1863 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
pan, and when warm mash with a potato masher. 
Season with salt and gravy or use in milk. In cold 
weather 19 out of 30 prefer it to the best potatoes.” 
A $150 Doll. 
If the value of an article should be computed 
from the amount of benefit derivable from it, the 
following calculation, originating with some un¬ 
known author, is not far out of the way, and is well 
worth considering by the parents of every little girl. 
It is unnecessary to say that the passion for dolls 
with girls, as that for a whip and a knife with boys, 
is universal. It can be gratified almost without ex¬ 
pense ; the materials may be found in every rag¬ 
bag. But we believe a few shillings may be well 
expended for something more attractive than the 
ordinary rag-baby. Let the child have as good an 
imitation of a ‘ real live baby ’ as can be found, and 
her interest iu, and care for the precious treasure 
will be greatly increased. Here are the figures 
as set down by one who has tried the experiment : 
The increased attractiveness of home to the child is 
worth during her entire girlhood at least.$25.00 
Tile relief to the busy and often feeble mother while 
the child is amused with the doll. 25.00 
The-euUivalion of a cheerful disposition. 25.00 
The development of the best affections. 25.00 
The knowledge of dress-making, millinery, etc., 
gained by dressing the doll. 25.00 
The motives to faith fulness ill other duties, which 
may be inspired by judicious management. 25.00 
Total.$150.00 
Who will say that a single item in the above ac¬ 
count is too high? Neither can it be justly assert¬ 
ed that such trifles as dolls for children are un¬ 
worthy the grave attention of the Agriculturist. 
Whatever ministers to home comfort and improve¬ 
ment, is matter for study: and besides, in judging 
of the importance of what pertains to children, we 
should in part look through their eyes. What lit¬ 
tle girl does not conceive this subject to be one of 
the very highest possible moment ? A Mother. 
German Economy. 
Some cf the pleasantest pictures of rural life in 
Europe, are those drawn by Mr. Howitt. Particu¬ 
larly in Germany, does he find much to interest him. 
One thing which struck him quite forcibly, was the 
carefulness with which the country people save 
everything which can he tinned to use. For in¬ 
stance, the roadside is not always set with forest 
trees for shade and ornament, but is planted with 
fruit trees, and these are protected and cultivated 
hardly less than those of the orchard and garden. 
Again, more pains are taken, than with us, in saving 
and drying all kinds of fruit for domestic use and 
for sale iu market. Cows are not generally pastured 
in Summer, but are kept in sheds or small yards, 
where they are fed in various ways. Grass and 
clover, refuse fruits, vegetables and meal, etc., are 
carefully provided for this purpose. In some eases, 
the women and children go out with sickle and 
basket, to cut up and gather grass and weeds from 
the roadside; the boys go into the marshes and 
woods to gather tall grass and even to cut shrub¬ 
bery, all for the useful cow. Yes, the useful cow; 
for not only is every drop of her milk saved and 
turned to accouut, but her other droppings are as¬ 
siduously collected, and applied where most useful. 
The tops of potatoes, refuse of hemp, and stalks 
of beans serve as bedding for the cow ; and even 
the rough stalks of poppies, after the heads have 
been gathered for oil and seed, are converted into 
manure for the land. Children are often sent into 
the woods to collect baskets and bags of moss for 
cattle bedding, which afterward goes into manure. 
In the Autumn, the falling leaves by the roadside 
and every where are swept up and stacked for the 
same purpose. The cones of evergreens are gath¬ 
ered and dried for lighting fires. While the women 
are tending their poultry and their cows, the knit- 
ling needles keep constantly'going. In short, the 
Germans seem to have reduced the scriptural pre¬ 
cept to systematic practice: “ Gather up the frag¬ 
ments, that nothing be lost.” And this same fru¬ 
gality and industry, we are glad to see, prevails 
widely among the Germans who have chosen this 
country for their home. With such habits of living 
ioined with virtue, they are sure to prosper. 
A Good, Cheap, and Wholesome Dish. 
A writer in an Eastern exchange, says: “My 
family breakfasted this morning, July 30, main¬ 
ly on boiled wheat. Boiled wheat and milk. 
Boiled wheat and maple sugar. Not wheat 
flour, nor wheaten groats, uor cracked wheat, 
but whole grains of wheat, shelled from the best 
heads, the larger the better, and soaked in 
cold water two'or three hours, and then boiled 
in the same water one or two hours, or until 
quite soft, and the water all absorbed. It 
should all be cooked while other culinary oper¬ 
ations are going on, as it needs to boil or sim¬ 
mer on a slow lire for a good while, and care 
must be taken at tlie last that it does not burn. 
To prevent this, it may be finished off by 
placing the kettle in a pan of water. How 
easy for our soldiers to have a change in the 
bread and salt meat rations, if they may be 
allowed to glean a few wheat heads, and boil 
the grains in their camp kettles. TIow conven¬ 
ient would this little item of knowledge in do¬ 
mestic cooking be to the wife of many a farmer 
who would gladly get up an extra dish for the 
tired harvest hands ! Try it. How many fami¬ 
lies are this day living on short allowance, right 
alongside of a wheat field, or with grain stack 
or bam near the house, because they can not 
get it ground, the mill being dried up or broken 
down, or occupied by 1 the army,’ or suffering 
a collapse, so that no grinding can be had.” 
Hints on Cooking. 
E8 Miiselieeperss' “ Kecfjmcs 59 —A §ug'« 
g'estioai.—Mrs. W. S. Miller, Dutchess Co., N. 
Y., suggests that in giving recipes, it is advisable 
to have only such materials as are found either in 
the house or in an ordinary country store, and that 
the idea of economy and health should be kept in 
view. [This would limit this department to a par¬ 
ticular class.—The greater the variety the better, 
and then there will be something to suit all classes.] 
®©©4l Cheap B8 h-©wml BBreatsi.—Mrs. W. 
E. Thomas, of DeKalb Co., Ill., writes : “_ I 
would ho unwilling to 1 keep house ’ without the 
American Agriculturist. We have been following 
its suggestions to 1 use more corn meal in our cook¬ 
ing,’ and among the variety of recipes tried for 
‘ Brown Bread,’ the following has come into con¬ 
stant use : Stir thoroughly together 3 teacupfuls.of 
corn meal; 3 of rye meal (or the ‘ seconds ’ flour of 
wheat); 1 of fine flour; % teacupful of molasses ; 
2% teacups of sweet milk; 1 teaspoonful of salt, 
and 1 of soda; % teaspoonful of ginger. Cook 
by steaming 3% hours steadily. It is pronounced 
by all, most excellent, either warm, or cold.” 
I5Iiac.ce IPies wiilamnt SSraiatly.—Con¬ 
tributed to the American Agriculturist , by Maria Ray, 
Suffolk Co., N. Y. Take 9 lbs. of boiled beef, 3 lbs. 
srret, 6 lbs. raisins, 4 lbs. currants, 4 oz. cinnamon, 
2 of allspice, 1 of cloves, 1 quart molasses, 7 lbs. of 
clean brown sugar boiled clown in 3 gallons of sweet 
cider to half the bulk. Mix all well together and 
pour the boiling cider on it. Cover close until 
next day, when it will be fit to he made into pies. 
This will keep good for at least six months. 
IPotat® CwisTtai’sl.—Contributed to the Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist by N. Anderson, Franklin Co., Pa.: 
1 pint mashed potatoes, 3 cups sugar, 1 of butter or 
lard, 4 eggs, nutmeg, thin it with milk, and hake. 
Crumpets.—Contributed to the American Ag¬ 
riculturist, by N. Anderson, Franklin Co., Pa.: 1 
quart bread dough, 3 eggs, milk enough to make a 
batter; let it rise; bake in cakes on a griddle. 
xtjsemiajg' Ceiiicsitc«I IFruit BSottles. 
—Mrs. Lucy R. Tatum, New Castle Co., Del. Place 
the inverted bottles on a heated stove until the cement in 
the patty pans is melted, lift the' bottles from the pans, 
turn them right side up, and the softened cork can easily 
be removed with a cork screw, or even a stout fork. 
Apple Butter.—“ J. W. M.,” asks some, 
Keystone State housekeeper to furnish file American Ag¬ 
riculturist with a recipe for making the genuine Penn¬ 
sylvania Apple Butter. Here is the writer’s method: 
Boil new cider down one half. Pare, cut, and core equal 
23 
quantities of sweet and sour apples. Put the sweet ap¬ 
ples in a large kettle to soften a little first as they are 
hardest. Add enough boiled cider to cook it. After boil¬ 
ing half an hour, stirring often, put in the sour apples and 
more boiled cider with molasses enough to sweeten mod¬ 
erately. Boil until tender, stirring to prevent burning. 
Pack in firkins or stone pots for Winter use. (The mo¬ 
lasses is not needed, we think, while it would injure the 
flavor for many people.— Ed.) 
!Ba*aaa«ly 3na Coolsisag - .—Mr. W. W. Nelson, 
Kent Co., Del., alluding to our remarks on the use of 
brandy in cooking, on page 372, December Agriculturist, 
gives a case in point—many such cases have occurred. 
A young man was reclaimed from apparent ruin by the 
efforts of the temperance society, and was getting along 
finely, until lie partook of brandy mince pies at a friend’s 
house. This brought back his old appetite, and he is now 
a perfect sot. “If I can not have mince pies without 
brandy, I will not have them at all.” 
Cllcaiaiiig- ff’lg-s’ Feet.—J. W. Humphreys, 
Washington Co., Pa. Put the feet in cold water to soak 
over night. With a moderately sharp knife, scrape all 
parts thoroughly until the skin’is clean and white. Hold 
the lower ends in hot water for a minute or two, to part 
the dew-claws and hoofs which can then be twisted off 
with the hand. Singe in a clear flame and they are ready 
to boil for souse or head-cheese. 
The Editor with his Young Headers. 
A Happy New-Year to you young friend ! I mean 
you. who are just now reading this line, and not’some 
other girl or boy.—Who spoke first this time ?—When 1 
was a boy, and it begins to seem a great while ago, though 
not so long that I have forgotten in the least how girls 
and boys thought, and felt, and acted, and I still enjoy 
playing boy with the little ones at home, for it is about 
all the recreation I have m these Dusy times—but I was 
going to say, that when I was a boy in years, there was a 
great strife to see who should say “ happy New-Year ” 
first. Sometimes we laid awake until the clock struck 
twelve, and then bounded out of bed and ran to papa 
and mamma’s room, and waked them up so as to get the 
start of every one else. Well, I don’t see that boys and 
girls are much different now. They have more books 
and papers to read, and probably know more of the world 
at the same age, but they have boys’and girls’feelings just 
as we had many years ago, and just as boys and girls did 
a hundred, and a thousand, and five thousand years ago. 
I don’t believe there were ever more than two persons, 
who did not have nearly the same feelings, hopes, anx¬ 
ieties, love of sport and pastime, that you have. (Who 
were these two persons, and why did tney have no child¬ 
ish sports ?)—But I was speaking of the haste to wish the 
“ Happy New-Year,” Jirst. Do you never, in this haste, 
forget what the words mean ? If you really desire papa 
and mamma to have the happy year you wish them, how 
much will you do, to make it so to them ? Will you do 
anything ? Suppose you begin just now, to see how much 
happiness you can give them for one whole day. Will 
you ? [I was going to tell some of the ways in which 
boys and girls may make their parents happy, but I see 
John and Mary have skipped over the rest of this, and 
have gone to the puzzles and stories. So I will stop here 
simply.expressing the hope that they will soon come back 
and in their own hearts, answer the above questions.) 
A Child’s Definition.— A little Sunday school schol 
lar, when asked to define Chaos, answered, that it was “t 
great pile of nothing, and nowhere to put it.”-Another 
wiien asked to define slander, said it was “ when nobod) 
did nothing, and somebody went and told ori’t.” 
A little girl of three years, who was born away beyond 
the Mississippi, where no orchards were as yet planted, 
was brought on a visit to Ohio, where she saw an apple 
tree in full bloom, covered with a profusion of while 
blossoms— a most beautiful sight by the way. Lifting her 
fat little hands in an attitude of devotion, she exclaimed : 
“ See God’s great big bouquet.” 
A little boy whose mother had promised him a present, 
was saying his prayers preparatory to going to bed, but 
bis mind was running on a horse, and he began as follows : 
“ Our Father who art in Heaven—ma, wont you give me a 
horse — thy kingdom come— with a string to it?” 
To rise early requires quickness of decision ; it is one 
of those subjects that admit of no turning over. 
A little girl, white rumaging a bureau-drawer, found her 
grandfather’s eye glasses, ami at once cried out; “Oh, 
mamma, ganpa has gone up to liebben widout his specs.” 
