me at this season of the year. Of course I 
look around to ascertain whence it comes, 
and, there, on a shelf or In a window, will be 
one or two purple or pink beauties, looking 
cheerily out ou the world of snow, and re¬ 
minding us of the Spring to come. I have 
lately thought that one should, have flowers in 
tne Kltoheu as well as in the sitting-room, and 
alwajs enjoy them when there. Children 
learu to love thorn, and to appreciate their 
influence. A bright clean stove, a clean floor 
with some hotuu made rugs, und a few books 
and plants, and the best needed conveniences 
will make a kitchen the pleasantest room in 
the house, as it ought to be. I And easy chairs 
take up less room than a lounge, and ore very 
restful when one can draw up to the fire and 
read the news from the outside world while 
watching the pot boiling. 
STOPPING THE LEAKS. 
MAY MAPLE. 
How annoying it is to strain a pail of milk 
and then find that you have used a pan that 
“leaks.” But then, it would be still more 
vexing if one were always obliged to send to 
the tinman’s shop every time a “leak” was 
found, or go without the use of the di*h. Put 
a dust of renin urouud the opening, after the 
tin lias been slightly scraped with a knife, a 
bit of lead placed over the hole in the pan, und 
a rod-hot iron—it may lie the stove iron If 
nothing better is at hand—applied to melt the 
lead, and, behold! the pan is ready for use 
again. A set. of tinker’s tools would, uo 
doubt, be a very great convenience and pay 
well; but, then, there uro "hundreds” of other 
things the generality of farmers’ kitchens 
need quite as much, but which they don’t get, 
so, of course, there is not one farm house in 
five hundred that would afford a tinker’s 
“kit. ” Sometimes the tin is so badly worn off 
that the solder will uot "stick ” What then 
is to lie done! Throw it in the chip yard, if 
you are able to get new, but if not, shall we 
draw in rags? No, oh, no I itugs soon get 
rusty, become sour and filthy. Get five cents’ 
worth of putty, which will be enough to mend 
all the pans, puilsaud dippers for a long time. 
When putty is used, the mended utensil should 
be put out of the way for a few days, so that 
the putty may dry aud harden. When from 
long standing the little bull of putty has be¬ 
come hard and unmanageable, a few drops of 
linseed oil can be worked into it by pouuding 
and rolling, till it becomes of the original con¬ 
sistency. A small bottle of oil is often very 
convenient for many purposes, aud the ex¬ 
pense but a few cents. 
0 
CURING HAMS AND IIACON. 
Mr. William Crozier’s method of curing 
hams and bacuu is as lollows: Whou the meat 
lms been properly cut up It is well rubbed 
with salt aud left on the beuches to drain for 
34 hours This removes the moisture from it. 
Seveu-and one-half pounds of salt, two and 
one half pounds of brown sugar, and four 
ounces of salt peter, are then put in as much 
water us will dissolve them completely, aud 
two ounces of Cayenne pepper are added. The 
liquid is boiled a few minutes, skimmed, and 
set aside to cool. Meanwhile the meat is rub¬ 
bed with a dry mixture of the same, and is 
closely packed in the barrels or tubs, and the 
pickle is poured over it until it is covered. In 
six weeks it is cured and ready for smoking. 
It is smoked with hickory brush -wood or corn¬ 
cobs, or both, one hour a day for ten days. 
The lire is made outside of the smoke-house, 
and the smoke is carried in by a tlue, so tliut 
it is cooled aud does not warm the meat. 
After ten days the meat is rubbed with pepper 
aud is ready for sale, or, if to be kept, should 
bo packed In close boxes with wheat chaff or 
cut straw, und kept iu u dry, cool place. 
The same authority states that when milk 
has tieeii tainted by cattle eating turnips or 
other food, the ill effects can be, to some 
extent, neutralized by adding a teaspoonful of 
powdered sait-peter to every 20 quarts of milk, 
SALTING PORK. 
lu the Him ax for the 17th the question is 
asked, “How to Cure Pork.” While 1 am 
very inexperieuced as to farming in general, 
yet 1 know of an easy method for curing 
pork, making very sweet wholesome bacon: 
Alter the animal heat is out of the moat, 
rub it well with Liverpool sail, first putting 
the joints down ou a platform lu the middle 
of the smoke house, so that the air can circu¬ 
late freely all around and under the pile of 
meat. Pack thus, joints first, a layer of 
pieces, then cover with suit, and so on, putting 
the middlings or sides on top. 
Let it alone for three weeks; then take up 
and repeat the process. Let it stay throe or 
four weeks longer; then take up and hang us 
high as you ran lu your smoke house. Let it 
hang one week; thou build a cob or chip fire 
under it, making all the smoke you cun, for 
wo days, never letting the tire die out, save 
at night. Then build bright, hot hickory 
(green) fires, in three or four places under the 
meat, keeping the fires we'l replenished, and 
don’t be afraid if your meat gets so hot that it 
drips a little. Keep up the hickory fires one 
or two days; then get a quantity of black or 
yellow, or even spruce pine-tops, which when 
put on the hickory fires will make a very 
dense, rich smoke. These pine-tops must be 
replenished every few hours for one day, 
which completes the process of curing. Your 
meat should then bo of a bright brown or 
ochre color, with a very sweet, pleasant odor. 
The sides never need anything more, they 
will keep sweet and nice for—well, until they 
are eaten or sold. To preserve the hams and 
shoulders (for no amount of curing will keep off 
the "bugs”) make a mixture of black molasses 
and Cayenne pepper, as thick as can bo spread 
ou. Rub this mixture on the joints, being 
careful to bit every spot, with a brush or 
feathers, on llesh side, white wash (or use 
the same mixture) on skin side, and you will 
not be troubled with "skippery” meat. Try 
it. GEO. E. CAS8EL. 
EXPERIENCE NOTES. 
gftijSMUaiwaujs gtdvwtbing. 
During the past year I have read the 
columns of Domestic Economy with much in¬ 
terest, and have derived great benefit from 
them. As I am of the opinion that it is not 
right to be always the receiver and never the 
giver, I will contribute a few suggestions from 
my book of expierience, uot that I hope to 
compete with our gifted contributors, but 
trust they may be a help to some young house¬ 
keepers like myself, Reading a note in the 
Rural of December fi on cooking lamb, and, 
not having that delicacy, I tried beef and 
found it excellent. 
We are now using garden beans, which 
every one thinks splendid. The beaus were 
shelled as for table, dried in the shade, aud 
put away. When wunted, a few must be 
soaked over night, then boiled gently for two- 
and-one-half hours, .lust before serving add 
a small lump of butter, aud pepper, and salt 
to taste. 
STEAMED CORN BREAD. 
One half cup of tiour, two and-a-balf cups 
of corn meal, one cup of brown sugar, one 
teaspoonful of salt, one pint ef buttermilk, 
one teaspoonful of soda. Add sweet milk to 
make a thin batter. Pour in a well buttered 
pail which iH smaller at the bottom than at 
the top. Put ou the lid, then set in a kettle 
of boiling water, cover tight, uud boil tbreo- 
and ono-half hours. Let it stand a moment 
before turning out. 
FLAKY PIE-CRUST. 
For oue pie take one cup of flour, one half 
cup of lard, a pinch of salt. Rub two-tbirdsof 
the lard into the flour aud mix with a little 
very cold water quite stiff. Soften the rest 
of the lard, roll out the crust a little, spread 
on hoiuo of the lard, flour it, and roll up. 
Roll out again, repeating the process until all 
the lard is used. The last time you roll it up 
cut it in half aud roll for plate. anon. 
FOREST JOUNNY-OAKK WITHOUT EGOS. 
Two cups of buttermilk, a small teaspoouful 
of soda, a pinch of salt., a large spoou heaping 
full of sugar—I like brown sugar best—three 
spoonfuls of meat drippings, and two aud-u 
half cups full of meal, unless very flue, when 
two cups full will be found sufficient. This 
niukesono long loaf. It will be found quite as 
good as one containing eggs. may maple. 
John Stuart Mill says that the natural 
divisiou of labor iu the household, which 
assigns to the husband the earning of money 
and to the wife the administration of the 
home, is an equable division of labor, giving 
to the two ordinarily about an equal share. 
To dole out money grudgingly to your wife is 
more than ungenerous—it is unjust. 
-w 
■lorsford’K Veld Plioaphate. 
Well Pleased. 
Dr. C. Roberts. Winchester, 111., says. "I 
have used it with entire satisfaction in cases 
of debility from ago or overwork, aud iu in¬ 
ebriates and dyspeptics, and am well pleased 
with its effects."— Ailv. 
Catarrh Cured 
Catarrh is a very prevalent diitoime, with dis¬ 
tressing and offensive symptom.. Hood's Sar¬ 
saparilla give* ready relief and speedy euro, as it 
purities the blood and I ones up the whole system. 
" 1 suffered with catarrh 13years. I took Hood’s 
Sarsaparilla aud now I am not troubled any 
with catarrh amt’my general health Is much 
bettor," I. \V. l it.i.is, Chicago, 111, 
" I suite red with catarrh sir or eight years; 
tried many wonderful cures. Inhalers, etc.,spend¬ 
ing nearly one hundred dollars without beueUt. 
I tried Hood's Sarsaparilla and was greatly im¬ 
proved,” M. A. AnitiCY, Worcester, Mass. 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Sohl by all ilmggi.sls. ^i; six for $5. Made 
only by I. HOOD & ('<»., Lowell, Mass. 
IOO Doses One Dollar 
Preserving The Hair. 
For preserving the youthful color and 
beauty of the hair, promoting its growth, 
nml imparting freshness and vitality, 
Ayer’s Hair Vigor Is unequaled. E. 8. 
Piper, Downsvillc, Lu.., writes: " I have 
used several hair preparations, but Ayer’s 
Hair Vigor is the only one l have found 
that sustains the claims made for it.” L. 
V. Templeton, Medford, Mass., writes: 
"I have been using Ayer's Hair Vigor 
.with wonderful sweeps. It. has restored 
vitality to my hair, ami stimulated it to 
renewed growth. It has done, in my ease, 
everything that, has boon claimed for it.” 
J. B. Ell wards, Lincoln, Nebr., writes: 
“Ayer’s Hair Vigor lias not only restored 
my hair to its original color, but lias also 
made it more vigorous, abundant, and 
healthy than ever.” 
Ayer’s Hair Vigor is entirely free from 
uncleanly, dangerous, or injurious sub¬ 
stances, and its use is always safe and 
beneficial. James A. Etter, sheriff of 
Wythe county, Vu., writes: “My hair 
had a tendency to fall out, and also to turn 
gray. Ayer’s Hair Vigor b is stimulated a 
strong, vigorous growth, making the hair 
soft and pliant, and causing it to retain its 
natural color.” G. II. Harrell, Louisville, 
Ga., writes: “I have used Ayer's Hair 
Vigor for four or live years. It is the 
best preparation I have ever found for the 
liair ami scalp.” Mrs. L. 31. Holmes, 
Malden, Mass., writes: “I have experi¬ 
enced great benefit from the use of Ayer’s 
Hair Vigor. It freed my scalp from 
humors, and has restored my hair to its 
original color anil healthy condition.” 
ACME 
Ayer’s Hair Vigor* 
PREPARED BY 
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For sale by all Druggists. 
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Turning process of DOCBC.B Gangs of 0 VST STKKI. COULTERS, the peculiar shape and arrangement of which 
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Variety ol Slzrx, 4 to 15 tcct whir We deliver Iree til our distributing depot*. 
DO BIOT Hli IlKClvIVED. Dou't let dealers palm off a base imitation or some 
inferior tool under the Assurance that »t is better, hut mtisfi/ ’wmet/by ordering an ".H’.Ifft” 
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tried on his own farm. 
Send for l’amphlet containing Thousands of Tastimouials from 48 different States aud Territories. 
BRANCH OFFICE; M oc U 2 , D rntlvor M ancf aotory and Princuvu. Office; 
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N.B.—"TILLAGE IS MANURE AND other Essays.” sent free to parties who NAJIF. THIS 1’APEK. 
the ff ni AkirT ID )! hollow steelstanoaro 
NEW rLANtl Jn HORSE HOE,- 
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work in the Held him dixlutirtal that of »J1 competitor*. 11 Is, 
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^Implements amt 2Uachinrry. 
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UACINE SEKOKIt COMPANY. IU 4 
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FOrUTI! ST„ DES MOTIVES. IOWA. 
