254 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
This cold weather reminds mo of “Mint- 
wood's ” anathemas on feather beds, and of 
the discussion which ensued thereon in the 
Rural New-Yorker. I agree with “ Mint- 
wood " in proscribing them—iu Summer— 
when they certainly are an abomination, 
oouducive to no one’s health, or comfort 
either, except the rheumatic invalids, who 
think they always require them. To bo 
ushered, of a hot night, into the “ spare ” 
chamber, dosed since the exit of its last 
ocoupant, weeks or months ago, perhaps, 
and stifling with the confined exhalations 
of an apoplectio forty-pound or, is a most 
exasperating invitation to repose; and J 
don’t blame any intended victim for seizing 
and depositing the “llowervbed of ease’’ 
in a corner—or, better still, out of the 
room—and betaking to the straw or husks, 
or floor beneath. (Why isn’t the straw 
placed uppermost, in dog-days at least?) 
But when Summer turns upon us the cold 
shoulder, and the “ spare" room, frost- 
curtained and tireless, is again invaded, wo 
long, as we don our night-robes, to sink iu 
the billowy warmth of the erst despised 
feathers. 
Chattering as with an ague, we bestow 
ourselves as quicklj 7 as our numbed limbs 
allow between the sheets of our rigid couch 
—the fashionably (?) substituted mattress! 
After the chill of this icy bath has further 
subtracted vitality, we instinctively lie 
coiled like a watch-spring on our refrigera¬ 
tor, nestling in vain on its unyielding, in¬ 
exorable surface, for tho warmth we can 
neither get nor keep. 
After an hour or two of alternate cramps 
and quakes, a sort of torpor benignly over¬ 
takes exhausted nature, which we oourte- 
onsly and (not to bo outdone by the rest in 
bravo endurance) heroically call sleep! Tho 
next night petticoats, waterproofs, shawls, 
are from our private resources added to the 
avalanche of bed clothing, and between 
the Alps on Alps above and the glacier be¬ 
low, the great discovery of Harvey is a 
thing we utterly refuse to believe in. 
I speak feelingly from experience in all 
seasons. Widespread as the comforts of 
life now are, a majority of the rooms de¬ 
voted to Sonmus, in the homes of the tolling 
millions iu city and iu country, go 
unwarmed through our long Northern 
Winters, except those fortunately adjoin¬ 
ing, or over l he living rooms; and iu such 
the only hope of the devotee is in hanging 
to tho golden goose, and to the warming- 
pan too, unless they would utilize their 
physicial heat to first make the bed tenable. 
1 have known children, of hereditary 
consumptive taint, in families of narrow 
means, sleep year after year iu a sunless 
room of Northern exposure, from whose 
walls in Winters sweep of the hand would 
briug down a shower of frosty incrustations. 
But 1 don’t think through that harsh, 
poverty-enforced regime that they would 
have escaped in fair health this side the 
grave to-day, but for their warm and faith¬ 
ful allies, t he bed of “ live" geese feathers, 
and upon ocoasion a hot flat-iron from the 
stove, or billet, of wood from the oven, to 
add to their comfort. 
Our oft ensampled grnndrnnmas did not 
disdain these homely aids, when with 
straitened means they begun life's battle, 
and were forced to eke out the comforts; 
and the healthand strength which these now 
despised aids assisted to cherish was the 
source of those prodigies of housewifely 
valor, and of the longevity, traditional in 
this generation. 
In the furnace-heated, perfectly venti¬ 
lated homes of the wealthy, where warmth 
Is free as air, feather-beds are looked on as 
fossils, whose place of usefulness and honor 
Is usurped by more fitting appliances. If 
but the same compatibility of arrangements 
wei’o in Obiigedly frugal households, where 
the hoard of earnings numbers but a few 
hundreds, or thousands at best, oue’s com¬ 
fort of mind and of body would not so of¬ 
ten be sacrificed to a silly aping of “style." 
Common sense dictates comfort, and do, 
thrifty matrons, of both city and country 
(at the North) let comfort he the fashion. 
Don’t look upon a good feather-bed, well 
cared for, as an enemy to health, especi¬ 
ally if the temperature of your room is in¬ 
dicated by the congealed contents of the 
ewer, or if there be frost even out-of-doors; 
and because some individuals of exuberant, 
vitality prefer their baths of ice-water, it 
does not follow that should all sick and en¬ 
feebled folk martyrise in like manner it 
would be to their advantage. Yours ef¬ 
fusively, GcestE Basswood. 
Cayuga County, N. Y. 
--♦♦♦- 
HYGIENIC NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Remedy for Wounds.—A correspon¬ 
dent of the Country Gentleman gives the 
following remedy for painful wounds: Take 
a pan or shovel, with burning eoals, and 
sprinkle upon them common brown sugar, 
and hold the wounded part in 1 he smoke. 
In a few minutes the pain will be allayed, 
and recovery proceed rapidly. Jn my own 
case a rusty nail had made a bad wound in 
the bottom of my foot. The pain and ner¬ 
vous irritation was severe. This was all 
removed by holding it- iu the smoko for 
fifteen minutes, and I was able to resume 
my reading in comfort. We have often 
recommeuded It toothers, with like results. 
Last week one of my men had a finger-nail 
torn out by a pair of ice-tonga. It became 
very r painful, as was to have been expected. 
Held in sugar-smoke for twenty minutes, 
the pain ceased, and it promises speedy 
recovery. _ 
Asthma Remedy.—S. A. G. writes the 
Cincinnati Gazette: —My sister has been 
relieved, if not cured, of asthma by the 
following: Buy of the druggist five cent’s 
worth ol saltpeter, and get also a sheet or 
two of grayish paper, which druggists have, 
thick like tho common brown paper. Dis¬ 
solve the saltpeter in half a pint of rain 
water and saturate strips of the paper in 
tho water and dry Tt in pans or on plates. 
Now roll them up like lamp lighters. When 
a paroxysm comes on, light ouo aud inhale 
the fumes. If necessary, throw a cloth or 
shawl over the head. If the saltpeter is 
very strong it may fuse a little. In that 
case, more water should bo added. The 
prepared water for saturating the paper 
may be kept bottled ready for use. If the 
paper described cannot be got, brown pa¬ 
per may be used instead, but the smoke of 
the former is purer. 
Antidote for Poison.—We find the fol¬ 
lowing ooromended:—If a person swallows 
any poison whatever, or has fallen into con¬ 
vulsions from having overloaded the stom¬ 
ach, an instantaneousremedy, more efficient 
and applicable in a larger number of cases 
than any half a dozen medicines we can 
now think of, is a heaping teaspoon of com¬ 
mon salt, and as much ground mustard, 
stirred rapidly in a teacup of water, warm 
or cold, and swallowed instantly. It is 
scarcely down before it begins to come 
up, bringing with it the remaining contents 
of the stomach, aud lest there be any rem¬ 
nant of a poison, however small, let the 
white of an egg, or a teaoup of strong coffee, 
be swallowed as soon as the stomach is 
quiet; because these very common articles 
nullify a larger number of virulent poisons 
than any medicines in the shops. 
Linseed Sirup for a Cough.—We find 
the following in a chemical journal:—To 
make linseed sirup for a cough, boll one 
ounce of linseed in a qua t of water for an 
hour; strain it and add to the liquid the 
juico of two lemons and a half pound of 
rock candy. If thorough is accompanied 
by weakness and u loss of appetite, add 
half an ounce of powdered gum arabic. Set 
this to simmer for half an hour, stirring it 
occasionally. Takt^ a wine glass full when¬ 
ever the cough is troublesome. 
That- Consumption Remedy. — In the 
Run a i. New-Yorker of July 13, 1 notice a 
young lady asks where she can find Cuudu- 
rangu bark and Extract of Carrageen, for 
consumption. I have a young friend ill 
with consumption, and, seeing Mrs. So:vi- 
kkuy’s recipe, I thought I would prepare it 
for him; but I failed to got the ingredients 
here; but ou taking the recipe to our drug¬ 
gist, he sent and got them for me, and 1 am 
happy to say the medicine is doing him 
good.—E. r. Jt. 
Chronic Diarrhea.—1 have been an in¬ 
valid all Summer; have tried many phy¬ 
sicians and many recipes. 1 now turn to 
tho Rural New-Y orker for help. I have 
been ill with chronic diarrhea and general 
weakness. 1 would be very glad if any of 
your readers would give me a recipe that 
would alford relief.— E. Fitz Simons. 
Buttermilk is an aid to the digestion of 
any food taken with it: and by many hy¬ 
gienists is regarded as an excellent substi¬ 
tute for fruit in Winter, and a prevention 
ol Spring sickness. It is especially recom¬ 
mended to invalids who suffer from indi¬ 
gestion— drink it at meal times. 
Itomcstic <f:rcinomtr. 
SKELETONIZING LEAVES. 
Mrs. H. L. 8. asks, in Rural of Oct. 5th, 
how to prepare skeleton leaves. 1 skeleton¬ 
ized some several years since, but did not 
soak them long enough to get the chloride 
of lime out, aud they turned yellow. I then 
dyed them green, and put them in a wreath 
with rose-colored and white Acroliniums; 
but I wanted some white ones this year, for 
they look more xpirilnrtle. Here is the 
proper way of preparing: — Gather the 
leaves as soon as they are fully grown, and 
before they have had time to ripen any. 
Most kinds are ready the lastof J une or the 
first of July. The easiest to manage are pear 
and cherry tree loaves; but a variety is de¬ 
sirable. Put, in jars and cover with soft 
water, and set out of doors. If the rains do 
not supply water to remedy the loss by 
evaporation, more must be added, as need¬ 
ed. Caro should bo taken to place the 
leaves having the most tannin by them¬ 
selves. Different leaves take from three to 
six weeks to macerate. When the leaves 
are ready to take out, the outside coating 
is loose, and may be broken and removed. 
This liberates the green substance that 
colors tho leaf. Keep them immersed in 
water during the operation. Float the 
skeleton part out on pasteboard, and rinse 
in clear water, letting them soak, and 
changing the water often. The very great¬ 
est care has to be taken in this kind of 
work, as one harsh touch will ruin them. 
Even the gentlest usage will save but a 
small proportion of tho leaves. 
After they have been well rinsed, put 
them in a weak solution of chloride of lime 
for a few hours, till they look white, butdo 
not let them stand too long. Remove to 
i clear, warm water, and change often fora 
day or two. Float out on pasteboard and 
let them dry, and they are ready for mount¬ 
ing. They may be formed into wreaths or 
bouquet*. I bad some put up with white 
wax berries that were admired very much. 
Loretta E. Knafp. 
North Fairfield, Ohio. 
-♦♦♦- 
ODDS AND ENDS. 
Potato Salad.—In some of the German 
restaurants my husband has eaten of pota¬ 
to salad, which lie wishes I could make. 
< ’an any of the readers of the Rural New- 
Yorker tell me how to do it?—M rs. Hal- 
cgmu. 
We find the following from a correspond¬ 
ent in tho Western Rural: — Cut ten or 
twelve cold, boiled potatoes into slices 
from a quarter to half an inch thick; put 
into a salad-dish with four tablespoonfuls 
tarragon or plain vinegar, six tablospoonfuls 
of best salad oil. one teaspoonful of minced 
parsley, and pepper and salt to taste; stir 
well, that all be thoroughly mixed. It 
should be made two or three hours before 
needed on the table. Anchovies, olives, or 
any pickles, may be added to this salad, as 
'also cold beef, chicken or turkey, if desired, 
but it is excellent without these. 
Domestic Inquiries. — Mollie P. Y'., 
who says sho is “a very inexperienced 
housekeeper," and has just commenced 
taking the Rural New-Yorker, asks 
some of the experienced housekeepers 
“ what preparation they use to soak or boil 
clothes in wliioli renders the getting the 
dirt out more easy without injuring the 
clothes." .... Emma J. N. asks for “a 
good recipe for making tomato catsup" . . . 
Do any of your readers know how the Ger¬ 
mans prepare garlic or onions with which 
they flavor boiled potatoes and make them 
so appetizing ? 1 have often eaten potatoes 
so prepared iu restaurants, and think them 
excellent. 1 should like my wife to know 
how it is done.—J osh Brown. 
Dyeing Blue.—One of your correspond¬ 
ents asks me through your paper how to 
dye a permanent blue. Dip the goods in a 
strong solution of alum. Then prepare a 
small amount of water with Prussian blue, 
and dip a few rags in it; add a little more 
blue and immerse a few more, aud so ou, 
the amount of blue to be regulated by the 
shade desired. I have found about an 
ounce to a pound of goods generally suffi¬ 
cient. The blue dye to be used cold.— l. e. k. 
To Pickle Hams aud Beef for Dry¬ 
ing.—I have used the following formula 
many years with great satisfaction:—For 
every 100 lbs. of beef, 7 lbs. of salt, 2 ozs. 
of saltpeter, lbs. of brown sugar, 4 gal¬ 
lons of water. Bqil and skim, and pour 
over the meat, when cold. If properly 
packed, that amount of water will cover 
the meat. For pork, pack the hams and 
shoulders together. To every 100 lbs., 
take 8 lbs. of salt, 1 ozs. of saltpeter, 1>£ 
lbs. of sugar, 4 gallons of water. The 
hams and beef for drying may be taken out 
after four Aveeks. To keep the meat after 
warm weather, the pickle will have to be 
boiled.—W. M., Alton III., 
I Quaker Plum Pudding.—My friend 
I Katie R. P. requests me to send to the 
Rural New-Yorker my receipe for mak- 
iug “ Quaker Plum Pudding," of which she 
has eaten and pronounced excellent. I take 
slices of light bread, spread them w ith but¬ 
ter and lay them in a pudding dish with al¬ 
ternate layers of raisins until within auinch 
of the top. Five eggs arc then well beaten 
with a quart of milk aud poured over the 
pudding; salt and spice to suit the taste. 
I bake it twenty to twenty-five minutes and 
eat with liquid sauce. The raisins should 
bo boiled in a little water before using, and 
the water and raisins put on the pudding,— 
Mrs. N. V. It., Minnesota. 
Corn Starcli Cake.—Take three cups of 
flour, two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, 
one cup of corn starch, one cup of sweet 
milk, one teaspoonful cream tartar, one- 
half teaspoonful sodaandtho whites of six 
eggs. Stir butter aud sugar to a cream; 
beat eggs well. Sift flour, soda, cream 
tartar aud starch together. Bake slow. I 
think this makes a very good cake.— Alice. 
Washington Cako.—-To four cups of 
flour add three of sugar, one of butter, one 
of thin cream, five eggs, and one tcaspoou- 
fulof saleratus. It makes a good cake.—it. s._ 
WOOLEN STATISTICS. 
From Washington, Sept. 22, we have the 
following dispatch :—The complete statis¬ 
tics of the manufacture of woolen goods in 
the United States, as returned at the Ninth 
Census for the year ending June 1, 1870, 
have just been sent to press from tho Cen¬ 
sus office; and exhibit the following totals: 
Of the 2,801 establishments in the United 
States there are in Pennsylvania, 457; New- 
Yorlc, 252; Ohio, 223; Massachusetts, 185; 
Indiana. 175; Missouri, 150;Tennessee, 148; 
Kentucky, 125; Illinois, 100; Connecticut, 
108; Maine, 107; Iowa, 85; Netv-Iiampshiro, 
77; West Virginia, 71; Virginia, G8; Illiodo 
Island, 65; Vermont, 65; Wisconsin, 64; 
Michigan, 54; North Carolina, 63; Georgia, 
46; Maryland, 81; New Jersey, 30; Texas, 
20; Utah, 15; South Carolina. 15; Alabama, 
14; Arkansas, 13; Delaware, 11; Mississippi, 
11; Minnesota, 10; Kansas, 9; Oegon, 9; 
California, 5; Louisiana, 2; Florida, 1; 
and New Mexico, I. The capital of these 
2,891 establishments is reported at §98,824,- 
331. The number of ateam-engiues is 1,050, 
with a horse power of 85,900, find water¬ 
wheels with a horse power of 59,333. The 
number of sets of cards Is 8,SCO, with a daily 
capacity of 857,392 pounds of carded wool; 
number of broad looms, 14.039; narrow 
looms, 20,141; spindled, 1,845,496. The aver¬ 
age number of bands employed during the 
year has "been—of males above sixteen, 42- 
728; of females above fifteen, 27,682; of 
children and youth, 9,G43. The amount of 
wages paid t<> those hands during the year 
is reported at. §26,877,675; the total value of 
the materials used during tho year was $96,- 
432.601, of which the amount paid for chem¬ 
icals and dye stuffs was §6,833,346. There 
were consumed during the year 17,311,824 
pounds of foreign woul; 151,767.075 pounds 
of domestic wool; 17.571.929 pounds of cot¬ 
ton; 19,372,062 pounds of shoddy; 2,573,419 
pounds of woolen yarn ; 3,263.949 pounds of 
cotton yarn; 1,312,560yards of cotton warp; 
110,733 pounds of warp. The value of all 
other materials used was §5,070,250. 
Among the productions of thebe 2.891 es¬ 
tablishments, are 63,340,012 yards of cloth, 
cassimeres and doeskins. 38,965,283 yards of 
flannel, 1,941,605 yards of felted clutb, 2,6G3,- 
767 yards of repellants, 2,853,458 yards of 
tweeds aud twills, 14,078.559 yards of sati¬ 
nets, 5,500,903 yards of kerseys, 24 489,985 
yards of jeans, 14,130,574 yards of liuseys, 
1,932.382 yard s of negro cloth. Num bers of 
pairs of blankets, 2,000,439; number of 
horse-blankets, 58.55S; number of carriage 
robes, 22,500; number of coverlids, 226,744; 
number of shawls, 2,312,761; number of 
pounds of yarn, 14.156,287; number of 
pounds of rolls, 8.GS3.069. Total value of 
production. $155,405,055. 
