182 PLA.IN AND PLEASANT TALK 



peel, put in while it is hot, improves the flavor. When cool, 

 it may be used for tarts, or pies, with or without upper 

 crust ; it also makes a better apple-ssmce than apples do 

 themselves. 



10. Egg-plant. — Boil in salted water a few minutes ; cut 

 slices, put a little salt between each slice, and let them lie 

 for half an hour. Then fry them in butter or lard until 

 they are brown. 



11. Cauliflower and Broccoli. — ^The only difference 

 between these, so far as the cook is concerned, is in color. 

 Take off the outside leaves and soak them for an hour in 

 salted water. Pour boiling water to them and boil for about 

 twenty minutes. Serve them up with butter and pepper. 

 The Savoy cabbages are next in delicacy of flavor to the 

 cauliflower, and may be cooked in the same Avay. 



FARMERS, TAKE A HINT. 



It is very surprising to see how slow men are to take a 

 hint. The frost destroys about half the bloom on the fruit- 

 trees ; everybody prognosticates the loss of fruit ; instead 

 of that, the half that remains is larger, fairer, and higher 

 flavored than usual ; and the trees instead of being ex- 

 hausted, are ready for another crop the next year. Why 

 don't the owner take the hint and thin out his fruit every 

 bearing year ? But no ; the next season sees his orchard 

 overloaded, fruit small, and not well formed ; yet he 

 always boasts of that first-mentioned crop without j^rofiting 

 by the lesson it teaches. 



We heard a man saying, '• the best crop of celery I ever 



saw, was raised by old John , on a sj^ot of ground 



where the wash from the barn-yard ran into it after every 

 hard shower." Did he take the hint, and convey such 



