter ; to 10 

 pounds quinces add three i>ouuds brown sugar, one 

 pint vinegar, one ounce cloves, one ounce cinnamon ; 

 boil until tender. 



To SoUH Condensed Mti.K.— Dilute as usual with 

 water, pour into an earthen dish, and set In a warm 

 place; use vinegar, a dessertspoonful to a pint of 

 milk ; and trust heat and time to aeconiiillhh the rest. 



Steamed Biiown Bkkai>— I.— Two cupfuls meal, 

 two cupfuls (lour, two cuiifuls milk, a teaB|)Oonful 

 salt, two tcaspoonfuls soda, and a cupful inolassce; 

 butter a pail, cover tight, put into a ketfle of Imlllng 

 water; steam two hours, and, removing the cover, 

 bake two hours In the pall. 



II.— One pint milk, one teaspoonful soda, one of 

 salt, one cupful flour, and two cupfuls meal ; steam 

 two hours, and bake half an hour, pail cover removed. 



GiiAHAM BicEAO.— One quart Graham Hour, one 

 quart wheat Hour, one eupyeast, one-half cup sugar ; 

 let it rise over night ; in the morning knead It and let 

 it stand in llie jians a short time before baking. 



Yeast lOit (iuAUAM Bread.— A handful of hojw 

 put ill a lace bag; seven good sized potatoes; IkiII 

 together in three pints of water ; before the (xjtatoeg 

 all! quite done take the hops out ; mash the |Hitatoee 

 and let them cool ; then add one-half cup (lour ; put 

 it in the w.atcr and let it boll up, and add one-half 

 cup salt, one-half cup sugar, and enough yeast to 

 raise it; it will be ready for use in about 1'^ hours. 

 Good for all kinds of liread. 



Bread-makino. — Make a thin batter of flour and 

 tepid water, and add sufncient salt ; then. If two 

 loaves are intended, dissolve a third of a cake of 

 compressed yeast iu lialf a cupful of tepid water and 

 add to the batter, stirring all together, and set in a 

 warm place over night. lu-the morning the sponge 

 will be light : add sulhclent flour, and work well, and 

 set iu a warm place until the dough beeomss light ; 

 then work again, and set In pans and allow to rise, 

 say from 1.5 to 20 minutes, but do not let it stay too 

 long, or it becomes sour; then place In an oven until 

 cooked ; after the bread is sulliciently done it should 

 remain in the oven with the door open to dry the 

 bread half an hour or so. Bread thus made com- 

 bines everything desirable in being light, white, and 

 jierfectly sweet for two or three days after baking. 

 1 lielievc bread made thus would keep sweet for a 

 week, but it has never been tested longer than three 

 or four days. 



Boiled Karhit with Onion SAi:rE. — Peel five or 

 six medium sized onions and put them into cold water; 

 boil them till tender; cut up the rabbit into joints 

 and put it into a saucepan, with sufficient cold water 

 to cover it, and simmer gently for an hour and a 

 half. After it comes to boiling heat chop the onions 

 and season them with asaltspoonfulof salt, the same 

 of white pepper, and put them into a small saucepan, 

 with an ounce of butter and two tables|)oonfulB of 

 milk. Stir and Iwil up, lay the rabbit neatly on a 

 hot dish, pour the sauce over it, and serve at once. 



Peach Jelly.- Wipe the down well off your 

 peaches, which should be free stones, and not too 

 ripe, cut them in quarters, crack the stones, and 

 break the kernels small. Put the peaches and kernels 

 into a covered jar ; set them into a kettle of boiling 

 water, and let them boil till they are soft ; strain them 

 through a jelly bag ; allow a pound of loaf sugar to 

 a pint of juice ; put the juice into a preserving kettle 

 and boil fifteen or twenty minutes briskly ; then add 

 the sugar and let it dissolve ; skim carefully ; jiour 

 the jelly into glasses ; when cold cover with thick 

 paper. 



Corn Cake with Fruit. — Pour one quart boiling 

 wateron one quart corn meal, and stir quickly. Wet 

 the hands, and form the dough Into small round 

 cakes one-half an inch thick. Bake in a hot oven. 

 The .addition of a few raspberries, huckleberries, or 

 any other sub-acid fruit, is a decided improvement. 

 Sweet apples, chopped tiue, are also excellent. 



Water Pisino for Bread. — Take a quart pitcher 

 and a spoon, scald them; fill the pitcher half-full of 

 boiling water; cool to the temperature of good hot 

 dishwater; stir in flour to make a batter as thick as 

 flour pancakes; and a quarter teaspoonful of salt and 

 as much soda, cover closely, set where it will keep 

 <iuite warm, stirring occasionally; It will rise in five or 

 six hours. Some prefer this to hop or brewers' yeast. 



Baked Batter PuijDiNU wnn Friht. — Take a 

 half-pound of flour ; one pint of milk ; the }'olks of 

 four and whites of two eggs, ami half a teaspoonful 

 of baking powder. Hub the powder till smooth, mix- 

 ing it well with the flour, and as much milk as 

 will make a stiff batter; beat it till quite smooth, 

 then add the remainder of the milk, and the eggs, 

 well beaten. Put some apples, c ut as for a pie. Into 

 a buttered dish ; pour the batter over, and bake In a 

 moderately hot oven. Damsons currants, gooseber- 

 ries or rhubarb may be used In the same way. 



Salt on Steak. — It is much better to broil or fry 

 the steak without salting, adding the salt after the 

 meat is on the |)latter, as the salt draws the juice 

 out of the meat if jiut on before it is cooked, thereby 

 making it dry and indigestible. In cooking steak the 

 object is to keep in the juice as much as possible, hence 

 the meat should lie seared over as quickly as possible 

 on both sides, and fre<|ueutly turned while cooking 

 over a very hot fire. 



