HOW I PICKLE 
sold by druggists at a few cents a pound 
under the name of sulphate of iron, one 
pound to two gallons of water, to be used as 
often as necessary to render all odors imper¬ 
ceptible, acting at the same time as antiseptic 
deodorizer and disinfectant, and if instantly 
thrown over what passed from the body in 
cholera, is one of the cheapest and best 
means known for preventing its communica¬ 
tion to others.— Ex. 
I make a quantity of liquid in which I 
do my pickling, which I make as follows : 
To six gallons of cider vinegar, take one oz. 
of West India pepper, 4 oz. tamarack, 4 oz. 
Spanish pepper, 1 lb. English mustard, 3 oz. 
white pepper. This will answer for almost 
any kind of vegetables to be converted into 
pickles. A teacupful of salt and a tcaspoon- 
ful of alum should be added to each gallon 
of vinegar. 
Keep pickles only in wood or stone ware, 
as greasy vessels will spoil them. Pickles 
should be stirred occasionally and all soft, 
ones should be removed. Some of the liquid 
should be kept on hand to cover the pickles 
should it be needed. The vinegar and spices 
should not be boiled over five minutes. 
Pickles will keep a long time if this receipt 
is carefully followed.— Germantown Tel. 
TOMATO CATSUP 
REGULARITY OF HABITS 
Wash and drain two bushels of fair, ripe 
tomatoes ; cut out the stem and any imper¬ 
fect spot; put the fruit into a kettle, giving 
each one a squeeze to break the skiu as yod 
throw them in (a brass kettle, scon red per¬ 
fectly bright, is the best, as being leas likely 
to burn on the bottom than the porcelain 
kettle). Cut up twelve ripe, bell-peppers and 
as many onions, and put with the tomatoes. 
Set the kettle over the fire and let the fruit 
cook two hours, stirring often from the bot¬ 
tom to prevent the tomaLocs sticking or 
bumiug. Then strain through a wire sieve, 
or better still a patent scoop and sieve com¬ 
bined, made of tin, with a crank or handle 
to turn the paddle, which easily presses the 
juice and meat through the strainer at the 
bottom, leaving seeds and skins inside. When 
stniiued, add a pint anda-half of salt, a quart 
of vinegar, throe tablespoonfuls of ground 
cinnamon, three of black pepper, two of 
Cloves, two of allspice, two of mace, and one 
of ginger. Boil slowly twelve hours. Of 
course it cannot be tluished in one day ; but 
at night must be emptied from the kettle 
into large wooden or earthen bowls, covered 
over closely, and left to stand till morning. 
The brass kettle should be well cleaned and 
dried as soon as emptied, that no verdigris 
may form in or around it, and to bo all ready 
for use the next day. In the morning put 
the catsup into the kettle again, and boil 
slowly all day, or till as thick as rich cream, 
so that no clear liquid will rise to the top. 
Stir often from the bottom ; as it thickens 
it will stick to the bottom if not carefully 
stirred, and scorch very easily. That will 
spoil the whole. It is well to turn a plate 
down on the bottom of the kettle, it will not 
burn so readily. People differ so in their 
ideas of seasoning—some like food very fiery 
and highly seasoned, while others like very 
little—that it is not possible to give the exact 
amount of spices. We have given a medium 
quantity which, by tasting, can be varied to 
suit your own taste. When cooked sniff 
ciently the catsup should be put into strong 
bottles tightly corked and tied down. Very 
little danger of bursting the bottles or forc¬ 
ing the cork out. None that we have ever 
tried have done so. In hot weather, If kept 
too damp, it may sour ; but we have now 
some made last summer as good as the new. 
— Mr8. H. fV. Beecher. 
Among all the preventives of illness, con¬ 
servators of health and precursors or insurers 
of longevity, we regard regularity of habits 
as the most important. This is especially 
true relative to eating and.sleeping. The man 
or woman who is not regular in taking meals 
and sleeping will sooner or later suffer the 
consequences of a neglect of one of Nature’s 
inviolable laws. It will not do to breakfast 
one day at eight, another at six, and then at 
ten or eleven- for if one does his digestive 
organs will soon be out of order, and serious 
consequences may ensue. And the same Is 
true in regard to sleeping. Our hours of rest, 
as a rule, should be the same uvery night. Tl, 
is not safe for even the moat robust and 
healthy to long violate the law of regularity 
in this matter. The man who retires ami 
rises at irregular periods, varying from two 
to four or six haul’s, as many are accustomed 
to do, cannot enjoy good health, or live long- 
and happily. Every one should adopt a rale 
to retire at a certain hour ami adhere to it, 
as strictly as possible—never deviating ex¬ 
cept in emergencies, or on account of vitally 
important business. 
Some years ago, when the Hon. Gkiirit 
Smith was a member of Congress and refused 
to remain at a session beyond Ills usual hour 
for retiring, although his vote was desired 
for a measure whose adoption he and his 
party considered important, he was denounc¬ 
ed by the late Horace Greeley and many 
others for desertion of duty. And yet Mr. 
Smith acted upon a principle, and would not 
do evil or violate a firm rule of life, that good 
might come. Though many condemned the 
act we are not sure that he did wrong, and 
it is more than probable that if all mem here 
of Congress were as conscientious it would 
be better for the country- Indeed, if the 
members of all legislative bodies—from the 
village boards and city councils up to the 
National House of Representatives and Sen¬ 
ate—were as regular and exemplary in their 
habits and principles as was Mr. Smith on 
the occasion referred to they would be the 
gainers iu body, mind, morals and estate, 
while the interests of community and the 
country would be far better protected. 
This matter of regularity of habits is of 
vital consequence to both the risen and rising 
generation, and ought to be both preached 
and practised by public instructors and others 
to whom the masses look up as examples. 
We trust every parent who reads the Rural 
New Yorker will be exemplary iu this mat- 
tor, or at least see to it that their children 
retire at a regular hour (and sufficiently early) 
each night to prevent the evil consequences 
of a different course. Aside from the ques¬ 
tion of health, there are many cases in which 
Irregular and late hours lead to a species of 
dissipation and immorality whichsoon places 
the young on the road to ruin, and certaiuly 
that should be avoided by all judicious par¬ 
ents, whether in town or country. 
LAZINESS AND HEALTH, 
Our experience is that a large number of 
girls’ ailmeuts are due to idleness, and the 
consequent ennui, and that the nerve-forcos 
are ns self-destructive us an unrestrained 
locomotive engine would be; which, if not 
properly directed, would injure everything 
with which it came in contact, or soon 
cripple itself. We have seen lamentable 
TO COLOR COTTON GREEN 
To four pounds of rags take one. and one- 
half ounces oxalio acid, two ounces of Prus¬ 
sian blue ; let each soak over night in one 
quart of rain water, then put together in as 
much warm rain water as you waut to color 
with. Put in the rags and let them be in 
twenty minutes. Wring out and dip in the 
following yellow dye. 
Take six ounces of sugar of lead, four and 
o-half ounces of bichromato of potash ; dis¬ 
solve in a pint of hot rain water. Take as 
much hot rain water as you want to color 
with. Dip first in the lead, then in the potash 
several times. Rinse in cold rain water. Use 
tin or copper—no simmering is needed. The 
first makes a blue, the last a beautiful yel¬ 
low, and both a durable green.— Mrs. L. B. 
CURE FOR DIPHTHERIA 
The ravages of diphtheria in Australia have 
been so extensive within the last few years 
that the Government offered a large reward 
for any certain method of cure, ami among 
other responses to this was one by Mr. Great- 
liuud, who at, first kept bis method a secret, 
but afterwards communicated it freely to the 
public. It Is simply the useof sulphuric acid, 
of which four drops are diluted in three- 
fourths of a tumbler of water to be adminis¬ 
tered to a grown person and a smaller dose 
to children, at intervals not specified. The 
result is said to be a coagulation of the dip- 
theritlo membrane and its ready removal by 
coughing. It, is asserted that where the case 
thus treated has not advanced to a nearly 
fatal termination, the patient recovered in 
almost every instance. 
TO SAVE KNITTING COTTON STOCKINGS. 
It may be too late in the season to make a 
suggestion of this kind but I offer the follow¬ 
ing : 
Take a strip of the cheapest and slaziest 
cotton cloth and wind around the feet, in 
Stead of putting on a stocking. Laboring 
men say their feet feel easier and better than 
they do in stockings. At first it seems shift¬ 
less to do so, but one becomes accustomed 
to the Idea, when they are pressed for time 
and strength. The cloth can be changed the 
same us stockingB when required, is easier to 
wash and never becomes hard by wearing 
and washing as stockings do that have any 
service in them. Old Cloth will answer if 
one has it. A Housekeeper. 
SOUND COMMON SENSE 
If you are well, let yourself alone. One 
of the great errors of the age is, we medicate 
the body too much, the mind too little. More 
persons are destroyed by eating too much 
than by drinking too much. Gluttony kills 
more than drunkenness in civilized society. 
The best gymnasium is a woodyard, a clear¬ 
ing, OP acorn-field, A hearty laugh is known, 
the world over, to 1'C a health-promoter ; it 
elevates the Spirits, enlivens the circulation, 
and is marvelously contagious in a good 
sense. Bodily activity and bodily health are 
inseparable. If the bowels are loose. He down 
in bed, remain there, and eat nothing until 
you are well. The three best medicines in 
the world are warmth, abstinence and re¬ 
pose.—Dr. RalVs Magazine. 
TOOLS FOR WOMEN 
TO KEEP BUTTER FOR WINTER USE 
It pays well to have good utensils of any 
kind, good tools to work with. Sometimes 
the work cannot be done at all without them. 
These facts apply its well to the culinary as 
to the mechanical arts. Take, for example, 
the gem pans, as they are called. Perhaps 
the gems (batter biscuit) have been prescribed 
by the physician for some member of the 
family out of health, or the decision has been 
made that it is desirable for all to use them ; 
the powers that be in the kitchen have 
learned how to make them ; the flour has 
been obtained, and everything is right but 
the pans. They say, however, that this does 
not make much difference they will try 
them without, and if they like them, then 
they will get the pans. They fail, of course, 
for the small pans are Indispensable to suc¬ 
cess. Let any one eat the leathery, shapeless 
masses that result from dropping the batter 
upon flat tins, and imagine, if he can. that 
they bear more than the remotest resem¬ 
blance to the tender, toothsome biscuits just 
bursting open with the lightness and sweet¬ 
ness that they cannot contain, and which are 
the resnlt of baking the properly-made bat¬ 
ter in small pans iu a hot oven .—Science of 
Health, 
Make the butter into small balls, or rolls 
if desired. Wrap each one in a piece of cot¬ 
ton cloth to keep it free from dust, pack them 
closely iu a jar or firkin, put a plate on the 
top, and cover the whole with good strong 
brine. The brine must be boiled and strained 
and stand until it is perfectly cold before it 
is poured over the butter. This is some 
trouble in the beginning, but a person will 
appreciate it wlieu they come to use it. It 
is all ready for the table in nice shape, at a 
moment’s notice, anil the hist pot will be as 
fresh and sweet as the first, because it cannot 
come in contact with the air if kept covered 
with brine. A Farmer’s Wife. 
SCHOOL CHILDREN’S HEALTH 
SELECTED RECIPES 
Look out for the health of your school 
children now. They ought to be healthier 
at Bchool than at home ; but, alas ! it is nob 
always so. Children often learn vicious 
habits at school. Guard against this. The 
moral atmosphere of schools is often low. 
Make it high. Children luave a power over 
each other. What one does and has the 
other wants. “ Lucy,” says one school girl 
to another, “ do you work in the kitchen at 
home?” “Yes,” says Lucy. “Well, I 
wouldn’t ” And so Lucy, if not over sensible 
and wise, lets her mother do the work and 
she plays the butterfly. This is all wrong, 
and needs to be remedied. Take warning in 
time. 
new application of the deodorizer ; on this 
account all deodorizers are efficient only 
temporarily ; hence the only rational method 
is either to remove the offending mutorial or 
employ disinfectants which arrest further 
decay. If the material botli arrests the 
decay and destroys or absorbs the ill-smell, 
then it is doubly valuable. Two hundred 
grains of chloride of zinc in an ounce of 
water is a powerful agent in neutralizing bad 
smells and in arresting both animal and 
vegetable decomposition in ships, hospitals, 
dissecting rooms, cellars, privies and water- 
closets, without having any ill-smell of its 
own ; for disinfecting purposes, mix one 
pint Of the ahove fluid to four gallons of 
water. 
There are three powerful disinfectants : 
carbolic acid, but its smell is objectionable ; 
chlorine and permangante of potash ; these 
disinfectants act by combining with deleteri¬ 
ous substances and rendering them harm¬ 
less, while antiseptics prevent and arrest 
the decomposition of animal substances. 
The only perfect disinfectant is habitual 
cleanliness and thorough ventilation ; next 
to that is a dry heat of 350 degrees. 
The most common and availing disinfectant 
| and deodorizer is copperas, crude coppei as 
A SPANISH CONSERVE 
A writer say3:—“The Spaniards have a 
mode of preserving which is quite peculiar 
to themselves. A slice being cut from one 
end of a large melon, the seeds and soft part 
of the flesh are removed, and into the hollow 
thus formed a luscious heterogeneous crowd 
of apricots, nectarines and peaches of 
oranges both sweet and hitter, of slices of 
pine-apples, of strawberries, of raspberries, 
is pressed and closely packed ; then all is 
steeped in the preserving sirup, the slice is 
restored to the end of the melon, reunited by 
the stickiness of the sugar. How long It re¬ 
mains under treatment, how aften the sirup 
may be made to simmer, are details un¬ 
known to us ; what we do know is that the 
final result is altogether the supremcat form 
of preserved fruit. 
TO RESTORE FAINTING PERSONS 
It is altogether wrong to hold up a fainting 
person and especially to keep the head erect. 
Fainting is caused by a want of blood in the 
brain, the heart failing to act with sufficient 
force to send the blood against the laws of 
gravitation. If then, you place a person sit¬ 
ting, whose heart has nearly ceased to beat, 
his brain will fail to receive blood ; if you lay 
him down with the head lower than the 
heart, blood will run into the brain by the 
mere force of gravity ; and in fainting, in 
sufficient quantity, generally, to restore con¬ 
sciousness. 
