Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-12-19
FARM AND PRESIDE

l
Germantown Telegraph may be consid-
cred good authority on sporting matters,
as well as on subjects agricultural In
reply to a farmer who wishes to establish a
fishing pond upon his own premises, the
editor gives the following Instructions,
| which are so plain and simple that all who
are favorably situated cannot only under
stand but put them in practice:
In the first place he should have plenty
of spring water on his own premises, and
the size of the pond will depend upon the
| volume of the spring. If it should be what
| is called strong spring. it would be sufi-
Gent to supply pond of from a fourth to
half an acre in extent. The size must be
gagged in order that the supply of water
will keep the fish in as good health as at
least an ordinary sized brook where fish
abound and which is not supplied directly
with spring water. There should be few
deep holes in which to hide. and then again
very shallow places in which to spawn.
These latter places should have sandy or
gravelly bottom, which should be made by
hauling the sand or gravel from another
portion Of the farm, should it not be natu-
rally sandy at the bottom. At the overflow
of the dam there should be screen to pre-
vent the fish leaving the pond.
The kinds of fish to put in such pond
are white catfish, cells, sun6sh, mullets, if
they can be had, and black bass. Strange
to say, this latter fish will do well in such
pond and multiply next to catfish. They
must have, however, good water and a
portion of the pond gravelly bottom. In
such pond the fish would be better than
those caught in the common creek, and
would furnish any farmer Is family with all
the fish they would require and of good
quality, and good deal of sport beside.
AMMONIA FOR STAINS.-I had often
read that in any case where an acid had
taken the color from any fabric it may be
restored by ammonia, but never have had
occasion to test the fact until recently.
Some days since accidentally spilled can
of tomatoes on new calico dress. The
whole front was pretty well deluged and in
less than three minutes discovered that
wherever the tomato had touched 1t had
taken out the color. hurried to take the
dress off, feeling quite discouraged, for
it was new and pretty, and had intended
making it last for some time as a morning
working dress. A lucky thought of am
monia came to me, and as the dress SEEM
ed to get worse continually. hastily
poured about quart of warm water on a
tablespoonful of ammonia and dipped the
whole front in. was in doubt as to the
result, but thought to myself-''It cannot
look any worse and I can never wear it as
it ISL To my JOY the first dip showed an
improvement, and after few moments in
the ammonia a careful rinsing in clear
water showed that the color was complete
~ restored. dried and ironed it care
fully, happy to find that it looked as we'll
as ever, and am quite inclined to rejoice
IN my knowledge of the good qualities of
ammonia.
EGGS FOR COFFEE Eggs are unusu ally
high priced for this time Of the year, with
prospects of still higher prices for the
coming winter months and it is of great
Importance for housekeepers with small.
Incomes to learn to use as few as possible.
Coffee is much better, when settled with
the white of an egg There is noreally good
substitute for it,, but the yolks are of no
use whatever for that purpose, sometimes
even giving an unpleasant oily flavor to
the coffee. Therefore they may, with bet
ter advantage, be saved for use in making
cake or for other purposes. Experience has
taught me that the whites of eggs may be
made to 60 much farther in settling coffee
by using in other ways, than when only
mixed with ground coffee.
Thoroughly warm one-half pound of
roasted coffee berries, and stir briskly in
them the white Of one egg until all the
berries are coated with glazing, which
their heat will soon dry. They may then
be put away ready for use at any time.
FAT TURKEYs.-An old turkey-raiser
gives the following experiment: Flour
turkeys were fed on meal, boiled potatoes
| and oats. -Four others of the same brood
were also at the same time confined in an
other pen and fed daily on the same article
but with one pint of very finely pulverized
charcoal mixed with their food-mixed
meal and boiled potatoes. They had also
plentiful supply of charcoal in their pen.
| The eight were killed on the same day,
| and there was difference of one and
half pounds each in favor of the fowls
which had been supplied with charcoal,
they being much the fattesJ, and the meat
being greatly superior in point of tender
ness and flavor"
10 MAKE FIRM BUTTER.-A method
| in practice among the butter makers of
England for rendering butter firm and
sol id during the hot weather is as follows:
Carbonate of soda and alum are used for
this purpose, made into powder. For
twenty pounds of butter one teaspoonful
of carbonate of soda and one teaspoonful
of pc wdered alum are mingled together at
| the time of churning, and put into the
cream. The effect of this powder is to
make the butter come firm and solid, and
to give clean, sweet flavor. 1t does not
enter the butter, but it's action is upon the
cream audit passes off with the buttermilk.
| Rock CREAM.-Steam one cupful of rice
in new milk until tender; sweeten it with
white sugar and heap on dish; lay over
it small slices Of curraut jelly, or any kind
OF preserved fruit. Beat up the whites of
five eggs to stiff froth with little white
sugar, and flavor with vanilla; add to this