1864] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
53 
be found to terminate below in the thickened 
scales. Besides these scales, there are formed 
during the first year several small buds within 
the larger one, (c, fig. 1, and a, fig. 2,) which are 
on the short stem and in the axils of the leaves, 
just where most buds above ground are situated. 
Now compare fig. 1, with the engraving of a 
cabbage as shown on page 13 (January No.); if 
the cabbage stem were reduced so as to be a 
narrow strip, the resemblance would be appa¬ 
rent, notwithstanding the difference between the 
leaves which make up the two. Note that we 
are not trying to show that an onion is a cab¬ 
bage, or vice versa, but that both are buds of the 
respective plants, and that both accomplish the 
same end in a different though similar manner. 
When the onion is set out in the spring, the 
little buds, d, grow and become bulbs at the ex¬ 
pense of the nutriment contained in the scales 
which perish after the offspring has made a good 
start, and has leaves and roots of its own; 
these at length produce flowers and seed, and 
then perish. This is the career of the onion 
from the seed, or “ black seed ” as it is usually 
called, and it has for its object the perpetuation 
of its kind. The common onion is continued 
by seeds, but the same end is attained in differ¬ 
ent ways in other varieties. A variety called the 
Potato or Multiplier-onion docs not bear seeds, 
but perpetuates itself without their aid. When 
this kind of onion is planted, the small buds, 
(c, fig. 1,) increase in size, but instead of 
throwing up flowering stalks, the lower parts 
of their leaves thiEken up and form scales, and 
become a cluster of small onions, (fig. 3,) partly 
at the expense of the parent, and partly by the 
aid of their own roots and leaves. These small 
onions are planted out singly the following year, 
when they increase in size, and form a large 
onion having small buds within it as before, and 
which planted another year would produce 
another cluster of small onions, aud so on for 
each alternate year. Here we see a plant may 
be kept on indefinitely without the aid of seeds. 
The Top-onion is reproduced in a still differ¬ 
ent manner; here the full sized onion when 
planted throws up a flower stalk, but instead of 
flowers, a cluster of little bulbs (Fig. 4) is pro¬ 
duced in their place. We know that in fruit 
Fig. 4:— TOP ONION. 
trees a flower-bud may appear in the place of a 
leaf bud. Here we have the position ordinari¬ 
ly occupied by the flowers filled by a cluster 
of bulbs, or what are really leaf buds. These 
little bulbs when planted grow to large onions, 
which in turn will produce a crop of small ones 
in place of seeds. As in the case of the Potato- 
onion, the variety is continued, though no seeds 
are borne. These last two are merely varieties 
of the common onion, in which certain pe¬ 
culiarities have become fixed by cultivation. 
The best cough mixture: A suit of warm 
clothing, mixed with plenty of air and exercise. 
THE H©I[J§EIHI(0)ILI0). 
A Rustic Carte de Visite Frame. 
The engraving represents a very neat and taste¬ 
ful frame for holding a carte de visite or other small 
picture, sent to the Agriculturist Office by Miss 
“M. L. M.,” Glenwood, N. Y. It is made of slen¬ 
der twigs of some evergreen: Well is best. The 
parts are fastened together by e imrnon pins, and 
the whole is varnished over. It makes a pretty or¬ 
nament for the mantel-piece or center-table, very 
easily constructed by every one. Any variation 
suggested by the fancy can readily be introduced. 
How to Make a Good Cup of Coffee. 
A subscriber to the American Agriculturist , “F. 
G.,” gives the following directions: The best 
coffee is usually Java. Mocha, obtained from the 
city of that name, is no doubt best, but there is so 
little in market that it need not be considered 
here. Maracaibo is a good coffee, with a small bean, 
and it will brown well, and take on a good gloss, 
which not all coffee will do,—and this is an indis¬ 
pensability. A good article of coffee will be clear, 
and free from all taint. Coffee has a slightly bitter 
smell of its own. Let the coffee be as old as pos¬ 
sible, as it is improved by age, though old coffee is 
very apt to have taken on a foreign odor.—First 
remove all imperfect berries, gravel, dirt, etc., and 
then put into a dish as much as can be successfully 
browned at one roasting. Unless you have a regular 
coffee-browner, use a flat iron dish, one somewhat 
thick: it should be thicker than sheet-iron, unless 
the bottom is very even, and sets evenly on the 
oven-floor. A dripping-pan is not so good as a 
spider or frying-skillet. Set on the stove until 
the moisture is evaporated. A hot fire is required 
for this. From half a pound to a pound, according 
to the size of the skillet, will do for a roasting. Put 
it into the oven, which must be somewhat hotter 
than is necessary to bake bread, and keep closed 
except when necessary to stir the coffee, which 
should be done every minute, always being careful 
to keep it well and evenly spread on the bottom of 
the vessel. With a knife or spoon, stir around 
the edge of the dish in a circle two or three times, 
and several times across. Be sure not to allow the 
grains to burn on the bottom, where the vessel 
touches the oven. This operation of stirring should 
be done as quickly as possible, for it is necessary to 
keep the heat as uniform as possible. [A more 
convenient way would be to cover the skillet with 
a pan, and then keep it shaking.— Ed.] A slight 
smoke at first, gradually increasing, will soon con¬ 
clude the roasting. Just at this point is the crit 
ieal time. A little too much heat, and you have 
coal, which gives coffee a bitter taste. Rather, 
for the first few roastiugs, have a little less heat, 
so as to brown the coffee in twenty, instead ot 
fifteen, or twelve, minutes, as may be done. As 
it is, you will be apt to get into the coal now and 
then. But generally this is slight,, and affects only 
a few grains. Pick these out, and also the yellow 
berries, which are imperfect, and have a bad taste. 
When the coffee is done, it has the color of a 
chestnut, which is darker than the browned coffee 
of commerce; this also needs the above sorting. 
Such coffee is seldom browned enough, and is great¬ 
ly improved by browning over, giving it the chest¬ 
nut tinge which will increase its strength, and de¬ 
velop its flavor, that is 6till latent. Heat wiil set 
free this hidden aroma from the ceils, but it will 
escape and be lost, unless arrested. This is .done 
by at once removing the coffee from the oven when 
it is done, and putting it into a tight, vessel, cork¬ 
ing it well. We like a bottle best, as then the 
berry will show distinctly, and the process of im 
provement may be noted ; for coffee, like wine; im¬ 
proves with time, both before and after browning. 
Coffee, when browned as it should be, will have a 
coating of oil, which will gather more and more, 
and in spots. This is the fragrant oil that gives 
its fine aromatic, not pungent taste. Exposed 
to the air, all this escapes, as is the case with 
the browned coffee of commerce,-which lias no 
coating, no drops of oily perspiration, no Ira- 
grance—only a harsh, grocery smell. We have kept 
coffee thus bottled and corked for a year or more, 
and found it better than at any previous time 
The coffee is yet to be made. Take out what is 
wanted, and cork tight again. Grind as fine as pos¬ 
sible. This is important. An old, well-worn mill 
is best; at least so we find it. Mix as much of the 
white of a fresh egg as will just moisten the coffee, 
without making it lumpy, otherwise there will be 
less strength obtained, as the egg when cooked 
will prevent the water from reaching the coflee. 
Next, fill with what hot water you want; put ir. the 
coffee, and boil four or or five minutes. If ground 
very fine, alittle.lcss time will do. Then set. off. and 
in a minute or two pour out. Immediately add 
sweet cream and pure white sugar. [If you have 
no cream use boiled milk.— Ed.] And now for a 
point not generally understood: Let the coffee 
stand five minutes, stirring it occasionally: then 
drink. It takes five or more minutes for the cream 
to unite with the liquid; if drank at once, the 
cream is readily tasted. If permitted to stand, it 
will gradually deepen its color, until quite brown. 
The cream has then disappeared, and you have coffee 
Pattern for Marking a Handkerchief. 
The above very neat design for marking the 
corner of a pocket-handkerchief, may be readily 
copied upon tracing-paper, and then used in em¬ 
broidering; or the pattern may be marked directly 
upon the linen with a fine-pointed pencil, by 
holding the two together against a wiudo’v-paiv:. 
