1883.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



31 



in the aslies. In tliis shape we count the mixture as 

 good for hoed top dressing us tlie best commercial 

 f.rtilizers, and for vines, Howers and Ki'rdeu vegeta- 

 bles it is superior. It has a wonderful etfeiit when 

 used in a flower bed, especially in preservius- the 

 freshness of the plants through the season, and 

 f;rape vines feed and thrive upon it better than upon 

 anything else we ever gave them. We tried it upon 

 grass laud, side by side with a standard Boston fer 

 tiltzer, and got quite as good crops with it last 

 season, while last spring it showed to much belter 

 adyanlage than the imported article. — Mirror niul 

 Farmer. 



Two Crops of Potatoes in One Season. 



It Ikas been discovered that two crops of Early 

 Rose potatoes can be grown on the same land in a 

 single season, and is worth testing in this section. 

 Take your potatoes of this year's growth and dry for 

 a few days in the shade ; then put them in a trench 

 or cold frame, throw water over them, cover with a 

 few inches of dirt, and then place stiaw over the 

 frame to prevent too much evaporation. At sundown 

 place over them a glass sash and remove it the next 

 morning. In four or live days the potatoes will 

 sprout, when they can be cut to two eyes and planted. 

 Whole potatoes do not answer as well as those that 

 are cut. Plant in checks two and a-half feet apart, 

 or in drills three feet by eighteen inches, and cover 

 lightly. From the digging of early potatoes to the 

 middle of August is the proper time for the second 

 crop. Cultivate them on the level method, and do 

 not hill. The points to be observed are to use plenty 

 of fertilizer, as two ciops exhaust the land ; select 

 good seed ; be sure that the tubers are sprouted 

 before planting ; plant shallow, and endeavor to 

 take advantage of the season. Or, to give a more 

 economical method, the smaller potatoes, provided 

 they are good, together with large ones, if desired, 

 may be cut and i.cdded like sweet potato, and when 

 they are well sprouted can be taken up in the same 

 manner, removing all but the most vigorous sprout, 

 and transplanted . In doing this it is well, if possible, 

 to take up the plant entire, with the earth and 

 decaying potato adhering. The above is recom- 

 mended by a fruit growers' and farmers' association, 

 and it appears to be a good method for gsowing early 

 potatoes as well as late ones. — Phila. Record. 



Relative Values of Different Woods. 



The Forestry JSntletin. sent out from the Census 

 Oflice gives the speciflc gravity, weight per cubic 

 liiot; and the full value of the well-known woods of 

 1 he United States. The woods of the South are of 

 greater specific gravity than are those of the North, 

 and consequently rank higher in burning value, but 

 there is more diflieulty attending their preparation 

 as fuel than with the northern growths. 



The iron wood of Florida gives the greatest specific 

 gravity of all the woods tested ; next comes the log- 

 wood, of west Texas, then the mangrove of the Gulf 

 Coast, and following this, the lignum vitie, gener- 

 ally considered — (erroneously, according to the 

 Bulletin) the heaviest of our woods. 



In a table giving the approximate relative fuel 

 value, Ironwood comes first, hickory pignut second, 

 liickory shell-bark third, persimmon fourth, white- 

 oak next, then locust, rock-elm and black oak. For 

 building purposes, woods of light gravity, as white 

 I'ine aud white wood, are much employed, tliese 

 woods having a low fuel value. 



Ventilators for Corncribs. 



Corn can be cribbed in larger quantities and earlier 

 : the season with safety by using ventilators. Make 

 [light flues of slats or four boards nailed together 

 1 tlieir edges and bore holes on every side. This 

 Hue should open at the bottom and extend through 

 the corn at the top of the crib. The heating that 

 starts up in a crib causes an upward draught 

 through the ventilators which carries off the moist- 

 ure aud reduces the temperature. The cost is tri. 

 fling, but the device is satisfactory In use. Some- 

 times rails or blocks of wood are thrown in the crib 



with damp corn, but unless they are in a perpendicu- 

 lar position they do little good and these are not 

 nearly -o effective as an open flui>. Even if corn is 

 not damp or green enough to spoil it will materially 

 assist in curing so as to be fit to shell aud grind by 

 giving full ventilation and free circulation of air. 



For Farm Boys to Learn. 

 From a Western paper we extract the following 

 practical remarks ; they will be useful to every one 

 on a farm : How many of the boys who read this 

 paper could " lay off" an acre of ground exactly, 

 providing one of the dimensions was given them ? 

 Now I have taken some pains to make out a table, 

 and I would Hke to have every one of the farm boys 

 learn it. There arc Kill square rods in an acre, and 

 there are 3014 square yards in one rod. This gives 

 4,840 square yards in one acre : 



.5 yards wide by SHiS yards long is 1 acre. 



10 yards wide by 484 yards long is 1 ace. 



'.;0 yards wide by 242 yards long is I acre. 



40 yards wide by 121 yards long is 1 acre. 



SO yards wide by fJO'^ yards Jong is 1 acre. 



70 yards wide by O!)^; yards long is 1 acre. 



00 yards wide by 80?;; yards long is 1 acre. 

 Again, allowing 9 sqnore feet to the yard, 272I4 

 squars feet to the rod, 43,.')00 square feet to the acre, 

 and we have another table : 



110 feet by M(j9 feet— 1 acre. 



120 feet by oUS feet— 1 acre. 



220 feet by 198 feet— 1 acre. 



240 feet by 181'-^ feet— 1 acre. 



440 feet bj 90 feet— 1 acre. 



Household Recipes. 



Minute Biscuit. — One pint sour or buttermilk, 

 one teaspoonful soda, two teaspoonfuls melted butter. 

 Flour to make soft dough— just stiff enough to 

 handle — mix, roll and cut rapidly, with as little 

 handling as may be, and bake in a quick oven. 



Baked Eggs. — Break six or seven eggs into a 

 buttered dish, taking care that each is whole, and 

 does not encroach upon the others so much as to 

 mix or disturb the yolks. Sprinkle with pepper and 

 salt, and put a bit of butter upon each. Put into an 

 oven aud bake until the whites are well set. Serve 

 very hot, with rounds of buttered toast or sand- 

 wiches. 



Baked Wheat. — Cracked wheat is a very nice 

 dish if baked with plenty of water added from time 

 to time as it is needed, to allow the wheat to expand. 

 It should boil slowly for from five to six hours, and 

 it will then be found to be remarkably sweet and 

 wholesome. It is delicious if baked with ndlk 

 instead of water, but will then need more attention 

 when in the oven to prevent scorching. 



Vekt Palatahi.e. — The Germantown Tclcijruph 

 gives the following recipe for making squash cakes : 

 These cakes, to be fried in hot lard like griddle 

 cakes, are made of one pint of sour milk, one egg, a 

 little salt, half a teaspoonful of soda. Hour enough to 

 make a light batter and one cnpful of squash, which 

 has been cooked tender and then rubbed through a 

 colander. Beat all well together and the cakes wil[ 

 be very light. 



Ink. — While the stains are yet wet upon the ear- 

 pet, sponge them with skim milk thoroughly. Then 

 wash oui the milk with a clean sponge dipped again 

 and again in clean, cold water. Exchange this 

 presently for warm ; then rub dry with a cloth. If 

 the stain is upon any article of clothing, or table or 

 bed linen, wash well in the milk, afterward in the 

 water. Dry ink stains can be removed from white 

 cloth by oxalic acid or lemon juice and salt. 



Pickled Chickens. — Boil four chickens till 

 tender enough for meat to fall from hones ; put 

 meat in a stone jar, and pour over it three pints of 

 cold good cider venegar and a pint and a half of the 

 water in which the chickens were boiled ; add 

 spices, if preferred, and it will be ready for use in 

 two days. This is a popular Sunday evening dish ; 

 it is good for luncheon at any time. 



Coni'ectionert. — Maple walnuts are made thus: 

 Beat the white of one egg to a stiff froth, stir in 

 enough powdered sugar to make It like hard frost- 

 ing, stir in the walnut meats (which you have taken 

 care to remove from the shells without breaking) In 

 a sirup mude by boiling for two or t liree miimtes two 

 tabIe-s)ioonful6 of maple sugar in one of water, or lu 

 this proportion. Press some of the liard frosting be- 

 tween the two halves of the walnut, and let it 

 harilen. Dates may be prepared In this way, and 

 Buttcrimts and English walnuts also. 



Pigeons witu Little Peas. — Truss the pigeons, 

 put them over the (Ire with fat pork and butter, let 

 them brown slowly, add small green peas, and sea- 

 eon them with but little salt and pepper. Wet a 

 very little flour with some broth, or soup, pouring 

 it over the birds and stewing them until tendo . 



GitAiiAM Pudding. — Mix well together one-half a 

 coffee-cup of molasses, one-quarter of a cup of butter, 

 one egg, one half a cup of milk, one half a tea- 

 spoonful of pure soda, one and a-half cups of good 

 graham flour, one small teacup of raisins, spices to 

 taste. Steam four hours and serve with brandy or 

 wine sauce, or any sauce that may be preferred. 

 This makes a showy as well as a light and whole- 

 some dessert, and has the merit of simplicity and 

 cheapness. 



Rice Cakes. — Kicei cakes are a nice side-dish for 

 dinner, or may be used in place of pastry. Boil 

 some rice until it is soft, then roll it in your hands in 

 cakes ; dip them in beaten eggs, and then in Indian 

 meal; see that they are covered with the meal. 

 Then fry them in a little very hot lard. If to be 

 served with meat, lay them around the edge of the 

 platter; if for dessert, make a sauce with butter, 

 sugar, and flour, and flavor it with .Madeira wine 

 and a very little grated nutmeg. Serve warm. 



In a column of the Chicago Ilenild devoted to the 

 interests of the " cooking school," we find this re 

 cipe : The excellence of potatoes cooked this way is 

 dependent upon slow liaking to evaporate the milk 

 without burning it. Cut enough potatoes iu thin 

 slices to half fill a two quart pan or dish. Drop in 

 butter the size of an egg, in little bits, a teaspoonful 

 of salt, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, then 

 fill up the pan with milk aud bake for two hours. 

 The milk remaining in the pan should by that time 

 be as thick as cream, and the dish should be light 

 brown on top. 



A Luncheon Mf.no. — A sensible fashion for 

 lunch parties in the afternoon is gaining ground and 

 growing in popularity in both city and country. 

 Young ladies who wish to spend a few hours 

 together, and have no escort upon whom they can 

 depend, find these early parties very enjoyable. At 

 a very successful one last week the bill of fare was 

 as follows : Two kinds of bread, two kinds of cold 

 meat, chicken salad, whien appeared to be the work 

 of an artist, so delicate and perfectly blended were 

 the several ingredients ; potato cream— that is 

 mashed potatoes mixed with the well-beaten whites 

 of several eggs, and then put into the oven until it Is 

 very hot ; pickles and celery, escaloped oysters ; 

 two kinds of cake, with chocolate and lemon ice, 

 concluded the feast. All was served with exquisite 

 neatness ; the table was brightened with a few 

 flowers and with quaint pieces of china, the chocolate 

 being served in shell-like cups of brown and while 

 or cream color. 



^ — 



THE FARM. 



Weed out your stock and get rid of the poor milch 

 and butter cows. The profit in a dairy comes from 

 the good cows, while the poor ones not only do not 

 pay for their keep, but they reduce the profit made by 

 the others. 



FoK a general purpose fowl for farmers the Ply- 

 mouth Koek is probably the best. They are good 

 layers through the year and the young chickens are 

 unusually hardy, being the only variety of which a 

 late-hatched setting In the fall is not rather a mis- 

 fortune . 



