18G5. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
55 
saltpeter, J^ ounce soda or saleratus, and 4 gallons 
water. Boil and skim the mixture, let it cool, and 
when cold pour it upon the meat, which should be 
weighted to Ijeep it down. Leave common sized 
hams in pickle 4 to 5 weeks. Beef can be kept un- 
til used up, if the brine be scalded occasionally. 
Baked C7avrots are much sweeter than 
when boiled. A Hubbard squash when baked pre- 
serves its peculiar aroma and sweetness much bet- 
ter than when boiled. In northern latitudes it 
does very well as a substitute for sweet potatoes. 
Soda, Craclievs. Contributed by Mrs. C. F. 
Noble, McHenry Co., 111. Flour, 3 quarts ; butter, 
1 cup ; water, 1 pint ; cream of tartar, 3 teaspoon- 
fuls ; soda, 1^^ teaspoonfuls. Mi,^ the cream tartar 
thoroughly with the flour ; then rub in the butter, 
and add the water and soda together. Knead about 
the same as pastry for pie. Roll out a little more 
than .an eighth of an inch thick, cut in squares, and 
prick them all over. Bake in a hot oven about 
twenty minutes or till dry. Wash the oven bottom 
clean, and put the crackers on it ; for they will not 
b.xke well on tins. 
Parsnip Croquettes. — Boil the parsnips 
until tender, and mash them. Flour a dish thiclvly, 
drop a spoonful of the parsnip on the flour, and 
roll it in the flour with a spoon until it is form- 
ed into a ball. Repeat this process until you have 
used up the parsnips. Have a frying pan of lard 
hot, drop the balls in, and boil a light brown. The 
lard must be boiling hot, and enough of it to float 
the b.alls. This is excellent, and has been eaten by 
those who thought they could not eat parsnips. 
Codfish Balls.—" A Gratified Reader" war- 
rants the following to be-superior: So.ak and boil 
the fish, and pick it into small shreds the same as 
for ordinary fish cakes. This is to be done over 
night. In the morning boil and mash potatoes, and 
while warm mis well with the fish, and mix into 
hflUs. In the meantime have lard heating in a fry- 
ing pan, and when this is boiling hot, drop in the 
fish balls, and cook to a light brown. The balls 
should be as hot as possible, or they will cool and 
then absorb the fat, which will spoil them. There 
should be sufllcient lard for the balls to swim in. 
IBDYS 4 MIRM' ©(DILWMUS, 
Nonietliiug About I>rea,ius. 
The writer believes in dreams, that is after his own 
fashion. He does ?iot believe that one can tell from 
dreams what is about to happen. Strange stories are told 
of things occurring after certain dreams, but nobody knew 
what the vision meant until after the event came to pass, 
so that the dreamer was no wiser than the people. Any 
one who should tiy to do business by following his 
dreams, would soon have po money to dre.im about. Of 
course we do not refer to the visions which the prophets 
had in olJen times, but to the ordinary dreams which 
every body has. Our belief in dreams is, that pleasant 
ones are very desirable, that they amuse and recreate tiie 
mind during the hours of sleep. The poorest man may 
enjoy unbounded wealth for eight hours out of the twen- 
ty four, if he be a good dreamer, and all things which the 
heart can desire may come without an etfort. Thus at 
least one third of life may bring pleasure, and this is as 
large a portion of enjoyment as moat men have. 
A hearty meal shortly before retiring, very great anxi- 
ety, too heavy press of business, or whatever disturbs 
bodyor mind during sleep, will often bring torment to the 
dreamer. He will be attacked by wild beasts, or fall 
from precipices, oi' be drowning, or in some other terri- 
ble situation. Pleasant dreams usually attend sound 
healtti, a proper mode of life and a quiet conscience ; all 
of which will add to happiness by day as well as at night. 
The most important dreams come when people are wide 
awake. Columbus dreamed in this way, that there was 
a Western world, and then he went to work to find it. 
Jefferson Davis and others dreamed that they could have 
greater power in a Southern Confederacy, and they are 
endeavoiing to make it come true. Thousands of boys 
and girls, men and women, are every day dreaming of 
bet'oming rich or famous, but, they do not go to work to 
bring it about, and so their dieauis only make them dis- 
contented. Here then are three things to be noticed : 
1st, daydieams are useful if they are to good purpose. 
2d, bad dreams can, and should be dismissed ; and 3d, to 
accomplish anything.dreamlng must be followed by doing: 
<'ir Y^on EiOT^e Ifle, I^ean Hard/' 
The Boston Recorder relates the following: "Miss 
Fiske, while in the Nestorian Mission, was at one lime 
in feeble health, and much depressed in spirits. One hot 
Sabbath afternoon, she sat on her mat on the chapel 
floor, longing for support and rest, feeling unable to 
maintain her trying position until the close of worship. 
Presently she felt a woman's form seated at her back, 
and heard the whisper ' Lean on me.' Scarcely yielding 
to the request, she heard it repeated, 'Lean on me.' 
Then she divided her weight with the gentle pleader, but 
that did not suffice. In earnest, almost reproachful tones 
the voice again urged ' If you love me, leankaril.' " This 
incident is worth a whole volume of commentary on the 
nature of true love, wliich Is happiest when it can do 
most for the loved one. 
Colored lYIen in tiae Army. 
A friend recently returned from service with the Chris- 
tian Commission In the Army of the Potomac, relates 
several amusing incidents of the coloied men in and 
around the camp. One of them, a soldier, was on guard 
at the City Point wharf. Presently an officer approached, 
smoking a cigar. Politely giving the military salute the 
dusky sentinel said, " Smoking on dis dock is forbidden 
sah !" Is that the rule, asked the officer ? — " Yes sah." — 
*' A very good rule," replied General Grant, for it was he, 
and he immediately threw his cigar into the river. 
A happy darkey was enjoyiug himself perched on a high 
fence when a squad of rebel prisoners passed, and 
John's former master was among them, " Why John," 
exclaimed he in surprise,"are you up there ?" " Yes, mas- 
sah," said John, " and you's down dere." One of them 
was heard earnestly praying " Lord bress Massa Lin- 
kum, and douse his head wid Tt'isrfom." — Another thus 
gave the well known passage " Paul may plant and 
ApoUos water, but God giveth the Increase. "Paul may 
plant and polish wid u-aler, but it woTi't do.''* 
Slieridnn An&oug; his Soldiers. 
A gentleman recently from Winchester, Va., relates 
the following incidents which he witnessed just after the 
famous battle of Cedar Creek, where Sheridan had turned 
disaster Into an overwhelming victoiy.— The wounded 
were being brought in and attended to by the surgeons. 
A soldier was having an arm amputated ; chloroform had 
been administered to render him Insensible to pain, but 
he recovered consciousness just as the surgeon was saw- 
ing througli the bone. Yet without seeming to pay any 
attention to this, he looked around and exclaimed, " Boys 
isn't Phil. Sheridan a perfect brick ? Didn't we give it 
to the Johnny's ?" and his eye lighted up with the fire of 
victory. Not far from him our friend noticed two whose 
wounds had been dressed, (one had lost an arm, the oth- 
er a leg.) lying face to face on adjoining cots, earnestly 
discussing the events of the battle and praising "Phil" 
Sheridan, with whom and for whom they both wanted to 
fight again. The same entluisiasm pervaded the entire 
hospital, and the groans of the suffering were hushed by 
the exulting shouts for their leader and their success. 
Petroleniu— How a, Farm ^ras Sold. 
A correspondent of the American Agriculturist gives 
an account of an instance of pretty "sharp prac- 
tice" in the oil region of Pennsylvania. A widow, 
who owned a farm In a locality bordering upon, or rather 
within the bounds of Petrolia, procured a barrel of the 
genuine oil, and poured a few gallons upon the surface 
of several small ponds of water on her domain. The 
barrel was then secreted in some brush near a small rivu- 
let, and a minute opening was made, so that a few drops 
constantly escaped, an I floated down upon the surface 
of the water. The bait soon took with one of the roving 
seekers after hidden wealth, who contracted for the farm, 
hastened East, raised a company, and returned with 
ample funds to pay $100,000 for the farm, and to begin 
operations. The widow, of course, found it convenient 
to immediately change her residence to an eastern city. 
—The unusual sequel of the story, which we can not 
vouch for, is, that by chance, this turned out be a capital 
oil farm, and is yielding large returns to the company. 
AnsiFers to Problems aud Pnzzles. 
The following are answers to the puzzles, etc., in the 
January numoer, page 23. No. 111. Illustrated Rebus.— 
Do nou!;kt leaves on g two birds a I onenor bee ewe t of sol 
twojlowers; or Do not leave song to birds alone, nor 
beauty of soul to flowers No. 112. A Curious Word.— 
Carp* ; add *, and it makes carets. . .No. 113. Xovel Sub- 
traction. — Should have been take two letters from a word 
containing five, and leave but one. The word is stone ; 
take away si and one remains No. 114. — Charles H. 
Thorp, sends the following solution. Ten acres is a plot 
measuring 660 feet on a side. As no vine is set nearer 
than one foot to the fence, they are to occupy a plot 658 
feet square. 658-?-6 gives 109 spaces between the 
vines or 110 vines on a row, and 110 rows If they 
are set in square form. 110x110 gives 12,100 vines 
for the plot when planted in square order. In 
the Quincunx order there will be 110 vines on each 
row one way. The distance between the rows will form 
the perpendicular of a right angled triangle having a 
base of 3 ft., and a hypothenuse of 6 ft., or 5 and 2 tenlhs 
feet, nearly. 658-H5.2 gives 126 spaces or 127 rows the 
other way. 110x127=13,970 vines in Quincunx order, 
or 1870 more than in the square No. 15. Mathematical 
Proi/f 771. —99 ft. 10 in. and IIS ft. 5 in No. 109.— .1f«//i- 
emntical Puzzle (Dec. No. page 349). — The word is Palin- 
erson; the figures are 587019x3624=2127356856. The 
folhiwing have sent in correct answers up to Jan. 10. 
"Exepo," lOS; David Dickey, 108; B. T. Fisher, lOS , 
Flora McKay, 108; Austin Leonard. 108, 109; " C." 
Phila., lOS; I. A. Mitchell, 108 ; Mary E. Graves, 108, 
109; John S. Starbuck, lOS : H. Hudpens, 108, 109; Geo. 
W. Read, 109; H. G. Kingsleys, 108, 110; J. G. Bunnell, 
108; Wesley Harvey, 108; "R. N. M," lOS ; Charles L. 
Gartman, 108; Ezra M. Smith, lOS, 109 ; " H. P. S.." 
109; R. xM. Leele. 109; Ellas Stevens, 109 ; Daniel S. 
Carver. 103; Claikson Johnston 109; E. Bishop, 108, 
lOy ; Eliza Gillingliam, 108; Augustine J. Pocock. 108 : 
Pldlip Lounsberry, 108; J Madison Sanlee, lOS ; 0. B. 
Gibson. 109; Atherton Sweatt. 109; H. P. Smith, 10^; 
A. S. D. Demarest, lOS ; Mary Lovejoy, lOS ; Edward A. 
Down, ins ; David H. Trenlly. 108 ; J. C. Browning, 109 ; 
Marv N. Rice. 108. 109; Samuel C. Carter. 109; C. Ar- 
thur' Totlen, 108. 109; S. Farquer, 109; Olyvia Lybarger. 
109 ; John N. McGiffert, 109 ; F. H. Brown. 108 ; " X". L. 
T.," 109 ; W. C. Sharpe. 109 ; " Grace." 108 ; Laura Wil- 
liams. 108; Sturges Green. 109 ; E. W. Miller, 108. 109; 
Susie Maxwell, 108; R. F. Maxv\eil and Zachary Tav- 
lor. 108; Neftie Robinson, 108 ; James W. Logan, 103 ; 
Amelia W. Thompson, \v.8 ; H. F. Brayton, 109 ; Joseph 
Holsineer, 109: E.J. Davis, lOS ; Robert Schotield, 108; 
S. H. Grundy. 109; S. B. Barker, 109; Joseph Smith, 
1119: George Tomlin?on, 109; Cordelia Baker, lo8 ; Wm. 
E. Baldwin, 108: "-L. S. F.." lOS ; Sarah and Orpha B., 
lOS; Clarence U. Meigs. 109; Rufus G. Fuller, H)8 ; J, 
B. Burt, 108: D. R. Hosteman. 108; H. Zavala. 108; J. 
S. Burgess, 112 : Duane W. Wilber, 112 ; Edm'd P. Bark- 
er, 109: J. W.Wiiians, 109, 114, 115 ; J. B. Hatch, Jr., 119. 
Ne^v Pnzzlcs to l>e Ans-^rered. 
No. 116. Historical Questions.— l. What General took 
the City of Dublin, A. D., 1116? 2. On what day did 
James take possession of the throne of England? 3. 
What was the iirst name given by Europeans to Maine 
and New Hampshire ? 
No. 117. What fruit is mentioned in the Bible as grow- 
ing on a stick without root or branch ? 
2.000 and 
No. 118. Illustrated RfJif*.— Adapted to the times. 
No. 119. Mathematical Problem. — Proposed by Chas. 
F. Erhard, Queens Co., N. Y. A racecourse forming a 
perfect circle is just one mile long along the centre line 
of the track, wliich is 20 feet wide. The enclosed circu- 
lar piece of ground has a good crop of grass, and this 
has been bougjit by 3 men paying equal shares. They 
wish to divide the land in three equal parts by two strait 
parallel lines. How is tliis to be done and how many 
acres will each part contain? 
No. 120. Geographical Rf/)«s.— What four Capital 
Cities are represented in the above engraving ? 
No. 121. Mathematical Proi/fm.— Suppose a heifer, at 
three years old, produces a calf, and one yearly after- 
wards, till she is twenty years old. Suppose her p(iieny 
to be females (through all the generations), and that each 
invlividual increases as the mother did. that is, a calf 
each year, commencing at the tliird, whatv^ill be the 
number of the herd when the old cow is twenty years old ? 
No. 122. Mathematical Kcius.— Contributed to the 
American Agriculturist by " William.'* Kirkiand, N. Y. 
Please read it and find the answer to the problem. 
I 2 A A V <fe 000 
OX2BitIXTUn2D 
Now let 2+4=6 scholar "^ &c 
How THE 7+2=9 I un 2 the 3. 
No. 123 Conundrum.~~W\\y is Neptune like an Alche- 
mist? This will require a good deal of guessing. 
