73 



to our country should the whole of this now nearly waste substance be 

 utilized in some form. 



The comparative v^alue of winter refined cotton seed oil, and of olive 

 oil may be gathered from the fact that at the latest dates the former is 

 quoted in the New York prices current at 72 cents per gallon, while the 

 latter with duty olf brings only $1 in gold. 



POTATO FLOUE. 



Few persons in the United States are aware of the demand for farina, 

 or x)otato flour, and of the almost unlimited extent of the market that 

 can be found for this product, which is simply the dry, evaporated pulp 

 of the ordinary potato, the whiter and more free from black specks the 

 better. It is used for sizing and other manufacturing purposes, and 

 with the aid of precipitation and acid is converted into starch. In 

 Europe it meets a large and increasing demand, in its primitive state, 

 as potato flour; and in Lancashire alone 20,000 tons are annually sold, 

 and as many more would be taken if put into the market. When cal- 

 cined it is used largely for silk-dressing and other purposes. 



At this time the quotation for potato farina in Liverpool is a little 

 over 4 cents a pound, while wheat flour is about 2i cents a j)ound ; so 

 that the potato flour is worth nearly double that of the wheat at the 

 present rate. Consignments to Liverpool are solicited by the brokers 

 there, who i^romise to take all that can be furnished. 



REMOVAL or WALNUT STAINS FROM THE HANDS. 



Those of our young friends who have occasion to gather walnuts may 

 be interested to have a hint as to the best method of removing the 

 stains produced in hulling them. This may be accomplished simply by 

 rubbing with slices of apple or of pear 5 the cleansing power being due, 

 it is supposed, to the presence of the acid, which, therefore, may per- 

 haps be advantageously replaced by citric acid or lemon juice. If, how- 

 ever, the stains be at once thoroughly washed in fresh water, without 

 using soap, they may be made to disappear almost entirely ; but soap 

 is unadvisable, since its alkali acts as a mordant and fixes the color. 



PREPARED MEAT-EXTRACTS IN JAVA. 



It has frequently been remarked that the best inventions of the west- 

 ern nations have, in nearly every instance, been anticipated by processes 

 long since devised and in use by the Orientals, especially by the natives 

 of China and Japan; and we are assured that the subject of prepared 

 meat-extracts takes its place in this category. We are informed by a 

 recent communication of Dr. Pott that the inhabitants of Java have 

 for many years been in the habit of preparing flesh extracts of various 

 kinds, and especially of beef, fish, and crabs, and that in this form they 

 enter very largely into the internal commerce of the country. The prep- 

 aration is known by tlie general name of j;e^/s, while the particular sub- 

 stance, whether the flesh of one of three kinds of oxen, of fish, or of 

 crabs, is indicated by a special affix. 



The preparation of the petis appears to be a very simple one, consist- 

 ing merely in boiling the raw material and choi^ping it very fine, and 

 then putting it in a press and forcing out all the juices. This juice is 

 then boiled down at a moderate temperature to the consistency of sirup, 

 and kept for use. As a general rule, the prei)aration is made of such 



