Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-11-09
Farm, Garden and Household.

Farm, Garden and Household.
NANTUCKET Corn CAKES. To one pint
of boiling milk, stir in one coffee cup of
white Indian meal; when cool add three
eggs, beaten separately, a little salt
bake in small tins.
HARNESS BLEACHING. Three ounces of
beeswax, four ounces ivory black, one
pint neatsfoot oil, two ounces CASTLE
soap, two ounces lard, one ounce aloes;
to be boiled together, and podred into
hollow vessel.
KEEPING HoNEY.-To keep honey all
the year round, let it 1un through a fine
sieve to separate it from particles of wax,
then boil it gently in an earthern vessel,
skim off the foam which gathers on top,
and cool it in jars. After covering these
tightly, set them away in cool cellar.
CRACKS IN P1AsrERrG.-In some cases
the plNsterer has used too little real plas-
ter and too much lime Pure plaster of
Paris will never crack but as it sets too
quick for the convenience of the operator
q little lime is mixed with it. If YOU try
to plaster with pure lime alone, it will
crack all over in drying, and come off in
patches and this will showyou the ne
cessity of always using as little lime as
possible, either in the sand used for
briclilaying, Or in the plaster used for
coating the walls.
WATERING PLANTS. -Let it be remem-
bered that nearly all plants thrive best
in moist, not in wet soil. We think
that most house plants are wet too much
Never pour water in the saucers, but
into the pots, and then never until the
surface is dry. The saucers may be
used for neatness, but not for holding
water. Rain water is the best hard
well water the worst The morning is
the best time to apply the water. Always
use fine sprinkler.
WASHING FLUID.-Five pounds of sal
soda; one pound of borax one-half
pound Of unslacked lime, must be fresh
four ounces of liquid ammonia. Pour
one gallon of boiling water upon the
soda and boraX, when it is dissolved and
has cooled, add the ammonia and salts
of tarter Slack the lime in one gallen
OF hot water, and let it stand till entirely
settled when the clear fluid must be
carefully poured of. Turn it upon the
solution of soda and borax, and add to
the mixture eight gallons of cold water.
Put the clothes to soak the night before
washing day, with six tablespoonful of
this fluid to a tub full of clothes.
PREPARING Fowls FOR EXHIBITION
An allowance of hemp-seed and buck
wheat for a fortnight, is recommended
by fanciers, to produce gloss upon the
plumage Of birds designed for the show
room. But fine luster of the feathers
depends more upon the general health
than upon anything else. Liberty and
range where there are but few fowls,
and diet embracing cooked vegetables
and meat and variety OF odds and ends
from the table, in addition to the insects
and heritage they gather for themselves
are indispensable from the time of hatch
ing until the show, if it is desired tc
have the plumage exhibit a nice bloom
Hearth and Home.
PREPARATION OF CARMINE. PURPLE
The dye recently invented, and known az
carmine. purple, is obtained by the solrl
ton of uric acid in nitric acid, care being
taken to prevent boiling over and too
great an increase of temperature. The
mixture should remain standing quietly
for some days, after which thick, past,
or doughty substance is obtained, which
is to be treated with warm water, filtered
and the residum again treated with warn
water. The filtered liquid possesses
reddish or yellowish color, decomposeC
by the nitric acid. This liquid is now
mixture of alloxan, alloxantin, urea
paraban acid, dialuramid, and other pro
ducts Of uric acid. 1t is next to b
evaporated in large enameled iron yes
sci, but not heated to the boiling point
which would destroy the murexide pre-
duced. After the liquid has been evapc
rated to n sirupy consistency, and ha
assumed q beautiful brownish-red o
violet color, it is to be allowed to COO
The entire quantity of the liquid shout
never be evaporated at one time, nc
heated to the boiling point.
LEAKY Soils.-Are any soils leaky, i
the sense in which the word is general
understood We do not believe i
The writer owns and works farm thi
was said to be leaky, had no bottom
would not hold any manure, and all tina
Not thus understanding the nature of q
arabic soil, though it might happen
be underlaid with gravel, we had no fe'
of our leaky farm not responding to
proper feeding with manure and grown
fat on it, We have suffered no disa
pointment in our case, and do not doul
that others similarly situated will equal
escape disappointment. A leaky far
is one that has the advantage Of beir
naturally drained for it will not no
water, but everything held in suspense
and almost everything held in solutit
by that water will be given up to Il
soil as it passes through it. Pure sal
will filter and render clear the foule
water and agricultural clay will abso
bad odors and deeompose chemical sol
tons. Then mixture OF clay and sal
must absorb the soluble parts OF manu-
and prevent the finely divided particl
from passing through it to the subso
AT least such is our belief, and our {
perience confirms it. We have no fe
Of leaky soil. We know many farmt
who prefer soil that has the charact,
istics of those that are called leaky tt
heavy clay that is beyond suspicion
this respect. Ease of working, qui
recovery from state Of wet, warmt
and generally earliness, are valual
qualities of a farm, and all these pertt
to soils that are called leaky.
A coxcomb having told lady that
knew her thoughts by her eyes, {"
Vol, 2" said she "then I'm sure y