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MOORE’S RURAL i\ T EW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
THE BLACK KNOT IN PLUM TREES. 
um.i.I as it I.II III. nlnlI liiilniv iiiiikinL' iitirf^ *tt£C9MXSC ^ \ Kt 
wood Jit this place. These insects perfect m 
themsolves about the middle of August Jind SIBERIAN CRAB.— (Pyrus Prunifolia) 
then Iojivo the knot; tlieso again deposit 
their eggs in a new place, but they do not Tiir Siberian Crab (Pyrus Prunifolia) is very splendid appearance, from its large and 
hatch until the next spring, when the a distinct species from the common applo. beautiful blossoms, and during the summer 
warmth brings them to life and the new This treo is described as a dwarf, and is very and autumn it is ornamented with large 
growth of wood aifords them the necossary beautiful in its habits, as the foliage is largo clusters of brilliant scarlet cheeked fruit.— 
sustenanco. luxurious and pendent, Jind usually forming This fruit is not only ornamental, but valu- 
I have in sevoral instances found the do- a contrast in color with other apple trees ablo for preserves, jellies, tarts, &c., and a 
posites of oggs, and the placo seemed to be around it. The tree is very productive and few trees may appropriately find a place in 
suffused with a dark colored substanco boars very young. In spring it makes a every orchard, 
which I should judge was deposited with ... - - ■ .. - 
the eggs by the insect, and I believe that CULTURE OF BLACKBERRIES. CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 
this will causo the knots in a slight degroe, - - 
oven if the eggs perish boforo they hatch. The blackberry is of sevoral species, and It is to bo presumed that not one in a liun- 
CULTURE OF BLACKBERRIES. 
CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 
oven if the eo-o-s liorish before thev hatch The blackberry is of several species, and It is to be presumed that notone in aliun- 
When the knot’s are taken off in June, they a 1,ative °. f f is country, growing spontane- dred understands the simple process of cul- 
, , : , , , , , ’ . . ously, and often producing abundant crops tivatmg either currants or gooseberrries, al- 
s lould l>o immediately burned, and by this 0 f SU p er j or fruit. The best varieties in per- though it has been detailed in all the horti- 
moans the whole progeny will bo destroyed, fection are more wholesome and of a flavor cultural books with which the world abounds, 
and if all the knots aro cut off at this time richer than either the strawberry or the Thousands of persons, with every appliance 
you will seo no more next season unless the raspberry. tor success, aro still content to live without 
save his plum trees, while others who nog- 
lect them will soo theirs gradually perish. 
climate, whore wo have the extremes of tern- There is not a more beautiful shrub grow- 
perature, whore poaches cannot be made to ing than tho currant, properly propagated ; 
The common small damson trees seem to flourish, and pears are uncertain, I think and the same may be said of the gooseberry, 
be tho favorite of this insect, and I beliovo this berry should bo considered of much Cultivators who pay any attention to the 
also, the trees which bear dark colored fruit i m P 01 'tance. subject, never allow tho root to make but 
,i ,, , , v , , There are two varieties which I think su- ono stock, or, as the English say, “make 
are attacked beforo those that produce light porior t0 a » othcrB , the first of which is the thorn stand on ono lcg”-tlras forming a 
colored. In my neighborhood thero is a “ Bush,” growing straight and upright, the beautiful miniature tree, 
sort ot green gage that was oxernpt from top of which becomes recumbent and almost To do this you must take sprouts of last 
this disease for years after thoso that boro * re0 from prickles, and under favorable cir- year’s growth, and cut out all tho eyes, or 
dark colored fruit were attacked when tho cumstances attaining a height of from six to buds in the wood, leaving only two or three 
, , ten feet. It has a large white blossom in at the top ; then push them about half tho 
insects seemed suddenly to leave tho first, j ull0} the fruit of a shining black, long, ovate length of the cutting into mellow ground, 
and those groen gJigo treos, in a couplo of or about one inch in length, and one in cir- where thoy will root, and run up a single 
seasons, appeared as badly diseased as the cumferenco, very tender, of a juicy and of a stock, forming a beautiful symmetrical head. 
others which had been alllicted for quite a i sweet, rich llavor. This variety is seldom 
If you wish it higher, cut tho eyes out again 
number of years. * found. tho socond year. I have one six foot high. 
The second is tho “ High Bush.” This is This places your fruit out of tho way of 
I once procured a plum treo ol a favorite a very rapid growing blackberry, stem very hens, and provents tho gooseborry from mil- 
kind tho branches of which were nearly full tall, sometimes tenor twelve feet in height; dewing, which often happens when the fruit 
of theso knots, but being desirous of pro- shining black, very large, oval, conical, lies on or near the ground, and is shaded by 
serving it, I cut them all off and sot it near ? f * QTl ovc , r an , h . lch in . diameter, very sweet, a superabundance of leaves and sprouts.— 
, .... ,, juicy, and melting, with an aromatic flavor; It changes an unsightly bush, which cumbers 
tho kitchen door where it frequently came the fruit ripening from the first of August and disfigures vour garden into an orna- 
under my observation. I noticed that when until tho middlo of September, 
it commenced its growth, new knots began This fruit in porfoction is noi 
to form; thoso I cut out and tho tree is now *! 10 productions ot any climate 
ipening from the first of August and disfigures your garden, into an orna- 
uii til tho middlo of September. mental dwarf tree. The fruit is larger, and 
This fruit in porfoction is not excelled by I ripens better, and will last on the bushes, 
the productions of any climate. It is deli- I by growing in perfection, until lato in the 
fine and healthy and has continued so for for the dessert, excellent for pies pud- fall. 
,, , , ... . ,. ... dings, sauce, preserves, wine, &c., and it well I he mass of people suppose that the 
t io past ton years, while all m the vicinity supplies the place of the peach and grape, make out from the lower buds. Itisi 
where I obtained this tree have perished 
This most wholesome of all fruits often re- —they start from between the bark and 
families sending to markot as many as twen- ripe fruit and flesh-meat, would do more to . . , . ... 
ty bushels of tho dried fruit. It brings lessen mortality at that season than aJl tho , ” sunahmy day last week, while wan- 
from 93 to * nor bushel. There isa “Dysentery Cordials," “Anti-cholora” drugs, d ° rmg *”"“ d suburbs o our village 
1 , . utuioapium j j A;_ • c s wo were invited into the gardon of ono of 
.eo peculiar to tins region, which has been ( , vcr invented ^ ° S cniu J 0 111011 our citizens, and shown some violets and 
extensively propagated among the farmers. _ . ’ . snow drops in full bloom. Banks of un¬ 
it grows to aii immense sizo ; some are now and Cultivation.— I ho blackberry melted snow could be seen in almost every 
thirtv-fivo feet in hofoht -md oio-Lt., „ V\ a warm > tolerably dry, or direction, but theso flowers seemed like the 
,. ® la, tker l t°°P ri °k soil; it abounds among first heralds of Spring, proclaiming that 
es m diameter near tho ground. Ilieso stones, old logs, natural ledges, and on lands blossoms and buds will soon appear in great- 
tiocs produce naturally an excellent fruit, which have recently been burned over, whicli er abundance. Flowers are universal favor- 
and it is impossible for the curculio to find COI r 1 t ai1 ! ;l good supply of alkali. ites, an d it is worth whilo to know how to 
all of the plums on these giants. Thov Band should be kept rich, mellow, and free cultivate and preserve them. Lookingnvor 
make most excellent Rtocks te efL . trom g rass an( l weeds Besides common an exchange paper, wo came across the fol- 
’ . ‘ . ° manure, uso loavos, ashes, and vegetable lowing paragraph, which we copy, though 
in* s 0 P ums on > fio in ," very kmc. m their matter. the information it gives may not bo availa- 
ites, and it is worth while to know how to 
tho same 
third, have your hills from six to eight feet 
left unprotected in tho open ground whore 
it grew and bloomed last season, but could 
Tho common way of growing tho plum a P a ^» f ? r tho convenience of plowing and not withstand tho cold of such a winter.— 
:_ l !i. — i_i i i i, cultivation. Tim bind onco “ant: 9 tliov will tt _ . *i__ _• i.j.i _ i i • 
is not as it should be; we generally see them 
set in fence corners and other nogleeted 
places, to take their chance,—if they grow 
and bear fruit it is very well; if not, they that is nocessary to secure large and abun 
are considered very poor fruit, and it is *k*nt crops of tho choicest fruit. 
cultivation. The land once “set, thoy will How easily it might have been saved. Strip 
not need transplanting for ;i long time. _ 0 ff t ho loaves, bend the stalk flat upon the 
After this, manuring, plowing, and keeping ground, and stake it fast. Cover it up with 
the bushes properly thinned, is nearly all tan bark; charcoal, rice chaff, clean straw, 
Biulmuic Jlrta & lattice. 
LIST OF PATENT CLAIMS 
ISSUED FROM THE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, 
For the week ending March 30, 1852. 
you will seo no more next season unless the raspberry. for success, aro still content to live without 
insects come from diseased trees in the neigh- Amon f. + t u he l man y varieties or distinct a plentiful supply of these delicious, healthy, 
. ° species of this berry, most are inferior in size and cheap luxuries, merely because thoy 
boi hood. I hey are liable to do this in small an j fl avorj which has made this fruit rather have not thought of the matter. They have 
numbers, but by perseverance the man who unpopular with you, coming in as it docs a few stinted bushes set in tho grass, with 
adopts tho preceding means, will bo suro to when your market is supplied abundantly three-fourths of the stocks dead, and then 
save his plum trees, whilo othors who nog- other kinds of fruit. But in this cold wonder why they do not bear in abundance. 
i , -i. • 1 .I • i climate, where wo have the extremes of tern- Thero is not a moro beautiful shrub grow- 
or sand, and over whichever of theso you 
make use of, be suro to placo boards so ;is 
c locasei, io ownu never raises a land to me he picked twenty-seven quarts in one day. f r(} sh and vigorous as though winter had 
savo them. 1 he proper way to grow plums 1 saw a spot this season which produced over not been here.”— Niagara Democrat 
is to set this kind of treo by themselves on one bushel to the rod, or moro than five thou- -- 
some part of tho premises where they will £[ uar . ts F* or a S, ra A fe ^ T sv ^ h acros Grafting the Pear on the Apfle Stock. 
freouently come under tho ohsorvatinn of ^ackbernes near Boston or N. York would _ Mr . II. Green, of St. Albans, Vt., gives us 
tho owner and if M i i f y bo a fortune to the owner. following directions for grafting tho 
the owner, and if any black knots show I am so very confluent that great results pear on the apple stock, &c..- 
themselvos, cut them oft diroctly, for when must attend the cultivation of this fruit, that Th 0 applo stock should be cut within 
theso begin to make tHeir appearanco the ^ intend^ putting one acre under cultivation three inchos of the earth’s surface, for set- 
attention of tho owner is particularly need- [ " S an< ,* eil, f 011 > v0r to you ting the scion, and when tho growth of the 
od to eradicate thorn or tho, „iU increase LmplcJof^»f“n is pasMay in October the stalk 
wiili tint i • . . , ... . * a, °! “ ' J^ewis H. & pear, H rain- should be completely covered with decom- 
w th that tenacity peculiar to insect life. tree, Vt., m Flow, Loom, and Anvil. poso d chip manure, or black muck from 
ig rea m pint, pul, 1^52, _i. h . ^ - - vegetable matter to tho depth of two or 
t r rarar. n " ’’ ' "“V ~ t Spinach may bo kopt through tho winter throe inches, so that eventually, thero will 
. I*' D . oou krARDENiNG. On cold, damp in the bod in which it has been grown: it bo roots start from tho scion, to tho support 
nights m winter, prepare hot beds with a will only bo nocessary to cover it slightly of tho troo. In this way, wo roar them on tho 
w arming pan. with straw. apple stock, and on tho thorn bush, so callod. 
with straw. 
Thos. W. Bailey, of Lewiston, Pa., for improve¬ 
ment in 8ausage-stuffers. 
AY m. Ball, of Chicopee, Mass., for improvement 
in mill for grinding ores. 
Chas. Bishop, of Norwalk, 0., for improvements 
in excavating machines. 
Fred’k M. Butler, of N. York, N. Y., for improve¬ 
ment in trusses. 
John Crum, of Ramapo, N. J., for improve- 
J mentsin machinery for shaving t he heads of screw 
j blanks, rivets, etc. 
John Demerit, of Montpelier, Vt., for improve¬ 
ment in razor strops. 
James Hamilton, of New York, N. Y., for im¬ 
provement in dredging machines. Dated Macrh 
JO, 18511. Patented in France, Dec. l(i, 1815. 
Peter McKinlay, of Charleston, S. C., for im¬ 
provement in rice-hnllevs. 
Washington F. Pagett, of Stone Bridge, Va., for 
improvement in shovel-plows. 
Dr. Albart Sonnenburg and Philip Rechten, of 
Bremen, Germany, assignors to Christian A. 
Hainaken, of the United States, for electro whal¬ 
ing apparatus. 
Harvey Killam and Geo. Vaileau, of Scottsville, 
N. Y., for improvement in gang-plows. 
Wm. Shaw, of Clarion, Pa., for improvement in 
bedstead fastenings. 
Jas. Sheward, of Somerset, Ohio, for improve¬ 
ment in rat lraps. 
John Thomson, of Philadelphia, Pa., for im¬ 
provement in apparatus for boring artesian wells. 
Nicholas Taliaferro, of Augusta, Ky., and Wm. 
D. Cummings, of Murphysville, ILy., for improve¬ 
ment in smoothing irons. 
Cornelius A. Wortendyke, of Godwinville, N. J., 
for improvement in candle wicks. 
RE-ISSUES. 
Wm. Hall, of Boston, Mass., for powdor-proof 
lock. Patented Aug. 1, 1848. Re-issued March 
30, 1852. 
Marshall J. Hunt, of Rising Sun, Md., for im¬ 
provement in the gearing of a seed planter. Pa¬ 
tented June 3, 1851. Re-issued March 30,1852. 
DESIGN. 
Samuel M. Carpenter, of Erie, Pa, for design 
for a cooking stove. 
LIGHT-SPOTS ON THE SUN. 
Light was anciently supposed to bo sim¬ 
ple, but tho experiments of Newton, with 
tho prism, proved it to be composed of many 
colors which ho reduced to seven, and named 
them primary colors, viz: violot, indigo, 
bluo, green, yellow, orange, red, of which, on 
passing through tho prism, the violet rays 
aro most strongly refracted and the rod least. 
But these primary colors have been shown 
to be less numerous stili. Brewster proves 
by experiments with colored glasses, that 
thero aro but three primary colors; red, yel¬ 
low, blue, and that the others are compound 
rays. 
The rays of light are turned aside from 
their course, or refracted on passing from 
one medium to another of different density, 
as is readily seen by plunging a stick parti¬ 
ally underwater, when the stick will appear 
bent at tho surface of the water. The ap- 
pearance is owing to the fact that the rays 
of light passing from tho stick towards tho 
eye aro, on meeting the less dense medium 
—the atmosphere,—turned aside from a di¬ 
rect course, and consequently an apparent 
bending of the stick is tho result. 
Tho colors of clouds are supposed by some 
to he owing to tho power of absorbing the 
rays of light which vapor and all transpa¬ 
rent media aro supposed to possess. But 
this supposition is one of palpable error, for 
if the clouds absorb the blue rays sooner 
than tho red, wo should find that on very 
cloudy days, the transmitted light would bo 
red, for tho greater share of tho sun’s light 
is absorbed at thoso times; yet we never seo 
red tints in a clouded sky, where the light is 
transmitted through the clouds, but only 
simple lights and shades, consequently vapor 
or the clouds, absorbs i-ed as easily as it ab¬ 
sorbs blue, and hence, the supposition is false. 
The colors of clouds are due to the refrac¬ 
tion of tho rays of light. Thus in the morn¬ 
ing the day dawns with a greyish light, but 
as the sun approaches the horizon tho colors 
change to a yellow which deepens to orange, 
and finally red appears, which ushers in tho 
sun-rising. At night, however, red is the 
prevailing color at sun-setting, and next 
orange and yellow follow, which fade into 
tho dusk of twilight. 
Wore tho colors of tho clouds due to the 
absorbing power alluded to above, the order 
of theso colors would bo reversed—as after 
tho red had appeared, tho yellow could not 
be supposed to appear, lnwing already boon 
absorbod, so in the morning, tho yellow rays 
could not precede the rod, wore they already 
absorbed, but they do appoar first- 
Leaving this point, wo suggest a supposi¬ 
tion in regard to tho cause of the spots on 
the sun’s disk. Somo have supposed them 
to be clouds, others excavations in the sun, 
other still supposo them to be owing to a 
break in tho luminous matter which sur¬ 
rounds the sun. Now in all due deference 
to tho opinions of others, allow me to say, 
that none of theso theories appear to me to 
be tenable, for were they clouds thero would 
bo no regular umbra and penumbra seen; 
wero thoy excavations they would be moro 
permanent; and further, there is no reason 
to suppose a cause which could produce an 
oxcavation in the body of the sun. The sup¬ 
position that thoy are breaks in the lumin¬ 
ous atmosphero, requires us to suppose that 
this atmosphere is of a very singular nature. 
It tho suns atmosphere is composed of fluid 
or gaseous mattor, and has elasticity and 
gravity, no such break can exist unless thro’ 
the agency of some cause of which the in¬ 
habitants of the earth must ever remain ig¬ 
norant. The explanation which I propose is 
a simplo one, and based upon tho principle 
that governs tho transmission of tho rays of 
light through media, which aro of different 
densities, (i. c. a turning or refraction of the 
rays of light in passing from a rarer to a denser 
medium, and vice versa.) I suppose that tho 
atmosphero of the sun is governed by laws 
similar to those which regulate that of tho 
earth. I supposo further, that disturbances 
similar to thoso which tako place in tlie 
earth’s atmosphere, occur in that of the 
sun. If now a hurricane occurs in the sun’s 
atmosphere as according to Retifield, Reid 
and othors, occurs on the earth’s surface, the 
jitmospherc of tho sun must in that part 
which is subject to tho influence of tho hur¬ 
ricane, becotno of less density in one part 
than in the others,—consequently in thoso 
parts of less donsity. thero must be a differ¬ 
ence in the manner in which light is given 
off—and this difference in manner is suffi¬ 
cient to produce a difference in tho quantity 
of light. But to explain—lot us supposo a 
hurricane to bo an extonsivo storm of wind 
revolving around an axis, or in other words, 
that “a hurricane is a vast whirlwind.” Tho 
centrifugal force of this whirling mass of air 
will causo an elevation at the sides and a 
depression in the centre of tho storm. That 
this atmosphere of the sun terminates ab¬ 
ruptly is not to be supposed, and consequent¬ 
ly there will bo some portion of undisturbed 
air above tho hurricane. If now tho sun’s 
disk, or even the atmosphero itself bo lu¬ 
minous, the light in passing from tho con¬ 
densed atmosphere of which tho hurricane 
is composed, to tho rarer air abovo, will bo 
refracted or turned asido from its proper 
course, and consequently will not striko tho 
eyo in tho same position in which they would 
have dono had tho atmosphere been calm ; * 
but wo can not find other rays to fill tho 
places of these which have been refracted, 
and the result is a dark spot apparently on 
tho surface of tho sun. The whole of tho 
rays may not bo refracted, but tlio unrofract- 
ed, and such other rays as still reach the oye 
from the agitated portion of the storm, will 
bo in such small proportion to tho others 
that the effect of absence is produced on the 
eyo, just as tho rays of tho moon arounper- 
ceived at mid-day. 
One remarkable circumstance which goos 
to strengthen the above suggestion, lios in 
the fact th;xt hurricanes aro found chiefly 
near the equatorial regions, and tho spots 
on tho suh aro likewise found within about 
30 degrees of the equator. 
C. H. Strowger. 
I’enficUl, N. Y., March, 1852. 
RUSSIA IRON. 
In looking over tho proceedings of Con¬ 
gress, I observe that several petitions aro 
before that body, for a law which shall be¬ 
stow on the petitioners exclusive grants for 
their ingenuity in discovering tho mode of 
manufacturing Russia Iron. At present, the 
mode of making this kind of iron, is suppos¬ 
ed to bo perfectly understood in this coun¬ 
try from information obtained in Russia.— 
The process is simply this :—The iron is first 
rolled to the desired thickness, and then is 
cut to the size you wish; it is then put into 
a vat of cast iron, of immense thickness and 
solidity, and of dimensions a little larger 
than the sheet iron that is to be produced. 
Between each sheet of iron is a layer of 
charcoal, and when the pile is finished, the 
whole—vat, iron and all—is heated to some¬ 
thing above a red heat, then a largo follower 
or hammer of many tons weight is mado to 
rise and fall on these sheets until thoy aro 
plated out as true as paper. By tho samo 
process also they are refined and polished, 
and reduced to what is known by tho term 
of Russia Iron. 
The method I have described having been 
seen in use in Russia by a gontloman who 
disdained attempting to make any profit by 
his observations, it will bo deemed a very 
great injustice should favorite parties secure 
the passage of a law for any exclusive grant 
for the manufacture of the iron.— Farmer' 
and Mechanic. 
Cheapening Paints.— Dr. A. II. Plant, of 
Sheboygan, Wis., announces in tho Mercury 
that ho has, after years of patient exporh 
menting, perfected the discovery of very 
cheap substitutes for linseed oil and white 
lead, whereby paints for ordinary purposes 
aro greatly cheapened. His new paints aro 
of all colors except white, which ho oxpoqta 
soon to perfoct, and will cost in the average 
about half their present rates, The editor 
of tho Mercury has tried tho now paints 
and highly approves them. 
It is safer to be humble with ono talent, 
than proud with ten. 
