Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-09-22
AGRICULTURAL.
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.


using uEslacked lime finely powdered, rub
the knife until all the rust has disappeared.
To KEEP KNIVES FROM RUsEINGA.-A After
the knives are washed, place the blades in
a dipper of hot soap-suds and scour them
while hot; wipe them dry after securing,
without washing again, and keep them In
dry place.
CARBoLIo ACID, that wonderful cure-aH
for sores, buns and numerous other all
ments, should have place in every family
medicine closet. 1t is also good disin-
fectant, and isa sure destroyer Of the pest
of housekeepers- -bed-bugs and 1ies. All
who would have clean beds in the spring
must see that they are kept clean in the
fall.
The Savannah Republican of the 2d
says: "The largest and handsomest piece
of petrifed oak which We have ever seen
was shown rs by DIR. Dupon, ct lfis resi-,
dence on the Isle of Hope, a few days ago.
The piece referred to is about two feet in
length and ten inches in diameter, and re-
sembles large piece of flint. This curl.
osity was fished up in ST. Helena Sound,
and it is the intention of the Doctor 20
present it 10 the Georgia Historical So
ciety."
PICKLEs.-Pick each morning, and put
into weak brine, allowing them 10 remain
three or four days, or long enough to be-
come sufficiently salt for use, putting in
mustard pods and horse radish lelves to
keep them green. Then take cut and
drain, and cover with good vinegar for a
week, at which time take out again and
drain, and put into fresh vinegar, adding
mustard seed, ginger root, cloves, pepper,
and red pepper pods-about one or two
ounces each TO the barrel, or to suit the
taste. The pickle win be nice and britt G.
and pass muster at any table. Put on the
vinegar cold, and add tho spices as desir-
ed bat the vinegar must be changed once,
as the large amount of water in the cucum-
bers so reduces the VINEGAR that this
change is absolutely necessary and if
they should lose their sharp taste, just add
a little moiasses or spirits, and they will
be right again. They are always ready for
use, and will keep well.
GAD-FLY AND SHEEP. To prevent the At
tacks OF this most annoying insect the no.
SOS of the sheep must besmeared with pine
tar. This is done either by catching each
sheep and applying the tar with brush
or swab, or by putting the.tar in the bot
tom of feeding troughs, or on a board and
covering Il thinly with salt IT tine sheep
have been refused salt for week or ten
days, they viii, in their eagerness and
hunger, get their noses into the tar before
they are conscious of the trick. Blackjack
saws: ssThe gad-hy deposits its eggs on
the margin OF the nostril in autumn; these
are soon hatched, and tho larvae immedi-
ately find their way M the interior Of tho
nose, till they arrive Mt the frontal sinus.
Here they remain until the following
spring, when they quit, burrow IN the
earth for short season, then emerge
winged insects, ready 10 enter upon tho
career of torment 50 ably gone through by
their predecessor"
CooKING TOMATOES. Es.-The tomato Is
vegetable that is difficult to spoil, and IS
generally acceptable. even when rudelY
cooked. Ii is capable of 50 rauch change
IN the cooking rs to afford pleasing vari-
ETY.. One way Of stewjng tomatoes is 10
choose very ripe ones, skin aud slice, re-
jecting any hard parts. Put IN pan with
salt, butter and pepper, and cook very
siightly-not more than ten minutes. An
other way Is TO stew the tomato until
thoroughly soft, rub them through a seiye.
and then cook them down 10 tho desired
thickness. Butter, salt and pepper are the
usual seasoning. Those fond Of the favor
of onions viii find the addition Of chopped
onions while cooking to make an excellent
variety. Baked tomatoes are fine. Choose
large fruit, ani cut ont cavity at the stem
end; fill this with q mixture OF powdered
crackers CT bread crumbs, butter, salt or
other seasoning, set on q pan and bake un-
n Il & 4 II u
toes retain their shape Tomatoes may be
broiled; cut them In halves crossWise, and
put them cut side down upon n grsdiron
over the fire. When the cut surface Is
scared, turn them and put butter, salt,
Nc, on each. and cook with the skin side
down until done.-AmericaR AgrictGt,rGl-
iS.
Preparing Hops for Market,
Aside from the importance of curing
hops properly, there is no branch OF the
culture IN which the grower should exer-
else moro care than in picking. AL foreign
substances. auch as leaves and stems,
should be kept from the hops Instead Of
stripping the hops of from the vines and
tendrils with the hands, as is too much the
custom, each hop should be picked off
separately when in clusters, thoy
should be separated. The advantages OF
clean picking were fully experienced in the
introduction and use OF foreign hops dur
ing the season OF 1861. The qualify and
favor OF the American hop fully equaled
that OF foreign; yet, by lack of clean pick
ing, our hops did not bring as high prices
by five cents per pound as the foreign.
The rule applies to any season, and hops,
in order to sell well, should be cleanly
IL - 4-.1
great many burrs and immature hops on
the vines ct the time OF harvest Great
care should be taken TO instruct pickers to
reject burrs and hops just starting, for by
mixing those with matured fruit, the value
of the stoct viii be much impaired.
CUBNG.--Nature may do her part well,
and the grower may have secured large
crop Of superior quality, yet, by his mex
perience in the art of curing the hops may
be ruined, either by over-dryipg or by not
drying enough. The hops, by being high
dried and scorched, lose their natural rich
fiaver and aroma, while those not suffi-
ciently dried are liable 10 heat in the bale
and become worthless.
The best time TO bale IS on q rainy day,
as the hops are more piiable and pack bet
ter. 1t is important that hops be put up
in the best possible shape. Shaggy, loose
packed, irregular shaped bales are almost
Invariably thrown out, and rejected by the
inspector. Many growers are apt 10 rely
too much on their own ingenuity in the
construction of hop-presses, paying too
little regard TO the proper dimensions and
shape of the bale produced. There would
be no objection to growers exercising their
inventive powers in the construction of
hop presses, were more regard TO good
shaped bales taken into consideration
Several patent presses, on the lever plan,
are in use, the cost ranging from $40 to
$50. Every grower who can afford 1t,
should have one Of these presses. II dis
tricts where but few hops are grown, il
would be good plan for growers TO club
together and share the expense Of patent
press. The several varieties OF patents in
use all turn out about the same sized bales.
viz: l2 feet In length, y feet wide, aud Is
inches thick. rt
Hops should be put up to weigh as near
200 pounds to the bale as possible. Slack
pressed, OK light bales do not sample or
-.I, .s, xroII &c those ,,rot,arfx, .,uf When