Year: 1874



 Chocolate possesses considerable nutri- ment, for cocoa beans contain twice as much nitrogen as grain does. Rabateau and Parville classed chocolate among the substances which prevent waste of tissues, like coffee tea, cocoa and alco- hol, but experiments made with choco- late in Paris during the investment prove that it is really nourishing.

 When the feet become blistered from walking too much, the fluid in the blister may be let out with a worsted needle, leaving the worsted thread an inch on each side through the blister, and if much pain is caused, bathing the feet in warm water will speedily give the wished for relief; but it should all ways be punctured just before retiring to rest.

 To make 8 gallon of good ink take one pound of gall-nuts, which bruise and boil for an hour or two in gallon of water, then OF. of gum, and 63 oz' of green copperas (sulphate of from, separately dissolved in a little warm water; this will turn good color on ex7 posture to the air for day or two and can then be bottled for use. Cost about twenty cents.

 To remove rust from steel, cover with sweet oil well rubbed on. In forty-eight hours use unslacked lime, powdered very fine. Rub it till the rust disap- pears. To prevent rust, mix with fat oil yarnish four-ffths. of well-rectifed spirits of turpentine. Apply the varnish by means of a sponge. Articles var nished in this manner will retain their hri11ionou and v,auor oop%ro nt onu %o of rust.

 To restore linen that has long been stained, rub the stains on each side with wet brown soap. Mix some starch to 8 thick paste with cold water, and spread it over the soaped places then expose the linen to the sun and air, and if the stains have not disappeared in three or four days, rub off the mixture, and re- peat the process with fresh soap and starch. Afterwards dry it; wet it with cold water, and put it into the wash.

 Certain facts have been made known which show that time is good preserv- CT of timber. Ships and barges used for the transport of lime last longer than others. A small coasting schooner, laden with lime, was cast ashore and sank. She was raised and set afoat once more, and remained sound for thirty years. Again, platform of nine blanks was used to mix water on during three generations; then, being DO longer required. was neglected, and at length hidden by grass that grew over it. Sixty years afterward, on clearing the ground, 1t was discovered sound and we'll pre- served. .es

 Orchard and Nursery.

 Much can now be done towards ma king the orchard look well during the summer.

 Washing and scraping can be carried on when mild days occur. A triangular plate of iron attached to handle three feet in length makes handy implement for removing the loose bark from trees |; the edges should be sharpened, but not enough to injure the fresh bark. The best material for washing after the trees have been scraped, is strong, soft soap thinned with water, so as to be conveniently applied by brush a solution of potash or soda will answer, but soap is better.

 Manure. out at any time when convenient it is better for the teams to have something to do during the winter. If left in piles of sufficient size in the field, fermentation will go on, except when the weather is very cold. See that plenty of abssrbents are used in the stables dry earth and leaves are the best materials for this.

 PIanting.-The time for planting must be governed, of course, by the locality :; in the Northern States two months hence will be soon enough, while at the Sonth great deal will be done the present month. Nothing is gained by too early planting better wait until the ground is thoroughly dry, as the trees cannot be injured if properly heeled-in in dry spot.

 Varieties must be selected according as they are intended for market or home use. Spring is the time for tree agents and peddlers to make their annual trips through the country. Do not buy from their showy colored pictures unless the varities are known to be good, and even then it is a better plan to visit neigh boring nursery if there is such in the vicinity, where the varieties are kept true to name. There are agents who are undoubtedly honest in their deal ings, but there are So many of the other sort that it is hardly safe to trust to them unless they are personally known.

 Insects-A constant fight must be kept upon the various insects which in- fest the orchard and nursery. Tent caterpillars' eggs are easily seen now, and can be more readily removed than ii left until they hatch. The female canker- worm will appear on mild days, and ascend the trees to deposit her eggs, There are many patents for pre- venting the ascent, but anything fast ened around the tree which will serve as barrier, will be effective, whether strips of paper covered with tar or printers ink, or troughs containing petroleum. e---..-,

 Injured trees must be looked after, and any limbs which have been broken by wind or ice removed, after which let the wound be carefully smoothed with a sharp knife, and covered with liquid grafting-wax, shellac varnish, or com mon paint. If any trees have been girdled by mice, the bark may be uni ted by small twigs of the same kind placed at short distances around the trunk, so that the inner bark of the tree is brought in contact with the in- ner bark of the .twigs, both at the top and bottom. Then a plaster of COW dung and loamy earth should be ap- piled, and the whole bandaged with a cloth. -r-s

 Cions.-Cut before the sap starts, and preserve in fresh sawdust or sand.

 Grating should be done only when the swelling buds show that growth has commenced. In many parts of the South this process can be carried on now, but the middle of April or first of May is early enough for most Northern