66 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
carefully, and execute patiently, and as the work 
develops, you will very soon be proud of the result. 
Figure 3 illustrates a hanging book-case, in the 
old English style,, which must be strongly put to¬ 
gether to bear the weight of books. While en¬ 
deavoring to secure the ornamental, the useful 
should not be lost siijkt of. To the educated eye, 
there is nothing more distressing than the flimsy 
articles of furniture, with which some houses are 
filled, glittering with gilt or varnish, too delicate 
for use, and possessed of no artistic value to make 
their uselessness pardonable. Work need not be 
clumsy to be strong, and an elegance of appearance 
i6 only gained by just proportion and neatness of 
finish. For making these shelves, oak will be per¬ 
haps handsomest, if not less than half inch. If a 
turner is convenient, the twisted shafts can be fur¬ 
nished at trifling expense, but as some are not so 
situated as to be able to call upon one, I will give 
the simplest directions for producing the same ef¬ 
fect. From a square stick cut off the comers from 
that part which is to be twisted, and plane smooth¬ 
ly, so as to bring to an octagonal shape, repeat this 
until it is sixteen-sided, this, when the sharp edges 
are smoothed down a little, will be nearly enough 
round for the purpose. Now take two strips of pa¬ 
per, each of half the diameter of the wood, that is, 
supposing the latter to be two inches thick, each 
strip of paper should be one inch wide. Twist them 
spirally round the wood, side by side, and secure 
them at every turn by using pins. Having done 
tins, paste one of them securely to the wood, then 
remove the other altogether. The wood left ex¬ 
posed must be cut away with a gouge to a depth of 
one-half in the center, and one-quarter its width at 
the outsides. Then smooth down and round off 
with the chisel; last of all using the sand-paper. 
Protection for Windows. 
“ When the wintry winds do blow,” and with a 
piercing whistle rush through the windows at the 
sides where the sashes slide, 
they chiefly penetrate at the 
upper part of the sides of 
the lower sashes, where 
1.—THE RUBBER OUT. 2.—THE RUBBER IN PLACE. 
they almost invariably fit so loosely as to rattle 
continuously. To prevent both the rattling and 
the entrance of the cold wind, the writer hit upon 
the following method : Some sheet rubber was cut 
into the shape shown at figure 1. These pieces fit 
upon the upper corners of the lower sash, the sash 
cord passing through the half-round hole, and the 
sash strip passing through the square hole at the 
comer. The piece of rubber is tacked upon the 
corner of the sash, as shown in figure 2, and should 
be made to fit closely to the side of the frame to 
keep out the wind. 
Household Uotes and Queries. 
Taking Cold. —One of the many ways of taking 
cold, is by not keeping the mouth shut when out 
in the sharp, cold air. The tender membranes of 
the throat are exposed to the chilling air, and con¬ 
gestion ensues, in other words, the person takes 
cold. The cold air should be taken in through the 
nostrils. Man, like the lower animals, should 
breathe through his nose. 
Dangerous Liquids. — Ammonia , especially the 
stronger kinds, is daDgerous, a few drops being 
enough to injure a person. When used for cleansing 
purposes it should be handled with great care, that 
the gas, which is given off freely in a warm room, 
be not breathed in large quantities, and do injury 
to the delicate liuing of the nose and mouth. 
Benzine is a liquid, in the handling of which much 
caution should be exercised. It is very volatile, 
and its vapor, as well os the liquid itself, inflam¬ 
mable. When employed for removing grease, or 
other stains, from clothing, gloves, etc., it should 
never be used at night, nor at any other time near a 
fire. Ether is another dangerous liquid, and in 
other than the physician’s hands it had best not be 
employed in the household. Alcohol must also be 
used with great care, especially at night. 
Clean the Cistern. —Rain water, though very 
pure as it falls from the clouds, take9 with it more 
or less imparity from the roof upon which it is 
caught and the pipes through which it passes to the 
cistern. There is a constant inlet for impurities, 
but no outlet, and these falling to the bottom ac¬ 
cumulate to such an extent, that the water in 
time becomes tainted, and sometimes decidedly 
unhealthful. When the water is low, a cistern 
should be cleaned, and this, at least, as often as 
once in a year. 
Care of Ashes. —In the disposition of ashes, at 
least two points should be kept in mind, safety and 
cleanliness. If the ashes is from wood, no sifting is 
necessary. They should, if possible, be removed 
from the stove only when cold, that no live coals 
may be in them. In case this can not be done, 
great care 6hould be taken that no fire is dropped 
on the floor, and in all cases a deep iron pail 
should be used; with a closely fitting cover. Wood 
ashes should never be put in a barrel, or in any other 
wooden receptacle, the number of destructive fires 
that have resulted from a disregard of this caution 
is a fearful warning. Even when no fire is visible, 
there is still danger. The length of time for which 
a fragment of live coal, no larger than a pea, will 
keep alive, when covered with warm, light ashes, 
is something astonishing; it has been known to 
last thus for days. A pit of stone or brick, and 
fire-proof, shonld be provided for keeping ashes 
in a convenient, secluded place a short distance 
from the house. With these precautions there is, 
little or no danger of these fires which, when left 
unheeded, are not rare in town and country. Be¬ 
sides, ashes are worth 25 cents a bnshel, and are 
far too valuable to be thrown away. Coal ashes, 
though not 60 valuable, should be properly pro¬ 
vided for, on the ground of neatness, if for no 
other reason. Nothing is more distressing than to 
see, as is too often the case, a pan of coal ashes in 
one place and a box, or barrel, running over in an¬ 
other. These will be sown broadcast by the winds 
on tbe snow or ground, to be tracked into the house 
at every step. Coal, that is, hard coal, is rarely 
burned so completely that it will not pay to sift the 
ashes to save the unburned eoal contained in them. 
When the clinkers are picked out of the sifted por¬ 
tion it is quite as valuable as fresh eoal. There 
are various sifters, which allow the sifting to be 
done without dust, and if the ashes are sifted daily, 
the task is easy. Cval ashes are of almost no value 
as manure, but they are useful on heavy soils, just 
os sand would be, to lighten them; they make excel¬ 
lent paths and roads when mixed with earth, while 
for the earth-closet they are as useful as dried earth. 
Removing Glass Stoppers.— What is more ob¬ 
stinate and provoking than a stopper that does not 
yield to the ordinary method of removal by the 
thumb and finger 1 If the fastening is due to the 
contraction of the neck around the stopper, it may 
be removed by heating the neck to expand it. The 
method of heating the neck of the bottle over a 
lamp may be dangerous, except in skillful hands. 
The same end may be gained—the expansion of the 
neck by heat—by passing a strong cord over or 
around the neck and moving the bottle rapidly 
along the string. One end of the string may be 
tied to a door knob, or other convenient object. 
The stopper is often cemented fast by the evapora¬ 
tion of a minute portion of the contents of the 
bottle. If it contain a syrup, for example, in pour¬ 
ing out a portion of it the neck, or a part of it, be¬ 
comes wetted with the syrup; if the stopper be at 
once replaced there will be a thin film of syrup be¬ 
tween that and the neck; upon standing awhile 
the water from this film of syrup evaporates, leaving 
the stopper cemented in with sugar. If the bottle 
holds a tincture, that will similarly answer to hold 
the stopper. In such cases the cement must be 
dissolved out. Such bottles have a lip to facilitate 
the pouring, and this forms a groove or channel 
around the stopper; by placing in this groove a 
little water, for syrup, or alcohol if a tincture, these 
will soon dissolve the cementing material, and the 
stopper may then bo removed with ease. 
A Cover for a Barrel. —When a barrel of 
flour or sugar is opened, the head should be taken 
out carefully, and the three parts hinged together, 
Fig. 1.— THE BARREL. Fig. 2.— THE COVER. 
to the head of the barrel, by tacking one of 
the end pieces of the cover, to the chine of the 
barrel, and the other parts rest as they are laid 
down. This makes a good cover for barrels in 
the house, and also those used in the barns. 
Hanging Up Coats. —A heavy garment, like au 
overcoat, if hung by the loop at the back of the 
collar, will soon stretch out of shape by its own 
weight. To avoid this, various devices have beea 
made, some of wire, and others of wood. A piece 
of hard-wood, long enough to reach from the out¬ 
side of one sleeve to that of the other, will answer 
the purpose ; it should have a hole bored through 
the center, or a loop of strong cord to hang it by 
upon the nail or hook. Under-coats and vests may 
be hung in the same way. FOr the “ best suit ” 
this little matter is of considerable importance to 
all who desire their coats to not be full In the back 
of the neck, and therefore, out of shape. 
Eating Snow. —The practice, so common among 
school children, of devouring large quantities of 
snow and ice during the winter months, is to be 
discouraged. The blood vessels and nerves of the 
mouth and throat are chilled, often producing con¬ 
gestion, followed by cold in the head, and after¬ 
wards by more serious aud deeper-seated troubles. 
A little piece now and then may not be objection¬ 
able, but the wholesale use of ice is decidedly so. 
Some school children seem to regard it as an article 
of diet, and as if it was the only thing to eat. 
Ginger Cookies. —1 cup Water, 2cups Molasses, 
1% cup Lard, 1 tablespoonful Soda, 2 do. Ginger. 
A pinch of Alum, to be dissolved in the water. 
Flour enough to roll out soft; bake quick. 
