The Newtown bee., 1879-07-09
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD,

zhHetu 1nIO a 0OuSn, TOLL OuI very til1n and bake on iron plates till quite. dry, but without scorching. Another, which we are.told is the true Scotch oatmeal cake is made as follows Put half g pound of oatmeal into q pint basin; put~into a teacup piece of butter or lard the size of a hazel nut, and small pinch of soda about half saltspoonful; pour on this half a cupful of hot water; stir till the butter and soda are melted, then mix it quickly into the meal with the point of a knife. When thoroughly stirred together turn the dough on a paste board and knead it compactly with the knuckles, keeping it round and flat, spreading it out gradually, but talk ing care it does not crack at the edges Then strew dry meal over it and roll out with q erimpled roller, now and then rubbing the surface, with the hand to remove all needless meal When rolled as thin as. an old penny piece and quite round-having the griddle ready heated over the ,fire--put knife in the center and divide the cake in three parts. Lay them on the hot griddle, the plain or under side down, and as they begin to cook, move, them in succession from a cooler spot to a hotter, hut not as hot as to scorch. By pressing the nail on the surface it will be, known if they are done. They will not be doughy when done, and must then be taken from the griddle and put on the toaster before the fire. Watch that they dry gradually, as at this stage they soon burn When taken from the toaster stand them carefully on the edge till quite cold, else they will sweat and lose the brittleness which is their great charm. While the first set are cooking mix another half-pound of meal in the same manner, and as soon as one set is ready to be on the toaster, fill up the vacant place on the griddle with another. A halfpound of meal should make six cakes. A thick cake, commonly used by laborers, is made by putting the meal into a bowl, adding cold water until mixed into a compact mass, and then kneading into shape wholly by the knuckles. The more dimples from the knuckles to hold the butter in-with which it is eaten-the better. Oatmeal bread is seldom used i'll our country, but is exceedingly nourishing, and is very soon much relished when, like barley bread, it is eaten warm with butter: It is made with warm water and little salt, much thicker than the cakes. In Scotland this bread is called "bannock." It is "caken only when thin and first baked on a hot griddle till stiff or dry enough to stand on the edge, and then toasted before the fire till crisp. The bread or cakes can be baked in large quantities and hung up, when they will keep long time. Oatmeal Pudding. Pour q quart of boiling milk over a pint of oatmeal and cover closely, leaving it to soak all night. The next day beat into it two eggs, and add little salt; butter bowl that will just hold it, cover tight with 14th l.N,1 half. Eat with butter and salt, or, if preferred, with butter and syrup. When cold, slice what may be left and toast it, to be eaten as oat cake buttered.-lIrS. Henry Wdrd Beecher.
 Household Hints.
 Hot water, in mixing bread, causes the bread to be full of holes.
 When cheese gets hard and dry grate it. Grated cheese is excellent.
 The sun should not be allowed to shine upon mirrors; it ruins them.
 A weaver informs us that it takes one and one-half pounds of cut rags to make one yard of carpet.
 Wallpaper can be improved in ap- pearance by rubbing soiled spots with a flannel cloth dipped in oatmeal.
 To prevent the pie paste from soaking the liquid contained in the filling of the pie, glaze the under crust with beaten egg.
 White of eggs is more quickly beaten if a pinch of salt be added to it. The cooler the eggs the quicker they will froth.
 JTo open a fruit jar, loosen the rubber from under the cap with the thumb and finger, so as to allow the air to enter, and it will easily unscrew.
 Sweet oil, one teaspoonful; ink, two teasponfuls; mix together; apply with rag to black-leather bags, valises, trunks, gloves or shoes as a dressing.
 Lard that is disposed not to keep well through the summer should be covered in the pot with strong brine. This will insure its remaining sweet and good.
 Broil steak without salting Salt draws the juice in cooking; itis desira- ble to keep these in if possible. Cook over hot fire, turning frequently, scar ing on both sides; then salt and pepper to taste.
 Take punches of ripe entrants on the stalks; dip them in gum-arabic water or the whites of eggs, well beaten; lay them on a sieve Sift white sugar over and let them dry. They are very nice for desert on the tea table. Grapes, cherries or plums may be done in the same way.
 Renewing or Changing old Trees.
 In an orchard there is generally a number of trees that have proved worth less on account of failure to produce good fruit. In many cases a large number of trees sold by irresponsible peddlers turn out to be entirely worth less, and year after year the proprietor anxiously seeks fruit but finds none. bearing size, it is hard for. the unfortu- nate fellow to apply the. epithet in the Scripture: "Cut them down, lest they cumber the ground" There is no need of this Trees can be changed easily, and be made to bear fruit in a few years. If the tree is old, with a strong head and large limbs, have found it best to cut off two or three of the leading branches in the center, and let young shoots grow one year This will give you a dozen