The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-23
TOPICS FOR FARMERS.

Alkekengi.-Few who have raised
this plant and preserved the fruit as it
may be preserved, says an exchange, are
Indifferent to its culture. 1t possesses
all of the good favor of the tomato with
less either of its acidity or the charac-
teristic harshness which renders it un.
palatable to most people when eaten
raw. Canned or pressed 1t rivals the
strawberry or cherry, resembling the
latter in appearance, and possessing
distinct aroma that reminds one of the
former, from which circumstance one of
its familiar names-Strawberry Tomato
is derived. Winter Cherry and Bar
BADGES Gooseberry are other familiar
names. 1t is hardy annual, attaining
a height of about three feet. 1t should
be cultivated in good soil, and treated
much the same as the tomato.
The fruit is the size of small cherry,
half an inch or more in diameter, bright
yellow and inclined to transparency
when well ripened. 1t is inclosed in
papery, membranous. inflated calyx,
something like the balloon-vine (cardi-
ospermum halicacabum), of a light
green before maturity and a dried leaf
color afterward. The fruit stem is not
strong or persistent, so that most of the
fruit falls to the earth spontan eously
when ripened.
When this has been raised for one
season, plants from self-sown seed ap-
pear abundantly the next year if the
soil is not worked too early, when they
may be transplanted or thinned out as
desired.
The fruit is rather small to be gath
cred in large quantities to be served as
tomatoes. But stewed, like cranberries,
with little lemon juice added, or eau
ned or preserved like peaches, ounces,
plums, or cherries, this Physalis is well
worth the little trouble required in its
cultivation.
Alkekenzi is really distinct species
that bears scarlet berries, and ought not
to be applied as a familiar name for the
species of which we have written, which
is Peruviana-or P. edulis of some au
thors. We have never learned that any
attempt has been made to improve this
fruit by selection, crossing or hybridiz
ing; but the fact that some of the ber
ries are twice as large as others is proc
enough that it might be improved b,
such means.
Women as Farmers.-When so mucl
talk is had over what women have
right to do, it is pleasant to note tn
work which some women have done
Last year one of the eight premium
offered by the Royal Agricultural Soci
ciety Of England for the best manages
, farm in the district in which the annus
exhibition is held, was awarded to
, woman farmer, Mrs. Ellen Birch, for
, farm of two hundred and forty-tw
, acres of arabic land near Ainsfee. TIL
farm, which is characteristic of the SUI
rounding region, is nearly level and
7 divided into fields of thirty acres eac
by neatly kept hedges, and is light an
s easily worked soil, naturally dry. N
a stock of any consequence is kept, {
}, town manure is cheaply brought on
t the land by canal from Liverpool, fe
which market the products of the Ian
e are intended. The rent paid is e5, sa
b about $25 per acre. The course of Gro
e ping is as follows: First, potatoes, aft
e lea; second, wheat; third, barley,
n oats, sown with grass seed; fourth, ha,
o fifth, hay; after which the lea is aga
broken out and planted with potatoe
v The potato crop now on the ground
r spoken of as "simply splendid" Al
y it is on the potatoes that all the TOW
IS and homemade manure is applied, som
, times with the addition of little mira
h of soda. The grain crop, especially t
20 oats, were very heavy. Fifteen M
. and lads are employed, at sixteen a.
:. seventeen shillings week, and Gotta
"a "a rent. Heavy crops of hay are grow
III and after this is over for the seaso
sheep are taken into grass for local sal
u u men, at sixpence per week.