
E

 

 

 

DETROIT, MARCH 31, 1885.

 

 

THE HOUgEHOLDm=§upplememm

 

 

GOOD ADVICE T0 HOUSE-
KEEPERS.

 

In the issue of March 3d my sympathies
were aroused by “A Wondering Woman’s
Question,” and as soon as the next paper
came, I looked to see what would be said
to relieve her perplexities, but found not
a word. Now I do not pretend to be able
to answer the “whys” which she pro~
pounds, but perhaps I may be able to
lessen her diﬂlculties somewhat by re
ferring to my own experiences.

I am one of those who have had
children, and, although they are nearly
grown up now, they have not yet gone
away from home, so Ihave not had time to
forget the cares and burdens which come
upon the young wife and mother, but I
would repeat with emphasis the advice
which she seems to consider so imprac~
ticable. Take care of your health, take
time for rest and reading, even though
you have to leave your housework un-
ﬁnished. ’

Now how many young housekeepers
have the moral courage to do this? “I
Wonder” confesses indirectly that she
has not; but is not this really one great
reason why so many farmers’ wives
struggle along under burdens which in
the end must ruin their health, and in so
many cases bring upon them that sad-
dest of all e arthly misfortunes-insanity?

[do most earnestly wish that young
wives and mothers could see—without
being taught by experience—how much
suffering they are liable to bring upon
themselves by being too sensitive in re-
gard to what people say about their
housekeeping. ‘

It is only natural that they should have
some anxiety about their reputation in
this respect, and it certainly does require
a good degree of moral courage to decide
that their reputation shall suffer rather
than health, but let it be done.

“ I Wonder ” speaks of preparing three
“good meals” a day. What is a “good
meal?” Is there any standard? My
opinion is that standards vary according
to circumstances. so I will give my idea
of the good meal which must be prepared
by one pair of hands in the farm-house.
Let there be plenty of plain food, well
cooked, but let the variety come at dif-
ferent meals, putting only enough kinds
on the table at once so that each dish
will be relished.

For dessert do not depend on pies and
puddings, but use sauce and fresh fruits
in their season. Here is one dish I would

 

like to have you try. Cover dried apples
with only enough water to cook tender-
not red—do not stir them, when cold
serve with cream and sugar. For the
third meal, if something warm is called
for, let there be only one dish, of some-
thing quickly prepared. Warmed over
potatoes, eggs cooked in various ways,
stale bread dipped in milk in which an
egg has been beaten, and fried quickly a
delicate brown, green corn, green peas,
string beans, are all good supper dishes.

I would suggest that recipes for simple
dishes be called for. Our little House-
holds are in such convenient shape, they
can easily be kept and, referred to.

When company comes, prepare your
meals according to the directions given
by a certain gentleman when asked what
he would like for dinner: “Isbould like,”
said he, “a clean plate, a clean napkin,
good company, and something to eat.”

Be so glad to see your friends that you
will not feel like apologizing for your
plain table, and depend upon it, they

will always feel that you have paid them
a delicate compliment in thus showing

them that in estimating their character,
you have placed their apprecxation of in-
tellectual and social pleasures above the
pleasures of the appetite.

When other help could not be obtained
I have found a stout boy of thirteen or
fourteen a very good substitute. He can
churn, wash milk dishes, carry wood and
water, help wash, pick berries, etc., and
can help enough on the farm besides to
earn his wages.” '

My letter is already too long, so I Will
bring it to an abrupt close. M.

___....._._

RAG CARPETS.

 

Perhaps enough has been said on the
subject of rag carpets, but for the en-
couragement of young housekeepers who
must make their own or go without, I
would like to give some of my experience.
Comparatively few young people have
the means to spare to purchase ingrain
carpets. Many have perhaps been used
to these in their old homes, and it may
seem a little hard at ﬁrst, to feel that they
cannot hate the same in their new. But
if they have been brought up economic
ally, and are of a practical turn of mind.
they will rise above this, and strive to
make the best use of the means in their
power. Their parents, if well-to-do now,
in all probability worked and saved long
years before they had many luxuries.
The carpet the young housekeeper has

 

helped to make acquires a new value to
her, which one bought could not, especi-
ally as what she lias saved helps to supply
other wants, besides its being in better
keeping with other surroundings.

I do not love to make carpets, and tire
of the dust and labor connected with it,
but can do it easier than to scrub or mop,
or even view bare ﬂoors. A bright, pretty
carpet helps to furnish aroom very much,
and gives a comfortable home like look
to every thing. Husband or father may
not say much about it, but will appreci-
ate it, and your efforts to help, I am quite
sure.

Do not wait until you must have a
carpet before you make preparations for
one. It has always been my custom
every spring, in March usually, to look
over all the old clothes and rags which
have collected during the year, cut, sew,
and wind into balls. I papered a barrel
inside and out with newspapers. In this
I put the balls, tied a stout paper snugly
over it, and a close ﬁtting cover over
that. In this way I have kept rags eight
or nine years, some of them woolen ones,
and the moths never got in them. I
sprinkled tobacco freely among them and
looked them over two or three times a
year. It is doubtful economy for the
housewife to make into carpet rags the
scarcely half-worn garments,which by
judicious mending can be made to do
service much longer. There is so much
dirty work to be done on a farm that such
garments are in better keeping than new.
But what better use can be made of our
cast-off clothes, than to use them for this
purpose? Old woolen pants and coats
should be washed if much soiled, then
ripped up, dusted and washed again.
They are harder to work up, but are more
valuable than cotton if not rotten. Wool—
ens should be out ﬁne and even, all hard
seams cut off, and not lapped as much as
cotton. Do not color much or any black;
it rots badly in coloring, and will sweep
out sooner than the rest; three or four
threads in a place are plenty. Gray is a
good clean color, and harmonizes nicely
with blue. If rags must be colored, brown
is to be preferred to black, and is durable.
I prefer a medium light carpet to a very
dark one; it will not show the dirt as
much. One can save much labor and dust
if all threads, ravelings and litter be
picked up. Some sweep their carpets to
pieces, others do not sweep enough, there
is a happy medium. Grit and sand wear
a carpet fast. Keep this swept up. If
the ﬂoor is rough and uneven, straw under

 


THE HOUSEHOLD.

 
 

 

itjwill save it very much—is, in fact, a
necessity—it allows the dust and grit to
fall on the ﬂoor, and grinds on the straw
instead of on the carpet. I have used
marsh hay when oat straw could not be
had, being careful to pick out all hard
substances which are usually found in it,
I also put straw under my ingrain car—
pets, instead of paper, and can say that
after trying both ways, I like straw best.
The average boys’ boots are an annoyance
to careful mo'hers. The youngsters in
our family are each provided with a pair
of slippers. The heavy boots are ex.
changed for these whenever they are in
the house any length of time during the
day. and always worn in the evening.
There is a place set apart to keep them in,
and each one is taught to wait on himself.
A piece of old carpet, three or four yards
long, folded to a desirable size, and tack-
ed securely together with wrapping twine,
laid at the back door to wipe the feet on,
saves many dirty tracks in the house,
Besides this, the husband and father
should see that a good scraper is at each
outside door, and that it is used, too. If
the father does not clean his boots when
coming into the house, the boys and help
will not be likely to.

No, it don’t pay to make a carpet every

‘ two or three years, they ought to last ﬁve
or seven years. I have a rag carpet that
has seen every day service over twelve
years. It was always in a room used as
asitting-room and dining-mom in sum
mer, and in winter served as a kitchen as
as well, for ten and a half years. Then
we moved into our new house, and it was
put down in the kitchen; here it has
served about two years. In the ten and a

‘ half years it never was up for more thana
day at a time.

Good warp is the ﬁrst essential, ﬁne.
even, well twisted, then good rags, not too
ﬁne. And last, but very important, a
good weaver, who will beat it up well.
Acarpet that you can almost put your
ﬁngers through, that is soft and sleazy,
will not wear well, no matter how good
the warp and rags. I have paid three
cents more on a yard to have it beaten up
good and ﬁrm, and think it paid. I al

'lowed four and a half knots of warp to
the yard. This [believe to be better than
six, which some weavers tell you that you
need. If the warp is thick, it will cover
the rags, and the wear will be on the
warp, which will cut and break. But if
the rags are beat up well, the warp will be
partially covered by the rags, the wear is
on the rags, and the carpet is good as
long as the warp is unbroken. The ca r-
pet referred to only had three and a half
knots to a yard, but they look better and
take less rags to have more.

In case some of the rags sweep out,
prepare some very ﬁne cotton rags of the
same color, and with a coarse darning—
needle darn them in the warp. Mend
holes the same way, then take some of
the warp and weave in and out. If a
thread breaks, mend it at once by darn-
ing. It is pretty hard on the ﬁngers, but
if done in time is ashort job and is much
neater than a patch.

I never rip my carpets and wash them. I

 

think it spoils them; but whenever a spot
appears, I take a clozh, some hard soap
and hot water, rub the soap on the grease
spot, wring the cloth out of the hot water
so it will not drip, and rub the spot hard.
Rinse the cloth and rub again; then take
clean cloth and clean water and go over
the spots again, not using much water.
Wring out the cloth, wipe dry asyou can,
then rub witha dry cloth. It does not
take long, and the carpet will not be
faded by this method.

My experience in Diamond dyes is not
very satisfactory. Nothing can be pret-
tier than the scarlets and crimsons on
wool, but the cottons were not as bright
and pretty as I have had with the old
method. They are more expensive and
not reliable on cotton. Do not make the
rags very ﬁne, if you want the carpet to
wear well, unless it is for a spare room.
For every day wearI allow one and three-
fourths pounds per yard. I have never
found anything to answer as well for
crumb cloth as a rag carpet, woven extra
width, using two breadths the necessary

length. SISTER Manx.

Mimosa).
W

A SUGGESTION.

 

To produce an argument either for or
against Woman's suffrage, other than has
already been given, would be next to im-
posaihle. The arguments are all in, the
pleas have been made, and it remains for
each to decide for herselfin the aﬂirm-
ative or negative of the question, shall
women vote? I, for one, am opposed.
However, the signs of the times indicate
that some day, by an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, or in
some other way, to women will be given
the power to vote. Then it will not be a
matter of choice, but of duty. '

In order that we may vote intelligently,
I would suggest that we begin now to
prepare ourselves for this new responsi-
bility by studying; ﬁrst, the Constitution
of the United States, followed by the his-
tory of our country, not merely facts and
dates, but the causes which led to each
particular event. Study the political
parties of to-day; the stand they take on
the great questions of the hour; their
character. for parties composed of indi-
viduals have good or bad characters, ac~
cording as controlled by the majority of
their individual adherents. We can not
omit the study of that perplexing ques-
tion, which has claimed the attention of
every civilized nation, and is now, as it
has been in the past, before the people of
this country. I refer to the question of
tariff or free trade, and this will lead to
another problem yet to be solved—the re-
lation of capital to labor.

Although you and I may not be called
upon to vote, still can any other subject
be given for study that would be of more
interest, or mose closely connected with
our homes? As the nation is, so are the
homes. If a God-fearing, God-serving
people, our homes will be protected, peace
and prosperity will reign. If, like France,
we become a nation of inﬁdels, riot will
rule, a reign of terror will begin, wicked-
ness and sorrow will be our portion.

 

I would suggest that we ask Beatrix to
give us her ideas upon these subjects.
Let me put it in the form of a motion, and
as Beatrix is in the chair. she may, like
some others, be modest about putting a
question that refers to herself; I will take
the liberty, without waiting for remarks,
and put the question: It has been moved
and supported, that we take up the study
of “Political Economy.” with Beatrix as
our leader. Those in favor, say aye. If
carried I will gladly cease writing that
she may have the space my letter would
ﬁll. J ANNETTE.

 

[Before this motion is “put to the
house.” Beatrix rises in protest. J annette’s
suggestion in reference to the advisability
of studying the history of our country,
the machinery by which the government
is carried on, the character of political
parties, is most heartily seconded. No
one who watches the trend of public
thought will deny that it is setting slowly
butsteadily in the direction of universal
suffrage. The probabilities are that the
"coming woman ” will vote, if she do-
sires to do so. We may not live to see the
time, but the bright-eyed girls of to-day
will. There is no law to prevent a woman
from being ﬁtted, by her familiarity with
political questions, to vote, even if she
can not compass that end so earnestly de~
sired by “ the short-haired women and the
long-haired men,” the actual deposit
of a ballot. Should women so inform
themselves that they can take an unpre‘
judiced and intelligent view of public
questions, they would be able to vote as a
good many men do not—understandingly,
not driven by the “party whip." A wo-
man’s interest in the good government of
our country is great; she is one of the
governed, and should have an intelligent
comprehension of public questions. But
we cannot give up our little Household to
the discussions of questions of political
economy. Its mission is domestic; its ﬁeld
the home. In the great dailies of our
metropolitan cities, and in our leading
magazines such matters are discussed
witha vigor and wisdom we could not
equal; let us learn of these teachers. We
shall receive far more beneﬁt from them
than from an attempt to discuss these
questions, sometimes too mighty for our
best statesmen. ourselves. Mor .over, the
Editor’s prophetic eye sees that “Old
Genesee," “A. C. G.,” and dozens of
others, who are ready to spring to arms
at the sound of the war trumpets, would
be down upon us like the hosts of Assyri-
ans, and the Household would needs be
larger than the Fumes to give all a
chance; for it is a great mistake to think
women do all the talking in this world.
No, Jannette, keep your corner in the
Household, and trust the leaven of your
suggestion to work in the minds of Michi-'
gan women to good purpose]

~——900————

A cosansronnnn'r of the Inter-Ocean

has founda new use for stocking tops,
which have been failed by frequent
washings. She uses them for mittens,
cutting them by a pattern, and facin

the hand with heavy cloth. They make
a heavy covering for the men’s hands,
suitable for rough work.

    

 


THE HOUSEHOLD

   

  

3

 

COFFEE .

 

It is a good idea to understand, thor-
oughly, the nature of the articles we pre-
pare, either as food or drink for our
families, and perhaps a short article on
coffee may prove useful to the Household
readers. I ﬁnd that the word coffee is
derived from the Arabic word kahwah;
it is also traced to Caﬁa, a province of
Abyssinia, where the coffee plant grows
ina wild state. The coffee shrub is an
evergreen, growing to the height of
twenty feet, with long, smooth, shining
leaves. The pure white ﬂowers are pro
duced in clusters in the axils of the
leaves, and followed by ﬂeshy berries,
which, when ripe, resemble small dark
red cherries. Each berry usually con-

tains two seeds embedded in the yel-~

lowish pulp. These seeds when separated
from the pulp and papery covering,
form the raw coffee of the stores. Each
seed-improperly called aberry——is some-
what hemispherical, with a groove run-
ning through the middle of the ﬂat side.
Sometimes one seed is abortive - in the
berry, and the other becomes round, as in
the Wynaad coffee from India, sometimes
called “male berry” coffee. The coffee
shrub ﬂourishes on well watered moun~
tain slopes. The shrubs are set in
long straight rows, six feet apart, and six
feet from each other in the row. The
coffee tree has naturally long straggling
shoots, but under cultivation it is pruned
to make a shrub not exceeding six feet in
height, with long lateral branches. A
full crop is obtained the third year. The
berries are gathered when the pulp begins
to shrivel, and are at once taken to the
store house, where they are passed be-
tween large, rough rollers, which remove
the pulp—but not the parchment-like
covering of the seeds. The berries are
then heaped up, covered with old sack-
ing and allowed to ferment for two days;
water is turned on, after which the seeds
are spread out to dry; they are then
passed between wonden cylinders that
remove the thin dry covering. After
being winnowed they are assorted into
various sizes, and packed ready for ship-
ment. A thrifty shrub yields two pounds
of marketable coffee.

The early history of coﬂee is obscure.
It has been in use over a thousand years.
The knowledge of its use was ﬁrst
brought into Arabia from Abyssinia in
the ﬁfteenth century; the natives drank
it to keep off drowsiness or prevent sleep
during the long religious services of the
Mahomedans; this the priests opposed.
Coffee was believed by them to be an in-
toxicating beverage, and was therefore
prohibited by the Koran—the sacred
book of the Mahomedans, and their
chief authority also in political, military
and ethical matters, and dreadful penal.
ties were held over the heads pt those
who used it. Notwithstanding the
threats, coffee-drinking spread, and its
use as a national beverage became as in-
senarably associated with Arabia, as tea
with China. Coifee reached Great Britain
in the seventeenth century. Charles

clamation, thinking it would destroy the
peace of the nation. In this country we
try to encourage them, hoping to crowd
out saloons. Coffee is now cultivated in

Brazil taking the lead. There were'534,-
785,842 pounds of coffee imported into
the United States during the year ending
June 30th, 1884. The peculiar aroma of
coffee is due to the presence of caﬁeone,
afragrant, volatile oil, which develops
in the process of roasting. Good judg~
ment therefore is required in the roasting
of coffee, for by carrying the process be-
yond a certain point the aroma is destroy-
ed, and a disagreeable ﬂavor produced.

Mocha, considered the best, comes from
Arabia; a great deal is raised in Brazil
and shipped to Arabia, after which it is
put on the market, so you see a great
deal “is in a name.” The berries of the
true Mocha are small, dark and yellow.
Java berries are larger and a paler yel
low. West India and Brazilian have a
greenish grey tint. Rio belongs to the
latter, Rio being an abbreviation of the
port of Rio de Janeiro, whence it is ex-
ported. Coﬁee is very stimulating; it
lightens the sensation of fatigue, sustains
the muscles under prolonged exertion.
It will give new life to anover-tired body.
Equally with tea “ it is the cup that cheers
but not inebriates.” .

“Coffee which makes the politician wise.

And see through all things with his half shut

eyes."

Pure coffee in a ground state will ﬂoat
on top of cold water, while the adulter-
ations will sink under, or discolor the
water. Tanbark, dried beef’s liver,
chicory, carrot and beet, and date seeds
are all used. There is a machine in Eng-
land which makes false berries out of
vegetable matter, dough, etc.

Coffee toasters are the best to use in
browning coffee; when these are not at
hand a dripping pan well covered to pre-
vent loss of aroma, will answer. Roast
to a rich chestnut brown; never burn it;
it is better when attending to any such
business to give your undivided attention
to it. The unbrowned berry is hard and
horny; it must be roasted that certain
constituents may become soluble. These
constituents are as I said before a fragrant
volatile oil called caifeone, and the
caﬁeine, which is the same as theine in
tea. By roasting the oil is distributed
through the berry, and so made soluble,
while the caﬁeine is developed so that it
may be absorbed by water, therefore a great
deal depends upon the roasting. Grind
it coarse; allow one heaping tablespoon-
ful for two cups of water; moisten with a
very little beaten egg, and here judg-
ment must be exercised again, as too
much destroys the ﬂavor. Have the
coffee pot bright and clean, and turn the
coffee in, adding boiling water; you can
put in the required amount at ﬁrst; or
just enough to boil nicely, ﬁlling up after-
wards; boil gently ten minutes, then
draw to the side of the range until
wanted. This makes strong coffee; if you
dilute it. do so in the cups; always put
the cream in the cups ﬁrst, for those who

use cream, a great many take coﬁee clear.

 

II tried to suppress coﬂee houses by pro-

Brazil, Java, the West India islands— .

 

golden brown coﬁee? Any lady can
ﬂush with triumph when she passes it at
the table. the black bitter cup we will

pass by. EVANGALLNB.
Baum: Cansx .
.._.._...._._

GETTING USED TO DIRT.

 

It is true that no one can map out an
exact course for another. We always
keep back something when we ask for
advice. As Solomon says, “Every heart
knoweth its own sorrows, and a stranger
intermeddleth not therewith.” We get
many valuable suggestions from the ex-
perience of others, and it is a hopeful
sign to ﬁnd them in print from women
who once believed they could not get the
time to read a paper, much less write for
one. I like the spi.it of “ Aunt Jennie,"
who tells us how she sits right down and
reads the Household clear through. This
is a matter of temperament; not everyone
could do this: but I can even unto this
day look back with a clear consvience to
the reading I have done in my kitchen,
surrounded with work enough for three
women. In those days I kept clippings
from papers in my pocket to read at odd
moments, and gleaned many a bit of in—
formation that else I had never gotten.
What if the beds up-stairs did sometimes
go unmade till evening? They got agood
airing, and I had something to tell the
children and the company that kept them
from seeing that in my haste to clean up
I had been a little “slack."

What we women need is to become in-
diﬁerent to what we cannot so much as
raise a little ﬁnger to remedy. Clothe
ourseIVes as it were, in the hide of a
rhinoceros, that the darts of outside
critics will not sting. When we invent- a
plan to make our work easier, consider
our own business. So long as the children
are only tolerably dirty let them alone.
Dirt is their normal condition. Every
day Igather up my dress as I dart past
many dirty children on the streets, and
yet as I was going home the other even—
‘ing, feeling as though I were not ﬁt to
live more than a week longer, one little
boy called out in the cheeriest voice:
“Better look out there, lady; there’s a
deep hole of water." He will never know
ho w that revived my spirits.

Don’t vote me a sloven. When I ﬁrst
came to Cincinnati to live it was like pass-
ing through ﬁre to fold up and bury my
fastidious notions of cleanliness in a
shroud of coal dirt. I saw my nice white
clothes gradually assume the tint of the
riotous Ohio, and soon found that tears
of vexation would not keep the windows
clean; that white petticoats were too
precious to mop the stairs. The result is
that I am ready to testify that a mountain
of work and expense can be saved by
wearing muslin made up plainly, with the
seams whipped: dark skirts which can be
frequently aired and brushed; common
stockings patched instead of darned. Yes,
we h 1V6 been comfortable and happy, and
had more for the outside, which is the
most in this world after all.

Of course with all the rest I have my

 

What is morejdelicious than a cup of this

 

theories of cooking, but knowing how

   

  


 

4

THE“. HOUSEHOLD.

  

 

utterly impossible it seems to curtail it in
a large family, I hesitate to advance them
to those who are desperate. I hear them
exclaim as I have often done, “How
forcible are right words, but what doth
your arguing prove. DAFFODILLY.
Cult IN'NATI, Ohio.
——-——-—-—«o—————

A PLEASANT VISIT.

 

On Saturday, the 7th inst, Hi and I set
sail behind a ﬂying steed, intending to
cast anchor twelve miles away in the
hospitable and happy home of John JOy,
of Atlas, Genesee Co., and we accomplish-
ed our aim in time to take dinner with
the family.

That Hi and Mr. Joy should in the
afternoon visit the new cattle barn of
Mr. Thompson, of Grand Blanc, had been
a part of the prearranged programme for
this visit. But as soon as dinner was
over, Mr. Joy, with characteristic gallan-
try proposed that his wife, daughter and
myself accompany them. We needed no
coaxing, and were soon again sailing
away over the shining snow, in a larger
craft, with ajolly crew, behind. the pranc-
ing bays. We were not long in getting
over the ﬁve miles that lay between the

. home of many Joys and “ Thompson’s
big barn,” where we gazed upon 80 fat
steers. standing in pairs in forty stalls,
the stalls divided into four rows of ten
stalls each. Evidently these steers were
accustomed to company, and expected
compliments and candy, and if all the
visitors are as much disappointed as I
was, they no doubt fare well for both.
"They are western cattle, bought last
fall in Chicago,” was what I had heard of
them, and I expected to see an array of
horns sufﬁcient to insure the fall of any
modern Jericho—inferior bodies and a
manner as wild as though a cow boy
with a lasso was riding them down. But
the facts in no case coincided with my
fancy. They were simply “nice,” and
it strikes me that those who seek to sup-
.ply the world’s markets with wholesome
and nutritious food, are doing more
toward civilizing and christianizing the
remnants of barbarism that still abide
with us, than are “ tract peddlers ” or the
inventors of munitions of war.

But this is not telling you that between
the two feed boxes in each stall is a water
tank, which is every day ﬁlled with fresh
water from the well, by the wind mill, if
there is wind enough to pump it, other-
wise it is pumped by the steam engine,
which stands in its secure engine room
in one corner of the barn. This engine
also furnishes power to grind all the grain
and cut all the stalks that go to feed the
stock on the farm. When we had 10 Jked
these all over and received much infor-
mation not here recorded, from the
gentlemanly man in charge, we ladies
were fain to accept the invitation to
“ Come into the house and get warm be-
fore starting home,” which we received
upon our arrival. A rousing ﬁre awaited
us, and by the time Hi came for us, we
were as warm as toast, ready to enjoy the
,homeward drive.

would of course call her a monstrosity.

Joys, aﬁne farm of 170 acres which is
owned and successfully cultivated by a
woman; but, as she is not under oath to
“ obey” any man, some of our members

E. L. NYE .
Homn-m—rnn-Hrhns.

—-—-«O—-———-

X. Y. Z., of Battle Creek, says all the
recipes given in the Household which she
has tested have proved good. She pro~
poses to try Sister Mary’s method of
making husk beds next fall, as she is
thoroughly tired of straw beds. Agrees
with A: H. J. on the carpet question.
though confessing to having made 100
yards in the past seven years, at an
average cost of thirty cents per yard and
a good deal of hard work. She wishes
Mrs. Fuller would tell us how to treat a
pansy bed in the spring, what soil is best
for them, etc. She suggests to the readers
of the Household that if they do not use
all the pie crust made at one time, the
remainder, if rubbed over with lard before
being put away, will not have the hard
spots or lumps in it that it otherwise

would.
”*0...—

X. Y. Z. inquires if Mrs. M. A. Fuller
has the mixed ﬂower seeds she offered
last season, and the prices. Mrs. Fuller
is still in the seed business, and will, we
presume, furnish seeds at her usual rates
of six packets for twenty-ﬁve cents,
thirteen for ﬁfty cents, which is certainly
as low as one could possibly expect. We
are happy to endorse Mrs. Fuller as re-
liable and prompt in dealing with her
customers. Her address is Fenton,
Genesee Co. We will give directions
telling how to bind the Household at
home very soon.

._———¢”—.__

Mas. W. J. G. should have a barrel
made for the express purpose of holding
soft soap. Have the cooper make it of
his thickest and best staves, and have it
strongly hooped with iron; plenty of
hoops, so if one bursts the others will
still hold the contents. Have a smaller
one made for the lye and grease scraps.

——————‘.§———

Tested Recipes for Coloring.

 

T0 COLOR COTTON BROWN.

One pound of Catechu, or Joponica; two
ounces of blue vitriol; dissolve in four gallons
of water, and strain. Always have the goods
wet when put in the dye for any color. Keep
in one hour, stirring constantly; take them out
to air. Then dissolve four ounces of bi-chro-
mate of potash in hot water enough to cover
the goods. Leave in ﬁfteen or twenty minutes,
or until the color suits. Rinse well. This will
color ﬁfteen or twenty pounds of rags if the
catechu is good. It should be pounded up and
soaked overnight. Color in brass or cepper.
Use soft water. This is an excellent color for
warp.

scanner.

To each pound of woolen goods take one
ounce of pulverized Lochineal, one-half ounce
of cream of tartar, two ounces muriate of tin,
In coloring always use soft water; color in
brass or copper. Let the water get a little
warm before putting in the dye. Stir well till
thoroughly dissolved, then put in the goods,
bring to a boiling heat, and simmer until the

washing or wear. A beautiful rose color can
be obtained by taking out when at that shade.

Rinse well.
GREEN.

Five pounds of white cotton rags, reeled in
skeins;take one pailful of the inner bark of
yellow oak or hickory, cut in ﬁne chips and
boil two hours in three pailfuls of soft water,
in either tin, brass or copper. Skim out the
bark and add one-fourth of an ounce of. pul~
verized alum. While the bark is boiling, take
three ounces of Prussian blue, tie in a strong
cotton rag and rub it in enough soft water to-
thoroughly wet the rags. Squeeze and turn
them in the blueing water for nearly half an
hour. Wring out and take as many as you can
handle at a time, put them in the hot dye, stir

them round a few seconds and take them out.
Do not leave them in the dye a minute, for it
will soak out the blue. They may need to be
dipped more than once. This color will not
fade, and rags that are not a clear white may
be used.

YELLOW.

The inner bark of either yellow oak or
hickory, cut up ﬁne and boiled as above di-
rected for green. Pulverize the alum and skim
out' the chips. For one pailful of dyeuse one
fourth ounce of alum. Have the rags reeled
in skelns, wet in warm soft water. Wring
them as dry as you can, gut in the hot dye,
pushing down with a stic , and stir immedi—
ately. If the color is not deep enough, raise
the rags out and lay them across a stick over
the kettle. Put in more alum stir well and
dip a ain. Putin alum until the color suits.
It w need to be kept at a scalding heat about
an hour. The color is durable.

BLUE.

One ounce prussiate of potash; one table-
spoonful copperas; one tablespoonful oil of
vitriol. Soak the oods two hours in the hot
copperas water. at the potash in water
enou h to cover the goods, scald two hours,‘
air, t en add the vitriol; put the goods in wet,
let stand a few minutes. Rinse well in warm
soft water. Srsrnn MARY.

MILFORD.

IF YOU WANT
Profitable Employment

SEND A'J.‘ ONCE TO

THE NEW lAMB KNITTER 00.,

For Full Information.

An ordinary operator can earn from one to three
dollars per day in any community in the Northern
States on our New Lamb Knitter.

100 Varieties of Fabric on Same Machine.

You can wholly ﬁnish twelve pairs ladies’ full-
shaped stockings or twenty pairs socks or mittens
in a day! Skilled operators can double this tphra-
duction; Capacity and range of work double at
of the old Lamb knitting machine. Address

0 New Lamb Knitter 00.,
117 and 119 Main St., west, JACKSON, Mien,

JAM“?

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1TH]? BEST THING KNOW

non.
Washing and Bleaching
In Hard or Soft, Hot or Cold Water.
LABOR TIME anti SOAP W-
Eggllig, and gives universal satisfaction. No
family, rich or poor, shouldbe Without 1t.

1 all Grocers. BEW of imitaﬂonl
«3‘21” ed tomislead, P LlNEis till
DNLYeﬂFE labor—saving compound, and ul-
W8 bears the above symbol, and name at

 

 

We saw, not far from the home of the

 

right shade is obtained. It will not fade by

 

JAMES l'YIaE. NEW YORK.

 

   

