1SC4.1 
AMF.i;i< 'AN AClIlICHTI/inTltlST. 
907- 
To Dye Butternut Color. 
M G iv, sends (o tho In ' ; i I : I the 
following direct lone In any convculcnl voesol (na 
:i large trongli) place n layorof luittcrnnl bark, 
the rongli portions being removed, thon a layer 
of w • > o l or yarn, anotuor of bark and so on. Pill 
the vessel wltli water, and weight tho goods to 
keep them under. Air the fabric every day by 
Bproixdlugtn the sun; this will set the dye. Goods 
for men? wear are treated In this manner. For 
plaid dressea and materia] for children's wear, 
lliobarkaud yarn In oltornato layers aro placed In 
an Iron kettle, and warmed over a Hreonce or twice 
a day. The goods are to bo nlred In the sun ovory 
day as before. This gives a much darker (bade, 
anil is preferable for many purposes. This dye will 
not Injure cloth as sumach berries sometimes do. 
Soda and Saleratus in Food. 
"II. \V. \Y." inquires: "What effeel 6oda or sale- 
ratnshastn n compound of sweet milk, (lour, am 1 
eggs." No good effect, we should suppose. Many 
of the recipes -out to us contain an inordinate 
amount ol these articles, and they arc introduced 
into some where they ran be of littlo or no use. 
If the soda and saleratus are well made, they will 
give off n portion of their carbonic ncid by heat 
alone, nud the escape of this will render the com- 
pound somewhat lighter, and a disagreeable alka- 
line sail will bo left According to tho writer's 
notion tbese articles Bbould never be used without 
some acid to combine with them— cream of tartar, 
for instance. This will set free the, carbonic acid 
and make the cooking light, and at the same time 
convert the alkali into a tasteless compound. 
When soda or saleratus is mingled with sour milk, 
its lactic acid unites with the alkali, setting free 
the volatile carbonic acid, which produces the 
" lightness," the same as when cream ol" tartar or 
tartaric acid is used. He is moreover of the opin- 
ion that really good cooks use but very little of 
these articles, 'except to correct the acidity pro- 
duced by over-fermentation in raising doughi 
Hints on Cooking, etc. 
To keep Mince Bleat.— George P. Pass- 
more, Chester Co., Pa., writes to the American Ag- 
rictdtmist that mince-meat prepared at any time of 
the year may be kept entirely sweet for months by 
packing it in stone jars, nud" covering the surface 
with say half an inch of molasses to exclude the 
air. This is worth remembering when at any time 
a larger quantity of beef is cooked than is wanted 
immediately. [A layer of lard over it will keep it.] 
Omelet. — Contributed to the American Agri- 
culturist by Louisa J. Wilson, Armstrong Co., Pa. 
Beat together four csgs and one cup or sweet 
milk. Have ready a skillet with a piece of butter 
the size of a walnut, on a moderate lire. When 
the eggs are beaten, place them in a skillet aud cook 
ten or fifteen minutes. [A capital addition to the 
above is, parboiled ham cut into small bits and mix- 
ed with the omelet when placed in the skillet.] 
FlaUe Pudding-. — Contributed to the 
American Agriculturist by Ivy Adams, Clinton Co., 
0. : Take :i eggs and 3 cups of milk, stir in flour 
until it makes a thin batter, put a small quantity 
iu the pans to allow for raising, bake quickly. 
Sponge Cake.— Contributed to the Ameri- 
can Agriculturist by Mrs. B. McClellan, Sandusky 
Co. Oj "Mix G eggs; thoroughly beaten, with 2 
cups sifted sugar, 2 cups sifted flour, 1 tcaspoonful 
cream tartar, \i tcaspoonful soda, and a little salt. 
Salt Rising;. — Mrs. Wm. Jackman, of "Wil- 
liamsburg (no State givcu), trives her process or 
raising bread: "The first thing in the morning 
when the tea-kettle boils, I take a pint of boiling 
water aud put a teaspoonlul of salt into it, let it 
stand until cold enough to bear my finger in it, then 
stir in tlour eiioush to make a batter (using a quart 
pitcher for the purpose) then set it to rise, by plac- 
ing the vescl containing the batter inside of a pot 
ot'~warm water, kept just warm enough to bear the 
linger in. Alter it has stood 3 or 8 hours, stir in a 
tablespoon ful or Indian meal, aud when the vescl 
runs over, which will be 1 oro hours from the first, 
mix the dough and make into loaves, set them in a 
warm place, and cover to rise. When risen enough, 
bake. The above quantity is for 7 pounds of flour." 
Cncnmber Catsup is an excellent sauce and 
very readily made. Select large cucumbers just be- 
fore they turn yellow, peel aud grate them ; let the 
juice drain out through a colander or 6ievc, then 
rub the pulp through a sieve to remove the seeds. 
Half till bottles with the pulp and then fill up with 
moderately strong vinegar. Keep it corked tight- 
ly. Add salt and pepper when used at the table. 
egy- For more Household Items, Sec Basket. 
IBOYiS & ©IES3.S? (COXTT 
A Resurrection Fish -TheiVlml Fish. 
Whan the description nntl Illustrations ol the "re ur« 
rectlon plants" were made for the August Agria\ilturiat l 
u (i di i nol expi ol to be able to pi a itnl nn sngi n 
of nn anwui ' i <■■■ ei ins slmllai powers. There li n ftsh 
found In rVfrlpn which adapts Itself In a remarkable way 
in the peculiarities of the region In which it Uvea. It Is 
found in the river Gambia, a stream w Irion during ^omc 
months of the year spreads over ;i great extent of coun- 
try, but in the dry season gradually diminishes In size and 
occupies a very narrow bed, This peculiar fish enjoys 
itself in the time of high water, but when tin* river begins 
to recede, It goes Into the mud and covers itself with a 
thick slimy ooat. The heat of the sun bakes the mud as 
bard as a brick, and (lie fish is There enclosed beyond all 
possibility of escape, and it has only To wail patiently for 
eight or nine months until the annual rise ol the wafer;* 
softens the mud and soaks it into renewed life. Mr. 
Bamum of the Museum procured several of these fish 
which were enclosed in sun-bake 1 mud just as they were 
broken out of the river bed. Wo had the pleasure of see- 
Too [finch Display,- In Anecdote. 
i<M astpln i nni] nil j n 
Kh. 
Fip 
1.— RESURRECTION 
ing one of these opened. The ball of clay was carefully 
sawed apart, and the fisrl exposed as is shown in the upper 
engraving. It was apparently "as dead as aliening." 
The thick leathery coit of hardened slime was carefully 
removed, anil the fish placed in a tank of water. After 
soaking a few minutes, it gradually began to stretch itself 
and awoke from its sleep of many months, and in less 
than half an hour was swimming around in a lively man- 
ner. The below engraving shows the animal after 
awaking. It is about a foot long, of a dark gray color, 
with some black markings, nnd looks somewhat like an 
eel, and somelhing like a lizard. The four appendages 
which appear like legs are slender fins. Naturalists have 
been puzzled whether to consider the animal as a reptile 
or as a fish, but the best writers decide that it is fishy. 
It is said to have both lungs and gills, and it is probable 
that during its long term of sleep it carries on a slow 
breathing. The name given to it by naturalists is Lepido- 
siren, which means scaly siren— siren being the name 
for a kind of reptile. The animal is said lobe good as 
food and to be much sought after by the natives of the 
country where it is found. Their summer fishing ex- 
cursions must be rather curious affairs, as instead of 
hook* and line, each fisherman will need a hoe and shovel, 
or as those implements are scarce in that region, they 
very probably pursue their sport with a sharp stick, 
or some other instrument. Both litis and the plant de- 
gn al dj m mcl amoi ■• th< m. We have known a girl to 
i iend a montfa wagi . . , ■ ■■ 
and ;i young man lo run m deb I foi a cam i lie had 
scarci ■. clothing enough to appear respectable. The 
fallowing stjryofu successful merchant will show lo 
such, howlhese things Looh lo si m Ible people, said be 
" l wna seventeen years old when (left the country i 
when- 1 bad ' t«*nde 1 ' for three y<-;n ., and rum.- to Un- 
ion In search of a place. Anxious of course lo appear to 
the best advantage, I spent an unusual amount of time 
and solicitude upon my toilet, and when it was . ,,,. 
pleted l surveyed my reflection In I he ala ■ will 
satisfaction, glancing lastly and approvingly uj a i sal 
ring which embellished my little linger, and my*cane, a 
very pretty affair, which 1 had purchased Willi d 
r< i. rence lo this occasion. My first day's experience was 
nol encouraging. I traveled street aftei street, up one 
side ami down the other, without ntccoss. I fancied lo- 
ward the Inst, that the clerks all knew my business tin- 
moment I opened the door, and thai ihey winked ill na- 
turedly at my discomfiture as I passed out. But nature 
endowed me with a 
goofi degree of per- 
v"'*.'o-i rr^' slslency.and the next 
day I Marled ncaln. 
Toward'nnon I enter- 
ed a store where an 
elderly gentleman was 
talking with a lady 
near by the door. I 
waited until the visitor 
had left, and then stal- 
ed my errand. ■ >,, 
sir,' was the answer, 
given in a crisp and 
decided manner. Pos- 
sibly I looked the dis- 
couragement I Was be- 
ginning to feel, for he 
added, in a kindlier 
tone. ' are you good 
at taking a hint?' ' I 
don't know.' I answer- 
ed, an.l my face flush- 
ed painfully. ' Wliai 
I wish to say i-< litis ■ 
said he, looking me in the face and smiling at my em- 
barrassment, 'if I were in want of a clerk, I would not 
engage a young man who came seeking employment 
with a fia.-.hy ring upon his finger, and swinging a cane.' 
For a moment mortified vanity struggled against com- 
mon sense, but sense got the victory, aud I replied, with 
rather a shaky voice. 'I'm very much obliged to you,' 
aud then beat a hasty retreat. As soon as I cot out of 
sight I slipped the ring into my pocket, and walking rap- 
idly to the Worcester depot, I left the cane in charge of 
the baggage-master ' until called for.' It is there now, 
for aught I know. At any rate. I never called for it. 
That afternoon I obtained a situation wilh the firm of 
which I am now a partner. How much my unfortunate 
finery had injured my prospects on the previous day I 
shall never know, but I never think of the old gentleman 
and his plain dealing with me, without always feeling, 
as I told him at the lime, ' very much obliged to him." 
flSH ENCLOSED IN DRIED MUD. 
--'.""-. -' '" ■'. T. 
RESURRECTION KISH SWIMMING. 
scribed in August, should be thought of as some thins 
more than mere curiosities. They are remarkable illus- 
trations of the Wisdom which 'endows both plants and 
animals with powers and instincts to enable them to live 
where those with a different organisation would perish. 
How to Sec a Ghost. 
Draw a picture of the object you would like to have 
appear. Let it be made with as few lines as possible, and 
be filled in with plain black, or other color, without light 
shading. Or the picture maybe entirely white, sur- 
rounded with plain black, with only a few lines to make 
the figure distinct. Hold the object near a strong light, 
and look steadily upon a point near (he top 
of it for about a minute, and then imme- 
diately look on (he wall or other plain sur- 
face in a dark part of the room, and the 
figure will appear greatly enlarged. Tho 
color of the "ghost'* will be the opposite, 
or "complementary" as it is called, of that 
of the picture. A blue picture produces 
an orange colored Image ; red gives gi cen ; 
green, red, etc. A book of amusing pic- 
tu res of this kind, for raising ghosts, is ad- 
vertised in our columns, and it will afToid 
much amusement in a winter evening. 
This experiment shows how many so-cal- 
led ghosts may have been caused. When 
we gaze steadily at an object for a short time, an 
impression is made on the nerve of the eye and through 
it on t lie brain and mind, which does not immediately dis- 
appear ; thus we seem to see the image wherever the eye 
is (owe I. and it appears plainest, looking into the dark. 
D 
