©EC. <5 
388 THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Jlonusttt (fcraitomij. 
CONDUCTED 37 EMILY MAPLE 
SIFTINGS FBOM’.THE KITCHEN FIRE. 
BY lilts. ANNIE L. JACK. 
It has j u h t been WlLLi k’8 birthday, »m3 ns all 
theso are gala days with tin, there is nothing 
will do but a little festivity. It so bftppswad 
that this day was Thanksgiving in the United 
States, bo wo wore able to celebrate both ways. 
Aud in order to give every one an equal share of 
the preparation we stipulated that t he recipient 
of our favors should prepare the fowls for the 
cook (Ilia sister) while the younger lads brought 
in wood aticl kept the fire going. Then his 
favorite sister made cake, all herself, and this ts 
quite an Hem for a girl of fourteen when the 
eggs and butter mid fruit alt seem in league to¬ 
ward only one end, which ia, to Bee if, combined, 
they can make it heavy. Then we looked over 
the cook books for a pudding, and finding in 
Marion II a w, a nos “ Breakfast, Luncheon and 
Tea,” a recipe called Willie's favorite" decided 
that was the one for t he day. Jt was as follows: 
“One loaf stale bread; one-half cup suet; one- 
quarter pound ciiron, chopped very fine; one- 
lialf pound of sweet almonds, blanched ami 
shaved; five large pippins, pared, cored and 
chopped ; one cup of cream; the same of milk; 
a little salt ai d one cup of sugar.” We cut. the 
bread into slices an inch thick and pared off the 
crust, placing them in a mold, aud making thorn 
fit nicely. Then soaked this with cream, and 
spread with suet, and thou the fruit, chopped 
aud mixed together. Sprinkle with the sugar 
and a few almond shavings and keep on until the 
mold is full, the last, layer to be broad very wot. 
Cover and broil two hours, then dip the mold in 
cold water and turn out carefully. Sift sugar 
over it aud eat with hot sauce. 
The pudding was a success and owed much to 
the cook’s careful attention, for nothing is done 
at all that is only half done, as we have all found 
to our cost in many things. One of the little boys 
pared the potatoes, thus saving his sister's fin¬ 
gers and time while indulging in his favorite 
propensity for whittling. 
I have often explained to those having the 
charge of this vegetable that the best part is 
nearest the skin, and they take quite a pride in 
showing mo how thin the parings are. After 
washing in two waters aud boiling in salted 
water that begins to bubble when they arc put iu 
and never stops till you pour it oil, our potatoes 
are dry and like flour at all seasons, while a 
slight shake after*the jiouring, improves the 
finest and is I be salvation of the poorest speci¬ 
mens of this useful article of food. I Am Often 
struck with the fact of the small importance 
given to (lie potato on American tables, and this, 
I think, a decided mistake when we take into con¬ 
sideration its healthful qualities. 
The dinner was a pleasant proof of what chil¬ 
dren can do when encouraged to be self-reliant, 
aud gave more satisfaction to the merry group 
than if they had dined at Delmouieo’s without a 
thought or caro as to who should prepare or 
who should pay. 
It does not take much to make children happy 
at ten years of age, and a 111 l ie forethought can 
give them a gala day without being much 
trouble or expense to older persons. I think it 
is a cruel neglect in a family when these birth¬ 
days are passed by unheeded, and yot how ofteu 
it lias been my lot to hear grown men and wo¬ 
men say, “I never knew when my birthday 
came, my mother did not believe iu these holi¬ 
days.” So wo try to keep t he day and feel that 
it is marked with a white stone of remembrance 
in our children’s lives. 
-- ♦♦-* - 
RECIPES FOR THE HOLIDAYS. 
Christmas Pudding. 
One pound of raisins stoned and divided, one 
pound of currants washed aud dried, one pound 
of beef-suet chopped very fine, three-quarters of 
a pound of citron and orange peel mixed, three- 
quarters of a pound uf stale bread-crumbs, one 
pint of new milk, ten eggs beaten separately, 
one-half pound of sugar, one nutmeg, and a 
wineglass of brandy. 
Mix the rai-ins, currants and citron with the 
flour, bread-crumbs and suet, add the nutmeg, 
sugar, and yelks of the eggs, then the milk and 
brandy; mix Well and stir in the w hites the hist 
tiling ; dip the pudding-cloth into hot water ; 
dredge thoroughly on the inside with flour; pour 
in the pudding ; tie tightly and boil in a good- 
sized kettle with plenty of hot water from four 
to five hours ; place hu old plate at the bottom 
of the kettle, that the cluth may uut burn ; see 
that the water boils constantly and replenish as 
needed from the tea-kettle. When the padding 
is done, turn into a largo flat dish and Bend to 
the table with a sprig of holly or a bit of an ever¬ 
green stuck in the top; serve with hard and 
liquid sauce. 
Oranges Pilled with Jelly.1 
Select large oranges, and from the top of each 
remove with a sharp penknife a round piece the 
size of a quarter ; thpn, with the handle of a 
teaspoon, tako out UnJ pulp, careful not to 
break the rinds, and thnwv them into cold water. 
Make jelly, using gelatine and the Juice pressed 
from the pulp, which shontd be strained that it 
may be quite clear ; color ono-half of the Jolly ft 
bright rose cole r with currant jelly, wine, ora 
small quantity erf prepared cochineal. When 
the jelly is somewhat cooled, drain, and wipe 
, the oranges and fill them with altertiate stripes 
of the two colored jells. Each color must be 
allowed to set before the other is poured in. 
When the oranges are perfectly cold, cut them 
into quarters with a very sharp knife, and ar¬ 
range tastefully in a glass dish with sprigs of 
myrtle between them. 
A Rich Trifle. 
Remove the inside within an inch of the sides 
and bottom of a sponge-cake or pound-cake, fill¬ 
ing the shell with a custard made of the yelks 
of four eggs beaten aud added to a pint of boil¬ 
ing milk, sweetened to taste and flavored with 
bitter almond. On the top of the custard place 
some s'rawberry or any other jam you choose ; 
bout the whites of two oggB with a little powdered 
sugar until stiff enough to stand ; then spread 
over the jam and serve. 
Rice Balls. 
Boil a quarter of a pound of nice rice, which 
has been washed and rubbed thoroughly, in a 
quart of new milk sweetened to taste; add salt 
and two ounces of sweet almonds blanched and 
minced very flue; when the rice is tender, press 
into small cups which have been dipped into cold 
water. When ready to serve, turn the rice from 
the cups upon a flat dish ; arrange preserves 
around them and pour a few spoonfuls of rich 
cream over the center. 
Chocolate Pudding, 
Allow throe-fourths of a oupful of grated 
chocolate to a quart of rich, new milk; let it 
boil up aud then set aside to cool; beat up the 
yelks of four eggs until very light, and stir grad¬ 
ually into the cooled chocolate ; sweeten to taste 
and flavor with vanilla; pour into a baking dish 
and bake slowly. 
Make a meringue of the beaten whites of the 
four eggs, to which add four tablcspoonfuls of 
powdered sugar, and flavor with lemon; when 
the pudding is done, spread this over the top, 
and return to the oven to brown ; serve either 
hot or cold. 
-- 
HOME-MADE CANDY. 
Chocolate Drops. 
Ali.ow t two coffee-cupfuls of “A" sugar and 
one cupful of cold water to one cake of Baker’s 
chocolate. Let the sugar and water boil twelve 
minutes over a brisk tiro, careful not to burn it; 
commence beating it with a fork as soou as 
taken from the lire ; when done right, this mix¬ 
ture should bo very light and creamy; flavor 
with vanilla and set to cool. 
Out up the chocolate on a tin plate, aud place 
ou the back of the range where it will melt slow¬ 
ly. Form the cream sut aside to cool into little 
balls, aud with two forks roll them in the molted 
chocolate ; when well coated, take out and place 
where they will cool. The sirup should be boil¬ 
ed iu porcelain, and if, after boiling twelve min¬ 
utes, it will uot cream, put over the fire for a 
minute or two longer. 
1 ■ Butter Tafly. 
Two cups of white sugar ; three-quarters of a 
cup of vinegar, not too strong; three-quarters 
of a cup of butter. Boil until brittle; pour into 
butte, ed pans. 
Almond Candy. 
Boil slowly one pound of white sugar and a 
coffee-cupful of water one-half hour; clear with 
iho white of an egg; test by raising up a 
spoonful of the sirup, and if the threads snap 
it is done: stir in a cupful of almond meats, 
blanched aud chopped, and pour into buttered 
tins ; when nearly cold, mark iu narrow strips 
with a knife. 
—-- - 
CHICKEN SOUP. 
The chicken should be nice and fat. Cut into 
pieces at the joints as for frying; boil in four or 
live quarts of water for two hours if young, aud 
for four Lours if old ; skim carefully when just 
ready to belt; season -when half done ; it will be 
necessary to add more water, as there should be 
at least four quarts of Houp when it is done. 
The dumplings are made as follows:—Beat 
tho yelks and whites of two eggs separately, as 
for cake; add four heaping tableBpouiifuls of 
flour aud oue teacupful of sweet mills—part 
cream. Rub the flour smooth m the milk, add 
the yelks, and then the whites, stirring care¬ 
fully after they are added. Drop spoonfuls 
into tho boiling soup; cover closely, and after 
boiling about two minutes set on top of the 
stove; serve at once. TLese dumplings are 
nice and light, and are liked by our family in 
other kinds of soup as well as that of chicken. 
Baked Beets. 
VTe have tried them and like them, as they are 
much sweeter and richer than when boiled. It 
requires three or four hours to bake them—vary¬ 
ing, of course, with the size of the beets—with 
a good, steady fire. j, ai. tv. 
■ ■ «♦» ■ 
NOTE. 
We have occasion to thank many friends for 
the excellent recipes they have sent to this de¬ 
partment. As it is to the interest of all our 
readers that timely recipes should be pub¬ 
lished, it will be understood why the others 
await their turn. 
®|c STafiiralist, 
CARE OF CAGED BIRDS. 
Amelia.—Will some one tell us about the caro 
of different kinds of caged birds ? We seldom 
see anything about it in our good Bubal. I have 
raised a cat-bird and oriole, and have hunted a 
great deal to find some information respecting 
them, and finally bad to use my own judgment. 
Whether 1 shall be successful in keeping them 
any time or not, I do not know. Canaries, too ; 
why may wo not hear more about them ? 
A ns. —An experienced dealer in cage birds in¬ 
forms us that when properly token care of, they 
are rarely attacked by any disease, liut many 
personB do not understand this proper care, or 
are negligent in' the exercise of it, and benc-c 
arise most of the ills from which these innocent 
captives suffer. In general, it may be said that 
the habits of birds in a state of nature furnish 
tho best guide for their management when con¬ 
fined in cages. Prison life, however, is some¬ 
thing very different from one of nnrestrained 
freedom. It Is a perversion of natural laws, and 
imposes upon tho self-chosen guardian b of (ho 
birds—who are human or inhuman, according ns 
they discharge their trust—the duty of provid¬ 
ing for their daily wants. These must bo met 
in a way that will maintain unimpaired the 
health, beauty and spirits of the birds. 
First of all. proper and wholesome food must 
bo selected and given with regularity and punc¬ 
tuality. Secondly, the cages must be kept clean 
and dry, and for this purpose should be over¬ 
hauled at least once a week. Thirdly, the floors 
of the cages should be freely supplied with 
clean, fine, dry gravel, which is nceossary for 
the digestion of their food. Fourthly, fresh 
water should bo put in the cages every day for 
drinking and bathing purposes. Fifthly, birds 
require light and pure air, but should never be 
exposed to draughts, bad weather, or the scorch¬ 
ing rays of the sun. These rules constitute the 
whole code of law applicable to caged birds in 
ordinary health. 
But sometimes, in spite of all precautions, dis¬ 
ease aud vermin will attack tho birds. There 
are, besides, the molting, iho mating and tho 
breeding seasons, which are so far in the nature 
of diseases, that while they Inst tho bird* require 
especial and pocuiinr attention. To giveonr 
correspondent information of sufficient value for 
practical purposes on all these points, would take 
more space than we have at our command in 
this place. We must, therefore, refer her to the 
bird dealtrs or book merchants for treatises on 
this subject. She will in them find all tho ills 
that CHged bird flesh is heir to, clearly catalogued 
and described, together with recommendations 
of appropriate remedies for every one. 
The canary-bird is more easily taken care of 
than any other. It is, par excellence, the pet 
bird of tho civilized world. Several hundred 
years of confinement, training, and inter-breed- 
ing with other species, have changed its nature 
in niHuy important respects. It ia now a far more 
beautiful bird than that from which it originated 
in the Canary Islands, and has a much more va¬ 
ried and charming song. As to its food, the most 
simple and natural is found to be the best, being 
most productive of health and cheerfulness. 
Mixtures consisting of various seeds, such as 
rape, millet, hemp, canary, poppy, and leltuce, 
with oatmeal, sugar, sweet cake, biscuit, candy, 
figs, raisins, and the like, should be rigidly 
avoided. They spoil its taste for its natural food, 
weaken its stomach, render it feeble, and Inca¬ 
pable of bearing moiling—a most trying experi¬ 
ence under which it frequently dies. The best 
food is a mixture of rape and canary seed. A 
little fresh green food, such as the common 
door-yard plantain, chickwetdor lettuce, cabbage 
and celery iu boason, or sweet apple in winter, 
will be fouud occasionally congenial to the bird. 
All food must be pure, clean aud fresh, and of 
good quality when fed. Cuttle-fish bone is pro¬ 
vided for canary birds, not merely as a biil-nha rp- 
tner, but as a relish, its salty taste apparently 
sharpening their appetites as well; it is, in fact, 
their only condiment. Canary birds sing best 
when kept separate in small cages about a foot 
in diameter. 
The Oriole and Cat-bird require large cages 
and frequent baths. They are called toft-bill 
birds (in distinction from the seed-eating birds 
like tho canary, which are called hard bill) be¬ 
cause in a natural state they live on fruit, in¬ 
sects, berries, etc. Their treat ment should be in 
all respects the same as that of other birds, with 
the exception of t heir food. For steady diet when 
in good health, the dealerB recommend certain 
pastes, oue or two of which wo give, as follows : 
Two-fifths stale white bread, well soaked in 
water and then presned out; two-fifths barley or 
oatmeal, arid one-fifill hard-boiled egg chopped 
fine—the whole to be mixed with milk and water. 
Another is one-third bread, as above ; one-third 
carrot grated and Juice squeezed out; one-sixth 
bard-boiled egg ; one-sixth bruised hemp seed— 
all mixed and made into paste. When either is 
used it should be made fresh every day. These 
pastes are good for all soft-bill birds. As a 
change of diet, a little lean beef, boiled or raw, 
but chopped or scraped very fine, may be added 
to the paste. Pried currants or raisins, when 
clean and chopped very fine, are good for such 
birds as will eat. them. A small addition of ants 
e KR a . imported by dealers, is good for ineccfc- 
eating birds. Meal worms are good for tho toft- 
bill birds ami should, as well as the ant s’eggs, bo 
fed to them occasionally, especially if they droop. 
Flies, grasshoppers, spiders, etc., may be caught 
aud dried for winter use. They are then fed, 
after being softened in hot water. 
-- 
THE FEATHERED KINGDOM. 
BY HENRY IIALES. 
In the wonderful economy of nature, what a 
' great and important part is performed by birds ! 
Few people, perhaps, reflect ou the immense 
field of study and delight this topic affords. 
Quadruped* fill a vast space In the world ; but, 
after all. it is • questionable to which men are 
most indebted. At first sight, one would be in¬ 
clined to say tho latter were the mo.it indispen¬ 
sable. In cold climates they aro most useful, 
while in hotter climes, as in India, whore many 
people eat no animal food, they are uot so ne¬ 
cessary, except for burdens; while in all tropical 
countries the birds are said by most nat uralists 
to keep insects within the limits of endurance bv 
man. 
Indeed, were it not for tho birds, insects would 
destroy tho whole vegetable kingdom which man 
rnuat have to exist. Every root or leaf has its 
enemy in an insect, and birds were wisely dis¬ 
tributed and adapted to every place where they 
can be of benefit or even pleasure to man. Al¬ 
though some, in return for tbo often unappre¬ 
ciated benefits they confer on liim, take a little 
tax from man in the shape of fruit or grain ; 
yet even these have been useful in other seasons. 
Perhaps t her© are no birds whoso only mission is 
destruction. 1 know of none. 
Birds are so distributed aB to cover the entire 
face of tho earth and water—wherever iuhu can 
penetrate, from tho porch of hi* door to tho 
most desolate regions of the globe, on land or 
water. In the desert we find tho pelican and 
ostrich ; iu mid-ocean we are accompanied by 
different varieties of gulls and petrel*, w hile the 
loneliest islands are often densely inhabited by 
many kinds of ducks, penguins, and other mem¬ 
bers of the feathered tribe. Tho forest has its 
multitudiiiuua tuneful denizens, while vast flocks 
of birds aro common to every continent. 
Tho great variety of substances on which birds 
feed is very remarkable. From the honey in the 
flower to worms of the earth, they find suste¬ 
nance. Some live on the fish of the ocean, oth¬ 
ers ou insects as they fly' in the air, or ou vege¬ 
tation—seeds aud fruits of every kind—aud oven 
on smaller genera in their own kingdom. Iu 
fact, almost everything that can be converted 
into nutriment is by them utilized. They, them¬ 
selves, also serve an important purpose to man 
as food. Tho quantity of feathered animals con¬ 
sumed by him in all parts of the world, is enor¬ 
mous. Indeed, in many regions, they constitute 
his principal animal food. 
But what would this earth be without the 
beauty and music of bird life! The summer’s sun 
would thine, but sadly silent, on a world with¬ 
out tho accompaniment of the song and gaiety 
of tho feathered warblers. He would rise and set 
in gloom, without these heralds of his move¬ 
ments. And man—what would he do without 
those cheering songs, unmlxtd with worldly 
cares, that come, pure and sweet, from nature’s 
own fountain of melody ? 
,s?rinitifu anti Useful. 
THE RIPENING PROCESS. 
Every one is aware of the difference in tho 
taste of ripe and unripe fruits, leguminous plants 
aud grains. The chemical changes which they 
