or cj 
almc 
hi 
lo mis tic Kc0001011* 
ABOUT FRUITS. 
Apple, Aprleet, Pencil, Plum and Quince 
Jellic*. 
Pee], core, and cut in small pieces two 
quarts of good apples or quinces; lay them 
in a stew pan with a clove well pounded and 
thejuiceof half a lemon; cover with water, 
set on a moderate lire, and boil slowly until 
cooked, strain through a jelly I mg, add three- 
quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound 
of juice; boil to a jelly; and soon as done 
pour into pots, jars or tumblers. The jelly 
should he skimmed carefully in boiling and 
occasionally stirnyl. Put brandted paper 
over the top as in currant Jelly. In using 
apricots, peaches or plums, after taking out 
the stones proceed the same as with apples. 
JellivN of Currants, Grape*, Hlnckber- 
rlea, Etc. 
Currant jelly produces a more attractive 
appearance, if made from fruit not fully ripe; 
but it is always better to use fully ripened 
fruits for any kind of jelly. Pick and wash 
them clean; mash thoroughly and strain 
through a jelly bag. Some heat the fruit be¬ 
fore straining. To every pint of juice add a 
pound of sugar. White, granulated sugar is 
best for fruit preserving. Boil slowly, and 
skim carefully. Cook from ten to twenty 
minutes. When done, pour into tumblers, 
and when cool, dip a piece of white paper 
the size of the inside of the pot or tumbler 
in brandy, and lay over the top. Over the 
tumbler paste white tissue paper and place 
in a cool, dry closet. A little essence of rose 
may be added before taking from the fire, if 
one likes. Blackberries, raspberries, grapes 
and other like berries may be made into jelly 
similarly. 
Jelly Rag. 
Make a conical bag of good white flannel 
Q about twenty inches long, fifteen 
inches broad at the top when 
spread on a flat surface. Sew 
to it four pieces of white tape at 
llie large end, and at equal dis- 
vlln'fe'' ,;inco< b so that two sticks may 
■hi be run into them. Ropes may 
be fastened to the top one at 
Wi']j intervals, by which to hang the 
Wnf bag *° il book or nail. Bags 
W made like this of canvas serve 
° beautifully for various culinary 
purposes. 
To Can Peaclioa and Ollier Fruits. 
Ai.t.ow half a pound, or less, of sugar to 
one pound of peaches. Make a sirup of the 
sugar, by adding n pint of water to a pound 
of sugar, and boiling for a time. Pare and 
halve the peaches; drop them into the sirup 
and boil for ten minutes. Put into the cans 
—glass ones—and seal tightly. Any other 
kind of fruit may he preserved in the same 
manner. They will keep equally well with¬ 
out sugar, but it is usually quite as con¬ 
venient to add the sugar when canned. 
Some add a few peach kernels, blanched. 
For convenience sake, and safety’s sake, 
place the can, being filled with the hot fruit, 
on a wet napkin or towel, folded a number 
of times. Some varieties of pears require 
longer cooking, while some other varieties of 
fruit need less. The cans should be filled to 
the top. 
Preserving Teinaroes. 
Wash, bruise them, and put in a boiler 
over a lire, boil half an hour and strain ; 
boil the juice until reduced one-half, 
coo], put in jars and seal; then place the 
jars in a boiler of cold water, with straw or 
rags to prevent, breakage; boil twenty min¬ 
utes; when perfectly cold, place the jars in 
a cool, dark cellar. They will keep for 
years. Add seasoning when used for the 
table. 
For catsup add to the above peppers, pi¬ 
mento, cloves, etc. 
Tomatoes may he prepared as above and 
pul into bot tles for future use. Of course, 
they should he well cooked and sealed. 
linked Penclics. 
Cut the peaches in two, remove the stone, 
having first wiped the fruit well. With a 
paste cutter (if you want something fanciful, 
otherwise simple squares will do,) cut some 
slices of bread. On each piece place half a 
peach, skin side down, dusl well with sugar, 
put a tiny piece of butter on each, and bake 
slowly. When done, dish them and turn 
the juice over, if any. Otherwise add sirup 
of pears and serve warm, jApricots and 
plums may be served likewise. 
Pencil Marmalade. 
Boil two pounds of peaches for a minute; 
take off and drop them in cold water. Drain, 
skin and remove the stones at once. Crack 
two-thirds of the stones, bleach the meats, 
and cut the kernels in lengthwise strips. 
Lay the peaches in a pan with n pound and 
a-half of sugar, set on the lire and boil twenty 
minutes. A few minutes before removing 
add the sliced kernels. Turn in pots or jars 
as soon as taken from the fire. When cold, 
cover well and place in a cool, dry place. 
Proceed the same with plums. For pears 
or quinces, pare and core and use sweet i 
almonds in lieu of kernels. t 
CONTRIBUTED RECIPES. 
HedlniK Kxltrminiilor. 
N. D. G., Ronald, Mich., says the follow¬ 
ing is a sure bedbug exterminator“ Take 
a quarter of a pound of sulphur at a time, 
and burn it on the stove, keeping the house 
closed all of the time. This repeated twice 
will destroy all the bugs and rid the house of 
them for several years. It will never fail." 
Crab Apple Marmalade. 
Nellte C. If, fourteen years old, sends 
the Rural New-Yorker the following: 
“ Slice the crab apples, wash them nicely 
and put. them on the stove in a pan (adding 
just water enough to keep them from burn¬ 
ing) and cook them until tender. When 
done, run them through a sieve, and then to 
one quart of apples add one quart of sugar 
and boil one hour ; add a little cinnamon to 
flavor.” 
To Season SnuHiitff Meat. 
I send the following, which I have used, 
and know it to he good: — “For thirty 
pounds of meat, eight ounces of salt, two 
and a-lialf ounces of pepper, and two tea¬ 
cups of sage.”—M rs. E. D. Durham. 
The following is a tried and convenient 
recipe :—“ To one pound of meat add one 
tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of 
black pepper, one teaspoonfid of sage; mix 
well. To any given number of pounds of 
meat count the spoonfuls of seasoning as 
above directed. You will always find them 
good.”—P. A. V._ 
Toilel Simp. 
The following Inis been used in our fami¬ 
ly for years, and is most excellent:—Take 
two pounds of yellow bar soap—the oldest 
and dryest you can procure; shave it very 
line with a knife, put it in a tin basin or pail, 
inside of a larger basin or pail filled with 
boiling water. When it begins to melt add 
three tablespoons of pure strained honey 
and three of almond or palm oil. Glycerine 
can be substituted for the oils if preferred. 
Mix the ingredients thoroughly together. 
When entirely dissolved, take from the boil¬ 
ing water and, when a little cool, add one 
tablespoonful of some essential oil—cinna¬ 
mon, verbena, or geranium—in fact, any es¬ 
sence that the maker desires. Stir it in and 
turn the soap into small round tin cake 
dishes, or into a large flat linking pan, and 
when cold cut up into squares. If Indian 
meal or sand balls are desired to remove 
roughness and stains from the hands, when 
partly cool, stir them in until the mixture is 
thick enough to roll into balls. This makes 
the best “ sand soap" in existence.—s. o. j. 
-♦♦♦- 
SELECTED RECIPES. 
Cucumber.} Pickled in Vinecruv. 
A CORRESPONDENT of the Vermont Farm¬ 
er says: — “ To have good pickles and have 
them keep, the cucumbers should he picked 
very small. Over a peek of encumbers 
scalier a pint of coarse salt, then cover them 
with boiling water, put grape halves over 
them and cover closely ; let them stand un¬ 
til cold. Do Ibis three times, pulling on 
boiling hot vinegar instead of hot water; 
put in a cloth bag a teaspoon i’ll 1 of each of 
cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves and pep¬ 
per, also a little mace, and put in with the 
pickles. Cover with grape leaves and cover 
the jar tightly.” 
To Pickle lied Cabbage. 
Take a head of I he darkest red cabbage 
and slice it very thin, shake on it a little 
coarse salt and let it rest twentv-fonr hours 
to drain. Boil an ounce of black pep¬ 
per and an ounce of allspice in a quart of 
vinegar; and when cold pour it over the 
cabbage; then pack il dose and keep it well 
covered. 
Lellucr Drcnsine. 
Tins is also from the Food Journal: 
“For a family of six, boil three eggs for ten 
minutes, throw them into cold water for a 
minute, peel off the. shells, cut and mash 
them tine, and mix with them two tahle- 
spoonfuls of melted butter or sweet oil, two 
tablespoonfuls of mustard prepared as for 
meats, a dash of pepper and a little salt. Cut 
the lettuce fine, pour over it vinegar, uml 
sprinkle sugar to taste, then mix with it the 
prepared egg. This dish is as appetizing as 
it is nutritious and delightful.” 
Pickled Walnuts, 
S. O. J. writes the Country Gentleman: 
“ This is the season to make pickles out of 
the English walnuts. Gather the mils while 
the outside rind is quite soft; prick them 
through and through with a large darning 
needle, and place them in a stone jar, pour¬ 
ing over them a strong, cold brine ; let them 
lie iu this for four or five days, skim them 
out, and spread in thesuu until they are dry 
and have turned a very dark brown; put 
them back into the jar, and cover them with 
spiced vinegar, poured on boiling hot. To 
one gallon of vinegar, add two ounces of 
allspice, two ounces of peppercorns, two 
ounces of mustard seed and six or eight 
blades of mace; if liked, a few onions will 
add to the relish. These pickles can he 
kept, for years, and I lie vinegar makes de¬ 
licious catsup Butternuts can he used in¬ 
stead of the walnuts. 
To Cleanse Colored Silk. 
Mtx equal parts of alcohol, soft soap and 
molasses. Cover a table with a clean cloth ; 
lay the article to be cleansed on smooth, and 
holding it firmly with one hand, sponge it 
thoroughly with the mixture. If the silk is 
spotted with grease or stains, give such spots 
an extra sponging. When the silk has been 
well sponged, rinse in tepid water twice, 
and fiuisli with a third rinse in cold water. 
Have your irons hot, anil iron the silk im¬ 
mediately as it is taken from the last water 
Of course, if a dress is to be cleansed, it will 
be first ripped apart, and each piece sponged, 
rinsed and ironed, before the next is touched. 
Il is a great, convenience when two persons 
can work together in doing this—one to 
sponge, while the second rinses and irons. 
This compound for cleansing silk does not 
sound inviting, but try it. We have washed 
the most delicate colors—blues, violets, &C. 
—and unless the color is entirely taken out, 
or paint been transferred to the silk, it is 
surprising how like a new silk the dress can 
be made to look. Cashmeres or merinos of 
the finest color can be thus cleansed and 
made, to look like new; but they should be 
rinsed in hot water.— Mrs. Beecher. 
cp 
hat)) of a Ewralist. 
DAILY RURAL LIFE 
From ili« Diary «f n Gentleman near New 
York City. 
New Currants. 
June 24.—Judging from what is said about 
new currants in the French and German 
nurserymen’s catalogues, I supposed that 
there was a wonderful advance in the way 
of new varieties. But after giving all tlie 
highly extolled sorts a trial, I conclude the 
older ones equally as good as the new. I 
cannot, sec wherein Dr. Bretonneau excels 
the Belle de Pallium, and the latter is but a 
irifle better, if at all ahead of the old Red 
Dutch. Buddeus Hcllrolhu is similar to the 
Champaigne in color, but neither as large 
nor of as good quality; but Hie hush is a 
rampant, coarse grower, and quite distinct 
from other sorts in general appearance. We 
certainly have many good sorts, but there is 
not much gained in trying to extend the list 
of red sorts beyond the Red Dutch, Cherry 
and Versailles. Among (lie white varieties, 
While Dulcli and White Grape contain all 
the good qualities to be found in the twenty 
other sorts of i he same color. 
Hliildiug ii Green-IIonsc. 
July 25.—Several years ago 1 said, “No 
more grceil-hmise for me;” hut here l am, 
direeling Hie foundations of another. Snell 
structures arc very necessary for the profes¬ 
sional florist; but in private grounds they 
arc certainly expensive toys, which often 
give the proprietor more pain than pleasure. 
The hired gardener cares little for success 
beyond that which shall insure Ids monthly 
salary, and if he thinks a “ strike" is likely 
to be successful, lie is pretty sure to try it 
during the coldest month in winterer the 
most busy time in spring. Occasionally, 
ibis very necessary help gels drunk, and for¬ 
gets to keep up the (ires, and away go 
your rare plums; hut thanks to my early 
necessities, 1 know how to run a Ditching's 
boiler and propagating bed myself, and can 
lake, a band al this sort of thing whenever 
it shall be. necessary. If one wants lo make 
a goodly show of bedding-out plants in 
summer, he cannot depend upon those 
bought in market; at least if he. does, there 
are as many chances for failure as success. 
I am going to try once more to raise my 
own, even if there is no economy in doing 
so, for there will be at least one advantage 
in it, viz,, the plants will be on hand just 
when wanted. 
A Trip lo tli<« Green Mountains. 
July 26.—A note received to-day from an 
entomologist living in Boston, said, “ I am 
off for the Green Mountains; meet me on 
Camel’s Hump, Green Mountains, Vt., next 
week;" and I replied, “ I accept; will he 
with you.” And now for a full set of bng- 
himiing apparatus all to be packed and ready 
for the I rain to the city in the morning. Nets 
for catching butterflies and moths; chloro¬ 
form for killing them, and pins to mount, 
etc., etc. Then I must have a score or more 
of bottles filled with alcohol in which to 
preserve the beetles and other hard winged 
inserts. In addition a chisel and small ham¬ 
mer for gathering fossils and minerals; with 
a few sheets of oil paper iu which to pack 
live plants in damp moss; and some blot¬ 
ting paper for dried specimens if any should 
l>t- found worth preserving. I have been 
busy all day getting ready for a start, and as 
Mrs. Ruraltst is to be my companion, she 
lias been similarly occupied, but with an en¬ 
tirely different kind of outfit. 
Inna Inland. 
July 27.—When passing Iona Island this 
evening, I could not help allowing my 
thoughts to go back a few years to the time 
when Dr. Grant was setting everybody 
crazy on Hie grape question. Iona will long 
be remembered as a haven where many a 
small horticultural craft sailed for safety, but 
became a financial wreck before leaving 
port. I remember this little heap of rocks 
when it was called Beveridge’s Island, and 
at that lime our worthy Doctor had the wil¬ 
low fever, and gathered species and varieties 
of this plant from all parts of the world, un¬ 
til a greater number could be found there 
than iu any other one place on the globe. 
But “willow culture” were words that too 
much resembled will-o’-the-wisp for Ameri¬ 
can ears, and customers were scarce; hut 
the plants thrived amazingly, and neither 
man, beast nor insect disturbed them in their 
swampy, rock-surrounded solitude. There 
came a time when all this seemingly waste 
material was exceedingly valuable. Dr. 
Grant at last went to reside upon the 
island, broke a bottle of Delaware wine over 
its rock painted prow, and christened it 
“ Iona.” Every reader of the Rural New- 
Yorker is familiar with the history of Iona 
for the past ten years; but I fear that few 
know what an important part those willows 
played in the great drama of wine culture 
enacted upon this celebrated spot. It was 
here that propagating grapes from single 
eyes or buds on a grand scale first became a 
specialty. As the hundreds of thousands of 
plants grown in pots and beds under glass, 
pushed forth their young shoots, they re¬ 
quired stakes, and it was now that the long, 
slender willows came into play. The first 
stakes used for the young vines were usually 
two or three feet long and very slender; but 
as soon as they reached the top, and the 
vines were shifted into larger pots, or 
plunged into inside or outside borders, larger 
and stronger stakes were required, and these 
all came from the willow swamps, originally 
planted for a far different purpose. At least 
a half million willow stakes were annually 
used oil Iona Islund, and all produced at 
home. 
Fruits for Northern Cities. 
July 28.—It is a great puzzle to some per¬ 
sons to know Avhat becomes of all the fruit 
sent to New York market. It is certainly 
not all consumed in the city ; in fact, 1 be¬ 
lieve a small proportion remains there, hut is 
sent in all directions from this great center, 
to cities and villages a hundred or more 
miles away. This morning, before leaving 
the steamer, Drew, at Albany, I made some 
inquiries iu regard to the amount of fruit 
brought up from New York daily. At this 
season each steamer, lmrge and train of ears 
brings its load of fruit, and an idea of the 
quantity may he inferred from tlie fact that 
the Drew brought up on this trip about six 
hundred crates of peaches, two hundred of 
blackberries and several hundred barrels of 
vegetables. This immense quantity does not 
all remain in Albany, but a portion is again 
distributed along the various Hues of travel 
from this city. There is not a railroad or 
steamboat line radiating from New York 
city, which does not aid in distributing from, 
as well as contributing to, its markets. 
A Ride by Kuil. 
July 29.—Taking the cars at Albany, we 
were soon dashing northward, but not so 
rapidly as to prevent me seeing and noting 
the general appearance of the country and 
the condition of Hie crops. It has evidently 
been very dry all through this region of 
country until quite lately. The grass crop 
is not up to the average, and this should 
have made farmers more eager to gather 
what they had. But instead of ihe hay be¬ 
ing all carefully housed or in stacks, scarcely 
two-thirds of the crop is yet gathered. Of 
course, it is over-ripe and the seed is falling 
out. It is strange that farmers will persist 
in allowing their grass to remain uncut until 
oat and wheat harvest compels them lo 
abandon one crop to save another. 1 verily 
believe that one-fourth of the entire farm 
products of the country are wasted through 
want of proper calculation. Fanners work 
hard enough, but not to a good advantage. 
They should make belter calculation than 
to have two or three different crops all re¬ 
quire harvesting at the same lime. 
Potatoes. 
Early Rose and Peach Blow seetn to be 
the most popular sorts here. The first for 
early and the latter for winter use. It is 
doubtful if we have two better varieties 
among the several hundred in cultivation. 
The crop looks well now,and the yield will 
doubtless be good. 
Weeds iu Grave Yards. 
As we passed by the many small grave 
yards adjoining country villages, I noticed 
that rank, coarse weeds were the most con¬ 
spicuous objects iu these resting places of 
our departed friends. Perhaps weeds in 
grave yards are no more out of place than 
another sort, which our civilization should 
have made us abandon a long lime ago. A 
neglected grave yard is a very sure sign that 
grief for the departed was very brief. 
Cntchiug nil Entoaiologisr, 
Just before reaching Montpelier, in rear¬ 
ranging the contents of my pockets, I hap¬ 
pened to expose to view a small vial of 
beetles which I had caught at the various 
stations along the way. The acuteness of a 
bug-hunter is always a marvel to the rest of 
mankind, and that vial was a tell-tale; for 
a gentleman on the opposite side of the car 
immediately drew a similar vial from bis 
pocket, and passing it across lo me, said, 
“ Please exchange a moment.” Of course, 
we were soon acquainted, and my stranger 
friend was no other than Prof. T. G. San¬ 
born, Hie well known Entomologist and 
Naturalist of the Boston Society of Natural 
History. 
;tohw-|j tr b. 
PIG PEN PAPERS. 
Tlie Essex Hon: ill tlic South. 
S. J. Mathews, Monticello, Ark., discuss- 
ing in tin* Southern Cultivator “ tb e j )es j 
breed of hogs for the South ” says;_« if (ino 
is willing to give his hogs resonnbly good 
cure, and wants to make Hie most pork and 
lard from a given amount of feed, wants a 
hog that is prolific, healthy and of eai ]y 
maturity, that fattens readily at. any a „ f ' 
indeed that with good treatment is all the 
time fat; there is none so far as niy experi¬ 
ence, observation or belief goes that excels 
the Essex. Perhaps the Improved Berk¬ 
shire is as good, but I cannot conceive hi 
what respect it can be better.” 
D mining lilnck lings. 
A correspondent of the Michigan Farm¬ 
er says; — Thu principal objection to the 
Essex and Berkshire breed of hogs I find to 
be their color. Now, as Youatt justly ob¬ 
serves, this is not even “skin deep.” The 
coloring matter will he found to he secreted 
between the true skin and the epidermis, or 
outer skin. If care is taken in scalding 
black hogs, they can be dressed as white as 
any white hogs. It is a well-known principle 
that all black substances absorb heat. Hence 
in dressing black hogs the water should not 
he so hot as In scalding white ones. If this 
simple rule be observed, there will be no- 
difficulty in dressing black bogs. Instead of 
tbia color being an objection, T regard it as 
an advantage, for the skin of. a black hog 
will always lie found to be smooth and 
glossy, free from cutaneous eruptions and 
always clean. 
Origin of Mngic Hog*. 
The question has been asked through the 
Rural New-Yorker, as to the origin or 
crosses of the hogs known by the name of 
“ Magic," by some called the “ Poland" nnd 
“Big China,” and by others the “Butler 
county hog.” The Mngie hogs were first 
originated by I). M. Magiic of Buffer Co., 
Ohio, thirty or thirty-live years ago. I will 
give you the crosses ns he gave them to me. 
They were produced from four pure and dis¬ 
tinct breeds of hogs, three of which wore 
imported, namely, Poland, Big Spotted Chi¬ 
na, Big Irish Grazier, and Byfield. 
The Magic hog is of fine bone hut large 
size, combining more eminently than any 
oilier breed the excellencies <>f both large 
and small breeds; being docile, very good 
feeders, breeders, and fattening readily at 
any age, attaining great weight at maturity. 
They have long bodies, short legs, broad 
back, deep sides, with square, heavy hams 
and shoulders, drooping cars, and are of 
very fine style generally. The hogs are 
mostly spotted.—M. II. Hayes, Fulton Co., 0 
Cooking Feed for Swine. 
Last February, M. L. Dunlap, Cham¬ 
paign, Illinois, wrote on this subject as fol¬ 
lows:—“ I am now feeding some thirty pigs, 
several milch cows, and fattening two dry 
ones on potatoes, bran and studied corn, 
boiled together. I think the potatoes for 
this purpose will net me in the cellar from 
thirty to forty cents a bushel. Not that they 
would be worth that amount boiled and fed 
separate, hut in part adding value to the 
corn. It has become a pretty well settled 
point in Hie management of swine to full 
feed them front the pig until ready for Hie 
butcher. This wintering of store hogs, as 
they are called, simply getting them through 
the winter, is poor policy. It is far better to 
push them right along from the first, To do 
lids, warm pens and cooked food are the 
elements of success. A bushel of corn boiled 
is worth nearly, if not quite, two in the raw 
state; and if a peck of potatoes are mixed 
with the bushel of corn it makes a better 
relish for the food and is less heating. Many 
farmers give their work horses a noon feed 
of potatoes two or three times a week, and 
find it valuable.” 
Point)* in a Pin. 
Forney’s Press gives the following points 
of a perfect pig. We should like swineherds 
who read the Rural New-Yorker to add 
to or modify these points according to their 
respective judgments and send the same to 
us for publication: 
Head and Ears.— The head wide in front; 
ears erect, and pointed forward; chops 
rounded, and well filled up to the brisket. 
Orest and Shoulders. —Crest wide, and us¬ 
ing w r e!l to the shoulders; shoulder-blades 
well sloped backwards. 
Ribs and Loins— Ribs well sprung; loins 
wide and slightly arched. 
Hind-quarters. — Hind - quarters not to 
slope, nor narrow, towards the tail. 
Hams. —Hams rounded outwards, welt 
down; and full towards Hie twist. 
Chest.— Chest wide, with elbows well out. 
Fore-ribs and Flank.— Fore-ribs wide un¬ 
derneath ; flunk well let down, straight, amt 
well filled lo thestifie. .. . 
Legs and Feet .—Legs straight and sma 
the bone: feet small and compact. 
Hair and Color.— Hair plentiful, brtgm 
and vigorous; color to denote purity 
J Tail— Tail entire, thick at root, and ta¬ 
pering. , 
Size .—Size according to the breed. 
