1879.] 
521 
AMERICAN AGKICULTURIST. 
A Twin Apple grew in the orchard of J. D. Jef¬ 
fers, Princeton, Ill., that seemed to him so striking that 
he had the fruit photographed. We have seen a number 
of such apples, but an inspection of a copy of the picture, 
kindly sent us, showp the union to he more perfect in 
•this case than in any others that have come to our notice. 
, American Apples are being shipped to England 
in large quantities, when we have also a short crop our- 
rSelvee. A barrel of Ribston Pippins recently sold at 
Covent Garden market for 60 shillings (about $15), at 
which rate they no doubt paid some one handsomely. 
Tlie Ladies’ Garden Club, of which we gave 
an account in June last, by the husband of one of the 
members, reports progress. The same outsider writes; 
The Garden Club of our Street, of which I wrote to you a 
short account at the beginning of summer, has gone on 
prosperously through the season.They have held meetings 
■every Monday afternoon until frost came, and ever since 
fortnightly meetings have been held, and the gardens and 
flower-borders of the members have been the admiration 
<?f visitors and passers-by. They take a fair number of 
horticultural periodicals, the Amei'icanAgricult’urist being 
•one, study catalogues diligently, and buy the choicer 
books on floriculture, the contents of which they read, 
mark, and experimentally digest. As far as an outsider 
can judge the Club is a true success. That the interest is 
not likely to be ephemeral, I infer from the fact that the 
members are going in freely for hardy perennials, and 
especially for our ornamental native plants. In some 
way—I know not how—they have got hold of the catalogue 
<?f my young friends Woolson & Co., and I find that they 
really appreciate the choice things which they offer. These 
little Clubs are really just the thing for a country village. 
G. A. 
Good Pressed Beef.— We commend to our many 
new house-keeping readers the following, which has been 
partly given in former years. Take any fresh lean beef— 
the cheaper pieces, as the upper part of the leg above the 
“soup pieces,” answers very well; that containing ten¬ 
dons or plenty of gelatine is even preferable, and some 
of the round steak or any other lean portion may be used 
with it. Boil closely covered until so tender that the 
meat will fall from the bones. (It is better to keep a 
closely fitting pan of cold water over the cooking kettle, 
.to condense and cause to fall back the rising steam con¬ 
taining the escaping flavor.) Use only so much water as is 
needed to prevent burning. Take out the meat, mix and 
chop it fine. Put it into a tin pan or other deep dish. Skim 
off any excess of grease from the cooking liquor, and add 
to, it a tablespoonful of Cooper’s or other good gelatine 
for each 3 or 4 lbs of meat. When dissolved pour it into 
the chopped meat; put on it a large plate or tin that will 
fit into the dish, and place upon this 12 to 20 lbs. weight 
—flat-irons will answer. When cold it is a solid mass, 
from which thick or thin slices may be cut, that are 
marbled in appearance, and are very excellent for 
sandwiches, or for a tea or breakfast dish, and it will 
keep several days even in warm weather if set in a cool 
place. It is tender, juicy, digestible, nourishing, con¬ 
venient and economical withal. 
Boiled Corn Beef Is Improved, if cooked in 
plenty of water, and when thoroughly tender left until 
cold in the cooking water. It is then much more moist 
and juicy than if taken out hot and the little moisture 
in it dried out by standing. 
The American Pomological Society.— 
Some features attendant upon the meeting in September 
last, at Rochester, have been severely criticised in some 
journals. We were cognizant of, and suffered from the 
matters complained of, but as they did not properly be¬ 
long to the Society itself, and need not, and should not, 
occur again, we preferred to say nothing about them, 
though they were sufficiently annoying to justify some 
grumbling. The Pomological Society met at Rochester, 
on the invitation of the Western Horticultural Society. 
The meeting being held at the same time that the N. Y. 
Western Agricultural Society held its Fair, the Western 
Horticultural Society arranged that the fruit exhibition 
of the Pomological should be held at the Fair grounds, 
and ample provision was made for showing the speci¬ 
mens brought by the members of the Pomological. This 
was a grand mistake—an illustration of the Spanish 
proverb, “When two ride a horse, one must ride be¬ 
hind,” and that one in this case was the Pomological. 
Probably none of the thousands of visitors to the N. Y. 
Western Agricultural Fair not immediately interested, 
knew that the fine show of fruit was due to the Pomo¬ 
logical Society. The Pomological Society’s fruit when 
it entered the fair grounds completely lost its identity. 
But this was not the worst. Those members of the Po¬ 
mological Society who brought fruit for hundreds of 
miles, had not only to pay to see it, but those who had 
charge of it had to pay to enter and look after their own 
fruit. Still worse, the members of the Committees ap¬ 
pointed by the Pomological Society to report upon the 
fruit exhibited at its own Exhibition, had to pay in order 
to enter the grounds and perforin their duties, but as 
some Committees had to inspect the fruit several times, 
the tax was needlessly onerous. Of course, all this, as 
an impartial observer could see, was not due to any 
meanness, but to a lack of proper arrangement. Some¬ 
body neglected the details. The matter was so very an¬ 
noying that some persons were much disgusted, and we 
do not wonder at the complaints that have appeared. It 
was a great mistake to exhibit the fruit at the fair 
grounds, some miles from the meeting, and a greater 
mistake not to provide for the free entrance of the mem¬ 
bers of the Pomological. All such troubles may be 
avoided in the future by having no exhibition of fruit by 
the Pomological Society, save of new varieties, and they 
can be shown at the place of meeting. A general exhi¬ 
bition of fruit has always been a source of more or less 
trouble at the meetings, and if this accumulation of 
troubles at Rochester will put an end to all general exhi¬ 
bitions by the Pomological Society, they will not have 
occurred in vain. All other matters about the Rochester 
meeting were so well arranged and so pleasant, that we 
hoped this private grievance, annoying as it was, would 
not be made public. But people will grumble. 
Garden and Farm Seeds.— According to the 
accounts given in the papers, the seed crop has not been 
so poor within the knowledge of. the present generation 
of English seed growers as in the season just closed. 
English journals are already cautioning their readers 
against the tricks likely to be played by unscrupulous 
dealers in renovating old seeds to look like new. The 
kinds of seeds imported by our seedsmen are at present 
not very numerous. Still there are several that can be 
raised with so much greater certainty in Great Britain 
than here that these are always important. Among those 
reported by the London Seed Association as nearly total 
failures are: Wrinkled Peas, Cau.iflowcr, Carrots, Leek, 
Lettuces, Onions, Mangles, and Scotch Turnips. We are 
very sure that none of our leading seedsmen would 
knowingly send out adulterated, dyed, or otherwise doc¬ 
tored seeds, but they need to exercise more than usual 
care with the few they import. As the stock of such 
seeds may not be sufficient to supply the demand, it will 
be well for those who have to purchase to order early. 
French. Vineyards are in many localities in a 
bad way, the fruit being unripe long after the usual time 
for the harvest. What is still worse, the wood has not 
ripened, and fears are entertained for next year’s crop. 
Patent Farm Gates.— As a supplement to what 
is said in the Humbug column about patent gates and 
fences, and especially about patent gates, we give be¬ 
low the essential parts of an article which appeared 
in a Michigan paper, the “Kalamazoo Telegraph.” We 
did not see the “ Telegraph,” but find its article quoted 
by the “Vermont Record and Farmer,” a sterling sheet, 
published at Brattleboro, Vt. The article says: 
“ The suits for the recovery of a royalty on a farm gate 
extensively used in Michigan and other States of the 
Northwest, have been settled adversely to the plaintiff, 
by a decision in the United States District Court, at De¬ 
troit, this week Monday. The contrivance in question is 
the plain gate, without hinges, sliding on a stationary 
cross-piece, or rolling on a roller, till the gate is removed 
half across the gate-way, and then, being balanced, 
swinging around as on a pivot. This form of making 
gates is a great favorite with the community, as it can all 
be made in a few hours, and can be handled with the 
greatest convenience. Suits were brought against a large 
number of farmers in the eastern part of the State, and 
several thousand dollars were collected in a single county 
before the defendants could bring about arrangements to 
protect themselves. The first contest was with a claim 
under the so-called Lee patent, in which the parties de¬ 
manding a royalty were defeated. The case just decided 
by the United States Court at Detroit was brought under 
the Teal patent. The decision in favor of the parties 
using the gate was based on the fact that the device was 
given to the public by a cut in the American Agricultur¬ 
ist, and quite generally used two years before the patent 
was applied for. Under the United States Patent Laws, 
no claim would be worth anything under these circum¬ 
stances, and by contesting it. the farmers of Michigan 
have saved themselves from being bled thousands of dol¬ 
lars.” 
The article concludes by saying that the matter was 
taken up by the State Grange, from the funds of which 
the expenses of the suit were paid. Good for the Grange 1 
This is not the first time that the engravings in the Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist have done good service in checking 
fraudulent patent claims. 
Horses in Pasture.— After this season of the 
year horses should not be left in the field over night, and 
we question if it pays to have them running in the fields 
at all after November in most northern localities. 
A Goat Society has just been formed in England. 
Its objects are, to improve the breed of goats, and to en 
courage goat-keeping generally. Englishmen are noth¬ 
ing if not statistical. “ We are informed that the number 
of goats exhibited at the first dairy show was only 12, 
whereas there were now 15 being shown ’’! It.does not 
say so, but tliat shows the remarkable increase of three 
goats! Statistics should be precise aud definite We 
are left in doubt, not to say suspense ; what is the period 
of time between the “ first dairy show” and “now”— 
was it an increase of one goat in three years, or three 
goats in one year ? But at a dairy show, too—ah, we see, 
prizes were offered for the best butt-er I It was proposed 
to establish a “ standard of excellence." England has 
been sending over alt sorts of commissions to look into 
our Agricultural resources ; let this Society send over one 
to look up the subject of goats. They would find not 
mere societies, but in the rural portions of Manhattan 
Island, communities interested in goats. “A standard of 
excellence” can not be formed without seeing these 
goats. A chief point must be, ability to live solely upon 
show-bills and posters. Another should be, that when 
lunching off of a recently hung-out washing, the animal 
to infallibly select trimmed skirts and embroidery. An¬ 
other : ability to upset an ash-barrel. Another: to show 
fight to a policeman, and never get caught. But we will 
not anticipate the labors of the committee; when they 
go-at the work they will find excellences enough. The 
late Horace Greeley had a goat on his farm at Chappaqua, 
which he said “ barked everything but the crow-bar," 
but that was. before there was a Society to improve the 
breed. This Society, for a wonder, does not call itself 
“ The Royal Agricultural Association,” but with com¬ 
mendable modesty it is merely the “British Goat Soci¬ 
ety.” It should be Royal, as it could then bear the Roytfl 
arms; putting the Goat in the place of the Lion—then 
wouldn’t there be fun! Capricorn against Unicornl 
That historical “ fighting for the crown,” when “the 
Lion beat the Unicorn all about the town,” would here¬ 
after stand as a mere skirmish. 
American Grain Elevators in Havre.— 
It is strange that, up to the present time, the important 
sea port of Havre (France) has none of the grain eleva¬ 
tors in operation that are so common, and we may say 
necessary, in American ports and grain centers, but we 
learn that, largely through the enterprise of Americans in 
France, several of our elevators are to be erected in Havre. 
Blanketed Cattle. —“J. E. S.” These cattle are 
descended from Dutch stock imported into this country 
a long time ago. Several names have been giving to these 
cattle as “Belted,” “Sheeted,” “Draped,” etc., all found¬ 
ed upon the leading characteristic, namely: a broadband, 
or belt, of white, passing around the middle of the body 
while all the rest is black. They are excellent milkers, 
and are found in considerable numbers in Orange county, 
N. Y., a noted dairy locality: and when seen there in 
herds, are marked features of the landscape, which even 
the unobserving traveller could not fail to notice and ad¬ 
mire. In Holland this peculiarly marked breed is pre¬ 
served with great care. An engraving of a pair of these 
cattle was given on the first page of the American Agri¬ 
culturist for December, 1877. 
Starting a Nursery.— “A Subscriber" asks, 
among other questions, if there is any book that tells bow 
to start a nursery. He sent a stamp for a reply by mail, 
but as he omitted to sign his name, there is a slight ob¬ 
stacle to our answering in that manner. Barry’s “ Fruit 
Garden,” gives full directions for all nursery operations, 
so far as the propagation of fruit-trees, vines, etc., are 
concerned. Pears may be grafted upon Thorn for a 
stock, but the tree in not long lived. 
Dairymen in Clover.— No other class of pro¬ 
ducers suffered so severely from low prices during the 
first half of the year, and we rejoice with them in the fact 
that no other class—not even the rampant speculator of 
Wall Street—has enjoyed so great a “boom” in prices, 
as the producers'of Butter and Cheese. Last mouth we 
chronicled a very great advance in prices, and now re¬ 
port a further large rise, in butter especially, as witness : 
Oct. 14, prices ranged 10 to 27 cts. per pound, for various 
grades; Nov. 14, for the same grades, 16 to 40 cents per 
pound—an average rise of fifty per cent! Good for the 
producers. As for consumers, they are not compelled to 
eat more than they can pay for. 
The Illinois State Horticultural Society 
will hold its 21th annual meeting at the State Normal Uni- 
versity, at Normal, on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of the pres¬ 
ent month. T J Barrill is President, and O. B. Galusha, 
Morris, Grundy Co., is Secretary. The “ program ” (as 
the announcement has it) provides for three meetings 
each day, and is varied and interesting. They make a 
strong feature of the “ Query Box,” into which persons 
can drop the most unanswerable conundrums without 
exposing their ignorance. (We are curious to know how 
many queries there will be about the Pear Blight.) 
There is a most commendable feature about the meet¬ 
ings of this and othern Western Societies: they are well 
organized, and prepared for beforehand, and one can see 
by the announcement what entertainment in the way of 
