NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 23, 18:^0. 



MISC£L.L.ANI£S. 



COFFEE. 



There are probably many .house-keepers wlio 

 wit be interested in the fullowiiig siiii|il(! rulcB 

 for th(; preparatiiiu of an important item ofiloines- 

 tic luxury. It is tiomewbat remarkable that tin 

 iiiluiiion which may be made with great ease, 

 and in a very short space of time, is, in many 

 fumilieF, the cause of more vexation and oom|ilaint 

 than all the other petty niinuyances uf the house- 

 holi* put together. The suggestions below, which 

 we copy from the Vir;,Muia Liierary Museum, 

 may be ihe means of soothing the diurnal irrila- 

 tiou of inuny an unquiet spirit. — Bos. Dai. Adv. 



1. The raw coffee shoidd be round and ^^aiall 

 grained, free from dirt and of a light color. It 

 ehoidd have no a|>|>earauce of moiddiiie.-'s, and be 

 quite free from any strong smell. It should not 

 be long kei)t in sacks with other provisions, as 

 there is no substance more ujit to obtain slrung 

 and disagreeable odors from the presence of its 

 neighbors. Rinn injures it ; and Miller even goes 

 eo far as to state, that a few bags of pepper, on 

 board a ship from India, upon one occasion, spoil- 

 ed the vvliule cargo. 



2. When the grains are large, flat, and of a 

 green color, they should be kept on hand, in a 

 dry sitnation, a long time before use. Every 

 West Indian planter knows this fact, although 

 Ills interest too often induces him to send the ar- 

 ticle to market before it is old and dry enough. 



3. Roasting coffee is by far the most difficult 

 operation of the housekeeper ; when carried litr 

 enough, an aromatic oil is formed by the heat 

 aiul forces itself out upon the surfiice of the grains, 

 giving them a glossy appearance, and an odor 

 which is considered their perfection •, yet loo little 

 roasting prevents the aroma from Rjipearing, and too 

 Itmch completely volatilizes it, leaving nothing 

 but a flat bitter taste. The heat should be slrong 

 and the operation shortened as innch as possible, 

 without burning the grains. The roaster should 

 be close or well covered all the time, and, in or- 

 der to improve the looks and flavor, a small piece 

 of butter may be added to the coffee, while parch- 

 ing. 



4. When thus prepared, coffee may be pre- 

 served for use in large quantities, without losing 

 much of its freshness, provided the vessels con- 

 taining it, be kept well covered. 



6. An infusion of coffee is better than a de- 

 coction, simply because the heat, in the last case, 

 being stronger and more lasting, drives off more 

 of the aromatic oil. It is better, therefore, to 

 grind the coffee very tine, and then expose it by 

 means of a bag or strainer, to the action of boil- 

 ing water, than to boil it any length of time. 

 Heat, allhongh unavoidable, injures die flavor, and 

 the best .-offee I remember to have tasted, was made 

 by exposing the powder to a pressure of cold wa- 

 ter; a tea-spoonful of this extract, thrown into a 

 cup of hot water is sufficient. It is not a bad 

 method to allow the ground coffee to lie in cold 

 water between meals, and then to prepare it by 

 adding hot water. — Just in proportion to the con- 

 tinnsDce of heat in this and the List operation, the 

 fragiance disappears, and is replaced by a strong 

 bitter taste xvhicli, according to the exi>eriuients of 

 Chenevix, depends upon the presence of taimin 

 (resembling that in tan bark.) Koasting, besides 

 firming this liiitcr .substance, dcprivea the coffee 

 cf Dutiitiuua qualities. 



THE WEAZEL. 



The following siory is told in Selkirk-shire. — A 

 group of hiiyinakers wiiile at woi k saw an eagle ri- 

 sing above tlie steep mountains that enclosed a nar- 

 row valley. The eagle himself was no unusual sight, 

 but there is something so imposing and majestic in 

 this noble bird, while he soars upwards in spiral cir- 

 cles that it fascinates tlie attention of most people. 

 The spectators were soon aware that there was 

 something peculiar in the (light of the bird they were 

 observing. He used his wings violently and the 

 strokes were often repeated as if he had been 

 alarmed and hurried by unusual agitation, and they 

 noticed at the same time that he wheeled in circles 

 constantly decreasing, while his ascent was propor- 

 tionally rapid. The now idle haymakers drew to- 

 gether .n close consultation on the singular case, 

 and continued to keep their eyes en the seemingly 

 distressed eagle until he was nearly out of sight, 

 rising higher and higher in the air. — In a short lime, 

 however, they were convinced that he was again 

 rapidly seeking the earth, evidently not as he as- 

 cended, in spiral circles, but as something falling 

 with great rapidity. But as he approached the 

 ground they clearly saw he was tumbling in his fall 

 like a shut bird, the convulsive flutteringofhis power- 

 ful wings, slopping the descent but very little, until 

 he fell at a small distance from the party. — A large 

 buck tailed weazel or stoat, ran from the body as 

 they came near, turned with the usual noHcAa/once 

 and impudei ce of the tribe, stood upon its hind 

 legs, crossed its fore paws over its nose, and suivey- 

 ed its enemies a moment or two (as it often does 

 when no dog is near) and bounded into a bush. The 

 king of the air was dead, covered with his own blood, 

 and upon further examination they found his throat 

 cut, and the stoat has been suspected as the regi- 

 cide unto this day. 



A friend mentioned the following fact that came un- 

 der his own observation. — A light snow covered the 

 ground, and he, while walking out to an adjoining 

 hill, fell in with the track of one of these weazels, 

 which is easily to be distinguished from that of the 

 smaller species by the larger foot print and length 

 of the spring among the snow. He followed the 

 track for souio lime for his amusement, along the 

 sides of the hill until he came to the marks where a 

 pair of grouse had been sitting, when he lost all 

 trace of the weazel and could follow it no further. 

 As there was no appearance of a hole he was much 

 surprised, and paying close altention to the track 

 of the animal, he becam3 convinced that it had made 

 a spring upon one of the birds which had tlown away 

 with it. The conclusion is that the stoat knew 

 quite well what it was about, and would keep its 

 hold until it came to the ground again under simi- 

 lar circumstances v;ith the eagle. — Mag. of JValural 

 History. 



COCKROACHES. 

 These insects are among the most disagreeable 

 of the annoyances to which the dwellings of man 

 are subject, and, where their multiplication is permit- 

 ted, the ravages they commit are extensive and vex- 

 atious. They are all nocturnal, and exceedingly 

 agile ; their flattened bodies allow them to hide, 

 with ease, in every crevice, whence they sally forth 

 in hordes during the night, to devour every sort of 

 provision which i-J not secured from their voracity. 

 Like all other depredators, they are thrown into 

 confusion and put to fliglit by the presence of light, 

 whence they were, in ancient times, appropriately 

 called luci/ug(E or ligkl-shunners. Their destruct- 

 iveness is not confined to articles of provision for 

 the table ; silk, woollen, and even cotton cloths are 

 devoured, or rendered useless by being gnawed 

 through. At some seasons of the year, when the 

 male cick roaches fly about, they are very trouble- 

 some, especially about tv\ilight,when they dash into] 

 rooms, and often strike against the faces of those pre- i 

 sent. When a cockroach takes refuge or seeks' 

 concealment upon any person, he will inflict a smart: 

 bite, if particularly hurt or alarmed. — The sapient' 

 Sancho Panza declares, that there is a remedy for 



everything but death; audit is tridy hapi y lo 

 mankind, that the multiplication of this pestilent rac 

 may be repressed by aid of their own voracity. I 

 to a quantity of Indian corn meal alout one Ihir 

 of white or red leail is added, and the mixture i 

 moistened with molasses so as to make it moderate 

 ly adhesive, the cockroaches will greedily devou 

 it. The repetition of this poisoned food for a lev 

 nights is generally sufficient to reduce their number 

 to a very few, even in the most infected houses, am 

 will eventually cause the destruction of the whole 

 Traps especially designed lor their capture an 

 soinet'inesto be found at the potteries. A paste-boari 

 or card cover, well balanced upon two p-ns, am 

 placed upon the edge of a vessel, nearly filled witi 

 molasses and water, makes a very good trap. Thi 

 dish should be so placed, that they can readil 

 mount upon the cover, which revolves on its axi 

 whenever the equilibrium is disturbed, and throw 

 the cockroaches into the fluid. — Ency. Americana. 



B.\THING. 



In nothing were the ancients so much superior t 

 us as in the elegance and commodiousiiess of baths 

 They found bathing not only good for the body, bu 

 for the mind, and retired from the bath not only wit, 

 renovated strength but with renewed serenity. - 

 They had baths in almost every house, and some o 

 such splendid decorations, that theii very fragment 

 at this day excite the admiration of tr.ivellers. Th 

 Turks, whom we call the people least refined i 

 Europe, nevertheless set us a good example in ihei 

 baths. In Japan too a bath is an indisprnsable pat 

 of every house, and there are many batl.s at tavern 

 for the refreshment of travellers. 



But it would be vain lo praise the advantages t 

 bathing to those whose reluctance to enter wate 

 is little less than hydrophobia, or to commend neat 

 ness to those who know nothing from experiment c 

 the qualities of the little cakes that are stampe 

 ' Windsor.' All however who have practised bathin 

 know belter how lo estimate its benefits. Much t 

 the pleasure is lost from the want of a beach ove 

 which the sea is breakin;.', where a swimmer ma 

 come in op the mane of a wave; yet in the want of 

 beach we may act Diogenes, and be contented in 

 tub. — 7Vi6«ne. 



Bees and Honey. 

 For sale by Ruru.s Kowe, at Ihe Garden of S. Dow 

 NEB, Dorchester — Fifteen Swarms of Bees, a pail old 

 but mostly iKW ones— a number in cloulile Hives will 

 Glass windows, others in large single ones — also Honej 

 of superior quality made Iroiu the blossoms of this yeai 

 25 els. per pound 41 July 2. 



Complete set of the Mno England Farmer 

 A gentleman in Newport, R. I. wishes to procure i 

 complete set of Ihe New England Farmer. — Any persor 

 having a perfect copy, clean, and in good order, iiiaj 

 hear of a purchaser by applying to Mr Russeli,, Iht 

 publisher, in Boston. 3t June 18. 



Sportsman. 



The full blooded horse Sportsman will stand at B 

 Taft's stable in Brighton, on Mondays and Tuesdays, un. 

 till noon ; at Brigham's in Westborougb on Wednesdays ; 

 at Estabrooka' in Shrewsbury, on Thursday ; and at 

 Stockwell's in Worsester, nn Fridays and Saturdays, until 

 2 o'clock of each week through the season. May 28. 



Pul-hslicd every Friday, at §3 per ^iiniuii. pay.nhie iii il,e 

 end ol die year— hill ihii.'e«lin|ia) wlliinsixi; <l»\ffn<ni the 

 lime i>f<uliscribiiifir,are eiiiiileCio a iledaciiiui < f lifiv reiil.s, 



lO'No paper wililieseiil loadislaiicewilhouipayineiii be- 

 iiis: ein<le in advance. 



I'linied lor J. li. KessEi.L. by I. R. Bltts— by wliem 

 all descriptions o! Priming car be exenepiMo mei-l ilieni.siipi 

 ol cnsloniers. Ordersfor printing received by J. |1. HuFSU.l. 

 alllie AgriculluralWarebimse No. .52 Nonb Hl.nrkelSlrecl 



AOENTS. 



!Vnc )ori(r— G. TuoKBcnN & Son. 67 Liherly-street, 



PhUitihlphw- 1). & C I.ANDKKTH. 85 C'linsinui-sirccl. 



lii!limoie—G. li. .Sim itii , Olfiee cl ihe Ameiiean Farmer. 



A'h.i,iii—\\m Jksse liuKi.. 



Fmsliia^. N. Y.Wn I'hikck & SoNS.Pinp. Lin. Uoi. Garden 



/;.rf/;.n/-Gooi.wiN & .Sons. 



Hilifii.r, N. S.— P. J. Ilni f.Ar'n. Eaq. Recordci Office. 



Moiiliml, L. C. — A. Bun UAM, Bookseller. 



