Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-08
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Prospective Orchards.

ne IOcnuty OF an orchard 0fpeUds
much on the climate and soil IL should
have medium position as 10 exposure
and the influences of the season In all
localities where fruit culture has made
much progress there Is experienco y suiii-
cient TO guide each beginner in th mat
ter OF selecting a site, and there Is no
safer plan for the novice In this matter
than availing himself Of the experience
Of some successful neighbor. Coming To
the subject Of soils, all the varieties in
termediat" between a stiff. unyielding
clay and light shining sand are friendly
10 the apple. That best suited to both
apples and pears Is dry. deep, substan-
tial soil, between sandy and clayey
loan. and possessing among its inorganic
parts a considerable portion Of lime.
The plum succeeds, other things being
equal, on clayey loan. rather stiff,
while the cherry and peach require
light. dry and warm soil. The best and
most enduring peach orchards are Ia
be found on sandy loans. Under all
circumstance the soil Of an orchard
must possess the inorganic substances.
such ~ lime, potash. etc, and sufficient
amount Of inorganic maiter-vegetable
mOld-which dissolyes and furnishes
materinl for the formation and growth
Of new parts.
The ground intended for fruit trees
should be at least twice plowed--once
the previous sea@on--and if necessary
snb-plowcd. II j. imperative that the
soil bc deep and in good tilth. The sea
son of planting may be any time after
the fall Of the leaf by frost in autumn
until its reappearnnce in the spring. pro-
vided III" ground j. not frozen. Early
spring i, however. preferable for
planting stone fruits. In planting
trees be careful that the roots are
neither crampcd nor bent; any that may
he bruised or torn prune of smoothly
with sharp knife. I'm pruning the ends
Of the roots draw the knife upward 80
as /" have the sloping surface on the
under side. DO not sct the tree too deep.
When the earth j. all filed in the tree
should not bc covered moro than an inch
ar two higher than when In the nursery
row
Pruning begins at the planting Of the
tree, tho top Of which ought 20 be in
proportion Ia the size and number of the
roots. A judicious shortening in Of
the branches is beneficial 90 newly
planted trees. Peach trees should he
one year old from the bud. with stems
three or four feet high. Plum trees for
orchard standards are best set out in
permanent plantations when about two
years old from the bud or graf. with
stems say three feet high. The stone
fruits, in particular. must have low
stems as they are more subject to gum
on the trunk If pFuncd up too high.
Cherries may bc set at twelve feet apart
and plums about the same distance rs
peaches s.-Nc1r lorl World.
What t.ardsn Have youI
The bes, paying plot on any farm. and
the one yielding the most enjoyment.
too, j. the vegetable gardcn-Or Kitchen
garden A. II j. frequently called. and
quite appropriately. especially when the
" kitchen folk" have the chief or sole
care of IL. A good supply Of garden
products for the table costs less than the
standard bread. meat and potatoes, is
more healthful and nourishing than al
curned beef, salt pork and the small assoTt-
mont usually found on the farmers table.
Need We add anything about palatablc-
ness. comfort, home enjoyment? Con-
trast a table set nearly the year round
with bread, salt pork. eorned beef. pota-
toes. boiled cabbage, varied with hash.
mush. buCkwhcats and occasionally n
few other items. with a table well sup
piled in succession and abundantly with
asparagus. green peas. Lima beans. string
beans, sweet corn. radishcs. carrots. beets,
par-nips. celery. satisfy. turnips. cauli-
flower, spinach, lettuce. egg plants. to-
matocs (all the year), Thubarb. okra.
SQuashcS, onions. cabbage. cucumbers %
and other thingS-iilled in with currants.
Strawberries, TaspherTics, blackberries.
not 10 mention grapcs. pears. etc. We
do not accept the standing excuse. =" am
too poor, too hard driven, too much to
do in my fields. TO bother with the gar
den" We repeat. with emphasis. that
every farmer can have most, ii not all,
the above pleasant and hcalthftil variety
with less labor and Jess expense than the
table can be supplied in any other way.
Every days work in the garden will pro-
ducc several dollars worth Of good
things. One quarter of an acre. more or
less. according to the size Of the family.
will suffice. Select the best soil avail
able. a. near the house as possible. but at
distance II absolutely necessary. A
good loan where water never stands is
desirable. Heavy clay will not do well
without a good deal of preparation. If
NOT naturally dry. undertaking Is de-
sirable, hut even an open ditch around
the plot, and one or two through ii IL
needed. may answer for the present.
Plow and harrow fine, working in \
liberal supply of the best well-rotied
manure that can be ob'ained-half n
wagon load on every square rod will be
all the better. but much less can be got
along with.-AmeTfoaa AgriciatHria.
Recipes.
GINGER COOKIES. One cup Of mo-
lasses, one cup of sugar, one cup of hut
ter or lard, three eggs, two teaspoonfuls
of saleraius dissolved in n little hot
water. five cups of flour. one tablespoons
ful of ginger, mix with the molasses.
CoRN BREAD.-One pint sour or but
termilk. two tablepoonfuls OF butter or
cream, two ditto Of syrup, two eggs. one
teaspoonful Of soda, onc-third cup of
wheat flour; add corn meal to make
heavy batter (not too thick); beat well;
butter n two-quart basin and pour in;
steam two hours and bake one hour
not too brown.
ArPLE FIoAT.-Mash n quart cooked
or coddled apples smooth through n
sieve; swectcn with six tahlespoonftils