320 
Domestic (fronomp. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE 
SIFTINGS FROM THE KITCHEN FIRE- 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
The hoaee-oleanmg is over. The last carpet 
tacked down by busy willing hands, that do 
these needTul tasks for “ love of mother the 
curtains in place and our extra help has given 
her pleasant bon jour and sought ** pastures 
new” for the exercise of her useful talent. Yet 
many things must be attended to before the 
house is really in summer array. Straw matting 
must be washed with salt-and-water to prevent 
turning yellow, and unused tins that are not 
regularly polished, come in for their cleaning 
now, with fine whitening. The boys take arainy 
day to give the cow stable a coat of lime, and 
axe quite pleased when “ Old Stranger ” return¬ 
ing to be milked at night, starts back in affright 
at the olenu house and does not know her own 
stall. Ah! these rainy days in spring! the 
grass seems to grow under one’s feet, and such 
a health-giving breath as one can feel in the 
soft air, so full of promise and beauty. 
“ Forever are they sweetly blent. 
In the falling summer rain.” 
Mud, did you say ma'am ? Yes, I know all about 
it, but if your men folks are at all oousiderate 
for the girls and their mother, you need not 
have so very much of that. Of oourse you do 
not scold. Just appeal to the feelings of any 
boy on the subject and see the result, lu the 
latter oase he will remember for a long time your 
words, and slip off his boots, or wipe them clean 
on the outside mat. For, of course, you keep a 
good strong mat whore they can perform this 
necessary operation and a box of slippers in¬ 
vitingly placed inside the kitchen door, are a 
great comfort to tired feet and tired house¬ 
keepers too. 
I have been cleaning black lace with rain¬ 
water, borax and a little alcohol, afterwards 
rinsing in hot water in which an old black kid 
glove has been boiled. The edges were pulled 
out, and after folding, it was placed carefully 
under a heavy weight, and came out as good as 
new. 
“ How do you oook sparrowgrass ?” asks a 
neighbor over the fence, to whom we have giveu 
a bunch of this, the first deliciouB spring 
vegetable. She dined on nettles yesterday 
though owning a farm of 100 acres, and has not 
yet cultivated asparagus. So we told her to cut 
the stUka equal length, scraping the outside 
fiber from the white part, throw into cold water, 
and then gather it up in your hand with heads 
evenly together, and tie in small bunches, with 
strings or tape; boil about twenty minutes in 
salted water—a little longer if it is old. Toast 
three or four slices of bread, out off the crust, 
and into any shape you choose. Dip iu the as¬ 
paragus water and place around the dish. 
Thicken the water the least trifle, molt iu it a 
lump of butter and pour over the asparagus, and 
you have a dish fit for a queen or a farmer’s 
wife. “ Mighty lot of fuss!” she answered ; “ 1 
couldn’t take that trouble.” 
Besides being a pleasant vegetable so early in 
the season, there is nothing better for affections 
of the kidneys and liver, as I have known cures 
in the former disease, effected by its steady nse, 
while in rheumatism many doctors recommend it 
as a diet, and I have heard those so afflicted as¬ 
sert that they found relief. But the vegetable 
must be used with perseverance during the 
season. 
--- 
PRESERVATION OF WOOLENS AND FURS. 
At.t. clothing liable to be eaten by moths, 
should be put away as early in 6priug as con¬ 
venient. It is at this time—May, that the moth 
deposits its eggs, and if olothiug be neglected 
until attacked by the larvae of the moth, no after 
care will undo the mischief which could have 
been prevented, had we early in the season dis¬ 
played a little watchfulness and energy in render¬ 
ing all moth-proof. Our furs and wooleus are 
oared for as follows: — Beat and brush thor¬ 
oughly, and hang in the sun for several hours. 
The furs are then carefully combed, and wrapped 
in newspapers perfectly tight—we do not use 
oamphor because we think it turns them light— 
and then put them away in a tight chest. Once 
a month they are taken out, beaten, and left in 
the sun for a day. 
Our woolens are likewise wrapped in newspa¬ 
pers, aired, and brushed once a month, and tied 
up again. I have used oamphor before now for 
woolens, but I have learned tMat the printing 
ink on the papers is as distasteful to the moths 
as camphor. A. E. M. 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Cookies. 
Two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, four 
eggs, one teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved in a 
tablespoonful of hot water, two tablespoonfuls 
of cream-of-tartar ; flavor with nutmeg; flour t j 
mix. These cookies will keep a long time. 
Ginger Cookies. 
One cup of pugar, two cups of molasses, two 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
may m 
cups of lard, one tablespoonful of ginger, one 
teaspoonful of salt, two heapiog teaspnonfuls of 
saleratus dissolved iu a teacupful of boiling water; 
pour the hot water and soda over the other in¬ 
gredients, and mix a little stiller than most oook- 
ies, or they will be too short; bake iu a very hot 
oven until of a deep brown. 
This recipe makes a large panful of cookies, 
which are nice for farmers’ wives to keep on 
hand. A. L. G. 
Green Peas. 
Peas lose their delicious flavor in a short time 
after picking,hence the necessity of picking them, 
just before wanted, and the reason why persons 
who depend upon the markets for their supply 
liud them so tasteless and insipid. Always wash 
Before shelling, but never after. Reserve some 
of the tenderest pods, and put into a saueepan 
with just water enough to cover, aud boil gently 
fifteen minutes ; then skim out the pods, put in 
the peas, and boil another fifteen minutes—this 
time sufficiently cooks youug, tender peas; but 
for those old and bard, one must allow from 
twenty to thirty miuutes, or even longer. When 
they are done, there should not be more than a 
small teacupful of water around them. Season 
with a few spoonfuls of cream, salt and a little 
butter. 
A very nice pea soup without meat can be made 
as follows: Boil two lettuces, two cucumbers, 
three onions, all of which should be chopped fine, 
with three pints of peas, until tender; put through 
a sieve or colander, aud add butter, salt and pep¬ 
per ; have toasted some pieces of bread, break 
into little bits, put into the tureen, and pom- 
over the soup—this makes about two quarts. 
Stewed Walor-Cresses. 
Place the creeses iu strong salt aud water to 
free from insects ; pick over, drain, and put into 
a stewpan with a very little watei, butter, pep¬ 
per and salt; the cresses will oook tender in a 
short time. They may be served with v.negar, 
or add a few- tablespoousful of cream, aud pour 
over Blices of but.ered toast. E. M. B. 
Cream Beer. 
Two ounces of tartario acid, two pounds of 
wtite sugar, the juice of half a lemon; boil five 
minutes, and when nearly cold, add the whites of 
three eggs well beaten, one half cup of Hour, 
one-half ounce of wiutergreen essence, lake a 
tablespoonful of this sirup to a tumblerful of 
water, then add one-half teaspoonful of salera- 
tus and drink at once. 
Black Ink. 
Ten grains of bichromate of potash, one-half 
ounce extract of logwood, one quart of soft rain¬ 
water. Let staud open for a few days, when it 
will be fit for use. W- L. Yandkrveer. 
For Catarrh. 
One teaspoonful of mustard dissolved in a 
tumblerful of cold water; gargle night and 
morning, or oftener if convenient. Or, take 
equal quantities of pulverized alum and loaf 
sugar—UBe as a snuff. Mbs. B. Drake. 
May-Apple (Mandrake) Jelly. 
Gather ripe fruit only; wash, slice, and boil 
until tender, strain without squeezing, measure 
the juice, aud add two-thirds the amount of 
white sugar ; boil uutil it will jelly. It will be 
of a beautiful clear straw color. 
Mrs. McCloud. 
-- 
QUERIES ANSWERED. 
I am advised to take lime-water for indigest¬ 
ion. Can I make it myself ? If so please give a 
recipe. Dyspeptic. 
Ans. —Lime water purchased at the druggists’ 
is made from distilled water. You can, however, 
filter it yourself, which answers very well 
and the following proportions will be found 
good. Slake two ounces of lime with a little 
water and gradually add enough water to make 
two quarts; stir together immediately, cover¬ 
ing the vessel aud let rest for four hours ; then 
pour into glass-stoppered bottles with a portion 
of the undissolved lime iu each ; when wanted 
for use, pour off the clear liquid from the top. 
flitos of % SEfflt. 
VARIOUS. 
A professor of Bologna claims to have invented 
a chemically prepared bank-note paper which 
cannot possibly be counterfeited. 
Ohio has voted by a large majority against tax¬ 
ing church property. 
There Is a fish pond mania In Kentucky, and 
many persons who own swamps traversed by 
small streams, are digging them out, damming 
them, artificial sheets of water which making 
they are stock lug with fish, principally trout. 
About fifteen years ago the “ New idea” variety 
show was a resort of miners In San Francisco. A 
feature of the nightly performance was a reel In 
which girls of 14 to 16 danced. There was much 
rivalry among them, and the audience was gen¬ 
erally enthusiastic. Otto Burbank, a veteran 
mlustrel, says that the now well-known Lotta was 
one of the favorites, and that she there learned 
the dancing and banjo playing with which she 
still pleases her audiences. Another was Mag- 
le Moore, now Mrs. Williamson, the mainstay of 
the successful ” Struck Oil.” Scpbleand Jennie 
Worrel, the burlesque actresses, were also of 
the company. 
M Edward Andre has an article In the Itlustra- 
tto HorUoole, showing that the original home of 
our common potato la In South America, in the 
Andes, near the equator. He first found it 
growing wild on the Summit of Qulndlo, near 
the volcano of To II in a, at a bight of 11,400 feet, 
In latitude 4* 34 north. He next, found It at 6,200 
feet high In the C’auca in latitude 1* 33 north, 
In May, 1S65. It was growing as a handsome 
vine, supporting itself on the neighboring trees 
and bearing magnificent flowers of a deep purple. 
M. Andre also found It lu North Lima In the 
Amancoes mountains, where In the midst of a 
very scanty vegetation the potato Is found grow¬ 
ing In abundance. It is equally common In the 
Island of San Lorenzo, near Callao. M. Andre Is 
convinced that Humboldt is entirely mistaken 
In hls opinion that the tuber did not exist either 
In ChUl, New Granada, or Peru. 
The dally production of crude petroleum In the 
northern oil fields of Pennsylvania Is 30,600 bar¬ 
rels which at 1.60 per barrel, amounts to $59,400 
dally; $1,782,000 monthly, and about $ 21 , 681,000 
per year. 
The Emperor or Austria Is a notable sportsman 
and the following list points to the conclusion 
that hls subjects are pretty active In the same 
line. There were killed in hls dominions lu the 
year endlug 1S76. 54 bears, 10 lynx3s, 233 wolves, 
23,606 foxes, 7,112 martens. 9,327 polecats, 5,38i> 
wild cats and weasels, 2,426 badgers, 2GI eagles, 
916 owls, 66 925 kites, falcons, and sparrowhawks, 
and 12,411 crows. 
Every male citizen of Atlanta, Ga., Is taxed $5 
per annum for the maintenance of the streets, 
but whenever It is muddy they have to stay In¬ 
doors, or go out on stilts. 
The terrible drought which has for some time 
afflicted almost the whole ot Australia Is at 
length breaking up. Sheep and cattle have suf¬ 
fered severely, and, In many Instances, owners 
have lost one-half of their flocks and herds. The 
want of water Is really the curse of Australia; 
and It seems doubtful whether this can be ever 
effectually remedted, although large expendi¬ 
tures has been Incurred In arrangements tor the 
storage of water In threatened localities. The 
small land owners—•* free selectors” and “ cock¬ 
atoo farmers,” as they are called—have a very 
hard time ot It, unless they chance to be In a 
singularly favored district. 
Some months ago a man named Packer organ¬ 
ized a large colony of emigrants In Allegany 
county, Md., collected considerable money from 
them to pay for handsome homesteads in Ne¬ 
braska, and conducting them as far as Omaha 
disappeared, leaving them penniless and friend¬ 
less. 
A well-known English naturalist says that It 
Is one ot the old vulgar errors to suppose that a 
skin taken from a live animal Is more glossy than 
that taken from a dead one. 
The birth rate In Georgia since 1865 has been 
a little more than thirty per cent, among the 
whites, and among the blacks a little more than 
titty. How about the “ niggers” dying out 7” 
The first bar of steel ever manufactured In the 
South was rolled last week at a mill In Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn. 
In England the class among whom'the rate of 
mortality Is highest are the Innkeepers. For this 
there can be but one cause, drink. The class 
highest in the scale of vitality are the barristers, 
who are, aB a class, distinguished for habhs 
of total abstinence. The death rate Is higher 
among clergymen than among lawyers. It Is a 
curious fact, too, that mortality Is greater among 
solicitors, who lead a much less stirring and 
bustling life, than among barristers. 
On December 1,1877, the population ot Berlin 
numbered 1, 018 , 818 . In I860 It was only 600,000. 
Connecticut cabbage growers are far from be¬ 
ing disinterested spectators of the struggle In 
Congress over the proposition to reduce the to¬ 
bacco tax. 
India is becoming a very serious competitor 
with the United States in the wheat market. The 
value of wheat she exported In 1875 was £14,141; 
In 1877, £123,473, andror 1878, £500,733. 
Samuel B. Hale went from Boston to the Argen¬ 
tine Republic twenty years ago, and has become 
a considerable farmer there. Hls larm contains 
28,000 acres of rich prairie land, enclosed with a 
heavy wire fence. He keeps an average of 110,000 
sheep from which the wool, tallow aHd skins Is 
enormous. He also has 3,000 beeves, 600 horses, 
and 1,400 hogs. 
If the tax of $100 be placed on every Chinaman 
landing In California, the Imperial authorities 
at Pekin threaten to Impose a similar tax on 
Americans landing In China 
The fall of nearly three Inches of rain In the 
course of twenty-four hours, which was recorded 
during the recent storm in London, was re¬ 
garded as an almost unprecedented event, but 
t.hiw heavy rainfall Is frequently exceeded In the 
Antipodes. During a storm In Sidney, described 
In the last Australian newspapers, as much as 
10 88 Inches fell iu forty-eight hours. After the 
terrible drought which has afflicted the country, 
thepareneu earth was not equal to carrying off 
such an enormous quantity of water suddenly 
poured upon It, aud disastrous floods followed, 
causing great destruction of life and property. 
william Harley, agent of the Merchants’ Trad¬ 
ing Company of Liverpool, has arrived at San 
Autoulo for the purpose of completing arrange¬ 
ments to ship Texas cattle and sheep direct to 
England. The cattle will be sont by rail to Gal¬ 
veston, and thence by a special line of steam¬ 
ships, about being built, to Barrow. 
Si. Petersburg possesses 670,000 inhabited 
houses. The first brick dwelling was built In 
1710 , two years before the city was made the seat; 
of Government. Excluding still-born children 
no fewer than 5,725 deaths occurred there be¬ 
tween May and August last, or over 34 in every 
1,000 of population. 
France proposes spending $150,000,000 on her 
army, and $45,000,000 on her navy In 1879. The 
low pay of French soldiers is partly compensated 
by the fact that they can buy their tobacco from 
the Government on very low terms, and travel 
everywhere through the country at half price. 
In the schools under the control of the London 
School Board, teachers, male and female, usually 
begin at $350 a year, and the greater number do 
not get beyond $450, 
Russia preserves eight crowns of provinces 
conquered at various times and Joined to the Em¬ 
pire—Siberia, the Crimea, Klew, Astrakan, Hasan 
Finland, Poland, Kruaslnla. 
There is a factory In Davenport, Iowa, for 
making sugar from Indian corn. The product 
somewhat resembles maple sugar, ana sells 
readily in the neighborhood. The sirup Is es¬ 
pecially liked. 
Among the meetings to be held In Paris this 
summer will be one of beemasters and lnsectolo- 
glsts, when insects noxious to vines aud agricul¬ 
ture will be discussed, with a view to all sorts of 
lethal experiments. The Colorado potato beetle 
will meet with especial attention. 
Before the Gregorian reformation of the calen¬ 
dar In 15S2. such was the state or confusion Into 
which things had fallen that from 1500 to 1582 no 
fewer than fifty-four Easters out ot eighty-three 
had been wrongly celebrated, and If this had con¬ 
tinued, after A. D. 269s there would have been uo 
legitimate Easter. 
The gentlemen kerosene oller3 of the Commune 
complain bitterly of the vast amount of rreedom 
left to policemen lu the larger American cities. 
-- 
Manufacturers of Ladies’ Suits, that use the 
Davis Vertical Feed Sewing Macuiue, are doing 
the sewing in the most elegaut manner, and en¬ 
tirely without basting, or showing the stitches, 
by the use of very simple attachments. The In¬ 
vention and In trod uc ion of the Vertical Feed Is 
an Invaluable addition to Sewing Mechanism. 
TUB old under-reed machines will be rapidly su¬ 
perseded by this new and more perfeet device for 
sewing, as it Is adapted to every variety or work. 
The Davis Sewfng Machine Company are building 
an addition to their large manufactory at Water- 
town, New York. 
THE MARKETS. 
PRODUCE AND PROVISIONS. 
New York. Saturday, May 11,1878. 
Reanb AND Feas.—V ery heavy receipts for the 
season continue to weaken the lu.irket, aud it is not 
improbable that the rate tor Medium vri.i go lower. 
A better export trade In Mairowa has set In. but 
with the; fr»o olferluu. seheis b ■ ve lu shade prices. 
The best quality ol Pea seem to have been absorbed 
in tue lute demand ; the remnant la null, at quota¬ 
tions. White Kidney ul*o quiet. Hod Kidney more 
freely, with bettor price* unted for pi tote. Green 
Peas at tho stations sell for al.UU : Choice 81 ru ed at 
#1.10, Southern tl. IS Peas 42.86ut3.U0 nominally. 
Canadian Held in hulk and bond steady at S-aaklc.; 
receiulsbeing t-ken rorexport; slopped last week, 
32,/uO busli. Export of Bean* 1.075 t>. I*, mostly tor 
Cuba. Receipts ut beans S.aJn bush, medium be.ins, 
choice. $l.60St$l.6a ; lnlr to good, #1..,0« 1.35. mar¬ 
rows. prune, *l.'.Out 1.75 ; fair to gutio, »l.L0:<<’l.6b. pea, 
$t.40<.j>J.'.> While Kinney, H,&0*.l.7ui red, t2.26ttf2.4254; 
Black (Turtle Smp) $2.40. 
Butter.—T he market baa not recovered from Its 
recent decline. White or streaked lots ol Slate have 
a very Undecided position and must be named very 
low to induce aalo ; particularly, a* line fresh yellow 
is quoted almost down to oleomargarine figures. 
The liberal supplies of butter this spring thus far 
have been very sagaciously handled by New York 
merchants, and for on..o there is little tear ol white 
blockading the position of gran*. Till* l» the case 
with 8urte, and It Is not likely that the West will 
risk shipment of fodder-fed stock that will be al¬ 
most sure to soil at a loss, Anoihor mark of this 
extraordinary season is a record of Interior packing 
In SlLutn dairies ill the mouth of May. Tho general 
demand t« fair, aud likely to Improve at the pr ces. 
There has been considerable export, but Beliefs can- 
ihil depend upon n prolongation ot torelgu Call, as 
Continental and British production at Hit* season 
relieves consumers from a dependenceon American. 
Receipt* for the week 2CAXI pkgs, ; exports lor 
past week 2 9 7 pkg*. Wo auote ; 
State creamery, choice 2l<4‘22c., a few at 23c. ; fa£ 
to good lt*tf20 .: Half tubs nod palls selected. Wet20c.: 
lair to good, lug. ISO.; Welsh tubs, tin tee. I8(ol9o: 
other useful, I.VudOc.: poor or stale Statu J2r«i)3c.; 
Western, creamery range with Suite; Western 
dairy one 16 17c.; other. 12<<iloe.; lactorv (ladled) 
13@14e. do. (milled) ll<tfl2c.; poor Western7*lUc.; do. 
and grease, Fs»8c. 
Beeswax. — Is offered lower with frrer supplies, 
quoted at 27(«28c. lor Western and Southern. 
Exports past week 1,0(10 lbs. 
Bhoom Corn.—A small business Is In progress. 
Quoted at iktf?S<- for hurl and short brush; 5@ 
6J*e. for medium green, 4<§,oc. for red and red- 
tipped, $ Q>. 
Cotton has been very dull- hut closed a trifle 
Stronger on the improved Kncnril advices. 
Latest prices are Rlbbc lor Us v; 10.97c for June; 
11.08c. for July ; ll.ll@l i 12 c. for August; 10 Siitf 10 82c. 
for September ; 111.64 10.06 for October : iO.5VffclU.56c. 
lor November; 10 aii<tfU).56e. for December; IU.66C. 
for J 11 uary; 10.746j,l0. 'i for Fcbruarv; 10 . 83 itflO. 86 c. 
for March, aud lU.V2<tf J0.H6 for April. 
Quotations for poor cotton are bused on Americas 
standard ot classification, and on cotton In store 
running in quality not more than half a grade above 
or below the grade quoted. 
Up’andt. 
Ordinary.7B 
Strict ordinary. 854 
Good ordinary.....9 1-16 
Strict good do. 9 9-16 
Low middling.10 1-16 
Strict low middling....)0J4 
Middling......... 10 11-16 
Goon middling.II 1-16 
Strict good middling.. 
Middling fair.- ..UK 
Fair.L>» 
Ala, 
sL 
9 9-16 
11 1-16 
1054 
10 1-16 
U HU 
1154 
ID* 
i m 
Orleans. 
9&16 
9 11-16 
10 8-16 
U$8-rt: 
11 3-16 
11K 
12 
12 * 
Texa 
hie 
9 11-18 
10 3-16 
10X 
10 *3-16 
11 3-16 
1254 
Stained. 
Good ordinary, 7 * 0 . Strict ordinary. 8>4o.; LJw 
middling, 9>4c.; Middling. 9fco. 
Cheese—P rices have been steadily giving way all 
through tbu week, and closed fuby one cent under 
last week's prices. This has been wholly due to the 
tnu'reasing receipt*. Unit the fact. that the English 
advices have not been at all eru ouiaging, and busi¬ 
ness consequently obmined onlyas forced. About 
b.'.OD'bbl*. have hem tak»n tor shipment this week, 
closing with tree sellers at 11 tor tan, y laotones. and 
now and then u parcel of extra quality reaching 11*. 
For factories. lltolUiC- for boat lain, DWalU n. for 
good and prime : 5*<«,7e. for half skimmed, and 3<g4c. 
lor skimmed. Slate, larm dairy at HH@10*c. 
good to choice and 3®4c. for poor skimmed. West- 
