scarlet, free from filament, rotind, firm, giving an ex¬ 
ceedingly rich syrup. Type of Bucks. 
Mitchell's Gray Ragle. —This belongs to the large 
class; not so deep in color as the offspring of Bucks; 
has a large, thick stalk; free from filament, exceed¬ 
ingly rich and mild; free from the medicinal taste of 
many larger sorts, and productive. Every person 
who grows a large rhubarb, should cultivate this; I 
consider it one of the finest. 
Randell's Early Prolific. — Intermediate between the 
classes this will bo found; stalks are of good size, 
well colored, free from fibre, rich fiavor, very early 
and productive. 
Salt's Crimson Perfection. — This comparatively 
new variety promises well; as the-name implies, the 
stalks are of a rich crimson, free from filament, 
round, rich, and mild; very productive and early. 
Type of Bucks. 
Turner's Scarlet Nonpatitl .—Stalks bright scarlet, 
free from filament, round, very productive, fiavor rich 
and mild. Type of Bucks.*’ 
toes, at least three-fourths of which ripened well. 
Sometimes twenty or thirty fully ripe fruits wero on 
the vine at one time, making a very pretty appear¬ 
ance. I am a iittle proud of this, as I think it was 
never excelled. But, Mr. Editor, you know all about 
it, for you will recollect I called *your attention to it 
at the time, which was in the summer of 1858. I 
think long experience has taught me how to grow 
the tomato in perfection, and I am willing to impart 
all the knowledge I possess for the benefit of the 
lovers of fruits and flowers. Oi,d Gardener. 
Well do we remember that well trained tomato of 
which we took a drawing, and made the following 
notes: — *• A tomato plant can be made a very beau¬ 
tiful object. Of this fact we have before us the best 
of evidence. Taste will show itself in some way, 
and we have seen the old gardener, or the lady with 
a love of flowers, when confined to the city by uncon¬ 
trollable circumstances, raise in a flower-pot, or even 
a broken tea-pot, flowers that would not disgrace the 
most costly conservatory. 
The gentleman that raised this plant is confined to 
a small city lot shaded by old trees — a most unfor¬ 
bidding place for growing an object worthy of notice, 
and yet he has succeeded with the unpretending 
tomato in growing a plant so beautiful that it has 
been viewed with astonishment and delight by hun¬ 
dreds. Indeed, great has been the demand for seed 
of this new variety. But alas! in the hands of the 
careless and unskillful it will be only the poor old 
trailing plant, covered with tomatoes that will never 
ripen, and the few that do ripen coated with dirt. 
We have had our artist take an engraving of this 
plant, which we present to our readers as a model. 
season, it is no small job. A strong soap-suds of soft soap 
will destroy the insect*, but it must be about strong enough 
to kill the leaves before it will iDjiire the Insects, ricking 
them off am| killing them is sure, and sure to try the patience. 
Sowing powdered lime over the plant*, when wet with dew 
or ruin, checks them a little, but must bo persevered in to 
accomplish much good. The best way we have tried, is to 
remove the soil under the plants to the depth of three or 
four Inches, and bury it in pits three feet deep, replacing the 
soil taken from under the plants by that from the pit. It is 
stated that. a. heavy mulching of tnnbark, placed under the 
plants in the autumn, and dug under in the spring, will prove 
effectual in destroying the insects in the soil before they 
emerge. This we have never tried. Wat„ r heated to 140’, 
and applied by the syringe or garden engine, will kill the 
grub without injury to the leaves. This we know to be good, 
but it must be applied thoroughly, Only those will be killed 
which are touched with the water, and us many are under 
the leaves, a thorough syringing, two or three times, is 
necessary. 
ST'UWBSHRIKk— y ou wi n pi eftM , pub|i . in 
he 1U kal, what you consider the best recipe for preserving 
strawberries; and nlso how they sbould ho mauuged to he 
kept in cans or bottles.—G. F., Morris y Grundy Cfy, Jl (, 
Strawberries require more heating to preserve them than 
any other fruit we have put up, and more sugar. If only 
scalded, or just brought to a boiling point, like other fruit, 
they will not spoil, but loso tlielr color, and look, whon they 
come upon tho table, as thongli they had been soaked in 
WASHING DAY 
Order is as necessary in the garden as in the 
house or the office. There should be a place for 
everything and everything should be in its proper 
place. The neglect of this rule causes a good deal of 
trouble to many who really love the garden and give 
it a good deal of their thoughts and time. It is most 
severely felt perhaps by those who have small gar¬ 
dens and desire to have a great variety of flowers. 
Where everything is mixed tip the result cannot be 
satisfactory, while the labor of keeping snob a place 
in tolerable order is enormous. lu some places we ob¬ 
serve crocuses, tulips, white lilies, herbaceous plants 
and shrubs, mixed up, in tare confusion, whi.ealabel 
here and there denotes that a few seeds of annuals have 
been sown for autumn flowers. Bather than take 
care of such a garden, we would dig all up* in the 
Autumn and start anew. Every class of flowers 
should have its bed or place in the border, and when 
it has passed its season of bloom, its place can be 
supplied by others, and thus a succession may be 
secured dnring tho whole season. The beds occupied 
by the crocus, the hyacinth, and other bnlbs, can be 
filled with plants of annuals from the hot-bed or seed¬ 
bed, or with the verbena and other bedding plants. 
The shrubs, roses, Ac., should be planted in groups, 
allowing space enough for their proper development, 
and yet sufficiently close to cover the whole ground. 
This plan is very convenient, as it allows a ehauge 
every year or two, so that the same plants are not 
grown in the same soil for a number of years, a 
course which causes many things to “runout.” It 
also allows the necessary enrichment or change of 
soil, which cannot be done when everything is scat¬ 
tered around in promiscuous confusion. 
A small garden in the city, somewhat shaded, as 
such gardens usnally are, becomes, after a few-years, 
humid, heavy, and pasty, and flowers refuse to grow 
with their former vigor. The owuer is often troubled 
to know the cause of the difficulty, and sometimes 
becomes discouraged, and allows all to go to grass or 
weeds. Now, tho way to improve such a soil is not 
by giving well-rotted manure, although this is the 
usual remedy, but by removjtig the old surface soil, 
and replacing it by some fresh loam from the woods, 
at the same time mixing a little lime with the old 
earth that is left, before adding the new. A bed or a 
portion of the border may bo improved in this way 
every year, without much cost or labor. But, if this 
is considered too expensive, give a heavy dressing of 
fresh lime in the autumn, and work it in with the 
soil. Work it over again in the spring before plant¬ 
ing, and it will give new life to the ground. A lady 
recently applied to us for aid, whose garden was in 
the situation described, and we suggested this course, 
but it could uot be done, for shrubs and tulips, and 
crocuses and white lilies, and herbaceous plants were 
scattered over the whole ground, and no improve¬ 
ment could be made without an entire change in the 
disorder of things. We hope our readers will regard 
these few hints, and bring order out of confusion as 
soon as possible. 
One trouble is that women generally undertake too 
much. The “Sunday littered house” and the pile of 
clotheB waiting purification, are enough to discour¬ 
age a nervous woman, aud I fear there are few Ameri¬ 
can women who can claim a freedom from nervous¬ 
ness. It is far better for the health and temper, to 
take a part of two days to do the work that is usually 
accomplished in one. 
I do tho washing fur my family of six members. I 
wash bed aud table linen and colored clothes on 
Thursday or Friday, which makes the Monday’s wash 
so light that it can bo done with pleasure to myself, 
and no discomfort to my family. My husband does 
not know when washing day comes, a* 1 do not 
begin until the breakfast is out of tho way, ami finish 
loug before iliHner. Two days of moderate labor are 
certainly better than one of severe toil, which wastes 
the health, and makes a “good tempered woman” 
cross and ill-natured, A . K 
Sparta, Ill., ism. 
FRUIT FAILURE IN NORTHERN N. Y. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —The day being wet, 
my spring work nearly straightened up, and my 
books posted, I did not see anything better to employ 
a leisure hour than to givo you a short account, of 
our prospects of a fruit crop this summer. Our 
peach trees have suffered the most. All last year’s 
wood killed, and some of the older trees are worth¬ 
less. I have not seen a peach bloom for three years. 
Currants have a few bunches, and those mostly in 
sheltered situations and where the snow covered the 
branches. In twenty years’ experience in this xeigh- 
borhood, I never knew the currant to fail before. 
Cherries, both bloom and leaf buds killed, nnd the 
trees look as if dead, but they aro pushing out new 
shoots, and will likely recover, although much in¬ 
jured. Plum tree-, bloom and leaf buds all killed, 
and old trees much injured, while young trees have 
not suffered much, except being kept back, the roots 
being uninjured. 
Pear trees — some varieties are blooming well, viz: 
Hansel's Bergamot, Winter Nelis, and a few others. 
We will have no Bartletts, Flemish Beauty, or Beurre 
Diel, and but a few Seckels. Quinces all killed, 
except what were covered with snow. Grapevines 
are nearly all killed except those that were covered. 
I cover every year, and I find it pays in the end. 
Strawberries and Raspberries promise an abundant 
crop. Gooseberries about one-fourth of a crop. I 
send you a few flowers of a new honeysuckle I 
imported a few years since, Lonicera grundfiora. It 
looks beautiful as a single shrub on ft lawn, when 
nicely trimmed. I presume your Nurserymen have 
got it. The day has cleared up and I must resume 
my necessary employment. J. C. 
Troy, N. Y., June 3, 1861. 
'I,ima Bkahs.—W ill "T II,” tell US how those “delicious 
buna beaut, ’ that lie spoke of. were cooked? I. too, liavc 
eulen tlioso that were delicious, hot 1 most con leu- to my 
inability to make them so, in spite of several reuinsn ni„- 
nouuced excellent. — I, \V 1)., Webster, 18,11. 
Wo did not, know there was any art about- cooking I.ium 
heaps, Though powsscri of no particular knowledge of the 
process, wo think they are simply shelled, boiled, and then 
served up with butter and seasoning. 
When done, strain it boiling hot upon a pint of flour, 
stirring it smooth. When cool, put in a teaspoon of 
sugar and one of ginger, and a small teacup of salt. 
I -et it stand open until tho bubbles rise to the surface, 
then keep it corked close. It will be ready for use in 
three days after it is made. A pint of this may be 
put in when making again, and it will be ready for 
use in one day, but it is better to have it altogether 
fresh occasionally.- T. K, Hum. Co., Ohio, 18G1. 
\ 88, “ A. H. It.” Tho very best kind of hop yeast. 
can he made minus tho “cup of good yeast,” and in 
ray own words will I toll yon. Take a handful of 
good hops and put them iu a basin with a quart of 
boiling water, pare six medium sized potatoes and 
put iu with them, cooking them nicely, then take 
two tablespoonliils of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, 
and a teacup of sugar, and pour the liquor upon it 
scalding hot. Mash the potatoes line and stir into 
the mixture, put it into a jar or wide mouth bottle, 
and set it away in a warm place for three days, or till 
it ferments, and then it is ready for use. This recipe 
rim Curculio, k 0 . —“There art* mono things I do know, 
ami Home things I do not kuow ” I know what will prevent, 
the cureulio from destroying plum* and cherries, which 
Intelligence may interest, some of your numerous renders. 
About the time the blossoms commences falling off, and the 
young fruit begins to show itself, I throw Into the tops of tho 
trees air slaked lime, about one pint to each tree, when thorn 
is uo air stirring, or wet. on the leaves. Tins should he repeated 
once iu a week or ten days, aud always after a shower has 
washed off the limn. 1 have done so for the last two years, 
until the fruit booame full size, and my trees have boon 
loaded with ripe fruit; but, for years before, I had not 
a plum—all would fall off before they were ripu. And there 
is another thing “ I do know. i know of many things that 
will prevent the destruction of seed corn by vermin while in 
the ground, and of the blade below the surface. But what “ 1 
do not know,” Is what will prevent the cut worm from eating 
off tho Wade after it comes up, which has destroyed many 
entire Helds of corn in this part of Michigan. Any intelli¬ 
gence in relation to this subject, through your paper, would 
ho thankfully received by many farmers in this vicinity.—A. 
Cor, lens, Union City, Mich., 1861. 
We are glad our correspondent has been successful with 
lime iu heading the cnrcnllo, hut we know many who have 
failed with this and all other applications of lime, ashes, Ac., 
to tho leaves and fruit, Here, for the past two years, the 
—h, a.ic Win less troublesome than formerly, and wo 
have known good crops from trees that, received uo cure. 
Slid, the AbO"e (dan was strongly re eomin cmh«1 to ns h\- n 
gentleman ol' Massachusetts, last, season, who stated that he 
hud found it effectual for several years. 
TOMATO trained on trellis. 
We counted one hnmlred and thirty tomatoes, of 
various sizes, over twenty had been picked and about 
a dozen more were fully ripe, while a score or more 
were coloring. The plant covers a space ten feet in 
height and about nine in width,” 
Our very tasteful friend, II. N. Langworthy, always 
always does every in the garden well, and now that 
the subject of training tomatoes is under considera¬ 
tion, and perhaps the only time it may be in order 
for a year, we will mention the plan pursued by Mr. 
1.., which is very easy and simple, keeps the fruit 
from the ground, and exposes it to the sun and air, 
thus securing early ripening. 
A New Grace. —Mr. John Cook, of Philadelphia, 
sends ns an account of a large grape exhibited by 
him at the Agricultural Fair at West Philadelphia, 
and which, from its immense size, excited some 
attention. 
The plant was found accidentally on a sidewalk in 
Philadelphia, by a friend of Mr. Cook. Its habit 
resembles Isabella, but the fruit is as large as Black 
Hamburg, and the bunches weigh from one to one 
and three-quarters pounds. Some judges have pro¬ 
nounced it Christie's I*at> P, r-il on..-,-., iuw,, vn 
lage; but Mr. Cook gives -/,,e very good reasons for 
considering that it is a ^%ry different grape. If 
found distinct from all others it may prove a good 
addition. 
FARMERS’ PIE, CRULLERS, Ac. 
Farmers’ Pie.— Pare and slice a few apples into a 
common pie tin, pour in a little water, then take a 
pint of sour milk and one tcaspoou of soda, stir it 
thick with flour and pour it over the apples. Bake 
in a quick oven. Eat with maple sirup or sweet 
sauce. 
Crullers. —One cup of sweet milk, half a teaspoon 
of soda, one cup of butter, one of sugar, one egg, a 
h-ji, of loiuviu, and Hour enough to 
roll quite still'. Before baking, dip tho top in cold 
water, and sprinkle On white sugar. 
Clay Cake,—H alf a pound of butter beat lightly, 
one pound of sugar, six eggs, one pound of flour, 
half pint cream, half a nutmeg, one lemon. Bake as 
usual for “ pound cake.” c< SI> 
Ashtabula, Ohio, 1801. 
GROWING TOMATOES 
Fn«. Rorai. Vew-Yorkeu: Don’t yon know man 
is very slow to learn what is for his uooA it «o«mH 
sometimes that it takes an age to learn what ought to 
be learned in a day. When I was young, tomatoes 
were grown as ornamental plants, nnd the fruit 
picked for mantel ornaments. Then they began to 
be used for garnishing dishes, and their bright color 
produced a very pretty effect in connection with 
parsley. The Tomuto, or Love-Applo, as it was then 
called, became so popular for this purpose that the 
gardener was required to have them on hand as much 
as possible. After a time somebody was foolish 
enough to think they were good to eat, and now we 
have no summer vegetable for which there is a 
greater demand, and none more healthful and agree- 
ble. It took us a long time to learn this, and now 
there are a few facts about its culture which many 
may still learn to their profit. 
The Tomato, I believe, is a native of South Amer¬ 
ica, being introduced into Europe about 260 years 
ago, and therefore is natural to a warm climate. 
Those who wish to grow them fine should plant in a 
warm, sandy soil, not too rich, and in a warm situa¬ 
tion. If the ground is too rich a large and late 
growth of vine and fruit is obtained, but the ripening 
process ia delayed until quite late in the fall, aud 
this is particularly the case if the soil is cold and 
moist. For a few early tomatoes select the poorest 
soil you have, and the plants will make a small 
growth, and set and ripen their fruit very early. 
For a later crop the plants can be set at the same 
time in a little richer soil, and so on; a succession 
can be kept up for any length of time, or at least 
until frost. When'frost is expected, say in. October, 
pull up the lata; vines by the roots and hang them up 
iu a store or seed room,—any place where they will 
not be injured by the frosts of October and Novem¬ 
ber,— and all the tolerably well matured green fruit 
will ripen, so that you can have ripe tomatoes until 
aboat Christmas without any trouble. 
Any plant that ia patient under ill treatment is sure 
to be abused, and this is the case with the tomato. 
Whoever thinks of training it, or giving the least 
amount of care. Aud yet it will well repay much 
care. A very good way to treat tomatoes is to cover 
the earth with cut grass for a mulching, and then lay 
the branches out evenly upon it, removing such as 
will cause crowding. No plant will bear pruning 
better than the tomato, and in this way they will 
ripen well, but a tomato trained to a trellis or a 
fence, and pruned of the surplus of side branches, 
will grow nearly as large as a grape vine, and give a 
bushel of ripe fruit- “ Once upon a time,” as the old 
stories say, and only once was I compelled by cir¬ 
cumstances to live in a city during a summer, with¬ 
out a garden, without trees, plants or flowers, or any 
of those beautiful things which a kind Creator has 
made for our enjoyment, and I doubt whether some 
people would lake as unkindly to life in State Prison 
as I did to life in a city. I had only space enough 
on the sunny side of the house for a vine, but uo 
vine grew there. So I had to provide something, 
and 1 thought of the beautiful Morning Glory, and 
that superb running vine the Cobea samdens, aud 
while I was thinking ol' the matter with reference to 
a choice, an old friend, whose place I visited for the 
purpose of breathing a little pure air, and feasting 
my eyeB with a sight of nature in her beauty, inquired 
if I had not room lor a few tomato plants. My mind 
was made up in a moment. I would take two, and 
c«ie of them, the one that proved most thrifty, should 
have a place on the only sunny spot on my house. I 
took them home; both grew; the best was saved, and 
pruned and trained, until it covered a space about 
ten feet square, and bore about two hundred toma- 
ami ^usurers 
Tits Currant Worm, — Large numbers of maul), green 
worms, liavo lately appeared on my currant and gooseberry 
bushes, making great havoc with tho foliage. What is their 
name and origin? Mow can their advent be prevented? 
How, wheu they have come, can their ravages be arrested?— 
A Subscriber, (,'/anandaiguu , A r . I'., 1801. 
That “ small, green worm," is an old acquaintance of ours. 
We have been fighting him for several years, and with very 
little success. He is a foreigner, doubtless imported from 
Europe with currant or gooseberry plants, but is morn at 
homo here, and thrives bettor than in hie native land, Wo 
would give a good deal, eonid we answer satisfactorily the 
two lust questions. 
It is uo donbt the same <ts the Gooseberry Saw Ely of 
Europe. In England it, destroys, ire believe, only the leaves 
of the gooseberry, but. in thh country, where gooseberries 
are -carce, they commence at the few gooseberries that may 
be within their reach, and then attack the currants, seldom 
leaving while a leaf remains. The ; r spread would no doubt 
bo checked, if every one, on it* first appearance, would make 
a diligent effort for this purpose but where it becomes 
numerous, it is, to say tho least, very difficult to nave the 
plants from destructien. They comtience their ravages soon 
after the young leaves appear, and ai a new brood of insects 
appears every two or three weeks, the cultivator generally 
becomes discouraged, and retires from the contest. 
a puce Way to Cook Apples. — I have noticed 
in mir dear Rural ol lute, two very excellent ways 
of cooking apples, but a still nicer way I think ia to 
pure your apples, (having them as near a size as pos¬ 
sible, and leaving the Stern on,) All them with cloves, 
about 10 or 12 cloves to a. middling sized apple. 
1’Iacc tho apples in a brims kettle with water enough 
to cover, (it is bettor not to have mure apples in the 
kettle than to cover the bottom,) then for 10 or 12 
apples average two cups and a half or sugar, (white 
Is the best,) let them boil until the apples are soft — 
then if the juice is not thick enough, take the apples 
out and let it boil longer. This is a delicious dish, 
so says my husband, and what he says must be so.— 
Young Wipe, Woodland Cottage, C. IV., 1861. 
injurious to the system. Directed l.y a skillful physician, 
thi* valuable curative agent can bo made to produce 
tho most varied effects on the constitution. It also 
possesses the ndvautuge of being acceptable to most, 
invalids. Tho treatment lasts from three to six weeks. The 
quantity of grape* that, may he consumed varies from one to 
four pound* a day, commencing with smnll qnantitie*, which 
are gradually Increased. The skin* and seeds must not be 
swallowed. Iu the absence of grapes, tho most beneficial 
effect* may be obtained from dried raisin*, provided a quan¬ 
tity of water, sufficient to satisfy the thirst they excite, ho 
taken at the same time; or they may be stewed in the same 
manner as prunes. 
Tint Mkascrk Worm.—I wonder if the apple trees in your 
country are troubled with a sort of measuring worm, which, 
in this vicinity, infests the apple treeB in great numbers. If 
you know anything about them, or any means of preventing 
their ravage*, the Information would be very acceptable to 
the people of this place, as the worm is now making its 
appearance, and threatens to be multitudinous. They are 
not confined alone to the apple, but may be found in many 
other trees, and do great damage to smnll maples, pears, 
cherries, Ac. 
I discovered a method last year of destroying them, which 
I think worth trying, if nothing better can be found. After 
the worms had got to he about an inch long, 1 shook them 
from the tree, and then smeared the body of the tree, about 
eight or ten Inches, with tar. This effectually prevented 
their return to the branches. If the tar would injure the 
tree, a piece of paper may be bouml on the tree, over which 
the tar may be smeared.—!). Cargo, Howling Often, Ohio. 
A GOOD RHUBARB 
John Saul, of Washington, after very justly 
condemning, in the Gardener’s Monthly, the little 
attention we pay to the quality of Rhubarb, as is 
evidenced by the popularity of some large, coarse 
and worthless varieties, makes the following inter- 
esting remarks: “Rhubarb may be divided into 
two classes, large (originated from R. palraatum,) 
and small, of which an old variety called Buck’s 
may be taken as the type; and to this latter class 
the richest and most valuable sorts in cultiva¬ 
tion belong, varieties having much less of the 
medicinal plant about them than the others. The 
following qualities I should consider necessary to a 
good ruhbrab. First, a stalk free from filament, re¬ 
quiring uo stripping when preparing for use; second, 
a bright Bcarlet color, not only on the exterior of the 
stalk, hut through its substance,— this gives a rich 
color to its syrup in whatever way it is prepared, 
which my lady readers can appreciate; third, the 
syrup should be rich saccharine, and as free as pos¬ 
sible from the taste of the Medicinal plant; fourth, 
the stalks should be nearly round, solid, uot flat, and 
produced abundantly. Now, all these qualities be¬ 
long to the finer seedlings, descendants of BuckH. 
Earliness I have not set down as one of my qualities; 
for, as in fruits, the rhubarb may be extended over a 
considerable season. In addition to Victoria and 
Linnaras, which I recommend to all wishing large 
varieties, I would name the following, every one of 
which are superior: 
Emperor (Waite’s.)—In the way of Victoria; larger, 
richer, and less filament in the stalks; a very desir¬ 
able variety. 
Hawke's Champagne .—The stalks are of a deep 
blood-red, rich, free from filament. Its defect is a 
want of productiveness and vigor suitable to the gar¬ 
den of the amateur. Type of Bucks. 
McLean's Early. —One of the earliest, very produc¬ 
tive, stalks of a rich scarlet, nearly round, free from 
filament, and exceedingly rich; a very fine early 
variety. Type of Bucks. 
Mitchell's Prince Albert —Has now been some years 
before the public; iu England it is extensively grown, 
but in this country not so much, size being against 
it. Market-gardeners, on trial, will here find it quite 
as profitable as the larger kinds, being one of the very 
earliest, very productive; cannot only be gathered 
earlier, bu); will continue longer than the larger sorts, 
and the yield per acre will be heavier; stalks deep 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker. —Noticing an inquiry 
in one of your late numbers, for a recipe for making 
rusk, I send you mine, which I think excellent. 
Take four teacups light dough, mixed with new milk; 
one enp pulverized sugar; one-half cup butter; the 
whites of two eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; a little 
nutmeg. Add flour sufficient to enable yon to roll 
out us biscuit, let them rise on the pans, bake in a 
moderately heated oven. When done, wash the top 
with Bweetened milk.—R. E. M., Letnama, N. Y. 
Washing Wuite Crape Shawls.— Will some of 
your correspondents please tell me how a white silk 
crape shawl can be washed without injury, and with¬ 
out the trouble of sending it away to the city? Tt 
might be a bit of valuable information for many.— 
Helen, East Smitlfield, Pa., 1861. 
Inquiries. —Will some of the readers of the Rural 
please inform me what are the ingredients used in 
graining in imitation of oak? Also, how to color 
white kid gloves that have been soiled, and oblige?— 
B. E., Newton, Pa., 1861. 
Fruit, ko., is Michigan,— The season is cold and back¬ 
ward; farmers are generally behind time lu putting in spring 
crops, We have not had a wurni.npring day thiB season. 
Wheat generally looks veTy promising, and hid* fair for a 
great crop. Fruit, such as apple* aud pear*, promise well, 
but plums, peaches, cherries, and quince*, are nearly a failure. 
Strawberries, mspberries, aud currants, promise an abundant 
crop. Frost wn* quite prevalent ou Wednesday and Thurs¬ 
day mornings of this week, and fears are entertained that 
some injury to fruit may have been doao. Corn ia not gene- 
rally planted, and will not he till the tenth of June, Some 
that ha* been put in in to be planted the second time. 
Farmer* appear to he making calculation* to raise an abund- 
ant supply of hreadstuffs to meet any want That may be 
anticipated, In consequence of the war.— S. B. Noble, Pon¬ 
tiac, Mich., June 1,1861. 
Fruit Prospects.— The Pawtucket (R. I.) Gazette says the 
prospect for fruit In that vicinity has rarely been worse than 
it is this spring. The aevere frosts three week* ago destroyed 
the cherry blossom*, arid io Pawtucket, where cartload* are 
generally raised, not a single pint will be grown. Of apples 
there will be * small crop. Peach trees are shout as bad a* 
dead. Grape vines suffered severely from the frost, and 
many are dead. The blossom bode of many varieties of 
pear-, were killed, and plum trees have Buffered as badly as 
the cherry trees. The Woonsocket Patriot (dates that the 
hud* of cherry and plurn trees were destroyed by the frost 
throughout that region. Pear budB are also injured in some 
localities. 
To Remove Iron Rust. —Take a little good crearn 
of tartar, tie it up with the spotted part. When you 
put the article in to boil, be careful not to stir it till 
it boils, and it will all disappear if the tartar is 
good. H . 
gooskhkrrt eAWVLY — Grub, Cocoon, and Perfect Insect. 
The flies emerge from their winter quarters, in the ground, 
the latter part of April, or early ia May, and soon after the 
female begins to deposit her eggs on the under side of the 
newly expanded leaves, chooaiug the sides ol the vein* or 
nervure* bj a fitting place. With the saw like appendage 
few which the family is remarkable, the female commences 
cutting into the leaves, and in the opening deposits her eggs. 
The larva * hatched in about a week, and commences feed¬ 
ing on the leaf, increasing in size and frequently changing 
its skin, till it is about three-quarters of an inch In length. 
The broods of caterpillar* appear in succession occasionally 
from March till October, but in greatest numbers in June. 
After becoming full grown, the grubs descend to the earth, 
spinning themselves a yellowish cocoon, aud in two or three 
weeks, according to the warmth of the soil, come out again 
perfect insects or flies, ready to lay another brood of egg*. 
Thu* a perfect succession i« kept up os long as there are 
leaves to supply them with food. Those that descend late in 
the sea-ion, when the ground is cold, do not come out perfect 
insects until the following spring. 
It would he easy enough to destroy one crop of worms, but 
when the work of destruction must be kept up the whole 
Starching Muslin Curtains.— Will some one 
inform me through the Rural the best method of 
starching muslin window curtains, and oblige? — A 
Subscriber, Sennett, N. Y„ 1861. 
4 * ^ *- -- 
Yellow and Orange in Carpets. — Will some 
of the Rural readers please send a recipe for color¬ 
ing yellow and orange for carpets, and oblige? —A 
Subscriber, Durham, 1861. 
To Color Purple on Wax. —Will some one please 
inform a reader of the Rural how to get a handsome 
purple color on wax, which will not fade?— A. R., 
Lodi, Mich., 1861. 
• Coloring Kid Gloves Lilac.—W ill some of our 
rurallsts please send a recipe for dyeing kid gloves a 
lilac color, and favor?—.M attie, Woodland Cottage, 
C. W., 1861. 
Vegetation has made but little progress the past week, 
and still continues backward. The warm rain of Sunday was 
followed by cold harsh wind. 
