Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1874 — FARM AND HOUSEHOLD. [ARTICLE]

FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

—Cracker Pies.—Take six soda crack ers, break them into a dish, and pourove'r them (wo cups of cold water. Let them stand until they'can be reduced to a pulp. Add one and one-half cups of sugar, two teaspoons of tartaric acid, and flavor to taste, with lemon. This is sufficient for two pies. ! 1 —Muffins.—One quart sifted flour; four or five tablespoons yeast; one teaspoon saleratus; one tablespoon salt; four or five tablespoons sugar; mixed with warm night’s milk, not very stiff; set behind the stove to rise over night—watch them to see if they rise, keeping a good fire. In the morning pour into muffin rings or bake. —A fact by no means generally known is the tendency of domesticated plants to produce branches hearing foliage, flowers, or fruit strikingly dissimilar to that of the rest of the plant. In this way new varieties which are really valuable are oh- ] tgined by horticulturists. In fact, the j nectarine (which nevertheless comes true ; from seed) is reputed to have originated from the peach. New strains of color in flowers are often produced—the parent strain “breaking,” or “sporting,” as it is called. Last year a pink Gloire de Dijon was obtained from a sport, and quite lately a russet-like apple was shown at the English Horticultural Society which had been produced by a treeol the orange pearmain. The scarlet golden pippin is known in the same way to have been a sport from the golden pippin, and not to have been a seedling. —To make apple marmalade, hoii some apples with the peel oil' them until they are perfectly soft, which may be known by pressing them between tlie thumb and lingers; then remove them from the fire and throw them into cold water; pare them; place them on a sieve, and press the pulp from the cores. The pulp, which lias passed through a sieve, place in a stewpan and set the pan on the Are long enough to remove the moisture, so that the pulp may become rather thick. Take an equal quantity in weight of lump sugar as of pulp; clarify the sugar and boil it to a good syrup; add the pulp to it and stir them well together with a spatula or wooden spoon; place them on a fire and as soon as they begin to boil remove them. The process is completed. When the marmalade has become a little cool, put it into pots; but do not cover the pots until it is quite cool.— Oeiinantovon Telegraph. —Sell no corn in the ear;-have all you sell shelled—a hand shelling machine will answer if your crop is a small one—if large, get one to he worked by a horse power; neither will cost a great deal—and we are very certain that, the cobs, it crushedTsteamed and fed to your cattle, will he worth more to you in a single w-inter than the price of a corn sheller, whether you get a large or a small one. We believe there is one-third as much nutriment in a bushel of cobs as there is in a bushel of grain, and we do know that cows and oxen fed upon three pecks of the steamed or crushed cobs,- in addition to their usual quantity of hay, or tops of fodder, will keep fat. Then why haul your corn cobs to market to be given away? It costs you as much to carry a bushel of cobs to market as it does a bushel of corn. Shell your corn, leave your cobs at home to nourish your cattle, and through themyour land; and where you now send one bushel of corn, you will he aide to transport two for the same money. Look this subject fairly in the . face—consult economy—consult the comfort of vour cattle—consult the wants of your soil, and you cannot fail to take our advice.— American Farmer. Reed’s Temple or Music, Chicago. Good second-hand pianos, $125 to S2OO. New Rosewood pianos, S2OO to S3OO. New Scpiare Grand pianos, $350 to $475. Warranted to please nr money refunded. A cynical old bachelor says that the eagerness with which young ladies rush to fashionable entertainments suggests the first stage of a rubber at whist. They cut for partners. Don’t Tamper with a Cough.— Perhaps inthe whole category of diseases to which hu- - inanity is susceptible, the cough is most neglected in its early stage. A simple cough is generally regarded ns a temporary affliction—unpleasant and nothing more, hut to those who have paid dearly for experience, it is the signal for attack for the most fearful of all diseases —Consumption. A cough will lead to consumption—if not checked—so sure as the rivulet leads to the river, yet it is an easy enemy to thwart, if met by the proper remedy. Allen's Lung Balsam is tlie great cough remedy of the age, and it has earned its reputation by merit alone. Sold bv all pood druggists.