Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-04-02
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

character OF one variety OF Gne strawberry .
was affected by growing in the vicinity Of
other sorts Hiram Walker Of Washington
County, NJ. Y, who has practiced grating
since 1918, writes, that according to his ex-n
perience the same thing takes place with APP
Piles and other fruits, and he thinks the fact
that some Winter apples do not keep is due
to their being grated on stocks of early va
rieties He says he never knew any diff
Guilty in the keeping of Winter fruit, where
the orchard was all of one kind, butlthat
when early and late sorts were all together
late fruit was rendered early, and early fruit
was made late, from cross impregnation
He mentions tree in Saratoga County,
which was in part grated with sweet vari-
ETY. but the gratis bore sour apples for sew
eral years; The gratis of the sweet apple
had been put into the lower limbs of sour
apple tree and so long as the upper limbs Of
the original tree remained, the sweet CRAFTS
bore sour fruit, from blossoms being impreg. +
mated by those on the limbs above them;
when the natural limbs were removed then
sweet apples were produced. Mr. W. men
tons other instances of a similar character
which have fallen under his observation.
The subject is one not only of scientific in.
terest, but OF actual importance to all fruit
growers. 1t is within the observation Of ev.
cry one that a variety of fruit is not the same.
even in not widely separated localities The
difference is by some attributed to soil and
exposure, by others to the character of the
stock upon which the fruit is grated and
now we have the influence of the pollen of
neighboring sorts charged with being the
disturbing causes. Other observations on
these points are needed. 1t is within the
experience of almost every farmer that corn
and potatoes will mix by planting different
varieties in proximity.
PorAToEs. -Light-colored potatoes are the .
most popular, though their quality is infe-
rior. 1t is not essential that they be purely
white, as mixed color like that of the
Peach Blow or Mercer, will sell as well. In
form, it is better they incline to length than
roundness. The eyes should be few and
shallow to avoid waste in pairing, and to give
them a smooth appearance when baked
Originators and growers of new sorts should
bear in mind these requisites They are
important. A round, decp-eyed, dark-skin-
ned potato will never become popular in the
however good it may be in other
ee. ea b gu.i5aut
Where the business is carried on largely,
it is desirable to grow several varieties, en-
bracing early and late kinds, not only to
meet the demand Of the market, but to pro-
long the season of planting and harvesting,
50 that the work will not come e all in a
heap" and compel large OUTLAWS for labor.
There is safety, too, in having several vari-
cites, for in some years one or two kinds
will rot, while others remain sound; some
will fail in yield, and others give full meas
ure /; and prices for varieties also vary.-.r
Judgment should ksMss be USED in Ssga{a
INDEL1BLE INK.-An excellent indelible
ink may be prepared by rubbing up one
drachm of aniline black with mixture of
sixty drops of concentrated hydrochloric
acid and enc and half ounces of alcohol.
The resulting deep blue liquid is then to be
diluted with hot solution of one and half
drachms of gum arabic in six ounces of wa
ter. This ink docs not corrode steel pen,
and is affected neither by concentrated min
eral acids nor by strong ley If the ami
line black solution be diluted with one and u
half ounces of shellac, dissolved in six oun-
ces Of alcohol. instead of with the gum wa
ter an aniline black is obtained, which, aft
er being applied to wood stained black, brass
ry deep black color.
PorATo PoULT1cE. --Where there is ne
cessity to use poultice, no person who has
once experienced the comfort of a potato
poultice will again use bread. 1t is light,
keeps hot long time, can be reheated, and,
more than all, does not moisten the garment
or bed-clothes with which it comes in contact
Pare and boil the potatoes, strain. and then
mash them with a fork over the fire. Put
them into bag and apply the poultice as
hot as the patient can bear it. a 8
WooD ASHES. Every bushel of wood
ashes applied to the corn crop, is worth 81.
The truth of this assertion has been repeat
edly demonstrated by the results of expert
ments accurately conducted. On all light
soils the action of ashes is highly energetic
andsalutary; they exert warming and in
MIGRATING influence, and promote the rapid
growth of almost every species Of produc
ton. H5.Atl
CURE FOR FoUNDERED HORSES. Take a
lump of alum the size of walnut, powder
it and dissolve it in warm water The horse
must be drenched with this liquor, and it
it will throw him into a profuse perspiration,
and he will soon be as well as ever it should
be done as soon as you ascertain his condi-
ton.
SCRATCHES IN HORSES. flake white pine
rosin, beeswax and honey, one ounce each !;
fresh lard one half pound melt well togeth-
er over a slow fire, stir quite thick, so that
the parts may not settle and separate. This
also makes an excellent application for har-
ness-galls, cuts and sores of all kinds on
horses and CATTLE
NG.--Plates or vessels of brass, iron,
OF copper, boiled with solution of stannate
of potassa, mixed with turnings of tin, be-
come, in the course of few minutes, COW
cred with firmly attached layer of pure
tin. A similar effect is produced by boiling
the articles with tin filings and coustic al
kali or cream of tartar. '-,'
DRAINAaE.-An English farmer broke up
thirty acres of water meadow which produced
nothing but coarses edge grasses and rushes.
After it was thoroughly drained and laid
down to grass, he was able to cut four crops
of green fodder annually Of the best quality.
The same thing could be done in thousands
of cases in the country.