36 
AMERICAN AaRICULTURIST. 
[Jasuart. 
tions and suggestions, we shall be the better able 
to provide a first-rate Housekeeper's Department. 
Minced Beef— An Excellent Preparation. 
The following method produces a very con- 
venient, nutritious, and digestible preparation of 
meat, good for any meal, and especially for the 
supper table, when any kind of meat is desired at 
that meal. "We published somewhat similar direc- 
tions for preparing "minced veal" in a former 
volume of the Agricidturist (18G0), but later ex- 
perience, with a little change in the ingredients, 
shows the method still better for beef: Take say 
'i}4 lbs. of lean beef, without tendons — the cross- 
rib piece is very good for this, but any lean part 
will do. Before cooking, chop it very fine— a Hale's 
meat cutter will do it quicklj-. Mix with it C soda 
crackers, rolled fine; 3 well beaten eggs; Wi table- 
spoonfuls of salt; a tcaspoonful or less of ground 
pepper ; 1 small nutmeg grated ; 4 t.ablespoonfuls 
of cream (or milk) ; and if the meat is free from 
fat, add butter the size of an egg or so. Mix all 
thoroughly ; make into a loaf, and bake well in a 
dripping pan 1>.^ to 2 hours, basting as with other 
roast meats. It will keep for a week or two at least. 
Chapped Hands are 'annoying always. 
They m.iy in a great measure be prevented by xising 
very little soap, i any, keeping it on as briefly as 
possible, washing it off clean, aud then finishing 
the washing with water to which a little vinegar is 
added— a tea&poouful to a pint of clear water will 
answer. This neutralizes any alkali of the soap 
left on the skin, and gives a soft feel, while it stops 
the destruction of the cuticle, and saves chapping. 
The dilute vinegar is also good as a final washing 
after shaving the face, as it both saves the skin and 
prevents the alkali from bleaching the whiskers. — 
A little tallow or even lard, thinly applied at night, 
or when going out into the cold air, to the hands 
and face, if chapping, and well rubbed off if neces- 
sary, goes far toward preventing further chapping, 
aud promotes the healing of cracks already formed. 
SkeUcatc Rice Pudding.— One cup of 
rice cleaned, washed, put into 1 quart milk, set in a 
kettle of boiling water. Keep the w.iter boiling un- 
til the rice is soft, then add the yolks of 3 eggs, put- 
ting a very little cold milk to them, that they may 
not change at once, and a little salt. Bake about one 
hour in pretty hot oven. Just before talcing up, 
allowing just time to lit it for the table, beat the 
whites of the 3 eggs to a foam, and add 1 cup sugar ; 
flavor if you wish : when .all beaten together, pour 
over the pudding, which should bo baked in a shoal 
dish, as this is the sauce to be eaten with it. Put 
in a brisk oven about five minutes, or imtil this foam 
begins to brown. There is so much difference in 
the length of time required in different ovens it is 
impossible to give exact time for the finishing. 
4jSood Corn Bread, and Peiddingp. — 
The same money will purchase two or three times 
as much nourishment in corn me,al, as it will buy 
in wheat flour, aud it is a matter of economy to 
use as much of the former as ran be made palatable. 
Of the hundreds of Corn Bread recipes we have 
published in the American AgrirvJturid none we 
have tried, have given as continued satisfaction as 
the following : 1 quart of sweet milk ; 1 tcaspoonful 
of cooking soda; 1 teacupful of molasses; 2 tea 
spoonfuls of salt; 4 teacupfuls of fine corn meal, 
and 3 to 4 teacupfuls of wheat flour. Mix all well 
together, and bake slowly for an honr or more. It 
keeps moist for several days and is relished by mo.st 
jiersons. The proportion of flour and meal m.ay be 
varied to suit the liking. — The above preparation, 
cooked in a steamer, makes a good pudding, to be 
eaten with cream or milk and sugar, or butter alone. 
Piimisliin Pancakes. — Two cups milk ; 
two cups stewed pumpkin or squash; half a tea- 
spoonful salcratus ; two eggs. Beat the whites to a 
froth — add flour enough to make a thin batter. 
This is called v^rv nice bv those v.ho have tried it. 
Xhc <j(aine orci&ecl^ers or 5>raug;lits. 
This interesting and scientific game is almost uniTer- 
siilly played, but few understand the science of it. It is a 
game entirely of skill, memory, and attention, and there- 
fore not unworthy a place in our columns. We propose to 
give in successive numbers rules and instructions for 
playing, accompanied by a game to be played over, and 
a position for players to study out. 
INSTHUCTIONS FOR PLAYING THE GAME. 
The game of cbeclters is played by two persons, on a 
boiird of 64 squares, colored alternately, and with two 
sets of 12 men eai^h, of dark and light colors. Each 
player in turn moves one of his men, (the black men al- 
M ays move fust, each player having the black men every 
other game,) to the right or left, along tlie diagonal, on 
wliich it stands, and the men can only move forward one 
square at a time, unUI they reach tlie extreme line of the 
board, when they become kinss, and being ciowned, can 
tlien move either forwaid or backward to tlie end of the 
game, as may be desired by the players. 
The object of each player is, to confine the pieces of 
the other in situations where they can not be played, or, 
THE BOAJtD KUMEERED. 
Black. 
rv 
*j 
Vy B 
ft, ,0 
7 
.? ' 
9 
;0 
il 12j 
:u It 
-17 18 
-H) 1^ 
,gl 2'2 
2-"- 2 i- 
25 'J.'^- 
27 28 
2h r,if 
-)1 -.Vl 
White. 
Keep this for future reference. 
both to capture and fix so that there may be none that 
can be played, and the person, whose side is brought to 
this state, loses the game. In the February number we 
will commence to give the laws of the game.— Ceginners 
in the game, who desire to see the rules more fully, will 
find works of instruction a'Jvertised on another page. 
The diagram alwve, represents the board numbered. 
This is fur convenience of reference, in telling how a 
game is played, or in solving a prublem. The following 
game can be readily played, by carefully observing the 
numbers. Fig. 2 shows a position which may often oc- 
cur toward the close of a game. Next month wc shall 
show how white, may win. The iihistration of the num- 
bered board should be preserved for future reference. 
POSITION NO. 1. 
Black. 
Wh ite. 
White to play and uiii. 
GAMK >0. 1.— SINGLE CORNER OPENING. (-) 
Black. White. Black. White. 
1—11 to 15 22tol8 n- 5toU 22 to 18 
2—15 *' 22 25 " 18 12-13 *' 17 IS " 9 
3— 8 " 11 29 " 25 13— 6 " 13 21 " 14 
4— 4 •• 8 25 " 22 14—10 " 11 26 " 22 
5—11 " 16 24 " 20 15—17 " 26 RI " 22 
6— 8 " U 27 " 24 16— T " 10 30 " 25 
7_10 " 14 24 *' 19 17— 2 " 6 25 " 21 
S_ 7 '» 10 2S " 24 IS— 6 " 9 22 " LS 
9— 3 *' 7(al(b)32 " 28 29— 1 *' 5 18 " 15 
10-- 9 *' 13 IS ,, 9 20—11 " 27 and wins. 
(*) Is so called, because each player in beginning 
plays fl'om one single corner toward the other, 
(a) A move not generally made by beginners. 
{b) The move tb;it causes the lo^s of the same. 
]%e\%' Pozzies to be Ansirered. 
No. 183. Illustrat- 
ed Rebus. — A very 
common proverb. 
No. 184. Math- 
ematical Problem. 
Contributed to tlie 
American A gricul- 
tUTist, by C. F. 
Erhard, of Kings 
Co., N.Y. A danc- 
ing master had 
some young men, 
boys and girls for 
pupils. On arriv- 
ing for their lesson 
the following ex- 
ercises were gone 
through: Ist Ex- 
ercise.— I. Each 
young man made 
a bow to each girl. 
2. Each young 
man made a bow 
lo every other 
^^' *"* young man, and 
to the master. 3. Each girl made a bow to every other 
girl, and to the master. 217 bows were thus made. 
2nd Exercise. — 1. Each boy made a bow to each 
young man. 2, Each boy made a bow to every other 
boy. andtothedaiicingmaster. 3. Each young man made 
a bow to every other young man, and to the dancing nias- 
mer. Result, 244 bows. 
3d Exercise.— 1. Each boy made a bow to each girl. 
2. Each bpy made a bow to every other boy, and to the 
dancing master. 3. Each girl made a bow to every other 
girl, and to the master. This amonnled to 271 bows. 
How many Young Men, Boys and Girls ? 
No. 185. IHustrat- 
fd Rebus. — An excel- 
lent motto for all. 
No. 166. Charade. 
— I am composed of 
13 letters. My 6,1, 
4, 11, require fire to 
make them success- 
ful. My 11, 6, 12,4, 
3, 11, are useful for 
blood-letting. My 2, 
12, II, .*), is an orna- 
ment to the face, also 
a useful sentinel. 
My 1,4, 11, 12, 2, is a 
capital crime. My 9, 
5, JO, 15, II, are ab- 
undanton Christmas 
and New Year's. My 
fi, 12, 4, 3, 11, are in 
almost every body's mouth. My 7, 12, 10, 5, is relished 
by most people, is often swallowed, but never eaten. 
Aly whole is the name of a very distinguished general. 
No. 187. Charade. — I am composed of 121etters. My 7, 
8, 9, 6. 1, 4, 5, 1. is a Christian virtue. My 7, II, 1, 9, uses 
his feet in writing. My 2, 0, 4, 1, is what many would 
like, and what rtU possess. My 13, 11, 9, 0, 5, 1. is in 
nearly all newspapers. My 2. 6, 10, 4. 9, II, 7, is part of 
a vessel. My 12, 3, 9, G, 11, 12. is made up by every man, 
but owned by none. My whole was an effective weapon 
used in the late war. 
Aiis"*vers f o I*roll>Ieiais nud Puzzles. 
The following are the answers to the Puzzles in the 
December number ])ai^e :!S3. No. ISl, Illustrated Rebus. 
— 2 No one's I fan doll one's axe commandd note itail edvr 
born 2 rule th eel and. Oi, To know one's s^lf and all 
one's acts command, dennles a leader born to rule the 
land ...No. I'ii, lUustralid Rebus.— B e z in ewer man. 
ner sand 7mle din words, butts t rick tin morals : Or, Be 
easy in your nianneis and mild in wonls. hut strict in 
morals . . .The follow inp have sent cnirect answers up to 
Nitvember 6th : Emma Waterman. 178 ; *• Three of us." 
Maria and Lurana, A. T.. Mary F. .Tud-^on and Belle 
Curtis, Addison Millerd, Sarah F. Brigham (nearly), 
"The Yankee Family Nevins," J. M. Norlli and tisteVs, 
179 ; Wm. W. Fuller. 178 ; George Ross. E. Jennie Peck. 
iT9 ; George N. Wilson. 175 ; Louis and Marv, O. H 
Leavilt. J. B. Smith, T. II. Smith, A. L. Smith. F. E. 
Smith, Jas Dixon. Emeline Baldwin, Jennie Fletcher, 
O. Harmon. Etiwin Andiews. M. S. and i\I. Rice, 179 ; 
Wm. C. Johnson, 175 ; E. B. Haskell ; A constant reader, 
W. J . Chamherlin. C. L. Spooner, Emily H. Abbott. 179 ; 
Wm. D. Repd. 175 ; Ninbe Robinson and Rowland Ro- 
binson. Rebecca Shaw, M. F. and C. Benner, Lizzie A. 
White. Midford, Wm. il. Paine. 179; Benjamin Heii- 
tage, 175; Emilve. Henrv Bunn. Alice Bunn and Adda 
Bunn, M. and M. Troth,' Mrs. M. J. Allen. Freddie D. 
Upton, Mrs. C. B. Carpenter. S. C. Smith, J. E. Smith. 
Sarah H. Mead, Addie A. Smith, Frank S. Mead. E. 
Linnie Lockwood. Samuel Dauchy, L. Dauchy, Edith 
V. Smith. Julia M. Lockwood, Sarah Stiidwefl, Mary 
J. Sludwell. 179; Thomas E, Lockie, James Dickson, 
175; J. Marsh. ISl ; Garret Brodhe;td. Jr.. 181; W. H. 
Hughes, J.r., J79; George A. G., 179; E. Hart, 181. 
