4:24= 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
::»Ialie the I'l-ost Aid Yoii-— Few arc 
a\\:ire of the beneficial effects upon ail kinds of soil, Hiid 
ejpeciHlly upon lieavy land, of a tiiorotigli freezing and 
liiawing. Eiglit cubic feet of w^ter in freezing, swells to 
nine feet at lea^t. Soils filled with water expand in llie 
SHme way. The wiiler disi^ersed all througli tiie pores 
when freezing, cracks and pulverizes the soil, :iud fits it 
for plants, and releases mncli plant fuol. This freezing 
hIso kills many insects, insect eggs, and weed seeds. 
It is wise, then, to plow fields and spade the gardens 
inlo ridges and furrows in Autuntxn, so as to let the 
frost down as deeply as possible. Tliis can be done 
at any lime before the ground becomes solid. If so 
wet that it paclts, tiie freezing will lighten it up again. 
The operation pays well. If grounil be left in ridges with 
deep dead furrows or ditches, it will drain and dry off, 
and become warm a week or t«o earlier in spring, which 
is an important gain for llie cuUivalor at that season. 
Coal Xsn' sas* Paint ior flIoDises. — "J- 
T." writes from ^Madison, Ind.. 'Mo the question: 'Is 
coal tar good paint for tlie outside of a small house?'— 
Vou answer. ' yes. if you like a black house.' I would 
answer, yesforeiiher a small or iarge house. A good 
paint that will oullast any oil paint, on either wood or 
brick, and not be black either, can be made with coal 
lar." — In whatever way "J. T." modifies llie color, we 
presume he cannot avoid having it \ery dark, and this we 
decidedly o'lject to for dwelling houses at least, which 
should be oi' a light cheerful color, if of wood, or of a 
jiultiral stone color, if of brick or concrete. 
"^VSiat SI YoiiDis: Maia ]I>i<l.— AVe were 
pleased, on more than one account, by a recent call from 
a young man in Putnam County, a fiirmer boy student, 
we believe. Seeing our premium offers lie started out, 
and in about four days work, all witliin a week, he ob- 
tained 157 subscribers to the Ag-ricuUanstnl $1.50 a year. 
His call was to bring in the names and order his premi- 
ums, viz. : the 16 volumes of Applcton's Cyclopedia and 
llie Tool Chest, winch were promptly furnished. He is 
thus well equipped for mi?id work and hajul work. (The 
Cyclopedia, $^0, and the Tool Chest, $14.50, or $124.50 
for four days work, is pretty good pay— it would pay well 
for forty days work.) Why may not you, reader, and 
luindreds, yes, thousands of others do the same thing. 
Tliere are in our country more than ten thousand differ- 
ent Towns, which each contain more than 157 persons 
wlio would afterwards be grateful to any one who should 
persuade them to subscribe for this journal for 1867. 
Uuttcr Costs ^lore than IFloiir. — 
After some inquiry, we estimate that in a family of ten 
persons, including tv\oor three children between three 
and eight years old, a barrel of flour lasts 30 days. Tiiis 
is nearly tlie general average, of a barrel of flour a year 
for each full grown person. The same family (nf ten) 
consumes an average of 1>^ lbs, of butter per day, or 2 
ounces each, including that used in cooking. Tlie aver- 
age retail price here, for good articles, has been for some 
time past, about $16 per bhi. for flour, and 50c. per lb. 
for butler. (Both are liigher now.) At tliese figures, it 
takes $22.50 wortli of butler to use up $16 worth of flovir 
— or an excess of $6.50, equivalent to full 40 per cent. 
If we reduce the butier to 1 lli. per day. or 1 3-5ths ounces 
each, its cost will still be nearly 20 per cent, greater than 
the flour. This proportion will hold good throughout 
roost of the country, as the relative prices of flour and 
butter are about the same as here. 
"Why tlae ISest ff^lour Ss Cheapest. 
•^Two dollars extra on the price of a barrel of flour, will 
secure a much superior quality. Any one who will de- 
vote a little observitlion to the subject, will notice that 
■with iiooi bread, people eat from '4 to >J more butter than 
they do with tliat wluch is of superior or extra quality. 
If we reckon '4 more, it will be seen by the calculations 
of the preceding item, that §2 saved in the price of flour 
involves $5.62 more expense for butter, or for other con- 
diments to make the poorer bread palatable, 
Ke-ware of Advertised Kecapes for 
Ink, Paint, Vinegar, Money, etc.— We notice 
a good many of these advertised in news|iapers and by 
private circulars, at from $1 to $5 each, with promises of 
wonderful profits to the purchasers. One editor ofTeis as 
a premium for new subscribers, an ink recipe by which 
*' )T)U can make hundreds of dollar's worth of splendid 
ink. in a few minutes, for less than half a dime per gal- 
lon ! " All of these advertised recipes have been publish- 
ed in the Agriculturist this year, \\\{\\ no patent or copy- 
right to piohibit their goncral ur-c. We have also publish- 
ed the vinegar iind honey recipes. So don't give $1, $5, 
$3ov $.T to somebody who sets lin A claim toV thtiv et- 
^t'^'ive nee. 'T>>c Uec+f^^f lUe ;' Grtat AmericitAiPmM 
Company'' whicli we have referred to. (.\ug., p. 278, and 
Nov., p. 389), has turned up. It amounts to fresh slaked 
lime with about l-6th its weight of salt, and l-6th its 
weight of sugar, mixing it witli milk, and adding K of its 
weight of Spanish whiting for while paint. For other 
colors, use, instead of Itie Spanisli ^^hite, some yellow 
ochre for straw color, chrome yellow for lemon, indigo 
for lead or slate, chrome green for green, etc. The 
amovmt of these, and the mode of mixing, are not staled. 
For implements, use linseed oil instead of milk. (Wlnit 
say practical painters to mixing fieslied .flaked lime with 
linseed oil?) This is wiiat we got for $1 paid to the so- 
called " Great Amcricin Paint Companv." by way of in- 
vestigation. — The '• Companv" don't claim any *' patent.'' 
but only say " copy-right applied for."— [.1/em .■ Club sub- 
scribers will please credit us $1 for this information, 
which is all tliey will gel from the said "Company" foi- 
the same money. So we end the year square ; you paid in 
$1 and we return it liere — throwing in the year's papeisl] 
Pre p SB ration foi" Leather,— Tlie "Shoe 
and Leather Reporter" translates from the Gerber Cour- 
ier, tlie following recipe for a preparation whicii is said 
to be excellent for t)oots, harness leather, and belting, 
giving pliabiliiy, softness, and consequent durability : 
RIelt 7 ounces of lard, add I ounce rosin, and stir well 
together when both are melted. In another vessel dis- 
solve 3>a ounces of good hard soap in a quart (or '2hi 
pounds) of clean rain water. When dissolved and bealed 
to the boiling point, aid the prepared lard and ro^in, boil 
gently a few minutes, and it is leady for application. 
The preparation is easily and cheaply male, and will 
doubtless render the leather pliable, even if it does not 
turn water, of which we are in doubt. 
"^Vhat "\ve SaM'* — Oa one of the coldest 
mornings of November, wlien the sterner sex were glad 
to wear gloves, thick overcoats well buttoned up. and not 
a few had winter caps on, well down on their ears, we 
saw a well dressed lady belonging to a well to do family, 
get out of the cars with a gentleman, and walk off 
tinough the cold wind, bareheaded'. (There was some- 
thing flat lying on the crown of her head, but it was so 
small we could not tell what it was.) A friend at our 
elbow said she was a fashionable Indy.— We guess so. — 
Mcni. (from our note book) : Hadn't we better open our 
advertising columns to the latest patent mediciric, co?i- 
su7}iption curwg- geniuses '. Where's {Rev.") Edward 
Wilson, and the other such like humbugs?— The "ca- 
tarrh '' humbug medicine dealers may increase their 
stock, too, for the present f.ishion will largely increase 
this disease, and those who catch it, because they will 
conform to fashion at any cost or risk, are foolish enough 
to patronize such pretenders. 
Fasteniiag; Pencil J^larks. — It is often 
desirable to prepare pencil notes or marks so that they 
will not rub ofT readily. A thin solution of gum arable 
in water, or shellac in alcohol, applied with a soft brush, 
will do it effectually. But this is not always convenient, 
as when one is traveling, or at a library, as at the Astor 
Library where no ink is allowed in the reading room. 
Rev. L. L. Langstroth, the Bee man, writes us that a 
little saliva applied with the tongue or ollierwise, over 
pencil notes, drawings, etc., will cause the lead to adhere 
so firmly that it will not come off without frictlnn enough 
to injure the paper surface. lie has used it for over 16 
years witli derided satisfaction, and thinks that, though 
a simple thing, it is very useful to know, and he iias met 
with no one else wlio understood it. We have often 
used it for 25 years, but it di<I not occur to us that it w:is 
not known by everybody until reminded of it by i\Ir. L, 
Inl£ — Vinegar — I&uinhug:!^. — Mr. Chas. 
C, Kulp, of Montgomery Co.. Pa., sends thecopy-riglited, 
printed recipes, whicli some chap in Biddefoid, Maine, 
is selling at a liigh price, claiming that tliey came fron\ 
Brazil, that he has refused $5,000 for the *' right " to make 
them ill New York alone, etc., etc. Mr. Kulp sends us 
recipes for the same things copied fiom Ins old scrap- 
book where they have been at least ten years, and liiey 
are almost identical with those w hich this Maine feliow 
has dug uji, and is now selling to agents and others. We 
may add here, that many of the advertisements for 
"agents'* at " $100 a month," " employment at $150 per 
montli," etc., are from parties who have got some old 
recipe, quite likely taken from the AgrirAdtunst, and 
giving it a new name, they persuade agents to undertake 
its sale as sometliing of great value. A felkiw lecently 
advertised for a-^ents, sent applicants a long circular to 
persuade them to buy a honey recipe, and rights to make 
it at $5 each, and to all green enough to send him the $5, 
he returned a Bucar-honey, or artificial honey recipe. 
Which We published many years ago with a caution as to 
ile valiaev He-pitrtiAfcl^-^H it from our columns, — Here 
are .Mr. Kulp's old recipes ; purcha:^ers of the Maine 
operators "right" will see that they are almost identi- 
cal wilh those which liave cost them $2 to $3.— Vinegar = 
411 gallons water, 1 gallon molasses, and 4 lbs. acetic acid, 
mix and let it ferment until it is strong vinegar. Ink: 
{a) 1 galionhot water, 2 ounces extract logwood, >3 ounce 
Id chromale of potash. Stir together and let it stand to 
settle, and strain. (.6) Dissolve M lb. extract logwood in 
5 gallons hot water, and add ^^ ounce bi-chromale of 
potash ; stir for a sl\ort lime. Five gallons cost 25 cents. 
Tnese recipes copied frotn a very old scrap-book, are as 
good (if good at all) as the $5,000 recipe of the Maine man. 
ISo^r they Cook droBiscira the KooJiy 
ITlountains. — An old prospecter in the Rocky Moun- 
tains, wi lies us: "Perhaps you would like to know how 
we live out here. We are gourmands— Venison, bear 
mekt, Grouse and trout, arc our every day food, liow do 
we cook ? I'ii tell you, and you'll say you have never 
catena Grou^eif you take the trouble to try it. First, shoot 
your bird, and as soon as you pick him up, blRcd him by 
an insei titm of your penknife into his juguhir. Being in 
camp for the night, dig a hole in the sand about 1 foot 
deep, and buiid a fiie in it. When it is thoroughly lieated 
leave it about U full of coals, whicii cover wtll wilh 
aslies or very dry sand. Make a paste of mud or clay, in 
which encase your bird, braving the feailiers on. to the 
thickness of ^i of an inch or so, and lay him in the hole, 
covering with ashes and coals, and filling up with Uirt. 
Afier Ji of an hour, dig him out, and give him a rap on 
the ground, when the casing will fall off, taking with it 
feathers and skin, and leaving you the Grouse cooked in 
ills own juices. Eat with * hard-lack,* and tell Delmon- 
ico you havedined elsewhere. Perhaps I'll tell you how 
to cook a Irout some day,'* 
Cooi£tng Salsify, or Vegelahie 
Oyster. — We hope many of our readers liave a liberal 
supply of this vei^etable, or will have another year. It 
is grown as easily, and just like carrots or parsnips, and 
if rigiitlycooked affords a very agreea;jle tiish. especially 
in spring. It is all the belter for standing in the giound, 
as it grows all winter, although we usually lal;e up late 
in autumn a quantity for winter's use. and pack it in 
boxes of moist sand in a cool cellar. We clean the roots 
well, cut in shoit pieces, boil lender, drain, salt it, add a 
little salt codfish pickcil very fine, and butter, thicken. 
with a little flour and milk, and pour it over toast. 
C. W. C„ Howells, Orange Co., N, Y., writes: Wash 
and scrape the roots, cut in thin slices, boll in a little 
■water until soft ; pour off the water and mash the roots 
fine. Season witii salt, pepper, butter, and a little cream. 
Hop Cnltwre. — Prestou Miller, Daiiphiu 
Co., Pa. It is not practicable for us to reprint articles on 
special culture. In Marcli, 1865, we publislied a piize 
essay, and Jiave since issued a pamphlet (see Book-list) 
that contains about all that is known on the subject. 
Onr ZSochy Iffionntain S^rientl ^vi 
Trout.—" I promised to tell you how to cook a trout. 
Vou think you've caught trout in the streams that run 
among our dear old Green Mountains, or down the slopes 
of our Berkshire hills, but you must come out here to 
seethe real fish. Everyone you hook, from 15 to 22 
indies long, and as gamey as the shiest tliat hid himself 
under the old slump by the Alders, near home, years ago. 
There ! you've landed him. Slick your knife in the back 
of his neck, and slash his gills the first thing, (.\lways 
bleed your fish as soon as you land him, it makes his flesh 
hard.) When you are ready for your supper, make a 
small incision at llie throat, and draw the eatrails. Then 
fill him up with a wedge of fat pork or bacon. Wrap 
him in several thicknesses of paper, well wet, (oak leaves 
will do), and lay him in the hot aslies, covering him well 
wilh ashes and coals. Leave him for fium 20 minutes to 
,'. an hour, wlien you may unearth him, and eat with 
wliatever accomiianirnents you may have. The first 
tiling you'll do next morning, will be to go fishing. 
Tliere are other ways to cook him, but when you've 
eaten this fellow you wont care to know them." 
TTho £at!$ Sparro-^rs ? — These little 
birds are found, by tlic Maltese and Italian, to be most 
epicurean. They are best in the fruit season. Find 
a tree in wliich they roost, and by burning a little sul- 
phur under it you may bag any quantity. Pluck and 
clean them. Lard them, or better still, pin across the 
breast a very tliin slice of )»ork. Wrap them in young 
grape leaves, and put in tlie oven, ^Vhen cooked, serve 
up in the center of a dish of boiled rice. Cover well 
with a rich tomato sauce. The grape leaf will be found 
an agreeable accompaniment. Oiliersmall birds arc de- 
licious cooked In the same manner, and it may be partic- 
ularly recommended for the " Reed birds " of the Dela- 
ware and Potomacj and *' Rice bird*" of the South. 
