18:3 
[June, 
AMERICAN AGRIC ULT URIST 
this; cuiali the down from each feather, take them 
tip with the wet brush, being careful to let the 
paste touch only a small portion of the cut end. 
Having finished the feathering, draw and paint 
the eye in its natural color, on a separate piece of 
paper, cut it out, and paste it in the right place on 
the top of the feathers. Paint the bill and feet, 
shading with black ink. If the eye is dark, on a 
dark ground, it is best to leave a white circle 
tound it, otherwise it would not show well. 
When the specimen is dry, cut it out with a 
sharp penknife, leaving no paper around it except 
the bill, legs, and feet. Turn it over, dampen the 
back of the paper a little with water, place it be¬ 
tween the leaves of a book, and lay on a heavy 
weight to press it for a day or two, which will 
take out the wrinkles caused by the wet paste. 
The best way to preserve these specimens, is 
in a frame with a glass, like a common picture. 
Take a sheet of thick drawing or chart paper, the 
size of the frame and glass, paste on a sufficient 
number of specimens, being careful to paste only 
the bill and legs, and a few touches on the body, 
just enough to keep them in place, or the wet 
paste will wrinkle the paper and spoil it. Fill out 
the picture with a landscape, trees, etc. Each 
specimen which requires it, should be perched 
upon a branch. Number each specimen, and re¬ 
cord the number in a catalogue, where its name 
and habits may also be written. In this way 
some knowledge of ornithology, and a taste for 
natural history, will be acquired, as well as a 
handsome household ornament. 
Look out for Moths. 
There is scarcely a more provoking pest of the 
household than the moth. His depredations are 
carried on so quietly, that very often his exist¬ 
ence is not suspected until upon bringing out the 
best dresses, or expensive furs, which had been 
laid away in supposed safety, they are found 
ruined. Great sympathy is sometimes felt for 
the poor little “miller” that flutters around the 
candle, scorches his wings—and dies, a warning 
to the venturesome—but little pity would be wast¬ 
ed on him were it known that this “miller’s” 
children will, if unmolested, make a grist of our 
carpels, coats, furs, and whatever else may suit 
bis extravagant taste. 
There are several species of these insects, 
differing in size, form and habits. Some attack 
woolen cloths of every description ; others con¬ 
fine themselves mostly to carpets, and others 
again are satisfied with nothing but furs. They 
are mostly known by the name* Tincathc ; the 
clothes moth, is T. vestianella ; the fur moth, 7'. 
pcllionclln. In the winged state, they have four 
short and slender feelers, a thick tuft on the fore¬ 
head, and very narrow wings deeply fringed. 
They are busy in May and June laying their eggs 
where the young may find their proper food, and 
when they have thus done their share of the mis¬ 
chief, they die. In about fifteen days, the eggs 
hatch, and the little whitish, sharp-toothed cater¬ 
pillars or moth worms begin their nefarious ope¬ 
rations. They furnish themselves with food, 
clothes,and lodgings, from the fabrics they destroy; 
gnawing the substance, and rolling up the frag¬ 
ments into small tubes with open ends, where 
they keep as snugly ensconced as a turtle in its 
slic'd. Like the turtle, some of them carry their 
coverings around with them. As they grow, they 
enlarge their garments at each end, occasionally 
setting in a piece at the sides when necessary. 
Thus they pass the Summer; then take a Win¬ 
ter nap ; change to chrysalids in Spring, and in 
about twenty days, emerge as perfect insects, to 
flutter about, find their mates, and raise another 
enterprising family. Now is the time to rout 
them out. Take all furs and woolen clothes 
from drawers, clothes presses, etc., and 
with a light cane give them a thorough 
beating, to dislodge the eggs, and expel the 
dust in which they delight to hide their prog¬ 
eny. Gum camphor in coarse powder, plentiful¬ 
ly sprinkled among clothing, and the drawers 
and boxes containing it, will sometimes pre¬ 
vent their return. Housekeepers sometimes 
find the moth, notwithstanding this or some oth¬ 
er strong aromatic had been applied liberally, 
because they had not first beaten or shaken out 
the intruders already in their quarters. Empty 
cigar boxes are among the very best receptacles 
for articles subject to moths—they have sense 
enough to eschew tobacco. Ground black pepper 
sprinkled upon the floor is useful to keep them 
from carpets; they should, however, be thorough¬ 
ly beaten twice a year. It is also well to give 
furs a beating once or twice during the Summer, 
to make sure work. 
-«3V-«-- 
For the American Agriculturist. 
The Rocking Chair. 
There is much comfort, and not a little philos¬ 
ophy in the rocking chair. Its inviting arms and 
soothing motion are grateful to the weary, and 
age never looks more becoming than when plac¬ 
idly enjoying the repose they afford. The picture 
of a household is incomplete without the grand¬ 
mother, with her knitting needles for a scepter, 
smiling benignantly from this domestic throne to 
which her years entitle her. The weary mother 
quieting her fretful child, knows how to prize its 
aid, and the invalid finds both exercise and rest 
in the gentle swaying. 
Some would banish the rocking chair as a use¬ 
less and enervating luxury. But rest is not en¬ 
ervating—the sooner one can recover from fa¬ 
tigue, the better for the muscles. Over-exertion, 
insufficient rest, or total inaction, these weaken. 
If a person is content to make a business of rock¬ 
ing away the hours that should be actively em¬ 
ployed, this without doubt will enervate, but 
even this would not be more hurtful than to sit 
listless upon a hard bench—rather, less so, for 
rocking calls the muscles slightly into action. 
For this reason, it is favorable to recovery 
from fatigue. A cord tightly strained and sud¬ 
denly loosened, recoils with a sudden snap, but 
yields without violence if gradually relaxed ; so, 
when the bodily energies have been greatly taxed, 
and kept up in high tension, the gentle “easing 
down” given by the rockers, restores the equili¬ 
brium gradually and agreeably. The mind is em¬ 
ploy d and diverted, but not taxed by the con¬ 
stant change of position, and the gentle wings of 
forgetfulness imperceptibly winnow away the 
clouds of care. 
In selecting a rocker, choose one fitted to sup¬ 
port the person in its natural shape. Too many 
patterns compel one to sit with shoulders droop¬ 
ed forward, chest sunk in, and the back brought 
to an ungraceful and injurious curve. The lungs 
should be allowed free play, whether we rest or 
work; they will ail in resting by vitalizing the 
blood, while a cramped posture will of itselfcause 
fatigue. The materials of which rockers or oth¬ 
er chairs arc made, will depend upon the taste or 
purse of the purchaser. Spring seated, hair-cloth 
furniture is much in use for the parlor, and is 
comfortable, and durable when of good material. 
For use in Summer, cane seated chairs are pref¬ 
erable. The longer the rockers, the greater will 
be the sweep of lhe motion, but where they pro¬ 
ject far, they are much in the way, and constant¬ 
ly liable to disfigure the base boards, or sides oi 
the room. It is better to assign them a place 
distant from the walls; and where a chair is much 
used, an extra thickness of carpet or oil cloih is 
needed to prevent wearing unsightly places. 
Kings Co., N. Y. j{. jj, jf_ 
- *0-4 - ► «•-—-- 
How to Make Ice Cream. 
This popular luxury will soon be in season, 
and may be enjoyed to perfection by our rural 
readers, who know what cream is, and who can 
readily obtain it. Here in the city, we get various 
substitutes for the genuine article, the best being 
made of milk and eggs, but much of that sold at 
the saloons is a compound of corn starch, arrow 
root, and in some cases of ingredients known only 
to the makers. The readers of the Agriculturist 
will thank our kind contributor, Mr. J. Crozer, 
Mercer Go., N. J., for the following recipes and 
directions. 
Vanilla Ice Cream. —Take about one large 
vanilla bean to 3 quarts of pure cream. Split the 
bean; scrape the seeds into a cup; cut up the 
rest of the bean in fine pieces, and put with the 
seeds; add a little water, and let it stew for 
awhile over a fire ; when done, and cool, add it 
to the cream. Add also, J lb. of fine white sugar 
for each quart of cream. When the sugar is dis¬ 
solved, run the whole through a strainer into the 
can or freezer. 
Lemon Cream. —For 5 quarts of crcarn (equal 
to 9 qts. when frozen). Take 2[ pounds sugar, 
and about 3 lemons. Grate the outside of the 
lemons, and rub the gratings fine, with about 1 
oz. sugar, then squeeze on to them the juice of 
two of the lemons, add a little more sugar, then 
mix with the cream. The cream should be 
sweetened before the lemon is added. Then strain 
into the freezer, and freeze. 
Strawberry Cream.— Use J pound sugar for 
each quart of cream, and strawberry juice for fla¬ 
voring. The berries are squeezed through a 
piece of muslin, or a strainer, and an additional 
i pound of sugar is allowed for each pint ofjuice. 
Use only enough juice to give the cream a slight 
violet color. Confectioners add prepared cochi¬ 
neal, to highten the color ; still more juice can 
be added if desired. Place it in the freezer, etc., 
as for the others. 
Pine Apple Cream. —Cut off the outside of a 
large ripe pine apple ; cut up the rest in fine 
pieces in a pan, and cover it with sugar; or make 
alternate layers of the apple and sugar, and let it 
stand several hours ; when wanted, squeeze it all 
through a strainer, and use sufficient to flavor— 
one apple to about 6 quarts cream. Allow, also, 
1- pound sugar to each quart, of the cream ; and 
it is ready for freezing. 
Almond Cream. —Take J pound sugar for each 
quart of cream ; and about 1 ounce of bitter al¬ 
monds to 6 quarts cream. Rub the almonds 
(which should be blanched) fine, in a mortar, or 
bowl, with rose-water. They should be pre¬ 
pared only as wanted, as they soon spoil. When 
fine, add them to the cream, etc. 
The above are the principal kinds of “ cream,” 
usually prepared by the Confectioners. It is easy 
to see what a great variety can be made by 
changing the flavoring, which should never be 
in excess, but just perceptible to the taste. Those 
who use eggs and milk, may find the following di¬ 
rections to answer. 
Take 3 quarts milk ; 2 pounds fine white sugar 
and 15 eggs. Put the sugar in the milk, and set 
it on the fire, keep stirring until it just begins to 
boil, then take it from the fire and pour into it 
the eggs (which in the meantime have been well 
