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Snow is shovelled, on which an assortment ofjoints of neat and poultry is thrust, with snow between each i' then another good layer ofsnow, and then another layer of assorted frozen joints and birds, until all are safely packed, when the whole is surmounted with more snow, and packed down with the wooden shovel, and left ready for the cook’s first call for fresh meat. All that is required when ajo'mt is wanted is to chop it out with the axe, and put it into a tub of water for a few hours, when it is as fresh, sweet, and tender as any epicure need require.
Before the snow has left the woods, the sap of the rock or sugar maple is an object of some interest in districts where they have been spared in sufficient .numbers to furnish the requisite quantity for sugar ,making. The trees are tapped about two feet from Ithevground, by cutting a V shaped notch in the bark and driving a gouge shaped spile below it to conduct the liquid into pans or trough, or what are called dishes made out of birch bark. When the sap begins 'to run several iron pots are suspended over a fire and filled which are afterwards filled up from each other, as the sap boils away, one being'kept for putting in the cold sap, and another for the most concentrated, filled up from the intermediate; when . the sap islin the molasses state,and carefully strained, mixed with an equal quantity ofpure cognac,it makes one of the finest liqueurs imaginable. It will be in- teresting, while on the subject of seasons, to note
THE OLD SAXON NAMES OF THE MONTHS.
December, which stood first, was styled “ Mid-winter monath.” January was “ Ael'ter-ynla,” or after Christmas. February, “ Sol- monath.”_ lrom the returning sun. March, “Rhedc, or Rhede , monath,” rough or rugged month. April “ Easter monath,” from a favorite Saxon goddess, whose name we still preserve. May was “ 'I‘riniilchi.” from the cows being then milked thrice in the day. June, “ Sere monath,” dry month. July, “ Myer] monath,” the mend: being then in their bloom. August was “\Veod monalh " trom the luxuriance of weeds. September, “ Haarfest monath.” bctober they called “ Winter fylleth,” from winter approaching with the full moon of that month. And lastly, November was styled ”Blot inonath,” from the blood of the cattle slain that month, and stored tor winter provision.
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