.vW f\- i^» fM LIBRARY OF CONGRESS? Shelf -...L.iSv. UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. CARLETOW^S HOUSEHOLD LIBRARY. )^ H \ *' Home, Home, Sweet, Sweet Home." / EVERY DAY HOME ADVICE THE PRACTICAL BUSINESS OF LIFE. CONTAINING THE BEST AND MOST PRACTICAL ADVICE IN HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. DOMESTIC COOKERY IN ALL ITS BRANCHES. HOME MADE WINES AND DRINKS. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. OUR CLOTHING. HOUSE- HOLD PETS. HOW TO DESTROY DOMESTIC PESTS. GARDEN MANAGEMENT. WHAT TO DO IN SICKNESS. THE BEHAVIOR AND MAN- NERS OF LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC FACTS. '^ POINTS IN LAW, ETC., ETC. ^ ' NEW YORK: ■'■ '' COPYRIGHT, 1882, BY G. IV. Carleton & Co., Publishers, LONDON : S. LOW, SON & CO. MDCCCLXXXII. CONTENTS. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. vi.a8 Choice of a house. Sanitary law; drainage, ventila- tion, light, water supply. Decoration; furniture; carpets, window blinds, lamps ; cure of smoky chimneys ; paper hangings. Whitewashing. Cleansing of furniture. French polisliing. Colors for house painting. Fire-proof mortar. Cheap filter. Bright Irons. Hints for house- wives. Servants. Rent and taxes. Lodgings. Police cautions 25 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Whole art of cookery. Food in season for every month in the year. Terms used in modern cookery. Marketing. To choose meat, poultry, &c. Best mode of preserving food. Roasting, boiling, stewing, poultry, baking, fish, made dishes, entrees, frying, broiling, grilling, brais- ing, toasting, carving. Soups, gravies, eggs, pies, puddings, tarts, patties. Cold-meat cook- ery, sick-room cookery, caudle, custards, creams, jellies, possets, wheys and cakes. Sauces and stuffings. Vegetables and fruits. Curing, pickling, and preserving. Confectionery. Serv- [V] vi CONTENTS. FAOB ing dinners. Supper parties. Children's parties. Bread making 58 HOME-MADE WINES AND DRINKS. Finings for wines. Rules for making wines, cider and lemonade. Syllabubs and junkets, cooling cups, punch, winter drinks, liqueurs. . . 286 SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC FACTS. Philosophy of eating; water drinking; sleep at will; human body; the teeth of man and animals; yearly food of one man ; age of animals ; flight of birds. To keep a house cool in hot weather; open windows at night ; cautions to persons liv- ing in marshy districts. Beds and their man- agement ; carbolic acid and chloride of lime ; sugar as food, adulteration of sugar. To pre- vent drafts ; perfumes in sick chambers ; pep- sin, mustard-leaves. To restore scorched linen ; to preserve boots ; value of leaves ; tontine ; aquarium ; to re-polish jewelry ; weight of a sunbeam, &c., &c. 303 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. Soap, washes, perfumes, tooth powders, pomatums, hair washes, hair oils, cosmetics, inks, dyes. Cleaning, starching, washing, stains, waterproof- ing, varnishing, polishing. Blacking, hair dyes, depilatories, &c 325 CLOTHING. What should be worn next the skin ; choosing cloth ; clothes for traveling ; brushing, mending, CONTENTS. vii PAoa altering, restoring clothes; drawers, closets; ladies' clothes, tight lacing, covering the head ; the feet, &c. 375 DOMESTIC PETS. Dogs ; cats ; rabbits ; squirrels ; guinea pigs ; white mice; gold and silver fish; domestic fowls; food for chickens, ducks, geese, &c. . . . 382 DOMESTIC PESTS. To destroy or render harmless : — rats ; mice ; in- jct poison; moths; bugs; fleas ; flies ; cockroaches and crickets ; beetles ; gnats ; bees, &c. . . 405 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. Etiquette for gentlemen ; for young ladies ; toilet for ladies ; letter writing. Etiquette of the ball- room ; evening parties 4^4 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. Practical hints for keeping a garden ; directions for every month in the year. Easily-raised annuals, biennials; lists of perennials. In-door garden- ing. Fern cases, evergreens, edgings, gravel walks. List of hardy deciduous trees ; list of hardy variegated plants. Vegetables for garden growth. Greenhouse plants ; greenhouse work for each month, &c., &c 427 viii CONTENTS. DOMESTIC MEDICINE. What to do. Fainting, hysterics, apoplexy, fits. Blood-letting. Bruises, wounds, sprains, dislo- cations and fractures. Bites and stings, falls, scratches, burns and scalds. Accidents, poison- ing, warts, whitlows, corns and bunions. Blisters, chilblains, bleeding at the nose, perspiration, stammering, knock knees, styes, headache, tooth- ache, earache and deafness. Colds and coughs, restoration of the apparently drowned. Boils, carbuncles, abscesses, loss of appetite, sore throat, inflammation of the eyes, pimples, blotches. Neuralgia, palpitation of the heart, inflammation of the lungs. Dysentery, indiges- tion, bronchitis, asthma, constipation, diarrhoea; cholera, itch, dropsy. Consumption and ague, erysipelas, female complaints, children's com- plaints. . 461 LAW. I. O. U.; bills of exchange •; promissory notes ; ac- commodation bills ; non-presentment of a bill ; loss of a bill ; days of grace ; bills of sale ; mort- gages ; law of landlord and tenant ; leases ; no- tice to quit; form of agreement for a lease; fix- tures; agreements; ejectments; fire insurance; life insurance, wills; law of master and servant ; apprenticeship indentures; nuisances ; libel ; slander. « »«..... 501 INDEX. Advice to mistresses Anchovy toast . Arrow-i"oot Apple water tart . Asses' milk. Asparagus Artichokes . Age of animals . Adulteration of sugar Aquarium Artificial light . musk . Almond rocher .' bloom , pomatum paste Athenian water . Asphalt pavement Alabaster ornaments Altering clothes Ants . PAGE 55 154 190 191 221 196 262 262 310 316 320 29 330 234 332 333 337 335 3<^7 371 379 412 31 Breakfast room . room furni- ture . . 33 Breakfast, luncheons,&c.282 Bits of advice Brass ornaments, Butler, duties of Baking dish fish. pastry- Bacon, to boil Bacon or ham, to fry- Bacon and ham, how to choose Boiling Broiling and grilling Broiled fowl rump steak fowl Browning for soup. Bullock's kidney- Bullock's heart,tobak Boiled fowl. tongue . calf's feet Baked sweetbreads Bubble and squeak Bread pap Barley-water Buttermilk . [ix] PAGB 35 42 53 83 84 88 92 96 114 66 92 118 119 156 151 132 155 88 98 158 159 167 186 189 191 193 X INDEX. PAGE PAGE Beef, how to choose . 65 Broths 197 to roast 72 Bacon, to cure . 266 ribs, to roast 72 Butter Scotch 274 to bake 87 Bills of fare 27s round of, to boil 9Z Bed rooms, furniture. 34 rump of, to boil. 94 Bread making . 282 ribs of, to boil . 94 Brown bread 284 round,' to carve 122 Barley bread 285 aitchbone of, to orangeade 294 carve. . 122 orangeade 197 brisket of, to Brandy bitters . 301 carve 122 Beds, and their manage - rump of, to stew 107 ment 314 shin of, to stew. 108 Black dye . 341 sirloin, to carve 122 lace vails, to ribs of, to carve . 122 clean. . 344 soup . ^ZZ clothes 379 olives 151 Blacking , 354 collops 153 for harness . 355 .bones broiled . 155 Bird stuffing 397 a-la-mode . 155 Bees .... 401 ormuttonpudding i8i Bugs .... 408 baked 182 Beetles 4" fried 182 Biennials . 437 ragout of . 182 Bulbs .... 446 drink 196 tea 199 Choice of a house 25 tea, baked . 199 Carpets 35 tea in ten minutes 199 Cleansing of furniture 40 hashed, veal, lamb, Cleansing brass-work 41 &c. . 178 Colors for house paint - Boiled fowl . ^ . 201 ing . 42 Blancmange 233 Cheap filter 45 Blancmange, tapioca , 233 Cook, duties of . 48 Black-cap apples 234 Coachman, duties of . 54 Buns, plain 246 Cod, how to choose . 68 Bath . 246 Crabs, how to choose. 69 Biscuits, 249 Capon, to roast . 81 sea 249 Cooking in American sweet . 249 and Dutch ovens . 83 savory . 249 Cookiog by gas . 82 Broad beans 259 Cod, to bake 89 INDEX. xi PAGE TAOK Calf's hearts and sheep' S Caudle 191 hearts, to bake 88 Charlottes . 239 Calf's head, to carve . T25 Curds and whey . 195 liver and bacon 159 Cake, pound 240 Cod's sounds to boil . 103 savory 240 Cod-fish pie 160 common lunch. 241 Cod, to boil 102 ordinary plum . 241 Cod's head and shoulder > ordinary seed . 241 to carve 129 soda . 242 Cod's head and shoulder y currant 242 to bake 89 bride. 243 Chicken and fowl, to boil 98 | rice . 243 Carp with vinegar 102 Madeira . 243 Carp, to stew III sponge 244 Collared eel, to boil . 103 wine 244 Crimped skate . 115 macaroons 244 Carving 121 plain cheap 246 Cock-a-leekie 144 tea 248 Curried chicken. 160 Crumpets . 247 Chicken broth . 198 Cabbages . 257 fritters . 177 Cauliflowers 260 Cold meat cookery . 178 Carrots and parsnips . 261 cod 185 Celery 262 Cool drink . 196 Cucumbers. 263 Crust for puddings and Curing and pickling . 265 pies .... 222 and potting . 265 Cakes .... 239 Capers, to pickle. 269 Cakes, cheese 226 Cabbage, to pickle 269 lemon cheese . 227 Candied citron, lemon orange cheese . 227 or orange peel 271 almond cheese 227 Confectionery 273 Custards, cup 235 Compotes . 273 coffee . 236 Candied fruit 273 Cream, stone 236 Children's parties 277 dessert . 236 Champagne 288 " au liqueur". 236 Cowslip wine 290 Italian . 237 Cider, lemonade, &c. . 291 lemon 237 Cider . . . . 291 raspberry- 237 Cider cup . 296 solid 237 Cooling cups 296 solid fruit 238 Claret cup . 296 colored . 238 Cherry brandy . 301 xii INDEX. PAGE PAGE Carbolic acid 3H Dumplings, currant 209 Congress water . ZZ"^ Dripping crust . . 224 Cosmetics . 336 Damson cheese . 234 Carmine rouge . ZZ^ Damsons, to preserve 271 Cold cream. 336 Drafts prevented . 316 Cotton, dyed red 341 Domestic chemistry 325 Cleaning kid gloves 342 Dyeing 340 Chinese water - proo: small ribbons 341 composition . 350 feathers . . 342 Chloride of lime 355 Dye leather, red . . 341 Carbolic acid 356 Disinfectants . 355 Cement for glass 357 Depilatories . 363 for marble 357 Drying of wood. 368 for knife han- Danger from union oi dles . 357 metals Z^9 Clothing 375 Durable paste 372 Cloth for clothes 376 Dogs . 382 Clothes for traveling 376 Domestic fowls . 389 closets . 379 pests . 405 Children's clothing 380 pets , 382 Covering of the head 381 Cats . 384 Eel broth . . . 198 Cockroaches, crickets 411 Eel pie 170 Eels, to boil . 103 Drainage . 28 to stew 112 Domestic cookery 58 to fry 117 Decoration . 30 to carve 129 Drawing-room . 30 Egg-hot . 300 Drawing-room furni- Eggs, boiled ■ 171 ture. 32 to fry . -114 Dining-room • 30 poached . • 171 Dining-room furni fried . . 172 ture . ZZ poached, and Drafts. Zl ham sauce . 172 Dairy-maid, duties of 51 Scotch 172 Ducks, how to choose 67 curried . 172 Duck, to roast . 81 Everton taffy . 274 Ducklings and rabbits > Elderberry wine . 290 to stew . no Elder-flower water 328 Dried salmon 120 Eau de Cologne . • 329 Dumplings, lemon 208 Easily - made storm apple 209 glass . 372 INDEX. xiii PAGE PAGE Etiquette in trave' ing 420 Fritters, currant. 22S for gen tie apple 228 men . 414 apricot 229 for younp cream 229 girls. 421 almond 229 for ladies 422 Fowls, to roast 81 of the ball to carve . 127 room 425 Fowl or turkey 181 Evening parties . 426 Forcemeat . 254 Early-raised Annuals 43 ... 157 . 116 Salt duck 166 . 116 Sweet bread pie 166 . 117 Scotch haggis 168 • 91 Squab pie 184 . 119 Sick-room cookery . 187 . 120 Sago . 190 . 121 Sippets 191 )od- Strawberry tartlets 225 . 128 Sausage rolls 225 . 132 Short- bread 245 . 130 Sauces and stuffings . 250 . 130 Sauce Robert . 250 • ^ZZ fish 251 • 134 parsley . 251 • 135 ^SS 252 • 135 tomato . 252 • 136 bechamel 252 . 137 for cold meats 252 . 138 caper 252 . 139 bread 253 • 139 mint 253 . 139 white 253 140 apple 253 . 141 brandy and wine 253 . 141 for pudding . 254 . 141 sweet 254 . 142 mushroom and . 142 walnut . 254 142 celery 254 . 143 Stuffin g, ordinary 255 . 143 Sage and onions 255 . 143 Sprouts and young . 143 greens 258 INDEX. xxi FAGB PAGI! Scarlet dye for wool . 342 To clean silver . . 345 beans • 259 renovate black Spinach 260 lace . . 345 Spanish onions 260 clean cloth . • 347 Salads . 263 polish ivory .. • 353 Stewed pears and dry flowers . • 359 pippins . 264 dry grass and Salmon, to pickle 268 moss • 3<5o Small dinner parties 5 275 darken the hair . 363 Supper parties 277 remove hair . Z^Z Soda water . 294 wash blankets 364 Syllabub • 295 wash damask cur Slierry . 289 tains . . 365 Sherry cobbler . . 296 wash carpets • 365 Social and scientific clean ermine fur 365 facts Z^l renovate black Sleep at will . 307 cloths "365 Sugar as food 315 engrave on glass 366 Soap, toilet. 325 detect logwood in lemon 326 wine . 369 musk. 326 detect arsenic 369 Windsor . 327 preserve wood 369 Scents for pomatums 331 bleach hair . 370 Smelling salts 332 preserve steel 372 Sealing wax 356 brush clothes 377 Skeleton leaves . 359 clean birds' feet . 395 Squirrels 386 preserve seeds 441 Singing birds 394 Tight lacing 381 Silkworms . 403 Transfer papers . 372 Sting of bees 412 Treatment of young canaries . 396 Terms used in modern Talking birds . 396 cookery . 61 The greenhouse 453 Turkey, to boil . 97 to carve . 126 Under butler, duties Tomatoes . 261 of . . . . 53 Tomato salad 264 Tooth powders . 335 Ventilation 28 To clean gilt frames . 344 Varnished wood 45 Trout, to stew . 113 Valet, duties of . 53 to fry 117 Venison, how to Truffles 261 choose. . 67 xxu INDEX. PAGE Vegetables . ._ . . 256 Vegetable tooth pow- der .... 336 Venison, hashed . 179 vto roast . 76 • to stew _ . Ill Veal, how to choose . 60 fillet of, to roast 74 to roast . . 74 loin of, to roast . 75 breast and shoul- der of, to roast 75 yeal, breast of . .86 shoulder of . 86 fillet of . .86 breast of, to boil 95 knuckle of, to boil . . 95 ' breast of, to stew 109 fillet of, to stew. 109 knuckle of, to stew . .110 neck of, to stew, no breast of, to carve . . 124 fillet of, to carve 125 collops . . 160 cutlets . . 161 and ham pie . 162 stew of . .180 ragout of . . 183 pie . . . 183 broth . . 198 stuffing . . 255 to pot . . 267 Value of leaves . .319 Varnishes . . , 350 Varnish for garden fences . . . 441 Vol-au-vent . . 225 Water supply '.'• : 29 Windov/ blinds . . 36 Wliitewashing . . 39 Whitewash for walls. 39 Woodcocks, how to choose . . . ■ 68 Woodcock,&c. to roast 82 Whitebait . . .118 devilled . 118 Welsh rarebits . .121 White stock soup . 131 lip salve . . 337 wine whey \. 194 mice ;, . 387 wines . '. 286 Wines . . . 287 Walnuts to pickle . 269 Winter drinks . . 299 Water drinking . . 304 Weight of a sunbeam . 323 Wash-balls . . 326 Wash for the face . 328 Wash to promote cur- ling • • .335 Washing powders . 327 counter- panes, &c. 346 Waterproof cloth . 349 calico . 349 boots . 349 packing paper . 350 lin- ens .... 364 Wood uninflammable 368 Watering a garden . 443 Yeast dumplings . 202 Yearly food of one Man . . . 310 Washing colored INDEX. XXllI DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Apoplexy . 462 Habitual intempe- Accidental poisoning 466 ranee 470 Abscesses . 477 Headache . 471 Asthma 483 Inflammation of the Ague . 489 Eyes 479 Blood-letting 463 Itch . 486 Bruises 463 Inflammation of the Bites and stings . 465 lungs 487 Burns and scalds 466 Jaundice 493 Blistered feet 4C9 Leeches (to apply) 476 Bleeding of the nose . 469 Loss of appet ite. 478 Boils, carbuncles, &c 477 Mumps 495 Bronchitis . 483 Measles 498 Corns and bunions 468 Neuralgia . 480 Chilblains . 469 Nettle rash . 495 Colds and coughs 473 Perspiration 470 Costiveness (or con Palpitation of the stipation) 484 heart . 480 Cholera 485 Restoration of the ap- Consumption 488 parently dn jwned . 474 Children's complaints 491 Sprains . 464 Convulsions 493 Stammering . 470 Croup , 494 Substances in the Domestic medicine 461 throat , 470 Dislocations and frac Substances in the ear . 471 tures 465 Small-Pox . . 490 Dysentery . 481 Scarlet Fever . 498 Dyspepsia . 482 Tootachc , , 472 Diarrhoea . 485 To excite breathing . 474 Dropsy 487 To imitate breathing . 475 Epilepsy . 462 Teething , 492 Earache and deafness ' 473 Thrush . 494 Erysipelas . 489 Ulcerated sore throat . 479 Fainting 461 Wounds , . 464 Falls, where the pa Warts , , 468 tient is stunned 466 Whitlows . , , 468 Female complaints • 491 Worms ^ , 496 H^-sterics . . 461 Whooping cough 500 XXIV INDEX. LAW. Advice to him that goes to law . . . 501 An I. O. U. . . 501 Accommodation bills 503 Altering date of a bill of exchange . . 504 A misdescription . 512 An action for eject- ment . . . 516 Apprenticeship . 523 Bills of exchange . 502 payable at a bank- ers . . . 503 falling due on Sun- day . . . 504 of sale . . 505 Breach of condition 507 Copies of bills of sale 506 Conditions of liability 518 Days of grace . . 504 Ejectment . . 515 Foreign bills of ex- change . . . 503 Fixtures . . . 509 Forms of agreement . 510 Forms of notices to quit . . .513 Form of a will . . 520 Fire insurance . . 516 False representation . 519 Hiring furnished apartments . . 508 Indenture of appren- ticeship . . . 523 Joint mortgage . 507 Loss of a bill . . 503 Letting and hiring . 508 Leases . . .510 Life insurance . Law of master and servant . Libel Mortgages . More than one mort gage Mortgage of a lease hold Non-presentment of a bill . Notice to quit Nuisances . Promissory notes Preparation of bills of sale Power to assign Policy not rendered void Policy not assignable Premises insured Repairs Rent per annum Recovery of insurance Service of notice Slander The law of landlord and tenant Tenant paying taxes or lodger Trade fixtures To insure the life of another . To cancel indentures Validity of a will Writ of ejectment Wills . Will revoked PAGB 520 527 506 507 507 503 511 526 505 505 508 517 517 517 508 512 517 512 527 508 509 509 510 519 524 519 516 519 519 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. CHOICE OF A HOUSE.. The first and most important requisite in domestic life is a house to live in. You may either build, pur- chase or rent a house. In the first case, there is some difficulty — the cost of building having considerably in- creased of late. But if you determine to build, sqx.\.\c first on the size and style of house you need. Then apply to a respectable architect and surveyor ; tell him the extent of your family, number of servants, whether stables, bil- liard-room, conservatories, hothouses, &c., are wanted, and the limit of expense to whicli you intend to go. The architect will submit to you a rough draft of the proposed house and its estimated cost; approved of, the plan is elaborated. Finally, you obtain separate plans for each story, with elevations for the principal fronts — all accurately and carefully drawn. The next matter is to find a suitable locality. Let your new vicinity be high and v^^ell-drained. Carefully avoid the neighborhood of graveyards, gas-works, canals, factories, water reser- voirs, marshes, open ditches, slaughter-houses, and chem- ical manufactories. Endeavor to obtain a site facing the south or southeast, — the very best being that site which has the diagonal line of its general plan north and soutli, so as to have the sun's rays on every window during some [25] 26 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. part of the day; — in other words, having no front or side pointing directly east, west, north or south. A gravel soil is preferable to all others, as it will not retain the water, and soon dries after rain. If you cultivate a gar- den, you will soon discover the advantage of this. The direct or moderate slope is always a healthy site, and sure to be well drained. Before you conclude upon building, be careful to find that the water supply and drainage of the neighborhood are thoroughly satisfactory. Good and plentiful water and complete drainage are absolutely essential to health and comfort. Procure next from a good builder a detailed estimate of his charges. If they are satisfactory, you may order the work to be proceeded with. The thickness of walls, weight of timber employed, depth of foundations, height of chimneys above roof, party walls, &c., may safely be left to the architect. A defect may be easily set right while the house is in course of building which would be a source of much dis- content and expense if allowed to remain undetected until after the work was completed. The style and pat- tern of the various decorations should be personally seen to. Remember always to give the new house plenty of time to dry, and never on any account move in until you have the surveyor's assurance that the walls and roof are perfectly set. Some very melancholy cases have occurred from persons living too soon in newly-built houses. Mold gets upon the furniture, and clothes and linen are constantly damp. This state of things rapidly ren- ders the blood unhealthy, and the whole system becomes deranged. Dropsy, rheumatism, and, in some cases, pa- ralysis, are brought on; the slightest wound or scratch speedily inflames, and existing t.omplaints are greatly aggravated. Every house should have a garden; but, as a matter of taste and comfort, it is as well to get as large an area as possible. Where practicable, let your garden wall back upon another garden wall, as you v/ill thus secure HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 27 a good open space between your house and your neigh- bor's. Purchasing or Renting. Purchasing or Renting of a house already built. These means of obtaining a house are certainly preferable when your circumstances render economy necessary. Your best plan is to get the lists of properties for sale issued by respectable house agents, who have always a number of tenements, more or less bargains, for disposal. In these lists may be found houses to suit the means and desires of all classes. You can then see them for yourself. If you consider the matter favorably, pay a second visit — this time accompanied by a surveyor or skilled friend — and if everything be satisfactory, you can commence negotiations by offering your maximum price. You will find all necessary particulars as to agree- ments for leases, repairs, &c., under the section devoted to Law. If all go smoothly, you can dispense with the aid of a lawyer; but should you have any reasonable doubt as to the bo7ia fides of the vendor or his agent, im- mediately instruct your legal adviser to examine the titles under which the property is held, and the powers of the vendors to sell. In nearly all cases the cost of transfer is paid by the purchaser; but it is sometimes arranged that all costs are covered by one lump sum. Sanitary Law. The observance of the principles of cleanliness and care in the management of a house is all-important. Be- fore these principles were understood, the rate of mor- tality, in large towns especially, was much higher than it is now. In choosing a house or apartments, strict atten- 28 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. tion should be paid to drainage, ventilation, light, and water supply, and if these are all good, you may con- gratulate yourself on a fortunate selection. Drainage. Drainage is one of the great characteristics of modern building operations; for though the principle of carrying off the refuse of towns is of ancient date, the practice was, in this country, until recently, only partially carried out. See that the fall from the house-drainage to the main sewer is considerable — eight to twelve feet at the least. Avoid, if possible, drains passing through the house; and see that the kitchen and out-house drains are ample and efficient. Once during the twenty-four hours in suiTimcr, and once or twice a week in winter, the whole of the drains about tlic premises should be well Hushed. This serves the double purpose of getting rid of the stale water from the cisterns, and carrying away to the main sewer any foul matter retained in the drain pipes. In hot seasons disinfectants — a list of which will be found under the section ** Domestic Chemistry " — should be freely used. Ventilation. The great desideratum in ventilation is a free current of fresh air through all the rooms. Early in the morn- ing (except when the weather is very foggy) open all win- dows, dooKs, chimneys, and ventilators, and thoroughly freshen the whole house. As soon as the family are up, the beds should be stripped, the sheets, pillows, blankets, &c., placed about the room, the windows opened top and bottom, and left so for a couple of hours. Many servants think that windows should only be opened in warm weather. This is a great mistake, as fresh air is just as necessary in cold weather as in warm. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 29 light. Light is an indispensable essential to health. A room flooded with light early in the morning is cheerful and pleasant all day. The complaint made in summer of the great heat of rooms much exposed to the sun has cer- tainly some truth in it; but summer heat may be tem- pered in many ways. Outside blinds arc excellent, and indeed almost essential to rooms upon which the sun shines many hours. Another excellent mode of cooling sunny rooms is to place a large glass bowl, such as gold- fish arc kept in, in the center of the room. Fill it with cold water, and put into it as many little branches as it will hold, the lower ends downwards, of willow, birch, or lime-tree. By this easy expedient an apartment will in a short time be rendered much cooler, the evaporation of the water producing the desirable effect without detri- ment to health. Besides, the exhalation of green plants, under the influence of the sun's rays, greatly tends to purify the air. Plants, however, should not remain in the room after nightfall, or in the shade, and especially not in bed-rooms. Fresh branches and fresh water should be used every day, and if tastefully selected and arranged this tree-bouquet w,ill be found a graceful and novel orna- ment. Artificial Light. In the matter of artificial light, if gas is used, see that the fittings do not allow any escape. Patronize " patent " burners, as the ordinary burners allow a large quantity of imconsumed gas to pass, which fills the room, and is the fruitful cause of headaches and nausea. Water Supply. The Water Supply should be constant if possible. If that cannot be obtained, then the cisterns, water-butts, or 30 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. other receptacles should be kept clean and covered from dust and dirt. Rain-water will be found suf- ficient for many purposes; but for drinking or cook- ing all water should be filtered. Boiled water is very- good, but water filtered through animal charcoal is still better. The foul cistern, the rarely-emptied dust-bin, and the street drain are only some of the sins against nature's laws which propagate disease. DECORATION. There is nothing like individual taste in these mat- ters; but a few hints will be acceptable. Drawing-Eoom. Have your Drawing- Room decorated cheerfully. Let the wall paper be of no decided pattern, and light in color. The chimney-pieces should be of white or varie- gated marble; the wood-work light, and the door-plates, &c., simply white and gold. Stoves should be steel, bronze, or ormolu; and the gasaliers either to match (in color and pattern), or of cut glass. Where the burners represent wax tapers, bronze is perhaps more elegant. Chandeliers are always pretty, if kept bright. Diuiug-Room. In your Dining-Rooffi a different style can be adopted. The paper should be rich and warm in tone, without staring patterns, and the cornice and moldings massive. Most persons prefer " pattern " finger-plates and knobs in dining-rooms. The stoves should be roomy, and the general effect that of substantial comfort. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 31 Breakfast-Eoom. Preakfast-rooms should be light and simple in their decoration. Bed-rooms are usually ornamented with less care than they might be. The walls should be papered in light colors, the patterns not too prominent. The cornice should be small and neat. Eitchen. Kitchens, &c., are more appropriately papered in var- nished staircase paper, as the soils can be easily washed off. In many houses kitchens are wood-paneled, or the walls covered with tiles, after the good old fashion com- mon in Germany and Holland. Staircases. Staircases should be papered with varnished marbled papers ; and the cornices should be large and orna- mental. Outside Decoration. Outside decoration is so entirely a matter of taste, that it must be left to individual judgment. FTJENITURE. Walnut, ebony and gold, or rosewood, for drawing- rooms, mahogany or oak for dining-rooms, maple, birch, fir, or satin-wood for bed-rooms, and deal or birch for kitchens, are the accepted woods for furniture. In Furnishing a House, the best plan is to buy every- thing of one large firm. Let your guiding rules be that the same style, with 32 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. modifications, be apparent all over your house ; that in the employment of color you avoid bad contrasts ; that walls be well covered with mirrors, pictures, &c., and that the rooms be not overcrowded. Furniture for a Ten-roomed House, consisting of drawing-room, dining-room, library or study, four bedrooms, kitchen and scullery: — Drawing-Room. The carpet should be of velvet pile or Brussels, light in color, rather subdued, and not so large or prom- inent in pattern as to detract attention from the furni- ture to which it forms a sort of background; not too full of flowers, and all the pattern Hat. Chairs, sofa, couches, ottomans, &c., uniform in style. Take covers and cur- tains not too prominent in pattern, and similar in color. Stoves, polished steel, ornamented with ormolu. Six or eight chairs, with a few occasio^ial cane-seated chairs and tables; jjiano of rosewood, maple, or ebony and gold. A center-table is now generally replaced with an otto- man; chcffonicr, with plate-glass back and doors; large chimney-glass. These glasses are improved by double candle-branches, so contrived as also to hold flowers, ferns, &c. With respect to ornaments — such as statuettes, time-pieces, artificial flowers, &c., great taste must be ex- hibited. Well-bound books are, however, always admis- sible. Antimacassars may be plentifully used, fringed, and not too large. When out of use, the furniture should be covered with linen cases, for, without great care, fur- niture soon dulls. If windows are close together — side by side — a strip of plate looking-glass should run from floor to ceiling, filling the space. With regard to pictures, select those HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 33 which are glazed — such as water-color drawings, steel- plate engravings, photographs, chromo-lithographs, &c. Diuing-Room. The Dinuig-roont should be snug and comfortable, well furnished, with telescope table, solid arm-chairs of oak or mahogany, in morocco leather or leather cloth — green and gold or crimson and gold. Wall paper of a warm color, cornice deep and rich; stove of bronze or steel; and for ornaments, oil paintings. Let this room be well lighted and cheerful. A side-board buffet, or dumb waiter, for glasses, dishes, &c., near to the head of the table, is indispensable in a large dining-room. Breakfast-Room. Simplicity and neatness should be the character- istic of the Breakfast-room or Parlor, Your table should be tolerably large, and your chairs comfort- able — say ten in number, in addition to two easy chairs. Birch is a very pretty wood for this room, as is also ma- hogany. The carpet, curtains, and table-cover should not be too brilliant. The hearth-rug, hassocks, &c., should either be a match or some good contrast. A large chef- fonier, the practice piano, a chimney-glass, several pic- tures, a work-table, folding chess-table, bronze or lack- ered gasalier, and a what-not should also find places here. Library. The Library or Study should be furnished in mahog- any or oak, and leather. Two or three reading-chairs, writing-table with drawers, couch, two occasional tables to hold papers, &c., and a book-case, or book-shelves, are required for your library. The shelves themselves should 34 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. be movable, so that you can accommodate their height to the sizes of your volumes. This apartment should be furnished with damask curtains, both summer and winter. Oil paintings are very appropriate, as are also statuettes, groups in bronze, &c. In addition to the ordinary gas- fittings, a movable gas lamp, with flexible tubing, is es- sential. Hall. The Hall should be entirely covered with floor-cloth, or other patent floor-covering, with suitable door-mats; it should also contain a hat and umbrella-stand, with glass back, one or two chairs, a small table furnished with writing materials, a gong or dinner-bell, a clock, and a barometer and thermometer (combined), with oil- paintings on the walls. Staircases. Staircases should be carpeted from top to bottom with the same pattern carpet — browns, drabs, and greens are the best colors. In summer the stair carpets should be covered with white linen damask, or thin oiled canvas. Bed-rooms. With respect to the advantages of iron or brass, as against wooden bedsteads, the former certainly possesses greater strength, lightness, and beauty; but the selection is a matter of taste. For the curtains, &c., pure white, or white striped with rose color, or light-blue, has a good effect. Silver fir, polished pine, birds'-eye maple, or satin-wood, are all fashionable. Three to six chairs (cane seated), a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a large washstand (double), toilet-table and glass, towel airer, and an easy chair, wil comprise all you require. Your carpet should be rather light in color, with hearth- HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 35 rug to match. The toilet and washstand fittings should be plain white, with a gold border. In the matter of quilts, blankets, sheets, pillow-cases, bed furniture, valances, bolsters, pillows, beds, mattresses and palliasses, the taste of the mistress of the house must reign supreme. A bedside or invalid table is useful in a large bed-room. Kitchen Furniture. Kitchen Furniture should be plain, neat, and strong; plate-racks wide, ironing-board steady, and cupboards deep and roomy. A Tool and Nail Box, filled with useful articles necessary in a house, is an essential requisite. BITS OF ADVICE. Before putting down your carpets and floor-cloths lay down carpet-paper on the floor. This simple process is of immense use in preserving carpets. Carpet. To Choose a Carpet. — Brussels carpets, although estimated by the beauty of design and coloring, ought to possess another very essential property, viz., dura- bility. This arises more from the quantity and quality of worsted on the surface than from the ordinary opera- tions of the weaver. In the best qualities the worsted warp-threads usually appear on the surface, in sets of threes, each set occupying the space between the linen warp-threads or chain, and of which threads there are about seven to an inch. This closeness of arrangement maintains the loops of worsted nearly upright, giving thereby greater elasticity, with a sustained resistance 36 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. to the effects of pressure and wear. Inferior carpets usually have a reduction in the quantity of surface worsted, produced by dropping loops. The quality of worsted is not less important than the quantity; indeed, a carpet made of good worsted, in a smaller quantity, is to be preferred to one crowded with an inferior material. Good worsted is bright, evenly twisted, free from loose, hairy fiber, soft and elastic to the touch. Crimson and scarlet are very durable colors; greens are sound; and brown, buff and fawn colors rather less pernianent. Window Blinds. Choose Your Window Blinds according to taste. If Venetian, then let them be green or drab. With white blinds you should also have outside blinds, either lath or striped linen canvas, so as to keep your rooms cool. Spring blinds are the most handy and economical. If any of your rooms are underground, or partially so, don't use wire blinds, but make a screen of flowers, gold-fish, ferns, or something of the kind. Flowers are appropriate in, and enhance the appear- ance of, every room in the house but the bed-rooms. An extra suit of covers — of holland — will be found very useful for your chintz or drawing-room furniture. Have hot water in your bed-room, if you have no bath or dressing-room. Have a gas bracket in your basement passage. Immediately you have furnished your house, make out a list, and insure for the full value. Have no dark corners about your house : if they are there, and you can't help it, fill them up, or they will be continually choked with rubbish. Conservatories and hot-houses will be dealt with un- der head " Gardening." Have the gas laid on in every room in the house. It is the safest, most convenient, and cheapest plan. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 37 Towels, white damask table-covers, table-napkins, toilet-covers, &c., &c., should all be of very superior quality, as their fashions never change, and they last a great length of time. Let your house be well furnished with bells, and keep them in perfect repair. Every young wife will acknowl- edge the benefit of a bell from the nursery or servants' room to the parlor or bedroom. See constantly to your locks and latches. Let your pantry and filters be cool and airy. Never let small repairs, either to house or furniture, be neglected even for a day. Drafts. Drafts in a house cause great discomfort, and a house is frequently drafty through being constructed on erro- neous principles; this is particularly the case when the back door is placed immediately opposite the front entrance. A direct draft should be avoided, and this may, in some cases, be remedied by an intermediate door of cloth or baize, which will in some measure prevent the inconvenience. Strips of fancy leather should be employed. Lamps. In Xh.t, Management of Lamps several points are to be observed. If the wick be turned too much the oil will not rise readily; nor should it be too loose, or it will ^ cause the capillary attracting power to raise too much oil. Lamps require constant attention to the wick, other- wise the light will be unequal. Trim your lamps daily. The wick should be cut perfectly level with scissors; any ragged bits on the edge of the wick cause the flame to burn unevenly, and to smoke. SS HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. In the matter of Gas, when the quantity that escapes is but small, it may be discovered by its smell, and there may be yet no danger; but when the quantity is large, it forms with the common air a highly explosive mixture. Whenever it is expected, therefore, that gas may have es- caped into a room, first go on in (without a light) and open the doors and windows wide. Let them remain open for some time; and then, when th-e smell has de- creased, endeavor to ascertain where the leak is. Grease, or rag steeped in oil, is a handy and efficient plug. Smoky Lamps. To Cure Smoky Latnps. — Soak the wick in strong vine- gar, and dry it well before you use it; it will then burn both sweet and pleasant. Smoky Chimneys. The Cure of Smoky Chimneys is often a perplexing mat- ter. When the opening of the fire-place is found to be so large as to lead to the descent of smoke into the room, the easiest remedy is a movable smoke-board of wood, tin, or iron, hung to the mantel-piece, so as to lessen the aperture. In new buildings smoky chimneys could be avoided by forming a second and smaller flue by the side of the smoke flue. Another remedy is to have a chimney- pot constructed with four doors, one on each side, with a connecting-rod attached to each pair, so that when the wind is blowing strongly from any quarter, two doors will be immediately shut, and the two opposite opened by those that are shut. The top is quite closed. Some- times a smoky chimney is the result of obstructions by soot, bricks, mortar, or even birds' nests. These the chimney-sweeper must remove. Be sure to have your HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT, 39 chimneys swept at regular intervals. To know the cause of a smoky chimney is half its cure. Where the draft is sluggish, it may be accelerated by introducing cold air in front of the fire. Say, for example, through a hole in the hearth-stone, covered by a ventilator, and protected from cinders and ashes by the fender. Generally speak- ing, the air from underneath the floor will be sufficient; but if not, a greater supply can be obtained by construct- ing an air-drain communicating with a passage, or with the external air. Paper-Hangings, Light paper-hangings imbibe less heat and light than dark ones, and consequently maintain a lower tem- perature. Summer rooms should therefore be hung with light and pretty, and winter rooms with dark, warm papers. Whitewashing. Following is a good mode of Whitewashing; — First, wash the plaster over with clean water, by means of a large flat brush, to remove the dirt; then stop up all cracks and flaws with new plaster; and in doing this, it is frequently necessary to cut away the plaster in such places to obtain a clean first surface to enable the new plaster to adhere. When the surface is dry, the white- wash, made of whiting mixed up in water, is laid on with the brush, and is gone over two or three times, so as effectually to obliterate all marks and stains on the surface. Whitewash for Walls. To make Whitewash soak four ounces of glue in tepid water. Put it into a tin vessel with a quart of water; set the vessel in a kettle of water over the fire; 40 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. keep it there till it boils, and then stir until the glue is dissolved. Next put from six to eight pounds of Paris white into another vessel, add hot water, and stir until it has the appearance of milk of lime. Add the sizing, stir well, and apply in the ordinary way while still warm. Cleansing of Furniture. Manual labor is the first necessity. Various receipts for French polish and furniture paste have been given at different times, but the following will be found most useful: — French Polish. Three-quarters of an ounce of seed-lac, three drachms gum juniper, two drachms gum mastic, and four ounces of spirits of wine, avoirdupois : powder and mix them with the spirits in a glass bottle. Set the mixture in a warm place, and shake it twice or thrice a day, taking care to loosen the cork during the shaking. Four or five days will be sufficient for dissolv- ing the resin, when it will be fit for use. French Polish, with Naptha. Naphtha, one quart ; shellac, six ounces: sandarac, two ounces. Powder the gums, and mix. To be used in the ordinary way, and cleared off with pure naphtha. French Polishing. Mode of French Polishing. — The polish itself may be bought ready mixed at the color-shops; but the mode of applying it needs to be explained. If the wood be porous, or of a coarse and open grain, it will be necessary to first give it a coat of clear size. When dry, gently go HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 41 over it with very fine glass-paper. The size will fill up the pores and prevent the polish from being absorbed into the wood, and be also a saving of considerable time in the operation. Make a wad with a piece of coarse flannel, or drugget, by rolling it round and round, over which, on the side meant to polish with, put soft, fine linen rag several times doubled. Put the wad or cushion to the mouth of the polish bottle, and shake the mixture. Damp the rag sufficiently; then proceed to rub your work in a circular direction, observing not to do more than a square foot at a time. Rub it lightly, till the whole sur- face is covered; repeat this three or four times, accord- ing to the texture of the wood; each coat to be rubbed till the rag appears dry. Be careful not to put too much on the rag at a time, and you will have a very beautiful and lasting polish. Be also very particular in letting your rags be very clean and soft, as the success in French polishing depends, in a great measure, on the care you take in keeping it clean and free from dust during the operation. Furniture Paste. Scrape two ounces of beeswax into a pot or basin ; then as much spirits of turpentine as will thoroughly moisten it ; powder an eighth part of an ounce of resin, and add to it, when dissolved to the consistency of paste, as much Indian red as will bring it to a deep mahogany color; stir, and it will be fit for use. Elbow- grease and patience will do the rest. Cleansing Brasswork. Paste for Cleansifig Brass-work. — Rotten stone, two ounces; oxalic acid, half-an-ounce; sweet oil, three-quar- ters-of-an-ounce; turpentine, enough to make a paste. Apply with a little water. 42 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. Brass Ornaments. To Cleanse Brass Ornaments. — Wash with roche alum boiled to a strong lye, in the proportion of an ounce to a pint. When dry, rub with fine tripoli. COLORS FOR HOUSE PAINTING. The following particulars will be found useful to those who wish to do their own house-painting: — Sione color: White lead, with a little burnt or raw umber, and yellow ochre. — Graystone : White lead and a little black. — Drab : White lead, with burnt umber and a little yellow ochre for a warm tint, and with raw umber and a little black for a green tint. — Pearl, or Pearl Gray : White lead with black, and a little Prussian blue. — Sky Blue: White lead, with Prussian blue. — French Gray: White lead, with Prussian blue, and a little lake. These last, used in various proportions, will make purples and lilacs of all shades. — Fawn : White lead, with stone ochre, and a little vermilion or burnt stone ochre. — Buff : White lead and yellow ochre. — Cream : Same as the last, with more white. — Lemon : White lead, with chrome yellow. — Orange: Orange lead, or chrome yellow and vermilion. ' — Peach : White lead, with either vermilion, Indian red, purple brown, or burnt stone ochre. — Gold : Chrome yel- low, with a little vermilion and white. — Violet: White > lead, with vermilion, blue, and black. — •S'^^^ .• Prussian blue, raw umber, and yellow stone ochre, with a little white, and thinned with boiled oil and a little turpentine. — Olive Green : Raw umber, with Prussian blue, thinned as before. — Pea Green : White lead, with Brunswick green, or with Prussian blue and chrome yellow. — Brown : Burnt umber, or vermilion and lamp black. — HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 43 White : White lead only, mixed with oil and turpentine, and a very smaJl quantity of black or blue, to take off any yellowness of color arising from the oil. — Chocolate : — Spanish brown, or Venetian red and black, thinned with boiled oil and a little turpentine. — Lead: White lead and black. — Opaque Oak : White lead, with yellow ochre and burnt umber. — Opaque Mahogafiy : Purple brown, or Venetian red, with a little black. — Black should be ground in boiled oil, and thinned with boiled oil and a little turpentine. The proportions of the col- ors above mentioned must be determined by the particu- lar tone of color required; and you increase the quantity in like proportions. Oil Paintings. To Cleanse Oil Paintings. — Dissolve a small quantity of salt in rain water ; dip a woolen cloth in the mixture, and rub the paintings over with it till they are clean ; then wash them with a sponge and clean water, dry them gradually, and rub them over with a clean cloth, or silk handkerchief. Should the dirt be not easily moved by the above preparation, add a small quantity of soft soap. Be very careful not to rub the painting too hard. The blackened lights of old pictures may be restored to their original hue, by touching them with deutoxide of hydro- gen, diluted with six or eight times its weight of water, and afterwards washed with a clean sponge and water. Fire-proof Paint. Take a quantity of the best quick-lime, and slack with water in a covered vessel ; when the slacking is complete, add water, or skim milk, or a mix- ture of both, and mix to the consistency of cream ; then add at the rate of twenty pounds of alum, fifteen pounds 44 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT of potash, and one bushel of salt to every hundred gal- lons of creamy liquor. If the paint be required to be white, add six pounds of plaster of Paris, or the same quantity of fine white clay. All these ingredients being mingled, the mixture must then be strained through a fine sieve, and ground in a color mill. When roofs are to be covered, or when crumbling brick walls are to be coated, mix fine white sand with the paint, in the pro- portion of one pound of sand to ten gallons of paint ; this addition being made with a view of giving the in- gredients a binding or petrifying quality. This paint should be applied in a hot state in cold weather to keep it from freezing. Three coats are sufficient. Any color may be obtained by adding the usual pigments to the composition. Fire-proof Mortar. Take two-thirds of the best lime and one-third of Smith's black dust, and mix with the necessary quantity of water. This will form a mortar that will set nearly as hard as iron. Hot-Water Pipes. To Stop Leakage in Hot- Water Pipes. Get some iron borings or filings, and mix them with vinegar, forming it into a paste; with this fill up the cracks, and if the pipe has been previously dried, and is kept dry until this has become quite hard, it will never fail to effectually stop the leakage, and will stand for a length of time. Should an iron pipe burst, or a hole be broken into it by accident, a piece of iron may be securely fastened over it, by bed- ding it on, in a salve made with iron borings and vinegar; but the pipe should not be used until it has become per- fectly firm. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 45 Cheap Filter. Procure a conical jar — an ordinary flower-pot will do — with an aperture in the bottom. Into this aperture fit a clean sponge as firmly as possible ; and the jar being then filled with water, and placed in such a manner as to allow the water to pass through it into a receiver, it will be found that all the grosser impurities of the water will be removed, and the water at the same time will be much softer and better fitted to drink. Or on the sponge may be placed a layer of fine sand and ani- mal charcoal. Steel and Iron. To Cleanse Steel and Iron. — One ounce of soft soap, two ounces of emery, made into a paste; then rub the article with wash-leather till bright. Fire Irons. To Keep Bright Fire Irons from Rusting. — Smear them over with hot melted mutton suet; before it cools and hardens, have some powdered unslacked lime in a muslin bag, and dust it on to the hot suet which covers the irons. Oil is of little use, but salad oil being the only oil free from water, should alone be used at any time for them. When not used, fire-irons should be tightly covered in baize. Varnished Wood. Varnished Wood for Furniture. — This may be finished off so as to look equal to French polished wood. Take two ounces of tripoli, powdered; put it into an earthen pot, with just enough water to cover it; then take a piece of wliite flannel, lay it over a piece of cork or rubber, and proceed to polish the varnish, always wetting it with the 46 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. tripoli and water. It will be known when the process is finished, by wiping a part of the work with a sponge, and observing whether there is a fair, even gloss. When this is the case, take a bit of mutton suet and fine flour, and cleanse the work. Suitable also to other varnished surfaces. HINTS FOR HOUSEWIVES. Save suds for gardens and plants. Count your clothes-pins, spoons, knives, forks, towels, handkerchiefs, &c., every week. Never pour boiling water on tea trays, but wash them with cool water, and polish with a little flour and a dry cloth. Save pieces of bread for puddings; dry them well, and they will not turn moldy. Do not buy cheese in large quantities at a time, espe- cially in summer. A hot shovel, or a warming-pan of coals, held over varnished furniture, will take out white spots. Rub the place, while warm, with flannel. Marble fire-places should not be washed with soap, which will, in time, destroy the polish; after the dust is wiped off, rub the spots with a soft cloth, then rub dry with a rag. Oil will make white marble yellow. When knobs of doors are rubbed, use a large piece of pasteboard, with a hole in the center, just enough to encircle the knob, and a slit in the paper to let it in. This slipped on will protect the paint from being soiled. If flat-irons are rough, or smoky, lay a little fine salt on a flat surface, and rub them well, to make them smooth, and prevent them from sticking to anything starched. Keep tapes, threads, and pieces of various fabrics in separate bags; and so save time in looking for them. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 47 Change water in flower-pots every day in summer, or it will become offensive and unwholesome. When clothes liave acquired an unpleasant odor by being kept from the air, charcoal laid in the folds will soon remove it. A bit of soap rubbed on the hinges of a door will prevent their creaking. SERVANTS. It is the fashion to say that the servants of our day are less skilled and trustworthy than their predecessors. This may be so, but at the same time the masters and mistresses are often to blame. Few indeed possess the skill (or if they do possess it they do not show it) to unite authority with kindness, and fewer still are capa- ble of that steady and uniformly reasonable conduct which alone can maintain true dignity, and command a willing and attentive obedience. Servants' wages vary so considerably, according to time and place, that no attempt will here be made to set down the rates at which they ought to be paid ; but — for the benefit of young housekeepers — a short epitome of the duties of the various servants is appended. A clever housewife will not only know what her servants should do, but see that they do it properly. Housekeeper. Th.Q Housekeeper \Sy among servants, the most important member of the household, for to her is confided the management of nearly the whole of the establishment ; and on her skill and sagacity depends the comfort of every one in the house. Among her principal duties are the general marketing — the purchase or choice of 48 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, groceries, &c.; the storing of fruit, pickling, and the curing of meat, and the general charge of the store room. In most families the house- keeper is expected to keep accounts of all domestic ex- penditure. Slie should, therefore, be familiar with figures, and write a neat, plain hand. As a rule, even if the mistress of the house herself undertakes to keep the regular accounts, the housekeeper should enter all sums which pass through her hands in a memorandum book, at the end of which should be made an inven- tory of the stock in hand when she commenced her duties, as this inventory will enable her, at any time, to see what is required in the way of replenishment. And in this way also she will arrive at a pretty accurate judgment of the average needs and consumption of the household. As the whole conduct of the servants is under the control of the housekeeper, she should be an early riser, a good manager, and a clever adviser. She should, moreover, be patient, good tempered, and partic- ularly clean ; always ready to advise or assist in any department of the house, and possess a thorough knowl- edge of the duties of every domestic under her control. Various small but important matters will come within her province — such as the regulation of fires in the bed- rooms, the periodical cleansing and repairing necessary in every establishment, however large or small ; the order and arrangement of the furniture, the changes of the window curtains according to the season ; the pre- paring, counting, and entering the clothes for the laun- dress, or for the weekly wash ; the supervision of the storeroom, and the general putting to rights of the fur- niture, books, linen, plate, wearing apparel, &c., of the household. Cook. The Cook should above all things be cleanly, and should learn the particular tastes of her employers, HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 49 whether they prefer meats well done or underdone, soups thick or thin, light or daric, clear or full ; what flavors they fancy — especially of spices and herbs — whether they prefer their food highly seasoned or not, and many other little matters. In large establishments the cook is engaged entirely in the preparation of the daily meals, but in the more numerous households in which only a cook and house- maid are employed, the cook has the charge of the dining- room, and is the sole mistress of the kitchen. She is also expected to keep the hall, the lamps, the doorsteps, and the passages clean and neat ; and in some cases helps the housemaid to make the beds, &c. The young house- wife will, however, arrange these matters for herself. In the early part of the day the cook is expected to answer single knocks at the door, and rings of the bell ; after which her sole attention will be devoted to the prepara- tion of the family dinner. In this she needs all her knowl- edge, experience, taste, and the economic tact for which she doubtless received credit from her last mistress. Second Cook or Kitchen Maid. The Second Cook or Kitchen-maid has to take the man- agement — under the cook's superintendence — of roasting, boiling, and otherwise dressing of plain joints, fish and vegetables. One of her foremost duties is the preserva- tion of cleanliness in the kitchen and other parts of the house. In large establishments the kitchen-maid is as- sisted by Scullery-Maid. The Scullery-maid, whose business it is to wash up the plates and dishes, saucepans, stew-pans, and other kitchen utensils. She also assists the kitchen-maid generally, in preparing vegetables for cooking, lighting fires, sweep- 3 50 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. ing and cleaning the kitchen and lower rooms of the house, and making herself generally useful. Under the head, Domestic Cookery, will be found all particulars relating to the preparation of meats, fish, made dishes, &c. Housemaid. The Housemaid is always busy, for her labors extend to nearly every apartment, as well as occasionally assist- ing the lady's-maid and laundress. On her exertions de- pend the cleanliness and good order of the house, furni- ture and bedding, the care of which forms her principal duty. In many houses there are two or more house- maids, one being sometimes styled Parlor-maid, and the other the Under Housemaid. Between them they divide the work, such as dusting, svv-eeping and cleaning, bed- making, fire-lighting, preparing the rooms for company, carrying in the breakfast and supper trays; and, when there is no parlor-maid, waiting at table. The house- maid should be an early riser, clean and neat in her per- son, active, methodical, and good-tempered. Laundry-maid. The Laundry-maid. — Her business is almost exclusively confined to the washing and getting up of the family linen. She should be thoroughly up to her work and scrupulously clean. Much of the hard work of the laun- dry is now performed by means of various labor-saving ijontrivances, such as the washing machine, the clothes' wringer, the roller-mangle, the dryer, &c., and by the use of approved washing powders in the place of the rough soda, almost universal a few years ago. Every mistress will have her own plans and arrangements; but a good laundry-maid will so apportion her work as to have reg- HO USE HOLD MAN A GEM EN T. 5 1 ular days for washing, ironing, &c., and a uniform method of proceeding so as to save time and economize labor. Thus she will begin with an examination of the articles for the wash, separating the coarse from the j5ne, the towels and sheets from the body linen, collars, muslins, the woolens from the cottons; putting each in its sepa- rate tub. She will carefully look for wine, beer, ink, or grease spots, which she will remove by applying sal am- monia, oxalic acid, soap, &c., as directed in another chap- ter. She sees that her fire is properly alight early in the morning for those things which require boiling — such as coarse linens, &c. ; receipts for the best modes of cleans- ing which articles will be found in subsequent pages- She must also be very particular not to have the water for flannels, angolas, &c., too hot, or they will shrink and lose their color. All articles of silk, as hankerchiefs or dresses, must be washed by themselves in two or three waters, the last almost cold, and hung out to dry in the shade, without wringing. After the washing and drying comes the starching, mangling, and ironing, with which processes all servants should be quite familiar. Dairy-Maid, The Dairy-maid has the management of the dairy, poultry-yard, and bake-house ; she milks the cows, makes the butter, cheese, &c., feeds, picks, and prepares the poultry for the cook ; and also, in some fam.il ies, makes the bread. Her duties, however, vary according to the size of the family and the district in which they reside. Various useful receipts and directions for the dairy-maid are given in subsequent pages. Lady's-Maid. The Lady" s-tnaid should be fairly well educated, taste- ful and neat. Her principal duty is to attend to the per- 52 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. sonal wants of her mistress in connection with the toilet and the wardrobe. She should be apt at dressing hair, and have a good taste in the contrast and distribution of colors, acquainted with the most favorite perfumes and cosmetics, ready v/ith the needle, and an expert milliner. In most families the lady's-maid is also employed as a needlewoman. She has the charge of her mistress's wardrobe and should be au fait at packing trunks and boxes for journeys ; and, in fact, a handy help, cheerful assistant, and confidential, though not too familiar, friend to her employer. Nurse. The Nurse has so important and responsible a position that the utmost vigilance is necessary in selecting such a person as will be at the same time a safe companion for young children, an experienced manager, and a good- tempered, pleasant-looking woman ; she should be ac- quainted with children's diseases, and their treatment, attentive to regularity of diet, and should have the en- tire management of the children's clothes. Under the nurse's supervision in large families is — Nursemaid. The Nursemaid^ who is, in every respect, the nurse's deputy. She should be active, kindly and industrious. It is the business of the sick nurse to cleanse and dust her lady's room, and look after her wants and wishes generally. As to the special duties of the Monthly Nurse, and the Wet Nurse, no mistress of a family need be in- formed ; but the young wife will do well to make strict inquiries into their ages, habits, tempers, and capabilities. Recipes for simple medicines, food for children, sick- room cookery, with hints and cautions on emergencies, are inserted in another portion of this work. The nurse HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 53 should make herself familiar with these, as the proper thing done at the proper time often saves anxiety, trou- ble, expense, and even life. Butler. The Butler is the principal of the men-servants, and consequently enjoys a position of great trust and impor- tance. His duties include the management of the wine and beer cellars — for which special training is necessary — the arrangement of the table, the business of the side- board and side-table, and the care of the plate. He should also be a good carver, and a fair judge of wine. Cnder-Butler. The Under-butler is the assistant of the butler, and should possess the same knowledge. Where an under- butler is not kept, the footman assists the butler. All who undertake the duties of butler should thoroughly understand the bottling and fining of wines, beer, &c., and be acquainted with the most approved modes of lay- ing a table for a large party. Valet. The Valet is expected to possess a competent knowl- edge of the habits and customs of polite life, and to be thoroughly acquainted with etiquette and forms of fashion. His especial business is to attend to the per- sonal accommodation of his master ; to take charge of his wardrobe, and to attend to the general business of the dressing-room. He usually travels with his master, and should consequently be able to give accurate information as to times and distances. A knowledge of French is almost essential in these days of travel. 54 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. Coaclimaii. The Coachman — in families where only one is kept- - has to undertake the care of the carriage, and some of the stable business. He should be skillful, nimble, hardy, and honest, should love horses, and never be afraid of turning his hand to anything that is required of him. Groom. The Groom — who is often under-coachman as well — has the feeding, exercise and general management of the horses. He has also to see to the general good order of the stable. The groom should be a good driver and rider, and possess some knowledge of the ailment and temper of horses. Recipes for water-proofing leather, managing harness, removing stains, &c., inserted in other chapters, will be found useful to the coachman and groom. Footman. The Footman's duties inoiude almost every kind of household employment. Cleaning, in its various branches, assisting, and in some cases, taking the place of the but- ler or valet. He should be accomplished in waiting at table, the management of wardrobes, and, indeed, should be able and willing to make himself generally useful. He it is who opens the door to visitors (where a hall porter is not kept), waiting at table, riding behind the carriage, or on the box with the coachman, carrying messages for his employers, cleaning plate, and, in fact, acting in any capacity where handiness, readiness, and tact are required. Gardener. The Gardener s duties will be fully shown in the section devoted to Garden Management, and therefore we need HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT, 55 only here say, that for every large establishment, a sci- entific florist, with a working gardener under him, is necessary. Maid of All Work. The Maid of All Work or General Servant is often a girl of from thirteen to sixteen. Under a good and active mistress, she will soon, if she be attentive and willing, learn the usual duties of the housemaid, and acquire some knowledge of the plain cooking, and the ordinary business of a small household. From the moment she rises in the morning and opens the house, lights the fires, sweeps up the sitting-room, and gets ready the breakfast, her work goes on continuously; but if the mistress be a good manager, certain days will be set apart for cleaning up and dusting the several apart- ments, and thus, by system and regularity, much labor may be saved. A good maid of all work should so ar- range her business as to have leisure time in the evening for a little reading or needlework. It is false economy to engage young, cheap, and inexperienced servants. Those who keep one or two servants only, must not expect all the work of the house to be done by them alone. Master and mistress must divide between them the duties of butler and housekeeper, and the mistress will herself probably undertake much of the finer and more elaborate kind of cookery, assist in making her own bed, dust the drawing-room, and take charge of the lighter duties generally assigned to the lady's-maid and upper housemaid. ADVICE TO MISTRESSES. Avoid, in your behavior to your domestics, all injur- ious treatment, whether it consists of too much severity 56 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. or too much familiarity. Behave towards them with that courtesy and good breeding which will heighten respect as well as affection. If servants do more than you have a right to demand, give them at least the reward of see- ing that they have obliged you. If, in your service, they have any hardship to endure, let them see that you are concerned for the necessity of imposing it. When they are sick, give them all the attention and every comfort in your power, with a free heart and kind countenance. Carefully avoid making a favorite of any; unjust distinc- tions, and weak indulgences to one, will, of course, ex- cite envy and hatred in the rest. Be punctual in your payments, whether their wages are weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Finally, remember that human nature is very much the same, whether in a princess or a scullery-maid. RENT AND TAXES. It has been said, and with truth, that the rent of his house should not be more than one-eighth of a person's income. This maxim will, of course, not hold good in every case; but, as a general rule, it may be taken as trustworthy. In calculating the rent of a house in the suburbs of the town to which the master of the house may be obliged to go to business, the railway or omnibus fare must be calculated and added. Against this expense, however, there may occasionally be a set-off by rates and taxes being lighter than in town. In matters of three or more years' agreements you can sometimes get a con- siderable reduction from the regular rent; but you must take care to bind the landlord down to do all needful re- pairs, or make you an extra allowance for them. HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 57 POLICE CAUTIONS. Though the police are employed to guard the streets from depredators, housekeepers and tenants will do well to back their efforts in the most efficient manner possible. The following Police Cautions will therefore very appro- priately close this section. Burglaries or larcenies in houses attempted in any of the following ways may be most effectually prevented if due precautions are taken by the inmates: — ist. By en- tering with false or skeleton keys in the absence of the family, especially on Saturday and Sunday evenings. — 2d. By passing through an empty house in the neigh- borhood, and entering from the roof through the attic windows. — 3d. By window shutters insecurely fastened, which can be instantly removed, and property stolen by the hand, or passing any instrument through the window. — 4th. By calling at houses under pretense of having messages or parcels to deliver, or work to per- form, and, during the absence of the servant, stealing articles from the passage. — 5th. By climbing up the por- tico, and entering through upper windows. 3* DOMESTIC COOKERY. The whole Art of Cookery may be said to be described in a sentence — the best and most efficient ways of pre- paring raw food so as to preserve its natural qualities unimpaired, and render it most palatable and nutritious. The several methods of cookery are Roasting, Baking, Boiling, Stewing, Broiling, Frying, and Toasting. Be- fore, however, we describe the way to cook, we should know what we have to cook. We therefore give a list of the Food in Season for Every Month of the Year, January. — House lamb, mutton, beef, pork, venison. Pheasants, partridges, hares, rabbits, woodcocks, snipes, grouse, wild fowl, turkeys, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, tame pigeons. Carp, perch, lampreys, haddocks, herrings, sprats, dace, eels, pike, soles, cod, flounders, plaice, thornback, skate, sturgeons, smelts, whitings, lobsters, crabs, oysters, prawns, shrimps, crayfish, mussels. Cabbages, savoys, coleworts, brocoli, sprouts, leeks, onions, beet, sorrel, chervil, endive, spinach, celery, gar- lic, scorzonera, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, brocoli (white and purple), shallots, lettuces, cresses, carrots, forced cucumbers, mustard, rape, salsify, herbs of all sorts dry (and some green). Apples, pears, nuts, walnuts, medlars, grapes, oranges. [58J DOMESTIC COOKERY. 59 February and March. — Meat (except venison) ; fowls, with the addition of chickens and duclclings ; and game, as in January ; fish, as in December and January, except that cod is not thought so good February to July, but may be purchased. Vegetables the same as January, with the addition of kidney beans and Brussels sprouts. Apples, pears, wal- nuts, medlars, grapes. April, May, and June. — Beef, mutton, veal, lamb, ven- ison. Pullets, fowls, chickens, ducklings, green geese, pigeons, rabbits, hares, leverets. Carp, soles, smelts, eels, trout, lobsters, chub, salmon, herrings, crayfish, mackerel, crabs, prawns, shrimps, flounders, ling, mullet, oysters, perch, skate, shad, pike. Early potatoes, peas, radishes, kidney beans, carrots, turnips, sprouts, spinach, celery, brocoli, cucumbers, sea- kale, onions, early cabbages, cauliflowers, asparagus, artichokes, all sorts of salads forced. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, melons, apricots, currants, gooseberries, nectarines, peaches, pineapples. July, August, and September. — Beef, mutton, veal, lamb, venison. Pullets, fowls, chickens, rabbits, pigeons, green geese, leverets, turkey poults. Two former months, plovers, wheatears, geese. Salmon, trout, cod, haddock, flounders, plaice, skate, mullets, pike, carp, herrings, eels, shell-fish (except oys- ters); mackerel and salmon, the first two months of the quarter. Beans, peas, French beans, potatoes, cauliflowers, mushrooms, vegetable marrows, &c. Fruit. — In July, strawberries, gooseberries, pine- 6o DOMESTIC COOKERY. apples, plums (various), cherries, apricots, nectarines, raspberries, melons, currants, damsons. In August and September, peaches, plums, figs, filberts, mulberries, cherries, apples, pears, nectarines, grapes; latter month, pines, melons, strawberries, medlars, quinces, morella cherries, damsons, and various other plums. October. — Meat as in last month, with the addition of doe venison, and pork. Domestic fowls as in former quarter, pheasants, par- tridges, larks, hares, dottrels. The end of the month, wild ducks, teal, snijies, widgeon, grouse. Smelts, pike, perch, halibuts, carp, salmon, trout, bloaters, cod, shell-fish. Vegetables as in January, French beans, last crops of beans, &c. Peaches, pears, figs, grapes, apples, medlars, dam- sons, filberts, walnuts, nuts, quinces. November. — Beef, mutton, veal, pork, lamb, doe veni- son. Poultry, with the addition of larks, teal, and pigeons, fish and game as the last month. Carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, skirrets, onions, leeks, cabbages, savoys, spinach, chard beets, cresses, endive, celery, lettuces, salad, herbs, pot herbs. Pears, apples, nuts, walnuts, bullaces, chestnuts, med- lars, grapes. December. — Beef, mutton, veal, house-lamb, pork, venison. Geese, turkeys, pullets, pigeons, capons, fowls, chickens, rabbits, hares, snipes, woodcocks, larks, pheas- ants, partridges, sea-fowls, guinea-fowls, wild fowls, and ducks, grouse. Cod, halibuts, soles, sturgeons, carp, pike, skate, perch, codlings, eels, bream, shell-fish. Vegetables and fruit as in the last month. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 6i MODERN COOKERY. The culinary art, as practiced in the best houses, seeks to produce recherche, effects by the simplest and most ejBfective means ; and as, in many of the receipts which follow, French words are employed, it is necessary that we should, briefly explain some of the most usual. A choice meal does not necessarily imply great expense, or great skill in its preparation. The first requisite for a good dinner is good sense. First, we should consult the best authorities for receipts, and then we should carry out the instructions given, with care and patience; the materials being chosen with taste, and cooked with a judicious regard to tlieir appearance at table. With- out these, the largest income will be insufficient to pro- duce a satisfactory Bill of Fare. Terms used in Modern Cookery. Aspic — A transparent jelly used as an outer molding for fish, game, poultry, &c.; also for decorating and gar- nishing. Assiette (a plate) — Small entrees, not more than a plate will hold. Fruits, cheese, chestnuts, biscuits, &c., at des- sert, if served upon a plate, are called assiettes. Assiette volante — A dish handed round by a servant, but not placed on the table. Small cheese souffles, and other dishes, served hot, are often made assiettes volantes. Bain-marie — An open saucepan or kettle of almost boiling water, that a smaller vessel can be set in, for cooking and warming, extremely useful for keeping things hot, without effecting any alteration in either their quality or quantity. If you keep broth, soup, or sauce by the fire, it reduces and thickens. This is obviated by 62 DOMESTIC COOKERY. the rse of the hain-maricy in which the water should be hot, but not boiling. Bechamel — \Yhite sauce, now often used, much com- mended by Francatelli. Blanch — To whiten poultry, vegetables, fruit, &c,, by dipping them into boiling water for a short time, and afterwards into cold water, letting them remain there for a while, till they are whitened. Blanquctie — A kind of fricassee much used in French cookery. Bouilli — Beef, or other meat, boiled or stewed. In France, the term is applied only to beef boiled, the gravy from which forms stock for soups. Bouillic — A French dish, something like hasty pud- ding. Bouillon — A thin soup or broth, much used by the French peasantry. Braise — To stew meat, which has been previously blanched, with fat bacon, until it is tender. Braisiere — A saucepan, with raised edges, to hold fire on the top. Indispensable in many made dishes. Caramel — Burnt sugar. A little piece of sugar is placed at the bottom of a saucepan, and burned; upon it is poured stock or water, little by little, till the whole is brown. Caramel is used to color meats and give tone to sauces, entremets, &c. Casserole — A crust of boiled rice, after having been molded into the form of a pie, filled with a fricassee of white meat or a puree of game. Compote — A stew, as of fruit, or game, or pigeons. Consomm/ — The name by which rich soup, stock, or gravy is commonly known. DOMESTIC COOKERY. d^ Croquette — A ball of fried rice or potatoes. Croutons — Sippets of bread, toasted or browned for hashes, &c. Ddsosser — To bone, or take out the bones from poul- try, game, or fish; an operation requiring some tact. Entrees — Tasty little side dishes, served with the first course. Entremets — Small side dishes, served with the second course. Escalopes — Collops; small, round, thin pieces of tender meat or fish, beaten with a rolling-pin to render them tender. Feuilletage — Puff-paste, which see. Foncer — To put slices of ham, veal, or thin broad slices of bacon, into the bottom of a saucepan. Galette — A broad, thin cake, used for dessert. Gateau — Properly speaking, a cake; but occasionally used to denote a small pudding or tart. Glacer — To glaze or spread a tkick and rich sauce or gravy, called glaze, upon hot meats or larded poultry. A feather or brush is used to put on the glaze. In con- fectionery, "to glaze " means to ice fruit and pastry with sugar, which glistens when cold and crisp. Hors (Toeurjres — Small dishes, or assiettes voiantes of sar- dines, anchovies, and similar relishes, used during the first course. Maigre — Soup, broth, or gravy, without meat, com- monly eaten in Roman Catholic countries on fast days. Mayonnaise — Cold sauce or salad-dressing for salmon and lobster. Much patronized for luncheons and cold collations. 64 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Menu — The bill of fare, always given at large dinners. Merinqtie — A sort of icing, made of whites of eggs and sugar, well beaten. Miroton — Slices of beef for vinaigrette, or ragout, or onion stew. The slices are larger than collops. Mouiller — To add water, broth, or any other liquid during cooking. Paner — To cover meat, &c., for cooking in the oven, on the gridiron, or frying-pan, with very fine bread- crumbs. Piquer — To lard poultry, game, meats, &c., with strips of fat bacon; always be done according to the grain of the meat, so that, when cut, each slice will contain some of the larding. Puree — Vegetables or meat reduced to a smooth pulp, and afterwards mixed with sufficient liquid to make it of the consistency of thick soup. Ragout — A stew or hash of various meats, poultry, game, &c. Remoulade — Salad-dressing. Rissoles — Balls of finely minced meat (of different kinds) rolled in flour in the hands, fried in oil till they are a deep brown. Roux, brown and white — French thickening. Salmi — Ragout of previously roasted game or poultry. Sauce piquante — A sharp sauce, with a predominating flavor of vinegar or lemon. Sauter — To dress with sauce in a saucepan, shaking it about continually during the process. Tamis — Tammy, a kind of open cloth or sieve, through DOMESTIC COOKERY. 65 which to strain broth and sauces, so as to rid them of the small bones, froth, &c. Tourte — Tart, fruit pie. Trousser — To truss a bird for roasting or boiling. Vol-au-vent — A rich trust of very fine puff-paste, which may be filled with various delicate ragouts or fricassees of fish, flesh, or fowl. Fruit may also be enclosed in a vol-au-vent. MARKETING. A good and thrifty housewife will, if possible, go to market herself, in order to select the best pieces, and get them at the lowest price. A housewife will vary the kinds of meat which she buys, not only as they may be suitable to the seasons, but as calculated to promote the health of the familv. HOW TO CHOOSE MEAT, FISH, POULTRY, &c. Beef. The grain of ox beef, when good, is loose, the lean red, and the fat inclining to yellow. Cow beef has a closer grain, a whiter fat, and the lean of a paler red. Inferior beef, from old, ill-fed animals, has hard, skinny fat, dr dark red lean. Prime meat pressed by the finger rises up quickly; when the dent made by pressure returns slowly or remains visible, the meat is of inferior quality. Mutton should be firm, close in grain, and reddish, with the fat 66 DOMES TIC COOKERY. white and firm. If too young, the flesh feels tender; if too old, on being pinched, it wrinkles up. In young mutton, the fat readily separates; in old, it is held to- gether by strings of skin. Veal should be delicately white, though it is often juicy and well-flavored when rather dark in color. If the fat round the kidney be white and firm-looking, the meat is prime, and recently killed. Veal will not keep so long as an older meat, especially in hot or damp weather; when de- teriorating, the fat becomes soft and moist, the lean flab- by, spotted, and spongy. The fillet of a cow-calf, pre- ferable to that of a bull-calf, is known by the udder, and by the softness of the skin. Lamb will not keep long after it is killed. The large vein in the neck is bluish in color when the fore-quarter is fresh, green when becoming stale. In the hind-quarter, if not recently killed, the fat of the kidney will emit a faint smell, and the knuckle will have lost its firmness. Pork. _.. When good, the rind is thin, smooth, and cool to the touch ; when changing from being too long killed, it becomes flaccid and clammy. Enlarged glands in the fat, called kernels, are marks of an ill-fed or diseased pig- Bacon and Ham should have a Ihin rind, the fat firm, the lean a clear red, without intermixture of yellow. To judge of the state of a ham, plunge a skewer into it rig^t to the bone; DOMESTIC COOKERY. 67 on drawing it back, if particles of meat adhere to it, or if the smell be disagreeable, the ham is not good. A short thick ham is to be preferred. Venison. When good, the fat is clean, bright, and of consider- able thickness. To know when it is necessary to cook it, plunge a knife into the haunch, and from the scent the cook must determine accordingly on dressing or keeping it. Turkeys and Ponltry. The age of the bird is chiefly to be attended to. An old turkey has rough and reddish legs, a young one smooth and black. When fresh killed the eyes are full and clear and the feet moist. When it has been kept too long the parts about the vent have a greenish tinge. Poultry, when young, have the legs and combs smooth ; when old they are rough, and on the breast are long hairs instead of feathers. Fowls and chickens should be plump on the breast, fat on the back, and white-legged. Geese. Bills and feet are red when old, yellow when young. When fresh killed the feet are pliable, stiff when too long kept. Geese are called green while they are only two to four months old. Ducks. Choose them with supple feet, and hard, plump breasts. Tame ducks have yellow feet, wild ones red. 68 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Pigeons. Suppleness of the feet show them to be young ; when getting bad from keeping, the flesh is flaccid. Partridges, when young, have yellow legs and dark-colored bills. Old partridges are indifferent eating. Hares and Rabbits, when old, have the haunches thick, the ears dry and tough, and the claws blunt and rugged. A young hare has claws smooth and sharp, ears that easily tear, and a narrow cleft in the lip. A leveret is distinguished from a hare by a knob or small bone near the foot. Woodcocks and Snipes, when old, have feet thick and hard ; when young and fresh killed, they are soft and tender. When their bills become moist, and their throats muddy, they have been too long killed. V Cod is known to be fresh by the rigidity of the flesh, the red- ness of the gills, and the clearness of the eyes. Crimping much improves this fish. Salmon. Flavor and excellence depend upon its freshness and the shortness of time since it has been caught ; for no method can completely preserve the delicate flavor it has when just taken out of the water. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 69 Mackerel must be perfectly fresh. The firmness of the flesh, and the clearness of the eyes, are the criterions of fresh mackerel, as they are of all other fish. Herrings can only be eaten when very fresh, and, like mackerel, will not remain good very long after they are caught. Fresh-water Fish, including Trout, Pike, Perch, &c., present the same in- dications of being fresh or otherwise as previously stated. Lobsters recently caught have always some remains of muscular action in the claws, which may be excited by pressing the eyes with the finger ; when this cannot be produced, the lobster has been too long kept. The tail preserves its elasticity if fresh, but loses it as soon as it becomes stale. When light, lobsters are watery and poor. Crabs have an agreeable smell when fresh, chosen by observa- tions similar to those exercised in the choice of lobsters. Prawns and Shrimps, when fresh, are firm and crisp. Oysters, when fresh, have their shells firmly closed ; when the 70 DOMESTIC COOKERY. shells of oysters are opened, they are dead, and unfit for food. BEST MODES OF PRESERVING FOOD. Meat should be carefuUy examined every day in summer, wiped dry, and such parts as are beginning or seem liable to taint, particularly kernels, removed. In hot vireather it may be kept for several days more than it otherwise would, by wrapping around it a linen cloth moistened with vinegar, or equal parts of vinegar and water; the acid vapor keeps off flies, and the moisture causes cold by evaporation. Fresh charcoal bruised to powder has also the property, spread over the meat, of preventing it from spoiling for some time. Meat, when but slightly tainted, may be recovered, by boiling it for some minutes with several pieces of fresh charcoal. To preserve Fish. Thqy should be kept in a very cool place — an ice-house, if possible; but if that is not available, they should belaid upon a stone floor or shelf, and dipped in cold salt and water every night and morning. If it be necessary to keep them a few days longer, immerse them in a pickle of vinegar and water. Vegetables, as cabbages, and other vegetables of a soft nature, quickly lose their natural juices by evaporation from the leaves, which soon become flaccid and poor. As heat causes them to lose their juices, they should be DOMESTIC COOKERY. 71 kept in a cool, shady, and damp place, not in water, as that injures their flavor; the best method of refreshing them is to cut off a portion of the stem, and set the cut part in water. They should not be laid together in heaps, since this is apt to generate heat and fermenta- tion. To preserve Fruit. Fruit should be gathered just before it is ripe; the floor and shelves of the room on which the fruit is placed should be strewn with straw, and the fruit should be laid on this without being suffered to come into con- tact with each other. Poultry and Game must be hung in a cool place, covered with a muslin net to keep off the flies and dust. ROASTING, BOILING, STEWING, &c. Roasting. This is the most simple and in many respects the best mode of cooking ordinary joints and poultry. As a gen- eral rule the cook will allow fifteen minutes to every pound of meat, and in the case of white meats, — as lamb, veal, and pork — a little longer. Make up a good large fire, let it be brisk, clear, and steady, and you then can obtain any heat you require by regulating the distance of the joint from the fire. Large joints should be placed at a moderate distance for the first quarter or half-hour, and then brought gradually nearer. For this quarter of 72 DOMESTIC COOKERY. an hour the meat does not require basting, but from the time it is placed closer, it should be continually basted (first with butter or lard, and afterwards with its own dripping) until cooked. The meat should never be nearer to the fire than six to eight inches. Do not sprinkle the meat with salt when first put down, as this draws out the gravy. Fine flour should be lightly dredged over it from time to time, and a little salt when nearly done. Very lean meat will sometimes need to have paper placed over it for the early part of the roast- ing, or it will scorch. In stirring the fire, always re- move the dripping-pan, or ashes may fall in. If a bottle- jack be used, the hook should be so placed as to take in a bone, and the thickest part of the meat should hang downwards. If a spit, then slide it in along the bones, avoiding the prime parts of the joint, and be careful to spit the meat evenly: if it will not turn well, use balance- skewers with sliding heads. Beef. The Sirloin should never be less than three of the short ribs, and to be first-rate, when cooked, it should not weigh less than about ten pounds. Cover the joint with buttered paper, and place it about a foot and a half from the fire. About an hour after it has been down, take off the paper, and bring the joint nearer the fire, and from that time until done dredge from time to time with flour and salt, basting continually with its dripping. When the joint is done, empty the dripping-pan into a basin, remove the fat from the gravy, and pour the latter into a well-dish, garnished with finely-scraped horseradish. Place the joint in the dish, and serve very hot. Ribs, Rump, Aitch-bone, and other joints of Beef, require similar treatment. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 73 Mutton should never be cooked until it has hung for fully forty- eight hours. In winter you can sometimes keep it a fortnight, and it will be all the better for it. The Saddle should be covered with buttered paper, and placed about a foot and a half from tlie fire. The roasting of this joint does not take quite so long in proportion as any othec. Keep the paper on until within a quarter of an hour of the meat being done, then remove it, dredge lightly with salt and flour. Serve with its own gravy, and red-cur- rant jelly. Haunch of Mutton. Cover with paper as for saddle, but remove it half-an- hour before the joint is cooked Baste well v/ith butter, or its own dripping, and dredge slightly. Serve with its own gravy and red-currant jelly. Mashed potatoes siiould accompany this joint, and, if in season, French beans. Leg of Mutton is better cooked with a bottle-jack than the spit. Cover with paper, which remove ten minutes before done ; baste with butter or its own dripping, and dredge slight- ly. Serve same as haunch, with the proper vegetables. Shoulder of Mutton should not be basted while roasting, but instead rubbed sparingly with butter. White onion sauce is usually \^see Receipt) served with this joint. 4 74 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Loin and Neck of Mutton, should be roasted like haunch, and served very hot. Lamb is roasted in the same way as mutton ; but as a rule will require to be better done. A little lemon-juice squeezed over the joint when nearly ready for table, is, by many, considered an improvement. Mint sauce is always served with roast lamb. Veal should be eaten fresh, and should never be allowed to hang more than thirty-six to forty-eight hours in sum- mer, and four days in winter. The prime joints for roasting are the fillet and the loin. Roast as for beef. The Fillet requires great care in roasting. It should have the bone removed, and the cavity filled with stuffing {see Receipt). Then fold the udder and flap round, and skewer tight. Cover the top and bottom with buttered paper, and put down to the fire. Let it be quite close for the first quar- ter of an hour, during which time the joint must be well rubbed with butter, and then remove it to about two feet from the fire, so that it roasts slowly. Keep the paper on all the time, and by these means you will have veal a fine light brown, almost golden color. A fillet of twelve to sixteen pounds will require about four hours' to four and a half hours' roasting. Serve with hot melted butter, flavored with catsup. It is usual for this joint to be accompanied with either a boiled ox-tongue, a small ham, or a piece of boiled DOMESTIC COOKERY. 75 pickled pork. In all cases send two or three lemons to table with veal. Some cooks garnish the dish with sliced lemon. Loin of Veal requires rather less time to roast, but should be treated in the same manner as the fillet. Serve with melted but- ter. You can either take out the kidney and its fat and serve separate on toast, or leave it to be carved with the joint. The fat about the kidney should be thoroughly cooked. Breast, and Shoulder of Veal may also be roasted and served like the loin. The breast is best roasted with the sweetbread skewered to it. Pork takes longer to cook than other meats — from twenty to twenty-five minutes per pound should be allowed. If not well done, it is neither wholesome nor agreeable. The parts usually roasted are the loin, spare-rib, chine, and leg. Leg of Pork. The rind should be scored, and the stuffing {see Re- ceipt) put in the day before cooking. Roast steadily, basting with its own fat. It does not require to be papered, unless the fire be very fierce. Serve with gravy and apple sauce in a bowl. Some persons like onion sauce, or sage and onions, with pork. Spare-rib of Pork should be well rubbed with flour when put down to the fire, and dusted with powdered sage before taking up ; froth up with butter and serve hot. 76 DOMESTIC COOKERY Slicking Pig is sent to table roasted whole. It should be rubbed thoroughly dry, and slightly floured, stuffed with veal stuffing, and roasted before a brisk fire. Let it be thoroughly done a light brown all over. This will take from one to two hours. It is served with the head cut off, and it and the body divided lengthways, wath sauce made of the brains, and melted butter (seasoned) and plain apple-sauce. Some persons rub the pig over with white of Q^^ instead of flour before cooking. Venison is never eaten until it has hung for some time. The Haunch is esteemed a great luxury, and is thus roasted : — Wash the joint thoroughly in milk and water, and then dry it. Next cover it with a stiff paste of flour and water, and outside that two or three layers of stout paper, securely tied. Place the joint in a cradle-spit. Tliis is the only way to roast a haunch properly — so that it is perfectly balanced and turns evenly. Put it very close to the fire, to crust the paste, keeping the paper well saturated with grease. After a short time move it a little back. A good sized haunch, weighing from 20 to 25 pounds, will require from three to four hours roasting before a large, clear, solid fire. When yon think it is nearly done, remove the paste and paper, and lightly dredge with flour — basting with butter — until it froths and browns. Serve with its own, and also some strong brown gravy. Currant jelly, or currant jelly sauce, is served with it. To see if sufficiently done, when you take off the crust, thrust a thin skewer into the thick part ; if it passes in readily the meat is done, if not, the haunch must be put DOMESTIC COOKERY. 77 down to the fire again in the coverings. Many cooks put a layer of buttered paper inside the paste as well as outside. Fawns, when small, should be treated like hare {see Hare), but when of a tolerable size, they can be dressed like lamb. Kid may also be prepared like lamb, but if very young they are better prepared in the same way^s rabbit. POTTLTEY. To Pluck either Game or Poultry. Lay the bird upon a board, with its head towards you, and pull the feathers away froni you, in the direction they lie. Many persons pull out the feathers the con- trary way, by which means they are likely to tear the skin, and very much disfigure the bird for the table. To draw Poultry or Game. After it is well plucked, make a long incision at the back of the neck, take out the thin skin from under the outer, containing the crop, cut the neck off close to the body of the bird, but leave the neck skin a good length. Make another incision under the tail, just large enough for the gizzard to pass through — no larger — then put your finger into the bird, and remove the crop ; then 73 DOMESTIC COOKERY. loosen and detach all the intestines, taking care not to break the gall-bladder, squeeze the body of the bird, so as to force out the whole of them at the tail ; it is then ready for trussing. Roast Turkey. There are several ways of preparing turkeys for roasting, the best of which are here given : — Truss by breaking the leg bones, and drawing out the leg sinews ; cut the neck off close to the body ; cut the breast-bone on each side, and draw the legs up ; then put a folded cloth over the breast, and beat it down until flat ; skewer in the joints of the wings, the middle of the leg and body, the small part of the leg and body, and the extremity of the legs. Singe thoroughly, and then fill the skin of the neck, or crop, with stuffing {see Receipts) ; tie the skin under, and put it on a small-sized spit, and place it about a foot and-a-half from the fire. In a quarter of an hour rub the bird over with a little butter ; when this is melted, draw it a little farther from the fire, and take great care not to let the skin break by the fire being too fierce. For the last quarter of an hour of roasting you should occasionally rub on a little butter. Do not baste. The liver should not be put under the wing, as the gravy from it disfigures the bird. There is not this objection to the gizzard being placed there. Some persons cover the breast with buttered paper, but this will not often be found necessary if care be exercised to prevent burning. Serve with plenty of rich gravy, which pour under, and not over, the bird. An excellent gravy is made of the fat from the frying-pan in which you have cooked your sausages (which should always garnish the dish of plain roast turkey), the ordinary brown gravy, and a teaspoon- ful of arrowroot, previously mixed in a little cold water. A turkey of from five to seven pounds weight will take two hours. Bread sauce {see Receipt) should be served DOMESTIC COOKERY. 79 with roast turkey, and a boiled ox-tongue, or ham, may accompany it. All birds, poultry, and game maybe roasted in this manner. Another Way to Stuff Turkey is to place a quarter of a pound of butter, with pepper and salt, in the bird ; then stuff with truffles, forcemeat, and sausage-meat in alternate layers. Put the bird in a cradle-spit, baste well with butter, and roast slowly. A Third Method is to stuff entirely with chestnuts. Take their outside skins off, and plunge the chestnuts into boiling water. In two or three minutes the inner skins will easily peel off ; then boil the chestnuts by themselves until perfectly tender. When ready, add a little butter, and stuff the bird. Roast as before, and serve very hot, with plenty of rich gravy. Turkey Stuffed Entirely with Truffles is a very favorite dish. Take four to six pounds of black truffles, cut them up and stew them for about ten minutes in butter, seasoned with pepper and salt. This done, stuff the body and breast with them, roast and serve as before. All kinds of poultry are excellent, treated the same. Roast Goose. To truss for roasting, cut off the feet at the joint, and the wings at the first joint. Sever the neck close to the body, leaving the skin as long as you can ; then pull out the throat, and tie the end in a knot ; put your finger in- 86 DOMESTIC COOKERY. to the bird, and detach the liver, &c. Then cut open near the vent, and draw out all the inside, except the little piece of the lungs called by poulterers the '* soal." Cleanse the inside thoroughly with a damp cloth, and beat down the breast-bone as directed for tur- key ; skewer up, stuff, and roast before a moderately brisk fire ; cover the breast with buttered paper for the first half hour; baste with its own fat or butter, and serve with brown gravy and apple sauce. Green Geese are not stuffed. Various Stuffings are used for roast goose, the best of which, are : — i. Six medium-sized onions, chopped small ; two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt and pepper, a dust of grated nutmeg, six or eight leaves of fresh sage chopped very fine ; put on the fire, and stir till pulp ; stuff while hot and put the bird down immediately. 2. Add to this stuffing the liver, chopped very fine. 3. Instead of the liver, put two or three cold potatoes, cut up into small dice, or a little boiled rice, or two or three ounces of breadcrumbs. These additions make the stuffing milder. 4. A couple of dozen boiled chestnuts can be added to No. I stuffing, or the bird may be stuffed solely with chestnuts. 5. Boil some good potatoes very dry, mash well, and mix with butter; season with salt, cayenne, a large onion or two or three small ones, and three or four sage leaves chopped very fine. — A glass of port wine is often poured into the bird when done. Fowls for Roasting. Take out the intestines, and clean the gizzard ; put the gizzard under one wing, and the liver under the other ; skewer through the first joint of the wing, right through the body ; bring the legs close up, and skewer DOMESTIC COOKERY. 8i through the middle of both legs and body, and also through the drum-stick and side-bone, and another through the feet. Roast Fowls distinguished as chickens, capons, pullets, cocks, and hens — are dressed for roasting in the same way as turkeys, except that they are not usually stuffed. Capon is, how- ever, sometimes cooked with turkey-stuffing. Capon is improved by a slice of fat bacon tied over the breast, under paper, until about a quarter of an hour of the bird being done. Dredge fowls, and baste with butter. All fowls must be well cooked, nicely browned, and sent to table very hot, with rich gravy. Roast Capon may also be served with young carrots, button onions, or turnips, boiled with salt and pepper, and dished on a border of mashed potatoes ; they look well on table. Roast Duck. Prepare and stuff as roast goose, with sage, onions, and breadcrumbs, and roast before a brisk fire. A med- ium-sized duck will require about twenty-five minutes. Green peas, when obtainable, should always be served with this dish. Roast Hare. Considerable care must be exercised in preparing a hare for roasting. Directly after it is skinned, it should be well washed in warm water. If it has been over-kept, and has got musty inside — which will often happen if it has been emptied before hanging up — use vinegar, well diluted, to render it sweet ; then throw it into water to 4* 82- DOMESTIC COOKERY. remove the taste of the acid. Pierce with the point of a knife any parts in which the blood may have settled, and wash in tepid water. Wipe dry, fill with forcemeat or good veal stuffing, sew up, truss and spit firmly, baste for ten minutes with warm water, throw this away, and put into the pan a quart of new milk ; keep it constantly ladled over the hare until it is nearly dried up, then add a large lump of butter, flour the hare, and continue the basting steadily until it is well browned ; unless this be done, and the roast be kept at a distance from the fire, the outside will become dry and hard. Serve with good brown gravy in the dish, and red currant jelly separate. A moderate-sized hare takes about forty minutes. Roast Leverets. Do not stuff, but plain roast, and serve with brown gravy. A little less than half an hour before a brisk fire will suffice. Eoast Babbit. Stuff with the liver minced, breadcrumbs, a little chopped parsley, butter, salt and pepper, mixed with beaten Q%^. Roast before a sharp fire, baste constantly with butter, and serve with plain gravy. Woodcock, Snipes^ Larks, Quails^ &t;., are all best when roasted plain. They must be well done, and served on toast, with a little rich gravy. Cooking by Gas. Joints, poultry, &c., may be roasted, and pies, &c., may be baked in a. gas stove, which is a clean and econo* DOMESTIC COOKERY. 83 mical contrivance, seeing that tlie fuel is only employed during the actual time of cooking. Care must be taken that tiiere is no escape of gas, or the meat will be touched with its odor, and the heat be insufficiently applied. For large establishments, gas-cooking apparatus is very use- ful. Cooking in American and Dutch Ovens. Poultry, small joints, chops, steaks, fish, bloaters, &c., may be well cooked in front of the fire in these stoves, which have the advantage of radiating and regulating the heat, and employing less fuel than in an open stove. Baste well, as for roasting. BAKING. How to Bake. Many meats can be cooked as well in the oven as on the spit or jack. Legs, spareribs, and loins of pork, sucking pigs, fillets or breasts of veal, small joints of roasting beef, shoulders and legs of mutton, all kinds of hearts, geese, rabbits, and hares are the fittest for the oven, and these may, with care, be sent to table as pala- table and well-looking as if roasted. The great fault with housewives is, that they do not baste their joints while in the oven, and consequently the meat is burnt outside, and sodden inside. For meat, the oven should be brisk, as, if the joint scorches, a piece of paper can be put over and round it for some time, taking care to re- move it at least half an hour before done. When poultry is baked, the heat of the oven should be moderated a little. If potatoes are baked under meat, a little longer 84 DOMESTIC COOKER Y. time must be allowed the joint, as the steam from the potatoes hinders the cooking. Many persons prefer a ham baked to boiled, as it is said to keep longer after dressing. It must be covered with a common crust of tlour and water, and baked in a moderately slow oven. Several kinds of Fish — as haddock, pike, eels — can be baked v/ith bread crumbs. The Baking Disli or Tin should be from four to six inches deep, and have a mov- able wire lid, or a stand for the meat. The dish or tin should have one or two partitions. For pork, and especi- ally sucking pigs, a shallower tin is to be preferred, as then the rind, or crackling, is better done. Sucking Pig. A favorite Stuffing is — a quarter of a pound ^.to six ounces of bread-crumbs, two ounces of butter, two or three small onions chopped fine, three or four sage leaves minced very small, and a pinch of pepper and salt. Hav- ing this ready, you thoroughly wash the pig, first in tepid, and then in cold water, take out all the inside, and dry it thoroughly; then put in your stuffing, and sew up. Rub the skin dry and anoint it with white of egg. It will re- quire from one hour to two to bake, according to size, and to be basted with its own gravy from time to time. The best way of serving it is to cut off the head when done, and divide both it and the body lengthways. Many persons serve with the plain gravy that has run from the pig, but a better plan is to chop up the brains with a little finely minced sage (boiled), and add it to the gravy. Serve very hot. Apple sauce is to be served separate. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 85 Ham. Soak in cold water for six to ten hours; take out and wipe moderately dry; then make a thick paste of flour and water, and entirely cover the ham. Bake in a slow oven, allowing from twenty minutes to half an hour per pound, according as it is preferred well or under done. When done, remove the paste and also the skin of the ham, and sprinkle with bread raspings. Many persons after taking it out of soak, and before encrusting it, steep it for about a quarter of an hour in white wine: others, when it is done, and the crust and rind off, put it in again for about ten minutes to brown. A glass or two of champagne poured over before the raspings are sifted on, is said to improve the flavor. Leg of Pork. Score lightly so as not to cut into the fat, and stuff the knuckle with bread-crumbs, a few finely minced sage leaves, a couple of boiled onions chopped very small, pep- per and salt to taste. Baste continually with its own fat, and serve with apple sauce, and baked and boiled pota- toes separate. The oven should be sharp, and the time allowed for cooking twenty-five minutes to every pound of meat. Proceed in the same manner v/ith loin of pork, neck, and sparerib. Many persons baste these joints with cider. Leg of Pork can also be cooked by first parboiling it, removing the skin, and then baking to a fine brown, keeping it basted with fresh butter. This, dusted with powdered sage, and fine bread-crumbs, and served with made gravy and fried forcemeat balls made of goose stuffing, is called " mock- goose." 86 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Loin of Fork is often dressed thus : — cut as for chops, but leave the end bones undivided. Chop sage leaves very j5ne, and lay them in each cut ; then let the meat soak in vinegar and water (half of each) for six or eight days. Take it out, dry it, add more minced sage, tie or skewer up tightly, and bake in vinegar and water, rind down- wards. Serve, without gravy, with red wine — claret will do — and sweet sauce. This is said to eat like wild boar. Fillet and Breast of Veal may be baked, prepared as for roasting (which see), tak- ing care to baste thoroughly with butter. As white meats for baking require to be a trifle more highly sea- soned than for roasting, a few sweet herbs, dried and powdered, and without stalks, may be added to the stuffing. Shoulder of Veal, is good baked with stuffing as above, and served with mushroom or oyster sauce. Fillet of Veal. Another way. Skewer up very round, and cover well with udder ; place a good piece of streaked bacon where the bone was taken out, and stuff under the udder thus : chop three quarters of a pound of beef suet very fine, put into a basin with six ounces of bread-crumbs, the rind of half a lemon, chopped very fine, a little grated nut- meg, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, and a little chopped thyme and marjoram; with one bay-leaf, mixed; bind the whole with the yolks of three and two whole eggs, sew it in, and tie up the joint in buttered paper. Bake for about three hours in a moderately brisk oven. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 87 When done, skewer up with silver or polished skewers, drawing out those it was first trussed with; place upon your dish with celery sauce, or white sauce {see Receipts). Beef. The same joints of beef are suitable for roasting and baking. The oven must be very hot, but well-ventilated. Dust lightly with flour before putting in, and sprinkle with a little salt when about three parts done. If the oven be too fierce, and scorch the corners of the joint, open the door for two or three minutes. Baste frequently — first with butter, and then with its own gravy. Serve very hot in a well-dish, garnished with horse-radish. Almost any vegetables are suitable with beef, but always serve pota- toes, either boiled plain, or mashed with fresh butter, and a little salt and white pepper. Cauliflowers and white cabbages may have a little of the beef gravy poured over them. Mutton may be baked with sliced potatoes. The Shoulder should be well floured, and continually basted. Brown well, and send to table very hot with its own gravy, slightly salted, and white onion sauce {see Receipt) separate. Leg of Mutton must also be dredged with flour and frequently basted. Do not serve with hot water poured over it; but if liked, thicken the gravy a little with flour. Red cur- rant jelly is usually eaten. Fillet of Mutton. Cut a large leg of mutton like fillet of veal. Remove the bone, and ^U the <<;avity with forcemeat. Flour well, 88 DOMESTIC COOKERY. bake in a sharp oven, basting frequently, and serve with brown gravy and red-currant jelly. Goose, Rabbit, and Hare are all very good baked, and the same directions apply as for roasting, which see. Hearts of all kinds are better baked than roasted Bullock's Heart must be soaked in warm water for two or three hours, and then dried, and the lobes cut off. Stuff the inside with veal stuffing, or some highly seasoned forcemeat. Sew it up, envelop it in white paper, and bake in a brisk oven from one and a half to two hours, keeping it well basted. Just before ready, take ofif the paper; serve very hot, with rich brown gravy and red-currant jelly. Calf s Heart and Sheep's Heart are dressed in the same manner, but do not take quite so long cooking. BAKING FISH. Haddocks are baked thus:— Cut off the heads and fins of two or three and put into a stewpan, with an onion, some pars- ley, salt, pepper, and two anchovies, cut up fine, a little DOMESTIC COOKERY. 89 flour, two tablespoonfuls of white wine, and a little catsup. Boil well up together, and when the fish has been skinned and cut into pieces, lay them in a deep pie-dish; pour the sauce over them, and bake. Strew the bottom of the dish with bread-crumbs, and put some more over them ; season well with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg. Plaice and Herrings are baked in a dish, with water, or milk and water. Flour well, and bake to a good brown. Serve with parsley and cut lemons. Cod. The thickest part of the cod should be chosen for baking. Fill with a stuffing made of grated bread- crumbs, a little butter, the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, pepper, salt, grated lemon-peel and nutmeg, and anchovy finely shredded, binding the whole with white of Q^^ beaten up; put on a disli with bits of butter over the top, and bake for an hour. A Dutch oven is also suited for this dish. It requires to be frequently basted and turned; plain melted butter or oyster sauce should be served with it. God's Head and Shoulders may be dressed thus: — Wash well, cut off the fins, lay on a dish, pour boiling water over part, and scrape off all the black scales, taking care not to break the skin, till every part of the fish looks white, then wash in cold water; put on in boiling salt and water, and boil for a quarter of an hour; then lay on a dislj and rub with the beaten yolks of two or three eggs, and strew with bread- crumbs, pepper and minced parsley ; stick it all over 90 DOMESTIC COOKERY, with little bits of butter, and put it in an oven to brown; then mix a large tablespoonful of flour with a quarter of a pound of butter, a quart of gravy, a tea-cupful of white wine, some pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg; mince the white meat of a lobster, slightly brown three dozen of oysters in a frying-pan, and put them with half their liquor and the lobster to the gravy and other things ; beat it up and pour round the dish; garnish with cut lemon. It is not necessary to have lobster and oysters. Mackerel. Cut off the hands and tails, and clean the fish ; then season with pepper and salt ; lay in a dish with a little butter, and bake in a slow oven. They may be eaten hot or cold ; if hot, with any of the usual fish sauces ; and if cold, with vinegar. A little vinegar and port wine may be added to them. Oysters. Chop fine, and pound in a mortar with crumb of bread dipped in cream : a little parsley and chives, or a very small onion, a shred of anchovy, butter, salt, and pepper. When well pounded, add white of ^^^ beaten up, in the proportion of one ^^^ to two dozen oysters ; mix all well together, put into scallop shells, and bake brown. , Pike. Clean and scale the fish, take out the inside, and fill with a stuffing of bread crumbs, a little fresh butter, grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste — the whole bound with an q^^. Bake in a tin dish, and baste continually with fresh butter. Serve with lobster sauce, or plain melted butter. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 91 Salmon. Clean, cut the fish into slices about an inch to an inch and a half thick, put it in a dish, with the following sauce : — Melt an ounce of butter, kneaded in flour, in a pint and a half of brown gravy, with two glasses of port wine, two tablespoonsfuls of catsup, two shredded ancho- vies, and a little Cayenne, When the anchovies are dis- solved, strain and pour the sauce over the fish, tie a sheet of buttered paper over the dish, and bake till nicely brown. Shad, when good — which is in spring and early summer — may be baked in the same way as salmon. Sturgeon. L,ard with fat bacon, and bake in a slow oven. Serve with mushroom sauce, or stewed trufHes. Sprats. Put into a dish with vinegar and allspice a quantity of fresh sprats, wiped clean: flour the top slightly, and bake to a good brown. Trout. Clean well, split down the back, remove the Done, and dry with a cloth; season with black pepper, salt, and a little mace pounded; roll them up and pack close in a dish; pour over them some vinegar; put in to or three bay leaves, and some whole pepper, and bake in the oven for an hour, covering the dish with buttered paper. 92 DOMESTIC COOKERY. BAKING PASTRY. The heat of the oven should be regulated according to the article to be baked. Those things should be first made which will suit the heat of the oven. Light paste requires a moderately quick oven; for if the oven is too hot, the paste will be colored before it is properly baked; and if it is then taken out of the oven it will fall, and be- come fiat. A cool oven will not cause pastry to rise suf- ficiently; and puff-paste baked in an oven with anything that causes much steam, will not be so light as other- wise. Iced tarts or puffs should be baked in a cooler oven than those that are not iced; or if the oven is too hot, the door should be left open, or the icing will become brown. Small articles of pastry require to be baked in a hotter oven than large ones. All pastry should be baked in clean tins or patty pans, without being but- tered. When baked sufficiently, pastry may be easily slid about on the tin, or pan, while hot; and puffs, pat- ties, or small pies, may be lifted from the tin, without breaking, by putting your fingers round the edges and carefully lifting them, which cannot be done unless they are sufficiently baked to be taken from the oven. BOILING. How to Boil. The meat should be put into boiling water, and kept gently simmering until done. This is an invariable rule, for otherwise the water gets into the meat and sod- dens it. By this means the natural juices are kept in the meat. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 93 The slower meat boils, or rather simmers, the better it will eat; but the water must never be allowed to get cool. Twenty minutes to the pound may be considered about the average time for meats. The saucepan or kettle should be of sufficient size to allow the water to flow all round the meat. Large joints should be raised from the bottom of the saucepan by means of a trivet or fish drainer, to prevent the under side burning. Meat should not be boiled in a cloth. Keep only a moderate fire for boiling. Meat that has been fresh killed will take a little longer than hung meat. If meat is too salt, change the liquor when a quarter done. The scum must be taken off as fast as it rises. Never boil meat without there being a little salt in the water. Salted and dried meats will want soaking for some considerable time before boiling, but never soak fresh meats. If the water be hard, boil it for a couple of hours be fore using. Eound of Beef should be in salt for about eight or nine days. When your water is boiling, wash off the salt and skewer up the joint. Put it in, and let it just boil up. Directly it does so, remove it to a cornerof the fire, and let it simmer gently till done. A piece of round, weighing from twelve to sixteen pounds, will take three to four hours, at least. 'Y\\q greatest care \s necessary to remove all scum as it rises. Serve with a little of the liquor, carrots, and suet dumplings. Turnips, parsnips, and peas-pudding are also appropriate accompaniments. 94 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Aitclibone. Brisket, and Rump of Beef may be boiled in ihe same manner. If very salt, two or three hours soaking: in cold water — which may with ad- vantage be chiinu:ed oncx'; or twice — will improve the llavor. A joint of twelve pounds will take about three hours after it boils up. Eibs of Bee^ in small joints, may be cooked like Round. A piece of six to eight pounds should be boned, salted and skew- ered up round. Put it in strong brine for four days, turning the meat twice a day. Then boil as for round, letting it simmer for two to two and a quarter hours. Leg of Mutton. Put into boiling water, and skim carefully, and then let it only simmer. This joint should not be overdone; the red gravy should follow the knife when cut. Capers, chopped line and put into melted butter, may be thrown over the joint, and some more of the same sauce should be served in a sauce tureen. Mashed turnips are usually served with boiled mutton. Collared Mutton. The best joint is the breast, but the shoulder will do. Take out all the bones, make a force-meat with bread crumbs, parsley, lemon-thyme, and an anchovy minced; season with salt and pepper; rub the meat over with an egg, cover it with the forcemeat, roll lirnily, and tie; put it on in boilingwater, and skim well; make a good gravy, seasoned with sweet herbs and mushroom catsup. DOMESTIC COOKERY, 95 Leg of Lamb is very good boiled and served same a leg of mutton, (which see). Spinach should be eaten with boiled lamb. Collared Breast of VeaL Bone, and lay some good forcemeat over the veal. Roll it up, and tie round with tape; envelop in a cloth, and simmer gently for three hours. Fry some forcemeat balls, and serve with brown sauce. Knuckle of Veal must be boiled rather longer than most meats, until it feels very soft under the fork. It must not boil too fast, and be Vv^cU skimmed. If cooked in milk and water, it increases its whiteness. Pickled pork or ham should be boiled and served with it. Parsley and butter or white onion sauce are appropriate. Another Method is to procure two knuckles and saw them into three pieces each, put into a stew-pan with two pounds of streaked bacon, a carrot, four onions, two turnips, and half-a-dozen peppercorns; place over the fire, and add a little salt when boiling; skim well, and allow to simmer for a couple of hours, then take up, and dress with the vegetables and bacon, in the same dish as the veal; serve with parsley and butter. Calfs Head. The head must be split and the brains and tongue removed. Wash well, and soak for two hours in cold 96 DOMESTIC COOKERY. water; boil it with the tongue and brains gently in plenty of water, until quite tender; pour over the head parsley and butter made very thick; rub the brains through a sieve, add some chopped parsley, pepper, salt, , and a bit of butter; mix, and put it round the tongue. Leg of Pork. About eight days will be found sufficient for salting; then soak in cold water for an hour, and dry with a cloth. Put it into cold water, and let it gradually come to a boil, after which it must very gently simmer, till well done, which will be, for a leg of nine or ten pounds, three to three and a half hours after the water boils. Carrots, parsnips, or turnips should be served with this dish, and may be boiled with the meat. Peas-pudding {see receipt) must always accompan)- it. Ham. Soak it as for baking, and put it into cold water, with a bunch of savory herbs; when the water begins to sim- mer, let it cook gently, until it is done, skimming con- stantly: allow about twenty minutes to each pound ; when cooked, take ofif the skin, and cover with raspings. Serve on a dish garnished with parsley. Bacon. Soak in cold water for a couple of hours; pare oflf the rusty edges, and scrape the rind. Then put in cold water and boil gently, allowing three-quarters of an hour to every pound of bacon. When done take off the rind, scrape the under side, and grate bread-crumbs over it. Put in a hot oven for five minutes, and serve with Lima beans or peas. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 97 Pickled Pork. Boil gently, till very tender, and serve with peas- pudding and plenty of vegetables. BOILING POULTRY, &c. After the bird is drawn and plucked, singe it with white paper, and wipe dry. If a turkey, break the \q.^ bones close to the feet, fasten tlie feet together, and attach them to a hook ; then take the body of the bird in your hands, and pull it firmly towards you, until the sinews are drawn out of the thigh. Then cut off the neck close to the back, leaving the crop skin long enough to cover the opening. Insert your finger, and detach the liver and intestines ; cut off the vent and remove the intes- tines. Then insert a hook, and carefully pull out the gizzard and liver, taking great care not to break the gall bladder. Cut off the legs at the first joint ; cut the breast bone through at each side close to the back ; then draw the legs up to the crop, and beat the breast bone flat with a rolling pin. Skewer the legs and wings firmly — one skewer fastening the two legs by the middle joint, and another the wings. Fowls arc trussed in a similar man- ner, except that the nails only, and not the feet, are cut off, and that the skewers are put in the first joint of each pinion, and the middle of the leg — brought close to it — and into the body. This is done at each side. A string round the legs keeps them firmer. Pheasants, partridges, and all kinds of moor game are trussed for boiling same as fowls. Turkey. Stuff the crop with bread-crumbs, a few pounded sweet 5 gS DOMESTIC COOKERY. herbs, a shredded anchovy, butter or suet, lemon-peel, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, bound with an t^^. Put into boiling water, simmer gently for an hour and a half to two hours, according to size. Skim carefully, and serve with parsley and butter, or mushroom, or oyster sauce. Pickled pork, ham, tongue, or bacon, must accompany this dish. Chicken and Fowl. Boil as turkey. A chicken will take about half an hour after the water boils, and a good sized fowl nearly an hour. Serve with parsley and butter, or with the fol- lowing sauce : — Melt in a teacupful of milk a large table- spoonful of butter kneaded in flour, beat up the yolk of an &^^ with a little cream, stir it into the butter, and heat over the fire, stirring continually. Ham, tongue, or pickled pork must be served with boiled fowl. If boiled in a cloth a few slices of lemon should be placed on the breast, and the bird covered with buttered writing paper. Another Way of boiling a fowl is to soak it in milk for one hour, tie it up in a cloth and put cold waler in a sauce-pan, place your fowl in, and put on a slow fire; when boiling, re- move it, and let simmer for about twenty minutes; then remove it altogether, and let it remain in the water ten minutes more. Serve with parsley chopped fine into some melted butter, a little salt, pepper, and some juice of lemon poured over; with the usual adjuncts. Boiled Fowl and Rice. Have some good clear mutton broth boiling in your saucepan; put in the fowl so that it is entirely covered; DOMESTIC COOKERY. 99 add one large onion, a little mace, bruised, pepper and salt. Let the whole simmer gently for about half an hour, when add one-third of a pound of well-washed and soaked rice. When the rice is soft and tender, take it out, strain it, and put it in the oven for a few minutes to dry. Your fowl being done, serve very hot with the rice in the dish, and parsley and butter separate. Another Method is to stuff the fowl with two dozen bearded oysters, and put in a jar. The jar should then be placed in a sauce- pan of boiling water, and boiled for nearly two hours. Take another dozen of oysters, scald them in their own liquor, add a gill of cream and the yolks of three eggs beaten. Mix with the gravy from the fowl, and serve very hot. Rabbit. Soak for a quarter of an hour in warm water. Either boil plain and serve with pickled pork or boiled ham, or prepare thus: — thicken the water in which it is to boil with a bit of butter covered with flour, and just as it boils, add a pint of milk, with salt and whole pepper; then put in the rabbit, with a quantity of onions cut into quarters, and stew gently until the rabbit is tender, from half to one hour, according to size; when ready, take out the onions, put into a separate saucepan with a little milk, butter, flour, and salt; when the sauce is well mixed, dish the rabbit, and pour the sauce over it. Mushrooms may be substituted for onions. Goose laid in a dish for a couple of hours, with a pint of boil- ing milk poured over it, and then boiled, is very delicate, loo DOMESTIC COOKERY. thus: Put it into boiling water, and let it simmer until very tender. Then serve, smothered with onions and cream. Duck can also be cooked in this way. Partridges, Pheasants, &c., are seldom boiled. Dress like fowl, and do not stuff them. Parsley and butter, with just a soupcon of cayenne pepper, should be served in a tureen; and a sauce made of chopped parsley, half a pint of cream, with a little fresh butter, stirred together, and poured over the birds. If preferred, celery heads, cut fine, can take the place of the parsley. BOILING FISH. Put fish into cold water to boil, unless the fish are small, when warm water is best. Do not put into boiling water, unless specially directed. A little salt and vinegar should be added to the water just before the fish is ready to put in. Fresh-water fish must always be soaked in strong salt and water before cooking. Fish should always simmer gently, or the outside will break before the inside is done. A fish plate or strainer should be put in the kettle for the fish to lie upon. When the fish separates easily from the bone, (which can be ascertained by drawing up the plate), it is done, and must be at once taken out of the water. Recollect, fish must never be served underdone. Sea water is best, where it can be had, for the boiling of salt-water fish. The roe and liver should in most cases be placed in the dish by the side of the fish. DOMESTIC COOKER Y. loi Always serve fish on a hot napkin. Parsley, horseradish, and sliced lemon, are the best garnishings for fish. Salmon. When the fish is scaled and cleaned, put it into the kettle with cold water (with six to eight ounces of salt to each gallon) enough to quite cover it. Let it boil up pretty quickly, skim, and simmer until done. Then take it out and serve on a hot napkin, garnish with parsley and sliced lemon. Lobster sauce, shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter {see receipts), may all accompany this dish, as well as cucumber, either dressed or plain. Another, and by some considered a better way of boiling salmon, is to cut it in slices two inches thick, and simmer gently for about twenty minutes, and then serve as before. Many cooks advise putting salmon into boiling water, as it then eats firmer. Often, however, a fish cooked thus comes to table very hard. Collared Salmon. A thick slice, about four pounds, of a large fish is best; which is to be cut open, boned, and scaled. Then rub it all over with a seasoning of pounded mace, pepper, and salt, roll it up and tie. Simmer gently for about an hour in water (with a propoi-tion of one-fourth vine- gar), in which a few bay leaves have been thrown. Serve with anchovy sauce {see receipt), or plain melted butter. Salmon is also plain boiled in slices of two to three inches thick. 102 DOMESTIC COOKERY. It should be soaked in strong salt and water for half an hour, put into boiling water, simmered for about twenty minutes, with some horseradish in the water; and served the same as if boiled whole. Carp "witli Vinegar. Put into the kettle entire, with enough boiling vine- gar to cover it; simmer for an hour or more, according to size. Serve with parsley, without any of the liquid. Carp dressed in this way, however, is best eaten cold. Cod is seldom boiled whole, as a good sized head and shoul- ders is sufficient for a dish. To boil the head and shoulders^ first clean, and then rub salt over the thickest parts and inside, and let it remain so for a couple of hours. Tie it up with a broad tape, and put it on in cold water (with half a pound of salt to the gallon), sufficient to cover it. When the water boils (some cooks prefer to put a large head and shoulders into boiling water), draw the kettle to the corner of the fire, and let it simmer slowly for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. Skim very care- fully. Serve on a hot napkin with horseradish and sliced lemon. Oyster sauce and plain melted butter must ac- company. Cod is very often boiled in slices, which should soak in a mixture of salt, vinegar and water for nearly an hour. Boil as before, only not so long. Salt Cod should be obtained the day before wanted, and put into cold water with a little vinegar, and allowed to soak all DOMESTIC COOKERY. 103 night. Then put it on in cold water. Do not let it boil, but simmer gently until tender (say one hour). Skim frequently. Serve on a hot napkin in a dish garnished with hard-boiled eggs sliced, and parsley. Egg-sauce {see receipt), and boiled parsnips should be served with it. Salt Cod with Cream. Soak as above, and boil without vinegar; when done, pull into flakes, pour half a pint of rich cream over it, and serve with egg-sauce, and parsley and butter. Cod's Sounds should be soaked in salt and water for a short time, and then well washed. Boil quite tender in milk and water, and serve with &^^ sauce. Eels. The smaller ones are best for boiling. Put them — well cleaned and skinned — into warm water, with a bunch of parsley, simmer until tender (say half an hour). Serve with parsley and butter. Collared Eel. Take a large eel, bone and skin it, and dust over it a mixture of finely-powdered mace, cloves, and allspice, a few sage leaves and sweet herbs chopped very small, salt and pepper. Roll up, tie with tape, and boil till tender. Serve with plain melted butter. Elounders are boiled plain in water, with a little salt and vinegar. I04 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Let them simmer slowly for five or six minutes; serve with parsley and butter. Haddock may be plain boiled thus: — Put them on in boiling water, with a handful of salt; when done, they will rise to the surface, and must be immediately taken up; skim well while boiling; serve Avith melted butter, shrimp sauce, cream sauce, or anchovy sauce. Another Way is to make a few cuts on each side of the fish, and let it remain in salt for an hour or two — according to size; put into boiling water and simmer till tender. A fish of five pounds will take about half an hour. Garnish with parsley, and serve with egg sauce and boiled parsnips. Mackerel should be allowed to soak in salt and water for a quarter of an hour. Then put them on in hot water, with a little salt, and simmer gently for about half an hovir. When done the tails will split. The dish on which the fish is served should be garnished with fennel, and a sauce served with them of melted butter with chopped fennel or parsley, or green gooseberry sauce {see receipt). An- chovy sauce is sometimes served. Mackerel may be filleted, plain boiled, and served with parsley and butter. Mackerel Soused. When the mackerel are boiled, put half a pint of vinegar to a quart of the liquor in which the fish have been boiled, half an ounce of whole black pepper, two or DOMESTIC COOKERY. 105 three bay leaves, and a little mace ; let boil together for a short time, and when cold, pour it over the mackerel. Berch. Boil as directed for carp. About ten to fifteen minutes' gentle simmering will suffice. Pike must be scaled and have the gills removed, and be well washed — first in vinegar and water, and then in plain cold water. Make a stuffing of grated bread crumbs, butter, a few oysters, and a little parsley chopped very fine, some onions, pepper, salt, some fine herbs dried and rubbed to powder, binding the whole with an egg ; fill the inside and gills with this stuffing, and sew the fish up, and put on in boiling salt and water, with a little vinegar in it, and simmer for half an hour to one hour, accord- ing to size. Serve with melted butter and anchovy or oyster sauce. The tail is usually skewered in the mouth. Plaice should be plain boiled, and served with melted butter. Skate. Tliis fish is either boiled plain, or crimped, and served with melted butter, lobster or caper sauce. Crimped Skate is the most firm. The fish is crimped by drawing a knife through it, in lines, when first caught. Skate must be well done. It is dangerous to eat it out of season. io6 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Soles should be thoroughly washed and then plain boiled. Serve with shrimp or lobster sauce, and plain melted but- ter. They will require from five to ten minntes simmer- ing — according to size — after the water boils. Herrings. Simmer for about twenty minutes. Serve with the following sauce: put half a gill of cream in a little stew- pan, and when it boils add to it two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a bit of fresh butter, and a little lemon juice, pepper and salt. Trout and Salmon Trout can both be boiled thus: — Put in boiling water, made pretty salt, and boil fast for about fifteen to twenty minutes; serve with melted butter. Lobster. Put into boiling water with a little salt, and keep boil- ing for twenty to forty-five minutes, according to size, skimming well. Lobsters are spoilt if done too much or not done enough, so that great care is necessary. A little sweet oil rubbed over the shell when done and then wiped off again, improves the appearance. Shrimps. To one gallon of water put two ounces of salt, one sprig of lemon thyme, one of mint, and a bayleaf. Boil. When boiling hard put one quart of shrimps into an open wire or wicker basket, which place in the water. The DOMESTIC COOKERY. 107 time the shrimps take to boll depends upon their size; but it may be known by their changing color. If boiled too much they are tasteless and indigestible. STEWING. For stewing meat should be put into cold water, only just sufficient to cover it. When it comes to the boil it must be carefully skimmed until no more scum rises, and then allowed to simmer very gently until the meat be- comes perfectly tender, and the gelatinous parts partially dissolved. A stew must never boil. Stewing does not require either so much water or so great a heat as boiling: it is the most economical of all modes of cooking, as many coarse meats, old poultry, and game, and different parts of animals, which, cooked any other way, would be uneatable, are rendered nutritious and savory. By stewing we obtain all the nutritious ele- ments of food, some of which are lost in roasting and boiling. Slow cooking is necessary, and meat may even be stewed over and over again, without injury, until it is sufficiently tender. Earthenware vessels are better than metal ones, be- cause they are longer getting hot, but retain their heat for a greater length of time. The quantity of water should be regulated by the kind of meat stewed. Salt is an invariable adjunct toetews. Rump of Beef. About half a rump makes an excellent dish. Remove io8 DOMESTIC COOKERY. the bone, and tie up with broad tape. Put into a stew- pan with just enough stock (which see) to cover it. Add whatever vegetables are liked — sliced — such as onions, carrots, or turnips, and flavor the stock with cloves, savory herbs, vinegar, catsup, pepper and salt. The whole must then be allowed to simmer very gently until perfectly tender (from four to five hours), keeping it skimmed. When done strain the gravy the meat was boiled in, and thicken with a little butter and flour, put in a glass of port, Madeira, or other rich wine, let it boil up, and serve over the meat, very hot; garnish tlie dish with forcemeat balls and the vegetables boiled with the meat. Shin of Beef. Saw the bone in several pieces, put the meat in stock or water; when it boils, skim, and add a head of celery, a bunch of savory herbs, pepper, salt and allspice to taste. Cut up a few onions, carrots and turnips, and boil them till tender. When the beef is quite tender (say four hours) take out the liquor, and thicken half of it with batter and flour, season with pepper and salt; add a glass each of catsup and port wine, boil up, pour over the meat, and serve very hot, on a dish garnished with the boiled vegetables. Any pai-t of the ox may be stewed by cutting it into small pieces and gently simmering till tender with a little mace, cloves, and herbs. When half done add sliced vegetables, and if liked, parsley. Barley or rice may be added, as thickening to the stock. Irish Stew. To about three pounds of breast, loin, or neck of mut- ton, cut into moderate-sized pieces, put six pounds of potatoes and six or eight large onions, peeled and cut DOMESTIC COOKERY. 109 into thick slices. Put into a stewpan and add pepper and salt to taste. Pour over it about one to one and a half pint of water, and stew very gently, with the lid on always, until quite tender (say two to three hours). Shake the pan now and then to prevent burning. Serve very hot. This dish may also be prepared by putting exactly the same ingredients in a jar instead of a stew- pan, and baking in a moderate oven for about tv/o hours, or until quite tender. Breast of Lamb or Mutton. Cut in pieces, and stew very gently for about an hour and a quarter to an hour and three quarters, in good stock, sufficient to cover it. When done thicken the stock with butter and flour, add a glass of sherry or other white wine, boil up, and pour over the meat. Green peas, spinach, or mushrooms, may be stewed with this dish, and much improve it. Breast of Veal. Cut in pieces and fry to a good brown. Then turn into a stewpan with a little butter, savory herbs, pounded mace, onions, cloves, allspice, and grated lemon-peel, pepper and salt to taste. Cover the meat with water, and stew gently for about a couple of hours. Then thicken the gravy with butter and flour, add a couple of glasses of sherry, a tablespoonful each of catsup and tomato sauce, pour over the meat and serve. Green peas boiled separately may be served in the same dish, or they may be stewed with the veal. Fillet of Veal may be stewed whole with the same additions as above, a little lemon-juice and a dozen mushrooms. This joint no DOMESTIC COOKERY. must be stuffed with forcemeat and stewed very gently. Half an hour per pound should be allowed. Blnuckle of Veal should be stewed plain for an hour, and then have added half a pound of rice or macaroni, and the whole simmer for two hours longer. Serve with boiled bacon, and parsley and butter. Neck of Veal. Bake for half an hour in a brisk oven, and put in a stewpan of boiling water, with a few young carrots, green onions, and new potatoes, and a bunch of savory herbs. Stew for two hours. Serve with boiled green peas and forcemeat balls. STEWING POULTRY, &c. Pigeons may be stewed with fat bacon. The livers should be minced and added to the stock, the gravy thickened as before, and flavored with a little port wine or catsup. They will take about half an hour. Ducklings and Eabbits, can also be dressed in this manner. Forcemeat balls and a few onions may be added just before done. DOMESTIC COOKERY. m Venison. The shoulder is the best joint. Bone and put into a pan rolled and tied up with slices of mutton or lamb fat, which have been soaked in port wine, seasoned with all- spice and whole pepper. Stew in good stock with a gill of port wine, till quite tender (say three hours and a half to four hours), and serve with the gravy over it, with red currant jelly. STEWING FISH. Carp. Put into a stewpan a quart of water and a bottle of port wine (or half these quantities, according to size of fish), and a little mace, fine herbs, young onions, pepper and salt, and a scraped horse-radish ; simmer very gently for an hour, or until tender, then take out the carp and drain into another pan, put a pint of port wine, two shredded anchovies, an onion, a little lemon-juice, a quarter of a pound of butter rubbed in flour, a little cream, and a half a pint of the liquor in which the carp were boiled ; boil together for a few minutes, then add the yolks of two eggs with cream, and juice of half a lemon ; dish with the sauce. Salt Cod. Put into a strong earthenware dish a slice of butter, some parsley and green onions chopped, pepper, and a few capers ; place the fish in layers in the dish, covering each with the seasoning. When the dish is full cover with bread crumbs ; stew gently over hot ashes until quite tender, and brown with a salamander. 113 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Eels. Clean and skin the fish and cut into pieces ot three inches long, soalc in strong salt and water for one hour. Dry witli a cloth and fry them brown. Then put them in a stewpan with a pint of good stock — boiling — with a gill of port wine, a little essence of anchovy, lemon-juice, and cayenne, mace, salt and pepper to taste. Stew gently for about half an hour, and serve with gravy over them, very hot. Another Method is, after cleaning, cutting, and soaking them, to take an onion, two or three shallots, a little thyme, parsley, two or three bay leaves, pepper, a pint of gravy, half a pint of vinegar, and four bruised anchovies, put the whole, with a pint of port or French red wine, into a stewpan, and let them boil for about ten minutes, when take out the fish ; let the sauce continue boiling until consider- ably reduced ; thicken as before directed and serve. Or cream may be added to the gravy just before done. Lobster. Take all the meat of cold lobsters, and have ready a gravy, made by boiling the shells, previously pounded roughly, for a long time in water ; strain this liquor, and season it with pepper, salt, and mace ; thicken with flour and butter, and when thoroughly hot, put on the lobster, and heat it up ; just before serving add a little lemon- juice. Serve very hot. Salmon. When the fish is cleaned, cut it into slices, and stew gently in a rich white gravy. A little before serving, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 113 add two tablespoonfuls of soy, one of essence of anchovy, salt, some chopped parsley, and chives. Oysters. Scald one dozen oysters in their own liquor, and beard them. Put into a stewpan a little butter and suf- ficient flour to cover it, and the liquor of the oysters, strained, flavored with a blade of mace. When this boils add the oysters, a gill of cream, salt and cayenne to taste. Simmer for a couple of minutes, and serve with toast. Trout. Wash and dry thoroughly, and cut into thick slices ; put them in the pan with a little good stock, salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, and let it simmer until quite reduced ; then dish up the fish with a sauce made thus : — Put into a pan some crumb of bread, with a little butter, some parsley, shallots chopped very fine, pepper, salt, two or three cloves, a little nutmeg grated, a glass of French white wine, and one of good gravy ; let it boil until it becomes thick. Dish very hot. FRYING. Perhaps of all modes of cookery frying is the least nutritious and economical. All kinds of meats and vege- tables may, however, be fried and made tasty. The fry- ing-pan should be sufficiently large to allow the meat to lie flat at the bottom; and the fire should be brisk, clear, and free from blaze. If the meat to be fried is fat, the pan will need only to be greased to prevent sticking; but 114 DOMESTIC COOKERY, in the case of veal cutlets, and other lean meats, butter, dripping, lard, or bacon will be necessary. Salt fat, from the liquor of boiling meat, is apt to fly and spurt, and therefore is unfit for frying; but fat used for frying will, if strained, serve for the same purpose again and again. Meat for frying should be slightly salted, peppered and floured, and when done, laid on a hot dish and the fat poured off for further use. If onions or other vegetables are to be fried, place them in the pan directly after the meat is removed and fry in the fat. When they are brown, pour off the fat, as before. Y ox gravies vc\7!i.d.Q in the frying-pan there are many receipts. This is 2i good plain gravy: — A teacup or more of cold gravy, broth, or water, with a spoonful of catsup or Worcester sauce, and a bit of but- ter the size of a walnut rolled in as much flour as it will carry; set on the fire and kept well shaken in the pan, till the gravy is smooth and thick. Sacon or Ham should be scalded a minute or two in water in the frying- pan. When the fat begins to run and becomes transpar- ent, pour off the liquor and brown the meat in its own fat. Liver should be fried over a slow fire, as it is apt to fly. Eggs are fried in a variety of forms, as in bacon fat, omelettes, &c. (for which see receipts). Each eg^ should be sepa- rately broken in a tea cup and gently poured into the pan, that the yolks may remain unbroken in the center of the whites when the whole is set, and the lower part fried to a delicate brown; take up each separately with a slice {see Omelettes). Fish should be dry and well floured; or they may be rubbed DOMESTIC COOKERY. 115 with white of egg and covered with fine bread crumbs. All Icinds of fish require much more fat than meats or vegetables: the fat may, however, be used for fish over and over again. Turn fish in the pan with a slice, and be careful in taking them up that they do not break. Sauteing is a mode of frying in a deep kind of frying-pan, or shallow saucepan, generally lined with earthenware. A moderate or small quantity of fat only is required. When it boils, put in the meat, &c., and keep the pan in motion till its contents are properly cooked. Chops, steaks, cutlets, pancakes, omelettes, fritters, small game, and poultry, kidneys, sweetoreads, potatoes sliced or cut in dice, vegetables, and fish are all sauted. The great point is to avoid over cooking, especially if the sauteing be only the preliminary process in the preparation of the dish. Fish to Fry. Skate, Soles, Plaice, Flounders, Mackerel, and fresh- water fish generally, are fried au naturel, in fat or butter, and served without sauce, which is added at table accord- ing to taste, in a dish garnished with parsley. Fresh- water fish must be laid for an hour or two in a bath of salt and water to remove the earthy flavor. Crimped Skate. Lay slices in butter for three or four hours, with salt, pepper, cloves, a little garlic, onions, parsley, and vine- gar, near enough to the fire to gently melt the butter. Then take out the slices and fry quickly in butter, and serve on a hot dish garnished with parsley. ii6 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Smelts. Wipe with a clean cloth, but do not wash; dredge with flour, or brush over with yolk of beaten ^^'g and roll in bread-crumbs, and fry in boiling dripping or lard till thoroughly brown. Soles. Take off the brown skin and scrape the other side. Wash well and place them in a cloth to dry; then rub well over with yolk of ^g'g well beaten, and cover with grated bread-crumbs; fry to a good color in boiling lard, and when done, lay them on a sieve before the fire to dry; serve with melted butter, and shrimp sauce, gar- nishing the dish with crimped parsley. The sieve may be covered with blotting paper to absorb the fat. Soles a la Italieune. Clean, cut off heads, and tails. Cover with chopped parsley, salt, pepper, a little powdered nutmeg, adding a good piece of butter, previously warmed. Fry over a quick fire, and turn as soon as one side is done. Serve with Italian sauce. Soles au Gratin. Rub a piece of butter on a silver or plated dish ; then fry for a short time some chopped fine herbs, shallots, chopped mushrooms, and salt and pepper ; when nicely browned put them in the dish, and place your soles upon them ; cover the soles with grated bread-crumbs ; add a little butter, and a small quantity of white wine. Cook gently under a braising pan, or over a slow charcoal fire; but if the latter brown with a salamander. Serve with DOMESTIC COOKERY, 117 slices of lemon, or lemon juice squeezed over, just pre- vious to sending to table. Sprats. Frying is the best way to cook these delicate fish. Wipe them dry, and flour well before putting them in the pan. Let them almost float in boiling fat or butter, and fry till they are well browned. Sprats are often fried in butter, when they make a nice dish. Trout. Cleanse, dredge with flour, rub with beaten yolk of ^^'g, cover with bread-crurribs, fry to a good color, and serve with melted butter and lemon pickle. Small trout are dressed whole. In some parts of Scotland, trout are rubbed with oatmeal instead of flour, and some consider this improves the flavor. Herrings. Scale, cut off the fins, gut, and wipe dry, leaving in the roe or melt. Dredge with flour, and fry in boiling lard or oil to a good colof. Drain before the fire, and serve hot with melted butter, or parsley and butter. Some are partial to an onion sliced up and put into a sauce-boat, and boiling water poured over it, seasoned with pepper and salt. Eels. Cleanse ; cut into pieces of about three inches, scored across in two or three places without separating them ; dust with flour, and fry in boiling lard to a good brown, or dip in a batter, sprinkle with finely grated bread- crumbs; fry, and serve with melted butter. ii8 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Whitebait. This delicate little fish must be eaten fresh. Drain, and smother in flour ; shake off the superfluous flour, fry- in a pan of boiling lard till very slightly colored. If browned they are ruined. When cooked, lay them on a sieve, covered with blotting paper to absorb the fat, be- fore the fire. Dish very hot in a heap, with salt and pepper. Serve with halved lemons and brown bread and butter. Devilled Whitebait are cooked in the same way, with Cayenne pepper. In both cases they should be hot, crisp, and free from fat. Oysters. Boil for a minute in their own liquor and drain; fry in butter, seasoned with catsup, lemon-peel, and parsley, over a quick fire, and serve hot with fried potatoes. BROILING AND GRILLING. How to Broil Economically, Meats, fish, small poultry, and game may be broiled as a variety in cooking. First you must have a good clean fire, wirhout blaze; then set on your gridiron, and when the bars are hot through, wipe them thoroughly with a clean rag or paper, and rub them v/ith a morsel of suet or dripping to prevent the meat from sticking. Meat for broiling should be from half an inch to an inch thick: if thinner, it will be dry and hard; if thicker, the outside DOMESTIC COOKERY. 119 will be brown before the middle is sufficiently done. In broiling, meat should be frequently turned, and for this purpose a small pair of tongs is necessary, as the wound made by a fork lets out the gravy. Rump steaks, mutton and pork chops, and several kinds of fish are best broiled. The part of the ox, called beef -skirt, should be turned only once, when half done, and then peppered and salted to taste. Never cut broiling meat to see if it is done. That can be better ascertained by the smell, and by the little jets of steam from the meat. This also applies to all roast. Hot plates or dishes should be ready to receive the broil immediately it is fit to come from the fire. A bit of butter rubbed on a broiled steak in the dish will draw out the gravy and add to its appearance. Catsup and other sauces should be added hot in the dish. Though not the most economical mode of cooking, broiling is a decidedly toothsome, wholesome, and pleasant one, es- pecially agreeable to invalids and children. Broiled Fowl. Truss as for boiling, cut out the back-bone and press quite flat, season well with pepper, salt, and chopped shallots or small onions; fry upon both sides, take out, egg over with a paste-brush, dip into bread crumbs, place upon a gridiron, over a moderate fire, and broil a very light brown color, and serve with a little plain gravy, or mushroom sauce — of button mushrooms, simmered for ten minutes, with two tablespoonfuls of catsup, and a pat of butter. Pour the sauce in the dish over the fowl, and serve, Spitchcocked Eels. Cut large eels into pieces three or four inches long ; sprinkle with pepper and salt, beat up an Q^^, dip them into it, and cover them afterwards with a mixture of bread crumbs, chopped parsley, and pepper and salt ; 1 2 o D OMES TIC CO OKER Y. broil and serve with melted butter, parsley and butter, or with mustard sauce. Sturgeon Steaks. I Cut into steaks, season with pepper and salt in melted butter, and cover with bread crumbs, after having rubbed them over with yolks of eggs well beaten ; broil to a good color, and serve with rich sauce, or melted butter. To make them look best at table, they should be broiled in buttered paper. Kippered or dried Salmon. Cut up the back and take out the bone ; wipe clean, score the fish, pepper, and broil. Sabnon Steaks are broiled in buttered paper or between slices of bread, over a slow fire. Serve with melted butter and savory sauce. Mackerel. Clean, split, wipe dry, pepper and salt and broil thoroughly. The French broil mackerel in buttered paper, and serve with chopped herbs and melted butter. A small mackerel will take about ten minutes to broil. Game is broiled and served in various ways, for which see receipts. TOASTING. How to Toast. Bread for buttered toast, sippets for made dishes, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 121 game, toast and water, &c., should be held pretty close to a bright fire and frequently turned ; the whole success of the process being found in its likeness to roasting. Savory Toast. Cut slices of bread free from crust, about half an inch thick and two inches and a half square ; butler the tops thickly, spread a little mustard on them, and then cover them with a deep layer of grated cheese and ham, sea- soned with cayenne ; fry in butter, but do not turn them in the pan ; place in a Dutch oven for four minutes to dissolve the cheese. Serve very hot. Welsh Rarebits are served on toast. Toasted Cheese is prepared in a patty-pan and toasted before a clear fire. CARVING. It is important that every one, especially the head of every family, should know how to carve a joint of meat, a head of game, a fowl, or other kind of poultry; for what can be more awkward than to be placed before a dish without being able to help it properly ? Good carv- ing is also economical; for a joint well carved may be thoroughly served without an ounce being wasted, while everyone at table gets a due proportion of well-done and under-done, fat and lean, tit-bit and gravy. Carving requires some knowledge of the nature of the joint or the anatomy of the birds, fish, hare, &c., usually eaten as food. It also requires nerve, steadiness, and practice. 122 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Never stand up to carve; nothing is more vulgar. Let your knife be sliarp, but not your temper; and wlien- ever you have to carve for a large party remember that expedition is a sort of grace of itself. Sirloin of Eeef. The ordinary way to carve this famous joint is to cut from the chine-bone to the flap, directly in the center, helping slices from either side, giving a piece of fat with every plate. But a more economical plan is to cut thin slices from the chine-bone downwards. Some persons prefer the under side or fillet. In the latter case the fillet side is laid uppermost in the dish; the undercut is best when hot, Ribs of Beef. Cut same as sirloin; but as it has no under-cut, it may be cut in thin slices from the thick end to the flap, with slices of the latter. Round of Beef. After removing a slice all round, cut thin slices evenly, so as not to disfigure the joint; helping fat with each plate. Aitchbone of Beef. This joint is sometimes roasted; but whether roasted or boiled, it is carved in a very simple manner, by slices, with a portion of the fat from the under side. Brisket of Beef. Cut lengthv/ise down to the bone, after removing the outside slice; the soft fat lies beneath. Avoid all ragged DOMES TIC COOKER V. 123 or jagged cuts, which spoil tiie look of the joint when cold. Tongue. Begin three inches from the tip, serve thin slanting slices, with a portion of the fat at the root with every plate. Roast Leg of Mutton. Some persons carve a leg of mutton like a ham, in slices towards the middle, which is an economical plan, and leaves the cold joint of good shape. Boiled Leg of Mutton. This is sent to table with fat side uppermost. The wether leg has a round lump of fat at the edge of the broadest part. The best part of the joint is in the middle, between the knuckle and further end. Begin by cutting thin deep slices. Take slices of fat from the end. Many prefer the knuckle part, whicli is in general tender. Good slices may be cut on the back of the leg ; turn it up, and cut at the broad end, longways, different from the direction taken on the opposite side. For the cramp- bone, cut down to the thigh-bone ; then pass the knife under the cramp-bone. Haunch of Mutton. Make a deep cut down to the bone near the knuckle, which will let the gravy escape. Then cut slices length- wise from the cross-cut to the end. Saddle of Mutton. This, the best joint of the sheep, consists of the two loins. It is to be carved by making a deep cut from end 124 DOMESTIC COOKERY. tc end, right through the middle, and serving slices on either side, with a portion of fat to each. Some carvers take slices from the thick part obliquely. Loin of Mutton. Carve in chops, which should be easily removed if the butcher has properly chopped the bones. Shoulder of Mutton. Is usually served with the back part uppermost. Cut in the hollow part ; the knife should pass down to the bone. The best fat is on the outside edge, and should be cut in thin slices. Some nice slices may be obtained on each side of the blade-bone. On the under side, there are two parts full of gravy. Fore Quarter of Lamb. Remove the shoulder from the breast and ribs, by passing your knife towards you in a horizontal position. Lay the shoulder aside or in another dish. Squeeze the juice of a lemon on the other part, with a little pepper and salt ; then divide tlie gristly part from the ribs and help either from that or the ribs as desired. Breast of Veal. The richest part is called the brisket. Insert the knife about four inches from the brisket, and cut through so as to separate it from the ribs. Then serve according to the taste of the company. The sweetbread is usually sent to table with this joint. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 125 FiUet of Veal is carved like round of beef ; the slices should be even and rather thin. Help stuffing with each portion. Calf s Head. Cut long thin slicesof the cheek lengthways, and help with a little bit of neck, ear, or palate. The tongue and brains are served separate. Roast Sucking Fig. Before bringing to table the head is taken ofif and divided. The body is also divided from end to end. At table the carver first removes the legs and shoulders. This is easily done if the knife be sharp and held flat. Then the ribs, which are esteemed the best parts, are cut in slices, and served with the regular sauce or stufiing. Roast Leg of Pork. When cooked with the crackling on, the latter should have been well scored. Carve in slices through the thickness of the joint. . Boiled Leg of Pork. Carve in thin slices from the thick end, slanting to- wards the knvickle. Sometimes the bone is removed, so as to enable the carver to cut slices right through ; but this is not an elegant plan. Ham. There are various ways of carving a ham ; but the best and most usual is to begin in the middle by taking long T26 DOMESTIC COOKERY. thin slices through the thick fat. By this plan we get to the prime part at once. A more economical way is to cut ^thin circular slices. The former is the better way for hot, and the latter for cold ham. Turkey. Whether roasted or boiled, a turkey is served up like a fowl, and cut up in the same way as a pheasant. The best parts are the breast, wings, and neck-bones. The neck itself is taken away, and the cavity under the breast stuffed with forcemeat, which must be cut into thin slices from the rump to the neck, and a portion given with each piece of the turkey. The common practice is not to cut up more than the breast, or one of the wings ; but this must be regulated by circumstances, and the number of guests at table. Goose. Remove the apron, pour into the body a glass of port wine, and a large spoonful of mustard, previously mixed. Bring the neck end toward you, and cut the breast in long slices, from one wing to another. In taking off the leg, put the fork into the small end of the bone, pressing it to the body, and having passed the knife, turn the leg back, and if the goose be young, the joint will easily sep- arate. To take off the wing, put the fork into the small end of the pinion, and press it close; then insert the knife, and divide the joint. The best parts of the goose are the slices on the breast; the flesh of the wing, divided from the pinion; the thigh-bone, which may be separated easily from the drum-stick or bone of the leg; the pinion, and next the side-bones. Take sage and onion stuffing from the body with a spoon, at the place where the apron lay, and then mix with the gravy, which should be poured into the goose before any person is served. £>OMES TIC COOKER V. 127 Fowls. The legs of a boiled fowl are bent inward, and tucked under with skewers, which must be removed. Separate the wing, first dividing the joint; and then with your fork lift up the pinion, and draw the wing towards the legs, and the muscles will part better than if cut. Insert the knife between the leg and body, and cut to the bone; then turn the leg back, and the joint will yield easily, if the fowl be young. When the quarters are removed, take off the merrythought, and then the neck bones; and press- ing the knife under the long broad part of the bone, in the direction, lift it up, and break it off from the part that adheres to the breast. To divide this from the car- cass, cut through the tender ribs, close down to the end. Next lay the back upwards; the knife next the bone, half way from the neck to the rump, and on raising the lower part, it will divide with ease. Turn the rump from you, and take off the two sidesmen, — which completes the pro- cess. As each part is taken off, it should be turned neatly on the dish; and care taken, that what is left goes prop- erly from the table. The breast and wings are the choic- est parts; but the legs, in younger fowls, are the most juicy. Whether roast or boiled, fowls are carved in the same way. Pheasant. Fix your fork in the middle of the breast ; cut down in slices, take off the leg on one side, then separate the wing on the same side ; after which, remove the leg and wing on the opposite side, and then cut off the slices of the breast, which were before divided. In taking off the wings, be careful not to cut too near the neck. Cut off the merrythought by passing the knife under it towards the neck. The other parts are to be divided as in a fowl. 128 DOMESTIC COOKERY. The breast, wings, and merrythought are the most esteemed, but the leg has the richest flavor. Partridge. Cut off the wings and the merrythought. The parts most preferred are the wings, breast, and merrytliought ; but from the smallness of the bird the two latter are sel- dom divided. The wing is the best, and the tip of it is by epicures deemed most delicious. Pigeons. Cut in two lengthways and serve a half to each person. Snipes, Plovers, Woodcocks and other small game should be treated in the same manner. When they are large the wings and legs may be removed and served separately, making six helps of each. As a rule poultry should never be wholly cut up at table, but simply divided; but game should, as many prefer the backbone. Hare. Put your knife in and cut down to the rump, on one side of the backbone. Do the same thing on the other side. Cut the back into four, cut the shoulder off. When all your joints are before you help with stuffing to each. When all are served cut off the head, and separate the jaws ; then split the head, and serve the ears and brains as required. Rabbit. As for hare. Boiled rabbit is jointed, the head divided, DOMESTIC COOKER V. 1-29 and the back cut into three or four pieces, breadthwise ; then help with stuffing to each portion where used. Salmon. Cut down the middle of the side to the bone length- ways, and take slices from that cut; serve each portion with a little piece of the belly, which is fattest and most delicate. Cod's Head and Shoulders. Cut across from the back downwards to the thin part, taking care not to break the flakes; serve a piece of the sound to each person. Mackerel should be divided into four — that is, the fish stripped up the middle, and each side divided into two, leaving the bone and head on the dish. Eels are cut into small pieces and served a thick and a thin piece together. Soles, if fried, should be divided quite across; if boiled, serve large ones like turbot, and small ones like mackerel. 6* I30 DOMESTIC COOKERY. SOUPS. Stock. All meat soups have " stock " for their basis. Beef and veal make the best stock, but mutton, if previously- broiled or roasted, is very good. The Stock-pot should be made the receptacle of all sorts of meat bones, either broken or crushed, as the large proportion of gelatinous matter they contain is the basis or jelly of the stock, to which it can be added at pleasure. Rub a large stewpan, or better still, a fire-proof earthenware jar or pan, with a little butter, and put into it one pound of ham without fat or skin, four pounds of leg or neck of veal, and three pounds of lean beef, all cut into thin slices, or small pieces; set over a clear fire till the meat is equally browned; move it often so that it does not stick to the pan nor burn. Place the bones upon it, and pour in gradually one gallon of cold water. Take off the scum as it rises, and throw in at intervals a little cold water and salt, to bring it quickly to the sur- face. When no more scum appears, put in two ounces of salt, three onions, three carrots, two turnips, one head of celery, two ounces of savory herbs, one dozen of cloves, three-quarters of an ounce of white pepper (whole), and three blades of mace. Allow to simmer gently for five or six hours, and then strain. When cold remove the fat from the top; and, in taking out the soup, leave the sediment untouched, and pass the soup through a fine hair sieve. It is then ready for use, and when re- quired, take out the quantity demanded for table, and add a little mushroom catsup. Another good Stock is made thus: — Cut up small a fine knuckle of veal — say- seven or seven and a half pounds — and a piece of lean DOMESTIC COOKERY. 131 ham — say half to three-quarters of a pound. Rub with butter or clarified dripping the bottom of your stewpan (the proper size for this quantity of meat is from two to two and a half gallons). Put your meat into this pan with a little water — say one pint — a handful of salt, two or three onions, a small head of celery, a carrot, or two small ones, and a turnip. Cover your pan, and place over a brisk fire and stir now and then, till a thick white jelly-like substance covers the bottom of the pan. It is then time to add the water, so fill up the pan with cold water, and let it remain until almost boiling, but do not let it boil. Then put on one side, and let it simmer very gently for three to four hours, skimming thoroughly at intervals. Strain through a hair sieve and keep for use. If beef be used in the place of the veal at least six hours must be allowed for simmering. A little more meat will be required — say eight and a half pounds in- stead of seven and a half. Instead of cutting up the knuckle of veal so small, you may leave it in pieces of about a pound, the ham being entire, and the meat may be eaten hot with a little of the broth. Allow four to five hours. Another Mode is to cut beef from its bones, and roll lightly in flour, seasoned with pepper and salt; fry until a light brown. Put into the pan with a pint of cold water to each pound of beef, and vegetables as before, and stew gently for about six hours. Trimmings of poultry, the remains of rabbits, part- ridges, or other game, and in fact, any pieces of clean and sweet meat, or bone, cooked or uncooked — are useful in the stock-pot. White Stock. Cut up small four pounds of knuckle of veal, and put 132 DOMESTIC COOKERY. it into your pan (previously rubbed with butter), with any poultry bones and trimmings, half a dozen slices of lean ham, and a glass of water ; simmer gently till the gravy fiows. Then add a gallon of cold water, two sliced car- rots, two or three small onions, a few white peppercorns, a small handful of salt, a bunch of savqry herbs, and a blade of mace. Simmer gently for fully five hours, skimming constantly. Strain through a very fine hair sieve, and it is ready for use. If this stock be not strong enough, more veal may be added, but this will be found good enough for use in the preparation of most white soups. Stock, to Clarify. When, by accident, stock is not clear, put it into a stewpan, take off any scum as it rises, and let the rest boil. Take out half a pint of the stock, and add it gradually to the tvhites of three eggs (previously whisked well in half a pint of cold water) ; then put the whisk into the stewpan, and keep the liquid well agitated while you pour in the whites of ^^^ and stock you have mixed; let the whole nearly boil, and then take it from the fire. After a time, the whites will separate themselves, when the whole should be passed through a clean fine cloth, and the stock should be clear. If not, repeat the process. Browning. Put two ounces of sugar in a stewpan, and let it melt slowly; stir with a wooden spoon, and when black add half a pint of cold water, and let it dissolve. If corked closely, this will keep for a long time. Burnt onions are also used for the purposes of browning. As a rule, use this coloring matter very sparingly, as it is liable to flavor the soup. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 133 Plain Beef Soup, called in French, Pot an Ecu, may be made tnus : — Take three pounds of good rump of beef, or any other lean part, put it into a fire-proof earthen pot, with three quarts of water, one large carrot, two or three turnips, two leeks, a head of celery, and one burnt onion, add pepper and salt, and let the soup boil slowly, skimming it from time to time, for at least five hours ; when the soup is ready, strain it through a fine hair sieve, then pour it over thin slices of bread, and serve it up. The meat and vegetables make a disli, which is served up after the soup. Another receipt for " Pot ati Eeti." — Take one and a half pounds of beef, three to six ounces of broken bones, and an ounce of salt, and put them in your stewpan, with three quarts of cold water ; let it boil up, and as soon as the scum rises, put in a dash of cold water, and remove the scum. It should then be quite clear. Add (peeled and sliced fine) a quarter of a pound each of turnips, car- rots, onions, ieeks, and parsnips ; a little celery (cut fine), a clove or two, pepper and salt. Let it all boil up again, and then allow it to simmer very gently for about three hours. Take all the fat off the soup, remove the meat, — which serve separate, with a little of the soup over it — and serve hot. Cottage Soup. Cut a pound of salt beef into very small pieces, and let it simmer gently in a gallon of water for thirty or forty minutes; then put in some carrots, turnips, pota- toes, and a cabbage, all sliced. Let this boil slowly another hour, and then thicken with a pint of oatmeal, stirring to keep it smooth. Season it with pepper and 134 DOMESTIC COOKERY. salt, and serve very hot. More meat may be used, but with the above quantity, a very palatable soup is ob- tained. Oxtail Soup. Cut up two good tails into pieces about an inch and a half long, and soak for a couple of hours in cold water. Put them into a stewpan, with a bunch of sweet herbs, a little whole pepper, two onions, a carrot, and a turnip; add four quarts of cold water, and cover; when it boils, throw in an ounce of salt, and as the scum rises, skim it, and let it simmer for three hours; remove the fat, add a small quantity of vinegar, half a pint of Burgundy or port wine; before serving, the vegetables and herbs should be taken out. Another mode is to take three tails, wash and soak them as before, but do not cut them up. Put them on a moderate fire in a gallon of cold water. When they boil, throw in a small handful of salt, and skim carefully till no more scum rises. Then add four moderate-sized carrots, two or three onions, a large head of celery — all sliced thin — a large bunch of savory herbs, two turnips, eight cloves, and half a teaspoonf ul of peppercorns. Stew gently for three hours and a half. If the tails be very large, lift them out, strain the liquor, and all the fat. Cut the meat from the tails, and put it into two quarts, or rather more, of the stock; stir in, and let the whole just boil up, when serve, flavored with cayenne and salt. The herbs, cloves, and peppercorns must be removed, but the vegetables may re- main if a thickening is added. Rice-flour or arrowroot is the best for this purpose. Thick soups should be of the consistency of good cream, and clear soups must be quite transparent. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 135 Eeal Turtle Soup. It is unwise to attempt to make turtle soup at home unless you have a first-rate professed cook. By far the best and cheapest way is to buy it ready made, by the quart, of a good cook or hotel-keeper. Mock-Turtle Soup. Parboil a calf's head, remove the skin, and cut it and the meat into small pieces; skin and slice the tongue, and put the whole into the stewpan with about three quarts of cold water, and a pint of Madeira, or a bottle of pale golden sherry. Simmer gently for two hours ; season with cayenne, mace, salt, and a little lemon peel ; mix two tablespoonfuis of flour in a little of the soup, and stir it into the stewpan, adding at the same time a little lemon juice, and the yolks of six hard eggs ; let the whole simmer for about a quarter of an hour, and serve very hot. A dozen forcemeat balls may be added just before the flour is put in. They should be made by mix- ing the brains with a little grated bread, finely minced suet, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chopped parsley ; make into balls with the yolks and whites of two eggs beaten, and fry to a good color in boiling dripping. Another receipt is to take half a calf's head, not skinned, and a pound of good pickled pork. Wash and soak both, and put them into your pan ; add one onion, a head of celery (both cut in' slices), sweet herbs, mace, and pepper ; cover with about one gallon of water, and boil gently till the meat is tender : then take out the head and the pork ; separate the meat from the bones, return the latter into the soup, let them simmer gently for three hours, and then pour into a pan to cool ; cut the meat into small square pieces, 136 DOMESTIC COOKERY. and prepare a few q^% balls and forcemeat balls (made as in previous receipt) ; take the fat off the soup, and then return it to the stevvpan, and, when quite hot, strain it through a fine hair sieve ; then put in the calf's head and. pork ; add the forcemeat and egg balls, cayenne pepper, and the juice of half a lemon ; let the whole simmer for a short time, and it will be fit for use. If you wish to brown the above, put a little of the fat into the frying-pan ; dredge with flour ; fry brown, stir, and return to the soup, and stir well in. If preferred only a portion of the cut-up calf's head and pork need be served in the soup. Several modifications of the above receipts could be given. Knuckle of veal, and a little lean ham is sometimes substituted for the pickled pork ; adding a little cream just before serving, or — when served brown — a couple of glasses of golden sherry. Mulligatawny Soup. One of the best methods of making this soup is : — Cut into small pieces a knuckle of veal, and put into your pan with a little lean ham, and a bit of butter. Peel and cut into slices four large apples, two onions, a small turnip, and a carrot ; add a glass of cold water, and put over a sharp fire until the bottom of the pan is covered with jelly, moving the pan now and then. Add three spoonfuls of curry powder, one ounce of pounded al- monds, and three heaped tablespoonfuls of flour; stir this in, and then put in a gallon of cold water with a teaspoonful of salt, and a dust of sugar. When it boils up, put it on one side of the fire, and simmer for nearly three hours, skimming constantly. Pass through a tammy into your tureen, and serve. The pieces of veal may be sent to table separate, with plain boiled rice. Another Receipt. Crack the bones of a knuckle of veal in two or three DOMESTIC COOKERY. 137 places ; put into a pan, cover with water, and when half done, cut off the meat you wish for the soup, and boil the bones and the remainder of the meat to make the stock ; let this stand until cold, remove the fat ; cut the meat into small pieces, and fry in butter, with four onions sliced and floured, two or three dessert-spoonfuls of curry powoer, add Cayenne and vSalt ; put these into the stewpan ; add the stock gravy with three cloves, and a table-spoonful of lemon juice ; let the whole simmer for an hour at least, and serve with plain boiled rice in a separate dish. (9r, in a quart of strong stock — made as previously directed — stew half a pound of butter with half a dozen large onions, a couple of dozen of carrots, and as many turnips, all these vegetables being peeled and cut into thiu slices. When quite tender, §train off, and remove the vegetables ; add to the stock in which they were stewed, about three quarts more of good plain stock, a handful of bread-crumbs, and two table-spoon- fuls of curry powder ; take a fowl cut into pieces, and fry with butter ; Avhen brown put it into the pan with the stock ; simmer for nearly three hours, the fat being taken off from time to time ; just before ready, mix two table- spoonfuls of arrowroot in a little water, and put it into the pan, stirring well, until the soup becomes of the con- sistency of good cream. Flavor with salt and Cayenne. Some persons serve the vegetables in the soup, but that is entirely a matter of taste. Soup Julienne may be made thus: — Peel and slice very fine (so that there are no pieces thicker than a straw, or longer than an inch), in any quantity, according to the number of persons, equal parts of leeks, carrots, parsnips, onions, turnips, celery, and potatoes; add an equal proportion of finely chopped lettuce, and a little sorrel and parsley; 138 DOMESTIC COOKERY. let these be about half cooked in a saucepan with suffi- cient fresh butter to prevent their burning; when they are all of a good brown, add sufficient beef stock to make the quantity of soup required; simmer gently for an hour, season Avith pepper and salt, and serve without straining. If there be no beef stock on hand, make some, as previously directed, for the purpose, in a separate pan. Another Eeceipt. Cut six pounds of beef into pieces of one pound each; put in a pan with a bit of butter and a glass of water; move the meat about until the glaze or jelly covers the bottom of the pan; then add a gallon of cold water, two ounces of salt, three onions (with a clove in each), two turnips, two carrots, a head of celery, leek, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; when boiling, put in two burnt onions (make these by baking in a slow oven until quite black, but not cinders); simmer for three hours, keeping it well skimmed, then pass the broth through a hair sieve into a stewpan; )^ou have previously cut two middling-sized carrots, two turnips, an onion, a leek, and a little celery into very thin strips, as before; put them in another stewpan with two ounces of butter and a tea- spoonful of powdered sugar; place upon a sharp fire, tossing them over occasionally until well fried and look- ing transparent, then put them into the broth with the half of a young cos-lettuce, and a little tarragon and shervil; when it boils skim off all the butter; let it sim- mer until the vegetables are perfectly tender, when serve. The beef may be sent to table upon a separate dish. Eel Soup. Take half a dozen good-sized eels, and clean them well; cut them into small pieces and put into your pan DOMESTIC COOKERY. 139 with a little butter and a couple of bruised or broken onions, (this is better than slicing them for this soup), and let them remain over a sharp fire for five minutes; cover with boiling water, remove the scum, and fidd m;irr, pepper, salt, sweet herbs and parsley; stew them very slowly a couple of hours, and strain them. Thicken the liquor with a little cream, or flour and butter, mixed gradually, and serve with sippets of toasted bread. The pieces of eel may either be served in the soup or separate. Oyster Soup. Put into a stewpan a quart of cold water, a quart of new milk, half a pound of fresh butter rolled in flour, pepper and salt. When this is just warm add the liquor — strained — of five dozen oysters, and let this boil for a few minutes, and tlien set it aside to cool. Then beard the oysters, add them to the liquor, and boil the whole sharply for two minutes, serve with a dust of nutmeg. Mussels may be substituted for oysters. Essence of an- chovies and Harvey sauce improve the flavor of this soup. Babbit Soup. Cut a good-sized rabbit into joints, and soak in cold water for an hour ; then dry and fry brown in butter, with three or four onions cut in slices ; when done, put into a stewpan, with three quarts of cold water, a pint of split peas, pepper and salt, and stew very gently for five hours ; then strain and serve hot. The rabbit is best served separate with a little pickled pork. Hare Soup. Melt six or eight ounces of fresh butter in a stewpan, and add twelve ounces of flour, and half a pound of fat 14 o DOMESTIC COOKERY. bacon, cut small ; stir till of a light brown. Then, hav- ing cleaned and soaked your hare, cut it up into small pieces, put them in the pan, and stir till all is nicely set; then fill up with one gallon of cold water, a couple of sliced onions, a head of celery, cut small, a bunch of savory herbs, and a few cloves ; when it boils up put in a handful of salt, skim carefully, and simmer until the hare is tender — say from one to two hours, according to the age of the hare. Take out the hare and pass the remainder through a hair sieve ; put it and the pieces of hare back into the pan with a gill of port wine ; boil for ten minutes, and serve very hot. This soup is improved if some of the more unsightly pieces of the hare are pounded in a mortar, before being restored to the soup for the last boil, and added to the soup in that form. Griblet Soup. Clean two sets of goose or duck giblets, and soak them for two hours in cold water. Cut them into equal sizes, except the gizzards, which should be smaller, and scald. Then put them into your stewpan with three pounds of shin of beef, half a pound of lean ham, three ounces of fresh butter, two each of carrots, turnips, and onions, peeled and sliced, a handful of salt, a large bunch of savory herbs, pepper and salt. Put over a sharp fire until the glaze forms on the bottom of the pan ; then stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour, and fill up with a gal- lon of cold water and a little good brown gravy {see re- ceipt). Stir till boiling ; skim and simmer gently till the giblets are quite tender, when take them out and put them in the tureen. Strain the soup through a hair sieve, add a gill of cream and an ounce of fresh butter rolled in flour, give it one boil, and then pour over the giblets and serve. A glass of port wine or mushroom catsup may be DOMESTIC COOKERY. 141 substituted for the cream. A few button onions, plain boiled, may also be dropped into the tureen. Clear Vegetable Soup. A carrot and a turnip, peeled and cut very small, and a couple of dozen button onions, peeled, must be washed and drained. Then put them in your stewpan with a little powdered sugar and about two ounces of butter, and let them be over a sharp fire for about ten minutes, or till they are covered with a thin coating of " glaze " — they must not brown ; then pour over them three pints of clear broth and let simmer till quite tender, skimming all the time. This will take about half an hour. Carrot Soup. Any beef or poultry bones, or remains of veal may be put on with about one pound of fresh beef, in a little water with a sliced onion and six or eight large carrots. After several hours' stewing, strain the soup, put the car- rots into it, and let it stand in a covered earthenware vessel till next day. Then take off the fat, and after making the soup and carrots hot, pulp them through a colander, and then through a fine hair sieve ; add this pulp with a little salt, black pepper, cayenne, and any other spice you like, to the soup, give it a boil, and just before serving add half a pint of cream, or good milk, and if you wish it to be very rich, an ounce of butter rolled in flour. Spring Soup. Take a quart of young green peas and a quantity of lettuce, sorrel, parsley, spinach, and young spring onions — all thorougly cleaned and cut into small pieces. Put them into your stewpan with a pint of stock, a couple of ounces of fresh butter, pepper and salt. Stew gently, 142 DOMESTIC COOKERY. turning them over occasionally, until all are quite ten- der. Then pass them through a hair sieve, and add two or three quarts more stock, according as you like your soup thick or thin; throw in a little boiled rice or bread- crumbs, simmer for twenty minutes, skimming and stir- ring, and serve. Onion Soup. Have ready in your pan a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; peel, and cut into small dice a dozen large onions, put over a sharp fire, and fry to a light brown, then add three tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, and a quart of water, simmer till the onions are quite tender, season with salt and sugar, and serve. Some cooks add a little grated cheese; but this is optional. Cabbage Soup. A fine large cabbage must be cleaned, and then cut up small, very small, and put into a quart of water, with two or three minced potatoes, a fagot of sweet herbs, a couple of sliced onions, and a couple of ounces of lard or fat bacon. Simmer gently for four hours, skimming as before. Serve very hot, with slices of brown bread. Parsnip Soup. Put a quarter of a pound of fresh butter into your pan, put it over a gentle fire, and when melted, slice in two pounds of sweet parsnips, stew very softly till ten- der, moving them about from time to time; add enough broth to cover it, and simmer gently for half an hour; press through a hair sieve, and add two or three pints of good stock {see receipt), season with cayenne, white pep- DOMESTIC COOKERY. 143 per and salt; boil up, skim, and serve very hot with fried sippets. Vermicelli Soup. Nothing is required but clear stock and vermicelli, in the proportion of half a pound of the latter to a gallon of the former. When the stock boils, add the vermicelli, simmer for ten to fifteen minutes and serve. Macaroni Soup. The macaroni must be boiled in water for ten min- utes, strained and put into boiling stock, in the propor- tion of half a pound to the gallon; simmer slowly for half an hour, and serve very hot, with grated cheese on a separate dish. Green Pea Soup. Have ready in your pan a gallon to a gallon and a half of cold water, two sliced onions, and a little green mint; salt and pepper to taste; add one quart of old green peas, and simmer till they are quite tender; then press through a fine hair sieve, with a wooden spoon. Mean- while stew in fresh butter a couple of young cos-lettuces, cut very small, and boil separately a quart of young green peas; when both peas and lettuces are tender, put the whole into the soup, and simmer gently until the young green peas are tender, then serve. This soup is better ij made with stock, and many persons prefer to boil the sound pea-shells in the soup, but if so they must be taken out before rubbing through the sieve. Pea Soup. Soak a quart of split peas in soft water for twelve or fourteen hours, and remove those which float on the top. 144 D0MES2VC COOKERY. Then simmer in two quarts of water until tender; put them in your stewpan; add two quarts of beef stock, about a couple of pounds of shin of beef, any odd meat bones, chopped up, and a slice of fat ham; a head of celery, six onions, three each of carrots and turnips, — all peeled and sliced, — and seasoning to taste. Simmer the whole for two to three hours, stirrinor and skimminsf from time to time; pass all through a line hair sieve, give it one boil, and serve with toasted bread. The liquor in which a joint of meat, such as salt beef, salt pork, leg of mutton, has been boiled, or even plain water will do for pea-soup, but stock is best and most nutritious. Another Mode is to put a pint of split-peas into a gallon of water, with two ounces of butter, three pounds of shin of beef, one pound of crushed bones, and a knuckle of ham, or half a pound of good bacon; add two or three peeled and sliced carrots, as many turnips, a head of celery, four onions, salt and pepper; simmer gently for three hours; then crush the pulp from the peas through a sieve and return it to the soup; boil for another hour; then pass the soup through a fine sieve and serve. The meat may be made a separate dish. When green peas are in sea- son, a pint may be added at the second boiling. Cock-a-Leekie. Use five quarts of good beef stock, made as directed. Wash well two or three bunches of fine winter leeks (if old, scald for five minutes in boiling water), cut off the roots and part of the head, split into halves lengthways, and cut into lengths of about an inch. Put into the stock, with the leeks added, a fowl trussed as for boiling (an old cock is usually procured for this purpose, but a DOMESTIC COOKERY. 145 young boiling fowl is best, as it cooks more easily); simmer very gently for three or four hours, skimming constantly ; add pepper and salt to taste. When it is ready to serve cut up the fowl into neat Joints (their size must depend upon the number of diners), put them into your tureen, pour the soup, which should be very thick of leeks, over it, and serve very hot. Some cooks put a few French plums, whole, into the soup half an hour before serving. GRAVIES. The stocks already given for soups may be made the groundwork or basis of almost any but very rich gravies. Gravies should have no fat : to prevent the disagree- able appearance of fat floating about on the surface of your gravy, pass it through a tammy, or napkin that has been dipped in cold water ; the fat will adhere to this and the clear gravy will run through. If any grease re- main after this process, touch each spot with filtering paper, which will readily remove it. The number of standard receipts for gravies is enor- mous, but those following are good, simple, easy to make, and economical. Brown Gravy. Put into a three-quart stewpan (previously rubbed with butter) six onions, peeled and sliced ; cut into thin slices three and a half pounds of shin of beef, and crush the bone ; lay this on the onions, add a small turnip and two young carrots (sliced), a little whole pepper, and two or three cloves. This must remain over a moderate fire for eight or ten minutes, moving the contents now and 7 146 DOMESTIC COOKERY. then. After that put it at the corner of the fire, so that in about an hour to an hour and a quarter, the bottom of the pan is all over a thick, high-colored jelly-like substance. Then add three quarts of cold water flavored with half a tablespoonful of salt, and let it all gradually come to the boil ; it must be removed to the corner of the fire as before, and simmered gently for an hour — carefully skimming — and after that time your gravy — strained through a fine hair sieve — is ready for use. This gravy is suitable for all kinds of roast game, poultry, or meat, and will keep perfectly good for several days, by just giving it a boil up every now and then. It may be made as above with veal or mutton, but shin of beef is the best and cheapest. Another Brown Gravy. Prepare the stewpan with butter as before, and put into it three onions (previously sliced and fried to a light color); prepare and put in your beef as directed in last receipt, add half a glass of cold water, a little whole pepper and two or three cloves ; boil for ten or fifteen minutes, shaking the pan from time to time to prevent the contents burning. Then add three quarts of cold water as before, and when it boils up simmer gently for about an hour and a half ; strain, and let it go cold, when carefully remove all the fat, and it is ready for use. Thickening for Brown Gravy is made thus: — Put a quarter of a pound of fresh butter into a stewpan, and let it melt gradually ; add about two-thirds that weight of flour, and keep it well stirred till it browns, but do not let it burn. When quite cold put it to the above gravy, (the quantities are here pro- portioned, so that if only one quart of gravy is made, DOMESTIC COOKERY, 147 use only about one ounce of butter for thickening), give it one boil, skim, strain, and serve. Savory Gravy. Put into a quart stevvpan two large slices of ham, and two pounds of shin of beef, sliced ; a carrot, a large onion with four cloves stuck in it, a head of celery, a small bundle of parsley, lemon thyme, and savory, a few leaves of sweet basil, a bay leaf, and a shallot, a piece of lemon peel, and twelve berries of allspice; pour over half pint of water, cover close, and simmer gently for half an hour, when it will be nearly dry ; watch carefully, and see that it gets well browned all over ; then add three pints of boiling water, and simmer two hours ; strain ; and when cold, clear away the fat. Veal Gravy. Slice a pound and a half of lean veal, and put it into your stevvpan, with a few slices of undressed gammon of bacon, and two large onions sliced ; set on a slow fire, and shake occasionally until the meat is well browned ; then fill the pan up with brown gravy (made as direct- ed), let it just boil up, and then simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half, skimming off all fat; strain, and use. Venison Gravy. Use the trimmings of the joint itself, and proceed as for brown gravy. Liver Gravy. Put the neck, liver, gizzard, and heart of a turkey or fowl into rather more than half a pint of cold water, with half a slice of toast, and a little lemon thyme, and sav- 148 DOMESTIC COOKERY. vory. When the liver is quite tender, take it out and pound it in a mortar; let the rest stew till reduced to about one-half. Strain off, put in a spoonful of mush- room catsup, and the pounded liver; well mix, strain, add a bit of butter rolled in flour, and simmer for ten minutes. If too thick, add a little boiling water, and simmer a few minutes. White Gravy. This gravy is the stock of several white sauces, and is made thus: — Put into a quart stewpan three pounds of lean veal, cut into dice, and half a pound of lean ham, cut smaller; add a glass of cold water, and put over the fire until the "white glaze," or jelly, forms on the bottom of the pan; then add three pints of cold water, a bunch of savory herbs, a sliced onion, and a blade of mace. Let it slowly come to the boil, then add a little salt, skim carefully, and simmer slowly for about three hours; strain, and when quite cold, remove all the fat. Fish G-ravy. Skin, clean, cut up, and soak three small eels; put them in a stewpan and cover them with cold water; add two or' three anchovies (or a little essence of anchovy); add some sweet herbs, whole pepper and mace, lemon- peel, and a shred of horse-radish. Stew gently till the fish is drawn down, and put in, when about half done, a crust of bread toasted to a high color. Strain off, thicken with a piece of butter and flour, and it is ready for use with almost any kind of fish. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 149 MADE DISHES, ENTREES, &c. Lobster Salad. Boil two fresh eggs hard, take the yolks, and mix them in a tablespoonful of good cream; add two table- spoonfuls of salad oil. Now mix separately a teaspoon- ful each of fine salt, and made mustard, and a gill of malt vinegar. Add this mixture gradually to the eggs, cream and oil, and let them be thoroughly incorporated. Then break up a large lobster, mix the soft parts with the dressing and put it at the bottom of the dish; then cut up the meat of the claws and tail into small pieces, mix with chopped endive and lettuce, put it on the dressing, and serve. Another Way. Cut up some lettuces and endive, and put tiiem into your salad-bowl, with any small salad in season, and make a dressing thus: — Mix together, perfectly smooth and creamy, one tablespoonful of made mustard, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and four tablespoonfuls of salad oil, the yolks of two hard boiled eggs, a few drops of essence of anchovy, cayenne, and salt to taste. Mix this dressing with the soft parts and the pickings of the lobster, and pour over the lettuce, &c. Then take the solid meat of the fish, and cut it into moderate pieces, and put it into the salad. Garnish with sliced eggs (hard boiled) and a few slices of cucumber. Prussian Cutlet. Take about a pound of veal, with a little fat; chop it fine ; add half a teaspoonful of chopped shallot, a tea- 1 5 o DOMES TIC COOKER Y. spoonful of salt, half a one of pepper and a little nutmeg; mix thoroughly; make it into two pieces; roll them in egg and bread crumbs, and saute in butter till nicely browned; serve very hot. Any other meat can be used equally as well as veal. Stewed Rump StealEis. Steaks for stewing should be cut rather thicker than for broiling. Melt a little butter in a stewpan, and brown the steak in it on both sides, shaking it now and then that it does not burn; then add a little flour, and when it is colored, cover the meat gradually with cold water. When it boils add a teaspoonful of salt, take off the scum as it rises, put in a few sliced onions, can^ots and turnips; and a bunch of savory herbs; simmer the whole gently for about three hours. If liked thick — which is best — stir into the gravy ten minutes before serving a tablespoon- ful of rice-flour or arrowroot, flavored with a dust of ca)''enne and a little catsup. Gibelotte of Rabbits. Mince half a pound of streaked bacon into joints and fry; put it into your stewpan with two young rab- bits, well washed and cut into joints, add a little flour; cover with cold water, salt and pepper to taste; let it slowly come to the. boil, when add a couple of dozen of button onions, and a few button mushrooms; simmer gently until the pieces of rabbit are quite tender, when take them out. Let the sauce boil, keeping it stirred, till the onions are very tender, add a little browning, pour over the rabbits — which have been kept hot in the oven or before the fire — and serve. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 151 Beef Olives. Let your steaks be about six inches long, four or five broad, and not less than half an incli thick ; beat with a rolling-pin, and rub them over with yolk of o.^'g ; strew bread crumbs, chopped lemon-peel, minced parsley, chopped suet or marrow, grated nutmeg, and pepper and salt over Uiem. Roll them up tightly, and skewer ; fry lightly, then stew until quite tender in some good stock (which see); thicken with Hour, and add a little mush- room catsup, and lemon juice. If wanted richer, serve with pickled mushrooms, yolks of eggs (hard boiled), and fried forcemeat balls. Stewed Chops or Cutlets. Place six mutton chops or cutlets into a pan with a pint of cold water, and a little sugar and salt ; simmer very gently from an hour and a half to two hours, skim, put in a handful of pearl barley, sliced celery, leek, and turnip ; and serve the chops in the broth, unstrained. Broiled Fowl. Truss a fowl as for boiling, remove the back-bone, and press quite flat, season well with pepper, salt, and, if liked, with shallots ; put into your frying-pan, fry upon both sides, take out, ^^^ over, dip into bread crumbs, place on a gridiron, and broil a very light brown color. Serve with plain gravy and mushroom sauce. Oyster Sausages. Pound to a paste in a mortar — removing all skin, strips, &c. — half a pound of lean neck of mutton, and half a pound of good suet, season with pepper and salt; chop two dozen large oysters very fine, moisten the paste 152 DOMESTIC COOKERY, with a gill of cream, and add the chopped oysters ; form into fancy rolls, and fry to a light brown. Fried Patties. Take half a pound of cold veal, and one pound of ham (or any less quantity in these proportions), and mince fine ; add an ^^%, boiled hard and chopped, and a season- ing of pounded mace, salt, pepper, and lemon-peel ; moisten with a little gravy and cream. Make a good puff-paste ; roll rather thin, and cut it into round or square pieces ; put the mince between two of them, pinch the edges to keep in the gravy, and fry to a light brown. Fry the patties about fifteen minutes. Patties made as above, may also be baked in patty-pans, in which case brush over with white of Q^^. Oysters may take the place of the ham, as above, and chicken by itself makes excellent patties. Fricassee of Chicken or Fowl. Carve the bird into eight pieces, i.e., the two legs, the two wings, and the remainder cut into four — wash, put into a stewpan and cover with water, season with salt, pepper, a bunch of parsley, four cloves, and a blade of mace, let simmer for twenty minutes, pass the stock through a sieve, take out the pieces of fowl, trim, then in another stewpan put two ounces of but- ter, a spoonful of flour, just moisten with the stock, put in the pieces of fowl ; stir occasionally until boil- ing, skim, add twenty button onions, let simmer until onions are tender, when add a gill of cream, mixed with the yolks of two eggs, stir in quickly over the fire, but DOMESTIC COOKERY. 153 do not let boil, take out the pieces, and serve with the sauce and onions over them. Rump-Steak Pie. Take two and a half pounds of good rump-steak, and beat it well with a rolling-pin; cut it into thin slices, and lay it in a dish bofdered-with paste. Season with salt and pepper, and cover the meat with water. Lay on the cover (made as per receipt, see " Paste "), join to the paste round the rim, trim off close, make a hole in the top; bake in a well-heated oven for nearly an hour and a half. You may season with minced onion or shallot. Another Way. Stew or broil the steak partially before putting it into the pie, and then the meat need not be cut thin. A sheep's kidney or two, or a dozen oysters (bearded) im- prove this dish. Beef Collops. Cut into two pieces two or three inches long, two pounds of any part of beef that is tender; beat flat with a rolling-pin, and dredge well with flour; fry in butter to a light brown; lay them in a stewpan, and cover with brown gravy {see receipt) ; put in half a shallot, minced, a lump of butter rolled in flour, pepper and salt; simmer gently till tender ; serve with pickles, or squeeze in half a lemon, according to taste ; serve in a tureen, very hot. Minced Collops. Mince four pounds of fresh round of beef very fine, and add to it four large onions, chopped small; pepper 7* 154 DOMESTIC COOKER Y. and salt. Put into a stewpan with a little water; dredge in enough flour to just cover the meat; then take a col- lop mincer (which is a piece of wood about twelve inches deep, and four across, with the end sharpened), and beat for a few minutes; then cover and slowly stew for half an hour. Toast some bread, cut in diamonds; put the coUops on a large dish, and dress with the toast. A few poached eggs should be laid on top; mushroom catsup may be added. Peas and Butter. Put a quart of young green peas into a stewpan with half a pound of fresh butter; add the heart of a large lettuce, a bunch of parsley, a few small onions, and salt; stew together slowly till done; thicken before serving with a little butter and flour, and the yolks of two eggs; add a little white sugar in powder, and serve. Anchovy Toast. Wash, bone, and skin six or eight anchovies and pound them in a mortar with an ounce of fresh butter, and a few grains of cayenne and nutmeg; when this is an even smooth paste, rub it through a very fine hair sieve, and spread on toasted bread or rusks. If pre- ferred, the bread may be fried in butter instead of toasted. The above ''anchovy paste," or "anchovy butter," may be made in a quantity, and kept good for a long time, by putting it in little pots, and, when cold, cover- ing with a piece of tissue paper, and pouring over it a little clarified butter. Tie over with a bladder or oiled paper, to make it air-tight. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 155 Poached Eggs and Bacon. The bacon should be streaked, well-trimmed, with- out rind, and thin; lay the slices in your pan, put it on the fire, turn the bacon pretty frequently, and when done, put on a dish before the fire. Poach the eggs, and serve on the bacon without breaking the yolks. Fried Eggs and Bacon. Proceed with the bacon as above; fry each &^^ sepa- rately in a little bacon fat; the eggs should be broken in a cup, and the yolks preserved whole; turn them care- fully into the pan and they will soon cook; the yolks must not harden. As each ^^^ is done, lay it on the bacon in front of the fire. Serve very hot. Broiled Beef Bones. Procure some sweet rib or sirloin bones with a little meat all over them; season well with salt, cayenne and black pepper; broil to a good brown, and serve on a nap- kin, very hot. Bullock's Kidney. Cut the kidney into thin slices, and lay them in cold water for an hour or two, changing the water twice. Dry, sprinkle with minced parsley and savory herbs, and fry to a nice brown; when done, sprinkle in a little flour, and add a gill of sherry and the same quantity of good brown gravy {see receipt); let it just simmer for a minute {not boil); serve very hot, garnished with sliced lemon. A-la-mode Beef. Take six pounds of the thick flank of beef, and beat it 156 DOMESTIC COOKERY. well; lard it with bacon {see Larding), and put into a stew- pan with some rind of bacon (well soaked), two onions, two carrots, some savory herbs, four cloves, pepper and salt; add a glass of water, and let it stew over a very slow fire, closely covered, for five to eight hours (shaking it from time to time to prevent burning), or until quite ten- der. A glass of white wine and a small quantity of brown gravy may be added to the liquor it was stewed in, which, before serving, must be strained. Vinegar (ateacupful), allspice (a dozen berries), parsley, celery, and a few car- rots and turnips may be added where liked. This should, where possible, be cooked over a hot-plate, and not on an open fire, as it is essential that the stewing is very slow. Stewed Ox Palates. Let four palates remain in a basin with warm water for half an hour; then wash them; simmer in a stewpan with water, until they can be easily skinned. Then take them out, skim them, and cut into square pieces; put them into a stewpan, with one pint of brown gravy {see receipt), a spoonful of white wine, as much catsup and browning, an onion stuck vvitli cloves, and a slice of lemon. Stew for half an hour (or until tender), take out the onion and lemon, thicken the sauce (as previously directed), serve with forcemeat balls, and garnish with sliced lemon. There are many ways of serving ox pal- ates, but this is the best and simplest. Broiled Rump-steak. Rump-steaks should be cut from a rump that has hung some days, and be about three-quarters of an inch thick ; if at all fresh beat them with a rolling pin. The fire must be clear (sprinkle a little salt on it just before you are going to cook), and the gridiron clean, hot, and placed in a slanting position, to prevent the fat from DOMESTIC COOKERY. 157 making a smoke. Season the steaks with pepper and salt ; and when brown on one side turn them. When half done, take up, and lay tliem in a hot dish before the fire, with a slice of butter, and a little pepper and salt between every two steaks. While they are in this state, shred a shallot very fine, and put to it some good gravy, with a little catsup. Having drained the steaks of the gravy, replace them on the gridiron, and keep turning till done. Put them on a dish, with the gravy and shallot ; garnish with horse-radish, and serve very hot. The shal- lot and catsup may be omitted if not liked. In turning steaks, you should use a pair of tongs, and not a fork. Fried Rump Steak. Fry them brown in fresh butter, and serve very hot with walnut catsup. Oyster, mushroom, tomato, or onion sauce usually accompany rump steaks. Rump Steak and Fried Potatoes. Have rather thin steaks — say half an inch — broil them well, turning them frequently, and serve with sliced potatoes round the dish — fried brown and crisp in boil- ing butter. Sometimes the butter the potatoes were fried in, flavored with a pinch of powdered herbs, is poured under the steak. Rump Steak and Kidney Pudding. Cut two pounds of tender rump-steak into pieces about an inch or two square, add two or three sheep's kidneys, sliced ; line your pudding basin with a good thick suet crust {see receipt), leaving it lapping a little over the edge of the basin ; then put in the steak and kidney in layers — a couple of dozen oysters, blanched and bearded, makes an excellent addition : season eagh 158 DOMESTIC COOKERY. lav^er with salt and black pepper. When full put in half a pint of water, and cover the top with more crust, moisten the edges and join the two crusts firmly, then turn up the crust which was lapping, and join firmly. Dip your pudding cloth in hot water, wring it out, flour it well, and tie up pudding, basin, and all ; put it into a large saucepan or copper of boiling water — adding hot water from time to time so that the pudding is always covered; let it boil continually for at least four hours. It must not stop boiling for a minute. When done take off the cloth, cut a little hole in the top of the pudding, and serve in the basin, on a dish, very hot. Bullock's kidney will do if sheep's cannot be procured. A few mush- rooms add to the flavor. Kidney Pudding. Slice the kidneys thin, and proceed as directed for rump steak pudding. A few mushrooms or oysters greatly enrich this dish. If veal kidneys are used a few slices of ham must be added. Mutton, Veal and Pork Puddings are made on the same principle : — For mutton use loin chops ; for lamb, the neck, veal, the leg (the veal is better if fried a little first with a few slices of bacon — and then put in the pudding with the bacon and butter it was fried in ; pork, the leg (season highly with pepper, salt, and dried sage, and add a little pork sausage meat). These puddings will take from one and a half to two and a half hours boiling continually. Serve in the basin. Boiled Tongue. Soak in cold water for three hours, if just out of the pickle ; but, if dried, soak for ten or twelve hours. Put in a stewpan of cold water, with a fagot of savory herbs; DOMESTIC COOKERY. 159 when it boils up, skim, and simmer gently until quite tender ; peel and serve very hot, garnished with parsley. This is a proper accompaniment to poultry. Toad-in-the-Hole. Make a batter of four eggs, about one to one and a quarter pints of good milk, and four heaped tablespoon- fuls of flour ; salt to taste — the flour should be first mix- ed smooth with a little of the milk and then the beaten eggs and the other things put tc it ; stir well. Cut into about six pieces each two sheep's kidneys, and put them in a pie-dish with two pounds of rather fat rump steak, cut into twelve or fourteen pieces. Pour the batter over, and bake for nearly two hours in a hot oven. Boiled Calf s Feet. Take two white calf's feet, and soak them in warm water for an hour and a half ; bone to the first joint, and stew in enough water to cover it for about three hours, with a little fat bacon — sliced, a bunch of savory herbs, a sliced onion, two or three cloves, a blade of mace, whole pepper, a wine-glassful of lemon juice, and salt to taste. Serve smothered in parsley and butter {see receipt). The liquor, strained, may be mixed with some veal gravy and served in a tureen. Calf s Liver and Bacon. Cut the liver in slices about a quarter of an inch in thickness; take as many slices of bacon as there are of liver, fry the bacon, and put it in a dish before the fire ; then fry the liver in the bacon fat, to a good brown ; when done, take them out and put into the pan some chopped parsley and shallots, and fry brown; add a little flour, and a gill of white wine, with a dash of vinegar ; i6o DOMESTIC COOKERY. let all these boil together for a minute or two ; pour over the liver and serve. Curried Chicken. Cut up into joints and take off the skin, roll each piece in flour, mixed with a tablespoonful of curry- powder. Slice two or three onions, and fry them in butter of a light brown. Then add the meat, and fry all together, till it begins to brown, put the whole into a stewpan, and just cover with boiling water. Simmer gently two or three hours, and serve with boiled rice. Cod-Fish Pie. Put two or three good slices of cod into salt and cold water, and let it remain for three or four hours. Put the fish into a pie-dish, season with nutmeg, mace, pep- per, and salt ; add a bit of butter and half a pint, or a little more, of good stock ; cover with a good crust, and bake in brisk oven for about one and a quarter to one and a half hours. When done put in a sauce (make a little hole in the top and pour in through a funnel) made thus: — Mix together a gill of cream, a gill of stock, a lump of butter rolled in flour, a bit of lemon peel — minced, and a dozen oysters ; put this in a stewpan, let it just boil up, and add to the pie. Veal CoUops. Take a couple of pounds of veal, and cut it into thin pieces about three inches long ; dredge them with flour ; fry in butter for a few minutes. Put them into your slewpan in a pint of good gravy {see receipt), with a bit of butter rolled in flour, a pickled walnut, a few capers, salt and pepper ; simmer the whole for about ten minutes, and serve. DOMESTIC COOKERY. i6i Pork Cutlets. Bone and trim half a dozen lean pork chops, and broil them for about fifteen or twenty minutes, until well done, over a brisk clear fire. Serve with tomafo sauce, or pickled gherkins. Veal Cutlets. Cut into good thick cutlets — say nearly an inch — two or three pounds of loin, neck, or leg of veal. Roll them in bread crumbs, mixed with a few powdered savory herbs, pepper and salt; and fry them in butter, to a light brown; when thoroughly done, put them in a dish in front of the fire, and make the following sauce: — Put into the pan a little flour and butter, add a teacupful of boiling water, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon; boil up, pour over, and serve. Mutton Cutlets. Cut from the neck, loin, or leg, about half a dozen good slices; broil them till nicely broAvn, and serve with mashed potatoes in the same dish, or with sauce piquante. Eagout of Duck. Prepare a duck as for roasting; roast until well browned. Meanwhile, put into a stewpan two or three large onions (sliced and fried), a few leaves of sage and lemon thyme, pepper and salt. Put in the duck; cover the whole with good gravy {see receipt), and simmer till the duck is quite tender (say twenty to twenty-five minutes); skim and strain the gravy, add a little thickening of but- ter and flour, let it boil up, pour it over the duck, and serve. Green peas, boiled plain, and put into the gravy, i62 DOMESTIC COOKERY. after straining, and allowed to just boil up, may be served with this. Veal and Ham Pie. Cut up into thin slices a neck of veal, and take away the bones; cut into small pieces a few slices of cooked ham; put it in a pie dish, in alternate layers, and season highly. Add a little water, cover with good paste crust, bake well in a sharp oven, and when done pour in a little good veal gray, highly seasoned. Sliced sweet- breads, bearded oysters, forcemeat balls, a sliced veal kid- ney, sliced eggs, hard-boiled, or a little lean pork — cut into squares — may be added with great advantage. Rabbit Pie. Cut a young rabbit into moderate-sized joints, re- move the principal bones, and split the head; lay all in warm water for about thirty minutes; then dry them, season with white pepper, salt, pounded mace and nut- meg to taste (parsley and bay leaves may be added when liked); put in the joints of rabbit with a little ham or fat bacon, cut into squares, a few forcemeat balls, and a couple of hard boiled eggs, sliced lengthways. Add about a tumbler of cold water; line the dish, and cover with a good crust; bake in a hot oven for about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half; when cut add — very hot — a little richly-seasoned gravy, which can be made by stewing the bones of the rabbit in stock, with ' an onion, a bunch of savory herbs, and a little allspice; strain before putting it in. The liver can either be ^ mixed in the forcemeat or cut up and put in the pie. Giblet Pie. Scald and clean two sets of goose or duck giblets, cut ■DOMESTIC COOKERY. 163 into pieces, and wash them; put them into your stewpan with two or three small onions, a bunch of savory herbs, salt and whole pepper; simmer gently in a little water for an hour; then put them into a pie dish with season- ing, and the liquor in which they have been stewed (strained); when cold, line the edges of the dish, and cover it with puff paste; before serving, open the crust, and pour in a little rich white gravy, mixed with a glass of French white wine, seasoned, and made quite hot: it will require an hour to an hour and a half to bake. A good rump-steak, cut in three or four pieces, and put in the bottom of the pie-dish, is an improvement. Stewed Giblets. Clean, and parboil them; take off the outer skin of the feet; cut them up in small pieces and stew gently till quite tender, in good stock {see receipt), with some sweet herbs, an onion, cloves, whole pepper, and a little cat- sup; when done, strain the sauce, and thicken it with a little fiour and butter; then pour it hot over the giblets. Just before serving add a squeeze of lemon. Jugged Hare. Clean and cut up your hare into small joints ; put them in lukewarm water and a little vinegar, and let them remain for half an hour. Dry and dredge the pieces with flour; fry in boiling butter. Then put into a large earthenware jar or jug about a pint of good beef gravy {see receipt), a large onion or two (stuck with a few cloves), a sliced lemon (peeled), a high seasoning of cayenne, salt and whole pepper, and the pieces of fried hare. Cover the jar closely, and set it in a saucepan of boiling water up to the neck. Let it boil continuously until the hare is quitetender (say three and a half to four hours). When nearly done, put in three or four glasses 1 64 DOMESTIC COOKERY. of port wine, and a few forcemeat balls {see receipt), which have been previously fried. Arrange the pieces on your dish, and strain gravy through a cloth previously wrung out in cold water (this removes the grease); give it another boil up, pour over the hare, and serve — with red currant jelly. Another Way. Soak and cut up the hare as before ; then drain and put into a stewpan with a pint and a half of good stock {see receipt), pepper, salt, two or three cloves, a shallot, and two or three green onions shred fine, a bunch of savory herbs, and two or three bay leaves ; stew for about an hour on a slow fire ; then put it into a deep dish that will stand heat ; strain the liquor from the stew- pan on it, adding a little more stock, cayenne, a squeeze of lemon, and a pint of port wine. Let it bake in a slow oven until tender — say two hours — covering the dish with a coarse paste of flour and water ; when done, re- move the paste, put into a hot dish, strain the gravy as before, thicken it a little with butter and flour, give it one boil ; pour it over the pieces of hare, and serve very hot, with red currant jelly. Hare Pie. Soak, wash and cut up the hare as for jugging ; sea- son highly with a few cloves pounded, and some whole black and cayenne pepper ; then lay the pieces in a pie dish, with a few small slices of ham, about a pint of good brown stock {see receipt), and a tumblerful of port wine; cover the dish with puff paste. If to be eaten hot, a suet crust is very good ; but if to be eaten cold, raise the crust while hot and fill up the dish with rich, highly sea- soned beef gravy, which when cold will become a firm jelly. DOMESTIC COOKER Y. 165 Partridge Pie. Take about half a pound of veal cutlets and put in bottom of your pie dish ; on the veal lay a large thin slice of fat ham. Split a brace of partridges in halves (after being plucked, drawn, and cleaned, and the legs cut off at the first joint) ; season with whole pepper, salt, and a little chopped parsley ; add a few mushrooms, and put a bit of butter in each half bird. Put the partridges on to the ham and cover with half to three quarters of a pint of good stock ; put a border of paste round the dish ; cover with puff paste, brush over with yolk of egg, and bake in a brisk oven for nearly an hour. If to be eaten cold, lift the crust while hot, and fill up the pie with good, highly-seasoned beef gravy. Pigeon Compote. Truss as for boiling six pigeons ; grate the crumb of a stale penny loaf ; scrape a pound of fat bacon ; chop some thyme, parsley, and onion, and some lemon-peel fine ; grate nutmeg, and season with pepper and salt. Mix with two eggs. Put this forcemeat into the craws of the pigeons, lard the breasts ; fry brown ; stew in beef stock three quarters of an hour ; thicken with butter and flour, serve with forcemeat balls round the dish, and strain the gravy over. Grouse Pie. Pick and clean your grouse, and if large cut them into joints, but if small, put them in whole ; season with cayenne, salt, whole pepper, and two or three bruised cloves ; put a bit of butter into each bird, and lay them closely into a pie dish, with a glass of good beef stock, and another of port wine ; cover the dish with puff paste, and bake it an hour to an hour and a quarter. If 1 66 DOMESTIC COOKERY, intended to be eaten cold, have ready a little rich gravy, and pour into the dish while hot. Pigeon Pie. Pick and clean a couple of birds, and rub them inside and out with pepper and salt, and put a bit of butter inside each. Cut about a pound of rump-steak into several pieces and lay them in a pie dish ; put on them the pigeons, a few slices of fat ham, and the yolks of two or three hard-boiled eggs. Three parts fill the dish with good stock (^-^^ receipt); season with pepper and salt ; put a border of paste round the edge, and put on your puff-paste crust. Glaze the crust with yolk of q^^ and bake in a hot oven for about an hour or a little longer. Two of the feet should be cut off and put through the top. Salt Buck. Rub a quarter of a pound of salt well into a duck; turn the duck daily on a dish for three days. Then wash clean, put it into a stewpan, with a half pint of water to the pound; let it simmer for two hours. Serve with white onion sauce. Sweetbread Pie. Cut your sweetbreads into thick slices, and stew for about a quarter of an hour in white stock [see receipt), with a few herbs, chopped shallot, and mushrooms, salt, pepper, and a piece of butter; then strain the gravy, put into a pie-dish with the sweetbreads, some ox palates, (previously boiled very tender), or the remains of a roasted fowl, and a little ham, some green peas, or as- paragus tops, the yolks of some hard-boiled eggs, and forcemeat balls; over the whole put thin slices of fat DOMESTIC COOKERY. 167 bacon. Cover with a puff-paste crust, and bake for about an hour and a half to two hours in a moderate oven. If when cut it looks dry add a little good veal gravy, hot. Roast Sweetbreads. Scald in milk and water, and when half done, take out and wipe dry; rub over with yolk of egg, and roll in fine bread crumbs. Roast to a good brown in a Dutch oven, and serve with fried bread crumbs. Stewed Sweetbreads. Stuff with good forcemeat three large sweetbreads (previously soaked in warm water for an hour), skewer them up; then put a few slices of bacon at the bottom of a stewpan, season with pepper, salt, mace, cloves, sweet herbs, and a large onion sliced. Lay upon these slices of veal cut thin, and the sweetbreads over them. Cover all up close for ten minutes; then pour in a quart of boiling water, and simmer gently two hours. Take out the sweetbreads, strain off the gravy, skim, and boil it till reduced to half a pint. Return the sweetbreads to the pan, and boil two or three minutes; dish, with the gravy over. Garnish with lemon, and serve very hot. Baked Sweetbreads. Soak them for an hour in warm water; put into boil- ing water and simmer for ten minutes; drain them; brush over with yolk of q^^ and roll in fine bread crumbs; bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. Serve on toast, with brown gravy in a tureen. Haricot Mutton. Cut a loin of mutton into chops; or, if breast, into 1 68 DOMESTIC COOKERY. square pieces — fry them brown in clarified dripping; put them into a stewpan with a few onions (sliced and fried in butter), carrots and turnips cut in thin slices, two or three cloves, pepper, and allspice; this sliould be put to simmer very slowly for about and hour and a half to two hours and a half in a little water; serve with mushroom catsup. A bunch of savory herbs may be stewed in this, and taken out before serving. Braised Fillet of Mutton. Take the fillet of a tender leg of mutton, cover it with buttered paper, and roast for two hours. Boil some French beans, which drain; take the paper off the meat, and glaze it; let the beans heat in a pint of good gravy; put them in the dish, and serve the meat on them. Tripe. Have it dressed nicely, and then boil it in milk atid water until quite tender — say one hour, for dressed tripe; if undressed more than twice that time. Dish very hot, smother in onion sauce {see receipt) and serve. You may also dress it in any of the following ways — always first boiling it till tender, and removing some of the coarser fat. — Cut into squares, dip in butter, roll in bread crumbs, and fiy to a light brown. Or, stew in beef gravy with mushrooms. Or, cut into collops, sprinkle with chopped onions and minced herbs, and fry in butter. Or, stew in gravy with a little curry powder, flour and cream, Scotch Haggis. Thoroughly clean a sheep's pluck; make various cuts in the heart and liver to let the blood out; put into a saucepan, with the wind-pipe hanging over the side; DOMESTIC COOKERY. 169 change the water after ten minutes; let it boil twenty minutes more; then take all out but half the liver, which must boil until it will grate easily. Now take the other half of the liver, the lights and the heart, and trim away all the skin and black portions; then mince finely. Mince a pound of sweet beef suet, discarding the stringy parts; cut half a dozen onions up small; grate the half liver that was left in the pot; and then mix together the minced heart, &c., the suet, onions, and grated liver. Scald and peel a dozen little onions and add them to this. Then take some finely ground oatmeal which has been slowly toasting in front of the fire or in the oven for an hour or cwo, and is slightly brown; put the mince on a board, season highly with pepper, salt, and cayenne; sprinkle the meal over this, and bind it all with half a pint of good beef stock, a little milk, and the yolks of two eggs. Thoroughly clean a good strong sheep's paunch, and put m the whole of the mixture, adding a tablespoonful of lemon juice, — being careful to allow room for the meat to swell, — and press out the air. Sew up firmly, and en- close the paunch in a short canvas bag, which also sew up tightly. Put on in cold water and let it gradually come to the boil: as the bag swells up first prick it in two or three places with a large needle. Simmer slowly for about three hours; turn it out, and serve very hot. For the lights, sheep's kidneys or tongues may be sub- stituted. Dried Haddocks. The best way to cook these fish is to put them in a large basin with some savory herbs and a bay leaf, and cover them with boiling water ; put something over the top of the basin to keep the steam in ; keep the fish in the water for ten minutes to a quarter of an hour, then take them out, drain, rub overwith a little butter, pepper well, and serve very hot. If the haddocks are large, cut them into four pieces. I70 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Lobster Cutlets. Take two lobsters, or one large one ; take all the meat out of the shell, and pound it to a smooth paste, in a mortar with a bit of butter, and grated nutmeg, pounded mace, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Divide the paste into equal pieces, and make them into thin shapes like cutlets, cover with t^^ and bread crumbs, and fry- in boiling lard to a good color ; drain and serve hot. Lobsters and Grabs, when served plain should be dressed thus : — Cut the body from the tail and cut both in halves lengthways, break off the two large claws and crack them in two or three places without breaking the meat, arrange the pieces as nearly as possible as if the fish were entire, and serve with a garnish of sprigs of parsley. Fricasseed Soles. Take two medium-sized soles and fry plain in butter, as directed, with a small sole. When done take the meat from the small one, mince it ; and mix with a little chopped lemon-peel, chopped parsley, grated bread, nut- meg, salt, and pepper, bind it with the yolk of an e^^^ and a little butter, shape this into balls, as for force- meat, and fry in butter. Thicken the gravy with a little flour, put in a glass of port wine, a little lemon juice and cayenne ; put the two soles into the stewpan, give them one boil up, and serve very hot, on a hot dish garnished with sliced lemon. Eel Pie. Prepare the eels as for stewing ; put in your pie-dish a little forcemeat ; add the eels — except the heads and tails, season with nutmeg, pepper, salt, and a little chop- DOMESTIC COOKERY. 171 ped parsley ; put in a glass of veal gravy {see receipt), cover it with puff paste, rubbed over with yolk of Q%^, ornament the pie with some of the paste ; bake it about an hour, and when done, pour in a sauce made as fol- lows : — The trimmings boiled in half a pint of veal gravy, seasoned with pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of lemon juice, and thickened with flour and butter ; strain it through a fine sieve, and when boiling put into the pie. Boiled Eggs. Put them into boiling water, and boil for three minutes if liked lightly boiled ; but usually three and three-quarters to four minutes, when the white will be well set. If wanted hard — say six minutes ; if for salads, ten minutes. Care must be taked to put the eggs ver) gently into the water, the best plan being to put them in with a spoon, and lay them on the bottom of the saucepan. For new-laid or extra-large eggs, a little longer time is required. Poached Eggs. Boil some water in a stewpan, or deep frying-pan ; break each o,^^ separately into a cup, and when the water boils, take off the pan, and gently slip tlie ^^^ into it without breaking the yolk; let it stay till the white is set, then put it over a moderate fire, and as soon as the water boils again, the o.^^ is done (say two and a half to three and a half minutes). Take it up with a slice, round off the edges of the white, send up the o.^^ on a toast, or on ham or bacon well fried, or slices of broiled beef or mutton. The bread should be somewhrit larger than the ^^'g, about a quarter of an inch in thickness, and barely toasted of a yellow brown. The best eggs for poaching are such as have been laid two days, ior new ones are too milky, and old ones too strong. A 172 DOMESTIC COOKERY. poached ^^^, to look well, should exhibit the yolk (which must never be hard) through the white. Never poach more than three eggs together; serve two to each person. Fried Eggs. Cover the bottom of the pan with fresh butter, and when melted break in the eggs as for poaching; when the whites are set, take the eggs up with a slice, and serve upon fried or toasted bread, or upon fried ham or bacon, Poached Eggs and Ham Sauce. The eggs are to be poached as before directed. Mince fine — with a gherkin, an onion, some parsley, pepper, and salt — three slices of boiled ham; simmer for about fifteen minutes in enough gravy to cover it. When this sauce boils dish the eggs, squeeze over a little lemon juice, and serve with the sauce over them. Scotch Eggs. Boil your eggs hard, remove the shells, and cover them thickly with a forcemeat made as follows : — Take some veal or sheep's kidney, with a slice of ham, a cleaned anchovy, a bit of butter, shallot, cayenne, and a green onion, all finely minced together, and mixed to a proper consistency with the yolks of eggs. Dredge with flour, and fry the eggs in boiling lard, or clarified drip- ping ; serve up with rich gravy. Curried Eggs. Mix into a paste with a little gravy a small table- spoonful of curry powder ; then add about a pint or a pint and a half more gravy ; mix it all smooth, and let it simmer slowly for about four hours, when it should be DOMESTIC COOKERY. 173 reduced to about half a pint. Boil half a dozen eggs hard, slice them lengthways, put them into the gravy (previously thickened with a little butter and flour) and when very hot serve. Eggs are cooked in a variety of other ways — stuffed, stewed in gravy, cooked on a hot-plate, and browned with a salamander, boiled hard and served with various vege- tables, broken and put in front of the fire, in a dish with a little milk, covered with grated cheese, and browned with a salamander ; beaten up in milk and flour, cooked slowly and browned, &c., &c. Plain Omelette. Break, separately, eight eggs, season with a teaspoon- ful of fine salt, and a dust of pepper, and beat them till exceedingly light, with a little milk or water : the more you beat them the lighter will be the omelette. Melt about a quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a frying- pan or omelette-pan. Beat the batter for another minute, and then pour into the pan ; shake for a minute or two to prevent sticking, and when the under side is of a bright golden brown, fold it in two, so as to make it like a half moon ; in a few seconds the edges will unite — it is then done ; take up without breaking, pass a sala- mander or hot shovel over it, and serve very hot on a hot dish. From five to six minutes is the average time for cooking omelettes of this size. If the yolks and whites are first well beaten separately, and then mixed and beaten again, the omelette will be lighter. Savory Omelette. Proceed as for plain omelette, only adding, before 174 DOMESTIC COOKERY. beating it up, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, another of spring onions, chopped very fine, and a few herbs, minced. Minced ham, oysters, &c — previously cooked — may be added to the above by mixing them with the eggs or sprinkling them ou the omelette just before doubling it over. Veal Kidney Omelette. Cut up some cold roast veal kidney into small dice, with a little bit of the fat, make it hot in gravy, with a seasoning of pepper, salt, and parsley. Do not let it boil. Have ready a plain omelette made as before di- rected, and just before doubling it over put the kidney into the middle; fold over, and serve as before. Cheese Omelette. Mix a little grated Parmesan cheese and a gill of cream with your eggs, and proceed as for plain ome- lette. Salmon Omelette. This is the English form of the celebrated Omelette au Than, of Brillat Savarin. Take the soft roes of two carp or mackerel; cleanse them in cold water, and then let them lie in boiling water (with a little salt) for five min- utes. Then chop up fine together these soft roes, a little piece of freshly-boiled salmon, and a minced shallot. When these are thoroughly mixed put them into a pan with a little butter; when the butter is just melted take it off the fire and mix well the whole with twelve fresh eggs — previously beaten — the yolks with a little salt, and the whites to a froth, and then again beaten together; then cook your omelette as directed for "plain omelette," and serve, very hot, on a hot dish, with a garnishing of DOMESTIC COOKERY. 175 chopped parsley and green spring onions, flavored with lemon juice. This is a marvelously delicious and suc- culent dish. Cold Fish Omelette. Put into a saucepan, with sufficient water to moisten them, any scraps of cold lobster, turbot, sole, or any other delicate white fish, and a few drops of some fish sauce; warm them through; have a good plain omelette ready for turning when the fish is nicely warm; put the fish in the middle, and fold over, as before directed. Serve in- stantly on a hot dish garnished with a few spring onions and parsley minced, with lemon juice in butter. Sweet Omelette. Proceed as for plain omelette, but use cream instead of milk or water, and powdered loaf sugar and grated lemon peel instead of pepper and salt. Serve very hot, dusted with powdered sugar. Instead of lemon you may flavour with noyeau, orange-flower water, &c. Fruit Preserve Omelette. Proceed as for sweet omelette, but, before beating up the eggs, add just enough jam or preserve to flavour the batter without weakening its consistency. A better way is to add the preserve in the pan before folding the omelette. Any jam, preserve, marmalade, candied peel, or preserved ginger can be appropriately put into a sweet omelette. On Omelettes generally. They should be cooked in a small pan, not more than six inches across. The omelette should be plump, very light and tender, and delicately browned. Never turn 175 DOMESTIC COOKERY. ofnelettes in the pan; it renders them flat and tough, whereas they should be juicy, succulent, and as soft as cream inside. Never be afraid of beating the eggs too much — to do so is practically impossible. Never serve gravy in the same dish, as it flattens and soddens what should be balloon-like and light. Serve the instant they are done, on a very hot dish. Never cook them until five or six minutes before wanted, as the essence of a good omelette is that it should be hot, soft, thick, and fresh. Pancakes. Beat up well eight yolks and six whites of eggs in a quart of milk, make a paste of about half a pound of flour and a little milk, add to the eggs and milk, and when of the consistency of thick cream, put about half an ounce of butter into your frying-pan (which must be perfectly clean) and let it melt ; then drop in sufficient batter, and fry on both sides to a good color. Send to table in small quantities, hot and hot, on a hot dish gar- nished with cut lemon. Powdered loaf sugar and halved lemons should be served with them. A glass of brandy and a little powdered cinnamon or grated nutmeg im- prove the batter. A richer receipt is, — To six table- spoonfuls of flour add twelve eggs well beaten, a tumbler full of white wine, half a pound of butter which has been melted, and is nearly cold, the same weight of pounded lump sugar, a little grated nutmeg and powdered cinna- mon, a quart of cream, and a wineglass of ratafia ; mix it well ; beat the batter for some time, and pour very thin into the pan. Strew with pounded white sugar; serve as before. Rice Pancakes. Boil half a pound of well-cleaned rice to a jelly, with a little water; when cold, mix with it a pint of cream, eight eggs well beaten, salt, and nutmeg to taste. Stir DOMESTIC COOKERY. 177 in eight ounces of butter just warmed, and as much flour as will thicken the batter. Fry and serve as before. Chicken Fritters. Take some new milk, and put to it in a stewpan as much flour of rice as will give it a tolerable consistency. Beat four eggs and mix them well with the rice and milk. Add a pint of cream, set it on the fire and stir well. Put in some powdered sugar, candied lemon peel cut small, and fresh grated lemon peel. Cut the white meat off a roasted chicken, pull it into very small shreds, and put it to the other ingredients, stirring the wliole together. This will make a rich paste, which must be rolled out, cut into fritters, fried in boiling lard, or butter, till a good brown, and served very hot, with powdered loaf sugar in the dish. Pig's Fry. Take about a pound to a pound and a half of pig's fry, and put into a pie-dish in layers, the lean fry at the bottom and the fat fry at the top, season with minced sage, chopped onions, pepper, and salt. Cover the whole with a layer of potatoes, fill the dish with boiling water, and bake in a sharp oven for about two hours. Lamb's Fry. Serve as for Pig's Fry, season with parsley, ^^^y and bread crumbs, instead of the sage and onions. 8* 178 DOMESTIC COOKERY. COLD MEAT COOKERY. Hashed Goose. The remains of a roast goose should always be hashed. Cut the meat off the bones, and put the latter, broken, into a stewpan with a spoonful of chopped onions and an ounce of butter; pass over the fire until rather brown, when mix in a tablespoonful of flour, put in the cut up meat of the goose, season with pepper and salt, add about a pint of stock or water, simmer ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, dish and serve. Hashed Mutton. Cut all the meat off any cold joint of mutton, dredge with flour, and put it into a stewpan, with a slice of ham; add a little stock or water; season well with pep- per, salt, and cayenne, and let it get thoroughly hot without boiling; when serve it should be garnished with poached or sliced eggs and fried or toasted sippets. If mutton is hashed with fine herbs, it is done in the fol- lowing way: — Take a piece of butter, add about a table- spoonful of chopped shallots, and put them on the fire for a short time, but not sufficiently long to turn brown; then add four spoonfuls of finely chopped mushrooms, a spoonful of chopped parsley, and a spoonful of flour; turn them all well in, and add about a pint of good stock, or a little water, seasoning with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg; then put in the mutton, and let it get thoroughly hot, garnish as before. Hashed Beef, Veal, Lamb, &e. Proceed as for mutton, stewing the bones with the meat in stock or water, with whatever flavorings are DOMESTIC COOKERY. 179 preferred. Never use more stock or gravy than is neces- sary for the stewing ; as hashes should never be watery. Garnish with plain dumplings, or sippets of fried or toasted bread. Hashes, like stews, should simmer, not boil. If more gravy is required when done, serve it separately in a tureen. Curried Lamb, Beef, Veal, or Poultry. Proceed as for hashing, adding curry-powder to the mixture. Serve either with plain boiled rice, or when half done put the rice into the stew. Hashed Game. Take the best joints of any cold game, and put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan with a pint of water or stock, an onion, a bit of lemon peel, two or three cloves, and pepper and salt. When these have simmered for about an hour, strain and thicken with a little butter and flour; put in about a tablespoonful each of catsup and lemon juice, and a glass of port wine. Then put in the pieces of game, and let them gradually warm through, but not boil. Serve garnished with sippets. A little curry-powder is sometimes added, but it is seldom thought an improvement. Hashed Venison. Take any part of cold venison, and cut the meat neatly from the bones. Put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan with a little good gravy, and stew gently for an hour; then strain the gravy, add a glass of port wine, and half a one of catsup, and put in a thickening of flour and butter, give this one boil up, skim, and let it get a little cool. Then add the slices of meat, put on I So DOMESTIC COOKERY. the side of the fire, and Avhcn just about to simmer, serve, ■with red-currant jelly. Stew of Cold Veal. Cut the meat from the bones of any joint of cold veal; cut into moderate-sized pieces, and fry to a light brown with butter and a sliced onion; when done put on one side. Put the bones in cold water, and stew for three hours. This will make excellent soup or broth, which may be flavored with parslc}', celery, or any other vege- table. A pint of this broth, before any other flavor than parsley has been added, is needed for the meat, which put into a saucepan with it and stew gently for an hour. Add flour, a little catsup, cayenne pepper and salt. Give it a boil up, and serve with sippets of toasted or fried bread. Turkey or Fowl Sausages. Take the meat of a cold boiled or roasted turkey or fowl, and cut up small: if about a pound and a half, put a teaspoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with a piece of butter, pass a few seconds over the fire, then mix in gently a little flour and the mince, which moisten with a pint either of ordinary stock, or stock made from the bones; simmer some time, keeping it moved, season with pepper, salt, and sugar, add the beaten yolks of three eggs, stir in quickl)'^ over the fire, not allowing it to boil; pour out upon a dish till cold; just before ready to serve, divide it into equal parts, roll out each to what- ever shajie preferred, egg and bread-crumb twice over, fry in lard, or clarified dripping of a light brown color, and serve very hot. Cold Meat Minced. Take the remains of any cold joints, and chop up fine DOMESTIC COOKERY. i8i with some fat ham or bacon; add a little salt, cayenne, grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, parsley, and a few bread- crumbs. Put all into a saucepan, with two tablespoon- fuls of cream, two beaten eggs, and two ounces of butter to every pound of chopped meat. Stir over the fire for five minutes. Let the mixture get cold, and then put it into light paste to bake, either in the form of patties or rolls. Or, when all ready, stew in gravy for about half an hour, thicken with flour, and serve in an open dish, very hot; garnish with forcemeat balls, or sippets of toast. Cold Fowl or Turkey may be minced as above, adding, if liked, a little cay enne, pounded mace, savory herbs, and two or three sliced or cut up eggs — hard boiled. Poultry of all Kinds may be served thus : — Take from the bones all the deli- cate meat, clear it from the skin, and keep covered until wanted for use. Stew the bones, well bruised, and the skin, with a pint of water, until reduced to half, strain the gravy and let it cool ; skim, and put it into a clean saucepan, with a gill of milk, three ounces of butter, well mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour, a little pounded mace, and grated lemon-rind ; keep stirred until they just boil, then put in the meat finely minced, with three hard-boiled eggs, chopped small, salt and white pepper. Shake the mince over the fire until it is just ready to boil, stir to it quickly a squeeze of lemon ; dish with / pale sippets of fried or toasted bread, and serve quickly. Beef or Mutton Pudding. Boil some good potatoes until they are ready to fall to pieces ; drain well in a sieve, clear tiiem of all im- 1 82 DOMESTIC COOKERY. purities and specks, mash, and make into a smooth batter, with two eggs, and a little milk. Then place a layer of rather thick slices of cold roast beef or mutton, seasoned with pepper and salt, at the bottom of a baking dish, cover them with the batter, and so on till the dish is full, adding a thin layer of butter at the top. Bake it till well browned. Baked Beef. Cut roast beef in slices and put them in a pie-dish, with alternate layers of thinly sliced onions, carrots, and turnips (which should all be first parboiled); season well with minced herbs, pepper and salt, add a little stock of gravy, cover with a crust of mashed potatoes, and bake for thirty to forty minutes in a sharp oven. Pried Beef. Slices of cold beef are excellent fried in butter, with sliced onions ; well seasoned, and served with a little gravy. Eagont of Beef. Cut in neat and rather large pieces the meat off a joint of cold roast beef ; put them in a stewpan with a few sliced onions, pepper, salt, and spice, add a glass of boiling water and a little gravy or stock ; simmer very gently for "about two hours ; serve hot with pickled wal- nuts or gherkins. Eagout of Mutton. Proceed as above, adding a few turnips and carrots. Allow nearly an hour to stew. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 183 Ragout of Veal. Fry the meat to a light brown first; then stew for half an hour in a little gravy or hot water; thicken with flour and butter, and flavor with catsup, lemon juice, and a glass of sherry. Forcemeat balls improve it. Fricasseed Fowl, Veal, Lamb, &c. Take the meat and cut into nice pieces, without bone or fat. Make a gravy of the bones, &c., by stewing them with a little lemon-peel, savory herbs, pounded mace, sliced onion, pepper and salt, in, say, a pint of water. When this is reduced to half, strain it, and add the meat. Warm it well, but do not let it boil, stir in a pinch of flour; mix the yolks of a couple of eggs in a gill of cream, and add it to the sauce; this must all get hot again, but must not boil. Serve in a covered dish. Mutton Fie. Take any cold mutton, and cut into small pieces; use very little fat, season with whole pepper and salt; when liked, minced onions may be added. Put the meat in layers into the dish, add a little stock or rich mutton gravy, and a tablespoonful of mushroom or walnut cat- sup; cover with a good crust and bake in a moderate oven. This should be eaten very hot, and, when cut, a cupful of richly seasoned hot gravy should be put in. A sheep's kidney or two, sliced or cut small, is a great improvement. Cold Veal Pie. Take a little of the veal and an equal quantity of ham ; mince together, and season highly with salt, pepper, spices, and herbs chopped, and a small clove of garlic, or IS4 DOMESTIC COOKERY. shallot when liked; pound in a mortar, add eggs and an equal quantity of veal gravy; cover the bottom of a pan with thin slices of bacon, lay a little of this forcemeat upon it, put some slices of the cold veal over the force- meat, seasoning them with pepper and minced mush- rooms; in this manner fill to the top, covering the whole with forcemeat; bake for an hour and let it cool; put into a pie dish, cover with a good paste crust, and bake for an hour and a half in a hot oven. When done put in a little good veal gravy or stock, well seasoned. This may be eaten either hot or cold. Rabbit, Fowl, or Game can be substituted for the veal ; but the veal forcemeat should always be used. Pork Pie. Take the remains of a loin or leg of roast pork, cut into tolerably thick slices without bone, beat it well with a rolling-pin ; season highly with pepper, salt, and, if liked, sage. When the dish is full, add a little veal gravy, and bake in a moderate oven. Siiuab Pie. Line the dish with a thin crust, put in a layer of sliced apples (peeled and cored), then a layer of slices of mutton, seasoned with pepper and salt, another layer of apples, another of mutton, and on top a layer of onions sliced. Add some water or gravy, and bake in a moder- ate oven. Remains of poultry, roast pork, veal, or beef are frequently added to this pie. Potato Pie. Take some good potatoes, peel and slice them thin, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 185 and put them in your pie-dish with alternate layers of either beef, mutton, pork, or veal ; season well ; add a little water or stock ; put on a good crust, and bake. A few slices of kidney improve this pie. Cold Fish Pie. Any remains of cold boiled turbot, cod, sole, lobster, salmon or whiting may be made into a very savory pie thus : — Remove the meat from the bones, without break- ing it too small, and season with whole pepper, salt, a clove or two, a littled grated nutmeg, and some sweet herbs, minced fine. Lay the fish in the dish with two or three hard-boiled eggs, cut small, a sliced onion (when liked), and two or three bits of butter ; add a little water or stock, cover with a good crust, and bake. The re- mains of a salmon and a lobster (or some lobster or shrimp sauce) make a capital pie. By the same rule a few blanched and bearded oysters, or a little cold oyster sauce, improves cod pie. In these latter cases the hard- boiled eggs are better left out. Gold God may be dressed in several ways — either curried, or served with cream, or bechamel sauce (see receipt). The first way is to break the fish into flakes and fry it with a sliced onion in butter. Put it into a stewpan with a little white stock, and a bit of butter, rolled in flour; simmer for ten minutes; then mix together a gill of cream, a bit of but- ter, and a salt-spoonful of curry-powder; add these to the fish, give it all one boil up and serve. If it be served with cream, substitute lemon juice for the curry, and let it warm, but not boil. With bechamel sauce, put a gill of the sauce into a stewpan with butter, and when melted add some pepper, salt, and the flakes of fish; when warm through, dish, pour over a little butter, sprinkle some i86 DOMESTIC COOKERY. bread crumbs, and brown with a salamander; garnish with fried or toasted sippets. Bubble and Squeak. Fry some thin slices of cold boiled beef in a little butter; take them out and keep hot. Squeeze dry some cold cabbage or savoy, and mince it small ; put the cab- bage into the butter, with a sliced onion, pepper and salt, and fry gently for some little time. Serve very hot, the cabbage under the meat. Of course freshly boiled cabbage will answer the same purpose. Sliced cold potatoes are often fried with the cabbage. Hodge Podge. Mince some cold roast mutton, lamb, or veal, and slice up a few green onions and a couple of lettuces; simmer these gently in a stewpan, with a little butter, pepper and salt, and sufficient water or stock to moisten them, for three-quarters of an hour, stirring from time to time. Serve very hot. A few green peas, boiled separately and put into the stew just before serving, greatly improve it. Pepper Pot. Put two quarts of water in a large stewpan, and add, cut small, such vegetables as are in season; in summer, peas, lettuce, spinach, and two or three onions; in win- ter, carrots, turnips, onions, and celery. Stew them with two pounds of mutton, or the meat off a cold fowl, and a pound of pickled pork, till they are tender — the meat should be cut small. While boiling, skim, and half an hour before serving, clear a lobster or crab from the shell, and put the meat into the stew; to which some add small suet dumplings. Season with salt and cayenne. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 187 A little rice may be boiled with the stew. The lobster is of course not necessary, but it greatly improves the flavor. When ready to serve strain off part of the gravy, dish, make the top smooth, sprinkle cayenne liberally over it, and brown the top with a salamander. Any cold meats may be used instead of or with the mutton or fowl. SICK-ROOM COOKERY. In addition to the receipts which follow, there are numerous others; — such as plainly-dressed poultry, meat and fish, light nourishing soups, jellies, cooked fruits, and light puddings, — that may be eaten during the prog- ress towards convalescence. Be scrupulously neat and clean in all preparations for the sick-room, and let everything be served on snow- white cloths. Never allow food to remain at the patient's bedside; if he does not care to it eat when brought to him, take it away, and bring it, or something else, when wanted. A little jelly, beef-tea, lemonade, toast and water, broth, or milk should always be ready to take up the in- stant the patient asks for it, as with invalids the desire to eat soon passes away. Do not quite fill cups, glasses, basins, as a dirty sau- cer or tray is a great irritant, and a soiled sheet or pillow an absolute worry to a sick person. Let every article of food intended for the patient be well and carefully dressed; and remember that fat is almost always distasteful. Hard-boiled eggs are very difficult of digestion, but the whites should be set, or the slimy appearance of the egg will create nausea. 1 88 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Toast and water should be made some time before it is wanted, and allowed to stand till quite cold. The smaller the quantity, and the greater the variety of the food, the more appetizing will it appear. GRUELS AND PORRIDGES. For the sick-room various slight preparations of oat- meal, flour, &c., may be readily prepared. These, when nicely cooked and properly flavored are very grateful to the palate of the invalid. Water Gruel. Mix two tablespoonfuls of fresh oatmeal in a quart of water, and set it on a clear fire. When just ready to boil, take it off and pour it backward and forward from one basin to another several times. Then set again on the fire, and let it just come to the boil, when it should be turned into a basin and allowed to settle. If thoroughly cooked it will not need to be steamed; but if any lumps appear in it, steam through a hair sieve. Adda little salt to taste. Another "Way. Mix a little fine oatmeal in a small quantity of cold water, then adding the rest of the water, and boiling very gently, until it becomes sufficiently thick to be agreeable; season with salt or sugar. Groat Gruel. Groats are crushed oats deprived of their outer skins. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 189 These are very gently boiled for a long time, and being passed through a sieve, to separate the groats, the gruel has soon the appearance of a fine jelly. It is then eaten with sugar, and if there be no inflammatory symptom, with the addition of a little sherry wine, or brandy. In this state it is very wholesome, as it satisfies the appetite without fatiguing the stomach. Kice Gruel. Soak two tablespoonfuls of fine rice in cold water for half an hour. Pour off the water, and to the rice add a pint or rather more of new milk. Simmer gently till the rice is tender, then pulp through a sieve and mix with the milk. Heat over the fire, add a little more milk gradu- ally, pour off to cool, and flavor with salt or sugar; and, in some cases, with sherry or other white wine. Bread Pap. Pour scalding water on white bread, mash, strain, and add new milk, seasoned with sugar. Oatmeal Pap. To two-thirds of water gruel, when cold, add one- third of unboiled new milk, and warm up, flavored with salt or sugar. Another Method. Stir into a pint of water three tablespoonfuls of fresh oatmeal, let it stand till clear, and pour off. Put a pint of fresh water to the oatmeal, stir well, and leave till next day. Strain the liquor through a sieve, and set it in a saucepan over a clear fire. Add about half as much milk, gradually, while it is warming, and when it is just I90 DOMESTIC COOKERY. ready to boil, take it off, pour it into a basin, and set it by to cool. Add thereto a little salt or sugar. Arrow-Root. Put a full dessert-spoonful of good arrow-root into a basin, and mix with it as much cold new milk as will form a paste. Pour thereon half a pint of milk scalding hot, and stir it well to keep it smooth. Set it on the fire till it is ready to boil, take it off, pour it into a basin, and let it cool. Flavor with sugar, and, for convalescents, add a little wine. It is not usual to boil the arrow-root at all. Sago. Soak a table-spoonful of sago in cold water for an hour, then pour off the water, and substitute a pint of fresh ; simmer gently till reduced to about half the quantity ; then pour it into a basin to cool ; flavor with sugar, salt, or wine, to taste. Rice Milk. After washing the rice, set it over the fire for half an hour, with a little water. Gradually add some warm milk, till the whole is of proper consistency. Season with salt or sugar. Ground Rice Milk. Make a large spoonful of ground rice into a batter with new milk. Set a pint of new milk over the fire, and when it is scalding hot, stir in the batter, and keep stir- ring, one way, till it thickens, but do not allow it to boil. Cool in a basin, and flavor with salt or sugar. MiUet Milk. Wash three tablespoonfuls of millet seed in cold DOMESTIC COOKERY. 191 water, and put it into a quart of new milk. Simmer gen- tly till it is moderately thick ; pour it into a basin to cool, and flavor with salt or susrar. Barley Water. To a handful of barley add three pints of water. Simmer gently till of a proper thickness, strain and flavor with salt or sugar. Pearl Barley Water. To an ounce of pearl barley add half a pint of cold water, set it on the fire, and when hot pour off the water, and add a quart of fresh. Simmer for an hour, strain, season and let it cool. Apple Water. Slice two or three ripe apples, v/ithout paring, into a jug, pour on a quart of scalding water, let it stand till cool, and season with sugar. Toast and Water. Toast a slice of new bread quite brown, but not burnt, and then put it in a jug of boiling water. When quite cold remove the toast, and it is fit for drinking. Burnt bread ruins toast and water. Sippets. Toast nicely brown some thin slices of white bread, cut into diamonds, and pour over them some good hot gravy, without butter. Caudle. Make a smooth gruel of good grits, and when well 192 DOMESTIC COOKERY. boiled, strain, stirring occasionally till cold; add sugar, wine, lemon peel, and nutmeg. A spoonful of brandy may be added, and also lemon juice. Another Way is, to boil some water, put therein grated rice, that has been mixed with cold water, and when properly thick- ened, add sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon, and a glass of brandy. Boil the whole together. If used cold, boil a quart of water, and after it has stood, add the yolk of an ^^^, the juice of a lemon, six spoonfuls of sweet wine, sugar, and syrup of lemons. For brown caudle, made a gruel with six spoonfuls of oatmeal, and strain. Then add a quart of good malt liquor, boil, sweeten, and put in half a pint of white wine, with spices or not, to taste. JELLIES. Though there is little real nourishment in jellies, they are very grateful to weak stomachs, and can be eaten when, almost every other food is rejected. Tapioca Jelly. Wash the tapioca in three or four waters, then soak it again in fresh for five hours, and simmer till quite clear. Add lemon juice, wine, and sugar. Isinglass Jelly. Boil one ounce of isinglass, with a few corns of pimento and a crust of bread, in a quart of water. Simmer till reduced one half, and strain. It may be flavored with wine. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 193 Rice Jelly. Take of rice, sago, pearl barley, and shavings of hartshorn, one ounce each. Simmer in a quart of water till reduced to a pint. Add wine or milk. Buttermilk. Place milk in a small churn, and when it has stood about ten minutes begin churning, continuing to do so till the flakes of butter appear, and the discharged milk is thin and blue. Strain through a sieve, and it is fit to drink. POSSETS, WHEYS, &c. Various preparations of milk, eggs, and wine are useful in the sick-room, but they should only be given to the patient when ordered by the doctor, or under the direction of an experienced nurse. Wine Posset. To a quart of new milk add the crumb of a penny loaf, and boil the whole till the bread is soft, then take it off, grate therein half a nutmeg, and some sugar, put it into a basin, with a pint of Lisbon wine, very gradu- ally, or the curd will be hard and tough. Serve with toast. Sack Posset. Beat up twelve eggs, and strain ; then put half a pound of lump sugar into a pint of sherry and mix the same with the ^%^. Set over a chafing dish, and stir till scalding hot. In the meantime, grate some nutmeg in a quart of milk, and heat it ; then pour it over the g^^ and 9 194 DOMESTIC COOKERY, wine, stirring it all the while. Then take it off, set it before the fire half an hour, and it will be ready. Another Method. Take a quart of new milk, four Naples biscuits, crumble them, and when the milk boils, throw them in. Give it another boil, then take it off, grate therein some nutmeg, and sweeten it to taste, add half a pint of sherry, stirring it all the time. Brandy Posset. Boil a quart of cream, with a stick of cinnamon in it, over a slow fire, and take it off to cool. Beat up the yolks of six eggs, mix the same with the cream, add some nutmeg and sugar to your taste, set it over a slow fire, and stir it all one way; when it appears like a fine custard, pour it into a basin, add a glass of brandy and serve. Ale Fosset. Put a little bread into a pint of milk, set it over the fire, and when it boils, add a pint of strong ale, with nut- meg and sugar. Let it stand a few minutes to clear, and the curd will float on the surface. White Wine Whey. Put a pint of new milk, and half a pint of white wine, into a basin, and let it stand a few minutes; then pour over it a pint of boiling water, let it settle, and the curd will fall to the bottom. After this, pour the whey into another basin, and add a little sugar and a slice of lemon. — Whey may also be made with lemon or vinegar, and when clear, diluted with boiling water and sugar. This will excite perspiration. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 195 Mustard Whey. To half a pint of boiling milk add a tablespoonful of made mustard. Strain from the curd, and administer. It will produce a glowing warmth. Curds and Whey. Although considered by many as a light dish, curds are heavy of digestion. Curds and whey is made simply by milk turned with rennet, and sweetened. Various kinds of curds and whey are in use under several names, but the differences between them consist entirely in the flavoring. Naples Curd. Boil a little cinnamon or nutmeg for a few minutes in a quart of milk, stirring in the well-beaten yolks of eight eggs, and a little white wine; boil, and strain through a sieve; beat up the curds with a little orange flower water, and powdered sugar; put into a mold to give shape; when compact, serve in a dish with a little fresh and sweetened cream. Mulled Wine. Thoroughly boil some spice and sugar in a little water till well flavored, then add an equal quantity of wine. Serve with toasted bread. Some add to mulled wine the yolks of eggs well beaten, and mixed with a little cold water, then poured backwards and forwards from the basin to the saucepan. Another way is, by boil- ing a little cinnamon and some grated nutmeg a few minutes in a large tea-cupful of water, then pour to it a pint of port wine, and add some sugar; beat it well up, and it will be fit to drink. 196 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Beef Drink. Take off the fat and skin from a pound of lean beef, and having cut the meat in small pieces, put it into a gallon of water, with some toasted bread and a little salt; boil till reduced one half, and when cold take off the fat. Cool Drink. Beat up anew-laid egg, and mix with it half a pint of new milk warmed, a spoonful of capillaire, as much rose-water, and a little scraped nutmeg. It must not be warmed after the ^^^ is put in. Asses' Milk. This useful drink for consumptive patients should be milked into a glass, kept warm by being set in a basin of hot water. A teaspoonful of rum may be added just be- fore it is drank. Lemonade. For domestic use the addition of a small quantity of tartaric acid to carbonate of soda, to cause effervescence, makes an agreeable and wholesome drink. — Or the addi- tion of sugar to lemon juice and water, makes a nice cool beverage. Tamarinds, currants, or cranberries, added to hot water, and allowed to cool, make good drinks for in- valids. Barley Lemonade. Put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small stew- pan with half a pint of water; boil till it forms a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and the pulp of two lemons. Boil for a few minutes, add two quarts of barley-water, strain when cool, and bottle for use. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 197 Barley Orangeade. Made in the same way by substituting the rind and juice of oranges, to which lemon juice is a great improve- ment. BROTHS. The best broths are made from mutton, veal, chicken, eels, and beef; their value as food being reckoned accord- ing to this order of placing. Mutton Broth. Take a pound and a half of scrag of mutton; break the bone, and put into a stewpan with a good pinch of salt, and from three pints to two quarts of cold water. Let this simmer very gently for two hours and a half, skimming off every particle of fat. Serve plain. Another Flan is to take the same quantity of meat and water, and stew for two hours and a half, withhalf atablespoonfulof salt, a dust of moist sugar, a button onion or two, a small stick of celery, and a slice or two of turnip. When be- ginning to boil draw it to the side of the fire, and let it simmer for two hours and a half, skimming off all the fat. Strain it through a fine hair sieve. The meat, if permitted, may be served separately. Pearl barley is an agreeable addition to mutton broth. Put in with the meat, say a tablespoonful, when first put on, and stew in the broth. It must not in this case be strained, but, after carefully skimming, remove the meat and vegetables. Vermicelli may be added after the broth is strained, just 198 DOMESTIC COOKERY. giving it ten minutes' steady boiling. Rice when added should have twenty minutes' boiling. Perhaps the best of these additions is arrowroot. After straining the broth, put it back in the pan, and when it boils up, stir in half a teaspoonful of an-owroot — previously made into a smooth paste, with a little cold water, and let it simmer for ten minutes. Veal Broth. Take two pounds of knuckle of veal, and cut up into small pieces, with a little bit of butter ; a few slices of carrot, turnip, and onion, a small stick of celery, and a pinch of salt ; put these on in a stewpan, and stir for about ten or twelve minutes ; then add about two quarts, or a little more, of hot water, and let the whole simmer for an hour and a half, skim, and strain through a hard sieve. Arrowroot, rice, or vermicelli may be added in the same way as directed for mutton broth. A calf's foot, split and boned, may with great advantage be stewed with the veal. If onions be disliked, they may be omit- ted. Chicken Eroth. Take the half of a small chicken, and put it on the fire in about a quart of cold water, with a small stick of celery, a bit of parsley, and a pinch of salt; when it boils skim thoroughly, and let it simmer for about an hour. Strain as before. A teaspoonful of fiour may be added as thickening. When the broth is strained put it back on the fire, and let it boil up, then add the flour, mixed to a paste with a little cold water, stir in, and simmer for fifteen minutes. Eel Broth. Put a young eel or two cut up small into three pints of water, with parsley, and a few peppercorns ; let the whole simmer till the eels are broken, and the liquor re- DOMESTIC COOKERY. 199 duced to half the quantity. Add a little salt. An ex- cellent and nutritious broth may also be made in the same way from Tench. Beef Tea. Take a pound of lean gravy beef without bone, and cut into small dice ; put on in a quart of cold water with a little salt. When it boils up skim carefully, and let it simmer very gently for thirty or forty minutes. Strain very carefully and put aside for use. Beef tea is always better if made the day before it is wanted, and then warmed up, as when cold every particle of fat can be re- moved. If wanted very good use a larger proportion of meat to the quart of water. Baked Beef Tea. Cut up one pound of meat as before, and put it in a warm oven, in a jar, with nearly a quart of water, and a pinch of salt. Simmer very gently indeediox several hours. If put at night into an oven that has been very hot all day, and allowed to remain in till the morning, it should be done. Then strain as before. When allowed, beef tea is rendered more savory by the addition of an onion, a few herbs, and a clove. Beef Tea in Ten Minutes. When beef tea is wanted in a great hurry get some lean beef, put it on a board, and scrape it with a very sharp knife into shreds. Put into a stewpan, pour a tumbler of boiling water over it, and let it stand by the fire, covered, for ten minutes. Then strain it into a tumbler, which place in very cold water, remove the fat, pour into a warm teacup, stand it in hot water, and when warm enough serve. A piece of Liebig's Essence 0/ Meat, 200 DOMESTIC COOKER Y. about as large as a walnut, will make a pint of good beef tea. Put the extract into a cup, and pour over it boiling water ; stir for two or three minutes, and add salt to taste. Babbits Stewed in Milk. Make into a smooth paste two teaspoonf uls of flour and a little milk; then add about a pint and a half more milk, which must be very good and fresh. ' Cut up into small joints two very young rabbits; put into a stewpan with the milk, a blade of mace, and salt and pepper to taste; stir from time to time, and simmer very slowly for about half an hour. This may be eaten either hot or cold. This quantity would suffice the invalid for four meals, so that half may be made. Stewed Cutlet. Take off all the fat from a nice mutton cutlet, and put into a stewpan with a third of a pint of cold water, half a stick of celery, pepper and salt; simmer very gently for fully two hours, skimming from time to time. The water ?mist never be allowed to boil. Strain the broth and serve with the cutlet. When celery is not liked, omit it; and substitute a few sweet herbs. Stewed Calf's Foot. Stew a blanched calf's foot in a pint of milk and the same quantity of water, for about four hours, simmering gently all the time, with a flavoring of a little lemon- peel, mace, pepper, and salt, and when liked a little celery and onion. Stir in a gill of cream five minutes before serving. Take out the onion and celery. DOMESTIC COOKERY, 201 Mutton Chop. Remove nearly all the fat, broil well over, or in front of a clear fire, and serve very hot without gravy or sauce; with pepper and salt by the side of the plate. Lamb Chops are not to be recommended for invalids. Boiled and Eoast Fowl. These invalids' luxuries will be found under the heads Roasting and Boiling. PUDDINGS AND PIES. Yorkshire Pudding. Beat up well, and mix gradually with six heaped tablespoonfuls of flour and a teaspoonful of salt, six eggs; then pour in by degrees as much milk as will re- duce the batter to the consistence of rather thin cream. Beat the batter briskly and lightly the instant before it is poured into the pan, watch it carefully that it may not burn, and let the edges have an equal share of the fire. When the pudding is quite firm in every part, and well colored on the surface, it is done. If put under a roast- ing joint, it may be made thicker than if simply baked by itself. Pour off the fat before serving. Peais Pudding. Take a quart of split peas, and dry them thoroughly before the fire: then tie them up loosely in a cloth, put into warm water, boil, until quite tender; take them up, beat them well in a dish with a little salt, the yolk of an 202 DOMESTIC COOKERY. ^^%, and a bit of butter. Make the whole quite smooth, tie it up again in a cloth, and boil it an hour longer. Serve with boiled pork. Batter Pudding. Mix smooth with a little milk three good tablespoon- fuls of flour; add a pint of milk and a bit of butter, stir well; beat up with a little salt, three eggs, or four small ones. Boil for an hour in a well-floured cloth that has been wrung out of boiling water. This pudding is eaten with jam, stewed fruits, or marmalade, or served plain with sweet sauce. It may also be baked — putting it into a buttered dish or tin, or several cups, and baking in a moderate oven for about half an hour. Yeast Dumplings. Take half a quartern of bread-dough — that made with milk is best — put it in front of the fire for five minutes, make it into about eight or nine dumplings, put them, into boiling water, and boil for eighteen to twenty min- utes. Serve instantly. Suet Pudding. Chop very fine six ounces of beef suet, add six ounces of flour, and two ounces of crumb of bread, grated, a little salt, a pint of milk, and six eggs well beaten; mix the whole well together, and boil in a cloth for four or five hours; serve plain, to eat with meat, or with sweet sauce. Cheese Pudding. Put into a saucepan half a pound of good grated cheese, with a pint of new milk, six ounces of grated DOMESTIC COOKERY. 203 bread crumbs, and two eggs well beaten; stir well, till the cheese is dissolved; then put it into a buttered dish, and brown it in a Dutch oven, or with a salamander. Serve quite hot. Hasty Pudding. Put a quart of water on to boil; stir six tablespoon- fuls of Indian meal or rye-meal — sifted thoroughly — into a bowl of water; when the water in the saucepan boils, pour into it the contents of the bowl, stir up well, and let it boil up thick, put in salt to taste; then sprinkle in meal, handful after handful, stirring it all the time, and letting it boil between whiles. When it is so thick that you stir it with difficulty — it is done. It takes about half an hour. Eat it with milk or molasses. If the system is in a restricted state, nothing can be better than rye hasty pudding and molasses. Dyspepsia is greatly re- lieved by it. Be careful to observe that Indian corn in all its preparations requires thorough cooking. If not sufficiently done, it loses its flavor and becomes indiges- tible. Hominy Pudding. This may be either baked or boiled. Mix the hom- iny (Indian corn bruised) which has been previously boiled, either in milk or water, with eggs, a little sugar and nutmeg, a little chopped suet, and with or without currants ajid raisins, as preferred. Tie up in a basin, and boil two hours, or put into a pie dish, and bake in a moderate oven. Potato Pudding. Take two or three pounds of boiled potatoes (cold ones will do), pound them in a mortar with from half a pound to a pound of butter, previously melted for the purpose, the same weight of pounded loaf sugar, a quar- 204 DOMESTIC COOKERY. ter of a pound of blanched sweet almonds bruised, a lit- tle grated nutmeg, and half a glass of ratafia, or other liquor (brandy will do if no liquor at hand). Boil in a cloth, or a buttered basin, and serve with sv/eet sauce {see receipt). Bread Pudding. Take any good pieces of stale bread, and scald them in boiling milk or water. When cold mash the bread, and having laid in the bottom of a pudding dish some preserved gooseberries, currants, or other fruit, jam or marmalade, add the bread; then pour over it some good milk, three well beaten eggs, and a little orange-flower water; bake for half an hour. Grate nutmeg over the top when served. Brown Bread Pudding. • A capital pudding is made of stale brown, or even white bread, by cutting it into thin slices, and browning it in a moderate oven, then reducing it to a very fine pow- der, and soaking it in as much gin, rum, or brandy, as it will fairly absorb. Whip up the yolks of a few eggs, and make the whole into a paste. Then whisk the whites of the eggs very stiff, add to them some sliced candied peel — citron is best — and a little powdered cinnamon. Mix all well up together, put into a buttered dish or mold, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour to an hour and a half. Make a sauce of a few blanched and sliced al- monds, currants, or raisins, candied peel — cut up very small — made hot in a little port or Burgundy, and pour over the pudding. For economy the sauce may be dis- pensed with. Plum Pudding. There are various excellent receipts for making a DOMESTIC COOKERY. 205 Christmas pudding, and we have selected a few of the best. Christmas puddings may be made in the autumn, boiled so that another hour's boiling will suffice, taken out of their cloths, and put into a dry place until wanted, then put into boiling water, boiled fast for one hour, and served. 1. Put into a large basin one pound of fine Malaga raisins (picked and stoned), one pound of best currants (well washed in several waters, dried in a coarse cloth, and carefully picked), three-quarters of a pound of pow- dered loaf or fine brown sugar, one pound of sweet beef suet (chopped moderately fine), half a pound of beef mar- row (cut up small) — if beef marrow cannot be obtained use another half pound of chopped suet; eight ounces of candied peel — citron, lemon, and orange mixed — (sliced very thin), two ounces of ground or finely chopped sweet almonds, five ounces of flour, and five ounces of fine bread crumbs. Add a grated nutmeg, or half a stick of pow dered cinnamon, and a teaspoonful of salt, and mix the whole thoroughly with a little milk, a glass of brandy, and ten or twelve eggs (previously thoroughly beaten up together). It may then be either boiled in a well-floured cloth, or a pudding mold, tied up in a cloth. Put into a large saucepan full of boiling water, and let it boil fast for fully six hours — if in a mold one hour longer. Turn out carefully, cover the top with powdered sugar, deco- rate with a sprig of holly, and send to table very hot, with a little blazing brandy in the dish. Of course the holly and lighted brandy belong only to Christmas. Brandy sauce {see Receipt) usually accompanies Christmas plum pudding. 2. One pound and a half of finely-chopped beef suet, one pound of grated bread, one pound of well-washed currants, one pound of stoned raisins, one glass of brandy, half a nutmeg grated, a teaspoonful of salt, eight eggs, leaving out half the whites, a small quantity of 2o6 DOMESTTC COOKER V. loaf sugar (in powder), and a few bitter almonds. Boil in a floured cloth for six hours. Serve as before. 3. Half a pound of potatoes, a quarter of a pound of carrots, well-boiled and worked through a colander, a tablespoonful of treacle, half a pound of currants, half a pound of raisins, quarter of a pound of moist sugar, quarter of a pound of suet, well chopped, four ounces of candied peel, a little grated nutmeg, and salt, half a pound of flour ; mix all together the night before wanted, and boil hard for four hours. 4. Take one pound of suet, chopped fine, one pound of grated bread, onQ pound of carrots (boiled and passed through a colander), one pound of raisins, stoned, half a pound of currants, the rind of half a lemon shred as fine as possible, four eggs, a glass of brandy, a little grated nutmeg and salt, and as much milk as will make it a proper consistence ; boil it nine hours, and serve as be- fore. 5. Take half a pound of grated bread or flour, half a pound of suet, three ounces of brown sugar, half a pound of currants, half a pound of raisins, a wineglass of brandy, the yolks of five eggs and whites of two, one nutmeg grated ; a little salt ; candied peel to taste. Mix well and boil four hours. 6. Take half a pound of suet, chopped fine, half a pound of grated bread, half a pound of raisins, stoned; half a pound of currants, the yolks of three eggs, and the whites of two, a little nutmeg, two spoonfuls of sugar, and a salt-spoonful of salt. Boil six hours; serve as before. 7. Take one pound of fresh beef suet, finely minced, add a pound of raisins (stoned and chopped), the same weight of currants (well washed, dried and picked), half a pound of flour, half a pound of grated bread, the peel of a lemon grated, half a nutmeg, grated, eight eggs well beaten, six ounces of candied citron, lemon, and orange peel, half a pound of brown sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 207 a glass of brandy, and a teacupful of cream or milk; mix all these ingredients well together, put them into a floured cloth, and boil for about seven hours, taking care that it does not stop boiling during that time, and keeping the vessel well filled up with boiling water as it wastes; be- fore serving, strew powdered loaf-sugar over it. Serve with brandy sauce {see receipt). Baked Plum Pudding. Scald a French roll in boiling milk, when the bread has become well soaked, drain off what milk remains, and, with a silver spoon, beat the bread to a pap, to which add a quarter of a pound of well cleaned currants, a quarter of a pound of melted butter, a little lemon- peel and nutmeg, grated, a few blanched sweet almonds (chopped line), and the yolks of four eggs well beaten, and sweeten to palate; mix all well together, potir into a buttered pie-dish, and bake for half an hour. This pudding is better eaten cold. Family Plum Pudding. Take a pound of flour, half a pound of beef suet, minced fine, half a pound of well washed currants, the rind of half a lemon grated, a few bitter almonds, grated, a little nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and an ounce of brown sugar; mix all these ingredients well together with four eggs, well beaten, and a little milk; pour into a buttered pie-dish or tin, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. When done, turn it out, and strew it over with powdered lump sugar. Mince-Meat Pudding. Slice up a stale savoy cake, and fill up a pudding mold with it and mince-meat made thus: — Mince separately, very finely, two pounds of kidney beef suet, a 2o8 DOMESTIC COOKERY. quarter of a pound of mixed candied peel, half a pound of cooked beef — very lean — and two pounds of apples. Put all these things into a pan with two pounds of fine currants (washed, dried, and picked), a pound of raisins (stoned and chopped fine), a pound of moist sugar, and an ounce of mixed spice. Mix well together, and then add a gill of lemon juice, and about half a bottle of brandy. Mix these thoroughly until the whole is wet, but firm; then put into jars, and cover over with bladders to keep them air-tight; a little cin- namon, or ginger, or a few cloves may be added at will, and the quantity of citron peel increased. In a week this is ready for use. When the mold is iuU pour in some custard; bake for about half an hour. Roly Poly Pudding. Roll out some pudding crust {see Paste), and cover one side with any jam, marmalade or mincemeat. Roll up till it is the same shape as a large sausage, and tie it up rather loose in a floured cloth, carefully securing the ends. Put on in boiling water, and boil for about two hours, or longer if the pudding is very large, and serve either whole or in slices, with sweet sauce {see receipt). A variation of this pudding is to substitute raisins and sugar for the jam or marmalade. Lemon Dumplings. Chop fine four ounces of suet, and mix with eight ounces of bread-crumbs, four ounces of brown sugar, and the grated or finely-minced rind of a lemon. Mix thoroughly, add the juice of the lemon, strain through muslin; then add two beaten eggs, stir until the whole is amalgamated, then put into small buttered tins or cups, tie over, and boil fast for nearly an hour. Serve with powdered sugar and wine sauce {see receipt). DOMESTIC COOKERY. 209 Apple Dumplings. Peel and core half a dozen large apples, sugar to taste, cover each of them with crust, tie in floured cloths, and boil for about three quarters of an hour. Take off the cloths and serve hot. These may be baked, by put- ting them into a baking-dish or tin, without cloths, and baking in a moderately hot oven for thirty to forty minutes, or even longer if the apples be large. Currant Dumplings. Take six or seven ounces of finely-chopped suet, and mix it with a pound of flour ; clean three-quarters of a pound of currants, and add to the flour and suet, then make the whole in a soft dough with milk (water will do, but milk is far better); divide this quantity into about eight dumplings, drop them into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil hard for about forty minutes ; shake the saucepan now and then to prevent them sticking. They may also be tied up in cloths, and will then require more than an hour's boiling. Egg Pudding. Mix together thoroughly the yolks of eight, and the whites of three eggs, well beaten, half a pint of rich cream, half a pound of good brown sugar, a little flour, a little grated nutmeg, and a glass of brandy ; melt half a pound of butter, add the above to it when nearly cold, and put the whole into a dish lined with puff paste ; bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes. Plain Custard. This very agreeable accompaniment to fruit tarts is made thus : Boil in a quart of milk, a bit of cinnamon, 2IO DOMESTIC COOKERY. lemon peel, and grated nutmeg; when this is nearly cold, strain, and mix with it a tablespoonful of flour, the yolks of eight, and the whites of four eggs, well beaten ; boil in a buttered basin for half an hour. A better way is to add a few ounces of sugar to the mixture, and bake in a very slow oven for half an hour. You may flavor with bitter almonds instead of lemon, and by using part cream, and increasing the number of eggs, enrich the custard. Another and Simpler Mode is to mix a quart of new milk with eight eggs well beaten, strain through a hair sieve, and sweeten to taste ; add a quarter of a saltspoonful of salt, and pour the custard into a deep dish, with or without a lining or rim of paste ; grate cinnamon or nutmeg and lemon-peel over the top ; and bake in a very slow oven thirty minutes, or even longer, should it not be firm in the center. A custard, well made and properly baked, will appear quite smooth when cut, and there will be no whey at the bottom. Custard Pudding. Butter and pepper a mold, and put in, broken in pieces, the remains of any kind of pudding, such as plum, cabinet, or college, fill up with custard, and bake for about half an hour. College Pudding Chop very fine half a pound of beef suet — beef mar- row is better — and add to it half a pound of well-cleaned currants, four ounces of bread-crumbs, three well-beaten eggs, a little nutmeg and salt. Add half a glass of brandy, and sufficient milk to reduce the whole to a prop- er consistency ; put into small molds or cups, bake for about half an hour, and serve with wine sauce {see receipt). DO MESTIC COOKER Y. 211 Cabinet Pudding. The best way to make this favorite pudding is to butter the inside of a round basin or mold, and stick about it some dried ciierries, or raisins, then about three parts fill the mould with sponge cake, interspersing a few ratafias, over which sprinkle a glass of brandy. Then have ready the following custard : boil a pint of milk, in which infuse the rind of two lemons, cut thin, in a basin ; have six whole eggs, which well whisk, with a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and add the milk by degrees ; pass through a strainer and fill up the basin or mold, round the edge of which place a band of buttered paper ; have a convenient-sized stew- pan, with about two inches in depth of boiling water, place in your pudding, cover a sheet of paper over, and let simmer gently over the fire, keeping the stew-pan covered until the pudding becomes quite firm, when serve thus : take out, detach the paper, and turn from the mold over upon a dish ; have ready the following sauce : put half a pint of melted butter into a stew-pan, into which stir the yolks of two eggs, and add a glassful of brandy, with the juice of a lemon, and sufficient sugar to sweeten it ; stir over the fire until it becomes a little thick, when pass it through a strainer ; sauce over the pudding, and serve. Many persons prefer the sauce served separately in a tureen. Fig Pudding. Chop very fine half a pound of good figs and six ounces of beef suet; mix the latter with twelve ounces of grated bread crumbs, then add the figs, six ounces of moist sugar, and a little nutmeg; bind the whole well with an ^%%, and add a gill of good milk or cream. Boil in a mold for about four hours, and serve with sweet sauce {see receipt). 212 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Ginger Pudding, Mix over the fire half a pound of flour and the same quantity of butter; pour in gradually a quart of boiling milk; when thoroughly amalgamated, put in half a pound of shredded preserved ginger, and the yolks of six or eight eggs, previously well beaten. Mix well, and let it stand; then whisk the whites until very stiff, add them lightly, put into a buttered and papered mold, and bake in a slow oven for nearly two hours. Citron Pudding. Line a pie-dish with puff-paste {see receipt), and put into it — previously well mixed together — the yolks of seven eggs well beaten, a quart of good milk — cream is better — two tablespoonfuls of flour, half a pound of pow- dered loaf-sugar, a little nutmeg, half a pound or more of candied citron peel, sliced very thin and then cut small, and a glass of any liqueur or brandy. Bake in a slow oven. This pudding is delicious. Castle Pudding. Take six ounces each of fresh butter, flour, and pow- dered loaf-sugar. Let the butter half melt before the fire, then beat it into a cream. Then beat the yolks and whites of three new-laid eggs separate and then together for fully a quarter of an hour. Mix the butter and eggs together, add the sugar, and then the flour by degrees; flavor with a little grated nutmeg and lemon peel. Lightly butter half a dozen cups, divide the mixtvre be- tween them, and bake for half an hour in a slow oven; turn them out and serve with powdered sugar. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 213 Jenny Lind's Pudding. Take the half of a stale loaf, and grate the crumb ; butter a pie-dish well and put in a thick layer of the crumbs ; pare and slice ten or twelve apples, and put a layer of them and sugar ; then crumbs alternately, until the dish is full ; put a bit of butter on the top, and bake it in a slow oven. Lemon Pudding. Take four fine lemons, and boil them in water until quite soft, keeping them closely covered the whole time, take out the pips, and pound the lemons to a paste ; then add half a pound of loaf sugar, finely pow- dered, half a pound of fresh butter beaten to a cream, and the yolks of six eggs well beaten ; mix these well together, and bake it in a tin lined with puff paste ; be- fore serving, turn it out, and cover the top with sifted lump sugar. Orange Pudding. Mix well together the yolks of nine and the whites of five eggs, six tablespoonfuls of orange marmalade, half a pound of powdered lump sugar, and the same weight of melted butter ; six tablespoonfuls of grated bread, and half a pint of cream ; bake in a dish lined and edged with puff paste. Add a little ratafia or brandy when put into the dish. Marrow Pudding. Take the crumb of a French roll, and pour over it three pints of boiling milk ; cover closely for an hour; then add to it a pound of beef marrow cut into small bits, half a pound of raisins stoned, the same quantity of currants, well washed and dried, twelve eggs well beaten and a little salt, grated nutmeg and lemon peel; mix well all these ingredients with the bread and 214 DOMESTIC COOKERY. milk, sweeten with brown sugar, and bake tor half an hour in a slow oven. The dish may be lined or not with puff paste, as approved. A small glass of liqueur or brandy may be added when the pudding is well mixed. Instead of bread many persons use stale cake; and they also substitute candied peel for the raisins. Rhubarb Pudding. Take some fine sticks of rhubarb ; peel and cut small sufficient to weigh about a pound or a pound and a quart- er, which put into a clean saucepan with eight or ten ounces of sugar, the rind of one lemon, grated, the juice, and half a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon. Place the whole on the fire, and stir it occasionally at first, but constantly at last, until reduced to a sort of marmalade ; take it from the fire, and pass through a hair sieve into a basin, mix with it about an ounce or two of fresh butter, or cream. Line a pie dish with puff paste ; let it be thin at the bottom, but thick on the edge. When the prepara- tion is cold, fill the dish with the rhubarb, and bake in a moderate oven until the paste is sufficiently done. Muffin Pudding. Cut into very thin slices six stale muffins, lay them in a deep dish, and pour over them half a pint of brandy ; soak. Simmer half a pint of cream (or good milk), with a stick of cinnamon, the grated peel of a large lemon, and four ounces of lump sugar, for ten minutes ; then take it off and keep stirring until cold. Mix it by degrees with the yolks of eight eggs, well beaten. But- ter a plain mold, and line it with the muffins, the crusty sides outwards. Fill up the mold with alternate layers of dried cherries or other fruit, and the crumb of the muf- fin. Flavor the custard with orange-flower water, vanilla, lemon, or any other favorite essence, and pour it into the DOMESTIC COOKERY. 215 mold. Keep the mold upright by setting it in bran until the custard has soaked in. Bake half an hour in a moderate oven and serve hot. Almond Pudding. Reduce to powder, or paste, six ounces of sweet al- monds ; take six ounces of powdered white sugar, a tea- spoonful of lemon-peel grated, a few drops of essence of lemon, and eight eggs, omitting two of the whites. Beat up the eggs well, and then mix in the other ingredients, beating the whole for a full hour, and always one way ; when the oven is ready, oil the dish with salad oil, and set the pudding into the oven the minute it is made. This pudding must be beaten for fully the time specified. Bread and Butter Pudding. Lay into the bottom of a mold, or pie-dish, well but- tered, some thin slices of a French roll, buttered (many persons prefer stale bread), strew over them a layer of well washed currants, and so on alternately, until the shape is half filled; then add half a pint of currant wine, or, if not at hand, brandy or rum; let this stand for about an hour, and then pour over it a quart of good milk, in which six eggs have been beaten, a little grated nutmeg, and sugar: boil or bake in a very slow oven two hours, (or until quite done), and serve with wine sauce {see re- ceipt). Tapioca Pudding. Soak three tablespoonfuls of tapioca for an hour in warm water; then strain, and mix it with the yolks of six, and the whites of three eggs, well beaten, three pints of good milk, a little grated nutmeg, lemon peel, and a glass of sherry; sweeten to taste; bake in a buttered pie- dish lined with puflf-paste {see receipt). 2i6 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Sago Pudding. Take two heaped tablespoonfuls of well-washed sago, and boil it in a pint of milk (water will do), with a little grated lemon peel, and cinnamon; when rather thick, add as much sherry and sugar as necessary; then beat the yolks of five, and the whites of two eggs, and mix to- gether; pour tiie whole into a pie dish lined with puff- paste, and bake about forty minutes. Arrowroot Pudding. Mix to a smooth paste a heaped tablespoonful of ar- rowroot in a little milk. Then boil a quart of milk, pour it over the arrowroot, and let it get cool, when add the yolks of three eggs, well beaten, three ounces of pow- dered loaf sugar, and two ounces of butter, broken into small bits; flavor with a little nutmeg or cinnamon. When well mixed, turn into a buttered dish lined with pufif-paste, and bake for about a quarter of an hour. Souffle Rice Pudding. Take two ounces of rice, washed and dried; put into a stewpan with nearly a pint of milk, an ounce of butter, half the rind of a lemon, free from pith, a little salt, and a spoonful of powdered sugar; set upon the fire until boiling, when draw it away and let simmer very gently until the rice is quite tender, when take it from the fire, and beat well with a wooden spoon until forming a smooth paste; add the yolks of four eggs, mixed well; pour the whites of the eggs into a bowl, whisk them until very stiff, and mix with the preparation: have ready, but- tered lightly, a deep pie-dish, pour in the mixture, and about a quarter of an hour before ready to serve, place it in a moderate oven, serving the moment you take it from the oven. Souffle of ground rice is made the same DOMESTIC COOKERY. 217 CIS the above, the rice, however, not requirinc^ so long to simmer as when whole. As also are souffles of tapioca, semolina, vermicelli, £;c., changing their flavors accord- ing to taste, using vanilla, lemon, orange, orange-flower water, or a small quantity of any description of liqueur. A few currants, or any sort of light preserve or jam, may also be mixed Vvith any of the preparations, or laid at the bottom of the dish, which greatly improves the appearance and flavor of the pudding. Boiled Rice Pudding. Take half a pound of well-cleaned rice and boil it till tender in water, then put into a basin, and stir into it four ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, some nut- meg and lemon peel grated, work the whole well to- gether, adding a pound of well washed and cleaned cur- rants; when the whole is thoroughly mixed, put it into a pudding-cloth, and boil for two hours; serve with wine sauce {see receipt). Ground Rice Pudding. Take a quarter of a pound of ground rice and mix it in a pint of boiling milk, and let it boil up for several minutes, stirring continually; then add a quarter of a pound of butter; when nearly cold sweeten it to taste; add the yolks of six and the whites of three eggs, well beaten, a little orange-flower water, or other flavoring, a little grated nutmeg, and a small glass of brandy, or liquor; bake in a Dutch oven, or brown with a sala- mander. Baked Rice Pudding. Take a quarter of a pound of well washed rice, and let it simmer over a slow fire in a quart of milk, with a stick of cinnamon, or a few bitter almonds, till the milk 10 2i8 DOMESTIC COOKERY. begins to thicken; then take it off, and when a little cool stir in a good sized piece of butter, a quarter of a pound of good brown sugar; the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, should be poured over the top, when all the other ingredients are well mixed; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake for twenty minutes in a slow oven. Plain Eaked Eice Pudding. "Wash a quarter of a pound of rice thoroughly and let it swell in a quart of hot milk; then add two or three eggs well beaten, sugar to taste, and a little nutmeg. Bake in a slow oven. A very good rice pudding vatij hQ mSidQ without the eggs, by simply placing rice and sugar in sufficient milk, and baking gradually in a slow oven. The rice will then swell and take up all the milk. Pro- portions — a quarter of a pound to a quart or three pints of milk. Treacle Pudding. Take one teaspoonful of molasses, about two ounces of minced suet, three tablespoonfuls of Indian meal. Scald the meal with boiling water or milk, mix it quite thin; when nearly cold, add four eggs well beaten. It requires three hours' boiling in a floured cloth. Baked Indian Meal Pudding is made thus: — Boil a quart of milk, and while boiling, stir in seven spoonfuls of Indian meal, mix it quite thin; when it is moderately warm, add a tea-cupful of treacle, a little grated ginger and salt, four eggs, a lump of but- ter the size of an &g§,. Bake in a moderate oven till quite firm. Rice and Fruit Pudding. Take half a pound of well washed and dried rice, put DOMESTIC COOKERY. 219 it into a deep dish, just moisten it with milk, and set it into a gentle oven; add milk to it at intervals, in small quantities, until the grain is swollen to its full size, and is tender, but very dry; then mix with it two dessert- spoonfuls of powdered sugar, and live tablespoonfuls of rich cream. Fill a tart-dish almost to the brim with fruit properly sugared, heap the rice equally over it, leaving it rough, and bake it in a moderate oven for half an hour. If the fruit be of a kind to require a longer time it must be half stewed Avith the sugar put into the dish. Fresh Fruit Puddings. Use good crust, about half an inch thick, and well sweeten the fruit. Stone fruits, such as greengages, plums, damsons, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and even cherries, are improved by cutting in halves, taking the stones, and adding the kernels to the pudding. In any case, carefully wipe off the bloom, stalks, &c., and reject all the unsound fruit. Currants, raspberries, black- berries, gooseberries, &c., must be carefully picked, so that no stalks, mold, &c., go into the pudding. Sugar must be added to these pies according to taste, and the nature of the fruit. A little whipped cream, just flavored with cinnamon or vanilla, is an excellent addition. They must always be boiled in a basin — tied in a floured cloth — and put into boiling water. The time of boiling depends entirely upon the size of the pudding and the kind of fruit used. Boiled Apple Pudding. Line a buttered basin with a good crust, slice up sufficient apples (peeled and cored) to fill it, adding from time to time, sugar, an occasional clove and a shred of lemon-peel. When full add nearly a wine-glassful of lemon-juice (strained), and cover over with the crust; join up well that no water gets in, and tie up tight in a 2 20 DOMESTIC COOKERY. floured cloth — previously wrung out of boiling water. Put on in a large pan of boiling water; and boil fast and continuously for fully two hours. You may boil in a cloth without the basin, but it is not so good. Anotker Mode is to cliop a pound of apples (peeled and cored) very fine, add them to half a pound of minced suet, half a pound of washed currants, half a pound of grated bread, and a few minced almonds. Add six ounces of moist sugar, and a little grated nutmeg, bind the v^^hole with six yolks and four whites of eggs, mix thoroughly, add a glass of brandy, put into a buttered mold, tie over with a floured cloth, and boilfor four hours. Baked Apple Pudding. Pare, core, and cut up small, a dozen large-sized apples, put them in a stewpan with just enough water to save them from burning; when stewed to a pulp, add three ounces of butter, melted, sugar to taste — say a quarter of a pound — and three eggs well beaten. Beat tlie whole together for a few minutes; strew some fine breadcrumbs over the bottom of a well-buttered pie dish, put in the apple; cover with more bread crumbs; cut half an ounce of butter into little bits and put them about the top; bake in a moderate oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes. A little lemon peel, or a clove or two, improves the flavor. Presh Fruit Pies. Do not line the dish with paste, but put a strip round the edge of the dish to fasten the cover to. Always use good puff-paste {see receipt). Invert a small cup in the center of the pic-dish, and heap up the fruit (for remarks upon fruit see Fresh Fruit Puddings), use plenty of sugar, and, if liked, a little whipped cream, flavored with va- DOMESTIC COOKERY. 221 nilla or cinnamon. We are told that a large quantity of the free acid which exists in rhubarb, gooseberries, currants, and other fruits, may be judiciously corrected by the use of a small quantity of carbonate of soda, with- out in the least affecting their flavor, so long as too much soda is not added. To an ordinary-sized pie or pudding as much soda may be added as will cover a shilling, or even twice such a quantity if the fruit is very sour. If this little hint is attended to, many a stomach-ache will be prevented, and sugar saved; because, when the acid is neutralized by the soda, it will not require so much sugar to render the sour sweet. Some of the most favorite pies are red currant and raspberry, gooseberry and rhu- barb, apple and rhubarb, currant and cherry, plum, greengage, and damson. Rhubarb Pie. Take some fine rhubarb, strip off the skins, and cut the sticks into inch pieces ; fill a large dish with them, cover with sugar, and flavor with lemon-juice and peel, cinnamon or vanilla. Put this in tiie oven, and when considerably shrunk, put into a smaller dish, add more sugar and flavoring, if required, cover with a good crust and bake for about half an hour. Apple Tart. Take two dozen fine apples, peel, core, and slice them; put the slices into a dish with strips of lemon-peel, a few cloves, and a little grated nutmeg or cinnamon ; build the apples up in a dome to the center of your dish, and cover over with fully half a pound of powdered sugar; make a band of paste half an inch in thickness, lay it round the rim of the dish ; roll out the cover (puff- paste) to the thickness of a quarter of an inch, cover over, egg the top over, and place in a moderate oven to bake, 222 DOMESTIC COOKERY. which will take abotit an hour ; just before taking from the oven, sift a little white sugar over. Pumpkin Pie. Cut into small thin slices, and fill a pie-dish with, a ripe pumpkin (previously skinned, halved, and the seeds and fluffy part removed) ; add a salt-spoonful of ground pimento, and a table-spoonful of sugar, with a small quantity of water. Cover witli paste, and bake in the ordinary way. It is much enriched when eaten by ad- ding clotted cream and sugar. An equal quantity of apples with the pumpkin improves it. CETTST FOE PUDDINGS AND PIES. Puff-Paste. Put one pound of flour upon your pastry slab, make a hole in the center, in which put the yolk of one ^^^ and the juice of a lemon, with a pinch of salt, mix it with cold water (iced in summer, if convenient) into a softish flexible paste ; with the right hand dry it off with a little flour until you have cleared the paste from the slab, but do not work it more than you can possibly help, let re- main two minutes upon the slab ; then have a pound of fresh butter from which you have squeezed all the butter- milk in a cloth, bringing it to the same consistency as the paste, upon which place it; press it out with the hand, then fold the paste in three so as to hide the butter, and roll it witli the rolling-pin to the thickness of a quar- ter of an inch, thus making it about two feet in length ; fold over one third, over which again pass the rolling- pin ; then fold over the other third, thus forming a square; place it with the end stop and bottom before you. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 223 shaking a little flour both under and over, and repeat the rolls and turns twice again as before ; flour a baking sheet, upon which lay it, upon ice or in some cool place (but in summer it would be almost impossible to make this paste well without ice) for half an hour, then roll twice more, turning it as before, place again upon the ice a quarter of an hour, give it two more rolls, making seven in all, and it is ready for use when required, roll- ing it to whatever thickness, according to what you in- tend making. Half Puff- Paste. This is excellent for all fruit tarts. Eight or ten ounces of butter must beallowed to every pound of flour; G^^ and lemon juice as above. Three or four times roll- ing will suffice. It must stand in a cool place for twenty minutes before using. Suet Puff-Paste. is made exactly as with butter, preparing the suet thus : for every pound of flour take a pound of kidney beef suet ; chop it very fine, and remove ail skin, &c. Pound in a mortar — ^just moisten with butter or oil from time to time — until the whole sticks together, and is quite smooth and of the consistency of butter. Short Paste. Rub into a pound of flour eight ounces of butter, and about a couple of ounces of fineiy-sifted sugar; take the yolks of two good large eggs and beat in about a gill of milk; mix these with the flour and butter into a very smooth paste; roll this out two or three times, put in a cool place for a little while, and it is ready for use. 224 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Commoa Paste. Rub eight ounces of fresh butter well into twenty ounces of tiour; make this into a smooth paste with water — say one-third to half a pint — roll out twice or thrice and use. By adding to the flour two or three ounces of finely-powdered sugar (before the water, but after the butter), this paste is made very suitable for fruit tarts, &c. Pudding Crust. Chop very fine six ounces of beef suet, and rub well into one pound of flour; add graduall}'- sufficient water — say half a pint — to make this into a smooth paste, roll out twice, and use. Eight or even ten ounces of suet may be used for richer crusts. Dripping Crust. Clarify your dripping (beef is best) by boiling it over a slow fire for a few minutes, and skimming carefully; then take it up, let it cool a little, and then pass through muslin, and put away in jars in a cool place for use. Make into a smooth paste one pound of flour and half a pint of water; break six ounces of this clarified drip- ping into small pieces, and roll out the paste a few times, adding the dripping, by putting it on the crust, by de- grees. The addition of two or three ounces of sugar makes this into a fairly good fruit-pie crust. Dripping from roast beef and mutton may be used for ordinary crusts without clarifying. Keep each sort of dripping in a separate jar. Marmalade pots do very well for this purpose; and when the dripping is quite cold and set, they may be covered over with paper till needed for use. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 225- PASTKY, JELLIES, CREAMS, &c» Vol-au-Vent. This is, well done, the triumph of the pastry-cook's art. It must, however, be baked in a very hot oven, or it will not be strong enougli to stand upright. The best plan, therefore, is to obtain the standing puff-crust hot from your pastry-cook. Anything may be put into a A'ol-au-vent — meat, poultry, game, fish, fruit, or preserve. "With your paste-crust ready baked, you can fill it with whatever you please. Cover over, and serve either cold or hot ; if the latter put the whole into a gentle oven and warm up. Open Fruit Tarts. Line the inside of a shallow tart-dish with puff-paste {see receipt), ornament the edges, fill the middle Avith any kind of fresh or preserved fruit, jam, marmalade, or stewed fruils, or roll out very thin a little of tlie paste, and ornament the fruit with paste leaves, piping, &c. Strawberry Tartlets, Take a pint of fine fresh strawberries, remove the stalks, and pass them through a coarse sieve ; add a quarter of a pound of powdered and sifted loaf sugar ; whisk thorouglily eight fresh eggs, and mix witii the sugar and fruit. Then line some patty-pans with fine puff-paste, and put in the center of each a little of the fruit, leaving space all round for the paste to rise. Bake in a brisk oven for about ten minutes. Raspberries, blackberries, or red-ripe gooseberries may be treated in the same way. Sausage Rolls. Take delicate young pork in the proportion of two- 10* 226 DOMESTIC COOKERY. thirds lean to one-third fat ; chop very fine, and well season with pepper, salt, and spices, add a small quantity of sage, or basil, use water in chopping the meat, or a little soalced bread. Roll out puff-paste into square pieces (four or five inches), lay a roll of meat in the center, lengthways ; fold them in two ; join the edges ; and wash with Q'g'^;,. Bake in a brisk oven. Sausage rolls may also be made in the same manner, with ordi- nary Epping sausages — not beef, which are insipid when thus served. Cheese-Cakes. Pass through a fine sieve twelve ounces of cheese curd, and mix into a perfectly smooth paste with six ounces of fresh butter; add two ounces of almonds (a few bitter ones), four ounces of sifted sugar, four eggs (well beaten), leaving out two of the whites, three tablespoon- fuls of cream, two of brandy, a little mace or nutmeg, and if candied peel and currants are liked, two ounces of the former and three of the latter. Bake in patty-pans, lined with puff -paste, for twenty minutes. Be careful to leave a margin of paste all round the mixture. Cheese-Cakes (another way). Take a pound and a half of powdered loaf sugar; add the yolks of nine, and the whites of six eggs, well beaten, the juice of four lemons, the rind of two grated, and half a pound of fresh butter; put all these in- gredients into a saucepan, stirring gently over a slow fire, until of the consistence of honey; pour it into small jars, and when cold it is fit for use. A little sliced citron peel is an improvement. Line your patty-pans with puff- paste, put a little of this mixture in the middle of each, and bake in a hot oven. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 227 Lemon Cheese-Cakes. Pound in a mortar eight ounces of sweet almonds pre- viously blanched; add to them the grated rind of two lemons, half a pound of broken lamp sugar, the same weight of melted butter when nearly cold, and the yolks of eight and the wliites of four eggs well beaten; mix all the ingredients well together, and put into patty-pans lined with puff-paste. Bake in a moderately hot oven. Orange Cheese-Cakes. Substitute orange-peel for lemon-peel; proceed as for lemon cheese-cakes. Almond Cheese-Cakes. Blanch and pound in a mortar a pound and a half of sweet and twenty bitter almonds, add the yolks of twelve and the whites of six eggs, well beaten, a pound and a quarter of loaf sugar, in powder, a pound and a half of melted butter nearly cold, a nutmeg, grated, and the peel of two lemons, grated, two wineglassfuls of orange- flower water, and a little brandy. Of course less may be made, preserving the proportions. Mix well together and bake as before. Puffs. Roll out rather thin some fine puff-paste {see receipt), and cut it into round pieces; put in the center of each some raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry, apricot, green- gage, plum, damson, or any other jam, orange or lemon marmalade, or fresh fruit prepared as for tartlets (which see), fold up the sides so as to form a three-cornered puff; turn it over, notch the edges with a knife, and ice them — by first washing over with the white of an Q^ig 228 DOMESTIC COOKERY. that has been whisked to a froth; then dust well with finely-powdered loaf sugar, and with a brush just sprinkle with clean water, to moisten the sugar. Bake in a brisk oven for twelve or fifteen minutes. Mince-Pies. Line your patty-pans with puff-paste (i-(?^ receipt), put a little mince meal {see receipt), into the center of each, cover with paste and bake in a very hot oven for a few minutes. A little more brandy or sherry should be added when the pies are made. Apple Fritters. Cut the apples (peeled) into rather thick slices, breadthwise, and cut out the core; put the slices into a batter made of the whites of two eggs, well whisked, six ounces of flour, a bit of butter, and sufiicient milk to make it rather tliin; wliei;i this is quite smooth, add a small pinch of salt. Fry in boiling dripping or lard ; as they are done drain them in front of the fire on blotting paper, or a sieve; serve very hot, with powdered loaf sugar. If the sliced apples are soaked for some hours in a little sherry, sugar, and lemon juice the taste and aroma are greatly enhanced. Currant Fritters. Take a tumbler of new milk, make a smooth batter with two tablespoonfuls of flour; put to tlie batter four eggs, well beaten, three heaped tablespoonfuls of boiled rice, sugar and nutmeg to taste, and about two or three tablespoonfuls of fine grocers' currants, well washed, dried, and picked; mix Vv'ell together, and this should be a firm, smooth batter. Divide this quantity into about eight or ten fritters; fry for about ten minutes, or less. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 229 in boiling lard or dripping; drain and serve as for apple fritters. Arrowroot, tapioca, or sago may be used in place of the rice for variety. Apricot Fritters. It is better that the frait should not be too ripe. Cut in two as many apricots as you may require, and having taken out the stones, let them soak for an hour in sherry or brandy, with a little sugar and the juice of a lemon; drain them, dip them in batter, as for apple fritters (which see), and fry to a good color. Before serving, powder them well with white sugar. All stone fruit fritters are made by this receipt. Cream Fritters. Take a handful of flour, the yolks of eight and the whites of three eggs, well beaten, four macaroons, bruised, a little candied lemon or citron peel, cut very fine, half a pint of good cream, the same quantity of milk, and a large lump of sugar; let the whole boil over a slow fire for a quarter of an hour, until the cream has become of the consistence of thick paste; cool it on a floured dish, dredging flour over; when the paste is quite cool, cut it into small pieces, roll them in your hands to a round form, and fry of a good color; when served, pow- der with fine sugar. . Almond Fritters. Take a pound of sweet almonds, blanch them; pour over them four tablespoonfuls of orange flower-water, and in a short time after a pint and a half of cream; let them stand for two hours and a lialf, and then pound them to a paste; add the yolks of nine eggs, well beaten, 230 DOMESTIC COOKERY. a few Naples biscuits, pounded sugar to taste, and mix well together; fr)- in butter to a good color; serve with powdered sugar over the top. Calf's Foot Jelly. Take a calf's foot, cut it up small, and put in a stew- pan with three pints of cold water; directly it boils up, move to the side of the fire; simmer these gently for fully five hours, keeping it well skimmed; pass this through a fine hair sieve, put in a cold place, and when quite firm, carefully take off anything there may be on the surface. Have ready a delicately clean stewpan, put into it two tablespoonfuls of cold water, the same quan- tity of pale sherry, the peel of a lemon, cut very thin, the juice of two lemons, the whites and broken shells of two large or three small eggs, and eight ounces of pow- dered loaf sugar; beat these well together until the sugar is quite dissolved, when add the jelly; whisk this over the fire until it boils, then pass it twice or thrice through a jelly bag, and put aside for use. Isinglass Jelly. Put a quart of cold water into a pan, add an ounce and a half of either isinglass or gelatine, and boil until reduced to one pint; pass through a bag as above, sweeten, flavor, and color according to taste. Many Jellies are made from one or other of these stocks. For liqueur or punch jelly a wine-glass to the pint will be found fla- vor enougii. Any kind of fruit jelly may be made by pouring a little jelly into a mold and letting it set, then putting a layer of strawberries, slices of peach, nectarine, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 231 &c., then more jelly, allow that to set, then more fruit, and so on till the mold is full. A mere flavoring — such as lemon, vanilla, orange-flower water, &c., is suffKuent to make either of these plain jellies very tasty and pretty. A few drops of prepared liquid cochineal is nearly all that is required for coloring. (For other jellies see " Sick Room C(jokcry.") Apple Jelly. This jelly is beautifully clear, firm, and delicious. Use ripe and juicy apples cut into quarters, put in a preserv- ing-pan and cover with water, let them simmer till they become a pulp, strain through a thick flannel bag all night, for each pint of juice add one pound of loaf sugar, with essence of lemon to flavor; boil for twenty minutes, put into pots and cover down tightly. Should the jelly not be firm when cold, reboil. Tapioca Jelly. Wash well four tablespoonfuls of tapioca, put it in sufficient cold water to cover it, and let it soak for four or five hours. Set a pint of cold water on the fire — when it boils, mash and stir up the tapioca that is in water, and mix it with the boiling water. Let the whole simmer gently, with a stick of cinnamon or mace. When thick and clear, mix a couple of tablespoonfuls of white sugar, with half a tablespoonfulof lemon-juice, and half aglass of pale sherry; stir it into the jelly; if not sweet enough, add more sugar, and turn the jelly into your mold; put aside to set; serve with a border of marmalade or jam. Orange Jelly. Take a dozen fine oranges, and two or three lemons ; peel eight oranges very finely, put the rinds into a basin, 232 DOMESTIC COOKERY. clarify a pound of loaf sugar, pass through a napkin into the basin (over the rind) while hot, and cover close- ly ; cut the oranges and lemons in halves, squeeze out all the juice through a hair sieve into another basin, and proceed to clarify it as follows ; wash well two sheets of vrhite blotting-paper in a basin of water, let well drain upon a sieve, bruise them in a mortar until forming quite a puree, take from the mortar and put into the basin with the juice, which mix well with it ; let it remain a quarter of an hour to settle, then pour it into your jelly-bag, pouring what runs through back again into the bag until it becomes as clear as spring water, strain the syrup again through a napkin, add the clarified juice, two ounces of dissolved isinglass, and a few drops of pre- pared liquid cochineal, to give an orange tint ; mix all well together, and pour into a mold ; when set and ready to serve, turn out by just dipping the mold in warm water, wiping quickly with a cloth, shaking the mold gently, turning over on a dish, and drawing the mold off quite straight. Lemon Jelly. Proceed precisely as directed for the orange jelly, using all lemon juice instead of orange, rather more syrup, and omitting the cochineal. A glass of very pale sherry or hock^improves this jelly. Red or Black Currant Jelly. Select fine ripe fruit and take away the stalks, &c. Put them in an earthenware jar, which put in a pan of boiling water, and in about forty or fifty minutes the juice will have been extracted; then strain them through a jelly-bag ; when cold add a pound of powdered loaf sugar to every pint of juice, mix well ; then boil for about thirty minutes, skimming carefully. Put into pots for use, covering down quite air-tight. The fruit, if DOMESTIC COOKERY. 233 boiled a little more, with some sugar, makes a tolerable jam. Blancmange. Take half an ounce of good isinglass and dissolve in a pint of new milk ; strain through muslin ; put it again on the fire, with the rind of half a lemon, pared very thin, and two ounces of loaf sugar, broken small ; let it simmer gently until well-flavored, then take out the lemon peel, and stir the milk to the beaten yolks of three fresli eggs ; pour the mixture back into the pan, and hold it over the fire, keeping it stirred until it begins to thicken ; put it into a deep basin, and keep it moved with a spoon, until nearly cold ; then pour it into the mold, which should have been laid in water. Tapioca Blancmange. Soak for about an hour in a pint of milk, eight ounces of tapioca ; then boil until very tender, sweeten to taste with powdered loaf sugar, and pour into a mold. This looks best if served with a litllc jam, or preserve, topped with Avhipped cream round it, and eaten witli it ; if flavored with vanilla, noyeau, lemon, &c., garnishing is unnecessary. Other Blancmanges only differ in flavor and sweetness, the regular propor- tion being half an ounce of isinglass and two ounces of powdered loaf sugar to every pint of milk. Proceed as for lemon blancmange, adding any flavoring preferred. Calf s foot jelly blancmajige is made in the proportion of six yolks to a pint of jelly. Beat the yolks well and add them to the jelly while warm : put the mixture on the fire, and beat well till on the point of boiling, then let it cool gradually, stirring all the time ; when nearly cold 234 DOMESTIC COOKERY. fill the mold. Flavor to taste. The various corn-flours make tolerable blancmanges. Samson Cheese. Take fine ripe fruit, and boil it in water, enough to cover it ; strain through a very coarse sieve ; and to each pound of pulp add a quarter of a pound (or more, accord- ing to taste) of powdered loaf sugar ; boil \antil it begins to candy at the sides, when pour it into your molds. Many sorts of fruit — especially plums, greengages, peaches, nectarines, and cherries — may be treated in the same manner. Apples require to be flavored with lemon juice and a little noyeau. Almond Eocher. This delightful sweetmeat is made thus: — Blanch and dry seven ounces of sweet and one ounce of bitter al- monds; chop them very fine, with four ounces of candied lemon and orange peel, and three of citron; then add two ounces of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, a small teaspoonful of mace and cinnamon mixed, and the whites of three large eggs, well beaten; mix well; roll into balls of the size of large marbles, and bake on wafer-paper twenty minutes in a moderate oven; they should be quite crisp, but not too deeply colored. Black-cap Apples. Peel, divide, and core several large apples, cover with powdered loaf sugar, and bake. Mix a wineglass full of sherry, the same of water, one clove, a little grated lemon peel, and sugar to taste. Boil gently, and strain over the apples when in the dish. Black the tops of each with a salamander or a hot shovel. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 235 Cup Custards. Put into a clean saucepan a quart of new milk, with a small stick of cinnamon, the rind of a lemon, cut very- thin, a few bitter almonds, or laurel leaves, and sugar to taste, — of course these flavorings are only matters of taste; beat the yolks of eight eggs with the whites of four, add a little milk, and strain. When the quart of milk boils, take it off the fire, and strain it; then stir the beaten eggs into it. Return the whole to the saucepan, and set it on the fire again, stirring constantly. Let it just come to the boiling point; then take off the fire, pour into a large jug and continue stirring till nearly cold. It should now be quite smooth and have the con- sistency of thick cream, and is ready for being poured into custard glasses. When the glasses are filled, grate a little nutmeg over them. Another Method is to put into your saucepan sufiicient new milk to fill a dozen of your custard glasses; set upon the fire until boiling, when add a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and the rind of two lemons, free from pith; place the lid upon the stevvpan, take from the fire, and let it stand ten minutes; have ready the yolks of eight eggs, well beaten; stir in the milk by degrees, pass through a strainer, and fill the cups; have ready upon the fire a large flat stewpan, containing water sufficient to cover the bottom two inches in depth, and just simmering, stand in the cups, and let remain gently simmering until the custards are quite firm, when take them out, let them re- main until cold, when wash the cups outside, and serve. Any kind of flavor may be introduced into the above. 236 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Coffee Custards are made thus: — Mix together half a pint of strong cof- fee, made as usual, add half a pint of thin cream or milk previously boiled, sweeten to palate, mix with the yolks of eggs, pass through a strainer, and proceed precisely as directed in the last receipt. Stone Cream. Take an ornamental dish, and put into it a few maca- roons, two or three tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, a little lemon peel, grated, and some jam — apricot, greengage, plum, or apple. Boil together a pint of cream, half an ounce of isinglass and some sugar; when nearly cold pour it on the jam, &c. This should be made a few hours before using, to allow the flavor of the jam and lemon- juice to permeate the biscuits and cream. Dessert Cream. Boil a quart of new milk, with grated nutmeg or cin- namon, two or three peach leaves, or a few bruised bitter almonds, and a sufficient quantity of sugar to sweeten it, then straining the cream, and when cold beating up with it the yolks of four eggs, and warming the whole over the fire until it thickens. This is eaten cold with fruit tarts, or wnth any fresh fruits at dessert. If half a pint of rich cream be used instead of the whole being of milk, it will be improved. Creme ''au Liqueur," or "aux Fruits." ' Take a pint of fresh cream, sugar to taste — say six ounces ; a heaped teaspoonful of powdered gum arable (dissolved in a little orange-flower water); a wine-glass DOMESTIC COOKERY. 237 of any liqueur, or the same quantity of fresh fruit juice ; whip tlie whole into a froth, and serve. Cream is 7vhipped with a whisk, and as tlie froth rises it is removed on to a clean sieve, and allowed to drain, and so on till all is firm froth. Serve either piled on a dish or in glasses. These creams should, if possible, be frozen to prevent the froth from fallinsf. Italian Cream. Take a pint of cream, sweeten to taste, boil it with the rind of a lemon, cut very thin, and a small stick of cinnamon ; strain and mix with it a little dissolved isin- glass ; while hot, add to it the yolks of eight eggs well beaten, and stir it till quite cold. Lemon Cream. Sweeten a pint of cream with sugar rubbed over the rind of two lemons, and as much more sugar, pounded, as may be necessary ; then adding juice of two lemons and the grated peel (very fine), whisk well, and serve the froth upon sponge biscuits dipped in wine. Raspberry Cream. Take one quart of cream, and six ounces of raspberry jam ; mix well, and rub through a very fine sieve (lawn is best), add the strained juice of a lemon, and powdered loaf sugar to taste ; whisk to a stiff froth, and serve heaped on a dish, in a shape or in glasses. Strawberry^ gooseberry, and many other jatns may be used instead of the raspberry. Solid Cream. Take a pint of cream, and mix with it two ounces of pounded loaf sugar, the juice of a lemon, and a glass of 23$ DOMESTIC COOKERY. any liqueur, brandy, or rum ; work them well together by pouring for some time from one jug to another. Serve in glasses. Solid Fruit Creams. Boil apples, apricots, peaches, or plums in a very light syrup of sugar and water, — after coring and peel- ing, or stoning — until they are sufficiently soft to press the pulp through a sieve ; then sweeten, and beat up with the whites of eggs which have been well whiskedy and serve on a dish with cream round. Colored Creams. If it is required to give color to any of these creams, put the carmine, annatto, or whatever color it may be in a bag, and putting it into boiling water, squeeze out the color in the same way as with a blue-bag; filter the liquid, and add it to the cream before whisking, until the desired tint is obtained. All creams to be eaten cold are much improved by being frozen. An immense variety of colors and flavors are given in many of the cookery books, but the receipts given above will be found amply sufficient for all purposes. Trifle. A very excellent trifle may be made thus : — Take two ounces of blanched sweet almonds, and one ounce of blanched bitter almonds ; pound them to a smooth paste, adding a little rose water ; take two lemons, grate the peels, and squeeze the juice into a saucer ; break small and mix with the almonds, four small sponge cakes, or Naples biscuits, and eight or more macaroons. Lay the mixture at the bottom of a glass bowl ; grate a nutmeg over this, and throw in the grated peel and strained juice DOMESTIC COOKERY, 239 of the lemons ; to tlie wliole add half a pint of sherry mixed with a gill of brandy and half a gill of rum, and let the mixture remain until the cakes are dissolved, when it may be stirred a little ; to a quart of cream, add a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and a glass of noyeau, and beat with a whisk till it stands alone ; as the froth rises, take it off with a spoon, and lay it on a sieve, with a large dish under it, to drain ; then take the cream that has drained into the dish, and pour it back in- to the pan with the rest, beat over again, until it is all froth ; this being done, set the cream in a cool place ; have now a pint of rich baked custard, cold, and pour it into the bowl upon the dissolved cakes, and when the cream is cold, put that in also, heaping it high in the cen- ter ; a layer of fruit jelly, or preserved fruit, may be put in between the custard and the frothed cream. Spirits should always be used in trifle, as otherwise the cream may turn sour. Stale savoy cake in slices may be used for the bottom layer. A layer of any kind of jelly or jam may be put between the cake at the bottom. If wanted in the evening a trifle should be made in the morning, and kept in as cold a place as possible. Charlottes. Line a plain round mold with any kind of fruit, or sweet biscuits, or both, and fill up with creme aux fruits {see receipt), if biscuits are used, or creme au h'^ueur {see re- ceipt); freeze, and serve. CAKES. In all cakes lightness is essential, so the eggs used should be thoroughly whisked, the sugar finely powdered and sifted, the flour, currants, raisins, &c., ^uiU dry, the 240 DOMESTIC COOKERY. butter perfectly sweet and good, and beaten with the hand to n cream (beef suet beaten to a cream, or clari- fied dripping, may be used in the commoner cakes in place of butter), the oven hot but not fierce, and every- thing used in the making scrupulously and delicately clean. To ascertain if a cake be done, stick a clean knife into the middle, and when drawn out it should be quite bright; if any of the cake adiieres to it, it is not done. If the top of a cake is scorching or burning, open the oven door for a few minutes, and put a sheet of writing paper over the top of the cake. Pound Cake. Take a pound of fresh butter, and beat it to a cream ; work it well with a pound of powdered and sifted sugar, till smooth; beat up nine eggs, and add them gradually, continuing to beat twenty minutes; mix in lightly one pound of flour, put the whole into a hoop covered with paper, on a plate, and bake it an hour in a moderate oven. Currants, plums, candied peel, or caraway-seeds may be added at will. Savoy Cake. Take twelve fine eggs, their weight in sifted sugar, and half their weight in flour; break the eggs, keeping the whites and yolks separate; add the yolks to the sugar with a little rasped lemon-peel, and beat them xip well together; whip the whites of the eggs, add them to the flour, and then gradually mix the whole together, stirring well with the whisk as you mix ; w^hen thoroughly mixed, have ready a cake shape, butter it well, put in the ingredients, and bake in a moderately hot oven for an hour and a half; when done, turn it out gently on a dish. It should be of a fine gold color. This cake may be iced {see Icing). DOMESTIC COOKERY. 241 Common Lunch Cake. Take a pound and a half of butter, beat it to a cream, and mix it vviiii three-quarters of dough; add a pound of good brown sugar, the same quantity of well-cleaned currants, a little nutmeg, and, if liked, a few caraway- seeds; beat all well together, and bake in a buttered tin for an hour. Ordinary Plum Cake. Procure from the baker's half a quartern of dough, spread it with the hand on a pie-board; cover it with half a pound of butter dotted about, strew over it half a pound of moist sugar, half a pound of currants, well washed and dried, half a pound or a pound of stoned raisins, a few cloves, a little mace, and half a nutmeg, grated; roll the whole together, and put it into a pan; then beat three eggs in a cup of lukewarm milk, and pour to the other ingredients, beating the whole together with the hand for about three-quarters of an hour; put it into a buttered pan, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour; when done, turn it out. It should not be cut for three or four hours after. This is a very good school cake. Ordinary Seed Cake. Take half a quartern of baker's dough (milk-dough is better), cover it with half a pound of butter dotted about, strew over half a pound of moist sugar, three-quarters of an ounce of caraway seeds; mix into a dough; then add three beaten eggs, a few pounded almonds or a glass of noyeau, and enough warm milk to make it into a moder- ately stiff paste; line a hoop with buttered paper, put in the cake, sprinkle over a few bits of citron peel, or a dozen caraway comfits, and bake in a hot oven for about an hour. 11 242 DOMESTIC COOKERY, Soda Cake. Rub four ounces of butter into a pound of flour, add half a pound of currants and half a pound of sugar. Dissolve a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda in a teacup- ful of warm milk, beat up three eggs, mix with the milk and soda; and then mix the whole thoroughly together; put into a cake tin or mold, and bake in a moderate oven for about an hour and a half. Respecting the use of carbonate of soda in cakes or pastry, it certainly gives great lightness to them, but it must be used cautiously, as it has an injurious effect upon many persons, if taken in large quantities. Currant Cake. A very fine rich cake is make thus: — Take four pounds of fresh butter, and beat it with the hand to a cream; then add four pounds of good moist sugar and the yolks and whites of thirty eggs (beaten separately and afterwards together); when these are thoroughly mixed add by de- grees four pounds of well dried flour, five pounds of cur- rants, washed, dried, and picked (if preferred, take four pounds of currants and one pound of stoned raisins); two nutmegs, grated; a pound and a half of candied citron and lemon peel, and half a pound of ground almonds (if not procurable pound the whole almonds in rose-water); mix thoroughly for an hour, add a glass of brandy and another of liquor, and put it into a buttered cake tin, lined with buttered paper; bake in a moderate oven for about four hours, and cool gradually. Icing. This cake is well worth icing, which is done thus: — Procure a pound and a half of confectioner's icing sugar — or, if not procurable, pound, and sift very finely, that DOMESTIC COOKERY. 243 weight of best loaf sugar — add very gradually the well beaten whites of eight eggs (tiiese should be a stiff froth); then mix in the juice of a lemon; beat this very light, white and smooth; put the cake — already baked and still hot — in front of the fire, and put tlie icing on with a spoon, smooth, and let it set gradually. Bride Cakes, Twelfth Cakes, and others which require much ornamentation, had better be bought of a good pastry-cook. This is the cheapest and most satisfactory way. Bride cakes and twelfth cakes, indeed, are simply rich currant cakes iced, sugared and ornamented. Rice Cake. Whisk up well six eggs, and add their weight in sugar and butter ; and half their weight in ground rice, and also in wheaten flour. Any flavoring may be added. Citron peel is a great improvement. For mode of mak- ing see Madeira Cake. Bake for an hour to an hour and a quarter in a moderate oven. Madeira Cake. Take four or five eggs, and whisk them well for fifteen minutes, then, still whisking, add — first, six ounces of dry, pounded, and sifted sugar; then six of flour, also dried and sifted ; then four ounces of butter just dis- solved, but not heated ; the rind of a fresh lemon (grat- ed very fine) ; and the instant before the cake is molded, beat well in the third of a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda ; bake in a ring for an hour in a moderate oven. In this, as in all compositions of the same nature, observe particularly that the butter must be added gradually, and each portion be beaten into the mixture until no appear- ance of it remains before the next is added ; and if this 244 DOMESTIC COOKERY, be done, and the preparation be kept light by constant and liglit whisl^ing, ilie cake will be as good as if the butter were creamed — tiiat is, reduced by the hand to the consistency of thick cream ; this is hard work, but it well repays for the trouble by the great lightness of the cake. Candied citron peel should be added to this cake. Sponge Cake. Break separately six fine eggs, separate the whites from the yolks ; beat the yolks for ten minutes, then add to them gradually twelve ounces of very finely powdered loaf sugar (confectioner's icing sugar is the best) ; mix well together. Meanwhile whisk the whites to a solid froth, add this to the yolks and sugar, and when these are all well blended stir in about eight ounces of sifted flour. Mix well, and flavor with the finely grated rind of a lem- on. This cake baked in one mold will take an hour in a moderate oven ; sprinkle currants or sliced candied peel on the bottom of the mold. If baked iu small tins put in a quick oven, and bake to a light color. Wine Cakes. Beat a pound of butter to a cream, and mix it with a pound of .well-dried flour, and a pound of powdered loaf sugar; to these add half a pound of well-cleaned cur- rants, and a glass of liqueur or brandy; roll out the paste to the thickness of half an inch, cut into fancy shapes, and bake upon a floured tin. Macaroons. Pound or chop very finely six ounces of blanched almonds, and mix them with half a gill of water, and the whisked whites of three eggs. Add six ounces of sugar, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 245 and having made the whole into a paste, drop tlie cakes witli a spoon on wafer-paper laid on a tin, and a little sugar on them. They should be baked in a brisk oven, till well brown ; when done, the wafer paper at the bot- toms must be left on. For Ratafias add two ounces of bitter almonds; make them smaller, and remove the wafer paper. Gingerbread. Mix three pounds of flour with half a pound of but- ter, four ounces of brown sugar, and half an ounce of pounded ginger. Make these into a paste, with one pound and a quarter of warm treacle. Spice Gingerbread. Take three pounds of flour, one pound of butter, one pound of moist sugar, four ounces of candied orange or lemon peel, cut small; one ounce of powdered ginger, two ounces of powdered allspice, half an ounce of pow- dered cinnamon, a handful of caraway seeds, and three pounds ot treacle; rub the butter with your hand into the flour, then add the other ingredients, and mix it in the dough with the treacle; make into cakes or nuts, and bake it in a moderate oven. The top should be brushed over with white of &^^. Shortbread. Beat half a pound of butter to a cream, and add to it by degrees one pound of flour; then mix with two ounces of powdered loaf sugar, a few chopped sweet almonds, and, if liked, a few caraway seeds. When this is quite smooth halve it, and roll out each cake to about two- thirds of an inch thick; pinch up or in some other way ornament the edges; prick with a fork in several places, 246 BOMESTIC COOKER Y. and decorate the tops with candied peel in slices; cara- way comfits, or a piping of icing. Rake upon paper, in a hot oven, for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. A Plain Cheap Cake. One quartern of rolled dough, half a pound of butter, three quarters of a pound of sugar, one pound of cur- rants, small teaspoonful mixed spice ; mix well together, butter the tin, and bake for two hours. Plain Buns, Take four pounds of flour, and mix with one pound of sifted moist sugar; make a hole in the middle, and stir in gradually half a pint of yeast, a pint of warm milk, witii tlour to make it as thick as cream ; cover it, and let it stand two hours ; then melt to an oil, but not hot, one pound of butter, stir this to the other ingredi- ents, with warm milk enough to make a soft but dry dough, throw over it a little flour, and let the wliole stand in a warm place until it rises very light. Take a baking dish rubbed over with butter, mold the dough into buns, each about the size of an ^%^, lay them in rows three or four inches apart, set them in a warm place to prove till they have swollen to double their size, bake them in a hot oven, and brush them over with milk. Caraway seeds, currants, raisins, or finely chopped can- died peel, may be added at will. Bath Buns. Take of flour tv/o pounds ; ale yeast, one pint ; sherry, one glass ; add a little orange-flower water, three beaten eggs, a little nutmeg, and salt, whatever currants, plums, chopped almonds, caraway seeds, or chopped candied- DOMESTIC COOKERY. 247 peel, you wish ; and make the whole into a dry dough, with warm cream or milk. Let this stand before the fire for some time until it has risen well ; then knead in a pound of fresh butter ; mold the dough into buns, and set them to prove as before directed ; sprinkle a few comfits on each, and brush over with beaten white of ^%.Z-, dust over with powdered loaf sugar, sprinkle with a little water from a brush, and bake in a quick oven on floured paper. Muffins. Mix together for a quarter of an hour two quarts of flour, a pint and a half of warm milk and water, a quar- ter of a pint of yeast, two ounces of salt, then add a quarter of a peck more flour, make the whole into a dough ; let it rise one hour, roll up, pull into pieces, make them into balls, put into a warm place, shape them into muffins, and bake on tins; turn them when half done, dip them into warm milk, and bake to a pale brown. Indian Meal Muffins. Take a quart of Indian corn meal, and pour into it by degrees sufficient boiling water to make it into a thick batter; when cooled a little, add a tablespoonful of yeast, two eggs well beaten, and a teaspoonful of salt; set in a warm place to rise for two hours; then butter square tin pans, two-thirds fill them, and bake in a quick oven; when done, serve hot or cut into squares; or bake as directed above {see Muffins). Crtunpets. Mix a quart of new milk to a thin batter with water, flour, a little salt, an &^^, and a tablespoonful of good yeast, beat well, cover it up, and let it stand in a warm place to rise. Clean the muffin plate, while warm over 248 DOMESTIC COOKERY. the fire, and rub it Avith a little butter tied up in a piece of muslin; pour a cupful of the baiter on the plate in a thin ring; as it begins to bake, raise the edge all round with a sharp knife. When one side is done, which it is ver)' speedily, turn and bake the other. Tea Cakes. Take one pint of warm milk, or cream, with a teacup- ful of yeast, put these into a pan, with flour enough to form a. thick batter; add the yolks of three eggs well beaten, two ounces of loaf sugar dissolved in some warm milk, and a quarter of a pound of butter. When risen (say from thirty to sixty minutes), make the dough into cakes, put them on tins, and bake them in a quick oven. In summer the milk should be lukewarm, in winter warmer. Ensks. Take seven fine eggs and beat tliem up, then mix with half a pint of new milk, in which four ounces of butter has been melted. Add a gill of yeast, and three ounces of sugar; put this gradually into flour to make a light batter: let it rise before the fire half an hour; then stiffen with more flour. Knead well, divide it into small loaves or cakes, and flatten them. These, baked well and eaten hot with butter, are capital tea-cakes; but to form rusks, allow them to get cold, slice them, and put into the oven to crisp. There are many other varieties of cakes, but the above receipts will be found suflBcient for family re- quirements. When a particularly rich or highly orna- mented cake, with almond and sugar icings, sugar pip- ings and flowers, the best and cheapest way is to go to a good pastrjxook, tell him exactly what you want, and leave the rest to him. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 249 BISCUITS. Plain biscuits are very wholesome food, and enjoy- able at almost any time. Now that so many very excel- lent machine-made biscuits are sold cheaply in tins, or by the pound, it is not necessary to give more than a few good receipts. Sea-Biscuits. will be found very useful to all travelers. Take five pounds of wheaten -flour, with the bran in it, half a pound of yeast, and just enough tepid water to make it into a very stiff dough, this viust be kneaded for a long time, with great foree J ihQxi shaped into biscuits, pricked with a fork, and baked in a slow oven for about two hours; then set to dry in a warm place. Sweet Biscuits. Make into a stiff paste with two eggs, not beaten, and tepid water, a pound of flour, half a pound of butter, and half a pound of pounded loaf sugar. Roll out the paste, and to form the biscuits, make into round balls, flatten them a little; prick with a fork; bake on tins. A few caraway seeds may be added. Savoy Biscuits. Take twelve eggs, their weight in powdered sugar, and half their weight of fine flour; beat up the yolks with the sugar, adding a little grated lemon peel and orange flower water; whip the whites separately into a stiff froth, mix with the other; then stir in the flour, and beat the whole well together; butter a mold, and put in your mixture; bake in a moderately warm oven. 2SO DOMESTIC COOKERY, SAUCES AUD STTJFFmGS have become more general of late, and several forms of tliese condiments are popular. Taken in moderation, the)'' may be considered healthy, but used in excess they are decidedly injurious. The base of all the meat sauces is the Indian pickle chutney, soy, garlic, sugar, pepper, and catsup, in various proportions. Sauce Robert. Slice four or five onions, and brown them in a stew- pan, with three ounces of butter, and a dessertspoonful of flour. When of a deep yellow, pour to them half a pint of beef or of veal gravy, and let them simmer for fifteen minutes; skim, add a seasoning of salt and pepper, and, at the moment of serving, mix in a dessertspoonful of made mustard. Mango Chutney. The following receipt is given by a native of India. To twenty ounces of moist sugar, in S5'rup, add twelve ounces of salt, four ounces of garlic, four ounces of onions, one ounce of powdered ginger, four ounces of dried chillies, twelve ounces of mustard seed, sixteen ounces of stoned raisins, three pints of white wine vin- egar, and thirty unripe sour apples peeled, cored, and sliced small. Place the whole into a large pan, and stir till iTiixed. Boil gently, allow to get cold, and bottle for use. Another Way, Ingredients: — Six pounds of apples or rhubarb, three ounces of garlic, half a pound of brown sugar, three DOMESTIC COOKERY. 251 ounces of ground ginger, three quarters of a pound of raisins, tiiree quarters of a pound of salt, one ounce of cayenne pepper, two pints of vinegar. Apples must be stewed to a pulp, pick and beat the garlic as fine as pos- sible, stone the raisins, and cut in small pieces — mix all thoroughly together, boil vinegar, and pour over all, put in a large jar, stir well, close at top and let it stand at side of the fire for three weeks, stir daily. Fish Sauces. The base of most fish sauces is Melted Butter^ which is easily made by flouring the butter and adding milk, keep- ing the whole stirred, one way, in a pipkin over a clear fire till it boils. Proportions: — A teaspoonful of flour to two ounces cjf butter, a half pint of milk and a pinch of salt. Melted butter may also be made with water in- stead of milk. Add the roes or milts of mackerel, and finely chopped parsley, and a spoonful of soy, and you have Mackerel Sauce; — the flesh and soft parts of crabs, and you \\^VQ.Crab Sauce. Half a dozen to a dozen fresh, bearded oysters, with half a spoonful of anchovy sauce, and you have Oyster Sauce; — a handful of shelled shrimps, and a teaspoonful of lemon pickle, and you have Shrimp Sauce; — a tablespoonful of anchovy paste, or a couple of pounded anchovies, and you have Anchovy Sauce; — the liquor of a quart of picked and bearded mussels — the mussels to be added afterwards, — and you have Mussel Sauce; — the pounded flesh of salmon, with a little sherry, a few button mushrooms and shallots, and a pinch of sugar, and you have Matelote Sauce; — boiled and washed onions, strained, and you have Onion Sauce. Parsley Sauce. Add to melted butter some finely-chopped parsley, 252 DOMESTIC COOKERY. previously scalded, giving- it a boil up before serving. Eennel Sauce is made in the same way. Egg Sauce for Salt Fish. Add four hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, to half a pint of boiling melted butter, with a squeeze of lemon. Tomato Sauce. To four or five tomatoes add an onion, two or three cloves, a little minced ham, and a mere pinch of thyme. When boiled, rub the wiiole through a sieve, add a little flour, season with pepper and salt, boil for a few min- utes, and serve hot. Becliarael Sauce. Mince together shallots or small onions, parsley, and cloves, put them in a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, a little flour, cream, salt and pepper; let the whole boil till it thickens, then add a little nutmeg, and serve. Minced meat may also be added. Sauce for Cold Heats. Into a quart of white wine vinegar, eight cloves of garlic, twelve shallots, a small clove of ginger, a little salt, and the peel of a lemon ; boil together, strain, and bottle for use. Caper Sauce. To melted butter add bruised or chopped capers, with a dash of lemon pickle. Heat — taking care that it does not boil. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 253 Bread Sauce. Boil crumb of white bread, with a minced onion, and some whole white pepper ; when cooked, take out the onions, peppercorns, and put the bread, carefully crushed through a sieve, into a pipkin with cream, a little butter and salt, stirring carefully till it boils. Apple Sauce. Pare, core and slice apples, boil them in water, with a bit of lemon peel, until tender ; strain and roast ; then add moist sugar and butter ; heat and serve. Used with pork, geese, or ducks. Mint Sauce. Pick, wash, and chop fine some green spearmint. To two tablespoonfuls put eight of vinegar, adding brown sugar to taste ; serve cold in a sauce tureen, with lamb or mutton. White Sauce. In a pipkin with a quarter of a pound of butter add a dessertspoonful of flour, some salt, and whole pepper ; add a little water, mix well together, stir one way, with- out allowing it to boil, and serve hot. This may also be made without the butter, by adding the yolk of an egg. Brandy Sauce and Wine Sauce are made by adding brandy or wine and sugar to melted butter, without salt. Proportions : Three teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, a wine-glass of wine, or half that quantity of brandy, or curacoa. Stir till nearly boil- ing and serve in a tureen. Some prefer to serve Brafidy Sauce in the dish with the pudding. 254 DOMESTIC COOKERY. Sweet Sauce for Puddings. To half a pint of melted butter, add three teaspoon- fuls of pounded white sugar, flavor with grated lemon rind, nutmeg, cinnamon, or bitter almonds ground; sim- mer and serve hot. Another Sweet Sauce is made by boiling a pint of milk and stirring into it two beaten eggs and four ounces of pounded sugar, in a jar placed in a saucepan of water, and stirred till it thickens, but not boils. Flavor with nutmeg or cinnamon and half a glass of brandy. Mushroom and Walnut Sauce is made by putting a pint of mushrooms and a pint of walnut pickle into a bottle, with a little essence of anchovies, set uncorked in a saucepan of water and heat to boiling. Then allow to cool, and cork for use. Celery Sauce for boiled turkeys and poultry generally. Boil until tender, in salt and water, four nice heads of celery, cut them into small pieces and put them into half a pint of melted butter, with a blade of pounded mace, white pepper and salt to taste. Simmer, and serve in a tureen. This quantity is enough for a fowl ; half as much more for a turkey. It may also be made with stock instead of melted butter, thickened with a piece of butter rolled in flour. Forcemeat for fish-soups, stews, &c. Beat the flesh and soft parts of a lobster, half an anchovy, a piece of boiled celery, DOMESTIC COOKERY. 255 the yolk of a hard ^%%, a little cayenne, mace, salt, and white pepper, with two tablespooiifuls of bread crumbs, one of oyster liquor, two ounces of butter warmed, and two eggs well beaten ; make into balls, and fry brown in butter. Veal Stuffing or Forcemeat. Season with pepper, salt, cloves, grated nutmeg, and lemon peel, a pound of lean veal, and a quarter of a pound of sausage meat ; add mushrooms, mincing the whole very fine together. For forcemeat balls, add yolks of eggs, and roll in flour. Stuffing for Hare. The liver scalded, an anchovy or a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, a slice of fat bacon, a little suet, parsley, thyme, knotted marjoram, a shallot or two, and either onion or chives, all chopped fine ; crumbs of bread, pepper, and nutmeg ; beat in a mortar with an t^^ well beaten. Ordinary Stuffing. Mix with any potted meat or game an equal propor- tion of soaked bread or bread-crumbs, and you will have at once a very fine stuffing. Bacon or butter must be substituted for suet, when the forcemeat is to be eaten cold. Sage and Onions. This is the ordinary stuffing for goose or roast pork. Chop onions very fine, with half the quantity of green sage leaves, put into a stewpan with a little water, simmer gently for ten minutes, then add pepper and salt, with about twice the quantity of fine bread crumbs; mix the whole, and pour thereto a quarter of a pint of broth, 256 DOMESTIC COOKERY. gravy, or melted butter; stir well together gently, arid simmer. The liver of the goose added to the stuffing is a great improvement. VEGETABLES. Potatoes. Perhaps the best method of cooking potatoes is to boil them with their skins on. Take a dozen or more equal-sized potatoes, wash and scrub them until the skins are perfectly clean; put them in a saucepan that they will half fill, just cover them with cold water, put in a good handful of salt, and let them come to the boil, then draw the saucepan on one side, and simmer gently until they are — on feeling witli a fork— tender; which will be, for medium-sized potatoes, about twenty to twenty-five minutes after the water boils up; larger potatoes will take from thirty to forty minutes. When tender pour off the water, and let them stand with the lid off, by the side of the fire, for five minutes to dry; then peel and serve very hot. Young new potatoes should have their skins riibbedo'S. with a coarse cloth, put into boiling water, and boiled until tender-say fifteen to twenty-five minutes, according to size — pour off the water and let them stand, with the lid raised but not removed, until quite dry; serve very hot, with a piece of butter in the dish. When tlie skins of the young potatoes will not rub off, boil them with the skins on, as directed above. The best way to steam potatoes is to peel them, throw them into salt and water, and when all are peeled, put theirr in a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water, and let the water boil fast until the potatoes are quite tender — which will be in half an hour, more or less, according DOMESTIC COOKERY. ^ 257 to size. To mash potatoes, boil tliem in tiieir skins as directed above, and when quite dry peel and mash them with a fork until they are smooth and free from lumps, then put them into another saucepan with a little butter, milk and salt, stir this mixture over the fire until very hot, dish lightly, and do w^/ smooth the top, but you may brown with a salamander. Be careful of three things in the dressing of mashed potatoes: — i, that they are allowed to quite dry before peeling; 2, that they are beaten to a per- fectly smooth paste; and 3, that when served they are light, floury, and not sticky. About the proper propor- tion of butter and millc is two ounces of the former and a gill of the latter, to every two pound dish of potatoes. To fry potatoes, wash and peel them, and cut them into rather thin slices, breadthways, or cut into thick slices and then into ribbons, and fry to a good color in boiling lard or dripping; when crisp — say five minutes — drain them on a cloth or blotting-paper before the fire, and serve very hot with a little salt. Cold potatoes may be fried in this way. To bake potatoes, wash well, and put them, witli their jackets on, into a moderate oven, until they are tender to the fork; serve in their skins. The best way to eat tliese is to rub them out with a napkin. To bake potatoes under meat, peel them and sprinkle with salt. Potato Rissoles are made by boiling and mash- ing, as directed above, mixing with salt, pepper, a little minced parsley and onion (wlien liked), rolling into small balls, covering with egg and bread crumbs, and frying in boiling lard or dripping for about eight or ten minutes. Drain on a cloth and serve very hot. Any kind of cold meat, ham, or tongue, or lean bacon, may be minced very fine and added to the mixture. Cabbages. Remove the damaged outside leaves, and cut the stalk short. If small summer cabbages, make two cuts cross- 258 DOMESTIC COOKERY. wise at the stalk end; if larger, halve them, and if very large, cut them in quarters. Wash them in strong salt and water, and let them remain in it for some little time — this destroys insects. Then put them — after draining or shaking the cold water out of them — into a large saucepan of boiling water, with a handful of salt and a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda to every two quarts of water. Boil fast, with the lid of the saucepan off, until the stalk is tender. Drain in a colander, and serve very hot in a dish with a strainer. A large cabbage will take thirty to forty minutes, and a small summer cabbage ten to fifteen. Great care must be exercised that no water is served with any kind of boiled vegetables. Sprouts and Young Greens are boiled in the same way as cabbage, in a large pan of boiling water, and boiled fast till done. Green Peas. Choose them young and fresh; shell them, wash well in cold water, and drain in a colander. Then put them into a large saucepan (say half a gallon) of boiling water, witli a handful of salt, a small lump of sugar (unless the peas are of a sweet kind), and — when the peas are old and the water hard — half as much carbonate of soda as will lie on a dime; let them boil fast, with the lid of the saucepan off, until quite tender, but not smashed. Drain in a colander, and serve very hot in a hot vegetable dish, with a bit of butter in the middle. Some cooks either boil a few sprigs of fresh mint with the peas, or garnish with some boiled separately. This is entirely a matter of taste. The various modes of stewing with lamb, veal, &c., will be found under the head Stewing. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 259 French Beans. Prepare by cutting off each end, and the strings which go down each side, then slice up thin and lay them in salt and water for a little while. Put them on in boiling water, Avith a handful of salt and half a tea- spoonful of carbonate of soda to two quarts of water, and keep them boiling fast, with the lid off, until ten- der, say ten to twenty minutes — fast boiling — according to size. Drain and serve very hot. When very young these beans are not sliced up, but simply have each end cut off. Scarlet Beans are cooked in the same way as French beans. The French cooks, after they are boiled as above, dry the beans in a stewpan over the fire, and when quite hot, add a spoon- ful of gravy, a little butter, lemon juice, pepper and salt; shake the whole till the butter is melted, and then serve. Broad Beans. Shell the beans and put them on in plenty of boiling water, with a handful of salt, and boil /a^^ until tender — say fifteen to twenty-five minutes, according to size. Drain, and serve with a tureen of parsley and butter. If the beans are very old take off the skins after boiling. Haricot Beans. Pour boiling water over your white haricots, and af- terwards remove the skins ; put on to boil, in cold water, enough to cover them, adding hot water as the former evaporates ; when quite tender take out and dry. Roll a bit of butter in flour, put into a stewpan with a few minced onions ; add a little gravy, pepper and salt. Toss 26o DOMESTIC COOKERY, the beans into this ; move thcni about for five or ten minutes over the fire, and serve in a large tureen. Cauliflowers. Take off the outer leaves, and cut the stalks short ; put into strong salt and water for an hour, to draw out the insects. Put them into fast boiling water with a handful of salt ; leave the saucepan uncovered, and boil fast for about fifteen to twenty minutes, skimming the water from time to time ; when tender, strain and serve, with plain melted butter, a little of which may be poured over. Large cauliflowers should be cut in halves, and very large ones quartered, before soaking in the salt and water, as this vegetable is frequently attacked by insects. Spinach. Take a pailful of spinach and wash it thoroughly in several waters, until quite free from grit ; then put it into a large saucepan with a tumbler of cold water, and a couple of handfulsof salt, press close together from time to time, and when quite tender — say ten or twelve min- utes — take it out, drain it, and then press all the water out and chop very small ; tlicn put it into a stewpan with pepper, a little lemon-juice, and a pat of butter, stir over the fire for about five minutes, and serve very hot, with sippets of bread. Poached eggs may be served on spinach. Spanish Onions. Take six equal-sized Spanish onions, and put on in plenty of boiling water, with the skins on ; boil for an hour. Then peel, put into a baking dish with a little butter, and bake for a couple of hours in a moderate oven. Serve with brown gravy, pepper and salt. They DOMESTIC COOKERY. 261 may also be stewed in a pint of gravy — being first peeled: simmer very gently until tender — say two to three hours ; a large piece of butter will do instead of the gravy, but the onions must be moved about now and then, and must only just simmer. Carrots, Parsnips, and Turnips arc all boiled in the same way. Remove the tops, wash, scrape, and cut out all bruises, specks, &c. Cut, length- wise, into quarters ; put tiiem on in plenty of fast boiling water, with a handful of salt. They should boil without stopping until quite tender, which time varies greatly with the age and size of the vegetables. Turnips are quickest done, tiien parsnips, and, longest, carrots — large ones being often over two hours boiling. To ifiash tur- nips, boil as above, and drain in a colander ; squeeze them as dry as you can, and then rub them through a colander or sieve; put into a stewpan with a pat of butter, a little milk, white pepper, and salt, and stir for ten minutes, when serve. Tomatoes. Take off the stalks and put them in a stewpan with a little gravy ; stew gently till tender — say twenty minutes to half an hour; thicken with a bit of butter rolled in flour, season with salt and Cayenne, boil up and serve. They may also be sliced and stewed in butter until ten- der — say twenty minutes — when stir in a wineglass of vinegar, and serve with any sort of roast meat. Many cooks bake them in butter, with a high seasoning of pepper and salt. This way they take about thirty to forty minutes. Trufles. Wash some fine truffles thoroughly clean, wrap in 262 DOMESTIC COOKER Y. buttered paper and bake in a hot oven for sixty or seventy minutes. Remove the paper and serve. As truffles are indigestible they should be eaten sparingly. Huslirooms. Wipe the mushrooms, cut off the ends of the stalks, peel, and broil over a clear fire. On every mushroom put a bit of butter and a squeeze of lemon, pepper and salt; serve very hot. Button mushrooms may be stewed for about half an hour in gravy, with a little cayenne, nutmeg, and salt. Asparagus should be cooked as fresh as possible. Scrape the stems, and tie up in bundles — the heads put all the same way — of fifteen or twenty heads; then cut them all the same length, put them into fast boiling water, with a handful of salt; boil quickly for fifteen to twenty minutes, or un- til quite tender; dish upon toast and serve with plain melted butter. Celery may be stewed in a little white stock [see receipt), with a gill of cream, a thickening of butter and flour, and sea- soning to taste. To serve with cheese and eat raw, wash clean, take away all unsightly pieces, slice it lengthwise if large, and serve in a celery glass, half full of water. {See Salad). Articliokes. Wash in several waters, and boil as directed for cab- bages, which see. Jerusalem Artichokes. Wash and peel; put them on in cold water, with a DOMESTIC COOKERY. 263 handful of salt, enough to just cover them; boil gently till quite tender — say fifteen to twenty minutes after the water boils up; serve very hot, with melted butter. Lettuces. To serve plain, wash carefully in salt and water, and then in plain water, pick off ihe outer leaves, drain in a colander, and cut into quarters lengthwise, {See Salad). Cucumbers. Peel and cut, beginning at the thick end, into very thin slices, season with pepper and salt> Dish, and serve with salad oil and vinegar, or vinegar only, over. {See Salad). Horseradish. Put the root into weak salt and water for an hour; wash thoroughly and scrape very thin with a sharp, stiff knife. This is always served with roast beef. A good plan is to keep a little scraped and kept in a glass bottle with vinegar. Salads. All fish salads are made precisely as directed for lob- ster salad. The best dressing for salad is the yolk of hard eggs rubbed up with oil, vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt; some add a little sugar. As few persons agree as to which of these ingredients should predominate, it would be useless to give instructions for the mixing, the best way being to purchase the ready-made salad-dress- ing of some good pickle maker. Watercresses are, per- haps, the most wholesome vegetable for salads; and then the lettuce, from its sedative properties. Celery is gen- erally mixed with salad, and where onions are liked, 264 DOMESTIC COOKERY. they should always form part of the salad, as they give a warmth which is wanting in the other vegetables. To those who like the flavor, it is recommended to rub the bottom of the salad bowl with a clove of garlic, without, however, putting any portion into the salad. Tomato Salad. Take from four to six tomatoes (according to size), let them be fully ripe and fresh, slice them in thin rounds, lay them in a glass dish arranged neatly; then pour over sufficient vinegar to barely cover them, and add a spoonful of salt and a very little pepper; let the salad stand about two hours before serving. The above is excellent with either cold or hot meat, fish, &c., and is a very wholesome and pleasing dish. PRUIT. In serving a dessert in summer be careful the fruit is all freshly gathered, and perfectly ripe. A nice selection of fresh fruit, with a little crystallized fruit, a few bon-bons and fancy biscuits, preserved ginger, fruit ices, and pow- dered loaf sugar is a dessert at once tasteful and com- paratively inexpensive. In winter time apples, oranges, nuts, almonds, raisins, and dried and crystallized fruits must take the place of the fresh. These should be ar- ranged with taste, and the ornamental leaves of various fruits interspersed. Stewed Pears and Pippins. All kinds of winter pears form a very good dish, simply peeled, cut into slices, and stewed gently with a DOMESTIC COOKERY. 265 little sugar, water, cloves, and cinnamon, adding a little lemon-juice ; or they may be stewed in white wine with similar seasoning ; or be baked in an oven in the same way, adding a little port wine to increase the flavor and improve the color. The addition of a little fresh lemon- peel is an improvement. To stew pippins, and other apples, core them, pare thin, and throw into water. For every pound of fruit, make a syrup with half a pound of refined sugar and a pint of water. Skim well, and put in the pippins to stew till clear, then grate some lemon- peel over them, and serve cold in the syrup. [For all other modes of cooking and preserving, or otherwise dressing fruit, see the various receipts under Puddings and Pies, Pastry, Jellies, Sickroom Cookery, Sauces, Preserving, Confectionery, &c.] CURING, PICKLIIfG, PRESERVING. Curing and Potting are terms applied to the treatment of meat, &c., with salt; Pickling to the preparation of fresh fish, vegetables, &c., with vinegar, and Preseniing to the modes of treating fruit and vegetables with sugar, &c. A Good Pickle for pork hams, tongue, or beef is the following: — Put two gallons of water, two pounds of brown sugar, two pounds of bay-salt, two pounds and a half of common salt, and half a pound of saltpeter, in a deep earthen pan, with a cover to fit close. Before putting in the meat sprinkle it well with coarse sugar, and drain. Pack close, so that the pickle may cover. This pickle is not to be boiled. A small ham may lie fourteen days, a large one three weeks; a tongue twelve days, and beef in pro- portion to its size. They will eat well out of the pickle 266 DOMESTIC COOKERY. without drying. When they are to be dried, let each piece be drained over the pan; and when they cease to drop, take a clean sponge and dry thoroughly. Six or eight hours will smoke them; a little saw-dust and wet straw burnt will do this. If put into a chimney, sew them in coarse cloth, and hang them a week. This pickle, if skimmed before each pickling, will last for years. To Cure Pork. Bone, and cut into pieces. Rub with saltpeter, and then with common salt and bay-salt, mixed. Put a layer of common salt at the bottom of tub, cover each piece with salt and lay them even one upon another; fill the hollow places with salt. As the salt melts on the top, strew on more, lay a coarse cloth over the vessel, a board over that, and a weight on the board. Cover close, strew on more salt, as may be necessary, and the pork will.keep good the year round. To Cure Bacon. Place the meat on a table ; salt, with a little niter added, well all over. Some straw is then placed on a floor, a flitch laid thereon, with the rind downwards — straw laid above this, then another flitch, and so on; above the whole is placed a board, and weights above all. In three weeks or a month the meat is sufficiently salted and is hung up to the kitchen rafters. To Cure Hams. Rub the legs of pork with salt, and leave them for three days to drain ; throw away the brine. For hams of from fifteen to eighteen pounds weight, mix together two ounces of saltpeter, one pound of coarse sugar, and DOMESTIC COOKERY. 267 one pound of salt ; rub with this, lay in deep pans with the rind down, and keep for three days well covered ; then pour over a pint and a half of vinegar, turn them in the brine, and baste with it daily for a month ; drain well, rub with bran, and hang for a month high in a chimney, or a smoking house, over a wood fire to smoke. To Pot Veal. Cut a fillet into four pieces ; season with pepper, salt, and a little mace ; put the veal into a pot with half a pound of butter ; tie a paper over it, and bake three hours. Cut off the outsides ; pound the meat in a mortar with the fat of the gravy, till of the thickness of paste ; then pack close in pots, press down hard, and when cold, pour clarified butter over it. It is fit to eat in a month. Venison, Ham, Fowls, Pigeons, Poultry, &'c., may be potted in the same way. Brawn. Having cleansed a large pig's head thoroughly, and rubbed it with salt, boil it until the bones can be removed; season with salt and pepper, and, while lujt, lay the meat in a mold. Press it down with a board ;uid heavy weight, and let it remain in a cool place for six hours. Then boil for about an hour, covering the mold with the liquor in which the head was first boiled ; press again after this boiling. The flavor is improved by adding in layers, when. the mold is filled, some salted and boiled tongue in thin slices. The tongue must be peeled. A sucking pig may be collared in the same way. Meat or Fish Preserved in Sugar. Rub the joint or fish (after being opened) with sugar, and leave it for a few days to dry. If intended for long keeping, dry it after this, taking care to expose new 268 DOMESl'IC COOKERY. surfaces to the air frequently, to prevent moldiness. Fish preserved in this manner will be found, when dressed, superior to that which has been cured by salt or smoke. PICKLING. Salmon. Split the fish, after it has been scaled and cleaned, and divide it into convenient pieces. Lay the pieces in a shallow kettle, with as much water as will cover them. To three quarts add one pint of vinegar, two or three ounces of salt, twelve bay leaves, six blades of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of black pepper. When boiled enough, drain and put it on a clean cloth; then put more salmon into the kettle, and pour the liquor upon it, and so on till all is done. After this, if the pickle be not well flavored with vinegar and salt, add more, and boil quick for three quarters of an hour. When all is cold pack the fish in deep pans or tubs, and let there be enough pickle to plentifully cover. Preserve it from the air. Mackerel. Clean and divide large mackerel; cut each side into three parts; take pepper, nutmegs, mace, cloves, and salt, all finely powdered; mix, and having made a little hole in each piece of fish, force the seasoning therein, rub also some on the outside; then fry brown in oil, let them stand till cold, put into a stone jar and cover with vinegar. If to be kept any time, p^our oil on top. Mushrooms. Clean small button mushrooms, and put them into DOMESTIC COOKERY, 269 cold vinegar, and allow it to come slowly to aboil; drain and lay them in a cloth till cold, and then put them into fresh vinegar. If very small, they should not be allowed to boil, as so strong a heat might destroy them. When dried, they maybe put again into the vinegar after it has been cooled. A little mace will improve the flavor, but no hot pepper should be used. Capers. Directly they are gathered put the capers into a jar, with strong vinegar and salt, leaving two inches of vin- egar over the capers, then tie the jar down with a skin; and if the capers are kept in a cool place, and a little fresh strong vinegar added from time to time, they will remain good for four or five years. Cabbage. Slice into acolander, and sprinkle salt over each layer. Drain two days, put into a jar, and cover with boiling vinegar, adding a few slices of red beet-root. If spice be used, it should be boiled with the vinegar. Hard white cabbage may be intermixed wilh the other, or cauliflowers cut into branches. Cauliflowers, Brocoli, Beans, Nastur- tiumsy Artichokes, Radishes, &=c., may be pickled in the same way. "Walnuts. Take green walnuts before the inner shell is formed — which may be known by pricking them with a pin ; if it goes through easily, they are young enough to pickle. Prick them in several places, to allow them to imbibe the salt, and keep them in strong brine for a fortnight, making fresh salt and water every three days ; drain and put them in a jar, sprinkle with salt, and pour over boil- 2 70 DOMESTIC COOKERY. ing vinegar; some shallots, garlic, or onion may be boiled in the vinegar if the flavor be not disliked. Onions. Select young equal-sized onions, peel and steep them in strong salt and water for four days, changing the water two or three times ; wipe perfectly dry, and put them into scalding milk ; when the milk becomes cold, drain them, and dry each separately in a cloth ; put into jars ; pour over as much white wine vinegar, which has been boiled with white pepper, as will cover them ; tie over first with vret bladder, and then with leather, and keep the jars in a dry place for use. A little powdered or crushed ginger may be added. PEESEEVma Fruit.. Burn a match in each bottle, to exhaust the air, then place in the fruit, quite dry and sound ; sprinkle pow- dered sugar between each layer, put in the cork, and tie over ; set the bottles, cork downwards, in a large stew- pan of cold water, with hay laid between to prevent breaking. Put on the fire, and when the skins of the fruit are just cracking, take out, and put away for the winter. Rhubarl). Skin rhubarb and cut into two inch pieces ; take an equal weight of sugar ; put sugar in preserving-pan on the fire to clari-fy, add a little whole ginger with very little water; put in the rhubarb, allow it to simmer for three hours, put in jars to cool, then cover up as in jams. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 271 Damsons. The sugar is to be pounded, and dissolved in the syrup before being- set on the fire. Green sweetmeats will spoil if kept long in the first syrup. Fruit should be covered with mutton suet melted, to keep out the external air. Wet sweetmeats must be kept in a dry and cool place, with paper dipped in brandy laid over. Put into a saucepan over the fire, with water to cover the fruit. When boiled, strain off the liquor, and add to every pound of fruit wiped clean, as much refined sugar. Put one-third of the sugar into the liquor, set over the fire, and when it simmers put in the damsons. Boil, then take off, and cover close for half an hour. Set on again, and let simmer while over the fire, after being turned. Take out, put them into a basin, strew all the sugar that remains on them, and pour the hot liquor over. Let stand covered till next day ; boil up once more ; then take out and put into pots. Boil the liquor till it is a jelly, and when cold, pour it over the fruit. All Sorts of Stone Fruit may be preserved in this way. Candied Citron, Lemon or Orange Peel. Soak the peels in water, which must be frequently changed, until the bitterness is extracted ; then drain and place them in syrup until they are soft and trans- parent ; the strength of the syrup being kept up by boiling it occasionally with fresh sugar. When taken out they should be drained and placed on a sieve to dry. Jams. All sorts of stone fruit, currants, &c., may be made into jams by the potting method : — Pick the fruit from the stalks, and to every pound add one pound of lump sugar. Boil the whole half an hour, skim and stir it all f 2 72 DOMESTIC COOKERY. the time ; put it into pots, tightly covered and fixed witli string or gum. In stone fruits, crack kernels, and put into the jam when potted. Brown sugar may be used for these jams. Raspberry and Strawberry Jam. Pick the fruit, which must be perfectly fresh, ripe and dry. Strew over it an equal weight of lump sugar, and half as much of the juice of white (or red) currants. Boil the whole over a clear fire for half an hour, skim it well, put it into pots or glasses, andlet it stand till next day. Cover with white paper dipped in brandy or whisky, then cover as above. All jams and jellies should be covered with white paper dipped in brandy or whisky. Marmalade. Take Seville oranges and lump sugar, weight for weight, cut the rind very thin, and put it in a preserving pan; cover with cold water, and boil till quite soft; strain through a sieve, and preserve the water; cut the rind into thin chips half, an inch long, mix them with the water they were boiled in; then take the spongy white off the orange very clean and throw it away. Divide the inside of the orange into quarters, and scrape the pulp off the fibery part or fine skin of the orange; put the latter Avith the seeds, put the pulp with the chips; then wash the seeds with a little boiling-water through a sieve, which will form a thick jelly, add that to the pulp and chips. Put in preserving pan with sugar, boil for half an hour, and next day cover down as for jams. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 273 CONFECTIONERY. Compotes. Take a pint and a half of cold water and a pound of lump sugar; boil them for fifteen minutes, skim- ming constantly; then add, while the syrup is boiling, any kind of fruit, such as peeled and quartered apples or oranges, whole apricots, peaches, damsons, plums, greengages, &c. Let the whole simmer very gently until the fruit is quite tender, but not broken, when take it out carefully, and arrange in an ornamental glass dish. Tlien give the syrup a sharp boil for a few minutes, skimming off any scum that may rise; let the syrup cool, pour over the fruit, and when cold, serve, garnished with strips of candied peel, bon-bons, &c. This syrup is intended for immediate use only, and will not keep long. If apples are used, peel, halve, and core them, and give each piece a drop or so of lemon-juice; apricots and other stone fruit may be halved, the stones removed, and, if liked, the kernels boiled in the syrup. Oranges must be carefully peel- ed, the white pithy skin removed with a blunt knife so as not to injure the inner skin, and divided in their natural way into, say, four or five pieces each; a little of the peel may be cut thin and boiled in the syrup. Com- potes should always be served in glass dishes. Owing to the ease with which they are prepared, their whole- somencss and tasty appearance, they are permanent favorites in all homes. Candied Fruits are so difficult to prepare properly, owing to the great care and experience needed in boiling the sugar to make a syrup of proper consistency, that the best and cheapest 12* 2 74 DOMESTIC COOKERY. plan is to buy what you require of a good confectioner, A simple and excellent substitute is — Iced Fruit. Take any fresh fruit — such as strawberries, currants, plums, &c., and remove all stalks and bruised fruits. Then beat up Uie whites of four eggs and mix with half a pint of water. Dip your fruit in this, drain it, and roll it well in finely powdered sugar; lay on paper for sev- eral hours in a dry place, when the sugar will have crys- tallized over the fruit. Serve at dessert. Butter Scotch. Take a pound of good brown sugar, and put it into a delicately clean pan, with four ounces of butter, beaten to a cream. Stir constantly over the fire for about twenty minutes to half an hour (the way to tell when this is done is to drop a little on to a dish, and if this, when cool, does not stick to the teeth when bitten it is done); just before it is done put in half an ounce of powdered ginger. Pour the mixture into a buttered tin or dish, and put into a cool place to set. Everton Taffy. Dissolve in a pan over the fire a pound of powdered loaf sugar in a gill of water; beat to a cream four ounces of butter, and add it. Then proceed as directed for but- ter-scotch, substituting four or five drops of essence of lemon for the powdered ginger. ConfectioneiT, bejajnd the few simple receipts here given, cannot be taught in books — the simplest, best and c!:ieapest way is to buy what you want ready made. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 275 BILLS OF FARE. Subjoined are a few hints to show the mode of select- ing appropriate articles to follow each other at dinner — the one grand object being to provide a simple, tasteful and satisfying repast, without striving after eflfect, or crowding the table with dishes made to look at and not to eat. SMALL DmNER PARTIES. The following will be found economical and appro- priate. Spring. I. Gravy or spring soup; boiled salmon nith lobster sauce, or soles; roast haunch of mutton and boiled fowls; — or roast fillet of veal and rumpsteak and kidnev pud- ding ; gooseberry and rhubarb tart, cabinet pudding; cheese and salad; fruit. II. Julienne or oxtail soup; roast ribs of Vjeef and lamb cutlets; or roast saddle of mutton and roast duck- lings; lobster salad, blancmange, marrow pudding, cup custards; cheese and salad; fruit. Summer. I. Green-pea or chicken soup; boiled salmon with lob- ster sauce, or boiled mackerel; roast forequarter of lamb and boiled calf's head;— or roast fillet of veal and curried lobster; boiled tongue, roast gosling; college puddings, raspberry and currant tart, strawberry cream, cup cus- tards; cheese and salad; fruit. II. Jardiniere or vermicelli soup; salmon trout with 276 nOMESTIC COOKERY. parsley and butter, or salmon cutlets; roast loin of veal and ragout of duck with ^r&e.r\ peas; — or roast ribs of beef and boiled bacon with lima beans; grouse pie, roast duck; rolled jam puddina:, cherry and currant tart, rasp- berry cream, cheese-cakes, cheese and salad; fruit for dessert. AiitumQ. I. Mock turtle or giblet soup; cod's head and shoul- ders with oyster or shrimp sauce ; or boiled turbot ; haunch of venison and fricasseed SAveetbreads ; or roast saddle of mutton and vol-au-i^ent of chicken ; — or roast goose and boiled ham : roast pheasants, grouse pie. cabi- net pudding, plum tart, compotes of peaches and green- gages, fruit-jellv, whipped cream, cheese ; fruit. II. Carrot, or thickened gravy soup ; stewed eels or fillets of turbot, or baked cod ; roast goose and haunch of venison ; — or roast sirloin of beef and veal cutlets ; — or roast sucking-pig and boiled leg of mutton ; roast grouse, roast or jugged hare, college or plum puddings, greengage tart, apple cream, cup custard, compotes of peaches, apricots or damsons ; cheese ; fruit. Winter. I. Mul'igata^vny, hare, or game soup ; cod's head and shoulders ; boiled leg of pork and roast turkey, or roast haunch of mutton and boiled fowls ; roast snipes, boiled tongue, plum pudding, cabinet pudding, mince pies, blancmange, orange jelly, creams, cheese ; fruit. II. Mock turtle, bare or oyster soup ; crimped cod with oyster sauce ; roast saddle of mutton and roast turkey, or boiled turkey and roast sirloin of beef ; roast hare, game pie, plum pudding, apple tart, mince pies, fruit, jelly, blancmange, vol-au-vent of preserved fruit, creams, cheese, fruit. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 277 SUPPER PARTIES. The best and most economical way is to have every- thing cold, it can then be laid at your leisure. The quan- tity, of course, depends upon the number of guests; but the following are the dishes from which to choose: — Grouse, partridge, pigeon, chicken and ham pies, or veal and ham pies; roast fowls or small turkey, cut into joints and fastened with ribbon; roast sirloin or boiled round of beef, or roast fillet of veal; ham in slices and tongue in slices, lobster salads, crabs, crayfish, oysters, prawns, ham, beef, tongue and chicken sandwiches; jellies, creams, cup-custards, compotes, iced cabinet puddings; or any mold puddings; tipsy cake, trifle, small pastry, tartlets, cheesecakes, &c.; dried fruit, fresh fruit, sweet biscuits, small cakes, ratafias, &c., &c.; with, of course, a plum pudding if at Cluistmas time. The way to make all these things will be found in the preceding pages. Parsley, colored jellies, candied peel, bay and vine leaves, &c., should garnish the various dishes. For small suppersselect a few from this list of appropriate articles. CHILDREN'S PARTIES. Various sandwiches; freshly-sliced beef, ham, lamb, chickens, tongue, and veal; several kinds of light pastry, tartlets, cheesecakes, custards, jellies, sweetmeats, bon- bons, mold puddings, blancmanges, creams, and fresh and dried fruits. 278 DOMESTIC COOKERY. MODE OF SERVING DINNER. Dust the table and cover with green baize or the or- dinary table cover, then put on the white table cloth, which should be perfectly clean, taking care to have the right side uppermost, and the middle of the cloth in the center of the table The new fashion of "slips" down each side of the table, which are removed after the cheese — thus leaving a clean white cloth for the dessert — is to be recommended. Place the mats in their proper places — that is, for the principal dish at the head, if two prin- cipal dishes, at the head and bottom; if three, the extra one in the middle; tlie made dishes are ranged near the center of tlie table, and the vegetables, sauces, &c., be- tween tlie center and each end. Fold the napkins and place one, with the bread on or in it, to each person. Then lay the knives and forks at proper distances, the latter to the right and the former to the left hand. In a dinner of many dishes lay extra knives and forks for each person. Set the carving knives and forks before the large mats, outside the other knives, and lying paral- lel with them. Then put a salt-cellar at each corner — or if the table be large, put four on each side — with a table- spoon on each side; the nearest spoon to the carving knife, with the handle towards it, and the other the contrary way. Lay the gravy spoons by the side of the carving knife, and the same way. If there is only to be one soup, put the ladle at the head of the table, near the end of the carving knife, cross-wise. If only one fish, it will take the place of the soup when removed, and the slice should be placed accordingly. If two soups and two fish, the latter take the places of the former. Put a tablespoon to each person, outside the knife, with the handle about an inch from the edge of the table. The cruet stands are next put on, and then the water bottles, with tiu'ee or four tumblers to each, and two plain wine glasses, and DOMESTIC COOKERY. 279 one colored one for claret, still hock, &c,, at the right hi'.nd of each person, about two or three inches from the point of the knife. If the wine decanters are put on the table, there should be one near each corner, aUcrnatin::^ will) the water bottles. If there are many changes, have six l:iigc plates for eacli person, besides pudding and cheese plates, togetlier with as many knives and forks, plenty of cheese knives, dessert spoons, extra wine- glasses, napkins, &c. These may be kept on the side- board until required, Don't be afraid of having more than are wanted. Set the sideboard in order with the glasses needed for the dessert, the cold plates, the dessert service, ijowdered sugar, &c. In some houses, the dessert itself is placed on the sideboard before serving dinner. Underneath the sideboard should be placed a plate bas- ket to receive the dirty plates, and a box for the used knives, forks, spoons, &c. In Serving tne Dinner be careful that the plates are very hot, and free from dust, &c. Place the principal dishes top and bottom, at the proper distances from the edge of tlie table, and with the smaller dislies, vegetables, sauces, &c., see that they be uniform, i.e., that each dish has a corresponding one at the other end or side of the table. This plan is car- ried out right through the dinner. The heads of fish, hares, rabbits, and sucking pigs should be turned to the carver's right hand, and the skewer of an aitch-bone of beef towards his left hand. Put the thin part of a quarter of lamb from the carver, towards the center of the table, the neck end facing the carver's left hand; the same also for a leg and shoulder of mutton, and a haunch of ven- ison, the shanks being put towards the left hand; hams should be placed in the sam^ manner. Turkeys, geese, ducks, fowls, pheasants, w odcocks, partridges, and any kind of game, are served vv'ith the heads towards the right 28o DOMESTIC COOKERY. hand, for the convenience of carving. Some persons, in- deed, prefer having the head of the goose or duck to- Avards the left hand, for the greater ease of getting at the stuffing. The sirloin of beef should have the bony end to the left hand, and the same rule applies to the rump end of the saddle or chine of mutton. Dishes which have a well for the gravy should be laid so that that end is to the right hand of the carver. To remove the first course take the knife tray, with a clean cloth in it, and take all the forks, spoons, and knives (if any), beginning at the bottom, and going from the left hand of the dish regu- larly round; then put down the tray, and I'emove the dishes in the same martner, putting them into a large tray or basket, which must be emptied as quickly as possible for the second course. When all the fresh dishes are sent up, put them on in the same order as the first, taking care to observe the proper places and distances. Clean knives and forks iimst be ready for each change. The second course being removed as before, place the puddings, tarts, jellies, blancmanges, &c., and when these are done, the cheese, butter, and salad, the cheese at the the top or bot- tom, the butter in the middle, and the salad and cucum- ber on each side. After the cheese, remove everything, and clear of the fragments of bread, &c., with a crumb- brush. Then put round the finger-glasses, when used. Finger glasses are rapidly going out of fashion, the more usual, tasty and elegant plan being to place a silver or plated dish of rosevvater at the head of the table. The host dips the corner of his napkin in this, and then the dish is passed doAvn the table, each guest following the host's example. This answers the purpose of wetting the lips and fingers — all that should be done at the table. Where " slips " are used, remove them by rolling up. If not, the white table cloth should be taken off, and the dessert served either on the green baize, or the bare mahogany. DOMESTIC COOKERY, 281 In Putting on the Dessert, observe the same general rules as before, and when the fruits and other things are placed, set the sugar basin and water jug between the top and bottom dishes, next place the tumblers between the two side dishes and mid- dle one, two to each ; then put the decanters of wine on the table. Lay table-spoons to serve the dessert with, and a knife for the cake — if one is served ; next put on the dessert plates, with the doyleys and two wine-glasses to each person. General Observations. Always have flowers on your dinner table. Let there be plenty of light during dinner, but it may be a little sub- dued after cloth is removed. Half an hour after the dessert is put on the table the ladies retire, and in about another half hour the gentlemen follow them to the drawing-room, where tea and coffee are served. All the knives, plates, glass, &c., should be bright and free from dust. Above all things never attempt an elaborate din- ner, unless you have the appliances and means of cook- ing it thoroughly well, and of serving tastefully and properly — with the regular changes of plates, knives, forks, &c. ; and remember that good wine is essential to a good dinner. The head of a dinner table is always occupied by the lady of the house, who sits at that end of it, with face to- wards the door. In the case of a gentleman (bachelor or widower) having a lady housekeeper, the gentleman will then sit at the head ; if there is no housekeeper, and ladies present, the host may invite a married lady to oc- cupy the head of the table. Serving Supper. In covering the table, the same order should be ob- 282 DOMESTIC COOKERY. served as for dinner, except that "slips" are unnecessary. Napkins are only required for supper parties •when there is any liot meat. Decanters or jugs, with water in them, are to be set on the table, with three glasses to each. If a cold supper plates may be put round, but if there are hot dishes, the plates sliould be served as dinner. The decanters of wine are placed on the table, and the dishes of meat as well as fruit should be garnished with parsley, leaves, flovvers, jelly, candied peel, &c. Breakfast, Luncheons, &c., should be served on white cloths with taste and simplic- ity, the same general rules applying to these meals as to dinners. BREAD MAKING. Household Bread. Take ten pounds of flour, and three quarts of soft water, about lukewarm, if in summer, and rather warmer in winter. Put the water into a large pan, add a table- spoonful of salt, and a portion of the flour, stirring well until about the consistency of batter. Add rather more than half a pint of good yeast, and then more flour, mix- ing the whole well. Put the pan, covered with a cloth, and witli a little dry flour strewed over the dough, be- fore the fire a few minutes. About a third of the flour is to be kept back in this first operation, and to be well kneaded in when the mixture has risen properly before the fire. After the rest of the flour is added, put the dough again before the fire, and let it rise for a few min- utes, then knead again, and bake in a quick oven, having previously made the dough into loaves, and pricked ihe surface of the dough with a fork, and placed it agaiu be- DOMESTIC COOKERY. 283 fore the fire. The baking in an ordinary oven will re- quire about an hour to an hour and a quarter, for a four- pound loaf, and fifty minutes for a loaf of three pounds. If a heated oven be employed, it must be well heated be- fore tlie (haigh is put into it. \i potatoes be mixed with the bread in the proportion of an ounce to two ounces to a pound, the flavor will be improved. First boil the potatoes in their skins as directed (see Vegetables), then skinned, when dry, rub well up with milk or water boil- ed, and allowed to stand for a few minutes before it is used. Then add the mixture- to the disli in which the dough is mixed. Rice may also be used. Take a pound of rice to ten pounds of wheat flour, boil the rice in a quart of water until if has become a complete pulp. Strain off the water, and beat the rice well in a mortar until it is completely crushed, and is entirely dissolved, then add the water in which il was boiled, and a pint of milk, and boil the whole together for an hour. Strain off the liquid and add it to the dish in which the dough is made, suppressing as much water from the process as the quantity of liquid obtained from the boiling of the rice will supply. The dough must in all cases be thoroughly kneaded. If the water be hard, a drachm of carbonate of soda may be added to three quarts of water, but this is unnecessary when the water is of a soft nature. To ascertain the proper heat of the oven, throw a small quantity of flour on the floor of the oven; if the flour turn black in a short time, without taking fire, it is con- sidered of a proper heat. If tliis be not attended to, the bread will either be heavy and soddened, or scorched on the outside. Eolls. Take a portion of the dough and mix up wilh a few tablespoonfuls of cream in which the whites of two or three eggs whipped have been put; knead them care- fully, and add a little flour, if they be too moist. The 284 DOMESTIC COOKERY. dough for rolls should be taken off when it has risen the second time. After taking the dough from the fire the second time, it must be kneaded for lialf an hour on a board strewed with flour, if intended for loaves, but the rolls will not require more than five or six minutes kneading. They are then to be baked in a quick oven until they are nicely browned. A minute or two before they are done, they should be taken out of the oven, and a brush dipped in the white of ^^^ be passed over the top; then they are to be put in the oven again for one or two minutes. When there is reason to suspect, either from the ap- pearance or the smell of the flour, that it is not good, and there is still a necessity for using it, let it be baked for an hour in a very slack oven, and add to it, when making into dough, about ten grains of fresh carbonate of am- monia, carefully powdered, for every pound of flour. This will frequently correct any bad properties of the flour, and render the bread palatable. Milk may be substituted for water in the manufacture of bread, but it does not improve the flavor if the flour be good Brown Bread. The best is made of pure wheaten flour coarsely ground, but good bread is also made from a mixture of wheat, barley, and rye flour, in the proportion of two pounds of the first, to one of each of the other, Oat- meal may be substituted for the barley flour, or added to the barley and rye in the proportion of one-third. When making brown bread, use a larger quantity of yeast and less water, and knead for an hour. A nutritious brown bread is made by the addition of the flour of the haricot beans as follows: — two parts of wheaten flour, one of rye flour, and one of the bean flour. Generally speak- ing, brown bread requires longer baking than that from pure wheaten flour. DOMESTIC COOKERY. 285 French Rolls. To about seven pounds of fine flour add the whites of four eggs well beaten, and sufficient warm milk to make it into a stiff dough ; work it together in the same way as for pie-crust, and let it rise before the fire under a cloth. As the outside becomes hard by being placed be- fore the fire, it should be removed, and the remaining dough be well beaten, made into rolls, and set for a few minutes before the fire to rise, and then baked in a quick oven. Barley Bread. Take three pounds and a half of barley meal, mix well together in a large earthen pan, add yeast and warm water, and leave the dough to rise for one hour ; it must then be kneaded and well worked together for twenty minutes, after wliich, make into one loaf, put it into the oven, and let it bake for four hours. The barley should be finely ground. Indian Corn and Wheat Flour Bread. Take a quart of corn meal and a little salt, and one quart of boiling water. Wet the meal, let it stand until it is blood-warm ; then add two quarts of wheat flour, and half a pint of yeast, and let it rise. This quantity will make two loaves. Bake one hour and a half in a brisk oven. HOME-MADE WINES AND DRINKS. FmmGS: HOW TO MAKE AND USE THEM. For Skerry and all other Wliite Wines use the following: — Get an ounce of the best isinglass, pull it to pieces, and put into a small tub. Pour on to it half a gallon — three quart bottles — of cheap still hock. Beat up well together with a whisk for half an hour, cover the tub over, and keep it in a moderately Avarm place. Repeat the whisking three or four times a day for two or three days until the mixture is a thiciv smooth jelly-like substance. Then put away in a dry and tightl-y- corked ]^r for future use. This will keep good for some time if well corked and laid on its sidei'.? that the cork is kept wet. The quantity required for a butt is one quart; a hogshead, one pint; a quarter cask, half-a-pint; and an octave a gill-and-a-half. When the cask is readyto.be laid upon the scantling — or what serves for ihe same purpose — knock out the bung of the cask, and take out about half a gallon of the wine, put this into a large pan, and add the finings; whisk well for some time, and then put the whole into the cask; stir well round with a stick inserted in the bung-hole. Then lay up the cask, and fasten it with four wedges. Tap it about an inch to an inch and a half from the bottom of the head — always use silver-plated taps for wine — and put a spile in close to [286] WINES AND DRINKS. 287 the bung-hole. This spile must be left loose for some time. In a month or six weeks the wine should be ready for bottling or drawing off for use. About a pint siiould be first drawn off and then the wine tried. If not bright give it more time. Isinglass Jittiiigs for beer are made in the same way, with half an ounce to one ounce of isin- glass to a quart of " hard " beer. This should be made as wanted. It is stronger and cleaner than the doubtful mixtures often sold as " finings." For Port, Claret, &c., the whites of eggs are the most serviceable. Use twelve to a pipe, six to a hogshead, four to a quarter cask, and two to an octave. Break carefully and discard the yolks — this is best done by breaking the shell in the mid- dle on the rim of a cup, passing the whole yolk from one half shell to the other, until all the white has run into the cup. Then put the yolks aside, and so on; mix the whites well in a little wine; put into the cask, and pro- ceed as for sherry. "WINES. The whole art of wine-making consists in the proper management of the fermentation process. The same quantity of fruit — as unripe grapes, gooseberries, cur- rants, or rhubarb — will, with sugar and water, produce two different kinds of wine, by simply varying the mode of fermentation: that is, a dry wine, like sherry, or a brisk one like champagne. But none of these fruits will produce a wiue of the true champagne flavor, which is only to be obtained from the berries, leaves, tops, and tendri.'s of a particular kind of grape, principally grown in France. The following receipt, however, will do for making ten gallons of capital wine, without brandy. 288 WINES AND DRINKS. from unripe grapes, with tops, leaves, and tendrils, or from rhubarb, currants, or gooseberries. Champagne. i Take fifty pounds of rhubarb, or any of the above- mentioned fruits, and thirty-seven pounds of good moist sugar. Have ready a tub that holds from fifteen to twen- ty gallons. Bore a hole near the bottom for a tap. In this tub bruise the rhubarb, add four gallons of clear cold water; stir well; cover with a blanket and let stand for twenty-four hours; then draw off the liquor through the tap; add one or two more gallons of water to the pulp, let it be well stirred, and then allowed to remain an hour or two to settle, then draw off; mix the two liquors together and in it dissolve the thirty-seven pounds of sugar. Let the tub be made clean, and return the liquor to it, cover with a blanket and place in a room, the temperature of which is not below 60° Fahr. ; here it is to remain for twenty-four, forty-eight or more hours, until there is an appearance of fermentation hav- ing begun, when it should be drawn off into the ten-gal- lon cask, as clear as possible, which cask must be filled up to the bung-hoie with cold water; if there is not liquor enough, let it lean to one side a little, that it may discharge itself; if there is any liquor left in the tub not quite fine, pass it through a flannel bag, without squeezing, and fill up with that instead of water. As the fermenta- tion proceeds and the liquor diminishes, it must be filled up daily, to encourage the fermentation, for ten or twelve days; it then becomes more moderate, when the bung should be put in, and a gimlet-hole made by the side of it, fitted with a spile; this spile should be taken out every two or three days, according to the state of the fermentation, for eight of ten days, to allow some of the carbonic acid gas to escape. When this state is passed, the cask may be kept full by pouring a little liquor in at WINES AND DRINKS. 289 the vent-hole once a week or ten days, for tliree or four weeks. This operation is performed at long intervals of a month or more, till the end of December, when on a fine fi-osty day it should be racked off from the lees as fine as possible; the turbid part pass through a flannel bag as before. Make the cask clean, return the liquor to it; fine with isinglass as directed; put the bung in firmly. Choose a clear dry day in March for bottling it. Use champagne bottles, as common wine bottles are not strong enough; wire down the corks. Make up the liquor to two or three pints over the ten gallons, which bottle for the purpose of filling the cask as it is wanted. Sherry. To obtain a dry wine from these materials keep the cask constantly filled up to the bung-hole, daily or every other day, as long as any fermentation is perceptible by applying the ear near to the hole ; the bung may then be put in lightly for a time, before finally fixing it ; it may be racked off on a fine day in December, and fined as di- rected, and bottled in March. Another Receipt for Champagne. Take a large tub and put into it, boiling, eight gallons of soft distilled water, and fifteen pounds of lump sugar, and let stand for two hours, skimming now and then. Then dissolve in it an ounce and a quarter of tartaric or lemon acid. Before cold add half-a-pint of yeast; ferment. Then put into a very clean cask ; and add half a gallon of sherry (or a gallon of perry), half a gallon of French brandy, and a pint of fresh strawberry juice. Bung tight, and keep in a cool dry place for three months ; bottle it, and keep two months longer. It is then ready for use. There is considerable danger of these bottles bursting. 13 290 WINES AND DRINKS. Elderberry Wine. Take dry, ripe elderberries, pick, bruise, and strain them. Let the liquor stand in glazed earthenware ves- sels for twelve hours to settle. To every pint of clear juice add one pint and a half of water; to every gallon of this liquor put three pounds of moist sugar ; set it in a kettle over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, clarify it with the white of eggs ; boil one hour, and when al- most cold, work it with strong ale-yeast, and tun it, filling up the vessel from time to time with the same liquor, saved on purpose, as it sinks by working. Eight or nine gallons is a convenient quantity and it will then be ready to fine {see Fining). In a month's time it will be fit to bottle, and, after bottling, fit to drink in twelve months. Many persons add a little foreign wine or brandy to this wine. Orange Wine. Take eleven gallons of soft water, break into it the whites of thirty eggs; boil. Then peel very thin a couple of hundred fine ripe oranges, and two or three dozen Seville oranges. Pour the water, boiling, upon this, and let it stand for twelve hours. Strain; add the juice of the oranges, and thirty to thirty-five pounds of sugar. Add half a pint of ale-yeast, and let it ferment for four or five days. Put into a cask, add a gallon and a half of brandy ; bung closely, and in six months it will be per- fectly bright and ready to bottle. If not bright, it must be fined {see Fining). Cowslip Wine. Take three gallons of water and six pounds of loaf sugar; boil for an hour, and let it cool. Toast a piece of bread, and spread both sides of it with yeast, but be- WIJS/ES AND DRINKS. 291 fore you put it into the liquor, add to every gallon one ounce of the syrup of citrons. Beat well with the rest, and then put in the toast wliile it is warm. Let it work for two or three days, and in the meantime put in about a peck of bruised cowslip flowers, with three lemons sliced, and one pint of white wine to every gallon. Let the liquor stand three days, then put it into a clean cask, and when fine, bottle off. Ginger Wine. Boil four gallons of water and seven pounds of sugar, half an hour, skimming all the time. When cold, squeeze in the juice of two lemons, then boil the peels, with two ounces of white ginger, in three pints of water, one hour. As soon as this is cold, put it to the rest, and three pounds of Malaga raisins. Then close it up, fine {see Fining), let it stand two months, and bottle it off. CIDER, LEMONADE, &o. Cider. Take good sound apples, when they are perfectly ripe. Lay in heaps, and discard the decayed or over- ripe fruit. Bruise the remainder small, and when com- pletely mashed, put into a hair bag, and squeeze by de- grees. Strain into a cask, in which a sulphur match has just been burned, after which, mash the pulp with warm water, adding a fourth part to the cider. Warm three whites of eggs and a little honey and flour together, put into a linen bag, and let it hang by a string in the mid- dle of the liquid; then put in a pint of new ale yeast, warm and let stand five or six days, after which draw it 292 WINES AND DRINKS. off by a tap from the lees into smaller casks or bottles. If the latter, take care to leave the cider an inch below the bottom of the corks. In winter keep warm, but in summer as cool as possible, thus preserving as nearly as possible an equal temperature all the year round. Put a dust of white sugar into each bottle. To improve the appearance and flavor of a hogshead of cider, it sliould be racked from its lees, by means of a tap, into another cask, matched as before, and then have added to it this liquor : take half an ounce of cochineal, a pound of alum, and three pounds of sugar-candy. Bruise in a mortar, and infuse in a gallon of brandy for a day or two; then mix with the cider, and stop it close for six months. Then bottle as before. Perry. Take fine ripe pears and extract the juice as for cider. Then immediately squeeze the pulp through two thick- nesses of hair-cloth, into a tub. Let this be put into a matched cask, and the bung left out. In a few days the perry will be fairly still and clear, and it must then be racked from the lees into another cask as for cider. Then fine with sherry finings {see Fining). Put in a tap, di- rectly fined, and when the liquor is bright — try by draw- ing a little into a brightly-polished wine-glass, take into a dark place, and hold it before a candle or wax taper: if it then appear brilliaiit and without "flies" — i.e., mat- ter floating about in the liquor — it is fit to bottle. Put into champagne bottles, and let the top of the liquor be two inches from the top of the bottle-neck. Cork with good, long corks, and wire down. In perry and cider there is some danger of the bottles bursting. Ginger Beer. Boil together for an hour two gallons of water (put WINES AND DRINKS. 293 on cold) two ounces of bruised ginger, and two pounds of sugar. Skim and pour into a jar with one sliced lemon. When nearly cold, put in half a teacupful of yeast. After the beer 1ms worked (for two days) strain and bottle it for use. Tie the corks down strongly. There are many receipts for ginger-beer, but the above will be found as good as any. Lemonade. Dissolve loaf sugar in water, and add strained lemon- juice. If wanted for bottling proceed thus: — Having pre- pared the lemonade not quite so sweet as it is intended to be, make a very thick syrup of sugar; and when nearly done stir into it a quantity of carbonate of soda, sufficient to give about half a drachm to each bottle; pour out the syrup into a plate or dish, previously oiled, and when the sugar is nearly cold divide it with a knife into as many portions as there are to be bottles of lemonade; roll up each portion in writing paper in an elongated form, so that it may enter the bottle freely. As this will not dis- solve immediately, there will be abundant time to cork the bottles without loss of gas. The bottles then, being well corked, and tied over, the lemonade may be kept for tvi^o or three months. Italian Lemonade. Take a dozen lemons, pare and press them ; pour the juice on the peels, and let it remain all night ; in the morning add one pound of loaf sugar, a pint of good sherry, and three pints of boiling water. Mix well, add a pint of boiling milk, and strain through a jelly-bag till clear. It is then fit for use. This will keep for several days. Barley Lemonade. Take four ounces of sugar and half a pint of water ; 294 WINES AND DRINKS. boil together for ten minutes, until it forms a thick syrup; then grate the rind of a lemon ; add it. Then put in the pulp of two lemons, and let the whole boil for a minute or two longer, when add two quarts of barley-water (made without sugar or lemon); boil five minutes longer, pass through a hair sieve into a jug, cover with paper, making a hole in the center to let out the heat. When cold it is ready for use. If put cold into a bottle, and well corked, it keeps good several days. Barley Orangeade is made by adding to the above the rind of one and the juice of two oranges, and leaving out the rind and the juice of one lemon. Soda Water. Dissolve in a gallon of w^ater one ounce of carbonate of soda ; put it into bottles, half a pint to eacli ; having the cork ready, drop into each bottle half a drachm of tartaric or citric acid or crystals, cork and wire i7mne- diately^ and it will be ready to use at any time. Gingerade. Bruise two ounces of Jamaica ginger-root, and infuse it four hours in a pint of boiling water ; strain ; add two pounds of loaf sugar ; make hot, skim ; add two ounces of citric acid, and cork down for use. EefresMng Drink. A capital drink for hot weather is : — Take a large tumbler of cold water, stir into it two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal ; allow it to partially settle, and then drink off. WINES AND DRINKS. 295 Yeast. The following is an excellent substitute for yeast, when the latter cannot be obtained. Boil together for an hour sixteen ounces of flour, four ounces of brown sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, and two gallons of water. Let this get cool, and then put into a stone bottle and cork down. Make the day before wanted. SYLLABUBS AND JUNKETS. Syllabub. Take a large bowl, and put into it a pound of pow- dered sugar, and pour on it the juice (strained) of four lemons; stir well together, and then add one quart of port wine, one quart of sherry, and one pint of brandy; grate in two nutmegs, place the bowl under the cow, and milk it full. In serving, put a portion of the curd into each glass, fill up with whey, and pour a little cream on the top. Half this quantity may be made. Where the milk cannot be obtained from the cow put warm milk into a large jug and pour it from a height into the bowl. Syllabub with Cider is made by mixing together a quart of cider, half a pint of pale brandy, loaf sugar, and nutmeg, to taste, adding the milk and serving as before. Junket. Take some warm milk, put into a bowl, and turn with rennet; then put over it, without breaking the curd, some scalded cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon. 296 WINES AND DRINKS. cooimG CUPS. For sparkling cups do not make until just before wanted; other cups are better allowed to stand half an hour. Cider Cup. Take a bottle of cider, a bottle soda water (both iced), two glasses of sherry, one small glass of brandy, slices of lemon, a little nutmeg, aild sugar. Mix well, and add a sprig of borage, a sprig of balm, and some lump or pounded ice. Moselle or Champagne Cup. To each bottle of still or sparkling Moselle or cham- pagne, add one of soda-water, a glass of sherry or brandy, a few slices of pine-apple, the peel of half a lemon, cut thin, powdered sugar to taste, and some lump or pow- dered ice. Claret Cup. To each bottle of claret add one of soda water, a glass of sherry, a small glass of liquor, the peel of a lemon, cut thin, and powdered sugar to taste. Add some ice, and let it remain half an hour before serving. A few slices of raw cucumber, or some sprigs of. green borage maybe added. Sherry Cobbler. Powder roughly some ice, and half fill your tumblers with it; add one or two teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar, the rind of half a lemon, and two glasses of sherry; stir well together, and drink through a straw. Mint Julep. Take a dozen sprigs of fresh mint, put them in a WINES AND DRINKS. 297 large tumbler with a good spoonful of powdered sugar. Add a liquor glass each of pale brandy and noyeau. This should one-third fill the glass. Then fill up with pounded ice. Allow it to stand for a few minutes, and serve. A very small slice of pine-apple or peach, or a little bit of cinnamon may be added. Lemonade and Claret. To a glass of claret, add sonfe pounded ice, and slices of lemon. Stir, and pour in a bottle of effervescing lem- onade. A slice of cucumber improves this drink. Oxford Swig. Put into a bowl half a pound of sugar and pour over it half a pint of warm ale; add grated nutmeg and grated ginger, two glasses of sherry and a quart more ale, stir this well, and if not sweet enough add more sugar. Cover the bowl and let stand four hours. It is then fit for use. Lemon juice, and lump sugar rubbed on lemon-peel improve this ; or the lemon-peel itself, cut thin, may be used. If wanted effervescing, put into a stone bottle, cork tightly, and keep for a few days. PTJNCH, &c. Milk Punch. Steep the rinds of a dozen common-sized lemons for two days in two quarts of brandy, make a syrup of a pound and a half of sugar, and when nearly ready, add to it the juice of the lemons, and a grated nutmeg; add these to the brandy, and then a quart of new milk, boil- la* 298 WINES AND DRINKS. ing hot. Use cold. Strain through a jelly-bag and bottle. Tea Punch. Make a quart of strong green tea. Make a ;w/^/ punch- bowl very hot, and then put into it half a pint of brandy, half a pint of rum, lump sugar to taste, and tlie juice of a lemon; set these alight, and pour in the tea gradually, mixing it from time to time with a ladle; it Avill remain burning for some time, aftd is to be poured in that state into the glasses; a few lumps of tlie sugar should be rubbed over the lemon-peel as before directed. This punch, if in a china bowl, will not keep alight long. Eum Punch. Rub two lemons with sugar as before directed. Put the sugar in your bowl, squeeze the lemon-juice on it, and add a quart of boiling water; when this is getting cool, take a pint of rum and half-a-pint of brandy; stir them in; sweeten to taste with capillaire or sugar; strain; make quite hot and serve. A few roasted apples or slices of lemon are often served with this favorite drink. Lemon Punch. Take some lump sugar and rub three lemons until the essence of the rinds is extracted; put the sugar into a large jug with the peel of two Seville oranges, and two lemons, extremely thin, the juice of four Seville oranges and of ten lemons, and six glasses of calf's feet jelly, warm. Stir well together, pour on two quarts of boiling water, cover close, and set near the fire for a quarter of an hour; then strom into a punch bowl, sweeten with a bottle of cappir xire, made as follows: Boil five pounds of lump sugar vvith three pints of water, and one ounce WINES AND DRINKS. 299 of capillaire (the herb called Maiden-hair), skim fre- quently, and continue the boiling until the s)'rup becomes thick; then filter through a jelly-bag, add five drops of neroli, and when cold, put into bottles for use. Add half a pint of sherry, one pint of brandy, one pint of rum, and one bottle of orange shrub; stir the punch as the spirit is poured in. This is best hot, but may be taken cold. Gin Eonch. Rub off the peel of a lemon on sugar; put the sugar and juice into a bowl with a pint of gin, a quart of water, a gill of sherry, and loaf or barley sugar to taste. Stir well and serve hot. Cold Punch. Take the thin parings of three oranges and three lem- ons, let them steep in a bottle of brandy for two days. Then make a syrup with a pound and a half of loaf sugar; when this is cold, strain the brandy, and add it, together with half a gallon of filtered or distilled water, the strained juice of six oranges and six lemons. A little sherry may be added. Let this stand, closely corked, for a month, then strain and bottle. To be taken cold. WINTER DRINKS, Mulled Wine. Boil in a delicately clean pipkin, a full gill of water, sugar say three ounces, and any flavoring you like — cin- namon, cloves, ginger, lemon, &c. — until they form a thick syrup. When this is boiling pour in a pint of wine 300 WINES AND DRINKS. and stir gently till nearly boiling again, when serve. The beaten yolks of two or three eggs or a roasted apple or two are sometimes added. Egg-Hot. Beat lip the yolks of three eggs and the white of one in a teacupful of table ale, with a little nutmeg ; in the meantime have upon the fire a quart of the same kind of ale ; when it is nearly boiling add the eggs thus beaten up, and let the boiling finish very gently, stirring the whole time ; when it has thickened pour it into a jug containing about a gill of brandy and three ounces of loaf sugar ; have another jug handy, and pour backwards and forwards for three or four minutes before serving. Port Hegus. Put a pint of fruity port into a large jug; rub the rind of a lemon off with some lump sugar — say four ounces; then add ihe juice, strained. Grate a little nutmeg over it, and pour on to this mixture a quart of boiling water. When a little cool this is fit for use. Sherry Negus. — Pro- ceed in the same way. LiaUEURS. Raspberry Vinegar. Take four pounds of picked raspberries, bruise and place them in a jar, and pour over half a pint of vinegar; cover down air-tight, and let stand in the sun for two days, keeping it in a warm place during the night. Then put it in a jelly-bag, and let run through. For every pint WINES AND DRINKS. 301 take a pound of loaf sugar, and boil sharply until the scum rises; skim, bottle, and cork well. Brandy Bitters. Put into a pint of pale brandy half an ounce of finely cut fresh, and a quarter of an ounce of powdered dried orange and lemon peel. Let this remain for ten or twelve days, corked down, and well shaken twice a day. Filter through white blotting paper, and dissolve in it a couple of ounces of loaf sugar. Noyeau. Blanch and pound three ounces of almonds — half sweet and half bitter; mix them with a pound of pow- dered loaf sugar. Then boil half a pint of new milk, let it get cold and then add to the almonds and sugar. Then add the rinds of three lemons, thinly cut, one tablespoon- ful of honey, and a quart of good gin, or Irish wliisky; mix well, and let stand in a jar for a fortnight, shaking frequently. Then filter through blotting paper, and bot- tle off into small bottles; cork tightly and seal. Any bruised plum, apricot or peach kernels may be added. Cherry Brandy. Take six pounds of red and black cherries — half of each — mash; add a quart of brandy, and let it stand for twenty-four hours; strain through a bag, sweeten with loaf sugar, and add a stick of cinnamon; let it stand covered for a month. Then bottle and put a lump of sugar into each; or, the cherries may be left whole, and put into bottles, and covered with the brandy. It then requires to be kept some months before using. 302 WINES AND DRINKS. Orange Brandy. To a gallon of brandy and eight oranges use a pound of sugar. Steep the parings of the oranges, with a little lemon-peel, in tlie brandy for a fortnight, covered down. Then boil the sugar in a quart of water; skim, and add (cold) to the liquoi". Strain, and bottle. Many persons add the orange juice. SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC FACTS. THE PHILOSOPHY OF EATING. Dr. Hall's maxims are founded on good sense, long observation, and scientific principles He says: — "Never sit down to a table with an anxious or dis- turbed mind ; better intermit that meal ; eating under such circumstances can only prolong and aggravate the condition of things. Never sit down to a meal after any intense mental effort, for plivsical and mental injury are inevitable. Never go to a full table during bodily ex- haustion. The wisest thing you can do under such cir- cumstances is to take a biscuit and a cup of warm tea, either black or green, and no more. In ten minutes you will feel a degree of refreshment and liveliness which will be pleasantly surprising to you; not of the transient kind which a glass of liquf)r affords, but permanent; for the tea gives prompt stimulus, and a little strength, and before it subsides nutriment begins to be drawn from the sugar, cream and biscuit, thus allowing the body gradually, and by safe degrees, to regain its usual vigor. Then, in a couple of hours, you may take a full meal, provided it does not bring it later than two hours before sundown. It is a fact of no unusual observation among intelligent physicians, that eating heartily under bodily exhaustion is not unfrequcntly tlie cause of alarming and painful illness, and sometimes sudden death. These [303] 304 SOCIAL AND things being so, let every family make it a point to assemble around the family board with kindly feelings, with a cheerful humor, and a courteous spirit. Eat in thankful gladness." WATEE DRINKING. There is no habit which is so disposed to grow upon one as that of drinking. Even water-drinking, apparent- ly so harmless, becomes, with some people, a most per- nicious habit ; the}^ are regularly in the habit of drink- ing many glasses of water daily between meals. This habit is an injurious one ; it greatly weakens the digest- ive power. Unfortunately, however, Avater-drinking is far less frequently a habit than beer-drinking, which, in quantities very far short of intoxication, is much more injurious. By water-drinking we dilute our tissues ; by beer-drinking we contaminate tliem. It is a matter of no small importance to those who drink water tliat they should be able to obtain it as pure as possible. It is a mistake to suppose tliat water is necessarily pure because it is bright and sparkling. Water of this description is naturally much more attractive than that which is opaque or muddy ; but tlie analytical chemist tells us that in the most brilliant water there sometimes lurks the most deadly poison, and that a sudden rise in the temperature may develop this poison into activity, and so spread death and disease throughout a whole district. This is easily accounted for, because in most cases the brilliancy and sparkling character of water is owing to the large quantity of carbonic acid gas w^hich it contains ; and al- though this in itself is by no means injurious, yet it gives to water the power of dissolving matters of an organic nature. Avhich are the real cause of its unwholesomeness. There are other gases capable of being absorbed or dis- SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 305 solved by water, which produce a similar effect, and the combinations whicla result from them are all more or less injurious under certain conditions of temperature, the water all the time, perhaps, remaining beautifully clear and bright. It is, therefore, to the removal of this class of impurities that the attention of the water drinker should be inore particularly directed. The remedy con- sists in the filtration of all water used for drinking or cooking. Now, until very recently, it was supposed that so long as the visible impurities of water were removed by a filter, its action was perfect, and nothing more was expected from it. Tliis, however, is not all that is re- quired ; we want a filter which will deprive it, not only of its visible impurities (this is merely straining it), but also of those unseen and far more dangerous matters which impart so much unwholesomeness toour drinking water. This the old-fashioned filters will not do — they are mere combinations of sponge, sand, and gravel, with sometimes a little wood-charcoal ; and although they may strain water and render it tolerably bright, they do not exercise any chemical action on it. The newer and better class of filters have animal charcoal for the filter- ing medium. The best plan is to buy of a good maker. THE POCKET FLASK. All travelers know the great value of a pocket flask, and therefore the following excellent mixture with which to fill it will be acceptable: — Melt or dissolve by a gentle heat one ounce of black currant jelly in half-a-pint of syrup; when cold, add the same quantity of rum, which is preferable to any other spirit, as it increases the respi- ration, so essential to all sportsmen. This should be pre- pared in the summer — as follows: — Pick fine dry black currants, put them into a stone jar, and then the jar in 3o6 SOCIAL AND a. saucepan of boiling water till tbe juice is extracted; strain, and to every pint ackl half a pound of loaf sugar; give one boil, and skim well; when cold, add the same quantit}' of rum, shake well and bottle. THE RIND OF ALL FRUIT IS INDIGESTIBLE, and so is the pellicle or skin of kernels and nuts of all kinds. The edible part of fruit is particularly delicate, and liable to rapid decomposition if exposed to the atmosphere; it is therefore a provision of Nature to place a strong and impervious coating over it, as a pro- tection against accident, and to prevent insect enemies from destroying the seed within. The skin of all the plum tribe is wonderfully strong, compared with its substance, and resists the action of water and many solvents in a remarkable manner. If not thoroughly masticated before taken into tlie stomach, the rind of plums is rarely, if ever, dissolved by the gastric juice. In some cases, pieces of it adhere to the coats of the stomach, causing sickness and other inconvenience. Dried raisins and currants are particularly included in these remarks, showing the best reasons for placing the fruit upon the chopping-board with the suet in making a pudding of them, for if a dried currant passes into the stomach whole, it is never digested at all. When horses eat oats or beans that have not been through a crushing-mill, much of this food is swal- lowed whole, and in this state, being perfectly indi- gestible, the husk or pellicle resisting the power of the stomach, there is so much loss to nutrition. Birds, being destitute of teeth, are provided with the appara- tus for grinding their seed, namely with the gizzard, through which the seed passes, and is crushed prior to digestion. The peels of apples and pears should SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 307 ahva5's be cast awny. Oranges wc need not mention, as this is always done. (Orleans, grcens^ages, damsons, and all oilier plums, should be carefully skinned if eaten raw; and if put into tarts, tliey should be crushed before cooking. Nuts are as indigestible as we could desij-e, if the brown skin be not removed or blanched, as almonds ai^e generally treated. SLEEP AT WILL. On every hand we hear complaints such as " I lay awake for hours,'' &c., &c., and any means natural or arti- ficial — of procuring sleep — in other words, falling to sleep at will — is certainly worth a trial. Dr. Binn, the author of the "Anatomy of Sleep," thus describes his proc- ess: — " I turn my eyeballs as far to the right or left, or upwards or downwards, as I can without pain, then com- mence rolling them slowly with that divergence from a direct line of vision around in their sockets, and continue doing this till I fall asleep, which occurs generally within three minutes, and always within five at most. The im- mediate effect of this procedure differs from that of any other of which I have heard to procure sleep. It not merely diverts thought into a new channel, but actually suspends it. I have endeavored innumerable times, while thus rolling my eyes, to think upon a particular subject, and even upon that which before kept me awake, but I could not. As long as they were moving around, my mind was a blank. If any one doubts this, let him try the experiment for himself. Let him pause just here and make it. I venture to assure him that if he makes it in good faith, in the manner described, the promise of *a penny for his thoughts,' or for each of them, while the operation is in progress, will add very little to his w^ealth." 3o8 SOCIAL AND THE HUMAN EODY. Pope truly said " the proper study of mankind is man;" but just as marvels by familiarity ceases to seem marvel- ous, so by its being constantly before our eyes, we over- look that wonder of wonders, t]:ie human body. In the human skeleton, about the time of maturity, there are 165 bones. The muscles are about 500 in number. The length of the alimentary canal is about 32 feet. The amount of blood in an adult ax'erages 30 pounds, or full one-fifth of the entire weight. The heart is 6 in. in length, and 4 in. in diameter, and beats 70 times per minute, 4,200 times per hour, 100,800 per day, 36,772,000 per year, 2,565,- 440,000 in three score and ten, and at each beat 2% ounces of blood are thrown out of it, 175 ounces per minute, 656 pounds per hour, 7 and 3-4ths tons per day. AH the blood in the body passes through the heart in 3 minutes. This little organ, by its ceaseless industry during life, lifts the enormous weight of 370,700,200 tons. The lungs will contain about i gallon of air at their usual degree of inflation. We breathe on an average 1,200 times per hour, inhale 600 gallons of air, or 24,000 gallons per day. The aggregate surface of the air cells of the lungs ex- ceeds 20,000 square inches, an area very nearly equal to the floor of a room 12 ft. square. The average weight of the brain of an adult male is 3 pounds and 8 ounces, of a female 2 pounds and 4 ounces. The nerves are all connected with it, directly or by the spinal marrow. These nerves, together with their branches and minute ramifications, probably exceed 10,000,000 in number, forming a " body guard " outnumbering by far the great- est army ever marshaled ! The average area of the skin in an adult is estimated to be 2,000 square inches. The atmospheric pressure being about 15 lbs, to the square inch, a person of medium size is subjected to a pressure of 40,000 lbs. Each square inch of skin contains 3,500 SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 309 sweating tubes, or perspiratory pores, each of which may be likened to a little drain-tile T-4tli of an inch long-, make an aggregate length of the entire surface of the body of 201,166 ft., or a tile-ditch for draining the body almost 40 miles long! THE TEETH OF MAN AND OF INFERIOR ANIMALS. Vegetarians will do well to study the teeth of man, and they will find there the distinct refutation of their arguments. No naturalist who has examined the teeth of man, and compared their structure with those of the lower animals, but must be of the opinion that those who restrict themselves to a vegetable diet, are not acting in accordance with the dictates of nature. The teeth of man, partaking as they do, in a nearly equal degree, of the prop- erty of the herbivorous and carnivorous animals, show that he has been destined to be nourished by both descriptions of food. We do not require to refer to what would be sufficient evidence of the propriety of using this kind of aliment, viz., the natural instinct of man to seek it, or to the superiority in energy and stamina seen in those races of mankind who freely use it, compared with those who, from circumstances or superstitious observ- ance, do not partake of animal food. The form and structure of tlie teetli alone afford the most conclusive proof that man was intended to derive his food in nearly equal degrees from the animal and vegetable kingdoms. They will best preserve their constitutions in unimpaired vigor, therefore, who do not confine themselves exclu- sively to the use of either. 310 SOCIAL AND YEAELY FOOD OF OKE MA:^. From tbe army and navy diet scales, based upon the recognized necessities of large numbers of men in active life, it is inferred that about two and one-fourth pounds avoirdupois of dry food, per day, are required for each individual; of this about three-fourths are vegetable, and the rest animal. At the close of an entire year, the amount is upwards of eight hundred pounds. Enumer- ating under the title of water all the various drinks, its estimated quantity is about fifteen hundred pounds per annum. The air received by breathing may be taken at eight hundred pounds. With these figures before us, we are able to see how the case stands. The food, water, and air which a man receives, amount, in the aggregate, to more than three thousand pounds a year — about a ton and a half, or twenty times his weight. Tliis fact shows the gigantic expenditure of material required for life, and proves better than words the changes which are hourly caused by every living being. AGE OF AITIMALS. A bear rarely exceeds 20 years; a dog lives 20 years; a wolf 20 years; a fox 14 or 16 years; lions are long-lived. Pompey lived to the age of 70. The average of cats is 15 years; a squirrel and hare 7 or 8 years; rabbits 7. Elephants have been known to live to the great age of 400 years When Alexander the Great had conquered one Phorus, King of India, he took a great elephant which had fouglit very valiantly for the king, named him Ajax, and dedicated him to the sun, and let him go with this inscription — " Alexander, the son of Jupiter, hath dedi- cated Ajax to the sun." This elephant was found with SCIENTIFIC FACTS, 31 x this inscription 350 years after. Pigs have been known to live to the age of thirty years; the rhinoceros to 20. A horse has been known to live to tlie age of 62, but averages 25 to 30. Camels sometimes live to the age of 100. Stags are long-lived. Sheep seldom exceed the age of 10. Cows live about 15 years. Cuvier considers it probable that whales sometimes live to the age of 1,000. The dolphin and porpoise attain the age of 30. An eagle died in Vienna at the age of 104 years. Ravens frequently reach the age of 100. Swans have been known to live 360 years. Pelicans are long-lived. A tortoise has been known to live to the age of 107. PULSE OF ANIMALS. Amateur veterinarians will be assisted by the follow- ing table of the number of pulsations in a minute in various animals: — The horse, 32 to 38 (36 to 40, White); ox or cow, 35 to 42 (42 to 45, Clater); ass, 48 to 54; sheep, 70 to 79; goat, 72 to 76; dog, 90 to 100; cat, no to 120; rabbit, 120; guinea-pig, 140; duck, 136; hen, 140; heron, 200. HOW TO KEEP HOUSES COOL IN HOT WEATHER. If the air outside a room or house be cooler than the air inside, let it in by all means; but if it be hotter, care- fully keep it out. A staircase-window left open during the night will often cool the passages of a house, and the rooms, too, if their doors be not shut; but it must be closed at eight or nine o'clock in the morning, or, if on the sunny side, at four or five o'clock, and the blind drawn down. The mistake people generally make is to throw 3X2 SOCIAL AND open their windows at all hours of the day, no ms-tter whether the atmosphere outside be cool or scorcliing. "Let us have some air," they say, and in comes the treacherous breeze — for even hot air is pleasant while it is gently blowing, taking away perspiration, and thereby cooling the skin; but the apartment is made warmer, in- stead of cooler, and as soon as they move out of the draft, they find their room to be more uncomfortable than before. Let in cool air, keep out hot; that is the only formula to insure the minimum of discomfort. Sit- ting-rooms may generally be kept cool during the whole day, if the doors be only opened for ingress and egress, and the windows be kept closed and shielded from direct sunshine by a blind. If the atmosphere of a room be im- pure from any cause, let it be renewed; hot air is less injurious than bad air; if a room be small in comparison with the number of persons engaged in it, free ventila- tion becomes indispensable. In a cooking apartment the temperature will probably be higher than outside hence the free admission of even hot air will be desira- ble. If persons do not object to sit in a direct draft of air, windows and doors may be opened, a breeze being rnore refreshing, even though several degrees warmer, than still air; but under nearly all other circumstances rooms should be kept closed as much as possible till after sundown, or till the air outside is cooler than that inside. Let in cool air, keep out hot. OPEN WmDOWS AT NIGHT. The above theory of letting in cool air must of course be adopted with caution. If you sleep uncomfortably cool you will get ill. To put the window of a bedroom quite high, when the thermometer is at zero is an absurd- SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 313 ity. The cooler a sleeping department is — below a certain temperature — the more unhealthy does it become, because cold condenses the carbolic acid formed by the breathing of the sleeper. It settles near the door and is re-breathed, and if in a very condensed form he will die before the morning. Hence, we must be governed by circumstances ; the first thing is, you must be comfort- ably warm during sleep, otherwise you are not refreshed, and inflammation of the lungs may be engendered, and life destroyed within a few days. An open fire-place is sufficient for ordinary purposes in cold weather. When the windows are opened, it is well to have them down at the top two or three inches, and up at the bottom. CAUTION TO PERSONS LIVING IN MARSHY DIS- TRICTS. In miasmatic localities — and these are by rivers, ponds, marshes, fens, and the like — it is most important, from the first of August until several severe frosts have been noticed, to sleep with all the windows closed, because the cool air of sunset causes the condensation of the poisonous emanations which were caused by the heat of the noonday sun to rise far above the earth ; this conden- sation makes the air " heavy " at sunset, made heavy by the greater solidification of the emanations by cold; and resting on the surface of the earth in their more con- centrated and malignant form, they are breathed into the lungs, and swallowed into the stomach, corrupting and poisoning the blood with great rapidity. By daylight these condensations are made so compact by the protracted cool- ness of the night, that they are too near the surface of the earth to be breathed into the system ; but as the sun begins to ascend, these heavy condensations, miasms, 14 314 SOCIAL AND begin to rise again to the height of several feet above the ground, and are freely taken into the system by every breath and swallow. Hence the hours of sunrise and sunset are the most unhealthful of all the hours of the twenty-four in the localities named ; and noontide, when the sun is the hottest, is the most healthy portion of the day, because the miasm is so much rarefied that it as- cends rapidly. BEDS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. The notion that feather beds are unhealthy and mat- tresses healthy, is erroneous. A feather bed is only un- healthy when the sleeper finds himself too warm in it. During the cold winter months the warmth of feathers is almost necessary. A feather bed is a greater luxury than a mattress. Nothing is more uncomfortable to lie upon than an ill-kept feather bed. A bed should be well shaken by the four corners alternately, and the two sides of the center; shake it again and again. Turn it, and re- peat the process, then feel for any knots of feathers, and separate them with the hands. On rising, strip the bed. Do not lay the clothes back over the footboard, but re- move them on one or two chairs. Shake the bolsters and pillows. Some make up beds immediately they are va- cated. To do so is not healthy. They need to air for a couple of hours. Open the windows, and set open the doors also. Unless there is a thorough draught, there is no true ventilation of a sleeping-room. CARBOLIC ACID v. CHLORIDE OF LIME. A recent report upon the relative value of chloride of SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 315 lime and carbolic acid as disinfectants, deserves serious attention. Some meat was hung up in the air till the odor of putrefaction was strong. It was then divided into two pieces. One was soaked for half an hour in chloride of lime solution, and was then washed and hung up again; the offensive smell had entirely gone. The other piece of meat was soaked in a solution of carbolic acid, containing one per cent, of the acid; it was then dried and hung up. The surface of the meat was whitened, but its offensive odor was not removed, though it was masked by the carbolic acid. In two days' time the bad odor had entirely gone, and was replaced by a pure but faint smell of carbolic acid. In a few weeks' time the pieces of meat were examined again. The one which had been deodorized with chloride of lime now smelt as offensively as it did at first, whilst the piece treated with carbolic acid had simply dried up, and had no offensive odor whatever. Even after a month's ex- posure no change had taken place. This shows us that whilst chloride of lime merely removes the smell of de- composing matter — in fact, is a deodoriser — carbolicacid actually prevents decomposition, and is antiseptic. SUGAR AS FOOD. Next to corn and animal food, sugar constitutes a most important part of the food of the people. Al- though, being a non-nitrogenous substance, sugar can- not make flesh, yet it makes fat; it aids respiration, con- duces to the digestion of flesh-making things, and in several other ways exalts the power of that mysterious energy which we agree to call "life." 3i6 SOCIAL AND ADULTERATION OE SUGAR. If brown sugar be adulterated with sand, the fraud may be detected by taking a glass full of clean water, and dissolving a quantity of the suspected sugar therein. If sand, or any similar substance, be present, it will fall to the bottom when the solution has stood for some time. DRAFTS PREVENTED. The means of preventing drafts from doors or windows simply consists of a slight beading, screwed or nailed round the door-frame, with a narrow slip, or rib- bon, of vulcanized india-rubber, fixed in a groove at an angle, so as to form an elastic spring to press against the door when closed, and thus to make the joints air-tight all round. The beading at the foot of the door is so hinged and affixed to the door itself, as to open much like one of the pieces of a parallel ruler, only protected between the two slips, and having a spring between its two pieces and the india-rubber ribbon running along the outer edge, so that as the door closes, a protruding heel of the bead, as it were, is caught by the frame and pressed so as to open the parallel slip and cause its rub- bered edge to press upon the floor or carpet, thus effi- ciently preventing all access of air or draft. Not only drafts, but dust and noise can thus be readily excluded, either by windows or doors. WHEN PERFUMES SHOULD BE USED IN THE SICK CHAMBER. Though the odors which we dislike are overpowered SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 317 by others more agreeable, the former are neither re- moved nor destr(jyed ; and the invalid continues to inhale them in spite of the warning given him by his sense of their injurious effects. Tliis fact leads to the inference that the best means of removing a bad odor from a room is by proper ventilation. A fire in the gi-ate, and the door left a-jar, or the window open top and bottom about an inch, will quickly change the at- mosphere in the apartment; the vitiated air will flow up the flue, while fresh air will come in at the various por- tals. There are, however, instances when the doctor and the nurse positively prohibit tiiis fresh air, and it is on such occasions they are beneficial, not only because they hide the bad smells, but because — what is far more im- portant — they act as a prophylactic in the atmosphere. The odorous substances of flowers are all antiseptic in a high degree, and being diffused into an atmosphere charged with malarious gases, they destroy their poison- ous effects. PEPSIN is prepared by digesting the cleansed stomachs of sheep or pigs in distilled water, the resulting liquid with ace- tate of lead, separating the precipitate thus formed by filtration, then suspending it in water, and passing sul- phuretted hydrogen through the water to decompose the lead precipitate. The liquid, after being gently heated and filtered, is evaporated nearly to dryness, and mixed with sufficient starch to form a powder. This powder is the so-called pepsin. Liquor pepticus praep. is some- times a solution of this powder in distilled water, and sometimes the liquid obtained as above, before it is evaporated to dryness, and mixed with starch. Fre- quently a little alcohol is added to it for its preservation. 3i8 SOCIAL AND The dose of pepsin is about one scruple, and the liquor pepticus prsep. in proportional quantity. MUSTAED LEAVES. These are said to be prepared by fixing on strong paper a thin layer of mustard by means of a solution of caoutchouc in a volatile oil. To increase the activity of the mustard the fixed oil is extracted. The mustard leaves are used as substitutes for mustard poultices. TO RESTORE SCaRCHED LINEIT. The accident of scorching linen is of such frequent occurrence that the following process is of great value. It is almost needless to premise that if the tissue of the linen is so much burnt that no strength is left, it is use- less to apply it; for nothing could prevent a hole from being formed, although the composition would by no means tend to hasten that consummation. But if the scorching is not through, and the threads not actuall}' consumed, then the application of this composition, fol- lowed by two or three good washings, will restore the linen to its proper color, and the marks of the scorching will be totally effaced. Mix well together two ounces of fuller's earth reduced to a powder; one ounce of hen's dung; half an ounce of ca^ce soap, scraped: and the juice of two large onions, obtained by the onions being cut up, beaten in a mortar and pressed. Boil this mass in half a pint of strong vinegar, stirring it from timeto time, until it forms a thick liquid compound. Spread the composition thickly over the entire surface of the scorched part, and SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 319 let it remain on twenty-four hours. If the scorching was light, this will prove sufficient, with the assistance of two subsequent washings, to eradicate the stain. If, how- ever, the scorching was strong, a second coating of the composition should be put on after removing the first; and this should also remain on for twenty-four hours. If after the linen has been washed twice or thrice, the stain has not wholly disappeared, the composition may be used again, in proportion to the intensity of the discoloration remaining, when a complete cure will seldom fail to be effected. It has scarcely ever happened that a third ap- plication was found necessary. The remainder of the composition should be kept for use in a gallipot tied over with bladder. PRESERVING BOOTS. A coat of gum -copal varnish applied to the soles of boots and shoes, and repeated as it dries, until the pores are filled and the surface shines like polished mahogany, will make the soles water-proof, and also cause them to last three times as long as ordinary soles. THE VALUE OF LEAVES. If every horticulturist would reflect for a moment on fhe nature of fallen leaves, which contain not only the vegetable matter, but the earthy salts, lime, potash, &c., needed for the next season's growth — and that, too, ex- actly in the proportion required by the very tree and plant from which they fell, — nay, more, if they would consider that it is precisely in this way, by the decom- position of these very fallen leaves, that nature enriches 320 SOCIAL AND the soil, year after year, in her great forests ; it would scarcely be possible for such a reflecting horticulturist to allow these leaves to be swept away by every wind that blows, and finally lost altogether. A wise horticul- turist will diligently collect from week to week the leaves that fall under each tree, and, by digging them under the soil about the roots, where they will decay and enrich that soil, provide in the cheapest manner the best possible food for the tree. In certain vineyards in France, the vines are kept in the highest condition by simply burying at their roots every leaf and branch that is pruned off such vines, or that falls from them at the end of the season. THE AaUARIUM may consist of either salt water and marine animals and plants, or fresh water and plants and fishes ; the latter kind is perhaps the more amusing. In order that the fish and other animals may retain their health, nay, even their life, oxygen is absolutely necessary — this the plants give off in large quantities; while the carbon necessary to the growth and sustenta- tion of the plants is produced by the fishes, the two in combination preserve the water pure and fresh for al- most any length of time; water has the power of absorb- ing certain quantities of atmospheric air and carbonic acid gas; the presence of the air gives to the rain and spring water its refreshing qualities. The leaves of plants, when acted upon by light, decompose this gas, and, having no necessity for oxygen, they merely absorb the carbon. Animals, on the other hand, require oxygen for the purpose of removing the waste carbon of great divisions of organized beings, But two other elements play an important part in the phenomenon of life — SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 321 namely, nitrogen and hydrogen. Both plants and ani- mals require these gases as food. They combine to form ammonia, which is found in small portions in the atmosphere and in water. Ammonia is indeed the main fertilizing element of vegetable life. Plants obtain their supply of it either through the natural water absorbed at their rootlets, or by means of artificial manures; ani- mals through the means of the substance they devour. All forms of vegetable and animal life are built up of these four elements. All that we have to do, therefore, to keep our miniature v/orld in activity is to imitate nature as closely as possible; to give fishes to the plants, and plants to the fishes; to keep up a proper supply of oxygen to the one and carbon to the other, the other gases being always present in sufficient quantity. Various kinds of receptacles are used for both the marine and the fresh water aquaria. The square, or rectangular glass tank, is the most expensive, while an ordinary propagating glass turned upside down and placed in a stand, forms a very good-shaped vase, espec- cially for fresh water animals. Where the jointed glass is used it is sometimes found to leak, ^n which case either of the following cements will remedy the defect : — i. Mix boiled linseed oil, lith- arge, red and white lead together, to a proper consistence, always using the larger proportion of white lead. This composition may be applied to a piece of flannel and fit- ted to the joints. — 2. A more powerful cement is com- posed in the proportion of two ounces of sal ammoncia, and four ounces of sulphur, made into a stiff paste with a little water. When the cement is wanted for use, dis- solve a portion of the paste in water rendered slightly acid, and add a quantity of iron turnings or filings sifted or powdered, to render the particles of uniform size. This mixture will in a short time become as hard as stone. — 3. Make a mixture of a solution of eight ounces of strong glue, and one ounce of varnish of linseed oil, or 32 2 SOCIAL AND three-quarters of an ounce of Venice turpentine, which are to be boiled together, agitating all the time, until the mixture becomes as complete as possible. The pieces to be cemented ought to be kept in conjunction for forty- eight or sixty hours. Next as to the filling and stocking. A sub-stratum of soil, in which the plants may grow, is necessary, just enough of sand, stones, and clay to cover the bottom ; but no mud — nothing that is easily removable or apt to discolor the water. Then the weeds; and lastly, the ani- mals. Ordinary pond water will do admirably for fresh- water aquaria, while good sea water is necessary for the marine tank. Weeds require very little soil. Almost any weed may, however, be naturalized in the aquarium. Then for fish. The ordinary stickleback, if kept by themselves, are most amusing inhabitants ; or the gold- fish, the carp, or the minnow may be profitably intro- duced. But, in order to keep down the green conferv(z, a few snails are absolutely necessary. To these may be added water-newts, or efts, or even a good-sized toad ; which, by the way, is by no means so repulsive an animal as is by many believed. But you must be careful not to introduce some kinds of water-beetles ; but tlae diving spider {Arga roueta aquaticd) will be found a most inter- esting addition. As a general rule the best position for an aquarium is at a window where it may receive plenty of light, and yet not be subjected to direct sunshine, unless some pro- vision is made for affording shelter for the fishes, for it must be borne in mind that fishes have no eyelids; it would, therefore, be as cruel to expose them to the rays of the sun, as to place a man whose eyelids were cut off in the same position. We have met with cases where ignorant, though well-meaning persons, who have kept gold-fishes, have made a practice of placing the globe containing them in the sunshine, because, as they thought, it made them " so lively," whereas the unfortunate fishes SCIENTIFIC FACTS. 323 were really darting about in agony, vainly attempting to escape from the blinding glare. Some persons place the aquarium in such a position as to allow the light to enter it on all sides, while others prefer to darken one or more of the sides, or sometimes allow the light to enter at the top only. Sunshine for an hour or two a day accelerates the growth of the plants. REPOLISHING JEWELRY, &c. A solution of cyanide of potassium in water is equal, if not superior, to any compound that can be used for cleaning jewelry, the liquid cleaning all those parts of the work which neither brush, buff, nor thread could reach. Here is the method: — Dissolve one ounce of cya- nide of potassium in three gills of soft water, turn up the end of a piece of brass or iron wire into a hook, attach it to the article to be cleaned, and immerse it in the solu- tion, shaking it backward and forward for a second or two, then take it out and rinse well in clean water. Wash it with warm water and soap to remove any film of cya- nide that may remain; rinse again, dip into spirits of wine, and dry in boxwood sawdust. The advantage of dipping in spirits of wine is the immediate drying of the work without any sticking of the sawdust to it. When done with the solution, put it in a bottle and cork tightly. It may be used again and again for some months. Care should be taken not to wet the fingers with the solution, and not to inhale the odor, as the cyatiide is a violent poison. THE WEIGHT OF A SUNBEAM. Not only does light fly from the sun with a velocity 324 SOCIAL AND which is a million times greater than the speed of a can- non-ball, but it darts from every reflecting surface with a like velocity, and reaches the eye so gently that, as it falls upon it, it imparts the most pleasing sensations. Philosophers once sought to weigh the sunbeam. They constructed a most delicate balance, and suddenly let in upon it a beam of light. The lever of the balance was so delicately hung that the fluttering of a fly would have disturbed it. Everything prepared, the grave men took their places, and with keen eyes watched the result. The sunbeam that was to decide the experiment had left the sun eight minutes prior, to pass the ordeal. It had flown through 95,000,000 miles of space in that short measure of time, and it shot upon the balance with unabated velocity. But the lever moved not; and the philosophers were mute. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. SOAPS, in all their varieties, consist of certain proportions of grease and alkaline salts, to which resin and scents are added in greater or lesser quantities. The common yel- low soap is a compound of tallow, resin, and soda; and what is called honey soap is only yellow soap slightly refined and scented. The actual process of cleansing, and the reason why soap cleanses, is this: — soap consists of lixivial salts, alkalies, and tallow, and the greater part of the dirt on linen, clothes, &c., consists of oily perspiration, grease, and the dust which such grease at- tracts. In cold water these matters are insoluble; but in warm water, to which alkalies have in any way been added, the greasy dirt unites with the salts, and becomes saponaceous, and so far soluble as that it may be soon washed out. This is the secret of all washing powders; and in washing our hands we, in fact, perform a real chemical experiment. Many kinds of soap are prepared . for the toilet; the following are among the best: — Toilet Soap. Take four ounces of Castile soap, slice it down into a pewter jar, and cover with alcohol; place the jar in a ves- [325] 326 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. sel of water at such a heat as will cause the spirit to boil, when the soap will soon dissolve; then put the jar, closely covered, in a warm place until the liquor is clari- fied; take off any scum that may appear on the surface, and pour it carefully from the dregs; then put it into the jar again, and place it in the vessel of hot water: distil- ling all the spirits that arise; dry the remaining mass in the air for a few days, when a white transparent soap will be obtained, free from impurities, and void of smell. In this way the best fancy soaps of the shops are pre- pared. To color this soap, add a small quantity of any of the vegetable dyes. Then expose the jar to a gentle heat, and pour the soap out into small molds to cool; adding a few drops of any perfume. Lemon Soap. Take two ounces of lemon juice; one ounce of oil of bitter almonds; one ounce of oil of tartar; and two ounces of Venice soap. Stir the mixture (cold) until the different ingredients are thoroughly blended, and it has acquired the consistency of honey; then put it up in small china boxes. Musk Soap. Take four ounces of dried root of mallows in fine powder, four ounces of rice powder, two ounces of oil of tar, two ounces of oil of sweet almonds, six ounces of Florentine iris root, and one drachm of essence of musk. Blend the whole thoroughly, and make it up into a stiff paste with orange-flower water; then mold into round balls or cakes. Wash-balls. Shave thin two pounds of new white soap into about a teacupful of rose-water, then pour as much boiling DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 327 water on as will soften it. Put into a brass pan a pint of sweet oil, one ounce of oil of almonds, half a pound of spermaceti, and set all over the fire till dissolved; then add the soap and half an ounce of camph(jr in pow- der, with a few drops of lavender-water, or any other scent. Boil ten minutes, then pour it into a basin, and stir it till it is thick enough to roll up into hard balls, which must then be done as soon as possible. Windsor Soap. Scrape some of the best white soap very thin, melt it in a stewpan over a slow fire, scent it well with oil of caraway, or other odor, and pour it into a mold. After standing three or four days in a dry place, cut it into square pieces. Washing Powders are best bought ready made. — But much soap and labor is saved by dissolving alum and chalk in bran-water, in which the linen is to be boiled, then well rinsed out, and bleached. Soap may even be rendered supertluous, or nearly so, in the getting up of muslins, by washing them in plain water, and then boiling them in rice-water; after which they must not be ironed, but passed through the mangle. WASHES. Rose Vinegar for the Toilet. Gather a quantity of rose leaves, and put them in a clean basin; then add two penny-worth of pure acetic acid,. diluted with half a pint of water (cold): pour on the rose leaves, and cover well from the air. Macerate for 328 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. four days; then strain off the fluid, and add a drop or two of otto of rose (or not, at pleasure). Of course the above can be made in large quantities, only observing the same proportions. Elder-Flower Water. Pick a quantity of the flowers, put them into a jug, and pour boiling Avater upon them. Let the decoction stand till it is quite cold, and then strain through a piece of muslin. It is an excellent wash for the face, and re- moves freckles when merely produced by the summer heat. The wash can be made strong, and can be used as frequently as desired; but one or two applications a day are usually sufficient. Lotion. Blanched bitter almonds, two ounces; blanched sweet almonds, one ounce; beat to a paste, add distilled water, one quart; mix well, strain, put into a bottle, add corro- sive sublimate in powder, twenty grains, dissolve in two tablespoonfuls of spirits of wine, and shake well. Used to impart softness to the skin; and also as a wash for obstinate, eruptive diseases. Wet the skin with it, either by means of the corner of a napkin, or the fingers dipped into it, and then gently wipe off with a dry cloth. "Wash for the Face. The following is a cheap and perfectly harmless wash to remove the disagreeable effects of perspiration on the face and other parts of the body: — Procure compound spirits of ammonia, and place about two tablespoonfuls in a basin of water. Washing the face, hands, and arms with this, leaves the skin clean, sweet, and fresh. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 329 PERFUMES Are in a general way best prepared by the chemists, but a few receipts for the more useful kinds are here given. Lavender Water. Best oil of lavender, four drachms; oil of cloves, half a drachm; musk, five grains; best spirits of wine, six ounces; water, one ounce. Mix the oil of lavender with a little of the spirits first, then add the other in- gredients, and let it stand, being kept well corked for at least two months before it is used, shaking it fre- quently. Eau de Cologne. Take one gallon of white brandy; sage and thyme, of each one drachm; balm-mint and spear-mint, of each one ounce; calamus aromaticus, one drachm; root of angelica, one drachm; camphor, one drachm; petals of roses and violets, of each a quarter of an ounce; flowers of lavender, one eighth of an ounce; flower of orange, one drachm; wormwood, one drachm; nutmegs, cloves, cassia, lignea, mace, of each one drachm. One orange and one lemon, cut in pieces. Allow the whole to macerate in the spirit during twenty-four hours; then distill off a pint by the heat of a water bath. Add to the product, essence of lemons, of cedrat, of balm-mint, of lavender, each one drachm; neroli and essence of the seed of anthos, each one drachm; es- sence of jasmin and of bergamot, one drachm. Filter and preserve for use. — Or, strong spirits of wine, four pints; neroli, essence of cedrat, orange, citron, berga- mot, and rosemary, of each twenty-four drops; lesser cardamom seeds, two drachms. Distil off three pints in a glass retort and receiver. — Or, spirits of wine, two 330 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. pints; essence of citron and bergamot, two drachms; essence of cedrat, one drachm; essence of lavender, half a drachm; essence of orange flowers, and tincture of ambergris, of each ten drops; tincture of musk, half a drachm; tincture of benzoin, three drachms; essence of roses, two drops. Mix, and filter. Perfume for Handkerchiefs. Oil of lavender, three fluid drachms; oil of bergamot, three fluid drachms ; extract of ambergris, six minims ; camphor, one grain ; spirits of wine, one pint. To be well shaken every day for a fortnight, and then filtered. Perfume for Gloves. Extract of ambergris, two minims ; spirits of wine, one ounce. Rub the gloves inside with a piece of cotton impregnated with this perfume. Boots and shoes may be treated in the same manner. Rose Water. Take six pounds of the leaves of fresh damask roses, and as much water as will prevent burning. Distill off a gallon. Pastiles. Take gum arable, two ounces ; charcoal powder, five ounces ; cascarilla bark, one-fourth of an ounce ; salt- peter, three-fourths of an ounce. Mix with water and make into shape. Artificial Musk. Rectified oil of amber, one pound ; nitric acid, four parts ; after some time a black matter is deposited ; this, DOM EST] C CHEMISTRY. 331 after having been well washed with water, has very much the smell of musk. True musk is adulterated with this, but still oftener with dried bullock's blood. The Congress. Essence of cloves and bergamot, of each three-quarters of a drachm ; neroli, about a drachm ; essence of musk, half an ounce ; eau de rose, spirit of tuberose, and the strongest spirits of wine, of each half a pint ; spirits of jasmin and cassia, of each one pint; dissolve the essences in the spirits of wine, then add the other spirits, and when weir mixed, add the rose-water. The Jasmine. Ambergris, half an ounce ; musk, three drachms ; grind together in a Wedgwood-ware mortar ; add oil of cloves, ten drops ; of true balsam of Peru, twenty drops; and of essence of jasmine, or tuberose, a sufficient quan- tity to convert it into a perfectly smooth paste; then put it into a strong bottle, with rectified spirits of wine, one quart. Observe, before adding the whole of the last, to rinse the mortar out well with it, that nothing may be lost. Lastly, digest for six or eight weeks. Avery small quantity added to lavender water, eau de cologne, tooth powder, or wash balls, communicates a delicious fra- grance. Scents for Pomatums. I. Oil of lavender, fourteen ounces; oil of cloves, one ounce; oil of marjoram, two ounces; gum benzoin, twenty ounces. — 2. Essence of bergamot and essence of lemon, of each, twelve ounces; oil of cloves and oil of marjoram, of each three ounces; gum benzoin, twenty ounces. — 3. Essence of bergamot, one pound; essence of lemon, eight 332 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. ounces; oil of marjoram and oil of cloves, of each, two ounces; oil of oranges, one and a half ounce. — 4. Essence of bergamot, one pound; essence of lemon, half a pound; oil of cloves, four ounces. — 5. Essence of bergamot and essence of lemon, of each, half a pound; oil of cloves, two ounces; oil of sassafras and oil of orange, of each, one ounce. — 6. Essence of lemon, three ounces; essence of ambergris, four ounces; oil of cloves and oil of lav- ender, of each, two ounces. Howers for Distillation. It is said that common salt applied to flowers will preserve them, with nearly all their characteristic odor, for several years. Thus roses and aromatic plants may be preserved to any time most convenient for distilla- tion, or may be imported for that purpose. The process of salting roses is take one pound of the leaves or other vegetable substance, one pound of salt, and rub them to- gether a few minutes. The friction of the salt forces out the juice of the flower, and the whole is reduced to an aromatic paste, which is put in a cool place until wanted. When distilled, the paste is placed in a retort with twice •its weight of water. Smelling Salts. Slack lime, half an ounce; carbonate of ammonia, half an ounce; each to be well powdered and mixed. Add, essence of bergamot, six drops; oil of cloves, two drops; essence of musk, twelve drops; otto of roses, six drops; strong liquor of ammonia, one drachm. Almond Sloom. Dust of Brazil-wood, one ounce; water, three pints; boil, strain; add isingass, six drachms; cochineal, two DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 333 drachms; alum, one ounce; borax, three drachms; boil again, and strain through a fine cloth. This is a fine pinii color, used by the perfumer. POMATUMS. Melt very slowly one pound of prepared suet and three ounces of white wax. Perfume with any favorite essen- tial oil. To make this softer, add to every pound six ounces of oil of sweet almonds, and if necessary, more of the perfume. Strain and pot. Rosemary Pomatum. Boil in a tin saucepan, with half a pound of hog's lard, two large handfuls of flowers of rosemary, until reduced to half bulk. Strain and pot. Almond Pomatum. Take one pint of oil of sweet almonds; set over a slow fire, and gradually melt in it one ounce and a half of spermaceti, and two ounces of hog's lard. The heat must be barely sufficient to melt these, for a high tem- perature would make the oil rancid in a few days. When melted, pour into a basin; and when almost cold, stir in whatever essential oils you prefer. Strain and pot. Beef marrow, purified by being boiled in water, and the scum removed, may be used instead of hog's lard. 334 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY, HAIR OILS should be simple, and not contain any injurious proper- ties. Eose Oil. Beat to a pulp four ounces of rose-leaves; add three- quarters of a pint of olive oil; mix well; let stand, covered, for a week; press out the oil. Repeat the process with fresh roses until the oil smells sufficiently strong; filter and use. Jasmine Oil. Mix well one pint of oil of ben, three grains of civet, three fluid ounces of Italian oil of jasmine, and three min- ims of otto of roses. Strain and use. Ten minims of oil of roses may be substituted for the otto of roses, if the latter is not to be had. Oil to Promote the Growth of the Hair. Mix three ounces of olive oil with one drachm of oil of lavender. Mix equal parts of olive oil and spirits of rosemary, add a few drops of oil of nutmeg, and anoint the head very sparingly before going to bed. Apply fre- quently. Macassar Oil. Mix one pound of olive oil, one drachm of oil of ori- ganum, and one and a quarter drachms of oil of rosemary. Strain and use. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 335 HAIR WASHES. The following washes may be safely applied for the removal of scurf, dandruff, &c. Rosemary Wash. Rosemary water, one gallon; rectified spirits of wine, one half-pint; pearlash, one ounce. Athenian Water. Rose water, one gallon; alcohol, one pint; sassafras- wood, one quarter pound; pearlash, one ounce. Boil the wood in the rose water in a glass vessel; then, when cold, add the pearlash and spirits. This wash is even more efficient than the rosemary preparation for clean- sing the hair. Wash to Promote Curling. Take borax, two ounces; gum arabic, one drachm; and hot water (not boiling) one quart; stir, and as soon as the ingredients are dissolved, add three tablespoon- fuls of strong spirits of camphor. At night, wet the hair with this, and roll in curling paper. TOOTH POWDERS. Pound together in a mortar, cream of tartar and chalk, of each half an ounce; myrrh, powdered, one drachm; orris root, powdered, half a drachm; and pow- dered bark, two drachms; or, powder and mix, red bark and Armenian bole, of each half an ounce; poAvdered 336 DOMESTIC CHEMISTR Y. cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda, of each quarter of an ounce; and oil of cinnamon, one or two drops; or mix together half an ounce of powdered charcoal, and one and a half ounces of prepared chalk. , Vegetable Tooth Powder. Take fine powder of Florentine iris five parts, pure starch, three ditto, quinine two ditto, ditto hyoscyamus one ditto; sugar to taste, and perfume the iris with otto of roses — carmine may be used to color it. Pound in a mortar, to an impalpable powder. COSMETICS. Carmine Rouge. Pour two quarts of distilled water into a copper pan, and when boiling add two ounces of. the best grain cochineal, finely ground and sifted; boil for six minutes, carefully stirring, add sixty grains of fine Roman alum, in powder, boil three minutes longer; set to cool. Be- fore quite cold, decant the clear liquor and strain through 'white silk into porcelain dishes; in four days decant and filter again into other dishes. The precipitate which has then fallen down is to be dried carefully in the shade. Cold Cream, Take oil of almonds, one pound ; white wax, four ounces; melt, pour into a warm mortar; add, by degrees, rose water, one pint. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 337 Almond Paste. Used to soften and whiten the skin, prevent chapped hands, &c. Sweet and bitter almonds, of each two ounces ; spermaceti, two drachms ; oil of almonds, half an ounce ; Windsor soap, half an ounce ; otto of roses and oil of bergamot, of each, twelve drops ; 07-, take four pounds of bitter almonds, blanched and dried; beat them in a mortar to a smooth paste with lavender water; add one pound of best honey, two ounces of oil of jas- mine, half a pound of almond powder, and four ounces of fine orris powder ; beat and mix repeatedly together. This paste will keep for twelve months. Lip Salve. Take hog's lard, washed in rose water, half a pound, red and damask rose leaves bruised, quarter of a pound; work well together in a mortar, repeatedly, for two days; then melt and strain ; add to the lard the same quantity of rose leaves, let them stand for two more days ; sim- mer in a water-bath, and strain, stirring in five or six drops of otto of roses. Pot for use. White Lip Salve is made of equal parts of oil of almonds, spermaceti, wax, and white sugar candy ; pound, mix, and pot. INKS of various colors are not difficult to make, if care be taken to follow the directions here given. 15 338 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. Black. Take of Aleppo galls, bruised, one pound and a half ; green vitriol, twelve ounces ; powdered gum arable, eight ounces ; rasped logwood, eight ounces; soft water, two and a half gallons. Boil the galls and logwood in the water till it be reduced to two gallons, then add the rest, and put the whole into a convenient vessel, stirring it several times during the day for fourteen or fifteen days, when it will be fit for use. For smaller quantities employ the same proportions. Another Slack Ink may be made of bruised galls three parts, gum and sul- phate of iron one part; vinegar and water; macerate and agitate for three or four days. Indestructible Ink. For black, twenty-five grains of copal, in powder, dis- solved in tvvo hundred grains of oil of lavender, by gentle heat; mixed with two and a half grains of lamp black, and a half grain of indigo. Useful for labeling phials, &c., containing corrosive chemicals. Red. Raspings of Brazil wood, quarter of a pound, in- fused for two or three days in vinegar. Boil one hour over a gentle fire, and filter, while hot, through paper laid in an earthenware colander. Heat again, and dis- solve in it, first, half an ounce of gum arable, and after- wards of alum and white sugar, each half an ounce. Blue. Chinese blue, three ounces; oxalic acid, three-quar- DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 339 ters of an ounce; gum arable, powdered, one ounce, dis- tilled water, six pints. Mix. , Yellow. Boil French berries, a quarter of a pound; alum, half an ounce, in water, one pint, for half an hour, or longer; then strain, and dissolve in the hot liquor, gum arable, iialf an ounce ; gamboge, in coarse powder, half an ounce; hot water, two ounces and a half, dissolved, and when cold add spirit, about half an ounce. Marking Ink. One drachm of nitrate of silver (lunar caustic), dis- solved in a glass mortar, in double its weight of pure water. This forms the ink. Then dissolve one drachm of salts of tartar in an ounce of water, in another vessel; this is the liquid with which the linen must be previously wetted, then allowed to dry, and afterwards to be written on. Nitrate of silver is the basis of all marking inks. Invisible or Sympathetic Inks. I. Sulphate of copper and sal-ammoniac, equal parts, dissolved in water; writes colorless, but XxSiXn^ yellow when heated. — 2. Onion juice, like the last. — 3. A weak infu- sion of galls; turns black when moistened with weak copperas water. — 4. A weak solution of sulphate of iron; turns blue when moistened with a weak solution of prus- siate of potash, and black, with infusion of galls. — 5. Diluted solutions of nitrate of silver and ter-chloride of gold, darken when exposed to sunlight. — 6. Aquafortis, spirits of salts, oil of vitriol, common salt or saltpeter, dissolved in a large quantity of water; turns yellow or brown when heated. — 7. Solution of nitro-muriate of cobalt; turns green when heated, and disappears again 340 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. on cooling. — 8. Solution of acetate of cobalt, to which a little niter has been added; becomes rose-colored when heated, and disappears on cooling. Imitation Indian Ink. Dissolve six parts of isinglass in twice its weight of boiling water, one part of liquorice in two parts of boil- ing water. Mix together while warm; then incorporate by little and little, on a stone with a spatula, one part of the finest ivory black. Heat the mixture in a water-bath till the water has evaporated to a paste. Mold into sticks or balls. Ink for Zinc Crarden Labels. Thirty parts of verdigris, thirty of sal-ammoniac, eight of lamp-black, eight of gum-arabic, and three hundred of water; dissolve the gum in water, and pour it over the other ingredients, well mixed and reduced to powder. Write with a quill pen. Plumbago for Zinc Labels. Rub the part of the label to be written on with pumice- stone; then write with a carpenter's black-lead pencil; and when the writing has been exposed to the air for a few days it will become indelible. If the label gets cov- ered with mold, it may be washed off, and the writing will reappear. DYEING. The more difficult processes in dyeing are best left to the professional dyer, but many persons will be able to accomplish the following successfully: — DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 341 For Small Kibbons. Procure your liquid dye — magenta or any other color you prefer — of a good chemist. The ribbon must be very light — wiiite is best — and must, before making use of the dye, be washed in strong soap and water, and afterwards rinsed in plain hot water. Then take a quart of water, nearly boiling, pour into it a few drops of the dye, stir well, put in your ribbons, and stir well during the time of dyeing. Cotton may be Dyed Red thus: — Boil in an iron kettle one pound of cam-wood. This will color three pounds of cotton cloth a light red; let it remain in the dye for a day or two, airing and heat- ing it now and then. To Dye Leather, Iron, Wood, &c., Red. Dissolve four grammes of picric acid in 250 grammes of boiling water, and add, after cooling, eight grammes of ammonia. In a separate vessel dissolve two grammes of crystallized pichsine in forty-live grammes of alcohol, and dilute with 375 grammes of hot water, then add fifty grammes of ammonia. When the red color of the pichsine has disappeared, mix the two liquids, and immerse the articles to be dyed. For ivory or bone, add a little nitric or hydrochloric acid. On adding gelatine it can be used as a red ink. Black Dye. Wool, hair, or silk may be dyed thus: — Boil the arti- cles for two hours in a decoction of nutgalls, and after- wards keep them for two hours more in a bath com- posed of logwood and sulphate of iron; kept during the 342 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. whole time at a scalding heat, but not boiling. During the operations, they must frequently be exposed to the air. The common proportions are five parts of galls, five of sulphate of iron, and thirty of logwood for every hundred of cloth. Sometimes a little acetate of copper (verdigris) is added to improve the color. Silk is dyed in the same manner as wool, but the quantity of galls must be doubled, and the silk left longer in the solution. Scarlet Dye for WooL Take a clean brass kettle, and heat in it sufficient water to cover the articles to be dyed. Then to every pound weight of wool, put in half an ounce of cream of tartar, one ounce of pulverized cochineal, scald and strain, set it back, put two ounces of muriate of tin, stir well, wet your cloth in clean water, wring dry, put in the dye and let it remain one hour, air it. This dyes a bright scarlet; and a darker color may be obtained by dipping the articles in strong alum water. Dyeing Feathers. This process is too difficult, and the cost of failure so heavy — as a badly-dyed feather is often useless — that it should never be undertaken by unskilled hands. CLEANING. Silks, feathers, kid gloves, and many other articles of dress require cleaning from time to time, but, except in the few instances given below, it is always best and cheapest to send the articles to a regular cleaner. Colored silks are cleaned with so much risk that this is imperative. White sPk is cleaned by dissolving curd-soap in water as DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 343 hot as the hand can bear, and passing the silk throug)i and through, handling it gently, and rubbing any spots till they disappear. The silk should then be rinsed in lukewarm waLer, and stretched by pins to dry, FlowereJ white silk is cleaned by bread-crumbs rubbed on by the hands. Black silk, by some ox -gall, put into boiling water. The silk should be laid out on a table, and both sides sponged with the gall-liquor, then rinsed with clear water. A very little gum-arabic or gelatine, dissolved in a quantity of water, and passed over the wrong side of the silk, which should then be stretched out on pins to dry, will stiffen it. All these operations, however, re- quire practice, and are not to be recommended to novices. Feathers are cleaned by dissolving four ounces of white soap, cut small, in half a gallon of water, not quite scalding hot ; beating this into a lather; then putting in the feathers, rubbing them gently with the fingers ; and then washed out in very hot, clean water. Kid Gloves should not be at- tempted. Silk and cloth gloves, however, are easily cleaned by plain washing. IVhite lace vails are boiled gently for a few minutes in curd-soap and water ; then taken out and passed through warm water and soap, removing any spots, &c. ; tlien rinse from the soap, and have ready a pan of clean cold water, in which put a small drop of liquid blue ; then take a teaspoonful of starch, and pour boiling water upon it, run the vail through this, and clear it well, by clapping it between the hands ; frame it or pin it out ; keep the edges straigh^. To Eenovate Black Satin. Take a quarter of a pound of soft soap, quarter of a pound of honey, and two glasses of gin; mix well; place t 344 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. the satin flat on a clean table, right side np, wet all over with a sponge and tepid water; put on a little of the mixture with a hard brush, and wash the surface of the satin with the brush and tepid water. Then merely rinse the satin in a large tub of cold water, and hang up to dry; iron on the wrong side, when damp, with a very hot iron. Black Lace Vails are cleansed by passing them through a warm liquor of ox-gall and water, rinse in cold water, and finish as fol- lows: — Take a small piece of glue, about the size of a bean, pour boiling water upon it; when dissolved, pass the vail through it; then clap it between your hands, and pin it out; keep the edges straight. Straw Bonnets must be well scoured with soap and water, then rinsed in cold water, and hung in the air to dry. When dry, wash over with white of ^^^ well beaten. Remove the wire before washing. The process of bleaching by sul- phur is too tedious and troublesome to be done at home. Another Way. Procure at a druggist's five cents' worth of " crab's-eye;" crush the lumps, and apply the powder to the straw with a piece of rag; rub in firmly and thoroughly, going over it twice, and dust it with a velvet brush when finished. To Clean Gilt Frames, Cornices, &c. Squeeze dry a soft sponge that has been dipped in cold water, and go, with a very quick light hand, all over the gilding, into the hollows, &c.; do not go over them more than once, and do not dry with a cloth. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 345 To Clean Silver. Wash with soap and hot water, to free from grease; mix a little fine whiting and water to a paste, and rub it on with the soft part of the hand. Wlien dry, polish witli a very soft wash-leather and brush made for this purpose. If the silver is very dirty, use rouge instead of whiting, and wash it off with hot water and soap; dry thoroughly with a soft cloth, and polish. To Renovate Black Lace Edgings, &c. Dip the laces into a little very weak gum-water; then have ready a piece of black book muslin (new); fold it over and under the laces, &c., and iron all together with a hot iron; remove the lace before it adheres to the mus- lin, when it will be found to be similar to new, having taken the black from the muslin, without any objection- able gloss. If of brown color, add a little good black ink to the gum- water. STARCHING. Fine things are best got up thus: — Soak in cold water the night before; the next day wring them out, soap well, and pour boiling water over; rub out of that water, and soap a second time. Repeat the boiling water. When this has been done twice, rinse well in two or three waters, letting the last one have a little liquid blue in it. Let remain till your starch is made; get best starch, mix up well in a little cold water, then pour boiling water in, mixing all the time; put into a very clean saucepan, and when starch is just on the boil, stir into it a small lump 15* 346. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. of sugar, or a very little bit of wax candle, with a little blue. When your starch has boiled for a minute, strain it through apiece of linen, and then starch your things (first wringing them out of the blue water). After they are starched let them dry; and two or three hours before ironing out, they must be well damped and rolled up tight in a clean cloth. Collars and lace should always be ironed out upon a piece of blanket or cloth, used only for that purpose. If linen be mildewed, wet it with soft water; rub with white soap; scrape some fine chalk to powder, and rub it well ipto the linen; lay it out on grass in the sunshine, watching to keep it damp wi-th soft water; repeat the process next day. Another "Way. After the articles are thoroughly washed, mix the starch with a little tepid water to a paste; tlien add more warm water, well mixed; dip the articles in this, wring out, roll up in a clean cloth, and iron at once with very hot irons. WASHING COUNTEEPANES, &c. A solution of one pound of mottled soap, a quarter of an ounce of potash, and one ounce of pearlash, in a pail of boiling water, will be found most useful in washing thick quilts, counterpanes, &c. Another good washing preparation is: put one ounce of saltpeter into half a pint of water, and keep it in a corked bottle; two table- spoonfuls for a pound of soap. Soak, wash, and boil as usual. This bleaches the clothes well, without injuring the fabric. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 347 To Prevent Irons Sticking on Starched Articles. Well clean, and then rub the iron on soap j then wipe and proceed to iron. Repeat, if necessary. Iron-mold, to Remove. Wet the spots with water, then lay the linen on a boiling hot-water plate, and put a little essential salt of lemon on it. As the part becomes dry, wet it again, keeping the water in the plate at the same degree of heat. When the spots disappear, wash the linen in cold water. To Clean Cloth. Dissolve in a pint of spring water one ounce of pearl- ash, and add a lemon cut in slices. Let stand two days, then strain the clear liquor into bottles. A little of this dropped on spots of grease will soon remove them, but the cloth must be washed immediately after with cold water. STAINS. To Remove from Books, &c. As it is often important to remove these stains effect- ually, the following hints will be found useful: — Oxy- muriatic acid removes perfectly stains of ink. Spirits of salt, diluted in five or six times the quantity of water, may be applied with success upon the spot, and after a minute or two washing it off with clean water. A solu- tion of oxalic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid is attended with the least risk, and may be applied upon 348 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. the paper and plates without fear of damage. These acids, taking out writing ink, and not touching the printing, can be safely used for restoring books where the margins have been written upon. Grease Spots. Scrape the surface grease off with a blunt knife; warm carefully the part stained, and apply blotting-paper; then dip a brush in rectified spirit of turpentine, heated almost to boiling, and draw it gently over both sides of the paper, which must be kept warm; repeat until the grease is en- tirely removed. To restore the paper to its former white- ness, dip another brush in spirits of wine, and draw it over the place which was stained, and round the edges of the spot. FUES AND WOOLEN GOODS. To Preserve from Moth. There are several standard receipts; but they are rendered useless unless the furs or clothes, when laid aside, are placed in a roomy drawer lined with cedar, and have small pieces of crude camphor sprinkled amongst them; and once a month, at least, be taken out, examined in the sun, and beaten with a cane. To preserve furs on a voyage, they must be secured from damp, and thickly covered with cayenne pepper. The following mixtures, ground to fine powder, sewn up in little bags, and put among your clothes, are preventatives: — I. Take one ounce each of cloves, caraway seeds, nut- meg, mace, cinnamon, and Tonquin beans; then add as much Florentine orris-root as will equal the other ingre- dients put together. — 2. Two ounces eacli of coriander DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 349 powder, Florentine orris powder, powdered rose-leaves, powdered sweet-scented flag root, four ounces of laven- der flowers, powdered, one scruple musk, one drachm powder of sandal-wood. — Turpentine sprinkled over the clothes is said to effectually preser\e. They ought to be well aired before wearing. A simple method is to wrap the fur in brown paper, well sprinkled with pepper out- side, and placed in a tin box. WATERPROOFma. Cloth. Put into a bucket of soft water half a pound of sugar of lead, and half a pound of powdered alum; stir occa- sionally until clear. Then pour off into another bucket, put the cloth in and let it remain for twenty-four hours; hang up to dry without wringing. Any woolen clothes may be waterproofed by this simple method. Calico, &c. Take three pints of pale linseed oil, one ounce of sugar of lead, and four ounces of white resin; the sugar of lead must be ground with a small quantity of the resin, and added to the remainder; the resin should be incor- porated with the oil by means of a gentle heat. The com- position may then be laid on the calico with a brush. Boots and Shoes. Melt together one pint of linseed oil, eight ounces of suet, six ounces of beeswax, and one ounce of resin. Ap- ply with a brush. 350 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. A Chinese Waterproof Composition, which has the property of making wood and other sub- stances perfectly water-tight, consists of three parts of blood deprived of its fibrine, four of lime, and a little alum. Cardboard, when covered with the composition, becomes as hard as wood. Waterproof Packing Paper. The paper must first be covered with a resinous liquid, then painted over with a solution of glue and soot to prevent blotches. After this is dried, the waterproof coat is applied. This is prepared with two and a half ounces of powdered shellac, dissolved in two pints of water, which is gradually brought to boil and stirred until it is perfectly dissolved, then gradually add one-third ounce of powdered borax and thoroughly mix. llae liquid is then left to cool, but while still hot, any mineral color, such as lampblack, yellow ochre, &c., may be added, and when quite cold it is ready for use. VARNISHES. A capital colorless varnish for many purposes is made thus : — Dissolve two ounces and a half of shellac in a pint of rectified spirits of wine, boil for a few min- utes with five ounces of well-burnt and recently-heated animal charcoal. A small portion should then be filtered, and if not colorless, more charcoal must be added. When all color is removed, press the liquor through silk, and filter through thick blotting paper. This varnish is use- ful for drawings and prints that have been sized, and DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 351 may be used on oil paintings which are thoroughly hard and dry ; it brings out the colors. Another Picture Varnish is made of mastic, twelve ounces ; Venice turpentine, two ounces and four drachms ; camphor, thirty grains ; pounded glass, four ounces ; and oil of turpentine, three and a half pints. Let tlie mastic dissolve with frequent agitation, then after setting for some time, pour off the clear part, and keep for use. Mastic Varnish. Take of gum mastic two and a half pounds; pow- dered glass, one and a quarter pounds; and turpentine, one gallon. Put into a boitle tiiat will hold twice as mucli, and shake it at intervals, till the mastic is dis- solved. Lastly, filter through bhjtting paper. This re- moves the glass, which was used to prevent the mastic sticking. Mahogany Varnish. Take litharge, and powdered dried sugar of lead, of each one ounce; clarified oil, nearly a gallon; sorted gum animi, two pounds; boil together till it "strings" well, then cool a little. Tlien a gallon to a gallon and a half of oil of turpentine should be added, mixed, and then the whole strained. Graining to Imitate Eosewood. A good and lasting imitation is thus effected: — A con- centrated solution of hypermangate of potassa is spread smoothly on the surface of the wood, and allowed to act until the desired shade is obtained. Five minutes suffice 352 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. ordinarily to give a deep color. A few trials on a spare piece of wood will indicate the proper proportions. When the action is terminated the wood is carefully washed with water, dried, and then, oiled and polished in the usual manner. Graining to Imitate Oak. Take Vandyke brown and chrome yellow, mixed with about one part of boiled linseed oil, and two parts tur- pentine; add a small quantity of litharge to cause it to dry soon. The wood is afterwards glazed. The paint used for glazing is a mixture of vandyke brown and burnt umber; or lampblack may be substituted for the latter. It is drawn lengthways along the wood with a small brush, wet with sour beer; there must be no oil used in the glazing process. When perfectly dry varnish with oak varnish. Roofing for Hen-Houses. Boil tar in an iron pot, and stir in finely-powdered charcoal. Stir constantly until the whole is reduced to the consistency of mortar. Spread this with a broad wooden trowel, on any wooden roof of outhouses, &c., to the thickness of a quarter of an inch. It will resist heat and cold, and last for years. PREPARED POLISH. Take half a pint of best rectified spirits of wine, two drachms of shellac, and two drachms of gum-benzoin. Put into a bottle ; keep in a warm place till the gum is all dissolved, shaking frequently ; when cold, add two DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 353 teaspoonfuls of best clear white poppy oil ; shake well together, and it is fit for use. This is useful for finish- ing after using French polish, as it adds to the luster and durability, as well as removes every defect, and gives the surface a brilliant appearance. To Polish Ivory, Bone, &c. Take a small quantity of whiting free from grit, mix with water to the consistence of cream, and apply with a piece of soft rag, rubbing gently till polished, and finish- ing with dry whiting. Should any whiting remain be- tween the teeth of combs, &c., remove by dipping the article in cold water and drying in a cloth. The above may also be used to polish and remove scratches from the finger nails. SILVEEING LOOKING-GLASSES. Take a sheet of tin foil, and spread it upon a firm, smooth table ; then rub mercury upon it with a hare's foot till the two metals incorporate. Lay the plate of glass upon it, and load it with weights, Avhich will press out the excess of mercury that was applied to the tin foil. In a few hours the tin foil will adhere to the glass. Two ounces of mercury are sufficient for three square feet of glass. Glass globes are silvered thus : To four ounces of quicksilver, add as much tinfoil as will become barely fluid when mixed. Let the globe be clean and warm, and inject the quicksilver by means of an earthen pipe at the aperture, turning it about till it is silvered all over. Let the remainder run out, and hang the globe up. Take care not to inhale the fumes of the quicksilver. 354 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY, BLACKING. The only difference between paste blacking and liquid blacking for boots and shoes is the quantity of liquid put into it. To make it — take ivory black, ground fine, four ounces ; treacle, two ounces ; vinegar, three-quar- ters of a pint ; spermaceti oil, a teaspoonful. If the in- gredients are of the best qualities, this blacking will be found exceedingly good. Mix the oil with the blacking first, then add the treacle, and lastly the vinegar. Oil of vitriol is sometimes used in the making of blacking; if used in small quantities it is not injurious, but it is not necessary. Another Eeceipt is: Take four ounces of ivory black, three ounces of the coarsest sugar, a tablespoonf ul of sweet oil, and one pint of small beer; mix them gradually together cold. To Polish Enameled Leather. Take milk and linseed oil — in the proportion of two- thirds of the former to one-third of the latter — make each lukewarm; mix; rub on with a sponge, having previously removed all dirt, &c. Rub this off, and keep rubbing with a soft dry cloth, until brilliant. French Polish for Boots. Take half a pound of logwood chips, a quarter of a pound of glue, a quarter of an ounce of indigo, pounded very fine, a quarter of an ounce of soft soap, and a quar- ter of an ounce of isinglass. Boil in two pints of vine- gar and one of water for ten minutes after ebullition; then strain. When cold, it is fit for use. To ^pply, the DOMESTSC CHEMISTRY. 355 dirt must be washed from the boots; when quite dry put the polish on the boots with a sponge. Blacking for Harness. Melt together four ounces of mutton suet and twelve ounces of bees' wax; add twelve ounces of sugar-candy; four ounces of soft soap dissolved in water; and two ounces of indigo finely powdered. When melted and well mixed, add half a pint of turpentine. Lay the blacking on the harness with a sponge, and polish off with a brush. This blacking is both brilliant and durable. DISINFECTANTS. Perhaps the best disinfectant is Chloralwn, which can be cheaply and easily purchased. It is highly to be recommended, as safe, sure, and powerful. Clilorids of Lime is another excellent preventative — half a pound to five gallons of water is the quantity i-ecom mended. Aromatic vinegar poured upon a heated iron plate is perhaps the pleasantcst, and is very good. The cheapest, and at the same time one of the most convenient and agreeable of all, is common coffee. Pound the well-dried raw bean in a mortar, and strew the powder on a moderately heated iron plate. Carry through the house a roaster contain- ing freshly-burned coffee, and offensive smells will be removed. — A fumigating disinfectant is — common salt, three ounces; black manganese, oil of vitriol, of each one ounce; water, two ounces. Carry it in a cup through 356 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. the apartments to be fumigated, and shut up for an hour or two. This is especially good in cases of sickness. Carbolic Acid is used as a disinfectant, and Professor Gamgee has re- cently recommended the deliquescent chloride of aluminium ] the latter is non-poisonous, free from any odor, prevents decomposition, absorbs noxious gases, and destroys para- sites and germs. Water may be purified by stirring into it powdered alum — a teaspoonful to three or four gallons. This will precipitate the impurities. SEALING WAX. Good Bottle wax, for sealing wines, liqueurs, &c., is made thus: — Black. — Black resin, six pounds and a half; bees' wax, half a pound; finely-powdered ivory black, one pound and a half. Melt together. Red. — Substitute Venetian red, or red lead, for the ivory black. Green. — Green bice or powdered verdigris. Blue. — Indigo. Let- ter wax is made thus: — Red. — Shellac (very pale), four ounces; cautiously melt in a copper pan over a charcoal fire, and when fused add Venice turpentine, one and a quarter ounce; mix; and add vermilion, three ounces; re- move the pan from the fire, cool a little, weigh it into pieces, and roll them into sticks, on a warm stone. Black. — Shellac, sixty parts; ivory black in an impalpable pow- der, thirty parts; Venice turpentine, twenty parts. Pro- ceed as for red wax. Greefi. — Shellac, four parts; Venice turpentine, one part; melt gently together and add the DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 357 proper color; the best greens are powdered verdigris, bice, or Scheele's green. CEMENT. For Marble, Glass, &c. Take a small portion of powdered quick-lime, and mix with cold linseed oil to the consistency of thin paste. Be sure the edges are clean, and apply with a small brush, gently pressing the pieces together. This cement is only applicable to articles that can remain undisturbed for some time, but when set, is most durable. A Simple Cement for Marble. Clean parts to be joined, put together firmly with white lead, and let stand. An Excellent Cement for Fastening Knife Handles, &c. Take a small quantity of Bath brick-dust, and about half the quantity of resin, reduce to a fine powder; fill the hole in the handle with the mixture; make the part of the knife, &c., to be inserted rather hot (in the fire); put it in the handle, and let it remain till set. Glue Cement. This cement is most useful for joining broken articles of a strong nature. Melt one pound of glue without water, or with as little as possible; when melted, add one pound of resin, and four ounces of either red lead, Vene- tian red, or whiting, or ivory black, according to desire. 358 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. Parchment Glue. Boil a pound of parchment in six quarts of water, until the quantity is reduced to one quart. Then pour off from the sediment, and boil again till as thick as glue. Take out, and keep for use. Japanese Cement. Mix ground rice with cold water, and gently boil. This is a capital paste for paper, &c. Glne to ITnite Polished Steel. Dissolve five or six bits of gum mastic, each the size of a large pea, in as much spirits of wine as will make it liquid. In another vessel dissolve in brandy as much isinglass, previously softened in water, as will make a two-ounce phial of strong glue, adding two small bits of gum ammoniac, which must be rubbed until dissolved. Then mix the whole with heat. Keep in a phial closely stopped. When used, set the phial in boiling water. GENERAL EECEIPTS. Test for Gold and Silver. A test often employed by jewelers, is to slightly wet the metal, and gently rub it with a piece of lunar caustic, fixed with a pointed piece of wood. If the metal be pure gold or silver, the mark will be faint; but if of an inferior metal, it will turn quite black. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 359 To Make Glasses Very Brilliant. Wash in strong tepid soda-water, rinse in plain cold water, and dry with a linen cloth witJwui nap. Skeleton Leaves. Mix a tablespoonful of chloride of lime, in a liquid state, in a quart of spring water; steep the leaves in this for about four hours — strong-ribbed leaves will require a little longer, — then take out and wash well in cold water; they must then dry in the light. A Longer and More Delicate Process is to steep the leaves in rain water, in an open vessel, ex- posed to the air and sun. Water must occasionally be added to compensate loss by evaporation. The leaves will putrefy, and then their membranes will begin to open; then lay them on a clean white plate, filled with clean water, and with gentle touches take off the external mem- branes, separating them cautiously near the middle rib. When there is an opening towards the latter, the whole membrane separates easily. The process requires a great deal of patience, as ample time must be given for the vegetable tissues to decay and separate. To Dry Flowers. Take some fine white sand; wash repeatedly till all dirt is removed, and the water remains clear; dry thoroughly, and half fill a stone flower-pot; in this, stick freshly-gathered flowers when dry, and cover the flowers over completely, so that no part of them can be seen, and take care not to injure the leaves. Place the vessel in the sun, or in a room where a fire is kept, and let it re- 36o DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. main until the flowers are perfectly dry; then carefully remove the sand, and clean with a feather brush. The process succeeds best with single flowers. [To Dry Grass and Moss. Proceed as for leaves. To Dye them: — For pink, get some logwood and ammonia, boil together in water; for red, logwood and alum; for blue, indigo; and all other colors that will dissolve. To keep the grass together, dip it in a weak solution of gum-water; or put some gum- water in the dye, which will answer the same purpose. To Whiten Pianoforte Keys. Leave the instrument open to the sun and air, and the keys will rarely discolor; dust carefully, and when at all soiled wash the keys thus: — wring a wash-leather per- fectly tight out of tepid water, and wipe the keys; dry with a cloth, free from nap, and polish with a silk hand- kerchief. To Remove Pitch or Paint from the Hands. Apply salad oil, or grease of any kind; well rub to- gether before the fire till the oil and pitch are blended; then wash in warm soap and water. The above will remove these stains from any wash- ing fabric. To Clean Jugs, Decanters, &c,, from Fur. Take a little very weak aquafortis, and pour carefully into the decanter, &c., replace the stopper (a cork is bet- ter), and shake the vessel thoroughly till all the crust is removed; should this fail after a thorough trial, take DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 361 strong potash or soda-water, and repeat the experiment. Afterwards rinse in cold water. Take care no spots of either acid or potash fall on the clothing. Another Way. They may be washed with tea-leaves and strong soda- water; and then rinsed with cold water. To Clean Sewing Machines. When clogged with oil, procure a little benzoline (of the kind usually employed to take grease spots out of silk, &c.), and drop a small quantity into those portions of the machine generally oiled; when this is done, treadle the machine for a few minutes, and when the oil is soft- ened wipe perfectly clean with a soft rag, and oil as usual. An apron spread over the dress is desirable during the above process. Bird-lime. Gather some holly in the summer, and take the mid- dle bark; boil for six or eight hours, in water, until tender ; then drain off the water, and place in a pit underground, in layers with fern, and surround with stones. Leave to ferment for two or three weeks, until it forms a sort of mucilage, which must be pounded in a mortar, into a mass, and well rubbed between the hands in running water, until all the refuse is worked out; then place it in an earthen vessel, and leave for four or five days to ferment and purify itself. Turpentine will re- move any of the lime that may stick to the hands. 16 362 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. Size for Prints. Take a quarter of a pound each of pale glue and curd soap; dissolve in three pints of hot water. Feathers are Curled by the ribs being scraped with a bit of circular glass in order to render them pliant; and then by drawing the edge of a blunt knife over the filaments, they assume a curly form. To Fix Pencil Drawings. Take pale resin, and dissolve it in spirits of wine; lay the drawing on its face on a sheet of clean paper, and brush the back of the drawing with the solution. This penetrates through the paper, and as the spirit evaporates, the resin is deposited as a varnish on the drawing. This will not answer with card, or anything thick; but a weak solution of isinglass may be placed in a shallow dish, and the drawing passed through it, so as to wet every part. HAIR DYE. No method has yet been made public which answers the desired purpose, and is at the same time attended by no inconvenience. The basis of most of the powders is quicklime, and tliat of the lotions, nitrate of silver. The powder is thus made: — Dip six ounces of quicklime in water, and when it has fallen to pieces, pound it, and sift it through a fine sieve; then add four ounces of lith- arge, and two of starch, also sifted; this is made into a paste with warm water, and the hair is completely cov- ered with it, after which an oilskin cap is bound on, and DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. z^^i allowed to remain tlie whole night. The hair is washed on the following day with soap and water, and then oiled. This gives a deep black, but with rather a purple hue; by increasing the starch, the shade will be lighter. The hair lotion or water is made as follows: — Pour upon half an ounce of pure silver three-quarters of an ounce of nitric acid, and expose to sharp heat to dis- solve the silver; decant the liquid, and add half a pint of water; by increasing the quantity of water lighter shades are obtained. The practice of dyeing the hair is un- worthy of civilization; it is a sham and a cheat, and the time will come when a woman with dyed hair will be considered as contemptible an object as a guardsman in stays. To Darken the Hair. Nitrate of silver (lunar caustic) is the agent com- monly employed in hair dyes. A leaden comb is also recommended by some ; but the introduction of silver or lead into the system through the tubes of the hair is al- ways somewhat dangerous. A better wash for darkening the hair may be made from a solution of the green husks of walnuts, applied with a brush as frequently as necessary. There are no other vegetable hair dyes of any certain value. DEPILATOEIES. Nostrums to remove superfluous hairs from the face or neck are all more or less dangerous, and should only be used under the advice of a surgeon. The following, are, however, the least harmful : — To Remove Superfluous Hair. Saturate the skin with olive oil, and let remain one hour; then wipe it off and apply the following mixture 364 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. with a brush : — One ounce finely powdered quicklime, one drachm powdered orpiment, mixed with white of egg. MISCELLANEOUS. WasMng Colored Linens, Muslins, &e. They should not be soaked or soaped over night. When ready for washing, put into cold water and wash very speedily; if very dirty, the water may be lukewarm, and no more. Do not use the smallest particle of soda. The best soap is common yellow. The soap should not be allowed to remain any time on, and the linen must not lie in the water any length of time. One article should be washed at a time, and immediately rinsed, the others remaining in a dry state by the side of the tub. The rinsing water should be cold, soft water, with salt in it. When an article is taken from the rinsing tub, it should be wrung very gently. Silk pocket-handkerchiefs require to be washed by themselves. Handkerchiefs con- taining snuff should be put to soak by themselves in lukewarm water. Three hours after, they should be rinsed out and put to soak with the others in cold water for a couple of hours. They should then be washed out in lukewarm water, being soaped as they are washed. If all the stains are not out, they must be washed through a second water. When finished, they should be rinsed in cold, soft water, with salt. They may be rinsed alto- gether, thrown into a dry tub, and from thence into the rinsing tub with the others. To Wash Blankets. Cut a pound of yellow soap into thin slices, and place DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 365 them, or as much as will be required, in the copper with water, and boil. Pour into a tub and add cold water to the required warmth, put in blanket and wash well with hand or dolly; repeat, adding a little blue with the hot water; wring tight and shake well. To Wash Damask Curtains. Shake the dust ofif, lay in cold water to free from smoke, use boiled soap as in blankets, and wash in tepid water, then rinse in cold water with a handful of salt thrown into it. To Wash Carpets, Sweep the carpet thoroughly, take a large pail of hot water, colored with blue, if any white in it; wet about half a yard of the carpet, rub it well with a piece of soap, then use a hard brush, wash off with clean flannel, and dry with a coarse cloth. Repeat on other parts. Do not wet the carpet too much, and have the water frequently changed. To Clean Ermine Fur. Take out the linings and stuffings, lay the fur fiat on a table covered with clean cloth. Take a piece of fine whiting and rub it into the fur; shake thoroughly, and re- peat again till clean. Rub well with a clean towel. To Renovate Black Cloths. Carefully clean from dust; take out any spots of grease with turpentine, the smell of which may be destroyed by essence of lemon. Boil a few chips of logwood in a little water, and sponge the cloth with it; or, make a strong infusion of galls, and a solution of copperas or green 366 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. vitriol, or sulphate of iron, and either moisten the parts separately, or mix the liquids in a phial. To Cleanse Glass Vessels from Petroleum. Wash the vessel with thin milk of lime, which forms an emulsion with the petroleum, and removes every trace of it; wash a second time with milk of lime and a small quantity of chloride of lime, and the smell will be com- pletely removed. If the milk of lime be used warm, in- stead of cold, the operation is rendered much shorter. To Engrave on Glass. This process requires great care. Cover one side of a flat piece of glass, after having made it perfectly clean, with bees'-wax, then draw the design with some sharp- pointed instrument, taking care that every stroke cuts completely tiirough the wax. Make a border of wax all round the glass ; take finely-powdered fluate of lime (tiuor spar), strew evenly over the plate and then gently pour upon it, not to displace the powder, sulphuric acid, diluted with thrice its weight of water, to cover it. Let remain for three hours, then remove; clean the glass with oil of turpentine. The figures which were traced through the wax will be found engraved on the glass, while the parts which the wax covered will be uncorroded. Be very careful in the management of the acid, as if too strong it will eat through the glass. Fixing Glass in Stone Windows. Portland cement, though often used, is not so good as a mixture of Bath stone dust and linseed oil, made up like putty. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 367 The "Furry" Deposit in Tea-kettles may be removed by a very weak solution of muriatic, nitric, or acetic acid, which will immediately dissolve it witli effervescence. Care must be taken to remove tlu: acid as soon as the deposit is dissolved, or it would at- tack the iron. After the operation boil water in the kettle some days before using. Bazor Paste. Mix together, and rub over the strop, two parts of emery, reduced to an impalpable powder, and one part of spermaceti ointment. Plate Powder. Mix together four ounces of prepared chalk, and two ounces each of polisher's putty and burnt hartshorn. Asphalt Pavement for garden walks, floors for sheds, &c., is thus laid down: — The place must be leveled; then put on it a coat of tar, and sift some road sand or coal ashes all over it very thickly; when dry repeat the operation four times. You will then have a dry, hard path. Plant-Sticks, &c., may be preserved by dipping the portions which are in- serted in the ground two or three times in hot tar. Hot asphalt is better, but both are excellent preservatives. Another Way. Char the ends in the fire till black. 368 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. To Bender Wood TJninfiammable. Place the wood unplaned for twenty-four hours in a liquid composed of one part of concentrated silicate of potassa and three of pure water. After being removed and dried for several days, soak it again in this liquid, and after being again dried, paint over witli a mixture of part of cement, and four parts of the above liquid; when the first coat of this paint is dry, repaint twice. To Prevent Rust on Iron. Immerse the iron for a few minutes in a solution of carbonate of potash or soda. To Preserve Iron and Steel. Coat with melted sulphur, the sulphur chills and sets into a hard, thin, protecting covering. A Preservative against Lead Poisoning. The use of milk at meals preserves those employed in lead works from any symptoms of lead disease. To preserve the purity of water passing through leaden pipes, insert an internal lining of block tin. Drying of "Wood. The drying of all kinds of timber by artificial means should be effected slowly, and the temperature moderate to begin with; for small pieces, such as are used for join- ers and furniture-makers, place in dry sand, and heat to 100° — the sand acts as an absorber of the moisture as well as a diffuser of the heat. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 369 Danger from Union of Metals. The pipes leading to a leaden cistern should be of lead; if of iron and connected with an iron boiler, a kind of galvanic battery is formed, which will gradually destroy the boiler. To Detect Logwood in Wine. Take a strip of good filtering paper, and 'place it in an aqueous solution of neutral acetate of copper, and then dry. Dip the paper into the wine, and the adher- ing drops should be made to run backwards and for- wards on the paper, then quickly but carefully dry. If the wine be free from logwood, the color shown will be grey or rose-red greyish, but if logwood is present the tinge will be sky-blue. To Detect Arsenic. Mix the arsenious liquid with hydrochloric acid until fumes appear ; chloride of tin is then added, which pro- duces a basic precipitate, containing the greater part of the arsenic as metal, mixed with oxide of tin. Imperishable Putty. Mix together ten pounds of whiting and one pound of white lead, with the necessary quantity of boiled lin- seed oil, adding a wine-glassful of best sweet oil. This last prevents the white lead from hardening. To Preserve Wood. Mix one pound of chloride of zinc with five gallons of water. Steep the wood in this solution. 16* 370 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY, Military Belts are glazed by a beaten white of q^%^ adding to an equal quantity of cold water, and a little sugar candy. To Bleach Hair. Wash well in strong warm pearlash water ; spread the hair upon the grass for several days, that it may be alternately exposed to dew and sun. Light hair will bleach this way. Dark hair should be sent to a professed bleacher, as many of the means used destroy the gloss. Light Mahogany — to Darken. If in repairing old furniture lighter pieces of wood are introduced, they may be darkened by washing with a weak solution of quicklime. Green Paint. An economical and capital paint for summer-houses, &c., is made thus : — Take four pounds of Roman vitriol, and pour on it boiling water ; when dissolved add two pounds of pearlash, and stir the mixture well with a stick until the effervescence ceases ; then add a quarter of a pound of pulverized yellow arsenic, and stir the whole together. Inodorous Faint. A composition for mixing with lead and other colors to form a paint, in lieu of linseed oil, turpentine, and the usual driers, has lately been patented. The material con- sists of methylated spirit, shellac, and castor-oil ; it dries very quickly and is without smell. DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 371 Imitation Ivory. Make into a paste isinglass, brandy, and powdered egg-shells. Color as you desire, cast it, warm, into an oiled mold ; in a few hours it will be firmly set. Gun Cotton Ivory. Camphor, triturated with gun cotton, and subjected to hydraulic pressure, produces a hard white substance, which, if coated with a compound of gun cotton and cas- tor oil, resembles ivory, to which for many purposes it is superior. Fire-Proof Stucco. The following has been found to answer. Take moist gravelly earth (previously washed), and make it into stucco with this composition; mix well one part of com- mon clay with two parts of pearlash and five parts of water. Leakage in Hot Water Pipes. Mix iron borings and filings with vinegar and a little sulphuric acid; let stand till it becomes paste. Dry the pipe, fill in the cracks with this mixture, and keep the pipe dry until hard. This cement lasts a long time. Alabaster Ornaments. "When these have become discolored, they may be cleansed by the fumes of chlorine, applied for a short time, and afterwards being bleached in the sun, and then being sprinkled over v.ith a diluted solution of chlorin- ated soda, commonly called chloride of soda. Care must 372 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. be taken not to expose the alabaster too long to the ac- tion of the chlorine, or its color will be injured; and the fumes, being dangerous, must not be inhaled. Durable Paste. Take common flour paste, rather thick, add a little brown sugar and corrosive sublimate, which will prevent fermentation, and a few drops of oil of lavender, which will prevent moldiness. When this paste dries it resem- bles horn, and may be used again by adding water. This paste will keep well for years if kept in a covered pot, and is always ready for use. Transfer Papers. A useful transfer paper may be made for copying monumental inscriptions, brasses, &c., by rubbing a mix- ture of black-lead and soap over silver paper. To Preserve Steel from Rusting. Smear it over with hot melted fresh mutton suet; be- fore it cools and hardens, have some powdered unslacked lime in a muslin bag, and dust it over the hot suet which covers the steel. Easily-made Storm-Glass. Take two drachms of camphor, half drachm of pure nitrate of potash (niter or saltpeter), and half drachm of muriate of ammonia (sal-ammoniac), and pound them together in a mortar, until they are thoroughly pulver- ized. The operation may be assisted by adding a few drops of alcohol. When well powdered, the mixture is to be dissolved in about two ounces of alcohol, and put DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. 373 into a tall phial, or into a glass tube of about ten inches in height and three-fourths of an inch in diameter, the mouth of which is to be covered with a bit of bladder or the like, perforated with a pin. The instrument is then complete. It gives the following z^^Z/V^/^V/zi-.- — If the at- mosphere be dry and the weather promising to be fine, all the solid part of the composition which appears in the glass will be closely collected at the bottom, and the liquor above will be quite clear; but on the approach to a change to rain, the solid matter will appear gradually to rise, and small crystalline stars will be observed to float about in the liquid, which, however, will remain othei'wise pellucid. On the approach of winds, flocks of the composition, apparently in the form of a leaf, will appear on the surface of the liquid, which in this case will seem thick and in a state of fermentation. These indications often begin to exhibit themselves twenty- four hours before the actual breaking forth of the storm. The quarter of the compass from which the wind blows will always be indicated by the solid particles lying more closely to the opposite side of the glass. During the winter, the composition is rendered white by a mul- titude of small white stars. Home-made Barometer., Fill a large, wide-mouthed pickle bottle with cold water to within two or three inches of the top. Then take a long-necked flask, and plunge the neck into the bottle as far-as it will go, and the barometer is made. In fine weather the water will rise into the neck of the flask even higher than the pickle bottle. In wet and windy weather it will fall to within an inch of the mouth of the flask. Before a heavy gale of wind the water will prob- ably leave the flask altogether hours before the gale comes to its height. 374 DOMESTIC CHEMISTRY. Galvanic Battery, Take a large glass or stone jar, with the mouth cut off evenly, and put another cylindrical vessel, of porous porcelain, inside it; fill the vessel vidth diluted sulphuric acid, and the space betv^een the two with sulphate of copper, a solution of the salt of gold, silver, &c., accord- ing to what you want to plate the article; put a slip of zinc in the sulphuric acid, and attach a copper wire to it, and the other end of the wire to the medal or article you wish to plate, and immerse that in the other solution. Your battery is now complete. A little grease rubbed on any part of the medal will prevent the solution plat- ing the greased portion. Magic Lantern Slides are easily painted by observing these few directions: — Draw on paper the subject you intend to paint, and fix it at each end to the glass; trace the outlines of the design with a fine hair pencil in strong tint in their proper colors, and when these are dry, fill up in their proper tints; shade with black, bistre, and vandyke brown, as you find convenient. The colors used are transparent, lake, sap-green, Prussia blue, distilled ver- digris, gamboge, &c., ground in oil, and tempered with mastic varnish. Copal varnish may be used in the dark shades. Mops are best washed in with the following colors: — Yellow; gamboge dissolved in water. — Red; Brazil dust steeped in vinegar, and alum added; or, cochineal steeped in water, strained and gum arable added. — Blue; Saxon blue diluted with water. — Green; distilled verdigris dis- solved in water, and gum added; or, sap-green dissolved in water, and alum added. CLOTHING. What Should be Worn Next the Skin. The primary consideration in dress is — what should be worn next to the skin ? We answer — wool, decidedly, and for the following reasons : — Linen, by all its com- pactness, retains the perspired matter, so that shirts worn for some days will exhale a sensation of coolness, indi- cating an obstructed circulation. Silk attracts less humidity than linen, and is, therefore, still more object- ionable. Wool, by the gentle friction and moderate heat whicli it excites, promotes perspiration, and absorbs the matter thrown out from the skin, without clogging the pores. Cotton increases warmth and perspiration ; but having the property of retaining the discharged humors, is too apt to throw the same back again into the system, and thereby hurting the animal fluids. It is, however, during active exercise that the different effects of the substances are more plainly seen. When the body is covered with woolen, though perspiration is increased, the matter thrown out passes through the flannel into the air, leaving the skin dry and warm. If, under the same circumstances, linen is worn, the perspiration, in- stead of being dispersed, remains, and causes a disagree- able sensation. Flannel has also this advantage : those who perspire profusely will not easily catch cold on go- ing into the open air. This is not the case with linen shirts, [375] 376 CLOTHING. which will produce chilliness, followed by fever. Flannel when first used is apt to irritate the skin, and so cause an uneasy feeling ; this soon goes off, and it becomes at length comfortable and even pleasant. Flannel is suit- able to all seasons. Worsted socks and stockings, varied in thickness, according to the season, are on all accounts the best. In Choosing Cloth For Clothes. see that the fabric is fine and the texture close and even. Pass the hand lightly in the contrary direction to the nap, and if the feel is soft and silky without harshness, you may conclude the cloth is made of fine wool. Very " satiny " cloths spot with the rain. Take up a piece of cloth in both hands, and fold a little piece between the thumb and forefinger of one hand ; pull the cloth sharp- ly with the other hand, and if the sound produced by the slipping of the fold is clear and sharp, the cloth is of good quality. Do not choose large patterns if you are short, and if you are stout do not wear checks or plaids. Clothes for Traveling. Every traveler should wear flannel next the skin both in hot and cold climates. Linen is very improper, for when the wearer is wet with rain or perspiration, it strikes cold to the skin; coarse calico sheets, for fine, hot, dry weather, and flannel for damp, windy, or cold, may be considered generally appropriate. A poncho is very useful, for it is a sheet as well as a cloak, being simply a blanket with a slit in the middle to admit the wearer's head. Cloth is made waterproof, as directed {see receipt), and also by rubbing soapsuds into the wrong side, and working well in; when dry do the same with a solution of alum. A thick tweed shooting costume is the most comfortable and best dress for all except damp or tropi- cal climates. If you are likely to have much riding, lea- ther or moleskin trousers are useful, or tvveed trousers CLOTHING. 377 may be covered down the insidesof the legs with leather. A blouse or jacket, cut short to clear the saddle, is capital either for walking or riding. Another "indispensable" is a thick lined dressing-gown. It is equally good to wear in the evening and for sleeping in. Thick worsted socks only should be worn, whether the climate be hot or cold. It is important to keep the clothes as dry as pos- sible, and if on the water a capital plan is to dip the wet clothes in the salt water, wring them out, and put them on again. This, we are told on good authority, feels like a change of dry clothes. To Brush Clothes. If a coat be wet let it be quite dry before brushing it. Rub out the spots of dirt with the hands, beat it lightly with a small cane. Then lay it out on a board or table, the collar to the left hand, and brush, briskly and smoothly, the right way of the cloth. Brush first the shoulders, back and sleeves, and then the skirts. Last the insides and the collar. Waistcoats and trousers are brushed straight down, taking care they are quite dry, and rubbing out spots of mud, &c., before brushing down. You should have two brushes, one hard and the other soft, the former of which should be used as little as possible, and never for "faced" cloth. Should there be spots of tallow-grease on the clothes, take it off with the nail; or, if that cannot be done, take a hot iron, cover the part where the grease is with some thick brown paper, and run the iron over the spot. This will draw the grease into the paper. Repeat this process until no more grease comes. Ordinary grease-spots or marks on the collar or lappels may generally be removed by a little soft soap, or a little ox-gall or curd soap. Fruit and wine stains may frequently be taken out by holding the part over an ordinary brimstone match, lighted; or by water with a little salts of lemon, muriatic or oxalic 378 CLOTHING, acid in it. These last must not, however, be applied to delicate colors. For the stains of acids wash the part with a little spirits of hartshorn or liquid ammonia. Ox- gall is one of the most valuable articles for cleansing woolen and other articles: it combines readily with ail greasy substances, and assists powerfully the action of soap, which may in many cases be dispensed with. Silks and all other articles of even the most delicate colors may be cleaned with it. The chief objection to its use is its disagreeable smell; this is got rid of thus: Boil a quart of the gall, skimming it frequently, then add one ounce of powdered alum ; leave on the fire until thorough- ly combined. Set the mixture to cool, and pour it, whea cold, into a bottle which is to be loosely corked. Pro- ceed exactly in the same way with another quart of gall, using one ounce of common salt instead of alum. The two bottles are to be put by for three months in a room of moderate temperature; a thick sediment will be de- posited, but, as a good deal of yellow coloring matter still remains, the contents of the two bottles, carefully poured off from the sediment, are to be filtered sepa- rately, and then mixed in equal parts, a portion at a time. The coloring matter will be precipitated, leaving the gall perfectly pure and colorless. It is then to be again fil- tered, bottled and tightly corked, and kept in a cool place for use. In this state it preserves all its detergent prop- erties, is free from smell, and does not spoil with keeping. Mending Clothes. Things neatly mended last four times as long as those carelessly repaired. Too much pains cannot, therefore, be expended on the prosaic but very necessary operation of " mending clothes." A piece of each material should be reserved, in making up dresses, &c., for repairing when needed. All things should be periodically ex- amined, and rents sewn up before they go farther. When CLOTHING. 379 the linen is looked out for the wash it should be ex- amined to see if there is anytliing vvron<^, and after wash- ing, &c., all buttons should be looked to, and made tight and secure. If chamber towels are wearing thin in the center, cut them in halves, sew the edges together, and hem the cut — now the outside edges. Sew up torn lin- ings, rebind frayed edges, and replace broken strings, but- tons, and hooks, directly seen, or the trouble will be greatly increased. Never forget the well-known aphor- ism, *' A stitch in time saves nine." Altering Clothes. In altering clothes for children from those of adults take the pattern of the best fitting things and copy exactly. Some practice, knowledge, and physical strength are re- quired to do this tailors' work, and therefore without these essentials it had better be left alone. The right way to proceed cannot be taught in books, and even when learned is seldom worth the trouble. Clothes Closets, Drawers, &c. When moths have infested these places rub them well with a strong decoction of tobacco, and sprinkle them often v/ith spirits of camphor. Black Clothes may be restored if threadbare about the elbows, cuffs, knees, &c., by the following process: — The clothes must be soaked in cold water for half an. hour, then taken out of the water, and put on a board, and the threadbare parts of the clothes rubbed with a teazel, or half-worn hatter's "card," filled with flocks. When this is done, hang the coat up to dry, and with a hard brush lay the nap the right way. This is said to be the method which is pur- 38o CLOTHING. sued by the dealers in old clothes, and it greatly improves the appearance of the garments. Ladies' Dress. The secret of dressing well, simply consists in know- ing the three grand unities of dress — your own position, age, and peculiarities, and no woman can dress well who does not. Dress should be simple, elegant and becoming, without appearing so expensive as to evidently be be- yond the circumstances of the wearer. Consider well be- fore you purchase whether the new silk, bonnet, shawl, or ribbon matches your complexion, is adapted to your height and figure, and above all, that it is graceful and pretty — not merely fashionable. You must also adapt, as much a possible, your new purchases to the things you alread)' have, so as to show no bad contrasts. Dress with regard to your station in life, your age, and your ap- pearance. Children's Clothing should be well-cut, but sufficiently loose to allow fair play to the limbs. Nothing is so absurd, as to dress a babe or young child in tight garments; but they should be of materials suited to the season. It is not necessary to give directions for the cutting or making of children's dresses, as almost every mother or elder sister knows how to cut out and make simple frocks, jackets, &c., and when that knowledge has not been obtained in youth, a i^w lessons from a practical dress- maker will suffice. Carefully avoid the absurdity of swaddling a child's body in lieaps of flannel and warm stuffs, and leaving its legs and arms bare. Too many clothes, however, are as mischievous as too few. Contrast in colors is of no slight importance. Liglit colors and thin materials for summer; bright warm colors, and stout cloth for winter. The head should be cool, and CLOTHING. 381 the feet well shod. Long clothes and caps for infants are happily going out of fashion, and a more rational style of dress adopted by all sensible mothers. Tight Lacing. Avoid all tight bandages — as stays, garters, belts, &c. They impede the free circulation of the blood, and in thousands of cases produce disease and deformity. More harm has been done by tight-lacing, than by all the other vagaries of fashion put together. The Covering of the Head should be very light, as well for men as for women, and if children were more often allowed to go bare- headed into the open air, the practice would much in- vigorate their constitutions, and render them less sus- ceptible of cold. No one, however, should go uncov- ered in sunshine. Black hats, though generally worn, are not so good a defense against the power of the sun as hats or caps of any other color. Keep Your Feet "Warm. If you do not do this, the blood accumulates towards the head, and sensation of chilliness is felt over the whole body, and the general comfort interfered with. DOMESTIC PETS. DOGS. All dogs require clean, warm, but well ventilated beds, pure water, and plain, fresh food. If your dog- does not have sufficient exercise, give him now and then a teaspoonful of flour of sulphur mixed with his food. When his nose is cold and wet he is generally in good health, and vice versa. The more common diseases, and their mode of treatment, ai-e given below. Fits. Often caused in young dogs by over-feeding ; give a spare but nourishing diet, and plenty of exercise. Distemper. Nearly every dog has this disease once, and usually betAveen his fourth and tenth months. Mr. Johnson, a practical writer on the subject, says : — "On the approach of this canine scourge the dog will be dull, his eyes Avill appear less bright than usual, a languidness will pervade his whole system, and his appetite will fail, or he may perhaps refuse his food altogether ; he will be also troubled with a great degree of constipation — this is the first stage of the disease in question. The dis- temper makes its way by inflammation, accompanied by costiveness ; and, therefore, reason clearly points out the necessity of checking the one and removing the other. Bleed the animal immediately, and give him a tablespoon- [382] DOMESTIC PETS. 3S3 ful of syrup of buckthorn, which will most likely answer the purpose effectually ; if, after the lapse of a few days, the dog does not appear perfectly recovered, repeat the bleeding and the pliysic ; a third time if found necessary, which will not often happen — not once in five hundred cases. " By the process above described the disease is checked and subdued in the first instance, and as it cannot, when thus opposed, acquire strength, is therefore easily van- quished or dissipated. Such a mode of treatment is in- contestably supported by reason, since nothing can tend so effectually to check inflammation as lowering the system. The animal should be bled very freely — in fact, it almost impossible to take too much blood from a dog under these circumstances. Supposing the subject to be a stout pointer whelp, seven or eight months old, about five ounces of blood should be taken from him. A table- spoonful of syrup of buckthorn will be found a proper dose for such an animal, and tlie quantity may be varied according to the age and strength of the patient. The operation of bleeding a dog should be thus performed: — Place a cord round the animal's neck, and draw it suffi- ciently tight so as to throw up or elevate the jugular vein; puncture it longitudinally (not cross-wise) with a common lancet, and, for the purpose of causing the blood to flow, the finger should be pressed on the vein a little below the orifice. When sufficient blood has been drawn, the puncture need not be pinned, nor in any way be closed, as the dog, by holding down his head, draws the lips of the wound together, and the blood forms a crust upon it immediately; hence the reason of puncturing the vein longitudinally, since, if cut cross-wise, the dog will pull the wound open every time he holds down his head, particularly in feeding." For small pet dogs a milder cure is Dr. James' powders, given in milk, water, or jam. 384 DOMESTIC PETS. Colds. Keep the dog warm and clean, and administer a purgative. To Destroy Fleas. Wash and rinse well in- strong to- bacco water, taking care to avoid the eyes. Mange. The common mange is brought on by damp, dirt, and bad or unwholesome food. It is very con- tagious, but easy of cure. Rub Vvcll in (with your gloved hand) an ointment made of equal proportions of sulphur vivam, oil of tar, and train oil. Repeat the process every two or three days until well. The dog must not be per- mitted to lick himself while he has this disease. An oc- casional dose of flowers of sulphur may be given with his food. The red mange is incurable — destroy the dog. In giving a dog a powder or pill, put it in a piece of meat; he will swallow it without suspecting you. To give him liquid physic, take the dog between the knees, and, when some other person has the dose ready, open his mouth quietly hxxt firmly, keeping the tongue down, speaking kindly to the dog meanwhile; then let a little of the physic be poured into his mouth, which you imme- diately close, as dogs cant swallow with their mouths open. Repeat this operation with firmness, but as little fuss as possible and no punishment, until all the dose is taken. The best food for small dogs is the meat biscuits, supplemented by any scraps or pieces. Larger dogs may want "paunch" — which must be boiled — and other animal food ; but don't give him the disgusting stuff called and hawked about the streets as "dogs' meat." CATS. Few persons are aware that there are several distinct varieties of the domestic cat — as the Persian, the Angola, the Spanish, the Chinese, and the Angora. All, however, have certain characteristics in common. They are very DOMESTIC PETS. 385 prolific, fond of the house rather than its master or mis- tress, have a great dislike to dirt and are inveterate ene- mies to rats and mice. But little care is required to render a cat a tame and pleasant companion; but if you have a garden you must not grow valerian in it, for this aromatic plant is such a favorite with puss that it will attract to your garden all the cats in the neighborhood; and they will not desist till tiiey have rolled over and scratched every bit of valerian out of the bed. Cats should not have too great a profusion of animal food, or they will get fat and lazy; but a due proportion of fish and household scraps may be advantageously given them with skim milk and water. Good mousers should not be petted too much, nor allowed to stray about the streets. Belonging to the tiger family, cats are often sly, treacherous, and vicious; and no amount of training will prevent some of them seizing your favorite canary or gold fish and making a surreptitious meal of the dainty morsel. Cats are subject to but few ailments, and if carefully looked after live for many years. RABBITS. These animals are both profitable and amusing. They should be kept very clean and regularly fed. One im- portant rule as to food is, never to give wet vegetables, which are absolutely poisonous to them. Abundant food is the main thing ; and next to that variety. They should have oats once a day. The leaves and roots of carrots, all sorts of peas and beans, the leaves and branches of trees, wild succory, parsley, clover, brewers' dry grains, apple parings, peas-haulm, dock-leaves, sorrel, may be their diet during summer ; and hay, potatoes, artichokes, tur- nips, beet root, &c., during the winter. The best way to begin rabbit-keeping is to obtain a number of young ones fairly weaned, at about nine or ten weeks old. Wild young rabbits, called warren rabbits, will not do, for 17 386 DOMESTIC PETS. they cannot be domesticated, and run away at tlie earliest opportunity. The hutches should be dr)-^, light, well ventilated, and strong ; well raised from tlie ground. The doe's hutch must have a partition about twelve inches from one end, and a hole must be cut at the ex- tremity nearest the front, about an inch and a lialf from the bottom, more than sutTiclenlly large for the rabbit to pass through. The edges of the Jiolc should be bound with tin or zinc to prevent the rabbits gnawing them ; and if a small door is made to close the hole, it will be as well, as the rabbit can be shut in on one side while the other is being cleaned out. This partition should be mov- able, as the object of this is to form a snug corner in which the doe may make her nest. The Feeding Troughs arc K)ng open boxes outside the hutch ; but a better phin is to have a swing board outside, which the rabbits can push inwards when they are feed- ing, and which falls down when the meal is over. Some persons have lids to the feeding trough ; these the rab- bits soon learn to lift — for rabbits are by no means dull or stupid animals — and which shuts down of itself as soon as the rabbit's head is withdrawn. Keep the buck in a separate hutch, as he is apt to fight with his wife and children. If you let your rabbits run loose in a yard or garden occasionally, be careful to provide security from cats, dogs, and rats. Scatter over their court the refuse and sweepings of the kitchen and garden, and even a portion of stable litter, and the rabbits will be all the better pleased. Give liiem abundance of dry food and they will thrive, and soon bcccMue so tame as to eat out of your hand, and to Hock around you when you present yourself with a new supjily. SaUIRRELS. Not difficult to tame and very amusing as domestic pets. Squirrels require but slight care beyond the keep- DOMESTIC PETS. 387 ingtheir cages thoroughly clean and sweet, and regularly supplying ihem with fcjod, which consists of nuts, fruit, seeds, and bread crunil)s. They seldom breed in cap- tivity. They may be bought at the bird-fanciers'. GUINEA PIGS. These little animals feed on all kinds of green vege- tables, corn, beans, peas, and bread crumbs. Their houses must be kept particidarly clean, as they soon smell offen- sively and become a ntusance. They breed readily; the young ones requiring to be kept warm and dry. A good bundle of hay should always be in thecoi ner of the hutch, when the little tailless creatures soon make for themselves comfortable nests. They are perfectly harmless, but rather stupid, though they soon accustom themselves to come when they are called and feed from the hand. WHITE MICE. This variety of the ordinary species is an amusing, harmless little creature, often kept by boys and girls as home pets. They may be bought cheaply of the bird- fancier, and when kept in cages or hutches, care must be taken to keep them particularly clean and dry: otherwise their peculiar odor becomes offensive. Their food is bread and milk, with occasionally a little oatmeal or a few peas and beans. Avoid cheese and meat. They re-» quire cotton wool and hay for their beds, and are very prolific. GOLD AND SILVER FISH. A few hints as to the management of these amusing pets: When purchasing a globe procure as wide-mouthed a one as possible; and in use it should never be more than three parts full of water. By these means yst airy part of the room, neither in the 388 DOMESTIC PETS. sun, nor near the fire. Change the water daily, and handle the fish tenderly when doing so. A small net is the best thing with which to remove them. The best plan is to have two equal-sized globes and change the fish from one to the other daih^, always being careful that the fresh one is perfectly clean and the water (river water is far preferable) fresh and clean. Never give the fish food ; all they require is plenty of fresh air and fresh water — they will derive sufficient nutriment from the animaculae contained in the water. Numbers of people kill their gold-fish by giving them bread; for though bread is good for gold-fish, and they will eat it, the un- eaten crumbs immediately get sour and deteriorate the water, to the great injury of the fish. Keep the globe out of the reach of cats and dogs. Sometimes a fish seems less lively than usual, and on a close inspection will have a sort of mealy look, and in a day or two, this mealiness will turn out to be a parasitical fungus. We have never found any of the so-called remedies of the slightest use. There is nothing for it but to take the fish, at the first appearance of the disease, and destroy it, for it will not recover, and will infect the others. The inexperienced gold-fish keeper, whenever a fish seems un- healthy, had first better place it by itself for a few days; he will then see whether the fungus makes.*4t appear- ance; if not, the fish may recover, and be returned to the globe. Another disease is apparently an affection of the air-bladder, arising from being supplied with too little air. Fish recover from it when removed from the globe and placed in a pond. When under the influence of this disease, the fish swims sideways, with its body bent ag if its back were broken; and in a short time it dies. When- ever those S3"mptoms are observed, the fish should be placed in a large tub of water, and a small stream of water allowed to drop into it; the water, through drop- ping, becomes more aerated, and the fish will frequently recover. DOMESTIC PETS. 389 DOMESTIC FOWLS. Cocks and hens may be profitably kept in town gar- dens, but they should, if possible, have a good grass run, with a dust heap at the end. All kinds of fowls want animal food and lime for the making of their egg-shells. The fowl-house should be dry and properly provided with perches. The nesting-places should be separate from each other, so that they may be easily cleansed when the hen has done sitting. A round bushel-basket, such as they bring with vegetables to market, form capital nest- ing places. They may be put down in any convenient place in the fowl-house. Each one should be about half filled with coal ashes or loose earth, with some short bruised straw on the top. This the hen readly hollows into a perfect nest, and is much better than a large quan- tity of straw or a flat board. Sitting and Hatching. When a hen sits in one of these baskets, she can at any time be covered with a coop, so as to prevent other hens going into the same nest to lay — a circumstance that generally leads to fighting, and consequently, to the destruction of the eggs. As soon as the chickens are hatched, the basket should be taken out of the fowl-house, the straw and ashes or mold thrown out, and the basket washed, so as to get rid of the fleas, &c. June is the best month for hatching. It is best to allow a hen to sit in the same nest in which she has been in the habit of laying, as there is usually some trouble in getting a hen to sit steadily in a strange nest. When a hen becomes broody or wants to sit, she shows her desire by remaining on the nest, and by a strange clucking noise she makes in the place of her usual note. To ascertain whether she is likely to sit steadily, it'is usual to give her three or four nest-eggs to sit on for a day or two. If she is found to sit well, the eggs she is to hatch 390 DOMESTIC PETS, should be placed in the nest Avhcn she leaves it to feed, and the nest-eggs taken away. The day on which the eggs are given lier should be carefully noted down, and, if convenient, two hens should be set on the same day, for a reason that will appear presently. The eggs for sit- ting should be as fresh as possible, for if more than fif- teen or twenty days old they do not hatch so readily as when fresher, li a friend who has a good breed of fowls offers you a sitting of eggs, you may safely accept them. They will hatch none the worse even if they have been sent a hundred miles. After the hens have been sitting twenty days, some of the chickens begin to chip ihe shell. On this day the hen should not be disturbed. On the twenty-first day — that is, the same day three weeks that the eggs were put under the hen, ail the chickens will be hatched. Many persons take away those first hatched, and put them in a basket witli flannel by the side of the fire. This is a very useless phui — tlie hen and chickens had much better be left alone. When undisturbed, the hen will not leave the nest till the twenty-second day. and then all the chickens will be found quite strong and able to run. On no account should the young chickens be crammed with food ; until they are about thirty hours old they do not require any other nourishment than the yolk of the egg from which they are hatched. Food for Chickens. The best food for young chickens consists of wliole grits, but their diet sliould be varied. Coarse oatmeal mixed into a crumbly mess with milk or water, chopped hard-boiled egg, or curd, are very useful ; but the food on which they make the most rapid and healthy progress is the supply of grubs, insects, small worms, ants' eggs, and other animal substances that the hen obtains by scratching. Some persons say that the hens roam too much when they are not cooped, and weary the chickens ; but if the hen is well fed, thei^e DOMESTIC PETS. 391 is no danger of her wanderihg so far as to tire the chickens. Food for Fowls. All fowls require warmth-giving food, as staich-rice, the solid part of potatoes, &c. ; flesh-forvt- ingfood. as the gluten of wheat, oatmeal, peas, barley; and fat-forming food, as the yellow variety of Indian corn, and other ttiings containing oily and fatty matters. Thesi; must be given in combination, not singly. — Grain forms, naturally, the principal food of poultry of all kind^J. Barley is the best, as it contains a larger amount of flesii and fat forming material. Next comes oats, which are to be given more sparingly, in consequence of the quan- tity of husks ; but in the form of oatmeal it is highly nourishing and fattening, especially for Cochins and Spanish fowls. Wheat stands in rather less request ; it is more expensive, and not more nutritive. Rice is useful only in the making of bone, and should, therefore, be given only in small quantities, except as a variation to richer food. Boiled rice is a capital food iox chickens when taken in conjunction with barley and buckwheat flour, or tnillet, both of which are very nutritious. Bran, pollard, malt-dust, and middlings are capital additions to their meal. A fresh supply of water daily is indispen- sable. Profitable Varieties. For keeping in town yards and small enclosures, the Spanish is a good breed, but the hens are bad sitters. The Minorca is a plump variety of the Spanish. Game fowl are great favorites with many, but as q^^ producers they are inferior to Span- ish, Hamburgh, Polish, Dorkings, or Cochins. For table purposes no fowls are so profitable as Dorkings. This bird, says a practical henwife, is an excellent farm-yard fowl: — "It is a good layer, a close sitter, and an attentive mother; the chickens grow rapidly, and are excellent for the table. The pure white Dorking 392 JDOAfESTIC PETS. may truly be ctnisidored as fancy stock as well as uscfni, because they will breed true to iheir points. To the breeders and admirers of the so-called 'Dorkings' I would say, continue to improve the fowl of your choice, but let him be known by liis right title; do not support him on another's fame, nor yet deny that the rose comb or lifth toe is essential to a l)oiking, because your favorites arc not constant to those points." The principal drawback to tlie Dorking is the delicacy of the chicken; but for persons who rear fowls in order to make money of them, they are invaluable for tenderness and delicacy of flavor. Many spurious Dorkings are bred and brought to market. A full-grown CvH^k should weigh eight pounds, and a hen seven; heavier weights have been reached, but they are not common. The form of the body should be square, very broad across the shoulders, and full-chested; the legs should be short, nothing nn>re than the shanks being visible in the hen, and the hock only just showing in the cock. The shanks and feet are white, and the latter furnished Avith an additional hind toe. The head should be small and neatly formed; two varieties of combs are found in true-bred birds — a large evenly-arched single comb, and also a broad double, or, as it is often termed, a ** rose comb;" the latter should be flat on the top, and studded with points uniform in height. The single-combed birds are generally more admired. Bantams, whether known as black, white, gold-laced, silver-laced, g"ame, booted, or what not, have all certain characteristics in common — diminutive size, grace of out- line, and beauty of plumage. Bantams can hardly be called "prolitable," though they are good layers and sit- ters. Indeed, they are generally kept rather for orna- ment than service. *' Feather-legged bantams," says a fancier, " may be of any color; the old-fashiuned birds are xtvy small, falcon-hocked, and feathered with long DOMESTIC FETS. 393 quill feathers to tlic oxticmily of the toe. Many of tliem were bearded. They arc now very scarce; indeed, till ex- hibitions brought tliem again into notice, these beautiful specimens of their tribe were all neglected and fast pass- ing away." Game bantams are miniature resemblances of the famous game-fowl — pert, lively, and full of feather. To Increase the Product of Eggs. We understand it has been practically demonstrated that a little cayenne pepper, administered with tlieir common food, at the rate of a tcaspoonful of cayenne each alternate day to a dozen fowls, will increase the product of eggs, A Boston house- wife, who first pursued this plan, found a considerable increase in the yield, and that the cayenne had the same effect both winter and summer. PIGEONS. The best place in which to keep pigeons in towns is the loft of a stable, or the space between the upper rooms and the roof of the house. In the country they can be comfortably housed in dovecotes, properly protected against wind and rain. In comfortable quarters pigeons rapidly increase and multiply. The floor of the pigeon house must be strewn with sand or gravel. Pigeons should be fed twice a day, at the same hours, until they get used to their master. When they begin nesting, scat- ter a few sticks and straw on the floor; they will know how to use them. When there are young birds hatched, and not before, you may open the door or window, and let the parent-birds go forth to see their food — they will n(jt require much more from you. The rock-dove likes to stray far and wide in search of provender. No young pigeons should be killed to eat the first year. Keep dovecotes well white-washed to prevent disease. Never give fcK.id that has visible insects in it; take especial care of mites. Observe to give each pair of parent-birds two 17* 394 DOMESTIC PETS. convenient holes or little rooms, and put in every nest a straw basket or earthen unglazed pan for the eggs. Every pigeon-house should be provided with a pan of water and a lump of rock salt. The Varieties of Pigeons are both numerous and curi- ous — tumblers, carriers, croppers, pouters, blue-rocks, &c.; but they may all be fed on the same kind of food. Tares or small horse-beans are the best and cheapest; but gray and white peas, hemp, wheat, and rape-seed may be advantageously used to vary their diet. Pigeons' dung need not be wasted, as it is a really good garden manure. SINGING BIHDS. Pood for. Birds are often rendered diseased, or spoilt in their song, from improper food. The following are some practical hints: Canaries. Canary-seed, one pint; rape-seed, half a pint; millet-seed, quarter of a pint. Mix. This is the general seed during moulting; give in addition some maw-seed, scattered on the bottom of the cage, and occa- sionally a little bruised hemp-seed. During summer keep them provided v/ith groundsel, chickweed, lettuce, watercress, &c. ; in winter supplement the usual seed with a slice of sharp apple, and a small root of common grass plucked up from the roadside; they are very fond of this, especially if it be in seed, and the earthy particles that cling to the roots are of use to them. If they have a few white lettuce seeds scattered sometimes over the cage-bottom, it will be found an incentive to them to sing. Give a little saffron when moulting. Goldfinches. A pint of canary-seed; a quarter of a pint of maw-seed; half a pint of rape-seed; and a quarter of a pint of Kv//-bruised hemp-seed. Mix. Give green vegetables as directed for canaries, and, when it can be^ DOMESTIC PETS. 395 procured, a ripe plantain. Pay particular attention to the bruising of the hemp-seed — one whole one may prove fatal, as thCvSe birds, having slender beaks, unfitted for husking so large a seed, are apt to get tlie shell between the beak and nostril, causing inflammation and death. During moulting give a little flax-seed (linseed) as a treat, and put a rusty nail in the water. Linnets. Canary-seed, a pint; rape-seed, three-quar- ters of a pint; hemp-seed (whole), quarter of a pint; lin- seed, a pint. When moulting give a little maw-seed. Chaffinches. A pint of canary-seed; half a pint of rape-seed, and 'd few whole hemp-seeds mixed in. Bullfinches. Canary and rape-seed in equal propor- tions, and one-fourth of hemp-seed; a little maw added when moulting. Be careful not to give too much hemp, as it turns the plumige black. A few unopened buds of the pear, apple, plum, cherry, or hawthorn trees in the Spring are a great treat to this bird; the shade of any leaves of these trees over the cage in Summer is also grateful to it, as it is a wood-loving S(jngster. Another kind of food, recommended for thrushes, rob- ins, larks, linnets, canaries, finches, and most other sing- ing birds, and said to preserve them admirably in song and feather, is made thus: — Knead together three poinds of split peas, ground or beaten to flour, one and a half pound of fine crumbs of bread, the same quantity of coarse sugar, the raw yolks of six eggs, and six ounces of fresh butter. Put about a tliird of tiie mixture at a time in a frying-pan over a gentle fire, stir it until a little browned, but not burned. When the other two parts are done, and all cold, add to the whole six ounces of maw-seed and six pounds of bruised hemp seed, sepa- rated from the husks. Mix. To clean birds' feet. Some birds with every means granted them of bathing will not do more than splash a 396 DOMESTIC PETS. few drops over their heads and backs. The consequence of this (and the neglect of cleaning the perches con- stantly) is that the feet gets coated with dirt, swell, and become so painful to the bird that he mopes. When this is the case fill a saucer with tepid water and have ready a bell glass — (an ordinary glass shade if round will do) — one person must now quietly catch the bird and put it into the water in the saucer, another person putting over the shade on the withdrawal of the other's hand. If carefully done the bird will be little frightened and probably at once begin to bathe. Keep him in the water till the dirt is softened and removed, which should not take more than ten minutes. Quietly re-catch the bird and examine the feet, and if lumps remain remove gently with a camel's hair brush. Have a soft clean handkerchief on the bottom of the cage and replace him on it, having previously well cleaned and scalded the perches. If necessary, repeat the operation after two or three days. Treatment of Young Canaries. No young birds should ever be removed, when carefully nursed by their parents, until they are at least five weeks old; and their food should be changed gradually. They should then be placed in separate cages, and kept in a warm room, where there is a fine, steady song-bird, ready to act the part of "tutor." At this tender age their little throats will be found full of music — they being o;ya\.Q piano j their early notes being called "recording;" and they readily copy, or imitate, whatever they hear. Hence, the great importance of putting them out to a good preparatory school. TALKmG BIRDS. Parrots, Paroquets, Macaws, Cockatoos, and other foreign birds of this kind arc fed on bread and milk, In- dian corn and hemp-seed mixed, scraps of raw meat, &c.; DOMESTIC PETS. 397 but too much sugar is injurious. To teach them to talk, the room should be darkened and the birds talked to singly by its instructor. The Gray Parrot is tlie best talker, and easily learns to pronounce words and even sen- tences it is accustomed to hear frequently repeated. Ravens, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Starlings, and other native talking birds are all soft billed, and require a reg- ular supply of animal food, bread, milk, and water. Both these and the parrots are subject to various dis- eases — as asthma, surfeit, diarrhoea, atrophy, pip, &c. A rusty nail in their water (a little cayenne for parrots), stick-licorice, chalk, or scraped root of white hellebore will be necessary; but if your bird continues ill, consult the bird-fancier. For attacks of vermin, to which they are all subject, an ointment of precipitate powder is necessary, or an infusion of tobacco water applied to the parts they are seen to peck and scratch. In confinement talking birds become very tame and teachable. They should be allowed to leave their cages, and very little training will accustom them to return to them at night. They have all a propensity for hiding their food and stealing bright things, as silver money, spoons, S:c. Upon this peculiarity rests the interest of the old story of " The Maid and the Magpie." BIRD STUFFING. Most persons who keep birds and have the misfortune to lose one by death or accident, like to have it stuffed and set up to imitate life. The following directions by a Professor of the art of Taxidermy, will therefore be gladly accepted. Preparing tlie Body. Beginners should never attempt to stuff any bird smaller than a blackbird: the larger the specimen the easier it is to stuff. First put a small quantity of cotton wool down the throat in order to pre- 39S DOMESTIC PETS. vent moisture escaping from the stomach: this is im- portant, and must never be omitted; then brealc the bones of the wings close to the body; divide the feathers from the bottom of the breast-bone to the vent; divide the slcin in like manner. Do not puncture the abdomen; raise the skin with the point of a penknife until you can. take hold of it with your finger and thumb; hold the skin tight, and press on the body with a knife as the skin parts from it, putting the knife farther under until you reacli the thigh; break the thigh-bone close to the top joint, and push it gently up until you can take hold of the flesh. Now take the bone that is attaclied to the leg and pull it gently out, turning the skin of the leg inside out; cut tlie flesh ofif close to the knee and skin as far down to the back as you can. Do the same with the other side of the bird ; if any damp escape from the flesh dry it up with fi'esh bran. Put the skin on both sides out of your way with a small pair of scissors; push the body up (the tail of the bird being held in your hand); cut the back through as close to the tail as pos- sible (this must be done inside the skin), then take the bird by the back-bone and gently push the skin down with your thumb-nail till you come to the wings; take as much flesh from the wing-joints as you can, and go on skinning till you reach the ears; take hold of them close to the skull and pull them out. Take the eyes out, and be careful not to burst them, holding the skin with one thumb and finger while you pull the eye out of the skin with the other. After taking the eyes out, put as mucli cotton in the sockets as will fill them. Skin down to the beak very gently, cut the neck away from the skull, and also a piece of the skull to take the brains out; anoint the skin with Becoeur's soap, which may bebougiit at the chemist's; put a little tow round the thigh bones to form the thigh, and gently turn the skin back again. If care has been talv^i, the loss of the body will make but little difference in the size of the bird. DOMESTIC PETS. 399 Setting up the Body. Get three wires, one as long again as the bird, the other two twice the length of the legs ; file them sharp at one end, bend the blunt end of the long wire, put some tow on the bend and squeeze it tight to fasten it, then twist the tow until it is about tiie size of the body ; do it as tight as possible. Have some tow cut up small ; get a strong wire, rough one point, and turn the other into a bow to hold in your hand ; take hold of some of the tow with the rough end, and push it up the nock ; this requires but a small portion of tow; put some in the chest and a little all over the in- side of the skin. Put the body wire up the neck, and bring it out through the skull at the top of the heal ; draw the body into the skin, and be careful not to stretch the neck ; then put the other wires through the center of the foot up the legs, being careful not to break the skin; put enougli wire inside the skin to push intotiie body to fasten the legs ; cut off a piece of the wire that has gone through the head, and put it through the tail into the body (under the tail, of course); open the eyelids, and put in the eyes ; mount the bird on a perch fastened to a small board, bend the legs, so that it will seem to stand in a proper position, be careful not to loosen the leg wires from the body, bring the feathers nicely together between the legs, bend the neck, and put the head in the shape you think proper, then run a pin or a piece of wire through the butt of the wing and into the body, to keep it in its proper place. Should the bird be out of shape in places, raise the skin gently with a needle, put the feath- ers as straight as you can, put a pin in the breast, back, and under each wing near to the top of the thigh, fasten the end of some cotton to one of the pins, and gently wind it round the bird from one pin to the other; put up the bird when you see that it is right. You had better let the specimen dry of itself, then bake it ; keep it free from dust, and it will dry in a fortnight. Spread the tail in a natural position, and when it is dry, unwind 400 DOMESTIC PETS. the cotton ; cut the pins close to the butt of the wing and head ; take out the others, and the bird is finished. An easier and less expensive way of preserving memorials of departed pets is by painting. Pictures of Birds with their Natural Feathers. Take a thin, well-seasoned board and paste down on it smoothly a sheet of white drawing paper, and let it dry; if the color of the wood can be seen through the paper, paste down another sheet and so on until perfectly wliite; let stand till quite dry; then draw the figure of your bird as exactly as possible on the papered surface; then paint what trees or groundwork you intend to set your bird upon, also its bill and legs, leaving the rest of the body to be covered with its own feathers. Next prepare that part to be feathered by laying on thick gum arable, dissolved in water; lay it on with a large hairpencil, and let it dry; then lay a second coat of gum arable, and let it dry; and a third, and oftener, if you find that when dry it does not form a good body on the paper, at least to the thickness of a shilling; let it dry quite hard. When thus prepared, take the feathers off the bird as you use them, beginning at the tail and points of the wings, and working up- wards to the head, observing to cover that part of your drawing with the feathers taken from the same part of the bird, letting them fall over one another in the natural order. Prepare your feathers by cutting off the downy parts about the stems, and the large feathers must have the insides of their shafts shaved off with a sharp knife or a piece of glass to make them lie flat; the quills of the wings must have their inner webs clipped off", so that in laying them the gum may hold them by their shafts. "When you begin to lay them, take a pair of steel pliers to hold the feathers in, and have some thick gum-water, and a large pencil ready to moisten the ground-work by little and little, as you work it; then lay your feathers on the moistened parts, which must be just clammy, to hold DOMESTIC PETS. 401 the feathers. You must have prepared a great many small sugarloaf shaped leaden weights, which form by casting the lead into sand, in which shapes or molds for it have been made by means of a pointed stick prodded all over the surface, having small holes to receive the melted lead. These weights will be necessary to set on the feathers when you have merely laid them on, in order to press them into the gum till they are fixed. Be cau- tious lest the gum comes through the feathers. Do not have your coat of gum too moist. When you have wholly covered your bird with its feathers, with a little thick gum stick on a piece of paper, cut round, of the size of an eye, which color the same as the eye of the bird if you cannot procure a glass bead of the kind. When the whole is dry, dress the feathers all round the outline and rectify defects: then lay on it a sheet of clean paper, and a heavy weight, such as a book, to press it; when dry preserve in a glass frame, such as used for pieces of shell-work, stuffed fish, &c. BEES. Management of. Select for your hives a sheltered part of the garden, screened from the north and east winds, but open to the southern aspect. Do not place the hives so that the sun strikes upon them too early, because bees must never be tempted to quit their hives in the heavy morning dew, which clogs their limbs and impedes their flight. Place them, if possible, near a running stream, as they delight in plenty of water; but if none is within their easy reach, place pans of fresh water near the hives, in which mix a little common salt; and let small bits of stick float on the surface, to enable the bees to drink safely, instead of slipping down the smooth sides of the vessel, to perish. Never place hives under a roof: it heats them, and induces the bees to form combs outside the hives, instead of swarming. Let the space before 402 DOMESTIC PETS, the hives be perfectly clear of bushes and other impedi- ments to their movement. Bees, returning heavy laden and wearied, are unable to bear up against any object, should they hit themselves and fall. Trees and bushes in the vicinity are, however, advisable, as they present convenient spots for swarms to settle, which might otherwise go beyond sight or reach In November re- move your hives upon their stools, into a cool, dry, and shady room, or outhouse, where they will be protected as well from the winter sun as from the frosts. Warm days in winter often tempt bees to quit their cells, and the chilling air numbs and destroys them. Let them remain thus until February or March, should the spring be late and cold. It is not sufficient to stop the mouth of the hive with clay; the bees will soon make their way through it. Bees are subject to a disease like dysentery in the spring. Before you place the hives in their summer quarters, turn up the hive, and notice the smell proceed- ing from it. If the bees are healthy, it will smell like heated wax; but if diseased, like putrefaction. In this case, a little port wine, or brandy, mixed with their food, will restore them. In the early spring feed them, and do the same when the flowers pass away in autumn, until they are taken into the house, then do not further disturb them. The proper food is beer and sugar, in the proportion of one pound to a quart; boil it for five min- utes. In May, bees begin to swarm, if the weather be warm. New and dry hives must be prepared, without any doorway; the entrance must be cut in the stool. Sticks across the inside of the hives are of no use, and very inconvenient. Let the hive be well washed with beer and sugar, before you shake the bees into it. After swarming, place it upon a cloth with one side raised upon a stone; shade it with boughs, and let it alone till quite dusk, then remove it to the stool where it is to stand. DOMESTIC PETS, 403 A practical writer tlms describes the process of chlo- roforming Bees: — " The quantity of chloroform required for an ordinary hive is the sixth part of an ounce: a very- large hive may take nearly a quarter of an ounce. My mode of operation is as follows: — I set down a table op- posite to, and about four feet distant from, the hive; on the table I spread a thick linen cloth; in the center of the table I place a small shallow breakfast plate, which I cover with a piece of wire gauze, to prevent the bees from coming in immediate contact with the chloroform; and into this plate I pour the chloroform. I now quickly and cautiously lift the hive from the board on which it is standing, set it down on the top of the table, keeping the plate in the center; cover the hive closely up with cloths, and in twenty minutes or so, the bees are not only sound asleep, but, contrary to what I have seen when they arc suffocated with sulphur, not one is left among the combs; the whole of them are lying helpless on the table. You now remove what honey you think fit, re- place the hive in its old stand, and the bees, as they recover, will return to their domicil. A bright, calm, sunny day is the best; and you should commence your operations early in the morning, before many of them are abroad." Care must be taken that the dose is not too strong. SILKWORMS. In this country silk-worms are kept simply for amuse- ment. The eggs which produce the worm are hatched in May or June, unless artificial heat brings them out at an earlier period. The eggs are about as large as mustard- seed ; and the worms, when first hatclied, are very small; but they feed on fresh lettuce and mulberry leaves so voraciously, that in six or seven weeks they grow to their full size. When growing they shed their coats several times, each time assuming more delicate colors. They have 404 DOMESTIC PETS. nine holes on each side, through which they breathe. The silk is spun from two small sacks on each side, filled with a gummy substance which becomes silky as it dries. The worm never breaks his thread as he spins, and it is said one ball contains entire silk enough to reach six miles. These balls are called cocoons. These answer the same purpose as the chr3'-salis of the butterfly ; and if they were let alone, a delicate white moth would eat its way out of each of them ; but the holes thus eaten would break the silk in pieces ; there- fore, in order to kill the moths, the cocoons are baked or scalded. Those that are reserved for eggs are laid aside in the dark on sheets of paper. As soon as the moth comes out of her cocoon, she lays her eggs and dies, A few minutes' attention each day, for six or seven weeks, is all that is necessary. One person can attend to fifty thousand. It takes two thousand worms to produce a pound of silk. Everything about them must be kept clean and sweet. They must have fresh mulberry leaves two or three times a day ; and must neither be covered with dew nor dried in the hot sun. DOMESTIC PESTS. RATS AND MICE. I. Mix a few grains of powdered nux vomica with oatmeal, and lay it in their haunts, observing proper pre- caution to prevent accidents. 2. Another method is to mix oatmeal with a little powdered phosphorus. 3. Dried sponge cut small, and dipped in oil of rhodium and honey, proves mortal to those that eat it, by distending their in- testines. 4. Birdlime laid in the places which they fre- quent will adhere to their skins, and become so trouble- some as to make them leave their old quarters. 5. Balls made of a mixture of malt dust and butter, with a little of the oil of aniseeds, or rhodium, will allure them into a trap, when other baits have failed. 6. Having kneaded some wheaten flour or malt meal into a paste, when it be- comes sour mix with it fine iron filings, and form the whole into balls; then put them into the crevices or holes, and it will kill them. 7. Mix two or three grains of arsenic in a ball of dripping and flour, and strew several of these balls in the places most infested by the rats. 8. Another mode is to mix about a dfachm of the poison in a dish Avith boiled potatoes, slices of bacon, &c.; or to melt some cheese, and mix the arsenic with it. All these, however, have been known to fail, when arsenic, mixed with plain boiled potatoes, without any highly-flavored food, has been effectual. When it is found that the rats, [405] 4o6 DOMESTIC PESTS. for a considerable length of time, avoid one kind of bait, another should be tried; and persons should not despair of their taking the poison eventually because they avoid it for several days together, as they will sometimes do this, and then in a single night devour all the bait. Notwithstanding the efl&ciency of these poisons, and the number caught in traps, a good cat will do more serv- ice in destroying and frightening away rats and mice than the whole list of poisons and all the traps that were ever made. In places where cats cannot safely be allowed — as cupboards, &c. — traps and poisons must, however, be employed, and of those given above the strongest and best — -though very dangerous — is strychnine, which is a very powerful preparation of nux vomica, mixed, a few grains nightly, with food. This is not easily detected by the rats or mice, and, if eaten, is instantaneously f .tal. The greatest care must in all these cases be exercised, and ser- vants or children should on no account be allowed to have anything to do with the preparation. It has been stated that vermin have a great aversion to the smell of garlic, and, if a clove or two of this vegetable be introduced in- to their holes, they will leaves the place and seek some other haunt. INSECTS. The butterfly, which lives on honey, and did live on leaves, lays her eggs on a twig. She seems to feel that hon- ey will not suit her young, and that the leaves will wither and fall before another spring comes round. — The gnat, which lives in the air, and feeds on blood, lays her eggs on the surface of water; and the sugar-loving house-fly knows that very different food is necessary for her young. — The nut- weevil chooses the embryo of the nut; the goat-moth the bark of the willow; the rhipiphora braves the dangers of the wasp's nest; the oestrus lays on DOMESTIC FESTS. 407 cattle; the ichneumon in caterpillars; the gall-fly in the still almost imperceptible bud; and some insects even in the eggs of others. — Generally tlie larvae forage for themselves; but, in some cases, tlie mother supplies her young with food. Thus, the solitary wasp builds a cell and fills it with other insects. If, however, she im- prisoned them while alive, their struggles would infalli- bly destroy her Gg^; if she killed them they would soon decay, and the young larvae, when hatched, would find, instead of a store of wholesome food, a mere mass of cor- ruption. To avoid these two evils, the wasp stings her victim in such a manner as to pierce the center of the nervous system, and the poison has the quality of para- lyzing the victim witliout killing it. Thus deprived of all power of movement, but still alive, it remains some weeks motionless and yet fresh. — But, perhaps, the ants are the most remarkable of all. They tend their young, they build houses, they make Avars, they keep slaves, they have domestic animals, and it is even said that in some cases they cultivate the ground. Insect Poison. Petroleum oil possesses the highest efficacy as a destroyer of all kinds of insects injurious to plants or animals, and the less purified, and consequently the cheaper, it is the better. Thirty parts should be mixed with one thousand of water, and applied where re quired. Vermin of houses may be destroyed by intro- ducing into the holes or cracks a few drops of petroleum. — A solution (one to twenty of water) of carbolic acid, which is said to kill every insect from the size of a mouse downwards. It is also said that Russia leather drives away all manner of vermin if a small piece of it is worn near the person, or even kept in the pocket. Moths are very destructive, and, when suffered to make inroads into wearing apparel, &c., are with difficulty got rid of. To preserve blankets from them, fold the blan- 4o8 DOMESTIC PESTS. kets up and lay them between feather-beds and mattresses that are in use, unfolding them occasionally, and shak- ing them. Woolen stuffs, such as cloth cloaks, merino dresses, &c., are best placed in drawers, with sheets of paper, moistened with spirits of turpentine, laid between them ; lavender-flowers, cedar-shavings, and cuttings of Russia leather will also produce a similar effect. Damp harbors moths ; therefore great care should be taken in putting woolen things away for the summer, that they have been well brushed and are perfectly dry. Furs should be occasionally taken out, shaken, beaten with a cane, and hung in the open air. Great care must be taken that they are dry when put away, but they must not be placed hear the fire. Other methods are employed for the same purpose, such as laying a few pieces of camphor among the furs ; peppering them with black pepper ; bitter apples, obtained of any chemist, are also placed in little muslin bags, and sewn over in several folds of linen, carefully turned in at the edges. Bugs, Take of corrosive sublimate, two drachms ; spirits of wine, eight ounces. Rub them well together in a mortar until the sublimate is dissolved ; then add half a pint of spirits of turpentine. This is an effectual destroyer of bugs; but, being a strong poison, great care should be taken in using it. Another plan is to rub the bedsteads well with soft-soap or lamp oil. This alone is good, but, to make it more effectual, get six-penny- worth of quicksilver and add to the mixture. Put it into all the cracks around the bed, and the pests will soon dis- appear. The bedsteads should first be scalded and wiped dry ; then lay on the mixture with a feather. 6>r, dip a sponge or brush in a strong solution of vitriol, and rub it over the bedstead. This will expel the bugs, and de- stroy their nits. Cleanliness, however, and frequent ex- amination, will prove the best remedy. In houses infested with bugs — and sometimes old DOMESTIC PESTS. 409 houses are so, in spite of all precautions — the following is an effectual cure. Take one pound of common lump brimstone, or sulphur, value twopence; place it in an old iron saucepan, and put a piece of red-hot iron on it to set it on fire, having previously filled up the chimney and every crevice; allow the room to remain closed about three hours. The fumes of the brimstone will smother every insect in the room; repeat as often as required; be sure to leave no children, birds, or domestic animals in the room while fumigation is going on; put a piece of iron or stone under the saucepan containing the brim- stone, so as not to damage the Hour. When bugs are in the walls and floors, all the crevices should be stopped with glazier's putty; and, before the walls are re-papered, the old paper should be stripped off, and at least one coat of oil-paint be laid on. If they are in bedsteads, the bedstead should be taken to pieces, well washed and dried, and aquafortis laid with a brush in all the holes and crevices, or some size may be made and laid on with a brush; this, when dry, is an eternal prison for bugs, and also for their eggs. Another very good plan is to put spirits of wine, or strong tobacco- juice, on every part of the bedstead that is suspected, do- ing this by portions at a time and setting fire to it; this will not injure even a polished bedstead, if the part be immediately rubbed up with a cloth covered with a little beeswax. Where bugs are very numerous, and they are in situations which cannot easily be got at, there is but one effectual remedy — fumigation, as above directed. Fleas. Numerous remedies are resorted to by good housewives to get rid of and prevent the increase of this most prolific domestic torment; but the best preventive and also remedy is great cleanliness. The rooms should be frequently washed, and the bed-clothes exposed to the free action of the outer air. A bit of camphor in the bed, or camphor sprinkled in the bed in powder — which is 18 4IO DOMESTIC PESTS. made by dropping upon a lump of camphor a few drops of spirit, and then reducing it by the hand to powder — will prevent fleas from coming near the person. Another Eemedy. Sprinkle the floor with a decoction of wormwood; hang near the bed a bag filled with dry moss, or lay therein some fresh leaves of pennyroyal sewn up in linen. As dogs and cats harbor fleas very much, they should not be allowed to come into bedrooms. Flies may be expelled by fumigation, and by various preparations of fly-paper and fly-water. But as these are poisonous, they are dangerous where children are about. The following is efficacious, and without risk: — Put a handful of quassia chips into a basin, and pour a pint of boiling water over them; let them infuse for a time, then strain off the liquor, and add to it two ounces of ground black pepper, and a quarter of a pound of brown sugar. Put this mixture in plates or saucers, in places where the flies are most numerous. Another effectual method is: — Take a cominon drink- ing-glass and a slice of bread; wet the latter, and turn down the glass upon it, so that the rim makes a deep groove. Make a hole with your finger through the bread, trim off the waste, and spread one side of it with treacle or sugar; half fill the glass with water, and fit on the cover of bread with the treacle side beneath. The bread-trap is now ready to be placed on the places fre- quented by flies. Attracted by the sweet treacle, they will swarm down the hole and get caught; others follow- ing will force them into the water, and thus, in the course of the day, the glass will get full. The curious fact is that the flies cannot return through the hole. ThroAV the doomed flies on the fire, or otherwise effectually de- stroy them; if thrown on the dust-heap they will soon recover. The ordinary house-fly breeds year after year in the same dwelling; and if, in the early spring, its eggs DOMESTIC PESTS. 411 were carefully sought and destroyed, the nuisance of flies would soon be mitigated, if not abolished. The great meat-flies, or blue-bottles, are of a different species. They breed principally in the yard or garden, live on de- caying flesh and garbage, and come into the house in searcli of food. Whenever they alight on a piece of meat, they leave behind them an Q^^, wliich in a few hours develops into a disgusting maggot. Meat-flies should, therefore, be destroyed without mercy; a simple netting of black thread will prevent them entering an open window. Cockroaches and Crickets. Cucumber peelings are said to destroy cockroaches. Strew the floor in that part of the house most infested with the vermin with the green peel cut pretty thick, Try it for several nights, and it will not fail to rid the house of them. Or, take a teacupful of well bruised plaster of Paris, mixed with double the quantity of oatmeal, to which add a little sugar; then strew it on the floor or in the chinks where they frequent, and it will destroy them. Beetles may be got rid of by half filling a basin or pie-dish with linseed oil, sweetened beer, or treacle, and setting it in such places as they are accustomed to frequent. Place two or three strips of wood slant- ingly from the dish or basin to tiie floor. Attracted by the smell, the insects will venture up and be drowned on the other side. The drowned insects should be burned or crushed. An eminent naturalist tells us that his servant, having removed one morning from tlie trap about two hundred cockroaches seemingly drowned, to make assurance doubly sure, poured over them boiling water, and then threw them in front of the house; in less than three hours the influence of the sun had revived nearly the whole of them, and Ihey were again crawling about in full vigor. The te- 412 DOMESTIC BESTS. nacity of life in the beetle tribe is very great. Many cats will eat oockroaches, but they do not thrive on them but become thin and languid, and sometimes die — poisoned ! Or, Place quicklime in the holes of the wall whence they issue, or scatter it on the ground. For trapping them, the beetle-wafers sold in the shops to poison " black- beetles" are made by mixing equal weights of flour, sugar, and red lead; but as these wafers are liable to be picked up and sucked by children, they are objection- able. Ants. Houses infested with ants, black or red, may be disinfected by a little attention. A sponge is one of the best things. Sprinkle it with dry white sugar: the sponge being slightly moist, it will adhere. The ants will go into the cells of the sponge after the sugar in large numbers, and can be destroyed in hot water, and the sponge squeezed out and sugared again, and returned to the closet for another haul, until all are caught. Gnats. These troublesome insects, which are closely allied to the terrible musquito. Both belong to the class of creatures whose mouths are furnished with bristly stings, included in flexile sheaths. They pierce the skin by means of the proboscis, in order to feed upon the blood, and at the same time, inject a poisonous fluid, producing considerable inflammation and swelling. Their activity usually commences towards evening, or after sunset. The Laplanders use tar-cream to prevent the insects biting them, but that could scarcely be used in this coun- try. The common Goulard water, scented with Eau de Cologne, is a good remedy in allaying the irritation, as also preventing the attacks. Gnats seldom or never fre- quent rooms or houses where chloride of lime has been exposed. Sting of Bees. Although the poison a bee emits when DOMESTIC PESTS. 413 it inserts its sting, is proved to be a iiighly concentrated acid, the applicaiion of all alkalies will not neutralize the acid. The more gentle alkalies — chalk, or the " blue bag," are much more likely to effect a cure, and cannot injure. The same person will be variously affected by the sting of a bee ; at one time, scarcely any inconven- ience will attend it ; at another, much swelling ; again, but little enlargement, although great pain, &c. The eye suffers considerably, though in general the uneasiness is local; but if the back of the ear be stung, there is fre- quently a general affection of the system ; sickness, gid- diness, numbness, nervous trembling, &c., &c., wiiich will sometimes continue for hours. A draught of cam- phor jalap, and total repose, has been known to be bene- ficial. MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. What is Etiquette? Etiquette may be defined as a code of unwritten laws whicli govern the manners of peo- ple living in polite society one towards another. Insti- tuted in the days of chivalry, the etiquette of gentle man- ners has descended to us, and all who claim a right to be considered ladies and gentlemen have a direct interest in upholding the acknowledged rules of courtesy and good taste, and preventing, so far as they can, the encroach- ments of vulgarity and ill-breeding. ETiaUETTE FOR GENTLEMEN. The true and standard maxim of good-breeding is courtesy; you cannot be agentleman until you constantly practice kindness and gentleness. " Thoughtf ulness for others, generosity, modesty, and self-respect are the qualities which make a real gentleman or lady, as distin- guished from the veneered article which commonly goes by that name." A vulgar man has freedom without ease; agentleman ease without freedom. Never altogether dispense Avith ceremony, even among your most intimate friends. A general quiet observance of their wishes, and a desire to earn their good opinion — perfectly distinct both from stififnessand servility — will do more to win the respect and friendship of yourassoci- [414] MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. 415 ates than all the lavish expenditure and flattery too often used to the same end. In making a present let it be in accordance with your known means and position, and offer it quietly and with- out parade. Its value should be its usefulness or beauty, and not its mere money worth. In receiving a present do so without making extrava- gant speeches of thanks, as such would lead the giver to think a present from him or her was the last thing to be expected. On the other hand, let your acknowledgment be cordial and gratifying to the giver. Never keep your hat on in a theater, whatever part of the house you may be sitting in. It incommodes the view of those behind you, and is a certain sign of bad breeding. In walking with a lady always place her on the side nearest the wall; and in crossing any muddy road or path you lead the way, except in the case of a crowded road, when you should give the lady your arm to con- duct her across. In such a case, unless you were walk- ing arm-in-arm before, relinquish it when you have crossed. In walking alone, keep to the right. If a lady inquire the way, inform her, if you can, in as few and simple words as possible; but do not, unless the way be difficult to find, or very near, presume to show her, as she very naturally would not like to walk by the side of a stranger. This remark does not apply to old ladies or very young girls. Avoid loud laughter or loud conversation in all pub- lic places, and in the street. Should you accidentally come in collision — or jostle against — with any person in the street or elsewhere, apologize instantly, even though you were the offended party. The offense was, in all probability, uninten- tional, and you also may have been in some measure to blame. 4i6 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. In speaking of one gentleman to another, never, un- less you both know him very intimately, speak of him in any other way than as Mr. ; and never, on any ac- count, use the initial of his or her name, as Mr. C , Miss J . In introducing persons to each other, present the gen- tleman to the lady; and, where both are of the same sex, the inferior in rank or position to the superior or elder. Always, when making the introduction, speak the names correctly and distinctly, and take care that each com- prehends the name of the other. When introduced to a lady, or a superior in position or age, do not attempt to shake hands, but simply bow; the advance, if made, must come from the other side. In meeting a friend accompanied by a lady, bow to him, and always raise your hat. Two gentlemen walking together, and meeting a lady known only to one, should both raise their hats. When you meet a lady in the street, turn and walk with her rather than stand. In morning calls it is usual to leave your card when the family are announced as " Not at home." The bearer of a letter of introduction should deliver it personally, accompanied by his card. In giving a friend a letter of introduction, be careful to leave it unsealed. When you receive a letter of introduction, if sent by post, acknowledge it immediately; but if the lady or gentleman introduced bring it in person, courteously re- ceive her (or him); and then, if you wish to continue the acquaintance, give an invitation for another day. In meeting a lady in the street you must not notice her unless she first bows. This is imperative, except in the case of familiar acquaintances. On leaving a lady always bow and raise your hat. On meeting a male friend, shake hands with him; an MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. 417 acquaintance, bow, or raise the hat; to one much your superior, do both. Always be punctual; never make an appointment you cannot keep; and never break one unless from positive inability; and, in the latter case, apologize. At dinners never be late; at evening parties punctual- ity is not so important. In paying a mere visit of ceremony, do not call be- fore two or after five in the afternoon; this general rule must, of course, be altered occasionally as circumstances dictate; and, unless invited for any particular purpose which will detain you, take your hat into the room v/ith you. If any other visitor is in the room, the first visitor should leave early. On calling at a house to inquire after a sick friend or acquintance, send in your card, and wait till the servant informs you of the state of his health; then immediately leave. On no account enter a room — unless shown in by the servant or your friend meets you at the door — without first knocking and obtaining permission to go in. In paying an evening visit, should there be other peo- ple at the house, go in, but do not stay long, even if pressed to do so, unless on intimate terms. In dress be quiet, neat, and fashionable, without going to extremes. Equally avoid singularity, staring colors, and large patterns. Neither dress above or be- low your station; and always suitably to the time of day. Whenever you appear in public wear gloves. It must be clearly understood that marriage puts a stop to all former acquaintanceships a man may have had, unless cards are sent — except in such cases where none are issued. Be polite without being foppish, conciliatory without being servile, considerate without being anxious, truth- ful without being indiscreet, just without being severe, and generous without being lavish. 18* 41 8 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. The Etiquette of the Dinner-tahle is a matter that can scarcely be taught. Be punctual in arriving, courteous and quiet while dining — moderate both in speech and in appetite. Only partake once of soup or fish ; take no wine or beer with soup ; do not eat fish with a knife (unless fish-knives and forks are provided), but use the fork in your right hand, and a small piece of crust, (which leave on the plate when done with) in your left ; always break your bread, not cut or bite it ; when a plate is handed to you, keep it, and, without undue haste, commence eating without reference to the others. It is usual to help the guests in regular order. In the matters of finger-glasses, taking wine, &c., " do at Rome as the Romans do." In the matter of giving dinners, do not invite more than you have comfortable accommodation for ; be punc- tual in having dinner served, as waiting long in the drawing-room is most tedious ; be liberal without pro- fusion or crowding ; be cool-tempered and at your ease, for nothing is more annoying to the guests than to have the faults of servants or children talked of, or the delay ■ — which even with the greatest care does sometimes oc- cur — commented upon. The hostess must be in the drawing-room at the ap- pointed hour to receive her guests, and should, by the exercise of tact, endeavor to set up a perfect understand- ing between them, and alleviate, as far as possible, the tediousness of the " drawing-room conversation," On going down to dinner the host escorts the lady who is highest in rank or position, or to whom the great- est deference is due; he then seats her on his right hand, and intimates, quietly but distinctly, where the rest shall sit. He should not seat relations — except man and wife — together, nor two of a sex, or profession, except where it is unavoidable. The host and hostess occupy the top and bottom of the table, the two most distinguished lady guests sitting on either side of the former, and the hostess MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. 419 being supported by the gentlemen of most considera- tion. Gloves should be worn in the drawing-room, and removed immediately upon taking your seat at the din- ner-table. Eat peas, currant-jelly, and all sorts of thick sauces with your fork. Use your dessert-spoon in eating cur- ries, various of the softer made-dishes, puddings, and tarts; the latter it is usual to eat with a dessert-spoon and fork, the latter being in the left hand. In helping sauce or vegetables, do not put them over the meat, but care- fully just within the hollow of the plate. When dessert is served, assist the lady next you to some of the choicest of the fruit. The following, from a book of etiquette, is curious, and hardly necessary for our readers: — "Never smack your lips nor chirp with your mouth at or after dinner. Don't pick your teeth, nor insert your fingers in your mouth. Use the butter knife, not your own, when you help yourself or others to butter. Put the debris of fish, fowl, or meat on the corner of your own plate, not on any other, nor on the table-cloth. Do not be supplied with more than you can eat; you will thereby avoid leaving a portion on your plate. If a jun- ior in the company, do not speak much, nor attempt to lead the conversation. Do not carry anything to your mouth with a knife. If you cough, place your handker- chief to your mouth. If you have occasion to use your handkerchief, do not look at it afterwards." " Do not ask any one at table to assist you if there is a servant in attendance. " Never ask to be helped twice to the same dish, nor make remarks on quality or price of the articles on the table. " Always use the proper glass for each particular wine you drink. "Do not speak or drink with your mouth full. "If asked by any of the company to drink wine, al- 420 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. ways replenish your glass from the decanter, and bow. This custom is, however, almost out of date. "Never pick a bone with your finger." In accepting invitations, write at once. Always go in evening dress to dinner parlies. After a party call, or leave your card, within a xveek. The mode of serving dinner — what to give, how to carve and help it, as well as how to make and cook it — will be found under the section " Domestic Cookery." Etiquette in Traveling. Do not take a seat in a rail- way-car or coach which you see has been engaged by any personal article being placed upon it, in consequence of the temporary absence of the occupier. Do not vi^histle or hum offensively, nor make a noise with your stick, umbrella, or feet on the floor of the carriage. Do not put your foot on the opposite cushion, nor open or close the window if against the prevailing wishes of your fellow-travelers. Do not talk loudly, especially for any lengtliened time, when others are present. This is a most irritating habit — most travelers prefer to travel quietly. The weather side of the car is that on which the rain beats or wind blows, and you can always claim to have that window shut. He who sits with his face to the en- gine, next a window, has usually the first claim or option of having it shut or open, unless the latter interferes with the comfort of the other passengers. Always open the door for a lady, and assist her in getting out and in. Avoid the use of the words "gent " or " party." If you have more newspapers than one, or have perused the only one your have, offer it to j^our neigh- bor. Avoid placing your feet or legs in the way of your opposite fellow-traveler. MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. 421 Never insist on getting into a car which is full, but ask permission to enter, if other parts of the train are full. If you are cultivating a mustache, avoid constantly trimming it with your fingers. It need hardly be said, never swear nor use profane language. Never insist on speaking to a fellow-traveler if he shows a disinclination to continue the conversation. If a lady enters a car that is full, offer her your seat, and stand until another passenger leaves. Never irritate a person who is the worse for liquor, and avoid conversation witli him. If a lady is annoyed, you are bound to interfere for her protection. Avoid interfering in the quarrels of relations or of husbands and wives. If on a long journey, with one or more in the same car, better to exchange a few commonplace observations than preserve a demure silence and attitude. Do not fill up the seats with your portmanteau or car- pet-bag, if they are likely to be required. Do not take a dog into the car without permission of the other passengers. When you enter a car, do not hold up your umbrella or stick, nor thrust it out — you are apt to injure others. Carry it suspended in your hand, and avoid placing it on the foot of any passenger when you get seated. Make yourself always agreeable and obliging; this will generally secure you an immediate return of good feeling and urbanity. ETiaUETTE FOR YOUNG GIRLS. Manners, too, frequently make or destroy the happi- ness of women more than we can imagine; and what the young girl is, the woman is almost sure to become. Man- ner is, indeed, of infinite consequence, for it is an index 42 2 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. of the mind. The professor of calisthenics and the danc- ing-master may drill the body into easy and graceful movements; but what will these be if the actions lack courtesy, and the words gentleness. A polite child should enter the room with a bow or courtesy, which is the customary modeof showing respect to strangers. She ought to go up to those who speak to her, answer their questions clearly and distinctly, and then sit down quietly. She may hand round cakes, and make herself generally useful and agreeable; she should in fact, be seen but not heard, and certainly never take notice of any peculiarity in the dress, appearance, or man- ner of the visitor. Young ladies should always be civil to servants or in- feriors, and always polite when asking anything of them. Haughtiness and ostentation should be avoided. LADIES' TOILET. The hair should be carefully attended to, brushed night and morning, and kept clean; a little oil ma)-- be rubbed into the roots occasionally; and ought to be fre- quently cut, to prevent the ends from splitting. The nails should be kept clean with a brush and cut nicely, the skin at the roots being rubbed back every time the hands are washed. The teeth, being a great ornament to the face, and of unquestionable value, should be carefully attended to; wash with a brush after each meal with tepid water, or oc- casionally rub with a fine towel. Notice the first appear- ance of decay, and have it stopped by a good dentist. ETiaUETTE FOE LADIES. It is absolutely essential that a lady should conform strictly to tiie usages and rules of society, and what in a MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. 423 gentleman would be a venial offense against good taste and good breeding, would bring ridicule upon a lady moving in the same class. Therefore, it is indispensable that a lady should ob- serve all proper forms and rules, without being cither ceremonious or fastidious — avoidingalike affectation and vulgarity, prudery and insincerity. Be moderate in everything, and never try to appear anything but what you are ; be gentle and affable, and never seek to win by any other weapons than simplicity, honesty, dignity, and gentleness. Dress neatly and plainly before dinner, and, even when full-dressed, avoid all extremes of fashion and or- nament. On no account appear, even to breakfast, in those hideous abominations called curl-papers. If you use them, take them out of your hair before presenting your- self. Upon a first introduction, whether to a lady or a gen- tleman, and even until the acquaintance be intimate, a graceful inclination of the head is all that etiquette de- mands. In traveling, should a gentleman address you respect- fully and courteously, you may politely but coolly reply; but such acquaintanceships must invariably cease where they commence. If the manner of speaking to you be in any way wanting in consideration and respect, pre- serve absolute silence, and, as soon as possible, move away. If you are in any difficulty do not hesitate to apply to any gentleman for assistance, but be careful to word your request in the plainest and simplest terms, combin- ing politeness with prudence. In ordinary friendly calls, dispense as far as possible with ceremony and formality, without overstepping the bounds of propriety and self-respect. If the person you are visiting be preparing to go out, 424 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. or to sit down to table, leave quickly, even if invited to remain. A visit of ceremony should not last more than a quar- ter of an hour, and you should not remove either bonnet or shawl. You should retire, easily and quietly, as soon as possible after the arrival of other visitors, but do not let it appear that their arrival is the cause. When they are seated, take leave of your hostess, and bow to the guests. In walking through the street be careful to walk neither too fast, which is ungraceful, nor too slowly, which is indecorous. On receiving a visit of ceremony, I'ise and advance, offering your visitor, or visitors, seats, and then give your entire attention to them until the short visit is at an end, being careful neither to llattcr nor to neglect your guests. On a ceremonious visit it is not the custom, unless the visitors are from the country, to offer refreshment, but this rule varies. When your visitors rise to leave, ring the bell for the servant to open the street-door, and ac- company tliem to the door of the room and no farther. Punctuality in returning visits is absolutely necessary. A married lady had better not speak of " My hus- band," but " Mr. ;" and should observe the same rule in speaking to lady friends of their husband. Never address a young lady as " Miss," without the addition of the name; but say " Madam," or " IMiss ." In meeting a gentleman in the street whom you desire to recognize, bow slightly, but do not stop. He will then, if the acquaintance warrant it, turn and walk with you for a few yards. A lady is not obliged by eti- quette to recognize a gentleman in the street if she does not wish to do so. If a lady meet a gentleman in the country, or in a park or square, she may, however, stop and speak. The rule as to tliis must, of course, be regulated by the intimacy of the acquaintance. MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR. LETTER V/RITIIIG. 425 A letter should be polite, courteous, clear, simple, and written with appropriateness to the subject. A good legible handwriting is an essential accomplishment. Use good, but plain and undecorated paper and en- velopes, avoiding the extremes in the sizes of envelopes. Do not be more formal than is absolutely necessary, but keep studiously from the vulgarity of a " free-and- easy" style. Remember that a written letter is an important docu- ment, and a harsh word or expression contained in it may be a lasting annoyance, or worse. In all cases put the date and address on the letter, as well as the name of the person addressed, and let your signature be plain and distinct. In writing to a stranger on any matter requiring a reply, inclose a stamped addressed envelope. Do not use wafers — wax or adhesive envelopes are more respectful, and in good taste. Commence your letter — "Sir," or "Madam;" and, if more intimate, " Dear Madam," or " Dear Miss ." A lady should not address a gentleman other than as " Sir," unless the acquaintance is both long and intimate. Conclude — " I am, Sir;" or "I am, Madam, yours sin- cerely;" or, more familiarly, " I am, dear Mrs. , very sincerely yours." Ceremonious notes, written in the third person, should be brief and to the purpose. Do not sign such notes, or use the first person anywhere in them. ETiaUETTE OF THE BALL-ROOM. On entering "you must, in the first place, find your hostess and make your obeisance. A gentleman must not dance frequently with one lady, nor must he engage her too many dances in advance. In private balls, where there are no programmes, engagements should not be 426 MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR, made until the dance is announced. In private bjills. also, a lady has no option but to dance when asked, or sit out that dance. When the dance is over, the gentle- man takes the lady to a seat, or offers her refreshment. Where there is a regular supper, the gentleman must take down his last partner, and sit beside her; or, if there be only room at the table for the ladies, he finds her a seat, and stands behind her. If, however, the hostess re- quest him to take down another lady, he must do so, first finding an escort for his last partner. The time for making your appearance at a public ball varies accord- ing to the fashion and custom of the place; you cannot do wrong, however, by presenting yourself between ten and eleven. For a private ball, the invitations usually specify the time. Your dress must be simple but ele- gant; and remember, that to married ladies only belongs the privilege of attiring themselves in those elaborate ball costumes which are at once the delight and envy of their younger sisters. EVENING PARTIES. At these, as well as at balls, a room must be provided by the hostess for the unrobing of her lady guests. The ordinary but delightful amusements of dancing, music, and singing are proceeded with under the mild despotism of the host and hostess. When private theatricals are given, the ladies invariably have the front seats. The hostess usually commences thedancing with the greatest stranger or the most honored guest. In leaving make as little fuss as possible, bowing slightly, if either be close to you, to the host or hostess, but making no other sign of departure. Wlien, however, there is a general break-up, your leave- taking may be more marked. Do not omit to call and express your thanks and gratification to your hostess. This call should be made some morning within a week after the entertainment. GARDEN MANAGEMENT. PRACTICAL HINTS FOR KEEPING A GARDEN. The chief and most important matters to be attended to by cultivators, whether on a large or small scale, are comprised in the following simple and essential rules: — 1. Let everything be done in its proper season and in the best manner. 2. This is to be accomplished only by intelligent prac- tice. For example, in digging over a piece of ground, it is not uncommon to throw the weeds and stones on the ground or on the adjoining alley or walk, with the in- tention of gathering them up afterwards. The best way is to have a wheelbarrow, or large basket, in which to put the weeds and extraneous matter, as they are taken out of the ground. 3. Complete every part of your work as you proceed. 4. Finish one job before beginning another. 5. In leaving off work at any job, leave the work and tools in an orderly manner. In leaving off work for the day, make a temporary finish, and carry the tools to the tool-house. 6. In passing to and from work, or on any occasion, look out for leaves, or any other deformity, and remove them. 7. In gathering a crop, remove at the same time the [427] 428 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. roots, leaves, stems, or whatever else is of no further use, or may appear to be decaying, or offensive. 8. Let no crop of fruit, or vegetables, go to waste on the spot. 9. Cut down the flower-stalks of all plants. 10. Keep every part of the garden perfect in its kind. 11. Attend at all times to implements and tools, keep- ing them clean, sharp, and in perfect repair. House every implement and tool not in use, both in winter and in summer. 12. Allow no blanks in edgings, rows, single speci- mens, drills, beds, and even when practicable, in broad- cast sown pieces. Keep edgings and borders cut to the utmost nicety. Keep all the walks in perfect form, free from weeds, dry and well rolled, and lawns and grass- plots of a close texture and a dark -green velvety appear- ance. SIMPLE DIKECTIONS FOR EACH MOl^TH IN THE YEAR. The following is a brief summary of such things as are most needful to be done by amateur gardeners in the various months of the year. The temperature, and the state of the weather must be taken into consideration, but as nearly as can be the work set down for the month should be done in it. January. Dig and manure when the frost will per- mit ; let the digging be deep, and rough, or raised into ridges. Trenching is noble work for winter, and need not be hindered by pretty hard frost. Plant in mild weather, and prune in any weather, all manner of trees and bushes. Wall-training, which requires much time, may be greatly advanced at this season. A little may be done in sowing on warm borders, for an early crop, a few early peas and beans, onions, carrots, radishes, lettu- ces, and parsley. Hot-beds may be prepared for forcing GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 429 plants. Cauliflowers and early cabbages may be sown in them. Protect by mats, or branches of spruce fir, deli- cate shrubs, and also new-sown beds. Care must be taken of dahlia roots and stored bulbs, that tliey do not suffer by exposure to frost, or become moldy from damp and want of air. Walks may be formed, fruit and other trees and hedges pruned, palings made or repaired, de- ciduous trees and shrubs planted. Here we may remark on the value of wood-charcoal ^s an ingredient of manure. It has tiie effect of absorbing both the beneficial and harmful gases, &c., that the soil of previous growing crops have produced; in the one case storing food, and in the other preventing injury to the growing plant. Hence the common but less beneficial use of coal-ashes, the mineral constituents of which, to- gether with those of charcoal, afford potash, silica, and other minerals, for the use of the plant. In setting plants a common error is to put them in too deep. Tiie roots will always find tlieir own way dowtnvards in search of mois- ture and fooanica, leu- cojum. Lathyrus Latifolius (Everlasting Pea), red, 4 to 6 feet; albus, white, 6 feet; rotundifolius, purple, 3 feet. Linum Grandiflorum, Rubrum, Album, \% feet. Lupinus Polyphyllus, varied, 3 feet. Lophospermum Scandens, rose, 8 to 10 feet; a beauti- ful climbing plant. Lychnis Calcedonica, scarlet, 2M feet, alba, fulgens. Lythrum roseum superbum, rose, very fine, 3 feet. Mimulus hybridus, various, i% feet; moschaius, musk yellow, 8 inches. Sown in beds. Myosotis azorica, deep azure, a beautiful variety of Forget-me-not, 8 inches. CEnothera taraxacifolium, white, 8 inches. Viola Tricolor (Heartsease or Pansy), great variety and fine colors, 4 to 6 inches. Petunia, various, hybrid, fine, i}4, feet. Poeonia officinalis anemoniflora, red double, tenuifolia^ double red. Phlox, v&xiQnSf. Drummondiit very fine, i to 3 feet. 440 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. Potentilla (Strawberry flower), pink, yellow, orange,* xVi to 2 feet. Primula (Primrose), Cortusoides, purple; sinensis (Chi- nese primrose); alba fimbriata, finQ if sown in pots and , kept under glass; beautiful in winter. Spirea (Meadow Sweet), Japonica, white; venusta, one of the best of herbaceous plants. Valesian, red and white, 2 feet. Veratrum nigrum (Christmas Rose, or Hellebore), dark purple, large palm-like leaves, 3 feet. Verbena, various, hybrid, i to 2 feet. Viola odorata (Sweet-scented Violet), small. Yucca (x\dam's Needle), Filamentosay glauca, bicolor, magnifica, varieties that are smaller, and flower more readily than the Yucca gloriosa, which rises to 5 or 6 feet, blooming only once in several years. Sow in the last week of April, or the first of May, when the weather is fair, and the ground dry. Those seeds which are almost invisible may be laid on a smooth bed and merely sprinkled with dust. A common garden- basket, with a few handful s of fine loose earth, answers well for sifting over the seeds. Many beautiful flowers are lost by coarse hands that make their bed a grave. To mark the seed-bed and save it from the hoe, draw a circle around it; sow in a ring. Seeds. To guard them from vermin, lay a piece of glass over the pot or trough in which they are sown, until they come up, and afterwards, at night, cover with a pot of the same size, till the seed leaves have expanded, and the husks have dropped. If sown under a hand-glass, or Mn a frame, the cover should always be removed by sun- rise, and replaced in the evening, for it is at night that vermin mostly commit their depredations. No air need be admitted till the heat begins to arise, and the steam begins to appear; but after that the light should be tilted a little every day, whatever the state of the weather GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 441 'may be, until the plants break ground. Air must then be admitted more freely: and if frosty, the end of a mat should be hung over the opening, that the air may not immediately strike the plants. Germinating Powers of Seeds. These powers will, we are told, be considerably increased if, a few hours be- fore they are sown, they are immersed in a weak solution of oxygenated muriatic acid, and suffered to remain until they uegin to swell. The germination will be accelerated, and the plants produced will, in most cases, be stronger and healthier. To Preserve Seeds. When seeds are to be preserved for a long time, or to be sent a long distance, sugar, salt, cotton, saw-dust, sand-paper, &c., have been adopted with various degrees of success. Chinese seeds, dried by means of acid, may be afterwards preserved in a vegetat- ing state for any necessary length of time, by keeping them in an airy situation in common brown paper, and occasionally exposing them to the air on a fine day, es- pecially after damp weather. This method will answer with all mucilaginous seeds. Very small berries, and oily seeds, may be kept in sugar, or among currants and raisins. Varnish, for Garden Fences, &c. A cheap and excel- lent varnish may be made thus: — Take two gallons of tar, and two pounds of resin, one pound of tallow, and one quart of turpentine; put these into an iron vessel, and let them boil gently over a fire, made for the purpose in the opeti garden (taking care that the mixture neither boils over, nor the fire reaches the vapor which escapes, and which is very inflammable), until the quantity is reduced one fourth. This varnish, which may be used at the same time as paint and varnish, is fully equal to the best vege- table tar. Greenhouse and Indoor Plants. Wash the leaves and 19* 442 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. stalks often, with a soft sponge and repid water; if blacks have settled use a little soap in the water. Place spent tea leaves upon the mold in the flower-pots, and now and then a little soapsuds, specially good for geraniums. Garden Mousetrap. Place two small sticks in the ground five inches apart ; bore a hole through a broad bean, double a piece of thread and put through it, and tie it to the sticks about three inches from the ground, with the bean in between the two ; then place a brick to rest on the thread with the middle of the brick on the bean ; the mouse will bite the thread through to get to the bean, and the brick will fall on the top of him. A better rat or mousetrap is that called the figure of four trap; it is made with three sticks and a slate or tile. The sticks should be half an inch in breadth and an eighth of an inch in thickness ; the first piece should be four inches in length — this should form the perpen- dicular line of a figure of four; the second should be eight inches in length with a sharp point at one end to stick the bait on (generally a piece of cheese), and a notch cut on the flat side at the other end, and one in the edge about the middle ; this piece will form the hori- zontal line of the figure ; and a third should be four inches long, with a notch on the flat side, about three quarters of an inch from one end ; this should fit on the top of the perpendicular, and the other end should fit in the notch at the end of the horizontal piece, and thus form a figure of four ; a roofing tile or a slate should then be placed to rest on the end of the top piece. When the mouse disturbs it by endeavoring to take away the bait, the tile will fall on the intruder. INDOOE GARDENING. What to Grow. For general indoor gardening, gera- niums, fuchsias, calceolarias, heliotropes, begoniuras, GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 443 stocks, balsams, cinerarias, dwarf roses, mignonette, and such-like simple and pretty flowers will be found most appropriate. Various kinds of bulbs — as hyacinths, tu- lips, crocuses, ixias, jonquils, snowdrops, ranunculi, gladioli, &c., may be grown in pots. Bulbs should be so arranged as to furnish a succession of bloom. Hanging baskets and ornamental flower pots, also make pretty additions to the parlor garden, especially if planted with pendant fuchsias, money-wort, ivy-leaves, geraniums, campanulas, blue lobelias, nierembergias, or other plants which grow readily, and require but little attention. For the outside of windows with a south or south-west aspect, nothing is prettier than canary -creeper, climbing roses, scarlet geraniums, convolvulus, mignonette or creeping jenny, intermixed with a few of the more free-growiug climbers. How to Succeed. It is easy to say what flowers and plants live best indoors; but for unprofessional gardners a few simple directions are necessary, and are here ap- pended. Watering. The water used should always be of near- ly the same temperature as that of the earth in which the plants are growing. Accordingly, never use very cold water f(jr indoor plants, as, except in frosty weather, the earth round the roots is comparatively warm. To get the water and the soil of the same temperature, put the vessel, with sufficient water for the whole of the plants next morning, by the side of the plants the evening before. Use rain-water rather than any other. Never water until the surface of the mold is tolerably dry, and then enough to moisten the whole of the earth in the pot. Do not pour the water into the saucers under the plants, but al- ways upon the surface of the mold. Growing plants should have plenty of water, and the quantity must be gradually decreased as the growth approaches maturity, and almost cease when the height is attained, and restrict- 444 GARDEN MANAGEMENT, ed until the return of the growing season. In other words — in the spring, plants must be kept moderately moist ; in summer, water daily ; in autumn, decrease the quantity ; and in winter, keep rather dry. In summer water plants in the evening; in winter y in the morning. Potting. Put plenty of charcoal, pot-sherds, oyster- shells, &c., to secure proper drainage; and never fill the pot up to the brim. The best mold (compost) for potting in is an equal mixture of the peat, loam, and silver-sand. Where these materials cannot be readily obtained, get your compost of a good nurseryman. Common clay pots are better than glazed ones. Keep your pots clean; old pots should be scrubbed, and new ones soaked be- fore using. Give your plants plenty of light, and let it strike down on them as perpendicularly as possible. All plants kept in windows will turn their branches, leaves, and flowers to the light, and so grow rather one-sided. By turning them occasionally you will keep theiu a bet- ter shape, but they will not be so strong or so full of flower. Plants require plenty of fresh air; avoid extreme cold, cutting winds, and all sudden changes. In winter plants do not require so much air, as they will have accommodated themselves to the atmosphere of the room. Indoor plants are generally pretty secure from frost; but care should be taken that there are no sudden or vio- lent changes of temperature, and there should be as little difference as possible between the heat day and night. This it is more especially necessary to observe in winter. In rooms in which fires are lighted daily, plants will generally thrive. In a room or conservatory, where gas is constantly burned, it is useless to attempt plant culture. Large-leaved plants should be gently wiped with a wet sponge, now and then. Small leaved plants should GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 445 be held slantingly, and watered with a fine-holed water- ing-pot. An hour in a gentle spring or summer shower will always do good. FERNS. Fern Cases. To plant a fern case, put in plenty of broken flower-pot and broken charcoal to drain the case well; over this have a thin layer of moss, or the fibrous part of peat; then fill in the compost before mentioned, adding bits of charcoal and sandstone. The soil in the center of the case should be raised, and the larger ferns planted there. When planted give it a good watering, let it stand an hour to drain. Then put the glass on, and place the case near one of the windows of the room; it ought never io be exposed to direct sunshine; but if inev- italale, it should be shaded by any light material; green being preferable. Water very seldom, and only when the soil is found to be getting dry. The case should be kept quite close, so as to exclude the air, when it is hot or dusty, but for an hour in the morning, once or twice a week, the glass of the case should be raised, but the window must not be open, as no current of air must reach the plants. Re- move dead leaves, and slightly trim any plants that may be over-growing the others. If the inside of the glass gets green with being continually moist, take off the case, wash the green off, and replace. Replant the case in the spring, removing the larger growths, and re-arrange the smaller ones according to taste. When the inner surface of the glass is not covered with condensed moisture, more especially in the morning, it is a sign the plants need water. Before planting, each separate plant should be examined for insects. Afterwards, if any appear, fumigate the case well with tobacco-smoke — blow the smoke through the stem of the pipe — by blowing 446 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. " into the bowl, until the case is so full, you cannot see through it. The best compost is three-quarters rough fibrous peat, and one quarter an equal mixture of well decom- posed leaf mold and loam, witli a little coarse sand added. Cocoa-nut fiber refuse is, with the addition of a little loam, to be recommended for fern growing. BULBS. Choose such as are of a medium size for their species, are firm, without bruises, spots, or off-sets, have shiny and smooth skins, and present no signs of premature vegetation. Hyacinths, crocuses, &c., should be allowed to remain in the mold after flowering, and be sparingly watered until the leaves decay, when they must — still in their own soil untouched — be put away in a dark place. Crocuses should, however, be taken up every tliird year, but only to thin out and increase the number of pots by making one into two. Hyacinths grown in water should be carefully taken out after they have done flowering, and placed in sand, spreading the roots out, and not doubling them up. Never purchase bulbs at auction or of any but well-known and respectable dealers. The best time to lay in your stock of bulbs is the end of September. The following bulbs do not require any especial care in cultivation, and may be grown either in the open gar- den, or In the house: — Dog-tooth violet, purple and white; blossom in the early spring: winter aconite; yellow flovv'ers, very early: grape hyacinth; common and feath- ered, pretty blue flowers, and also early: fritilaria: im- periaiis, yellow lily; raeleagris, purple spotted, spring flowering; snow-drop: narcissus minor (dwarf daffodil); bulbocodium, both yellow; gladiolus cardinalis; dark red: floribundus; white: ramosus; rose color; the various sorts of this plant, mixed and set in beds, make a fine ap- GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 447 pearance; jonquil; sweet and beautiful; all ordinary hyacinths in glasses. Time for Planting Hyacinths. This must, to a con- siderable extent, be regulated by circumstances. October and November are the most generally approved months; make your first planting near the ist of September, and your last about the 31st of December; should an oppor- tunity, however, afterwards offer of cheaply purchasing sound bulbs as late as the middle of January, plant them too. You may then have your sitting-room and conser- vatory adorned with the glowing beauty of the hyacinth from Christmas till April or May. In the open ground hyacintlis arc sometimes planted as late, as the beginning of March, and very good blooms have come; but those planted early in February blossom beautifully; but Ja- nuary is the best month for out-door planting of this bulb. After the early part of December, hyacinths in- tended to bloom in glasses would flower better if first planted in pots, and there allowed to remain till half grown or even in bloom. The removal into the glasses being readily performed (especially if the new collar- glass is used), by simply turning the plant out of the pot, placing the ball in a basin of tepid water, and gently washing away the soil from the roots. CREEPEES. Virginia creeper and other climbing plants of the same class require little attention ; if allowed plenty of room to grow, by training against a wall, they will cover, spread, and increase immensely. Ivy will cling of itself to almost anything and is sure in time to cover a wall, though its progress is very slow compared to other creep- ers. Canary creepers, climbing roses, jessamines, honey- suckles, &c., may be bought in pots. 448 GARDEN MANAGEMENT, EVERGEEENS. Hollies and laurels look well in any good-sized garden. Put in hollies from the nursery in rows about eighteen inches apart, and six or eight inches distant in the row. Let them remain until they are bushes of two feet in height, giving them all the time a frequent hoeing in summer, and slight digging between the drills in winter. They rapidly expand above ground, and form, instead of the whip-lash roots of the seedling bed, a fleece of fibers, to which the earth adheres, and by which, when transferred to the shrubbery, their growth is at once sure and vigorous. Along with the hollies, lay in a small stock of Portugal laurels, common laurels, variegated hollies and a few of the arborvitae, laurustinus, arbutus, and juniper. Of these, some of the finer sorts may be planted near to the house,, where they are to remain, and on ground which may not require a tedious process of amelioration. Should the house be situated in the gar- den, by all means let some of those beauties come next the eye. Others of the more hardy shrubs may be set to nurse, for future lifting in the manner of the hollies ; and in the meantime layers of every sort may be freely taken. LAWNS. A layer of fine cinders about an inch thick, spread over the ground immediately under the turf of a new lawn, will almost always keep worms away. If they are already troublesome water the lawn with limewater; /. e. fresh burnt lime put into water, and allowed to stand until the lime has settled to the bottom, and then the water used in a clear state. GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 449 EDGINGS. Box may be planted at almost any time, and is, if care- fully planted and looked after, perhaps the best edging for walks. Take up with the spade a portion of the edg- ing that has grown too old, and part the roots; one yard of the old will make ten of the new. In parting, tear all the old bush down into the smallest shreds; throw away every one that is thicker than a crowquill, and cut off all the roots beneath the uppermost tier of fibers, a single fiber is enough; with none the plant may do, but it is not necessary to try it. The plants so trimmed should be about four inches in length. Having filled the excavation with stones, all to four inches, left for gravel, on either side of the walk, dig the surface, set the line to a nicety, using many pins at every turn, to make the windings easy, bring the level exactly to the line, and beat all smooth and firm, so that the earth may stand cutting with a trowel; cut by the line to the depth of three inches, pulling the earth towards the v^^alk; and lay the green tops of the plants to the line, setting their heads above it, not more than one inch, and all touching one another. The roots will vary a little in depth, but let a few plants be held exact at the top with one hand, whilst the earth is applied to the unequal roots with the other. The re- verse rule of evenness, providing for the roots and not the tops, is the cause of the straggling appearance so often seen in box edgings. For kitchen gardens good hard bricks on edge, make the best, most durable, and cheapest edging. The ornamental tiles are now gaining in favor for all sorts of gardens. GRAVEL WALKS. In the graveling of walks, let the top stratum of stones be such as are raked from the surface of the garden in dry weather, and made clean by sifting. By 450 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. such method, the top stratum being of small stones, much less gravel will suffice. To have no unnecessary carriage, the gravel at the pit or river side must undergo one sifting with a search one inch between the wires, disposing of all large stones. Of stuff in this state walks are commonly made, and. the result is evil con- tinually. The small sand is a seedling-bed for all man- ner of weeds, and the coarser part compacted with it renders hoeing almost impracticable. Proceed thus: — Use a quarter-inch search for a second sifting, and apply the coarse to one part of the walks and the fine to the other. The coarse does not bind; but it will not grow any weeds at all; and for dryness it is admirable. For the small sort — which is almost pure sand, and in most cases will be three to one of the gravel — thougli it binds and grows weeds, the Dutch hoe pares it as easily as moss is scraped from a tree, and so keeps it clear easily. Excellent walks may be made by mixing well-washed gravel, lime, and hot gas tar in such proportions as will form a black mortar. If laid on four inches thick it will last a very long while, always be dry, and no weeds will grow in it. If thicker, and on a layer of chalk or gravel, so much the better. MOSS ON FRTJIT TREES Scrape moss off the trunks and main branches — you need not meddle with the twigs — with a trowel, and burn it. Having cleared the trees from moss, apply the fol- lowing composition, viz., a peck of fresh cow-dung, half a peck of quick-lime, half a pound of flour of sulphur, some wood ashes, and a quarter of a pound of lamp- black. Mix the whole together with as much urine and soap-suds in a boiling state as will form the ingredients into a thick paint, and lay it on with a brush. A less quantity may be made, preserving these proportions. GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 451 HARDY DECIDUOUS TREES. Acer Lobelii, covered with short twigs and rosettes of crenated foliage. Berberis vulgaris foliis purpureis, leaves deep brown- ish-purple, and very striking when judiciously placed in the shrubbery. Several fine specimens in the Crystal Palace Gardens. Fagus heterophylla, the elegant and well-known fern- leaved-beech. Fagus pendula, the elegant weeping beech. Fagus purpurea glabra, smooth-leaved purple beech, fine for lawns and walks, Fagus sylvatica cristata, the crested-leaved beech, for lawns. Fagus sylvatica cuprea, the noble, copper-leaved beech, one the grandest deciduous trees. Fagus sylvatica foliis variegatis argenteis, the silver- leaved beech, a beautiful free grower. Fraxinus asplenifolia, the fern-leaved ash. Fraxinus excelsior argentea, the silver-striped leaved ash. Gymnocladus canadense, the Kentucky coffee-tree. During the summer its large green pinnated leaves have a fine effect. Juglans regia pendula, the weeping walnut, a hand- some tree on a large lawn or on a mound. Koelreuteria paniculata, a hardy Chinese tree, with beautiful leaves, flowers, and fruit. Liquidamber imberbe, a maple-like tree, the leaves of which die off in autumn, a fine purplish-red. Tilia Europoea fol. argenteis, variegated foliage; the leaf has a small, irregular dark green disk, and a broad creamy-white border. Ulmus glabra pendula, a graceful weeping elm, which 452 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. forms a most beautiful specimen-tree for lawns and •wil- dernesses. HAEDY VAEIEGATED-LEAVED PLANTS. These are all suitable for edgings to beds, rockeries, clunips of flowers, &c. — Ajuga reptans, fol. var., a close tufted mass of grayish foliage, and in spring abundance of purplish-blue flowers. Ajuga reptans fol. purpurascens, blooms freely in spring. Leaf and stem a deep bronzy-purple. Alyssum saxatile fol. van, the well-known half-hardy " variegated Al)^ssum." Arabis alpina fol. var., "variegated Arabis," a good close-growing variegated plant for edgings; may be left out all winter on well-drained soil. Arabis lucida fol. var., leaves glossy, and regularly striped with rich yellowish ribs and veins. Galeobdolon luteum fol. var., the variegated dead nettle. Glechoma hederacea fol. var., variegated ground ivy, well adapted for rockeries. Gnaphalium dioicum, a hardy tufted glaucus-leaved plant. Hedera helix elegantissima, H. h. maculata, H. h. fol. var. sulphurea, and H. h. argentea, varieties of English ivy. As edgings to long ribbon lines or great circular beds, they have a fine effect. Oxalis corniculata rubra, leaves of a deep bronzy- purple or purplish-brown color; when grouped Avith silvery and golden-leaved plants has a rich and curious effect. OEITAMEHTAL GRASSES FOE, BORDEES, &c. Agrostis colorata fol. var., leaves ribbed with silvery- white, a fine strong-growing hardy grass. GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 453 Arundo Mauritanica fol. var., not quite hardy, but may be planted out all summer. Arundo phragmites fol. var., and A. donax versicolor, two noble grasses for the margins of lakes and damp shady places. Tiie second needs protection in winter. Calamagrostis arundinacea fol. var., elegantly edged and striped, grows strong. Dactylis glomerata fol. var., forms a glittering tuft when grown on a bank of poor sandy soil. Elymus arenarius glaucus, a very noble and effective glaucous-] eaved grass of strong growth. Festuca glauca, a lovely grass of rather low growth, forming dense tufts of line glaucous foliage. Easily propagated in poor sandy soil. Phalaris arundinacea fol. var., the well-known ribbon grass, very beautiful on a high, dry sunny bank in front of dark evergreens. To Prevent Caterpillars attacking Gooseberry Bushes, let the bushes be pruned as soon as the leaf is down, and let all rubbish be raked clear off the ground; then scrape with a hoe the surface earth from the stem of each bush to the depth of two or three inches, not exposing the roots ; and let all remain in this state till the middle of winter. By this the frost reaches and destroys the larvae. In digging the ground, make a deep furrow, into which the mold-like rings made by the hoe will be leveled, when a little fresh earth may be laid next to the roots in room of that which has previously been removed. Soapy water, which is best applied in mild weather, and when the earth has been drawn from the roots, is an excellent manure, and either kills the larvae, or promotes in the trees a more healthy vegetation. THE GEEENHOTTSE. The following is a list of plants suitable for a green- house, needing only a moderate share of heat and atten- 454 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. tion, a considerable number being New Holland shrubs, and requiring a winter temperature of from forty to forty-five degrees. Acacia Armata (yellow). Azaleas, various-named sorts. Begonia Discolor (pink). Calceolarias of the finest sorts. Camelias Japonica alba flora plena (white) double. Chorozema, various (yellow, scarlet, &c.). Cineraria Amelloides (pale blue) evergreen and vari- eties of the ordinary kinds. Coronilla glauca (yellow) very sweet. Correa speciosa and varieties (crimson). Cytisus atleeana (yellow). Daphne odora (whitish pink) fragrant, Diosma capitata (pale pink) and varieties. Diplacus glutinosus (orange). Epacris coccinea and varieties (scarlet and various). ■ Erythrina crista-galli (splendid scarlet). Fuchsia Fulgens (scarlet) and fine varieties. Gardenia radicans (white) fragrant. Lantanas of various sorts, very ornamental. Leschenaultia Formosa (scarlet). Leucopogon Cuninghami (white-flowered with scar- let berries), "New Holland currant," very ornamental. Lotus Jacobaeus (dark brown) very curious. Metrasiderus floribunda (crimson "bottle brush"). Myrtus communis, sweet myrtle (white). Nerium oleander (white, and also pink). Pelargoniums various, an^l of fine sorts. Pimelea diosmafolia (pin..). Polygala oppositifolia (bright pink). Plumbago capensis (pale blue), beautiful. Primula Sinensis (Chinese primrose), (pink-white). Rhododendrons, various, fine kinds. Solanum Psuedo capsicum (scarlet-berried). GARDEN MANAGEMENT, 455 Spirea Japonica (white). Veronicas of various kinds (all pretty). Greenliouse Ferns. Adiantum assimile, A. cuneatum, A. formosum, A. pedatum, A. capillus veneris, Asplenium bulbiferum, A, viviparum, A. fabianum, A. fragrans, Campyloneurum piiyllitidis, Davallia canariensis. D. bullata, Humata pedata, Lygodiuni scandens, L. hastatum (climber), Nephrodium exaltata, Polypodium aureum, Platyloma falcata, Platycerium alcicorne, Pteris serrul- ata, Scolopendrium Krebsii, Woodvvardia radicans, Poly- stichum coriaceum, Niphobolus rupestris. Greenhouse Bulbs for Spring and Summer Culture. Agapanthus, (blue) African lily. Amaryllis formisissima (scarlet), very fine. Anemones, various. Arum, or Richardia Ethiopica, white, (the well-known aquatic Ethiopian Lily). Bella Donna Lily (Amaryallis belladonna), crimson. Bulbocodium Vernum (mauve). Convallaria, " Lily of the valley." Crocus of the finest named sorts. Cyclamen Corun (sow's-bread, white, elegant). Erythronicum dens canis, "dog's-tooth violet," (pale mauve and white, elegant). Hyacinths various and of fine kinds. Iris pavonia (beautiful blue) and varieties. Ixias of various kinds, all beautiful. Jonquils, sweet scented (yellow), fragrant. Lachenalias, various, scarlet, yellow, &c. Lilium Lancifoliumi, white, and various, the "Japan Lilies," all splendid plants, Narcissus bulbocodium, "the hoop petticoat," yellow very showy. Narcissus bicolor, of fine named sorts. Poetica, white, " Poets," elegant. _^ Roman, early, yellow. 456 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. Nerine Sarcensis, pink, "Guernsey Lily," beautiful. Ornithogalum, white, " Star of Bethlehem." Oxalis of fine sorts, all showy. Tigridia pavonia, tawny scarlet, "the Mexican Tiger flower." Tulips, various, named sorts. Having stocked a greenhouse with suitable plants such as the foregoing (which, from practical experience, are strongly recommended), the great matter is to keep them in a healthy growing state, and getting their blossoms perfected at the proper season; to effect this, attention to the following will be desirable. Keep the house clean — free from insects, green-fly, scale, &c., let there be as far as possible a uniform tem- perature, and admit air whenever possible; during damp, foggy weather when the air is sluggish put on a brisk fire and let the windows be opened for an hour about noon. In winter be careful to use water the same temperature as the house, but sparingly, and in the morning; in summer, on the contrary, water such plants as remain in the house in the evening; remove at all times, assiduously, dead leaves, &c., these being not only unsightly but a fruitful source of moldiness and disease. Should plants from over-heat or other causes become infested with scale-insect, paint the plants over with the following: — Mix equal parts of soft soap, sulphur, and black pepper — the leaves and stems should be alike covered; the stems of such plants as acacias, coreas, orange trees, camellias, &c., may be brushed over thickly with the mixture — as this method introduces it thoroughly into the crannies of the bark; let it remain on two days, and then syringe the plants with tepid water till thoroughly clean — if properly done this is effectual. The space beneath the stages may, during winter, be advantageously filled up with such geraniums, dahlias, &c., taken up from the garden, that it is desired just to protect from frost; GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 457 these must be cut close and watched from time to time, or else, if they decay and become moldy, they are likely to be a cause of mischief to the other occupants of the house. HINTS FOR YEAHLY WORK IN A GREENHOUSE OF MODERATE DIMENSIONS. January. Keep up equable lire heat when necessary, giving air cautiously, water as little as possible. Pot and tie out cinerarias and pelargoniums ; if mildew attacks the stock keep dry and powder with sulphur. Where there is a hot-bed sow seeds of thunbergias, ten- week stocks, mignonette, &c. ; watch for and keep down green* fly. February. This is a month when many plants "damp off," therefore keep to the foregoing rules in respect to watering, &c.: — begin to pot New Holland plants that requii^e it, and calceolarias, also Cape bulbs, amaryllis, &c. ; give cinerarias manure-water, to make a vigorous growth ; nip the shoots of young pelargoniums to pro- mote a bushy habit; pot liliums, giving a light rich peat and silver sand ; prune climbers; make cuttings of dah- lias and various soft-wooded plants ; search for snails, slugs and woodlice, just now becoming active — destroy spiders — also remember green-fly. March. Pot the majority of stock in the house ; ar- range neatly the blooming plants, removing such im- mediately as have gone out of flower, allowing hyacinths, tulips, &c., to wither away quietly in the pots; give more air than in the two preceding months, but guard against cold, biting winds and changes of atmosphere ; syringe camellias that have done blooming. Pot cineirarias, and smoke them to destroy the green fly. April. Let leschenaultias, prinelias, polygalas and 80 458 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. other New Holland plants be stopped in their new growth to make finer specimens ; wash and pick them frequently, repot pelargoniums, giving them oyster-shells broken fine, at the bottom of the pot, take cuttings of them during fine sunny days — shade such flowers as camellias, late tulips, &c., that become otherwise too fully expanded or scorched. May. Cut down all cinerarias that have flowered, to promote suckers, which, when developed, pot off for propagation. Keep climbers neatly trained and clean; put up now the outside shading blind of the house and moderate sunshine; give abundance of air and light; give budding pelargoniums manure-water once a week, and syringe with clear water until in blossom; give ca- mellias a very little water but do not let them flag — they should have their new bloom buds set now — remove heaths, eparis, &c., to frames. Clear the house of all bedding plants in the last week of this month, and plant in borders. June. If an open month, and of clear weather, re- move the whole stock to the open air, either in frames or on stages erected temporarily on a spare garden bor-' der; give abundance of water, and prune freely such plants as ferns, &c., that may remain for ornament in the greenhouse to be plentifully supplied with water twice a day; climbers to be trained and tied in; balsams to be kept close to the light. Give heaths plenty of air. July. Sow cineraria seed, also calceolaria and lobe- lia; cut down pelargoniums, and take freely cuttings of them and heliotropes, roses, jasmines, lophospernums, &c., keep the Japan lilies moist, and on hot days keep close shaded, and water the floor of the house to promote moist vapor. GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 459 August. Continue to propagate pelargoniums — the cuttings will strike readily in the open garden, and will be stronger done that way. Keep down red-spider in the house, on thunbergias, &c.; on fine days collect suit- able soils for winter use and place under the stages. Now is the time to turn out any plants that remain in house, and scrub all paint and wood-work, and, if neces- sary, paint and glaze afresh the structure so as to have it well seasoned and purified before the return of the plants. September. By the middle of this month all the greenhouse-plants should be back in their places — well cleansed and picked over to free them from insects, and the pots examined for snails and slugs inside them — some bulbs must now be potted to bloom early, as h3'^a- cinths, tulips, narcissus. Cape bulbs, &c. Take up and let wither gradually silimus and all summer-flowering bulbs; sow mignonnette for winter bloom, pot violets for same. Gradually curtail the supply of water to cacti and succulent plants, remove Chinese primroses to a shelf near the glass, and watch against damp. October. Replace without further delay all plants from the garden that are to be housed, trimming, cutting back, and washing each individually. Pot all bulbs for winter, especially crocuses for early flowering, also lily of the valley. Remove all dead or yellow leaves as they occur, and keep vigilant search for mildew, and dress with sulphur; use a little fire heat on stagnant foggy days, but give air as much as possible. Sow mignonette to flower after Christmas. November. Treat as last month — in regard to firing and air — guarding against sudden frosts, keep down green fly, &c., and dead leaves; pot bulbs for a succession, shift Chinese primroses, stake them out neatly and water 46o GARDEN MANAGEMENT. sparingly; keep all the foliage clean, especially of shiny leaved plants. December. Endeavor now to keep the temperature as even as can be — from forty to forty-five degrees at night, and from fifty to sixty during the day. Keep as far as possible a bright and flowery aspect in the house, and ar- range divers colored foliage plants (where flowers are wanting) with the bright-berried solanus and acubas to produce a good effect. DOMESTIC MEDICINE. WHAT TO DO. In these pages will be found the proper course to pur- sue in all common ailments, accidents, wounds, aches, and pains. These instructions are not intended to super- sede but to assist the doctor. Under each head will be found the easiest and most effectual remedies for various disorders and accidents — always, when so directed, under the advice of the doctor, whose will must be law. The symptoms of disease, poisoning, fits, &c., are all given, and the treatment necessary until the doctor's arrival. Fainting. Lay the patient flat on the back, and do not raise the head at all, but allow it to remain on the same level as the rest of the body. Loosen collar, and any- thing tight about the neck and body; apply smelling salts to the nose, and hot flannels to the bosom, heart, and armpits; dash cold water in the face; when able to swallow give a little sal-volatile (say twenty drops) in water. The great point is to keep the head low. Hysterics. Lay the patient flat on the back, and keep the head low. Apply smelling salts and cold water as above. Give a little brandy and hot water, and warm the feet. If these fits recur often, medical advice must be sought. Hysterical fits are distinguished by the laugh- ing^ screaming and crying which accompany them. [461] 462 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Epilepsy. Boys are most subject to these fits. There is usually froth from the mouth, and great agitation of the body, the hands being tightly clenched. Lay the patient flat on his back, and raj,se the head a little. Loosen his shirt-collar, braces, waistcoat, &c., and hold him firm- ly or he will do harm to himself; splash the face well with cold water, and use smelling salts. To prevent the tongue being bitten insert the handle of a tooth-brush, or some such articles, right across the mouth between the teeth, and as far back as possible. Keep the patient quiet, and he will usually come round in a short time, if not, the doctor must be sent for. Fits of epilepsy are recurrent, and usually leave the person in his cus- tomary state; but sometimes a considerable degree of stupor remains behind, particularly where the disease is of frequent recurrence. Apoplexy. A man in an apoplectic state breathes very hard, like snoring, his face, head and eyes look swollen, and the body is more or less paralyzed. Put him to bed and send for the doctor instantly. Until he comes keep the head well raised, remove the collar, &c., and let him be kept easy and cool; apply hot mus- tard poultices to the soles of the feet and the thighs — in- side. The patient must be bled freely from the arm as directed {see blood-letting), and have rags dipped in vinegar and water, or even plain cold water, applied to the head. The bowels must be opened, but this is diffi- cult, and had better be left to the doctor. If, however, he does not come quickly, mix eight or ten grains of calomel with two drops of castor-oil, and put on the tongue, as far back as you can. On Fits Generally. Let the above treatment be prompt- ly attended to, and in the case of apoplexy — which is distinguished by the snoring, the paralysis of the body, the swollen head, &c. — send for the doctor with all pes- DOMESTIC MEDICINE.. 465 sible speed, as the patient may die in a few minutes. Simple fainting fits — at the sight of blood, of fright, a shock, &c. — need occasion little alarm, as they seldom last long. In all serious cases give the patient air, send crying children or servants out of the room, keep cool and collected, for remember on your presence of mind the patient's life may depend. Blood-lettingf. Only bleed in cases of the greatest emergency, and when the doctor is delayed. Bind a handkerchief round the right arm, three or four inches above the elbow. Then let the hand be opened and shut; when the veins swell you will see one in the middle of the lower arm which has two branches, and the outer branch is the best to bleed from ; hold the lancet (a sh rp pen-knife will do) between the thumb and fore- finger, cut the vein slanting and lengthways, not deep. When the pulse subsides enough blood has been taken away. Then remove the bandage, put the left thumb on the cut, and when the bleeding stops put on a pad of lint, and bind it firmly with a handkerchief. Bruises. One of the very best remedies for all kinds of bruises is tincture of arnica, diluted in from three to four times its bulk of water, and rubbed in carefully. Vinegar and water, Eau de Cologne, brandy, soap lini- ment or opodeldoc are all excellent remedies if gently rubbed in. In more severe cases, and where the accident is near an important part, as the eye or any of the joints, leeches must be employed, repeating them according to circumstances. It is unwise, however, to bleed unless under the advice of a medical man. If considerable fever be present, bleeding from the arm, purgatives, and low i diet, may become necessary. A bread and water poul- tice and rest will generally do all that is necessary, after the application of the arnica. In the last stage, where there is merely a want of tone, and swelling, friction 464 DOMESTIC MFDICINE. should be employed, either simply or with any common liniment. Wearing a bandage, pumping cold water on the part, succeeded by warm friction, a saturated solu- tion of common salt in water, have each been found suc- cessful. A capital liniment is compound soap liniment, one ounce and a half, laudanum, half an ounce; mix and rub in. Wounds. Simple, slight cuts only need that the edges of the wound should be placed carefully together — first ascertaining that no foreign matters, such as glass, splin- ters, dirt, &c., are in the cut — and then fastened tightly with diachylon (white sticking) plaster. More serious •wounds should be promptly treated by the doctor, but until his arrival a weak solution of tincture of arnica (one part to twelve parts of water) may safely be used, bathing the wound Avell. This is an excellent remedy. If an important part be severely wounded, such as any part of the arms, legs, thighs, &c., attended with a pro- fuse discharge of blood, compression, until a surgeon arrives, should be made thus: viz., tie a handkerchief or bandage below the wound, loosely round the limb, put a strong piece of stick, about a foot long, under the hand- kerchief, and twist it round and round until the bandage is tight enough to check the discharge. Scratches and Small Cuts should be washed clean in warm water, bathed in a weak solution of tincture of arnica, and strapped up with plaster, or if free from dirt simply bandage with a clean rag. If there is much in- flammation apply a bread and water poultice. Sprains. For sprained wrist or ancle make two flan- nel bags, each a foot long by six inches wide, fill them with bran and plunge into boiling water till thoroughly saturated, then squeeze almost dry and apply one, as hot as he can bear it, to the patient's ancle or wrist. Con- tinue this, applying one as soon as the other gets cool, DOMESTIC MEDICINE, 465 for many hours; then apply a stimulating embrocation, and bandage well up. All strains are assisted in their cure by bandaging, but they should not be applied until hot fomentations, followed by the application of the embrocation with plenty of friction before a fire. This is a great pedestrian's advice. Sprained knees can be treated in the same way. Dislocations and Fractures. The danger of interfering with these matters is so great that unless an experienced and clever sugeon can be immediately obtained, the patient should be gently placed in a cab, and driven quickly to the nearest hospital, or, if none near, surgeon's house, keeping the limb as nearly as possible in its natural position. Sites and Stings. Snake bites are so uncommon in this country that we will simply say that sucking the wound, cutting out the affected parts, and cauterizing are necessary. Ammonia is said to be an effectual remedy. Wasps, gnats, bees, &c., sting very frequently, but their victims are easily cured, unless the part attacked be the eye or throat. The sting must be taken out with a needle, and then the place squeezed tightly, sucked, and a lini- ment of powdered chalk and olive oil in a paste applied to the part. When the sting is inside the mouth or throat, leeches must be at once applied, a strong gargle of salt and water used, and the doctor sent for. For the bites of dogs take imtnediately warm vinegar or tepid water, and wash the wound very clean; then dry it, and pour upon the wound a few drops of muriatic acid. Mineral acids attack the poison of the saliva, and its evil effect is partially neutralized. This treatment, however, good as it is, is seldom successful, there being no antidote to the bite of a mad dog. The doctor's aid must be sought instantly. Cat bites and scratches may be safely treated 20* 466 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. with a solution of tincture of arnica freely and persever- ingly used. Falls where the Patient is Stunned. Undress the pa- tient, put him into a warmed bed, send for the doctor, and let the patient remain untouched until he arrives, even if it be six hours. Nothing but quiet and moderate warmth will do any good. Burns and Scalds. For all simple burns coat the place well with common flour, or, which is better, powdered whiting, or scraped potato, or cotton-wool with flour thickly dusted over it, or gum water, or sweet oil, and bind a cloth over. Even plunging in cold water will do good, as it answers the first necessity, — keeping the in- jury from the air. Soap scraped up fine, laid on, and bound over, is also excellent. The body should be kept cool, and the bowels rather open. If the burn or scald be more serious, and little bladders appear over the sur- face, spread on linen or lint a liniment made of equal proportions of linseed oil and lime-Avater well mixed; or apply a warm linseed-meal poultice. As severe burns and scalds are attended with great pain and irritability, and often with considerable danger, a doctor should be promptly sent for, any of these remedies being applied meanwhile. Accidental Poisoning. Send for the doctor instantly, and until he comes observe the following. If the thing swallowed causes an intense burning in the throat it is probably a " corrosive " poison, that is, it destroys the textures with which it comes in contact. Make the patient swallow a glass of sweet or of sperm oil, or melt- ed butter, or lard, whichever is most convenient to use, and then, within five minutes, half a pint of warm water in which has been stirred a teaspoonful each of table mustard and salt. When the poison taken is known to be nitric acid (aquafortis), sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol), DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 467 or muriatic acid (spirit of salt), emetics must on no ac- count be given. A mixture of magnesia, powdered ciialk, or wiiiting, or plaster from the ceiling, and milk and water, made to a paste, and freely given ; or soap and water. When a poison has been swallowed which has no special effect on the throat, but causes sickness at the stomach, faintness, drowsiness, stupor, or any other strikingly unusual or unnatural feeling, let him swallow insta?itly the whites of a dozen eggs in a quart of water, a glassful every three minutes, and. as quickly as can be prepared, half a pint of coffee made thus ; on a teacup- ful of ground coffee pour half a pint of boiling water. Stir into it the white of an egg. After allowing it to rest a minute or two, pour into a cold cup, and when not too hot let him drink it. Then within five minutes pour a glass of water on a tablespoonful each of ground mus- tard and table salt, stir, and let him drink it instantly. The Ggg in the stomach more promptly neutralizes a larger number of poisons than any other known sub- stance ; the coffee acts thus on the next largest number, while the mixture relieves the stomach of the whole of its contents by vomiting. These things, too, are always ready and at hand. In the case of poisoning by laudanum (opium), the symptoms are very like apoplexy, the patient rapidly becoming insensible, and snoring heavily. The first care is to empty the stomach. If sulphate of zinc can be procured, from twenty to thirty grains dissolved in water are to be given immediately. Failing this, a mus- tard emetic must be administered, and the back of the throat tickled with a feather. Vomiting must be en- couraged by copious drafts of tepid water. During this time let the patient be walked up and down between two persons constantly and without rest for two or three hours. When prussic acid (which is known by its smell, resem- bling bitter almonds), has been swallowed, there is little hope, the action of this poison is so swift and deadly. 468 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Lay the patient on his stomach, and dash on to his back large quantities of cold water, putting him under a pump if convenient. Arsenic is almost as deadly. Give mustard and water, and try hard to induce the patient to vomit. In all cases of poisonous food give mustard and water, and afterwards castor oil (two tablespoonfuls). In all cases send for the doctor instantly, and his stomach- pump, useless in your hands, will work wonders. Re- member if poison is allowed to remain in the system, there is no hope of recovery. Warts. Touch lightly every other day with lunar caustic; or, touch them, twice a day, with a very small drop of strong acetic acid; or, rub them every night with blue-stone. Either of these remedies, if persevered in, will effect a certain cure. Great care must be exercised in applying them, as if the acetic acid or lunar caustic touch any other part it will cause inflammation and pain. Whitlows. Poultice with linseed meal; do not lance unless very slow in ripening. Heal with ointment. Corns and Bunions. As these are usually caused by wearing short, tight, or high-heeled boots, the preventa- tive is to wear easy ones with moderate heels, and made of soft leather, cloth, or oiled canvas. A bit of soft leather, spread thickly with soap plaster, and with a hole in the middle for the corn, wiU give relief. A good remedy is to take the skin of a hot boiled potato, and put the inner side of it to the corn, leave it on for twelve hours, and the corn will be much better. The above has been tried by many persons, and found to give great re- lief. — Another method is to rub the corn with pumice stone as long as it can be endured, anr" repeat until it dis- appears. For a bunion, if not inflamed, tho best remedy is to put upon it first a piece of diachylon plaster, and DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 469 upon that a piece of leather, with a hole the size of the bunion cut in it. If inflamed, it must be poulticed; if this does not succeed and matter should form, it must be treated as a boil, and the matter let out with a needle or lancet. The following ointment is for an inflamed bun- ion: — Iodine, twelve grains; lard, or spermaceti ointment, half an ounce. Gently rub in a little piece two or three times a day. Blistered Feet. Bathe them on going to bed with strong salt and water, and if tender also add a little vine- gar and pounded alum. If the blisters are large, run a stocking needle through them, and leave a bit of the worsted in the blister. If you walk much, use a thick, solid, well-fitting boot, and lamb's wool socks, spreading soft soap on the inside of the foot of the sock, and con- tinue the bathing. Chilblains. The following may be applied night and morning: — Tincture of cantharides, two drachms; soap liniment, ten drachms; or, this ointment; calomel and camphor, of each, two drachms; spermaceti ointment, eight drachms; oil of turpentine, four drachms. Mix well. Apply, by gentle friction, two or three times daily. Snow rubbed in is said to be a remedy; as is also two ounces of sal ammoniac in a pint of water. When there is any appearance of ulceration, get medical advice. Bleeding of the Nose. As this is a natural effort to relieve an overload of blood, a moderate discharge should not be too abruptly checked. In the spring of the year drowsiness, pains in the head, &c., are often relieved by a slight loss of blood; but when bleeding is very profuse and frequent, it should be stopped. Wet cloths, wrung out of cold water, applied suddenly to the back, forehead and hands, or a key put down the back inside the clolhes, will often stop the bleeding. If not, put a bit of lint or wool dipped in cold water, or a weak solution of alum 470 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and water should be tried. Children subject to bleeding at tlie nose, and weakness ensuing, should have plenty of open air exercise, and sea-bathing. Perspiration. Where this is unpleasantly profuse, a good wash in cold spring water, rub with a rough towel till the blood tingles to the skin; or, put two tablespoon- fuls of compound spirits of ammonia into a basin of cold water and wash with that. This leaves the skin quite clean, sweet and fresh, and is perfectly harmless. Habitual Intemperance — to Check. The following is a preparation which acts as a tonic and a stimulant, and so supplies, in a measure, the place of the accustomed dram. It should be taken at the times and in the quan- tities at which the drams were usually drunk (say twice a day). Mix four grains of sulphate of iron, one drachm of spirit of nutmeg, and eleven drachms of peppermint w^ater. Stammering. Read aloud with the teeth closed, two or three hours a day for three months. This is infallible. Another easy and effectual cure is — tap with the finger at every syllable pronounced. Dr. Warren says, this, if persevered in, will cure the most inveterate stammerer. Knock-Knees. Three times a day, for an hour each time, tie the ancles tightly together, and put a small book between the knees. Increase the thickness of the book at each trial. Every night in bed tie the knees to- gether and cross the legs. Persevere in this, and the pain will soon pass away. Substances in the Throat. Swallow the whites of one or two eggs, and then a large mouthful of crumbs of new bread. This will generally carry down any such substances as fish-bones, pins, &c., or a large draft of water, or an emetic will sometimes answer the purpose. DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 471 Substances in. the Ear. Force must never be used to ex- tract anything from the ear. The best and safest plan is to inject lul-cewarm water rather forcibly by means of a large syringe. — This will rarely be found to fail. Should the substance or the ear have become swollen, a little sweet oil must be poured in, and left there till the next day, when syringing may be again used. Styes are little abscesses which form on the edge of the eyelid. If very painful and inllamed, bathe well with warm water, and put on a small bread or linseed meal poultice; take an aperient; rub the stye with the edge of your nail or a ring, and when it has burst smear the edge of the eyelid with an oinimeni made thus: — Take of sper- maceti, six draclims; white wax, two drachms; olive oil, three ounces. Melt together over a slow fire, and stir constantly until cold. Headache arises from a variety of causes — long fast- ing, study, excess in eating or drinking, improper food, want of exercise, indigestion, mental depression, seden- tary occupations, and anxiety of mind. The true cure of headache is in fact to remove the cause. What is called sick headache, arising from biliousness or some error of diet, is accompanied by acute or dull pain over the temples, throbbing and incapacity for mental exer- tion. A draft of effervescing magnesia, a wet napkin round the head, and rest for a few hours will usually accomplish a cure. Headache from indigestion will be removed by anti-bili(.)us pill and a cup of strong tea. When the headache is accompanied by tenderness of the scalp and acute pain on pressure, these symptoms indi- cate a disturbance of the system, for which the aid of the doctor should be immediately sought. Exercise in the open air, cold water splashed over the face and head, and in fact any ineans which entirely re- verse tiie previous course of living, will be found effect- ive iu removing headaclie. Proper diet, cheerfulness of 472 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. mind, and a regular habit of body are almost always un- failing restoratives. More iieadaches occur from neglect of the digestive organs and irregularity in the bodily functions than from any other cause. Remove the cause and the effects will disappear. F^or ordinary headaches, arising from too great an attention to business or study, strong ammonia, smelling salts, cold water on the head, and from ten to fifteen drops of chlorodyne in a wine- glass of water, will generally be found an effective cure. Headaches arising from functional disorders must never be trifled with. They are often the precursors of rheu- matism, epilepsy, or paralysis, and if not attended to in time, or yield to the simple remedies above mentioned, must be medically treated. Tooth-ache. The only real and lasting cure for tooth- ache is the extraction of the carious tooth. Great relief may, however, be obtained from putting into the hollow a pellet of cotton wool with one drop of oil of cloves or oil of nutmeg on it. A small piece of camphor kept in the mouth is a great relief. Creosote and all mineral acids destroy the teeth and are extremely dangerous to use, as an overdose might be permanently injurious, if not immediately fatal. The teeth should be brushed every morning and again every evening with clear water and powdered charcoal. When several teeth are aching at one time the cause is generally some rheumatic affec- tion, and is best cured by the application of hot flannels to tlie face, first rubbing the outside of the cheek with some soothing liniment, or a hot embrocation of poppy- heads. A trustworthy, though only temporary cure is : take a small piece of sheet zinc and a silver coin, a little larger than the zinc. Hold the tooth between them, let- ting the two metals touch each other. This is in fact a galvanic battery, and will act upon the nerve of the tooth in a very few minutes. We have tried the following very successfully ; make a little muslin bag, and fill it with DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 473 ground pepper ; fasten up ; dip it in brandy or whisky. Put this /// the ear on the side of the aching tooth. Hollow teeth may be stopped, when not aching, by filling the hole with gutta-percha, made soft in hot water, and gently pressed into the tooth. This will harden, and prevent the air getting to the nerve. Ear-ache and Deafness. These are sometimes con- nected with chronic ulceration of the internal or external part of the ear, when injections of warm water and soap are advisable. Sometimes ear-ache continues many days without any apparent inflammation, and is then fre- quently removed by filling the ear with cotton or wool, wet with tincture of opium, or ether, or even with warm oil or warm water. Sometimes a pain in the ear is the con- sequence of sympathy with a diseased tooth, in which case the ether should be applied to the cheek over the suspected tooth. Colds and Coughs. Never neglect a cold; if promptly treated the worst cold can generally be cured in a few days. Barley water, weak tea, or gruel are all suitable drinks. Eat very little, and that of a very light kind, avoiding for a few days animal food. Drink no spirit- uous liquors, except a little hot rum and water, with a bit of butter, a slice of lemon, and sugar in it, on going to bed. This can do no harm, except to delicate persons. An excellent remedy is said to be an ounce of raisins, half an ounce of Spanish liquorice, and a tablespoonful of linseed, boiled in a pint of water until reduced to half a pint; then add a teaspoonful each of lemon-juice and rum, and drink off warm at bed-time every night until cured. A little can also be taken now and then in the day-time. If this recipe be made up in larger quantities and kept, do not add the rum and lemon-juice until just before the dose is taken. A capital cure for a cold on the chest is to take a large coarse flannel, dip it in boil- ing water, sprinkle with turpentine, and cover the chest 474 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. with it instanter. The old woman's remedy of tallowing the nose at niglit and putting the feet in mustard and water, are not by any means to be neglected. RESTOEATIOU OF THE AEPAEENTLY DEOWNED. Never rub the body with salt or spirits, or roll it on the ground, or hold the head down. Continue the fol- lowing treatment for many hours, so long as there is the slightest hope of restoring life. Persons have recovered after twelve hours' insensibility. Strip the body and rub it dry; then wrap it in hot blankets, and place in a warm bed in a warm room. Cleanse away the froth from the mouth and nose. Apply warm bricks, bottles, bags of sand, &c., to the armpits, between the thighs, and to the soles of the feet. Rub the body with the hands inclosed in worsted socks or with hot flannels. To restore breathing, put the pipe of a pair of bel- lows to one nostril, while you carefully close the other v/ith your finger, and keep the mouth shut. At the same time draw downwards, and gently push backwards the upper part of the windpipe to allow a more free admis- sion of air. Then blow the bellows very gently, in order to inflate the lungs, till the breast be raised a little; then set the mouth and nostrils free, and press gently on the chest. Repeat this process, till signs of life appear. When the patient revives, apply smelling salts to his nose, and give him a few drops of warm wine, or brandy and water. To Excite Breathing. Turn the patient well and in- stantly on the side, supporting the head, and excite the nostrils w'wh snuff, hartshorn, and smelling salts, or tickle the throat with a feather, &c., if they are at hand. Rub the chest and face warm, and dash cold water, or cold and hot water alternately on them. If there be no success, lose not a moment, but instantly — DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 475 To Imitate Breathing. Replace the patient on the face, raising and supporting the chest well on a folded coat or other article of dress. Turn tlie body very gently on the side and a little beyond, and then briskly on the face back again; repeating these measures cautiously, efficiently, and perseveringly about fifteen times in the minute, or once every four or five seconds, occasionally varying the side. By placing the patient on the chest, the •weight of the body fo?'ces the air out; when turned o?i the side, this pressure is removed and air enters the chest. On each occasion that the body is replaced on the face, make uni- form but efficient pressure with brisk movement, on the back between and below the shoulder-blades, or bones on each side, removing the pressure immediately before turning the body on the side. During the whole of the operations let one person attend solely to the movements of the head, and of the arm placed under it. The first measure increases the expiration, the second commences inspira- tion. The result is Respiration or Natural Breathing — and if not too late. Life. Whilst the above operations are being proceeded with, dry the hands and feet; and as soon as dry cloth- ing or blankets can be procured, strip the body and cover, or gradually reclothe it, but taking care not to in- terfere with the efforts to restore breathing. To Imitate the Movements of Breathing. Standing at the patient's head, grasp the arms just above the elbows, and draw the arms gently and steadily upwards above the head, and keep them stretched \\^\\^ymptoms are observed : distension of the belly, swelling of the feet and legs, difficult breathing, a dry skin, and very little palpitation, a difficulty of void- ing urine, immoderate thirst, and a dry, "hacking" cough. Inflammation of the Lnngs usually begins with shiver- ing, followed by considerable fever, obtuse pains in the chest or side, great difficulty of breathing, together with a cough, a very full pulse and dry skin flushings of the face, and thirst. This disease is very dangerous, and must be promptly placed under the doctor's charge. A vapor bath, and the inhalation of the steam arising from bitter herbs put into a teapot with boiling water, are ex- cellent aids in relieving the chest. The inhaling may be repeated every two or three hours. Free perspiration must be induced by sudorific {i.e. sweat-causing) medi- cines — as hops, bitter herbs, or camomile flowers, infused in vinegar for a few hours. When the breathing is re- lieved an emetic and a laxative medicine may safely be given. During the whole course of the disease — which must be watched and attended throughout by a nurse who follows the medical man's instructions strictly — the patient must be kept to his bed, lying with head and 488 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. shoulders elevated. The sick room to be kept to a prop- er temperature, neither below fifty nor above sixty de- grees of heat; and the patient's strength supported with food of a light, nutritive nature. Thin gruel and barley- water should be his common drink. On recovering, ex- posure to cold should be carefully guarded against, as a relapse is apt to recur in this complaint, and which may bring on pulmonary consumption. In cases of inflam- mation of the lungs blood-letting is unwise; doctors only take this step in some extreme cases. Consumption manifests itself by pain in the side of the chest, shortness of breath after walking or speaking, a cough, which generally proves most troublesome to- wards morning; general emaciation and debility, and lastly, by hectic fever. We shall attempt nothing here, as to the medical treatment of consumption. A few hints on diet, &c., will, however, be acceptable. It should con- sist of such things as are nutritive and easy of digestion, as dishes made of flour and milk, most kind of vegetables and fruits, poached eggs, light puddings, custards, jellies, and animal broths. The various kinds of shell-fish — oysters, lobsters, crabs, prawns, and cray-fish — will also be good. All fermented liquors, but more particularly spirituous ones, are to be avoided. Milk is very good, that of the ass is usually preferred; it ought to be taken several times a day, in a considerable quantity, and with a little bread. The milk of cows may be made lighter by allowing it to stand for some time, and then taking off the cream. At the commencement of pulmonary con- sumption, a free use of buttermilk has frequently been of advantage. The quantity should be gradually in- creased. The patient is at all times to avoid any irrita- tion of the lungs, from singing, playing on wind instru- ments, or much speaking, or reading aloud. He should avoid going into crowded rooms, and should not place his body in a stooping position. AH kinds of bodily ex- DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 489 ercise should be avoiderl whicli require much exertion, or exposure to cold. Flannel is to be worn next the skin all over. If the patient cannot bear flannel, he may try calico, but it is not nearly so good. Warmth and equability of temperature, especially in the winter months, are most essential points. Cod-liver oil is per- haps the most valuable remedy we possess in consump- tion, and may be given in doses, beginning with a tea- spoonful, and gradually increasing up to a tablespoonful, twice or thrice a day. Orange wine is the best thing for covering the disagreeable taste of the oil. Ague. The miasma of marshy ground, or stagnant water, usually causes it. Vapor baths, hot fomentations, heat applied to the feet, and plenty of barley-water, or gruel, may be administered during the cold stage. The remedy for the disease is quinine, and is quite specific in its effects. Administered in doses of from twenty to sixty grains shortly before the expected paroxysm, it checks it, and by continuing during the interval in smaller doses of from two to six grains, twice a day, the disease is usually cured. The patient should be very warmly dressed, and during the attacks, be covered with warm blankets. Persons subject to ague — or intermit- tent fever — should remove to a dry and bracing neigh- borhood. The air of a city is more favorable than the air of the country to such persons. In chronic cases the administration of arsenic some- times answers better than quinine, but a medicine so powerful must never be had recourse to except under proper medical advice. Erysipelas. When this disease attacks the face, it comes on with chilliness, succeeded by heat, restlessness, thirst and other febrile symptoms, with a drowsiness, or tendency to delirium, and the pulse is very frequent and full. At the end of two or three days, a fiery redness ap- 21* 490 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. pears on some part of the face, and this at length extends to the scalp, and then gradually down the neck, leaving a tumefaction in every part the redness lias occupied. The whole face at length becomes turgid, and the eyelids are so much swelled as to deprive the patient of sight. The danger of this disease, and its difficulty of treatment, make it compulsory that a skillful medical man should alone attempt to cure it. If such advice cannot be ob- tained, send the patient to the hospital. In slight cases, where the disease attacks the extremities, it makes its ap- pearance with a roughness, heat, pain, and redness of the skin, which becomes pale when the finger is pressed upon it, and again returns to its former color when it is re- moved. If the attack be mild, these symptoms will con- tinue only for a few days; the surface of the part affected will become yellow, the outer skin will fall off in scales, and no further inconvenience will be experienced. But if the attack has been severe, there will ensue pains in the head and back, great heat, thirst, and restlessness, the part affected will slightly swell, and about the fourth day a number of little vesicles, containing a limpid, and in some cases a yellow fluid, will arise. Small-Pox. The eruption generally makes its appear- ance about the third or fourth day after the first seizure; it shows itself first in little red spots on the face, neck, and breast, which continue to increase in number and size for three or four days. The eruption is commonl}'- preceded by a redness in the eyes, a soreness in the throat, pains in the head, back, and loins; weariness and faintness, and alternate fits of chilliness and heat, together with thirst, nausea, and a quick pulse. When small-pox is epidemic, and a person who has never had it is attacked with these symptoms, he ought to be immediately debarred from animal food, his drink impregnated with coolixig acids, his bowels kept open with gentle laxatives, and he should more particularly be exposed to a cool air. The patient DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 49X will be greatly refreshed, and all the symptoms become moderated, if there is a free ventilation of air. The tem- perature of his chamber should be such, that he may al- ways feel rather a sensation of cold, though not actually chilly. He ought to lie upon a mattress, covered only with a few bed-clothes, a feather bed being apt to occa- sion too much heat. This being done, the medical man must be summoned, and his instructions taken. FEMALE COMPLAINTS. So much mischief has been caused by quack remedies for the several complaints to which young girls and newly-married women are subject, that we dare not ven- ture upon giving advice. In all the functional disorders attendant upon tlie turn of life, marriage, &c., the only safe plan is to consult an experienced matron, who will know directly whether the case is one that needs the doc- tor. In other parts of this book will be found directions in case of fainting fits, hysterics, &c. ; but for those seri- ous derangements which occur from what are known as female irregularities we can only say, — put no faith in advertised pills and nostrums, as what may suit one per- son may do lasting harm to another. CHILDRENS COMPLAINTS. Weaning Brash occurs in children that are weaned too early, or in such as are reared without the breast; and also when improper food is given to the child, with or without suckling. It makes its first appearance with frequent griping and purging, the excrement being usually of a green color; sometimes there is also bilious vomiting. Wlien the disease has continued for some time, the excrement is ash-colored. The treatment con- sists, first, in a proper attention to diet, and a return to the mother's milk, if possible. Asses' milk is about the 492 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. best substitute for the mother's milk. Good cows' milk, diluted with an equal quantity of water, and sweetened with a little loaf sugar, will be found the next most proper food. The addition of three or four tablespoon- fuls of lime water to the pint of milk is of great service in correcting the acidity in the stomach, from which vomiting is frequently produced in children. Pure air, exercise, gentle frictions, and frequent washing of the body with tepid or cold water, will do the rest. Flannel worn next to the skin, worsted stockings, and every pre- caution against cold, must be employed. Teething. In all cases of painful teething the things to be done are: — to keep the bowels open with mild aperients, to allay the irritation by rubbing with a stale crust of bread, to use the hot bath whenever the skin ap- pears mnch xn^'A.Ka.Qdi, 2ca.^ to scarify the gums. This last operation should — when possible — be done by the doctor; it is perfectly safe, and gives immediate and permanent relief, and prevents all after evil. If the ignorant preju- dice were overcome, and mothers allowed their children's gums to be freely lanced in all cases of painful teething, we should hear little of convulsions or screaming fits. If the doctor is not at hand take your lancet, or sharp penknife, and cut the gum lengthways for half an inch — where most inflamed — right down to the tooth. Then immediately make a second cut across the middle of the other, and as deep. This operation is almost painless to the child, and in most cases g\XQS insta?it relief . It should, however, never be done, unless the gum be much swollen and hard, indicating that the tooth is fully formed. It has been observed that children in whom there is a copi- ous flow of saliva suffer the least during teething, and that children cut their teeth more readily in winter than in summer. Further, that lean children cut their teeth more easily than fat; and those whose bowels are regu- larly open cut them the most safely of all. Pure air, DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 493 proper exercise, wholesome food, and everything that has a tendency to promote general health, and to guard against fever, will greatly contribute to the child's pass- ing safely through teething. Convulsions. These infantine fits are produced either by teething, worms, the presence of some acrid matter in the inside, or wind pent up; or they arise from the ac- cession of some constitutional disease — as the small-pox, scarlatina, &c. Any trifling matter, capable of irritating the nervous system, will induce symptomatic convulsions in some infants. When convulsions proceed from any other cause than an eruption of the small-pox they are always dangerous. When the intervals are short, al- though the fit itself be not long or violent, the disease is more dangerous than when even severe paroxysms are attended with long intervals. First of all, put the child in a hot bath to cover his whole body up to the chin; if this cannot be done, put the child in a smaller, and splash him with the water. Cloths dipped in cold vine- gar and water may be applied at the same time to the head. If no bath at all is at hand, rub the spine briskly for several minutes with the fingers dipped in brandy, or other spirit. Then immediately after the bath, give an aperient, and a little barley-water, or weak niter and water. An injection of half a pint of gruel with a table- spoonful of castor oil added, may also be administered. When the convulsions occur through teething, the lancet must be used, and that promptly (see Teething), but when- ever possible, the doctor should be called in, in cases of this sort. The hot bath, however, is sure to be rigiit, and must be used in all cases. Jaundice. This disease comes on with languor, inac- tivity, loathing of food, flatulency, acidity in the stom- ach and bowels, and costiveness. As it advances in its progress, the skin and the eyes become tinged of a deep 494 DOMESTIC MEDICINE, yellow; there is a bitter taste in the mouth, with fre- quent nausea and vomiting. When these symptoms are observed the patient should be put in a hot bath, and the medical man sent for. Thrush. This ailment is a source of great irritation and pain to young children. It is shown by increased redness of the nostrils and lips, white spots on the tongue, hot and fetid breath, and relaxation of the bowels. As the thrush extends over the mouth and throat, as well as the stomach and bowels, it is very little use to treat it locally. A warm bath and a little mag- nesia are, however, perfectly safe and good. It should be known that the thrush is not in itself a disease, but only a syjjiptom of some other morbid condi- tion in the system, and hence the necessity for skilled advice, in order that each case may be appropriately treated. Croup. This disease is very rapid and fatal in its ef- fects, and must be treated with the greatest promptitude and energy. It is a stoppage of the windpipe occasioned by a substance forming inside it. The disease most fre- quently attacks fat, heavy, short-necked children, and is preceded by lassitude and wheezing, followed by great difficulty of breathing, distension of the veins of the neck, and a ''crowing," or as it is called, "croupy " sound in the voice. These symptoms are followed by terrible fits of coughing which agonize the child, and cause him to expel a thick mucus. Z>/Vr<;//)/ these symptoms are recog- nized, the doctor should be sent for, the child placed in a bath, as hot as it can bear it, right up to the neck, and an emetic administered. When the patient has been sick, put a mustard plaster round its neck, and keep it on as long as the child can bear it. If the doctor has not then arrived, you must give it a powder made thus: — Mix six grains of calomel, one grain of tartar emetic, and fifteen grains of powdered loaf sugar together, and give one DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 495 every twenty or thirty minutes until there is relief. Re- member, the first things are a hot bath and an emetic; these must on no account be delayed. Nettle Rash shows itself by an eruption on the skin, similar to what is produced by the stinging of nettles. It is generally produced by eating indigestible articles of food, such as shell-fish, cheese, &c. There is generally a little fever, and considerable itching. The body must be kept warm, free from all drafts, damp, &c., or the dis- ease may strike inward and become serious. The erup- tion subsides in the day-time, and increases in tlie even- ing. A little opening medicine, and a gentle emetic (proportioned to the age of the patient) are generally suf- ficient to effect a cure. Mumps. This disorder is often epidemic, and consists of a swelling on one or both sides of the neck. Tliis swelling usually continues to increase, becomes large, hard, and somewhat painful, till on the fourth day it be- gins to decline, and a few days later entirely goes off, as does the fever likewise. The mumps do not often re- quire more than to have the head and face kept warm, to avoid taking cold, and to keep the bowels well open. Should the swellings in the neck disappear suddenly, and the fever increase, so as to affect the brain, it will be necessary, however, to call in a doctor, as strong lini- ments and warm fomentations are immediately neces- sary. Scald Head. This disease (which is closely allied to mngworm, and is treated in the same way) is exceedingly contagious, and each case must be carefully kept separate. On no account must the child use another person's hat, comb, brush, or any other article that touches the iiead. Lunar causiic rubbed (jver the ring is, we believe, the surest and speediest remedy, but it must only be administered by a skilled doctor. The 496 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. hair must be cut short, the head washed with soft soap every morning, and the following lotion applied every night: Two drachms of sub-carbonate of soda dissolved in a pint of vinegar. This is safe and tolerably efficaci- ous, but as this loathsome disorder will rapidly spread, the doctor's aid had better be sought. Indeed in many instances — not only with the ringworm, but with other contagious diseases — people by attempting to supersede the doctor, do great harm, and only aid the disorder. The simple rules laid down in this book may, however, be safely followed. "Worms. The symptoms are a variable appetite, fetid breath, acid eructations, pains in the stomach, grinding of the teeth during sleep, picking of the nose, paleness of the countenance, hardness and fullness of the belly, slimy stools with griping pains now and then; heat and itching about the anus, short, dry cough, emaciation of the body, slow fever, and sometimes convulsive fits. Cowhage, or cowitch, is believed to be a safe and certain remedy, and having only a mechanical action, it may be given to the most delicate infant; all that is necessary being to mix it with a little thick water gruel, taking care that it does not touch the skin of the face or hands; there is no danger in the contact with the moist part of the lips, consequently nothing is more easy than to administer it with a spoon. The dose for a child may be from five to ten grains, or even more, for it is not medicinal; and an adult may take from fifteen to thirty grains without the slightest incon- venience. The effect of this remedy is astonishing. It acts upon the skin of the worm, and so irritates it that it looses its hold upon the intestines, and soon dies; it is then expelled by the natural course of evacuation; its expulsion may be hastened by the administration, twelve hours after taking the cowhage, of a dose of castor oil, or any other simple purgative. Cowhage is to be obtained DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 497 at any druggist's. This ti-eatineiit has succeeded when all other means have failed. For the cure of the tape-worm, which is the most dif- ficult to expel, the male fern has been much recom- mended. The dose for an adult is from one to two drachms. After two doses have been taken, a purge is to be employed. The oil of turpentine taken internally, in about one ounce for a woman, and one and a half for a robust man, is also used in cases of tape worm, with good effect. Dr. Graham, a high authority, writes: — " I believe that there are few cases which will resist the proper use of salt, if the usual means of strengthening a weakly constitution be resorted to, and saccharine sub- stances avoided as much as possible. Salt is particularly obnoxious to all kinds of worms. I would, therefore, advise persons troubled with these animals to increase their quantity of salt at each meal; to lessen that of every kind of sweet food; to avoid partaking much of vege- tables; to regulate the bowels by the occasional employ- ment of a mild pill, and to avail themselves of the usual means of strengthening the general habit, by having re- course to active exercise daily, early rising, the use of the cold or tepid bath, &c. These measures are highly advis- able and useful, whatever kind of medicine be employed. At the same time a dose of salt and water, for example, an ounce or two of common salt, dissolved in nearly half a pint of water, should be taken in the morning fasting, and repeated at the end of three or four days. This will generally act as a purgative, and will certainly bring away almost every kind of worm. This plan is applicable to the cases of children as well as to those of adults, and, from what I have before said, it will be perceived how necessary it is for them to be restricted in the use of sweet things, and be taught to make a free use of salt at almost every meal. As a purging portion for young children half an ounce of salt dissolved in a quarter of a pint of water will usually be found a sufficient quantity." 498 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Measles. The eruption is usually preceded by a chil- lines and shivering, succeeded by heat, thirst, anxiety, pains in the head, back, and loins, heaviness and redness of the face and eyes, with an effusion of tears, swellinp^ of the eyelids, nausea, and sometimes a vomiting of bil- ious matter; and, added to these, there are hoarseness, dry cough, and a discharge of acrid matter from the nose. About the third or fourth day, small red spots appear in clusters about the face, neck, and breast; and in a day or two more the whole body is covered with them. On the fifth or sixth day the spots, from a vivid red, are changed to brown, and begin to dry away about the face; about the eighth or ninth day they disappear on the breast, and other parts of the body, with a mealy desquamation of the cuticle. Medical advice must always be obtained ; and the following instructions followed out: The patient should, besides, drink freely of good barley-water, and linseed tea, gently acidulated with lemon juice. A warm bath will also be of service, doing away with the necessity of bleeding. During the whole course of the complaint, the patient ought to be confined to his bed, and avoid any exposure to cold air, as it would probably interrupt the eruption; but great heat, and too heavy covering of bed clothes, must also be avoided. The degree of temperature must be regulated by the patient's feelings. A liquid and cooling diet should be adopted at the commencement of the measles, always taking care not to carry it so far as to produce debility. When the measles prevail epidemically, con- fine such children as nevsr had them to a vegetable diet, giving them a gentle opening medicine once or twice a week, as they will then be likely to have a mild form of the complaint. The greatest care is necessary in the progress to convalescence. Scarlet Fever. In the mild form of scarlet fever (or scarlatina), the disorder begins with languor, lassitude. DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 499 confusion of ideas, chills and shiverings, alternated by- fits of heat. After a little, the thirst increases, the skin becomes dry, and there is anxiety, nausea and vomiting. On the second or third day, the scarlet efflorescences ap- pear on the skin; after three or four days they disappear, and are succeeded by a gentle perspiration; the fever then subsides, and the outer skin falls off in small scales. In malignant scarlet fever, the patient is not only seized with coldness and shivering, but with great languor, debility, and sickness, followed by heat, vomiting of bilious matter, great soreness of the throat, short and laborious breathing, and a quick, small, and depressed pulse. In the progress of the disease, a general redness pervades the face, body, and limbs, which appear some- what swollen. The eyes and nostrils are likewise red; and from the latter there is an acrid discharge. A ten- dency to delirium prevails. In the malignant form the symptoms undergo no change on the fir^t day; but on the following the pulse becomes small and irregular; the tongue, teeth, und lips are covered with a brown or black crustation. The breath is extremely fetid, the respiration laborious, the deglutition painful, the head becomes retracted, an acrid dit^charge flows from the nostrils, the tonsils and the adjoining parts are covered with dark sloughs, and deafness and delirium comes on. The rash is usually pale, and changes soon to a dark or livid red color. In its very mild form, and when unattended by any inflammation or ulceration, nothing further will be requisite than to keep the apartment clean and open, to follow a light diet, without animal food, to use acidulated liquors for drink, to take some gentle opening medicine, and to keep a hot bran poultice round the throat from the first symptom till the eighth or ninth day. In the more severe forms of the disease, administer an emetic on the first coming on of the fever, and send for the doctor. During convalescence, 500 DOMESTIC MEDICINE. the greatest care is necessary against exposure to cold, even in the mildest attacks. These precautions are necessary until the process of desquamation (falling off of the cuticle) is completed, which is seldom less than about a fortnight. If the patient is exposed to cold during this period, internal congestion, as of the kid- neys, occurs, and dropsy supervenes. This is always a dangerous and intractable complication, and hence it should be known that the danger is not always over when the fever has subsided. Whooping Cough. This is a convulsive cough, in- terrupted by a full and sonorous inspiration, usually terminating by a vomiting or expectoration. The cough usually comes on with an oppression of breath- ing, some degree of thirst, a quick pulse, and other symptoms of fever; to which are succeeded hoarseness, cough, and a difficulty of respiration. These symptoms continue for about a fortnight or three weeks, when the cough becomes convulsive, and assumes the peculiar sound which is called a whoop. After the complaint has attained its height, it usually continues for some weeks, and then goes off gradually. In some cases it is, however, protracted for several months. The whooping, though very fatiguing, and subject to a re- turn of violence on any fresh exposure to cold, seldom proves dangerous, except when the patient is very young, or when it is accompanied with some compli- cation, such as bronchitis. It seldoms happens that a person has this disease more than once. LAW. ADVICE TO HIM THAT GOES TO LAW. Nine things are requisite: — A good deal of money, a good deal of patience, a good cause, a good attorney, good counsel, good evidence, a good jury, a good judge, and, lastly, good luck. Even with all these things a wise man should hesitate before "going to law." The object of the succeeding pages is to enable per- sons to find out for themselves how the law stands upon many of the common subjects of dispute. Where the course to be followed is not stated here, the reader may take it for granted that the subject presents difficulties it would be unwise to combat without legal advice. AN I. 0. XT. is a simple, but distinct acknowledgment of a sum due; and the amount may be sued for and recovered, unless obtained by fraud, or given for an illegal or gambling debt. It may be written thus:— i8 November, 1881. To Mr. Thomas Smith. I. O. U. Five dollars. $5. William Jones. [5011 502 LA W. BILLS OF EXCHANGE. A bill of exchange is a bond by virtue of which the acceptor promises to pay to the drawer or holder a cer- tain sura on a certain day, thus: ^400. New York, ist Jan., 1882. Two months after date pay to the order of John Jones four hundred dollars, value received. James Brown. To Mr. Henry Robinson, 200 Wall St., New York. Mr. Henry Robinson writes across the face of this the word "accepted," and the place where payable — either his bankers' or elsewhere — signs his name under that or below the word accepted and the bill is perfect. The bill when due must be presented for payment at the place where it is made payable; if no place is stated, but merely the word "accepted" and the acceptor's name written under that word, then it is payable at his place of business, as stated at the left-hand corner. Mr. John Jones, in presenting it or passing it away must sign his name also on the back of the bill, and every subsequent holder must do likewise. Every person who indorses a Bill of Exchange be- comes a surety, and undertakes that the bill shall be dis- charged when it becomes due. The acceptor of a bill is, however, absolutely and formally liable upon it, no mat- ter how many or what indorsements there may be upon it; and the drawer and indorser or indorsers are only collaterally and conditionally liable to the owner, if the acceptor make default. Every subsequent indorser is a surety for each prior indorser. But an indorser as such is not liable to the acceptor, and a subsequent indorser as such is not liable to a prior indorser. LA W. 503 The Non-presentment of a Bill for payment on its be- coming due will not afford a defense to an action brought against its acceptor for the amount. Drawers' and in- dorsers' liability ceases if no notice of the dishonor of a bill be given by the holder at the time of its falling due, or within a reasonable period after; but the acceptor's lia- bility never ceases. A " reasonable period " in respect to unpaid bills has been held to be three days. If a Bill is Accepted and made Payable at a Banker's, and the acceptor can prove that he lodged funds at the banker's, at the proper time to pay it, the acceptor would be relieved if the holder failed to present it in due course, and the money were lost by the subsequent failure and stoppage of payment by the banker. If a bill is made payable at a certain place, the holder is not bound to present it for payment elsewhere, even though requested by the acceptor; and if it be dishonored, the holder may sue all the parties whose names are on the bill, even though funds were provided elsewhere to meet it. The loss of a Bill is not fatal to the recovery of the amount, provided an indemnity be given to the satis- faction of the court or judge, against the claims of any other person upon such bill. Foreign Bills of Exchange, or Promissory Notes, drawn in, but payable out of, the United States, should be drawn in sets of three or more. Accommodation Bills. These are bills for which there is no consideration. An indorsee of an Accommodation Bill, who has only paid part of the amount for which the bill was drawn, can only recover what he paid; but an in- dorsee who has given value for an Accommodation Bill, can recover from the acceptor, even though when the indorsee became holder, he was aware of the acceptor 504 LAW. having received no value or consideration. If, however, the holder has no bona fide claim to the possession of the bill, he will have no better interest in it than that of the persons from whom he received it. Days of Grace. In the United States three days of grace are allowed on all bills, whether payable at a cer- tain specified time after date, or at a certain specified time after sight. Bills payable on demand are, however, immediatel}' payable on presentation, without any grace days. Bills not expressing ihe time of payment are con- sidered as payable on demand. The law of the place where the bill is made payable governs the allowance or non-allowance of the grace days, which vary in different countries. Thus, in Eng- land, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, it is three days; in the United States, three days; France, none (ten days were formerly allowed, but were abolished by the Code Napoleon); Berlin and Vienna, three days each; Amster- dam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Naples, none; and Brazil, fifteen days, &c. When a bill falls due on Sunday or other Holiday it is payable on the day previous. Days of Grace are counted exclusive of the day on which the bill would otherwise have fallen due — thus a bill dated March ist, and payable at six months after date, would be payable on September 4th following, un- less that day were Sunday, when it would be due on the 3d. Any alteration of the date of a Bill of Exchange, after ac- ceptance, — except it be authorized in writing by all whose names appear upon the bill, — whereby the payment would be accelerated, nullifies the bill; and even if in the hands of an innocent holder, no action can be brought upon it. Except against parties consenting to atiy material alteration in a bill, such alteration nullifies it. If, however, the acceptor writes the alteration in LAW. 505 words before he signs his name, that will legalize the alteration. If the amount in writing in the body of a Bill differs from the amount in figures at the top left- hand corner, the former is held to be the correct amount. Promissory Notes differ from Bills of Exchange in being signed by one person instead of two. The usual form is: — $100. New York, 23d February, 1882. One month after date I promise to pay to Mr. James Smith, or order, one hundred dollars, for value received. Thomas Robinson. BILLS OF SALE. A Bill of Sale is an assignment of personal property — often given instead of a mortgage — as security for a debt or loan. To prevent frauds upon creditors, every Bill of Sale to be valid must be filed with the clerk of the county. If this be not complied with, the Bill will not avail to pro- tect goods against assignees in bankruptcy or any other creditors, The Preparation of Bills of Sale or mortgages need not necessarily be done by an attorney, though it is the safer course. Where two or more persons give a Joint Bill of Sale on property belonging to them as copartners, the deed may be executed by each at different times, the bill dat- ing from the time the first partner signed it. Bills of Sale are so frequently resorted to for the purpose of defeating just claims that they are viewed by the Law Courts with very general suspicion. In all cases the party in whose favor the bill is made, must be able to prove clearly the integrity and fairness of the transaction, and that valuable and adequate consideration was given. If the vendor continue in possession of the goods, it is 22 5o6 ZA TV. a presumption of fraud; therefore the party secured by the Bill of Sale should take possession, or be repre- sented on the premises by a person actually holding the document. In the case of an absolute Bill of Sale, unless there have been a substantial and bona fide change of possession of the goods — exclusive possession under the assign- ment, and not concurrent with the assignor, — an exe- cution creditor cannot be defeated by it, and it is consid- ered by the law to be fraudulent and void, as against all creditors. But, when the bill is on\y given by way of mortgage, and possession is conditional on default in payment of debt or loan, and postponed until such default occur, then fraudulent conduct is not implied. Though a sale or transfer at a very low price is not necessarily a fraud, yet when the consideration is wholly inadequate, that fact is an implication of fraud, and will cast suspicion upon the bill. If, prior to the making and execution of a Bill of Sale, there has taken place no proper valuation of the goods transferred, the law infers that the transfer was not in- tended to be real and bona fide. Copies of Bills of Sale or Mortgages must be filed anew every year, and unless this be done, the document be- comes worthless. Without proof of value and due consideration, the assignment by a person on the eve of his trial for a capi- tal offense, cannot be upheld. . MORTGAGES. A mortgage is a grant made by one person to another of certain lands, in consideration of money lent, to secure the punctual repayment of the money in installments, on a certain day, and the interest at such rate, and pay- able at such times as may be agreed. The mortgagor LA W. 507 (the borrower) gives the mortgagee (the lender) power to sell the property on default of payment of any part of the principal or interest. The mortgagee has no further right to the estate or property than to secure himself the repayment of the money advanced. If there be any breach of condition — that is to say, de- fault in payment of either principal or interest at the proper time, — the mortgagee can commence an action for the sale of the mortgaged premises. This proceeding is called the '■^Foreclosure" of the mortgage. /// the case of a joint mortgage — that is, where two or more persons advance money, in either equal or unequal pro- portions — the debt and security for the debt will become, in the eyes of the lait', the property of the survivor or survivors of the mortgagees; but in equity there will be what is termed a " tenancy in common," that is, the sur- vi\'or or survivors becomes a trustee for the legal repre- sentative, or representatives, of his deceased copartner, or copartners, in the transaction. In the case of a vci7x.w purchasing an estate subject to ct mortgage — he having no contract or connection Avith the mortgagee — he does not render \i\mse\i perso7ially liable for the debt; and if in the event of the property being sold, the proceeds are not sufficient to pay out the mort- gagee, the estate only is liable, and not the other property of the man who bought the encumbered estate. When, however, there is "a new proviso for redemp- tion on payment," i. (?., when the purchaser of the mort- gaged estates enters into a covenant, to pay, with the mortgagee, he is he'd to have assicmed the debt personally, and any other property he may have is liable for the debt. A Mortgage of a Leasehold aXw^ij includes the good- will of the trade, if any, carried on in the premises; and also the fixtures. When More than One Mortgage is existing upon the 5o8 LAW. same property the mortgage first recorded takes prefer- ence, but in such case consult a respectable attorney. THE LAW OP LA]^DLOED AND TEHA:^T. Letting and Hiring. In every case of hiring premises — whether house, land, apartments, warehouse, or any de- scription of premises — there should be a simple, but ex- plicit agreement tn wrUing, giving the date of the con- tract, the full names and addresses, and other means of identification of the contracting parties, and an accurate description of the property, with the amount of rent, time of payment, arrangement as to repairs, and term of no- tice required on quitting the premises. Such an agree- ment is binding on both parties. But if the Landlord lei the Apaj'tmejits to another tenant before the expiration of the notice-month he can only recover up to the time of such second letting. Leases are made for any length of time, but the period must be clearly stated. Repairs. Unless a landlord has agreed to be so, he is not liable for repairs; and where no agreement or stipula- tion has been made, the lessee or tenant is absolutely lia- ble for all necessary rej:)airs. Lf Premises are bur7it or blown down, the lessee or tenant must, if he covenant to keep the premises in repair, still do so; and if he agree to pay rent, he must still pay it, until the expiration of his regular and legal notice — if it be given. All L?jiprove- mejifs, Buildings, JSrectio7is, Landlord' s fixtures, Trees a7id Shrubs, must be left, unharmed, by the tenant at the ex- piry of his tenancy, even though he made, erected or planted them himself. A Tenant has Power to Assign or Underlet any part or the v/hole of the dwelling-house, or other premises, dur- ing his own term of tenancy, unless such underletting is stipulated against in his agreement with his landlord. Persons Hiring or Letting Furnished Apartments should^ LA W. 509 each possess a copy of a list of the articles of furniture contained in the room or rooms so lei; such copy should be alTixed to or written on the agreement made between the parties. Lodgers having apartments on either the first or second floors of a house, have the right (unless it be otherwise agreed at the time of hiring), of the use of the water-closet, the door-bell, and the knocker. The lodger cannot, however, refuse to pay his rent, or deduct aiiy part of it, if the use of either be refused him; nor can he, if the use of the wash-house, cellar, and other hired part of the house be denied him. The only course is to pay the rent, and sue the landlord for breach of contract; but if the cojitract be not in writing, the lodger has no remedy. A Tenant or Lodger may leave a furnished house or furiiisJied apartments if he discover them to be infested with bugs or other noxious vermin, directly, and without paying any rent whatever; but he must do so immediately he discovers the fact of their presence, and be prepared to prove that the house was not lit to inhabit by reason of such infestation. By staying afterwards he admits the inhabitability of the house or apartments, and is liable both for rent and proper notice. A71 Innkeeper is respon- sible for goods stolen from lodgers' rooms, but a lodging- house keeper is not. In the Case of a Tenant Paying Taxes, such taxes being borne by the landlord, he must deduct the said payment from his next payment of rent, tendering the receipts for the said taxes, and the balance in cash. The tenant, if he neglect to deduct it then, cannot, without the landlord's consent, deduct it afterwards; but he can sue the land- lord on the receipts. Fixtures put up for the purpose of carrying on any trade or calling, may be removed by the ten- ant at the end of his tenancy, but he must repair all damage done either by them or in their removal. He 510 LAW, may also remove gas-fittings, Venetian blinds, orna- mental cornices, ornamental chimney pieces, chimney glasses and pier glasses, tapestry, stoves, and other arti- cles put up by him for ornament or convenience, always remembering to leave the place uninjured by them. Trade Fixtures generally, unless it is specially stated to the contrary in the agreement, may be removed by the tenant if he put them up. LEASES. A tenant who takes a house on an agreement or lease of more than three years is liable for repairs. A Lease may be Assigned or Sold unless there is a special provision to the contrary. No Notice of Leaving is neces- sary on the termination of a lease, the tenant having simply to give up possession of the premises. Form of Agreement for a Lease of a House and Prem- ises. An agreement made and entered into this eighth day of January, 1881, between William Thompson, of , in the county of , of the one part, and George Williams, of , in the county of , of the other part. Whereby the said William Thompson agrees that he will by indenture to be executed on or be- fore the seventeenth day of September, next ensuing, demise and let to the said George Williams all that mes- suage, tenement, or dwelling-house, with the garden, out- buildings, and appurtenances thereunto belonging, situ- ated in the parish of , in the county of , now or until lately in the possession and occupation of Henry Brown. To hold the same to the said George Williams, his executors, administrators, and assigns, from the aforesaid seventeenth day of September, for and during the term of twenty-one years, at the yearly rental, payable quarterly, of % , clear of all deduc- tions except taxes, &c. And in the aforesaid lease there shall be contained covenants on the part of the said ZAIV. 511 William Thompson, his executors, administrators, and assigns, for quiet enjoyment, and to allow out of the first two years' rent of the said premises, the sum of $ towards the repairs thereof. And also that he, the said William Thompson, will indemnify the said George Williams, his executors, administrator, and as- signs, against the payment of the ground-rent thereof during the said term of twenty-one years. And on the part of the said George Williams, liis executors, admin- istrators, and assigns, to pay the aforesaid yearly rental of $ . To keep in repair the said messuage and outbuildings, together with and including all doors, gates, fences, walls, rails, posts, &c., and leave and de- liver the same at the end or expiration of the said term of twenty-one years, in good repair (damage by fire only excepted). And the said lease shall contain all other usual and reasonable covenants as between landlord and tenant, and a proviso for re-entry on non-payment of rent. And the said George Williams hereby agrees to accept a lease on the terms and conditions hereinbefore set forth. And it is agreed that the costs of this agree- ment and the said lease, and a counterpart thereof, shall be borne equally by the said parties. As witness our hands, this eighth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one. William Thompson. [L. S.] Witness, • George Williams, [L. S.] Samuel Jones. An agreement drawn up in the preceding form and manner, altering the facts as may be necessary, may be prepared by any one; but the lease itself should, in all cai'es, be drawn up by a regular attorney. NOTICE TO aUIT. A notice to quit by the landlord to his tenant must be signed by the former, or by some person — as his agent — 512 ■ ZAJV. duly authorized to give it. By the same rule the tenant giving his landlord notice to quit, must sign such notice. In both cases the notice should be served on the per- son to whom it is addressed, or his acknowledged and accredited agent. Service of Notice is also held good if left at the tenant's or landlord's house; in either of these cases,- however, the person leaving the notice should have an exact copy of it in his possession, and indorse upon such copy the name of the server, date of serving, and on whom, giving the name of the servant or other person receiving the notice from him. The Time of Notice is the Time of Letting, — i.e., a weekly letting can be ended by a weekly notice, a monthly let- ting by a monthly notice; and a quarterly letting by a quarterly notice. When, however, the letting is by the year, three months' notice, expiring at the period of the year at which the tenancy commenced, is sufficient. If Rent be at so much per Anmun, even if paid quarterly, three months' notice is necessary. A Notice to Quit must be given irrespective of sub-let- ting by the original tenant, which has not the effect of altering the terms of the tenancy. If a tenant leave without notice, and the landlord ac- cept rent from a new occupier, he thereby accepts him as his tenant, and releases the former one from all liability, except for any rent due; otherwise the former tenant will remain liable until his tenancy shall be legally deter- mined by a notice to quit. A Notice to Quit may legally be served at any time when reasonable access can be obtained to the person. A Misdescription of the premises in a notice to quit is not fatal, if the description be sufficiently exact as not to mislead the person on whom the notice has been served. LAW. 513 Forms of Notices to ftuit. Notice by landlord to ten- ant: — To Mr. John Jones (the tenant in possession). Sir, — I hereby give you notice to quit the premises which you now hold of me, situate at , in the county of , on or before the next. Yours, &c., Henry Smith, Landlord. Dated this first day of March, 1882. Notice by tenant to landlord: — To Mr. Henry Smith (the landlord). Sir, — I hereby give you notice, that on the day of , I shall quit possession of the messuage or tenement, and premises which I now hold of you, situate at , in the county of . Yours, &c., John Jones, Tenant in possession. Dated this first day of March, 18S2. Notice by the tenant to quit lodgings: — To Mr. John Jones (the tenant of the house). Sir, — This is to give you notice that on the day of next I shall quit and deliver up possession of the room or apartments, and other tenements, which I now hold of you in this house. Yours, &c., William Robinson, Tenant of the apartments. Dated this 22d day of June, 1870. 22* 514 ^^^. Notice to the tenant either to quit the premises or pay double rent. To Mr. Richard Brown (the tenant). Sir, — I hereby give you notice to quit, and yield up, on or before the day of next, possession of the messuage, with its appurtenances, lands, tene- ments, and hereditaments, which you now hold of me, situate at , in the county of ; or in failure thereof, I shall require and insist upon double the value of the said premises, according to the statute in such case made and provided. Yours, &c., Thomas Smith, Landlord. Dated this nineteenth day of January, 1882. Notice to the tenant to deliver up possession. To Mr. Richard Brown (the tenant). Sir, — I hereby give you notice to deliver up posses- sion to , of the messuage or tenement, with its appurtenances, which you rent of me in — , in the county of , on next. Yours, &c., Thomas Smith, Landlord. Dated this twenty-first day of February, 1882. Notice to tenant to pay rent. To Mr. William Jones, tenant. Sir, — This is to warn you, that unless you pay, or cause to be paid unto me, on or before the day of next, the sum of , being a year's rent, due on the day of , for the tenement, and premises, which you now hold of me, at the yearly rent of , LAW. 515 situated , I shall claim and insist upon such for- feiture thereof as I may be by law entitled to. Yours, &c, John Robinson, Landlord. Dated this first day of March, 1882, Notice to tenant to repair. To Mr. John Smith, tenant. Sir, — You are hereby required to put in good and tenantable repair, all and every the tenement, and prem- ises, which you now hold of me, situate at , par- ticularly the in the said messuage or tenement, and the roof at the northern end thereof (as the case may be). Yours, &c., Thomas Jones, Landlord. Dated this third day of March, 1882. EJECTMENT. An action for ejectment may be brought by a landlord for non-payment of rent ; or, on the determination of a tenancy ; by a mortgagee ; and also in cases where the possession of real property is sought to be recovered. If a persoin be allowed to retain possession for twenty years of any house, land or other real property, without payment of rent or acknowledgment in writing to any person, such holder or possessor has an absolute title to the property against any claimant, and is enabled to de- feat an action to eject him. This does not of course ap- ply to leaseholds, copyholds, or any such contract. If a Mortgagee allow his mortgagor (that is, the person to whom he lent money) to remain in undisturbed pos- session of the estate mortgaged, without payment of principal or interest, or any part thereof, for twenty years, Si6 LAW. he (the mortgagee) will in most cases lose his interest in the estate, and be unable to force the occupier out by action of ejectment. By "undisturbed possession" is meant taking no steps to recover principal or interest, and receiving neither, either in whole or in part; the simple writing of a letter applying for tiie money would constitute an "attempt to recover," and would legalize the mort- gagee's claim. An action for Ejectment must he defended, otherwise — whatever Right or Title the owner or occupier may have, he will in the eyes of the law be considered as having failed to prove his claim. A person bringing an action of ejectment must conclu- sively prove his own title to the estate, and will not obtain a verdict because his opponent's title is not good. In the case of a landlord bringing an action of eject- ment against a tenant who has forfeited his right of pos- session, — by non-payment of rent, non-compliance with the terms of lease, or other sufficient cause, — a formal demand for the rent must first be made (if there be suffi- cient goods to satisfy the claim), at a convenient time be- fore sunset, on the last day on which the rent can, ac- cording to the terms of the agreement, be paid. The demand must be for \.\\q precise sxxxu. due. If the tenant do not then pay, an action to eject him can be sustained. When a writ of Ejectment cannot be served upon the Occu- pier, by reason of his absenting himself, or otherwise evading service, it shall be deemed sufficient to affix the writ to the outside of the main door of the house. FiaE INSURANCE. A policy of insurance against fire is a contract by which the insurer, in consideration of a certain premium received by him, either in a gross sum or by annual pay- ments, undertakes to indemnify the insured against all ZAJV. 517 loss or damage he may sustain by fire, in his house, buildings, stock, goods, or mercliandise, during a limited period of time. A Policy is 7iot in its Nature Assignable, nor ca7i it be Transferred, without the express consent of the insurer; when, liowever, any person dies, his interest shall re- main in his executors or administrators, respectively, who succeed or become entitled to the property, pro- vided such representatives respectively procure their right to be indorsed on the policy. That a Policy may be Legal it is necessary that the per- son insured should have a bona fide interest in the property at the time the policy was made, and also when the fire occurs. Any trustee, mortgagee, reversioner, factor or agent, has sufficient interest in the goods under his custody to effect a policy of insurance, provided the nature of the property be distinctly specified at the time of executing such policy. The Insured can only Recover to the extent of his in- terest, but tile sum for which the premium is paid may with safety be oiie-third or one-fourth less then the full value of the property insured, because it seldom happens that the loss is total; and when the insurance is to the full value, the person rather gains than loses by a fire, which may excite suspicion, and occasion expensive and troublesome litigations. The risk cojnmences from the signing of the policy, un- less there be some other time specified. Policies of in- surance may be annual, or for a term of years, at an an- nual premium; and it is usual for the office by way of indulgence, to allow a few days after each year for the payment of the premium for the next year in succession. The Premises Insured must not be so altered as to no longer agree with the policy description of them : there- fore additional buildings added to the house, without notice to the assurers, would nullify the policy. A Policy is not rendered Null and Void by the simple 5i8 LAW. alteration in the trade or use to which the insured prem- ises are put unless such alteration entails greater risk. Furtiiture, insured in one house, is not protected after removal to another, unless notice be given to the insurer, and the policy then altered accordingly. Conditions of liability. Most of the offices insert in their policies certain conditions of liability; for instance, they exempt themselves from payment of the sum insured in all cases in which fires have been occasioned by invasion by a foreign power, or any military power, or civil commotion. The printed proposals of the various offices contain the terms on which the contract is made, and the conditions upon which they agree to insure. These proposals must therefore be strictly complied with; and when any loss happens, the insured person must give notice im7nediately of the loss, giving as full and particular an account of the articles destroyed as pos- sible. LIFE mSURANCE. The value and importance of Life Insurance need not here be insisted upon, nor is it necessary to dwell upon the great care necessary in selecting an office. Having made a choice — and here we may remark, that, though the rates of insurance differ, and in some offices they appear high, there are often corresponding advantages given — the next course is to obtain a form from the office, which contains questions respecting age, habits, state of health, and other matters, all which questions nmst be answered fully and with scrupulous regard for truth, for if any mis-statement be made, even by accident, the policy may be vitiated ; and if the mis-statement be proved to be willful, the office can legally refuse to pay any claim, and all the sums contributed will have been lost. If an application be rejected on account of ill health, or a tendency to hereditary disease, offices are to be found which will LAW. 519 insure unsound lives, at an increased charge propor- tioned to the extra risk they incur. To enable any Person to Ifisure the Life of Another, he must have some interest in the life, and the insurance must be made with the full consent of the other party, — • thus, a wife may insure the life of her husband, being dependent upon him for support, — and again, a creditor may insure the life of the debtor. There is no such thing as an Lndisputable Policy, for the law holds that fraud will vitiate any contract. Notice must be Given to the company insuring, when the person wishes to leave the country; failing such notice, the policy and all moneys paid may be forfeited, as some companies consider a sea voyage an extra risk, and all charge increased premiums in un- healthy climates. False Representation, either in answer to the printed in- quiries or to verbal questions, will even, if accidental, nullify the policy; it is, therefore, of the last importance that candor, truth, and exactness be rigidly observed in any transaction of this kind. WILLS. A Will is a disposition of property, which is made by a person, to take effect after his decease. Every person Capable of binding himself by a contract is capable of making a will. No Will is Valid, unless it be in writing, and signed at the foot by the testator, and signed by two witnesses in the testator's presence, and in presence of each other; and such witnesses must have both seen the testator sign his name, and be requested by him to sign as witnesses. A Will is Revoked by the subsequent marriage of the testator; by any subsequent will; by any writing proved to have been written by the testator, revoking or declar- ing any intention to revoke; by burning, or by tearing off the signature, either by the testator or by some other 520 LA W. person in his presence, and by his request or order; by any codicil to the will revoking any part of it (a codicil is considered an amendment to the will, and revokes, or confirms parts or all of it). Form of a IVill. The following is the simplest form of will, being devised to one person: — This is the last will and testament of me, Richard Brown, of New York, in the County of JNew York, merchant. I give, devise, and bequeath all the real and personal estate of which I shall be possessed or entitled at the time of my decease unto my wife, Mary Brown {or son, or daughter or other person as the case jfiay be), abso- lutely, and I appoint my said wife {or as the case may be) sole executrix of this my will, and revoke all previous Wills by me at any time heretofore made. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand this Second Day of De- cember in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and Eighty-one. Richard Brown. Signed by the said Richard Brown, the testator, in our presence, and who in our presence, and in the presence of each other at the same time, subscribe our names as witnesses, and at his request. Thomas Jones, of 3001 Sixth Avenue, New York City. Wm. Smith, of 4871 Broadway, New York City. LAW OF MASTER AND SERVANT. In every hiring the contract should be in writing, in the form of a simple agreement, stating plainly what both parties bind themselves to do. The best possible agree- ment is a letter stating the terms, and an answer accept- ing them. Where no time is expressed, and there is no general custom or implication, or other means of ascertaining the probable intentions of the parties at the time of the hir- LAW. 521 ing, then such hiring is held to be a general, or yearly- hiring. But any stipulation at the time of hiring whicli is not consistent with the theory of the yearly hiring will defeat such theory. In cases where the hiring is a yearly one, either so ex- pressed or so held after agreement, it cannot be ended, generally, by either party until the end of the year from the time of hiring. Therefore, — though if a servant wrongfully quit or is rightfully dismissed his master's service during the year he cannot recover, — a servant wrongfully dismissed has a claim upon his master for the full year's wages, or such portion as may be unpaid at the time. Domestic and menial servants generally are, however, subject to the well-known and established rule which allows either party to end the service by giving a month's notice to the other, or by paying a month's wages in lieu of such notice. The month's notice must be given on the day preceding (at latest) the day on which the servant is usually paid; or, if not paid monthly, tlien on the last day of one month, to leave at the end of the following month. If a servant be paid weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, or any other stated period, that usually deter- mines the length of notice to be given when there is no other agreement or stipulation to the contrary. Among the principal causes for which a master would be justified in discharging his servant without notice are — dishonesty, habitual intemperance, or negligence, gross moral misconduct, incompetence, or willful disobedience to lawful commands. If, after such dismissal, a servant refuse to go, he may be removed. If a servant be feloniously robbed of property belong- ing to his master, he is not, if he were commonly pru- dent, liable for the loss. But if he were grossly negli- gent he would be liable to an action for the value of the lost goods. On this point the law holds that "a servant 522 LA W. is bound to take due and proper care of his master's property intrusted to him; but lie is not bound to pro- tect such property at all risks." When his service is ended, a servant may lawfully set up in business, and solicit custom from his late master's^ customers; but he may not do so while he is actually in his master's service. If a servant be improperly discharged before the ex- piry of the time for which he was hired, he may bring an action against his master for wrongful dismissal; which action should not be brought until the expiry of the time for which he agreed to serve. If the servant, how- ever, obtain another service before such time has expired, he can only recover of his former master down to the time of his entering upon the second service. A master is the only person who can bri ng an action for seduction. This is so because the law holds that the loss of service consequent upon his female servant's seduction is a real grievance, for which damages may be obtained. But it is not necessary that the servant should be a paid servant; a parent may bring the action if it be proved that his daughter performed any domestic service in the house. If, however, the daughter is in the actual service of another, the action must be brought by her master. The age or condition of the woman — whether maid, wife, or widow — is immaterial in an action of this kind. If a servant be performing his master's lawful orders, the latter is held liable for the effects of his servant's neg- lect or carelessness. But if the servant be acting without his master's knowledge, and have no precedent for his action, the master is held harmless. No servant is bound to obey unlawful orders, and if he do so it will be on his own responsibility; a master is bound to indemnify his servant from the consequences of anything done in obedience to his lawful orders; or if they were not lawful, but the servant believed they were. Though a master must not expose his servant to un- LAW. 523 necessary risk, yet he is not answerable for injuries sus- tarned in the discharge of ordinary duties. Thus it is held that if a master provide proper tools or implements, the servant cannot compel his master to recompense him for injuries received, the implication being that the serv- ant was aware of these risks when he entered the serv- ice. A master or mistress is not legally obliged to give a character when dismissing him or her, unless the former agree to do so at the hiring. It is important, therefore, that the servant arrange with the master to receive a character on leaving his employ. A master must, in giving his late servant a charac- ter, say or write what is true of him, if the application be on the part of a bona fide inquirer who would engage such servant. The character given, even though it charged the servant with grave misconduct, would not render the master liable to an action, if the charges were true, but it would if they were not, and malice, or wish to do the servant harm, could be inferred. APPRENTICESHIB. The Indenture of AppreJiticeship need not be prepared by an attorney ; any one may make out the bond, but he would not be allowed to make a charge for so doing. The following is the usual form : — This indenture witnesseth, That , son of , in the county of , by and with the consent of the said , his father, testified by his sealing and delivering of these presents, doth put himself apprentice to , of , in the parish of , in the county of , to learn his art, and with him, after the manner of an apprentice, to serve from the day of , until the full end and term of years, from thence next following, to be fully complete and ended ; during which term, the said 524 LA W. apprentice his said master faithfully shall or will serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands everywhere gladly do. He shall do no damage to his master, nor see it done by others, but to his power shall let, or forthwith give notice to his said master of the same. The goods of his said master he shall not waste, nor the same without license of him, to any give or lend ; hurt to his said master, he shall not do, or cause or procure to be done ; he shall neither buy nor sell without his master's license, nor from the service of his said master, day or night absent himself during all the said term. And the said doth hereby promise and agree to teach and instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed in the best way and manner that he can the said apprentice, in the said , in all its branches, which he now useth. And for the true performance of all and every the said covenants and agreements, each of the said parties bindeth himself unto the other firmly by these presents. In witness whereof, the said parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals, this day of , in the year of our Lord , Sealed, &c. The indenture making an apprenticeship may be dis- solved by any of the following events : — The lapse of the time for which the apprentice was bound; the coming of the full age of tweniy-one ; the death of either master or apprentice; the bankruptcy of the master; on proof of willful misconduct on either side ; and by mutual con- sent of all the parties to the indenture. The Readiest Way to Cancel Indentures, in cases where the cancelmcnt is by mutual consent, is to cut off from the document the signatures of the contracting parties, to indorse upon the bond the date and particulars of the cause of dissolving (which memorandum or indorsement should be signed by all the parties interested), and then to hand to the apprentice his canceled indentures. LAW, 525 Apprentices absenting themselves from their master's service without leave, may be compelled to return and serve out the absent time, or make such satisfaction for it, as shall be considered sufficient by the justice, — who, in default of return or other satisfaction, may commit the refractory apprentice to prison. Where, however, the apprentice has served seven years, he cannot be forced to serve any longer. Where the master becomes bankrupt (and the inden- tures thereby canceled) the apprentice by his friends may apply for a return of the premium (if any) paid. This application will be considered by the court, and if any portion be refunded it will come out of the estate. If a master misuse his apprentice in any way, the justices have power — should they deem the ill-treatment suffi- cient — to order the discharge of such apprentice from his indentures; and the premium, or any part of it, must be returned on their order, and it may be distrained for, and if that will not satisfy the claim, the master may be imprisoned for a term not exceeding two calendar months. An apprentice may legally refuse to work on Sunday. An apprentice is bound to remain in his master's em- play wherever he resides, unless there is a special stipu- lation to the contrary in the apprenticeship indentures. An apprentice is not released from his indentures if he bound himself to a firm, and one or more of the part- ners retired or died, provided the business was carried on by the remaining partner or partners. An apprentice is not bound to serve the widow of his late master; as the contract was a mere personal trust, it ends on the death of either master or apprentice. Neither is an apprentice bound to serve his late mas- ter's executors, nor can the latter transfer him, or other- wise control his actions. No portion of a premium paid with an apprentice can be recovered, should either the master or apprentice die before the expiry of the term. 526 LAW. Though the whole of an apprentice's time belongs by law to his master, he cannot be compelled to work for an unreasonable time, or at unreasonable hours. There- fore the time of work must be governed by custom and precedent in the particular trade or business. Where, however, the indentures specially bind the apprentice to work longer hours than is customary, he must be bound by his indentures. A deed of apprenticeship is valid, though antedated. The dating back is an advantage to the apprentice, be- cause it acknowledges previous services. An apprentice can be assigned with his own consent, and he is then bound to serve his new master. NUISANCES. The following are nuisances: — Any premises in such a condition as to be injurious to health; any foul ditch, gutter, water-course, privy, urinal, cesspool, drain, or ashpit, so foul as to be a nuis- ance, or injurious to health; any animal so kept, or any accumulation or deposit, which is injurious to health. The way to set about having these nuisances removed is to complain to the Local Board of Health, who exam- ine into the case, and have power to procure the abate- ment or disallowance of the nuisance complained of. It is a nuisance to collect a crowd to the annoyance of a neighbor; or to make unusual or startling noises at night; or to pollute a running stream by throwing (or allowing to be thrown) rubbish or foul matter into it; or to let off fireworks, pistols, guns, or other explosives, or to burn fires in the street; or to permit the collection of offensive matter outside your house; or to place obstruc- tions on the foot-way; or to allow areas to remain open or unprotected, or partially so; or to expose for sale un- wholesome food of any description, &c., &c. In any of these cases the offender must make good LA W. 527 any damage done or caused by his neglect or misconduct, and pay, on conviction, certain penalties. LIBEL. Any publication in writing, or in print, which im- putes dishonesty, fraud, or immorality, or in any way tends to injure the private character or public credit of a man, or attempts to make him look ludicrous or con- temptible, is a libel, and actionable, unless the accusa- tions are true, and can be proved to be true. A malicious libel is where there was no occasion or justification for the writing complained of, and where the intention was, inferentially, to annoy or degrade the libeled person, A libel is punishable by civil action, and also criminally by indictment. SLANDER. This may be merely words spoken hastily and with- out malice; and unless special hurt or damage can be proved to have arisen out of the slanderous words, an action will not, generally, lie. But if the words be com- mitted to writing, the offense becomes a libel, and is punishable. The law thus recognizes a wide distinction between libels and mere words spoken, or slanders; for while the former is a grave offense, and punishable both criminally and by civil action, the same words, or worse, if spoken would not be punishable at all, unless the com- plaining party could prove that they had injured him ia his business or private character. THD END. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 184 185 3 # :'h'^ W^^ ^1 ^^^