Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-25
Farm, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Pruning Orchards.

ibis work is often done, apparently,
for no other purpose thsr. TO do some
sort OF perfunctory work in hacking .up
the trees. Trees should be pruned and
thinned out, and so. with axe in hand,
tne owner goes over them and butchers
them miserably. The rough wounds
inflicted do not heal. but rot begins. and
in short time the trees are useless, if
not dead. How rare is it TO come
across good-looking old orchard, ven
cradle with age, but yet trim. neat and
sound in limb and trunk. Fruit trees
exist in Europe that are historical in
their age, and in this country there are
trees from which the old Indian tribes
gathered fruit before they were crowded
from the banks of the beautiful Della
ware. But now. an orchard thirty years
old is ruin. and unless trees are planted
every few years, farmer must buy
his fruit. Much OF this Is due 10 the
rough pruning the trees undergo, and
more TO the continual cropping Of the
orchards. Perhaps something of it is
owing TO the root grating which does
not seem to produce long trees,
top-grafted trees seeming 10 be more
vigorous than others. But bad pruning
has much to answer for. One cannot
prune by system. Each tree must be
studied separately and in regard TO some
definite principles. For instance, prun-
ing is intended to relieve the tree of use
less or superabundant wood; 70 take
away less important branches that
crowd and press upon others: to reduce
the quantity of bearing wood, and so
preserve the vitality and balance of the
tree; lastly, 10 remove disfgured,
bHghted and diseased wood. Now,
with these rules in mind. let one ex-
anime carefully each tree before he cuts
away a twig, and note where and what
he should cut away, and then mind how
he cuts. No axe should be used about q
tree except to cut ii down when il cum
bers the ground. A sharp, fine-toothed,
long. narrow-bladed saw is the proper
pruning implement. A sharp knife with
a curving blade that makes draw-cut,
and a pot of shellac varnish should 20
with the saw. Everything that Is re-
moved should be cut close 10 the main
wood, trimmed smoothly with the knife,
and the wound covered with the var
nish. The varnish is shellac dissolved
in alcohol. This leaves a water and air
proof covering over the ground. The
work may be begun now and continued
as opportunity offers. There need then
be no hurry. Young trees should be
put in training now for future pruning.
Three or four main limbs only should
be left. so as to balance the head. All
in-growing shoots should be removed
close TO the main branch, so that no bud
is left to sprout. Each main side limb
may fork into two or three sub
branches, spreading fan-like around the
central limb, if there is one. The sub
branches should be encouraged to start
low, so that low, round, compact.
spreading head may be produced. Much
may be done in forming the head by
tying down or hanging weights upon
limbs that are inclined TO wander from
the way they should go, so that when
they are old they viii not depart from
IL. AS the tree Is bent the tree is in
clined, and a piece of hempAwist will
soon bring a crooked young tree into n
regular and handsome form.
Recipes.
SHAPR KEs,-Beat the yolks of four
eggs and then the whites to a troth. Then
add a quart OF -four and quart of milk.
To be baked in small shape tins previ-.
ously creased.
OMELET "A dish made according to
the recipe given below Is called by the
Poultry Yard an omelet: Three pounds
of beef, chopped fine; three eggs. beaten
together; six crackers, rolled fine; one
tablespoonful OF salt, one teasHoonful of
pepper, one tablespoonful of melted
butter, sage to the taste. mix well ard
make like loaf of bread put n little
water and bits OF butter into the pan;
invert another pan over it; baste the
omelet occasionally; bake an hour and a
quarter. and when cold slice very thin.
PUDDNG.-One quart milk. four eggs
one cup bread crumbs, one-half cup
jam, one-half cup sugar. Butter a pud-
ding. dish; sprinkle the bottom with
bread-crumbs; pour over these one hall
crumbs. Heat the milk till near boil
ing, take 1t from the fire and add gradu.
ally the beaten yolks. whites and sugar;
heat this until ii begins to thicken; put
1t spoonful by spoonful upon the layer
of crumbs. Bake until well set and
brown Eat cold with cream.
BUcKwBEAT CAUSE.-THE best buck
wheat cakes are made with an addition
of cornmeal -four and oatmeal -four TO
the buckwheat, in this proportion: Six
cupfuls of buckwbeat, three cupfuls of
oatmeal flour, OF IL this cannot be OBJ
tained, substitute Graham -four in it
place, and one cupful of cornmeal -four;
10 this add dessert spoon evenly filed
with salt, two taolespoonfuls of molas-
ses. and lukewarm water sufficient 10
form n batter; stir through the -four
well four teaspoonfuls of baking powder
before wetting; but these cakes are
much better raised over night with
yeast.
Househoid Hfnes.
Tea leaves, used for keeping down the
dust when sweeping carpets, are apt to
stain light colors; salt is the best in the
winter and new mown hay IN the
summer.
Buttermilk Is excellent for cleaning
spongcs. Steep the sponge in the milk
for some hours, then squeeze IL out and
wash II in cold water. Lemon juice Il
also gsod.
For the earache, toast an onion thor
ouRhly. take The heart out. nut il into =