MISCELLANEOUS. 
cubation is twenty-one days. The effect, too, has 
been shown in the rapid maturity ot plants which 
have been subject to a constant flow of the electric 
fluid. During the season of vegetation, plants may 
be benefited by electricity, not only as conductors 
to and from the atmosphere, but' possibly also by 
the formation of nitric acid, caused by the electric 
spark passing through the air, which, diluted by 
the rain, and afforded to the roots of the plant, is a 
powerful aid to vegetative development. 
Receipt for Curing Hams.— We have been 
handed the following receipt for curing hams by 
one of the most eminent practitioners in this city; 
the saleratus is at least new to us, and we there¬ 
fore publish it although it may not be a new ingre¬ 
dient in the receipt to others. In Cincinnati, 
where large quantities of hams are annually cured, 
pepper, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 
other little ingredients are usually added ; but to 
the receipt. 
Cover the bottom of the cask with coarse salt, 
lay on the hams with the smooth or skin side 
down, sprinkle over fine salt, then another layer 
of hams, and so continue until the cask is full. 
This ought to be of the larger kind. A cask 
holding 64 gallons is small enough, and it would 
be better if it held 120 gallons. Make a brine in 
the following proportions : 6 gallons water, 9 lbs. 
salt, 4 lbs. brown sugar, 3 oz. saltpetre, 1 oz. sal¬ 
eratus. Scald and scum, and when cold pour the 
brine into the cask until the hams are completely 
covered. The hams should remain in this pickle 
at least three months, and a little longer time 
would do them no harm. 
Bene-Seed Oil. —The Ouachita Courier says 
that the bene plant is cultivated with success by 
Mr. M’Intyre, for the purpose of obtaining oil from 
its seed. Twenty bushels of seed is considered a 
fair average per acre, which will give 50 gallons 
of pure oil, worth $1.25 per gallon, making a prod¬ 
uct of $62.50 per acre. The oil is pleasant to the 
taste, and superior to the olive-oil usually obtained. 
It is pretty generally known, that nothing is more 
soothing in cases of cholera infantum or bowel 
complaints, especially in children, than the muci¬ 
lage made by dipping the green leaf in water— 
the seed is also an agreeable article as seasoning 
for food. 
Kiln-Dried Corn Meal is exported in consider¬ 
able quantities from the west, down the Ohio and 
Mississippi rivers, to the West Indies. The meal 
is said to keep sweet and sound for a whole year 
in any climate. New York is something of an 
exporter also of this article to various parts of the 
world. We have not a doubt that the more this 
article becomes known abroad, the higher it will 
stand in public favor. Immense quantities might 
be sold in Great Britain and Ireland, could the in¬ 
habitants once get a taste of it. 
Artifical Oysters. —The following recipe was 
given us recently by a lady in Dutchess county, for 
making, what to our taste, is a delicious dish. 
Take young green corn, grate it in a dish; .to 
203 
one pint of this add one egg,well beaten, a small 
tea-cup of flour, half a cup of butter, some salt 
and pepper, and mix them well together. A ta¬ 
ble-spoonful of the batter will make the size of an 
oyster. Fry them a light brown, and when done 
butter them. Cream, if it can be procured, is bet¬ 
ter than butter. 
Anniversary of the Massachusetts Horticul¬ 
tural Society..— After a splendid exhibition at 
Boston, this society held its fifteenth anniversary 
at the Pavilion. A deputation from the American 
Institute of this city was present, and though 
strongly pressed, we regretted that we could not 
have been one of the number. It was a joyous, 
and we doubt not a profitable meeting. Some of 
the toasts at the dinner strike us as being of a new 
species. 
“ The Game of Gardening—Something to cut and a 
good deal of shovelling. 
<c But no tricks in the trade 
Except what we take with the spade. 
“ His Majesty King Pippin—Unlike other kings, he 
can get mellow without losing his dignity. 
“ Tulips from Eve’s Garden—May we set our faces 
against them.” 
To Agricultural Societies.— We tender our 
grateful acknowledgments to the officers of vari¬ 
ous agricultural societies, for their polite invita¬ 
tions to be present at their respective shows and 
fairs. We assure them that nothing would give 
us more pleasure than to assist at one and all. 
We had made engagements some two months 
since to attend such as it would be in our power 
this season, others will be visited another year. 
We were particularly desirous of being present at 
Northampton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and 
Baltimore; but previous engagements, and edito¬ 
rial duties will not admit of it the present season. 
South-Down Sheep For Sale. —We would call 
particular attention to the advertisement of Mr. 
Rotch in this number. His sheep have been im¬ 
ported from some of the choicest flocks of England, 
and at a great expense, and those wishing to pur¬ 
chase will not soon meet with so good an oppor¬ 
tunity. — 
Galloway Cattle. —To any one desirous of 
obtaining a beautiful Scotch black Galloway cow 
and bull, see advertisement. 
The Albany Cultivator.— Those who feel in¬ 
terested, will find a full answer, under Editor’s Ta¬ 
ble, to the personalities which appeared in the 
September number of that paper. It is the first 
time, and we intend it shall be the last, that we 
condescend to notice such things. 
Extra Numbers.— We shall issue a number of 
our paper on the 15th and 1st of each month here¬ 
after, till Volume II. is completed, which will be 
on the 1.5th of December next. We trust that 
our friends will bear this in mind, and favor us 
with an extra quantity of communications. Vol¬ 
ume III. will promptly commence on the 1st of 
January, 1844. 
