1861.J 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
183 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Poisonous Stuff. 
There is a weak class of literature, the best 
description of which is “ namby pamby.” The 
lower sort of magazines and the sentimental 
newspapers which sweep the land are its cho¬ 
sen organs. I know of nothing so perfectly 
calculated to destroy a common sense view of 
their lives and wants, in the minds of the par¬ 
tially educated young, as this reading. The style 
to which I refer will be better understood by 
describing a few of its leading features. 
In it, hero and heroine hunt in couples as 
usual. His figure is always “ Apollo like,” with 
“jetty hair and moustache,” and “flashing eye,” 
or else with “auburn” hair, pale face, and 
“ melancholy orbs.” One or the other of these 
is indispensable. The lady must have “ coral ” 
lips and cheeks, “pearly” teeth, and her hah 1 , 
whether “ golden,” or “ raven,” must curl, or at 
least “ripple.” Then, her eyes, whichever of 
the standard colors they happen to be, must al¬ 
ways be “ liquid.” 
Now mark what happens latterly in the his¬ 
tory of this superfine pah - . We shall invariably 
find him “ clasping her to his breast,” or else 
she “ bursts into tears and hides her head on 
his shoulder.” In either case they exchange 
“ burning kisses,” etc. 
What sort of teaching is this for plain Susan 
who must marry farmer John or Charley, or 
not at all. Will a careful study of the above 
make her better satisfied with his square face 
and shoulders, and not over brilliant eyes ? Or 
should he be a reader of such literature also, 
will he be apt to think that Susan, whose teeth 
and complexion resemble neither coral nor 
pearls, is the one woman in the world for him? 
And if they marry finally, will they be so apt to 
feel that perfect pleasure in each other they 
might have done, had they never read of such 
very different beings? A horrible tale, full of 
blood and tempests, and “long glittering 
blades,” would not, from its very impossible¬ 
ness, do a tithe of the mischief of this tame 
stuff—just such romances as any girl may get 
up with the “ fascinating stranger ” who airs his 
moustache in the vicinity. And here lies the 
very secret of the ‘infatuation,’ so called, of 
many a girl. Her mind had long ago been so 
imbued with the spirit of these miserable fic¬ 
tions, that it was instinctively on the watch for 
the same “ romantic event,” which wiser people 
call “ folly,” or “ madness.” 
Many a parent shrinks in horror from the idea 
of their children reading stories of “ dashing pi¬ 
rates,” and “ bold highwaymen,” while on their 
tables lie printed sheets which hold a subtler 
mischief than could possibly be conveyed by the 
careful study of acts, in which, from their very 
nature, the young folks feel no temptation to 
engage. Louise. 
---— »- 
The Sin that Killed the Baby. 
A correspondent writes to the American Agri¬ 
culturist to the following effect. “ I recently at¬ 
tended the funeral of a child of three or four 
summers. The minister during his remarks 
dwelt upon the fact, that death is the result of 
sin, which I agreed with ; but I thought, while 
looking upon the lifeless little form, that the sin 
which killed this little one, was sin against na¬ 
tural as well as spiritual laws. She was clad 
for the grave in the garments she had worn 
while living, and the bare neck and arms, ex¬ 
posed while the child was in health, to gratify 
the vanity of the parents, had invited the dis¬ 
ease which proved fatal. That was the sin 
which failed the baby, and which is making 
fearful work with hundreds of others, whose 
parents prefer fashion to health, and the exhibi¬ 
tion of their children’s beauty, to the safety of 
their lives.” 
This language is none too strong. It is pos¬ 
itively wicked to subject tender children to 
such treatment, which would be fatal to adults 
of vigorous constitution. In our changeable 
climate, especially, too great precaution can 
scarcely be taken to guard the throat and lungs 
from disease. They need not be kept muffled 
with warm clothing, but should always have 
sufficient protection to guard against the sudden 
changes, for which this country is noted. Keep 
the childrens’ chests and arms covered, if you 
would have them healthy.— [Ed. Agr.] 
How much Sleep is Heeded? 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist. 
In the February No. of the Agriculturist you 
say that, from the age of 12 years to the full 
growth of the body, 9 hours of sleep are abso¬ 
lutely necessary, and that after that 8 will 
answer, though 9 are better. How will you ac¬ 
count for the case of Humboldt, who was a la¬ 
borious student all his life, and must have incur¬ 
red many hardships during his extensive travels ? 
He lived to within a few months of 90 years; 
and yet, from youth up, slept only about 4 hours 
in the 24. Please answer in the Agriculturist. 
Lancaster Co., Pa. J. M. SEITZ. 
Reply. —This question may be readily met 
with another, viz.: How is it to be accounted 
for that all men are not Humboldts ? There 
are exceptions to all general rules, particularly 
those relating to bodily habits. “ What is one 
man’s meat is another’s poison,” expresses this 
truth. With persons of ordinary constitution, 
the amount of sleep prescribed in our article is 
none too much, and the rule was published for 
their benefit. If our correspondent or others 
find upon trial that it is too much in their case, 
let them vary it to meet their own requirements. 
Directions for Cookery, etc. 
Mutton Hams. 
A correspondent of the London Field gives 
the following directions for pickling mutton 
hams. Procure a plump leg of mutton, wipe it 
dry, and put it in a pickle, made of 3 gallons 
soft water, 1 lb. coarse sugar, 2 oz. saltpeter, 3 
lbs. common salt. Boil the above ingredients 
together, remove the scum as it rises, and im¬ 
merse the meat when cold. In two or three 
months’ time the ham will be excellent for bak¬ 
ing or boiling; a slice cut out and broiled, is 
very good. It may be smoked, but is by many 
preferred without that process. 
Corned Beef Hasli. 
This and the following recipe are from the 
Housekeepers’ Encyclopaedia, by Mrs. Haskell 
a subscriber, and contributor to the Agriculturist: 
The best hash is made from boiled corned 
beef. It should be boiled very tender, and 
chopped fine when entirely cold. The potatoes 
for hash made of corned beef, are the better for 
being boiled in the pot liquor. When taken 
from the pot, remove the skins from the pota¬ 
toes, and when entirely cold, chop them fine. 
To a coffee-cup of chopped meat, allow four of 
chopped potatoes, stir the potatoes gradually 
into the meat, until the whole is mixed. Do 
this at evening, and if warm, put the hash in a 
cool place. In the morning put the spider on 
the fire with a lump of butter as large as the 
bowl of a table-spoon, add a dust of pepper, and 
if not sufficiently salt, add a little; usually none 
is needed. When the butter has melted, put the 
hash in the spider, add four table-spoons of wa¬ 
ter, and stir the whole together. After it has 
become really hot, stir it from the bottom, 
cover a plate over it, and set the spider where 
it will merely stew. This is a moist hash, and 
preferred by some to dry or browned hash. 
Browned Hash of Corned Beef. 
Heat the hash in a kettle, and mix through it 
two tablespoonfuls of sweet butter, add seasoning 
to suit, add a spoonful of water only. Have 
two tablespoonfuls of melted butter boiling 
hot in the spider, turn it up and round, that the 
butter may touch the whole surface of the spid¬ 
er. Put in the hash, press it tightly, and keep 
it cooking gently without burning. Run a 
knife under it now and then, to see that it is not 
scorching. When browned, place a platter over 
the spider, and turn it out without breaking. 
It will need two persons to dish it; one to hold 
the platter firmly on the spider, and the other 
to turn it out. 
Cherry Pudding. 
Contributed to the American Agriculturist by 
Mary R. Burwell, Crawford Co., Pa. Take 3 
teacupfuls of buttermilk, 3 eggs, 3 teacupfuls of 
pitted cherries, a small teaspoonful of soda, and 
a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture well, and 
-thicken with wheat flour, until a stiff batter is 
formed : then put it in a muslin or linen bag, 
and boil it 24 hours. The water should be boil¬ 
ing, when the pudding is introduced. Serve up 
hot, with sauce to the taste. Sweet cream and 
sugar make a very palatable accompaniment. 
Corn Bread. 
Contributed to the American Agriculturist by 
“ Mary,” Chillicothe, 0. Dissolve 1 tablespoon¬ 
ful of butter in 3k pints of boiling milk ; in this 
scald 1 quart of Indian meal. When cool, add 
i pint of wheat flour, i cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon¬ 
ful of salt, 2 eggs, well beaten. Bake in two 
cake tins, well greased. 
Dough Cake. 
Contributed to the American Agriculturist by 
Susan Jane, Burlington, Ind. Mix 4 cups of 
bread dough, 3 of sugar, 2 of butter, 1 gill of 
wine(?), 3 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of soda dissolved 
in sour milk, and nutmeg or other spice. Pour 
the batter into a buttered pan; let it rise; then 
bake two hours. 
Butch Pancake. 
One egg; 1 large spoonful sugar; 1 cup of 
milk; 2 tablespoonfuls melted butter; 1 tea¬ 
spoonful cream of tartar; k teaspoonful of so¬ 
da ; a little salt; add flour to make them as 
thick as pancakes. Bake i hour; slice, and use 
when warm with butter. For half a dozen per¬ 
sons, take double the above quantities. 
Measure hoaf Cake. 
Three cups of milk; 2 cups sugar; 1 cup 
yeast. Make a stiff batter and let it rise: then 
add 2 cups of butter; 2 cups of sugar; 2 eggs; 
5 cup of yeast, mace and nutmeg. When light, 
stir in the fruit and bake. 
ILard Candles. 
Contributed by David Shaver, Perry Co., Pa. 
Take 12 lbs. of lard, 1 lb. alum, 1 lb. saltpeter; 
disolve them together, put into a vessel with 1 
gill of boiling water on. Pour it into a pot, and 
stir it over a slow fire, until done frothing; then 
operate as on tallow candles. It makes pretty 
good candles. 
