124 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



jPomcstic ^Department. 



A Mother's Influence. — For myself, I am sure 

 that a different mother would hdve made me a differ- 

 ent man. When a boy, I was too much like the 

 self- willed, excitable Clarence ; but the tenderness 

 with which my mother always treated me, and the 

 unimpassioned but earnest manner in which she 

 reproved and corrected my faults, subdued my un- 

 ruly temper. When I became restless or impatient, 

 she always had a book to read to me, or a story to 

 tell, or had some device to save me from m^yself. My 

 father was neither harsh nor indulgent towards me ; 

 I cherish his memory with respect and love. But I 

 have different feelings when I think of my mother. 

 I often feel, even now, as if she were near me — as 

 if her cheek were laid to mine. My father would 

 place his hand upon 7ny head, caressingly, but my 

 mother would lay her cheeh against mine. I did not 

 expect my father to do more — I do not know that I 

 would have loved him better had he done more ; for 

 him it was a natural expression of affection. But no 

 act is too tender for a mother. Her kiss upon my 

 cheek, her warm embrace, are all felt now, and the 

 older I grow, the more holy seem the influences that 

 Bun-ounded me in childhood. — " The Mother," by 

 T. S. Arthur. 



To MAKE GOOD CoFFEE. — First procure the best 

 coffee in the market ; wash it very clean, and roast 

 it to the color of a golden brown, but not a deeper 

 shade, by any means. Then take the whites of three 

 eggs to each pound of coffee, mix very carefully with 

 the coffee while warm, and immediately tranfer to 

 earthen vessels, tying them over with bladders to 

 render them air tight. Take from these vessels suf- 

 ficient coffee for one making only at a time ; grind it, 

 place it in a fine muslin bag, suspend it about mid- 

 way in the pot, turn on the boiling water, and put 

 on the cover to prevent the escape of steam. By 

 this mode the coffee will be very strong, but it is 

 best to reduce it by the addition of boiling-hot milk, 

 when it will form a most delicious beverage, very 

 different, indeed, from that which is produced by 

 boiling the ground coffee in water. And to be con- 

 vinced of the fact, that, by the above method, which 

 is simply infusion, all the virtues of the coffee may 

 be obtained, it is only to take the dregs left in the 

 bag, and boil them in water for a considerable time ; 

 the result will be, a black, bitter, nauseous, feverish, 

 •woody extract, without a trace of the fine flavor of 

 coffee, and answering to the name by which it was 

 known on its first introduction into use, according 

 to the account published in the eighth volume of the 

 ••Harlean Miscellany," namely, "the devil's black 

 broth " ! The making of tea is by infusion, not de- 

 coction. "Who ever thinks of boiling tea ? — Farmer's 

 Cabinet. 



Griddle Cakes of Unbolted Wheat. — A quart 

 of unbolted wheat and a teaspoonful of salt ; wet it 

 up with water, or sweet milk, in which is dissolved 

 a teaspoonful of saleratus ; add three spoonfuls of 

 molasses. Some raise this with yeast, and leave out 

 the saleratus. Sour milk and saleratus are not as 

 good for unbolted as for fine flour. 



These are better and more healthful cakes than 

 buckwheat. — Prairie Fartner. 



on the linen, lay it on the grass, and, as it dries, 

 wet it a little, and the mildew will come out Ja. 

 thrice doing. 



I3o23' IDcpartnicut. 



Prepabe Seeds. — As the season for planting is 

 approaching, boys should furnish themselves with 

 seeds of melons, cucumbers, early corn, flowers, &c. 

 For each should have a little patch of land for his 

 own, on which ho should raise a variety of vegeta- 

 bles and some beautiful flowers. 



A boy who has a small plat, cultivated by himself, 

 will take great pleasure in keeping it in fine condi- 

 tion, and in watching the changing plants from the 

 time they start from the ground until they come to 

 full perfection. Every stage of growth will afford 

 something of novelty and interest, and when the 

 cucumbers, melons, early potatoes, beans, corn, &c., 

 are fit for use, how pleased will be the industrious 

 boy who sees liis friends partalce of the products of 

 his own hands ! 



To take Mildew out of Linen. — Rub it well 

 with soap, then scrape some fine chalk, rub that also 



Taking Care of the Pence. — One of the hardest 

 lessons for many of our young men to learn is that 

 trite and sterlmg doctrine of Poor liichard — " Take 

 care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of 

 themselves." But hard and distasteful as it is, we 

 must learn and practise the maxim, or take the still 

 harder alternative of poverty and want. 



We have no inclination to teach any of our read- 

 ers a lesson in miserly meanness and littleness. 

 The miserable Muckrake, who consecrates his ener- 

 gies to the saving of the shreds, and fragments, and 

 sweepings that lie in his path as an ultimate object, 

 is quite as pitiable a being as the most prodigal 

 spendthrift. What we desire is, to save the thought- 

 less and wasteful from future embarrassment and 

 trouble by putting him upon a course of economy and 

 care-taking in his ordinary expenditures. This is all 

 that is necessary, and all we wish. 



Hundreds of young men, some of whom may read 

 this paragraph, might this day have been in posses- 

 sion of a snug little capital, if they had simply 

 dispensed with superfluous indulgences during the 

 time they have been engaged in business. It would 

 have cost no sacrifice of generous feeling, or of re- 

 spectability of character ; and besides the saving of 

 money, it would have been attended with the ac- 

 quisition of a habit of minute economy, or precise 

 attention to the small details of daily business, which 

 is itself worth more than money ; which is in truth 

 the most productive kind of capital. 



In this country, and as business is here managed, 

 a little capital gives a young man great advantage, 

 especially if, along with it, he possesses superior busi- 

 ness talents and habits. And the fact that he has 

 saved from a small income a snug little sum in the 

 course of a few years, is itself pretty good evidence 

 that he has the right habits and abilities to succeed 

 well ; and no introduction or letters of recommenda- 

 tion can speak so loudly in his favor. At the same 

 time, the buoyancy of mind and spirits which this 

 advantage inspires in the young adventiu-er himself 

 is often a material help to him in his future under- 

 takings. In every respect, he appears in favorable 

 contrast to those other young men, who, though 

 placed in circumstances equally favorable, have ac- 

 quired no property, contracted bad habits, and feel 

 jaded and discouraged by their unfruitful toU. 



