owed by raspberries, currants, gooseberries and 
blackberries, which till up the season until 
grapes begin to ripen. The cherry may be en¬ 
joyed full six weeks; plums for three months; 
pears for six months. How many of the well- 
to-do farmers of Western New York can set a 
dish of line, melting pears on their tables every 
day from the 1st of August till the 1st of Janu¬ 
ary. Very few, I think, and yet the pear is as 
easily produced as the apple. It is true that the 
tree is subject to more diseases or accidents, but 
it makes up for this, in part at least, by bearing 
a crop every year. 
But I need not dwell longer on this point; the 
value of these fruits is universally acknowl¬ 
edged, and were there no other advantage hut 
this one, it should, as it appears to me, be suffi¬ 
cient to induce every farmer to plant and culti¬ 
vate his Fruit Garden. 
. The next advantage I shall call attention to is 
the increased market value it will give to the 
farm. If we suppose two farms adjoining of 50 
to 100 acres each, one of wbieb has a well 
stocked Fruit Garden and the other none, would 
not the one with the garden sell for a much 
higher price per acre—at least from $10 to $25 
per acre, according to circumstances, other 
things being equal V According to my experi¬ 
ence and observation, improvements of this kind 
help greatly to sell a place. And now, if yon 
consider the daily supply of fruits your garden 
will yield, and the enhanced value of your prop¬ 
erty, what better investment can you make? 
But this is not all. If you are within a mod¬ 
erate distance of a market, and a majority of the 
farmers of Western New York are, the surplus 
products of your garden can readily be turned 
into money. A bushel of good pears is always 
worth from $8 to-^10,— late pears in December 
last were sold here at $10 to $15 per bushel. All 
other fruits sell well. 1 did not intend to allude 
to the sale of frtiits, and mention this inciden¬ 
tally. 
I have now spoken of the Fruit Garden as a 
source of daily comfort, and as a source of 
wealth,—for whatever adds to the value of our 
farms, augments the wealth of both the indi¬ 
vidual and the State. Only ten dollars per acre 
added to the value of the. terms of this county 
would be a gain of no small magnitude. Now 1 
shall speak of advantages partaking more ol the 
moral than the material, but which, of all oth¬ 
ers, in rny opinion, commend themselves to 
every farmer. 
Intellectual Culture and Enjoyment ,—A planta¬ 
tion of fruit trees is really one ol‘the most inter¬ 
esting objects in the world of Nature, What a 
scene of beauty and variety, whether we view 
them in blossom or in fruit. Eveu in winter 
they are frill of interest; the peculiar growth of 
each variety, the color of the bark, the form and 
size of the buds, give to each variety a character 
of its own. Then the same trees are constantly 
changing, and this change from day to day, and 
from year to year, invests them continually with 
a fresh interest. 
The planting, pruning and training of fruit 
trees is a most interesting work, and of neces¬ 
sity leads the mind to a study of the laws of 
vegetation in general, as well as of the peculiar 
habits of growth and bearing of each species and 
even of each variety of fruit. The discussions 
of this Society furnish a strong proof of this. 
Here wc see how every variety of apple, and 
pear, and cherry, uud strawberry arid grape has 
been watched and studied, in order to arrive at 
a true estimate of its value. The search after 
insects which infest fruit trees, and the efforts 
to guard against their ravages, lead to the study 
of another branch of natural history, aud thus 
we see how fruit, culture loads us on, step by 
step, in the study of Nature and her laws. J 
might dwell at great length on this point, but I 
will pass on to another and the lust, and this is, 
the importance of making home attractive, and 
of training up children with a taste for garden¬ 
ing pursuits and natural history. The neglect 
of this among the farmiug population is wide¬ 
spread and painfully manifest. How common it 
is to see intelligent and very well educated fami¬ 
lies of young men aud women brought up on the 
farm. The simplest elements of tree culture are 
unknown,—pruning, grafting, budding, layering 
or striking cuttings, are to them mysterious 
operations. The insect world around them, too, 
is a sealed book. The result of this is that the 
cares and labors ol the farm are to these young 
people mere drudgery—fatiguing, dull and irk¬ 
some,—and they seek to get rid of it. They feel 
no real attachment to home, and thisjs the 
reason why the greater number of the brightest 
young men seek other employments and the 
rural population of the finest districts of our 
State is daily decreasing; the laud is not pro¬ 
ducing one-fourth what it might. This, it up- 
pears'to me, is a serious question for the farmers 
of our country, and one which claims their im¬ 
mediate attention. 
Now, if there be any truth in what I have 
attempted to show,— that the culture of the 
Fruit Garden on every farm will greatly aug¬ 
ment. the confronts ot farm life, increase the 
value of the farm, furnish a pleasant intellectual 
variety of labor, educate their children to indus¬ 
trious habits, cultivate their taste for rural pur¬ 
suits, incite them to a study oi natural history 
and strengthen their attachment to home,—will 
not every farmer set, himself to work in this 
direction ? It seems to me this is one way, and 
a snre way, to elevate farm life and labor and 
make its poetry a reality instead of a fiction. 
And now, before closing, I have a suggestion 
to make on another subject. We have for twelve 
years, two or three times each year, met and 
Occupied ourselves iu the discussion of topics 
conueeted with fruit culture exclusively. Thesfc 
subjects are Fur from being exhausted, and 
they never will be exhausted. Every year’s 
experience brings up something new to be 
considered; new fruits and modes of culture 
are in this age of progress, and in this country of 
progress,’ to he expected;—but it seems to me 
FRUIT CULTURE ON THE FARM 
VARIOUS ORIGINAL RECIPES, &c, 
BT F. BARKY, ESQ. 
Salt Rising Bread — Imfroved,— After the 
sponge is light, have ready a kettle of mush, and 
to each loaf of bread add one pint of warm mush. 
The bread needs more kneading, but is sweeter 
and keeps moist much longer, and one can 
scarcely perceive the com meal in it. 
A Good Way to vse Cold Beefsteak.— 
Chop together cold steak aud a few pieces of 
dry bread; plaoe in a pan and turn boiling 
water over it; season with butter, pepper and 
salt; then make a crust as for biscuit and line a 
deep dish; turn in your mixture, and sprinkle 
flour over it, and put ou the top crust. Bake 
quickly, and you have a chicken pie, (minus 
chicken, but just as good.) 
To Bleach Cotton. —To bleach cottons that 
have yellowed by time and poor washing, lay 
them in very sour milk two or three days; take 
out and wash and boil, and they will be pure 
white. 
Soft Gingerbread. —Six teacups flour; three 
of molasses; one of cream ; one of butter; one 
tablespoon ginger; one of soda. 
Loaf Cream Cake.—T welve cups flour; seven 
cups sugar; six eggs; one pint of cream; one 
[Wren Mr. Baert was President of the Fruit 
Growers' Society of Western New York, he was 
requested by a resolution of the Society to prepare 
and deliver a discourse on the subject of the cultiva¬ 
tion of the finer fruits by the farmers of Wcetera New 
York. In response to that resolution the following 
Essay was prepared, and was to have been given at 
the last meeting of the Society. Mr. B. gave the sub¬ 
stance ot the address verbally, and was requested to 
furnish a copy for publication. Regarding the sub¬ 
ject as important, and admirably disenssed, we take 
pleasure in laying the address before Rcrai. readers, 
trusting that every owner of a farm or homestead will 
note and heed ite suggestions.—Eos.] 
Twelve years ago this Society was organized 
for the; purpose ol collecting and disseminating 
information on the subject of Fruit Culture, and 
to press its importance upon the attention of the 
Agriculturists of Western New York iu particu¬ 
lar. In this work it has moved steadily forward, 
year after year, and ba6. I think, been rewarded 
with a fair degree ol success. Orchards and 
vineyards have been multiplied with a rapidity 
which it is no exaggeration to call wonderful, 
and already fruit culture is recognized as an im¬ 
portant branch of our Rural Industry, although 
its development has but commenced. The apple 
crop of a single county, in 18(15, has been esti¬ 
mated in round numbers at ft million of dollars, 
$720,000 worth having been actually suld and 
shipped before the close of navigation. This 
was the County of Orleans. In several other 
counties the receipts for apples were very large, 
and if we were able to foot up the entire value 
of all the fruit produced iu Western New York, 
in that season, the figures would, I am con¬ 
vinced, exceed the estimate of the most sanguine 
among ns. 
But it is asserted, and I think with consider- 
able’truth, that, altho’ we are making great pro¬ 
gress in the culture of fruits for market, the 
cultivation of the finer fruits for family use is 
comparatively neglected by a large portion of 
the farming population; that few families are 
yet well supplied with the best varieties of pears, 
cherries, plums, grapes, strawberries, raspber¬ 
ries and currants. If this he really so, why is 
it ? It is not because country people do not 
esteem these delicious fruits. Nor can it be 
because their cultivation is expensive or diffi¬ 
cult, for, thanks to our favored soil and climate, 
they can generally he produced cheaply and in 
the greatest perfection. 
Then I would ask again, why is it that every 
farmers table is not supplied with an abundance 
of these health-giving, delicious fruits in their 
respective seasons? Doubtless many reasons 
might be given, but if I am not mistaken, the 
most potent of all is the absence of order or system 
in their cultivation ; and to this single point I 
intend to address, mainly, the few remarks I 
propose to make on this occasion. 
In every branch of cultivation, whether in the 
field, the orchard, the vineyard, or the garden, 
there must be order and system to insure suc¬ 
cessful results. No truth Is more, firmly estab¬ 
lished by actual experience than this. Every 
farmer knows aud will acknowledge it. He fol¬ 
lows a system in the arrangement and culture of 
his fields and his orchards, os well us in the 
breeding and rearing of his farm stock, and thfi 
more perfect his system the more complete his 
success. How is'.it with the culture of the gar¬ 
den fruitsjto which I have alluded? Let us ride 
into the country and as we pass along glance at 
the premises of each farmer and ue how and 
where he cultivates his pears, cherries, plums, 
peaches, strawberries, raspberries and currants, 
and what do we find ? In many eases,—yes, in a 
majority of eases,—we shall find a pear tree in 
one fence corner, a plum tree in another, a 
cherry tree here, a peach tree there; a few cur¬ 
rant bushes grown wild, and perhaps small 
patches or plots of raspberries aud strawberries, 
neglected and grown into a tangled, hopeless 
mass of weeds. This picture is certainly not 
overdraw n; the only difference of opinion which 
can exist is as to how general it is. Now, what 
I propose is this —that instead of scattering 
these fruits, as 1 have described, in fence cor¬ 
ners, door yards, and out of the way places, 
they be assembled together in a separate planta¬ 
tion, which we shall call the Fruit Garden to 
distinguish it from the orchard. 
This fruit garden may consist of one, two, 
three or five acres, according to the means, 
wants and tastes of the family. Here all the 
finer fruits can be systematically planted, culti¬ 
vated and trained, and here, too, can he grown, 
if desired,'.all the culinary vegetables for family 
use—another department which does not receive 
the attention it merits. A flower garden may 
also be comprised in the plan, which will add 
greatly to its attractiveness, especially for the 
female portion of the family. A very good way 
to do this is to have a grass walk running 
through the center of the garden, with a flower 
border on each side, or the walk may he gravel 
and’the borders on each side grass, with flower 
beds cut out on them. Either plun will be sat¬ 
isfactory if property executed. 
1 do not intend to detaiu you now with any 
extended remarks, either ou the mode of laying 
out, planting or management of the Fruit Gar¬ 
den. Any one who desires this information may 
find it >11 in the books which treat on this sub¬ 
ject. "What I desire to do at this time is, in a 
few words, to call the attention of country peo¬ 
ple to the advantages they may derive from a 
plantation of this kind. They are these: 
1st. It will insure to themselves, their fami¬ 
lies, and friends who may visit them, an ample 
supply of all the finest fruits iD their.eeason. It 
needs no words from me by way of argument or 
explanation.to show that this is an object of uo 
small importance. Think of having a plentiful 
Eupply of delicious strawberries on your table 
every day .for a period of six weeks,—to be. fol- 
G human Puffs.— One pint of milk; four eggs; 
live spoonsful of flour; bake in cups fifteen or 
twenty minutes. Beat butter and sugar till 
they are light, and you will have a nice sauce 
lor the puffs. 
A Pretty Dessert.— Take the yolks of four 
eggs aud beat till they are light, adding four 
spoons of sugar; boil one quart of’ milk aud 
season with rose or lemon brandy; pour this 
mixture on stale sponge cake; then beat the 
whites of the eggs very light and rub iu some 
currant jelly;' with this cover the top of the 
cake, and you will have a nice dessert. 
Oyster Fritters. — Blanch some oysters in 
their own liquor; then place them for some 
time in vinegar water, with salt, bread, parsley, 
and small white onions, sliced; then dry them 
well; dip each in batter and fry. 
Fried Ham and Eggs. — Broil thin slices of 
hum; fry eggs in the gravy, or in butter, and 
serve one on each slice of ham; or the eggs may 
be poached. 
Tomato Catsup — Excellent. — Boil ouo 
bushel of tomatoes until soft; squeeze them 
through a fine wire sieve, and add half a gallon 
of vinegar; one and one-half pints of salt; two 
oz. of cloves; one-fourth lb. of allspice; three 
oz. of Cayenne pepper; three tablespoons of 
black pepper; live heads of garlic, skinned and 
separated. Mix these together, and boil three 
hours, or until reduced one-half; then bottle 
without straiuing. If you want half the quan¬ 
tity take half the above.—M., Olivia , Ark. 
PLAN OF LANDSCAPE GARDEN —NO. IV. 
References to Plan. —A, Dwelling; B, House Yard, inclosed with Arbor Vitae Hedge; C, Road to 
Stables ; D, D, Lawn ; E, Grapery ; F, Flower Garden; G, G, Carriage Entrance; H, Stone Sidewalk 
to Dwelling; I, Hemlock Hedge. 
AMONG THE CRANBERRIES, 
we might sometimes turn our attention profit¬ 
ably to some other branches of horticulture, and 
thus extend the sphere of usefulness of this So¬ 
ciety. The cultivation of ornamental trees and 
plants, and even of garden vegetables, are of in¬ 
terest to all our members, and to many who are 
not much interested in fruit culture and who 
might become members if we offered them this 
inducement. This would enable us to vary our 
discussions and give them a fresh interest. The 
best shade trees for street, the best lawn trees, 
the best flowering shrubs, the best, evergreens, 
roses, &c. The public grea tly need information 
on these topics, and my suggestion is this, that 
we consider the. propriety of making this a Hor¬ 
ticultural Society—not for mere shows, as ordi¬ 
nary Horticultural Societies, but for shows and 
discussions, as we have heretofore done. 
The Agricultural editor of the N. Y. Times, 
has been prospecting among the cranberry fields 
or marBhes of New Jersey. The “ Head Center ” 
of the business is at or near “ Tom’s River Vil¬ 
lage,” where about 125 acres of boggy land have 
been reclaimed and planted to the Cranberry. 
But comparatively small portions of the settings 
are yet of the fruiting age. One company bus 
seventy-five acres planted—part iu (t bcuring con¬ 
dition — from which they gathered last autumn 
1,000 bushels of berries. Another bad twelve 
acres planted—live bearing — from which 750 
bushels of fruit were secured, A third party 
had eight acres which produced between eight 
and nine hundred bushels of berries. A fourth 
section, the smallest of the series, yielded 400 
bushels. Here wo have an aggregate of some 
3,000 bushels of fruit from land which, till ap¬ 
propriated to the purpose of Cranberry gro wing, 
was good for nothing. It costs money to pre¬ 
pare the ground — a large portion being a cedar 
swamp — hut it pays munificently ill the return 
ol irnit for the care and expense of production. 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING.—No. IV 
BY WILLIAM WEBSTER, 
In my last communication the attention of the 
amateur was drawn to the Importance of har¬ 
monizing the different objects so as to prevent 
discord. 1 now desire to attract the reader’s 
notice to the blending of form and color, so as 
to produce a like result. 
The practical landscape gardener, iu man 
aging and plautiug his trees, fully realizes the 
importance of this, so that iu the intermingling 
of the various trees and shrubs, his attention is 
continually directed to this one object; but as 
no precise rule can bo laid down for the guidance 
ol all, the most that can be offered are such hints 
as may be taken advantage of by the improver. 
In this way much can be accomplished by the 
amateur, and particularly so if he study well the 
points which I will mention. First, the height 
and form of the tree or shrub he is about to 
plant, and the ultimate height or size it is likely 
to attain. Second, the color and peculiarity of 
the foliage, or the form and color of the flower. 
One of the finest effects which can be produced 
in planting is by grouping or massing the differ¬ 
ent species and varieties of trees together ; but 
as this can only be carried out on a large scale, 
the Improver of an acre or less must confine 
himself mostly to shrubs, for the reason that 
however admirably evergreens mingle with de¬ 
ciduous trees, they can ouly be used sparingly 
on small places; and if used at all, evergreens 
should not predominate, because the place would 
be rendered too gloomy. This, however, does 
not apply with such force in the introduction of 
shrubs,—for a most beautiful contrast may be 
produced by the intermingling of evergreen und 
deciduous shrubs. Let any one observe for him¬ 
self the gorgeous hues which a forest of maples 
presents in autumn, and mark the contrast if a 
few pines or hemlocks are scattered through 
them. The same thing may be carried out iu 
miniature, or something very similar, by inter¬ 
mingling among aueh shrubs as are conspicuous 
for the autumnal tints of their foliage, the color 
and brightness of their berries or the variegation 
of their letiVes, with Junipers, Mahonlas, Kal- 
rnias, or any other dwarf evergreen. The main 
point to be observed in the decoration of any 
place, whether large or small, should be the in¬ 
termingling of all objects in such a way as to 
maintain harmony and preserve the beauty of 
expression throughout. 
The Design here shown is for a gentleman at 
Lockport, N. Y., who gave me a diagram of his 
ground, and is a result of tin* study on his part 
of Design No. 3. It comprehends, I believe, 
but a small portion of his place, and is intended 
solely for ornamental purposes. The grapery, as 
will be seen by a reference to the engraving, is 
located on the west side, where it shuts out an 
objectionable view. The planting - on this side is 
rather dense, to provide shelter, as the prevail¬ 
ing winds come from that side. The kitchen 
garden is provided for iu another part of the 
grounds, in rear of the lawn. 
Dyeing Cotton Blle. —Some time ago there 
was an inquiry in the Rural for a recipe for 
dyeing cotton blue. Several answers have been 
given, undoubtedly all good; but I have a 
method which is much more simple, and is also 
a durable color. It is :—One oz. oxalic acid, dis¬ 
solved in about two quarts of soil water; one oz. 
Prussian blue, dissolved iu the same quantity ot 
water; dip the goods in the acid water first; 
dry, and dip in the blue. Use earthen vessels 
which are not used l'ur cooking. 
Inquiry. —Can some of your lady readers give 
me a recipe for making pressed meats or chicken ? 
—M. D., Auburn, N. Y. 
Catalogues, &o., Received.— Tlie most complete 
thing of its kind we have received for a Jong lirnc is 
Ellwanoer & Barry's Catalogue of Green-Houso 
aud Hot-House Plants, select Bedding Plants, Chrys¬ 
anthemums, Dahlias, etc., cultivated and sold at the 
Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y.” It, embra¬ 
ces many new and rare plants, shrubs and flowers, 
and will prove especially interesting to all wishing to 
ornament their yards and grounds.-Tho “Descrip¬ 
tive and Retail Catalogue of Small Fruits, ami other 
stock, for sale by A. M. Purdy, Proprietor of the 
South Bend Nursery and Small Fruit Farm, South 
Bend, lnd„ also containing valuable information as 
to planting, growing, marketing, etc.’*—is a good 
thing for every one engaged, or about to engage, in 
cultivating small fro its.-The Descriptive Cata¬ 
logue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees and Small Fruits, 
for sale at the Mound Hill Fruit Farm and Nurseries, 
Des Moines, Iowa, by Mark Miller,” is creditable 
to Bro. Miller (editor of the Iowa Homestead) and 
the Hawk-eye State. 
Artificial Honey. — Take one-fourth pint 
alcohol; add five drops best rose oil; put in a 
bottle and keep corked tight. Then to two lbs. 
white sugar add one-half pint of water iu a tin 
pan, and boil briskly for two minutes, or until 
it is likely to run over. Then take It off, and 
add one-half teaspoon of pulverized alum, and 
twenty-four drops from the bottle, and stir it 
well in, aud set it away to cool. It iB the near¬ 
est like bee’s honey of anything I ever tasted, 
and where one cannot get bee honey it is a good 
substitute.—C. J., Townsend, Ohio. 
Facts About Peak Blioht.— A correspondent of 
the Horticulturist stuteB that for twelve years ho had 
been successful with pear trees, Last year he ma¬ 
nured a piece of ground heavily, on which stood fifty 
pear trees. The ground was well worked. 'The result 
was two-thirds of the trees wore destroyed by blight. 
Another piece containing forty trees on clover sod 
escaped entirely. In this case cultivation and manure 
seemed to induce the blight. 
Bottling Cucumbers. — C. B. presents this 
inquiry “ For the information of others, aud 
myself, particularly, will you give your readers 
the whole process of bottling cucumbers for 
pickles ? What is done to them after cut from 
the vine; what liquid is applied after put into 
the bottle; what the liquid costs, Ac. ?” Who 
will answer ? 
Grape Vines —White Willow.—(A. W. M., HI.) 
Go to a reliable nurseryman near you and get him to 
select your grape vines for family use, or apply to a 
fruitgrower. Plant cuttings or rooted vines, don't 
think of sowing seed. In regurd to the willow for 
fence wc should say if you can find a good fence made 
of this materia], and think best after geclng it and 
hearing its history to invest In white willow, why- 
go in. _ _ 
Native Fruits of Nebrabka.— W. H., Ogle Co., 
Ill., having noticed an account of some of the native 
fruits of Nebraska in a recent number of the Rural, 
thinks that the dwarf cherry there described would 
suit Illinois. As it is said to grow readily from eat¬ 
ings it could readily be disseminated. If really valu- 
hie its merits will soon be found out by enterprising 
fruit growers. 
Pilaff. —This is the great dish of the Ori¬ 
entals, and is so truly delicious aud so cheaply 
and easily made, that it is ft wonder it has not 
become, ere this, a common dish in other coun¬ 
tries. It is prepared in the following manner: 
Boil sufficient rice (according to the number of 
mouths to feed) iu ft largo quantity of water. It 
should be put In cold water, with a little salt, 
and not stirred wkilecoolcing. When thoroughly 
done, strain oil’ tire water through a colander or 
sieve, and each kernel will he separate and solid. 
Then season with salt, pepper, butter, and a lit¬ 
tle tomato sauce; cut np (not very fine) roasted 
or boiled mutton, or veal, and mix with the rice 
iu proportion of about two-thirds to one-third 
meat. Let them simmer together a few minutes, 
and serve hot with the meat gravy. The water 
that the rice has been boiled in makes the very 
best starch for fine work .—Germantown Tel. 
noRsE- Radish as a Market Crop — Peter Hen¬ 
derson, one of the great market gurdeners in New 
Jersey, states that horse-radish is considered one of 
the surest and easiest crops to grow. It is planted in 
the spring and dug in the fall; sent to market in bar¬ 
rels, and sold by weight. The sales are from $500 to 
$£00 per acre. 
Sending Grafts b y Mail. — These may be readily 
sent iD this manner, and choice fruit should be spread 
extensively by this cheap and simple means. First, 
wrap the grafts in oil silk, tyiug the package neatly 
and strongly; then envelop the silk in wool or cotton 
and over all wrap a strong paper envelope. 
To Housekeepers. — Weigh your Salcratus 
when you buy a paper. You will find D. B. Do 
Laud & Co.'s Best Chemical is full weight, and 
that others are not. Try all things and hold fast 
to that which is best and true on weight and qual¬ 
ity both. • 
The Swaar Apple should always, if possible, he 
grown on Band and the Newtown Pippin on limestone 
land, or else apply copious surface dressings of lime. 
Osage Orange Plants. - O. B., East Bloomfield, 
N. Y., inquires where he can obtain Osage Orange 
plants nearer than Illinois. 
