AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
215 
upper and nether millstone, capable of reducing 
to a pulp the hard, lumpy materials thrown in. 
It works faithfully, grinding off the corners and 
wearing away the surfaces, but it has not the 
power to mash down many of the lumpy sub¬ 
stances that are committted to it. The very at¬ 
tempt to do so produces irritation, and, after a 
time, it forces out the dissolved and undissolved 
material into the intestines ; which, by theirpe 
ristaltic (spiral or worm-like) motion, rub against 
the materials, forcing them along until they are fi 
nally discharged. Oftentimes, the stomach itself is 
so irritated with the substances that it can not work 
up, that it vomits them forth through the opening 
where they entered—and were this always done 
it would save much of the irritation in the intes 
tines, resulting in griping pains, colics, bowel 
complaints &c. 
So long as there are undissolved lumps of food, of 
any kind, in either the stomach or intestines, so long 
there must he irritation ; and a continuance of this 
irritation must, in time, result in pain and ultimate 
disease. 
Grown up persons may masticate or chew then- 
food to a fine, easily dissolved mass, before swal¬ 
lowing it, hut children will not do this , and as 
certainly as you place food before them in lumps, 
so certainly will they swallow, at least a portion 
of it, in this condition. 
OUR OWN RULES FOR FEEDING CHILDREN 
are these: They usually eat at breakfast and dinner 
the same food as older persons—meat, potatoes, 
and other vegetables, fruits, bread, butter, &c.— 
but no article of food of any kind is to be placed be 
f ore them which has not been previously reduced to so 
hnely divided a condition that not a single portion 
can be swallowed larger than the smallest pea. 
Meat is cut with a sharp knife to the smallest pos¬ 
sible bits, and not left to be swallowed in pieces 
suitable for an internal poultice. Potatoes, how¬ 
ever cooked or prepared, are not merely mashed 
under a knife blade, but they are ground down 
on the plate, almost as fine as flour. Fruit, when¬ 
ever given, is scraped or mashed to a pulp. Rai¬ 
sins, and all kinds of dried fruit, and nuts, if 
given at all, are cut up as fine as shot. All kinds 
of vegetables—in short, whatever is to be eaten 
—is in like manner reduced to this fine state, un¬ 
less it be bread, or something that will of itself 
dissolve readily in the fluids of the stomach. 
The third or last meal of the day, is invaria¬ 
bly “ bread and milk,” or “ mush and milk,” which 
are soon digested and out of the way, leaving 
them to sleep soundly and sweetly—if they are 
not allowed to overload the stomach. 
This plan, which is so consonant with reason 
and sound theory, is productive of the happiest 
results in practice, and we can but earnestly com¬ 
mend it to all parents, and those who have the 
care of children. For the children’s sake, for 
their own comfort, we are constrained to beg 
parents to think upon this matter, and to make a 
thorough trial of the plan of preparing food 
which we have recommended. Do not say, as 
some have said to us when urging the matter up¬ 
on them, “ Oh, this is too much trouble, I have 
not the time or patience for such a course or, 
“my children eat anything and everything, and I 
do not see bilt they are as healthy as your children 
who are so carefully attended.” It is not so. 
Our word for it, adopt the course we have recom¬ 
mended, and you will find it time and health 
saved in the end, to say nothing of a saving in 
physicians’ fees. And do not be satisfied 
with merely directing a servant to pre 
pare the food thus, and so, but yourself see 
that it is done. If you will make the experi¬ 
ment for six months—only taking care to prepare 
the food as wc have suggested, and to have 
little care also that the stomach be not overloaded 
—we can almost warrant that your children will 
pass through the season with good health, and with¬ 
out their usual Summer complaints. The cherries, 
and currants, and berries are now ripening. If 
you allow the children to swallow these fruits un¬ 
masticated, they will go through the intestines in 
that condition, producing irritation all the way. 
If your children are healthy now, take the very 
course that will keep them so. Remember the 
adage that “ an ounce of prevention is worth a 
pound of cure.” 
One word more. While looking out for your 
children, remember your own stomach; and when 
through haste or carelessness you swallow lumps 
of meat, vegetables, or fruit, think what a work 
that stomach has got to do before it can use up 
the food. When you have a headache, or other 
ache, you may put it down as certain that there 
is some trouble, some clogging of the wheels, 
down in the engine room, where originates the 
force which keeps the wheels of the system in 
healthy action. 
What Encouragement does for Children 
How many parents make a sad mistake in con¬ 
sidering their duty done if they reprove or correct 
their children when in fault. They go upon the 
principle that to do right is no more than the 
child’s duty, needing no praise. A word of ap¬ 
proval for a good act, often does more to encour¬ 
age its repetition than a thousand reproofs for a 
contrary course. The distinguished painter, 
Benjamin West, referring to the fact that his mo¬ 
ther kissed him eagerly when he showed her a 
likeness he had sketched of his baby sister, re¬ 
marked : “ That kiss made me a painter.” We 
knew a little farmer boy, whose impulses were 
good, but he had only been accustomed to hear 
his trivial faults spoken of, and he finally came to 
consider that the only acts he could do worthy of 
notice were bad ones, and he lost all ambition to 
try to do well. But on one occasion the boy over¬ 
heard a conversation in an adjoining room, be¬ 
tween his mother and the family physician. The 
physician, partly in flattery to the mother it is 
true, remarked that “her boy was a bright lad, 
with good sympathies, and would doubtless make 
a good and great man,” or words to that effect. 
The expression sunk deep into the child’s heart. 
The fact that one, for whose opinions he had great 
respect, thought it possible for him to accomplish 
anything worthy, stirred his ambition, and he 
made a new resolve to be not only great but also 
good. He has since filled many stations of use¬ 
fulness in society and in the church, and we 
have often heard him attribute all efforts he had 
made to do right, to those simple words of the 
physician. 
Take another instance: A little lad received from 
an uncle the gift of two pennies. These were to 
him quite a treasure, for pocket money was some¬ 
thing he knew nothing of. Some time after, a mis¬ 
sionary agent called, and pictured in glowing 
terms the visit of the Flat-head Indians who came 
from beyond the Rocky Mountains in search of 
the White-man’s book that told about the Great 
Spirit. The little boy listened to the narrative un¬ 
til his sympathies became interested, and going to 
his mother he asked for one of his pennies which 
she had kept laid away for him, and brought it to 
the agent to help buy bibles for the poor Indians. 
The agent, who was a venerable minister, took 
the lad upon his knee and talked to him of Zac- 
cheus who gave half of his goods to the poor, and 
expressed a hope that he too would perhaps some¬ 
time teach the word of God to the heathen The 
boy was previously of a nervous, desponding tem¬ 
perament, and had few lofty aspirations, or rather 
hopes; but he was changed from that hour. If so 
good a man as he thought the minister to be, had 
ventured to hope that he could ever accomplish 
anything, he would certainly try. A few subse¬ 
quent words that the best way to be good, is 
to seek an interest in the Saviour’s precious blood 
and the aid of the Holy Spirit in striving to follow 
the example of Christ’s life on earth, was the 
means of leading that boy to seek, and ever after 
stnve to pursue an exalted Christian course of 
conduct. Y\ e have heard him attribute all his fu- 
re efforts for the good of others, to the simple 
incident we have related in his own words. Co.ild 
e trace back to their sources, the springs of hu- 
S.uhi a 2r S ’ f° W , many thousands of instances 
could be found, where a single word has influenced 
11 future action. We have often compared these 
influences, trifling in themselves, to the little 
ongue (i.e the “frog” moved by the switch) up¬ 
on the railroad track, which one can move with 
ns nger , yet it is the point which keeps the pon¬ 
derous engine upon the straight track, or if wrong- 
y placed, starts it aside, when it is perhaps soon 
hurled down a steep embankment to certain de- 
struction. 
wa * ch these turning points in your 
child s life; and while you reprimand for errors 
do not forget to mingle words of encouragement. 
A Simple Cheese Press. 
Mr. J. Pettee, of Salisbury, Conn., sends us , 
sketch and description of a cheap, simple Che<.,e 
Press, for farm or dairy use, where only sm^il 
cheeses are to be made. Mr. P. claims original¬ 
ity for this, but he has not patented it, and ne 
says “ it is therefore lawful plunder.” It is made 
thus • 
A stout frame, a, b, c, d, is made of white oak- 
plank, 1$ inches thick, and 16 inches wide. The 
pieces a and b are 30 inches long; c and d 
are 18 inches long. These are dovetailed at the 
corners, or fastened by a tenon and toggle. Iron 
rods, r, r, with screw and nut upon one end, are 
added to give strength. A carpenter’s work¬ 
bench screw', f with the nut, e—the two cost¬ 
ing but 50 cents—serve to give the pressure 
The nut block, e, is nailed upon the under side of 
the upper cross piece. Mr. Pettee adds : “ Your 
machine is then complete, at a cost of two dollars, 
—or less if you happen to be much of a tinker_ 
and if you get a good screw, I will warrant the 
press to do the work properly.” 
“ My dear Polly, I am surprised at you wearing 
another woman’s hair on your head,” said Mr. 
Smith to his wife. “ My dear Joe, I am equally 
astonished that you persist in wearing another 
sheep’s wool on your back. 
Refuse even the favors of a mercenary man. 
