PROCEEDINGS OF THE FABMERS' CLUB. 290 



medicines, and more in fresh meat and improved appliances for 

 cooking. 



Prof. Tillman. — Of all the cereals, buckwheat contains the 

 greatest heating power, and scientists say, the least muscle-making 

 material. Oats give the most of that, wheat next, and these rank 

 highest as brain-makini]: food. 



Dr. Heallock. — What is wanted by man as well as the lower 

 animals is a variety of food. If you confine a man to any one 

 article he will not take enough to keep up the natural forces. If 

 you feed a man upon coarse food, like corn bread, and pork, he 

 becomes coarse in his nature, and sinks down to a sort of animal 

 existence. A man may live and drudge all his days upon poor food. 

 You may often determine the character of a family by their very 

 looks as well as the looks of their premises. Hog and hominy 

 does not give refinement, and people generally do not think how 

 much depends upon food. In short, many do not seem to know 

 what they live for. 



Mr. F. C. Treadwell. — In early times in New England, shad and 

 salmon were so plenty that it was found necessary to stipulate ill 

 the indenture of apprentices that they should have meat, and not 

 be exclusively confined to a fish diet. 



Pork Barrels. 



Mr. C. G. Cotting, Eichmond, McHenry county. 111. — "In one 

 of the meetings of the club it was stated that pine will not answer 

 for pork barrels. In this section it is considered first-rate. I have 

 used pine barrels for salting beef and pork fifteen years. They 

 are more durable than any other, but must be made of good sound 

 stuff, free of sap. Many are of the opinion that it will spoil pork 

 to salt it with beef. I have for the last three years salted my 

 pork hams in the same pickle with my beef, and instead of hurt- 

 ing them, the beef actually improves the iiavor of the hams. 

 Some four years ago I thought I would try a single ham with my 

 beef, and found it so much better than the ones I had pickled by 

 themselves, that I have always pickled them with my beef since* 

 I always salt my side-pork by itself, in a two-barrel pine cask." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — The whole error in the previous state- 

 ment consisted in leaving out the word " new " before pine. That 

 has often been known to give such an unpleasant taste to meat that 

 it was not eatable. 



