28 



THE GEI^ESEE FAR^ffiR. 



f'dVus' Jlrprtmnit. 



MAKING HOME PLEASANT. 



TnEUE IS uo rtct so wouiauly as that of giiring to her 

 borne the same air of retineinent and elegance which all 

 ladies desire to impiirt to their dress. 



There is one thing that is too often forgotten or un- 

 noticed, although it is exceedingly important in giving a 

 pleasant appearance to a room, and that is the eftect of 

 light. Neitiier faces nor rooms can hear the lull glare of 

 light, for both have some defects to be hid — some 

 blemishes which need softening down. Willis says that 

 a lawn should never be seen at midday, but only in the 

 morning or in the evening, for only then is it m its full 

 beauty. It needs the exquisite shadows which are lost 

 at noon. Sunshine is delightful, aud plenty of it is ne- 

 cessary to health and cheerfulness. Nothing gives a 

 room such an utterly lonely and desolate air as the total 

 absence of sunlight; but it need not stream in at uncur- 

 tained and unshuttered windows. Let us have enough, 

 but not too much. Red curtains in winter give an air of 

 "•heerfulness and comfort to even the homeliest furniture 

 and comtnonesi Tooni, and it is partly because they give 

 the light in the room a soft, pink tinge, which is pe- 

 culiarly pleasant — more like that from an open fire than 

 anything else. And who has not enjoyed the glow of a 

 bright wood lire just at twilight, before the candles are 

 lit, while the outside world is gray and gloomy ? How 

 exquisite the play of light and shade from the flickering 

 flame! The whole room seems pervaded with cheerfivl- 

 nes3, and however sadly we may have entered, we can 

 not help, for the moment at least, looking joyfully at the 

 Present, if we still have only sadness to hope for in the 

 Future; and it is almost an impossibility for a person to 

 remain cross and ill-humored under its influence. It is 

 a trifle, to be sure. Why should it make any diflfercnce 

 to a well-balanced mind whether the fire burned or not? 

 But of trifles is this life made up. To return to our sub- 

 ject: Anything that gives a room a cold, chilly appear- 

 ance, should be avoided even in summer; for we like 

 cool, shady places, but not damp ones, where there is 

 nothing but shade. Green paper curtains, which are 

 often used in sitting-rooms, though not allowed in the 

 parlors, are the very worst possible species of shade to 

 windows; and if you must have them at all, put them in 

 the best rooms, where only now and then a person enters. 

 In summer, the sunlight coming through green Venetian 

 blinds, or, better still, the fresh leaves of a clustering 

 vine, with their exquisite shadows, on the floor and walls 

 is most refreshingly cool; but paper shades never can 

 produce the same eflect — they but color the light. When 

 shades are used, they should be either buff or some deli- 

 cate neutral tint. Heavy green curtains absorb the light, 

 and it requires far more gas to make a room look cheer- 

 ful with them than with crimson or even maroon, as they 

 scorn to emit light. When a room is hung with any 

 yery dark paper, except crimson, the same difficulty is 

 felt in making it look bright and cheerful; it will re- 

 quire either a gar carpet, or pictures on the walls, and 

 plenty of sunsliine, to make it j)leasant to live in. Cross- 

 lights— that is, from windows on the opposite sides of 



the room— always have a bad eflect. A little care in thi 

 and a few experiments as to the efliect of shading or 

 window and opening another, will soon teach any or 

 who has the least desire to render their home pleasai 

 how to change the whole appearance of the room h 

 slight changes of this kind. It will require a little tin- 

 and labor, but a pleasant, cheerful room will do more 1 

 lead us to appreciate what we have iu life that is enjoy; 

 ble than many .sermons on the duty of contentment. 



OKIGINAL DOMESTIC RECEIPTS. 



Contributed to the Genesee Farmer, 



[The following receipts were given us by a lady wb 

 had collected them with great care for her own use, an 

 knows them to be good. We particularly call attentio 

 to the receipt for lip-salve, which at this season is an it 

 dispensable luxury.] 



Rose Salve.— Four ounces best olive oil; one ounc 

 spermaciti; one ounce white wax; eight drops attar o 

 roses. Melt over a slow fire. 



Potato Crcst.— Par-boil and mash twelve potatoes 

 add one teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of butte 

 and half a cup of milk or cream. Stifi'en with flou 

 until jou can roll out. 



Sweet Apple Pcddixg. — One pint of scalded milk 

 one-half pint of Indian meal; one teacup of molasses 

 one teaspoonful of salt ; six sweet apples, cut ia .snial 

 slices. Bake three hours. 



Washihgton Cake.— One pound of sugar, one pound o; 

 flour, three-quarters of a pound of butter and five eggs 

 a small cup of sweet milk and a teaspoonful of saleratus 

 cinnamon and cloves to your taste; one pound of rasins 

 one wine-glass of wine and another of brandy. 



Mdffixs.— Three tablespoonfuls of butter melted iij 

 three pints of milk; when cold stir in six eggs, one tea 

 spoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of .yeast. Floui 

 to make them as thick as you can beat it. Should rise iij 

 three hours. 



Mince Pies. — Two pounds of lean beef (rump piece" 

 when chopped makes three bowls full. Nine bowls of 

 sour apples, chopped ; half a pound of chopped suet, two 

 pounds of rasins, two pounds of currants, two beapin;> 

 teaspooufuls ground cinnamon, two of allspice, two of 

 cloves, one of mace and one of salt; tivo orated nut- 

 megs, a gallon of sweet cider, one pint of currant wine 

 and a pint of brandy. Put in four pounds of su"-ar, sit.d 

 add more if necessary. This will make sixteen lar> e 

 pies, 



Pa.strt.— Sift three pints of superfine flour; divide 

 one pound of fresh butter into four parts; take one piece 

 and rub thoroughly into the flour; add cold water "Tud- 

 ually, to make a tolerably thin paste; use as little Avatei 

 as possible, as too much will make it tough; sprinkle n 

 little flour on the board before you lay the lump of douirb 

 on it; roll it, always rolling from you; take the second 

 piece of butter and spread it on the paste; sprinkle wiih 

 a little flour; fold the paste over; roll if, and do the same 

 until all the butter is spread in. 



