1883.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
129 
Cupboard Under Chimney. 
A cupboard which is intended to answer the 
sanr purpose as the one described by Mrs. Busy- 
hand, is made under the chimney instead of beside 
it, but can only be built when the chimney does 
not extend down to the cellar. 
Such a cupboard does not take up any available 
room. It might be made with shelves, all the way 
down, instead of with drawers and shelves, but I 
CUPBOARD FOR DRAWERS UNDER CHIMNEY. 
find the drawers convenient, and well worth the lit¬ 
tle extra expense. Ours is made of pine boards, 
nicely joined, and oiled to match the rest of the 
woodwork in the kitchen. B. I. M. 
Good Lights. 
A very good chimney cleaner can be made, 
by attaching a bit of sponge to a small stick. If 
the chimney is not much soiled, simply breathing 
into it, and passing the sponge up and down, i6 
often quite sufficient; but if badly smoked, dip the 
sponge in warm soap-suds, and dry the chimney on 
a clean cloth which will not leave lint on the glass. 
The holes about the burner should be kept open, 
to admit air, and entirely free from dust and 
grease. The wick should be trimmed very evenly. 
Fill all lamps in the morning, and never near an¬ 
other lamp, or fire. Hanging lamps are best where 
there are small children in the family. Shaded 
lamps are best for all eyes, and to some a positive 
necessity. Nothing, except good nature, renders 
the home more attractive, at this season, than good 
lights. It is useless, as well as unreasonable, to 
expect children to look back with pleasure to a 
home dark and gloomy in the evenings. The guest, 
too, retains a cheerful recollection of a well-lighted 
house, for in some inexplicable way pleasant even¬ 
ings seem to linger longer in the memory than even 
happy days. Even the passer-by feels the attrac¬ 
tion of good lights, for the cheery flame of your 
lamp throws a hospitable light across the way. 
Seasonable Health Hints. 
BY NELLIE BURNS. 
There is no period of the year when children 
suffer from so many complaints as in the winter. 
It is first colds and coughs, which may be followed 
by sore throat, croup, and many other diseases even 
more dangerous. Judging from the sickness 
among them, one would almost suppose cold 
weather to be prejudicial to the health of children. 
Much of this sickness arises from exposure with¬ 
out sufficient protection from the cold. In very 
many instances, there is far too much thought 
given to outward appearance, while the undercloth¬ 
ing is scant and of poor material. Children are 
often made to suffer great discomfort, and health 
is seriously impaired, in consequence of this false 
pride. It is too late in the season now to give ad¬ 
vice in regard to winter clothing, but one or two 
simple suggestions may yet be of help. A small 
article of underwear which we have found invalu¬ 
able in our family, is a home-made 
Chest Protector. 
Take a piece of heavy flannel, cut it in the shape 
of a shirt bosom, about ten inches wide, and long 
enough to extend from the throat to the waist. At 
the top, cut it in the shape of a bib, allowing the 
ends to extend around the neck, and button at 
the back. To hold it in position, sew a band on 
one of the lower corners, which must extend 
around the waist and fasten at the other corner. 
The protector can be made double or of several 
thicknesses, if desired, and lined with print or any 
cotton material; but the flannel should be worn 
next to the body. This gives good protection to 
the chest and throat, and is particularly valuable to 
boys and men to make an extra thickness at the 
opening of the coat and vest. Another small ar¬ 
ticle of value for the comfort it gives, is a 
Toe Protector. 
This should be made of soft flannel—small scraps 
will answer the purpose. Cut the form from a 
stocking foot, and allow it to extend two inches 
or more above the toes. The seams should be 
small and made at the sides and end. These are to 
be worn under the stockings. Such little articles 
are inexpensive and easily made, aud they add 
much to the comfort of children. 
[Those whose lungs are sensitive to sudden 
changes, are aware of the great comfort to be de¬ 
rived from the wearing of a chest protector. Sim¬ 
ilar affairs made of a kind of felt are sold at the 
drug stores. Some of them profess to be medi¬ 
cated. So they are, in one sense. Heat and cold 
are treated of in the books as remedial agents, aud 
these protectors, so far as they keep in the heat, 
are “ medicated.” We would add to our corres¬ 
pondent’s useful suggestions, the wearing of wrist¬ 
lets on very cold days. They may be knit at home 
or be bought at the stores, and the comfort they 
bring is out of all proportion to their small cost. 
These little matters add greatly to the comfort as 
well as the health of old and young alike.— Eds.] 
A Good. Word For Oatmeal, 
The oat crop, which is so prominent in our farm¬ 
ing, is rarely utilized for farmer’s tables. In a 
somewhat long acquaintance in the rural districts, 
we do not remember ever to have met with oatmeal 
cooked in any form. This diet is a favorite at the 
breakfast table in our cities, in the form of mush, 
and, eaten with sugar and milk, is an appetizing 
and wholesome article of diet. But upon the farm, 
the oat crop is very largely a money crop, sold in 
the nearest market or at the railway station. If 
used upon the farm it goes to the horse without 
grinding, or, if ground, as provender for the pigs. 
Almost everywhere we meet with corn products 
upon the table,Indian bread,the convenient johnny- 
cake, ha6ty pudding, samp, hominy, corn bread, 
and that finest of all summer dishes, succotash 
—the sweet corn mingled with the savory juices of 
the bean. The wheat plant is well represented, 
in bread and other forms of cooking, though it has 
ceased to be a product of many northern farms. 
In all the region where rye has taken the place of 
wheat, rye bread is a staple article of diet. Baked 
beans are about as popular as ever, in the rural 
districts, and are likely to hold their own with the 
coming generations. But oatmeal is ignored as a 
food fit for men. Among the people who use it, 
and in the analysis of the chemist, it stands con¬ 
fessed as one of the most nutritious and economi¬ 
cal foods that can be used. The Scotch people 
are living examples of what oatmeal will do to make 
an athletic race with plenty of brain, bone, and 
muscle. The Scotchman’s average daily ration is 
21 lbs. of oatmeal and a pint of milk. On this he 
thrives and performs the labor of the farm. Analy¬ 
sis shows that oatmeal is very rich in nitrogenous 
matter, and comes much nearer wheat flour in nu¬ 
tritive value, than is generally supposed. The fol¬ 
lowing table shows their comparative value. 
Oatmeal. Wheat flour. 
Nitrogenous matter.12.16. 10.8 
Carbo-hydrates. 63.08. 70.5 
Fatty matter. ... 5.06. 2.0 
Saline matter . 3.00.—- 
Mineral matter... 1-7 
Water. 15.0. 15.0 
There can be no doubt that oatmeal cooked in 
its various forms might be added to the list of our 
dishes in the farming districts with great advan¬ 
tage. It is one of the best sustainers of muscle in 
the list of human foods. 
A Convenient and Ornamental Wood-box. 
Enclosed I send you a sketch of a wood-box 
which I have found very convenient. It may he 
made of any size and of any wood to correspond 
with the finish of parlor, sitting-room, or kitchen. 
It saves much litter, and dirt—and shavings, kind¬ 
lings, and large wood have each their place and 
each can be reached without touching the others^ 
the two former also without stooping. The box 
stands on casters with a handle at each end and 
can be readily moved. The length is 31 inches, 
width 17 inches, hight 40 inches without includ¬ 
ing the ornamental top. The lowest box is 
for large wood. The width is 17 in., hight 19 in., 
with a door 10 inches wide. The middle box 
is for kindling. The width is 10 in., hight 13 in., 
with a door 8 inches wide. The top box is for 
shavings or paper. The width is 6 in., hight 8 in., 
with a door 6 inches wide. Short pieces of small 
chain are fastened to each door at one end to hold 
it at a convenient angle when open ; when they 
close, the chains drop into the box out of sight. 
The hinges and handles may be of ornamental 
brass or as plain as desired. The top is a con¬ 
venient place for holding any useful article or 
ornament. Wm. H. Anderson. 
