132 



Curing Beef and Pork — Inquirer — Potatoes. 



Vol. U. 



another tendency, even more injurious than 

 the former, which is, that the coat of lime 

 deadens the external bark, and in the au- 

 tumn it peals off, and hence the smooth and 

 lively appearance the trunk of the tree pre- 

 sents ; but let it be remembered, and duly 

 considered, that this very outer covering, 

 taken off by the effects of the lime, is that 

 which is intended in the wisdom of the great 

 Author of nature, to protect or defend the 

 tree, in this northern latitude, from the in- 

 clemency of a severe and protracted winter. 

 Whatever then has a tendency to rem.ove or 

 take off this covering, necessarily exposes 

 the trunk of the tree more to the action of 

 the severest frosts, which not unfrequently 

 in extreme cold weather proves fatal ; or, to 

 say the least, occasions whole orchards to 

 wear a sickly or consumptive aspect, from 

 which they can never be recovered, thus 

 rewarding the well intended though mis- 

 taken care and attention of the industrious 

 husbandman with vexation and disappoint- 

 ment. 



In throwing these remarks on the practice 

 of whitewashing fruit trees, before the pub- 

 lic, the writer has no design, other than to 

 cast his mite into the treasury of agricultural 

 experience, and to induce bis fellow citizens 

 to desist from a practice he believes to have 

 its foundation iil error. J. C. 



New Lnndun, 6 mo. 25lh, 1S37. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Curing Seef and Pork. 



For the information of your correspondent 

 A. and others, who may delight in good salt 

 beef and pork, please insert the following 

 receipt. Several years experience has satis- 

 fied me of its excellence. 



For Beef— 200 pounds. 

 13 pounds Liverpool salt, 

 8 gallons water, (pure and soft,) 

 1 pound brown sugar, 

 4 ounces saltpetre, 

 1 quart ley. 

 These ingredients are to be mixed with 

 the water cold; well stirred and skimmed, 

 and put on the beef cold — no fire being used 

 in the process. 



Pack your beef in the cask, and between 

 each piece sprinkle a little fine salt; then 

 pour over the pickle, and let it stand until 

 salted to your taste ; usually about four weeks 

 are sufficient. 



The same receipt answers for pork, using 

 15 pounds of salt instead of twelve. I have 

 never failed of having the choicest hams by 

 pursuing this method. Both beef and pork 

 should be rubbed with salt, and laid on 

 shelves long enough to become perfectly 

 cool, previous to being consigned to the 

 pickle tub. R. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Inquirer— No. 1. 



In every branch of rural and domestic 

 economy, in the least susceptible of any 

 improvement, we find various projects and 

 theories advanced, many of which, after ap- 

 pearing before the public, like Macbeth's 

 witches, vanish into air — thin air. This is 

 particularly applicable in the pursuits of 

 agriculture. Yet we believe that amid all 

 the noise and din about experiments and dis- 

 coveries, many valuable improvements have 

 been attained, and important facts brought 

 to light, of which the great mass of agri- 

 culturists, from the want of a knowledge 

 of such facts, derive no advantages. A cor- 

 rect knowledge of such facts is possessed 

 by the few only, or regarded by the manj 

 as mere theory. We think, therefore, thai 

 correct information on a number of such sub- 

 jects would be highly beneficial to the greai 

 mass of farmers. Hence we design propos- 

 ing certain inquiries, with the expectatior 

 that persons who may be in the possession 

 of such knowledge will make communica- 

 tion thereof — or that others may be induced 

 thereby to try the experiments and commu- 

 nicate the result. We know it is the custom 

 with farmers in general, in the feeding ol 

 grain to stock, to give it to them in a whole 

 or unground state ; and we frequently see il 

 asserted in the agricultural works of the 

 day, its superiority in feeding stock if first 

 cracked or ground. Now we would suggest 

 as an inquiry, expecting that some person 

 will give us an answer, based on experiment, 

 the following : — In the feeding of grain to 

 the various kinds of farm stock, what are 

 the advantages in feeding to them in a 

 ground over that of a whole or unground 

 State t 



Cliester County, November 17th, 1837. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Potatoes. 



The following experiment on the growth 

 of potatoes was made at the U. S. Naval 

 Asylum, on the Schuylkill. The ground 

 was dug np in the spring, and so left until 

 the 9th of June, when it was planted in the 

 following manner. A piece was selected 39 

 feet by 9 ; this was divided into five rows, 

 in each row the same number of small holes 

 was made, one foot apart; into each was put 

 a small portion of stable manure. 



The 1st row was planted with large po- 

 tatoes, one in each hole ; the 2d with small 

 potatoes, in like manner. Potatoes were then 

 cut as usual for planting ; in the iJd row one 

 cutting was put in each hole ; in the 4th 

 row two cuttings ; in the 5th row three cut- 



