rity. Flesh, tender, juicy, sweet and rich, with a 
slight acid. The tree is a vigorous and handsome 
grower of the sort, resembling the May duke, and 
bears early. 
Black Tartarian is perhaps the most popular 
of all our black cherries, and may be considered 
among the dark-colored cherries, what the Yellow 
Spanish is among the light. The tree is a rapid 
grower, erect, and makes a beautiful tree. Fruit, 
large, heart-shaped; skin, glossy, purplish black. 
Flesh, purple to black, thick; stone, small; rich and 
delicious. 
THE CHEHHY 
For many years, even from the first settlement of 
the country, until the past two or three seasons, 
the cherry trees in Western New York have been 
entirely free from disease, and have borne regular 
and abundant crops of the finest fruit. Set out in 
almost any yard or garden, without pruning or 
care, bruised and broken, at the time of picking, 
they have borne all, struggled manfully against the 
greatest difficulties, and regularly as the season 
came round gave a generous crop of delicious 
fruit. For three years past, however, our cherries 
have suffered from unfavorable seasons, until many 
had been led to believe that their culture must be 
abandoned—the trees were injured in the winter, 
the fruit poor, wormy, and rotted on the trees be¬ 
fore becoming fully ripe. The present season has 
put to flight all these gloomy forebodings. Never 
have we seen the trees more healthful and vigorous, 
or such an abundant crop of sound, beautiful fruit, 
and for days, and in some cases, for weeks, have 
ripe specimens remained on the trees uninjured. 
To-day (July 11th) we saw Early Purple Guigne 
on the tree, the first ripe specimens being gathered 
on the 20th June. This should teach us not to be 
too easily discouraged. If our seasons change for 
the worse, may we not reasonably believe that they 
will change for the better again? Let us exercise 
patience, wait and hope. Impatience is a worse 
enemy to fruit culture than insects or bad seasons. 
The Cherry, although not grown extensively 
for market, like the apple, is one of our most valu¬ 
able fruits. It ripens during June and July, when 
scarcely any other fruit can be had. The Hearts 
and j Bigarreaus are fine for the dessert, and the 
Morellos and Dukes excellent for cooking. The 
trees grow rapidly and bear early, so that no one, 
however old, need despair of eating of the fruits 
of his own planting. In three and four years 
after planting, the Cherry will produce from one to 
two bushels. Then it is a beautiful tree, useful for 
shade and ornament, as well as the fruit. It is 
nicely adapted for small village lots, where there 
is only room for a few trees, and in such cases may 
well take the place of ornamental trees. 
The Cherry bears so early, and is of so good a 
form, that not much attention has been paid to 
dwarfing, though in all our best gardens we find a 
few dwarf trees. On the grounds of Ellwanger k 
Barry are some beautiful specimens that are now 
bearing excellent crops, and the fruit is larger in 
many cases than we find it on standard trees. The 
Early Purple Guigne, for instance, was shown by 
these gentlemen at the last meeting of the Fruit 
Growers' Society, as large as the Black Tartarian. 
Almost every one declared, at first sight, that they 
were incorrectly named. 
The Cherry is divided into three classes, — 1st, 
(Heart; 2d, Bigarreau; 3d, Duke and Morkli.o. 
1st, Heart Cherries. —The fruit of this class is 
heart-shaped, and the flesh sweet and tender. The 
Inquiries ant) Answers. 
Diseased Arr i.e Trees. —Being a reader of your valu¬ 
able paper, I wish to inquire, through its columns, what 
is the cause of young appie trees turning black, a foot 
or eighteen inches from the ground, and afterwards 
dying ? Our trees are on a loamy soil, well drained.— 
"Will ihe Rural readers please give their opinion on the 
subject, and the cure, if any.-C. M., Cicero, Onondaga 
Co., N. Y. - 
Planting Forest Trees.—I should like to be inform¬ 
ed by some reader of the Rural of the proper time to 
set out young forest trees, and the varieties which are 
most likely to live.— W. II. H. Pearson, Pitcairn, St. 
Laio. Co., N. Y., 1859. 
Forest trees may be transplanted either in the 
spring or the fall. Among the best and most cer¬ 
tain of our native trees, we will name the Sugar 
Maple, Soft Maple, Basswood, White Ash, andElm 
food away from dust. But now, especially, you 
need to be careful. Cover your bread, pies and 
cakes, as soon as out of the oven with a thin cloth, 
if nothing more. Keep meats of all kinds in a 
safe, if you have one, or in something they cannot 
get at. Keep covers on your sugar-bowls, and 
have your box open as jbrief a time as possible, 
and do not set food on the table, such as bread, 
cheese, sauce, cake, &c., to stand long uncovered 
before eating, and the moment the table can be 
cleared take care of them, and do not leave even 
a fragment of sauce or other food lying on a shelf, 
or any place. Have a definite place to cut bread 
and cake, keep a knife and cloth there, cover what 
you leave, and have a brush handy to brush away 
crumbs—it will not consume a moment’s time to 
attend to all these little things, if you only have your 
mind on your interests, and have order and method 
about you. Go into a pantry in fly-time, and see 
a pie or two standing about, a dish of sauce, sugar 
uncovered, flour bin open, and shelves scattered 
with crumbs, dirty milk-pans, a dish of meat, &c., 
&c., and you may set down the mistress as a 
slovenly, untidy housekeeper, whose table will 
never be inviting, nor house in order. 
We cannot expect to have a pleasant, cheery 
home, unless we take a little pains, and to do so it 
is not necessary to be too careful, and so fastidi¬ 
ous as to render every one uncomfortable. Just 
be thoughtful, quiet, attentive, doing things in the 
right time and place, and doing them well. In 
cooking a meal you need not get your shelf, table, 
and sink, topsy-turvy with dishes, knives, spoons, 
covers, and traps that will take half an hour to 
pick up, and get in order to put away; and never 
get your hands in dish-water till you have enough 
to finish your work, and your dishes, &c., all 
snugly picked up aDd placed handy. Some girls 
and some women, too, begin to wash dishes with 
a little water, the fire just out, and none heating, 
and the table but half-cleared, dishes standing all 
over the pantry or cupboard, making them twice 
the work necessary. 
Aaotlloriniportanl Ron) in hot WDatheT 5s tO get 
over your dish-water the moment you have your 
meals prepared, and it will heat with the remain¬ 
ing fire, so you need not swelter in a warm kitchen 
to do up your work. Unless you can keep your 
wits about you, and attend to these trifles, you 
must expect a world of vexation, fatigue, and un¬ 
necessary labor. If you would not be a slave to 
your own heedlessness, think, see, observe, and 
you will be abundantly repaid in your clean, quiet 
home and dress, and especially will your husband 
bless the luck that gave him a thoughtful, orderly, 
tidy, cheerful wife and housekeeper. 
A Farmer’s Wife. 
"Western New York, June, 1S59. 
Old Strawberry Plants and Runners.— Can the 
true and genuine Strawberry be obtained by setting off¬ 
sets or divisions of the original or true vines? Are 
those obtained from runners better plants, and more 
sure of producing fruit identical with the parent seed¬ 
ling ? Your views upon this subject will be not only 
interesting, but probably profitable to many of your 
readers.— Erie, Buffalo, July, 1S59. 
The fruit will be the same, whether old plants or 
young ones from runners are set out. Young 
plants are the best, though we have often set out 
old pones rather than wait late in the season for 
runnei’3, and with the best results. The old plants 
if watered, or the season is showery, will throw 
outrunners, when set early in July, and cover the 
ground with young plants before fall. 
Dropping of Peaches—Pruning Pears. — I receive 
almost daily inquiries for the cause of the rapid drop¬ 
ping off of peaches, (which are now about as large 
around as a copper.) I have noticed that gum issued 
from them in several places, and then in a few days 
they would drop off. Can you, or some of your sub¬ 
scribers, give the reason, and a preventive, if any, 
against it ? I don’t remember of ever seeing any simi¬ 
lar disease on peaches here before. My trees are all 
very healthy and growing rapidly. Our soil here is 
mostly clay. "When is the best time to cut back pear 
trees to have them form fruit buds for the next year?— 
W. C. R., Granville, Licking Co., 0., 1859. 
Cold, wet weather, when the fruit is young, 
often causes it to drop. In many of the fallen 
specimens you will, no doubt, find a white maggot 
near the stone. The only tree we know of bearing 
fruit in this section the present season, is losing 
much of its fruit from tho run erg ot. Where trees 
make a very rank growth of wood without forming 
fruit buds, pruning in July will check growth and 
induce their formation. 
all the black cherries. Indeed, it^is so'good that 
after eating freely of it, many other good sorts 
taste insipid. Ripens early in July, a few^davs 
after the Black Tartarian. 
Donna Maria is a very good acid cherry, follow¬ 
ing Early Purple Guigne, and valuable for pies, 
preserving, &c. It is of medium size, flattened at 
both ends, light red until matured, when it becomes 
dark. It makes but a small tree, in fact, not much 
more than a bush. 
Great Bigarreau of Mezel, or Monstreus de 
Mezel is the largest and finest looking of all the 
black cherries. Its appearance is well shown in 
our engraving,, though wo have seen specimens^ 
larger. It is'so large and showy, and the flesh so 
firm, that when generally grown it will no doubt 
prove one of our best market cherries. The tree 
is a strong and irregular grower, more so than any 
other variety we are acquainted with. The fruit is 
black, larger than Black Tartarian, heart-shaped, 
with an uneven surface. It is not high flavored, 
but juicy and agreeable. The fruit is produced in 
large clusters. Ripe in Rochester about the 1st sf 
July. 
Elliot’s Favorite is one of Dr. Kirtland’s 
seedlings, and is a beautiful small cherry, yellow¬ 
ish, mottled and shaded with red—flesh tender and 
almost transparent; not high-flavored. The tree 
a good bearer. A pretty, fancy fruit, for the ama¬ 
teur. 
FRUIT CULTURE IN MICHIGAN. 
Messrs. Eds. :—I notice an inquiry in the Rural 
relating to orcharding in Western Michigan, and 
not having seen any reply, I would say that for 
three or four years past much attention has been 
given to fruit-growing in this section. The im¬ 
mediate Lake shore, or within one or two miles, is 
considered better than it is further from the water. 
The peach crop very seldom fails here, and there is 
an abundant crop in prospect this season, near the 
lake, though further inland the crop suffered more 
or less from the severe frosts of June. 
A dry soil of good quality, well adapted to fruit¬ 
growing, may be found both on openings and 
timbered land. Most of the orchards already set 
are upon the openings. Some prefer the timbered 
land. I think the peach does not do as well in the 
Grand River country as it does here. No doubt 
the apple will flourish there as well as further 
south. I was myself a resident of Macedon, N. Y., 
about nine years; and if my friend there desires 
FLORENCE. 
-Were we to select the brightest and 
Florence, 
most beautiful of all cherries, we don’t know but 
the Florence would be our choice. Fruit is about 
the size of the Jlovey, and somewhat similar in 
form. Skin, amber, shaded and marbled with a 
most lively red, with a tinge of delicate violet that 
distinguishes it from all other varieties we are 
acquainted with. Flesh is very firm, but very 
juicy and sweet. Ripe from the 10th of July to the 
1st of August. An excellent sort for market. 
Downer’s Late Red. — Fruit large, roundish, 
slightly mottled, tender, juicy and sweet; an ex¬ 
cellent late cherry. The tree is an erect, beautiful 
grower, bears well, and the fruit hangs for a long 
time on the tree. Ripe from the middle of July to 
the 1st August. 
Bigarreau, or Yellow Spanish. —This variety 
has been cultivated in America about 60 years. It 
retains the popularity it acquired many years since, 
and is still one of the largest and finest of the light- 
colored, firm-fleshed cherries. 
Napoleon Bigarreau is firmer in flesh than the 
Yellow Spanish, fully as large, and more heart- 
shaped. It is of good flavor, and a showy, popular 
market cherry, though the flesh is too firm to suit 
many. 
COOKING MEAT, CAKES, &c. 
Bread Cake —“ Very Nice.” — Three cups of 
dough (very light;) 3 cups of sugar; 1 of butter; 
3 eggs; a nutmeg; fruit; 1 teaspoonful of pearl- 
ash dissolved in a little hot water. Rub the but¬ 
ter and sugar together, add the eggs and spice, 
and mix all thoroughly with the dough. It will 
do to bake immediately, but will be better to stand 
a short time. 
A Nice Way to Cook Meat. —Take a couple of 
pounds of mutton, cut in small pieces about the 
size of a nut, put into a clean iron pot, add half 
a dozen good-sized fresh tomatoes, peeled and cut 
in pieces. Salt, and, if liked, a tablespoonful or 
more of rice. Water enough to cool it. Let it 
cook very slowly, and keep it covered. This is a 
very nice way to make a stew, and we have used 
it constantly during the season of tomatoes. 
Black Cake.— One pound of flour; % of a 
pound of butter; % pound dark sugar; 1 pint of 
milk; 1 teaspoonful pearlash; 4 eggs; 2 glasses 
brandy; spice and fruit; 1 pint of molasses. If 
wished richer, add another quarter pound of but¬ 
ter. Gabriella. 
Worthy of Encouragement.— A somewhat novel 
yet benevolent project, for the amelioration of the 
condition of the poor orphan girls, is now under 
consideration. It is proposed by Mrs. T. W. 
Phelps, of Irving Place, who has generously do¬ 
nated an extensive and suitable plot of ground near 
New York for the purpose—to establish a Horticul¬ 
tural School, where youug girls may learn such 
light and healthful branches of industry as are em¬ 
braced in the growing and canning of all the finer 
fruits and vegetables, the care of hothouses, the 
breeding of birds, the rearing of fowls, etc. Pros¬ 
perity attend the attempt to teach young ladies 
something useful!— Horticulturist. 
IIOVEY CHERRY. 
Hovey is a good, large cherry, and bears immense 
crops. The branches this season are fairly covered 
with the bright-red, showy fruit, making the tree 
a most beautiful object. In appearance it is some¬ 
what like Napoleon Bigarreau, and about the same 
size, though of better quality. The fruit is obtuse, 
heart-shaped, with a shallow suture on one side.— 
Skin, fine rich amber in the shade, mottled with 
brilliant red in the sun, often covering the whole 
fruit, when exposed. Stem, rather stout, about an 
inch and a quarter in length, inserted in a deep, 
round cavity. Flesh, pale amber, rather firm, rich 
and juicy. Ripe this season here, from the 10th of 
July. 
Mayduke. —The Mayduke is an old, a very popu¬ 
lar and a very useful cherry. Before ripening so 
as to be fit for the table, it is excellent for cooking, 
and when fully ripe it is one of the richest of the 
half-acid cherries. It is, therefore, an excellent 
family cherry, and is well adapted by its hardiness 
for localities where more tender sorts fail. 
Late Duke.— Following the Mayduke, is another 
excellent duke cherry, the Late Duke. It is large, 
when fully ripe, rich, dark red. Flesh, tender and 
How to Starch Collars.— My wife wishes me 
to inquire through the columns of your paper the 
best method of starching collars. There is a gloss 
and a firmness upon them when they come from 
the store that differs from the ordinary domestic 
way of “ doing them up,” and the process by 
which this is done is what my wife desires to 
know. Any information from your intelligent cor¬ 
respondents will be thankfully received.—J. A. 
McCollum, New/ane, N. Y, 1859. 
We give the following in response to Mr. Mc¬ 
Collum’s query. This may prove just what is 
needed, meanwhile the wives and daughters of the 
land can report their various modes: 
Take one ounce of spermaceti and one ounce of 
white wax; melt into a thin cake on a plate. A 
piece the size of a quarter dollar, added to a quart 
of prepared starch, gives a beautiful lustre to the 
clothes, and prevents the iron from sticking. 
Report of the Fruit Growers’ Meeting. — Du¬ 
ties as an officer of the Genesee Valley Horticultural 
Society, prevented us from attending the July meet¬ 
ing of the Fruit Growers' Society For our report 
we had to depend upon the kindness of a gentle¬ 
man who is unused to reporting, and this will 
account for some inaccuracies of which we have 
received complaint. J. J. Thomas, for instance, 
spoke of wild grapes being brought from the 
Rocky Mountains, and not strawberries. R. G. 
Pardef. cultivated the wild strawberries to which 
he referred, and which proved inferior in flavor to 
most cultivated sorts. 
Horticultural Exhibition. —The July show of 
the Genesee Valley Horticultural Society will be 
held on Friday, July 22d, at Corinthian Hall, in 
this city. Cherries, Gooseberries, Currants, Rasp¬ 
berries, Herbaceous Flowers, and Vegetables, are 
included in the premium list. The June exhibition 
was excellent and was visited by very large num¬ 
bers. We anticipate equal success this month. 
Keeping Eggs Fresh. —Take fresh eggs, cover 
the shell with grease, and lay, the small end down, 
in ajar or tub and cover tight. In this way I have 
kept them as fresh as when just laid.— Mrs. A. V. 
M., Buffalo, N. Y, 1859. 
UEINE HORTENSE. 
Reine Hortense. —A French Cherry of the Duke 
family, and an excellent variety, the largest of its 
class. Fruit, heart-shaped and bright red at matu- 
perhaps the highest flavored of 
