46 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[March. 



These inBects, among other thingrs, are destructive 

 to books and manuscripts, of which the specimens 

 exhibited are ample illustrations, and when they be- 

 come numerous they are capable of doing much 

 damage. I have been informed that they manifest a 

 fondness for the surface of photographic pictures. 

 They are partial to dark closets, especially if they are 

 damp. I found them very numerous the present 

 month, on the lower shelves of a dark closet, among 

 old bills, letters and other papers that had not been 

 disturbed for months. 



They are swift runners, and when once alarmed 

 they are not easily captured, without mutillating 

 them . There are several species of the genus Lepisraa, 

 but their specific differentiations, their histories, and 

 their habits have not yet been thoroughly " worked- 

 up." 



A calcareous incrustation, and some graular de- 

 posits of the some, taken from the inside of a steam 

 boiler, donated by Mr. John Best. This is simply a 

 carlonate of lime, and it eflfervesces violently under 

 sulphuric acid. 



A specimen of ferrugginous shale, from Tennessee, 

 donated by Mr. E. C. Keist, many months ago, but 

 mislaid and then forgotten, and only discovered re- 

 cently. It is a common shale impregnated with iron. 

 Partof the matrix of a " conch-shell" (Strombus) 

 containing many young shells. These are found very 

 commonly along the beaches of the Atlantic ocean 

 and the shores of our bays. They form ample illus- 

 trations of the prolific character of sea-shells. They 

 are often found a yard in length or more, and bear a 

 remote resemblance to the rattles of the rattlesnake, 

 and have been mistaken for them ; when dry, a rat- 

 tling noise can be produced similar to that of a snake. 

 S. M. Seuer donated a small collection of minerals, 

 consisting of hematite, magnetic ore, gneissic slate 

 and rock, green chlorite, and a piece of gilt mould- 

 ing from St Mary's old stone church, torn down 

 in 1881. 



P. E. Gruger donated fourteen specimens of differ- 

 ent varieties of marble and slate. 



Donations to Library 

 consisted of a copy of transactions of the first annual , 

 reunion of the 122d Regiment of Pennsylvania Vol 

 unteers, held at Lancaster, May 17, 1883. Donated 

 by the compiler, Mr. John S. Smith, historian of the 

 regiment. 99 pp. octavo. 



The Lancaster Farmer for December, 1883, 

 and January, 1884. 



The " Book Buyer." A summary of American 

 and foreign literature, 16 pp., sqr. octavo. 



Catalogue of Books on Heraldry, Family History, 

 Antiquities, and Topography, 64 pp., 12 mo. 



A representation of " Frost upon the Pane " in the 

 window of a store in Oil City, December 23d and 

 24tb,1872. These phenomena occurred very gener- 

 ally over the entire Northern States of the Union 

 during the winter of 1872 and 1873, a photograph of 

 an unusual one being in the collection of the society 

 (from Mr. .Metzler). 



A copy of the " Centennial Guide," 1876, four 

 lithographic fac similes of Centennial medals. 



Nine envelopes containing 40 historical and mis- 

 cellaneous scraps, including several local original 

 papers, old proceeding of the Linnaean Society ; also 

 a copy of the Inland Daily of 1854, the first daily 

 newspaper published in Lancaster. 



Also a copy of the Village Clironicle, published in 

 Marietta, Pa., and dated June, 1820. From Davis 

 Duchman, of Strasburg. 



An illustrated copy of the Muscatine Daily Tribune, 

 Iowa, 1884. 



Sundry book catalogues and circulars. 

 Bulletins 6 and 7 of Pennsylvania State Agricul- 

 tural College. 



Dingee and Conord's " Guide to Rose Culture," 

 and J. L. Child's " Catalogue of Rare and Curious 

 Plants." 



Catalogue of rare second-hand books. 

 Dr. S. S. Rathvon read some notes on the sea 

 duck, (Jidenia perspicillata) caught in a garden in 

 this city among some tame ducks. 

 The vice president appointed Dr. S. S. Rathvon as 



chairman of the Committee on Conchology, the 

 position having been overlooked at the last meeting. 

 The Secretary reported progress in endeavoring to 

 collect delinquent dues, and said that he had sue 

 ceeded in collecting between §1-5 and g20. He also 

 stated that one stockholder had authorized the can- 

 cellation of his share. The secretary presented a 

 bill of $4.20 for printed notices, postage, envelopes, 

 paper, etc., which on motion was ordered to be paid. 

 On motion the secretary was authorized to issue a 

 gratuitous share of stock to each active member who 

 had paid all dues for the period of three years as 

 called for in charter, and also to issue a duplicate 

 share in place of one lost by A. F. Hostetter. Prof. 

 Theo. Appel and Miss E. V. Baker were pro- 

 posed for active membership, which under rules is 

 laid over for one month. Bill of Dr. M. L. Davis for 

 $1.25 for postage whilst secretary, presented and or- 

 dered to be paid. On motion adjourned to meet on 

 Saturday afternoon, March 20th, 1884, at 2 P. M. in 

 Museum Rooms. 



Hort:cl .ruRE. 



Growing Nuts. 



To form a line or grove of future nut-bearing trees 

 get the largest chestnuts, walnuts, hickories, etc., to 

 be had, and either plant this fall five or six in a hill 

 in each place where a tree is wanted— the best only 

 to be finally retained— or spread all on the ground 

 near the house, where mice, pigs, etc., are kept at 

 eflTectual bay by the cats and dogs, and plant out as 

 soon as sprouted in the spring, carrying the sprouted 

 seed in a pail with water, and setting fewer in a hill. 

 In either case they must have merely covering 

 enough to prevent them drying while admitting air 

 freely ; charcoal braise, open leaf mold or pure, 

 coarse sand are suitable, and should but just cover 

 the cuts. Keep the soil open and all weeds and 

 shade strictly away ; and exclude all graminivores 

 until the stems have got out of their reach. Dry, 

 sandy or rocky soil is generally preferable — the poor- 

 est sand is first choice for chestnuts. This is one of 

 the most desirable of farm improvements, and on 

 that account will prove a monument to the planter 

 and deep his memory fresh through grateful gener- 

 ations. 



Now, too, is a better season than the spring for 

 making and setting cuttings of evergreens or shrubs 

 or roots that require — as most things do — some time 

 of slow preparation before they root. The wound 

 must heal to shut out excess of water, and a callous 

 must form of simple, herbaceous tissues, profusions 

 from which are the beginnings of the new roots, 

 which, like all other wood growth, are at first mere 

 cellular tissue, from and in which the woody 

 fibre ducts., etc., of the complete wood are formed. 

 By setting cuttings now in open sandy soil in a glass- 

 covered pit or cellar, where serious freezing and dry- 

 ing wind and excessive wet are all safely excluded, 

 they can fully prepare by the slow winter motion 

 and adjustment of their stored material, to make an 

 early profusion of roots which will have a safe hold 

 of the soil before hot or dry weather. Most of the 

 smaller evergreens can be propagated in this way 

 from small cuttings, and most sorts of roses are 

 multiplied by short cuttings of the roots planted jike 

 seeds in loose mold at this season, and with similar 

 winter protection. — A'eio York Tribune. 



Solanum. 

 Out of the 700 species of solamcm known to botan- 

 ists, according to a paper read by Mr. J. G. Baker 

 befor the Linnajan Society of London, there are only 

 about six whieh produce tubers,and only one of these, 

 the common potato, solanum tuberosum, has yet been 

 cultivated. The native home of the potato is in the 

 dry and elevated parts of Chili. In other portions of 

 the same country is found another species, .'l. Maglia, 

 which should be much better adapted to general 

 cultivation, as it grows in moist places. As long ago 

 as 1826 the cultivation of this species in England 

 was attempted, with most promising results, but was 



soon abandoned because the plant was believed to be 

 identical with the common potato. Another species, 

 S. Oommersoni, from the eastern part of South 

 America, is now being cultivated experimentally in 

 France, and is likewise suitable for damp soil ; while 

 a third wild' species, S. Jamesii, is being tried in the 

 United States. This last species is the one which Mr. 

 J. G. Lemon discovered in southeastern Arizona in 

 1881. 



Pruning — How and ^What. 



The manner in which we often see trees hacked 

 and cut, with long stubs at the base of the branches 

 cut off, and strips of bark peeled down from the 

 place where they were removed indicats ea lack 

 intelligence or care, or both on the part of the opera- 

 tor. The man who has care of an orchard from the 

 start can give no valid excuse for having badly- 

 shaped trees, so far as pruning can control them. A' 

 fruiterer should be able, as he stands by his young 

 tree, to look into bis future and mentally see that 

 tree when grown to large size, and to judge of the 

 efiect that every branch he leaves on it will have on 

 the shape and balance of the head. Every limb not 

 needed to complete the symmetry and balance of the 

 head should be rubbed otf with the hand as soon as 

 it appears. A forked tree should not be suffered to 

 live. It is an insufferable nuisance. If one of the 

 branches cannot be cut off and the other used for the 

 stem of the tree, then let both be removed and a 

 vigorous sprout be selected from those that start and 

 trained for a trunk, forming a head at the proper 



But trees are often required to be pruned after 

 having reached a considerable size. In that case two 

 or three general principles should be kept in view, 

 One is that a perfect balance should always be main 

 tained in number, weight and extent of the branches 

 over the base of the trunk of the tree. Anolhi 

 that the center of the head should always be kept 

 open and free to access of both air and sunlight, 

 Fruit that grows entirely in the shade is neither so 

 highly colored nor so finely flavored as that which 

 has had the benefit of sunlight. In pruning a large 

 tree the operator should begin at the centre and 

 prune outward. All branches not needed to make a- 

 well balanced head, with branches evenly distributed, 

 must go. The branches left should be so far apart 

 that even when grown large they may not 

 terfere by rubbing or chafing. The style of growth 

 of a tree is to be taken into account in pruning, so 

 that the shape of the tree may be properly regulated 

 and controlled. If the tree is a spreading grower 

 the lower and outside branches should be be cut in 

 preference to the upper or inside branches ; but if It 

 be a very upright grower then the reverse course ii" 

 to be followed. Wherever gaps or vacancies occui 

 the surrounding branches may be cut back to buds 

 or branches pointing in the direction of such vacancy. 

 By giving attention to these principles it is not diffi- 

 cult to so control the form of the tree as to have i 

 well-balanced, shapely tree that will carry heav; 

 crops without the danger of splitting to pieces o 

 tumbling out by the roots, as too frequently is th 

 case with ill-shaped and badly balanced trees.- 

 Chicago Farmer. 



I 



Household recipes. 



Washino Potatoes.— If potatoes are to be cookei 

 in their jackets, a coarse cloth put into the wa»^. .- 

 rub them with, not only makes them cleaner, but 'I 

 saves time and the hands. 



Feeding a Babt. — Young mothers may not be 

 aware that if the point of the spoon be held against 

 the roof of the mouth it is almost impossible for the 

 child either to choke or eject the fluid. 



Court Plaster made at home is economical, and 

 is said to be highly successful. Dissolve one pint of 

 French isinglass in one pint of warm water ; to this 

 add ten cents' worth of pure glycerine and five cents' 

 worth of tincture of arnica ; lay a piece of black or 

 white silk on a board, and paint it over with the 

 mixture. 



