1873.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
1 4=5 
TOE e©USEIHI©iy]>. 
(For other Household Items , see “ Basket ” petgee.) 
Illumination and Lamps. 
Those who live in the country are apt to think 
that gas is one of the great advantages enjoyed by 
those who dwell in villages and towns. Gas is in¬ 
deed very convenient, and its use is not attended 
with trouble. Indeed, so little trouble is it to turn 
on the gas and have an uninterrupted flow, that 
one is apt to burn much more than there is any real 
need of, and this very facility with which it may be 
used makes it an expensive mode of lighting. 
When we resided in the city we used it for the 
general illumination of the house, but for reading, 
writing, or needlework found kerosene to give a 
much pleasanter light. Gas-flames are unsteady, 
and flicker in such a manner as to be injurious to 
the eyes, unless an Argand burner be used, which 
consumes much gas, and is consequently costly. 
Good kerosene oil burned in a good lamp is as near 
perfection as we are likely to reach in the way of 
ORIENT SAFETY-LAMP. 
artificial illumination. The filling and caring for 
several lamps of the best construction is very little 
trouble, and if it be done at a stated time in the 
morning the work becomes a matter of course and 
ceases to be irksome. Some two years ago we 
figured what is known as the German Student’s 
Lamp, and we still consider it, as we did then, un¬ 
equaled for brilliancy. It has, however, one fault: 
it is very consuming of oil, and though it leaves 
nothing to be desired in the way of light, it can 
not be regarded as the most economical source 
of it. Recently we have tried a new lamp, called 
the “Orient,” and several weeks’ trial has failed 
to show any fault in it. The lamp is of a neat pat¬ 
tern, as shown in the engraving, and has a hollow 
or Argand burner and cylindrical wick. Instead 
of having a tube pass up through the center of the 
oil-reservoir to allow the passage of air to the cen¬ 
ter of the flame—as is done in most lamps with 
cylindrical wicks—there is an ingenious device for 
admitting the air to the interior of the flame 
through the side of the wick-tube and above the 
body of the lamp. This does away with all drip, 
and the disagreeable oil-cup at the base, and mate¬ 
rially reduces the trouble of trimming the lamp 
and keeping it clean. The flame is pleasant, 
bright, and steady, and the lamp is not a rapid 
consumer of oil. We do not see how one can get 
a better return in light from the amount of oil con¬ 
sumed than from the Orient. It is claimed for 
this, as well as for some other lamps, that it is 
non-explosive, a point to which we pay no atten¬ 
tion, as we are careful to use oil that will not ex¬ 
plode in any lamp. Admitting that a lamp can be 
made secure against explosions, we would just as 
strongly insist upon safe oils. Oil that requires 
any particular machinery about a lamp to enable it 
to be used without danger should not be allowed 
in the house, nor is it proper that it should be an 
article of commerce. 
A Cistern, or a Water-Hogshead? 
When I came into possession of the premises I 
now occupy, five years ago, there was a large iron- 
bound cask at the back of the house, holding some 
four or five barrels. This stood under the leader 
from the roof, and caught rain-water for the family 
washing. The well-water was bard, and the soft 
water from the skies saved a good deal of soap and 
labor on Mondays. But the use of the water from 
the cask was accompanied with some difficulties. 
It had to be carried into the house by the pailful, 
and this was work. In winter it was frequently 
frozen, and sometimes so hard as to push out the 
bottom, and the services of the cooper were needed 
for repairs. The melting of the ice-chips made 
slow work of washing. Occasionally in summer 
there was drouth, and the cask was empty. The 
cask was a blessing, but with many drawbacks. 
I thought a cistern in the cellar would remedy 
all these evils. It was placed immediately under 
the sink-room, in one corner, so that walls had to 
be built upon two of the four sides only. It was 
made about seven feet by five upon the inside, and 
the walls were carried up four and a half feet high. 
The brick was laid in cement, and the wall was 
made double, and the inside cemented. The whole 
cost was thirty dollars. A pump was put in, with 
about eight feet of inch-pipe, which takes the 
water into the sink-room. The comfort in the 
household of this little expenditure has been very 
great. There is no exposure to the weather on 
washing days, no freezing of water, and no burst¬ 
ing of casks. There is an abundant supply of 
water for family use for three months, even if not 
a drop of water should fall from the skies. An 
overflow pipe near the top of the cistern carries 
off all excess of water in case of heavy rains, so 
that there is no danger of flooding the cellar. In 
the absence of a good well, I should put a brick 
partition through the cistern for a filter, and have 
good drinking water. Ordinarily, a cistern can be 
built, at less expense than a well can be dug, and 
the filtered water is pure and wholesome. 0. 
Mending Broken China, Etc. 
In the first place, take excellent care of the 
pieces of any broken dish or vase. Do not handle 
the broken edges, or allow them to become dusty 
or greasy, but lay them carefully away, and do the 
mending as soon as possible after the breaking. 
The best cements often fail because the parts 
united by them arc not clean. 
Another general rule for all kinds of cement or 
glue is this: Make the layer of cement between the 
parts as thin as it can possibly be, and yet entirely 
cover the edges. A very thin layer is much 
stronger than a thick one. Where the shape of the 
pieces will allow, rub the edges together after 
each has been smeared with the cement, so as 
to even and "work it well together. Press very 
closely, and keep up this pressure (usually by tying 
the parts together) until the cement is dry. Those 
cements dry most quickly which are applied hot. 
If the directions with your cement say “ hot,” do 
not fall short of it and only warm the pieces. 
An old and well-tried way of mending broken 
glass and crockery still remains in excellent favor, 
and is well worth trying by housekeepers who can 
get plenty of skimmed milk. Dishes badly cracked 
should be set away until they can be boiled in 
skimmed milk. Those broken apart should be tied 
firmly together, and boiled gently in carefully 
skimmed milk for an hour or so. Leave them tied 
together for several days before using, and they 
will then be found almost as good as new. The milk 
should be cold when the dishes are put in to boil. 
Broken crockery is sometimes mended with white 
paint. Dishes so mended should be left to dry for 
several months before being brought into service. 
A better cement is made of white-lead and copal 
varnish mixed to the consistency of cream. Apply 
this carefully to each edge of the broken dish,work 
it together and press closely, tie it strongly toge¬ 
ther, and lay it away to dry for several weeks. 
This cement is said to bear hot water better than 
any other. It is cheap, and very strong. 
A great deal may be saved by somebody'by atten¬ 
tion to these little matters. And yet your own 
time may be worth so much that you really can 
better afford to buy new things than to tinker up 
old ones. Each of us ought to be on such a plea¬ 
sant human-family footing with our neighbors that 
all the odds and ends may go to the right place and 
be saved by somebody. Common beggars would not 
case for your broken things, but some careful 
grandpa or half-invalid might delight to mend them 
up for use in another home than yours. 
Femina. 
[In addition to the hints of our correspondent, 
we would add that cements formed largely of Isin¬ 
glass or other form of gelatine (of which the old 
“Diamond Cement” is the type) often fail upon 
common crockery', on account of the porosity of 
the material, while they cement glass and true 
china-ware well enough. When these cements are 
used upon the ordinary white-ware or stone-ware, 
the surfaces should have a thin coat of cement, 
which is to be allowed to dry; then warm the 
pieces, and give each another thin coat, and put 
them together. Vessels cemented by means of 
white paint or white-lead should be kept to con¬ 
tain dry articles exclusively. Preserves and the 
like ought not to stand in them. —Ed.] 
-— - — -- <*- - - 
Home Topics. 
UV FAITH ROCHESTER. 
Our Aim with our Children. —More than 
once I have been asked to give here my views of 
family government. Little by little I have been 
doing so, it seems to me, yet some do not see it, 
their own ideas are so radically different from 
mine. It is a big theme, and here and now I will 
only consider the object or aim of the parent to¬ 
ward the child. 
I read everything I can find about the training 
of children, sometimes with strong dissent and 
sometimes with approval. No subject interests 
me more deeply than this, but I feel like a very 
young learner, and not at all qualified to teach. 
I only want to talk the matter over. 
Abbott, in the preface to his “ Mother at Home,” 
says: “ When a person writes upon the subject of 
family government, the first thought which arises 
in the minds of many readers is, 1 We will see how 
he succeeds in his own family.’ There are many 
motives, such as indolence, false tenderness, etc., 
operating to induce a parent to neglect known 
duty. The principles contained in the ‘ Mother at 
Home ’ may be correct, even though the author 
should fail to enforce them.” 
I am quite willing to admit that my children are 
no models of behavior. Sometimes they whine, 
sometimes they yell, sometimes they hector each 
other, and they would probably be called “noiSy 
children.” Not long ago, a person (a childless per¬ 
son, mind you !) gravely asserted, ns settling the 
character of one of these bairns, that the child 
was. selfish! “Papa” and I had our quiet laugh 
