THE LANCASTER FARMEK. 



143 



looking very poorly, and he was afraid they would 

 not live. The trees appeared to be fine ones, and he 

 stated he should ir've them the best attention, water 

 them himself every day, in the hope that they would 

 do well." i;immediately wrote him that if the trees 

 were well set out and he would let them alone, I 

 would plve him two for every one that died. He 

 never made any claim for the trees. 



That newly planted trees in certain unfavorable 

 seasons and certain conditions of soil, do occasionally 

 require watering will not be denied. But the cases 

 are so rare that they are scarcely to be taken into 

 accoubt. A tree properly planted, with the soil in 

 the right conditions immediately goes to work to re- 

 place roots which nad been severed in removal. The 

 earth grows warmer every day, and the young root- 

 lets feel the the influence of this heat, and new fibres 

 jmmediatcly break from them, as may be seen by 

 examination twenty-four hours after planting. The 

 soil has probably a temperature of 60° to C6°, and 

 perhaps more; but just as all is going on well enough 

 along comes the planter with a pot of cold water, 

 which he dashes around the tree, chilling the earth 

 and, indeed, often killing the young fibres. Trees 

 can stand a great deal, or twice as many would uev 

 er survive. The tree leaves out with the great heat 

 of the sun upon the soil, and again the fresh fibres 

 begin to put out ; once more comes the shower bath, 

 often a third time, and if the tree does not die, it is 

 in spite of the planter. 



It is rarely that a tree planted very early needs any 

 water; certainly, only in a very dry soil, and it 

 should then be given at the time of planting. But 

 later in the season, when the sun's rays are more 

 powerful and evaporation rapid, possibly one, or at 

 most two waterings are all any tree needs. If the 

 planter has nothing to do, and wishes to show his 

 affection for his trees, he can safely take the syringe 

 or even a fine rose water pot and moisten the whole 

 top of the trees, which will do far more good than to 

 drown the roots. — C. M. Hovey in Massachusetts 

 Ploughman. 



Setting Strawberry Plants. 



The best time for this work, as everyone is aware, 

 is in spring just as the young plants are beginning 

 their growth. Next to this in the season is immedi- 

 ately after fruiting, while the plants are in a partly 

 dormant state, and before they fully recover from 

 the exhaustion of bearing, but more care is then re- 

 quired. Most of the old leaves should be removed, 

 the fine mellow earth pressed on the spread roots, 

 and if the soil is dry they should be well watered, 

 and a mulching of manure given an inch or two in 

 thickness. This mulching will prevent the ground 

 from crusting or baking if a second watering be 

 comes necessary. Setting potted plants late in sum- 

 mer succeeds well, but the operation, first and last, 

 is attended with considerable labor, and it is only 

 adapted to limited garden beds. An easier, and 

 quite as successful mode, where the plants to be set 

 are near at hand or iu the same garden, is to take 

 up block's of earth with the plants by using a spade, 

 and to set them with their mats of earth, into open- 

 ings previously cut with the spade, where they are 

 to remain. We have no (June liOth) a long bed of 

 the Cumberland, and another of the James Vick, 

 both iu full and abundant bearing, set in this way 

 during the latter part of last August. The plants 

 were scarcely checked iu growth by removal. With 

 dry, light soil, the work woultl be difficult, as it 

 would readily crumble from the roots, unless the 

 plants were carried one at a time on the spade ; but 

 with a strong loam suflicieutly moist, two or three 

 dozen may be taken up in compact blocks and car- 

 ried on a wheelbarrow to the place for planting. It 

 is hardly necessary to remark that last autumn 

 rooted runners must be selected if the work is done 

 now, but later in the season the new plants of the 

 present year's growth may be chosen. — Country 

 OettilemaJi. 



Grape Vines Growing on Trees. 



These would save a considerable expense in stak- 

 ing and wiring If they could be planted between 



rj)ws of trees and the vines trained to run up and 

 over the branches. The Italians use elm and other 

 forest trees for this purpose, but, except on the 

 Western plains, we do not require to grow tlicse for 

 wood and timber, as is the case in many parts of 

 Italy ; we can plant our grapes in orchaids and thus 

 get a double crop of fruits. Some have been quite 

 successful by this method, others not at all so. The 

 reason of this difference is owing probably to the 

 difference of soils and cultivation. 



A pple trees are said to be the best of the fruit 

 sorts for errape climbing, but we have raised fair 

 crops from such an overrun the cherry and peach . 

 We thought such grapes as grew here rather sweeter 

 th.in those produced on stakes in the same soil at a 

 short distance from the trees The only objection 

 we have heard to training grape vines upon trees is 

 that their height makes them dimcult to gather. 

 But trees could be grown for the especial purpose by 

 cutting off the top when young and leteing the side 

 branches shoot one close to the ground. When thus 

 grown the soil would not need to be plowed beneath, 

 as the shade would keep It loose and prevent the 

 growth of weeds. Moreover, picking fruit from 

 such trees would not be unhandy, nor would the 

 clusters be liable to be blown off by hard winds. 



Best Method with Celery. 



Dr. Sturtevant, at the Experiment Station, found 

 that averaging the results obtained in seventeen 

 samples, in which the varieties from the two rows 

 are separately noted, omitting fractions, plants 

 grown under level culture averaged 177 pounds per 

 hundred plants, while those under trench culture 

 averased 178 pounds per hundred plants. The length 

 of the bleached stems was rather greater, and the 

 suckers were rather more numerous upon the plants 

 grown in the trenches ; but on the other hand, the 

 bases of the stems were more often split and de- 

 formed than occurred in the plants grown upon the 

 level. It appears, therefore, from this trial, thai the 

 trench culture yielded no advantage for the increased 

 labor involved. 



Shorten the Canes. 

 Now is the time to pinch oflf the ends of the pres- 

 ent year's growth of blackberry canes. If left to 

 themselves, the canes grow long and slender, and 

 may require tying to stakes or trellises next season 

 to keep the fruit out of the dirt ; but if pinched back 

 now, the side buds will throw out bearing shoots 

 which will increase the productive capacity of the 

 plants, and at the same time cause them to grow 

 strong and stocky enough to stand without tying. 

 At least this will be the case with strong-growing 

 varieties, like the Snyder blackberry and Hornet 

 raspberry. The pinching can be done very rapidly 

 with the thumb and finger. Blackberrieo should not 

 bo allowed to grow over four or five feet high, and 

 rnspberries not over three feet. Keep all suckers 

 and sprouts that are not wanted to grow, hoed not. 

 They are no better than any other weeds. 



Household recipes. 



Cream Cake, so dear to the heart of the children, 

 can be made by slitting patty-pan cakes, by taking 

 out a portion of the centre and filling the space with 

 thick custard. There need be no waste, as the pieces 

 cut out may be used in the foundation for a nice 

 pudding. 



Rice Cake, Very Delicate.— An angel cake that 

 does not get dry so soon as the original variety and 

 has more richness, is made of rice flour l^ pound, J^ 

 pound of sugar, Vi' pound of butter, four eggs, salt 

 and flavoring to suit the taste. Beat the eggs, rub 

 the butter and sugar together till like cream, then 

 add the eggs, and last of all stir the rice flour in a 

 little at a time. Bake in sponge-cak tins or shallow 

 pans. Double this quantity makes a large cake. 



Delicious cookies are made after this recipe : 

 One cup of butter — a small cup— two cups of sugar, 

 three cups of flour, two eggs, leaving out the white 



of one ; roll out quite thin, cut In any shape you 

 chose— square ones are generally preferred ; beat the 

 white of the egg which you reserved and spread 

 over the tops of the cookies ; sprinkle cinnamon and 

 sugar over them and bake them. 



Lemon Mahmat.ape.— Slice the lemons very thin, 

 only taking out the seeds ; add three pints of cold 

 water to each pound of fruit after being cut Into 

 pieces ; let it stand twenty-four hours ; boil It until 

 tender, pour Into an earthen bowl until the following 

 day, weigh it, and to every pound of boiled fruit add 

 li< pounds of lump puear, boil the whole together 

 till the syrup jellies aud the chips arc rather trans- 

 parent. 



To Preserve Plums.— Make a syrup of clean, 

 brown sugar ; clarify It ; when perfectly clear and 

 boiling hot pour it over the plums, having picked out 

 all the unsound ones and stems; let them remain In 

 the syrup two days, then drain it off; make it boil- 

 ing hot, skim it, and pour it over again ; let them 

 remain another day or two, then put them in a pre- 

 serving kettle over the fire, and simmer gently until 

 the syrup is reduced, and thick or rich. One pound 

 of sugar to each pound of plums. Small damsons 

 are very fine, preserved as cherries, or any other ripe 

 fruit. Clarify the syrup, and when boiling hot put 

 in the plums ; let them boil very gently until they 

 are cooked and the syrup rich. Put them In pots 

 aud jars ; the next day secure as directed. 



Pickled Peaches.— To one gallon of best vinegar 

 two pounds of sugar ; boil together; rub the down 

 off the peaches, stick them full of cloves, pour the 

 hot vinegar over them, cover tight, and keep some 

 time before using. 



Spiced Currants.— Five pounds currants, four 

 pounds brown sugar, two tablefpoons ground cloves, 

 two tablespoons cinnamon, one pint vinegar. Boll 

 two hours, or more, till quite thick. To be eattn 

 with meat. 



Pickled Crab-Apples.— To one quart of fruit 

 add one quart of sugar, and vinegar enough just to 

 cover. Spice with ground cloves to your taste. Put 

 your fruit into the vinegar, and stir them till they 

 are soft ; or, better, steam them first, and pour the 

 vinegi.r and sugar on them when hot. 



Governor's Mixture, or Sweet Tomat« 

 Sauce. — Slice a peck of green tomatoes, six green 

 peppers, four onions ; stew a cup of salt over them ; 

 let them remain over night. In the morning, pour 

 off the liquid, and put them in a kettle, with vinegar 

 enough to cover them ; add cup of sugar, one cup 

 horseradish, one tablespoon cloves, one of allspice, 

 one of cinnamon. Simmer It till soft. Put in the 

 sliced onions and peppers In the morning, just before 

 simmering. 



"Aunt Maria's" Tomato Preserves.- Take 

 green tomatoes, of the acorn size, and prick them ; 

 add a little water, and hake them gently and lightly; 

 make a syrup (clarified) of white crushed sugar ; 

 then add the syrup to the tomatoes, and stew to- 

 gether moderately, and seal up for use ; though a 

 better way, with all preserves. Is to put the jar con- 

 taining the fruit into a kettle of cold water, and heat 

 to boiling, as above. The preserves will be white 

 and beautifully transparent, and retain their form. 



Froit Fritters.— Make a batter of flonr, milk 

 and eggs, of whatever richness you desire; stir into 

 it either raspberries, currants or any other fruit. 

 Fry in hot lard the same as pancakes. 



Mrs. Roberts' Boston Brown Bread.— One 

 heaping quart of rye flour, scanty quart of milk, 

 same quantity of warm water, coffee cup of molasses, 

 one penny's worth of baker's yeast, or one coffee cup 

 of homemade yeast, teaspoonfull of salaratus, des- 

 sert-spoon of salt. Grease an iron kettle, put in the 

 mixture and place Immediately iu a slow oven. Bake 

 six or seven hours. 



Pancakes.— Beat up three eggs 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 perfectly 

 smooth. Clean your frying-pan thoroughly, and 



