Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-02-21


judgment, and then, quite likely, it will be years
before he will make money by stall -feeding.-
Agriculturist.
Ice HoUsEs.-Farmers generally seem to
think that ice houses for their use are entirely
superAuous. They proceed on life's journey as
though the luxuries Of this world were designed
only for the more wealthy class of people
those who did not have to work for living.
This sentiment, however, is fast dying out; and
the day is coming when the farmers dinner la
bic will be served with the juggling of ice Jumps
to cool their water, as well as the tables Of other
people.
But the question asked by many is, "Does it
pay"
Never mind whether it "pays" or not in dol |
lars and cents unless you are prepared to ig- |
more all the comforts and enjoyments of life,
| not absolutely necessary to sustain life. But it |
does pay. The cost of building house is but
| q trihe, and the ice can be cut by farmers and
hauled in, when little or no work is on hand
The cheapest way to construct an ice-house
| is to erect it upon the surface of the ground.
| All that is necessary is to make a cheap room
about twelve feet square and eight feet high.
Use the cheapest boards that can be obtained,
and leave open spaces at the roof to allow the
heated air to escape in summer. Then cut the
ice in oblong pieces as long as can be handled,
and pack in solid, leaving twelve to eighteen
inches space all round between the ice and the
sides of the house. When the room is filed,
! fill up.the sides with sawdust, and cover the
top foot deep, then close the door and the job
is complete.
1t is necessary to lay down scantng or bill
lets of wood upon the ground, in order to al
low space for the water to run off, as the ice
may melt Other, and more costly houses
should be built when their owners feel able to
go to the necessary expense. Stone or brick
may be used to good advantages and in such
case we recommend double wall, with the
opening in the centre filled with tan or saw
dust
, Many people prefer to cover their ice with
; hay or straw, as aw-dust will sometimes heat
when in thick masses, and melt the ice. Ours
served us in that way last season, and we lost
the most of our ice. But we are inclined to
think that we used too much saw-dust, as it is
generally used to cover the ice with good sue
cess.
We hope that our readers will reflect cooHy
on this ice question, at least as it is a subject
that will not bear lodIm discussion.
!, In regard to using a little of your boarded
7 cash-vou who have ito obtain other cheap
!, luxuries, we will merely say that you cannot
5 carry your money with you beyond the grave,
:, and you may well enjoy the proper use of it
), now as to leave it for those to spend who will
> only perhaps quarrel over the inheritance left
! to them while the only real love and esteem in
= which your memory after death will be held by
. them will consist in cureses because you did
:, not shove off your "mora coil" before the time
= appointed for you TO die.-RWdt american.
COOKING PoTAToES.-Th are, at least, a
V half dozen different methods of serving up
potatoes, all exceedingly paatable, if cooked in
r proper manner, and put on the table at the
n proper time. There are but few cooks or house
l. keepers, however, who know how to cook this
popular vegetable. A potato, to be boiled and
r come on the table right should be washed clean
l. and put into the pot after the water is at the
h boiling point. AS soon as they are soft enough
l. for a fork to be easily thrust through them
IL throw in a little cold water to stop their boiling
d Let them remain minute or two, then pour of
'e all the water. Keep the pot over slow fire
lie with the cover half removed, until the steam
lie has evaporated. Then quickly peel them ant
id put them on the table as warm as possible in ar
open dish. A covered dish is not good for po
lie tatoes, as it makes them soft or watery. Fol
i'll boiling, potatoes should be as nearly the SAINT
Mt size as possible, otherwise some will cook toe
re much before the others are done. Very few
DC kinds Of potatoes are good for baking. Thir
We skinned potatoes are usually the best.-Sdra
er tOga Farmer.
S To BAKE potato well, it should be WASHED
ly many people prefer the skin to the inside, if no
=, black burnt,) wipe them perfectly dry. and pu
1d them into the stove qerit is up to baking heat
II They should be baked until soft, when, if prick
Ell ed with the fork, they will make a report like
is pistol. They should always come on the tabl
lS hot and never remain in the oven after they ar
or baked.
ny CURING HAMs.-Take a barrel and turn
up over an old pan or kettle, and burn cobs o
MT hard wood for seven or eight days. keepin
I'm water on the head OF the barrel to prevent il
on drying. Make pickle as followe:-6 o. c
,st saltpetre, qts. Of molasses gallons of water
for each 100 lbs of ham. Boil and skim tn
,al pickle thus prepared Pack the ham in tn
* barrels, and when the pickle is cold pour it o
fat to the meat, and in four weeks it will be excel
. lent, very tender and well smoked.
zee A,,other.-Make a pickle as follows 30 pit,
=, of moasses, OF. of saltpctre, and gallons
he water for each 100 lbs of beef or ham. Do
es' these over gentle fire, and skim off the sour
M as it rises. Pack hams with the shank en
II downward, and when the pickle is cool pour
me over them or the beef. They will require to la
nd in the pickle from two to six weeks, accordin
or to the size of the pieces and the state of tn
oG weather-as they require to lay in the pick
nj longer ii the weather is cold.
, New England Farmer
"a FATTENING TURKEYs.-A writer in the Ge
ed mantown telegraph furnishes that journal wit
as the following statement Much has been pull
ry lished Of late in agricultural jourpals in IT
ny lation to the alimentary properties of charcoal
m 1t has been repeatedly asserted that domest
en- fowls may be fattened on it without any othC
lat food, and that too in a shorter time than q
the most nutritiye grains. | made an exper
m ment, and must say that the result surprise
it. me, as | had always been rather skeptical-
Ter -Four turkeys were confined in pen and fed o
he meal, boiled potatoes and oats. -Four others
nct the same brood were also at the same tin
he put in another pen, and fed daily upon Il
Ike same articles, but with one pint of finely pu
We verified charcoal mixed with their meal and p,
ng tatoes. They also had plentiful supply
a broken charcoal in their pen. The eight WEI
lot killed on the same day, when there was di
m ference of one and half pounds each in fave
OK of the fowls which had been supplied with Il
ed charcoal, they being much the latest, and Il
ue meat greatly superior in point of tenderness ar