1881. 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



77 



polatoes"*ere plauteJ June 10 on sod grouna, and 

 ) manure was used whatever. The crop was dug 



siity-eve days from planllnj;. In 1880, on eighty- 

 ,two rods of the same acre, I raised 307}^ bushels 

 (whk-h Is 600 bushels to the acre). Also, July -'0 I 

 planted seven and a half rods to 'Maeuum Bonums; 

 due them September 23, and the yield was '24' j 

 bushels ^620 bushels to the acre). On another piece 

 I planted JSa acres. On account of a dry soil and no 

 rain for nine weeks the yield was only 460 bushels to 

 the acre. This potato is a seedling from the pcncli- 

 blow. It is remarkable for earliness, freedom from 

 disease, and is an excellent keeper. This variety may 

 be planted either early or late and do well. The 

 Tines stand up firm as a tree, protecting the hills 

 from the hot rays of the sun. Thoy will also permit 

 of closer planting than any other variety, are easily 

 dug and produce scarcely any small tubers. 



The Magnum Bonums are nearly round, a little 

 flattened, Fkin russet white, «mall pink eyes, llesh 

 white and mealy; they will cook dry and mealy when 

 only two-thirds grown. On rich manured, land, if 

 planted three feet by three, this variety attains a 

 large size. 



For large yields per sere and choice smooth size 

 for the table, tubers one-half to three-quarters 

 pounds each are best. They should be planted three 

 feet or lees between rows and not more than twelve 

 Inches apart in the row, two pieces of one eye each 

 to every hill. This ought with good culture to yield 

 600 bushels to the acre. This variety will stand even 

 closer planting. Good results have been given with 

 ten inches apart in the rows. 



There is an English potato In the market named 

 Magnum Bonum. It Is quite distinct from Rose's 

 Magnum Bonum here described, though often con- 

 founded with it. — Alfred Hose ire Farmer's World. 



. Prepare for the Fruit Crop. 

 This is the month when all should prepare for the 

 fruit we anticipate in time to come. They all re- 

 quire a longer or shorter period of time before one 

 can enjoy their wholesome luociousncss. The straw- 

 berry is the quickest to repay us for the labor be- 

 stowed, and pay us, too, a thousand fold. It is a 

 wonder to watch the little shy plant producing in a 

 single year's growth such enormous, captivating 

 and, to many, unequaled fruit. The raspberry, the 

 cherry, the currant and the gooseberry are the next 

 in order In their haste to contribute to our enjoyment. 

 But considering all these manifold blessings vouch- 

 safed to us by the Great Giver of every good and 

 perfect gift, how insignificant is the labor required 

 of man in placing In our possession the ungrudging 

 muniflcence >*hich overwhelms us. 



If the occupants of plots of ground, even in some 

 of our largest towns, would look about them care- 

 fully, they would be surprised at the space they 

 possess for the growing of fruit of almost every de- 

 scription — from pears down to currants. Space can 

 be wonderfully economized for this purpose when 

 we once set about to do so. Room would be found 

 for a dozen dwarf pear trees, one standard Lawrence 

 pear tree, a couple of cherry trees, half a dozen 

 grapevines, a good-sized strawberry bed, two or 

 three dozens of raspberry canes, a dozen currant 

 bushes and so on. Where there is plenty of room at 

 command, even when the fruit Is intended only for 

 home consumption, all these varieties should be 

 multiplied by making selections from our own list, 

 which we semi-yearly correct and republish.— Ger- 

 viantqwn Telegraph. 



their own judgment when selecting them. The 

 cherry- Is confessedly one of those which, while It 

 hurts the land scarcely appreciably, Is as fine a tree 

 for shade as any In the catalogue, and besides affords 

 a proat in fruit. Where will bo found a more beau- 

 tilul shade tree than the Black Eagle, Elton, or 

 Downer's Late cherry! They are hardy and good 

 Ijearers. Then again there is the yellow locust 

 which Is one of our most beautiful trees, though 

 not generally so dense Its foliage as the cherry, which 

 does no perceptible injury to the land, and the wood 

 of which Is valuable, like the cherry, when there 

 may be occasion to remove them. These facts show 

 that tliere is no good reason why the cattle should 

 be deprived of this great protsclion against summer 

 heat on the' ground of damage to the land, which Is 

 seriously done by the oak, the walnut, the beech, 

 and some others.— (?erma«<oui?» Telegraph. 



Raising Peas. 

 To raise green peas in perfection requires good 

 garden land ; a dry, sandy loom will bring them 

 earliest, but lu time of drought the quality of the 

 crop upon such laud will be very inferior; still, since 

 earliness is very desirable, it usually pays to risk a 

 small piece of early peas upon poor, sandy soil, and 

 to depend upon better land for the later crop. It 

 should also be observed that the hard varieties, such 

 as Dan O'Kourke and Black-eyed Marrow, will 

 thrive on much poorer soil than the sweeter green 

 sorts, such as the Advancer and the Champion of 

 England, which require rather rich land to produce 

 them in perfection. Peas, being perfectly hardy, may 

 be sown as soon as the laud will work mellow ; some- 

 times this can be done In March, but usually about 

 April 10. The tender, green sorts should not, how- 

 ever, be sown too early, for the seeds will sometimes 

 fail iu cold, wet weather. It Is usual to sow the 

 peas by band, in rows three feet apart, using about 

 six pecks per acre of the dwarf sorts. The longer 

 vines of the .Marrow and Champion require- rows 

 four feet apart, and only about a bushel of seed per 

 acre. The manure for peas is usually spread along 

 the furrow from the cart and covered lightly with 

 the hoe before sowing the seed, which is then covered 

 with a rake or hoe about half an inch deep. The 

 manure should be as fine as possible to get il—New 

 England Farmer. 



Manuring the Garden 

 The cost of manuring a garden plot is so trifling 

 and the result so satisfactory, it is a matter of won- 

 der that those who desire a fair harvest of fruits or 

 vegetables do not treat the soil a little more liberally 

 lu this respect. Before getting seeds, plants, split- 

 tings or cuttings, get manure. Study the character of 

 the soil and seek to give it the manure best calculat- 

 ed to enrich it, and there is nothing better than well 

 rotted stable manure. Let it be well worked into the 

 soil. It is of little use to a gardener to throw it upon 

 the ground and there leave it. Let there be as thor- 

 ough pulverization as possible and then an intermix- 

 ture of the manure, and the land will show its grati- 

 tude in the result. 



Hartford Prolific and Ives Seedling. There arc 

 grapes of better quality than these, but they are 

 good enough to suit popular taste and are hardy. 

 They can he relied upon to bear fruit every season In 

 generous quantity. The Ives has a thick skin and Is 

 particularly desirable to pack iu boxes for winter 

 use. They have been before the public, are thorough- 

 ly tested and can be furnished very cheaply by any 

 nurseryman. A cheap trellis of chestnut posts and 

 wire will be all the support they need. A four 

 months' supply of grapes will promote health In the 

 family, save doctor's bills and prove an Important 

 part of the food supply. ~.l»i')'ioi» .igricullHrisl. 



Domestic Economy. 



Timely Notes of Seasonable Interest. 

 Whatever diflerence of opinion there may be among 

 farmers as to the propriety of having trees in pas 

 ture fields as a resort for cattle In very warm weather, 

 no one can deny that the advantage they are to ani- 

 mals in the midst of the heated term beyond the 

 damage the trees may do the land, is very consider 

 able. But It must be understood that some trees do 

 more damage to the ground than others, and these 

 are well known to most farmers, who w; 



Raise Grapes. 



The grape ought to be as widely disseminated as 

 the apple, and there is no good reason why it should 

 not be. The large vineyards can supply oyr city 

 population, but to supply the agricultural districts 

 grapes must be grown at home. This can be done 

 at so small a cost that no man who owns a home 

 with a half acre of land has any apology lor depriv- 

 ing his family of grapes. An eighth of an acre in 

 vines will supply a family and leave a surplus to 

 sell. Any well drained laud that will produce sixty 

 bushels of corn to the acre may be expected to pro- 

 duce good .grapes. Well-prepared borders, with 

 a good supply of bones, are desirable, but by no I 

 means essential. A dressing of wood ashes is an ex- | 



cellent fertilizer, but any manure good for corn will j The question of fences is and has 

 be good for the vines. The varieties which do well 

 under the greatest variety of circumstances, and 

 bear neglect best, are. such ae the Concord, the 



PIG'S FEET. 



P. T. Barnum's Recipe for Cooking Them. 



" Broiled pigs' feet, a la P. T. Barnum," is one of 

 the dishes printed on theSturtevant House bill of fare, 

 in New York. "Pigs feet, properly cooked, were 

 given me to eat long before I was permitted to par- 

 take ;'f any other animal food," said Mr. Barnum 

 yesterday. " When old and young feet arc boiled 

 two and one-half hours, as usual, the old ones arc 

 tough and worthless. If they were boiled three and 

 one-half hours the young feet would burst and the 

 gelatine swim away. Now, the secret Is to wrap 

 each pig's foot In a cotton bandage wound two or 

 three times around it and well corded with twine. 

 Then boil them four hours. Let them remain in the 

 bandages till needed to fry, broil or pickle. The 

 skin will hold It together while being cooked, and 

 when you eat it you will find them all tender and 

 delicate as possible." Housekeepers will be glad to 

 get hold of this new way T)f cooking pigs' feet. We 

 say new, because it will be new to the general pub- 

 lie. It has been known for a long time, and there Is 

 a hotel in this State where pigs' feet are a special 

 feature of the bill of fare, and the reputation of the 

 dish has extended far and wide. They are cooked 

 there in the way described by Mr. Barnum.— .BrWj/e- 

 port Standard. 



How Voltaire Cured the Decay of His Stomach. 

 In the " Memoirs of Count Segur " there Is the 

 following anecdote : "My mother, the Countess de 

 Segur, being asked by Voltaire respecting her health, 

 told him that the most painful feeling she had arose 

 from the decay of her stomach and the difficulty of 

 finding any kind of aliment that it could bear. Vol- 

 taire, by way of a consolation, assured her that he 

 was once for nearly a year In the same state, and 

 believed to be incurable, but that, nevertheless, a 

 very simple remedy had restored him. It consisted in 

 taking no other nourishment than yolks of eggs 

 beaten up with the flour of potatoes and water." 

 Though this circumstance took. place as far back as 

 fifty years ago, and respected so extraordinary a 

 person as Voltaire, it is astonishing how little is 

 known, and how rarely the remedy is practiced. Its 

 efficacy, however, in cases of debility, cannot be 

 questioned, and the following is the mode of prepar- 

 ing this valuable article of food as recommended by 

 Sir John Sinclair : 



" Beat up an egg in a bowl and then add six table- 

 spoonsful of cold water, mixing the whole well to- 

 gether, then add two tablespoonsful of farina of 

 potatoes ; let It be mixed thoroughly with the liquor 

 in the bowl. Then pour in as much boiling water 

 as will convert the whole into a jelly, and mix it 

 well. It may be taken ;ilonc or with the addition of 

 a little milk. In case of stomachic debility or con- 

 sumptive disorders. The disn is light and easily 

 digested, extremely wholesome and nourishing. 

 Bread or biscuit may be taken with it as the stomach 

 gets stronger.'" 



Fences. 



for a few 

 years past, a topic for considerable thought and dis- 

 "cn98ion..It Is d fact there are too many fences— many 

 more than can be profitably kept "up, and all places 



