383 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[Decembeb, 
spoonful of salt, add meal to thicken, and boil a few 
minutes, then take off and put in three pints of water 
to cool, add two eggs and thicken again with meal. 
Set aside covered in a warm place for about six 
hours to rise, and then hake with a hot fire about 
one hour—and if left in the oven moderately 
warm for a few hours, it wiil be still better. 
■ I » ,1 , . 
About Keeping Warm. 
A short article on this subject in the last number 
(page 358), it would be worth whUe for the reader 
to refer to, as we continue the subject of— 
Warm Houses. —Windows and doors can hardly be 
made air-tight,and however warm the walls, a house 
receiving a good deal of cold air from these sources, 
will be cold. In old times, when we had much 
looser fitting windows and doors than we now have, 
and at the same time no end of wood to be burned, 
people were healthy and tolerably comfortable with 
their immense fires. To be sure they were “roasted 
on one side and frozen on the other at the same 
time,” but they breathed fresh .air, and that aided 
in keeping up the internal heat, by an abundant 
supply of pure oxygen. Our readers doubtless 
understand the philosophy of keeping up the an¬ 
imal heat: how that a portion of the food we eat is 
the fuel, and the air we breathe fans the flame as 
truly as the wind from a bellows driven among 
glowing coals. Pure air is essential to keeping a 
heaithy internal warmth, not only because it con¬ 
tains more oxygen, but because foul air piroduces 
a stupefying effect, which interferes with the func¬ 
tions and, so to speak, makes a bad draught. 
In the last volume (page 273, Sept., 1864), in 
writing on the subject of ventilation, we recom¬ 
mended for winter ventilation a “ register ” in the 
floor at the coldest part of the room, connected by 
a trunk under the floor with an unused flue in a 
warm chimney. Such an arrangement draws off 
the air from the floor where the air is the coldest. 
If the cold air be thus drawn off, other air must 
come in, which indeed will be cold too, perhaps, but 
which, even in rooms warmed by stoves and made 
very close, will come more or less in contact with 
the warm air of the room and be itself warmed, 
while the air of the room either coming against the 
windows or mingling with the coid air, becomes 
chilled and settling to the floor is, to a considerable 
extent drawn off, and by this process a constant 
circulation of air and ventilation are secured in 
connection with warmth more evenly distributed. 
Caulked windows and listed doors, exclude to a 
great extent the extern.al air, if the work is well 
done. It is true that walls, which are not papered, 
admit much air directly through them, as explained 
in last month’s article, but this supply is not 
reliable. When the windows are caulked, paper 
pasted over the cracks, and the doors shut tight, 
and are listed besides, and especially if the walls 
are papered, some means must be employed to in¬ 
troduce a supply of fresh air. This should enter 
the room either p^reviously warmed, or in close 
pjroximity to the stove. To secure the health 
of a family, or of school children, pure air is much 
more important than warmth; but with pure air 
much less warmth in the room makes it comfortable. 
■■■ ^ > . . I I * i.ii — 
Greasing Boots and Shoes Too Much. 
It is a mistaken notion that coating the leather 
thoroughly with grease or Avater-proof blacking 
keeps the feet dry and Avarm. Tlie feet of every 
person in health perspire more or less—the exhala¬ 
tions from the feet atone Aisually amount to scA'eral 
spoonfuls of Avatcr daily. If this be confined by 
having the leather saturated with oil, or varnish 
blacking, or by wearing tight India rubber over- 
sliocs, the feet are kept damp and chilly, and the 
moisture tends to rot the leather. The better Avay 
is to not grease boots or shoes at all, except to oc- 
c.asionally put on a slUjht surface coat of oil when 
the feet arc likely to be exposed to much Avatcr, to 
shed it off. We have not for several years gre.ased 
our boots at all, except one coat on thehoUomsvihzw 
new, and a pair usually gives us over a full year’s 
wear. We keep a light pair of rubber sandals, 
which are only worn whep walking or standing on 
wet ground, and are removed on going into the 
house or offlee. It is a decided luxury, as Avell as 
promotive of health, to keep two pairs of socks in 
use, and change them the latter part of the day, 
when those on the feet are damped by perspiration. 
A minute’s time spent in changing will add much 
to one’s comfort for the rest of the day and even¬ 
ing. Kemember that it is the dampness from the 
feet themselves that usually keeps the feet cold. 
It is the confining of this in the leather that leads 
to the supposition that rubber shoes are injurious 
to boots, when kept constantly on the feet. The 
varnish and water-proof blackings are generally of 
far more injury than benefit to either feet or leather. 
----—I -- 
Hints on Cooking, etc. 
Salt Codllsli malies tnood Food.— 
This Avill be “ poohed at ” by many housekeepers, 
for the reason probably that they have never cooked 
the fish right. Yet it is a pity to have so convenient 
and cheap an article of food rejected, when fresh 
meat is 20 to 40 cents a pound, and not always to 
be obtained, while dried salt fish can be kept on 
hand at all seasons, ready for anj' emergency. First 
buy good codfish, those that are clean and white, and 
not spoiled in the curing, as evidenced by a strong- 
odor. Pick the fish into very small shreds, and soak 
over night in plenty of Avatcr, or freshen by boiling 
in tAvo Avaters and plenty of it each time. When 
thus freed from all excess of salt, add milk with a 
thickening of flour well ■ stirred in, and cook thor¬ 
oughly without any scorching. A beaten egg or 
two materially improves it. If rightly prepared at 
first, a little- salt may be needed. Such a dish is not 
only palatable, but it is easily digested and contains 
much nourishment. The usual trouble is that for 
Avant of picking fine at first, there are some pieces 
not soaked and freshened through, and these injure 
the flavor. We have eaten a fiiir dish made by 
soaking large pieces of salt codfish for 24 hours or 
more in plenty of water, changing it twice or 
thrice. Then roll in flour and fry like any fresh fish. 
Apple Sawce Ai-^vays S£ea«ly.—There 
are a thousand Avays in which a skillful housekeeper 
can economize labor and food also. Here is one 
item : When the apples are gathered or purchased, 
there are always more or less of them bruised and 
some already beginning to I'ot. Sort these out, and 
at one job make up a large batch of apple sauce, 
cooking and sweetening it all ready to put upon the 
table. Dip this into glass jars; cover air-tight. It 
Avill thus keep a long time, and be always ready to 
bring upon the table, and besides saAdng the fruit 
from decay, also saves the frequent making up of 
sauce. We preserve all fruit in the Baker (Potter 
& Bodine) Jar. Enough of these jars are usually 
emptied of str.awberries, peaches, etc., by December, 
to hold the sauce made by a bushel or more of 
apples. When emptied of the apple sauce, they 
are refilled, and thus the same set of jars are often 
used half a dozen times during the year. The above 
plan of making up a large batch of apple sauce 
Avhile about it, and of having a stock always ready, 
besides the saving of the apples that would other- 
Avise decay, is Avorthy of adoption, even if we have 
to buy a dozen or two extra jars for this purpose. 
Fradding' gaiacc: dacai» and Oood. 
At this time, Avhen butter is scarce, or at least a 
high priced commodity (with us 60 to 70 cents a 
pound for the best), pudding sauces and the like, 
requiring much butter, are cxpensiAm luxuries. A 
lady at our request furnished for the Agriculturist 
a recipe for making an economic.al sauce, which is 
certainly a good one Avhen made by her : To a pint 
of hot w.ater add one tcacupful of sugar, butter the 
size of a walnut, and a little flour thickening pre¬ 
viously beaten Avith the yolk of an egg. Boil, stir¬ 
ring Avell, and while still hot pour into a dish in 
Avhicli the Avhite of the egg has been beaten to a 
froth, stirring thoroughly together; flavor to the 
taste. It Avill be found of very light texture and 
agreeable taste, superior to tliat made Avith the use 
of a much larger quantity of butter, and of course 
a good deal cheaper and more easily digestible. 
" * « fcW B Cf ii I ^.— 
IBraisiiig.—This is a French word for a metli- 
od of cooking meats, which Avas very common be¬ 
fore cooking stoves were so generally used. The 
vessel employed is the oW-fashioned bake pan or 
bake kettle ; a shallow kettle with a cover arranged 
to hold coals, and is noAV to be found in many old- 
fashioned kitchens. Meats cooked slowly and for 
a long time in a braising or bake pan, Avith the 
steam confined around them, have a richness of 
flavor not otherwise obtained. The meat should 
be Avell browned, and Avater enough added from 
time to time to prevent burning, and form a rich 
gravy with the juice of the meat. Veal, usu.ally so 
badly cooked, becomes, Avhen treated in this way, 
a delicious morsel, and if any one wishes to know 
how good ham can be, let them try a thick slice 
cooked long and slOAvly in the pan. In the most 
recent French Avorks on cooking, we find the plan 
followed by our grandmothers still recommended. 
BOYS ^ ©OOTMMS, 
Xlie Bliast B>ay of Tlac Acar. 
When a boy at school has written the last line of his 
copy book, he likes to look over it, page by page, and 
notice what his progress has been, see what mistakes 
liave been made and corrected, and what improvement 
is shown. He sees how blots have disfigured some lines, 
and he remembers how some of them occurred; there is 
a very nicely written page, and he is still happy with the 
praise he received when it was examined by his teacher; 
at almost every step he may find something of interest. 
December 31st will be the last page of one A’olume in life. 
In this book of 365 pages, which was blank at the begin¬ 
ning of this year, have been written all the scenes, ac¬ 
tions, words and thoughts ot twelve months. Many of 
them are fresh in memory, and may be easily reviewed. 
“ ’Tis greatly wise to question our past hours. 
And ask them what report they bore to Heaven.” 
In thus recalling the past, what events are pleas\ir- 
ablenow ? Of the enjoyment derived from the appetites, 
though very keen at the time, nothing is left now. Some 
things that gave great pleasure for a little season, are now 
recalled with pain. Like some fruits, they were sweet 
to the taste, but left bitterness and nausea afterward. 
Cruel or mischievous sports, words by which the feel¬ 
ings of others were wounded, advantages gained by un¬ 
fair dealing, or in plain English, by cheating, selfish tri¬ 
umphs over the less fortunate; in short, whatever the 
conscience can not now approve, makes the past sorrow¬ 
ful to the memory. But every kind act or word, especi¬ 
ally if it cost self denial, every mastery over temptation, 
every gain in useful knowledge—all things good, pure 
and noble—give unmixed happiness. How many of our 
young friends will practise upon the lesson this teaches ? 
The library of life we are now making up, the years that 
pass so SAA'iftly, will furnish food for thought in all the 
future ; it is then of infinite importance that all the vol¬ 
umes be filled with what we shall love to reflect upon. 
Thousands of items in life have passed from memory, 
and can never be recalled in this world ; yet not one of 
them is lost. It needs only a change of condition in the 
spirit, to bring them all vividly to view, as they now some¬ 
times come in rapidly before the mind in dreams, when 
the body is in a partially dead state—asleep—and beside 
this, their influence is already strongly felt in the charac¬ 
ter. The boy who has frequently given way to anger this 
j-ear, is now more passionate than ever ; the trifler is less 
considerate ; the vain are more eager for praise ; the wil¬ 
ful are more stubborn. So, too, the affectionate may 
have grown more loving, the industrious more persever¬ 
ing, and every virtue may have been strengthened by 
exercise. Surely there are thoughts enough to interest 
and benefit all who will carefuily review the past on the 
closing day of the year. There can be no better prepa¬ 
ration for entering with a right spirit upon the new 
duties and opportunities which 1866 will bring. 
Sig^iialing- in tlie Army—Sntei’cslijtg- 
Amnsemeut for Boys or Men. 
While with our wounded soldiers around Petersburg, 
■Va., last year, we obtained some insight into how- the 
officers talked with each other at a distance, by means of 
a single flag by day, and a light by night. An explanation 
will interest older persons as well as boys, and give the 
latter a new source of amusement. One or two men 
were stationed together, on high points u.sually, as on a 
