California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



rinse them again briskly in clean luke- 

 warm water: wring and stretch to their 

 proi^er shape, and dry in the open air if 

 possible. The only effect oi rubbing is 

 to shrink and destroy the material; it 

 should therefore never be resorted to. 

 The material used in manufacturing silk 

 underwear being no animal product, it 

 is absolutely necessary that nothing but 

 the best quality of soap and warm water 

 should be used. All kinds of washing 

 compound destroy the nature of the 

 material, giving to the fabric the appear- 

 ance of poor cotton." 



Cleansing Blankets — It is quite as 

 imi)ortant to have the blankets on our 

 lieds clean as well as to have the sheets 

 pure and white. "Put two large table- 

 spooufuls of borax and a pint bowl of 

 soap suds into a tub of cold water. 

 When dissolved, put in a pair of blankets 

 and let them remain over night. Next 

 day rub and drain them out, and rinse 

 thoroughly in two waters, and hang them 

 out to dry. Do not wring them." 



DuKABLE Bedding. — A woman who 

 has raised a large family recommends 

 housekeepers to the good quality of un- 

 bleached cotton, run the breadths for top 

 and lining of quilt, and color it with any 

 cheap domestic dye — such as japonica 

 annatto, white oak or any such thing. 

 Quilt them coarsely, and put more cotton 

 batting in than would be needed for or- 

 dinary bed quilts. They wiU wear years 

 longer than ordinary new calico, and are 

 e.specially to be desired in large families 

 of boys. If desired, outside spreads 

 may be made of more fanciful material. 



Beneficial Effect of Flannel — The 

 majority of people are not a\ 'are of the 

 beneficial effect of wearing flannel next 

 to the body, both in cold and warm 

 weather. Flannel is not so uncomfort- 

 able iu warm weather as prejudiced peo- 

 ple believe. Frequently colds and con- 

 stant hacking coughs have left me since 

 aelojitiug flannel garmets. There is no 

 need of great bulk about the waist which 

 condemns the wearing of flannel to 

 those who jirefer waspwaists to health, 

 for iu that case flannel can be cut as 

 loosely fitting waists, always fastening 

 at the back. There are scarcely any of 

 the bad effects of .sudden changes of 

 weather felt by those who wear tlaunel, 

 and mothers, especially, should en- 

 deavor to secure such for thgir little peo- 

 ple in preference to all those showy out- 

 side trimmings which fashion commands. 

 —Ex. 



MOUNTING CHROMOS. 



Large chromos should lie mounted on 



a stretcher. A stretcher is made of strips 



one and one-half inch wide, ripped from 



common inch or JS^-inch lumber, 



mitered and made into a frame. Stretch 



upon this, pasting or tacking smoothly, 



tightly, over the whole face of the 



stretcher f rarae a piece of light domestic. 



Common flour paste, made smooth, is 



suitable to use for mounting the chromo 



upon the stretcher. Of course the 



stretcher must not be any larger than 



the pictiire. Paste both the back of the 



l)icture and the cloth, and lay on and rub 



with a damp cloth till it is smoothly 



adhered to the stretcher. The drying 



will shrink the cloth so that no wrinkles 



will appear. Before varnishing, the first 



and most essential operation is the 



proper sizing of the paper, as, if this be 



imperfectly done, almost any kind of 



varnish will penetrate the paper so as to 



make oil-.spots. Gluo-waterof the proper 



c<msistency is the best protective against 



the absorption of the varnish. It should 



be of the right strength, however. If, 

 after being dried, it cracks in bending a 

 corner of the paper, it was not diluted 

 enough. When dry, the map or chromo 

 is varnished with a solution of mastic, 

 sandarac, or some other colorless resin 

 in turpentine or alcohol, or a mixture of 

 both; experience shows the best consist- 

 ency in order to lay it on evenly with a 

 brush. 



A good varnish can be purchased 

 at paint stores. Use none but the best 

 quality for chromos. Small chromos 

 may be mounted on pasteboard and var- 

 nished the same. Chromos may also be 

 framed under glass, without mounting 

 or varnish, the same as engravings, if 

 one prefers it. 



HOME-MADE PICTURE FRAMES- 



Frames for pictures can be made of a 

 great many materials. If taately made, 

 it matters little what is used. Acorns, 

 with leaves made of leather, in imita- 

 tion, make beautiful frames when neatly 

 arranged and varnished. We have seen 

 pretty frames made of rice fastened 

 thickly to jilaiu, beveled boards with 

 glue and varnish; also of beans, pebbles, 

 shells, etc. Rustic frames can be made 

 of bits of wood tacked on a rough board 

 frame and varnished. Choose gnarled 

 roots and limbs, remove the bark, split 

 in halves, all arranged flat side to the 

 board in any shape that taste may sug- 

 gest. Stain or not as you choose, and 

 varnish. Do not mix too many things 

 together. A frame of shells should be 

 all shells; of rice, all rice, etc. A rustic 

 frame may be made of knotty material 

 and be made to resemble coral work. 



To make artificial coral, take two 

 drachms of Vermillion, one ounce of 

 rosin, and melt them together. Have 

 ready the branches of twigs, peeled and 

 dried, fasten in any shape desired with 

 pins or small nails, and paint them over 

 with this mixture while hot. The twigs 

 being covered, hold them over a gentle 

 fire, turning them around until they are 

 perfectly smooth. White coral may be 

 made with white lead, and black with 

 lampblack. Another way is as follows: 

 Pound a quantity of good red sealing wax 

 and mix with spirits of wine into a thick 

 paste. Into this put some lai-ge, un- 

 broken Carolina rice, stir well, and if it 

 is of proper consistency every grain will 

 be entirely covered with the paste. With 

 this you can paint frames, card-baskets, 

 brackets made of pasteboard, etc. Var- 

 nish, and you will be pleased with the 

 eft'ect. 



Here is how to make pretty corn-husk 

 frames: "Corn-husk frames may be made 

 very prettily and simply by taking paste- 

 board or thick paper to sew the husks on. 

 Then select your husks; take fine white 

 ones, but not the finest. Take a husk 

 and cut it into strips three-quarters of an 

 inch wide and three inches long. Then 

 double it together in a Ijow as in tape 

 trimming. Put two rows of these bows 

 around the inside of the frame. Next 

 out a piece the length of the bows and 

 the width of the husks, and bend the 

 two ends together. Now take your 

 needle, and slit it very fine through the 

 center, and then sew the two ends that 

 you hold in your hand on the frame over- 

 lapping the row of bows, one row of this 

 slitted wen-k, and turn, and go length, 

 wise of the frame— not crosswise as be- 

 fore. That forms the outer edge of the 

 frame. Take a thin piece of board and 

 make a frame. Place your glass lietween 

 your paper frame and ycuir board frame, 

 and tack or jiaste yourjiapcr frame down 

 smoothly. You will tlien have a nice 

 rustic frame. Beautiful little card-baskets 

 and lamp-mats may be made in nearly 

 the same manner." 



Rustic frames, skillfully designed, 

 made of all the ditterent varieties of 

 burrs; of all varieties of mosses; of nut- 

 shells, every kind; of stones, all the 

 prettiest pebbles that can be found, look 

 much better than to have a mixture of 

 everything that can be available for 

 fancy-work frames. 



Persons wanting walnut or gilt frames 

 will please notice our offer in an edito- 

 rial note. 



SEASONABLE SELECTIONS. 



HowtoCaeve and Help at Table. — It 

 is considered an accomplishment for a 

 lady to know how to carve well at her 

 own table. The carving knife should be 

 sharp and thin. 



To carve fowls (which should always 

 be laid with the breast uppermost), place 

 the fork in the breast, and take off the 

 wings and legs without turning the fowl; 

 then cut out the merry thought, slice 

 from the breast, take out the collar bone, 

 cut off the side pieces, and then cut the 

 carcass in two. Divide the joints in the 

 leg of a turkey. 



In carving a sirloin, cut thin slices 

 from the side next to you (it must be 

 put on the dish with the tenderloin un- 

 derneath)theu turn it, and cut from the 

 tenderloin. Help the guests to both 

 kinds. 



In carving a leg of mutton or ham, be- 

 gin by cutting across the middle to the 

 bone. Cut a tongue across and not 

 lengthwise, and help from the middle 

 part. 



Carve a fore-quarter of lamb by sepa- 

 rating the shoulder from the ribs, and 

 then divide the ribs. 



To carve a loin of veal, begin at the 

 smaller end and separate the ribs. 

 Helpi each one to a piece of kidney and 

 its fat. Carve pork and mutton in the 

 same way. 



To carve a flUet of veal, begin at the 

 top and help to the dressing with each 

 slice. In a breast of veal, separate the 

 breast and brisket and then cut them up, 

 asking which part is prefered. 



In carving a pig, it is customary to di- 

 vide it and take off the head before it 

 comes to the table, as, to many persons the 

 head is revolting. Cutoff the limbs and 

 divide the ribs. 



In carving venison, make a deep in- 

 cision down to the bone to let out the 

 juices, and turn the broad end toward 

 you, cutting deep in thin slices. 



For a saddle of venison, cut from the 

 tail toward the other end, on each side, 

 in thin slices. Warm plates are very 

 necessary with venison and mutton, and 

 in winter are desirable for all meats. 

 —Ex. 



Pumpkin Bijttee( Original). — Cut up 

 as much pumpkin or squash as desired, 

 and cook without paring until tender. 

 Strain or press the juice out; then pare 

 other pumpkin and cook fine in the same 

 juice. When thoroughly stewed down 

 to about the consistency of apple, 

 put away in jars the same as other yire- 

 serves, to be used as other sauce, or may 

 be used in pies without sweetening. 



Here is another way : A writer who has 

 tried it, says to preserve pumpkin, take 

 seven pounds of pumpkin, five pounds 

 of sugar, four lemons, and two ounces of 

 green ginger root. Cut the pumpkin in 

 slices half an inch thick in any desired 

 form, sijuare, round or diamond shajie, 

 and boil iu the syrup till tender, then 

 take up the pieces. Slice the lemon and 

 ginger root very thin and scald them in a 

 little clear water, after wliicli add them 

 to the syrup; boil the latter down iintil 

 it is clear enough to keep without fer- 



menting, and then add the pumpkin 

 to it. 



Stewed Fowl. — Fill the inside of a 

 young fowl with oysters, put it into a 

 jar or tin pail tightly closed, and put iu 

 to a kettle of water. Boil an hour and 

 a half. There will be a quantity of 

 gravy from the fowl and oysters. Add 

 to it a little flour made smooth in a 

 small quantity of water, some butter, 

 seasoning to taste, and more oysters 

 with their liquor. Serve this with the 

 fowl, which will be very white and ten- 

 der. All the fine flavor in ordinary boil- 

 ing will be jireserved. 



Meat Loap. — Chop fine whatever cold 

 meat you may have, fat and lean to- 

 gether, add i^epjier, salt and finely-chop- 

 ped onion, two slices of bread which has 

 been soaked in milk, and one egg; mix 

 well together and bake in form. This 

 makes an admirable tea or breakfast 

 dish . 



Pop-OvEKS. — Four eggs, four cups of 

 fine graham flour, four cups of milk, or 

 simply good milk and the best of white 

 flour made into a rather soft batter. 

 These may be baked in gem tins or gem 

 irons, or small cups which should be 

 previously heated. Bake in a hot oven 

 and eat with fruit sauce. 



Stuffing fok Tdekets and Chickens. 

 A handful of soaked bread squeezed dry, 

 two eggs, a little finely chopped parsely, 

 dessert-spoonful of gi'ouudginger,a pinch 

 of .salt, a small bit of butter or beef drip- 

 ping. Chickens or turkeys seasoned 

 with ground ginger and salt, have a very 

 delicate and rich flavor. 



Sausage. — For 30 lbs. of meat, well 

 cut, add 12 oz. fine salt, (i oz. pulverized 

 sage' i oz. black pepper, two tablespoons 

 of mustard, summer savory to the taste. 



Beet Vinegab. — Grate the beet, says 

 the Fanners' Advocate, and express the 

 juice in a cheese press, or in any other 

 way that may suggest itself, and put the 

 liquor in any empty barrel; cover the 

 bung-hole with gauze; and set it in the 

 sun, and in twelve or fifteen days it will 

 be ready for use. 



Bi-Sulphide Of Carbon— Philloxera 



From a paper read by Dr. Blake before 

 the Acadamy of Science, we condense 

 the following advice: Owing to the ex- 

 treme volatility of this substance, its va- 

 por, when it is introduced at some dis- 

 tance beneath the surface, woftld per- 

 meate the earth in all directions over a 

 considerable area, and thus would have 

 a chance of reaching even the distant 

 rootlets of the viiiti. Although it had 

 been reported in France that the sub- 

 stance was not destructive to the insect, 

 yet I believed that the soft, apparently 

 nude form, which I had just discovered, 

 would not resist it. In order to intro- 

 duce the substance beneath the ground, 

 an iron tube was taken with a sharp 

 steel point at one end, the side being 

 pierced with a few small holes near the 

 bottom, and a piston was made which 

 could be forced down the tube. The 

 tube was driven into the earth for a dis- 

 tance of two or three feet, near the root 

 of the vino; some bisulphide of carbon 

 was poured into the tube which was then 

 filled with water, and the contents of the 

 tube forced into the ground with the pis- 

 ton. Tlie tube was drawn out and the 

 hole filled up. The quantity used on 

 each vine was about an ounce and a half 

 of the bisulphide. This was introduced 



r< 



