1869.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
26 L 
(H?~ For other Houxeltotd Item*, see " Basket " panes.) 
The Table— Order and Ornament. 
It was expected that the subjects comprised un- 
der the above heading would be disposed of in a 
few articles. From the interest they have ex- 
cited, as indicated by our correspondence, we do 
not see but we shall be obliged to continue them 
indefinitely. We only aim to give such sug- 
gestions as are in accordance with good usage 
among the sensible, plain-living, and well-bred 
people in the portion of the country in which we 
live. That customs differ in other parts of our 
wide country, we are well aware, and we have en- 
deavored to present only those points which will 
commend themselves to sensible people every- 
where. In one of these articles it was suggested 
that it was better to take soup from the, side of the 
spoon than from the point, and we. were much 
amused at receiving a letter from a gentleman ask- 
ing if there was any enactment of Congress to this 
effect. Certainly not, nor is there an act of Con- 
gress that one should take his hat off at table, black 
his boots, comb his hair, or do many other things that 
even the writer of the letter probably scrupulously 
observes. There is no written law of deportment. 
We think none the less of a man, as a man, who 
cats with his knife at table, yet it would vastly in- 
crease our comfort if he would use his fork. The 
matter of table etiquette is the result of the expe- 
rience of the " best people" for many years. By 
"best people," we do not mean the rich or the 
fashionable, but those whom every one looks to in 
his neighborhood for an example in those very 
things, for which there is no law but that of cus- 
tom. Here is a letter from a lady in Grimes Co., 
Texas, which shows how little is known of what 
to sinne are matters of every-day usage. The writer 
begs us "not to laugh at her," — which we certainly 
shall not do, but commend her good sense in asking 
about that which she wishes to know, and for not 
being ashamed to sign her full name. This letter 
is just of the kind we like, and we wish that 
housekeepers in all parts of the country would 
make their wants known as unreservedly. She 
says :— "7h the Author qf'Tlte Table—Order and Or- 
nament.'— Tlease accept a young and inexperienced 
housekeeper's thanks for the articles already pub- 
lished in the Agriculturist, and I beg you to please 
continue them. We poor mortals out here in Tex- 
as have much to learn, aud any information in re- 
gard to the table is thankfully received. I wish to 
ask you one question, and not only I, for oth- 
ers have asked me to write and ask you the same. 
When meat comes on the table, as, for instance, 
pigeons or spare-ribs, with nearly all the meat cut 
off, or any meat with bones, and it is cooked until 
it is impossible to cut it off with the knife, shall 
we take the bones in our fingers ? or shall we go 
without any meat? or what shall we do ? I presume 
it is not proper to take it in our fingers, and if you 
cannot help me out by giving us some magical 
method of separating meat from bone, we shall 
have to give up many dishes that 1 am extremely 
fond of. Don't tell me not to cook it so much. I 
don't, but others tin, and will continue to, in spite 
of all you or I may say. (1.) Do tell me about 
napkins. Is it proper to wipe the mouth on them ? 
And when through with the meal ought they 
to be fnlded, when there are no rings, and laid on 
the table, or not ? Can they be used more than 
once, etc. ? (2.) In the diagram of the table there 
are no cups, etc. Here everybod)' has strong coffee 
three times a da)". Tell us how to arrange them 
on the table. (3.) Above all things, (I ask as a 
lady did in the Agriculturist) tell us ' What goes 
with which, and which with what.' (1.) Is it not 
proper to have pickles on the table whenever there 
is meat, if it is breakfast, dinner, or supper? (5.) 
What meats does catsup go best with ? (6.)" We 
can now answer our correspondent but briefly, but 
may have something more to say hereafter upon 
the matters she asks about. (1.) It is not improp- 
er to take the bones of birds or meats in the fingers, 
when necessity requires. Had wc space we could 
give ample "authority," hut common sense will 
sustain us in saying, that if the meat can only be 
removed by taking the bones in the fingers, use the 
fingers. (2.) Napkins are intended for wiping the 
mouth and fingers. The members ofthe family, hav- 
ing rings to identify their own, use them as long as 
the lady of the house may decide proper. A guest 
should fold the napkin and place it by the side of the 
plate. It is not improper to give a guest at another 
meal, a napkin he has once used, but ladies who 
pride themselves on their table linen like to make 
a display of a clean one. This is a matter governed 
entirely by circumstances, (3.) This custom ofthe 
use of coffee in Texas, and the Southwest generally, 
we arc familiar with, aud may have something to 
Eay about it at another time. Within our observa- 
tion here, cold water is the general dinner drink, 
though some persons use light wines. (4.) This 
question is very comprehensive, but wc have not 
forgotten it, and shall reach the subject in due time. 
(5.) The use of pickles wc can give no rule for. 
They are condiments, not food, and wc should use 
them whenever the tastes of those at the table re- 
quire them. For ourselves we have them only at 
dinner. (6.) Here is another case in which there 
is no established usage. Catsup is a condiment, 
and individual taste alone is to be consulted. We 
know a person who sprinkles everything he eats 
(except bread) with black pepper, and those again 
who use catsup upon all kinds of meat, fowl, etc. 
The most that can lie said is that such ta-stes are 
not very discriminating. To our notion, catsup is 
best with cold meats, but we see no reason why 
one should not use it whenever it is fancied. Please 
bear in mind that we do not assume to dictate any 
law in these matters, but to give hints, which, if 
they commend themselves, may be acted upon. 
Soap TCakiMg'. — Mrs. L. C. Merriam, Lewis 
Co., N. T., sends the following, which she assures 
us makes most excellent soap. " For one barrel of 
soap, pour into a strong barrel 4 patent pailfuls of 
lye that will bear up an egg; add 30 lbs. of melted 
grease (previously tried and strained), and mix 
them well together. Let stand a few hours and 
then stir thoroughly. As soon as the soap begins 
to thicken, add weak lye, one or two pailfuls at a 
time, until the barrel is full. Be sure to stir the 
soap thoroughly each time the lye is added, and 
afterward stir once or twice daily for three days. 
For those who live in cities, the following recipe 
for potash soap is invaluable. Put in a strong bar- 
rel _'"i lbs. of potash, broken into small pieces. 
Pour over it 4% pailfuls of boiling water. Stir well, 
hi stand 12 hours or more, and then dip off carefully 
3< \ pails of the clear lye iuto another barrel. Next 
heat 30 lbs. of strained grease, boiling hot, and 
pour into the lye. Stir well, and let stand until it 
begins to thicken, which may be in 3 or 4 days ; 
then add 2 pailfuls of weak lye daily until the bar- 
rel is full, stirring well each time. The weak lye 
is made by adding more water to the potash which 
remained in the barrel." 
A Busy Day's Work with Recipes. 
BY MRS. R. B. 
In many families it is not convenient to hire 
help, and therefore it is necessary for the wife to 
arrange her work wisely in order to have her after- 
noons for sewing or calls. In the first place it is 
very essential to have early rising, and regularity 
of meals; an half hour lost in the morning cannot 
he regained by haste during the rest of the day. 
Have breakfast at six, or half-past ; dinner at twelve ; 
and tea at six in the evening. This will enable the 
husband to breakfast with his family before going 
to his farm, store, or shop, whichever it may be, 
aud will give him more cheerful thoughts during 
the day than if he partook of a few mouthfuls of 
cold meat, with a cold cup of coffee, alone ; or if 
living in a village, he went to a lunch-room on his 
way to his place of business. Now, for instance, 
take Saturday, baking day, and the day of prepara- 
tion for the Sabbath. Having prepared my sponge 
for bread overnight, I mix my bread, and place it in 
the tins where it will be kept moderately warm ; and 
then, perhaps, my little two-year-old boy says : 
" Please, mamma, take Freddy," which I do as soon 
as I can remove the dough from my bauds. This 
I can do much more quickly by using a small nail- 
brush which I keep in the sink for that purpose ; 
aud I have none of the trouble, of which I hear 
many ladies complain, that their bauds arc soiled 
with dough when unexpectedly called to the par- 
lor. Having pacified the little fellow, and set 
him to play with his blocks, with which he will 
amuse himself for a long time, I then put in 
order my bedrooms. In the meantime Willie, who 
is older than Freddy, has gone out to play, and 
Clara, who is still older, has washed up the break- 
fast dishes. I now direct her to prepare the vege- 
tables for dinner, which, being done, she is ready 
to interest Freddy, if necessary. I then prepare 
my cake for the oven, having my lire in good 
order. This is my recipe for ginger-naps. Two 
cups of molasses, one of lard, one of water, one 
teaspoon ful of ginger, one teaspoonful of saleratus, 
and a little salt; knead well, roll thin, cut out with 
a cake-cutter or teacup, and bake in a quick oven. 
I mix a loaf of soft cake, called "Tip-top Cake," in 
this manner ; Beat well together two eggs, one and 
a half cups of sugar, a little salt, a little nutmeg, 
one tablespoonful of butter, one-half teaspoonful 
of saleratus dissolved in one cup of milk, one tea- 
spoonful of cream of tartar, mixed with two and a 
half cups of flour. It should be baked as soon 
as it is mixed. This is my recipe for lemon pics, 
which I bake between two crusts: Take two com- 
mon-sized lemons, squeeze the juice, and chop the 
rinds very line, with one-half pound of raisins, or a 
large teacupful of dried apples soaked overnight, 
three tablcspoonfuls of flour, three tcaeupfuls of 
molasses, and four of water. If my bread has be- 
come sufficiently light for baking, I bake it before 
I do my pics ; for they require a 6low oven, or 
they are apt to stew out. As soon as my pastry i.s 
all baked I renew my fire and bake a nice piece of 
meat, cither spare-rib, beef, or veal, having had 
plenty of time to prepare it for the oven, as it is 
seldom that a stove oven will bake as lost as one 
can prepare the pastry. This gives you a good 
piece of cold meat for Sunday's dinner; and by 
cooking a few warm vegetables, and making a cup 
of tea, you can quickly and easily arrange a meal 
for the day of rest, which has been very wisely set 
apart from labor for our good. But. now to my 
household work again, for the hour for dinner 
draws near, and we must put in order the kitchen 
and dining-room. We must also take a look in 
the glass aud see if we are presentable before going 
to the dinner table ; if not, we must give our hair 
a brush and make ourselves clean aud tidy, not 
only as an example to the children, but because all 
husbands like to see their wives neatly dressed. The 
children will soon be asking for dinner, aud hus- 
band will be glad to have it all ready for him when 
he comes in. Dinner over, little remains to be done 
but to sit down to sewing. This may be done 
by half-past two or three o'clock. How much bet- 
ter is this than being on your feet all the day long, 
getting so tired that you arc not able to attend 
church on the next day ! 
Thus it can be seen that by the management of 
work on a good plan, aud, of course, by practice, 
it is very easy to have your afternoons to yourself, 
and, at the same time, neglect no part of your 
work. Thus may it be through every day of the 
week, except in a few very large families, in which, 
on washing days, you may be busy until later. 
Household Talks. 
BY AUNT I1ATTIE. 
Men generally think that, as compared with 
women, they have much the harder time of it. I 
know they think so. When they come home from 
the field on the noon of a hot summer's day, heated, 
tired, hungry, and cross, and find the dinner table 
set in the cool dining-room, the kitchen beat care- 
fully excluded, and the breeze from under the 
