i89i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
287 
Sweet Apple Butter. 
J. H. Fishell, Grant County, Ind.— 
Some persons appreciate a good sweet 
apple while others prefer a tart one, but 
for all time tastes have differed. In my 
own family one will choose a tart apple 
and won’t taste a sweet one. Some years 
ago in making out a list of apple trees to 
plant, my wife, in looking over it, said: 
“ What are you going to do with so many 
sweet apples ? ” I said: “ I am going to 
make cider out of the selected ones and 
feed the rest to the cows and pigs. I won’t 
convert the cider into vinegar for it will 
turn everything dark that is made with 
it.” The best apple butter is made with 
sweet cider, thickened with that from 
Ram bo Apples or any other good, tart cook¬ 
ing apple. I can sell all the apple butter I 
can make in this way. Several years ago I 
ordered of a farmer two barrels of sweet 
cider and apples to make apple butter, and 
when he delivered them, I found that the 
cider was made of sour apples, while the 
apples were of the worst sour kind. When 
I explained to him that I wanted cider 
made of sweet apples, he laughed outright, 
and said there were not enough sweet 
apples in the county to make one barrel of 
cider. I sold some of that apple butter and 
gave away the balance. One farmer’s 
wife told me that her family did not care 
for apple butter, canned fruit or preserves. 
I had occasion to stop at her house for 
dinner shortly afterwards, and one small 
taste of her butter and canned fruit was 
enough. I do believe it would have made 
a pig squeal. The same family paid us a 
visit and you ought to have seen them 
store away the apple butter and canned 
fruit! The children said: “ Ma, why don’t 
you make this kind of apple butter and 
put up these kinds of berries ?” There was 
no answer. I could have given the answer 
if I had dared. 
“When Plows Were Built of Wood.” 
H. C., Wolcott, N. Y.—In The R. N.-Y. 
of February 7, in the Farmers’ Club dis¬ 
cussions, Mr. C. S. Rice, speaking of old- 
time farm tools, especially of plows, said he 
had seen the old discarded wooden mould- 
board plow but had never used one. I can 
outdistance him quite a little on that score. 
In 1820 my father, with mother and myself, 
moved into the old town of Wolcott, right 
in the woods. When father got a little 
land cleared and wanted to stir the soil, he 
made a plow composed of wood with the 
exception of the point, which was made of 
iron with a hardened edge, for two horses, 
or rather two oxen, as he had no horses at 
that time. As soon as he procured 
a horse he made a light corn plow 
in the same way. I well remember 
both tools, as I used them and 
many a root broke and flew back just 
about enough to hit my legs, so that I had 
to step quite lively. We have the small 
plow on the farm here now, the large one 
my father gave to the Syracuse Plow Com¬ 
pany a few years since. I suppose it is at 
their place on exhibition to show the differ¬ 
ence between the old and the new. I have 
also used the old-style hand rakes and the 
sickle, and thrashing flails and hand fan, 
and wooden forks for stirring hay, and 
also the old flax brake and swingling 
board and knives. All of the above are on 
exhibition to show what we had to use 
before better tools or machines came into 
general use or could be procured without 
money being more plentiful than it was in 
the woods. 
Roadside Fences In Ohio. 
Alva Agee, Gallia County, O.—On 
page 245 of The Rural, “ A Subscriber, Can¬ 
ton, Onio,” is told that “ the landlord of the 
adjoining land can be compelled to pay for 
his share of the line fence; or, if he refuses, 
the cost of building it can be legally col¬ 
lected.” This is true if the fences along 
the highway are maintained by each, mak 
ing the farms inclosures. Section 4,239 of 
the Revised Statutes of Ohio, 1880, says that 
the owner of land adjoining a fence erected 
by the owner of the adjoining land who 
makes an inclosure adjoining such fence, so 
that such fence answers the purpose of in¬ 
closing his land, shall pay the owner of the 
fence already erected one half of the value 
thereof. And section 4,241 says “When 
the inclosures of two or more persons are 
divided by a partition fence of any kind, 
and either party thinks proper to vacate 
his part of such inclosure, such person may 
remove his share or part of such partition 
fence by giving gix months’ notice, in writ¬ 
ing, of such intention to the party owning 
or occupying the adjoining inclosure.” 
This is a matter of some importance to 
many who have taken up The Rural’s 
cry, “ Down with Useless Fences,” Abandon 
the highway fence, and give notice of your 
intention to abandon partition fences. 
Gregariousness of Humanity.— 
“ Everything which has aided the growth 
of cities,” Mr. Wadlin points out, “ has at 
the same time tended to reduce the popu¬ 
lation of the remote towns.” Even in the 
agricultural pursuits, comments Brad- 
streets, there is a # constant tendency to re¬ 
move from the distant hill-sides to the 
vicinity of the cities and large villages. The 
agriculture of Massachusetts, for example, 
is developing in the direction of market 
gardening, and particularly the dairy. 
Economic reasons thus favor the growth of 
suburban agricultural population through 
accessions from that which is strictly rural. 
The railroad also is almost a controlling 
factor in modern life, drawing inhabitants 
steadily, though almost insensibly, from 
the older settlements among the mountains 
to the newer centers of activity in the val¬ 
leys. Labor-saving machinery, again, has 
come to be considered indispensable in agri¬ 
cultural as well as mechanical pursuits,, 
and many farms once cultivated are ill- 
suited to its successful employment. The 
shifting of population and the abandon¬ 
ment of farming land which have attracted 
so much attention during the last twenty 
years may thus be expected to continue 
without indicating on the whole a general 
decline of New England agriculture. 
Testing Seeds. — There are several 
methods of testing seeds, says W. R. 
Lazenby in the Ohio Farmer. One of the 
simplest is as follows: Moisten a piece of 
cloth and spread it over a common dinner 
plate. Carefully count a few dozens each 
of the seeds to be tested and place them 
upon the cloth. Cover with a similar 
piece ; keep the cloth well moistened at all 
times, and at a temperature of the ordinary 
living room, or about 70 degrees. Under 
these conditions all the good seeds will 
germinate in a very few days. Count these 
carefully and you can then tell what pro¬ 
portion of your seeds is sound and can be 
trusted. 
One fairly good method of separating 
imperfect and poorly developed seeds from 
those that are of a good quality is to sub¬ 
ject all the seeds to a water test. Most of 
our garden seeds, if good, will readily sink. 
Some, like the parsnip and carrot, require 
more time, and must be well soaked before 
they will go to the bottom. The beet requires 
the most time. The true seeds of the beet 
would undoubtedly sink as readily as any 
other. What we know a3 the seeds are in 
reality several seeds inclosed in rather hard 
cells or cases, and it this covering that 
keeps them apart. Even the seed of the 
beet will sink, case and all, if it be of good 
quality and is allowed to remain in water 
for a few hours. By making these simple 
tests we may often spare ourselves much 
mortification and disappointment. 
MULTUM IN PARVO. 
Try the Paris Pickling Cucumber for 
pickles. The vines are hardy and prolific, 
the pickles are as tender as possible, sub¬ 
stantially seedless, aad of unique though 
pleasing individuality. 
Mr. Wilson also offers the “ Wilson’s Winter Pine¬ 
apple Musk melon -the most valuable novelty of the 
Nineteenth Century.” The vine Is healthy, grows In 
any good soil and bears abundantly. The melons 
weigh from nine to eleven pounds each. The seed 
cavity is so small that they are almost solid meat. 
No other melon In Mr. W.’s 30 years’ expei-ience '‘will 
compare with this melon In delicious taste.” It 
comes from the Sandwich Islands. The melons do 
not ripen on the vines like other melons, but must 
be picked before hard frost and placed In a dry, cool 
room. When wanted for use lake them into a warm 
room and they will ripen up at once. This may all 
be true. A trial will entitle us to an opinion. 
The above is from a late R. N.-Y. Mr. 
A. L. Smith, of Spokane Falls, Washing¬ 
ton, comments as follows : “ When you 
try this melon, please tr£ the Cassaba with 
it. I (juess they are identical.”. 
It is true, as Mr. F. L. Temple remarks, 
that few even of our most expert amateurs 
in fine plants are aware of what now exists 
in new forms and colors of lilacs. In a list 
of 25 new varieties, we may, for example, 
describe President Grevy: Spikes more 
than a foot in length, with proportionate 
width; individual flowers over an Inch, 
with two or three rows of rounded petals 
of a cobalt blue, with the centers more 
brilliant and the edges rosy. The buds are 
enormous, globular and of a vinous violet 
hue. 
Plant a little bed of Azalea amoena. It 
is a dwarf evergreen shrub which literally 
covers itself with its purple double flowers 
in May... 
A bed of the hardiest rhododendrons, 
fringed with the Ghent Azaleas*nay be said 
to be unequaled for its brilliancy of flowers 
during the blooming season—early June... 
Temple & Beard describe the Siberian 
Honeysuckle—Lonicera hispida—as a pen¬ 
dulous bush of pretty appearance, but the 
blossoms are the captivating feature. They 
are thickly set on the branches, much larger 
than the commoner sorts and of a porcelain 
blue color, with a fragrance indescribable. 
One blossom scents the whole room. 
Ornamental Trees 
SHRUBS AND CONIFERS. 
Finest collection in New England Includes the best 
novelties. 90-page catalogue full of good hints. 
LARGE and SMALL FRUITS 
Proved for New England climate. 23-page catalogue 
with culture. 
HARDY BORDER PLANTS 
Finest collection In America. 60-page catalogue. Over 
800 varieties described. The mostcomplete on the sub¬ 
ject In America. The above are “Three Valuable 
Hand-books.” -'ll plants can be seen at the Nursery, 
which wa-i establishe 1 In 1851. 
JACOB W. MANNING, 
A sound conclusion arrived at by the Il¬ 
linois E. S. is that the Crosby Sweet Corn, 
planted at different times, would be as good 
as any variety for those who do not care to 
plant more than one sort. 
It is pretty hard to keep track of the new 
peas in the market, so great is the number. 
According to the claims made by Peter 
Henderson & Co., the Heroine Is the great¬ 
est acquisition of the past 10 years. It is 
medium early and wrinkled, the vines grow¬ 
ing about two feet high, the pods having 
nine or ten peas of the finest quality. It is 
destined, it would seem, to eclipse Strata¬ 
gem and Pride of the Market, both of 
which, it may be mentioned, The R. N.-Y. 
was the first to bring to the notice of Amer¬ 
ican growers. 
The whole matter of dairying is now 
summed up in this way, as John Gould 
puts it in the Weekly Press of Philadel¬ 
phia: What will my cows return me for the 
food consumed ? How cau I best prepare 
their food for them so that they will best 
digest and assimilate it and return it to me 
in the form of good milk? What does this 
pound of butter cost me, and what does the 
gallon of milk represent? What shall I do 
with the milk ; sell it or become a manu¬ 
facturer and beside the finished product 
turn the waste of the dairy to the best ac¬ 
count? What does the market demand, and 
in what way can I best find out and assist 
in furnishing the supply? What am I do¬ 
ing to keep my mind supplied with the best 
dairy thought, and am I educating myself 
to know the possibilities of the dairy in¬ 
terests?. 
Every lover of roses should plant the 
Georges Bru tnt. This is one of the novel¬ 
ties that has been tried and not found want¬ 
ing. At the Rural Grounds it has passed 
the winter, though entirely unprotected, 
without harm. White flowers fragrant of 
the Tea rose, pointed buds, flue foliage, re¬ 
sembling Rugosa. 
WORD FOR WORD. 
-N. Y. Herald : “ To make close con¬ 
nections with eternity Death has to be run 
on time.” 
“ Lying is the basis of all evil. After 
one year of absolute truth crime would 
disappear.” 
-N. E. Homestead : “ The possibilities 
of coQperative buying for spot cash are 
shown by the order for 500 tons of ferti¬ 
lizer given by the agent of the Riverhead 
(L. I) farmers. By having the cash to pay 
for the fertilizer on receipt of the bill of 
lading, they are able to get for $30 a ton a 
fertilizer, in 500-ton lots, containing 5 per 
cent of ammonia, 8 per cent of available 
phosphoric acid and 10 per cent of actual 
potash, which compares very favorably 
with special manures selling at $35 to $45 a 
ton. Cooperation is the way out of the 
enormous expense of the credit business 
and small purchases. It is bound to come.” 
-Harper’s Monthly: “No Indians 
have come into intimate or dependent rela¬ 
tions with the whites without being dete¬ 
riorated.” 
The Heading Nursery, Heading, Mass. 
All Catalogues Free. 
EVERGREENS 
FRUIT & FOREST TREES 
S .30,000,OOO trees for spring trade. 
Send for our Catalogue, mention this 
paper, and you will receive a valu- 
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_ _’ and coupon good for 50c. worth of 
_Trees Free. Prices lower than the lowest. 
Address The E. H. RICKER CO., Elgin Nurseries. Elgin, III. 
CHOICE 
For Lawn*, Parks and Ceme¬ 
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_ Hedging. 
20 acres devoted 
to the growth of 
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Frequently Sheared and Root Pruned. 
The best selection of Varieties. 
Catalogue and Planter’s Qulde FREE. 
THE WJI, II. MOON CO., Morrisvllle, Pa. 
Hedging. 
EVERGREENS 
FOREST TREES. 
Fatal pa Speciosa, 
White Ash, European 
Larch, Pines, Spruces, 
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•' Catalpa Speciosa Seed. 
Forest and Evergreen 
Seeds. 
R,DOUGLAS & SON, 
Wauhegan, lit 
M y specialty for 114 years 
Vines of 100 best kinds. 
Concord, lv" -, Moores 
Early, Lady .ockling- 
ton, Delaware, Wood ruff Red .Greo^yMountui n, 
Colerain, Brilliant, Moore’s Diamond, Moyer, 
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other Gooseberries. Currants, llaspberrles, Straw¬ 
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GRAPE VINES 
Plants of Boat Quality. Warranted truo to namo. Lowest 
Prices. Largest Stock and Assortment of Old and Hew 
Variotios. Sond for Price List. 
BtJSH A SON A MZISSm, Btuhkorg, Mo. 
Six days earlier than 
any variety tested at the 
Agrlcult’l Ex. Grounds 
at Geneva, N. Y. Color 
greenish white ; pulp 
lender, sweet and de¬ 
licious. The oulv grape 
that ranks first both In 
earliness and quality. 
Each vine sealed with 
our registered trade¬ 
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circulars giving lurtm-r Information. Agents wanted 
Address STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS, New Canaan, Ct. 
SEED POTATOES. 
BEST late Potato. 
Try it. We have them 
pure and vigorous. 
Finest Maine Rose and 
Hebron. Send for Catalogue. Lowest Prices. 
DAVENPORT’S Headquarters- 
124 Dock St., PHILADELPHIA. 
State of 
Maine” 
Rural New-Yorker No. 2 Potatoes. 
Onion Setts, Flat Dutch Cabbage Seed, Vegetable 
Plants, of Standard Sorts. 
JYf. GARRAHAN, 
KINGSTON, PA. 
SEED POTATOES. 
Choice selected Houlton, Aroostook Co., Maine Early 
Rose, Beauty of Hebron, and all other well-known 
varieties For sale bv 
VV. E DURYBA’S 8D\S, 
Produce Commission Merchants. 
119 Warren Street, New York. 
For Shed or Poultry Building 
Excellent roof complete. Anyone can lay It. 
$2 per lOOSq. Feet. 
ATHING PAPER. Water, wind and 
damp proof. Keeps building cool in 
summer, warm In winter. 
GOO Square Feet, S3.00. 
LOW PRICE, DURABLE, FIRE PROOF. 
Rubber roofing is unequalled for house, barn and all build¬ 
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i It Is ready for use, easily applied by any one on steep or Hat 
surface, or over old shingles, and is guaranteed water tight. 
STATE SIZE OF ROOF 
and we will mail special low estimate and full particulars. 
SAMPLE FREE IF YOU SEND STAMP. 
Write at Once. Indiana Paint and Hoofing Co., New York. 
SPRAY YOUR FRUIT TREES AND VINES. 
Wormy Fruit and Leaf Blight of Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plum Cur- 
culia prevented by spraying with the EXCELSIOR SPRAY 
FRUIT ALWAYS SELLS AT GOOD PRICES, 
Catalogue showing all injurious insects to fruits mailed free. Large 
stock of Fruit Trees, Vines and Berry Plants at Bottom Prices, 'j 
Address, WM. STAHL, Quincy, Illinois. 
