22 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
have held more had there only been room for it. 
So many sorts of cake and varieties of sweetmeats, 
such a promiscuity of pickles, with meats, pics, 
cheese, crullers, and numerous other etceteras, were 
crowded in such profusion, that one was appailed 
at the display of the resources of housekeeping. 
There are, however, other recollections connected 
with these “ teas they are of hot yellow salera- 
tus biscuits, uncomfortable rest, and morning licad- 
aches. The conversation of the guests, mainly car¬ 
ried on by the ladies, seemed to be a sort of battle 
of cook books, and may be summed up in “ pound 
for pound, four eggs to a quart of milk, and season 
to your taste.” To give one of these set teas must 
require days of preparatory labor and needless ex¬ 
pense. Each hostess strives to equal, or outdo, 
her neighbor in the magnificence of her taljle, and 
thinks quantity and variety more necessary than qual¬ 
ity, in maintaining a reputation as a good house¬ 
keeper. We object to these elaborate teas altogether. 
“ Spare, Oh! spare your evening meal, 
And sweet shall be your rest.” 
We believe in these social gatherings, but do not 
believe in stuffing the guests. It is not hospitality 
to press one to try fourteen kinds of cake after he 
has had enough. Almost every one who lives in 
the country can give a tea which shall be good 
enough for the best in the land, and yet be so sim¬ 
ple that the guests shall not go to bed in fear of 
nightmare. The essentials are tea, bread, butter, 
cream and fruit, and the chiefest of these are bread 
and butter. Whoever can give a slice of liglit, 
white, sweet bread, with fragrant, golden, not over 
s.altcd butter, need not trouble her head about 
cake. Let whatever else be indifferent, these being 
good, the meal is a success. With these, and good 
tea, some cold meat or chicken, and nicely canned 
fruit, with cream, all served neatly, every sensible 
guest will be better satisfied, and the hostess will 
not be overwhelmed with the labor of preparation. 
Who will introduce the reform ? At the same 
time introduce punctuality—not invite to a 6 
o’clock tea which is tardily served at 8—and abol¬ 
ish all cooking talk, especially while at the table. 
A few Words to Pulmonary Invalids. 
BY ONE OF THE NUIIBEK. 
Mr. Editor :—Our country abounds with per¬ 
sons suffering from some disorder of the lungs or 
respiratory organs. In almost every second family, 
are those afiected more or less seriously. Some are 
under the care of physicians, going through “ reg¬ 
ular courses of medicineothers are suffering 
from neglect, and others are in despair. A few 
words of counsel and cheer to the many of these 
feeble folk among the readers of the American Ag¬ 
riculturist, will not come amiss, at this cold season 
of the year which is so hard on the lungs. Here is 
counsel of one who, as you know, has had long and 
successful experience in battling with this disease. 
First, then, of certain things to be avoided. Avoid 
taking much medicine. If the disease is recent, it 
may yieid to medical treatment. Give the doctor 
a fair trial, but if after a reasonable time medicine 
does not reach the case, dismiss the physician until 
wanted, and fall back upon the powers of nature 
and a good regimen. The long protracted tdking 
of medicine weakens and injures the stomach and 
other organs, and then it is a hard matter to con¬ 
tend with disease in the lungs. Therefore, avoid 
taking much medicine. In acute attacks, the phy¬ 
sician must sometimes be called and his doses taken, 
but when such special demands for his services are 
past, let medicine alone. 
Avoid thinking much about your disease. Be¬ 
ginners are apt to watch their symptoms closely, 
to count their pulse daily, to scrutinize the charac¬ 
ter of their expectorations, to weigh themselves 
often, so as to see whether they are wasting in 
flesh, etc., etc. Symptoms should be looked after, 
enough to enable the patient to take care of him¬ 
self, but should not be continually thought of. To 
do so, begets a morbid, unhealthy state of mind 
which will react hurtfully upon the body. Be as 
self-forgetful as possible. Bear no unnecessary 
burdens. Think of anything but your sjunptoms. 
Provide some kind of pleasant amusement, or have 
some light business which will fully engross the 
thoughts, and keep the mind from preying on itself. 
Avoid excitement. Nothing but experience will 
teach the importance of tliis. Avoid all passions, 
especially those which depress. The excitement 
of political debates, of fashionable parties, all agi¬ 
tations of fear, resentment and anger—nothing can 
be worse. Avoid feelings of despondency, do not 
look on the dark side of things. Cherish an equa¬ 
ble frame of mind, not easily elated or depressed, 
hoping on, hoping ever. 
Avoid taking cold. Of course, with all our pre¬ 
cautions, colds will sometimes come; but much 
can be done to prevent them. Keep the skin clean 
and vigorous by occasional sponge-baths and the 
use of the flesh-brush. Wear flannel next to the 
skin all the year round. Over the chest ivear an 
extra thickness of flannel or chamois leather. (See 
engraving and description in October Agriculhirist, 
1863.) The feet should always be kept dry and 
warm. In wet weather, overshoes, removed when¬ 
ever going in-doors, are better than thick soles, for 
the latter will often become damp. Be careful how 
you cool off .after becoming overheated. Beware 
of damp beds, damp concert halls, lecture-rooms 
and churches, and carefully .avoid every place where 
there is direct exposure to currents of wind. 
II.— Live well. Your disease, if real, is draining 
the fountains of strength : keep the fountain well 
supplied by generous food. Use every means to 
build up the system, and to keep yourself in high 
condition. If you can not expel the intruder which 
h.as got fast hold upon you, keep him in subjection. 
For food, eschew delicacies, and chew substantials. 
Put aside rich gravies, sweetmeats, highly spiced 
pies and cakes, and take to good beef, mutton, 
poultry, fresh fish, oysters, bread, and the like 
honest kinds of food. 
Exercise in the open air. The tendency with 
pulmonary invalids is to yield to their bodily fee¬ 
bleness and their weakened resolution, and sit 
down in the house. This tendency must be resisted, 
or the invalid will surely and speedily decline. 
Every day, exercise twice in the open air. Do not 
be afraid of the weather. Dress warm, and then 
go out, rain or shine. In summer, the c.are of a 
small garden will afford pleasant exercise. In win¬ 
ter, w.alk or ride, and ride on horseback, if possible. 
The saddle is better than anything in a doctor’s 
saddle-bags; at least, so thinks the writer, after 
long trying. Agreeable exercise, every day, will 
be quite sure to give you a good appetite, good di¬ 
gestion, and good spirits. And with these, you 
may hope to keep consumption at bay a very long 
time. Clericus. 
--—«»« — --- 
Books in Farmers’ Families. 
Many farmers’ families in comfortable circum¬ 
stances are almost destitute of books, and the chil¬ 
dren .are growing up in ignorance. No one should 
consider his house furnished until it contains a 
libr.ary of at least twenty to one hundred volumes. 
When this is once supplied, let there be yearly ad¬ 
ditions to it. After a niiin has secured his farm 
and stock, why should he not devote the produce 
of at least one acre each year to the purchase of 
books and other means of intellectual culture ? 
Let it for the present be an acre of corn or wheat, 
and in the mean time set out an acre of choice fruit 
for this particular purpose. Will not the boys and 
girls be very ready to assist in the care of the edu¬ 
cational acre, when they see it really brings to them 
promptly, books, pictures, philosophical apparatus, 
etc.—The farmer’s profession is really suseeptible 
of being made one of the noblest. Bring intolli- 
genee and culture to the aid of the plow, and the 
smart boys will not all desire to be doctors, law¬ 
yers, and presidents. Let the God-made country, 
vie with the man-made town, in the march of mcnj 
tal improvement, and its superior physical attrac¬ 
tions will not only retain its own best population, 
but draw from the cities many who prefer the town 
mainly for its intellectual and business advantages. 
German Slippers for the House. 
L. L. Fairchild, Dodge Co., Wis., W'rites to the 
American Agriculturist : “ Economy is the order 
of the day, so I purchased me a pair of wooden 
soled slips for three shillings, at a “ Dutch store.” 
The soles are of basswood, about an inch thick, and 
lined with leather and cloth. The fronts are of 
calf skin secured to the soles by a strait wire run¬ 
ning around the margin, seeured by wire staples 
driven into the wood sole. When I come into the 
house I doff my boots and don my slips. My feet 
are well ventilated and kept from the cold floor by 
a good non-conductor, basswood. They are easy to 
my feet, easily slipped off if I wish to take a siesta 
on the lounge or sofa, and the thick wooden soles 
keep my feet from dampness if I am suddenly call¬ 
ed from the house. In short they are every way 
convenient. My boots are not dried up or burned 
by trying to warm my feet at a hot fire, so tiiat 
they give a good account of themselves by a few 
months’ longer service. I recommend my econom¬ 
ical friends to try the German slips.” 
Practical Odds and Ends. 
Sent by Subscribers to the American Agricultur¬ 
ist. Please send plenty more of the same sort. 
To Light a New Candle Quickly.—D ip the 
wick in the melted tallow of one already burning. 
Kerosene Lamp Chimneys wide .at the bulb or 
lower part are less liable to break than if narrow. 
Shavtng Hint. —Suspend the glass so that only 
the part of the face to be shaved will be visible: 
there will be less danger of cutting the skin. 
Season : a sight of one’s eyes distracts attention 
from the razor.—Place the mirror where it will not 
reflect the light of a window into the eyes. The 
best place is where the light will fall upon the face, 
and not upon the glass.—When done, wash off all 
soap, and finish with a little diluted vinegar, or al¬ 
cohol, or cologne water. This will neutralize the 
effects of the alkali, preventing it from chapping 
the skin, or affecting the color of the ivhiskers. 
Repelling Red Ants. —Try setting the safes, 
closets, etc., on new brieks ; a subscriber says this 
proved effectual.—A sponge with a little sugar 
sprinkled through it, will attract and hold hundreds 
of the insects, which may be killed with hot water. 
Cast Iron Stoves are prefer.able to sheet iron: 
they radiate heat more freely and equably, do not 
cool off so quickly, and are much more dur.able. 
Condensed Milk is the pure article made purer, 
that is, with a large proportion of its water ev.apor- 
ated. It is preferable to most milkmen's milk. 
Each consumer can add water to his liking, grading 
it from the cream point down to the “sky blue.” 
Peeling Onions is tearful employment. A lady 
says it will be made less annoying by putting them 
in cold water and immersing often while peeling. 
To Color Butter. —For every 4 quarts of cream, 
gr.ate 1 middling sized carrot, pour on it pint of 
boiling w'ater, let it stand until cool and strain the 
liquor into the cream. It does not hurt the flavor. 
Curried Cabbage. —How is it prepared ? 
Poultry. —How can it be cooked, spiced, and 
canned for sending to the army or elsewhere. 
Will somebody who has done it successfully please 
give necessary directions for publication ? 
Ckristoplier Crowfield on Potatoes. 
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe has contributed a 
series of “ House and Home Papers, by Christo¬ 
pher Crowfield,” to that excellent journal, the At¬ 
lantic Monthly. The articles, as the title suggests, 
are upon domestic economy, and convey a great 
deal of sound common sense in a pleasing manner. 
The paper for December is upon cookery, and con¬ 
tains so much sound doctrine that ought to be read 
and pondered by every housekeeper, that we wish 
we had room for the whole of it, but as we luave 
not, we must be content with extracting what re¬ 
lates to the common, but rarely well cooked, potato i 
