New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-11
CONTEMPORARY FARM TOPICS.

CONTEMPORARY FARM TOPICS.
President T. T. Lyon, OF tho Michigan Horticul-
tural Society, while agreeing with Mr. Charles
Downing in his low estimate of WHITE BLACK
BERRIES Of the past, remarks in his homo Farmer
that tho one recently brought to public notice by
Mr. Parrish is quite li>ely to prove exceptional
ana take prominence as an amateur fruit ana per
haps for near marketing, provided 1t turns out to
DO so vigorous and productive as the introdncer
represents It is OF full medium size, quite trans
lucent, bright and glossy, pinkish amber IN color.
decidedly sprightly and pleasant in favoi.' and
without perceptIble hardness or AGILITY at the
centre as is the case with Lawton anG many other
varieties As to the origin and general character Of
these eccentric lights tins is said:
"The blackberry frequently sports in color
from its usual brilliant black, to nearly or quite
white; although up to tho present time, none OF
these sports have proved relatively valuable;
failing more commonly in prOductiVeness; there
seems to bo a nearly universal deficiency of vigOr;
which may, perhaps, he supposed 10 Indicate that
these variations are generally attributable to a
diseased unhealthy condition of the plant; as
is supposed h. be the case with most II not all
abnOrmally cOlOred foliage"
The appended recipe for TANNING SKINS with
the wool or fur On-fOr use IN sleghs or wagons. as
house-rugs or for other purposess given by city
and Country and will interest some inquiring
friends:
If the hides are not freshly taken on, soak them
in water with little salt until they are sou "a
when green. Then scrape the flesh of with flesh
ing knife. or with butchers knife with smooth
round edge, and with SheepSsslns the wool should
be washed clean with sott-sOap aud water and the
suds be thoroughly rnSed ont. FOR each skin take
four ounces OF salt, four ounces OF alum aud one
half ounce of bOraX. Dissolve these IN one quart
of hot water, and when cool enough TO bear the
hand STR IN sufficient rye meal to make thick
paste with half an ounce Spanish whiting. This
paste is to he thoroughly spread over every paIt OF
dad
together lengthWse WOO side ont and left for two
weeks in airy place. Then remove The paste.
wash and dry the skin. when not quite dry II must
be worked and pulled and scTaped with knife
made for the purpose shaped like a choppng knife
or with piece Ct hard wood made with sharp
edge The moro the skin is worked and scraped
as II dries. he more pllable It will be-.
Mrs Helen Young Bailey. Uf New Hampshire.
quotes the late Robert Kennicott the naturalist.
ny having said TO a lady who made bitter complaint
of the depredations Of the rO,e-bug: 1t il good
enough for you yOu had all THE SNAKES killed"
aud she adds this item of personal experience:
A few years ago lively little striped snake
made It's haunt among my cucumber vines anu
careful never 70 disturb IT, aad il grew quite tame
and was always there alert and WAtchIul intent
on It's own business and NOT mlndlnY me. wisely
taught wee maiden of my nelghbot grows enthus-
asic over the nice little toads who watch Tor the
bugs
Commenting on the above, the Agricultural
Editor Of The Chic0go HaGW gives additional evil
dence in favor Of the same HUMBLE ALLIES, which,
If undsturbcd help to maintain the proper balance
III nature:
" 1t was only the other day that member OF our
own household was Mortified by the presence of
striped snake. high up IN the leaves amt branches
of "a climbing rose. Help was called and the blight
little reptile was at once dispatched. lie was en-
tircly harmless and was 10 doubt gliding about
the climber for the purpose of catching nsccts-hs
hcncfcent mission aNailug nothing 10 HIM
from Ina IlpD1 "a. %
Uouaced against all snakes. But in the case Of the
common Cartrr-Snake this dread and horror IS very
foolish These little snakes live entirely upon IN
sccts until they grow argo enough TO swallow small
frogs; but even the frogs must make but ii very
small portion of their diet. At tines they Will
follow Il plough for hours, and may frequently ne
seen intent upon the cal tuTe of bugs and worms.
And IN the meadows they must suhSist altogether
upon insects The tact u.s. they deserve To 1--we for
the good they do. these harmless lltt!e snakes
Years ago quit killing these snakes from be
lief that they do good work, aud We never modest
them in any way unless they come very near the
house and are liable 10 frghtcn someone else. And
even then, W. choose 10 drive them OIL or carry
them away rather than 10 do then any injury.
couple of boys N 4 neghbOrug farm have been in
the habit of sowing "a large patch of melons every
season for many years. They early found out the
usefulness oi the little garter-Snakes in destroying
the striped bug, and cut-wOrms, and are III the
habit OF feeding the reptiles, which are never
frightened or mocstcd.
Mr.. John Matthews, of Wcston-super- mare,
writes as follows to The London GdrdnTs Chronicle
in comment that journals expressed doubt az To
the alleged virtue of CELERY As A STRENGTHENED
or TIE NERVES:
3" have suffered much from rheumatism and from
functional weakness OF the heart. and derived great
benefit from the of stewed celery. grow 1t
largely have it early aud late and 10 IS served for
dinner four or five times Il week while in season
Very little water Is put with the celery, which Is
broken into small pieces. The liquor is served
with it. being powerful aDtI-rheumatic. All
to persons similarly affected is, Try t-try
dieting before drugs"