488 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



whether the lightning made no discrimination be- 

 tween protected and unprotected buildings. Some 

 people are of the opinion that the attractive pow- 

 ers of the rods are very limited and feeble, while 

 others have great confidence in their power ; if 

 we could obtain the statistics of this and past 

 years, from every person in the State who has had 

 a building struck by lightning, it would furnish 

 us with knowledge we much desire. 



Silas Brown. 

 North Wilmington, Aug. 13, 1860. 



The August Pioneer Grape. — A sample of 

 this grape has been handed us by Mr. A. D. Mer- 

 KILL, of Lynn. He calls it a native, and it is a 

 good grape for a wild one. However, it costs no 

 more to cultivate a fine quality grape than a poor 

 one, — so that whenever we plant a grape vine it 

 should be the best we can command, if it is one 

 that will bear the climate and be productive. 



New Seedling Pears. — "We have before us a 

 few seedling pears, from the garden of Mr. Jacob 

 Shaw, 2d, of Abington. They have the color of 

 the Bartlett, and something of its shape, though 

 not so long in the neck, or upper part. To our 

 taste it is not equal to the Bartlett — a friend 

 standing by and eating one says it is better. 



LADIES' DEPARTMENT. 



FKUITS IN WINTER. 



By a little forethought and trouble, the fruits 

 which just now are so abundant, may be kept 

 fresh until midwinter, or spring even. The frugal 

 housewife has long been accustomed to "do up" a 

 few strawberries, make a little raspberry or black- 

 berry jam, and occasionally to preserve a jar of 

 peaches, pears or quinces ; but she has always 

 been very careful to use as many pounds of white 

 sugar as there were pounds of fruit, and even then 

 they have had to be examined frequently, and 

 sometimes "scaldcd"to prevenf'spoiiing." Again 

 when "done up," the result has been a very good 

 sweetmeat, but with little of the natural flavor of 

 the fruit remaining. Experience and frequent tri- 

 als have discovered better modes of preservation, 

 and now the different kinds of berries, "tree 

 fruits," with tomatoes, and other garden vegeta- 

 bles — are stowed away in cans and bottles, with 

 the fall assurance that they will open anytime iii 

 the course of two years, with much of their origi- 

 nal freshness and flavor. A few practical sugges- 

 tions to those inexperienced in the "preserving 

 art" are nec."'ssary. 



First, boil your fruit in a porcelain kettle, with 

 a small quantity of water. Add white sugar, usu- 

 ally one-fourth as much as there is fruit. The su- 

 gar might be omitted entirely, were it not that it 

 would be necessary to add it whenever the sweet- 

 meats are taken out for use. Some prefer making 

 a strong syrup, by using one pound of sugar to a 

 pint of water, and pouring this into the bottles 

 after the fruit has been placed in them, to fill up 

 the interstices. Having boiled your fruit for a 



few moments, fill your cans quickly, seeing that 

 every particle of air is expelled. Have your corks 

 ready, softened in warm water, and also a mixture 

 composed of one pound common resin to one 

 ounce tallow or lard well melted. Having pressed 

 in the corks, coat them over with the cement. To 

 guard securely against air, it is a good pliyi to in- 

 vert the bottles in patty-pans, or other small ves- 

 sels filled with melted cement. This will render 

 the cans or bottles absolutely air-tight. After 

 cooling, set away in a dark room if possible, and 

 no further trouble need be apprehended. Pears 

 and quinces should be "cooked" until soft. 



FINDING- FAULT WITH YOUK CHIL- 

 DBEN. 



It is at times necessary to censure and punish, 

 but very much may be done by encouraging chil- 

 dren when they do well. Be, therefore, more 

 careful to express your approbation of good con- 

 duct, than your disapprobation of bad. Nothing 

 can more discourage a child, than a spirit of in- 

 cessant fault-finding on the part of the parent. 

 And hardly any thing can exert a more injurious 

 influence upon the disposition both of the parent 

 and child. There are two great motives influencing 

 human actions — hope f<nd fear. Both of these are, 

 at times, necessary. But who would not prefer 

 to have her child influenced to good conduct, by 

 a desire of pleasing, rather than by the fear of 

 offending P If a mother never expresses her grat- 

 ification when her children do well, and is always 

 censuring them when she sees anything amiss, 

 they are discouraged and unhappy. Their dispo- 

 sitions become hardened and soured by ceaseless 

 fretting ; and at last, finding that whether they do 

 well or ill, they are equally found fault with, they 

 relinquish all efforts to please, and become heed- 

 less of reproaches. 



A Good Woman never Grows Old. — Years 

 may pass over her head, but if benevolence and 

 virtue dwell in her heart, she is cheerful as when 

 the spring of life opened to her view. When Ave 

 look at a good woman, we never think of her age ; 

 she looks charming as when the rose of youth 

 first bloomed on her cheek. That rose has not 

 faded yet — it will never fade. Li her neighbor- 

 hood, she is the friend and benefactor. Who 

 does not respect and love the woman who has 

 passed her days in acts of kindness and mercy ? 

 We repeat, such a woman can never grov/ old. 

 She will always be fresh and buoyant in spirits, 

 and active in humble deeds of mercy and benevo- 

 lence. 



Mary. — Who does not love the plain, yet 

 beautiful name, Mary ? It is from the Hebrew, 

 and means a "teardrop." What sweet and joyous 

 hours of other days — what pleasing associations 

 the very name calls up in every heart ? Who that 

 does not love the name, and has not had every 

 ligament of his heart moved to melody at its 

 mention ? If there be anything gentle, valued, 

 and womanly, what Mary possesses it not ? Was 

 it not Mary who was 



''Last at the crois, and earliest at the graver" 



And was not Mary the mother of the Saviour 

 of the world ? Blessed be the name of Mary. 



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