Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1886 — DOMESTIC ECOMOMY. [ARTICLE]

DOMESTIC ECOMOMY.

-A Budget of Useful Information Upon Household and Industrial Economy. JUtters of Interest Relating to the Farm, Orchard, Stable, Parlor, and Kitchen. AGRICULTURE. J Plotter for Potatoes. It is reckoned by many good potato growers that the application of pans greon with land plaster to the potato crop practically costs nothing. The advantage to tlui potato from the gypHura on its leaves defrays’the entire expense, even when two or more applications are made in a season. It is qnlte likely that London purple, another arsenical preparation, will take tins place of Paris green as insect poison. It is cheaper, and is loss liablo to burn the leaves by excessive doses. The objection to it is that it , -works more slowly than Paris green, sometimes two or tliroo days elapsing before much effect is seen. > Cultivator vs. Hoe. ~'~- As the roots both of com and potatoes quickly occupy tho ontiro spaces between the rows, it follows that tho more wictely the soil is stirred away from tho hills the bettor for the growing crops. Every farmer has noticed -that going through corn with horse and cultivator starts it into more vigorous growth 'than simply hoeing it. . Adulterated Paris Green. There is much difference in the quality of 'Paris greon, much that is sold being so heavily adulterated that it is impossible to decide how much to apply. Tho impure poison is believed to bo injurious to potato vines, perhaps because of its impurity being applied stronger than it should be. The high-priced pure Paris grpen is cheapest vs. Winter Wheat. The Illinois correspondent of the Country Gentleman, in an article on wheat crops and wheat failures, in relation to the returns of ■Central Illinois farms for spring wheat cultivation, says that “this spring wheat movement seems to be a spontaneous one, determined rather from tho consciousness of the individual than from anything of recommendation or discassion outside, or in the newspapers. Wheat scarcity is threatened in the not remote future, and the interest of self-preservation prompts toe agriculturist to prepare for tho emergency. But, perhaps, as in the case of the winter wheat crop, which the soil refused to prodtfee for a considerable time, and then gave groat yields, the causes of the failure of spring whoat have disappeared, and with the coming season and others following wo may have the satisfaction of gathering abundant crops. At any rate, there is something interesting and remarkable about this spontaneous return to spring wheat growing worthy of further investigation.” •Country Roads. It has been said that a good farm is as much better on a good road than one equally good on a bad one as the difference in the facilities of travel and the transportation of commodities. This is worthy of the careful consideration of farmers, even though it touches simply upon the cost of transportation of farm commodities to market Yet any road may be a good or a bad road, relatively, whatever the material used. In the West the lack of stone or good gravel for forming a hard, impervious surfaco is one of the most serious obstacles to this kind of metaling, and from the cost of transporting this material. Nevertheless, careful observation would, in a large number of cases, show that this material was available, and at a cost that would warrant its use. But because stone or gravel is not to be obtained is no reason why Western fanners should not have decent roads, except for a short season in the late autumn anclm spring. In any case the natural soil must be the foundation upon which the road is to be built. In the building of any road the first consideration is absolute drainage of the roadbed and proper outlets for carrying away the water at every depression; and next, the careful grading of the surface into a hard, compact mass, with inclinations to the sides to quickly carry off the surfaco water. This will furnish every requisite of a good road, when stone or gravel is not available; and if depressions and holes are not allowed to accumulate such a road will be but little inferior to a stone or gravel surface for a considerabla portion of theyear. The u oxcellent nature of the road-grading and road-repairing machinery of the present day leaves no excuse for miry, ungraded roads, and those road officers who do not carefully ■study the subject of roads and road construction have not fully realized their duty, any more than has the farmer his best interests who year after year must wait for exceptionally dry weather before he dares start to market with more than 1,800 pounds on his wagon. There is another question connected with roads that is not generally appreciated as it ahould be. That is the influence good roads exercise upon those traveling through a country. They estimate the value of the ngricult«Al resources of a region bv its roads. Rough, mnddy roads, dilapidated bridges, and weodovergrown roadsides aro always associated with an unfertile country or of slack fanning. It is certainly often the index of. careless farming in the West. Any fertile loam if cast np regularly, with properly cleaned ditches, and •well compacted, .except during wet spells, will permit of the hauling of thirty or forty hundredweight with a good toam; so betwoeh good and indifferent roads this makes a saving of .about one-half in the marketing of products. Here is not a difficult problem for tne farmer 'to solve. If he make 3 100 trips to tho market in the course of a year, and the distance is ten miles —the average distance to railway stations in Illinois—he will have saved 500 miles travel for himself team, or fifty days’ labor for man and team. How much labor lie may be warranted jn spending on roads may Inns easily be figured out.— Chicago Tribune.

STOCK-BREEDING. Assorting Sheep, The male Bheep should bo kept from the . ;flock of ewes until such time a* ft is desired to have them got with lamb. By feeding a little extra at this time wether ewes mav be brought in heat earlier, and thus prevent having a lot of late lambs, which will nead extra feeding, wnd, after all, not be as good as .those dropped earlier. The older ewes should be separated -from the main flock and fattened. Heat from Stabled Animals. With a good flock of sheep or herd of cattle •under barn basements, it is an easy matter to ■exclude frost A very, peroeptible heat is radiated from one animal, and if ordinary precautions are taken to exclude outside cold, even ’.potatoes may be kept without freezing. They may need some covering in coldest weather, but this need not prevent them from being ■easily accessible for feed. Last’Winter was of unusual severity, but potatoes were kept in •underground stables without injury. Profitable Breeding Sows. A strong-constitutioned sow which is a good imilker, and will drop eight or ten pigs at a litter, is as profitable stock as a farmer can keep. •One such will bring in more money than an ordinary breeding mare with volts worth but ♦45 or *SO when weaned The pigs will cost less to keep to bring that maney, and there wilt be less chance for loss by disease or accident Thrifty farmers will, however, raise both colts ana pigs. ■ * Changing a Horse** -Gait. I have a square-built horse bht a shade over fifteen hands high, but his sloping shoulders, short back, and the gay carriage of bis head suggested that, although a trifle too low, he might make a good saddle horse. His dam was a Canadian mare, with pacing blood in her, and his sire was a son of Hambletonian. He had no ... .other gait before "he was mounted than a square, open trot but under the saddle he began to tangle up his legs into some of the old Kentucky steps, singlifoot, fox trot, and the like These motions, I know, are quite unfashionable, and'the riding masters in the . schools would never tolerate them. But comimon sense teaches that a shift of.gait must rest

ahorse. Experience has proved to me that the shift refreshes rider.!, But a horse with several gaits is not accomplished unless ha varies them to suit the will of his rider. >lt is an advantage if ho knows howto Hinglo foot, but tiiis ofte-two-three-four movement is distressing when you want a trot, anil the springiest of trots is intolerable when von want your horse toyoanter. The problem Is to make the horse take the step you want with! prompt obedience. Tho books and teachers will tell you muck of interest oil tips point, but this was ifry way: The principle of association is the great power in animal training. That is, when a horse finds .by experience that two things habitually accompany each oilier, as soon as one of these is brought into his mind throngh any sense, sight, hearing, feeling, , the other is. suggested. When my horse was hurried out of liis walk lie often took, a few stops of very easy movement before Bottling into a trot, How shonld I pefruadc him to keep np that gait* I first held him back from his trot so that lie would take a few more stops in it than usual, and invariably beat him on this side of his nook at every other step by touching liim with tho butt of my whip. He soon began to SSStWlato tho tapping with tho H peculiar movement of his logs, and aftor a few lossons I only needed to touch his nock two or three times, and he would fall into time without any othor hint. It was not natural for him to canter, butwlion forco4„into tho gait I began to beat time on bis withers with tho knuckles of my bridle hand. In loss than a fortnight he was . schooled so well that whothor he. was standing, or walking, or trotting, or singlefooting, two or three taps from my knuckles would settlo him into a canter. To bring him to a trot I only need to slacken tjio tension on his onrb rein a trifle, and let him feel a slight but steady pressuro on the snafflo. I have taught him to associate this feoliug with a trot Now this 1b not written to BUggost these motions as the host They were adopted partly by accident. But the principle is one to be insisted on. That is. associate certain things together in a horse’s mind, and you havo tlio key to controlling him; Only lot onemotion or one sound always mean one and tho same thing. And this is a good place to protest'against the practice of calling “Whoa! whoa!” to a horse When you only wish him to slow up. If a short, explosive, though not necossarfly loud, “whoa!” is always spoken to a young horse when brought to a full stop, so that the sound means just that and nothing else, the association may save a life sometimes when a prompt halt is needed.— Philadelphia Press.

ERUIT-RAISING. Varieties. Dr. Meehan, a most excellent botanical authority, upon the subject of varieties running out holds that varieties may be moved to soil or climate or both unfavorable to health and wear out, and that thore is no known reason why varieties should not last hundreds of years. The statement is borne out by fact, as in the case of English and continental varieties of fruit Healthy and sound to-day as hundreds of years ago. Keeping Fruits. Mr. A. 8. Fuller, of New Jersey, a good horticultural authority, and originally a Western man, in relation to keeping fruits says: “The thin-skinned sorts as a rule are poor keepers, while tho thick may be kept in fair condition for several months by simply packing in boxes and thon storing in a dry, cool room or very dry cellar. Persons having properly arranged fruit-houses do not find it at all, difficult to keep such varieties as Catawba, Delaware and lona until January or February, and sometimes a month or two later.” ' Starting an Apple Orchard. The proper time to start a nursery is the fall, and the soil best suited for growing youug apple trees is a deep, well-drained, gravelly loam, not light, neither too heavy. A medium texture is best, and it shoulcbbe rich enough to grow a good crop of corn. If too rich a rank, unhealthy growth of wood would be produced. The land should be plowed to a good depth, and if any manure is necessary apply a coat of well-rotted compost. Where only a few trees for home use are to bo grown only a small strip of good ground will bo required. A plot six -rods in length and one in width is ample for growing 600 first-class apple trees, and twice that number could be produced without crowding. After plowing deop, harrow well, so as to nave the surface soil fine. The site selected should be somewhat elevated, but not too much exposed to high winds, neither should it be where deep snowdrifts are liable to cover it in the winter. After the ground has been properly harrowed lay it off into straight rows three feet apart, leaving- w space., feet from the greensward to the first row. Run a plow along each row, ” making a light furrow not exceeding three inches in dopth. Go to tho nearest cider mill, and get a cartload of pomace, spread it upon the barn floor, and with a square-bladed shovel, or some other implement, break it up fine, after which scatter it evenly in the furrows, and cover to the depth ortwo inches with fine soil, then spread' fine compost or leaf mold upon the rows to the depth of alxmt one inch. Tnis will keep the soil mellow, and hasten the growth of the chits. The ground between the rows should be cultivated frequently during the summer to keep the weeds down and the soil loose. Turnips or other crops can bo grown between tho rows, if desirable. .When the chits awi four or five inches in height they should bo well thinned, care being taken do pull out the weakest plants, and preserve the most vigorous ones. It may be desirable not to thin them too. severely at ..first but much, better trees can be produced by leaving not less than a foot space between them in tho rows . at the final thinning. Some prefer to select tho seed for planting from choice fruit, believing that much better stocks can be obtained, and as the quality of the grafted fruits is doubtless influenced to some extent by the parent stock, perhaps it will pay to do so.

BEE-KEEPING. Importance of Bee Culture, Prof. A.J. Cook, of Michigan, says plants pour out their noctar as a sort of free coffee or lunch to attract bees and other insects to the most important work in vegetable economy, the work of fertilization, which largely depends "upon insects, and without wmcn full fruitage is impossible. The simple wort of gathering nectar then is indirectly of groat economic importance. This nectar, which the . bees, convert into honey, would be .wholly lost without them. Only me honey bees are abundant early in the season, and they alone save this valuable food element for man’s good. The activity of bees is wonderful. By actual observation •single flowers are sometimes visited by bees fifty times a day, and bees have been seen to visit over twenty flowers a minute. L. C. Root, of Mohawk, N. Y., extracted 4,103 pounds of honey on duly 28," collected from basswood, which had all boon gathered by forty colonies of bees in just seven days. This is over 100 pounds per colony, and tho daily stores of each colony exceeded fourteen pounds. During the same time there were secured at the Michigan Collego nearly half as much beautiful comb honey from single colonies. An excellent Michigan fanner, who has kept bees six or seven years, and who for the last three years has had from sixty to eighty colonies, reports the cash receipts from these bees during each of the last three years to exceed those of the entire balance of, his farm Beet and Grapes. Mr. W. W. Bliss, of Duarte, CaL, writes as follows on the above subject, to the Pacific Rural Press: Knowing of a party who had an apiary in one of the largest raisin-producing sections of the State, I wrote him in regard to the matter. Hiß reply was that he intended to confine his bees in their hives (or at least to try the experimentof doing so) at the time or drying the raisins. The following is his statement in his own words: “I got my wire cloth and everything ready to corral them; then wo put down about eight tons of grapes ami watched for the result A few days passed, and as no bees were working on the grapes, I concluded that there was no need to keep them in yet a while In the meantime McPherson Bros, (the largest raisin-producers in this county) came in and bought up nearly all the raisin grapes in this district They choose for a dry mg ground a piece of land adjoining my place and within 400 yards of my apiary Here they, spread out 110 tons of grapes. I thought, now we will have to look sharp, or we shall have some trouble. But no, not a bit of it; day after day passed and the bees occupied themselves with other duties than ‘eating up raisins.' The crop of raisins is now dried and gathered, and the bees have not

boon confined in their hives one hour. I asked McPherson Bros.’ manager if he thought that the bees had dona any damage: bis reply was, Tbelieve not’ * The faqt is that the bees gat the credit of doing what is done by wasps, birds, yellowjackets, etc. If any one who has a good microscope will take the-trouble to examine the mandibles of a bee, and those of a yellowjacket, they will see how widely they differ. The mandible of a bee resorablos tho end of a person’s finger, round and smooth, and ta not adapted to cutting, while those of a yellowjacket roßombloß the teeth of a rip-saw moro than anything olse.

DAIRY MANAGEMENT. To Grow Hyacinths in Water. To grow hyacinths in glasses is the most simple thing imaginable, yet lot it be remembered that the roots of ail plants will, by instinct, hide themselves from all light; so whenever yoti purchase hyacinth glasses, which are veiy cheap nowadays, select dark colors, blue at)d red tof instance, and those of the long, narrow, or Belgian pattern' in proforence to morn nkhoratn ntylcn The liyiwinth ninlrnn ■long, white roots, and to make thorn quickly before it starts into loaf growth, tho bulbs, after Ixiing potted or put into glasses, must bo placed entirely in the (lark for about six weeks. Always use rain water. Fill' the glasses so that tho water will barely touch tho bottom of the bulb. The water should be changed as often as once irt three wooks. using pure rain water of the samo temperature as that you took from them A pieco of charcoal in tho water will ettuso it to keep sweet longer. A. little ammonia in tho water will give tho flowers a inucu brighter color. While hyacinths are more commonly used for winter blooming than any other bulb, many othor kinds aro equally adapted to the purpose, among which aro tho narcissus, particularly tho piolyanthus narcissus, a single variety and very fragrant, jonquils, tulips, and crocuses, and whero one has but little room and time to devote to flowers nothing gives so much satisfaction as a few pot bulbs, as their culture. is very simple. “ Plant your bulbs in pots of rich earth, three or four bulbs to a six-inch pot, water them woll and set them away in a cool, dark place for six weeks, or longer if desired, then bring them out and place them on a window, where they will soon blossom. By bringing out a sow pots at a time you can enjoy them for a much longer period. Roses. Several years ago I bought a collection Of ever-blooming, roses, and selected for my garden a spot formerly used for a strawberry bed. The vines had boon plowod under a year before, and when I took possession the ground was mellow and fnll.of well-decayed vegetable matter. After the beds were laid off I had a hole about two feet deep dug for each rose. These holes were filled hair fnll of compost from the horse stable, which was well dug in. The earth was then filled in till the holes were almost full, and I carefully planted and watered the young plants. They began to bloom almost immediately, and by fall had become large, strong plants. They lived through quite a cold winter withoutiprotection, and bloomed finely the next year. A friend wbo had bought roses at the same time said to me, “You must water yours: they are much larger than mine.” I never did, however, after they were first planted, and think the difference was due to the soil, which seemed to suit them exactly. Since then I havo bought roses alrno&t every year, and havo tried quite a number varieties. They require a great deal of sum- and should be cnrichod only with old manure, as the fresh is liable to bum them up. Last spring I planted sixteen or eighteen varieties; two of them, Niphetos and Duke of Connaught, died, but the others grew very well At this .time (January) a few of the most tender varieties, such as Marechal Niel, Etoile de Lyon, etc., are growing in the pit, but the rest were left in the beds, with a slight protection of cedar boughs. The ground about them was mulched with litter from the stable. This servos the double purpose of protecting the roots from the cold, and enriching tho beds. Y. V., in Vick's Magazine,

BUTTER-M A KING. Potatoes for Mitch Cows. There is probably no root more poorly adapted to making good milk or butter than potatoes. They should be fed only sparingly and with a good ration of co.rn meal, or the milk will bo thin and the butter of poor quality. We have found that feeding potatoes in winter makes the churning long and laborious. In fact, it sometimes.had to be given up as a bad job. But com meal fed to cows is a great help in making their crqam easily churned into butter even in winter. Management of'the Churn. 'About nine-teUths of the dairymen will build a fire in the morning and start for the cows, taking the dog along, while the dairymaid puts the cream in the chum without testing the temperature, except by putting her fingers in the cream to get out what sticks to the pails. When the man returns with the cows no will put the dog on the power and start the churn, and then go to milking. Perhaps some cow strayed away, and life was half an hour late before the chum was started, and meanwhile the cream had got three or four degrees warmer than it was when put m the chum. The dog got tired chasing the stray cow, and stops the chum every time he gets a chance. The churning is prolonged into the heat of the day, until some one of the family comes along and discovers that “the butter has come.” her “hands in the dough,” or something else, and ■can’t attend to the butter until she has that job done. So the chum stands fifteen or twenty minutes longer. When she takes the butter from the churn it is white and soft, so' she puts it into ice-water for an hour or so, and then it is whiter still. To be su'ro and have it keep she salts it an ounce or more to th° pound. • ; That amount suits her taste, because she lives inland where salt is never supplied to the human system except artificially. When her butter reaches some large seaboard market where the people are not so fresh, it is too salt to suit their tasto, too salt for thoir style, and too white for the pride of their eja The result is the butter is sold for cooking purposes, and bks to compote with oleo for sale. Wien the commissionman and the railroad get their share there is little left for the dairyman, and no wonder. A chum can not be left to run itself any more than a railroad locomotive. Neither can it be left to different members of the family any more than a locomotive can be run by the conductor, brakeman, or whatever trainman happens to come along. If a dog is üßed to do the churning he must be heavy enough to give it the right speed, and trained for the business, and never used for anything else. He will have a tired life at the best A good churn dog is the best animal on the farm, and ,will do the business well if you have a good power. A tread-power with tilting lever to regulate the motion is best —American Dairyman. 1 HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. „ Mrs. Carter's Experiment. “Yes, I always save all the old linen, it’s so handy in sickness,” remarked Mrs. Carter, carefully removing the buttons from a garment and cutting it into convenient sizes, p Mrs. Carter was a diligent woman and a devoted mother. She was continually planning for illness in the family, and kept on hand a stock of simple remedies and appliances ready for use at a moment’s notice. She gave herself with as much zeal to this department of her household economy as to stocking the cellar closet with a generous supply of jellies and preserves. Perhaps it is not strange, in a home with several children, an aged father and a feeble sister-in-law, that somebody was always aihng at the Carters’. But, singularly enough, Mrs. Carter, who looked out so religiously for a supply of all the needful articles to meat jnst such emergencies, was never able to give anything in the line of personal service without paying a severe penalty. ‘ It was a source of real distress to ner ihat if Eddie had the croup or Susie the mumps an hour’s attendence upon them, or the loss of sleep for a single night, would so react upon her system that she would be compelled, to go tombed herself-and let hired hands give all the sweet and tender mifiistries in the sick-room so precious to a loving Reart to render. “Ob, if only I could wait upon mv children myself,” she moaned, onesday, as I sat by her bedside, pitying her sufferings from a neuralgic headache 1 , “You might, if you chose,” was the thought which I did not express in words till some days

later, as we sat together and aho was engaged in cutting up the aforesaid gariueai Then I took an,opportunity to remark: “Mrs. Garter, your medicine closet lacks ana essential.” “Doar me! what is H? A new water-bags I thought ours leaked the last time Nora filled; “No,” I ropjiod, “but it wants a good, full snppjy at vital toroe." Evidently sho did not comprehend my meaning, and I oonturned: “As a wise and provident mother yon havo a splendid equipment for illness in everything oxoept your own physical condition, I’ve boon here a dozen, times within the last six months in the vkin endeavor to lure you out into tho open air, but invariably you aro occupiod in gotting ready for somebody to get sick. You spend as much time and nervous energy in the preparation for this as Would bo sufficient, if properly husbanded, for you to carry evory one of tlio children through an ordinary attaok of mumps or measles. As it is, liowovor, you furnish the tools and let somebody olsd do the work which your mother-love craves to da Now, suppose you reverse this order of things. Hits somebody to «imn in and cut np the bandages and do tho week’s mending, and see that tile medicine closet is kept replenished, while you devote yourself to laying up a stock of vitality which will enable you to substitute your own loving ministrations, when members of the family aro ailing, for hired service. For a prudent woman you aro a fearfully extravagant one! You use up every day a little more vital and nervous power than you manufacture. Nature dishonors your draft whon you present it for surplus funds of strength. Now it is perfectly possible for you to lay up a roßorVo of force. Thcro Is no necromancy or medicine about it. You need not take a trip to Europe, nor spend months in a nervine asylum. I know that Americans, as a rule, do not believe in a condition of sustained endurance. Tho highest ideal of health is to run along Bmoothly for awhile, then break down for a season, bo patched up and begin again. A man or woman who can keep np continuous work of any kind, within thohousehoLd or outeido of it, is looked upon as an anomaly. They take their recreation in a lump, in a summer vacation, always expensive, and often disappointing, instead of sprinkling it along all through the daily lifo and toil. Now, I claim that you can so subsidize the forces of nature, wrapped np in pure air and water, simple diet, abundant sleep, proper exercise and recreation, as to make yourself an infinitely greater blessing to your family than you are now. Pardon my plain speech, but you are giving them things, and they want yourself.” For six months Mrs. Carter tried the experiment of living hygienically, naturally and simply. With how much success I leave the reader to judge, when I say that she carried Susie through an attack of scarlet fever without the aid of a hired nurse, and no warrior was ever prouder of a brilliant military achievement For Young Houseielves. Clean caster-bottles with shot. To bbighten and clean old alpaca, wash in coffee. Mix stove-polish with vinegar and a teaspoonfnl of sugar. When cooking beans add one-half teaspoon of saleratus. To bbighten carpets sprinkle with salt before sweeping. To polish a stove rub with a newspaper instead of a brush. To kemove toa stains from cups and saucers scour with ashes. Foe burns apply flour wet with cold water, as it quickly gives relief. When aponge-cako becomes dry it is nice to cut in thin slices and toast To remove mildew, soak in buttermilk and spread on the grass in the sun. ' If nutmegs are good when pricked with a pin, oil will instantly oozs out If -the oven is too hot when baking, place a small dish of cold water in it To prevent mustard-plasters from blistering, mix with tho white of an egg. To prevent flat-irons from scorching, wipe them on a cloth wet with kerosene. To clean furniture that is not varnished, rub with a cloth wet with korosene. To brighten or clean silver or nickel-plated ware, rub with a woolen clqth and flour. When thero is a crack in the stove it can be mended by mixing ashes and salt with water. When clothes are scorched remove the sta : n by placing tho garment where the atm can shine on it. Starched shirts will iron easier if you let -them dry starching so you will have to sprinklo them before ironing. The wings of turkeys, geese, and chickens are good to wash and clean windows, as they leave no dust nor lint, as cloth. To rrighten the inside of a coffee or tea pot, fill with water, add a small piece of soap and lot it boil about forty-five minutes. - To remove greaso from wall paper, lay several folds of blotting paper on tne spot and hold a hot iron near it until the grease is absorbed.

KITCHEN SCIENCE. Molasses Cake Without Eggs. One cup of molasses, one-fourth of a cup of butter, one-half cup sour milk, two scant cups of flour, one teaspoon ginger sifted, one and a half teaspoons of soda. Measure the molasses first; then stir in the ginger, then the butter melted Dissolve the soda in the milk and add that, putting in the flour last Bake iii a shallow pan about thirty minutes. To Keep Bed Gooseberries. Pick gooseberries When fully ripe, and for each quart take a quarter of a pound of sugar and a gill of water; boil togother until a syrup is formed, then put in the fruit and continue to for fifteen minutes. Then put them into small stone jars and c cover them close when cold; keep them for making tarts and pies. Corn Bread, To make a loaf of light corn bread for breakfast beat upjwo fresh eggs, add a cup of milk, half sour and half sweet, a lump of soft, fresh butter, a little salt, and a little saleratus. Beat in enough corn meal to make a moderately thin batter. Beat very hard, pour into a but- “ tered pan and bake in a pretty hot oven, one not hot enough, however, to burn tho top before the middle is cooked This batter, with the addition of a little flour, will makfe excellent griddle cakes. Corn-Meal Puffs. One quart boiling milk, two scant cups white “com flour,” one-half cup wheat flour, one scant cup powdered sugar, a little salt, four eggs, beaten light, one tablespoonful butter, one-lialf tablespoonful of soda dissolved in hot water.xme teaspoonful cream tartar sifted into flour, one-half teaspoonful mixed cinnamon and nutmeg. Boil the milk and stir into it the meal, flour, and salt Boil fifteen minutes, stirring well up from the bottom. Put in the butter and beat hard in a bowl for three minutes. When cold, put in the eggs whipped light with the sugar, the seasoning, and soda; whip up very faithfully. Bake in greased cups in a steady oven. Turn out of cups and eat with pudding sauce or with butter alone. A Pete Bones Only. Prom the roast dinner there lie the ribs, a few chips of meat, a rim of juice around the platter, and a dozen spoonfuls of gravy in the gravy-boat There are four potatoes, a bit of boiled onion, a piece of turnip and carrot, and a trifle of the dressing, hardly worth saving, many would say. But cut these all up finely, and put away in a bowl with the gravy until morning. Put the bones into the kettle, with two quarts of cold water, and boil until yon can easily strip every morsel from them, and you will be surprised at the rich soup and tho amount of meat you will get fronq bones you have carved from as closely as possible _ In the morning put in your odds and ends of vegetables and dressing, and you have in twenty minutes a rich breakfast stew. To make this same trifle ample for one course at “quite a dinner,” make dumplings of one quart or flour, a teaspoonful of salt, a bit of pepper, and two heaping spoonfuls of baking powder; mix with . sweet milk Or water; roll up in the hands into balls two-thirds as large as a teacup; always drop in when soup is boiling; cover closely; keep it boding Do not curiously peep in every few minutes. Cold air makes them fall or become heavy; cook twenty minutes.