THE UNIVERSAL APPLE AND ITS USES. 
What plant we In this apple tree! 
Fruits that shall swell In sunny June 
And redden In the August noon. 
And drop when pentle airs come by, 
That fan the blue September sky; 
Whl e children come with cries of glee, 
And seek them where the fragrant prase 
Betrays their bed to those who pass 
At the foot of the apple tree. 
A LTHOUGH of undoubted Asiatic origin, the apple 
is peculiarly the fruit of the Temperate zone, 
and more perfectly naturalized in America than in 
any other country of the globe. It is the fruit spec¬ 
ially beloved and sung by our own poets, as well as 
by the old Greek and Roman writers. The ancient 
mythologies all endow this fruit with wonderful 
properties. The allegorical Tree of Knowledge was 
called apple, and the golden fruits of the orchards of 
Uesperides were also apples according to the old 
fables. Among the ancient Druids of Britain, the 
apple tree was held in great respect, as its gnarled 
trunk so often supported the mistletoe. In some parts 
of England to this day exists an old custom of salut¬ 
ing the apple trees of the orchard in the autumn, in 
the hopes of obtaining a fine crop the following year. 
This ceremony consists in pouring a wassail bowl of 
cider with a toast in it around the roots of the tree. 
A bit of the toast is affixed to the branch of those 
specially barren, while the farmer and his men dance 
about the tree and sing : 
Here’s to thee, old apple tree, 
Whence thcu mays't bud, and whence thou mays’t blow, 
And whence thou mays't bear apples enow, 
Hats full! Caps full! 
Bushels and sacks full! 
Huzza! 
That this invocation is not altogether effectual is 
apparent when we consider the large exportation of 
our apples to supply the demand in England. 
The apple was probably introduced into England 
by the Romans, as many varieties were early in culti¬ 
vation about Rome. Pliny mentions and describes 
some 30 different sorts, named for those who had origi¬ 
nated or grafted them. Henry VIII. is said to have 
been a great patron of the apple and by his command 
large orchards were planted in Kent by Richard 
Harris, fruiterer to the king. 
The early 'settlers in New England brought apple 
trees with them, an island in Boston harbor where 
they were planted still bearing their name. So readily 
was the apple domesticated and so kindly did it take 
to its new conditions, that it soon became the hardy 
symbol of New England. The fruit was at once appre¬ 
ciated, adopted and spread by the Indians, many of 
the old Indian orchards being still common in the 
Eastern States. 
The following are practical and approved methods 
of preparing this peculiarly healthful fruit: 
Baked Apples, sweet or sour, are the most delicate 
and wholesome of desserts. Core the apples carefully, 
filling the empty space with sugar, a clove 01 two, cin¬ 
namon or a little lemon, as preferred. Pour a little 
boiling water over them in a baking dish, cover and 
bake until tender, but not fallen in pieces. Take up 
carefully into a glass dish, pour what juice remains in 
the pan over them, and set away to cool. Serve with 
powdered sugar and cream. The sweet apples require 
about three times as long as sour apples for baking. 
Baked Apple Dumplings. —Peel and core eight tart, 
juicy apples, filling the cavity left by the core with 
sugar and a pinch of cinnamon or cloves. Make a soft 
crust as for baking powder biscuit, roll into a sheet 
about one-quarter of an inch thick, cut in eight pieces, 
and cover each apple separately, pinching the edges 
of the crust together over the apple. Lay them side 
by side in a pudding dish, spread butter over them and 
nearly cover with boiling water. Cook moderately 
fast until nicely browned. Serve hot with sugar and 
cream. 
Apple Ckeam. —Peel, core and steam six or seven 
large, juicy, sour apples. When tender, cool and rub 
through a sieve. Add 1% cupful of sugar, the whites 
of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and a quart of 
cream. Freeze, turn from the mould, and serve with 
sponge or jelly cake. 
Apple and Tapioca Pudding. —One cupful of tapioca 
soaked in two cupfuls of cold water over night. In the 
morning, butter a pudding dish and fill two-thirds full 
of quartered tart apples. Add to the soaked tapioca 
one cupful of sugar, one beaten egg, and a little cin¬ 
namon or nutmeg. Pour over the apples, cover and 
bake two hours. Serve with liquid sauce made of one 
egg, one cupful of sugar, and one-half cupful of butter 
beaten together and boiled until thick with one small 
cupful of hot water. Flavor with lemon. 
Apples Fri^d in Batter —Fry to a crisp several 
slices of salt pork. Core, but do not peel, large, tart 
apples. Slice each apple crosswise in three or four 
slices, taking care not to break the slices. Dip each 
slice in a batter composed of one cupful of flour, one 
teaspoonful of baking powder, a pinch of salt and 
milk sufficient to make of the consistency of pancake 
batter. Cover both sides of the apple and fry a light 
brown in the pork drippings ; a most acceptable ac¬ 
companiment to roast veal or pork or baked fish. 
Apple Jelly. —Core and quarter Astrachan apples, 
removing bruised or discolored spots, but leaving the 
skins ou in order to give a richer coloring. Cook 
slowly until tender with water to nearly cover, being 
careful not to let them scorch. Place in a jelly bag 
and allow tin m to drain overnight. In the morning, 
measure the juice and put over to boil. Allow a pound 
of sugar to each pound of juice. Piace the sugar in 
shallow pans in the oven and let it remain until the 
juice has boiled 20 minutes. Then stir the sugar, 
which should be very hot, into the boiling juice until 
thoroughly dissolved. Let it just come to a boil and 
take from the fire. Hive the jelly glasses and bowls 
rolled in hot water, and fill with the scalding juice, 
which will at once begin to form. When thoroughly 
cold, cover the glasses with paper dipped in beaten 
white of an 'egg, then with a thicker paper pasted 
over. Label carefully. If the directions are carefully 
followed, the jelly will turn out translucent, crimson 
and firm, a delight to both eye and palate. 
Apples au Naturel. —Prepare apples in as varied 
and delicious ways as you will, there is nothing 
more wholesome or tempting for breakfast or des¬ 
sert than these. For a summer or autumn break¬ 
fast, line a silver cake basket with grape leaves, 
letting the little tendrils curl over the edges. Polish 
your apples until they shine : mellow Sweet Harvest 
and brilliant Red Astrachans. and pile in with an eye 
to the best contrast in color. If fortunate enough to 
possess a blooming morning glory vine, pick six or 
seven of the delicate pink and blue blossoms, place in 
the interstices, and you have “ apples of gold in pic¬ 
tures of silver ” that Pomona herself would be proud 
to own. EMMA P. TELFORD. 
POPULAR WINTER TOP GARMENTS AND FURS. 
ERY often have the furriers told us : “ This will 
be a fur season.” But seldom, perhaps, has the 
word meant so much as at present. All indications 
point to the fact that fur will be worn more than 
during any previous season within the memory of 
woman. Not only are the muff, the boa, the sealskin 
and other coats, and the fur trimmings upon outer 
garments in evidence, but winter gowns for the street, 
for the house, and even for dinner and evening wear, 
are bordered and otherwise banded with handsome 
furs. And women rejoice, for what woman does not 
love them ? 
Our grandmothers’ muff and pelerine ! Does not 
every one have a memory of the quaint things, laid 
away from the corrupting moth, and at rare intervals 
brought forth lovingly for the admiration of the 
second and third generations ? But furs have been 
popular for several seasons, and it is probable that 
these treasures have been sacrificed for trimmings or 
for more modern tiny muffs and collars. If not, they 
may now be brought forth to illustrate the very latest, 
up-to-date styles. The new muffs of 1830 size and 
style are put forth as the most approved. Yet the 
general woman will probably choose a medium-sized 
one, unless grandmamma’s has come to her in the line 
of direct descent. 
Fur collars, aside from the victorine with long tabs, 
are almost capes, as they most often reach beyond the 
shoulder tips, and frequently to the waist, especially 
in front. The line between the collar and the cape is 
not sharply defined, but the military cape has given 
way to a plain, round one 20 to 24 inches long, and 
with more fullness ; while the longer styles are con¬ 
sidered more chic, though, owing to their cost, they 
may not be more worn. The little neck boa worn so 
much last winter is also a feature of the present sea¬ 
son’s offerings. 
Fur coats, like those of cloth, are most stylish in the 
three quarter length, 40 inches being a favorite length, 
although many are but 36 inches long. 
Seal sk : n, which was last year elbowed aside, has 
again taken first place. Nothing else can attain to 
such soft becomingness, although other furs of the sea¬ 
son are regal. Ermine, sable, otter and the new moire 
Persian lamb will struggle for the place of favorite. 
This last is of silky surface, and the moire marking 
gives it especial prominence beside the plainer-sur¬ 
faced furs. The use of one variety of fur to form a 
contrasting trimming for another is also noticeable. 
To be English, one must follow a dainty, old-time 
mode, and border the neck of her frock with ermine or 
swan’s down. 
On dresses, very narrow bands and pipings form the 
preferred garniture. The front of a gown for house 
or evening wear, may be bordered with fur, even when 
its material is light in fabric and color and no other 
fur trimming is used about the garment. 
Two walking suits illustrated in the current Har¬ 
per's Bazar may serve as models. The one has a 40- 
inch walking coat with three shoulder collars. The 
front and skirt of the c«. at, the wrists, the revers, the 
neck collar and all the shoulder collars are bcrdered 
with a two-inch band, while the dress skirt is cn suite 
with a three-inch border at the foot. 
The second model has a round waist, a Russian, or 
double skirt, and long, full shoulder caps, every edge 
that will admit it being trimmed with one medium and 
two narrower bands of furs, the wider of mink, the 
narrower of Persian lamb. The skirt has, also, a band 
of velvet, in conjunction with the wider fur band. 
As the fiat has gone forth that everything with any 
style must “ ripple, ripple,” everywhere, great are the 
mental struggles of the girl who had a new coat late 
last winter. The first thought is as to remodeling, 
and.in mostcaseB the decision must be that it is utterly 
out of the question. The Russian styles give the op¬ 
portunity for this, however, in some instances. Seal 
plush follows the furs back to popularity, and a last 
season’s close coat of this has in one instance been 
given the appearance of the front rank as to style. 
This was done by matching the goods and buying 
enough of the new to make a circular skirt. The 
waist was not remodeled, but the old skirt reappears 
as a broad collar and shoulder trimmings, bordered 
with narrow fur. myra v. norys. 
OUR MAIL BAG. 
GAME for the children which has the added 
advantage of instructing as well as amusing, is 
given by a correspondent of the Housekeepers’ Weekly: 
It began as an amusement for the children ; it has 
become an established institution in our family. 
Some months ago, when the children had become 
tired of every play I could suggest, six-year-old Jessie 
exclaimed, “ Let’s play mail-carrier !” 
No sooner said than done. An old scrap-bag was 
pressed into service as a receptacle for mail, and the 
trio of girls, armed with pencils and paper, were soon 
busily engaged in writing and printing letters to each 
other. When the bag was filled, one, acting as 
carrier, distributed the mail, knocking at imaginary 
doors and having no end of fun in performing the 
duty. When they were tired, they besojght me to 
promise that I would write a letter, in the coming 
evening to each one, and deposit it in the bag, that 
article to be hung out of baby’s reach, high up on a 
closet door. I agreed, and the next morning they 
could hardly wait for daylight to explore the wonder¬ 
ful bag. 
Then the affair was wholly one of amusement; now 
it combines entertainment with instruction. Each 
girl has her day of delivering the mail, and no punish¬ 
ment could I inflict so hard as the deprivation of this 
privilege. 
In the bag go parcels and papers, puzzles, books, and 
all manner of mail for all members of the family; and 
the emptying of the bag has come to be quite an event 
in each day’s family history. 
When it seems necessary to reprove my older girls, 
a few wisely chosen words, sealed and delivered to 
our mail bag, seem to have a very salutary effect. 
One favorite plan is for me to write a letter, brim- 
full of mistakes in spelling and punctuation. The next 
day I will receive from the girls corrected copies of 
this letter, Our girls’ teacher telis me that they are 
among her best pupils in composition and writing, and 
I > ive the praise for this to our mail bag. 
Father and the boys used to laugh good-naturedly 
at our “play,” as they called it, and now they «ould 
not miss an opening of our wonderful bag, and they 
use it as much almost as do the girls. On St Valen¬ 
tine’s Day, such a load as that bag contained ! while 
at Christmas it was overloaded, and on the family 
birthdays it presents a plethoric appearance. I only 
wish I had space to tell you all the fun we have with 
its contents on the first of April. 
A cream of tartar baking powder. 
Highest of all in leavening strength. 
—Latest United States Government 
Report . 
Royal Baking Powder Co., 
106 Wall Street, New York. 
