340 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Jloiiustir (Broitomi), 
CONDUCTED 3Y EMILY MAPLE 
MORE OF THE SERVANT QUESTION. 
Anotheb phase of the servant question lias 
appeared in our neighborhood, which furnishes 
one more illustration of the difference between 
men and women In methods of business. 
The case is this : Mrs. A is fortunate in hav¬ 
ing secured the services of a remarkably efficient 
servant girl, to whom she pays three dollars per 
week. Mrs. Ji hears of the girl’s ability und 
trustworthiness, and offers her three and a 
hair dollars per week, if she will leave Mrs. A's 
service, and engage with her, whose family 
is smaller and whose con veuioncies for doing work 
are greater. The girl naturally accepts the offer, 
and after a fortnight's notice to (Mrs. A, is duly 
installed in Mrs. B’a kitchen. Mrs. A immedia¬ 
tely cuts the acquaintance of Mrs. B, whom she 
stigmatizes as “mean” for “getting tier girl 
away.” 
Tho sympathy of all the ladies in the neigh¬ 
borhood, except myself, seems to ho with Mrs A, 
who is looked upon as a greatly aggrieved indi¬ 
vidual. 
Now, if this girl had served in a school in¬ 
stead of a kitchen, and by her able management 
of it had won mu excellent reputation, there is 
no doubt that, an offer from another school 
tnard, of a position at a higher salary, would have 
been considered by Mrs. A as a just and well de¬ 
served reward of merit. At the same time, I 
think it would puzzle the good lady to show any 
reasonable difference between the reward of 
merit shown the school teacher nod that shown 
her former help. This method of obtaining help 
is considered perfectly legitimate among men, 
and is practiced every day. Why should women 
refuse to recognize tho justice of it? 
Is it not true that this recognition of, and 
competition for capable and Intelligent service 
is much needed in this vexed question of kitchen 
help? At present, a stupid and wasteful girl 
expects, and generally receives, as good wages 
as one more capable, simply boeause, In this de¬ 
partment of labor, competition has not estab¬ 
lished a grade of prices to correspond with dif¬ 
ferent grados of work. 
If a girl who can only wash, iron and scrub, 
knew that she could earn a dollar or two more a 
mouth if she could cook meats and vegetables 
she would be very anxious to learn how to do 
this. 1 lien having added this much to her 
knowledge, and improved her condition in lifo 
thereby, she would soon tind that there was still 
farther inducement for her to learn how to 
make cakes, pies and puddings; then to make 
jollies; to <;an fruits, vegetables, etc. In bhort, 
let there be a market value for this as for all 
other labor, and good girls will become the rule 
instead of the exception, as ia the case at pres¬ 
ent. „ 
necessary. Rinse through two waters, the last 
blued, and the clothes are ready for the line, 
dhe solution can be reheated and used twice, 
but the second time it is necessary to add one- 
half spoonful of turpentine and another sjioon- 
ful of ammonia. 
AVe give this bit of foreign economy, so that, 
those of our friends who have an experimental 
turn of mind, can try the method, and prove for 
themselves whether this lauded process is su¬ 
perior to our old and well tried mode of washing. 
----- 
PASTRY. 
Rural how to make apple pies and not have the 
bottom crust heavy and water-soaked.” Put tho 
apples right on the bakiDg plate, and spread a 
crust on the top. When I bo pie is baked take a 
plate of the same size and turn the pie on it. 
11'is brings tho crust under and makes a neat 
and more healthful pie, as the more crust there 
is the IeRg wholesome it is. Our plan would be 
to do away with both crusts, and put the apples 
in a nice fruit dish and serve them from it. 
This we would call, the no-trouble-at-all pie. 
JI. I). D. 
• -- 
MOKE ABOUT THE FEATHER-BED. 
Now it seems to me that it is barely possible 
for one to bo more uicj than wise, and really, 
excuse mo, if I do not look into the depths of 
my feather-bed with u microscope. You know, 
“ who,, s ignorance is bliss '(i« folly to he wiHe.” 
I have now, for the first time except through the 
heat of the summer, discarded feathers from my 
own bed, yet intend keeping foatlier-heds in 
my house, that others who wish may btill have 
them. Because I may like tho mat tress just as 
well aB feathers, is no roasoD, to my way of 
thinking, why my old mother, who has seen her 
three-score and ten, should not have the old- 
fashioned feather-bed to rest upon. Peace to 
the feather bed! Kay Hulbert. ■ 
-- 
WASHING MADE EASY. 
Some time ago we learned that a new system 
of washing had beeu introduced in some of the 
German towns, which did away with the destruc- 
ti\e use of the wash board and pounding barrel, 
as likewise the ruinous washing fluid, crystals 
and sodas heretofore used. .Since thou, this 
same system lias been adopted in some of tho 
French towns with satisfactory economical re¬ 
sults. 
The process is a saving of time, labor and 
fuel, and it is said that, while tho clothes are 
given a whiteness, unequaled to that obtaiued 
by any other method of washing, the most deli¬ 
cate fabrics are in no way injured. 
It is simply to dissolve two pounds of hard 
soap in a little water, and with it add to ten gal¬ 
lons of warm water one spoonful of turpentine 
oil, and two spoonfuls of ammonia. Mix thor¬ 
oughly with the water which should he kept at 
a temperature in which the hand cau be held. 
Into this solution place tho white clothes, and 
leave them from two to threo hours, covered as 
tightly as possible. Then take out and wash 
once though warm water—little rubbing being 
Pastry must not be worked or mixed with the 
* hands, if the housewife wishes her pieB flaky—a 
* ll'ing desired by most cooks. While acknowl¬ 
edging tho unwholesomenefis of rich pastry, we 
must assert that for us. a pie without a rich, 
flaky crust, is not worth the eating, and that we 
much prefer a plain pudding to a plain pie. 
If properly made, threo quarters of a pound of 
lard—or half lard and half butter—to a quart 
of sifted flour, makes n very rich paste, and 
oven one-half pound of lard—no butter—to a 
quart of sifted flour, will make a flaky crust, 
although not rich. 
Place the flour on the molding-board, add 6alt, 
make a well in the center; with one hand stir 
with a knife, and with tho other drop in ice-cold 
water, until the flnnr is sufficiently wetted to 
form a paste that will roll. Flour the rolling-pin 
and roll tho paste into a smooth square about 
one-quarter of an inch thick. Then with a lcuife 
divide the bird—whether allowing three-quarters, 
or half a pound to a quart of flour—into live 
parts, and spread one fifth over every part of 
the paste; fold over tho paste, and roll out 
Mgain, spreading on another portion of the lard ; 
continue spreading, folding and rolling until all 
tho lard is used; it is now ready for the tins, 
and if you please, when the Tipper crust is 
rolled out, a very little lard can be rubbed lightly 
over the top of tho crusts, with a bit of paper. 
To prevent piea bursting, wet tho rim of tho 
lower crust with a thick paste of flour aud water 
and press the two crusts firmly together. It is 
better to remove pies from the tins on which they 
are baked at once, for if allowed to cool on the 
tins the under crust is liable to become soggy. 
Another way to prevent the inside of the pie 
from soaking into the under crust is to bake the 
under crust, slightly before filling the pie, also, 
never let them stand after filling, but hake at 
onco in a quick oven. Should pastry be perfect 
before baking, a cold, slow oven will prevent it 
from being crisp and flaky. 
The following German paste is nice for all 
sorts of fancy puffs and liuts, and if properly 
baked and kept in a stone crock in a dry place, 
the shells will keep nicely for six weeks—that is 
in winter. Make a hole in tho center of three- 
quarters of a pound of fine flour; put into it a 
half a pound of butter, the same quantity of pow- 
dered sugar, the pool of a lemon graled, and 
rub all together with a knife; heat light the 
yelks of two eggs and stir into tho other in¬ 
gredients. If the eggs do not sufficiently mois- 
ten the paste, add a very small quantity of water, 
Mix thoroughly with a knife, but do not handle. 
Roll thin and before putting into the oven, wash 
over the pastry with tho beaten whites of tho 
two eggs, and sift over, a httJe powdered sugar. 
ptniit Information, 
FEVER AND AGUE. 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Rice Snow. 
Fut to cook four spoonfuls of ground rice 
—it cau he ground ia any'coffee mill—in one 
pint of water; stir well and cook about fifteen 
minutes, then add two spoonfuls of butter, a 
little salt, two spoonfuls of white sugar, and 
a few drops of ieniou essence; have boiling 
cne pint of milk, pour it over the rico; stir well 
and let it boil until thick ; then pour into a dish 
for the table. Excellent, either warm or cold. 
Fancy Ralls for Tea. 
Cook rice as above, and pour into tea-cups or 
molds, say half full; when cold turn out on a 
platter, or in sauce plates; heat the wbiteB of 
two eggs with two spoonfuls of sugar until a 
stiff froth ; then add a pinch of salt, flavor, and 
spread over the cakes. Leave a spoonful of the 
frothing on the plate; mix with it the same 
amount of jelly of uuy kind, beat well together 
and drop on the top of the cakes. 
Orearo Pie. 
To the well-beaten whites of two eggs and two 
spoonfuls of sugar with a little 6alt, add one 
pint of good milk with cream on; flavor, pour 
into a crust aud bake. 
Dried Apple Pie. 
Take half a bowl of stowed dried apples, beat 
with a fork until frothy; add sugar; a teaspoon- 
ful of butter; nutmeg and cinnamon to the 
taste aud heat well together; make a bottom 
crust and put twisted strips across the top of 
the pie. Try it ve who like tart pieB. s, h. h. 
Light Pie Crust. 
Mrs, Curtis says, “ tell the readers of tho 
’ It w «6 my fortune, or my luck, to live in a 
3 fever-and-ague district in Western New York for 
• some sixteen years, ending in 1859. There being 
four in my family subject to this disease, during 
a year and a half, I got pretty well acquainted 
with it. and t hough I shall not attempt to give a 
1 scientific description of the disease, or to give 
advice as to medical remedies, but leave all such 
matters to the medical faculty, I shall, never¬ 
theless, if allowed, give some advice as to what 
to do in the premises, or rather relate my experi¬ 
ence with myself aud those under my care, as 
the head of a family. 
Our cases were somewhat different from those 
I have seen since living further West. They 
"ore all distinctly marked by the four stages— 
chills, fever, sweating, with great lassitude, fol¬ 
lowed by a complete intermission of all these 
symptoms. There were generally two days be¬ 
tween tho attacks, and &U were affected aliko 
except in the dull stage, which differed very 
much, being sometimes merely a single cold foot 
or hand, and from that all the way up to a gen¬ 
eral shake, lasting one to two hours. Of course, 
we had a doctor and took medicine— quinine. 
Our doctor was iu t he same boat and tool• his 
own remedies ! which 1 verily believe to he the 
best known. We learned, however, to take doses 
larger but less frequent than is generally jire- 
scribed ; aud during the chills I called for a pail 
of hot water, reduced with cold till it could ho 
borne, into which I plunged, occasionally, head, 
hands and feet, keepiug up the heat by additions 
from the boiling tea-kettle. When the fever 
came, the pail was filled from the well, and the 
same ceremonies performed. When the sweat¬ 
ing commenced, there was nothing to do hut to 
tin and sweat, and iu my own case, I knew little 
whether I was in the body or out. About tho 
tunc the fever went off, there occurred, in sev¬ 
eral cases, a condition of body and mind, that I 
have never heard or seen described—a complete 
Prostration of every sense and faculty, except 
that of nn indescribable pain nowhere in partic¬ 
ular, but with au inability to move or direct any 
one what, to do. In my own case. I was instan¬ 
taneously relieved by some cold water being 
spilled ou my bare cheat. Relieving this condi¬ 
tion was caused bv a stagnation or the blood, as 
the circulation, rapid during the fever, was re¬ 
turning to its normal motion; and knowing that 
(he blood vessels came near the surface on the 
inside of the arm, I resorted to friction of that 
part iu tho several other casts of which I was a. 
witness. Of these I will describe one case, as a 
sample. 
Bridget, our help, had lain quietly through 
the chill and fever with only an occasional groan. 
At last site suddenly commenced a scream that 
brought the household to her bedside, when she 
wanted her head held to keep it from splitting. 
Edgiog my way through the crowd, I caught her 
arm, when she said “ ’Taut me srrum—it’s me 
head,” but a lew rubs up and down with the 
bare hand ruado her think it was really in her 1 
a ™- S. B. Peck. ‘ 
e producing only thick-necked scullions. Tho 
o variety wo obtain tho beat result with, is the so- 
a called Creole onion. This onion is in every 
a part larger, grows faster, and is able to stand the 
heat better tliau any other, 
t Seeds are sown, slightly covered aDd well 
b tramped in a rich !>ed well prepared, during the 
a months of September, October, and November. 
b Those sown iu February will mature onions yet, 
. though not so largo. The practice of sowing 
them iu a seed bed, instead of direotly in the 
! land, where they are to stand, has several advan¬ 
tages. The seed bed may he watered when need¬ 
ed; if the land is properly prepared about the 
same time, it will have time to settle, and the 
sprouting weeds may be destroyed by a third of 
the labor it would take to pull them out of tho 
plant-rows; while tho stand will ho more equal, 
t anf l the work of transplanting just about the 
, same sm the thinning ontwonld be, if sowed di¬ 
rectly in the rows. They aro transplanted as 
soon as they attain tho thickness of a strong 
knitting needle. The Croole onion growing 
more robust and larger than other.;, has to be 
planted wider apart than is commonly practiced. 
The rows fifteen inches distant and the plants 
six inches apart, are about tho right proportions 
in rich land. Tho most expeditious way of trans¬ 
planting them is, by stretching a cord or strong 
liue and walking on it, tins leaves a mark. One 
person drops the plants pointing at right angles 
from this mark with the roots directly on it, 
another follows pushing the roots Blightly into 
the ground with the forefinger, without covering 
(hem; Ibis will cause tho plants to stand shallow,' 
fixed only by the roots. Onions w ill grow in any 
sort of rich land if not too stiff or wot, Coarse, 
rank, and unconiposted manure is to ho avoided. 
Clean after culture, and keeping tho surface 
mellow, without hilling them up or hoeing them 
deep so as to disturb their roots, aro essential 
to their growth. The practice of raising them 
year after year on the same land is not practica¬ 
ble here; they are a winter crop, and the land 
would have to lie idle too long, and run foul 
with weeds. They do well after corn or cabbage 
lieavily manured in spring. As soon as the 
leaves commence to wither and fall over, tho 
grass should bo allowed to grow to keep tbo 
ground shaded and the bulbs from being cooked 
in (he patch. They urn fully ripe as soon as the 
roots have decayed, when they maybe gathered, 
spread in an airy place to dry, and oleaued from 
the roots and leaves. 
Onions destined to raise seed from, should he 
picked with great discrimination. Finn, glossy 
bulbs falling abruptly, into a thin neck, consist¬ 
ing of only one growing center, are the points to 
be looked at.; largo, monster onions should be 
avoided; these frequently will,Instead of goiug to 
s* ed, split up tat") agreatmany small claws, liken 
gai liek or a potato onion. Seed onions are plant¬ 
ed iu 0.'tuber in a sunny situation, where they 
have a fro© circulation of air about them. Tho 
flower or seed-heads are apt to rot or produce 
abortive seed, if not given these requirements. 
Mr. Editor, it would ho worth while, to try. 
Southern raised onion seed m a northern locality. 
I will send you a little onion seed in a day or two. 
Will you make a trial in tho Rural Grounds ? I 
am almost sure, that you will be able to raise an 
onion ju one season from Creole seed. 
Three wicks of extremely wet weather, have 
been suddenly terminated by u brisk, cold north¬ 
er. This morning we had tho first slight, white 
frost. A good many sweet potatoes have rotted 
in the ground, and a great deal of cotton has 
been spoiled through this wet spell. 
G. Marti. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Houston, Tex., Nov. 10, 1877 . 
Authorities tell us onionB cannot be raised 
successfully in oue season from the black seed, 
south oftLe New England States. However true 
this may be in most of the States of higher lat¬ 
itude than that mentioned territory, it is falla¬ 
cious in regard to this locality. ’ During the 
months of Huy and Juue, the markets and 
stores may be seen stocked with as line mature 
onions as ever have been sent here from 
the North in the fall. In fact, these last few 
years the markets had been so much glutted w ith 
them, and consequently the prices so much re¬ 
duced, that they ceased to be a remunerative 
crop for tho gardener to raise. 
Ail those are grown directly from the seed. 
But iu order to he successful in their culture, we 
have to raise our own seed, no teed from a lo- 
oality much further north will answer; grown 
from it, they will not bottom, or ripen oil well, 
Oregon, Mo., Nov. 11, IS77. 
Fruit growing is carried on here to such an 
extent as to create a demand for our fruits at 
every point where good fruit is wanted. When 
our country was first settling up, old fruit 
growers were in doubt as to the possihilitios of 
this section being at all favorable to the grow th 
of fruits. 
Apples arc the principal fruit grown at present, 
although almost all other kinds are cultivated in 
more or less quantities. For many years the old 
standard sorts only were planted; but now, on 
each Mcceediog year, new varieties come in fruit¬ 
ing and such specimens give good report of what 
we can grow. This season our County (Holt) pro¬ 
duced about 250 varieties cf apples alone, and 
such a display is rarely seou iu older fruit sec¬ 
tions. Our expectations w ere more than realized, 
and were it not fur some of tho peculiar cUai ac- 
teristios of some varieties, their size here would 
make them unrecognizable. Our fruits have beeu 
iu competition with those of other places in 
Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, arid many Fairs in our 
State, at all of which our fruits gained good re¬ 
ports. 
Peaches do well here and aro not troubled with 
the yellows or any of the other diseases so pre¬ 
valent in many places. 
Pears are a failure on account of the blight. 
Many of our Pear culturists are quietly awaiting 
the introduction of blight-proof trees. 
Grape- a rowing is an interest attracting a 
