1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



55 



circumstances. Such a man takes some comfort 

 in living, and it does one good to meet and con- 

 verse with such. F. J. Kinney. 



Worcester, Dec. 18, 1861. 



THE SEASON. 



It is rarely the case that the farmer enjoys so 

 favorable an opportunity for closing up his "fall 

 ■work," as he has had the present season. The 

 weather for nearly the whole month of November 

 ■was such as to enable him to engage in plowing, 

 ditching, gathering materials for the compost 

 heaps, getting out rocks, hauling out manure, or 

 in building, or planting or pruning trees. This 

 mild and dry weather has continued to the present 

 time, Dec. 21, and now the drought in many 

 places begins to pinch. Wells are dry that have 

 yielded a plentiful supply of water for many years 

 past, the small streams dre quite low, and some of 

 them, dignified with the term river, are much be- 

 low their usual stage at this season. 



The mild state of the weather through the au- 

 tumnal months had the effect of ripening the wood 

 of the trees and shrubs, so that they will be quite 

 likely to stand the changes of the winter months 

 without being injured. Our losses ^ntliin a few 

 years past have been very severe by the sudden 

 and -^^'ide extremes that have taken place in the 

 temperature. The peach and cherry trees are 

 nearly all cut off, the quince has suffered, as well 

 as many of the shi'ubs, and last winter seriously 

 affected the Baldwin apple trees in many localities- 

 We hope these extremes will have some compen- 

 sations for us in the destruction of myriads of in- 

 sects by the changes themselves, or from the want 

 of food caused by the shortness of the crop. 



Wherever we have visited in New England dur- 

 ing the fall months, we have found many farmers 

 busily employed in some of the items of labor 

 which we have enumerated, and all agreeing in 

 opinion that the favorable fall weather will gi-eatly 

 facilitate the work of the coming spring. 



The winter grains, wheat, barley and rye, have 

 had time to get well rooted, are generally looking 

 •well, and will be quite likely to escape being win- 

 ter-ldlled. We have seen two or thi-ee pieces of 

 winter barley that are exceedingly fine. 



"The Wak and the Farmer. — We call the at- 

 tention of every reader to an article in another col- 

 umn on this subject, and especially of those who 

 are incHned to be despondent and doubt our abili- 

 ty to crush the present rebelHon, carry on success- 

 fully one or two wars beside, if pushed to the wall, 

 and feed the starving Irish when the EngHsh peo- 

 ple prefer to be fighting with us rather than feed- 

 ing the paupers which her rapacity has made. 



We see no cause for discouragement — some for 

 anxiety — but none for despondence — but every- 



thing to cause us to "rejoice always," so long as 

 we strive to do right. We have the most lively 

 faith that "Providence is shaping our ends, rough 

 hew them as we will ;" — that he will carry us 

 tlirough this fiery trial by the unflinching energy 

 of our free people, and that they will show the 

 world that we fully appreciate our unparalleled 

 blessings, and are ready to sacrifice anything but 

 duty for them. 



Let us, then, individually, seek strength and 

 guidance from that Fountain of all supplies, 

 which the President sought when he started for 

 Washington, and made his first addi'esses to the 

 people of Springfield and Indianopolis. From 

 that moment, we have had confidence in him as a 

 fitting leader for our people. 



LADIES^ DEPARTMENT. 



DOMESTIC RECEIPTS. 

 Plain Custard. — BoU a pint of milk, in which 

 place two ounces of sugar, the thin peel of half a 

 lemon ; break in a basin four eggs, beat them well 

 with a fork, then pour in the milk by degrees, not 

 too hot ; mix it well, pass it tln-ough a cullender 

 or sieve, fill cups with it, which place in a stew- 

 pan, on the fire, which contains one inch of water ; 

 lea^e them for about twelve minutes, or till set, 

 wbich is easily perceived. — Soyer. 



Coffee, Cocoa, or Chocolate Custard. — 



Make some veiy strong coffee, beat the eggs as 

 above ; put in a pan half a pint of nulk and half a 

 pint of made coffee, with two ounces of sugar, then 

 add the eggs, pass through a sieve, and proceed as 

 above. Chocolate and cocoa the same, only omit- 

 ting the lemon peel in all three. — Soyer. 



Yorkshire Pudding. — ^Beat up two eggs in a 

 basin, add to them three good table-spoonfuls of 

 flour, with pint of milk, by degrees, and a little 

 salt ; butter the pan, bake hah" an hour, or bake 

 under the meat ; cut it in four, turn it, and when 

 set on both sides it is done. A tin dish, one inch 

 and a half deep and eight inches •wide, is the most 

 suitable for such proportion. — Soyer. 



To Pickle Cauliflo-wer. — Cut it up into 

 small pieces ; boil in salted water till done , tlirow 

 it into cold water awliile, then put into your jar 

 of mixed pickles. 



How TO Make Corn Griddle Cakes. — ^Al- 

 most every one is interested now in knowing how 

 to make corn cakes most palatable, since so much 

 of it will be used in these straitened times. The 

 following is said to be an excellent receipt : — Scald 

 at night half the quantity of meal you are going 

 to use, mix the other Avith cold water, having it 

 the consistency of tliick batter ; add a little salt 

 and set it to rise ; it will need no yeast. In the 

 morning the cakes will be Hght and crisp. Skim- 

 mings, where meat has been boUed, are best for 

 frying them with. Fry slo-wly. 



Milk Toast. — Place the milk to heat, mix a 

 tea-spoonful of flour smoothly -svith a little mUk, 

 stir it in, and let it come just to a boil, with a 

 piece of butter the size of an e^^ to a quart of imlk, 



