Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1879 — HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY [ARTICLE]

HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY

Cbeam Cabbage.—Wash, cut fine, boil until tender, and drain the water from it. Brown two table-spoonfuls of butter in a saucepan; put in the cabbage and pour over it a teacupful of good cream; season, and let simmer for half an hour. To Cook Salsify.—Wash the roots, and as the outer skin is scraped off throw the roots into cold water. ITiey require nearly an hour’s boiling in plenty of water; throw in with them a little salt, a small piece of butter, and the juice of half a lemon. Serve with rich gravy or melted butter. Washing Flannels.—The one thing for which the best servant preserves an animosity is flannels. She will soak them in warm water, and drench them with soda, and reduce them to the condition of boards. To wash flannels nicely, take warm soapsuds, use two waters, and soak the flannels in hot water for a few minutes. Frost Bitten.—Frost-bitten plants mav be revive -* The proper way is, when the frost has been partially drawn out of them, naturally, to drench them with cold water from a fine-nosed watering pot, and immediately cover again and let them so remain until they regain their natural color. When they are removed, clip off all such parts as are blackened. As soon as it is discovered that a plant has been touched by frost, remove it to a cool, dark room, and on no account suffer the sun to shine upon it. If they can be covered so as to exclude air as well as light, it is better still. Dahlias and the like need not be removed until the frosts are severe enough to blacken the leaves. To Stew Carrots.—Half boil, then scrape and slice thekn into a stew-pan. Add to them half a teacupful of any weak broth, pepper and salt to taste, half a teacupful of cream, and a saltspoonful of sugar; simmer until tender, but not broken; before serving, thicken with bit of butter rubbed smooth in flour. If liked, chopped parsley may be added ten minutes before dishing. Mince Pies.—Boil a fresh tongue ; chop it very fine, after removing the skin and roots; ■when cold add one pound of chopped suet, two pounds stoned raisins, two pounds currants, two pounds citron cut in fine pieces, six cloves, powdered; two teaspoonfuls cinnamon, half teaspoonful mace, one pint brandy, one pint wine or cider, two pounds sugar; put this all in a stone jar and cover well; in making pies chop some apples very fine, and to one bowl of the prepared meat take two of apples ; add more sugar, according to taste, and sweet cider enough to make the pies juicy, but not thin; mix and warm the ingredients before putting into your pie plates; always bake with an upper Mid under cruet, made with

one cup of lard, one of butter, one of water and four of flour. Cleanins the Scalp. —A teaspoonful of powdered borax, and a teaspoonful of spirits of hartshorn, dissolved in a quart of soft water, and applied to the head with a soft sponge, ana then rubbed dry with a towel, is an excellent wash for cleaning the scalp. Once a week is often enough to use it. If there is any vitality left in the hair follicles or roots, the following is said to be a very excellent wash for restoring the hair: Scald black tea, two ounces, with a gallon of boiling water; then strain, and add three ounces of glycerine, half an ounce of tincture of cantharides, and one quart of bay rum. This may be perfumed to suit the taste, and should be well rubbed into the hair, after a warm glow has been produced on the scalp by the brush. The following is a very good pomatum: One pound of castor oil and four ounces of white wax are melted together; then stir in while cooling two and a half drachms of oil of burgamont, half a drachm of oil of lavender, and ten or twelve drops of essence of royale.