1SC7.] 
AM KP.TCAN AaPICUI.TIJKlST. 
7 
(X'loi*^ in — 4 'sini*'llisi^, 
ote. r slimiKl wiitc to a phytloian a hnndrej miles 
oir 1) 'I-'.) . I am *!■'*%., what shall I ilo ? ” he would per- 
hai>^ L'!t hy le’.urn mail the adrlce, “Ret well.” Now, 
wi' 'Kt a ,• eat many letters that aro no more definite than 
th.' sur; aied above. As a sample: One writes that 
h.i t'ameM.i Is nut doing welt, is afiaid he shall lose it, 
an ! a'-i,s what he (hall do. How is it possible to answer? 
The only useful aJviee we can give is to send it to the 
nearest florist and let him take it In hand. The plant 
may be ovarwatered, may have been burned in the sun ; 
it may want re-potting. It may have been injured, as 
('atn> llius too often arc, by over-stimuluting w ith manure: 
Scale may be all over It; there is no end of troubles the 
p.ant might have in the hands of one not used to plants. 
I>:tliiiust—'I'wo C'uloi'K on One l*lnnt. 
—J. Oruadliurst, .M. D., gives an account of a Dahlia 
with a light and dark flower on the same stalk, and asks 
if it is a common occurrence. We have had it happen a 
number of times with flowers that have dark petals tip¬ 
ped with a liglitei color. Sometimes these colors split 
up as it were, and wo had some flowers all of one, and 
othrisall of the other color. Dahlias are inconstantly 
chniiging that no book, a few years eld, would be of much 
use fur varieties. The catalogues of the florists’ made 
up every year, are the best guides as to co'ors, etc. 
Ilriiri*** — IIa^v I*rononiioe«l.—“ Que¬ 
rist” a.'ks : •• Can the American jlgTicuffurisMell us how 
to pronounce the word brurri, which forms part of the 
names of so many vaiieiies of pears, as BeurrA Diet, 
Beurre Stit crftn, ileum- Clairgcau. etc. ? Leading fruit 
m«n dilTer, some calling It fcure, others fcir-rc, others ba ra, 
others bu-ra, and still others burr. .Some one proposed 
the (luestion through the N. V. Evening i’ost, which 
deals much In literary topics, but nobody hus ventured 
an answer In that journal, and we must look to the ‘ au¬ 
thority ’ on all horticultural and agricultural matter, viz : 
lo the AgricuUumt, to get the ‘question settled.’”— 
Aus'.vEBi The wonl brum rireans Butter-pear, and if 
ene follows the Trench pronunciation it Is bur-ray, as 
near as can bo expressed in English spelling. We think, 
however, that most of our pomologisls say 6u-ray, which 
is Amciicanizing the word, and perhaps the next best 
thing to dropping it altogether. W'e cannot see why 
f iairgeau Is not just as good a name to designate the 
pear as Beurre Clairgeaii. and we hope that when our 
American 1‘omological .Society convenes again this 
subject of names will have an overhauling. W'e put our 
«)w n pronunciation to geographical names, and consider 
it affectation if one says Pah-ree for Paris-why not do 
the same with fruits. 
I.iatt' Sl«'i»>vlM*rrie«a. — Several accounts 
have come to ns of strawberries fruiting in autumn, and 
tome sent u» specimens. This is nothing new, nor is 
It at all desirable. A warm autumn will frequently start 
bud-; that should have kept quiet until spring, and the 
next season s crop will be so much the poorer. 
IVuit in 4’aliroruia.—At the State Fair 
last year, held at Sacramento, Cal., >Ir. J. It. Nickerson, 
of Lincoln, exhibited 26a varieties of apples, 92 of pears, 
30 of K-aches, 12 «f quinces. 2*0 of grapes, 5 of figs, 13 of 
piims, besides blackberries and several other things. Mr. 
N., we make you our best pomological bow, and encour¬ 
age you with the assurance that if you keep on thus, 
you will one day have a very choice collection of fruits. 
A JStrin"- of Floorer <|iiprie«.—The 
follow ing letter from a correspondent In Walthana, .Mass., 
iUustrati'f how questions pour in upon us. As this 
writer’s qticries are all in one line, the case Is not so 
difficult, but It very often happens that we have as many 
in as many different departments. When the latter is 
the case. It rarely happens that more than one gets 
Biiiweicil, as our editors live many miles apart: 1. Is 
there any hardy Evergreen climber suitable for a porch ? 
Do any of the Ivtet answer the demand—if so, which ? — 
2. Why is not the common Sumach eligible as an orna¬ 
mental shrub; yet no nursery has it? It is common- 
so is Maple has it a further ailment?-3. Do double 
Portulaccas seed, or must I buy more, annually ?-T Is 
Calistegia a desirable plant ?-5. .Must I say gladiolus 
or gladiolus ?-6. Will any hardy rose flower in the gar¬ 
den perpetually through the summer?—?. Does any Lo¬ 
belia retain the beauty of cardinalU f-i. And any Aqm- 
legiatho color of the CanadenuM?-^. W'hy is not tlie 
field lily, IMtum Philadtlphicum, cultivated In gardens 7 
—10. The seed catalogues give ui the excellences, an 
not the faults of all the flowers.-A nsu ers. (1) Only 
Ivy. which will not bo hardy with you.-C2) It Is. Nurs¬ 
erymen keep only Iho.e things for which there ts a de- 
mand.-{3) They produce but very little seed.- *) If you 
wish a task, just try to get the roots out, after It is once 
established. The vine and flower are pretvy, and If yo 
w ish to grow it, sink a box or keg for the roots.—(,')) That 
depends upon w hether you want to use it ns :i botanical 
or common n:ime. Gladiolus is the former, but popu¬ 
larly gladiulus is too well established, to liope to change 
it. We say Ant-mone and Anemone, for the Latin and 
English of the Wind-flower.—(6) No.—(?) Some have 
larger flowers, but none more brilliant.—(S) Not precise¬ 
ly.—(9) It is In several that we know of.—(10) Because 
they are catalogues, and not treatises. 
Soap —We have a large batch 
of letters of inquiry- about various soaps, and sapona¬ 
ceous preparations, advertised to “ wash without rub¬ 
bing,” labor-saving soaps,” etc. These are nearly all 
answered in November, by the article on soap in general. 
Most of the arlvcrtisod soaps do what is promised for 
them, but remember that anything tliat will dissolve out 
grease and filtli quickly without rnltbing, will also injure 
the flbera of the gannents. The only safe soap is the com¬ 
mon brown, or p.alc brown, which, on drying, does not 
contain any whitish or other deposit on the surface. 
Tliat which siirinks greatly, contains too much water to 
be economical. Tlic brown soaps, if not very dark, may 
he used for cotton and linen, hut for woolen, use only the 
liglit colored or pale i)ar soap.—See November number, 
wlisre the subject is fully discussed, except as to fancy 
soaps, and the like, which are reserved forafutnre chapter. 
E-Mut or fi,.np Forro-ws.—An article in 
the Agriculturist recommending to turn furrows “ flat as 
a floor,” has provoked comment hotli among our sub¬ 
scribers and our cxclianges and their correspondents. 
The subject Is one which ougiit to be discussed. Tlie 
writer long held to the value of lap-over flat-furrow's 
in fall plowing, for two principal reasons, viz.: that they 
better drain or dry the laud, and that they expose more 
soil to the w-cathcr during winter. In regard to these 
points we have changed our views, having seen it re¬ 
peatedly demonstrated that tlie difference is not very 
great. Perliaps on tenacious clays on springy cold land, 
essential benefit might be found in lap furrows; on other 
land not. There are two other considerations, in fact 
three, wliich outweigh the above altogether in our mind; 
1st, manure is much better covered; 2d, tlie land is left 
free from weeds, the sod is perfectly killed out of the way 
of tlie harrow, and in the best position to rot quickly 
and uniformly; 8d, by the action of frost alone, much fall 
plowed land is prepared for spring sowing of grass or 
grain. For grass or clover it needs no working over at 
all. For oats, barley or wheat, all that is necessary, is to 
harrow or hush in tlie seed, if sown broadcast, or other¬ 
wise, to go right on witli the drill, and follow witli the 
roller—tliis on good, common, loamy soils. We can point 
to a field plowed two years ago for coni, half with a lap 
furrow and lialf witli a flat one, where tlie numirer of 
weeds and the labor of suppressing them on tlie lap fur¬ 
rowed part has been twice, if not three times, as great as 
on tlic otlier. And we can name fanners who once held 
strongly to the lap-furrows, bnt are now deligllted^vith 
the working of their flat-furrow plows. They are not on 
heavy clays, but we think the principles named equally 
applicable to clay and sand as to loam, and especially so 
In spring plowing, to which the objections urged do not 
apply with the same force as to fall plowing. * 
EViikU tlac Tcet?i at Aiftlit.—A few 
vho inherit good tcetli, and care nothing for “ looks,” 
leglcct brusliing their teeth ; hut none who study clean- 
iuess and a sweet breath, or who wish to preserve their 
ecth, good or had, as long as possible, should neglect to 
jnish them well one or more times a day, with a brush 
;o stiff as to clean tlicm well, but not so hard as to wound 
ind irritate the gums. They should he brushed both 
li'-lit and morning, but if only once, let it he done the 
ast thing before retiring. Portions of food, sweets, etc., 
eft on or between the teeth during the nigiit, decay or 
icidify and corrode tlie enamel, and thus gradually in¬ 
ure tlicm. If the cavities between and in decaying 
cctli he tlioroughly brushed out witli water at niglit, and 
,vhcn rising, it will add years to their effective, use and 
■recdom from pain. Most of the tooth powders so d con- 
ain an injurioiu acid, which, though it gives the teeth a 
dean, white surface, does it at the expense of some of 
,he natural surface. A little hard soap, 
■limed, is tlie best possible application. Wc would not 
recommend even the finest charcoal, or prepared chalk or 
day, for tliougli inert, tliey wear upon tlie enamel. 
lu I*oliHliinS WassSsiiiii? 
K nobs, or other articles projecting from a painted sur¬ 
face protect tlie paint by slipping over the articles a piece 
Sout pasteboard or cloth, having a hole or slit in the 
(Tc you Flciity of I>oor Mats. 
iervation is, that comparatively few housekeep- 
rcclate the economy of having plenty of mats at 
utaido door. The chief wear of carpets comes 
from sandy or gritty materials brought in on the hoots or 
shoes. Uncarpetod floors aro constantly soiled from the 
same source. Most persons keep hut a single mat just 
inside, or outside of tho door. It is far hotter to have 
two or tliree—one coarse, heavy one outside the door, at 
tlic bottom of the steps, anotlier just against tho door on 
tlie outside, and another finer one on the inside. Mats so 
placed will be a strong hint to careless, slovenly men and 
hoys to wipe tlieir feet clean. The cost is not much more 
for three mats thus used, for they will last nearly three 
times as long as a single one. Each fifty cents invested 
in mats will usually save ten times the amount in carpets, 
and in lessening labor and annoyance. Com husks 
braided together make good home-made mats. Pieces of 
old carpets are far better than nothing. A good, cheap 
mat can be easily made by stitching two pieces of old 
carpet together and stufting with a thin layer of hay or 
straw, knotting it through to keep the filling in place. 
Ill ISoiliiig- Meats, never put them in 
cold water, hut plump them into that which is boiling 
briskly. This will coagulate the albumen on the outside, 
close the pores, and prevent the water from soaking out 
the rich juices. If salted meats need freshening, let it he 
previovsly done with cold water, taking all needed time, 
with frequent changing of the water, if it is very salt.— 
Tough, cheap pieces of beef, can he made tender and pal¬ 
atable as follows: If salt, freshen as above. Put into 
the pot with a trifle more water than will he finally 
needed. Set into the top of the cooking pot a closely 
fitting tin pail or pan, and fill it with cold water. If this 
gets boiling hot, dip out some and add cold water from 
time to time. Boil the meat until it gets so entirely tender 
that the hones will drop out, even if it takes five or ten 
hours. The steam and aroma or flavor of the meat, will he 
condensed on the bottom of the covering pan or pail of 
water, and drop hack, and thus he retained. When thor¬ 
oughly done, remove the cover, and slowly simmer down 
thick enough to jelly when cold. Dip out tho meat, re¬ 
move the hones, place it in a pan, pom- over it the boiled 
liquid, lay over it a large plate, or inverted tin platter, and 
put ou 15 to 30 B). weight. When cold, it will cut into 
nice slices, and if lean and fat or white meat he mixed, 
it will be heaiitifully marbled. The juice will jelly and 
compact it firmly together, and you will have nice juicy 
meat, good for breakfast, dinner or supper, and so tender 
that poor teeth can masticate it. Fresh beef, or corned 
beef well freshened in cold water, may he' used in this 
way with decided economy, and it is far superior to meat 
boiled in an open vessel from which the flavor has con¬ 
stantly escaped, as you can perceive by the odor all through 
the house, if Bridget leaves the kitchen door open a min¬ 
ute or two, as she will certainly happen to do. 
Clcamiias? TTripe.—In October, we referred 
to tripe as a wholesome, nutritious food, that should he 
more generally used, and gave some methods of preparing 
and cooking it. Edw. Partridge, of Waldo County, Me., 
sends his method of cleaning, which he thinks better 
than those described: “In removing the stomach, he 
careful to keep the outside clean. Shake the contents 
well out through a small hole, and put in a quantity of 
unslaked lime about the size of a coffee cup, with about 
2 gallons of water. Place it in a tub of water and agitate 
15 or 20 minutes, or until the lime is well slaked. A 
Blight scraping will then remove the inside skin. The 
slaking lime takes out all odor, and makes the tripe nice 
and soft.” After cutting up and washing well, it is ready 
for boiling, and may then he pickled in vinegar, or kept 
in salt water, to be changed daily and he cooked like 
souse, or broiled like steak, buttered and peppered; or 
ho dipped in hatter and fried. 
ffiisJa, or ISsasty 
3 r siifflciently, and when boiling, stir into A sifted 
1 until two-thirds as thick as desired; then for the 
■r third use coarse wheat flour, and 'boil a few min- 
' stirring all the time.-Jfre. M. W., Agency City, 
\ —IThe secret of making corn meal palatable, wheth- 
1 ■nuddin^-s of any kind, or in cakes or corn bread, lies 
ooking it thoroughly, we think. Whether pure meal, 
art meal and flour, wc advise to mix the ^^sty pi 
r very thin, and then cook it down by at leaf an 
plboi hw-anhoui-ormorc,improvesit. Whileahout 
nil supply to slice up and fiy for breakfast. It is 
liomicaj and is relished by almost cveryhodj .-En.] 
‘Uncle Sam’s Fried Cafees,’’ (fo- 
x^^qnTrTflmw.TtS 
C. Cook, Saratoga Co., N. T. Lf 
I the vinco-M takes the usual place of cream of tartar 
fti rnrhonic acid free from the soda. We suppose 
'other inn^edients are first thoroughly mixed with the 
:r and the vinegar afterward added with *vater. 
