Qll)c jTanuci's illjntl)li) bisitnr. 



165 



cacli ol' llie liiippy ilirimg who, us life vve.irs its 

 (lay iivviiy, sli.ill loiik ri|POM llieiii with Kiiinlioii^j 

 tviiicli » Ul I'uiKiiiii.'illy wull liiiii hiick l<> ilit; hours 

 uiikiiokvii hi Oiiii', that wore sjieiil ill Ii'ainiiij; tlie 

 gentle .shoot, lit eiiihlrrii of ulinl hi' tlii'ii was. 



To say nothing' oC l\\{\ /yenerai eflect ol' (iliiiig 

 up ti district si'hool with sm-li an ostahlishiiieiit 

 as we have iiotireil, ihi-re aie two or lliiee pai - 

 licular coiisiileialions coiiiiecled with it ot' ^llffi- 

 cieiit iiiipoj'iaiir.e to riaiiii a iiotii'e. In the Ki'>t 

 place, they have a tenilenry to liieiliiale tliesi-hol- 

 nis ill the si'ieiices they sindy. Would yon im- 

 press iijioii the iiiiiiil the c-liiiiale or location of 

 any coiiniiy, exhil.it its iniiieial or liotaniral pro- 

 ilni'lions, and let ihein l« associattd in Die mind 

 with its uro^'rapliiral locality. So too ol' seas. 

 What shells are (iiinid there, or what fish; and so 

 of every thin;; and place. 



.Again, such exercises I'lirnish the mind with an 

 a^i'eealile and heahhfiil eitiploynieni, and an; 

 strictly coiiiienial to the taste oT chihiliood. Did 

 yon evr pass hy a district scliool lionse in suiii- 

 iiier and aiiloniii, lint w li.-it \ on saw the corners 

 of ll'iices laid out in niiiiiatnre (ielils, anil li?tici<l 

 with niiniatnie walLs, or protected in such other 

 way as yonthlid (iincy dictated? Have \oii nev- 

 er seen the inrC uprooted hy what childish limey 

 called a ploii;|;li. and the tender hiade ol' wheat or 

 .■some other yiain sprin;;iii^ up in place ol' the 

 fjreei! ^ras*.' Ilaieyoii never seen the iiide tools 

 ot" the yoniiK li.iyinaker, and the tiny stacks, 

 which a I'eiv snatcheil moments, taken troiii stu- 

 dy or toil, have enaliled him to -lather ? Oh! 

 who ever saw the operations ot' childhood with- 

 out lieiiiv convineeii that the love of rural occii- 

 paliiiiis was an liistiiicliie principle ol'ils nature, 

 and however v>e may tempt ourselves or he 

 lempied to renounce tiiem in alter years, who 

 dates suppose hut that we are led Iroiii the paths 

 to which they invite lis hy artificial rullier than 

 natural causes. 



'To the cnhivators of the .>-oiI, this love of na- 

 ture, so kindly planted ill every hosoni, is cer- 

 lainl) a desirahle (pialily, and should I.e cnlliva- 

 teil with care in proportion as they would suc- 

 ceed in till calling' the mazy lalKirynlhine walks 

 ot their every day employinenls. Let it he cher- 

 ished then ill ilie yonii;; liotaiiist who commenc- 

 es ilisseclin^' flowers and admiring their colors 

 lielore lie can niter his parents' name, or has 

 power to sustain himself hy his own e.xertion. 

 Teach him, too, vvlien his ear first opens to sweet 

 sounds, anil hefore his ton^oie can inter perverse 

 sa\ ili;4S, that the hirds whose music prompts his 

 mirth and causes him to clap his little hands in 

 joyful ^lee in chorus to their melody, that these 

 Bweet musicians cd' the grove were sent not only 

 to gladden the heart ot inan hy their pretty warli- 

 ling songs, hut that tlii^y are tlie tninisters of his 

 Comlint ill tleslro) iiig imm iads of insects which 

 would scalier ilesolatimi in his path, and de^t|■oy 

 his liiirest hopes of plenli s harvests. 



And when he makes his ilehid in the worlil of 

 Ins fellows, and hegins to act on his own respoi 

 sihiliiy oil a theatre where he miisl ad for himself 

 — when he is passing thriim;h the various gi'ades 

 of progres-s which the ilislrict school presems, let 

 the lessons already hegiiii, he repeated with new 

 emphasis, so that under their influence his mind 

 with all its pliancy, may expand and take in new 

 ohjccts of kindred and higher import, iiiiiil al 

 length it shall think in all of the snhlime and 

 lieaiiiilid that ihe natural world affords, or which 

 fiiiiie iiiiiid under ordinary circumsldiicei can 

 grasp. 



Can there lie any douht, lint that in a school 

 room got up in the style we have quoted, where 

 the minds of chihlhiioil and youth can relax and 

 imheiid iheinselves in ainusemetits so innocent, 

 ficuhliful and instriici've, a geneiation of fanners 

 can he educated that will love and adorn their 

 prolession .' Can it he otiierwise than that tliev 

 should grow np praclicitl and scientific tiirmers ? 

 We think not, unle>s conflicting circinnslaiices 

 are I'cn/ slrom; a^'aiiist theni, and we hope the 

 day is not fir distant when school houses every 

 where will he got up iii the same neat and taste- 

 ful sty le, and .-chiml children shall have their 

 piouiids to ctiltiva|p,aiid teachers to instruct them 

 in taking care of tlieni. 



There is o?ie powerful olijectioia to such a state 

 of things which may well he anticipated : that is 

 the expensi;. Ves, many a liitid fiiiher who would 

 not value an extra five dollars in n perishahle 

 ilress lor a sou, or a dozen extra yards of jiink 



rihhon for his daughter, to aid lliem in the dis- 

 play of perhaps only a single occasion, would 

 think it a gross di'inand upon his purse to give 

 half the ainouni lo l'nriii>h an acre of pleasure 

 L'i'ound, when; not only his own i-hildieu, hut 

 tlieiis anil others, to all generations, might i;atlicr 

 li-ssons of iii>ti'iiciioii in their hoins of idiildi>li 

 pasiiiiie ; and w lirre the honor and glory of the 

 philaiilhropy wliich prompted the warm hearts 

 of paieiilal sohciiinle in setting apart such 

 grounds liir Ihc^ lieliefils of the juvenile race, 

 would speak in every leaf that (liillered in the 

 freeze, and every flower that opened its (letals to 

 the morning dew. 



There is anoiiier conyideraiion in favor of thus 

 getting lip such e^tahllsllmellts, w liii;|i slioidd not 

 he omitted. The moral influence it would e.xert 

 wiinid he of a most salutary kind, and would 

 iloiiliileJ-s lay a liiundaiion lor rei'tiiiide in all lii- 

 tnie years. The mind ot childhood is ever ac- 

 live, anil if it is not direcied in good and lionor- 

 ahle channels its course will he opposite; and if 

 schoolliovs call have no hetter employment, they 

 will spend their lime in kiiockiiifr oft' hats, roii- 

 liing hiid's nests, or roaming for mi.-chievons 

 plunder over grounds where the restraints of in- 

 tegrity, and the cause of ri:;lit should preclude 

 their entrance. We need not imagine what sor- 

 rowful endings have olieii closed the imhallowed 

 trains of such sliilii lie^innings. Better remove 

 the tempiations hy fiirnisliing grounds expressly 

 fiir their henelii, and emplojmeiits far more con- 

 ffenial to their tasles, and which will not only 

 furnish theiii enjoMiient now, hut fit them for the 

 duties of life awaiting them. Wm. Haco.n'. 



Ricliinond, iMass., 184(3. 



A Chapter ou Bread-.tlakin?. 



From iMisti Ut^t'clierV^ Uor.ieslic Recipe IJook. 



OVF.NS. 



On conslrnclins; nnd lieatinp; an oven. — The hest 

 ovens aie iisiialfs made thus: Alter the arch is 

 funned, lour or five hiishels of ashes are spread 

 over ii. and then a covering ofcliarcoal overlhat, 

 and then another layer of liricks over all. The 

 use of' this IS, that the ashes hecoine heated, and 

 the charcoal heiii:; a non-conductor, the heat is 

 retained innch longer. Jn such an oven, cakes 

 and pies can he haked afier the liread is taken 

 out, and then custards after them. Souielimes 

 four liakings are done in succession. The first 

 time an oven is used, it should he heated the day 

 previous for half a day, and the oven lid kept up 

 after the fire is out, till heated for liakiiig. As 

 there is so little di>creti<in to he found in those 

 who heat ovens, ilie housekeeper will save iniicli 

 trouhle and moriificaliou hy this anangement : 

 Have oven wood prepared of sticks ofe(|ualsize 

 and length. Find, hy trial, how many are requir- 

 ed lo heat the oven, and then require that just 

 that tinmher he u^^d, and no more. The fire 

 iniist he made the hack side of the oven, and the 

 oven must he heated so hoi as to allow it to he 

 closed fifteen iiiinntes jifier clearing, hefore the 

 heat is reduced enough to use it. This is called 

 soaking. If it is hiiriit down entirely to ashes, 

 the oven may he used as soon as cleared. 



How lo know ivhen an nven is al the right heal. — 

 An experienced cook will know without rules. 

 For a novice, the following rnlesare of some use 

 in determiniug: If ihe l.lack spots in the oven 

 are not liiirnt oil', it is not hot, as the hricks must 

 all look fell. If \oii sprinkle flour on the hottoni, 

 and it hiiriis quickly, it is too hoi. W you canuot 

 hold your hand in longer^ than to count twenty 

 moderately, it is hot enough. If yon can count 

 thirty motlerately, it is not hot enoug+i for hread. 

 These last are not very uccurate tests, as the pow- 

 er to hear heat is so diverse in diffcient persons, 

 hut they are as good rules as call he given, where 

 there has lieeii no experience. 



Hoic lo know when bread is sour or heavy. — If the 

 hreail is sour, on opening it quick and> deeply 

 with your finders, and ap|d\iiig the nose to the 

 opening, a tingling' and sour odor escapes. This 

 is remedied hy taking a tea spoonful of saleratns 

 for every four quarts of ftn\ir, very llioroiivdity 

 dissolved in hot water, which is to be pnt fn a 

 hole made in the midille, nnd very ihoroui'lv 

 kneaded in. or tliei-e will lie yellow streaks. If 

 the hreiul is light and not sour, it wilt, on open- 

 ing it deep and suddenly, send forth a putiirent 

 and brisk, lint not a sour odor, and: it will look 

 full of holeii, like sponge. Soma may iiiii*lake 



the smell of light hread for that of sour hicad, 

 hut a little practice will show llie difTcrence very 

 (ilaiiily. If Ihe hread is li^lit before the oven is 

 ready, knead it a liule wiihoiil adding flour and 

 set it in a cool place. If it rises too much, it loses 

 all sweetness, and noihiiig hut care nnd exp- ri- 

 eiice will prevent this. The biBt of flour will 

 not make sweet hread, if it is alliiwed to rise too 

 uincli, even \\'lieii no sourness is induced. 



How lo treat bread when taken from the oven.— 

 Never set it fl.it on a table, as it sweats the hot- 

 loiii, and acquires a had taste from the table. Al- 

 ways take it out of the tins, and set it up end 

 way, leaning against something. If it has a thick, 

 hard criisi, wrap it in a cloth wrung out of cold 

 water. Keep it in a tin box, in a eool place, where 

 it will not freeze. 



YEAST. 



The article in which yeast is kept must, when 

 new yeast is made, or fresh yeast bought, be scald- 

 ed and emptied, .iinl then have a salt spoon tiill 

 of saleralus put in, and be rinsed out again willi 

 warm watei". If it is glass, rinsing twice with 

 warm water will aiiswir. Junk bottles are best 

 liir holding yeast, because they can he corked 

 ligh', and easily cli'aiised. . 



Potato Yta.il. — By those who use potato yeast, 

 it is regarded as much the hest, as it I'aises breail 

 quicker than commoti honie-brevved yeast, anil 

 liest of all, never imparts the >liarp, disagreeable 

 yeast taste to hreail or cake, often given by hop 

 yeast. iMasli half a dozen peeled, boiled p<italoes, 

 and mix in a handful of wheat flour, and two tea . 

 spoonsful of salt, and afier putting it tliion^li a 

 colander, add hot waler till it is a batter. \\ hen 

 blood-warm, (iiit in a half a tea cup of distillery 

 yeast, or twice as much potato or oilier home- 

 brewed. When r.ii>ed, keep it corked light, and 

 make it new very often in hot weather. It can 

 be easily made when potatoes are boiled lor din- 

 ner. 



Home-made yeasl which will keep good a month. 

 — Four quails of water, two lianils full of hops, 

 eight peeled potatoes, sliced, all. boiled soli, tiiix- 

 ed and strained tlii'ou;;li a sieve. To this add a 

 bailer, made one-third ol Indian and two-thirds 

 of rye, in a pint of cold water, and then boil the- 

 whole ten minnies. When cool as new milk, add 

 a tea cup of molasses, a lable spounliil of ginger, 

 and a tea cup of distillery yeast, or twice tisnincli. 

 home-brewed. 



Home brewed yeasl more easily made. — B'oil a 

 hand lull of hops half an hour in three pints of 

 water. Pour half of \f,' boiling hot, llnoiigh n 

 sieve, on to nine spoons liill ot flour, mix, and 

 then aild ihe rest of the hop water. Add a spoon 

 fidl of salt, half a cup of uiolasses,and wheyi blood 

 (carm, a cup of j east. 



Hard yeasl. — i'liis is often very convenient, es- 

 pecially tiir hot weather when it is tiitiicult to 

 keep yeast. Take some of the best ytast you can 

 make,aiid thicken it with Indian meal, and if you 

 h.ive rye, add a little to in.ike it adhere hetter. 

 Make it into cakes an inch thick, and three inch- 

 es by two in size, and dry it in a drying wind, but 

 not in the sun. Keep ir tied in a bag, in a diy, 

 cool place u here it will not freeze. One of these 

 cakes is enough for four (luarls of flour. When 

 you wish to use it, put it to soak in ntilk or water 

 for several hours, and then use it like other yeast. 



Rubs, or flour hard yeasl. — Tliis is better than 

 hiud yeast made with Indian, Take two quarts 

 of best home-brewed ye.ist, and a table spoonful 

 of salt, and mix in wheat flour, so that it will be 

 in land lumps. Set it in a dry, warm place, (hut 

 not in the sun,) lill (jnite dry. Then leave out 

 the fine parts to use the next baking, and put np 

 the lumps in n l>ag, and hang it in a dry place. 

 In using tliia yeast, take a pint of the nibs for six 

 quarts of flour, and let it soak from noon till 

 night. Tfjen wet np the bread to hake next day. 

 Brewer's and distillery yeast cannot he trusted to 

 make hard yeast. Home-brewed is ihebest.and 

 some housekeepers siiy the only yeast for this 

 purpose. 



Milk yeast. — One pint of new milk, nnd one 

 tea spoudfnl of fine salt, one large spoonful of 

 flour; mix, nnd keep it blood warin^n hour. Use 

 twice as much as the cotntnon yeasit. Bread sooQ 

 spoils made of this. 



BREAD. 



}f'heal bread of dlslillery, or hreu-er's yeast. — Take 

 eight quarts of floiir and two of milk, a lable 

 sjioonftil of calt, u gill and q liulf of dialillery 



