FRUIT GROWING ON FARMS

Frank H. Sweet of R. I. claims in J?«m/ Home that fruit is a most important crop to the farmer, adding not only to his in- come but to the beauty and value of his farm. That it yields more for the outlay than any other crop : Dozens of farmers in his neighborhood received in one year from $i.ooto?5.oo for fruit that had not cost them an outlay of Jr. 00 to grow.

Peas and cherrj' trees may be classed with apple trees as requiring but little labor, but peach trees are more exacting. Grape vines also are very productive with but small amount of labor. The small fruits, however, require considerable labor and attention but even these require less labor than farm crops. A comfortable living has been made off one acre of strawberries. Compact culture concentrating the labor on a small space, is a great saving to the farmer and this is why fruit cnlttire is desirable as a matter of fiirm economy. Mr. Sweet

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rrOOD HONEvf^ GARDENl

concludes that tniit tultuaiion will be entered upon more and more. That over production need not be feared as the de- mand is increasing with the supply and facilities for sending to market. GROWING NUTS.

The Peanut being an annual can be pro- duced in full crop the same season as planted, whereas the pecan, walnut &c. re- quire from five to ten years before a profit- able crop can be expected. There is plenty of cheap land in the south suitable for this crop. The Secretary of Agriculture in Washington will afford all information on Peanut Culture. Write hira.

Those who desire to cultivate Pecans should write: Herbert Post, Fort Worth, Texas, an experienced grower of Pecan trees. A beginner could start Peanuts in the Spring and plant Pecans in the Fall. He can make his Peanut crop keep him while waiting for Pecan trees to grow and bear. HOW TOMATOES ARE PRESERVED.

In almost every house and cottage in Italy the preserving of tomatoes is carried on. Terraces, balconies, and even the flat roofs of the houses are half covered with plates containing the deep red substance. After gathering, the tomatoes intended for pre- serving are spread out for some hours in the sun till the skins are somewhat shrunk. They are then passed through a sieve so that they may be freed both from seed and skins. As they contain a large proportion of water, the substance which has been passed through! the sieve is hung in bags, from which the water exudes, and soon a pool of dirty-looking water is formed be- neath each bag. Strange to say, it isin.no way tinged with red. What remains in the liags has the consistency of a very thick paste. It is then salted, the proportion being a little less than au.ounce of sa^t to

a pound of preserve. It is then spread on flat plates, exposed to the sun and stirred from time to time with a wooden spoon, so that the upper part may not form a crust, while underneath it remains soft. In the evening the contents of the various plates are taken in and stirred up together, for if moistened by the night dew the whole would be spoiled. After being exposed to the sun for seven or eight days, the same process being repeated each day, the pre 8er\e is finished and placed in jars for wm- ter use.

In Italy the ft^it is usually passed through a sieve, the pulp being then placed in tins, which are immediately soldered down, and then put in boiling water for five minutes. The original flavor is thus re- tained. The coat of a small tin is half a franc. So it is, as a rule, beyond the means of the poor. The price of the preserve is seldom more than sixteen cents a pound, and a little of it goes very far ; but those who are thrifty take care to make it for themselves, the cost then being absolutely insignificant. — Chambers's Journal. THE BANANA.

There are several different varieties of bananas. Some are plantains or cooking bananas, which are served fried, baked, boiled and in soups and dressings; but of the sweet varieties the large yellow and the red are most known. A variety known tn Mexico as the Costa Rica, is much liked.

In India ttiere is a small short variety known as the "cheena chumpa, or sugar lump variety. They are small, but of most excellent flavor. The banana grows any- where in Mexico from sea level loan eleva- tion of 5000 feet, but it thrives best on low and alluvial land, and does well on quite sandy land. The principal expense attend- ant upou banana raising is the clearing and preparing the soil .

Aug.-Sep..

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