The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-06-17
NO.. 40.
Farm and Household.
How to Dry Figs.

in jacksonville, DR.. Il. II. Mason.
who has had many years. experience"
in the business, communicated the
following process for drying figs and
them for market. As figs
grow in Louisiana in the greatest
abundance; and IA there are thou.
sands Of bushels Of this delicious
fruit annually lost from ignorance as
to this preparation so that they will
keep, DR.. Mason's process should M
given trial by all means during tho
coming season:
The preparation Of tho 6g for mar
ket is so simple that any family hav-
ing the trees may succeed. They re-
quire no sugar Of syrup-as the fruit
dries it forms Its own sugar. The
greatest amount of labor and tron-
bic is in gathering; if picked by
hand it will be found tedious pro-
cess. The best plan is to hold sheet
under the. trees, then shake the limbs
hard enough to make the ripe fruit
fall. Do not place the sheet upon
the ground, as tho ripe figs will burst
open and I've ruined for drying: Pre-
pare 4 bath of strong lye, made from
potash, such as will swim an egg;
have this boiling hot; put the figs in Z"
basket and dip in the lye for t'eo
minutes, then dip them in clear VA
ter; let them dip short time and
they are ready for drying. Tie rea-
son why they arc placed in tho boiling
lyc is to destroy the acrid gum in the
skin, and to destroy the color of the
purple fig. If dried in the open air,
hurdles should be made with narrow
Stats, upon which to place the fruit.
Keep them in tho sunshine as much
rs possible to facilitate rapid drying
The second day you can tlatten the
figs by pressing them with the hands.
The hurdles with the fruit on them
must he placed under shelter at night,
or when it rams. The objection to
drying in the open mir is, that a fly
lays its egg in the fruit, and in q
short time they l~c"me wormy; this
can be obviatel Ivy heating them in
an oven or stove, just hot enough tn
destroy the vitality Of the egg, bnt
not enough to candy the fruit.
1t requires little practice to know
when the fruit is dry enough
they should bc soft enough to pack
close in boz will. moderate pressure !
keep better when packed close and
arc trecr from the attack of insects.
The boxes should contain from ten
to fifteen pounds, as IN masses of this
size they are not likely to become Dry
and insipil. In making the boxes,
use oak, cypress "r gum, but do not
use pine, rs 1t will impart tnrpen'
tine taste to the fig.
Bleaching Cotton.--It is a we'll CO.
tablisI,ed fact that cotton cloth that
| is bleacl,ed Ivy chemical process bc-
fore it goes into market does not
wear as we'll as that which is un'
bleacl,e,l, and is very liable in time
to tu,n yellow /; also 1t is very mucl'
harder to sew upon 1t. have fol
some years rast used the unbleached
tin preference. Sheets and pillow
cases can be made up far quicker he
fore cotton has been wet, and allow
aucc can be made for shrinking In
deed, any garment eau oe made i
this item is borne in mind. Make
!, GOOD suds Of soft water aud lye soap
Il YOU have it; put tho cotton clo,l
, in cold su(ls, and bring it TO a boil
r then take the cloth or garment Oni
b and when cool spread out Oh tn
= snow or grass. Have a tub of sud
4 close by 50 as to dip the goods il
!, once each day. In three days the.
will I've blcache,l to y snow Wilderness
and keep white till worn out. Til
J.. is the way our gandmotl'ers bleach
ed their marvellous webs Of linen aO
u damask, and it is too good Il practh
} to be forgotten, or 90 out Of "s'
: When the applc.trccs are in b|o"s
l.. sprcal out garments that have turn
ed yellow, after boiling in snds, an
they will he eleanscd white ~ sno,
>, Country Gentleman.
IS Cabbage Salad.--I small cabbal
!, or l q large one, cup Of vinegar,
|. !, teaspoonfnls salt, Of pepper, !
~ mustard d, 6 tablespoonful sweet Mi!
= 2 tablesloontaIs melted butter, eg|
N A little sugar may 10 added hy'
~ like it. Chop the cabbage five. al
III scaM with the vinegar aud spice
40 add The milk md eggs last, and cf'
e. MI to = boil, though do not let It bo
~ Servo hot or cold.
Col;e IN Horses or Mulcs.-Civ'
to tablespoonful of pnlvcrize'l nux YOU
~. "a in mint VI whisky or any spiri
on and relief will follow in a half III
he or even sM,ner. Ii NOT relieved
lir neat tho dose, but tho second IS IA
Y necessary.
EGG Balls.-Boil ftc fresh e
.ry ante hard, and lay them in cold
zen ter to get cold. Take tho y"!ks
i a and pound them smoothly with
ing beaten yolk Of one fresh cgg; p'
Mt little cayenne and salt, roll the "
,rt tu,p into very small balls and
,tly them for two minutes. HALF
uks cupfnl Of -four can be worked ~ Y
Gus the eggs.
,es, To Make SnowIlakes.--Dir n!
ict. Of cotton wool, the size "f s,.o" NJ!
OF into weak gum water Dust u
ran over with glass powder. These I'll!
tive arc pretty for o'na'reotat'on Of
"" kinds.
Padding Sauce.--Takc the III
:, If two eggs, well beaten add to I
10th the Juice Of one lemon, with the
Kept created aud four Tablespoonful
rty.. boiling milk. Stir 10 one t1blesp
Of FIJI Of pulvc'ized sugar.