1848. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



11 



ing an eye on the sources whence the ingredi- 

 ents are derived which form forest leaves, we 

 see a thinking, reasoning, talking animal, trans- 

 forming these leaves into bread, meat, milk, fruit, 

 wool, cotton, and silk. This animal has much to 

 learn in the way of thinking, reasoning, and 

 talking, before he will bring the production of 

 human food and clothing to the highest attainable 

 perfection. 



In this good work of human progress and hu- 

 man elevation, we respectfully ask every reader 

 to lend a helping hand. Communicate to your 

 brother farmers through the pages of this journal 

 a knowledge of any great, or of any small im- 

 provement you may make or learn from others. 

 Be willing to try experiments, at least in a small 

 way, to evolve new truths in the art and science 

 of rural economy. No man is so humble that 

 he can not contribute to the sum total of human 

 knowledge. Our maxim, "Teach one another," 

 should be held in remembrance by every sub- 

 scriber. The usefulness of the Farmer depends 

 in a great degree on the contributions of so many 

 excellent practical husbandmen. These have 

 the gratitude, not only of the writer of this, but 

 of every reader. The Genesee Farmer has ac- 

 quired a national reputation through the ability 

 of its correspondents. 



Shrinking of Pork. 



Our esteemed correspondent "H.," of Fair- 

 port, asks for information in the December num- 

 ber in regard to the causes which make pork 

 shrink when cooked. This is a curious and 

 interesting subject of inquiry. If there is any 

 material difference in the shrinkage in the weight 

 of the flesh of swine, equally fat, when boiled a 

 given time, the cause must he sought in the 

 greater quantity, of soluble gelatin (glue) in the 

 tissues of one animal than in another. It is very 

 possible that, if one was to evaporate the water 

 in which corresponding pieces of pork from dif- 

 ferent hogs equal in weight had been boiled, the 

 liquid in which shrunken meat had been cooked, 

 would give the larger quantity of jelly. It is 

 not water that the meat looses in boiling ; but 

 soluble organized matter. Hence, salt meat, 

 whether pork, beef, or mutton, should have its 

 excess of salt, if any, soaked out in pure cold wa- 

 ter, that all the dissolved jelly or flesh may be 

 eaten as well as a chicken, veal, or beef soup. 



The science of dietetics is very little under- 

 stood, as we took occasion to point out a few 

 months since. It is a curious fact, that we nei- 

 ther know how to raise and improve pigs, nor 

 how to fatten, cure, and cook their flesh, nor 

 how to eat it in the way to impart to our systems 

 the largest amount of nourishment. After a 

 great deal of study, the wisest just make out to 

 learn that they know next to nothing. Experi 



ence teaches us that a pig fed on mast, or still 

 slops, will make more oily pork — meat more 

 melting in boiling water — than one fattened on 

 sound corn. This is generally understood. — 

 But the causes wliich change the quality and sol- 

 ubility of lean meat, as well as fat, are not so 

 apparent. We must search into the legumin in 

 peas, and the muscle and tissue forming elements 

 in the vegetables, pot-liquor, butter milk, and 

 other food of swine, for a solution of the problem. 



In a hen's q^^ we see all the constituents of 

 a perfect bird in a semi-liquid state ; while hot 

 water solidifies the whole contents of the shell. 

 Albumen in meat and flour, as well as in the 

 white of eggs, coagulates in hot water. But even 

 this will come out of meat, as it separates from 

 its solution in old brine on scalding it. Some 

 say that such brine should not be scalded ; for 

 the reason that, after its capacity for dissolving 

 albumen and jelly is exhausted, it is better to ap- 

 ply to fresh meat, (after it is also saturated with 

 salt,) than new brine. It is possible that the 

 character of the brine may have a decided influ- 

 ence on the shrinkage of pork and beef in boiling 

 them. If all the nutritive matter which is dis- 

 solved out of meat in brine, and boiled out in 

 dinner pots and wasted, were saved, it would be 

 worth several millions a year to the people of 

 the United States. It is only honest to own the 

 truth and admit that, old as civilized society is, 

 we, the men and women of forty and upward, 

 have yet to learn our A B C in domestic econ- 

 omy. In the first place, we waste about half of 

 our labor by its misapplication in unwise tillage, 

 and then waste n-^^.arly half of what we pretend to 

 save, by some "slip between the cup and lip." 



From the best investigation of the causes which 

 make meat shrink in boiling, we long since came 

 to the conclusion, (whether wise, or other- ?me,) 

 that it is better to bake and roast than to boil it, 

 unless for soups, stews, and the like. Much 

 might be said on the degree of cooking which 

 flesh ought to receive, in order to render it most 

 easy of digestion. "The upper ten thousand" 

 run into the extreme of rawness ; while the mil- 

 lion often cook meat so much that no human 

 system can form living flesh out of it. The 

 daily loss from the latter cause is immense — in- 

 calculable. 



Anti- Friction Compound for Wagon 

 Wheels. — Two parts in bulk of hogs lard, one 

 each of wheat flour and black lead. Heat till 

 the lard begins to melt, and stir the whole into a 

 pasty mass. In very cold weather it may be 

 softened by the addition of any cheap oil. This 

 composition will well repay the trouble of mak- 

 ing, and will kill all friction and squealing long 

 after it is dry. 



Mankind make a parade of their sorrows, as 

 they do Of a new coat. 



