122 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
FEB 22 
B)t C>o vltcn. 
LIVE NOTES. 
(Continued from, Page 11G.) 
The Seed Catalogues. —Have a good 
look at them and examine them critically, 
for they are worth it. Of course, they are 
bewildering in their multiplicity of varie¬ 
ties, but seedsmen are compelled to make 
them so, for the public demand a large 
assortment of seeds to select from, just as 
they do of dishes in a crockery store or of 
fabrics in a dry-goods store. Among such 
an array of sorts, what is one to select any 
way ? Consult your own personal experi¬ 
ence, and, if you have not before now grown 
any vegetables, find out among your 
neighbors what varieties grow best in your 
vicinity. Kemember there is a vast differ¬ 
ence in soils, situations and cultural con¬ 
ditions in different places, and some sorts 
of vegetables that do well in one place are 
poor enough in another. 
Are any of the new things worth 
GROWING ? Yes, lots of them. Old things, 
in some cases, deteriorate or “run out,” as 
we say. Musk-melons are a case in point, 
and every farmer knows how it is with po¬ 
tatoes and strawberries; and we have to 
get up new sorts to replace the old. Of 
course, many of the new things thrown 
upon the market fail, but, after a few years’ 
trial, the public will very positively decide 
between the good and the bad, and no sane 
seedsman will try to push a variety that 
has been generally rejected. Let us take 
peas, again, for instance: A year or two 
ago a new variety appeared under the name 
of Blue Beauty, and, of course, I tried a 
pint of it. Results, excellent. Last year I 
grew a large lot of it, and was so satisfied 
with it that I have this season ordered 
twice as much seed of it as of any other 
variety whatever. It is a low-growing, 
blue, early pea, very prolific, bearing well 
till mid-summer, and again in the fall it 
bore good crops and filled them up well. 
Another instance is the Sandwich Island 
Salsify. The first year I grew it I was dis¬ 
satisfied with it, but since then I find that 
it acts differently, and that it is larger by 
far than the common salsify, and its roots 
are straighter and less inclined to branch. 
Plan for your vegetable patch now 
while you have some leisure, and enter the 
plans in your note-book, and then when 
the season of gardening and planting ar¬ 
rives, you will not be worried about the ar¬ 
ranging and timing of your crops. You 
can grow Lima beans year after year on the 
same ground, and so, too, you can onions 
till the maggot strikes them, then you must 
move them. I have run peas iD early sum¬ 
mer and celery in late summer, inter-crop¬ 
ped with lettuces and spinach on one patch 
for six consecutive years, and they were as 
good last year as ever before. Do not, if 
you can avoid it, plant cabbage, cauliflower 
or Brussels-sprouts on land occupied by any 
of these last year; and as hog-pen manure 
seems to entice maggot vermin, I dislike to 
use it for cabbage or cauliflower. Snap 
beans will grow almost anywhere and after 
themselves or any other crop, and, if one 
manures the ground well, so, also, will 
sweet corn. I never think of allotting a 
separate piece of ground for radishes, let¬ 
tuces or spinach. I just sow or plant them 
here and there between the other growing 
crops; we need so little of them at any one 
time. Of chives and parsley, make a little 
edging to some border or sow the parsley, 
also some pot herbs, in rows in a small bed 
in a corner by themselves. 
jhuHtsfl Surictifs. 
WESTERN NEW YORK HORTI¬ 
CULTURAL SOCIETY. 
(RURAL SPECIAL REPORT.) 
(Continued from Last Week.) 
Mr. Barry urged the members of the 
society to give particular attention to the 
suggestions in this paper, and Prof. Bailey 
spoke very enthusiastically of it and of the 
work which Mr. McMillan has been carry¬ 
ing on. The Professor said the paper was 
a look way ahead; it looked into the heart of 
Nature. Carpet bedding is in no sense 
landscape gardening and people are be¬ 
ginning to realize this. There is a change 
for the better coming slowly but surely., 
Mr. Hunn of the Geneva Experiment Sta¬ 
tion read a paper on “The Newer Straw¬ 
berries as Tested at the Experiment Sta¬ 
tion.” The horticultural department of the 
station has been enlarged and special atten¬ 
tion is being paid to the testing of the 
newer varieties of fruits. Of the newer 
strawberries for the garden he recommends 
Bomba (early), Ivanhoe (medium) and 
Farnsworh and Middlefield for late. He 
also read a paper by Dr. Collier, of the 
Geneva Station, on the “Benefit to Horti¬ 
culture of the Experiment Stations.” 
Prof. L. H. Bailey’s paper on “The 
Winter End of Horticulture” was one of 
great value and interest, especially to 
gardeners either on a small or a large scale. 
He said there should be no end to horti¬ 
cultural operations ; winter should mean 
only a change of operations. The labor of 
the year should run in a circle. Winter 
gardening supplies the unprofitable link 
of winter idleness. Great progress has 
been made in the forcing of plants 
mainly in two ways—the improved methods 
of the construction of glass houses and in 
the study of the demands of the different 
plants. Sun heat is better than artificial 
heat and so we should place our plants near 
the glass w T here they can get more light. 
Forcing houses should be long, narrow and 
low. The most difficult crops are the most 
profitable. For heating there is not much 
difference between steam and the new 
system of hot-water heating with small 
pipes. The new method of hot-water heat¬ 
ing is probably, better for small houses ; 
but the ideal system of heating is a combi¬ 
nation of both steam and hot water. Near¬ 
ly all of the new systems are interchange¬ 
able, or can be made so very easily. Six 
essentials to successful forcing of plants are 
the following: 1, Bottom heat; 2, abun¬ 
dance of light; 3, proximity of the plants 
to the glass ; 4, fresh air ; ventilate to give 
air not simply to cool the house ; 5, humid¬ 
ity of atmosphere 6, adaptation of meth¬ 
ods to a change of habits of the plants. 
Dr. Caldwell, of Cornell, read a paper on 
“ Chemistry.” In looking over the current 
literature the Doctor was greatly surprised 
at the little attention paid to chemistry in 
relation to horticulture. Among the subjects 
which he spoke on were sulphur-dried fruit 
and chemical fertilizers. In an analysis at 
the Pennsylvania Experiment Station, it 
has been found that apple pomace com¬ 
pares very favorably, except in albuminoids, 
with corn-meal in nourishing value. It has 
been found by Dr. Mueller that the sugar of 
the grape is produced in the leaf and that 
towards the end of summer the younger 
leaves produce the sugar an 1 older ones fall 
off in activity. Wagner recommends nit¬ 
rate of soda rather than sulphate of am¬ 
monia for grapes for it goes deeper into the 
soil, is more easily assimilated and never 
injures the crop as the sulphate will if 
too strong. 
A paper on the “ Evaporation of Fruits” 
was read by Mr. M. Doyle, who has had 
great experience in this line. Owing to the 
poor apple ciop in New York the past year, 
most of the apples used for evaporating have 
come from Michigan. Mr. Doyle spoke at 
length of the requirements which the Ger¬ 
mans made in regard to evaporated fruits. 
He said that by analyses, in 10,000 parts of 
fruit only three parts of zinc had been 
found, and this could cause no damage 
whatever to health, but as the Germans re¬ 
quired that there should be none, we must 
use some other material in drying in order 
to get their trade. Wood is too inflam¬ 
mable and probably some kind of heavy net¬ 
ting will be used. 
Prof. J. H. Comstock, of Cornell, read a 
very interesting paper on “The Clematis 
Disease.” This disease which attacks a 
great variety of plants, is caused by animals 
called nematodes which are lower than 
insects. The fungus which Prof. Arthur 
supposed was the cause of the disease is not, 
but simply accompanies the disease. No 
remedy has as yet been discovered but we 
may have to plant “ catch” plants. In hot¬ 
houses we should change the soil and wash 
the benches. 
Among the questions discussed were— 
which is the more profitable the dwarf or 
the standard pear ? The balance of the 
opinions seemed to be in favor of the dwarfs 
for profit. Prof. Bailey said it depended on 
the men—the dwarfs require more care than 
the standards. Mr. Barry said the dwarfs 
were not short-lived if properly taken care 
of. He was greatly in favor of the Anjou. 
For the pear scab Prof. Bailey recommended 
one-half ounce of hyposulphite of soda to 
10 gallons of water as a spray. In answer 
to the question what plum trees should be 
planted in an orchard of 1,000 trees, Mr. 
Willard said one should plant a variety so 
that if one kind fail the owner will hay© 
something to rely on. Among the new 
fruits of the year were mentioned the “ Bar- 
Seckel Pear, a cross between the Bartlett 
and Seckel; Moore’s Ruby Currant, and 
the Vermont Beauty Pear. For the best 
acid cherries to grow in this locality, the 
Montmorency and the English Morello were 
recommended. The Worden Grape will 
not be likely to supersede the Concord 
though it is earlier; for it is not quite such 
a good shipper. The Fay’s Prolific Currant 
while a good shipper and grower, had not 
come up to expectations in size. 
The following officers were elected for the 
ensuing year—Pres., Patrick Barry of Roch¬ 
ester ; Vice Pres., S. D. Willard, Geneva; 
W. C. Barry, Rochester; W. B. Smith, 
Syracuse; J. S. Woodward, Lockport; 
Secretary and Treasurer, John Hall, Roch¬ 
ester. h. N. R. 
Woman s Work. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
CHAT BY THE WAY. 
S OME of the new ways of trimming bay- 
windows are very pretty, and a pleas¬ 
ing relief from the old-fashioned formal 
lace curtains. Thin silk curtains are hung 
at the window, and looped back, but they 
do not hang right to the floor, only coming 
about a foot below the window frame. 
Across the top of the bay a transom is fixed, 
about a foot deep ; this is filled either with 
a wooden lattice or with colored glass. 
Moorish or Japanese fretwork is sold by 
the foot for transoms and screens, but the 
colored glass, which is extremely artistic, 
can be arranged at a small cost by an in¬ 
genious woman. The Art Interchange re¬ 
cently gave thorough directions for this 
work. 
The required frame must first be made 
to fit the space; its width should be di¬ 
vided into about four spaces, according to 
size. These should be glazed with ordin¬ 
ary window glass. The frame must be 
strong, as the glass will be heavy. 
First gather together all the pieces of 
colored glass you can collect; it does not 
matter what the size, shape or color may 
be; they are as variable as the pieces of a 
crazy-quilt, only the thick glass is richer 
than thin when the light is filtering 
through. Also get a lot of old wine bottles, 
and break the bottoms off as evenly as pos¬ 
sible. These look like the “ bulls eyes” In 
glass-work. Have plenty of putty, and 
begin by putting the bottom of a bottle on 
a pane of glass near the corner. Roll out 
a piece of putty until it is long and thin ; 
place it around the edge of the bottle, pres¬ 
sing it to that and to the glass beneath, so 
that they are fastened together. Around 
this group [other bits of glass, pressing 
their edges ^into the putty. When your 
glass is of such shape as to prevent it being 
fastened by the first putty, add more, but 
try to keep your lines as narrow and even 
as possible without the risk of the glass 
falling out. Continue this until the panes 
are filled, arranging the pieces as harmoni¬ 
ously as possible. It does not matter if 
rough edges are left, as the glass being 
hung high, no one is likely to be hurt by 
it. The putty must be allowed to dry 
thoroughly before the glass is hung up. 
In hanging, the stained glass side must bo 
in, the plain glass towards the window. 
The putty may bo gilded, which looks very 
rich, or painted black to imitate leading. 
The frame may be stained to resemble the 
wood-work of the room. About two inches 
below the glass, a brass rod is fixed from 
which curtains are hung. 
The light shows so prettily through the 
stained glass, and it gives a handsome fin¬ 
ish to the room. A bay window, arranged 
like this, makes a cosy nook when a low 
seat is run around it, a sort of divan, fit¬ 
ting into the shape of the window. It 
should have a mattress cushion on top, 
edged with a frill, and a valance falling to 
the ground. The covering might be of an 
artistic chintz. Such a seat, when made in 
the form of a locker, is a good place for the 
storage of loose books and pamphlets, 
which are apt to accumulate very untidily 
in a living room. 
* * 
Some very pretty tea-cloths seen recently 
were of ecru momie cloth, with a fringe 
headed by a drawn-work border. In each 
corner was a handsome floral design, to be 
worked with wash silk in Kensington and 
button-hole stitch. Another dainty tea- 
cloth, involving a greater amount of work, 
is of white butcher’s liueu, with a hem¬ 
stitched border. It is decorated with an 
all-over design of separate flowers, looking 
as if carelessly dropped here and there. 
The embroidery may be either in white or 
colored silk; either white above or white 
and pale gold will give a charming effect. 
Some pretty breakfast cloths, described by 
an English authority, are of ecru linen, 
embroidered in imitation of Russian work. 
The decoration consists of a geometrical 
design worked in fine cross-stitch with red 
and blue cotton ; the effect is very quaint 
and pretty. 
WINTER MORNINGS. 
OLIVE E. DANA. 
I S it because we look at it then with 
rested eyes, that the world looks 
brighter and lovelier in the morning than 
at any other time ? Is it sleep’s anointing 
that makes our visions more observant of 
the beauty of earth and sky ? He sees the 
world at its best who looks out on it just 
after “sun-up,” as the quaint country 
perlance has it, and the sight of the sunrise 
is a thing not lightly to be foregone. 
Long before the first stray sunbeams 
brighten the hills, the sky is warm with 
vivid color. All along the eastern heavens 
from north to south, the brilliant belt is 
stretching, a zone of crimson, orange or 
rose, while the west perhaps, is a bank of 
dullest blue-gray cloud; it may be the 
heavy masses that betoken a storm, or the 
breaking lines that often foretell a sweeping 
wind. At another time, the heavens are 
cloudless, and the rose tints of dawn are 
the only color that stains the tender azure, 
while the wintry world beneath, seems, in 
its unsullied whiteness, hardly less pure 
and calm. We, in Maine, have had snow 
(to stay) only a few weeks yet. We went 
to do our Christmas shopping over a road 
where the wheels ran as smoothly as in 
early fall, with sky and sunshine as bright 
and almost as mellow as of an October 
afternoon. New Year’s Day found the 
ground scantily whitened, and till very 
lately the small bushes, and low, wayside 
and pasture growths have had a shivering, 
naked look, as if they were begging to be 
taken in out of the cold, or better, wrapped 
up in Mother Nature’s fleecy blankets. 
But the snow has gotten out her coverlets 
now, as firm as many Ice-storms can make 
them. However the upper layers may 
drift and sweep, the lower ones are secure¬ 
ly fastened down, doubtless for the rest of 
the season. 
Very lovely it has been of late to see the 
sunlight reflected not only from ice-clad 
shrubs and glittering trees, but from the 
shining fields on either side the Kennebec 
as well. One forgets to watch as usual the 
light on the distant bights, it finds such 
rare reflection close at hand. But, glanc¬ 
ing from the western window, one sees a 
band of sunlight stretching along the hills 
and slowly bordering, down the sloping 
banks till it reaches the river’s edge. 
The few luminous points that catch the 
first shafts of sunlight—the isolated farm 
house whose windows glow like rubies for 
a little, and the other building, yet uniden¬ 
tified, which from some happily placed case¬ 
ment flashes the light like a diamond, are 
lost in “ the light of common day.” The 
crimson and the lilac and the gold fade 
out of the sky, just how or when we can¬ 
not linger to see; it is a winter morning, 
and its duties are imperative. Its beauty 
shows itself to us as so many of life’s best 
things do, in momentary gleams and fleet¬ 
ing glimpses; a glance out as we dress, a 
lingering satisfied look, with a long, deep 
breath of the morning air, as we open the 
window, a glance from the south door as 
we pass it, and glimpses out of the west 
window as we go to and fro; and then, 
perhaps, a little later, a quiet minute at 
the eastern one when breakfast is well 
over, the lamps put out, and the sunrise 
nearing. Just glimpses, but, when the 
dawn is clear and the air still, it were a 
pity to miss them. There are cloudy days 
enough, and misty ones, and wild snow¬ 
blinding storms in plenty when one can 
have no such satisfactions. The starry 
gfli.secUnne o u# I3V tl xcrti.oin(j. 
When Baby watt sick, we gave her Castoria, 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castorla. 
When she became MIbs, she clung to Castorla 
When »he had Children, *he gave them Custom 
