AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
MARCH 21 
little injury to the roots as possible. When the 
ground is wet. plants can generally be taken tip 
with a portion of the earth adhering to the roots, 
in which case they will receive hut little cheek by 
the removal. Nothing is now needed but to keep 
the ground mellow, and all weeds destroyed. 
We will name a few of the most desirable of the 
annuals. 
TREATMENT OF THE QUINCE. 
Ed. Rural — I have always mW.iced that the 
Quince is usually grown as a bush, and surrounded 
with a great number of young shoots, or Buckers. 
Is this the habit of the tree, or is it caused by 
neglect? Can it be mado to grow with a single 
stent, like other trees—and if so, is it not the best 
way ?— B. N, Paw Paw, Michigan. 
f&gvpv&L*? V. ;C> •/ ■' <T> t^ 'Jit*. vU 
THE VEGETA BLE GARDEN 
TnE great fault with iron, and that which has 
prevented the adoption of Ihis material still more 
rapidly for building purposes, 33 its too ready 
transmission of heat, makiDg iron buildings in¬ 
sufferably hot on summer days aud intensely cold 
when the sun leaves them iu winter. An exchange 
describes the new Marine Hospital at New Orleans 
as being constructed on a plan which bids lair to 
obviate this difficulty. 
“One of onr Washington correspondents, in al¬ 
luding to the contract just executed by the Secre¬ 
tary of the Treasury with Vancluse & Co., for the 
erection of the new ‘pise* iron Marine Hospital 
at New Orleans, states the following interesting 
fact in connection with the proposed edilice:—It 
is believed that this building will combine several 
essential improvements, necessitated by the pe¬ 
culiarities of the soil and climate of New Orleans. 
While it will probably be the lightest architectural 
structure, ia proportion' to its dimensions, to be 
found on the delta of the Mississippi or the Gulf 
of Mexico, it. will be equally as substantial, and 
more comfortable for a domestic habitation than 
many others with double the thickness of the ex¬ 
terior walls. It will probably be the only com¬ 
pletely fire-proof specimen of architecture, so far 
as the external walls and floors are concerned, ever 
erected on the continent. These results are at¬ 
tained by constructing the external walls of iron 
columns and veneering, insulated by non-conduc¬ 
tors, with a filling in of common earth or pise 
from nine to twelve inches deep. By this simple 
arrangement, the inconveniences and dangers re¬ 
sulting from the great conducting and expansive 
qualities of iron are completely obviated. The 
conduction of heat from the surface of the exter¬ 
nal plates through the columns to the interior of 
the building is intercepted at all the points of con¬ 
tact by non-conductors, and thus discharging from 
the plates into the atmosphere instead of penetra¬ 
ting the interior of the building. The fact intend¬ 
ed to be demonstrated in the construction oi this 
building is that iron can be combined with a cheap 
material for filling in, so as to 
In the last number we gave directions for mak¬ 
ing a hot-bed. We now furnish the necessary in¬ 
formation in regard to planting and management. 
Those who grow vegetables largely will do well to 
start a small frame early this month, as a seed-bed, 
and sow lettuce, tomatoes aud celery, to be trans¬ 
planted into other beds about the first of April, 
when the seed-bed can be sown with radishes. If 
the weather is very severe cover at nights, and in 
days when necessary,'with straw, over which lay 
some boards; or cover with mats, old carpets, or 
anything of the kind that may be convenient— 
Give air timing sunshine in t-lie early part of the 
day. Those who raise early vegetables for family 
use. hi a small way, can do without tins early b'ed> 
The hot,-bed should he ready for planting cucum¬ 
bers by about the 2flth ol March, though it may be 
done until the 1st of April, or even later. Planta 
hill under the center of each sash, raising the 
earth two or three inches higher than the rest of 
the bed, and putting eight or ten seed in each hill. 
Plant the front with lettuce from the seed-bed, or 
and the back with tomatoes and 
***££;'icrzsr 
Figure 2. Figure 1. 
Remarks. — The Quince is, naturally, a small, 
irregular growing tree, never getting more than 
about twelve feet high. Neglect is tbe cause of 
the appearance you describe, and when thus neg¬ 
lected, it is never productive. A neglected Quioce 
hush is shown in figure 1, and a well pruned tree 
Is shown in tiguie 2. This engraving we have ta¬ 
ken from Thomas' American Fruit Culturist. The 
Quince may be grown very well with three or four 
stems, or with one clean stem, as may best suit the 
fancy of the cultivator, but in either case, all the 
youug shoots and 3ttckers should be cut away, and 
a good dressing of stable manure and black muck 
be applied to the surface, and dug in as deep as 
possible without injury to the roots, and the result 
will he a vigoiouB healthy tree, and plenty of fruit. 
sow the seed 
celery. The lettuce in this bed will grow to per¬ 
fection in a very short time, especially if young 
plants were used from a seed-bed; and in almost 
all gardens where lettuce is grown, plenty of young 
pluuis are to be found in the spring. But cucum¬ 
bers require so much more heat than tomatoes or 
celery, that it is best to transplant these when about 
six inches high, to another and coolerframe, where 
they should be set about ten inches apart, and al¬ 
lowed to harden, preparatory to being put out in 
the open ground. Celery plants shonld be treated 
in the same way. It will be best to make a new 
bed, with only abont 18 inches of manure. Give 
plenty of air every fine day, or they will grow 
weak, and transplant into the open ground about 
the 10th of May. Many ol tbe tomato plants will 
at this time be in blossom, and some protection 
should be ready, iu case of frosty nights. 
When the cucumbers are up give air, in the early 
part of the day, when the sun is shining, and as 
the plants grow, draw the earth to the stems, and 
wheu the second leaf has fairly started, any sur¬ 
plus plants can be transplanted to another bed, or 
thrown away, leaving only three of the strongest 
plants iu the hill. By the time the vines begin to 
ran the lettuce will be fit to pull, and the tomatoes 
must be removed, as before recommended. Then 
throw in three inches of good garden mold, and 
level off the bed. - The frame will soon be filled 
with vines, and when this is so, throw earth over 
the old manure that formed the hotrbed, and rake 
it nicely, leaving tbe whole in the form of a grace¬ 
ful mound. Then raise the frame aboutsix inches 
from the inner surface, by putting blocks under 
tbe corners, and let the vines run out under the j 
frame. In about two week softer this tbe frame may 
be taki n away entuely, and you will not only have 
a beautiful green mouud, but a fruitful one. The 
only care required now, is to water, and reap the 
reward of your labor, by picking the fruit. As 
soon as fruit begins to set, plenty of water must be 
supplied, The ground must be kept well moisten¬ 
ed, and have an occasional thorough soaking. 
Onions are very successfully raised by sowing 
the seed quite thick in the hot-bed, giving them 
plenty of air, until about the 10th of April, when 
the frame can be taken away, and used for some 
other purpose. They should be transplanted into 
the open ground about the 10th of May. In this 
way the trouble of thinning and weedingis avoided, 
they mature early, are large, aud are in every way 
as easily raised as the potato onion. 
Radishes require about the same treatment as 
onions, except transplanting. Too much heat will 
draw them all up to tops. The best variety for 
forcing is the Early Oval, a French variety; but 
as this seed cannot always be obtained, the Early 
Scarlet may be substituted. 
Where two frames are started at the same time, 
aa suggested in our last number, which is probably 
aB good a plan for beginners as could be recom¬ 
mended, (they should be in order for the seed 
by about the 25th of March,) we would advise that 
nothing bo planted in the frame with cucumbers 
but a little lettuce in the front. In this situation 
it receives the drippings from the sash, which is of 
great benefit to lettuce, but would be injurious to 
most other tilings. In the other frame we would 
plant lettuce iu the front, tomatoes and celery at 
the back, and radishes in tbe center of the bed.— 
This frame will require plenty of air. especially as 
the time draws near for transplanting Into the 
open ground. The plants will also require thin¬ 
ning out, and ns the radishes and lettuce are drawn 
for the table, a few of these plants may be set out 
in the places thus left unoccupied, or seed of an¬ 
nual flowers sown, so as to secure early bloom. 
Tue Rural—Ladies and Flowers.—I thought 
I would ask you to give me a list of 25 or more, 
handsome Annual Flowering Plants, and also suc- 
gestto you the pleasure it would give a number of 
your readers here, if you would say a little more 
in the Rural upon gardening, both Kitchen and 
Flower. Several ladies havB remarked to me that 
they wished you would say more about the flowers 
and their cultivation. Please at the same time 
give ns a list of a dozen or so, handsome and 
showy plants, for beddiog out. Also, tell ns how 
and when to make a hot-bed, and what to sow in 
it, and when. Many know how to make a hot-bed 
of an indifferent sort, but know not when it should 
be commenced nor what plants need to be started 
in it, or those that are as well started out,—H. H„ 
Oneida Co., N. K, 1857. 
Remarks. —Our correspondent will see that we 
have anticipated his wishes, having commenced 
in tbe last number of the Rcral a series of articles 
on the Vegetal le and Flower Garden. We will for¬ 
get neither ibe flowers nor the ladies. 
non-conducting 
make the structure of the walls of a building with 
greater economy, strength, durability and capacity 
of resistance of heat, cold and moisture than can 
be attained by the use of any other material. A 
cheap non-conducting material for filling in is in¬ 
dispensable to render the iron cheaper than the 
brick structure, for tbe iron plates may be attach¬ 
ed to the brick walls a3 well aa to tbe iron col¬ 
umns. It is clear, therefore, that the simple and 
inexpensive preparation of common clay, water, 
and straw, to be found everywhere, known to civil 
engineers 03 pise, is the only material suitable for 
the purpose sufficiently cheap to be used with ad¬ 
vantage for the filling in of the iron building.’’ 
PHLOX DRUMMONDt. 
Phlox Drummondi is at least one of the moat 
beautiful annuals. Flowers from tbe same seed 
will exhibit almost every shade of color from the 
brightest rose color to the most delicate pink.— 
The under sides of the petals are of a pale blush 
color, with a dark carmine spot at the base. The 
variety of colors thus displayed in a bed of these 
flowers, must bo seen to be appreciated, and when 
once seen is not easily forgoiten. We know of no 
floral display more beautiful. If sown about the 
1st of May, they will be in bloom in July, and will 
continue in bloom nearly the whole of the sq turner. 
The Balsam, or Lady's Slipper, as it is some¬ 
times called, is a beautiful and showy flower. Only 
the doable sorts are worthy of cultivation. They 
require a warm and rich soil, and will grow,under 
favorable circumstances, two feet high. 
Ten Week Stock. —This beautiful annual is of 
every variety of color, from white to the darkest 
purple. If transplanted, it should be done as soon 
as the plants show their third pair of leaves. If 
transplanted when large they receive a check from 
which they seldom recover. They grow from one 
foot to eighteen inches, with an erect branching 
stem, downy leaves, and long spikes of beautiful 
at date of writing, $4 50 per busbeL I send you a 
sample of my berry. Please taste for yourself. 
Calon, Steuben Co., S. Y., 1857. NOblk Hill. 
Remarks. —The cranberries (about two quarts) 
sent us by our correspondent, were tbe most beau¬ 
tiful that we ever looked upon—large as cherries, 
clear and fine. We believe there are but two va¬ 
rieties indigenous to the Northern States, Oxycoc- 
cus macrocarpvs, the one described by our corres : 
pondent, and tbe best for cultivation ; and O. pa- 
lustns, a small, slender growing plant They are 
both trailing shrnhs. 
i.T. S., Peoria, Illinois.)—The Proceedings of the 
American Pomo'ogical Society are supplied to 
members only. The price of membership is $2 
every two years. The Society holds biennial meet¬ 
ings. Subscriptions can be sent to tbe President, 
Marshall P. Wilder, Boston; Tnos. P. James, 
Treasurer, Philadelphia, or P. Barry, Secretary, 
Rochester, N. Y. 
Task one pound of wheat braD, and one ounce 
of glue, and boil them in three gallons of water in 
a tin vessel for half an hour. Now lift the vessel 
from the lire, and set it aside for ten minutes; 
daring this period the bran sill fall to the bottom, 
leaving a clear liquor above, which is to be poured 
off aud the bran thrown away; one pound of bar 
soap cut into small pieces is now to be dissolved 
in it. The liquor may be put on the fire in the tin 
pan, and stirred until all the soap is dissolved.— 
In another vessel one pound of alum is dissolved 
in half a gallon of water; this is added to the 
soap-bran liquor while it is boiling, and all is well 
stirred; this forms the water-proofing liquor. It 
is used while cool. The textile fabric to be ren¬ 
dered water-proof is immersed in if, and pressed 
between the hanfi3 until it Is perfectly saturated.— 
It is now wrung, to squeeze ont as much of the 
free liquor as possible, then shaken or stretched, 
and hung np to dry in a warm room, or in a dry 
atmosphere out-doors. When dry, the fabric or 
cloth so treated will repel rain and moisture, but 
allow the air or perspiration to pass through it 
The alum, gluten, gelatine and soap unite to¬ 
gether, and form an insoluble compound, which 
coats every fibre of the textile fabric, and when 
dry repels water like the natural oil in the feathers 
of a duck. There are various substances which 
are soluble in water singly, but when combined 
form insoluble compounds, and vice versa. Alum, 
soap and gelatine are soluble in water singly, but 
form insoluble compounds when united chemical¬ 
ly. Oil is insoluble in water singly, but combined 
with caustic soon or potash it forms soluble soap. 
Such are some of the useful curiosities of chemis¬ 
try .—Scientific A merican. 
(D. Taber.)—I t is tbe curenlio that destroys 
your plums. Pick up the diseased plums as they 
fall, and destroy them. By placing a sheet under 
the tree early in the morning, and jarring it, many 
of the insects will fall on the sheet and can then 
be destroyed. This will be of service. 
The Ontario Fear was exhibited at the meeting 
of the American Pomological Society in Roches¬ 
ter, last fall, by W. T. Smith, of Geneva, N. Y., by 
whom it was originated. It is a seedling of the 
Canandaigua, aud in its general appearance bears 
considerable resemblance to the Washington. 
(L. F., Eddytown.)—Will answer yonr inquiries 
next week. We shall have to devote a column to 
this subject to make it interesting to yourself, and 
our readers generally. 
CAKES AjMD PIES, 
Eds. Rural: —Having seen many good recipes 
in your paper, though only a girl of thirteen, I 
thought I would venture to send yon a few which 
I think your numerous readers will find worth 
trying. 
Fruit Cake. —Take 6 eggs, 2 cups sugar. 1 cup 
sw eet milk, 1 cup butter, 1 pound chopped raisins, 
1 teaspoonful saleratus. Spice to your taste. 
Soda Cake.— 2$ cups sugar, 3 eggs. 1 cup sweet 
milk, a piece of butter the size of a hen's egg, 1 
heapiDg teaspoonful of cream of tartar, g of a 
tcaspooulul of soda and a little nutmeg. 
Carrot Pies. —Take 2 good-sized carrots, clean 
and grate them; scald a quart of milk and pour 
on the carrots, and set it to cool. Take 3 eggs 
and 1 cup of sugar, beat well together and stir 
into the carrot; season with nutmeg or cinnamon. 
Cheap Cake.— 1$ cups sugar, I cup butter, 1 
cup buttermilk, 1 egg; flour enough for a stiff 
batter; 1 teaspoonful of saleratus. 
New York, 1857. Susy. 
to the position of contributor. Nor do I now set 
myself up as teacher to any of the many Rural 
readers, but, for a few years past, having had some 
experience in the cultivation of the cranberry, 
raising a number of barrels a year, aud noticing 
in the Rural of Fob. 2lst, a call for information 
in regard to that subject, I send you the following 
as the result of my observations. If it shall prove 
of any value to any of my brother farmers who 
may desire to cultivate tbe cranberry, either for 
family use or for marketing, I shall be compensa¬ 
ted lor this effort. 
The kind I cultivate is different from either of 
those mentioned by your correspondent iu that 
number, it is not a shrub, but a vine, trailing on 
the ground from three to six feet iti leugth, fasten¬ 
ing itself by small roots in a number of places. 
From the whole length of this vine, small sprigs 
shoot out at various distances, the berries growing 
on these sprigs, in clusters from two to six. The 
shape of the berry is conical; its size, that of a 
small cherry; Its col >r deep red at the stem, but 
lighter at the blossom end; its flavor a fine tart. 
This is the only variety with which I am acquaint¬ 
ed, worthy the attention of the cultivator. 
The soil on which T cultivate, is peat bog, swamp 
laud, the only soil, I think, on which this variety is 
ever found in its natural or wild state. 1 have a 
swampy piece of land, level, or nearly so, contain, 
ing about ten acres. Previous to draining, the 
largest portion of this would be under water dur¬ 
ing the wet seasons of the year; four or five acres 
of the central portion wbuld be covered from, two 
to three feet deep. Then cranberries were found 
only on the outskirts, where the water did not 
siaad too long during spring. By a system of 
drainiug, these outskirts have become sufficiently 
dry for the plow, aud from portions of which I 
have realized ordinary crops of corn and potatoes. 
But on other portions, yet undisturbed by tbe 
plow, the cranberry has disappeared without any 
other molestation than that of draining. They 
Safety Friction Matches. — A recent English 
invention consists of matches made of sulphur and 
nitre only, without any phosphorus, while the 
phosphorus is applied to the sand-paper, with 
which the matches are ignited. To ns, this seems 
only to transfer the danger of ignition from the 
match to the sand-paper. But if this is kept in a 
safe place, or if it be carefully fastened on the wall, 
near the place where the matches arc to be used, 
it may be a valuable improvement. It is a good 
fashion, in regard both to convenience and safety, 
always to hang up pieces of sand-paper, ornamen¬ 
tally bound and otherwise made tasteful in ap¬ 
pearance, as we do a watch-case, by the side of our 
beds or bureaus, by the aid of which a match may 
be ignited without trouble. One will last, if prop¬ 
erly secured, lor a long while.— Plow, Loom and 
AnviL 
ANNUALS AND Til El R CULTURE. 
Those who commence a flower garden must de¬ 
pend principally upon Annuals for beauty and 
blossoms the first season. Those who have a hot¬ 
bed should start a few plauts in It for early flower¬ 
ing, and transplant as soon as danger from frost is 
past. Those who have not this convenience should 
select a warm and sheltered position, as on the 
south side of the fence or out-bnihliug, for sowing 
the seed. The seed of annuals, aud all small seed, 
should be sown iu a light, mellow soil, for if the 
ground is stiff it becomes hard by the beating rain 
aud drying wind, so as to prevent the young 
plants from making their way through the hard sur¬ 
face. Light mold from the woods, sandy loam, or 
soil from an old pasture, will ameliorate a natural¬ 
ly stiff Boll, and prepare it for the seed. 
Sow the seed in shallow drills, about the first of 
May. Care must be taken not to sow the seed too 
thick, nor to cover too deeply. For the finer 
seeds, a little earth sifted over them is all the 
covering needed. As soon as the young plants 
make their appoararce, lighten the earth around 
them aud destroy all weeds. If the plauts are too 
thick, which they are most likely to be, remove a 
portion to other beds, which shoald be prepared 
for this purpose, and remove them when quite 
small, as young plants always injure each other by 
growing crowded. Select a showery day, if pos¬ 
sible, for this work, and remove the plants with as 
Yankee Short Cakes, — 1 pint warm water or 
sweet milk, a piece of lard a little larger than a 
hen’s egg, a little salt; wet stiff enough to roll as 
thin as pie crust; cut in square cakes and fry.— 
Lokinda T. K., Mogadore, Ohio, 1857. 
Size, 2$ inches by 2 and l-16th. Form, long, 
obovate, inclining to pyriform. Skin, greenish 
yellow, with numerous pale green dots, which be¬ 
come russet on the shaded side, and sometimes 
carmine on the side exposed to the solar rays.— 
Stem, three-fourths ot' au inch by one-tenth thick, 
iuserted, by a fleshy termination, iu a slight de¬ 
pression. Calyc, medium, open, set in a wide, 
shallow, furrowed basin. Core, medium. Seed 
light brown, long-obovute, three-eighths of an inch 
long, three-sixteenths wide, and one-eighth thick. 
Flesh, lino texture, buttery. Flavor, sugary and 
rich. Quality, “very good.” Maturity, last of 
September. 
To Make Ink. — Please to give, through the 
Rural, recipes for the manufacture of red and 
green ink, and oblige—A. D., La Fayette, N. V., ’57. 
Remarks. —Take four ounces of the best ground 
Brazilwood, one pint of diluted acetic acid, half 
an ounce of alum. Boil slowly in an enamelled 
vessel for an hour, then add an ounce of gum 
Arabic. This will make a good article of red ink 
—as regards the other color, cannot answer.—Ers. 
Patent Office. —The receipts of the United 
States Patent Office for 1856 were $192,588, and the 
expenditures $199,931, being an excess of expen¬ 
ditures of $7,313 over receipts, caused principally 
by an act of Congress ordering extra compensa¬ 
tion to Examiners. The number of applications 
for patents during the year was 5,980, aud the 
patents granted 2,502, being525 more applications 
and 473 more patents than any previous year.— 
The Commissioner recommends an increase in the 
patent fees. 
Sowing Barley in an Orchard. —1 have about 
two acres set out to Pear trees, which J had de¬ 
sired to sow with barley. Will barley retard their 
growth? Had I better plant to corn, or would 
beans pay? Will you please answer my inquiries 
through your valuable paper.—A- Subscriber. 
Remarks.— Barley would injure trees. Corn 
would bo better, and beans or potatoes better than 
either. Beans would pay. Your pear trees are a 
paying crop, aud need manure, cultivation and 
ca»c, sunshine aud uir. It is great folly to injure, 
and perhaps ruin, au orchard of young trees, for a 
temporary gain. 
Potato Yeast.— Pare, boil, and mash fine, twelve 
potatoes; stir into these, one large cup of sugar, 
and one quart of boiling water; when cool add 
one quart oi’ cold water, aud half a pint or less ol 
yeast; keep it in a warm place about twelve hours 
when it will be readiy for use. Shake it carefully 
before using. Always reserve a small quantity of 
old yeast for raising the new. Bread or cakes 
made with this yeast never need saleratus, and 
will rise very quickly*. Housekeepers should adopt 
any new method that will dispense with the use of 
so unwholesome and article as saleratus. 
A factory for manufacturing paraffine candles 
has been commenced at Los Angelos, Cal. The 
material from which they are made is tar obtained 
from the natural springs in that place. 
