I f 
AUTUMN PRUNING. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker 1 —I want- information as to 
fall or autninn pruning. 'Which is the test month to 
prune for fruit In the West. Our fruit trees have such a 
rapid growth that we get no fruit; the growth is all to 
wood. Please give me what information you can on the 
subject, and oblige—R. Sedgwick, Campaign, IU. 
The months of July and early in August are 
doubtless the best months for pruning apple and 
pear trees for the purpose of bringing them into 
fruiting condition. In the southern sections, as 
where our querist dates from, early in July will be 
found beat, while in Northern Illinois and Iowa the 
work may often be deferred until mid - August. 
Pruning at this season, i. e., July or early August, 
destroys with each limb or branch cut away, just so 
much of roots, which If the whole tree, roots and 
all, were taken up and dissected, would be found to 
have direct connection therewith. If in pruning at 
this season, distinct branches alone are cut away, no 
immediate result of tendency to early bearing will 
be seen; but if, in addition to thinning out and cut¬ 
ting away of whole branches the ends of twigs or 
branches are also shortened two, three, five or more 
buds or leaves, the result is to throw the sap of the 
connecting roots of such shortened branch into a 
more full development of the remaining buds and 
so hasten maturity. It sometimes happens that in 
rich soil and under high cultivation this sum¬ 
mer pruning has to be performed two or more sea¬ 
sons ere a realizable result is reached. If additional 
growth is wanted, or renewed vigor to be given, 
autumn, winter or spring pruning is advisable, and 
the locality must govern the time of the operation. 
If, in our medium clime, or in onr Southern States, 
autumn pruning ib, without doubt, most advisable, 
yet in other locations where the thermometer is 
liable to sink 25° to 30° below zero in the winter, 
spring pruning will be found best, ub the severity of 
winter's cold will often crack the wood and destroy 
the last bud near to the cnt. and and render a second 
amputation necessary in May or Jane following. 
The whole of this is a common-sense view of vege¬ 
table physiology, in which it is understood the root 
is the supply of the leaf, and that without the leaf 
the root would soon cease to act, the one depend¬ 
ing on the other ; as soon as one is destroyed during 
the season of active life, the other must also die,— 
but if a part be taken from the end of one, its coun¬ 
terpart supplies all its material of support to the 
remaining branch; and whether it be root or branch, 
it is strengthened, but not elongated,—is increased 
in mature vitality without perceptible increase of 
length or 6ize. 
If this reduction of one part from the other is 
made daring a period of rest, as in winter, and the 
branch is taken, it follows that the food of the root 
will follow its regular channels to a certain point 
and then either develop in sucker roots, i. e., forced 
branches, or flow into a connection with the main 
channels and increase the growth and vitality of 
their branches. On the other hand, if In winter 
much ef the root is taken away and the top left en¬ 
tire, as soon as it has exhausted the supply of food 
laid up in its cells, by reason of the sun’s rays warm¬ 
ing it into action before the roots become naturally 
warmed and stimulated, the top will cease to ex¬ 
hibit vitality, and, instead of extending its area, will 
contlne itself to support and development of the 
buds and wood already made, Hence the philoso¬ 
phy of root pruning to induce early fruiting, and it 
is not improbable our inquirer will find root prun¬ 
ing the most profitable as well as economical prac¬ 
tice, if bis object is to bring his trees into early 
bearing. Thus if in November he goes around his 
trees, and, with a spade, digs down and cuts away 
all roots that extend more than two-thirds of the 
diameter of the top, the tree will, the coming sea¬ 
son, make bnt little elongated growth, and the fol¬ 
lowing year will produce fruit. 
To Preserve Peaches.— The clear-stone yellow 
peaches, white at the stone, are the best. Weigh 
the fruit after it is pared. To each pound of fruit 
allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Pat a layer of sugar at 
the bottom of the preserving-kettle, and then alayer 
of fruit, and so on until the fruit is all in. Stand it 
over hot ashes until the sugar is entirely dissolved; 
then boil them n m.I they are clear; take them out 
piece, by piece, and epic il them on a dish free from 
simp. Boil the sirup in tee pan until it jellies. 
when the peaches are cold, fill the jars half full with 
them, and fill up with the boiling simp. Let them 
stand a short time covered with a thin cloth, then 
put on brandy paper, and cover them close with 
corks, skin, or paper. From twenty to thirty min¬ 
utes will generally be sufficient to preserve them. 
To Keep Tomatoes. — Tomatoes may be kept 
almost any length of time and come out almost as 
good and fresh as when first picked by preserving 
in pure'cider vinegar, diluted with water. One 
gill of vinegar and two gillB of water. Pick when 
ripe bnt not very soft, leave the Btems on and do not 
break the skin. Put into wood or stone and put the 
liquid on them cold. After you get through patting 
them in, place something upon them to keep them 
under the liquid, and take out as yon may wish to 
use them. Can use them as you would tomatoes 
freBh from the vines. It will not fall yon if your 
vinegar is pure and diluted according to directions. 
— Mass, Ploughman. 
Quinces Preserved Whole.— Pare and put them 
into a saucepan, with the parings at the top; then 
fill it with hard water; cover it close; set it over a 
gentle lire till they turn reddish; let them stand till 
cold ; put them into a clear, thick sirup; boil them 
for a few minutes; set them on one side till quite 
cold; boil them again in the same manner; the next 
day boil them until they look clear ; if the sirup is 
not thick enough, boil it more; when cold, put 
brandied paper over them. The quinces may be 
halved or quartered. 
Delicious Breakfast Cake.—O ne quart of sweet 
milk, one and a qnarter pints of fine sifted Indian 
meal, two eg gs and a litt le salt; bake forty minutes 
in a quick oven, bring"to the table while hot and 
serve with butter. 
HULINGS SUPERB, 
VICTORIA, 
productive. Profitable for market. Tree is a free 
grower. Fruit above medium size. Skin pale- 
green, until fully ripe, when it assumes a yellow 
hue. Fiesh green, juicy, melting and rich, with an 
agreeable flavor. Is generally a free Btone. Season, 
first to middle of September. 
Muling's Superb— This variety originated in Penn¬ 
sylvania. Tree vigorous, upright grower, with large 
foliage, as shown in the engraving, downy branches, 
large shouldered buds and blunt shoots. It is a mod¬ 
erate bearer. Fruit large, roundish, oval. Skin 
greenish-yellow, with pale bloom. Flesh of like 
color, rather coarse, but with a brisk, sprightly 
flavor. Is a cling stone. Season, middle of Au 
gust to September. 
Grapes. — Grapes in Vermont, New York, Ala¬ 
bama, Texas, West Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, 
Illinois and Indiana promise a good yield, while in 
few of the States is the crop set down at less than 
nine-tenths. 
In the region about Rochester there has been 
gathered this season a plentiful crop of plums, 
which is an occurrence of late years quite unusual. 
Cherries and peaches were pretty near failures, but 
the plum trees set well with fruit, which, from some 
special cause, mostly escaped the ravages of the cur- 
cnlio. Old, knotty and neglected trees that for 
years had yielded no fruit, and were suffered to bur¬ 
den the ground only through sheer negligence of 
their owners, bent under loads of fair fruit. That 
the plum trees should set well with fruit is not sin¬ 
gular, bnt how it should escape its fatal enemy, the 
cnrenlio, is not satisfactorily explained. It may be 
that the very unusual drouth of last year so hardened 
the soil that the larva could not penetrate it far 
enough to withstand the frost. However this may 
be it is not likely that the crop will soon again he as 
generally exempt from the attacks of the “little 
Turk,” and cultivators must resort to vigorous 
measures to save the fruit from its dread enemy. 
We have frequently explained in the Rural the 
best methods in vogue to accomplish this resnlt; 
and onr reatlere should be familiar with them. 
There is no fruit crop more profitable than plums 
when a good yield is obtained. Perhaps the best 
way to make sure of the good yield is to cultivate 
enough trees to make it an object to attend to them 
faithfully. Scattering trees rarely bear full crops, 
bnt large orchards as seldom fail of paying for the 
investment. 
We present illustrations of some varieties, chosen 
from the very fine specimen orchard of Messrs. 
Ellwanger & Barry. The Victoria is a beautiful 
plum from England. The fruit is quite large, and 
roundish oval. Skin, where exposed, a bright red, 
bnt paler iu the shade, with a delicate bloom. Flesh 
deep yellow, and of a pleasant, rich flavor. The 
tree is a vigorous grower, and fairly productive, the 
branches strong and the foliage large and rich look¬ 
ing. The illustration represents a leaf of about 
medium size. 
Pieces in a Bed Quilt.—Mrs. Dan’lB. Patten, 
Sweden Center, writes:—“ The last Rural stated 
that a California girl pieced a bed quilt with 2,601 
pieces in it. I pieced one with 2,633 pieces. I 
never thought it worth putting in the paper; if you 
think it is you may do so. 1 do not like the idea of 
having New Fork beaten by California.” 
HQBTIGUX. TUBAL NOTES 
Acknowledgments. —We arc indebted to the Gantm- 
dawah Grape Co,, Vine Valley, on the eastern shore of 
Canandaigua Lake, and about ten miles above the outlet, 
for a box of Isabella grapes. Part of them were picked 
on Sept. 4t.h and part Sept. 18tb. They were very fine 
specimens of that variety, and of a degree of ripeness 
that is fall of promise for the grapo prospects of that 
locality. We know that the shores of Canandaigua Lake, 
and the valley In which Naples 1b situated, arc adapted 
to grape culture, and the hills and slopes are being rap¬ 
idly covered with the vine. 
James J. H. .Gregory, Marblehead, Mass., has made 
us the recipients of a package of fine Early Rose pota¬ 
toes. The more we see and hear of this variety the bet¬ 
ter we like it. 
H. A. Beabton, Brighton, Monroe Co., N. Y., laid upon 
our table a box of the frnH of the * diio Ever Bo<r ; - " 
Raspberry. It lacks in flavor and preetness, bm uu- 
novelty at this season compensates and makes it desira¬ 
ble. A cluster of branches showed flowers and fruit in 
all stages of growth. The variety seems to be prolific, 
promising something more than a mere taste,—enough, 
in fact, to make a “ square meal.” 
Vcnegar FROM Sorghum.— J. C. W. , Montclair, 
N. J., wants to know if vinegar can be made from 
sour sorghum molasses. If so, what is the process 
of conversion. 
Drying B’ruit. —A. R. W., Fleming, N. Y., asks 
for a cheap practical plan for drying fruit. 
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS 
W HY IS THE UNIVERSAL CLOTHES 
Wringer tile Bkbt?— Because It has KoweU 8 Im¬ 
proved Double Gear, and the patent stop, which prevents 
the fl'Ki from entirely separating—(See advertisement.) 
HE “EARL* ttOSE’* POTATO 
THE EARLIEST AND THE BEST 
Kentucky and Grapes.— A writer in the Louisville 
Courier having stated tliat the climate of Kentucky is 
not suited to grape culture, E. A. Thompson questions 
the correctness of the conclusion. Do says that that 
State, with all Its sins, is a good onO for grapes, having 
the best vineyard soil in the whole country. Its warm 
hillsides, w : th their light, clay, loam soils, underlaid with 
a snbstratum of limestone, are the places for vineyards. 
The grapes ripen two weeks earlier than in Ohio, and 
yield very large crops. He adds:—“1 commenced pick¬ 
ing Hartfords this season the 12th of August, ripe for 
market, and three-year old vines averaged a peck to a vine. 
This celebrated Potato has proved in every respect a de¬ 
cided snccess, and. although but a short time has elapsed 
since its Introduction, it already ranks us the very best early 
potato known to cultivators. The good qualities which 
recommend It are: 
1st. It is from ten days to two weeks earlier than any other 
potato. 
2d. It 1b of larger average size than any other early potato. 
3d. it is in table quality and delicacy or flavor without 
an equal. 
ith. It Is In productiveness the most astonishing variety 
offered to the public, and the reports of the yield from 
HUNGARIAN PRUNE. GERMAN PRUNE. 
Prunes .—We give drawings of three varieties, the 
German, Italian, and Hungarian. Many plums are 
cultivated under these names, and some sub-varie¬ 
ties approach them so closely that it is difficult to 
detect the difference. The prnne is probably the 
most valuable fruit tree in Germany and Central 
Europe. The preserved fruit is largely used as an 
article of food, and dried prunes are a commercial 
article familiar in every household in onr own land. 
Plums .—The Prairie Farmer says that John Straight 
of Elkhorn, succeeds in raising plums despite of the 
curculio. He has one hundred and seventy hearing 
plum trees, five and six years old, from which he 
this year raised over twenty bushels of fine plnms. 
His crop will he greatly increased every year. He 
also haB five hundred plum trees three years old. 
They are all grafted on wild plum stocks, and are 
thus rendered hardy. He has five hundred pear 
trees grafted on mountain ash stock, six years old, 
which are doing finely. 
An intensive Orchard.—A. R. Whitney, residing 
near Franklin Grove Station, Ill., has one hundred 
and thirty-five acres of an apple orchard, containing 
between fifteen and sixteen thousand fruitful trees. 
There were over ten thousand bushels of apples 
marketed from this farm last year—on the line of 
the Pacific railroad. All the more popular varieties 
are grown in this orchard. In the vicinity of this 
orchard are others, some of which contain as many 
as five hundred apple trees, backed up by pears and 
vineyard products. 
A Big Sjrnsh Story —The Boston Cultivator is re¬ 
sponsible for this squash :—“ A squash, grown by 
Wm. L. Pierce of East Bridgewater, Mass., on Brad¬ 
ley’s superphosphate, with no other manure, weigh¬ 
ed 112 lbs., just thirty days from the blossom. It is 
8 feet in circumference, and is a beauty. It sold for 
$10. Who can beat thiB V” 
New System of Bose Culture .—A new system of rose 
culture is now being practiced in Europe, the prin¬ 
cipal points of which are to prune out all the old 
wood, to shorten the new wood a little, and peg it 
down flat to the earth. The rose is thus allowed to 
bloom only on the wood of last year’s growth. The 
effect is very fine. 
The EllUdale Raspberry .—The Ellisdale Raspberry, 
a new variety found growing wild in Iowa, is one of 
the most vigorous growing raspberries of the family. 
The canes sometimes grow ten feet or more in a 
season, it is very hardy and productive. The ends 
of the canes bend to the ground and take root 
A Prodigy in Fruit Growing.—hi. A. McMasters of 
Darien, Walworth county, Wis., raised this year six¬ 
teen beautiful apples of Paradise, a species of large 
Siberian crab apples, on a tree only six inches high 1 
This remarkable faet is vouched for by responsible 
parties. 
Large Musk Melon. —The Carthage (Mo.) Banner 
office has been presented with a mu6k melon which 
weighed 2(4 pound6. It was grown by a Mr. Rich¬ 
ardson, on sod ground, “ without rain or work.” 
Saving Girdled Trees .— At a meeting of the North¬ 
ern 111. Hort. Society, D. B. Weir of Bacon, said he 
had saved over a hundred trees, completely girdled 
by mice, by banking the snow around them, and, 
when the soil had thawed, banking that a foot high 
about the tranks. If the wounds are too high to 
reach by hanking, clay may be hound on. 
ev< i 
single pounds the present season ure marvelous. 
We give below a lew reports from parties who purchased 
seed of us during the spring, which show in what estimation 
this popular variety Ls held: 
From Thomas C, A ndrews, Moorestown, New Jersey. 
“ 1 had Early Rose weighing half a pound In seven weeks 
from planting. One of my friends planted five pounds and 
dug eight bushels." At the rate of!«; poauds from one. 
From William M, Warner, Waterdiet Center, N. Y. 
*< j pave just dug my Early Rose Potatoes, raised from one 
pound obtaiued from you last spring, and have 107 pounds. 
We have had a very unfavorable seaBon, it having been unu¬ 
sually dry. I am confident I can raise '400 pounds from one 
of seed.” 
From Sam'l S, Ilersh, Tor*, Pennsylvania. 
•* Last spring I purchased from you five pounds of * Early 
Rose’ Potatoes, and have just dug the crop raised from them. 
I have mine bushels and one peck, many of the tubers weigh¬ 
ing over one pound. Can you beat this ?” This is atthe rate 
of 111. pounds from one of seed. 
F'om l. W--Briggs, Postmaster, West Maceilon, N. Y. 
•• The “ Early Rose’ Potatoes 1 bought of you last spring 
prove to be earlier than any other variety I have In cultiva¬ 
tion, and the yield from it ls wonderful. The ZH pounds av¬ 
eraged 107 pounds from each pound of seed.” 
Fora A. S, Rollins, Waterloo, N. Y. 
“ 1 planted Ave pounds of Early Rose Potatoes received 
from you last spring, and my crop Is 19M bushels—at the rate 
of 234 pounds from one, 1 expect to plant all ( have, and 
Remarkable Growth op a Tree.— There is a species 
of tree found in Australia remarkable for the rapidity of 
its growth, It is named the Eucalyptus, one seed of 
which was planted near Algiers four years ago and is 
now a tree three feet in circumference at the base. Its 
leaves are said to exhale an aromatic odor something like 
camphor, and is reputed to be highly promotive of health. 
It makeB good timber, while itB bark, being rich in tan¬ 
nin, imparts to it additional value. Would not this tree 
prove an acquisition on the Prairies of the West ? 
A strawberry grower in Pennsylvania haB came to 
the conclusion that the ground usually devoted to thiB 
fruit is made too rich for a profitable production of it. 
Fruit and Vegetable Markets 
The following are the quotations of Fruits and Vegetables 
in the New York market for the week ending the 20th Inst.: 
Vegetables.— Monitor Potatoes are badly diseased, and 
sell very low. Other varieties are In good supply, and also 
lower. Onions are scarce. Tomatoes are higher. 
Monitor, 9 bbl...I 75 O X 25 
Buckeyes. V bbl. i 2 00 @3 35 
Peach Blows. V bbl. 3 00 @ 3 50 
Mercers, I* bbl..... 3 00 @ 3 50 
Delaware, sweet, ¥ bbl. 5 00 <3 5 50 
Norfolk, sweet, 11 bbl. 4 50 @ 5 oQ 
Onions, Red, ¥ bbl. 7 00 @ 7 50 
Onions. White, ^ bbl. 0 50 Q 7 50 
Tomatoes. basket. 1 45 @ 1 75 
3 00 Cal 3 75 
1 00 @ 1 25 
8 00 @14 00 
2 50 @ 3 00 
4 00 ® 8 00 
1 00 @ 1 25 
YBLLOW MAGNUM BONUM. 
Yellow Magnum Bonmn or Egg plum, is a popu¬ 
lar variety and quite common. It is valued chiefiy 
for its large size and splendid appearance, and con¬ 
tains acidity enough to fit it admirably for making 
showy preserves and sweetmeats. It lacks the fine, 
rich flavor of a good dessert plum. It is of the 
largest size, frequently measuring six inches in its 
longest circumference. Skin yellow, and covered 
with thin, white bloom. Flesh yellow, adhering 
closely to the stone. It Is a pretty good bearer. 
Season, middle of August to September, 
Turnips, bbl. 
Beets, 'it 100 bunches. 
Green Corn, V XOO... 
Pumpkins, b 100..... 
Fruits.—A pples ars more plenty and the market Is easier i 
Peaches are about done, the few remaining ones coming from 
Ohio. Pears are not plenty, and high prices are ruling for 
flue. Grapes are very plenty, and lu fair request at quota¬ 
tions for lots in good order, while lots not up to the standard 
sell at a wide Tango. 
Pears, Dntchess. ¥ bbl—.. .fl5 00 @18 Ufl 
Pears, Louise Bonne, 31 bbl. U 00 wll8 00 
Pears’Suokel, * bbl.. 14 00 @18 00 
Pears, Common, P bbl.. 8 00 <310 00 
Pears, Flemish Beaaty, ■{< bbl. 15 00 @18 (X) 
Pears, Bartlett, V bbl. 20 0O @35 00 
Peaches, New Jersey, V crate. 5 00 @8 00 
Peaches, Ohio, I* crate. 4 00 @ 7 00 
ITALIAN PRUNE. 
The trees are hardy, moderate growers and very pro¬ 
ductive. The fruit generally comes true or nearly 
true from seed, is of rather poor quality for the 
table, bnt most valuable when dried or preserved. 
Skin purple, with thick, blue bloom. Flesh firm, 
green, and, when fully ripe, sweet and pleasant. 
Separates from the stono. Ripens late from the 
middle of September to October, and hangs well 
on the tree. It is worthy of extensive cultivation 
in this country. 
The report from the Department of Agriculture 
for August and Septembei gives the following sum¬ 
mary of fruit prospects: 
Apples — Apples will jrove a full crop in few 
States; in a majority not lalf a crop, and in several 
States almost an entire hilure. 
Peaches ,—Peaches have been quite abundant in 
the South and in parts if the West, but in the 
Middle States, to which, vith Maryland, the great 
cities look for their supply of this fruit, the yield 
has been very small; New Jersey, Maryland and 
Delaware reporting very gmeral failure of the crop. 
Blue Gages. * bbl. 0 00 @10 OO 
Quinces,>100... 1 OO @3 00 
Citron, bbl..... 1 50 @ 2 00 
Cranberries, $ bbl. H 00 @13 00 
Dried Fruits—D ried Fruits are arvlvlng in unlocked for 
quantities, aud tbo market is therefore easier, with more dis¬ 
position to sell on the part of holders. Trade ls quiet and 
prices nnsteady. We quote: 
New Apples, State, V th...$ 10 @ 11 
New Apples, Western, fl ft. 10 @ 10 
New Apples, Southern, ^ n>. 9 @ 10 
Peaches, Southern, now, peeled, ^ lb. 24 @1 25 
reaches, Southern, old, M . 18 @ 20 
Peaches, unpeeled, halves, lb. 14 @ 15 
Peaches, unpeeled, quarters, V tb. 12 @ U'% 
Blackberries, tb. 20 @ 22 
Raspberries, V ft. 42 @ 44 
1 nuslifd (OO pounds)..... 15 00 
1 barrel, 2Y bush. (165 pounds;. 40 00 
All orders packed aud delivered at Express office, free, 
when our responsibility oeases. 
No order accepted unless accompanied by the cash. 
Orders will be booked and Ailed in rotation as received. 
Purchasers will please give fall shipping directions. 
Unless otherwise ordered, all but mail packages will be 
sent by Express. 
A full descriptive and Illustrated Circular sent free. 
Address GEO. W. BEST, 
13 Broad St., Utica, N. Y. 
IMPERIAL GREEN GAGE. 
Imperial Green Gage — A variety of the Green 
Gage family, and one of the most excellent and 
