MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Figs. 4164 illustrate infant’s wrapper— 
which is very uuique and pretty, mado of 
flannel, French calico, nansook or cambric. 
Three yards of goods. Price of pattern, 20 
cents. Figures 1 and 2 showing the inside 
and outside of a felt hat, trimmed with an 
ostrich plume, loops of velvet and a bird 
lin or lace continue to be generally worn ; 
for town people who find their laundry bills 
expensive, they are cheaper than liueu. A 
dozen crimped frills may be had in almost 
any New York shop for 26 cents, while very 
pretty frills with or without an edge of lace 
costs hut 10 cents a yard. Stockings aro all 
colored, striped or in blocks of color. Those 
in perpendicular stripes give a slender leg the 
best appearance, exaggerating the size of the 
calf. For the neck there are new scarfs in 
net, gaily embroidered with silken floss in 
colors. They are rather expensivo at $1.50 
eac h. . Mintwood. 
Note.— Patterns furnished at this Office for 
all fashion Illustrations given. Ladies sending 
for patterns will please send bust and waist 
measure, for upper garments ; for full costume 
add the length of the skirt in front. These pre¬ 
cautions are necessary in order to insure pat¬ 
terns of the proper size. 
FASHION FEUILLETON 
/\t a recent visit to the works of the 
National Tube Works Cowpany at McKees¬ 
port, Pa., we witnessed the operation of 
making lap-weJded tubes of such a size and 
quality aa to call for notice. The Company 
makes those seamless tubes or pipes of any 
size up to fourteen inches diameter. And as 
every length is tested by hydraulic pressure 
before leaving the works, their strength and 
quality|is fully guarntced. They have been 
found admirably adapted to carrying water 
for the hydraulic mines of California. 
Nevada and other Western States, and for 
waterworks which do not require larger 
mains than 14 inches. The Company lias 
just completed an order for the Virginia 
City and Gold Hill Water Company of 
Nevada, of seven miles of 10 inch pipe, the 
most extensive order for a large size that 
we believe, has ever been given in this 
country. These seamless pipes, even with¬ 
out coating, are more durable, and are also 
less expensivo than the riveted pipes, hub the 
Company applies a patent enamel to them 
that, it is claimed, makes them also inde¬ 
structible, and indeed, the Company is will¬ 
ing to guarantee their durability for any 
length of time. The appended reports by 
Dr. S. Dana Hayes, Massachusetts Stato 
Assayerand Chemist, and Prof. Otto Wuth 
of Pittsburg, Pa., fully establish tho claims 
of the pipe to durability. We commend it 
nob only to our gr*s and water companies, 
but also to our mine owners and others who 
have to use or convey Impure water, such for 
example, as in many antharcite miues. 
These large pipes would make excellent 
screen shafts for our coni breakers, and the 
enamel would doubtless bo of great advan¬ 
tage for coating the exposed iron works 
about tho mines. 
In bringing the matter to the consideration 
of “those, whom it may concern,” we believe 
we are doing consumers as well as manufac¬ 
tures a service. 
REPORTS. 
“ 1 hn.ro recently made a series of tests of 
your enameled pipe, for tho purpose of as¬ 
certaining its value as a service pipe for con¬ 
veying water and other fluids, and now sub¬ 
mit the following brief report of the results 
obtained: 
“ Portions of the enamel covering itself 
were first removed from several pieces aud 
submitted to •heraical analysis, to determine 
Among the most expensive fabrics for 
dresses are heavy brocaded silks, “such as 
our grandmothers wore” — silken back¬ 
ground, upon which are thrown brocades 
in velvet, used more especially for polonaises, 
with petticoats of alternate stripes of silk 
and volvet. These royal fabrics cost from 
$6 to $16 per yard. Goods of similar appear¬ 
ance and design arc woven of wool, brocaded 
over with silken designs. These cost from 
$1.50 to $3 per yard, according- to quality, 
and will be the article most generally worn. 
The costumes will consist of petticoat and 
sleeves of plain silk, cashmere, serge or me¬ 
rino, with polonaise of brocade, the ground¬ 
work of the latter deciding the shade of 
material to be chosen for the petticoats. 
The brocade is usually in two or three shades 
darker or lighter than the background on 
which it is placed, and almost uniformly of 
one color. The adoption of these styles, of 
course, precludes much trimming. 
Never before, perhaps, have woolen fab¬ 
rics been 
PICKING APPLES, 
The theory is, that the best time to pick, is 
when the fruit is in the best condition to 
keep, as caused or fixed by the laws of its 
growth, or when it has completed its growth 
and perfected its seed. It is readily seen that 
the quality of the apple is the best at that, 
time, and consequently from those two con¬ 
siderations alone it will bo seen how import¬ 
ant it is to know when this condition in the 
life of the apple has fully come. And here 
we come face to face with the most import¬ 
ant question on the subject, and at the Home 
time the most difficult to determine. We 
frankly confess that we aro unable to fix a 
single calendar day for a single variety of 
apples grown in our Stato on which we 
should pick it. 
There are some varieties which cannot be 
picked at all for keeping purposes, as they 
ripen along through several weeks, aa the 
Fall Stripe ; and some varieties are so tender 
and frail in their structure that they will 
not keep, by any amount of care, more than 
a month or two, unless put in an ice house, 
or some similar condition ; among which we 
may name the Early Harvest aud Golden 
Sweet. Then, again, the same variety in 
different locations will be a fall or a winter 
apple ; and in the same locality, in different 
seasons, it may bo a fall or winter apple in 
its keeping characteristics. Wo find as a 
general rule that dry, hot seasons hasten tho 
ripening of oil vegetation and fruits, and a 
wet,'cool season retards them, and lengthens 
the season in which they arrive at maturity ; 
and further than that also, the general 
cbaraeteri-<«7»cs of the fruit, such as color, 
size and flavor, are extensively modified by 
the prevailing character of the season, the 
climate, and the soil in which the tree grows. 
It will be seen from the foregoing con¬ 
siderations that the less the number of varie¬ 
ties which a man grows, the sooner can he 
master this problem for himself, in his 
locality, and the sooner will ho get the 
largest return for the labor and capital 
invested ; and. gentlemen of this convention, 
this is the goal we are all seeking to reach. 
Wo feel no compunctious of conscience 
because we leave this matter unsolved, or 
fail to designate a day In which to pick the 
Golden Russet or the Famcnse ; wo had no 
intention of taking troubles, difficulties or 
obstacles out of your path, but rather to in¬ 
cite you to their removal by the incentive of 
large gains both to your heads and pockets. 
Some have thought that red apples as a 
general rule, were the best keepers, and 
some have thought that the greasy character 
pertaining to tho skin of some apples in¬ 
creased their keeping qualities, and still 
others think a thick skin is desirable, but as 
“ all signs fail in dry weather,” so all out¬ 
ward appearances of the apple are but skin 
deep, very ranch like beauty, and are not 
much to be relied on as indicating interior 
qualities. 
Take none but perfect specimens. If you 
have time to pick all your crop, make two 
grades, or even three, but never, on any 
consideration, put imperfect or small fruit, 
with larger or better, as it reduces the whole 
package to the grade of the poorest in it. 
The strength of a chain is not that of the 
stoutest, but of the weakest link, and so the 
worst specimens in a package will drag all 
the rest down to their level, and you with it 
in the final reckoning. They must not be 
bruised, consequently they must not be 
with spread wings, may guide the girls at 
home in trimming their own hats. The 
shape of the hat is round, and if the edge be 
unbound, so rnuoh the better; the brim is 
turned up at. the front and held in place by 
tho bird, a bow of velvet and bandeau of the 
same graduating to zero at the back, from 
the face trimming ; the crown is lined with 
soft silk with a shirr string at the inner edge. 
Instead of long ostrich plumes, the fancy for 
the winter is to surround the crown of cha¬ 
peaux (French word for hats,) with short 
so fashionable as dress goods. 
For street wear, costumes male entirely of 
silk are rarely to bo seen, while very elegant 
costumes are made entirely of cashmere, 
which, in floe and beautiful quality and of 
double width, costs but $1 per yard. Various 
sorts of plaid goods, hi flannel, serge, camels’ 
hair, etc., are extensively made up with silk 
or plain goods in wool, or only with itself. 
Plaids formed of blocks of dark bluo and 
black, of two shades of brown, gray or 
prune are extremely fashionable. The price 
of these goods, a yard in width, varies from 
65 cents to $1. 
A novelty in tho fashion of making up 
plaid goods is in cutting tho overskirt and 
corsago on the bias. "Care should be taken 
to have the bias true aud the angles of the 
square match, or the effect will be bad. 
In cutting and fitting the corsage (waist of 
dress) have especial care that all the lines 
form curves and none form angles. The 
artistic appearance of basques is often de¬ 
stroyed by I he belt line being so {tight that 
the seam under the arm, unnaturally taper¬ 
ing to the liips, suddenly bnlges out over the 
hips, instead of forming a graceful curve, as 
it ought and would if allowed to follow the 
outline of the figure. Another mistake is in 
running the dart seams too high. The full¬ 
ness of the bust should be allowed it3 natural 
position. Padding, if used at all, should bo 
used sparingly, as a dress stuffed out to inor¬ 
dinate fullness is vulgar, and a modest young 
girl would hardly wish to affect t he ample 
fullness of a matron. All dresses of two or 
more shades have five scams in the back, the 
middle and side seams, and one each side the 
middle, beginning half way down the shoul¬ 
der seam and sloping toward the bottom of 
the middle seam, forming a letter V. The 
corsago of young girls and misses is fastened 
at the back with buttons, in making a cor¬ 
sage, do not forget to place a stout belt in 
the inside at the bottom, fastened to the 
back and side seams only, and which should 
be worked together in front before the waist 
is buttoned. Such a bolt holds the waist 
down evenly, and is much to be preferred to 
the two pieces of drilling commonly sewed 
to the first dart seams in front, and furnished 
with hooks and e}’es. A button sewed to the 
back center seam, to which the tunic or pet¬ 
ticoat may be fastened, serves the excellent 
purpose of support and keeping the lower 
draperies in place. 
To thoroughly enjoy the present close style 
of drapery, large pockets must be placed 
upon tho outside of the overskirt,. They 
may be made flat and square or shirred ; 
only let them be ample in size, and they will 
bo found most Convenient. 
Figs. 1166 illustrate a fashionable garment 
for either a girl or a boy from two to six 
years of age. Tho material used may be of 
woolen or any washable goods. The junc¬ 
ture of tho kilted flounce with the long waist, 
is concealed by a silken-faced sash—it might 
be made of other material—tied at the back 
in a bow ; tho same material as the sash 
forms a ruffle at the neck ; corded bands of 
the goods are put on at the neck to simulate 
a sailor collar ; wider ones finish the ends of 
the sleeves. From three to four yards are 
required according to size of child. Price of 
pattern, 2U cents. 
plumes, the ends sticking up or out, as the 
taste may be, and not infrequently from 8 to 
12 small feathers are so employed on one 
hat, others are bordered all around with the 
tails and wings of humming birds—a sight 
to make 'one’s heart acho because of the 
cruelty, avarice and vanity of human beings. 
Ostrich plumes are high in price ; a really 
fine one costing no less than $10, and fre¬ 
quently more —the “made ones”—those 
formed of several put together are very 
much cheaper, bub of course not so desirable 
action of bard, soft and sea waters, alcohol, 
and other fluids for many days, and finally 
those fluids were boiled in the pipe for 
several hours in each case—the object of this 
boiling being to obtain, as nearly as possible 
in a comparatively short time, the effect pro¬ 
duced in the pipe by long-continued usage. 
These testa have been very complete, anti I 
am quite surprised at the durability and 
power of resistance of the enamel covering 
determined in this way. It has not failed in 
any trial with natural waters in my labora¬ 
tory, and it has withstood the action of boil¬ 
ing corrosive fluids for a longer time than 
specimens of other water pipes now in com¬ 
mon use. 
“ I commenced tins investigation with 
some doubts about your enameled pipe, but 
the severe tests which I have employed prove 
that it is perfectly harmless and possesses 
great durability, these being the properties 
of most importance in water pipes. 
K I 'ana IIayes. 
State Aa3ayer and Chemist, Massachusetts.” 
“ 1 have made a complete series of tests in 
order to ascertain the quality of your patent 
enameled pipe; the inside and outside ot the 
wrought Iron pipe is not iu the least affected 
by the action of alkalies, acids, salts of any 
composition, alcohol—in fact, any liquids 
which in practice ore apt to be conveyed 
through the pipe. The enamel itself contains 
no deleterious substance whatever, and even 
if it did it would not make any difference, as 
not a trace of it will become soluble. Pipe 
so enameled is specially adapted for wafer 
and gas. G. Wuth. 
Specimens of tho pipe can be seen, and all 
information obtained at the Company’s 
offices, 8 Pemberton Square, Boston, and 78 
William St. New York. 
Fra, 1. 
a,s those of a aiugle quill. The fashionable 
perch for a bonnet is quite on the back of 
the head, tho lower edge of the brim almost 
touching the shoulder. Of courso it is ab¬ 
surd, leaving the top of the head, tho fore¬ 
head and eyes unprotected. But, happfiy, 
there are a hundred styles and shapes of 
head-gear, so that one may wear her hat 
UI LUUOLtJUUHWJ 1UO Y LXiU-riU UVU I 
dropped or thrown, but laid down carefully 
in tjjie vessel they are to remain in, or in 
which they are gathered. The hand is the 
best implement ever invented with which to 
pick apples, and consequently all parts of 
the tree must be accessible to the picker ; the 
exterior by means of a step-ladder or ether 
means of getting up In the world, and the 
interior, by sufficient pruning during the 
growth of the tree. 
It is quite essential that a dry day should 
be selected for picking, and that there be no 
moisture or wet on the fruit when gathered, 
and finally no leaves or other foreign matter 
should be allowed iu the package with the 
fruit.— K. II. Benton^ before Wisconsin 
Agricultural Society. 
Fra. 2. 
over her nose if she pleases, and not be out 
of the fashion. Cardinal red is much used on 
huts, and some ultra-fashionables wear belts 
with long ends, two inches wide, of cardinal 
ribbon ; for neck and sleeves, frills of mus> 
In the Normal School building, Plymouth 
N. H., an electrical clock has been placed 
It has wires running through the building 
attached to a bell in each room, which are 
struck eaeh hour, oroftener, by electricity. 
