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THE SMALL FRUITS. 
We have been requested to say something 
concerning the small fruits. It is now regarded 
as good evidence that a farmer has not “ trav¬ 
eled” if he neglects or ignores small fruit cul¬ 
ture—if there are no strawberries fin the table, 
except such as Sarah Jane, her mother, and 
the little boys glean from the meadows—if his 
currants are borne on a hedgerow of superanua- 
ted bushes that have grown and renewed them¬ 
selves anil caused wry faces a quarter or half 
century, without having received either ma¬ 
nure or culture—if he drives, after haying, five 
to fifteen milos to some “girdling,” with his 
own and his neighbors children in their old cal¬ 
ico gowns and worn out clothing, with baskets 
and pails to gather blackberries by the bushel, 
content with the pies and dried fruit one such 
trip in a season will secure—if for raspberries, 
his children and women foJks are compelled to 
wander from field to field along fences, and 
from stump to stump, where the birds have 
sown the seed, and gather them from isolated 
bushes—we say if farmers are found who con¬ 
tinue this aucient, mode of gathering gratifica¬ 
tion from small fruits, they are not supposed to 
have “ traveled” far, nor kept up with the 
world as it moves. 
The strawberry plantation, the currant and 
gooseberry fields, the raspberry and blackberry 
patches, belong to all well cultivated and well 
conducted farms. We do not wish to be under¬ 
stood as saying that a farm may not be well cul¬ 
tivated without them; but we do wish to im¬ 
press the fact that it cannot be well couducted 
if no regard is had to the health and rational 
enjoyment which these fruits yield, where they 
are supplied to the farmer's family regularly 
and fresh from vines and bushes, in such quan¬ 
tities as may be daily consumed. 
We speak now with reference to family wants. 
But we might refer to the profit resulting to 
him the culture of all of these fruits when the 
farm is located near or on a line of railway 
within 12 hours steaming of a market. 
Whether for the family or the market, small 
fruits will repay systematic care and culture. 
For well directed care furnishes a larger sup¬ 
ply of a better quality of fruit from a smaller 
area, than can otherwise be obtained. And no 
small fruit culture will pay which does not 
secure the best possible quality and greatest 
quantity of fruit in the best shape. So one 
should undertake small fruit culture for market 
who does not intend to excel in every respect, 
and who has not the ability, at least, to equal 
the best in the shape in which he exhibits it in 
market. In this respect there is much to be 
learned by fruit growers. It is no advantage to 
a man to assert in a public place, that his pro¬ 
ducts are inferior to his neighbors—that he is 
less skillful in culture and less particular in their 
preparation for market. And yet this is pre¬ 
cisely what the fruit producer does say when 
he sends to the market fruit of an inferior qual¬ 
ity, put up iu inconvenient and ungainly packages. 
We take it for granted that many of our read¬ 
ers who are asking for information on this sub¬ 
ject of small fruit culture, are purposing to enter 
the business for profit. If so, no pains should 
be spared to secure the following results:— 
The variety for culture should be selected best 
adapted to your locality, and which is also the 
greatest favorite in your market —the fruit 
which combines the most good qualities—pro¬ 
ductiveness, with the least labor, size aud qual¬ 
ity combined, attractiveness as a fruit aside 
from quality, and which may be put in the mar¬ 
ket with the least damage. One other qualifi¬ 
cation la essential}— You must select soils with 
a view to get your product in the market at the 
season when it will bring the largest price. In 
some markets the earliest varieties do not bring 
as large a return as the very latest. So care¬ 
fully is this feature of fruit marketing studied 
by experienced culturists, that the season for 
each of the small fruits has been largely ex¬ 
tended, aided by a difference in latitude. But 
this extension of the season with the same 
fruit is due, not only to difference in latitude 
aud isothermal locations, but to the care with 
which largo cultivators have selected varieties 
with a view to secure a succession, and not only 
prolong the season, but the better enable them 
to control tho market, divide their labor and 
save themselves from loss by being forced to put 
their crop all in the market at once. It is not 
good policy to cultivate a larger crop than can be 
handled successfully and secure remunerative 
prices; and it is especially poor policy to risk all 
the labor and expense ol' the season upon a single 
variety of the same fruit, or upon a single kind 
of fruit. A mixed husbandry is as much safer 
and more profitable to the fruit culturist as to 
the grain grower. The strawberry crop may 
be destroyed by drouth; and yet the raspberry 
crop, which fellows it, compensate all loss on 
the strawberries. Early currants and goose¬ 
berries bring good prices in large markets when 
delivered in good shape. And blackberries! 
Did anybody ever know a good, large, well 
grown, well ripened New Rochelle, or a Dor¬ 
chester, to spoil when exposed for sale at prices 
that would pay the producer four or five dollars 
per bushel? We never did. Aud then there 
are other natives in the woods that repay cul¬ 
ture and are not excelled. And it should bo 
"rittenin your note-book, sir, as a memoran¬ 
dum, that you, or your wife, or children, ar?> to 
carefully mark and note the wild bushes that 
grow tho largest and best berries, for transplant¬ 
ing and cuttivatoin— aud if extra, for propaga¬ 
tion. In this way excellent varieties have been 
found, In some localities, which have proved 
valuable for market culture. 
But of this hereafter. We propose to discuss 
Sg&BSgK 
this subject still further, talking more sp<. 
fically of sorts and varieties. Meantime 
bri( ks to hold down while covering, cover two 
or three inches deep, with earth. In spring, as 
shall he glad to receive the experience :mn soon as frost is out of the ground, uncover, 
practice of small fruit cultivators. 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP. 
Northern Spy .—Talking about winter appi 
in the Cleveland market, Col. Harris, in j 
raise up and stake the canes. 
Tvr nip-rooted Celery. —Dr. Schrceder once, 
afte t telling us how be grew celery—" the large 
kind - ’—said:—“ I grow that for you Yankees; 
but w e Germans know what is good. We grow 
and eat Celeriac—the turnip-rooted sort. We 
Ohio Farmer , says the Canada Red and Nor f ( - use it for both soup and salad. You want Bomec 
ern Spy were plenty last March. Of the laW . 
be says:—“It requires the most delicate hiu; 
ling of any apple we ever put up for win i. 
thing big! We want something good.” But 
we know «nme people, who are not Germans, 
who appreciate and cultivate it- In the Arneri- 
Li'S. Rural New-\qrkkr:— In last week’s «— > » 
' l is an inquiry for making grafting wax. - ■ : 
Let “A New Subscriber” take two pounds RECIPES FOR COOKIES. 
rosin, one pound beeswax and half a pound tal- - 
' or in that proportion. Mutton tallow is Everlasting COOKIES.—I send a recipe for 
best, Put the whole in a pan or kettle, over a cookies which mamma Bays will keep Jive years. 
■.'gov ire, to dissolve. When all dissolved, stir Two cups sugar; one cup butter; one cupwa- 
together, then pour the mass into a pail of be r 5 two teaspoonsful cream tartar; one tea- 
' water; then work with the hand till you spoonful soda, and flour enough to roll thin.— 
i raw It like shoemaker’s wax. I find this Marion, M. M., Broumhelm , Lorain Co., 0. 
The surface is exceedingly tender, and anv can Agriculturist, we find the following oon- 
local pressure of a thumb or finger, or a i ceroing it:—“ It is a variety of celery, the short 
upon one another, will dent the surface r stem of which swells out into a kind of tuber; 
make a spot for early decay. But if nicely jj i this is the eatable portion, and if well grown, is 
died —we wrapped each apple in a piece r tender and has in a marked degree the flavor of 
priuting paper—they are a delicious des--- t celery. It is sliced and stewed, and served with 
through the winter.” 
Decay of Apples in Kentucky.—A write at 
Elizabethtown, Ky., picked his fruit about he 
first of last October, put it in bulk in loft, and 
drawn butter. It is also boiled, and when cold, 
sliced and dressed as a salad; it is used also in 
soups. Celeriac, as found in the markets, is 
from two to three inches in diameter, hut it is 
assorted it at the end of six weeks to find th t of that on the Continent, in Europe, it fre- 
the Pippins about 40 per cent, had rotted; J >ua» 
thans 33 per cent.; Hays Wine 20 per c< nt. 
Wine Sap 20 per cent.; Jenneting 25 per c< 
Golden Russetts 60 per cent.; -Esopus Spitzen- 
berg 50 per cent.; and Harrison’s Cider 20 pet 
cent. Of this latter apple he says that he finds 
it the best keeper he has—having rotted less 
during the winter than any of the varieties. 
The 2’eignmouth Apple — Syn. Vermont i- 
pin. — Ciias. Downing, in the Hnrticultu 
gives this apple the following character:—“ Oii- 
gin, Vermont. Tree, vigorous, upright and 
productive and a regular bearer. Fruit, me¬ 
dium, oblate, obscurely angular. Skin, pah 
greenish yellow, often shaded with crimson 
the sun, and thinly sprinkled with greenish an, 
light dots, somewhat raised above the sur 
Stalk, rather short, in a large, deep cavity. 
Calyx, open, or partially closed; segments si 
slightly recurved; basin large, deep, reg 
Flesh, white, tender, moderately juicy, wr 
peculiar subacid flavor. Very good. J . 
November to February. 
Wilmington Fear. —The same writer 
nishes the following description of this fru 
Fruit, medium, or below, obtusely turbinat- 
dined, slightly angular, some what oblique. S ■ . 
greenish yellow, considerably netted and pat 
with russet, especially around the stalk and cj 
and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. S 
long, generally straight, sometimes cui 
much inclined, inserted in u slight depres 
generally by a lip. Calyx, open segmen 
medium length, persistent, sometimes re-cui 
basin rather shallow and uneven, often reg 
Flesh, tine, whitish, very juicy, buttery, i 
ing, with a rich, sweet, pleasant flavor, sli< 
aromatic. Very good. The editor of the 
ticulturist, and Dr. Brincklk, who raised thi.- 
pear from seed of the Passe Colmar, planted in 
1847, calls this peur "best” — a delicious pear to 
cat. It is in season in September and October. 
The Taylor Grape. —5. Miller, of Lebanon, 
Pa., has been making wine from this grape, 
which commends itself to those who have tasted 
it. One vine iu its fourth year from a single 
eye stuck into the ground in the open air, pro¬ 
duced last fall, one bushel of fruit, he says, 
from which were made “at least three gallons 
of wine now worth $4 per gallon." He asserts 
that a friend of grape experience, writes him: 
“ When I have eaten nearly a fill of Delawares, 
Crevellngs, Arc., I top off with a hatful of the 
only real spicy grape we have—the Taylor.” 
He hopes those who havo this grape will not 
root it out nor graft it over as a worthless stock, 
lie says “ it must be trained different from many 
others; it should have plenty to do, for if headed 
back severely, as most others require, it will be 
in such a blast at time of blossoming, that they 
will be thrown off instead of setting.” 
Everbearing Apples.— The Cincinnati Horti¬ 
cultural Society have been discussing the ques¬ 
tion whether there are any apples that can 
properly bo called everbearing. Dr. Mositer 
said there were several sorts which he consid¬ 
ered everbearing—such as the White Pippin. 
Uawles Janet, G’ampfield (?) and Benoni. If, 
however, t hese were prevented from bearing on 
account of frost, Ac., then the probability would 
be that the next year they would Qver-bear; and 
if the excess of fruit was not removed the tree 
might become so much over-taxed as to require 
rest the ensuing year. But if the fruit was 
thinned out and no excess permitted, then there 
were several varieties that would bear every 
year unless prevented by frost. Mr. Mullet 
stated that the Maiden’s Blush, Rambo, White 
Pippin, and Smith’s Cider bore in his orchard 
every year. 
■ 1 11 - ■ + » • - 
GLEANINGS FOR GARDENERS. 
quently grows to weigh three or four pounds. 
Sow the seeds early in a seed bed, and then 
transplant to a light, rich soil, setting them in 
rows eighteen inches apart, and about a foot 
distant in the rows. 'Watering occasionally 
with liquid manure while the plant is growing, 
i> essential to success. It is not planted in 
trenches like other celery, hut upon the surface, 
taking care to set the plants rather shallow. In 
transplanting, take off some of the outside 
leaves, and if there are any strong lateral roots, 
they should be removed. In cultivation, care 
should be taken not to earth up the plants. 
The bulbs are taken up in October, and pre¬ 
served during the winter in sand. The seeds 1 
may be had of all regular seed dealers.” To I 
which may be added, the plants should be well 
and frequently watered soon after transplant¬ 
ing. The perfection which this variety attains 
I depends upon the richness of the soil and the 
! supply of water. 
Or. Schrceder on Cabbages.— “I plant two 
kinds of Cabbage —the large Early York and 
the Marblehead. I plant the Early York out in 
April. It don’t freeze to hurt —not easy. I I 
plant between the pea-rows, every foot and a j 
half, and hoe when the peas are out of the way. 
The Marblehead I plant for a late cabbage. 
Some say plant in J une or J uly for a late cab- 
j bage. It is humbug ! Plant late cabba.-- 1 
ea i y, and if they begin to crack, start the root> 
a little and lay them over on one side. Savoy j 
Cabbage, sir! It is No. 1. 'Why don't you j 
raUe it? Plant early, in middle of April. It 
is not liable to burst. Boil in water, cut up, 
.ml put butter and cream, melted together ?n. 
; it, and it is good.” _ 
AISING STRAWBERRIES FROM SEED. 
A correspondent o.'i the Valley Farmer 
tells us how he grows s<y filing strawberries. 
He asserts that full thre<£fourths of the seed 
sown germinated. He says:—“ I make a water¬ 
tight box of the dimensions of three feet long, 
two feet wide and six inches deep. (This is 
made water-tight by caulking or putting a nar¬ 
row strip of canvass between the joints.) Then 
I nail on the bottom in each comer a cleat or 
block six inches long, two inches wide, and one 
and a half inch thick. These are nailed inside 
the box. 
“Now make another box. two inches shorter 
from outside to outside than the inside of the 
water-tight box, and one-half inch narrower 
and six inches deep. In the bottom of this box 
bore with a small bit some fifteen or twenty 
holes. Be careful not to shove the chips out, 
but, as soon as through, back the bit out, leav¬ 
ing the chips in the hole; now take a coarse 
sieve, say one-eighth inch mesh, and sift this 
inside box full of rich, black loam; when full, 
take a straight edge, and strike it from end to 
end, making it level. 
“ Now all is ready to receive the seed. I pro¬ 
cured the seed in this way. I chose such of the 
strawberries as had the ripest appearance—those 
having the darkest seed. I let them lay ex¬ 
posed to the air in a room, until the betTy is 
dry; the seed then crumble out of their cavi¬ 
ties, by rubbing, them gently between the 
thumb and fore-finger. Now take the seed and 
scatter them evenly on the surface of your pul¬ 
verized or sifted loam, and with your sieve 
barely cover with loam. This seed box is placed 
inside of the water-tight box, ere it i* filled, and 
the under box made level on the ground so as to 
give an even depth of water on the bottom, 
leaving at one end all the space you can between 
the two boxes to pour in your water for irriga¬ 
tion. 
“ Your box is done and your seed in and cov¬ 
ered. Now make a water-tight cover of boards 
four feet long aud three feet wide, with hinges 
• just the thing for grafting. 
you should find any trouble from sticking 
■ur hands while working, rub the hands 
with a little tallow. Abraham Wllmer. 
tension Bridge, N. Y., April, 18&L 
RAISING MINUTE SEEDS. 
Most cultivators must at times have expe¬ 
lled more or less difficulty in raising minute 
If covered with mold they often refuse 
- : rminate, and if sprinkled over the surface, 
*s extreme care be taken, they are apt to be 
w ted away even with a fine rosed water pan. 
a practice in some establishments to cover 
u with a layer of moss; bat there are sev- 
objections to this method, though we know 
rhododendron seeds will germinate more 
■ ‘ y than elsewhere (at least in some situations) 
ng the rootlets of minium punctatum, and 
/oung seedlings thrive better in this than in 
in other position. 
hether the practice, however, is more or 
- advantageous, a method has been suggested 
ie Wochenschrift fur Gartnerti und FJlan - 
•:unde for 1858, p. 61, which we do not recol- 
having noticed before. The pots are filled 
| i mold firmly pressed in, and made perfectly 
1 1 at the top, leaving the edge projecting 
ve the soil for about half an inch. The seed 
hen scattered over the mold, and gently 
ised with some flat round surface, as the 
cm of a flower pot. A piece of filtering 
er is then cut of the size of the pressed sur- 
and pierced with holes, so as to make it 
vious to air, and the paper is kept moist from 
j e to time with a fine rose. The surface of 
| soil in consequence is not disturbed, and the 
is buried, while the paper can easily bo lifted 
n time to time to see what progress they 
e made, and may he turned on one side aito- 
aer as soon as the seedlings are well rooted, 
.nts with larger seeds, as for example stocks, 
s said, may be sometimes raised advanta- 
usly in this manner.— Gardener's Chronicle. 
glorticultuvat gotes. 
T be Season in Oregon.— C. W. Brtant, of Port¬ 
land, Oregon, writes that the winter was a light one; 
had to feed cattle hat four days dnring the past winter. 
He writes without date, (his letter received 80th of 
April,) and says, “ the spring is now as forward as it 
generally is In New York in May. Peach. Plum, and 
Cherry trees are in ftill bloom. Most of the spring 
grain is sown, gardens made, and early potatoes 
planted. Fanner's prospects are good.” 
Grafting Wax, manufactured in the following 
manner, is highly commended by those who have 
used it:—One pound of rosin, five ounces 96 per cent, 
alcohol, oue ounce beef tallow, one tablespoon spirits 
of turpentine. Mel t the rosin over a slow Are, add the 
beef tallow, and stir with a perfectly dry stick or piece 
of wire. When somewhat cooled, add the turpentine, 
and last, the alcohol in small quantities, stirring the 
mass constantly. Should the alcohol cause it to lump, 
warm again until it melts. Keep in a bottle. Lay it 
on in a very thin, coat, with a brush. In a room of 
moderate temperature, the wax should be of the con¬ 
sistence of molasses. Should it prove thicker, thin It 
down with alcohol. It Is always ready for use, is 
never affected by heat or cold, and heals up wounds 
hermetically. 
Horticulture in Egypt.—A correspondent of the 
Gardener's Chronicle gives his experience in Egypt. 
He says that it is one of the finest countries in the 
world for fruits: that his grapes are magnificent, some 
of his vines measuring from two to two and a half 
feet in circumference, and that many of the bunches 
measure from twelve to twenty inches long, and as 
much across the shoulders. He &stonishcs the natives 
by thinning. His meu thought it a sin to waste the 
berries. Apples, pears, quinces, apricots, peaches, 
strawberries, custard apples, mnsas, figs, pomegran¬ 
ates and guavas fruit well, and make enormous 
growths. As to flowers, it is one vast hot house. 
Geraniums arc splendid. The scarlet will grow to 
almost any size you like Six feet high, and as much 
through, 1s a very common size Cuttings of all kinds 
strike freely. Some vine cuttings put in an open 
border to strike during the winter had, in the May fol¬ 
lowing, one and two bunches in full flower. 
inquiries ana gumvm. 
- or without. Drive a stake iu the ground at 
Culture of the New Rochelle Blackberry, — each corner of the box, letting the top of the 
From an article by a correspondent in the 
Country Gentleman , we coudense the following: 
Plant in rows six feet apart, two feet apart in 
the rows, pieces of root six or eight inches long, 
one piece In a place. Cultivate tho ground the 
first season, and let tho bushes run. The fol¬ 
lowing spring trim and support the larger canes 
by stakes; cut the other canes away. When 
new canes appear where wanted and reach one 
foot in height, place stakes by their side five or 
six feet high, as stiff as a bean pole, aud tie the 
eancs to them as they grow. As winter ap¬ 
proaches, remove the stakes, and lay the bushes 
down at right angles to the rows in the follow¬ 
ing manner:—('ut off the limbs each aide the 
rows to within 1J inches of the canes, makiug 
flat bushes, Shorten in the remaining limbs by 
cutting off the slender ends; loosen, with a dig¬ 
ging fork, the earth about the roots, removing 
some of it and laying the roots loose on one 
side, so that in laying down the roots will bend 
instead of breaking the canes. Lay flat, use 
two stakes at one end be three inches above the 
top of the inside box, and the other two nine 
inches higher at the other end; these are to 
place your cover on, in case of rain and at 
night, for it you let raiu fall inside or pour water 
on the bed, it will wash out some of tho seed 
and cover tho others too deep, besides have a 
tendency to rot them. 
“ Next, have water ready standing in the sun 
to temper it—raiu water preferable—aud when 
the seed are in, put sufficient water iu the lower 
box to come half-way up the seed box, and as 
it sinks below tho bottom of the seed box, and 
there is no sign of moisture drawn to the sur¬ 
face, put in more water; but not so much as at 
first, say half the distance up the end of the 
seed box. Let the cover remain off while the 
sun shines, from sunrise until eleven A. M. aud 
from three P. M. until sunset. No glass is 
necessary, if followed as directed; aud one 
would be surprised to see how soon the surface 
will be covered with young strawberry plants.'? 
Sweet Potatoes,—W ill not some of your readers, 
who have had experience, tell us the best mode of grow¬ 
ing sweet potatoes?—if a straw mulch will prevent the 
vines rooting, as 1 have seen it asserted that tney will?— 
W> G-t Omaha, Kan. 
Protagatino New Rochsllk Blackberries.— 
Having a small number of Lawton blackberries. I 
would like to inquire through the medium of the 
Rural how to propagate and increase them. I in¬ 
quired of a nursery agent, and he declined telling me, 
on the ground or being iu the business.—J. Tort 
kins, Jit. 
We do not know how nurserymen propagate them, 
but we do know that you can increase your plants in 
this way:—Dig around your plants this spring, cut tho 
roots into pieces four to six inches long, prepare the 
soil to receive them, and lay these in rows in the 
ground an inch or an inch and a half beneath the sur¬ 
face. Each piece of root will produce a plant. 
Deciduous Trees for the Prairies —What decid- 
nous trees would yon recommend to plant for a prairie 
grove, and as lawn trees.—N- M. P-, I* Kalb Co.. III. 
The Elms, Maples, Black and White Walnuts, 
Chestnut, Linden, Box Elder, Golden and White Wil¬ 
lows, Lombardy Poplar, Cottonwood, Silver Leaf Pop¬ 
lar, Birch, Larch, Hickory, Ash, Butternut. These 
trees grow well on ihe prairies, and will furnish tim 
her, fuel and fruit- Every prairie farmer should plant 
a grove of them, with an equal number of the different 
Evergreens named on page ?J, current Vol. of Rural. 
We think there is no difficulty in growing these trees 
In your locality. 
Molasses Cookies, —These are my favorite 
cookies, and are excellent when made according 
to the following recipe:—One cup of molasses; 
one cup of sugar; two-thirds cup of butter; 
two-thirds cup of warm water; dissolve therein 
one tablespoonful of saleratus; one tablespoon¬ 
ful of ginger; one do. of cinnamon, and flour 
enough to make them roll out nicely,— From a 
Friend, Soottsburg, N. Y. 
Good Cookies. — One teacnpful of sugar; 
one teacupful of butter; one egg; half teacupful 
gweet milk; one-third teaspoonful saleratus, with 
flour sufficient to roll out.—N. R. Greene. 
COLORING RECIPES. 
To Color Drab.— In answer to an inquiry 
in one of the late numbers of the Rural, I 
give my recipe for coloring drab, which is both 
cheap and permanent:—Take equal parts of 
chestnut bark and sweet fern, use the tops and 
roots of the fern, and boil in brass until the dye 
is sufficiently strongtake out the herbs, and to 
fourteen quarts of the dye, add a half oz. of 
copperas. Stir well, and add the goods, pre¬ 
viously wet in soap suds; stir well, until of the 
right shade.— Nora, West ColesviUe. 
To Color Red and Yellow,— By experi¬ 
ment?, I have ascertained that bright and indel¬ 
ible red and yellow may be obtained in the 
following way:—Take equal quantities of Tag 
Alder and Black Cherry bark; steep until you 
have a strong decoction. If you wish two col¬ 
ors, divide the liquid. Saleratus, or weak lye, 
will set a yellow dye; alum will set a red dye.— 
Mrs. H. C. F., Fronton, IFis. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. &c. 
To make Black, Blue and Red Ink.— 
Can you or any of your readers inform me how 
to make black, blue and red ink?— Wm. H. 
Trowbridge. 
Black Ink.—I n 1858, a correspondent of the 
Rural gave the following recipe, recommend¬ 
ing it highly, having used and sold the ink 
several years. Five gallons pure rain or snow 
water: 5 to 7 pounds of chip logwood, not 
extract; i ounce prussiate of potash; 1 ounce of 
bi-chromate of potash. Boil the logwood in 
the rain water, in an iron kettle, till the strength 
is extracted, then strain it, and if the liquid has 
evaporated so that there is not five gallons, add 
more rain water to the chips, and strain again 
till you get enough; then rinse out the kettle, 
set over the fire again and put in the liquor, and, 
when it boils, add both kinds of the potash, and 
let it boil five minutes, stirring it all the time; 
then take it off, aud when cool it is fit for use. 
Cure for Fever and Ague.— "We find 
the following credited to a paper having a 
doubtful reputation—the Charleston Mercury. 
But there may be “something in it:”—Take a 
gill of very strong coflce, mixed with an equal 
quantity of lime juice—the dose to be taken 
just before the fit of ague is expected. Dr. 
Ponqueville's “Travels in the Morea,” contains 
the following:—I have often seen intermitting 
fevers subdued entirely by a mixture of coffee 
and lemon juice. Which is the general remedy 
for them all over the country. The proportions 
are three-quarters of an ounce of coffee, ground 
I very line—two ounces of lemon juice and three 
of water. The mixture is to be drank warm and 
fasting. 
How to Destroy Ant Nests.— Eds. 
Rural New-Yorker j— Have ready a good 
lire out of doors, and early in the spring or late 
in the fall, when they are somewhat torpid, 
. place a deep box on a stone-boat and drive round 
l to their nests. Shovel under them and put them 
* in the box, and shovel from the box into the 
1 fire. In this way, one person with a team may 
do a useful day’s work where they are trouble¬ 
some.— H, E. 
DOMESTIC INQUIRIES. 
Alum in Gingerbread.—W hy is alum used in gin- 
• gerbread? What does it do to the cake?— Mrs. J. E. 
: Fisher. 
To Clean Brochs Shawls. —Will some of the 
readers of the Rural inform me how to clean broehe 
shawls with white centers?—M. E. 8., Newport, Minn. 
‘ To Make Hard from Soft Soaf.—W ill you or 
some reader of the Rural, inform me the cheapest and 
best method of making hard soap from soft soap?— 
Mrs. P. E., Wayne. Steuben (b-.iV T. 
Stain in Marble. —Can any of the readers of the 
s Rural tell me what will take a stain out of marble 
, without injuring the marble? I hare a costly marble. 
; top center-table which has got stained, and do not know 
how to remove the stain. Some of the remedies that 
■ have come to my notice I date not use. as I fear will rot 
or injure the marble.—C., Fayette, N T. 
[special notice.) 
A Fact Worth Knowing.— All grocers are com¬ 
pelled to sell the staple articles of heavy goods, wheth¬ 
er they make a large profit or not, but in shelf goods 
and many articles of which the purchaser is not a 
judge, they sell those upon which they can make the 
most profit. Iu this way worthless Saleratus is sold, 
and in no other. The grocer who intends to sell the 
best goods and rely upon a fair profit, will always keep 
De Land & Co s Chemical Saleratus, and thousands of 
dealers will sell uo other. 
