THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
There are many useful things for the lawn 
and garden that may be made in the Winter; 
and among them what I propose to call sum¬ 
mer and winter tubs, as they may be used as 
ornamental objects ou the lawn or in the door- 
yard in both seasons. I intend these direc¬ 
tions for those who, for any reason whatever, 
do not find it convenient to use the expensive 
terra-cotta vase. There are very few who 
can not afford to purchase a few oak butter 
firkms, which can bo easily converted into ef¬ 
fective rustic tubs for plants of various kinds. 
These tubs can usually be bought at almost 
any country store at a merely nominal price. 
* * * 
The first thing to do is to get rid of the 
grease, which is easily done by the use of pot¬ 
ash and hot water. Next, something must be 
done to make the tub durable. The tub itself 
will last many years, but the wooden hoops 
will rot, and the tub will then tumble to pieces. 
Something, therefore must tie added to take 
the place of the wooden hoops. Irou hoops 
may r be used: but it is cheaper and about as 
good to use No. 6 or 8 galvanized wire. Bore 
a couple of gimlet holes an inch or so from 
the top, aad an inch apart. One hole should 
be a trifle lower that the other, to allow the 
ends of the wire to pass each other. Bend an 
inch of the end of the wire at a right angle; 
put the bent end into the left- hand hole, run 
the wire around the tub, and cut it off at the 
proper length, allowing for the bend at the 
eud. Pull the wires up tight, and mark the 
place for the bend. This eud of the wire, 
after being bent, is put into the right-hand 
hole, and hammered home. Even up the 
wire all aronnd the tub, and drive a few 
small uatls uuder it to keep it from slipping 
down. Put another wire near the bottom, 
and, if necessary, one in tbe middle also. It 
will not be necessary to remove the wooden 
hoops. Next bore hal f a dozen inch holes in the 
bottom, and the tub will be ready for use. 
* * * 
The tub may be painted almost any color 
but red, if wished; but I give them a rustic 
finish which I like much better than paint. I 
sometimes use bark to cover the sides, but 
small sticks of red cedar please me better, and 
are more lasting. The cedar sticks are nailed 
on vertically. For a finish 1 usually nail a 
baud of fir cones around the top aud bottom. 
The tubs, when in use, should be raised above 
the ground, on a flat stone or a rustic stand, 
or the stump of a tree; in short, wherever 
they wall look well. 
* * * 
The tubs should be filled with soil suited to 
the plants to be grown in them. For zonal 
pelargoniums, petunias, verbenas, coleus, 
lysimachia (Moneywort) aud similar plants, 
it should tie a rich garden soil. For succulent 
plants, such as sedurns, soinpervivums, por- 
tulacas, etc., a light, sandy soil, without mau- 
ure, is best. To prevent the soil from becom¬ 
ing soddened dining long and heavy rains, 
about three inches of drainage should be 
placed in the bottom of the tub. Broken 
charcoal, potsherds, or small stones will an¬ 
swer the purpose. 
* * * 
Sedurns and sempervivums are hardy', and 
may be left out all Winter; and this is why I 
call the tubs winter tubs. There are several 
of them just under the window w'here I am 
waiting. They look so cheery during the 
dreariest llays of Winter, that I should feel 
sad without them. The sedum, when fully 
established, wall droop a foot or more over the 
side of the tub, producing a charming effect 
w'hen the ground is covered with snow. The 
sedum may be cut into pieces from half to an 
inch long, aud dibbled in two or three inches 
apart all over the surface. It will soon root 
aud cover the ground. The proper sedurns 
for tubs for winter effect are S. acre and S. 
acre variegatum, the latter having a golden 
hue when making its new growth. Any of 
the hardy sempervivums are suitable, such 
as 8. hirtmu (soboliferum), S. tectoruin, 8. 
araehnoideum, 8. Califomietun, etc., the last 
named one of the most beautiful of all. The 
sempervivums may be placed from six to 
twelve inches apart, according to the number 
you have on hand. In a few years they will 
be piled on each other iu a solid mass, which 
should not be broken up. The sedurns aud 
sempervivums are very pretty when in flower, 
and are interesting at all times. 
* + * 
Lysimachia nummularia (Moneywort) is 
also hardy, but dies to the grouud during 
Winter, it is a pretty plant for a tub, how¬ 
ever, and is showy when m flower, wlule its 
long, pendent shoots form a graceful drapery 
for the tub. Short slips will grow readily. 
h nummularia aurea, with golden-yellow 
foliage, is very handsome; but not quite so 
hardy as the plain form. 
* * * 
A lady friend lately' asked me, “Why don’t 
my Oxalis lasiandra grow?” The answer I 
gave her may be useful to others. It seems 
she bought the bulbs last Fall, planted them 
immediately', aud has ever since been trying 
to get them to grow iu her little green-house. 
Oxalis lasiandra is a summer-blooming species. 
The bulbs should be kept dry during the Win¬ 
ter, and planted in the Spring, either in the 
border or iu pots. 
* * ♦ 
I have a number of times been on the point 
of saying that the Stag's Horn Fern (Platyceri- 
um aleicorne) is a very desirable plant for 
the sitting-room as well as for the green¬ 
house. It receives its specific name from 
the ieeemblauce of its fertile fronds to the 
horns of a stag, and tbe resemblance is strik¬ 
ing enough to justify the name. It may be 
grown iu a pot, on a piece of cork, ou a short 
length of log, and is very effective grown on 
the dead trunk of some of the tree ferns. 
* * * 
When growu in a pot, use a large one, and 
fill up with potsherds or moderate-sized pieces 
of charcoal, und sprinkle in some leaf mold 
as the filling up goes on. The filling should 
be carried to the rim of the pot, and then 
rounded off, the top being a couple of inches 
above the rim. On the top place a thin layer 
of sphagnum; or, if you have no sphagnum, 
use leaf mold. Then place the plant on the 
top, aud secure it there by fine copper or 
brass wire. When it becomes established it 
will hold itself in place. The only care it 
needs is an occasional spinkliug of water. If 
loaf mold should not be conveniently at hand, 
any ordinary soil may be used. 
* * * 
When grown on a cork, it should be a large 
piece, not less than 18 by r 24 inches, if you 
would have a fine specimen. Cover it with 
about an inch of sphagnum, which may be 
kept in place by copper wire and nails. Place 
the plant iu the middle aud secure it there by' 
wire. It must by syringed occasionally, and 
must receive some attention in this respect 
till it has begun to grow. After a while it 
will almost take care of itself. Put a couple 
of brass screw eyes iu the upper edge of the 
cork; through these run a wire, and y r ou can 
hang the cork up in any convenient place. 
For years I had a Stag’s Horn Fern thus 
mounted hung up in the dining-room by the 
window, where it was much admired. 
♦ * * * 
The same directions wall answer for mount¬ 
ing on a log. For the trunk of a tree fern, the 
sphagnum may' lx- dispensed with in a green¬ 
house or a conservatory; nut it is better to 
use the sphagnum iu all eases where the plant 
is intended for the sitting-room. The plants 
may be put out-of-doors in Summer in almost 
any shady place. 
There are several other species of Platyceri- 
um, some of them more desirable than P, 
aleicorne; but they are by no means common 
yet, or easy to get. 1 may mention the Elk’s 
Horn Fern (P. grande), which has very large 
and broad fronds, and is a finer plant than P. 
aleicorne. P. -dit hiopicum has still larger 
fronds, but it is very rare. I know of only 
two collections in which it is found. When I 
first saw it I suggested the common name of 
Moose Horn Fern; a name that would occur 
to most persons ou seeing it for the first time. 
P. Wallichii is now getting to lx; common, 
and is a very fine species, the infertile fronds 
being very prettily lobed. This might be 
named from the horns of the caribou, though 
it would not be so telling as the others. I 
could go on and wadte pages ubout these gro¬ 
tesque and interesting ferns, but I seem to be 
at the eud of my'string. HOHTfCoi.A. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
I can indorse all that “Horticola” has said 
in praise of Allamanda Hendersonii; butl like 
A. nerifolia far better. This grows more readi¬ 
ly to a bush shape aud w ith a little care and 
attention fine specimens can be obtained. The 
flowers, which arc of a yellow color, are much 
smaller than those of the other variety; but 
more freely produced. With me the plant is 
never out of bloom, Summer or Winter. It 
is an excellent pot plant, if properly treated 
aud cared for. It does best w'hen grown in a 
rich, turfy loam, and after it has attained the 
desired size, if it is uot desirable to repot it, 
water it copiously with liquid manure water 
two or three times u week. Indeed both 
young aud old plants are benefited by the ap¬ 
plication. Not only are the flowers much 
larger, but they arc more freely produced. 
The Ruellia maerauthu is another good old 
plant that is again deservedly attracting con¬ 
siderable attention. It flowers in the greatest 
profusion during December and January. 
The flowers, which are of u bright rose color 
with lilac trimmings, are borne in pairs from 
the axils of the leaves. It does well when 
given a light, sunny situation and an aver¬ 
age temperature of 55 degrees. Propagation 
is effected by cuttings, and if young plants are 
obtained early in the Spring and growm on in 
a deep, w'ell enriched border during the Sum¬ 
mer, good flowering specimens will be readily 
obtained. _ 
The Asparagus Vine—Asparagus tenuissimus 
—is a very valuable aud interesting climbing 
vine for the window garden, or conservatory, 
as a little neglect or ill-treatment will cause 
it no serious injury. Its fine, dark-green, 
filmy foliage far surpasses in beauty any fern, 
and, besides, it is of more rapid growth, and 
far more easily raised. The foliage stands 
without wilting for a long time after it is cut, 
and this is a great point in its favor. It is 
easily cultivated and will soon become a gen¬ 
eral favorite. 
The Spotted Calla—Richardia alba maculata 
—is very beautiful for cultivation in the 
mixed border during the Su miner. The leaves, 
which are precisely like those of our well- 
known calla iu shape and color, are beauti¬ 
fully spotted with white, but the flowers are 
much smaller. They are pure white with a 
black center. It can be grown in any soil 
and can be treated precisely as a Gladiolus, 
that is, planted out in May, and taken up iu 
Fall and stored in sand in a dry, frost-proof 
cellar, or in any situation where over 45 de¬ 
grees can be maintained, chas. e. i>aknell. 
Queens, L. I. 
IMITATION DAIRY PRODUCTS. 
PROFESSOR O. E. MORROW. 
Late change of sentiment with regard to 
bogus dairy products; conflicting asser¬ 
tions; at the Chicago dairy show the Illi¬ 
nois State Board of Agriculture helped the 
makers to pvjf their goods , and will do so 
again; need of moderation; disregard of 
the interests of dairymen; bogus dairy 
products to be classed with other substi¬ 
tutes and adulterations. 
The manufacture and sale of imitation but¬ 
ter products—butterine, oleomargarine, etc.— 
are undoubtedly increasing in this country. 
Doubtless there has lieun much exaggeration 
in statements concerning the extent of the 
manufacture aud use, but there can be uo 
doubt of the fact that very largo quantities 
are made and eaten. 
Within a year or two there has been a 
marked change of sentiment concerning these 
products. There is a clearer apprehension by 
dairymen of the injury to their business, and 
a more general recognition by the public that 
large quantities are 1 icing used. But compar¬ 
atively a small uuniber now believe it practi¬ 
cable to secure prohibition of their manufac¬ 
ture by legal enactments. Probably a still 
smaller number favor attempts to secure this 
in good degree by indirect means—as impos¬ 
ing a tax so great as to make it impossible to 
manufacture and sell the imitations at the 
prices at which butter can be profitably sold. 
Probably the large majority of dairymen' 
now believe that the most that, can lie done 
by legislation is to attempt to compel the sale 
of all imitations or substitutes for butter un¬ 
der properly descriptive names. It seems 
clearly true that the mass of the intelligent 
public believe this should be done, and do not 
believe that more than this ought to be at¬ 
tempted. 
Recently there has been a marked increase 
of statements concerning the claimed terribly 
filthy unwholesome or positively daugorous 
nature of these products. There has also been 
an equally marked increase of statements of 
an exactly contrary nature, and the evidence 
is strong that there are now many more persons 
who believe that butterine, oleomargarine, 
etc., may be aud often are so manufactured 
as to be entirely unobjectionable. It certain¬ 
ly is true that the evidence from scientists is 
overwhelmingly on this side. 
The whole question is being much more gen¬ 
erally discussed than at any former time. 
Dairymen and dealers in dairy products are 
more interested and mote active than before. 
There is, however, much lack of agreement 
as to tho most, effective line of argument, or 
concerning the best mode of preventing the 
fraudulent sale. 
The above statement* fairly present the 
chief features of the present situation, as I 
understand tho case. The history of t he con¬ 
nection of the Illinois State Board of Agri¬ 
culture with the exhibition of these products 
seems to me a good illustration of tho correct¬ 
ness of my view of the general situation. This 
Board is composed of gentlemen above the 
average iu intelligence anil enterprise; most 
of them I personally know to bo reputable 
men and honestly interested in the advance¬ 
ment of agriculture. At the last Fat Stock 
and Dairy Show the admission of oleomar¬ 
garine and butterine to the Dairy Department 
was denied: but then - admission to a separate 
room was somewhat reluctantly granted. 
This action brought much very severe criti¬ 
cism from dairymen and dealers. The subject 
was prominently discussed in the press with 
the uet result of largely increasing the num¬ 
ber of visitors to the exhibit of these products, 
and of securing a visit by a part of the Board 
aud a number of influential men to a leading 
manufactory of these imitations, and of con¬ 
vincing a good percentage of the visitors to 
both exhibit and factory that much of what 
was said against t he productions was untrue 
and that all any one had a right to ask was 
that they be sold without, fraud and deception. 
At a recent meeting of the Board it was de¬ 
cided, after full discussion, to admit these 
products to the next Fat Stock and Dairy 
Show under condition of being accompanied 
-by sworn statements as to composition. 
It seems to me evident that the wiser course 
now for all friends of the dairy is to drop all 
extravagance of statement and intemperate 
abuse of either men or their products; to aban¬ 
don all hopeless, doubtfu 1 or extreme measures 
for relief; to make comparatively little in 
arguments for the general public or for legis¬ 
lative bodies, of tbe fact that tho competition 
is pressing heavily' on dairymen; to do all that 
is possible to relieve the dairy interest of any 
suspicion of aiding any approach to fraud; 
and then to unite with all citizens interested 
in honesty aud justice and opposed to fraud 
and adulteration, in an effort to secure such 
legislation, National and State, os shall com¬ 
pel the sale of the te and all other articles de¬ 
signed for food under their proper names and 
descriptions. I can see no good which can 
come from rehearsing the processes or com- 
jxumds which have been prepared or patented 
for making these products, or of repeating the 
charges of horrible filthiness of manufacture, 
or of the danger to health from the use of these 
products—if it be designed to make people be¬ 
lieve these things are true of most of the pro¬ 
ducts now manufactured. All these stories can 
be told of genuine dairy products. Methods 
of making or preserving butter aud cheese 
have been proposed or patented which would 
mako them injurious to health. Countless 
articles and addresses have been filled with 
ridicule or denunciation of the filthy habits 
of some who make dairy products. Men have 
been poisoned by cheese. No reasonable man 
thinks these things sufficient reason for de¬ 
nouncing blitter and cheese as unlit for use. 
One effect produced, to some extent, is to 
cause a lessened use of butter. Another is to 
cause investigation of the question aud some¬ 
times a higher opinion of the articles com¬ 
plained of. It is not entirely consistent to 
extol t he care and cleanliness with which beef 
and pork are handled by some of the great 
slaughtering establishments; to indignantly 
resent any insinuations that our meats are not 
of the highest class, aud then to denounce the 
methods at the same establishments as horribly 
filthy. Iu conversation with intelligent men, 
not interested except as consumers, I find the 
opinion generally' expressed that, so far as 
cleanliness und care in manufacture are con¬ 
cerned, they will place the imitation on a par 
with the genuiue when they wish to buy iu 
the open market.. 
I doubt if the question whether the interests 
of dairymen are being injured will have any 
appreciable effect on the opinions of the gen¬ 
eral public or on tho final action of legisla¬ 
tures. If there should seem to be any room 
to suspect that any line of action was de¬ 
manded chiefly' for the benefit of the dairy¬ 
men, the effect, so far as there was any, might 
be unfavorable. 
There can be no doubt as to the justice and 
reasonableness of the claim that the aid of the 
law should be had in preventiug the sale of 
these products for what they are not, and in 
compelling them to stand or fall on their own 
merits or demerits. I believe this can be more 
efficiently done by legislation looking to the 
prevention or punishment of adulteration, 
frauds and deceit in the sale of food pro¬ 
ducts in general, rather than by specific 
enactment and machinery for their enforce¬ 
ment aimed at these products alone. 
University, Champaign, Ills. 
21)c pcmlivu IJarO. 
PROFITS FROM POULTRY IN WINTER. 
A LARUE majority of those farmers who 
keep small flocks of, say, from JO to 00 fowls, 
fail to receive anything from them during the 
Winter, in return for the cost of keeping, 
so that the eggs obtained in Spring and Sum¬ 
mer must pay the exjienae of wintering the 
flock. Now, as one dozen fresh eggs in Win¬ 
ter are, on an average, worth two in Sum¬ 
mer, und some young fowls will lay equally 
well during the warm weather alter having 
been persuaded into laying during the Win- 
