NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



199 



the result being a beautiful and exact copy of what- 

 ever is drawn. 



The stone employed for lithography is of a pe- 

 culiar kind of lime and clay nature, resemblinir in 

 appearance a smooth yellow bone, yet possessing 

 the quality of absorbing water. It is found chiefly 

 in Bavaria, though there are quarries of it in Eng- 

 land. The Bavarian stones, however, are those 

 most universally employed, and their im])ortation 

 is a considerable object, in commerce. They are 

 worth, in New York, from 5 to 10 cts. per pound. 

 — iV. Y. Sun. 



NEW BARREL MACHINE. 



The Glasgow Daily Mail says: — An invention 

 has been patented for constructing casks, barrels, 

 puncheons, and everything in the cooperage line, 

 in a space of time which literally baffles belief. 

 One of the machines is at present in operation at the 

 St. RoHox works. We have inspected it, and 

 were certainly astonished to find the staves of an 

 ordinary sized cask prepared, put together, and 

 headed in little more than ten minutes. The thing 

 was perfect — the cutting and joining were done 

 with mathematical precision, and all the hands had 

 really to do, was to arrange the staves and fix the 

 heads; all the rest was accomplished by machinery, 

 and with so little trouble, that the article was fin- 

 ished before one could fancy that a hoop was on. 

 The mechanism, like that of almost all important 

 inventions, is exceedingly simple; the only won- 

 der is, when it is examined, how so clear and easy 

 a mode of doing a great deal of work with a very 

 small amount of labor has not been hit upon before 

 now. The patentee of this great invention is Mr. 

 James Roberston, of Liverpool. 



We should not be surprised to find it a modifica- 

 tion of an American invention, judging from the 

 brief description in the Mail. — Far. and Mcch. 



Cables' Department. 



FOOD AND DRINKS FOR THE SICK. 



As this is a season of the year when more or less 

 sickness prevails, we have thought that we could 

 not perhaps render better service to our female 

 friends than by giving a few recipes for cooking or 

 preparing food and drinks for sick persons. Many 

 benevolent families, which are blessed with health 

 themselves, may have sick and poor neighbors, for 

 whom it would be a mercy and also a privilege to 

 procure and send occasionally a nice dish, if they 

 only possessed the requisite knowledge for prepar- 

 ing it. To such we recommend the following 

 chapter, with the hope that when occasion offers 

 they will not be slow to put in requisition the knowl- 

 edge it affords. We copy them from that true 

 friend of American housewives, Mrs. Beecher. — 

 Rural Ncw-Yorher. 



General Remarks on the Preparation of Ar- 

 ticles FOR THE Sick. — Always have everything 

 you use very sweet and clean, as the senses of 

 taste and smell are very sensitive in sickness. Nev- 

 er cook articles for the sick over a smoke or blaze, 

 as you will thus impart a smoky taste. When the 

 mixture is thick, stir intently to prevent l)urning. 

 Be very careful, in putting in seasoning, not to put 

 in too much, as it is easy to add but not to ab- 

 stract. 



The nicest way to flavor without lemon or or- 

 ange peel is to rub loaf sugar on the peel till oil is 

 absorbed into it, and then use the sugar to flavor 

 and sweeten. Herbs and spice, when boiled to 

 flavor, should be tied in a rag, and they will not 

 then burn on the vessel at the edge. 



Chicken Tea is made by boiling any part of the 

 chicken, and using the broth weak, with only a lit- 

 tle salt. 



Chicken Broth is made by boiling chicken a good 

 deal, and skimming very thoroughly and seasoning 

 with salt. A little rice or pearl barley improves 

 it, or a little parsley may be used to flavor it. 



Chicken Panade is made by pounding some of 

 the meat of boiled chicken in a mortar, with a little 

 broth, and also a little salt and nutmeg. Then 

 pour in a little broth and boil it five minutes. It 

 should be a thick broth. 



Milk Porridge. — Make thin batter with Indian 

 meal and wheat flour, a spoonful of each, and pour 

 into it a quart of boiling milk and water, equal por- 

 tions of each. Salt it to the taste. Boil ten min- 

 utes. 



Rice Gruel and Corn Meal Gruel. — Make a 

 thin paste of ground rice or Indian meal, and pour 

 into boiling water, or boiling milk and water. Let 

 the rice boil up once, but the corn meal must boil 

 half an hour. Season with salt, sugar and nutmeg. 

 A little cream is a great improvement. 



Arrowroot 4.nd Tapioca Gruels. — Jamaica 

 arrowroot is the best. Make a thin paste, and pour 

 into boiling water, and flavor with sugar, salt and 

 nutmeg. A little lemon juice improves it. 



Tapioca must be soaked in twice the quantity of 

 water over night, then add milk and water, and 

 boil till it is soft. Flavor as above. 



Dropped Egg. — Salt some boiling water, and 

 drop in a raw e^g out of the shell, taking care not 

 to break the yolk; take it up as soon as the white 

 is hardened. Dip some toast in hot water and put 

 salt or butler upon it, and lay the egg on to it. 



Herb Drink. — Balm tea is often much relished 

 by the sick. Sage tea is also good. Balm, Sage 

 and sorrel, mixed with sliced lemon, and boiling 

 water poured on, and then sweetened, is a fine 

 drink. Pennyroyal makes a good drink to promote 

 perspiration. 



Herb drinks must be often renewed, as they grow 

 insipid by standing. 



Other Simple Drinks. — Pour boiling water on 

 to tamarinds, or mashed cranberries, or mashed 

 whortleberries, then pour off the water and sweet- 

 en it. Add a little wine if allowed. 



Toast bread very brown and put in cold water, 

 and it is often relished. Pour boiling water on to 

 bread toasted very brown, and boil it one minute, 

 then strain it and add a little sugar and cream. 



Simple Wine Whey. — Mix equal quantities of 

 water, milk and white wine. Warm the milk and 

 water, and then add the wine. Sweeten to the 

 taste. 



A Great Favorite with Invalids. — Take one 

 third brisk cider, and twu-thirds water, sweeten it, 

 and crumb in toasted cnickers, and grate on nut- 

 meg. Acid jellies will answer for tiiis, when ci- 

 der cannot be obtained. 



Water Gruel. — To two (piarts of boiling wa- 

 ter, add one gill of Indian meal and a heaped table 

 spoonful of flour, made into a paste and st irod in 



