i882.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



157 



gives an equal space in every direction, and requires 

 the least outside wall. It would ri quire a lid-fool 

 octagon to aceomodate forty liead of cattle and give 

 six box stalls (9x10 feet,) with plenty of room for 

 calves besides. This form of barn niif,'lii; also be 

 enlarged by buiidiuir a wins on when wanted. Kour 

 wings would look well on such a barn, and might 

 be built wide enough for two rows of cattle. On a 

 larger octagonal centre eight wings might be built, 

 increasing the room to almost any extent. On the 

 size above given, two wings, (,n the direction to ex- 

 tend the feeding floor, and the rows of cattle in the 

 octagon, might be built without injuring the appear- 

 ance of the barn — the octagonal centre relieving the 

 long line by the appearance of the elevated dome. 

 And when wanted, two more wings could be added, 

 still im|)roving its appearance. This form of barn is 

 certainly the most convenient, and is least expensive 

 according to space inclosed. The octi.gon gives a 

 wider space, which can be laid out more convenient- 

 y than in a long narrow barn, and all parts being 

 equidistant from a centre, such a barn requires less 

 travel in doing the daily work. 



danger of the fruit not keeping through the winter 

 and late into the spriug. Indeed, we have known it 

 to keep until June. 



HORT2CL .rURE. 



York Imperi.ll Apple. 



If ever a fruit did better in Eastern Pennsylvania 

 than the Yorl; Imperial apple In the few years it has 

 been tested, then it must be as near perfect as we 

 can expect. It is as regular in bearing as the return 

 of the seasons ; as large as the favorite old Pennock, 

 and as handsome in color as was the variety in " the 

 good old limes " of our fathers ; has no Imperfections 

 to speak of mar its glossy red surface ; and in quality 

 just that uice commingling of acid and sugar sure 

 to please the majority of judges of good fruit. It is 

 not so rich as the Smokehouse, and yet it is by no 

 means deficient in flavor ; nor so spicy as the 'New- 

 towTi Pipin, although it possesses a fragrance peculi- 

 arly ils own. In the orchard the outline of the tree 

 is not to be commended, and yet it is a remarkably 

 healthy and vigorous grower, with rich dark green 

 foliate. It will nut produce so many apples as 

 Smith's cider, but there will be more bushels per 

 tree ; and as regards value, the York Imperial is im- 

 measurably its superior, and always commands much 

 better prices. 



Keeping Apples. 



As the time is at hand when the work of picking 

 and putting up the apple crop for the winter and 

 spring will have to be attended to, it is well that the 

 methods of preserving this valuable fruit should be 

 considered. We have hitherto on frequent occasions 

 discussed them, and pointed out what we conceived 

 to be the best method to pursue. In brief, we would, 

 therefore, repeat in substance, as follows : 1st. The 

 apples must be good keepers, free from bruises or 

 blemish. L'd. They must be spread out on shelves 

 or packed in barrels, and kept in au atmosphere of 

 from forty to fifty degrees, better from forty to forty- 

 five, and at a temperature as equable as possible. 

 Some cellars are just the thing and preserve them 

 beautifully. Others are loo moist. Where this is 

 the case a few bushels of stone lime should be used. 

 Sliding shelves, six inches apart, latticed bottom 

 with a single layer of fruit, are extremely conveni- 

 ent, as they allow of constant examination without 

 disturbing the fruit. A friend informed us some 

 years ago that with a large stand of these shelves in 

 his cellar, with a few inches of lime on the bottom 

 of the cellar, he kept his apples into May in perfect 

 condition and good flavor. 



A vault in the cellar, kept closed, but with some 

 ventilation, frequently answers admirably, as we 

 know from personal experience. If carefully packed 

 in clean, naked barrels, the head forced down in 

 order that the fruit may be quite solid, and the bar- 

 rels placed under an open shed until late in Novem- 

 ber, but before hard freezing comes on, ami then be 

 removed to a dry cellar, where the temperature will 

 ange about what is slated above, there will be lilll 



Apple Notes. 



Apple exhibitors at the Southern Illinois fair report 

 the Nickajaek as worthless for this latitude and the 

 Lawyer as a very shy bearer. There were some mon- 

 strous specimens of the Buckingham show, and all 

 growers united in declaring this variety to be one of 

 the very best for Southern Illinois, as a late summer 

 and fall apple. Wincsaps are reported as falling ofl', 

 and some growers have already begun to harvest 

 them. The St. Lawrence was reported as one of the 

 very best table and market summer apples. It is a 

 great bearer of beautifnl red 6lri|)ed, good flavored 

 fruit. Growers united In commending the Benonl as 

 the voiy l)est and flrst good apple in the market. It 

 is of Hue color and flavor, an enormous bearer, early 

 in coming into bearing, and brings more money than 

 any other early apple. It is said to be a far better 

 variety every way than the Ked .lune. The Ked 

 June is apt. to run small and badly shaped, whereas 

 the Benonl is uniformly |)erfeet in lorm and increases 

 in size as the crop is thinned. Its one fault is that 

 of occasionally being water cored. 



Root Pruning. 



The experiments were made on the apple and 

 pear. A vigorous apple tree, eight or ten yearj old, 

 which had scarcely made any fruit buds, h.is done 

 best when about half the roots were cut in one sea- 

 son and half three years later, by going half way 

 round on opposite sides in one year and fluishing at 

 the next pruning, working two feet underneath to 

 sever downward roots. It has always answered well 

 also to cut from such trees all the larger and longer 

 roots about two and a half feet from the stem, leav- 

 ing the small and weaker ones longer, and going 

 half way round, as already stated. The operation 

 was repeated three or four years later by extending 

 the cut circle a foot or two further away from the 

 tree. By this operation unproductive fruit trees be 

 come thickly studded with fruit spurs, and after- 

 ward bore profusely. This shortening of the roots 

 has been continued in these experiments for twenty 

 years witli Jmuch success, the circle of roots re- 

 maining greatly circumscribed. The best time for 

 the work has been found to be in the latter part of 

 August and beginning of September, when growth 

 has nearly ceased, and while the leaves are yet on 

 the trees, causing Jgreater increase of bloom buds 

 the following year than when performed after the 

 leaves had fallen.— io/irfo« Garden. 



The Cherry and Apple. 



S. F. Larkan, of Delaware county, contributes the 

 following to the Oermantowa Telegraph ; 



Various letters of inquiry as to the profitableness 

 of the cherry as a market fruit, having reached me 

 at various times, and not having been as fully an- 

 swered as their importance demands, I appeal to the 

 reliable old Telegraph for a more complete answer to 

 all. We are cultivating the cherry, the apple, the 

 pear, the grape, and several berries for market — hav- 

 ing abandoned the plum long since, and lately the 

 peach, as being impractical. About throe acres in 

 all may be occupied by the cherry, and fully seven 

 by the apple. I will first compare these. Taking an 

 average of seasons we can receive annually six hun- 

 dred dollars for cherries to three hundred for apples. 

 We can raise twice as much other produce from a 

 cherry orchard as we can from an apple orchard. 

 The cherry harvest lasts about a month ; the apple 

 six. 



Tou, Mr. Editor, can speak from experience that 

 we can make a cider from the apple that is equal to 

 three-fourths of the famous champagne sold, and it 

 is really superior for invalids. We have never at 

 tempted to make wine from the cherry, profitable as 

 It might be. Then, again, the apple is not subject 

 to the losses occasioned by the gambling middle- 

 men, the cherry market is. Yet, with all, the cherry 

 beats the apple in profit two to one. 1 think this ex- 



perience ought to satisfy any one that there is no 

 risk in plantini; the cherry as a profitable market 

 fiuit. Our canned cherries take premiums, and the 

 dried fruit is unsurpassed by any other dried fruit in 

 the markets. The cherry tree requires less care to 

 (iropagate than the apple, though neither should 

 ever be set in what is known as an *' orchard," which 

 is too much of a good thing together. 



Pine-Apples. 

 Pine ap|ile culture will in a short time become one 

 of the best paying businesses in South Florida. The 

 success that has attended it the past two years has 

 encouraged a number of people to turn their atten- 

 tion to this fruit. The Indlan-rlvcr country as low 

 down as Lake Worth is admirably adapted to it and 

 large sums of money are being made. Around this 

 settlement almost every one has his patch, and pine- 

 apples have been selling In town all the summer. 

 Dr. Voorhis, Messrs. 0. P. Terry, W. B. Wood, F. 

 Norris, H. B. Austin, and others have done well. 

 The apples grown here range In size from (> to .S 

 pounds, and are well-fiavorcd; the Ked Spanish and 

 Sugar Loaf have been those hitherto cultivated, 

 but finer varieties are now receiving attention, those 

 sold here have brought 10 to 3.5 cents each. — Florida 

 AgrlculturUt. 



Household Recipes. 



Chow Chow. — Two quarts of tomatoes, two 

 white onions, half dozen green peppers, one dozen 

 cucumbers, two heads of cabbage, all chopped flue ; 

 let this stand over night; sprinkle a teacup of salt 

 in it. In the morning drain otf the brine and season 

 wi'h one tablespoonful of celery seed, one ounce of 

 turmeric, half teasiwonful of cayenne pepper, one 

 cup of brown sugai", one ounce (jf cinnamon, one 

 ounce of allspice, one ounce of black pepper, one 

 quarter ounce cloves, vinegar enough to cover, and 

 boil two hours. 



Stuffed Tomatoes. — Take six large, well-shaped 

 toiiiatoes; cut a slice otf the stem end and take out 

 all the pulp and juice, being careful not to break the 

 tomatoes; then sprinkle them inside with a little 

 salt and pepper ; have a pound of cold cooked veal, 

 beef or chicken, a slice of boiled hum or fried bacon, 

 chop very fine, and add the pulp and juice of the to- 

 matoes ; chop fine and fry to a lisjlit brown, half an 

 onion, and mix with the meat a leacupful of fine 

 bread crumbs, two eggs, a tcaspoouful of salt, a salt- 

 siioonful of white pepper, and a pinch of cayenne ; 

 fill the tomatoes with the force-meat, piling it quite 

 high, and bake for an hour. 



Pancakes. — Beat up three eg;;s and a quart of 

 milk ; make it up into a batter with flour, a little 

 salt, a spoonful of ground ginger, and a little grated 

 lemon peel ; let it be of a fine thickness and perfect- 

 ly smooth. Clean your frying pan thoroughly, and 

 put into it a good lump of dripping or butter; when 

 it is hot pour in a cuptui of batter, and let it/ run all 

 over of an equal thickness, shake the pan frequently 

 that the batter may not stick, and when you think it 

 is done-on one side toss it over; if you cannot, turn 

 it with a slice, and when both are of a nice light 

 brown, lay it on a dish before the fire ; strew sugar 

 over it, and so do the rest. They should be eaten 

 directly, or they will become heavy. 



KissoLE SotJP. — Take the fat from the top of your 

 cold slock. Pick out some of the best pieces of 

 meat — about a cupful — and set aside. Add a pint 

 of boiling water to the stock, and boil slowly, with 

 the bones and the rest of the meat, for nearly an 

 hour. Chop the meat reserved from the stock ; 

 make into force-meat with fine crumbs, seasoning 

 with onion, parsley, pepper, nutmeg, and binding 

 with beaten egg. Flour your hands and make this 

 into round balls. Koll them iu Hour; set in a floured 

 pie-dish, not touching each other, and leave in a 

 quick oven until crusted over. Let them cool. 

 Strain your soup ; add such seasoning as you desire ; 

 heal to a boil ; drop in the force meat rissoles, and 

 heal without boiling three minutes. 



Lamu Cuops. — Trim otf fat and skin it, leaving a 

 bare bit of bone at the end of each. Broil quickly 

 over a clear fire ; butter, salt, and pepper each, and 

 stand ihem on the larger ends, just touching each 

 other, around your mound of potato. 



Potato Mound. — Mash smooth, with batter, 

 milk, salt, and pepper ; make into a smooth mound 

 upon a hot dish, and arrange the chops around It. 



Ladies' CAimACE. — Boil a firm cabbage in two 

 waters. When done, (|uarter it and let it get per- 

 fectly cold. Chop fine ; add two beaten eggs, a 

 tablespoonful of butter, pepper, salt, and three 

 tablespooufulls of milk. Stir all well ; pour Into a 

 buttered pudding-dish, and bake, covered, until very 



