MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
239 
PLANTING OCT STRAWBERRIES. 
There are some advantages in planting out, 
beds of strawberries the present month, which 
may not be generally known; hence we recur 
again to the subject. We need say nothing of 
the delicious character of this fruit, of the ease 
with which it may be produced, or its value 
either for market or home consumption. They 
are all well known, though, we fear, not. gener¬ 
ally considered and put actively in operation. 
Plants set in April do not produce until the 
next season, and aie often checked in growth, 
if not wholly dormant, tor two or three months 
of the heat and drouth of midsummer. Then, 
again, it is a task of considerable severity, to 
keep them free from weeds through May and 
June, when weeds will grow, however frequent¬ 
ly they may be destroyed—no time sufficient 
for their vegetation can be allowed to pass 
without their springing up abundantly. And 
strawberry plants set in September do not 
root sufficiently to escape injury from the frosts 
of winter, and should they do so, hut a partial 
crop will be product! the ensuing season. Such, 
at least, is the general experience. 
July is probably the best month for plant¬ 
ing out strawberries—watering and mulching, 
of course, being attended to. Let the ground 
be deeply and frequently spaded, during the 
previous part of the season, or if now first 
thought of, let it be well prepared—thor¬ 
oughly "broken up, and mellow, at least ten 
inches deep. Level off the soil, and set the 
plants, two in a stool, eighteen or twenty-four 
inches apart “Then mulch, forthwith, the 
whole ground, including the walk, with an inch 
and a half deep of old tan-bark, saw dust, or 
well-rotted manure, and then thoroughly water 
them, and keep them sufficiently watered to 
insure a constant and vigorous growth, which 
is not a task, if well mulched.” But few weeds 
will appear, and if set early in July, a full crop 
for next season may be expected. If delayed 
until August, they will not root as well, and if 
^ planted in September, will not be likely to 
yield more than one-fourth of a crop. 
The length of the strawberry season maybe 
extended by frequent watering—keeping the 
ground constantly well moistened from the 
time they commence blossoming until no more 
blossoms appear, and the last fruit is pretty 
well advanced. The fruit is also much larger 
and more delicious. 
As to varieties of strawberries for cultiva¬ 
tion, some do much better than others, and in 
this vicinity, Early Scarlet and Burr's JYew 
Pine, are taking the lead. 
The Pennsylvania Farm Journal says that 
several new beds in different gardens near Phil¬ 
adelphia, have failed to bear, though prepared 
with much pains and expense, and growing 
abundant leaves. The roots were taken from 
bearing beds, producing abundantly ; and 
treated according to the most approved direc¬ 
tions, and yet no berries, or but a few imper¬ 
fect ones, were produced. Such has been our 
own experience, but we intend to try it again, 
and hope to have better luck this time. If we 
do, or do not, our readers shall know the re¬ 
sult —B. 
philosopher, who says:—“ Plants and animals 
are organized bodies, nourished by means of 
l oots, which in the former are placed exter. 
“ally, while those ( the lacteals ) of the latter 
are placed internally,—a plant differing from 
an animal chiefly in being turned inside out! 
In recounting, some months, since the “ Won¬ 
ders at Kew Gardens,” we spoke of the Ameri¬ 
can or V kxus Fly-trap, ( Dionxda muscipula) 
as one of their choicest curiosities. Herewith 
we give an engraving of the plant, and repeat 
(with some addition) our description of the 
same. '1 he leaves are furnished with double 
semi-oval appendages, which are the chief seat 
of irritability, and close upon the least touch 
from without. The edges of the lobes of each 
leaf are furnished with strong prickles, which 
interlock when they come together, like the 
teeth ot a steel trap. The moment an insect 
(or any extraneous body) touches the hairs or 
spines on the disc, the two lobes close firmly 
and press the luckless intruder to death—the 
struggles of the victim only hastening his own 
destruction. The traps are baited with a sweet 
liquid, exuding from secreting glands on the 
upper surface of the lobes. As soon as the in¬ 
sect ceases to struggle and dies, the top opens, 
ready to continue the work of destruction.— 
1 lie torce with which it closes i 3 usually suf¬ 
ficient to kill the insect, but if not, the inter¬ 
locked edging prevents its escape, and holds it 
a prisoner until it perishes from the pressure 
and want of food. 
The facts are not novel, but are too won 
derful ever to become stale, and whenever we 
review them, we ask, what is the purpose of 
this vegetable insect catcher? Many surmises 
have been made by naturalists on the subject, 
riome have supposed it another of the many 
contrivances for checking the superabundance 
of insects, and entirely unconnected with the 
physical economy of the plant; others have 
been confident that, in this manner, the plant 
obtains a necessary supply of animal manure. 
Either of the.se seems reasonable, but there is 
no positive proof that they are the true ones. 
We cannot decide or define, but we cau won¬ 
der at the strangeness of nature.— b. 
THE ORCHARD. 
It is said that the fruit trees will now be 
groaning under the weight of their fruit. Thin 
it out, pick up ail the defective fruit that fulls, 
and give it to the hogs; by this means, a great 
many destructive insects will be destroyed for 
another year. The Miller that makes the 
peach worm will still be laying her eggs—“an 
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure;” 
keep her from laying the egg in the bark near 
the ground; chicken manure or guano, placed 
close around the base of the tree, will deter the 
msect from laying. Brown paper wrapped 
• lose around the tree some eighteen inches 
hign, will prevent the Millers laying her eggs; 
and if there are no eggs, there will be no peach 
worms next season. If there are. no worms, 
there will be no black gum exuding from the 
base, and if there be no black gum, there will 
he fine fruit. AH diseased parts of trees sho’ld 
be carefully taken off this month, and burned. 
Guard against the sun this month, or the apple 
trees will blister and die. Do not allow a 
good fruit tree to sucker. The young suckers 
are worthless to propagate from, and injure 
the bearing qualities of the tree.— Soil of the 
South. 
rfs, fa. 
Tomato. — There are as many ways of cook¬ 
ing this vegetable as there are tastes. We 
find the following answer to our purpose:— 
Drop the fruit into scalding water, which will 
cause the skins to come off easily; place them 
in a brass or porcelain vessel with a table¬ 
spoonful of sugar to every quart of skinned to¬ 
matoes, and stew; when the tomato is well done, 
take up, add some crumbs of light bread with 
a lump of butter; place in shallow vessels and 
bake, they are very nice when stewed, but when 
baked are delicious. 
Bees and Fruit Trees. —A writer in a lit¬ 
erary journal of Paris, states that the bees 
greatly improve the fructification of fruit trees. 
Orchards in which several Lives are kept, al¬ 
ways produce more fruit than those in which 
there are none. In the provinces on the Rhine, 
the fruits are more abundant and finer than in 
any other part of Germany, and there it is the 
custom to keep large quantities of bees.— 
Plants, too, which bees visit, thrive better in 
the neighborhood of hives. 
the guava. 
Cucumbers. —Who ever heard of cooking 
a cucumber? we hear our readers exclaim!— 
Iiy it; and then tell your neighbors how well 
a poor man may live in this country. Take 
the cucumber just as it begins to turn yellow, 
peel and slice it into salt and water; drop it 
into cold water and boil until tender. Season 
with salt and pepper—mix with butter and 
fry. Few cau tell it from egg plant. 
—--» ■« -O « »--- 
“ Tompkins County Apple.”—A new apple 
by this name is described by Mr. Hovey as fol¬ 
lows:—“ It is a very superior variety, some¬ 
what resembling, in general appearcnce, the 
Hubbardston Nonsuch, but even larger thau 
that fine variety, and keeping till February._ 
It is well worthy of extensive cultivation.” 
Tiik tomato is a native of South America, 
and was first introduced, to cultivate, in Europe, 
in 1569. The French and Italians are said to 
ha\e been the first to adopt its extensive use. 
It is now in common use everywhere. 
VEHUS’ FLY-TRAP. 
The distinction between vegetables and ani¬ 
mals was rather nervously, but still indistinct¬ 
ly expressed, by the great Linn.kus, who tells 
us that “ stones grow, plants grow and live, an¬ 
imals grow, live, and feel.” When we look at 
the sponge, the oyster, and the sensitive plant, 
in the light ot these definitions we see that it is 
incomplete, we are at a loss in which kingdom 
to place these animals without feeling, and the 
plant so sensitive to the touch. Others make 
the difference in food mark the distinction; an 
animal requiring organized substances, and a 
plant feeding altogether on inorganic substai - 
ces, such as water, earths, gases, &c. But the 
best definition is that of Bonnet, a Geneva 
(Psidium Cattleyanum.) 
This graceful shrub is a native of the West 
Indies, and, where known, is esteemed as a 
beautiful ornamental window-plant. Its nu¬ 
merous pendant branches are thickly covered 
with firm, glossy, dark-green foliage, present¬ 
ing at all times a handsome appearance, but 
one especially attractive when full of the fine 
deep claret-colored berries it bears. This 
fruit is something of the consistence and flavor 
of the strawberry, though the kind that grows 
best in common rooms is of small size. Other 
species, by a special course of hot-house treat¬ 
ment, may be made to bear abundant fruit,_ 
the berries nearly as large as a hen’s egg, but 
of coarser texture and less delicate flavor. As 
far south as Philadelphia, they have sometimes 
been kept over in a cold grapery, and have 
then borne abundantly in common rooms,_ 
particular attention being given to watering 
the foliage, as well as the roots of the plant. ° 
But the Cattleyanum will do well with the 
treatment usually given to house-plants. It is 
propagated by cuttings, by layers, or by ripe 
seeds planted before becoming dry. The pots 
should be filled with light, rich mould, aud it 
is better to have them rather small—only re¬ 
moving to larger when they are full of roots 
as the berries will be more abundant, and 
more likely to hang on until ripe. They are 
most fruitful when three or four years old, and 
ripen their berries better than when younger 
but young and old require a temperature of 
not less tuan 60° to ripen them perfectly._ 
Glowing plants require frequent watering, and 
wi need not repeat that their glossy leaves 
should be kept free from dust to show their 
full beauty. —b. 
1 o C larify Sugar for Preserves.— Put 
a half pint of water to every pound of susrar. 
Stir it well together ; put in the beaten white 
of an egg. Five whites will do for a dozen 
pounds of sugar. Stir all together thorough- 
ly, and let it boil. \Y hen it rises towards the 
top ot the kettle, put in a spoonful or two of 
water, and let it boil up again. Repeat this 
process two or three times, and then set the 
kettle aside. After fifteen minutes, take the 
scum very carefully from the top, and pour off’ 
the syrup so gently as not to disturb the sedi¬ 
ment. Have the kettle washed, and return the 
syrup, and add the fruit. Some persons always 
strain the syrup through a flannel bag, but if 
the above directions are observed, it is not ne¬ 
cessary. To use a flannel bag, always wring it 
every clay iu hot water. This prevents a waste 
of the article strained. 
THE CRYSTAL PALACE AT SYDENHAM. 
The following description of the Crystal 
Palace at Sydenham, England, a most stupen¬ 
dous and expensive work is copied from Rut¬ 
ledge’s Handbook: 
I he Crystal Palace stands nearly norfh and 
south, on the summit of the Penge-hill, its 
length being 1608 feet, its greatest breadth at 
the central transept 384, and at the smaller 
transepts 336 feet. The general width of the 
body of the building, between the transepts, in¬ 
cluding the glazed and open corridors, is 312 
feet. In the old building the greatest width 
was 436 feet, and at the transept it was 408 
feet. The ground upon which the building- 
stands slopes very much towards the park, and 
rows of brick piers are run up to support the 
front rows ofcolumns. The nave consists ofa 
grand avenue, nearly double the width of that of 
8t. Paul’s Cathedral, and more than three times 
its length; it is 72 feet wide, aud 1608 feet long, 
and crosses the transepts at right angles. At 
a height of 68 feet from the floor, there springs 
a semi-cylindrical vault 72 feet in diameter, 
which stretches away from one end of the nave 
to the other. The central transept has a vault¬ 
ed roof of 120 feet span, extending for a length 
of 384 feet The span of this noble arch is 
about 20 feet greater than that of St. Peter’s at 
Rome, and nearly 40 feet larger than that of 
St. Paul s in London. The space covered by 
this colossal vault is considerably larger than 
the whole Minster at Y ork. The walls of St. 
Paul’s Cathedral is 14 feet thick—those of the 
Crystal Palace 8 inches; St. Paul’s was thirtv- 
five years in building—the People’s Palace has 
been constructed in little more than twice a* 
many weeks. At a distance of 528 feet on 
each side of the central transept the nave is in¬ 
tersected by two smaller transepts, each of 
which are, however, of the same dimensions as 
that which formed the great feature of the late 
exhibition building. They are 72 feet in diam¬ 
eter, and spring from the same height as the 
vaulted roof of the nave, that is 68 feet. At 
the point of intersection of the nave with the 
end transepts the roof is flat, and forms a par¬ 
allelogram of 72 square feet Ou each side of the 
nave are aisles of 24 feet in width, formed by 
the columns which support a portion of the 
building. Beyond these first aisles, and paral¬ 
lel with them at a distance of 48 feet are second 
aisles, 43 feet in height, and again beyond these 
and at the same distance, are third aisles of the 
same width and height. At alternate distances 
ot 72 feet and 24 feet, columns project 8 feet 
into the nave, which, continued up nearly to 
the roof, support au upper gallery, which runs 
completely round the building, and sustain aiso 
the arched girders which carry the semi-circu 
lar roof of the nave. A gallery, 24 feet in 
width, runs entirely round the building, on the 
sides nearest the exterior and round four courts, 
48 feet by 120 feet, which abut on the central 
transept. This lower gallery is reached by 
eight double staircases, lour being placed at 
each portion of the building, divided by the 
central transect. From the first or lower gal¬ 
lery access is obtained to the upper 8 feet gal¬ 
lery by eight spiral staircases, oue being placed 
at each end of the three transepts, aud oue at 
each end of the building. The second tier of 
columns supports in the transepts only a plat¬ 
form, or landing place, 24 feet in width and 72 
in length, wLh the exception of the larger one 
in the centre, the length of which is 120 feet; 
and from these platforms a continuation of the 
AN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. 
“ Agueciieek,” in his last letter to the Boston 
Evening Gazette from London, says: 
‘ V\ hile 1 am speaking of city improvements, 
I may as well say something of a stupenduous 
project which has just been set on fool here • 
the House of Commons on Friday evening 
ast granted a charter to a new corporation, 
styled the “Northern Metropolitan Subterra¬ 
nean Railway Company.” This road, which is 
to be entirely subterranean, is to run from the 
General Post Office at St. Martin’s le Grand 
to Paddington—a distance of four miles and a 
halt—communicating with the stations of the 
Great Western, the Great Northern, aud 
North-western Railways. The trains are to 
run every five minutes, and the rates of fare 
will be 6d, 4d. and 2d , for the three classes of 
carriages respectively. Street railways are an 
impossibility m any of the streets of London 
east of Charing Cross, and this is the only 
method by which the great thoroughfares can 
be relieved of a press of vehicles which 
sometimes renders them impassable. The cost 
of this undertaking is estimated at one million 
ot pounds. It involves the removal of a large 
prison, and the erection of am ther further out 
of town to replace it, of sufficient capacity f„ r 
the accomodation of fifteen hui.d ed j r s.mers 
—but beyond this, the amount of property to 
be purchased will not be large, as nearly three- 
quarters of the distance will be run underneath 
tae street. 
To 
-The above article was given two weeks ago, in 
n with a cut oi k'enu.* Flu-Tran — and hence 
Noth.- 
Connection witua cut or Menus' Fly-Trap—a ml hence is 
now re-puhhshetl with the proper illustration. We al-o 
give the article which should have accompanied the cut— 
thus mserting the two articles, and illustrations, in proper 
order. Tins ,s the first mistake of the kind which his ever 
occurred m the Rural— and could the Editor always per 
sous y superintend tlv “ making up ’’ of the naner as he 
usually does, there would bo no occasion for tliicorrection. 
make i ruit-Pies. — No under crust 
should be made to apple or any fruit-pie. It. 
is always heavy and not fit to eat Place a 
narrow rim of paste around the edge of the 
plate, and fill with the fruit, either raw or 
stewed, and cover it. The juices will be re- 
. ained much better, and will save a suriit of 
flour and butter, which is no trilling considera¬ 
tion in these days, and what is of more con¬ 
sequence, save dyspepsia, which costs more._ 
Alter cutting, they are taken out with a spoon. 
To clean Kid Gloves. —lake white soap 
and make a very thick “lather” with a soft 
brush, such os gentlemen use in shaving, and 
put the glove upon the hand; cover it with 
“lather” aud rub it off quickly with a clean 
flannel till, it is dry. Repeat the process till 
the glove is clean, being careful that it is done 
so quickly as not to saturate the kid, and 
“ they will look as nice as new.’ 
H o Cure Boils. — 1 he leaven of gingerbread 
placed on the boil, and left there until it bursts, 
lias been found to be a good remedy. When 
the matter is removed, place some more leaven 
on the part Another, and perhaps easier 
mode is the application of the nettle-geranium 
leal to draw the boil, and the smooth side to 
be applied to heal it 
To Sweeten Rancid Butter.— It is said 
that washing rancid butter in milk, and after¬ 
wards in water, will restore to former sweetness. 
The experiment is easily tried, and the con¬ 
summation devoutly to he wished, for surely 
nothing is more repulsive than rancid butter. 
^ _ eye" girder,, 
7 feet in diameter, resting upon the columns 
which project into the nave, at alternate dis 
tancesof24 and 72 feet. The palace, exclu 
sive of the wings, is supported ou the grouud 
floor by a nearly equal number of cast and 
wrought iron girders; the former building in 
Hyde Park rested upon 1060 columns, or 92 
more than the present edifice. The second 
tier of the building is formed of 898 columns, 
and the third of 340 columns. 
The entire length of the building is occupied 
by 68 columns, placed 24 feet apart; and at in¬ 
tervals of eight feet between these columns are 
placed half columns of wood, of the same form 
and appearance as the iron columns, and beiun' 
136 in number on each side of the building.— 
The greatest number of eolumus in the direc¬ 
tion of the breadth of the building is 17, aud 
there are six rows of those near the transepts. 
In every part of the building the columns are 
placed either at distances of 24 feet apart, or 
multiples of that number. The columns which 
project iuto the nave are 8 feet, or one-third of 
24 feet; iu the larger courts, they are so placed 
as to form courts of 48 by 72; the nave and 
end transepts are colonnades of 72 aud 120 feet, 
and the wings of the building range in width 
from between 32, 4S and 96 feet; and they are 
each 576 feet in length. At the points of con¬ 
nection with the main building the wings are 
96 by 24 feet; they then assume the dimensions 
of 72 by 48 feet. Next, a long avenue of 384 
feet in ieugth (the same as the great transept) 
by 32 feet in width. Each wing terminates in 
a cross of 96 by 48 feet at the centre of inter¬ 
section; and on the summit of the wings are 
water-tanks 48 feet square, capable of contain¬ 
ing 800 tons of water. 
According to the published reports of the 
company ou the 28th of February last, the es¬ 
timated expenditure upon the whole undertak¬ 
ing, had amounted to a sum of nearly one mil¬ 
lion, which appears to have been thus appro¬ 
priated: 
Puivijase of land (after deducting sums received 
for re-salea).. . £50 240 
Construction of building. 306,176 
Erecting grand terraces and water-works. 305.3S4 
Fine Art Courts. 102,500 
Sculpture. 32,000 
Natural history and geology. .. 15,176 
Fittings and iuternal decorations. 39,450 
Roads and approaches. 19,350 
General charges. 56.6S6 
IMPROVED HARNESS BUCKLE. 
Much peril as well as painful annoyance has 
resulted from the old-fashioned harnesss buck 
les by reason of their liability t 0 break or draw 
out during accidents, which their own defects 
not unfrequentiy cause, and aiso from the diffi¬ 
culty of release to failing horses, occasioned 
b,y the tightening force of the animal’s weight 
Christian and Lewis B. Oyster, of Chambers- 
burg, Pa., have jointly claimed an improve¬ 
ment in buckles, which will completely revolu¬ 
tionize the principle of their action, 'if found 
applicable as designed by the inventors. It is 
proposed to dispense entirely with the tongue 
holes in traces and other straps, and to rivet 
the tongue to the leather instead of the buc kle 
The bar of the buckle is furnished with a num¬ 
ber ot rachet-shaped teeth or stops, and corres¬ 
ponding cavities are cut in the tongue, but 
having reversed catches. The desired length 
of the trace is adjusted by bringing these teeth 
together at a given point, and securing them 
with a set screw. The screw puts the unhitch¬ 
ing of the horse under the instantaneous con¬ 
trol of the driver in cases of fulls or other per¬ 
ilous entanglements.— Sci. Am. 
New York Crystal Palace —At a meet¬ 
ing of the Directors of the Crystal Palace, on 
the 10th inst, P. T. Barnum gave in his resig¬ 
nation as Piesident. His reasons for so doiu‘ r 
is stated to be ill health, caused by over exe” 
tion in endeavoring to resuscitate the affa'rs of 
the Association. He really has labored nobly 
and spiritedly for this purpose, and, deserves 
great praise &>r what he has done. Hiv resig¬ 
nation was accepted, and J. IL White was 
elected President, pro tern. It has been resolv¬ 
ed to close the Exhibition on the 31st of Oc¬ 
tober next, and to appoint a committee with 
power to dispose.of the property of the Asso¬ 
ciation, deliverable on or after the 1st of next 
November. What will be done with the build¬ 
ing is the most prominent question that now 
presents itself to us. Had the original mana¬ 
gers been men of good judgment in such mat¬ 
ters, they would have erected a building, as we 
suggested, that could have been easily removed 
and re-converted into buildings.— Sci Am. 
Cotton Factories at Sault Ste. Marie.— 
The Lake Superior Journal proposes that Cot¬ 
ton Factories be established at Sault Ste. 
Marie, at the outlet of Lake Superior. It says 
that cotton can be transported, even from New 
Orleans, to Ste. Marie, as cheaply as it can be 
to Lowell; that the water-power at Marie is 
unlimited, and that the entire region around 
and west to Washington Territory, can be 
more easily and cheaply supplied "from the 
proposed factories than from any Eastern es¬ 
tablishments; and that the region alluded to is 
so rapidly filling up with inhabitants, as to ren¬ 
der the proposed erection of factories at the 
Straits well worthy of the immediate attention 
of capitalists. 
Salt Your Chimneys. —In a building chim¬ 
ney, put a quantity of salt into the mortar 
with which the intercourses of the brick are to 
be laid. The effect will be that there will nev¬ 
er be any accumulation of soot in that chimney. 
The philosophy is thus stated:—’The salt in 
the portion of mortar which is exposed absorbs 
moisture from the atmosphere every damp 
lay. The soot thus becoming damp, fails 
down to the fire-place. This appears to be an 
English discovery. It is used with success in 
Canada. 
Fountain Brush. — An improvement has 
been made iu self-supplying brushes, by J. B. 
Wentworth, of Lynn, Mass., who has made 
application for a patent. The nature of the 
improvement consists, 1st, In placing a biush 
at the end of a tube, and filling the tube with 
the necessary marking or painting fluid, anil 
regulating the supply to the brush by a valve. 
2d, In placing the brush within a socket pro¬ 
vided with a strainer, for the purpose of pre¬ 
venting the brush becoming clogged, and fill¬ 
ing up with impurities —Scientific American. 
Total.X926,962 
We have 25.000 miles of Railway in the 
Union, and $200,000,000 invested in them. 
Migratory Bird’s Nkst. —As the person 
employed for the purpose on the II., N. II. & 
S. Railroad, was examining the freight cars a 
few days since, he found a robin’s nest contain¬ 
ing three eggs. The nest was safely located, 
on one of the trucks, and every appearance in¬ 
dicated that it had been there for a long pi riod, 
but whether the parent bird follows its nest in 
its. travels is an unsettled question. The ear 
has been used regularly for a year past. The 
nest was not disturbed *.—Hartford Times. 
