238 
MOORE’S RURAL WEW-YORKER. 
©87, 40 
piart? of a pluralist. 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Gentleman near New 
York City. 
RIPENINO Or PEARS. 
Sept. 28.—It is difficult to make some per¬ 
sons believe that, as a general rule, pears 
should not be permitted to ripen on the tree. 
Of course, “ Sticklers-for-nature-as-a-guide” 
will try to argue the question whenever it is 
presented la this form, but the proof is to be 
found in the difference In pears ripened by 
the natural and unnatural processes, if wc 
choose to class them as such. Winter pears 
and apples do ripen finely after they are 
taken from the trees, but I hardly think it 
will bo claimed that these same varieties 
would be of better quality if grown where 
the season was sufficiently extended to admit 
of full maturity upon the trees. Our North¬ 
ern varieties of these fruits when cultivated 
in a Southern climale, do not show any im¬ 
provement in consequence of the change ; 
and further, the pomologists of the South as 
well as those of the North advocate house- 
riponingof pears and late apples. There are, 
it is true, a few varieties of our best pears 
which appear to retain their good qualities, 
if allowed to mature on the tree, but those 
are exceptions to the general rule. But this 
is not conclusive evidence that they would not 
be better if gathered before perfectly ripe. 
Of course tliis early gathering of pears is 
nothing new to experienced pomologists, but 
the masses do not appear to know anything 
about it, hence their neglect of this very 
important part of pear culture, and the con¬ 
sequent failure to secure excellent fruit. 1 
am reminded of this by seeing early pears 
like the Bartlett, Bloodgood, Doyenne d’Ete 
in my neighbors’ gardens and orchards, as 
well us wherever I happen to travel through 
the country, all left upon the trees until they 
fall with over ripeness. It is no wonder that 
wc hear complaints of rotting-at-the-core 
with such noble varieties as Flemish Beauty, 
Onondaga and Clapp’s Favorite. The first, 
in particular, will show a splendid exterior 
up to the last moment if left on the tree to 
ripen, while from the center out to within 
an eighth of an inch of the rosy cheek is a 
mass of rottenness. 
Out of more than a thousand varieties of 
peara which it has been my fortune or mis¬ 
fortune to cultivate and handle in my time, 
I have yet to find one which was not better 
in quality when ripened off the tree than on 
it. The chemical changes which take place 
in the fruit during what is termed ripening, 
appear to 1 ) 0 . more perfect if retarded than 
when hastened, hence the benefits of gather¬ 
ing early and placing where the process will 
proceed slowly. We have many varieties 
which, if allowed to ripen on the tree, have 
a coarse, gritty flesh, but become mellowed 
and softened, or as the pomologist would say, 
“ buttery,” when ripened in the house. 
WHEN TO GATHER PEARS. 
Tt. would bo difficult to designate the exact 
time when any particular variety should be 
gathered, for it is the conditions which must 
govern in these matter*, and they vary witli 
the seasons even in the same locality. A 
little observation and experience will usually 
enable one to come near enough to bo suc¬ 
cessful. When a few of the earliest matured 
on a tree begin to change color or drop off 
and the stems of those which are still green 
will part readily from the branch when lifted, 
it is time to gather ail Perhaps there is no 
surer method of determining maturity than 
the free parting of the fruit stem from the 
spur on which it grew. If the stem adheres 
so firmly that it will break, then the fruit ia 
not sufficiently mature for gathering. 
PRESERVING AND RIPENING, 
In gathering, considerable care is required 
to prevent bruising, because pears will not 
withstand as rough handling as apples, for a 
bruise is usually followed by rapid decay. 
Every specimen should be picked by hand 
and laid into baskets, not dropped, as though 
they were cobble stones or potatoes. When 
gathered, place in a cool room or cellar in 
baskets, boxes or barrels, allowing free ven¬ 
tilation for two or three days ; then pack in 
tight vessels but not larger than barrels, leav¬ 
ing the heads open or merely laid on loosely 
for a week or two longer if the variety is a 
late one and it is desirable to keep them as 
long as possible, remembering that slow 
ripening will bring out more fully the good 
qualities than rapid, consequently a very cool 
place is preferable to a warm one. if spi ead 
upon shelves in a light, airy room or cellar, 
shriveling and decay -will soon destroy the 
best and longest-keeping sorts. I lravefound 
tight boxes like the common cheese box or 
half-barrels with light-fitting covers very' 
handy and excellent for keeping early or late 
varieties. 
For winter sorts, like the Vicar of Wink- 
field, Laurence and Duchesse, it is an excel¬ 
lent plan to wrap each specimen in tissue 
paper when packed away r for one’s own use. 
By an occasional examination of the top layer 
the condition may readily be determined, 
and when ripening is desired or delay is no 
longer safe, the specimens or those wanted 
for immediate use should be taken into u 
warm room—for instance, the kitchen closet 
—but still kept in a tight drawer or box. A 
week in such a position will increase the sugar 
in almost any variety perhaps fifty percent. 
I know that some of our pomologists would 
smile at the idea of a Vicar of Winkfield 
pear being a good dessert variety ; but if 
they will start with well grown specimens 
in the fall, keep them in a cool place until 
January or even later, then ripen them up 
in a warm room slowly, they might find 
occasion to change their rniuds in regard to 
quality. But if ripened hastily it is poor 
enough and valuable only for cooking, aud 
the same may be said of many’ other popular 
sorts. From long experience 1 have learned 
that to obtain a good crop of pears is but 
half the battle ; they’ often require careful 
manipulation in order to get the most satis¬ 
faction out of them, and equally as much 
skill as in the production. 
A SHOW OF TUBEROSES. 
Sepl. 29.—I must own to have made a mis¬ 
take in tuberose culture this season. Last 
spring 1 had thousands of small bulbs whichl 
thought would require at least one more sea¬ 
son’s growth to bring them up to a blooming 
size. My men bad rather overdone the busi¬ 
ness in raising these bulbs, as 1 certainly had 
no use for such a quantity, and after keeping 
them safely through winter I tried to give, 
them away, but found very few of my neigh¬ 
bors would accept of them, After planting 
two or three thousand in one large bed the 
remainder were, thrown into the compost 
heap. The abundant rains during the early 
part of summer excited those planted to 
make a very vigorous growth, and I soon saw 
that those intended for next season’s stock 
were going t o compete in the way of bloom¬ 
ing with those planted for that purpose this 
year, the greater part of which have for 
weeks past, been perfuming the air with their 
fragrant flowers. Two thousand tuberoses 
in full bloom ai’o certainly enough for one 
small garden, aud remind one of weddings 
innumerable. 1 have just finished packing a 
large basket of tuberose flowers to be sent 
to the Rural Office by the morning’s ex¬ 
press, and if the Editors do not get a sniilT 
of fragrant country air about to-morrow 
noon, it will be because the basket fails to 
reach its destination. 
1 shouldn’t wonder if the Rural New- 
Yorker carried a little extra sweetness to 
its readers next week. 
DRIVING HIS CLOVER TO MARKET. 
From a late number of the San Francisco 
Bulletin we extract the following : 
Jackson Wilcoxen of Yole County, lately 
sold 127 fat steers, for $50 a head We met 
him while driving about one-third the first 
installment to Sacramento. The purchaser 
received them at Wilcoxen’s farm, but Mr. 
Wilcoxen helped to drive them to Sacra¬ 
mento, where they will be put on the cars 
for Oakland. The cattle bring the seller the 
nice little sum of £6,8.10, aud the delivery 
cost him three trips to Sacramento on horse¬ 
back. In these cattle Mr, Wilcoxen was 
driving his alfalfa to market. He has for 
the last ten years been raising alfalfa, and 
driving it to market in this way’. His trips 
to Sacramento will probably cosh him about 
£5 each, making the expense of getting $0,- 
359 worth of alfalfa to market but $15. If 
we reckon his alfalfa at $10 a ton. the steers 
will carry in a condensed form 635 tons to 
the market, at a cost of $15. It would hafe 
cost to deliver the same in its original bulky 
condition, at least $5 per ton, or $3,175, half 
what the steers came to. We mention the 
fact as an illustration of the great advantage 
of reducing bulky materials produced ou the 
farm to a more compact form before mar¬ 
keting the same ; and another consideration, 
while these steers have been grow ing up they 
have been enriching and improving the land 
from which they have obtained a living. The 
man who sells his hay in bulk, carries away 
with each crop a part of the fertilizing prop¬ 
erties of his farm, and will finally exhaust 
that fertility which alone makes it valuable. 
Let our farmers reflect ou the lesson con¬ 
veyed in the above facts. 
SENSIBLE TALK. 
In an article entitled “The Grange the 
Formers’ University,” a late number of the 
Northern Granger gives the following sensi¬ 
ble and good example and suggestive re¬ 
marks : 
“The perfection of the Grange will be 
reached only when those who have been 
reared under its influences are as intellect¬ 
ual, as refined and as polished as the best 
class of the inhabitants in our larger towns 
and cities, without their follies, immoralities 
and vices. By joint efforts, through the 
medium of the Grange, libraries can easily 
be procured, lectures delivered, and various 
means of instruction and entertainment pro¬ 
vided at trifling expense to the individual, 
but of the greatest value to all. Each of one 
hundred members by contributing the small 
sum of one dollar towards the purchase of 
a Grange library, would thereby place it in 
the power of each member to enjoy’ the ad¬ 
vantages of a hundred dollar library, all for 
the inconsiderable sum of one dollar. 
Such is t.lie value of co-operation. Thus, 
through the instrumentality of the Grange 
do we place in onr homes hundreds of good 
books, and scores of conveniences and pleas¬ 
ures which are practically unattainable by 
the individual. 
It will have been noticed by all who are 
observant that those farmers who are best 
informed, are the most prosperous and most 
contented. This is true of other occupations 
as well as that of farming, but it is of the 
Occupation of agriculture only that wo speak 
at tiffs time. Farmers generally, aud es¬ 
pecially farmers’ wives, are overworked. 
They work too many hours in a day, too 
many days in a week, and too many weeks 
in a year. Nothing is gained in the end by 
thus slaving the life away. Though most 
farmers regard it a necessity, yet it is 
through the Grange wc are to learn better ; 
and the sooner we set about it the sooner 
shall we see that wc might have done so 
before. Let us get together in the Grange, 
and, by’ thinking a little, devise some plan 
of dividing our hard work with the sleek and 
well-fed middle-man, and of sharing a por¬ 
tion of his elegant leisure. Of course ho will 
object to this show of generosity on our part, 
but we must press our courtesy upon him 
until there shall be something like a fair dis¬ 
tribution of the good things of this world 
between us. We do not demand extraordi¬ 
nary’ privileges; we demand justice. We 
do not labor to pull others down ; we labor 
to build ourselves up. Six thousand years 
of single-handed effort has failed to accom¬ 
plish any satisfactory results in that direc¬ 
tion, and it is but the part of common wis¬ 
dom to try other means to lighten our labors 
and enhance our profits. 
The Grange is the salvation of the farmer, 
and needs only to be maintained by energet¬ 
ic, intelligent, and, above all, harmonious 
action, to accomplish all the desirable re¬ 
sults withiu the scope of any human institu¬ 
tion. Stand by’ the Grange, then ! Sustain 
it by zealous labor, and the persistence 
w'hich of itself insures success. With it you 
are sovereigns with your scepter in your 
hands ; without it you are on the high road 
to vassalage.” 
- • ♦ ♦ ♦- 
ITEMS FROM THE GRANGES. 
Work and Practice.— A Grange editor 
hauls hi3 brethren over the coals in this 
fashion:—"The Grange has already done 
wonders for farmers ; but they have not 
done half what they might have accom¬ 
plished. The trouble is there is too much 
talk and too little, work ; too much preach¬ 
ing and not enough practice ; too much re¬ 
solving and not enough get-up and-get faith. 
We meet in the Grango and Council and 
resolve, and appoint committees on various 
matters, and that is the end of it. One live 
dog, even if it is a little diffident yellow cur, 
is better than a whole menagerie of dead 
lions. 
A Good Plan .—The Patrons in some por¬ 
tions of New York have adopted the plan of 
keeping a blackboard always in readiness at 
their meeting, ou which are entered, by the 
members, as they come in, Block and other 
property for sale and exchange, stock 
strayed or stolen, and such other information 
as they’ desire to bring before members. 
This is said to work admirably, and many 
sales and other transactions grow out of this 
mode of advertising. As meetings are usual¬ 
ly’ held in school-houses, it is easy to make 
the blackboard available, aud we advise its 
general adoption. 
Don’t Go to Laic .—Every Patron who 
calls his fellow farmer “brother,” must, 
before going to law, go to his Grange and 
there try' to settle amicably with bis brother. 
Of all the various classes of middlemen 
there is none in which there is found such a 
superabundance as in the profession of law. 
Were the principles of the Grange carried 
out by the community generally, there 
would not be found more than one lawyer 
where there are now 100. The saving to the 
people, in such an event, would be almost 
beyond computation. 
Our Objects.—It is one of the main objects 
of the Grange to bring about more of the 
courtesies and amenities of life in the social 
intercourse among the producing classes. It 
endeavors to instill a love for all that is good 
and beautiful and true in agriculture; it 
inculcates industry and frugality; shows 
them the importance of system ; instructs 
them in Improved methods of cultivation; 
increases their facilities for social intercourse, 
aud organizes them into one compact body, 
upon the principle of mutuality of interest 
and congeniality of taste.— Ex. 
All dsr. being equal as between a farmer 
and men of any other class, the Patrons of 
Husbandry, in their respective political con¬ 
ventions, will naturally choose the farmer as 
a candidate for Congress, because the farm¬ 
ing class needs a larger proportion of repre¬ 
sentatives in Congress than it now lias. But 
if a man presenting himself is not as well 
qualified as his opponent, then the question 
of what his pursuit is should not bo allowed 
to have any bearing whatever. The first 
and liighcst qualification is sterling honesty. 
This wonderful Order is spread from ocean 
to ocean, and from the Northern lakes to the 
Southern gulf. It carries wherever it goes 
an atmosphere of social refinement, some¬ 
times lacking in the rural districts, but 
which should have its superlative growth 
there, and will have as soon as the Order has 
fully accomplished its mission, and created 
a refinement not dependent on wealth and 
fashion, but. based on mental culture, the 
best social qualities, and a true and pure 
standard of excellence. 
Jn Iowa there are already twenty-nine fire 
insurance companies. Each assigned terri¬ 
tory’ usually comprises about four townships 
and the offices of President and Secretary 
are usually held by local members. The 
charge is but Oil© or two mills on the dollar 
without a failure to meet a liability so far. 
Several of them are carrying from $4^)0,000 
to $809,000 .each, and they give satisfaction 
generally. 
A Good Example. —The State Grange 
of Nebraska is putting in machinery at 
Plymouth for the manufacture of plows, 
cultivators, headers, harvesters and other 
agricultural implements. The building is a 
two story brick, 40 by 140 feet. Thirty 
heads of families are employed to com¬ 
mence with. Steam and blast power of the 
necessary quantity will be furnished. 
The Grangers of California are about or¬ 
ganizing a Grangers’ Homestead Association. 
The association will buy large tracts of land 
which can be had at from two to ten dollars 
per acre, on ten years’ time and low rates of 
interest. This land is to be distributed 
among the members of the Homestead Asso¬ 
ciation at cost. The place of business will be 
at Santa Barbara. 
Don’t want to be Governor.— T. R. Allen, 
Master of the Missouri State Grange, having 
been chosen by a paper of the State as its 
candidate for Governor recently wrote to 
the editor, firmly declining to be put in nom¬ 
ination for any office whatever, adding that 
he did not regard the position of Governor of 
a State as more honorable than the one he 
now holds. 
Retrenchment.—The Rockford, Alabama 
Grange has adopted this resolution :—That 
we will retrench our expenditures for drees 
and living aud coniine them to articles ac¬ 
tually necessary for decency’, comfort and 
good health, and will deny ourselves, as far 
as possible, the purchase of such things, both 
as to dress and living, as are superfluous. 
Our “ Representatives .’’ —Of the 336 mem¬ 
bers of Congress, 198 are lawyers, 50 business 
men, twenty’ editors and eighteen farmers. 
There are ubout 40,001) lawyers, and 2,500,000 
farmers in the United .States. Thei’e is, 
therefore, one lawyer in Congress to about 
200 of that profession, and one farmer to 
about 180,000 agriculturists. 
The. Maryland Stale Grange requests 
manufacturers and dealers in agricultural 
and farming implement* of all kinds to dis¬ 
continue the practice of demanding exorbi¬ 
tant pay for separate pieces or parts of such 
when needed for repairs. 
