74 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



of tliree npartmcnta — a milk housr, ascaldinff and 

 prfs^ino- liouso, and a salting liousp. To these 

 slnnilil he added a ciieesc room, or loft. A d:tiry 

 for a small family may be formed in a thick walled, 

 dry celhir, havioLf windows on the north and east 

 sides, wliich are jtreferahle for ventilation. In 

 winter these windows should have double sashes, 

 and in summer, a fixed frame of close wire net- 

 ling, or liair cloth, to exclude flies and other in- 

 sects 



In most places cows are milked twice in twenty- 

 four hours, througliout the year. Where quantity 

 of milk or cheese is an object, tliree times milking 

 must he preferable, but as twelve liours are neces- 

 sary for the due preparation of tlie milk in tlie cow, 

 it must be inferior in quality if drawn more than 

 twice a day. Wliatever be th^.^ times of milking, 

 the milk should be drawn off clear ; otherwise, 

 what is left will be reabsorbed into the system, and 

 no more be generated tlian is requisite to supply 

 the quantity actuliy drawn. The milker, whether 

 a man or a woman, ought to be mild in manners, 

 and good tempered. If the operation is performed 

 harslily, it becomes painful to the cow, who in this 

 case ollen brings into action her faculty of retain- 

 ing her milk at jiloasure ; but if gently performed, 

 it seems rather to give pleasure. When cows are 

 ticklish, tiiey should be treated with the most sooth- 

 ing gentleness, and never with harshness or 

 F '-erity ; and wlien the udder is hard and painful, 

 it .:iiouid be tenderly fom.ented with lukewarm wa- 

 ter, and stroked gently ; by which simple expedi- 

 ent the cow will be brought into gjod temper, and 

 wdl yield iier milk without hesitation. Whenever 

 the teats of cows become scratclied, or wounded, 

 so as to produce foul or corrupted milk, it oKght, 

 on no account, to be mixed with the sweet milk, 

 nor carried into the milk house, lest it should taint 

 the atmosphere, and thus prove injurious to the rest 

 of the milk. 



Cowssliould be milked as near the dairy as pos- 

 sible, in order to prevent the necessity of carrying 

 and cooling the nnlk before it is jmt into the crea- 

 ming dishes. Every cow's milk should he kept 

 separate till the peculiar properties of eacli are so 

 well known as to admit of their being well classed, 

 when those that are most nearly allied, may be 

 mixed together. Thw very best quality of butter 

 can only be economically made in those dairies 

 where cheese is also made ; because in them the 

 best part of each cow's milk (the last drawn off) 

 can be set apart for tlirowing up cream, the best 

 part of the cream (the first separated) can be taken 

 in order to make into butter, and tlie remainder, or 

 all the real of the milk and cream of tlie dairy, can 

 be turned into cheese. The spontaneous separa- 

 tion of cream, and the production of butter, are 

 never affected but in consequence of the produc- 

 tion of acid in the milk. Hence it is, that where 

 the whole milk is set apart for the separation of 

 cream, and the wliole of the cream is separated, 

 tlie milk must necessarily have turned sour beforr 

 it is made into clieese ; and no very excellent 

 cheese can be made from milk whicii has once at- 

 tained that state. 



nntion, for at least ten or twelve j'cars, if care be 

 had not to crop it too severely ; while, with all 

 practical precautions, the stable manure must be 

 renewed at least three times in that interval, to 

 maiuLain in the soil a corresponding degree of vig- 

 or. 



" A specimen of tlie marl from .Thorp's lowest 

 layer yielded me, after reiterated trials, uniformly 

 about the foUowinrr, for its composition : 



Sllicia 43,40 



Protoxide of iron 21,60 



Alumni G,40 



Lime 10,40 



Potash 14,48 



Water 4,40 



Marl— Its Nature and Effects. 



The following extract from Professor lingers' 

 late Geographical Report, will give our agricultu- 

 ral readers some more distinct idea of this remark- 

 able, and recently talked off manure, wiiich a- 

 bounds in Monmouth and other counties of New 

 Jersey. 



Marl, or green mineral, loses nothing of its po- 

 tency by a long exposure, even of years, to water 

 and the atmosphere ; in other words, it is not dis- 

 solved, or decomposed, or changed by the ordinary 

 atmospheric agents which react so powerfully up- 

 on many other minerals, and consequently we are 

 to regard it is nearly tact, with it to effect its de- 

 composition, by the vital power of their organs, 

 and iinbibe a portion of some of its constituent.^. 



" Mr. Wooley manured a piece of land inT.he 

 proportion of two hundred loads of good stable 

 manure to the acre, applying upon an adjacent tract 

 of the same soil, his marl in the ratio of aliout 

 twenty loads per acre. The crops which were clo- 

 ver and timothy, were much the heaviest up-m tlie 

 section which had received the marl ; and there 

 was this additional fact greatly in favor of the fos- 

 sil manure, over the putrescent one, that the soil 

 enriched by it, was entirely free of weeds, while 

 tlie stable manure rendered Its own crop very foul. 



*' This being an experiment, an extravagantly 

 large dressing of manure was employed, but not 

 exceeding the usual average application, more than 

 twenty loads of marl surpassed wliat was necessary 

 for it. 



" Experience has already sliown tliat land once 

 amply marled, retains it« fertility with littlw dimi- 



99,68 in 100 

 grains. 



In connexion with the foregoing extracts we add 

 a few facts and experiments collected from the gen- 

 tlemen whose names are used : — 



Messrs. Tunis, and John B. Forman say, that 

 they have used Squancum Marl at the rate of 100 

 bushels to the acre, on very poor, worn out, cold 

 clay land ; the product of the first year was 'M) 

 bushels of buckwheat to the acre — and the second 

 year (it being sowed the year before with clover 

 and hi-rd) it cut a ton or more of good hay per acre, 

 after which about 100 bushels of marl per acre were 

 scattered over the seed, and it now yields two tons 

 of good hay to the acre. 



They have also resuscitated mowing ground after 

 it had become too poor to produce a crop, by spread- 

 ing 100 bushels of marl per acre over the sod, and 

 the effect was to mellow the soil, and produce two 

 tons of hay to the acre ; the hay produced was of 

 a superior quality, and free from weeds. One hun- 

 dred bushels of marl to the acre of land, so poor as 

 to have been considered useless, will raise a crop of 

 from 1*2 to 20 bushels of rye per acre, and leave a 

 fine sod of white clover. From three pints to two 

 quarts of marl per hill of potatoes (the hills three 

 feet apart on poor ground) has produced from 200 

 to '2r70 bushels per acre. 



They have found tiie marl a superior manure for 

 turnips and garden truck In general. The effect of 

 marling lands planted with apple trees, is as- 

 tonishing in improving the trees and fruit. 

 They have known marl to be spread on a bog mea- 

 dow, and to cause double the quantity of superior 

 hay to be produced. A neighbor of theirs, a few 

 years since, sowed out of a basket, about 100 bush- 

 els of marl, on three or four acres of very poor 

 land, and reaped about 100 bushels of buckwheat. 



Dr. Forman states, that two or three years a 'o 

 he broke up a small piece of land, which he for 40 

 years had considered too poor to plough, an acre ; 

 applied 100 bushels of marl per acre ; the land 

 produced a good crop of rye and has cut a ton of 

 clover hay per acre every year since. He also 

 states that Squancum Marl vi'as first used about 30 

 j^ears ago by Derlck Chamberlain, under the name 

 of crcch mud; it caused tlie piece of land thus ma- 

 nured, to produce double the quantity it had done 

 before, and the effect on the laiid is still visible. — 

 Franklin Mercury. 



pork should be slashed. Pieces of pork alternately 

 fat and lean, are the most suitable ; tlie cheeks are 

 the best. Tiiev should be just covered with water 

 when put into tlie oven ; and the pork should be 

 sunk a little below the surface of the beans. Bake 

 th ee or four hours. 



Stewed beans are prepared in the same w?y. 

 The only difference is tli^-y are not taken out of the 

 scalding' water, but are allowed to stew in more wa- 

 ter, with a piece of pork and a little pepper, three 

 hours or more. 



Dried peas need not be soaked over night. They 

 should be stewed slowly four or five hours in con- 

 siderable water, with a piece of pork. The older 

 beans and peas are, the longer they should cook. 

 Indeed this is the case with all vegetables. 



Souse. — Pig's feet, ears, &c. should be cleaned 

 after being soaked in water not \ery hot ; the hoofs 

 will then come off easily with a sharp knife; the 

 hard, rough places should be cut off; they should 

 be thoroughly singed, and then boil as much as 

 four or five hours, until they are too tender to be 

 taken out with a fork. When taken from the boil- 

 ing water, it should be put into cold water. After 

 it is packed down tight, boil the ji'Uy like liquor in 

 which it was cooked with an equal quantity of vin- 

 egar, salt as you think fit, and cloves, allspice, and 

 cinnamon, at ths rate of a quarter of a pound to 

 one hundred weight ; to be poured on sccildlng 

 hot. 



Tripe. — Tripe should be kept in cold water, or it 



TIIE FRUGAL HOUSEWIFE. 

 Common Cooking. 



Suiisanrrs. — Three tea-spoons of powdered sage, 

 one and a half of salt, and one of pepper, to a pound 

 of meat, is good seasoning for sausages. 



Mince meat. — There is a great difference in pre- 

 paring mince meat. Some make it a coarse, unsa- 

 vory disli; and others n.ake it nice and palatable. 

 No economical housekeeper will desj)ise it ; for 

 broken bits of meat and vegetables cannot so v.'ell 

 be dispnsed of in any other way. If you wish to 

 have it nice, mash your vegetables fine, and chop 

 your meat very fine. Warm it with what remains 

 of sweet grav3', or roast-meat drippings, you ma^' 

 happen to have. Two or three apples, pared, cor- 

 ed, sliced, and fried, to mix witli it, is an im])rove- 

 ment. Some like a little sifted sage sprinkled in. 



It is generally "considered nicer to chop your 

 meat fine, warm it in gravy, season it, and lay it 

 upon a large slice of toasted bread to he brouirht 

 upon the table without being mixi--d with potatoes ; 

 but if you have cold vegetables, use them. 



Bciins a/td Peas. — Baked beans are a very simple 

 dish, yet few cook them well. They should be put 

 in cold water, and hung over th'j fire, the night he- 

 fore they are baked. In the morning they should 

 be jiul in a cullender and rinsed two or three times. 

 Then again placed in. a kettle, with tlie pork you 

 intend to bake, covered with water, and kept scal- 

 ding iiot, an hour or more. A pound of pork is 

 quite enough for a quart of bean?, and this is a large 

 dinner for a common family. The rind of tlio 



will become too dry for cooking. The water in 

 which it is kept should be changed more or less 

 frequently, according to the warmth of the weath- 

 er. Broiled like a steak, buttered, peppered, &c. 

 Some people like it prepared like souse. 



Gravy. — Most people put half a pint of flour and 

 water into their tin-kitchen, when they set meat 

 down to roast. This does very well ; but gravy is 

 better flavored and looks darker, to shake flour and 

 salt upon the meat, let it brown thoroughly, put 

 flour and salt on again, and then baste the meat 

 with about half a pint of hot water, (or more, ac- 

 cording to the gravy you want.) When the meat 

 is about done, pour these drippings into a skillet, 

 and let it boil. If it is not thick enough shake in 

 a little flour ; but be sure to let it boil, and be well 

 stirred, after the flour is in. If you fear it will be 

 too greasy, take oft' a cupful of the fat before you 

 boil. The fiit of beef, pork, turkeys and geese is 

 as good for shortenlniTa:i lard. Salt gravy to yonr 

 taste. If you are very paiticular about dark gra- 

 vies, keep your drudglng-box full of scorched flour 

 for that purpose. 



Poultry. — There are various ways of deciding a- 

 bout the age of poultry. 



If the bottom of tlie breast bone, which extend^ 

 down between the legs, is soft, and gives easily, it 

 is a sign of youth ; if stiff*, the poultry is old. 



If young, the legs are lighter, and the feet do not 

 look so hard, stiff, and worn. 



There is more deception in geese than in any 

 other kind of poultry. The above remarks are ap- 

 plied to them; but there are othersigns more infal- 

 lible. In a young goose the cavity under the 

 wings is very tender ; it is a bad sign if you can- 

 not, with very little trouble, push your finger di- 

 rectly into the flesh. There is another means by 

 which you may decide whether a gouse he tender, 

 if it be frozen or not. Pass the head of a pin along 

 the breast, or sides, and if the goose he young, the 

 skin will rip, like fine paper under a knife. 



Something may be judged concerning the age of 

 a goose by tlie thickness of the web between the 

 tots. Wlien young, this is tender and transparent; 

 it grows coarser and harder with time. 



In broiling chickens it is diflicult to do the in- 

 side of tiie tliickest pieces without scorching the 

 outside. It is a good plan to parboil tliem about 

 ten minutes In a spider ort^-Mllet, covered clo^e to 

 keep the stoam in; then put them upon the grldi- 

 nm, broil nnd butter. It is u g<»od plan to cuver 

 them v.'.th a plate, wlitle on the gridiron. They 

 may be basted with a very little of the water in 

 which tliey were broiled ; and if ycu have compa- 

 ny whi) like melted butter to pour upon tJie chick- 

 en, tiie remainder of tlie liquor will be good use for 

 that purpose. 



An hour Is enough for common sized chickens to 

 roast. A smart fire is better than a slow one ; but 

 they must be tended closely. Slices of bread but- 

 tered, salted, and peppered, put into the stomach 

 (not tiie crop) is excellent. 



Chickens should boil about an hour. If old they 

 should boil longer. In as little water as will cook 

 them. Chieken-broth made like mutton-broth. 



A common sized goose should roast full three 

 quarters of an hour. The oil that drips from it 

 should be nearly all turned off; it makes the gravy 



