26 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Janhaet, 
tions and suggestions, we shall be the better able 
to provide a first-rate Housekeeper’s Department. 
Minced Beef—An Excellent Preparation, 
The following method produces a very con¬ 
venient, nutritious, and digestible preparation of 
meat, good for any meal, and especially for the 
supper table, when any kind of meat is desired at 
that meal. We published somewhat similar direc¬ 
tions for preparing “ minced veal ” in a former 
volume of the Agnmlturist (1860), but later ex¬ 
perience, with a little change in the ingredients, 
shows the method still better for beef: Take say 
3}^ lbs. of lean beef, without tendons—the cross- 
rib piece is very good for this,- but any lean part 
will do. Before cooking, chop it very fine—a Hale’s 
meat cutter will do it quickly. Mix with it 6 soda 
crackers, rolled fine; 3 well beaten eggs; 1)4 table¬ 
spoonfuls of salt; a teaspoonful or less of ground 
pepper ; 1 small nutmeg grated; 4 tablespoonfuls 
of cream (or milk); and if the meat is free from 
fat, add butter the size of an egg or so. Mix all 
thoroughly; make into a loaf, and bake well in a 
dripping pan 1)4 to 2 hours, basting as with other 
roast meats; It will keep for a week or two at least. 
---- 
i 
CIiai»pe<l Hasi«ls are annoying always. 
They may in a great measure be prevented by using 
very little soap, i any, keeping it on as briefly as 
possible, washing it oif clean, and then finishing 
the washing with water to which a little vinegar is 
added—a teaspoonful to a pint of clear water will 
answer. This neutralizes any alkali of the soap 
left on the skin, and gives a soft feel, while it stops 
the destruction of the cuticle, and saves chapping. 
The dilute vinegar is also good as a final washing 
after shaving the face, as it both saves the skin and 
prevents the alkali from bleaching the whiskers.— 
A little tallow or even lard, thinly applied at night, 
or when going out into the cold air, to the hands 
and face, if chapping, and well rubbed off if neces¬ 
sary, goes far toward preventing further chapping, 
and promotes the healing of cracks already formed. 
l>elica,te .ISice l®aad.diiig.— One cup of 
rice cleaned, washed, put into 1 quart milk, set in a 
kettle of boiling water. Keep the water boiling un¬ 
til the rice is soft, then add the yolks of 3 eggs, put¬ 
ting a very little cold milk to them, that they may 
not change at once, and a little salt. Bake about one 
hour in pretty hot oven. Just before taking up, 
allowing just time to fit it for the table, beat the 
whites of the 3 eggs to a foam, and add 1 cup sugar; 
flavor if you wish: when all beaten together, pour 
over the pudding, which should be baked in a shoal 
dish, as this is the sauce to be eaten with it. Put 
in a brisk oven about five minutes,or until this fo.am 
begins to brown. There is so much difference in 
the length of time required in different ovens it is 
impossible to give exact time for the finishing. 
GSood Com lSrea.d, and Pudding'.— 
The same money will purchase two or three times 
as much nourishment in corn meal, as it will buy 
in wheat flour, and it is a matter of economy to 
use as much of the former as can be made palatable. 
Of the hundreds of Corn Bread recipes we have 
published in the American Agriculturist none we 
have tried, have given as continued satisfaction as 
the following: 1 quart of sweet milk ; 1 teaspoonful 
of cooking soda ; 1 teacupful of molasses ; 2 tea 
spoonfuls of salt; 4 teacupfuls of fine corn meal, 
and 3 to 4 teaeupfuls of wheat flour. Mix all well 
together, and bake slowly for an hour or more. It 
keeps moist for several days and is relished by most 
persons. The proportion of flour and meal may be 
varied to suit the liking.—The above preparation, 
cooked in a steamer, makes a gopd pudding, to be 
eaten with cream or milk and sugar, or butter alone. 
Pumplcin Pancakes.— Two cups milk ; 
two cups stcwjpd pumpkin or squash; half a tea¬ 
spoonful saleratus; two eggs. Beat the whites to a 
froth—add flour enough to make a thin batter. 
This is called very nice by those who have tried it. 
^ -©©MUMS* 
'I'lic CJame of Clieclsea's or I>raiigbts. 
This interesting and scientific game is almost univer¬ 
sally played, but few understand the science of it. It is a 
game entirely of skill, memory, and attention, and there¬ 
fore not unworthy a place in our columns. We propose to 
give in successive numbers rules and instructions for 
playing, accompanied by a game to be played over, and 
a position for players to study out. 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLAYING THE GAME. 
The game of checkers is played by two persons, on. a 
board of 64 squares, colored alternately, and with two 
sets of 12 men each, of dark and light colors. Each 
player in turn moves one of his men, (the black men al¬ 
ways move first, each player having the black men every 
other game,) to the right or left, along the diagonal, on 
which it stands, and the men can only move forward one 
square at a time, until they reach the extreme line of the 
board, when they become kings, and being crowned, can 
then move either forward or backward to the end of the 
game, as may be desired by the players. 
The object of each player is, to confine the pieces of 
the other in situations where they can not be played, or. 
THE BOARD NUMBEKED. 
Black, 
White. 
Keep this for future reference. 
both to capture and fix so that there may be none that 
can be played, and the person, whose side is brought to 
this state, loses the game. In the February number we 
will commence to give the laws of the game.-—Beginners 
in the game, who desire to see the rules more fully, will 
find works of instruction advertised on another page. 
■ The diagram above, represents the board numbered. 
This is for convenience of reference, in telling how a 
game is played, or in solving a problem'. .The following 
game can be readily played, by carefully observing the 
numbers. Fig. 2 shows a position which may often oc¬ 
cur toward the close of a game. Next month we shall 
show how rcAite may win. The illustration of the num¬ 
bered board should be preserved for future reference. 
POSITION NO. 1. 
Black, 
GAME 
NO. 1.- 
-SINGLE 
CORNER OPENING. 
CD 
Black. 
White. 
Black. 
White, 
1—11 to 15 
22 to 18 
11— 5 tol4 
22 to 18 
2—15 
“ 22 
25 
“ 18 
12—13 ‘ 
‘ 17 
18 “ 9 
3— 8 
“ 11 
29 
“ 25 
13— 6 ‘ 
‘ 13 
21 “ 14 
4— 4 
“ 8 
25 
“ 22 
14-10 ‘ 
Ml 
26 “ 22 
5-11 
“ 16 
24 
“ 20 
15—17 ‘ 
‘ 26 
SI “ 22 
6- 8 
“ 11 
27 
“ 24 
16— 7 ‘ 
‘ 10 
30 “ 25 
7—10 
■“ 14 
24 
“ 19 ' 
17- 2 ‘ 
‘ 0 
25 “ 21 
8— 7 
“ 10 
2S 
“ 24 
18— 6 ‘ 
‘ 9 
22 “ 18 
9— 3 
7(a) (b)32 
“ 28 
19— 1 ‘ 
‘ 5 
18 “ 15 
10— 9 
“•13 
18 
„ 9 
20—11 ‘ 
‘ 27 and wins. 
(*) Is .So called, because each player in beginning 
plays from- one single corner toward the other. 
(a) A move not generally made by beginners. 
(b) The move that causes the loss of the game. 
1^'ew Puzzles to toe Answered. 
No. 183. Illustrat¬ 
ed Rebus. —A very 
common luoverb. 
No. 184. Math¬ 
ematical Problem, 
Contributed to the 
A mericaiiA gricul- 
turist, by C. F. 
Erhard, of Kings 
Co., N. Y. A danc¬ 
ing master had 
some young men, 
boys and girls for 
pupils. On arriv¬ 
ing for their lesson 
the following ex¬ 
ercises were gone 
through: 1st Ex¬ 
ercise. —1. Each 
young man made 
a bow to each girl. 
2. Each young 
man made a bow 
to evely other 
young man, and 
to the master. 3. Each girl made a bow to every other 
girl, and to the master. 217 bows were thus made. 
2nd Exercise. —1. Each boy made a bow to each 
young' man. 2. Each boy made a bow to every other 
boy,-and to the dancing master. 3. Each young man made 
a bow to every other young man, and to the dancing nias- 
mer. Result, 244 bows. 
3d Exercise.—1. Each boy made a bow to each girl. 
2. Each boy made a bow to every other boy, and to the 
dancing master. 3. Each girl made a bow to every other 
girl, and to the master. This amounted to 271 bows. 
How many Young Men, Boys and Girls 7 
No. 185. Illustrat¬ 
ed Rebus. —An excel¬ 
lent motto for all. 
No. 186. Charade, 
—I am composed of 
13 letters. ■ My 6,1, 
4, 11, require fire to 
make them success¬ 
ful. Myll, 6, 12, 4, 
3, 11, are useful for 
blood-letting. My 2, 
12, 11, 5, is an orna¬ 
ment to the face, also 
a useful sentinel. 
My 1, 4, 11, 12, 2, is a 
capital crime. My 9, 
8, 10,15,11, are ab¬ 
undant on Christmas 
and New Y’'ear’s. My 
6, 12, 4, 3, 11, are in No. 185. 
almost every body’s mouth. My 7, 12, 10, 5, is relished 
by most people, is often swallowed, but never eaten,' 
My ivhole is the name of a very distinguished general. 
No. 187. Charade, —I am composed of 12 letters. My 7, 
8, 9, 6, 1, 4, 5, 1, is a Christian virtue. My 7, 11, 1, 9, uses 
his feet ^ writing. My 2, 6, 4, 1, is what many would 
like, and what all possess. My 12, 11, 9, 6, 5, .1, is in 
nearly ail newspapers. My 2, 8, 10, 4, 9, 11, 7, is part of 
a vessel. My 12, 3, 9, 6,11, 12, is made up by every man, 
but owned by none. My whole was an effective weapon 
used in the late war. 
Answers to Protolems and Pnzzlcs. 
The following are the answers to the Puzzles in the 
December number jiage 383. No. 181, Illustrated Rebus. 
-j-2 No one's I fan doll one's axe command d note sail eder 
born 2 rule th eel and. Or, To know one’s self and all 
one's acts command, denotes a leader born to rule the 
land-No.-182, Illustrated Rebus. — B c z in eive^ian. 
ner sand mile din words, butts t rick tin morals : w, Be 
easy in your manners and mild in words, but strict in 
morals — The following have sent correct answers up to 
November 6th ; Enima Waterman, 178 ; “ Three of us.” 
Maria and Lurana, A. T.. Mary F. Judson and Belle 
Curtis, Addison Millerd, Sarah F. Brigham (nearly), 
“ The Yankee Family Nevins,” J, M. North and sisters, 
179; Wm. W. Fuller, 178; George-Ross, £. Jennie Peck, 
179; George N. Wilson, 175; Louis and Mary, 0. H 
Leavitt, J. B. Smith, T. H.' Smith, A. L. Smith. F. E. 
Smith, Jas. Dixon, Emeline Baldwin, Jennie Fletcher, 
0. Harmon, Edwin Andrews, M. S. and M. Rice, 179; 
Wm. C. Johnson, 175 ; E. B. Haskelf; A constant reader, 
W. J. Chamberlin, C. L. Spooner, Emily 11. Abbott, 179 ; 
Wm. D. Reed, 175; Niobe Robinson and Rowland Ro¬ 
binson, Rebecca Shaw, M. F. and C. Benner, Lizzie A. 
White. Midford, Wm. H. Paine, 179; Benjamin Heri¬ 
tage, 175; Emilye, Henry Bunn. Alice Bunn and Adda 
Bunn, M. and M. Troth, Mrs. M. J. Allen, Freddie D. 
Upton, Mrs. C. B. Carpenter, S. C. Smith, J. E. Smith, 
Sarah H. Mead, Addie A. Smith, Frank S. Mead, E. 
Linnie Lockwood, Samuel Dauchy, L. Dauchy, Edith 
■V. Smith, Julia M. Lockwood, Sarah Studwell, Mary 
J. Studwell, 179; Thomas E. Lockie, James Dickson, 
175; J. Marsh, 181; Garret Brodhead, Jr., 181; W. H. 
Hughes, J)-,, 170; George A, G,, 179; E, Hart, 181. 
No. 183. 
