Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-12-28
Kbe Stam,rto,r Dtnbieatoa.
FARM AND PRESIDE.

"A TIMELY RECIPE.-The following is
Col. Ficklin's celebrated recipe for curing
hams, which will be of interest to our coun-
try readers just now:
Select well fatted pork, that has hung up
to cool we'll one night. Round the hams
short or lengthy according to size and
wished for weight in hams !; trim smooth,
avoiding gashes in the flesh take off the
feet at the bottom joint below the knees
with the heel of knife, and the bone too,
from each ham that connected them. and
salt quite eighty one or two days to draw
out what blood it may. To each one hum
dred pounds of ham, use eight to ten pounds
OF salt, two ounces saltpetre, two pounds
brown sugar, one ounce red pepper, dis
solved and mixed in tubs with of about
four to five gallons water and poured over
the hams packed in a tight barrel or hogs
head intending just to cover the hams and
chimes and shoulders that there may be
room for if desired. To be sure the brine
is strong enough, as a test, it should float
fresh egg. After four to six weeks in
brine, hang by the skin at the end of the
leg, and smoke gently several weeks with
green hickory or other wood till dry and
colored to suit the fancy and of light
brown, and before any balmy days in
March that flies may start, wrap each ham
in a newspaper and have bag for each
made from any coarse bags, and deep and
narrow enough to put each in, hook end
downwards and erect, resting mainly on
the ends, and the bags and strings should
last an age. With Irvine some fifteen inch
es, and with the ends tied to form double,
and thus loop around the mouth of the
bag, and hang the loop over nail to wait
to August and September to become bacon,
and for a year more it should be all that
may be wished greater age is no improve
ment to arrive at. Hams cured in this
way with care will bring several cents over
common and Western cured, and be sought
for by epicures and judges of good bacon.
How TO MAKE BUCKWHEAT CAKES. -
The season for buckwheat cakes is upon
US, and our experience is that the finest
and tenderest cakes can be made by adding
IL
the buckwheat. Less than quarter will
do. Mix with cold sour mil, vi fresh mot
sweet milk, which is best. The
soda-emptyings are dispensed With-when
put into cold water will not act satisfac-
torily. Bake at once. The heat will start
the efferv escence, and as the paste rises it
will bake, thus preventing it from falling.
Hence the eliminating point Of lightness
is attained. The batter rises snowy and
beautiful, and the pancakes will swell to
almost undue dimensions, absolutely the
hghtest and tenderest that can be baked,
with not a touch of acid. More salt, howev-
er, must be added than usual, to counteract
the too fresh taste, when soda alone is used.
Thus the bother of emptyings is all dis
pensed with. Pancakes in this way can be
baked at any time, and on the shortest no.
tice. We keep our flour mixed, the graham
with the buckwheat, ready for use.
TURN1Ps FOR HOG CHoLERA.-The st,
Louis "Times" states that Major John S.
Mellon, of Missouri. has filed his claim for
the $4,000 offered by that State for rem
edy against the hog cholera. He claims
that he has tested the value of feeding tur-
nips to hogs affected with that disease, and
with him it has proven successful in every
instance. He selected hogs affected with
the disease and penned them away from
all others, feeding them nothing but tur-
nips, and though before they were dying
rapidly, every one thus treated at once cot
well.
One wealthy farmer in Howard county.
Mo-, the Major says, had thirty. eight hogs
afflicted with cholera. He was advised of
the turnip cure, but placed no faith in it.
However, he concluded to give it a trial.
and, selecting one of the worst affected
hogs, he put it in the pen alone and fed it
turnips. The result was the hog recover
ed and all the rest died. Major Mellon
states that unless hog is too far gone to
eat, the turnips will cure him. The rem
edy is cheap one and easily procured,
and it can do no harm to give it fair
trial.
LOVELY FERN PICTURES may be made
by covering piece of board of the reoui-
site size (say ten by IS inches) with black
stretched smooth, and tackled Oh
the back with very small tacks. Then al
range your fern in group, mixing white,
yellow and green ones in graceful contrast,
and leaving margin all around of at least
two inches. The ferns can be gummed to
the velveteen, with drop of gum here and
there, sufficient to hold them in place. A
couple of little screw eyes On the back will
enable you to hang your pictures, and they
will surprise you by their effect.
PASTRY FOR MINCE PIE.-One cupfu1
ard, two cupsful flour, one half cupful ice
water, pinch Of salt; use knife to cut
5he lard through the flour until fine; then
add the water and mix with the knife I'M
Ill no flour remains in the bowl. Roll in A.
sheet and place small bits of butter over.
lust well; fold up, and repeat the process
;wice, using half cupful of butter. Roll
The CT ust thin; have quick oven; it will
Use in fakes
CURE FOR CRoUP.-Crop can be cured
n one minute. and the remedy is simply
alum and sugar. The way to accomplish
he deed is to take knife Or a CRATER and
shave off in small particles about a tea
spoonful Of alum; then mix it with twice
is quantity Of sugar, to make it palatable.
md administer it as quick as possible. AL
most instant relief will follow.
IARD-The fat should he nicked off ,e