Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-05-12
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

President.
Peach trees in this vicinity, after produ-
CHG few crops, not only cease bearing,
but perish in short time whereas the nat
ural life is fifty or sixty years or more. The
cause of this defective power of growth is
believed by DR.. Wood to be owing to de-
fciency of potash in the soil, and he assures
us, that if this alkali be supplied to the tree
so that it shall reach all the small roots and
be absorbed, the frut-bearing power is res
tored, and the tree itself, prematurely per-
ishing, is revived.
Believing, with most persons, that the
cause of the decay lay in worms at the root
of the peach tree, he pnt in operation plan
which he had seen his father perform more
than fifty years before, viz: OF digging
around the base of the stem hole four or
five inches deep, scraping away all the
worms that could be found burrowing at the
junction of the stem and the root, and fill
ing the hole thus made with wood ashes
from the fire, which, of course, retained all
their potash. This was done in the autumn
Of 1868, and with a result in the following
spring at which he himself was astonished.
The trees appeared to have been restored to
all their early vigor and freshness they put
forth bright green leaves, blossoming copi-
ously, and bore crop OF fruit such as IT, v
had never borne before, many of the
branches breaking down under the load of
peaches.
DR.. Wood, in rejecting on these results,
noticed that several of tile peach trees had
no worms, and came to the conclusion that
we must look for an explal alton to some
other cause than the destruction of few
worms; and this cause he believed to be the
ashes, the potash of which being dissolved
by the rain, had descended along the roots
to the rootlets and presented to them the
very food for the want of which they were
dying. Decaying apple trees, bearing stint
ed and inedible fruit, have been revived by
a similar process and with like result
To REVIVE FADED BLACK CLOTHES
Boil three ounces of logwood in quart of
vinegar, and when the color is extracted,
drop in piece of carbonate of iron, the
size of large chestnut; let it boil five min
utes. Have the articles to be restored we'll
sponged with soap and hot water, laying
them on the table, and brush the nap down
with sponge. Then take the dye upon
the table and sponge them all over with it,
taking care toskeep them smoothe, and brush
downward.
When completely wet with the, dye dis
solve teaspoonful of saleratus in teacup
OF warm water and sponge over again with
this which sets the color SO completely that
nothing rubs off. They must not be wrung
or wrinkled, but carefully hung up to drain.
The brownest cloth may be made perfect
black in this simple manner. So many PEG.
pie have faded garments that this recipe
may be of service in restoring them to a
lively color.
| How TO Do UP SHIRT. BosoMs We have
often heard ladies expressing desire to
know by what process the fine gloss observ-
ed on new linens, shirt-bosoms, etc., is pro-
duced, and in order to crafty them, we
subjoin the following recipe for making gum
arabic starch: Take two ounces Of gum
arabic powder-put it into a pitcher, and
pour on it pint of boiling water according
to the degree of strength you desire) and
then, having covered it. let it set all night.
In the morning pour it carefully from the
dregs into clean bottle, cork it and keep it
for use. A tablespoonful of gum water,
stirred in pint of starch that has been
made in the usual manner, will give tolawns
(either white or printed) look of newness
when nothing else can restore them after
washing. 1t is also good (much dlluted)
for thin white muslin and bobinet.
10 Stop BLEEDING 1T is said that bleed.
ing from wounds on man or beast may be
stopped by mixture of wheat -four and
common salt, in equal parts, bound with
cloth. If the bleeding is profuse use large
quantity. say from one to three pints, it
may be left on for hours, or even DAYS, If
necessary. The person who gave us this
receipt says In this manner 1 save the life
of horse which was bleeding from wound
ed artery /; the bleeding ceased in five min
utes after the application.
HoRsERADDIsH FOR ANIMALS. Horse
radish Is an excellent condment to mix
with the food of COWS to give them an appe.
tite, and make them look sleek and thrifty.
1t should be fed freely to all animals that
are not well, and it will be of great service
to working oxen troubled with heat. If
given to COWS in doses of pint day mix
ed with potatoes Or bran, it will prevent or
relieve cows of the disease called caked in
the bag. Few animals will refuse to eat it
and some will eat of it gredily as much as
half peck at time.
For Cows SWOLLEN BY CLoyER.-Take
stick about the size of hoe handle, in
length about two inches more than the width
of the cows mouth. Cut a crease near
each end of the stick to keep the cord from
slipping of, which should be long enough
to pass, like the headstall of bride, over
behind the horns or crown of the head. In
short, use the stick as bridle-bit, which
will open the mouth, so that the gas will
pess out in short time. When the SWELL
ing subsidies, remove the stick.
| MoLAssEs POUND CAKE.-Flour, one and
a quarter pound; one teacupful of molas-
SEES, four eggs, one-half pound of butter,
tablespoonful of ginger, teaspoonful of
cloves. cinnamon and allspice. Mix the
butter and sugar, than the spices, than
teaspoonful of soda dissolved in teacup and
half Of milk, then the -four and eggs.
WELsH-RABB1T.-Take one pound of
cheese in slices quarter of an inch thick
put piece of butter the size of an egg in a
small fryingpan, and lay iu the cheese about
m lot