THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



73 



We are anxious to give the most un- 

 scientific reader a clear idea of this sub- 

 ject, for it is really one of great practical 

 importance. Look at it, then, in this 

 light; You have divided your 100 lbs. of 

 green oak, beech, or maple wood, into 65 

 lbs. of dry combustible matter, and 35 lbs. 

 of cold water. Every pound of this wa- 

 ter you evaporate in green wood, and 

 throw the heat away by the consumption of 

 a part of your 65 lbs. of fuel, and then 

 take the heat evolved by the balance of 

 your fuel to warm your room. Flow 

 many ounces of perfectly dry wood are 

 required to transform a pound of water 

 into steam, we can not at this moment 

 say; nor can we determine what portion 

 of the heat taken up by steam in the 

 combustion of green wood is again evolved 

 by condensing in the room where the fire 

 is made. We believe, however, that the 

 usual loss is about equal to one-third of 

 all the heat contained in 65 lbs. of kiln 

 dried wood ; and that the gain in season- 

 ing wood under cover is at least 25 per 

 cent. 



Winter is a good time to cut, and get 

 up a year's stock of firew T ood. Farmers 

 at this season have less other work to per- 

 form, and wood is easier loaded and drawn 

 when there is good sleighing, than in 

 summer. But remember one thing: — 

 Don't attempt to warm all creation, by 

 working hard to chop and haul firewood, 

 and at the same time leave your dwelling 

 so open that the cold wind will rush in on 

 all sides. By all means, make your house 

 comfortable. Bank it up, and have all 

 its walls tight, and good non-conductors 

 of heat. While taking good care of those 

 in-doors that can talk, and tell their wants, 

 never forget the dumb brutes in your barn 

 yard and stables. "The merciful man is 

 merciful to his beast." — Tenn. Farmer. 



salt pork, and one spoonful of molasses. 

 Pick the beans over carefully, wash and 

 turn about a gallon of soft water to them 

 in a pot; let them soak in it lukewarm 

 over night; set them in the morning 

 where they will boil till the skin is very 

 tender and about to break, adding a tea- 

 spoonful of salteratus. Take them up 

 dry, put them in your dish, stir in the mo- 

 lasses, gash the pork, and put it down in 

 the dish, so as to have the beans cover all 

 but the upper surface ; turn in cold water 

 till the top is just covered ; bake and let 

 the beans remain in the oven all night. 



Beans are good prepared as for baking, 

 made a little thinner, and then boiled se- 

 veral hours with the pork. 



For the Southern Planter. 



MUSTARD. 



If there is any one in Virginia who 

 has experimented in the cultivation of 

 mustard, I should like to know through 

 the columns of the Planter, what was his 

 success. 



A Farmer. 



March 1, 1847. 



BOSTON BAKED BEANS. 



The Massachusetts Ploughman gives 

 the following recipe for cooking this far 

 famed Yankee dish. We can vouch for 

 its excellence. Take two quarts of mid- 

 dling sized white beans, three pounds of 



From the Germantown Telegraph. 

 SALT AND ASHES FOR STOCK. 



Some years since I saw it recommended 

 in an agricultural paper to mix salt with 

 ashes for stock. Having tested the utility 

 of the practice, I am now prepared to 

 speak favorably of it, and from a firm 

 conviction that stock, of all descriptions, 

 are essentially benefited thereby. My 

 cows, work horses, and young cattle, as 

 well as sheep have been regularly sup- 

 plied with it as often as once a week, for 

 two years, and notwithstanding the feed 

 in the pastures, during a part of the graz- 

 ing period of both seasons, was quite short 

 in consequence of the prevalence of severe 

 drought, the stock generally has remained 

 in excellent condition ; much better, in- 

 deed, than I have seen them for years. 



Sheep, especially, are extremely fond 

 of it, preferring it to fine salt, and par- 



