THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



307 



matory diseases. Hence it is, that in 

 warm climates and in warm seasons of 

 the year, when the minimum of oxygen 

 is taken into the system, less carbonic gas 

 is expelled from the lungs, and excess of 

 carbon in the food, being the principal ele- 

 ment of bile as well as fat, stimulates the 

 liver — an important organ, and the antag- 

 onist of the lungs — to a copious and un- 

 due secretion of bile. Thus it is, that 

 the human race — and domestic animals 

 partake of the same injuries in a less 

 degree — are evermore afflicted with bilious 

 diseases in summer, and inflammatory 

 complaints in winter. 



" As the preservation of health is a mat- 

 ter that deeply concerns us all, and living 

 as we do, in a climate subject to sudden 

 and extreme changes in temperature, I 

 have thought a few remarks upon the 

 prevention of disease would not be unac- 

 ceptable to those that I have the honor to 

 address. 



" In addition to keeping the body warm- 

 ly clad in winter, it is important to keep 

 the blood well supplied with carbon, which 

 will combine with the excess of oxygen 

 taken into the lungs by inhaling con- 

 densed air, and thereby prevent its chemi- 

 cal aitacks upon the living tissues of the 

 peculiarly exposed lungs. This supply 

 of carbon in the blood can be secured by 

 eating meat, and nutritious vegetable food, 

 far more of which are needed in cold than 

 in warm weather. Consumption is the 

 consuming, the slow combustion of the 

 tissues of the lungs by the chemical ac- 

 tion of oxygen gas, concentrated or con- 

 densed by cold. Hence by fleeing; from 

 our northern winters to a mild climate, 

 when only about one-half the quantity of 

 oxygen — it being rarified by heat— is 

 taken into the lungs at each respiration, 

 consumptive persons often recover. On 

 the other hand, persons living in warm 

 climates in summer, and indulging too 

 freely in animal and other carbonaceous 

 food, and inhaling a rarified atmosphere, 

 are afflicted with an excess of carbon, or 

 with bilious affections. They come north 

 to a condensed oxygenous atmosphere to 

 regain their health, and generally find it. 

 Living sparingly in summer, and sub-acid 



fruits that flourish most in warm climates 

 and in warm seasons, and contain little 

 carbon and much oxygen, is the true pre- 

 ventive of bilious diseases." 



TOMATO FIGS. 



Take six pounds of sugar, to one peck 

 of the fruit, scald and remove the skin of 

 the fruit in the usual way, add the sugar 

 and scald over the fire until they look 

 clear — spread on the dishes and dry in 

 the sun, dip them in the syrup once or 

 twice while drying ; when dry pack them 

 down in jars, sprinkling a little sugar be- 

 tween each layer. The syrup left can be 

 bottled for use and makes healthy bever- 

 age with cold water. (Aunt Dolly says 

 these figs are better than real ones.) 



For the Southern Planter. 

 KEEPING SWEET POTATOES. 



I always keep my potatoes in pits dug 

 underneath my top stacks. These pits 

 are about two feet deep, and as wide as 

 the stack will admit — the lengih, from 

 fork to fork that support the top-pole of 

 the stack. Before storing ihe potatoes 

 away, I have the sides and ends of the 

 pits well planked up, and the bottoms co- 

 vered about two inches thick with pine 

 beard. I also have a layer of pine beard 

 up the sides and ends about the same 

 thickness as that which covers the bot- 

 tom. This layer is placed along as the 

 potatoes are packed away ; the pits being 

 nearly filled with potatoes. I cover them 

 over lightly with pine beard, and finish the 

 covering with poles and dirt, the dirt be- 

 ing thrown on last, lightly, taking care to 

 stop the apertures between the poles so 

 that no dirt can pass through. In this 

 way I have kept hundreds of bushels of 

 potatoes, without the loss of five. Care 

 should be taken before storing away pota- 

 toes for winter use, to have them careful- 

 ly picked over, and all such as are cut, 

 broken or bruised thrown out; to avoid 

 bruising potatoes much, they should be 

 handled lightly. With a view to keep-" 

 ing my potatoes in this way, I have my 



