1 Juyz, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 493 
the pickles, or the latter will be insipid. Never use raw vinegar—it becomes 
ropy and does not keep well. Bits of horse-radish will assist in preserving the 
life of the vinegar. A little mustard seed is an improvement to the various 
chopped pickles and mangoes, but must be used sparingly. Ginger is the most 
wholesome of the spices commonly used in pickling; cloves are the strongest, 
mace next, then allspice and cinnamon. A. good rule for spicing is to allow a 
level teaspoonful of whole black pepper, the same of allspice, a tablespoonful 
of stick cinnamon broken into bits, half-a-teaspoonful of cloves, mustard seed, 
or horse-radish, and a small piece of ginger root to one quart of pickles. 
Garden peppers may be used instead of black peppers, in the proportion of two 
rings of green and one of red (no seeds) to one quart of pickle. Many persons 
prefer to boil the spices of whatever kind in the vinegar. A dry wooden spoon 
should be the only instrument used in handling pickles, either in making or 
when in the jars. The colour of cucumber pickles may be retained by steeping 
grape leaves, or those of cabbage, spinach, or parsley in. the vinegar, through 
which the colour will be imparted to the pickles. In putting away pickles, never 
use jars or other vessels which have held grease of any sort, and be very careful 
to store them in a cool, dry place. Although most housewives in these days put 
up their cucumber pickles after the process described in cook books as 
bottling,” some still cling to the old way of putting them in the brine, and 
freshening when needed. When this last method is used, an_oaken tub or cask 
should be provided; the brine should be strong enough to bear up an egg; a 
heaping pint of salt to one gallon of water is a good proportion ; the pickles 
must always be kept well under the brine. In case it is desired to keep a long 
time before using, it is better to use even more salt, freshening before using, in 
weak vinegar. All such vegetables as cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, and the 
like, when used for pickling, should be perfectly fresh and crisp, and should 
stand at least over night in brine that will bear an egg, then drained on a sieve 
and pressed within a dry cloth before proceeding to the next step of adding 
vinegar and spices. 
TO ASCERTAIN THE CARRYING POWER OF A HORSE. 
Verermnary Major I. Smith, M.R.C.V.S., says:—The mean ratio of carrying 
power to body weight ix 1: 5°757, that is to say, it takes, speaking roughly, 
54 1b. of body weight to carry 1 Ib. on the back during severe exertion (racing 
excepted). The rule therefore for ascertaining the carrying power of a horse 
is to divide his body weight by 5°757, and, if intended for only moderate 
work, add to the product 28 Ib. It has to be noted that the observations were 
made upon military horses, and it is doubtful if it would work out so accurately 
if applied to all horses used for the saddle. 
THE LABOUR EQUIVALENT OF A FAT BULLOCK. 
A New Zealand farmer sends to the Standard a curious comparison of the 
labour equivalent of a fat bullock in England and New Zealand respectively. 
Supposing the dead weight of the bullock to be 709 Ib., it could be sold at fully 
6d. per Ib. in England, or £17 10s. in all, paying 2s. Gd.a day toa labourer for 
140 days; while in New Zealand it would be sold at 16s. per 100 Ib., or £5 12s., 
sufficient to pay the current wages for a farm labourer for only eighteen and 
a-half days, while a dinner in addition would have to provided daily for the 
colonial workman. 
HOW TO SHARPEN A SCYTHE. 
‘Tire almost universal use of mowing machines has left so little use for the old 
mowing scythe, that the proper method of grinding it is almost a lost art. Jn 
‘grinding a seythe, always hold the edge towards you, with the point nearest you, 
and the heel farthest away, xo that the stone will grind across the blade at, an 
angle of about 45 degrees. This makes a serrated edge, with the points 
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