204 PLAIX AND PLEASANT TALK 



table spoonfuls of salt, a tea-cupful of molasses, and a great 

 spoonful of ginger, or sifted cinnamon. Bake three or four 

 hours. If you want whey you must be sure and pour in a 

 little cold milk, after it is all mixed. Try it." 



If Misses Leslie, Childs, etc., refuse to mother such a 

 recipe, with no Indian meal in it, but seven mortal spoon- 

 fuls of salt, then we will consider it as emanating from Lot's 

 wife. We are sure if one should eat many such puddings, 

 he would speedily come to her estate. 



CULTURE OF CELERY. 



We know of no vegetable which requires more care and 

 skill in its cultivation, from beginning to end, than celery. 

 An inexperiened hand will be apt to fail in planting his seed, 

 fail in preparing the trenches, and fail in earthing up the 

 plants and bleaching them. And yet, celery is so generally 

 a favorite that every family desires it, and every gardener 

 is willing to cultivate it. 



Seed Sowing. — The seed is exceedingly slow in germi- 

 nation, and, if not assisted artificially, will lie three and 

 sometimes four weeks without sprouting. We soak the 

 seed in water, (a solution of oxalic acid would be much 

 better), for twenty-four hours : turn off the water, and then 

 add and stir up a few handfuls of sand, well moistened, and 

 let the seed stand in a stove room or other warm place, for 

 two or three days. The sand will now be nearly dry ; if it 

 be not, add dry sand to it until it is perfectly powdery, 

 and can be sown without falling in lumps. Besides hasten- 

 ing its germination, mixing the seed with sand ena- 

 bles the operator to sow it with greater facility and 

 evenness. Select a shaded spot, let the earth be rich, 

 rather inclined to moisture, and perfectly mellow. Sow 



