46 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



We hope Mr. M. has at last made the grand dis- 

 covery, and shall only charge him twenty per cent, 

 for putting him in the way of obtaining the snug 

 little premium which he claims, by sending his state- 

 ment to His Excellency without delay. 



We are almost sorry to mar the bright prospects 

 of our friend who has made this discovery, but as 

 faithful chroniclers feel bound to say, that, while 

 we believe he is correct in stating that the potato 

 rot is prevented where the vines are protected by 

 buildings, shrubbery or fences, the same remedy 

 has been suggested by others. Indeed, in an ex- 

 ceedingly interesting article on the same subject in 

 another column of this paper, by Professor Hoyt, 

 of Exeter, this remedy is alluded to in plain terms. 



the load, and instantly stop when so ordered. We 

 saw a few cases where the teamsters had become 

 intoxicated and fallen asleep, and the teams had 

 turned around to watch them." 



WORK, WORK, 



I have seen and heard of people who thought it 

 beneath them to work — to employ themselves in- 

 dustriously in some useful labor. Beneath them 

 to work ! Why, work is the great motto of life ; 

 and he who accomplishes the most by his industry 

 is the most truly great man. Aye, and is the 

 most distinguished man among his fellows, too. 

 And the man who so far forgets his duty to him- 

 self, his fellow-creatures, and his God — who so far 

 forgets the great blessings of life, as to allow his 

 energies to stagnate in activity and uselessness, 

 had better die ; for, says the Holy Writ, "He that 

 will work not, neither shall he eat." An idler is a 

 cumberer of the ground ; a weariness and curse to 

 himself, as well as to those around him. 



Beneath human beings to ivork ! Look in the 

 artist's studio, the poet's garret, where the Genius 

 of Immortality stands ready to seal his works with 

 her ineffaceable signet, and then you will only see 

 industry standing by her side. 



Beneath human beings to work ! What but 

 work has tilled our fields, clothed our bodies, built 

 our houses, raised our churches, printed our books, 

 cidtivated our minds and souls 1 " Work out your 

 own salvation," says the inspired Apostle to the 

 Gentiles. — Cornish Banner. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PACKING MEAT, 



Mr. Editor : — I observe on the first page of your 

 paper of the 20 inst., some remarks from Prof. Re- 

 finsque concerning packing meat for family use. 

 We have had doubts many years whether saltpetre 

 was healthful to the family, when used in the meat 

 barrel, and should be glad to change the practice 

 if we can do it without being in danger of losing 

 our meat, or making it too salt. AYe were intend- 

 ing to butcher an ox to-morrow to lay down for 

 next hay season ; but have concluded to Avait a 

 week or two to learn something more on this sub- 

 ject. We hope you will publish in your next pa- 

 per the most approved modern method of packing 

 beef for family use. Truly yours, w. 



West Farms, near Middlehury, Vt., Dec. 22. 



WORKING DOGS. 



In the search after industrial power and econo- 

 my of human strength, it is wonderful that dogs 

 are left so wholly unemployed in America. Their 

 uses, in other countries, are thus described in a let- 

 ter from Brussels : — 



"Dogs, of almost every breed, are taught to 

 work by the Germans. It looks odd enough to 

 see these sagacious animals, of all descriptions, 

 from the thick-headed bull-dog, and mild and in- 

 telligent Newfoundland, down to the candle-leg, 

 half-hound and snappish rat-terrier, all fully em- 

 ployed, instead of lazing away their time as they 

 do here. The majority of the dogs, however, are 

 of the larger kind ; and it is quite amusing to see 

 their willingness to work, and the various ways in 

 which they are employed. No person is presumed 

 to use a wheelbarrow without a dog to draw the 

 load, and in vehicles of this kind we saw loads of 

 wood, milk, butter, cabbages, bricks, bread, mor- 

 tar, and hot coffee, and refreshments for travellers. 

 All the labor that the person behind had to perform, 

 was to act as steersman, while the dog would draw 



Remarks. — No corned beef is better than that 

 salted in clear salt and water, provided it is to be 

 used within three or four weeks from the time of 

 salting. But when it is to be kept several months, 

 something must be added to prevent the meat ta- 

 king up too much salt. The tendency is for the 

 meat to take up salt and exclude its own juices, 

 thus leaving a hard, dry fibre, penetrated with salt, 

 and about as nutritious and fit for the table, as a 

 boiled heel-tap ! We will give our friend a recipe 

 for preserving beef, one which we have tested. 



Let the meat be thoroughly cool, but not frozen ; 

 sprinkle the bottom of the barrel with clear Turk's 

 Island salt, pack the pieces and sprinkle salt, and 

 in this manner fill the barrel. Add to this 6 pounds 

 of clean brown sugar, sprinkled upon the meat as 

 you pack. This process is only for the cold weath- 

 er, requires but little salt and the barrel must be 

 kept in a cool place. As soon as the weather be- 

 comes warm enough to affect the meat it must be 

 taken out, washed in cold water and put into new 

 brine sufficiently strong to preserve it, adding two 

 pounds of sugar, with cloves and allspice, if desira- 

 ble. 



The following is the recipe of one of the largest 

 beef packers in Quincy market. Three pecks of 

 Turk's Island salt and four pounds of sugar to a 

 barrel of beef. He uses the three pecks of salt be- 

 side that used in making the brine. 



Live for Something. — "Thousands of men," 

 says Chalmers, "breathe, move and live — pass off 

 the stage of life, and are heard of no more — why? 

 they do not partake of good in the world, and none 

 were blessed by them ; none could point to them 

 as the means of their redemption ; not a line they 

 wrote, not a word they spake, could be recalled ; 

 and so they perished ; their light went out in dark- 

 ness and they were not remembered more than in- 

 sects of yesterday. Will you thus live and die, 

 man immortal ! — Live for something. Do good, and 

 leave behind you a inonuineht of virtue." 



