Agriculture is Ike most healthful, the most useful , and the most noble employment of man .—Washington, 
NEW YORK, AUGUST, 1846. NO. VIII- 
VOL. V. 
A. B. Allen, Editor. 
TO POSTMASTERS. 
Many of the Postmasters throughout the Union 
do not seem to know that letters on Post-office 
business go free. It is only necessary to mail the 
letter unsealed, and write outside upon it “ P. 0. 
Business,” with the name of the Postmaster, and 
where mailed. For example, if a paper has a 
wrong direction, or it be refused, or anything of the 
kind takes place, by following the above directions, 
we can be informed of the facts without taxing us 
with postage. Postmasters ought, in all cases, to 
make themselves acquainted with their privileges. 
We trust that those unacquainted with the law 
will excuse this paragraph, as we have frequently 
had to pay postage on their letters, when they 
could have gone free. 
DO NOT MIX YOUR POTATOES. 
Perhaps it may not be known to every person 
who raises potatoes to sell, that, in the New York 
markets, there is one half difference in the price. 
This is not always owing to the superiority of one 
variety over another, but the fancy or preference 
of the buyer for his favorite kind. Some are 
partial to the pink eyes—some to the kidneys, 
while others prefer the carter, the black, Dikeman’s 
seedlings, blue noses, lady’s fingers, &c., all of 
which have their excellences, and when brought 
to market by themselves, will always be sure to 
find a ready sale; but when mixed, one with the 
other, many housekeepers will not buy them at all. 
We had many orders last spring for particular kinds 
of seed-potatoes; and, in many instances, had much 
trouble in selecting the varieties required; and in 
one or two cases, we were obliged to sort out 
the kinds wanted, in the hold of a vessel. We 
cannot too earnestly enjoin upon all growers of this 
Saxton & Miles, Publishers, 205 Broadway 
inestimable vegetable to cultivate each variety on a 
separate piece of ground, or to sort them at the 
time of digging, which will be attended with a very 
little additional expense, but will well compensate 
them for their trouble. 
FRENCH MODES OF DRYING PEARS. 
In France, pears are dried two ways—one, for 
family use, by putting them into an oven, without 
being pared, after the bread is withdrawn, either on 
bricks, or on raised frames of tin or boards. They 
are put in two, three, and even four times, according 
to their siz§, and to the degree of heat contained in 
the oven. The only things necessary to be ob¬ 
served, are, to see that the oven is not so hot as to 
burn the pears, and that they are not left in so long 
as to become hard. Melting sugary pears, of a 
medium size, are the best for this purpose; and, 
when properly prepared, they maybe kept in bags, 
in a dry place, for several years. The second mode 
is that used for preparing the fruit sold in boxes, at 
the shops; and for this purpose, rather small pears 
are considered the best. They must be gathered 
before they are quite ripe, and care taken to pre¬ 
serve their stems. They are then parboiled in a 
very little water, peeled, and placed on dishes, with 
the stems upwards. In this state, a kind of syrup 
runs from them, which must be carefully poured 
off, and set aside. They are next placed on raised 
frames, and put into an oven, after the bread has 
been withdrawn, or heated to a similar degree, and 
left there twelve hours ; after which they are taken, 
out and steeped in syrup, sweetened with sugar, to 
which there have been added a little cinnamon, 
mace, and a small quantity of the best brandy. The 
pears, when taken out of the syrup, are again 
placed in the oven, which should not be made quite 
so hot as it was the first time. The operations of 
