1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
183 
nsc. It was said “ that a person riding by a house 
early one morning', discovered a pair of enormous 
legs and feet hanging out of the window. On in¬ 
quiry, it was found that some plaster had accident¬ 
ally been mixed with the flour fqr tea biscuits. The 
‘fertilizing’ effects were so great that the mau had, 
during the night, grown so fast as to have his legs 
extend through the windows and bending down at 
the knees, his feet touched ground.” They would 
probably have taken root but for the disturbance of 
the early passer by! This is a fact of course—just 
as much so as one half the stories of the wonderful 
effects of many of the manufactured manures. Ed.] 
To Put up Strawberries, etc. 
We have had all Winter, and are still using, some 
of last year’s crop of strawberries, in excellent 
order and flavor. They were chiefly kept in Potter 
& Bodine’s Jars, the most convenient, and every 
thing considered, the best of the twenty odd kinds 
we have tried thus far. (Many patent jars promis¬ 
ing well have cost us loss of time, fruit, and sugar, 
to find out that they were poor. The porcelain-lin¬ 
ed iron jars are the best of all, but are rather too 
costly for general use, though possibly cheapest in 
the long run.) The best plan is, to fill the jars with 
strawberries, then pour in a syrup made by boiling 
% lb. to 1 lb. white sugar in a quart of water. The 
jars are then set down nearly to their necks in cold 
or lukewarm water in a wash boiler, and the water 
heated to boiling. When the berries have had time 
to barely cook through, the jars are lifted out, and 
one is used to fill up all shrinkage in the others, so 
that they shall be quite full. Wipe the top clean 
with a damp cloth while they are still hot. The 
covers are then put on and fastened tightly. Set 
into the cellar or any cool room. We put up 144 
quart jars last year, of different kinds of fruit, and 
only lost by fermentation two bottles of tomatoes. 
When the above, or other good jars, are not acces¬ 
sible, common junk bottles, thorougly cleaned, or 
other glass, bottles or jars, may be used, as we 
know by many successful, trials. Tightly fitting 
soft corks, tied in, answer well for covers. It is 
best to make these surely air tight, by dipping the 
corks and necks when dry, but still hot, into a ce¬ 
ment made by melting together -an ounce of lard 
and about a pound of rosin. Simple beeswax, or 
grafting wax, will answer.—The fruit may be first 
cooked with a small quantity of syrup, in a por¬ 
celain lined, or even a tinned vessel, and then dip¬ 
ped into the previously warmed jars or bottles, seal¬ 
ing up as soon as the air bubbles have risen and 
their place is filled with more cooked fruit. This 
mode is more convenient, but does not preserve the 
shape and flavor of the fruit as well as the other 
way. The smaller the amount of sugar, the better 
will the natural flavor be preserved. We use just 
sugar enough to fit the fruit for the table. 
The above directions answer for other berries, 
cherries, peaches, and for other fruits, except that 
pears, quinces, cherries, etc., require longer cook¬ 
ing to heat them through. Tomatoes need boiling 
down one half, both to save room and to make 
them keep well. The above method is infinitely 
better and cheaper than the old mode of preserv¬ 
ing with a large and unnecessary quantity of sugar. 
-- --—a-©**—-.-=- 
“ That Squeaking Door.” 
“Careful! careful! Don’t open that door; it 
squeaks [creaks] so, it will wake baby up.”-This 
was what the writer heard when making a call, the 
other day, and what has been heard in a hundred 
or thousand other houses. Many mothers go on a 
whole year watching the creaking door, lest it 
“ wake baby up,” or disturb a sick one. It may 
seem a small matter, but Mr. Editor, please tell all 
such mothers that read the American Agriculturist , 
to take a few drops of oil in a spoon, or a little 
fresh lard, and witn the finger rub a trifle upon all 
the door hinges at the points where they wear 
bright, am the creaking will be stopped for months 
at least. A minute’s time on a door, will save hours 
of time in watching it, or in getting the baby to 
sleep after being waked up. Housekeeper. 
-«-«-— 
Vinegar from Clover 
L. C. Cook, Saratoga Co., N. Y., sends the Agricul¬ 
turist, the following as a substitute for good cider 
vinegar: Take 2 qts. red clover blossoms and 10 
qts. of water, boil five minutes, strain, and add 1 lb. 
sugar, 1 pint molasses. Put it into a stone jar, and 
when lukewarm, add four tablespoonfuls of good 
yeast. Put 2 qts. more of clover blossoms on the 
top of the liquid, cover close, set in the sun, and in 
four weeks you will have a cheap and good article. 
[Spent tea leaves, and indeed almost any kind of 
vegetable material will make vinegar, when mixed 
with sugar and yeast. The acetic acid, or vinegar, 
is mainly produced by the sugar, the yeast starting 
the acetous fermentation. The vegetable matter 
affects the flavor, and perhaps the clover blossoms 
may give a flavor pleasing to many persons. It 
will cost little labor or trouble to try it.— Ed.] 
Directions for Curing Beef. 
Contributed to the American Agriculturist by 
Joseph H. Alexander, St. Charles Co., Mo. “For 
100 pounds of beef, take 10 lbs. salt, 4 ozs. of salt¬ 
petre, 1 quart molasses, 6 gals, water. Boil the 
mixture, skimming off the imparities; and having 
cut up and packed the beef in a tight vessel, pour 
the mixture on the beef hot, boiling hot. The beef 
is ready for use as soon as it is cool. Some recipes 
say take twelve lbs. of salt instead of ten, but from 
actual experience I have become satisfied that ten 
pounds will make the meat more palatable—being 
one pound of salt to ten pounds of beef.” 
©Sasn-Sotte ISsisse 5®aa4ltlliigs—Contrib¬ 
uted to the Agriculturist by “ C. E. M.” Heat three 
pints of milk to near the boiliug point. Stir into it 
the yolks of eight eggs, and one large tablespoon¬ 
ful of corn starch. Let it thicken a little, and 
sweeten and flavor to the taste. Lay slices of 
sponge cake in a pudding dish, pour over them the 
pudding, add to the top of it the whites of the 
eight eggs well beaten, set it in the oven and let it 
brown slightly, when it is ready for the table. 
lUsee —Contributed to the Agri¬ 
culturist by “ E. F. S.” Boil pint of rice in milk 
until soft; then stir it gradually, while still hot, 
into the well-beaten yolks of 4 eggs, and add 4 ta¬ 
blespoonfuls of sugar, and flavor if desired. Beat 
the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add to them 
4 tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar, and a little 
flavor, pour over the prepared pudding, and set in 
the oven until nicely browned. 
Apple —Contributed to the Ag¬ 
riculturist, by Mrs. M. E. Goodwin, Litchfield Co., 
Conn. Fill a dish 1% inches deep with sour ap¬ 
ples pared and quartered. Spread over them a hat¬ 
ter made of 1 % cupfuls of flour, a little salt, % tea¬ 
spoonful of saleratus, and wet with milk (loppered 
milk is best), to make it as thick as the batter can 
be spread. Bake iu a quick oven, and when done, 
turn it bottom upward on a platter, and sprinkle 
with sugar, or serve with any sauce. 
Smet —Contributed to the Agri¬ 
culturist by “E. F. S.” X pint finely chopped suet, 
pint molasses, pint sweet milk, % pint raisins, 
1 tablespoonful ginger, 1 teaspoonful soda,_2 tea¬ 
spoonfuls cream tartar, and flour enough to make 
it a little stiffer than pound cake. Boil two hours; 
eat with liquid sauce. 
Mica CMnisieys have been tried for lamps, 
hut the smoke and dust collecting on or between 
the lamiufe soon render them opaque. But for this 
fact, they would be very valuable, as no amount of 
heat would break them. 
To Sweep Carpets. —A Correspondent says : 
Mix corn meal with water to a stiff dough, and 
sprinkle. over the carpet before sweeping. It re¬ 
moves all dust so as to give a beautiful clearness to 
the colors.—We have seen the same “prescription” 
going the rounds of the papers—but it appears 
nonsensical. Unless mixed so dry and compact as 
to remain in lumps, the meal would sweep into the 
carpet, and literally bedaub it; while if not wet 
enough to moisten the fabric, how could it brighten 
the colors? Coarse tea leaves, swept along while 
moist, would remove the dust and lint, without 
soiling the carpet.—E d. American Agriculturist. 
hbgdys dims 5 ©©winm 
Answers fi© IPcoibleisis asid IPaazzIes 
in May No. (page 151). No. 37. Illustrated. Rebus.— 
“ Man W ants butt little h ear below nor W ants T hat 
little 1 on G or, Man wants but little here below. Nor 
wants that little long. No. 38. Problem. —Answer: Three 
small yards were made, one enclosing three, another five, 
and the remaining one, seven sheep ; and a fence was- 
then built around the whole three enclosures.—No. 39.- 
Arithmetical Problem. Answer: A. dug 27.18 rods; B. 
82.48 rods ; C. 40.34 rods.— Note. By an error in the type 
the answer to the clock problem (No. 36) on page 151,. 
was given as April 15th; it should read *Vpri! 16th. 
The following have sent in correct answers to recent 
puzzles and questions; the numbers indicate the prob¬ 
lems answered by each. George Elcock, 33, 36 ; Wm, 
E. Hower, 36 ; Augustus Reifsteck, 35 ; W. Geo. Waring, 
36 ; George Seliick, 36 ; Willie II. Paine, 35 ; Frank A. 
Baker, 36 ; Lucy R. Weeks, 35, 36 ; L. O. Gay, 36 ; C. 
Hoagland Jr., 36; H. Bowers, 36; Jersey Blue, 36; G„ 
C. Landers, 86; Howard S. Ingevsoll, 35, 36; P. M. 
Doolittle, 35 ; Wiley McCaughey, 36 ; Daniel S. Carver, 
36; Jno. M. S., 35; Horace M. Deeble, 37 ; W. H. Ad 
ams, 35; E. F. M., 37; Mary A. Purdy, 37, A. G. Til 
linghast, 37, 38 ; Pwiford S. Noble, 37 ; Isaac McGay, Jr., 
37,38; E. Arston, 37, 38; Maggie Whitesell, 37; Elma 
Maria Taber, 37 ; James Williamson, 37 ; J. McCulloch, 
39; G. W. Kitterman, 38 ; Helen V. Wilson, 35, 37: II. 
B. S., 37 ; Fred. E. Parker, 37; Robert W. Vasey, 31 
J. Leander Purdy, 37, 38 ; E. Knapp, 37 ; Wist C. Wil 
liams, 37 ; Samuel W. Fleming, 38; D. G. Jones, 37, 38, 
39; Frank A. Baker, 38 ; J. D. M„ 37, 3S ; Henry H. 
Osgood, 36, 37, 38, 39, “ O. K,”37; Charles II. Moore, 
37 ; George McKelly, 37 ; Isaac D. Tharp, 3S ; Sue R. 
Coles, 37 ; “ Hoosier Alice,” 37, 38 ; George F. Weekes, 
37; N, E. Anderson, 37; W. M. Bowdfsh,*37, 38; Ste¬ 
phen S. Swisher, 37; Manie E. Ilagertv, 37 ; J. J. Howe, 
37 ; Mary L. Wint, 37 , D. S. Carver, 37 ; E. C. Long, 37 , 
F. C. Smith, 37 ; Mollie Darling, 37, 38 ; C. Hoaglaml, 37. 
Sew IPsizzles 4o !>e Assswei*e«l. 
No. 40. Illustrated Rebus .—A true and pithy saying. 
I4UY5I 
No. 41. Illustrated Rebus .—A very familiar proverb. 
No. 42. Mathematical Problem .—Two men were equal 
partners in the purchase of 160 acres of land; thediffer- 
ence in quality was such that 60 acres on one side was 
equal to SO acres on the other side. How many acres 
should each man have, allowing the quality of then re¬ 
spective shares to differ in the above ratio ? 
No. 43. Riddle. The answer should be full of sense.- 
I’m full of brains, yet never had a mind ; 
I’m higher than the greatest of mankind , 
I daily lose my head for honor’s sake ; 
Though often'in a nap, no sleep I take. 
At ease I rest upon the seat of power, 
And to the ladies add a perfect tower; 
Vet who can tell (for pride must have a fall) 
How long my form shall be discerned at all. 
