THE FREAK PUMPKIN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3613, 17 February 1906, Page 4

THE FREAK PUMPKIN.

Iknwl T»Im« Farmer* B*v< Twm4 It lato aa Ever-Ia«»a#«-l*t Source of Income. Tli# modern farmer is learning to t*fce advantage of the weakness** of ■ature, says the New York Mail and Express. One of these weaknessea is !: found in the lordly pumpkin. Bruise » growing pumpkin ami the sear will never be cleared away, but will show in tbe ripe pumpkin in the shape of dedicate little yellow warts. Starting" with this principle, some shrewd YanInaa have made their pumpkin farms ' valuable. After the melons get good-sized and .prove that they will be tine one* the £ farmers go Into the patch and with a . Sharp stick scar them so that when they are ready for market their happy hear, in words of wart*, kgendfe like these: "Hat meat Smith's;” Smith will nwki* pies of me soon;” "Brown’s , pie* arc the best;” "Jones’pie* are delicious'” "You can eat me inside.'" 1 The wily farmer hauls th-,*e warty fellows'to market, and, eal;-,;r Smith, Jon** and Brown from their respective restaurants, shows the strange freak of nature. Of course a sale is made on tight, and the pumpkin lies at the front of the restaurant for a few days to astonish passers-by un t il it must be made Into pies (o save it. Then the farmer diwovers another freak pumpkin, suit- ** ably marked, to replace it. Fancy prices arc to be paid for these pump- ' kins, and stony patches that would never pay taxes in any other crop produce wealth in pumpkins.

PtekiiLor of A till tea. The fruit should be loosened by raising upward and not pulled off, as M Visually done, and with varieties that cling tenaciously, raise the apple and give it a half turn at the same time, Lay carefully In the basket or receptacle used, and when placing In a barrel or box handle with care, in fact just as tenderly aa you would •ffft, thereby preventing bruising or puncturing of the skin by the stems. Apples for borne use should not be placed in the cellar, but in a dark, well-ventilated building, until freezing weather approaches, and those intended for market should be put upon the ground under the trees, to remain a week or more, and then barreled. All bruited one* are then readily diacernmay be thrown out for «vap-