MOOllE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND EAMILY JOURNAL. 
FRUIT GROWING AT THE WEST. 
Eos. Rural: —Allow me to ask you, through 
the medium of your paper, whether Iowa is a good 
fruit country. I think of moving west and enga¬ 
ging in fruit culture, and wish to go where land is 
cheap and ferti'e, and adapted to my purpose. I 
am not particular where* and have thought of 
Michigan, and of Indiana, but more particularly of 
Iowa. But I have heard that the winters were 
too severe for fruit on the prairies. How it is, per¬ 
haps you, or some of your readers cast infoam me? 
Sutfalo, N. V., JuneSKh, I8.lt. J.. O. 
From the best information we have been 
able to glean, it appears that most kinds of 
fruit have been grown to some extent in 
Wisconsin, a very near m ighbor of Iowa, 
and probably not differing materially from 
it in adaptation to fruit growing. Iowa is 
still a new Slate, and little attention has 
been given to ils Horticulture, so that the 
general adaptedness ot the State'to grow in 
perfection, the choice fruits, has not been 
tested sufficiently to enable us to give an 
authenticated opinion. . 
In Wisconsin, there are some serious dif¬ 
ficulties attending fruit growing, which 
would preclude its taking rank as a good 
locality for that business. The-severity of 
the winters, succeeding warm autumns and 
followed by severe, late spring frosts, ren¬ 
ders the crop a very uncertain one —pro¬ 
duces diseases of the trees, and too often 
ends in their destruction. Unquestionably 
there are favored localities that might be, 
and have been selected, where most kinds 
of fruit could be raised with tolerable suc¬ 
cess. In the absence of personal knowl¬ 
edge,—but from our best information—we 
are of the opinion that to some extent, hardy 
fruit mav be grown, sufficient for home 
consumption, in the Southern portion of Io¬ 
wa, Wisconsin, and the Northern part of 
Illinois Michigan is, in most sections, a fine 
fruit country. 
In Indiana, we have seen very fine fruit 
of different kinds growing—among them, 
some of the finest peaches we ever tasted. 
In the counties of Noble, Lagrange, and 
others of the same range, there eould be no 
difficulty in raising all kinds of fruit, or in¬ 
deed anything else the heart of man could 
desire. So far as we have seen, but little 
attention has been given to the cultivtion of 
choice fruit, in Northern Indiana, the farm¬ 
ers finding sufficient occupation in remov¬ 
ing the primitive forests, breaking and sub¬ 
duing the “openings,” and building com¬ 
fortable dwellings, school houses and some 
churches, without devoting much time to 
Horticulture. The day is not far distant 
when we are to look to the West for our 
choicest fruits, and by means of rail roads, 
receive our early strawberries, pears and 
peaches, from Southern Ohio and Indiana, 
instead of the Atlantic coast. 
—We should be glad to hear from some 
of our Western subscribers, who know from 
experience the adaptedness ot their section 
to fruit culture. t 
THE LINCOLN GRAFS. 
Messrs. Editors: —I regret that an an¬ 
swer to your letter, asking information in 
regard to the Lincoln Grape, should have 
been so long delayed. At the time ol its 
receipt I was constantly engaged in the du¬ 
ties ot' my profession, and since have been 
absent from home. 1 will now, however, 
give you a full history and description of the 
Lincoln Grape, and if an opportunity offers, 
send you a few of the cuttings. 
A few years ago, I commenced a small 
experimental vineyard, that 1 might have an 
opportunity of observing what grapes were 
best adapted to our soil and climate. I be¬ 
gan with a few foreign and most of our cul¬ 
tivated native varieties, and since have taken 
particular pains to enquire for, and procure, 
accidental seedlings, which have a reputa¬ 
tion for excellence, from this and the sur¬ 
rounding counties. So far as uiv vines have 
yet come into bearing, the grape we call 
the Lincoln, I prefer to any other, and such 
appears to be the opinion of all who have 
visited my vinery. 
With us grapes are liable to the follow¬ 
ing casualties: an insect deposits its egg in 
the young fruit —they rot at different stages 
of their growth—but that which is most 
discouraging, is the blight, which generally 
commences when the fruit is nearly grown 
or about the time it changes color; the 
stems begin to wither, the grapes shrivel 
and the prospect for a crop is lost. 1 am of 
opinion that as a general rule, the larger 
sized grapes, whether native or foreign, are 
more subject to the above accidents than 
the smaller sized grapes. 
The Lincoln grape was found growing 
wild on the banks of the Catawba river, and 
is no doubt an accidental seedling from the 
common summer grape. It is a rampant 
grower, making more wood than any other 
in my collection; the joints long, the young 
shoots smooth, and of a brighter red than the 
Isabella or Catawba. The leaf is much 
smaller than that of the Isabella, obscurely 
tri-lobed, serrate on the margin; the teeth 
smaller and more regular than those of the 
Isabella, and the leaf of a brighter green. 
The Lincoln grape is a great bearer; a 
gentleman of this place tells me he has seen 
a single vine with fifty bushels on it, and a 
vine at Mr. Hart's on the Catawba river, 
was computed to have borne one hundred 
bushels the past season. The bunches are 
large, beautifully shouldered, and ripen 
very evenly, and from two to four weeks 
earlier than the Isabella. The grapes are 
round, a good size, larger than the common 
summer grape, and, towards the terminal 
extremity, many of them without seeds.— 
The skin is sweet, thin, dark purple, cover¬ 
ed with a light colored blue bloom. Flesh 
tender and melting, without any pulp, sweet, 
and a most delicious flavor when fully ripe. 
Tlie Lincoln grape is not subject to rot or 
blight, like most other grapes at the South, 
and I cannot but think it will prove a most 
excellent wine grape, and hope it may fall 
into the hands of some one who is willing 
and qualified to give it a proper trial. 
Mine is a grey gravelly soil with a red 
subsoil; I have manured with stable ma¬ 
nure, lime, bone-dust and ashes; my trellis 
is 10 or 12 feet high, vines laid thin, and 
long; but any rich soil, with vines trimmed 
so as to have nothing but young and vigor¬ 
ous wood, with plenty of sun and air, will 
do equally as well as mine. 
Respectfully yours, Z. E. Burr. 
Lincolnton, N. C., Jan. 2, 1851. 
We are informed that it would give Dr. 
Butt pleasure to forward by mail, vine cut¬ 
tings, to those who have expressed a wish 
to have them, but the post-master has de¬ 
cided that they are not “ mail matter.”— 
We hope to have other means of getting 
them, and shall not let an opportunity 
escape. Accept our thanks.— Farmer <£• 
Planter. 
ON DRYING SPECIMENS OF FLOWERS. 
As the season for collecting plants is ap¬ 
proaching, may I be permitted to give the 
particulars of the process I have adopted in 
drying specimens of the Hortus Siccus, es¬ 
pecially the more delicate and succulent 
ones, for which I have found it peculiarly 
adapted, and it combines the greatest equal¬ 
ity of pressure with despatch in drying. 
My method is as follows:—The appara¬ 
tus required is very simple, consisting of a 
few canvass or linen bags, of such size that, 
when laid flat, they will rather more than 
cover a sheet of demy paper, a quantity of 
clean sand, an old sauce pan, or other con¬ 
venient vessel, to heat it in, and a few quires 
of blotting paper. Having provided these, 
fiist put a sufficient quantity of sand in the 
sauce pan over the tire, and while this is 
heating, take a quire of blotting paper, on 
whio arrange the plants, covering them with 
Two or three sheets of blotting paper. When 
the sand is sufficiently heated, and uniform¬ 
ly so, (which may be promoted by stir¬ 
ring it with a stick,) pour into one of the 
bags enough to fill it to one-third. The 
mouth of the bag being closed by tying or 
folding back, it is then to be laid carefully 
over the plants arranged between the paper, 
and the sand contained in it to be spread 
out by the hand and pressed with a board, 
so as to form a flat uniform surface. This 
process may be repeated, several layers of 
paper, plants and sand bags being laid on 
one another. 
If this is done, no extra weight will be 
required — the smallest and most delicate 
plants being placed in the uppermost layers; 
but if the subject be large and thick, a 
board and weight will be generally neces¬ 
sary. Unless they are very thick and suc¬ 
culent, in which case they may require a 
second application of hot sand, the plants 
will generally be found quite dry within 
twenty-four hours, and often much sooner. 
This is one advantage; as by this rapid 
desiccation, the color is preserved in the 
greatest perfection— i. e., if the temperature 
be well regulated. The second and per¬ 
haps of more importance as regards the 
botanical value of the specimen is, that the 
sand by adapting itself to the inequalities 
of the object under pressure, prevents any 
crushing of the stems, receptacles, <fco.; 
while the parts of the leaves in juxtaposi¬ 
tion with a hard, thick stem, which, by the 
ordinary method, escape any pressure, and 
consequently shrivel up, are all equally flat¬ 
tened.— Pharmaceutical Journal. 
The Caterpillar. —The best mode of 
destroying caterpillars on trees, which often 
cause such havoc, is to pour three drops of 
lamp oil into their nest, which will effectu¬ 
ally destroy them. 
Shade Trees. — There are few men 
whose friends will build them a monument 
so honorable or so durable as he builds for 
himself who plants an elm, maple, or other 
good shade tree. 
Ashes around the roots of apple trees 
prevent the ravages of the borer. 
HXtcljamc 
LIST OF PATENT CLAIMS 
ISSUED FKOM THE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 
For file week ending June 3, 1851. 
To John C. Post, of White Ilavcn, Pa., for im¬ 
proved self-adjusting and locking switch for rail¬ 
roads. 
To Horace S. Cook, of Leominster, .Mass., (as¬ 
signor to H. S. Cook and Seneca Colburn,) for 
improvements in comb-cutting machines. 
To Margaret Hillings, of Randolph Co., Ind., 
for improvement in hand machines for spinning 
machines. 
To S. B. Hutchins, of Oswegnchie, N. YL, for 
improved arrangement of machinery for actuating 
the crank indicator. 
To David and Herman Wolf, of Lebanon, Pa., 
for improvement iu seed distributors of seed 
planters. 
To J. W. Briggs, of Cleveland, Ohio, for im¬ 
provement in collars for harness. 
To Peter Claussen, of Great Charlotte street, 
Black('riars,England, lor improvement in processes 
for treating vegetable fibre. Ante-dated August 
16. 1850. 
To Joseph Osborn, of Weymouth, Mails., for 
improved sash stopper. 
To Cyrus Avery, of Tunkhannock, Pa., for 
improvement in horse powers. 
To Henry Bessemer, of Middlesex, England, 
for improvement in machines for expiessing cane 
juice. Ante-ciated Dec. 31, 1850. 
To M. J. Hunt, of Rising Sun, Md., for im¬ 
provement in the gearing of a seed planter. 
To J. C. Dickey, of Washington, D. C., for 
improvement in revolving frames for drying fruits 
and other articles. 
To R. B. Beech, of Kensington, Pa., for im¬ 
provement in ornamenting baked earthen ware. 
To L. S. Chichester, of Williarnsburgh, N. Y., 
for improvement in carving machines. 
DESIGNS. 
To L. S. Hapgood, of Boston, Mass., for de¬ 
sign for stove plates. 
To Wm. L. Sanderson, of Troy, N. Y., (as¬ 
signor to R. R. Finch, of Peekskill, N. Y.,) for 
design for stoves. 
[ In reference to designs, let us say, that 
a great deal of attention is now being paid 
to patenting them. The price is nothing, 
while the benefits derived from the patent 
of a good design are immense .]—Sci Am. 
PAYNEIZING. 
This is a process named after the discov¬ 
erer, Mr. Payne of London, for rendering- 
all kinds of wood and texile fabrics inde¬ 
structible to rot, or decay, in any situation or 
exposure, by the injection and deposition 
into its pores and entire substance, of certain 
saline and mineral ingredients, which de¬ 
stroys and neutralizes all the saccharine mu- 
cilagenous and fermentable properties that 
the wood contains; depositing in their place 
an insoluble and undecomposablecompound, 
that neither water, air or climate can affect; 
in fact rendering it a sub-petrifaction, pos¬ 
sessing in a measure the properties of stone, 
A process called Kganizing, has been 
several years in use, and found when prop¬ 
erly performed to meet the expectations of 
the users, but from the great cost, and the 
difficulty and uncertainty of its applica¬ 
tion never came into general favor. It 
was discovered and patented by a Mr. Ry¬ 
an, who died in New York about two years 
ago. 
The proprietors of the process of Payne- 
izing in the city of Rochester, (Messrs. 
Parsons, Child and Rochester,) have al¬ 
ready made an outlay in buildings and ma¬ 
chinery, of near $20,000; which is a guar¬ 
antee to the public, that these gentlemen, 
so well known in this community as men of 
no ordinary acuteness and business quali¬ 
fications, have an entire faith in the process. 
From the commencement of this opera¬ 
tion, strongly appreciating the great impor¬ 
tance of its results if successful, we have 
taken a great interest, and have followed 
out the process in all its details, having had 
it minutely described to us, and witnessed 
the entire operation, and examined the 
chemical decompositions and affinities, we 
find them to be philosophically and chemi¬ 
cally correct, and have the most implicit 
faith in the discovery, as a preventive of the 
dry or wet rot 
The British Government have adopted it 
in their dock yards, as have many and va¬ 
rious manufacturers in England and France, 
where the process has been introduced. 
The proprietors are about subjecting their 
prepared materials, to the most searching 
test known—the Fungus pit, which will 
convince and satisfy the most incredulous. 
The immense importance of this discov¬ 
ery, if the result prove as favorable as the 
theory and proofs thus far warrant, can 
hardly at this stage of its progress be duly 
appreciated, as to its economy and saving 
in all the departments of civilized existence. 
All the exposed and perishable necessities 
and ornaments of public and private build¬ 
ings—the roofing, shingles, gutters, cornices, 
steeples, piazzas, porches, landings and steps 
— the posts of gates and fences, cased and 
ornamented at great cost->-Lhe posts for or¬ 
dinary farm board fences, a method of fen¬ 
cing that tliis country has got to resort to 
eventually, as cedar posts and rails are 
nearly exhausted—all the wood-work of 
farm wagons, plows, dec., that are neces¬ 
sarily exposed to the vicissitudes of the sea¬ 
sons—the whole frame and covering of canal 
boats, whose extreme period of service does 
not now exceed eight years, and that at a 
great cost of repairs and renewals—the 
frame-work of costly bridges—the timber¬ 
ing and wheels of mills, exposed as they 
are to the steam and damp of water—plank 
road timber—as a substitute for expensive 
stone sewers and drains—awning posts— 
cisterns, and the ne plus ultra fur wood 
pavements, as blocks endwise are the per¬ 
fection of easy traveling, and safe foot hold 
for horses—for the ties and sleepers for 
railroads, rendering them more durable 
even than the iron rails—vessels ropes and 
canvass—tow lines, fishermen’s nets, awn¬ 
ings, &c., &c.; in short, every article in use 
composed of the ligneous fibre, that are ex¬ 
posed to the elements, are increased in value 
an hundred fold by this process, all of which 
by another simple operation are rendered 
incombustible at a trifling extra cost—and 
what renders the discovery so very valuable 
is its cheapness, being at present performed 
for one cent per. foot lineal measure, and 
the fact that the lowest grades of timber for 
durability in their natural state—the elm, 
ash and bass, being of a more open and 
porous structure, receive the antiseptic 
preparation better than the harder and more 
close grained woods, and are therefore ren¬ 
dered more durable. 
We hope soon to see the proofs of the 
benefits of this discovery brought before the 
public, by such palpable facts, that there 
can be no speculation on the subject. 
A visit to the works by all persons in¬ 
terested in valuable discoveries will pay the 
trouble. They are situated on the Genesee 
Valley Canal, near Sophia st. bridge, where 
the proprietors, or Mr. Rice, the Superin¬ 
tendent, will at all times render every desi¬ 
rable explanation, and exhibit various speci¬ 
mens and proofs of the power of their 
machinery, to permeate and force the pro¬ 
tecting agents through every part and por¬ 
tion of timber of whatever length aud size. 
MANUFACTURE OF STEEL PENS. 
The sheets of steel, are reduced to the 
required tensity by successive transits thro’ 
the rolling mill operations, tended by men 
and boys. Then reduced to the thinness of 
a steel pen, length about two feet, breadth 
2^ to 3 inches, the sheets are ready for 
punching out the blanks. This process is 
performed with very great rapidity-—one 
girl of average industry and dexterity being- 
able to punch out about 100 gross a day. 
The next operation is to place the blanks in 
a concave die, on which a slight touch from 
a convex piece produces the required shape, 
that of the semi-tube. The slits and aper¬ 
tures to increase the elasticity, and the ma¬ 
ker’s or vender’s name or mark, are pro¬ 
duced by a similar tool. 
Previously, however, the pen undergoes 
a variety of other processes. When com¬ 
plete all but the slit, it is soft and pliable, 
and may be bent or twisted in the hands 
like a piece of thin lead. Being collected 
in “ grosses,” or “ great grosses,” the pens 
are thrown into little square boxes by men, 
and placed in a furnace, where they remain 
till box and pens are of a white heat They 
are then taken out and thrown hissing hot 
into pails or tanks of oil, when they may 
be broken like so many wafers after drain¬ 
ing, they are then made to revolve rapidly 
in a perforated cylinder.— London Builder. 
NEW GRAIN DRILL. 
Mr Christian Hostetter, of East Don¬ 
egal, Lancaster Co., Pa., lias made an im¬ 
provement on Drills for grain planting, for 
which he has taken measures to secure a 
patent He employs a spring, and so at¬ 
taches it to the teeth or shares of (lie drill, 
and has it so arranged that the teeth or 
shares will have such an elastic action 
when they come in contact with obstruc¬ 
tions, such as roots, stones, &c., as will al¬ 
low them to spring back and prevent break¬ 
age, also to allow them to come self-acting 
into their proper positions when they are 
past the said obstructions. It often hap¬ 
pens that obstructions meet the drill before 
the driver is aware of the same; this im¬ 
provement is to remove an evil of a serious 
nature. There is also a very excellent ar¬ 
rangement on this drill for the supplying of 
seed to the drills when they are in the 
ground, and cutting oft’ the supply when 
out of the ground .—Sci Am* 
Improved Mortising Machine. — Mr. 
Avery Kinney, of Homer, Cortland Co., N. 
Y., has invented and taken measures for se¬ 
curing a patent for some very valuable im¬ 
provements in mortising machines. He 
employs two tables or bed pieces, one upon 
the other, the upper one, across which the 
boring frame travels, slides in the direction 
of its length over the second, it being oper¬ 
ated by rack and pinion, and so connected 
and operating together as to admit of the 
auger being moved or set at different points 
on the timber without loosening the ma¬ 
chine and re-fixing it, in the manner requi¬ 
red by other mortising machines.— Sci. Am. 
Ikproved Fence. —Mr. Robert McCon¬ 
nell, of the city of Pittsburg, Pa., has in¬ 
vented and taken measures to secure a 
patent for improvements in picket fences, 
whereby he unites the fence by tie rods 
passing through the pickets and interme¬ 
diate pieces, in combination with loose 
swivels, sc that the different sections of a 
picket fence can be put together in a very 
cheap and expeditious manner.— Sci. Am. 
tic C eon amt), 
To Bake a Ham. — Unless when too salt, 
from not being sufficiently soaked, a ham 
(particularly a young and fresh one) eats 
much better baked than boiled, and remains 
longer good. The safer plan is to lay it 
into plenty of cold water over night. The 
following day soak it for an hour or more 
in warm water, wash it delicately clean, 
trim smoothly off all rusty parts, and lay it 
with the rind downwards irffo a coarse paste 
rolled to about an inch thick; moisten the 
edges, pinch them together, and fold them 
over on the upper side of the ham, taking- 
care to close them so that no gravy can 
escape. Send it to a well heated, but not 
a tierce oven. A very small ham will re¬ 
quire quite three hours baking, and a large 
one five. The crust and the skin must he 
removed while it is hot When part only 
of a ham is dressed, this mode is better 
than boiling. 
Egg Pone. —Three eggs, a quart of corn 
flour, a large tablespoonful of fresh butter, 
a small teaspoonful of salt, a half pint (or 
more) of milk. Beat the eggs very light, 
and mix them with the milk. Then stir in, 
gradually, the corn flour; adding the salt 
and butter. It must not be a batter, but a 
soft dough, just thick enough to be stirred 
well with a spoon. If too thin, add more 
corn flour; if too stiff, thin it with a little 
more milk. Beat or stir it long and hard. 
Butter a tin or iron pan. Put the mixture 
into it; and set the pan immediately into an 
oven, which must be moderately hot at 
first, and the heat increased afterward. A 
Dutch oven is best for this purpose. It 
should bake an hour and a half or two hours 
in proportion to its thickness. Send it to 
table hot, and cut into slices. Eat it with 
butter or molasses. 
A Good Yeast. — Add to one pound of 
flour, one quarter of a pound of brown su¬ 
gar and a little salt. Boil moderately in 
two gallons of pure water for fifty minutes; 
remove it from the fire, and allow it to stand 
till it becomes milk warm. Bottle and cork. 
Half a pint of this yeast is sufficient for ten 
pounds b of bread. If corked closely and 
kept in a cool place it will retain its good¬ 
ness for a long time unimpaired, and the 
bread made with it is excellent. 
To Make Water Cold for Summer.— 
The following is a simple mode of render¬ 
ing water almost as cold as ice:—Let the 
jar, pitcher or vessel used for water, be sur¬ 
rounded with one or more folds of coarse 
cotton, to be constantly wet The evapo¬ 
ration of the water will carry off the heat 
from the inside, and reduce it to a freezing 
point In India and other tropical regions, 
where ice cannot be procured this is com¬ 
mon. 
Rust. —A. most excellent varnish to pre¬ 
vent rust is made of one pint of fat oil var¬ 
nish mixed with 5 pints of highly rectified 
spirits of turpentine, nibbed on the iron or 
steel with a piece of sponge. This varnish 
may be applied to bright stoves, and even 
mathematical instruments, without injuring 
their delicate polish.— Sci Am. 
To Clean Marble. —Take two parts of 
common soda, one part of pummioe-stone 
and one part of finely powdered chalk; sift 
it through a fine sieve, and mix it with 
water; then rub it well over the marblo, 
and the stains will be removed; then wash 
the marble over with soap and water, aud 
it will be as clean as it was at first. 
Bread Omelet. —Put into a stew-pan a 
teacup of bread crumbs, a teacup of cream 
a spoonful of butter, with salt and pepper 
and nutmeg; when the bread has absorb¬ 
ed the cream, break in the eggs, beat them 
a little with the mixture, and fry like plain 
omelet— Qer. Tel. 
Stop mouse holes with plugs of common 
I hard soap, and you will do it effectually. 
Rats, roaches, and ants will not disregard it 
