The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-11-09
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

IMPROVEMENT OF VARIETIEs.--EveTy
product of the farm, however perfect in
Its present condition, says the Christian
Union, is capable of further development.
The law Of progress, so Gle arly traced in
the animal kingdom, operates equally in
the domain of vegetable life. The
progressive development, for example, of
barley or wheat from any given stock,
however inferior, until it eliminates In
q type of higher value, Is quite as simple,
and, If the rigit course Is adopted, quite
as certain as the production of short
horn COW. valued at thousands of dollars,
from an original stock that scarcely paid
the cost of Keeping.
1t is therefore always possible 10y
giving due attention to the subject) to
Increase the value and profit of farming
products by improving the quality and
that to an extent much greater than we
suspect.
In the case of fruits and some varie-
ties of vegetables this improvement has
already been remarkably demonstrated,
and the same enterprise, if applied to
other departments or farming, would
doubtless be rewarded with equal sue
cess.
As no plant or grain has yet reached
such perfection that 1t may not be
further improved, and as quality is al
ways an important element of market
price, it is simply amazing that farmers
have not given more attention to this
subject.
Every observing man knows what
marvels have been achieved by skill and
careful culture in the direction of fruits
and garden products, and there is GER
tainly no good reason why similar results
may not be reached in field crops, and
especially in leading staples like wheat
and coin.
1t is true enough that the latter have
been at various times more or less i'm
proved, but no results thus far obtained
are sufficient to satisfy intelligent men
and practical farmers who have the
sagacity to perceive that higher posi-
bilities still remain.
In some of the products of the garden
and orchard the superior qualities
developed within the last,few years have
seemed incredible. No man who COM
pares the later improvements of the
strawberry, the tomato, the squash and a
score of similar products that might be
named with the earlier stock from which
they emanated will venture to say that
the progress of our field crops has at all
kept pace with the other departments of
husbandry.
But this state of things, it is clear,
cannot always last. There are many
indications OF new and growing interest
in the subject. Public attention is
waking up and the future is full OF
promise. The men are probably now
living who will yet win the applause oil
their country, and of the world, by such
improved varieties of wheat, corn and
other food staples as to make them not
only more remunerative to growers than
ever before, but more acceptable in
quality, and lower in price to hungry
consumers throughout the world.
How CAN WE KEEP CIDER SWEET
Cider, or rather apple juice, cannot bt
kept sweet as it comes from the press I'M
less it is removed TO some place SO cold
that fermentation cannot be carried on
This is only practical after the weather
has become cold enough to freeze that
portion of the liquid that is next to the
inner surface of the barrel. BY proper
management, cider, which is apple juice
that has passed through the alcoholic OF
first fermentation. may be preserved fol
long time without bacOming hard, OF
passing into the second fermentation
If the people were willing to take AZ
much pains with apple juice as wine
makers are with the juice of the grape
good cider would he as common as good
wine. But the tronble is, they are moi
mill IN tab o
l owing to the comparative cheapness O
cider. The following hints may be O
, some aid to those who wish to have
f really good cider: Remember that really
a, good cider can only be made from good
: sound, fully ripe, and good.favoret
| apples. Remember also, that the i'm
purities in the form of pomace are tn,
r great cause of cider having bad flavor
, and of its becoming sour. Before tn,
apple juice is put in barrels at all it il
best to strain it through flannel, and i
would also be well to filter it through
sand or charcoal. During the process O
. fermentation the barrel should bekep
3 full, and for the purpose of keeping /;
: supply to pour in a small quantity
| should be kept in a separate vessel
After the impurities and the bubbles O
, gas cease to pass out of the opening the
5 bung should be inserted loosely for few
days, when it should be driven in place
If the cider is intended for bottling i
can remain in the barrel in which it wa
fermented till spring. 1t is full better
f however, to rack it of into another
barrel, one that has previously helc
: liquor being preferred. If you have &
. | 10
, tanned liquors, wash aud scald it out, anC
r then burn sulphur in it. This may bt
: done by melting sulphur i'm suitable
, vessel, drawing strips of cotton cloth
through it, setting fire to one end, ant
. letting them down into the bung-hole
| If the cider is not to be bottled, it is the
| best way to draw it off, free from sedi
7 ment, and put it in small kegs prepared
| as above. Unless you want strictly
j temperance cider, it will be beneficial t
' add some good brandy or other pure
' spirits When you draw from these
, small kegs for use, close the vent tightly
as soon as your vessel is filed. BY taking
/ this pains keg of cider will not become
disagreeably hard before it is all used up
. especially if it is kept in tolerabl,
, cool place. If, however, you draw fol
, use from large barrel, it will probabl,
, become quite sour beforeit ishalf drawn
, To prevent this it is re commended t.
pour in the bung-hole a pint or quart O
, some pure oil, as sweet or linseed oil
This spreads itself over the whole sur
) face of theli quid, prevents the air from
, coming in contact with it, and t.us pre-
/ vents the cider from becoming sour
, Various substances have been used will
: tolerably good results fer keeping eide
/; sweet, but most of them serve to injur,
: the flavor, to some extent at least. On,
of the best materials is mustard. IL
prepare it, the seeds should be bruised
0 and put in little bag of coarse cloth
and this let through the bung-hole. TIL,
!. bag is useful to prevent the grains o
mustard from passing out when tn,
D cider is drawn. Ground mustard doe
5 not answer the purpose. About on,
, Mound ,hould he used for a harral nj