Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1891 — DOMESTIC ECONOMY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

HOUSEHOLD AND AGRICULTURAL TOPICS DISCUSSED. A Budget of Information Relating to the Farm, Orchard, stable. Parlor and Kitchen. t THE HQFSEHOLD. Economy and Thrllt.

WRITER on the subjectof economy says, in the pages of Good Housekeeping: Economy has another meaning than mere thrift. It is a sense of justice. Nature shows us what to do. Over and over

again she weaves unsightly debris into tissues of living beauty. Not one particle of material has ever been thrown away since first the planets rolled out of nebulse. Nature kneads and refines, separates and unites, but never destroys. She can not; it is not in the constitution of things to do so. The granite is refined into soil, and soil into the rose, the rose dust into wheat, and wheat into man. The discovery of the conversation and correlation of force and energy is one of the most brilliant achievements of this wonderful century. And what is that but a triumph of economy? This unity In the midst of change is the grandest poem which our foster mother has yet sung to the intellect of man, one before which scientist and moralist alike stand entranced. Like all true poems it has an ethical meaning. It means, first and lowest, that we are in duty bound to make the most and best of all things with which we have to deal. He who wastes time, opportunity, money, material, food, or clothing impoverishes himself and robs others. Possessions of every kind are a sacred trust. They will not keep themselves; they must be watched, guarded, and improved. Rot, rust, leakage, and decay, which is only transmutage into other forms to benefit something or somebody else, these are the penalties of waste or neglect. That we can not keep what we do not guard and improve is a law ruling alike in the material world in intellect and in ethics. Neglect, apathy, indolence are as fatal to character as to property. The balance of justice is delicately poised, and nothing escapes her tests. Political, social, ethical, and household economies stand on the same'basis. The laws governing use and justice which underlie economy, are as imperative as the laws of gravitation. In obeying this law there is no necessity of descending to that base prudence which stabs all generous sentiments, all beneficent impulses; rather it furnishes the means by which they may be fostered. The wasteful housekeeper has nothing left for service to others if she lives to the full extent of her ability day by day. Lucretia Mott wrote her letters upon scraps of paper, unfolded envelopes, and such bits as another would have cast away. She saved that others might be blessed from her frugal store; saved to carry glad tidings and great truths to the poor and enslaved. In such prudence subsists more generosity than careless wealth can ever show. There is no room in a large heart for “that prudence which adorns the Rule of Three, which never subscribes, which never gives, seldom lends, and asks but one question of any project: “Will It bake bread?” It is a prudence which aims at the highest culture through the highest justice, the only way in which that can be reached.

Hint* to Housekeeper*. Consumptive night sweats may be ar rested by sponging the body at night in salt and water. A hard cold Is ofttimes cured by a cup of hot lemonade taken at bedtime, as it produces prespiration. A half teaspoonful of soda in half a cup of water will relieve sick headache caused by indigestion. Teething children may be relieved of convulsions by being immersed in a warm bath, and cold water applied to the head. When going from a warm room out into the cold air, close your mouth and breathe through your nose to prevent taking cold. » Fob nervous headache, when the pain is over the eyes and the temples are throbbing, apply cloths wet with cold water to the head, and hot baths to the feet. The juice of red onion is a perfect antidote for the sting of bees, wasps, hornets, etc. The, sting of the honey-bee, which is always left in the wound, should first be removed. Warm mustard water should be given to one who has accidently swallowed poison; this will cause vomiting; after that give a cup of strong coffee; that will counteract the remaining effects. Fob croup or pne’umonia bruise raw onions, lay on a cloth with powdered gum camphor sprinkled over it, und apply to chest and lungs, and cover with hot flannel. This is a sure cure if taken in time.

THE FA KM. Too Much Shade. In a recent number of the Sanitarian, Dr. W. T. Parker protests against the thick planting of trees very near the house. Not only do they prevent the free access of air and of sunshine or even light, but they also injure the character of the soil as suited for permanent occupation. “A soil,” says the writer, “loaded with roots and densely shaded is unfit for man to live upon constantly. . . . Vegetation produces a great effect upon the movement of the air. Its velocity is checked, and sometimes in thick clusters of trees or underwood the air is almost stagnant. Ifmoistand decaying vegetation be a coincident condition of such stagnation, the most fatal forms of malarious diseases are produced. A moist soil is cold, and is generally believed to predispose to rheumatism, catayrh, and neuralgia. It is a matter of general experience that most people feel healthier on a dry soil. “In some way, which is not clear, a moist soil produces an unfavorable effect upon the lungs. A moist soil influences greatly the development of the agent, whatever it may be, which causes the paroxysmal fevers.” Of course, in the desire to avoid possible dangers, it is not necessary to place a house ©a- an absolutely hare spot, away frdm *ny tree, as is often 'done by rural builders, even when fine trees are within ,reacb. Enough trees to produce an effect'agreeabie to the eye and comfortably shade

certain portions of the house and its immediate vicinity in summer, yet not so many as to render the soil damp, or prevent the free circulation of air, or wholly shut out the sun. This should be the householder’s ideal. Conifers are especially bad if many of them stand close to the house, because they exclude sunshine in winter, when one cannot have too much of it. Renewal of Tree Roots. A dozen or more years ago I dug a post hole near a large apple tree, severing one of the smallest roots less than thirty inches from the stump. It recently became necessary to grub the tree, and I was enabled to see the results of this accidental amputation. The illustration shows the present appearance of the root. As it stands on a

chair before me it does not take much imagination to believe it to be the compact, well-furnished root of a four-year-old apple tree, ais a portion of the root which was severed at b in digging the post hole. At this point the root was about one and one-half inches in diameter at that time, and appears to have grown but little since, a callus having formed at c three inches from the end, and a mass of roots starting from that point, which have developed as illustrated, suve many of the smaller, which have been left out to prevent crowding the drawing. The ground was very rich, being near the barn. The matter is interesting, as showing the capacity of a tree to develop feeding roots near the trunk, and showing how by cutting short trenches and filling with rich soil an old tree might be fed with a spoon, as it were. Correspondent Country Gentleman.

Growing Flux and Barley. Through some mistake a quantity of flaxseed was sown with barley a few years ago. Though the flax grew so small that it was hardly discernible, yet there was an extra large barley crop, noyt at all injured by the growth of the flax, as the farmer thought. The piece sown was excessively rich for barley, and it is quite possible that the flax by exhausting tho'soll kept the barley from too luxuriant a growth, and thus made the barley crop fill better than it otherwise would. At any rate, when threshing time came the farmer found fully as large a barley yield as he had expected, and about ten bushels of flaxseed ready cleared and delivered in the screeningbox. It was before the West grew flax so largely and made it so cheap, and he received $2 a bushel for the flaxseed.— American Cultivator.

THB STOCK RANCH. Pure Bred Stock. No lino of agriculture is more fascinating to ambitious young men than the rearing of pure-bred live stock. Many, however, enter into the business without giving themselves that thorough training essential to success; they drift into It, following their natural bent, taking up the Intellectual side of the calling, and fail to drill themselves properly in the little details of handling, feeding and managing so necessary to success. The best merchants are those who have grown up in the business from cash boys, and have learned by years of drudgery just how each branch of thir business is conducted. The young man, the goal of whose ambition is to some day own and manage a herd of pure-breds, should begin at once by schooling himself in handling and managing just such animals as he may find about him to-day. Feeding calves may not appear to be very elevating work, yet until one can successfully feed calves he should not think of taking care of older animals. How can one leave to others duties which he cannot perform thoroughly and well himself? Having learned Just how a young calf should be fed and how it should appear when well fed, one is ready to take tlie next step in the business. If rightly started the young animal Is on the way to a thrifty yearling, and here study Is needed again to make that happy decision between unprofitable overfeeding and not less expensive underfeeding. In studying how to feed and handle, too great haste should not be incurred because of the drudgery to do anything well and to have the judgment rendered quick and active one iyast repeat the operation he is studying many times. Our young stock breeder, reading the directions given by noted cattlemen, warips up and feels that he can rapidly learn to do Just as they are doing; let him remember, however, that these men have many of them grown gray in their calling, and that they started out as well equipped mentally, and with as great ambition to succeed as the coming generation, and only the long procession of years has given these masters the deftness and good judgment they now exhibit. To hopeto acquire the same degree of expertness in a brief time is utter folly. Reading alone will not make one expert, No one can at first pitch a base ball successfully after having carefully studied the directions from a book. Careful, thoughtful reading will help one greatly and materially shorten the time required to attain success, but reading must be followed up by extended practice. Young men who cannot own full bloods can get excellent practice in handling grades. They can secure pure-bred sires —for any other system is absolutely inexcusable at this time —and can rapidly grade up the herd with ample opportunity for carefully observing the value of good blood. They can take much pride and gain a world of information in Just this work. The young man who will not improve to the utmost the cattle he may happen to possess, but neglects them, lenging for the time to come when he can own better ones, is not worthy of bis calling apd his pretended devqtjonto such is probably not deeply enough planted to ever bear fruit, even if it has an opportunity. To be expert in pedigree* is very proper and essential, but

one had a thousand times better begfo bis studies by rendering himself expert in feeding, handling, and judgfng. When this is acquired in a fair measure the other can be added, and then one can set out on the road with little fears but that success will ultimately crown his efforts. Another point. Ambitious young men are not always willing to begin in a small way and let time make up what they lack in money. To start with one or two pure bred females seems entirely too small a beginning for their ambition, and rather than take up with so little they • make no start at all. No greater mistake could be made. In beginning so small there are almost no chances of failure, while thq opportunity for studying is concentrated thereby. We have in mind some of the very best breeders whose beginning seems very insignificant compared with present attainments. The long years have brought much experience to them, and with the increasing herd comes increased experience and the judgment essential to success. We have but to look around us and observe how the majority of our successful business men have begun and advanced to get an excellent idea of the best way to proceed in building up and managing a herd of pure-bred cattle.— Breeder's Gazette.

THE FOt'LTUI-lAKO. Guinea Fowl*. The guinea fowl is a native of Africa and has never outgrown its wild nature enough to bo closely confined, when bred for domestic uses. The white and the pearl are the two varieties most commonly found in a domestic state. With propriety the guiena may be called the watch dog of the poultry yard—ever watchful and on the alert It gives the note of warning on the first approach of danger. Aside from the warfare they wage against various kinds of insect and vermin pests of the farm, they cannot be considered of much pecuniary profit to the farmer. They are an ornament to the farm yard and often prevent the loss of other poultry by giving the alarm of approaching danger. Mrs. J. B. Howe, in the Farmers’ Rcvlcic, gives a “chat” about them from which we take the following: The pearl or speckled guinea is rather more wild in its habits than the white, and delights in hiding its nest in some lonely and sequestered spot, in which it deposits a large number of eggs, if undisturbed, but if the nest or eggs aro meddled with It deserts the nest and seeks a new one. Its eggs require four weeks to hatch, and the young have all the shyness of young prarie chickens or quails. The flesh of the speckled guinea is dark colored and inclined to dryness. On the other hand the whlto guinea is quite domestic in its habits, especially if reared by chicken hens, and in such cases runs with the chickens and lays in tlieir nests, the same as the hens They never forget the hen that reared them, but will follow her through thick and thin until they are fully gr'»wn, and If separated from her they show a marked • preference for hens of her color. Its young is also shy and tender, until say a. couple of weeks old, when, if handled, properly, they become as hardy as any of the fowl tribe. For the first week or two the young should be fed upon coarseoat meal slightly scalded and salted, or crumbs of stale bread soaked in milk curd, and maybe a little hard boiled egg. All food slightly salted and fed often. Gravel and green tender stuff, such as lettuce, onion tops and the like, should also be mixed with the food. They, should not be kept too long confined, as their wild nature, like that of the turkey, demands a certain degree of freedom and liberty to search for Insects. The fiesh. of the white guinea, unlike that of its speckled relation, Is yellow and very tender and toothsome. In color they are pure white, except the head, which is red. The legs arc yellow. Guineas are very sprightly and watchful fowls, spying a hawk, skunk, weasel, or strange cat or dog before any of the other fowls, and setting up their peculiar din to frighten the intruder and give warning of his approach. They also observe if any of the fowls get beyond their accustomed limits and fearlessly attack them and persistently keep after them, until the wrong is righted. The white guinea, especially, is a very fine layer, almost rivaling the Leghorns. They begin early and continue on until many of the hens have stopped to rest. They aro quite Interesting fowls, and for many reasons amply repay the pains required to rear them. Their odd looks and voicetogether with their pretty plumage, attract many admirers. 'The male and female are similar in appearance and plumage, but arc easily distinguished by their different manner of speaking. The hen calls in what has often been said to resemble the cry of “buckwheat,” “buckwheat,” while the male makes a sort of whining sound all In one syllable and with one intonation. Guineas grow and mature rapidly and for broilers, equal young chickens.

THB KITCHEN. Glngerette. One gallon, of water, one pound of white sugar, one-half ounce of best ginger root, two sliced lemons, one-fourth ounce of cream tartar. Boil the ginger and lemon ten minutes in part of the water; dissolve the sugar and cream tartar in cold water, add one gill of good yeast. Let it stand over night and strain and bottle in the morning. Raw Beef Sand wiche*. Scrape fine a small pleceof fresh, juicy,, tender raw beef. Season highly with, salt and butter. Spread it on thin slices of bread, put them together like a sandwich and cut into small squares or diamonds. This will often tempt an Invalid who could not otherwise take raw meat. The sandwiches are sometimes made more palatable by toasting them slightlySnow Bain. Two cups sugar, one and one-half cups butter, one cup sweet milk, three cups flour, ttyree teaspoonfuls baking powder, whites of five eggs. Bake in deep, square pans. The following day cut in two-inch squares. Cut off the crust and leave it white. Take each piece on a. fork and frost it upon all sides and then roll In grated cocoanut. Bice Fadding. A teacupful of rice, the yolks of *four eggs, the whites of three beaten separately, two ounces pounded sugar, two ounces raisins, one-quarter pound suet, -chopped very fine; flavoring of ratafia or vanilla; put these ingredients into a. mould and boil one and one-half hours. Serve with brandy_or sweet sauce. A fever patient is cooled off and made comfortabte by frequent sponging witlk warm soda water.