294 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



Tlie Peerless Potatoes, 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardenek.— We of this 

 town of Ithaca, N. Y., have raised in all over two 

 hundred bushels of this new variety. We have 

 baked, eaten and tested them every way, and come 

 to the conclusion that we want no better potato. 

 Specimens weighing three and four pounds, are 

 solid and boil easily to a beautiful mass of mealy 

 nice, flour-like substance. The skin is thin and 

 yet strong, the color white, nothing could be fairer 

 in appearance. They give about double to the 

 acre of most other new varieties. Some new va- 

 rieties are flavorless. This is one of the best in 

 this respect. It derives its name, and will be when 

 generally known cue of the best, if not as its name 

 indicates, the best of all known varieties. 



S. J. Parkek, M. D. 



Ithaca, Neio York. 



Maklug Vinegar, 



The following is the conclusion of an article on 

 making vinegar, on page 3.50, October No., which 

 was overlooked in making-up. Though the article 

 was very complete without this termination, it 

 would have been better with it : — 



Any one at all familliar with the nature of cider 

 knows from experience that when we draw out first 

 from a full barrel in warm weather, the cider is 

 much sweeter and better to drink as a beverage, 

 than after the barrel has been drawn from for some 

 length of time ; the drawing out by admitting fresh 

 air simply accelerates the acetic fermentation. 



My object in drawing daily a small amount and 

 putting it into another barrel, is to introduce it 

 more effectually to fresh air, and at the same time 

 prevent too much exposure, whereby the alcohol 

 would escape at the same time. If I wish to con- 

 vert a small quantity of fermented cider into vine- 

 gar immediately, I take a vinegar cask, and put ten 

 gallons of good vinegar and a quart of mother, and 

 put in a warm place, and put in a small quantity of 

 cider daily, according to its acidity and its tendency 

 to that condition. In this way I have never failed 

 in making and having on hand a good supply of 

 first quality cider vinegar. It is an old maxim that 

 " it takes moue}' to make money." This maxim is 

 truer of vinegar than of money. 



Air, warmth and light are indispensibly necessary 

 to make gocxl vinegar ; a well ventilated, dry and 

 warm apartment should not be overlooked ; too 

 much exposure to the open air impairs its quality 

 and quantity. The degree ot heat necessary is from 

 sixty to one hundred. Vinegar should not be al- 

 lowed to come in contact with iron in any shape. 



Ackno^vledgiacuts and Thanks. 



From F. R. Elliott, Sec'y American Pomological 

 Society, Cleveland, Ohio, a box of Angers and Or- 

 ange quinces — the largest and most beautiful speci- 

 mens of the quince it has ever been our pleasure 

 to look upon. It would be difBcult, we think, to find 

 finer specimens of this fruit anywhere. The Angers 

 is much the largest and finest of the two. It is 

 very large, fair, highly colored, and its aroma deli- 

 cious. Illustration and Mr. Elliott's remarks next 

 month. 



From D. W. Adams, Sec'y Iowa State Horticul- 

 tural Society, specimen apple of the " Dommesta 

 of Bessarabia," grown from a scion imported by, 

 and received from the Agricultural Department 

 two years ago. Illustration and description next 

 month. 



From Dr. James Weed, Muscatine, specimens of 

 his seedling chestnut, to which Iwe alluded in Sep- 

 tember number, page, 237. These nuts are truly of 

 mammoth size in the line of chestnuts— some of 

 them exceeding !}£ inches in breadth and other- 

 wise well proportioned. The Dr. is now realizing 

 happy results from his many years of experiment 

 with the chestnut. He intends to multiply this new 

 valuable seedling by grafting. The tree has fruit- 

 ed two or three years. 



From E. M. Nevins, Nashua, Iowa, a box of seed- 

 ling crab apples. Fruit very harndsome; round, 

 deep red, highly colored, 

 with s<ime marked pecu- 

 liarities. Seeds s m a 1 1, 

 plump, and so closely 

 encased in the carpels as 

 to present the appearance 

 of being imbedded in the 

 solid flesh. Calj'x smooth 

 with no .signs of sepals ; 

 flesh dark, firm, juicy, and 

 very good. This apple 

 has so little core that it 

 must be i-.xtra nice for preserving whole. Mr. 

 Nevins says of the tree: — "Upright, forming a beau- 

 tiful top ; very hardy and productive ; bears annually 

 smooth, fair fruit, excellent for canning and pre- 

 serves." 



The Shakers are putting up a large quantity of 

 grape jelly this season. 



Sending Scions long Distances. • — We pub- 

 lished this some years ago in our Nortliicestern 

 Farmer, and it will bear repeating, for there is no 

 better way whereby choice scions can be transmit- 

 the long distances. Put into a glass vial, or bottle 

 of the required size, a piece of dry sponge pressed 



