Why aro stews generally healthful and 
disgestible ? 
Because, being compounds of various sub¬ 
stances, they contain all the elements of 
nutrition, and as the office of the stomach is 
to liquify solid food before digesting it, the 
previous stewing assists the stomach, in this 
particular. 
What causes the crackling noise when lard 
is put into a frying-pan ? 
Lard always contains some portion of 
water, and it is the expansion of this water 
into steam, forcing its way through the fat, 
which causes the crackling noise. The heat 
at which oil or fat boils is much greater than 
the water. When the crackling ceases, the 
moderate oven. This kind of bread, like 
that made of rye flour, should never be 
molded hard. 
BE CAREFUL ABOUT NEEDLES, 
Many persons hare experienced years of 
suffering, and not a few have lost their lives 
on account of carelessness with needles. 
Needles are very useful articles, but are ex¬ 
tremely dangerous when dropped about the 
floors, carpets and mgs, or when carelessly 
left sticking in unfinished work. 
About three years ago a woman, while 
wringing out a cloth with which she had 
been wiping the floor, broke a needle off in 
her hand. She suffered ex¬ 
tremely ; and the piece of nee¬ 
dle is yet in her hand, surgical 
aid having failed to discover ^-jggPlI 
it. A young lady sat down and 
inclined back against a piece of 
unfinished work which she hor¬ 
s'd f luid plai-iM I on 1 ')'• b;n of 
the chair, and broke the needle 
off in her arm. The arm swelled *3® 
exceedingly and was very pain¬ 
ful, but the needle could not be 
extracted. A worthy citizen 
and personal friend of the wrl- 
ter cf this item, 
REMEDY FOR POISON BY IVY 
iviower is onered as a prize to agents and 
others who form clubs for 1375. Of course 
those who compete fora prize of this mag¬ 
nitude have a right to demand that the 
mower shall be of the very best character, 
and to this we have given our conscientious 
endeavor to determine ns for ourselves, which 
one is really the best fox* the money. We 
have decided that iti our judg¬ 
ment, and according to the de¬ 
cisions of hundreds selected for 
their knowledge of mechanics 
m applied to farm implements, 
, that Wood’s New Iron Frame 
- - * 'Mai Mowed merits t he excellent po- 
ifej ..o&gsj si i ion which it has attained, 
It seems to me that I read all kinds of 
cures for ivy poison except the right one. 1 
have always endeavored to keep it before 
the public, but have failed. It is to dissolve 
sugar of lend (a bit the size of a hazelnut) in 
half a teacup of sweet milk or warm water. 
, as he was about 
to retire for the night, stepped UWiWLKfc 
on a needle which had lodged in H i. 
a rug by l lie bedside and broke Sxfrjr'F 
it off in his heel. He was com- 
polled to undergo a surgical op Wjlra 
oration in order to obtain relief pyK j||P| 
from the pain which was caused few - Mf jr 
by this seemingly insignificant 
wound. A man in Somerville, 
Mass., recently, whilo eating 
chicken pie felt, as he supposed, 
n small bone lodge iD his t hroat, - 
He applied to a surgeon who -p||pllil| 
extracted the offensive agent, 
which proved to be a rusty nee- 
die. It is supposed that the 
needle was carelessly dropped 
into the food which the chicken 
ate, and that it worked its way 
into the flesh of the chicken 
and came new destroying the 
life of the man in question. 
Numerous other cases might bs mentioned, 
but these aro deemed sufficient to forcibly 
impress upon the minds of the incautious the 
great importance of being careful about 
needles. - -—- 
Boston, Mass. 
U|k j w chines practically, aro evidence 
M «B i enough. Safety to the driver, 
/wMwWi convenience of handling, liglit- 
JSjKsfl ness and ovennes' of draft, fa- 
fflKl/, cility of passing obstacles, 
HMA'VI throwing in and out of gear, 
P j turning, backing, traveling 
I from field to field or upon the 
' road, cutting lodged and tangled 
grass, all aro accomplished in a 
manner which leaves little to 
desire. 
Last year this machine was 
shown at the Vienna Exhibition, 
eliciting much admiration and receiving 
the Grand Diploma of Honor. Subsequent¬ 
ly. Mr. W ai.tku A. Woan received from 
the Emperor of Austria the decoration 
of the Knight’s Cross of the Imperial Order 
ol Francis Joseph, in acknowledgment of 
the benefit, to the Empires derived from the 
exhibition of his mowers and reapers. The 
manufacturers announce that - o far this year 
they have received 44 first prizes in 4fi com¬ 
petitive trials. This is indeed an honorable 
record. 
The New Iron Frame Mower is made for 
both one and two horses. The two-hone 
machine is well represented in the engraving 
herewith. Wood’s Reaper, ond also his com¬ 
bined Reaper and Mower, both celebrated 
machines, are also included in our new Pre¬ 
mium List. 
WAITER A. WOOD S IMPROVED SEIF-BARE REAPER. 
Wat.ter A. Wood wa$ one of the earliest 
pioneers in the introduction of the Self-Rake 
as an important improvement over the ardu¬ 
ous labor of raking off by band, and in the 
saving of crops. The “ Wood ” has steadily 
increased in sale and popularity—attesting 
the correctness of Its principles. It has stood 
the test of years, has been subject to the 
most severe and trying use under all condi¬ 
tions of crops and surface—tests thoroughly 
calculated to develop its excellences or to 
reveal its defect*. 
The Reaper being designed and adapted 
for reaping only-, and the Self Rake forming 
a component part of the Reaper itself, they 
form in one complete and symmetrical whole 
a S?lf-Raking Reaper, simple, durable and 
free from traps and complications. 
To make it a Mowing Machine, they fur¬ 
nish a. separate frame and gearing, finger- 
bar. and cutting apparatus complete / which 
is termed the.Mowing Attachment i, taking 
from the Reaper only the ground wheels, 
pole and seat, thus rendering the Mower an 
almost entirely separate and distinct ma¬ 
chine. 
WOOD’S NEW IRON FRAME TWO-HORSE MOWER 
water has been driven off from the fat ; and 
when the fat begins to boil or bubble, its 
heat will ho very high, 
Why in frying fish should the fat or oil bo 
made very hot before the fish arc put in ? 
Because, if the temperature ia low when 
the llsu is put into the frying-pan, it becomes 
sodden in the steam formed by its water; 
but if the oil bo very much heated, the water 
will bo at once driven off, and the fish nicely 
browned. 
Why should fish or meat that is being fried 
be frequently turned ? 
Because the turning a ssists the evaporation 
of the water. When the fish or meat is 
allowed to lie too long, steam is generated 
under it, and the suhstunce becomes sodden ; 
and the moment the steam is driven off the 
surface catcho3 to the hot pan, and becomes 
burnt and broken. 
V hy is broiled meat so juicy and savory ? 
Because the action of the fire, hardening 
its surface, seals up the pores through which 
the juice might escape. 
■Apply warm as can he borne easily with a 
soft, linty piece of linen rag. Three or four 
applications arc sufficient to effect a cure. 
If the poison is on the face and nearing the 
eyes or mouth, this astringent wash may bo 
constantly applied. 
It is a marvelous cure, and by watching 
closely one can see. the fevered blisters turn 
from white to yellow during the application. 
This remedy for ivy poison should prevent a 
great, deal of suffering, lb is well where a 
member of ft family is easily poisoned to keep 
sugar of lead in the house all the time. Let 
it bo labeled and kept where it can be found 
the moment it is wanted. Keep it well 
wrapped up that, it may not lose its strength. 
—Cor. Ohio Farmer . 
WHAT SHALL WE HAVE FOR DESSERT 1 
Let mo suggest to your readers a few ways 
of varying the dessert at dinner—changes 
from the inevitable pic. They may not he 
new, yet I never sec them at any table save 
our own : 
Make a dough as for biscuit; roll thin and 
spread with currants, cheiTies, or any kind 
of berries. Roll it up like jelly cake and 
steam it till done. To be eaten with sweet¬ 
ened cream. 
Another is To one pint of sour milk add 
one teaspaonful of soda, flour to make a 
batter, and a handful of dried cherries or 
currants. Pour into a basin and steam until 
done. To b© eaten with sweetened cream. 
Instead of sweetened cream for the above 
pudding, a sauce made of half a pint of 
wine, half a cup of sugar, one tablespoonful 
of butter boiled and thickened with a little 
flour, might be used. Cider Is a very good 
substitute for the wine. Or instead of the 
sauce, a sirup of sugar and water Ivvinu ;= 
STOP COUGHING, 
In one of his Boston lectures, Dr. Brown- 
Saquard gives the following simple means for 
checking coughing, sneezing, etc. ^“Cough¬ 
ing can be stopped by pressing on the nerves 
of the lip in the neighborhood of the nose. A 
pressure there may prevent a cough whon 
it is beginning. Sneezing may be stopped by 
the same mechanism. Pressing, also, in the 
neighborhood of the ear, right in front of tho 
car, may stop coughing. It is so, also, of 
hiccough, hut much less so than for sneezing 
or coughing. Pressing very hard on the top 
of the mouth, inside, is also a means of stop¬ 
ping coughing. And T may «ay that the will 
has immense power there. There was a 
French soldier who used to say, whenever he 
entered the wards of his hospital., ‘Tho first 
patient who coughs here will be deprived of 
food to-day.’ It was exceedingly rare, that 
a patient coughed then.” 
It acts in tho same 
way that the sudden dip into boiling water 
do<i3 upon joints of meat, but more effectu¬ 
ally. To turn broiling meut, never use a fork, 
hut tongs; a fork opens an escape for the 
juice, and wastes the best part of the meat. 
Why is cabbage rcndei’ed more wholesome 
and nutritious by being boiled in tws waters ; 
Because (according to Dr. Parts) cabbages 
contain an essential oil, which is apt to pro- 
duce bad effects; and he recommends that 
they should be toiled in two successive 
waters, till they are soft and digestible. 
SELECTED RECIPES, 
Bullock's Liver .—Cut the liver in scores 
and salt it with 3 lb. of sail for a foi‘tuight, 
then let it drain dry for three days, then 
well nib in 2 oz. of several kinds of spice ac¬ 
cording to your judgment, and all sorts of 
sweet herbs chopped very fine ; also a good 
Seasoning of onions and shalots, Then hang 
it in a dry cellar for a time, and then put it 
in a bag for use. A small piece is sufficient 
to make gravy for hares, ducks, &e. It will 
keep many monlhs and be useful to use in 
tho summer. 
Graham Bread. —Bread of whole grain, or 
as more frequently termed, “ Graham bread,” 
is made with much less labor than that from 
the bolted (lour. Set the sponge In the or¬ 
dinary way ; when it is light stir in more 
flour; let it rise ; then, with as little knead¬ 
ing as will answer the purpose, make tho 
loaves, and when they are light bake in a 
CAMPHOR MEDICATION 
Camphor is a poison, and yet it is largely 
used by many families for alleviating pain 
and curing sores, ft is a nervous irritant. 
If taken in small doses, it acts like alcohol 
and opium. Tn large quantities, it excites 
the nervous system even to the extent of 
camphor spasms and death. Camphor also 
acts as an irritant on the mucous membrane 
of the stomach, leading to constipation and 
ulceration. On these accounts it should not 
be used without the advice of a physician. 
Families easily get into the habit of running 
to tho camphor bottle for every trifling ail¬ 
ment, until after a whilo insidious maladies 
break otit whoso origin is little suspected. 
—Journal of Health. 
A >0N8 WHY IN COOKING. 
TV"7” . 
r does boiling fast render meat hard ? 
because the excessive action of tiio heat 
<Nntses the albumen of the meat to set solid, 
'crisps up the fleshy fibers, and provents huat 
having a gradual access to the interior. 
V\ r hy, when good soup or broth is required, 
should the meat be put, into cold water i 
Because, as the heat is developed very 
gradually, there occurs an intermixture be¬ 
tween the juices of the flesh and the external 
matter. The soluble and savory parts of tho 
meat escape and enrich the soup. 
Corn-Husking Machine,— Will you [ lease 
answer me through your valuable paper 
whether there is such a thing in existence as 
a corn-husking machine i If I hero j’b, how 
much cun be done with them in a day ? Do 
they do tho work well, and what is the price 
of one?—E, P. Marqeardson. 
We have seen corn-husking machines that 
seemed to do the work well. But of tlieir 
capacity and price we can give no informa¬ 
tion. 
