I Vol. VII— No. 32. 



AND HORTJCULTURAL JOURNAL. 



251 



Good Ba'-on. — The fijllovving is the mode of cu- 

 ring bacon in Virginia, laid down by a gentleman 

 of tlio Is'.e of Wiglit county, who lias had much 

 expeiience in the process. — Lancaster Journal. 



" To have good bacon, the pork must be fat. It 

 may possibly be too fat, though dial :s very rarely 

 the case in Virginia. Hogs about eighteen months 

 jld, which arc raised poor, and afterwards well 

 fatted in f short time on corn, are, I think, tleci- 

 ledly to be preferred. Before the pork be salted 

 jp, it should be thoroughly cold, a circumstance 

 ndispensable to its lasting preservation ; and it is 

 it least Xhe safest course in our uncertain climate, 

 lose no time afterwards. To give bacon its 

 uost exquisite ilavor, both molasses or sugar, and 

 ■alt-petre should be used. I iisiially put a table 

 ;n'ionful or two of molasses on the flesh side of 

 lir ham, a little before it is salted, and after the 

 mil isses is ruijhed over it, a heaping spoonful or 

 wo of tinely pulverized salt-petre, the ham sup- 

 posed to weigh, when cured, from twelve to fif- 

 een pounds. I ])ut nearly the same quantity on 

 ;he niiddUngs and shoulders, and proportionably 

 m the siiialler pieces, believing that it essentially 

 ;outributes, not only tov/ards improving the flavor 

 md appearance, but also to the preservation of 

 aacon, and as a preventive against the worm, bug 

 and skipper. In order to ensure perfectly sound 

 bacon, the [lork must be salted at least twice. 

 The second salting should take place about the 

 third day after the first, at which time I add about 

 (i third of the quantity of salt-petre ar.plied in the 

 first instiince. If, however, tlie pork shoidd be 

 I frozen wlien salted in the first instance, it should 

 3e re-salted as soon as practicable after it thaws; 

 ivithout wliirli there is great danger of injiny. I 

 jse the Liverpool sack salt, and prefer it on ac- 

 ;ouut of its fineness. A bushel to the thousand 

 nreight of pork has been supposed a sufficient 

 juantity. I think it too little, and would not by 

 my means ad\ise that there should be a stint of 

 salt. Five pounds of salt-petre to the abovemen- 

 tioned quantity of pork, is, perhaps, quite enough. 

 Care should be taken to let the brine drain ofl' 

 from the pork, whilst in salt, as its contact with it 

 tends to injure its flavor. If salted in casks, there 

 should be a hole in the bottom, after the second 

 salting, that the brine may escape. There are 

 diflbrent opinions as to the length of time the 

 pork should remain in salt. I would recommend 

 four weeks. If salt-petre, in suftirient quantiti'S 

 be used, fat pork can hardly be made too salt. I 

 have known prime excellent bacon to remain in 

 salt more than three months. The last operation 

 in curing of bacon is the smoking of it. This 

 may be sufiiciently woll done,, perhaps, with ary 

 kind of wood ; but solid green wood, as hickoiy 

 or oak, is the best. Contrary to old opinions, tl e 

 operation is best carried on in the closest smoke- 

 house ; considerable degree of heat, too, is not in- 

 jurious, but promotes and facilitates, I believe, tlie 

 operation. Tiie old idea of fire tainting meat, is 

 erroneous. The effect, so called, is occasioned by 

 the pork not being thoroughly cured ; bacon shoulil 

 be smoked until it is of a dark reddish color, and 

 it is best done in clear dry weather. In liangii" 

 it up, it is most advantageous to put the joints 

 highest ; for, as they are most assailable by tie 

 skipper fly, they are least likely tberebj' to ha-c 

 eggs deposited on them. There is an opinion tint 

 has long universally prevailed, and which I thiik 

 the experience of the last winter has belied. It s, 

 ihat if pork be once thoroughly cold before sail- 



ing, it may with proper care be saved. This, in 

 ordinary winters, is true. But in such a winter as 

 last, when the thermometer ran, in 24 hours, from 

 between 30 and 40, to between 60 and 70, aud 

 remained so for four or I've days, I do not think 

 that lai and large pork c(in be saved by any rea- 

 sonable, attention to it. — ff'esttrn Tiller. 



Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Baltimore, 

 to a gentleman of this city. 



" The new mode of applying friction rollers to 

 the rail-road car is extremely remarkable. The 

 invention is by aJerseyman, who had a model fit- 

 ted up and exhibited in this city. I saw it tried 

 with ten fiftysixes and two men, weighing at least 

 one hundred and fifty pounds each, making eight 

 hundred and sixty pounds, exclusive of the weight 

 of the car, and, incredible as it may seem, this 

 .•jreat weight was drawn alon^, not very slowly, by 

 a half pound v/eight, attached to a string, running 

 over a pulley. The railway upon which it was 

 tried, was perfectly level. A finger would move 

 tiie car in either direction. 



" In England, as well as in this country, it is 

 founil that a horizontal traction of 112 pounds is 

 equal to one horse power, (it is thought by many 

 that the average effect is greater thaii that of 112 

 pounds,) and thus assuming that a load for one 

 hirse be 10 tons, (this is also a minimum,) we can 

 tell exactly that one horse will draw with facility 

 eighlyjive tons, with the aid of the very important 

 invention above mentioned. The machine is ex- 

 ceedingly simple, and I am satisfied will not wear 

 out so fast OS the common rail-read car." 



The following is a fine picture of Washington", 

 in his retirement — it is from one of his own let- 

 ters : 



" I am just beginning to experience the ease 

 and freedom from public cares, which, however 

 de.sirablo, it takes some time to realize ; for, 

 strange as it may seem, it is nevertheless true, that 

 it was not until lately I could get the better of my 

 usual custom of ruminating, as soon as I awoke 

 in the morning, on the business of the ensuing 

 day ; and of mjf surprise on finding, after revolv- 

 ing many things in my mind, that I was no longer 

 a public man, or had any thing to do with public 

 transactions. I feel, as I conceive a wearied trav- 

 eller must do, who, after treading many a painful 

 step, with a heavy burden on his shoulders, is 

 eased of the latter, having reached the haven to 

 which all the former were directed, and from his 

 house top is looking back, and tracing with an 

 eager eye the meanders by which he escaped the 

 quicksands and mires which lay in his way, and 

 into which none but the all-powerful Guide and 

 Dispenser of human events could have prevented 

 his fulling. I have become a private citizen of 

 the banks of the Potomac; and, under the shadow 

 of my own vine and my own fig tree, free from 

 the bustle of a camp, and the busy scenes of [lub- 

 lic life, I am solacing myself with those tranquil 

 enjoyments of which the soldier, who is ever in 

 pursuit of fame — the statesman, whose watchful 

 days and sleepless nights are spent in devising 

 schemes to promote the welfare of his own, per- 

 haps the ruin of other countries, as if this globe 

 was insufficient for us all — and the courtier, who 

 is always watching the countenance of his prince, 

 in the hope of catching a gracious smile — can 

 have very little conception. I am not only retired 

 from all public employments, but am retiring with- 

 in myself, and shall be able to view the solitary 



walk, and tread the paths of private life, with 

 heartfelt satisfaction. Envious of none, I am de- 

 termined to be pleased with all ; and tliis, my dear 

 friend, being the order of my march, I will move 

 gently down tho stream of life until I sleep with 

 my fathers." 



iilverage price of vcgetalles sold at JVcw York Wash- 

 ington Market, for Jamianj, 1S29. 

 (Corrected by \V;.i Cuur, Gardener, N. York.) 

 CauUfower. — The extensive supply of this veg- 

 etable vvhiclj has been brought to market during 

 the past autumn and to this present period, proves 

 the interesting progress our market gardeners are 

 making in its most successful cultivation ; very 

 fine heads weighing from two to five pounds, 

 have been sold in this market this month, for 25 

 to 37J cents per head. Brocoli. — The supply of 

 this has also been very plentiful, and in point of 

 size and quality, very little if at all inferior to 

 Cauliflower, from 75 cents to $1 per dozen heads. 

 — Winter Cabbages very plentiful, and good heads 

 at 37i^ to 50 cents per dozen — Savoys 37,^^ cents 

 per dozen heads — Borecole or Kale 37^^ cents per 

 dozen — Potatoes, ' the supply usually deficient, 

 from 50 to 62^ cents per bushel — Turnips, plenty 

 and of good qiiahty, 31^ cents per busliel — Pars- 

 nips, SI ])er 100 — Blood Beets, 75 cents per 100 — 

 Carrots, 62J cents per 100 — Salsafy, from 4 to 6 

 cents per bunch of 12 roots — Whitv Onions, $1 to 

 1 2 5 cents per bushel ; red, 50 cents per bushel — 

 Celery, very plentiful and good, from 4 to 8 cents 

 per bunch of three heads — Spinage, very plentiful 

 and tine, 31;^ cents per bushel — Lettuce, the white 

 Dutch Cabbages and yellow Silesia, fine and plen- 

 tiful, at 25 to 37i cents per dozen heads — Endive, 

 the supply rather scarce and inferior in quahty, 

 18 to 25 cents per dozen — fVater Cresses, plenty, 

 18 to 25 cents per half peck — Corn Sallad, do, 

 do — Leeks, plenty and fine, 50 to 62-J- cents per 

 hundred — Parsley, 3 cents per bunch — Horse 

 Radish, do. 



RECEIPT FOR WET FEET. 

 To an old, constant, and most zealous friend, 

 I pray j'ou, fellow citizens, attend ! 

 The receipt below to shoes apply ; 

 'T is the true water-proof to keep feet dry — 

 'T will many save from the physician's bill. 

 And from disorders whirl] too often kill. 

 All tlie ingredients are very cheap, 

 And long the mixture will uninjured keep. 

 i pint of boiled linseed oil, 

 i pound of mutton suet, 

 8 ounces of clean bees' wax, 

 6 ounces of connnon rosin. 

 Dissolve these ingredients well together, over 

 a gentle fire, stir the mixture up well while melt- 

 ing, and put it on with a brush, hot, without burn- 

 ing the leather — seals and upper leather. Let it 

 dry, and repeat the application twice more in the 

 same way. — JVat. Int. 



A bill incorporating a company for the manu- 

 facture of Silk in Delaware, with a capital of 

 $50,000 has passed both houses of the Legisla- 

 ture. 



The cucumber has been found to contain, on 

 analysis, no less tlu-.n 582-80 parts of water in 

 600 ; the remaining 17-20 parts consist of 13 dif- 

 ferent ingredients, in different pro[iortions, the 

 principal of which are, a fungous matter similar 

 to the mushroom, and a sweet substance, which 

 gives to this fruit its peculiar flavor — Mechanic's 

 Magazine. 



