Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-02-02
Threshing Oats by hand.

be done in winter and thus furnishing
employment to men who would other
wise be idle. There are some other
advantages in this practice not includ-
ed in the employment it gives to labor
in winter. The freshly thrcshed oat
straw is readily eaten by stock, and
there are usually enough light oats in
il to make it possibly good feed. 1t is
better to leave light oats in the straw
than to put them in the bin among the
threshed grain, for unless the grain is
carefully graded some of these light
oats will go in the seed and help to
deteriOrate the crop. With hand thresh-
ed oats in cold weather, there has been
no danger that vitality of seed has
impaired by heating. While the oat is
in the sheaf any dampness in the grain
IS absorbed by the chalf and rs the
head is bulky and porous it dries out
without injury. Oats threshed by ma
chine rs soon rs harvested, and then
dumped, several hundred bushels, per-
hapS, in one bin, are pretty sure to
heat. 1t would be better in such case
if the seed were entirely spoiled instead
of having its vitality impaired. The
crop comes up weak. and if the season
is not every way favourable it is par
tial failure at the best, and this makes
larger proportion of poor oats for
the subsequent season.
now TO MAKE \ LARGE POULTICE.
A flannel bag should be prepared, n
convenient size being twelve inches by
eight. This should be closed ut three
edges and open at the fourth. One
side of it should be about one inch or
one inch and Il half longer than the
other. and it is convenient also TO have
four tapes attached at the points which
form the corners when the bag is clos
ed. in order to keep the poultice in
position. Besides this. another strip
of flannel should be prepared of tho
same breadth rs the length of the bag,
and long enough to wrap around it
once or oftener. Crushed linseed.
bowl and spoon should then be got to-
gether, and the spoon and bowl thor
oughly heated by means of boiling
water; the poultice should then be
made with perfectly boiling water. and
rather soft. As soon as it is ready, it
should be poured into the bag, prev
iously warmed by holding it before the
fire; the flap, which is formed by the
longest side of the bag, should now be
turned down and fastened in It's place
by few long stitches with needle
and thread; it should then be quickly
wrapped in the strip of flannel (also
previously warme0 and fastened in
stu, if necessary, by means of the
tapes. 1t may be covered on the out
side with sheet of cotton wool In
this way the poultice may be applied
boiling hot TO the skin without burn
ing; the two layers of flannel, which
are mt first dry, allow the heat to pass
very gradually indeed to the skin; as
the moisture of the poultice soaks
through them, they become better con-
ductors, and the heat passes more
quickly, but the increase is so gradual
as not to cause any painful sensations
whatever, but only one of soothing
and comfort. The poultice, also, nat
urally keeps much longer hot, and the
necessity for changing it arises much
less frequently.
BRoLED STEAK.
NVI,o, I,,.f oooI
weather-say in December-so much
of it as is intended for steak may be
hung in q cool place, without salt, and
steak cut from it as needed, rubbing q
little dry meal over the freshly cut
part, TO prevent drying and crusting,
The longer the meat hangs without
salt the more tender the steak will be.
Broilng steak is very simple process.
and yet we rarely find properly
cooked steak on either public or private
tables. First trim off the rough edges
and waste fat with a very sharp knife,
and pound the steak until it is thin
great many disapprove of this idea OF
pounding; but, nevertheless, it is the
right way. The gridiron was formerly
used for broiling steak but it is by
no means necessary. Some have m
idea that steak must be cooked right
on top of the stove, but if not very
careful the fire will get too hot and
scorch the steak; and then, too the
stove is soied, aud smoke pervade;
the whole house. An ordinary pan
a biscuit pan-wlll answer infinitel
better. Place the pan on the stove
until quite hot. Lay the steak in thu
pan. using care to have every point Of
It come in contact with the hot pan,
and turn rapidly to avoid burning.
Have butter in q hot dish at hand.
When the steak is done, lay it in the
melted butter, sprinkle salt over it very
lightly, also pepper it plentifully, turn
1t over and treat the other side in the
same manner. Broiled steak should