LESSONS FROM THE PAST.

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potato rot should turn out to be accidental and temporary only, whether some restrictions should not be laid on the culture of the root. The tendency to resort to the potato when it is abundant is so very strong, that in the long run it is almost sure to prevail: but this resort is necessarily productive of so many evils, and places the very existence of a people in such imminent hazard, that no means should be left untried by which it may be averted."

Sentiments like these, coming from such a writer, are worthy our attentive consideration, and we must allow that a total dependence on the potato crop is a great evil. Should past calamities result in teaching the Irish and English peasantry to exert themselves earnestly to obtain a better food, it will indeed be another proof of the mysterious working of Providence, by which the temporary sufferings of a part of the nation have been made subservient to the lasting benefit of the whole. May He who has the wills and affections. of men within his power, enable us to derive such lessons from the chastisement we have received, and such motives for industry and thankfulness, as may render a season of deficient food a time of abundant instruction and solid improvement to us all! and in looking forward to the future may we never forget, that the times and the seasons are in the hands of One, whose blessing miraculously multiplied the food of His followers, causing five loaves to feed "five thou sand men, besides women and children," and seven loaves to feed "four thousand men, besides women and children." By the same Divine compassion our harvests may be exceedingly multiplied, and our wants abundantly supplied; and for our individual comfort we have the gracious promise, that although "the young lions do lack and suffer hunger," yet "they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."-Ps. xxxiv.

10.

ADDENDA.

THE following are a few of the simplest Recipes we have met with for cooking Indian corn meal; but those who require a greater variety, including articles of luxury as well as of economy, may find abundant directions in Miss Leslie's "Indian Meal Book,"* which comprises the best American recipes.

INDIAN MUSH.

Have ready, over a good clear fire, a pot or large saucepan of boiling water. Put a sufficiency of Indian meal into a large pan, and place it beside you. Take in one hand a wooden spoon, and with the other hand throw, gradually, the Indian meal into the boiling water, a handful at a time, till you have the mush as thick as very stiff porridge. Give it, between each handful, a stirring; otherwise it will be rough, lumpy, and ill-mixed. Add a little salt: a very little will suffice, as salt mush is usually considered unpalatable. After the mush is sufficiently thick and smooth, keep it boiling an hour longer, stirring it up from the bottom frequently, to prevent its burning. Then cover the pot closely, and place it where it will not boil hard, but only simmer, for another hour. The goodness and wholesomeness of mush depends greatly on its being long and thoroughly boiled, and on being made thick and smooth. If kept three or four hours over the fire, first boiling hard, and then simmering, it will be all the better. Send it to table hot, and in a deep dish or pan. Eat it with sweet milk, buttermilk, or cream; or with butter and sugar, or butter and treacle.

Cold mush that has been left, may be cut into slices and fried next day in butter or lard, or in drippings of roast veal or pork.*

* London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 1846.

This is the simplest mode of cooking Indian meal. It resembles the burgoo of the Scotch, and the stirabout of the Irish, but is infinitely sweeter and more nutritious, being made of Indian instead of oatmeal.

FINE INDIAN BREAD.

Sift four quarts of Indian meal, and half a pint of wheat flour into a large deep pan, mixing them well. Make a deep hole in the centre. Pour a quart of warm water into a mug or bowl that contains half a pint of strong fresh yeast, and stir them together; then pour them into the hole you have made in the meal. Take a spoon, and with it mix lightly into the liquid, enough of the surrounding meal to make a thin batter, which must be stirred till it is quite smooth and free from lumps; then strew a handful of wheat flour over the surface, scattering it thinly, so as to cover the whole. Warm a clean thick cloth, and lay it folded over the top of the pan; then set it in a warm place to rise,- -nearer the fire in winter than in summer. When it is quite light, and has risen so that the surface is cracked, strew on two table-spoonfuls of salt, and removing it from the fire, begin to form the whole mass into a dough; commencing round the hole that contains the batter, and adding, gradually, sufficient lukewarm water (which you must have ready for the purpose) to mix it of the proper consistence for bread. When the whole is completely mixed, knead it hard for at least half an hour; then strew a little more flour thinly over it; cover the pan of dough, and, set it again in a warm place. Let it remain untouched for half an hour; then flour your paste-board, divide the dough equally, and make it into loaves. This quantity will be enough for two loaves. Have the oven ready, put in the loaves, and bake them about three hours, more or less, according to their size, When you think the bread is done, try it with a knife. If the blade comes out clammy, let the bread remain in the oven a while longer. Have ready clean thick towels damped with cold water. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, wrap up each loaf closely in one of those towels, and stand it up on end to cool slowly. The damp cloths will prevent the crust, becoming too hard while the loaves are cooling. Keep the loaves in a covered box or basket.

Indian bread, and every sort of Indian cake, is best when fresh.

Excellent bread may be made of equal portions of wheat meal and Indian; or of three parts wheat and one part Indian. Indian meal gives a peculiar sweetness to wheat bread.

If the dough has become sour by standing too long, it may be remedied by dissolving a teaspoonful of pearl-ash in a small teacup of milk-warm water, sprinkling the dough with it, and then giving it another kneading; after which let it stand half an hour (not more) before it is put into the oven, that the pearl-ash may have time to take effect, and correct the acidity.

INDIAN HASTY-PUDDING.

Put three quarts of water into a saucepan, and add a teaspoonful of salt. Set the saucepan over a good fire (entirely free from smoke), and when the water boils hard, begin to stir in three quarts or more of Indian meal, a handful at a time, till it is very thick and smooth, like a very soft dough, adding, gradually, a quarter of a pound of butter as you proceed. Continue to boil and stir it till the spoon or stick will stand upright in the middle. Send it to table hot, and eat it with milk or cream, or with treacle or sugar.

INDIAN MEAL-GRUEL.

This is excellent nourishment for the sick. Having sifted some Indian meal, mix in a quart bowl two table-spoonfuls of the meal with three of cold water; stir it till quite smooth, pressing out the lumps against the side of the bowl. Have ready a very clean saucepan with a pint of boiling water; pour this scalding hot on the mixture in the bowl a little at a time, and stir it well, adding a pinch of salt. Then put the whole into the saucepan, set it on hot coals, and stir it till it boils, making the spoon go down quite to the bottom, that the gruel may not burn. After it has come to a boil, let it continue boiling half an hour, stirring it frequently and skimming it.

Give it to the invalid warm, in a bowl or tumbler. It may be sweetened with sugar and eaten with a spoon. If the physician permits, some grated nutmeg may be added, also a little

white wine.

Plain Johnny Cake is made by forming a soft dough, of a quart of sifted Indian meal with a tea-spoonful of salt, mixed gradually with about a pint of boiling water. The dough is beaten well, until it is light and spongy, then rolled out thickly and evenly on a smooth, hard board, and set upright before a bright fire. When done it is cut into squares, and eaten with butter. It may be cooked on a tin; but not so well.

A superior Johnny cake may be thus made:-Take one quart of milk, three eggs, one teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, one teacup of wheat flour, and Indian meal sufficient to make a batter of the consistency of pancakes. Bake quickly in pans previously buttered, and eat it warm with butter or milk.

HOMINY.

Hominy is Indian corn, shelled from the cob; divested of the yellow skin (so as to be perfectly white) and then dried. Having washed it well, through two or three waters, put it into a pan, pour boiling water upon it; cover it, and let it soak all night, or for several hours. Drain it; put it into a clean pot or saucepan; allow two quarts of water (either hot or cold) to every quart of hominy, and boil it hard during five or six hours, or more, stirring it frequently. Then drain it well through a sieve or cullender, till it is as dry as possible. Put it into a deep dish, add some fresh butter to it, and a little salt or pepper; send it to table hot, to eat with any sort of meat, particularly with corned beef, pork, or bacon. If properly prepared it is very wholesome and strengthening. What is left may be re-boiled next day for an hour; or it may be made into flat cakes, adding a little wheat flour, and fried in lard or butter.

Hominy that has been already boiled is good to thicken soup, instead of rice or barley.

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