Vermont farmer. [volume], December 09, 1870, Page 6, Image 6

About Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877

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VERMONT FARMER.
nuKSHiMi am mahichtinu tuhkkys.
Thousunds of dollars uro wnsted by
turkoy raisers eaeh year for lack of sys
tem aiid carcfulness in dressing their fowls.
A bird picked elenn, nnd without a hruisc,
will goncrnlly ttull for froin two to iivo cents
u pound moro than onu tliat lnoks either of
thoso roconimondations. Tho plnn practieed
iu Now Euglnud, aml ono that gonorally su
euros a prouipt snlo in Eastern oities at eon
sidcrablo nilvancu ovcr tho prices tlmt aro
ohtniued in thomnrkcts of New York, issnl
stantially as follows :
Never feed thu morning of tiio day 011
which tho turkoys aro to bo killed ; and at an
carly hour drive them intosoinceasilyncees
sible stnhle. (iather your neighbors in tlio
proportion of ono nian to abont fiftceu birds,
if your llock is largo. Provide two lialf
hogshead tubs for tlio foathers, or ono, ns you
may neod, and havingset it undur somcshcl
ter, place a row of chairs or stools in a eirclo
round it. Now darken thir doors of your
.stable, and quictly seizo a bird, holding it so
that, in ita struggles to freo itsolf from your
grasp, it sliall not hit its body nr wings
against any solid substnnco. Tlien with
y9ur left liand tako fast hold of tlio legs and
wings, drawing tho latterbaokwnrd.andplac
ing tho ncck of tho bird across a round stick,
sovcr tho head from tlio body with a sliarp
axo hold in tho right hand ; then hold tho
bird at an anglo from you, or, what is as woll,
pross it firmly against tho ovon ground, l)rcast
downward, so tlmt thero will bo no possibil
ity of iu bruising itsolf whilo struggling.
As soon as tho bird'a struggles aro endcd,
soizo and pull out first tho tail and largor
wing foathdrs, up to tho third wing-joint,
counting from tho body outward; thon hold
ing tho bird on your knees, novor allowing it
to toueh thu tub, earcfully nnd quickly takc
out thosnialler foathers, boing spedally par
tiuular not to toar tho skin, and always keep
ing m mind that tho loast disfigurntion will
iinuro tho sale. When it is nearly piokod,
consign tho bird to somo loss musoulnr per
son to tako out tho pin foathers. This can
bo oasiostdono with tho point ofasharp pon
knifo, prossing against tho thumb with tho
feather betwoen. In no easo should tho
body bo laid asiilo till ovury thing is roiuovod
that would ofl'ond tho oyo.
Aftor tho bird is coolud, lay it on a board
covored with sovoral thioknesses of woolon
cloth, nnd whilo it is hold on its baek
attondant, cut with a sharp penknifo a circlo
noout tho sizo of a two-cent pieco around tho
vont, through which aperturo removo careful
ly and complotolythoontrails, keeping all tho
fat attaohed to thom in tho body with tho
ilngers of ono hand, whilo tho drawing is
porformed with tho other. Thon eiifc n(T Hin
wings, if you havo not dono it boforo, at tho
thiru joint, wipo tho neck thoroughly, leaving
not a particlo of dirt or a staln of blood ; lay
tho turkoy on its back in a cool place; tho
next morning, draw tho skin ovor tho boue
of tho neck, nnd tio it firmly with a common
cotton strinir. and vour bird U remlv ihr
and if woll fattened, will bring tlio best
pnco.
Whcn they aro packed for market, thoyaro
laid brenst down in clean boxcs (shoo boxcs
aro best,) tho covor firmly nniled, tho box
marked with tho gross weight, taro and not,
with tho shipper's namo on ono ond and tho
consignoo's in bold clmrncters ncar tho mid
dlo, and if they aro cold whon put into tho
l)Ox, and kept in a cool placo aftorward, thoy
will bo as salablo at tho end of threo wooks as
thoy aro on tho day aftor their first pucking.
Jkarth and Home.
THU MUI.KXTHACTOII.
Bco koepurs aro much intorostod now-a-days
iu tho " Mclcxtractor," and its probablu
iutlucucu in fiiruishing treblo tho qunutity of
honoy, uuequalcd iu quality by anything
hithurto sent to markot iu this form. I pro
poso to givo onr exporienou with it tho past
season, and our viows conccrning tho nd
vantages of honoy thus obtainod ovor ordi
nary straiucd honoy, and coinb honoy as usu
ally sold in boxes.
Tho general idea in tho construction of a
inolextraetor is to place tho combs, with tho
sealing of tho colls sliced ofl', iu a frame
work whoro a rotary motion can bo seeured,
nnd tho honoy catight in an outer lox or
tank as it llies out by thu centrifugnl force
thus produced. I will not go into a dotniled
description, as thero aro sovoral forms ndver
tisod, and thoso intorostod can chooso for
themselvos.
Ono chiuf ndvantago lios in tho puro quali
ty of tho honey thus s'eeured. It is precisoly
as takcu from tho llowors, without a suspi
cion ol a ilavor of pollou, or any other ilisa-gi-eeablo
ingredicnts usually found insti-aincd
honey. Tho qunlity cannot bo excellod, and
tho grados of dover, basswood, or buck
whoat, aro puro as can possibly bo found in
tho freshest, nowost combs niado in boxcs.
Now as for qimntily. I will givo figures
from ono of our own apiarios tho past sum
mer. A good colony, with qundruplo tho
usual numbcr of clcan, cmpty combs, (viz. :
thirty-two combs arranged in two tiers, six
teeu on tho bottom nnd sixteen above thom,)
gavo botween Juno 10th and Sopt. 5th, threo
hundred and sixty-ono pounds of honey, all
of which was tho clearest dover and bass
wood, oxccpting-about forty pounds of buukr
wheat. Tho yiold in ono wcek in tho hcight
of tho season was cighty-four and a half
pounds. Tlio best yiold of box honoy from
an equnlly good hivo was ono hundred and
lifty-fivo pounds, onlythree-sovenths asmuch.
Thero aro sovoral roasons for this difl'or
enco iu tho proceeds from two hivcs, equal in
all respects at tho beginuing of tho season.
Onu is tho fact that no timo was consumcd
by tho bees iu tho mauufacturo of combs,
plenty of enipty combs boing at hand nt all
times. This not only provented any loss of
timo, but tho nmplo room affordcd, nnd fre
qucnt omptying of combs, stimulatcd breed
ing to a very great oxtont, and tho working
forco of tho hivo was thus largely inoroasod.
Fourteen of tho lower tior of combs woro
filled with brood, nnd it was nlso found in
tho lower part of tho upper tier. A snialler
item to bo remcmborod is tho honoy which is
neccssarily consumcd in tho manufacturo of
comb, and which, saved, helps swcll tho ng
gregato nmount. This is now ono of our best
and strongest colonies, and is woll filled for
winter.
But this oxtracted honey niust estiblish n
roputation in markot for its indisputable su
periority ovor strainod honey, or consumers
will suspect ita vcry purity to bo n sign of
adultcratlon.
I think tho most loasible plnn for niaking
this honoy populnr in market is for responsi
blo nnd honcstapiariansto put it up in sealed
cans or jars, with labels designating tho kind,
and stamp it with their own namo. Tlio un
brokonseal assures tho puichaser that it has
not beon meddled with by intorniediato par-
tics, and tho namo of reliablo llrms will soon
bo a guaranty of quality. By filling to tho
brim and sealing air tight, I think thero can
bo no dangor of its cnnilying: and should it
uo so, it can always bo liquified by warming
M. Quimhv, in llural New Yorker.
Coloreil Htnrcli.
A now articlo for tho liundry has recontly
bcen introduced in Etirope, and is much liked.
It consists of starch of diflVront shades of
color, by means of which any desircd tint
niay bo impartcd to a whito drcss in doing it
up, thus enabliug tho owncr to appear in a
sufliciont variety of colors without a corros-
ponding number of dresses. Tho drossos aro
.starchcd aud ironed cxactly in tho common
way, and tho colors, whon it is carofully
dono, aro quito as perfect as in goods colorcd
at tho manuf.ictory.
Clienii DlenchliiK Materlnl.
Spirits of turpentlno sorvcs an exccllnnt
purioso in bleaching whito goods. Ono
ouncoof tho turpentino should bodissolvcd in
threo ounccs of strong alcohol. Mix ono
t'lblespoonful of tho preparation in tho last
rinsing wator. Wring tho clothcs well aud
hang thom out. Tlio bleaching aatiou of tho
turpentino consists in its producing ozonc, (a
powerful bleaching agent,) when oxposod to
tho light nnd air. In this proccss tho turpen
tino disnppcars, leaving no trace behind. By
this mothod, unliko thoso in which chlorinc
or sulphur is cmployed, tho fabric is cntircly
iininjuml.
Graham Cakcs.
One cgg, 4 cup brown sugar, 2 cups sour
nulk, 1 teaspoon sodn, sufliciont ilour to
ninko a moderately still' battcr. Beat tho egg
and sugar together, then ndd tho milk, next
a part of tho llour, tho soda dissolved in hot
water, then tho reinainder of tho Hour.
Havo ready t)io biscuit pan groivsed nnd
hoatod, fill tho divisions ovcr half fnll, and
bake in a hot oven. Nieo for breakfast.
Good Cooklca.
Ono cup of sugar, 3 cup imttor, 1 cgg, 1
teaspoon sodn, 4 cup of milk. Beat egg and
sugar together till smooth and light, ndd tho
milk, and a cup of llour, then ndd tho soda
dissolved in hot water, then llour euough to
roll out, cut nnd bake in n quick oven.
Prlrd Chlckeit.
Cut up tho chickcn and lay tho picces in
cold water to cxtract tho blood wipo dry,
dredgo with flour in which is mixed a littlo
peppor nnd salt. I'ry in lard to a rich brown,
tako them out nnd kuep in a warm placo,
skim tho grnvy carofully, add a small
spoonful Of llour nnd ono-half pint of croam,
season with pcppcr, salt and parsley, (or to
suit tho tnsto.)
FrUd Potatoci.
Boil potatocs the day beforo using, peel
thcm nnd cut thcni aeross in rather thin
slicos. Hnvo ready your doughuut kottlo of
lnrd, whon hot drop them in ono by ono,
putting in only what tho lard will covor, fry
quickly to n light brown, tako up, salt nnd
kcep hot till sont to tho tnble. This way
provents tho usual disagroeablo odor and the
unwholesomencss nrising from burnt lard, as
tho lard aftor rcpcatod uso looks as whito as
whcn takcn from tho box.
Anothcr Way.
Tako good shapod smooth potatoes, wipo
thom clean, slico thcm very thin, (any thick-
ness of a knifo blado,) and fry as above, stir-
ing often. This is a good way if wantcd
whon boiled potatocs uro not nt hand. Many
also liko them better, although not so digest-
iblo.
Uabtea on VaaUIK-I)ay.
Thoro is nothing moro likoly to bring a so-
vero iittuek of illness upon a young ohild
than to kcep it oxposod to tho heat, steam,
and tho ojicning aud shutting of doors in tho
kitohen, on washing-day. Iunumerablo casos
of lung fovor havo wo traced to this causo. It
is trying to tho constitution of an adult, nnd
froightcd with denth to thu tcndcr infant.
To t'nre Xuti Well.
"Wliat cood buttornuta!" oxclaiiiifid
Jaines, whilo vlsiting his nunt.
" les. " said sho. "jind thov owo their irfinil
llavor to tho ninnner in which they uro eurcd.
Wlicn irathui'ed thnv woni tliinlv nnil vinlv
o j
spread on n dry and niry chamber lloor, and
wniio urying surreu n lew timos, ttiat tlioy
migni not neator mouid, us tlioyuo il sproail
too thick, or do not 1k vo sulllcient uir whilo
dl'villL'. Thuv limst reinnin sDreiul till thnr-
oughly dried, and then they may bo itit in
tiry doxcs or Darrois. " All nuts wlulo our
ing will looso inuchof their good llavor if left
on tho ground, or plled up so tlmt the air can
not circulato fn-oly among them."
Uut," said James. "does not tho nir eir-
oulato freely among thom on tho ground?"
"Yes; bntthough thoy neod air they also
neod dryness ; and tho dow and raia is inju
rious to their llavor. All nuts, whon fully
maturcd, ouglit to bo gathurod when dry, nnd
thlnly snread in a drv. airv room. Tlim-
should not bo left liiled u. bceanso nnit is in
a huiTy or wishes to do somcthing else."
Jiurcu jcw lorKcr.
IIow lo Mnke DlflTerent Ceuielil.
A Ccmcnt usUhstnmling wutcr, acids, oils,
iDc. Simplo shellac, niado up into sticks ol
tho sizejof a lend pcncil, is commonly sold for
such eemont. Tho oly'uets to bo comented
together aro first warmed till thoy mclt tho
shollao brought in contact with them. This
is very good to cement broken glass, porco
lain, &e especially as tho objects aro agnin
ready for uso immediatoly when cold; but it
is not adaptedforlloxiblooly'ects, asitcracks,
nnd nlso will not withstand heat or alcohol,
which softens tho shcllno.
A Cement withstanding Heat and Alcohol.
Tako tho best kindo'f gluo; pour on an cquaL
quantity of water; let it soak ovcr night;
next morning inelt it ovcr a gentlo heat, and
ndd a littlo creosoto or oil of cloves to pre
vont putrofai'tion. This cement will also bo
adapted for llexiblo objects, liko leather, and
is sold at present from wngons in different
dties of tho United SUtes. This cement will
not withstand boiling wator as woll, as this
softens tho gluo.
A Cement witlistanding heat and moisture
both. Siniply puro whito lend, or zinc-whito,
ground in oil, and usod very thick, is an ex
cellont cement for mending broken crockory
waro ; but it takes a very long timo to hanl
on sufliciently. Tho best plnn is to placo tho
mcnded objcct in somo storo-room, and not
to look after it for soveml wceks, or oven
months. Aftor that it will bo found so firmly
united that, if ovcr ngain broken, it will not
part on tho lino of tho fornier fracturo. 27ic
Cabinet Makcr.
Ilonachold Welghte and Meaaurea.
Wheat llour, ono pound is ono qunrt.
Indian mcal, ono pound two ounces is ono
qimrt.
Butter, whcn soft, ono pound one ounce is
ono qunrt.
Wliitu sugar, powdered, ono pound ono
ounce is ono quart.
Best brown sugar, ono pound two ounces
is ono quart.
Eggs, avorago sizo, ten aro ono pound.
Llquid measuro. Sixteen tnblespooufuls
are half a pint.
Perpetual Paate.
A perpetual jiasto may bo niado by dissolv
ing an ounco of alum in a quart of warm
water. When cold add as much llour us will
mako it tho consistency of croam ; thon stir
into it half a teaspoonful of powdered rosin
nnd two or threo cloves. Boil it down, stir
ring all tho timo. It will keep twolvo
months, and when dry may bo softened with
water.