Year: 1872

the vegetables; leave uncovered; place


on the fire; when nearly to the boiling


point, pour off the water and replace


with the same quantity of cold water


the action of the cold water sends the


heat from the surface to the heart,


making them mealy throw in a portion
| of salt; try them with a fork to see
when done; pour off the water and
| cover the pot with a folded napkin,
| towel or flannel cloth let it stand by
the fire ten minutes; peel, and send
them to the table. When potatoes are
boiled too fast, the skins crack before
the heart is done. To add to their de-
liciousness, pour over them hot cream
in which little butter has been melted
Tor not), and sprinkle with pepper.


Warm Water for Pzants.-Mr. R. G.
Williams, of Vermont State Normal
School, says: Last winter we had about
one hundred plants in the house, and
usually gave them warm water, and very
frequently water that was much too
warm for the hand; some water, at or
very near the boiling point, has been
poured into the saucers of the pots and
just on the sides. We have about forty
persons in the family, from different
parts of the country, and their testi-
mony is that they never saw so fine
geraniums, heliotropes, fuchsias, VERDE
mas, passion-howers, oleanders. These
plants show very marked improvement;
others have fourished finely under the
treatment. All house-plants are better
for being watered with water several de-
grees warmer than the atmosphere in
which they are grown.


Cooking Wild DuckS.-As this is the
season for these birds, we give directions
for cooking them, obtained from an old
campaigner. Put the ducks in q large
pot, cover with cold water, and add two
good-sized onions for each duck. When
about half done remove from the water,
stuff with mashed potatoes and beaten
eggs two to each fowl), seasoned with
onion, sage, salt and pepper, and bake
until thoroughly done, frequently bast-
ing them with their own gravy. Serve
with brown gravy in which is stirred
parsley chopped fine and fried in
butter.


Mutton Pot Pie.-Cut the whole, or as
large part as desired, of a forequarter
of mutton into pieces of from three to
five inches square. Place these in pot
which has tightly fitting lid, and cover
with cold water. OF course the length
of time it is necessary to boil the NUT
ton depends upon its degree of tough
ness, and of this the cook must judge,
only bearing in mind that it should be
made very tender. When nearly done
remove from the fire, and, leaving the
pot still closely covered TO keep in the
steam, set it away in cold place till the
next day, when you may remove the
cake of fat that will have settled on the
top, after which set the pot on the fire,
adding salt and pepper to taste, and
allspice if liked, and, if necessary, suth-
cient hot water to well cover the NUT
ton. When all is boiling add pieces of
thoroughly light bread or biscuit dough,
and do not allow the boiling to subside
until the dough is done. Serve IN
platter with a deep center, that it may
hold the gravy as well as the meat and
crust. Even very tough mutton may in
this way be rendered pal table. and
chickens that have lived past the hey
day of their youth may be advanta-
geously treated in the same manner.