lO 



THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



©HE f^OUSBHOLD. 



"The music of laughter, a footfall of mirth 

 Floats Joyfully out o'er the fair, sunny earth. 

 'Tis the ^ueen of the Spring, 



The child of the flowers, 

 Crowned with a ring 



Of glad, fiolden hours. 

 Oh, the liLt'le birds sing, 



And tile flowerets say 

 The Queen of tlie Spring 



Is the sun-bright May?* 



AJR AND SUN BATH. 



By AttfU Eva. 



Nowtliat the days grow long and warm, it Is 

 an excellent time to spread out on the line our 

 heavy blankets and quilts, which may not need 

 washing, and give them a long day's air and sun 

 bath in a good strong breeze. Sleep is so sweet 

 and refreshing in a well-aired bed, and so many 

 neglect it, beyond throwing open a window for 

 an hour or two in the morning before making up. 

 That is important, but it is not enough. Thick 

 bed-coverings are great absorbents, and though 

 they may not look as soiled as your delicat« 

 pieced quilt does, they need an air bath as much 

 as that does a washing. 



Will the day ever come when the ancient 

 feather-beds of our grandmothers will be utterly 

 banished from our homes, when it will be counted 

 no prize for the little granddaugliter to have 

 handed down to her "grandma's be.st feather- 

 bed," and all its belongings. I know a house 

 that holds a baker's dozen of these valuable relics 

 of the dark ages, and I am confident that some of 

 the geese from whose breasts those feathers were 

 plucked, quacked at the close of the last century. 

 It is a most remarkable house for funerals. 



A thousand times healthier and sweeter, is a 

 good straw bed, which you can change often and 

 wash clean every spring. A comfortable mattress 

 over it is luxurious enough for a king. 



When it comes quilt^%vashing time, hire the 

 best muscles you can command, and spare your- 

 self as much as possible. Few women in our day 

 are equal to such heavy drafts unless tliey are 

 specially trained to them. Every man to his pro- 

 fession seems to be the rule for our times, and it 

 19, perhaps, as well to fall Into line according to 

 the age In which we live. It would be foolisli for 

 our housewives to do their own spinning and 

 weaving, or even knitting, though their grand- 

 mothers did all this and more. The same rule will 

 apply to many other kinds of work. 



AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU CAN. 



By J. E. JftC 



Now in the pleasant springtime, when so much 

 Is done In the way of repairing and refreshing 

 our homes. It is a good time to study well the ef- 

 fect of color upon our minds and feelings. These 

 are subtle Influences which act upon us all un- 

 consciously, but very steadily and surely. 



A manufacturer who employed many opera- 

 tors, found that the occupants of one room were 

 healthy and cheerlul, while those of another, en- 

 gaged In the same business, and apparently with 

 ail the advantages possessed by those in the 

 other part, were melancholy, moping, and often 

 complained of headache and other Ills. The only 

 ditTerence he could see was that the walls of the 

 healthy room were white and the other stained 

 with yellow ochre. He had the latter changed to 

 white, and a marked improvement took place 

 almost at once. The girls became more cheerful, 

 and consequently more healthy. 



To live in a room stained with yellow ochre is 

 enough to cast a gloom over any one's spirits. 

 There may be callous natures that can stand it 

 without being depressed, but that proves nothing 

 with regard to the rule. Few people have iron- 

 clad sensibilities, for which we may well be 

 thankful. 



Treat yourself to a pretty wall-paper while you 

 are buying, and let It rejoice your eyes every 

 day as you look upon it. I knew a lady who had 

 such a papei'. Her son brought it home from the 

 city, but she oljjected to putting It on because it 

 was "too pretty" for her living-room. I asked 

 her if it Wiis too light or too expensive. "No," 

 the only objection was Its beauty. She had al- 

 ways had homely paper on her walls, and felt 

 that she must. So she laid aside the pretty rolls 

 which would have brought sunshine into her 

 home, and chose some striped sort that she felt 

 was good enough for every day. 



The dear children especially are greatly In- 

 fluenced by these little home appointments. A 

 child brought up In a sunny, tasteful home will 

 show it, as well as the lad who comes from a 

 home of disorder and squalor. Even an infant's 

 eye catches an impression from all Its surround- 

 ings, and we can never know how lasting and 

 Important the impressions are, or how much 

 they do toward forming the future character. 



A BIT OF OUT-DOOR LIFE IN THE SICK-ROOM. 



By Cecil. 



A very pretty device for an invalid's room, was 

 one which a lady saw in Jacksonville, Florida. 

 In a shadowy corner there was a shelf covered 

 withaiai-ge quantity of dried mosses and grasses, 

 arranged iis much like nature as possible. Over- 

 head were fastened a few dry branches, to which 

 were clinging long festoons of Florida moss, 

 which almost touched the tops of the grasses. 

 Within, all looked as dreary and dark as a bit of 

 forest or swamp. To make the picture perfect, 

 within the shadow stood a beautiful white heron, 

 nicely prepared and gracefully poised, as if Just 

 startled in his native marsh, and ready to take 

 flight. 



One can imagine how restful to the eyes of a 

 weary invalid would be such a life-like picture, 

 and how many pleasant thoughts could cluster 

 about it. Something similar, though of a differ- 

 ent sort, is quite witliin tlie reach of many of our 

 bright boys and girls, and would make prettier 

 " pieces " for home adornment, or to " take to 

 the fair next fall," than so much crazy work or 

 scroll-sawing. 



A friend who was recovering from a long ill- 

 ness, told meofapeculiar amusement her brother 

 invented for her, which did her more good than 

 any tonic. 



Every morning he cut out a nice square piece 

 of turf and brouglit it to her on a tray, and let 

 her sit by the table and explore It and analyze it 

 with such simple Implements as she chose. A 

 microscope was at one hand to examine any cur- 

 ious Insects or plants she might discover, and a 

 plate on the other, received the most peculiar 

 specimens, until she had time to talk them over 

 with her student brother In the evening. It Is 

 surprising how much one who has " learned to 

 see," can And in a foot of good, grassy earth. 



Clara grew rosy, strong and happy over this 

 odd tonic, and folks thought it was working over 

 the fresh earth that helped her so fast. No doubt 

 it did help ; but, probably, the awakened Interest 

 and mental stimulus did much more. When you 

 have Induced an invalid to think of something 

 besides herself, and to really be happy over it, 

 you have taken a long step towards her restora~ 

 tion. 



SAVING MOTHER. 

 By LoU. 



Mother had run over to a neighbor's to see a 

 little sick girl, and only "Aunt 'Liza" and the 

 boys were left around the evening lamp, liut 

 Aunt 'Liza was good company, so they never felt 

 alone when she was about. 



" Who of you boys would like to try and save 

 mother a little this coming spring and summer ? " 

 she asked. "She needs It, and she's worth 

 saving." 



" I guess she is," said Charley, warmly. " How 

 do you mean. Aunt Liza? iust tell us, and 

 we'll save her all we can." 



Auntie stepped to the window-casing and took 

 down a nice, soft, bright pin-cushion she had 

 made that day. The boys eyed her rather curi- 

 ously but she went on to remarit. " "^'ou see this 

 needle, threaded with black thread, and this one 

 with white?" 



" Yes, auntie." 



" Now, who knows how to sew on a button ? " 



"I do; everybody does," said Jamie, " if they 

 have any sense." 



" 1 think so too," said Aunt 'Liza. " Now, how 

 many of you ever sewed on a button ? " 



There was a silence, "I thought as much," 

 said auptie, solemnly .shaking her head, "yet all 

 boys are famous for pulling them off unless they 

 are sewed on with wire. It is a great saving of 

 mothers when boys learn to sew on their own 

 buttons the flrst minute they can, after losing 

 them. And now, I come back to the needles. 

 They will be always handy If you will put them 

 back when through with them, and It takes but 

 a minute to thread a needle when the cotton Is 

 out. Who will try this spring to do so much 

 toward keeping himself in repair?" 



" I will, and I, and I," said all of the three. 



Good boys! and wlien you come to think of it, 

 there will be many another little thing of a simi- 

 lar kind that you can do to help mother. 

 Thoughtlessness wastes more mothers every year 

 than you can count. How easy for a boy to 

 throw open his window in the morning and lay 

 off his bedclothes carefully on chairs to air, and 

 all that saves mother. Three lads like you could 



clear mother's supper table in five minutes, and 

 set things all orderly in their places. Charley 

 might pile the dirty dishes and take them to the 

 kitchen, Jamie take down the food to the hang- 

 ing shelf, and Roy set into the pantry what goes 

 there. How many steps that would save for 

 mother's tired feet at night. She would wash 

 up the dishes with a happy heart, thinking how 

 kind and helpful her dear boys had grown." 



" You shall see, after this," said Roy, nodding 

 his head decidedly. " Mother won't have to look 

 up her kindlings another morning soon." 



Auntie smiled, and was glad to see that her 

 little talk had been effectual in waking up the 

 conscience of her little audience, and she was 

 more pleased sUU, to find that the efl'ect was 

 lasting. 



Remedy for Sore Thkoat.— Take 1 table- 

 spoonful of flaxseed, boil fifteen minutes, with 

 2 cups of water, then strain, add 1 tablespoonful 

 of molasses, and the Juice of 1 lemon (vinegar 

 will answer). This mixture will form a soft 

 Jelly. .Should be taken when cold, ene table- 

 spoonful every ten minutes. 



For Cold in Head and Lungs.— Take hops^ 

 sage, wormwood, and catnip, one good handful 

 of each, put them in a deep basin, pour on i qts. 

 of boiling water, and place on back of stove, 

 where it should simmer for one-half hour. The 

 patient should place his face over the mouth of 

 vessel, and inhale the steam. 



A 'Very Nice Desert.— Soak 2 cups of bread or 

 crackers in water, squeeze dry ; add the yolks of 

 :i well-beaten eggs, one-half cup »i sugar" ciunar 

 mon to taste; stir well, then add the whites of 

 :i eggs. Fry in small cakes in hot lard or butter. 

 Should be served hot with stewed prunes, ' 



Celery Salad.— Stir briskly the yolk of 1 egg 

 and sweet oil, by drops until the consistency 

 becomes stiff. Add 2 tabiespoonfuls of prepared 

 mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper, .3 tabiespoon- 

 fuls of vinegar. Have ready 3 bunches of celery 

 chopped fine, washed, and well drained, then 

 pour the above sauce over the celery. 



Strawberry 'Water.— To every pound of 

 strawberries tato 1 pound of sugar; place in an 

 earthen dish; stir occasionally until well dis- 

 solved ; strain, bottle, and cork well. This keeps 

 many years, and makes a good drink for warm 

 weather. 



Boiled Salmon with Sauce.— -Slice 1 onion in 

 boiling water, add a little salt, put In 3 pounds of 

 salmon, with whole cloves, allspice, pepper, and 

 let them simmer for three-quarters of an hour; 

 keep well covered. When done take up with 

 great care on a platter ; let drain well. For sauce,, 

 put butter size of an egg In a fr.ving pan, with 1 

 tablespoonful of flour; when light-brown add- 

 part of the water which thejflsh has been bolled- 

 in until it forms a nice gravy ; this should boll 

 up a few minutes, then remove from the fire; 

 stir In briskly a well-beaten eggLPOur the gravy 

 over the flsli ; set away to cool. Tliis dish should 

 be eaten cold. A little cream added to the gravy 

 gives it a nice flavor. 



C. B., Oregon City, Oregon. 



Brown Bread. — J large cups sweet skimmed 

 milk (scalding improves it), 1 cup sour milk, 1 

 teaspoonful soda, 1 teaspoonful salt, equal quanti- 

 ties Indian and Rye meal ; bake one hour and a 

 half in a stove oven, then steam two hours. 



Pressed Beef.— Take a knuckle bone of beef 

 from just below the round steak. After It is 

 sawed, put into the stew pan, cover with cold 

 water, and set on the bat^-k of the stove. Let it 

 stew a day or two until the bones all- come out. 

 The water will have dried away a great deal. 

 Chop the meat, not very fine. Season with pep- 

 per and salt. Return it to the gravy left in tho- 

 kettle, and when sufficiently dried away put in 

 a deep dish. When cold It can be cut into nic© 

 slices for the table. 



Fresh Pork and Potatoes.— Take a roast of 

 pork, sprinkle it with sage and salt, and put into 

 the oven to roast. Two hours before dinner have 

 prepared enough potatoes for the family; put 

 them in the dripping pan under the pork; when 

 done they should be nicely browned. 



Baked Apple Pudding.— Fill an earthen pud- 

 ding-dish with pared and quartered apples. Pre- 

 pare a crust of sweet cream, a very little soda 

 and salt. Cover the apples, and put them in to 

 bake one hour before dinner. It can be eaten 

 with sugar or any kind of pudding-sauce. 



Breakfast Cakes. 1 cup sour milk, \ cup 

 sour cream, one-half cup sugar, 2 small teaspoon- 

 fals soda, one-half cup currants, well washed, a 

 little salt, flour enough to roll thin. Cut with 

 the iiisouit-cutter, and balte in a quick oven. To 

 be eaten cold. 



English Ml*ffins.— Take yea«t-bread dough 

 that has risen over night, roll into thin, round 

 cakes, as large as a small breakfast plate. Bak& 

 on a hot griddle, turning them over once. When 

 done split them open and butter. 



AIRS. E. M. F. B., Waterville, Me. 



Please mnUion THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



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