26 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
is not convenient to se.it the guests at table, they 
stand or sit as there may be room. At all events 
there should be chairs for such elderly people as 
may be present. Where the majority stand while 
taking refreshments there is likely to be less of 
that stiffness and solemnity which frequently at¬ 
tends social gatherings. We do not know that we 
have given our correspondent a very definite answer. 
Let her consider what will be the most to the com¬ 
fort of her guests, and what will comport best with 
her means, and she cannot go very far wrong. 
Washing 1 Fluids. 
In December we requested those who had found 
any fluid or preparation to facilitate washing, to 
give it for the benefit of our readers. A. D. Heed 
and others, send us the following: “ Put half a 
pound of unslaked lime and one pound of washing 
soda in five quarts of water, boil, let it settle, and 
then drain off. Use a pint of this liquid to every 
four pailfuls of hot water. Soak the clothes for 20 
minutes, rub them lightly, and wring dry; soap 
well and boil for half an hour; rub again, rinse in 
clear water, using blueing, wring and hang out to 
dry.” This is really a solution of caustic soda. 
The washing soda is carbonate of soda and the quick¬ 
lime is eaustic-lime; when the two are boiled to¬ 
gether the carbonic acid leaves the soda and goes 
to the lime, which it converts into carbonate of 
lime, while the soda is left caustic: i. e., pure soda, 
dissolved in water. Not having tried this liquid, 
we are not able to say what effect its continued use 
would have upon the fabrics.—Mrs. J. S. Stur- 
tevant, Oshkosh, Wis., says: 1pound of wash¬ 
ing soda, ),( pound borax, and dissolve in 4 quarts 
water by boiling. When the mixture is cold add 
about one half a teacupful of water of Ammonia 
(Hartshorn), and bottle for use, taking care to keep 
the fluid corked from the air. For use take a cup¬ 
ful to a pailful of water. This has for the last six 
years given perfect satisfaction.” 
Cleaning Coat Collars- 
Mrs. C.,*Montrose, Md., writes: “For cleaning 
coat collars and all woolen goods I recommend the 
Soap-tree Bark (Quillaya saponaria) which can be 
procured at the drug stores. Break a piece about 
two inches square, into small bits, and pour over it 
a half pint of boiling water; let it stand an hour 
or two, then sponge the collar well with the liquor; 
a second sponging with Clearwater will clean it 
nicely. Both washing and rinsing water should be 
as warm as for flannel. AVc have by using this bark 
washed black and blue Empress cloths successfully 
and have cleaned hair cloth chairs, which had been 
soiled by contact with the head.” 
There are several vegetables which are in use in 
different countries as substitutes for soap. The 
natives on the North-west coast use a soap root; 
the Mexicans use one or more vegetables as soap, 
and the one refered to by Mrs. C., the Soap-tree 
bark, is largely employed by the Chilians. All these 
make a lather with water and serve to remove 
grease without injury to the fabric. The Soap-tree 
bark has been used to some extent in tooth 
washes and in preparation for cleansing the hair. 
Cooking a Beef Steak. 
Mrs. Lucy Lamb says: “The other day a nice 
looking, tidy, German girl came to work in my 
kitchen, bringing good recommendations from a 
family of my acquaintance. When dinner time 
came I asked her if she could cook the steak: ‘ 0, 
yes’m,—shall I put grease under it ?’ Seeing that 
her ideas of the way of doing it were somewhat 
different from mine, I got out the gridiron, made 
ready the coals and proceeded to show her my way. 
In the first place I cut out the bone and trim off the 
superfluous fat which would otherwise burn and 
smoke the meat. If the steak is a good one, it is 
better not to pound it, as this causes a flow and 
waste of the juices of the meat; which ought to bo 
preserved. Have the coals abundant and glowing, 
and the iron hot. Lay the meat upon the bars and 
place over it a cover made for the purpose. Turn 
the steak every half minute until it is done. Have 
the platter hot and when ready to take up, scatter 
daintily over its surface a little pepper and salt. 
Lay on the hot platter and put bits of butter over 
it and send to the table immediately. Now this 
seems a very simple thing, and many readers, per¬ 
haps, will say, ‘ There is no need of telling us how 
to broil a steak; we know that well enough.’ 
Very true, but there may be a few yet who think 
the only way is to put the nice loin or porterhouse 
steak into the frying pan with a generous quantity 
of ‘ grease under it,’ and let it simmer and stew un¬ 
til it is unfit for a savage, much less for one who 
values his physical or mental health. It is some¬ 
times difficult to obtain good coals, when the 
lighter kinds of wood are used, and in such cases I 
use the frying-pan instead of the gridiron, but 
never a bit of grease. Have a brisk tire and the 
pan hot, when the steak is put in ; turn often and 
proceed the same as with the gridiron. Salt 
should never be added until the meat is done, 
and the less pepper the better, to my mind.” 
Chicken Salad. 
A lady asks for a recipe for chicken salad. The 
excellence of the salad depends upon the dressing 
and the quality of the dressing upon that of the 
materials composing it. To make a fine dressing 
there must especially be good oil and a plenty of 
it. Many have an aversion to olive oil, probably 
more from the association connected with the name 
than from any dislike to the taste of the oil itself. 
When properly incorporated with the other in¬ 
gredients of the dressing it forms a rich creamy 
compound in which no trace of oil is visible. We 
have a number of recipes, but none contain the 
directions for making the dressing so much in detail 
as that of Mr. Harrison, which we quote from his 
book of recipes. The lettuce is not generally to be 
had in winter nor is it essential. The garnishing 
with parsley, etc., is merely for ornament, the sur¬ 
face being frequently left without ornamentation. 
“Mix one. heaping teaspoonful of pure mustard, 
the yolk of a fresh egg and a teaspoonful of pure 
white wine or cider vinegar, into a smooth paste, 
using a silver fork for the purpose. Measure out 
twelve tablespoonfuls of pure salad oil and one 
tablespoonful each of vinegar and lemon juice; mix 
the two latter together, and strain them. Add to 
the egg very slowly, while stirring constantly, two 
tablespoonfuls of the oil, and when it thickens, 
one teaspoonful of the mixed vinegar, and thus 
continue alternately with the oil and vinegar, stir¬ 
ring unceasingly, till all is mixed, and a thick, 
smooth creamy paste is obtained. Have ready a 
cold, boiled fowl, remove the skin, hones and fat, 
aud pull—not cut —the lean flesh into shreds, the 
size of large dice; cut into morsels an equal bulk 
of white, tender, crisp celery, and mix with the 
meat, a saltspoonful of salt, and one-lialf-the dress¬ 
ing. Cover the bottom of an oval platter with the 
white centre leaves of well blanched lettuce, and 
lay the inner green leaves around the border; place 
the salad upon them, and pour over it the remain¬ 
der of the dressing. Garnish with a few sprigs of 
parsley, olives, capers, and slices of hard boiled 
eggs, neatly arranged around the border. If celery 
cannot be had, use white cabbage, mixed with a 
teaspoonful of Extract of Celery.” 
To Restore Faded Black Lace.— 
In many a housekeeper’s bureau drawers, lie old 
black lace veils, edgings and head dress, faded and 
rusty, yet not worn out. By a simple process they 
can be quickly restored to their pristine benuty. 
Strain off somo black tea from its leaves (having 
made it too strong to drink), let it cool until milk 
warm, pour over the ]aco, aud let it stand several 
hours, then squeeze it very gently, dipping it fre¬ 
quently into the tea, until it shows that the dirt 
has been oxtructcd. While the loco lies iu tho ten, 
boil a little more with a piece of gum arabic, the 
size of a small “ marble,” when cool to the hand 
dip the lace in it for a moment; then clap it in the 
hands, until nearly dry, carefully pulling out the 
edges. Pin it over a pillow on which you have 
spread a newspaper. Let it dry for several hours 
or even days. Take the pins out, leaving the lace 
on the paper, remove from the pillow, cover with 
another paper, and iron with a coolixh flat-iron. 
The lace, if not worn out previously, will look as 
good as new. 
Improvement in Farmers’ Homes. 
There has been a very great change for the better 
in the homes of all classes of our people within tho 
last thirty years. We think quite a large share of 
this improvement is found in the strictly rural dis¬ 
tricts, and is fairly the result of the opportunities 
and privileges of agricultural life. The average 
rural parish is thcequal of the city parish in intelli¬ 
gence, in good morals, and piety. Social life has 
not so much show and brilliancy, but quite as much 
solid happiness. The children coming up in the 
count ry have a much better chance of sound health, 
of a good education, and of a useful career in life. 
The division of labor, brought about by the intro¬ 
duction of manufactures, has blest the farmer al¬ 
most as much as any other class. He no longer 
provides his own clothing or makes his own furni¬ 
ture. He can buy cheaper. The thrifty farmer in 
the older States has an architect to build his house, 
and there is taste displayed in the building and in 
its surroundings. He knows a good deal about 
fruits and flowers, and what he does not know his 
wife or daughter docs. The flower border is quite 
up to the town standard. The upholstery may not 
be quite so attractive, but the floors are carpeted, 
and the windows have blinds and curtains quite 
enough for cheerfulness and health. The table is 
neatly spread, and the chinawarc and ot her appoint¬ 
ments come from the same manufactories that fur¬ 
nish city homes. The cookery, especially that part 
of it furnished by the mistress of the mansion, is 
above the average in cities. Pianos and melodeons 
are very common, and the same songs arc heard 
there as in the town, and they are sung about as 
well. Professional singers do not go to the coun¬ 
try for their audiences, but the country comes to 
them and furnishes a fair share of their apprecia¬ 
tive listeners and admirers. There is leisure in the 
country, time for reading and reflection, plenty of 
newspapers and magazines, and the village library 
has its numerous patrons in farmers’ homes. Farm 
life in this age of railroads and steamers is quite 
different from the life led by our fathers. It 
moves in the right direction. 
Hints on Cooking, Etc. 
Pumpkin Pies.— Mrs. S. Hannahs, Portage 
Co., O., says: “Pare the pumpkin, then grate it, 
and add sugar and ginger to taste, and milk enough 
to make it of the proper consistency; then line 
your pie-tins with crust, put in your pumpkin, and 
bake in the ordinary way. After trying this once, 
no one will, I think, wish to go back to the old 
way of making pies of stewed pumpkin.” 
Cream Pudding, by Miss M. M. F., West¬ 
chester, Mass. : C tablespoonfuls of flour, 1 quart 
milk, 3 eggs, 1 teacupful sugar, salt; take a little 
of the milk and stir with the flour, to make a bat¬ 
ter, and boil the remainder. When the milk boils, 
add tho batter and when sufficiently cooked, take it 
off and stir in the eggs, beaten. Sift a part of t'he 
sugar in the pudding dish, then pour iu the pud¬ 
ding, and put the rest of the sugar on top. Flavor 
to taste, and cover tightly until cold. 
IVlnngfles.—Miss E. A. C., Flatrock, Pa. The 
English mangles take up too much room and 
require too much power to find favor with our 
housekeepers. Some small ones have been invent¬ 
ed, but their operation so far as we know, lias 
not been such that they have met with any con¬ 
siderable sulci Here is a chance for inventors. 
