li - CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FINE ARTS LIBRARY °"mmZmmmStf''°'""'^"^- <"' How t 3 1924 014 764 538 LIBRARY AMHEX DATE DUE GAYLORD PRINTED IN U.S.A. ..^('I'^W -^V .^U-€l cS^^Xvi.. ZcT^ ll,UL^cA ^ /5^ The original of tiiis book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014764538 OX5E: MOME.S AND 'HEIR* MDORNMENTS ; OK, !|ow to Joild, llinisli, 1[urnisli, and jAm a !}oiiie, , CONTAINING PEACTICAl INSTRUCTIONS FOB. THE BUILDING OP HOMES, INTEEIOB. DECOKATION, WOOD CARVING, SCROLL SAWING, HOUSE PAINTING, WINDOW HANGINGS, SCREENS, CURTAINS, WINDOW GARDENING, INCIDENTAL DECORA- TIONS, DECORATIVE ART NEEDLE-WOKK, AND ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE GARDENING;- TO WHICH IS ADDED A HOUSEHOLD COMPENDIUM OF NEW, PRAC- TICAL AND VALUABLE RECIPES, THE WHOLE BEING DESIGNED TO MAKE ff APPT ffioMES FOE ^APPY ©EOPLEC? By ALMON C. VARNEY, Supervising Architect, etc., Detroit, Mich, ASSISTED BY THE FOLLOWING CORPS or SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS: JOHN H. YOUNG. Author of "Car Deportment.''' etc. ; Mrs. J. M. S. HOLDEN, Author of Interior Decoration; CHAS. E. BENTLEY, Author of Decorative Needle- work; WILLIAM BOYDELL, Author of Home Painting; JOHN SWIFT, M. S., Late Professor of Horticulture and Land- scape Gardening, Maine Agricultural College. ItttJSTRaTE©. J. C. CHILTON & CO., Publishers, DETEOIT, MICHIGAN. 1883. jM CASt ' A//9 VSI WK. EnterBd accnrding tn i5.ct af CongrBss, in the year 1BB2, •o^&KHy J, C. CHILTDWj )^^-c> In the DfficB of the Librarian of Cangress at Waslilngtan, ^ ^&l^!^ -3^ TO THE . @-^ mMmmwM ll^y^YTnT^it „- -♦—a 6 — tffST^ — se — *^ 6 — * — • I ©) ^ People oe America. [ill] ^t(^=^ ^•^rj>^3LISHERS' ;|OTEn^^ ^Jl^^ |lf submitting thia work to the public, the Pubhshers think it not amiss to state that the contents have been carefully criticised and reviewed by competent and conscientious critics. To the authors of the various dejjartments much credit is due for the successful manner in which they 1 have treated the topics assigned them. For other favors and information not otherwise available special thanks are due — To Mr. Chas. E. Bentley, Designer and Manufacturer of Decorative Art Needle- Work, New York; Messrs. Phillips & Hunt, Publishers of the "People's Cyclopedia," New York; The American Encaustic Tiling Co., New York; Messrs. Warren, Fuller & Co., Manufacturers of Artistic Wall- * Papers, New York; E. T. Barnum, Manufacturer of Crest- ings, etc., Detroit; Messrs. Mills & Barker, Artistic Furni- ture, Detroit; A. H. Shipman, Pret-Saw Manufacturer, Eochester, New York. The Publishers take no small degree of pride in present- ing a work which furnishes so many valuable suggestions on the subject of Our Homes and Their Adornments, and they can but wish that it will greatly assist in making many HAPPY HOMES FOE HAPPY PEOPLE. [iv] s^^^^^ji^i^^3.e_ 3-^^^t^^s^^g-S^ |_HAT grand old Saxon word, HOME, has for ages hold a peerless placp wherever the English lan- guage is spoken. And thus do Ave find it, under every zone, embalmed in song, cherished in the memory, and enshrined in the heart! Too much, therefore, can scarcely be said on such a theme, nor too devoted a service rendered to such a cause. And knowing as we do how largely, in this country, Home Life influences both the individual and the State, we come to present the olFering of Our Tribute in the imperish- able form of A BBOK, for the acceptance and appreciation of a Home-loving people! The object of this, our labor, is to link — as in a marriage tie — this venerable and comprehensive word "home" with that other word of classic mold, but of modern application, — "ADORNMENT." And with the whole-hearted enthusiasm of ^^match-makers" we sincerely hope and believe that they will be found to be not " unequally yoked." W vi PREFACE. We are of the opinion that no attempt at " cm alliance " of this nature has ever before been so wisely planned and so successfully consummated. It only remains, therefore, for us to bid a universal welcome to the Bridal/ The homes of the past have been as redolent of virtue and affection as can be claimed for those of our own day; but the age has advanced in all those accessories which give to modern life its charm, and for a " Home " now to bo without "ts "Adornments," would be a return to a primitive condition that would ill accord with the scale and quality of social existence everywhere around us. The volume here presented comprehends and supplies, in its completeness, this felt need eminently more than any hitherto offered to the public. The departments it covei-s embrace the whole domain of " Home and its Adornments," from the most enlightened, cultivated, and reliable sources possible. Under the firm belief that " a thing of beauty is a joy forever," we have reason to expect that our Home Life will become radiated with a brighter glow, from the Alliance of Adornment with Domesticity ; while the influence of such elements, acting as a Kindergarten, Avill daily .and hourly impress on both young and old its " Object- Lessons " of in- struction with ever softening and refining influences. Economy, which holds. so prominent a place in our mod- ern household administration, finds a most signal recognition in the work here presented. Eeeipes of great practical value, are lavishly scattered among its pages; while the Useful, as well as the Ornamental, has in each Department received the most particular attention. PREFACE. Vll " The least said, the soonest mended," is a well-known proverb; and though we have no reason to fear " a break- age " among any of the numerous articles for use or orna- ment cabineted within the binding of this volume, yet we would on no account exhaust the reader's patience with a long Preface. Every new venture expects the favoring breeze of popularity to carry it safely into port. And if our numerous friends will only be kind enough to judge of this work by its merits, we shall then have no fear for the results. THE PUBLISHBES. .-#--.,-^^ PART OH]B. S^fanning-, ^icdmg, and ^ini&ffrhg- cMym^i. CHAPTP^R I. General Considerations. — Ideal Homes. — Renting and Pur- chasing. — Contracting the Work. — Paying for Homes Gradually 25 CHAPTER II. How to Plan a House. — Hints as to How to Proceed. — Kinds of Lumber to TJse.^Suggestions Worth Noting. — Painting 30 CHAPTER III. Ornamentation. — Appearance of a Hoiise. — Secret of At- tractive Buildings. — The Place to Put Ornaments. — Little Expense with Good Results. — The Front En- trance. — ^■Portico. — Beauty of Outline. — Cornice. — Gable _ 36 [viii] CONTENTS. ix CHAPTER IV. Buildings of "Wood, their Economy. — Kinds of Wood to Use. — Erecting the Building. — Direction Therefor. — Rendering "Wooden Buildings "Warm. — Back Plaster- ing. — How to Make a "Wooden Dwelling Nearly Fire- Proof 39 CHAPTER V. Durable Floors. — A Better Plan for Floors Suggested. — Open Joints and How to Prevent Them. — Inside Fin- ish. — Tlie Best Woods and How to Use Them. — Pre- vention of Swelling in Lumber 45 CHAPTER VI. Staircases. — Directions for Building. — New Style of Ban- isters. — Bear Staircase. — Hard Woods. — Black- Wal- nut. — How to Finish a House in Hard Wood. — Veneering Hard Woods — 61 CHAPTER VII. Something more Dvirable. — Brick and Stone Houses. — Their Cost. — Veneer Brick and Stone Work. — How to Prevent Brick Walls from Sweating. — Stone Trim- mings for Brick Houses 57 CHAPTER VIII. Descriptions and Specifications. — Excavations for Cellar. — Making Strong Foundations. — How to Make a Neat Foundation of Boulders. — Chimneys and Flues. — How to Build a Chimney after House is Complete _ _ CI X CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. Descriptions and Specifications Continued. — Cisterns. — How to Make Good Ones. — Cisterns Without Brick. — Test- ing Cement. — A Valuable Test Miter. — How to Have Pure Water.— The Best Filter. — Another Plan.— The Barrel Filter, Cheap, Durable, and Effective. — How to Remedy Wet or Damp Cellars 70 CHAPTER X. Descriptions and Specifications Continued. — Lathing and Plastering. — Carpenter Work. — Tin Roofs. — Crestings and Finials. — Doors, Windows, Blinds, and Shutters. — Inside Finish. — Main Room and Kitchen. — Plumbing. — Glazing. — Storm Doors 76 CHAPTER XL Heating and Ventilation.- — Open Fire-Places. — Grates and Furnaces— Steam Heating. — How to Ventilate. — Im- pure Air. — ifature's Disinfectants 91 CHAPTER XII. Situation and Surroundings. — Selecting a Healthy Site. — How to Secure Good Drainage. — Pure Water. — Danger from Stagnant Pools. — How a House Should Front. — Sunshine. — Its Value. — Shade Trees 97 CHAPTER XIII. The Primitive House. — Our Noble Ancestors. — Modern Residences. — How to Build a House and Make Addi- tions to It. — A Simple Cottage. — Design I. (5 illustra- tions.) 102 CONTENTS. xi CHAPTER XIV. An Attractive Cottage Home for People with Small Means. — How Constructed. — The Cost. — How to Paint It. — Design II. (2 illustrations.) Ill CHAPTER XV. A Neat, Symmetrical Story-and-a-half House at Moderate Cost. — Description of Its Arrangement.— Its Advan- tages over a One-story House. — Some Novel Features. — Design III. (3 illustrations). — Design IV. (2 il- lustrations.) - 115 CHAPTER XVI. Story-and-a-half houses Continued. — A House that Will Admit Sunlight to Every Room. — Appearance Made Subordinate to Ai-rangement of Rooms. — An Excellent Floor Plan. — Design V. (2 illustrations) 125 CHAPTER XVII. A Rural Cottage Home. — A Plan that Combines Convenience and Beauty. — Simply Adornments that Add to Comfort. — Perspective View of a Picturesque Gothic House. — Design VI. (2 illustrations) — Design VII. (with il- lustration.) - 128 CHAPTER XVIII. More Durable Material. — A Solid Gothic House. — Style, not New but Popular. — Description of the Plans — Cost of Erection. — Design VIII. (3 illustrations.) — Exten- sive Farm Residence and Barn. — Design IX. (2 illus- trations.) - - 132 xii CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIX. An Elegant Brick Residence. — Comfort and Beauty Com- bined. — Description of Plan, Materials, and Construc- tion. — Design X. (2 illustrations.) — A Modem Yilla. — Design XI. (witli illustration.) 138 CHAPTER XX. How to Build a Summer Cottage. — Cheap, but Attractive Houses iu the Hot Season. — How to Build a Rustic Arbor. — A Pew Suggestions on Beautifying tbe Sur- roundings with Little Expense 143 CHAPTER XXI. Alterations and Additions. — Old Houses Made New. — Caution. — Improving Roofs and Gables. — Remodeling Windows 149 CHAPTER XXII. Outhouses. — Some Practical Suggestions. — How to Have Ice all the Summer. — An Ice-Hovise Preservatory. — Plan for a Cheap but Excellent Farm and Carriage Barn 157 CHAPTER XXIII. Valuable Suggestions and Rules. — Methods of Estimating Work and Material. — How to Find the Amount of Lumber Necessary to Erect a Given Building. — Prices of Labor 163 CHAPTER XXIV. House Painting. — Its Philosophy. — Best Time to Paint. — Kinds of Paint. — Colors. — Mixing. — Oils and Driers. — CONTENTS. xiii Applying Paints. — Priming. — Second Coat. — Finishing Coat. — Brushes. — General Suggestions _ 1 G7 CHAPTER XXV. Inside Painting. — Varnishing. — Graining. — Graining Tools. — The Ground. — Graining Colors. — Oil- Finish. — Grain- ing Ash, Oak, Maple, Mahogany 173 ^onomiv ^a^d&cajte t^axdewi^if foi <^me&. CHAPTER I. General Eules and Observations Applicable to the Improve- ment of Small Lots from One-Sixteenth to One-Half Acre in Area. — Errors of Common Occurrence. — Style of Gardening. — Exposure and Location. — Grading and Terracing 183 CHAPTER n. Special Features. — Drives and Walks. — Varieties of Shrubs, Trees, and Flowers to Use. — Laying Out and Making Walks and Drives. — Easy Methods of Laying out Drives. — Grouping and Planting 193 CHAPTER HI. Tree Planting. — The Best Time to Plant. — How to Plant. — Removing and Planting Large Trees. — How to Select. — A Good List. — Care of Trees and Success in their Culture. — Fences. — Kinds and their Style. — How to Make them Ornamental 202 xiv CONTENTS. Jipk-liol ^woUdion, d S(ow io JlfTa^ Qui- J^(mw& CHAPTER I. Interior Decoration. — General Considerations. — Objects Aimed at, and Extent of Decoration. — How to Beau- tify Walls and Ceilings. — ^Wall-Papers. — How to Select the Best 213 CHAPTER II. Hints on tlie Ctoice of Papers. — ^What Shades to Select. — Harmony of Colors. — Selecting Paper for Different Eooms.— The Dado - 2l9 CHAPTER III. How to Hang Wall-Papers. — Simple Instructions for Every Body. — Sizing the Walls. — Amount of Paper in a Roll. — How to Cut and Match the Paper. — Paste for Wall-. Paper 226 CHAPTER IV. Other Ways of Treating Walls and Ceilings. — Calcimine. — How Made. — Shade of Color. — How to Put it On. — Lime-Wash. — Recipes for Whitewash 230 CHAPTER V. Recent Improvements in Needle- Work. — Usefulness now a Prominent Feature. — last and Description of Materi- als.— Prices.— Bead Work 234 CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER VI. Kinds of Stitclies. — Stem Stitch. — Blanket Stitch. — Feather Stitch. — A new Stitch. — The Plush Stitch. — Designs and Stamping. — Pouncing. — Applique Work. — Drawn Work. — Embroidery Prames 237 CHAPTER VII. Practical Designs. — -Embroidery Patterns. — ^An Elegant Pincushion. — Silk Counterpane and Cover. — Tatted Doyley. — Design for Linen Embroidery. 242 CHAPTER VIII. Some Elegant Designs. — Embroidered Rocking-Chair Cover. — A Work- Apron. — Designs for Elegant Glass Mir- rors. — New Style of Splasher. — Bead Embroidered News Rack. — Handsome Table-Cover. — A Piano Scarf in Plush Applique Work. _ 249 CHAPTER IX. Hangings for Doors, Halls, and Windows. — How to Make Them and of What to Make Them. — Elegant Effects at Small Cost. — How to Use the Odds and Ends in Ren- dering the House more Beautiful. — Cost of Materials. 259 CHAPTER X. Screens. — How to Make Them. — Materials. — How to Use Screens to Advantage. — How to Make Screens. — Eb- onizing Wood. — Painted Screens. — How to Use Dis- carded Material to Advantage in Covering Panels of Screens. — Embroidered Screens. — How to Make the Frames - 266 xvi CONTENTS. CHAPTER XI. Erahroideved Screens. — Japanese Piecework. — A Patriotic Screen. — New Uses of Old Material. — A Queer Use for an Old CIotlies-Horse. — Lambrequins. — Tables. — Cabi- nets. — Odds and Ends. — Use up tlie Pieces. 272 CHAPTER XII. Encaustic Tiles. — Their Durability. — How to Use Them. — PaA'ing Hearths. — Cost. — Mantels. — How to Get Them. — Cabinets. — Home Decoration of Tiles. 282 CHAPTER Xni. Furnishings. — The Hall. — Its Impression upon Visitors. — The Pallor. — Dining-Room. — How to Furnish them at Reasonable Cost. — Home-Made Mantels, Rugs, Carpets, Etc. 285 CHAPTER XIV. Bed-Rooms. — How to Make them Cheerful, Comfortable, and Healthful. — Bed-Room Furniture. — Cheap but Useful Furniture. — How to Make a Bed-Room Table. — Wash-Stand with Drapery. _ _ _ 294 PART FOUR. 3^R0 (^au, (^uUui0, and (^ioji-afj-aUon- of iS^loweU. CHAPTER I. The Culture of Flowers. — How to Have Thriving Plants and Abundance of Flowers, — Useful Suggestions. — CONTENTS. xvii How to Construct and Manage Hot-Beds and Flower- Beds. 303 CHAPTER II. Description of Varieties. — A List of Bulbs, with Methods of Treatment. — Climbers. — Annuals. — Varieties Suitable for all Purposes. _ 311 CHAPTER III. Window Gardening. — -How to Have Flowers all Winter. — Best Varieties for Winter Use. — How to Care for the Flowers. — Their Arrangement in the Window 327 PART FIVB. <^oiiw ^mftfctfinenti fti Voun^ and 'QCd, CHAPTER I. Scroll or Fret Sawing. — Its Origin and Introduction into this Country. — A Source of Profit to Many Families. — Increasing Usefulness. — Materials that Can be Used. — Beautifying Homes Cheaply _ 335 CHAPTER II. A Manual of Fret Sawing. — Practical Lessons with Illus- trations. — Finishing up the Work. — Use of Saws. — Sawing Metals. — Useful Articles. — Saws and their Prices. 339 CHAPTER III. The Art of Wood Carving. — Its Origin and History. — The Tools and their Uses. — Ornaments that May be Made. xviii CONTENTS. — How Amateurs May Learn the Art. — Directions for First Attempts. — A Study of Nature Necessary in order to. Appreciate tlie Ai't in Wood Gai-ving. - - 35 1 CHAPTER IV. Practical Directions for Carving. — How to Carve a Wall Pocket. — Eelief Carving. — Carved Fret Work. — Arti- cles that May be Made. — Finishing the Work. — Mend- ing Cracked Carvings. -. 357 CHAPTER V. Dyeing and Bleaching. — Dyeing Cotton. — How to Treat the Fabrics. — Directions for all Leading Colors. — Dyeing Woolens. — Aniline Colors. — Coloring Straw Hats. — How to Make Mordants. — " Sour." — Dye for Feathers. — Bleaching Sponge. — fo Whiten Lace. — Bleaching Straw Goods. — Cleaning Ostrich Feathei-s. — Bleaching Ivory, Prints, and Printed Books. — Washing Fluid. . . 363 Hints on Health. — Hints on Home Decoration. — Use- ful Toilet Recipes. — Varnishes. — Paints. — Staining Woods. — Cleaning and Scouring. — Cleaning Fabrics. — Cements. — Renewing Old and Dtsfaced Manuscripts. — Recipes for Making Colored Inks. — Lead Exploding. — CONTENTS. XIX To Keep Wagon Tires on the Wheels.— The TJ. S. Government Tempering Secret. — TJ. S. Mint Test for Counterfeit Silver 377 II. HOUSEKEEPER'S MANUAL OF COOKING. Kitchen Utensils. — Soups. — How to make them.— Fish. — Directions for Cooking. — Poultry and Game. — Hashes and Gravies. — Meats.- — Salads, Sauces, and Pickles. — Relishes. — Puddings. — Pies. — Custards. — Bread. — Cakes. — Ices. — Preserving and Canning Fruits. — Bev- erages. — Giving Dinners.— Table Etiquettp. — Invita- tions.— Bills of Fare 417 General Index 485 List op Illustmtionb. <3 f^ FIG. rAHE. 1. Sash Yentilation for Dwelling Houses 95 2. The Log Cabin. _ 103 3. A Cheap Prairie Cottage. Cost, luidei- $50. Ground Plan. 105 4. Elevation Plan of Same 106 5. The Same Enlarged 107 6. The Same Transformed into Convenient House. Ground Plan. _ _ 108 7. Elevation Plan of Same _ _ 109 8. Attractive Cottage Home on Economical Scale. Cost $600. Ground Plan. _ _ 112 9. Elevation Plan op Same. 113 10. Story-and-a-half House for City Residence. Cost, $1300. Ground Plan 116 11. Chamber Plan of Same _ _ 117 12. Elevation Plan of Same 119 13. Another Style for Story-and-a-half House. Cost, 1900. Ground Plan 122 14. Elevation Plan of Same. . . . _ _ 123 15. Stoby-and-a-half Suburban Residence. Cost, 11600. Ground Floor 126 10. Elevation Plan of Same. __ 126 17. A .RuRA^ Cottage Home. C^ost, Si51500. Ground Floor 129 18. Elevation Plan of Same. 129 19. Modern Gothic Roof Story-and-a-half House. Cost, 11700. Elevation and Perspective. 130 20. Substantial Gothic Dwelling. Cost, $ 5000. Ground Floor 133 ILLUSTRATIONS. xxi 21. Chamber I^oor of Same 134 22. Elevation Plan of Same. 134 23. Extensive Farm Eesidenoe, with Barn and Out- Buildings.' Ground Plan AND Second Floor. . . 136 24. Elevation and Perspective of Same 136 25. Elegant Brick Residence. — A City Erection. Cost $5000. First Floor Plan 140 26. Elevation and Perspective op Same -140 27. Elegant Modern Villa. Elevation and Per- spective 142 28. Ornamental Iron Castings for Roofs, Gables, Etc. 151 29. The Same 152 30. The Same 153 31. Attractive Designs for Windows 154 32. The Same 155 33. Plan for Ice-House and Pkeservatoby Combined. 158 34. Farm and Carriage Barn Combined. Ground Plan. 160 35. Elevation op Same 161 36. Plan op Carriage Drive in Ornamental Grounds. Egress and Ingress 197 37. Ornamental Fence .■ 208 38. Frieze Pattern, Designed by John Leighton, F. S. A., London. : 225 39. The Same. Fred Beck, New York 225 40. The Same. Lewis C. Tiffany, Njew York 225 41. Design for Banner Screen -. 239 42. 43. Two Embroidery Patterns 243 44. Embroidered Pincushion : 244 45, 46. Two Silk Counterpanes - 245 47. Tatted Doyley ..■ 246 48. Embroidered Tidy on Linen Crash 247 49. Elegant Rocking-Chaie - 249 50. Embroidered Work- Apron. .- - 250 51. Hair Receiver 251 52. 53. Two Mirrors 252, 253 54. New Style of Splasher 253 55. News Rack - 253 56. Three-Cornered Table - 254 57. Applique Piano Scarf .- 256 58. Table Scaup in Darned Work 257 59. Three-Panel Screen. 267 60. Embroidered Banner Screen 275 61. Handsome Lambrequin - 276 xxii ILLUSTRATIONS. 02. Ornamental Table-Cover 278 63. Hall Mirror and Hat Eack Combined. 286 64. Hat, Coat, and Umbrella Eack. 287 65. Easy Reading or Library Chair. - 289 66. EocKER, The Same. - - - . 290 67. Useful and Graceful Lounge. 291 68. Hassock on Castors 292 69.' Bed-Eoom Furniture. 295 70. Wardrobe Bedstead 296 7L Bedstead with Drapery. 297 72. Elegant Folding Chair. 298 73. Wash-Stand with Drapery 299 74. Water-Lilies 324 75. Wire Flower-Stand 328 76. Bay-Window. -.- 329 77. Eeflected Floral Decoration. 330 78. Group op Scroll-Saw Decorations. 331 79. Lessons in Scroll Sawing, No. 1 340 80. The Same. No. 2 341 81. The Same. No. 3 341 82. sThe Same. No. 4. 342 83. The Same. No. 6 - 344 84. The Same.- No. 6 344 85. 86, 87. Instructions in Fine Coimbinai-ive Work. 348 88, 89, 90, 91. Escutcheons for Key-Hole Ornaments. 348 92. Hand Scroll or Fret Saw 350 93. Tools E.mployed in Wood Carving. 6 Illustrat'ns. 353 94. A Design for Practice _ _ 353 95. 96. Carving a Wall Pocket. . _ 358 97. Carving a Book Eack. . 3.59 98. Carving a Bread Platter 360 99. Carving a Paper Knife. . 361 100. Carving a Bracket 361 101. Carving a Molding. 361 102. Cooking Eange 418 g— Jfe-J TDD UJ^^dH ANNIE, LS^ -4.1-^ AND RECTIN&, -^ IINISHIG iOMES, When we mean to build, We first survey the plot, then draw the model : And wTien we see the figure of the house, Then must we rate the cost of construction : Which, if we find outweighs ability. What do we then, but draw anew the model In fewer offices ; or at least, desist To build at all. — King Henby IV., Paet II, Act I, Scene .3. [24] (!jLHi^F»^RK 1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. — IDEAL HOMES. — RENTING AND PURCHASING. — CONTRACTING THE WORK. o>«o iOME. — This word to most of us possesses deep significance. With what reverence do we look back to the home of our childhood, now em- balmed in memory as our heart's dearest treas- ure ! Not a home, do we mean, surrounded with all the luxuries of life, but one, even though humble, where there was "plenty and to spare." The old home, with father and mother and its stores of plenty, did not quite content us; we felt a spirit of unrest taking pos,session of us. Then we were unable to appreciate our blessings as we do now, looking back to them in the light of a riper experience. Points and objects that failed to attract us then, are now so many shrines at which we do homage, and as we achieve success or meet failure, our minds revert to the old home with its precious memories. Our ideal home is not like the home of our youth; it is one that is to meet the wants, as far as our means will allow, of our own households, enabling us to enjoy that com- [35] 26 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. fort and independence that can never be appreciated by those whose thought is of to-day, and who let the morrow care for itself. To our mind there is nothing more ennobling than the united efforts of young married people directed to the acquisition of a home. They may be, as the majority are, possessed of limited means; but good health, temperate habits, and frugal saving of earnings, though small, will enable them to purchase or build a cottage and adorn it. There, when the cares of the -day are over, beneath their "own vine and fig-tree," they can recount the successes of the past, and plan for the future. The work done by our own hands, and the money our own sweat has earned, are to us a source of peculiar pride and satisfaction. So a home, earned by the concerted efforts of husband and wife, will possess a charm far greater than if they come in possession of it by heirship. More precious because of its association with their struggles with necessity. The great trouble is that the young people of to-day are not willing to commence so far down the scale; they cannot be content with such an humble beginniug as their parents made; and instead of commencing a home soon after mar- riage, they rent and furnish a house in extravagant style, often spending enough in furnishing to pay for a home of comfortable size. All this, we remark, is done with the plea of economy. They promise to build when they have means enough. We who have traveled the path so often, can see their mistake. A false pride has prevented them from accepting humbler quarters, from whence in a few years they might have gone out to wealth and even opulence. BUNTING AND PUBGHASING. 27 How many instances have we met of those who have rented and fitted up the house of a close landlord, hoping at no distant day to be able to pay for a home of their own ; but month after month, and year after year, the rent bill absorbs the savings, until they have paid out as much as would be required either to pay for a house, or secure one in such a manner as to be gradually brought into their full possession by frugal savings and payments. In our opening chapter we cannot forbear offei-ing a word of encouragement to persons of small means seeking homes, for we know well, from actual experience, what small earnings, carefully saved and judiciously expended, will do in this direction. One need not have too much fear in incurring a safe amount of debt on a home when there is a constant saving going on, and a gradual reduction of the principal can be made. We wish, however, to caution all against one serious mistake, — many times the plan of the house and cost of the same are not definite enough, and the home that was intended, under no circumstances, to exceed in cost the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, is found very incomplete when that amount has been expended, and it is found, when too late, that the cost will be fully two thousand dollars. It is then found that the loan, which could have been secured on the premises for the first amount named, at a low rate of interest with easy terms of payment, will be hard to obtain for the larger amount ; and should the loan be secured for this last amount, it will necessarily be at a higher rate of interest; hence the risk of paying off the debt is greater. Misfortune, dull business, or sickness, may curtail the 28 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. earnings, and the result will be inability to meet payments of interest and on principal, and the ghost of foreclosure of mortgage haunts the homestead. After a struggle, perhaps of many years, the unfortunate owner is obliged "to give up, and with wife and family seek more humble quarters with monthly rental. We present this picture to place all of small means on their guard. Be sure not to build too large; know what the cost to complete the home will be before commencing. It is better to live in a rented house than to go through the anxiety, annoyance, trouble, and disappointment of almost paying for a home and then seeing it taken from you, your labor lost, and your earnings swept away. This state of affairs need not occur, except in rare instances, if anything like a reasonable amount of fore- thought and good judgment is exercised. The usual way, and the best way, for people of only moderate means to build anything of much cost, and be sure of a knowledge of the sum total when completed, is to contract the work for a given sum; and if for a house of not much pretension, the better way is to have a plan, if possible, from some architect of known lability and of a good reputation. He can em- body in his plan even every little thing about a house, from a sliding door down to a feet of drawers in the kitchen pantry, or cleats and shelves in the closets, thus obviating the risk of the builder's never-failing desire to run up a heavy bill of "extras" on the completion of the job, as top many of theuti try to make it larger than it should be for the amount of work done. In the larger cities and towns where the services of a good architect can be had, it is always advisable to employ CONTRAGTING- THE WORK. 29 one, at least to do the planning and preparing of the contract and specifications for letting the work, if not for superin- tending. A good set of plans and specifications, carefully- executed, can be followed even by a man comparatively un- accustomed to such things, with sufiicient precision to dis- cover any great variation the contractor might try to make in the building. But for buildings of much pretension there is no better evidence of the benefits of a good plan and super- intendency of the work from day to day as it progresses, by a competent architect, than the fact that in large cities there are men known as "building speculators," who do not build without definite plans and usually superintendents. But for the majority who will read this book, and whom we hope in a measure to assist, in the smaller cities and towns, villages and country homes, it is not always easy to get the professional assistance required, and for their benefit we wish to offer a few suggestions, before proceeding to the dis- cussion of other matters and the description of the accom- panying plates. Cpii^F»'rE.R 11. HOW TO PLAN A HOUSE. — HINTS AS TO HOW TO PROCEED. — KINDS OF LUMBER TO USE. — SUGGESTIONS WORTH N OTING. — PAINTING. oXKo N the first place, we assume that a small cottage is to be built. The only one to apply to in the village is one of the two or three carpenters, who perhaps knows little of the real conveniences of life that may be introduced into the small cottage, or who does not seem to rise above the one thought that a certain number of rooms after some stereotyped pattern he has been familiar with, is all that is required. We do not mean to say this is always the case, for sometimes the carpenter exercises a good amount of ability in the arrangement of rooms in the small houses that come under his hand. If you cannot secure the help of a competent carpenter, you should commence by carefully calculating the amount of room 3'ou must have, examining the houses of some of your acquaintances, and comparing sizes and arrangement of rooms; and if you can refer to some book of plates and [30] MOW TO FLAN A HOUSE. SI arrangement of space and simple forms of exterior finish, such as this work is intended to furnish, much assistance can be obtained in designing your house. Outline to a certain scale, if in ever so crude a form, the rooms, with the dimensions marked on the same, also giving outside measure of the whole building. Locate the doors and windows where they will give the best light and most room for the arrangement of the furniture, when the building is completed. How many times these two important things — doors and windows — have, for the want of a little forethought, been so arranged that the sunlight cannot be admitted as it should be, or in the position to fail to secure the ventilation that might be easily obtained in the summer time by open windows. A bed room should, if possible, have two windows; and if on a corner, one on each of the two sides, thereby securing a draft of air in the heat of the summer, which could not be obtained by one window, or two on the same side. The doors should be located as far as possible from the corners of rooms, and so as to come opposite the windows, that they too may help to secure a thorough ventilation in the heat of summer. Now from the specifications given in succeeding chapters can be found something bearing upon almost every porut, so that the amateur can get up specifications and contract that shall quite completely cover all necessary particulars on a house of the kind under consideration. The elevation will have to be determined, the height of posts, and distance between ceiling and floor, and height of second story. This is meant to be a perfectly plain story-and-a-half cottage, devoid of much ornamentation. 32 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Now from the carpenters who are to iigure on the work, you can discover any gross error you have made in your terms or description of things. This is supposing you do not have an average good carpenter to apply to for assistance in making the plans and specifications; but most carpenters are capable of studying out floor plans, and making out specifications in some form or other; and in case you want to build a house similar to the one we have been discussing, and you apply to a builder, he will, under your directions, prepare a floor arrangement and specifications, with the understanding that he is to compete with whoever else in his line you may deem it proper to call in; and if you do not award him the job, you are to remunerajbe him for his sketches. Now with the aid of what you will find in succeeding chapters of this work, you can carefully read over his specifications and compare them with those we have given, and see where omissions have been made by him, or descrip- tion of particulars left incomplete; also, where the quality of material is not what it should be. By referring to the chapter containing the estimates of quantities of the diflcrent forms of building material, you can ascertain very nearly the different amounts needed in constructing your house. For instance, brick that are the usual size, 2x4x8 inches, require 22 to the cubic foot, or in building a common chimney 16 inches square, it will take 30 brick to the foot in height. Thus jou will find in this work all the different methods of estimating buildings, commonly used by builders. These will all be of assistance, particularly in country places. They will be of special value to the farmer, whether BOir TO PROCEED. 33 he is erecting a house, or some of the many different kinds of farm building-s, where usually all materials are furnished and the labor contracted by the day to execute the work. He commences in the fall, after farming work is well out of the way, and determines what he wants for a building, and the size of the same, cutting from his own forest and hauling to the mill the logs to cut out all of the different dimensions and kinds of materials, which should then be piled up to dry. All material intended for finishing, inside and outside, such as flooring, clapboarding, or weather- boarding, casings and moldings, should be thoroughly dried out and seasoned, so that it can be matched, planed, re-sawed, and got into shape for putting up. In fact, all timber should be thoroughly seasoned, for, if put up before dry, it is always "getting out of shape," as it is termed, warping and twisting badly, doors and window-frames opening joint, the plastering cracking, frame settling, and openings appearing under the base-boards. All of this may be caused, even where the finish is dry, by putting in the framing wheai it is wet, and covering it up before it has time to dry, which it will do after fires are in the house, ajad produce the results above mentioned. Therefore, if the framing lumber cannot have time to be dried in the pile, it should be allowed to stand three or four weeks or more in the building, before plastering. ^ All floor joists for the second floor should be sized to a uniform width, and all outside and inside studding should be treated in the same manner; then the walls will come even, and there will be no trouble by the variations in widths of studding. Any kind of lumber will dry sufficiently in the 3 34 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. open air, piled up openly with free access for the air to pass through, except in case of . that used for doors, sash, and blinds, which must be kiln-dried after being dressed; or as is usual with doors, when framed together before gluing, placed in the kiln for a few days. Pine lumber for doors, sash, and blinds should be soft, as that which is hard and glassy, or what is known as Norway pine, will warp when the door comes to be used. For painted work it don't matter so much if some sap is used on inside finish, unless the work is to be painted white, when it would take too many coats to cover the dark colors of the sap; and if any knots are used, either inside or out, they should be thoroughly covered with shellac before painting, as it will help to prevent the pitch coming through. If the wood is finished in the natural color of the pine, it must first be made perfectly smooth with sand-paper, if a good job is wanted, and then given one coat of hard oil finish. When dry, over this spread two coats of good copal or coach varnish ; this, when dry, makes a hard, bright, glossy finish, easily kept clean. The wood for the work must be sand- papered with the grain, as ^ny cross rubbing will, when the work is done, show scratches on the surface. When we can have our way, we never- paint anything white. The old-time custom, in many parts of the country, of painting the house white, and outside blinds green, we know has a strong hold on the popular mind; but we think if a little attention is given to the subject, and pains taken to see some houses that are painted in one or more modern colors, most of the adherents to the glaring white and brilliant green will yield to the more harmonious shades that ai-e in better accord with the surroundings. PAINtlNG. 35 These criticisms apply with equal force to the subject of inside finish. We never would- paint anything white. Paiat each room in one or more colors of delicate shades, neutral tints, with nothing having a gaudy appearance, but presenting a quiet harmony in tone and color with the fur- nishing of the room. In papering, the color of paint and tint of paper should always be considered, so that they may blend well. (See Department of House Painting.) (SLHi^F'TRR. m. ORNAMENTATION. — APPEARANCE OF A HOUSE. — SECRET OF ATTRACTIVE BUILDINGS. — THE PLACE TO PUT ORNA- MENTS. — LITTLE EXPENSE WITH GOOD RESULTS. — THE FRONT ENTRANCE. — PORTICO. — CORNICE.— GABLE. oXKo |HE exterior of a house built of wood can, at a small cost over what the difference would be for a plain one, be made attractive and even beauti- ful in outline and effect; it should, however, be borne in mind that the requirements to produce a fine artistic effect, are not, by any means, in the amount of ornamentation put on, but in the kind and in the adaptability of the ornaments of the building. In other words, what is put on for the purpose of ornamenting should be in the right place, and look as if it belonged and had a purpose there. Many times this is overdone, and the building when completed looks more like a thing constructed upon which to nail tawdry or illy-designed ornaments, than a harmonious whole, with each part blending with the other, and making an object that will attract attention, and challenge admiration, and upon which the eye lingers [36] WHERE TO PUT ORNAMENTS. 37 spell-bound, while the effect on the memory is of something beautiful. All this is very simple of explanation. Sometimes we look upon a house that has this attraction for us, and when we come to think over the amount of ornamentinor o done and the cost of the same, we are almost astonished that so little could attract attention; but it is simply the arrangement of the design of the building that produces this effect. Thb front entrance, the portico, and the entrance doors should, we think, be the place to show the most taste in ornamentation. This is the point that must command the most marked attention. Let the outline be easy and graceful, the steps broad, and, where there is plenty of room and the expense can be borne, curve out in an easy manner. Nothing helps to make an inviting entrance like broad, easy steps. The front doors, we think, should be a model of outline, and the ornamentation in good taste. This can be done without much, if any, carvings. We think that most of the costly doors often seen, covered with carved ornaments, are anvthing but beautiful, and they often look burdened with unmeaning intricacies of the gouge and chisel, where something else, in rich design of form and outline, would have been far more attractive. The portico, again, an important feature so commonly used now on city and town houses, po.ssesses the same characteristics, that is, the same amount of work looks either good or bad according to the taste and skill displayed in the forms of finish, the dimensions of outlines, caps, etc. A column too largo in proportion, may spoil the good effect 38 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. of an otherwise fine portico; and the same thoughtfulness must govern the entire work. The windows, the frames, caps, and sills must, when completed, form an outline that is easy and symmetrical, whatever the design may be. For instance, a window with a neat cap, and the sill cut short off, with nothing to relieve it on the side, or any corbel under the sill, looks ungraceful. It matters not how fine a cap it may have, there will be something lacking. Cornices and gables, again, are open to the same crit- icism. A (jornice may be too broad for the building, or the roof too steep for the width of cornice, either of which pro- duces a strange effect upon the building. The gable can be ornamented in a multitude of ways that are most pleasing to the eye, or the vagaries of the jig and band saw may cumber it down wjth trash that is most repulsive to look upon. We have briefly touched upon these points, endeavoring to show where beauty in the exterior of our houses may be had, and that, too, in many cases without increasing the cost, if wo only use good taste, skill, and fair judgment in the designs. Cmj^ftrr ¥V. BUILDINGS OF WOOD. — THEIR ECONOMY. — KINDS OF WOOD TO USE.— ERECTING THE BUILDING.— DIRECTIONS THERE- FOE. — RENDERING WOODEN DWELLINGS WARM. — BACK PLASTERING. — HOW TO MAKE A WOODEN DWELLING NEARLY FIRE PROOF. iN this country with its almost exhaustless resources of forests, including the finest assort- ment of woods for building found on any continent, the choicest kinds can be procured at reasonable figures. The woods best adapted for the framing and finishing of all exterior portions, as well as for the superstructure itself, are pine, spruce, and HEMLOCK, their abundance, improved methods of manufacture, and moderate cost, rendering them the most desirable woods for houses of moderate cost. As far as health is concerned, we think there can be no house better adapted to its promotion than one built of wood. However, the obstacles to health in brick and stone buildings are not insurmountable, and a full discussion of these materials will be found in another chapter. [39] 40 OUR IIOMBS AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. A building of wood cannot well be made as warm as one of brick or stone, but can, in the following manner, be made warm enough for all practical purposes. For an ordi- nary eight-room, two-story building yve will imagine three rooms and a hall in first story, the same number on the second floor, and a rear part with kitchen, pantry, and back staircase, and cellar under this, and on second floor of rear part a servant's room and bath-room. The sills should be eight inches square, the floor joists for first floor two by ten inches, and framed into the sills even with the tops of the same, so that when the floor is laid it will just come evenly over the siUs, to prevent rats and mice from gaining an entrance, for these pests are one of the most annoying dis- advantages in most wood dwellings, as they are generally constructed. Now proceed to put up the outer walls of the house of two by four scantling, with ledger boards one by five inches cut in for second story floor joists to rest upon, and plates doubled and spiked down on top of scantling for rafters. Cover the outside of frame with good, sound boards, dry, or nearly so. The frame should either be dry, or after being put into the building should have a chance to dry before plastering is put on. Boards should be planed, as you cannot make them lay down even with each other if of uneven thickness. On the inside, between the outside studding, nail on furring strips one inch square with the face one and a half inches from outside of studding, and to these lath in the ordinary manner, and put on one good coat of rich, brown mortar ; this is known as hack plastering. We know of no way so well adapted for making a warm house as this. s FIRE-PROOF WOODEN BUILDINGS. 41 If your frame is not dry, or if studding is wet or green, they might shrink and leave small crevices for air between furring strips and studding. We might observe right here that it is of vast importance to have the timber for floors and partitions well dried, either for wood buildings or brick and stone. This back plastering will cost from ten to twelve cents per square yard, including lathing; and considering the great benefit of a warm, dry house, it should be put in most good houses at least. This arrangement leaves an air-space next to the outside boarding, and one next to inside plaster- ing, thereby efiectually excluding dampness and wind. Another thing that should be done to help overcome the disadvantage of wood buildings, as compared with brick and stone, is to render them comparatively safe from total de- struction by fire. As usually constructed, walls are so many flues on the outside, leaving free access for draughts of air to fan a fire and spread it with lightning rapidity from cellar to garret, so that when discovered it is beyond control. Such walls also allow vermin to pass up and in between the ceiling and floors, if they once get in below. We over- come this danger, in a measure at least, in the following way: On the level of the second floor, either run the floor- ing in between studding, or nail or cut in horizontal pieces between each studding, and over these fill in a couple of inches of mortar or a cour.se of brick laid in mortar. This closes the passages between plaster and boards effectually, so that there is no draught should the house catch fire by any means oh an outside wall. How many times this arrangement alone would have kept a fire burning so slowly 42 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. that it could have been discovered and put out before it had worked its way up to the roof. This is one of the pre- cautions that can be taken to reduce the risk of fire in wooden buildings. Still, most of our brick dwellings, so far as their internal construction is concerned, are exceed- ingly inflammable; and if a fire is once well under way, it usually ruins everything inside. Sheathing Baper. ■ But to return to our wood house. On the outside walls we would place one thickness of tarred building paper with the edges lapped, and run it under all finish, as corner boards, cornices, window and door frames, etc. This paper now costs two and three-fourths cents per pound, and comes in roUs of about fifty yards each, on an average, so it will be an easy matter to find out about the amount wanted. Now these two things — building paper and back plas- tering — should be used where a good house is building, but on some cheaper houses it may not always do to incur the expense. The usual plan here, and for most parts of the country, is to paper only in the manner directed above ; but we are sure, that for a good house, it will pay to bu,ck plaster also. The roof, if of shingles eighteen inches long, should be laid five and one-half inches to the weather, and should be laid on roof boards with open joints one and a half inches. This is much better for the roof than to have the boarding laid with close edges, or matched, as when the shingles are wet they absorb a large amount of moisture, and are liable to swell and injure the roof. Where roof boarding is open, a better circulation of air is obtained and the shingles dry SHINGLES AND CLAPBOABBS. 43 out quickly, while on the other hand, with boards laid close, the shingles have to dry from the outside surface entirely, or nearly so, and require more time, thereby causing a quicker decay of the wood. Shingles make a good roof, as almost every one knows; and considering their cost, they are not liable to be super- seded by anything else for cheap wooden buildings. The slate roof, of course, is much better, both in appearance and durability, but its cost must exclude it from general use on wooden buildings of moderate cost while shingles are so cheap. The best shingles ever made are the old-style hand- shaved, but very few are now made. By using a little care, in laying sawed shingles, to turn down the brash way of the grain, the shingles will last much longer. Clapboajjding. The outer walls are usually covered with clapboards of pine, spruce, or, sometimes, basswood; in this locality, usually pine, and this is the best. These boards are made from six-inch strips, one inch thick as they come from the mills; after being allowed to dry they are planed both sides, and jointed, and run through a re-sawing machine, making two clapboards out of each inch piece. Clap- boards should not be laid to exceed four and one-half inches to the weather, and nailed once in twelve inches. In many parts of the Eastern States, particularly Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, lai-ge quantities of spruce clapboards are made from small, straight trees which are cut in four and six-foot lengths, turned in a lathe and then sawed toward the center, the thin edges in, 'and thick edges out. These make a very good clapboard, but great care must be used 44 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. in putting them on, owing to their liability to split. Some painters claim that "on these boards paint will not stick as well; still, in our experience, where dry clapboards have been painted with pure white lead and linseed oil, it has not come off'. Basswood is used in only a few localities where the wood is plenty; if put on dry, and thoroughly nailed and painted without getting wet, it makes a very good covering. Clap- boards are undoubtedly the be.st covering for outside walls of wood buildings. Boards ten inches wide, running per- pendicularly and battened at the joints, make a good out- side covering. Now-a-days we sometimes venture upon the grounds of our ancestors by shingling outer walls, but usually for effect only, in gables, where a few shingles laid in a panel or above a belt course, cut in some attractive pattern and painted in some rich or warm color, have a pleasing effect. The great disadvantages in the protection of exposed surfaces of wooden buildings, render the material less desirable for certain classes of residences, and there is not the least doubt that less perishable materials are preferable, other things being equal. DURABLE FLOORS. — A BETTER PLAN FOR FLOORS SUG- GESTED. — OPEN JOINTS AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM. INSIDE FINISH. — THE BEST WOODS AND HOW TO USE THEM. — PREVENTION OF SWELLING IN LUMBER. oWiCX. INE and spruce are the kinds used most for ordinary floors that are to be covered with carpeting. In the Middle and Western States, the flooring is matched and laid the first thing after the roof is on the building. In the Eastern States, a floor of cull boards, planed to an even thickness and unmatched, is laid as soon as the floor joists are in place, and this comes very- handy to work upon during the process of constructing the walls, either in wood or brick buildings. After plastering and other work of inside finishing are all done, and the base board in place, the last or upper floor is laid over the cull floor previously laid. The last floor is made of pine, or more commonly there, spruce, unmatched, the edges jointed, and the measure taken for each piece, which is cut in place and laid, commencing on either side of [45]" 46 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the room and meeting in the center, fitting each end to a joint against base board. The last opening near the center is measured, and a piece fitted and sprung into place, mak- ing the whole floor tight. It is then hned off and nailed on both edges. This makes a very good floor, though costing somewhat more than a matched floor. The edge of such a floor being inside of base board, if there is any settling it will not show an open joint, as in the plan of putting the base board on the floor, when any shrinkage will leave an opening. In kitchens, this plan of laying the floor inside of finish is particularly good, as the floor frequently wears out in time, and has to be replaced, which can be done without disturbing other finish. Hard-wood floors are much used, and those made from the following woods are desirable: White oak, hard maple, cherry, and ash, if straight grained. In the Eastern States, much southern hard pine is used for public buildings and factories. This has a smooth, hard, glassy surface, and makes an excellent floor to stand the wear. We omitted to mention the use of matched sheathing for outer walls, in connection with our remarks on outside covering; this is desirable many times for fronts in city or town; but in the way it is usually put on, horizontally, in many places, we think it serves a very poor purpose. If the sheathing applied in this way is ever so dry, the tendency is to produce leaks and rotten joints,. The rain, beating against the wall, works into the joints, and falling in behind window-frames, many times causes leaks and swells open the joints of the sheathing, so that the appear- ance is anything but pleasing. FINISHING. 47 We frequently sheathe the fronts of houses, but we first board and paper outside in the usual manner; then we use pei-fectly dry matched pine, seven-eighths inch thick and two and a half inches wide (having it narrow lessens risk of shrinkage), .putting it on vertically, and wherever it comes on a window cap, or roof, we turn the tin well up under. The reasons why this method is better are ob^'ious. It cannot leak, for if any water should get into a joint, it runs out at the lower end, and the joints running vertically, the water will not have much tendency to get into them. Besides, this method looks better. We have, in this city, known of many instances where the fronts of houses sheathed horizontally have leaked, and the owners have had them clapboarded to put a stop to the annoyance. The best finish for all outside wood-work, as is well known, is pine. Nothing else, of the meny different kinds of wood, possesses the quality of withstanding the storms and weather changes as does pine, when, of course, pro- tected with paint. All outside finish, so far as practicable, should be primed before being put into the building. We have found from practice that the moldings of columns, as they are fitted and cut for their respective places, should be hollowed out on the back, or heel, of the miter, and the joints painted one coat. A column made from dry pine, with its joints put together in the same way, will not show the joints of the capital and molded bases open, like many frequently seen on new work carelessly put up. The cause of open joints is plain. The water striking the column and running down onto the capital and base, 48 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. thoroughly saturates them ; they swell, and if what is known as the heel, or thick part of the miter, has not been hol- lowed out as above, the outer parts are forced apart, leaving an ugly gap for the painter to cover up ; if cut away, it can swell without forcing the joint open ort the outer corner. Pine is also mostly used for all kinds of inside finish in the. ordinary class of buildings or houses. Whitewood, known in some parts of the South as poplar, is used to some , extent where this kind of wood is plentiful, and being a soft wood, it is very easy to work; the surface finishes down smoothly, and takes paint well. Indeed, it gives a better surface for painted work than it is possible to obtain on pine, and there is no pitch to come through, and but few knots to be found in it. It is not abundant enough to compete with pine in all markets, and although there are very few knots or "shakes" to contend with, it has a way of checking in seasoning, from the ends, that causes a large waste to the consumer. These chefcks extend from one to four feet from either end, and we know of no way to pre- vent this. Having used a large amount of it in years past, we think there is none. Bass-wood, a pure, white, soft, pliable wood, fully as soft as pine, is much used for carriage and sleigh bodies, and indeed for almost any finishing that requires bending for form, where great strength is not demanded. This wood takes on a fine finish, as may be observed by noticing the brilliant, coal-black polish on carriage bodies. It makes a very good inside finish, but must be weU secured in place, wherever used, as it will, before being painted, quickly absorb moisture, and warp into all manner of shapes. It has never been used very extensively in cities THE BEST WOODS. 49 for inside finishing, its use being confined principally to certain localities where it is abundant and cheap, and where pine is not so plenty. In the Eastern States the farmer, having trees of this variety in his forest, and no pine, cuts them into finishing lumber, and uses it to save the purchase of pine. Like whitewood, it is much used in cabinet work for drawers and backing of furniture. It resembles the whitewood in most respects, being free from knots and liable to checking in the ends during seasoning, but it is softer and whiter. The woods enumerated in the foregoing list comprise those most used for painted work on interior finish, save in California, where redwood is used very largely. This wood has the peculiar disadvantage of shrinking endwise of the grain. In either of the two woods mentioned in comparison witli pine, neither is so well suited for doors and sash, as they will warp, and must be secured in place to something solid. This is particuliarly true of bass-wood. Whitewood is sometimes used for doors, but does not stand like pine; so when we consider the question of general utility, pine is really the best of all, and we know of noth- ing that retains "its form as well. For inside finish, it should be got out some time before being put into the building, and kiln-dried either before or after work- ing; and the best and only way anything like a good house should be finished, is in the following manner: The plastering should be put on around aU doors, windows, wainscotings, and base, and all the plaster work should be thoroughly dry before the lumber for finish is taken into the house, as dry pine, taken into even a damp room and left for a few days, will absorb considerable moisture, and if i 50 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. put on the walls before it is dry, it will surely open in the joints. A very good plan, which we have seen used, is to give lumber for casings or architraves, a coat of shellac on the back side, which keeps the moisture, if there be any in the wall, from entering the wood. For finishing cheap houses, the plan most generally followed, is to put on plaster ground for the base board only, and then put on the first membcsr of the architrave around doors and windows, and finish the plastering to this, and after mortar is dry, to put on a band molding, as it is called, lapping over the casing and back onto the plaster, covering the joint between casing and the mortar. This plan answers very well for cheap houses, the only difficulty being that the finish first put on will swell up by contact with wet mortar and cause open joints, which will have to be filled with putty by the painter. w!o ITHER things being equal, high ground is always preferable for a building site; but many things must be taken into consideration in the location. Old water-courses, low, swampy grounds, and dense forests should be avoided, as they are fruitful sources of disease. It is not pleasant to locate near a manufacturing concern, where the dia of resounding machinery fills the air with discordant sounds, and where clouds of smoke settle down at the most inopportune moments. It is not best in cities to locate where a good sewer is not accessible, for in time the difficulty in drainage will become very annoying. In the country there is not so much difficulty in securing a desirable location. The first consideration should be good drainage, and the soU and subsoil must be carefully exam- 7 [97] 98 OVB, HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. ined to this end. If the soil is gravelly or porous, and the subsoil a hard clay, impervious to water, the site is not a good one, for the surface water will simply settle down to the clay and remain there, making the ground damp and unhealthful. This may, however, be remedied to a great extent by putting in tile drains, but it is best to find a good porous or gravelly subsoil. Where a good system of sewerage is maintained, the drainage is of no consequence, as it is easy to secure almost perfect immunity from damp premises. The next consideration is a good and ample supply of drinking water, and water for all domestic purposes; this is of vital importance. It is far better to be at some expense in bringing it from a distant spring or a running stream by means of pipes, than to run any risk by the use of contam- inated water. Many fine sites, in other respects very desirable, are not deemed practical by reason of their loca- tion on high ground away from water, but this difficulty can usually be overcome if there is water within a reason- able distance in a valley below, by means of a Hydraulic Ram. A well should not be located near any building unless there is a perfect system of drainage for carrying off" the surface water; neither is it safe to locate a well too near a drain, as the incline of the surface or strata of subsoil may allow the sewage to filter through into the well and con- taminate the water. In many parts of the country, where the lower strata is gravel, and where the water is only a few feet down, drive wells are put in by driving into the earth an iron pipe one and a half inches in diameter, upon the end of which is DRAINAGE AND EXPOSURE. 99 firmly screwed a sharp, steel-pointed head, the pipe for a few inches above the steel-pointed head having small holes for the admission of water. Water from this kind of wells is usually pure, and no water from the surf9,ce can get in to contaminate. Any system of drainage depends largely upon a good supply of water for its effectiveness, and with- out good drainage the best location will soon become unhealthy. A quick-running stream, if not subject to annoying or dangerous overflows, is to be desired as an adjunct to a good site, as it can be made the means of carrying off accumula- tions of filth; but a sluggish stream, or standing water, should be avoided, as danger lurks on their banks ; nor are pools that are made for ornament to be trusted. Lakes, if fed by rivulets or unseen springs at the bottom, so that the water will not stagnate, may be most delightful and reasonably healthful as adjuncts to building sites. Exposure of a House. The exposure of a house, or the direction it fronts, and the relative location of its principal rooms, has much to do with the comfort of its inmates. The greatest consideration is the admission of sunshine into every room, if possible, sometime during the day. In cities and towns where the streets run with the cardinal points of the compass, a northwest corner, the house fronting south, is the best location, next to which the west side of a street is preferable, as the principal rooms may then be located on the east and south exposures; and if some room must be located so that sunlight cannot enter, let it be the dinning- room, for while we want it as pleasant as possible, we live 100 OUB SOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. in it less time than any other. The kitchen also may be located on the cold side, as may the staircase and hall. If the house should stand on the west side of street, on an inside lot, the principal rooms should be on the south side, if the house is on the east side, the exposure of the principal rooms should be on the south and west, and for sunshine this is really a better location than the foregoing, but it has the disadvantage of being exposed to the intense heat of the afternoon sun, which can in a measure be over- come by shade-trees placed not too close to the house. If the house is built on the north side of the street, the house fronts south of course, and the principal rooms should open to the east, allowing the morning sun to pour its full rays into the rooms, just at the time of day when sunshine is enjoyable; and as the day passes the sun will sweep around and give the whole front and west side a bath, leav- ing the east rooms cool and shady in the afternoon. There are some disadvantages in locating a residence on the south side of a street, for the wiuds of wiater have full play upon the parts where the principal rooms must be located ; and yet this can be overcome by the use of double windows, and by building a vestibule entrance, or a storm door. While such houses may possibly be colder in winter they are more pleasant in summer. All houses should have verandas on the sides exposed to the sun, if possible, and sleeping rooms so exposed, may be rendered cooler by keeping out the hot rays by means of awnings. In the country, no obstacles are usually in the way to securing the best possible location for sunlight. The best frontings are either south or east, and if the LOCATING AND BEAUTIFYING. 101 house should be set in some other way than with the cardinal points, there is no law by which the owner can be compelled to turn it around. The rooms must be so located as to secure the sunlight to the best advantage, the style of the building and location of trees having, of course, much to do in determining what is best to do. There is nothing, perhaps, that enhances the beauty of houses more than trees and shrubbery when there is room for them. Trees should not stand too near houses, nor should their branches ever overhang, as they not only damage the work and mar the] beauty of outline, but they also cause a dampness to settle around and into the house,* rendering it unhealthful. We think much of shade-trees, but would keep them at a respectful distance from the house; near enough to break the force of winter's winds, and shelter from summer's sun. (SLM^Fa^RK. 'Xllf. THE PfilMITIVE HOUSE. — OUR NOBLE ANCESTORS. — MODERN RESIDENCES. — HOW TO BUILD A HOUSE AND MAKE AD- DITIONS TO IT. — A SIMPLE COTTAGE. o»;o I ANY of our readers are no doubt familiar with the old-fashioned house built by our forefathers — the log cabin. Our engraver has succeeded very well in producing a good illustration, one with its primitive surroundings. Who shall say that its walls of rough logs, and its roof made of rough puncheons held in place by poles, did not shelter the best blood of our nation? And who shall fail to revere, the memory of those who toiled in and reclaimed the wilderness from its wildness, endured privations, poverty, and mis- fortune, triumphed over obstacles almost insurmountable, and made it possible for us to possess Our Homes and Their Adornments ? No architect had they to plan parlor, library, and conservatory, no mills had they to cut, plane, match, and fashion the lumber ; but with ax and rude saw they hewed from the tree each piece, patiently but perseveringly until [103] OUB ANCESTORS. 103 the house was fiiiishecl,^ — not in soft wood or hard wood, not in molded base or graceful architrave, but finished for such comforts as they needed. And the Mothers — all glory to their memory 1 — their fingers were busy in interior decoration — not in making applique work, not in painting plaques and panels, but in providing such comforts as could be obtained. They took Fig. 2. as much pleasure and exhibited as much pride in their graceful festoons of I'ed-pepper pods and dried pumpkins, as does the modern woman in her richly ornamented portiere or lambrequin. Comfort never waited to be invited into such a house; she entered and took up her abode there. Little use for ventilating apparatus — the high piled open fire-place, roar- 104 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. ing and crackling, asserted its ability to assume all care of the frequent change of air in the room, and as for inlets for air, there were plenty of them. The plans and specifications of such a house would probably call for "solid walls of native timber carefully grooved and fitted at each corner so that no crack between timbers should exceed six inches; the walls at the ends carried up so as to give the roof the proper pitch; the rafters to be of poles, laid from end to end; the roof to be of slabs, lapped and the joints broken ; the whole to be held in place by good solid poles, well ' scotched ' and tied down at the ends; the floor to be made of well-smoothed slabs, laid close and in a workman-like manner; the walls to be plastered with good, tough red clay, carefully put on with the hands ; the whole building to be completed and ready for occupancy before the approach of cold weather." Each man was his own architect, contractor, builder, and finisher; yet the old log-house did not long content its occupants, for after the " clearin' " was made and the fields well under cultivation, the hewed log-house was built, and perhaps after a few years a double hewed log-house was put up, with well-fitted logs, and cracks filled, not with red clay, but pure white lime, burned from stone taken from the quarry on the premises. Thus the desire for better houses, and the ability to possess them has grown, till by genius, industry, and frugality, any family may possess their own home and adorn it in a manner suited to their taste and means. To all such, the several departments of this work are worth perusal. PRAIRIE HOUSE. 105 DESIGN I.— A PRAIRIE HOUSE. In the accompanying engravings we have, perhaps, given a plan that may seem advisable for some of our prairie readers to follow. There is hardly any one settling on the prairies who could not produce lumber sufficient to build a small "shanty," but is deterred from doing so, for, he says, " I will be able in a few years " — remember, the corn-growing and pork-pro- ducing farmer of the West accumulates fast when once started — " to build me a good, respectable house, and I hate Fig- 3- to waste material upon something that will be nearly useless then." It is to help this class of builders that our designs are intended. Fig. 3 represents a simple cottage of only one room, which can be erected at a very trifling expense, even on the prairies where lumber is high and scarce, and must be hauled a long distance. It is 12x14 feet, and 7 feet between joists, it will take material as follows: 800 feet of 106 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. incli boards @ $30 per thousand, $24; 4 sills, 6x9, and 4 beams, 6x6, 10 rafters, and 12 joists, $6; 2 panel doors @$2.50 each, and 3 windows @$1.50 each, $9.50; nails and paper for roofing, $10. Total, $49.50. Here is a cost of about fifty dollars; and any man of ordinary ingenuity can do all the work himself, with the aid of a carpenter to case the windows, and case and hang the doors. Let him first frame the sills and lay them upon the foundation in proper position; next frame the beams and Fig. 4. lay them upon the sills; then securely nail two boards perpendicularly at each corner of the sills. Use sixteen-foot boards, cut in the middle; this will make the building seven feet in the clear. Now cut four stanchions seven feet long; and with the aid of one person you can raise the beams one end at a time, .slip- under the stanchions, and nail the tops of the boards that had been previously nailed to the sills, securely to the beams, and you ADDITION TO PRAIRIE HOUSE. 107 are ready to proceed with the planking, which any one can do who can saw off a board and drive a nail. For roofing, use saturated tar paper, which is manu- factured expressly for it, and is for sale in all Western towns. The cost is about one-fourth that of shingles; it is not as good, but will last_ several years, when you can lay your shingles right over it. If you buUd in the spring or early summer, you can omit the clapboards until the fall; but don't omit the veranda. Fig' 5. We are like an architectural gentleman who once went into ecstacies over blinds. We have nothing rebutting to show; it is a blind subject; but we think the crowning glory of any house, large or small, is a veranda, or as the girl called it, "our folks's stoop." So much for Fig. 3. Now we will suppose our humble farmer, at the end of one or two years, has acquired means to enlarge his humble 108 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. domicile. This he can do, as shown in plan, Fig. 5, which consists of his first erection with a lean-to of one bed-room, a pantry, and a wood-shed. This can be erected upon the same principle as the first. The reason we recommended planking and clapboards in preference to studs and clap- boarding, is that any one can build with planks ; but it will require a professional carpenter to build a studded house. Fig. 5 will make a very convenient house for a small family. The inside can be finished with paper or plaster, to ...Q.-n..nn.n»0""*'-~~ ^ Fig. 6. W \1J^ suit the taste of the occupants. Again we wiU suppose that "the lapse of years has brought round the time " when our friend wishes to again enlarge his house. If he has followed our former plans, he will do so, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This consists of an upright part added to his former erections. He now, of course, has means sufficient at his command, and will call in the aid of a practical architect. He can buUd this last part two stories high if he wishes, but we would advise a low house in a ADDITION TO PBAIBIE HOUSE. 109 prairie country. We think this will make a very convenient house, not devoid of beauty. Plan, Fig. 3, is a room 12x14; V, veranda. (R *l'^1 ^ '^ T^ / * »*!;U3 r >? J' -^ Plan, Fig. 5, K, living room, 12x14; B, bed-room, 8x9; P, pantry, 8x8; W, S, ■wood-shed; V, veranda. 110 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. Plan, Fig. 6, L, living-room, 12x13; K, kitchen, 12 xl4; D, dining-room, 9Jxl2; B, B, B, bed-rooms, 9x8, and 8x8; S, P, summer pantry, 8x8; P, pantry, 8x8; W, wood-shed; V, V, veranda. The summer pantry can be used in winter for a place to keep meat, and as a store-room. Being away from the kitchen fire, it will keep meat fresh a long time in suitable weather. / The cost of the last design (the third addition) will not exceed $1,500, and could probably be built for less if one would do as much of the work as possible himself. \ i i ■^ 1 1 i/' ' ^\ 'i^-,. ^ (IxHAFTRR Xf^. AN ATTRACTIVE COTTAGE HOME FOR PEOPLE WITH SMALL MEANS. — HOW CONSTRUCTED. — THE COST. — HOW TO PAINT IT. ^ DESIGN II. -^ E give in Figs. 8 and 9 illustrations of the arrangement of the rooms on first floor, and perspective view of front and principal side of an attractive little cottage, neat and weU pro- portioned, simple in design, and easy of con- struction, there being but little ornamental work used, as shown in the elevation. A course of sawed panels across the front, set in square frame-work, and the projection of the second story over bay, with its two large brackets on either side, give a fine outline to the front, with the relief of cut slat patterns under projection and over the windows in front gable; and this, together with the simple cut figures in the entrance porch, is all the real ornamental work on the house- The fact is that the exterior effect in the cottage depends more upon the outlines of corners, prcg'ections, and angles of roof, than upon anything else, and is an example of what can be done without much omamen- [111] 112 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADOBNMENTS- tation and still claim merit from its attractiveness. The roof should be shingled and painted a dark red, while the body of the house should be painted an olive green, and the trimmings, that is, cornices, corners, porch and bay-window, a dark chocolate, with corners, or chamfers, where there are Fig. 8. any, in vermilion. The effect, if the house is standing alone, with trees and shrubbery around, will be pleasing. So much for the exterior. Fig. 8 shows how the rooms are placed on first floor, the porch opening into a lobby and from -this either into DESIGN OF COTTAGE. 113 living-room or kitchen. We M^ould suggest that it would be a good plan to have a small room in the rear for cookiaff m summer, which could be added at small expense. Fig- 9- The small room marked " coal " could, if thought advis- able, be opened into the kitchen and used for a store-room. A pantry of ample size will be found convenient, having shelves on three sides, and also a good closet off from living- 8 114 OUR HOMES AND TKEIB ADORNMENTS. room, and one under stairs, unless there is a cellar under the house, in which case the stairs to the same would have to be placed under the staircase leading to the second floor. On the second floor there are two good sleeping-rooms, there being a small hall at head of stairs extending along side of stair-way to front room, and doors opening into this and the rear bed-room immediately back of it. Two closets are between the rooms, one for each. The rear chamber is lighted with two windows, coming up into the roof, one on the side and the other in the rear. This completes the number of rooms, and we have four good-sized rooms and plenty of closets. This we think an excellent plan for a small family of little means, who are desirous, if they cannot have so large a house, to have one that possesses some degree of taste and refinement at least; and there is no reason why the cottage homes of our people should not be made more attractive when it can be done by so little well-directed skill in planning and executing; for many times the cottage, with its simple adornment, is the abode of more genuine happiness than ever passed the thresh- olds of some who live in palatial homes, and are surrounded with all the luxury that money will buy. This design would make a very good summer cottage, if desired, in which case it would not necessarily need to be plastered. At present prices, this house can be built here, all complete, for six hundred dollars. x^. A NEAT, SYMMETRICAL STOEY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE AT MOD- EEATE COST. — DESCRIPTION ■ OF ITS ARRANGEMENT. — ITS ADVANTAGES OVER A ONE-STORY HOUSE. — SOME NOVEL FEATURES. DESIGN III. I E present in Figs. 10 and 11, first and second floor plans, with front elevation shown in Fig. 12, of a storj'-and-a-half cottage. Two of these have recently been completed for the author, for rent- ing purposes, and he considers this design the nearest approach to an ideal neat, cosey, tasty cottage home that he has ever made, for the amount they cost. The house consists, as will be seen by refer- ring to first-floor plan. Fig. 10, of portico L, vestibule K, 5x5 ft., and opening into parlor A, 12x14 ft., and also to sitting or main living room B, 12x14 ft., which is connected with the parlor by a sliding door four feet wide. Oif the sitting-room is a bed-room D, 8x10 ft., and a clothing closet G, under the stairs, for the accommoda- tion of the same. From the sitting-room, door I opens to an easy stair- way [115] 116 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. leading to second floor, and the door in rear opens into the kitchen C, 13x14 ft., large enough to use for dining pur- poses when desired. In one corner of the kitchen is An iron sink with good drip-board at one end and a cupboard under the sink. The chimney shown in kitchen is for the use of both rooms, between which it is located. The kitchen stove can stand well up in the comer and leave plenty of room for tables, etc. Fig. lo. F is a pantry, 4x7 ft., of ample size, with one broad shelf, under which is a space inclosed with a door for a barrel of flour, and a small door on top of shelf opening into barrel. Also on the side of this door a tier of three drawers, and plenty of open shelves and cleats, all around the three sides. Door H opens to a stair-way leading down to a neat little cellar, 12x14 ft., the walls of which are made of brick STORY- AND- A-HALF HOUSE. 117 laid open, thereby effectually keeping out dampness and frost. The floor is concreted, and a tile drain connected with sewer laid inside of the walls. The door from the kitchen in the rear opens out to a platform with steps lead- ing down each way, one to the walk around to the front, and the other to water-closet J, which is connected directly with the sewer. Fig. II. On the second floor we have, you will observe by refer- ring to Fig. 11, ample hall rooin N, with window. The two rooms marked, D, D, are sleeping-rooms, 12x14, and from the hall is one large closet for both rooms. M is an unfinished attic over kitchen, with door from the large closet, and is used only for storing trunks or things not frequently wanted. The compactness of the house makes it easy of access to the different rooms and easy to warm; indeed, one medium- 118 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. size base burner, set in the living-room, will warm the whole house, except the kitchen. In the ceiling, immediately over the stove, we have a register opening into the room above, and one in front room to the chamber over it; these regis- ters can be closed during the day, and in the evening by opening them and running the fire a little more briskly, the sleeping-rooms can easily be made warm enough. The objection is sometimes made that the sleeping-rooms in a story -and-a-half house are too warm in summer ; such, however, is not the case if the windows in these rooms are arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 11, or in a similar manner, with not less than two in a room and always on two sides. If one window can face the south or west, so much the better, as a good ventilation can be had at all times. The side walls are sixteen feet and six inches high from top of sill to top of plate; the first story is nine feet and six inches between the floor joists, leaving the outside wall of second floor six feet and four inches from floor to where the angle of roof rests on the plates, and in the center the rooms are nine feet high. The rear or kitchen part is twelve-foot studding, thus ' leaving, ample room in the attic for storing purposes. We think the exterior presents nice and graceful proportions. The design depends for eifect as much on the outline and painting as upon anything else. Across the front and sides is a water-table; and from this up to the window-sills, the wall is sheathed with matched sheathing, and the sill course extended around over this and cut into panels with cross-bars in the manner shown in the elevation. The window-casings connect with a band or belt course at the STORY- AND- A-HALF HOUSE. 119 caps, while the double wmdow in the second story is con- nected on each side with the caps of the two windows below, by a piece cut in a symmetrical form; and in between these the panel is covered with shingles cut in a neat pattern. Fig 12. 120 OUB SOMES AND THUIB AD0BNMENT8. The gable is divided by a band and shingled in the same manner, as is also the end of veranda. On the top of the roof, over each gable, is placed a neat finial of wood, and the gables are finished with a verge-board of unique design, placed immediately back of the facia. This gives a very pleasing appearance. The front door has glass in top panel to light the vestibule. Steps with rail and posts on each side lead up to the veranda. We have painted the house in the following manner: The body, or parts of the house clapboarded, and the panels under sill course, are an olive-green ; all trimmings, including cornices, window-frames, bands, veranda, and cross-pieces in panels, are a dark chocolate; the cut shingles in gable and veranda are a bright red; while all the trim- mings of chocolate color have chamfers cut in with vermilion, the sash also being vermilion. The effect and harmony of these colors are very pleasing. We wish to say a few words, comparing this six-room, story-and-a-half house, costing, in Detroit, thirteen hundred dollars, with a one-story cottage containing the same number of rooms, all on the first floor, and costing the same amount. In the first place, the cottage must necessarily cover more ground in order to obtain the same amount of room, and this must be in width as well as length ; hence the advantage in building on narrow lots; we have much more ground left for a lawn at the side, and also for a yard in the rear, as well as more light and air, which are of con- sideration. In the second place, the height of the walls of a one- 8T0BY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE. 121 story cottage must be twelve feet, only four feet less than the other; the amount of roof must be as much more as would be required to cover the amount of two sleeping- rooms on first floor, (and these rooms cannot be as large as those in the story-and-a-half house), usually with one win- dow in a room, or if there are two, they must be on the same side. The result will be small sleeping-rooms that can never be ventilated as well as a room on the second floor, Avith windows on two sides. And again, do what you may in the way of embelish- ment outside, you can never produce on the one-story build- ing that symmetry of outline and beauty of proportion so easily obtained in the other; therefore we think that these considerations are decidedly in favor of the story-and-a-half house, and worthy of the careful attention of any one interested in this class of houses. DESIGN IV.— STORY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE. We follow here with another design of a story-and-a- half house, the first fioor plan being seen in Fig. 13, and a fine perspective of the front and one side in Fig. 14, show- ing the house and lawn as they actually appear when com- pleted. This building is not so high as the one last described, the posts being 14 feet, making the rooms on" first floor nine feet, and on the second, four feet and six inches at the side, and eight feet six inches in the center of the room. For the difference in cost we would not recommend a house with rooms so low. The outside, while decidedly plain, possesses something that commands attention. 122 OUR HOMES AND TEEIB ADORNMENTS. The broad, sheltering cornice gives to it the appearance of ample protection from sun and storm; the hooded windows in front and inviting porticoes with climbing vines lend to it a charm which must impress one that the inmates of a home like this should enjoy their share of worldly bless- a - -I u ■ -i Jn r-J • i- Fig. 13. ings, such as belong only to those who have worked hard and perhaps long to come into possession of such a place. The outside walls are covered with clapboards, and the roofs, including hood and porticoes, are all shingled. ARRANGEMENT OF ROOMS. 123 The first floor plan, Fig. 13, shows; 1 and 5, porticoes, 1 opening into front staircase hall, and 5 into pailor 3, which is 15 ft. square; this is connected with hall 2, 9x14 ft., with a neat staircase to second floor and closet underneath. Fig. 14. From the parlor is a room for library 4, 11x14 ft., with door to sitting-room 6, 15x16 ft., with double window in the rear, also door to hall and to kitchen 7, 9x16 ft., and back of this, pantry 8, 5x9 ft. On the second floor there are three good rooms, one over 124 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. parlor and one over sitting-room, with a hall running cross- wise of the building, from where the stairs land to the room over the library. These rooms are all lighted from windows in the gables, and each room is supplied with a commodious closet. At the present price of all kinds of material and labor, this building can be erected for about $900.00. GLHj^F'a^RR XVI. STORY-AND-A-HALF HOUSES CONTINUED. — A HOUSE THAT WILL ADMIT SUNLIGHT TO EVERY ROOM. — APPEARANCE MADE SUBORDINATE TO ARRANGEMENT OF ROOMS. — AN EXCELLENT FLOOR PLAN. ^ DESIGN V. -« |E give in Fig. 15 first-floor -plan, and in Fig. 16 perspective view of a fine and commodious story- and-a-half house well adapted for a country or suburban residence. It is well adapted for a corner lot, but if it is of good width, an inside lot will do. By referring to first floor plan, Fig. 15, it will be seen that this house contains much more room and on a scale more elaborate than anything yet shown in the preceding story-and-a-half bouses, and of course costs more. A is the fine, large veranda, and from this the front or principal entrance opens to main hall B and spacious stair- case, with window on the landing, of stained glass in rich, harmonious colors, admitting a beautiful, subdued light into the hall below. C is the parlor, 13x17 ft., with a broad bay-window on [135] 126 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the front, adding much to the dimensions and appearance of the room as well as to the external effect. Opposite this is an open grate, facing the window, whose cheering flame can be seen from the street by the passers-by, if the blinds are open. Who is there, that may chance to be out on the street on a cold winter night, who does not admire the view of the light of the open fire flickering through the window, suggesting warmth and comfort to those within? A ■ ■ E is the library of ample size, with a square bay-window on the front and a window out to veranda; it also has a grate and mantel with a closet in one corner of the room on the side of the grate. D is the sitting or main living room. It is large, and connects with hall and parlor, with door out on the veranda L. It also has a grate near one corner. From this room J*',' -,"» oq AN EXCELLENT FLOOR PLAN. 127 a narrow hall-way leads to dining-room F, with doors on each side of hall-way, one opening into a large china closet, and the other to bath-room containing bath-tub and wash- basin. The dining-room is very pleasant, as windows and sash doors open out on each side to verandas, and admit plenty of light and air. H is the kitchen with a stair-way F to attic, and cellar under, and a window and sash door to veranda. On the opposite side, adjoining the kitchen is a large pantry I, fitted up with plenty of ghelves, cupboards, and drawers; a door from this leads to veranda where there is a pump O to cistern, and other conveniences. A sink is located in the pantry, it being large enough to admit of it. On the second floor we have three fine, large chambei"s, all opening from the hall, and each supplied with a commodi- ous closet. Over the dining-room part is located a servants' room and a store-room. The outside, although quite plain so far as decorative effect goes, presents a very neat appearance; and with so many broad verandas on each side of the house, it suggests comfort outside in the summer time. A fine roof of slate, cut to a nice pattern, and laid in two colors and with the ridge surmounted by terra cotta chimneys, adds in a large measure to the pleasing appear- ance presented by the design. Completed, the house would cost, $1600.00. CxHAFTRK X^fl. A RURAL COTTAGE HOME. — A PLAN THAT COMBINES CON- VENIENCE AND BEAUTY. — SIMPLE ADORNMENTS THAT ADD TO COMFORT. — PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF A PICTUR- ESQUE GOTHIC HOUSE. DESIGN Vi; I N the plan, Fig. 17, and the prospective, Fig. 18, we present what may be appropriately termed a RURAL COTTAGE HOME. The first floor, Fig. 17, shows a very complete arrangement of rooms, consisting of large parlor, hall in the center of house, the dining-room being of the same size as the parlor, with the front end beveled, giving it the appearance of a bay-wiidow. A double window is in this end, and china closet on one side, with a private pantry on the other. A door from one corner of this room opens into the rear hall, which is cut off from the front hall by door C, with a small closet in the back end and a cellar door and stairs under main stair-way. The kitchen is of good size, with a back entry, pantry, and store-room off from side. In the rear of the parlor is a child's room and a fair- sized bed-room. On the front, off f i-om the main hall, is the [138] 1 bD DESIGN FOB BUBAL GOTTAGK 129 study or sitting-room, with two closets on each side of a mantel, and grate in the center, there being one on the opposite side from this in the dining-room, both using the same chimney. The door A should be glazed, as it comes opposite to the window in the bed-room, and will serve to light the hall. The second-floor plan contains five bed-rooms all accessible BED ROOM CHILD 3ED R. 7X9 KITCHE^ liX IS Fig. 17. from a central hall-way at the head of the stair landing, and all being accommodated with closets. The main posts being 16 ft. long, the first story should be 9 ft. and 8 in. between timbers; and the second story 6 ft. 9 130 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 4 in. on the sides, and 9 ft. through the center. The outside walls are intended to be boarded vertically with ten-inch boards with molded battens over the joints. We think the exterior of this cottage admirable; the rustic veranda and trellises over the doors and windows are intended for vines, not merely as supports for them, but to give thereby an air of rural refinement and poetry to the house. Cedar poles are the best for trellises, but other accessible woods may be used, and the bark should be left on. The embellishment with vines may be cheaply and quickly secured by any person of taste who knows how to select, plant, and train them ; and they should be selected, planted, and trained by every person who lives in such a cottage. Such garniture is the best external evidence of refine- ment and good taste that can be employed; and as an educational agency in a family, nothing is more potent nor gives greater pleasure. This cottage would probably cost near $1500 but a cheaper one with the same rooms and conveniences could scarcely be devised. DESIGN VII. In our illustration, Fig. 19, we give a perspective view of a picturesque and most admirable exterior of a modern gothic-roofed story-and-a-half house. This is particularly adapted for a country house or suburban residence with plenty of room around it, and should be set on an elevation, the ground sloping away in all directions, with plenty of A PICTURESQUE GOTHIC HOUSE. 131 surrounding shrubbery. The clipped or hooded gables, trimmed with neat tracery and broad projections of roof and cornices, with wide veranda and canopy tops over the windows, all do much toward making up the general form and graceful outline of the house. The first floor contains four large rooms; viz, parlor, sitting-room, dining-room, kitchen with pantry, and bath- room, besides a fine hall and easy staircase. On the second floor are four good bed-rooms and a closet to each, with a hall opening into all rooms. ^ The sides of house are clapboarded in the usual manner and the roof shingled. The house should be painted on the outside in two modern colors of light drab or stone color for body, and darker trimmings. Such a house, furnished in first-class style, would probably not exceed $1700 in cash. Glhj^f'trr X^fff. MOEE DURABLE MATERIAL. — ^A SOLID GOTHIC HOUSE. — STYLE, -DESCRIPTION OP THE PLANS. -EXTENSIVE FARM RESIDENCE AND BARN. NOT NEW BUT POPULAR.- — COST OF ERECTION. — DESIGN IX.- » DESIGN YIII. -^ I E now pass to a house composed of material more durable and costly. Figs. 20, 21, and 22 pre- sent a design of a building intended for a farm- house, to be built of stone. The leading ideas in the arrangement of the rooms were compactness and convenience, something less pretentious but fully as cosy, if the main stair-way is made to take a subordinate position from the usual place assigned it near the front entrance. A is the porch in the base of the tower, with front en- trance opening directly into the main living- room C, 15xl5_ ft. The parlor B is the same size as the living-room, with which it is connected by a door, which might be a sliding door if desired. D is the library, or ow- ing to its location away from other rooms, could be used for a sick-room when occasion might require it. This room is 9x11 ft., a good closet for its accommodation being made (132> A SOLID GOTHIC HOUSE. 133 under the staircase. The kitchen E is llxl2| ft. ; bed-room F, 7^x10 ft., with closet J, off from it; pantry G, 8x10 ft. ; hall H; wood-shed I, 15x15 ft. ; closets J, J, and veranda V. On the second floor are commodious sleeping-rooms, N, O, L, and F, all of which are well-lighted and have good closets J, J, J, J. A hall-way, H, H, runs from in the tower to main and rear staircases, and the room M is for a servant's room , 20. K is the balcony on tower, and a narrow stair-way, with rail, leads from main haU up to the tower observatory. The general form of the outer walls is such as admits of a picturesque outline in the elevation, and in the treatment of the exterior finish the expenditure has been spread out in simple embellishments over the whole structure rather than concentrated upon an elaborate cornice. 134 OUR BOMBS AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. This design, we are well aware, is not altogether new, neither did we intend it should be; it is simply a study of the old gothie forms of architecture, whose pleasing outlines can never become old to the lover of the beautiful. This house, if built of stone as designed, will not only impress the beholder with a sense of quiet repose and harmony, but M n " 1 J N H J it will have the effect of strength and solidity combined with its outward appearance. This building might be erected of brick or wood, in which case the plan of windows and doors might vary slightly from that shown in the illustration. We should, however, recommend the use of stone, when the cost of the building complete would be near $5000.00. AN EXTENSIVE FARM RESIDENCE. 135 DESIGN IX, We present in Fig. 23 first-floor plan, and in Fig. 24 perspective view, of an extensive farm residence and barn, that we think are very complete in their appointments throughout. Scattered far and wide over the land, we now find a great Imany elegant and comfortable homes among the farm- ers, the majority of whom, not many years ago, commenced life with very little of this world's goods. Some, settling down in the dense forests, and others on the broad prairies, have by their own indomitable perseverance and energy and the strength of their arm, swept away the forests, and turned into flowering fields the desolate wilds of the prairies, where tall grasses were shaken by the morning winds, or trodden beneath the feet of the wild beast. The fertile soil produces such abundance that it has been said that America could feed the nations of the world if necessity should ever require it. We all know full well the mighty power that lies in the tillers of the soil; and it is with pleasure that we note their enterprise in erecting beau- tiful homes and comfortable farm buildings where they can enjoy the fruits of their labor. The following is the description of the plan of rooms and out- buildings, accompanying the elevation : On first floor, 1, 1, porches; 2, 2, vestibules; 3, hall, 8 ft. 4 in. wide; 4, sitting-room, 15x15 ft.; 5, parlor, 15x15 ft.; 6, library, 9x15 ft.; 7, dining-room, 15x18 ft.; 8, kitchen, 13x24 ft., includ- ing stair-vay to cellar, a milk-room being underneath kitchen in basement; 9, pantry, 6x12 ft.; 10, wash-room or laundry, with arch, kettle, back staircase, etc. ; 11, 11, water- closets; 12, open shed, 29x24 ft. ♦•- —~Jl-f-- op to 4^ AN EXTENSIVE FARM BE8IDENCE. 137 On the second floor is a balcony over each of the porches, a hall extendmg through the middle of hoiise over the one below, six large sleeping apartments, ample closet ac- commodation to each, linen closet, and bath-room opening off from the hall, and in the rear part, two servants' rooms of good size. Plan for barn : Cattle stable and root cellar in the base- ment; A, A, floors, 13 ft., with scafiblding overhead; B, threshing floor, 26x38 ft. ; C, graia bag, 32x38 ft. ; D, D, hay mows, 26x48 and 36x42 ft.; E, granary, 15x24 ft. ;.F, room for large tools, 16x24 ft. ; G, G, passages from one barn floor to the other, 6 ft. wide and 7 ft. high ; H, tool room, 12x24 ft.; J, feed room, 11^x12 ft.; K, harness room, 12x14 ft.; L, horse stalls, 5 ft. wide; M, M, box stalls, 12x12 ft. ; N, hog-pens, with run-way under the floors to manure pit in the basement under horse stalls; O, cook- room with arch, kettle, etc.", 28x39 ft., including the hog- pens; P, hennery, 13x23 ft.; R, chute for straw to bay in basement; S, S, hay chutes; V, V, ventilation. Such is the arrangement for the barn and its accessories. It is not only most gratifying to have good buildings and things made convenient for the care and protection of the live .stock, farm implements, and produce of the farm, but it pays to have these things well cared for. Regarding the cost of such a series of buildings, it is not easy to make an estimate, from the fact that much that is needed on one farm can be dispensed with on another of less size. CxHi^Pa-RK XfX. AN ELEGANT BRICK EESIDENCE. — COMFORT AND BEAUTY COMBINED. — DESCRIPTION OF PLAN, MATERIALS, AND CONSTRUCTION. — DESIGN XI. — A MODERN VILLA. DESIGN X, |UR illustrations, Figs. 25 and 26 are the first floor and perspective of an elegant brick resi- dence, designed by the author and erected in Detroit at a cost of five thousand dollars. It illustrates in a striking manner the advantages of brick over stone as a material for building, for by its use any desirable rectangular form can be secured without the expense of cutting and fitting, as is the case in stone work. This building makes a very imposing and picturesque appearance, and the arrangement of the rooms is such as to secure the admission of sunlight and to afford an excellent view of the street from the principal rooms. The foundations, laid of stone, are 18 inches thick, with a cellar 7 feet in the clear, extending under the entire house. The laundry, which is situated in the cellar under the kitchen, is supplied with three laundry tubs, hot and cold [138] AN ELEGANT BRICK RESIDENCE. 139 water, and a water-closet; and under room E of first floor is the vegetable room, opening from the laundry. The re- mainder of the cellar is occupied by the heating furnace, fuel, and store-rooms, the furnace being bricked in and hav- ing hot-air pipes extending to the three main rooms and hall on first floor, and to the chambers and bath-room on second floor. Under and around the house is laid a complete sys- tem of drainage-pipes, and the floor of cellar is laid with concrete. The plan of the first floor is shown in Fig. 25 : A is the portico, extending around the curved platform and connect- ing with the veranda O, making a fine double entrance bv one flight of steps. Black-walnut doors of a pleasing design open into the hall B, 9x18 ft., from which, at P, ascends an elegant landiug-stairs finished in butternut and black- walnut, the newel post being square and of an unique design, with a rail of butternut neatly cut and molded. The parlor C, 13^x18 ft., is so constructed as to give it the appearance, in front, of a bay-window the whole width of the room. This is a very pleasant feature, both of the parlor and the room above, as it gives, to one standing in the front of the room, a view of the street in both directions. D is the back parlor, or sitting-room, 13|xl6 ft., opening from the rear of which is a toilet-room L, containing wash- basin, with hot and cold water, and a closet, and K, a clothes or general closet. The dining-room E, 12x16 ft., is reached by side en- trance, hall, or rear parlor, and the three main rooms and hall are easily thrown into one grand reception-room, by means of broad, sliding doors that run on tracks overhead, thereby leaving nothing in the way of carpets extending 140 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Fig. 25. Fig. 26. AN ELEGANT BBIGK RESIDENCE. 141 throughout these rooms. Each of these rooms is provided with a grate and elegant mantles of slate. Connecting with the dining-room is the kitchen H, 12x16 ft., from which opens a commodious pantry G, stair- way I to cellar, rear stau--way J to second floor, outside entrance N to basement, and the china-closet M. A cut of second floor is not necessary, as it is arranged similar to the floor below, excepting that a haU four feet wide runs from front to rear, giving direct communication to all the chambers; and the bath-room, fitted up with copper-lined bath-tub, a wash-stand, and a best Alexander water-closet, is located over toilet-room L. Each chamber is supphed with a closet, and a large linen-closet with shelves and drawers is placed over re^r stairs. The front hall on this floor extends from front window over portico to the window at head of rear staircase. This arrangement secures a free circulation of air through the hall and rooms when desired. The attic, which is reached by a narrow, inclosed stair- case over the main stairs, can be flnished into three good, comfortable rooms. The windows are trimmed with best Ohio buff' sandstone, and the brick-work is stained and the joints penciled black, which arrangement shows to excellent effect. The roof is of best Pennsylvania black slate, cut a hexagonal pattern, laid over roofing felt, and is one of the attractive features of the building. Imn cresting and finials of peculiar design ornament the ridges of main part of roof, and the cresting, portico, and veranda are of wood. By referring to the perspective view, it will be seen tha the front gable, forming the angles for the bay-shaped rooms. 142 OUB BOMBS AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. extends out over the front in the same manner as it would if the entire end were square. The projecting cornice that overhangs the angles is supported on two massive brackets, springing out from eacli. angle and joining under the cornice. The front is filled with neat tracery, which, with the supporting brackets, verge-boards, etc., all combine to form an imposing front. It is not egotistical to say that this building possesses to a high degree the requisites of convenience and comfort, with no small degree of taste, for the amount of money re- quired in its construction. We commend it to all who wish a house of like cost and accommodations. DESIGN XI. Our illustration is a perspective view of a fine suburban viUa of arnple dimensions. The plans and specifications of such a residence should be made by none but the best archi- tects, and those contemplating such a house will of course put its construction into none but the best hands. .^^f^^Ow^ Fig. 27. J. HESS, Architect. GLHi^Fa^RR XX. HOW TO BUILD A SUMMER COTTAGE. — CHEAP, BUT ATTRACT- IVE HOUSES IN THE HOT SEASON. — HOW TO BUILD A RUSTIC ARBOR. — A PEW SUGGESTIONS ON BEAUTIFYING THE SURROUNDINGS WITH LITTLE EXPENSE. o»4o S the warm season approaches, many persons, es- pecially those in cities, are anxious to retire to some spot where they may escape the heat. Many go to the fashionable watering places, some to private boarding houses in the country, and not a few camp out by some lake or stream. Generally such persons are able to bear the expense, and have a summer-house on a lot owned or controlled by themselves, located near some lake, bay, or stream, easy of access to the outside world, but far enough away to escape its anxieties. To such we offer a few suggestions. We will suppose that a summer cottage for a family of four is to be constructed. We must have two rooms on the first floor, and the same number above for sleeping apart- ments. The plan and dimensions will be as follows: The house will be 13x25 ft., making the front room 12x12 ft., 144 OUR HOMES yiND THEIB ABOBNMENTS. the back room, 10x12 ft. for dining-room, with a staircase between, 2i ft. wide, the space under staircase being used for a pantry. The same arrangement of rooms on second floor will answer. The roof can be extended out four feet over the front, and a veranda constructed for first floor, the roof of which will serve as a balcony to front sleeping apartment. In the rear of house, we would construct a cook-room, or kitchen, with shelves in corners, 10x10, with a shed roof attached to maia building. We now have the plan of the house, let us consider kind, quality, and cost of materials. The structure will require thirteen foundation posts, 7 in. in diameter and not less than 6 ft. long; set four posts on the long sides, one in the center of each end, and three for the kitchen, costing not over $2.60. Lumber for the building will be I'equired as follows- 2 sills, 6x6 in., 25 ft. long; 3 sills, same size, 13 ft. long; 38 studding, 2x4 in., 14 ft. long; 14 studding, same size, 13 ft. long, for plates; 22, studding 12 ft. long, for kitchen walls and rafters; 34 pieces, 10 ft. long, for rafters and gable ends; 22 pieces, 2x8 in., joists for first floor, same number, 2x6 in., for sec- ond floor, all 13 ft. long; 6 pieces, 4x4 in., 9 ft. long, for veranda posts; and 7 pieces, 2x8 in., 10 ft. long, for floor joists of cook-room. This includes all the framing lumber required in the frame-work, and is not more than two' thousand feet board measure, which would cost $15.00 per thousand, or $30.00 The covering boards for the outside walls should be of a good smooth quality of what is usually termed "bam boards," planed on both sides and applied vertically, and the joints covered with two-inch battens; 1300 ft. will be PLAN OF SUMMER COTTAGE. 145 required at a cost of $20.00. 700 ft. of roofing boards, planed on one side, sound but not necessarily free from knots, will cost $9.00. 5000 shingles for main roof and kitchen, at $4.00 per thousand, $20.00. The flooring, of pine or spruce, matched and laid in the ordinary way, 800 ft., at a cost of $17.00. For the main cornice use a simple 12-inch projection on rafters, .with a verge-board cut in a neat pattern for ^aves and gables ; the rafters being planed no plancher will be nec- essary. The veranda is made by extending columns up to the roof with a railing of simple pattern around the upper floor or balcony. There should be at least two windows in front room, and the same number in the rear rooms, all of common, plain frames, with two-light sash, 24x36 inches. One door opens to each front room, one to veranda and balcony, one between two upper rooms, and one to kitchen, no door being neces- sary between the two main rooms below. Partitions between rooms of main floors are of plain matched material, and the staircase a box stairs, forming a pantry underneath. The foregoing includes- in a general way the principal things needed for the cottage, and below are the figures giving approximate cost of material and erection: — Framing material, $32.00 Covering boards, 20.00 Roofing boards, 9.00 Shingles, 20.00 Flooring, 17.00 Battens, 6.00 Moldings, verge-boards, etc., 15.00 Windows all complete, 20.00 10 146 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Doors all complete, $12.00 Staircase and extra lumber, 6.00 Painting— two coats, 20.00 Labor of putting up the building, 50.00 Contingent expenses, 10.00 The whole cost need not exceed $240.00, and in many- localities it will come within $200.00. Hundreds of people can possess such a building for sum- mer use, to which they may retire and spend the "heated term " in the most pleasant manner. Certainly the expense is not so great as to deter people in comfortable circum- stances, besides the same amount would be spent in two summers, in boarding and other expenses, with far less real comfort. How TO Construct a Kustig House. Where there is anything like spacious grounds around a house, that can be used for a lawn, nothing adds more to the attractiveness of the out-door scenery than a casey, rustic retreat, covered with climbing vines, whose leafy foliage forms a most inviting welcome to whoever may seek shelter from the scorching rays of the summer sun, and rest upon the rude seats within. A rustic summer-house is quite simple to build, and a great variety of forms can easily be made if the material can be readily obtained. Cedar is the best and can be found in most localities; but spruce will do very Well where cedar cannot be obtained. If one lives in the country, and the material is to be cut in the woods, it should be selected, for the most part, from small trees or saplings as near of a size as possible. But a variety of sizes will be needed in trimming up, so that in cutting we may take some of both larger and A EUSTIC SUMMER HOUSE. 147 smaller sizes. Trim off roughly, that is, cut the small limbs not close to the body of the tree. Now, for illustration, we will build a small arbor, say 8 ft. wide and 12 ft. long. Of course, in selecting our material we must know first what we are to build, and select certain parts for certain places. For the arbor we are considering, we must have six posts about 5 in. in diameter, one for each corner, and one in the middle of each side. These make our main supports for the superstructure*. From the top of these carry across the eight-foot way stout poles and .secure them in place; now on the top of the ends of these pieces we will extend pieces the reverse of the former and over the posts, thus making, as it were, the plates, which should extend over two feet at each end, the center pole extending parallel with pieces last mentioned, and of the same length; this center piece must be raised to the height of two feet above the others, and will rest on an upright piece set down upon the cross-pieces before mentioned. We now have the outline of our structure. The roof should be covered with poles two inches apart, extending over the eaves 2 ft. and joining in the center of the roof. The plates should be 9 ft. from the ground, and parallel with them, down 16 in. below, all around, place other sticks, and under the corners place braces. Between the pieces paraHel with the plate, cut in cross-pieces close together, all around, and fill in the gables of the roof, pieces cut in any form that the taste may suggest. The sides and end.s, except a three-foot opening in center of each end, must have a rail all around, three feet high, cut in between the main posts; also a piece around in the same manner near the ground; then fill in this space under the rails in any form that may be desired, and on cp-ch of the two sides make a seat of the smaller poles. 148 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. This completes our description of one simple form of making a rustic summer-house. Very little skill is required, nor many tools; a saw, hammer, and sharp hatchet are the main ones that will be required, with plenty of tenpenny nails for securing the work. Of course a little good taste in arranging the forms of roof and trimming the same, may add much to its symmetry. Some of the many kinds of climbing vines should be planted and trained to spread their foliage over the roof, and we have the arbor complete. We have seen a very pretty rustic seat made by setting in the ground one large post and then from this building out like the bows of an umbrella for the roof, with seats all around the foot of the post. This makes a rather unique but attractive appearance. A great variety of rustic seats can be made to place around under trees and in shady woods, that will harmonize with the works of nature much better than anything made from manufactured material, and which will not cost as much. Glhj^f'te.r XXf. ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. — OLD HOUSES MADE NEW. — CAUTION. — IMPROVING ROOFS AND GABLES.— ^REMODEL- ING WINDOWS. oiOio I HEN any alterations or additions are contem- plated, they should receive the most careful consideration before the plans are put into ex- ecution ; indeed, in many cases more study and good judgment are often required to success- fully carry out alterations so that the new work will harmonize with the old, than to plan a new building of equal magnitude. It not unfrequently happens that additions are made in such a way that they look mis- placed, and add nothing to the appearance of the building. Nor is this all; it should be more definitely known how piuch is to be done, and how much it is to cost, than is usually the case. Frequently the matter is simply talked over, and a carpenter set to work by the day to tear down and build up without any definite regard as to when or where to stop, one thing after another calling for further alteration until the cost may exceed that of a new house. (149) 150 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. This is the experience of many, and should be carefully- avoided by those whose means are limited, and whose tastes are sensitive; for cost what the additions may, there are always left reminders of the old house. Our advice, where extensive alterations are needed, is to tear down the old house, and utilize the material as far as possible in a new one. The services of an architect cannot be employed to better pecuniary advantage to the owner than in giving advice and making plans for alterations and additions^ in fact, his services are almost, if not quite, indispensable in such work. Additions. In chapter XIII of this work will be found some practical illustrations of how additions can be made. If the house as originally built contepiplated additions, little trouble will be experienced in the work, especially if the additions are in front and conceal the part first erected. The plan then would be very much like a new house with fewer rooms. Bat- Windows. Bay-windows can usually be added to a house with good effect and an increase of comfort to the inmates. The wall should be cut out the height and breadth de- sired, and the bay-window built out from the house. It is best to arch over the entrance to bay, as this separates the old ceiling from the new and counteracts the effect of con- trast of old and new work. If porticoes, verandas, cornice, verge-boards, or brackets are to be added, great care must be used to make the out- ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 151 lines of old and new "work blend, as it frequently happens that such additions present anything but a harmonious appearance. It is frequently desired to increase the number of rooms by building wings or rear additions ; but unless a new front is added, the new must always bo kept subordinate to the old. Fig. 28. If additions are to be made to brick buildings, the new waU must be joined to the old by cutting a vertical groove in the old wall four inches deep, and broad enough to receive the brick of the new wall, as when the courses o£ the new wall are locked into the old, brick for brick, there will in- variably be settlement enough in the new to break every brick at the point of intersection ; hence the reason for con- necting by a groove which admits of settling without breaking. The joints of courses in new work should be laid a little above the old to allow for settling. 152 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. New Koofs, Gables, etc. If roofs need relaying, -where the building is good, slate roofs may be put on over the old shingles to good advantage, using longer nails than usual to secure the slate. If the buildiag is old-fashioned, a marked improvement can be made by taking off the roof and giving it greater pitch, running up the chimneys and giving them a grace- ) ) ^l?"^ ^\\/- Fig. 29. ful finish, and putting in a front gable v.'ith neat tracery and brackets. This plan can be carried out when a new roof becomes necessary, and its effect upon the general appearance of the building will be excellent, and if iron cresting is put on, so much the better. ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 153 Improving Windows. The appearance of many good, substantial houses, espe- cially in the country, is positively ruined by the low, square, unsightly, small-light windows. This can be remedied at a Fig. 30. very light expense by tearing out the frames, cutting out from the top to the desired height for modern windows, and replacing the old many-light sash with new ones holding not more than four lights. The same treatment would improve many door-ways. 154 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. The alterations that will be necessary depend largely upon the construction and surroundings, and further sug- gestions would be superfluous. The author, however, wishes to again caution all who would remodel houses- against the too frequent result in which the same amount expended would have secured a good, comfortable, new house. In the accompanying cuts are represented two very attractive designs of windows; one has a neat canopy top with curved roof and verge-board supported on brackets on each side and forming a fine outline ; while at the bottom of the window is a small balcony projecting out from below the sill, with a railing round it, and this too resting on brackets. The whole combined makes a pleasing appearance. ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 155 The other cut, Fig. 32, has no canopy, but instead, a cap resting on brackets, while the casings on each side run down to the sill, forming a graceful outline. This also has a balcony similar to the other. The window first described. Fig. 31, could be used with good eiFect in the gables of many wood houses, in the .second story ; the other one is better adapted to a full second story where the top must come under a cornice, as it does not extend up so far. Fig. 32- A great variety of forms can be given in the treatment of windows; and ia fact, aside from the main outline of the .structure itself, nothing has more to do with the general eftect of the outside than the treatment of the windows. Where verandas come over windows, it is sometimes desirable to have swing sash, usually know as French win- dows, opening out from the rooms. These are very pleasant 156 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. in summer, but must be protected in winter by storm win- dows, as the swinging of the sash gives greater opportunity for cold to come in. Through the winter it is often economy to protect, with a double sash, windows that are exposed to the cold winds. This sash is made all in one piece, and fits over the outside casing, with a strip of narrow felt between this and the sash, and secured with long screws, the felt effectually keep- ing out the wind. CHjs^a^RR XXfl. OUTHOUSES. — SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. — IJOW TO HAVE ICE ALL THE SUMMER. — AN ICE-HOUSE PRESERV- ATORT. — PLAN FOR A CHEAP BUT EXCELLENT FARM AND CARRIAGE BARN. I IT frequently happens that the outhouses of a farm, such as the ice-house, hennery, etc., re- ceive but little attention. Some farmers utterly neglect walks or step- ping-stones to the barns and other buildings, and content themselves to tramp through mud and snow, when a few hours' work would build a substantial walk from the odds and ends left in erecting the barn. Such conveniences really cost but a trifle compared with the benefit de- rived, from them. IcE-HouSE. An ice-house properly made will last a long time with but little attention; and in the country where ice is not supplied, there is no reason why the milk-house, meat pre- servatory, and ice-house should not be combined in one, especially where a running stream is not near at hand. [157] 158 O.UB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Ice can be preserved in simple, double-walled houses, with the space between filled with sawdust, and the ice packed in closely and covered well with sawdust. The Fig. 33- accompanying engraving and descriiDtion will, however, give a better idea of how to combine the ice-house and preservatory. The novel feature of this plan is the placing of the pre- servatory londer the mass of ice, from which it is separated by the floor made of plates and galvanized iron. It is thus FAEM AND CARRIAGE BARN. 159 already filled "with cold air of about the temperature of 34° or 36°. The temperature is communicated to the preserva- tory by the ice acting through the thin floor of iron plates. Fresh air may be introduced from the sides when desirable, and ventilation is secured in the direction indicated by the arrows, between the outer and inner walls. The iron floor slopes to the center, where the drainage is completed by a pipe. The outer wall is made of stone or brick, next comes an ah-space eight inches wide, then a wall of boards filled in with sawdust. The current of warm air from below passes up the air-space, through holes into the chamber above the ice, and out at the roof. The rafters are double-boarded and sawdvist placed between them and a four-inch air-space loft l)ctween them and the roof ; this secures brisk circula- tion of air. If the ice-house is to be connected with the dwelling, the preservatory may be entered from the cellar by breaking a door-way through the wall ; if apart from the house, unless a side hill be available, some steps downward will be necessary. The ice-house should be wholly above ground, but the preservatory partly or entirely under, as shown by the grade lines on side of cut. Faem and Careiage Barn. There are many farmers owning farms of from fifty to eighty acres, who often feel the need of a carriage barn, yet do not feel able to build one in addition to their other farm building.s. To such it is believed this design of a farm and carriage bam combined will be acceptable. The size of the maiu barn is 30x60 ft., corner posts 15 160 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. ft. high; the linter or back part containing the stables and store-room is 15x68 ft., with corner posts 9 ft. high. The shed containing the pig-pen and hen-house is 8x32 ft., and C>0 8 ft. high. The grain and water buckets in the horse stables are filled through sliding doors opening from the feed-room. The hay-racks should b§ of hard wood or iron, and filled FAmr AXD CARRIAGE BARN. 161 from the mow over the carriage room. The granary has capacity for three hundred bushels of grain, and the whole barn storage room sufficient for a farm of sixty acres. The following is the descriptive reference to the cut: A, threshing and entrance floor, 16x30 ft.; B, carriage and 11 162 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. wagon room, 22x24 ft. ; C, mow, 18x22 ft. ; D, horse stables, 15x22 ft. ; E, feed-room, 7x12 ft.; F, stairs, with pump (•) under them; G, harness closets; H, H, H, hay racks in horse stables; I, I, I, I, grain and water buckets; T, store- room, 15x21 ft.; K, tool-closet; L, work-bench ; M, passage- way, 4x30 ft.; N, granary, 8x22 ft.; O, cow stables, 15x20 ft. ; P, P, P, P, mangers ; R, pig-pen ; S, sleeping-room ; F, feed-trough; U, hennery; V, feed-box; W, perches for hennery. ClHi^pa-RR XXflf. VALUABLE SUGGESTIOKS AND RULES. — METHODS OF ESTIMAT- ING WOEK AND MATERIAL. — HOW TO FIND THE AMOUNT OF LUMBER NECESSARY TO ERECT A GIVEN BUILDING. — PRICES OF LABOR. o»;o iXCAVATING CELLARS.— This is estimated by the cord of 128 cubic feet, by the square foot, or square yard. One to two dollars per cord is usually paid, according to hardness of the subsoil. Drains, — So much per lineal foot, according to depth and hardness of subsoil. Pipes for drains cost in proportion to their size. Stone-work for foundations, — ^ Usually 16 J cubic feet, estimated at so much per perch, laid in the wall, and costs according to kind and quality of stone. Brick-work — Is figured by number of cubic feet in the^ wall, 22 common brick to the foot. Prices for laying up the wall vary with cost of labor. Plastering. — This is estimated by the square yard,^ — for three-coat work, twenty-five cents; and two-coat work, twenty cents per square foot, including mortar. Stucco or plaster cornice work, from thirty cents up, per lineal foot. [163] 164 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. For center-pieces of stucco, the cost is two dollars and upward. Carpenter-work. — For framing, compute the number of feet of board measure in frame, and to the cost of this add eight dollars per thousand feet for ordinary framing. For brick walls, allow five dollars per. thousand feet for labor; for common boarding of walls, roofs, and rough floors, add to the cost of boards four dollars per thousand feet for labor; for shingles, one dollar and fifty cents per thousand for laying. Cornicing — Must be estimated at so much per lineal foot, and costs according to the amount of work. Windows — Are reckoned by the piece, considering finish inside and out, all complete save the glazing. Doors. — Double doors for entrance, if of pine, are twelve dollars per pair upward, according to style, — walnut, from thirty dollars upward; common doors, from six dollars up- ward; inside sliding doors, from twenty dollars per pair-, upward, according to finish. Floors, — Laid, add one dollar to cost of every ten square feet of lumber. For base, the cost is so much per lineal foot for lumber, and three dollars per hundred feet put down ; wainscoting, so much per square foot. Staircases. — ^ Common, straight, cylinder staircases, with curved rail, and casings at all angles of stringers, and common newel posts and turned banisters, cost about forty- five dollars; winding stairs, ninety dollars; and so on, the cost varying with the amount of work. Bay-windows, — One story, forty-five dollars ; two stories, eighty-five dollars. Clapboarding or weather-boarding. — For this work, add to cost of lumber ten dollars per thousand feet, but if much fitting is required this amount will not be enough. METHODS OF ESTIMATING WORK. 165 Painting — Is computed at so much a square yard ; and for glazing, take the size and consult some good dealer or a goad price list. Cresting — Costs so much per lineal foot. Hardware and plumbing — Cost according to the quality of material a.nd the amount of work. In the foregoing estimate the prices quoted are perhaps an average; in the country the cost will usually be less. Measuring. A foot of lumber is a piece 12 inches square and 1 inch thick; a board 12 inches wide, 1 inch thick, and 10 feet long contains 10 feet of lumber. To measure hoards, — Multiply the length in feet by the width in inches, and divide by 12; the result is the number of feet in the board if 1 inch thick; if IJ inches thick, add i; if 1|- inch thick, add ^; if 2 inches thick, the board will contain twice as many feet, and so on. To Tneasure a pile of lumber. — If the boards are of equal length and width, multiply the feet in one board by the number of boards. If the boards are of equal length, but vary in width, measure each board with a tape-line, drawing it out as each board is measured; and when the pile is completed, examine the tape-line, find how many feet you have measured off, and multiply this by the length, in feet, of one board. If the boards vary in length, they must be measured separately, or averaged. To find number of feet in studding, etc. — Multiply length and breadth in inches by length in feet, and divide the product by 12. The result will be number of feet in the stick. 166 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. To find how many feet of lumber a log will m,aJce. — Take the average diameter in inches and subtract 4, square one-fourth of the remainder, and multiply by the length of the log in feet. The result will be the correct number of feet that the log will make. Amount of luvfiber for a given building. — By apply- ing the foregoing rules, any one may find the number of feet of lumber required for a given building. Begin with sills, and calculate for each kind of lumber separately, adding the results. For clapboarding,' add one-third for lapping; for matched flooring, add one-fifth for waste. Shingles. — The number of shingles required for a roof is usually estimated at one thousand for every square, or one hundred square feet; hence, find the square feet in the roof and divide by one hundred, — result is the number of thou- sand shingles. This estimate is ample, and with good shin- gles 1000 should lay 125 to 140 feet. Or, find the area in inches, multiply the width of a shingle by the length exposed to the weather, and divide the area by the product. This gives the number of shingles, but there must be allowance made for waste. Shingles are laid from three to six inches to the weather, according to length, and they vary in width, four inches being the average width. For clapboarding, — Add one-third to the number of surface feet to be covered, for boards, 6 inches wide, laid 4J inches to the weather. For flooring, — add one-fifth to the surface feet, for matching. In plastering — It is customary to compute the whole area and deduct one-half the area of doors and windows, but in some places no deduction is made. (IxHi^F^RR XXf^. »■ HOUSE PAINTING. ^ ITS PHILOSOPHY. — BEST TIME TO PAINT. — KINDS OF PAINT. — COLORS. — MIXING. — OILS AND DEIERS. — APPLY- ING PAINTS. — PRIMING. — SECOND COAT. — FINISHING COAT. — BRUSHES. — GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. oi apply the paint at proper hours, the action of the sun will afiect it but little. [167] 168 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Kinds of Paint. Pure white lead is the base or body of all durable paints, and is vastly superior to all others for first coats. Owing to the fact, however, that it is prepared by an acid process, it is not so good in a pure state for outside coats, as it is in many cases not thoroughly washed and contains more or less acid, and when so exposed to sun and rain the presence of the acid is liable to make it powder and rub off like whitewash. Zinc, which is prepared by fire process (oxidized), con- tains no acid or other injurious substance; and when mixed with white lead, it forms the best outside coats, the zinc neutralizLug the acid in the lead and giving additional firm- ness to the body. The mineral paints contain iron as their base, and are mixed with oil and prepared for use as lead and zinc. Many manufacturers now put up paint in cans, ready for use, and there is abundant room for deception. Consumers should beware and purchase of reliable dealers. Colors. Which color should be used in painting a house, is purely a matter of taste. The surroundings determine this to a great degree. A house surrounded with heavy foliage would require a lighter tint than one standing in an open space. Every house should have two or more tints; the cornice and verandas should be of a contrasting shade with the body of the house, while the shutter.s, etc., should have a darker tint than either. Of the various colors, the olive tints in their different shades are very pleasing to the eye, also HOUSE PAINTING. 169 lavender, drabs, stone, etc. A pea-green is a very healthful color, and with proper contrasts in veranda and shutters is very pleasing. Mixing Coloes. An endless variety of colors and tints can be produced by mixing. The following are only a few of them, — such as may be serviceable: — ■ Stone Color. — White lead and a little black. Drab. — White lead with burnt umber and a little yellow ochre for a warm tint ; raw umber and a little black for a green tint. Sky-blue. — White lead with Prussiaii blue. Buff. — White lead with yellow ochre. Cream-color. — Add more white to the buff. Olive-green. — Raw umber with Prussian blue, thinned with boiled oil and turpentine. Pea-green. — White lead with Prussian blue and chrome- yellow. Lead Color. — White lead and black. Oils and Driers. Oils and turpentine should be pure and free from dust and other substances. To assist the process of drying paints, driers are used. Those most in use are sugar of lead, litharge, and white copperas. When ground and mixed with paint, they assist the process of drying very much. Where it does not affect the color, red lead may be used as a drier. Boiled linseed oil with litharge, one gallon of the former with one-fourth pound of the latter reduced to a powder, makes an excellent drier. It should here be 170 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. remarked that driers have a tendency to injure the colors, and hence should not be used in finishing coats. Applying Paints. Before applying paint, the surface to be painted should be carefully cleaned, and all projections of glue, putty, and whiting removed with knife and duster. Knots should be killed by the application of knotting, which is made with red lead, carefully ground and thinned with boiled oil ; another and better plan is to apply a varnish of shellac. , If knots are neglected, they give out turpentine and destroy the paint. Shellac is a gum, in natural state, and can be dissolved in alcohol in the proportion of three pounds of gum to one gallon of spirits; twenty-four hours is suffi- cient time to dissolve it, when it is known as shellac varnish, and by adding proper coloring matter, it forms an excellent varnish for many purposes. Paint should never be applied to damp or wet surfaces, as it is sure to peel off". Priming. After the knotting is complete, the priming, or first coat, should be applied. This coat should be composed chiefly of white lead, mixed with a very small quantity of red lead, and should be about the thickness of milk. Eight to twelve gallons of oil to every one hundred pounds of lead, is about the proportion ; and one pound should cover fifteen to twenty square yards. It is not necessary that this first or priming coat should be of the color intended for finishing, as the later coats wUl secure the desired tint. In some cases a second priming coat, thinner than the first, is laid on, in which case two coats more will make an extra good job of painting. HOUSE FAINTING. 171 After the priming coat is quite dry, all naU-holes, cracks, and other defects should be filled with putty, smoothing all rough places with fine sand-paper. In priming old walls, remove dirt and decayed wood with sand-paper and pumice- stone; shellac sizing may also be applied if the wood is some- what porous, and more red lead used than on first coat for new work. If brick buildings are to be painted, the priming coat should be native minerals, such as ochres, Venetian red, or iron, with a proper amount of raw linseed oil, as these will adhere more permanently and make a good foundation for future coats. Second Coat. This coat is a color coat, and the tint, if paint is not already prepared with desired color, can be made from the directions previously given for mixing colors. This coat should be a shade darker than the finishing coat. The paint for this coat should be moderately thick; if applied in cold weather or under unfavorable circumstances, the quantity of driers must be increased. If the work is to be left shining, this coat should be thinned almost entirely with linseed-oil, in which case no driers will be needed. Finishing Goat. If the work is to be glossy when finished, use more oil than turpentine and no driers; but if the work is not to be gloss)', — fiat, — use turpentine for thinning. Care should be taken to bring this coat to the desired tint, and it should be laid on j ust as soon as the former coat is dry enough to work over. This coat should be of same consistency of the pre- cedincT, and laid on with the iitmost care. 172 OVR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Beushes. Brushes are made of all sizes, both round and flat, and are chiefly of bristles; the best for outside work are called wall-brushes, from three to five inches in width. For inside and small work the round brush is best. When out of use, brushes should be carefully washed in turpentine and laid out of the reach of dust. When using, they should be left over night immersed in linseed oil or turpentine. Varnish brushes should be washed in turpentine, and should they be left full of varnish and dry they may be cleaned by soaking in alcohol for twenty-four to thirty-six hours. Where it is practicable, a separate brush should be used in different colors ; especially is this true where delicate tints are used. General Suggestions on Outside Painting. Posts and pillars may be made to represent stone, by the following process: Procure a hand bellows, mash the nozzle down flat; into the nozzle, two inches from end, solder a small funnel, and before the finishing coat of paint dries, throw white sand by means of the funnel and bellows against the pillar. The sand will adhere, and when dry, the work resembles stone very closely. By procuring col- ored sand, pleasing combinations can be made. For barns and other out-houses, the best paints are those which contain iron as a base, as the boards are usually rough and this class of paints generally protects such sur- faces as well or better than the finer paints, besides being cheaper. Brushes should be heavy, as they wear very rap- idly. In this class of work, a variety of colors costs no more, and adds greatly to the appearance of the work. dHi^PTRR XX^. INSIDE PAINTING. — VARNISHING. — GRAINING. — GRAINING TOOLS. — THE GROUND. — GRAINING COLORS. — OIL-FIN- ISH. — GRAINING ASH, OAK, MAPLE, MAHOGANY. o»;o ARD woods, as walnut, ash, and oak, look quite well in oil-finish, which is always popular and preserves the wood quite well. The wood should be well filled with a mixture of gilder's whiting, or corn-starch and boiled Unseed oil to the con- sistency of cream, applied with a brush; after standing a little while, the work should be thor- oughly wiped off with woolen rags. After standing a week, or till well dried, the work should be well sand-papered with No. ^ sand-paper or hair-cloth, when another coat should be applied and rubbed off as before. When dry, the work is ready for the finishing or gloss coat, which consists of boiled oil, applied with a soft brush, and if a dead gloss is wanted, this coat should be rubbed with soft woolen rags. If high gloss is desired, omit the rubbing and repeat the coat. Coach varnish will also give a high gloss, but it is more liable to damage from scratches. [173] 174 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. Inside Painting. In addition to the practical suggestions found under House Painting, the following may assist the reader in the business of inside painting. Proceed as in out-door work for ordinary painting, sand-paper freely in securing perfectly smooth surfaces, and cover up every defect with putty. In color, the taste of the occupant must be consulted, with the single suggestion that a warm tint costs but little if any more than plain white. The finer qualities of paints should be used, and care taken in laying it on evenly. Plastered walls may be painted any desirable tint by observing the foregoing directions; it may be well to observe that plaster soaks up more paint than wood, and hence requires more coats after the first coat. It is well to give the work a light glue size before applying the next coat; it wUl give the work a much more even gloss. Oil and Shellac Finish. A very cheap and at the same time a popular method of finishing inside wood-work, is to apply one coat of boiled oil, and when dry, apply a finishing coat of varnish and oil mixed, or shellac varnish alone. The natural grain of the wood is preserved, and it can be kept clean easily; the wood when thus finished is a shade darker than its natural color. Another plan is to apply two coats of varnish, without the oil, leaving the wood very glossy, but liable to scratch easily. If ever desirable afterward, the wood can be painted as usual. HOUSE PAINTING. 175 Graining. Graining is a tedious but not too difficult business for a person of ordinary intelligence to attempt with a fair degree of success. In the outset, a clear idea of the wood to be represented, should be in mind. A good plan, where the commoner woods are to be represented, is to procure a board having one or more sound knots and plane it off, and with this for a model, proceed to grain the job in hand. Before the graining properly commences, the work should be made very smooth with sand-paper and putty, and one or more priming coats of white lead should be laid on and allowed to dry; the work is then ready for ground coat. The Tools. These are few and comparatively inexpensive, — besides the brushes necessary for applying the color, steel combs, coarse and fine, and soft, cotton rags. The brushes and combs can be found at any store where paints are sold. Formerly a leather comb was used, and may be desirable; if so, any one can make it, using stiff leather. The Ground. This is the base of the graining, and should be as near the color of the wood as possible, care being taken not to get it too dark. The ground for maple, ash, and oak is about the same, a light cream for the maple and a shade darker for the oak and ash ; walnut ground is of a deep copper color. 176 OUll HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. The Graining Color, or the color which shows the veins and growth of the wood, is the most important, as the dehcate lines of the wood are to be traced in. it. When the ground has been laid on and is quite dry, this graining coat is laid on, and while yet moist, the tracings of the peculiarities of the wood are made. Before proceeding to give specific instructions, it may be well to note a few general suggestions on the figuring of woods. Knots should have a dark center with a succession of very irregular .circles, which on the outer edge become elongated till they merge into the sap of the timber length- wise. The sap, which in the natural wood is the smooth, shining part of the board, is made by wiping off the grain- ing coat with a cotton rag drawn over the thumb, the nail of which is made to outline the sap, while by means of the fleshy part the broader lights of sap may be wiped out, observing to move the rag with every stroke to present a clean surface for the next. After having wiped the figures, they should be retouched with a small roll of clean rag. Veining or Combing. Take a coarse steel or leather comb and draw it down lengthwise of the wood, and go over the same with a finer comb. Next take a fine comb, and go over this work ; at irregular intervals give the comb a quick wavy motion, diagonally, thus imitating the growths of the wood. In all cases the combing should precede the sap work. HOUSE PAINTING. 177 Ash Graining. Ground. — White lead, raw Italian sienna, or golden ochre instead of sienna, mixed with turpentine and oil, using small proportions of oil. To get the desired color, which should be a light straw tint, keep adding sienna to the lead, and try it frequently on a board. Apply with a brush very smoothly. Observe that this gi'ound is the same also for light oak and maple. Graining Color. — Raw sienna, burnt umber, and white lead mixed with turpentine and very little oil form the grain- ing color. The tint is darker than the ground tint, and is made in the same way. The graining coat must be put on in small quantity so that the work may be done before it dries. To prevent the paint from running, add a small quantity of soft soap. Proceed with the graining as in foregoing instructions, and if a mistake is made, apply more paint and begin anew. Apply one or more coats of varnish. Old Oak. Ground. — Raw sienna, burnt umber, white lead, aod Venetian red; mix with equal parts of turpentine and oil to the desired tint. Let this dry well. Grain. — Vandyke brown, and raw sienna, turpentine, and small amount of oil. Bied's-eye Maple. — Destempee. Ground. — White lead, yellow ochre, or same as for ash. Use care not to get it too dark. Grain. — ^Equal parts of raw sienna and burnt umber, 12 178 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. mixed with ale or beer. Have two paint buckets and make two thicknesses of paint. Lay on the thin coat first evenly, then with a smaller brush put in the darker shades. The eye is made by dabbing the color with the tips of the fingers; shade the eye with a little burnt sienna, using a small hair pencil. When dry, varnish. Mahogany. — 1. Vandyke brown and a little crimson lake ground in ale, laid on, allowed to dry, and then smoothed, forms the ground. Then lay on a second thicker coat, soften with a badger-hair brush, take out the lights while it is wet, and imitate the feathery appearance of mahogany heart. Soften, and top graia with Vandyke brown laid on with an over-graining brush of flat hog-hair combed into detached tufts. In softening, be careful not to disturb the under color. Or, 2. Grind burnt sienna and Vandyke brown in ale, lay on a coat, mottle with a camel- hair mottler, and soften. When dry, over-grain as above. For the proper varnishes to use, the reader is referred to that department of this work. It is a matter of great difficulty to prevent varnish on outside doors from [crackiag; for this reason, painters recommend that a coat of oil be applied instead, and where it becomes dingy, apply more oil with a rag. This will avoid the cracking and preserve the graining. Doors of the parlor may be ebonizedif the furniture and carpets will harmonize with it. (See Varnishes and Wood Dyes.) mi WMm Hjpi: ]i||j(it 3i|j|ii: am* :«j|j|ynyj|)[it JKic JUjjic i [179] RCSOMOMKS LANDSCAPE GARDENING, AS APPLIED TO THE Improvement of Pmces OWKED BY PERSONS OF MODERATE MEANS AND HAVING BUT FEW LEISURE HOURS. BY ^A^ayne, Mich. LANDSCAPE GARDENER AND SURVEYOR. POnMEBLY PROFESSOR Or BOTANY, HOHTICULTUBE, ETC. MAINE STATE COLLEGE OP AGBICULTUBE. [ISl] S'cTWHE author makes no claims to exhaustiveness in this ^1^ treatise; on the contrary, what is here presented, is °'|f^ intended only as practical suggestions to practical peo- •'"'■ pie regarding the best course to pursue in laying out and improving grounds so as to secure at least a good degree of- symmetry and beauty in the home surroundings. If he fails to make perfectly clear all the details, the reader can safely attribute it to the absence of needed illustrations, which would raise the cost of the work above the means of the class of people for which it is designed. He hopes, how- ever, to throw some light upon a subject which has hereto- fore received too little attention, as the many examples of jioor taste in laying out grounds fully attest. If the author succeeds in directing careful attention to the matter, he will feel fully repaid for this effort. J. S. [1S3] (!lH^F"rElK lo GENERAL EXILES AKD OBSERVATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF SMALL LOTS FROM ONE-SIXTEENTH TO ONE-HALF ACRE IN AREA. — ERRORS OF COMMON OC- CURRENCE. — STYLE OF GARDENING. — EXPOSURE AND LO- CATION. — GRADING AND TERRACING. oXKo tliese EFORE entering upon details as to the best methods of improvement, and as a fruitful source of awakening attention to the subject, it has seemed best to enumerate some of the more no- ticeable faults, most of which may be seen upon any street of half a mile in length in any but the most wealthy portions of our cities and vil- lages, in the hope that the reader may the better analyze his premises, if already improved, or guard against these defects when about to make for himself a home in the future. Chief among faults may be named the following — Errors to Be Avoided. ]. Houses too near the street. 2 Too many trees inside the yard. [183] 184 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADOBNMENTS. 3. Too much shade about the house. 4. The use of improper trees, considering the style of architecture employed, as well as the use of such trees as have the disagreeable habit of suckering, or sending up spi'ou^is, or that produce unsightly blossoms, or food for "horrid worms," as ladies say. 5. The use of improper colors upon fences and build- ings, — colors that do not harmonize with each other, nor with the things that nature furnishes in that locality. 6. The want of care necessary to keep a place tidy and neat, 7. The destruction of lawns by the use of too many and too great a variety of things in small places. 8. The use of too many styles of fence upon the same block, out of proportion as to parts, some having too small post.'^, some being too low, others too high, together with numberless other defects, which we shall mention in connec- tion with each subject of which we shall speak hereafter. How TO Begin. But lest the Vant of space forbids our going suffi- ciently into details upon all these topics, it may not be amiss to remind the reader that imitation is one of the most fruit- ful sources of advancement. Look about you, and when you see a thing that looks pleasing and tasty and suited to your means, strive to copy it. Take notes and measure- ments in detail, for it is the minute features that produce the perfect whole. Do not allow yourself to guess at the size of a fence post or the height of the fence, the width of a walk, or the distance trees are planted apart, etc., etc., unless you know your taste is good in regard to such matter's. IMPROVING SMALL LOTS. 185 Many a man can appreciate good music, still he may not be able to utter a musical sound; and so in the adornment of homes, most can admire, but few can create them independ- ently, and hence must be governed by rules or samples. Or, better still, if you are able, get some person skilled in such things to furnish a plan, or at least give some sug- gestions that you may profit by when improvements are commenced. Things to Be Attained. The improvement of city or village lots that do not ex- ceed a half-acre in extent is quite a simple, easy matter if you have carefully noted all the errors spoken of in the preceding pages, so that you are sure not to commit any of them, in which case, the work is already half done. Simplicity and Neatness Are the two main things to be sought in these little place;^. and since they can only be considered as one part or featui-e of larger places, no attempt to embody everything that could be attained upon a lot containing five or more acres will ever give pleasure or satisfaction within the limits of a small lot. The best that can be done is to secure one fine piece of lawn; a few choice flowers, not attempting to raise all that are named in the floral catalogues; and a few very fine, small growing trees and shrubs, in place of those of larger growth that are suitable for extensive lawns, together with only such walks as are necessarily traveled in going to and from the house to the approach, out-buildings, or flower garden, if one is kept at all; this last being of doubtful propriety within such narrow limits. Hence, use only small ornaments for small yards, and thus form a picture perfect 186 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. in all its parts, but taken in miniature. But at present we "will consider some things that more properly come first. Style of Gardening Used. In general, only the " formal " or " geometric " style can be applied within narrow limits. There is no room to make curved walks and flowing outlines, rockeries, cascades, lakes, and other things that belong to the natural style. A mixed style might properly be adopted upon a good-sized lot, pro- viding care is taken in locating the house and out-building.s, having a side entrance to the former, and having the latter so placed in the rear that a curved walk could be started from the proper place for an entrance to the yard, passing .the door of the house, thence on toward the places that it be- comes necessary to visit about every home. No abrupt turns would be admissible, for nothing of the " picturesque " can ever be tolerated here, not even rough rustic chairs and things of like nature. On account of their nearness to the dwelling, all architectural ornaments or manufactured arti- cles should conform to, and be in harmony with, the style of the house, which is the leading feature in these small lots. It may be laid down as a general rule that things brought into close contact should either produce harmony of design by happy contrasts, the one being a natural and the other an artificial object, or else be of similar nature ^nd the same style. Do not use gothic vases and other architectural orna- ments in connection with a house in Grecian or Roman style. The Exposure or Location. Of course we do not expect all can obtain the most de- sirable places, and many of the readers have already pur- THE EXPOSURE OR LOCATION. js? chased and perhaps built ; but it is proper to speak of these f eatui-es, and then each can apply them so far as his purse or pi-emises wUl allow. First, then, in cities or villages where the streets are sure to be graded sooner or later, a medium elevation should be selected, being most likely to conform best to the level of the grade of the street when established. Of all locations, a southeast corner lot in the block is the most desirable, con- sidering the means of access to barns, out-buildings, etc., and the bringing in contact of the most protected, or least in- clement sides of the- house for an entrance, and the most easily sheltered portions of the grounds for a lawn or oj-namental purposes. Next to this would be the corner opposite on the south, being the northeast, which does very well by placing the house near the road on the north, and having a bay-window or- veranda opening toward the south side, where the lawn should be, as before. Next to these two, we would choose an inside lot on the west side of the north and south road, or the north side of the east and west i-oad. But should you be so unfortunate as to get the less desirable locations, it might justify more planting for shelter in front, and perhaps pure white houses with green blinds, tosether with a location less distant from the street than we shall recommend in our directions upon that subject, mak- ing the ornamental part of the. yard partly to the warm side, 01 even behind the house if desired. Of course, good neighborhoods, good views, nearness to churches, schools, and places of business, although not strictly belonging to the subject of ornamental gardening, should always be considered, as also good water, means of drainage, distance from noisy, smoky, or unhealthful man- ufacturing establishments, or cess-pools, etc. Get started 188 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. light if possible, and then half the work is saved; verifying the adage, " Well begun is half done." The Style of House to be Built, Although not properly belonging to this subject, needs great care in its selection. Nothing in ornamental gardening can ever atone for a poorly designed house. So, if possible, consult your architect and gardener together; and if you can afJord neither, you had better borrow such features as you tind in works upon architecture, like the one in hand, using them as your pattern and guide rather than trust your own poor taste, if such only you possess. The Distance of the House feom the Road. This depends much upon the style or size of the house, and more upon the shape of the lot, "which should properly be twice as long as wide. It is also quite important to con- sidei the views to be obtained or obstructed by surround- ings. In general, all the houses in a block should front on the same line, and the center of the house should be placed back from the street one-fourth or one-third the length of the lot, the distance being increased with the increased width of the lot, providing the lengths are the same, as is usually the case in cities and villages. Upon a lot ten rods long, this brings a house that is thirty-three feet long, from twenty -five to thirty -five feet from the road, the shorter dis- tance being about the least admissible in such sized lots, espe- cial 1 y if all owners on the block can agree. And between these distances, the economic use to which you might desire to put your back yard, or the ornamental use to which you IMPROVEMENTS. 189 might wish to devote your front yard, must determine each case. Then, too, if your lot is very high above the grade, pru- dence would dictate not to use the less distance, but rather to increase the greater distance, thus giving less pitch per rod from the house to sidewalk. The pitch should in no case exceed one foot to the rod, not more than half this being desirable; and even then the surface should be a little full near the center, giving it a slight convexity, which in ■ creases the apparent breadth of lawn. Means of Improvement. The first thing to be done upon a new place is to secure perfect drainage for cellar and surplus waters, and the next is to mark out your necessary Roads and Walks; But as we have occasion to speak of these more fuUy under the head of large places, the details being the same in both, we will proceed to the Grading and Terracing. In case the pitch is too great from the house to the street, or in other places upon the premises, it will be neces- sary to terrace; and when this is done, let it seem to be a part of the house, being parallel with it, and supporting the same at every turn when near to it, oi parallel with the fence when near to the road. Let the banks be smoothly cut, and neatly sodded with the finest June or blue grass sod that can be procured from some adjoining road- 190 OUB HOMES AND TKEIR ADORNMENTS. side or pasture, not coarse timothy, clover, or dandelion sod. The same kind should be used in strips about eight inches wide for marking the borders of drives and walks, and be well pounded down with the back of the spade, and kept well watered during dry weather. Give the face of the ter- race sufficient slant to keep it from falling down, and a concave rather than a convex face, which last does not look nor stand well. It would hardly seem proper to resort to terraces unless there is an incline above a foot to the rod ra distance. As regards the grading of the general surface, it is often advisable to plant the ground to some spring hoeing crop, — potatoes are best, — thus giving the old sod time to decay, making it much easier to level down smoothly in the fall, which of aU seasons is the best for such work. Fill up all abrupt depressions, making the general surface smooth and even, with good descent for drainage. Formation of Lawns. As lawns constitute the chief charm in all small grounds, great care should be taken in their formation. Dig the ground deep and apply plenty of fertilizers in the form of rich loam, not clay alone unless the soil is too sandy, nor sand alone, for it will not hold moisture nor sustain lux- uriant vegetation; but use both together, or more of one or the other as there seems to be need. Apply also a good quantity of composted muck if needed, and a generous supply of manure as free from weeds and the coarser kinds of grass seed as possible. Compostiug one season and turning often, will greatly improve barn-yard manure, and mixing it thor- oughly with the muck or road dust is better still. After FORMATION OF LAWNS. 191 the ground is leveled and the prepared manure applied, rake thoroughly with a fine-tooth iron rake, removing all chunks, sticks, stones, sods, etc., which may be buried in the ground or removed. After this let the ground settle awhile, through a heavy rain if possible; and then, after again raking the entire ground over and making the surface smooth and even, sow evenly a mixture of equal parts of June or Kentucky blue- grass and redtop seed, with a little sweet-scented clover, not more than a pound to three bushels of the other two. Use this mixture at the rate of . one quart, or a little less, to the square rod of surface. Sow early in the spring or in September, and about July commence mowing to kill the weeds; and if dandelions, thistles, or other perennial weeds are seen, dig them out with a garden trowel. Now, by mow- ing once in a week or two, rolling, and during dry weather sprinkling occasionally, you will soon have the greatest or- nament that can be obtained near a house or made to adorn small premises. A More Permanent Lawn, One that will not be parched and dry during the droughts so common in our climate in summer, may be formed by another method which is costly in the beginning, but will return a rich reward when once completed. This is made by " trench- ing," or turning all the ground upside down to the depth of two, or better, three feet; commence at one side by throw- ing out a ditch, then fill this by forming another of same width next to it, and so on until all the ground has been inverted, the first dirt thrown out being carried to fill the last ditch. Then by leveling, rolling, and forming a new 192 OUB hUMMd AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. surface of rich soils, as at first directed, and sowing as before, you will have the most durable and perfect lawn that can be formed, and the cheapest in the end. But as most Amer- icans are too impatient for such work, we have given the quick way first, supplying the lack of moisture by artificial watering during periods of drought. 1 ^'L - ' '. k^%,i^3'^J "'-►'^ ,(!1hj^pi"Rr 11. SPECIAL FEATDEES. — DRIVES AND WALKS. — VARIETIES OF SHRUBS, TREES AND FLOWERS TO USE. — LAYING OUT AND MAKING WALKS AND DRIVES.— EASY METHODS OF LAYING OUT DRIVES. — GROUPING AND PLANTING. SPECIAL FEATURES. IIRIVES AND WALKS.— As wo have before stated, the number, direction, and location of drives and walks are matters of the utmost im- portance, as these not only form convenient means of ingress and egress to the premises, and connect the points which must be so often visited about every house, such as the barn, gardens, out-buildings, etc., but also furnish the boundary lines for lawns, garden-patches, and other divis- ions of the premises. Therefore it becomes a matter of the utmost importance where these necessary features should be placed to make them at once convenient and useful, seeming to fall just where we need to go in following our daily pursuits, — a thing that no true economist should ovei'look. Still, they can be made "a thing of beauty," or at least, so as to enhance the more beautiful features, since they furnish a guide for cor- 13 [193] 194 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORJ^fMENTS. rect planting, which is the most difficult of landscape work. Not^ that we would set our trees and shrubs in regular order along the line of the drives, as would be eminently proper in the strictly "formal style;" still, at every turn, the one must be governed and made to support the other in an informal way ; hence the importance of careful study in locating our. walks and drives. No absolute rules can be laid down, since premises and their objects vary so materially. But first of all, great care should be taken in regard to ■ the location of the house, for this in turn must govern all else. Next to this, as few walks and drives should be made as will meet the every-day necessities ; for if too numerous, they are expensive luxuries which require constant care and attention to prevent their becoming nuisances, for such they will become when overrun with weeds and grass, while at the same time they greatly mar the breadth of lawn by cutting it up into small patches like a piece-work quilt. If the lot is small, the house very near the road, — ^less than twenty-five feet, — and the door in front, it will hardly be possible to do more than run a straight walk from the road to the door, turning by a gentle elbow curve and passing along the side of the house to the kitchen door, leaving a narrow strip of sod between the walk and house, and thence to the out-buildings in the same formal manner. Trees must be of small size, and planted so as to shut out views of an objectionable nature, but should never be close to the house. Use only nice flowering shrubs, such as the althea, dentzia, spirea, weigela, and nice roses on the warmer sides; and azaleas, halmias, and rhododendrons, all with numerous varieties, on the cold or northern exposures, near the dwelling. BRIVES AND WALKS. 195 If you keep a horse or cow and have no alley in the rear, it will be necessary to put next to one side of the lot a straight drive leading directly to the barn, located at the back corner on that side. A slight raise in the turf on the side of the drive next to the house, together with a judicious planting of shrubbery, either of a strictly ornamental char- acter or of currants, gooseberries, etc., thus shutting out the view of the barn and gravel, may be desii-able, thereby combining the useful with the decorative. Flowers require such time and attention as few people are willing to devote to them; still, if the ladies can.be in- duced to give their time, they can be made to add much to the beauty and attractiveness of the surroundings. Culti- vate those that are hardy, such as peonies, petunias, phlox drwrnmondii, asters, zinnias, etc., putting only one kind in each of the small, oval beds cut out here and there in the lawn, or else use some high-growing plants in the center and low ones around the border of the beds, which should be raised a few inches toward the center. Select such colors as blend together nicely, and care for them well. A small evergreen makes a nice center-piece. Places of Larger Extent, with houses located as before directed, especially if the entrance is on the side, — a much more convenient plan, considering ease of access, the front door being replaced with a bay-window if frontage is favorable, — admit of a greater diversity of walks and drives; and these do not differ, only in width, the wider ones, above eight feet in width, being used for both purposes very properly. The first thing now to take into consideration is a con- venient place for an entrance. If your daily travels lead 196 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. you nearly always toward a certain comer of your lot on the front, and your door is on the same side, you are fortu- nate; for then it will be an easy matter to make your open- ing in the fence somewhat to that side of the front of the house. Passing through the fence at right angles therewith, very soon bear toward the nearest corner of the house, and before reaching it, again turn in the opposite direction, passing the entrance at right angles with it; thence continue the drive toward the bam, which should be located op- posite the street entrance, and toward the back comer of the lot, if not too distant; at the same time a return curve may be made, leaving the bam drive on an outward curve near the house steps and meeting the entrance drive in the same manner, having made a pear-shaped figure. If all this happens on the side opposite your best room, which should always be on the side of your house overlooking the finest, warmest parts of your pleasure-grounds, so much the more fortunate. Again, just where your entrance drive first turns, you can leave it in an abrupt manner iu the opposite direction with a less conspicuous drive or walk which skirts that side of the premises, and makes its way to the barn, wood-yard, etc. This will obviate the necessity of passing the house when going on business, drawing feed, coal, etc. In case you have a corner lot or an alley in the rear, there will be less necessity for this last drive, since the barn may be placed on the road or aUey, and easily reached from the outside. Again, in case there is need for often goiag in both di- rections after reaching the street, and your premises are sufficiently large, the house being fifty feet or more from the road, you can have two openings into the yard, about equally WALKS AND DRIVES. 197 distant from the house, and unite these by a curved drive which connects with the first-named drive where it turns nearest to the front corner of the house, as spoken of at first. This will make nearly a half circle of the drive connecting the entrances and passing the front of the house, which, in A A ■ / o^o>-" 1 •^ X /■•: ■ • V /\ '^^ -, Xv ■■■ A Fig. 36. this case, may very properly have a front door opening into a hall, and also a veranda or open porch in place of the bay- window, which would now properly fall on the side of the house next to the pleasure-grounds. As to the details necessary to form correct and pleasing curves, (not geometric ones in all cases, as some seem to think, and even give rules for forming), space will not per- mit me to explain fully. A correct eye will stick a row of 198 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. stakes through the center of the space intended for a walk or drive, and a measuring pole as long as the drive is wide, with a short stick nailed at right angles to the measure at its center, will determine the outside line of the walk, pro- vided the short crossing stick is kept in a line with the cen- ter row of stakes at every point measured, as shown in the figure. The same figure will also show the arrangement of the planting, which should not be in any formal order, but so placed as to appear natural and not to obstruct any views, while at the same time furnishing a pretense for turning just as we do. There are other methods, such as using measurements and making offsets from tangent lines, for which we must refer you to the more extensive' works on this subject. One more, which is very easy to put in prac- tice if the ground is newly graded and raked, is to take your horse and carriage and start at the entrance and drive, in an easy, natural way, toward the points you wish to reach ; then make the return, meeting the first track on the outward bend, merging into it in a graceful manner, and pass- ■ ing out. Then widen the track, by stakes stuck on each side, to the width of your drive, or let it remain as it is for a walk only. This is the easiest of all methods if you have any idea of where you ought to drive. Making Walks and Drives. This should be done in as permanent a manner as your means will admit. There are many methods, but the same general principles govern them all; viz., thorough drainage underneath, and a hard, compact surface that will not cut up into ruts, nor furnish dust or mud at any season of the DBIVES AND WALKS. 199 year. In order to accomplish this, you will need to dig out the dirt to the depth of one foot at least, using the same for filling where needed, and leaving the bottom with a gentle inclination toward the center if the drive is not more than twelve feet in width; in this case a tile drain should be laid under this lowest line, following the course of the road. But in case the road is wider, slant the bottom both ways from the center toward the outside, and then under both these lowest points use tiers of tiles as before. The tiles should be put at least one foot lower than the bottom of the road-bed, and laid as directed in the article upon the im- provement of large places, the ditches being filled with gravel or other porous soil, in order to let the water drain off rapidly from the road above. The cheapest material with which to fill the lower part of the road-bed is probably cobble-stone, which should be laid smoothly and evenly over the bottom, and then covered with layers of broken stones, stone chippings, which may be bought sometimes very cheap, large gravel stones, oyster shells or other materials of similar nature, such as can be most easily procured in your locality. Fill in evenly, and finish with clean, coarse gravel to a depth of three or more inches, bringing the edges up to within two inches of the top of the sod border before spoken of, which should always form a border between the drive and the seeded lawn. The center of the drive or walk .should be higher than the sides, having an elevation of about one-half inch to the foot in width from the side to the center, or four inches rise in a twelve-foot road.- Each layer of material should be thor- oughly rolled, and the surface kept well and evenly raked, and freed from weeds. The margins of sod should be neatly 200 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. trimmed several times during the season, keeping them on the original line, which may be preserved by driving a line of stakes on each side so that the tops will just come even with the sodding. There are several other features in connection with the making of roads, of which we have only spoken briefly, and which must be passed by in this brief treatise, referring you again to more exhaustive works on landscape gardening. Of this subject something has already been said in con- nection with other subjects; and since no small limits can do it justice, it may be as well to omit it as a separate topic, and glance at it in connection with the subjects treated of in the few remaining pages. A very good means of in- creasing the breadth of lawn in small lots is to have no boundary fence between neighboring lots, especially along the front half of the lots. In this case, no little care should be exercised in the plantmg of trees between the two dwell- ings, by the judicious disposition of which we may shut out the view of our neighbor's house from the best win- dows and other points of view, and thus appear to own a larger place than we really do. Even the entrances to two adjoining places may be combined in one so far as the starting point is concerned, with a saving of space, and no loss in effect. In case these methods are put in practice, it may be best to erect a high fence along the back half of the line, and then run a line of hedge or a grape arbor at right angles to this on the front end, reaching nearly from one house to the other, and separating the front views from the kitchen and other unsightly offices necessary to every house- hold. Of this, we shall speak again under the subject of fences. DRIVES AND WALKS. 201 A few words on the general location of plants: Except in strictly formal grounds, do not plant trees at regular distances along the walks, borders, etc., nor attempt to make one side exactly correspond to its counterpart. Neither go to the other extreme and scatter them indiscrim- inately over the premises, thus breaking up all the breadth of lawn and shutting out all desirable views. Give heed to the development of these last two features, which may be promoted by properly grouping trees of harmonious forms and shades, also by planting most thickly along the margins of the premises, especially on the sides where shelter is needed from cold winds, and in the turns of the walks and drives, as spoken of elsewhere. Leave open vistas from the best points of view to fine objects in the distance, or on the premises, and many a happy hour wUl take the place of idle melancholy. CxH:AF»a:^RK: fH. TREE PLANTING. — THE BEST TIME TO PLANT. — HOW TO ' PLANT. — REMOVING AND PLANTING LARGE TREES. — HOW TO SELECT. — A GOOD LIST. — CARE OF TREES AND SUC- CESS IN THEIR CULTURE. — FENCES. — KINDS AND THEIR STYLE. — HOW TO MAKE THEM ORNAMENTAL. 0»::0 REE PLANTING.— All American gardeners agree, we think, in 'placing November and De- cember (if open) at the head of all other months for the planting of deciduous ornamental trees. To be sure, small trees and shrubs will do well planted ia the spring, especially if the season proves not too dry, and proper care is taken to mulch the ground, and thus prevent the di- rect rays of the sun from absorbing the moisture immediately about the roots. The conditions necessary to be observed may be noted in the following order: 1. Never remove a tree from a good soil and place it in a poorer one; and in order to prevent this, the hole in which the tree is to be set, must be dug much larger than the tree, and then the extra space, up to a proper depth, filled with rich soil, or with [203] TREE PLANTING. 203 mamire mixed with the lower and most distant parts of the soil ia the hole. 2. Do not put the manure in con- tact with the roots, nor set your tree too deep, for these two errors have caused more failures than all others. The deeper and wider you make the holes the better, even to four feet deep, and that much wider than the roots, filling the extia space with rich dirt, well packed down, in order to prevent the tree from settling when the rains come. In transplanting large trees, abpve three inches in diam- eter, a preparation must be made before freezing weather comes on in the fall. This consists in digging and prepar- ing the hole to receive the tree, as before, after putting in some extra dirt, which is to be removed before dropping the ti-ee into the hole, and used in filling any extra space about the roots. Also dig a trench around the tree as deep as its main roots run, leaving a large ball of dirt attached to the roots. Shave the dirt down on top until the roots appear, to lessen the weight. Both the trench and the receiving hole should be filled with straw, leaves, or coarse manure, to prevent the baU of roots and the extra filling dirt from freezing down on the bottom. Time for Eemoving Trees thus Prepared. Now, if you have extensive planting to be done, and the above preparations ai-e completed, you can wait until the ground is thoroughly frozen in winter, when the removal should be done, taking care not to bruise the trees, and leav- ing the ball of dirt as large as can be conveniently moved. If but few trees are to be removed, and the weather is favor- able, i. e., cold, freezing nights and warw, days, some prac- tice moving the trees in the fall, early in the morning, after a 204 OUB HOMES AND TSEIB ADORNMENTS. crust has been frozen over the ball of dirt left about the tree dug around the day previous, and thus obviate the necessity of covering the dirt, which thaws out at midday, if left ex- posed on the surface near the hole. But) where extensive planting is to be done, the first method should be adopted. -Then in midwinter remove the filling, and dig down the bank on the most convenient side to such a slant as to admit a stone-boat or sled being backed under the tree, when tipped over in the opposite direction. In this way, trees a foot in diameter may be safely moved, if you apply force enough to move them. Another method of moving large trees is to use a wide, stout cart with a heavy tongue, which last is raised along side the body of the tree and bound fast, at the same time passing a strong chain under the ball of roots and over the axle of the cart, then pull the tree over with a long rope attached to the end of the tongue, after which, hitch a team to the root end, draw it to the new hole on planks, and lower as before directed. Before removing the tree, be sure and make some mark, either by cutting off a limb or peeling the bark from the body a little, always on the same side of every tree you re- move, the more easily to be remembered, by which you may know how the tree stood, and thus be able to place the same sides to the same points of the compass when you set them out. Some think this an unimportant point, while others lay great stress upon it. At least, it is a safe rule and re- quires little extra work; and indeed it would seem quite reasonable that the same side that had become acclimated to the rays of the sun or any class of winds should be best able to conform to their effects when transplanted in the same relative positions. As a general rule, the width of the roots KINDS OF TREES. 205 left should be as many feet as the tree is inches in diameter. After drawing the tree to its place, remove the filling and dirt until to the right depth by measure, and then lower the tree carefully to its place, packing the dirt about the ball and using the rest of the filling for a mulch. For removing small trees or shrubs, and always for ever- greens, which are much more difficult to make grow, where the dirt is to be removed from the roots, damp days should be chosen; othei'wise great care should be taken to cover and moisten the roots. Your success will also depend much upon the kind of trees chosen. Maples, elms, ashes, and most nursery-gyown trees are quite tenacious of life; but oalcs, hickories, chestnuts, and other deep-rooted trees must be handled with care. Some cut a circle about the tree, severing the roots some distance from the body, or even dig a trench and fill with rich dirt six months before removal, causing many fine, fibrous roots to spring out. Never select tall, spindling trees, grown in deep shade ; but rather get good, healthy, stocky trees from the open fields or outskirts of the woods, where the sunlight and winds have had a chance to harden and acclimate them to the conditions with which they are Hkely to meet in your exposed lawns or roadsides. The land must be tho- roughly drained previously, so that no water will settle in the holes, for no success need be expected with most trees unless this is done, either naturally or by tiles. Kinds of Trees. Of the shaped trees, shrubs, and flowers to be chosen to accompany the various styles of architecture, we have already spoken several times, either by way of criticism or direct in- struction; and since we have only attempted to improve small 206 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. city places so far, where little can be done in the line of grouping, we can recommend no trees better suited to the roadside than the different kinds of maples,, which are up- right, hardy, beautiful trees. Elms are superb specimen trees, especially on low or level grounds, where there is plenty of room for their devel- opment; but for these small places, as before stated, trees of the second class in size are as large as can be used, and among these may be named the mountain .ash, catalpa, beeches, birches, lindens, dogwood, sassafras, buckeye, or horse-chestnuts, and in most locations, nothing is more beau- tiful at all seasons of the year than the common pepper- idge, among deciduous trees. And among the evergreens useful for small places, the Norway spruce takes the lead for either specimen trees or small groups, while the arbor vita} is best suited for ornamental fences or hedges, as it stands trimming well and thrives under almost any condi- tion, in shade or sunshine. Cedars also answer the same purpose very well. Evergreen barberry and the low, bushy juniper fill a needed want. But we must refer you to the woods or to a list of the trees that may be had almost anywhere, for want of further space. Fences. The subject of fences, of which we promised to speak, will be difficult, if we attempt to please every one, judging by the numerous styles now displayed in front of residences in cities. Tongue cannot describe them nor printer's ink do them justice ; so we will 'not try, but proceed to offer some suggestions which meet our views of good-sense, taste, and economy. In the first place, let every man on the same KINDS AND STYLES OF FENCES. 207 side of the block agree to. have a similar fence, if possible, thereby producing some degree of harmony, instead of entire discord. From the various views we hear expressed upon this subject r almost every day, we find that many persons of good judgment are anxious to see all fences removed from the road, and the lawn extended to the sidewalk ; and, in- deed, it has desirable features. It looks well to the passer- by, and makes it very convenient for him to step into the yard, peep into the open window at night, or examine every little opening bud or inviting flower by day; and at the same time there is little resistance offered to keep idle hands from appropriating such things as fancy leads them to covet. Admitting, then, the need of some protection, what shall it be? The two objects for which fences are erected are pro- tection and ornament. The first requires only strength and height, and is adapted to the use of back yai-ds and parts that ai-e unsightly, or about yards containing fine fruits or other thkigs that are Ukely to suffer from viciously inclined men and stock, or from mischievous boys. Any neat, high, tight board or sharp picket fence will answer the purpose, not less than five feet being a proper height. But better still would be a nice hedge of thorns; osage orange, where not too much exposed to cold, as it is scarcely hardy enough for Northern States, or buckthorn, which last Downing rec- ommends above all other hedge-plants for this climate, are among the best. Or if ornament is sought also, with pro- tection from winds, use Norway spruce, hemlock, or arbor vitsB, planted closely, and carefully tended and clipped, let- ting them attain the height of five or more feet, thick and even throughout their whole length. 208 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. But about all the ornamental parts of your small yard, and including so much of your house as presents no un- sightly defects or unpleasant features, and of course, in- cluding the whole main front of your lot must be made a KINDS AND STYLES OF FENCES. 209 fence in which the ornamental, or at least the unnoticeable, predominates, protection being made only partial and of secondary importance. What shall it be, — iron, stone, or wood? Of the whole list, what can be prettier than a beautiful, low, well-kept hedge, made of some of the evergreens last named? Still these wiU not answer alone if cattle ar^ allowed to run the roads, and they must be protected by some inconspicuous wooden or iron structure. Next in neatness, comes a low wall, with a coping of cut stone, the whole not exceeding ten inches in height above the surface of the ground, and then surmounted by a light, tasty wire or iron fence, with posts made of |xl inch iron bars, edge to the front, firmly set into the stone cap with brimstone or other fastening ma- terial. Beautiful patterns are easily selected by sending for a catalogue, to any good firm that manufactures this class of articles. Let the design be simple, neat, and tasty, rather than grand and self -imposing, which detracts greatly from the appearance of the house, and interrupts the view of the lawn. Green or black should be the color of the wires. In the former case, use the best green paint, as near the color of green grass as possible ; and dip the posts in coal-tar, which is the best black paint for iron, when used boiling hot. Some prefer sanding their fences while the paint is still green, and often with good effect. Of the cheaper fences, the common perpendicular, curved top, wire, picket fence, when well made and in good propor- tion, — as much of the pleasing effect and beautiful appear- ance depend upon these points, — is among the most substan- tial, and is not wanting in ornament. This is made with a ■ frame of nice posts, with horizontal rails at top and bottom of 2x4 inch stuff, well-planed and notched together as for a 14 210 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. wooden picket fence, but using, instead of the latter, rods of ^ iron, placed three inches apart, passing through the rails, and curved above the top rail in such a manner as to again enter the rail behind the second or third rod from it success- ively. Corner posts are cased, paneled, and capped nicely. A cheaper fence still, and one that answers a good pur- pose without pretense, is the low, four-board fence now so common. No ornamental fence should be over three and one-half feet high, nor have the bottom board more than two or three inches above the surface of the lawn. A large vacant space beneath a fence presents an indefiniteness that is far from pretty and very unsatisfactory^ to behold. Some writers lay great stress upon the use of rustic fences, and other ornaments. But to us they seem very much out of place in ordinary city lots, being only appro- priate where the surroundings are wild, rugged, and uneven, partaking naturally of the " picturesque in nature." The colors of the fences should be the same as that of the house, providing this is such as good taste suggests; viz., dove, fawn, and other neutral tints, with trimmings of a little darker shade, or even pure white in the deep shade of trees, unless they be made of iron or partly iron, which should be of green or black, as already recommended. Of course there are numerous other appropriate styles of fences which any mechanic of good taste could devise, but all should aim at simplicity of design and neatness of finish, being made to evade, rather than attract notice ; which last should always be directed toward the central figure, — the house; or if this be rather ordinary, in appearance, then toward its beautiful adornments, the creepers with which it should be shrouded, and also toward the lawn with its embellishments. S_S iM ■^oo&- £), 4- 4- ■■■♦■ «■-♦■ ♦■»■■♦- ^' DRGORi^TlOM, & HOW- TO MAKE HOMES BEIUTIMJL. (a^ Tg) r t < .«o ORTIERES. — A beautiful room is far more beautiful when there is no square means of egress suggesting . the unpleasant idea of departure. Where, however, the means are limited, one pretty portiere' covering, or replacing an ugly door, or curtaining an outside one, gives an air of taste and elegance. Midway in a hall, as in the case of an outer door, drafts are prevented by a heavy fall of drapery. They should not repeat the curtains of the room, but represent a separate idea, though in harmony with the room. They are frequently made double to correspond with rooms of different colors. At the end of a long room in a friend's house there was a door with glass at the top, useful in dark days but making an ugly cross light with the windows of the room. The [2591 260 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. lady of the house dreamed of rich stuffs while she pieced, out of olive cotton flannel, four bands oi cretonne in a flower pattern, two narrow and two wide, and a piece of worsted goods flowered on the right side but striped on the wrong, none of it new, — a portiere which has been taken for some- thing rich and strange, and much admired. The lining was some old calico cut a little wider than the door. At the bottom was a horizontal strip of the olive cotton flannel, then a wide band of cretonne, then the striped (wrong side) goods placed perpendicularly, then a narrow band of cretonne, then the center of olive cotton flannel with the stripes repeated toward the top. Old Blue Blankets. Another friend had a bare, cheap, new cottage. Money was not abundant. Old grandmother-woven indigo-blue woolen blankets were. She began sewing in little figures, — stars, crescents, and odd stitches in colored silks, — and the woolen blanket became a gorgeous fabric. It was hung with wooden rings on a length of gilded gas pipe midway of the bare hall, and your first impressions on entering were of Eastern richness. The double blanket was more than enough (heavy materials must hang nearly plain), and a piano cover and traveling bag came out of the pieces. The embroidery was the work of time, but it was also a work of delight. Portiere of Chinese Embroidery. On the contrary, a New York friend, with the large opportunities and splendid economy of rich people, bought, at one quarter the original price, four Chinese embroidered SILK RAa AND INGRAIN CARPETS. 261 dress patterns, giving "only one hundred dollars for them." With great skill she combined them in one rich portiere for a large double door. Silk Rag Caepet. Portieres, as well as curtains, have been made of silk rag carpets, — yes, nothing more or less ! Old silks, even soiled and faded, are cut in strips as for carpet, and either woven with cotton warp, ot better still, knitted upon fine ivory needles in stripes and tastefully joined together. If one can be content to use only things otherwise worthless, this may be desirable; but the temptation is great to cut up what might be turned to better account. Ingrain Carpet. Another portiere we have seen is a great and lasting success, for it is of solid wool which in fifty years will still be firm of texture and pleasing in color. It is fine ingrain carpet of beautiful olive color, quite plain. It can be bought in a great variety of colors, but olive and crimson have the advantage of fading handsomely. Down one side of each breadth (there were four, for it covered the space between rooms where there had been double doors) was worked in Germantown wool, — a pattern which was adopted from a Turkish rug. The pattern was outlined in black and filled in with red, pale blue, white, and a Uttle gold-colored filoselle. The effect was so good and the material so durable that a great comfortable sofa with three cushions received a new dress of the same, and the children play on the tough material unreproved. Let me here suggest that aU decoration in homes where 262 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. there are children to be thought of (alas! for those homes where there are none) should be of firm, excellent, unfading quality in accordance with the loving spirit of Mary, and not cultivating the anxious one of her sister. The reward, as in all right-doing, will be greater than" you expect, for your decoration will be better and in nobler taste. The Dove Portiere. Still another portiere. The idea came from nature's enchanting harmony in an ordinary pigeon's colors, — one of the dove-tiated, blue-green sort. The material to harmonize with a light and "smiling" drawing-room was of heavy, ^ all-wool material, known as diagonal-cloth in a soft dove color. It was lined with pale pink silesia. A border of " crazy quilt " (see discription of crazy or Japanese quilt under chapter on screens) done in blue, green, and dove colors, and faint gleams of rose, was laid on at top and bottom. Velveteen. Velveteen is a desirable material for either portieres or curtains. Plush is the richest material in use. In one drawing-room we have seen the wide doors from the hall and library filled by portieres of plush, peacock-blue on one side and crimson on the other, without decoration. The effect was very rich, but one's limitations are often sugges- tive, and where there are limitations there are apt to be more ideas, and the charm of an idea wrought into form is always greater than the mere impression of richness. Smyrna Blankets, Prayer Carpets. Very odd portieres are brought home b}^ travelers from the Ea.st, and imported in great quantities. Stripes of odd OUBTAINS AND FRIGES. 263 woolen stuflF, loosely caught together by coarse woolen cord, and embroidered evidently by hand, odd combinations of red, black, and white can be seen in fashionable houses. " Prayer Carpets," not being needed, are hung up on doors or walls. Curtains. In furnishiug throughout, the curtains and wall-paper should be bought first, and the carpet selected as a quiet ac- cessory. In no case should the floor be very light or brill- iant. Prices of Material. The price of material does not vary greatly from time to time. The subjoined prices will be found nearly correct for a long time to come : — Cotton momie-cloth, 50 in. wide, in aU colors, per yd $1.10 Woolen momie-cloth, per yd 3.00 Felting, 2 yds. wide, per yd 1.50 Bolton sheeting, imported from England, per yd. 1.00 Stamped velveteen, per yd $1.25-2.00 Cotton flannel or "fashion drapery," every variety of color, per yd 0.90 This is double width, and alike on both sides so that no lining is needed. Crash is much used. It is woven by Eussian peasants, is of varying width, and in lengths from five to ten yards. Care should be taken to select handsome, even pieces. The widths can be loosely overhanded together, and bands of trimming laid on, or braid, or any stripe of decoration can 264 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. be inserted between, the widths. A beautiful decoration is a band of Japanese silk piecework in pretty colors, put on at top and bottom. Unbleached linen and cotton make pretty curtains. The former may be beautifully worked in crewels, either over the entire curtain, or a band laid on. The latter are very pretty with a band of cretonne as trimming, or with one of red and one of blue, or one of pink and one of blue, and a gay effect is produced. SCAEFS AND BoOK-CaSE CuETAINS. In a friend's house we have seen an old and awkward book-case converted into two pretty modern ones by saw- ing the high one in two, and adding, in one case a cornice, in the other a base. Some gold-colored leather was cut in strips, pinked, and tacked with pretty tacks on each sheK, so that much dust was kept from the books. She then added a scarf of old-gold satin, embroidered with a branch of dog- wood in Kensington stitch, with a band of plush and a fringe as finish. Thrown over the middle of the book-case, it made a graceful decoration, and afforded a pretty place upon which to arrange a group of bric-a-brac, French crackle ware, and odd vases. A more elegant book-case of ebonizdd wood had a curtain in front of old-gold satin, with a band about a foot wide of stamped crushed-strawberry velvet. The whole could be pushed aside, for it was hung with rings upon a gilded rod. The top of an easel can often be decorated with some scarf or piece of stuff which has been in the house unused for years. CORRECT PRINCIPLES OF TASTE. 265 Principles of Taste. If a lady can give sufficient thought to the subject, and decide upon some good guiding rules, she can often trans- form, with slight outlay, a bare and ugly house into a pretty and attractive one. Let use and enduring quality be in the mind, with the comfort of the household above every other consideration. '^'StScMlil^Ps-SSk SCEEENS. — HOW TO MAKE THEM. — MATERIALS. — HOW TO USE SCREENS TO ADVANTAGE. — HOW TO MAKE SCREENS. — HOW TO EBONIZE WOOD. — PAINTED SCREENS. — HOW TO USE DISCARDED MATERIAL TO ADVANTAGE IN COVER- ING PANELS OF SCREENS. — EMBROIDERED SCREENS. — HOW TO MAKE THE FRAMES. lOTHING breaks up the stiiBiess of a room, and nothing serves so many odd purposes, as a fold- ing screen. A lady, assisted by a carpenter, con- structed a large one of four panels to make a dressing-room in one corner of a large bed-room. Since then it has served to conceal the bed from sight in a small hotel room, to hide a Christmas tree from sharp little eyes, and as a background for the model in a studio. The smaller banner and lamp screens are often very useful and always graceful and pretty. The frame for a panel screen may be ecnstructed by any good carpenter who has well-seasoned wood to work with. The wood should be about two and one-half inches in width for a large screen. The two uprights of each panel look well reaching about two inches below the cross-piece at [266] HOW TO MAKE AND USE SCREENS. 267 the bottom. A screen of three panels, each five feet high and twenty inches wide, is perhaps the best balanced. The illustration here given will furnish all necessary details bet- ter than a description. Ebonized wood is undoubtedly the favorite wood, as it enhances the beauty of all sorts of decoration. The follow- ing is an excellent recipe for Ebonizing Wood, Though a good carriage-maker can do better than any amateur workman: Put a quarter of a pound of best size in a stone pot, with sufiicient water to cover it. Set it on 268 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the stove to melt, but do not let it boil. Then three cents' worth of lamp-black, and a little blue black to improve the color, should be made to the consistency of paste with on. Upon this is poured the melted size, and the two mixed thoroughly together. Apply this while warm to the wood, and paint thickly enough to look solid. When quite dry. varnish with two coats of • oil-copal varnish. This should be done in a warm room free from dust. The var- nish is put on with a large brush, boldly, rapidly, and evenly. If the article is to have a polished appearance, two coats of varnish will answer, but three or four vamishings will be needed to give it a dull finish. The rubbing down is done with the finest pulverized pumice-stone, mixed with water to make it about the thickness of cream, and rubbed on with a piece of rag. The rubbing must continue till all inequali- ties disappear and the surface is as smooth as glass. It has then to be dried with a cloth and polished again with tripoli and sweet oil. After drying a second time with soft linen, rub it with starch powder, and finish it with a clean, soft linen cloth until you can see your face in the polished sur- face. A single grain of sand or grit on any of' the cloths would injure the surface. Bamboo Screens. Bamboo screens and easels are very popular. We have known them to be made from fishing rods, but suppose the bamboo must now be imported on purpose. Tripods and Fire-Screens. The handsome stands are made of gilded iron, having a solid base, a slender upright, and a cross-piece from which COVERING AND DECORATING SCREENS. 269 the banner screen is suspended. In England, where an open fire is in almost every room, fire-screens are much in use. Modern ones are of gilded iron, and screwed to the mantel, the banner protecting the eyes of those sitting before the fire. An Old Clothes-Hokse. This frame-work needs but slight explanation, and can often be found in a somewhat dilapidated condition in the kitchen garret. From thence it can be brought, ebonized or painted in successive coats of Venetian or Indian red, and covered to suit the taste. The Covebing and Decoration of Screens. Perhaps the handsomest screens are those which are painted by hand. We own to a prej udice against painting on silk or satin. Fine painting should be on a more enduring material, and poor painting should only be done as a stepping- stone to what is better. After putting magnesia on the back and using your oil-color without additional oil, the color will " run ". a little. As for water-color, you have to use body color, (Chinese white mixed with the ordinary water-colors), and the result is a dry surface which seems ready to crack off" like white- wash. Nevertheless, we have seen some fine effects produced both with oil and water-color. French artists of name and fame have not scorned fan decoration upon silk and satin. Unless, however, great skill has been acquired, we would ad- vise one of the following methods : — 1. Painting with oil-color upon some kind of canvas in- tended for the purpose. 2. Painting with water-color upon paper and protecting the work with glass. 270 OUB BOMBS AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. ' 3. Embroidery -which seems the dower right of rich stuffs, a most natural and beautiful decoration. 4. Applique work, either onlaid or inlaid, and — 5. A plain surface adorned with odd bits of decoration, birds, fans, pieces of heavy lace, etc. As to the first, picture canvas is heavy and very expen- sive. We have found oU window shading a very good substi- tute, and we have been told that book-binder's cloth serves equally well. Either can be nicely stretched upon the frame, the edge covered with narrow worsted braid, which comes at a cheap rate in thirty-six yard pieces, and tacked with upholsterer's tacks. This makes the back of the screen neat, and a pretty color of canvas-buff or stone color can be selected. Flowers have long been a favorite decoration, though many speak of the difficulty of finding designs of sufficient size and importance for a large screen. It is well to decide upon the design for all of the panels before beginning to paint. A Pretty Idea Is to have the first panel for the spring, the second midsum- mer, the third for autumn. The first could be either a long branch or double branch of peach or apple blossoms, set, per- haps, in a brown vase upon a pretty table-cover. The back- ground could be a pale yellowish tint. The second might be a mass of roses hanging down from the top with a soft, gray background. The third could be a great branch of white chrysanthemums coming well across the panel from the left, with some crimson and gold blossoms near the frame of the screen, as if one hand held the three branches. COVERING AND BEGOBATING SCREENS. 271 Flowers and Figuees from Nature. In studying flowers it is well not to cut them, but paint a selected branch while it still grows and rejoices. A branch of chiysan them urns or azaleas can never be placed as beauti- fully as it places itself upon the parent stem. Figures are very appropriate for a screen, but there are not many unprofessional artists who have studied the figure sufliciently to produce satisfactory results. One young lady having great talent, evolved, after some study, a screen from a frame made by a carpenter, and some burlaps for canvas, upon which (it had. but two panels) she painted a knight and a lady. She served, with the aid of a long mirror, for her own model for the lady, and an unwilling brother was drummed into service as the knight. The burlaps had a siting of paste to fill up the interstices and save paint. A Stationary Screen. We have seen a sort of partition screen built across a hall to convert the back part into a boy's bed-room. The frame was painted a dull red. The burlap was stretched, and a pretty group of peacock feathers arranged upon it, with a bow of some gay striped stuff holding the stems. It was in an inconspicuous place, and the effect was excellent. Water-Colors. Each panel can be divided into sections by a band of wood. The frame is thus strengthened, and neither the jjicture nor the glass need be so large. In the water-color exhibitions in London, solid screens serve as hanging places for many small sketches which would stand but a poor chance among the large frames on the wall. (!>HJ^P^E.K Xf. b;mbeoideeed screens. — Japanese piece-work. — a pat- riotic SCREEN. new uses OF OLD MATERIAL. — A QUEER USE FOR AN OLD CLOTHES-HORSE. — LAMBRE- QUINS. — TABLES. CABINETS. — ODDS AND ENDS. — USE UP THE PIECES. ©./a oXKo |HE variety here is immense. All rich stuffs, plush, satin, silk, and embossed materials, are handsome and may be heavily embroidered, or some slight spray worked upon them. Sail-cloth makes an exellent panel upon which to embroider jSgures in outline embroidery. The stamping can be done in most towns, or an ingenious person can transfer designs. Cretonne makes a pretty screen. It can be embroidered by working in the high lights in silk. Many cover it with embroidery, but this hardly pays. The first screen we ever saw, consisted of one panel, and was made from the rich-flowered dressing-gown of one of the ancestors of the family. A plain stretch of felting in any pretty color makes a beautiful background on which to arrange a group of [273] JAPANESE FIECEWOBK. 273 feathers, a stuffed bird, or a paii- of Japanese fans with the handles crossed and tied with a bow of ribbon in a pretty contrasting color. ^ A pair of bird's wings, those of wild ducks are very nice, and a fan made of two pretty pieces of wall-paper laid in folds and held together at one end (an ordinary folding fan) with a large bow of ribbon, looks well. This same decoration in larger shape looks well on the wall. A good use to make of one of those interesting old " samplers " which are stowed away in so many houses is to stretch it upon a pretty stuff panel of a screen and fasten at each comer with a bow of ribbon. If used in a screen with more than one panel, the others may be filled with Japanese Piecework. Collect a quantity of scraps of ribbon, brocade, satin, velvet, plush, and silk. If the pieces are small and odd in shape, so much the better. Take squares of old muslin, lay over them a half thickness of wadding, then baste on the pieces, turning in or covering the edges. Put them on in as fantastic a way as possible. Many embroider the larger spaces with palettes, crescents, arrows, butterflies, two rings interlocked, or any odd design, and cover all the seams Avith feather stitch or point russe. Much embroidery is not necessary; we have seen blocks which had a loaded ap- pearance. Having finished blocks enough for the space, sew them nicely together, line, and stretch in your screen. Let us here recommend as a constant friend and helper to one new in the art of designiug, an illustrated dictionary. You will find pretty shields, birds, insects, Egyptian symbols, and a host of other suggestive designs. 18 274 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. One panel of piecework could be varied by a diagonal band of plush, or a corner of the same; or the band could be of cloth, and if some learned friend would suggest a Sanscrit or Hebrew motto, it could be cut out and appUqued on. We have seen a beautiful hanging with an adornment of this kind, the letters being about six inches in length, and of black on a lighter ground. We think some ingenious woman could make a Patriotic Screen Which would be useful and striking. Take the army blue coat which some brave husband or brother wore home. Those belonging to the heroic dead are perhaps too sacred to be converted even into a thing of beauty. The frame could be painted with a succession of coats of Venetian red rubbed smooth with pumice-stone and water. The light blue cloth could be stretched, and the edges at the back of the screen covered with a narrow, dark blue braid and tacked on with fancy brass tacks. Across the light blue field could be laid a diagonal band of dark blue cloth, fastened on with red and gold stitches and with army buttons at intervals. Upon the dark blue could be outlined in red, odd designs, some favorite motto, or a line from an army hym.n. The cap, sword, spurs, and pistol make a handsome group on the wall with a background of crimson felt. Small banner screens (see illustration p. 275) are very pretty. The ground- work is of pale blue satin. The border in applique is of dark blue velvet, embroidered in crimson and gold. The leaves are of velvet, and the stems and tendrils of chenille. Any material may be used with this design. The cords and tassels are sometimes of beads, but in any case they must harmonize in color. COVEBINa AND DEGOBATING SCREENS. 275 Lamp Screens. Very pretty lamp screens are made in the same way, and mounted upon smaller tripod stands. Odd Fan Screens. The frame is made of two uprights of bamboo fishing rod joined at the top with a piece of bamboo about two 276 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. inches in length, neatly glued and tacked in. The uprights are cut off within about four inches of the floor, and three short legs are fastened on so as to make a firm spread base. The thickest part of the rod serves for these legs, which are cut off so as to stand firm upon the floor. A small square Fig. 6 1. * of ebonized wood, or a little Japanese tray or box-cover, foi-ms the front of a block in which six Japanese fans are set. The handles have to be somewhat cut ofl" so as to fit the holes and radiate like the petals of a flower. A double purpose is served, — a screen in winter and a fan stand in summer. Mrs. Gen. Sheridan saw one made from this design, and has ordered several from a handy workman who has learned to join the bamboo nicely. LAMBREQUINS AND TABLES. 277 Old Clothes-Hoese Sceeek. The frame-wdrk was ebonized, the hinges were made of two long strips of old-gold colored leather, the two making the length of the upright. They were tacked on with brass nails on the right side of one panel, on the wrong side of the other, and vice versa. A little piece of the wood was cut away under the . hinges to let the frame fold. The panels were covered with some old linen curtains brought from the garret. They were nicely stretched, covered with Christ- mas and birthday cards, with a border of fancy paper, then varnished with white copal varnish. Lambeequins. They are not as much in use as formerly, being super- seded by a valence which will shove aside with the curtains. Their stationary character, and the fact that they exclude the light from the top, whence it is so desirable, has served to make them unpopular, though they are still made in rich material, cut in all manner of forms, and trimmed with fringe and heavy gimps. Tables. Many an old table could be made good-looking and use- ful by ebonizing the lower part, laying a thickness of wad- ding over the top, and covering with a piece of crimson felting. Braid or ribbon could be appliqued on a band to go round the table, and the edge could be trimmed with worsted fringe. I have seen a half-moon-shaped table covered with dark blue cloth, and with a fall of worsted embroidery which was worked in subdivisions by half a 278 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. dozen different friends. A clover-leaf table is now often covered with fine crash, and the fall embroidered in crewels. \ Table-Cover. The illustration shows a completed design of an orna- mental table-cover. The cover is often made very much f4iii ri^vfvs . , Fig. 62. longer,_ affording an excellent opportunity for decoration, and adding, of course, to the cost and labor of making. This cover is of fawn-colored cloth, ornamented elaborately on the ends in application embroidery. ANTIQUE FURNITURE. 279 The design figures which look dark in the illustration are applied in brown cloth ; and on each leaf of the large middle application figure, apply a piece of dark brown vel- vet. Edge all the applied figures with fawn-colored soutache, and besides, ornament the pieces of velvet in point russe embroidery with fawn-colored saddler's silk. For the lines of the design, sew on broad soutache in two shades. The cover is bordered with light brown, open silk fringe, an inch and a quarter wide. The lining is brown percale. A Friendship Cushion Is divided by black lines into squares a few inches across, and filled in to suit the taste of each worker. Japanese quilt, described under chapter on screens, makes a handsome chair or sofa cushion, especially so with a diagonal band of plush across it. Odds and Ends. There is just now a great fancy for the old-fashioned flax wheel with a tuft of flax tied to the spindle with ribbons. It is certainly a picturesque object, and very suggestive of the old and charming industry by which our grandmothers furnished their linen closets with the ex- cellent material of which stray table-cloths and tray-cloths come down as heirlooms. We have seen a tiny wheel gilded. It was very pretty, but somewhat theatrical. Cabinets Are the rage at present. We saw one lately which had adorned a garret for years. It now occupies the place of honor between the front windows in a handsome house. It 280 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. has been ebonized, to be sure, and the panels of the doors gilded, and a border in brown and gold painted across the top of each panel; but the old thing seems puzzled to find itself once more " the top shelf," and seems to consider itself an illustration of the ups and downs in this world. From Nuremburg have come countless old treasures of this sort. We think perhaps the old and dusty city parts gladly with some of its age and general njustiness, and replaces the old things with new. We Americans, in our newness, ai-e equally charmed to acquire things which were old one hundred years ago. Many fine old cabinets come from Holland, and Italy gives up many treasures to the hordes of Americans who come armed with the invincible dollar. Hall Benches. Beautiful inlaid hall benches come in great numbers from Milan, Genoa, and Florence. We have heard of three within as many weeks coming to the West. All along the Hudson Eiver there are treasures of old Dutch work to be seen, claw-footed "breeches," a sort of buffet and stout- backed old chairs in mahogany. Once upon a time the garret of one of the old Dutch houses in Albany gave up its own, and the rush of curiosity seekers was immense. The South is now considered a promising field for the old furni- ture buyer. We have seen a handsome, old-fashioned mahogany sideboard brought from there, which was of use and beauty far beyond the narrow, "high sliouldered" things we are accustomed to see. Be Original! It is a pity that every man and woman in furnishing a house cannot work after the fashion of " The Chambered ANTIQUE FURNITURE. 281 Nautilus," making their own house and furniture, or at least having it made, after their own needs and notions. This originality is the great charm of the antique. The furniture was not txirned out by the thousand, but each piece was constructed either to fill an order or all "out of the carver's brain," so that to this, to any day, the charm of human expression hangs about the work. I think the rage for the antique in furniture, so far as it is a fashion, will pass away; but interesting old things will always be treasured by those who feel the charm of old associations. Use up the Pieces. A friend indulged not long ago in some crimson felt for a screen. There were some pieces left. With the largest, she made the center of a scarf table-cloth, putting some striped stuff on each end ; and then there were some long ribbons of the felt left. She feather-stitched them in old-gold, and threaded them into a willow chair, where they did much better than ribbons, not fading, and looking more hke use. A little piece still remained. She lined it with pasteboard, first having worked the motto, "Fast Bind, Fast Find," upon it, and made an excellent brush-broom holder for the hat rack. (IxHi\F»^RK Xff. ENCAUSTIC TILES. — THEIR DUEABILITT. — HOW TO USE THEM. — PAVING HEARTHS. — COST. — MANTELS. — HOW TO GET THEM. — CABINETS. — HOME DECORATION OF TILES. 0»<0 |0 other like material presents better opportunities for gratifying the desire to embellish and beau- tify our homes, than the use of Encaustic Tiles. They are made of powdered clay from which all foreign substances have been removed; usu- ally they are in squares varying from one to eight inches; some styles are oblong, others tri- angular. Clay can be colored all tints; and the same block, by means of stamps and presses, may have a perfect and pleasing figure of two or more colors. When properly pressed and burnt, these tiles are very serviceable, and when the additional work of glazing is put on, they are well-nigh as durable as stone for the purposes intended. Whether required for the floors or walls of vestibules, or the ornamentation of hearths and mantels, as well as for other purposes of decoration, their endless variety, their [283] HEARTHS AND PAVEMENTS. 283 various shades and colors, combine in forming a material suited to purposes o£ ornament, and as durable as beautiful. Hearths and Pavements. A hearth or hall can be paved with tiles at a very rea- sonable cost, (about fifty cents per square foot,) and when once done, the whole always presents a neat and coscy ap- pearance, and is easily cleaned. The patterns can usually be selected from catalogues furnished by dealers and manufacturers. It is becoming popular to lay whole floors in tiles, and as people become better acquainted with this material, its use will supersede wood in many cases where durability and beauty are desired. The tile floor or hearth is laid in mortar, and presents a perfectly smooth surface, the joints fitting closely, and the whole contrasting finely with carpets and furniture. Mantels, Cabinets, etc. The panels at sides and top of mantels are frequently ornamented with tiles. A vexy attractive mantel of ebon- ized or other wood can be decorated in this way, and the whole cost is much less than for the cold and costly slate or marble mantel. The tiles are set in the panels, something after the fashion of a picture in a frame. These are more costly than floor tilings, as they are ornamented with all kinds of designs, comprising such subjects as birds, flowers, foliage, designs from history, Shakespeare, and the Script- ures. Panels of Cabinets, door-facings, and furniture may be ornamented in the same way, and where the designs consist 284 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. of geometric figures, which for the door-facings are appro- priate, the cost is low. Small tiles may be set into any fur- niture desirable, by cutting away the wood to the desired size, and inserting the tile with plaster or putty. As the field of home decoration is comparatively broad, the good taste of the proprietor is about the only guide as to the ex- tent and scope of the work. Such tiles can be procured six to eight inches squai-e, at a cost of from $1.80 to $.5.00 per dozen. Persons of decor- ative talent can buy the plain tiles and decorate them to suit their fancy, returning them to the factory to have the designs burned in; this practice has of late become very popular. It is advisable to consult catalogues of designs and prices from some reliable dealer or manufacturer, before attempt- ing to do very much in this style of decoration, yet there is no doubt that in a few years examples may be found in almost every home. dHJ^FTRR Xfll. FURNISHINGS. — THE HALL. — ITS IMPRESSION UPON VISIT- ORS. THE PARLOR. — DINING-ROOM. — HOW TO FUR- NISH THEM AT REASONABLE COST. — EBONIZING WOOD. — HOME-MADE MANTELS, RUGS, CARPETS, ETC. otOio HE suggestions made in the following pages, are offered as such. No authority, however high, can fix rules which will be followed by those whose originality leads them to decorate and fur- nish their homes in good taste without regard to fashion. The Hall. — A very recent and trustworthy writer says: "The entrance of a house indicates the character of the entire building, the lower hall and vestibule often furnishing the key-note to the whole interior. This key-note addressed to the eye should be pitched low ; there should be no striking brilliancy of color, although warm tones are admissible, but a leading up, as it were, to the richer hues and more elabo- rate adornments of the sheltered apartments." Ordinary halls are too small for much display, if here were the place for display. Where the dimensions of the hall [285] 286 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. •will permit, a hall table, made of such material as will sug- gest., strength and durability, flanked on each side with chairs of like design, are not out of place. A small bracket, supporting an antique jar or other bric-a-brac, is often very- appropriate, as is also a neat holder for whisp or brush, these being valuable adjuncts to any hall. HOW TO FUBNISH BOOMS. 287 Where the hall is small, a mirror framed in such a way as to aclinit of pegs for hats and coats is, perhaps, as appro- Fig. 64. priate as can be wished. Fig. 63 gives a very pretty design. Such a design may be cut out with a scroll-saw or by your 288 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. own carpenter, and ebonized according to the recipe given in this work, and furnished with a mirror, at little cost. Ebonized wood for such furniture is quite popular. A more commodious, and of course, more costly, style of hat, coat, and umbrella rack, with mirror and drawers, is shown in Fig. 64. The floor can be treated as the means and taste of the owner dictate. Tiles have been suggested already, but less costly material may be selected, as oil carpet, or Lineoleum, — a thick, diirable covering resembling oil carpet, but made of ground cork. A plain or stained floor with a neat rug often makes a pretty appearance. The Reception-Room, Parlor, and Library. The question of first importance in the furnishing of the drawing-room, parlor, or in fact any room, is whether the floor, ceilings, and walls are to be the background for deco- rative objects, or are themselves to furnish the decorative features. If the walls and ceilings are covered with costly and showy paper, and the floor carpeted with brilliant colors, no furniture, however costly, will show ofi" to good effect, as opinions on the subjects are very decided. Then let this question fir.st be settled before a single step is taken toward furnishing the room. Under chapters I to VII, will be found practical suggestions upon the treatment of walls, ceilings, etc. Regarding carpets, much might be said and with little effect, as opinions on this subject are very decided. One who gets glimpses of many parlors, has observed that in the average home the carpet is too costly for the other fur- nishings of the room. HOW TO FUBNISH BOOMS.' 289 Imitating the Oriental style, many persons of taste have contented themselves with a large rug on a stained floor. Home-made rugs, among people who are not slaves to fash- ion, are not considered out of place in the parlor. Such Fig. 65. people can render an apartment very attractive and at the same time comfortable, with small outlay. The mantel is a feature that never escapes the eye of a visitor; its contents therefore should receive attention. It 19 290 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. is the place for the display of pretty things, as vases, curi- osities, etc. Many people cannot afford the expensive mantels of marble, carved wood, and marbleized slate, but they can Fig. 66. afford a plain mantel of wood which they may render very attractive by the following method: — " Take panels, or squares of glass, and if one is not artist STYLE OF LOUNGE. 291 enough to venture on original designs, select pleasing pict- ures of birds, flowers, grains, children, animals, or landscapes. flQ C31 --4 from the great chromo-field, cut them out nicely, and gum them upon the glass, face downward, covering the whole 292 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. with a coat of paint in shades of blue, lavender, or sea-green. The right side of the glass then bears a fair resemblance to a china painting. These panels are easily and inexpensively made, and when fastened on the wood-work, with narrow black strips or moldings, have almost as good effect as the costlier tile mantels." The mantel can be ebonized in the same way as the hat rack, and it may be still more improved by placing a long, narrow mirror lengthwise on the shelf. <^:_^ V Fig. 68. Small hanging cabinets, with doors and a shelf above, may take the place of costlier furniture, and indeed, they may serve to set off the larger pieces to good effect. An or- dinary carpenter can make them, and if the panels of the doors are decoratedwith nothing better than transfer pictures well varnished, they will be very pretty. Chairs should never sacrifice comfort for appearance; large, easy reading or library chairs like those illustrated in Figs. 65 and 66 are suggestive of comfort. A lounge of the style given in Fig. 67 is more useful and graceful than the stereotyped semi-circular settee, while the hassock or stool THE DINING-ROOM. 293 with castors, Fig. 68, is far more serviceable than the awk- ward ottoman. The Dining-Room. This room, of all others, should be the most cheerful; good digestion depends upon thorough, careful mastication of the food, which requires time, and no one is apt to give himself ample time in a cheerless dining-room. At the dining-room table the members of the family are united in motive, and should be in heart. Then let this be a cheerful room. Let the chairs be comfortable, arrange a few choice pictures on the wall, and if a neat sideboard is beyond question, put up wall shelves, and leave them the natural color of the wood finished in oU, and above, all else avoid too many mottoes. If it can be so arranged, let the floor be covered, at least around the table, with a good oil-carpet, and stain the floor with some convenient stain, finishing with two coats of shellac, which is easily cleaned. If the dining-room is also used as a living-room, of coui-se it may be carpeted all over as usual. GLHi^F^TRK Xf"^. BED-EOOMS. — HOW TO MAKE THEM CHEERFUL, COMFOET- ABLE, AND HEALTHFUL. — BED-EOOM FUENITUEE. • — CHEAP BUT USEFUL FUENITUEE. — HOW TO MAKE A BED-EOOM TABLE. — WASH-STAND WITH DEAPEEY. |N the furnishing of bed-rooms, the individuaUty of the housewife asserts itself very strongly. When it is remembered that from one-fourth to one-third of our time is spent in our bed- rooms, no argument is necessary to prove that it should be rendered the most pleasant. Of course the bed itself is the principal feature. Too much, is apt to be expended upon the bed- stead. More attention should be paid to the springs and mattresses. It is an easy matter from among the multitude of patterns to secure easy and durable springs' at reasonable cost. The best mattress is made of hair; for health, the common husk mattress, with wool or cotton top, equals the hair, and is, moreover, very cheap. Avoid high beds; who does not remember the beds of our grandfathers, requiring the aid of a treacherous chair to get into them? [394] THE DBESSING BTIBEAU. 295 For decorative effect, the bed is the least important feature of the room. Usually the wall-paper, carpet, brackets, pictures, lounge, table, and bureau or dressing-case, if aU or a part of these can be afforded, add more to the cosiness of the room, than the bed. It is a good plan to purchase a plain bedstead and devote more to the other fur- niture. 296 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. The Dressing Bureau. Where it can be afforded, a bureau is very desirable; it should be of size corresponding with the size of the room. Unless there is a good closet or a table with drawers, the bu- reau is almost a necessity. Marble tops are to be con- demned where articles of glass or fine china come in contact with them. 1 r 'l Fig. 71. BEDSTEAD AND DRAPERY. 297 A recent 'writer on this matter says of the bed-room table: " Quite an inexpensive one may be made from a dry- goods box three feet high, four wide, and two and a half feet deep, with four blocks of wood, one inch thick arid four inches square, nailed beneath each corner, to which casters are fastened. The box is placed with open side out, and fitted with a convenient shelf or two. The whole interior should be neatly papered. " On the top at the back, one or two small boxes may be fastened, and the entire top covered with oil-cloth or other suitable material, and the front may be hung with drapery concealing the inside shelves. Another plan would be to sand-paper the outside and finish in shellac varnish. Much ingenuity can be displayed and money saved, by watching the fashion and other journals and carrying out their suggestions." Bedstead and Drapery. Our illustration presents a very neat bedstead and drapery. The hangings are of muslin and net, worked in satin and slanting stitch, over-cast at the edges. The green quilted siik counterpane is laid inside a fine linen case, embroidered around the edges and buttoned over the quilt as shown. The pillow is trimmed with lace insertion and a double muslin frill, and embroidered at the corners, where it is also ornamented with a bow of colored ribbon. At the foot of the bed is a second cover of chintz or dimity, also trimmed with lace or frills. Brackets made with the scroll-saw can be used to advantage to hold books, curiosities, china, etc. The toilet- table or wash-stand affords an excellent chance for the dis- 298 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. play of taste, the indispensable splasher and towel-rack may be articles of home manufacture, while a neat-figured damask towel will answer quite well for a marble top. In bed-rooms, where space must be economized, the new style wardrobe and bedstead combined, may be used to excellent advantage. Our illustration gives all necessary details. It will be seen that the wardrobe is located behind the head of the bedstead. At each end is a door opening into the wardrobe, and hooks are attached to a piece which slides in and out. /■■'■ ' V I J ' I ( i r''i' • ■»%■ '■*^i4:*fh^r Fig. 73- DBAPEBY AND TOILET-STAND. 299 Two drawers for linen are placed in the bottom of the wardrobe, and the whole space is nearly, if not quite, as capacious as a bureau or separate wardrobe: The doors close tightly so as to prevent dust from entering. Large pictures are out of place in a bed-room. A few engravings, — nothing of the " death-bed-of- Washington style," — with photographs of a few friends, are very appro- priate. The color of carpet and wall-paper should not be too dark, and the drapings of the windows should be such as to admit the sunlight freely. Cane or leather seated chairs are sold at such rates that most people can afford them. The easy rocker seems almost indispensable, especially in event of sickness in the household. Our ideal bed-room is among the best, if not the best, room in the house, except, perhaps, the family sitting- room. Deapeey foe Toilet-Stand. On the opposite page we give an illustration showing how the commonest and plainest bed-room may be rendered beautiful and attractive by the aid of a little taste and cheap material. The toUet-stand may be a cheap table, with a shelf erected on the top for toilet articles, and a bracket higher up for perfume articles, etc. Oil-cloth of any desired color may cover the table, cut in any shape to suit the fancy, the edges being bound with braid to correspond. The shelves and brackets may be covered to correspond with the table, and the whole draped with muslin or other material, edged with lace, or trimmed to suit the 300 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. taste, or in harmony with the other adornments of the room. Shelves may be made under the table, and a curtain of coarser material suspended from its edges conceals them. These shelves may be used for shoes, slippers, etc. -•5^2554<^ff|K}'J>^5Ea=>- THE CARE, %-- IP CULTURE, t PROPAGATION fS -K OIF >- *^\ [301] y^OD might have bade the earth bring forth Enough for great and small; The oak-tree and the cherry-tree, Without a flower at all. We might have had enough, enough For every vfant of ours. For luxury, medicine, and toil, And yet have had no flowers. Our outward life requires them not; Then wherefore had they birth ? To minister delight to man. To beautify the earth; To comfort maa, to whisper hope. Whene'er his faith is dim. For whoso careth for the flowers Will care much more for Hm. — Mary Howitt. [302] repotted in rich soil. The production of large plants from seed takes some time, but the beautiful creamy- white flowers are an ample reward for the care and patience bestowed. Half-hardy perennial. Climeees. Clematis. — Well known and universally admired climb- ers, some of the varieties being remarkable for the beauty and fragrance of their blossoms. Fine for covering arbors, verandas, etc., as they cling readily to almost any object. Most of the kinds are hardy, herbaceous perennials, but some little protection in Northern latitudes, through winter, is advised. Will do well in any good garden soil. Cypress-Vine. — A most beautiful climber, with delicate, dark-green, feather foliage, and an abundance of bright, star-shaped, rose, scarlet, and white blossoms, which in the bright sunshine present^a mass of beauty. Planted by the side of veranda, tree, or stakes, and trained properly, there is nothing prettier. The seeds will germinate more freely if warm water be poured on the ground after planting. Ten- der annual ; fifteen feet high. Gourds. — A tribe of climbers with curiously-shaped fruit, in various colors. Being of rapid growth, they are fine to cover old fences, trellises, stumps, etc. The foliagS is quite ornamental, and the markings of some of the fruit quite ex- traordinary. Do not plant the seed till all danger of frost is over, and select rich, mellow ground. Tender annual climbers; ten to twenty feet high. DE80BIPTI0N OF CLIMBERS. 315 Ipomea. — Beautiful climbers, and exceedingly attractive mixed with other climbers. The flowers are of a variety of shapes and sizes, and of an endless number of colors, many being wondrously brilliant, and of graceful form. They are alike good for green-house, for pots and baskets, and for trellises, stumps, arbors, etc. They require heat in starting, and some of the varieties will not succeed out of the green- house. Tender annuals; five to ten feet high. Maiirandya. — Graceful climber for green-house, parlor^ baskets, or outrdoor purposes. Set out ia the border with a little frame to which to attach their tendrils, they will be loaded all the season .with rich purple, white, and rose, fox- glove-shaped blossoms. The seed should be started in hot- bed or green-house, as without artificial heat, they will scarcely flower the flrst season. They must be removed to a warm place on the approach of cold weather in autumn. Tender perennial climber; six feet high. SmUax. — No climbing plant in cultivation surpasses this for the graceful beauty of its foliage. In cut flowers, and for wreaths, etc., it is indispensable to florists. Its hard texture enables it to be kept several days after being cut, without wilting. Nothing is finer for clothing statuettes, vases, etc. Soak the seed in warm water twelve hours, and plant in pots, in hot-bed or green-house, in February, and keep in a warm, moist place. One plant in a two-inch pot is enough. After they have completed their growth and the foliage begins to turn yellow, turn the pots on their sides and with- hold water till August, when the little bulb which has formed can be repotted in good, rich earth, and watered freely, and it will grow all winter. Tender perennial climber; ten feet high. 316 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Annuals and Perennials. Aster. — No family of plants bears such distinct marks of progress as the aster, and none are more eagerly sought. An almost endless variety, always reliable, it is not .strange that they should become a necessity. The kinds found in the flower garden are usually French or German, and when circumstances for their growth are favorable, present a con- stant varying succession of blossoms till frost comes. The taller varieties should be supported by stakes or trellises. The seed should be sown early in spring, and the young plants transplanted from one to two feet apart, according to the height and size. Begonia. — Ornamental foliage, green-house and stove plants, with many-colored, succulent leaves, oblique at their base. Very useful for ferneries, green-houses, and parlor decoration. Some of the varieties, in addition to their beau- tiful foliage, produce magnificent blossoms. They have been so much improved, and so many new flowering sorts introduced, that we almost fail to recognize the species. Some are propagated from seed only, others from cuttings. All require a rich soil. Gainellia. — ^All species of camellias are universally ad- mired on account of their beautiful, rose-like flowers and elegant dark-green, shining, laural-lik^ leaves. They are hardy green-house shrubs of easy culture, requiring only to be protected from frost. The best soil for them is an equal quantity of good sandy loam and peat. They are propa- gated by inarching, cuttings, grafting, and from seed, the latter being the only method of obtaining new varieties. When the plants are not growing, they should receive but ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS. 317 little water, and when growing freely, can scarcely receive too much. A regular succession of flowers may he obtained from autumn till July, if attention he given to removing the potted and growing plants from a warm to a cooler atmos- phere. When the growth is completed, and the flower-buds formed, a cool, sheltered situation is best, for they will be seriously injured if exposed to the rays of the sun. Calceolaria. — A favorite and universally-admired genus, remarkable for its large, beautifully spotted blossoms, which are very showy, and from which an almost countless number of hybrids have been raised. They are perennial, are grown in pots in the conservatory, green-house, and garden ; but few flowers are held in greater esteem. They pi-efer a turfy loam, a mixture of peat and sand, or a rich, open garden mold, and are propagated from seed or cuttings. Some of them are herbaceous perennials, others shrubby evergreens. Carnation. — No flower can surpass in delicacy of marking, form, or delicious fragrance, the richly-hued car- nation. It has always been one of the most esteemed of the florist's collection, and there is no flower more desirable for the garden. The seed will not produce all double flowers, though a good percentage will be double, and of all shades and colors, many being very fragrant. Sow under glass in green-house or hot-bed, and when of sufficient size, transplant two feet apart each way. New and choice vari- eties are obtained from seed. Half-hardy perennial; one and a half feet high. Candytuft. — Universally known and cultivated, and considered indispensable for cutting. All the varieties look best in beds or masses. Seed sown in the autumn produces 318 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. flowers early in spring; when sown in April, flower from July to September, and some o£ the sorts till frost comes. All the varieties are hardy, and easy to cultivate. Single plants transplanted look well, and bloom profusely. Hardy annual ; one foot high. Chrysanthemum. — The following are the old garden varieties, producing flowers white, yellow, and variegated, single and double. They flower in autumn, and are desir- able where there are large collections, as they are brilliant and striking. The single sorts are quite as handsome as the double. Hardy annual ; one and a half to two feet high. Chrysanthemum, coronarium, double white. Chrysanthemum, coronarium, double yellow. Chrysanthemum, Burridganum, crimson, white center; single. Chrysanthemum, coronarium, mixed. Bahlia.-^This exceedingly beautiful genus comprises an almost endless number of varieties, all more or less showy in the flower garden in autumn when most other flowers have faded. They are all of easy cultivation, growing freely in almost any soil, from seed sown in spring. The seed should be sown in shallow pans, in March, and the seedlings transplanted to small pots. As soon as danger of frost is over, plant out, one foot apart. These plants will make tubers, which should be taken up in the fall and kept through the winter in a cool, dry place, away from frost, and planted out in the spring, when they will blossom the following autumn. New varieties are constantly being produced from seed, some of them of exquisite beauty. i''uc^sm.— Well-known, half-hardy, perennial, deciduous shrubs worthy a place in every garden. The varieties are ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS. 319 now numbered by hundreds, and some are exceedingly beautiful. They are easily grown from seed, and as cut- tings; and from seed many improved varieties are obtained. Sow in March, in shallow pots ; prick out in crocks four inches in diameter, when of convenient size, where they can con- tinue to grow till they bloom. As soon as they have flowered, select such as have good points, and change into larger pots. When frost appears, protect the plants. Heliotrope. — Highly valued for the fragrance, of their flowers, and duration of bloom, and are to be met with in most gardens. They succeed in any rich, light soil, and cuttings of the shrubby kinds, taken off" while young, strike readily. Half-hardy perennial ; one foot high. Mignonette. — A well-known hardy annual, producing dense, semi-globular heads of exceedingly fragrant flowers, borne on spikes from three to six inches long. Is in bloom nearly the whole season, and the perfume is so fragrant that the whole atmosphere around is perfumed. No garden should be without it. If sown at intervals during the spring and early summer, it will be in bloom till killed by the frost. Seeds sown in autumn will bloom early in spring. Hardy annual ; perennial if protected ; one foot. Oleander. — This well-known shrub, originally a native of India, is of easy culture, and flowers freely the greater part of the year. In warm, moist climates, it requires no protection, and attains the proportions of a good-sized tree. The flowers have a salver-shaped corolla, with a crown of torn appendages in the center, and are of a beautiful shade of pinkish-red. They can be produced successfully in the house if the atmosphere is kept moist and warm. Sow seeds in gentle heat in February or March, in light, rich 320 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. soil, "whicli must be kept moist. "When young plants are three or four inches high, repot in rich soil. The tempera- ture in -which plants are grown should not fall below 35°. The young shoots made one season should bloom the next. Pansy. — These lovely flowers are favorites with all, not only for the brilliancy and variety of their colors, but for the durability of their bloom. Seed may be sown in open ground in spring or summer, or in hot-bed parly in spring. Young plants produce the largest and best flowers. The plants should always occupy a cool, partially shaded situa- tion, and the ground cannot be too rich; coolness and moisture are necessary. Transplant when an inch high. Seed sown in July will blossom late in autumn; if sown in October, will bloom the following spring. Hardy biennial; four inches high. Geraniv/m. — Probably the geranium is better known and more universally admired than any other plant grown. The constant succession and durability of bloom till frost comes, the brilliancy of the scarlet and other colors, and the exquisite markings of the leaves of some of the varieties, render tljem very desirable for pot culture and bedding. No garden seems complete without a bed of them, and in every collection of conservatory or parlor plants we are sure to find the geranium. Propagation by seed is the only sure way to obtain superior varieties. Sow in March, in gentle heat, ia well-drained pots. Water moderately, and as soon as the third leaf appears, pot singly in two-inch crocks, exchanging for larger ones as the plants require. As soon as the weather will permit, plunge the pots in open border, and on the approach of frost remove them to a shed. They will blossom the succeeding spring. Propagation for common varieties can be made from cuttings. ANNUALS AND PEBENNIALS. 321 Ferns. — Flowerless plants, too well known to need de- scription. Many of the varieties are exquisitely beautiful. There are so many sorts, varying so widely in habit, that to give explicit directions for the culture of each would re- quire a volume of itself. As a general rule they should be kept in a warm, humid atmosphere, and watered abun- dantly. The soil best adapted to their growth is a turfy, fibrous peat, mixed with sand and leaf mold, and underlaid with pieces of broken crock. In places too shady for other plants to thrive, they grow in great beauty. Coming as they do from every clime, we find them a very interesting study. They are alike good for baskets, vases, rock- work, ornamental plants for parlor or conservatory, and the pressed leaves of some of the varieties are marvels of grace- ful beauty. Many of the most beautiful sorts are propa- gated from seed only. Their exceeding grace and beauty wUl well repay all care bestowed upon them. Phlox DruTnmondii. — Remarkable for the brilliancy and abundance of their large, terminal flowers, completely hiding the foliage. The blossoms are of many colors, from pure white to deepest purple, eyed and striped. For masses of separate colors and for cutting for bouquets, they are un- surpassed. The seed can be planted in open ground in au- tumn or spring, or plants may be started in hot-bed and transplanted. Give good, rich ground, and set plants six inches apart each way. Hardy annual; one foot high. Snapdragon. — ^The snapdragon is an old favorite border plant, with dark and glossy leaves, and large, curiously- shaped flowers with flnely marked throats. They have been much improved by careful selection, and now are really magnificent flowers. They will blossom the first season 21 322 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENT^. from seed sown in spring, but the blossom -will be much stronger the second season. Succeeds best in dry, loamy- soil. Tender perennial; two feet high. Violet. — The violet should not be wanting in any garden, on account of its fragrance and early appearance. A single flower will perfume a whole room. It is well adapted for border or rock- work, and commences putting forth its beautiful double and single blossoms in April and continues through May. Succeeds best in a .shady, sheltered place, and can be easily increased by dividing the root. The violet is an emblem of faithfulness. Hardy perennial; four inches high. Zinnia. — A very showy plant, with large, double flow- ers, which, when fully expanded, form hemispherical heads, become densely imbricated, and might easily be mistaken for dwarf dahlias. The colors run through all the shades of carmine, lilac, scarlet, purple, crimson, yellow, to pure white. If any single blossoms appear, they should be at once pulled up. Sow the seed early in spring, in open ground, and transplant to one and a half feet apart, in good, rich soil Half-hardy annual ; one and a half feet high. Chinese Primrose. — These are perhaps the most desir- able of all house-blooming plants, and will richly compen- sate for the little care they require. They are in almost constant bloom aU winter, and if the plants be transferred to the border, they will bloom nearly all summer. Though perennial, new plants flower more freely, and seed should be sown every year. Give them a long time for growth before flowering, and do not force the young plants, but simply protect them from frost, and damp, cutting winds. Sow the seed in shallow boxes, filled with good, rich soil, ANNUALS AND P£!IIENNIALS. 323 dusting a little fine earth over them: if covered too deeply, or if the seed be wet and allowed to dry again, they will not germinate. Transplant into pots, and they will be ready for winter blooming in the drawing-room. Tender perennial; six to nine inches high. Roses. — The rose requires high culture; it should be planted in good, weli-drained soil; the ground can scarcely be made too rich. The pruning required will vary with the sorts planted, the rank-growing requiring less pruning than the weak ones. The points particularly to be observed are to prune before the buds start in spring, to cut out all uni-ipe or old and feeble shoots, and to cut back the last season's growth to from one-half to two-thirds its length, according to the vigor of the sorts. Winter protection of tender sorts is accomplished by covering after a few severe frosts, with leaves, straw,' evergreen boughs, or earth, or by removing the plants to a cool cellar. With a little care of this kind, the choicest tender roses may be safely wintered, and as they are the only really perpetual roses, they are abundantly worth the extra care. The insects most commonly injurious to the rose — as the Aphis, which appear in great numbers upon the young, growing shoots, and the Thrips, which prey upon the under side of the leaf, giving it a sickly, yellowish look, — may easily be destroyed by syringing or dipping the plants in tobacco water. Petunia. — Petunias are unsurpassed, if indeed equaled, for massing in beds. Their richness of color, duration of bloom, and easy culture will always render them popular. They will do well sown in open border in spring, or earlier in cold-frame or hot-bed, and transplanted eighteen inches apart. By the latter process, they will come into bloom 324 OUB HOMES AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. much earlier, though they do perfectly well sown in open ground. Be careful not to cover the small seedfe too deep; they like a sandy loam. Tender perennial; one and a half feet high. Water-Lily. — Hardy, aquatic plant, bearing exceed- ingly beautiful, fragrant white blossoms, which appear as if floating on the water. They are very much admired, and are constantly becoming more and more popular. Are Fig. 74. increased by sowing the seed, or by dividing the roots or tubers. They grow readily in ponds or streams of shallow water having muddy bottoms, and can be grown in aqua- riums, tubs or tanks, in the house, if there be sufficient mud at the bottom, and the seeds or roots be kept continually covered with water. Cultivation in Tubs. — For a tub, take a strong barrel, free from tar, oil, or salt, saw it in two, fill this one-third full with fine, black garden soil, or meadow mud if handy ; plant the seeds in this mixture, covering them one inch deep, add ANNUALS AND TERENNIALS. 325 ■water gently so as not to disturb the seed, until the tub is full. This is all the care needed ; always keep the tub full of water. Set this on a brick or board platform ia any place you desire. The tubs, with their contents, should be placed in a cellar during the winter, kept from frost, and not allowed to entirely dry up. For Aquariums. — Put in five inches of fine, black loam, cover the seed one inch deep in this, and sift on enough fine sand to entirely cover the loam, Ice-Plant. — A handsome and curious plant for hanging baskets, rock-work, vases, and edgings. The leaves and stems are succulent and fleshy, and appear as though covered with ice crystals, and look like rock candy. The whole plant is peculiarly brilliant in the sunshine. The flower is white, and not conspicuous. Succeeds best in dry, sandy loam, and in a warm situation. Can be grown in pots or open border, the former having preference. Tender annual trailer; six inches high. Balsam. — The Balsam or Lady's Slipper, is an old favorite, but has been so much improved by cultivation as to be scarcely recognized. The blossoms are double, though .some semi- double and single ones will be pretty certain to appear, and such plants should be removed. The prevail- ing colors are red and white, the former running into aU shades of crimson, scarlet, rose, and purple, spotted and striped. The flowers will be improved by planting in a hot-bed, and transplanting when two leaves have formed, one or two feet apart. . Pinch off a portion of the shoots, which will increase the size of the flower and .vigor of the plant. Needs a rich soil, and good cultivation, well repaying for both with the abundance of its magnificent flowers. 326 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Ageratv/m. — A valuable plant on account of the length of time it remains in bloom, and for contrasts of color with the more brilliant varieties. It blooms constantly all sum- mer in the garden, and if removed to the green-house, all winter. Desirable for cut flowers for bouquets. Grows one and a half feet high, and the plants should stand two feet apart. Colors light blue and pure white. Start the seeds under glass, and transplant. Hardy annual. Ahutilon. — Very popular, perennial, green-house shrub, with bell-shaped, drooping flowers, which are borne in pro- fusion nearly the entire year. Well adapted to house cul- ture, and desirable for bedding out in the summer. There are several varieties, the flowers of which vary from pure white and yellow to deep orange and crimson, streaked with yellow. Can be propagated by cuttings, in sand, under glass, during summer. If seeds are sown before AprU, under glass, the plant wiU bloom the first season. ^pjj^p^rpv;^^ fff^ WINDOW GARDENING. — HOW TO HAVE FLOWERS ALL WINTER. — ^BEST VARIETIES FOR WINTER 0SE. — HOW TO CARE FOR THE FLOWERS. — THEIR ARRANGEMENT IN THE WINDOW. o»!o I N addition to what has been said in the chapters on the culture of flowers, it is thought proper to add a few hints upon the subject of window gardening. There are but few plants that will not thrive in-doors under proper conditions of light and tem- perature. A window which admits much light by day should be selected, and as plants must have their periods of sleep, provision should be made for shutting off the bright glare of the lamp at night. A few plants, well cared for, look better than a window full of plants so closely crowded as to caase them to grow spindling and turn yellow. Eegarding soil, the reader is referred to other chapters in this work; but it is well to state that the pots for window plants should be filled to the depth of one or more inches with charcoal, to assist in drainage and to keep the soil sweet. [337] 328 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. Care should be used in watering, as plants are easily " drowned out." If during a gentle, warm shower the plants can be so placed as to receive it, they will be all the better for it. They should generally be watered onee> day with a watering-pot, — never poured on, — the water being about Fig. 75. the temperature of the room. The morning is, perhaps, the best time for watering, and it never should be done while the sun shines upon the plants. Plants that have flowered all the summer cannot be ex- pected to continue the process during the winter, as they must have a period of rest before they can mature. Those WINDOW GARDENING. 329 which are wanted for flowering in winter, must be started late in the summer from seeds or cuttings, or if started earlier they must be set away or laid down till autumn. The bulboTLS plants for winter use should be laid down in the shade in. May, and given no water till September, when they may be repotted, and will become active in a few weeks. Cuttings for winter may be potted in midsummer. Monthly roses, geraniums, fuchsias, heliotropes, callas, be- gonias; and for climbers, the cypress- vine, nasturtium, and ivy, are the plants that require the least trouble and succeed best. For supporting the pots, a window box is the cheapest; it can be lined with zinc, and filled in around the pots with moss, if desirable. A strong wire stand, set on castors, is 330 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. very handy, as it can be moved around, and is moreover ornamental. The illustrations given in this department are intended to suggest the methods that may be employed in window gardening, and it is not deemed necessary to enter into a lengthy description of them. On page 329 is illustrated a bay-window. Below is given a good plan where the bay- Fig- 77- window is wanting, and drops a hint as to how an ivy may be concealed behind a mirror, with its graceful loops hang- ing down on each side, and a small portion just peeping into the glass. The cut on page 331 shows how the scroll-saw may be employed in window gardening. The lambrequin at the top is made of wood, decorated with the scroll-saw. WINDOW GAEDENING. 331 Ficr. 78. 332 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. We have seen shrubs employed with excellent results, in making a background for the more showy plants; and in one instance a species of maple, eight feet high, in full leaf in midwinter, was perhaps the most admired of the whole collection. Of course the arrangement of plants in a window or cabinet must depend in a great measure upon the taste of the possessor; but excellent effects can be produced almost anywhere with small-leafed ivy, madeira-vine, smilax, and other hardy climbers, set off by a few showy geraniums, and similar flowers. One of the principal reasons why flowers bought on the streets or at the markets prove so unsatisfactory, is because they are placed in small pots to save room, in the damp pits where they are grown, and when they come to be trans- ferred to the sitting-room, or balcony, the earth soon bakes, and the flower-buds fall off without opening. If the common flower-pots in which the plants are grow- ing be placed inside ornamental pots a few sizes larger, and the intermediate space be stuffed with wet moss, the closing up and fading can generally be prevented. A still better plan is to arrange a window box to receive the pots ; this should be from seven to ten inches deep, filled with earth or moss, and lined with zinc. MMpi ^ m :qC^^- ^ ^ R ^ jtiif ||iipfi|twii FOR -^ *~t2|^ H)l@eMi ^ffc-^ y, -IP [333] ScTKHE following chapters are designed to suggest employ- ij^ ments that will beautify the home, and in many in- ^p stances add to the revenue of the family, and above all furnish such attractive work as will keep the boys of the family at home, and away from the contaminating influ- ences of the streets. [334] (2^H_^p,rJ^^P^ f^ SCROLL OR FRET SAWING. — ITS ORIGIN AND INTRODUCTION INTO THIS COUNTRY. — A SOURCE OF PROFIT TO MANY FAMILIES. — INCREASING USEFULNESS. — MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED. — BEAUTIFYING HOMES CHEAPLY. o»:o ICEOLL OR Fret Sawing. — Within the past five years a new enterprise, if it may so be called, has sprung up in this country to occupy the leisure hours of people of both sexes, and we might say of all ages, and at the same time create unique and beautiful ornaments for our homes. We refer to scroll or fret sawing of fancy articles, which, though pursued for the most part by boys and men, may also, and in fact is to a great ex- tent, pursued by ladies and by girls in their teens, and some of the most ornamental work in scroll sawing and marquetry work is done -by them. Origin. Scroll or fret sawing of fancy articles originated in Switzerland, where even at the present time, in many ham- lets, it is their chief support, and the old-style hand-frame [335] 336 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. fret-saw is used almost entirely. An American lady, while traveling in that country, having witnessed the numerous ornaments produced there by fret sawing, conceived the idea of introducing this most fascinating work into this country, as a novel and useful mode of recreation. On her return, she brought with her a number of these small saw frames, with a quantity of fine saw blades and patterns. She began the introduction of this charming work, and found that it gave very great satisfaction, and that applicants for these outfits were so numerous that she was obliged fre- quently to renew her stock from abroad. She then com- menced the manufacture of the frames in this country, pro- curing the fine blades in Switzerland. So rapidly did the interest and enthusiasm in this new enterprise spread that a large firm embarked in. the business of furnishing outfits of these hand scroll-saws, and in course of time, the foot-power scroll-saw was invented, which has now almost taken the place of the hand scroll-saw, and whichi while doing the work equally well, accomplishes much more in a given length of time. These foot-power machines were first intro- duced, to' any great extent, at the Centennial Exposition in 1876. Since then they have found so great favor that about a dozen diflTerent manufactories have sprung up in different parts of the country, and thousands of them are being sold yearly to families, as a source of pleasure, amuse- ment, and profit in the production of some of the most beau- tiful and ornamental wood-work for the decoration of their homes. The articles that can be made by the use of the scroll- saw cover a wide field of house decoration, from a richly ornamental bracket for the wall to the most elaborately or- namented and inlaid cabinet, writing desk or clock frame. MATERIAL FOB FRET-SAW WORK. 337 Fathers find in these machines that which enables them to spend a good many pleasant hours at home, after their day's work is done, educating their children in those arts which ennoble the soul and create a desire for the beautiful in art, and at the same time decorating their homes with tasteful and elegant articles at little cost. The simple scroll-saw has already made many homes to rejoice over its wonderful results, in affording all members an agreeable and pleasant recreation, and in not a few instances adding to the slender income of the family from the sale of some of the ornamental articles produced. Patterns of the thousand and one different articles that can be made by the scroll-saw, are furnished by the manu- facturers, and can be procured at almost any of the hard- ware stores where the scroll sawing machines are sold. Materials. The substances that may be wrought iuto beautiful and useful articles are many and varied. First may be men- tioned all kinds of woods, ivory, bone, rubber, tortoise-shell, pearl, and other such materials; also gold, silver, copper, iron, and in fact, any metal not as hard as the saw blade itself, which is made of a good quality of well-tempered steel. Of woods for groundwork, black-walnut, satin- wood, and white holly are the best to work, and they pro- duce the most satisfactory results. For purposes of inlay work, mahogany, tulip-wood, bird's-eye maple, and ebony are the best adapted. Hunga- rian ash is also much in vogue, and for groundwork in marquetry it is eminently suitable. Ivory tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, and rubber are substances adapted to inlay upon other materials as a groundwork. 338 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADOBNMENTS. In the succeeding pages will be found practical hints upon the management of scroll sawing. No patterns can be given, as they must be of the size of the object to be sawed. G.HAF'TRK 11. A MANUAI. OF FEET SAWIiNG. — PRACTICAL LESSONS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. FINISHING UP THE WORK. — USE OF SAWS. SAWING METALS. USEFUL ARTICLES. — SAWS AND THEIR PRICES. o»io \ HE amateur is frequently in too great haste to "make a bracket," an.d does not give sufficient time for practice ; especially is this the case with the younger ones, and for this reason many get discouraged. The true way to be successful is to follow instructions explicitly. No one should attempt to do a nice piece of work vmtil he can saiu on a line, or circle, or cut an angle with ease and precision; for this practice old cigar boxes are the cheapest and handiest. After you have learned to follow straight and curved lines, the next and only difficult point to learn is to turn a square or sharp corner, as in Lesson I. IToiu to Use the Scroll-Saw. — Amateurs should first learn to operate treadle, so they can run tnachine and talk at same time ; even write and run saw. Having accomplished this, take a piece of cigar box or other thin board, make straight [339] 340 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. and curved lines upon it (do not at first turn round). When you have made the marks, place the board close to the saw, as near the mark as possible, with your hands on top of the board; press down gently — not hard, but always down and forward at an even speed, not by fits and starts. Keep the hands as near the saw as possible. Always use thin lum- ber first, and saw slowly; as you learn to saw you can learn to use machine to fullest capacity. To saw a bracket or any other piece of work, always place the pattern on the wood so that the grain will run lengthwise of the weaker ■parts. Lesson I. — Commence at one end and saw up to a sharp point; now, without stopping the motion of the saw, you want to swing the piece of wood around, using the saw blade as a fulcrum for the center; when you get so you can Fig. 79- successfully do this you will find it of great value in executing work rapidly and nicely. At first you will find it a little difficult, for the reason that you do not turn on the actual center of the saw blade; this is caused by your press- ing the wood forward slightly while you are turning it ; now it should not be pressed in any direction, but if any way it should be held back a httle, for the reason that it would then hit the back of the saw blade, which cannot cut; but this will be overcome by practice. Lesson LI. — This is a different practice, but it will require no special instruction. ■ Carefully follow the lines. PBAOTIGAL LJESSONS IN FBET SAWING. 341 Do not crowd or hurry your work. In case the saw works hard, occasionally apply a Httle soap or bees-wax to the back of the blade. / Fig. 80. Lesson III. — This is a combination of the line, curve, and angle, but differing from previous lessons in this respect : In the preceding figures our object was to preserve the outside Fig. 81. line, in this we preserve the inside. rir.st, drill a small hole at a, unscrew the upper saw fastener, and insert the blade through the hole. Now proceed to cut out the design as al- ready described. Having practiced on these lessons until you can saw true, either on a line, curve, or angle, you will be ready to advance another step in this fascinating art. Lesson IV. — Making a Bracket. — Having selected a good piece of black- walnut about three-sixteenths of an inch thick, apply to it the design. There are several methods for doing this. The simplest is to paste the design directly upon the wood, using flour paste. After the sawing is done, the paper can be removed by moistening with water, but it is much better to be careful in putting the paste on, and only put it on the part you throw away. You can also secure the 3i2 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. design to the wood with small tacks, driven into the parts of the wood to come away. Another good way: Pro- cure a sheet of " impression paper," lay the paper on the wood, place the design over it; take an instrument with a fine, hard Fig. 82. point, and trace around the design. On removing the impres- sion paper, the design will be seen neatly copied on the wood. It is better to cut away inside work first. Drill holes in every part which requires cutting away ; this done, place the wood, with the design upward, on the saw table. The inside of the design being complete, remove the outside in the same manner. Having finished the various parts of the bracket, it is ready for finishing. Smoothing off Work. — Take a small, half-round file, and file the corners true, and straighten all edges. Take sand-pa- per and rub the bracket carefully. Under edges will be found ragged, but sand-paper will make them smooth. When a number of thicknesses are sawed, this is obviated. Putting Work together. — Small brads or screws can be used; if the bracket is quite small, glue alone is sufficient. In case the bracket is intended to carry some weight, use screws. FINISHING AND INLAYING. 343 Oil. — For oiling, boUed linseed oil should be used. Apply to wood, and when it is absorbed, rub over with a stiflF brush or soft paper. Shellac. — Take half -pint bottle of alcohol, fill about one- quarter full of bleached shellac in small pieces. After standing several hours this will be dissolved and ready for use. Apply to the wood with fine sponge or cotton. It dries so very quickly that several coats can be applied in a few moments. Varnish is frequently used, but it does not give the wood as pretty an appearance as oil or shellac. If used, it must be applied lightly and evenly. There are several kinds, vary- ing in. color which must be used according to the color of the wood. Polish. — To polish well requires practice, care, and patience, and we would not advise amateurs to undertake the work unless they are desirous of so doing. Prepared French polish is generally for sale at paint stores. In the first place, see that the wood is smooth. Use fine sand-paper, and be sure to remove every scratch. Having obtained the polish, — ^light or dark, according to color of the wood, — soak small bits of tow or cotton wool in the polish, and apply evenly to the wood; add more polish to cotton wool, but before ap- plying to the wood place it inside a piece of linen rag, on which put a drop or two of sweet oil — this prevents the rag from sticking; rub the wood again, giving a circular mo- tion to the rag; repeat the supply of polish and oil as re- qruired, until the surface is uniformly polished. Marquetry or Inlaying is a fascinating part of scroll sawing, and is destined to become more popular. At first thought it may seem difiicult to inlay one piece of wood into another, but the process is simple when you know how. 344 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. For our first lesson we will take a clover leaf, and inlay black-walnut into white holly. Take two pieces of wood, each one-eighth of an inch thick, walnut and holly ; fasten them together, either with * Fig. 83. Fig. 84. common shoe pegs or screws. Let the walnut remain on top ; secure the design to wood; drill a small hole for the saw blade, the same as in fret sawing, in which insert blade (No. o) ; saw with your work on the right of saw blade. From the picture you will readily see how the dark piece of wood will drop down and fit into the light. If the bevel is just right it will leave the work smooth with no gaps. Having cut out the clover leaf, you can secure it in its place. Glue around the edges of the leaf, insert quickly in the holly, and let it harden under pressure. Finish oiF the work with sand- paper. Overlaying. — -When the amateur has become master of his saw, so that he can saw delicate and intricate work, he should do overlaid work, as this is very neat and a change from other work. Ordinary flat picture-frames can be over- laid with vines and fine tracery. Here is an instance where glue becomes very useful, for one can fasten overlaid work on finished wood, where ordinarily it requires escutcheon pins, but all know it is not pleasant to drive them in light and frail work. Very pretty photograph frames are made by taking a pine board and sawing an oval out of the center and covering the pine with velvet. Fasten the overlaying on SILHOUETTS— SAND-PAPERING. 345 / velvet. Designs for overlaying, such as vines or clusters of flowers, a head or any other ornament, can be procured of almost any dealer; but a great many pretty designs for this work can be obtained in such books as the Ladies' Book and Harper's Bazaar. Silhouettes. — Few articles made with the scroll-saw are more ornamental than SUhouettes. Many designs can be found in books for children. They should be cut from ma- terial one-sixteenth of an inch thick, or from veneers. Black and white are favorite colors, or ebony and white holly. It re- quires a tough wood. The finest and best saws should be used. When veneers are used, they should be placed between two pieces of a sixteenth of an inch iu thickness each, and fastened firmly. Silhouettes are used in various ways, by overlaying on polished wood or paper placed on a board for a back- ground. If you possess a treadle machine, you can make decorations for your wall, or even make a nice border. Paste a very dark strip around for the border, then procure white holly veneer and saw out a variety of patterns — you can saw one-half dozen or more at one time. Glue them on the dark border, each equal distances apart. If you wish to saw a perfect likeness of one of the family or a friend, place a piece of paper on the wall, and with a strong light throw a shadow on the paper; now with a pencil trace the features, and with a pantagraph reduce to any size you wish. With a little practice you can do excellent work. You can dec- orate an easel you wish to give to a friend with his own likeness, by obtaiaing it in this way and reducing as stated , placing the picture on wood, saw it out and overlay the ob- ject to be given away. Sand-Papering. — To sand-paper flat surfaces, always 346 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. use a block. Take two pieces of pine, three by four inches, and three-eighths of an inch thick ; through one of them put a few slender screws, just long enough to come through about one-eighth of an inch ; file these points sharp, take a piece of sand-paper four inches wide and seven and one-half long, lay one end on the screw points, press the paper over them, place another block on this; and fasten the two together with screws; two sets of bloqks are best, one for fine, the other for coarse, paper; lay the work on a bench, hold the board with one hand and rub with the other, giving it a circular motion, and move rapidly; begin with No. I, finish with No. oo. Another good way for small work : Lay the whole sheet of paper on a bench or level board, turn the piece to be sand- papered down on it and rub. Small work can be done ■ nicely in this way. Feet Sawing in Metals, Shell, Pearl, and Ivory. Brass, gold, silver, shell, ivory, and pearl can also be used by^Fret Sawyers, many beautiful and useful ornaments being produced by them. It is not generally known, but is a fact, that brass, tin, zinc, and other composition metals, can be cut with the bracket saw almost as easily as wood. In sawing out thin metals, or thin and brittle substances, the article to be sawed should be placed between two thin pieces of walnut. The design can be placed on the wood as ordinary work, and the wood and metal sawed through at the same time. By this means very delicate work can be wrought, as the wood forms a support for the thin metal. No matter how fine the lines may be, or how intricate the work, with a steady hand and keen eye the saw will cut hair lines as well as coarse ones. For metal sawing, only the best blades should be used. SAWING METALS,— USEFUL ARTICLES 847 Nos. I, o, and 00 are most desirable. In this manner, ear- rings and various articles of jewelry and ornament may be produced. Beautiful oi-naments can also be cut from brass, silver, ivory, etc., for inlaying into woods of contrasting colors. Sheet brass, copper, and other metals can be procured of various thicknesses. A silver coin can be hammered quite thin and flat. With the fret-saw this can be worked up into articles of jewelry, or for inlaying purposes. Silver in- layed into ebony is very beautiful. Hard, vulcanized India-rubber is manufactured in sheets about two feet square, and is sold by the pound. It can be easily cut, and is very attractive and convenient to use for jewelry, card-baskets, etc. Even a handsome clock case can be made from this material. When sawinor rubber, frequently place a little oil on the blade, to reduce friction. In putting nice work together, it is of importance to do it well, as good work can be easily spoUed. Hinges can be had at most stores, but they are usually too plain for fine work, and we propose to show how an ornamental hinge can be made by means of the fret-saw. Sheet brass, copper, or other metals, can easily be procured of various thicknesses. The best suited for this purpose will range from -^^ to -^ of an inch. Upon a piece of metal, the requisite size, trace, with a fine awl point, the design you have selected. Saw out the design, and leave flange sufficient to form a turn or socket, where the two parts of hinge are to be united by a pin. This flange will at first be straight, but by using a pair of small pli- ers and working it with a light hammer around a steel wire fully as large as the diameter of the pin, it will take a tubular shape. To the other half of the hinge there will be, of course, 348 OUM HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. two more flanges to be made in the same way. The pin should be fitted as true as possible in order that the hinge may open and shut easily. The hinges should be fastened Fig. 85. Fig. 86. Hg. 87. on with small wire pins, holes of proper size being drilled through the metal and wood. Fig. 88. Fig. 89. Fig- 90. Fig. 91. Escutcheons for key-hole ornaments can also be cut from brass and other metals. A few styles are shown above. PRICES OF SAWS AND LATHES. 349 Many other small articles from metals can be cut out with the saw. We illustrate two very useful ones. They are metal loops for suspending clock cases, picture-frames, brackets, etc. For this, sheet brass is used. As nail-heads vary in size, the hole by which the loop is passed over the naU should be sufficiently roomy for the largest-sized pict- ure-nail. Fret-work boxes can be still further ornamented by means of corner braces cut in neat designs from brass. These can be cut in pairs by following the directions already Saws, Lathes, Prices, Etc. Some of the higher priced scroll sawing machines, have a turning lathe attachment, and are equipped with a com- plement of chisels and gouges, by means of which many useful and ornamental articles can be easUy turned. Some also have a buzz-saw attachment, a dovetailing attachment, a molding attachment, and buffing and polishing attach- ments, so that they are adapted to a great variety of work. The cost of a scroll sawing machine varies from three to twenty-five dollars. With most machines, from six to twelve saw blades are given when it is purchased. The saw blades cost from ten to seventy-five cents each, or from $1.20 tp $6.00 per dozen, according to size. We present herewith a cut of a scroll sawing machine, to which any of the above-mentioned attachments can be made. Hand Scroll or Fret Saws. Persons who do not wish to go to the expense of a scroll or fret sawing machine, but who desire to do ornamental work in the making of brackets, or picture frames, or in- 350 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. laying work, can procure small hand scroll or fret saws at an expense of only a dollar or two at the most. These saws will do most of the work that can be done by a machine, but of course it cannot be done as quickly. Marquetry or inlaying work may be done equally as well, and perhaps Fig. 92. ' better, by the hand scroll-saws. With these saws are usually furnished several blades and a number of designs. They may be procured at hardware stores where scroll sawing machines are kept, or of manufacturers. An ingenious boy with a few simple tools and an old sewing-machine table, could soon transform one of the above hand machines into an eifective foot-power saw. (^H_^p/j^;^;|^ fff^ THE ART OF WOOD CARVING.— ITS ORIGIN AND HISTORY. — THE TOOLS AND THEIR USES. — ORNAMENTS THAT MAY BE MADE. — HOW AMATEURS MAY LEARN THE ART. — DIRECTIONS FOR FIRST ATTEMPTS. o>«o iOOD CARVING.— Within the past few j'ears much attention has been given to carving on wood as a pastime and useful recreation. This is probably the oldest branch of Art withia the knowledge of man. Apparently, the first weapon was a club, and the first attempt at decoration was some scratching or carving on it. Among the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, it was much practiced. As a branch of Christian • Art it was one of the earliest, and attained a high development in the fifteenth century, as is attested by the elaborate carvings in many of the old cathedrals in Europe. It greatly declined during the last century or two, but has again revived, and promises to attain great importance. The Swiss are noted for their high attainments in the art of wood carving, as they are in their ornamental scroll sawing, and it is perhaps to them that we owe the revival of this art in America. [351] 352 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Carving in wood is an elegant and useful art, and is easily learned. Of course, elaborate work is not easily done; but many articles of utility and adornment may be carved by any boy or girl with only ordinary mechanical ability. It is said that whittling is natural to Americans. Carving is only a higher grade of whittling, in which the jackknife gives place to the chisel and the gouge. It would astonish most people to be shown what may be done with these simple tools. For not only may elegant trifles, such as brackets, book rests, bread plates, paper knives, picture- fram&s, etc., be made by the home carver, but chairs, tables, side boards, bedsteads, and other domestic articles may be ornamented in this way. That woman may excel in doing carved work, was shown by the work of the Cincinnati Carving Club, exhib- ited at the Centennial. What has been done by these ladies may be done by other ladies. It is here worthy of note that carving clubs are forming all over the country, and thereby stimulating hundreds to acquire this elegant and useful art. To aid such as may wish to learn the rudiments of carving,- we have prepared the following lessons. The Use of Tools. The first lesson of the amateur is to learn the use of the three principal tools, — the flat chisel, gouge, and veining tool. (See tools 2, 3, and 4, next figure.) For this lesson take a block of whitewood, or any soft wood, six inches long by two or three broad and one and a half thick. Secure it firmly to a bench; then, with the flat chisel, carve the beveled edges and make the miters perfect. Now take the veining tool, No. 3, which cuts a V-shaped groove, and carve out the design, as given on the next page. TOOLS FOB WOOD CABVING. 353 In using this tool, it must be held in the right hand and in a slanting direction. The left hand should bo hollowed and placed on the tool, the wrist and tips of the fingers Fig. 93. resting upon the work. This steadies the right hand and prevents the tool from slipping forward. Now use the gouge, and carve out the circular depression which may be Fig. 94- seen in the design. Practice on this lesson until you can carve the design accurately. 23 354 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. It is necessary, in order to carry on wood carving, to pro- cure a strong table of deal or other wood, the stronger and heavier it is the better, as nails must be driven into it, and holes bored. It must stand firm and solid and ia a good light. The first attempt must necessarily be a simple one, and perhaps an ivy -leaf is the easiest representation that can be attempted. Choose a piece of pine wood about three- quarters of an inch thick, free from knots, and perfectly dry and well seasoned; old pieces such as may be found stored away in many houses would answer well for be- ginners. A sketch of the leaf to be carved must first be drawn upon paper, the back of which is then rubbed with red chalk or other coloring matter at hand. This paper is then pinned upon the wood, and the outlines of the leaf pressed over with some blunt instrument, such as a crochet-needle or pin-head, and upon removing the paper the outline will be found upon the wood. Deficiencies in the outline must be corrected ia pencil, or, if hard wood is used, in pen and ink. Then follows the first process, known as stabbing out, which is done by holding the chisel upright and pressing directly downward along the outline of the leaf. After the design is thus distinctly outlined into the wood, it is a good plan to deepen the depression made by the chisel, by running the curved gouge round the edge until a groove about the six- teenth of an inch deep is made. The next work is to cut away the wood, and this requires caution. Untn the operator thoroughly understands how to cut with or against the grain of the wood, he should remove as little wood as possible. In clearing the wood between the outlines, it is best to work across the grain, and to begin HINTS TO AMATEURS. Soo cutting out the wood about a quarter of an inch from the outliae, sliaving very gradually toward it, relieving the ■wood at each cut, and setting the leaf free. The operator will soon learn by practice the best method for securing accuracy in the outline. This work should be done very carefully until the wood is entirely removed between the pattern edges, leaving the pattern iu relief, care being taken always to cut thoroughly and never to tear or dig the wood. Hence the necessity of keeping the tools as sharp as possible. An experienced carver, writing on the subject, remarks: "Leave no rags, jags, or fragments; clear out completely every angle and corner; get your work as smooth as possible with whatever tool you may be using, and let every stroke of your chisel or gouge be regulated by design. By following these rules, by cutting slowly and carefully, a little at a time, by holding the tools firmly and leaving the pattern sloping- outward to be finished, the amateur will be surprised at the results obtained after a little practice." The midribs of the various lobes of the leaf next demand attention. These must first be stabbed out, as in the out- line, and then the surface of the lobe must be slanted down to them from side to side. The second stage is but a repe- tition of the first process, the ground being uniformly low- ered, and then the appearance of the leaf claims considera- tion. " Certain portions of the surface must be lowered to present an appearance of reality," some portions remaining at their original elevation, others being cut or shaved away to present an undulating surface. " Here a knowledge of art is useful in suggesting the proper distribution of hght and shade, which must be conveyed by the ingenious use of the gouges of diflferent degrees of curvature. No artificial 356 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. means should be used for smoothing or leveling the unequal appearance of the carved surface, but it should remain as the tools leave it. The study of natural leaves is very important in carv- ing, for by this means a knowledge of the different fibers in various leaves is acquired, and wood carving, from being a merely mechanical amusement, becomes in reality an art. (f^H_^p,r,;^^g^ f^^ PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR CARVING. — HOW TO CARVE A WALL POCKET. — RELIEF CARVING. — ■ CARVED FRET WORK. — ARTICLES THAT MAT BE MADE. — FINISHING THE WORK. — MENDING CRACKED CARVINGS. oWio E now give some other lessons, with directions for carving more elaborate pieces and introdu- cing the use of punches, illustrations of which we ' also give. Carving a Wall Pocket. The accompaning cut shows the outside cov- ering of a wall pocket. The wood to be carved should be black-walnut, 12x14, and one-half inch thick. It must be well seasoned, straight grained, and free from knots. First, give the outline shape of the design, as seen in the cut which may be done with an ordinary fret saw. Then sketch the pattern upon the wood. A knowledge of draw- ing will greatly aid the carver, yet in many cases the draw- ing can be easily made by means of impression paper. Place the wood upon a table or bench, and secure it firmly [357] 358 OUB HOMES AND TEEIR ADORNMENTS. by means of a clamp or screws. With the parting tool, No. 3, cut the V-shaped groove for the outline of the design. >- " o + ^ a 6 c d e Fig. 95- This figure shows impressions made with five different punches. Having finished the grooving, some of the carving Fig. 96. punches are next to be used.' First use the punch c for mak- ing the three circular impressions in each corner. Then _ with punch b go over the design as shown in the figure. The cross-shaped punch d can be used to ornament the outer rim. Very handsome ornamental work can be done with only the punch h, and for this design it can be used to good effect without the aid of the other punches. In using the punch, hold it perpendicularly in the left hand, and with a mallet give it a sharp, quick blow. Fur- niture ornamented in this style looks remarkably well, and the work is easily executed. LESSONS IN WOOD CABVINO. 859 Relief Carving. Our next lesson will be to carve the end of a book-rack with the grape-leaf pattern in relief. The wood, either walnut, oak, or mahogany, should be half an inch thick and six inches wide; but of course the proportions and sizes may vary to suit the wishes of the carver. Having sketched the design upon the wood, the next thing to be Fig. 97. done is to ".stab out the work." This is accomplished by holding the chisel. No. 2, upright on the line and pressing it downward to the depth of about one-sixteenth of an inch. It is better not to cut exactly in the line, but keep just outside. When the "stabbing" has been done, hold the chisel slantingly, and cut toward the pattern, thereby removing the wood near it, and leaving it quite free. Then with tools No. 4 and No. 6 clear away the " dead " wood in the inter- mediate space, leaving the design standing up in relief. 360 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. You must notice carefully the grain of the wood. If the grain runs downward, turn the wood around and work the reverse way, or sideways. You will readily apprehend that the whole of the branches and leaves which form the pattern should not lie in one dead level. The thickest portion of the stems, leaves, and grapes should be the highest; the rest of the design must be harmoniously lowered. At this stage you must remove all those parts which the design indicates are to lie very low. You must be careful as you go on to " stab out " the outline again and again, so that you may keep accurately to the copy. Next, you must "stab out" the whole design again, and deepen the groundwork until it is about a quarter of an inch lower than the upper surface. You may then carve the leaves, stalks, and grapes, cop3dng nature as far as possible. In doing this, you will have occa- sion to exercise your own judgment and taste. Fig. 98. The above cut represents the riin of a bread platter ornamented with relief carvinsr. Carved Fret-Work. Another popular style of carving is "carved fret-work.'' For this lesson we will take a carved paper knife. Take a good piece of black-walnut, ten inches long, one CARVED FRET-WORK. 361 and a half inches wide, and one-quarter of an inch thick. On this trace the design as seen in the figure. With your fret- saw cut out the pattern, as is done in ordinary fret sawing. Now, with your tools carve the design to imitate as closely Fig. 99- as possible the natural leaf, flower, and stalk. This being done, with sand-paper and a knife bevel the edges and shape the handle. Fig. I GO. This figure shows a specimen of fret carving. The dark portion of the bracket shows it simply sawed out with the bracket saw. The other side has been cai'ved. Fig. loi.. The above cut is a carved molding, in which the leaf and stem are to be left of the original height of the wood. 362 OUB BOMBS AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the other parts being cut away, and the veins are cut with the parting tool, No. 3. It should then be punched with one or the other of the punches. It is necessary that all tools used in wood carving should have sharp, keen edges. Do not try to carve with dull tools. The first principles of carving once learned, it is easy for the beginner to adapt them to ornamentation, and ia con- nection with the scroll-saw, for the elaboration of designs for brackets, book-stands, shelves, etc., much artistic work can be accomplished. When finished, a carving may either be left • in the nat- ural condition of the wood, or it may be thought desirable to polish or stain it. Sweet oil mixed with umber will both polish and darken the surface of oak, and various dyes for wood can be obtained at the stores. For ordinary black stain, the best black ink, applied three or four times with a brush, is excellent. It sometimes happens in carving that a crack or hole is made in the wood. When this occurs, it is a good plan to make some dust with a coarse file from the wood and con- vert it into a paste with glue and fill the cavity with it. (f^;^j^pjrpv;^^ S^ ^ DYEING AND BLEACHING, BTEING COTTON. — HOW TO TREAT THE FABRICS. — DIREC- TIONS FOR ALL LEADING COLORS. — rDTEING WOOLENS ANILINE COLORS. — COLORING STRAW HATS. — HOW TO MAKE MORDANTS. o»;o i VERY frugal housewife has frequent occasion to resort to Dyeing to restore faded but slightly worn garments and other articles of dress to the original or some other color, as well as to color yarns. But she has not always at hand the proper directions for making the dyes, and so many times the professional dyer is given the work. In the following pages are such direction and recipes as will be found of great value in preparing the garments for and giving them the desired color. It will be observed that separate directions are given for Cotton and Wool as it frequently happens that the bath intended for woolens will not color cotton the desired shade. This department contains a list of reliable and trust- [363] 864 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. worthy recipes for all colors that can be made without the aid of an experienced dyer. The proportions are generally in such quantities as are needed most. In the fixation of color upon cloth, recourse is often had to a mordant, which acts as a middle agent and attaches the color to the cloth. The principal mordants are alum, cream of tartar, and salts of tin. Previous to the application of any color, the cloth or yarn must be well cleansed from grease, oil, etc., by scouring in soda or soap ; and except where the material is to be dyed of dark color, the goods are also subjected to the process of bleaching. In case of fabrics which require a smooth surface, the preliminary operation of singeing off the loose hairs is resorted to. Note. — Many of the within Dyeing recipes are taken from the Peoples' Cyclopedia, a worlc which is pronounced by the best critics superior to any other Cyclopedia ever published. Dteing Cotton. The following recipes for dyeing cotton apply to 10 pounds weight of cotton yarn or cloth, which is found to be the smallest quantity capable of being well dyed at one time. The proportions of each ingredient may be altered, however, so as to correspond with the quantity to be operated upon. 1. Common Blade. — Take 3 lbs. sumac, and treat with hot water, steeping the goods in the hot decoction for some hours; wring out, wash for 10 minutes in lime-water, and for 30 minutes in a solution of 2 lbs. copperas. Wash the goods well in cold water, sometimes repeating the treatment with lime, and rewashing; then work the goods for 30 minutes in a warm solution of 3 lbs. of log- wood, and afterward with 2 oz. copperas; work again for 10 minutes; wash and dry. DIRECTIONS FOB DYEING. 365 2. Jet Black. — Proceed as at 1, adding 1 lb. of fustic with the logwood ; and when 3 pts. of iron liquor are used instead of the 2 oz. copperas, a more brilliant black is obtained. S. Blue Black. — Use indigo blue vat, then proceed as at 1. 4. Brown. — Treat the goods with a yellow dye, then work for 30 minutes in a decoction of 2 lbs. lima wood, and 8 oz. logwood; lift and work with 2 oz. alum for 15 minutes, then wash and dry. 5. Catechu Brown. — Immerse the goods at a boiling temperature in a decoction of catechu; then work for SO minutes in a hot solution of 6 oz. bichromate of pot- ash. Wash in hot water. If the latter contains a little soap, the color will be improved. 6. French Brown. — Dye the goods with'a spirit yellow, then treat for half an hour with a solution of 3 lbs. of log- wood; raise with a little red liquor, work for 10 minutes, wash and dry. 7. Bed. — Make a hot solution of 3 lbs. of sumac, intro- duce the goods, and let them stand till the liquor is cold ; then wring out and work in water containing in each gallon a gill of red spirits (prepared by, adding 2 oz. feathered tin by degrees to a mbcture of 3 parts hydrochloric acid, 1 part of nitric acid, and 1 of water), in the cold, for 30 minutes, wring and wash well; then work the goods for 30 minutes in a lukewarm decoction of 3 lbs. of lima wood and 1 lb. of fustic, add a gill of red spirits, work the goods longer, wash and dry. The famous Turkey- red is imparted to the cloth by first impregnating it with an oily or fatty substance, and then subjecting it to a decoc- tion of madder. 366 OUB HOMES AND THEIB. ADORNMENTS. 8. Yellow or Straw. — Work the goods in a weak solu- tion of acetate of lead; then wring out, and work ina dihite solution of bichromate of potash; wring out, and work again in the lead solution; wash and dry. 9. Leghorn Yellow. — Proceed as at 8, but add a little annotto liquor with the solution of bichromate of potash. 10. Spirit Yellow. — Work the goods through a weak solution of protochloride of tin for 30 minutes, then work in a solution of quercitron bark for 15 minutes. Lift out, and work again in tin solution, and wa,sh in cold water. 11. Orange. — Proceed as at 8, and afterward pass through lime-water at the boiling point, finally washing in cold water. 12. Blue. — The goods are worked in various strengths of solution of salts of iron, such as nitrate of iron; wring out, wash in water, and then work in solution of yellow prussiate of potash; wring out and wash in water, and then work in solution of yellow prussiate of alum. The various shades of blue may be obtained by using stronger or weaker solutions. 13. Green. — Dye the cloth blue, then work in red liquor (acetate of alumina), wash in water, work in decoction of fustic or bark, raise with solution of q,lum; wash in cold water and dry. The darker shades of green, as olive or bottle green, are brought out by the use of sumac and log- wood, along with the fustic. 14. Lilac. — Work the cloth or yarn with spirits, (see 7), then in logwood solution at a temperature of 140° Fahr- enheit, adding a little red spirits, red liquor, or alum, wash and dry; or dye the cloth blue (12), then work in solution of logwood, add alum, wash and dry. DIRECTIONS FOB DYEING. 367 15. Puij)le.—Soak the goods ia a warm decoction of sumac till cold, work for an hour in red spirits, wash, work in hot solution of logwood, then add a little red spirits, and Avork again, wash and dry. The various shades of purple may be obtained by altering the strength of the chemicals ; the more sumac, the browner the hue; and the more log- wood, the bluer the purple becomes. 16. Lavender or Peach. — Work the goods for 20 min- utes in spirit plumb (a strong solution of logwood treated with about one-sixth of lis volume of a solution of tin; made by dissolving tin in 6 or 7 parts of hydrochloric acid, 1 part of nitric acid, and 1 of water), wring out and wash well in cold water. 17. Drab. — Work the goods in a decoction of sumac, lift, add copperas, rework, wa,sh in water, then work in a mixed decoction of fustic, lima wood, and logwood, raise with a little alum, wash and dry. Catechu is occasionally employed. Woolen Dyeing. A pound of wool woven into common merino measures about 3 yards, common moreen about 2 yards. 1. Jet Black. — For 50 lbs. Prepare with 2^ lbs. chrome, boU half an hour, and wash in two waters. Dye with 20 lbs. logwood and 2 lbs. fustic. Boil half an hour, in one water, then rinse in a slight sotir, moderately warm, wash in one cold water, and finish out of a warm one, softened with a little urine. 2. Fast Black. — For 50 lbs. Prepare with 2 lbs. chrome, 1 lb. tartar, and 1 quart muriate of tin; boil 1 hour and wash in 2 waters. Dye with 25 lbs. logwood and 3 lbs. 368 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. fustic. Boil 30 minutes, lift, add 1 pt. vitriol. Eeturn for 10 minutes, then wash and dry. To render this blue-black, omit the fustic. 3. French Brown. — For 50 lbs. Preparation: IJ lbs. chrome. Dyeing, 6 lbs. cudbear, 1 lb. tartar; and if not dark enough, add 8 oz. logwood. Boil half an hour. 4. Claret. — For 50 lbs. Preparation: l-j lbs. chrome. Dyeing, 9 lbs. lima wood, 2 lbs. logwood, J lb. tartar. Boil half an hour. 5. Purple. — For 50 lbs. Wash in a preparation of 1^ lbs. tartar, and 1 lb. alum; wash in 3 waters. Dye with 10 lbs. logwood, boil half an hour, raise with 1 quart muri- ate of tin. 6. Pale Blue. — For 50 lbs. 1 gill sulphuric acid, 3 oz. extract of indigo, 1 lb. alum. Enter cold with one-half of the extract, give the other half when the boiler warms. 7. Pea Green. — For 54 lbs. 2 lbs. extract of indigo, 7 lbs. fustic; 1 lb. alum. Bring on from the cold, when the boiler heats to 180° Fahrenheit, put in the fustic, boil 15 minutes. 8. Olive Green. — For 50 lbs. Prepare with 1 J lbs. chrome; boil half an hour, and wash in 2 waters; then boil 12 lbs. fustic and 2^ lbs. logwood for 1 hour; add 2 lbs. madder and 2 lbs. redwood. Enter; boil half an hour. Raise in the same liquor with 4 oz. blue-stone; wash well and dry. 9. Drab. — For 50 lbs. 7 lbs. fustic, 8 oz. madder, 4 oz. cudbear, 2 lbs. alum, 8 oz. tartar. Enter between the cold and 160° Fahrenheit; after heating up, boil from 10 to 30 minutes; wash in 2 waters. All dark shades of this and the following color may be slightly prepared with chrome; wash in 2 waters. DIRECTIONS FOR DYEING. 10. Slate. — For 50 lbs. 1 lb. logwood, 4 oz. fustic, 8 oz. extract of indigo, 2 lbs. tartar, 2 lbs. alum. Work as for drab. 11. Yellow. — ^For 40 lbs. 2J lbs. quercitron bark, 2 lbs. tartar, 2 quarts muriate of tin. Enter at 150° Fahrenheit; boil 30 minutes. 1 2. Amber. — For 40 lbs. Boil 4 lbs. quercitron bark and 8 oz. madder. Add 2 quarts muriate of tin, 1 lb. tartar. Enter at 200° Fahrenheit; boil 30 minutes. 13. Orange. — For 50 lbs. Boil 10 lbs. quercitron bark and 1^ lb. cochineal. Add 2 lbs. tartar, 2| quarts yellow spirits. Enter at 200° Fahrenheit; boil 30 minutes. 14. Rose Color. — For 40 lbs. 1 lb. cochiueal, 3 gills double muriate of tin, 1 lb. tartaric acid. Enter at 100° Fahrenheit, heat up; boil 15 minutes; lift, and cool to 120° by throwing out part of the liquor, and filling up with water; add 1 gill ammonia paste, 12 oz. tartaric acid, 6 oz. oxalic acid. Bring up to boiling; when the desired shade is reached, wash well and dry. 15. Scarlet with Oochineal.—FoT 60 lbs. Boil 4 lbs. cochineal and If lb. quercitron bark. Add 3 lbs. tartar, 2 qts. scarlet spirits. Enter at 200° Fahrenheit; boil 1 one hour; wash well. Sour before dyeing, either cold or warm ; wash in 1 water and take out. Aniline Golors.-^l^o mordant is necessary for these colors when used on silk or woolen; the proper quantity of clear liquid is mixed with slightly warm water, the scum skimmed off, and the goods entered and worked until the required shade is obtained. For dyeing cotton, the cloth is steeped in sumac or tannic acid, dyed in the color, and then fixed by tin; or the cloth may be sumaced and mordanted as usual with tin, and then dyed. 370 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Mordants are solutions used to fix colors and may be made from several common chemicals. A good one is made by mixing copperas and acetate of iron in proportion of four of the former to six of the latter. Immerse the cotton or linen to be colored, in this before putting in color vat. Mordants must be used in dyeing cotton fabrics, as they fix the color. Before using Cudbear, it must always be drenched with a little hot water, to the consistency of paste; then scald or boil it as occasion may require. A solution of tannin or suTnac makes a good mordant. Alum or cream of tartar will answer. "Sour," referred to in some recipes, is made by stirring into clean water enough sulphuric acid to give a sharp taste. The acid can be procured at any druggist's. To Color Straw Hats or Bonnets a Beautiful Slate. — First, soak the bonnet in rather strong warm suds for 15 minutes, to remove sizing or stifiening; then rinse in warm water, to get out the soap; now scald cudbear, 1 oz., in suf- ficient water to cover the hat or bonnet; work the bonnet in this dye, at 180° of heat, until you get a light purple; now have a bucket of cold water, blued with the extract of indigo, ^ oz., and work or stir the bonnet in this until the tint pleases; dry, then rinse out with cold water, and dry again in the shade. If you get the purple too deep in shade, the final slate will be too dark. Dye for Feathers. — Black: Immerse for two or three days in a bath, at first hot, of logwood, eight parts, and cop- peras or acetate of iron, one part. Blue : with the indigo vat. Brown : by using any of the brown dyes for silk or woolen. Crimson: a mordant of alum, followed by a hot bath of DIRECTIONS FOB BLEACHING. 371 Brazil-wood, afterward by a weak dye of cudbear. Pink or Rose: with saf -flower or lemon juice. Plum: with the red dye, followed by an alkaline bath. Red: a mor- dant of alum, followed by a bath of Brazil-wood. Yel- low : a mordant of alum, followed by a bath of turmeric or weld. Green Dye: take of verdigris and verditer, of each one. ounce, gum water 1 pt. ; mix them well, and dip the feathers, they having been first soaked in hot water, into the said mixture. For Purple, use lake and indigo For Carnation, vei-milion and smalt. Thin gum of starch water should be used in dyeing feathers. Bleaching. To Bleach Sponge. — Soak it well in dilute muriatic acid for twelve hours. Wash well with water to remove the lime, then immerse in a solution of hyposulphate of soda, to which dilute muriatic acid has been added a moment be- fore. After it is bleached sufficiently, remove it, wash again, and dry. It may thus be bleached almost white. To Whiten Lace. — Lace may be restored to its original whiteness by first ironing it slightly, then folding it, and sewing it into a clean linen bag, which is placed for twenty hours in pure olive-oil. Afterward the bag is to be boiled in a solution of soap and water for fifteen minutes, then well rinsed in lukewarm water, and finally dipped into water containing a slight proportion of starch. The lace is then to be taken from the bag, and stretched on pins to dry. Bleaching Straw Goods. — Straw is bleached by simply exposing it in a closed chamber to the fumes of burning sul- phur, an old flour barrel is the apparatus most used for the purpose by milliners, a flat stone being laid on the ground. 372 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the sulphur ignited thereon, and the barrel containing the goods to be bleached turned over it. The goods should be previoiisly v/ashed in pure water. To Clean Ostrich Feather's. — Cut some white curd soap in small pieces, pour boiling water on it and add a little pearlash. When the soap is quite dissolved, and the mixt- ure cool enough for the hand to bear, plunge the feathers into it, and draw them through the hand till the dirt ap- pears squeezed out of them, pass them through a clean lather with some blue in it, then rinse them in cold water with blue to give them a good color. Beat them against the hand to shake off the water, and dry by shakLag them near a fire. When perfectly dry, coil each fiber separately with a blunt knife, or ivory folder. Bleaching Powder. — Chloride of lime makes a good bleaching powder. The stuff to be bleached is first boiled in lime-water; wash, and without drying, boil again in a solution of soda or potash; wash, and without drying, steep in a weak mixture of chloride of lime and water for six hours; wash, and without drying, steep for four hours ia a weak solution or mixture of sulphuric acid and water ; wash well and dry. Upon an emergency, chlorate of potash, mixed with three times its weight of common salt and diluted in water, may be used as a bleaching liquid. Bleaching Ivory. — Antique works in ivory that have become discolored may be brought to a pure whitene.ss by exposing them to the sun under glasses. It is the particular property of ivory to resist the action of the sun's rays, when it is under glass; but when deprived of this protection, to become covered with a multitude of minute cracks. Many antique pieces of sculpture in ivory may' be seen, which, DIRECTIONS FOB BLEACHING. 373 although tolerably white, are, at the same time, defaced by numerous cracks; this defect cannot be remedied; but in order to conceal it, the dust may be removed by brushing the work with warm water and soap, and afterward placing it under glass. Antique works in ivory that have become discolored, may be brushed with pumice-stone, calcined and diluted, and while yet wet placed under glasses. They should be daily exposed to the action of the sun, and be turned from time to time, that they may become equally bleached ; if the brown color be deeper on one side than the other, that side will, of course, be for the longest time ex- posed to the sun. To Bleach Prints and Printed Books. — Simple im- mersion in dilute muriatic acid, letting the article remain in it a longer or shorter space of time, according to the strength of the liquor, will be sufficient to whiten an engraving ; if it be required to whiten the paper of a bound book, as it is necessary that all the leaves should be moistened by the acid, care must be taken to open the book well, and to make the boards rest on the edge of the vessel, in such a manner that the paper alone shall be dipped in the liquid; the leaves must be separated from each other, in order that they may be equally moistened on both sides. The liquor assumes a yellow tint, and the paper becomes white in the same pro- portion. At the end of two or three hours the book may be taken from the acid liquor, and plunged into pure water with the same care and precaution as recommended in re- gard to the acid liquor, that the water may touch both sides of each leaf. The water must be renewed every hour, to extract the acid remaining in the paper, and to dissipate the disagreeable smell. Printed paper may also be bleached by sulphuric acid, or by alkaline or soap leys. 374 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Washing Fluid. — Take 1 lb. sal-soda, \ lb. good un- slaked lime, and 5 qts. of water; boil a short time, let it settle, and pour off the clear fluid into a stone jug, and cork for use; soak your white clothes over night in simple water, wring out and soap wristbands, collars, and dirty or stained places; have your boiler half filled with water just begin- ning to boil, then put in one common tea-cupful of this fluid, stir and put in your clothes, and boil for half an hour, then rub lightly through one suds only, and all is complete. ^9f. g-JL-» -4^-4l^-iT=--J*l^ -: o:f >- [375] YfnfHIS department embraces a list of Eecipes, many of ^j^ which have appeared in no other work, and the whole Tlist may be relied upon as practical, easy, and effective. The following classification of subjects has been intro- duced for the benefit of the reader : Hints on Health, Hints on Home Adornments, Toilet Recipes, Dyeing and Bleach- ing, Cleaning and Scouring, Varnishes and Paints, Cements, and Miscellaneous Eecipes. [376] IS ^^Sl"""''"""""" """" ""l^.^a t -Sr^=^SW=S^2=^- -^>- OUSEHOLD iOMPENDIUM. -f~-a=r:^^^^^^r=S-*- eJCi'HtiN 014 DCeci^^. DISINFECTANT FOR SICK-ROOMS.— Let a reliable apothecary put up for you in a small bottle four ounces of ninety per cent alcohol and one ounce of thirty-six per cent nitric acid. One-half of this mixture will disinfect a room fifty feet long, thirty feet wide, and twelve feet high. One large spoonful of it (one-half ounce) will disinfect a large bed-room containing 1,200 cubic feet of air-space. Two tea-spoonfuis of it (two drachms) will disinfect a bed-room nine feet square, and seven and one-half feet high. A tea-spoonful (one drachm) is sufficient for 800 cubic feet of air-space. The method of using the mixture is as follows: Put the quantity to be used in a porcelain capsule (a tea saucer wUl do), set a pan of warm water in the room to be disinfected; let thc! capsule or saucer containing the disinfectant float on the surface of the warm water. The mixture in the float- [377] 378 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. ing capsule or saucer will evaporate by the heat of the water, and the vapor will effectively disinfect. Do n't try to evap- orate it on a stove, over a lamp, or by a fire ; mischief would result. Use exactly warm water to effect evaporation and nothing else. Use only porcelain to hold the mixture, for it will corrode metal. It will also spoil a good spoon. Label the bottle "poison," for it would be very dangerous to take it instead of medicine. The chemist will perceive that the disinfecting vapor evolved is nitrate of ethyl. The alcohol is in excess and so saturates the acid products of the reac- tion that they are not disagreeable, while they are equally effective. The material, in the quantity necessary to use, is very cheap, and the method of using it, when clearly understood, is very simple. The vapor evolved, while inoffensive, de- stroys infected dust and germs of putrefaction floating in the air of a sick-room. It is excellent for hospitals and public buildings; only, in large spaces, the quantity used should be divided and evaporated in different parts of the room. It is suflBcient to use it once a day. Hygienists are indebted to a French scientist, M. Ley- russon, for this ingenious, cheap, and simple method of dis- infecting sick-rooms, without danger or even annoyance to the inmates. It has been very recently published in France. The Best Deodorizer. — Use bromo-chloralum in the pro- portion of one to eight table-spoonfuls of soft water ; dip cloths in this solution and hang in the rooms; it will purify sick- rooms of any foul smells. The surface of anything may be purified by washing well and then rubbing over with a weakened solution of bromo-chloralum. A weak solution is excellent to rinse the mouth with often, when from any HINTS ON- HEALTH. 379 cause the breath is offensive. It is also an excellent wash for sores and wounds that have an offensive odor. Lime- Water. — One of the most useful agents of house- hold economy, if rightly understood, is lime-water. Its mode of preparation is as follows: Put a stone of fresh un- slacked lime about the size of a half -peck measure into a large stone jar or unpaiated pail, and pour over it slowly and carefully (so as not to slacken too rapidly), a tea-kettle full (four gallons), of hot water, and stir thoroughly; let it settle, and then stir again two or three times in twenty-four hours. Then carefully bottle all that can be poured off in a clear and limpid state. It is often sold by druggists as a remedy for children's summer complaints, a tea-spoonful being a dose in a cup of milk, and when diarrhea is caused by acidity of the stomach, it is an excellent remedy, and when put into milk gives no unpleasant taste, but rather improves the flavor. It may aLso be put into milk that is to be used for puddings and and pies, to prevent its curdling. A little stirred into cream or milk, after a hot day or night, will prevent its turning when used for tea or coffee. It is unequaled in cleansing bottles or small milk-vessels, or babies' nursing bottles, as it sweetens and purifies with- out leaving an unpleasant odor or flavor. A cupful, or even more, mixed in the sponge of bread or cakes made over night, will prevent souring. 380 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ABOBNMENTS. Preserving Autumn Leaves. — These may be easily pre- served and retain their natural tints, or nearly so, by either of the following methods: — As they are gathered they may be laid between the leaves of a magazine or large book until it is full, and left with a light weight upon them until the moisture in the leaves has been absorbed. Two or three thicknesses of paper should intervene between the leaves. If they are large or in clusters, take newspapers, lay them on a shelf, and use them as with a book. When the leaves have become perfectly dry, dip them in melted white wax into which you have put a few drops of turpentine, and lay them on clean papers to dry; this will make the leaves pliable and natural, and give them suiB- cient gloss. Great care should be used to make the wax just hot enough, the temperature being ascertained by the first leaf dipped in. Draw it gently out of the wax and hold it up, — if the wax is too hot, the leaf will shrivel; if too cool, the wax will adhere in lumps. Leaves preserved in this way make chaste and attractive ornaments, if grouped in graceful figures. Skeletonizing Leaves. — For the leaves, maple ones and those that have a pretty shape are the best: To one pound of soda-ash add two quarts of soft water. After it is all dissolved by boiling, add as many leaves as your dish will hold; lay them in flat, boil until the epidermis will come off' easily. Try a leaf in cold water, and if only the veins remain they are done sufficiently. Clean them with an old HINTS ON HOME DECORATION. 381 tooth-brush, and supply the missmg stems with fine wire. After they are well cleaned put them in a solution of chlo- ride of lime to bleach, ten cents' worth of lime is enough for leaves and ferns too. Gather the young ferns and put them in the solution of lime you have for your leaves, not the soda-ash, only the bleaching solution. Float them on stiff paper and put them in books to dry, after washing thoroughly in clear water to prevent them from turning yellow. Poppy-heads are very fine, also Molven balm fixed in this way is lovely for winter bouquets. Add more water to the leaves as it boils away. For Crystallizing Grass. — Ladies who admire beautiful bouquets of grasses, will appreciate the following recipe: — Take one and one-half pounds of rock alum, pour on three pints of boiling water; when quite cool put into a wide-mouthed vessel, hang in your grasses, a few at a time. Do not let them get too heavy, or the stems will not support them. You may again heat alum and add more grasses. By adding a little coloring matter ib will give pleasing vari- ety. To Imitate Ground-Glass Windows. — Put a piece of putty weighing about six ounces into a muslin bag so as to form a smooth surface. After thoroughly cleaning the glass, pat it all over with the bag of putty, which being forced out through the muslin, will cover the glass. Let this dry hard, and varnish with shellac or Avhite varnish. If still more time and pains are taken, the glass can be made to represent ground glass almost perfectly. Cut from stiff paper any graceful geometric or other pattern, paste it on the glass, and go over the part not covered by the pattern, as above. After the putty is dry, remove the 382 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. pattern and paste with water. This plan is especially adapted to glass in doors. Ebonizing Wood. — The following is a recipe used by furniture manufacturers for the now popular style of ebon- ized wood: Logwood chips 8 oz., water q. s., copperas I oz. Boil the logwood in one gallon of water for half an hour, and add the copperas. Apply to the wood hot, giv- ing two or three coats. In varnishing ebonized wood, a little drop black must be added, or the varnish will give a brown shade. The publishers have been at no small expense in secur- ing recipes for this work, and can assure their patrons that they have all been tested by experience. The toilet recipes have been furnished by a druggist of long standing, many of the formulas not having been given the public before. The Haie. Hair Gloss. — Glycerine 6 oz., cologne 2 oz. Mix and use to moisten the hair. Hair Oil. — Castor oil 6 oz., cologne spirits or alcohol 2 oz. Perfume with bergamont or other desirable perfume. Hair Wash for Cleaning the Scalp. — Salts of Tartar I oz., alcohol I of a pt., rain-water 1 pt., rose-water ^ pt. Mix and dissolve. If a profuse lather is desired, add more tartar. Hair Lotion, To Prevent Hair from Falling Out. — Kose-water 15 oz., glycerine 1 oz., aqua ammonia 1 dr., tincture of cantharides 2 dr. Mix, and use once a week. TOILET BEOIPES. 383 To Clean Hair-Brushes. — Use spirits of ammonia and hot water; wash them well and shake the water out, and they will be white and clean. Use no soap. To Beautify the Hair. — 2 02. of olive oil, 4 oz. of good bay-rum, and 1 dr. of the oil of almonds. Mix and shake well. It renders the hair dark and smooth. The Teeth. To Beautify the Teeth. — Dissolve 2 oz. of borax in three pints of boUing water, and before it is cold add one tea-spoon- ful of spirits of camphor; bottle it for use. Use a tea-spoon- ful of this with an equal quantity of tepid water. Tooth Potuder. — Precipitated chalk 4 oz., orris root 2 oz., rose pink ^ dr., oU of cloves 4 drops, oil winter-green { dr. Rub the ods with the powder, sift, and the powder is ready for use. It should be kept in a bottle. Tooth E^as/i. ^Diluted alcohol | pint, borax, honey, gum myrrh, and red saunders, each J oz. Preparation. — Rub the honey and borax together ia a bowl or mortar, and gradually add the alcohol ; add the myrrh and saunders, and allow the whole to stand fourteen days, when it may be filtered or strained. If some cologne is used iastead of the alcohol, it will improve the wash. The Face and Hands. BlooTn of Roses. — Rose-water 8 oz., carmine. No. 40, 1 dr., aqua ammonia ^ oz. Pulverize the carmine to a fine pow- der, add the aqua ammonia; and when the powder is en- tirely dissolved, add the rose-water. This is a very delicate and harmles-s cosmetic. Bloom of Youth. — Rose-water 1 pt., oxide of bismuth 4 384 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. oz. Powder the bismuth and agitate with the rose-water. This wash can be colored pink by adding a little carmine. Violet Powder. — Arrow root powdered, or wheat starch, 4 oz., powdered orris root 1 oz., oil of lemon 6 drops, oil of cloves and bergamot, each 4 drops. Stir the oils with the powder until thoroughly mixed. Aromatic Vinegar for the hands and face. — ^Acetic acid 8 oz., oil lavender 2 dr., oil rosemary 1 dr., oil cloves 1 dr., camphor gum 1 oz. Dissolve the camphor in the acetic acid and add the oils. After remaining for a few days, strain, and it is ready for use. Camphor Ice. — J oz. each of camphor gum and white wax, spermaceti and sweet oil ; melt slowly the hard ingre- dients, and then add the oil. Gold Cream. — 4 oz. sweet almond oil, 2 oz. rose-water 2 oz. white wax, 2 oz. cocoa butter, 2 oz. spermaceti; put a bowl in a pan of boiling water; cut the spermaceti, white wax, and cocoa butter in small pieces ; put them in the bowl, also the oil and rose-water. When melted, stir contents until cold. For the Hands. — | oz. of glycerine with same amount of alcohol. Mix, and add 4 oz. of rose-water. Bottle, and shake well. An excellent remedy for rough or chapped hands. To TaJce Stains off the SJcin. — For cleaning the hands when stained with chemicals : Put J lb. glauber salts, J lb. chloride of lime, and 4 oz. of water into a small wide- mouthed bottle, and when required for use pour some of the mixture into a saucer and rub it well over the hands with a brush or coarse towl, and wash them in warm water. Acacia Sachet. — Exquisite and cheap perfume for the glove box or drawer; — ■VABNISHES. 385 Cassia buds and orris root, 2 oz. of each, in moderately fine powder. Sew up in a bag of sUk. Pot-Pourri Sachet Powder. — Rose and lavender leaves, 2 oz. each, in coarse powder, coarse powdered orris root 1 oz., cloves, cinnamon, and allspice, each I oz. Mix well, and put into bags of fancy colored siik, or into envelopes. To Varnish Furniture. — First make the work quite clean; then fill up all knots or blemishes with cement of the same color; see that the brush is clean, and free from loose hairs; then dip the brush in the varnish, stroke it along the wire raised across the top of the varnish pot, and give the work a thin and regular coat; soon after that another, and another, always taking care not to pass the brush twice in the same place; let it stand to dry ia a moderately warm place, that the varnish may not chill. When the work has had about six or seven coats, let it get quite hard (which prove by pressing the knuckles on it; if it leaves a mark, it is not hard enough) ; then with the first three fingers of the hand rub the varnish tUl it chafes, and proceed over that part of the work intended to be polished, in order to take out all the streaks or partial lumps made by the brush ; then give it another coat, and let it stand a day or two to harden. Varnish for Common Work. — This varnish is intended for protecting surfaces against atmospheric exposure. It has been used for coating wood and iron work with great advantage. Take 3 lbs. of resin and powder it, place it in a tin can, and add 2^ pints of spirits of turpentine, shake well, and let it stand, shaking it occasionally for a day or 25 386 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. two. Then add 5 qts. of boiled oil, shake well together, and allow it to stand in a warm room till clear. The clear portion is decanted and iised, or reduced with spirits of tur- pentine until of the proper consistency. 'Table Varnish.— Oil of turpentine 1 lb., beeswax 2 oz., colophony 1 dr. Or, dammar resin 1 lb., spirits of tur- pentine 2 lbs., camphor 200 grains. Digest the mixture for twenty-four hours. The decanted portion is fit for im- mediate use. Turpentine Varnish. — To 1 pt. of spirits of turpentine add 10 oz. clear resin pounded ; put it in a tin can. on a stove, and let it boil for half an hour. When the resin is all dissolved, let it cool, and it is ready for use. Varnishes for Furniture. — Shellac li lbs., naphtha 1 gal. ; dissolve, and it is ready without filtering. Another recipe is, shellac 12 oz., copal 3 oz. (or an equiv- alent of varnish) ; dissolve in 1 gallon of naphtha. Common Varnish. — Digest shellac 1 part, with alcohol 7 or 8 parts. White Furniture Varnish. — White- wax 6 oz., oil of turpentine 1 pint ; dissolve by gentle heat, taking care not to set the turpentine on fire. Apply in usual way. Furniture Polish. — Melt three or four pieces of sanda- rach, each of the size of a walnut, add 1 pint of boiled oil, and boil together for 1 hour. While cooling add 1 dr. of Venice turpentine, and if too thick a little oil of turpentine also. Apply this all over the furniture, and after some hours rub it off ; rub the furniture daily, without appljdng fresh varnish, except about once in two months. Water does not injure this polish, and any stain or scratch may be again covered, which cannot be done with French polish. VARNISHES AND POLISH. 387 French Polish. — Gum sliellac 2 oz., gum arable ^ oz., gum copal I oz. Powder, and sift through a piece of mus- lin ; put them in a closely corked bottle with 2 pts. spirits of wine, in a very warm situation, shaking every day till the gums are dissolved; then strain through muslin and cork for use. Varnish for Water-proof Goods. — Let a J lb. of India- rubber, in small pieces, soften in ^ lb. of oil of turpentine, then add 2 lbs. of boiled oil, and boil for 2 hours over a slow fire. When dissolved, add 6 lbs. of boiled linseed oil, and 1 lb. of litharge, and boil until an even liquid is obtained. Apply warm. Varnish for Boots and Shoes. — Take a pint of linseed oil, with J lb. of mutton suet, the same quantity of bees-wax, and a small piece of resin. Boil all this in a pipkin together, and use it when milk- warm with a hairbrush; two appli- cations will make the articles water-proof. Beautiful Bronze, Applicable to all Metals. — Take 10 parts aniline red (fuehsine), and 5 of aniline purple, and dissolve in 100 parts of 95 per cent alcohol, taking care to help the solution by placing the vessel in a sand or water bath. As soon as the solution is effected, 5 parts of benzoic acid are added, and the whole is boiled from 5 to 10 min- utes until the greenish color of the mixture is transformed into a fine light-colored brilliant bronze. Apply with a brush. Golden Varnish. — Pulverize 1 drachm of safiron and ^ drachm of dragon's blood, and put them into 1 pint spirits of wine. Add 2 oz. of gum shellac and 5 drachms of soeo- trine aloes. Dissolve the whole by gentle heat. Yellow painted work, varnished with this mixture, will appear al- most equal to gold, ' 388 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Varnish for Iron-worJc. — Dissolve, in about 2 lbs. of tar oil, J lb. of asphaltum, and a like quantity of pounded resin, mix hot in an iron kettle, care being taken to prevent any contact with the flame. When cold, the varnish is ready for use. This varnish is for out-door wood and iron work. Imitation Nickel Plating. — Coarse rasped granulated zinc is boiled for some time in a mixture of 3 parts by weight of .sal ammoniac, and 10 of water, the objects im- mersed and stirred up with a zinc rod. The deposit is sil- very bright, and resists mechanical action as well as a coat- ing of nickel. The process can be recommended for goods which are meant for a second coating of some other metal, siuce any other is easily deposited on zinc. Interesting to Nickel Platers. — A simple process of nickel plating by boiling has been described by Dr. Kaiser. A bath of pure granulated tin tartar and water is prepared, and after being heated to the boiling point, has added to it a small quantity of pure red-hot nickel oxide. A portion of the nickel will soon dissolve and give a green color to the liquid over the grains of tin. Articles of copper or brass plunged into this bath acquire in a few minutes a bright metallic coating of almost pure nickel. If a little carbonate or tartrate of cobalt is added to the bath, a bluish shade, either light or dark, may be given to the coating, which be- comes very briUiant when it is properly polished with chalk or dry sawdust. After the ground is fairly closed up by frost for the winter, it will be an excellent time to paint the house, barn, and other farm buildings, and all the farm implements and carriages REPAINTING CARRIAGES. 389 that need it. Paint spread at this season of the year m^kes a durable covering, and there are no flies or other insects to spoil its looks after bcuig spread, as during the hot days of summer. If the carriages and farm implements can be stored in a clean apartment, free from wind and dust, painting may go on uninterruptedly by doing the outside "work in fair weather and the carriage work during rainy days. Repainting Carriages. — Previous to repainting or re- varnishing any old coach-work, it is necessary first to wash the work quite clean, and also to rub down the surface with a wet cloth and ground pumice powder, until it appears quite dead, or without gloss. The work should then be washed, and dried with a wash-leather ; after which it is fit to receive either paint or varnish. Old work is frequently dirty, greasy, and strongly impregnated with various exha- lations, very injurious to paint- work and varnish, from its being kept shat up in cold, damp coach-houses, which have often doors or passages communicating Avith stables, latrines, and so on. If therefore it be repainted or revarnished, with- out having been well washed and rubbed down, it seldom or never dries properly, owing to the exhalations with which the surf ace is in general incrusted; and should 'the surface be even clear from grease, no paint or varnish will adhere, or can be well applied, on the old glossy surface, without its having been first rubbed down with the pumice powder and water, as that entirely removes all stains, grease, and gloss from the surface. Paint or varnish will then adhere to the old ground, and can be easily worked and extended with the brush, without the color cissing, as it is termed. Var- nish is very apt to ciss on old work, if the second coat is not 390 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. applied as soon as the first coat is hard enough to bear varnishing. EconoTTiical Paint. — Skim-milk 2 qts., fresh-slacked lime 8 oz., linseed oil 6 oz., white Burgundy pitch 2 oz., Spanish white 3 lbs. The lime to be slaked in water ex- posed to the air, mixed in one-fourth of the milk ; the oil in which the pitch is previously dissolved, to be added a little at a time; then the rest of the milk, and afterward the. Spanish white. This quantity is sufficient for 27 sq. yds., two coats. To Remove Old Paint. — Wet the place with naphtha, repeating as often as is required; but frequently one appli- cation will dissolve the paint. As soon as it is softened, rub the surface clean. Chloroform, mixed with a small quan- tity of spirit ammonia, composed of strong ammoniac, has been employed very successfully to remove the stains of dry paint from wood, silk, and other substances. To Destroy Paint. — Mix 1 part by weight of potash with 8 parts quick-lime, by slaking the lime in water and then adding the potash, making the mixture about the con- sistency of paint. Lay the above over the whole of the work required to be cleaned, with an old brush ; let it re- main 14 or 16 hours, when the paint can be easily scraped off. Fire-proofing Shingle Roofs. — A wash composed of lime, salt, and fine sand or wood-ashes, put on in the ordinary way of whitewash, renders a shingle roof fifty-fold more safe against fire from falling cinders, in case of fire in the vi- cinity. It has also a preserving influence against the effect of the weather; the older and more weather-beaten the shingles, the more benefit derived. Such shingles are gen- DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAINT. 391 erally more or less warped, rough, and cracked. The appli- cation of wash, by washing the upper surface, restores them to their original or firm form, thereby closing the space be- tween the shingles; and the lime and sand, by filling up the cracks, prevent its warping. By the addition of a small quantity of lamp-black, the wash may be made of the same color as old shingles, and thus the offensive glare of a white- washed roof is removed. Paint for Blackboards in Schools. — Common glue 4 oz., flour of emery 3 oz., and just lamp-black enough to give an inky color to the preparation. Dissolve the glue in f qt. of warm water, put in the lamp-black and emciy, .stir till there are no lumps, then apply to the board with a woolen rag smoothly rolled. Three coats are amply sufficient. Coiiipoimcl, Fire-proof Iron Paint. — Finely pulverized iron fillings 1 part, briek-dust 1 part, and ashes 1 part. Pour over them glue-water or size, set the whole near the fire, and when warm, stir them well together. With this paint cover all the wood- work which may be in danger; when dry, give a second coat, and the wood will be rendered incombustible. Remedy, for Damp Walls. — f lb. of mottled soap to 1 gal. of water. This composition to be laid over the brick- work steadily and carefully with a large flat brush, so as not to form a froth or lather on the surface. The wash should remain 24 hours, to become dry. Mix h lb. of alum with 4 gals, of water, leave it to stand for 24 hours, and then apply it in the same manner over the coating of soap. Let this be done in dry weather. Darkening Glass. — The following, if neatly done, ren- ders the glass obscure yet diaphanous: Rub up, as for oil- 392 OUB HOMES AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. colors, a sufficient quantity of sugar of lead with a little boiled linseed oil, and distribute this uniformly over the pane, from the end of a hog-hair tool, by a dabbing, jerking motion, until the appearance of ground glass is obtained. It may be ornamented, when perfectly hard, b}'' delineating the pattern with a strong solution of caustic potash, giving it such time to act as experience dictates, and then expedi- tiously wiping out the portion it is necessary to remove. To Prevent Iron Rusting. — Give it a coat of linseed oil and whiting, mixed together in the form of a paste. It is easily removed and will preserve iron from rusting for years. There is little trouble in preparing the stain, and its application differs but slightly from painting. Directions for Staining. — In preparing any of the tinctures, it is of importance to powder or mash all the dry stuffs previous to dissolving or macerating them, and to purify all the liquids by filtration before use. It will be better for inexperienced hands to coat twice or three times with a weak stain than only once with a very strong one, as by adopting the first mode a particular tint may be grad- ually effected, whereas, by pursuing the latter course, an irremediable discolorization may be the result. Coarse pieces of carving, spongy end, and cross-grained woods, should be previously prepared for the reception of stain; this is best done by putting on a thin layer of varnish, letting it dry, and then sand-papering it completely off again. Fine woi-k merely requires to be oiled and slightly STAINING WOODS. 393 rubbed with the finest sand-paper. Thus prepared, the woody fiber is enabled to take on the stain more regularly, and to attain a high degree of smoothness. Stains may be applied with a good brush or with a woolen rag or sponge. To Stain Walnut. — Use burnt umber and linseed oil, apply with a brush, and when dry sand-paper again and apply more stain. When the desired stain is made, varnish. A quick stain may be made by using water or thin glue in- stead, of oil. This stain is not durable. Another. — Water 1 qt., washing soda IJ oz., Vandyke brown 2 J oz., bichromate of potash | oz. Boil for 10 minutes, and apply with a brush, in either a hot or cold stain. Black Stain. — Boil 1 lb. of logwood in 4 qts. of water, add a double handful of walnut peel or shells ; boil it up again, take out the chips, add a pint of the best vinegar, and it will be fit for use ; apply it boiling. This will be improved, if, when dry, a solution of green copperas, an ounce to a quart of water, is applied hot over the first stain. Black Stains for Imviediate Use. — Boil |- lb. of chip logwood in 2 qts. of water, add 1 oz. of pearlash, and apply it hot to the work with a brush. Then take J lb. of logwood, boil it as before in 2 qts. of water, and add | oz. of verdigris and J oz. of copperas; strain it off, put in | lb. of rusty steel filings ; with this go over the work a second time. Ebony Stains. — Stain work with the black stain, adding powdered nutgall to the logwood and copperas solution, dry, rub down well, oil, then use French polish made tolerably dark with indigo, or finely-powdered stone-blue. Cherry Stain. — Soft water 3 qts., annotto 4 oz. ; boil in a copper kettle till the annotto is dissolved, put in a piece of potash the size of a walnut; simmer over the fire about half an hour longer, and it is ready to bottle for use. 394 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. To Glean Pearls. — -Soak them in hot water in which bran has been boiled, with a little salts of tartar and alum, rubbing gently between the hands, when the heat will admit of it; when the water is cold, renew the application till any discoloration is removed ; rinse in warm water. Lay them on white paper in a dark place to cool. To Clean Marble, Etc. — Mix np a quantity of the strongest soap-lees with quick-lime, to the consistency of milk, and lay it on the stone for twenty-four hours. Clean it, and it will appear as new. This may be improved by rubbing afterward with fine putty powder on olive-oil. To Clean Oil-Paintings : — Wash ■jvith a sponge or a soft leather and water, and dry with a silk handkerchief. When the picture is very dirty, take it out of its frame, pro- cure a clean towel, and making it quite wet, lay it on the face of the picture, sprinkling it from time to tim,e with cleai', soft-watei". Let it remain wet for two or three days. Take the cloth off and renew it with a fresh one. After wiping the picture with a clean wet sponge, repeat the proc- ess till all the dirt is soaked out; then wash it well with a soft sponge, let it become quite dry, and rub it with some clear nut or linseed oil. Spirits of wine and turpentine may be used to dissolve the hard old varnish, but they will attack the paint as well as the varnish if the further action of the spirits is not stopped at the proper time by using water freely. To Clean Plate. — Take an ounce each of cream of tartar, muriate of soda, and alum, and boil in a gallon or more of water. After the plate is taken out and rubbed CLEANING AND SCOURING. 395 dry, it puts on a beautiful silvery whiteness. Powdered magnesia may be used dry for articles slightly tarnished, but if very dirty it must be used first wet and then dry. To Clean Brass or Copper. — Take 1 oz. of oxalic acid, 6 oz. rotten-stone, | oz. gum arable, all in powder, 1 oz. sweet oil, and sufficient water to make a paste. Apply a small portion, and rub dry with a flannel or leather. Silver Plate. — Mix together 8 oz. prepared chalk, 2 oz. turpentine, 1 oz. alcohol, 4 dr. spirits of camphor, and 2 dr. liquor of ammonia. Apply this mixture to the article with a sponge, and allow to dry before polishing. Silver Cleaning Liquid. — Prepared chalk 8 oz., tur- pentine 2 oz., alcohol 1 oz., spirits of camphor 4 dr., liq- uor of ammonia 2 dr. Apply with a sponge, and allow to dry before polishing. ^ Or use a solution of cyanide of po- tassium, 12 oz. cyanide to 1 qt. water; immerse the silver, brush it with a stiff brush until clean, wash and dry. Cleaning Hats. — The stains of grease and paint may be removed from fur hats by means of turpentine; and if the turpentine leaves a mark, finish with a little spirits of wine. Cleaning Jewelry. — Common jewelry may be effectually cleaned by washing with soap and warm water, rinsing in cold water, dipping in spirits of any kind, and drying in warm boxwood sawdust. Good jewelry only needs wash- ing with soap and water, and polishing with i-ouge and a chamois leather. Cleaning Engravings. — Put the engraving on a smooth board, cover it thinly with common salt, finely pounded; squeeze lemon-juice upon the salt so as to dissolve a consid- erable portion of it; elevate one end of the board, so that it may form an angle of about 45° or 50° with the horizon. 396 OUR HOMES AND TSEIB ADORNMENTS. Pour on the engraving boiling water from a tea-kettle, until the salt and lemon-juice are aU washed off; the engrav- ing will then be perfectly clean, and free from stains. It must be dried on the board, or on some smooth surface, gradually. If dried by the fire or the sun, it will be tinged with a yellow color. Polishing Wood Carving. — Take a piece of wadding, soft and pliable, and on it drop a few drops of white or trans- parent polish or French polish, according to the color of the wood. Wrap the wetted wadding, up in a piece of old linen, forming it into a pad; and hold it by the surplus linen; then touch with one or two drops of linseed oil. Pass the pad gently over the parts to be polished, working it round lq small circles, occasionally re- wetting the wadding in polish, and the pad with a drop or so of oil. The object of the oil is merely to cause the pad to run over the wood easily without sticking, therefore as little as possible should be used, as it tends to deaden the jiolish to a certain extent. Where a carving is to be polished after having been varnished, the same process is necessary, but it can only be applied to the plainer portions of the work. Plane surfaces must be made perfectly smooth with glass paper before pol- ishing, as every scratch or mark will show twice as much after the operation. When the polish is first rubbed on the wood, it is called the bodying in; it will sink into the wood and not give much glaze. It must, when dry, have another body rubbed on, and a third generally finishes it; but if not, the operation must be repeated. Just before tlie task is completed, greasy smears will show themselves ; these will disappear by continuing the gentle rubbing without oiling the pad. CLEANING AND SCOURING. 397 Polishing Mother-of-Peari. — Go over it with pumice- stone finely powdered and washed to separate the impurities and dirt, with which polish it very smooth; then apply putty powder and water by a rubber, which will produce a fine gloss and good color. Floors. — Take some clean, sifted, white or silver sand, and scatter it on the floor. Dissolve one pound of American potash or pearlash, in one pint of water, and sprinkle the sand with this solution. Have a pail of very hot water, and scrub the boards lengthwise with a hard brush, using the mottled soap. Change the water frequently. This is the best way to scour and whiten boards. The pot- ash, if applied as directed, will take out all stains. Ink stains may be removed from boards by using either strong vinegar or salts of lemon. Gleaning House Paint. — ^Old paint-work should be first well dusted, then cleaned by washing with a ley of pearlash and water; it is sometimes necessary, after the washing, to give a coat of weak size, and as soon as it is dry, apply varnish, using copal for light work, and carriage for dark. Some handrails, doors, and so on, are so saturated with grease, that no washing will remove it. When this is the case, brush the foul parts over with strong fresh-made lime-wash, let that dry, then rub it off; if the grease is not removed, repeat the lime-washing, until the grease is thor- oughly drawn out; wash the lime off clean, and afterward apply the sizing, and lastly the varnish. To Wash Silver Ware. — Never use a particle of soap on your silver ware, as it dulls the luster, giving the article more the appearance of pewter than silver. When it wants cleaning, rub it with a piece of soft leather and prepared 398 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. chalk, the latter made into a kind of paste with pure water, for the reason that water not pure might contain gritty particles. Cleaning Gilt Frames. — Gilt frames may be cleaned by simply washing them with a small sponge, wet with urine, hot spirits of wine, or oil of turpentine, not too wet, but sufficiently to take off the dirt and fly marks. They should not be, afterward wiped, but left to dry of themselves. Scouring Articles of Dress. — Among the spots which alter the color fixed upon stuffs, some are caused by a sub- stance which may be described as simple, and others by a sub- stance which results from the combination of two or more bodies, that may act separately or together upon the stuff, and which may therefore be called compound. dcCH4.il4-<3- GFa'&tH-C<5'. Oils and fats are the substances which form the greater part of .simple stains. They give a deep shade to the ground of the cloth; they continue to spread for several days; they attract the dust, and retain it so strongly -that it is not removable by the brush; and they eventually render the stain lighter colored, upon a dark ground, and of a dis- agreeable gray tint upon a pale or light ground. The general principle of cleansing all spots consists in applying to them a substance with a stronger affinity for the matter composing them than this has for the cloth, and which shall render them soluble in some liquid menstruum, such as water, spirits, naphtha, or oil of turpentine. Alkalies are the most powerful solvents of grease; but they act too BEMOriNa STAINS. 399 strongly upon silk and wool, as well as change too power- fully the colors of dyed stuffs, to be safely applicable in re- moving stains. The best substances for this purpose are: 1. Soap. 2. Chalk, fuller's- earth, soap-stone, or French chalk. These should be mixed with a little water, made into a thin paste, spread upon the stain, and allowed to dry. The spot requires now to be merely brushed. 3. The volatile oil of turpentine will take out only recent stains; for which pur- pose it ought to be previously purified by distillation over quick-lime. Wax, resin, turpentine, pitch, and all resinous bodies in general, form stains of greater or less adhesion, which may be dissolved out by pure alcohol. 4. Oxalic acid removes iron rust almost instantly. A stain of iron rust and grease requires two distinct operations, one to remove the grease and the other the rust, which can be done as indicated in preceding directions. Recent Ink Stains — may be removed by washing in pure water, then in soapy water, and lastly with lemon-juice; but if the stain be old, use oxalic acid, which may be applied in powder, weU rubbed on, and washed off with pure water. Ox-gall and yolk of egg have the property of dissolving fatty bodies without perceptibly affecting the texture or colors of cloth, and may therefore be employed with ad- vantage. The ox-gall should be purified, to prevent its greenish tint from degrading the brilliancy of dyed stuffs, or the purity of whites. Thus prepared it is the most prec- ious of all substances known for removing these kinds of stains. Grease from, Cloth. — Grease can be removed from cloth by a paste of fuUer's-earth and turpentine. This should be rubbed on the fabric until the turpentine has evaporated and 400 OUE H0ME8 AND THEIB ADOBNMENTS. a -white powder produced. The latter can be brushed off, and the grease will have disappeared. Another. — Benzine, alcohol, ether, equal parts; mix, apply with a sponge (patting the spot), put a piece of blot- ting paper on each side and iron with a hot flat-iron. The ingredients are very inflammable; use great care not to take them too near a fire. To Destroy the Effects of Acid on Clothes. — Dampen as soon as possible, after exposure to the acid, with spirits of ammonia. It will destroy the effect immediately. Fruit Stains. — First rub the spot on each side with hard soap, and then lay on a thick mixture of starch and cold water. Rub this mixture of starch well into the spot, and afterward expose it to the sun and air. If the stain has not disappeared at the end of three or four days, repeat the process. Grease Spots. — Dissolve one ounce of pearlash in one pint of water, and to this solution add a lemon cut into thin slices. Mix well, and keep the mixture in a warm state for two days, then strain and bottle the clear liquid for use. A small quantity of this mixture poured on stains occasioned by either grease, oil, or pitch, will speedily remove them. Afterward wash in clear water. Ink Stains. — Strain the linen tightly over a basin con- taining boiling water, and wet the stain with water. Then carefully let fall on the spot a few drops of salts of lemon, or diluted spirits of salt; use for this purpose a feather, or small camel's-hair pencil. When the stain has been removed, wash carefully in cold water. Iron-mold stains may also be removed by this method. To Wash Lace. — Cover an ordinary wine bottle with TO EEVIVE FURS AND RENOVATE SILK. 401 fine flannel, stitching it firmly round the bottle. Tack one end of the lace to the flannel, then roll it very smoothly round the bottle, and tack down the other end, then cover with a piece of very fine fiannel or muslin. Now rub it gently with a strong soap liquor, and if the lace is very much discolored or dirty, fill the bottle with hot water, and place it in a kettle or saucepan of suds and boil it for a few minutes, then place the bottle under a tap of running water to rinse out the soap. Make some strong starch, and melt in it a piece of white wax and a little loaf sugar. Plunge the bottle two or three times into this and squeeze out the superfluous starch with the hands; then dip the bottle in cold water, remove the outer covering from the lace, fill the bottle with hot water, and stand it in the sun to dry the lace. When nearly dry take it very carefully off" the bottle, and pick it out with the fingers. Then lay it in a cool place to dry thoroughly. Reviving Furs. — Thoroughly sprinkle every part with hot flour and sand, and brush weU with a hard brush. Then beat with a cane, comb it smooth with a wet comb, and press carefully with a warm iron. For ermine use plaster-of- Paris instead of flour and sand, and treat in the same way. To Renovate Silk. — Potato-water is good to clean all colors and kinds; grate the potatoes into cold spring water, say a large potato to every quart of water, of which flve or six will do for a couple of dresses. If for very light silk, pare the potatoes; if for dark, merely wash them clean. The pan of water must not be stirred in the least for forty- eight hours; then, very slowly and steadily pour off the clear liquor, but not a particle of the sediment, into a large open vessel, dip the pieces of silk into this liquid up and down a 26 402 OUIi HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. few times, without creasing them ; then wipe them on a flat table with a clean towel, first one side, then the other. It is as well to hang each one as dipped upon a line to allow the drops to drain off a little before wiping. Have a damp cloth to cover them in till all is done; then iron one way, on the soiled side. To Wash Feathers. — -^Dissolve four ounces of white soap in two quarts of boiling water ; put it into a largo basin or small pan, and beat to a strong lather with a wire egg-beater or a small bundle of birch twigs ; use Avhile warm. Hold the feather by the quill with the left hand, dip it into the soap liquor and squeeze it through the right hand, using a moderate degree of pressure. Continue this operation until the feather is perfectly clean and white, using a second lot of soap liquor if necessary. Einse in clean hot water to take out the soap, and afterward in cold water in which a small quantity of blue has been dissolved. Shake well, and dry, before a moderate fire, shaking it occasionally that it may look full and soft when dried. Before it is quite dry curl each fibre separately with a blunt knife or ivory paper- folder. To Wash Carpets. — Spread the carpet where you can use a brush, take Irish potatoes and scrape them into a pail or tub of water and let them stand over night, using one peck to clean a large carpet; two paUs of water is sufiicient to let them stand in, and you can add more when ready to use; add two ounces of beef gall and use with a brush, as to scrub a floor; the particles of potato will help cleanse, and when dry, brush with a broom or stiff brush. Excellent Family Soap. — 1 box concentrated lye, 5 lbs. grease, 1 lb. resui, li gals, soft water; make in an BEGIPES FOB CEMENTS. 403 iron pot. When the water boils, put in the lye; when this is dissolved, add the grease; stir till all is melted, then add one pound of resin gradually, and boil for an hour and a half; keep stirring with a stick, and add hot water to keep up the original quantity, pour into wet tin pans, and let it stand for twenty-four hours. Cut into bars, and keep in a dry, warm place for a month. Washivg Fluid. — 9 table-spoonfuls unslacked lime, 2 lbs. sal-soda, 4 qts. water ; let this simmer half an hour, then . bottle up. Take a small tea-cupful to a boiler of water. Another. — 1 lb. sal-soda, 1 lb. potash, each dissolved in 1 gal. water (separately); mix together and bottle. Cheap Filter. — Take a common flower-pot as large as possible, plug the hole in the bottom with a piece of sponge, then put a layer of powdered charcoal about an inch thick, the same of clean sand, and a layer of small stones and coarse gravel about two inches thick. Set the pot where the water can drop off the sponge, and pour in water gently. In a few minutes the water will find its way through the sand and charcoal and drop into the vessel placed below, clear and free from impurities.' How to Use Cements. — Take as small a quantity of the cement as possible, and bring the cement itself into intimate contact with the surfaces to be united. If glue is employed, the surface should be made so warm that the melted glue is not chilled before it has time to effect a thorough adhesion. Cements that are used in a fused state, as resin or shellac, will not adhere unless the parts to be joined are heated to 404 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the fusing point of the cement. Sealing-wax, or ordinary electrical cement, is a good agent for uniting metal to glass or stone, provided the masses to be united are made so hot as to fuse the cement, but if the cement is applied to them while they are cold it will not stick at all. This fact is well known to the itinerant vendors of cement for uniting earth- enware. By heating two pieces of china or earthenware so that they will fuse shellac, they are able to smear them with a little of this gum, and join the pieces so that they will rather break at any other part than along the line of union. But although people constantly see the operation pei-- formed, and buy liberally of the cement, it will be found in nine cases out of ten that the cement proves worthless in the hands of the purchasers, simply because they do not know how to use it. They are afraid to heat a delicate glass or porcelain vessel to a sufficient degree, or they are apt to use too much of the material, and the result is a failure. CeTTient for Ivory or Mother-of-Pearl. — Dissolve 1 part of isinglass and 2 of white glue in 30 parts of water, strain and evaporate to 6 parts, add one-thirtieth part of gum mastic, dissolved in one-half part of alcohol, add 1 part of white zinc. When required to use, warm and shake up. ■Cement for Jet. — Shellac is generally used for jet arti- cles. The broken edges should be heated before applying the shellac. Should the joint be in sight, it will be rendered the same color as the jet itself by smoking the shellac before applying it. Cheap India-Mubber Cement- — Cut virgin or native India-rubber with a wet knife into the thinest possible slices, and with shears divide these into threads as fine as fine yarn. Put a small quantity of the shreds, (say one-tenth BECIPHS FOB CEMENTS. 405 or less of the capacity of the bottle), into a wide-mouthed bottle, and fill it three-quarters full with benzine of good quality perfectly free from oil. The rubber will swell up almost immediately, and in a few days, especially if often shaken, assume the consistency of honey. If it inclines to remain in undissolved masses, more benzine must be added, but if too thin and watery it needs more rubber. A piece of solid rubber the size of a walnut will make a pint of cement. It dries in a few minutes, and by using three coats in the usual manner, will unite leather straps, patches, rubber soles, backs of books, etc., with exceeding firmness. Cement for Petroleum Lamps. — Boil 3 parts of resin with 1 part of caustic soda and 5 of water. The composi- tion is then mixed with half its weight of plaster-of- Paris, and sets firmly in one-half to three-fourths of an hour. It is of great adhesive power, not permeable to petroleum, a slow conductor of heat, and but superficially attacked by hot water. Cement to Mend Iron Pots and Pans. — Take 2 parts of sulphus, and 1 part, by weight, of fine black-lead, put the sulphur in an old iron pan, holding it over the fire until it begins to melt; then add the lead, stir well until all is mixed and melted, then pour out on an iron plate, or smooth stone. When cool, break into small pieces. A sufficient quantity of this compound being placed upon the crack of the iron pot to be mended, can be soldered by a hot iron in the same way a tinsmith solders his sheets. If there is a small hole in the pot, drive a copper rivet into it and then solder over it with this cement. London Cement. — Boil a piece of old cheese three times in water, each time allowing the water to evaporate. Take 406 OUB H0MM8 AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. the paste thus left and thoroughly incorporate with dry quick-lime. It wilU mend glass, wood, china, etc., very effectually. Cement for Wood Vessels Required to he Water- Tight. — Take lime-clay and oxide of iron, seperately cal- cined and reduced to fine poAvder, then intimately mixed, kept in a close vessel, and mixed with the requisite quantity of water when used. Cement for Leather. — A good cement for splicing leather for straps is gutta-percha dissolved in bisulphide of carbon, until it is of the thickness of molasses; the parts to be cemented must first be well thinned down, then pour a smaU quantity of the cement on both ends, spreading it well so as to fill the pores of the leather, warm the parts over a fire for about half a minute, apply them quickly together and ham- mer well. The bottle containing the cement should be tightly corked and kept in a cool place. Marble Cement. — Take plaster-of-Paris and soak it ia a saturated solution of alum, then bake in an oven, the same as gypsum is baked to make it plaster-of-Paris ; after which grind the mixture to powder. It is then used as wanted, being mixed up with water like plaster and applied. It sets into a very hard composition capable of taking a very high polish, and may bo mixed with various coloring minerals to produce a cement of any color capable of imitating marble. This cement is also used for attaching glass to metal. Chinese Cement. — Finest pale -orange shellac, broken small, 4 oz., rectified spirit, the strongest, 3 oz., digest to- gether in a corked bottle in a warm place until dissolved; it should have the consistency of molasses. It is used for wood, glass, ivory, jewelry, and all fancy works. BECIPES FOR CEMENTS. 407 Cements for Cracks in Wood. — Make a paste of slacked lime 1 part, rye meal 2 parts, with a sufficient quantity of linseed oil. Or, dissolve 1 part of glue in 16 parts of water, and when almost cool, stir in sawdust and prepared chalk a sufficient quantity. Or, oil-varnish thickened with a mixt- ure of equal parts of white-lead, red-lead, litharge, and chalk. To Mend China. — Take a very thick solution of gum arabic in water, and stir into it plaster-of-Paris until the mixture becomes of a proper consistency. Apply it with a brush to the fractured edges of the china, and stick them together. In three days the articles cannot be broken in the same place. The whiteness of the cement renders it doubly valuable. Stone-Mason's Cement. — Clean river sand 20 lbs., lith- arge 2 lbs., quick-lime 1 lb., linseed oil, sufficient to form a thin paste. This cement is used to mend broken pieces of stone, and after a time it becomes exceedingly hard and strong. A similar composition has been used to coat brick walls, under the name of mastic. Fire-Proof and Water-Proof Cement. — To 4 or 5 parts of clay, thoroughly dried and pulverized, add 2 parts of fine iron filings free from oxide, 1 part of peroxide of manganese, | part of sea salt, and ^ part of borax. Mingle these thor- oughly and render them as fine as possible, then reduce them to a thick paste with the necessary quantity of water. It must be used immediately. After application, it should be exposed to heat, gradually increasing almost to a white heat. This cement is very hard, and presents complete re- sistance alike to a red heat and boiling water. Another Method. — To equal parts of sifted peroxide of 408 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. manganese and well-pulverized zinc white, add a sufficient quantity of commercial soluble glass to form a thin paste. This mixture, when used immediately, forms a cement quite equal in hardness and resistance to that obtained by the first method. Armenian, or Jeweler's Cement. — Dissolve 5 or 6 bits of gum mastic, the size of a large pea, in as much spirits of wine as will suffice to render it liquid; in a separate vessel dissolve as much isinglass (previously softened in water, though none of the water must be used) in rum, or other spirit, as will make a 2-oz. phial of very strong glue, add- ing two small pieces of gum ammoniacum, which must be rubbed or ground till they are dissolved ; then mix the whole with a sufficient heat. Keep it in a phial closely stopped, and when it is to be used, set the phial in boiling water. The preceding is also effectual in uniting almost all sub- stances, even glass, to polished steel. To Renew Manuscripts. — Take a hair pencil and wash the part that has been effaced with a solution of prussiate of potash and water, and the writing will again appear if the paper has not been destroyed. Tracing Paper. — 1. Wash very thin paper with the following mixture: Spirits turpentine, 6 parts, by weight, resin 1 part, boiled nut oil 1 part. Apply with a soft sponge. 2. Brush over one side of a good, thin, unsized paper with a varnish made of equal parts of Canada balsam and turpentine. If required to take water-color, it must be washed over with ox-gall and dried before being used. MISCELLANEOUS BECIPES. 409 3. Open a quire of double-crown tissue paper, and brush the first sheet with a mixture of mastic varnish and oil of turpentine, equal parts; proceed with each sheet similarly, and dry them on lines by hanging them up singly. As the process goes on, the under sheets absorb a portion of the varnish, and require less than if single sheets were brushed separately. Transfer Paper — is made by rubbing white paper with a composition consisting of 2 oz. tallow, 1 oz. powdered black-lead, | pint linseed oil, and sufficient lamp-blaek to make it of the consistency of cream. These should be melted together and rubbed on the paper while hot. When dry it will be fit for use. Alloy for Journal Boxes. — Copper 3 lbs., tin 3 lbs., and antimony 1 lb. Melt the copper first, then add the tin, and lastly the antimony. It should be first run into ingots, then melted and cast in the form required for the boxes. Aviber, to Mend. — Smear the parts which are to be united with linseed oil, hold the oiled part carefully over a small charcoal fire, a hot cinder, or a gas-light, being care- ful to cover up all the rest of the object loosely with paper; when the oiled parts have begun to feel the heat, so as to be sticky, pinch or press them together, and hold them so till nearly cold. Only that part where the edges are to be united must be warmed, and even that with care, lest the form or polish of the other parts should be disturbed; the part joined generally requires a little re-polishing. Bronzing Wood. — The wood is first covered with a uni- form coating of glue, or of drying oil, and when nearly dry the bronze powder, contained in a small bag, is dusted over it. The surface of the object is afterward rubbed with a 410 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADOBNMENTS. piece of moist rag, or the bronze powder may be previously mixed with the drying oil, and applied with a brush. The bronze powder can be prbeured at almost any drug store, and at some paint stores. To Print a Picture from the -Print Itself. — The page or picture is soaked in a solution, first of potassa, and then of tartaric acid. This produces a perfect diffusion of crystals of bitartarate of potassa through the texture of the unprinted part of the paper. As this salt resists oil, the ink roller may now be passed over the surface, without transferring any part of its contents except to the printed part. Hints about Screws. — Where screws are driven into soft wood an-d subjected to considerable strain, they are very likely to work loose, and it is often difficult to make them hold. In such cases the use of glue is profitable. Prepare the glue thick, immerse a stick about half the size of the screw and put it into the hole, then immerse the screw, and drive it home as quickly as possible. When thci'e is an article of furniture to be hastily repaired, and no glue is at hand, bore a hole, insert the stick, fill the rest of the cavity with pulverized resin, then heat the screw sufficiently to melt the resin as it is driven in. Where screws are driven into wood for temporary purposes, they can be more easily re- moved by dipping them in oil before inserting. When buy- iQg screws, notice that the heads are sound and well cut, that there are no flaws in the body or thread part, and that they have gimlet points. A screw of good make will drive into oak as easily as others into pine, and will endure having twice the force brought against it. To Make Putty. — Mix a quantity of whiting into a very stiff paste with linseed oil, rubbing and beating it well before MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 411 using. For particular purposes, as for fanlights, iron-framed green-houses, and other places where the lap or hold is very narrow, a little white-lead may be added to advantage. Colored putty has a mixture of red ochre, lamp-black, or other color with the whiting. To Make Sealing-Wax. — Red. Take 1 lb. of yellow resin, .5| oz. of gum lac, 5 J oz. of Venice turpentine, and 1 oz. of vermilion. Melt the lac in a copper pan suspended over a clear fire, add the resin, pour the turpentine slowly in, and soon afterward add the vermilion, stirring the mixt- ure all the time. Form either into round sticks by rolling it out on a smooth stone slab by means of a wooden board, or into oval sticks by casting it into .stone molds made in two pieces. Black seahng-wax is made by substituting either lamp- black or ivory -black in the above recipe. Gleaning Harness, or Saddles and Bridles. — If harness, wash it perfectly clean with warm water and soft soap, and when dry, apply neat's-foot oil and black dye, mixed; mix them by adding a small quantity of salts of wormwood, when they will be well blacked and pliable. At the same time, by applying the oil and dye to the bottom or under parts of the straps, and composition to the top, they will always be pliable, and have a good polish on the top. If a riding saddle, wash in cold water and soft soap until free from dirt; then apply soft soap with a woolen cloth— about 2 table-spoonfuls would be enough for a saddle — which will dry in. If the saddle is to have a yellow appearance, infuse a few cents' worth of hay saifron in about four or five table- spoonfuls of water, and apply before the soft soap, then rub on a piece of woolen cloth, or a brush, a piece of bees-wax. 412 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. and finish the saddle off with it, rubbing till a good polish is obtained. Blacking for Harness. — 1. Molasses | lb., lamb-black 1 oz., yeast a spoonful, sugar-candy, olive oil, gum traga- canth, and isinglass, each 1 oz., and a cow's gall. Mbc with 2 pts. of stale beer, and let it stand before the fire for an hour. 2. Molasses 8 parts, lamp-black 1, sweet oil 1, gum arable 1, isinglass 1, water 32. Apply heat to the whole; when cold, add 1 oz. spirits of wine, and apply with sponge. If it should get hard, place the bottle ia warm water a short time. 3. Melt 1 lb. bees-wax, stir in 4 oz. ivory-black, 2 oz. spirits turpentine, 2 oz. Prussian blue, ground in oil, and J oz. copal varnish. Make into balls. With a brush apply to harness, and polish with silk gently. Harness Composition. — Put into a glazed pipkin 2 oz. of black resin, place it on a gentle fire; when melted, add 3 oz. of bees-wax. When this is melted, take it from the fire, add 1^ oz. of fine lamp-black, and | dr. of Prussian blue in fine powder; stir them so as to be perfectly mixed, and add sufficient spirits of turpentine to form a thin paste, let it cool. To use it, apply a coat with a piece of linen rag pretty evenly all over the harness; then take a soft polishing brush and brush it over, to obtain a bright surface. To Destroy Bed-Bugs, Moths, and Other Vermin. — Dissolve alum in hot water, making a very strong solution; apply to furniture or crevices in the walls with paint brush. This is sure destruction to those noxious vermin, and inval- uable because easily obtained, is perfectly safe to use, and leaves no unpleasant traces behind. When you suspect RECIPES FOB MAKING INK. 413 moths have lodged in the borders of carpets, wet the edges of the carpets with a strong solution; whenever it reaches them, it is certain death. Black Ink, Non-Corrosive. — Digest in an open vessel 42 oz. of coarsely-powdered nut-galls, 15 oz. of gum Senegal, 18 oz. of sulphate of iron, copperas free from copper, 3 dr. of aqua ammonia, 24 oz. of alcohol, and 18 qts. of dis- tilled or rain-water. Continue the digestion until the fluid has assumed a deep black color. To make less quantity, use le&s of each iagredient, but in the same proportion. For cheap inks other ingredients may be substituted instead of part of the galls; logwood, catechu, sumac, and oak-bark may be used for the same purpose. Many other substances, such as elm wood, elder, chestnut, beech, willow, plum, cherry, and poplar, all contain a certain amount of astrin- gent properties, but none of them are to be compared to galls, and are not likely to supercede them in the manufact- ure of ink so long as galls can be had for a fair price. A Cheap Invisible Ink. — Dissolve 1 fluid oz. of common oil of vitriol in a pint of soft water. Stir well and allow it to cool. Write with a clean pen. When dry it will be in- visible, held to the fire it turns an indellible black. Green Ink. — Verdigris 2 oz., cream of tartar 1 oz., water \ pt, reduce one-haJf by boiling, and filter, using druggist's filtering paper. Blue Ink. — ^Chinese blue 2 oz., boihng water 1 qt., oxalic acid 1 oz. Dissolve the blue in the water, then add the acid, and it is ready at once. Soap-Bubblea. — Few things amuse children more than blowing bubbles. Dissolve ^ of an oz. of castile or oil soap, cut lip in small pieces, in f of a pt. of water, and boil it for 414 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. two or three minutes ; then add five oz. of glycerine. When cold, this fluid will produce the best and most lasting bubbles that can be blown. To Prevent Rusting. — -1. Boiled linseed oil will keep polished tools from rusting if it is allowed to dry on them. Common sperm oU will prevent them from rusting for a short period. A coat of copal varnish is frequently applied to polished tools exposed to the weather. Woolen materials are the best for wrappers for metals. 2. Iron and steel goods of all descriptions are kept free from rust by the following: Dissolve J oz. of camphor in 1 lb. of hog's lard, take off the scum, and mix as much black-lead as will give the mixture an iron color. Iron and steel and machinery of all kinds, rubbed over with this mixture, and left with it on for 24 hours, and then rubbed with a linen cloth, will keep clean for months. If the machinery is for exportation it should be kept thickly coated with this during the voyage. To Prevent Lead Exploding. — Many mechanics have had their patience sorely tried when pouring melted lead around a damp or wet joint to find it explode, blow out, or scatter from the efiects of stearn generated by the heat of the lead. The whole trouble may be stopped by putting a piece of resin the size of the end of a man's thumb into the ladle and allowing it to melt before pouring. Simple as the secret is, many have paid $20 for the privilege of knowing it. To Repdir Rubber Hose. — Cut the hose apart where it is defective, obtain from any gas-fitter a piece of iron pipe two or three inches long, twist the hose over it until the ends meet, wrap with strong twine, well waxed, and it will last a long time. To Keep Wagon Tires on the Wheel. — ^A practical THE TEMPERING SECRET. 415 mechanic suggests a method of so putting tires on wagons that they will not get loose and require resetting. He says he ironed a wagon some years ago for his own use, and before putting on the tires, he filled the felloes with linseed oil, and the tires have worn out and were never loose. This method is as follows: Use a long cast-iron heater made for the purpose; the oU is brought to a boiling heat, the wheel is placed on a stick, so as to hang each felloe in the oil an hour. The timber should be dry, as green timber will not take oil. Care should be taken that the oil is not made hotter than a boiling heat, or . the timber will be burned. Timber filled with oil is not susceptible of injury by water, and is rendered much more durable by this process. The United States Government Tempering Secret. — The folloAving process and mixtui-es, patented by Garman and Siegfried, and owned by the Steel Refining and Tem- pering Co., of Boston, Mass., cost the U. S. Government $10,000 for the right of using in their shops, and is said to impart extraordinary hardness and durability to the poorest kinds of steel. Siegfried's specification reads as follows: — "I first heat the steel to a cherry red in a clean smith's fire, and then cover it with chloride of sodium (common salt), purifying the fire also by throwing in salt. I work the steel in this condition, and while subjected to this treatment, until it is brought into nearly its finished form. I then substitute for the salt a compound composed of the following ingredients, and in about the following proportions: One part by weight of each of the following substances: chloride of sodium (salt), sulphate of copper, sal-ammoniac, and sal-soda, together with ^ part by weight of pure nitrate of potassa (saltpeter), said ingredients being pulverized and 416 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. mixed ; I alternately heat the steel and treat it by covering with this mixture and hammering it until it is thoroughly refined and brought into its finished form. I then return it to the fire and heat it slowly to a cherry red, and then plunge it into a bath composed of the following ingredients, in substantially the following proportions for the required quantity: of rain-water 1 gal., alum, sal-soda, sulphate of copper, of each 1\ oz., of nitrate of potassa (saltpeter) 1 oz., and of chloride of sodium (salt) 6 oz. These quantities and proportions are stated as being what T regard as practically the best, but it is manifest that they may bo slightly changed without departing from the principles of my invention." U. S. Mint Test for Counterfeit Silver. — Make a solu- tion of 24 grs. nitrate of silver, 30 drops nitric acid, and 1 oz. of water ; scrape the coin to be tested and apply a drop of the liquid; if the coin turns black, reject it. •Uf/ite'9«C^n|/pi jT TB[]B \ MANUAL OF BOOKING, ei*=!S!^^>>=^ i N the following pages of the " Household Com- pendium," will be found a most concise and val- uable collection of recipes and instructions for cooking. The experienced housewife will not be slow in discovering that this department is en- tirely reliable and trustworthy. Every recipe has been tested in the kitchen and found worthy of a place in this book. In order that this Manual may be more service- able, the following arrangement of topics has been made: Kitchen utensils, soups, fish, poul- try and game, meats, vegetables, sauces, puddings, break- fasts and suppers, pies, custards and creams, ices, fruits, candy, bread and biscuite, drinks, beverages, etc., etc. 27 [417] 418 OUE HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. Wooden TFare.— Kitchen table, wash bench, wash tubs (three sizes), wash board, bosom board,' bread board, towel roller, potato masher, wooden spoons, flour sieve, chopping bowl,' soap bowl, pails, lemon squeezer, clothes wringer, clothes horse, clothes pins, clothes basket, mop, brcom, and wood box. Fig. 102. Tin Ware. — Boiler for clothes, boiler for ham, bread pan, two dish pans, preserving pan, four milk pans, two quart basins, two pint basins, two quart covered tin pails, one four-quart covered tin pail, sauce pans with covers (two sizes), two tin cups with handles, two pint molds (for rice, blanc- RECIPES FOB COOKING. 419 mange, etc.), one skimmer, two dippers (different sizes), one quart measure, pint and half -pint measures (they should be broad and low, as they are more easily kept clean), bread pans, two round jelly cake pans, two long pie pans, coffee pot, tea steeper, steamer, horse-radish grater, nutmeg grater, egg beater, cake turner, cake cutter, apple corer, potato cut- ter, flour dredge, tea canister, coffee canister, cake, bread, cracker, and cheese boxes, crumb tray, and dust pans. Iron Ware. — Range or stove, pot with steamer to fit, soup kettle, preserving kettle (porcelain), tea kettle, large and small frying pans, gem pans, iron spoons of various sizes, gridiron, griddle, waffle iron, toasting rack, meat fork, can opener, cofiee mill, flat irons, hammer, tack hammer, screw driver, and ice pick. Stone Ware. — Crocks (various sizes), bowls of pint, two quart, four quart, and six quart, six earthen baking dishes of various sizes. The basis of all good soups, is the broth of meat. This may be made by boiling the ci-acked joints of beef, veal, or mutton, and is best when cooked the day before it is to be eaten. After putting the meat into the pot, cover it with cold water and let it come to a boil, when it should be well skimmed. Set the meat where it will sunmer slowly until it is thoroughly done, keeping the pot closely covered the while. The next day, when the soup is cold; remove the fat, which will harden on the top of the soup. After this, add the vegetables and the herbs you use for seasoning, cooking all well together. Before sending to the table, the 420 OUB ROMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. soup should be strained. A good stock for soups may be made from shreds and bits of uncooked meat and bones, poultry, and the remains of game. When these are all put together and stewed down in the pot, the French term ■ it consomme, and use it chiefly in the preparation of brown soups. Soups may be varied in n>any ways, chiefly in the kinds of vegetables and diflerent seasonings used, as in herbs, burned caramel, eggs, or slices of bread fried to a crisp in butter, which impart a savory relish. Potato Soup. — Slice and fry to a nice brown 4 large on- ions in one-fourth lb. butter in a soup pot, add 4 qts. of skim- milk, have pealed and boiled a good 3 pts. of potatoes, mash them fine and reduce smooth with the milk from your soup pot; repeat this till all the potatoes are in the soup pot; just bring to a boil, and add pepper and salt to taste. Ox-Tail Soup. — Take 2 ox tails and 2 whole onions, 2 carrots, 1 small turnip, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and a little white pepper, add 1 gal. water, let all boil for 2 hours; then take out the tails and cut the meat into small pieces, return the bones to the pot for a short time, boil another hour, then strain the soup, and rinse 2 spoonfuls of arrowroot to add to it with the meat cut from the bones, and let all boil for a quarter of an hour. Beef Soup. — Cut all the lean off" the shank, and with a little beef suet in the bottom of the kettle, fry it to a nice brown; put in the bones and cover with water; cover the kettle closely; let it cook slowly until the meat drops from the bones, strain through a strainer and leave it in the dish during the night, which is the only way to get off all the fat. The day it is wanted for the table, fry as brown as RECIPES FOB SOUPS. 421 possible 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 1 very small turnip sliced thin. Just before taking up, put in one-half tea-spoonful of sugar, 1 blade of mace, G cloves, 12 kernels of allspice, 1 small tea-spoonful of celery seed, with the vegetables, this must cook slowly in the soup 1 hour, then strain again for the table. If you use vermicelli or pearl barley, soak in water. Mutton Soup. — Boil a leg of mutton 3 hours, season to your taste with salt and pepper, and add 1 tea-spoonful of summer savory; make a batter of 1 egg, 2 table-spoonfuls of mUk, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, all well beaten together; drop this batter into the soup with a spoon, and boU for 3 minutes. Oyster Soup. — Take 1 qt. of water, 1 tea-cupful of butter, 1 pt. of milk, 2 tea-spoonfuls of salt, 4 crackers rolled fine, and 1 tea-spoonful of pepper ; bring to full boUing heat as soon as possible, then add 1 qt. of oysters. Lot the whole come to a boiling heat quickly and remove from the fire. Another. — Pour 1 qt. of boiling water into a skillet, then add 1 qt. of good rich milk, stir in 1 tea-cupful of rolled cracker crumbs, season 'with pepper and salt to taste. When all come to a boil, add 1 qt. of good fresh oysters; stir well, so as to keep from scorching, then add a piece of good sweet butter about the size of an egg; let it boil up once, then remove from the fire immediately; dish up and send to table. Tomato Soup. — Boil chicken or beef 4 hours, then strain, add to the soup one can of tomatoes and boil 1 hour. This will make four quarts of soup. Vermicelli Soup. — A knuckle of lamb, a small piece of veal, and water to cover well ; when well cooked, season with salt, pepper, herbs to your taste, and a small onion, to which 422 OUR HOMES. AND TSEIB ADORNMENTS. you may add Halford or Worcestershire sauce about 1 table- spoonful. Have ready one-fourth lb. of vermicelli, which has been boiled tender, strain your soup from the meat, add the vermicelli, let it boil well and serve. Tomato Soup without Meat. — 1 qt. of tomatoes, 1 qt. of water, 1 qt. of milk. Butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook the tomatoes thoroughly in the water, have the milk scalding, (over water to prevent scorching). When the tomatoes are done, add 1 lai-ge tea-spoonful of saleratus, which will cause a violent effervescence. It is best to set the vessel in a pan before adding it, to prevent waste. When the commotion has ceased, add the milk and season- ing. When possible, it is best to use more milk than water, and cream instead of butter. The soup is eaten with crackers. This recipe is very valuable for those who keep abstinence day.s. Corn Soup. — 1 small beef bone, 2 qts. of water, 4 toma- toes, 8 ears of corn; let the meat boil a short time in the water, cut the corn from the cob and put in the cobs with the cut corn and tomatoes ; let it boil about half an hour, remove the cobs; just before serving add the milk, which should be allowed to boil for a few moments only ; season with salt and pepper. Bean Soup. — 1 pt. of beans, 4 qts. of water, small piece of fat beef, boil 3. hours and strain. If too thin add 1 table- spoonful of flour. F'oodles for Soup. — Rub into 2 eggs as much sifted flour as they will absorb, then roll out until thin as a wafei', dust over a little flour, and then roll over and over into a roll, cut off" thin slices from the edge of the roll and shake out into long strips, put them into the soup lightly and boil HOW TO COOK FISH. 423 for ten minutes, salt should be added while mixing with the flour, — about a salt-spoonful. Fish are good when the gills are red, eyes are full, and the body of the fish is firm and stifl\ After washing them well, they should be allowed to remain for a short time in salt water sufficient to cover them. Before cooking, wipe them dry, dredge lightly with flour, and season with salt and pepper. Salmon-trout and other small fish are usually fried or broiled ; all large fish should be put in a cloth, tied closely with twine, and placed in cold water, when they may be put over the fire to boil. When fish are baked, prepare them the same as for boiling, and put in the oven on a wire gridiron, over a dripping-pan. Boiled White Fish. — Lay the fish open, put it in a dripping-pan with the back down, nearly cover with water. To one fish add 2 table-spoonfuls of salt, cover tightly and simmer (not boil) one-half hour, dress with gravy, butter, and pepper, garnish with sliced eggs. For sauce, use a piece of butter the size of an egg, 1 table-spoonful of flour, one-half pt. of boiling water; boil a few minutes, and add 3 hard- boiled eggs, sliced. Sauce for Boiled Fish. — To 1 tea-cupful of milk add 1 tea-cupful of water, put it on the fire to scald, and when hot stir in 1 table-spoonful of flour, previously wet with cold water; add 2 or 3 eggs, season with salt and pepper, a little celery, vinegar, and 3 table-!3poonfuls of butter. Boil 4 or 5 eggs hard, take ofi" the shells, and cut in slices, and lay over the dish. Then pour over the sauce and serve. 424 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. Baked Black Bass. — 8 good-sized onidhs chopped fine, half that quantity of bread crumbs, butter size of hen's egg, plenty of pepper and salt, mix thoroughly with anchovy sauce until quite red. Stuff your fish with this compound and pour the rest over it, previously sprinkling it with a little red pepper. Shad, pickerel, and trout are good, cooked in the same way. Tomatoes can be used instead of an- chovies, and are more economical. If using them, take pork in place of butter and chop fine. Broiled White Fish. — Wash and drain the fish, sprinkle with pepper and lay with the inside down upon the gridiron, and broil over fresh bright coals. When a nice brown, turn for a moment on the other side, then take up and spread with butter. This is a very nice way of broiling all kinds of fish, fresh or salted. A little smoke under the fish adds to its flavor. This may be made by putting two or three cobs under the gridiron. Bels. — Skin and parboil them, cleanse the back bone of all coagulations, cut them in pieces about 3 inches in length, dip in flour, and cook in pork fat; brown. Salt Mackerel. — Soak the fish for a few hours in luke- warm water, changing the water several times; then put into cold water, loosely tied in cloths, and let the fish come to a boil, turning off the water once, and pouring over the fish hot water from the tea-kettle; let this just come to a boil, then take them out and drain them, lay them on a platter, butter and pepper them, and place them for a few moments in the oven. Serve with sliced lemons, or with any nice fish sauce. Baked Hcdihut or Salmon. — Let the fish remain in cold water, shghtly salted, for an hour before it is time to BOW TO COOK OYSTERS. 425 cook it, place the gridiron on a dripping-pan with a Httle hot water in it, and balce in a hot oven; just before it is done, butter it well on the top, and brown it nicely. The time of baking depends upon the size of the fish. A small fish will bake in about half an hour, and a large one in an hour. They are very nice when cooked as above and served with a sauce which is made from the gravy in the dripping-pan, to which is added a table-spoonful of catsup and another of some pungent sauce and the juice of a lemon. Thicken with brown flour moistened with a little cold water. Gar- nish handsomety with sprigs of parsley and current jolly. Oyster Patties. — Make some rich pufi" paste and bake it in very small tin patty -pans ; when cool, turn them out upon a large dish; stew some large fresh oysters with a few cloves, a little mace, and nutmeg; then add the yolk of one egg, boiled hard and grated ; add a little butter and as much of the oyster liquor as will cover them. When they have stewed a little while, take them out of the pan and set them to cool. When quite cold, lay two or three oysters in each shell of puff paste. Stewed Oysters. — Drain the liquor from 2 qts. of firm, plump oysters, mix with one small tea-cupful of hot water, add a little salt and pepper, and set over a fire in a sauce- pan. When it boils, add 1 large cupful of rich milk. Let it boil up once, add the oysters, and let it boil 5 minutes. When they ruflle add 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, and the instant it is melted and well stirred in, take off the fire. Broiled Oysters. — Drain the oysters well and dry them with a napkin. Have ready a griddle hot and well-but- tered, season the oysters, lay them on the griddla and brown them on both sides. Serve them on a hot plate with plenty of butter. 426 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. • Oysters a la Creme. — 1 qt. of oysters, 1 pt. of cream; put the oysters in a double kettle, cook until the milk j nice begins to flow out, drain the oysters in a strainer. Put the cream on the same way; when it comes to a boil, thicken with flour wet with milk as thick as corn starch ready to mold ; then put in the oysters and cook 5 minutes. Serve hot on toast. Escaloped Oysters. — Butter the dish, (common earthen pie plates are the best), cover the bottom of the dish with very fine bread crumbs; add a layer of oysters; season with pepper and salt; alternate the crumbs and oysters until you have three layers; finish with crumbs; cover the top with small pieces of butter; finish around the edge with bread cut into small oblong pieces dipped in butter; bake half an hour; unless shell oysters, wash them thoroughly and strain. To Fry Oysters. — Use the largest and best oysters; lay them in rows upon a clean cloth and press another upon them, to absorb the moisture; have ready several beaten eggs, and in another dish some finely crushed crackers; in the frying-pan heat enough butter to entirely cover the oys- ters ; dip the oysters first into the eggs, then into the crack- ers, rolling them over that they may become well in- crusted; drop into the frying-pan, and fry quickly to a light brown. Serve dry and let the dish be warm. A chafing dish is best. Stewed Tripe. — Select 2 lbs. of double tripe well ■.cleaned, and ^ blanched, cut in pieces of rather less than a quarter of a pound each, put in a clean stew-pan with 1 pt. of milk, and one of water, 2 tea-spoonfuls of salt, 1 tea- spoonful of pepper, 8 middle-sized onions carefully peeled; HOW TO GOOK POULTRY AND GAME. 427 set it on to boil, which it should do at first rather fast, then simmer till done, which will be in rather more than half an hour. Put it into a deep dish or tureen, and serve with the milk and onions. When poultry is brought into the kitchen for use, it should be kept as cool as possible. The best position in which to place it is with the breast downward on a shelf or marble slab. The crop should be taken out. Choose fowls with a thin, transparent skin, white and delicate. Time required to boil poultry: a chicken will take about 20 minutes, a fowl about 40 minutes, a small turkey 1 V hours, a large tui'key 2 hours or more. Preparation of Hashes, Gravies, and Sauces.- — There is nothing worse for the health or for the palate than a poor Jtask, while a good hash is not only a favorite dish in most families, but an essential article of economy and convenience. For this reason a separate article is devoted to this subject. The following are the ways in which hashes are spoiled. The first is by cooking them. Meat, when once cooked, should only be heated. If it is again .stewed or fried, it tends to make it hard or tough, and diminishes its flavor. The second is by frying the butter or gravy in which they are prepared. It has been shown that this is very injurious to the healthfulness of food. Butter and oils may be melted without changing their nature, but when cooked, they be- come much more indigestible and injurious to weak stom- achs. The third mode of injuring hashes is by putting in flour in such ways that it is not properly cooked. Flour 428 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. dredged on to hashes while they are cooking imparts the raw taste of dough. The fourth mode is by putting in so much water as to make them vapid, or else so much grease as to make them gross. The fifth is by seasoning them with so little care, that they either have very little savory taste, or else are so hot with pepper and spice as to be unhealthy. If the housekeeper will observe these cau- tions, or see that her cook does so, she may always have good and healthful hashes. Boiled Fowl. — Take a young fowl and fill the inside with oysters ; place in a jar and plunge into a kettle of water; boil IJ hours; there will be a quantity of gravy in the jar from the juice of the fowl, and the oysters; make this into a white sauce, with the addition of egg, cream, or a little flour and butter; add oysters, or serve up plain with the fowl. This is very nice with the addition of a little pars- ley to the sauce. Roast Turkey or Chicken. — Having- picked and drawn the fowls, wash them well in two or three waters; wipe them dry; dredge them with a little flour inside and out, and a little pepper and salt; prepare a dressing of bread and cracker crumbs, flU the bodies and crops of the fowls and then bake them from 2 to 3 hours ; baste them frequently while roasting ; stew the giblets in a saucepan; just before serving, chop the giblets fine; after taking up the chicken and the water in which the giblets were boiled, add the chopped giblets to the gravy of the roast fowl; thicken with' a little flour, which has been previously wet with the water ; boil up and serve in a gravy- dish. Roast chicken and tur- key should be accompanied with celery and jellies. To Boil a Turkey. — Make a stuffing for the craw of HOW TO COOK POULTRY AND GAME. 429 chopped bread and butter, cream, oysters, and the yolks of eggs ; sew it in, and dredge flour over the turkey, and put it to boiL in cold water, with a spoonful of salt in it, and enough water to cover it well; let it simmer for 2| hours, or if small, less time; skim, it Avhile boiling. It looks nicer if wrapped in a cloth dredged with flour; serve it with drawn butter, in which put some oysters. Roast Chickens.— Wash, them clean outside and inside, stuff as directed for turkeys, and baste with butter, lard, or drippings, and roast them about an hour. Chickens should be cooked thoroughly. Stew the inwards till tender and till there is but little water, chop them and mix in gravy from the dripping-pan, thicken with brown flour, season with salt, pepper, and butter. Cranberry or new- made apple sauce is good with them. Baked Chicken.- — Cut the fowl open and lay it flat in a pan, breaking down the breast and the back bones, dredge with flour and season well with salt and pepper and bits of butter ; put in a very hot oven until done, bast- ing frequently with melted butter, or when half done take out the chicken and finish by broiling it upon a gridiron over bright coals; pour over it melted butter and the juices in the pan in which it was baked. Dressing for Chicken or Turkey. — Chop bread crumbs quite fine, season well with pepper, salt, and plenty of butter, moisten with a very little water, and add a few oysters with a little of the liquor, if you please. The best authorities say the dressing is the finest when it crumbles as the fowl is cut. Dressing for Turkey. — One pint of soaked bread, 2 table-spoonfuls of sage, 2 table-spoonfuls of summer savory, 430 OUR E0ME8 AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 2 tea-spoonfuls of salt, 2 tea-spoonfuls of pepper, butter the size of an egg. Fried Chicken. — Cut the chicken in pieces, lay it in salt and water, changing the water several times, roll each piece in flour, fry in very hot lard or butter, season with salt and pepper, fry parsley with it also. Make a gravy of cream seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little mace, thickened with a little flour in the pan in which the chicken was fried, pour- ing off the lard. Curry. — To make curiy with rabbit, chicken, or any other meat, flour the meat and f ly it a nice light brown, fry also 2 large onions in the same way, mix a table-spoonful of curry powder, and a small quantity of cayenne in a tea-cup, with warm water, to the consistency of cream, and cover every part of the meat with the mixture; have ready some nice stock or thin gravy, put all together in a stew-pan, and let it stew gently 20 minutes ; before serving, slice 2 or 3 apples, let them stew away; this addition is thought to be a great improvement as it makes the curry milder. Some rice should be boiled very dry and served around the dish. CJncken Pie. — Stew chickens until tender, line the sides of a deep pie dish with nice pastry, put in the chicken and the water in which it has boiled (which should be but half a pint), season with a large piece of butter, salt, and pepper, and then cover loosely with crust. While this is baking, have ready a quart can of fine oysters, put on the fire 1 pt. of rich milk (or the liquor of the oysters will do), let it come to a boil, thicken with a little flour, and season with butter, pepper, and salt; pour this over the oysters boiling hot; and about fifteen minutes before the pie is done, lift the crust and pour the oysters and all into the pie, then return to the oven to finish. HOW TO COOK POULTRY AND GAME. 431 To Roast Wild Fowl. — Put an onion, salt, and hot water into a pan, and baste for 10 or 15 minutes; change the pan, put in a slice of salt pork, and baste with butter and pork drippings very often, just before serving dredge lightly with flour and baste. Ducks take from 25 to 35 minutes to roast, and woodcocks and snipes 15 to 25. Do not draw or take off the heads of either. Garnish with fried or toasted bread, lemon, pai-sley, and cui-rant jelly. Ducks. — When roasted, use dressing as for turkey, with the addition of a few slices of onion. Many cooks lay over the game slices of onion, which take away the fishy flavor, removing the onion before serving. Make a sauce with the dripping-s in the pan in which the game is roasted, and to which are put the chopped giblets, being previously well cooked; thicken the gravy with brown flour, moistened with water. Serve with currant jelly. Prairie Chickens, Partridges, and Quails. — Clean nicely, using a little soda in the water in which they are washed, rinse them and dry, and then fill them with dressing, sewing them up nicely, binding down the legs and wings with cords. Put them in a steamer over hot water, and let them cook until just done. Then place them in a pan with a little butter, set them in the oven and baste them frequently with melted butter until of a nice brown. They ought to brown nicely in about 15 minutes. Serve them on a platter, with sprigs of pai-sley alternating with currant jelly. Quail on Toast. — After the birds are nicely cleaned, cut them open down the back, salt and pepper them, and dredge with flour. Break down the breast and back bones, so they will lie flat, and place them in a pan with very little water and butter in a hot oven, covering them up tightly 432 OUB HOMES AND^THEIR ADORNMENTS. until nearly done. Then place them in a spider in hot butter, and fry a moment to a nice brown. Have ready slices of baker's bread, toasted and slightly buttered upon a platter. The toast should be broken down with a carving knife so that it will be tender. On this place the quail, make a sauce of the gravy in the pan, thicken slightly with browned floui', and pour over each quail and the toast. •Pigeon Pie. — Make a fine puif paste, lay a border of it around a large dish, and cover the bottom with a veal cutlet, or a very tender steak free from fat and bone, season with salt, cayenne pepper, and mace. Prepare as many pigeons as can be put in one layer of the dish, put in each pigeon a small lump of butter, and season with pepper and salt; lay them in the dish breast downward, and cut in slices half a dozen of hard boiled eggs, and lay in with the birds ; put in more butter, some veal broth, and cover the whole with crust. Bake slowly 1| hours. All salt meat should be put on in cold water, that the salt may be extracted while cooking. Fresh meat, which is boiled to be served with sauces at the table, should be put to cook in boiling water ; when the outer fibers contract, the inner juices are preserved. For making soup, put the meat over in cold water, to extract the juices for the broth. In boiling meats, if more water is needed, add that which is hot, and be careful to keep the water on the meat con- stantly boiling. HOW TO COOK MEATS. 433 Remove the scum when it first begins to boil. The more gently meat boils, the more tender it will become. Allow twenty minutes for boiling each pound of fresh meat. Roast meats requii-e a brisk fire. Baste often. Twenty minutes is required for roasting each pound of fresh meat, The variation in roasted meats consists simply in the method of preparing them to cook, before putting them in the oven. Some are to be larded, some stuffed with bread dressing, and othei's plain, only seasoning with pepper and salt. A piece of red pepper, cooked in a boiled dinner, is very nice. Roast Beef. — Prepare for the oven by dredging hghtly with flour, and seasoning with salt and pepper ; place m the oven, and baste frequently while roasting. Allow a quarter of an hour for a pound of meat, if you like it rare ; longer if you Hke it well done. Serve with a sauce, made from the drippings in the pan, to which has been added 1 table- spoonful of Halford or Worcestershire sauce and 1 table- spoonful of tomato catsup. Beefsteak and Mushrooms. — Put in a saucepan 1 oz. of butter, 1 small onion chopped fine, a little ground sage, and a little thyme, and put it over the fire ; when hot, shake in 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and when it becomes brown, pub in 1 gill of water, and let it boil for half an hour. Then add 3 table-spoonfuls of beef stock, a little salt, a little nut- meg and one wine-glass of sherry wine. Put in one can of mushrooms, and let it boil for 10 minutes. Pour this over a nicely broiled beefsteak. To Boil domed Beef. — Put the beef in water enough to cover it, and let it heat slowly and boil slowly, and be careful to take off the grease. Many think it much im- 28 434 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. proved by boiling potatoes, turnips, and cabbages with it. In this case the vegetables must be peeled and all the grease carefully skimmed as fast as- it rises. Allow about 20 min- utes of boiling for each pound of meat. To Cooh a Ham. — Boil a common-sized ham 4 or 5 hours, then skin the Avhole and fit it for the table. Set it in. an oven for half an hour, then cover 'it thickly with pounded rusk or bread crumbs, and set it back for half an hour. Boiled ham is always improved by setting it into an oven for nearly an hour, till much of the fat fries out; this also makes it more tender. S'pieed Beef. — 4 lbs. of round of beef chopped fine, all fat being removed ; add 3 doz. small crackers rolled fine, 4 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 table-spoonful of ground mace, 2 table- spoonfuls of black pepper, 1 table-spoonful of melted butter; mix well and put in any tin pan that it will just fiU, pack- ing it well; baste with butter and water, and bake 2 hours in a slow oven. To Corn Beef. — To each gallon of cold water, put 1 qt. rock salt, 1 oz. salt-petre and 4 oz. brown sugar, (it need not be boiled), as long as any salt remains undissolved, the meat will be sweet. If any scum should rise, scald and skim well; add more salt, salt-petre, and sugar; as you put each piece of meat into the brine, rub over with salt. If the weather is hot, gash the meat to the bone, and put it in salt. Put a flat stone or some weight on the meat to keep it under the brine. Fielded Pork Equal to Fresh. — Let the meat cool thor- oughly, cut into pieces four to six inches wide, ;weigh them, and pack as tight as possible, salting lightly. Cover the meat with brine as strong as possible. Next day pour off HOW TO COOK MEATS. 435 a gallon of the brine and mix with it a table-spoonful of salt-peter for every hundred pounds of meat, and return it to the barrel. Let it stand one month, take out the meat and let it drain 12 hours. Put the brine into an iron kettle, add 1 qt. molasses or 2 lbs. sugar, and boil till clear. When cold return the meat to the barrel and pour on the brine. Cover it close, and you will have the sweetest meat you ever tasted. Mutton Chops. — Cut them nicely, clearing away all ragged ends and edges; fry for a few moments covered closely, and then dip each piece in cracker crumbs and beaten egg, or you may prepare them as for frying; then, lay them in a dripping-pan, and put into the oven to bake;- baste frequently with a little melted butter and water. Roast Veal. — Prepare a leg of veal for the oven by washing, drying, and larding it with strips of fat bacon or ham, and dredging it well with flour, and seasoning with salt and pepper; baste frequently and serve with the gravy thickened. A roast fiUet of veal should be prepared by stuffing it with bread crumbs, seasoned with chopped ham, summer savory, pepper and salt. Dredge lightly with flour and bake. Fried Calf's Liver. — Cut in thin slices, wash and drain, roll them in corn meal or cracked crumbs, and fry in fresh or salt pork gravy or butter. To Cook Sliced Earn. — Cut raw ham in slices, soak in scalding water half an hour, lay your slices in a frying-pan, pepper each, and lay on each slice a little made mustard; pour in half a tea-spoonful of vinegar to each slice; fry quickly, turn often. When done take out, serve on a dish, add to the gravy 1 spoonful of wine, (if you have any 436 OUH HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. handy), and 1 tea-spoonful of sugar. Boil up once, pour over your ham, and serve. Baked Ham. — Most persons boil ham. It is much bet- ter baked, if baked right. Soak it for an hour in clean water and wipe it dry, next spread it all over with thin batter, and then put it into a deep dish with sticks under it to keep it out of the gravy. When it is fully done and the batter crusted on the flesh side, take off the skin and set it away to cool. To Boil Ham. — Wash and scrape the ham clean; put it on in cold water enough to cover it; put into the water 2 onions, 2 carrots, a head of celery, a dozen cloves and a 'handful of timothy hay ; boil without stopping until the skin will readily peel from the ham ; cover the ham with rolled crackers, or bread crumbs that have been browned and rolled, and bake in a slow oven for 2 hours. Chicken Salad. — Three chickens chopped fine, both light and dark meat, the juice of two lemons,. 8 or 10 eggs boiled hard, the whites chopped fine and the yolks mashed fine, moisten with 6 tea-spoonfuls melted butter, 2 tea-spoonfuls sweet oil; to which add 1 table-spoonful of mustard, 1 of pepper, 1 of salt, 1 of sugar, 3 of cream; and last, add 6 large bunches of celery chopped fine, with sufficient vinegar to moisten the whole. Chicken Salad, No. 2. — Boil one chicken tender, then take the meat and chop up, take 2 table-spoonfuls of mus- tard, 3 eggs boiled hard, chop the whites with the chickens, rub the yolks up fine with the mustard, 1 table-spoonful of SALADS, SAUCES, AND PICKLES. 437 salt, 3 table-spoonfuls melted butter, 1 table-spoonful black pepper, vinegar enough to moisten it, chop 3 heads of celery to one chicken, mix all together and serve. Fish Salad. — Boil tender a white-fish or trout; chop fine; add same quantity chopped celery, cabbage, or lettuce; season same as chicken salad. Cabbage Salad. — First prepare the cabbage by letting it stand for some time in cold water, in order to make it crisp ; dry well and shave as finely as possible. Choose a firm, white cabbage. Dressing: Rub together a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and 1 table-spoonful of flour; stir in 2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and scald for 1 minute; then add the yolk of 1 egg (beaten) and two table-spoonfuls of cream ; salt and pepper to taste. Salad Dressing.— T\ie yolk of 4 eggs, two-thirds of a cup of gU, red pepper, salt and mustard to taste, the juice of 2 lemons, and last of all, 1 cup of thick cream. If the dressing is for chicken salad, use the oil or fat from the chicken instead of sweet oil. Be sure and put the cream in last, just before sendmg to the table. Mint Sauce. — Mix 1 table-spoonful of white sugar to haK a tea-cup of good vinegar; add the mint and let it in- fuse for half an hour in a cool place before sending to the table. Serve with roast lamb or mutton. Celery Sauce. — Mix 2 table-spoonfuls of flour with half a tea-cup of butter; have ready a pint of boiling milk; stir the flour and butter into the milk ; take 3 heads of celery, cut into small bits, and boil for a few minutes in water, then strain it off; put the celery into the melted butter, and keep it stirred over the fire for 5 or 10 minutes. This is very nice with boiled fowl or turkey. 4,38 OUB SOMES AND TBEIB ADORNMENTS. Egg Sauce. — Take the yolks of 2 eggs boiled hard; mash them with' 1 tea-spoonful of mustard, a little pepper and salt, 3 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and 3 of sweet oil. A table-spoonful of catsup improves this for some. Nice for boiled fish. Tomato Sauce. — 36 ripe tomatoes, 6 green peppers, 2 onions chopped fine, 2 cups of sugar, 2 table-spoonfuls of salt, 2 tea-spoonfuls of ground cloves, 2 tea-spoonfuls of mustard, 2 tea-spoonfuls of cinnamon, and 2 cups of vinegar ; boil half a day. Fish Sauce. — ^ lb. of fresh butter, 1 table-spoonful of finely chopped parsley, a little salt and pepper, and the juice of 2 lemons. Cream the butter; mix all well togrether, adding at the least 1 tea-spoonful of mayonaise. Less lemon juice may be used if preferred. Tomato Mustard. — 1 peck of ripe tomatoes; boil with 2 onions, 6 red peppers, and 4 cloves of garlic, for 1 hour; then add one-half pt. or one-half lb. salt, 3 table-spoonfuls black pepper, one-half oz. ginger, one-half oz. allspice, one-half oz. mace, one-half oz. cloves ; then boil again for 1 hour longer, and when cold add 1 pt. vinegar and one- quarter pound of mustard; and if you like it very hot, a table-spoonful of cayenne. Hprse-Radish Sauce. — 2 tea-spoonfuls of made mustard, 2 of white sugar, one-half tea-spoonful of salt, and a gill of vinegar; mix and pour over grated horse-radish. Excellent with beef. French Pudding Sauce. — Beat 4 oz. butter to a cream; stir in one-quarter oz. brown sugar; add the yolk of 1 egg and 1 gill of wine; put it on the stove, stirring all the time till if simmers. Grate nutmeg over it before send- ing it to the table. ■ SALADS, SAUCES, AND PIOKLES. 439 Tomato Catsup. — Boil the tomatoes until quite soft, and rub them well through a sieve; to every quart add 2 oz. shalots and large red peppei-s, or 1 tea-spoonful cayenne pep- per, 1 oz. bruised ginger, 1 spoonful salt, a few cloves; boU until reduced one-third; 10 minutes before taking off the fire add one-half pt. of vinegar to each quart. Fielded Cherries. — 5 lbs. of cherries, stoned or not, 1 qt. of vinegar, 2 lbs. of sugar, one-half oz. of cinnamon, one- half oz. of cloves, one-half oz. of mace; boil the sugar and vinegar and spices together, (grind the spices and tie them in a muslin bag), and pour hot over the cherries. Spiced Currants to he Eaten with Meats. — 4 qts. cur- rants, 1 pt. of vinegar, 3 lbs. of sugar, 1 table-spoonful cin- namon, 1 of allspice, 1 of cloves, 1 of nutmeg; cook 1 hour; keep in a cool place, tightly covered. Green-Tomato Picldes. — Cut one-half pk. of green tomatoes and 6 large onions into thin slices; let them remain in salt and water over night; then pour off the brine and put them in a preserving kettle with 4 table-spoonfuls of sugar, 4 of the best mustard, two tea-spoonfuls of ground cloves, 2 of cinnamon, 1 of cayenne pepper, and one of curry powder, and let them simmer for 1 hour; then put them in stone or glass jars. Pickled Cabbage. — Select solid heads, slice very fine, put into ajar, cover with boiling water; when cold, drain off the water, and season with grated horse-radish, salt, equal parts of black and red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves whole; cover with strong vinegar. This is convenient and always good. Spiced Tomatoes. — To 4 lbs. of large red tomatoes, take 2 lbs. of good brown sugar, 1 pt. of cider vinegar, one-half 440 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. oz. cloves, and one-half oz. of stick cinnamon; stew all to- gether in a preserving- kettle until the tomatoes are oooked; take the tomatoes out and put them on dishes to cool, letting the syrup go on simmering slowly; when the tomatoes are cold, return them to the syrup for a little while; let them become cold before putting them into the jars. The syrup must be boiled down as thick as molasses, and poured cold over the tomatoes; tie them down with bladder or waxed paper. Chow Chow. — 2 qts. tomatoes, 2 white onions, one-half doz. green peppers, 1 doz. cucumbers, 2 heads of cabbage, all chopped fine; let this stand over night; sprinkle a tea- cup of salt in it. In the morning drain off the brine, and season with 1 table-spoonful celery seed, 1 oz. turmeric, one- half tea-spoonful cayenne pepper, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 oz. cinnamon, 1 oz. allspice, 1 oz. black pepper, one fourth oz. cloves, vinegar enough to cover; boil 2 hours. Ripe Tomato Picldes. — To 7 lbs. of ripe tomatoes add 3 lbs. sugar, 1 qt. vinegar; boil them together 15 minutes; skim out the tomatoes and boil the syrup a few minutes longer; spice to suit the taste with cloves and cinnamon. Tomatoes Whole for Winter Use. — Fill a large stone jar with ripe tomatoes, then add a few whole cloves and a little sugar ; cover them well with one-half cold vinegar and one-half water; place a piece of flannel over the jar, well down into the vinegar, then tie down with paper. I have kept tomatoes in this way the year round, and can cheer- fully recommend them. Should mildew collect on the flan- nel it will not injure the tomatoes in the least. Pickled Oysters. — Wash the oysters and scald them in strong salt and water; skim them out and throw into cold BELISSES. 441 water; scald whole peppers well in vinegar; let it get cold. Put the oysters in a stone jar; make liquor to cover them of the water they were scalded in, and vinegar. A cup of vine- gar to one quart liquor, to be used cold. Scramhled Eggs. — ^Beat up 6 eggs with 2 oz. of butter, 1 table-spoonful of cream of new milk, a little chopped pars- ley, and salt; put aU in a saucepan, and keep stirring over the fire until it begins to thicken, when it should be imme- diately dished on buttered toast. French Toast. — To 1 egg thoroughly beaten, put 1 cup of sweet milk and a little salt. Slice light bread, and dip into the mixture, allowing each slice to absorb some of the milk, then brown on a hot buttered griddle, spread with butter, and serve hot. Breakfast Steak. — A nice steak of beef or veal; pound it, if tough, with a steak mallet; lay in a baking tin, dredge it lightly with flour, season with salt and pepper, and, if you like, a little chopped parsley ; then put into the oven and bake for 20 or 30 minutes, or until sufficiently well done; put it on the platter, spread with butter. Dredge into the juices of the meat in the baking pan a little flour, and sea- son with butter; let this boil up and pour over the steak. ThLs is very nice. A Nice Breakfast Dish. — Mince cold beef or lamb; if beef, put in a pinch of pulverized cloves; if lamb, a prach of summer savory to season it, very little pepper and some salt, and put it into a baking dish; mash potatoes and mix them with cream and butter and a little salt, and spread 442 OUR BOMBS AND THEIR ADORNMENT^ them over the meat; beat up an egg with cream or milk, a very little ; spread it over the potatoes, and bake it a short time, sufficient to warm it through and brown the potatoes. Rice Cakes. — 1 tea-cup of soft boiled rice, the yolk of 1 egg, a pinch of salt, 2 table-spoonfuls of sifted flour, beaten well, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and gravy; lay pie crust round the edge of the platter, and cover the same; bake a nice brown in. the oven. To Steto Mushrooms. — Peel them and put them to stew in some milk till tender ; when sufiiciently done, add to them some butter and flour mixed together, a little cayenne, and some salt; part cream instead of milk will improve them. Excellent Omelet. — 6 eggs, whites and yolks beaten sep- arately; one-half pint of milk, 6 tea-spoonfuls of corn starch, 1 tea-spoonful of baking powder, and a little salt; add the whites, beaten to a stifi" froth, last; cook in a little butter. Cheese Scollop. — Soak 1 cup of dry bread crumbs in fresh milk. Beat into this 3 eggs ; add 1 table-spoonful of butter and one-half pound of grated cheese ; strew upon the top sifted bread crumbs, and bake in the oven a delicate brown. An excellent relish when eaten with thin slices of bread and butter. White Corn Bread. — 1 pt. of meal thoroughly scalded with hard boiling water ; butter the size of an egg, and 1 well -beaten egg; add milk to make it just thin enough to flow over the pan. Have the batter an inch thick, and then bake. PUDDINGS. 443 ^U^hbvUK^. Suet Puddings. — 2 cups of chopped suet, 2 of raisins, 2 of molasses, 4 of flour, 1 of milk, 3 toa-spoopfuls of baking- powder; boil 3 J hours; eat while hot. Sauce for same: 1 cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, 1 egg, 1 table-spoonful of wine or vinegar; beat 15 minutes and heat to a scald. English Fniit Pudding. — 1 lb. currants, 1 lb. stoned raisins, 1 lb. sugar, 1 lb. suet, 2 lbs. grated or soaked bread, 6 eggs, one-half tea-spoonful saleratus, 1 tea-spoonful salt, and 1 grated nutmeg; crumb the soft part of the bread fine; soak the crust with boiling milk, or water will do; beat up the eggs and put all together, mix thoroughly with the hands ; take a square piece of cotton cloth and lay it in a tin pan, put the pudding into the cloth and tie down close; put into a pot of boiling water, and boil 5 hours; as the water boUs away, keep adding more. Chocolate Pudding. — 1 qt. milk, 3 table-spoonfuls sugar, 4 table-spoonfuls corn starch, 2^ table-spoonfuls chocolate; scald the milk over hot water; dissolve the corn starch in a little scalded milk, and before it thickens add the chocolate dissolved in boiUng water; stir until suiSciently cooked. Use with cream, or sauce of butter and sugar stirred to a cream. Cottage Pudding. — 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of sweet milk, 1 pt. of flour, 2 table-spoonfuls of melted butter, 1 tearspoon- f ul of soda, 2 tea-spoonfuls of cream tartar, 1 Qgg. Rice and Apple Pudding.: — 1 cup rice boUed very soft, stir well to keep from burning; 8 large apples, stewed; press the pulp through a sieve, mix it thoroughly with the rice; add half a tea-spoonful of butter and yolks of two eggs 444 OUR HOMES AND THEIB. ADORNMENTS. •well beaten; sweeten to taste. Bake. Beat the whites of the eggs and put on top. It is nicer almost cold. Baked Indian Pudding. — 2 qts. scalded milk with salt, IJ cups Indian meal (yellow); 1 table-spoonful of ginger, letting this stand 20 minutes; 1 cup molasses, 2 eggs (sal- eratus, if no eggs), a piece of butter the size of a common walnut. Bake 2 hours. Splendid. Sago and Apple Pudding. — Boil a cup of sago in water with a little cinnamon, a cup of sugar, lemon fla- voring; cut apples into thin slices, mix them with the sago; after it is well boiled, add a small piece of butter; pour iato pudding dish and bake half an hour. Orange Pudding. — Peel and cut five good oranges into thin slices, taking out all seeds ; put over them a coffee cup of fine white sugar. Let a pint of milk get boiling hot, by setting in hot water; add the yolks of 3 eggs well beaten, 1 table-spoonful of corn starch made smooth in a little cold milk; stir all the time, and as soon as it thickens pour it over the fruit. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, add a table-spoon- ful of sugar, and spread it over the top for frosting; set in the oven a minute to harden. Can be eaten hot, but is best ,coid. Floating Island. — Put a quart of mUk to boil, su- gar, salt, and flavoring to taste; separate 3 eggs; beat the whites to a stiff froth ; drop them in the boiling milk from a table-spoon, letting them remain half a second; then take 2^ table-spoonfuls of corn starch ; put it into the boil- ing milk, let it remain 5 minutes, then add the yolks, let it boil 2 minutes, and take it off' to cool, then place it in a glass dish, and drop the whites upon it with a spoonful of currant jelly on each. PUDDING SAUCES AND PIES. 445 ^X^bb\ Wine Sauce. — 2 tea-cups of sugar, 1 tea-cup of butter, stir to a cream, beat 2 eggs very light, and stir all together, add 1 cup of wine, mix and set on top of tea-kettle of boil- ing "water. It must not be put on the stove, nor boil. Pudding Sauce. — 2 eggs well beaten, 1 cup pulverized sugar. When mixed pour over 1 cup boiling milk, and stir rapidly. Flavor as you please. Hard Sauce for Pudding, Rice, etc. — Take 1 tea-cup sugar, one-half tea-cup butter, stir together until light, fla- vor with wine or essence of lemon. Smooth the top with a knife, ajid grate nutmeg over it. Fine Puff Pastry. — 1 lb. of flour, a little more for roll- ing-pin and board, and half a pound of butter and half a pound of lard. Cut the butter and lard through the flour (which should be sifted) into small thin shells and mix with sufficient ice-water to roll easily. Avoid kneading it, and use the hands as little as pos.sible in mixing. Plainer Pastry. — 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of lard, a little salt, cut through the flour and mix lightly together. Some cooks mix the lard through the flour first, and then mix with water and roll out. Cut the batter into thin sheets, fold over and lay aside, cutting off" from the roll what is used for the bottom or top crust as wanted. Lemon Pie. — The juice and grated rind of 1 lemon, 1 cup of water, 1 table-spoonful corn starch, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg. 446 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADOBNMENTS. and a piece of butter the size of a small egg; boil the water, wet the corn starch with a little cold water and stir it in ; when it boils up, pour it on the sugar and butter; after it cools add the egg and lemon. Bake with upper and under crust. Pumpkin Pie. — 1 qt. of strained pumpkins, 2 qts. rich milk, 1 tea-spoonful of salt, and 2 of ginger, cooked with the pumpkins; 6 well-beaten eggs, and 1| tea-cups of sugar. Mince Pie. — 3 cups chopped cooked meat, 6 cups of apples chopped fine; make moist with boiled cider and -sweeten with molasses or dark sugar; spice to your taste using cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and a very little black pepper; put currents and raisins into the pies when ready to bake. Another: — 3 lbs. of raisins, stone and chop them a little; 3 lbs. of currants, 3 lbs. of sugar, 3 lbs. of suet chopped very fine, 2 oz. candied lemon peel, 2 oz. of candied orange peel, 6 large apples grated, 1 oz. of cinna- mon, 2 nutmegs, the juice and grated rinds of three lemons, and one-half pt. of brandy. Excellent. Rhubarb Pie. — 1 cup of stewed pie-plant, 1 cup of sugar, 1 table-spoonful of flour, yolk of 1 egg; flavor with lemon; beat all together thoroughly. Do n't use pie-plant too hot for fear it will cook the egg-. Bake with just an under crust, and use the white of an egg for frosting. Cocoanut Pie.— One-half lb. of grated cocoanut, three- quarters of a pound of white sugar, 6 ounces of butter, 5 eggs (the whites only), 2 table-spoonfuls rose-water, 1 tea- spoonful nutmeg. Cream the butter and sugar, beat till very light, and add the rose-water; then add the cocoanut HOW TO MAKE PIES. 447 with as little and light beating as possible; finally whip in the stiffened whites of the eggs with a few skillful strokes and bake at once in open shells. Eat cold with powdered sugar sifted over them. These are very pretty and delicious pies. Cream Pie. — Boil nearly 1 pint of new milk; take 2 small table-spoonfuls of corn starch beaten with a little milk; to this add 2 eggs; when the milk has boiled, stir this in slowly with 1 scant tea-cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, and 2 tea-spoonfuls of lemon. Cakes: 3 eggs, 1 cup of white sugar, 11 cups of flour, 1 tea-spoonful of baking- powder, mix it in flour; 3 table-spoonfuls of cold water; bake in two pie pans in a quick oven; split the cake while hot, and spread in the cream. Cranberry Tart. — Take cranberries, pick and wash them in several waters, and put them into a dish with the juice of half a lemon, one-quarter of a pound of moist sugar or pounded loaf sugar to 1 qt. of cranberries ; caver it with puff paste or short crust, and bake it three-quarters of an houf. If short crust is used, draw it from the oven 5 minutes before it is done, and ice it ; return it to the oven, and send it to the table cold. Custard Pie. — Make a custard of the yolks of 3 eggs with milk, season to taste; bake it in an ordinary crust; put it in a brick oven, that the crust may not "be heavy, and as soon as that is heated remove it to a place in an oven of a more moderate heat, that the custard may bake slowly and not curdle; when done, beat the whites to a froth; add sugar and spread over the top, and return to the oven to brown slightly; a small pinch of salt added to a cus- tard heightens the flavor; a little soda in the crust prevents it from being heavy. Very nice. 448 OUB HOMES AND THMIB ADORNMENTS. Cu^cto/tbA, ©-to. Rice Custard. — To half a cup of rice, add 1 qt. of milk and a little salt; steam 1 hour, or untU quite soft; beat the yolks of 4 eggs with 4 table-spoonfuls of white sugar; add this just before taking off the rice; stir in thoroughly, but do not let it boil any more; flavor with vanilla. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, with sugar; after putting the mixture into the pudding dish in which you serve it, put the whites over it, and let it slightly brown in the oven. Boiled Custard. — 2 table-spoonfuls of corn starch to 1 qt. of milk; mix the corn starch with a small quantity of the milk and flavor it; beat up 2 eggs. Heat the remainder of the milk to near boiling, then add the mixed corn starch, the eggs, 4 table-spoonfuls of sugar, a little butter and salt. Boil it 2 minutes, stirring briskly. Apple Custard. — Take 6 tart apples, pare and quarter them, put into a baking dish with 1 cup of water ; cook until tender, but not to pieces, then turn them into a pudding disband sprinkle sugar over to cover them; beat 8 eggs with sugar, mix with them 3 pts. of milk and a little nut- meg; turn it over the apples, and bake 25 minutes. Trifle. — Slice sponge cake into thin layers spread with jam, soak in brandy or wine; put into a deep dish; make a thin custard of 1 qt. milk and 3 eggs; sweeten to taste, and pour over the cake. Take one-quarter pound almonds, pour boiling water on them so as to remove the peel, cut fine, and sprinkle over the custard; take 1 pt. of cream, whipped and sweetened, and lay over the custard. Cocoanut Drops. — To one grated cocoanut, add half its BREAD -MAKING. 449 weight in sugar and the white of one egg, cut to a stiff froth ; mix thoroughly and drop on buttered white paper or tin sheets. Bake 15 minutes. A Nice Dessert JDish. — Fill a quart bowl with alternate layers of thinly sliced red apples and sugar, and add half a cup of water, cover with a saucer, held in place by a weight; bake slowly three hours; let it stand until cold, and you wUl turn out a round mass of clear red slices, im- bedded in firm jelly. For an accompaniment to a dessert of blanc mange, rennet custard, cold rice pudding, or sim- ilar dishes, or even with nice bread and butter, there is nothing better. Chocolate Caramels. — 1 cup of grated chocolate, 3 cups of sugar, 1 cup of molasses, 1 cup of milk, and a small piece of butter. Boil for about 20 minutes, stirring all the time; pour into a buttered pan, and when nearly cold mark off in small squares. Charlotte Russe. — Take 1 qt. of thin cream, sweeten and flavor, whip the cream until all is a froth ; then take half a box of gelatine, put in as little cold water as possible to soak, and set on the stove to melt; let the gelatine cool before putting into the cream. Have a dish ready lined with cake or lady-fingers, pour the cream iato it, and set on ice until ready for use. In the composition of good bread there are three impor- tant requisites, — ^good flour, good yeast, and strength to knead it well. Flour should be white and dry, crumbling easily again after it is pressed in the hand. 29 450 OUB BOMBS AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. A very good method of ascertaining the quality of yeast ■will be to add a little flour to a very small quantity, setting it in a warm place. If in the course of 10 or 15 minutes it rises, it will do to use. When you make bread, first set the sponge with warm milk or water, keeping it in a warm place until quite light. Then mold this sponge by adding flour into one large loaf, kneading it well. Set this to rise again, and when suffi- ciently light mold it into smaller loaves, let it rise again, then bake. Care should be taken not to get the dough too stiff with flour; it should be as soft as it can be to knead well. To make bread or biscuits a nice color, wet the dough over the top with water just before putting into the oven. The flour should always be sifted. Yeast. — 6 good potatoes grated raw, a little hop tea, 1 qt. of boiluig water, three-fourths cup of brown sugar, one- half tea-spoonful of salt; when cold, add yeast to make it rise. Keep it covered and in a cool place. Another. — Put 2 table-spoonfuls of hops into a muslin bag and boil them in 3 qts. of water for a few minutes; have ready 1 qt. of hot mashed potatoes, put in 1 cup of flour, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and 1 of salt; pour over the mixture the boiling hop water, strain through a colander, put 1 pt. or less of fresh baker's yeast, or 2 cakes of yeast, in while it is warm, and set it in a warm place to rise. This yeast will keep 3 or 4 weeks, if set in a cool place. In mak- ing it from time to time, use a bowl of the same to raise the fresh with. Boston Brown Bread. — To make 1 loaf: Rye meal un- sifted, half a pt. ; Indian meal sifted, 1 pt. ; sour milk 1 pt. ; molasses half a gill. Add 1 tea-spoonful of salt, 1 tea-spoon- BREAD -MAKING. 451 fill of soda dissolved in a little hot water, stir well, put in a greased pan, let it rise 1 hour, and steam 4 hours. Bread. — Take 4 qts. of sifted flour, 1 tea-cupful of yeast, a pinch of salt, and wet with warm milk and water till stifl" enough to knead. Work it on the board until it requires no more flour. If made at night the bread will be light enough to work over and put in pans early in the morning. This quantity will make two large loaves. One-third of the lump may be taken for rolls, which can be made by work- ing in butter the size of an egg, and setting aside to rise again; when light the second time make out in oblong shapes; cover them with a cloth and let them rise again. As soon as they break apart, bake in a quick oven. They wiU not fail to be nice if they are baked as soon as they seam. This is the great secret of white, flaky rolls. Two or three potatoes will improve the bread. Good housekeep- ers always have flour sifted in readiness for use, and never use it in any other way. Muffins. — 1 table-spoonful of batter, 2 table-spoonfuls sugar, 2 eggs; stir all together; add 1 cup of sweet milk, 3 tea-spoonfuLs of baking powder, flour to make a stifl" bat- ter. Bake 20 minutes in a quick oven. Waffles. — 1 qt. of sweet or sour milk, 4 eggs, two-thirds of a cup of butter, one-half a tea-spoonful of salt, 3 tea-spoon- fuls of baking powder; flour enough to make a nice batter. If you use sour milk leave out the baking powder and use 2 tea-spoonfuls of soda. Splendid. Corn Bread. — One-half pt. of buttermilk, one-half pt. of sweet milk, sweeten the sour milk with one-half tea- spoonful of soda; beat 2 eggs, whites and yolks together; pour the.milk into the eggs, then thicken with about 9 table- 452 OVB EOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. spoonfuls of sifted corn meal. Put the pan on the stove with a piece of lard the size of an egg; when melted, pour it in the batter. By stirring this lard it will grease the pan to bake in. Add a tea-apoonful of salt. Graham, Biscuits. — 1 qt. of Graham flour, 3^ heaping tea-spoonfuls of baking powder, 1 tea-spoonful of salt, and 1 of butter. Make into soft dough with milk. Soda Biscuits. — To each qt. of flour add 1 table-spoon- ful of shortening, one-half tea-spoonful of salt, and 3J heap- ing tea-spoonfuls of good baking powder; mix baking powder thoroughly through the flour, then add the other ingredients. Do not knead, and bake quick. To use cream tartar and soda, take the same proportions without the baking powder, using insteaid 2 heaping tea-spoonfuls cream tartar and 1 of soda. If good they will bake in five minutes. Strawberry Shortcake. — Make good biscuit crust, bake in two tins of same shape and size, mix berries with plenty of sugar, open the shortcake, butter well and place the berries in layers, alternated with the crust; have the top layer of berries, and over all put charlotte russe or whipped cream. Orange Shortcake. — Make a nice shortcake, spread in layers of sliced oranges with sugar and a little cream. To be eaten with sweetened cream. Apple Fritters. — 1 tea-cupful of sweet milk, 1 table- spoonful of sweet light dough, dissolved in milk, 3 eggs beaten separately, 1 tea-spoonfvil of salt, 1^ tea-cupfuls of flour, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, the grated peel of a lemon, and peeled apples sliced without the core. Drop into hot lard with a piece of apple in each one, and sprinkle with powdered or spier d sugar. Let them stand after making and they will be lighter. Good. BREAD- MAKING. 453 JBuchwheat Calces. — 1 qt. of buckwheat flour, one-half a tea-cupful of corn meal or wheat flour, a little salt, and 2 table-spoonfuls of syrup. Wet these with cold or warm water to a thin batter, and add, lastly, 4 good table-spoon- fuls of baking powder. Fritters. — 1 pt. sweet milk, 4 eggs, 1 qt. flour and- 3 tea-spoonfuls baking powder sifted together. Serve warm with maple syrup. Rolls. — To the quantity of light bread dough that you would take for twelve persons, add the white of 1 egg well beaten, 2 table-spoonfuls of white sugar, and 2 table-spoonfuls of butter; work these thoroughly together; roll out about one-half an inch thick; cut the size desired, and spread one with melted butter and lay another upon the top of it. Bake delicately, when they have risen. French Rolls. — ^1 qt. flour, 2 eggs, one-half pt. milk, 1 table-spoonful of yeast, knead well ; let it rise till morning. Work in 1 oz. of butter and mold in rolls; bake imme- diately. Cream Calces. — 6 eggs, beaten separately, one-half pt. of sour cream, 1 pt. of sweet milk, 1 and one-half tea-spoonfuls of baking powder, flour enough to make a thin batter; bake in cups. Mush. — Indian or oatmeal mush is best made in the fol- lowing manner: Put fresh water in a kettle over the fire to boil, and put in some salt; when the water boils, stir in handful by handful corn or oatmeal until thick enough for use. In order to have excellent mush, the meal should be allowed to cook well, and long as possible while thin, and before the final handful is added. When desired to be fried for bi-eakfast, turn into an earthen dish and set aAvay to 454 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. cool. Then cut in slices when you wish to fry; dip each piece in beaten eggs and fry on a hot griddle. In making cake, it is very desirable that the materials be of the finest quality. Sweet, fresh butter, eggs, and good flour are the first essentials. The process of putting together is also quite an important feature, and where other methods are not given in this work by contributors, it would be well for the young housekeeper to observe the following direc- tions : Never allow the butter to oil, but soften it by putting it in a moderately warm place before you commence other preparations for your cake ; then put it into an earthen dish (tin, if not new, will discolor your cake as you stir it) and add your sugar; beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the yolks of the eggs, then the milk, and lastly the beaten whites of the eggs and flour. Spices and liquors may be added after the yolks of the eggs are put in, and fruit should be put in with the flour. The oven should be pretty hot for small cakes, and mod- erate for larger. To ascertain if a large cake is sufficiently baked, pierce it with a broom-straw through the center; if done, the straw will come out free from dough ; if not done, dough will adhere to the straw. Take it out of the tin about fifteen minutes after it is taken from the oven, not sooner, and do not turn it over on the top to cool. Icing. — The following rules should be observed where boiled icing is not used: — Put the whites of your eggs in a shallow earthen dish, RECIPES FOB CAKE. 455 and allow at least a quarter of a lb., or sixteen table-spoon- fuls, of the finest white sugar for each egg. Take part of the sugar at first and sprinkle over the eggs; beat them for about half an hour, stirring in gradually the rest of the sugar, then add the flavor. If you use the juice of a lemon, allow more sugar. Tartaric acid and lemon juice whiten icing. It may be shaded a pretty pink with strawberry syrup, or colored yellow by putting the juice and rind of a lemon in a thick muslin bag and squeezing it hard into the egg and sugar. If the cake is well dredged with flour after baking, and then carefully wiped before the icing is put on, it will not run, and can be spread more smoothly. Put frosting on the cake in lai-ge spoonfuls, commencing at the center, then spread it over the cake with a large knife, dipping it occa- sionally in cold water. Dry the frosting on the cake in a cool dry place. Boiled Icing. — 1 pt. granulated sugar, moisten thor- oughly with water sufiicient to dissolve it when heated, and let it boil until it threads from the spoon, stirring often; while the sugar is boiling, beat the whites of 2 eggs till they are firm, then when thoroughly beaten, turn them into a deep dish, and when the sugar is boiled, turn it over the whites, beating all together rapidly until of the right con- sistency to spread over the cake. Flavor with lemon, if pre- ferred. This is sufficient for two loaves. Chocolate Cake. — 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of milk, 3 cups of sugar, 4 cups of flour, 6 eggs, 1 tea-spoonful of soda, 2 tea-spoonfuls of cream of tartar; bake in layers like jelly cake. Icing for cake, to place between: 1 cup of sugar, 1 cake of chocolate, and the whites of 2 eggs whipped together 456 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. Qocoanijut Cake. — 1 cup of butter, 3 of sugar, 1 of milk, 4 of flour, 1 tea-spoonful of soda, 2 of cream of tartar, 5 eggs; bake in layers like jelly cake. Icing to place be- tween the layers: Half a lb. of white sugar to the whites of 2 eggs, whip the eggs, add the grated cocoanut, and place between the layers. Wedding Cake. — 5 lbs. of seeded raisins, 2 lbs of cur- rants, 1 lb. of citron, 12 eggs, 1 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of sugar (brown), 1 coffee-cup of molasses, a little brandy, 1 tea-cup of spices. Cheap Good Cake. — 1 cup of sugar, one-fourth cup of butter, three-fourths cup of cold water. If cups of flour, whites of 2 eggs, 1 tea-spoonful of lemon, baking powder used. Gold Cake. — One-half cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, one-half cup of milk, 3 of flour, 3 tea-spoonfuls of baking powder, and yolks of 4 eggs. For the silver cake use the same recipe, only in place of the yolks of eggs use the whites of 4 eggs. For marble cake, same recipe, using 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of molasses, and some spices, and drop it in the dish on the white cake or silver recipe. Jelly Cake. — 3 eggs, 1 small tea-cupful of sugar, 1 cup of flour, whites and yolks of the eggs beaten together; flavor, and bake in 2 layers, in a quick oven. Fruit Cake. — 2 lbs. of stoned raisins, 2 lbs. of currants, 1 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of sugar, 1^ lbs. of flour, 10 eggs, 1 wine-glass of brandy, 1 wine-glass of wine, 1 table-spoonful of cloves, 1 table-spoonful of allspice, 2 table-spoonfuls of cinnamon, 1 nutmeg, 1 tea-spoonful of sweet almond meats blanched and cut in slices, 2 oz. of candied lemon, 2 oz. of EECIPJES FOB CAKE. 457 citron; a little molasses improves it, nearly a tea-ciipful; flour the fruit, using that weighed out for the cake ; put a half tea-spoonful of soda or 1 tea-spoonful of baking-powder with it on the fruit; bake 3 hours, slowly. Frosting for Cake. — 1 cup frosting sugar, 2 table-spoon f uls of water, boiled together ; take it off" the stove and stir in the white of 1 egg beaten to a stiff" froth ; stir all together well; then frost your cake with it, and you will never want a nicer frosting than this. Cream Filled Cakes. — These delicious cakes are very easily made if care is taken to have the water boiling. Measure out one-half pt. and put in a small kettle; immedi- ately after it comes to a boil again put in two-thirds of a cup of butter and 1 and one-half cups of fiour; stir briskly for a moment, leaving it over the fire ; remove this mixture and place in a dish where it will get entirely cold ; beat 5 large fresh eggs very thoroughly, then stir in your cold mixture a spoonful at a time ; stir it aU until smooth and free from lumps; drop them upon a greased dripping-pan in small pear-shaped cakes; bake half an hour in a real hot oven; don't be afraid they will burn unless you see them doing so. When done they will be hollow inside, of a bright brown color; if not well done they will flatten. The oven must be hot when you put them in, and if kept so success is sure. Filling or Cream, : Put a little more than 1 pt. of milk in a pail and set it in boiling water ; beat 2 eggs, two-thirds' cup of corn starch, one full'cup sugar, one-half tea-spoonful salt, and some vanilla, thoroughly together; add a full half cup of milk, and stir all into your boiling mUk; it should be very thick; cut open j^our cakes near the bottom and fill very full of cream ; be sure the cream is cold. 45S OUli HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. elcecv. GKttering squares of colored ice, Sweetened with syrups, tinctured with spice ; Creams, and cordials, and sugared dates ; Syrian apples, Othmanee quinces, Limes and citrons and apricots, And wines that are known to Eastern princes. ****** And all that the curious palate could wish, Pass in and out of the cedarn doors. — T. B. Aldrich. Directions for Freezing. — Use 1 part of coarse table salt to 2 parts of ice broken into pieces about the size of a walnut. This should be firmly packed around the cream pail to the height of the freezer. For 3 pints of cream, IJ pints of water should be poured over the ice in the freezer, and for evexy additional quart of cream 1 pint of water should be added to the ice after packing. When there is no ice-cream freezer convenient, ices may be frozen by putting the cream to be frozen in a tin pail with a close cover. The ice and salt for packing may be put into a larger pail and packed firmly around the pail of cream to be frozen. Let this stand to chill for 20 or 30 minutes, then remove the cover and stir the freezing mixture within until stiff. Then repack, cover the whole closely with a woolen cloth or car- pet and leave for an hour or two in a cool place. Currant Ice. — 1 pt. of currant juice, 1 lb. of sugar, and 1 pt. of water; put into freezer, and when partly frozen add the whites of 3 eggs well beaten. Orange and Lemon Ices. — The rind of 3 oranges grated and steeped a few moments in a little more than a pint of water; strain one pint of this on a pound of sugar and PREffERVING AND CANNING FRUITS. 459 then add 1 pint of orange or lemon juice; pour into the freezer, and when half frozen add the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Strawberry Ice-Cream. — Mash with a potato pounder in an earthen bowl, 1 qt. of strawberries with 1 lb. of sugar, rub it through the colander and add 1 qt. of sweet cream and freeze. Very ripe peaches or coddled apples may be used instead of strawberries. Ice-Cream. — 1 pt. milk, yolks of 2 eggs, 6 oz. sugar, 1 table-spoonful corn starch; scald "until it thickens; when cool, add 1 pt. whipped cream and the whites of 2 eggs beaten stiff. Sweeten to taste, flavor and freeze. " Fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell, She gathers tribute large, and on the board Heaps with unsparing hand." — Paradise Lost. Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit As the kind, hospitable woods provide. — Gowper. Fruits for preserving should be carefully selected, remov- ing all that are imperfect. They are in the best condition when not fully ripe, and as soon as possible after they are picked. Small fruits should not be allowed to stand over night after they are picked when they are to be preserved. Use only the finest sugar for preserving. When fruifc is sealed in glass cans, wrap paper of two or three thicknesses around the cans. The chemical action of light will affect the quality of the preserves when perfectly air-tight. With this precaution, glass cans are preferable to any other for 460 OUS, HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. preserving fruit. One-half a pound, of sugar to a pound of fruit, is a good rule for canned fruit, although many house- keepers use but one-quarter of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. An excellent rule for canning the larger fruits, as peaches, pears, etc., is to place them in a steamer over a kettle of boil- ing water, first laying a cloth in the bottom of the steamer. Fill this with the fruit and cover tightly. Let them steam for 15 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork, (some fruits will require a longer time). Make a syrup of sugar of the right consistency. As the fruit is steamed, drop each for a moment into the syrup, place in the cans, having each one-half full of fruit, and fill up with the hot syrup, then cover and seal. Preserved Peaches. — Select Peaches of fine quality and firm. If too ripe they are not likely to keep perfectly. Pare and place them in a steamer over boiling water and cover tightly; an earthen plate placed in the steamer under the fruit will preserve the juices which afterward may be strained and added to the syrup. Let them steam for 15 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork ; make a syrup of the first quality of sugar, and as the fruit is steamed, drop each peach into the syrup for a few seconds, then take out and place in the cans; when the cans are full, pour the hot syrup over the fruit, and seal iinmedi- ately. Inexperienced house-wives will do well to remember that the syrup should be well skimmed before being poured over, the fruit. We prefer the proportions of half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit for canning, although many excel- lent house-keepers use less. This rule is excellent for all the large fruits — as pears, quinces, apples, etc. PRESERVING AND CANNING FRUITS. 461 Preserved Pears. — To 6 lbs. of pears, 4 lbs. of sugar, 2 ' coffee cups of "water, add the juice of 2 lemons, and the rind of 1, a handful of whole ginger ; boil all together for 20 minutes, then put in your pears and boil till soft, say about a quarter of an hour. Take them out and boil your syrup a little longer. Then put back your fruit and give it a boil ; bottle while hot, adding a little cochineal to give it a nice color. Preserved Apples. — Weigh equal quantities of good brown sugar and apples; peel, core, and cut the apples into small square pieces; make a syrup of 1 pt. of water to 3 lbs. of sugar, boil until pretty thick, then add the apples, the grated peel of a lemon or two, a little whole white ginger (if liked) ; boU until the apples are clear and begin to fall. Preserved Cherries. — Stone the fruit, weigh it, and for- every pound take three-fourths pound sugar. First dissolve the sugar in water in the proportion of 1 pt. of water to 1 J lbs. of sugar; then add the fruit and let it boil as fast as .possible for half an hour, till it begins to jelly. As soon as it thickens put into pots, cover with brandied paper, next the fruit, and then cover closely from the air. Canned Cherries. — Prepare in the same manner, allow- ing but half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit; after putting the fruit into the syrup let it scald (not boil hard) for 10 or 15 minutes", and then can and seal. A few of the cherry stones tied in a muslin bag and put into the syrup to scald with the fruit, impart a fine flavor; they should not be put into the jars with the fruit. This method is excel- lent for use with all the small fruits, as strawberries, rasp- berries, and also plums. Canned Strawberries. — After the berries are pulled, let as many as can be put carefully into the preserving kettle at 462 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. once, be placed on a platter. To each pound of fruit add three-fourths of a pound of sugar; let them stand 2 or 3 hours, till the juice is drawn from them ; pour it into the ket- tle and let it come to a boil, removing the scum which rises; then put in the berries very carefully. As soon as they come to a boil, put them into warm jars, and seal while boiling hot. Quince Preserves. — Pare, core, and quarter your fruit, then weigh it and allow an equal quantity of white sugar. Take the peelings and cores and put into a preserving kettle; cover them with water and boil for half an hour ; then strain through a hair sieve and put the juice back into the kettle and boil the quinces in it a little at a time until they are tender; lift out as they are done with a drainer and lay on a dish; if the liquid seems scarce, add more water. When all are done throw in the sugar and allow it to boil 10 min- utes before putting in the quinces ; let them boil untU they change color, say 1\ hours, on a slow fire; while they are boiling, occasionally slip a silver spoon under them to see that they do not burn, but on no account stir them. Have two fresh lemons cut in thin slices, and when the fruit is being put in jars, lay a slice or two in each. Canned Tomatoes. — Wash your tomatoes, and cut out any places that are green or imperfect ; then cut them up and put over to cook with a little salt; boil them till per- fectly soft, then strain through a colander; turn them back to cook, and when they have come to boiling heat, pour them into stone jugs (one or two gallon jugs, as you prefer). They will keep a day or two in winter if all are not used at a time; put the cork in, and have some canning cement hot and pour over the cork. The jug must, of course, be hot when the tomatoes are poured in. FBESEBVING- AND CANNING FBUITS. 463 Artificial Honey. — Mix together 10 lbs. white sugar, 2 lbs. clear bees' honey, 1 qt. hot water, half an ounce of cream tartar; when cool, flavor with 2 or 3 drops otto of roses and sprinkle in a handful of clear yellow honey-comb broken up. This will deceive the best judges, and is perfectly healthful. Grape Jam. — Take your grapes, separate the skin from the pulp, keeping them in separate dishes, put the pulps into your preserving kettle with a tea-cup of water; when thor- oughly heated run them thorough a colander to separate the seeds ; then put your skins with them and weigh ; to each pound of fruit, put three-fourth of a pound of sugar; add merely water enough to keep from burnhag; cook slowly three-fourths of an hour. This is a delicious jam, and worth the trouble. Blackberry Jam. — To each pound of fruit add three- fourths of a pound of sugar; mash each separately; then put together and boil from one-half to three-fourths of an hour. Raspberry Ja/m. — To 5 or 6 pounds of fine red raspber- ries (not too ripe) add an equal quantity of the finest quality of white sugar. Mash the whole well in a preserv- ing kettle; add about 1 qt. of currant juice (a little less will do), and boil gently until it jellies upon a cold plate; then put into small jars; cover with brandied paper; and tie a thick white paper over them. Keep in a dark, dry, and cool place. Orange Marmalade. — Take 7 oranges and 5 lemons; boil in water 2 or 3 hours ; throw away the water, and open the oranges and lemons, taking out the seeds and preserving all the pulp and juice possible; cut the rinds in small strips or 464 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. chop them, but cutting in strips is better; weigh it all when this is done; then put 3 lbs. of sugar in 2 of the pulp, and boil slowly till clear. Siherian Grab Jelly. — Boil a peck of crab-apples for 2 hours in as much water as will cover them, then put them into a jelly bag and allow to drain, (do not squeeze them); to each pint of syrup, put 1 lb. of lOaf sugar, and boil for half an hour. Select the reddest crabs you can find, and the jelly will be a beautiful color. Chocolate Caramels. — 2 cups of brown sugar, 1 cup molasses, 1 cup chocolate, grated fine, 1 cup boiled milk, 1 table-spoonful flour, butter the size of a large English walnut ; let it boil slowly and pour on flat tins to cool; mark off" while warm. The bubbling and loud, hissing urn, Throws up a steaming column ; and the cups That cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each ; So let us welcome peaceful evening in. — Cowper. Tea. — When the water in the tea-kettle begins to boil, have ready a tin tea-steeper; pour into the tea-steeper just a very little of the boiling water, and then put in tea, al- lowing one tea-spoonful of tea to each person. Pour over this boiling water until the steeper is a little more than half full; cover tightly and let it stand where it will keep hot, but not to boil. Let the tea infuse for. 10 or 15 minutes, and then pour into the tea urn, adding more boiling water, in the proportion of one cup of water for every tea-spoonful BEVERAGES. 465 of dry tea -which has been infused. Have boiling water in a water-pot, and weaken each cup of tea as desired. Do not use water that has boiled long. Spring water is best for tea, and filtered water next best. Tea a la Russe. — Pare and slice fresh, juicy lemons; lay a piece in the bottom of each cup, sprinkle with white sugar, and pour hot, strong tea over. Or the lemon may be. sent around in slices with the peel on. No cream is used. Roasting Coffee. — This process should be carefully watched and superintended. The quality and flavor of the coffee depends largely upon the method of roasting. When the berry crackles and becomes crisp, it is sufficiently roasted. Just as soon as it is taken from the roaster, it should be placed in several thicknesses of flannel to preserve the oU and aroma. When cool, place it in an air-tight cannister. Cream Nectar. — 2^ lbs. of while sugar, one-eighth lb. of tartaric acid, both dissolved in 1 qt. of hot water ; when cold, add the beaten whites of 3 eggs, stirring well ; bottle for use. Put 2 large spoonfuls of this syrup in a glass of cold water, and stir in it one-fourth of a spoonful of bicar- bonate of soda. Any flavor can be put in the syrup. An excellent drink for summer. Raspberry Acid. — Dissolve 5 oz. of tartaric acid in 2 qis. of water; pour it upon 12 lbs. of red raspberries in a large bowl; let it stand 24 hours; strain it without pressing; to 1 pt. of this liquor add 1-^ lbs. of white sugar; stir until dissolved. Bottle, but do not cook for several days, when it is ready for use. Two or three table-spoonfuls in a glass of ice water will make a delicious beverage. Raspberry Vinegar. — To 4 qts. red raspberries, put 30 466 OUB BOMBS AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. enough vinegar to cover, and let them stand 24 hours; scald and strain; add 1 lb. of sugar to 1 pt. of juice; boil it 20 minutes, and bottle; it is then ready to use and will keep for years. To one glass of water add a great spoonful. It is much relished by the sick. Very nice. Blackberry 8yrup.-^To 1 pt. of j.uice, put J lb. of white sugar, one-half oz. of powdered cinnamon, one-fourth oz. mace, and 2 tea-spoonfuls cloves; boil all together for 15 minutes, then strain the syrup, apd add to each pint a glass of French brandy. ited Currant Wine. — For every gallon of water take 1 gallon of currants off the stalks, bruise well and let them stand Over night. Next morning mash them well with your hands and strain through a hair sieve. To every gallon of the liquor add 4 lbs. of sugar. Rinse the cask well with brandy, and strain the liquor again when putting in, by which you will see whether the sugar is dissolved. Lay the bung lightly on, and stop it up in 10 days. ^ ¥hE jIrT OF ilYING J)lN^EE_S. ^^ ..c^, ^., T has been said that the social progress of a com- munity is in exact proportion to the number of its dinner parties- and in all ages the friendship of nations, as well as of individuals, has been ce- mented, and enmities forgotten, in the allure- ments of dining. It is an undeniable fact that more enduring alliances have been struck by diplomatists across the dinner table than were ever agreed upon in ministerial cabinets. Talle- rand regarded the dinner table as the best place for the transaction of diplomatic business. And can any one doubt that much of the culture of the world, with all its elements of refined manners, intellectual progress, and taste for science, literature, and the fine arts, is largely dependent upon the social gatherings at the dinner tables of the metropolitan cities? The rules which regulate dinner giving and dining in America, have been adopted from both England and France, [467] 468 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. as they have been found to fit our social conditions; and the dinner giver wlio attempts to be original is likely to fail, be- cause he disturbs the harmony which established customs insure. The path of safety here, as in all social matters, is the beaten track. The first consideration, -when a dinner has been decided on, is a discreet selection of guests. The proper limit as to numbers will be decided by the good sense of the host and hostess, the size of the table and dining-room being impor- tant considerations, though the number of guests should not exceed twelve. Thirteen is an ominous number, and there are superstitious people who would not sit at the table when thirteen were present, from the belief that some fatality might soon happen to one of their number. The aim of the host and hostess should be to brinar to- gether such people as are of equal intellectual attaiaments, and of like social standing. Guests are wanted who will affect each other pleasantly. They need not be friends, nor even acquaintances, but they must be congenial, and have common tastes and sympathies. Good talkers are iuvalu- able, and good listeners no less so. The test of the success of a dinner party is the manner in which the conversation is sustained at the table. A constant flow of talk and mer- riment is proof that the guests have been wisely chosen, while embarrassing halts and dead pauses in conversation denote that they are not in sympathy with one another. The invitations are issued in the name of the host and hostess from three to ten days in advance. They are sent by messenger, and not by mail, only when the distance is too great to send a trusty servant. An invitation to a din- ner party requires a prompt answer, and if it is accepted DINNEB INVITATION. 469 the engagement must be sacredly kept, as the non-arrival of a guest means an empty chair at the table, a lady with- out an escort, or a gentleman without a lady. If in doubt, it is better to decline; but if an invitation has been ac- cepted, and en insurmountable obstacle intervenes, an ex- planation must be made at once, so that the vacant place in the little circle may be filled. The following is the form of the invitation: — JHfL (Hid. JUIu. WiMam S^U&fon iequed tfif fi'lmatilc of J^l. and JWu. S^waAd ^inc[aii'!i com-fmnij- at dinni}i, on W^diue&daif, Jan- uaiif 26, ai iwen- o'cCoefc. S3 Lafayette Avenue. The day of the week and the hour are written in full, but figures may be used for the day of the month. If the dinner is given in honor of some friend or stranger, a second card is inclosed in the envelope with the invitation on which is inscribed : — of Jfm) Vol^ (^iif. 470 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. The following is a good form for an acceptance, which must be sent immediately: — JM. uit4 Jiifu. (Miwuid ^mcfaU uoce-jd wifRfi-fea-'ii^ie- flic- iiwiiafioiv of JM. and JWi-&. WiMmm (^l^ton, ta dinnet, a-f &men o'clocfc, on W^dimda^, ^miuaii^ 26. If the invitation cannot be accepted, the persons invited send a reply immediately with regrets, and state reasons of their inability to accept, which may be either on account of sickness in the family, intended absence, or some previous engagement. Guests may arrive any time during the half hour be- fore the time appointed for dinner. This interval .gives time for introductions and greetings. To delay beyond the appointed hour is unpardonable rudeness. Fifteen minutes is the longest time a hostess is required to wait for a tardy comer. She is an excellent hostess who can make conversation general before dinner. " To this end," says one writer, "have some novelty at hand, either in the shape of a per- sonage whom every guest wants to meet, or a new picture, hric-a-brac, a rare plant, the latest spiciest news to tell, or a pretty girl to bring forward." " Whatever the attraction, present it early, to prevent monotoney, and if the half or quarter hour before the guests assemble around the table can be so used as to bring them upon easy terms with one an- other, the success of the dmner, in a social'way, is more than half established." ENTERTAINMENT AT TABLE. 471 Among hei' other duties, the hostess has taken into con- sirleration the airangement of her guests at the table, with a view of having them paired off to their mutual advantage and to the pleasure of all concei'ned, so that when dinner is announced the host and hostess quietly intimate to the difr f erent gentlemen whom they are to escort to the table. ' ' Mr. Power, will you be so kind as to escort Miss Strong to din- ner? Mr. Sharp, please look after the interests of Mrs. Keene, and Mr. Keene, you may do the agreeable to Mrs. Sharp, that will be a keen sharp trade all around. Mr. Wright, suppose you finish telling that little story to Miss Straight at the table," and so on. If the dinner is given in honor of some lady guest, the host offers her his arm and goes out first, and the hostess last. On the other hand, if the honored guest be a gentleman, he escorts the hostess, and they lead the way, and the host follows the company. The ho.stess having already arranged the places at the table for each guest, and placed a card with the name written upon it, on each of the plates, the guests have no difficulty in finding their respective seats at table. This method is now used at private dinners, having long been the custom at public dinners. The gentleman offers his right arm to the lady he escorts to dinner, and seats her on his left hand at the table. On reaching their places, he draws out the chair for her, and allows her to be seated bef ox-e he seats himself. The honored guest, if a lady, is seated at the right of the host; if a gen- tleman, at the right of the hostess. It becomes the duty of each gentleman to see that the lady he escorts to the table is well provided for, and where food is passed around from guest to guest, to allow her to be helped before he helps himself. 472 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Table decorations should not be used to a great extent, but should be choice, when used at all. Flowers should be fine but few, for to some people the odor of flowers does not mingle pleasantly with that of the food before them. It must not be supposed that dinners must be costly and elaborate to be enjoyable, nor will guests expect that a din- ner will be other than commensurate with the circumstances of the host and hostess. Costly dinners are not necessarily good dinnei-s, while the surroundings may be so agreeable and cheerful, the table so tastefully spread, the welcome so frank, and the conversation so bright that a very simple . dinner is indeed charming, and affords the utmost pleasure to hostess, host, and guests alike. No dinner should be considered complete without at least three courses, which may be classed as: First, soups; second, meats; and third, dessert of pastry or puddings. This may be easily doubled up, having for the first course, a small dish of raw oysters, or clams ; second, soup or boiled fish; third, meats; fourth, salads; fifth, pastry and pud- dings; sixth, ices, fruits, nuts, and raisins, with coffee. Be- fore the dining-room is opened, half a dozen raw oysters are placed in a small dish before each plate. If the season is warm, they may be placed on cracked ice, with a quarter of a lemon to each plate. When oysters are not in season, small clams may be substituted, in which case red pepper should be provided. These may be eaten after the party have seated themselves for dinner. A dish of soup or of boiled fish, or both, may then be served. The dishes in which these are served being removed, the meats may be served, together with the vegetables and substantial, and they are either roast beef, mutton, or turkey. These may FRENCH AND BUSSIAN CUSTOMS. 473 be followed by boiled meats. As a rule, the roast precedes the boiled, next come the salads and entrees, and then fol- low the pastry or puddings, and finally, ices, fruits, nuts, raisins, candy, and coffee. If it should be a game dinner, the game may take the place of the meats in the third course. This bill of fare may be varied according to inclination or circumstances. Should the host and hostess desire to in- clude wines in their bill of fare, it would be well to remem- ber that Sauterne, or any light white wines should come with the oysters before soup. Sherry after soup, and that Champagne comes with the roast. If wine is brought on for a dessert, champagne is "preferable. Thei-e ai-e two methods of serving a dinner, the French and Russian. The former is the ordinary way, the various dishes being set on tlie table to be carved and served by the host and hostess, and passed to the guests, or handed to them by a servant. The Russian method, which is often adopted for formal dinners, is for waiters to serve each guest separately, all the carving, etc., being done before the food is brought to the table. By this method more servants are required, and it gives a better opportunity for the dec- oration of the table, if that is desirable. The English cus- tom is to set all the dishes of each course on the table at once, and then those that are to be carved are removed to a side table and carved by a skillful servant. The advan- tao'es of the Russian custom is that it leaVes host and hostess almost as free as the guests to guide and take part in the convei-sation. As the main object of giving a dinner party is enjoy- ment and pleasure for all concei-ned, it is incumbent upon all to be in their happiest mood, and for each to do his or 474 OUU HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. her part in rendering the occasion as delightful as possible. Lively and sprightty conversation, and cheerful ways are especially desirable, and when each endeavors to make all others happy about him, the sociable feature of the dinner is not likely to prove a failure. Ill-nature should never be brought to a dinner table, and any display of it is a mark of ill-breeding. It is not in good taste for two pei-sons to monopolize the conversation by a discussion in which few or none of the other guests are interested. The conversa- tion should be of a nature to be of interest to all, or the great majority, so that each may enter into its spirit. If the dinner party is a large one you may converse with those near j'^ou in a low tone of voice. The hostess should endeavor to put all her guests at their ease, paying every attention to the wants of all, so far as possible. She needs self-possession and tact so that she may anticipate every want. It is the duty of the host to aid her as far as pos- sible, and to endeavor to encourage the timid, draw out the silent, and direct the conversation, while others sustain it. The table-cloth must be white and spotless, and undef it should be spread a thick baize or other cloth to prevent the noise of dishes. Napkins should be of fine texture, but firm and folded square. The dishes should be free from nicks and scrupulously clean. Flowers, when not used in great profusion, are the most tasteful ornaments for the table. Fruit; tastefully arranged, may also be used to as- sist in the table decoration. When the dinner is served up in the ordinary way the plates and the dishes to be served are placed befoi-e the host or hostess. When each dish is served into the plate, it is placed upon the waiter's small salver, who sets it before the MANNERS AT THE TABLE. 475 guest. If a second dish is served in the same course," the waiter presents the dish, having first put into it a spoon, to the left of the guest, who helps himself. As soon as any one has finished his plate, it is removed, without waiting for the others to finish. When all the plates are removed, the next course is brought on. The crumb-brush is not used until just before the dessert, and after that is served, the waiter whose services are no longer needed, leaves the room. In serving, the most honored guest, that is the lady at the right of the host, should be first helped. At a dinner party, great care should be taken that the food be served neatly ; the plates should not be helped too abundantly or the food flooded with gravies, which many dislike. To some people it is disagreeable to have a plate bedaubed with gravy or scattered food. Food is passed to a guest from the left, but water is poured at the right of a guest. Each guest should have ample space at the table so that he may eat without crowding, or being crowded by, hLs neighbor. Consequently it is important for the success of the dinner that no more be invited than can be comforta- bly accommodated. ^Itcm-yi-C'to ai' -trie Xga-u-uc. While individual manners at the table requii-e a kind consideration for the rights and feelings of others which marks the true gentleman, there are details of behavior which deserve mention. Raw oystei-s must be eaten with a fork. Soup should be sipped from the side of the spoon and without noise. A 476 OUR HOMSS AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. soup plate should never be tilted for the last spoonful, and it should not be called for a second time. Fish should be eaten either with tlie fork, or a fish-knife. Salads, cheese, pastry, and everything that can be cut or broken without a knife should be eaten with a fork. A knife should never be put into the mouth during, a meal. Bread should be broken, never cut at the table. Turkey, chicken, and game are cut up,- never picked with the fingei-s, unless in the in- dulgence of a family dinner, when the bone may be held in one hand and picked. Salt must be taken on the side of the plate and never upon the table-cloth. The foi'k conveys food to the mouth and may be used in either hand, as most convenient. Food that cannot be handled with a foi'k should be eaten with a spoon. To help yourself to butter or any food from a common dish, with your own knife or fork, is a gross offense. It is exceedingly impolite to pick the teeth at the table, or in the presence of ladies after a meal. If it is necessary to use a tooth-pick at the table, it is done while the napkin is held over the mouth. Avoid making any sound with the mouth while eating or chew- ing food. Eajj; slowly, both for the sake of health and good manners, and do not take so large a mouthful that you find it difficult or impossible to speak. Do not lean the elbows or lay the hands on the table, or play with knives and forks or glasses, or lounge in, or tilt back, your chair, or take a lounging attitude at the table. When you have finished a course, lay your knife and fork side by side on the plate, which is the signal for their removal. Never dip bread into gravy or preserves. Refuse fish if you wish, but do not call for it a second time. When soup is passed as the first course, never refuse FISH AND SOUP ETIQUETTE. 477 it, but you rfeed not partake of it unless you wish to. Never apologize to a waiter for asking him for anything; it is his business to serve. Never rebuke a waiter, as that is the business of the host. When dishes are passed by one guest to another, help yourself before offering it to the next, as it makes confusion and delay to do otherwise. Never use the napkin to wipe your face or nose. It is for the lips only. Do not scrape your plate, or tilt it up to get the last drop, or wipe it with a piece of bread. Pudding may be eaten with a ft>rk or spoon as is most convenient. Ices require a spoon. It is rude to monopolize the conversation at the table, or to talk or laugh loud. Boisterous conduct is particularly ill-mannered at the table. If a special delicacy has been pre- pared by the hostess for the dinner, which a guest does not care for, or which his health will not permit him to eat, he may take a portion of it on his plate and eat as much or as little of it as he pleases. To refuse it might be to injure the feelings of your hostess. It is not regarded in good taste to say much about the food, either in praise or disparagement. If one is obliged to leave the table before a meal is finished, he should ask the hostess to excuse him. Bread should be held on the plate or near the table, while it is buttered, and it should be broken, and not bitten into. The general rule is that nothing should be bitten at the taible. One should not sit too near the table, nor too far from it, nor drum with his fingers, nor make diagrams with his knife and fork, nor twirl his goblet, nor play with his salt- cellar, nor cough, sneeze, or smack his lips, nor put his elbows on the table, nor fidget in his chair, nor "blow in his soup to cool it, nor soak up gravy with his bread. If a 478 OVB HOMES AND THEIR ADOBNMENTS. plate is handed you at table, keep it, unless" you are re- quested to pass it to another. The host knows whom he wishes to serve first. As soon as you receive your plate, you are at liberty to begin eating without waiting until all others are served, as is often done. An apple may be held in the hand while paring, and eaten in small slices cut from the whole fruit, carrying each slice to the mouth on the point of a fruit knife. Never bite into an apple at the table. In cases where a person is in doubt just wha* to do, or how to act at table, it would be well to conform to the usage of those around him, for it is almost impossible to give rules or suggest hints to apply to all cases and all circumstances into whi(?h a person may be thrown. We have presented some rules regarding the preparation and serving of a formal dinner. In every well-regu- lated family the table should be prepared daily with the same care, if not so elaborate, as for such an occasion. This is a good way to insure success for hostess and servants when a dinner party does come off, while it gives the mis- tress and servants the luxury of becoming used to a nice style, so that it is just as easy as common ways, and no sud- den visitor can put them out. In the family it should be observed as a r'ule to meet together at all meals of the day around one common table where the same rules of etiquette should be as rigidly enforced as at the table of a stranger. It is only by the constant practice of the rules of good soci- ety at home that good manners become easy when any of them are invited out to meet strangers. TABLE TALK. 479 At the breakfast table, a greater amount of freedom is allowable than at the other meals of tlie day. Some mem- bers of the family require to be off at an early hour. Thus all may not be able to meet together, and each may rise and leave the table when business or pleasure dictate. The mistress serves the coffee, and the master of the house the meats, potatoes, etc. Whenever practicable, it is well to serve fruits at breakfast, and they should be served first, followed by oat-meal, or wheaten grits, then the meats and vegetables, with toast, hot cakes, and coffee. The last meal of the day, supper or " tea," is the sim- plest of the three, and meats are mostly served cold, while the nicest delicacies of cookery arc served up. In some sense, housekeeping is making the most of life, bringing taste and variety into it, compassing difficult ends with invention. Those who disdain it lower thejnselvas. Never think that any thing is too good for you or yours that you can obtain. Everywhere there are people living in small common ways, because they are absolutely afraid of the expense or the notice which a pleasanter life would bring. Half the niceties of life involve only care to secure them, without a dollar of expense. Good nia,nners cost nothing, good taste is a saving, and good housekeeping act- ually makes money. People grow refined first in their eat- ing. How is it that the most brilliant and clever nation in the world has also the best cooking? Put these things to- gether, and do your best according to their Tesult. We present the following Bills of Fare for various meals, which may be found of value to our readers: — 480 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORSMENTS. c3-:^sK0-«-^0>/P- liLLS OF Hare. ,'»^I' mx. eS-^sKO -»-^0).^S-& Oatmeal. Buttered Toast. Beefsteak. Potatoes. Hominy. Stewed Apples. Buckwheat Cakes. Sirup. Coffee. Chocolate. mmmwmr Fruits in Season. Broiled Fish. Potatoes. Home Rolls. Beefsteak. Egg Omelet. Graham Gems. Celery and Lettuce. Fried Oysters. Cream Nectar. Coffee. Ices. BILLS OF FARE. 481 Soup with Vegetables. Roast Meats. Apple Sauce. Potatoes. Turnips. Cabbage. Tomatoes. Pudding. Pie. Fruits. Cheese. Coffee. Ices. "■USB. Raw Oysters. Soup with Vegetables. Boiled White Fish. Roast Turkey with Cranberry Sauce. Mashed Iri^h Potatoes. Baked Sweet Potatoes. Croquettes of Rice. Cream Custard. Lemon Pie. Cocoanut Pie. Fruits. Nuts. Coffee. Ices. Tea. Tea, Coffee, or Chocolate. Escalloped or Fried Oysters. Muffins. Sliced Turkey and Ham. Cold Biscuits. Sardines and Sliced Lemons. Thin Slices of Bread Rolled. Sliced Pressed Meats. Cake in Variety. 31 482 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. Cold Koast Turkey or Chicken. Ham Croquettes. Fricasseed Oysters. Charlotte Eusse. Whipped Cream. Chocolate Cake. Cocoanut Cake. Mixed Cakes. Fruit in Season. Ices. Coffee and Chocolate. Cold Eoast Fowl. Oyster Patties. Cold Boiled Ham. Raw Oysters. Ham Sandwiches. Jelly. lee-Cream. Cakes. Assorted Fruits. Chocolate. Coffee. Sunday. — Roast Beef, Potatoes, and Greens. Dessert: Pudding or Pie, Cheese. Monday. — Hashed Beef, Potatoes, and Bread Pudding. Tuesday. — Broiled Beef, "Vegetables, Apple Pudding. Wednesday. — Boiled Pork, Beans,' Potatoes, Greens, and Pie or Rice Pudding. Thursday. — Roast or Broiled Fowl, Cabbage, Potatoes, Lemon Pie, Cheese. Friday.— Fish, Potato Croquettes, Escalloped Toma- toes, Pudding. Saturday. — A la mode Beef, Potatoes, Vegetables, Suet Pudding, Mince Pie, and Cheese. TO q- -^^1^^^^- \ OuE Homes and Ther Idomments. d- [4831 [4841 PAGE. PAOB. Adornments, Simple, 130 Bam, Farm and Carriage, 159 Advantages of Story-and-a-half over Barrel Filter, The Cheap, Durable, One-Story House, 120 and Effective, 73 An Excellent Floor Plan, 126 Bass-Wood, How to Use, 44 Aniline D}'es, 369 Bath Tub, 84 ANTIQUE FUENITUEE— Bay-Window, 150 Cabinets, 279 Beads for Fancy Needle-Work, 236 Hall Benches, 280 Beautifying Walls and Ceilings, 215 Odds and Ends, 279 Bed-Rooms, Arrangement of. 31 " The Chambered Nautilus,"- 281 Bed-Rooms, The, 221 Appearance Subject to Arrangement 127 Bed-Rooms, How to Make them Cheer Applying Paints, 170 ful. Comfortable, and Healthful, 294 APPLIQUE OR CUT-WORK— Bedstead and Drapery, (with illus.) 297 Inlaid, 241 Bedstead and Wardrobe Combined, 292 Onlaid, 241 Benches for the Hall, 280 Instructions in. 241 Best Filter, The, 72 Piano Scarf, 265 Best Time to Paint, 167 Aquariums To Grow Water-Lilies in. 325 Best Time to Plant, 202 Arasene Needle-Work 238 Best Woods, The, and How to Ust Arbor, To Consti-uct, 147 Them, 49 Attractii e Buildings, 37 Better Plan for Ploors.'A, 46 Attractive Cottage Home, 111 Black-Wahiut, 63 Autumn Leaves, To Preserve, 380 Blackboards, To Make, 391 Blanket Stitch Needle-Work, 237 Back Plastering, 40 Bleaching, Recipes for. 371 Bamboo Screens, 268 Bleaching Powder, 372 Banner Screen, Design for, 239 Bleaching Ivory, [485] 272 486 GENERAL INDEX. PAG& Blinds and Shutters, 82 Blue Blankets, A Use for Old, 260 Bolton Sheeting, 235 Brick and Stone Houses, their Cost, 57 Brick-Work, 163 Bronze for Metals, 387 Brushes, Various, 172 BUILDING DESIGNS— A Simple Cottage, (5 Cuts) 103 Alterations in Cottage, (2 Cuts) 111 Neat Story-and=a-half House, (S Cuts) 116 Story-and-a-half House, (2 Cuts) 121 Superior Story-and-a-half House, (2 Cuts) 125 Kural Cottage Home, (2 Cuts) 128 Modern Gothic-Roofed House, (1 Cut) 130 Solid Gothic House, (3 Cuts) 133 .Farm Residence and Barn, (2 Cuts) 135 Elegant Brick Residence, (2 Cuts) 138 Fine Substantial Villa, (1 Cut) 142 Buildings of Wood, their Economy, 39 Buildings, Secret of Attractive, 37 Cabinets, 279 283 Cabinets, Hanging, 292 calcimine- How to Make, 230 Shade of Color, 231 How to Put it on. 231 Canton Flannel, 235 Care of Trees, and Success in theii Culture, 205 carpets— 288 Ingrain, 261 Silk Rag, 261 Prayer, 262 Carpenter-Work, 77 Carriage Barn, Farm and, (ill.) 159 Carriage Painting, 389 CARVING IN WOOD— General Remarks, 351 The Use of Tools, 352 Tools, (6 illustrations) 363 A Design for, 363 Instructions in the Art, 354 Carving a Wall Pocket, 357 Carved Fret-Work, 360 Finishing, 362 Casing of Stairs, 51 Ceilings and Walls, 215 Ceilings, Decoration of, 223 CELLARS— Excavations for, 61 How to Remedy Wet and Damp, 75 Cellar- Way and Piers, 65 CEMENTS- HOW fo Use, 403 Causes of Failure in Using, 404 For Ivory, 404 " Jet, 404 '* Lamps, 405 '• Pots and Pans, 405 " Wood, 406 " Leather, 406 " Marble, 406 " China, 406 " Crack in Wood, 407 Chinese, 407 Fire-Proof and Water-Proof, 407 India Rubber, 404 Jewelers', 408 London, 405 Stone Masons', 407 How to Test, 71 Recipes for, 403 Cess-Pool Vaults, 74 Chairs, 282 Cheap but Attractive Houses in the Hot Season, 143 Chimneys and Flues, 66 Chinmeys, How to Build after the House is Conlplete, 68 Choice of Papers, 217 Choice of Wall-Papers, Hints on, 219 Cistern Filters, 73 Cisterns, How to Make Good Ones, 70 CLAPBOARDING, 43 To Measure, 166 GENERAL INDEX. 487 PAGE. Classification of Flowers, 30tf CLEANING FABRICS— General Directions, 3D8 Best Substances for, 399 Iron Rust and Grease. 309 Ink Stains, 399, 400 Grease from doth (2 Recipes) 399 Acids on Clothes, 400 Fruit Stains, 400 Lace, 400 Furs, 401 To Renovate Silk, 401 Ostrich Feathers, 402 Carpets, 402 Soap for, 402 Fluid tor, 403 CLEANING AND SCOURING— Brass and Copper, • 395 Engravings, 395 Dresses, 398 Gilt Frames, 393 Floors, 397 Hats, 395 House Paint, 397 Jewelry, . 395 Marble, 394 Oil-Paintings, 394 Pearls, 394 P'.ate and Plated Ware, 394, 395 Harness, 411 Clothes-Horse, Queer Use for an Old, 277 COLORS— In Painting, 168 In Graining, 176 The Mixing of, 169 For Fences, 210 Coloring Straw Hats, 370 Combine Ingrain Work, 176 Comparative Cost of Building, 58 Common Errors to be Ayoided in Re- gard to House and Grounds, 183 Comfort in Hume, 103 Concreting, 75 Contracting for Builder's Work, 28 Constructing a Rustic House, 146 PAOE. Cornices and Gables, 38 Cottage, A Simple, (with illus.) lOS Cottage, A Summer, To Build, 143 Cottage Home, A Rural, (with ill.) 128 Cottage Home, An Attractive, for Peo- ple of Small Means, 111 Counterpanes, Silk, 245 Counterfeit Silver, To Detect, 416 Covering and Decorating Screens, 269 Cooking Recipes, 417 Crash, 263 Crestings and Finials, 81 Crewel Work, 236 Crystallizing Grass, 381 Culture of Flowers, The, 303 CURTAINS AND HANGINGS— Various, for Recesses and Win- dows, 259 How to Make Them, 260 Chinese Embroidery, 260 Of Waste Matejjial, 261 Of Ingrain Carpeting, 261 The Dove Design, 282 Prices of Material, 263 Scarfs and Book-Case Curtains, 264 Dado, The, 224 Damp Walls, Remedy for. 391 Danger from Stagnant Pools, 99 Darkening Glass, 391 Darned Work Table Scarf, 257 DECORATIONS, INTERIOR- General Considerations, 213 Aim and Extent, 214 How to Beautify the Walls and Ceilings, 215 Wall-Papers, 215 How to Select the Beat, 216 Hints on the Choice of Papers, 219 Papers for Parlor or Drawing Room, 220 For the Library, 221 For Bed-Rooms, 221 For Dining-Room, 222 Treatment of Ceilings, 223 488 GENERAL INDEX. PAGE. The Dado, 224 Friezes, (3 illustrations) 225 Deodorizer, The Best, 378 Descriptions and Speciflcations, 61, 70, 76 Description of Material for Needle- Worlt, 236 Decorating Screens, 269 DESIGNS— I, A Simple Cottage with Succes- sive Enlargements, (5 illus.) 105 II, Attractive Cottage Home for People with Small Means, (2 illus.) Ill III, A Neat Story-and-a-half House at Moderate Cost, (3 illustrations) 115 IV, Storyrand-a-half House, (2 il- lustrations) 121 V, Superior Story-and-a-half House, (2 illustrations) 126 VI, A Rm'al Cottage Home,(2 illus.) 128 VII, Modern Gothic?Roofed Story- and-a-half House, (with illus.) 130 Vni, A Solid Gothic House, (3 ill.) 133 IX, Extensive Farm Hesidence and Barn, (2 illustrations) 135 X, Elegant Brick Residence, (2 ill.) 138 XI, Fine Suburban Villa, (with ill.) U2 DINING-ROOM, The, 222, 293 Its Character and Furnishing, 293 Directions for Building, Disinfectants for Siclc-Rooms, Distance of House from Road, Doors and Windows, Dove Portiere, The, Doyley in Tatting, (cut,) Drains, Drainage, How to Secure Good, Drapery for Bedstead, For Toilet-Stand, Drawn Work, Dressing Bureau, Driers and Oils, Durable Floors, DYEING AND BLEACHING— 51 377 188 81 262 246 163 98 297 299 241 296 169 45 PAGK. General Remarks, 363 Dj'eing Cotton, 364 Mordants, 364, 370 Recipes and Treatment tor all Leading Colors, 364 Dyeing Woolens in all the Prevail- ing Colors, . 367 Aniline Dyes, 369 Coloring Straw Hats, 370 Dyeing Feathers, 370 To Bleach Sponge, 371 To Whiten Lace, 371 Bleaching Straw Goods, 371 Easj' Method of Laying out Drives, 198 EBONIZED Wood, How to Make, 267 Screens, To Make the Frames of, 267 Elegant Brick Residence, 138 Elegant Effect at Small Cost in Hang- ings, 234 EMBROIDERY— Frames, 241 Border Patterns, (2 illustrations,) 242 Embroidered Pincushion, (with illustration,) 242 Silk Counterpanes, (2 illustrations) 244 Silks, 236 Tidy on Lmen Crash, ■ 247 Screens, 272 Elegant Designs, 249 A Pretty Work-Apron, 250 Hair Receiver, 251 Silk Plush for Mirrors, 262 Splasher, New Style, 252 News Rack in Bead Work, 263 Bead Work Table-Cover, 254 ENCAUSTIC TILES— Their Durability, 282 How to Use them, 283 Suitable for Pavements, Mantels, Cabinets, Etc., 283 Their Cost, and How to Obtain Them, • 284 Errors of Common Occurrence in Re- gard to House and Grounds, 183 GENERAL INDEX. 489 PAGK. PAGE. Estimating: Work and Materials, ISO Bums— Excavations for Cellar, 61 DahUa, 313, 31S Excellent Farm and Carriage Barn, 159 Gladiolus, 313 Exposure or Location, 188 Calla, 313 Exposure of a House, 99 Tuberose, 311 Extensive Farm Residence and Barn Cyclamen, 312 (with illustration) 135 Lily. 312 Extent of Decoi-ation, 214 Bleeding Heart, Climbers— 313 Fan Screens, 275 Clematis, 314 Farm and Carriage Barn Combined, 169 Cypress- Vine, 314 Farm Residence and Barn, (illus.) 135 Gourds, 314 Feather Stitch in Needle-Work, 23 r Ipomea, S15 Feathers, To Dye Various Colors, 370 Maurandya, ^ 315 Fences, (with illustrations) 206 Smilax, 315 FILTER, A Valuable Test, 72 Annuals and Perennials — Another Plan, 73 Aster, 316 The Barrel, 73 Begonia, 316 A Cheap, 403 Camellia, 316 Filtering, 72 Calceolaria, 317 Finials and Castings, 81 Carnation, 317 Finishing Coat— Painting, 171 Candytuft, 317 Finishing in Oil and Shellac, 174 Chrysanthemum, 318 Finishing Inside— Wood-Work, 82 Fuchsia, 318 Fire-Proof Wooden Buildings, 41 Heliotrope, 319 Fire-Proofing Shingle Roofs, 390 Mignonette, 319 Fire-Proof Paint for Wood, 391 Oleander, S19 Flax aoth, 236 Pansy, 320 FLOORS, Durable, 45 Geranium, 320 A Better Plan for. 46 Ferns, 321 An Excellent Plan for, (with illus.) 126 Phlox Drummondii, 321 Flooring, To Measure, 166 Snapdragon, 321 FLOWERS— Violet, 322 Their Culture, 303 Zinnia, 322 How to Have Abundance of, 304 Chinese Primrose, 322 How to Have them all Winter, 323 Roses, 323 Useful Suggestions on Cultivation of 304 Petunia, 323 Classification of, 306 Water-Lily, 324 How to Construct the Beds, 310 Water-Lily, Cultivation of in Tubs, 324 List of Bulbs, 311 Water-Lily for Aquariums, 326 Climbers, 314 Ice-Plant, 325 Annuals and Perennials, 316 Balsam, 325 Varieties Suitable for all Purposes, 316 Ageratum, 326 Window Gardening, (with illus ) 327 Abutilon, 326 The Soil, 305 Flues and Chimneys, 86 490 GENERAL INDEX. 190 03 64 3S7 335 Formation of Lawns, Foundations, Foundation of Boulders, Frencli Polish, FRET SAWING— An Embellislimentin WindowGar- dening, (witli illustration) 330 Its Origin, 33& Sand-Papering:, 345 Materials Suitable for Use, 337 A Manual of, 339 Practical Lessons in, (with illus's) 340 The Tools and their Uses, 339, 352 Finishing tlic Work, 342 Working in Metal, Ivor}', Etc., 346 Saws, Lathes, Prices, Etc., 349 Silhouettes, 345 Friendship Cushion, 279 Furnaces and Grates, 91 Furnaces for Heating, 92 FURNITURE DESIGNS— Hat Rack with Mirror, 2S6 Hat and Umbrella Rack, 237 Easy Chair, 289 Library Chair, 290 Lounge, 291 Hassock, 292 Bed-Room Set, 295 Wardrobe Bedstead, 296 Bed with Draper}', 297 Toilet-Stand with Drapery, 299 Furniture Varnish, 335 Furniture Polish, 3S6 GARDEN, The— Best Time for Planting Trees, 202 Drives and Walks, 197 Errors to be Avoided, 183 Excellent Trees to Plant, 205 Exposure or Location, 136 Fences, Various Styles of, 206 « Formation of La^wns, 190 General Rules, 183 Gradin'r and Terracing, 189 How to Begin, 184 PAGE. How to Select Trbes, 205 How to Ornament Fences, 209 Methods of Making Walks, 198 Permanent Lawn, 191 Planting Trees, 202 Roads and Walks, 189 Style of Gardening, 186 Special Features, 193 Time for Removing Trees, 203 Terraces, 189 Varieties of Shrubs, Trees, and Flowers, 194 General Considerations, 25 Glazing, 88 Good Drainage, How to Secure, 97 GRAINING— 175 The Tools for, 175 The Ground for, J75 Ash, 177 Old Oak, 177 Bird's-Eye Maple, 177 Mahogany, 17$ Grates and Furnaces, 91 Grass, to Crystallize, 331 Ground Glass Windows, To Imitate, 331 HAIR— To Beautify the, 333 Gloss, 3S2 Oil, 332 Wash, 8S2 Lotion, 332 Brushes, To Clean, 383 Hall Benches, 2S0 Hall, The, 285 HANGINGS FOR DOORS, HALLS, AND WINDOWS- HOW to Make them, 259 Elegant Effect at Small Cost, 260 Old Blue Blanket, 260 Portiere of Chinese Embroidery, 260 Silk Rag Carpet, 261 Ingrain Carpet, 261 The Dove Portiere, 262 Velveteen, 262 GENEBAL INDEX. 491 Smyrna Blankets, PAeK. 262 1 Additions to It, AGE. 107 Prayer Cai-pets, 262 How to Prevent Brick Walls from Curtains, 263 Sweating, 60 Prices of Materials, Scarfs and Book-Case Curtains Harmony in Decorations, HARNESS- 263 264 214 ICE-HOUSE— To Construct, Combined with Preservatory (with 157 To Clean, To Black, Composition, Hassocks, Embroidered Covers for. Hassock, A Serviceable, (out) Health, Hints on. Hearths and Pavements, Hearth Rugs and Carpets, 411 412 412 248 292 377 2S3 289 ill.) Ideal Houses, Impure Air, How to Remove It, Liks, Recipes for. Inlaid Applique Work, Ingrain Carpet, Instructions in Needlo-Work, Interlaying in Scroll- Work, 158 26 94 413 241 261 241 343 HOME— Attractive Cottage, For People of Japanese Quilt, 273 279 Small Means, (with illus.) A Rural Cottage, (with iUus.) m 128 KALCIMINE (Calcimine), Blue, 230 231 Plan of a, that Combines Conven- Rose, 231 ience and Beauty, (with illus.) Decoration of, Home-Made Mantels, HOUSE, The— How to Plan a. 129 380 290 30 Lavender, Lilac, Kinds of Stitches in Needle-Work, Kitchen, The, 231 231 237 83 How to Proceed, 30 Lace, To Whiten, 871 Kinds of Lumber to Use, 33 Lambrequins, (with ill.) 277 Renting and Purchasing, 27 Lamp Screen, 275 Painting, 34 167 LANDSCAPE GARDENING— Contracting the Work, 28,32 General Rules Applying to Small Alterations and Additions to. 107 149 Lots, 183 Appearance of. 36 Errors to be Avoided, 183 Bri* and Stone, their Cost, 57 How to Begin, 184 Stone Trimmings for Brick, 60 Style of Gardening Used, 186 Hardware, 88 Exposure or Location, 186 Heating and Ventilation, 91 Roads and Walks, 189 Measuring of Work, Labor, md Grading and Terracing, 189 Material, 165 Formation of Lawns, 190 Style of Building, 188 A More Permanent Lawn, 191 Distance from Road, 188 Special Features, 193 Hall, The, 285 Varieties of Flowers, Trees, and Suggestions on Furnishing, 285 Shrubs to Use, 194 Flooring for. 283 Drives and Walks, (with ill.) 197 Heating Furnaces, 92 Method of Making, 198 How to Build a House and Make Flantiqg Trees, 202 492 GENERAL INDEX. Best Time for Doing So, Time for Removing, How to Select Trees, Excellent Kinds to Plant, Fences, Various Styles, ' How to Make them Ornamental, Lathing and Plastering, Latnes and Saws for Fret Sawing, Leaves, To Skeletonize, LESSONS IN FRET SAWING (with illustrations)— I-, II., III., IV., Library, The, Lime-Water, Lounge, Useful and Graceful, LUMBER — Necessary to Erect a Build- ing— To Find, To Measure a Pile of, The Number of Feet in a Log, PAGE. 202 206 205 206 209 76 349 880 340 340 341 341 221, 288 379 166 165 166 MANTELS— Home-Made, 290 Cabinets, Etc., 283 Mason Work, 62 Materials in Building a House, ^vith their Cost, 145 MEASURING— Builder's Work, Labor,' and Mate- rial. 165 Lumber, 165, 166 Studding, 165 Clapboarding, 166 Plastering, 166 Flooring, 166 Mineral Paints, 168 Mixing Colors, 169 Momie Cloth for Needle-Work, 235 Mordants Used in Dyeing, 364, 370 NEEDLE-WORK— Recent Improvements in. 234 Usefulness in, A Prominent Fea- ture, 234 Description of Materials for, %Zb Flax aoth, 235 Canton Flannel, 2S6 Momie aoth, 235 Upholstery FeJts, 235 Bnlton Sheeting, 23S Plushes, 235 Secret of Beauty in, 2S4 Satin, 236 Crewels, 236 Arasene, 236 Embroidery Silks, 238 Beads, 236 Kinds of Stitches, 237 Stem or Tent Stitch, 237 Blanket Stitch, 237 Feather Stitch, 237 A New Stitch, 233 Plush Stitch, 23S Applique or Cut-Work, 241 Inlaid, 241 Onlaid, 241 Instructions therein, 241 Drawn Work, 241 Embroidery Frames, 241 NEEDLE-WORK DESIGNS— Embroidered Border, Fig. 42, 243 Embroidered Border, Fig. 43, 243 Embroidered Pincushion, Fig. 44, 244 Silk Counterpane, Fig. 45, 245 Silk Counterpane, Fig. 46, * 245 Tatted Doyley, Fig. 47, 248 Embroidered Tidy on Linen Crash, Fig. 48, " 247 Nickle Plating, How to Imitate, 388 Odds and Ends of Antiquity, 279 Oils and Driers, 168 Oil and Shellac Finish, 174 Oil instead of Varnish for Doora, 178 Old Blue Blankets, A Use for, 260 Onlaid Applique Work, 241 Open Fire-Places, 91 GENERAL INDEX. 493 Open Joints, and How to Prevent them, 46 Originality, A Lesson in, 280 Originality in Furnishing, 2S0 Outhouses, 157 Overlaying in Scroll- Work, 344 PAINT— Economical, 390 . To Remove, . 390 To Destroj", 390 Fire-Proof for Roofs, 390 , For Blackboards, 391 Compound Fire-Proof for Wood- Work, 391 To Prevent Rust, 392 PAINTING— Best Time to Paint, 3B3, 167 Kinds of Paint, 168 Colors Used, 168 Mixing Colors, 169 Oils and Driers, 169 Applying Paints, 170 Priming, 170 Second Coat, 171 Finishing Coat, 171 Brushes and Tools, . 172, 175 General Suggestions on Outside Work, 172 Inside Work, 174 Oil and Shellac Finish, 174 To Paint Old Work, 3S9 Graining, 175 Ash Graining, 177 Old Oak Graining, 177 Bird's-Eye Maple Graining, 177 Mahogany Graining, 178 Recipes for, 388 Parlor, Library, Etc., How to Finish, 188 Paste, How to Make, 229 Patriotic Screen, A, 274 Pavements of Encaustic Tiles, 282 Picturesque Gothic House, (with iU.) 130 Piecework, Japanese, 273 Pincushion in Embroidery, 242 Plan for Cheap but Excellent Farm and Carriage Bam. (S ill.) 169 PLASTERING, To Measure, Plates for Rafters, Plumbing and Fitting, Plushes for Needle-Work, Plush Stitch, Polish for Furniture, Polishing Wood Carvings, PORTIERES— Various for Doors, Halls, and Win- dows, How to Make Them, Of Chinese Embroidery, Made from Waste Material, Use of Sm^Tna Blankets "Praj'er Carpets," Preserving Autumn Leaves, Pretty Idea in Screen Decoration, Principles of Taste, Pure Water, Pure White Lead, PAGIi. 76, 163 168 S4 235 238 386 I, 396 259 260 260 261 and 270 168 Quilt, A Japanese, 273, 279 Recent Improvements in Needle-Work, 234 Reception-Boom, The, 288 RECIPES FOR— Dyeing, 364 Bleaching, 371 Health, 877 Home Decoration, 380 Toilet, 882 Paints, ' 388 Staining W.oods, 392 Cleaning and Scouring, 394 Cleaning Fabrics, 398 Cements, 403 Cooking, 417 RECIPES, MISCELLANEOUS— 408 To Renew Manuscripts, 408 Tracing Paper, 403 Transfer Paper, 409 To Mend Amber, 409 Bronzing Wood, 409 To Remove Screws, 410 To Make Putty, 410 494 GENERAL INDEX. PAGE. For Sealing- Wax, 411 For Cleaning Harness, 411 For Harness Blacking. 412 For Harness Composition, 412 To Destroy Bed-Bugs, 412 To Make Non-Corrosive Ink, 418 For Invisible Ink, 413 For Green Ink, 413 For Blue Ink, 413 To Make Soap-Bubbles, 413 To Prevent Rusting, 414 To Prevent Leaii's Exploding, 414 To Repair Rubber Hose, 414 To Keep Wagon Tiles on, 414 Tlie Tempering Secret, 415 Test for Counterfeit Silver, 416 RECIPES— Dyeing Woolens, 367 Ebonizing Wood, 267, 3S2 Varnish for Common Work,. SS5 Furniture Varnish, SS5 RECIPES, TOILET— Hair, To Beautify the. sss Hair Gloss, 332 Hair Wash, SS2 Hair Lotion, 332 Hair Brushes, To Clean, 333 Teeth, To Beautify the. SSS Tooth Powder, 333 Tooth Wash, 333 Bloom of Roses, 3S3 Bloom of Youth, 3S3, Violet Powder, 334 Aromatic Vinegar, . 334 Camphor Ice, 334 Cold Cream, 334 For Rough or Chapped Hands, 334 To Take Stains oft the Skin, 334 Acacia Sachet, 354 Pot-Pourri Sachet Powder, 336 RemodelingjWindows, 153 Revolving Ventilator, The, 96 Roofs and Gables, Improving of. 162 Roofs and Trimmings, SO FASE. Satin for Fancy Work, 236 Scarf for Book -Cases, 239 Scarf for Pianos, 266 SCREENS— Their Variety and Uses, 266 How to Make Them, (with ill.) 267 Bamboo and Fire Screens, 268 Use of an Old Clothes-Horse, 269 Method of Covering and Decorat- ing, 269 ' A Pretty Idea, 270 Appropriate Figures from Hature, 271 271 A Stationary Screen, In Embroider}', Old Clothes-Horse Screen, Japanese Piecework,. A Patriotic Subject, Odd Fan, Lamp, SCROLL SAWING, Practical Lessons in, (with ilL) Selecting Healthy Site, Selecting Flowers, Sewage, Good System of. Shade Trees, Shaker Rocku^-Chair Gusluons, Sheathing Paper, Shellac Finish, Shingling, Shingles, No. Required for a Roof, Shrubbery, Shutters and Blinds, Sick -Room, Disinfectants for. Silhouettes in- Scroll- Work, Silk Counterpanes in Embroidery, Silk Rag Carpet, Simple Adornments that Add to Com- fort, Simple Cottage, A, with Successive Enlargements [Figs. 3, 4, S, 6] from Design I., 105 Skeletonizing Leaves, 880 Soil for the Flower Garden, 805 SOLID GOTHIC HOUSE— Description of the Plan, (with ill.) 132 277 273 274 276 275 336 340 97 304 98 101 248 42 174 42 166 101 82 377 345 244 130 GENERAL INDEX. 495 Cost of Erection, Sowing: of Flower Seeds, Sponge, To Bleach, STAINING WOODS— Directions for, Walnut, (2 Recipes) Black, Black, for Immediate Use, Ebony, 267, Cherrj-, STAIRCASES— Directions for Building;, Rear or Back, STAMPING— Producing the Design, Transferriugr Design, Slate Roofs, Steam Heating, Stem or Tent Stitch in Needle-Work, Stone-Work, Stone Trimmings for Brick Houses, Storm Doors, Straw Hats, To Color, Straw Goods, To Bleach, Studding, Suggestions on Building, 32, Suggestions on Beautifj'ing the Sur- rounding:s at Little Expense, Summer Cottage, How to Build, Summer House, To Construct, Sunlight, a House that Admits to Ever}' Room, (with ill.) Sweating of Brick Walls, How to Pre- vent, Table-Cover, Ornamental, (with ill.) Table Scarf in Darned Work, Tables, to Renovate, Tanks, Hints on. Tatted Doyley, Tempering Secret of the U. S. Go\'em- ment, Terraces, Testing Cement, Tin Roofs and Trimmings, PAGE. PASK. 134 Tidy on Linen Craeli, 247 S0!> TOILET RECIPES— 371 Hair Gloss, 3S2 Hair Oil, SS2 392 Hair Wash, 382 393 Hair Lotion, 382 393 Hair, To Beautify the. 383 393 Hair Brushes, To Clean, 383 7,393 Teeth, To Beautify the, 353 393 Tooth Powder, 3S3 Tooth Wash, 383 61 Bloom of Roses, 333 62 Bloom of Youth, 383 Violet Powder, ^4 240 Aromatic Vinegar, 384 240 Camphor Ice, 384 79 Cold Cream, 384 93 For Rough or Chapped Hands, 384 237 To Talce Stains off the Sl