■224 



THE GE^T:SEE FAK:NrER. 



f ai)ics' Jlcpavtnuiit. ^^ 



ORIGINAL DOMESTIC RECEIPTS. 



Conlributed to the Gcnes'^e Fanner. 



Rhubarb Wixk.— Dr. Maksii, of tlie United States 

 Sanitary Commission, gives the following receipt for 

 making rhubarb wine: Peel and slice as for pies; put a 

 very small qunntity of water in the vessel, only just 

 enough to cover the bottom; cover the vessel and grad- 

 ually bring to a slight boil ; then strain, pressing out all 

 the liquid; to this liquid add an equal quantity of water; 

 to each gallon (after mixed) add from four to fire pounds 

 of brown sugar; set aside, ferment and skim like currant 

 wine; leave in the cask and bulk as long as possible be- 

 fore sending away. All wine is better kept in casks. 



To Make Transparent Paper and Cloth.— Take a 

 sheet of tissue paper, dip it into a solution of silicate of 

 soda or potash (soluble glass), press it gently, and when 

 dry it is complete. Another method is to dip the paper 

 in a thin varnish of pure Canadian balsam, and allow it 

 to dry thoroughly, when it is ready for use. This latter 

 method also renders fine linen cloth transparent, and ca^ 

 pable of being used for tracing out drawings. Paper can 

 also be rendered transparent by dipping it in limpid oil, 

 then drying it in a warm situation ; but it is not good for 

 tracing paper when made in this manner. 



Feitters.— One-half pint of milk, four or five table- 

 gpoonfuls of flour, and one egg— tlie white and yolk 

 beaten separately. This will make batter enough for a 

 small family. Fry in an abundance of lard, very hot. 

 They should be served with butter, sugar and cider or 

 ■wine. A little chopped apple can be added, and is quite 

 an improvement. 



Strawberry Wisk.- Press out the juice from the 

 strawberries, and add two quarts of water to each quart 

 of juice. Loaf sugar is then added at the rate of one 

 pound to the gallon. Put into a barrel in -a cool cellar, 

 and ferment in the usual way. 



We republish by request the fallowing receipts, which 

 we gave last year, with some additions : 



Raspberry Vinegar.— Take three or four quarts of 

 raspberries, put them in a stone creek and cover them 

 with vinegar. Let them stand twenty-four hours. Then 

 strain this juice through i> jelly-bag and pour it on to 

 fresh berries, letting this stand another day. Repeat this 

 proccsB until you have the quantity you desire. Add to 

 each pint of juice one pound of sugar. Put it into a pre- 

 Berring kettle and allow it to heat sufficiently to melt the 

 sugar. When it is cold, put it into bottles. It will keep 

 several years. 



CtPRAKT Wive.— One quart of currant juice, two quarts 

 of water, three pounds of crushed sugar, and to each 

 gallon of the mixture add one gill pure brandy. Place ft 

 cask upon its side with the bung up, and fill it entirely. 

 It will require replenishing, as it wastes by fermentation, 

 and the cojk should always be kept full. 



Currant Jkllt.— Pick fine red and large lipe currants 

 from the stems, bruise them and strain the juice from a 

 quart at a time through thin muslin, pressing it gently to 

 get all the liquid. Put a pound of white sugar to each 

 pound of juice ; stir it until it is all dissolved ; set it over 

 a gentle fire; let it become hot and boil for fifteen min- 

 utes; then try it by takijg a spoonful into a saucer. 

 When cold, if it is not quite firm enough, boil it for a few 

 minutes longer. It may be made by standing in the sun, 

 without boiling, if put in a very warm place, and is gen- 

 erally'of a much better color than when cooked by the 

 fire. 



Lace AND Mdsltn Curtains. — After washing and starch- 

 ing them it is much better to stretch them upon a sheet 

 fastened to the carpet than to iron them. They must be 

 pinned to the sheet very carefully. The pins should not 

 be more than four or five inches apart. Although this is 

 a good deal of labor, the improved appearance of the 

 curtains is a full compensation. Shetland shawls can be 

 dried in the same way. 



Strawberries. — This delicious fruit is so acid that it 

 requires the full complement of a pound of sugar to a 

 pound of fruit to prevent its spoiling before winter. They 

 preserve their shape and color better if they are only 

 partly cooked in the sirup, and then allowed to stand in 

 the sun two or three days; but if cooked entirely by the 

 fire, they should be put into jars while hot and sealed im. 

 mediately. 



The London Lady's Newspaper says : " The newest pet' 

 ticoats (garmtnts which are at the present day fully as 

 important matters as any in the toilette) are white ones, 

 braided with black worsted braid. There is a deep hem 

 round the edge, and above it the braided design is carriet 

 about a quarter of a yard. The design should be elabo- 

 rate to produce a good efl'ect. The striped cotton petti 

 coats, so much in vogue during the past two years, arr 

 now entirely discarded; they were failures in that th(. 

 colors gradually washed out, and then the petticoats as- 

 sumed a very shabby appearance. They arc now replaced 

 by French rep, jean and cashmere, which, although mor( 

 expensive, prove more satisfactory in the end." 



Thbrr is such a thing as an unsociable-looking room. 

 Its atmosphere oppresses you like the presence of a cold ! 

 loveless, ungeniil person. A "company" aspect is (i 

 horror. Things done up in peipdiial bag, whether peophi 

 or furniture, are an abomination. A stray cobweb, or ii 

 thumb-mark on a door, may, after all, be desirable. Dark ; 

 cned upholstery shops are not good models for privat«i 

 parlors, despite fashion. A few ginger-bread crumbs, oi 

 a little worn-out shoe, are not alivays unpleasant object: 

 of contemplation. 



Demorkst's Quartkrlt World or Fashion. — This is i 

 most valuable periodical for dress makers, and indeed fo! 

 ladies who wish patterns of any kind. Each number haj 

 four full-sized patterns for dress sleeves, collars, sacques 

 Ac, and a large variety for braiding and embroidery. Ii 

 addition, the fashion plates are large, and the illustra 

 tions of various styles of bonnets, ic, are numerous 

 One dollar a year; tweniy-five cents a number. 



