THE GENESEE FARMER. 



377 



DEESS FTTRS. 



The great demand for dress furs of every description, 

 and the constantly increasing value set upon them by 

 both ladies and gentlemea in fashionable society, is grad- 

 ually rendering the fur trade one of the most important 

 in the Uuited.States. 



Fortunes can now be easily made by the successful 

 trapper, from the enormous advance, amounting in some 

 oases to six or eight limes the original cost of ueaily all 

 kinds of skins. This is particularly the case with mink 

 skins, which formerly sold for from thirty to fifty cents 

 each, but now bring from $3.50 to $5.00. This cost is 

 still further enhanced by the time they reach the manu- 

 facturers, who have to prepare them, and make them up 

 into capes, collars, cuffs, muflfs and cloaks. A muff with 

 less than three dark stripes is not considered really ele- 

 gant, and such cost from $18.00 to $25.00 each. The 

 number of stripes indicates the number of skins used in 

 making up, as there is only one stripe in a skin, and the 

 darkness and softness of this part of the fur, added to 

 the length of the skin, determines its value. 



Just now there is a rage for "mink"— it is the fashion- 

 able fur, and no lady who can possibly afford it considers 

 her wardrobe complete without a "set" more or less 

 elegant. It has almost set aside sable, which used to be 

 greatly prized, and is still very costly, and the finest 

 qualities are now considered nearly equal in value to the 

 medium grades of even Russian sable. 



Of course there are many other kinds of fur worn, and 

 many of a very nice quali-ty, which can be bought in sets 

 verv cheap, as low as ten dollars, for instance, looking 

 well and lady-like, and doing an immense amount of 

 service. 



The truth is, furs are very comfortable — in fact, almost 

 a necessity in this rigorous climate, and ladies who once 

 wear them will never afterwards be without them. It is 

 ■very much better, themfore, to possess a good, comfort- 

 able set, which are not the most costly, than none at all. 

 There are furs, however, not very expensive, which' are 

 always respectable. The grey squirrel belongs to this 

 class; it is even fashionable for elderly ladies, for mourn- 

 ing, and for giils just in their teens. It is also ver^' nice 

 for children, and is preferred by many to the spotted 

 ermine, which is the children's special fur. 



A set of squirrel fur can be bought for fifteen dollars, 

 and a very nice set for twenty-five; they can also be pur- 

 chased as high as fifty and a hundred, according to the 

 quality of the fur, and the size of cape, or collar, the lat- 

 ter article being very much in vogue ju"4 now, and so 

 much smellier than even the old-fashioned victorine as to 

 be comparatively inexpensive. 



The rarest fur in the market is the cross and silver 

 fbx, which bring very high prices. Of the cross fox only 

 a few skins are ever caught, and in their raw state they 

 bring twenty dollars each. 



The demand for furs this season is vrv great, especially 

 for the costlier varieties — mink and ermine. Ermine is 

 acquiring its old place in the world of fashion, and is 



greatly used for carriage and opera wear. Mink is indis- 

 pensable for street promenade toilette. 



The shape has not changed materially since last year. 

 Small muffs are still in vogue, and collars: the latter are 

 sometimes made pointed. 



Costly fur cloaks are only within the re<ich of a few 

 persons, but of these more have been made this winter 

 than ever before. 



Sets of children's furs, cloak and tiny nniff, are very 

 pretty, and can be obtained for seven dollar.'?. — Madame 

 Demorest's World of Fashion. 



ORIGINAL DOMESTIC RECEIPTS. 



Contributed to tlie Genes'^e Farmer. 



How TO Cure Meat. — The editor of the Germantown 

 Telegraph gives the following as "Our Receipt for Curing 

 Jleat r" To one gallon of water take one and a half 

 pounds of salt, one-half pound of sugar, one-half ounce 

 of saltpeter, one-half ounce of potash. In this ratio the 

 pickle to be increased to any d«sired quantity. Let these 

 be boiled together, until all the dirt from the sugar rises 

 to the top and is skimmed off. Then throw it into a tub 

 to cool, and when cold pour it over your beef or pork to 

 remain the usual time, say four or five weeks. The meat 

 must be well covered with pickle, and should not be put 

 down for at least two days after killing, during which 

 time it should be slightly sprinkled with powdered salt- 

 peter, which removes all the surface blood, <&c., leaving 

 the meat fresh and clean. Some omit boiling the pickle, 

 and find it to answer well; though the operation of boil- 

 ing purifies the pickle by throwing off the dirt always to 

 be found in salt and sugar. If this receipt is properly 

 tried, it will never be abandoned. There is none that 

 surpasses it, if so good. 



Bibd's Nest Pudding. — Pare tart, well-flavored apples; 

 scoop out the cores without dividing the apple; put them 

 in a deep dish, and a spoonful of sugar in the opening of 

 each apple; pour on water enough to cook them ; when 

 soft pour over them an unbaked custard, so as just to 

 cover them, and bake until the custard is done. 



Mrs. Craig's Cake. — Whites of ten eggs, one and a 

 half tumblers of sugar, one tumbler of flour, a liitl,esnlt, 

 one teaspoonful of "cream-tartar, extract of lemon. Stir 

 the sugar and flour together thoroughly, and put on the 

 egg very lightly just as it goes i6 the oven. 



Aunt Howell's Wine Cake. — Three cups of sugar, 

 two cups of butter, one and two-thirds cups of currant 

 wine, five cups of flour, five eggs, two pounds of raisins, 

 one-half pound of citron, one teaspoonful of soda. 



Veal Relish. — Three pounds of veal, one pound of 

 salt pork, chopped fine. Season with suit, pejijier, mace, 

 nutmeg, juice and the rind of one lemon.. Press into a 

 pan. Bake one and a half hours. 



Corn-Starch Cakk. — One cup of butter, two cups of 

 sugar, two cups of corn-starch, three eggs, one lemon, 

 one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two table.-poonfuls 

 of milk. Bake in little pans. 



Sponge Cake. — Four eggs, one tumbler of flour, one 

 tumbler of sugar. Bake quick. 



