330 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
capable of passing through the tissues, and it like- 
wise forms an important portion of the fluids con- 
cerned in digestion. In regard to the use of salt, 
our most distinguished physiologist says : "This 
custom does not simply depend upon a fancy for 
gratifying the palate, hut is based upon an in- 
stinctive desire for a substance which is necessary 
to the proper constitution of the tissues and fluids. 
Even the herbiverous animals are greedy of it, and 
if freely supplied with it are kept in a much better 
condition than when deprived of its use." Well 
attested experiments with an equal number of cattle 
regularly fed with salt, and those without it, show, 
that at the end of six months, the former lot were 
in vastly better condition than the others. With 
regard to soda (carbonate) and saleratus: the alka- 
lies of these are present in the blood and other 
parts of the body ; the blood is alkaline, a condi- 
tion which is essential to life, and the alkaline 
character is given to it by the carbonates of soda 
and potash. Enough of these, however, are taken 
into the system in the various vegetables used as 
food, and we decidedly object to the excessive 
quantities often used in cooking. As to the mineral 
constituents of grain ; these are silica, phosphates 
of lime, and magnesia, salts of potash and soda. 
The most important of these is the phosphate of 
lime, which gives strength to the bones, it forming 
over half their weight. Now this mineral ingre- 
dient, without which the bones would yield and be- 
come distorted, as they do in some diseases, is sup- 
plied to us in every grain used as food. More than 
one half of the ashes of wheat consists of phos- 
phates of lime and magnesia. The grains them- 
selves contain the following percentage of mineral 
constituents: Wheat, 2.75; Rye, 2.60; Oats, 3.25; 
Indian Corn, 1.25; Rice, 0.90. It will be seen from 
this statement that those who object to taking any 
mineral substances into their systems must refrain 
from the use of food altogether— for both animal 
and vegetable substances contain a notable propor- 
tion of the mineral ingredients above enumerated. 
More on the Bread Question. 
A French contributor, A. Valliet, Madison Co., 
111., sends the following recipe to the Amerkan 
Agriculturist, which we translate : " Cook a hand- 
ful of hops in a half gallon of water, until it is 
reduced to about half; pass the liquid through 
a sieve and turn it while hot upou enough flour to 
make a thick porridge, and when nearly cool, add a 
pint of brewers' or other yeast, and set the vessel 
in a warm place until it rises. This yeast will be 
fit to use in about 13 hours. It should be put into 
a well closed jug and kept in the cellar. In using 
it, a pint should be kept with which to make a new 
quantity when needed. To make bread, take 1 
pint of this yeast to 10 lbs. of flour, and with water 
and salt make a stiff dough which should be well 
kneaded on a moulding board. Let it remain 10 or 
12 hours (in a warm place in winter) or until it is 
well raised. Then take pieces of the dough of the 
size of an egg and roll into biscuits' and place them 
in a pan so close that they will touch one another ; 
let them remain to raise another hour and then 
place them in the oven. If these conditions are 
observed, with good flour, you will have light and 
6pougy bread, and never sour even when it has 
raised a little too much. If the flour is not good, 
still good bread maybe made by using milk instead 
of water. In making new yeast, it is well to wash 
out the jug in order to avoid sourness. If prefer- 
red, the bread may be made into larger loaves." 
ILiglit Biscuit. — Contributed to the Amer- 
ican Agriculturist by "M. S.," York Co., Me. : Boil 
and then peel 2 potatoes, mash fine, add 14. CU P of 
flour, mix well, then pour on 2 cups boiling water, 
keep it as warm as new milk or about 90°, for 12 
hours : it will keep good several days. This prep- 
aration we will call No. 1. No. 2 is made by put- 
ting 1 cup of buttermilk or sour milk, y.< teaspoon- 
ful each of sugar, and salt, and % cup of No. 1 into 
a bowl andlettiug it stand one night, or 12 hours be- 
fore it is used. On the same evening that No. 2 is 
made, prepare No. 3 thus : Put into a quart bowl 6 
tablespoonfuls new milk, a piece of butter as large 
as a walnut, 3 tablespoonfuls of flour, and 3 table- 
spoonfuls of No. 1. Let this stand where it will 
be hardly lukewarm until the next morning. When 
the biscuit are to be made, stir Nos. 2 and 3 togeth- 
er, add flour enough to make a very stiff batter, 
then stir in one even spoonful of fine saleratus 
mixed in dry flour. When well incorporated, 
knead into smooth dough, but not too stiff, roll 
out, cut into form and bake 30 minutes. The bis- 
cuit will be soft, light and sweet, if made of sweet 
flour, even if it is not of the very first quality. 
{From the N. Y. Christian Advocate and Journal.) 
Melodeon — Harmonium — Cabinet Organ. 
Convenient Vegetable Slicer. 
The use of the implement represented above will 
be readily seen by every housekeeper. With it cu- 
cumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, apples, etc., can be 
easily, rapidly, and evenly sliced. It consists of a 
metal plate to which a common table knife, well 
sharpened, is attached and held in place by the sup- 
ports and screws shown in the engraving. The 
screws are adjusted to regulate the thickuess of 
slices. In using it, the operator with one hand 
holds the plate in the position shown above, and 
with the other passes the article rapidly over the 
knife. The slices fall through an opening in the 
plate, and may be received in a dish set behind it. 
The plate in the best patterns is of enameled iron. 
The article costs from $1 to $1.25, at retail. 
Hints on Cooking', etc. 
Plum I*Ji«l«ling:. — Contributed to the 
American Agriculturist by E. S. Thomas, Keut Co., 
Md. : Mix 2 cups flour, 1J4 teaspoonfuls cream of 
tartar, 2 cups sour milk, }< teaspoonful soda, 1 cup 
raisins, 1 of dried currants, J£ teaspoonful each of 
cinnamou, and cloves, }£ cup each of molasses and 
sugar. Boil about 1}{ hours and serve with butter. 
Sponge Griilrtle Csilce.— Contributed 
to the American Agriculturist by Jennie Adams, 
Clinton Co., O. : Take one quart of mush, while 
warm add one pint of buttermilk, one of sweet 
milk or water, oue teaspoonful of soda, stir in flour 
until it is a batter, let it rise until moruing, then 
bake on the griddle, and serve while still hot. 
Recipes Wanted, for the sauces used with 
meats, etc. , known as Harvey's, and Worcestershire. 
Substitute for Wickingf. — "Prudent 
Housewife," suggests to the American Agriculturist 
that strips of cotton cloth, the older the better, 
make a very good substitute for candle or lamp 
wick. They should be rolled or twisted into prop- 
er shape and kept in form by tying with thread or 
some ravclings. This may now and then save a 
penny, and thus earn two pence. 
For more Household Items, see Basket. 
The use ot musical instruments is among the 
most invariable accompaniments of civilization, 
beginning at its lowest stages, and advancing in 
complexity and power as the art is more thoroughly 
cultivated. Probably iu this country the influence 
of music, and consequently the appreciation of 
musical instruments, is relatively less than in most 
communities, whether of a higher or lower grade 
of civilization. Our people have devoted but little 
attention to matters purely aesthetical, while their 
earnest devotion to business engrosses their 
thoughts, and leaves their tastes uncultivated. Yet 
immense sums are annually expended by our 
middle classes for musical instruments and for in- 
struction in their use. The piano has become a 
kind of household divinity, though often, like 
others of its kind, its worship is very imperfectly 
rendered, and sometimes quite omitted. As yet 
that instrument is far in advance of the musical 
culture of the people of this country. It is also 
too expensive to fall legitimately within the reach 
of the many, and its use requires the devotion of 
more time and labor than can well be afforded ; and 
beyond these considerations is the more formidable 
one that its music, when properly executed, is 
above the prevailing tastes of the people. Doubt- 
less nine tenths of the pianos in the houses of the 
American people are kept only for show, not, how- 
ever, because of their beauty, but as signs of wealth, 
and elegance. An instrument adapted to evoke 
and answer to the native love of music among the 
masses, and by gratifying its earliest cravings to 
lead it to higher excellence, has long been a desid- 
eratum among us. How nearly this new kind of 
instrument comes to meeting that requirement is 
perhaps yet a question, though evidently it makes 
some advance toward it. It may also be hoped 
that it will yet do much more in the same direction. 
As usual in such cases the new and large demand 
for these instruments has induced a great number 
of persons to engage in their manufacture, some of 
whom are quite unequal to the business they have 
undertaken. It requires something more than the 
mechanical skill of the artificer in wood and iron to 
make and prepare for use a musical instrument ; 
and yet some have evidently brought nothing else 
to their aid in the business. The result is that the 
country is becoming filled with inferior and defec- 
tive instruments. Large sums of money are ex- 
pended for valueless articles, and the people are de- 
frauded of their needed musical education. The 
evil is intensified by the fact that these inferior 
instruments are, on account of their inferiority, 
most industriously urged upon the public. Because 
they cannot compete with better ones iu the Open 
market, they are pressed upou the public by direct 
solicitations ; and becausethey offer larger commis- 
sions, they are those most commonly offered by 
agents and hawked by peddlers. And as most pur- 
chasers are unable to judge of the relative merits 
of these things, the inferior articles are often 
bought when better ones are desired, and would be 
cheerfully paid for. 
Induced by these considerations, we have been 
at some pains to ascertain what instrument of the 
many now soliciting the public favor combines the 
greatest amount of real excellences. We have pro- 
secuted this inquiry entirely independently of aid 
or direction from interested parties. The opin- 
ions of some of the best musical critics, composers, 
and performers have been obtained ; reports of ex- 
periments made in the ordinary use of various inr 
struments in churches, schools, and families have 
been compared, all of which with singular unanimi- 
ty concur in assigning the first place to the cabinet 
organ of Mason & Hamlin — a decision that corres- 
ponds with our own previously-formed convictions, 
received from personal observations. 
We are too little an expert in musical matters to 
rely very confidently on our judgment in such mat- 
ters ; but on account of the united testimony of 
those in whose opinions we . have the fullest confi- 
dence, we unhesitatingly recommend that instru- 
