September, 188?. 
179 
ORCHARD IbSi ©ARDEN 
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September. 
Although the heat of September often 
seems more intense than any thing that has 
preceded, and its dust more intolerable, 
there are, nevertheless, many indications that 
summer’s reign is over. The purple and 
gold of aster and golden-rod, the single 
branch of prematurely brilliant leaves in 
the midst of the maple’s greenness, the 
blanching fern, the delicate fringed gen- 
tian, — the season’s farewell as the arbutus 
was its greeting, — these all tell the same 
story. Whether we wish to or not, we must 
begin to plan for co'ol days and long even- 
ings. 
Fall sewing and house-cleaning begin to 
occupy our thoughts. We look over our 
winter stores of preserves and fill any lack 
with the rich and juicy Autumn fruits. 
Then too we strive to make our homes 
more attractive, bringing into them some 
few of the myriad out-door beauties. A 
spray of running blackberry, a bunch of 
pretty grasses, or the brilliant bitter-sweet, 
or dainty balls of the milk-weed down, may 
change a gloomy room into a cheerful one 
and affect our spirits accordingly. 
In addition to all this, we must provide 
entertainment for the different members of 
the household. There should be new and 
good reading matter for old and young, as 
well as new games for the children who 
have developed in many ways during the 
months of out-door life. In these days of 
clubs, each family might to advantage 
organize itself into a “Stay-at home club” 
to meet for an hour early every evening, 
spending the time in playing games, solving 
puzzles, reading aloud, or such other ways 
as should be agreeable to all. 
Such a plan would greatly strengthen the 
family tie, and add to the enjoyment and 
success of the home. — M. C. Rankin. 
An Ideal Kitchen. 
There are surprisingly few country homes 
which possess comfortable and convenient 
kitchens. Indeed it is safe to say that there 
are to-day, throughout the country, thous- 
ands of women who have kept house for 
thirty or forty years at a disadvantage, 
never having known the luxury of a fully- 
furnished kitchen. 
In houses where parlors, library and 
sleeping rooms are handsomely furnished, 
the more homely work-room is not always 
equipped on the same generous scale: while 
people who must economize in house-fur- 
nishings frequently do it where it will show 
the least. Handsome furniture in the front 
of the house is a necessity, they say, and so 
also are silks, velvets and other costly dress- 
materials: but the heavy iron kettles, though 
it makes the back ache tc lift them, and 
the worn-out stove, can be got along with 
somehow. It is the old story of “penny 
wise and pound foolish”. In these days 
when kitchen utensils of every description 
can be had at slight cost, there is no reason 
why any well-to-do housekeeper should 
lack them. A well-furnished, well-ordered 
kitchen ought to be a matter of course in 
every home. One who has never given th° 
matter any thought will be surprised at the 
time and strength that may be saved by- 
care in arrangement. 
A kitchen should not be so large that 
much walking is necessary; neither should 
it be so small as to be close and cramped. 
It must be well-lighted, well-ventilated, 
and with no steps from it to other rooms. 
For the benefit of those who are plan- 
ning new houses, as well as for inexperien- 
ced housekeepers generally, let me describe 
an actual kitchen so pleasant and conveni- 
ent that it conld not easily be improved. 
The room is rectangular, with a window 
on each of its shorter sides. The range 
occupies the center of one of the long sides. 
On the shelf directly over the range are 
kept flat-irons, iron-rest, stove-backing and 
a variety of holders. On nails near by are 
hung stove-hook, poker, shovel, brush, 
broiler, gem-iron toasting-fork, potato-mash- 
er, etc. At the right stands a table on which 
are always kept sugar and salt bowls, with 
covers, and salt and pepper-sprinklers. 
Beyond this is the sink, with hot and cold 
water, and the door into the laundry on 
which is a roller-towel. A rack for dish- 
towels is fastened to the wall between the 
sink and range. On the other side of the 
range is a cup-board or pantry large enough 
for dishes and food, as well as flour barrel, 
sugar-tub and other things of the kind. 
On the opposite side of the room, near the 
window, is a writing-table. There is also a 
stong d^al table and a swinging molding- 
board, and a door leading into the dining- 
room. A small cup-board in the corner 
gives a place for all tins, pails, kettles, 
sauce pans, etc., which are not hung near 
the range. A chest of drawers next it 
affords shelter for kitchen table-cloths, 
towels, dish-towels and bread cloths. 
A painted floor, scrupulously clean like 
the rest of the room, and a rocking-chair 
near the window- serve to make the room 
attractive; while a high stool makes it 
possible to do many kinds of work without 
the fatigue of standing. When at work 
over the range, it is not necessary to take 
more than five steps in order to reach any 
thing in the room; hence w-alking is reduced 
to a minimum, and many a tired house- 
keeper can appreciate how materially this 
must lessen fatigue. 
If the lady of the house “does her owq 
work,” she surely needs a bright, cheerful, 
convenient spot in which to labor. Yet her 
need is slight in comparison with that of 
the servant-girl who has not the freedom of 
the whole house, but who is generally 
shut down to the kitchen and her own 
(often small and gloomy) sleeping-room. 
W T e ought more often to put ourselves in 
the places of those who serve us, and seeing 
their needs and deprivations, strive to 
brighten their lot in every practicable way. 
Every elevating influence, every kind 
act, helps to raise them from the pettiness 
of mere drudges to the nobility of true work- 
ers. If each liousekt eper would lend a hand 
in this direction, the next decade would find 
the servant-girl question much nearer a solu- 
tion than it is at present. — M. C. Rankin. 
To Hake Kly l*sn>cr. 
To kill off the last of the flies, now that 
the stock is not being so constantly renew-ed 
as during the summer, make some poison 
paper with four drachms of chlorate of co- 
balt, sixteen ounces of hot water, an ounce 
of brown sugar. Dissolve the cobalt in the 
water, then add the sugar. Saturate some 
brown, unsized paper in it and hang it to 
dry. For use, double a piece of the paper, 
lay it in a saucer, sprinkle with sugar and 
cover with water. Darken all the room 
except one crack at a window and place 
the saucer in the light. 
Cliolce Keclpps. 
Good Peach Pudding: Sift a large tea- 
spoonful of baking powder into a pint of 
flour, add half a teaspoonful of salt, and 
rub into it butter the size of an egg. Beat 
an egg till light, add it to a small cup of 
milk, pour it into the flour, beat thoroughly 
and pour into a greased baking pan, in a 
batter about an inch thick. Have ready 
six large peaches pared and cut in halves; 
take out the stones and set them up, tilling 
the place where the stone came out with 
sugar, put them on top of the batter and 
bake for half an hour in a quick oven. Serve 
hot with sugar and cream. 
To can PEACHES pare and thre w them in- 
to water until you have enough to till two 
jars, then put them in a porcelain lined ket- 
tle, cover with boiling water, and stand on 
the back part of the stove, where they will 
scarcely bubble, until tender. While they 
are cooking, put a pound of sugar and a. 
quart of water in another kettle, stir until 
the sugar is dissolved, and when the peach- 
es are tender lift them carefully with a 
strainer into the syrup, bring to a boil, skim, 
have the jars hot, fill them quickly, run a 
silver spoon handle around the inside of the 
jar to let out any air bubbles, and screw on 
the tops; tighten them when nearly cold. 
Baked Tomatoes are excellent served 
thus: choose six large, smooth ones, and cut 
a funnel-shaped hole in the stem end; re- 
move the seeds carefully, and in their place 
put the following. Mix together two heap- 
ing tablespoonf'uls of bread crumbs, a table- 
spoonful of melted butter, half a cup of 
finely chopped, cold boiled ham, a dozen 
chopped mushrooms, a little chopped par- 
sley, half a teaspoonful of salt and a dash 
of Cayenne pepper. Heap it up in the mid- 
dle, sprinkle with fine crumbs, baste with 
melted butter and bake in a hot oven for 
half an hour. Take out carefully with a 
cake-turner, and arrange with a garnish of 
parsley leaves, if desired. — Abby Speakman. 
