Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1878 — HOME, FARM AND GARDEN. [ARTICLE]

HOME, FARM AND GARDEN.

—The quickest way to expel foul air from a well is to heat a bar of iron redhot, and lower it down into the water; the sudden formation of steam is effectual,—Castor oil, beside being an excellent -dressing for leather, renders it vermin-proof. It should bo mixed, say half and half, with tallow or other oil. Neither rats, roaches, nor other vermin will attack leather so prepared. —Pumpkin Pies. —801 l and strain (through colander) your pumpkin; then, to two quarts of pumpkin, two quarts of milk, four eggs, five teaspoonfuls vanilla, three of cinnamon, one of allspice, half teaspobnful ginger, half teaspoonful of mace, half a nutmeg (the spioes must all be fine), add sugar and salt to taste. Bake with only under-crust. —The credit system is a curse to everybody, and to no class is it a greater curse than to farmers. Working year after year to pay “dead horse” is the dreariest of work—it is working without hope. When a farmer looks upon his growing crops with a knowledge that they belong to his creditors and not to him —that he has already, even before the harvest has ripened, spent them, it must have the dnec* to make him a poorer farmer and a less efficient man generally.— lowa Stale Register. —Here is a fact for some of our housekeepers. One of the difficulties in regard to the purchase of liquid or syrup honey in quantity, is, that it so soon candies or crystallizes. This difficulty can be obviated by keeping it in the dark, the change being due to photographic action. The same agent that alters the molecular arrangement of iodide of silver on the excited collodion plate, causes the syrup honey to assume a crystallic form. It is to this action of light that scientists attribute the working of bees by night, and why they are so careful to obscure the glass windows that are sometimes placed in their hives. Is this instinct or reason? Western Hural. —Curb for Wounds.—As soon as the wound is inflicted get a little stick —a knife or file handle will do—and commence to tap gently on the wound. Do not stop for the hurt, but continue until it bleeds freely and becomes perfectly numb. When this point is reached you are safe—tail that is necessary is to protect it from the dirt. Do not stop short of the bleednMMtthe numbness, and do not, on close the opening with plajMHHothing more than a little simple on a clean cloth is necessary. used and seen this used on all kinds of simple punctures for thirty years, and never knew a single instance of a wound becoming inflamed or sore after treatment as above. Among other cases, a coalrake tooth going entirely into the foot, a bad bite by a pig, several instances of file-shank through the hands, and numberless cases of rusty nails, awls, etc., but we never knew a failure of this treatment.— Scientific American.

—Easy Boots.—Take an old pair of boots that you have done wearing, and stop up all the cracks in the uppers and lace or button holes, etc., by means of paper upon which a sufficient quantity of wax has been spread. When this has been thoroughly accomplished, oil the insides of the boots thoroughly, being sure that every part has lieen properly oiled. This done, mix a sufcient quantity of plaster of Paris or Portland cement, and fill the boot with the same. After they have been allowed to stand for a couple of days, when the cement will be thoroughly set, take a sharp knife and cut away the leather. The casts will be complete models of the interior of the boots. Take them to a proper last-maker, and order him to make you a pair of lasts to match, All you have then to do is, to give the last to your bootmaker and order him to make one or more pair, as you require. The result will be- that you will find you have new boots of equal comfort to the old, the tread and fitting of the same being identical with those from which the model was taken. This is, undoubtedly, the best-known way for a wearer to secure a good-fit-ting boot.— Western Shoe and Leather Review.