National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-12-01
Farm, Garden and Household.

To KEEP KNIVES FROM RUSHING
Scour them on "A board, crosswise, with
some dry brick, after having wiped them
perfectly dry, and put them away with
out wiping off the brick dust
To CLEANSE THE INSIDE on JARS. -
Fill them with hot water and stir in a
spoonful or more of pearlash empty
them in an hour, and if not perfectly
clean, fill again and let them stand few
hours. For large vessels I've may be
used
ONIONS Remove the outer skin of
small onions boil them until half done
in sailed water while hot drop them
into jar of pepper-spiced vinegar. An
other way Soak them for three days in
brine then scald them in milk and
water drain, lay them in jar and pour
over cold vinegar, scalded spices and a
little alum cover closely
CoMposr FOR THE GARDEN.-An old
gentleman who takes great delight in his
garden, writes that he has three com
posts heaps" one near the house. one
near the garden, and one near the lot
begin with weeds and pea-vines, swill,
house-slops, etc, and end with leaves,
coal ashes, and cleanings of the hen
house and / make as much manure rs
some farmers with all their stock
Chow CHOW Two quarts of green
tomatoes, two quarts of white onions,
one dozen green peppers, one dozen
green cucumbers, one large head of
cabbage chop fine. Season with mus
tard and celery seed to suit the taste.
Cover with the best cider vinegar. Boil
two hours slowly, stirring continually.
add two tablespoonsfuls of salad oil.
Cover tight and keep in cool place.
The TEMPERATURE OF OELLARs.-It is
important that the temperature of Gel
lars in which roots are stored be kept
sufficiently low. A little below the
freezing point is right for them. If much
warmer, early potatoes, onions, and tur
nips will sprout and become damaged.
No place on the farm needs to have a
thermometer kept there more than the
root cellar; and constant attention should
be given to maintain an equal and pro-
per temperature.
FArTENING AND FEEDING ANNALS
The hunter knows that long before the
cold weather sets in, bears, deers, bea-
vers, muskrats, and birds are all fat, and
have not only their winter coat on their
backs, but are well lined inside, rs pro-
lection against the cold. If we would
learn lesson from this, we would hurry
up our fat stock while they would natur.
ally gain most rapidly, and get our stock,
generally, into good condition and
shelter them well now, before the ex-
IRENE cold makes irreparable draughts
on their system The rule of the far
mer should be, like that of good bust
ness man, to lave means on hand to
meet all drafts before they are due.
How TO KEEP HORSE QUIET WHO
KICKS IN THE NIGHT. This most annoy
ing habit, which often produces I'M
slightly swellings on the hooks, besides
more serious injuries, is frequently the
result of nervousness and ennui, and
not of vicious propensities. 1t is
form Of hysteria of the limbs, to which
others besides horses are subject. I'm
fortunately the same simple means of
cure so efficacious i'll the horse are not
so applicable to the human animal. To
cure this disagreeable habit in the horse
all that is required is to attach round
ball of wood weighing about two
pounds, to the hind fetlock of the limb
most commonly employed in this pas
time, by means of "A strap two and half
or three feet long. Whenever he lifts
his foot to kick blow from the ball at
once administers correction for the
fault he is about to commit, and in a
short time he gives up his bad habit.
This plan has proved every successful
SPECIFIC GRAVITY lest FOR POTATOES.
1T is generally known that the value of
potatoes depends upon their specific |
gravity, and that the heavier the potatoe
the greater amount of heterogeneous matter
it contains. This has suggested the idea
of convenient test by which the excel |
lence of different varieties can readily be
determined and consists in the use of
saline solutions of different degrees of
strength. If, assuming one variety as
standard, we make a solution of such
strength that the potato will float about |
at the middle of the mass, neither falling
to the bottom nor rising to the surface, |
and apply the same test to other potatoes,
We may conclude that if one falls to the
bottom it is better, or if it rises to the |
top it is poorer, than the standard. A
series of standards has been suggested,
therefore, by DR. Neslee, of definite per
centages of salt and water, thus produc-
ng sliding scale applicable under any
circumstances for the test in question.