*lomC!itic (Bctmomtr. 
ODDS AND ENDS. 
Pumpkin Pies.—Will some of the Bu- 
ral's readers tell me how to make good 
pumpkin pies, I have tried, but they fail 
to please my husband. Please tell and 
oblige—A. Young Housekeeper, Ossian, 
Nciv York. 
In response to the above we print the fol¬ 
lowing, which we have .just received from 
Mtr. B. It. Simpson, who says “ it is an ex¬ 
cellent recipe, for T have tried it;’ Cut the 
pumpkins into small pieces; take out the 
seeds and inside, hut do not pare* it. It 
must be a well grown and thoroughly rip¬ 
ened pumpkin, and not watery. But the 
pieces into a saucepan, with only a few 
spoonfuls of water—not more than four; 
cover close.and let it cook gently, so as not to 
scorch, until the water lias all evaporated, 
and the pumpkin has cooked quite dry, and 
of a rich, dark orange color. While hot, 
sift it through a coarse sieve. Season only 
as much as you are needing for the day. 
For one large pic—one egg, ono tablespoon¬ 
ful of molasses, four table spoonfuls of con¬ 
densed milk, and enough of new milk to 
make it as thin ns you wish—nr if you have 
it—half milk and half cream, instead of 
condensed milk ; sugar and spice to suit the 
taste. Ginger and cinnamon are very nice. 
Bake till a clear, rich brown, but not blis¬ 
ter nor scorch.__ 
To Dry Pear 8 and Grapes.— The 
Hearth and Home liasthe following:—Take 
pears t hat are good for steaming, but too 
acid for eating, while uncooked; pare, quar¬ 
ter, and put into deep dishes, and sprinkle 
over with sugar—about a teacupful of sugar 
to a quart of fruit. Leave for twelve or 
fourteen hours, by which time there will 
be a good deal of juice in the dishes; then 
put them in your sweetmeat kettle and 
stow until nearly clear; then remove and 
spread upon dishes to dry in a warm but 
not hot oven. The juice must he poured 
over them. 
Acid grapes are excellent treated in near¬ 
ly the same way, only instead of standing 
over night in sugar, they must be put in (lm 
kett le to seahl at first. As soon as they boll 
the skins will burst and the seeds rise to 
the top; they must t hen bo skimmed imme¬ 
diately, or they will sink again among the 
grapes. After skimming, remove frond the 
fire, and stir in the same preparation of 
sugar as for pears; spread on dishes and 
dry. When done, pack in stone jars. 
Preserved Orange Peel.—Clean care¬ 
fully; cut in thin strips; stew in water un¬ 
til the bitterness is extracted; drain off the 
water and stew again for half an hour in a 
sirup of sugar and water, allowing half pint 
of water and a pound of sugar to each pound 
of peel. Put it aside in .uirs, and keep it in 
a cool place. If desired, a little cinnamon 
and ginger may be stowed with the peel, 
but it is more delicate cooked simply with 
sugar. Lemon peel may be prepared in the 
same manner, either alone or mixed with 
orange peel. These form pleasant “rel¬ 
ishes” eaten with cake or bread, or if 
chopped finely when prepared they form 
excellent llavoring for puddings and pies. 
— n. at. r. __ 
To Clean Gold Chains. — Emma G. 
Cushing asks the Rural Nkw-Yobkeu 
how to clean gold chains the best way. We 
do not know the “ best ” way, but we know 
the following to be a good way, because we 
have tried it:- Put the chain in a small 
glass bottle, with warm water, a Little tooth 
powder and some soap. Cork the bottle 
and shako it for a minute violently. The 
friction against the glass polishes the gold, 
and the soap and chalk extract every par¬ 
ticle of grease and dirt from the interstices 
of a chain of the most intricate pattern; 
rinse it in clear cold water, wipe with a 
towel, and the polish will surprise you. 
How to Cook KaUins,—Some time ago 
Mary G. F. asked the best way to cook- 
raisins. This is my method :—I steam them 
by pouring a small quantity of boiling wa¬ 
ter among them in a tightly-closing dish, 
allowing them plenty of time to cook be¬ 
fore opening the dish. For pies, cakes, pud¬ 
dings, etc., they should be prepared in this 
way. They are plumper and do not affect 
one’s digestion.— Ra o tter Barker. 
To Make Grape Jelly.—Can any of 
your readers tell me the best way to make 
grape jelly?—Moi-i.iE. 
Here is a way that is recommended as 
good Put the grapes in a jelly pan with a 
very little water; simmer on the. fire till 
quite soft; then strain through n colander 
or flannel bag; when the juice is all run 
out, measure, and allow fully one pound of 
loaf sugar to every pint of juice; boil till it 
jellies; when it has boiled twenty minutes, 
try a little in a saucer. It should be 
watched for fear of boiling over. Com¬ 
mon sugar may be used, but the jelly will 
not keep so long. 
Rythmical Rules. —A rhymester thus 
verifies some rules in regard to cookery, 
which manv cooks might commit to memory 
to advantage: 
Roast pork, sons apple sauce, past doubt. 
Is “ Hamlet ” with the Prince left out. 
Broil lightly your beefsteak—to fry it 
Argues contempt for Christian diet. 
It gives true epicures the vapors 
To see boiled mutton minus capers. 
The cook deserves a hearty cuffing 
Who serves roast fowls with tasteless stuffing. 
Orate Gruyer cheese on macaroni; 
Make ttie top crisp, hut. not too bony. 
Floating Island. — Beat four yolks of 
eggs with two tablespoons of sugar; 1 tea¬ 
spoon of flour; then stir into 1 quart milk 
and bring it to a boil, stirring it all the 
time; have the whites beat nicely and slip 
it oil the top of the milk, dipping a little «f 
it on to cook the egg; then grate nutmeg 
over the top; let it cool, and it is ready for 
the table.— m. e. s. 
Domestic Inquiries.— Kuna Skinner 
asks how many pounds of dried cherries 
can bo made from one bushel of Early 
Richmond, with and without .sugar. . . Will 
some of your readers give a recipe for mak¬ 
ing chow-chow?— Jeria A. Poweul. 
|3nmcilot|ic;il. 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP. 
Naked-Limbed tirceningof Maine.— 
A correspondent of the Maine Farmer says 
this apple has been known in Monroe, Me., 
forty years. It was first obtained of a man 
by the name of Goodare of Ovingtyn, or 
Brewer. Me. Tt was generally considered a 
New York apple, and until within a few 
years has borne the name of “New "York 
Greening.” and is sometimes called “Lim¬ 
ber-twig Greening.” It has also been called 
the “New York Pippin.” The tree is de¬ 
scribed ns pretty, hark very bright and 
smooth, limbs long, slender, and give the 
tree a weeping appearance: very product¬ 
ive. Fruit large to very large, flattish. 
round, rather long; stem slim; color pale 
green in Fall and a beautiful golden yellow 
in Winter. Some specimens have a red 
cheek in the sun, and now and then one 
wit h a russet cheek. Flavor, sub-acid, very 
crisp and juicy, fine-grained, with small 
core; splendid for eating or cooking; early 
Winter apple. 
Princess of IVales Peach,— This is one 
of t he many seedlings raised by that veteran 
pomologist of England, Mr. Thomas Riv¬ 
ers. It might appear like bringing “ coals 
to Newcastle,” to think of introducing new 
varieties of the peach into this country 
from England; but Mr. Rivers has pro¬ 
duced some superior sorts that do well here 
and compare favorably with our best varie¬ 
ties, as wo have had not only occulur dem¬ 
onstration, but the testimony of our palate, 
for we have received from Mr. James II. 
Ricketts of Newburgh several specimens 
of Mr. Rivers’ Princess of Wales poach 
that are not only superb in appearance but 
exquisite in flavor. We tbinjc it is a variety 
worthy of the attention of our fruit grow- 
IThc foulfrg fartl. 
through yonr paper, or otherwise, from 
those who have experience.— g. o. s. 
The Mt. Vernon Pear. Major Freas 
says, “turns out to come short of the glory 
claimed for it. In the first place it is said 
to possess a 4 peculiar flavor which may not 
suit all tastes, ’ and that it is an early Win- 
rer, not a late Winter sort. Ripens gener¬ 
ally in November. ” 
Apples in Southern Minnesota.— Wm. 
Eckels, near Eyota, Minn., has 150 young 
apple trees in bearing, the orchard being 
surrounded on all sides by a close belt of 
trees. Mr. Eckres commends the follow¬ 
ing varieties:—St. Lawrence, White Pip¬ 
pin, Red Astracban, Yellow Bellflower, 
Sops of Wine, Perry Russet, and Fameuse. 
Raspberries Bearing: September 16. 
—Pkrmeria Griswold is informed that it 
is not at all uncommon for raspberry hush¬ 
es to bq in full fruit as late as October, 
LICE ON PIGEONS. s 
Wourd you oblige by sending me a recipe i 
to kill lice on pigeons? I have some very < 
fine varieties, and they are full of lice, i 
During the past week, seven of my finest i 
birds became droopy, and remained 80 for 
several days, and then died. The lice is the . 
only way I car. account for their death. I 
was Informed that grease would kill the 
lice, and put some on several this morning; 
do you think that will do any good? 
Also, can you inform me where 1 can ob¬ 
tain a pair of “Satinette” pigeons, and 
about what, would be the cost of them ? Is 
there a book published treating of pigeons? 
If there is, can .yon inform me where it can 
be obtained in Baltimore?—L a Payette 
Stewart, Baltimore , Mrf. 
The lice may be destroyed by dusting 
sulphur under the feathers. A little, par¬ 
affin oil, or vegetable or mineral turpen¬ 
tine, poured on the porches, soon expels 
them. We cannot inform you where 
you can obtain the Satinettes. There 
is an English work on pigeons, by Tegkt- 
mier, with colored plates of the different 
varieties, which we can forward you on re¬ 
ceipt of $5. We do not know where it can 
be obtained in Baltimore. 
-♦♦♦—- 
POULTRY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Fattening Fowls for Market.—“ Young 
America,” wishing information as to the 
best mode of fattening fowls for market, I 
will give my plan, which is Bimple and ef¬ 
fective. The fowls to bo fattened should 
be shut, up in flocks of twelve, in a light, airj* 
pen, 5 by 6 feet; feed them three times a day 
all they will eat (no more) on scalded horse 
feed. Mix with this plenty of powdered 
charcoal. At night throw them all t he corn 
they will pick up. Furnish plenty of 
gravel and pure water, and in one week 
they will do for market. The yellow legged 
fowls will always look best when fat.—\\ r . 
P. Y., Union Co., TV. J. 
African Bantams.—Master Reed, Pitts¬ 
burgh, Pa., writes the Rural New- Y orker 
that he lias some imported African Ban¬ 
tams, which he thinks “are the prettiest 
kind there is. They arc just aR black as 
coal, have rose combs and white ears; 
otherwise they look a good deal like par¬ 
tridges. They have oven been t hought to 
tin prettier than the prettiest of our flowers. 
Unless the plants are very small, or the 
seeds are planted in newly dug up soil, they 
do scarcely any injury to the garden. In 
fact they are just the things to keep out 
grubs, etc.” 
^rientijic anti iilnpful. 
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL NOTES. 
Cistern Building.—I wish to build a 
cistern 1(5 feet deep by It) feet across. I did 
intend to wall it with" brick, but men here 
who have had some experience in cistern 
building toll me flat stones are better than 
brick. As 1 was about ready to go to haul¬ 
ing stone for it another man tells me brick 
is the cheapest and best that in using flat 
stone it will require so much more cement 
aud labor. Now I wish you or some one of 
your numerous readers, who has had long 
experience in that business, would tell me 
what, to do. 1 can get plenty of flat stone 
from the creek on or near my place, costing 
nothing but hauling. The brick will cost 
$7 or $8 per AL. five miles from my place. 1 
want a good, substantial cistern, cost what 
it will.— G. W. Porter. 
We have used stone, and should think it 
cheaper, under the circumstances you give, 
than brick. If well laid and cemented, the 
cistern will he just as good (and we think 
better) than if brick are used. 
A Hydraulic Inquiry.—I have a well 
1G0 feet from my side-hill barn. I have put 
in a cement pipe, with a short piece of inch 
iron pipe at the well, and also at the pump. 
The pipe is laid on a giadual rise of about 
six feet in the. first hundred feet, and then 
falls about one and a-half feet in sixty feet, 
; to the pump, in order to get the valves be¬ 
low the frost. The pump passes up through 
. the lower Btoryto second floor. The rise 
in all, from wat er in well to the pump spout 
is not over twenty-one feet. I can pump 
' the water up, but it runs back out of the 
pipe, from the top of the rise, to the well. 
, Is the pipe defective? or will not water 
stay in an inclined pipe with that amount 
- of rise— more than thirty-three feet—when 
the air is exlrapsted f I would like to hear, 
How to Make a Horse-Power.—Will 
some of the many readers of the Rurar 
New-Yorker inform mo through its col¬ 
onies as to the best and cheapest mode of 
constructing a small horse-power for one or 
two horses, for turning a grind-stone, fan¬ 
ning mill, turning lathe, churning, etc.? 
power for running on© of these machines at 
a time is all that is wanted.—M. N. W., 
Perry, N. Y. _ 
“ To Soften Old Putty,” H. M. G. says 
“apply soft soap.” 
{The Uinenanl 
GRAPES IN NEW JERSEY. 
In the Rurar New-Yorker of Aug. 31st 
T. S. Hubbard writes about the grape crop 
of the present season; also gives some hints 
about the future prospects of grape grow¬ 
ing in Western New York. Nqw. I would 
advise persons in that vicinity who have any 
relish for the business (but feel somewhat 
discouraged) to come down here, a little be¬ 
low the middle of the State, where they 
can find a climat e and soil suitable for the 
business and the season long enough for 
any of the late varieties to ripen. Concords 
were ripe and in the market hero the 35th 
of August. The yield was heavy, quality 
and richness of flavor all that any ono could 
reasonably desire. 1 have lived in Western 
New York 515 years; have not been here 
as long, but long enough to see grapes plant¬ 
ed out and come iuto bearing. They have 
a sweet, rich flavor, 1 think, far superior to 
those grown up there. Why pay $200 an 
acre, more or less, for t he rugged side hills 
of crooked Seneca mid Canandaigua lakes, 
or along Lake Erie’s boistrous shore, when 
you can buy land here from $25 to $10 per 
acre without buildings, or $30 to $70 with 
buildings, that will beat it all to pieces for 
grape growing and th© work of cultivating 
not half what it is there, besides the pleas¬ 
ure of enjoying this mild climate with yonr 
families and shunning t he cold, snowy win¬ 
ters of Western New York? The land is 
smooth, level or gently rolling, warm, dry 
soil; needs no draining. Peaches, pears 
and ttie smaller fruits do well here. Melons 
and sweet potatoes arc raised in great 
abundance. 
Should any think I misrepresent any¬ 
thing, I would like to have them comedown 
and see for themselves. There are small 
vineyards in this vicinity, from one to ten 
acres, in bearing; ono man in this county 
has thirty acres, I think about half in bear¬ 
ing. Asto market, if cities make good mar¬ 
kets, then this location must be good, be¬ 
ing about midway between the two largest 
cities in the United States, with access to 
both by rail or water. R. s. 
Tom’s River, Ocean Co., N. J. 
-♦♦♦-- 
RICKETTS’ SEEDLING GRAPES. 
We have frequently had occasion to refer 
to the many new varieties of grapes raised 
by James A. Ricketts of Newburgh. N. Y., 
and are again placed under obligations to 
the gentleman for a number of lino speci¬ 
mens, among which we notice particularly 
the following: 
Ricketts’ No. L. A.—Hybrid between 
the lsraella and Muscat Hamburgh; a large 
and handsome variety, similar in color and 
quality to Black Hamburgh. 
No. 9D. A.—Hybrid between Concord 
and Muscat Hamburgh. Bunch large; grape 
medium to large, globular, light, amber 
color; flavor sprightly, with some tough 
pulp at center, but good; a very showy va¬ 
riety. 
No. 12. A.—Hybrid of Hartford Prolific 
and Muscat Hamburgh. Bunch small and 
loose; berry oval, and about the same size 
and color ns Concord? flesh tender, sweet, 
and exceedingly rich, with a delicious, per¬ 
fumed flavor. 
No, 13. A.—Hybrid of Clinton and AIus- 
cat. Bunch medium, compact; berry small, 
round, green, becoming amber in the sun; 
flesh tender, sweet, and rich. A superb 
variety. 
No. 72. B.—Hybrid of Hartford of Leu- 
ingham Aluscat. Bunch small, loose; berry 
medium, round, black; pulp somewhat 
tough at the center, but in quality we con¬ 
sider it good to very good. 
Mr. Ricketts lias certainly won laurels 
for himself in producing so many excellent 
hybrids, aud we hope he will obtain some¬ 
thing more substantial than fame as a re¬ 
ward for his labors. 
