220 
ladies’ department. 
Casks’ JDqmrtrrmit. 
FOOD OF CHICKENS PREVIOUS TO WEANING. 
As to the food of the young brood, let them 
have anything which is not absolutely poison¬ 
ous. Sloppy matters are better avoided till the 
little things are old enough to eat a few grains 
of good wheat, of the best sample, which will 
then not be thrown away upon them. Meat and 
insect diet are always necessary; but raw vege¬ 
tables chopped small, or Indian-meal dough, 
containing no salt, so grateful to young turkeys, 
are caviare to chickens. But whatever be the 
bill of fare, the meals must be given at short in¬ 
tervals ; as much as they can swallow, as often 
as they can eat. The reader will please to re¬ 
member that when she came into the world, all 
that was expected of her was to grow and be 
good natured. She had not to provide her frock 
out of her mother's milk, nor to elaborate pina¬ 
fores from a basin of soaked biscuit; but for 
poor little chickens, the only known baby-linen 
warehouse, is situated in their own stomachs. 
And, with all their industry, they are only half 
clad, till flesh and blood stop growing for a 
while, and allow down and feathers to overtake 
them. 
The period at which they are left to shift for 
themselves depends upon the disposition of the 
hen. Some will continue their attentions to 
their chicks till they are nearly full grown; oth¬ 
ers will cast them off much earlier. In the lat¬ 
ter case, it may be as well to keep an eye upon 
them, for a few days, till they have established 
themselves as independent members of the gal¬ 
linaceous community. For chickens, in this half- 
grown state, are at the most critical period of 
their lives. They are now much more liable to 
disease than when they were apparently tender 
little weaklings crowded under their mother’s 
wings. It is just before arriving at this point 
of growth, that artificially-hatched chickens are 
so sure to fail, whether hot air, hot water, or 
sheepskin, be the substitute for the mother’s 
care .—American Poultry Yard. 
Pine Straw Braid. —The straw of the long¬ 
leaved pine has been found to possess superior 
qualities for braiding. It is prepared from green 
leaves, scalded and dried in the shade, simi¬ 
lar to the preparation given to straw of grain, 
and possesses a great degree of toughness, and 
is very even and sufficiently long. The braid 
work we have seen was a delicate light-green 
color. Whether it will bleach white, we are 
not informed. 
THE FUTURE WIVES OF AMERICA. 
From Mrs. Ellis’ lectures addressed to the 
young ladies of England, we give the following 
extract, which may be read with profit by every 
American female, mothers as well as daught¬ 
ers :— 
“ My pretty little dears, you are no more fit 
for matrimony than a pullet is to look after a 
family of fourteen chickens. The truth is, my 
dear girls, you want, generally speaking, more 
liberty and less fashionable restraint; more 
kitchen and less parlor; more leg exercise and 
less sofa; more making puddings and less piano; 
more frankness and less mock modesty; more 
breakfast and less bustle. I like the buxom, 
bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked, full-breasted, bounc¬ 
ing lass, who can darn stockings, make her own 
frocks, mend trousers, command a regiment of 
pots and kettles, milk the cows, feed the pigs, 
chop wood, and shoot a wild duck, as well as 
the duchess of Marlborough, or the queen of 
Spain; and be a lady withal in the drawing 
room. But as for your pining, wasp-waisted 
music-murdering, novel-devouring daughters of 
fashion and idleness, with your consumption- 
soled shoes, silk stockings, and calico shifts, you 
won’t do for the future wives and mothers of 
England.” 
Indian Loaf.— To three pints of milk, add as 
much Indian meal as will make a thin batter, 
three eggs, two table-spoonfuls of butter, a tea¬ 
spoonful of saleratus, and salt to suit the taste. 
If not to be had, the loaf is good without the 
eggs. 
The above recipe was given us by a fair 
daughter of Connecticut, and all we can say, is, 
if it be half equal to her gentle self, it must be 
good indeed. 
Farmer’s Rice Pudding.— No. 1.—Take two 
and a half ounces of rice, five and a half pints of 
milk, and four ounces of brown sugar; grate nut¬ 
meg over them and bake in a deep pan, three 
hours, stirring well about every 20 minutes, pre¬ 
vious to baking. 
No. 2.—To half an ounce of rice put a pint of 
milk, and sweeten to taste; otherwise, same as 
No. 1. Eat cold. A. D. 
To Make Currant Jelly. —Take the juice 
of red currants and white sugar, in equal 
weights. Stir them gently and smoothly for 
three hours; put it into glasses, and in three 
days, they will concrete into a firm jelly. 
