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As correspondents desire our field widened to include 
other topics as well as flowers, we have done so, and 
now call it The Home Circle, and welcome all items 
of interest and sentiment. 
Every subscriber and friend is invited to make this 
department the medium of communicating any and 
every thing that can give pleasure, instruction or en¬ 
tertainment, and also to ask questions regarding those 
subjects upon which we have spoken. Either the 
editor or “Aunt Carrie” (C. S. J.) will reply. 
Book-Case. —Can any of your readers tell me how 
to make a book-case 1 I have a great many books, 
but have not the means to buy a book-case, but still 
would not like to have them spoilt by the dust; also 
how to make ottomans of round and square boxes; 
also how to make scrap-jars. By so doing you will 
oblige a young housekeeper who is inexperienced, and 
though anxious to beautify her home, has not-the 
meaus to buy expensive articles. Pearl Price. 
Answer —The best book-case you can make, that 
will protect your books, is as follows: Get a set of 
brackets—either iron or wood, simple triangular pieces 
answering very well—and nail two of them against 
studding on the wall, six feet from the floor, and about 
five feet apart; another pair six or eight inches below 
these ; again another ten or twelve inches below. In 
order to accommodate books of different sizes, about 
one foot from the floor place the last set, and on these 
nail plain pine shelves, neatly stained—as also the 
brackets, if of wood—in imitation of walnut, oak or 
mahogany, and when dry, varnish. Along the edges 
fasten strips of scarlet cloth or leather, pinked out on 
each side, with brass-headed tacks along the centre. 
In front, against each corner of the top shelf, fasten 
picture nails, and around them twist the ends of a 
strong piece of wire, on which hang curtains, with 
small rings along the top so they will slide easily back 
and forth. Here you will have a cheap yet most 
stylish arrangement, for such cases, hung with rich 
tapestry, are now very fashionable in England. The 
cases are low, and extend round the room in all blank 
spaces. On the top place a set of jars—hereafter de¬ 
scribed—or plaster busts. Tycoon reps will make 
really rich-looking hangings, and cost a mere trifle. 
If you wish to use doors, get more frames made the 
length and half the width of your shelves, and tack 
green baize, moreen, or even colored glazed muslin, 
over with brass-headed tacks. 
To make ottomans, take any boxes available, and, 
turning them upside down, fasten casters or round, 
smooth drawer-knobs on each corner; cover the sides 
smoothly with any material convenient; make a deep 
cushion size of top, and, with pieces of zephyr twisted 
round the finger, and a long mattress needle, make 
the tufted appearance seen in upholsterers’ work, by 
buttoning through in regular divisions. 
Make a puff or two ruffles, and fasten round the 
upper edge with brass-headed tacks, and you will have 
a neat ottoman. Cheese-boxes answer well for round 
ones, and an entire set of large and small ones, with a 
divan made in the same manner, but finished with a 
set of cushions and a couple of barrel chairs, will give 
a room quite a luxurious appearance. 
How for your jars, my pearl, visit some crock¬ 
ery store, and select one or more common earthen¬ 
ware jars, of as quaint or graceful form as you can 
find ; rub off all rough places with fine ashes or rotten 
stone. Then decide on what kind of china you wish 
to imitate—ancient Egyptian, toile Indieune, Japan¬ 
ese, Bose-du-Barry, or Pelissy styles of Sevres china; 
Wedgewood, or Minton-ware—and tell me in a postal, 
when you shall have a full description next month. 
Affghan Stitch. —“ Y.” With regard to the aff- 
ghan stitch for bag—make a row of chain stitches the 
width of article desired, then take up each one of these 
chain stitches, keeping them on the needle to end of 
row ; you will now have a long row of stitches on your 
needle, the point or hook of which will be at your left 
hand; now “ drop off” these stitches one by one, 
until you get to the right-hand end again; now begin 
taking up these stitches as before, keeping them all 
on the needle, by slipping your needle-hook only un¬ 
der the little straight threads of the former row, which 
are plainly visible. This is the peculiarity of this 
stitch, and which gives the canvas-like appearance, so 
requires particular attention. When you arrive at the 
left end again, commence and drop off as before; and 
when to the right end, take up again. This is all 
there is in affghan stitch, and it is very simple. I 
hope you will find I have made it plain. 
Washing and Churning. — I have wished, oh, 
jar behind the dining-room stove, and had churning 
done in the afternoon, the butter invariably “coming” 
in twenty minutes—often in ten ; if slow, stand the jar 
in a pail of warm water. 
Chocolate is made thus: to each quart take half 
a cake of baker’s chocolate, finely grated; boil one 
pint water, and mixing the chocolate to a paste with 
a little cold, add it, and boil steadily a half hour; then 
add one pint of rich milk, and boil for ten minutes 
longer; sweeten to taste, and pour into a pot kept ex¬ 
pressly for the purpose ; serve in hot cups. 
Graham. Bread. —Prepare a sponge, as for wheat 
bread, and mix into a very soft dough, but knead long 
and thoroughly. Wheat bread, when put to rise, 
should have a towel put over the mass, dredging first 
lightly with flour, then place a tray so as to cover 
completely. When made into rolls have a bread nap¬ 
kin and a warm tea or breakfast plate to cover over 
each loaf; before placing in the oven dip a feather or 
brush in melted butter or lard and lightly paint the 
top, and your bread will never “crust.” When re¬ 
moved from the oven wrap in a sprinkled towel, place 
so very much, dear Mrs. B. W-e, that I could give each loaf on end against the kneading-board, and throw 
you a call and have a chat regarding all those matters ! the blanket or towel lightly over the whole. In suin- 
which so trouble you. I have long promised to get up 
a good practical book on housekeeping and cooking, 
and have them well forwarded; then you shall learn 
many things you do not yet appear to understand, aud 
which so earnest a seeker after knowledge certainly 
deserves to know. You will make a fine housekeeper, 
I feel sure. As regards clothes-washing—there was a 
season. 
during our sad war, when I 
was obliged to 
perform my own household labor, even to the washing 
and ironing, and I feel sure it is a woman’s duty to 
make these laborious operations as easy as possible, 
either for herself or her servant. The first thing I "did 
was to purchase a good wringer, washing-machine, 
and a little kerosene stove with patent flat-irons, hav¬ 
ing moveable wooden handle. On Monday I gathered 
together the clothes, assorted them into three lots— 
fine, middle and coarse—which I put loosely into coarse 
muslin sacks. I then made a boilerfuli of suds, usum 
mer place the loaves to rise away from the stove, but 
in cold weather cover warmly and place behind the 
stove each time. 
The oven should not be too hot. If you cannot 
count thirty while you hold your bare elbow in it, it is 
too hot; but keep the heat steady for one hour for a 
pan holding three pints. Bolls and biscuit botli re¬ 
quire a quick oven, and should not remain in more 
than fifteen to twenty minutes or they will become 
hard. Corn bread requires a quick, steady oven. 
Some varieties of potato require cold, others boiling 
water; when done, pour off all water, place on the 
stove and watch closely while the steam passes off, no 
cover on, of course. If boiled with skius on, press 
each one in a towel between the hands. 
Beefsteak. —The gridirons with covers prevent 
smoke escaping, but I do not like them particularly. 
Take a “ tenderer,” or a dull knife, and, before cooking, 
one cake of any good washing soap, and two cupfulls [ pound the entire steak, not allowing the tenth of an 
of the following: sal soda, 1 lb.; stone lime, ^ lb.; | inch between the strokes. Use clear coals, on which 
water, five quarts; boil, stirring constantly, five min- j sprinkle a little salt; use no salt on the meat. Turn 
utes; then let it settle, and boil slowly a short time; ^ constantly for twelve to fifteen minutes; then place 
pour off the clear liquid and put into a tight jug. Let. between hot plates, covering the meat first with bits of 
the water boil; stir and divide—if the clothes are in | butter in which pepper, salt and a dust of flour have 
separate tubs—using cold water until the suds are only been rubbed ; turn over twice in the gravy thus made, 
quite warm, and covering deeply. They remained in 
this until Tuesday morning, then I made another boiler 
of hot water and added until that in the first tub “was 
pleasant to the touch, rubbed through the washing- 
machine—in which most of the clothes in my case 
were soaked—passed through the wringer, then just 
scalded in weak suds, examined, and after rinsing 
through a clear and blue water, starched where neces¬ 
sary and hung out—generally before nine o’clock in 
summer and eleven in winter. Used the first warm 
suds for flannels. Dried these in a warm place. 
When ready, sprinkled with a whisk-broom and 
packed in a basket until the following morning ; seated 
myself before the ironing-board or table, and with the 
little stove at my right hand, made play of the work 
of ironing. 
All this may appear extremely troublesome, but it 
really occupied very little time, considering the work, and 
required no serious wear and tear of muscle or energy. 
Now about the churning. This winter I have 
churned generally once each week or ten days; kept 
the milk until almost turned, in a closet in the kitchen, 
cold at night; the day before churning stood the cream 
and if no chafing-dish is used, send to table between the 
hot platters, with a napkin over. Never “ hack ” 
while cooking. Will give miuce-meat recipe among 
recipes. 
To Can Peaches. —If possible procure the large, 
firm, white freestone varieties, but we have put up 
even little seedlings that were delicious and kept for 
three years. Sugar over night, or for several hours 
at least prior to cooking, putting eight pounds of sugar 
to one bushel of fruit; put on and let the kettlefull 
come gradually to a boil, removing all “ scum ” ; have 
your glass jars on a stand or table, with wet towels 
placed beneath them, and with a jar-funnel and small 
dipper fill the cans with fruit and syrup; wipe the 
mouth and screw down the lids, or put on the cap and 
cement if used. Our peaches are beautifully white and 
sufficiently sweet to require no more sugar. Canning 
may be made a tremendous operation, or merely a 
pleasant morning’s work, as you carry it out. There 
is no need to annoy yourself by any such process as 
you mention. Tomatoes peel after scalding. Put on 
in own juice ; as soon as the kettle comes to a boil, 
can in tin as quickly as you conveniently can. 
