PRACTICAL FARMER. 



41 



the north, which could be opened or darkened at 

 pleasure, to give ventilation. For want of a natu- 

 ral spring, which many Pennsylvanians consider 

 almost indispensable in a milk-house, the water 

 was conducted in a pipe from the well-pump, 

 and after filling the cisterns to a certain height, 

 passed off at the opposite side. The object 

 was to obtain a cool temperature, in the heat 

 of the summer, which greatly facilitates the sep- 

 aration of the cream from the milk, and this 

 object was amply effected, with the labor of work- 

 ing occasionally at the well pump. 



The Smoke-hoose was a wooden octagon 

 building, perhaps 16 feet in diameter, perfectly 

 tight, except the door way. The peculiarities of 

 this building were, it was set a foot or more above 

 the ground, and was perfectly dry, and bacon, 

 hams, &c. were kept hanging around its walls all 

 summer, without becoming damp or mouldy, or 

 being injured by flies ; and in the second place, no 

 fire was admitted into the building, the smoke 

 being conveyed into it through a tube from the 

 outside, where it was generated in a stove. 



The Clothes-line we saw had been six years 

 in use, without sensible injury, though it had re- 

 mained all the time in the open air. It had 

 always been wound up, upon a small windlass, as 

 soon as the clothes had been taken from it, where 

 it was protected from the rain by a roof. Several 

 posts, with notches near their tops, were placed 

 in a range upon the grass plat, upon which the line 

 could be drawn and fastened in two minutes, and 

 from which it could be loosened and wound up in 

 as short a time. It is but a small affair, but such 

 small affairs make a large aggregate in ordinary 

 life. " Take care of the cents, and the dollars will 

 take care of themselves." — Cultivator. 



LOCUST. 



An insect called the seventeen years locust, or 

 technically cicada septerjidecim, has made its ap- 

 pearance within a few days in the north part of 

 this town. They appeared first in the orchard 

 back of the house lately occupied by Gould Lew- 

 is, where they may be seen in great numbers, 

 also in the garden of Reuel Danks, and on the 

 bushes along the road between those two places. 

 Many trees are entirely covered with them, as 

 thick as plums ever are upon plum trees. In 

 the heat of the day they are exceedingly musical, 

 making the air resound with thrir melodies. 

 They appeared in the same place 17 years ago this 

 season. 



The following is we believe a very true ac- 

 count of this insect. They emerge from the 

 ground towards the end of April, and always in 

 the night. On their first coming out they have 

 the appearance of bugs without wings, but the 

 back soon bursts and the perfect fly appears. They 



begin to lay eggs usually about the last of May ; 

 these are deposited in close lines two inches long 

 in the tender twigs of trees. As soon as the 

 young attain their growth in the grub state they 

 fall to the ground and make their way two or 

 three feet below the surface, where they change to 

 the form they have on coming from the ground. 

 They appear about every 17 years, varying accord- 

 ing to heat and other circumstances. They are 

 in no way injurious to vegetables except what is 

 done by the hole bored in the wood by the female 

 to deposit her eggs. They are the favorite food 

 of squirrels and many large birds. The Indians 

 consider them a delicate food when fried. They 

 have been used in New Jersey instead of grease 

 for making soap. They never deposit their eggs 

 in pine twigs of any kind. 



We are informed that they have appeared in 

 Suffield within a few days in great numbers. — 

 JVestJield Herald. 



To make Yankee Bread. — Take two meas- 

 ures of Indian and one of rye meal, mix with 

 milk or water, to the consistency of thick hasty 

 pudding, and add yeast — bake in iron pans or iron 

 kettles four or five hours* Eat with fresh butter 

 or other food, and if while warm the better. Yan- 

 kee bread is very good or very bad, according to 

 the manner in which it is made. We commemi 

 it to dyspeptics. The Indian meal should be eithar 

 bolted or sifted. 



Rhubarb Pies. — Gather a bundle of th« leaf 

 stocks, quantum suJUcit — cut off" the leaf and peel 

 the stalk of the thin epidermis — cut in quarter 

 inch pieces, and lay them into the cri/st — cover 

 well with sugar, and add nutmeg, orapge peel and 

 spice to taste. The flavor is eqnaJ, and many 

 deem it preferable, to gooseberries. The pie- 

 plant is perennial, herbaceous and very hardy. 

 A dozen plants will afford a family a constant 

 supply. 



Spruce Beer. — Take three gallons of water, 

 of blood warmth, three half pints of molasses, a 

 table spoonful of essence of spruce, and the like 

 quantity of ginger — mix well together, with a gill 

 of yeast; let stand over night, and bottle in the 

 morning. It will be in good condition to drink in 

 twentyfour hours. It is a palatable, wholesome 

 beverage. 



Messrs Winships' Moss House. — One of the 

 neatest things of the kind we have ever seen is 

 the moss and thatch house, which has just been 

 erected on the Winship Gardens at Brighton. It 

 is small but neat, antique, (witii a delicate inter- 

 spersement of the Oriental taste) and delightful 

 in its way. 'rtie roof is conical, and thatched 

 with a thick layer of straw ; the walls are sever- 



