Year: 1871

The following hints on buying meat
for the table will be found worth bearing
in mind. They should be read over and
over until the facts are familiar. Then
go to the butchers, and practice upon
and verify what has been learned.
When once fairly fixed in the mind, bv
practical examination, they will never
be erased


In buying beef, the finest grained is
the best; the flesh shouId.be light red.
and the fat light cream color, but not
yellow-it should also be hard and firm.
Ok beef is the best, and the animal
should be about five OF six wears old.
Heifer and COW beef may generally be
known by its being little paler than
that of the OK. The meat of an old ami
NAL is dark red, and the fatskinny and
tough. 1.-THE meat rises quickly when
iDdented with the finger it is good;
otherwise not.


MUTTON.


The lean OfgOOd mutton is somewhat
darker than that of beef, and the fat
whittier. Old mutton is darker than
young, and when fatand juicy is better
say up tofour or six years of age.


LAMBS


Lamb meat should be pale red and
fat. '''


veal should be ola light color. with
plenty of fat, especially about the kid
neys. The flesh should be DRYER than
beef, and finer. Ifcoarse-grained. .mo,st
or clammy, reject it. Veal should not
be over ten or twelve weeks old. It is
less healthy than either beef or NUT


PORK.


PORK, If ever brought to the fabIe
should come from an honest butcher
and should be examined by the buvpr
with close scrutiny. 1t is never
healthful meat. The skin of pork sbouId
De thin and smooth and white, and the
flesh both lean and fat, should be firm
The lean should be light red. Exam
Inc II closely for kernels or hard
punches; ifany such thing is found have
nothing to do with it. There is more
diseased pork sold than that of all either
meat together, and it is very bad at the
best.


Meat Of any kind-fesh, fowl or fish
after being brought to the house, should
be wiped clean and dry with a drv cloth
ana carefully examined for fiy-blows, if
in the season of flies. If Ioin niece ba
purchased, take out the long, white
marrow-like string which is usually ex-
posed BY the side of the bone. It will
become tainted in less than half tbe
time required for other portions of the
meat, and if allowed to remain. will
affect the entire joint.


POULTRY.


A very correct Judgment can ba
formed by the age of a towel bv the
state OF its legs. IF the scales are rough
II indicates age. If the under bill is 50
stiff that you cannot bend it down. or
If the comb is rough, or the spurs hard.
you certainly have hold of an old fowl
The legs of a young hen are smooth.
glossy and resh-colored, whatever the
shade may be; the claws are also tender
and short, the under bill soft, and comb
thin and smooth.


An old hen turkey has rough scales
on her legs, caIlosities on the bottoD,s
of her feet, and long, strong claws A
young one has the reverse of all this
In all kinds of poultry the breast sbouId
be broad and plump, the feet pliabIn
and the toes easily broken when bent
back. Young and tender poultry NAV
also be judged by pressing the lower
end Of the pressure, if not too old.


A tender goose or duck may be deter
mined by raising the wing; if the skin
tears easily the foul is tender. IF Won
can easily insert the head of a pin into
the flesh Of a goose or duck it is tender
and young. The strength of the ioints
Of the legs and the eoarseness of tbo
skin generally is a good guide in buvfno
a goose or duck. Such a test is more oT
less applicable to all other towels.


FISH


In purchasing fish, care should aIvs,.s
be taken to have them perfectly fresL
10 know whether it is OF not. ssiJe
from the smell, observe the eves~iF
lney have bright, life-like appearance.
the fish is freshi but if they are sunken
ana dark colOred, or have lost their
orllllancy, the fish is too old for good
try or bake. If the dealer is honest the
buyer may judge by the redness of the
gIlis; but some fsh-mongers, knowinp
this, will color them to deceive their
customers. But they can't paint the
eyes-lool at them.


Our readers, after carefully studying
lie above directions, need never be de-
'elVed in the character Of the meat
which they buy,