SECRETARY S PORTFOLIO. 479 



and summer cultivates his land in garden crops, and uses his horse to market 

 the vegetables in the city four miles away. He receives over S300 yearly from 

 his acres, hires no help, but fills up his spare time in the garden; has vegeta- 

 bles for his own table, and is well paid for his labor. 



Another acquaintance, foreman in a foundry, has three or more acres. His 

 horse carries him back and forth to his work; and after his day's labor is done 

 at 4 o'clock in the afternoon he works the land, raising peas, early cabbage, 

 potatoes, and other garden crops, besides hay for his horse. Fruit of all kinds 

 of his own raising, and from varieties of his own selection, add to his income. 

 He finds this a happy mingling of city and country life, though he lives but 

 two miles out. 



Another townsman went four miles out and bought a sandy but well-watered 

 tract — a place so much run down that neighbors volunteered the remark that 

 he would not be able to get a living where another had failed, being new to the 

 business. For two or three years he followed his trade of machinist some ; but 

 as the land began to develop under his care the trade was abandoned, that he 

 might raise milk and finally vegetables, and now with nice buildings, fences, 

 cows, etc., he can lend money to those who said he would fail. 



CULINARY HINTS. 



A Good Salad. — A correspondent of the IS". Y. Tribune describes what 

 he terms second-best salad: Next to coss lettuce — the perfection of a salad, 

 with its cool, crisp refreshing flavor, but which I cannot grow, owing to our 

 hot, dry climate — I unhesitatingly prefer endive, and this is a daily dish on 

 my table all summer. To have it in perfection requires richness of soil; in 

 fact all vegetables that we desire to be succulent and consequently crisp 

 should have a very liberal supply of manure. A moderate amount of moist- 

 ure is likewise beneficial, as endive is liable to produce weak, limp foliage in 

 a dry spot where the onion would flourish. It dislikes having its roots dis- 

 turbed, hence the seed must be sown in shallow drills where the plants are 

 to remain. If sown pretty thickly, after the needful thinning out the rows 

 should stand well filled. As the plant reaches full size, presenting the ap- 

 pearance of a sprawling dandelion, gather the leaves up in a compact bunch 

 some dry day, and tie securely with bass-bark or similar soft substance. 

 This bleaching cannot be dispensed with, as herein lies one of the greatest 

 charms of a fine salad. Sometimes I gather up the leaves and invert a 

 flower-pot over, which not only holds them erect, but furnishes the requisite 

 darkness. 



Canning Cokn. — Some one who seems to know says : Select only tender 

 ears, cut and scrape from the cob and pack as tightly as possible into glass 

 cans. I use the handle of my potato masher. Fill the cans within one-half 

 inch of the top, put on the covers and screw down, but not tightly. Put into 

 a boiler of cold water, first placing something on the bottom. I have had a 

 perforated board made for the bottom of mine. Heat gradually to boiling and 

 boil three hours without stopping. Keep the water within an inch and a half 

 of the top. Fill up with hot water from a kettle kept for the purpose. 

 When done, dip out a part of the water, so that you can take out the cans and 



