191 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Sewing Machines 
But for the impoitance of the subject we should 
regret having said anything in these columns about 
Sewing Machines, simply because so many of 
our lady readers write for all sorts of information 
about the various machines that it is utterly im¬ 
possible to reply individually, and we thus draw 
upon ourselves the imputation of want of courtesy 
or attention. Let us write once for all, that we 
cannot undertake to purchase machines or to de¬ 
cide what kind any one should buy. We have 
purchased for experiment two of the best machines 
we could find, and are giving them a thorough 
comparative trial. When we fully decide which 
is the better one of the.two for general family use, 
we shall have no hesitation in publishing the result. 
We are waiting until both shall become equally 
familiar to those using them, otherwise the new¬ 
comer would not stand a fair chance. 
Mr. J. C. M., a subscriber in Indiana, writes, 
urging us to describe and illustrate a low-priced 
machine which he names. We would do so with 
pleasure, but we have examined the machine care¬ 
fully—a near neighbor owns one—and we cannot 
directly or indirectly recommend it to our renders. 
Leaf and Flower Pictures. 
Our children, with a little help from older hands,, 
having recently decorated our library with this 
new style of embellishment, we beg leave to talk 
about it a little, for the benefit of the ladies and 
children who read this department of our paper. 
Last Summer, a little book was published in 
New York, by Randolph, entitled “ Leaf and 
Flower Pictures and How to Make Themin 
which the whole mystery of this art was revealed. * 
We will try and give an idea of the art in few 
words : Leaves and flowers, of all colors and 
sorts, are to be gathered in the Summer, and 
pressed in a large book, such as an old ledger. 
Thin flowers only should be used, or such as can 
pressed thin. Of leaves,collect all descriptions 
laye and small, green and spotted, and especially 
these which are tinted so beautifully by the frosts of 
Autumn. Fern leaves are excellent; lichens and 
mosses can also be used. Give them all a good 
pressing, and keep them in the dark until Fall or 
early Winter. Tien, on some rainy or snowy 
day, having provided yourself with a small bottle 
of white varnish, and a flat brush about an inch 
wide, open your treasure-book and varnish the 
leaves on the upper side ; then spread them out 
on a table until they are dried. Then prepare a 
coffee-cup full of gum-tragacanth, mixed with 
water to about the consistency of cream. Have 
at hand, also, a sheet or two of white pasteboard 
or cheap drawing paper, found at the stationer’s, 
and cut out the figures of any object you may wish 
to represent—such as vases, wreaths, boquets of 
flowers, crosses, crescents, &c. Now arrange the 
leaves, and flowers on the patterns, as good taste 
will direct, fastening them to the paper by a little 
gum on the back of the leaves. As a general rule, 
the smallest leaves and flowers should be placed 
at the top of each pattern ; and the colors should be 
arranged so as to contrast with each other. These 
several figures, when made, can be pinned against 
the side of the wall, or over the top of windows, 
picture-frames, &c. At a little distance, they 
have the effect of a fine painting, The whole 
* The price of this book is $1 25. Anv one ol our 
readers desiring a copy, and not hnurng it conveient to ob¬ 
tain it elsewhere, may remit tne price to us. ana we will 
procure and forward it post-paid. This is our custom, in 
regard to any good book, or books, so iar as our suDseribers 
are concerned. As we have before stated, tne discount 
allowed us by publishers, in most cases covers the xpense 
»f mailing and postage. 
work, from the gatheingof the leaves in Summer 
strolls, to the arranging them amid the storms of 
Winter, is exceedingly pleasant. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Keeping House in the Country- 
“ HELP.” 
[Continued from page 71.] 
The best way of doing without “help” was 
first brought to my notice by a farmer’s wife of 
my acquaintance, who was listening with a com¬ 
passionate air, while a company of housekeepers 
complained, (as is our wont at social gatherings 
in Windholme,) of our domestic grievances. 
“Yes,” she remarked, “ I do so pity thos.e who 
have to depend on strangers.” “ Depend on 
strangers," I repeated in some surprise, “ Why 
how do you manage 1 Ban you do the work for 
your large farm alone 1” “ Oh no,” she answered, 
laughing, “ I have five daughters, all trained in 
my own ways—the best help in the world.” I had 
hitherto looked on a household of well trained 
servants as a happy abode—but from that day to 
this, I have thought one of well trained daughters 
something higher still.” It is true it is mot avail¬ 
able for all, but do not some possess'the materials, 
who make no use of them ! I am far from think¬ 
ing it is always the fault of the daughters. There 
are mothers who can not bear to give up to others 
any part of the housekeeping, who have persuaded 
themselves that nothing can be done exactly right, 
if it is not done with their own hands. They are 
willing, perhaps, to be assisted by some pa¬ 
tient drudge—but we can not wonder that their 
daughters dislike employments with which they 
have no association hut fault finding and hard 
work. 
In the household of my friend, the farmer’s wife, 
each daughter had for a certain time her peculiar 
charge. When Anna and Mary do the washing 
and ironing, Caroline and Martha take in hand the 
baking and cooking. Ellen who attends school, 
does not find it hard to dress the younger chil¬ 
dren and set the house in order before her depart¬ 
ure. The mother plies her needle and is the pre¬ 
siding spirit of the whole. I asked her once how 
she had trained them all so well. “ I begin when 
they are very little, and give each one something 
for her own work. They are soon proud of doing 
it well and want something more. In that way 
they have learned almost every kind of house¬ 
work. Nelly made her first loaves a year ago.” 
The more I dwell upon this household scene, 
the more lovely and pleasant it appears. No in¬ 
truding stranger with sharp ears and sharper 
tongue sits at the household board, or grumbles 
in the kitchen because she does not sit there. 
Happy, thrice happy are those who have five 
daughters, but as they must form a small portion 
of the community, I must consider the case of 
others less fortunate. 
Household conveniences and labor saving ma¬ 
chines are beginning to render us more independ¬ 
ent of domestic service. Gas lights, furnaces, 
ranges, garret cisterns, patent wash-boilers and 
tubs, and above all sewing machines, certainly 
lighten the labors of a household. I have not 
mentioned the half, and you may not be able to 
command all these, but have as many as you can. 
Let your well and cistern be under cover in the 
laundry. Your woodhouse close to the kitchen 
door. Keep drains and sinks in good order. Put 
up a cheap cist ern in the garret and save the carry¬ 
ing of water for at least nine months of the year. 
Plan your house so that the family rooms are 
thrown near together and the pantries and closets 
close to where their contents are needed. (I re¬ 
member a house, where the preserves used every 
day had to be kept at the end of a.long entiy ut 
two flights of stairs.) Grain and varnish nearly a! 1 
your wood work, and you wdl save much more 
than half of the weary foot and heart labor which, 
without exaggeration drags down many of the 
women of America to untimely graves. 
But the most convenient house will not do all 
its own work, and country help often takes wing 
at most inopportune seasons. At such times a lit¬ 
tle girl is a great resource, and as orphan and 
destitute children are everywhere abundant, com¬ 
paratively few housekeepers need ever be without 
one in course oftraining. Such a child is a trouble 
and responsibility of course, but it is the only 
method by which you can always have some 
household help and be served as you choose. If 
she prove hopelessly bad, you need not keep her 
but it is surely not too much to say that in most 
cases a faithful and careful training must meet 
with its reward. You need not wait for this re¬ 
ward in the future, for there you may be disap¬ 
pointed. It can not be expected that the best of 
girls, will not marry at eighteen, if she has a good 
offer, but now—in times of pressure of work—of 
company—in the intervals between the depart¬ 
ures and arrivals of older helps—nay every day 
and always, a diligent and obedient child is of 
great assistance in a family and worth all the 
trouble of teaching. 
We have all to think, and ought to think, a great 
deal about, the proper treatment ol those whom we 
receive into our families, whom we must influence 
for good or evil, and upon whom so much of our 
comfort and happiness depends. I allude now to 
older domestics. I do not think we are ip much 
danger of treating them inconsiderately or unkind¬ 
ly. They keep us in too good order for that; but 
we are very liable to fall into an opposite error, 
which is sure, sooner or later, to produce evil ef¬ 
fects. I mean that of letting bad work pass un¬ 
noticed, because we do not like to find fault. It 
sounds very amiable, but after all, it is only weak¬ 
ness. It is, no doubt, very difficult to give a re¬ 
proof, in a perfectly right spirit, exactly propor¬ 
tioned to the offence, and in such a manner as to 
awaken a desire of amendment. It is much eas¬ 
ier, and seems safer, to say nothing ; and so it 
goes on from bad to worse, till the end of our pa¬ 
tience comes, and we either send away a girl who 
might have been a useful domestic, or have a 
scene, in which we are very likely to come ofl 
vanquished. 
I once knew a lady, who was considered very 
successful in the management of her household. 
Her domestics w’ere not perfect, but they usually 
stayed with her a long time, and were always 
strongly attached to her. I was anxious to know 
her secret, but could find only one peculiarity in 
her method. It was the almost excessive pains 
which she took to have a right leginning. As soon 
as a new girl came, she took her in training, 
taught her the exact way in which she wished the 
every day routine to be done, worked with her, 
pointed out all defects and mistakes, and the 
means of cure. It might seem an unnecessary 
waste of time, to devote so many Lours and days 
and such strict attention, as my friend gave, to 
every new domestic; but she purchased by it 
months, and sometimes years, of comfort and 
ease. There was no room for doubt how she ex¬ 
pected her work to be done, and more than all, in 
the very beginning of the new relation, while all 
was smooth and pleasant, that relation was fixed 
permanently as teacher and taught, head and hand. 
In other respects, I do not know that I should se¬ 
lect my friend as a model mistress. She was kind 
hearted and just, but I am quite sure I have some¬ 
times heard her scold ! It was very dreadful and 
of course none of the lady readers of the Ag-.cul 
