Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-21
FARM AND HOME.

| rub and rinse III cold water.
| The CARE OF PLANTs.-For the bene-
fit Of those who have dropping house
plants, | will suggest that the dirt should
be shaken from the roots, and then be
placed in fresh mold, a large quantity Of
which can be procured at any florists
for five or ten cents. The trouble in
many cases will be found to be the
angle-worm, which feed on the small
roots.
10 CURE CHILLs AND FEVER. - One
quart boiling water, one dram uuinine /:
put into a tumbler of the water, stir,
and it will look like milk add fifteen
Or twenty drops sulphuric acid pour
this into q quart bottle; two ounces
EPSON salts mixed with some of the
boiling water to be added to the first.
and two ounces essence peppermint /;
dose, two tablespoonful three times a
day before eating.
PASTRY FOR MINcE P1E.-One cupful
lard, two cupfuls flour, one-half cupful
ice-water, a pinch of salt use knife
to cut the lard through the flour until
fine then add the water and mix with
the knife until no flour remains in the
bowl. Roll in a sheet and place small
bits of butter over; dust well, fold up,
and repeat the process twice, using half
a cupfal of butter Roll the crust
thin have a quick oven it will rise in
cakes.
EXTRA MINCE PIE-Two pounds of
lean beef. boiled, and when cold chop
ped fine; one pound of beef suit
chopped very fine, five pounds of ap-
Piles, pared, cored, and chopped one
pound of sultana raisins, washed two
pounds of raisins, seeded and chopped );
two pounds Of currants, washed in sew
eral waters three-quarters of pound
of citron cut fine, two tablespoonful of
cinnamon, one grated nutmeg, two
tablespoonful of mace, one of ground
cloves, the same Of allspice and salt,
two and one-half pounds of brown
sugar, one quart of sweet cider, one
pint of best brandy; let it stand at least
twenty-four hours before making up in
pies. If the mince-meat made after
this recipe is kept in stone jars, we'll
covered up in a cool place, it will keep
all winter if it becomes dried out add
more liquor.
BLACK KNOTS IN Plum TREEs.-Noth-
ing can be done for black knots in plum
trees, says the Toronto Globe, but to cut
out the diseased parts, or the parts show
ing any kind of disease, and burn them.
If the trees are very badly affected burn
all of them. 1t will be of no use trying
to grow healthy plums if your neigh
bors have diseased trees, SO you should
induce them also to cut out and destroy
the black knots.
CATS AND MoLEs.-During several
years we have tried the various mole
traps that have been offered, but never
yet succeeded in catching a single mole.
This year couple of cats have taken
up the matter, and without any instruc-
ton have proved themselves very eff
Gent mole-catchers. They patiently
watch the runs, and when the motion
of the earth shows that mole is pass
ing, they dig it out with great rapidity
Every few days mole is brought to
the house, the cats appearing to know
that they do good service, and wish it
to be recognized. We have not seen
them attempt to eat the moles, but they
seem to catch them for the fun Of it.
ABOUT ASHES AS FERTILIZERS. u In
giving reasons for the high value of
ashes as fertilizers, have laid special
stress on several points (1.)-They
contain all the food ingredients that the
plants require from the soil except one,
nitrogen. (2)-By their chemical &C
ton they render the inert nitrogen of
the soil available to crops. (3.)-They
also help to set free potash and other
mineral ingredients Of plant food that
are locked up in insoluble combinations
in the soil. (4.)-They improve the
mechanical condition of the soil. For
instance, they make heavy soils lighter,
and thus provide space for air and
moisture to circulate through them, and
prepare food for plants, enabling the
roots to make their way to the food
more easily, and counteract the i'll eff
fects of drouth. (5.)-Thus, by virtue
of what they themselves contain, and
what they enable soil to furnish, they
izer. (6.)-Hence, like stable and yard
manure, they are fitted for all soils and
crops. They are accordingly worth
more for general use than ordinary
commercial fertilizers, such as guano,
phosphates, bone, fish, potash salts, and
the like, which contain but part of the
list of necessary elements of plant food,
and do far less to aid crops to economic
what the soil itself contains. (7.)-And
finally, they are generally applied in
large quantities, are exposed to scarcely
any waste until they are used by the
plants. and therefore their effect is as
lasting as it is valuable.
PUSH THE PoRKERs. mentioned
the fattening of stock for market and
home use as one of the duties of the
season, and it is one of the most i'm
portant. The process can be materially
FASTENED by due attention to comfort
and feed. Besides the economy of fat
tening while the weather is still moder-
ate, the early market is frequently the
best, and present indications make us
think this will be the case this season.
Nothing will be lost, but something
gained, if it should not be, by having
the hogs ready for market before real
cold weather comes. It is easier to