n land made very rich with
stable-manure and decayed forest-leaves, two feet and a half apart each
way. Kept clean, and earthed up a little, and the bugs kept off while
the plants are small, they will produce an abundance of fruit. There are
two varieties of the purple--_large prickly-stem purple_, growing
sometimes eight inches in diameter; and the _long purple_, bearing
smaller, long fruit, but a large quantity, and considerably earlier than
the large. Many do not like them at first; but after tasting a few
times, almost all persons become very fond of them. If not properly
cooked, they are not at all palatable. Although it belongs to the
cook-book, yet, to save this excellent plant from condemnation, we give
a recipe for cooking it. It is fit for use from one third grown, until
the seeds begin to turn. Without paring, cut the fruit into slices one
third of an inch thick; put it in a little water with plenty of salt,
and let it stand over night, or six hours at least; take it out, and fry
very soft and brown in butter or fresh lard--if not fried soft and
brown, it is disagreeable. Salt, ashes, and bonedust, or superphosphate
of lime, are the best manures, as more than two thirds of the fruit is
made up of potash, soda, and phosphates, as shown by chemical analysis.

EGGS.

Of the quality of eggs you can always judge correctly by looking at them
toward the light: if they are translucent they are good; if they look
dark they are old--or you may get a chicken, when you only paid for an
egg.

Many methods for preserving eggs are recommended. Packed away in fine
salt they will keep, but, like salt meat, have not the same flavor as
fresh. Set them on their small ends in a tight cask, and fill it with
pure lime-water, and they will keep, but it changes their flavor. This,
however, is a very common method. The best way known to us, is to pack
fresh eggs down in Indian meal, allowing no two to touch each other.
Keep very dry in a cool cellar, and they will remain for months
unchanged.

ELDERBERRY.

This is a healthy berry, dried and used for making pies, especially
mixed with some other fruit. The blossoms are much used as medicine for
small children. The common sweet elder is the only kind cultivated. The
earlier red are offensive and poisonous. They are easily grown on rough
waste land, or in any situation you prefer. Of this berry is made a
wine, superior in flavor and effect to any port wine now to be obtained
i