BARKHAM BURROUGHS' ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF ASTOUNDING FACTS AND USEFUL INFORMATION 1889 For Melba Conner Universal Assistant and Treasure-House of Information to be Consultedon Every Question That Arises in Everyday Life by Young and Old Alike! Including: 521 Recipes * 236 Remedies * 150 Themes for Debate * How toBe Handsome * Mother Shipton's Prophesy * The Cure for Baldness * Howto Distinguish Death * PLUS 20, 000 Things Worth Knowing, and Much MuchMore. [Illustration: THE HIGHEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD. 1. An imaginary tower, 1000 feet high. 2. Cathedral at Cologne, 501feet. 3. Pyramid of Cheops, 480 feet. 4. Strasbourg Cathedral, 468feet. 5. St. Peter's, Rome, 457 feet. 6. Pyramid of Cephren, 454 feet. 7. St. Paul's, London, 365 feet. 8. Capitol at Washington, 287 feet. 9. Trinity Church, N. Y. , 286 feet. 10. Bunker Hill Monument, 221 feet. 11. St. Marks, Philadelphia, 150 feet. ] CONTENTS HOW POOR BOYS BECOME SUCCESSFUL MEN, 6 THE ART OF PENMANSHIP, 7 ORNAMENTAL PENMANSHIP, 18 HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS LETTER, 19 ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS IN BUSINESS, 28 DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY, 32 HOW TO ADVERTISE, 37 HOW TO BE HANDSOME, 39 MULTUM IN PARVO. (110 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS), 41 HOUSEHOLD RECIPES, 71 HOW TO DESTROY HOUSEHOLD PESTS, 73 ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES (236 ITEMS), 75 THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN, 83 LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, 93 MASTERPIECES OF ELOQUENCE, 94 SUNDRY BRIEF ITEMS OF INTEREST, 95 PHYSICIAN'S DIGESTION TABLE, 95 THEMES FOR DEBATE (150), 95 COOKERY RECIPES (521), 98 HOW TO COOK FISH, 106 HOW TO CHOOSE AND COOK GAME, 108 HOW TO MAKE ICE CREAMS, WATER ICES AND JELLIES, 109 HOW TO SELECT AND COOK MEATS, 111 HOW TO MAKE PIES, 113 HOW TO MAKE PRESERVES, 114 HOW TO BOIL, BAKE AND STEAM PUDDINGS, 116 HOW TO PUT UP PICKLES AND MAKE CATSUPS, 119 HOW TO ROAST, BROIL OR BOIL POULTRY, 121 SAUCES FOR MEATS AND FISH, 121 HOW TO MAKE SOUPS AND BROTH, 123 HOW TO COOK VEGETABLES, 125 HOW TO CALCULATE, 128 20, 000 THINGS WORTH KNOWING (20, 000 ITEMS), 130 * * * * * [Illustration: How Poor Boys Become Successful Men] HOW POOR BOYS BECOME SUCCESSFUL MEN. You want some good advice. Rise early. Be abstemious. Be frugal. Attend to your own business and never trust it to another. Be notafraid to work, and diligently, too, with your own hands. Treat everyone with civility and respect. Good manners insure success. Accomplishwhat you undertake. Decide, then persevere. Diligence and industryovercome all difficulties. Never be mean--rather give than take theodd shilling. Never postpone till to-morrow what can be done to-day. Never anticipate wealth from any source but labor. Honesty is not onlythe best policy, but the only policy. Commence at the first round andkeep climbing. Make your word as good as your bond. Seek knowledge toplan, enterprise to execute, honesty to govern all. Never overtrade. Never give too large credit. Time is money. Reckon the hours ofthe day as so many dollars, the minutes as so many cents. Make fewpromises. Keep your secrets. Live within your income. Sobriety aboveall things. Luck is a word that does not apply to a successfulman. Not too much caution--slow but sure is the thing. The highestmonuments are built piece by piece. Step by step we mount thepyramids. Be bold--be resolute when the clouds gather, difficultiesare surmounted by opposition. Self-confidence, self-reliance is yourcapital. Your conscience the best monitor. Never be over-sanguine, but do not underrate your own abilities. Don't be discouraged. [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Ninty=nine'] Ninety-ninemay say no, the [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'hundreth'] hundredth, yes: take off your coat: roll up yoursleeves, don't be afraid of manual labor! America is large enough forall--strike out for the west. The best letter of introduction is yourown energy. Lean on yourself when you walk. Keep good company. Keepout of politics unless you are sure to win--you are never sure towin, so look out. * * * * * THE ART OF PENMANSHIP _How to Become a Handsome Writer. _ The subject of the importance of good writing is as broad as itsuse. Reaching out in every direction, and pervading every corner ofcivilized society, from the humblest up to the highest employments, it is a servant of man, second only in importance to that of speechitself. In the world of business its value is seen, from the simplestrecord or memorandum, up to the parchment which conveys a kingdom. Without it, the wheels of commerce could not move a single hour. Atnight it has recorded the transactions of the Bank of England duringthe day; of London; of the whole world. Through the art of writing, the deeds of men live after them, andwe may surround ourselves with the companionship of philosophers, scientists, historians, discoverers and poets; and their discoveries, and reasonings and imaginings become ours. In the amenities of sociallife, through the medium of the pen, heart speaks to heart, thoughocean rolls between. Thoughts of tenderness and affection live whenwe are gone, and words and deeds of kindness are not preserved bymonuments alone. What fountains of grief or joy have been opened inthe hearts of those who have read the records of the pen! The penhas recorded the rapturous emotions of love reciprocated. The pen haswritten the message of sadness which has covered life's pilgrimagewith gloom. The pen has traced the record of noble and useful lives, spent in humanity's cause. The songs of the poet, the beautiful tintsof his imagination, the flights of the orator in the realms of fancy, and the facts of history, would all perish as the dew of morning, without this noble art of writing. As a means of livelihood, there is perhaps no other department ofeducation which affords such universal and profitable employment, aswriting. From the mere copyist, up to the practical accountant, andonward into that department of penmanship designated as a fine art, the remuneration is always very ample, considering the time and effortrequired in its acquisition. Teachers, editors, farmers, doctors and all persons should possess apractical and substantial knowledge of writing, and should be readywith the pen. Business men must of course be ready writers, and hence, in a treatise on business, designed for the education and advancementof the youth of the country, it seems eminently fitting to first makethe way clear to a plain, practical handwriting. Neatness and accuracyshould characterize the hand-writing of every one. Botch-work andbungling are inexcusable, as well in writing as in the transactionof business. No person has a right to cause a tinge of shame to theircorrespondent, by sending a letter addressed in a stupid and awkwardmanner, nor to consume the time of another in deciphering theillegible hooks and scrawls of a message. Every one should have theambition to _write_ respectably as well as to _appear_ respectable onany occasion. MATERIALS USED IN WRITING. Having a suitable desk or table, arranged with reference to light, inorder to learn to write, it is necessary to be provided with propermaterials. Writing materials abundant and so cheap in these times thatno excuse is afforded for using an inferior or worthless quality. Thematerials consist of _Pens, Ink_ and _Paper_. PENS. Steel pens are considered the best. Gold pens have the advantage ofalways producing the same quality of writing, while steel pens, new orold, produce finer or courser lines. Notwithstanding this advantage infavor of the gold pen, steel pens adhere to the paper, and produce abetter line. The pen should be adapted to the hand of the writer. Somepersons require a coarse pen, and some fine. Elastic pens in the handof one writer may produce the best results, while a less flexible penmay suit the hand of others best. Pens are manufactured of almost aninfinite grade and quality, in order to suit the requirements of all. About the only rule that can be given in selecting pens, is to write afew lines, or a page, with each of the pens on trial, and then comparethe writing. If it be shaded too heavily, select a less flexible pen, if the hair lines are too delicate, select a coarser pen. INK. Black ink is always preferable. That which is free from sediment andflows well, should be selected. Use an inkstand with broad base asbeing less liable to upset. With persons in learning to write it isperhaps best to have a quality of ink which is perfectly black whenput on the paper, in order that they may see the results of theirlabor at once. Business men and accountants prefer a fluid ink, however, which, although not black at first, continues to grow black, and becomes a very bright and durable black, notwithstanding theaction of light and heat. Avoid the use of fancy colored inks, especially the more gaudy, such as blue, red or green, in writing alldocuments which you desire to command attention and respect. PAPER. There are almost as many grades of paper to be found in the stationerystores, as there are of pens. For practicing penmanship, nothing ismore suitable than foolscap, which may be easily sewed into book-form, with cover of some different color, and thus serves every requirement. The paper should have a medium surface, neither rough and coarse, ortoo fine and glazed. Have a few extra sheets beside the writing book, for the purpose of practicing the movement exercises and testing thepens. Be provided at all times with a large-sized blotter, and whenwriting, keep this under the hand. Do not attempt to write with asingle sheet of paper on a bare table or desk; there should be manysheets of paper underneath, in order to make an elastic surface. STUDY WITH PRACTICE. Aimless, indifferent, or careless practice, never made a good writer, and never will. In order to succeed in this, as in other things, theremust be will and determination to succeed, and then persevering andstudious effort. Study the models until their forms are fixed in themind. [Illustration: Study gives form] No one can execute that which he does not clearly conceive. The artistmust first see the picture on the white canvas, before he can paintit, and the sculptor must be able to see in the rough and uninvitingstone, the outlines of the beautiful image which he is to carve. Inwriting, a clear idea of the formation of the different letters, and their various proportions, must become familiar by proper study, examination and analysis. Study precedes practice. It is, of course, not necessary, nor even well, to undertake the mastery of all theforms in writing, by study, until some have been executed. It isbest that each form should, as it is taken up, be first measured andanalyzed and then practiced at once. [Illustration: Practice gives grace] It is the act which crowns the thought. After study, careful andearnest practice can hardly fail to make a good writer of any one. Some persons secure a good style of penmanship with less labor thanothers, and attain to the elegant, and beautiful formation. But itis only fair to presume that no greater diversity of talent existsin this direction than in the study of other things. All do not learnarithmetic or history with like ease, but no one will assert that allwho will, may not learn arithmetic or history. And so, all who willput forth the proper exertion in study and practice may learn to writea good business style, while many of the number will attain to theelegant. The conditions of practice in writing are, _Positions of theBody, Position of the Hand an Pen, and Movement_. [Illustration: Position of the Body] POSITION of the BODY. Sitting squarely fronting the desk, with feet placed firmly on thefloor, and both arms on the desk, is, as a rule, the best position forpractice in writing, or correspondence. The right side, may, however, be placed to the desk, with the right arm, only, resting thereon, andsome persons prefer this position. Avoid crossing the feet, sittingon the edge of the chair, or assuming any careless attitude. The bodyshould be erect, but slightly inclined forward, in order that the eyemay follow the pen closely. This position will never cause curvatureof the spine. The body should never be allowed to settle down into acramped and unhealthy position with the face almost on the paper. By thus compressing the lungs and the digestive organs they are sooninjured, and if the stomach lose its tone, the eyesight is impaired, there is such a close sympathy between these organs of the body. Thepractice of writing should be, and properly is, a healthful exercise, and injurious effects result only from improper positions of the body, at variance with good writing as well as good health. When wearied by sitting and the effort at writing, lay aside paper andpen, arise from the chair, and take exercise and rest by walking aboutthe room or in the open air. Then come back refreshed, and vigorous, for the practice of writing. In general, the light should fall on the paper from the left side, thus enabling a writer to clearly see the ruled lines, and render thelabor of writing easier and more rapid. If one writes left-handed, ofcourse He will sit so as to get his light from the right side, or overthe right shoulder. SHADING. As a beautifier of the handwriting, by causing a diversity of lightand shade among the letters, shading has its value; but in thepractical handwriting for business purposes, it should, as a rule, beclassed with flourishing, and left out. Requiring time and effort, tobring down the shades on letters, business men, clerks and telegraphoperators find a uniform and regular style of writing, without shade, the best, even though it may not be as artistic. UNIFORMITY. A most necessary element in all good penmanship is uniformity. In theslope of the letters and words which form a written page there must beno disagreement. With the letters leaning about in various directions, writing is presented in its most ridiculous phase. Uniformity in thesize of letters, throughout the written page; how greatly it conducesto neatness and beauty. All letters resting on the line, and being ofuniform hight, adds another condition towards good penmanship. Thisessential element of uniformity may be watched and guarded closely andcultivated by any learner in his own practice. SLANT OF WRITING. As said before, it matters not so much what angle of slant is adoptedin writing, provided it is made uniform, and all letters are requiredto conform exactly to the same slant. Writing which is nearestperpendicular is most legible, and hence is preferable for businesspurposes. The printed page of perpendicular type; how legible it is. But for ease in execution, writing should slant. It follows then thatwriting should be made as perpendicular as is consistent with ease ofexecution. The slant of writing should not be less than sixty degreesfrom the horizontal. [Illustration: Position of Body While Standing] POSITION of the BODY WHILE STANDING. The practical book-keeper finds it advantageous to do his writingwhile standing; in fact, where large books are in use, and entries areto be transferred from one to another, the work of the book-keepercan hardly be performed otherwise than in a standing position, free tomove about his office. Cumbrous books necessitate a different positionat the desk, from that of the correspondent, or the learner. Sincelarge books must lie squarely on the desk, the writer, in order tohave the proper position thereto, must place his left side to thedesk. The body thus has the same relative position, as if squarelyfronting the desk with the paper or book placed diagonally. In otherwords, the writer, while engaged in writing in large, heavy books, must adjust himself to the position of the books. Should thecorrespondent or bill clerk perform his work while standing, he wouldassume the same as the sitting position--squarely fronting the desk. LEGIBILITY. Children, in learning to write, are apt to sacrifice all othergood qualities of beauty, regularity and grace, for the quality oflegibility, or plainness. With some older persons this legibility isconsidered of very little consequence, and is obscured by all mannerof meaningless flourishes, in which the writer takes pride. In theestimation of the business man, writing is injured by shades andflourishes. The demand of this practical time is a plain, regularstyle that can be written rapidly, and read at a glance. [Illustration] FINISH. By a careless habit, which many persons allow themselves to fall into, they omit to attend to the little things in writing. Good penmanshipconsists in attention to small details, each letter and word correctlyformed, makes the beautiful page. By inattention to the finish of oneletter, or part of a letter of a word, oftentimes the word is mistakenfor another, and the entire meaning changed. Particular attentionshould be devoted to the finish of some of the small letters, such asthe dotting of the i, or crossing of the t. Blending the lines whichform a loop, often causes the letter to become a stem, similar to thet or d, or an e to become an i. In many of the capital letters, thewant of attention to the finish of the letter converts it into anotheror destroys its identity, such, for instance, as the small cross onthe capital F, which, if left off, makes the letter a T. The W oftenbecomes an M, or _vice versa_, and the I a J. Mistakes in this regardare more the result of carelessness and inattention than anythingelse. By careful practice a person will acquire a settled habit ofgiving a perfection to each letter and word, and then it is no longera task, but is performed naturally and almost involuntarily, whilethe difference in the appearance of the written page, as well as theexactness and certainty of the meaning conveyed, may be incalculablygreat. While practicing penmanship, or while endeavoring to correct acareless habit in writing, the mind must be upon the work in hand, and not be allowed to wander into fields of thought or imagination;by thus confining the attention, any defect or imperfection in theformation of letters may be soon mastered or corrected. [Illustration: Position of the Hand and Pen. ] POSITION OF THE HAND AND PEN The right arm should rest on the muscles just below the elbow, andwrist should be elevated so as to move free from paper and desk. Turnthe hand so that the wrist will be level, or so that the back ofthe hand will face the ceiling. The third and fourth fingers turnedslightly underneath the hand will form its support, and the pen, thesefingers and the muscles of the arm near the elbow form the only pointsof rest or contact on desk or paper. The pen should point over theshoulder, and should be so held that it may pass the root of the nailon the second finger, and about opposite the knuckle of the hand. Anunnatural or cramped position of the hand, like such a position of thebody, is opposed to good writing, and after many years of observationand study, all teachers concur in the one position above described, as being the most natural, easy and graceful for the writer, and asaffording the most freedom and strength of movement. Avoid getting the hand in an awkward or tiresome position, rolling itover to one side, or drawing the fore finger up into a crooked shape. Hold the pen firmly but lightly, not with a grip as if it were aboutto escape from service. Do not say, "I can't" hold the pen correctly. Habits are strong, but will may be stronger, and if you hold the pencorrectly in spite of old habits, for a few lessons, all will thenbe easy, and the pen will take its position at each writing exercise, with no effort whatever. Everything being in readiness, and the properposition assumed, the writer must now obtain complete control of handand pen, by practice in movement. [Illustration] RAPIDITY. One of the essentials of a practical business style of writing must berapidity of execution, in order to be of any avail in the necessitiesand press of a business position. The demand of the merchant is, thathis clerk shall not only write well, but with rapidity, and thevolume of letters to be answered, bills to be made out, or items to beentered on the books of account, compel the clerk to move the penwith dexterity and rapidity, as well as skill. While there is greatdiversity among persons as to the rapidity as well as quality of theirpenmanship, some being naturally more alert and active than others, yet by securing the proper position of the hand, arm and body, favorable to ease and freedom of execution, then following this withcareful practice in movement, until all the varied motions necessaryin writing are thoroughly mastered, the person may, with suitableeffort, acquire the quality of rapidity in writing, graduallyincreasing the speed until the desired rate is accomplished. BEAUTY. In the handwriting, as in other things, beauty is largely a matterof taste and education. To the man of business, the most beautifulhandwriting is that which is written with ease, and expresses plainlyand neatly the thought of the writer. To the professional or artistictaste, while such a hand may be regarded as "a good business hand, " itwould not be considered as beautiful, because it conforms to no ruleas to proportion, shade, and spacing. In the practical art of writing, it is not very unfair to measure its beauty largely by its utility. [Illustration: Movement] MOVEMENT. Finger movement, or writing by the use of the fingers as the motivepower, is entirely inadequate to the requirements of business. Thefingers soon become tired, the hand becomes cramped, the writing showsa labored effort, and lacks freedom and ease so essential to goodbusiness penmanship. In the office or counting-room, where the clerkor correspondent must write from morning till night, the fingermovement of course cannot be used. What is designated by writing teachers as the Whole Arm, or Free ArmMovement, in which the arm is lifted free from the desk and completesthe letter with a dash or a swoop, is necessary in ornamentalpenmanship and flourishing, but has no place in a practical style ofbusiness writing. The man of business would hardly stop, in the midstof his writing, to raise the arm, and execute an "off-hand capital, "while customers are waiting. But adapted to the practical purposes of business is the _muscularmovement_, in which the arm moves freely on the muscles below theelbow, and in cases of precise writing, or in the more extendedletters, such as f, is assisted by a slight movement of the fingers. The third and fourth fingers may remain stationary on the paper, and be moved from time to time, or between words, where careful andaccurate writing is desired, but in more rapid, free and flowingpenmanship, the fingers should slide over the paper. MOVEMENT EXERCISES. Having everything in readiness, the student may begin his practice onmovement exercises, the object of which is to obtain control of thepen and train the muscles. Circular motion, as in the capital O, reversed as in the capital W, vertical movement as in f, long s andcapital J, and the lateral motion as in small letters, must each bepracticed in order to be able to move the pen in any direction, up, down, or sidewise. The simplest exercise in movement. Try to follow around in the sameline as nearly as possible. Do not shade. [Illustration: O O 8] The same exercise, only with ovals drawn out and and slight shadeadded to each down stroke. [Illustration: (coils)] Sides of ovals should be even, forming as nearly a straight line aspossible. Reverse the movement as in third form. [Illustration: (coils)] The following three exercises embrace the essential elements in capitalletters, and should at first be made large for purposes of movement: Capital O, down strokes parallel. [Illustration: O Q O Q O O Q O Q O] Capital stem. Down stroke a compound curve. Shade low. Finish with adash. [Illustration: d d d d d d d d d] Capital loop. Curves parallel. First curve highest. [Illustration: O O O O (double overlapping loops)] Having succeeded to some extent with these exercises, the learner maynext undertake the vertical movement. In order to obtain the lateralmovement, which enables one to write long words without lifting thepen, and move easily and gracefully across the page, exercises likethe following should be practiced: Down strokes straight. Even and resting on line. [Illustration: uuuuuuuuuuu] In all movement exercises the third and fourth fingers should slideon the paper, and the finger movement should be carefully avoided. Thedifferent movements having been practiced, they may now be combined invarious forms. [Illustration: u u u u u n n n n n] Lateral and rolling movement combined. Vertical movement and rollingmovement combined. [Illustration: t t t] Do not shade the circles. Lines should be parallel. Movement exercises may be multiplied almost indefinitely by studyingthe forms used in writing and their combinations. Repeating many ofthe small letters, such as m, u, e, r, s, a, d, h and c, also capitalsD, J, P, etc. , forms an excellent exercise for the learner. PRINCIPLES IN WRITING. In order to enable the learner to examine, analyze and criticisehis writing, the following principles are given as his standards ofmeasurements and form. By combining them in various ways the essentialpart of all letters in the alphabet may be formed. [Illustration: (eight common strokes)] The principles must be first carefully studied, and separated into theprimary lines which compose them and the form of each principle wellunderstood. The student may then form a scale like the one following, bydividing the distance between the blue lines on the paper into fourequal spaces, with a lightly ruled line. The letters of the smallalphabet should then be placed in the scale and the [Transcriber's Note:The original text reads 'hight'] height of each letter fixed in themind. [Illustration: (lowercase cursive alphabet)] Notice that the contracted letters, or those which occupy only onespace, as a, m, n, o, s, v, w and e, and that part of d, g, h, q andy, found in the first space, are all well rounded and developed. These letters and parts of letters, found in the first space, form theessential part of all writing, and therefore deserve especial care. Also notice that the loop letters, above the line, such as b, f, h, kand l, extend two and one-half spaces above the blue line, whilethe loop below the line, such as g, f, j, q, y and z, extend one andone-half spaces below the blue line, thus two and one-half and one andone-half making the four spaces of the scale, and the upper loops onone line will just meet the lower loops of the line above, but neverconflict, to the destruction of neat body writing. Notice the typeof the printer. The extensions above the shorter letters are quiteinsignificant, and are only used to save the letter from resemblingsome other letter of the alphabet. They never conflict, and howlegible they are. [Illustration: The Types. A Resemblance. An Absurdity. ] Besides, to make long loops, requires more time, and more power withthe pen, while shorter loops are in every way easier to acquire, quicker, and better. Telegraph operators, some of whom are among ourbest business penmen, make all extended letters very short, whileaccountants, and business men, favor the style of short loops, welldeveloped letters, and small capitals. Apply the principles. Observe regularity. Muscular movement. [Illustration: (v and u strokes)] Down strokes straight. Up strokes curved. [Illustration: (n and m strokes)] Principle No. 1. Well formed loop. [Illustration: (e and c strokes)] These exercises should be practiced with the muscular movement, untilthey can be made with regularity and ease. 4th principle. Let 3d and 4th fingers slide. Notice the top. [Illustration: (s and r strokes)] O closed at top. No retracing. [Illustration: (o and a strokes)] Two spaces high. Down stroke straight. [Illustration: (l and d strokes)] A rule in writing may be laid down, that all small letters shouldcommence on the blue line, and end one space high. Discover the principles. Avoid retracing. [Illustration: (g and q strokes)] Notice form. In w, last part narrow. Make without raising the pen. [Illustration: (v, w, and x strokes)] Extend two spaces above the line, and one below. [Illustration: p p pppppp pump paper prepared pen] Retracing is an error. The only exception to this is in d, t, p and x, where it becomes [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'neccessary']necessary. [Illustration: b b b blending blooming k k kick kicking hurt hint handheart head hundred hhh f find fund fame flame flowers fumigate] Upper loops have their crossing at the hight of one space, while lowerloops cross at the blue line. [Illustration: y your youth y j journey joining rejoicing fs effsefffs afsure z zone zone zenith zzzzzz tune time tanner drum dimetttdddd] Place the capital letters on the scale, analyze them according toprinciples 6, 7, and 8, and notice their relative proportions. [Illustration: (uppercase cursive alphabet)] In order to practice capital letters to advantage, as well as to studythem, collect in a group or family all those letters which havesome one form or principle as an essential part. Take first the 6thprinciple, or oval, and we group the letters as follows: [Illustration: O. D. C. E. P. Q. R. ] The excellence of an oval depends largely on its fullness androundness. No corners or flat sides. Down strokes parallel. Capital D is a Capital O with a knot on the lower corner. [Illustration: O Olean Orleans Ohio Delia David Dahlia] [Illustration: C Church Currency E Elucidate Economy] [Illustration: P Prince Prayer P R Regan R Raymond R] The letters in which the capital stem, or 7th principle, forms aleading part, may be grouped as follows: [Illustration: H. K. F. T. S. S. G. ] In the H and K, the capital stem is almost straight on the downstroke, in the F and T it is little more of a wave line, and in S andL the line is much of a compound or double curve. [Illustration: H Hand Hunter Hinder K Kingdom Ky. ] [Illustration: F Famine Fremont T Tenement Troy] [Illustration: S Sumpter St. S Sarimore G Grammar] The capital I, and also the J, which is a modified I, are sometimesclassed among the capital stem letters, from the resemblance of the Ito this principle in all but the top. [Illustration: Independence Jamestown Inkerman Judgment] The capital loop, or 8th principle, is found as an essential elementin: [Illustration: M. N. X. W. Q. Z. V. U. Y. ] In the capital loop, or 8th principle, another oval may be made withinthe large turn at the top, but for practical purposes the letter isperhaps better without it, and may be simplified even more, as in theN below. [Illustration: M Monumental N Nathaniel X Xenophon] [Illustration: W Writing Q Quay Quack J J Jones J J] [Illustration: V Value Valuable U Union Y Youthful] FIGURES. Make figures small, neat, and of form exact. Each figure must show foritself, and cannot be known by those which precede or follow it, asis the case with letters. The common tendency is to make figures toolarge and coarse. Mind the ovals in figures and have them full andround. The chief excellence of the zero lies in its roundness; the3, 5, 6 or 9, without care in making the ovals, may degenerate into astraight line, or simply a meaningless hook, which it would hardlybe safe to use in expressing sums of money, ordering goods, or thetransaction of other business. [Illustration: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 $ ¢ # % a/c 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0] [Illustration: COPIES FOR PRACTICE. ] COPIES FOR PRACTICE Having proceeded thus far in the study and practice of writing, andhaving obtained the proper control of the pen through the movementexercises, all that is necessary now in order to secure a goodhandwriting, is continued and well-directed practice. [Illustration: $1100. 00 Chicago, Jan. 10. /80. Due Henry Harrington, on order, Eleven Hundred Dollars in Merchandise, value rec'd No. 43. Newton P. Kelley, Sr. ] * * * * * [Illustration: Ornamental Penmanship. ] ORNAMENTAL PENMANSHIP Charming and fascinating are the graceful and harmonious curvesproduced, when, wielded by some trained and skillful hand, the penbecomes an instrument of beauty. As by the power of speech, men maypass from the common tone of conversation up to the melodious strainsof music, or may soar in flights of oratory into the sublime, untilthe multitude is entranced; so the capabilities of the pen are notlimited to the common uses of life, but may take on forms of beauty inelegant outlines of bird, or landscape, or graceful swan or boundingstag. Ornamental writing is not a practical art, and has no connectionwhatever with the practical business of life. It is in the realmof poetry. The imagery of graceful outlines must first be seen by apoetic imagination. While the great masses may acquire a good styleof plain, practical penmanship, few have the necessary conceptionof mind, combined with the skill and dexterity of hand to becomesuccessful ornamental penmen. The ornamental pages which follow are given, not as models forimitation or practice by the learner, but merely to show thepossibilities of the pen in the hand of a master, and as a fittingclosing to this, our chapter on penmanship. To any one who may have an artistic quality of mind, and delightsin beautiful lines and harmonious curves, these pages of ornamentalpenmanship will serve as models for practice and imitation, and everyattempt at such an exercise as the one on this, or the followingpages, will give greater strength and freedom of movement, and bettercommand of the pen, so that it will conduce to an easy, flowingand elegant style of plain business writing, while affording a mostpleasant and profitable employment in the cultivation of the taste. Various beautiful designs or pictures may be made with the pen, in thehands of one that possesses the skill of a penman and the eye of anartist. [Illustration] * * * * * [Illustration: HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS LETTER. ] HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS LETTER Considering the vast amount of business transacted by correspondencebetween the parties, Letter Writing seems only second in importance tobookkeeping. The merchant of the smaller cities or towns, perhapsin the far west, desires to order articles of merchandise from thewholesale house in New York or Boston. Possibly a remittance is tobe sent. It may be that an error has occurred and needs correction. Credit is to be asked, references given, and a multitude of othermatters call for adjustment through correspondence. To write everyconceivable variety and shade of meaning, expressing the properthought in the most fitting and appropriate language, is indeed a rareand valuable accomplishment. And when the proper language takes onthe graceful and businesslike air of the well written letter, with itsseveral parts harmoniously arranged, it is a combination of brain andskill which can hardly be overestimated. [Illustration] This subject, therefore, naturally divides itself into two parts: _TheMechanical Structure_, and the _Literature of a Letter_. The former ofthese being the less difficult will be first considered. THE STRUCTURE OF A BUSINESS LETTER. Consists in the arrangement of its several parts, with a view to themost harmonious effect. Excellent penmanship is very desirable, butnot absolutely essential. The penmanship may indeed be poor, but thearrangement of the several parts of the letter, the neatness, andfinish, may be such as to give it an attractive appearance, whileon the other hand, the letter may be clothed in the most elegantpenmanship, and yet the construction be such as to stamp its author asa careless and indifferent person, devoid of precision and order. No one great thing, but many little things carefully watched, andattentively practiced, make up the structure and dress of a businessletter, and give it a businesslike air. The penmanship should be aneat, strong hand, very plain and legible, and devoid of all flourish. PAPER AND ENVELOPE. The paper and envelopes used in business correspondence should be ofa good, durable quality, and a white color is preferable. Cheapmaterials are not only unsatisfactory to the writer, but may givethe reader an unfavorable impression, which would be an injury farexceeding the cost of the best stationery for a life time. Personsform impressions from very little things sometimes. The size of a letter sheet in business correspondence should be about8x10 inches. This sheet affords a sufficient space for a communicationof ordinary length to be written on one side only, which is essentialin case the letter is copied in a letter press. A sheet of paper, notesize, (5x8) is oftentimes used for brief communications of no specialimportance, and not designed to be filed for future reference. Amongprofessional men the commercial note sheet is more extensively used, but with business men the letter size is considered preferable. The envelope should correspond in size to that of the letter sheet, and should be a trifle longer than one-half the length of the sheet. Thus in a sheet eight by ten inches, one-half the length of the sheetis five inches, and this requires the length of the envelope to beabout five and a quarter inches. Its width is usually about threeinches. Avoid the use of fancy colored and fancy shaped paper andenvelopes. These may not be objectionable in social correspondenceamong ladies, but the gravity of business affairs does not admit ofsuch display. THE HEADING. With most firms engaged in business it has become a custom to have thebusiness advertisement placed at the head of the letter page, togetherwith street, number and city. Thus leaving only the date to beinserted to complete the heading. In case the heading of the letter is to be entirely written, it shouldbe placed so as to occupy the right hand half of the first two linesat the top of the page. If, however, the letter is to be a very briefone, occupying only three or four lines, the heading may then beplaced lower down on the sheet, so as to bring the body of the letterabout the center of the sheet. Writing from a large city the heading should contain the street andnumber. Your correspondent, in directing his answer will rely on theaddress given in the heading of your letter. Never be guilty of theblunder committed by ignorant persons of placing a part of the headingunder the signature. [Illustration: 765 Market Street, Philadelphia, June 10, 1882. ] [Illustration: DIAGRAM OF THE STRUCTURE OF A LETTER. ] The second line of the heading should begin a little farther to theright than the first line, as seen above. If the writer has a box at the Post Office and wishes his maildelivered there, he may head his letter, as on the following page: [Illustration: P. O. Box 3657, New York, May 16, 1882. ] [Illustration: Chas. A Roberts Wm. J. Dennis Office of ROBERT & DENNIS DEALERS IN FANCY AND STAPLE GROCERIES, 320 Jefferson Street, Burlington, Va. , ______________ 18____] Writing from the principal cities of the United States it is notnecessary to make the name of the state a part of the heading, as thatis supposed to be known and understood, but with smaller cities thename of the state also, should be given. Thus, there is a Quincyin Illinois, and also in Massachusetts, and unless the state werementioned a person answering a letter from Quincy, would not knowwhich state to direct his reply to. In writing from an obscure town orvillage, not only the state should be given, but the county as well. [Illustration: Ottawa, La Salle County, Ill. , December 20, 1882. ] The punctuation of the heading and other parts of the letter, isof great importance in the estimation of cultivated persons, andsomething which can be learned by a little attention on the part ofanyone, in examining the forms here given. MARGIN. A margin three-quarters of an inch in width should be left, on theside of the letter, as shown in the diagram. This is convenient forany mark or memorandum which your correspondent may desire to makeconcerning anything contained in the letter, but its greater valuelies in the open, airy, and cheerful dress which it imparts to theletter. A margin too narrow conveys the idea of stinginess, as if toeconomize paper, while an irregular or zigzag margin conveys the ideaof carelessness or want of precision. On a sheet of note paper themargin may be only one-half inch in width, thus making its widthproportionate to the size of the sheet. ADDRESS. On the next line below the heading, that is the third line from thetop of the sheet, and beginning at the left margin, should be placedthe _Address_, which consists of the name of the person to whom theletter is written, together with his titles, if any, and his place ofresidence or business. The letter is not complete without all this, inthe estimation of the business man. It does not fully explain itself, if the place of residence is not down as well as the name, and inpreserving a letter press copy, this is quite essential for futurereference. [Illustration: Messrs. Samuel Bliss Co. Reading, Pa. Gentlemen:] Or if the letter is written to a person living or doing business in alarge city, thus: [Illustration: Mr. James M. Cummings 645 Broadway, new York. Sir:] The names and residence should not be allowed to extend further to theright than about the center of the sheet, thus leaving an open spacebetween this and the heading of your letter. In case the names orplace of residence should be so long as to require it, they may beplaced thus: [Illustration: Messrs. Richards, Shaw, Fitch & Winslow, Chicago. Gentlemen:] The words _Dear Sir_ or _Gentlemen_ are sometimes placed farther tothe left, as in the above example, but most business men in theircorrespondence place this complimentary address with reference tothe words above them, about three-quarters of an inch farther to theright, as shown below. [Illustration: William D. Nelsen, Esq. , 177 Erie St. , Boston, Dear Sir:] The custom of placing the address beneath the body instead of at thebeginning of the letter, is not much in vogue in business circlesin this country, most business men preferring to place the name andaddress at the head of the sheet, and then write at it as if they weretalking to the person himself. When, however, the address is placedbelow the letter it should occupy the same position as to the margin, etc. , as if placed at the beginning. The custom is borrowed from theEnglish, and its use is confined mostly to government officials andprofessional men. BODY OF THE LETTER. This constitutes the written message. It should begin on the same linewith the words _Dear Sir_, or _Gentlemen_ leaving after these words asmall space. In case the place of residence or business is not writtenin the address, then the complimentary address of _Dear Sir_ or_Gentlemen_ will be placed on the next line under the name, or fourthline from the top of the sheet, and the letter will begin on the fifthline from the top, thus: [Illustration: Mr. Henry L. Dunham, Dear Sir: In answer to your esteemed favor] Sometimes for the sake of convenience, and the saving of time andlabor, the letter head has printed in the left corner, above theaddress, a blank form of memorandum as follows: [Illustration: Referring to yours of. . . OR, In reply to your favor of. . . , ] and after this introduction the writer is able speedily to get at themarrow of his letter, without acknowledging the receipt of a formercommunication. The body of the letter should be divided into as many paragraphs asthere are distinct subjects in the letter, or a new paragraph shouldbe commenced at every change of the subject. The habit which somepersons have of tacking one subject to the end of another, and thusmaking a letter one continuous paragraph of mixed up information, instructions and requests, is extremely objectionable. It destroys theforce of what is said, instead of fixing each thought clearly on themind of the reader; it leaves him confused, and he reads a second timeand tries to get his ideas fixed and systematized, or he throws asidethe letter until he has more time in which to study it and get themeaning clear. If the letter is long and is really concerning only one subject, thenit may properly be divided into paragraphs by separating the differentdivisions of the subject, and giving a paragraph to each. These shouldbe arranged in their logical order. Wherever the letter is to containnumerous paragraphs to avoid omitting any of the items, it is best tojot them down on a slip of paper, then embody them in the letter intheir natural order. The first word of each paragraph should be indented, or moved in fromthe margin, usually about the width of the margin. Thus if the marginis three-fourths of an inch in width, the paragraph should beginthree-fourths of an inch from the margin. Some writers, however, prefer to commence the first word of the paragraph an inch from themargin, and it is really not so essential what the distance is, asthat it should be uniform, and all the paragraphs begin alike. Alittle attention is necessary here. In ordering goods make eacharticle a separate paragraph. COMPLIMENTARY CLOSING AND SIGNATURE. The complimentary closing consists of such words as _Yours truly_, _Respectfully_, etc. , and should be placed on the next line beneaththe last one occupied by the body of the letter, commencing a littleto the right of the middle. The signature should be placed underneaththe words of respect, and begin still a little farther to the right. Thus the conclusion of the letter will correspond in position andarrangement with the heading. [Illustration: Yours truly, John Maynard. ] The language of the complimentary closing should be governed bythe relation between the parties, and should correspond with thecomplimentary address. The first letter between strangers shouldcommence with _Sir_ and end with the word _Respectfully_. After theexchange of a few letters and a sort of business acquaintance may besaid to exist between the correspondents, then _Dear Sir_, and _Yourstruly_, may properly be introduced. A little more cordial would besuch a conclusion as the following: [Illustration: Yours very truly, Rinold, Constable & Co. ] The man of business is apt, however, to have one stereotyped beginningand ending to all his letters, and seldom stops to discriminatebetween strangers and old customers in this respect. Often theconclusion may be connected to the closing paragraph with perfectgrace and ease thus: [Illustration: Hoping to receive the goods without delay, I remain, Respectfully, Henry P. Bowen. ] In the signature of a letter, especial care should be exercised. Bear in mind that names of persons are not governed by the rules ofspelling, and words which precede or follow, proper names will not aidus in deciphering them if they are poorly written. [Illustration: A MODEL BUSINESS LETTER. 146 S. Tenth Street, Cincinnati, March 11, 1884, Messrs. Arnold, Constable & Co. , Broadway & 19th Sts, New York. Gentlemen: Inclosed please find New York Exchange in settlement of your Invoice of the 1st inst. Less Cash discount. Amount of Invoice, $325. 80 Cash discount 5% 16. 29 ------ Draft inclosed $309. 51 The goods have been received, and are very satisfactory in both quality and price. You may expect another order soon. Yours truly, James Z. Wilson Co. ] The young person who would learn to write a good business letter, should, with pen, ink and suitable paper, sit down and practicefaithfully after the above model. Write and re-write it a dozen timesor more, until your letter resembles it closely. Then take any of themodels for letters given near the close of this chapter, and with thismatter, write a letter which will conform with the foregoing model inappearance and dress. Write the same matter over again, and improveit in its defects. Criticise each line and word. See that no wordsor letters are omitted, and that the punctuation is according tothe models in this book. Eliminate all ungainly letters, shorten theloops, see that each letter rests on the line, and that, withal yourpage is clean and regular. The person who will thus devote a little earnest study and practice, may early acquire the valuable accomplishment of writing a pleasingbusiness letter, so far as the mechanical structure goes. ADDRESSING THE ENVELOPE. After the letter is finished, and while it yet lies open before you, the Envelope should be addressed. As before stated, the directionson the envelope must conform to the address at the beginning of theletter, hence the necessity for addressing the envelope before theletter is folded. The first line of the address of the envelope should consist of the nameof the person or firm to whom the letter is written, together with anyappropriate titles, and should be written across or a little below themiddle of the envelope, but never above it, beginning near the leftedge. The space between this first line and the bottom of the envelopeshould be about equally divided among the other lines, each of whichbegins still farther to the right than the one above, thus: [Illustration: Messrs. Arnold, Constable & Co. , Cor. Broadway & 19th Sts. , New York City. ] When writing to a person in a large city the number and street shouldbe a part of the address, and may be placed as in the above form, orin the left hand lower corner as follows: [Illustration: Lewis H. Taylor, Esq. , Chicago, 118 Wabash Ave. Ill. ] In case the letter is addressed in care of any one this should beplaced in the lower left corner. If a letter of introduction, thewords _Introducing Mr. John Smith, _ or similar words, should be placedin this corner. Letters addressed to small towns or villages should bear the name ofthe county as follows: [Illustration: Mr. Henry D. Chambers, Washington, Porter County, Ala. ] Or the name of the county may be placed in the lower left corner. ThePost Office box number is usually placed in the lower left corner. FOLDING A LETTER. Having written an excellent letter, and faultlessly addressed theenvelope, all may be easily stamped as unbusiness-like, and spoiled, by improperly performing so simple a part as the folding. Rememberthat excellent rule that, whatever is worth doing should be well done. With the letter sheet lying before you, turn the bottom edge upso that it lies along with the top edge, thus making a fold in themiddle, which press down with the thumb nail or with a paper folder. Then fold the right edge over so that it falls two-thirds the distanceacross the sheet, and press down the edge. Next fold the left edge ofthe sheet over to the right, breaking the fold at the edge of the partfolded over just before. In case a check, note, draft, bill or currency is to be sent byletter, it should be placed on the upper half of the sheet as it liesopen, and then the letter should be folded the same as if it were notthere. This will fold the paper or document in the letter so that itwill be difficult to extract it while being transmitted in the mails, and so that it will not be dropped or lost in opening the letter. The letter is now folded so that it will be of equal thickness inevery part of the envelope. Insert the last broken or folded edge inthe envelope first, with original edges of the sheet at the end ofthe envelope which the stamp is on; when taken from the envelope theletter will then be proper side up. THE LITERATURE OF A LETTER. To be able to compose a letter requires more ability than to give itthe proper arrangement and mechanical dress. A mind well stored withuseful knowledge as well as command of language, is necessary inwriting a letter on general subjects. The strictly business letterrequires a thorough understanding of the facts concerning whichthe letter is written, and these facts to be set forth in plain andunmistakable language. All display of rhetoric or flourish of words isentirely out of place in the sober, practical letter of business. Theproper use of capital letters, punctuation, and correct spellingare essential to the well written letter, and with a little care andstriving may be easily acquired. ARRANGEMENT OF ITEMS. As stated before, each item or subject in a letter should be embracedin a separate paragraph. These should be arranged in the order inwhich they would naturally come, either in point of time, importance, or as regards policy. Never begin a letter abruptly with a complaint, but rather bring in all unpleasant subjects toward the close. Ifan answer to a letter of inquiry, take up the questions as they areasked, indicate first what the question is, and then state clearlythe answer. The first paragraph should acknowledge the receipt ofthe communication now to be answered, giving date and indicating itsnature and contents, thus: [Illustration: Your letter of the 10th instant concerning damagedgoods is received, etc. ] The closing paragraph usually begins with such words as _Hoping, Trusting, Awaiting, Thanking_, or similar expressions, and iscomplimentary in its tone and designed as a courtesy. BREVITY. Business letters should be brief and to the point. The best letterstates clearly all the facts in the fewest words. Brevity is notinconsistent with a long letter, as so much may need to be said asto require a long letter, but all repetitions, lengthy statements andmultiplication of words should be avoided. Use short sentences, andmake every word mean something. Short sentences are more forcible, andmore easily understood or remembered, than long drawn out utterances. STYLE. Style refers to the tone, air, or manner of expression. Dignity andstrength should characterize the style of the business letter. Noornament of expression or eloquence of language is necessary orappropriate in a correspondence between business men. Come to yourmeaning at once. State the facts. Let every sentence bristle withpoints. The successful business man must possess energy, decision, and force, and these qualities should be conspicuous in his correspondence inorder to command respect. Never use loose or slang expressions. The business man should be a _gentleman_. Indulge in no displayof superior knowledge or education, but temper each paragraph withrespect and deference to others. The learner who would aspire to writea good letter, should, after having finished his attempt, go overeach sentence carefully and wherever the pronoun I occurs, modify theexpression so as to leave this out. ORDERING GOODS. In ordering goods of any kind, care should be used to state veryexplicitly the color, size, quality, and quantity of the articlesdesired. If manufactured goods, the name of the manufacturer, or histrade mark or brand should be given. Also state when you desire thegoods shipped and in what way. If by freight or express, state whatFreight line or Express Company. SENDING MONEY BY LETTER. Paper currency should seldom be trusted to pass through the mails, asthe liability to loss is too great. Better send draft or P. O. Moneyorder, and in every case the amount of the remittance should be statedin the letter, and also whether by draft or otherwise sent. The lettermay become important evidence in regard to payment at some futuretime. INSTRUCTIONS. In giving instructions to agents, manufacturers and others, let eachorder occupy a separate paragraph. State in unmistakable language theinstructions desired to be conveyed. If possible a diagram or planshould be enclosed in the letter. Cautions and complaints, if any, should be clearly set forth in paragraphs near the close of theletter. A DUNNING LETTER. State when the debt was contracted, its amount, the fact of it havingbeen long past due, the necessity for immediate payment, and any otherfacts depending on the peculiarities of the case, which it may seem bestto make use of, such as promises to pay, which have not been met;the inconvenience as well as injury and distrust caused by suchirregularities, etc. LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION. Be just and truthful, avoiding any stereotyped form in letters ofintroduction. Never give a letter of introduction unless you haveentire confidence in the person to whom it is given; it may reflecton your character or be used against you. Be very guarded that noexpressions may be construed into a letter of credit, thus making thewriter liable for payment. Use no unfounded statements or assertions, over-estimating your friend, as these may prove untrue. Willing to extend a favor to a friend by giving a letter ofintroduction, do not be guilty of introducing him to any one in whomhe may not place confidence, as he might be a loser by such. FORM OF A LETTER ORDERING GOODS. 128 Jackson Street, RICHMOND, VA. , May 24, 18--. Messrs. JONES & SMITH, 867 Market St. , Philadelphia. _Gentlemen:_ Please ship me by Fast Freight as soon as possible the following goods: 3 hhds. N. O. Molasses. 1 bbl. Granulated Sugar. 5 chests English Breakfast Tea. 2 sacks Mocha Coffee, wanted not ground. 5 boxes Colgate's Toilet Soap. I will remit the amount of the invoice immediately upon the receipt of the goods. Yours respectfully, JAMES C. ADAMS. * * * * * ORDERING GOODS AND ENCLOSING PRICE. RICHMOND, IND. , Dec. 29, 18--. Messrs. MARSHALL FIELD & Co. , Chicago, Ill. _Gentlemen:_ Please forward me by American Express at once 1 Lancaster Spread, $3. 50 12 yds. Gingham, small check. (15c. ) 1. 80 3 doz. Napkins ($3. 00), 9. 00 ----- $14. 30 For which I inclose P. O. Money order. Hoping to receive the goods without delay, I am, Respectfully, WILLIAM L. MILLER. * * * * * DESIRING TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT. DAYTON, OHIO, Oct. 12, 18--. Messrs. HOLMES & WILSON, Detroit, Mich. _Gentlemen:_ Having recently established myself in the retail Hardware trade in this city, with fair prospects of success, and being in need of new goods from time to time, would like to open an account with your highly respectable house. My capital is small, but I have the satisfaction of knowing that what little I possess is the fruit of my own industry and saving. I can refer you to the well known firm of Smith, Day & Co. , of this city, as to my character and standing. Should my reference prove satisfactory, please forward me at once by U. S. Express, 2 Butchers' Bow Saws 1/2 doz. Mortise Locks, with Porcelain Knobs. 2 kegs 8d Nails, and charge to my account. Hoping that my order may receive your usual prompt attention, I am, Yours respectfully, HENRY M. BARROWS. * * * * * LETTER OF CREDIT. LEXINGTON, KY. , June 25, 18--. Messrs. DODGE, MANOR & DEVOE, New York City. _Gentlemen:_ Please allow the bearer of this, Mr. James Curtis, a credit for such goods as he may select, not exceeding One Thousand dollars, and if he does not pay for them, I will. Please notify me in case he buys, of the amount, and when due, and if the account is not settled promptly according to agreement, write me at once. Yours truly, HIRAM DUNCAN. * * * * * INCLOSING AN INVOICE. 125 Lake Street, CHICAGO, Nov. 15, 18--. SAMUEL D. PRENTICE, Esq. , Vevay, Ind. _Dear Sir:_ Inclosed please find invoice of goods amounting to $218. 60, shipped you this day by the B. & O. Express, as per your order of the 11th inst. Hoping that the goods may prove satisfactory, and that we may be favored with further orders, we remain, Yours truly, SIBLEY, DUDLEY & CO. * * * * * LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. 168 Olive Street, ST. LOUIS, June 4, 18--. HENRY M. BLISS, Esq. , Boston. _Dear Sir_: This will introduce to you the bearer, Mr. William P. Hainline, of this city who visits Boston, for the purpose of engaging in the Hat, Cap and Fur trade. He is a young man of energy and ability, and withal, a gentlemen in every sense. Any assistance you may render him by way of introduction to your leading merchants or otherwise, in establishing his new enterprise will be duly appreciated by both himself and Yours truly, JAMES W. BROOKING. * * * * * INCLOSING REMITTANCE. MILWAUKEE, WIS. , Feb. 18, 18--. Messrs. ARNOLD, CONSTABLE & Co. , New York. _Gentlemen:_ The goods ordered of you on the 3d inst. Have been received and are entirely satisfactory in both reality and price. Enclosed please find New York exchange for $816. 23, the amount of your bill. Thanking you for your promptness in filling my order, I am, Yours respectfully, HENRY GOODFELLOW. * * * * * INCLOSING DRAFT FOR ACCEPTANCE. NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 18--. Messrs. WEBSTER & DUNN, Cairo, Ill. _Gentlemen:_ Inclosed we hand you Draft at 30 days for acceptance for $928. 15, the amount of balance due from you to us to the present date. We shall feel obliged by your accepting the same, and returning it by due course of mail. Awaiting further favors, we are, Very truly yours, DODGE, HOLMES & CO. * * * * * INCLOSING A STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT. CHICAGO, March 1, 18--. Messrs. CHASE & HOWARD, South Bend, Ind. _Gentlemen_: Inclosed please find a statement of your account for the past three months, which we believe you will find correct. We shall feel obliged by your examining the same at your earliest convenience, and shall be happy to receive your check for the amount or instructions to draw on you in the ordinary course. We are, gentlemen, Yours truly, J. V. FARWELL & CO. * * * * * A DUNNING LETTER. DENVER, COL. , June 30, 18--. JAMES C. ADAMS, Esq. , Great Bend, Kansas. _Dear Sir_: Allow me to remind you that your account with me has been standing for several months unsettled. I should not even now have called your attention to it, were it not that in a few days I must meet a heavy bill, and must rely in part on your account to furnish me the means. I would, therefore, esteem it a great favor if you would let me have either the whole, or at least the greater part of your account in the course of a week or ten days. Thanking you for past favors, I remain, Sir, Yours truly, A. R. MORGAN. * * * * * AN APPLICATION FOR A SITUATION IN BUSINESS. _Paste the Advertisement at the head of the sheet, and write asfollows_: 124 Fayette Street, SYRACUSE, N. Y. , Sept. 17, 18-- JOURNAL OFFICE, City. _Dear Sir_: In reply to the above advertisement I would respectfully offer my services. I am 19 years of age, have a good education, and have had some experience in business, having assisted my father in his grocery store. I am not afraid of work, and never allow myself to be idle when there is work to be done. I can refer you as to my character, to Mr. J. H. Trout, president of the Gas Company, who has known me all my life. In reference to salary, I leave that with you, but feel certain that I could earn five dollars per week for you. Hoping to have the pleasure of an interview, I remain, Respectfully, HENRY OTIS. * * * * * ASKING PERMISSION TO REFER TO A PERSON. SYRACUSE, N. Y. , Sept. 17, 18--. J. H. TROUT, Esq. , _Dear Sir_: I beg to inform you that in applying for a situation this morning, advertised in the _Journal_, I took the liberty of using your name as a reference. The length of time I have been honored with your acquaintance, and the words of encouragement which you have given me heretofore, lead me to hope you would speak favorably in this instance, adding this to the numerous obligations already conferred upon Your obedient servant, HENRY OTIS. * * * * * INQUIRING AS TO BUSINESS PROSPECTS. NEWARK, OHIO, June 15, 18--. Mr. J. D. SHAYLOR, Denver, Col. _My Dear Sir_: As I told you a year ago, I have been thinking seriously of disposing of my small business here and locating in some live and promising city out west, where I can grow up with the country as you are doing. Will you have the kindness to sit down and write me at your convenience, full information in regard to the prospects of business, price of rents, cost of living, etc. , in your city, and any other information, especially in regard to the hardware trade. If you will thus kindly give me the facts on which I can base a calculation, and all is favorable, I will probably visit Denver this fall, and eventually become your neighbor. Yours very truly, J. O. GOODRICH. * * * * * LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION. GRAND HAVEN, Mich. , May 17, 18--. To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Mr. Henry McPherson, who is now leaving our employ, has been in our office for the past two years, during which time he has faithfully attended to his duties, proving himself to be industrious and thoroughly reliable. He is a good penman, correct accountant, and acquainted with correspondence. We shall at any time cheerfully respond to all applications we may have regarding his character and abilities, and wish him every success. Yours truly, WOOD & HILL. * * * * * NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF A PARTNERSHIP. DAVENPORT, IA. , Dec. 10, 18--. JAS. L. BINGHAM & CO. , Cedar Rapids, Ia. _Gentlemen_: On the 1st of January next the partnership for the past ten years existing between Geo. H. Clark and Henry Webster, wholesale grocers in this City, will expire by limitation of the contract. The firm takes this opportunity to thank its customers and friends for their generous patronage and support, whereby the business of the house grew to such large proportions. After the first of January the business will be carried on at the old stand, Nos. 76 and 78 Main St. , by Henry Webster and Cyrus D. Bradford, under the firm name of Webster & Bradford. We are, gentlemen, Your obedient servants, CLARK & WEBSTER. * * * * * RECOMMENDING A SUCCESSOR IN BUSINESS. CINCINNATI, OHIO, Dec. 15, 18--. TO THE PUBLIC: It is with some feeling of regret that we announce our retirement from the business on the beginning of the new year. Our stock and premises will then be transferred to Messrs. Franklin and Warren, whom we cheerfully present to your notice, and feel it our duty to recommend them for a continuance of that liberal confidence and patronage which you have bestowed on us during the past twenty years. Both these young gentlemen have been clerks of ours for several years past, and are in every way efficient and capable to continue the business. We are Respectfully, JOHNSON & FOX * * * * * [Illustration: ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS IN BUSINESS. ] ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS IN BUSINESS In order to succeed in business life, it is necessary to cultivate anddevelop certain qualities and traits of character. These are a portionof the capital of the successful man, and a more essential portionthan money or goods. HONESTY. "Sharp practice" may bring a temporary gain but in the long run of lifethat man will be far ahead who deals squarely and honestly at all times. A thoroughly honest clerk will command a higher salary than one ofequivocal habits, while the merchant who has a reputation for honestyand truthfulness in regard to the quality and value of his goods, willon this account he favored with a considerable custom. The business manwhose "word is as good as his bond" can in any emergency, control largeamounts of capital, the use of which brings him a rich return, while theman who sells his neighbor's good opinion for a temporary gain, willfind that he has discounted his future success, but taking an advantageat the cost of ten tines its value. INDUSTRY. No other quality can take the place of this, and no talents of mind, however excellent, will bring success without labor; persistentsystematic labor. The young man who expects to find some royal roadto success with little or no effort, or who imagines that his mentalabilities will compensate for a lack of application, cheats and ruinshimself. Horace Greeley probably never said a grander thing than this:"The saddest hour in any man's career is that wherein he, for thefirst time, fancies there is an easier was of gaining a dollar thanby squarely earning it. " and Horace Greeley was himself an example ofsuccess through industry. [Image: COUNSEL AND ADVICE. ] It is not genius, but the great mass of average people, who _work_, that make the successes in life. Some toil with the brain, and otherstoil with the hand, but all must toil. Industry applies to hours inbusiness and out of business. It means not only to perform allrequired work promptly, but to occupy spare moments usefully, not toidle evenings, and to rise early in the morning. An [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'employe'] employeeshould not confine himself to his mere obligatory duties. He shouldbe ready to work sometimes over hours or in other departments if it isdesired of him. Willingness to _work_ is one of the finest qualitiesin a character, and will compensate for many other deficiencies. MEMORY. This faculty, always so useful, is pre-eminently so to the businessman. It must be both retentive and quick. By proper training thisfaculty may be so cultivated that names, dates and events to asurprising number may be readily recalled. The ability to greet acustomer by calling him by name is considered very valuable in anyclass of business. It makes a very agreeable impression when a man whohas not seen us but once or twice, and who is not expecting us, meetsus promptly as we enter his store, with, "Why, Mr. ----, how do youdo? Glad to see you. When did you leave Newark?" We feel as if we hadoccupied that man's thoughts since we saw him before. He appreciatesus, and we feel like patronizing him. Whereas, on the other hand tomeet a customer with a blank, inquiring expression, and greet him with, "Your face is familiar, but I can't recall your name. " is unpleasantand tends to drive away custom. Every hotel keeper knows the valueof this greeting of customers. Facts, figures and dates are verynecessary to remember in business, and these often form the basis ofa business transaction or venture by which large profits are made. Superior ability in remembering prices and their fluctuations has beenthe secret of more than one brilliant success. Desultory reading injures the memory, while close application to asubject, recalling the various points therein, tends greatly to improvethis faculty. The clerk or employee [Transcriber's Note: The originaltext reads 'employe'] in receiving instructions from his principal shouldendeavor to impress every point clearly on his mind, and retain themthere until they are carried out in action. Carelessness andforgetfulness often causes the discharge of otherwise worthy andcompetent young persons, as employers do not like to repeat their orders. PROMPTNESS. A very essential element in the character of the business man ispromptness. Filling all engagements at exactly the appointed time, answering letters or forwarding goods with promptness, the man ofbusiness finds that much more can be accomplished and with far greateraccuracy, than by a loose system of putting off till tomorrow, oraccording to convenience. Not only so, but competition in business issuch that the merchant or tradesman who does not deal with promptnesscan hardly expect to hold his custom. Young men starting out in theworld should form the resolution of doing everything on time. Betterto be ahead in the performance of duties than behind. This promptnessthen acts as a stimulant in itself, and is oftentimes the means ofwinning success in an enterprise. A thing that is worth the doing, ought to be done quickly when thetime is ripe for it. A prompt man or woman is valued, as he respectshis word and has due regard for the convenience of others. EXECUTIVE ABILITY. Wavering, timid and uncertain, the man without executive ability neverachieves distinction in active life. Intelligence to decide on anymeasure, firmness in adhering to the decision, and force of will incarrying it out, constitute executive ability, and are as essential tothe business man as his stock in trade. The timid man never makes up his mind until after the opportunity ispast, or decides, then recalls his decision, and feels incapableof promptly estimating all the facts in the case. This weakness isoftentimes natural, but more frequently it is a bad habit which shouldbe broken up. Rashness is to decide and act without taking the trouble to weighintelligently the facts in the case. This is inexcusable folly, andalways brings serious trouble sooner or later. Through executive ability the labor or services of one man may be madeto produce largely, or without proper direction such services may bealmost worthless; and in the case of many employees [Transcriber's Note:The original text reads 'employes'] under one executive head, the resultsof this combined labor may be great success, or where executive abilityis wanting, a great failure. The successful farmer, merchant, manufacturer, banker, and professionalman must have this combination of ability, firmness, and will power. PERSEVERANCE. Those who put their minds on their work, whatever kind that may be, and persist in its thorough execution; who get interested in somethingfor their own advancement, that they may become more capable as menand women of sense and tact; such persons have a lively appreciationof the fact that success is never more certain to be gained by anyother course. These people have a just pride in learning the best methods of givingexpression to the faculties and powers they possess, and which theydesire to make the most of. It is incumbent that they do all in theirpower for their own and other people's good. Feeling this, an everpresent incentive keeps them employed, and they are never idle. [Illustration] If one does not succeed from persisting in doing the best he knowshow, he may conclude that the ministry of failure is better for himthan any worldly success would be. CIVILITY. Good behavior is an essential element of our civilization. It shouldbe displayed every day through courteous acts and becoming manners. Politeness is said to be the poetry of conduct; and like poetry, ithas many qualities. Let not your politeness he too florid, but of thatgentle kind which indicates a refined nature. In his relations with others, one should never forget his goodbreeding. It is a general regard for the feelings of others thatsprings from the absence of all selfishness. No one should behavein the presence of others as though his own wishes were bound to begratified or his will to control. [Illustration] In the more active sphere of business, as in the larger localitieswhere there is close competition, the small merchant frequentlyoutstrips his more powerful rival by one element of success, whichmay be added to any stock without cost, but cannot be withheld withoutloss. That element is civility. A kind and obliging manner carrieswith it an indescribable charm. It must not be a manner that indicatesa mean, groveling, timeserving spirit, but a plain, open, andagreeable demeanor that seems to desire to oblige for the pleasure ofdoing so, and not for the sake of squeezing an extra penny out of acustomer's purse. INTEGRITY. The sole reliance of a business man should be in the integrity of histransactions, and in the civility of his demeanor. He should make itthe interest and the pleasure of a customer to come to his office orstore. If he does this, he will form the very best "connections, "and so long as he continues this system of business, they will neverdesert him. No real business man will take advantage of a customer's ignorance, nor equivocate nor misrepresent. If he sells goods, he will havebut one price and a small profit. He will ere long find all the mostprofitable customers--the cash ones--or they will find him. If such a man is ever deceived in business transactions, he will neverattempt to save himself by putting the deception upon others; butsubmit to the loss, and be more cautious in future. In his businessrelations, he will stick to those whom he finds strictly just in theirtransactions, and shun all others even at a temporary disadvantage. The word of a business man should be worth all that it expresses andpromises, and all engagements should be met with punctilious concern. An indifferent or false policy in business is a serious mistake. Itis fatal to grasp an advantage at ten times its cost; and there isnothing to compensate for the loss of a neighbor's confidence or goodwill. The long-established customs and forms of business, which in thesetimes are assumed to be legitimate, already have within them enough ofthe elements of peculiarity, commonly termed "tricks of trade, " or, inthe sense of any particular business, "tricks of the trade. " Thereforeit does not behoove any active man to make gratuitous additions of apeculiar nature to the law of business. On the contrary, all shouldstrive to render business transactions less peculiar than they are. ECONOMY. One may rest in the assurance that industry and economy will be sureto tell in the end. If in early life these habits become confirmed, no doubt can exist as to the ultimate triumph of the merchant inattaining a competency. There should be no antagonism between economy and a generous businesspolicy. Narrow selfishness is to be avoided in the use of money ormeans. In buying goods, one should not take advantage of another'snecessities to beat him down to a figure which leaves him little or noprofit, perhaps a loss, because he must have money. This is againstmanhood and is a ruinous policy, because it tends to picayunishness andchicanery. A sacred regard for the principles of justice forms the basisof every transaction, and regulates the conduct of the upright man ofbusiness. [Illustration] If economy is wealth, it is not so because of a niggardly andparsimonious policy. Perhaps the simplest, fewest and best rules foreconomical business are these, by observance of which a notedmerchant amassed a large fortune: 1. Obtain the earliest and fullestinformation possible in regard to the matter in hand. 2. Act rapidlyand promptly upon it. 3. Keep your intentions and means secret. 4. Secure the best [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'employes'] employees you can obtain, and reward them liberally. Proprietors of institutions will early discover that order, andneatness, are necessary as economical agents in prosecuting asuccessful business. And the youth who would grow up to becomewell-to-do, to gain complete success, to be a valuable member andassume a position in society, should take pains to acquire habits ofcleanliness, of order, and of business. To this effect each one may early learn the simple rules of healthand good order by paying reasonable attention to those so-called minordetails, which pertain to the well-being of the person, and which mustbe faithfully observed in order to avoid failure and win success. A person, young or old, in or out of business, may keep amemorandum-book in his pocket, in which he notes every particularrelative to appointments, addresses, and petty cash matters. Anaccurate account of personal expenses should be kept, which should bebalanced each week. By this means each individual will be more carefuland economical in his expenditures, and generally live within hisincome. He must be reasonable in spending, or his memorandum orrecord-book, if it be honestly kept, will stand to his discredit. A well-kept memorandum-book is often very useful, as it is veryconvenient, and sometimes serves to settle a troublesome query, arising in other minds, by which the possessor is absolved from theprejudice of doubt. Young people who expect to labor with theirhands for what they have of this world's goods, or rise by their ownefforts, should by all means acquire habits of economy, learn to save, form correct habits, and no time will be required overcoming these. Sosurely as they do this, so surely will they be in a situation to askno special favors. Every man wants to learn to look out for himselfand rely upon himself. Every man needs to feel that he is the peerof every other man, and he cannot do it if he is penniless. Moneyis power, and those who have it exert a wider influence than thedestitute. Hence it should be the ambition of all young men to acquireit, as well as to store their minds with useful knowledge. GETTING A SITUATION. In seeking a situation, it is always best to appear in person ifpracticable. A business man who requires the services of a salesman orclerk, a bookkeeper, stenographer, or some one to remain in his employa considerable time, usually prefers to see an applicant and have afew words with him about the work that is to be done. If an application has to be made by letter, it should be done in thehandwriting of the applicant. It may be brief, and should includereferences. It is best for a young man to learn a trade. In this countrythe trades offer more stable means of subsistence than do otherdepartments of active life. His knowledge of a trade will form nobar to any effort he may afterward make to rise to a higher or morecongenial calling. When a position has been obtained by an applicant, he should at onceproceed to render himself indispensable to his employer by followingup the details of his work in a conscientious and agreeable manner. Thus he will gain confidence and grow in favor with men who are quickto recognize merit, and who respond to that which contributes to thesuccess of a meritorious man. [Illustration] There is always room in every business for an honest, hard-worker. Itwill not do to presume otherwise; nor should one sit down to grumbleor concoct mischief. The most perilous hour of one's life is when heis tempted to despond. He who loses, his courage loses all. There aremen in the world who would rather work than be idle at the same price. Imitate them. Success is not far off. An honorable and happy life isbefore you. Lay hold of it. * * * * * [Illustration: DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY. ] DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY The desire to accumulate property is one of the noblest that naturehas implanted in man, and it is through the successful results ofthis desire, we are enabled to point with unerring certainty tothe disembarking line, which so surely characterizes the advancededucated, refined and civilized man from that of the wild savage, whose highest desire is to slay and rob his fellow men, and proudlyexhibit their scalps, or the plunder he has acquired, as evidence ofhis cunning or courage. It is through this inborn desire to accumulate that man is willing tolabor, toil, suffer, and forego present gratifications for the hopeof future greater satisfactions; that has resulted in the building andequiping the mighty ships of commerce, whose white, spreading canvasdots every sea where commerce may be known, or where the interests ofGod's creatures may best be served. It is through this desire, coupledwith unremitting toil, that we owe everything of permanent enjoyment, of enlightenment and of prosperity. The millions of dollars of papermoney which is handled every day as the natural fruit of toil andsaving through the many and diversified transactions in the vast, illimitable and ever rapidly developing field of commerce, is but therepresentative of ownership of property. If this representative is what it purports on its face to be, eachand every one who receives it in exchange for services or commodities, owns not merely a piece of paper, with designs, words and promisesprinted or engraved thereon, but an interest or an undivided whole ina farm, a block of buildings or a store well stocked with merchandise, which, in his estimation, at least, is more desirable to him than thelabor or commodity for which he has voluntarily made the exchange;but, if on the contrary, it is other than what it purports on its faceto be, he finds that he is the owner of a piece of paper whose valueis _nil_. There is, at the present writing, 1884, nearly eight hundred milliondollars of paper currency in the United States, consisting ofgreenbacks and national currency, a great portion of which is inactual circulation, and it has been estimated by eminent authorities, who occupy positions of trust in the various departments throughwhich the financial machinery of this vast sea of paper money is dailycirculated, that there is in circulation nearly one-fifth of thisamount in counterfeit money, or about one hundred and sixty milliondollars; and not one dollar of this counterfeit money owes itscirculation to any excellence of the work in its manufacture, butwholly to the general ignorance of those who handle it, as to whatis required to constitute a genuine bill. The time will come when theUnited States will redeem all of its issue of paper money, when thosewho are holding any of this counterfeit money will have to stand theloss to the extent of the sum in their possession. To all of those whoare willing to take a small portion of their time each day for a fewweeks in learning just what it takes to constitute a genuine bill, there need be no necessity of ever losing anything by counterfeiters, as it is impossible for them to make bills which will in any wayapproach the beauty and exactness of the genuine ones. There is not atthe present time, nor has there ever been in the past, nor will thereever be in the future, a counterfeit bill made that cannot be detectedat sight; and the positive knowledge of how to know at all times whena bill is genuine and when not is within the reach of all thosewho may have the privilege of reading the following informationor infallible rules with a genuine desire to be benefited thereby. DEVICES AND FRAUDS. Various devices are resorted to by a numerous gang or body of persons, to get on in the world without turning their attention to legitimateand useful employments. This class includes many that are not engagedin the practice of counterfeiting and putting forth bad money, but whomake themselves felt in various ways through vain tricks and schemes, which are, to all intents and purposes, frauds. Business men are generally apt at detecting and turning off pettyschemes, but they find it best to have the means with which theymay deal successfully as against regular swindlers, forgers andcounterfeiters. COUNTERFEIT AND GENUINE WORK. [Illustration: DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY] As indicated above, counterfeit notes are issued and put into thechannels of circulation in abundance every year by those engagedin the practice of counterfeiting. These notes are often such goodimitations of the genuine that it is quite difficult to discern thedifference. That he may protect himself, each business man should have somedefinite knowledge of a genuine bank-note. The engraving of a genuine bank note, in most all of its parts, isdone by machinery, and it is more exact and perfect. On the contrary, most all parts of counterfeit notes are done by hand. Counterfeiters cannot afford to purchase machinery, such as is usedfor the production of genuine notes. The cost of such machinery isbetween $100, 000, and $150, 000, and if it were in wrong hands it wouldbe always liable to seizure and confiscation. In order to prevent the forgery of bank-notes, a great deal ofingenuity and art has been expended on their production. The principalfeatures of the manufacture are described as a peculiar kind of paperand water mark; an elaborate design, printed with a peculiar kind ofink, and certain private marks, known only by the bank officials. The work of counterfeiters can never equal that of the makers ofgenuine notes, whose skill and facilities for producing the highestgrade of work known to the art, are the best that the world affords. Unless one is somewhat learned as to the quality of engraving, that hemay be able to distinguish a fine specimen of the art when he sees it, he is likely to become a victim of the counterfeiter's operations. LATHE WORK. When the genuineness of a bank-note is doubted, the Lathe Work onthe note should first be closely scrutinized. The several lettersof denomination, circles, ovals, and shadings between and around theletters in the words, etc. , are composed of numberless extremely finelines--inclusive of lines straight, curved and network. These are allregular and unbroken, never running into each other, and may be tracedthroughout with a magnifying glass. Without the skill or machinery, by which the genuine is produced, thesame quality of work cannot be done. Therefore, in a counterfeit, thelines are imperfect, giving the paper a dull or hazy aspect, that maybe all the better appreciated by comparing it with the genuine. Thelines in the counterfeit will be found now and then irregular in size, and broken: not uniform in course, sometimes heavy, sometimes light:no two stamps or dies on the same note being exactly alike. The fine, uniform, shade-lines, with which the letters on the genuineare embellished, are wrought by a machine that cannot be reproducedby counterfeiters, nor used for other than legitimate purposes, byauthority. GEOMETRICAL LATHE. The fine line is the characteristic of the various and beautifulfigures which are seen on a genuine note. This line is producedby what is called the Geometrical Lathe. The patterns made by thegeometrical lathe are of every variety of form. They are not engraveddirectly upon the bank-note plate, but on pieces of soft steel plate, which are afterwards hardened. The impressions are then transferredto a soft steel roller, which, in its turn, is also hardened, and theimpressions remain there, in relief. This roller is then capable oftransferring the same designs to the bank-note plate by means of thetransfer press. In counterfeit engraving, the design is made directly upon the plate, and not by transfer, as in the production of plates for genuine notes. The essential difference between the two methods of production is, thecounterfeit is made by hand, and is inexact and imperfect, while thegenuine is made on geometrical principles, and is therefore exact, artistic and beautiful. In all the government issues the geometric lathe work is liberallyused. This should be studied carefully, as it constitutes the chieftest of genuineness. Fine lines, of unerring exactness, never broken, are seen on thegenuine medallion heads, or shields, upon which the designation ofthe note is sometimes stamped. This nicety cannot be given by hand, orwith the use of imperfect machinery. By close scrutiny the lines willbe found to break off in the pattern, or appear forked, irregular insize, and not well defined throughout. [Illustration] On most counterfeits the vignettes are not well engraved, and theportraits have a dull appearance; the letters are usually wanting inclearness; the printing is sometimes faulty, by which some features ofthe note are obscured. RULING ENGINE WORK. In Ruling Engine Work, as it is called, the fine line is present, also. The engraving is produced and transferred in the same way as thegeometrical lathe work. In this they are parallel and not in circles. Those which constitute the shading of letters are so fine that theyform a perfectly even gray shade. They may be printed so that theshading will appear darker, but the aspect will be uniform. The spacesbetween lines are exact, whether the lines be horizontal or diagonal. The lines are also made crooked or wave-like, not absolutely parallel. Ruling engine work is generally used for shading of names of banks, and also for the names of town, state, etc. VIGNETTES. While lathe work and that of the ruling engine are invariablymachine work, and therefore cannot be successfully reproduced bycounterfeiters, the Vignettes are chiefly the work of the hands. Inall genuine work they are made by first class artists, who are wellpaid for their services, and who therefore have no incentive toexercise their skill for illegitimate purposes. Sometimes water and sky are done with the ruling engine, and when theyare, no counterfeiter can successfully imitate them. Fine vignettesare seldom seen on counterfeit notes. If the lathe and ruling enginework be genuine, an ordinary vignette cannot make a note counterfeit, and if that be counterfeit, no vignette can make the note genuine. The vignettes on genuine notes are executed by men at the head oftheir vocation, and are very life-like and beautiful. Counterfeitvignettes usually have a sunken and lifeless appearance. Genuinevignettes, as seen upon government issues, consist of out-door scenes, portraits, historical pictures, and allegorical figures. They are allexceedingly beautiful, and it is not likely that such work will everbe successfully imitated. SOLID PRINT. The lettering, or solid print, in genuine work is done by afirst-class artist, who makes that kind of work his exclusive concern. The name of the engraving company is always engraved with great painsand is very accurate. It will be seen on the upper and lower marginof the note. This, in counterfeits, is not quite uniform or even. The words "one dollar, " as on the one dollar greenbacks, are to beconsidered as a sample of solid print. BANK-NOTE PAPER. Bank-notes are printed upon paper composed of linen, the qualify ofwhich is not always the same, and it varies in thickness. Therefore, the paper is not always a sure test, but it is important. Themanufacture of this paper is a profound secret, as carefully kept asthe combinations to the great vaults where the government's millionslie awaiting further river and harbor bills. It is made only atthe Dalton mill, which dates back almost to colonial days. What itscombinations are nobody knows except those intimately connected withits manufacture. The secret of the paper-making is jealously guarded, as is also the paper itself. From the moment it is made until it getsinto the treasury vaults it is carefully guarded. It goes there insmall iron safes, the sheets carefully counted, and all precautionsagainst its loss being taken both by the government officials and bythe express companies which carry it. COUNTERFEIT SIGNATURES. Sometimes genuine notes are stolen before they are signed; then theonly thing about them made counterfeit is the signatures. Those whoare familiar with the signatures of the officers of the bank wherenotes are purloined, may not be lead into error, as such signaturesusually appear more or less cramped or unsteady; but there is no sureprotection against a counterfeit of this kind for those who do nothave special knowledge of the signatures. [Illustration: UNITED STATES TREASURY BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D. C. ] ALTERED BANK-NOTES. Bank-notes are altered in two ways, namely: raising the denomination, and changing the name of a broken to that of a responsible bank. First, in altering a note, it is scraped until thin: then figures oflarger denomination are pasted over. A pasted note may be detected byholding it up to the light, when the pasted parts will appear darker, as they are thicker. Second, the denomination of a note is raised by taking out a low onewith an acid, and printing in a higher one with a counterfeit stamp. The ink used in genuine bank-note printing is a peculiar kind, andnot easily to be obtained by counterfeiters: therefore, their printingwill not appear as clear and bright as that of the government, whichis done with ink of the finest quality. If the ink is black, it givesa clear and glossy impression, without any of that smutty appearance, as is sometimes seen in counterfeit bank-notes. It is almostimpossible to imitate the green ink that is used by the government, and it is nearly as difficult to imitate the red and other colors. Counterfeit inks look dull and muddy, while genuine inks have a glossyappearance. In the case of a note altered by the use of acid, it may benoticed that the acid, by spreading more than was intended by thecounterfeiter, has injured parts of other letters, and the paper willappear more or less stained by the acid. COMPARING AND EXAMINING NOTES. A counterfeit should be compared with one that is genuine, in orderto familiarize one's self with the distinguishing features which havealready been indicated. It is best to acquire the habit of giving each note as received asearching glance, turning it over to see the back, and if there beany defect, it will probably catch the eye. If there be the leastsuspicion, a critical examination of all its parts should be made. In case of doubt, the lathe work should be carefully examined, and itmay be compared with a perfectly good bill; then examine the shadingaround the letters, and search for any sign of alteration in thetitle or denomination of the note. If there are any medallion heads orshields, notice the lines; if there is any red letter work, designedto appear on both sides, look at the character of the work on theface, then turn the note and examine the back. If the printing isnot exactly alike on both sides, but varies in any part the note iscounterfeit. Then observe the vignettes and portraits, to see whethertheir style and perfection compare well with the work on genuinenotes. Then examine the solid print and engravers' names, as well asthe printing, ink, and paper. By such thorough examination, one canhardly be at a loss to determine the status of the note. Good magnifying glasses are necessary, in most instances, to bring outthe fine lines on bank-notes. Sometimes a microscope of great power isrequired to discern the genuine line. PIECING, ETC. Counterfeiters sometimes make ten bills of nine by what is termedpiecing. Thus, a counterfeit note is cut into ten pieces by thecounterfeiter, and these pieces are used in piecing nine genuinebills, from each of which a piece has been cut. The nine genuinepieces, thus obtained, are then pasted together, and with the tenthcounterfeit piece added, make a tenth bill, which is the gain. Piecing bank-bills is not a very successful practice. One whopossesses such information as here given, can readily detect thedifference between the counterfeit and the genuine. This differenceis, however, made less apparent by the counterfeiter, who defacesthe counterfeit part, so as to give the note a worn appearance. Counterfeiting is rendered very difficult in consequence of theremarkable excellence of the work on the government and nationalcurrency, as also from the difficulty of imitating the green. But thiscurrency, if successfully imitated by counterfeiters, will repay largeoutlay and care, as the greenbacks pass anywhere in the nation, and acounterfeit may be carried to other states or sections as it becomesknown in any particular locality. National bank currency may becounterfeited by preparing a plate, and then with simple change in thename of the bank the counterfeit can be adapted to the various townswhere banks are located. This much is written, not to lessen the valueof or confidence in the issues of the government, but to admonish thepublic against the dangers of a false security. [Illustration] * * * * * [Illustration: HOW TO ADVERTISE] HOW TO ADVERTISE EMBRACING RULES, SUGGESTIONS, AND PRACTICAL HINTS ON THIS IMPORTANTSUBJECT. [Illustration] Volumes might be written on the necessity of, and the various methodsemployed for, advertising. Many prosperous men owe their successin life to judicious and liberal advertising. In this age of strongcompetition in the various avenues of trade, he who does not advertisehis wares will probably be outdone by a more ambitious dealer, withperhaps a poorer article, who advertises liberally. People go wherethey are invited, and the merchant who advertises freely, places hisstore and windows in attractive order, and leaves the door open, willdo far more business than he who does not cater to the public, isindifferent about appearances, gruff, and complaining of hard times. Horace Greeley laid it down as a rule that a merchant shouldadvertise equal to his rent. This, like all good rules, ought to haveexceptions. An old and well established business would not requireso much, while a new enterprise would require more than this amountexpended judiciously in advertising. The merchant should decide at thebeginning of the year about, what amount he may expend in advertisingduring the year, and then endeavor to place that amount in the bestpossible manner before the public. An advertiser should not be discouraged too soon. Returns are oftenslow and inadequate. Time is required to familiarize the public with anew article or new name. Some men have given up in despair, when juston the eve of reaping a harvest of success by this means. Many of themost prosperous and wealthy business men in this country have at timesbeen driven hard to meet their advertising bills, but they knew thatthis was their most productive outlay, and by persistently continuingit they weathered the storm. NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING. Select the newspaper which circulates among the class of personsdesired to reach. Do not advertise a special article or businessdesigned for a limited class of customers, in a general newspaper. Almost all trades and occupations in these latter days have theirspecial journals, and these afford the best means of reaching thatclass of persons. The purpose of the advertiser then should be todiscover, first, the character of a paper's circulation, and second, the extent of its circulation. On these two essentials may then bebased an estimate of its value as an advertising medium. The characterof a paper's circulation is easily determined by the quality of thereading matter which the paper contains, and the general tone impartedto it by its conductors. The extent of a paper's circulation bearschiefly on the rates of advertising, which, other things being equal, should have a direct ratio to it. The extent of circulation is amatter of almost constant misrepresentation on the part of publishersor their agents. As a rule, the most prominent and costly part of the paper is thebest. In country weeklies the "local items, " or next to them, ispreferable. In city journals containing a large amount of readingmatter, a well displayed advertisement on the outside pages is perhapsthe best for most classes of business. Place the advertisement before the public at the proper time, just whenpeople are beginning to feel the need of such as the article advertised, as furs, when winter sets in. An advertisement may, however, profitablybe kept before the public constantly, and increased or diminished asoccasion requires. CIRCULARS. There are many well established firms who will not advertise in thenewspapers at all. They believe that the same amount of money spentin circulars, catalogues, etc. , sent direct to the persons whom theydesire to reach, pays better than newspaper advertising. This is moredirect, and affords the advertiser the opportunity of setting forthhis claims more fully. Circulars, cards, catalogues, etc. , also afforda means for the display of taste in their typographical arrangementand appearance, and often times this has as much to do in makingan impression on the person who receives it, as the reading mattercontained therein. The printed circular goes out to the public as therepresentative of the house; it should, therefore, in order to commandattention and respect, have about it, an air of appropriateness andattraction. Such a circular will perhaps be carefully preserved foryears, while another which was of not enough importance, apparently, to the proprietor or firm issuing it, to command their taste andskill, will soon be thrown aside as of no importance to the personreceiving it. Several circulars must often be sent in order to command the attentionand secure the custom of a person. Where circulars referring to thesame article are repeatedly sent out, the attention of the person whoreceives them is likely to be arrested at last, and his response maybe made in the form of an order. Perhaps thereafter he becomes a constant customer, buying himself, andrecommending his friends to do likewise. CHARTS, CALENDARS, ETC. An important idea in advertising is to enlist the services of others, by making it to their interest to advertise your business. This isoften done by sending out charts, calendars, etc. , containing usefulinformation, together with the advertisement. These, when properlyarranged and prepared in an attractive manner, will be placed ina conspicuous place in the store, office, or home of the personreceiving them. Railway, insurance, and other corporations have viedwith each other in the elegance and attractiveness of their charts, etc. , until they have gone into the fine arts, and spared no expenseto captivate the public. LETTERS. More effectual than circulars, and nearest a personal interview, is apersonal letter. As an advertisement the letter impresses itself uponthe mind of the person receiving it, in an unusual way. A prominentfirm employed clerks, and had written several thousand letters, atmany times the cost of printed circulars, which they mailed throughoutthe country, calling especial attention to their line of goods. Eventhe two cent postage stamp, and the envelope being sealed, impressesthe person receiving it with the thought that it is of importance, and one of the largest dry goods houses in Chicago, when issuing anycircular which they regard as special, seal the envelope and place atwo cent stamp thereon. They consider that this gives their circularsa preference over ordinary printed matter. Certain it is, that thepublic accept advertisements largely at the value and importanceattached to them by their owners. DRUMMERS AND AGENTS. Personal effort exceeds all other means of advertising, andcompetition in many branches of business has become so strong in thesetimes, and the facilities for travel so excellent, that large numbersof solicitors and agents traverse the country. Good personal address, a thorough understanding of the business, a knowledge of human nature, together with social qualities, constitute a good drummer. HOW TO WRITE AN ADVERTISEMENT. Before writing an advertisement, one should always place before hismind what is the most important thing to impress upon the public. Ifhe is advertising an article of established trade, it is the name andlocation of the house selling it which must be the more prominent, orat least equally so with any other part; but if he be introducing somenew article, or seeking to extend the sale of something little knownor rare, these items are of far less importance, and the name of thearticle itself should be more prominent. The advertisement should beso constructed as to claim the attention of the reader, and retainthat attention until he has read it through. "Excite but neversatisfy, " is the principle pursued by many successful advertisers. The advertisement should never contain anything repugnant to refinedtaste, and nothing grotesque or ridiculous. The most meaning should becondensed into the fewest possible words. The wording should often bechanged, and an attractive typography should be used. It is well tochoose an attractive heading, followed by fairly spaced paragraphs, with appropriate sub-heads. * * * * * [Illustration: HOW TO BE HANDSOME. ] HOW TO BE HANDSOME Where is the woman who would not be beautiful? If such there be--butno, she does not exist. From that memorable day when the Queen ofSheba made a formal call on the late lamented King Solomon until therecent advent of the Jersey Lily, the power of beauty has controlledthe fate of dynasties and the lives of men. How to be beautiful, andconsequently powerful, is a question of far greater importance to thefeminine mind than predestination or any other abstract subject. If women are to govern, control, manage, influence and retain theadoration of husbands, fathers, brothers, lovers or even cousins, theymust look their prettiest at all times. All women cannot have good features, but they can look well, and itis possible to a great extent to correct deformity and develop much ofthe figure. The first step to good looks is good health, and thefirst element of health is cleanliness. Keep clean--wash freely, batheregularly. All the skin wants is leave to act, and it takes care ofitself. In the matter of baths we do not strongly advocate a plungein ice-cold water; it takes a woman with clear grit and a strongconstitution to endure it. If a hot bath be used, let it come beforeretiring, as there is less danger of taking cold afterwards; and, besides, the body is weakened by the ablution and needs immediaterest. It is well to use a flesh-brush, and afterwards rinse off thesoap-suds by briskly rubbing the body with a pair of coarse toiletgloves. The most important part of a bath is the drying. Every part ofthe body should be rubbed to a glowing redness, using a coarse crashtowel at the finish. If sufficient friction can not be given, a smallamount of bay rum applied with the palm of the hand will be foundefficacious. Ladies who have ample leisure and who lead methodicallives, take a plunge or sponge bath three times a week, and a vaporor sun bath every day. To facilitate this very beneficial practice, asouth or east apartment is desirable. The lady denudes herself, takesa seat near the window, and takes in the warm rays of the sun. Theeffect is both beneficial and delightful. If, however, she be ofa restless disposition, she may dance, instead of basking, in thesunlight. Or, if she be not fond of dancing, she may improve theshining hours by taking down her hair and brushing it, using sulphurwater, pulverized borax dissolved in alcohol, or some similardressing. It would be surprising to many ladies to see her carefullywiping the separate locks on a clean, white towel until the dustof the previous day is entirely removed. With such care it is notnecessary to wash the head, and the hair under this treatment isinvariably good. One of the most useful articles of the toilet is a bottle of ammonia, and any lady who has once learned its value will never be without it. A few drops in the water takes the place of the usual amount of soap, and cleans out the pores of the skin as well as a bleach will do. Wash the face with a flesh-brush, and rub the lips well to tone theircolor. It is well to bathe the eyes before putting in the spirits, andif it is desirable to increase their brightness, this may be done bydashing soapsuds into them. Always rub the eyes, in washing, towardthe nose. If the eyebrows are inclined to spread irregularly, pinchthe hairs together where thickest. If they show a tendency to meet, this contact may be avoided by pulling out the hairs every morningbefore the toilet. The dash of Orientalism in costume and lace now turns a lady'sattention to her eyelashes, which are worthless if not long anddrooping. Indeed, so prevalent is the desire for this beautifulfeature that hair-dressers and ladies' artists have scores ofcustomers under treatment for invigorating their stunted eyelashes andeyebrows. To obtain these fringed curtains, anoint the roots with abalsam made of two drachms of nitric oxid of mercury mixed with oneof leaf lard. After an application wash the roots with a camel's hairbrush dipped in warm milk. Tiny scissors are used, with which thelashes are carefully but slightly trimmed every other day. Whenobtained, refrain from rubbing or even touching the lids with thefinger-nails. There is more beauty in a pair of well-kept eyebrowsand full, sweeping eyelashes than people are aware of, and a veryinattractive and lusterless eye assumes new beauty when it looks outfrom beneath elongated fringes. Many ladies have a habit of rubbingthe corners of their eyes to remove the dust that will frequentlyaccumulate there. Unless this operation is done with little frictionit will be found that the growth of hair is very spare, and in thatcase it will become necessary to pencil the barren corners. Insteadof putting cologne water on the handkerchief, which has come to beconsidered a vulgarism among ladies of correct tastes, the perfume isspent on the eyebrows and lobes of the ears. If commenced in youth, thick lips may be reduced by compression, andthin linear ones are easily modified by suction. This draws the bloodto the surfaces, and produces at first a temporary and, later, apermanent inflation. It is a mistaken belief that biting the lipsreddens them. The skin of the lips is very thin, rendering themextremely susceptible to organic derangement, and if the atmospheredoes not cause chaps or parchment, the result of such harsh treatmentwill develop into swelling or the formation of scars. Above allthings, keep a sweet breath. Everybody can not have beautiful hands, but there is no plausiblereason for their being ill kept. Red hands may be overcome by soakingthe feet in hot water as often as possible. If the skin is hard anddry, use tar or oat-meal soap, saturate them with glycerine, and weargloves in bed. Never bathe them in hot water, and wash no oftener thanis necessary. There are dozens of women with soft, white hands who donot put them in water once a month. Rubber gloves are worn in makingthe toilet, and they are cared for by an ointment of glycerine andrubbed dry with chamois-skin or cotton flannel. The same treatment isnot unfrequently applied to the face with the most successful results. If such methods are used, it would be just as well to keep theknowledge of it from the gentlemen. We know of one beautiful lady whohas not washed her face for three years, yet it is always clean, rosy, sweet and kissable. With some of her other secrets she gave it to herlover for safe keeping. Unfortunately, it proved to be her last giftto that gentleman, who declared in a subsequent note that "I can notreconcile my heart and my manhood to a woman who can get along withoutwashing her face. " SOME OF THE SECRETS OF BEAUTY. There is as much a "fashion" in complexion as there is in bonnetsor boots. Sometimes nature is the mode, sometimes art. Just now thelatter is in the ascendant, though, as a rule, only in that inferiorphase which has not reached the "concealment of art"--the pointwhere extremes meet and the perfection of artifice presents all theappearance of artlessness. No one of an observant turn of mind, whois accustomed to the sight of English maids and matrons, can denythat making-up, as at present practiced, partakes of the amateurishelement. Impossible reds and whites grow still more impossibly redand white from week to week under the unskilled hands of the wearer of"false colors, " who does not like to ask for advice on so delicate asubject, for, even were she willing to confess to the practice, theimputation of experience conveyed in the asking for counsel might bebadly received, and would scarcely be in good taste. The prevalent and increasing short-sightedness of our times is, perhaps, partly the cause of the excessive use of rouge and powder. The wielder of the powder puff sees herself afar off, as it were. Sheknows that she cannot judge of the effect of her complexion with herface almost touching its reflection in the glass, and, standing abouta yard off, she naturally accentuates her roses and lilies in a waythat looks very pleasing to her, but is rather startling to any onewith longer sight. Nor can she tone down her rouge with the powderedhair that softened the artificial coloring of her grandmother when shehad her day. Powder is only occasionally worn with evening dress, and it is by daylight that those dreadful bluish reds and whites looktheir worst. On the other hand, there are some women so clever at making up theirfaces that one feels almost inclined to condone the practice inadmiration of the result. These are the small minority, and are likelyto remain so, for their secret is of a kind unlikely to be shared. Theclosest inspection of these cleverly managed complexions reveals notrace of art. Notwithstanding the reticence of these skilled artists, an occasionalburst of confidence has revealed a few of their means of accomplishingthe great end of looking pretty. "Do you often do that?" said one ofthose clever ones, a matron of 37, who looked like a girl of 19, to afriend who was vigorously rubbing her cheeks with a course towel aftera plentiful application of cold water. "Yes, every time I come in from a walk, ride or drive. Why?" "Well, no wonder you look older than you are. You are simply wearingyour face out!" "But I must wash?" "Certainly, but not like that. Take a leaf out of my book; neverwash you face just before going out into the fresh air, or just aftercoming in. Nothing is more injurious to the skin. Come to the glass. Do you notice a drawn look about your eyes and a general streakinessin the cheeks? That is the result of your violent assault upon yourcomplexion just now. You look at this moment ten years older than youdid twenty minutes ago in the park. " "Well, I really do. I look old enough to be your mother; but then, youare wonderful. You always look so young and fresh!" "Because I never treat my poor face so badly as you do yours. I userain-water, and if I cannot get that, I have the water filtered. WhenI dress for dinner I always wash my face with milk, adding just enoughhot water to make it pleasant to use. A very soft sponge and very finetowel take the place of your terrible huckaback arrangement. " Two or three years ago a lady of Oriental parentage on her father'sside spent a season in London society. Her complexion was brown, relieved by yellow, her features large and irregular, but redeemedby a pair of lovely and expressive eyes. So perfect was her taste indress that she always attracted admiration wherever she went. Dressedin rich dark brown or dullest crimsons or russets, so that no oneever noticed much what she wore, she so managed that suggestionsand hints--no more--of brilliant amber or [Transcriber's Note: Theoriginal text reads 'promegranate'] pomegranate scarlet should appearjust where they imparted brilliancy to her deep coloring, and abstractthe yellow from her skin. A knot of old gold satin under the rim ofher bonnet, another at her throat, and others in among the lace at herwrists, brightened up the otherwise subdued tinting of her costume, sothat it always looked as though it had been designed expressly for herby some great colorist. Here rouge was unnecessary. The surroundingswere arranged to suit the complexion, instead of the complexion tosuit the surroundings. There can be no doubt as to which is the methodwhich best becomes the gentlewoman. In addition to the disagreeable sensation of making-up, it mustbe remembered that the use of some of the white powders eventuallydestroys the texture of the skin, rendering it rough and coarse. Rimmel, the celebrated perfumer, in his "Book of Perfumes, " says thatrouge, being composed of cochineal and saffron, is harmless, but thatwhite cosmetics consist occasionally of deleterious substances whichmay injure the health. He advises actors and actresses to choosecosmetics, especially the white, with the greatest care, and women ofthe world, who wish to preserve the freshness of their complexion, toobserve the following recipe: Open air, rest, exercise and cold water. In another part of this pleasant book the author says that _schonada_, a cosmetic used among the Arabs, is quite innocuous and at the sametime effectual. "This cream, which consists of sublimated benzoin, acts upon the skin as a slight stimulant, and imparts perfectlynatural colors during some hours without occasioning theinconveniences with which European cosmetics may justly bereproached. " It is a well-known fact that bismuth, a white powdercontaining sugar of lead, injures the nerve-centers when constantlyemployed, and occasionally causes paralysis itself. In getting up the eyes, nothing is injurious that is not dropped intothem. Tho use of _kohl_ or _kohol_ is quite harmless, and, it must beconfessed, very effective when applied--as the famous recipe for saladdressing enjoins with regard to the vinegar--by the hand of a miser. Modern Egyptian ladies make their _kohol_ of the smoke produced byburning almonds. A small bag holding the bottle of _kohol_, and a pin, with a rounded point with which to apply it, form part of the toiletparaphernalia of all the beauties of Cairo, who make the immensemistake of getting up their eyes in an exactly similar manner, thustrying to reduce the endless variety of nature to one common pattern, a mistake that may be accounted for by the fact that the Arabs believe_kohol_ to be a sovereign specific against ophthalmia. Their Englishsisters often make the same mistake without the same excuse. A hairpinsteeped in lampblack is the usual method of darkening the eyes inEngland, retribution following sooner or later in the shape of a totalloss of the eyelashes. Eau de Cologne is occasionally dropped intothe eyes, with the effect of making them brighter. The operation ispainful, and it is said that half a dozen drops of whisky and thesame quantity of Eau de Cologne, eaten on a lump of sugar, is quite aseffective. HIGH-HEELED BOOTS. A lady looks infinitely taller and slimmer in a long dress than shedoes in a short costume, and there is always a way of showing thefeet, if desired, by making the front quite short, which gives, indeed, a more youthful appearance to a train dress. The greatestattention must, of course, be paid to the feet with these shortdresses, and I may here at once state that high heels are absolutelyforbidden by fashion. Doctors, are you content? Only on cheap shoesand boots are they now made, and are only worn by common people. Agood bootmaker will not make high heels now, even if paid double priceto do so. Ladies--that is, real ladies--now wear flat-soled shoes andboots, _a la_ Cinderella. For morning walking, boots or high Moliereshoes are worn. If you wear boots you may wear any stockings you like, for no onesees them. But if you wear shoes you must adapt your stockings to yourdress. Floss silk, Scotch thread, and even cotton stockings are wornfor walking, silk stockings have returned into exclusively eveningwear. Day stockings should be of the same color as the dress, butthey may be shaded, or stripped, or dotted, just as you please. Whitestockings are absolutely forbidden for day wear--no one wears them--noone dares wear them under fashion's interdiction. HOW TO APPEAR GRACEFUL IN WALKING. The whole secret of standing and walking erect consists in keepingthe chin well away from the breast. This throws the head upward andbackward, and the shoulders will naturally settle backward andin their true position. Those who stoop in walking generally lookdownward. The proper way is to look straight ahead, upon the samelevel with your eyes, or if you are inclined to stoop, until thattendency is overcome, look rather above than below the level. Mountaineers are said to be as "straight as an arrow, " and the reasonis because they are obliged to look upward so much. It is simplyimpossible to stoop in walking if you will heed and practice thisrule. You will notice that all round-shouldered persons carry the chinnear the breast and pointed downward. Take warning in time, and heedgrandmother's advice, for a bad habit is more easily prevented thancured. The habit of stooping when one walks or stands is a bad habitand especially hard to cure. * * * * * [Illustration: MULTUM IN PARVO. ] MULTUM IN PARVO HISTORY OF THE BIBLES OF THE WORLD. The Bibles of the world are the koran of the Mohammedans, thetripitaka of the Buddhists, the five kings of the Chinese, the threevedas of the Hindoos, the zendavesta of the Parsees and the scripturesof the Christians. The koran, says the Chicago Times, is the mostrecent, dating from the seventh century after Christ. It is a compoundof quotations from both the Old and the New Testaments and from thetalmud. The tripitaka contain sublime morals and pure aspirations. Their author lived and died in the sixth century before Christ. The sacred writings of the Chinese are called the five kings, the word"king" meaning web of cloth. From this it is presumed that they wereoriginally written on five rolls of cloth. They contain wise sayingsfrom the sages on the duties of life, but they can not be tracedfurther back than the eleventh century before our era. The vedas arethe most ancient books in the language of the Hindoos, but they donot, according to late commentators, antedate the twelfth before theChristian era. The zendaveata of the Parsees, next to our Bible, isreckoned among scholars as being the greatest and most learned ofthe sacred writings. Zoroaster, whose sayings it contains, lived andworked in the twelfth century before Christ. Moses lived and wrotethe pentateuch 1, 500 years before the birth of Jesus, therefore thatportion of our Bible is at least 300 years older than the mostancient of other sacred writings. The eddas, a semi-sacred work of theScandinavians, was first given to the world in the fourteen centuryA. D. PRECIOUS STONES. ARRANGED ACCORDING TO COLOR AND IN ORDER OF HARDINESS. _Limpid_. --Diamond, Sapphire, Topaz, Rock-Crystal. _Blue_. --Sapphire, Topaz, Indicolite, Turquoise, Spinel, Aquamarine, Kaynite. _Green_. --Oriental Emerald, Chrysoberyl, Amazon Stone, Malachite, Emerald, Chrysoprase, Chrysolite. _Yellow_. --Diamond, Topaz, Fire-Opal. _Red_. --Sapphire-Ruby, Spinel-Ruby, Rubellite, Garnet, Brazilian-Topaz, Hyacinth, Carnelian. _Violet_. --Oriental-Amethyst, Amethyst. _Black and Brown_. --Diamond, Tourmaline, Hyacinth, Garnet. HOW TO MEASURE CORN IN THE CRIB. Rule: 1st. Measure the length, breadth and height of the crib insidethe rail; multiply them together and divide by two, the result is thenumber of bushels of shelled corn. 2d. Level the corn so that it is of equal depth throughout, multiplythe length, breath and depth together, and this product by four, and cut off one figure to the right of the product; the other willrepresent the number of bushels of shelled corn. 3d. Multiply length by height, and then by width, add two ciphers tothe result and divide by 124; this gives the number of bushels of earcorn. HOME DRESSMAKING. The art of dressmaking in America has been of late years so simplifiedthat almost anyone with a reasonable degree of executive ability canmanufacture a fashionable costume by using an approved pattern andfollowing the directions printed upon it, selecting a new pattern foreach distinct style; while in Europe many ladies adhere to the oldplan of cutting one model and using it for everything, trusting topersonal skill or luck to gain the desired formation. However, someuseful hints are given which are well worth offering after the paperpattern has been chosen. The best dressmakers here and abroad use silk for lining, but nothingis so durable or preserves the material as well as a firm slate twill. This is sold double width and should be laid out thus folded: placethe pattern upon it with the upper part towards the cut end, theselvedge for the fronts. The side pieces for the back will mostprobably be got out of the width, while the top of the back will fitin the intersect of the front. A yard of good stuff may be often savedby laying the pattern out and well considering how one part cuts intoanother. Prick the outline on to the lining; these marks serve as aguide for the tacking. In forming the front side plaits be careful and do not allow a foldor crease to be apparent on the bodice beyond where the stitchingcommences. To avoid this, before beginning stick a pin through whatis to be the top of the plait. The head will be on the right side, andholding the point, one can begin pinning the seam without touching theupper part of the bodice. To ascertain the size of the buttonholes puta piece of card beneath the button to be used and cut it an eighth ofan inch on either side beyond. Having turned down the piece in fronton the buttonhole side run a thread a sixteenth of an inch from theextreme edge, and again another the width of the card. Begin to cutthe first buttonhole at the bottom of the bodice; and continue atequal distances. The other side of the bodice is left wide enough tocome well under the buttonholes. The buttonholes must be laid upon itand a pin put through the center of each to mark where the buttonis to be placed. In sewing on the buttons put the stiches inhorizontally; if perpendicularly they are likely to pucker that sideof the bodice so much that it will be quite drawn up, and the buttonswill not match the buttonholes. A WOMAN'S SKIRTS. Observe the extra fatigue which is insured to every woman in merelycarrying a tray upstairs, from the skirts of the dress. Ask any youngwomen who are studying to pass examinations whether they do not findloose clothes a _sine qua non_ while poring over their books, and thenrealize the harm we are doing ourselves and the race by habituallylowering our powers of life and energy in such a manner. As a matterof fact it is doubtful whether any persons have ever been foundwho would say that their stays were at all tight; and, indeed, by amuscular contraction they can apparently prove that they are not so bymoving them about on themselves, and thus probably believe whatthey say. That they are in error all the same they can easily assurethemselves by first measuring round the waist outside the stays; thentake them off, let them measure while they take a deep breath, withthe tape merely laid on the body as if measuring for the quantity ofbraid to go round a dress, and mark the result. The injury done bystays is so entirely internal that it is not strange that the maladiescaused by wearing them should be attributed to every reason underthe sun except the true one, which is, briefly, that all the internalorgans, being by them displaced, are doing their work imperfectly andunder the least advantageous conditions: and are, therefore, exactlyin the state most favorable to the development of disease, whetherhereditary or otherwise. --_Macmillan's Magazine. _ TO MAKE THE SLEEVES. As to sleeves. Measure from the shoulder to the elbow and again fromelbow to the wrist. Lay these measurements on any sleeve patterns youmay have, and lengthen and shorten accordingly. The sleeve is cut intwo pieces, the top of the arm and the under part, which is about aninch narrower than the outside. In joining the two together, if thesleeve is at all tight, the upper part is slightly fulled to the lowerat the elbow. The sleeve is sewn to the armhole with no cordings now, and the front seam should be about two inches in front of the bodice. Bodices are now worn very tight-fitting, and the French stretch thematerial well on the cross before beginning to cut out, and in cuttingallow the lining to be slightly pulled, so that when on, the outsidestretches to it and insures a better fit. An experienced eye can tella French-cut bodice at once, the front side pieces being always on thecross. In dress cutting and fitting, as in everything else, thereare failures and discouragements, but practice overrules these littlematters, and "trying again" brings a sure reward in success. A sensible suggestion is made in regard to the finish in necks ofdresses for morning wear. Plain colors have rather a stiff appearance, tulle or crepe lisse frilling are expensive and frail, so it is a goodidea to purchase a few yards of really good washing lace, about aninch and a half in depth; quill or plait and cut into suitable lengthsto tack around the necks of dresses. This can be easily removedand cleaned when soiled. A piece of soft black Spanish lace, foldedloosely around the throat close to the frillings, but below it, looksvery pretty; or you may get three yards of scarf lace, trim the endswith frillings, place it around the neck, leaving nearly all thelength in the right hand, the end lying upon the left shoulder beingabout half a yard long. Wind the larger piece twice around the throat, in loose, soft folds, and festoon the other yard and a half, andfasten with brooch or flower at the side. --_Philadelphia Times. _ DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA. It was on the 19th day of January, 1848, that James W. Marshall, whileengaged in digging a race for a saw-mill at Coloma, about thirty-fivemiles eastward from Sutter's Fort, found some pieces of yellow metal, which he and the half-dozen men working with him at the mill supposed tobe gold. He felt confident that he had made a discovery of greatimportance, but he knew nothing of either chemistry or gold-mining, sohe could not prove the nature of the metal nor tell how to obtain it inpaying quantities. Every morning he went down to the race to look forthe bits of metal; but the other men at the mill thought Marshall wasvery wild in his ideas, and they continued their labors in building themill, and in sowing wheat and planting vegetables. The swift current ofthe mill-race washed away a considerable body of earthy matter, leavingthe coarse particles of gold behind; so Marshall's collection ofspecimens continued to accumulate, and his associates began to thinkthere might be something in his gold mines after all. About the middleof February, a Mr. Bennett, one of the party employed at the mill, wentto San Francisco for the purpose of learning whether this metal wasprecious, and there he was introduced to Isaac Humphrey, who had washedfor gold in Georgia. The experienced miner saw at a glance that hehad the true stuff before him, and, after a few inquiries, he wassatisfied that the diggings must be rich. He made immediate preparationto visit the mill, and tried to persuade some of his friends to go withhim; but they thought it would be only a waste of time and money, so hewent with Bennett for his sole companion. He arrived at Coloma on the 7th of March, and found the work at themill going on as if no gold existed in the neighborhood. The next dayhe took a pan and spade, and washed some of the dirt in the bottom ofthe mill-race in places where Marshall had found his specimens, and, in a few hours, Humphrey declared that these mines were far richerthan any in Georgia. He now made a rocker and went to work washinggold industriously, and every day yielded to him an ounce or two ofmetal. The men at the mill made rockers for themselves, and allwere soon busy in search of the yellow metal. Everything else wasabandoned; the rumor of the discovery spread slowly. In the middle ofMarch Pearson B. Reading, the owner of a large ranch at the head ofthe Sacramento valley, happened to visit Sutter's Fort, and hearingof the mining at Coloma, he went thither to see it. He said that ifsimilarity of formation could be taken as a proof, there must be goldmines near his ranch; so, after observing the method of washing, heposted off, and in a few weeks he was at work on the bars of ClearCreek, nearly two hundred miles northwestward from Coloma. A fewdays after Reading had left, John Bidwell, now representative of thenorthern district of the State in the lower House of Congress, came toColoma, and the result of his visit was that, in less than a month, he had a party of Indians from his ranch washing gold on the bars ofFeather River, twenty-five miles northwestward from Coloma. Thus themines were opened at far distant points. The first printed notice of the discovery of gold was given in theCalifornia newspaper published in San Francisco on the 10th of March. On the 29th of May the same paper, announcing that its publicationwould be suspended, says: "The whole country, from San Francisco toLos Angeles, and from the seashore to the base of the Sierra Nevada, resound the sordid cry of _gold! gold! gold!_ while the field is lefthalf planted, the house half built and everything neglected but themanufacture of pick and shovels, and the means of transportation tothe spot where one man obtained one hundred and twenty-eight dollars'worth of the real stuff in one day's washing; and the average for allconcerned, is twenty dollars per diem. The first to commence quartzmining in California were Capt. Win. Jackson and Mr. Eliason, bothVirginians, and the first machine used was a Chilian mill. The Reid Mine, in North Carolina, was the first gold mine discoveredand worked in the United States, and the only one in North Americafrom which, up to 1825, gold was sent to the Mint. HOW TO MAKE ARTIFICIAL GOLD. The following oroid or imitation gold is sometimes sold for thegenuine article which it closely resembles. Pure copper, 100 parts byweight, is melted in a crucible, and then 6 parts of magnesia, 3. 6 ofsal-ammoniac, 1. 8 of quicklime and 9. Of tartar are added separatelyand gradually in the form of powder. The whole is then stirred forabout half an hour, and 17 parts of zinc or tin in small grains arethrown in and thoroughly mixed. The [Transcriber's Note: The originaltext reads 'cruicible'] crucible is now covered and the mixture keptmelted for half an hour longer, when it is skimmed and poured out. Any imitation of gold may be detected by its weight, which is notone-half of what it should be, and by its dissolving in nitric acidwhile pure gold is untouched. HOW TO TELL ANY PERSON'S AGE. There is a good deal of amusement in the following magical table offigures. It will enable you to tell how old the young ladies are. Justhand this table to a young lady, and request her to tell you in whichcolumn or columns her age is contained, and add together the figuresat the top of the columns in which her age is found, and you havethe great secret. Thus, suppose her age to be 17, you will find thatnumber in the first and fifth columns; add the first figures of thesetwo columns. Here is the magic table: 1 2 4 8 16 32 3 3 5 9 17 33 5 6 6 10 18 34 7 7 7 11 19 35 9 10 12 12 20 36 11 11 13 13 21 37 13 14 14 14 22 38 15 15 15 15 23 39 17 18 20 24 24 40 19 19 21 25 25 41 21 22 22 26 26 42 23 23 23 27 27 43 25 26 28 28 28 44 27 27 29 29 29 45 29 30 30 30 30 46 31 31 31 31 31 47 33 34 36 40 48 48 35 35 37 41 49 49 37 38 38 42 50 50 39 39 39 43 51 51 41 42 44 44 52 52 43 43 45 45 53 53 45 46 46 46 54 54 47 47 47 47 55 55 49 50 52 56 56 56 51 51 53 57 57 57 53 54 54 58 58 58 55 55 55 59 59 59 57 58 60 60 60 60 59 59 61 61 61 61 61 62 62 62 62 62 63 63 63 63 63 63 WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE COSTS. Salary of President, $50, 000; additional appropriations are about$75, 000. A total of $125, 000. The President has the following corpsof assistants: Private Secretary, $3, 250; Assistant Private Secretary, $2, 250; Stenographer, $1, 800; five Messengers, $1, 200 each, $6, 000;Steward--; two Doorkeepers, $1, 200 each, $2, 400; two Ushers, $1, 200, $1, 400, $2, 600; Night Usher, $1, 200; Watchman, $900, and a few otherminor clerks and telegraph operators. SUNDRIES. --Incidental expenses, $8, 000; White House repairs--carpetsand refurnishing, $12, 500; fuel, $2, 500; green-house, $4, 000; gas, matches and stable, $15, 000. These amounts, with others of minor importance, consume the entireappropriations. BUSINESS LAW. Ignorance of the law excuses no one. It is a fraud to conceal a fraud. The law compels no one to do impossibilities. An agreement withoutconsideration is void. Signatures made with a lead pencil are good inlaw. A receipt for money paid is not legally conclusive. The acts of onepartner bind all the others. Contracts made on Sunday cannot beenforced. A contract made with a minor is void. A contract made with alunatic is void. Principals are responsible for the acts of theiragents. Agents are responsible to their principals for errors. Eachindividual in a partnership is responsible for the whole amount of thedebts of the firm. A note given by a minor is void. Notes bear interestonly when so stated. It is legally necessary to say on a note "for valuereceived. " A note drawn on Sunday is void. A note obtained by fraud, orfrom a person in a state of intoxication, cannot be collected. If a notebe lost or stolen, it does not release the maker; he must pay it. Anendorser of a note is exempt from liability if not served with notice ofits dishonor within twenty-four hours of its non-payment. ITEMS WORTH REMEMBERING. A sun bath is of more worth than much warming by the fire. Books exposed to the atmosphere keep in better condition than ifconfined in a book-case. Pictures are both for use and ornament. Theyserve to recall pleasant memories and scenes; they harmonize with thefurnishing of the rooms. If they serve neither of these purposes theyare worse than useless; they only help fill space which would lookbetter empty, or gather dust and make work to keep them clean. A room filled with quantities of trifling ornaments has the look ofa bazaar and displays neither good taste nor good sense. Artisticexcellence aims to have all the furnishings of a high order ofworkmanship combined with simplicity, while good sense understands thefolly of dusting a lot of rubbish. A poor book had best be burned to give place to a better, or even toan empty shelf, for the fire destroys its poison, and puts it out ofthe way of doing harm. Better economize in the purchasing of furniture or carpets than scrimpin buying good books or papers. Our sitting-rooms need never be empty of guests or our libraries ofsociety if the company of good books is admitted to them. REMARKABLE CALCULATIONS REGARDING THE SUN. The sun's average distance from the earth is about 91, 500, 000 miles. Since the orbit of the earth is elliptical, and the sun is situated atone of its foci, the earth is nearly 3, 000, 000 miles further fromthe sun in aphelion than in perihelion. As we attempt to locate theheavenly bodies in space, we are immediately startled by the enormousfigures employed. The first number, 91, 500, 000 miles, is far beyondour grasp. Let us try to comprehend it. If there were air to convey asound from the sun to the earth, and a noise could be made loud enoughto pass that distance it would require over fourteen years for it tocome to us. Suppose a railroad could be built to the sun. An expresstrain traveling day and night at the rate of thirty miles an hour, would require 341 years to reach its destination. Ten generationswould be born and would die; the young men would become gray haired, and their great-grandchildren would forget the story of the beginningof that wonderful journey, and could find it only in history, as wenow read of Queen Elizabeth or of Shakespeare; the eleventh generationwould see the solar depot at the end of the route. Yet this enormousdistance of 91, 500, 000 miles is used as the unit for expressingcelestial distances--as the foot-rule for measuring space; andastronomers speak of so many times the sun's distance as we speak ofso many feet or inches. SIGNS OF STORMS APPROACHING. --A ring around the sun or moon stands foran approaching storm, its near or distant approach being indicated byits larger or smaller circumference. When the sun rises brightly andimmediately afterward becomes veiled with clouds, the farmer distruststhe day. Rains which begin early in the morning often stop by ninein place of "eleven, " the hour specified in the old saw, "If it rainsbefore seven. " On a still, quiet day, with scarcely the least wind afloat, theranchman or farmer can tell the direction of impending storm by cattlesniffing the air in the direction whence it is coming. Lack of dew insummer is a rain sign. Sharp white frosts in autumn and winter precededamp weather, and we will stake our reputation as a prophet that threesuccessive white frosts are an infallible sign of rain. Spiders do notspin their webs out of doors before rain. Previous to rain flies stingsharper, bees remain in their hives or fly but short distances, andalmost all animals appear uneasy. HOW TO DISTINGUISH GOOD MEAT FROM BAD MEAT. 1st. It is neither of a pale pink color nor of a deep purple tint, for the former is a sign of disease, and the latter indicates that theanimal has not been slaughtered, but has died with the blood in it, orhas suffered from acute fever. 2d. It has a marked appearance from the ramifications of little veinsof fat among the muscles. 3d. It should be firm and elastic to the touch and should scarcelymoisten the fingers--bad meat being wet and sodden and flabby with thefat looking like jelly or wet parchment. 4th. It should have little or no odor, and the odor should not bedisagreeable, for diseased meat has a sickly cadaverous smell, andsometimes a smell of physic. This is very discoverable when the meatis chopped up and drenched with warm water. 5th. It should not shrink or waste much in cooking. 6th. It should not run to water or become very wet on standing for aday or two, but should, on the contrary, dry upon the surface. 7th. When dried at a temperature of 212 deg. , or thereabouts, itshould not lose more than from 70 to 74 per cent. Of its weight, whereas bad meat will often lose as much as 80 per cent. The juice ofthe flesh is alkaline or neutral to test paper. RAILROADS IN FINLAND. People who think of Finland as a sub-arctic country of bleak andforbidding aspect maybe surprised to hear that several railroads havealready made a large part of the region accessible. A new line, 160miles long, has just been opened to the heart of the country in themidst of great forests and perhaps the most wonderful lake region inthe world. Sportsmen are now within less than a day's journey from St. Petersburg of central Finland, where there is the best of hunting andfishing and twenty hours of sunlight every summer day. The most uniqueof railroads, however, is still the little line in Norway, north ofthe arctic circle, carrying the product of far northern mines to thesea, and famous as the only railroad that has yet invaded the polarregions. COMPARATIVE SIZE OF THE ARK AND THE GREAT EASTERN. The following comparison between the size of Noah's ark and the GreatEastern, both being considered in point of tonnage, after the old lawfor calculating the tonnage of a vessel, exhibits a remarkablesimilarity. The cubit of the Bible, according to Sir Isaac Newton, is20-1/2 inches, or, to be exact, 20. 625 inches. Bishop Wilkins makes thecubit 20. 88 inches. According to Newton the dimensions of the ark were:Length between perpendiculars, 515. 62 feet; breadth, 84. 94 feet; depth, 51. 56 feet; keel, or length for tonnage, 464. 08 feet. Tonnage, accordingto old law, 18, 231 58-94. The measurements of the ark, according toWilkins' calculations were: Length, 54700 feet; breadth, 91. 16 feet;depth, 54. 70 feet; keel, 492. 31 feet. Tonnage, 21, 761. Notice howsurprisingly near the Great Eastern came to being constructed after thesame plan: Length, 680 feet; breadth, 83 feet; depth, 60 feet; keel, 630feet. Tonnage, 23, 092. FINGER NAILS AS AN INDICATION OF CHARACTER. A white mark on the nail bespeaks misfortune. Pale or lead-colored nails indicate melancholy people. Broad nails indicate a gentle, timid, and bashful nature. Lovers of knowledge and liberal sentiments have round nails. People with narrow nails are ambitious and quarrelsome. Small nails indicate littleness of mind, obstinacy and conceit. Choleric, martial men, delighting in war, have red and spotted nails. Nails growing into the flesh at the points or sides indicate luxurioustastes. People with very pale nails are subject to much infirmity of the fleshand persecution by neighbors and friends. DANGERS OF CELLULOID. A curious accident, which happened recently in Paris, points out apossible danger in the wearing of combs and bracelets of celluloid. Alittle girl sat down before the fire to prepare her lessons. Her hairwas kept back by a semi-circle comb of celluloid. As her head was bentforward to the fire this became warm, and suddenly burst into flames. The child's hair was partly burned off, and the skin of the head wasso injured that several months after, though the burn was healed, thecicatrix formed a white patch on which no hair would grow. The burningpoint of celluloid is about 180 degrees, and the comb worn by the girlhad attained that heat as it was held before the fire. ODD FACTS ABOUT SHOES. Grecian shoes were peculiar in reaching to the middle of the legs. The present fashion of shoes was introduced into England in 1633. In the ninth and tenth centuries the greatest princes of Europe worewooden shoes. Slippers were in use before Shakespeare's time, and were originallymade "rights" and "lefts. " Shoes among the Jews were made of leather, linen, rush or wood;soldiers' shoes were sometimes made of brass or iron. In the reign of William Rufus of England, in the eleventh century, a great beau, "Robert, the Horned, " used shoes with sharp points, stuffed with tow, and twisted like rams' horns. The Romans made use of two kinds of shoes--the solea, or sandal, whichcovered the sole of the foot, and was worn at home and in company, andthe calceus, which covered the whole foot and was always worn with thetoga when a person went abroad. In the reign of Richard II. , shoes were of such absurd length asto require to be supported by being tied to the knees with chains, sometimes of gold and silver. In 1463 the English parliament took thematter in hand and passed an act forbidding shoes with spikes morethan two inches in length being worn and manufactured. TABLE SHOWING THE AVERAGE VELOCITIES OF VARIOUS BODIES. A man walks 3 miles per hour or 4 feet per second. A horse trots 7 miles per hour or 10 feet per second. A horse runs 20 miles per hour or 29 feet per second. Steamboat runs 20 miles per hour or 26 feet per second. Sailing vessel runs 10 miles per hour or 14 feet per second. Rapid rivers flow 3 miles per hour or 4 feet per second. A moderate wind blows 7 miles per hour or 10 feet per second. A storm moves 36 miles per hour or 52 feet per second. A hurricane moves 80 miles per hour or 117 feet per second. A rifle ball 1000 miles per hour or 1466 feet per second. Sound 743 miles per hour or 1142 feet per second. Light, 192, 000 miles per second. Electricity, 288, 000 miles per second. QUANTITY OF OIL REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT COLORS. Heath & Miligan quote the following figures. They are colormanufacturers: 100 parts (weight) White Lead require 12 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Zinc White require 14 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Green Chrome require 15 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Chrome Yellow require 19 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Vermilion require 25 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Light Red require 31 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Madder Lake require 62 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Yellow Ochre require 66 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Light Ochre require 72 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Camels Brown require 75 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Brown Manganese require 87 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Terre Verte require 100 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Parisian Blue require 106 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Burnt Terreverte require 112 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Berlin Blue require 112 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Ivory Black require 112 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Cobalt require 125 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Florentine Brown require 150 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Burnt Terra Sienna require 181 parts of oil. 100 parts (weight) Raw Terra Sienna require 140 parts of oil. According to this table, a hundred parts of the quick drying white leadare ground with 12 parts of oil, and on the other hand slow drying ivoryblack requires 112 parts of oil. PAINTING. 1 gallon Priming Color will cover 50 superficial yards. 1 gallon White Zinc will cover 50 superficial yards. 1 gallon White Paint will cover 44 superficial yards. 1 gallon Lead Color will cover 50 superficial yards. 1 gallon Black Paint will cover 50 superficial yards. 1 gallon Stone Color will cover 44 superficial yards. 1 gallon Yellow Paint will cover 44 superficial yards. 1 gallon Blue Color will cover 45 superficial yards. 1 gallon Green Paint will cover 45 superficial yards. 1 gallon Bright Emerald Green will cover 25 superficial yards. 1 gallon Bronze Green will cover 45 superficial yards. One pound of paint will cover about four superficial yards the firstcoat, and about six yards each additional coat. RAPID PROCESS OF MARKING GOODS AT ANY DESIRED PER CENT. PROFIT. Retail merchants, in buying goods by wholesale, buy a great manyarticles by the dozen, such as boots and shoes, hats and caps, andnotions of various kinds; now the merchant, in buying, for instance, a dozen hats, knows exactly what one of these hats will retail for inthe market where he deals; and unless he is a good accountant, itwill often take him some time to determine whether he can afford topurchase the dozen hats and make a living profit by selling them bythe single hat; and in buying his goods by auction, as the merchantoften does, he has not time to make the calculation before the goodsare bid off. He therefore loses the chance of making good bargains bybeing afraid to bid at random, or if he bids, and the goods are criedoff, he may have made a poor bargain by bidding thus at a venture. It then becomes a useful and practical problem to determine instantlywhat per cent. He would gain if he retailed the hat at a certainprice, to tell what an article should retail for to make a profit of20 per cent. _Rule. --Divide what the articles cost per dozen by 10. Which is doneby removing the decimal point one place to the left. _ For instance, if hats cost $17. 50 per dozen, remove the decimal pointone place to the left, making $1. 75, what they should be sold forapiece to gain 20 per cent, on the cost. If they cost $31. 00 perdozen, they should be sold at $3. 10 apiece, etc. THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Pyramids of Egypt. Tower, Walls and Terrace Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Statue of Jupiter Olympus, on the Capitoline Hill, at Rome. Temple of Diana, at Ephesus. Pharos, or watch-tower, at Alexandria, Egypt. Colossus of Rhodes, a statue 105 feet high; overthrown by anearthquake 224 B. C. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, a Grecian-Persian city in Asia Minor. HEAT AND COLD. Degrees of heat above zero at which substances melt:--Wrought iron, 3, 980 degrees; cast iron, 3, 479; platinum, 3, 080; gold, 2, 590; copper, 2, 548; steel, 2, 500; glass, 2, 377; brass, 1, 900; silver, 1, 250;antimony, 951; zinc, 740; lead, 594; tin, 421; arsenic, 365; sulphur, 226; beeswax, 151; gutta percha, 145; tallow, 97; lard, 95; pitch, 91;ice, 33. Degrees of heat above zero at which substances boil:--Ether, 98 degrees; alcohol, 173; water, 212; petroleum, 306; linseed oil, 640; blood heat, 98; eggs hatch, 104. QUANTITY OF SEED TO AN ACRE. Wheat, 1-1/2 to 2 bu. ; rye, 1-1/2 to 2 bu. ; oats, 3 bu. ; barley, 2bu. ; buckwheat, 1/2 bu. ; corn, broadcast, 4 bu. ; corn, in drills, 2 to3 bu. ; corn, in hills, 4 to 8 qts. ; broom corn, 1/2 bu. ; potatoes, 10 to 15 bu. ; rutabagas, 3/4 lbs. ; millet, 1/4 bu. ; clover, white, 4qts. ; clover, red, 8 qts. ; timothy, 6 qts. ; orchard grass, 2 qts. ;red top, 1 to 2 pks. : blue grass, 2 bu, ; mixed lawn grass, 1/2 bu. ;tobacco, 2 ozs. SOLUBLE GLASS FOR FLOORS. Instead of the old-fashioned method of using wax for polishing floors, etc. , soluble glass is now employed to great advantage. For thispurpose the floor is first well cleaned, and then the cracks wellfilled up with a cement of water-glass and powdered chalk or gypsum. Afterward, a water-glass of 60 to 65, of the thickness of syrup, isapplied by means of a stiff brush. Any desired color may be impartedto the floor in a second coat of the water-glass, and additional coatsare to be given until the requisite polish is obtained. A still higherfinish may be given by pummicing off the last layer, and then puttingon a coating of oil. DURABILITY OF A HORSE. A horse will travel 400 yards in 4-1/2 minutes at a walk, 400 yardsin 2 minutes at a trot, and 400 yards in minute at a gallop. The usualwork of a horse is taken at 22, 500 lbs. Raised 1 foot per minute, for8 hours per day. A horse will carry 250 lbs. 25 miles per day of 8hours. An average draught-horse will draw 1600 lbs. 23 miles per dayon a level road, weight of wagon included. The average weight of ahorse is 1000 lbs. ; his strength is equal to that of 5 men. In a horsemill moving at 3 feet per second, track 25 feet diameter, he exertswith the machine the power of 4-1/2 horses. The greatest amount ahorse can pull in a horizontal line is 900 lbs. ; but he can only dothis momentarily, in continued exertion, probably half of this isthe limit. He attains his growth in 5 years, will live 25, average 16years. A horse will live 25 days on water, without solid food, 17 dayswithout eating or drinking, but only 5 days on solid food, withoutdrinking. A cart drawn by horses over an ordinary road will travel 1. 1 milesper hour of trip. A 4-horse team will haul from 25 to 30 cubic feetof lime stone at each load. The time expended in loading, unloading, etc. , including delavs, averages 35 minutes per trip. The cost ofloading and unloading a cart, using a horse cram at the quarry, andunloading by hand, when labor is $1. 25 per day, and a horse 75 cents, is 25 cents per perch--24. 75 cubic feet. The work done by an animal isgreatest when the velocity with which he moves is 1/8 of the greatestwith which he can move when not impeded, and the force then exerted. 45 of the utmost force the animal can exert at a dead pull. COMPARATIVE COST OF FREIGHT BY WATER AND RAIL. It has been proved by actual test that a single tow-boat can transportat one trip from the Ohio to New Orleans 29, 000 tons of coal, loadedin barges. Estimating in this way the boat and its tow, worked by afew men, carries as much freight to its destination as 3, 000 cars and100 locomotives, manned by 600 men, could transport. HINTS TO YOUNG HOUSEWIVES. Glycerine does not agree with a dry skin. If you use powder always wash it off before going to bed. When you give your cellar its spring cleaning, add a little copperaswater and salt to the whitewash. A little ammonia and borax in the water when washing blankets keepsthem soft and prevents shrinkage. Sprinkling salt on the top and at the bottom of garden walls is saidto keep snails from climbing up or down. For relief from heartburn or dyspepsia, drink a little cold water inwhich has been dissolved a teaspoonful of salt. For hoarseness, beat a fresh egg and thicken it with fine white sugar. Eat of it freely and the hoarseness will soon be relieved. If quilts are folded or rolled tightly after washing, then beaten witha rolling pin or potato masher, it lightens up the cotton and makesthem seem soft and new. Chemists say that it takes more than twice as much sugar to sweetenpreserves, sauce, etc. , if put in when they begin to cook as it doesto sweeten after the fruit is cooked. Tar may be removed from the hands by rubbing with the outside offresh, orange or lemon peel and drying immediately. The volatile oilsdissolve the tar so that it can be rubbed off. Moths or any summer flying insects may be enticed to destruction by abright tin pan half filled with kerosene set in a dark corner of theroom. Attracted by the bright pan, the moth will meet his death in thekerosene. It may be worth knowing that water in which three or four onions havebeen boiled, applied with a gilding brush to the frames of picturesand chimney glasses, will prevent flies from lighting on them and willnot injure the frames. SUPERSTITIONS REGARDING BABIES. It is believed by many that if a child cries at its birth and lifts uponly one hand, it is born to command. It is thought very unlucky notto weigh the baby before it is dressed. When first dressed the clothesshould not be put on over the head, but drawn on over the feet, forluck. When first taken from the room in which it was born it mustbe carried up stairs before going down, so that it will rise in theworld. In any case it must be carried up stairs or up the street, the first time it is taken out. It is also considered in England andScotland unlucky to cut the baby's nails or hair before it is twelvemonths old. The saying: Born on Monday, fair in the face; Born on Tuesday, full of God's grace; Born on Wednesday, the best to be had; Born on Thursday, merry and glad; Born on Friday, worthily given; Born on Saturday, work hard for a living; Born on Sunday, shall never know want, is known with various changes all over the Christian world; onedeviation from the original makes Friday's child "free in giving. "Thursday has one very lucky hour just before sunrise. The child that is born on the Sabbath day Is bonny and good and gay, While He who is born on New Year's morn Will have his own way as sure as you're born. And He who is born on Easter morn Shall never know care, or want, or harm. SECRET ART OF CATCHING FISH. Put the oil of rhodium on the bait, when fishing with a hook, and youwill always succeed. TO CATCH FISH. Take the juice of smallage or lovage, and mix with any kind of bait. As long as there remain any kind of fish within yards of your hook, you will find yourself busy pulling them out. CERTAIN CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS. Take of sulphate of iron 5 grains, magnesia 10 grains, peppermintwater 11 drachms, spirits of nutmeg 1 drachm. Administer this twicea day. It acts as a tonic and stimulant and so partially supplies theplace of the accustomed liquor, and prevents that absolute physicaland moral prostration that follows a sudden breaking off from the useof stimulating drinks. LADIES' STAMPING POWDER. For use in stamping any desired pattern upon goods for needle work, embroidery, etc. Draw pattern upon heavy paper, and perforate withsmall holes all the lines with some sharp instrument, dust the powderthrough, remove the pattern and pass a warm iron over the fabric, whenthe pattern will become fixed. Any desired color can be used, such asPrussian blue, chrome green, yellow, vermilion, etc. Fine white rosin, 2 ounces; gum sandarach, 4 ounces; color, 2 ounces. Powder very fine, mix, and pass through a sieve. SALARIES OF THE UNITED STATES OFFICERS, PER ANNUM. President, Vice-President and Cabinet. --President, $50, 000;Vice-President, $8, 000; Cabinet Officers, $8, 000 each. United States Senators. --$5, 000, with mileage. Congress. --Members of Congress, $5, 000, with mileage. Supreme Court. --Chief Justice, $10, 500; Associate Justices, $10, 000. Circuit Courts. --Justices of Circuit Courts, $6, 000. Heads of Departments. --Supt. Of Bureau of Engraving and Printing, $4, 500; Public Printer, $4, 500; Supt. Of Census, $5, 000; Supt. OfNaval Observatory, $5, 000; Supt. Of the Signal Service, $4, 000; Director of Geological Surveys, $6, 000; Director of the Mint, $4, 500;Commissioner of General Land Office, $4, 000; Commissioner of Pensions, $3, 600; Commissioner of Agriculture, $3, 000; Commissioner of IndianAffairs, $3, 000; Commissioner of Education $3, 000; Commander of MarineCorps, $3, 500; Supt. Of Coast and Geodetic Survey, $6, 000. United States Treasury. --Treasurer, $6, 000; Register of Treasury, $4, 000; Commissioner of Customs, $4, 000. Internal Revenue Agencies. --Supervising Agents, $12 per day; 34 otheragents, per day, $6 to $8. Postoffice Department, Washington. --Three AssistantPostmaster-Generals, $3, 500; Chief Clerk, $2, 200. Postmasters. --Postmasters are divided into four classes. First class, $3, 000 to $4, 000 (excepting New York City, which is $8, 000); secondclass, $2, 000 to $3, 000; third class, $1, 000 to $2, 000; fourthclass, less than $1, 000. The first three classes are appointed bythe President, and confirmed by the Senate; those of fourth class areappointed by the Postmaster-General. Diplomatic appointments. --Ministers to Germany, Great Britain, Franceand Russia, $17, 500; Ministers to Brazil, China, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Japan and Spain, $12, 000; Ministers to Chili, Peru andCentral Amer. , $10, 000; Ministers to Argentine Confederation, HawaiianIslands, Belgium, Hayti, Columbia, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey andVenezuela, $7, 500; Ministers to Switzerland, Denmark, Paraguay, Bolivia and Portugal, $5, 000; Minister to Liberia, $4, 000. Army Officers. --General, $13, 500; Lieut. -General, $11, 000;Major-General, $7, 500; Brigadier-General, $5, 500; Colonel, $3, 500;Lieutenant-Colonel, $3, 000; Major, $2, 500; Captain, mounted, $2, 000;Captain, not mounted, $1, 800; Regimental Adjutant, $1, 800; RegimentalQuartermaster, $1, 800; 1st Lieutenant, mounted, $1, 600; 1stLieutenant, not mounted, $1, 500; 2d Lieutenant, mounted, $1, 500; 2dLieutenant, not mounted, $1, 400; Chaplain, $1, 500. Navy Officers. --Admiral, $13, 000; Vice-Admiral, $9, 000; Rear-Admirals, $6, 000; Commodores, $5, 000; Captains, $45, 000; Commanders, $3, 500;Lieut. -Commanders, $2, 800; Lieutenants, $2, 400; Masters, $1, 800;Ensigns, $1, 200; Midshipmen, $1, 000; Cadet Midshipmen, $500; Mates, $900; Medical and Pay Directors and Medical and Pay Inspectors andChief Engineers, $4, 400; Fleet Surgeons, Fleet Paymasters and FleetEngineers, $4, 400; Surgeons and Paymasters, $2, 800; Chaplains, $2, 500. CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT EVENTS. BEFORE CHRIST. The Deluge: 2348 Babylon built: 2247 Birth of Abraham: 1993 Death of Joseph: 1635 Moses born: 1571 Athens founded: 1556 The Pyramids built: 1250 Solomon's Temple finished: 1004 Rome founded: 753 Jerusalem destroyed: 587 Babylon taken by Jews: 538 Death of Socrates: 400 Rome taken by the Gauls: 835 Paper invented in China: 170 Carthage destroyed: 146 Caesar landed in Britain: 55 Caesar killed: 44 Birth of Christ: 0 AFTER CHRIST. Death of Augustus: 14 Pilate, governor of Judea: 27 Jesus Christ crucified: 33 Claudius visited Britain: 43 St. Paul put to death: 67 Death of Josephus: 93 Jerusalem rebuilt: 131 The Romans destroyed 580, 000 Jews and banished the rest from Judea: 135 The Bible in Gothic: 373 Horseshoes made of iron: 481 Latin tongue ceased to be spoken: 580 Pens made of quills: 635 Organs used: 660 Glass in England: 663 Bank of Venice established: 1157 Glass windows first used for lights: 1180 Mariner's compass used: 1200 Coal dug for fuel: 1234 Chimneys first put to houses: 1236 Spectacles invented by an Italian: 1240 The first English House of Commons: 1258 Tallow candles for lights: 1200 Paper made from linen: 1302 Gunpowder invented: 1340 Woolen cloth made in England: 1341 Printing invented: 1436 The first almanac: 1470 America discovered: 1492 First book printed in England: 1507 Luther began to preach: 1517 Interest fixed at ten per cent. In England: 1547 Telescopes invented: 1549 First coach made in England: 1564 Clocks first made in England: 1568 Bank of England incorporated: 1594 Shakespeare died: 1616 Circulation of the blood discovered: 1619 Barometer invented: 1623 First newspaper: 1629 Death of Galileo: 1643 Steam engine invented: 1649 Great fire in London: 1666 Cotton planted in the United States: 1759 Commencement of the American war: 1775 Declaration of American Independence: 1776 Recognition of American Independence: 1782 Bank of England suspended cash payment: 1791 Napoleon I. Crowned emperor: 1804 Death of Napoleon: 1820 Telegraph invented by Morse: 1832 First daguerreotype in France: 1839 Beginning of the American civil war: 1861 End of the American civil war: 1865 Abraham Lincoln died: 1865 Great Chicago Fire: 1871 Jas. A. Garfield died: 1881 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT OUR BODIES. The weight of the male infant at birth is 7 lbs. Avoirdupois; that ofthe female is not quite 6-1/2 lbs. The maximum weight (140-1/2 lbs. )of the male is attained at the age of 40; that of the female (nearly124 lbs. ) is not attained until 50; from which ages they declineafterward, the male to 127-1/4 lbs. , the female to 100 lbs. , nearly astone. The full-grown adult is 20 times as heavy as a new-borninfant. In the first year he triples his weight, afterwards the growthproceeds in geometrical progression, so that if 50 infants in theirfirst year weigh 1, 000 lbs. , they will in the second weigh 1, 210 lbs. ;in the third 1, 331: in the fourth 1464 lbs. ; the term remaining veryconstant up to the ages of 11-12 in females, and 12-13 in males, whereit must be nearly doubled; afterwards it may be continued, and will befound very nearly correct up to the age of 18 or 19, when the growthproceeds very slowly. At an equality of age the male is generallyheavier than the female. Towards the age of 12 years only anindividual of each sex has the same weight. The male attains themaximum weight at about the age of 40, and he begins to lose it verysensibly toward 60. At 80 he loses about 13. 2328 lbs. , and the statureis diminished 2. 756 inches. Females attain their maximum weight atabout 50. The mean weight of a mature man is 104 lbs. , and of anaverage woman 94 lbs. In old age they lose about 12 or 14 lbs. Menweigh most at 40, women at 50, and begin to lose weight at 60. Themean weight of both sexes in old age is that which they had at 19. When the male and female have assumed their complete development theyweigh almost exactly 20 times as much as at birth, while the statureis about 3-1/2 times greater. Children lose weight during the firstthree days after birth; at the age of a week they sensibly increase;after one year they triple their weight; then they require six yearsto double their weight, and 13 to quadruple it. It has been computed that nearly two years' sickness is experienced byevery person before he is 70 years old, and therefore that 10 days perannum is the average sickness of human life. Till 40 it is but half, and after 50 it rapidly increases. The mixed and fanciful diet of manis considered the cause of numerous diseases from which animals areexempt. Many diseases have abated with changes of diet, and others arevirulent in particular countries, arising from peculiarities. Human Longevity. --Of 100, 000 male and female children, in the firstmonth they are reduced to 90, 396, or nearly a tenth. In the second, to 87, 936. In the third, to 86, 175. In the fourth, to 84, 720. In thefifth, to 83, 571. In the sixth, to 82, 526, and at the end of the firstyear to 77, 528, the deaths being 2 to 9. The next four years reducethe 77, 528 to 62, 448, indicating 37, 552 deaths before the completionof the fifth year. At 25 years the 100, 000 are half, or 49, 995; at 52, one-third. At58-1/2, a fourth, or 25, 000; at 67, a fifth; at 76, a tenth; at 81, atwentieth, or 5, 000; and ten attain 100. Children die in largeproportions because their diseases cannot be explained, and because theorgans are not habituated to the functions of life. The mean of lifevaries in different countries from 40 to 45. A generation from father toson is about 30 years; of men in general five-sixths die before 70, andfifteen-sixteenths before 80. After 80 it is rather endurance thanenjoyment. The nerves are blunted, the senses fail, the muscles arerigid, the softer tubes become hard, the memory fails, the brainossifies, the affections are buried, and hope ceases. The remainingone-sixteenth die at 80; except a one-thirty-third, at 90. The remainderdie from inability to live, at or before 100. About the age of 36 the lean man usually becomes fatter and the fatman leaner. Again, between the years of 43 and 50 his appetite fails, his complexion fades, and his tongue is apt to be furred on the leastexertion of body or mind. At this period his muscles become flabby, his joints weak; his spirits droop, and his sleep is imperfect andunrefreshing. After suffering under these complaints a year, orperhaps two, he starts afresh with renewed vigor, and goes on to 61 or62, when a similar change takes place, but with aggravated symptoms. When these grand periods have been successively passed, the gravity ofincumbent years is more strongly marked, and he begins to boast of hisage. In Russia, much more than in any other country, instances of longevityare numerous, if true. In the report of the Holy Synod, in 1827, during the year 1825, and only among the Greek religion, 848 men hadreached upward of 100 years of age; 32 had passed their 120th year, 4from 130 to 135. Out of 606, 818 men who died in 1826, 2, 765 were above90; 1, 432 above 95, and 848 above 100 years of age. Among this lastnumber 88 were above 115; 24 more than 120; 7 above 125, and one 130. Riley asserts that Arabs in the Desert live 200 years. On the average, men have their first-born at 30 and women at 28. The greatest number of deliveries take place between 25 and 35. Thegreatest number of deliveries take place in the winter months, and inFebruary, and the smallest in July, i. E. , to February, as 4 to 5 intowns and 3 to 4 in the country. The night births are to the day as 5to 4. Human Strength. --In Schulze's experiments on human strength, he foundthat men of five feet, weighing 126 lbs. , could lift vertically 156lbs. 8 inches; 217 lbs. 1. 2 inches. Others, 6. 1 feet, weighing 183lbs. , 156 lbs. 13 inches, and 217 lbs. 6 inches; others 6 feet 3inches, weighing 158 lbs. , 156 lbs. 16 inches, and 217 lbs. 9 inches. By a great variety of experiments he determined the mean humanstrength at 30 lbs. , with a velocity of 2. 5 feet per second; or it isequal to the raising half a hogshead 10 feet in a minute. RULES FOR SPELLING. Words ending in _e_ drop that letter before the termination _able_, as in move, movable; unless ending in _ce_ or _ge_, when it isretained, as in change, changeable, etc. Words of one syllable, ending in a consonant, with a single vowelbefore it, double the consonants in derivatives; as, ship, shipping, etc. But if ending in a consonant with a double vowel before it, theydo not double the consonant in derivatives; as, troop, trooper, etc. Words of more than one syllable, ending in a consonant preceded by asingle vowel, and accented on the last syllable, double that consonantin derivatives; as, commit, committed; but except chagrin, chagrined. All words of one syllable ending in _l_, with a single vowel beforeit, have _ll_ at the close; as mill, sell. All words of one syllableending in _l_, with a double vowel before it, have only one _l_ at theclose; as mail, sail. The words foretell, distill, instill and fulfill, retain the _ll_of their primitives. Derivatives of dull, skill, will and full alsoretain the _ll_ when the accent falls on these words; as dullness, skillfull, willfull, fullness. Words of more than one syllable ending in _l_ have only one _l_ at theclose; as delightful, faithful; unless the accent falls on the lastsyllable; as befall, etc. Words ending in _l_, double the letter in the termination _ly_. Participles ending in _ing_, from verbs ending in _e_, lose the final_e_; as have, having; make, making, etc; but verbs ending in _ee_retain both; as see, seeing. The word dye, to color, however, mustretain the _e_ before _ing_. All verbs ending in _ly_, and nounsending in _ment_, retain the _e_ final of the primitives; as brave, bravely; refine, refinement; except words ending in _dge_; as, acknowledge, acknowledgment. Nouns ending in _y_, preceded by a vowel, form their plural by adding_s_; as money, moneys; but if _y_ is preceded by a consonant, it ischanged to _ies_ in the plural; as bounty, bounties. Compound words whose primitives end in _y_, change the _y_ into _i_;as beauty, beautiful. THE USE OF CAPITALS. Every entire sentence should begin with a capital. Proper names, and adjectives derived from these, should begin with acapital. All appellations of the Deity should begin with a capital. Officialand honorary titles should begin with a capital. Every line of poetry should begin with a capital. Titles of books and the heads of their chapters and divisions areprinted in capitals. The pronoun I and the exclamation O are always capitals. The days of the week and the months of the year begin with capitals. Every quotation should begin with a capital letter. Names of religious denominations begin with capitals. In preparing accounts each item should begin with a capital. Any word of very special importance may begin with a capital. TWENTY CHOICE COURSE DINNER MENUS. 1. Rice Soup, Baked Pike, Mashed Potatoes, Roast of Beef, Stewed Corn, Chicken Fricassee, Celery Salad, Compote of Oranges, Plain Custard, Cheese, Wafers, Coffee. 2. Mutton Soup, Fried Oysters, Stewed Potatoes, Boiled Corn Beef, Cabbage, Turnips, Roast Pheasants, Onion Salad, Apple Pie, WhiteCustard, Bent's Water Crackers, Cheese, Coffee. 3. Oyster Soup, Roast Mutton, Baked Potatoes, Breaded Veal Cutlets, Tomato Sauce, Baked Celery, Cabbage Salad, Apple Custard, Sponge Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 4. Macaroni Soup, Boiled Chicken, with Oysters, Mutton Chops, CreamedPotatoes, Stewed Tomatoes, Pickled Beets, Peaches and Rice, PlainCake, Cheese, Coffee. 5. Tapioca Soup, Boiled Halibut, Duchesse Potatoes, Roast Beef Tongue, Canned Peas, Baked Macaroni, with Gravy, Fried Sweet Potatoes, BeetSalad, Cornstarch Pudding, Jelly Tarts, Cheese, Wafers, Coffee. 6. Vegetable Soup, Boiled Trout, Oyster Sauce, Roast Veal, withDressing, Boiled Potatoes, Stewed Tomatoes, Corn, Egg Salad, SnowCream, Peach Pie, Sultana Biscuit, Cheese, Coffee. 7. Potato Soup, Oyster Patties, Whipped Potatoes, Roast Mutton, withSpinach, Beets, Fried Parsnips, Egg Sauce, Celery Salad, Boiled Custard, Lemon Tarts, White Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 8. Veal Soup, Boiled Shad, Caper Sauce, Porterhouse Steak, withMushrooms, Pigeon Pie, Mashed Potatoes, Pickles, Rice Sponge Cakes, Cheese, Canned Apricots with Cream, Coffee. 9. Giblet Soup, Scalloped Clams, Potato Cakes, Lamb Chops, CannedBeans, Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Salmon Salad, Charlotte Rasse, Apricot Tarts, Cheese, Coffee. 10. Vermicelli Soup, Fried Small Fish, Mashed Potatoes, Roast Beef, Minced Cabbage, Chicken Croquettes, Beet Salad, Stewed Pears, PlainSponge Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 11. Oxtail Soup, Fricasseed Chicken with Oysters, Breaded MuttonChops, Turnips, Duchesse Potatoes, Chow-chow Salad, Chocolate Pudding, Nut Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 12. Barley Soup, Boiled Trout, Creamed Potatoes, Roast Loin of Veal, Stewed Mushrooms, Broiled Chicken, Lettuce Salad, Fig Pudding, Wafers, Cheese, Coffee. 13. Noodle Soup, Salmon, with Oyster Sauce, Fried Potatoes, GlazedBeef, Boiled Spinach, Parsnips, with Cream Sauce, Celery, Plain RicePudding, with Custard Sauce, Current Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 14. Lobster Soup, Baked Ribs of Beef, with Browned Potatoes, BoiledDuck, with Onion Sauce, Turnips, Stewed Tomatoes, Lettuce, DelmonicoPudding, Cheese, Sliced Oranges, Wafers, Coffee. 15. Chicken Broth, Baked Whitefish, Boiled Potatoes, Canned Peas, Mutton Chops, Tomatoes, Beets, Celery Salad, Apple Trifle, LadyFingers, Cheese. Coffee. 10. Sago Soup, Boiled Leg of Mutton, Caper Sauce, Stewed Potatoes, Canned Corn, Scalloped Oysters, with Cream Sauce, Celery and LettuceSalad, Marmalade Fritters, Apple Custard, Cheese Cakes, Coffee. 17. Vegetable Soup, Broiled Shad, Lyonnaise Potatoes, Pork Chops, with Sage Dressing, Parsnip Fritters, Macaroni and Gravy, CauliflowerSalad, Rhubarb Tarts, Silver Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 18. Chicken Soup, with Rice, Codfish, Boiled, with Cream Sauce, RoastVeal, Tomatoes, Oyster Salad, Boiled Potatoes, Asparagus, OrangeJelly, White Cake, Cheese, Coffee. 19. Macaroni Soup, Fried Shad, Tomato Sauce, Roast Mutton, MashedPotatoes, Boiled Tongue, with Mayonnaise Dressing, Fried Parsnips, Canned Beans, Lemon Puffs, Cheese Cakes, Fruit, Coffee. 20. Scotch Broth, Baked Halibut, Boiled Potatoes, Breaded MuttonChops, Tomato Sauce, Spinach, Bean Salad, Asparagus and Eggs, PeachBatter Pudding, with Sauce, Wafers, Cheese, Coffee. TERMS USED IN MEDICINE. Anthelmintics are medicines which have the power of destroying orexpelling worms from the intestinal canal. Antiscorbutics are medicines which prevent or cure the scurvy. Antispasmodics are medicines given to relieve spasm, or irregular andpainful action of the muscles or muscular fibers, as in Epilepsy, St. Vitus' Dance, etc. Aromatics are medicines which have, a grateful smell and agreeablepungent taste. Astringents are those remedies which, when applied to the body, renderthe solids dense and firmer. Carminatives are those medicines which dispel flatulency of thestomach and bowels. Cathartics are medicines which accelerate the action of the bowels, orincrease the discharge by stool. Demulcents are medicines suited to prevent the action of acrid andstimulating matters upon the mucous membranes of the throat, lungs, etc. Diaphoretics are medicines that promote or cause perspirable dischargeby the skin. Diuretics are medicines which increase the flow of urine by theiraction upon the kidneys. Emetics are those medicines which produce vomiting. Emmenagogues are medicines which promote the menstrual discharge. Emollients are those remedies which, when applied to the solids of thebody, render them soft and flexible. Errhines are substances which, when applied to the lining membrane ofthe nostrils, occasion a discharge of mucous fluid. Epispastices are those which cause blisters when applied to thesurface. Escharotics are substances used to destroy a portion of the surface ofthe body, forming sloughs. Expectorants are medicines capable of facilitating the excretion ofmucous from the chest. Narcotics are those substances having the property of diminishing theaction of the nervous and vascular systems, and of inducing sleep. Rubefacients are remedies which excite the vessels of the skin andincrease its heat and redness. Sedatives are medicines which have the power of allaying the actionsof the systems generally, or of lessening the exercise of someparticular function. Sialagogues are medicines which increase the flow of the saliva. Stimulants are medicines capable of exciting the vital energy, whetheras exerted in sensation or motion. Tonics are those medicines which increase the tone or healthy action, or strength of the living system. RULES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HEALTH. Pure atmospheric air is composed of nitrogen, oxygen and a very smallproportion of carbonic acid gas. Air once breathed has lost the chiefpart of its oxygen, and acquired a proportionate increase of carbonicacid gas. Therefore, health requires that we breathe the same air onceonly. The solid part of our bodies is continually wasting and requires to berepaired by fresh substances. Therefore, food, which is to repair theloss, should be taken with due regard to the exercise and waste of thebody. The fluid part of our bodies also wastes constantly; there is but onefluid in animals, which is water. Therefore, water only is necessary, and no artifice can produce a better drink. The fluid of our bodies is to the solid in proportion as nine to one. Therefore, a like proportion should prevail in the total amount offood taken. Light exercises an important influence upon the growth and vigor ofanimals and plants. Therefore, our dwellings should freely admit thesun's rays. Decomposing animal and vegetable substances yield various noxiousgases, which enter the lungs and corrupt the blood. Therefore, allimpurities should be kept away from our abodes, and every precautionbe observed to secure a pure atmosphere. Warmth is essential to all the bodily functions. Therefore, an equalbodily temperature should be maintained by exercise, by clothing or byfire. Exercise warms, invigorates and purifies the body; clothing preservesthe warmth the body generates; fire imparts warmth externally. Therefore, to obtain and preserve warmth, exercise and clothing arepreferable to fire. Fire consumes the oxygen of the air, and produces noxious gases. Therefore, the air is less pure in the presence of candles, gas orcoal fire, than otherwise, and the deterioration should be repaired byincreased ventilation. The skin is a highly-organized membrane, fullof minute pores, cells, blood-vessels, and nerves; it imbibes moistureor throws it off according to the state of the atmosphere or thetemperature of the body. It also "breathes, " like the lungs (thoughless actively). All the internal organs sympathize with the skin. Therefore, it should be repeatedly cleansed. Late hours and anxious pursuits exhaust the nervous system and producedisease and premature death. Therefore, the hours of labor and studyshould be short. Mental and bodily exercise are equally essential to the general healthand happiness. Therefore, labor and study should succeed each other. Man will live most happily upon simple solids and fluids, of whicha sufficient but temperate quantity should be taken. Therefore, over-indulgence in strong drinks, tobacco, snuff, opium, and all mereindulgences, should be avoided. Sudden alternations of heat and cold are dangerous (especially to theyoung and the aged). Therefore, clothing, in quantity and quality, should be adapted to the alternations of night and day, and of theseasons. And therefore, also, drinking cold water when the body ishot, and hot tea and soups when cold are productive of many evils. Never visit a sick person (especially if the complaint be of acontagious nature) with an empty stomach, as this disposes the systemmore readily to receive the contagion. And in attending a sick person, place yourself where the air passes from the door or window to the bedof the diseased; not between the diseased person and any fire that isin the room, as the heat of the fire will draw the infectious vapor inthat direction. MOTHER SHIPTON'S PROPHECY. --The lines known as "Mother Shipton'sProphecy" were first published in England in 1485, before thediscovery of America, and, of course, before any of the discoveriesand inventions mentioned therein. All the events predicted have cometo pass except that in the last two lines. Carriages without horses shall go, And accidents fill the world with woe. Around the world thoughts shall fly In the twinkling of an eye. Waters shall yet more wonders do, Now strange, yet shall be true. The world upside down shall be, And gold be found at root of tree. Through hills man shall ride, And no horse nor ass be at his side. Under water man shall walk, Shall ride, shall sleep, shall talk. In the air men shall be seen In white, in black, in green. Iron in the water shall float, As easy as a wooden boat. Gold shall be found 'mid stone, In a land that's now unknown. Fire and water shall wonders do, England shall at last admit a Jew. And this world to an end shall come In eighteen hundred and eighty-one. CAPTAIN KIDD, a notorious American pirate, was born about 1650. In1696 he was entrusted by the British Government with the command ofa privateer, and sailed from New York, for the purpose of suppressingthe numerous pirates then infesting the seas. He went to the EastIndies, where he began a career of piracy, and returned to New York in1698 with a large amount of booty. He was soon after arrested, sent toEngland for trial, and executed in 1701. VALUE OF OLD AMERICAN COINS. --1793--Half cent, 75 cents; one cent, $2. 1794--Half cent, 20 cents, one cent, 10 cents; five cents, $1. 25;fifty cents, $3; one dollar, $10. 1795--Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 5 cents; five cents, 25 cents; fifty cents, 55 cents; one dollar, $1. 25. 1796--Half cent, $5; one cent, 10 cents; five cents $1; tencents, 50 cents; twenty-five cents, $1; fifty cents, $10; one dollar, $1. 50. 1797--Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 5 cents; five cents, 50cents; ten cents, $1; fifty cents, $10; one dollar, $1. 50. 1798--Onecent, 5 cents; ten cents, $1; one dollar, $1. 50. 1799--One cent, $5;one dollar, $1. 60. 1800--Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 3 cents; fivecents, 25 cents; [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'tencents 1'] ten cents, $1; one dollar, $1. 10. 1801--One cent, 3 cents;five cents, $1; ten cents, $1; fifty cents, $2; one dollar, $1. 25. 1802--Half cent, 50 cents; one cent, 2 cents; ten cents, $1; fiftycents, $2; one dollar, $1. 25. 1803--Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 2cents; five cents, $10; [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'ten cents, 1'] ten cents, $1; one dollar, $1. 10. 1804--Half cent, 2cents; one cent, $2; five cents, 75 cents; ten cents, $2; twenty-fivecents, 75 cents; one dollar, $100. 1805--Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 3 cents; five cents, $1. 50; ten cents, 25 cents. 1806--Half cent, 2cents; one cent, 3 cents. 1807--Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 3 cents;ten cents, 25 cents. 1808--Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 5 cents. 1809--Half cent, 1 cent; one cent, 25 cents; ten cents, 50 cents. 1810--Half cent, 5 cents; one cent, 5 cents. 1811--Half cent, 25cents; one cent, 10 cents; ten cents, 50 cents. 1812--One cent, 2cents. 1813--One cent, 5 cents. 1815--Fifty cents, $5. 1821--One cent, 5 cents. 1822--Ten cents, $1. 1823--One cent, 5 cents; twenty-fivecents, $10. 1824--Twenty-five cents, 40 cents. 1825--Half cent, 2cents. 1826--Half cent, 2 cents; one cent, 50 cents. 1827--One cent, 3 cents; twenty-five cents, $10. 1828--Half cent, 1 cent; twenty-fivecents, 30 cents. 1829--Half cent, 2 cents. 1830--Half cent, 2 cents. 1832-'33-'34--Half cent, 2 cents. 1835--Half cent, 1 cent. 1836--Fiftycents, $3; one dollar, $3. 1838--Ten cents, 25 cents. 1839--Onedollar, $10. 1846--Five cents, 50 cents. 1849-'50--Half cent, 5cents. 1851--Half cent, 1 cent; twenty-five cents, 30 cents; onedollar, $10. 90. 1852--Twenty-five cents, 30 cents; fifty cents, $2; one dollar, $10. 1853--Half cent, 1 cent; twenty cents (withno arrows), $2. 50; one dollar, $1. 25. 1854--Half cent, 2 cents;one dollar, $2. 1855-'57--Half cent, 5 cents; one dollar, $1. 50. 1856--Half cent, 5 cents; one dollar. $1. 50. 1858--One dollar, $10. 1863-'4-'5--Three cents, 95 cents. 1866--Half cent, 6 cents; threecents, 25 cents; five cents, 10 cents; twenty-five cents, 30 cents. 1867--Three cents, 25 cents; five cents, 10 cents. 1868-'9--Threecents, 25 cents. 1870--Three cents, 15 cents. 1871--Two cents, 10cents; three cents, 25 cents. 1873--Two cents, 50 cents; three cents. 50 cents. 1877-'8--Twenty cents, $1. 50. These prices are for goodordinary coins without holes. Fine specimens are worth more. LEANING TOWER OF PISA. --The leaning tower of Pisa was commenced in1152, and was not finished till the fourteenth century. Tho cathedralto which this belongs was erected to celebrate a triumph of the Pisansin the harbor of Palermo in 1063, when allied with the Normans todrive the Saracens out of Sicily. It is a circular building, onehundred feet in diameter and 179 feet in extreme height, and hasfine mosaic pavements, elaborately carved columns, and numerousbas-reliefs. The building is of white marble. The tower is dividedinto eight stories, each having an outside gallery of seven feetprojection, and the topmost story overhangs the base about sixteenfeet, though, as the center of gravity is still ten feet within thebase, the building is perfectly safe. It has been supposed that thisinclination was intentional, but the opinion that the foundationhas sunk is no doubt correct. It is most likely that the defectivefoundation became perceptible before the tower had reached one-halfits height, as at that elevation the unequal length of the columnsexhibits an endeavor to restore the perpendicular, and at about thesame place the walls are strengthened with iron bars. What causes the water to flow out of an artesian well?--Thetheoretical explanation of the phenomenon is easily understood. The secondary and tertiary geological formations often present theappearance of immense basins, the boundary or rim of the basin havingbeen formed by an upheaval of adjacent strata. In these formations itoften happens that a porous stratum, consisting of sand, sandstone, chalk or other calcareous matter, is included between two impermeablelayers of clay, so as to form a flat [Transcriber's Note: The originaltext reads 'porus'] porous U tube, continuous from side to side ofthe valley, the outcrop on the surrounding hills forming the mouthof the tube. The rain filtering down through the porous layer to thebottom of the basin forms there a subterranean pool, which, with theliquid or semi-liquid column pressing upon it, constitutes a sortof huge natural hydrostatic bellows. Sometimes the pressure onthe superincumbent crust is so great as to cause an upheaval ordisturbance of the valley. It is obvious, then, that when a hole isbored down through the upper impermeable layer to the surface of thelake, the water will be forced up by the natural law of water seekingits level to a height above the surface of the valley, greater orless, according to the elevation of the level in the feeding column, thus forming a natural mountain on precisely the same principle asthat of most artificial fountains, where the water supply comes from aconsiderable height above the jet. HOW MANY CUBIC FEET THERE ARE IN A TON OF COAL. --There is a differencebetween a ton of hard coal and one of soft coal. For that matter, coalfrom different mines, whether hard or soft, differs in weight, andconsequently in cubic measure, according to quality. Then there is adifference according to size. To illustrate, careful measurements havebeen made of Wilkes-barre anthracite, a fine quality of hard coal, with the following results: Cubic-feet Cubic feet in ton of in ton of Size of coal. 2, 240 lbs. 2, 000 lbs. Lump 33. 2 28. 8 Broken 33. 9 30. 3 Egg 34. 5 30. 8 Stone 34. 8 31. 1 Chestnut 35. 7 31. 9 Pea 36. 7 32. 8 For soft coal the following measures may be taken as nearly correct;it is simply impossible to determine any exact rule, even forbituminous coal of the same district: Briar Hill coal, 44. 8 cubicfeet per ton of 2, 240 pounds; Pittsburgh, 47. 8; Wilmington, Ill. , 47;Indiana block coal, 42 to 43 cubic feet. The dimensions of the great wall of China and of what it is built. --Itruns from a point on the Gulf of Liantung, an arm of the Gulf ofPechili in Northeastern China, westerly to the Yellow River; thencemakes a great bend to the south for nearly 100 miles, and then runsto the northwest for several hundred miles to the Desert of Gobi. Itslength is variously estimated to be from 1, 250 to 1, 500 miles. For themost of this distance it runs through a mountainous country, keepingon the ridges, and winding over many of the highest peaks. In someplaces it is only a formidable rampart, but most of the way it iscomposed of lofty walls of masonry and concrete, or impacted lime andclay, from 12 to 16 feet in thickness, and from 15 to 30 or 35 feetin height. The top of this wall is paved for hundreds of miles, andcrowned with crenallated battlements, and towers 30 to 40 feet high. In numerous places the wall climbs such steep declivities that itstop ascends from height to height in flights of granite steps. An armycould march on the top of the wall for weeks and even months, movingin some places ten men abreast. Limits of Natural Vision. --This question is too indefinite for aspecific answer. The limits of vision vary with elevation, conditionsof the atmosphere, intensity of illumination, and other modifyingelements in different cases. In a clear day an object one foot abovea level plain may be seen at the distance of 1. 31 miles; one ten feethigh, 4. 15 miles; one twenty feet high, 5. 86 miles; one 100 feet high, 13. 1 miles; one a mile high, as the top of a mountain, 95. 23 miles. This allows seven inches (or, to be exact, 6. 99 inches) for thecurvature of the earth, and assumes that the size and illumination ofthe object are sufficient to produce an image. Five miles may be takenas the extreme limit at which a man is visible on a flat plain to anobserver on the same level. THE NIAGARA SUSPENSION BRIDGE. --For seven miles below the falls, Niagara river flows through a gorge varying in width from 200 to 400yards. Two miles below the falls the river is but 350 feet wide, andit is here that the great suspension bridge, constructed in 1855 byMr. Roebling, crosses the gorge, 245 feet above the water. The lengthof the span, from tower to tower, is 821 feet, and the total length ofthe bridge is 2, 220 feet. The length of the span, which is capable ofsustaining a strain of 10, 000 tons, is 821 feet from tower to tower, and the total length of the bridge is 2, 220 feet. It is used both forrailway and wagon traffic, the wagon-road and foot-way being directlyunder the railway bed. There is another suspension bridge across theNiagara river at a distance of only about fifty rods from the falls, on the American side. This is only for carriages and foot travel. Itwas finished in 1869. It is 1, 190 feet long from cliff to cliff, 1, 268feet from tower to tower, and 190 feet above the river, which at thispoint is a little over 900 feet in width. THE SPEED OF SOUND. --It has been ascertained that a full human voice, speaking in the open air, calm, can be heard at a distance of 400 feet;in an observable breeze a powerful human voice with the wind is audibleat a distance of 15, 840 feet; the report of a musket, 16, 000 feet; adrum, 10, 560 feet; music, a strong brass band, 15, 840 feet; very heavycannonading, 575, 000 feet, or 90 miles. In the Arctic regionsconversation has been maintained over water a distance of 6, 766 feet. Ingases the velocity of sound increases with the temperature; in air thisincrease is about two feet per second for each degree centigrade. Thevelocity of sound in oxygen gas at zero C. Is 1, 040 feet; in carbonicacid, 858 feet; in hydrogen, 4, 164 feet. In 1827 Colladon and Sturmdetermined experimentally the velocity of sound in fresh water; theexperiment was made in the Lake of Geneva, and it was found to be 4, 174feet per second at a temperature of 15 degrees C. The velocity of soundin alcohol at 20 degrees C. Is 4, 218 feet; in ether at zero, 3, 801; insea water at 20 degrees C. , 4, 768. By direct measurements, carefullymade, by observing at night the interval which elapses between the flashand report of a cannon at a known distance, the velocity of sound hasbeen about 1, 090 per second at the temperature of freezing water. DESCRIPTION OF THE YELLOWSTONE PARK. --The Yellowstone National Parkextends sixty-five miles north and south, and fifty-five miles eastand west, comprising 3, 575 square miles, and is all 6, 000 feet or moreabove sea-level. Yellowstone Lake, twenty miles by fifteen, has analtitude of 7, 788 feet. The mountain ranges which hem in the valleyson every side rise to the height of 10, 000 to 12, 000 feet, and arealways covered with snow. This great park contains the most strikingof all the mountains, gorges, falls, rivers and lakes in the wholeYellowstone region. The springs on Gardiner's River cover an area ofabout one square mile, and three or four square miles thereabout areoccupied by the remains of springs which have ceased to flow. Thenatural basins into which these springs flow are from four to six feetin diameter and from one to four feet in depth. The principal ones arelocated upon terraces midway up the sides of the mountain. The banksof the Yellowstone River abound with ravines and canons, which arecarved out of the heart of the mountains through the hardest of rocks. The most remarkable of these is the canon of Tower Creek and ColumnMountain. The latter, which extends along the eastern bank of theriver for upward of two miles, is said to resemble the Giant'sCauseway. The canon of Tower Creek is about ten miles in length andis so deep and gloomy that it is called "The Devil's Den. " WhereTower Creek ends the Grand Canon begins. It is twenty miles in length, impassable throughout, and inaccessible at the water's edge, exceptat a few points. Its rugged edges are from 200 to 500 yards apart, andits depth is so profound that no sound ever reaches the ear from thebottom. The Grand Canon contains a great multitude of hot springs ofsulphur, sulphate of copper, alum, etc. In the number and magnitudeof its hot springs and geysers, the Yellowstone Park surpasses allthe rest of the world. There are probably fifty geysers that throw acolumn of water to the height of from 50 to 200 feet, and it is statedthat there are not fewer than 5, 000 springs; there are two kinds, those depositing lime and those depositing silica. The temperature ofthe calcareous springs is from 160 to 170 degrees, while that of theothers rises to 200 or more. The principal collections are the upperand lower geyser basins of the Madison River, and the calcareoussprings on Gardiner's River. The great falls are marvels to whichadventurous travelers have gone only to return and report that theyare parts of the wonders of this new American wonderland. DESIGNATIONS OF GROUPS OF ANIMALS. --The ingenuity of the sportsmanis, perhaps, no better illustrated than by the use he puts the Englishlanguage to in designating particular groups of animals. The followingis a list of the terms which have been applied to the various classes: A covey of patridges, A nide of pheasants, A wisp of snipe, A flightof doves or swallows, A muster of peacocks, A siege of herons, Abuilding of rooks, A brood of grouse, A plump of wild fowl, A stand ofplovers, A watch of nightingales, A clattering of choughs, A flock ofgeese, A herd or bunch of cattle, A bevy of quails, A cast of hawks, A trip of dottrell, A swarm of bees, A school of whales, A shoal ofherrings, A herd of swine, A skulk of foxes, A pack of wolves, A droveof oxen, A sounder of hogs, A troop of monkeys, A pride of lions, Asleuth of bears, A gang of elk. THE BUNKER HILL MONUMENT. --The monument is a square shaft, built ofQuincy granite, 221 feet high, 31 feet square at the base and 15 atthe top. Its foundations are inclosed 12 feet under ground. Inside theshaft is a round, hollow cone, 7 feet wide at the bottom and 4 feet2 inches at the top, encircled by a winding staircase of 224 stonesteps, which leads to a chamber immediately under the apex, 11 feetin diameter. The chamber has four windows, which afford a wide view ofthe surrounding country, and contains two cannons, named respectivelyHancock and Adams, which were used in many engagements during the war. The corner-stone of the monument was laid on the fiftieth anniversaryof the battle, June 17, 1825, by Lafayette, who was then visitingAmerica, when Webster pronounced the oration. The monument wascompleted, and June 17, 1843, was dedicated, Webster again deliveringthe oration. THE SEVEN WISE MEN OF GREECE. --The names generally given areSolon, Chilo, Pittacus, Bias, Periander (in place of whom some giveEpimenides), Cleobulus, and Thales. They were the authors of thecelebrated mottoes inscribed in later days in the Delphian Temple. These mottoes were as follows: "Know thyself. "--Solon. "Consider the end. "--Chilo. "Know thy opportunity. "--Pittacus. "Most men are bad. "--Bias. "Nothing is impossible to industry. "--Periander. "Avoid excesses. "--Cleobulus. "Suretyship is the precursor of ruin. "--Thales. FIRST STEAMBOAT ON THE MISSISSIPPI. --Nicholas J. Roosevelt was thefirst to take a steamboat down the great river. His boat was builtat Pittsburgh, in the year 1811, under an arrangement with Fulton andLivingston, from Fulton's plans. It was called the "New Orleans, " wasabout 200 tons burden, and was propelled by a stern-wheel, assisted, when the wind was favorable, by sails carried on two masts. The hullwas 138 feet long, 30 feet beam, and the cost of the whole, includingengines, was about $40, 000. The builder, with his family, an engineer, a pilot, and six "deck hands, " left Pittsburgh in October, 1811, reaching Louisville in about seventy hours (steaming about ten milesan hour), and New Orleans in fourteen days, steaming from Natchez. THE EXPLORATIONS OF FREMONT. --- Among the earliest efforts of Fremont, after he had tried and been sickened by the sea, were his experiences asa surveyor and engineer on railroad lines from Charleston to Augusta, Ga. , and Charleston to Cincinnati. Then he accompanied an armydetachment on a military reconnoissance of the mountainous Cherokeecountry in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee, made in the depth ofwinter. In 1838-9 he accompanied M. Nicollet in explorations of thecountry between the Missouri and the British line, and his first detailof any importance, after he had been commissioned by President VanBuren, was to make an examination of the river Des Moines, then on theWestern frontier. In 1841 he projected his first trans-continentalexpedition, and left Washington May 2, 1842, and accomplished the objectof his trip, examined the South Pass, explored the Wind River mountains, ascended in August, the highest peak of that range, now known asFremont's Peak, and returned, after an absence of four months. Hisreport of the expedition attracted great attention in the United Statesand abroad. Fremont began to plan another and a second expedition. Hedetermined to extend his explorations across the continent; and in May, 1843, commenced his journey with thirty-nine men, and September 6, aftertraveling over 1, 700 miles, arrived at the Great Salt Lake; there madesome important discoveries, and then pushed on to the upper Columbia, down whose valley he proceeded to Fort Vancouver, near its mouth. OnNov. 10, he set out to return East, selecting a southeasterly course, leading from the lower part of the Columbia to the upper Colorado, through an almost unknown region, crossed by high and rugged mountains. He and his party suffered incredible hardships in crossing from theGreat Basin to Sutter's Fort on the Sacramento; started from there March24, proceeded southward, skirted the western base of the Sierra Nevada, crossed that range through a gap, entered the Great Basin; again visitedthe Great Salt Lake, from which they returned through the South Pass toKansas, in July, 1844, after an absence of fourteen months. In thespring of 1845 Fremont set out on a third expedition to explore theGreat Basin and the maritime region of Oregon and California; spent thesummer examining the headwaters of the rivers whose springs are in thegrand divide of the continent; in October camped on the shores of theGreat Salt Lake: proceeded to explore the Sierra Nevada, which he againcrossed in the dead of winter; made his way into the Valley of the SanJoaquin; obtained permission, at Monterey, from the Mexican authoritiesthere, to proceed with his expedition, which permission was almostimmediately revoked, and Fremont peremptorily ordered to leave thecountry without delay, but he refused, and a collision was imminent, butwas averted, and Fremont proceeded toward San Joaquin. Near TlamathLake, Fremont met, May 9, 1846, a party in search of him, withdispatches from Washington, ordering him to watch over the interests ofthe United States in California, as there was reason to believe thatprovince would be transferred to Great Britain. He at once returned toCalifornia; General Castro was already marching against our settlements;the settlers rose in arms, flocked to Fremont's camp, and, with him asleader, in less than a month, all Northern California was freed fromMexican authority; and on July 4 Fremont was elected Governor ofCalifornia by the American settlers. Later came the conflict betweenCommodore Stockton and General Kearney; and Fremont resigned hiscommission as Lieutenant-Colonel, to which he had been promoted. InOctober, 1848, he started across the continent on a fourth expedition, outfitted at his own expense, to find a practicable route to California. In attempting to cross the great Sierra, covered with snow, his guidelost his way, and the party encountered horrible suffering from cold andhunger, a portion of them being driven to cannibalism; he lost all hisanimals (he had 120 mules when he started), and one-third of his men (hehad thirty-three) perished, and he had to retrace his steps to Santa Fe. He again set out, with thirty men, and, after a long search, discovereda secure route, which led to the Sacramento, where he arrived in thespring of 1840. He led a fifth expedition across the continent in 1853, at his own expense, and found passes through the mountains in the lineof latitude 38 deg. , 39 min. , and reached California after enduringgreat hardships; for fifty days his party lived on horse-flesh, and forforty-eight hours at a time without food of any kind. These are thebarest outlines of five expeditions of which many volumes have beenwritten, but will hint at Fremont's work in the West which entitled himto the name of the "Pathfinder. " CHINESE PROVERBS. --The Chinese are indeed remarkably fond of proverbs. They not only employ them in conversation--and even to a greaterdegree than the Spaniards, who are noted among Europeans for thenumber and excellence of their proverbial sayings--but they have apractice of adorning their reception rooms with these sententiousbits of wisdom, inscribed on decorated scrolls or embroidered on richcrapes and brocades. They carve them on door-posts and pillars, andemblazon them on the walls and ceilings in gilt letters. The followingare a few specimens of this sort of literature: As a sneer at theuse of unnecessary force to crush a contemptible enemy, they say:"He rides a fierce dog to catch a lame rabbit. " Similar to this isanother, "To use a battle-ax to cut off a hen's head. " They say ofwicked associates: "To cherish a bad man is like nourishing a tiger;if not well-fed he will devour you. " Here are several others minglingwit with wisdom: "To instigate a villain to do wrong is like teachinga monkey to climb trees;" "To catch fish and throw away the net, "which recalls our saying, "Using the cat's paw to pull the chestnutsout of the fire;" "To climb a tree to catch a fish" is to talk muchto no purpose; "A superficial scholar is a sheep dressed in a tiger'sskin;" "A cuckoo in a magpie's nest, " equivalent to saying, "he isenjoying another's labor without compensation;" "If the blind leadthe blind they will both fall into the pit;" "A fair wind raises nostorm;" "Vast chasms can be filled, but the heart of man is neversatisfied;" "The body may be healed, but the mind is incurable;" "Heseeks the ass, and lo! he sits upon him;" "He who looks at the sun isdazzled; he who hears the thunder is deafened. " i. E. , do not come toonear the powerful; "Prevention is better than cure;" "Wine and gooddinners make abundance of friends, but in adversity not one of them isto be found. " "Let every man sweep the snow from before his own door, and not trouble himself about the frost on his neighbor's tiles. " Thefollowing one is a gem of moral wisdom: "Only correct yourself on thesame principle that you correct others, and excuse others on the sameprinciples on which you excuse yourself. " "Better not be, than benothing. " "One thread does not make a rope; one swallow does not makea summer. " "Sensuality is the chief of sins, filial duty the best ofacts. " "The horse's back is not so safe us the buffalo's"--the formeris used by the politician, the latter by the farmer. "Too much lenitymultiplies crime. " "If you love your son give him plenty of the rod;if you hate him cram him with dainties. " "He is my teacher who tellsme my faults, he my enemy who speaks my virtues. " Having a wholesomedread of litigation, they say of one who goes to law, "He sues a fleato catch a bite. " Their equivalent for our "coming out at the littleend of the horn" is, "The farther the rat creeps up (or into) thecow's horn, the narrower it grows. " The truth of their saying that"The fame of good deeds does not leave a man's door, but his evilacts are known a thousand miles off, " is illustrated in our own dailypapers every morning. Finally, we close this list with a Chineseproverb which should be inscribed on the lintel of every doorin Christendom: "The happy-hearted man carries joy for all thehousehold. " MASON AND DIXON'S LINE. --Mason and Dixon's line is the concurrentState line of Maryland and Pennsylvania. It is named after two eminentastronomers and [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'mathemeticians'] mathematicians, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, who were sent out from England to run it. They completed the surveybetween 1703 and 1707, excepting thirty-six miles surveyed in 1782 byColonel Alex. McLean and Joseph Neville. It is in the latitude of 39deg. 43 min. 26. 3 sec. GREAT FIRES OF HISTORY. --The loss of life and property in the willfuldestruction by fire and sword of the principal cities of ancienthistory--Nineveh, Babylon, Persepolis, Carthage, Palmyra, andmany others--is largely a matter of conjecture. The following is amemorandum of the chief conflagrations of the current era: In 64, A. D. , during the reign of Nero, a terrible fire raged in Romefor eight days, destroying ten of the fourteen wards. The loss of lifeand destruction of property is not known. In 70 A. D. , Jerusalem was taken by the Romans and a large part of itgiven to the torch, entailing an enormous destruction of life andproperty. In 1106 Venice, then a city of immense opulence, was almost, whollyconsumed by a fire, originating in accident or incendiarism. In 1212 the greater part of London was burned. In 1606 what is known as the Great Fire of London raged in the cityfrom September 2 to 6, consuming 13, 200 houses, with St. Paul'sChurch, 86 parish churches, 6 chapels, the Guild Hall, the RoyalExchange, the Custom House, 52 companies halls, many hospitals, libraries and other public edifices. The total destruction of propertywas estimated at $53, 652, 500. Six lives were lost, and 436 acres burntover. In 1679 a fire in Boston burned all the warehouses, eighty dwellings, and vessels in the dock-yards; loss estimated at $1, 000, 000. In 1700 a large part of Edinburgh was burned; loss unknown. In 1728Copenhagen was nearly destroyed; 1, 650 houses burned. In 1736 a fire in St. Petersburg burned 2, 000 houses. In 1729 a fire in Constantinople destroyed 12, 000 houses, and 7, 000people perished. The same city suffered a conflagration in 1745, lasting five days; and in 1750 a series of three appalling fires:one in January, consuming 10, 000 houses; another in April destroyingproperty to the value of $5, 000, 000, according to one historian, andaccording to another, $15, 000, 000; and in the latter part of the yearanother, sweeping fully 10, 000 houses more out of existence. It seemedas if Constantinople was doomed to utter annihilation. In 1751 a fire in Stockholm destroyed 1, 000 houses and another fire inthe same city in 1759 burned 250 houses with a loss of $2, 420, 000. In 1752 a fire in Moscow swept away 18, 000 houses, involving animmense loss. In 1758 Christiania suffered a loss of $1, 250, 000 by conflagration. In1760 the Portsmouth (England) dock yards were burned, with a loss of$2, 000, 000. In 1764 a fire in Konigsburg, Prussia, consumed the public buildings, with a loss of $3, 000, 000; and in 1769 the city was almost totallydestroyed. In 1763 a fire in Smyrna destroyed 2, 600 houses, with a loss of$1, 000, 000; in 1772 a fire in the same city carried off 3, 000dwellings and 3, 000 to 4, 000 shops, entailing a loss of $20, 000, 000;and in 1796 there were 4, 000 shops, mosques, magazines, etc. , burned. In 1776, six days after the British seized the city, a fire swept offall the west side of New York city, from Broadway to the river. In 1771 a fire in Constantinople burned 2, 500 houses; another in 1778burned 2, 000 houses; in 1782 there were 600 houses burned in February, 7, 000 in June, and on August 12 during a conflagration that lastedthree days, 10, 000 houses, 50 mosques, and 100 corn-mills, with aloss of 100 lives. Two years later a fire, on March 13, destroyedtwo-thirds of Pera, the loveliest suburb of Constantinople, and onAugust 5 a fire in the main city, lasting twenty-six hours, burned10, 000 houses. In this same fire-scourged city, in 1791, between Marchand July, there were 32, 000 houses burned, and about as many morein 1795; and in 1799 Pera was again swept with fire, with a loss of13, 000 houses, including many buildings of great magnificence. In 1784 a fire and explosion in the dock yards, Brest, caused a lossof $5, 000, 000. But the greatest destruction of life and property by conflagration, ofwhich the world has anything like accurate records, must be looked forwithin the current century. Of these the following is a partial listof instances in which the loss of property amounted to $3, 000, 000 andupward: Dates--Cities: Property destroyed. 1802--Liverpool: $5, 000, 000 1803--Bombay: 3, 000, 600 1805--St. Thomas: 30, 000, 000 1808--Spanish Town: 7, 500, 000 1812--Moscow, burned five days; 30, 800 houses destroyed: 150, 000, 000 1816--Constantinople, 12, 000 dwellings, 3, 000 shops: ---- 1820--Savannah: 4, 000, 000 1822--Canton nearly destroyed: ---- 1828--Havana, 350 houses: ---- 1835--New York ("Great Fire"): 15, 000, 000 1837--St. Johns, N. B. : 5, 000, 000 1838--Charleston, 1, 158 buildings: 3, 000, 000 1841--Smyrna, 12, 000 houses: ---- 1842--Hamburg, 4, 219 buildings, 100 lives lost: 35, 000, 000 1845--New York, 35 persons killed: 7, 500, 000 1845--Pittsburgh, 1, 100 buildings: 10, 000, 000 1845--Quebec, May 28, 1, 650 dwellings: 3, 750, 000 1845--Quebec, June 28, 1, 300 dwellings: ---- 1846--St. Johns, Newfoundland: 5, 000, 000 1848--Constantinople, 2, 500 buildings: 15, 000, 000 1848--Albany, N. Y. , 600 houses: 3, 000, 000 1849--St. Louis: 3, 000, 000 1851--St. Louis, 2, 500 buildings: 11, 000, 000 1851--St. Louis, 500 buildings: 3, 000, 000 1851--San Francisco, May 4 and 5, many lives lost: 10, 000, 000 1851--San Francisco, June: 3, 000, 000 1852--Montreal, 1, 200 buildings: 5, 000, 000 1861--Mendoza destroyed by earthquake and fire, 10, 000 lives lost: ---- 1862--St. Petersburg: 5, 000, 000 1802--Troy, N. Y. , nearly destroyed: ---- 1862--Valparaiso almost destroyed: ---- 1864--Novgorod, immense destruction of property: ---- 1865--Constantinople, 2, 800 buildings burned: ---- 1806--Yokohama, nearly destroyed: ---- 1865--Carlstadt, Sweden, all consumed but Bishop's residence, hospital and jail; 10 lives lost: ---- 1866--Portland, Me. , half the city: 11, 000, 000 1866--Quebec, 2, 500 dwellings, 17 churches: ---- 1870--Constantinople, Pera, suburb: 26, 000, 000 1871--Chicago--250 lives lost, 17, 430 buildings burned, on 2, 124 acres: 192, 000, 000 1871--Paris, fired by the Commune: 160, 000, 000 1872--Boston: 75, 000. 000 1873--Yeddo, 10, 000 houses: ---- 1877--Pittsburgh, caused by riot: 3, 260, 000 1877--St. Johns, N. B. , 1, 650 dwellings, 18 lives lost: 12, 500, 000 From the above it appears that the five greatest fires on record, reckoned by destruction of property, are: Chicago fire, of Oct. 8 and 9, 1871: $192, 000, 000 Paris fires, of May, 1871: 160, 000, 000 Moscow fire, of Sept. 14-19, 1812: 150, 000, 000 Boston fire, Nov. 9-10, 1872: 75, 000. 000 London fire, Sept. 2-6, 1666: 53, 652, 500 Hamburg fire, May 5-7, 1842: 35, 000, 000 Taking into account, with the fires of Paris and Chicago, the greatWisconsin and Michigan forest fires of 1871, in which it is estimatedthat 1, 000 human beings perished and property to the amount ofover $3, 000, 000 was consumed, it is plain that in the annals ofconflagrations that year stands forth in gloomy pre-eminence. WEALTH OF THE UNITED STATES PER CAPITA. --The following statisticsrepresent the amount of taxable property, real and personal, in eachState and Territory, and also the amount per capita: State: Total; Per capita. Maine: $235, 978, 716; $362. 09 New Hampshire: 164, 755, 181; 474. 81 Vermont: 86, 806, 755; 261. 24 Massachusetts: 1, 584, 756, 802; 888. 77 Rhode Island: 252, 536, 673; 913. 23 Connecticut: 327, 177, 385; 525. 41 New Jersey: 572, 518, 361; 506. 06 New York: 2, 651, 940, 000; 521. 74 Pennsylvania: 1, 683, 459, 016; 393. 08 Delaware: 59, 951, 643; 408. 92 Maryland: 497, 307, 675; 533. 07 District of Columbia: 99, 401, 787; 845. 08 Virginia: 308, 455, 135; 203. 92 West Virginia: 139, 622, 705; 225. 75 North Carolina: 156, 100, 202; 111. 52 South Carolina: 153, 560, 135; 154. 24 Georgia: 239, 472, 599; 155. 82 Florida: 30, 938, 309; 114. 80 Alabama: 122, 867, 228; 97. 32 Mississippi: 110, 628, 129; 97. 76 Louisiana: 100, 162, 439; 170. 39 Texas: 320, 364, 515; 201. 26 Arkansas: 80, 409, 364; 176. 71 Kentucky: 350, 563, 971; 212. 63 Tennessee: 211, 778, 538; 137. 30 Ohio: 1, 534, 360, 508; 479. 77 Indiana: 727, 815, 131; 367. 89 Illinois: 786, 616, 394; 255. 24 Michigan: 517, 666, 359; 316. 23 Wisconsin: 438, 971, 751; 333. 69 Iowa: 398, 671, 251; 245. 39 Minnesota: 258, 028, 687; 330. 48 Missouri: 432, 795, 801; 245. 72 Kansas: 160, 891, 689; 161. 52 Nebraska: 90, 585, 782; 200. 23 Colorado: 74, 471, 693; 383. 22 Nevada: 29, 291, 459; 470. 40 Oregon: 52, 522, 084; 300. 52 California: 584, 578, 036; 676. 05 Arizona: 9, 270, 214; 229. 23 Dakota: 20, 321, 530; 150. 33 Idaho: 6, 440, 876; 197. 51 Montana: 18, 609, 802; 475. 23 New Mexico: 11, 362, 406; 95. 04 Utah: 24, 775, 279; 172. 09 Washington: 23, 810, 603; 316. 98 Wyoming: 13, 621, 829; 655. 24 -------------------------------------------------- Total: $16, 902, 993, 543; 337. 00 TABLE FOR MEASURING AN ACRE. --To measure an acre in rectangular formis a simple question in arithmetic. One has only to divide the totalnumber of square yards in an acre, 4, 840, by the number of yards inthe known side or breadth to find the unknown side in yards. By thisprocess it appears that a rectangular strip of ground-- 5 yards wide by 968 yards long is 1 acre. 10 yards wide by 484 yards long is 1 acre. 20 yards wide by 242 yards long is 1 acre. 40 yards wide by 121 yards long is 1 acre. 80 yards wide by 60-1/2 yards long is 1 acre. 70 yards wide by 69-1/2 yards long is 1 acre. 60 yards wide by 80-3/8 yards long is 1 acre. THE LANGUAGE OF GEMS. --The language of the various precious stones isas follows: Moss Agate--Health, prosperity and long life. Amethyst--Prevents violent passions. Bloodstone--Courage, wisdom and firmness in affection. Chrysolite--Frees from evil passions and sadness. Emerald--Insures true love, discovers false. Diamonds--Innocence, faith and virgin purity, friends. Garnet--Constancy and fidelity in every engagement. Opal--Sharpens the sight and faith of the possessor. Pearl--Purity; gives clearness to physical and mental sight. Ruby--Corrects evils resulting from mistaken friendship. Sapphire--Repentance; frees from enchantment. Sardonyx--Insures conjugal felicity. Topaz--Fidelity and friendship; prevents bad dreams. Turquoise--Insures prosperity in love. GREAT SALT LAKE AND THE DEAD SEA. --Great Salt Lake is a shallow bodyof water, its average depth being but a little more than three feet, while in many parts it is much less. The water is transparent, butexcessively salt; it contains about 22 per cent of common salt, slightly mixed with other salts, and forming one of the purest andmost concentrated brines in the world. Its specific gravity is 1. 17. The water is so buoyant that a man may float in it at full length uponhis back, having his head and neck, his legs to the knee, and botharms to the elbow, entirely out of water. If he assumes a sittingposture, with his arms extended, his shoulders will rise above thewater. Swimming, however, is difficult as the lower limbs tend to riseabove the surface, and the brine is so strong that to swallow evena very little of it will cause strangulation. The waters of the DeadSea, on the other hand, are nearly black, and contain much sulphur andbitumen, as well as salt. It is also very deep, varying from thirteenfeet near the south end of the lake to more than 1, 300 feet in thenorthern part. Its buoyancy is quite equal to that of Great Salt Lake, for travelers say that a man can float prone upon the surface forhours without danger of sinking, and in a sitting position is heldbreast-high above the water. SOME FAMOUS WAR SONGS. --The slavery war developed several Unionsong-writers whose stirring verses have kept on singing themselvessince the close of that great struggle. Two among them are bestremembered nowadays, both men who wrote the words and composed themusic to their own verses. Chicago lays claim to one, Dr. GeorgeF. Root, and Boston to the other, Henry C. Work. The song "MarchingThrough Georgia, " as every one knows, was written in memory ofSherman's famous march from Atlanta to the sea, and words and musicwere the composition of Henry C. Work, who died not many months ago(in 1884). The first stanza is as follows: Bring the good old bugle, boys, we'll sing another song--Sing it with spirit that will startthe world along--Sing it as we used to sing it, fifty thousand strong, While we were marching through Georgia. Chorus--"Hurrah! hurrah! we bring the jubilee! Hurrah! hurrah! theflag that makes you free!" So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to thesea, While we were marching through Georgia. Among the other songs of Work the following are best known: "KingdomComing, " or "Say, Darkey, Hab You Seen de Massa?" "Babylon is Fallen, ""Grafted into the Army" and "Corporal Schnapps. " This record would beincomplete were we to fail to mention some of the many ringing songsof George F. Root, songs which have made the name of Root famous inthousands upon thousands of households in the West. Some of thesesongs are: "Battle Cry of Freedom, " "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, " "On, on, on, the Boys Came Marching, " "Just Before the Battle, Mother, " "JustAfter the Battle, " "Lay Me Down and Save the Flag, " "Stand Up forUncle Sam, My Boys. " The well known song, "Wrap the Flag Around Me, Boys, " was composed by R. Stewart Taylor, and "When Johnny ConesMarching Home" by Louis Lambert. THE COST OF ROYALTY IN ENGLAND. --Her Majesty: Privy purse: £60, 000 Salaries of household: 131, 260 Expenses of household: 172, 500 Royal bounty, etc. : 13, 200 Unappropriated: 8, 040 _________ £385, 000 Prince of Wales: 40, 000Princess of Wales: 10, 000Crown Princess of Prussia: 8, 000Duke of Edinburgh: 25, 000Princess Christian ofSchleswig-Holstein: 6, 000Princess Louise (Marchioness of Lome): 6, 000Duke of Connaught: 25, 000Duke of Albany: 25, 000Duchess of Cambridge: 6, 000Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: 3, 000Duke of Cambridge: 12, 000Duchess of Teck: 5, 000 SOME GREAT RIVERS. --From Haswell's little work for engineers andmechanics the following figures are taken, showing the lengths of thelargest rivers on the various continents: Name: Miles. EUROPE. Volga, Russia: 2, 500 Danube: 1, 800 Rhine: 840 Vistula: 700 ASIA. Yeneisy and Selenga: 3, 580 Kiang: 3, 290 Hoang Ho: 3, 040 Amoor: 2, 500 Euphrates: 1, 900 Ganges: 1, 850 Tigris: 1, 160 AFRICA. Nile: 3, 240 Niger: 2, 400 Gambia: 1, 000 SOUTH AMERICA. Amazon and Beni: 4, 000 Platte: 2, 700 Rio Madeira: 2, 300 Rio Negro: 1, 650 Orinoco: 1, 600 Uruguay: 1, 100 Magdalena: 900 NORTH AMERICA. Mississippi and Missouri: 4, 300 Mackenzie: 2, 800 Rio Bravo: 2, 300 Arkansas: 2, 070 Red River: 1, 520 Ohio and Alleghany: 1, 480 St. Lawrence: 1, 450 The figures as to the length of the Nile are estimated. The Amazon, with its tributaries (including the Rio Negro and Madeira), drainsan area of 2, 330, 000 square miles; the Mississippi and Missouri, 1, 726, 000 square miles; the Yeneisy (or Yenisei, as it is oftenwritten) drains about 1, 000, 000 square miles; the Volga, about500, 000. In this group of great rivers the St. Lawrence is the mostremarkable. It constitutes by far the largest body of fresh water inthe world. Including the lakes and streams, which it comprises in itswidest acceptation, the St. Lawrence covers about 73, 000 square miles;the aggregate, it is estimated, represents not less than 9, 000 solidmiles--a mass of water which would have taken upward of forty yearsto pour over Niagara at the computed rate of 1, 000, 000 cubic feet ina second. As the entire basin of this water system falls short of300, 000 square miles, the surface of the land is only three times thatof the water. HOW THE UNITED STATES GOT ITS LANDS. --The United States boughtLouisiana, the vast region between the Mississippi River, the easternand northern boundary of Texas (then belonging to Spain), and thedividing ridge of the Rocky Mountains, together with what is nowOregon, Washington Territory, and the western parts of Montana andIdaho, from France for $11, 250, 000. This was in 1803. Before theprincipal, interest, and claims of one sort and another assumed bythe United States were settled, the total cost of this "Louisianapurchase, " comprising, according to French construction and ourunderstanding, 1, 171, 931 square miles, swelled to $23, 500, 000, oralmost $25 per section--a fact not stated in cyclopedias and schoolhistories, and therefore not generally understood. Spain still heldFlorida and claimed a part of what we understood to be included in theLouisiana purchase--a strip up to north latitude 31--and disputed ourboundary along the south and west, and even claimed Oregon. We boughtFlorida and all the disputed land east of the Mississippi and herclaim to Oregon, and settled our southwestern boundary dispute for thesum of $6, 500, 000. Texas smilingly proposed annexation to the UnitedStates, and this great government was "taken in" December 29, 1845, Texas keeping her public lands and giving us all her State debts anda three-year war (costing us $66, 000, 000) with Mexico, who claimedher for a runaway from Mexican jurisdiction. This was a bargain thatout-yankeed the Yankees, but the South insisted on it and the Northsubmitted. After conquering all the territory now embraced in NewMexico, a part of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California, wepaid Mexico $25, 000, 000 for it--$15, 000, 000 for the greater part of itand $10, 000, 000 for another slice, known as the "Gadsden purchase. "In 1867 we bought Alaska from Russia for $7, 200, 000. All the severalamounts above named were paid long ago. As for all the rest of ourlanded possessions, we took them with us when we cut loose from motherBritain's apron string, but did not get a clear title until we hadfought ten years for it--first in the Revolutionary War, costing us inkilled 7, 343 reported--besides the unreported killed--and over 15, 000wounded, and $135, 193, 103 in money; afterward in the War of 1812-15, costing us in killed 1, 877, in wounded 3, 737, in money $107, 159, 003. We have paid everybody but the Indians, the only real owners, and, thanks to gunpowder, sword, bayonet, bad whisky, small-pox, choleraand other weapons of civilization, there are not many of them left tocomplain. Besides all the beads, earrings, blankets, pots, kettles, brass buttons, etc. , given them for land titles in the olden times, wepaid them, or the Indian agents, in one way and another, in the ninetyyears from 1791 to 1881, inclusive, $193, 672, 697. 31, to say nothingof the thousands of lives sacrificed and many millions spent in Indianwars, from the war of King Philip to the last fight with the Apaches. ILLUSTRIOUS MEN AND WOMEN. --It is not likely that any two persons wouldagree as to who are entitled to the first fifty places on the roll ofgreat men and great women. Using "great" in the sense of eminence intheir professions, of great military commanders the following are amongthe chief: Sesostris, the Egyptian conqueror, who is represented ashaving subdued all Asia to the Oxus and the Ganges, Ethiopia, and a partof Europe; Cyrus the Great; Alexander the Great; Hannibal; Che-Hwanti, who reduced all the kingdoms of China and Indo-China to one empire, andconstructed the Great Wall; Cæsar; Genghis Khan, the Tartar chief, whooverran all Asia and a considerable part of Europe; Napoleon Bonaparte;Ulysses S. Grant, and General Von Moltke. Among the most illustriousbenefactors of mankind, as statesmen, lawgivers and patriots, standMoses, David, Solon, Numa Pompilius, Zoroaster, Confucius, Justinian, Charlemagne, Cromwell, Washington and Lincoln. Eminent among thephilosophers, rhetoricians and logicians stand Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, the two Catos, and Lord Bacon; among orators, Pericles, Demosthenes, Cicero, Mirabeau, Burke, Webster and Clay; amongpoets, Homer, Virgil, Dante, Milton, and Shakespeare; among painters andsculptors, Phidias, Parrhasius, Zenxis, Praxiteles, Scopas, MichaelAngelo, Raphael and Rubens; among philanthropists, John Howard; amonginventors, Archimedes, Watt, Fulton, Arkwright, Whitney and Morse; amongastronomers, Copernicus, Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Newton, La Place and theelder Herschel. Here are sixty names of distinguished men, and yet thegreat religious leaders, excepting Moses and Zoroaster, have not beennamed. Among these stand Siddhartha or Buddha, Mahomet, Martin Luther, John Knox and John Wesley. Then the great explorers and geographers ofthe world have not been noticed, among whom Herodotus, Strabo, Pliny, Vasco de Gama, Columbus and Humboldt barely lead the van. Of eminent women there are Seling, wife of the Emperor Hwang-ti, B. C. 2637, who taught her people the art of silk-raising and weaving;Semiramis, the Assyrian Queen; Deborah, the heroic warrior prophetessof the Israelites; Queen Esther, who, with the counsel of her cousin, Mordecai, not only saved the Jews from extermination, but liftedthem from a condition of slavery into prosperity and power; Dido, thefounder of Carthage; Sappho, the eminent Grecian poetess; Hypatia, theeloquent philosopher; Mary, the mother of Christ; Zenobia, Queen ofPalmyra; the mother of St. Augustine; Elizabeth of Hungary; QueenElizabeth of England; Queen Isabella of Spain; the Empress MariaTheresa; Margaret the Great of Denmark; Catherine the Great of Russia, Queen Victoria; Florence Nightingale; Mme. De Stael: Mrs. Fry, thephilanthropist; among authoresses, Mrs. Hemans, Mrs. Sigourney, Mrs. Browning, "George Sand, " "George Eliot, " and Mrs. Stowe; and amongartists, Rosa Bonheur, and our own Harriet Hosmer. THE SUEZ CANAL. --The Suez Canal was begun in 1, 858 and was formallyopened in November, 1869. Its cost, including harbors, is estimated at$100, 000, 000. Its length is 100 miles, 75 of which were excavated; itswidth is generally 325 feet at the surface, and 75 feet at the bottom, and its depth 26 feet. The workmen employed were chiefly natives, andmany were drafted by the Khedive. The number of laborers is estimatedat 30, 000. The British government virtually controls the canal as itowns most of the stock. SENDING VESSELS OVER NIAGARA FALLS. --There have been three suchinstances. The first was in 1827. Some men got an old ship--theMichigan--which had been used on lake Erie, and had been pronouncedunseaworthy. For mere wantonness they put aboard a bear, a fox, abuffalo, a dog and some geese and sent it over the cataract. The bearjumped from the vessel before it reached the rapids, swam toward theshore, and was rescued by some humane persons. The geese went overthe falls, and came to the shore below alive, and, therefore, becameobjects of great interest, and were sold at high prices to visitors atthe Falls. The dog, fox, and buffalo were not heard of or seen again. Another condemned vessel, the Detroit, that had belonged to CommodorePerry's victorious fleet, was started over the cataract in the winterof 1841, but grounded about midway in the rapids, and lay there tillknocked to pieces by the ice. A somewhat more picturesque instance wasthe sending over the Canada side of a ship on fire. This occurred in1837. The vessel was the Caroline, which had been run in the interestof the insurgents in the Canadian rebellion. It was captured byColonel McNabb, an officer of the Canada militia, and by his ordersit was set on fire then cut loose from its moorings. All in flames, itwent glaring and hissing down the rapids and over the precipice, and smothered its ruddy blaze in the boiling chasm below. Thiawas witnessed by large crowds on both sides of the falls, and wasdescribed as a most magnificent sight. Of course there was no one onboard the vessel. OLD TIME WAGES IN ENGLAND. --The following rates of daily wages"determined" by the Justices of Somerset, in 1685, answer thisquestion very fairly. Somerset; being one of the average shires ofEngland. The orthography is conformed to original record: s. D. Mowers per diem, findeing themselves: 1 2 Mowers at meate and drinke: 0 7 Men makeing hay per diem, findeing themselves: 0 10 Men at meate and drinke: 0 6 Women makeing hay: 0 7 Women at meate and drinke: 0 4 Men reapeing corne per diem, findeing themselves: 1 2 Men reapinge corne at meate and drinke: 0 8 Moweing an acre of grasse, findeing themselves: 1 2 Moweing an acre of grasse to hay: 1 6 Moweing an acre of barley: 1 1 Reapeinge and bindeinge an acre of wheate: 3 0 Cuttinge and bindeinge an acre of beanes and hookinge: 2 0 The shilling is about 24 cents and the penny 2 cents. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE SIGNERS. --The following is the list ofnames appended to that famous document, with the colony which eachrepresented in Congress: New Hampshire--Josiah Bartlett; William Whipple, Matthew Thornton. Massachusetts--John Hancock, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Robert TreatPaine. Rhode Island--Elbridge Gerry, Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery. Connecticut--Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott. New York--William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, LewisMorris. New Jersey--Richard Hockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, JohnHart, Abraham Clark. Pennsylvania--Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, JohnMorton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross. Delaware--Caesar Rodney, George Reed, Thomas McKean. Maryland--Samuel Chase, Thomas Stone, William Paca, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. Virginia--George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, BenjaminHarrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr. , Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton. North Carolina--William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn. South Carolina--Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr. , Thomas Lynch, Jr. , Arthur Middleton. Georgia--Button Gwinntet, Lyman Hall, George Walton. LIFE OF ETHAN ALLEN. --Colonel Ethan Allan was captured in an attack uponMontreal, September 25, 1775. He was sent as prisoner to Great Britain, ostensibly for trial, but in a few months was sent back to America, andconfined in prison ships and jails at Halifax and New York till May 3, 1778, when he was exchanged. During most of his captivity he was treatedas a felon and kept heavily ironed, but during 1777 was allowedrestricted liberty on parole. After his exchange he again offered hisservices to the patriot army, but because of trouble in Vermont was putin command of the militia in that State. The British authorities were atthat time making especial efforts to secure the allegiance of theVermonters, and it was owing to Allen's skillful negotiations that thequestion was kept open until the theater of war was changed, thuskeeping the colony on the American side, but avoiding the attacks fromthe British that would certainly have followed an open avowal of theirpolitical preferences. Allen died at Burlington, Vt. , February 13, 1789. BURIAL CUSTOMS. --Among the early Christians the dead were buriedwith the face upward and the feet toward the east, in token of theresurrection at the coming again of the Sun of Righteousness. Itcannot be said, however, that the custom was first used by theChristians. It was in practice among early pagan nations also, and isregarded as a survival of the ideas of the fire-worshipers. The sun, which was the impersonation of deity to many primitive races, had hishome in their mythology in the east, and out of respect for him thedead were placed facing this quarter, among certain tribes always ina sitting posture. It may also be remarked that among other races theposition was reversed, the dead body being placed with its feet towardthe west, because the region of sunset was the home of the departedspirits. THE SURRENDER OF LEE TO GRANT. --The surrender of General Lee was madeat the house of a farmer named McLean, in Appomattox village, thathouse having been selected by General Lee himself at General Grant'srequest for the interview. General Grant went thither, and was metby General Lee on the threshold. The two went into the parlor of thehouse, a small room, containing little furnishing but a table andseveral chairs. About twenty Union officers besides General Grantwere present, among them the members of the General's staff. The onlyConfederate officer with General Lee was Colonel Marshall, whoacted as his secretary. General Lee, as well as his aid, was in fulluniform, and wore a burnished sword which was given him by the Stateof Virginia; General Grant was in plain uniform, without a sword. After a brief conversation, relative to the meeting of the twogenerals while soldiers in Mexico, General Lee adverted at once to theobject of the interview by asking on what terms the surrender of hisarmy would be received. General Grant replied that officers and menmust become prisoners of war, giving up of course all munitions, weapons and supplies, but that a parole would be accepted. General Leethen requested that the terms should be put in writing, that he mightsign them. General Badeau says that while General Grant was writingthe conditions of surrender he chanced to look up and his eye caughtthe glitter of General Lee's sword, and that this sight induced himto insert the provision that the "officers should be allowed to retaintheir side-arms, horses and personal property. " This historian thinksthat General Lee fully expected to give up his sword, and that GeneralGrant omitted this from the terms of surrender out of considerationfor the feelings of a soldier. Badeau says that General Lee wasevidently much touched by the clemency of his adversary in thisregard. The Confederate chief now wrote his acceptance of the termsoffered and signed them. He further requested that the cavalry andartillery soldiers might be allowed to retain their horses as wellas the officers, to which General Grant consented, and asked thata supply train left at Danville might be allowed to pass on, as hissoldiers were without food. The reply of General Grant to this wasan order that 25, 000 rations should be immediately issued from thecommissariat of the National army to the Army of Northern Virginia. The formal papers were now drawn up and signed, and the interviewwhich ended one of the greatest wars of modern times was over. COLORED POPULATION AT EACH CENSUS. --The following will show thewhite and colored population of the United States, from 1790 to 1880, inclusive: Year White. Colored Free. Colored Slaves. 1790 3, 172, 006 59, 527 697, 681 1800 4, 306, 446 108, 435 893, 002 1810 5, 862, 073 186, 446 1, 191, 362 1820 7, 862, 166 223, 634 1, 538, 022 1830 10, 538, 378 319, 599 2, 009, 043 1840 14, 195, 805 386, 293 2, 487, 355 1850 19, 553, 068 434, 495 3, 204, 313 1860 26, 922, 537 488, 070 3, 953, 760 1870 33, 589, 377 4, 880, 009 None. 1880 43, 402, 970 6, 580, 973 None. ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS. --From 1496 to 1857 there were 134 voyages andland journeys undertaken by governments and explorers of Europe andAmerica to investigate the unknown region around the North Pole. Ofthese, sixty-three went to the northwest, twenty-nine via BehringStraits, and the rest to the northeast or due north. Since 1857 therehave been the notable expeditions of Dr. Hayes, of Captain Hall, thoseof Nordenskjold, and others sent by Germany, Russia and Denmark;three voyages made by James Lament, of the Royal Geographical Society, England, at his own expense; the expeditions of Sir George Nares, of Leigh Smith, and that of the ill-fated Jeannette; the searchexpeditions of the Tigress, the Juniata, and those sent to rescueLieutenant Greely; further, all the expeditions fitted out under theauspices of the Polar Commission--in which the Greely expedition wasincluded--and a number of minor voyages, making a sum total of somesixty exploring journeys in these twenty-seven years. THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO. --The battle of Waterloo was fought June 18, 1815, between the allied British, Netherland and German troops underWellington and the French under Napoleon. On June 16 Napoleon hadattacked the Prussians under Blucher at Ligny and forced them to retreattoward Wavre, and Marshal Noy at the same time attacked the British andDutch forces at Quatre Bras, but was forced to retire after anengagement of five hours. Napoleon's object, however, which was toprevent a union of the Prussians with Wellington's main army, waspartially gained. The latter commander, having learned the next morningof Blucher's repulse, moved on to Waterloo expecting that the Prussiancommander, according to previous arrangement, would join him there asspeedily as possible. On June 17 Napoleon also moved toward Waterloowith the main body of his army, having directed Marshal Grouchy with34, 000 men and ninety-six guns to pursue Blucher's command toward Wavre. Both armies bivouacked on the field of Waterloo, and the next morningNapoleon, confident that Grouchy would prevent the arrival of thePrussians, delayed attack until the ground should become dry, a heavyshower having fallen on the day previous. The forces under Wellingtonoccupied a semi-circular ridge a mile and a half in length, and theFrench were on an opposite ridge, the two being separated by a valleyabout 500 yards wide. The plan of Napoleon was to turn the allied left, force it back upon center, and gain possession of the enemy's line ofretreat. To draw off Wellington's attention to his right, French troopswere sent about 11 o'clock to attack the chateau of Houguemont, whichthe English had fortified. After a fight of more than two hours this wasstill in the possession of its defenders. About 1 o'clock a Prussiancorps under Bulow was seen approaching on the French right, andNapoleon, finding it necessary to send 10, 000 men to check theiradvance, was obliged to change the plan of battle. He therefore ordereda fierce attack upon the allied center. Wellington massed his troopsthere, and the battle was obstinately maintained for five hours, with varying success to the participants, both commanders hourly expectingre-enforcements. Wellington was waiting for Blucher and Napoleon forGrouchy. The French at last were gaining ground; the allied troops inthe center were wavering under Ney's impetuous onslaughts, GeneralDurutte had forced back the left, and Bulow's troops on the right hadbeen forced to yield the position they had taken. Now, however, therewere rumors that Blucher's army was approaching and the allies againrallied. At 7 o'clock Napoleon, despairing of the approach of Grouchy, determined to decide the day by a charge of the Old Guard, which hadbeen held in reserve. At this stage the advance of Prussian horse on theallied left forced back General Durutte's troops, and the Old Guardformed in squares to cover this retreat. Ney's division surrounded, madea gallant struggle--their brave leader still unwounded, though fivehorses had been shot under him, heading them on foot, sword in hand--butwere forced to give way. The Old Guard held their ground againstoverwhelming numbers. Finally, when five squares were broken, theEmperor gave the order to "fall back. " The cry "The Guard is repulsed"spread consternation through the French army and threatened to turnretreat into precipitate flight. Napoleon, seeing this, reformed theGuard in order to give a rallying point for the fugitives. Failing inthis, he declared that he would die within the square, but Marshal Soulthurried him away. The heroic band, surrounded, was bidden to surrender. "The Old Guard dies, but never surrenders" is the reply popularlyattributed to General Cambronne, and with the cry of "Vive l'Empereur!"the remnant of the Guard made a last charge upon the enemy and perishedalmost to a man. The forces of Blucher being now upon the field, therout of the French was complete, and the Prussians pursued the fleeingtroops, capturing guns and men. There is no doubt that the failure ofGrouchy to come upon the field caused Napoleon to lose his last greatbattle. It was subsequently asserted that this marshal was bribed, butthere seems to be no real foundation for so base a charge. The troublewas that he had been ordered by Napoleon to follow the Prussians towardWavre and thought it necessary to follow the strict letter of hisinstructions. Before he reached the village the main body of thePrussian force was on its way to Waterloo, but one division had beenleft there to occupy his attention. Engaged in skirmishing with this, hepaid no attention to the advice of his subordinate generals who, hearingthe terrible cannonading at Waterloo, besought him to go to the aid ofthe army there. Napoleon believing that he was either holding backBlucher's forces or was hotly pursuing them, did not recall him to themain army, and the decisive battle was lost. Grouchy was summoned beforea council of war, but the court declared itself incompetent to decidehis case, and nothing further came of it. OUR NATIONAL CEMETERIES. --National Cemeteries for soldiers and sailorsmay be said to have originated in 1850, the army appropriation bill ofthat year appropriating money for a cemetery near the City of Mexico, for the interment of the remains of soldiers who fell in the MexicanWar. The remains of Federal soldiers and sailors who fell in the warfor the Union have been buried in seventy-eight cemeteries exclusiveof those interred elsewhere, a far greater number. In the subjoined list are given the names and locations of theNational Cemeteries with the number therein buried, known and unknown. We have no means of knowing what cemeteries also contain the bodies ofSouthern soldiers: (Location): Known; Unknown Cypress Hill, N. Y. : 3, 675; 70 Woodlawn, Elmira, N. Y. : 3, 096; ---- Beverly, N. J. : 142; 7 Finn's Point, N. J. : ----; 2, 644 Gettysburg, Pa. : 1, 967; 1, 608 Philadelphia, Pa. : 1, 880; 28 Annapolis, Md. : 2, 289; 197 Antietam, Md. : 2, 853; 1, 811 London Park, Baltimore, Md. : 1, 627; 168 Laurel, Baltimore, Md. : 232; 6 Soldiers' Home, D. C. : 5, 313; 288 Battle, D. C. : 13; ---- Grafton, W. Va. : 634; 620 Arlington, Va. : 11, 911; 4, 349 Alexandria, Va. : 3, 434; 124 Ball's Bluff, Va. : 1; 24 Cold Harbor, Va. : 672; 1, 281 City Point, Va. : 3, 779; 1, 374 Culpepper, Va. : 454; 910 Danville, Va. : 1, 171; 155 Fredericksburg, Va. : 2, 487; 12, 770 Fort Harrison, Va. : 239; 575 Glendale, Va. : 233; 961 Hampton, Va. : 4, 808; 494 Poplar Grove, Va. : 2, 197; 3, 993 Richmond, Va. : 841; 5, 700 Seven Pines, Va. : 150; 1, 208 Staunton, Va. : 233; 520 Winchester, Va. : 2, 094; 2, 301 Yorktown, Va. : 748; 1, 434 Newbern, N. C. : 2, 174; 1, 077 Raleigh, N. C. : 625; 553 Salisbury, N. C. : 94; 12, 032 Wilmington, N. C. : 710; 1, 398 Beaufort, S. C. : 4, 748; 4, 493 Florence, S. C. : 199; 2, 799 Andersonville, Ga. : 12, 878; 959 Marietta, Ga. : 7, 182; 2, 963 Barrancas, Fla. : 791; 657 Mobile, Ala. : 751; 112 Corinth, Miss. : 1, 788; 3, 920 Natchez, Miss. : 308; 2, 780 Vicksburg, Miss. : 3, 896; 12, 704 Alexandria, La. : 534; 772 Baton Rouge, La. : 2, 468; 495 Chalmette, La. : 6, 833; 5, 075 Port Hudson, La. : 590; 3, 218 Brownsville, Texas: 1, 409; 1, 379 San Antonio, Texas: 307; 167 Fayetteville, Ark. : 431; 781 Fort Smith, Ark. : 706; 1, 152 Little Rock, Ark. : 3, 260; 2, 337 Chattanooga, Tenn. : 7, 993; 4, 903 Fort Donelson, Tenn. : 158; 511 Knoxville, Tenn. : 2, 089; 1, 040 Memphis, Tenn. : 5, 150; 8, 817 Nashville, Tenn. : 11, 824; 4, 692 Pittsburg Landing, Tenn. : 1, 229; 2, 361 Stone River, Tenn. : 3, 820; 2, 314 Camp Nelson, Ky. : 2, 477; 1, 165 Cave Hill, Louisville, Ky. : 3, 342; 583 Danville, Ky. : 346; 12 Lebanon, Ky. : 591; 277 Lexington, Ky. : 824; 105 Logan's, Ky. : 345; 366 Crown Hill, Indianapolis, Ind. : 686; 36 New Albany, Ind. : 2, 138; 676 Camp Butler, Ill. : 1, 007; 355 Mound City, Ill. : 2, 505; 2, 721 Rock Island, Ill. : 280; 9 Jefferson Barracks, Mo. : 8, 569; 2, 906 Jefferson City, Mo. : 348; 412 Springfield, Mo. : 845; 713 Fort Leavenworth, Kas. : 821; 913 Fort Scott, Kas. : 388; 161 Keokuk, Iowa: 610; 21 Fort Gibson, I. T. : 212; 2, 212 Fort McPherson, Neb. : 149; 291 City of Mexico, Mexico: 254; 750 THE CATACOMBS OF PARIS. --The so-called catacombs of Paris were nevercatacombs in the ancient sense of the word, and were not devoted topurposes of sepulture until 1784. In that year the Council of Stateissued a decree for clearing the Cemetery of the Innocents, and forremoving its contents, as well as those of other graveyards, into thequarries which had existed from the earlier times under the cityof Paris and completely undermined the southern part of the city. Engineers and workmen were sent to examine the quarries and to prop uptheir roofs lest the weight of buildings above should break them in. April 7, 1786, the consecration of the catacombs was performed withgreat solemnity, and the work of removal from the cemeteries wasimmediately begun. This work was all performed by night; the boneswere brought in funeral cars, covered with a pall, and followed bypriests chanting the service of the dead, and when they reached thecatacombs the bones were shot down the shaft. As the cemeteries werecleared by order of the government, their contents were removed tothis place of general deposit, and these catacombs further served asconvenient receptacles for those who perished in the revolution. Atfirst the bones were heaped up without any kind of order except thatthose from each cemetery were kept separate, but in 1810 a regularsystem of arranging them was commenced, and the skulls and bones werebuilt up along the wall. From the main entrance to the catacombs, which is near the barriers d'Enfer, a flight of ninety steps descends, at whose foot galleries are seen branching in various directions. Someyards distant is a vestibule of octagonal form, which opens into along gallery lined with bones from floor to roof. The arm, leg andthigh bones are in front, closely and regularly piled, and theiruniformity is relieved by three rows of skulls at equal distances. Behind these are thrown the smaller bones. This gallery conducts toseveral rooms resembling chapels, lined with bones variously arranged. One is called the "Tomb of the Revolution. " another the "Tomb ofVictims, " the latter containing the relics of those who perished inthe early period of the revolution and in the "Massacre of September. "It is estimated that the remains of 3, 000, 000 human beings lie in thisreceptacle. Admission to these catacombs has for years been strictlyforbidden on account of the unsafe condition of the roof. They aresaid to comprise an extent of about 3, 250, 000 square yards. HISTORY OF THE TELEPHONE. --The principle of the telephone, that soundscould be conveyed to a distance by a distended wire, was demonstratedby Robert Hook in 1667, but no practical application was made ofthe discovery until 1821, when Professor Wheatstone exhibited his"Enchanted Lyre, " in which the sounds of a music-box were conveyedfrom a cellar to upper rooms. The first true discoverer of thespeaking telephone, however, was Johaun Philipp Reis, a Germanscientist and professor in the institute at Friedrichsdorf. April 25, 1861, Reis exhibited his telephone at Frankfort. This contained allthe essential features of the modern telephone, but as its commercialvalue was not at all comprehended, little attention was paid to it. Reis, after trying in vain to arouse the interest of scientists in hisdiscovery, died in 1874, without having reaped any advantage from it, and there is no doubt that his death was hastened by the distress ofmind caused by his continual rebuffs. Meanwhile, the idea was beingworked into more practical shape by other persons, Professor ElishaGray and Professor A. G. Bell, and later by Edison. There is littledoubt that Professor Gray's successful experiments considerablyantedated those of the others, but Professor Bell was the first toperfect his patent. February 12, 1877, Bell's articulating telephonewas tested by experiments at Boston and Salem, Mass. , and was foundto convey sounds distinctly from one place to the other, a distanceof eighteen miles. This telephone was exhibited widely in thiscountry and in Europe during that year, and telephone companieswere established to bring it into general use. Edison's carbon"loud-speaking" telephone was brought out in 1878. It is not worthwhile to go into details of the suits on the subject of priorityof invention. The examiner of patents at Washington, July 21, 1883, decided that Professor Bell was the first inventor, because he was thefirst to complete his invention and secure a full patent. Since1878 there have been many improvements in the different parts of thetelephone, rendering it now nearly perfect in its working. SECESSION AND READMISSION OF REBEL STATES. -- Seceded. Readmitted. South Carolina Dec. 20, 1860. June 11, 1868. Mississippi Jan. 9, 1861. Feb. 3, 1870. Alabama Jan. 11, 1861. June 11, 1868. Florida Jan. 11, 1861. June 11, 1868. Georgia Jan. 19, 1861. April 20, 1870. Louisiana Jan. 26, 1861. June 11, 1868. Texas Feb. 1, 1861. Mar. 15, 1870. Virginia April 16, 1861. Jan. 15, 1870. Arkansas May 6, 1861. June 20, 1868. North Carolina May 21, 1861. June 11, 1868. Tennessee June 24, 1861. July, 1866. THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1811-12. --The earthquake shocks felt on the shoresof the Lower Mississippi in the years 1811-12 are recorded as amongthe most remarkable phenomena of their kind. Similar instances whereearth disturbances have prevailed, severely and continuously, far fromthe vicinity of a volcano, are very rare indeed. In this instance, over an extent of country stretching for 300 miles southward fromthe mouth of the Ohio river, the ground rose and sank in greatundulations, and lakes were formed and again drained. The shocks wereattended by loud explosions, great fissures--generally travelingfrom northeast to southwest, and sometimes more than half a mile inlength--were opened in the earth, and from these openings mud andwater were thrown often to the tops of the highest trees. Islands inthe Mississippi were sunk, the current of the river was driven backby the rising of its bed, and overflowed the adjacent lands. More thanhalf of New Madrid county was permanently submerged. The inhabitantsnoticed that these earth movements were sometimes vertical andsometimes horizontal, the former being by far the most seriousin their effects. These disturbances ceased March 26, 1812, simultaneously with the great earthquake which destroyed the city ofCaracas, South America. THE DARK DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND. --On May 19, 1780, there was a remarkabledarkening of the sky and atmosphere over a large part of New England, which caused much alarm among those who witnessed it. The darkness beganbetween ten and eleven o'clock on the day named, and continued insome places through the entire day, and was followed by an unusuallyintense degree of blackness during the ensuing night. This phenomenonextended from the northeastern part of New England westward as far asAlbany, and southward to the coast of New Jersey. The most intense andprolonged darkness, however, was confined to Massachusetts, especiallyto the eastern half of the State. It came up from the southwest, andoverhung the country like a pall. It was necessary to light candles inall the houses, and thousands of good people, believing that the endof all things terrestrial had come, betook themselves to religiousdevotions. One incident of the occasion has been woven into verse withexcellent effect by the poet Whittier. The Connecticut Legislature wasin session on that day, and as the darkness came on and grew more andmore dense, the members became terrified, and thought that the dayof judgment had come; so a motion was made to adjourn. At this, aMr. Davenport arose and said: "Mr. Speaker, it is either the day ofjudgment, or it is not. If it is not, there is no need of adjourning. If it is, I desire to be found doing my duty. I move that candles bebrought and that we proceed to business. " Mr. Davenport's suggestionwas taken, candles were brought in, and business went on as usual. As to the explanation of this phenomenon, scientists have been muchpuzzled. It was plain from the falling of the barometer that the airwas surcharged with heavy vapor. The darkness then, it might be said, was only the result of a dense fog, but the question of the cause ofso remarkable a fog was still unanswered. Omitting this unascertainedprimary cause, then, Professor Williams, of Harvard College, whosubsequently made a thorough investigation of the matter, gave it ashis opinion that this unprecedented quantity of vapor had gatheredin the air in layers so as to cut off the rays of light, by repeatedrefraction, in a remarkable degree. He thought that the specificgravity of this vapor must have been the same as that of the air, which caused it to be held so long in suspension in the atmosphere. Inthis case the extent of the darkness would coincide with the area ofthe vapor, and it would continue until a change in the gravity of theair caused the vapors to ascend or descend. In some places when thedarkness cleared it was as if the vapor was lifted and borne away bythe wind like a dark pall, and in others, after a period of intensedarkness the atmosphere gradually lightened again. In our day, aphenomenon of this kind would be thoroughly investigated to its mostremote possible cause; but then owing to the sparse settlement of thecountry and the difficulties of travel, the investigation of distantcauses could not be made. Large fires may have prevailed that springin the forests of Western New York and Pennsylvania--a region then anabsolute wilderness--the smoke of which was borne through the upperregions of the atmosphere, to fall when it came to a locality of lessbuoyant air, down to the lower strata. We say these fires may haverecently preceded this day, and served as its sufficient cause, butwe have only presumptive evidence that they did occur. Had ProfessorWilliams entertained a supposition of the previous existence of suchfires, he had then no means of verifying it, and long before theadvent of railroads and telegraphs, or even of stage lines, thescientific theories of the dark day had passed from the generalmemory. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE LIBERTY BELL. --In 1751 the PennsylvaniaAssembly authorized a committee to procure a bell for their StateHouse. November 1st of that year an order was sent to London for "agood bell of about 2, 000 pounds weight. " To this order were added thefollowing directions: "Let the bell be cast by the best workmen andexamined carefully before it is shipped, with the following words wellshaped in large letters around it, viz. : 'By order of the Assemblyof the Province of Pennsylvania, for the State House, in the city ofPhiladelphia, 1752. ' And underneath, 'Proclaim Liberty Through All theLand Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof. --Levit. Xxv. 10. '" In due time, in the following year, the bell reached Philadelphia, but when it washung, early in 1753, as it was being first rung to test the sound, itcracked without any apparent reason, and it was necessary to have itrecast. It was at first thought to be necessary to send it back toEngland for the purpose, but some "ingenious workmen" in Philadelphiawished to do the casting and were allowed to do so. In the first weekof June, 1753, the bell was again hung in the belfry of the StateHouse. On July 4, 1776, it was known throughout the city that thefinal decision on the question of declaring the colonies independentof Great Britain was to be made by the Continental Congress, insession at the State House. Accordingly the old bellman had beenstationed in the belfry on that morning, with orders to ring the bellwhen a boy waiting at the door of the State House below should signalto him that the bill for independence had been passed. Hour afterhour the old man stood at his post. At last, at 2 o'clock, when he hadabout concluded that the question would not be decided on that day atleast, the watchman heard a shout from below, and looking down sawthe boy at the door clapping his hands and calling at the top of hisvoice: "Ring! ring!" And he did ring, the story goes, for two wholehours, being so filled with excitement and enthusiasm that he couldnot stop. When the British threatened Philadelphia, in 1777, theprecious bell was taken down and removed to the town of Bethlehem forsafety. In 1778 it was returned to the State House and a new steeplebuilt for it. Several years after it cracked, for some unknown reason, under a stroke of the clapper, and its tone was thus destroyed. Anattempt was made to restore its tone by sawing the crack wider, butwithout success. This bell was sent to New Orleans during the winterto be exhibited in the World's Fair there. The Pullman Company gaveone of their handsomest cars for the transit. It was in the charge ofthree custodians appointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia, who did notleave it night or day, and guarded it as fully as possible againstaccident. A pilot engine preceded the train carrying the bell overthe entire route. It left Philadelphia Jan. 24, 1885, and returned inJune. THE ANTARCTIC POLAR REGIONS. --The climate of the southern polar regionsis much more severe than that at the north pole, the icefields extendingin degrees nearer the equator from the south than from the north. Withinthe arctic circle there are tribes of men living on the borders of theicy ocean on both the east and west hemispheres, but within theantarctic all is one dreary, uninhabitable waste. In the extreme norththe reindeer and the musk-ox are found in numbers, but not a single landquadruped exists beyond 50 degrees of southern latitude. Flowers areseen in summer by the arctic navigator as far as 78 degrees north, butno plant of any description, not even a moss or a lichen, has beenobserved beyond Cockburn Island, in 64 degrees 12 minutes southlatitude. In Spitzbergen, 79 degrees north, vegetation ascends themountain slopes to a height of 3, 000 feet, but on every land within ornear the antarctic circle the snow-line descends to the water's edge. The highest latitude ever reached at the south is 78 degrees 10 minutes, while in the north navigators have penetrated to 84 degrees. The reasonfor this remarkable difference is the predominance of large tracts ofland in the northern regions, while in the south is a vast expanse ofocean. In the north continental masses form an almost continuous beltaround the icy sea, while in the southern hemisphere the continentstaper down into a broad extent of frigid waters. In the north the plainsof Siberia and of the Hudson's Bay territories, warmed by the sunbeamsof summer, become at that season centers of radiating heat, while theantarctic lands, of small extent, isolated in the midst of a polar oceanand chilled by cold sea winds, act at every season as refrigerators ofthe atmosphere. Further in the north the cold currents of the polar sea, having but two openings of any estent through which they can conveydrift ice, have their chilly influence confined to comparatively narrowlimits, but the cold currents of the antarctic seas have scope to branchout freely on all sides and carry their ice even into temperate waters. Finally, at the northern hemisphere, the Gulf Stream conveys warmth evento the shores of Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, while on the oppositeregions of the globe no traces of warm currents have been observedbeyond 55 degrees of south latitude. THE LANGUAGE USED BY CHRIST. --The language used by Christ was theAramaic, the dialect of Northern Syria. The Israelites were much incontact with Aramæan populations, and some words from that tonguebecame incorporated into the Hebrew at a very early date. At the timeof Hezekiah, Aramaic had become the official language of both Judeaand Assyria: that is, the language spoken at the courts. After thefall of Samaria the Hebrew inhabitants of Northern Israel were largelycarried into captivity, and their place was taken by colonists fromSyria, who probably spoke Aramaic as their mother tongue. The fallof the Jewish Kingdom hastened the decay of Hebrew as a spokenlanguage--not that the captives forgot their own language, as isgenerally assumed, but after the return to Judea the Jews foundthemselves, a people few in number, among a large number ofsurrounding populations using the Aramaic tongue. When the latestbooks of the Old Testament were written, Hebrew, though still thelanguage of literature, had been supplanted by Aramaic as the languageof common life. From that time on the former tongue was the exclusiveproperty of scholars, and has no history save that of a merelyliterary language. HOW ANCIENT TEMPLES AND PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT. --This is beyond modernconjecture, so imperfect is our understanding of the extent of themechanical knowledge of the ancients. Their appliances are believedto have been of the simplest order, and their implements exceedinglycrude, and yet they were able to convey these enormous blocks ofstones for vast distances, over routes most difficult, and havingaccomplished this, to raise them to great height, and fit them inplace without the aid of either cement or mortar to cover up theerrors of the stonecutter. How all this was done is one of the enigmasof modern science. It has been generally believed that inclined planesof earth were used to enable the workmen to raise the huge stonesto their places, the earth being cleared away afterward. But it ispossible that the ancients had a more extended knowledge of mechanicalpowers than we usually give them credit for, and that they made useof machinery very like that employed by moderns for lifting greatweights. Large cavities are found in some of the stones in thepyramids, which may have been worn by the foot of a derrick turning inthem. That there were enormous numbers of men employed in the buildingof these ancient structures is well known; these results of theirgreat aggregated strength we see, but they left no record of the meansby which this strength was focused and brought most effectually tobear on their mighty tasks. THE FIRST ATLANTIC CABLE. --As early as 1842 Professor Morse declared asubmarine cable connection between America and Europe to be among thepossibilities, but no attempt toward this great achievement was madeuntil 1854, when Cyrus Field established a company, which securedthe right of landing cables in Newfoundland for fifty years. In 1858soundings between Ireland and Newfoundland were completed, showinga maximum depth of 4, 400 meters. Having succeeded in laying acable between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Mr. Field secured theco-operation of English capitalists in his enterprise. The layingof the cable was begun August 7, 1857, from the port of Valencia, Ireland, but on the third day it broke, and the expedition had toreturn. Early in the following year another attempt was made. The cable was laid from both ends at the same time, was joined inmid-ocean, but in lowering it was broken. Again, in the same year, theattempt was made, and this time connection was successfully made. Thefirst message over the line was sent August 7, 1858. The insulationof this cable, however, was defective, and by September 4th hadquite failed. Some time was now spent in experiments, conducted byscientists, to secure a more perfect cable. A new company was formed, and in 1865 the work again began. The Great Eastern was employed tolay the cable, but when it was partly laid serious defects in the linewere discovered and in repairing these it broke. The apparatus forrecovering the wire proving insufficient the vessel returned toEngland. A new company, called the Anglo-American, was formed in 1865, and again the Great Eastern was equipped for the enterprise. The planof the new expedition was not only to lay a new cable, but alsoto take up the end of the old one and join it to a new piece, thusobtaining a second telegraph line. The vessel sailed from ValenciaJuly 13, 1866, and July 27 the cable was completely laid to Heart'sContent, Newfoundland, and a message announcing the fact sent over thewire to Lord Stanley. Queen Victoria sent a message of congratulationto President Buchanan on the 28th. September 2d the lost cable of 1865was recovered and its laying completed at Newfoundland September 8, 1866. ENGRAVING ON EGGS. --The art of engraving on eggs is very puzzling tothe uninitiated, but in reality it is very simple. It merely consistsin writing upon the egg-shell with wax or varnish, or simply withtallow, and then immersing the egg in some weak acid, such, forexample, as vinegar, dilute hydrochloric acid, or etching liquor. Wherever the varnish or wax has not protected the shell, the lime ofthe latter is decomposed and dissolved in the acid, and the writingor drawing remains in relief. In connection with this art a curiousincident is told in history. In the month of August, 1808, at the timeof the Spanish war, there was found in a church in Lisbon an egg, onwhich was plainly foretold the utter destruction of the French, whothen had control of the city. The story of the wonderful prophecyspread through the town, causing the greatest excitement among thesuperstitious populace, and a general uprising was expected. This, however, the French commander cleverly thwarted by causinga counter-prophecy, directly denying the first, to be engrossed onseveral hundred eggs, which were then distributed in various parts ofthe city. The astonished Portuguese did not know what to think of thisnew phenomenon, but its "numerousness, " if we may so call it, causedit to altogether outweigh the influence of the first prediction, andthere were no further symptoms of revolt against the French. CAYENNE PEPPER. --The name of the plant genus from which cayenne pepperis obtained is capsicum, a name also given to the product of theplant. This genus belongs to the solanaceæ, or night shade family, and hasno relation to the family piperaceæ, which produces the shrub yieldingblack pepper. The plant which yields cayenne pepper is identical withthe common red pepper of our gardens. It is an annual, a native oftropical countries, where it thrives luxuriantly even in the dryestsoils, but it is also cultivated in other parts of the world. It growsto the height of two or three feet, and bears a fruit in the shape ofa conical pod or seed-vessel, which is green when immature, but brightscarlet or orange when ripe. This pod, with its seeds, has a verypungent taste, and is used when green for pickling, and when ripeand dried is ground to powder to make cayenne pepper, or is usedfor medicine. This powder has a strongly stimulating effect, and isbelieved to aid digestion. It is also employed externally to excitethe action of the skin. THE BIG TREES OF CALIFORNIA. --There are several groves of Big Trees inCalifornia, the most famous of which are the Calaveras grove and theMariposa grove. The Calaveras grove occupies what may be describedas a band or belt 3, 200 feet long and 700 in width. It is between twoslopes, in a depression in the mountains, and has a stream windingthrough it, which runs dry in the summer time. In this grove the BigTrees number ninety-three, besides a great many smaller ones, whichwould be considered very large if it were not for the presence ofthese monarchs of the forest. Several of the Big Trees have fallensince the grove was discovered, one has been cut down, and one hadthe bark stripped from it to the height 116 feet from the ground. Thehighest now standing is the "Keystone State, " 325 feet high and 45feet in circumference; and the largest and finest is the "EmpireState. " There are four trees over 300 feet in height, and 40 to 61feet in circumference. The tree which was cut down occupied five mentwenty-two days, which would be at the rate of one man 110 days, ornearly four months' work, not counting Sundays. Pump augers were usedfor boring through the giant. After the trunk was severed from thestump it required five men with immense wedges for three days totopple it over. The bark was eighteen inches thick. The tree wouldhave yielded more than 1, 000 cords of four-foot wood and 100 cords ofbark, or more than 1, 100 cords in all. On the stump of the tree wasbuilt a house, thirty feet in diameter, which the Rev. A. H. Tevis, anobservant traveler, says contains room enough in square feet, if itwere the right shape, for a parlor 12x10 feet, a dining-room 10x12, a kitchen 10x12, two bed-rooms 10 feet square each, a pantry 4x8, two clothes-presses 1-1/2 feet deep and 4 feet wide, and still havea little to spare! The Mariposa grove is part of a grant made byCongress to be set apart for public use, resort and recreationforever. The area of the grant is two miles square and comprises twodistinct groves about half a mile apart. The upper grove contains 365trees, of which 154 are over fifteen feet in diameter, besides a greatnumber of smaller ones. The average height of the Mariposa trees isless than that of the Calaveras, the highest Mariposa tree being 272feet; but the average size of the Mariposa is greater than that ofCalaveras. The "Grizzly Giant, " in the lower grove, is 94 feet incircumference and 31 feet in diameter; it has been decreased byburning. Indeed, the forests at times present a somewhat unattractiveappearance, as, in the past, the Indians, to help them in theirhunting, burned off the chaparral and rubbish, and thus disfiguredmany of these splendid trees by burning off nearly all the bark. Thefirst branch of the "Grizzly Giant" is nearly two hundred feet fromthe ground and is six feet in diameter. The remains of a tree, nowprostrate, indicate that it had reached a diameter of about forty feetand a height of 400 feet; the trunk is hollow and will admit of thepassage of three horsemen riding abreast. There are about 125 trees ofover forty feet in circumference. Besides these two main groves thereare the Tolumne grove, with thirty big trees; the Fresno grove, withover eight hundred spread over an area of two and a half miles longand one to two broad; and the Stanislaus grove, the Calaveras group, with from 700 to 800. There should be named in this connection thepetrified forest near Calitoga, which contains portions of nearly onehundred distinct trees of great size, scattered over a tract of threeor four miles in extent: the largest of this forest is eleven feet indiameter at the base and sixty feet long. It is conjectured that theseprostrate giants were silicified by the eruption of the neighboringMount St. Helena, which discharged hot alkaline waters containingsilica in solution. This petrified forest is considered one of thegreat natural wonders of California. HISTORY OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM. --The earliest name of Jerusalemappears to have been Jebus, or poetically, Salem, and its king inAbraham's time was Melchizedek. When the Hebrews took possession ofCanaan, the city of Salem was burned, but the fortress remained in thehands of the Jebusites till King David took it by storm and made it thecapital of his kingdom. From that time it was called Jerusalem. Duringthe reigns of David and Solomon it attained its highest degree of power. When ten of the Jewish tribes seceded under Jeroboam they made Shechem(and later Samaria) the capital of their kingdom of Israel, andJerusalem remained the capital of the smaller but more powerful kingdomof Judah. The city was taken by Shishak, King of Egypt, in 971 B. C. , waslater conquered and sacked by Joash, King of Israel, and in the time ofAhaz, the King of Syria came against it with a large force, but couldnot take it. The city was besieged in Hezekiah's reign, by the army ofSennacherib, King of Assyria, but was saved by the sudden destruction ofthe invading army. After the death of Josiah, the city was tributary forsome years to the King of Egypt, but was taken after repeated attemptsby the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B. C. , and was left a heapof ruins. The work of rebuilding it began by order of King Cyrus about538 B. C. , who allowed the Jewish people who had been carried intocaptivity to return for this purpose. From this time Jerusalem enjoyedcomparative peace for several hundred years and grew to be an importantcommercial city. When Alexander invaded Syria it submitted to himwithout resistance. After his death it belonged for a time to Egypt andin 198 B. C. , passed with the rest of Judea under the rule of Syria. Antiochus the Great ruled it with mildness and justice, but the tyrannyof his son, Antiochus Epiphanes, brought about the revolt, headed by theMaccabees, through which Jerusalem gained a brief independence. In 63B. C. , Pompey the Great took the city, demolished the walls and killedthousands of the people, but did not plunder it. However, nine yearslater Crassus robbed the temple of all its treasures. The walls weresoon after rebuilt under Antipater, the Roman procurator, but when Herodcame to rule over the city with the title of King, given him by theRoman Senate, he was resisted and only took possession after anobstinate siege, which was followed by the massacre of great numbers ofthe people. Herod improved and enlarged the city, and restored thetemple on a more magnificent scale than in Solomon's time. Jerusalem issaid at this time to have had a population of over 200, 000. This periodof wealth and prosperity was also rendered most, memorable for Jerusalemby the ministry and crucifixion of Christ. About A. D. 66, the Jews, goaded to desperation by the tyranny of the Romans, revolted, garrisonedJerusalem, and defeated a Roman army sent against them. This was thebeginning of the disastrous war which ended with the destruction of thecity. It was taken by Titus, in the year 70, after a long siege, all theinhabitants were massacred, or made prisoners, and the entire city lefta heap of ruins. The Emperor Hadrian built on the site of Jerusalem aRoman city, under the name of Elia Capitolina, with a temple of Jupiter, and Jews were forbidden to enter the city under pain of death. UnderConstantine it was made a place of pilgrimage for Christians, as theEmperor's mother, Helena, had with much pains located the various sitesof events in the history of Christ. The Emperor Julian, on the contrary, not only allowed the Jews to return to their city, but also made anattempt, which ended in failure, to rebuild their temple. In 614 thePersian Emperor Chosroes invaded the Roman empire. The Jews joined hisarmy, and after conquering the northern part of Palestine, the unitedforces laid siege to and took Jerusalem. The Jews wreaked vengeance onthe Christians for what they had been forced to endure, and 20, 000people were massacred. The Persians held rule in the city for fourteenyears; it was then taken by the Romans again, but in 636 the Caliph Omarbeseiged it. After four months the city capitulated. It was under therule of the Caliphs for 400 years, until the Seljuk Turks in 1077invaded Syria and made it a province of their empire. Christian pilgrimshad for many years kept up the practice of visiting the tomb of Christ, as the Caliphs did not interfere with their devotions any further thanby exacting a small tribute from each visitor. But the crueltiespracticed upon the pilgrims by the Turks were many, and report of themsoon roused all Europe to a pitch of indignation, and brought about thatseries of holy wars, which for a time restored the holy sepulcher intoChristian hands. Jerusalem was stormed and taken July 15, 1099, and50, 000 Moslems were slaughtered by their wrathful Christian foes. Thenew sovereignty was precariously maintained until 1187, when it fellbefore the power of Saladin. Jerusalem, after a siege of twelve days, surrendered. Saladin, however, did not put his captives to death, butcontented himself with expelling them from the city. Jerusalem passedinto the hands of the Franks by treaty, in 1229, was retaken by theMoslems in 1239, once more restored in 1243, and finally conquered in1244 by a horde of Kharesmian Turks. In 1517 Palestine was conquered bySultan Selin I. , and since then has been under the rule of the OttomanEmpire, except for a brief period--from 1832 to 1840, when it was in thehands of Mahomet Ali Pasha of Egypt, and his son Ibrahim had his seat ofgovernment in Jerusalem. THE BLACK DEATH. --- This great plague, known as the "Black Death, " wasthe most deadly epidemic ever known. It is believed to have been anaggravated outburst of the Oriental plague, which from the earliestrecords of history has periodically appeared in Asia and NorthernAfrica. There had been a visitation of the plague in Europe in 1342;the Black Death, in terrible virulence, appeared in 1348-9; it alsocame in milder form in 1361-2, and again in 1369. The prevalence andseverity of the pestilence during this century is ascribed to thedisturbed conditions of the elements that preceded it. For a numberof years Asia and Europe had suffered from mighty earthquakes, furioustornadoes, violent floods, clouds of locusts darkening the air andpoisoning it with their corrupting bodies. Whether these naturaldisturbances were the cause of the plague is not certainly known, butmany writers on the subject regard the connection as both probable andpossible. The disease was brought from the Orient to Constantinople, and early in 1347 appeared in Sicily and several coast towns of Italy. After a brief pause the pestilence broke out at Avignon in January, 1348; advanced thence to Southern France, Spain and Northern Italy. Passing through France and visiting, but not yet ravaging, Germany, itmade its way to England, cutting down its first victims at Dorset, inAugust, 1348. Thence it traveled slowly, reaching London early inthe winter. Soon it embraced the entire kingdom, penetrating to everyrural hamlet, so that England became a mere pest-house. The chiefsymptoms of the disease are described as "spitting, in some casesactual vomiting, of blood, the breaking out of inflammatory boils inparts, or over the whole of the body, and the appearance of those darkblotches upon the skin which suggested its most startling name. Someof the victims died almost on the first attack, some in twelve hours, some in two days, almost all within the first three days. " The utterpowerlessness of medical skill before the disease was owing partly tothe physicians' ignorance of its nature, and largely to the effect ofthe spirit of terror which hung like a pall over men's minds. Aftersome months had passed, the practice of opening the hard boils wasadopted, with very good effect, and many lives were thus saved. Butthe havoc wrought by the disease in England was terrible. It is saidthat 100, 000 persons died in London, nearly 60, 000 in Norwich, andproportionate numbers in other cities. These figures seem incredible, but a recent writer, who has spent much time in the investigation ofrecords, asserts that at least half the population, or about 2, 500, 000souls, of England perished in this outbreak. The ravages of thepestilence over the rest of the world were no less terrible. Germany is said to have lost 1, 244, 434 victims; Italy, over half thepopulation. On a moderate calculation, it may be assumed that thereperished in Europe during the first appearance of the Black Death, fully 25, 000, 000 human beings. Concerning the Orient we have lessreliable records, but 13, 000, 000 are said to have died in China, and24, 000, 000 in the rest of Asia and adjacent islands. The plague alsoravaged Northern Africa, but of its course there little is known. The horrors of that dreadful time were increased by the fearfulpersecutions visited on the Jews, who were accused of having causedthe pestilence by poisoning the public wells. The people rose toexterminate the hapless race, and killed them by fire and torturewherever found. It is impossible for us to conceive of the actualhorror of such times. MIGHTY HAMMERS. --An authority on scientific subjects give the weightsof the great hammers used in the iron works of Europe, and their dateof manufacture, as follows: At the Terni Works, Italy, the heaviesthammer weighs 50 tons, and was made in 1873; one at Alexandrovski, Russia, was made the following year of like weight. In 1877, one wasfinished at Creusot Works, France, weighing 80 tons; in 1885, one atthe Cockerill Works, Belgium, of 100 tons, and in 1880, at the KruppWorks, Essen, Germany, one of 150 tons. The latter being the heaviesthammer in the world. ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD. --July 2, 1881, at 9:25 A. M. , asPresident Garfield was entering the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad depotat Washington, preparatory to taking the cars for a two weeks' jaunt inNew England, he was fired upon and severely wounded by Charles JulesGuitean, a native of Illinois, but of French descent. The scene of theassassination was the ladies' reception-room at the station. ThePresident and Mr. Blaine, arm in arm, were walking slowly through theaisle between two rows of benches on either side of the room; whenGuitean entered by a side door on the left of the gentlemen, passedquickly around the back of the benches till directly behind thePresident, and fired the shot that struck his arm. Mr. Garfield walkedabout ten feet to the end of the aisle, and was in the act of turning toface his assailant when the second shot struck him in the small of theback, and he fell. The assassin was immediately seized and taken tojail. The wounded president was conveyed in an ambulance to the WhiteHouse. As he was very faint, the first fear was of internal hemorrhage, which might cause speedy death. But as he rallied in a few hours, thisdanger was thought to be averted and inflammation was now feared. But assymptoms of this failed to appear, the surgeons in attendance concludedthat no important organ had been injured, that the bullet would becomeencysted and harmless, or might possibly be located and successfullyremoved. By the 10th of July, the reports were so favorable, that thepresident's recovery was regarded as certain, and public thanksgivingswere offered in several of the States, by order of the governors, forhis deliverance. The first check in the favorable symptoms occurred onJuly 18, and July 23 there was a serious relapse, attended with chillsand fever. The wound had been frequently probed but without securing anyfavorable result. The induction balance was used to locate the ball, andwas regarded as a success, though subsequently its indications wereknown to have been altogether erroneous. The probings, therefore, inwhat was assumed to be the track of the ball, only increased theunfavorable symptoms. During the entire month of August these reportswere alternately hopeful and discouraging, the dangerous indicationsbeing generally on the increase. By August 25, his situation wasunderstood to be very critical, though an apparent improvement on the26th and 28th again aroused hope. At his own earnest desire thepresident was removed, September 6, to Elberon Park, near Long Branch. N. J. , in the hope that the cooler air of the seaside might renew hisstrength more rapidly. However, the improvement hoped for did notappear. On September 16, there was a serious relapse, with well-markedsymptoms of blood poisoning, and September 19, the president died. Apost-mortem examination showed that the ball, after fracturing one ofthe ribs, had passed through the spinal column, fracturing the body ofone of the vertebra, driving a number of small fragments of bone intothe soft parts adjacent, and lodging below the pancreas, where it hadbecome completely encysted. The immediate cause of death was hemorrhagefrom one of the small arteries in the track of the ball, but theprincipal cause was the poisoning of the blood from suppuration. COINS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES. --The following carefully prepared summaryindicates the coins in use in the various countries, taking theirnames in alphabetical order: Argentine Republic--Gold coins: 20 peso piece, $19. 94; 10 pesos, $9. 97; 5 pesos, $4. 98. Silver: 1 peso, 99 cents. The copper coin ofthe country is the centisimo, 100 of which make a peso or dollar. Austria--Gold coins: 8 gulden piece, $3. 86; 4 gulden, $1. 93. Silver:Marie Theresa thaler, $1. 02; 2 gulden, 96 cents; 1 gulden, 48 cents;1/4 gulden, 12 cents; 20 kreutzer, 10 cents; 10 kreutzer, 5 cents. Of the small copper coin current, known as the kreutzer, 100 make agulden. Brazil--Gold coins: 20 milrei piece, $10. 91; 10 milreis, $5. 45. Silver: 2 milreis, $1. 09; 1 milreis, 55 cents; 1/2 milreis, 27 cents. The Portuguese rei is used for copper money, worth about 1/8 of acent. Chili--Gold coin: 10 pesos (or 1 condor), $9. 10; 5 pesos, $4. 55: 2pesos, $1. 82. Silver: 1 peso, 91 cents; 50 centavos, 45 cents; 20centavos, 18 cents; 10 centavos, 9 cents; 5 centavos, 4 cents. Thecopper coin is 1 centavo, 100th of a peso. Colombia--Gold coins: Twenty peso piece, $19. 30; 10 pesos, $9. 65; 5pesos, $4. 82; 2 pesos, $1. 93. Silver: 1 peso, 96 cents; 20 centavos, 19 cents; 10 centavos, 10 cents; 5 centavos, 5 cents. The coppercentavo of Colombia is identical in value with our cent. (The currencyof Coloumbia is also used in Venezuela. ) Denmark--Gold coins: Twenty kroner piece, $5. 36; 10 kroner, $2. 68. Silver: Two kroner, 53 cents; 1 krone, 27 cents; 50 ore, 13 cents; 40ore, 10 cents; 25 ore, 6-1/2 cents; 10 ore, 2-1/2 cents. One hundredof the copper ore make one krone. France--Gold coins: One hundred franc piece, $19. 30; 50 francs. $9. 65;20 francs, $3. 85; 10 francs, $1. 93; 5 francs, 96 cents. Silver: Fivefrancs, 96 cents; 2 francs, 38 cents; 1 franc, 19 cents; 50 centimes, 10 cents: 20 centimes, 4 cents. The copper coins are the sou, worthabout 9-1/2 mills, and the centime, 2 mills. Germany--Gold coins: Twenty-mark piece, $4. 76; 10 marks, $2. 38; 5marks, $1. 19. Silver: Five marks, $1. 19; 2 marks, 48 cents; 1 mark, 24cents; 50 pfennige, 12 cents; 20 pfennige, 5 cents. One hundred copperpfennige make one mark. Great Britain--Gold coins: Pound or sovereign, $4. 86; guinea, $5. 12. Silver: Five shillings or crown, $1. 25; half crown, 62-1/2 cents;shilling, 25 cents; sixpence, 12-1/2 cents. Also a three-penny pieceand a four-penny piece, but the latter is being called in, and isnearly out of circulation. The copper coins of Great Britain are thepenny, half-penny and farthing. India--Gold coins: Thirty rupees or double mohur, $14. 58; 15 rupees ormohur, $7. 29; 10 rupees, $4. 86; 5 rupees, $2. 43. Silver: One rupee, 48cents, and coins respectively of the value of one-half, one-fourth andone-eighth rupee. In copper there is the pie, one-fourth of a cent;the pice, 3/4 of a cent; the ana, 3 cents. Japan--Gold coins: Twenty yen, $19. 94; 10 yen, $9. 97; 5 yen, $4. 98; 2yen, $1. 99; 1 yen, 99 cents. Silver: The 50, 20, 10 and 5 sen pieces, answering respectively to 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents. In copper there isthe sen, answering to 1 cent. Mexico--Gold coins: Sixteen dollar piece, $15. 74; 8 dollars, $7. 87;4 dollars, $3. 93; 2 dollars, $1. 96; 1 dollar, 98 cents. Silver: 1dollar, 98 cents; 50-cent piece, 49 cents; 25 cents, 24 cents. TheMexican cent, like our own, equals one-hundreth of a dollar. Netherlands--Gold coins: Ten-guilder piece, $4. 02; 5 guilders, $2. 01. Silver: 2-1/2 guilders, $1; 1 guilder, 40 cents; half-guilder, 20cents; 25 cents, 10 cents; 10 cents, 4 cents; 5 cents, 2 cents. TheDutch copper cent is one-hundreth of the guilder. Peru--Gold coins: Twenty-sol piece, $19. 30; 10 sol, $9. 65; 5 sol, $4. 82; 2 sol. $1. 93; 1 sol, 96 cents. Silver: 1 sol, 96 cents; 50centesimos, 48 cents; 20, 10 and 5 centesimos, worth respectively 19, 10 and 5 cents. It will be noted that the Peruvian coinage is almostidentical with that of Colombia. It is also used in Bolivia. Portugal--Gold coin: Crown, $10. 80; half-crown, $5. 40; one-fifthcrown, $2. 16; one-tenth crown, $1. 08. These gold pieces are alsoknown respectively as 10, 5, 2 and 1 dollar [Transcriber's Note: Theoriginal text reads 'pices']v pieces. The silver coins are the 500, 200, 100 [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'and 5'] and50 reis coins, worth respectively 54, 21, 11 and 5 cents. One thousandreis are equal to one crown. Russia--Gold coins: Imperial or 10-ruble piece, $7. 72; 5 rubles, $3. 86; 3 rubles, $2. 31. Silver: ruble, 77 cents; half-ruble, 38 cents;quarter-ruble, 19 cents; 20 copecks, 15 cents; 10 copecks, 7 cents; 5copecks, 4 cents; 100 copecks are worth 1 ruble. Turkey--Gold coins: Lira or medjidie, $4. 40; half-lira, $2. 20;quarter-lira, $1. 10. The silver unit is the piastre, worth 4 centsof our currency, and silver coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 piastres arecurrent. The currency of Denmark is also in use in Norway and Sweden, thesethree countries forming the Scandinavian Union. Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Roumania, Servia, Spain and Switzerland are united in the LatinUnion, and use the French coinage. The units in the different Statesare, it is true, called by different names; as in France, Belgiumand Switzerland, franc and centime; in Italy, lira and centesimo; inGreece, drachm and lepta; in Roumania, lei and bani: in Servia, dinarand para; in Spain, peseta and centesimo; but in all cases the valueis the same. The similarity in the coinage of different countries is worth notice. A very slight change in the percentage of silver used would renderthe half-guilder of Austria, the krone of the Scandinavian Union, thefranc of the Latin Union, the mark of Germany, the half-guilder ofHolland, the quarter-ruble of Russia, the 200-reis piece of Portugal, the 5-piastre piece of Turkey, the half-milreis of Brazil and thehalf-rupee of India, all interchangeable with the English shilling, and all of them about the value of the quarter-dollar of North andSouth American coinage. With the exception of Brazil, the other SouthAmerican States, as well as Mexico and the Central American countries, are all rapidly approximating a uniform coinage, which the needs ofcommerce will unquestionably soon harmonize with that of the UnitedStates. Curiously enough, the great force that is assimilating thealien branches of the human race is not Christianity but trade. A HISTORY OF THE PANIC OF 1857. --The cause of the panic of 1857 wasmainly the rage for land speculation which had run through the countrylike an epidemic. Paper cities abounded, unproductive railroads wereopened, and to help forward these projects, irresponsible banks werestarted, or good banks found themselves drawn into an excessive issueof notes. Every one was anxious to invest in real estate and becomerich by an advance in prices. Capital was attracted into thisspeculation by the prospect of large gains, and so great was thedemand for money that there was a remarkable advance in the rates ofinterest. In the West, where the speculative fever was at its highest, the common rates of interest were from 2 to 5 per cent. A month. Everything was apparently in the most prosperous condition, realestate going up steadily, the demand for money constant, and itsmanufacture by the banks progressing successfully, when the failureof the "Ohio Life and Trust Company, " came, August 24, 1857, likea thunderbolt from a clear sky. This was followed by the portentousmutterings of a terrible coming storm. One by one small banks inIllinois, Ohio, and everywhere throughout the West and South wentdown. September 25-26 the banks of Philadelphia suspended payment, andthus wrecked hundreds of banks in Pennsylvania, Maryland and adjoiningStates. October 13-14, after a terrible run on them by thousands ofdepositors, the banks of New York suspended payment. October 14 allthe banks of Massachusetts went down, followed by a general wreckageof credit throughout New England. The distress which followedthese calamities was very great, tens of thousands of workmen beingunemployed for months. The New York banks resumed payment againDecember 12, and were soon followed by the banks in other cities. Thedarkest period of the crisis now seemed past, although there wasmuch heart rending suffering among the poor during the winter whichfollowed. The commercial reports for the year 1857 showed 5, 123commercial failures, with liabilities amounting to $291, 750, 000. THE HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH ROCK. --A flat rock near the vicinity of NewPlymouth is said to have been the one on which the great, body of thePilgrims landed from the Mayflower. The many members of the colony, who died in the winter of 1620-21, were buried near this rock. About1738 it was proposed to build a wharf along the shore there. At thistime there lived in New Plymouth an old man over 90 years of ago namedThomas Faunce, who had known some of the Mayflower's passengers when alad, and by them had been shown the rock on which they had landed. Onhearing that it was to be covered with a wharf the old man wept, andit has been said that his tears probably saved Plymouth Rock fromoblivion. After the Revolution it was found that the rock was quitehidden by the sand washed upon it by the sea. The sand was clearedaway, but in attempting to take up the rock it was split in two. Theupper half was taken to the village and placed in the town square. In 1834 it was removed to a position in front of Pilgrim Hall andenclosed in an iron railing. In September, 1880, this half of thestone was taken back to the shore and reunited to the other portion. A handsome archway was then built over the rock, to protect it in partfrom the depredations of relic hunters. GRANT'S TOUR AROUND THE WORLD. --General Grant embarked on a steamer atthe Philadelphia wharf for his tour around the world May 17, 1877. Hearrived at Queenstown, Ireland, May 27. Thence he went to Liverpool, Manchester, and on to London. He remained in that city several weeks, and was made the recipient of the most brilliant social honors. July5th he went to Belgium, and thence made a tour through Germany andSwitzerland, He then visited Denmark, and August 25 returned to GreatBritain, and until October spent the time in visiting the variouscities of Scotland and England. October 24th he started for Paris, where he remained a month, then went on to Lyons, thence toNaples, and subsequently with several friends he made a trip on theMediterranean, visiting the islands of Sicily, Malta and others. Thence going to Egypt, the pyramids and other points of note werevisited, and a journey made up the Nile as far as the first cataract. The programme of travel next included a visit to Turkey and the HolyLand, whence, in March, the party came back to Italy through Greece, revisited Naples, went to Turin and back to Paris. After a few weeksspent in the social gayeties of that city, the Netherlands was chosenas the next locality of interest, and The Hague, Rotterdam, andAmsterdam were visited in turn. June 26, 1878, the General and hisparty arrived in Berlin. After staying there some weeks they went toChristiana and Stockholm, then to St. Petersburg, Moscow and Warsaw, and back over German soil to Vienna. Another trip was now made throughSwitzerland, and, then returning to Paris, a start was made for ajourney through Spain and Portugal, in which Victoria, Madrid, Lisbon, Seville and other important towns were visited. A trip was also madefrom Cadiz to Gibraltar by steamer. After another brief visit toParis, General Grant went to Ireland, arriving at Dublin January 3, 1879; visited several points of interest in that country, then, by wayof London and Paris, went to Marseilles, whence he set sail by way ofthe Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal for India. He reached BombayFebruary 13th. Thence visited Allahabad, Agra and rode on an elephantto Amber; also went to Benares, Delhi. Calcutta and Rangoon, spent aweek in Siam, then went by steamer to China. After spending some timeat Canton, Pekin and other places he went to Japan for a brief visit. He went to Nagasaki, Tokio and Yokahama, and at last, September3, 1879, set sail from Tokio on his return to the United States. September 20th he arrived in the harbor of San Francisco. After someweeks spent in visiting the points of interest in California andOregon he returned to his home in the Eastern States. HISTORY OF VASSAR COLLEGE. --- Vassar College is on the east bank of theHudson, near Poughkeepsie, N. Y. It was founded in 1861. In that yearMatthew Vassar, a wealthy brewer of Poughkeepsie, gave to anincorporated board of trustees the sum of $108, 000 and 200 acres of landfor the endowment of a college for women. The building was constructedfrom plans approved by him, at a cost of about $200, 000. The college wasopened in September, 1865, with eight professors and twenty otherinstructors, and 300 students. The first president of the college wasProfessor Milo P. Jewett; the second Dr. John H. Raymond; the third theRev. Samuel Caldwell. The college has a fine library, with scientificapparatus and a museum of natural history specimens. THE ORIGINS OF CHESS. --So ancient is chess, the most purelyintellectual of games, that its origin is wrapped in mystery. TheHindoos say that it wad the invention of an astronomer, who lived morethan 5, 000 years ago, and was possessed of supernatural knowledgeand acuteness. Greek historians assert that the game was invented byPalamedes to beguile the tedium of the siege of Troy. The Arab legendis that it was devised for the instruction of a young despot, by hisfather, a learned Brahman, to teach the youth that a king, nomatter how powerful, was dependent upon his subjects for safety. Theprobability is that the game was the invention of some military geniusfor the purpose of illustrating the art of war. There is no doubt, that it originated in India, for a game called by the Sanskrit name ofCheturanga--which in most essential points strongly resembles modernchess, and was unquestionably the parent of the latter game--ismentioned in Oriental literature as in use fully 2, 000 years beforethe Christian area. In its gradual diffusion over the world the gamehas undergone many modifications and changes, but marked resemblancesto the early Indian game are still to be found in it. From India, chess spread into Persia, and thence into Arabia, and the Arabs tookit to Spain and the rest of Western Europe. THE DARK AGES. --The Dark Ages is a name often applied by historians tothe Middle Ages, a term comprising about 1, 000 years, from the fall ofthe Roman Empire in the fifth century to the invention of printing inthe fifteenth. The period is called "dark" because of the generallydepraved state of European society at this time, the subservience ofmen's minds to priestly domination, and the general indifferenceto learning. The admirable civilization that Rome had developed andfostered, was swept out of existence by the barbarous invaders fromNorthern Europe, and there is no doubt that the first half of themedieval era, at least, from the year 500 to 1000, was one of the mostbrutal and ruffianly epochs in history. The principal characteristicof the middle ages were the feudal system and the papal power. Bythe first the common people were ground into a condition of almosthopeless slavery, by the second the evolution of just and equitablegovernments by the ruling clashes was rendered impossible through theintrusion of the pontifical authority into civil affairs. Learningdid not wholly perish, but it betook itself to the seclusion of thecloisters. The monasteries were the resort of many earnest scholars, and there were prepared the writings of historians, metaphysicians andtheologians. But during this time man lived, as the historian Symondssays, "enveloped in a cowl. " The study of nature was not only ignoredbut barred, save only as it ministered in the forms of alchemy andastrology to the one cardinal medieval virtue--- credulity. Still theperiod saw many great characters and events fraught with the greatestimportance to the advancement of the race. THE GREATEST DEPTH OF THE OCEAN NEVER MEASURED. --The deepest verifiedsoundings are those made in the Atlantic Ocean, ninety miles off theisland of St. Thomas, in the West Indies, 3, 875 fathoms, or 23, 250feet Deeper water has been reported south of the Grand Bank ofNewfoundland, over 27, 000 feet in depth, but additional soundings inthat locality did not corroborate this. Some years ago, it was claimedthat very deep soundings, from 45, 000 to 48, 000 feet, had beenfound off the coast of South America, but this report was altogetherdiscredited on additional investigation in these localities. The shipChallenger, which in 1872-74 made a voyage round the globe for theexpress purpose of taking deep sea soundings in all the oceans, found the greatest depth touched in the Pacific Ocean less than 3, 000fathoms, and the lowest in the Atlantic 3, 875 fathoms, as given above. THE ARMY OF THE REVOLUTION. --It is not positively known how many menfrom the colonies served in the war. The official tabular statementindicates a total off recorded years of enlistment and not a total ofthe the men who served. Hence, a man who served from April 19, 1775, until the formal cessation of hostilities, April 19, 1783 countedas eight men in the aggregate. In this basis of enlisted years, thefollowing table gives the contribution various States: New Hampshire, 12, 497; Massachusetts, 69, 907; Rhode Island, 5, 908; Connecticut, 31, 939; New York, 17, 781; New Jersey, 10, 726; Pennsylvania, 25, 678;Delaware, 2, 386; Maryland, 13, 912; Virginia, 26, 678; North Carolina, 7, 263; South Carolina, 6, 417; Georgia, 2, 679; Total, 233, 771. THE WORLD'S DECISIVE BATTLES. --The fifteen decisive battles of theworld from the fifth century before Christ to the beginning of thenineteenth century of the present era, are as follows: The battle of Marathon, in which the Persian hosts were defeated bythe Greeks under Miltiades, B. C. 490. The defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse, B. C. 413. The battle of Arhela, in which the Persians under Darius were defeatedby the invading Greeks under Alexander the Great, B. C. 331. The battle of the Metanrus, in which the Carthaginian forces underHasdrubal were overthrown by the Romans, B. C. 207. Victory of theGerman tribes under Arminins over the Roman legions under Varus, A. D. 9. (The battle was fought in what is now the province of Lippe, Germany, near the source of the river Ems. ) Battle of Chalons, where Attila the terrible King of the Huns, wasrepulsed by the Romans under Aetius, A. D. 451 Battle of Tours, in which the Saracen Turks invading Western Europewere utterly overthrown by the Franks under Charles Martel, A. D. 732. Battle of Hastings, by which William the Conqueror became the ruler ofEngland, Oct. 14, 1066. Victory of the French under Joan of Arc over the English at Orleans, April 29, 1429. Defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English naval force, July 29 and30, 1588. Battle of Blenheim, in which the French and Bavarians were defeatedby the allied armies of Great Britain and Holland under the Duke ofMarlborough, Aug. 2, 1704. Battle of Pultowa, the Swedish army under Charles XII, defeated by theRussians under Peter the Great, July 8, 1709. Victory of the Americanarmy under General Gates over the British under General Burgoyne atSaratoga, Oct. 17, 1777. Battle of Valmy where the allied armies of Prussia and Austria weredefeated by the French under Marshal Kellerman. Sept. 20, 1792. Battle of Waterloo, the allied forces of the British and Prussiansdefeated the French under Napoleon, the final overthrow of the greatcommander, June 18, 1815. These battles are selected as decisive, because of the importantconsequences that followed them. Few students of history, probably, would agree with Prof. Creasy, in restricting the list as he does. Many other conflicts might be noted, fraught with great importance tothe human race, and unquestionably "decisive" in their nature; as, for instance, the victory of Sobieski over the Turkish army at Vienna, Sept. 12, 1683. Had the Poles and Austrians been defeated there, theTurkish general might readily have fulfilled his threat "to stable hishorses in the Church of St. Peter's at Rome, " and all Western Europewould, no doubt, have been devastated by the ruthless and bloodthirstyOttomans. Of important and decisive battles since that of Waterloowe may mention in our own Civil War those of Gettysburg, by which theinvasion of the North was checked, and at Chattanooga, Nov. 23 and 25, 1863, by which the power of the Confederates in the southwest receiveda deadly blow. THE WANDERING JEW. --There are various versions of the story of "TheWandering Jew, " the legends of whom have formed the foundation ofnumerous romances, poems and tragedies. One version is that thisperson was a servant in the house of Pilate, and gave the Master ablow as He was being dragged out of the palace to go to His death. A popular tradition makes the wanderer a member of the tribe ofNaphtali, who, some seven or eight years previous to the birth of theChrist-child left his father to go with the wise men of the East whomthe star led to the lowly cot in Bethlehem. It runs, also, that thecause of the killing of the children can be traced to the stories thisperson related when he returned to Jerusalem of the visit of the wisemen, and the presentation of the gifts they brought to the DivineInfant, when He was acknowledged by them to be the king of the Jews, He was lost sight of for a time, when he appeared as a carpenter whowas employed in making the cross on which the Saviour was to be liftedup into the eyes of all men. As Christ walked up the way to Calvary, He had to pass the workshop of this man, and when He reached itsdoor, the soldiers, touched by the sufferings of the Man of Sorrows, besought the carpenter to allow Him to rest there for a little, buthe refused, adding insult to a want of charity. Then it is said thatChrist pronounced his doom, which was to wander over the earth untilthe second coming. Since that sentence was uttered, he has wandered, courting death, but finding it not, and his punishment, becoming moreunbearable as the generations come and go. He is said to have appearedin the sixteenth, seventeenth, and even as recently as the eighteenthcentury, under the names of Cartaphilus, and Ahasuerus, by which theWandering Jew has been known. One of the legends described him as ashoemaker of Jerusalem, at whose door Christ desired to rest on theroad to Calvary, but the man refused, and the sentence to wander waspronounced. SOME MEMORABLE DARK DAYS. --During the last hundred years there havebeen an unusually large number of dark days recorded. As has beensuggested by several writers, this may have been the result of thecareful scientific observations of modern times, as well as of thefrequency of these phenomena. The dark day in the beginning of thiscentury about which so much has been said and written occurred Oct. 21, 1816. The first day of the same month and year is also representedas "a close dark day. " Mr. Thomas Robie, who took observations atCambridge, Mass. , has this to offer in regard to the phenomenon. "OnOct. 21 the day was so dark that people were forced to light candlesto eat their dinners by; which could not he from an eclipse, the solareclipse being the fourth of that month. " The day is referred to byanother writer as "a remarkable dark day in New England and New York, "and it is noted, quaintly by a third, that "in October, 1816, a darkday occurred after a severe winter in New England. " Nov. 26, 1816, was a dark day in London, and is described "in the neighborhood ofWalworth and Camberwell so completely dark that some of the coachmendriving stages were obliged to get down and lead their horses witha lantern. " The famous dark day in America was May 19, 1780. Thephenomenon began about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. The darknessincreased rapidly, and "in many places it was impossible to readordinary print. " There was widespread fear. Many thought that the Dayof Judgment was at hand. At that time the Legislature of Connecticutwas in session at Hartford. The House of Representatives, being unableto transact their business, adjourned. A proposal to adjourn thecouncil was under consideration. When the opinion of Colonel Davenportwas asked, he answered: "I am against an adjournment. The day ofjudgment is approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no causefor adjournment: if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish, therefore, that candles may be brought. " In Whittier's "Tent on theBeach" is given a beautiful poetical version of this anecdote. It issuggested by several authorities that the cause of the dark day in1780 should be attributed simply to the presence of ordinary cloudsof very unusual volume and density. These instances are, of course, grouped with phenomena of which not a great deal is known, and can inno way be classed with those occurrances occasioned by the smoke fromextensive forest tires, volcanic eruptions, or fogs. THE REMARKABLE STORY OF CHARLIE ROSS. --Charlie Ross was the son ofChristian K. Ross of Germantown, Pa. , and at the time of hisdisappearance was a little over 4 years of age. The child and a brother6 years old were playing July 1, 1874, in the streets of Germantown, when a couple of men drove up in a buggy and persuaded the children, with promises of toys and candies, to get in and ride with them in thevehicle. After driving around the place for a little time, the olderbrother, Walter Ross, was put out of the conveyance, and the strangersgave him 25 cents, telling him to go to a store near at hand and buysome candy and torpedoes for himself and Charlie. Walter did as he wastold, but when he came out of the store the men with Charlie and thevehicle had disappeared. It was believed at first by the relatives andfriends of the missing boy that he would be returned in a short time, asthey supposed he might have been taken by some drunken men. Time passed, however, but no trace of the child had been discovered. In a few weeks aletter was received by Mr. Ross to the effect that if he would pay$20, 000 his son would be returned, but, that the parent need not searchfor Charlie, as all efforts to find the abducted boy or his captorswould only be attended with failure; and it was stated that if thisamount was not paid, Charlie would be killed. The father answered thisand a long correspondence ensued, while the search was prosecuted in alldirections. Mr. Ross wanted the child delivered at the time the moneywas paid, but to this the abductors refused to agree. It is stated thatmore than $50, 000 were expended to recover the child. At one time twogentlemen were two days in Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, with the$20, 000 ransom money to be given to the child-thieves, but they did notappear. The search was continued, and the officers of the law werelooking up any and all evidence, until they had located the two men. These were found Dec. 4, 1874, committing a burglary in the house ofJudge Van Brunt, Bay Ridge, L. I. ; the burglary was discovered, theburglars seen and shot by persons residing in an adjoining residence. One of the men was killed instantly, the other lived several hours, andconfessed that he and his companion had abducted Charlie Ross, but thatthe dead thief, Mosher by name, was the one who knew where the boy wassecreted. Walter Ross identified the burglars as the men who had enticedhim and Charlie into the buggy. There the case rested. No new fact hasbeen developed. The missing child has never been found. Many times havechildren been reported who resembled Charlie, and Mr. Ross has traveledfar and near in his endless search, only to return sadly and report thathis boy was still missing. No case in recent years has excited suchuniversal sympathy as that of Charlie Ross. THE BLUE LAWS ON SMOKING. --There were some very stringent laws inMassachusetts against the use of tobacco in public, and while thepenalties were not so heavy, yet they were apparently rigidly enforcedfor a time. We quote from a law passed in October, 1632, as follows:"It is ordered that noe person shall take any tobacco publiquely, under paine of punishment; also that every one shall pay 1_d. _ for everytime hee is convicted of takeing tobacco in any place, and that anyAssistant shall have power to receave evidence and give orderfor levyeing of it, as also to give order for the levyeing of theofficer's charge. This order to begin the 10th of November next. "In September, 1634, we discover another law on the same article:"Victualers, or keepers of an Ordinary, shall not suffer any tobaccoto be taken in their howses, under the penalty of 5_s. _ for everyoffence, to be payde by the victuler, and 12_d. _ by the party thattakes it. Further, it is ordered, that noe person shall take tobaccopubliquely, under the penalty of 2_s. _ 6_d. _, nor privately, in his ownehouse, or in the howse of another, before strangers, and that twoor more shall not take it togeather, anywhere, under the aforesaidpenalty for every offence. " In November, 1637, the record runs: "Allformer laws against tobacco are repealed, and tobacco is sett atliberty;" but in September, 1638, "the [General] Court, finding thatsince the repealing of the former laws against tobacco, the same ismore abused then before, it hath therefore ordered, that no man shalltake any tobacco in the fields, except in his journey, or at mealetimes, under paine of 12_d. _ for every offence; nor shall take anytobacco in (or so near) any dwelling house, barne, corne or hay rick, as may likely indanger the fireing thereof, upon paine of 10s. Forevery offence; nor shall take any tobacco in any inne or commonvictualing house, except in a private roome there, so as neither themaster of the same house nor any other guests there shall take offencethereat, which if they do, then such person is fourthwith to forbeare, upon paine of 12_s. _ 6_d. _ for every offence. Noe man shall kindle fyre bygunpowder, for takeing tobacco, except in his journey, upon paine of12_d. _ for every offence. " THE REMARKABLE CAVES--WYANDOTTE AND MAMMOTH. --Wyandotte Cave is inJennings township, Crawford county, Ind. , near the Ohio river. It isa rival of the great Mammoth Cave in grandeur and extent. Explorationshave been made for many miles. It excels the Mammoth Cave in thenumber and variety of its stalagmites and stalactites, and in thesize of several of its chambers. One of these chambers is 350 feetin length, 245 feet in height, and contains a hill 175 feet high, onwhich are three fine stalagmites. Epsom salts, niter and alum havebeen obtained from the earth of the cave. The Mammoth Cave is inEdmondson county, near Green River, about seventy-five miles fromLouisville. Its entrance is reached by passing down a wild, rockyravine through a dense forest. The cave extends some nine miles. Tovisit the portions already traversed, it is said, requires 150 to 200miles of travel. The cave contains a succession of wonderful avenues, chambers, domes, abysses, grottoes, lakes, rivers, cataracts and othermarvels, which are too well known to need more than a reference. Onechamber--the Star--is about 500 feet long, 70 feet wide, 70 feet high, the ceiling of which is composed of black gypsum, and is studded withinnumerable white points, that by a dim light resemble stars, hencethe name of the chamber. There are avenues one and a half and eventwo miles in length, some of which are incrusted with beautifulformations, and present the appearance of enchanted palace halls. There is a natural tunnel about three-quarters of a mile long, 100feet wide, covered with a ceiling of smooth rock 45 feet high. Thereis a chamber having an area of from four to five acres, and there aredomes 200 and 300 feet high. Echo River is some three-fourths of amile in length, 200 feet in width at some points, and from 10 to 30 indepth, and runs beneath an arched ceiling of smooth rock about 15 feethigh, while the Styx, another river, is 450 feet long, from 15 to 40feet wide, and from 30 to 40 feet deep, and is spanned by a naturalbridge. Lake Lethe has about the same length and width as the riverStyx, varies in depth from 3 to 40 feet, lies beneath a ceiling some90 feet above its surface, and sometimes rises to a height of 60 feet. There is also a Dead Sea, quite a somber body of water. There areseveral interesting caves in the neighborhood, one three miles longand three each about a mile in length. THE SOUTH SEA BUBBLE. --The "South Sea Bubble, " as it is generallycalled, was a financial scheme which occupied the attention ofprominent politicians, communities, and even nations in the earlypart of the eighteenth century. Briefly the facts are: In 1711 RobertHartley, Earl of Oxford, then Lord Treasurer, proposed to fund afloating debt of about £10, 000, 000 sterling, the interest, about$600, 000, to be secured by rendering permanent the duties upon wines, tobacco, wrought silks, etc. Purchasers of this fund were to becomealso shareholders in the "South Sea Company, " a corporation to havethe monopoly of the trade with Spanish South America, a part of thecapital stock of which was to be the new fund. But Spain, after thetreaty of Utrecht, refused to open her commerce to England, and theprivileges of the "South Sea Company" became worthless. There weremany men of wealth who were stockholders, and the company continuedto flourish, while the ill success of its trading operations wasconcealed. Even the Spanish War of 1718 did not shake the popularconfidence. Then in April, 1720, Parliament, by large majorities inboth Houses, accepted the company's plan for paying the national debt, and after that a frenzy of speculation seized the nation, and thestock rose to £300 a share, and by August had reached £1, 000 a share. Then Sir John Blunt, one of the leaders, sold out, others followed, and the stock began to fall. By the close of September the companystopped payment and thousands were beggared. An investigation orderedby Parliament disclosed much fraud and corruption, and many prominentpersons were implicated, some of the directors were imprisoned, andall of them were fined to an aggregate amount of £2, 000, 000 for thebenefit of the stockholders. A great part of the valid assets wasdistributed among them, yielding a dividend of about 33 per cent. AREA OF NORTH AMERICA. --The following figures show the extent ofthe United States as compared with the British possessions inNorth America: United States, 3, 602, 884 square miles. Britishpossessions--Ontario, 121, 260; Quebec, 210, 020; Nova Scotia, 18, 670;New Brunswick, 27, 037; British Columbia, 233, 000; Manitoba, 16, 000;N. W. And Hudson Bay Territories, 2, 206, 725; Labrador and Arctic OceanIslands, make a total of 3, 500, 000. * * * * * [Illustration: HOUSEHOLD RECIPES] HOUSEHOLD RECIPES MISCELLANEOUS. AXLE GREASE. --1. Water, 1 gallon; soda, 1/3 pound; palm oil, 10pounds. Mix by heat, and stir till nearly cold. 2. Water, rape oil, of each 1 gallon; soda, 1/3 pound; palm oil, 1/4pound. 3. Water, 1 gallon; tallow, 3 pounds; palm oil, 6 pounds; soda, 1/2pound. Heat to 210 deg. Fahrenheit and stir until cool. 4. Tallow, 8 pounds; palm oil, 10 pounds; plumbago, 1 pound. Makes agood lubricator for wagon axles. HOW TO SHELL BEANS EASY. --Pour upon the pods a quantity of scaldingwater, and the beans will slip very easily from the pod. By pouringscalding water on apples the skin may be easily slipped off, and muchlabor saved. HOW TO CLEAN BED-TICKS. --Apply Poland starch, by rubbing it on thickwith a cloth. Place it in the sun. When dry, rub it if necessary. Thesoiled part will be clean as new. HOW TO WASH CARPETS. --Shake and beat it well; lay it upon the floorand tack it firmly; then with a clean flannel wash it over with aquart of bullock's gall mixed with three quarts of soft, cold water, and rub it off with a clean flannel or house-cloth. Any particulardirty spot should be rubbed with pure gall. HOW TO CLEAN CARPETS. --Before proceeding to sweep a carpet a fewhandfuls of waste tea-leaves should be sprinkled over it. A stiff hairbroom or brush should be employed, unless the carpet is very dirty, when a whisk or carpet-broom should be used, first followed by anothermade of hair, to take off the loose dust. The frequent use of a stiffcarpet-broom soon wears off the beauty of the best carpet. An ordinaryclothes brush is best adapted for superior carpets. When carpets arevery dirty they should be cleaned by shaking and beating. Beat it well with a stick in the usual manner until all the dust isremoved, then take out the stains, if any, with lemon or sorrel-juice. When thoroughly dry rub it all over with the crumb of a hot wheatenloaf, and if the weather is very fine, let hang out in the open airfor a night or two. This treatment will revive the colors, and makethe carpet appear equal to new. TO REMOVE SPOTS ON CARPETS. --A few drops of carbonate of ammonia, and a small quantity of warm rain water, will prove a safe and easyantacid, etc. , and will change, if carefully applied, discolored spotsupon carpets, and indeed, all spots, whether produced by acids oralkalies. If one has the misfortune to have a carpet injured bywhitewash, this will immediately restore it. HOW TO REMOVE INK SPOTS ON CARPETS. --As soon as the ink has beenspilled, take up as much as you can with a sponge, and then pour oncold water repeatedly, still taking up the liquid; next rub the placewith a little wet oxalic acid or salt of sorrel, and wash it offimmediately with cold water, and then rub on some hartshorn. CLEANING AND SCOURING OF CLOTH. --The common method of cleaning clothis by beating and brushing, unless when very dirty, when it undergoesthe operation of scouring. This is best done on the small scale, asfor articles of wearing apparel, etc. , by dissolving a little curdsoap in water, and after mixing it with a little ox-gall, to touchover all the spots of grease, dirt, etc. , with it, and to rub themwell with a stiff brush, until they are removed, after which thearticle may be well rubbed all over with a brush or sponge dippedinto some warm water, to which the previous mixture and a little moreox-gall has been added. When this has been properly done, it onlyremains to thoroughly rinse the article in clean water until thelatter passes off uncolored, when it must be hung up to dry. For dark, colored cloths the common practice is to add some Fuller's-earth tothe mixture of soap and gall. When nearly dry the nap should belaid right and the article carefully pressed, after which a brush, moistened with a drop or two of olive oil, is passed several timesover it, which will give it a superior finish. Cloth may also be cleaned in the dry way, as follows: First remove thespots, as above, and when the parts have dried, strew clean, damp sandover it, and beat it in with a brush, after which brush the articlewith a hard brush when the sand will readily come out, and bring thedirt with it. Black cloth which is very rusty should receive a coat ofreviver after drying, and be hung up until the next day, when itmay be pressed and finished off as before. Scarlet cloth requiresconsiderable caution. After being thoroughly rinsed, it should berepeatedly passed through cold spring water, to which a tablespoonfulor two of solution of tin has been added. If much faded, it shouldbe dipped in a scarlet dye-bath. Buff cloth is generally cleansed bycovering it with a paste made with pipe-clay and water, which, whendry, -is rubbed and brushed off. RENOVATION OF CLOTH. --The article undergoes the process of scouringbefore described, and, after being well rinsed and drained, it is puton a board, and the thread-bare parts rubbed with a half-worn hatter'scard, filled with flocks, or with a teazle or a prickly thistle, untila nap is raised. It is next hung up to dry, the nap laid the rightway with a hard brush, and finished as before. When the cloth is muchfaded, it is usual to give it a dip, as it is called, or to pass itthrough a dye-bath, to freshen up the color. HOW TO REVIVE THE COLOR OF BLACK CLOTH. --If a coat, clean it well, then boil from two to four ounces of logwood in your copper, orboiler, for half an hour; dip your coat in warm water, and squeeze itas dry as you can, then put it into the copper and boil it for half anhour. Take it out, and add a piece of green copperas, about the sizeof a horse-bean; boil it another half hour, then draw it, and hang itin the air for an hour or two; take it down; rinse it in two or threecold waters; dry it, and let it be well brushed with a soft brush, overwhich a drop or two of the oil of olives has been rubbed, then strokeyour coat regularly over. HOW TO RESTORE CRAPE. --Skimmed milk and water, with a little bit ofglue in it, made scalding hot, is excellent to restore rusty Italiancrape. If clapped and pulled dry like muslin, it will look as goodas new; or, brush the veil till all the dust is removed, then foldit lengthwise, and roll it smoothly and tightly on a roller. Steam ittill it is thoroughly dampened, and dry on the roller. HOW TO CLEANSE FEATHER BEDS. --When feather beds become soiled andheavy they may be made clean and light by being treated in thefollowing manner: Rub them over with a stiff brush, dipped in hotsoap-suds. When clean lay them on a shed, or any other clean placewhere the rain will fall on them. When thoroughly soaked let them dryin a hot sun for six or seven successive days, shaking them up welland turning them over each day. They should be covered over with athick cloth during the night; if exposed to the night air they willbecome damp and mildew. This way of washing the bed-ticking andfeathers makes them very fresh and light, and is much easier thanthe old-fashioned way of emptying the beds and washing the feathersseparately, while it answers quite as well. Care must be taken to drythe bed perfectly before sleeping on it. Hair mattresses that havebecome hard and dirty can be made nearly as good as new by rippingthem, washing the ticking, and picking the hair free from bunches andkeeping it in a dry, airy place several days. Whenever the tickinggets dry fill it lightly with the hair, and tack it together. HOW TOCUT UP AND CURE PORK. --Have the hog laid on his back on a stout, cleanbench; cut off the head close to the base. If the hog is large, therewill come off a considerable collar, between head and shoulders, which, pickled or dried, is useful for cooking with vegetables. Separate the jowl from the face at the natural joint; open the skulllengthwise and take out the brains, esteemed a luxury. Then with asharp knife remove the back-bone the whole length, then the longstrip of fat underlying it, leaving about one inch of fat covering thespinal column. The leaf lard, if not before taken out for the housewife'sconvenience, is removed, as is also the tenderloin--a fishy-shapedpiece of flesh--often used for sausage, but which makes delicioussteak. The middling or sides are now cut out, leaving the shoulderssquare-shaped and the hams pointed, or they may be rounded to yourtaste. The spare-ribs are usually wholly removed from the sides, withbut little meat adhering. It is the sides of small, young hogs curedas hams that bear the name of breakfast bacon, The sausage meat comeschiefly in strips from the backbone, part of which may also be used assteak. The lean trimmings from about the joints are used for sausage, the fat scraps rendered up with the backbone lard. The thick part of the backbone that lies between the shoulders, calledgriskin or chine, is separated from the tapering, bony part, calledbackbone by way of distinction, and used as flesh. The chines aresmoked with jowls, and used in late winter or spring. When your meat is to be pickled it should be dusted lightly withsaltpetre sprinkled with salt, and allowed to drain twenty-four hours;then plunge it into pickle, and keep under with a weight. It is goodpolicy to pickle a portion of the sides. They, after soaking, aresweeter to cook with vegetables, and the grease fried from them ismuch more useful than that of smoked meat. If your meat is to be dry salted, allow one teaspoonful of pulverizedsaltpetre to one gallon of salt, and keep the mixture warm beside you. Put on a hog's ear as a mitten, and rub each piece of meat thoroughly. Then pack skin side down, ham upon ham, side upon side, strewing onsalt abundantly. It is best to put large and small pieces in differentboxes for the convenience of getting at them to hang up at thedifferent times they will come into readiness. The weather has so muchto do with the time that meat requires to take salt that no particulartime can be specified for leaving it in. The best test is to try a medium-sized ham; if salt enough, allsimilar and smaller pieces are surely ready, and it is well toremember that the saltness increases in drying. Ribs and steaks shouldbe kept in a cold, dark place, without salting, until ready for use. If you have many, or the weather is warm, they keep better in picklethan dry salt. Many persons turn and rub their meat frequently. Wehave never practiced this, and have never lost any. When the meat is ready for smoking, dip the hocks of the joints inground black pepper and dust the raw surface thickly with it. Sacks, after this treatment, may be used for double security, and I thinkbacon high and dry is sweeter than packed in any substance. Forsugar-cured hams we append the best recipe we have ever used, thoughtroublesome. _English Recipe for Sugar-Curing Hams_. --So soon as the meat comesfrom the butcher's hand rub it thoroughly with the salt. Repeat thisfour days, keeping the meat where it can drain. The fourth day rubit with saltpetre and a handful of common salt, allowing one pound ofsaltpetre to seventy pounds of meat. Now mix one pound of brown sugarand one of molasses, rub over the ham every day for a fortnight, andthen smoke with hickory chips or cobs. Hams should be hung highestin meat-houses, because there they are less liable to the attacks ofinsects, for insects do not so much infest high places--unlike humanpests. _Pickle_. --Make eight gallons of brine strong enough to float an egg;add two pounds of brown sugar or a quart of molasses, and four ouncesof saltpetre; boil and skim clean, and pour cold on your meat. Meatintended for smoking should remain in pickle about four weeks. Thispickle can be boiled over, and with a fresh cup of sugar and saltused all summer. Some persons use as much soda as saltpetre. It willcorrect acidity, but we think impairs the meat. WASHING PREPARATION. --Take a 1/4 of a pound of soap, a 1/4 of apound of soda, and a 1/4 of a pound of quicklime. Cut up the soup anddissolve it in 1 quart of boiling water; pour 1 quart of boiling waterover the soda, and 3 quarts of boiling water upon the quicklime. The lime must be quick and fresh; if it is good it will bubble upon pouring the hot water upon it. Each must be prepared in separatevessels. The lime must settle so as to leave the water on thetop perfectly clear; then strain it carefully (not disturbing thesettlings) into the washboiler with the soda and soap; let it scaldlong enough to dissolve the soap, then add 6 gallons of soap water. The clothes must be put to soak over night, after rubbing soap uponthe dirtiest parts of them. After having the above in readiness, wringout the clothes which have been put in soak, put them on to boil, andlet each lot boil half an hour; the same water will answer for thewhole washing. After boiling each lot half an hour drain them fromthe boiling water put them in a tub and pour upon them two or threepailsful of clear, hot water; after this they will want very littlerubbing; then rinse through two waters, blueing the last. When driedthey will be a beautiful white. After washing the cleanest part ofthe white clothes, take two pails of the suds in which they have beenwashed, put it over the fire and scald, and this will wash allthe flannels and colored clothes without any extra soap. The whiteflannels, after being well washed in the suds, will require to bescalded by turning on a teakettle of boiling water. * * * * * HOW TO DESTROY HOUSEHOLD PESTS HOW TO DESTROY ANTS. --Ants that frequent houses or gardens may hedestroyed by taking flower of brimstone half a pound and potashfour ounces; set them in an iron or earthen pan over the fire tilldissolved and united; afterward beat them to a powder, and infuse alittle of this powder in water; and wherever you sprinkle it the antswill die or fly the place. HOW TO DESTROY BLACK ANTS. --A few leaves of green wormwood, scatteredamong the haunts of these troublesome insects, is said to be effectualin dislodging them. HOW TO DESTROY RED ANTS. --The best way to get rid of ants, is to set aquantity of cracked walnuts or shell-barks on plates, and put them inthe closet or places where the ants congregate. They are very fond ofthese, and will collect on them in myriads. When they have collectedon them make a general _auto-da-fe_, by turning nuts and ants togetherinto the fire, and then replenish the plates with fresh nuts. Afterthey have become so thinned off as to cease collecting on plates, powder some camphor and put in the holes and crevices, whereupon theremainder of them will speedily depart. It may help the process ofgetting them to assemble on shell-barks, to remove all edibles out oftheir way for the time. HOW TO DESTROY BLACK BEES. --Place two or three shallow vessels--thelarger kind of flower-pot saucers will do--half filled with water, onthe floors where they assemble, with strips of cardboard running fromthe edge of the vessel to the floor, at a gentle inclination; thesethe unwelcome guests will eagerly ascend, and so find a watery grave. HOW TO DESTROY BED-BUGS. --1. When they have made a lodgement in thewall, fill all the apertures with a mixture of soft soap and scotchsnuff. Take the bedstead to pieces, and treat that in the same way. 2. A strong decoction of red pepper applied to bedsteads will either killthe bugs or drive them away. 3. Put the bedstead into a close room andset fire to the following composition, placed in an iron pot upon thehearth, having previously closed up the chimney, then shut the door, let them remain a day: sulphur nine parts; saltpetre, powdered, onepart. Mix. Be sure to open the door of the room five or six hoursbefore you venture to go into it a second time. 4. Rub the bedsteadwell with lampoil; this alone is good, but to make it more effectual, get ten cents worth of quicksilver and add to it. Put it into all thecracks around the bed, and they will soon disappear. The bedsteadsshould first be scalded and wiped dry, then put on with a feather. 5. Corrosive sublimate, one ounce; muriatic acid, two ounces; water, fourounces; dissolve, then add turpentine, one pint; decoction of tobacco, one pint. Mix. For the decoction of tobacco boil one ounce of tobaccoin a 1/2 pint of water. The mixture must be applied with a paintbrush. This wash is deadly poison. 6. Rub the bedsteads in the jointswith equal parts of spirits of turpentine and kerosene oil, and thecracks of the surbase in rooms where there are many. Filling up allthe cracks with hard soap is an excellent remedy. March and April are the months when bedsteads should be examined tokill all the eggs. 7. Mix together two ounces spirits of turpentine, one ounce corrosive sublimate, and one pint alcohol. 8. Distilledvinegar, or diluted good vinegar, a pint; camphor one-half ounce;dissolve. 9. White arsenic, two ounces; lard, thirteen ounces;corrosive sublimate, one-fourth ounce; venetian red, one-fourth ounce. (deadly poison. ) 10. Strong mercurial ointment one ounce; soft soapone ounce; oil of turpentine, a pint 11. Gasoline and coaloil are bothexcellent adjuncts, with cleanliness, in ridding a bed or house ofthese pests. HOW TO DESTROY CATERPILLARS. --Boil together a quantity of rue, wormwood, and any cheap tobacco (equal parts) in common water. Theliquid should be very strong. Sprinkle it on the leaves and youngbranches every morning and evening during the time the fruit isripening. HOW TO DESTROY COCKROACHES AND BEETLES. --1. Strew the roots of blackhellebore, at night, in the places infested by these vermin, and theywill be found in the morning dead or dying. Black hellebore grows inmarshy grounds, and may be had at the herb shops. 2. Put about a quartof water sweetened with molasses in a tin wash basin or smooth glazedchina bowl. Set it at evening in a place frequented by the bugs. Around the basin put an old piece of carpet that the bugs can haveeasy access to the top. They will go down in the water, and staytill you come. 3. Take pulverized borax, 4 parts, flour 1 part, mix intimately and distribute the mixture in cupboards which arefrequented by the roaches, or blow it, by means of a bellows, into theholes or cracks that are infested by them. 4. By scattering a handfulof fresh cucumber parings about the house. 5. Take carbonic acidand powdered camphor in equal parts; put them in a bottle; they willbecome fluid. With a painter's brush of the size called a sash-tool, put the mixture on the cracks or places where the roaches hide; theywill come out at once. Then kill. 6. Mix up a quantity of freshburned plaster of paris (gypsum, such as is used for making molds andornaments), with wheat flour and a little sugar, and distribute onshallow plates and box boards, and place in the corners of the kitchenand pantry where they frequent. In the darkness they will feastthemselves on it. Whether it interferes with their digestion or not, is difficult to ascertain, but after three or four nights renewal ofthe preparation, no cockroaches will be found on the premises. HOW TO DESTROY CRICKETS. --Sprinkle a little quick lime near to thecracks through which they enter the room. The lime may be laid downovernight, and swept away in the morning. In a few days they will mostlikely all be destroyed. But care must be taken that the children donot meddle with the lime, as a very small portion of it getting intothe eye, would prove exceedingly hurtful. In case of such an accidentthe best thing to do would be to wash the eye with vinegar and water. HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS. --Much of the largest number of fleas arebrought into our family circles by pet dogs and cats. The oil ofpennyroyal will drive these insects off: but a cheaper method, wherethe herb flourishes, is to throw your cats and dogs into a decoctionof it once a week. When the herb cannot be got, the oil can beprocured. In this case, saturate strings with it and tie them aroundthe necks of the dogs and cats. These applications should be repeatedevery twelve or fifteen days. Mint freshly cut, and hung rounda bedstead, or on the furniture, will prevent annoyance from bedinsects; a few drops of essential oil of lavender will be moreefficacious. HOW TO DESTROY FLIES. --1. Take an infusion of quassia, one pint;brown sugar, four ounces, ground pepper, two ounces. To be well mixedtogether, and put in small shallow dishes where required. 2. Blackpepper (powdered), one drachm; brown sugar, one drachm; milk or cream, two drachms. Mix, and place it on a plate or saucer where the fliesare most troublesome. 3. Pour a little simple oxymel (an article to beobtained at the druggists), into a common tumbler glass, and place inthe glass a piece of cap paper, made into the shape of the upper partof a funnel, with a hole at the bottom to admit the flies. Attractedby the smell, they readily enter the trap in swarms, and by thethousands soon collected prove that they have not the wit or thedisposition to return. 4. Take some jars, mugs, or tumblers, fill themhalf full with soapy water; cover them as jam-pots are covered, witha piece of paper, either tied down or tucked under the rim. Let thispaper be rubbed inside with wet sugar, molasses, honey, or jam, or anything sweet; cut a small hole in the center, large enough for a flyto enter. The flies settle on the top, attracted by the smell ofthe bait; they then crawl through the hole, to feed upon the sweetsbeneath. Meanwhile the warmth of the weather causes the soapy water toferment, and produces a gas which overpowers the flies, and they dropdown into the vessel. Thousands may be destroyed this way, and thetraps last a long time. FLY PAPER. --Melt resin, and add thereto while soft, sufficient sweetoil, lard, or lamp oil to make it, when cold about the consistencyof honey. Spread on writing paper, and place in a convenient spot. Itwill soon be filled with ants, flies, and other vermin. HOW TO EXPEL INSECTS. --All insects dread pennyroyal: the smell ofit destroys some, and drives others away. At the time that freshpennyroyal cannot be gathered, get oil of pennyroyal; pour some intoa saucer, and steep in it small pieces of wadding or raw cotton, andplace them in corners, closet-shelves, bureau drawers, boxes, etc. , and the cockroaches, ants, or other insects will soon disappear. It isalso well to place some between the mattresses, and around the bed. Itis also a splendid thing for brushing off that terrible little insect, the seed tick. HOW TO DESTROY MICE. --1. Use tartar emetic mingled with some favoritefood. The mice will leave the premises. 2. Take one part calomel, five parts of wheat flour, one part sugar, and one-tenth of a partof ultramarine. Mix together in a fine powder and place it in a dish. This is a most efficient poison for mice. 3. Any one desirous of keeping seeds from the depredations of micecan do so by mixing pieces of camphor gum in with the seeds. Camphorplaced in drawers or trunks will prevent mice from doing them injury. The little animal objects to the odor and keeps a good distance fromit. He will seek food elsewhere. 4. Gather all kinds of mint and scatter about your shelves, and theywill forsake the premises. HOW TO DRIVE AWAY MOSQUITOES. --1. A camphor bag hung up in anopen casement will prove an effectual barrier to their entrance. Camphorated spirits applied as perfume to the face and hands willprove an effectual preventive; but when bitten by them, aromaticvinegar is the beat antidote. 2. A small amount of oil of pennyroyal sprinkled around the room willdrive away the mosquitoes. This is an excellent recipe. 3. Take of gum camphor a piece about half the size of an egg, andevaporate it by placing it in a tin vessel and holding it over a lampor candle, taking care that it does not ignite. The smoke will soonfill the room and expel the mosquitoes. HOW TO PRESERVE CLOTHING FROM MOTHS. --1. Procure shavings of cedarwood and enclose in muslin bags, which should be distributed freelyamong clothes. 2. Procure shavings of camphor wood, and enclose inbags. 3. Sprinkle pimento (allspice) berries among the clothes. 4. Sprinkle the clothes with the seeds of the musk plant. 5. An ounce ofgum camphor and one of the powdered shell of red pepper are maceratedin eight ounces of strong alcohol for several days, then strained. With this tincture the furs or cloths are sprinkled over, and rolledup in sheets. 6. Carefully shake and brush woolens early in thespring, so as to be certain that no eggs are in them; then sew them upin cotton or linen wrappers, putting a piece of camphor gum, tied upin a bit of muslin, into each bundle, or into the chests and closetswhere the articles are to lie. No moth will approach while the smellof the camphor continues. When the gum is evaporated, it must berenewed. Enclose them in a moth-proof box with camphor, no matterwhether made of white paper or white pine, before any eggs are laid onthem by early spring moths. The notion of having a trunk made ofsome particular kind of wood for this purpose, is nonsense. Furs orwoolens, put away in spring time, before moth eggs are laid, intoboxes, trunks, drawers, or closets even, where moths cannot enter, will be safe from the ravages of moth-worms, provided none werein them that were laid late in the autumn, for they are not ofspontaneous production. HOW TO KILL MOTHS IN CARPETS. --Wring a coarse crash towel out of clearwater, spread it smoothly on the carpet, iron it dry with a good hotiron, repeating the operation on all parts of the carpet suspected ofbeing infected with moths. No need to press hard, and neither thepile nor color of the carpet will he injured, and the moths will bedestroyed by the heat and steam. HOW TO DESTROY RATS. --1. When a house is invested with rats whichrefuse to be caught by cheese and other baits, a few drops of thehighly-scented oil of rhodium poured on the bottom of the cage willbe an attraction which they cannot refuse. 2. Place on the floor nearwhere their holes are supposed to be a thin layer of moist causticpotash. When the rats travel on this, it will cause their feet tobecome sore, which they lick, and their tongues become likewise sore. The consequence is, that they shun this locality, and seem to informall the neighboring rats about it, and the result is that they soonabandon a house that has such mean floors. 3. Cut some corks as thinas wafers, and fry, roast, or stew them in grease, and place thesame in their track; or a dried sponge fried or dipped in molassesor honey, with a small quantity of bird lime or oil of rhodium, willfasten to their fur and cause them to depart. 4. If a live rat can becaught and smeared over with tar or train oil, and afterwards allowedto escape in the holes of other rats, he will cause all soon to taketheir departure. 5. If a live rat be caught, and a small bell befastened around his neck, and allowed to escape, all of his brotherrats as well as himself will very soon go to some other neighbor'shouse. 6. Take a pan, about twelve inches deep, and half fill it withwater; then sprinkle some bran on the water and set the pan in a placewhere the rats most frequent. In the morning you will find severalrats in the pan. 7. Flour, three parts; sugar, one-half part; sulphur, two parts, and phosphorus, two parts. Smear on meat, and place nearwhere the rats are most troublesome. 8. Squills are an excellentpoison for rats. The powder should be mixed with some fatty substance, and spread upon slices of bread. The pulp of onions is also verygood. Rats are very fond of either. 9. Take two ounces of carbonate ofbarytes, and mix with one pound of suet or tallow, place a portion ofthis within their holes and about their haunts. It is greedily eaten, produces great thirst, and death ensues after drinking. This is a veryeffectual poison, because it is both tasteless and odorless. 10. Takeone ounce of finely powdered arsenic, one ounce of lard; mix theseinto a paste with meal, put it about the haunts of rats. They will eatof it greedily. 11. Make a paste of one ounce of flour, one-half gillof water, one drachm of phosphorus, and one ounce of flour. Or, oneounce of flour, two ounces of powdered cheese crumbs, and one-halfdrachm of phosphorus; add to each of these mixtures a few drops of theoil of rhodium, and spread this on thin pieces of bread like butter;the rats will eat of this greedily, and it is a sure poison. 12. Mixsome ground plaster of paris with some sugar and indian meal. Set itabout on plates, and leave beside each plate a saucer of water. Whenthe rats have eaten the mixture they will drink the water and die. Toattract them toward it, you may sprinkle on the edges of the platesa little of the oil of rhodium. Another method of getting rid of ratsis, to strew pounded potash on their holes. The potash gets into theircoats and irritates the skin, and the rats desert the place. 13. Thedutch method: this is said to be used successfully in holland; wehave, however, never tried it. A number of rats are left together tothemselves in a very large trap or cage, with no food whatever; theircraving hunger will, at last, cause them to fight and the weakest willbe eaten by the others; after a short time the fight is renewed, andthe next weakest is the victim, and so it goes on till one strongrat is left. When this one has eaten the last remains of any of theothers, it is set loose; the animal has now acquired such a taste forrat-flesh that he is the terror of ratdom, going round seeking whatrat he may devour. In an incredibly short time the premises areabandoned by all other rats, which will not come back before thecannibal rat has left or has died. 14. Catch a rat and smear him overwith a mixture of phosphorus and lard, and then let him loose. Thehouse will soon be emptied of these pests. VERMIN, IN WATER. --Go to the river or pond, and with a small net (apiece of old mosquito bar will do) collect a dozen or more of thesmall fishes known as minnows, and put them in your cistern, and ina short time you will have clear water, the wiggle-tails andreddish-colored bugs or lice being gobbled up by the fishes. * * * * * [ILLUSTRATION: ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES AND HOW TO MEET THEM. ] ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES AND HOW TO MEET THEM As accidents are constantly liable to occur, the importance of knowinghow best to meet the various emergencies that may arise can hardly beover-estimated. In all cases, and under all circumstances, the besthelp to assist a party in this trying moment is _presence of mind_. HARVEST BUG-BITES. --The best remedy is the use of benzine, whichimmediately kills the insect. A small drop of tincture of iodine hasthe same effect. BITES AND STINGS OF INSECTS. --Such as bees, wasps, hornets, etc. , although generally painful, and ofttimes causing much disturbance, yet are rarely attended with fatal results. The pain and swellingmay generally be promptly arrested by bathing freely with a strongsolution of equal parts of common salt and baking soda, in warm water;or by the application of spirits of hartshorn; or of volatile liniment(one part of spirits of hartshorn and two of olive oil). In theabsence of the other articles, warm oil may be used; or, if this isnot at hand, apply a paste made from fresh clay-earth. If the sting ofthe insect is left in the wound, as is frequently the case, it shouldalways be extracted. If there is faintness, give some stimulant; as, atablespoonful or two of brandy and water, or brandy and ammonia. MAD DOG BITES. --1. Take immediately warm vinegar or tepid water; washthe wound clean therewith and then dry it; pour upon the wound, then, ten or twelve drops of muriatic acid. Mineral acids destroy the poisonof the saliva, by which means the evil effects of the latter areneutralized. 2. Many think that the only sure preventive of evilfollowing the bite of a rabid dog is to suck the wound immediately, before the poison has had time to circulate with the blood. If theperson bit cannot get to the wound to suck it, he must persuade or payanother to do it for him. There is no fear of any harm followingthis, for the poison entering by the stomach cannot hurt a person. A spoonful of the poison might be swallowed with impunity, but theperson who sucks the place should have no wound on the lip ortongue, or it might be dangerous. The precaution alluded to is a mostimportant one, and should never be omitted prior to an excisionand the application of lunar caustic in every part, especially theinterior and deep-seated portions. No injury need be anticipated ifthis treatment is adopted promptly and effectively. The poison ofhydrophobia remains latent on an average six weeks; the part healsover, but there is a pimple or wound, more or less irritable; it thenbecomes painful; and the germ, whatever it is, ripe for disseminationinto the system, and then all hope is gone. Nevertheless, betweenthe time of the bite and the activity of the wound previous todissemination, the caustic of nitrate of silver is a sure preventive;after that it is as useless as all the other means. The best mode ofapplication of the nitrate of silver is by introducing it solidly intothe wound. SERPENTS BITES. --The poison inserted by the stings and bites of manyvenomous reptiles is so rapidly absorbed, and of so fatal a description, as frequently to occasion death before any remedy or antidote can beapplied; and they are rendered yet more dangerous from the fact thatthese wounds are inflicted in parts of the country and world whereprecautionary measures are seldom thought of, and generally at timeswhen people are least prepared to meet them. 1. In absence of anyremedies, the first best plan to adopt on being bitten by any of thepoisonous snakes is to do as recommended above in Mad Dog Bites--viz. , to wash off the place immediately; if possible get the mouth to thespot, and forcibly suck out all the poison, first applying a ligatureabove the wound as tightly as can be borne. 2. A remedy promulgated bythe Smithsonian Institute is to take 30 grs. Iodide potassium, 30 grs. Iodine, 1 oz. Water, to be applied externally to the wound by saturatinglint or batting--the same to be kept moist with the antidote until thecure be effected, which will be in one hour, and sometimes instantly. 3. An Australian physician has tried and recommends carbolic acid, dilutedand administered internally every few minutes until recovery is certain. 4. Another Australian Physician, Professor Halford, of MelbourneUniversity, has discovered that if a proper amount of dilute ammonia beinjected into the circulation of a patient suffering from snake-bite, the curative effect is usually sudden and startling, so that, in manycases, men have thus been brought back, as it were, by magic, from thevery shadow of death. BLEEDING AT THE NOSE. --1. Roll up a piece of paper, and press it underthe upper lip. 2. In obstinate cases blow a little gum Arabic up thenostrils through a quill, which will immediately stop the discharge;powdered alum is also good. 3. Pressure by the finger over the smallartery near the ala (wing) of the nose, on the side where the blood isflowing, is said to arrest the hemorrhage immediately. BLEEDING FROM THE LUNGS. --A NEW York physician has related a casein which inhalation of very dry persulphate of iron, reduced to apalpable powder, entirely arrested bleeding from the lungs, after allthe usual remedies, lead, opium, etc. , had failed. A small quantitywas administered by drawing into the lungs every hour during part ofthe night and following day. BLEEDING FROM THE BOWELS. --The most common cause of this, when not acomplication of some disease, is hemorrhoids or piles. Should serioushemorrhage occur, rest and quiet, and cold water poured slowly overthe lower portion of the belly, or cloths wet with cold water, orbetter, with ice water applied over the belly and thighs, and to thelower end of the bowels, will ordinarily arrest it. In some cases itmay be necessary to use injections of cold water, or even put smallpieces of ice in the rectum. BLEEDING FROM THE MOUTH. --This is generally caused by some injury tothe cheeks, gums or tongue, but it sometimes occurs without any directcause of this kind, and no small alarm may be caused by mistaking itfor bleeding from the lungs. Except when an artery of some sizeis injured, bleeding from the mouth can generally be controlled bygargling and washing the mouth with cold water, salt and water, oralum and water, or some persulphate of iron may be applied to thebleeding surface. Sometimes obstinate or even alarming bleeding mayfollow the pulling of a tooth. The best remedy for this is to plugthe cavity with lint or cotton wet with the solution of persulphate ofiron, and apply a compress which may be kept in place by closing theteeth on it. BLEEDING FROM THE STOMACH. --_Vomiting blood_. --Hemorrhage from thestomach is seldom so serious as to endanger life; but as it may be asymptom of some dangerous affection, it is always best to consult aphysician concerning it. In the meantime, as in all other varietiesof hemorrhage, perfect quiet should be preserved. A little salt, orvinegar, or lemon juice, should be taken at intervals, in a smallglass of fresh cool water, or ice-water, as ice may be swallowed insmall pieces, and cloths wet with ice-water, or pounded ice appliedover the stomach. BLEEDING FROM VARICOSE VEINS. --Serious and even fatal hemorrhage mayoccur from the bursting of a large varicose or "broken" vein. Shouldsuch an accident occur, the bleeding may be best controlled, untilproper medical aid can be procured, by a tight bandage; or a "sticktourniquet, " remembering that the blood comes toward the heart inthe veins, and from it in the arteries. The best thing to prevent therupture of varicose or broken veins is to support the limb by wearingelastic stockings, or a carefully applied bandage. BURNS AND SCALDS. --There is no class of accidents that cause suchan amount of agony, and none which are followed with more disastrousresults. 1. By putting the burned part under cold water, milk, or otherbland fluid, instantaneous and perfect relief from all pain will beexperienced. On withdrawal, the burn should be perfectly coveredwith half an inch or more of common wheaten flour, put on with adredging-box, or in any other way, and allowed to remain until acure is effected, when the dry, caked flour will fall off, or can besoftened with water, disclosing a beautiful, new and healthy skin, in all cases where the burns have been superficial. 2. Dissolve whitelead in flaxseed oil to the consistency of milk, and apply over theentire burn or scald every five minutes. It can be applied with a softfeather. This is said to give relief sooner, and to be more permanentin its effects, than any other application. 3. Make a saturatedsolution of alum (four ounces to a quart of hot water). Dip a cottoncloth in this solution and apply immediately on the burn. As soon asit becomes hot or dry, replace it by another, and continue doing soas often as the cloth dries, which at first will be every few minutes. The pain will immediately cease, and after twenty-four hours of thistreatment the burn will be healed; especially if commenced beforeblisters are formed. The astringent and drying qualities of the alumwill entirely prevent their formation. 4. Glycerine, five ounces;white of egg, four ounces; tincture of arnica, three ounces. Mix theglycerine and white of egg thoroughly in a mortar, and gradually addthe arnica. Apply freely on linen rags night, and morning, washingpreviously with warm castile soap-suds. 5. Take one drachm of finelypowdered alum, and mix thoroughly with the white of two eggs and oneteacup of fresh lard; spread on a cloth, and apply to the parts burnt. It gives almost instant relief from pain, and, by excluding the air, prevents excessive inflammatory action. The application should bechanged at least once a day. 6. M. Joel, of the Children's Hospital, Lausanne, finds that a tepid bath, containing a couple of pinches ofsulphate of iron, gives immediate relief to young children who havebeen extensively burned. In a case of a child four years old, abath repeated twice a day--twenty minutes each bath--the suppurationdecreased, lost its odor, and the little sufferer was soonconvalescent. 7. For severe scalding, carbolic acid has recently beenused with marked benefit. It is to be mixed with thirty parts of theordinary oil of lime water to one part of the acid. Linen rags saturedin the carbolic emulsion are to be spread on the scalded parts, andkept moist by frequently smearing with the feather dipped in theliquid. Two advantages of this mode of treatment are, the exclusion ofair, and the rapid healing by a natural restorative action without theformation of pus, thus preserving unmarred and personal appearance ofthe patient--a matter of no small importance to some people. CHOKING. --In case of Choking, a violent slap with the open handbetween the shoulders of the sufferer will often effect a dislodgment. In case the accident occurs with a child, and the slapping processdoes not afford instant relief, it should be grasped by the feet, andplaced head downwards, and the slapping between the shoulders renewed; but in case this induced violent suffocative paroxysms it must notbe repeated. If the substance, whatever it maybe, has entered thewindpipe, and the coughing and inverting the body fails to dislodgeit, it is probable that nothing but cutting open the windpipe willbe of any avail; and for this the services of a surgeon should always beprocured. If food has stuck in the throat or gullet, the forefingershould be immediately introduced; and if lodged at the entrance of thegullet, the substance may be reached and extracted, possibly, with theforefinger alone, or may be seized with a pair of pincers, if at hand, or a curling tongs, or anything of the kind. This procedure may befacilitated by directing the person to put the tongue well out, inwhich position it may be retained by the individual himself, or abystander by grasping it, covered with a handkerchief or towel. Shouldthis fail, an effort should be made to excite retching or vomitingby passing the finger to the root of the tongue, in hopes that theoffending substance may in this way be dislodged; or it may possiblybe effected by suddenly and unexpectedly dashing in the face a basinof cold water, the shock suddenly relaxing the muscular spasm present, and the involuntary gasp at the same time may move it up or down. Ifthis cannot be done, as each instant's delay is of vital importance toa choking man, seize a fork, a spoon, a penholder, pencil, quill, oranything suitable at hand, and endeavor to push the article downthe throat. If it be low down the gullet, and other means fail, itsdislodgment may sometimes be effected by dashing cold water on thespine, or vomiting may be induced by an emetic of sulphate of zinc(twenty grains in a couple of tablespoonfuls of warm water), or ofcommon salt and mustard in like manner, or it may be pushed into thestomach by extemporizing a probang, by fastening a small sponge to theend of a stiff strip of whalebone. If this cannot he done, a surgicaloperation will be necessary. Fish bones or other sharp substances, when they cannot be removed by the finger or forceps, may sometimesbe dislodged by swallowing some pulpy mass, as masticated bread, etc. Irregularly shaped substances, a plate with artificial teeth forinstance, can ordinarily be removed only by surgical interference. COLIC. --Use a hot fomentation over the abdomen, and a small quantityof ginger, pepermint or common tea. If not relieved in a few minutes, then give an injection of a quart of warm water with twenty or thirtydrops of laudanum, and repeat it if necessary. A half teaspoonful ofchloroform, in a tablespoonful of sweetened water, with or without afew drops of spirits of lavender or essence of peppermint, will oftengive prompt relief. CONVULSIONS. --In small children convulsions frequently happen fromteething, sometimes from worms or from some irritating substancewithin the stomach or bowels, and sometimes from some affection of thebrain. When a child has convulsions, place it immediately in a warm or hotbath, and sponge its head with cold water. Then apply a hot mustardplaster to the wrists, ankles and soles of the feet, or, in case aplaster cannot be obtained, apply a cloth wrung out of hot mustardwater. Allow these to remain until the skin reddens, and use care thatthe same do not blister. After the fit has subsided, use great careagainst its return by attention to the cause which gave rise to it. Convulsions in adults must be treated in accordance with the mannerwhich gave rise to them. During the attack great care should be takenthat the party does not injure himself, and the best preventive isa cork or a soft piece of wood, or other suitable substance, placedbetween the teeth to prevent biting the tongue and cheeks: tightclothing must be removed or loosened; mustard poultices should beapplied to the extremities and over the abdomen; abundance of freshair should be secured by opening windows and doors, and preventingunnecessary crowding of persons around; cold water may be dashedon the face and chest; and if there be plethora, with full boundingpulse, with evidence of cerebral or other internal congestion, theabstraction of a few ounces of blood may be beneficial. CRAMP. --Spasmodic or involuntary contractions of the muscles generallyof the extremities, accompanied with great pain. The muscles of thelegs and feet are the most commonly affected with cramp, especiallyafter great exertion. The best treatment is immediately to standupright, and to well rub the part with the hand. The application ofstrong stimulants, as spirits of ammonia, or of anodines, as opiateliniments, has been recommended. When cramp occurs in the stomach, a teaspoonful of sal volatile in water, or a dram glassful of goodbrandy, should be swallowed immediately. When cramp comes on duringcold bathing, the limb should be thrown out as suddenly and violentlyas possible, which will generally remove it, care being also takennot to become flurried nor frightened, as presence of mind is veryessential to personal safety on such an occasion. A common cause ofcramp is indigestion, and the use of acescent liquors; these should beavoided. CUTS. --In case the flow of blood is trifling, stop the bleeding bybringing the edges of the wound together, if the flow of blood isgreat, of a bright vermillion color, and flows in spurts or with ajerk, an artery is severed, and at once should pressure be made on theparts by the finger (between the cut and the heart), until a compressis arranged by a tight ligature above the wounded part. Then thefinger may be taken off, and if the blood still flows, tighten thehandkerchief or other article that forms the ligature, until itceases. If at this point the attendance of a physician or surgeoncannot be secured, take strong silk thread, or wax together three orfour threads and cut them into lengths of about a foot long. Wash theparts with warm water, and then with a sharp hook or small pair ofpincers in your hand, fix your eye steadfastly upon the wound, anddirecting the ligature to be slightly released, you will see the mouthof the artery from which the blood springs. At once seize it, draw itout a little while an assistant passes a ligature round it, and ties it up tight with a double knot. In this way take up in successionevery bleeding vessel you can see or get hold of. If the wound is toohigh up in a limb to apply the ligature do not lose your presence ofmind. If it is the thigh, press firmly on the groin; if in the arm, with the band-end or ring of a common door-key make pressure above thecollar bone, and about its middle, against its first rib, whichlies under it. The pressure should be continued until assistance isprocured and the vessel tied up. If the wound is on the face, or otherplace where pressure cannot effectually be made, place a piece of icedirectly over the wound allowing it to remain there until the bloodcoagulates, when it may be removed, and a compress and bandage beapplied. After the bleeding is arrested the surrounding blood should be clearedaway, as well as any extraneous matter then bring the sides of thewound into contact throughout the whole depth, in order that they maygrow together as quickly as possible, retaining them in their positionby strips of adhesive plaster. If the wound be deep and extensive, the wound itself and the adjacent parts must be supported by properbandages. The position of the patient should be such as will relaxthe skin and muscles of the wounded part. Rest, low and unstimulatingdiet, will complete the requirements necessary to a speedy recovery. HOW TO DISTINGUISH DEATH. --As many instances occur of parties beingburied alive, they being to all appearance dead, the great importance ofknowing how to distinguish real from imaginary death need not beexplained. The appearances which mostly accompany death, are an entirestoppage of breathing, of the heart's action; the eyelids are partlyclosed, the eyes glassy, and the pupils usually dilated; the jaws areclenched, the fingers partially contracted, and the lips and nostrilsmore or less covered with frothy mucus, with increasing pallor andcoldness of surface, and the muscles soon become rigid and the limbsfixed in their position. But as these same conditions may also exist incertain other cases of suspended animation, great care should beobserved, whenever there is the least doubt concerning it, to preventthe unnecessary crowding of the room in which the corpse is, or ofparties crowding around the body; nor should the body be allowed toremain lying on the back without the tongue being so secured as toprevent the glottis or orifice of the windpipe being closed by it; norshould the face be closely covered; nor rough usage of any kind beallowed. In case there is great doubt, the body should not be allowed tobe inclosed in the coffin, and under no circumstances should burial beallowed until there are unmistakable signs of decomposition. Of the numerous methods proposed as signs for real death, we selectthe following: 1. So long as breathing continues, the surface ofa mirror held to the mouth and nostrils will become dimmed withmoisture. 2. If a strong thread or small cord be tied tightly roundthe finger of a living person, the portion beyond the cord or threadwill become red and swollen--if dead, no change is produced. 3. If thehand of a living person is held before a strong light a portion of themargin or edges of the fingers is translucent--if dead, every part ofit is opaque. 4. A coal of fire, a piece of hot iron, or the flame ofa candle, applied to the skin, if life remains, will blister--if deadit will merely sear. 5. A bright steel needle introduced and allowedto remain for half an hour in living flesh will be still bright--ifdead, it will be tarnished by oxydation. 6. A few drops of a solutionof atropia (two grains to one-half ounce of water) introduced into theeye, if the person is alive, will cause the pupils to dilate--if dead, no effect will be produced. 7. If the pupil is already dilated, andthe person is alive, a few drops of tincture of the calabar bean willcause it to contract--if dead, no effect will be produced. DISLOCATIONS. --These injuries can mostly be easily recognized; 1. By the deformity that the dislocation gives rise to by comparing thealteration in shape with the other side of the body. 2. Loss of someof the regular movements of the joints. 3. In case of dislocation, surgical aid should be procured at once. While waiting the arrival ofa physician, the injured portion should be placed in the position mostcomfortable to the patient, and frequent cold bathing or cloths wrungout of cold water, applied to the parts affected, so as to relievesuffering and prevent inflammation. FOREIGN BODIES IN EARS. --Great care should be taken in removingforeign bodies from the ear, as serious injury may be inflicted. Mostforeign bodies, especially those of small size, can be easily removedby the use of a syringe with warm water, and in most cases no othermeans should be used. Should the first efforts fail, repeat theoperation. A syringe throwing a moderately small and continuous streamis the best adapted for the purpose, and the removal may generallybe facilitated by inclining the ear downward while using the syringe. Severe inflammation may be excited, and serious injury done, byrash attempts to seize a foreign body in the ear, with a forceps ortweezers, or trying to pick it out with a pin or needle, or with anear scoop. Should it be necessary from any cause to use instruments, great care should be observed, and but very little force exerted. Ithas lately been recommended, when foreign bodies cannot be removed bysyringing the ear, to introduce a small brush or swab of frayed linenor muslin cloth, or a bit of sponge, moistened with a solution ofglue, and keep it in contact with the foreign body until the glueadheres, when the body may be easily removed. INSECTS IN THE EAR. --Insects in the ear may be easily killed bypouring oil in the ear, after which remove by syringing. (See foreignbodies in ear. ) TO REMOVE HARDENED EAR WAX. --Hardened ear wax may be softened bydropping into the ear some oil or glycerine, and then syringing. (Seeforeign bodies in ear. ) FOREIGN BODIES IN EYE. --To remove small particles from the eye, unlessthey have penetrated the globe, or become fixed in the conjunctiva, doas follows: Grasp the upper lid between the thumb and forefinger, lift it from theeyeball, and having drawn it down as far as possible outside the lowerlid, let it slide slowly back to its place, resting upon the lowerlid as it goes back; and then wipe the edges of the lids with a softhandkerchief to remove the foreign substance. This may be repeated anumber of times, if necessary, without injury. Should this meansfail, evert the lids and remove the foreign substance, by touching itlightly with the fold of a handkerchief, or with the point of a rollof paper made like a candle-lighter; or, if necessary, with a smallpair of forceps. A drop of sweet oil instilled in the eye, whileperfectly harmless, provokes a flow of tears that will frequently washaway any light substance. Bits of metal, sharp pieces of sand, etc. Sometimes penetrate theglobe of the eye, and, unless removed, may excite so much inflammationas to destroy the eye. They should he removed by a competent surgeon. FAINTING. --Lay the person who has fainted in a current of air, or in such a position that the air from an open window or door will havefull play upon the face. Do not allow parties to crowd closely around, but give the sufferer plenty of room. Recovery will take place in afew minutes. The clothes also may be opened, and cold water sprinkledupon the face, hands and chest; and some pungent substance, assmelling salts, camphor, aromatic vinegar, etc. , may be applied tothe nostrils; and as soon as able to swallow, a little fresh water, orspirits and water, may be given. Persons who faint easily should avoidcrowded rooms and places where the air is close. FITS. --See Convulsions. CLOTHING ON FIRE. --If a woman's clothes catch on fire, let herinstantly roll herself over and over on the ground. In case any one bepresent, let them throw her down and do the like, and then wrap her upin a table-cloth, rug, coat, or the first woolen article that can befound. FRACTURES. --As we can only give general rules for treating the variousfractures, we would advise any one suffering from such to immediatelyapply to the nearest surgeon, and not rely upon an inexperiencedparty. FROST-BITE. --Place the party suffering in a room without fire, andrub the frozen or frosted parts with snow, or pour ice-water over themuntil sensation begins to return. As soon as a stinging pain is felt, and a change of color appears, then cease the rubbing, and applyclothes wet with ice-water, and subsequently, if active inflammationfollow and suppuration results, a solution of carbolic acid in water, one part to thirty, should be applied. If mortification set in, amputation is generally necessary. Where persons suffer from theconstitutional effects of cold, hot stimulants should be giveninternally, and the body rubbed briskly with the hands and warmflannel. POISONS, THEIR SYMPTOMS AND ANTIDOTES. --When a person has taken poison, the first thing to do is to compel the patient to vomit, and for thatpurpose give any emetic that can be most readily and quickly obtained, and which is prompt and energetic, but safe in its action. For thispurpose there is, perhaps, nothing better than a large teaspoonful ofground mustard in a tumblerful of warm water, and it has the advantageof being almost always at hand. If the dry mustard is not to be had, usemixed mustard from the mustard pot. Its operation may generally befacilitated by the addition of a like quantity of common table salt. Ifthe mustard is not at hand, give two or three teaspoonfuls of powderedalum in syrup or molasses, and give freely of warm water to drink; orgive ten to twenty grains of sulphate of zinc (white vitriol), or twentyto thirty grains of ipecac, with one or two grains of tartar emetic, ina large cup of warm water, and repeat every ten minutes until three orfour doses are given, unless free vomiting is sooner produced. Aftervomiting has taken place, large draughts of warm water should be giventhe patient, so that the vomiting will continue until the poisonoussubstances have been thoroughly evacuated, and then suitable antidotesshould be given. If vomiting cannot be produced, the stomach-pump shouldbe used. When it is known what particular kind of poison has beenswallowed, then the proper antidote for that poison should be given, butwhen this cannot be ascertained, as is often the case, give freely ofequal parts of calcined magnesia, pulverized charcoal, and sesquioxideof iron, in sufficient quantity of water. This is a very harmlessmixture, and is likely to be of great benefit, as the ingredients, though very simple, are antidotes for the most common and activepoisons. In case this mixture cannot be obtained, the stomach should besoothed and protected by the free administration of demulcent, mucilaginous or oleaginous drinks, such as the whites of eggs, milk, mucilage of gum arabic, or slippery elm bark, flaxseed tea, starch, wheat, flour, or arrow-root mixed in water, linseed or olive oil, ormelted butter or lard. Subsequently the bowels should be moved by somegentle laxative, as a tablespoonful or two of castor oil, or ateaspoonful of calcined magnesia; and pain or other evidence ofinflammation must be relieved by the administration of a few drops oflaudanum, and the repeated application of hot poultices, fomentationsand mustard plasters. The following are the names of the articles thatmay give rise to poisoning, most commonly used, and their antidote: MINERAL ACIDS--SULPHURIC ACID (OIL OF VITRIOL), NITRIC ACID (AQUAFORTIS), MURIATIC ACID (SPIRITS OF SALTS). --Symptoms: Acid, burningtaste in the mouth, acute pain in the throat, stomach and bowels;frequent vomiting, generally bloody, mouth and lips excoriated, shriveled, white or yellow; hiccough, copious stools, more or lessbloody, with great tenderness in the abdomen; difficult breathing, irregular pulse, excessive thirst, while drink increases the pain andrarely remains in the stomach; frequent but vain efforts to urinate;cold sweats, altered countenance; convulsions generally precedingdeath; nitric acid causes yellow stains; sulphuric acid, black ones. Treatment: Mix calcined magnesia in milk or water to the consistenceof cream, and give freely to drink a glassful every couple of minutes, if it can be swallowed. Common soap (hard or soft), chalk, whiting, oreven mortar from the wall mixed in water, may be given, untilmagnesia can be obtained. Promote vomiting by tickling the throat, if necessary, and when the poison is got rid of, flaxseed or elm tea, gruel, or other mild drinks. The inflammation which always followswants good treatment to save the patient's life. VEGETABLE ACIDS--ACETIC, CITRIC, OXALIC, TARTARIC. --Symptoms: Intenseburning pain of mouth, throat and stomach; vomiting blood which ishighly acid, violent purging, collapse, stupor, death. OXALIC ACID is frequently taken in mistake for Epsom salts, to whichin shops it often bears a strong resemblance. Treatment: Give chalkor magnesia in a large quantity of water, or large draughts of limewater. If these are not at hand, scrape the wall or ceiling, and givethe scrapings, mixed with water. PRUSSIC OR HYDROCYANIC ACID--LAUREL WATER, CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM, BITTER ALMOND OIL, ETC. --Symptoms: In large doses almost invariablyinstantaneously fatal, when not immediately fatal, sudden loss ofsense and control of the voluntary muscles; the odor of the poisongenerally susceptible on the breath. Treatment: Chlorine, in theform of chlorine water, in doses of from one to four fluid drachms, diluted. Weak solution of chloride lime of soda; water of ammonia(spirits of hartshorn) largely diluted may be given, and the vaporof it cautiously inhaled. Cold affusion, and chloroform in halfto teaspoonful doses in glycerine or mucilage, repeated every fewminutes, until the symptoms are ameliorated. Artificial respiration. ACONITE--MONKSHOOD, WOLFSBANE. --Symptoms: Numbness and tingling in themouth and throat, and afterwards in other portions of the body, withsore throat, pain over the stomach, and vomiting; dimness of vision, dizziness, great prostration, loss of sensibility and delirium. Treatment: An emetic and then brandy in tablespoonful doses, inice-water, every half hour; spirits of ammonia in half teaspoonfuldoses in like manner; the cold douche over the head and chest, warmthto the extremities, etc. ALKALIES AND THEIR SALTS--CONCENTRATED LYE, WOODASH LYE, CAUSTICPOTASH, AMMONIA, HARTSHORN. --Symptoms: Caustic, acrid taste, excessiveheat in the throat, stomach and [Transcriber's Note: The original textreads 'intenstines'] intestines; vomiting of bloody matter, cold sweats, hiccough, purging of bloody stools. --Treatment: The common vegetable acids. Common vinegar being always at hand, is most frequently used. The fixedoils, as castor, flaxseed, almond and olive oils form soaps with thealkalies and thus also destroy their caustic effect. They should be givenin large quantity. ALCOHOL, BRANDY, AND OTHER SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS. --Symptoms: Confusion ofthought, inability to walk or stand, dizziness, stupor, highly flushedor pale face, noisy breathing. --Treatment: After emptying the stomach, pour cold water on the head and back of the neck, rub or slap thewrists and palms, and the ankles and soles of the feet, and givestrong, hot coffee, or aromatic spirits of hartshorn, in teaspoonfuldoses in water. The warmth of the body must be sustained. ANTIMONY, AND ITS PREPARATIONS. TARTAR EMETIC, ANTIMONIAL WINE, KERME'S MINERAL. --Symptoms: Faintness and nausea, soon followed bypainful and continued vomiting, severe diarrhoea, constriction andburning sensation in the throat, cramps, or spasmodic twitchings, withsymptoms of nervous derangement, and great prostration of strength, often terminating in death. --Treatment: If vomiting has notbeen produced, it should be effected by tickling the fauces, andadministering copious draughts of warm water. Astringment infusions, such as of gall, oak bark, Peruvian bark, act as antidotes, and shouldbe given promptly. Powdered yellow bark may be used until the infusionis prepared, or very strong green tea should be given. To stop thevomiting, should it continue, blister over the stomach by applying acloth wet with strong spirits of hartshorn, and then sprinkle on theone-eighth to one-fourth of a grain of morphia. ARSENIC AND ITS PREPARATIONS--RATSBANE, FOWLER'S SOLUTION, ETC. --Symptoms: Generally within an hour pain and heat are felt in thestomach, soon followed by vomiting, with a burning dryness of the throatand great thirst; the matters vomited are generally colored, eithergreen yellow, or brownish, and sometimes bloody. Diarrhoea ordysentery ensues, while the pulse becomes small and rapid, yetirregular. Breathing much oppressed; difficulty in vomiting may occur, while cramps, convulsions, or even paralysis often precede death, which sometimes takes place within five or six hours after arsenichas been taken. --Treatment: Give a prompt emetic, and then hydrate ofperoxide of iron (recently prepared) in tablespoonful doses everyten or fifteen minutes until the urgent symptoms are relieved. In theabsence of this, or while it is being prepared, give large draughts ofnew milk and raw eggs, limewater and oil, melted butter, magnesia in alarge quantity of water, or even if nothing else is at hand, flour andwater, always, however, giving an emetic the first thing, or causingvomiting by tickling the throat with a feather, etc. The inflammationof the stomach which follows must be treated by blisters, hotfomentations, mucilaginous drinks, etc. , etc. BELLADONNA OR DEADLY NIGHT SHADE. --Symptoms: Dryness of the mouthand throat, great thirst, difficulty of swallowing, nausea, dimness, confusion or loss of vision, great enlargement of the pupils, dizziness, delirium and coma. --Treatment: There is no known antidote. Give a prompt emetic and then reliance must be placed on continualstimulation with brandy, whisky, etc. , and to necessary artificialrespiration. Opium and its preparations, as morphia, laudanum, etc. , are thought by some to counteract the effect of belladonna, and maybe given in small and repeated doses, as also strong black coffee andgreen tea. BLUE VITRIOL, OR BLUE STONE. --See Copperas. CANTHARIDES (SPANISH OR BLISTERING FLY) AND MODERN POTATOBUG. --Symptoms: Sickening odor of the breath, sour taste, with burningheat in the throat, stomach, and bowels; frequent vomiting, oftenbloody; copious bloody stools, great pain in the stomach, with burningsensation in the bladder and difficulty to urinate, followed withterrible convulsions, delirium and death. --Treatment excite vomitingby drinking plentifully of sweet oil or other wholesome oils, sugarand water, milk. Or slippery elm tea; give injections of castor oiland starch, or warm milk. The inflammatory symptoms which generallyfollow must, be treated by a medical man. Camphorated oil orcamphorated spirits should be rubbed over the bowels, stomach andthighs. CAUSTIC POTASH. --See Alkalies. COBALT, OR FLY-POWDER. --Symptoms: Heat and pain in the. Throat andstomach, violent retching and vomiting, cold and clammy skin, small and feeble pulse, hurried and difficult breathing, diarrhoea, etc. --Treatment: An emetic, followed by the free administration ofmilk, eggs, wheat flour and water, and mucilaginous drinks. COPPER--BLUE VITRIOL, VERDIGRIS OR PICKLES OR FOOD COOKED IN SOULCOPPER VESSELS. --Symptoms: General inflammation of the alimentarycanal, suppression of urine; hiccough, a disagreeable metallic taste, vomiting, violent colic, excessive thirst, sense of tightness of thethroat, anxiety; faintness, giddiness, and cramps and convulsionsgenerally precede death. --Treatment: Large doses of simple syrup aswarm as can be swallowed, until the stomach rejects the amount itcontains. The whites of eggs and large quantities of milk. Hydratedperoxide of iron. COPPERAS. --See Iron. CREOSOTE. --CARBOLIC ACID. --Symptoms: Burning pain. Acrid, pungenttaste, thirst, vomiting, purging, etc. --Treatment: An emetic, andthe free administration of albumen, as the whites of eggs, or in theabsence of these, milk, or flour and water. CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. --See Mercury. DEADLY NIGHT-SHADE. --See Belladonna. FOX-GLOVE, OR DIGITALIS. --Symptoms: Loss of strength, feeble, fluttering pulse, faintness, nausea, and vomiting and stupor; coldperspiration, dilated pupils, sighing, irregular breathing, andsometimes convulsions. --Treatment: After vomiting, give brandy andammonia in frequently repeated doses, apply warmth to the extremities, and if necessary resort to artificial respiration. GASES--CARBONIC ACID, CHLORINE, CYANOGEN, HYDROSULPHURIC ACID, ETC. --Symptoms: Great drowsiness, difficult respiration, featuresswollen, face blue as in strangulation. --Treatment: Artificialrespirations, cold douche, frictions with stimulating substances tothe surface of the body. Inhalation of steam containing preparationsof ammonia. Cupping from nape of neck. Internal use of chloroform. GREEN VITRIOL. --See Iron. HELLEBORE, OR INDIAN POKE. --Symptoms: Violent vomiting and purging, bloody stools, great anxiety, tremors, vertigo, fainting, sinkingof the pulse, cold sweets and convulsions. --Treatment: Excite speedyvomiting by large draughts of warm water, molasses and water, ticklingthe throat with the finger or a feather, and emetics; give oily andmucilaginous drinks, oily purgatives, and clysters, acids, strongcoffee, camphor and opium. HEMLOCK (CONIUM). --Symptoms: Dryness of the throat, tremors, dizziness, difficulty of swallowing, prostration and faintness, limbs powerless or paralyzed, pupils dilated, pulse rapid and feeble;insensibility and convulsions sometimes precede death. --Treatment:Empty the stomach and give brandy in tablespoonful doses, with halfteaspoonful of spirits of Ammonia, frequently repeated, and if muchpain and vomiting, give bromide of ammonium in five-grain doses everyhalf hour. Artificial respiration may be required. HENBANE OR HYOSCYAMUS. --Symptoms: Muscular twitching, inability toarticulate plainly, dimness of vision and stupor; later, vomitingand purging, small, intermittent pulse, convulsive movement of theextremities and coma. Treatment: Similar to Opium Poisoning, whichsee. IODINE. --Symptoms: Burning pain in throat, lacerating pain in thestomach, fruitless effort to vomit, excessive tenderness of theepigastrium. Treatment: Free emesis, prompt administration of starch, wheat flour, or arrowroot, beat up in water. LEAD. --ACETATE OF LEAD, SUGAR OF LEAD, DRY WHITE LEAD, RED LEAD, LITHARGE, OR PICKLES, WINE, OR VINEGAR, SWEETENED BY LEAD. --Symptoms:When taken in large doses, a sweet but astringent metallic taste exists, with constriction in the throat, pain in the region of the stomach, painful, obstinate, and frequently bloody vomitings, hiccough, convulsions or spasms, and death. When taken in small but long-continueddoses, it produces colic, called painter's colic; great pain, obstinateconstipation, and in extreme cases paralytic, symptoms, especiallywrist-drop, with a blue line along the edge of the gums. Treatment: Tocounteract the poison, give alum in water, one and a half ounce to aquart; or, better still, Epsom salts or Glauber salts, an ounce ofeither in a quart of water; or dilute sulphuric acid, a teaspoonful in aquart of water. If a large quantity of sugar of lead has been recentlytaken, empty the stomach by an emetic of sulphate of zinc (one drachm ina quart of water), giving one-fourth to commence, and repeating smallerdoses until free vomiting is produced; castor oil should be given toclear the bowels, and injections of oil and starch freely administered. If the body is cold, use the warm bath. MEADOW SAFFRON. --See Belladonna. LAUDANUM. --See Opium. LUNAR CAUSTIC. --See Silver. LOBELIA. --Indian Poke. --Symptoms: Excessive vomiting and purging, pains in the bowels, contraction of the pupils, delirium, coma, andconvulsions. Treatment: Mustard over the stomach, and brandy andammonia. MERCURY. --CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE (bug poisons frequently contain thispoison), RED PRECIPITATE, CHINESE OR ENGLISH VERMILLION. --Symptoms:Acrid, metallic taste in the mouth, immediate constriction and burningin the throat, with anxiety and tearing pains in both stomachand bowels, sickness, and vomiting of various colored fluids, andsometimes bloody and profuse diarrhoea, with difficulty and painin urinating; pulse quick, small and hard; faint sensations, greatdebility, difficult breathing, cramps, cold sweats, syncope andconvulsions. Treatment: If vomiting does not already exist, emeticsmust be given immediately--albumen of eggs in continuous large doses, and infusion of catechu afterwards, sweet milk, mixtures of flour andwater in successive cupfuls, and to check excessive salivation put ahalf ounce of chlorate of potash in a tumbler of water, and use freelyas a gargle, and swallow a tablespoonful every hour or two. MONKSHOOD. --See Arnica. MORPHINE. --See Opium. NITRATE OF SILVER (LUNAR CAUSTIC. )--Symptoms: Intense pain andvomiting and purging of blood; mucus and shreds of mucus membranes;and if these stand they become dark. Treatment: Give freely of asolution of common salt in water, which decomposes the poison, andafterwards flax-seed or elm bark tea, and after a while a dose ofcastor oil. NUX VOMICA. --See Strychnine. OPIUM AND ALL ITS PREPARATIONS--MORPHINE, LAUDANUM, PAREGORIC, ETC. --Symptoms: Giddiness, drowsiness, increasing to stupor, andinsensibility; pulse usually, at first, quirk and irregular, and breathing hurried, and afterwards pulse slow and feeble, andrespiration slow and noisy; the pupils are contracted and the eyes andface congested, and later, as death approaches, the extremities becomecold, the surface is covered with cold, clammy perspiration, andthe sphincters relax. The effects of opium and its preparations, in poisonous doses, appear in from a half to two hours from itsadministration. Treatment: Empty the stomach immediately with anemetic or with the stomach pump. Then give very strong coffee withoutmilk; put mustard plasters on the wrist and ankles; use the colddouche to the head and chest, and if the patient is cold and sinkinggive brandy, or whisky and ammonia. Belladonna is thought by many tocounteract the poisonous effects of opium, and may be given indoses of half to a teaspoonful of the tincture, or two grains ofthe extract, every twenty minutes, until some effect is observed incausing the pupils to expand. Use warmth and friction, and if possibleprevent sleep for some hours, for which purpose the patient should bewalked about between two persons, and if necessary a bunch ofswitches may be freely used. Finally, as a last resort, use artificialrespiration, and a persistance in it will sometimes be rewarded withsuccess in apparently hopeless cases. Galvanism should also be tried. OXALIC ACID. --See Acids. PHOSPHORUS--FOUND IN LUCIFER MATCHES AND SOME RAT POISONS. --Symptoms:Symptoms of irritant poisoning; pain in the stomach and bowels;vomiting; diarrhoea; tenderness and tension of the abdomen. Treatment:An emetic is to be promptly given; copious draughts containingmagnesia in suspension: mucilaginous drinks. General treatment forinflammatory symptoms. POISONOUS FISH. --Symptoms: In an hour or two--often in much shortertime--after the fish has been eaten, a weight at the stomach comeson, with slight vertigo and headache; sense of heat about the headand eyes; considerable thirst, and often an eruption of the skin. Treatment: After full vomiting, an active purgative should be givento remove any of the noxious matter from the intestines. Vinegar andwater may be drunk after the above remedies have operated, and thebody may be sponged with the same. Water made very sweet with sugar, with aromatic spirits of ammonia added, may be drunk freely as acorrective. A solution of cholorate of potash, or of alkali, thelatter weak, may be given to obviate the effect of the poison. Ifspasms ensue after evacuation, laudanum in considerable doses itnecessary. If inflammation should occur, combat in the usual way. POISONOUS MUSHROOMS. --- Symptoms: Nausea, heat and pains in thestomach and bowels; vomiting and purging, thirst, convulsions andfaintings, pulse small and frequent, dilated pupil and stupor, coldsweats and death. Treatment: The stomach and bowels are to be cleared by an emetic ofground mustard or sulphate of zinc, followed by frequent doses ofGlauber of Epsom salts, and large stimulating clysters. After thepoison is evacuated, either may be given with small quantities ofbrandy and water. But if inflammatory symptoms manifest themselves, such stimuli should be avoided, and these symptoms appropriatelytreated. POTASH. --See Alkali. PRUSSIC ACID, HYDROCYANIC. --See Acids. POISON IVY. --Symptoms. Contact with, and with many persons thenear approach to the vine, gives rise to violent erysipelatousinflammation, especially of the face and hands, attended with itching, redness, burning and swelling, with watery blisters. Treatment: Give saline laxatives, and apply weak lead and laudanum, or limewater and sweet oil, or bathe the parts freely with spirits ofnitre. Anointing with oil will prevent poisoning from it. SALTPETRE, NITRATE OF POTASH. --Symptoms. Only poisonous in largequantities, and then causes nausea, painful vomiting, purging, convulsions, faintness, feeble pulse, cold feet and hands, withtearing pains in stomach and bowels. Treatment: Treat just as is directed for arsenic, for there is noantidote known, and emptying the stomach and bowels with mild drinksmust be relied on. SAVINE. --Symptoms: Sharp pains in the bowels, hot skin, rapid pulse, violent vomiting and sometimes purging, with great prostration. Treatment: Mustard and hot fomentations over the stomach and bowels, and ice only allowed in the stomach until the inflammation ceases. Ifprostration comes on, food and stimulants must be given by injection. STRAMONIUM, THORN-APPLE OR JAMESTOWN WEED. --Symptoms: Vertigo, headache, perversion of vision, slight delirium, sense of suffocation, disposition to sleep, bowels relaxed and all secretions augmented. Treatment: Same as Belladonna. STRYCHNINE AND NUX VOMICA. --Symptoms: Muscular twitching, constrictionof the throat, difficult breathing and oppression of the chest; violentmuscular spasms then occur, continuous in character like lock-jaw, withthe body bent backwards, sometimes like a bow. Treatment: Give, ifobtainable, one ounce or more of bone charcoal mixed with water, andfollow with an active emetic; then give chloroform in teaspoonful doses, in flour and water or glycerine, every few minutes while the spasmslast, and afterwards brandy and stimulants, and warmth of theextremities if necessary. Recoveries have followed the free and promptadministration of oils or melted butter or lard. In all cases empty thestomach if possible. SULPHATE OF ZINC, WHITE VITRIOL. --See Zinc. TIN--CHLORIDE OF TIN, SOLUTION OF TIN (USED BY DYERS), OXIDE OF TINOR PUTTY POWDER. --Symptoms: Vomiting, pains in the stomach, anxiety, restlessness, frequent pulse, delirium, etc. Treatment: Empty thestomach, and give whites of eggs in water, milk in large quantities, or flour beaten, up in water, with magnesia or chalk. TARTAR EMETIC. --See Antimony. TOBACCO. --Symptoms: Vertigo, stupor, fainting, nausea, vomiting, sudden nervous debility, cold sweat, tremors, and at times fatalprostration. Treatment: After the stomach is empty apply mustardto the abdomen and to the extremities, and give strong coffee, withbrandy and other stimulants, with warmth to the extremities. ZINC--OXIDE OF ZINC, SULPHATE OF ZINC, WHITE VITRIOL, ACETATE OFZINC. --Symptoms: Violent vomiting, astringent taste, burning pain inthe stomach, pale countenance, cold extremities, dull eyes, flutteringpulse. Death seldom ensues, in consequence of the emetic effect. Treatment: The vomiting may be relieved by copious draughts of warmwater. Carbonate of soda, administered in solution, will decompose thesulphate of zinc. Milk and albumen will also act as antidotes. Generalprinciples to be observed in the subsequent treatment. WOORARA. --Symptoms: When taken into the stomach it is inert; whenabsorbed through a wound it causes sudden stupor and insensibility, frothing at the mouth and speedy death. Treatment: Suck the woundimmediately, or cut it out and tie a cord around the limb between thewound and the heart. Apply iodine, or iodide of potassium, and give itinternally, and try artificial respiration. SCALDS. --See Burns and Scalds. SPRAINS. --The portions most frequently implicated are the wrist andankle; no matter which portion it may be, however, rest and quietnessis a very important part of the treatment, and, when possible, in anelevated position. If the wrist is sprained it should be carried in asling; if the ankle, it should be supported on a couch or stool. Coldlotions (see Bruises) should be freely applied, and irrigation bypouring water from a pitcher or tea-kettle resorted to several times aday to prevent inflammation. Later, frictions with opodeldoc, or withsome stimulating liniment, and supporting the parts by pressure madewith a flannel roller, or laced stocking when the ankle is involved, will be useful to restore tone; or strips of adhesive plaster properlyapplied will be useful for the same purpose. Recovery from severesprains is always tedious. It is an old saying "that a bad sprain isworse than a broken bone. " STINGS OF BEES AND WASPS. --See Bites and Stings. SUFFOCATION FROM NOXIOUS GASES, FOUL AIR, FIRE DAMP, ETC. --Remove tofresh air and dash cold water over the head, neck and chest; carefullyapply hartshorn, or smelling salts to the nostrils, and when thebreathing is feeble or has ceased, resort immediately to artificialrespiration (see Asphyxia and Drowning). Keep up the warmth of thebody, and as soon as the patient can swallow give stimulants in smallquantities. SUNSTROKE. --This is caused by long exposure in great heat, especiallywhen accompanied with great fatigue and exhaustion. Though generallyhappening from exposure to the sun's rays, yet precisely similareffects may be and are produced from any undue exposure to great andexhaustive heat, such as workmen are exposed to in foundries, gasfactories, bakeries, and other similar employments. Its first symptomis pain in the head and dizziness, quickly followed by loss ofconsciousness, and resulting in complete prostration: sometimes, however, the attack is sudden, as in apoplexy. The head is generallyburning hot, the face, dark and swollen, the breathing labored andsnoring, and the feet and hands cold. Remove the patient at once to acool and shady place, and lay him down with his head a little raised;apply ice or iced water to the head and face; loosen all cloths aroundthe neck or waist; bathe the chest with cold water, apply mustardplasters, or cloths wetted with turpentine, to the calves and soles ofthe feet, and as soon as the patient can swallow, give weak brandy orwhisky and water. There is no easy road to success--I Thank God for it . . . . A trained man will make his life tall. Without training, you are left on a sea of luck, where thousands go down, while one meets with success. JAMES A. GARFIELD. * * * * * [Illustration: THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN] THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN The following receipts written by DR. J. H. Gunn will be found ofgreat value, especially in emergencies: ASTHMA. --Take hyssop water and poppy water, of each ten ounces; oxymelof squills, six ounces; syrup of maiden hair, two ounces. Take onespoonful when you find any difficulty in breathing. AGUE IN THE BREAST. --Take one part of gum camphor, two parts yellowbees-wax, three parts clean lard; let all melt slowly, in any vessel[earthen best], on stove. Use either cold or warm; spread very thinlyon cotton or linen cloths, covering those with flannel. No matter ifthe breast is broken, it will cure if persevered in. Do not, no matterhow painful, cease from drawing milk from the breast that is affected. AGUE, MIXTURE. --Mix twenty grains quinine with one pint diluted gin orport wine, and add ten grains subcarbonate of iron. Dose, a wine-glasseach hour until the ague is broken, and then two or three times a dayuntil the whole has been used. 2. Take Peruvian bark, two ounces; wild cherry tree bark, 1 ounce;cinnamon, one drachm; powdered capsicum, one teaspoonful; sulphur, one ounce; port wine, two quarts. Let it stand a day or two. Dose, awine-glassful every two or three hours until the disease is broken, and then two or three times a day until all is taken. SPRAINED ANKLE. --Wash the ankle frequently with cold salt and water, which is far better than warm vinegar or decoctions of herbs. Keepyour foot as cold as possible to prevent inflammation, and sit with itelevated on a cushion. Live on very low diet, and take every day somecooling medicine. By obeying these directions only, a sprained anklehas been cured in a few days. APOPLEXY. --Occurs only in the corpulent or obese, and the gross orhigh livers. To treat, raise the head to a nearly upright position;unloose all tight clothes, strings, etc. , and apply cold water to thehead and warm water and warm cloths to the feet. Have the apartmentcool and well ventilated. Give nothing by the mouth until thebreathing is relieved, and then only draughts of cold water. PREPARATION FOR THE CURE OF BALDNESS. --Rum, one pint; alcohol, oneounce; distilled water, one ounce, tincture of cantharides, a halfdrachm; carbonate of potash, a half drachm; carbonate of ammonia, onedrachm. Mix the liquids after having dissolved the salts, and filter. After the skin of the head has been wetted with this preparation forseveral minutes, it should be washed with water. BILIOUS COLIC. --Mix two tablespoonfuls of Indian meal in half a pintof cold water; drink it at two draughts. BILIOUS COMPLAINTS. --Take the root and branch of dandelion, andsteep it in soft water a sufficient length of time to extract allthe essence; then strain the liquor and simmer until it becomes quitethick. Dose: From one to three glasses a day may be taken with goodeffect. BLACKBERRY CORDIAL. --To one quart blackberry juice add one pound whitesugar, one tablespoonful each cloves, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Boil together fifteen minutes, and add a wine-glass of whisky, brandyor rum. Bottle while hot, cork tight and seal. Used in diarrhea anddysentery. Dose, a wine-glassful for an adult, half that quantityfor a child. It can be taken three or four times a day if the case issevere. BLISTERS. --- On the feet, occasioned by walking, are cured by drawinga needleful of worsted thread through them; clip it off at both endsand leave it till the skin peals off. RAISING BLOOD. --Make a tea of white oak bark, and drink freely duringthe day; or take half a pound of yellow dock root, boil in new milk, say one quart: drink one gill three times a day, and take one pill ofwhite pine pitch every day. HOW TO STOP BLOOD. --Take the fine dust of tea, or the scrapings of theinside of tanned leather. Bind it upon the wound closely, and bloodwill soon cease to flow. BOILS. --Make a poultice of ginger and flour, and lay it on the boil. This will soon draw it to a head. SWELLED BOWELS IN CHILDREN. --Bathe the stomach of the child withcatnip steeped, mixed with fresh butter and sugar. CHILBLAINS. --Dr. Fergus recommends sulphurous acid in this affection. It should be applied with a camel's hair brush, or by means of a sprayproducer. One application of this effects a cure. The acid should beused pure. A good wash for hands or feet affected with chilblains issulphurous acid, three parts; glycerine, one part, and water onepart. The acid will be found particularly useful in the irritating, tormenting stage of chilblains. CHILBLAINS AND CHAPPED HANDS. --When chilblains manifest themselves, thebest remedy not only for preventing their ulcerating, but overcoming thetingling, itching pain, and stimulating the circulation of the part tohealthy action, is the liniment of belladona, two drachms; the linimentof aconite, one drachm; carbolic acid, ten drops; collodion flexile, oneounce; painted with a camel's hair pencil over their surface. When thechilblains vesicate, ulcerate or slough, it is better to omit theaconite and apply the other components of the liniment without it. Thecollodion flexile forms a coating or protecting film, which excludes theair, while the sedative liniments allay the irritation, generally of notrivial nature. For chapped hands we advise the free use of glycerineand good oil, in the proportion of two parts of the former to four ofthe latter; after this has been well rubbed into the hands and allowedto remain for a little time, and the hands subsequently washed withCastile soap and water, we recommend the belladonna and collodionflexile to be painted on, and the protective film allowed to remainpermanently. These complaints not unfrequently invade persons of languidcirculation and relaxed habit, who should be put on a generous regimen, and treated with ferruginous tonics. Obstinate, cases are occasionallymet with which no local application will remedy, unless some disorderedstate of the system is removed, or the general condition of thepatient's health improved. Chapped lips are also benefited by thestimulating form of application we advocate, but the aconite must not beallowed to get on the lips, or a disagreeable tingling results. CHILBLAIN BALM. --Boil together ten fluid ounces olive oil, two fluidounces Venice turpentine, and one ounce yellow wax; strain, and whilestill warm add, constantly stirring, two and a half drachms balsam ofPeru and ten grains camphor. CURE FOR CHILBLAIN. --Make a strong lye by boiling wood ashes in water. Put your feet in a small tub and cover them with the lye as hot as youcan bear it. Gradually add more lye, hotter and hotter. Keep them inhalf an hour, bathing and rubbing them continually, and being verycareful to keep the lye hot. CHILBLAIN LOTION. --Dissolve one ounce muriate of ammonia in one-halfpint cider vinegar, and apply frequently. One-half pint of alcohol maybe added to this lotion with good effects. CHILBLAIN OINTMENT. --Take mutton tallow and lard, of eachthree-fourths of a pound avoirdupois; melt, in an iron vessel, and addhydrated oxide of iron, two ounces, stirring continually with an ironspoon until the mass is of a uniform black color; when nearly cooladd Venice turpentine, two ounces; Armenian bole, one ounce; oil ofbergamot, one drachm; rub up the bole with a little olive oil beforeputting it in. Apply several times daily by putting it upon lint orlinen. It heals the worst cases in a few days. RUSSIAN REMEDY FOR CHILBLAINS. --Slices of the rind of fully ripecucumbers, dried with the soft parts attached. Previous to use theyare softened by soaking them in warm water, and are then bound on thesore parts with the inner side next them, and left on all night. This treatment is said to be adopted for both broken and unbrokenchilblains. HOW TO CURE ITCHING CHILBLAINS. --Take hydrochloric acid, one part, and water, eight parts; mix. Apply on going to bed. Thismust not be used if the skin is broken. Sal ammoniac, two ounces; rum, one pint; camphor, two drachms. The affected part is wetted night andmorning, and when dry is touched with a little simple ointment of anykind--cold cream or pomatum. Oil of turpentine, four ounces; camphor, six drachms; oil of cajeput, two drachms. Apply with friction. HOW TO CURE BROKEN CHILBLAINS. --Mix together four fluid ouncescollodion, one and a half fluid ounces Venice turpentine, and onefluid ounce castor oil. HOW TO CURE CORNS. --Take equal parts of mercurial and galbanumointments; mix them well together, spread on a piece of soft leather, and apply it to the corns morning and evening. In a few days benefitwill be derived. Take two ounces of gum ammoniac, two ounces of yellowwax, and six ounces of verdigris; melt them together, and spread thecomposition on soft leather; cut away as much of the corn as you can, then apply the plaster, and renew it every fortnight till the cornis away. Get four ounces of white diachylon plaster, four ounces ofshoemaker's wax, and sixty drops of muriatic acid or spirits of salt. Boil them for a few minutes in an earthen pipkin, and when cold rollthe mass between the hands, and apply it on a piece of white leather. Soak the feet well in warm water, then with a sharp instrument pareoff as much of the corn as can be done without pain, and bind up thepart with a piece of linen or muslin thoroughly saturated with spermoil, or, which is better, the oil which floats upon the surface ofthe herring or mackerel. After three or four days the dressing maybe removed by scraping, when the new skin will be found of a soft andhealthy texture, and less liable to the formation of a new corn thanbefore. Corns may be prevented by wearing easy shoes. Bathe the feetfrequently in lukewarm water, with a little salt or potashes dissolvedin it. The corn itself will be completely destroyed by rubbing itoften with a little caustic solution of potash till the soft skin isformed. Scrape to a pulp sufficient Spanish garlic, and bind on thecorn over night, after first soaking it well in warm water, and scrapeoff as much as possible of the hardened portion in the morning. Repeatthe application as required. HOW TO CURE SOFT CORNS. --Scrape a piece of common chalk, and put apinch to the soft corn, and bind a piece of linen rag upon it. HOW TO CURE TENDER CORNS. --A strong solution of tannic acid is said tobe an excellent application to tender feet as well as a preventive ofthe offensive odor attendant upon their profuse perspiration. To thoseof our readers who live far away in the country, we would suggest astrong decoction of oak bark as a substitute. CAUSTIC FOR CORNS. --Tincture of iodine, four drachms: iodide of iron, twelve grains; chloride of antimony, four drachms; mix, and apply witha camel's hair brush, after paring the corn. It is said to cure inthree times. HOW TO RELIEVE CORNS. --Bind them up at night with a cloth wetwith tincture of arnica, to relieve the pain, and during the dayoccasionally moisten the stocking over the corn with arnica if theshoe is not large enough to allow the corn being bound up with a pieceof linen rag. REMEDY FOR CORNS. --1. The pain occasioned by corns may be greatlyalleviated by the following preparation: Into a one-ounce vial puttwo drachms of muriatic acid and six drachms of rose-water. With thismixture wet the corns night and morning for three days. Soak the feetevery evening in warm water without soap. Put one-third of the acidinto the water, and with a little picking the corn will be dissolved. 2. Take a lemon, cut off a small piece, then nick it so as to let inthe toe with the corn, tie this on at night so that it cannot move, and in the morning you will find that, with a blunt knife, youmay remove a considerable portion of the corn. Make two or threeapplications, and great relief will be the result. HOW TO CURE SOLVENT CORNS. --Expose salt of tartar (pearlash) in awide-mouth vial in a damp place until it forms an oil-like liquid, andapply to the corn. HOW TO CURE CHOLERA. --Take laudanum, tincture cayenne, compoundtincture rhubarb, peppermint, and camphor, of each equal parts. Dose, ten to thirty drops. In plain terms, take equal parts tincture ofopium, red pepper, rhubarb, peppermint and camphor, and mix them foruse. In case of diarroea, take a dose of ten to twenty drops in threeor four teaspoonfuls of water. No one who has this by him, and takesit in time, will ever have the cholera. SIGNS OF DISEASE IN CHILDREN. --In the case of a baby not yet able totalk, it must cry when it is ill. The colic makes a baby cry loud, long, and passionately, and shed tears--stopping for a moment and beginningagain. If the chest is affected, it gives one sharp cry, breaking offimmediately, as if crying hurt it. If the head is affected, it cries in sharp, piercing shrieks, with lowmoans and wails between. Or there may be quiet dozing, and startingsbetween. It is easy enough to perceive, where a child is attacked by disease, that there has some change taken place; for either its skin will bedry and hot, its appetite gone; it is stupidly sleepy, or fretful orcrying; it is thirsty, or pale and languid, or in some way betraysthat something is wrong. When a child vomits, or has a diarrhoea, oris costive and feverish, it is owing to some derangement, and needsattention. But these various symptoms may continue for a day or twobefore the nature of the disease can be determined. A warm bath, warmdrinks, etc. , can do no harm, and may help to determine the case. Oncoming out of the bath, and being well rubbed with the hand, theskin will show symptoms of rash, if it is a skin disease which hascommenced. By the appearance of the rash, the nature of the diseasecan be learned. Measles are in patches, dark red, and come out firstabout the face. If scarlet fever is impending, the skin will look adeep pink all over the body, though most so about the neck and face. Chicken-pox shows fever, but not so much running at the nose, andappearances of cold, as in measles, nor is there as much of a cough. Besides, the spots are smaller, and do not run much together, and aremore diffused over the whole surface of the skin; and enlarge intoblisters in a day or two. HOW TO CURE CONSUMPTION. --Take one tablespoonful of tar, and the yolksof three hen's eggs, beat them well together. Dose, one tablespoonfulmorning, noon and night. CROUP, REMEDY FOR IN ONE MINUTE. --This remedy is simply alum. Takea knife or grater, and shave or grate off in small particles about ateaspoonful of alum; mix it with about twice its quantity of sugar, tomake it palatable, and administer as quickly as possible. Itseffects will be truly magical, as almost instantaneous relief will beafforded. CHOLERA REMEDY, HARTSHORNE'S. --Take of chloroform, tincture of opium, spirits of camphor, and spirits of aromatic ammonia, each one andone-half fluid drachms; creosote, three drops; oil of cinnamon, eight drops; brandy, two fluid drachms. Dilute a teaspoonful with awine-glass of water, and give two teaspoonfuls every five minutes, followed by a lump of ice. CURE FOR DANDRUFF. --Good mild soap is one of the safest remedies, and is sufficient in ordinary cases; carbonate of potash or soda is tooalkaline for the skin. Every application removes a portion of thecuticle, as you may observe by the smoothness of the skin of yourhands after washing them with it. Borax is recommended; but thisis also soda combined with a weak acid, boracic acid, and may byprotracted use also injuriously act on the scalp. Soap is also soda orpotash combined with the weak, fatty acids; and when the soap containsan excess of the alkalies or is sharp, it is as injurious as thecarbonate of potash. All that injures the scalp injures the growth ofthe hair. One of the best applications from the vegetable kingdom isthe mucilaginous decoction of the root of the burdock, called bardanein French (botanical name, _Lappa Minor_). In the mineral kingdom thebest remedy is a solution of flowers of sulphur in water, which may bemade by the addition of a very small portion of sulphide of potassium, say ten or twenty grains to the pint. This solution is shaken up withthe sulphur, and the clear liquid remaining on the top is used. Thisrecipe is founded on the fact that sulphur is a poison for inferiorvegetable or animal growth, like dandruff, itch, etc. , and is not atall a poison for the superior animal like man. HOW TO CURE DIPHTHERIA. --A French physician expresses his preferencefor lemon juice, as a local application in diphtheria, to chlorate ofpotash, nitrate of silver, perchloride of lime water. He uses it bydipping a little plug of cottonwood, twisted around a wire, in thejuice, and pressing it against the diseased surface four or five timesdaily. HOW TO CURE BAD BREATH. --Bad or foul breath will be removed by takinga teaspoonful of the following mixture after each meal: One ounceliquor of potassa, one ounce chloride of soda, one and one-half ouncesphosphate of soda, and three ounces of water. 2. Chlorate of potash, three drachms; rose-water, four ounces. Dose, atablespoonful four or five times daily. HOW TO CURE BUNIONS. --A bunion is a swelling on the ball of the greattoe, and is the result of pressure and irritation by friction. Thetreatment for corns applies also to bunions; but in consequence ofthe greater extension of the disease, the cure is more tedious. Whena bunion is forming it may be stopped by poulticing and carefullyopening it with a lancet. HOW TO CURE BURNS AND SCALDS. --Take half a pound of powdered alum, dissolve it in a quart of water; bathe the burn or scald with a linenrag, wetted with this mixture, then bind the wet rag on it witha strip of linen, and moisten the bandage with the alum waterfrequently, without removing it during two or three days. TEA LEAVES FOR BURNS. --Dr. Searles, of Warsaw, Wis. , reportsthe immediate relief from pain in severe burns and scalds by theapplication of a poultice of tea leaves. HOW TO CURE CANCER. --Boil down the inner bark of red and white oak tothe consistency of molasses; apply as a plaster, shifting it once aweek; or, burn red-oak bark to ashes; sprinkle it on the sore till itis eaten out; then apply a plaster of tar; or, take garget berries andleaves of stramonium; simmer them together in equal parts of neatsfootoil and the tops of hemlock; mix well together, and apply it to theparts affected; at the same time make a tea of winter-green (root andbranch); put a handful into two quarts of water; add two ounces ofsulphur and drink of this tea freely during the day. CASTOR OIL MIXTURE. --Castor oil, one dessert spoonful; magnesia, onedessert spoonful. Rub together into a paste. By this combination, thetaste of the oil is almost entirely concealed, and children take itwithout opposition. HOW TO DISGUISE CASTOR OIL. --Rub up two drops oilof cinnamon with an ounce of glycerine and add an ounce of castor oil. Children will take it as a luxury and ask for more. CASTOR OIL EMULSIONS. --Take castor oil and syrup, each one ounce; theyolk of an egg, and orange flower water, one-half ounce. Mix. Thismakes a very pleasant emulsion, which is readily taken by adults aswell as children. HOW TO CURE CATARRH. --Take the bark of sassafrasroot, dry and pound it, use it as a snuff, taking two or three pinchesa day. HOW TO CURE CHILBLAINS. --Wash the parts in strong alum water, apply ashot as can be borne. HOW TO CURE COLD. --Take three cents' worth of liquorice, three of rockcandy, three of gum arabic, and put them into a quart of water; simmerthem till thoroughly dissolved, then add three cents' worth paregoric, and a like quantity of antimonial wine. HOW TO CURE CORNS. --Boil tobacco down to an extract, then mix withit a quantity of white pine pitch, and apply it to the corn; renew itonce a week until the corn disappears. GOOD COUGH MIXTURE. --Two ounces ammonia mixture; five ounces camphormixture; one drachm tincture of digitalis (foxglove); one-half ounceeach of sweet spirits of nitre and syrup of poppies; two drachmssolution of sulphate of morphia. A tablespoonful of this mixture is tobe taken four times a day. 2. Tincture of blood-root, one ounce; sulphate of morphia, one and ahalf grains; tincture of digitalis, one-half ounce; wine of antimony, one-half ounce; oil of wintergreen, ten drops. Mix. Dose from twentyto forty drops twice or three times a day. Excellent for a hard, drycough. 3. Common sweet cider, boiled down to one-half, makes a most, excellent syrup for colds or coughs for children, is pleasant to thetaste, and will keep for a year in a cool cellar. In recovering from an illness, the system has a craving for some pleasant drink. Thisis found in cider which is placed on the fire as soon as made, andallowed to come to a boil, then cooled, put in casks, and kept in acool cellar. 4. Roast a large lemon very carefully without burning; when it isthoroughly hot, cut and squeeze into a cup upon three ounces of sugarcandy. Finely powdered: take a spoonful whenever your cough troublesyou. It is as good as it is pleasant. CURE FOR DEAFNESS. --Take ant's eggs and union juice. Mix and drop theminto the ear. Drop into the ear, at night, six or eight drops of hotsweet oil. REMEDIES FOR DIARRHOEA. --1. Take one teaspoonful of salt, the sameof good vinegar, and a tablespoonful of water; mix and drink. It actslike a charm on the system, and even one dose will generally cureobstinate cases of diarrhoea, or the first stages of cholera. If thefirst does not bring complete relief, repeat the dose, as it is quiteharmless. 2. The best rhubarb root, pulverized, 1 ounce; peppermintleaf, 1 ounce, capsicum, 1/8 ounce; cover with boiling water andsteep thoroughly, strain, and add bicarbonate of potash and essenceof cinnamon, of each 1/2 ounce; with brandy (or good whisky); equal inamount to the whole, and loaf sugar, four ounces. Dose--for an adult, 1 or 2 tablespoons; for a child, 1 to 2 teaspoons, from 3 to 6times per day, until relief is obtained. 3. To half a bushel ofblackberries; well mashed, add a quarter of a pound of allspice, 2ounces of cinnamon, 2 ounces of cloves; pulverize well, mix and boilslowly until properly done; then strain or squeeze the juice throughhome-spun or flannel, and add to each pint of the juice 1 pound ofloaf sugar, boil again for some time, take it off, and while cooling, add half a gallon of the best Cognac brandy. CURE FOR CHRONIC DIARRHOEA. Rayer recommends the association ofcinchona, charcoal and bismuth in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, in the following proportions: Subnitrate of bismuth, one drachm;cinchona, yellow, powdered, one-half drachm; charcoal, vegetable, onedrachm. Make twenty powders and take two or three a day during theintervals between meals. CURES FOR DYSENTERY. --Tincture rhubarb, tincture of capsicum, tinctureof camphor, essence of ginger and laudanum, equal parts. Mix; shakewell and take from ten to twenty drops every thirty minutes, untilrelief is obtained. This is a dose for an adult. Half the amount fora child under twelve years of age. 2. Take some butter off the churn, immediately after being churned, just as it is, without being saltedor washed: clarify it over the fire like honey. Skim off all the milkyparticles when melted over a clear fire. Let the patient (if an adult)take two tablespoonfuls of the clarified remainder, twice or thricewithin the day. This has never failed to effect a cure, and in manycases it has been almost instantaneous. 3. In diseases of this kindthe Indians use the roots and leaves of the blackberry bush--- adecoction of which, in hot water, well boiled down, is taken in dosesof a gill before each meal, and before retiring to bed. It isan almost infallible cure. 4. Beat one egg in a teacup; add onetablespoonful of loaf sugar and half a teaspoonful of ground spice;fill the cup with sweet milk. Give the patient one tablespoonful oncein ten minutes until relieved. 5. Take one tablespoonful of commonsalt, and mix it, with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar and pour upon ita half pint of water, either hot or cold (only let it be taken cool. )A wine glass full of this mixture in the above proportions, takenevery half hour, will he found quite efficacious in curing dysentery. If the stomach be nauseated, a wine-glass full taken every hour willsuffice. For a child, the quantity should be a teaspoonful of salt andone of vinegar in a teacupful of water. DROPSY. --Take the leaves of a currant bush and make into tea, drinkit. CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS. --- The following singular means of curinghabitual drunkenness is employed by a Russian physician. Dr. Schreiber, of Brzese Litewski: It consists in confining the drunkardin a room, and in furnishing him at discretion with his favoritespirit diluted with two-thirds of water; as much wine, beer and coffeeas he desires, but containing one-third of spirit: all the food--thebread, meat, and the legumes are steeped in spirit and water. The poordevil is continually drunk and dort. On the fifth day of this regimehe has an extreme disgust for spirit; he earnestly requests otherdiet: but his desire must not be yielded to until the poor wretchno longer desires to eat or drink: he is then certainly cured of hispenchant for drunkenness. He acquires such a disgust for brandy orother spirits that he is ready to vomit at the very sight of it. CURE FOR DYSPEPSIA. --1. Take bark of white poplar root, boil it thick, and add a little spirit, and then lay it on the stomach. 2. Take wintergreen and black cherry-tree bark and yellow dock: putinto two quarts of water; boil down to three pints; take two or threeglasses a day. Here are two remedies for dyspepsia, said by those who "have triedthem" to be infallible. 1. Eat onions. 2. Take two parts of well-driedand pounded pods of red pepper, mixed with one part of ground mustard, and sift it over everything you eat or drink. HOW TO CURE EARACHE. --Take a small piece of cotton batting or cottonwool, make a depression in the center with the finger, and then fillit up with as much ground pepper as will rest on a five-cent piece;gather it into a ball and tie it up; dip the ball into sweet oil andinsert it in the ear, covering the latter with cotton wool, and use abandage or cap to retain it in its place. Almost instant relief willbe experienced; and the application is so gentle that an infant, willnot get injured by it, but experience relief as well as adults. Roasta piece of lean mutton, squeeze out the juice and drop it info the earas hot as it can be borne. Roast an onion and put into the ear as hotas it can be borne. HOW TO CURE ERYSIPELAS. --Dissolve five ounces of salt in one pint ofgood brandy and take two tablespoonfuls three times per day. CURE FOR INFLAMED EYES. --Pour boiling water on alder flowers, and steepthem like tea; when cold, put three or four drops of laudanum into asmall glass of the alder-tea, and let the mixture run into the eyes twoor three times a day, and the eyes will become perfectly strong in thecourse of a week. CURE FOR WEEPING EYES. --Wash the eyes in chamomile tea night andmorning. EYES, GRANULAR INFLAMMATION. --A prominent oculist says that thecontagious Egyptian or granular inflammation of the eyes is spreadingthroughout the country, and that he has been able in many, and indeedin a majority of cases, to trace the disease to what are commonlycalled rolling towels. Towels of this kind are generally found incountry hotels and the dwellings of the working classes, and, beingthus used by nearly every one, are made the carriers of one of themost troublesome diseases of the eye. This being the case, itis urgently recommended that the use of these rolling towels bediscarded, and thus one of the special vehicles for the spread ofa most dangerous disorder of the eyes--one by which thousands ofworkingmen are annually deprived of their means of support--will nolonger exist. CURE FOR STY IN EYE. --Bathe frequently with warm water. When the stybursts, use an ointment composed of one part of citron ointment andfour of spermaceti, well rubbed together, and smear along the edge ofthe eye-lid. CURE FOR FELONS. --1. Stir one-half teaspoonful of water into an ounceof Venice turpentine until the mixture appears like granulated honey. Wrap a good coating of it around the finger with a cloth. If the felonis only recent, the pain will be removed in six hours. 2. As soon as the part begins to swell, wrap it with a cloth saturatedthoroughly with the tincture of lobelia. An old physician says, thathe has known this to cure scores of cases, and that it never fails ifapplied in season. CURE FOR FEVER AND AGUE. --Take of cloves and cream of tartar eachone-half ounce, and one ounce of Peruvian bark. Mix in a smallquantity of tea, and take it on well days, in such quantities as thestomach will bear. CURE FOR FEVER SORES. --Take of hoarhound, balm, sarsaparilla, loafsugar, aloes, gum camphor, honey, spikenard, spirits of turpentine, each two ounces. Dose, one tablespoonful, three mornings, missingthree; and for a wash, make a strong tea of sumach, washing theaffected parts frequently, and keeping the bandage well wet. CURE FOR FITS. --Take of tincture of fox-glove, ten drops at each timetwice a day, and increase one drop at each time as long as the stomachwill bear it, or it causes a nauseous feeling. GLYCERINE CREAM. --Receipt for chapped lips: Take of spermaceti, fourdrachms; white wax, one drachm; oil of almonds, two troy ounces;glycerine, one troy ounce. Melt the spermaceti, wax and oil together, and when cooling stir in glycerine and perfume. GLYCERINE LOTION. --For softening the skin of the face and hands, especially during the commencement of cold weather, and also forallaying the irritation caused by the razor: Triturate, four and ahalf grains of cochineal with one and a half fluid ounces of boilingwater, adding gradually; then add two and a half fluid ounces ofalcohol. Also make an emulsion of eight drops of ottar of roses withthirty grains of gum arabic and eight fluid ounces of water; thenadd three fluid ounces of glycerine, and ten fluid drachms of quincemucilage. Mix the two liquids. FLESHWORMS. --These specks, when they exist in any number, are a causeof much unsightliness. They are minute corks, if we may use the term, of coagulated lymp, which close the orifices of some of the pores orexhalent vessels of the skin. On the skin immediately adjacent to thembeing pressed with the finger nails, these bits of coagulated lymphwill come from it in a vermicular form. They are vulgarly called"flesh worms, " many persons fancying them to be living creatures. These may be got rid of and prevented from returning, by washing withtepid water, by proper friction with a towel, and by the applicationof a little cold cream. The longer these little piles are permittedto remain in the skin the more firmly they become fixed; and after atime, when they lose their moisture they are converted into long bonyspines as dense as bristles, and having much of that character. They are known by the name of spotted achne. With regard to localtreatment, the following lotions are calculated to be serviceable: 1. Distilled rose water, 1 pint; sulphate of zinc, 20 to 60 grains. Mix. 2. Sulphate of copper, 20 grains; rosewater, 4 ounces; water, 12ounces. Mix. 3. Oil of sweet almonds, 1 ounce; fluid potash, 1 drachm. Shake well together and then add rose-water, 1 ounce; pure water, 6ounces. Mix. The mode of using these remedies is to rub the pimplesfor some minutes with a rough towel, and then dab them with thelotion. 4. Wash the face twice a day with warm water, and rub dry witha coarse towel. Then with a soft towel rub in a lotion made of twoounces of white brandy, one ounce of cologne, and one-half ounce ofliquor potassa. HOW TO REMOVE FRECKLES. --Freckles; so persistently regular in theirannual return, have annoyed the fair sex from time immemorial, andvarious means have been devised to eradicate them, although thus farwith no decidedly satisfactory results. The innumerable remedies inuse for the removal of these vexatious intruders, are either simpleand harmless washes, such as parsley or horseradish water, solutionsof borax, etc. , or injurious nostrums, consisting principally of leadand mercury salts. If the exact cause of freckles were known, a remedy for them mightbe found. A chemist in Moravia, observing the bleaching effectof mercurial preparations, inferred that the growth of a localparasitical fungus was the cause of the discoloration of the skin, which extended and ripened its spores in the warmer season. Knowingthat sulpho-carbolate of zinc is a deadly enemy to all parasiticvegetation (itself not being otherwise injurious), he applied thissalt for the purpose of removing the freckles. The compound consistsof two parts of sulpho-carbolate of zinc, twenty-five parts ofdistilled glycerine, twenty-five parts of rose-water, and five partsof scented alcohol, and is to be applied twice daily for from half anhour to an hour, then washed off with cold water. Protection againstthe sun by veiling and other means is recommended, and in addition, for persons of pale complexion, some mild preparation of iron. GRAVEL. --1. Make a strong tea of the low herb called heart's ease, and drink freely. 2. Make of Jacob's ladder a strong tea, and drinkfreely. 3. Make of bean leaves a strong tea, and drink freely. WASH FOR THE HAIR. --Castile soap, finely shaved, one teaspoonful;spirits of hartshorn, one drachm; alcohol, five ounces; cologne waterand bay rum, in equal quantities enough to make eight ounces. Thisshould be poured on the head, followed by warm water (soft water); theresult will be, on washing, a copious lather and a smarting sensationto the person operated on. Rub this well into the hair. Finally, rinsewith warm water, and afterwards with cold water. If the head is verymuch clogged with dirt, the hair will come out plentifully, but thescalp will become white and perfectly clean. HAIR RESTORATIVE. --Take of castor oil, six fluid ounces; alcohol, twenty-six fluid ounces. Dissolve. Then add tincture of cantharides(made with strong alcohol), one fluid ounce; essence of jessamine (orother perfume), one and a half fluid ounces. CURE FOR HEARTBURN. --Sal volatile combined with camphor is a splendidremedy. SICK HEADACHE. --Take a teaspoonful of powdered charcoal in molassesevery morning, and wash it down with a little tea, or drink half aglass of raw rum or gin, and drink freely of mayweed tea. HEADACHE. --Dr. Silvers, of Ohio, in the Philadelphia _Medical andSurgical Reporter_, recommends ergot in headache, especially thenervous or sick headache. He says it will cure a larger proportionof cases than any other remedy. His theory of its action is that itlessens the quantity of blood in the brain by contracting the muscularfibres of the arterial walls. He gives ten to twenty drops of thefluid extract, repeated every half hour till relief is obtained, orfour or five doses used. In other forms of disease, where opiumalone is contra-indicated, its bad effects are moderated, he says, bycombining it with ergot. HEADACHE DROPS. --For the cure of nervous, sun, and sick headache, take two quarts of alcohol, three ounces of Castile soap, one ouncecamphor, and two ounces ammonia. Bathe forehead and temples. HIVE SYRUP. --Put one ounce each of squills and seneca snake-root intoone pint of water; boil down to one-half and strain. Then addone-half pound of clarified honey containing twelve grains tartrate ofantimony. Dose for a child, ten drops to one teaspoonful, according toage. An excellent remedy for croup. HOW TO CLEAN THE HAIR. --From the too frequent use of oils in the hair, many ladies destroy the tone and color of their tresses. The Hindooshave a way of remedying this. They take a hand basin filled with coldwater, and have ready a small quantity of pea flour. The hair is inthe first place submitted to the operation of being washed in coldwater, a handful of the pea flour is then applied to the head andrubbed into the hair for ten minutes at least, the servant addingfresh water at short intervals, until it becomes a perfect lather. The whole head is then washed quite clean with copious supplies of theaqueous fluid, combed, and afterwards rubbed dry by means of coarsetowels. The hard and soft brush is then resorted to, when the hairwill be found to be wholly free from all encumbering oils and otherimpurities, and assume a glossy softness, equal to the most delicatesilk. This process tends to preserve the tone and natural color ofthe hair, which is so frequently destroyed by the too constant use ofcaustic cosmetics. HOW TO SOFTEN HANDS. --After cleansing the hands with soap, rub themwell with oatmeal while wet. HOW TO REMOVE STAINS FROM HANDS. --Damp the hands first in water, thenrub them with tartaric acid, or salt of lemons, as you would withsoap; rinse them and rub them dry. Tartaric acid, or salt of lemons, will quickly remove stains from white muslin or linen. Put less thanhalf a teaspoonful of salt or acid into a tablespoonful of water; wetthe stain with it, and lay it in the sun for an hour; wet it once ortwice with cold water during the time; if this does not quite removeit, repeat the acid water, and lay it in the sun. HOW TO WHITEN HANDS. --1. Stir 1/4 of a pound of Castile soap, andplace it in a jar near the fire, pour over it 1/2 pint of alcohol;when the soap is dissolved and mixed with the spirit, add 1 ounce ofglycerine, the same of oil of almonds, with a few drops of essence ofviolets, or ottar of roses, then pour it into moulds to cool for use. 2. A wineglassful of eau-de-cologne, and one of lemon-juice, two cakesof broken Windsor soap, mixed well together, when hard, will form anexcellent substance. HOW TO CURE SCURF IN THE HEAD. --A simple and effectual remedy. Into apint of water drop a lump of fresh quick lime, the size of a walnut;let it stand all night, then pour the water off clear from thesediment or deposit, add 1/4 of a pint of the best vinegar, and washthe head with the mixture. Perfectly harmless; only wet the roots ofthe hair. HOW TO CURE CHAPPED LIPS. --Take 2 ounces of white wax, 1 ounce ofspermaceti, 4 ounces of oil of almonds, 2 ounces of honey, 1/4 of anounce of essence of bergamot, or any other scent. Melt the wax andspermaceti; then add the honey, and melt all together, and when hot addthe almond oil by degrees, stirring till cold. 2. Take oil of almonds 3ounces; spermaceti 1/2 ounce; virgin rice, 1/2 ounce. Melt thesetogether over a slow fire, mixing with them a little powder of alkaneroot to color it. Keep stirring till cold, and then add a few drops ofthe oil of rhodium. 3. Take oil of almonds, spermaceti, white wax, andwhite sugar candy, equal parts. These form a good, white lip salve. HOW TO REMOVE MOTH PATCHES. --Wash the patches with solution of commonbicarbonate of soda and water several times during the day for twodays, or until the patches are removed, which will usually be inforty-eight hours. After the process wash with some nice toilet soap, and the skin will be left nice, smooth and clear of patches. HOW TOTAKE CARE OF THE NAILS. --The nails should be kept clean by the dailyuse of the nail brush and soap and water. After wiping the hands, butwhile they are still soft from the action of the water, gently pushback the skin which is apt to grow over the nails, which will not onlypreserve them neatly rounded, but will prevent the skin from crackingaround their roots (nail springs), and becoming sore. The points ofthe nail should be pared at least once a week; biting them should beavoided. HOW TO CURE HICCOUGH. --A convulsive motion of the diaphragm and partsadjacent. The common causes are flatuency, indigestion, acidityand worms. It may usually be removed by the exhibition of warmcarminatives, cordials, cold wafer, weak spirits, camphor julep, or spirits of sal volatile. A sudden fright or surprise will oftenproduce the like effect. An instance is recorded of a delicate younglady that was troubled with hiccough for some months, and whowas reduced to a state of extreme debility from the loss of sleepoccasioned thereby, who was cured by a fright, after medicines andtopical applications had failed. A pinch of snuff, a glass ofcold soda-water, or an ice-cream, will also frequently remove thiscomplaint. HOW TO CURE HOARSENESS. --Make a strong tea of horse-radish and yellowdock root, sweetened with honey and drink freely. REMEDIES FOR HOARSENESS. --Take one drachm of freshly scrapedhorse-radish root, to be infused with four ounces of water in aclose vessel for three hours, and made into a syrup, with double itsquantity of vinegar. A teaspoonful has often proved effectual. HOW TO CURE HUMORS. --Take equal parts of saffron and seneca snakeroot, make a strong tea, drink one half-pint a day, and this willdrive out all humors from the system. HOW TO CURE HYSTERICS. --Take the leaves of motherwort andthoroughwort, and the bark of poplar root; equal parts. Mix them inmolasses, and take four of them when the first symptoms of disorderare felt, and they will effectually check it. HOW TO CURE BARBER'S ITCH. --Moisten the parts affected with saliva(spittle) and rub it over thoroughly three times a day with the ashes ofa good Havana cigar. This is a simple remedy, yet it has cured the mostobstinate cases. ITCH OINTMENT. --1. Take lard, one pound; suet, one pound; sugar oflead, eight ounces; vermillion, two ounces. Mix. Scent with a littlebergamot. 2. Take bichloride of mercury, one ounce; lard, one pound;suet, one pound; hydrochloride acid, one and a half ounces. Melt andwell mix, and when perfectly cold, stir in essence of lemon, fourdrachms; essence of bergamot, one drachm. 3. Take powdered chloride oflime, one ounce; lard, one pound. Mix well, then add essence of lemon, two drachms. 4. Take bichloride of mercury, one part; lard, fifteenparts. Mix well together. 5. Take white precipitate, one part; lard, twelve parts. Mix. A portion of either of these ointments must be wellrubbed on the parts affected, night and morning. HOW TO CURE SEVEN-YEAR ITCH. --1. Use plenty of castile soap and water, and then apply freely iodide of sulphur ointment; or take any givenquantity of simple sulphur ointment and color it to a light brown orchocolate color with the subcarbonate of iron, and then perfume it. Apply this freely, and if the case should be a severe one, administermild alteratives in conjunction with the outward application. 2. The sulphur bath is a good remedy for itch or any other kind of skindiseases. Leprosy (the most obstinate of all) has been completelycured by it, and the common itch only requires two or threeapplications to completely eradicate it from the system. 3. Benzine, it is said, will effect a complete cure for scabies in the course ofhalf to three-quarters of an hour, after which the patient should takea warm bath from twenty to thirty minutes. HOW TO CURE JAUNDICE. --1. Take the whites of two hen's eggs, beat themup well in a gill of water; take of this a little every morning; itwill soon do good. It also creates an appetite, and strengthens thestomach. 2. Take of black cherry-tree bark, two ounces; blood root andgold thread, each half an ounce; put in a pint of brandy. Dose, from ateaspoonful to a tablespoonful morning and night. HOW TO CURE STIFFENED JOINTS. --Take of the bark of white oak and sweetapple trees, equal parts; boil them down to a thick substance, and then add the same quantity of goose-grease or oil, simmer alltogether, and then rub it on the parts warm. HOW TO CURE KIDNEY DISEASE. --Equal parts of the oil of red cedar andthe oil of spearmint. HOW TO CURE LAME BACK. --Take the berries of red cedar and allow themto simmer in neatsfoot oil, and use as an ointment. HOW TO KILL LICE. --All kinds of lice and their nits may be got ridof by washing with a simple decoction of stavesacre (_Delphiniumstaphisagria_), or with a lotion made with the bruised seed invinegar, or with the tincture, or by rubbing in a salve made withthe seeds and four times their weight of lard very carefully beatentogether. The acetic solution and the tincture are the cleanliestand most agreeable preparations, but all are equally efficacious indestroying both the creatures and their eggs, and even in relievingthe intolerable itching which their casual presence leaves behind onmany sensitive skins. The alkaloid delphinia may also be employed, butpossesses no advantage except in the preparation of an ointment, whenfrom any reason that form of application should be preferred. RHEUMATIC LINIMENT. --Olive oil, spirits of camphor and chloroform, ofeach two ounces; sassafras oil, 1 drachm. Add the oil of sassafrasto the olive oil, then the spirits of camphor, and shake well beforeputting in the chloroform; shake when used, and keep it corked, asthe chloroform evaporates very fast if it is left open. Apply three orfour times daily, rubbing in well, and always toward the body. SORE THROAT LINIMENT. --Gum camphor, two ounces; castile soap, shavedfine, one drachm; oil of turpentine and oil of origanum, each one-halfounce; opium, one-fourth of an ounce; alcohol, one pint. In a week orten days they will be fit for use. Bathe the parts freely two or threetimes daily until relief is obtained. A WONDERFUL LINIMENT. --Two ounces oil of spike, two ounces origanum, two ounces hemlock, two ounces wormwood, four ounces sweet oil, twoounces spirit of ammonia, two ounces gum camphor, two ounces spiritsturpentine. Add one quart strong alcohol. Mix well together, andbottle tight. This is an unequaled horse liniment, and of the bestever made for human ailments such as rheumatism, sprains, etc. HOW TO CURE SORE LIPS. --Wash the lips with a strong tea, made from thebark of the white oak. LIVER COMPLAINT. --Make a strong tea of syrup of burdock, wormwood anddandelion, equal parts, and drink freely. LOCK JAW. --It is said that the application of warm lye, made of ashesas strong as possible, to a wounded part, will prevent a locked jaw;if a foot or hand, immerse in it; if another part of the body, bathewith flannels wrung out of the warm lye. MUMPS. --This disease, most common among children, begins with sorenessand stiffness in the side of the neck. Soon a swelling of the parotidgland takes place, which is painful, and continues to increase forfour or five days, sometimes making it difficult to swallow, or openthe mouth. The swelling sometimes comes on one side at a time, butcommonly upon both. There is often heat, and sometimes fever, with adry skin, quick pulse, furred tongue, constipated bowls, and scantyand high-colored urine. The disease is contagious. The treatmentis very simple--a mild diet, gentle laxative, occasional hotfomentations, and wearing a piece of flannel round the throat. HOW TO PREVENT INGROWING NAILS. --If the nail of your toe be hard, andapt to grow round, and into the corners of your toe, take a piece ofbroken glass and scrape the top very thin; do this whenever you cutyour nails, and by constant use it makes the corners fly up and growflat, so that it is impossible they should give you any pain. HOW TO WHITEN NAILS. --The best wash for whitening the nails is twodrachms of diluted sulphuric acid, one drachm of tincture of myrrh, added to four ounces of spring water; first cleanse the hands, andthen apply the wash. SURE CURE FOR NEURALGIA. --1. Fill a tight-top thimble with cottonwool, and drop on it a few drops of strong spirits of hartshorn. Theopen mouth of the thimble is then applied over the seat of pain fora minute or two, until the skin is blistered. The skin is thenrubbed off, and upon the denuded surface a small quantity of morphia(one-fourth grain) is applied. This affords almost instant relief. Asecond application of the morphia, if required, is to be preceded byfirst rubbing off the new formation that has sprung up over the formerblistered surface. 2. Dr. J. Knox Hodge recommends the following as an application whichwill relieve facial or any other neuralgia almost instantaneously:Albumen of egg, one drachm; rhigolene, four ounces; oil of peppermint, two ounces; colodion and chloroform, each one ounce. Mix. Agitateoccasionally for twenty-four hours, and by gelatinization a beautifuland semi-solidified, opodeldoc-looking compound results, which willretain its consistency and hold the ingredients intimately blended formonths. Apply by smart friction with the hand, or gently with a softbrush or mop along the course of the nerve involved. 3. Mix one and one-half drachms iodide of potash, fifteen grains ofquinine and one ounce ginger syrup, and two and a half ounces water. Dose, a tablespoonful every three hours. 4. OF THE STOMACH. --Take of distilled water of cherry laurel, fiveparts; muriate of morphia, one-tenth part. Mix and dissolve. One dropon a lump of sugar immediately before meals. OINTMENT FOR SORE NIPPLES. --Glycerine, rose water and tannin, equalweights, rubbed together into an ointment, is very highly recommendedfor sore or cracked nipples. GLYCERINE OINTMENT. --Melt together spermaceti, two drachms; whitewax, one-half drachm; oil of sweet almonds, two ounces, and thenadd glycerine, one ounce, and stir briskly until cool. An admirableapplication for chapped hands, etc. OINTMENT FOR ITCH. --White precipitate, fifteen grains; saltpetre, one-half drachm; flour of sulphur, one drachm; Mix well with lard, twoounces. Long celebrated for the cure of itch. SULPHUR OINTMENT. --Flour of sulphur, eight ounces; oil of bergamot, two drachms; lard, one pound. Rub freely three times a day, for itch. OINTMENT FOR PILES. --Tannin, two drachms; water, two fluid drachms;triturate together, and add lard, one and a half drachms. An excellentapplication for piles. OINTMENT FOR HEMORRHOIDS. --Sulphate of morphia, three grains; extractof stramonia, thirty grains; olive oil, one drachm; carbonate of lead, sixty grains; lard, three drachms. PAINS. --1. Steep marigold in good cider vinegar and frequently washthe affected parts. This will afford speedy relief. 2. Take half a pound of tar and the same quantity of tobacco, and boilthem down separately to a thick substance; then simmer them together. Spread a plaster and apply it to the affected parts, and it willafford immediate relief. PAINTERS' COLIC. --Make of tartaric acid a syrup similar to that oflemon syrup; add a sufficient quantity of water, and drink two orthree glasses a day. INSTANTANEOUS PAIN-KILLER. --Another and even more instant cure of painis made as follows: Take aqua-ammonia, sulphuric ether and alcohol, equal parts, and apply over the pain. HOW TO CURE PIMPLES. --Take a teaspoonful of the tincture of gumguaiacum and one teaspoonful of vinegar; mix well and apply to theaffected parts. POOR MAN'S PLASTER. --Melt together beeswax, one ounce; tar, threeounces; resin, three ounces, and spread on paper or muslin. RHEUMATIC PLASTER. --One-fourth pound of resin and one-fourth pound ofsulphur; melt by a slow fire, and add one ounce of Cayenne pepperand one-fourth of an ounce of camphor gum; stir well till mixed, andtemper with neatsfoot oil. STRENGTHENING PLASTER. --Litharge plasters, twenty-four parts; whiteresin, six parts; yellow wax and olive oil, of each three parts, andred oxide of iron, eight parts. Let the oxide be rubbed with theoil, and the other ingredients added melted, and mix the whole welltogether. The plaster, after being spread over the leather, should becut into strips two inches wide and strapped firmly around the joint. MUSTARD PLASTERS. --It is stated that in making a mustard plaster, nowater whatever should be used, but the mustard mixed with the white ofan egg; the result will be a plaster that will "draw" perfectly, butwill not produce a blister even upon the skin of an infant, no matterhow long it is allowed to remain upon the part. BREAD AND MILK POULTICE. --Take stale bread in crumbs, pour boilingsweet milk, or milk and water over it, and simmer till soft, stirringit well; then take it from the fire, and gradually stir in a littleglycerine or sweet oil, so as to render the poultice pliable whenapplied. LINSEED POULTICE. --Take of linseed, powdered, four ounces; hotwater sufficient, mix and stir well with a spoon, until of suitableconsistence. A little oil should be added, and some smeared overthe surface as well, to prevent its getting hard. A very excellentpoultice, suitable for many purposes. SPICE POULTICE. --Powdered cinnamon, cloves and Cayenne pepper, of eachtwo ounces; rye meal, or flour, spirits and honey, of each sufficientto make of suitable consistence. QUINSY. --This is an inflammationof the tonsils, or common inflammatory sore throat; commences witha slight feverish attack, with considerable pain and swelling of thetonsils, causing some difficulty in swallowing; as the attack advancesthese symptoms become more intense, there is headache, thirst, apainful sense of tension, and acute darting pains in the ears. Theattack is generally brought on by exposure to cold, and lasts fromfive to seven days, when it subsides naturally, or an abscess mayform in tonsils and burst, or the tonsil may remain enlarged, theinflammation subsiding. TREATMENT. --The patient should remain in a warm room, the diet chieflymilk and good broths, some cooling laxative and diaphoretic medicinemay be given; but the greatest relief will be found in the frequent inhalation of the steam of hot water through an inhaler, or in theold-fashioned way, through the spout of a teapot. OTHER REMEDIES FOR RHEUMATISM. --1. Bathe the parts affected withwater in which potatoes have been boiled, as hot as can be borne, just before going to bed; by morning it will be much relieved, ifnot removed. One application of this simple remedy has cured the mostobstinate of rheumatic pains. 2. Half an ounce of pulverized saltpetre put in half a pint of sweet oil; bathe the parts affected, anda sound cure will be speedily effected. 3. Rheumatism has frequentlybeen cured by a persistent use of lemon juice, either undiluted orin the form of lemonade. Suck half a lemon every morning beforebreakfast, and occasionally during the day, and partake of lemonadewhen thirsty in preference to any other drink. If severely afflicteda physician should be consulted, but, in all cases, lemon juice willhasten the cure. 4. By the valerian bath, made simply by taking onepound of valerian root, boiling it gently for about a quarter of anhour in one gallon of water, straining and adding the strained liquidto about twenty gallons of water in an ordinary bath. The temperatureshould be about ninety-eight degrees, and the time of immersion fromtwenty minutes to half an hour. Pains must be taken to dry the patientperfectly upon getting out of the bath. If the inflammation remainrefractory in any of the joints, linseed meal poultices should bemade with a strong decoction of valerian root and applied. HOW TO CURE RING-WORM. --To one part sulphuric acid, add sixteen totwenty parts water. Use a brush and feather, and apply it to the partsnight and morning. A few dressings will generally cure. If the solutionis too strong and causes pain, dilute it with water, and if theirritation is excessive, rub on a little oil or other softeningapplication, but always avoid the use of soap. Or, wash the head with soft soap every morning, and apply thefollowing lotion every night: One-half drachm of sub-carbonate of sodadissolved in one gill of vinegar. HEALING SALVE. --Sweet oil, three quarts; resin, three ounces; beeswax, three ounces. Melt together; then add powdered red lead, two pounds;heat all these together and when nearly cold add a piece of camphor aslarge as a nutmeg. Good for burns, etc. SALT RHEUM. --1. Make a strong tea of elm root bark; drink the teafreely, and wash the affected part in the same. 2. Take one ounce ofblue flag root, steep it in half a pint of gin; take a teaspoonfulthree times a day, morning, noon and night, and wash with the same. 3. Take one ounce of oil of tar, one drachm of oil of checker berry; mix. Take from five to twenty drops morning and night as the stomach willbear. BLEEDING OF THE STOMACH. --Take a teaspoonful of camomile tea every tenminutes until the bleeding stops. SICKNESS OF STOMACH. --Drink three or four times a day of the steepmade from the bark of white poplar roots. SUNBURN AND TAN. --1. Take two drachms of borax, one drachm of Romanalum, one drachm of camphor, half an ounce of sugar candy, and a poundof ox-gall. Mix, and stir well for ten minutes or so, and repeat thisstirring three or four times a day for a fortnight, till it appearsclear and transparent. Strain through blotting paper, and bottle up foruse. 2. Milk of almonds made thus: Take of blanched bitter almonds halfan ounce, soft water half a pint; make an emulsion by beating thealmonds and water together, strain through a muslin cloth, and it ismade. 3. A preparation composed of equal parts of olive oil and limewater is also an excellent remedy for sunburn. TO PRODUCE SWEAT. --Take of nitre, one-half drachm; snake's head (herb), saffron, camphor, snake-root, seneca, bark of sassafras root, each oneounce; ipecac, and opium, each one half ounce; put the above in threequarts of Holland gin, and take a tablespoonful in catnip tea every fewminutes, till a sweat is produced. TEETHING. --Young children whilst cutting their first set of teethoften suffer severe constitutional disturbance. At first there isrestlessness and peevishness, with slight fever, but not infrequentlythese are followed by convulsive fits, as they are commonly called, which depends on the brain becoming irritated; and sometimes underthis condition the child is either cut off suddenly, or the foundationof serious mischief to the brain is laid. The remedy, or rather thesafeguard, against these frightful consequences is trifling, safe, andalmost certain, and consists merely in lancing the gum covering thetooth which is making its making its way through. When teething isabout it may be known by the spittle constantly driveling from themouth and wetting the frock. The child has its fingers in its month, and bites hard any substance it can get hold of. If the gums becarefully looked at, the part where the tooth is pressing up isswollen and redder than usual; and if the finger be pressed on it thechild shrinks and cries, showing that the gum is tender. When thesesymptoms occur, the gum should be lanced, and sometimes the toothcomes through the next day, if near the surface; but if not so faradvanced the cut heals and a scar forms, which is thought by someobjectionable, as rendering the passage of the tooth more difficult. This, however, is untrue, for the scar will give way much more easilythan the uncut gum. If the tooth does not come through after two orthree days, the lancing may be repeated; and this is more especiallyneeded if the child be very fractious, and seems in much pain. Lancingthe gums is further advantageous, because it empties the inflamed partof its blood, and so relieves the pain and inflammation. The reliefchildren experience in the course of two or three hours from theoperation is often very remarkable, as they almost immediately becomelively and cheerful. WASH FOR TEETH AND GUMS. --The teeth should be washed night andmorning, a moderately small and soft brush being used; after themorning ablution, pour on a second tooth-brush, slightly dampened, alittle of the following lotion: Carbolic acid, 20 drops; spirits ofwine, 2 drachms; distilled water, 6 ounces. After using this lotion ashort time the gums become firmer and less tender, and impurity of thebreath (which is most commonly caused by bad teeth), will be removed. It is a great mistake to use hard tooth-brushes, or to brush the teethuntil the gums bleed. TETTER. --After a slight feverish attack, lasting two or three days, clusters of small, transparent pimples, filled sometimes with acolorless, sometimes with a brownish lymph, appear on the cheeks orforehead, or on the extremities, and at times on the body. The pimplesare about the size of a pea, and break after a few days, when a brownor yellow crust is formed over them, which falls off about the tenthday, leaving the skin red and irritable. The eruption is attended withheat; itching, tingling, fever, and restlessness, especially at night. Ringworm is a curious form of tetter, in which the inflamed patchesassume the form of a ring. TREATMENT--Should consist of light diet, and gentle laxatives. If thepatient be advanced in life, and feeble, a tonic will be desirable. For a wash, white vitriol, 1 drachm; rose-water, 3 ounces, mixed; oran ointment made of alder-flower ointment, 1 ounce; oxide of zinc, 1 drachm. TO REMOVE TAN. --Tan may be removed from the face by mixingmagnesia in soft water to the consistency of paste, which should thenbe spread on the face and allowed to remain a minute or two. Then washoff with Castile soap suds, and rinse with soft water. CARE OF THE TEETH. --The mouth has a temperature of 98 degrees, warmerthan is ever experienced in the shade in the latitude of New England. It is well known that if beef, for example, be exposed in the shadeduring the warmest of our summer days, it will very soon decompose. Ifwe eat beef for dinner, the particles invariably find their way intothe spaces between the teeth. Now, if these particles of beef arenot removed, they will frequently remain till they are softened bydecomposition. In most mouths this process of decomposition is inconstant progress. Ought we to be surprised that the gums and teethagainst which these decomposing or putrefying masses lie should becomesubjects of disease? How shall our teeth be preserved? The answer is very simple--keepthem very clean. How shall they be kept clean? Answer--By a toothpick, rinsing with water, and the daily use of a brush. The toothpick should be a quill, not because the metalic picks injurethe enamel, but because the quill pick is so flexible it fits into allthe irregularities between the teeth. Always after using the toothpickthe mouth should be thoroughly rinsed. If warm water be not at hand, cold may be used, although warm is much better. Closing the lips, witha motion familiar to all, everything may be thoroughly rinsed from themouth. Every morning (on rising), and every evening (on going to bed), thetooth-brush should be used, and the teeth, both outside and inside, thoroughly brushed. Much has been said _pro_ and _con_. , upon the use of soap with thetooth-brush. My own experience and the experience of members of myfamily is highly favorable to the regular morning and evening use ofsoap. Castile or other good soap will answer this purpose. (Whatever isgood for the hands and face is good for the teeth. ) The slightlyunpleasant taste which soap has when we begin to use it will soon beunnoticed. TOOTH POWDERS. --Many persons, while laudably attentive to thepreservation of their teeth, do them harm by too much officiousness. They daily apply to them some dentifrice powder, which they rub sohard as not only to injure the enamel by excessive friction, butto hurt the gums even more than by the abuse of the toothpick. Thequality of some of the dentifrice powders advertised in newspapers isextremely suspicious, and there is reason to think that they are notaltogether free from a corrosive ingredient. One of the safestand best compositions for the purpose is a mixture of two parts ofprepared chalk, one of Peruvian bark, and one of hard soap, all finelypowdered, which is calculated not only to clean the teeth withouthurting them, but to preserve the firmness of the gums. Besides the advantage of sound teeth for their use in mastication, a proper attention to their treatment conduces not a little to thesweetness of the breath. This is, indeed, often affected by othercauses existing in the lungs, the stomach, and sometimes even in thebowels, but a rotten state of the teeth, both from the putrid smellemitted by carious bones and the impurities lodged in their cavities, never fails of aggravating an unpleasant breath wherever there is atendency of that kind. REMEDIES FOR TOOTHACHE. --1. One drachm of alum reduced to animpalpable powder, three drachms of nitrous spirits of ether--mix, and apply them to the tooth on cotton. 2. Mix a little salt and alum, equal portions, grind it fine, wet a little lock of cotton, fill itwith the powder and put it in your tooth. One or two applicationsseldom fail to cure. 3. To one drachm of collodion add two drachms ofCalvert's carbolic acid. A gelatinous mass is precipitated, asmall portion of which, inserted in the cavity of an aching tooth, invariably gives immediate relief. 4. Saturate a small bit ofclean cotton wool with a strong solution of ammonia, and apply itimmediately to the affected tooth. The pleasing contrast immediatelyproduced in some cases causes fits of laughter, although a momentprevious extreme suffering and anguish prevailed. 5. Sometimes a soundtooth aches from sympathy of the nerves of the face with other nerves. But when toothache proceeds from a decayed tooth either have it takenout, or put hot fomentations upon the face, and hot drinks into themouth, such as tincture of cayenne. TO CURE WARTS. --Warts are formed by the small arteries, veins, andnerves united together, taking on a disposition to grow by extendingthemselves upward, carrying the scarf-skin along with them, which, thickening, forms a wart. Corns are a similar growth, brought aboutby the friction of tight boots and shoes. 1. Take a piece of diachylonplaster, cut a hole in the centre the size of the wart, and stick iton, the wart protruding through. Then touch it daily with aquafortis, or nitrate of silver. They may be removed by tying a string tightlyaround them. 2. Take a blacksmith's punch, heat it red hot and burnthe warts with the end of it. When the burn gets well the warts willbe gone forever. 3. Scrape down enough dry cobwebs to make a balllarge enough to, or a little more than, cover the wart and not touchthe flesh around the same; lay it on top of the wart, ignite it andlet it be until it is all burnt up. The wart will turn white, and ina few days come out. 4. Pass a pin through the wart; apply one endof the pin to the flame of a lamp; hold it there until the wartfries under the action of the heat. A wart so treated will leave. 5. Dissolve as much common washing soda as the water will take up; washthe warts with this for a minute or two, and let them dry withoutwiping. Keep the water in a bottle and repeat the washing often, andit will take away the largest warts. 6. They may be cured surely byparing them down until the blood comes slightly and then rubbing themwith lunar caustic. It is needless to say this hurts a little, but itis a sure cure. The hydrochlorate of lime applied in the same way willcure after several applications and some patience; so will stronggood vinegar, and so it is said will milk weed. The cures foundedupon superstitious practices, such as muttering some phrases over theexcrescence, stealing a piece of beef, rubbing the wart therewith andthen burying it under the leaves to await its decay, etc. , etc. , are all the remnants of a past state of ignorance and are of no usewhatever. Warts are generally only temporary and disappear as theirpossessors grow up. HOW TO CURE WHITE SWELLING. --Draw a blister on the inside of the legbelow the knee; keep it running with ointment made of hen manure, by simmering it in hog's lard with onions; rub the knee with thefollowing kind of ointment: Bits of peppermint, oil of sassafras, checkerberry, juniper, one drachm each; simmer in one-half pintneatsfoot oil, and rub on the knee three times a day. HOW TO CURE WOUNDS. --Catnip steeped, mixed with fresh butter andsugar. HOW TO CURE WHOOPING-COUGH. --Take a quart of spring water, put in ita large handful of chin-cups that grow upon moss, a large handful ofunset hyssop; boil it to a pint, strain it off, and sweeten it withsugar-candy. Let the child, as often as it coughs, take two spoonfulsat a time. HOW TO CURE WORMS IN CHILDREN. --1. Take one ounce of powderedsnake-head (herb), and one drachm each of aloes and prickly ashbark; powder these, and to one-half teaspoonful of this powder add ateaspoonful of boiling water and a teaspoonful of molasses. Takethis as a dose, night or morning, more or less, as the symptoms mayrequire. 2. Take tobacco leaves, pound them up with honey, and laythem on the belly of the child or grown person, at the same timeadministering a dose of some good physic. 3. Take garden parsley, make it into a tea and let the patient drink freely of it. 4. Take thescales that will fall around the blacksmith's anvil, powder them fine, and put them in sweetened rum. Shake when you take them, and give ateaspoonful three times a day. SCALDING OF THE URINE. --Equal parts of the oil of red cedar, and theoil of spearmint. URINARY OBSTRUCTIONS. --Steep pumpkin seeds in gin, and drink aboutthree glasses a day; or, administer half a drachm uva ursi everymorning, and a dose of spearmint. FREE PASSAGE OF URINE. --The leaves of the currant bush made into atea, and taken as a common drink. VENEREAL COMPLAINTS. --Equal parts of the oil of red cedar, combinedwith sarsaparilla, yellow dock and burdock made into a syrup; add toa pint of this syrup an ounce of gum guiaicum. Dose, from atablespoonful to a wine-glass, as best you can bear. HOW TO CURE SORE THROAT. --"One who has tried it" communicates thefollowing sensible item about curing sore throat: Let each one of yourhalf million readers buy at any drug store one ounce of camphoratedoil and five cents' worth of chloride of potash. Whenever any sorenessappears in the throat, put the potash in half a tumbler of water, andwith it gargle the throat thoroughly; then rub the neck thoroughlywith the camphorated oil at night before going to bed, and also pinaround the throat a small strip of woolen flannel. This is a simple, cheap and sure remedy. * * * * * LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS Acacia--Concealed love. Adonis Vernalis--Sorrowful remembrances. Almond--Hope. Aloe--Religious superstition. Alyssum, Sweet--Worth beyond beauty. Ambrosia--Love returned. Apple Blossom--Preference. Arbor Vitæ--Unchanging friendship. Bachelor's button--Hope in love. Balsam--Impatience. Begonia--Deformity. Bellflower--Gratitude. Belvidere, Wild (Licorice)--I declare against you. Blue Bell--I will be constant. Box--Stoical indifference. Briers--Envy. Burdock--Touch me not. Cactus--Thou leavest not. Camellia--Pity. Candytuft--Indifference. Canterbury Bell--Gratitude. Cape Jessamine--Ecstasy; transport. Calla Lily--Feminine beauty. Carnation (Yellow)--Disdain. Cedar--I live for thee. China Aster--I will see about it. Chrysanthemum Rose--I love. Cowslip--Pensiveness. Cypress--Mourning. Crocus--Cheerfulness. Cypress and Marigold--Despair. Daffodil--Chivalry. Dahlia--Forever thine. Daisy (Garden)--I partake your sentiment. Daisy (Wild)--I will think of it. Dandelion--Coquetry. Dead Leaves--Sadness. Dock--Patience. Dodder--Meanness. Dogwood--Am I indifferent to you? Ebony--Hypocrisy. Eglantine--I wound to heal. Elder--Compassion. Endive--Frugality. Evening Primrose--Inconstancy. Evergreen--Poverty. Everlasting--Perpetual remembrance. Fennel--Strength. Filbert--Reconciliation. Fir-tree--Elevation. Flux--I feel your kindness. Forget-me-not--True love; remembrance. Fox-glove--Insincerity. Furze--Anger. Fuchsia--Taste. Gentian--Intrinsic worth. Geranium, Ivy--Your hand for the next dance. Geranium, Nutmeg--I expect a meeting. Geranium, Oak--Lady, deign to smile. Geranium, Rose--Preference. Geranium, Silver leaf--Recall. Gilliflower--Lasting beauty. Gladiolus--Ready; armed. Golden Rod--Encouragement. Gorse--Endearing affection. Gass--Utility. Harebell--Grief. Hawthorn--Hope. Hazel--Recollection. Hartsease--Think of me. Heliotrope--Devotion. Henbane--Blemish. Holly--Foresight. Hollyhock--Fruitfulness. Hollyhock, White--Female ambition. Honeysuckle--Bond of Love. Honeysuckle, Coral--The color of my fate. Hyacinth--Jealousy. Hyacinth, Blue--Constancy. Hyacinth, Purple--Sorrow. Hydrangea--Heartlessness. Ice plant--Your looks freeze me. Iris--Message. Ivy--Friendship; matrimony. Jessamine, Cape--Transient joy; ecstasy. Jessamine, White--Amiability. Jessamine, Yellow--Grace; elegance. Jonquil--I desire a return of affection. Juniper--Asylum; shelter. Justitia--Perfection of loveliness. Kalmia (Mountain Laurel)--Treachery. Kannedia--Mental beauty. Laburnum--Pensive beauty. Lady's Slipper--Capricious beauty. Larch--Boldness. Larkspur--Fickleness. Laurel--Glory. Lavender--Distrust. Lettuce--Cold-hearted. Lilac--First emotion of love. Lily--Purity; modesty. Lily of the Valley--Return of happiness. Lily, Day--Coquetry, Lily, Water--Eloquence. Lily, Yellow--Falsehood. Locust--Affection beyond the grave. Love in a Mist--You puzzle me. Love Lies Bleeding--Hopeless, not heartless. Lupine--Imagination. Mallow--Sweetness; mildness. Maple--Reserve. Marigold--Cruelty. Marjoram--Blushes. Marvel of Peru (Four O'clocks)--Timidity. Mint--Virtue. Mignonette--Your qualities surpass your charms. Mistletoe--I surmount all difficulties. Mock Orange (Syringa)--Counterfeit. Morning Glory--Coquetry. Maiden's Hair--Discretion. Magnolia, Grandiflora--Peerless and proud. Magnolia, Swamp--Perseverance. Moss--Maternal love. Motherwort--Secret love. Mourning Bride--Unfortunate attachment. Mulberry, Black--I will not survive you. Mulberry, White--Wisdom. Mushroom--Suspicion. Musk-plant--Weakness. Myrtle--Love faithful in absence. Narcissus--Egotism. Nasturtium--Patriotism. Nettle--Cruelty; slander. Night Blooming Cereus--Transient beauty. Nightshade--Bitter truth. Oak--Hospitality. Oats--Music. Oleander--Beware. Olive-branch--Peace. Orange-flower--Chastity. Orchis--Beauty. Osier--Frankness. Osmunda--Dreams. Pansy--Think of me. Parsley--Entertainment; feasting. Passion-flower--Religious fervor; susceptibility. Pea, Sweet--Departure. Peach Blossom--This heart is thine. Peony--Anger. Pennyroyal--Flee away. Periwinkle--Sweet remembrances. Petunia--Less proud than they deem thee. Phlox--Our souls are united. Pimpernel--Change. Pink--Pure affection. Pink, Double Red--Pure, ardent love. Pink, Indian--Aversion. Pink, Variegated--Refusal. Pink, White--You are fair. Pomegranite--Fully. Poppy--Consolation. Primrose--Inconstancy. Rhododendron--Agitation. Rose, Austrian--Thou art all that's lovely. Rose, Bridal--Happy love. Rose, Cabbage--Ambassador of love. Rose, China--Grace. Rose, Damask--Freshness. Rose, Jacqueminot--Mellow love. Rose, Maiden's Blush--If you _do_ love me, you will find me out. Rose, Moss--Superior merit. Rose, Moss Rosebud--Confession of love. Rose, Sweet-briar--Sympathy. Rose, Tea--Always lovely. Rose, White--I am worthy of you. Rose, York and Lancaster--War. Rose, Wild--Simplicity. Rue--Disdain. Saffron--Excess is dangerous. Sardonia--Irony. Sensitive Plant--Timidity. Snap-Dragon--Presumption. Snowball--Thoughts of Heaven. Snowdrop--Consolation. Sorrel--Wit ill (poorly) timed. Spearmint--Warm feelings. Star of Bethlehem--Reconciliation. Strawberry--Perfect excellence. Sumac--Splendor. Sunflower, Dwarf--Your devout admirer. Sunflower, Tall--Pride. Sweet William--Finesse. Syringa--Memory. Tansy--I declare against you. Teazel--Misanthropy. Thistle--Austerity. Thorn Apple--Deceitful charms. Touch-me-not--Impatience. Trumpet-flower--Separation. Tuberose--Dangerous pleasures. Tulip--Declaration of love. Tulip, Variegated--Beautiful eyes. Tulip, Yellow--Hopeless love. Venus' Flytrap--Have I caught you at last. Venus' Looking-glass--Flattery. Verbena--Sensibility. Violet, Blue--Love. Violet, White--Modesty. Wallflower--Fidelity. Weeping Willow--Forsaken. Woodbine--Fraternal love. Yew--Sorrow. Zennæ--Absent friends. * * * * * MASTERPIECES OF ELOQUENCE The following masterpieces of elegiac eloquence are unsurpassed inthe repertory of the English classics, for lofty and noble sentiment, exquisite pathos, vivid imagery, tenderness of feeling, glowing powerof description, brilliant command of language, and that immortal and seldom attained faculty of painting in the soul of the listener orreader a realistic picture whose sublimity of conception impressesthe understanding with awe and admiration, and impels the mind torise involuntarily for the time to an elevation out of and above theinconsequent contemplation of the common and sordid things of life. AT HIS BROTHER'S GRAVE. The following grand oration was delivered by Hon. Robert G. Ingersollon the occasion of the funeral of his brother, Hon. Eben C. Ingersoll, in Washington, June 2: "My friends, I am going to do that which the dead oft promised hewould do for me. The loved and loving brother, husband, father, friend, died where manhood's morning almost touches noon, and whilethe shadows were still falling towards the west. He had not passed onlife's highway the stone that marks the highest point, but being wearyfor a moment he lay down by the wayside, and using his burden for apillow fell into that dreamless sleep that kisses down the eyelids. Still, while yet in love with life and raptured with the world, hepassed to silence and pathetic dust. Yet, after all, it may be best, just in the happiest, sunniest hour of all the voyage, while eagerwinds are kissing every sail, to dash against the unseen rock and inan instant to hear the billows roar, 'A sunken ship;' for whether inmid-sea or among the breakers of the farther shore, a wreck must markat last the end of each and all, and every life, no matter if itsevery hour is rich with love, and every moment jeweled with a joy, will at its close become a tragedy as sad and deep and dark as can bewoven of the warp and woof of mystery and death. This brave and tenderman in every storm of life was oak and rock, but in the sunshine hewas vine and flower. He was the friend of all heroic souls. Heclimbed the heights and left all superstitions far below, while onhis forehead fell the golden dawning of a grander day. He loved thebeautiful, and was with color, form and music touched to tears. Hesided with the weak, and with a willing hand gave alms. With loyalheart, and with the purest hand he faithfully discharged all publictrusts. He was a worshiper of liberty and a friend of the oppressed. A thousand times I have heard him quote the words, 'For Justice allplace temple, and all seasons summer. ' He believed that happinesswas the only good, reason the only torch, justice the only worshiper, humanity the only religion, and love the priest. He added to the sumof human joy, and were everyone for whom he did some loving serviceto bring a blossom to his grave, he would sleep to-night beneath awilderness of flowers. Life is a narrow vale between the cold andbarren peaks of two eternities. We strive in vain to look beyond theheights. We cry aloud, and the only answer is the echo of our wailingcry. From the voiceless lips of the unreplying dead there comes noword, but the light of death. Hope sees a star, and listening love canhear the rustic of a wing, he who sleeps here when dying, mistakingthe approach of death for the return of health, whispered with hislatest breath, 'I am better now. ' Let us believe, in spite of doubtsand dogmas, and tears and fears, that these dear words are true of allthe countless dead. And now, to you who have been chosen from amongthe many men he loved to do the last sad office for the dead, we givehis sacred dust. Speech cannot contain our love. There was, there is, no gentler, stronger, manlier man. " AT THE GRAVE OF A CHILD. Colonel Ingersoll upon one occasion was one of a little party ofsympathizing friends who had gathered in a drizzling rain to assistthe sorrowing friends of a young boy--a bright and stainless flower, cut off in the bloom of its beauty and virgin purity by the ruthlessnorth winds from the Plutonian shades--in the last sad office ofcommitting the poor clay to the bosom of its mother earth. Inspiredby that true sympathy of the great heart of a great man, ColonelIngersoll stepped to the side of the grave and spoke as follows: "My friends, I know how vain it is to gild grief with words, and yet Iwish to take from every grave its fear. Here in this world, where lifeand death are equal king, all should be brave enough to meet what allthe dead have met. The future has been filled with fear, stained andpolluted by the heartless past. From the wondrous tree of life the budsand blossoms fall with ripened fruit, and in the common bed of earth thepatriarchs and babes sleep side by side. Why should we fear that whichwill come to all that is? We cannot tell; we do not know which is thegreater blessing--life or death. We cannot say that death is not a good;we do not know whether the grave is the end of this life or the door ofanother, or whether the night here is not somewhere else a dawn. Neithercan we tell which is the more fortunate, the child dying in its mother'sarms, before its lips have learned to form a word, or he who journeysall the length of life's uneven road, taking the last slow stepspainfully with staff and crutch. Every cradle asks us 'whence, ' andevery coffin 'whither?' The poor barbarian, weeping above his dead, cananswer these questions as intelligently and satisfactorily as the robedpriest of the most authentic creed. The tearful ignorance of the one isjust as good as the learned and unmeaning words of the other. No man, standing where the horizon of life has touched a grave, has any right toprophesy a future filled with pain and tears. It may be that death givesall there is of worth to live. If those we press and strain against ourhearts could never die, perhaps that love would wither from the earth. May be this common fate treads from out the paths between our hearts theweeds of selfishness and hate, and I had rather live and love wheredeath is king, than have eternal life where love is not. Another life isnaught, unless we know and love again the ones who love us here. Theywho stand with breaking hearts around this little grave need have nofear. The larger and the nobler faith in all that is and is to be, tellsus that death, even at its worst, is only perfect rest. We know thatthrough the common wants of life, the needs and duties of each hour, their grief will lessen day by day, until at last these graves will beto them a place of rest and peace, almost of joy. There is for them thisconsolation, the dead do not suffer. If they live again, their liveswill surely be as good as ours. We have no fear; we are all the childrenof the same mother, and the same fate awaits us all. We, too, have ourreligion, and it is this: 'Help for the living; hope for the dead. '" * * * * * SUNDRY BRIEF ITEMS OF INTEREST. In 1492 America was discovered. In 1848 gold was found in California. Invention of telescopes, 1590. Elias Howe, Jr. , invented sewing machines, in 1846. In 1839 envelopes came into use. Steel pens first made in 1830. The first watch was constructed in 1476. First manufacture of sulphur matches in 1829. Glass windows introduced into England in the eighth century. First coaches introduced into England in 1569. In 1545 needles of the modern style first came into use. In 1527 Albert Durer first engraved on wood. 1559 saw knives introduced into England. In the same year wheeled carriages were first used in France. In 1588 the first newspaper appeared in England. In 1629 the first printing press was brought to America. The first newspaper advertisement appeared in 1652. England sent the first steam engine to this continent in 1703. The first steamboat in the United States ascended the Hudson in 1807. Locomotive first used in the United States in 1830. First horse railroad constructed in 1827. In 1830 the first iron steamship was built. Coal oil first used for illuminating purposes in 1836. Looms introduced as a substitute for spinning wheels in 1776. The velocity of a severe storm is 36 miles an hour; that of ahurricane, 80 miles an hour. National ensign of the United States formally adopted by Congress in1777. A square acre is a trifle less than 209 feet each way. Six hundred and forty acres make a square mile. A "hand" (employed in measuring horses' height) is four inches. A span is 10-7/8 inches. Six hundred pounds make a barrel of rice. One hundred and ninety-six pounds make a barrel of flour. Two hundred pounds make a barrel of pork. Fifty-six pounds make a firkin of butter. The number of languages is 2, 750. The average duration of human life is 31 years. * * * * * PHYSICIANS' DIGESTION TABLE. SHOWING THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THE DIGESTION OF THE ORDINARYARTICLES OF FOOD. Soups. --Chicken, 3 hours; mutton, 3-1/2 hours; oyster, 3-1/2 hours;vegetable, 4 hours. Fish. --Bass, broiled, 3 hours; codfish, boiled, 2 hours; oysters, raw, 3 hours; oysters, roasted, 3-1/4 hours; oysters, stewed, 3-1/2 hours;salmon (fresh), boiled, 1-3/4 hours; trout, fried, 1-1/2 hours. Meats. --Beef, roasted, 3 hours; beefsteak, broiled, 3 hours; beef(corned), boiled, 4-1/4 hours; lamb, roast, 2-1/2 hours; lamb, boiled, 3 hours; meat, hashed, 2-1/2 hours; mutton, broiled, 3 hours; mutton, roast, 3-1/4 hours; pig's feet, soused, 1 hour; pork, roast, 5-1/4hours; pork, boiled, 4-1/2 hours; pork, fried, 4-1/4 hours; pork, broiled, 3-1/4 hours; sausage, fried, 4 hours; veal, broiled, 4 hours;veal, roast, 4-1/2 hours. Poultry and game. --Chicken, fricasseed, 3-3/4 hours; duck (tame), roasted, 4 hours; duck (wild), roasted, 4-3/4 hours; fowls (domestic), roasted or boiled, 4 hours; goose (wild), roasted, 2-1/2 hours; goose(tame), roasted, 2-1/4 hours; turkey, boiled or roasted, 2-1/2 hours;venison, broiled or roasted, 1-1/2 hours. Vegetables. --Asparagus, boiled, 2-1/2 hours; beans (Lima), boiled, 2-1/2 hours, beans (string), boiled, 3 hours; beans, baked (withpork), 4-1/2 hours; beets (young), boiled, 3-3/4 hours; beets (old)boiled, 4 hours; cabbage, raw, 2 hours; cabbage, boiled, 4-1/2 hours;cauliflower, boiled, 2-1/2 hours; corn (green), boiled, 4 hours;onions, boiled, 3 hours; parsnips, boiled, 3 hours; potatoes, boiledor baked, 3-1/2 hours; rice, boiled, 1 hour; spinach, boiled, 2-1/2hours; tomatoes, raw or stewed, 2-1/2 hours; turnips, boiled, 3-1/2hours. Bread, Eggs, Milk, etc. --Bread, corn, 3-1/4 hours; bread, wheat, 3-1/2hours; eggs, raw, 2 hours; cheese, 3-1/2 hours; custard, 2-3/4 hours;eggs, soft-boiled, 3 hours; eggs, hard-boiled or fried, 3-1/2 hours;gelatine, 2-1/2 hours; tapioca, 2 hours. * * * * * THEMES FOR DEBATE. Following are one hundred and fifty topics for debate. The moreusual form in their presentation is that of a direct proposition orstatement, rather than that of a question. The opponents then debatethe "affirmative" and "negative" of the proposition. It is well tobe very careful, in adopting a subject for a debate, to so stateor explain it that misunderstandings may be mutually avoided, andquibbles on the meaning of words prevented. THEMES FOR DEBATE. Which is the better for this nation, high or low import tariffs? Is assassination ever justifiable? Was England justifiable in interfering between Egypt and the Soudanrebels? Is the production of great works of literature favored by theconditions of modern civilized life? Is it politic to place restrictions upon the immigration of the Chineseto the United States? Will coal always constitute the main source of artificial heat? Has the experiment of universal suffrage proven a success? Was Grantor Lee the greater general? Is an income-tax commendable? Ought the national banking system to be abolished? Should the government lease to stockgrowers any portion of the publicdomain? Is it advisable longer to attempt to maintain both a gold and silverstandard of coinage? Which is the more important to the student, physical science ormathematics? Is the study of current politics a duty? Which was the more influential congressman, Blaine or Garfield? Which gives rise to more objectionable idioms and localisms oflanguage, New England or the West? Was the purchase of Alaska by this government wise? Which is the more important as a continent, Africa or South America? Should the government interfere to stop the spread of contagiousdiseases among cattle? Was Caesar or Hannibal the more able general? Is the study of ancient or modern history the more important to thestudent? Should aliens be allowed to acquire property in this country? Should aliens be allowed to own real estate in this country? Do thebenefits of the signal service justify its costs? Should usury laws be abolished? Should all laws for the collection of debt be abolished? Is labor entitled to more remuneration than it receives? Should the continuance of militia organizations by the several Statesbe encouraged? Is an untarnished reputation of more importance to a woman than to aman? Does home life promote the growth of selfishness? Are mineral veins aqueous or igneous in origin? Is the theory of evolution tenable? Was Rome justifiable in annihilating Carthage as a nation? Which has left the more permanent impress upon mankind, Greece orRome? Which was the greater thinker, Emerson or Bacon? Which is the more important as a branch of education, mineralogy orastronomy? Is there any improvement in the quality of the literature of to-dayover that of last century? Should the "Spoils System" be continued in American politics? Should the co-education of the sexes be encouraged? Which should be the more encouraged, novelists or dramatists? Will the African and Caucasian races ever be amalgamated in the UnitedStates? Should the military or the interior department have charge over theIndians in the United States? Which is of more benefit to his race, the inventor or the explorer? Is history or philosophy the better exercise for the mind? Can any effectual provision be made by the State against "hard times"? Which is of the more benefit to society, journalism or the law? Which was the greater general, Napoleon or Wellington? Should the volume of greenback money be increased? Should the volume of national bank circulation be increased? Should the railroads be under the direct control of the government? Is the doctrine of "State rights" to be commended? Is the "Monroe doctrine" to be commended and upheld? Is the pursuit of politics an honorable avocation? Which is of the greater importance, the college or the university? Does the study of physical science militate against religious belief? Should "landlordism" in Ireland be supplanted by home rule? Is life more desirable now than in ancient Rome? Should men and women receive the same amount of wages for the samekind of work? Is the prohibitory liquor law preferable to a system of high license? Has any State a right to secede? Should any limit be placed by the constitution of a State upon itsability to contract indebtedness? Should the contract labor system in public prisons be forbidden? Should there be a censor for the public press? Should Arctic expeditions be encouraged? Is it the duty of the State to encourage art and literature as much asscience? Is suicide cowardice? Has our Government a right to disfranchise the polygamists of Utah? Should capital punishment be abolished? Should the law place a limit upon the hours of daily labor forworkingmen? Is "socialism" treason? Should the education of the young be compulsory? In a hundred years will republics be as numerous as monarchies? Should book-keeping be taught in the public schools? Should Latin be taught in the public schools? Do our methods of government promote centralization? Is life worth living? Should Ireland and Scotland be independent nations? Should internal revenue taxation be abolished? Which is of greater benefit at the present day, books or newspapers? Is honesty always the best policy? Which has been of greater benefit to mankind, geology or chemistry? Which could mankind dispense with at least inconvenience, wood orcoal? Which is the greater nation, Germany or France? Which can support the greater population in proportion to area, ourNorthern or Southern States? Would mankind be the loser if the earth should cease to produce goldand silver? Is the occasional destruction of large numbers of people, by war anddisaster, a benefit to the world? Which could man best do without, steam or horse power? Should women be given the right of suffrage in the United States? Should cremation be substituted for burial? Should the government establish a national system of telegraph? Will the population of Chicago ever exceed that of New York? Should the electoral college be continued? Will the population of St. Louis ever exceed that of Chicago? Should restrictions be placed upon the amount of property inheritable? Which is more desirable as the chief business of a city--commerce ormanufactures? Which is more desirable as the chief business of acity--transportation by water or by rail? Should the rate of taxation be graduated to a ratio with the amount ofproperty taxed? Will a time ever come when the population of the earth will be limitedby the earth's capacity of food production? Is it probable that any language will ever become universal? Is it probable that any planet, except the earth, is inhabited? Should the State prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholicliquors? Should the government prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholicliquors? Should the guillotine be substituted for the gallows? Was Bryant or Longfellow the greater poet? Should the jury system be continued? Should the languages of alien nations be taught in the public schools? Should a right to vote in any part of the United States depend upon aproperty qualification? Can a horse trot faster in harness, or under saddle? Should the pooling system among American railroads be abolished bylaw? Is dancing, as usually conducted, compatible with a high standard ofmorality? Should the grand jury system of making indictments be continued? Which should be the more highly remunerated, skilled labor or the workof professional men? Which is the more desirable as an occupation, medicine or law? Should the formation of trade unions be encouraged? Which has been the greater curse to man, war or drunkenness? Which can man the more easily do without, electricity or petroleum? Should the law interfere against the growth of class distinctions insociety? Which was the greater genius, Mohammed or Buddha? Which was the more able leader, Pizarro or Cortez? Which can to-day wield the greater influence, the orator or thewriter? Is genius hereditary? Is Saxon blood deteriorating? Which will predominate in five hundred years, the Saxon or Latinraces? Should American railroad companies be allowed to sell their bonds inother countries? Should Sumner's civil rights bill be made constitutional by anamendment? Does civilization promote the happiness of the world? Should land subsidies be granted to railroads by the government? Which is the stronger military power, England or the United States? Would a rebellion in Russia be justifiable? Should the theater be encouraged? Which has the greater resources, Pennsylvania or Texas? Is agriculture the noblest occupation? Can democratic forms of government be made universal? Is legal punishment for crime as severe as it should be? Should the formation of monopolies be prevented by the State? Has Spanish influence been helpful or harmful to Mexico as a people? Which is of more importance, the primary or the high school? Will the tide of emigration ever turn eastward instead of westward? Should the art of war be taught more widely than at present in theUnited States? Was slavery the cause of the American civil war? Is life insurance a benefit? * * * * * HOW TO MAKE 32 KINDS OF SOLDER. --1. Plumbers' solder. --Lead 2 parts, tin I part. 2. Tinmen's solder. --Lead 1 part, tin 1 part. 3. Zincsolder. --Tin 1 part, [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'lead 1 to parts'] lead 1 to 2 parts. 4. Pewter solder. Lead 1 part, bismuth 1 to 2 parts. 5. [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'Spelter soldier'] Spelter's solder. --Equal parts copper andzinc. 6. Pewterers' soft solder. --Bismuth 2, lead 4, tin 3 parts. 7. Another. --Bismuth 1, lead I, tin 2 parts. 8. Another pewtersolder. --Tin 2 parts, lead 1 part. 9. Glaziers' solder. --Tin 3 parts, lead 1 part. 10. Solder for copper. --Copper 10 parts, zinc 9 parts. 11. Yellow solder for brass or copper. --- Copper 32 lbs. , zinc 29lbs. , tin 1 lb. 12. Brass solder. --Copper 61. 25 parts, zinc 38. 75parts. 13. Brass solder, yellow and easily fusible. --Copper 45, zinc55 parts. 14. Brass solder, white. --Copper 57. 41 parts, tin 14. 60parts, zinc 27. 99 parts. 15. Another solder for copper. --Tin 2 parts, lead 1 part. When the copper is thick heat it by a naked fire, if thinuse a tinned copper tool. Use muriate or chloride of zinc as a flux. The same solder will do for iron, cast iron, or steel; if the piecesare thick, heat by a naked fire or immerse in the solder. 16. Blacksolder. --Copper 2, zinc 3, tin 2 parts. 17. Another. --Sheet brass 20lbs. , tin 6 lbs. , zinc 1 lb. 18. Cold brazing without fire or lamp. --Fluoric acid 1 oz. , oxy muriatic acid 1 oz. , mix in a lead bottle. Put a chalk mark each side where you want to braze. This mixture willkeep about G months in one bottle. 19. Cold soldering without fire orlamp. --Bismuth 1/4 oz. , quicksilver 1/4 oz. , block tin filings 1 oz. , spirits salts 1 oz. , all mixed together. 20. To solder iron to steelor either to brass. --Tin 3 parts, copper 39-1/2 parts, zinc 7-1/2parts. When applied in a molten state it will firmly unite metalsfirst named to each other. 21. Plumbers' solder. --Bismuth 1, lead 5, tin 3 parts, is a first-class composition. 22. White solder for raisedBritannia ware. --Tin 100 lbs. , hardening 8 lbs. , antimony 8 lbs. 23. Hardening for Britannia. --(To be mixed separately from the otheringredients. ) Copper 2 lbs. , tin 1 lb. 21. Best soft solder for castBritannia ware. --Tin 8 lbs. , lead 5 lbs. 25. Bismuth solder. --Tin1, lead 3, bismuth 3 parts. 26. Solder for brass that will standhammering. --Brass 78. 26 parts, zinc 17. 41 parts, silver 4. 33 parts, add a little chloride of potassium to your borax for a flux. 27. Solder for steel joints. --Silver 19 parts, copper 1 part, brass 2parts, Melt all together. 28. Hard solder. --Copper 2 parts, zinc 1part. Melt together. 29. Solder for brass. --- Copper 3 parts, zinc1 part, with borax. 30. Solder for copper. --- Brass 6 parts, zinc 1part, tin 1 part, melt all together well and pour out to cool. 31. Solder for platina--Gold with borax. 32. Solder for iron. --The bestsolder for iron is good tough brass with a little borax. N. B. --In soldering, the surfaces to be joined are made perfectlyclean and smooth, and then covered with sal. Ammoniac, resin or otherflux, the solder is then applied, being melted on and smoothed over bya tinned soldering iron. * * * * * [Illustration: COOKERY RECIPES] COOKERY RECIPES ALE TO MULL. --Take a pint of good strong ale, and pour it into asaucepan with three cloves and a little nutmeg; sugar to your taste. Set it over the fire, and when it boils take it off to cool. Beat upthe yolks of four eggs exceedingly well; mix them first with a littlecold ale, then add them to the warm ale, and pour it in and out of thepan several times. Set it over a slow fire, beat it a little, take itoff again; do this three times until it is hot, then serve it with drytoast. ALE, SPICED. --Is made hot, sweetened with sugar and spiced with gratednutmeg, and a hot toast is served in it. This is the wassail drink. BEEF TEA. --Cut a pound of fleshy beef in thin slices; simmer witha quart of water twenty minutes, after it has once boiled and beenskimmed. Season if approved. BEEF TEA. --To one pound of lean beef add one and one-half tumblersof cold water; cut the beef in small pieces, cover, and let it boilslowly for ten minutes, and add a little salt after it is boiled. Excellent. BEEF TEA. --Cut lean, tender beef into small pieces, put them into abottle, cork and set in a pot of cold water, then put on the stove andboil for one hour. Season to taste. BLACK CURRANT CORDIAL. --To every four quarts of black currants, pickedfrom the stems and lightly bruised, add one gallon of the best whisky;let it remain four months, shaking the jar occasionally, then drainoff the liquor and strain. Add three pounds of loaf sugar and aquarter of a pound of best cloves, slightly bruised; bottle well andseal. BOSTON CREAM (A SUMMER DRINK). --Make a syrup of four pounds of whitesugar with four quarts of water; boil; when cold add four ounces oftartaric acid, one and a half ounces of essence of lemon, and thewhites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth; bottle. A wine-glass ofthe cream to a tumbler of water, with sufficient carbonate of soda tomake it effervesce. CHAMPAGNE CUP. --One quart bottle of champagne, two bottles ofsoda-water, one liqueur-glass of brandy, two tablespoons of powderedsugar, a few thin strips of cucumber rind; make this just in time foruse, and add a large piece of ice. CHOCOLATE. --Scrape Cadbury's chocolate fine, mix with a little coldwater and the yolks of eggs well beaten; add this to equal parts ofmilk and water, and boil well, being careful that it does not burn. Sweeten to the taste, and serve hot. COFFEE. --Is a tonic and stimulating beverage, of a wholesome nature. Use the best. For eight cups use nearly eight cups of water; put incoffee as much as you like, boil a minute and take off, and throw in acup of cold water to throw the grounds to the bottom; in five minutesit will be very clear. Or, beat one or two eggs, which mix with ground coffee to form a ball;nearly fill the pot with cold water, simmer gently for half an hour, having introduced the ball; _do not boil_, or you will destroy thearoma. COFFEE. --The following is a delicious dish either for summer breakfastor dessert: Make a strong infusion of Mocha coffee; put it in aporcelain bowl, sugar it properly and add to it an equal portion ofboiled milk, or one-third the quantity of rich cream. Surround thebowl with pounded ice. CURRANT WINE. --One quart currant juice, three pounds of sugar, sufficient water to make a gallon. EGG GRUEL. --Boil eggs from one to three hours until hard enough tograte; then boil new milk and thicken with the egg, and add a littlesalt. Excellent in case of nausea. LEMON SYRUP. --Pare off the yellow rind of the lemon, slice the lemonand put a layer of lemon and a thick layer of sugar in a deep plate;cover close with a saucer, and set in a warm place. This is anexcellent remedy for a cold. LEMONADE. --Take a quart of boiling water, and add to it five ouncesof lump-sugar, the yellow rind of the lemon rubbed off with a bit ofsugar, and the juice of three lemons. Stir all together and let itstand till cool. Two ounces of cream of tartar may be used instead ofthe lemons, water being poured upon it. RASPBERRY VINEGAR. --Fill a jar with red raspberries picked from thestalks. Pour in as much vinegar as it will hold. Let it stand tendays, then strain it through a sieve. Don't press the berries, justlet the juice run through. To every pint add one pound loaf sugar. Boil it like other syrup; skim, and bottle when cold. SUMMER DRINK. --Boil together for five minutes two ounces of tartaricacid, two pounds white sugar, three lemons sliced, two quarts ofwater; when nearly cold add the whites of four eggs beaten to a froth, one tablespoonful of flour and half an ounce of wintergreen. Twotablespoonfuls in a glass of water make a pleasant drink; for thosewho like effervescence add as much soda as a ten-cent piece will hold, stirring it briskly before drinking. BLACKBERRY SYRUP. --To one pint of juice put one pound of white sugar, one-half ounce of powdered cinnamon, one-fourth ounce mace, and twoteaspoons cloves; boil all together for a quarter of an hour, thenstrain the syrup, and add to each pint a glass of French brandy. TEA. --When the water in the teakettle begins to boil, have ready a tintea-steeper; pour into the tea-steeper just a very little of the boilingwater, and then put in tea, allowing one teaspoon of tea to each person. Pour over this boiling water until the steeper is a little more thanhalf full; cover tightly and let it stand where it will keep hot, butnot to boil. Let the tea infuse for ten or fifteen minutes, and thenpour into the tea-urn, adding more boiling water, in the proportion ofone cup of water for every teaspoon of dry tea which has been infused. Have boiling water in a water-pot, and weaken each cup of tea asdesired. Do not use water for tea that has been boiled long. Springwater is best for tea, and filtered water next best. ICED TEA A LA RUSSE. --To each glass of tea add the juice of half alemon, fill up the glass with pounded ice, and sweeten. GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING BREAD. --In the composition of goodbread, there are three important requisites: Good flour, good yeast, [and here let us recommend Gillett's Magic Yeast Cakes. They keep goodfor one year in any climate, and once used you will not do without it. All grocers keep it] and strength to knead it well. Flour should bewhite and dry, crumbling easily again after it is pressed in the hand. A very good method of ascertaining the quality of yeast will be to adda little flour to a very small quantity, setting it in a warm place. If in the course of ten or fifteen minutes it raises, it will do touse. When you make bread, first set the sponge with warm milk or water, keeping it in a warm place until quite light. Then mold this sponge, by adding flour, into one large loaf, kneading it well. Set this torise again, and then when sufficiently light mold it into smallerloaves, let it rise again, then bake. Care should be taken not to getthe dough too stiff with flour; it should be as soft as it can be toknead well. To make bread or biscuits a nice color, wet the doughover top with water just before putting it into the oven. Flour shouldalways be sifted. BROWN BREAD, for those who can eat corn-meal: Two cups Indian mealto one cup flour; one-half teacup syrup, 2-1/2 cups milk; 1 teaspoonsalt; 3 teaspoons of Gillett's baking powder. Steam an hour and ahalf. To be eaten hot. It goes very nicely with a corn-beef dinner. BROWN BREAD. --Stir together wheat meal and cold water (nothing else, not even salt) to the consistency of a thick batter. Bake in smallcircular pans, from three to three and a half inches in diameter, (ordinary tin pattypans do very well) in a quick, hot oven. It isquite essential that it be baked in this sized cake, as it is uponthis that the raising depends. [In this article there are none of theinjurious qualities of either fermented or superfine flour bread;and it is so palpably wholesome food, that it appeals at once to thecommon sense of all who are interested in the subject. ] BROWN BREAD--Take part of the sponge that has been prepared for yourwhite bread, warm water can be added, mix it with graham flour (nottoo stiff). BOSTON BROWN BREAD. --To make one loaf:--Rye meal unsifted, half apint; Indian meal sifted, one pint; sour milk, one pint; molasses, half a gill. Add a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sodadissolved in a little hot water; stir well, put in a greased pan, letit rise one hour, and steam four hours. BOSTON BROWN BREAD. --One and one-half cups of graham flour, two cupsof corn meal, one-half cup of molasses, one pint of sweet milk, andone-half a teaspoon of soda; steam three hours. CORN BREAD. --One-half pint of buttermilk, one-half pint of sweet milk;sweeten the sour milk with one-half teaspoon of soda; beat two eggs, whites and yolks together; pour the milk into the eggs, then thickenwith about nine tablespoons of sifted corn meal. Put the pan on thestove with a piece of lard the size of an egg; when melted pour it inthe batter; this lard by stirring it will grease the pan to bake in;add a teaspoon of salt. EXCELLENT BREAD. --Four potatoes mashed fine, four teaspoons of salt, two quarts of lukewarm milk, one-half cake Gillett's magic yeastdissolved in one-half cup of warm water, flour enough to make apliable dough; mold with hands well greased with lard; place in pans, and when sufficiently light, it is ready for baking. FRENCH BREAD. --With a quarter of a peck of fine flour mix the yolks ofthree and whites of two eggs, beaten and strained, a little salt, half a pint of good yeast that is not bitter, and as much milk, made alittle warm, as will work into a thin light dough. Stir it about, butdon't knead it. Have ready three quart wooden dishes, divide the doughamong them, set to rise, then turn them out into the oven, which mustbe quick. Rasp when done. GRAHAM BREAD. --For one loaf, take two cups of white bread sponge, towhich add two tablespoons of brown sugar, and graham flour to make astiff batter; let it rise, after which add graham flour sufficient toknead, but not very stiff; then put it in the pan to rise and bake. ITALIAN BREAD. --Make a stiff dough, with two pounds of fine flour, sixof white powdered sugar, three or four eggs, a lemon-peel grated, andtwo ounces of fresh butter. If the dough is not firm enough, add moreflour and sugar. Then turn it out, and work it well with the hand, cutit into round long biscuits, and glaze them with white of egg. RICE AND WHEAT BREAD. --Simmer a pound of rice in two quarts of watertill soft; when it is of a proper warmth, mix it well with four poundsof flour, and yeast, and salt as for other bread; of yeast about fourlarge spoonfuls; knead it well; then set to rise before the fire. Someof the flour should be reserved to make up the loaves. If the riceshould require more water, it must be added, as some rice swells morethan others. SAGO BREAD. --Boil two lbs. Of sago in three pints of water untilreduced to a quart, then mix with it half a pint of yeast, and pourthe mixture into fourteen lbs. Of flour. Make into bread in the usualway. STEAMED BREAD. --Two cups corn meal; 1 cup graham flour; 1/2 cup N. O. Molasses; salt and teaspoonful of soda. Mix soft with sour milk, ormake with sweet milk and Gillett's baking powder. Put in tight mold inkettle of water; steam three hours or more. This is as nice as Bostonbrown bread. Use this receipt with flour instead of graham; add a cup of beef suet, and it makes a nice pudding in the winter. Eat with syrup or cream. BISCUITS. --Mix a quart of sweet milk with half a cup of melted butter;stir in a pinch of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and flourenough for a stiff batter. Have the oven at a brisk heat. Drop thebatter, a spoonful in a place, on buttered pans. They will bake infifteen minutes. CREAM BISCUITS. --Three heaping tablespoons of sour cream; put in abowl or vessel containing a quart and fill two-thirds full of sweetmilk, two teaspoons cream tartar, one teaspoon of soda, a little salt;pour the cream in the flour, mix soft and bake in a quick oven. FRENCH BISCUITS. --Two cups of butter, two cups of sugar, one egg (orthe whites of two), half a cup of sour milk, half a teaspoon of soda;flour to roll; sprinkle with sugar. RYE BISCUITS. --Two cups of rye meal, one and a half cups flour, one-third cup molasses, one egg, a little salt, two cups sour milk, two even teaspoons saleratus. SODA BISCUITS. --To each quart of flour add one tablespoon of shortening, one-half teaspoon of salt, and three and a half heaping teaspoons ofGillett's baking powder; mix baking powder thoroughly through the flour, then add other ingredients. Do not knead, and bake quickly. To use creamtartar and soda, take the same proportions without the baking powder, using instead two heaping teaspoons cream tartar and one of soda. Ifgood they will bake in five minutes. TEA BISCUITS. --One cup of hot water, two of milk, three tablespoons ofyeast; mix thoroughly; after it is risen, take two-thirds of a cup ofbutter and a little sugar and mold it; then let it rise, and mold itinto small cakes. BANNOCKS. --One pint corn meal, pour on it boiling water to thoroughlywet it. Let it stand a few minutes; add salt and one egg and a littlesweet cream, or a tablespoon melted butter. Make into balls and fry inhot lard. BREAKFAST CAKES. --One cup milk, one pint flour, three eggs, piecebutter size of an egg, two teaspoons cream tartar, one teaspoon soda, one tablespoon butter. BUCKWHEAT CAKES. --One quart buckwheat flour, four tablespoonsyeast, one tablespoon salt, one handful Indian meal, two tablespoonsmolasses, not syrup. Warm water enough to make a thin batter; beatvery well and set in a warm place. If the batter is the least sour inthe morning, add a little soda. QUICK BUCKWHEAT CAKES. --One quart of buckwheat flour, one-half ateacup of corn meal or wheat flour, a little salt, and two tablespoonsof syrup. Wet these with cold or warm water to a thin batter, and add, lastly, four good-tablespoons of Gillett's baking powder. SPANISH BUNS. --Five eggs well beaten; cut up in a cup of warm newmilk half a pound of good butter, one pound of sifted flour, and awineglassful of good yeast; stir these well together; set it to risefor an hour, in rather a warm place; when risen, sift in half a poundof white sugar, and half a grated nutmeg; add one wineglass of wineand brandy, mixed, one wineglass of rose-water, and one cupful ofcurrants, which have been cleaned thoroughly. Mix these well, pour itinto pans, and set it to rise again for half an hour. Then bake onehour. Icing is a great improvement to their appearance. BATH BUNS. --- Take 1 lb. Of flour, put it in a dish, and make a holein the middle, and pour in a dessert spoonful of good yeast; pour uponthe yeast half a cupful of warm milk, mix in one-third of the flour, and let it rise an hour. When it has risen, put in 6 ozs. Of coldbutter, 4 eggs, and a few caraway seeds; mix all together with therest of the flour. Put it in a warm place to rise. Flatten it with thehand on a pasteboard. Sift 6 ozs. Of loaf sugar, half the size of apea; sprinkle the particles over the dough; roll together to mix thesugar; let it rise in a warm place about 20 minutes. Make into buns, and lay on buttered tins; put sugar and 9 or 10 comfits on the tops, sprinkle them with water; bake in a pretty hot oven. GRAHAM GEMS. --One quart of sweet milk, one cup syrup, one teaspoonsoda, two teaspoons cream tartar, little salt; mix cream tartar ingraham flour, soda in milk, and make it as stiff with the flour aswill make it drop easily from the spoon into muffin rings. BROWN GRIDDLE CAKES. --Take stale bread, soak in water till soft, drainoff water through colander, beat up fine with fork, to one quart ofthe crumb batter, add one quart each milk and flour, and four eggswell beaten. Mix, bake in a griddle. WHEAT GEMS. --One pint milk, two eggs, flour enough to make a batternot very stiff, two large spoons melted butter, yeast to raise them, alittle soda and salt. Bake in gem irons. JOHNNIE CAKE. --- One pint of corn meal, one teacup of flour, two eggs, one pint of sweet milk, one tablespoon of molasses, one tablespoon ofmelted butter, a little salt, one teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon ofcream of tartar; bake in square tins. MUSH. --Indian or oatmeal mush is best made in the following manner:Put fresh water in a kettle over the fire to boil, and put in somesalt; when the water boils, stir in handful by handful corn or oatmealuntil thick enough for use. In order to have excellent mush, the mealshould be allowed to cook well, and long as possible while thin, andbefore the final handful is added. FRIED MUSH. --When desired to be fried for breakfast, turn into anearthen dish and set away to cool. Then cut in slices when you wish tofry; dip each piece in beaten eggs and fry on a hot griddle. MUFFINS. --One tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoons sugar, twoeggs--stir altogether; add one cup of sweet milk, three teaspoons ofbaking powder, flour to make a stiff batter. Bake twenty minutes in aquick oven. ENGLISH PANCAKES. --Make a batter of two teacups of flour, four eggs, andone quart of milk. Add, as a great improvement, one tablespoonful ofbrandy with a little nutmeg scraped in. Make the [Transcriber's Note:The original text reads 'sixe'] size of frying pan. Sprinkle a littlegranulated sugar over the pancake, roll it up, and send to the tablehot. POP OVERS. --Three cups of milk and three cups flour, three eggs, alittle salt, one tablespoon melted butter put in the last thing; twotablespoons to a puff. ROLLS. --To the quantity of light bread-dough that you would take fortwelve persons, add the white of one egg well beaten, two tablespoonsof white sugar, and two tablespoons of butter; work these thoroughlytogether; roll out about half an inch thick; cut the size desired, andspread one with melted butter and lay another upon the top of it. Bakedelicately when they have risen. FRENCH ROLLS. --One quart flour, add two eggs, one half-pint milk, tablespoon of yeast, kneed it well; let rise till morning. Work in oneounce of butter, and mold in small rolls. Bake immediately. RUSKS. --Milk enough with one-half cup of yeast to make a pint; makea sponge and rise, then add one and a half cups of white sugar, threeeggs, one-half cup of butter; spice to your taste; mold, then put inpan to rise. When baked, cover the tops with sugar dissolved in milk. WAFFLES. --One quart of sweet or sour milk, four eggs, two-thirds ofa cup of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, three teaspoonfuls ofbaking-powder; flour enough to make a nice batter. If you usesour milk leave out the baking-powder, and use two teaspoons soda. Splendid. YEAST. --In reference to yeast, we advise the use of Magic Yeast Cakes;it keeps good a year, and works quicker and better than other yeasts. SUGGESTIONS IN MAKING CAKE. --It is very desirable that the materialsbe of the finest quality. Sweet, fresh butter, eggs, and good flourare the first essentials. The process of putting together is alsoquite an important feature, and where other methods are not given inthis work by contributors, it would be well for the young housekeeperto observe the following directions: Never allow the butter to oil, but soften it by putting in amoderately warm place before you commence other preparations for yourcake; then put it into an earthen dish--tin, if not new, will discoloryour cake as you stir it--and add your sugar; beat the butter andsugar to a cream, add the yolks of the eggs, then the milk, and lastlythe beaten whites of the eggs and flour. Spices and liquors may beadded after the yolks of the eggs are put in, and fruit should be putin with the flour. The oven should be pretty hot for small cakes, and moderate forlarger. To ascertain if a large cake is sufficiently baked, pierce itwith a broom-straw through the center; if done, the straw will comeout free from dough; if not done, dough will adhere to the straw. Takeit out of the tin about fifteen minutes after it is taken from theoven (not sooner), and do not turn it over on the top to cool. FROSTING. --One pint granulated sugar, moisten thoroughly with watersufficient to dissolve it when heated; let it boil until it threadsfrom the spoon, stirring often; while the sugar is boiling, beat thewhites of two eggs till they are firm; then when thoroughly beaten, turn them into a deep dish, and when the sugar is boiled, turn itover the whites, beating all rapidly together until of the rightconsistency to spread over the cake. Flavor with lemon, if preferred. This is sufficient for two loaves. FROSTING, FOR CAKE. --One cup frosting-sugar, two tablespoons of waterboiled together; take it off the stove, and stir in the white of oneegg beaten to a stiff froth; stir all together well, then frost yourcake with it, and you will never want a nicer frosting than this. CHOCOLATE FROSTING. --Whites of two eggs, one and one-half cups of finesugar, six great spoons of grated chocolate, two teaspoons of vanilla;spread rather thickly between layers and on top of cake. Best whenfreshly made. It should be made like any frosting. ICING. --The following rules should be observed where boiled icing isnot used: Put the whites of your eggs in a shallow earthern dish, and allow atleast a quarter of a pound or sixteen tablespoons of the finest whitesugar for each egg. Take part of the sugar at first and sprinkle overthe eggs; beat them for about half an hour, stirring in graduallythe rest of the sugar; then add the flavor. If you use the juice ofa lemon, allow more sugar. Tartaric and lemon-juice whitens icing. Itmay be shaded a pretty pink with strawberry-juice or cranberry syrup, or colored yellow by putting the juice and rind of a lemon in a thickmuslin bag, and squeezing it hard into the egg and sugar. If cake is well dredged with flour after baking, and then carefullywiped before the icing is put on, it will not run, and can be spreadmore smoothly. Put frosting on to the cake in large spoonfuls, commencing over the center; then spread it over the cake, using alarge knife, dipping it occasionally in cold water. Dry the frostingon the cake in a cool, dry place. ICE-CREAM ICING, FOR WHITE CAKE. --Two cups pulverized white sugar, boiled to a thick syrup; add three teaspoons vanilla; when cold, addthe whites of two eggs well beaten, and flavored with two teaspoons ofcitric acid. ICING, FOR CAKES. --Take ten whites of eggs whipped to a stiff froth, with twenty large spoonfuls of orange-flower water. This is to be laidsmoothly on the cakes after they are baked. Then return them to theoven for fifteen minutes to harden the icing. ICING. --One pound pulverized sugar, pour over one tablespoon coldwater, beat whites of three eggs a little, not to a stiff froth;add to the sugar and water, put in a deep bowl, place in a vesselof boiling water, and heat. It will become thin and clear, afterwardbegin to thicken. When it becomes quite thick, remove from the fireand stir while it becomes cool till thick enough to spread with aknife. This will frost several ordinary-sized cakes. ALMOND CAKE. --Take ten eggs, beaten separately, the yolks from thewhites; beat the yolks with half a pound of white sugar; blanch aquarter of a pound of almonds by pouring hot water on them, and removethe skins; pound them in a mortar smooth; add three drops of oil ofbitter almonds; and rose-water to prevent the oiling of the almonds. Stir this also into the eggs. Half a pound of sifted flour stirredvery slowly into the eggs; lastly, stir in the whites, which musthave been whipped to a stiff froth. Pour this into the pans, and bakeimmediately three-quarters of an hour. COCOANUT CAKE. --Whip the whites of ten eggs, grate two nice cocoanuts, and add them; sift one pound of white sugar into half a pound ofsifted flour; stir this well; add a little rose-water to flavor; pourinto pans, and bake three-fourths of an hour. COCOANUT DROPS. --One pound each grated cocoanut and sugar; four wellbeaten eggs; four tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, drop on pan, andbake. COCOANUT JUMBLES. --Take one cup butter, two cups sugar, three eggswell whipped, one grated cocoanut, stirred in lightly with the flour, which must be sufficient to stiffen to the required consistency. Bakeone to know when enough flour is added. COFFEE CAKE. --Take three eggs, two cups brown sugar, one cup strongcoffee, quarter of cup of butter, three cups flour, one teaspoonfulcream tartar, half teaspoonful each soda and ground cinnamon andcloves, half a nutmeg grated, one cup of raisins, stoned; beat butterand sugar to a cream, then add eggs beaten, coffee, flour sifted, and cream tartar, well mixed with it. Spices and raisins, then sodadissolved in sufficient warm water to absorb it. Thoroughly mix, andbake in round tins. COOKIES. --Two cups bright brown sugar, one cup butter, half cup sweetmilk, two eggs, one teaspoonful soda, flour enough to roll out. COMPOSITION CAKE. --Five eggs, three cups sugar, two cups butter, fivecups flour, one wine-glass brandy, one nutmeg grated, half pound eachraisins and currants, three teaspoonfuls Gillett's baking powder. CORN STARCH CAKE. --Two cups pulverized sugar, one cup butter, cup cornstarch, two cups sifted flour, seven eggs (whites beaten very light), one teaspoon soda, two teaspoons cream tartar (or two teaspoonscaking powder instead of soda and cream tartar), flavor with lemon. In putting this together, beat butter and sugar to a light cream, dissolve corn starch in a cup of sweet milk, leaving enough of themilk to dissolve the soda if it is used, put cream of tartar or bakingpowder in the flour, beat the whites of the eggs separate when thebutter and sugar are ready, put all the ingredients together first, leaving the eggs and flour to the last. CREAM CAKE. --Half pint cream, one tablespoon butter rubbed into onetablespoon flour. Put the cream on the fire. When it boils stir in thebutter and flour mixed, add half a tea cup sugar, two eggs very light, flavor with vanilla. Spread between cakes, and frost or sugar top ofcake to please fancy. CINNAMON CAKE. --Take two cups of brown sugar, one cup of butter, three-quarters cup of milk, half cup of vinegar, four eggs, largetablespoon of cinnamon, four cups of flour, one teaspoon of soda, two teaspoons cream tartar, mix all but vinegar and soda, then addvinegar, then soda, bake in large tin or patty pans. CURRANT CAKE. --Take two pounds of flour, half a pound of butter rubbedin the flour, half a pound of moist sugar, a few caraway seeds, three orfour tablespoonfuls of yeast, and a pint of milk made a little warm. Mixall together, and let it stand an hour or two at the fire to rise; thenbeat it up with three eggs and a half pound of currants. Put it into atin, and bake two hours in a moderate oven. CUP CAKE. --Cream half a cup of butter, and four cups of sugar bybeating; stir in five well-beaten eggs; dissolve one teaspoonful ofsoda in a cup of good milk or cream, and six cups of sifted flour;stir all well together, and bake in tins. DELICATE CAKE. --Mix two cups of sugar, four of flour, half cup butter, half cup sweet milk, the whites of seven eggs, two teaspoons creamtartar, one teaspoon soda, rub the cream tartar in the flour and otheringredients, and flavor to suit the taste. DELICIOUS SWISS CAKE. --Beat the yolks of five eggs and one pound ofsifted loaf sugar well together; then sift in one pound of best flour, and a large spoonful of anise seed; beat these together for twentyminutes; then whip to a stiff froth the five whites, and add them;beat all well; then roll out the paste an inch thick, and cut themwith a molded cutter rather small; set them aside till the nextmorning to bake. Rub the tins on which they are baked with yellow wax;it is necessary to warm the tins to receive the wax; then let thembecome cool, wipe them, and lay on the cakes. Bake a light brown. DOUGHNUTS. --One and a half cup of sugar; half cup sour milk, twoteaspoons soda, little nutmeg, four eggs, flour enough to roll out. DROP CAKE. --- To one pint cream, three eggs, one pinch of salt, thicken with rye till a spoon will stand upright in it, then drop on awell buttered iron pan which must be hot in the oven. DROP COOKIES. --Whites of two eggs, one large cup of milk, one cup ofsugar, one-half cup of butter, two teaspoonfuls baking-powder, flavorwith vanilla, rose, or nutmeg; flour enough for thick batter, beatthoroughly, drop in buttered pans, dust granulated sugar on top, andbake with dispatch. FRUIT CAKE. --Take one pint each of sour milk and sugar, two eggs, halfpint melted butter, two teaspoons even full of soda, dissolve in milkflour enough to roll out into shape, and fry in hot lard. FRIED CAKES. --Three eggs, one cup of sugar, one pint of new milk, salt, nutmeg, and flour enough to permit the spoon to stand upright inthe mixture; add two teaspoonfuls of Gillett's baking powder and beatuntil very light. Drop by the dessert-spoonful into boiling lard. These will not absorb a bit of fat, and are the least pernicious ofthe doughnut family. FRUIT CAKE. --Take four pounds of brown sugar, four pounds of goodbutter, beaten to cream; put four pounds of sifted flour into a pan;whip thirty-two eggs to a fine froth, and add to the creamed butterand sugar; then take six pounds of cleaned currants, four poundsof stoned raisins, two pounds of cut citron, one pound of blanchedalmonds, crushed, but not pounded, to a paste--a large cup ofmolasses, two large spoonfuls of ground ginger, half an ounce ofpounded mace, half an ounce of grated nutmeg, half an ounce of poundedand sifted cloves, and one of cinnamon. Mix these well together, thenadd four large wineglasses of good French brandy, and lastly, stirin the flour; beat this well, put it all into a stone jar, cover veryclosely, for twelve hours; then make into six loaves, and bake iniron pans. These cakes will keep a year, if attention is paid to theirbeing put in a tin case, and covered lightly in an airy place. Theyimprove by keeping. GINGER DROP CAKE. --Cup each sugar, molasses, lard and boiling water, one teaspoon soda, half teaspoon cream tartar, stir in flour until itis as thick as cake, add sugar and salt. GINGER SNAPS. --Take one cup each of sugar, molasses, butter, half cupsour milk, two teaspoons cream tartar, one teaspoon soda, flour enoughto roll out, cut into size desired and bake. GINGER SNAPS. --Two cups of New Orleans molasses, one cup of sugar, one of butter, one teaspoonful of soda, one of cloves, one of blackpepper, and two tablespoons of ginger. These will keep good a month ifyou wish to keep them. GRAHAM CAKES. --Half a cup of butter, one-half cup sugar, one egg, one teacup sour milk, one-half teaspoon soda. Make a stiff batter byadding graham flour. GOOD GRAHAM CAKES. --Two cups sweet milk, one cup sweet cream, thewhite of one egg beaten to froth, half a spoonful of salt, dessertspoonful baking powder, stir in stiffened graham flour until quitethick, bake in muffin-rings or gem-tins, until well browned on top. INDIAN BREAKFAST PATTIES. --To one pint of Indian meal add one egg, anda little salt, pour boiling water upon it, and fry brown immediatelyin pork fat. Cut open and put butter between, and send to the tablehot. JUMBLES. --Stir together till of a light brown color, one pound sugar, one-half pound butter, then add eight eggs beaten to a froth, addflour enough to make them stiff enough to roll out, flavor with lemon, cut in rings half an inch thick, bake in quick oven. KISSES. --Beat the whites of four eggs to a froth, stir into them halfpound powdered white sugar; flavor with lemon, continue to beat ituntil it will be in a heap; lay the mixture on letter-paper, in thesize and shape of half an egg, an inch apart, then lay the paper onhard wood and place in the oven without closing it, when they begin tolook yellowish take them out and let them cool three or four minutes, then slip a thin knife carefully under and turn them into your lefthand, take another and join the two by the sides next the paper, thenlay them in a dish handling them gently. They may be batted a littleharder, the soft inside taken out and jelly substituted. LIGHT FRUIT CAKE. --Take one cup butter, two cups sugar, four of flour, four eggs, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoon soda, one cupsweet milk, one pound currants, half pound citron. MARBLE CAKE, LIGHT PART. --One and a half cups white sugar, half cupbutter, half cup sweet milk, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoonsoda, whites of four eggs, two and half cups flour. DARK PART. --One cup brown sugar, half cup each molasses, butter andsour milk, one teaspoon cream tartar, one teaspoon soda, two and ahalf cups flour, yolks four eggs, half teaspoon cloves, allspice andcinnamon. MOLASSES COOKIES. --Three cups New Orleans molasses, one cup butter, one-half cup lard, one heaped teaspoon soda, one tablespoon ginger, one cup hot water. Roll thick. Better after standing. MUFFINS. --Take two cups flour, one cup milk, half cup sugar, foureggs, one-half teaspoon each of soda and cream tartar, one tablespoonbutter. Bake in rings. GRAHAM MUFFINS. --Mix one pint sweet milk, sift your flour, then takehalf pound each Graham and wheat flour, five or six spoonfuls meltedbutter, two half spoons baking powder. Bake in rings in very quickoven. NUT CAKE. --Mix each two tablespoons of butter and sugar, two eggs, onecup milk, three cups flour, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoonsoda, pint of nuts or almonds. Nuts may be sliced or not as suitstaste. OAT CAKES. --Mix fine and coarse oatmeal in equal proportions; addsugar, caraway-seeds, a dust of salt to three pounds of meal, aheaping teaspoonful of carbonate of soda; mix all thoroughly together, then add enough boiling water to make the whole a stiff paste; rollout this paste quite thin, and sprinkle meal on a griddle. Lay thecakes on to bake, or toast them quite dry in a Dutch oven in front ofthe fire; they should not scorch, but gradually dry through. ORANGE CAKE, THE MOST DELICATE AND DELICIOUS CAKE THERE IS. --Gratedrind of one orange; two cups sugar; whites of four eggs and yolksof five; one cup sweet milk; one cup butter; two large teaspoonfulsbaking powder, to be sifted through with the flour; bake quick injelly tins. Filling: Take white of the one egg that was left; beatto a froth, add a little sugar and the juice of the orange, beattogether, and spread between the layers. If oranges are not to be had, lemons will do instead. PLAIN FRUIT CAKE. --One pound each butter beaten to a cream, siftedsugar, sifted flour, twelve eggs, whites and yolks, beaten separately. Two pounds currants, three pounds of stoned raisins chopped, onenutmeg, a little cinnamon and other spices, half pint wine and brandymixed, one pound citron cut in slices and stuck in the batter afterit is in the tin. Bake slowly two to three hours. PLAIN CAKE. --Flour, three-quarters of a pound; sugar, the same quantity; butter, fourounces; one egg and two tablespoonfuls of milk. Mix all together andbake. PUFFS. --Two eggs beaten very light; one cup of milk, one cup of flour, and a pinch of salt. The gems should be heated while making the puffs, which are then placed in a quick oven. PLUM CAKE. --Six eggs well beaten, one pound of sugar, the sameof flour, butter and currants, four ounces of candied peel, twotablespoonfuls of mixed spice. When it is all mixed, add oneteaspoonful of carbonate of soda, and one of tartaric acid. Beat itall up quickly and bake directly. POUND CAKE. --Take four and a half cups flour, 3 cups each butter andsugar. Ten eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. Mix. PORK CAKE. --Take one pound salt pork chopped fine, boil a few minutesin half pint water, one cup molasses, two cups sugar, three eggs, twoteaspoons soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg to taste, one pound raisinschopped fine, flour to make a stiff batter. RICH SHORTBREAD. --Two pounds of flour, one pound butter, and quarterpound each of the following ingredients:--Candied orange and lemonpeel, sifted loaf sugar, blanched sweet almonds and caraway comfits. Cut the peel and almonds into thin slices, and mix them with one poundand a half of flour and the sugar. Melt the butter, and when cool, pour it into the flour, mixing it quickly with a spoon. Then with thehands mix it, working in the remainder of the flour; give it one rollout till it is an inch thick, cut it into the size you wish, and pinchround the edges. Prick the top with a fork, and stick in some carawaycomfits; put it on white paper, and bake on tins in a slow oven. SEED CAKE. --Take half a pound of butter and three-fourths of a poundof sugar, creamed; three eggs, beaten lightly, and two tablespoonfulsof picked and bruised caraway seed; dissolve half a teaspoonful ofsoda in a cup of new milk; mix these well together until they areabout the consistency of cream; then sift in two pounds of flour, mixwell with a knife, and roll them out into thin cakes, about an inch inthickness. Bake in a quick oven. SPONGE CAKE. --Take sixteen eggs; separate the whites from the yolks;beat them very lightly; sift into the yolks one pound of flour, addinga few drops of essence of almond or lemon, to flavor with; then addone pound and a quarter of pulverized loaf sugar; beat this well witha knife; then add the whites whipped to a stiff froth. Have ready thepans, and bake. SPONGE CAKE, WHITE. --One and one-third coffee cups of sugar; onecoffee cup flour; whites of ten eggs; beat eggs and sugar as if forfrosting; add flour by degrees and bake. SNOW CAKE. --Take one pound arrow-root, half pound white sugar, halfpound butter, the whites of six eggs, flavor with lemon, beat thebutter to a cream, stir in the sugar and arrow-root, whisk the whitesof the eggs to a stiff froth, beat for twenty minutes. Bake one hour. WASHINGTON CAKE. --One cup of sugar; 1/2 cup of butter; 1/2 cup sweetmilk; 2 eggs; 2 cups flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder. Bake in layersas jelly cake. Jelly part: One pint of grated apples; 1 egg; 1 cupof sugar; grated rind and juice of one lemon; put in a vessel of somekind, and boil; put it on the cakes hot. WAFFLES. --Take one quart milk, two eggs; beat the whites and yolksseparately; four tablespoons melted butter, two teaspoons Gillett'sbaking powder, flour to make a stiff batter. Bake in waffle irons. ALPINE SNOW. --Wash cup of rice, cook till tender in a covered dish tokeep it white, when nearly done add cup rich milk, salt to taste, stirin the beaten yolks of two eggs, allow it to simmer for a moment, thenplace in a dish, beat the whites in two tablespoons fine sugar. Putthe rice in little heaps upon the tin, intermingling with pieces ofred jelly, eat with fine sugar and cream. APPLE CHARLOTTE. --Take two pounds of apples, pare and core and slicethem into a pan and add one pound loaf sugar, juice of three lemonsand the grated rind of one, let these boil until they become a thickmass. Turn into a mould and serve it cold with thick custard or cream. APPLE CREAM. --One cup thick cream, one cup sugar, beat till verysmooth; then beat the whites of two eggs and add; stew apples in watertill soft; take them from the water with a fork; steam them if youprefer. Pour the cream over the apples when cold. APPLE CUSTARD. --Pare tart apples, core them, put them into a deep dishwith a small piece of butter, and one teaspoon of sugar and a littlenutmeg, in the opening of each apple, pour in water enough to cookthem, when soft cool them and pour over an unbaked custard so as tocover them and bake until the custard is done. APPLE FANCY. --Pare and core apples, stew with sugar and lemon peels, beat four eggs to a froth, add a cupful of grated bread crumbs, alittle sugar and nutmeg, lay the apples in the bottom of a dish andcover with the bread crumbs, laying a few pieces of butter over thetop, bake in a quick oven, when done turn out upside down on a flatdish, scatter fine sugar over the top of apples, boil potatoes andbeat fine with cream, large piece butter and salt, drop on tin, makesmooth on top, score with knife, lay a thin slice of butter on top, then put in oven till brown. APPLE FRITTERS. --One pint milk, three eggs, salt to taste, as muchflour as will make a batter, beat yolks and whites of eggs separately, add yolks to milk, stir in the whites when mixing the batter, havetender apples, pare, core, and cut in large thin slices, around theapple, to be fried in hot lard, ladle batter into spider, lay slice ofapple in centre of each quantity of batter, fry light brown. APPLE SNOW BALLS. --Pare six apples, cut them into quarters, remove thecores, reconstruct the position of the apples, introduce into thecavities one clove and a slice of lemon peel, have six small puddingcloths at hand and cover the apples severally in an upright positionwith rice, tying them up tight, then place them in a large saucepan ofscalding water and boil one hour, on taking them up open the top and adda little grated nutmeg with butter and sugar. ARROW-ROOT BLANC-MANGE. --Put two tablespoonfuls of arrow-root to aquart of milk, and a pinch of salt. Scald the milk, sweeten it, andstir in the arrow-root, which must first be wet up with some of themilk. Boil up once. Orange-water, rose-water or lemon-peel may be usedto flavor it. Pour into molds to cool. ARROW-ROOT CUSTARD. --Arrow-root, one tablespoonful; milk, 1 pint;sugar, 1 tablespoonful, and 1 egg. Mix the arrow-root with a little ofthe milk, cold; when the milk boils, stir in the arrow-root, egg andsugar, previously well beaten together. Let it scald, and pour intocups to cool. To flavor it, boil a little ground cinnamon in the milk. ARROW-ROOT JELLY. --To a dessert-spoonful of the powder, add as muchcold water as will make it into a paste, then pour on half a pint ofboiling water, stir briskly and boil it a few minutes, when it willbecome a clear smooth jelly; a little sugar and sherry wine maybe added for debilitated adults; but for infants, a drop or two ofessence of caraway seeds or cinnamon is preferable, wine being veryliable to become acid in the stomachs of infants, and to disorderthe bowels. Fresh milk, either alone or diluted with water, may besubstituted for the water. BAKED APPLES. --Take a dozen tart apples, pare and core them, placesugar and small lump of butter in centre of each, put them in a panwith half pint of water, bake until tender, basting occasionally withsyrup while baking, when done, serve with cream. CHOCOLATE CREAM CUSTARD. --Scrape quarter pound chocolate, pour on itone teacup boiling water, and stand it by fire until dissolved, beateight eggs light, omitting the whites of two, and stir them bydegrees into a quart of milk alternately with the chocolate and threetablespoons of white sugar, put the mixture into cups and bake 10minutes. CHARLOTTE RUSSE. --Whip one quart rich cream to a stiff froth, anddrain well on a nice sieve. To one scant pint of milk add six eggsbeaten very light; make very sweet; flavor high with vanilla. Cookover hot water till it is a thick custard. Soak one full ounce Coxe'sgelatine in a very little water, and warm over hot water. When thecustard is very cold, beat in lightly the gelatine and the whippedcream. Line the bottom of your mold with buttered paper, and the sideswith sponge cake or ladyfingers fastened together with the white of anegg. Fill with the cream, put in a cold place or in summer on ice. To turn out dip the mold for a moment in hot water. In draining thewhipped cream, all that drips through can be re-whipped. COCOA SNOW. --Grate the white part of a cocoanut and mix it with whitesugar, serve with whipped cream, or not, as desired. CREAM AND SNOW. --Make a rich boiled custard, and put it in the bottomof a dish; take the whites of eight eggs, beat with rose-water, and aspoonful of fine sugar, till it be a strong froth; put some milk andwater into a stew-pan; when it boils take the froth off the eggs, andlay it on the milk and water; boil up once; take off carefully and layit on the custard. BAKED CUSTARDS. --Boil a pint of cream with some mace and cinnamon; andwhen it is cold, take four yolks and two whites of eggs, a little roseand orange-flower water, sack, nutmeg, and sugar to your palate. Mixthem well, and bake it in cups. Or, pour into a deep dish, with or without lining or rim of paste;grate nutmeg and lemon peel over the top, and bake in a slow ovenabout thirty minutes. GOOSEBERRY CREAM. --Boil them in milk till soft; beat them, and strainthe pulp through a coarse sieve. Sweeten cream with sugar to yourtaste; mix with the pulp; when cold, place in glasses for use. IMPERIAL CREAM. --Boil a quart of cream with the thin rind of a lemon;stir till nearly cold; have ready in a dish to serve in, the juice ofthree lemons strained with as much sugar as will sweeten the cream;pour it into the dish from a large tea-pot, holding it high, andmoving it about to mix with the juice. It should be made from 6 to 12hours before it is served. JUMBALLS. --Flour, 1 lb. ; sugar, 1 lb. ; make into a light paste withwhites of eggs beaten fine; add 1/2 pint of cream; 1/2 lb. Ofbutter, melted; and 1 lb. Of blanched almonds, well beaten; knead alltogether, with a little rose-water; cut into any form; bake in a slowoven. A little butter may be melted with a spoonful of white wine andthrow fine sugar over the dish. LEMON PUFFS. --Beat and sift 1 pound of refined sugar; put into a bowlwith the juice of two lemons, and mix them together; beat the white ofan egg to a high froth; put it into the bowl; put in 3 eggs with tworinds of lemon grated; mix it well up, and throw sugar on thebuttered papers; drop on the puffs in small drops, and bake them in amoderately heated oven. LEMON TARTS. --Pare the rinds of four lemons, and boil tender in twowaters, and beat fine. Add to it 4 ounces of blanched almonds, cutthin, 4 ozs. Of lump sugar, the juice of the lemons, and a littlegrated peel. Simmer to a syrup. When cold, turn into a shallow tintart dish, lined with a rich thin puff paste, and lay bars of the sameover, and bake carefully. MACAROONS. --Blanch 4 ozs. Of almonds, and pound with 4 spoonfuls oforange-flower water; whisk the whites of four eggs to a froth, thenmix it, and 1 lb. Of sugar, sifted with the almonds to a paste; andlaying a sheet of wafer-paper on a tin, put it on in different littlecakes, the shape of macaroons. OATMEAL CUSTARD. --Take two teaspoons of the finest Scotch oatmeal, beat it up into a sufficiency of cold water in a basin to allow it torun freely. Add to it the yoke of a fresh egg, well worked up; havea pint of scalding new milk on the fire, and pour the oatmeal mixtureinto it, stirring it round with a spoon so as to incorporate thewhole. Add sugar to your taste, and throw in a glass of sherry to themixture, with a little grated nutmeg. Pour it into a basin, and takeit warm in bed. It will be found very grateful and soothing in casesof colds or chills. Some, persons scald a little cinnamon in the milkthey use for the occasion. ORANGE CRUMPETS. --Cream, 1 pint; new milk, 1 pint; warm it, and put init a little rennet or citric acid; when broken, stir it gently; layit on a cloth to drain all night, and then take the rinds of threeoranges, boiled, as for preserving, in three different waters; poundthem very fine, and mix them with the curd, and eight eggs in amortar, a little nutmeg, the juice of a lemon or orange, and sugar toyour taste; bake them in buttered tin pans. When baked put a littlewine and sugar over them. ORANGE CUSTARDS. --Boil the rind of half a Seville orange very tender;beat it very fine in a mortar; add a spoonful of the best brandy, thejuice of a Seville orange, 4 ozs. Loaf sugar, and the yolks of foureggs; beat all together ten minutes; then pour in gradually a pint ofboiling cream; keep beating them until they are cold; put them intocustard cups, and set them in an earthen dish of hot water; let themstand until they are set, take out, and stick preserved oranges on thetop, and serve them hot or cold. POMMES AU RIZ. --Peel a number of apples of a good sort, take outthe cores, and let them simmer in a syrup of clarified sugar, witha little lemon peel. Wash and pick some rice, and cook it in milk, moistening it therewith little by little, so that the grains mayremain whole. Sweeten it to taste; add a little salt and a taste oflemon-peel. Spread the rice upon a dish, mixing some apple preservewith it, and place the apples upon it, and fill up the vacanciesbetween the apples with some of the rice. Place the dish in the ovenuntil the surface gets brown, and garnish with spoonfuls of brightcolored preserve or jelly. RASPBERRY CREAM. --Mash the fruit gently, and let it drain; thensprinkle a little sugar over, and that will produce more juice; put itthrough a hair sieve to take out the seeds; then put the juice to somecream, and sweeten it; after which, if you choose to lower it withsome milk, it will not curdle; which it would if put to the milkbefore the cream; but it is best made of raspberry jelly, instead ofjam, when the fresh fruit cannot be obtained. RICE FRITTERS. --One pint of cooked rice, half cup of sweet milk, twoeggs, a tablespoon of flour, and a little salt. Have the lard hot inthe skillet, allow a tablespoon to each fritter, fry brown on eachside, then turn same as griddle cakes. If you find the rice spattersin the fat, add a very little more flour. You can judge after fryingone. RICE CROQUETTES. --Make little balls or oblong rolls of cooked rice;season with salt, and pepper if you like; dip in egg; fry in hot lard. RICE CUSTARDS. --Boil 3 pints of new milk with a bit of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and three bay leaves; sweeten; then mix a large spoonful ofrice flour into a cup of cold milk, very smooth; mix it with the yolksof four eggs well beaten. Take a basin of the boiling milk, andmix with the cold that has the rice in it; add the remainder of theboiling milk; stir it one way till it boils; pour immediately into apan; stir till cool, and add a spoonful of brandy, or orange-flowerwater. RICE FLUMMERY. --Boil with a pint of new milk, a bit of lemon-peel, andcinnamon; mix with a little cold milk, as much rice flour as willmake the whole of a good consistence, sweeten and add a spoonful ofpeach-water, or a bitter almond beaten; boil it, observing it does notburn; pour it into a shape or a pint basin, taken out the spice. Whencold, turn the flummery into a dish, and serve with cream, milk, orcustard round; or put a teacupful of cream into half a pint of newmilk, a glass of white wine, half a lemon squeezed, and sugar. ROCK CREAM. --Boil a teacupful of rice till quite soft in new milk andthen sweeten it with sugar, and pile it on a dish, lay on it currentjelly or preserved fruit, beat up the whites of five eggs with alittle powdered sugar and flour, add to this when beaten very stiffabout a tablespoon of rich cream and drop it over the rice. STRAWBERRY AND APPLE SOUFFLE. --Stew the apple with a littlelemon-peel; sweeten them, then lay them pretty high round the insideof a dish. Make a custard of the yolks of two eggs, a little cinnamon, sugar and milk. Let it thicken over a slow fire, but not boil; whenready, pour it in the inside of the apple. Beat the whites of the eggsto a strong froth, and cover the whole. Throw over it a good dealof pounded sugar, and brown it to a fine brown. Any fruit made of aproper consistence does for the walls, strawberries, when ripe, aredelicious. STRAWBERRY SHORT-CAKE. --First prepare the berries by picking; afterthey have been well washed--the best way to wash them is to hold theboxes under the faucet and let a gentle stream of water run over andthrough them, then drain, and pick them into an earthen bowl; nowtake the potato-masher and bruise them and cover with a thick layer ofwhite sugar; now set them aside till the cake is made. Take a quart ofsifted flour; half a cup of sweet butter; one egg, well beaten; threeteaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and milk enough to make a rather stiffdough; knead well, and roll with a rolling-pin till about one inchthick; bake till a nice brown, and when done, remove it to thetable; turn it out of the pan; with a light, sharp knife, cut it downlengthwise and crossways; now run the knife through it, and lay itopen for a few moments, just to let the steam escape (the steam ruinsthe color of the berries); then set the bottom crust on the platter;cover thickly with the berries, an inch and a half deep; lay the topcrust on the fruit; dust thickly with powdered sugar, and if any berryjuice is left in the bowl, pour it round the cake, not over it, andyou will have a delicious short-cake. SNOW CREAM. --To a quart of cream add the whites of three eggs, cutto a stiff froth, add four spoonfuls of sweet wine, sugar to taste, flavor with essence of lemon. Whip all to a froth, and as soon as itforms take it off and serve in glasses. STEWED FIGS. --Take four ounces of fine sugar, the thin rind of a largelemon, and a pint of cold water, when the sugar is dissolved, add onepound turkey figs, and place the stew-pan over a moderate fire wherethey may heat and swell slowly, and stew gently for two hours, whenthey are quite tender, add the juice of one lemon, arrange them in aglass dish and serve cold. SPANISH CREAM. --Dissolve in 1/2 pint of rose-water, 1 oz. Of isinglasscut small; run it through a hair sieve; add the yolks of three orfour eggs, beaten and mixed with half a pint of cream, and two sorrelleaves. Pour it into a deep dish, sweeten with loaf sugar powdered. Stir it till cold, and put it into molds. Lay rings round in differentcolored sweetmeats. Add, if you like, a little sherry, and a lumpor two of sugar, rubbed well upon the rind of a lemon to extract theflavor. WHIPPED CREAM. --To one quart of good cream, put a few drops ofbergamot water, a little orange-flower water, and 1/2 lb. Of sugar. When it is dissolved, whip the cream to a froth, and take it up witha skimmer; drain on a sieve, and if for icing, let it settle half anhour before you put it into cups or glasses. Use that which dropsinto the dish under the sieve, to make it froth the better, adding twowhites of eggs. Colored powdered sugar may, if you like, be sprinkledon the top of each. ASPARAGUS OMELET. --Boil a dozen of the largest and finest asparagusheads you can pick; cut off all the green portion, and chop it in thinslices; season with a small teaspoonful of salt, and about one-fourthof that quantity of soluble cayenne. Then beat up six eggs in asufficient quantity of new milk to make a stiffish batter. Melt inthe frying-pan a quarter of a pound of good, clean dripping, and justbefore you pour on the batter place a small piece of butter in thecenter of the pan. When the dripping is quite hot, pour on half yourbatter, and as it begins to set, place on it the asparagus tops, andcover over with the remainder. This omelet is generally served on around of buttered toast, with the crusts removed. The batter is richerif made of cream. BUTTERED EGGS. --Beat four or five eggs, yolks and whites together, put aquarter of a pound of butter in a basin, and then put that in boilingwater, stir it till melted, then pour the butter and the eggs into asauce-pan; keep a basin in your hand, just hold the sauce-pan in theother over a slow part of the fire, shaking it one way, as it begins towarm; pour it into a basin, and back, then hold it again over the fire, stirring it constantly in the saucepan, and pouring it into the basin, more perfectly to mix the egg and butter until they shall be hot withoutboiling. Serve on toasted bread; or in a basin, to eat with salt fish, or redherrings. CORN-OYSTERS. --Take a half dozen ears of sweet corn (those which arenot too old); with a sharp knife split each row of the corn in thecenter of the kernel lengthwise; scrape out all the pulp; add one egg, well beaten, a little salt, one tablespoonful of sweet milk; flourenough to make a pretty stiff batter. Drop in hot lard, and fry adelicate brown. If the corn is quite young, omit the milk, using aslittle flour as possible. CHEESE OMELET. --Mix to a smooth batter three tablespoonfuls of fineflour, with half a pint of milk. Beat up well the yolks and whitesof four eggs, a little salt, and a quarter of a pound of grated oldEnglish cheese. Add these to the flour and milk, and whisk all theingredients together for half an hour. Put three ounces of butter intoa frying-pan, and when it is boiling pour in the above mixture, fry itfor a few minutes, and then turn it carefully; when it is sufficientlycooked on the other side, turn it on to a hot dish and serve. IRISH STEW. --Take a loin of mutton, cut it into chops, season it witha very little pepper and salt, put it into a saucepan, just cover itwith water, and let it cook half an hour. Boil two dozen of potatoes, peel and mash them, and stir in a cup of cream while they are hot;then line a deep dish with the potatoes, and lay in the cooked muttonchops, and cover them over with the rest of the potatoes; then set itin the oven to bake. Make some gravy of the broth in which the chopswere cooked. This is a very nice dish. IRISH STEW. --Cut off the fat of part of a loin of mutton, and cut itinto chops. Pare, wash, and slice very thin some potatoes, two onions, and two small carrots; season with pepper and salt. Cover with waterin a stew-pan, and stew gently till the meat is tender, and thepotatoes are dissolved in the gravy. It may be made of beef-steaks, ormutton and beef mixed. MACARONI, DRESSED SWEET. --Boil 2 ozs. In a pint of milk, with a bit oflemon peel, and a good bit of cinnamon, till the pipes are swelled totheir utmost size without breaking. Lay them on a custard-dish, andpour a custard over them hot. Serve cold. MACARONI, AS USUALLY SERVED. --Boil it in milk, or a weak veal broth, flavored with salt. When tender, put it into a dish without theliquor, with bits of butter and grated cheese, and over the top gratemore, and put a little more butter. Put the dish into a Dutch oven, aquarter of an hour, and do not let the top become hard. OMELET. --Six eggs beaten separately, beaten hard, two teaspoons ofcorn starch, two tablespoons milk, whites of eggs, put in slow atlast. Fry in butter. RUMBLED EGGS. --This is very convenient for invalids, or a light dishfor supper. Beat up three eggs with two ounces of fresh butter, orwell-washed salt butter; add a teaspoonful of cream or new milk. Putall in a saucepan and keep stirring it over the fire for nearly fiveminutes, until it rises up like scuffle, when it should be immediatelydished on buttered toast. POACHED EGGS. --Break an egg into a cup, and put it gently into boilingwater; and when the white looks quite set, which will be in aboutthree or four minutes, take it up with an egg slice, and lay it ontoast and butter, or spinach. Serve them hot; if fresh laid, they willpoach well, without breaking. SAVORY POTATO-CAKES. --Quarter of a pound of grated ham, one pound ofmashed potatoes, and a little suet, mixed with the yolks of two eggs, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Roll it into little balls, or cakes, andfry it a light brown. Sweet herbs may be used in place of ham. Plainpotato cakes are made with potatoes and eggs only. TOMATO TOAST. --Remove the stem and all the seeds from the tomatoes;they must be ripe, mind, not _over ripe_; stew them to a pulp, seasonwith butter, pepper and salt; toast some bread (not new bread), butterit, and then spread the tomato on each side, and send it up to table, two slices on each dish, the slices cut in two; and the person whohelps it must serve with two half-slices, not attempt to lift the topslice, otherwise the appearance of the under slice will be destroyed. * * * * * HOW TO COOK FISH OF DIFFERENT KINDS HOW TO CHOOSE ANCHOVIES. --They are preserved in barrels, withbay-salt; no other fish has the fine flavor of the anchovy. The bestlook red and mellow, and the bones moist and oily; the flesh should behigh flavored, the liquor reddish, and have a fine smell. BAKED BLACK BASS. --Eight good-sized onions chopped fine; half thatquantity of bread crumbs; butter size of hen's egg; plenty of pepperand salt; mix thoroughly with anchovy sauce until quite red. Stuffyour fish with this compound and pour the rest over it, previouslysprinkling it with a little red pepper. Shad, pickerel and trout aregood the same way. Tomatoes can be used instead of anchovies, and aremore economical. If using them, take pork in place of butter, and chopfine. BOILED WHITE FISH. --Lay the fish open; put it in a dripping panwith the back down; nearly cover with water; to one fish put twotablespoons salt, cover tightly and simmer (not boil) one-half hour;dress with gravy, butter and pepper; garnish with sliced eggs. For sauce use a piece of butter the size of an egg, one tablespoon offlour, one half pint boiling water; boil a few minutes, and add threehard boiled eggs, sliced. FRESH BROILED WHITE FISH. --Wash and drain the fish: sprinkle withpepper and lay with the inside down upon the gridiron, and broil overfresh bright coals. When a nice brown, turn for a moment on the otherside, then take up and spread with butter. This is a very nice way ofbroiling all kinds of fish, fresh or salted. A little smoke under thefish adds to its flavor. This may be made by putting two or three cobsunder the gridiron. TO BOIL CODFISH. --If boiled fresh, it is watery; but it is excellentif salted, and hung for a day, to give it firmness. Wash and cleanthe fish well, and rub salt inside of it; tie it up, and put it on thefire in cold water; throw a handful of salt into the fish-kettle. Boila small fish 15 minutes; a large one 30 minutes. Serve it without thesmallest speck and scum; drain. Garnish it with lemon, horseradish, the milt, roe, and liver. Oyster or shrimp sauce may be used. CHOWDER. --Five pounds of codfish cut in squares; fry plenty of salt porkcut in thin slices; put a layer of pork in your kettle, then one offish; one of potatoes in thick slices, and one of onions in slices;plenty of pepper and salt; repeat as long as your materials last, andfinish with a layer of Boston crackers or crusts of bread. Watersufficient to cook with, or milk if you prefer. Cook one-half hour andturn over on your platter, disturbing as little as possible. Clams andeels the same way. CLAM FRITTERS. --Twelve clams chopped or not, one pint milk, threeeggs, add liquor from clams; salt and pepper, and flour enough forthin batter. Fry in hot lard. CLAM STEW. --Lay the clams on a gridironover hot coals, taking them out of the shell as soon as open, savingthe juice; add a little hot water, pepper, a very little salt andbutter rolled in flour sufficient for seasoning; cook for five minutesand pour over toast. EELS, TO STEW. --Of the above fish, that of the "silver" kind ispreferable to its congener, and, therefore, ought to be procured forall cuisine purposes. Take from three to four pounds of these eels, and let the same be thoroughly cleansed, inside and out, rescindingthe heads and tails from the bodies. Cut them into pieces three inchesin length each, and lay them down in a stew pan, covering them witha sufficiency of sweet mutton gravy to keep them seething over a slowfire, when introduced into the pan, for twenty minutes. Add to theliquor, before you place your eels into it, a quarter of an ounce ofwhole black pepper, quarter of an ounce of allspice, with one or twopieces of white ginger. Thicken with a light admixture of flour andbutter, stirring it carefully round, adding thereto, at the sametime, one gill of good port wine, and half a gill of sweet ketchup. Lemon-peel and salt may be added in accordance with your taste. HOW TO KEEP FISH SOUND. --To prevent meat, fish, etc. , going bad, put afew pieces of charcoal into the sauce-pan wherein the fish or flesh isto be boiled. HOW TO RENDER BOILED FISH FIRM. --Add a little saltpetre to the salt inthe water in which the fish is to be boiled; a quarter of an ounce toone gallon. FISH BALLS. --Bone, cooked fresh, or salt fish, add double the quantityof mashed potatoes, one beaten egg, a little butter, pepper and saltto taste. Make in cakes or balls; dredge with flour and fry in hotlard. POTTED FISH. --Take out the back-bone of the fish; for one weighing twopounds take a tablespoon of allspice and cloves mixed; these spicesshould be put into bags of not too thick muslin; put sufficient saltdirectly upon each fish; then roll in cloth, over which sprinkle alittle cayenne pepper; put alternate layers of fish, spice and sagoin an earthen jar; cover with the best cider vinegar; cover the jarclosely with a plate and over this put a covering of dough, rolledout to twice the thickness of pie crust. Make the edges of paste, toadhere closely to the sides of the jar, so as to make it air-tight. Put the jar into a pot of cold water and let it boil from three tofive hours, according to quantity. Ready when cold. HOW TO BROIL OR ROAST FRESH HERRINGS. --Scale, gut and wash; cut offthe heads; steep them in salt and vinegar ten minutes; dust them withflour, and broil them over or before the fire, or in the oven. Servewith melted butter and parsley. Herrings are nice _jarred_, and done in the oven, with pepper, cloves, salt, a little vinegar, a few bay-leaves, and a little butter. HOW TO FRY FRESH HERRINGS. --Slice small onions, and lay in the panwith the herrings; add a little butter, and fry them. Perhaps it isbetter to fry the onions separately with a little parsley, and butteror drip. HOW TO POT HERRINGS. --Clean, cut off the heads, and lay them closein an earthen pot. Strew a little salt between every layer; put incloves, mace, whole pepper, cayenne and nutmeg; fill up the jar withvinegar, water, and a quarter of a pint of sherry, cover, tie down;bake in an oven, and when cold pot it for use. A few anchovies and bayleaves intermixed will improve the flavor much. BUTTERED LOBSTERS. --Pick the meat out, cut it, and warm with a littlebrown gravy, nutmeg, salt, pepper and butter, with a little flour. Ifdone white, a little white gravy and cream. CURRY OF LOBSTER. --Take them from the shells, and lay into a pan, witha small piece of mace, three or four spoonfuls of veal gravy, andfour of cream; rub smooth one or two teaspoonfuls of curry-powder, ateaspoonful of flour, and an ounce of butter, simmer an hour; squeezehalf a lemon in, and add salt. LOBSTER CHOWDER. --Four or five pounds of lobster, chopped fine; takethe green part and add to it four pounded crackers; stir this intoone quart of boiling milk; then add the lobster, a piece of butterone-half the size of an egg, a little pepper and salt, and bring it toa boil. HOW TO BOIL MACKEREL. --Rub them with vinegar; when the water boils, put them in with a little salt, and boil gently 15 minutes. Servewith fennel and parsley chopped, boil, and put into melted butter, andgooseberry sauce. SALT MACKEREL. --Soak the fish for a few hours in lukewarm water, changing the water several times; then put into cold water looselytied in cloths, and let the fish come to a boil, turning off the wateronce, and pouring over the fish hot water from the tea-kettle; letthis just come to a boil, then take them out and drain them, lay themon a platter, butter and pepper them, and place them for a few momentsin the oven. Serve with sliced lemons, or with any fish sauce. HOW TO FRY OYSTERS. --Use the largest and best oysters; lay them inrows upon a clean cloth and press another upon them, to absorb themoisture; have ready several beaten eggs; and in another dish somefinely crushed crackers: in the frying pan heat enough butter toentirely cover the oysters; dip the oysters first into the eggs, theninto the crackers, rolling it or them over, that they may become wellincrusted; drop into the frying pan and fry quickly to a light brown. Serve dry and let the dish be warm. A chafing dish is best. OYSTER PATTIES. --Make some rich puff paste and bake it in very smalltin patty pans; when cool, turn them out upon a large dish; stew somelarge fresh oysters with a few cloves, and a little mace and nutmeg;then add the yolk of one egg, boiled hard and grated; add a littlebutter, and as much of the oyster liquor as will cover them. Whenthey have stewed a little while, take them off the pan and set them tocool. When quite cold, lay two or three oysters in each shell of puffpaste. OYSTERS, STEWED. --In all cases, unless shell oysters, wash and drain;mix half a cup of butter and a tablespoon of corn starch; put with theoysters in a porcelain kettle; stir until they boil; add two cups ofcream or milk; salt to taste; do not use the liquor of the oysters ineither stewing or escaloping. OYSTERS STEWED. --Scald the oysters in their own liquor, then take themout, beard them, and strain the liquor carefully from the grit. Put intoa stewpan an ounce of butter, with sufficient flour dredged in to dry itup; add the oyster liquor, and a blade of pounded mace, a littlecayenne, and a very little salt to taste; stir it well over a brisk firewith a wooden spoon, and when it comes to the boil, throw in youroysters, say a dozen and a half or a score, and a good tablespoonful ofcream, or more, if you have it at hand. Shake the pan over the fire, andlet it simmer for one or two minutes, but not any longer, and do not letit boil, or the fish will harden. Serve in a hot dish, garnished withsippets of toasted bread. Some persons think that the flavor is improvedby boiling a small piece of lemon-peel with the oyster liquor, taking itout, however, before the cream is added. OYSTERS SCOLLOPED. --Beard and trim your oysters, and strain theliquor. Melt in a stewpan, with a dredging of flour sufficient to dryit up, an ounce of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of white stock, andthe same of cream; the strained liquor and pepper, and salt to taste. Put in the oysters and gradually heat them through, but be sure not tolet them boil. Have your scallop-shells buttered, lay in the oysters, and as much liquid as they will hold; cover them well over withbread-crumbs, over which spread, or drop, some tiny bits of butter. Brown them in the oven, or before the fire, and serve while very hot. OYSTERS, TO PICKLE. --Take two hundred of the plumpest, nicest oystersto be had, open them, saving the liquor, remove the beards, putthem, with the liquor, into a stewpan, and let them simmer for twentyminutes over a very gentle fire, taking care to skim them well. Takethe stewpan off the fire, take out the oysters, and strain the liquorthrough a fine cloth, returning the oysters to the stewpan. Add toa pint of the hot liquor half an ounce of mace, and half an ounce ofcloves; give it a boil, and put it in with the oysters, stirring thespice well in amongst them. Then put in about a spoonful of salt, three-quarters of a pint of white-wine vinegar, and one ounce of wholepepper, and let the oysters stand until they are quite cold. They willbe ready for use in about twelve or twenty-four hours; if to be keptlonger they should be put in wide-mouthed bottles, or stone jars, andwell drawn down with bladder. It is very important that they should bequite cold before they are put into the bottles, or jars. SALMON, TO BOIL. --Clean it carefully, boil it gently with salt and alittle horse radish; take it out of the water as soon as done. Letthe water be warm if the fish be split. If underdone it is veryunwholesome. Serve with shrimp, lobster, or anchovy sauce, and fenneland butter. SALMON, TO MARINATE. --Cut the salmon in slices; take off the skin andtake out the middle bone; cut each slice asunder; put into a saucepanand season with salt, pepper, 6 cloves, a sliced onion, some wholechives, a little sweet basil, parsley, and a bay leaf; then squeeze inthe juice of three lemons, or use vinegar. Let the salmon lie in themarinate for two hours; take it out; dry with a cloth; dredge withflour, and fry brown in clarified butter; then lay a clean napkin in adish; lay the slices upon it; garnish with fried parsley. SALT COD, TO DRESS. --Soak the cod all night in 2 parts water, and onepart vinegar. Boil; and break into flakes on the dish; pour over itboiled parsnips, beaten in a mortar, and then boil up with cream, anda large piece of butter rolled in a bit of flour. It may be servedwith egg-sauce instead of parsnip, or boiled and served withoutflaking with the usual sauce. All _Salt Fish_ may be done in a similar way. Pour egg-sauce over it, or parsnips, boiled and beaten fine with butter and cream. HOW TO BOIL STURGEON--Water, 2 quarts; vinegar, 1 pint; a stick ofhorseradish; a little lemon-peel, salt, pepper, a bay leaf. In thisboil the fish; when the fish is ready to leave the bones, take it up;melt 1/2 lb. Of butter; add an anchovy, some mace, a few shrimps, goodmushroom ketchup, and lemon juice; when it boils, put in the dish;serve with the sauce; garnish with fried oysters, horseradish andlemon. HOW TO BROIL STURGEON. --Cut slices, rub beaten eggs over them, andsprinkle them with crumbs of bread, parsley, pepper and salt; wrapthem in white paper, and broil gently. Use for sauce, butter, anchovyand soy. HOW TO DRESS FRESH STURGEON. --Cut slices, rub egg over them, thensprinkle with crumbs of bread, parsley, pepper, salt; fold them inpaper, and broil gently. Sauce; butter, anchovy and soy. HOW TO ROAST STURGEON. --Put a piece of butter, rolled in flour, intoa stewpan with four cloves, a bunch of sweet herbs, two onions, somepepper and salt, half a pint of water and a glass of vinegar. Set itover the fire till hot; then let it become lukewarm, and steep thefish in it an hour or two. Butter a paper well, tie it round, androast it without letting the spit run through. Serve with sorrel andanchovy sauce. TROUT, A-LA-GENEVOISE--Clean the fish well; put it into the stewpan, adding half champagne and half sherry wine. Season it with pepper, salt, an onion, a few cloves stuck in it, and a small bunch of parsleyand thyme; put in it a crust of French bread; set it on a quick fire. When done take the bread out, bruise it and thicken the sauce: addflour and a little butter, and boil it up. Lay the fish on the dish, and pour the sauce over it. Serve it with sliced lemon and friedbread. HOW TO BROIL TROUT--Wash, dry, tie it, to cause it to keep its shape;melt butter, add salt, and cover the trout with it. Broil it graduallyin a Dutch oven, or in a common oven. Cut an anchovy small, and chopsome capers. Melt some butter with a little flour, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and half a spoonful of vinegar. Pour it over the trout andserve it hot. * * * * * HOW TO CHOOSE AND COOK GAME HOW TO CHOOSE DUCKS--A young duck should have supple feet, breast andbelly hard and thick. A tame duck has dusky yellow feet. They shouldbe picked dry, and ducklings scalded. HOW TO ROAST DUCKS. --Carefully pick, and clean the inside. Boil two orthree onions in two waters; chop them very small. Mix the onions withabout half the quantity of sage leaves, bread crumbs finely powdered, a spoonful of salt, and a little cayenne paper; beat up the yolk of anegg, and rub the stuffing well together. With a brisk fire roast about35 minutes. Serve with gravy sauce. HOW TO STEW DUCKS. --Lard two young ducks down each side the breast;dust with flour; brown before the fire; put into a stewpan with aquart of water, a pint of port wine, a spoonful of walnut ketchup, the same of browning, one anchovy, a clove of garlick, sweet herbs andcayenne pepper. Stew till they are tender, about half an hour; skimand strain, and pour over the duck. HOW TO HASH PARTRIDGE. --Cut up the partridges as for eating; slicean onion into rings; roll a little butter in flour; put them intothe tossing pan, and shake it over the fire till it boils; put inthe partridge with a little port wine and vinegar; and when it isthoroughly hot, lay it on the dish with sippets round it; strain thesauce over the partridge, and lay on the onion in rings. HOW TO POT PARTRIDGE. --Clean them nicely; and season with mace, allspice, white pepper and salt, in fine powder. Rub every part well;then lay the breast downward in a pan, and pack the birds as closely asyou possibly can. Put a good deal of butter on them; then cover[Transcriber's note: the original reads "he pan"] the pan with a coarseflour paste and a paper over, tie it close, and bake. When cold, put thebirds into pots, and cover with butter. HOW TO ROAST PARTRIDGE. --Roast them like a turkey, and when a littleunder roasted, dredge them with flour, and baste them with butter; letthem go to table with a fine froth; put gravy sauce in the dish, andbread sauce on the table. HOW TO STEW PARTRIDGE. --Truss as for roasting; stuff the craws, andlard them down each side of the breast; roll a lump of butter inpepper, salt and beaten mace, and put them inside; sew up the vents;dredge them well and fry a light brown; put them into a stewpan witha quart of good gravy, a spoonful of sherry wine, the same of mushroomketchup, a teaspoonful of lemon pickle, and a little mushroom powder, one anchovy, half a lemon, a sprig of sweet marjoram; cover the panclose, and stew half an hour; take out, and thicken the gravy; boil alittle, and pour it over the partridge, and lay round them artichokebuttons, boiled, and cut in quarters, and the yolks of four hard eggs, if agreeable. HOW TO ROAST PHEASANT. --Roast them as turkey; and serve with a finegravy (into which put a very small bit of garlic) and bread sauce. When cold, they may be made into excellent patties, but their flavorshould not be overpowered by lemon. HOW TO ROAST PLOVERS. --Roast the _green_ ones in the same way aswoodcocks and quails, without drawing, and serve on a toast. _Grey_plovers may be either roasted or stewed with gravy, herbs and spice. HOW TO FRICASSEE QUAILS. --Having tossed them up in a sauce-pan witha little melted butter and mushrooms, put in a slice of ham, wellbeaten, with salt, pepper, cloves and savory herbs; add good gravy, and a glass of sherry; simmer over a slow fire; when almost done, thicken the ragout with a good cullis, (i. E. A good broth, strained, gelatined, etc. ) or with two or three eggs, well beaten up in a littlegravy. HOW TO ROAST QUAILS. --Roast them without drawing and serve on toast. Butter only should be eaten with them, as gravy takes off the fineflavor. The thigh and the back are the most esteemed. HOW TO ROAST RABBITS. --Baste them with butter, and dredge them withflour; half an hour will do them at a brisk fire; and if small, twentyminutes. Take the livers with a bunch of parsley, boil them, and chopthem very fine together; melt some butter, and put half the liver andparsley into the butter; pour it into the dish, and garnish the dishwith the other half; roast them to a fine light brown. HOW TO MAKE RABBIT TASTE LIKE A HARE. --Choose one that is young, butfull grown; hang it in the skin three or four days; then skin it, andlay it, without washing, in a seasoning of black pepper and allspicein a very fine powder, a glass of port wine, and the same quantity ofvinegar. Baste it occasionally for 40 hours, then stuff it and roastit as a hare, and with the same sauce. Do not wash off the liquor thatit was soaked in. HOW TO ROAST SNIPES--Do not draw them. Split them; flour them, andbaste with butter. Toast a slice of bread brown; place it in the dishunder the birds for the trail to drop on. When they are done enough, take up, and lay them on the toast; put good gravy in the dish. Servewith butter, and garnish with orange or lemon. SNIPE PIE--Bone 4 snipes, and truss them. Put in their insidefinely chopped bacon, or other forcemeat; put them in the dish withthe breast downwards, and put forcemeat balls around them. Add gravymade of butter, and chopped veal and ham, parsley, pepper and shalots. Cover with nice puff paste; close it well to keep in the gravy. Whennearly done, pour in more gravy, and a little sherry wine. Bake two orthree hours. HOW TO FRY VENISON--Cut the meat into slices, and make a gravy of thebones; fry it of a light brown, and keep it hot before the fire; putbutter rolled in flour into the pan, and stir it till thick and brown;add 1/2 lb. Of loaf sugar powdered, with the gravy made from thebones, and some port wine. Let it be as thick as cream; squeeze in alemon; warm the venison in it; put it in the dish, and pour the sauceover it. * * * * * HOW TO MAKE ICE CREAMS WATER-ICE AND JELLIES TO MOLD ICES--Fill your mold as quickly as possible with the frozencream, wrap it up in paper, and bury it in ice and salt, and letit remain for an hour or more to harden. For dishing, have the dishready, dip the mold in hot water for an instant, wipe it, take off thetop and bottom covers, and turn it into the dish. This must be doneexpeditiously. In molding ices, it is advisable not to have the creamtoo stifly frozen before putting it into the mold. ICE CREAM--Take two quarts milk, one pint cream, three eggs beatenvery light, and two teaspoons of arrowroot; boil in one-half pintmilk, strain eggs, arrow-root, and flavor to suit, then freeze. GINGER ICE CREAM--Bruise six ounces of the best preserved ginger in amortar; add the juice of one lemon, half a pound of sugar, one pint ofcream. Mix well; strain through a hair sieve; freeze. One quart. ITALIAN ICE CREAM--Rasp two lemons on some sugar, which, with theirjuice, add to one pint of cream, one glass of brandy, half a pound ofsugar; freeze. One quart. LEMON ICE CREAM--Take one pint of cream, rasp two lemons on sugar;squeeze them, and add the juice with half a pound of sugar. Mix;freeze. One quart. PINE-APPLE ICE CREAM--Take one pound of pineapple, when peeled, bruise it in a marble mortar, pass it through a hair sieve, addthree-quarters of a pound of powdered sugar, and one pint of cream. Freeze. RASPBERRY AND CURRANT ICE CREAM--Take one pound of raspberries, halfa pound of red currants, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and onepint of cream. Strain, color and freeze. One quart. STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM--Take two pounds of fresh strawberries, carefullypicked, and, with a wooden spoon, rub them through a hair sieve, andabout half a pound of powdered sugar, and the juice of one lemon;color with a few drops of prepared cochineal; cream, one pint; thenfreeze. This will make a reputed quart. When fresh strawberries arenot in season take strawberry jam, the juice of two lemons, cream, to one quart. Color, strain, and freeze. Milk may be substituted forcream, and makes good ices. If too much sugar is used, the ices willprove watery, or, perhaps not freeze at all. VANILLA ICE CREAM--Pound one stick of vanilla, or sufficient to flavorit to palate, in a mortar, with half a pound of sugar; strain througha sieve upon the yolks of two eggs, put it into a stewpan, with half apint of milk; simmer over a slow fire, stirring all the time, thesame as custard; when cool add one pint of cream and the juice of onelemon; freeze. One quart. CHERRY WATER-ICE--One lb. Cherries, bruised in a mortar with the stones;add the juice of two lemons, half a pint of water, one pint of clarifiedsugar, one glass of noyeau, and a little color; strain; freeze. Onequart. LEMON WATER-ICE. --Take two lemons, and rasp them on sugar, the juiceof six lemons, the juice of one orange, one pint of clarified sugar, and half a pint of water. Mix; strain through a hair sieve; freeze. One quart. MELON WATER-ICE. --Half a lb. Of ripe melon pounded in a mortar, twoounces of orange-flower water, the juice of two lemons, half a pint ofwater and one pint of clarified sugar; strain; freeze. One quart. STRAWBERRY OR RASPBERRY WATER-ICE. --One pound of scarlet strawberriesor raspberries, half a pound currants, half a pint of water, one pintof clarified sugar, and a little color; strain and freeze. One quart. APPLE JELLY. --Cut the apples and boil in water to cover, boil down, then strain, and take a pound of sugar to a pint of juice, then boilfifteen minutes hard. APPLE JELLY. --Cut off all spots and decayed places on the apples;quarter them, but do not pare or core them; put in the peel of as manylemons as you like, about two to six or eight dozen of the apples;fill the preserving-pan, and cover the fruit with spring water; boilthem till they are in pulp, then pour them into a jelly-bag; let themstrain all night, do not squeeze them. To every pint of juice put onepound of white sugar; put in the juice of the lemons you had beforepared, but strain it through muslin. You may also put in about ateaspoonful of essense of lemon; let it boil for at least twentyminutes; it will look redder than at first; skim it well at the time. Put it either in shapes or pots, and cover it the next day. It oughtto be quite stiff and very clear. APPLE JELLY. --Prepare twenty golden pippins; boil them in a pint anda half of water from the spring till quite tender; then strain theliquor through a colander. To every pint put a pound of fine sugar;add cinnamon, grated orange or lemon; then boil to a jelly. ANOTHER. --Prepare apples as before, by boiling and straining; haveready half an ounce of isinglass boiled in half a pint of water to ajelly; put this to the apple-water and apple, as strained througha coarse sieve; add sugar, a little lemon-juice and peel; boil alltogether, and put into a dish. Take out the peel. CALF'S FOOT LEMON JELLY--Boil four quarts of water with three calf'sfeet, or two cow heels, till half wasted; take the jelly from the fatand sediment, mix with it the juice of a Seville orange and twelvelemons, the peels of three ditto, the whites and shells of twelveeggs, sugar to taste, a pint of raisin wine, 1 oz. Of coriander seeds, 1/4 oz. Of allspice, a bit of cinnamon, and six cloves, all bruised, after having mixed them cold. The jelly should boil fifteen minuteswithout stirring; then clear it through a flannel bag. CHERRY JELLY. --Cherries, 5 lbs. ; stone them; red currants, 2 lbs. ;strain them, that the liquor may be clear; add 2 lbs. Of sifted loafsugar, and 2 ozs. Of isinglass. CHOCOLATE CARAMEL--One pint milk, half pound butter, half poundCadbury's chocolate, three pounds sugar, two spoons vanilla. Boilslowly until brittle. CURRANT JELLY, RED OR BLACK--Strip the fruit, and in a stone jar stewthem in a saucepan of water or on the fire; strain off the liquor, andto every pint weigh 1 lb. Of loaf sugar; put the latter in large lumpsinto it, in a stone or China vessel, till nearly dissolved; then putit into a pre-serving-pan; simmer and skim. When it will jelly on aplate put it in small jars or glasses. GREEN GOOSEBERRY JELLY--Place the berries in hot water on a slow firetill they rise to the surface; take off; cool with a little water, addalso a little vinegar and salt to green them. In two hours drain, andput them in cold water a minute; drain, and mix with an equal weightof sugar; boil slowly 20 minutes; sieve, and put into glasses. ICELAND MOSS JELLY--Moss, 1/2 to 1 oz. ; water, 1 quart. Simmer down to1/2 pint. Add fine sugar and a little lemon juice. It may be improvedwith 1/4 ounce of isinglass. The moss should first be steeped in coldwater an hour or two. ISINGLASS JELLY--Boil one ounce of isinglass ina quart of water, with 1/4 ounce of Jamaica pepper-corns or cloves, and a crust of bread, till reduced to a pint. Add sugar. It keepswell, and may be taken in wine and water, milk, tea, soup, etc. LEMON JELLY CAKE--Take four eggs, one cup sugar, butter the size of anegg, one and a half cups flour, half cup sweet milk, two teaspoons ofbaking powder. Jelly. --One grated lemon, one grated apple, one egg, one cup sugar, beat all together, put in a tin and stir till boils. LEMON JELLY--Take one and a half packages of gelatine, one pint coldwater, soak two hours, then add two teacups sugar, one pint boilingwater; stir all together, add the juice of two lemons or one wineglasswine, strain through a cloth, and put in a mold. ORANGE JELLY--It may be made the same as lemon jelly, which see. Gratethe rind of two Seville and of two China oranges, and two lemons;squeeze the juice of three of each, and strain, and add to the juicea quarter of a pound of lump sugar, a quarter of a pint of water, andboil till it almost candies. Have ready a quart of isinglass jellymade with two ounces; put to it the syrup, boil it once up; strain offthe jelly, and let it stand to settle as above, before it is put intothe mold. QUINCE JELLY--Cut in pieces a sufficient quantity of quinces; draw offthe juice by boiling them in water, in which they ought only to swim, no more. When fully done drain, and have ready clarified sugar, ofwhich put one spoonful to two of the juice; bring the sugar to the_souffle_; add the juice, and finish. When it drops from the skimmerit is enough; take it off, and pot it. JELLY OF SIBERIAN CRABS--Take off the stalks, weigh and wash thecrabs. To each one and a half pounds, add one pint of water. Boil themgently until broken, but do not allow them to fall to a pulp. Pourthe whole through a jelly-bag, and when the juice is quite transparentweigh it; put it into a clean preserving-pan, boil it quickly for tenminutes, then add ten ounces of fine sugar to each pound of juice;boil it from twelve to fifteen minutes, skim it very clean, and pourinto molds. SIBERIAN CRAB-APPLE JELLY--Mash the crab apples, take off steins andheads, put in pot, cover with water, let them boil to a pulp, thenturn them in a flannel bag, and leave all night to strain, then addone pound of sugar to a pint of juice, boil ten to fifteen minutes, skim and put in jelly glasses. SIBERIAN CRAB JELLY--Fill a large flannel bag with crabs. Put the bagin a preserving-pan of spring water, and boil for about seven hours;then take out the bag, and fill it so that all the syrup can runthrough, and the water that remains in the pan; and to each pint ofsyrup add one pound of loaf sugar, and boil for about an hour, and itwill be a clear, bright red jelly. * * * * * Telegraph wires have to be renewed every five or seven years. TheWestern Union Telegraph Company exchange about one thousand tons ofold wire for new every year. The new wire costs from seven to eightcents per pound, and for the old about one-eighth of a cent a pound isallowed. * * * * * HOW TO SELECT AND COOK MEATS HOW TO DRESS BACON AND BEANS--When you dress beans and bacon, boil thebacon by itself, and the beans by themselves, for the bacon will spoilthe color of the beans. Always throw some salt into the water and someparsley nicely picked. When the beans are done enough, which you willknow by their being tender, throw them into a colander to drain. Takeup the bacon and skin it; throw some raspings of the bread over thetop, and if you have a salamander, make it red hot, and hold it overit to brown the top of the bacon; if you have not one, set it beforethe fire to brown. Lay the beans in the dish, and the bacon in themiddle on the top, and send them to table, with butter in a tureen. CORNED BEEF--Make the following pickle: Water, 2 gallons; salt, 2-1/2 lbs. ; molasses, 1/2 lb. ; sugar, 1 lb. ; saltpetre, 1-1/2 ozs. ;pearlash, 1/4 oz. Boil all together; skim, and pour the pickle onabout 25 lbs. Of beef. Let it stay in a few days. Boil in plentyof water when cooked to remove the salt, and eat with it plenty ofvegetables. It is nice to eat cold, and makes excellent sandwiches. ROLLED BEEF--Hang three ribs three or four days; take out the bonesfrom the whole length, sprinkle it with salt, roll the meat tight androast it. Nothing can look nicer. The above done with spices, etc. , and baked as hunters' beef is excellent. BEEF, ROLLED TO EQUAL HARE--Take the inside of a large sirloin, soak it in a glass of port wine and a glass of vinegar mixed, forforty-eight hours; have ready a very fine stuffing, and bind it uptight. Roast it on a hanging spit; and baste it with a glass of portwine, the same quantity of vinegar, and a teaspoonful of poundedallspice. Larding it improves the look and flavor; serve with a richgravy in the dish; currant-jelly and melted butter in tureens. ROUND OF BEEF--Should be carefully salted and wet with the picklefor eight or ten days. The bone should be cut out first, and the beefskewered and tied up to make it quite round. It may be stuffed withparsley, if approved, in which case the holes to admit the parsleymust be made with a sharp pointed knife, and the parsley coarsely cutand stuffed in tight. As soon as it boils, it should be skimmed: andafterwards kept boiling very gently. BEEF STEAK, STEWED--Peel and chop two spanish onions, cut intosmall parts four pickled walnuts, and put them at the bottom of astewpan; add a teacupful of mushroom ketchup, two teaspoonfuls ofwalnut ditto, one of shalot, one of chile vinegar, and a lump ofbutter. Let the rump-steak be cut about three-quarters of an inchthick, and beat it flat with a rolling-pin, place the meat on the topof the onions, etc. , let it stew for one hour and a half, turning itevery twenty minutes. Ten minutes before serving up, throw a dozenoysters with the liquor strained. BEEF STEAK AND OYSTER SAUCE--Select a good, tender rump-steak, aboutan inch thick, and broil it carefully. Nothing but experience andattention will serve in broiling a steaks; one thing, however, isalways to be remembered, never malt or season broiled meat untilcooked. Have the gridiron clean and hot, grease it with either butter, or good lard, before laying on the meat, to prevent its sticking ormarking the meat; have clear, bright coals, and turn it frequently. When cooked, cover tightly, and have ready nicely stewed oysters; thenlay the steak in a hot dish and pour over some of the oysters. Servethe rest in a tureen. Twenty-five oysters will make a nice sauce for asteak. FRICASSEE OF COLD ROAST BEEF--Cut the beef into very thin slices;shred a handful of parsley very small, cut an onion into quarters, and put all together into a stewpan, with a piece of butter, and somestrong broth; season with salt and pepper, and simmer very gently aquarter of an hour; then mix into it the yolks of two eggs, a glassof port wine, and a spoonful of vinegar; stir it quickly, rub the dishwith shalot, and turn the fricassee into it. BRAWN--Clean a pig's head, and rub it over with salt and a littlesaltpetre, and let it lie two or three days; then boil it until thebones will leave the meat; season with salt and pepper, and lay themeat hot in a mold, and press and weigh it down for a few hours. Boilanother hour, covering. Be sure and cut the tongue, and lay the slicesin the middle, as it much improves the flavor. CALF'S LIVER AND BACON--Cut the liver into slices, and fry it first, then the bacon; lay the liver in the dish, and the bacon upon it;serve it up with gravy, made in the pan with boiling water, thickenedwith flour and butter, and lemon juice; and, if agreeable, a littleparsley and onion may be chopped into it, or a little boiled parsleystrewed over the liver. Garnish with slices of lemon. NICE FORM OF COLD MEATS--Remains of boiled ham, mutton, roast beef, etc. , are good chopped fine with hard boiled eggs, two heads oflettuce, a bit of onion, and seasoned with mustard, oil, vinegar, and, if needed, more salt. Fix it smoothly in a salad dish, and adorn theedges with sprigs of parsley or leaves of curled lettuce. Keep by theice or in a cool place until wanted. FRIED HAM AND EGGS--Cut thin slices, place in the pan, and frycarefully. Do not burn. When done break the eggs into the fat; pepperslightly; keep them whole; do not turn them. Ham rushers may be served with spinach and poached eggs. TO COOK HAM--Scrape it clean. Do not put into cold nor boiling water. Let the water become warm; then put the ham in. Simmer or boillightly for five or six hours; take out, and shave the rind off. Rubgranulated sugar into the whole surface of the ham, so long as it canbe made to receive it. Place the ham in a baking-dish with a bottle ofchampagne or prime cider. Baste occasionally with the juice, and letit bake an hour in a gentle heat. A slice from a nicely cured ham thus cooked is enough to animate theribs of death. Or, having taken off the rind, strew bread crumbs or raspings overit, so as to cover it; set it before the fire, or in the oven tillthe bread is crisp and brown. Garnish with carrots, parsley, etc. Thewater should simmer all the time, and never boil fast. HAM AND CHICKEN, IN JELLY--This is a nice dish for supper or luncheon. Make with a small knuckle of veal some good white stock. When cold, skimand strain it; melt it, and put a quart of it into a saucepan with thewell beaten whites of three eggs; a dessert-spoonful of chili, or atablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a little salt. Beat the mixturewell with a fork till it boils; let it simmer till it is reduced to alittle more than a pint; strain it; put half of it into a mold; let itnearly set. Cut the meat of a roast chicken into small thin pieces;arrange it in the jelly with some neat little slices of cold boiled ham, and sprinkle chopped parsley between the slices. When it has got quitecold, pour in the remainder of the jelly, and stand the mold in coldwater, or in a cool place, so that it sets speedily. Dip the mold inboiling water to turn it out. Do not let it remain in the water morethan a minute, or it will spoil the appearance of the dish. Garnish witha wreath of parsley. LEG OF LAMB--Should be boiled in a cloth to look as white as possible;the loin fried in steaks and served round, garnished with driedor fried parsley; spinach to eat with it; or dressed separately orroasted. LOIN OF MUTTON--Take off the skin, separate the joints with thechopper; if a large size, cut the chine-bone with a saw, so as toallow it to be carved in smaller pieces; run a small spit from oneextremity to the other, and affix it to a larger spit, and roast itlike the haunch. A loin weighing six pounds will take one hour toroast. OBSERVATIONS ON MEAT--In all kinds of provisions, the best of the kindgoes the farthest; it cuts out with most advantage, and affords mostnourishment. Round of beef, fillet of veal, and leg of mutton, arejoints of higher price; but as they have more solid meat, they deservethe preference. But those joints which are inferior may be dressed aspalatably. In loins of meat, the long pipe that runs by the bone should betaken out, as it is apt to taint; as also the kernels of beef. Do notpurchase joints bruised by the blows of drovers. Save shank bones of mutton to enrich gravies or soups. When sirloins of beef, or loins of veal or mutton, come in, part ofthe suet may be cut off for puddings, or to clarify. Dripping will baste anything as well as butter; except fowls and game;and for kitchen pies, nothing else should be used. The fat of a neck or loin of mutton makes a far lighter pudding thansuet. Frosted meat and vegetables should be soaked in _cold water_ two orthree hours before using. If the weather permit, meat eats much better for hanging two or threedays before it is salted. Roast-beef bones, or shank bones of ham, make fine peas-soup; andshould be boiled with the peas the day before eaten, that the fat maybe taken off. BOILED LEG OF MUTTON--Soak well for an hour or two in salt and water;do not use much salt. Wipe well and boil in a floured cloth. Boil fromtwo hours to two hours and a half. Serve with caper sauce, potatoes, mashed turnips, greens, oyster sauce, etc. --> To preserve the gravy in theleg, do not put it in the water till it boils; for the sudden contactwith water causes a slight film over the surface, which prevents theescape of the gravy, which is abundant when carved. HOW TO HASH MUTTON. --Cut thin slices of dressed mutton, fat and lean;flour them; have ready a little onion boiled in two or three spoonfulsof water; add to it a little gravy and the meat seasoned, and makeit hot, but not to boil. Serve in a covered dish. Instead of onion, aclove, a spoonful of current jelly, and half a glass of port wine willgive an agreeable flavor of venison, if the meat be fine. Pickled cucumber, or walnut cut small, warm in it for change. HOW TO PREPARE PIG'S CHEEK FOR BOILING. --Cut off the snout, and cleanthe head; divide it, and take out the eyes and the brains; sprinklethe head with salt, and let it drain 24 hours. Salt it with commonsalt and saltpetre; let it lie nine days if to be dressed withoutstewing with peas, but less if to be dressed with peas, and it must bewashed first, and then simmer till all is tender. PIG'S FEET AND EARS. --Clean carefully, and soak some hours, and boilthem tender; then take them out; boil some vinegar and a little saltwith some of the water, and when cold put it over them. When they areto be dressed, dry them, cut the feet in two, and slice the ears; fry, and serve with butter, mustard and vinegar. They may be either done inbatter, or only floured. PORK, LOIN OF. --Score it, and joint it, that the chops may separateeasily; and then roast it as a loin of mutton. Or, put it intosufficient water to cover it; simmer till almost enough; then peel offthe skin, and coat it with yolk of egg and bread crumbs, and roast for15 or 20 minutes, till it is done enough. HOW TO PICKLE PORK. --Cut the pork in such pieces as will lie in thepickling tub; rub each piece with saltpetre; then take one part baysalt, and two parts common salt, and rub each piece well; lay themclose in the tub, and throw salt over them. Some use a little sal prunnella, and a little sugar. PORK PIE, TO EAT COLD. --Raise a common boiled crust into either around or oval form, which you choose, have ready the trimmings andsmall bits of pork cut off a sweet bone, when the hog is killed, beatit with a rolling-pin, season with pepper and salt, and keep the fatand lean separate, put it in layers quite close to the top, lay on thelid, cut the edge smooth, round, and pinch it; bake in a slow-soakingoven, as the meat is very solid. Observe, put no bone or water in thepork pie; the outside pieces will be hard if they are not cut smalland pressed close. HOW TO ROAST A LEG OF PORK. --Choose a small leg of fine young pork;cut a slit in the knuckle with a sharp knife; and fill the space withsage and onion chopped, and a little pepper and salt. When half done, score the skin in slices, but don't cut deeper than the outer rind. Apple sauce and potatoes should be served to eat with it. PORK, ROLLED NECK OF. --Bone it; put a forcemeat of chopped sage, avery few crumbs of bread, salt, pepper and two or three berries ofallspice over the inside; then roll the meat as tight as you can, androast it slowly, and at a good distance at first. CHINE OF PORK. --Salt three days before cooking. Wash it well; scorethe skin, and roast with sage and onions finely shred. Serve withapple sauce. --the chine is often sent to the table boiled. HOW TO COLLAR PORK. --Bone a breast or spring of pork; season it withplenty of thyme, parsley and sage; roll it hard; put in a cloth, tieboth ends, and boil it; then press it; when cold, take it out of thecloth, and keep it in its own liquor. PORK AS LAMB. --Kill a young pig of four or five months old: cut up theforequarter for roasting as you do lamb, and truss the shank close. The other parts will make delicate pickled pork; or steaks, pies, etc. PORK SAUSAGES. --Take 6 lbs. Of young pork, free from gristle, or fat;cut small and beat fine in a mortar. Chop 6 lbs. Of beef suet veryfine; pick off the leaves of a hand-full of sage, and shred it fine;spread the meat on a clean dresser, and shake the sage over the meat;shred the rind of a lemon very fine, and throw it, with sweet herbs, on the meat; grate two nutmegs, to which put a spoonful of pepper, and a large spoonful of salt: throw the suet over, and mix all welltogether. Put it down close in the pot; and when you use it, roll itup with as much egg as will make it roll smooth. SAUSAGE ROLLS. --One pound of flour, half a pound of the best lard, quarter of a pound of butter, and the yolks of three eggs well beaten. Put the flour into a dish, make a hole in the middle of it, and rubin about one ounce of the lard, then the yolks of the eggs, and enoughwater to mix the whole into a smooth paste. Roll it out about an inchthick; flour your paste and board. Put the butter and lard in a lumpinto the paste, sprinkle it with flour, and turn the paste over it;beat it with a rolling-pin until you have got it flat enough to roll;roll it lightly until very thin; then divide your meat and put it intotwo layers of paste, and pinch the ends. Sausage rolls are now usuallymade small. Two pounds of sausage meat will be required for thisquantity of paste, and it will make about two and a half dozen ofrolls. Whites of the eggs should be beaten a little, and brushed overthe rolls to glaze them. They will require from twenty minutes tohalf an hour to bake, and should be served on a dish covered with aneatly-folded napkin. SPICED BEEF. --Take a round of an ox; or young heifer, from 20 to 40lbs. Cut it neatly, so that the thin flank end can wrap nearly round. Take from 2 to 4 ounces salpetre, and 1 ounce of coarse sugar, and twohandfuls of common salt. Mix them well together and rub it all over. The next day salt it well as for boiling. Let it lie from two to threeweeks, turning it every two or three days. Take out of the pickle, and wipe it dry. Then take cloves, mace, well powdered, a spoonfulof gravy, and rub it well into the beef. Roll it up as tightly aspossible; skewer it, and tie it up tight. Pour in the liquor till themeat is quite saturated, in which state it must be kept. STEWED BEEF. --Take five pounds of buttock, place it in a deep dish;half a pint of white wine vinegar, three bay leaves, two or threecloves, salt and pepper; turn it over twice the first day, and everymorning after for a week or ten days. Boil half a pound or a quarterof a pound of butter, and throw in two onions, chopped very small, four cloves, and some pepper-corns; stew five hours till tender and anice light brown. HOW TO BOIL TONGUE. --If the tongue be a dry one, steep in waterall night. Boil it three hours. If you prefer it hot, stick it withcloves. Clear off the scum, and add savory herbs when it has boiledtwo hours; but this is optional. Rub it over with the yolk of an egg;strew over it bread crumbs; baste it with butter; set it before thefire till it is of a light brown. When you dish it up, pour a littlebrown gravy, or port wine sauce mixed the same way as for venison. Layslices of currant jelly around it. HOW TO FRICASSEE TRIPE. --Cut into small square pieces. Put them intothe stewpan with as much sherry as will cover them, with pepper, ginger, a blade of mace, sweet herbs and an onion. Stew 15 minutes. Take out the herbs and onion, and put in a little shred of parsley, the juice of a small lemon, half an anchovy cut small, a gill of creamand a little butter, or yolk of an egg. Garnish with lemon. HOW TO FRY TRIPE. --Cut the tripe into small square pieces; dip them inyolks of eggs, and fry them in good dripping, till nicely brown; takeout and drain, and serve with plain melted butter. VEAL CUTLETS, MAINTENON. --Cut slices about three quarters of an inchthick, beat them with a rolling-pin, and wet them on both sideswith egg; dip them into a seasoning of bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, knotted marjoram, pepper, salt and a little nutmeg grated; then putthem in papers folded over, and broil them; and serve with a boat ofmelted butter, with a little mushroom ketchup. VEAL CUTLETS. --Another way. --Prepare as above, and fry them; lay intoa dish, and keep them hot; dredge a little flour, and put a bit ofbutter into the pan; brown it, then pour some boiling water into itand boil quickly; season with pepper, salt and ketchup and pour overthem. ANOTHER WAY. --Prepare as before, and dress the cutlets in a dutchoven; pour over them melted butter and mushrooms. FILLET OF VEAL. --Veal requires a good, bright fire for roasting. Before cooking, stuff with a force-meat, composed of 2 ozs. Offinely-powdered bread crumbs, half a lemon-peel chopped fine, half ateaspoonful of salt, and the same quantity of mixed mace and cayennepepper, powdered parsley, and some sweet herbs; break an egg, and mixall well together. Baste your joint with fresh butter, and send itto table well browned. A nice bit of bacon should be served with thefillet of veal, unless ham is provided. VEAL PATTIES. --Mince some veal that is not quite done with a littleparsley, lemon-peel, a scrape of nutmeg, and a bit of salt; add alittle cream and gravy just to moisten the meat; and add a little ham. Do not warm it till the patties are baked. VEAL PIE. --Take some of the middle, or scrag, of a small neck; seasonit; and either put to it, or not, a few slices of lean bacon or ham. If it is wanted of a high relish, add mace, cayenne, and nutmeg, tothe salt and pepper; and also force-meat and eggs; and if you choose, add truffles, morels, mushrooms, sweet-bread, cut into small bits, andcocks'-combs blanched, if liked. Have a rich gravy ready, to pourin after baking. It will be very good without any of the latteradditions. COMMON VEAL PIE. --Cut a breast of veal into pieces; season with pepperand salt, and lay them in the dish. Boil hard six or eight yolks ofeggs, and put them into different places in the pie; pour in as muchwater as will nearly fill the dish; put on the lid, and bake. _LambPie_ may be done this way. STEWED VEAL. --Cut the veal as for small cutlets; put into the bottom ofa pie-dish a layer of the veal, and sprinkle it with some finely-rubbedsweet basil and chopped parsley, the grated rind of one lemon with thejuice, half a nut-meg, grated, a little salt and pepper; and cut intovery small pieces [Transcriber's note: the original text reads 'peices']a large spoonful of butter; then another layer of slices of veal, withexactly the same seasoning as before; and over this pour one pint ofLisbon wine and half a pint of cold water; then cover it over verythickly with grated stale bread; put this in the oven and bake slowlyfor three-quarters of an hour, and brown it. Serve it in a pie-dish hot. BREAST OF VEAL STUFFED--Cut off the gristle of a breast of veal, andraise the meat off the bones, then lay a good force-meat, made ofpounded veal, some sausage-meat, parsley, and a few shalots choppedvery fine, and well seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; then rollthe veal tightly, and sew it with fine twine to keep it in shape, andprevent the force-meat escaping; lay some slices of fat bacon in astew-pan, and put the veal roll on it; add some stock, pepper, salt, and a bunch of sweet herbs; let it stew three hours, then cutcarefully out the twine, strain the sauce after skimming it well, thicken it with brown flour; let it boil up once, and pour it over theveal garnish with slices of lemon, each cut in four. A fillet of vealfirst stuffed with force-meat can be dressed in the same manner, but is must first be roasted, so as to brown it a good color; andforce-meat balls, highly seasoned, should be served round the veal. * * * * * HOW TO MAKE PIESOF VARIOUS KINDS BEEF-STEAK PIE--Prepare the steaks as stated under _Beefsteaks_, andwhen seasoned and rolled with fat in each, put them in a dish with puffpaste round the edges; put a little water in the dish, and cover it witha good crust. CHICKEN PIE--Cut the chicken in pieces, and boil nearlytender. Make a rich crust with an egg or two to make it light andpuffy. Season the chicken and slices of ham with pepper, salt, mace, nutmeg, and cayenne. Put them in layers, first the ham, chicken, force-meat balls, and hard eggs in layers. Make a gravy of knuckle ofveal, mutton bones, seasoned with herbs, onions, pepper, etc. Pour itover the contents of the pie, and cover with paste. Bake an hour. COCOANUT PIE--Take a teacup of cocoanut, put it into a coffee-cup, fill it up with sweet milk, and let it soak a few hours. When readyto bake the pie, take two tablespoonfuls of flour, mix with milk, andstir in three-fourths of a cup of milk (or water); place on the stove, and stir until it thickens. Add butter the size of a walnut, whilewarm. When cool, add a little salt, two eggs, saving out the whiteof one for the top. Sweeten to taste. Add the cocoanut, beating well. Fill the crust and bake. When done, have the extra white beaten readyto spread over the top. Return to the oven and brown lightly. CREAM PIE--Take eight eggs, eight ounces pounded sugar, eight ouncesflour, put all together into a stew-pan with two glasses of milk, stiruntil it boils, then add quarter pound of butter, and quarter pound ofalmonds, chopped fine; mix well together, make paste, roll it out halfan inch thick, cut out a piece the size of a teaplate, put in a bakingtin, spread out on it the cream, and lay strips of paste across eachway and a plain broad piece around the edge, egg and sugar the top andbake in a quick oven. FISH PIE--Pike, perch and carp may be made into very savory pies ifcut into fillets, seasoned and baked in paste, sauce made of vealbroth, or cream put in before baking. GAME PIE--Divide the birds, if large, into pieces or joints. They maybe pheasants, partridges, etc. Add a little bacon or ham. Season well. Cover with puff paste, and bake carefully. Pour into the pie half acupful of melted butter, the juice of a lemon, and a glass of sherry, when rather more than half baked. GIBLET PIE--Clean the giblets well; stew with a little water, onion, pepper, salt, sweet herbs, till nearly done. Cool, and add beef, vealor mutton steaks. Put the liquor of the stew to the giblets. Coverwith paste, and when the pie is baked, pour into it a large teacupfulof cream. LAMB PASTY--Bone the lamb, cut it into square pieces; seasonwith salt, pepper, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and minced thyme; lay in somebeef suet, and the lamb upon it, making a high border about it; thenturn over the paste close, and bake it. When it is enough, put in someclaret, sugar, vinegar, and the yolks of eggs, beaten, together. Tohave the sauce only savory, and not sweet, let it be gravy only, orthe baking of bones in claret. SALMON PIE. --Grate the rind of one small lemon, or half a large one;beat the yolks of 2 eggs; 4 tablespoons of sugar; beat all together;add to this 1/2 pint of cold water, with 1-1/2 tablespoons of flour init; rub smooth so there will be no lumps; beat the whites of two eggsto a stiff froth; stir this in your pie-custard before you put it inthe pan. Bake with one crust, and bake slowly. SALMON PIE--Grate the rind of a lemon into the yolks of three fresheggs; beat for five minutes, adding three heaping tablespoonfuls ofgranulated sugar; after squeezing in the juice of the lemon add half ateacupful of water; mix all thoroughly, and place in a crust thesame as made for custard pie; place in oven and bake slowly. Takethe whites of the three eggs, and beat to a stiff froth, adding twotablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar, and juice of half a lemon; afterthe pie bakes and is cool, place the frosting on top, and put into ahot oven to brown. MINCE-MEAT--There are various opinions as to the result of addingmeat to the sweet ingredients used in making this favorite dish. Manyhousewives think it an improvement, and use either the under-cut ofa well-roasted surloin of beef or a boiled fresh ox-tongue for thepurpose. Either of these meats may be chosen with advantage, and onepound, after it has been cooked, will be found sufficient; thisshould be freed from fat, and well minced. In making mince-meat, eachingredient should be minced separately and finely before it is addedto the others. For a moderate quantity, take two pounds of raisins(stoned), the same quantity of currants, well washed and dried, dittoof beef suet, chopped fine, one pound of American apples, pared andcored, two pounds of moist sugar, half a pound of candied orange-peel, and a quarter of a pound of citron, the grated rinds of three lemons, one grated nutmeg, a little mace, half an ounce of salt, and oneteaspoonful of ginger. After having minced the fruit separately, mixall well together with the hand; then add half a pint of French brandyand the same of sherry. Mix well with a spoon, press it down in jars, and cover it with a bladder. GOOD MINCE PIES. --Six pounds beef; 5 pounds suet; 5 pounds sugar;2 ounces allspice; 2 ounces cloves; 3/4 pound cinnamon; 1/2 pintmolasses; 1-1/4 pounds seedless raisins; 2 pounds currants; 1/2 poundcitron chopped fine; 1 pound almonds, chopped fine; 2 oranges; 1lemon-skin, and all chopped fine; 2 parts chopped apples to one ofmeat; brandy and cider to taste. MOCK MINCE PIES. --One teacup of bread; one of vinegar; one of water;one of raisins; one of sugar; one of molasses; one half-cup of butter;one teaspoon of cloves; one of nutmeg; one of cinnamon. The quantityis sufficient for three pies. They are equally as good as those madein the usual way. POTATO PASTY. --Boil and peel and mash potatoes as fine as possible;mix them with salt, pepper, and a good bit of butter. Make a paste;roll it out thin like a large puff, and put in the potato; fold overone half, pinching the edges. Bake in a moderate oven. POTATO PIE. --Skin some potatoes and cut them in slices; season them;and also some mutton, beef, pork or veal, and a lump of butter. Putlayers of them and of the meat. A few eggs boiled and chopped fineimproves it. VEAL AND HAM PIE. --Cut about one pound and a half of veal into thinslices, as also a quarter of a pound of cooked ham; season the vealrather highly with white pepper and salt, with which cover the bottomof the dish; then lay over a few slices of ham, then the remainder ofthe veal, finishing with the remainder of the ham; add a wineglassfulof water, and cover with a good paste, and bake; a bay-leaf will be animprovement. VINEGAR PIE. --Five tablespoons vinegar, five sugar, two flour, twowater, a little nutmeg. Put in dish and bake. * * * * * HOW TO MAKE PRESERVESOF VARIOUS KINDS APPLE JAM. --Fill a wide jar nearly half full of water; cut the applesunpeeled into quarters, take out the core, then fill the jar with theapples; tie a paper over it, and put it into a slow oven. When quitesoft and cool, pulp them through a sieve. To each pound of pulp putthree-quarters of a pound of crushed sugar, and boil it gently until itwill jelly. Put it into large tart dishes or jars. It will keep for fiveor more years in a cool, dry place. If for present use, or a monthhence, half a pound of sugar is enough. APPLE MARMALADE. --Scald apples till they will pulp from the core; thentake an equal weight of sugar in large lumps, just dip them in water, and boil it till it can be well skimmed, and is a thick syrup, put toit the pulp, and simmer it on a quick fire a quarter of an hour. Gratea little lemon-peel before boiled, but if too much it will be bitter. BARBERRY JAM. --The barberries for this preserve should be quite ripe, though they should not be allowed to hang until they begin to decay. Strip them from the stalks; throw aside such as are spotted, and forone pound of fruit allow eighteen ounces well-refined sugar; boilthis, with about a pint of water to every four pounds, until itbecomes white, and falls in thick masses from the spoon; then throw inthe fruit, and keep it stirred over a brisk fire for six minutes only;take off the scum, and pour it into jars or glasses. Sugar four anda half pounds; water a pint and a quarter, boil to candy height;barberries four pounds; six minutes. HOW TO PRESERVE BLACK CURRANTS. --Get the currants when they are dry, and pick them; to every 1-1/4 lbs. Of currants put 1 lb. Of sugar intoa preserving pan, with as much juice of currants as will dissolve it;when it boils skim it, and put in the currants, and boil them tillthey are clear; put them into a jar, lay brandy paper over them, tiethem down, and keep in a dry place. A little raspberry juice is animprovement. CHERRY JAM. --Pick and stone 4 lbs. Of May-duke cherries; press themthrough a sieve; then boil together half a pint of red currant orraspberry juice, and 3/4 lb. Of white sugar, put the cherries intothem while boiling; add 1 lb. Of fine white sugar. Boil quickly 35minutes, jar, and cover well. CHERRY MARMALADE. --Take some very ripe cherries; cut off the stalksand take out the stones; crush them and boil them well; put them intoa hand sieve, and force them through with a spatula, till the whole ispressed through and nothing remains but the skins; put it again uponthe fire to dry; when reduced to half weigh it, and add an equalweight of sugar; boil again; and when it threads between the fingers, it is finished. HOW TO PRESERVE CURRANTS FOR TARTS. --Let the currants be ripe, dry andwell picked. To every 1-1/4 lbs. Of currants put 1 lb. Of sugar intoa preserving pan with as much juice of currants as will dissolve it;when it boils skim it, and put in the currants; boil till clear; jar, and put brandy-paper over; tie down; keep in a dry place. HOW TO PRESERVE GRAPES. --Into an air-tight cask put a layer of brandried in an oven; upon this place a layer of grapes, well dried, andnot quite ripe, and so on alternately till the barrel is filled; endwith bran, and close air-tight; they will keep 9 or 10 months. Torestore them to their original freshness, cut the end off each bunchstalk, and put into wine, like flowers. Or, Bunches of grapes may be preserved through winter by inserting the endof the stem into a potato. The bunches should be laid on dry straw, and turned occasionally. HOW TO PRESERVE GREEN GAGES. --Choose the largest when they begin tosoften; split them without paring; strew upon them part of the sugar. Blanch the kernels with a sharp knife. Next day pour the syrup fromthe fruit, and boil it with the other sugar six or eight minutesgently; skim and add the plums and kernels. Simmer till clear, takingoff the scum; put the fruit singly into small pots, and pour the syrupand kernels to it. To candy it, do not add the syrup, but observe thedirections given for candying fruit; some may be done each way. GREEN GAGE JAM. --Peel and take out the stones. To 1 lb. Of pulp put3/4 lb. Loaf sugar; boil half an hour; add lemon juice. TRANSPARENTLY BEAUTIFUL MARMALADE. --Take 3 lbs. Bitter oranges; parethem as you would potatoes; cut the skin into fine shreds, and putthem into a muslin bag; quarter all the oranges; press out the juice. Boil the pulp and shreds in three quarts of water 2-1/2 hours, down tothree pints; strain through a hair sieve. Then put six pounds of sugarto the liquid, the juice and the shreds, the outside of two lemonsgrated, and the insides squeezed in; add three cents worth ofisinglass. Simmer altogether slowly for 15 or 20 minutes. TOMATO MARMALADE. --Take ripe tomatoes in the height of the season;weigh them, and to every pound of tomatoes add one pound of sugar. Put the tomatoes into a large pan or small tub, and scald them withboiling water, so as to make the skin peel off easily; When you haveentirely removed the skin, put the tomatoes (without any water) intoa preserving kettle, wash them, and add the sugar, with one ounce ofpowdered ginger to every three pounds of fruit, and the juice oftwo lemons, the grated rind of three always to every three pounds offruit. Stir up the whole together, and set it over a moderate fire. Boil it gently for two or three hours; till the whole becomes a thick, smooth mass, skimming it well, and stirring it to the bottom afterevery skimming. When done, put it warm into jars, and cover tightly. This will be found a very fine sweetmeat. HOW TO PRESERVE GREEN PEAS. --Shell, and put them into a kettle ofwater when it boils; give them two or three warms only, and pourthem in a colander. Drain, and turn them out on a cloth, and thenon another to dry perfectly. When dry bottle them in wide mouthedbottles; leaving only room to pour clarified mutton suet upon them aninch thick, and for the cork. Rosin it down; and keep in the cellar, or in the earth, as directed for gooseberries. When they are to beused, boil them till tender, with a bit of butter, a spoonful ofsugar, and a bit of mint. HOW TO PRESERVE GREEN PEAS FOR WINTER USE. --Carefully shell the peas;then place them in the canister, not too large ones; put in a smallpiece of alum, about the size of a horse-bean to a pint of peas. Whenthe canister is full of peas, fill up the interstices with water, and solder on the lid perfectly air-tight, and boil the canisters forabout twenty minutes; then remove them to a cool place, and by thetime of January they will be found but little inferior to fresh, new-gathered peas. Bottling is not so good; at least, we have notfound it so; for the air gets in, the liquid turns sour, and the peasacquire a bad taste. HOW TO KEEP PRESERVES. --Apply the white of an egg, with a brush, toa single thickness of white tissue paper, with which covers the jars, lapping over an inch or two. It will require no tying, as it willbecome, when dry, inconceivably tight and strong, and impervious tothe air. QUINCES FOR THE TEA-TABLE. --Bake ripe quinces thoroughly; when cold, strip off the skins, place them in a glass dish, and sprinkle withwhite sugar, and serve them with cream. They make a fine looking dishfor the tea-table, and a more luscious and inexpensive one than thesame fruit made into sweetmeats. Those who once taste the fruit thusprepared, will probably desire to store away a few bushels in thefall to use in the above manner. PICKLED PEARS. --Three pounds of sugar to a pint of vinegar, spice in abag and boil, then cook the pears in the vinegar till done through. BOILED PEARS. --Boil pears in water till soft, then add one pound ofsugar to three pounds of fruit. PICKLED CITRON. --One quart vinegar, two pounds sugar, cloves andcinnamon each one tablespoon, boil the citron tender in water, takethem out and drain, then put them in the syrup and cook till done. HOW TO PRESERVE RASPBERRIES. --Take raspberries that are not too ripe, and put them to their weight in sugar, with a little water. Boilsoftly, and do not break them; when they are clear, take them up, andboil the syrup till it be thick enough; then put them in again, andwhen they are cold, put them in glasses or jars. RASPBERRY JAM. --One pound sugar to four pounds fruit, with a fewcurrants. SPICED CURRANTS. --Six pounds currants, four pounds sugar, twotablespoons cloves and two of cinnamon, and one pint of vinegar; boiltwo hours until quite thick. STEWED PEARS--Pare and halve or quarter a dozen pears, according totheir size; carefully remove the cores, but leave the sloths on. Placethem in a clean baking-jar, with a closely fitting lid; add to themthe rind of one lemon, cut in strips, and the juice of half a lemon, six cloves, and whole allspice, according to discretion. Put in justenough water to cover the whole, and allow half a pound of loaf-sugarto every pint. Cover down close, and bake in a very cool oven for fivehours, or stew them very gently in a lined saucepan from three to fourhours. When done, lift them out on a glass dish without breaking them;boil up the syrup quickly for two or three minutes; let it coola little, and pour it over the pears. A little cochineal greatlyenhances the appearance of the fruit; you may add a few drops ofprepared cochineal; and a little port wine is often used, and muchimproves the flavor. HOW TO PRESERVE WHOLE STRAWBERRIES--Take equal weights of the fruitand refined sugar, lay the former in a large dish, and sprinkle halfthe sugar in fine powder over, give a gentle shake to the dish thatthe sugar may touch the whole of the fruit; next day make a thin syrupwith the remainder of the sugar, and instead of water allow one pintof red currant juice to every pound of strawberries; in this simmerthem until sufficiently jellied. Choose the largest scarlets, orothers when not dead ripe. HOW TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES IN WINE--Puta quantity of the finest large strawberries into a gooseberry-bottle, and strew in three large spoonfuls of fine sugar; fill up with Madeirawine or fine sherry. PRESERVED TOMATOES--One pound of sugar to one pound of ripe tomatoesboiled down; flavor with lemon. * * * * * HOW TO BOIL, BAKE AND STEAMPUDDINGS AMBER PUDDING--Put a pound of butter into a saucepan, with threequarters of a pound of loaf sugar finely powdered; melt the butter, and mix well with it; then add the yolks of fifteen eggs well beaten, and as much fresh candied orange as will add color and flavor toit, being first beaten to a fine paste. Line the dish with paste forturning out; and when filled with the above, lay a crust over, as youwould a pie, and bake in a slow oven. It is as good cold as hot. BAKED APPLE PUDDING--Pare and quarter four large apples; boil themtender with the rind of a lemon, in so little water, that when done, none may remain; beat them quite fine in a mortar; add the crumbs ofa small roll, four ounces of butter melted, the yolks of five, andwhites of three eggs, juice of half a lemon, and sugar to taste: beatall together, and lay it in a dish with paste to turn out. BOILED APPLE PUDDING--Suet, 5 ozs. ; flour, 8 ozs. ; chop the suet veryfine, and roll it into the flour. Make it into a light paste with water. Roll out. Pare and core 8 good sized apples; slice them; put them onthe paste, and scatter upon them 4 lb. Of sugar; draw the paste roundthe apples, and boil two hours or more, in a well floured cloth. Servewith melted butter sweetened. SWISS APPLE PUDDING--Butter a deep dish; put into it a layer of breadcrumbs; then a layer of finely chopped suet; a thick layer of finelychopped apples, and a thick layer of sugar. Repeat from the firstlayer till the dish is full, the last layer to be finger biscuitssoaked in milk. Cover it till nearly enough; then uncover, till thetop is nicely browned. Flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. , as youplease. Bake from 30 to 40 minutes. APPLE AND SAGO PUDDING--Boil a cup of sago in boiling water with alittle cinnamon, a cup of sugar, lemon flavoring; cut apples in thinslices, mix them with the sago; after it is well boiled add a smallpiece of butter: pour into a pudding dish and bake half an hour. APPLE PUDDING--Pare and stew three pints of apples, mash them, and addfour eggs, a quarter of a pound of butter, sugar and nutmeg, or gratedlemon. Bake it on a short crust. APPLE POTATOE PUDDING. --Six potatoes boiled and mashed fine, add alittle salt and piece of butter, size of an egg, roll this out witha little flour, enough to make a good pastry crust which is for theoutside of the dumpling, into this put peeled and chopped apples, rollup like any apple dumpling, steam one hour, eat hot with liquid sauce. ARROW-ROOT PUDDING. --Take 2 teacupfuls of arrowroot, and mix it withhalf a pint of old milk; boil another half pint of milk, flavoring itwith cinnamon, nutmeg or lemon peel, stir the arrowroot and milk intothe boiling milk. When cold, add the yolks of 3 eggs beaten into 3ozs. Of sugar. Then add the whites beaten to a stiff broth, and bakein a buttered dish an hour. Ornament the tops with sweetmeats, orcitron sliced. AUNT NELLY'S PUDDING--Half a pound of flour, half pound of treacle, six ounces of chopped suet, the juice and peel of one lemon, 4tablespoonfuls of cream, two or three eggs. Mix and beat all together. Boil in a basin (previously well buttered) four hours. --Forsauce, melted butter, a wine-glassful of sherry, and two or threetablespoonfuls of apricot jam. BAKED INDIAN PUDDING. --Two quarts sweet milk; 1 pint New Orleansmolasses; 1 pint Indian meal: 1 tablespoonful butter; nutmeg orcinnamon. Boil the milk; pour it over the meal and molasses; add saltand spice; bake three hours. This is a large family pudding. BATTER, TO BE USED WITH ALL SORTS OF ROASTING MEAT. --Melt good butter;put to it three eggs, with the whites well beaten up, and warm themtogether, stirring them continually. With this you may baste anyroasting meat, and then sprinkle bread crumbs thereon; and so continueto make a crust as thick as you please. BATTER, FOR FRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, ETC. --Cut four ounces of freshbutter into small pieces, pour on it half a pint of barley water, andwhen dissolved, add a pint of cold water; mix by degrees with a pound offine dry flour, and a small pinch of salt. Just before it is used, stirinto it the whites of two eggs beaten to a solid froth; use quickly, that the batter may be light. BEEF STEAK PUDDING. --Take some fine rump steaks; roll them with fatbetween; and if you approve a little shred onion. Lay a paste of suetin a basin, and put in the chopped steaks; cover the basin with a suetpaste, and pinch the edges to keep the gravy in. Cover with a clothtied close, let the pudding boil slowly for two hours. BAKED BEEF STEAK PUDDING. --Make a batter of milk, two eggs andflour, or, which is much better, potatoes boiled and mashed througha colander; lay a little of it at the bottom of the dish; then put inthe steaks very well seasoned; pour the remainder of the batter overthem, and bake it. BEEF STEAK PUDDING. --Prepare a good suet crust, and line a cake-tinwith it; put in layers of steak with onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms, chopped fine, a seasoning of pepper, salt and cayenne, and half acup of water before you close it. Bake from an hour and a half to twohours, according to the size of the pudding and serve very hot. BLACK CAP PUDDING. . --Make a batter with milk, flour and eggs; butter abasin; pour in the batter, and 5 or 6 ounces of well-cleaned currants. Cover it with a cloth well floured, and tie the cloth very tight. Boil nearly one hour. The currants will have settled to the bottom;therefore dish it bottom upwards. Serve with sweet sauce and a littlerum. OSWEGO BLANC MANGE. --Four tablespoonfuls or three ounces of Oswegoprepared corn to one quart of milk. Dissolve the corn to some ofthe milk. Put into the remainder of the milk four ounces of sugar, a little salt, apiece of lemon rind, or cinnamon stick, and heatto _near_ boiling. Then add the mixed corn, and boil (stirring itbriskly) four minutes; take out the rind, and pour into a mold or cup, and keep until cold. When turned out, pour round it any kind of stewedor preserved fruits, or a sauce of milk and sugar. NICE BLANC-MANGE. --Swell four ounces of rice in water; drain and boilit to a mash in good milk, with sugar, a bit of lemon peel, and astick of cinnamon. Take care it does not burn, and when quite softpour it into cups, or into a shape dipped into cold water. When coldturn it out, garnish with currant jelly, or any red preserved fruit. Serve with cream or plain custard. BOILED BATTER PUDDING. --Three eggs, one ounce of butter, one pint ofmilk, three tablespoonfuls of flour, a little salt. Put the flour intoa basin, and add sufficient milk to moisten it; carefully rub down allthe lumps with a spoon, then pour in the remainder of the milk, andstir in the butter, which should be previously melted; keep beatingthe mixture, add the eggs and a pinch of salt, and when the batteris quite smooth, put into a well-buttered basin, tie it down verytightly, and put it into boiling water; move the basin about for a fewminutes after it is put into the water, to prevent the flour settlingin any part, and boil for one hour and a quarter. This pudding mayalso be boiled in a floured cloth that has been wetted in hot water;it will then take a few minutes less than when boiled in a basin. Send these puddings very quickly to table, and serve with sweet sauce, wine-sauce, stewed fruit, or jam of any kind; when the latter is used, a little of it may be placed round the dish in small quantities, as agarnish. BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING. . --Butter a dish well, lay in a few slices ofbread and butter, boil one pint of milk, pour out over two eggs wellbeaten, and then over the bread and butter, bake over half hour. SIMPLE BREAD PUDDING. --Take the crumbs of a stale roll, pour over itone pint of boiling milk, and set it by to cool. When quite cold, beatit up very fine with two ounces of butter, sifted sugar sufficientto sweeten it; grate in Haifa nutmeg, and add a pound of well-washedcurrants, beat up four eggs separately, and then mix them up with therest, adding, if desired, a few strips of candied orange peel. All theingredients must be beaten up together for about half an hour, as thelightness of the pudding depends upon that. Tie it up in a cloth, andboil for an hour. When it is dished, pour a little white wine sauceover the top. CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING. --Suet, chopped small, six ounces; raisins, stoned, etc. , eight ounces; bread crumbs, six ounces; three eggs, awine glass of brandy, a little nutmeg and cinnamon pounded as fine aspossible, half a teaspoonful of salt, rather less than half pint milk, fine sugar, four ounces; candied lemon, one ounce; citron half anounce. Beat the eggs and spice well together; mix the milk by degrees, then the rest of the ingredients. Dip a fine, close, linen cloth intoboiling water, and put in a sieve (hair), flour it a little, and tieup close. Put the pudding into a saucepan containing six quarts ofboiling water; keep a kettle of boiling water alongside, and fill upas it wastes. Be sure to keep it boiling at least six hours. Servewith any sauce; or arrow-root with brandy. CHRISTMAS PUDDING. --Suet 1-1/2 lbs. , minced small; currants, 1-1/2lbs. , raisins, stoned, 1/4 lb. ; sugar, 1 lb. ; ten eggs, a gratednutmeg; 2 ozs. Citron and lemon peel; 1 oz. Of mixed spice, ateaspoonful of grated ginger, 1/2 lb. Of bread crumbs, 1/2 lb. Offlour, 1 pint of milk, and a wine glassful of brandy. Beat first theeggs, add half the milk, beat all together, and gradually stir in allthe milk, then the suet, fruit, etc. , and as much milk to mix it verythick. Boil in a cloth six or seven hours. COTTAGE PUDDING. --One pint sifted flour, three tablespoons meltedbutter, 2 eggs, one cup sweet milk, two teaspoonfuls cream tartar, oneteaspoon soda, mix and bake. CREAM PUDDING. --Cream, 1 pint; the yolks of seven eggs, seventablespoonfuls of flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, salt, and a smallbit of soda. Rub the cream with the eggs and flour; add the rest, themilk last, just before baking, and pour the whole into the puddingdish. Serve with sauce of wine, sugar, butter, flavored as you like. CRUMB PUDDING. --The yolks and whites of three eggs, beaten separately, one ounce moist sugar, and sufficient bread crumbs to make it intoa thick but not stiff mixture; a little powdered cinnamon. Beat alltogether for five minutes, and bake in a buttered tin. When baked, turn it out of the tin, pour two glasses of boiling wine over it, andserve. Cherries, either fresh or preserved, are very nice mixed in thepudding. DAMSON PUDDING. --Four or five tablespoonfuls of flour, three eggsbeaten, a pint of milk, made into batter. Stone 1-1/2 lbs. , ofdamsons, put them and 6 ozs. Of sugar into the batter, and boil in abuttered basin for one hour and a half. EGG PUDDING. --It is made chiefly of eggs. It is nice made thus:--Beatwell seven eggs; mix well with 2 ozs. Of flour, pint and a half ofmilk, a little salt; flavor with nutmeg, lemon juice, and orange-flourwater. Boil 1-1/4 hours in a floured cloth. Serve with wine saucesweetened. EXCELLENT FAMILY PLUM PUDDING. --Grate three-quarters of a pound of astale loaf, leaving out the crusts; chop very fine three-quarters of apound of firm beef suet (if you wish your pudding less rich, half apound will do); mix well together with a quarter of a pound of flour;then add a pound of currants, well washed and well dried; half a poundof raisins, stoned, and the peel of a lemon, very finely shred and cut;four ounces of candied peel, either lemon, orange or citron, or allmingled (do not cut your peel too small or its flavor is lost); sixounces of sugar, a small teaspoonful of salt, three eggs, well beaten;mix all thoroughly together with as much milk as suffices to bring thepudding to a proper consistency, grate in a small nutmeg, and again stirthe mixture vigorously. If you choose, add a small glass of brandy. Butter your mold or basin, which you must be sure to fill quite full, orthe water will get in and spoil your handiwork; have your pudding clothscrupulously clean and sweet, and of a proper thickness; tie downsecurely, and boil for seven or even eight hours. EXTRA PUDDING. --Cut light bread into thin slices. Form into the shapeof a pudding in a dish. Then add a layer of any preserve, then a sliceof bread, and repeat till the dish is full. Beat four or five eggs, and mix well with a pint of milk; then pour it over the bread andpreserve, having previously dusted the same with a coating of riceflour. Boil twenty-five minutes. FIG PUDDING. --Procure one pound of good figs, and chop them very fine, and also a quarter of a pound of suet, likewise chopped as fine aspossible; dust them both with a little flour as you proceed--ithelps to bind the pudding together; then take one pound of fine breadcrumbs, and not quite a quarter of a pound of sugar; beat two eggs ina teacupful of milk, and mix all well together. Boil four hours. Ifyou choose, serve it with wine or brandy sauce, and ornament yourpudding with blanched almonds. Simply cooked, however, it is betterwhere there are children, with whom it is generally a favorite. Weforgot to say, flavor with a little allspice or nutmeg, as you like;but add the spice before the milk and eggs. GELATINE PUDDING. --Half box gelatine dissolved in a large half pintboiling water, when cold stir in two teacups sugar, the juice of threelemons, the whites of four eggs beaten to a froth, put this in a moldto get stiff, and with the yolks of these four eggs, and a quart ofmilk make boiled custard, flavor with vanilla, when cold pour thecustard round the mold in same dish. GOOSEBERRY PUDDING. --One quart of scalded gooseberries; when cold rubthem smooth with the back of a spoon. Take six tablespoonfuls of thepulp, half a pound of sugar, quarter of a pound of melted butter, six eggs, the rind of two lemons, a handful of grated bread, twotablespoonfuls of brandy. Half an hour will bake it. GROUND RICE PUDDING. --Boil one pint of milk with a little piece oflemon peel, mix quarter pound of rice, ground, with half pint milk, two ounces sugar, one ounce butter, add these to the boiling milk. Keep stirring, take it off the fire, break in two eggs, keep stirring, butter a pie dish, pour in the mixture and bake until set. ICE PUDDING. --Put one quart of milk in a stew pan with half pound ofwhite sugar, and stick of vanilla, boil it ten minutes, mix the yolksof ten eggs with a gill of cream, pour in the milk, then put it backagain into the stew pan, and stir till it thickens (do not let itboil), strain it into a basin and leave it to cool. Take twelve poundsof ice, add two pounds of salt, mix together, cover the bottom of apail, place the ice pot in it and build it around with the ice andsalt, this done pour the cream into the pot, put on the cover, and donot cease turning till the cream is thick, the mold should be cold, pour in the cream, 3 or 4 pieces of white paper, wetted with coldwater, are placed on it before the cover is placed on. Cover with icetill wanted, dip in cold water and turn out, fruit may be put in whenput in the mold. INDIAN PUDDING. --Indian meal, a cupful, a little salt, butter, 1 oz. ;molasses 3 ozs. , 2 teaspoonfuls of ginger, or cinnamon. Put into aquart of boiling milk. Mix a cup of cold water with it; bake in abuttered dish 50 minutes. KIDNEY PUDDING. --If kidney, split and soak it, and season that or themeat. Make a paste of suet, flour and milk; roll it, and line a basinwith some; put the kidney or steak in, cover with paste, and pinchround the edge. Cover with a cloth and boil a considerable time. LEMON DUMPLINGS. --Two tablespoonfuls of flour; bread crumbs, 1/2 lb. ;beef suet, 6 ozs. ; the grated rind of a large lemon, sugar, pounded, 4ozs. ; 4 eggs well beaten, and strained, and the juice of three lemonsstrained. Make into dumplings, and boil in a cloth one hour. LEMON PUDDING. --Three tablespoons powdered crackers, eight tablespoonssugar, six eggs, one quart milk, butter size of an egg, the juice ofone lemon and grated rind. Stir it first when put in oven. MACARONI PUDDING. --Take an equal quantity of ham and chicken, mincefine, half the quantity of macaroni which must be boiled tender inbroth, two eggs beaten, one ounce butter, cayenne pepper and salt totaste, all these ingredients to be mixed thoroughly together, put inmolds and boil two hours. MARROW PUDDING. --Pour a pint of cream boiling hot on the crumbs of apenny loaf, or French roll; cut 1 lb. Of beef marrow very thin; beat 4eggs well; add a glass of brandy, with sugar and nutmeg to taste, and mix all well together. It may be either boiled or baked 40 or 50minutes; cut 2 ozs. Of citron very thin, and stick them all over itwhen you dish it up. _Another way. _--Blanch 1/2 lb. Of almonds; put them in cold water allnight; next day beat them in a mortar very fine, with orange or rosewater. Take the crumbs of a penny loaf, and pour on the whole a pintof boiling cream; while it is cooling, beat the yolks of four eggs, and two whites, 15 minutes; a little sugar and grated nutmeg to yourpalate. Shred the marrow of the bones, and mix all well together, witha little candied orange cut small; bake, etc. MEAT AND POTATO PUDDING. --Boil some mealy potatoes till ready tocrumble to pieces; drain; mash them very smooth. Make them into athickish batter with an egg or two, and milk, placing a layer ofsteaks or chops well-seasoned with salt and pepper at the bottom ofthe baking dish; cover with a layer of batter, and so alternately, till the dish is full, ending with batter at the top. Butter the dishto prevent sticking or burning. Bake of a fine brown color. NESSELRODE PUDDING. --Prepare a custard of one pint of cream, half a pintof milk, the yolks of six eggs, half a stick of vanilla, one ounce ofsweet almonds, pounded, and half a pound of sugar; put them in a stewpanover a slow fire, and stir until the proper consistence, being carefulnot to let it boil; when cold, add a wine-glass of brandy; partiallyfreeze, and add two ounces of [Transcriber's Note: The original textreads 'rasins'] raisins and half a pound of preserved fruits, cut small. Mix well, and mold. (Basket shape generally used. ) POTATO PUDDING. --Take 1/2 lb. Of boiled potatoes, 2 ozs. Of butter, the yolks and whites of two eggs, a quarter of a pint of cream, onespoonful of white wine, a morsel of salt, the juice and rind of alemon; beat all to a froth; sugar to taste. A crust or not, as youlike. Bake it. If wanted richer, put 3 ozs. More butter, sweetmeatsand almonds, and another egg. PRINCE OF WALES PUDDING. --Chop four ounces of apples, the same quantityof bread crumbs, suet, and currants, well washed and picked; two ouncesof candied lemon, orange, and citron, chopped fine; five ounces poundedloaf sugar; half a nutmeg, grated. Mix all together with four eggs. Butter well and flour a tin, put in the mixture, and place a butteredpaper on the top, and a cloth over the paper. If you steam it the paperis sufficient. It will take two hours boiling. When you dish it, stickcut blanched almonds on it, and serve with wine sauce. PUDDING. --One cup sugar, half cup milk, one egg, two tablespoonsmelted butter, two cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder, a littlenutmeg, bake in a dish and when sent to the table, put raspberry jamunder same with wine sauce. BAKED PUDDING. --Three tablespoonfuls of Oswego Prepared Corn to onequart of milk. Prepare, and cook the same as Blanc-Mange. After it iscool, stir up with it _thoroughly_ two or three eggs well beaten, andbake half an hour. It is very good. BOILED PUDDING. --Three tablespoonfuls of Oswego Prepared Corn to onequart of milk. Dissolve the corn in some of the milk, and mix with ittwo or three eggs, well beaten, and a little salt. Heat the remainderof the milk to near boiling, add the above preparation, and boil fourminutes, stirring it briskly. To be eaten warm with a sauce. It isdelicious. QUEEN PUDDING. --One pint of bread crumbs, one quart milk, one cupsugar, yolks four eggs, a little butter, bake half an hour, then putover the top a layer of fruit, then white of eggs beaten to a frothwith sugar; to be eaten cold with cream. PLAIN RICE PUDDING. --Wash and pick some rice; throw among it somepimento finely pounded, but not much; tie the rice in a cloth andleave plenty of room for it to swell. When done, eat it with butterand sugar, or milk. Put lemon peel if you please. It is very good without spice, and eaten with salt and butter. ANOTHER. --Put into a very deep pan half a pound of rice washed andpicked; two ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, a few allspicepounded, and two quarts of milk. Less butter will do, or some suet. Bake in a slow oven. RICH RICE PUDDING--Boil 1/2 lb. Of rice in water, with a bit of salt, till quite tender; drain it dry; mix it with the yolks and whites offour eggs, a quarter of a pint of cream, with 2 ozs. Of fresh buttermelted in the latter; 4 ozs. Of beef suet or marrow, or veal suettaken from a fillet of veal, finely shred, 3/4 lb. Of currants, twospoonfuls of brandy, one of peach-water, or ratafia, nutmeg, and agrated lemon peel. When well mixed, put a paste round the edge, and fill the dish. Slices of candied orange, lemon, and citron, ifapproved. Bake in a moderate oven. RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT--Swell the rice with a very little milk overthe fire; then mix fruit of any kind with it (currants, gooseberries, scalded, pared, and quartered apples, raisins, or black currants); putone egg into the rice to bind it; boil it well, and serve with sugar. ROMAN PUDDING--Oil a plain tin mold, sprinkle it with vermicelli, lineit with a thin paste; have some boiled macaroni ready cut in piecesan inch long; weigh it, and take the same weight of Parmesan cheese, grated; boil a rabbit, cut off all the white meat in slices, as thinas paper, season with pepper, salt, and shalot; add cream sufficientto moisten the whole, put it into the mold, and cover it with paste;bake in a moderate oven for an hour, turn the pudding out of the mold, and serve it with a rich brown gravy. SAGO PUDDING--Boil 4 ozs. Of sago in water a few minutes; strain, and add milk, and boil till tender. Boil lemon peel and cinnamon ina little milk, and strain it to the sago. Put the whole into a basin;break 8 eggs; mix it well together, and sweeten with moist sugar; adda glass of brandy, and some nutmeg; put puff paste round the rim ofthe dish, and butter the bottom. Bake three quarters of an hour. SPANISH PUDDING--To one pint of water, put two ounces of butter, anda little salt, when it boils add as much flour as will make it theconsistency of hasty pudding. Keep it well stirred, after it is takenoff the fire and has stood till quite cold, beat it up with threeeggs, add a little grated lemon peel and nutmeg, drop the butter witha spoon into the frying pan with boiling lard, fry quickly, put sugarover them when sent to the table. SUET DUMPLINGS--Shred 1 lb. Of suet; mix with 1-1/4 lbs. Flour, 2 eggsbeaten separately, a little salt, and as little milk as will make it. Make it into two small balls. Boil 20 minutes. The fat of loins ornecks of mutton finely shred makes a more delicate dumpling than suet. SUET PUDDING--Take six spoonfuls of flour, 1 lb. Of suet, shred small, 4 eggs, a spoonful of beaten ginger, a spoonful of salt, and a quartof milk. Mix the eggs and flour with a pint of milk very thick, andwith the seasoning, mix in the rest of the milk with the suet. Boiltwo hours. TAPIOCA PUDDING. --Put 1/4 lb. Of tapioca into a sauce pan of coldwater; when it boils, strain it to a pint of new milk; boil till itsoaks up all the milk, and put it out to cool. Beat the yolks of foureggs, and the whites of two, a tablespoonful of brandy, sugar, nutmeg, and 2 ounces of butter. Mix all together; put a puff paste round thedish, and send it to the oven. It is very good boiled with meltedbutter, wine and sugar. VERMICELLI PUDDING. --Boil 4 ounces of vermicelli in a pint of new milktill soft, with a stick or two of cinnamon. Then put in half a pint ofthick cream, 1/4 lb. Of butter, the same of sugar, and the yolks of 4eggs. Bake without paste in an earthen dish. Another. --Simmer 2 ounces of vermicelli in a cupful of milk tilltender; flavor it with a stick or two of cinnamon or other spice. Beatup three eggs, 1 ounce of sugar, half a pint of milk and a glass ofwine. Add to the vermicelli. Bake in a slow oven. * * * * * HOW TO PUT UP PICKLES AND MAKE CATSUPS HOW TO PICKLE BEET ROOTS. --Beet roots are a very pretty garnishfor made dishes, and are thus pickled. Boil the roots till they aretender, then take off the skins, cut them in slices, gimp them in theshape of wheels, or what form you please, and put them into a jar. Take as much vinegar as you think will cover them, and boil it witha a little mace, a race of ginger sliced, and a few slices ofhorseradish. Pour it hot upon your roots and tie them down. CHOW-CHOW. --Two quarts of small white onions, two quarts of gherkins, two quarts of string beans, two small cauliflowers, half a dozen ripe, red peppers, one-half pound mustard seed, one-half pound whole pepper, one pound ground mustard, and, as there is nothing so adulterated asground mustard, it's better to get it at the druggist's; twenty orthirty bay leaves (not bog leaves, as some one of the ladies facetiouslyremarked), and two quarts of good cider, or wine vinegar. Peel theonions, halve the cucumbers, string the beans, and cut in pieces thecauliflower. Put all in a wooden tray, and sprinkle well with salt. Inthe morning wash and drain thoroughly, and put all into the coldvinegar, except the red peppers. Let boil twenty minutes slowly, frequently turning over. Have wax melted in a deepish dish, and, as youfill and cork, dip into the wax. The peppers you can put in to show tothe best advantage. If you have over six jars full, it's good to put therest in a jar and eat from it for every dinner. Some add a littleturmeric for the yellow color. CORN, GREEN, PICKLING. --When the corn is a little past the tenderestroasting ear state, pull it, take off one thickness of the husk, tiethe rest of the husk down at the silk end loosely, place the ears ina clean cask compactly together, and put on a brine to cover them ofabout two-thirds the strength of meat pickle. When ready to use inwinter, soak in cold water over night, and if this does not appearsufficient, change the water and freshen still more. Corn, preparedin this way, is excellent, very much resembling fresh corn from thestalk. INDIAN PICKLE. --One gallon of the best vinegar, quarter of a pound ofbruised ginger, quarter of a pound of shalots, quarter of a pound offlour of mustard, quarter of a pound of salt, two ounces of mustardseed, two ounces of turmeric, one ounce of black pepper, ground fine, one ounce of cayenne. Mix all together, and put in cauliflower sprigs, radish pods, French beans, white cabbage, cucumber, onions, or anyother vegetable; stir it well two or three days after any freshvegetable is added, and wipe the vegetable with a dry cloth. Thevinegar should not be boiled. HOW TO PICKLE MUSHROOMS. --Buttons must be rubbed with a bit of flanneland salt; and from the larger take out the _red_ inside, for when theyare black they will not do, being too old. Throw a little salt over, and put them into a stewpan with some mace and pepper; as the liquorcomes out, shake them well, and keep them over a gentle fire till allof it be dried into them again; then put as much vinegar into the panas will cover them, give it one warm, and turn all into a glass orstone jar. They will keep two years, and are delicious. PICKLE SAUCE. --Slice green tomatoes, onions, cabbage, cucumbers, andgreen peppers. Let all stand covered with salt over night. Wash, drainand chop fine. Be careful to keep as dry as possible. To two quartsof the hash, add four tablespoons of American mustard seed and two ofEnglish; two tablespoonfuls ground allspice, one of ground cloves, twoteaspoonfuls of ground black pepper, one teaspoonful of celery seed. Cover with sharp vinegar, and boil slowly an hour. Put away in stonejar, and eat when wanted. PICKLED EGGS. --At the season of the year when eggs are plentiful, boil some four or six dozen in a capacious saucepan, until they becomequite hard. Then, after carefully removing the shells, lay them inlarge-mouthed jars, and pour over them scalding vinegar, well seasonedwith whole pepper, allspice, a few races of ginger, and a few clovesor garlic. When cold, bung down closely, and in a month they are fitfor use. Where eggs are plentiful, the above pickle is by no meansexpensive, and is a relishing accompaniment to cold meat. HOW TO PICKLE RED CABBAGE. --Slice it into a colander, and sprinkleeach layer with salt; let it drain two days, then put it into a jar, with boiling vinegar enough to cover it, and put in a few slices ofbeet-root. Observe to choose the purple red-cabbage. Those who likethe flavor of spice will boil some pepper-corns, mustard-seed, orother spice, _whole_, with the vinegar. Califlower in branches, andthrown in after being salted, will color a beautiful red. ANOTHER. --Choose a sound large cabbage; shred it finely, and sprinkleit with salt, and let it stand in a dish a day and night. Then boilvinegar (from a pint) with ginger, cloves, and cayenne popper. Put thecabbage into jars, and pour the liquor upon it when cold. SPICED TOMATOES. --Eight pounds tomatoes, four pounds of sugar, onequart vinegar, one tablespoon each of cloves, cinnamon and allspice, make a syrup of the sugar and vinegar. Tie the spice in a bag and put, in syrup, take the skins off the tomatoes, and put them in the syrup, when scalded through skim them out and cook away one-half, leave thespices in, then put in your tomatoes again and boil until the syrup isthick. TOMATO LILLY. --Prepare one peck of green tomatoes by slicing andlaying them in a jar over night, with a little salt, than chop themand cook in water until you think them sufficiently tender then takethem up in a colander and drain nicely, then take two large cabbages, chop and cook same as tomatoes, then chop six green peppers and addone quart vinegar, put all in kettle together and boil a short time;add fresh vinegar and spice with one ounce each cinnamon and cloves, one pound sugar and half pint molasses. Onions can be used instead ofcabbage if preferred. HOW TO PICKLE WALNUTS. --When a pin will go into them, put a brine ofsalt and water boiled, and strong enough to bear an egg, being quitecold first. Let them soak six days; then change the brine, let themstand six more; then drain, and pour over them in a jar a pickle of thebest vinegar, with plenty of pepper, pimento, ginger, mace, cloves, mustard-seed and horseradish; all boiled together, but cold. To everyhundred of walnuts put six spoonfuls of mustard-seed, and two or threeheads of garlic or shalot, but the latter is least strong. In this waythey will be good for several years, if closely covered. They will notbe fit to eat under six months. This pickle makes good ketchup. A GOOD KETCHUP. --Boil one bushel of tomatoes until soft enough torub through a sieve. Then add to the liquid a half gallon of vinegar, 1-1/2 pints salt, 2 ounces of cloves, 1/4 pound allspice, 3 ouncesgood cayenne pepper, five heads of garlic, skinned and separated, 1pound of sugar. Boil slowly until reduced to one-half. It takes aboutone day. Set away for a week, boil over once, and, if too thick, thinwith vinegar; bottle and seal as for chow-chow. HOW TO KEEP KETCHUPTWENTY YEARS. --Take a gallon of strong stale beer, 1 lb. Of anchovies, washed from the pickle; 1 lb. Of shalots, 1/2 oz. Of mace, 1/2 oz. Of cloves, 1/4 oz. Whole pepper, 1/2 oz. Of ginger, 2 quarts of largemushroom flaps, rubbed to pieces; cover all close, and simmer till itis half wasted, strain, cool, then bottle. A spoonful of this ketchupis sufficient for a pint of melted butter. MUSHROOM KETCHUP. --Sprinkle mushroom flaps, gathered in September, with common salt, stir them occasionally for two or three days; thenlightly squeeze out the juice, and add to each gallon bruised clovesand mustard seed, of each, half an ounce; bruised allspice, blackpepper, and ginger, of each, one ounce; gently heat to the boilingpoint in a covered vessel, macerate for fourteen days, and strain;should it exhibit any indication of change in a few weeks, bring itagain to the boiling point, with a little more spice. OYSTER KETCHUP:--Beard the oysters; boil them up in their liquor;strain, and pound them in a mortar; boil the beards in spring water, andstrain it to the first oyster liquor; boil the pounded oysters in themixed liquors, with beaten mace and pepper. Some add a very littlemushroom ketchup, vinegar, or lemon-juice; but the less the naturalflavor is overpowered the better; only spice is necessary for itspreservation. This oyster ketchup will keep perfectly good longer thanoysters are ever out of season. TOMATO KETCHUP. --Put them over the fire crushing each one as you dropit into the pot; let them boil five minutes; take them off, strainthrough a colander, and then through a sieve, get them over the fireagain as soon as possible, and boil down two-thirds, when boiled downadd to every gallon of this liquid one ounce of cayenne pepper, oneounce of black pepper, one pint vinegar, four ounces each of cinnamonand mace, two spoonfuls salt. VERY FINE WALNUT KETCHUP. --Boil a gallon of the expressed juiceof green tender walnuts, and skim it well; then put in 2 lbs. Ofanchovies, bones and liquor, 2 lbs. Shalots, 1 oz. Each of cloves, mace, pepper, and one clove of garlic. Let all simmer till the shalotssink; then put the liquor into a pan till cold; bottle and dividethe spice to each. Cork closely, and tie a bladder over. It will keeptwenty years, but is not good the first. Be very careful to expressthe juice at home; for it is rarely unadulterated, if bought. * * * * * HOW TO ROAST, BOIL, OR BROILPOULTRY HOW TO ROAST CHICKENS. --Pluck carefully, draw and truss them, and putthem to a good fire; singe, dust, and baste them with butter. Coverthe breast with a sheet of buttered paper; remove it ten minutesbefore it is enough; that it may brown. A chicken will take 15 to 20minutes. Serve with butter and parsley. HOW TO BOIL CHICKENS. --Fasten the wings and legs to the body bythreads tied round. Steep them in skim milk two hours. Then put themin cold water, and boil over a slow fire. Skim clean. Serve with whitesauce or melted butter sauce, or parsley and butter. --Or melt 1 oz. Ofbutter in a cupful of milk; add to it the yolk of an egg beat up witha little flour and cream; heat over the fire, stirring well. GEESE (A LA MODE). --Skin and bone the goose; boil and peel a driedtongue, also a fowl; season with pepper, salt and mace, and then rollit round the tongue; season the goose in the same way, and lay thefowl and tongue on the goose, with slices of ham between them. Beefmarrow rolled between the fowl and the goose, will greatly enrich it. Put it all together in a pan, with two quarts of beef gravy, the bonesof the goose and fowl, sweet herbs and onion; cover close, and stew anhour slowly; take up the goose; skim off the fat, strain, and put ina glassful of good port wine, two tablespoonfuls of ketchup, a vealsweetbread cut small, some mushrooms, a piece of butter rolled inflour, pepper and salt; stew the goose half an hour longer; take upand pour the ragout over it. Garnish with lemon. HOW TO ROAST PIGEONS. --Take a little pepper and salt, a piece ofbutter, and parsley cut small; mix and put the mixture into thebellies of the pigeons, tying the necks tight; take another string;fasten one end of it to their legs and rumps, and the other to ahanging spit, basting them with butter; when done, lay them in a dish, and they will swim with gravy. HOW TO BOIL PIGEONS. --Wash clean; chop some parsley small; mix it withcrumbs of bread, pepper, salt and a bit of butter; stuff the pigeons, and boil 15 minutes in some mutton broth or gravy. Boil some rice softin milk; when it begins to thicken, beat the yolks of two or threeeggs, with two or three spoonfuls of cream, and a little nutmeg; mixwell with a bit of butter rolled in flour. HOW TO BROIL PIGEONS. --After cleaning, split the backs, pepper andsalt them, and broil them very nicely; pour over them either stewed orpickled mushrooms, in melted butter, and serve as hot as possible. SCALLOPED COLD CHICKENS. . --Mince the meat very small, and set it overthe fire, with a scrape of nutmeg, a little pepper and salt, and alittle cream, for a few minutes, put it into the scallop shells, andfill them with crumbs of bread, over which put some bits of butter, and brown them before the fire. Veal and ham eat well done the sameway, and lightly covered with crumbs of bread, or they may be put onin little heaps. HOW TO ROAST TURKEY. --The sinews of the legs should be drawn whicheverway it is dressed. The head should be twisted under the wing; and indrawing it, take care not to tear the liver, nor let the gall touchit. Put a stuffing of sausage-meat; or, if sausages are to be served in adish a bread stuffing. As this makes a large addition to the sizeof the bird, observe that the heat of the fire is constantly to thatpart; for the breast is often not done enough. A little strip of papershould be put on the bone to hinder it from scorching while the otherparts roast. Baste well and froth it up. Serve with gravy in the dish, and plenty of bread-sauce in a sauce-tureen. Add a few crumbs, and abeaten egg to the stuffing of sausage-meat. * * * * * SAUCES FOR MEATS, FISH, ETC. ANCHOVY SAUCE. --Chop one or two anchovies, without washing, put to themsome flour and butter, and a little water; stir it over the fire till itboils once or twice. If the anchovies are good, they will dissolve. ESSENCE OF ANCHOVIES. --Take two dozen of anchovies, chop them, andwithout the bone, but with some of their liquor strained, add to themsixteen large spoonfuls of water; boil gently till dissolved, whichwill be in a few minutes--when cold, strain and bottle it. APPLE SAUCE. . --Pare, core, and quarter half a dozen good sized apples, and throw them into cold water to preserve their whiteness. Boil themin a saucepan till they are soft enough to mash--it is impossible tospecify any particular time, as some apples cook much more speedilythan others. When done, bruise them to a pulp, put in a piece ofbutter as large as a nutmeg, and sweeten them to taste. Put intosaucepan only sufficient water to prevent them burning. Some personsput the apples in a stone jar placed in boiling water; there is thenno danger of their catching. APPLE SAUCE FOR GOOSE OR ROAST PORK. --Pare, core, and slice someapples, and put them in a strong jar, into a pan of water. Whensufficiently boiled, bruise to a pulp, adding a little butter, and alittle brown sugar. A SUBSTITUTE FOR CREAM. --Beat up the whole of a fresh egg in a basin, and then pour boiling tea over it gradually to prevent its curdling;it is difficult from the taste, to distinguish it from rich cream. BECHAMEL SAUCE. --Put a few slices of ham into a stew-pan, a fewmushrooms, two or three shalots, two cloves, also a bay leaf and a bitof butter. Let them stand a few hours. Add a little water, flour andmilk or cream; simmer forty minutes. Scalded parsley, very fine may beadded. BREAD SAUCE. --Break three-quarters of a pound of stale bread into smallpieces, carefully excluding any crusty and outside bits, havingpreviously simmered till quite tender, an onion, well peeled andquartered in a pint of milk. Put the crumbs into a very clean saucepan, and, if you like the flavor, a small teaspoonful of sliced onion, chopped, or rather minced, as finely as possible. Pour over the milk, taking away the onion simmered in it, cover it up, and let it stand foran hour to soak. Then, with a fork, beat it quite smooth, and seasonedwith a very little powdered mace, cayenne and salt to taste, adding oneounce of butter; give the whole a boil, stirring all the time, and it isready to serve. A small quantity of cream added at the last moment, makes the sauce richer and smoother. Common white pepper may take theplace of cayenne, a few peppercorns may be simmered in the milk, butthey should be extracted before sending to table. BREAD SAUCE. --Grate some old bread into a basin; pour boiling new milkover it; add an onion with five cloves stuck in it, with pepper andsalt to taste. Cover it and simmer in a slow oven. When enough, take out the onion and cloves; beat it well, and add a little meltedbutter. The addition of cream very much improves this sauce. CAPER SAUCE. --Melt some butter, chop the capers fine, boil them withthe butter. An ounce of capers will be sufficient for a moderate sizesauce-boat. Add, if you like, a little chopped parsley, and a littlevinegar. More vinegar, a little cayenne, and essence of anchovy, makeit suitable for fish. As a substitute for capers, some use chopped pickled gherkins. ESSENCE OF CELERY. --Soak the seeds in spirits of wine or brandy; orinfuse the root in the same for 24 hours, then take out, squeezingout all the liquor, and infuse more root in the same liquor to make itstronger. A few drops will [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'flvor'] flavor broth, soup, etc. CELERY SAUCE. --Wash well the inside leaves of three heads of celery; cutthem into slices quarter inch thick, boil for six minutes, and drain;take a tablespoonful of flour, two ounces of butter, and a teacupful ofcream; beat well, and when warm, put in the celery and stir well overthe fire about twelve minutes. The sauce is very [Transcriber's Note:The original text reads 'goood'] good for boiled fowl, etc. COCOA SAUCE. --Scrape a portion of the kernel of a Cocoa nut, addingthe juice of three lemons, a teaspoonful of the tincture of cayennepepper, a teaspoonful of shallot vinegar, and half a cupful of water. Gently simmer for a few hours. EGG SAUCE. --Boil two eggs hard, half chop the whites, put in theyolks, chop them together, but not very fine, put them with 1/4 lb. Ofgood melted butter. EGG SAUCE. --Four eggs boiled twelve minutes, then lay them in freshwater, cold, pull off the shells, chop whites and yolks separately, mix them lightly, half pint melted butter, made in proportion ofquarter pound of butter, to a large tablespoon flour, four of milk andhot water, add powdered mace or nutmeg, to be eaten with pork, boiled, or poultry, use chicken gravy or the water the chicken were boiled in. HORSERADISH SAUCE. --Perhaps a good receipt for horseradish sauce, which is so excellent with both hot and cold beef, but which we do notalways see served up with either. Two tablespoonfuls of mustard, thesame of vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk and one ofpounded white sugar, well beaten up together with a small quantity ofgrated horseradish. This is, of course, to be served up cold. MINT SAUCE. --Pick, mash and chop fine green spearmint, to twotablespoons of the minced leaves, put eight of vinegar, adding alittle sugar. Serve cold. MINT SAUCE. --Wash fresh gathered mint; pick the leaves from thestalks; mince them very fine, and put them into a sauce-boat with ateaspoonful of sugar and four tablespoonfuls of vinegar. It may alsobe made with dried mint or with mint vinegar. ONION SAUCE. --Peel the onions, and boil them tender; squeeze thewater from them, then chop them, and add to them butter that has beenmelted, rich and smooth, as will be hereafter directed, but with alittle good milk instead of water; boil it up once, and serve it forboiled rabbits, partridge, scrag, or knuckle of veal, or roast mutton. A turnip boiled with the onions makes them milder. QUIN'S FISH SAUCE. --Half a pint of mushroom pickle, the same ofwalnut, six long anchovies pounded, six cloves of garlic, three ofthem pounded; half a spoonful of cayenne pepper; put them into abottle, and shake well before using. It is also good with beefsteaks. SAUCE FOR COLD PARTRIDGES, MOOR-GAME, ETC. --Pound four anchovies andtwo cloves of garlic in a mortar; add oil and vinegar to the taste. Mince the meat, and put the sauce to it as wanted. SAUCE FOR DUCKS. --Serve a rich gravy in the dish; cut the breast intoslices, but don't take them off; cut a lemon, and put pepper and salton it, then squeeze it on the breast, and pour a spoonful of gravyover before you help. SAUCE FOR FOWL OF ANY SORT. --Boil some vealgravy, pepper, salt, the juice of a Seville orange and a lemon, and aquarter as much of port wine as of gravy; pour it into the dish or aboat. SAUCE FOR HOT OR COLD ROAST BEEF. --Grate, or scrape very fine, somehorseradish, a little made mustard, some pounded white sugar and fourlarge spoonfuls of vinegar. Serve in a saucer. SAUCE FOR SALMON. --Boil a bunch of fennel and parsley chop them small, and put into it some good melted butter. Gravy sauce should be servedwith it; put a little brown gravy into a saucepan, with one anchovy, a teaspoonful of lemon pickle, a tablespoonful of walnut pickle, two spoonfuls of water in which the fish was boiled, a stick ofhorseradish, a little browning, and salt; boil them four minutes;thicken with flour and a good lump of butter, and strain through ahair sieve. SAUCE FOR SAVOURY PIES. --Take some gravy, one anchovy, a sprig ofsweet herbs, an onion, and a little mushroom liquor; boil it a little, and thicken it with burnt butter, or a bit of butter rolled in flour;add a little port wine, and open the pie, and put it in. It will servefor lamb, mutton, veal or beef pies. SAUCE FOR A TURKEY. --Open some oysters into a basin, and wash them intheir own liquor, and as soon as settled pour into a saucepan; add alittle white gravy, a teaspoonful of lemon pickle; thicken with flourand butter; boil it three or four minutes; add a spoonful of thickcream, and then the oysters; shake them over the fire till they arehot, but do not let them boil. SAUCE FOR WILD FOWL. --Simmer a teacupful of port wine, the samequantity of good meat gravy, a little shalot, a little pepper, salt, a grate of nutmeg and a bit of mace, for ten minutes; put in a bit ofbutter and flour, give it all one boil, and pour it through the birds. In general they are not stuffed as tame, but may be done so if liked. FRENCH TOMATO SAUCE. --Cut ten or a dozen tomatoes into quarters, and putthem into a saucepan, with four onions, sliced, a little parsley, thyme, a clove, and a quarter of a pound of butter; then set the saucepan onthe fire, stirring occasionally for three-quarters of an hour; strainthe sauce through a horse-hair sieve, and serve with the directedarticles. TOMATO SAUCE. --Take 12 tomatoes, very red and ripe; take off thestalks, take out the seeds, and press out the water. Put the expressedtomatoes into a stewpan, with 1-1/2 ozs. Of butter, a bay leaf, anda little thyme; put it upon a moderate fire, stir it into a pulp; putinto it a good cullis, or the top of broth, which will be better. Rubit through a search, and put it into a stewpan with two spoonfuls ofcullis; put in a little salt and cayenne. ANOTHER. --Proceed as above with the seeds and water. Put them intoa stewpan, with salt and cayenne, and three tablespoonfuls of beefgravy. Set them on a slow stove for an hour, or till properly melted. Strain, and add a little good stock; and simmer a few minutes. WHITE SAUCE. --One pound of knuckle of veal, or any veal trimmings, orcold white meat, from which all brown skin has been removed; if meathas been cooked, more will be required. It is best to have a littlebutcher's meat fresh, even if you have plenty of cold meat in thelarder; any chicken bones greatly improve the stock. This shouldsimmer for five hours, together with a little salt, a dozen whitepeppercorns, one or two small onions stuck with cloves, according totaste, a slice or two of lean ham, and a little shred of celery and acarrot (if in season) in a quart of water. Strain it, and skim offall the fat; then mix one dessert-spoonful of flour in a half pint ofcream; or, for economy's sake, half milk and half cream, or evenall good new milk; add this to the stock, and if not salt enough, cautiously add more seasoning. Boil all together very gently for tenminutes, stirring all the time, as the sauce easily burns and veryquickly spoils. This stock, made in large quantities, makes whitesoup; for this an old fowl, stewed down, is excellent, and the liquorin which a young turkey has been boiled is as good a foundation as canbe desired. ECONOMICAL WHITE SAUCE. --Cut up fine one carrot, two small onions, andput them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, and simmer till thebutter is nearly absorbed. Then mix a small teacupful of flour in apint of new milk, boil the whole quietly till it thickens, strainit, season with salt and white pepper or cayenne, and it is ready toserve. Or mix well two ounces of flour with one ounce of butter; witha little nutmeg, pepper and salt; add a pint of milk, and throw ina strip of lemon peel; stir well over the fire till quite thick, andstrain. WINE SAUCE. --One and 1/2 cups sugar, three quarters cup of wine, alarge spoonful flour, and a large piece of butter. * * * * * HOW TO MAKE SOUPS . . . AND BROTHS ARTICHOKE SOUP. --Take Jerusalem artichokes according to the quantityof soup required to be made, cut them in slices, with a quarter ofa pound of butter, two or three onions and turnips, sliced into astewpan, and stew over a very slow fire till done enough, and thin itwith good veal stock. Just before you serve, at the last boil, add aquarter of a pint of good cream. This is an excellent soup. Seasonto taste with a little salt and cayenne. As it is necessary to varysoups, we shall give you a few to choose from according to season andtaste. All brown soups must be clear and thin, with the exception ofmock turtle, which must be thickened with flour first browned withbutter in a stewpan. If the flour is added without previous browning, it preserves a raw taste that by no means improves the flavor. ASPARAGUS SOUP. --Three or four pounds of veal cut fine, a little saltpork, two or three bunches of asparagus and three quarts of water. Boil one-half of the asparagus with the meat, leaving the rest inwater until about twenty minutes before serving; then add the restof the asparagus and boil just before serving; add one pint of milk;thicken with a little flour, and season. The soup should boil aboutthree hours before adding the last half of the asparagus. BEEF BROTH. --Put two pounds of lean beef, one pound of scrag of veal, one pound of scrag of mutton, sweet herbs, and ten peppercorns, into anice tin saucepan, with five quarts of water; simmer to three quarts, and clear from the fat when cold. Add one onion, if approved. Soup and broth made of different meats are more supporting, as well asbetter flavored. To remove the fat, take it off, when cold, as clean as possible; andif there be still any remaining, lay a bit of clean blotting orcap paper on the broth when in the basin, and it will take up everyparticle. BEEF SOUP. --Cut all the lean off the shank, and with a little beefsuet in the bottom of the kettle, fry it to a nice brown; put in thebones and cover with water; cover the kettle closely; let it cookslowly until the meat drops from the bones; strain through a colanderand leave it in the dish during the night, which is the only way toget off all the fat. The day it is wanted for the table, fry as brownas possible a carrot, an onion, and a very small turnip sliced thin. Just before taking up, put in half a tablespoonful of sugar, ablade of mace, six cloves, a dozen kernels of allspice, a smalltablespoonful of celery seed. With the vegetables this must cookslowly in the soup an hour; then strain again for the table. If youuse vermicelli or pearl barley, soak in water. DR. LIEBIG'S BEEF TEA. --When one pound of lean beef, free from fat, and separated from the bones, in a finely-chopped state in which it isused for mince-meat, or beef-sausages, is uniformly mixed with itsown weight of cold water, slowly heated till boiling, and the liquid, after boiling briskly for a minute or two, is strained through thetowel from the coagulated albumen and the fibrine, now become hard andhorny, we obtain an equal weight of the most aromatic soup, of suchstrength as cannot be obtained even by boiling for hours from a pieceof flesh. When mixed with salt and the other additions by which soupis usually seasoned, and tinged somewhat darker by means of roastedonions, or burnt bread, it forms the very best soup which can, in anyway, be prepared from one pound of flesh. BROWN GRAVY SOUP. --Shred a small plate of onions, put some drippinginto a frying-pan and fry the onions till they are of a dark brown;then, having about three pounds of beef cut up in dice, without fat orbone, brown that in a frying-pan. Now get a sauce-pan to contain abouta gallon, and put in the onions and meat, with a carrot and a turnipcut small, and a little celery, if you have it; if not, add two seedsof celery; put three quarts, or three and a half quarts of water tothis, and stir all together with a little pepper and salt; simmer veryslowly, and skim off what rises; in three or four hours the soup willbe clear. When served, add a little vermicelli, which should havepreviously been boiled in water; the liquid should be carefullypoured off through a sieve. A large quantity may be made in the sameproportions. Of course, the meat and onions must be stirred whilstfrying, and constantly turned; they should be of a fine brown, notblack, and celery-seed will give a flavor, it is so strong. CARROT SOUP. --Put some beef bones, with four quarts of the liquor inwhich a leg of mutton or beef has been boiled, two large onions, aturnip, pepper and salt into a sauce-pan, and stew for three hours. Haveready six large carrots, scraped and cut thin, strain the soup on them, and stew them till soft enough to pulp through a hair sieve or coarsecloth, then boil the pulp with the soup, which is to be as thick aspea-soup. Use two wooden spoons to rub the carrots through. Make thesoup the day before it is to be used. Add cayenne. Pulp only the redpart of the carrot, and not the yellow. CLAM SOUP. --Cut salt pork in very small squares and fry light brown;add one large or two small onions cut very fine, and cook about tenminutes; add two quarts water and one quart of raw potatoes, sliced;let it boil; then add one quart of clams. Mix one tablespoonful offlour with water, put it with one pint of milk, and pour into thesoup, and let it boil about five minutes. Butter, pepper, salt. Worcestershire sauce to taste. [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'GROUTONS']CROUTONS. --These are simply pieces of bread fried brown and crisp, to beused in soups. GAME SOUPS. --Cut in pieces a partridge, pheasant, or rabbit; addslices of veal, ham, onions, carrots, etc. Add a little water, heat alittle on slow fire, as gravy is done; then add some good broth, boilthe meat gently till it is done. Strain, and stew in the liquor whatherbs you please. GAME SOUP. --In the season for game, it is easy to have good game soupat very little expense, and very nice. Take the meat from off thebones of any cold game left, pound it in a mortar and break up thebones, and pour on them a quart of any good broth, and boil for anhour and a half. Boil and mash six turnips, and mix with the poundedmeat, and then pass them through a sieve. Strain the broth, and stirin the mixture of meat and turnips which has been strained through thesieve; keep the soup-pot near the fire, but do not let it boil. Whenready to dish the soup for table, beat the yolks of five eggs verylightly, and mix with them half a pint of good cream. Set the soup onto boil, and, as it boils, stir in the beaten eggs and cream, but becareful that it does not boil after they are stirred in, as the eggwill curdle. Serve hot. JULIENNE SOUP. --Put a piece of butter the size of an egg into thesoup-kettle; stir until melted. Cut three young onions small; frythem a nice brown; add three quarts of good clear beef-stock, a littlemace, pepper and salt; let it boil an hour; add three young carrotsand three turnips cut small, a stalk of celery cut fine, a pint ofFrench beans, a pint of green peas; let this boil two hours; if nota bright, clear color, add a spoonful of soy. This is a nice summersoup. LOBSTER SOUP. --One large lobster or two small ones; pick all the meatfrom the shell and chop fine; scald one quart of milk and one pintof water, then add the lobster, one pound of butter, a teaspoonful offlour, and salt and red pepper to taste. Boil ten minutes and servehot. MOCK TURTLE SOUP. --One soup-bone, one quart of turtle beans, one largespoonful of powdered cloves, salt and pepper. Soak the beans overnight, put them on with the soup-bone in nearly six quarts of water, and cook five or six hours. When half done, add the cloves, salt andpepper; when done, strain through a colander, pressing the pulp of thebeans through to make the soup the desired thickness, and serve witha few slices of hard-boiled egg and lemon sliced very thin. The turtlebeans are black and can only be obtained from large groce. OYSTER SOUP. --Take one quart of water, one teacup of butter, one pintof milk, two teaspoons of salt, four crackers rolled fine, and oneteaspoon of pepper; bring to full boiling heat as soon as possible, then add one quart of oysters; let the whole come to boiling heatquickly and remove from the fire. OYSTER SOUP. --Pour one quart of boiling water into a skillet; then onequart of good rich milk; stir in one teacup of rolled cracker crumbs;season with pepper and salt to taste. When all come to boil, add onequart of good fresh oysters; stir well, so as to keep from scorching;then add a piece of good sweet butter about the size of an egg; let itboil up once, then remove from the fire immediately; dish up and sendto table. OX TAIL SOUP. --Take two ox tails and two whole onions, two carrots, asmall turnip, two tablespoonfuls of flour, and a little white pepper;add a gallon of water, let all boil for two hours; then take out thetails and cut the meat into small pieces, return the bones to the potfor a short time, boil for another hour, then strain the soup, andrinse two spoonfuls of arrow-root to add to it with the meat cut fromthe bones, and let all boil for a quarter of an hour. SCOTCH BROTH. --Take one-half teacup barley, four quarts cold water;bring this to the boil and skim; now put in a neck of mutton and boilagain for half an hour, skim well the sides of the pot also; haveready two carrots, one large onion, a small head of cabbage, onebunch parsley, one sprig of celery top; chop all these fine, add yourchopped vegetables, pepper and salt to taste. This soup takes twohours to cook. SOUP AND BOUILLE. --Stew a brisket of beef with some turnips, celery, leeks and onions, all finely cut. Put the pieces of beef into thepot first, then the roots, and half a pint of beef gravy, with a fewcloves. Simmer for an hour. Add more beef gravy, and boil gently forhalf an hour. ROYAL SOUP. --Take a scrag or knuckle of veal, slices of undressedgammon of bacon, onions, mace, and a small quantity of water; simmertill very strong, and lower it with a good beef broth made theday before, and stewed till the meat is done to rags. Add cream, vermicelli, almonds and a roll. VARIOUS SOUPS. --Good soups may be made from fried meats, where the fatand gravy are added to the boiled barley; and for that purpose, fatbeef steaks, pork steaks, mutton chops, etc. Should be preferred, ascontaining more of the nutritious principle. When nearly done frying, add a little water, which will produce a gravy to be added to thebarley broth; a little wheat flour should be dredged in also; aquantity of onions, cut small, should also be fried with the fat, which gives the soup a fine flavor, assisted by seasoning, etc. Soups may be made from broiled meats. While the fat beef steak isdoing before the fire, or mutton chop, etc. , save the drippings ona dish, in which a little flour, oatmeal, with cut onions, etc. , areput. GRAND CONSOMME SOUP. --Put into a pot two knuckles of veal, a pieceof a leg of beef, a fowl, or an old cock, a rabbit, or two oldpartridges; add a ladleful of soup, and stir it well; when it comesto a jelly, put in a sufficient quantity of stock, and see that it isclear; let it boil, skimming and refreshing it with water; season itas the above; you may add, if you like, a clove of garlic; let it thenboil slowly or simmer four or five hours; put it through a towel, anduse it for mixing in sauces or clear soups. JULIENNE SOUP. --Take some carrots and turnips, and turn themriband-like; a few heads of celery, some leeks and onions, and cutthem in lozenges, boil them till they are cooked, then put them intoclear gravy soup. Brown thickening. --N. B. You may, in summer time, addgreen peas, asparagus tops, French beans, some lettuce or sorrel. SOUP AND SOUPS. --It is not at all necessary to keep a special fire forfive hours every day in order to have at dinner a first course ofsoup. Nor need a good, savory, nutritious soup for a family of fivecost more than 10 cents. There is no use hurling any remarks about"swill-pails. " Every housekeeper who knows anything of her kitchen anddining-room affairs, knows there are usually nice clean fragments ofroasts and broils left over, and that broth in which lamb, mutton, beef, and fowls have been boiled is in existence, and that twice aweek or so there is a bowl of drippings from roasted meats. All thesewhen simmered with rice, macaroni, or well-chosen vegetables, andjudiciously seasoned, make good soups, and can be had without aspecial fire, and without sending to the butcher's for special meats. We name a few of the soups we make, and beg leave to add that theyare pretty well received. We make them in small quantities, for nobodywith three additional courses before him wants to eat a _quart_ ofsoup, you know! 1. --One pint of good gravy, three cups boiling water, a slice ofturnip, and half an onion cut in small bits, two grated crackers. Simmer half an hour. 2. --On ironing day cut off the narrow ends from two or three sirloinsteaks, chop them into morsels and put in a stewpan with a littlesalt, a tablespoonful of rice and a pint of cold water, and simmerslowly for three hours. Then add water enough to make a quart of soup, a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, and a little browned flour mixedwith the yolk of an egg. 3. --Pare and slice very thin four good sized potatoes, pour over themtwo cups of boiling water, and simmer gently until the potatoes aredissolved. Add salt, a lump of nice butter, and a pint of sweet milkwith a dust of pepper. Let it boil up once, and serve. You wouldn'tthink it, but it is real good, and children cry for it. 4. --One pint meat broth, one pint boiling water, slice in an onion, or a parsnip, or half a turnip--or all three if liked--boil until thevegetables are soft, add a little salt if needed, and a tablespoonfulof Halford sauce. 5. --Let green corn, in the time of green corn, be grated, and to apint of it put a pint of rich milk, a pint of water, a little butter, salt and pepper. Boil gently for fifteen or twenty minutes. SPLIT PEA SOUP. --Take beef bones or any cold meats, and two pounds ofcorned pork; pour on them a gallon of hot water, and let them simmerthree hours, removing all the scum. Boil one quart of split peas twohours, having been previously soaked, as they require much cooking:strain off the meat and mash the peas into the soup; season with blackpepper, and let it simmer one hour; fry two or three slices of bread anice brown, cut into slices and put into the bottom of the tureen, andon them pour the soup. TOMATO SOUP. --Boil chicken or beef four hours; then strain; add to thesoup one can of tomatoes and boil one hour. This will make four quartsof soup. TOMATO SOUP WITHOUT MEAT. --One quart of tomatoes, one quart of water, one quart of milk. Butter, salt and pepper to taste. Cook the tomatoesthoroughly in the water, have the milk scalding (over water to preventscorching). When the tomatoes are done add a large teaspoonful ofsalaratus, which will cause a violent effervescence. It is best toset the vessel in a pan before adding it to prevent waste. When thecommotion has ceased add the milk and seasoning. When it is possibleit is best to use more milk than water, and cream instead of butter. The soup is eaten with crackers and is by some preferred to oystersoup. This recipe is very valuable for those who keep abstinence days. TURKEY SOUP. --Take the turkey bones and cook for one hour in waterenough to cover them; then stir in a little dressing and a beaten egg. Take from the fire, and when the water has ceased boiling add a littlebutter with pepper and salt. VEAL GRAVY. --Put in the stewpan bits of lard, then a few thin slicesof ham, a few bits of butter, then slices of fillet of veal, slicedonions, carrots, parsnips, celery, a few cloves upon the meat, and twospoonfuls of broth; set it on the fire till the veal throws out itsjuices; then put it on a stronger fire till the meat catches tothe bottom of the pan, and is brought to a proper color; then add asufficient quantity of light broth, and simmer it upon a slow firetill the meat is well done. A little thyme and mushrooms may be added. Skim and sift it clear for use. VEAL SOUP. --To a knuckle of veal of 6 pounds, put 7 or 9 quarts ofwater; boil down one-half; skim it well. This is better to do the daybefore you prepare the soup for the table. Thicken it by rubbing flour, butter, and water together. Season with salt and mace. When done[Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'and'] add one pint newmilk; let it just come to a boil; then pour into a soup dish, lined withmacaroni well cooked. VEGETABLE SOUP. --Pare and slice five or six cucumbers; and add tothese as many cos lettuces, a sprig or two of mint, two or threeonions, some pepper and salt, a pint and a half of young peas and alittle parsley. Put these, with half a pound of fresh butter, intoa saucepan, to stew in their own liquor, near a gentle fire, half anhour, then pour two quarts of boiling water to the vegetables, andstew them two hours; rub down a little flour into a teacupful ofwater, boil it with the rest twenty minutes, and serve it. VERMICELLI SOUP. --Boil tender 1/2 lb. Of vermicelli in a quart of richgravy; take half of it out, and add to it more gravy; boil tillthe vermicelli can be pulped through a sieve. To both put a pint ofboiling cream, a little salt, and 1/4 lb. Of Parmesan cheese. Servewith rasped bread. Add two or three eggs, if you like. BROWN VERMICELLI SOUP. --Is made in the same manner, leaving out theeggs and cream, and adding one quart of strong beef gravy. * * * * * HOW TO COOK VEGETABLES HOW TO BOIL ARTICHOKES. --If the artichokes are very young, about aninch of the stalk can be left; but should they be full grown, thestalk must be cut quite close. Wash them well and put them into strongsalt and water to soak for a couple of hours. Pull away a few of thelower leaves, and snip off the points of all. Fill a saucepan withwater, throw some salt into it, let it boil up, and then remove thescum from the top; put the artichokes in, with the stalks upward, andlet them boil until the leaves can be loosened easily; this will takefrom thirty to forty minutes, according to the age of the artichokes. The saucepan should not be covered during the time they are boiling. Rich, melted butter is always sent to the table with them. NEW MODE TO DRESS ASPARAGUS. --Scrape the grass, tie it up in bundles, and cut the ends off an even length. Have ready a saucepan, with boilingwater, and salt in proportion of a heaped saltspoonful to a quart ofwater. Put in the grass, standing it on the bottom with the green headsout of the water, so that they are not liable to be boiled off. If thewater boils too fast, dash in a little cold water. When the grass hasboiled a quarter of an hour it will be sufficiently done; remove it fromthe saucepan, cut off the ends down to the edible part, arrange it on adish in a round pyramid, with the heads toward the middle of the dish, and boil some eggs hard; cut them in two, and place them round the dishquite hot. Serve melted butter in a sauce-tureen; and those who like itrub the yoke of a hard egg into the butter, which makes a delicioussauce to the asparagus. HOW TO BOIL ASPARAGUS. --Scrape the asparagus; tie them in smallbunches; boil them in a large pan of water with salt in it; beforeyou dish them up toast some slices of bread, and then dip them inthe boiling water; lay the asparagus on the toasts; pour on them richmelted butter, and serve hot. RAGOUT OF ASPARAGUS. --Cut small asparagus like green peas; the bestmethod is to break them off first; then tie them in small bunchesto cut, boil them till half done; then drain them, and finish withbutter, a little broth, herbs, two cloves, and a sprig of savory. Whendone, take out the cloves, herbs, etc. , mix two yolks of eggs, witha little flour, and broth, to garnish a first course dish. But if youintend to serve it in a second course mix cream, a little salt, andsugar. FRENCH BEANS, A LA CREME. --Slice the beans and boil them in water withsalt. When soft, drain. Put into a stewpan two ounces of fresh butter, the yolks of three eggs, beaten up into a gill of cream, and set overa slow fire. When hot, add a spoonful of vinegar, simmer for fiveminutes. TO PRESERVE FRENCH BEANS FOR WINTER. --Pick them young, and throw intoa little wooden keg a layer of them three inches deep; then sprinklethem with salt, put another layer of beans, and do the same as high asyou think proper, alternately with salt, but not too much of this. Layover them a plate, or cover of wood, that will go into the keg, andput a heavy stone on it. A pickle will rise from the beans and salt. If they are too salt, the soaking and boiling will not be sufficientto make them pleasant to the taste. STEWED BEANS. --Boil them in water in which a lump of butter has beenplaced; preserve them as white as you can; chop a few sweet herbs withsome parsley very fine; then stew them in a pint of the water in whichthe leaves have been boiled, and to which a quarter of a pint of creamhas been added; stew until quite tender, then add the beans, and stewfive minutes, thickening with butter and flour. HOW TO BOIL BROCCOLI. --Peel the thick skin of the stalks, and boil fornearly a quarter of an hour, with a little bit of soda, then put insalt, and boil five minutes more. Broccoli and savoys taste betterwhen a little bacon is boiled with them. HOW TO BOIL CABBAGE. --Cut off the outside leaves, and cut it inquarters; pick it well, and wash it clean; boil it in a large quantityof water, with plenty of salt in it; when it is tender and a finelight green, lay it on a sieve to drain, but do not squeeze it, itwill take off the flavor; have ready some very rich melted butter, orchop it with cold butter. Greens must be boiled the same way. Strongvegetables like turnips and cabbage, etc. , require much water. CABBAGE SALAD. --Three eggs well beaten, one cup of vinegar, twotablespoons of mustard, salt and pepper, one tablespoon of butter; letthis mixture come to a boil, when cool add seven tablespoons of cream, half a head of cabbage shaved fine. HOW TO BOIL CAULIFLOWERS. --Strip the leaves which you do not intend touse, and put the cauliflowers into salt and water some time to forceout snails, worms, etc. Boil them twelve minutes on a drainer inplenty of water, then add salt, and boil five or six minutes longer. Skim well while boiling. Take out and drain. Serve with melted butter, or a sauce made of butter, cream, pepper and salt. HOW TO FRY CAULIFLOWERS. --Wash as before. Boil twenty or thirtyminutes; cut it into small portions, and cool. Dip the portions twiceinto a batter made of flour, milk and egg, and fry them in butter. Serve with gravy. CUCUMBERS FOR IMMEDIATE USE. --Slice, sprinkle with salt; let themstand several hours, drain, and then put to them sliced onions, vinegar to cover them, and salt, pepper, etc. Cayenne pepper andground mustard render them wholesome. STEWED CELERY. --Wash and clean six or eight heads of celery, let thembe about three inches long; boil tender and pour off all the water;beat the yolks of four eggs, and mix with half a pint of cream, maceand salt; set it over the fire with the celery, and keep shaking untilit thickens, then serve hot. COLD SLAW. --Half a head of cabbage cut very fine, a stalk of celerycut fine--or teaspoon of celery seed--or, a tablespoon of celeryessence, four hard-boiled eggs, whites chopped very fine, a teaspoonof mustard, a tablespoon of butter and the yolks of the boiled eggs, salt and pepper, mix well; take an egg well beaten and stir in a cupof boiling vinegar, pour over and cover for a few minutes. EGG-PLANT. --Slice the egg-plant an eighth of an inch in thickness, pare it, and sprinkle salt over it an hour before cooking; then drainoff all the water, beat up the yolk of an egg, clip the slices firstin the egg, and then in crumbs of bread; fry a nice brown. Serve hot, and free from fat. HOW TO COOK EGG-PLANT. --Cut the egg-plant in slices half an inchthick, sprinkle a thin layer of salt between the slices, and lay themone over the other; and let them stand an hour. This draws out thebitter principal from the egg-plant, and also a part of the water. Then lay each slice in flour, put in hot fat and fry it brown on bothsides. Or boil the egg-plant till tender, remove the skin, mash fine, mix with an equal quantity of bread or cracker crumbs, and salt, pepper and bake half an hour. This makes a delightful dish, and a verydigestible one, as it has so little oily matter in it. HOW TO BROIL MUSHROOMS. --Pare some large, open mushrooms, leaving thestalks on, paring them to a point; wash them well, and turn them onthe back of a drying sieve to drain. Put into a stewpan two ounces ofbutter, some chopped parsley, and shalots, then fry them for a minuteon the fire; when melted, place your mushroom stalks upward on asaucepan, then pour the butter and parsley over all the mushrooms;pepper and salt them well with black pepper put them in the oven tobroil; when done, put a little good stock to them, give them a boiland dish them, pour the liquor over them, adding more gravy, but letit be put in hot. HOW TO PICKLE ONIONS. --Take two quarts of the small white roundonions. Scald them in very strong salt and water. Just let them boil. Strain, peel, place in jars; cover them with the best white winevinegar. In two days pour all the vinegar off, and boil it halfan hour, with a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, 1 oz. Of ginger, 16cloves, 1/2 oz. Ground mustard, 2 ozs. Mustard seed. When cold, pourupon the onions. Some persons prefer the vinegar boiling hot. HOW TO FRICASSEE PARSNIPS. --Boil in milk till they are soft, then cutthem lengthwise in bits two or three inches long, and simmer in a whitesauce, made of two spoonfuls of broth, and a bit of mace, half a cupfulof cream, a bit of butter, and some flour, pepper and salt. HOW TO MASH PARSNIPS. --Boil them tender, scrape then mash them in astewpan with a little cream, a good piece of butter, and pepper andsalt. HOW TO STEW PARSNIPS. --Boil them tender; scrape and cut into slices;put them into a saucepan with cream enough; for sauce, a piece ofbutter rolled in flour, and a little salt; shake the saucepan often, when the cream boils, pour them into a dish. HOW TO BOIL PEAS. --Peas should not be shelled long before they arewanted, nor boiled in much water; when the water boils, put them inwith a little salt (some add a little loaf sugar, but if they aresweet of themselves, it is superfluous); when the peas begin to dentin the middle they are boiled enough. Strain, and put a piece ofbutter in the dish, and stir. A little mint should be boiled with thepeas. PUREE OF POTATOES. --This differs from mashed potatoes only in theemployment of more milk and butter, and in the whole being carefullyreduced to a perfectly smooth, thick, cream-like mixture. Whereeconomy is a great object, and where rich dishes are not desired, thefollowing is an admirable mode of mashing potatoes: Boil them tillthoroughly done, having added a handful of salt to the water, then drythem well, and with two forks placed back to back beat the whole upuntil no lumps are left. If done rapidly, potatoes thus cooked areextremely light and digestible. HOW TO BOIL POTATOES. --Boil in a saucepan without lid, with onlysufficient water to cover them; more would spoil them, as the potatoescontain much water, and it requires to be expelled. When the waternearly boils pour it off, and add cold water, with a good portion ofsalt. The cold water sends the heat from the surface to the center ofthe potato, and makes it mealy. Boiling with a lid on often producescracking. NEW POTATOES. --Should be cooked soon after having been dug; wash well, and boil. The Irish, who boil potatoes to perfection, say they should alwaysbe boiled in their _jackets_; as peeling them for boiling is onlyoffering a premium for water to run through the potato, and renderingit sad and unpalatable; they should be well washed, and put into coldwater. NEW POTATOES. --Have them as freshly dug as may be convenient; thelonger they have been out of the ground the less well-flavored theyare. Well wash them, rub off the skins with a coarse cloth or brush, and put them into boiling water, to which has been added salt, atthe rate of one heaped teaspoonful to two quarts. Let them boil tilltender--try them with a fork; they will take from ten or fifteenminutes to half an hour, according to size. When done, pour away thewater, and set by the side of the fire, with the lid aslant. When theyare quite dry, have ready a hot vegetable dish, and in the middleof it put a piece of butter the size of a walnut--some people likemore--heap the potatoes round it and over it, and serve immediately. We have seen very young potatoes, no larger than a marble, parboiled, and then fried in cream till they are of a fine auburn color; or else, when larger, boiled till nearly ready, then sliced and fried in cream, with pepper, salt, a very little nutmeg, and a flavoring of lemonjuice. Both make pretty little supper dishes. POTATOES ROASTED UNDER THE MEAT. --These are very good; they shouldbe nicely browned. Half boil large mealy potatoes; put into a bakingdish, under the meat roasting; ladle the gravy upon them occasionally. They are best done in an oven. POTATO RIBBONS. --Cut the potatoes into slices, rather more than halfan inch thick, and then pare round and round in very long ribbons. Place them in a pan of cold water, and a short time before wanteddrain them from the water. Fry them in hot lard, or good dripping, until crisp and browned; dry them on a soft cloth, pile them on a hotdish, and season with salt and cayenne. POTATO ROLLS. --Boil three lbs. Of potatoes; crush and work them withtwo ozs. Of butter and as much milk as will cause them to pass througha colander; take half a pint of yeast and half a pint of warm water;mix with the potatoes; pour the whole upon 5 lbs. Of flour; add salt;knead it well; if too thick, put to it a little more milk and warmwater; stand before the fire for an hour to rise; work it well andmake it into rolls. Bake it half an hour. POTATO RISSOLES. --Boil the potatoes floury; mash them, seasoning themwith salt and a little cayenne; mince parsley very fine, and work upwith the potatoes, adding eschalot, also chopped small. Bind with yolkof egg, roll into balls, and fry with fresh butter over a clear fire. Meat shred finely, bacon or ham may be added. POTATO SAUTEES. --These are even more agreeable with meat than friedpotatoes. Cold boiled potatoes are sliced up, and tossed up in asaucepan with butter, mixed with a little chopped parsley, till theyare lightly browned. Pure goose or other dripping is by many cookspreferred to butter for this purpose. POTATO SOUFFLES. --The delicious blistered potatoes are prepared asfollows: The potatoes, if small, are simply cut in halves; if large, cut in three or more slices; these are fried in the usual way, but aretaken out before they are quite done, and set aside to get cold; whenwanted they are fried a second time, but only till they are of a lightgolden color, not brown. TOMATOES. --Cut ripe tomatoes into slices, put them in a buttereddish with some bread crumbs, butter, pepper and salt, and bake tillslightly brown on top. FORCED TOMATOES. --Prepare the following forcemeat: Two ounces ofmushrooms, minced small, a couple of shalots, likewise minced, a smallquantity of parsley, a slice of lean ham, chopped fine, a few savoryherbs, and a little cayenne and salt. Put all these ingredients intoa saucepan with a lump of butter, and stew all together until quitetender, taking care that they do not burn. Put it by to cool, and thenmix with them some bread crumbs and the well beaten yolks of two eggs. Choose large tomatoes, as nearly of the same size as possible, cut aslice from the stalk end of each, and take out carefully the seedsand juice; fill them with the mixture which has already been prepared, strew them over with bread and some melted butter, and bake them ina quick oven until they assume a rich color. They are a goodaccompaniment to veal or calf's head. TO MASH TURNIPS. --Boil them very tender. Strain till no water is left. Place in a saucepan over a gentle fire, and stir well a few minutes. Do not let them burn. Add a little cream, or milk, or both, saltbutter and pepper. Add a tablespoonful of fine sugar. Stir and simmerfive minutes longer. TO BOIL OR STEW VEGETABLE MARROW. --This excellent vegetable may beboiled as asparagus. When boiled, divide it lengthways into two, andserve it upon a toast accompanied by melted butter; or when nearlyboiled, divide it as above, and stew gently in gravy like cucumbers. Care should be taken to choose young ones not exceeding six inches inlength. * * * * * [Illustration: How to Calculate] HOW TO CALCULATE. PRACTICAL RULES, SHORT METHODS, AND PROBLEMS USED IN BUSINESSCOMPUTATIONS. Rapidity and accuracy in making estimates and in figuring out theresult of business transactions is of the greatest necessity to theman of business. A miscalculation may involve the loss of hundredsor thousands of dollars, in many cases, while a slow and tediouscalculation involves loss of time and the advantage which should havebeen seized at the moment. It is proposed in the following pagesto give a few brief methods and practical rules for performingcalculations which occur in every-day transactions among men, presuming that a fair knowledge of the ordinary rules of arithmetichas previously been attained. ADDITION. To be able to add up long columns of figures rapidly and correctly isof great value to the merchant. This requires not only a knowledgeof addition, but in order to have a correct result, one that can berelied upon, it requires concentration of the mind. Never allow otherthoughts to be flitting through the mind, or any outside matterto disturb or draw it away from the figures, until the result isobtained. Write the tens to be carried each time in a smaller figureunderneath the units, so that afterwards any column can be addedover again without repeating the entire operation. By the practice ofaddition the eye and mind soon become accustomed to act rapidly, andthis is the art of addition. Grouping figures together is a valuableaid in rapid addition, as we group letters into words in reading. 862 \ 538 / 674 \ 843 / ____ 2917 Thus, in the above example, we do not say 3 and 4 are 7 and 8 are 15and 2 are 17, but speak the sum of the couplet, thus 7 and 10 are 17, and in the second column, 12 and 9 are 21. This method of groupingthe figures soon becomes easy and reduces the labor of addition aboutone-half, while those somewhat expert may group three or more figures, still more reducing the time and labor, and sometimes two or morecolumns may be added at once, by ready reckoners. Another method is to group into tens when it can be conveniently done, and still another method in adding up long columns is to add from thebottom to the top, and whenever the numbers make even 10, 20, 30, 40or 50, write with pencil a small figure opposite, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, andthen proceed to add as units. The sum of these figures thus set outwill be the number of tens to be carried to the next column. 6^{2} 2 8 3 5^{2} 4^{1} 2 8 4 9 6 2 7^{2} 1 8^{2} 8 3^{2} 5 5 2 7 1^{1} 3 2^{1} 5 8 8 _________________ 5 0 2 8 SHORT METHODS OF MULTIPLICATION. For certain classes of examples in multiplication short methods may beemployed and the labor of calculation reduced, but of course for thegreat bulk of multiplications no practical abbreviation remains. Aperson having much multiplying to do should learn the table up totwenty, which can be done without much labor. To multiply any number by 10, 100, or 1000, simply annex one, two, orthree ciphers, as the case may be. If it is desired to multiply by20, 300, 5000, or a number greater than one with any number of ciphersannexed, multiply first by the number and then annex as many ciphersas the multiplier contains. TABLE. 5 cents equal 1/20 of a dollar. 10 cents equal 1/10 of a dollar. 12-1/2 cents equal 1/8 of a dollar. 16-2/3 cents equal 1/6 of a dollar. 20 cents equal 1/5 of a dollar. 25 cents equal 1/4 of a dollar. 33-1/3 cents equal 1/3 of a dollar. 50 cents equal 1/2 of a dollar. Articles of merchandise are often bought and sold by the pound, yard, or gallon, and whenever the price is an equal part of a dollar, asseen in the above table, the whole cost may be easily found by addingtwo ciphers to the number of pounds or yards and dividing by theequivalent in the table. _Example_. What cost 18 dozen eggs at 16-2/3c per dozen? 6)1800 _____ $3. 00 _Example_. What cost 10 pounds butter at 25c per pound? 4)1000 ----- $2. 50 Or, if the pounds are equal parts of one hundred and the price isnot, then the same result may be obtained by dividing the price by theequivalent of the quantity as seen in the table; thus, in the abovecase, if the price were 10c and the number of pounds 25, it would beworked just the same. _Example_. Find the cost of 50 yards of gingham at 14c a yard. 2)1400 ----- $7. 00 When the price is one dollar and twenty-five cents, fifty cents, orany number found in the table, the result may be quickly found byfinding the price for the extra cents, as in the above examples, andthen adding this to the number of pounds or yards and calling theresult dollars. _Example_. Find the cost of 20 bushels potatoes at $1. 12-1/2 perbushel. 8)2000 250 ----- $22. 50 If the price is $2 or $3 instead of $1, then the number of bushelsmust first be multiplied by 2 or 3, as the case may be. _Example_. Find the cost of 6 hats at $4. 33-1/3 apiece. 3)600 4 ------ 24. 00 2. 00 ------ $26 When 125 or 250 are multipliers add three ciphers and divide by 8 and4 respectively. To multiply a number consisting of two figures by 11, write the sum ofthe two figures between them. _Example_. Multiply 53 by 11. Ans. 583. If the sum of the two numbers exceeds 10 then the units only mustbe placed between and the tens figure carried and added to the nextfigure to the left. _Example_. Multiply 87 by 11. Ans. 957. FRACTIONS. Fractional parts of a cent should never be despised. They often makefortunes, and the counting of all the fractions may constitute thedifference between the rich and the poor man. The business man readilyunderstands the value of the fractional part of a bushel, yard, pound, or cent, and calculates them very sharply, for in them lies perhapshis entire profit. TO REDUCE A FRACTION TO ITS SIMPLEST FORM. Divide both the numerator and denominator by any number that willleave no remainder and repeat the operation until no number willdivide them both. _Example_. The simplest form of 36/45 is found by dividing by 9 = 4/5. To reduce a whole number and a fraction, as 4-1/2, to fractional form, multiply the whole number by the denominator, add the numerator andwrite the result over the denominator. Thus, 4 X 2 = 8 + = 9 placedover 2 is 9/2. TO ADD FRACTIONS. Reduce the fractions to like denominators, add their numerators andwrite the denominator under the result. _Example_. Add 2/3 to 3/4. 2/3 = 8/12, 3/4 = 9/12, 8/12 + 9/12 = 17/12 = 1-5/12. Ans. TO SUBTRACT FRACTIONS. Reduce the fractions to like denominators, subtract the numerators andwrite the denominators under the result. _Example_. Find the difference between 4/5 and 3/4. 4/5 = 16/20, 3/4 = 15/20, 16/20-15/20 = 1/20. Ans. TO MULTIPLY FRACTIONS. Multiply the numerators together for a new numerator and thedenominators together for a new denominator. _Example_. Multiply 7/8 by 5/6. 7/8 x 5/6 = 35/48. Ans. TO DIVIDE FRACTIONS. Multiply the dividend by the divisor inverted. _Example_. Divide 7/8 by 5/6. 7/8 X 6/5 = 42/40. Reduced to simple form by dividing by 2 is 21/20 =[Transcriber's Note: The original text reads '1^{1}'] 1-1/20. Ans. TO MULTIPLY MIXED NUMBERS. When two numbers are to be multiplied, one of which contains afraction, first multiply the whole numbers together, then multiply thefraction by the other whole number, add the two results together forthe correct answer. _Example_. What cost 5-1/3 yards at 18c a yard? 18c 5-1/3 --- 18 x 5 = 90 18 x 1/3 = 6 --- 96c When both numbers contain a fraction, First, multiply the whole numbers together, Second, multiply the, lower whole number by the upper fraction; Third, multiply the upper whole number by the lower fraction; Fourth, multiply the fractions together; Fifth, add all the results for the correct answer. _Example_. What cost 12-2/3 pounds of butter at 18-3/4c per pound? 18-3/4 12-2/3 ------- 18 X 12 = 216 12 x 3/4 = 9 18 X 2/3 = 12 3/4 X 2/3 = 6/12 = 1/2 ------- $2. 37-1/2 Common fractions may often be changed to decimals very readily, andthe calculations thereby made much easier. TO CHANGE COMMON FRACTIONS TO DECIMALS. Annex one or more ciphers to the numerator and divide by thedenominator. _Example_. Change 3/4 to a decimal. Ans. . 75. We add two ciphers to the 3, making it 300, and divide by 4, whichgives us. 75. In the same way 1/2 =. 5, or 3/4 =. 75, and so on. When aquantity is in dollars and fractions of a dollar, the fractions shouldalways be thus reduced to cents and mills. * * * * * TWENTY THOUSAND THINGS WORTH KNOWING. RELATIVE HARDNESS OF WOODS. Taking shell bark hickory as the highest standard of our forest trees, and calling that 100, other trees will compare with it for hardness asfollows: Shell Bark Hickory 100 Pignut Hickory 96 White Oak 84 White Ash 77 Dogwood 75 Scrub Oak 73 White Hazel 72 Apple Tree 70 Red Oak 69 White Beech 65 Black Walnut 65 Black Birch 62 Yellow Oak 60 Hard Maple 56 White Elm 58 Red Cedar 56 Wild Cherry 55 Yellow Pine 54 [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Chesnut'] Chestnut 52 Yellow Poplar 51 [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Buternut'] Butternut 43 White Birch 43 White Pine 30 Timber intended for posts is rendered almost proof against rot bythorough seasoning, charring and immersion in hot coal tar. The slide of Alpnach, extending from Mount Pilatus to Lake Lucerne, a distance of 8 miles, is composed of 25, 000 trees, stripped of theirbark, and laid at an inclination of 10 to 18 degrees. Trees placed inthe slide rush from the mountain into the lake in 6 minutes. The Alps comprise about 180 mountains, from 4, 000 to 15, 732 feet high, the latter being the height of Mount Blanc, the highest spot in Europe. The summit is a sharp ridge, like the roof of a house, consisting ofnearly vertical granite rocks. The ascent requires 2 days, 6 or 8 guidesare required, and each guide is paid 100 francs ($20. 00). It wasascended by two natives, Jacques Belmat and Dr. Packard, August 8, 1786, at 6 a. M. They staid up 30 minutes, with the thermometer at 14 degreesbelow the freezing point. The provisions froze in their pockets; theirfaces were frost-bitten, lips swollen, and their sight much weakened, but they soon recovered on their descent. De Saussure records in hisascent August 2, 1760, that the color of the sky was deep blue; thestars were visible in the shade; the barometer sunk to 16. 08 inches(being 27. 08 in Geneva) the thermometer was 26-1/2 degrees, in the sun29 degrees (being 87 degrees at Geneva). The thin air works the bloodinto a high fever, you feel as if you hardly touched the ground, and youscarcely make yourself heard. A French woman, Mademoiselle d'Angeville, ascended in September, 1840, being dragged up the last 1, 200 feet byguides, and crying out: "If I die, carry me to the top. " When there, shemade them lift her up, that she might boast she had been higher than anyman in Europe. The ascent of these awful solitudes is most perilous, owing to the narrow paths, tremendous ravines, icy barriers, precipices, etc. In many places every step has to be cut in the ice, the party beingtied to each other by ropes, so that if one slips he may be held up bythe rest, and silence is enforced, lest the noise of talking shoulddislodge the avalanches of the Aiguille du Midi. The view from themountain is inexpressibly grand. On the Alps the limit of the vine is anelevation of 1, 600 feet; below 1, 000 feet, figs, oranges and olives areproduced. The limit of the oak is 3, 800 feet, of the [Transcriber's Note:The original text reads 'chesnut'] chestnut 2, 800 feet, of the pine 6, 500feet, of heaths and furze to 8, 700 and 9, 700 feet; and perpetual snowexists at an elevation of 8, 200 feet. On the Andes, in lat. 2 degrees, the limit of perpetual snow is 14, 760feet; in Mexico, lat. 19 degrees, the limit is 13, 800 feet; on thepeak of Teneriffe, 11, 454 feet; on Mount Etna, 9, 000 feet; on theCaucasus, 9, 900 feet; in the Pyrenees, 8, 400 feet; in Lapland, 3, 100 feet; in Iceland, 2, 890 feet. The walnut ceases to grow at anelevation of 3, 600 feet; the yellow pine at 6, 200 feet; the ash at4, 800 feet, and the fir at 6, 700 feet. The loftiest inhabited spoton the globe is the Port House of Ancomarca, on the Andes, inPeru, 16, 000 feet above the level of the sea. The 14th peak of theHimalayas, in Asia, 25, 659 feet high, is the loftiest mountain in theworld. Lauterbrunnen is a deep part of an Alpine pass, where the sun hardlyshines in winter. It abounds with falls, the most remarkable of whichis the Staubbach, which falls over the Balm precipice in a drizzlingspray from a height of 925 feet; best viewed in the morning sun or bymoonlight. In general, it is like a gauze veil, with rainbows dancingup and down it, and when clouds hide the top of the mountain, it seemsas poured out of the sky. In Canada, the falls of Montmorenci are 250 feet high, the falls ofNiagara (the Horse Shoe Falls) are 158 feet high and 2, 000 feet wide, the American Falls arc 164 feet high and 900 feet wide. The YosemiteValley Falls are 2, 600 feet high, and the Ribbon Falls of the Yosemiteare 3, 300 feet high. The waterfall of the Arve, in Bavaria, is 2, 000feet. THE PERIODS OF GESTATION are the same in the horse and ass or elevenmonths each, camel 12 months, elephant 2 years, lion 5 months, buffalo12 months, in the human female 9 months, cow 9 months, sheep 5 months, dog 9 weeks, cat 8 weeks, sow 16 weeks, she wolf from 90 to 95 days. The goose sits 30 days, swans 42, hens 21, ducks 30, peahens andturkeys 28, canaries 14, pigeons 14, parrots 40 days. AGES OF ANIMALS, ETC. --Elephant 100 years and upward, Rhinoceros 20, Camel 100, Lion 25 to 70, Tigers, Leopards, Jaguars and Hyenas (inconfinement) about 25 years, Beaver 50, deer 20, wolf 20, Fox 14 to16, Llamas 15, Chamois 25, Monkeys and Baboons 16 to 18 years, Hare 8, Squirrel 7, Rabbit 7, Swine 25, Stag under 50, Horse 30, Ass 30, Sheepunder 10, Cow 20, Ox 30, Swans, Parrots and Ravens 200, Eagle 100, Geese 80, Hens and Pigeons 10 to 16, Hawks 36 to 40, Cranes 24, Blackbird 10 to 12, Peacock 20, Pelican 40 to 50, Thrush 8 to 10, Wren2 to 3, Nightingale 15, Blackcap 15, Linnet 14 to 23, Goldfinch 20 to24, Redbreast 10 to 12, Skylark 10 to 30, Titlark 5 to 6, Chaffinch20 to 24, Starling 10 to 12, Carp 70 to 150, Pike 30 to 40, Salmon 16, Codfish 14 to 17, Eel 10, Crocodile 100, Tortoise 100 to 200, Whaleestimated 1, 000, Queen Bees live 4 years, Drones 4 months, WorkingBees 6 months. The melody of singing birds ranks as follows: The nightingale first, then the linnet, titlark, sky lark and wood lark. The mocking bird hasthe greatest powers of imitation, the robin and goldfinch are superiorin vigorous notes. The condor of Peru has spread wings 40 feet, feathers 20 feet, quills8 inches round. In England, a quarter of wheat, comprising 8 bushels, yields 14bushels 2-1/2 pecks, divided into seven distinct kinds of flour, asfollows: Fine flour, 5 bushels 3 pecks; bran, 3 bushels; twenty-penny, 3 bushels; seconds, 2 pecks; pollard, 2 bushels; fine middlings, 1peck; coarse ditto, 1 peck. The ancient Greek phalanx comprised 8, 000 men, forming a squarebattalion, with spears crossing each other, and shields united. The Roman legion was composed of 6, 000 men, comprising 10 cohorts of600 men each, with 300 horsemen. The ancient battering ram was of massive timber, 60 to 100 feet long, fitted with an iron head. It was erected under shelter to protect the60 or 100 men required to work it. The largest was equal in force to a36-lb. Shot from a cannon. Pile Driving on Sandy Soils. --The greatest force will not effect apenetration exceeding 15 feet. Various Sizes of Type. --It requires 205 lines of Diamond type to make12 inches, of Pearl 178, of Ruby 166, of Nonpareil 143, of Minion 128, of Brevier 112-1/2, of Bourgeois 102-1/2, of Long Primer 89, of SmallPica 83, of Pica 71-1/2, of English 64. Wire ropes for the transmission of power vary in size from 3/8 to 7/8inch diam. For from 3 to 300 horse power; to promote flexibility, therope, made of iron, steel, or copper wire, as may be preferred, isprovided with a core of hemp, and the speed is 1 mile per minute, moreor less, as desired. Tho rope should run on a well-balanced, grooved, cast iron wheel, of from 4 to 15 feet diam. , according as thetransmitted power ranges from 3 to 300 horse; the groove should bewell cushioned with soft material, as leather or rubber, for theformation of a durable bed for the rope. With good care the rope willlast from 3 to 5 years. Cannon balls go furthest at an elevation of 30 degrees, and less asthe balls are less; the range is furthest when fired from west to eastin the direction of the earth's motion, which for the diurnal rotationon its axis, is at the rate of 1, 037 miles per hour, and in its orbit, 66, 092 miles. The air's resistance is such that a cannon ball of 3 lbs. Weight, diameter, 2. 78 ins. Moving with a velocity of 1, 800 feet per second, is resisted by a force equal to 156 lbs. Bricklayers ascend ladders with loads of 90 lbs. , 1 foot per second. There are 484 bricks in a cubic yard, and 4, 356 in a rod. A power of 250 tons is necessary to start a vessel weighing 3, 000 tonsover greased slides on a marine railway, when in motion, 150 tons onlyis required. A modern dredging machine, 123 ft. Long, beam 26 ft. , breadth overall, 11 ft. , will raise 180 tons of mud and clay per hour, 11 feetfrom water-line. In tanning, 4 lbs. Of oak bark make 1 lb. Of leather. Flame is quenched in air containing 3 per cent, of carbonic acid; thesame percentage is fatal to animal life. 100 parts of oak make nearly 23 of charcoal; beech 21, deal 19, apple23. 7, elm 23, ash 25, birch 24, maple 22. 8, willow 18, poplar 20, redpine 22. 10, white pine 23. The charcoal used in gunpowder is made fromwillow, alder, and a few other woods. The charred timber found in theruins of Herculaneum has undergone no change in 1, 800 years. Four volumes of nitrogen and one of oxygen compose atmospheric air inall localities on the globe. Air extracted from pure water, under an air pump, contains 34. 8 percent. Of oxygen. Fish breathe this air, respiring about 35 times perminute. The oxhydrogen lime light may be seen from mountains at thedistance of 200 miles round. Lightning is reflected 150 to 200 miles. 1, 000 cubic feet of 13 candle gas is equivalent to over 7 gals. Of spermoil, 52. 9 lbs. Of tallow candles, and over 44 lbs. Of sperm candles. The time occupied by gas in traveling from a gas well (inPennsylvania) through 32 miles of pipe was 22 minutes, pressure at thewell was 55 lbs. Per inch, pressure at discharge 49 lbs. At birth, the beats of the pulse are from 165 to 104, and theinspirations of breath from 70 to 23. From 15 to 20, the pulsationsare from 90 to 57, the inspirations, from 24 to 16; from 29 to 50, thepulsations are 112 to 56, the inspirations 23 to 11. In usual statesit is 4 to 1. The action of the heart distributes 2 ozs. Of blood from70 to 80 times in a minute. The mean heat of the human body is 98 degs. And of the skin 90 degs. Tea and coffee are usually drank at 110 degs. The deepest coal minein England is at Killingworth, near Newcastle, and the mean annualtemperature at 400 yards below the surface is 77 degrees, and at 300yards 70 degrees, while at the surface it is but 48 degrees, being 1degree of increase for every 15 yards. This explains the origin of hotsprings, for at 3, 300 yards the heat would be equal to boiling water, taking 20 yards to a degree. The heat of the Bath waters is 116degrees, hence they would appear to rise 1, 320 yards. Peron relates that at the depth of 2, 144 feet in the sea thethermometer falls to 45 degrees, when it is 86 degrees at the surface. Swemberg and Fourier calculate the temperature of the celestial spacesat 50 degrees centigrade below freezing. In Northern Siberia the ground is frozen permanently to the depth of660 feet, and only thaws to the extent of 3 or 4 feet in summer. Below660 feet internal heat begins. River water contains about 30 grs. Of solid matter in every cubicfoot. Fresh water springs of great size abound under the sea. Perhapsthe most remarkable springs exist in California, where they are notedfor producing sulphuric acid, ink, and other remarkable products. St. Winifred's Well, in England, evolves 120 tons of water per minute, furnishing abundant water power to drive 11 mills within little morethan a mile. The French removed a red granite column 95 feet high, weighing 210tons, from Thebes, and carried it to Paris. The display of costlyarchitectural ruins at Thebes is one of the most astonishing to beseen anywhere in the world. The ruins and costly buildings in oldEastern countries, are so vast in their proportions and so many innumber that it would require volumes to describe them. Babel, now called Birs Nimroud, built at Babylon by Belus, was used asan observatory and as a temple of the Sun. It was composed of 8square towers, one over the other, in all 670 feet high, and the samedimensions on each side on the ground. The Coliseum at Rome, built by Vespasian for 100, 000 spectators, wasin its longest diameter 615-5 feet, and in the shortest 510, embraced5-1/2 acres, and was 120 feet high. Eight aqueducts supplied ancientRome with water, delivering 40 millions of cubit feet daily. Thatof Claudia was 47 miles long and 100 feet high, so as to furnish thehills. Martia was 41 miles, of which 37 were on 7, 000 acres 70 feethigh. These vast erections would never have been built had the Romansknown that water always rises to its own level. The Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, was 425 feet long and 225 feet broad, with 127 columns, 60 feet high, to support the roof. It was 220 yearsin building. Solomon's Temple, built B. C. 1014, was 60 cubits or 107 feet inlength, the breadth 20 cubits or 36 feet, and the height 30 cubits or54 feet. The porch was 36 feet long and 18 feet wide. The largest one of the Egyptian pyramids is 543 feet high, 693 feet onthe sides, and its base covers 11 acres. The layers of stones are 208in number. Many stones are over 30 feet long, 4 broad and 3 thick. The Temple of Ypsambul, in Nubia, is enormously massive and cut out ofthe solid rock. Belzoni found in it 4 immense figures, 65 feet high, 25 feet over the shoulders, with a face of 7 feet and the ears over 3feet. Sesostris erected in the temple in Memphis immense statues of himselfand his wife, 50 feet high, and of his children, 28 feet. In the Temple of the Sun, at Baalbec, are stones more than 60 feetlong, 24 feet thick and 16 broad, each embracing 23, 000 cubic feet, cut, squared, sculptured, and transported from neighboring quarries. Six enormous columns are each 72 feet high, composed of 3 stones 7feet in diameter. Sesostris is credited with having transported fromthe mountains of Arabia a rock 32 feet wide and 240 feet long. The engineering appliances used by the ancients in the movement ofthese immense masses are but imperfectly understood at the presentday. During modern times, a block of granite weighing 1, 217 tons, now usedas the pedestal of the equestrian statute of Peter the Great, at St. Petersburg, was transported 4 miles by land over a railway, and 13miles in a vast caisson by water. The railway consisted of two linesof timber furnished with hard metal grooves; between these grooveswere placed spheres of hard brass about 6 inches in diameter. On thesespheres the frame with its massive load was easily moved by 60 men, working at capstans with treble purchase blocks. In 1716 Swedenborg contrived to transport (on rolling machines of hisown invention) over valleys and mountains, 2 galleys, 5 large boatsand 1 sloop, from Stromstadt to Iderfjol (which divides Sweden fromNorway on the South), a distance of 14 miles, by which means CharlesXII. Was able to carry on his plans, and under cover of the galleysand boats to transport on pontoons his heavy artillery to the verywalls of Frederickshall. Belzoni considered the tract between the first and second cataract ofthe Nile as the hottest on the globe, owing to there being no rain. The natives do not credit the phenomenon of water falling from above. Hence it is that all monuments are so nicely preserved. Buckinghamfound a building left unfinished about 4, 000 years ago, and the chalkmarks on the stones were still perfect. Pompey's Pillar is 92 feet high, and 27-1/2 round at the base. Water is the absolute master, former and secondary agent of the powerof motion in everything terrestrial. It is the irresistible powerwhich elaborates everything, and the waters contain more organizedbeings than the land. Rivers hold in suspension 100th of their volume (more or less) of mud, so that if 36 cubic miles of water (the estimated quantity) flow dailyinto the sea, 0. 36 cubic miles of soil are daily displaced. The Rhinecarries to the sea every day 145, 980 cubic feet of mud. The Po carriesout the land 228 feet per annum, consequently Adria which 2, 500 yearsago was on the sea, is now over 20 miles from it. The enormous amount of alluvium deposited by the Mississippi is almostincalculable, and constantly renders necessary extensive engineeringoperations in order to remove the impediments to navigation. As an exponent of the laws of friction, it may be stated that a squarestone weighing 1, 080 lbs. Which required a force of 758 lbs. To dragit along the floor of a quarry, roughly chiseled, required only aforce of 22 lbs. To move it when mounted on a platform and rollersover a plank floor. The flight of wild ducks is estimated at 90 miles per hour, that of theswift at 200 miles, carrier pigeons 38 miles, swallows 60 miles, migratory birds have crossed the Mediterranean at a speed of 120 milesper hour. The Nile has a fall of 6 ins. In 1, 000 miles. The rise of the rivercommences in June, continuing until the middle of August, attainingan elevation of from 24 to 26 feet, and flowing the valley of Egypt 12miles wide. In 1829 it rose to 26 cubits, by which 30, 000 persons weredrowned. It is a terrible climate to live in, owing to the festeringheat and detestable exhalations from the mud, etc. , left on theretiring of the Nile, which adds about 4 inches to the soil in acentury, and encroaches on the sea 16 feet every year. Bricks havebeen found at the depth of 60 feet, showing the vast antiquity of thecountry. In productiveness of soil it is excelled by no other in theworld. How to Splice a Belt in Order to Make it Run Like an EndlessBelt. --Use the toughest yellow glue prepared in the ordinary way, while hot, stirring in thoroughly about 20 per cent of its weight oftannic acid, or extract of tan bark. Apply to the splice and quicklyclamp together. The splice should be made of scarfed edges extending3 to 6 inches back, according to thickness of belt. The surface to beperfectly clean and free from oil. How Many Pounds of Coal it Requires to Maintain Steam of One-HorsePower per Hour. --Anthracite 1-1/2 to 5 pounds, according to theeconomy of boiler and engine. Bituminous and anthracite coal are verynearly equal for equal qualities. They both vary from 7 to 10 poundsof water evaporated per pound of coal from a temperature of 212degrees. A Formula for Collodio-bromide Emulsion that is Rapid. --Ether s. G. 0. 720, 4 fluid ounces; alcohol s. G. 0. 820, 2-1/2 fluid ounces;pyroxyline, 40 grains; castile soap dissolved in alcohol, 30 grains;bromide of ammonium and cadmium, 56 grains. How to Deaden the Noise of Steam While Blowing off Through a WroughtIron Stand Pipe. --The sound may be much modified by enlarging the endof the pipe like a trumpet or cone; which should be long, 20 or 30times the diameter of the pipe, opening to 4 or 5 times its initialsize. Why Fusible Plugs are Put in the Crown Sheet of LocomotiveBoilers. --To save the crown sheet from burning in case of low water, when the plug melts and lets the steam and water into the fire chamberto dampen and put out the fire as well as to make an alarm. Theymay also be employed on other forms of boilers, and are much used inconnection with whistles for low-water alarms only. Boilers should notbe blown out for cleaning with fire under them or while the walls(if set in brick) are hot enough to do damage to the iron shell. Locomotive boilers may be blown out very soon after the fire isentirely removed. All brick-set boilers should be left several hoursafter the fire is drawn before blowing off for cleaning. How to Lace a Quarter Turn Belt so as to Have an Equal Strain on BothEdges of the Belt. --Begin on the outside of the belt at the middle, pass one end of the lacing through one end of the belt and bringit out through the corresponding hole of the other end of the belt, laying it diagonally off to the left. Now pass the other end of thelacing through the hole last used, and carry it over the first strandof the lacing on the inside of the belt, passing it through the firsthole used, and lay it diagonally off to the right. Now proceed to passthe lacing through the holes of the belt in a zigzag course, leavingall the strands inside the belt parallel with the belt, and all thestrands outside the belt oblique. Pass the lace twice through theholes nearest the edge of the belt, then return the lace in thereverse order toward the center of the belt, so as to cross all theoblique strands, and make all the inside strands double. Finallypass the end of the lacing through the first hole used, then outwardthrough an awl hole, then hammering it down to cause it to hold. Theleft side is to be laced in a similar way. A Useful Hint to Draughtsmen. --To strain drawing paper on a board, cutthe paper to the size required, lay it on the board face downwards andthoroughly wet the surface with a damp sponge or brush, then turn itover and wet the face in the same way; roll it up tightly and letit stay so for five or six minutes, unroll it, and turn up the edgesabout an inch all around. Take liquid glue (Jackson's is the best) andapply it carefully to the edges, then turn them down, and with a paperknife press them to the board all around. Put the board in an inclinedposition where it is not too dry or warm, or the paper will dry toofast and tear. If it is allowed to dry slowly the surface will beperfectly even and smooth, and a pleasure to draw upon. Joints for Hot Water Pipes. --Sal-ammoniac, 2 oz. ; sublimed sulphur, 1 oz. ; cast-iron filings, 1 lb. Mix in a mortar, and keep the powderdry. When it is to be used, mix it with twenty times its weight ofclean iron filings, and grind the whole in a mortar. Wet with wateruntil it becomes of convenient consistence. After a time it becomes ashard and strong as any part of the metal. When the Process of Galvanizing Iron was First Known. --A. The processof coating iron with zinc, or zinc and tin, is a French invention, andwas patented in England in 1837. A Timber Test. --The soundness of timber may be ascertained by placingthe ear close to one end of the log, while another person delivers asuccession of smart blows with a hammer or mallet upon the oppositeend, when a continuance of the vibrations will indicate to anexperienced ear even the degree of soundness. If only a dull thudmeets the ear, the listener may be certain that unsoundness exists. Useful Hints and Recipes. --Following is a comparative statement of thetoughness of various woods. --Ash, 100; beech, 85; cedar of Lebanon, 84; larch, 83; sycamore and common walnut, each, 68; occidental plane, 66; oak, hornbeam and Spanish mahogany, each, 62; teak and acacia, each, 58; elm and young chestnut, 52. An [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'ingenius'] ingeniousdevice for stretching emery cloth for use in the workshop consists of acouple of strips of wood about 14 in. Long, hinged longitudinally, andof round, half-round, triangular, or any other shape in cross section. On the inside faces of the wood strips are pointed studs, fitting intoholes on the opposite side. The strip of emery cloth is laid on to oneset of the studs, and the file, as it is called, closed, which fixes thestrip on one side. It is then similarly fixed on the other side, andthus constitutes what is called an emery file and which is a handy andconvenient arrangement for workshop use. Method of making Artificial Whetstones. --Gelatine of good quality isdissolved in its own weight of water, the operation being conducted ina dark room. To the solution one and a half per cent. Of bichromateof potash is added, which has previously been dissolved in a littlewater. A quantity of very fine emery, equal to nine times the weightof the gelatine, is [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'itimately'] intimately mixed with the gelatine solution. Pulverized flint may be substituted for emery. The mass is molded intoany desired shape, and is then consolidated by heavy pressure. It isdried by exposure to strong sunlight for several hours. How to Toughen Paper. --A plan for rendering paper as tough as wood orleather has been recently introduced; it consists in mixing chloride ofzinc with the pulp in the course of manufacture. It has been found thatthe greater the degree of concentration of the zinc solution, thegreater will be the toughness of the paper. It can be used for makingboxes and for roofing. How to Mend a Broken File. --There is no tool so easily broken as thefile that the machinist has to work with, and is about the first thingthat snaps when a kit of tools gets upset upon the cross-beam of amachine or a tool board from the bed of an engine lathe. It cannoteven be passed from one workman to another without being broken, ifthe file is a new one or still good for anything, if an apprentice hasgot anything to do with it, and they are never worth mending, howevergreat may be their first cost, unless the plaster of Paris and limetreatment can make a perfect weld without injuring the steel ordisturbing the form of the teeth. Steel that is left as hard as a fileis very brittle, and soft solder can hold as much on a steady pullif it has a new surface to work from. Take a file, as soon as it isbroken, and wet the break with zinc dissolved in muriatic acid, andthen tin over with the soldering iron. This must be done immediatelyas soon as the file is broken, as the break begins to oxydize whenexposed to the air. And in an hour or two will gather sufficient tomake it impossible for the parts to adhere. Heat the file as warm asit will bear without disturbing its temper as soon as well tinned, and press the two pieces firmly together, squeezing out nearly all thesolder, and hold in place until the file cools. This can be donewith very little to trim off, and every portion of the break fittingaccurately in place. Bring both pieces in line with each other, and, for a file, it is as strong in one place as in another, and is allthat could be asked for under the very best of welding treatment. What will Fasten Pencil Markings, to Prevent Blurring. --Immerse papercontaining the markings to be preserved in a bath of clear water, thenflow or immerse in milk a moment; hang up to dry. Having often hadrecourse to this method, in preserving pencil and crayon drawings, Iwill warrant it a sure cure. How to Transfer Newspaper Prints to Glass. --First coat the glass withdammar varnish, or else with Canada balsam, mixed with an equal volumeof oil of turpentine, and let it dry until it is very sticky, whichtakes half a day or more. The printed paper to be transferred shouldbe well soaked in soft water, and carefully laid upon the preparedglass, after removing surplus water with blotting paper, and pressedupon it, so that no air bubbles or drops of water are seen underneath. This should dry a whole day before it is touched; then with wettedfingers begin to rub off the paper at the back. If this be skillfullydone, almost the whole of the paper can be removed, leaving simply theink upon the varnish. When the paper has been removed, another coat ofvarnish will serve to make the whole more transparent. This recipe issold at from $3 to $5 by itinerants. A Liquid Cement for Cementing Leather, that Will Not be Affected bythe Action of Water. --A good cement for splicing leather is guttapercha dissolved in carbon disulphide, until it is of the thicknessof treacle; the parts to be cemented must first be well thinned down, then pour a small quantity of the cement on both ends, spreading itwell so as to fill the pores of the leather; warm the parts over afire for about half a minute, apply them quickly together, and hammerwell. The bottle containing the cement should be tightly corked, andkept in a cool place. The Quickest and Best Way to Drill Holes for Water Pipes in RoughPlate Glass. --Use a hardened (file temper) drill, with spirits ofturpentine and camphor to make the drill bite. A broken file in abreast brace will do good work if a power drill is not obtainable. A Recipe for Making Printers' Inks. --For black ink: Take of balsam ofcopaiba (pure), 9 ounces; lamp black, 3 ounces; indigo and Prussianblue, of each half an ounce; Indian red, 3/4 ounce; yellow soap (dry), 3 ounces; grind the mixture to an impalpable smoothness by means ofa stone and muller. Canada balsam may be substituted for balsam ofcopaiba where the smell of the latter is objectionable, but the inkthen dries very quickly. The red inks are similarly made by using suchpigments as carmine, lakes, vermilion, chrome yellow, red lead, orangered, Indian red and Venetian red. A Cement to Stick White Metal Tops on Glass Bottles. --One of the bestcap cements consists of resin, 5 ounces; beeswax, 1 ounce; red ocheror Venetian red in powder, 1 ounce. Dry the earth thoroughly ona stove at a temperature above 212¡ Fah. Melt the wax and resintogether, and stir in the powder by degrees. Stir until cold, lest theearthy matter settle to the bottom. The Correct Meaning of the Tonnage of a Vessel. --The law defines verycarefully how the tonnage of different vessels shall be calculated. An approximate rule for finding the gross tonnage is to multiply thelength of keel between perpendiculars by the breadth of vessel anddepth of hold, all in feet, and dividing the product by 100. It isgenerally assumed that 40 cubic feet shall constitute a ton, and thetonnage of a vessel is considered to be the multiple of this ton, which most closely corresponds with the internal capacity of thevessel. A Recipe for Re-inking Purple Type Ribbons. --Use: Aniline violet, 1/4ounce; pure alcohol, 15 ounces; concentrated glycerine, 15 ounces. Dissolve the aniline in the alcohol, and add the glycerine. The Process of Giving a Tempered-Blue Color to the Steel Plate andMalleable Iron Castings of a Roller Skate. --In order to obtain an evenblue, the work must have an even finish, and be made perfectly clean. Arrange a cast-iron pot in a fire so as to heat it to the temperatureof melted lead, or just below a red heat. Make a flat bottom basket ofwire or wire cloth to sit in the iron box, on which place the workto be blued, as many pieces as you may find you can manage, alwaysputting in pieces of about the same thickness and size, so that theywill heat evenly. Make a bail to the basket, so that it can be easilyhandled. When the desired color is obtained, dip quickly in hot waterto stop the progress of the bluing, for an instant only, so thatenough heat may be retained to dry the articles. A cover to the ironbox may sometimes be used to advantage to hasten the heating. Anotherway, much used, is to varnish the work with ultramarine varnish, whichmay be obtained from the varnish makers. Cement to Mend Iron Pots and Pans. --Take two parts of sulphur and onepart, by weight, of fine black lead; put the sulphur in an old ironpan, holding it over the fire until it begins to melt, then add thelead; stir well until all is mixed and melted; then pour out on aniron plate or smooth stone. When cool, break into small pieces. Asufficient quantity of this compound being placed upon the crack ofthe iron pot to be mended, can be soldered by a hot iron in the sameway a tinsmith solders his sheets. If there is a small hole in thepot, drive a copper rivet in it, and then solder over it withthis cement. The Best Method of Rendering Basement Walls Damp-Proof. --Construct onthe outside an area wall so that the earth does not rest directlyagainst the main wall of the house, but only against the outside wall orcasing of the area. To form such an area, build a wall half or one brickthick parallel to and some 2 or 3 inches from the main wall, and form atthe bottom a channel or gutter connected with the drains, so that anymoisture or water finding its way in through the outer casing may beconducted away and will not therefore penetrate into the building. Thoroughly ventilate the areas by means of air bricks or other suitableconnections with the outer air, and connect with one another by makingthrough connections underneath the floor joists. Be very careful thatthe main wall is laid on a good and efficient damp course. The top ofthe space between the area and main walls may be covered in all aroundthe building with bricks--ornamented or otherwise, as preferred--on aline just above the ground. Another plan of effecting the same object isto dispense with the area wall and in building the brick work to coverthe whole of the work on the outside with a thick layer of bituminousasphalt. The plaster on the inside is in this case often rendered innearly neat Portland cement. How to Caseharden Large Pieces of Steel. --A box of cast or wroughtiron should be provided large enough to hold one or two of the pieces, with sufficient room all around to pack well with the casehardeningmaterials, which may be leather scrap, hoof shavings, or hornshavings, slightly burned and pulverized, which may be mixed withan equal quantity of pulverized charcoal. Pack the pieces to becasehardened in the iron box so as not to touch each other or the box. Put an iron cover on the box and lute with clay. Heat gradually ina furnace to a full red, keep at an even temperature for from 2 to4 hours, raise the heat to a cherry red during the last hour, thenremove the cover and take out the pieces and plunge endwise verticallyin water at shop temperature; 2 per cent. Of hydrochloric acid in thewater improves its tempering qualities and gives the metal an evengray color. A Good and Cheap Preparation to Put on Friction Matches. --The ignitingcomposition varies with different makers. The following recipes maybe taken as fairly representative, the first being the best: 1. Phosphorus by weight, 1/2 part; potassium chlorate, 4 parts; glue, 2 parts; whiting, 1 part; finely powdered glass, 4 parts; water, 11parts. 2. Phosphorus by weight, 2 parts; potassium chlorate, 5 parts;glue, 3 parts; red lead, 1-1/2 parts; water, 12 parts. 3. A Germanmixture for matches. Potassium chlorate, 7. 8 parts; lead hyposulphite, 2. 6 parts; gum arabic, 1 part. To Find How Much Tin Vessels Will Hold. --For the contents ofcylinders: Square the diameter, and multiply the product by 0. 7854. Again, multiply by the height (all in inches). Divide the product by231 for gallons. For the frustum of a cone: Add together the squaresof the diameters of large and small ends; to this add the product ofthe diameter of the two ends. Multiply this sum by 0. 7854. Multiplythis product by the height (all in inches). Then divide by 231 for thenumber of gallons. A Useful Recipe. --For stopping the joints between slates or shingles, etc. , and chimneys, doors, windows, etc. , a mixture of stiffwhite-lead paint, with sand enough to prevent it from running, isvery good, especially if protected by a covering of strips of lead orcopper, tin, etc. , nailed to the mortar joints of the chimneys, afterbeing bent so as to enter said joints, which should be scraped out foran inch in depth, and afterward refilled. Mortar protected in the sameway, or even unprotected, is often used for the purpose, but it isnot equal to the paint and sand. Mortar a few days old (to allowrefractory particles of lime to slack), mixed with blacksmith'scinders and molasses, is much used for this purpose, and becomes veryhard and effective. Test for Hard or Soft Water. --Dissolve a small quantity of good soapin alcohol. Let a few drops fall into a glass of water. If it turnsmilky, it is hard; if not, it is soft. Test for Earthy Matters or Alkali in Water. --Take litmus paper dippedin vinegar, and if, on immersion, the paper returns to its true shade, the water does not contain earthy matter or alkali. If a few drops ofsyrup be added to a water containing an earthy matter, it will turngreen. Test for Carbonic Acid in Water. --Take equal parts of water andclear lime water. If combined or free carbonic acid is present, aprecipitate is seen, to which, if a few drops of muriatic acid beadded, an effervescence commences. Test for Magnesia in Water. --Boil the water to a twentieth part ofits weight, and then drop a few grains of neutral carbonate of ammoniainto a glass of it, and a few drops of phosphate of soda. If magnesiabe present, it will fall to the bottom. Test for Iron in Water. --1. Boil a little nutgall and add to thewater. If it turns gray or slate, black iron is present. 2. Dissolvea little prussiate of potash, and, if iron is present, it will turnblue. Test for Lime in Water. --Into a glass of water put two drops of oxalicacid and blow upon it. If it gets milky, lime is present. Test for Acid in Water. --Take a piece of litmus paper. If it turnsred, there must be acid. If it precipitates on adding lime water, itis carbonic acid. If a blue sugar paper is turned red, it is a mineralacid. Value of Manufactured Steel. --A pound of very fine steel wire to makewatch springs of, is worth about $4; this will make 17, 000 springs, worth $7, 000. Horses in Norway have a very sensible way of taking their food, whichperhaps might be beneficially followed here. They have a bucket ofwater put down beside their allowance of hay. It is interesting tosee with what relish they take a sip of the one and a mouthful ofthe other alternately, sometimes only moistening their mouths, asa rational being would do while eating a dinner of such dry food. Abroken-winded horse is scarcely ever seen in Norway, and thequestion is if the mode of feeding has not something to do with thepreservation of the animal's respiratory organs. The Process of Fastening Rubber Rolls on Clothes Wringer. --1. Cleanshaft thoroughly between the shoulders or washers, where the rubber goeson, 2. Give the shaft a coat of copal varnish, between the shoulders, and let it dry. 3. Give shaft coat of varnish and wind shaft tightly aspossible with five-ply jute twine at once, while varnish is green, andlet it dry for about six hours. 4. Give shaft over the twine a coat ofrubber cement, and let it dry for about six hours. 5. Give shaft overthe twine a second coat of rubber cement, and let it dry for about sixhours. 6. Remove washer on the short end of shaft, also the cogwheel ifthe shaft has cogs on both ends. 7. See that the rubber rolls are alwayslonger than the space between the washers where the rubber goes on, asthey shrink or take up a little in putting on the shaft. 8. Clean outthe hole or inside of roll with benzine, using a small brush or swab. 9. Put the thimble or pointer on the end of shaft that the washer has beenremoved from, and give shaft over the twine and thimble another coat ofcement, and stand same upright in a vise. 10. Give the inside or hole ofroll a coat of cement with a small rod or stick. 11. Pull or force theroll on the shaft as quickly as possible with a jerk, then rivet thewasher on with a cold chisel. 12. Let roll stand and get dry for two orthree days before using same. Cement for use should be so thick that itwill run freely; if it gets too thick, thin it with benzine or naphtha. How to Make Effervescing Solution of Citrate of Magnesia. --Dissolvecitric acid 400 grains in water 2, 000 grains, add carbonate ofmagnesia 200 grains; stir until dissolved. Filter into a 12-ouncebottle containing syrup of citric acid 1, 200 grains. Add boiledand filtered water to fill bottle, drop in bicarbonate of potash incrystals 30 grains and immediately cork. Shake until bicarbonate ofpotash is dissolved. The syrup of citric acid is made from citric acid8 parts, water 8 parts, spirit of lemon 4 parts, syrup 980 parts. A Receipt for Making the Black Cement that is Used for Filling Lettersafter They are Cut out in Brass. --Mix asphaltum, brown japan andlampblack into a putty-like mass, fill in the spaces, and finallyclean the edges with turpentine. Useful Workshop Hints. --Clean and oil leather belts without takingthem off their pulleys. If taken off they will shrink. Then a piecemust be put into them and removed again after the belt has run a fewdays. The decay of stone, either in buildings or monuments, may bearrested by heating and treating with paraffin mixed with a littlecreosote. A common "paint burner" may be used to heat the stone. Setan engine upon three or four movable points, as upon three cannonballs. Connect with steam, and exhaust by means of rubber hose. If theengine will run up to speed without moving itself back and forth, then that engine will run a long time with little repair. If it shakesitself around the room, then buy another engine. Safely moving a tallmill chimney has been accomplished several times. Chimneys which havebeen caused to lean slightly through settling of the foundation maybe straightened up again by sawing out the mortar between courses ofbrick at the base. A chimney 100 ft. High and 12 ft. Square at thebase will be varied over 8 in. At the top by the removal of 1 in. Atthe base. When you begin to fix up the mill for cold weather, don'tforget to put a steam trap in each and every steam pipe which can beopened into the atmosphere for heating purposes. For leading steamjoints, mix the red lead or litharge with common commercial glycerine, instead of linseed oil. Put a little carbolic acid in your glue orpaste pot. It will keep the contents sweet for a long time. Look wellto the bearings of your shafting engine and machines. Sometimes 25, 30, 40 and even 50 per cent. Of your power is consumed through lack ofgood oil. When you buy a water wheel, be sure to buy one small enoughto run at full gate while the stream is low during the summer months. If you want more power than the small wheel will give, then put in twoor more wheels of various sizes. When it becomes necessary to trim apiece of rubber, it will be found that the knife will cut much morereadily if dipped in water. When forging a chisel or other cuttingtool, never upset the end of the tool. If necessary cut it off, but don't try to force it back into a good cutting edge. In tubularboilers the handholes should be often opened, and all collectionsremoved from over the fire. When boilers are fed in front, and areblown off through the same pipe, the collection of mud or sediment inthe rear end should be often removed. Nearly all smoke may be consumedwithout special apparatus, by attending with a little common sense toa few simple rules. Suppose we have a battery of boilers, and "softcoal" is the fuel. Go to the first boiler, shut the damper nearly up, and fire up one-half of the furnace, close the door, open damper, andgo to the next boiler and repeat the firing. By this method nearly, if not quite, all the smoke will be consumed. A coiled spring insertedbetween engine and machinery is highly beneficial where extremeregularity of power is required. It is well known that a steam engine, in order to govern itself, must run too fast and too slow in orderto close or open its valves; hence an irregularity of power isunavoidable. A "Paste" Metal Polish for Cleaning and Polishing Brass. --Oxalic acid1 part, iron peroxide 15 parts, powdered rottenstone 20 parts, palmoil 60 parts, petrolatum 4 parts. See that solids are thoroughlypulverized and sifted, then add and thoroughly incorporate oil andpetrolatum. Cough Candy or Troches. --Tincture of squills 2 ounces, camphorated tincture of opium and tincture of tolu of each 1/4 ounce, wine of ipecac 1/2 ounce, oil of gautheria 4 drops, sassafras 3 drops, and of anise seed oil 2 drops. The above mixture is to be put into 5pounds of candy which is just ready to take from the fire; continuethe boiling a little longer, so as to form into sticks. How to Oxidize Silver. --For this purpose a pint of sulphide ofpotassium, made by intimately mixing and heating together 2 partsof thoroughly dried potash and 1 part of sulphur powder, is used. Dissolve 2 to 3 drachms of this compound in 1-3/4 pints of water, andbring the liquid to a temperature of from 155 degrees to 175 degreesFah. , when it is ready for use. Silver objects, previously freed fromdust and grease with soda lye and thorough rinsing in water, plungedinto this bath are instantly covered with an iridescent film of silversulphide, which in a few seconds more becomes blue black. The objectsare then removed, rinsed off in plenty of fresh water, scratchbrushed, and if necessary polished. Useful Household Recipes. --To purify water in glass vessels andaquariums, it is recommended to add to every 100 grammes of water fourdrops of a solution of one gramme of salicylic acid in 300 grammes ofwater. The _Norsk Fiskeritidende_, published at Bergen, Norway, saysthat thereby the water may be kept fresh for three months withoutbeing renewed. A cement recommended as something which can hardlybe picked to pieces is made as follows:--Mix equal parts of limeand brown sugar with water, and be sure the lime is thoroughlyair-slacked. This mortar is equal to Portland cement, and is ofextraordinary strength. For a few weeks' preservation of organicobjects in their original form, dimensions and color, ProfessorGrawitz recommends a mixture composed of two and a half ounces ofchloride of sodium, two and three-quarters drachms of saltpetre, andone pint of water, to which is to be added three per cent. Of boricacid. To varnish chromos, take equal quantities of linseed oil and oilof turpentine; thicken by exposure to the sun and air until it becomesresinous and half evaporated; then add a portion of melted beeswax. Varnishing pictures should always be performed in fair weather, andout of any current of cold or damp air. A fireproof whitewash can bereadily made by adding one part silicate of soda (or potash) toevery five parts of whitewash. The addition of a solution of alum towhitewash is recommended as a means to prevent the rubbing off of thewash. A coating of a good glue size made by dissolving half a pound ofglue in a gallon of water is employed when the wall is to be papered. The most nourishing steam bath that can be applied to a person who isunable to sweat and can take but little food in the stomach:--Producethe sweating by burning alcohol under a chair in which the personsits, with blanket covering to hold the heat. Use caution and butlittle alcohol. Fire it in a shallow iron pan or old saucer. Own Your Own Homes. --Every man, whether he is a working man in thecommon acceptation of the word or not, feels a deep interest in themanagement of the affairs of the city, county and State in which helives whenever he owns a home. He is more patriotic, and in many ways isa better citizen than the man who simply rents, and who has but littleif any assurance of how long it will be before he can be ordered tomove; to which may be added in many cases the saving of more money. Ofcourse it requires some economy to lay up a sufficient amount of moneyto purchase and pay for a home; but this very fact, if properly carriedout after the home is acquired, may be the instrument of furnishing themeans to commence and prosecute a business upon your own responsibility. True, in some cases it will require more economy, perhaps, than we arenow practicing. But the question with every man, and especially if he isthe head of a family, is, Can he afford it? That is, can he afford tolive up his wages as fast as he earns them, without laying up anythingfor the future? If he is the head of a family, he is obliged to payrent, and it does not require very many years of rent paying to make upan amount sufficient to purchase and pay for a comfortable home. Youhave to pay the rent. This you say you cannot avoid and be honest. Well, you cannot be honest with your family unless you make a reasonableattempt to provide them a home of their own in case anything shouldhappen to you. And the obligation to do this should be as strong as theone to pay rent or provide the other necessaries for the comfort of yourfamily. When you own a home you feel a direct interest in public affairsthat otherwise you might consider were of little interest. A Formula for Nervous Headache. --Alcohol dilut. , 4 ounces; Oleicinnamon, 4 minims; Potas. Bromid. , 5 drachms; Extr. Hyoscyam. , fl. , 1-1/2 drachms; Fiat lotio. One to two teaspoonfuls, if required. How Beeswax is Refined and Made Nice and Yellow. --Pure white wax isobtained from the ordinary beeswax by exposure to the influence ofthe sun and weather. The wax is sliced into thin flakes and laid onsacking or coarse cloth, stretched on frames, resting on posts toraise them from the ground. The wax is turned over frequently andoccasionally sprinkled with soft water if there be not dew and rainsufficient to moisten it. The wax should be bleached in about fourweeks. If, on breaking the flakes, the wax still appears yellowinside, it is necessary to melt it again and flake and expose it asecond time, or even oftener, before it becomes thoroughly bleached, the time required being mainly dependent upon the weather. There is apreliminary process by which, it is claimed, much time is saved in thesubsequent bleaching; this consists in passing melted wax and steamthrough long pipes, so as to expose the wax as much as possible to theaction of the steam; thence into a pan heated by a steam bath, whereit is stirred thoroughly with water and then allowed to settle. Thewhole operation is repeated a second and third time, and the wax isthen in condition to be more readily bleached. How to Remove a Wart From the Hand. --Take of salicylic acid, 30grains; ext. Cannabis indic. , 10 grains; collodion, 1/2 ounce. Mix andapply. Recipe for Making Camphor Ice in Small Quantities for Home Use. --Melttogether over a water bath white wax and spermaceti, each 1 ounce;camphor, 2 ounces, in sweet almond oil, 1 pound; then triturate untilthe mixture has become homogeneous, and allow one pound of rosewaterto flow in slowly during the operation. Recipe for Making Instantaneous Ink and Stain Extractor. --Take ofchloride of lime 1 pound, thoroughly pulverized, and four quartssoft water. The foregoing must be thoroughly shaken when first puttogether. It is required to stand twenty-four hours to dissolve thechloride of lime; then strain through a cotton cloth, after which adda teaspoonful of acetic acid to every ounce of the chloride of limewater. Removing Paint Spots From Wood. --To take spots of paint off wood, laya thick coating of lime and soda mixed together over it, letting itstay twenty-four hours; then wash off with warm water, and the spotwill have disappeared. Polishing Plate Glass. --To polish plate glass and remove slightscratches, rub the surface gently, first with a clean pad of finecotton wool, and afterwards with a similar pad covered over withcotton velvet which has been charged with fine rouge. The surface willacquire a polish of great brilliancy, quite free from any scratches. Recipe for a Good Condition Powder. --Ground ginger 1 pound, antimonysulphide 1 pound, powdered sulphur 1 pound, saltpetre. Mix altogetherand administer in a mash, in such quantities as may be required. Recipe to Make Violet Ink. --Ordinary aniline violet soluble in water, with a little alcohol and glycerine, makes an excellent ink. Recipe to Make Good Shaving Soap. --Either 66 pounds tallow and 34pounds cocoanut oil, or 33 pounds of tallow and the same quantity ofpalm oil and 34 pounds cocoanut oil, treated by the cold process, with120 pounds caustic soda lye of 27 deg. Baume, will make 214 pounds ofshaving soap. How to Make a Starch Enamel for Stiffening Collars, Cuffs, etc. --Use alittle gum arabic thoroughly dissolved in the starch. A Good Cough Syrup. --Put 1 quart hoarhound to 1 quart water, andboil it down to a pint; add two or three sticks of licorice and atablespoonful of essence of lemon. The Cause of the Disease Called"Hives, " also Its Cure. --The trouble is caused by a perversion of thedigestive functions, accompanied by a disturbance of the circulation. It is not attended with danger, and is of importance only from theannoyance which it causes. Relief may be obtained in most instancesby the use of cream tartar daily to such extent as to move the bowelsslightly. Make a strong solution, sweeten it pleasantly, and take ateaspoonful, say after each meal, until the effect above mentionedis produced, and continue the treatment until the hives cease to betroublesome. A Bedbug Poison. --Set in the center of the room a dish containing4 ounces of brimstone. Light it, and close the room as tight aspossible, stopping the keyhole of the door with paper to keep thefumes of the brimstone in the room. Let it remain for three or fourhours, then open the windows and air thoroughly. The brimstone willbe found to have also bleached the paint, if it was a yellowish white. Mixtures such as equal parts of turpentine and kerosene oil are used;filling up the cracks with hard soap is an excellent remedy. Benzineand gasoline will kill bedbugs as fast as they can reach them. A weaksolution of zinc chloride is also said to be an effectual banisher ofthese pests. A Preparation by Which You can Take a Natural Flower and Dip Itin, That Will Preserve It. --Dip the flowers in melted paraffine, withdrawing them quickly. The liquid should only be just hot enough tomaintain its fluidity and the flowers should be dipped one at a time, held by the stalks, and moved about for an instant to get rid ofair bubbles. Fresh cut specimens free from moisture make excellentspecimens in this way. What Causes Shaking Asp Leaves to be always in a Quiver?--The wind orvibration of the air only causes the quiver of the aspen leaf. What is "Sozodont" is Composed of. --Potassium carbonate, 1/2 ounce;honey, 4 ounces; alcohol, 2 ounces; water, 10 ounces; oil of wintergreenand oil of rose, to flavor, sufficient. What is Used to Measure Cold below 35 Degrees Fahrenheit?--Metallicthermometers are used to measure lowest temperatures, alcohol beingquite irregular. Is the Top Surface of Ice on a Pond, the Amount of Water let in andout being the Same Day by Day, on a Level with the Water Surface orabove it?--Ice is slightly elastic, and when fast to the shore thecentral portion rises and falls with slight variations in water level, the proportion above and below water level being as is the weight ofice to the weight of water it displaces. Of the Two Waters, Hard and Soft, Which Freezes the Quicker; and inice Which Saves the Best in Like Packing?--Soft water freezes thequickest and keeps the best. Does Water in Freezing Purify Itself?--It clears itself fromchemicals; does not clear itself from mechanical mixtures as mud andclay. A Receipt to Remove Freckles from the Face without Injury tothe Skin. --A commonly used preparation for this purpose is:Sulpho-carbolate of zinc, 2 parts; distilled glycerine, 25 parts; rosewater, 25 parts; scented alcohol, 5 parts. To be applied twice dailyfor from half an hour to an hour, and then washed off with cold water. What will Remove Warts Painlessly?--Touch the wart with a littlenitrate of silver, or with nitric acid, or with aromatic vinegar. Thesilver salt will produce a black, and the nitric acid a yellow stain, either of which will wear off in a short while. The vinegar scarcelydiscolors the skin. A Good Receipt to Prevent Hair Coming Out. --Scaldblack tea, 2 ounces, with I gallon of boiling water, strain and add 3ounces glycerine, tincture cantharides 1/2 ounce, bay rum 1 quart. Mixwell and perfume. This is a good preparation for frequent use in itseffect both on the scalp and hair, but neither will be kept in goodcondition without care and attention to general health. Deaths from Diphtheria per 100, 000 Inhabitants in the Chief Cities ofthe World. --Amsterdam, 265; Berlin, 245; Madrid, 225; Dresden, 184; Warsaw, 167; Philadelphia, 163; Chicago, 146; Turin, 127; St. Petersburg, 121; Bucharest, 118; Berne, 115; Munich, 111; Stockholm, 107; Malines, 105; Antwerp, 104; New York, 91; Paris, 85; Hamburg, 76; Naples, 74; Lisbon, 74; Stuttgart, 61; Rome, 56; Edinburgh, 50;Buda-Pesth, 50; The Hague, 45; Vienna, 44; London, 44; Christiania, 43; Copenhagen, 42; Suburbs of Brussels, 36; City of Brussels, 35. A Receipt for Marshmallows, as Made by Confectioners. --Dissolveone-half pound of gum arabic in one pint of water, strain, and addone-half pound of fine sugar, and place over the fire, stirringconstantly until the syrup is dissolved, and all of the consistencyof honey. Add gradually the whites of four eggs well beaten. Stirthe mixture until it becomes somewhat thin and does not adhere tothe finger. Flavor to taste, and pour into a tin slightly dusted withpowdered starch, and when cool divide into small squares. A Receipt for Making Compressed Yeast. --This yeast is obtained bystraining the common yeast in breweries and distilleries until a moistmass is obtained, which is then placed in hair bags, and the rest ofthe water pressed out until the mass is nearly dry. It is then sewedup in strong linen bags for transportation. How to Tell the Age of Eggs. --We recommend the following process(which has been known for some time, but has been forgotten) forfinding out the age of eggs, and distinguishing those that are freshfrom those that are not. This method is based upon the decrease in thedensity of eggs as they grow old. Dissolve two ounces of kitchen saltin a pint of water. When a fresh-laid egg is placed in this solutionit will descend to the bottom of the vessel, while one that has beenlaid on the day previous will not quite reach the bottom. If the eggbe three days old it will swim in the liquid, and if it is more thanthree days old it will float on the surface, and project above thelatter more and more in proportion as it is older. A Recipe for Making Court Plaster. --Isinglass 125 grains, alcohol1-3/4 fluid ounces, glycerine 12 minims, water and tincture of benzoineach sufficient quantity. Dissolve the isinglass in enough water tomake the solution weigh four fluid ounces. Spread half of the latterwith a brush upon successive layers of taffeta, waiting after eachapplication until the layer is dry. Mix the second half of theisinglass solution with the alcohol and glycerine, and apply inthe same manner. Then reverse the taffeta, coat it on the back withtincture of benzoin, and allow it to become perfectly dry. There aremany other formulas, but this is official. The above quantities aresufficient to make a piece of court plaster fifteen inches square. One of the Very Best Scouring Pastes Consists of--Oxalic acid, 1 part;Iron peroxide, 15 parts; Powdered rottenstone, 20 parts; Palm oil, 60parts; Petrolatum, 4 parts. Pulverize the oxalic acid and add rougeand rottenstone, mixing thoroughly, and sift to remove all grit; thenadd gradually the palm oil and petrolatum, incorporating thoroughly. Add oil of myrbane, or oil of lavender to suit. By substituting yourred ashes from stove coal, an inferior representative of the foregoingpaste will be produced. How to Manufacture Worcestershire Sauce. --A. Mix together 1-1/2gallons white wine vinegar, 1 gallon walnut catsup, 1 gallon mushroomcatsup, 1/2 gallon Madeira wine, 1/2 gallon Canton soy, 2-1/2 poundsmoist sugar, 19 ounces salt, 3 ounces powdered capsicum, 1-1/2 ounceseach of pimento and coriander, 1-1/2 ounces chutney, 3/4 ounce each ofcloves, mace and cinnamon, and 6-1/2 drachms assafoetida dissolved inpint brandy 20 above proof. Boil 2 pounds hog's liver for twelvehours in 1 gallon of water, adding water as required to keep up thequantity, then mix the boiled liver thoroughly with the water, strainit through a coarse sieve. Add this to the sauce. A Good Receipt for Making Honey, Without Using Honey as One of theIngredients, --5 lbs. White sugar, 2 lbs. Water, gradually bring toa boil, and skim well. When cool add 1 lb. Bees' honey, and 4 dropspeppermint. To make of better quality add less water and more realhoney. What the Chemical Composition of Honey is. --Principally of saccharinematter and water, about as follows: Levulose 33-1/2 to 40 per cent. , dextrose 31-3/4 to 39 per cent. , water 20 to 30 per cent. , besidesash and other minor constituents. How to Clean Carpets on the Floor to Make Them Look Bright. --To apailful of water add three pints of oxgall, wash the carpet withthis until a lather is produced, which is washed off with clean water. How to Take Out Varnish Spots from Cloth. --Use chloroform or benzine, and as a last resource spirits of turpentine, followed after drying bybenzine. Flour Paste for all Purposes. --Mix 1 pound rye flour in lukewarmwater, to which has been added one teaspoonful of pulverized alum;stir until free of lumps. Boil in the regular way, or slowly pour onboiling water, stirring all the time until the paste becomes stiff. When cold add a full quarter pound of common strained honey, mix well(regular bee honey, no patent mixture). How to Make Liquid Glue. --Take a wide mouthed bottle, and dissolve init 8 ounces beet glue in 1/2 pint water, by setting it in a vesselof water, and heating until dissolved. Then add slowly 2-1/2 ouncesstrong nitric acid 36 deg. Baume, stirring all the while. Effervescencetakes place, with generation of fumes. When all the acid has been added, the liquid is allowed to cool. Keep it well corked, and it will be readyfor use at any time. How the World is Weighed and Its Density and Mass Computed. --Thedensity, mass, or weight of the earth was found by the observed forceof attraction of a known mass of lead or iron for another mass; orof a mountain by the deflection of a torsion thread or plumb line. Inthis manner the mean density of the earth has been found to be from4. 71 to 6. 56 times the weight of water, 5. 66 being accredited as themost reliable. The weight of a cubic foot of water being known, andthe contents of the earth being computed in cubic feet, we have but tomultiply the number of cubic feet by 5. 66 times the weight of 1 cubicfoot of water to obtain the weight of the earth in pounds, or units ofgravity at its surface, which is the unit usually used. Another methodof determining the mean density of the earth is founded on the changeof the intensity of gravity in descending deep mines. A Theory as to the Origin of Petroleum. --Professor Mendelejef hasrecently advanced the theory that petroleum is of purely mineral originand that the formation of it is going on every day. He has, moreover, succeeded in producing artificial petroleum by a reaction that hedescribes, and he states that it is impossible to detect any differencebetween the natural product and the manufactured article. His theory isas follows: [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Infilration']Infiltration of water, reaching a certain depth, come into contact withincandescent masses of carburets of metals, chiefly of iron, and are atonce decomposed into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen unites with theiron, while the hydrogen seizes on the carbon and rises to an upperlevel, where the vapors are condensed in part into mineral oil, and therest remains in a state of natural gas. The petroleum strata aregenerally met with in the vicinity of mountains, and it may be grantedthat geological upheavals have dislocated the ground in such a way as topermit of the [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'admistoin']admission of water to great depths. If the center of the earth containsgreat masses of metallic carburets, we may, in case this theory isverified, count upon an almost inexhaustible source of fuel for the daywhen our coal deposits shall fail us. How Vaseline is Purified. --The residuum from which vaseline is madeis placed in settling tanks heated by steam, in order to keep theircontents in a liquid state. After the complete separation of the finecoke it is withdrawn from these tanks and passed through the boneblack cylinders, during which process the color is nearly all removed, as well as its empyreumatic odor. The Latest and Best Process Employed by Cutters and Others in EtchingNames and Designs on Steel. --Take copper sulphate, sulphate of alumand sodium chloride, of each 2 drachms, and strong acetic acid 1-1/2ounces, mixed together. Smear the metal with yellow soap and writewith a quill pen without a split. The History of the Discovery of Circulation of the Blood recapitulated, divides itself naturally into a series of epoch-making periods: 1. Thestructure and functions of the valves of the heart, Erasistratus, B. C. 304. 2. The arteries carry blood during life, not air, Galen, A. D. 165. 3. The pulmonary circulation, Servetus, 1553. 4. The systemic circulation, Cæsalpinus, 1593. 5. The pulmonic and systemic circulations, Harvey, 1628. 6. The capillaries, Malpighi, 1661. How to Make Hand Fire Grenades. --Make your hand grenades. Fillordinary quart wine bottles with a saturated solution of common salt, and place them where they will do the most good in case of need. Theywill be found nearly as serviceable as the expensive hand grenadesyou buy. Should a fire break out, throw them with force sufficient tobreak them into the center of the fire. The salt will form acoating on whatever object the water touches, and make it nearlyincombustible, and it will prove effectual in many cases, where a fireis just starting, when the delay in procuring water might be fatal. How the Kind of White Metal is Made That is Used in the Manufactureof Cheap Table Ware. --How same can be hardened and still retain itscolor? The following are formulas for white metal. Melt together: (a)Tin 82, lead 18, antimony 5, zinc 1, copper 4 parts. (b) Brass 32, lead 2, tin 2, zinc 1 part. For a hard metal, not so white, melttogether bismuth 6 parts, zinc 3 parts, lead 13 parts. Or use typemetal--lead 3 to 7 parts, antimony 1 part. What Metal Expands Most, for the Same Change in Temperature?--For onedegree Centigrade the following are coefficients of linear expansion:aluminum, 0. 0000222; silver, 0. 0000191 to 0. 0000212; nickel, 0. 0000128; copper, 0. 0000167 to 0. 0000178; zinc, 0. 0000220 to0. 0000292; brass, 0. 0000178 to 0. 0000193; platinum, 0. 0000088. Heavy Timbers. --There are sixteen species of trees in America, whoseperfectly dry wood will sink in water. The heaviest of these is theblack iron wood (confalia feriea) of Southern Florida, which is morethan 30 per cent. Heavier than water. Of the others, the best knownare lignum vitæ (gualacum sanctum) and mangrove (chizphora mangle). Another is a small oak (quercus gsisea) found in the mountains ofTexas, Southern New Mexico and Arizona, and westward to the Coloradodesert, at an elevation of 5, 000 to 10, 000 feet. All the species inwhich the wood is heavier than water belong to semi-tropical Floridaor the arid interior Pacific region. Highest Point Reached by Man was by balloon 27, 000 feet. Travelershave rarely exceeded 20, 000 feet, at which point the air from itsrarity is very debilitating. Has a Rate of Speed Equal to Ninety Miles an Hour, ever Been Attainedby Railroad Locomotive?--It is extremely doubtful if any locomotiveever made so high a speed. A mile in 48 seconds is the shortest timewe have heard of. A rate of 70 to 75 miles per hour has been made ona spurt, on good straight track. The Grant Locomotive Works could makesuch an engine. Sixty miles an hour for a train is considered a veryhigh rate of speed, and is seldom attained in practice for more than ashort run. The Fastest Boat in the World. --Messrs. Thornycroft & Co. , ofChiswick, in making preliminary trials of a torpedo boat built by themfor the Spanish navy, have obtained a speed which is worthy of specialrecord. The boat is twin-screw, and the principal dimensions are:Length 147 ft. 6 in. , beam 14 ft. 6 in. , by 4 ft. 9 in. Draught. On atrial at Lower Hope, on April 27, the remarkable mean speed of 26. 11knots was attained, being equal to a speed of 30. 06 miles an hour, which is the highest speed yet attained by any vessel afloat. Staining and Polishing Mahogany. --Your best plan will be to scrape offall the old polish, and well glass paper; then oil with linseed oil bothold and new parts. To stain the new pieces, get half an ounce ofbichromate of potash, and pour a pint of boiling water over it; whencold bottle it. This, used with care, will stain the new or light partsas dark as you please, if done as follows:--wipe off the oil clean, andapply the solution with a piece of rag, held firmly in the hand, andjust moistened with the stain. Great care is required to prevent thestain running over the old part, for any place touched with it will showthe mark through the polish when finished. You can vary the color bygiving two or more coats if required. Then repolish your job altogetherin the usual way. Should you wish to brighten up the old mahogany, usepolish dyed with Bismarck brown as follows:--Get three pennyworth ofBismarck brown, and put it into a bottle with enough naphtha ormethylated spirits to dissolve it. Pour a few drops of this into yourpolish, and you will find that it gives a nice rich red color to thework, but don't dye the polish too much, just tint it. Value of Eggs for Food and Other Purposes. --Every element that isnecessary to the support of man is contained within the limits of anegg shell, in the best proportions and in the most palatable form. Plain boiled, they are wholesome. It is easy to dress them in morethan 500 different ways, each method not only economical, but salutaryin the highest degree. No honest appetite ever yet rejected an egg insome guise. It is nutriment in the most portable form, and in the mostconcentrated shape. Whole nations of mankind rarely touch anyother animal food. Kings eat them plain as readily as do the humbletradesmen. After the victory of Muhldorf, when the Kaiser Ludwig satat a meal with his burggrafs and great captains, he determined on apiece of luxury--"one egg to every man, and two to the excellentlyvaliant Schwepperman. " Far more than fish--for it is watery diet--eggsare the scholar's fare. They contain phosphorus, which is brain food, and sulphur, which performs a variety of functions in the economy. Andthey are the best of nutriment for children, for, in a compact form, they contain everything that is necessary for the growth of theyouthful frame. Eggs are, however, not only food--they are medicinealso. The white is the most efficacious of remedies for burns, and theoil extractable from the yolk is regarded by the Russians as analmost miraculous salve for cuts, bruises and scratches. A raw egg, ifswallowed in time, will effectually detach a fish bone fastened inthe throat, and the white of two eggs will render the deadly corrosivesublimate as harmless as a dose of calomel. They strengthen theconsumptive, invigorate the feeble, and render the most susceptibleall but proof against jaundice in its more malignant phase. Theycan also be drunk in the shape of that "egg flip" which sustains theoratorical efforts of modern statesmen. The merits of eggs do not evenend here. In France alone the wine clarifiers use more than 80, 000, 000a year, and the Alsatians consume fully 38, 000, 000 in calico printingand for dressing the leather used in making the finest of French kidgloves. Finally, not to mention various other employments for eggs inthe arts, they may, of course, almost without trouble on the farmer'spart, be converted in fowls, which, in any shape, are profitable tothe seller and welcome to the buyer. Even egg shells are valuable, foraliopath and homeopath alike agree in regarding them as the purest ofcarbonate of lime. History of Big Ships. --In the history of mankind several vesselsof extraordinary magnitude have been constructed, all distinctivelystyled great, and all unfortunately disastrous, with the honorableexception of Noah's Ark. Setting aside this antediluvian craft, concerning the authenticity of whose dimensions authorities differ, and which, if Biblical measures are correct, was inferior in size tothe vessel of most importance to modern shipowners, the great galley, constructed by the great engineer Archimedes for the great King HieroII. , of Syracuse, is the first illustration. This ship without a name(for history does not record one) transcended all wonders of ancientmaritime construction. It abounded statues and painting, marble andmosaic work. It contained a gymnasium, baths, a garden, and arboredwalks. Its artillery discharged stones of 3 cwt. , and arrows 18 ft. Inlength. An Athenian advertising poet, who wrote a six-line puff of itsglories, received the royal reward of six thousand bushels of corn. Literary merit was at a higher premium in the year 240 B. C. , than itis to-day. The great ship of antiquity was found to be too large forthe accommodation of the Syracusan port, and famine reigning in Egypt, Hiero, the charitably disposed, embarked a cargo of ten thousandhuge jars of salted fish, two million pounds of salted meat, twentythousand bundles of different clothes, filled the hold with corn, andconsigned her to the seven mouths of the Nile, and since she weighedanchor nothing more has been heard of her fate. The next greatship worthy of mention is the mythical Saracen encountered in theMediterranean Sea by the crusading fleet of Richard CÏur de Lion, Dukeof Guienne and King of England, which, after much slaughter anddamage incident to its infidel habit of vomiting Greek fire upon itsadversaries, was captured and sunk. Next in rotation appears the GreatHarry, built by Henry VIII. , of England, and which careened in harborduring the reign of his successor, under similar circumstancesto those attending the Royal George in 1782--a dispensation thatmysteriously appears to overhang a majority of the ocean-bravingconstructions which, in defiance of every religious sailor'ssuperstition that the lumber he treads is naturally female, arechristened by a masculine or neutral title. In the year 1769, MarkIsambard Brunel, the Edison of his age, as his son was the Ericssonof that following, permitted himself to be born at Hacqueville; nearRouen, France, went to school, to sea, and into politics; compromisedhimself in the latter profession, and went to America in 1794, wherehe surveyed the canal now connecting Lake Champlain with the HudsonRiver at Albany, N. Y. There he turned architect, then returned toEurope, settled, married, and was knighted in England. He occupiedeighteen years of his life in building an unproductive tunnel beneaththe river Thames at London; invented a method of shuffling cardswithout using the hands, and several of her devices for dispensingwith labor, which, upon completion, were abandoned from economicalmotives. On his decease, his son and heir, I. K. Brunel, whosepractical experience in the Thames Tunnel job, where his biographersassert he had occasion more than once to save his life by swimming, qualified him to tread in his father's shoes, took up his trade. Brunel, Jr. , having demonstrated by costly experiments, to thesuccessful proof, but thorough exasperation, of his moneyed backers, that his father's theory for employing carbonic acid gas as a motivepower was practicable enough, but too expensive for anything but thedissipation of a millionaire's income, settled down to the professionof engineering science, in which he did as well as his advantages ofeducation enabled him. Like all men in advance of their time, when heconsidered himself the victim of arbitrary capitalists ignoring thebent of his genius, he did his best work in accordance with theirstipulations. He designed the Great Western, the first steamship(paddle-wheel) ever built to cross the Atlantic; and the GreatBritain, the original ocean screw steamer. Flushed with thesesuccesses, Brunel procured pecuniary support from speculative fools, who, dazzled by the glittering statistical array that can be adduced insupport of any chimerical venture, the inventor's repute, and theirunbaked experience, imagined that the alluring Orient was ready toyield, like over-ripe fruit, to their shadowy grasp; and tainted as heevidently was with hereditary mania, Brunel resolved to seize theillusionary immortality that he fondly imagined to be within his reach. There was not much the matter with the brain of Brunel, Jr. , but thatlittle was enough; a competent railroad surveyor, a good bridge builder, he needed to be held within bounds when handling other people's funds;for the man's ambition would have lead him to undertake to bridge theAtlantic. He met with the speculators required in this very instance ofthe constructors of the Great Eastern. This monstrous ship has beendescribed so often, that it would be a cruelty to our readers to inflictthe story upon them again. Natural Gas the Fuel of the Future. --The house of the near future willhave no fireplace, steam pipes, chimneys, or flues. Wood, coal oil, and other forms of fuel are about to disappear altogether inplaces having factories. Gas has become so cheap that already it issupplanting fuels. A single jet fairly heats a small room in coldweather. It is a well known fact that gas throws off no smoke, soot, or dirt. In a brazier filled with chunks of colored glass, and severaljets placed beneath, the glass soon became heated sufficiently tothoroughly warm a room 10x30 feet in size. This design does away withthe necessity for chimneys, since there is no smoke; the ventilationmay be had at the window. The heat may be raised or lowered by simplyregulating the flow of gas. The colored glass gives all the appearanceof fire; there are black pieces to represent coal, red chunks forflames, yellowish white glass for white heat, blue glass for blueflames, and hues for all the remaining colors of spectrum. Inventionalready is displacing the present fuels for furnaces and cookingranges and glass, doing away with delay and such disagreeable objectsas ashes, kindling wood, etc. It has only been within the past fewyears that natural gas has been utilized to any extent, in eitherPennsylvania, New York or Ohio. Yet its existence has been known sincethe early part of the century. As far back as 1821, gas was struckin Fredonia, Chautauqua county, N. Y. , and was used to illuminate thevillage inn when Lafayette passed through the place some three yearslater. Not a single oil well of the many that have been sunk inPennsylvania has been entirely devoid of gas, but even this frequentcontact with what now seems destined to be the fuel of the future boreno fruit of any importance until within the past few years. It hadbeen used in comparatively small quantities previous to the fall of1884, but it was not until that time that the fuel gave any indicationof the important role it was afterward to fill. At first ignored, thenexperimented with, natural gas has been finally so widely adopted thatto-day, in the single city of Pittsburgh, it displaces daily 10, 000tons of coal, and has resulted in building cities in Ohio and theremoval thereto of the glass making industries of the United States. The change from the solid to the gaseous fuel has been made sorapidly, and has effected such marked results in both the processesof manufacture and the product, that it is no exaggeration to saythat the eyes of the entire industrial world are turned with enviousadmiration upon the cities and neighborhoods blessed with so uniqueand valuable a fuel. The regions in which natural gas is found arefor the most part coincident with the formations producing petroleum. This, however, is not always the case; and it is worthy of notice thatsome districts which were but indifferent oil-producers are now famousin gas records. The gas driller, therefore, usually confines himselfto the regions known to have produced oil, but the selection of theparticular location for a well within these limits appears to beeminently fanciful. The more scientific generally select a spoteither on the anticlinal or synclinal axis of the formation, givingpreference to the former position. Almost all rock formations havesome inclination to the horizon, and the constant change of thisinclination produces a series of waves, the crests of which are knownas anticlines, and the troughs as synclines. Many drillers supposethat the gas seeks the anticlines and the oil the synclines, butothers, equally long-headed, discard entirely all theory of this kind, and drill wherever it may be most convenient or where other operatorshave already demonstrated the existence of gas. It will surprise manyof our readers to know that the divining rod, that superstitious relicof the middle ages, is still frequently called upon to relieve theoperator of the trouble of a rational decision. The site having beenselected, the ordinary oil-drilling outfit is employed to sink ahole of about six inches in diameter until the gas is reached. In theneighborhood of Pittsburgh, this is usually found at a depth of 1, 300to 1, 500 feet, in what is known as the Third Oil Sand, a sandstone ofthe Devonian period. Where the gas comes from originally is an openquestion. When the driller strikes gas, he is not left in any doubt ofthe event, for if the well be one of any strength, the gas manifestsitself by sending the drill and its attachments into the air, oftento a height of a hundred feet or more. The most prolific wells areappropriately called "roarers. " During the progress of the drilling, the well is lined with iron piping. Occasionally this is also blownout, but as a rule the gas satisfies itself with ejecting the drill. When the first rush of gas has thrown everything movable out of itsway, the workmen can approach, and chain the giant to his work. Theplant at the well is much simpler than one would suppose. An elbowjoint connects the projecting end of the well piping with a pipeleading to a strong sheet-iron tank. This collects the salt waterbrought up with the gas. Ordinarily, about half a barrel accumulatesin twenty four hours. A safety valve, a pressure indicator, and ablow-off complete the outfit. When the pressure exceeds a prescribedlimit, the valve opens, and the gas escapes into the blow-off. Thisis usually 30 feet high or more, and the gas issuing from the top iseither ignited or permitted to escape into the atmosphere. Thepipe line leading from the tank to the city is of course placedunderground. Beyond a little wooden house, the blow-off, and aderrick, the gas farms differ little in appearance from thoseproducing less valuable crops. The pressure of the gas at the wellsvaries considerably. It is generally between 100 and 325 pounds. Asmuch as 750 pounds per square inch has been measured, and in manycases the actual pressure is even greater than this, but, as a rule, it is not permitted to much exceed 20 atmospheres in any receiver orpipe. The best investment for parties of small means that we know ofis in town lots in North Baltimore, Ohio. It is on the main lineof the B. & O. Railroad and the center of the oil and natural gasdiscoveries in Ohio. Property is bound to double in value. For furtherinformation, address, W. A. Rhodes, North Baltimore, Ohio. Hints on House Building. --Gas pipes should be run with a continuousfall towards the meter, and no low places. The gas meter should beset in a cool place, to keep it from registering against you; but ifa "water meter, " it should be protected from freezing. Cupboards, wardrobes, bookcases, etc. , generally afford receptacles for duston their tops. This may be avoided by carrying them clear up to theceiling. When this is not done, their tops should be sheeted overflush with the highest line of their cornices, so that there may be nosunken lodging-place for dust. Furring spaces between the furring andthe outer walls should be stopped off at each floor line with brick andmortar "fire stops;" and the same with hollow interior partition walls. Soil pipes should never have "T" branches; always curves, or "Y"branches. Water pipes should be run in a continuous grade, and have astop and waste cock at the lowest point, so as to be entirely emptiedwhen desired. Furnaces should have as few joints as possible, and the ironfire-pot is better lined with fire-brick. There should be no damper inthe smoke pipe; but the ash-door should shut air-tight when desired. There should be provision for the evaporation of water in the hot-airpipe. "Air boxes" should never be of wood. All air boxes should beaccessible from one end to the other, to clean them of dust, cobwebs, insects, etc. Horizontal hot-air flues should not be over 15 feetlong. Parapets should be provided with impervious coping-stones tokeep water from descending through the walls. Sewer pipes should notbe so large as to be difficult to flush. The oval sections (pointdown) are the best. Soil-pipes should have a connection with the upperair, of the full diameter of the pipe to be ventilated. Stationarywash-tubs of wood are apt to get soaked up with organic matter andfilth. Stationary washstands in bedrooms should have small traps;underneath each should be a leaden tray to protect ceilings in caseof leakage, breakage or accidental overflow. This tray should have anoverflow, and this overflow should be trapped, if connected with thefoul-pipe system (which it should _not_ be if possible to arrange itotherwise). Flues should have a smooth parging or lining, or they willbe apt to draw with difficulty. Gas pipes of insufficient diametercause the flames to burn with unsteady, dim light. Made ground isseldom fit for immediate building; and never for other than isolatedstructures. Ashes, street-sweepings, garbage, rotten vegetation, andhouse refuse are unfit filling for low ground on which it is intendedto build. Cobble pavements are admirably adapted to soaking-up andafterwards emitting unwholesome matters. Asphalt has none of thisfault. Wood is pernicious in this respect. "Gullies" in cellar floorsshould be properly trapped; and this does _not_ mean that they shallhave bell-traps nor siphon-traps with shallow water-seal. Cellarwindows should be movable to let in air, and should have paintedwire-screens to keep out cats, rats, etc. New walls are always damp. Window sills should project well out beyond the walls, and should begrooved underneath so as to throw the water clear of the walls. Cracksin floors, between the boards, help the accumulation of dirt anddust, and may harbor vermin. Narrow boards of course have narrowerinterstitial cracks than wide boards do. "Secret nailing" is bestwhere it can be afforded. Hot-air flues should never be carried closeto unprotected woodwork. Electric bells, when properly put up andcared for, are a great convenience in a house; but when theydon't work, they are about as aggravating as the law allows. Cheappushbuttons cause a great deal of annoyance. Silver-plated faucets andtrimmings blacken with illuminating and sewer gases. Nickel-platingis perhaps a less pleasing white, but is cheaper and does not discolorreadily. Windows are in most respects a great blessing; but there maybe too much of a good thing. It is unreasonable to expect that onegrate or stove or furnace can heat a whole county. Don't attempt it. If you have too many windows on the "cold side" of a house, givethem double sashes (_not_ double panes), and "weather-strip" them. Unpainted trimmings should be of hardwood. Yellow pine finishes upwell. Butternut is brighter than walnut. Cherry makes a room cheerful. Walnut is dull and dismal. The Forests of the World. --The rapid exhaustion of the forests of theworld, and more particularly of the once great reserves of timber inthe United States and Canada, renders it inevitable that, in a veryfew years indeed, iron must supersede wood for a variety of uses. Thedrain upon the world's resources in timber is prodigious. Every year92, 000, 000 railway sleepers are used in America alone, while to supplyfirewood for the whole of the States, fourteen times the quantity ofwood consumed by the railways is annually required. At the computationof the most recent statistics there were 441, 000, 000 of acres ofwoodland in the United States; but since over 50, 000, 000 of acres arecut down yearly, this great area of timber will be non-existent inless than twenty years, unless replanting upon a very extensivescale be at once undertaken. Already efforts are being made in thisdirection, and not long since some 4, 000, 000 of saplings were plantedin a single day in Kansas and the neighboring States. But since thedaily consumption is even greater than this, it is obvious that thework of replanting must be undertaken systematically if it is to keeppace, even approximately, with the destruction. In France and Germany, where the forests are national property, forestry has been elevatedto the status of an exact science; but the timber lands of thosecountries are small indeed compared with those in the United States. A Church Built from a Single Tree. --A redwood tree furnished all thetimber for the Baptist church in Santa Rosa, one of the largest churchedifices in the country. The interior of the building is finished inwood, there being no plastered walls. Sixty thousand shingles weremade from the tree after enough was taken for the church. Anotherredwood tree, cut near Murphy's Mill, about ten years ago, furnishedshingles that required the constant labor of two industrious men fortwo years before the tree was used up. Trees That Sink. --Of the more than four hundred species of treesfound in the United States there are said to be sixteen species whoseperfectly dry wood will sink in water. The heaviest of these is theblack ironwood of southern Florida, which is more than thirty percent. Heavier than water. Of the others, the best known are the lignumvitæ and mangrove; another is a small oak found in the mountainsof western Texas, southern New Mexico, and Arizona, and westward toColorado, at an elevation of 5, 000 to 10, 000 feet. Artificial Wood. --You can produce an artificial fire and waterproofwood in the following manner. More or less finely divided woodshavings, straw, tan, etc. , singly or mixed, are moistened with a weaksolution of zinc chloride of about 1. 026 sp. Gr. , and allowed to dry. They are then treated with a basic solution of magnesium chloride of1. 725 to 1. 793 sp. Gr. , and pressed into moulds. The materials remainten to twelve hours under pressure, during which time they hardenwhile becoming heated. After being dried for several days in a warm, airy place, they are placed for ten or twelve hours into a strongsolution of zinc chloride of about 1. 205 sp. Gr. , and finally driedagain. The product is stated to be workable like hardwood, and to becapable of taking a fine polish after being tooled. It is fireproofand inpermeable to water, and weak acid or alkaline solutions, andnot affected by the humidity of the atmosphere, being well suited todecorative purposes, as it will not warp and fly like wood, but retainits form. How to Stain Wood. --The following are recipes for staining wood, whichare used in large establishments with great success: LightWalnut--Dissolve 3 oz. Permanganate of potash in six pints of water, andpaint the wood twice with the solution. After the solution has been lefton the wood for from five to ten minutes, the wood is rinsed, dried, oiled, and finally polished. Light Mahogany--1 oz. Finely cut alkanetroot, 2 ozs. Powdered aloe, and 2 ozs. Powdered dragon's blood aredigested with 26 ozs. Of strong spirits of wine in a corked bottle, andleft in a moderately warm place for four days. The solution is thenfiltered off, and the clear filtrate is ready for use. The wood which isto be stained is first passed through nitric acid, then dried, paintedover with the alcoholic extract, dried, oiled and polished. DarkWalnut. --3 ozs. Permanganate of potash are dissolved in six pints ofwater, and the wood is painted twice with this solution. After fiveminutes the wood is washed, and grained with acetate of iron (theordinary iron liquor of the dyer) at 20¡ Tw. Dry, oil and polish asusual. Gray--1 oz. Nitrate of silver is dissolved in 45 ozs. Water, andthe wood painted twice with the solution; afterwards the wood issubmitted to the action of hydrochloric acid, and finally washed withammonia. It is then dried in a dark place, oiled and polished. This issaid to give remarkably good results on beech, pitch pine and poplar. Black--7 ozs. Logwood are boiled with three pints of water, filtered, and the filtrate mixed with a solution containing 1 oz. Of sulphate ofcopper (blue copperas). The mixture is left to clear, and the clearliquor decanted while still hot. The wood is placed in this liquor fortwenty-four hours; it is then exposed to the air for twenty-four hours, and afterwards passed through a hot bath of nitrate of iron of 6¡ Tw. Ifthe black, after this treatment, should not be sufficiently developed, the wood has to be passed again through the first logwood bath. The Highest Chimney in the World. --The highest chimney in the world issaid to be that recently completed at the lead mines in Mechernich. It is 134 meters (439 ft. 6 in. ) high, was commenced in 1884, andwas carried up 23 meters before the frost set in; building wasagain resumed on the 14th of last April, and it was completed lastSeptember. The foundation, which is of dressed stone, is square, measuring 11 meters (33 ft. ) on each side, and is 3. 50 meters (11 ft. 6 in. ) deep; the base is also square, and is carried up 10 meters (33ft. ) above the ground. The chimney-stack is of circular section, 7. 50meters (24 ft. 6 in. ) diameter at the bottom, and tapering to 3. 50meters diameter (11 ft. 6 in. ) at the top, and is 120. 50 meters (395ft. ) high. How to Measure Round Tanks. --Square the diameter of the tank, andmultiply by. 7854, which gives the area; then multiply area by depthof tank, and the cubic contents will be found. Allow 6-1/4 gallons foreach cubic foot. The Largest Buildings in the World. --Where is the largest building inthe world situated? The answer to this question must depend upon whatthe term "building" is held to represent. The Great Wall of China, 1, 280 miles in length, wide enough to allow six horsemen to rideabreast along it, and with an average height of 20 ft. , may fairly becalled a building; so, too, may be called the Great Pyramid of Egypt. The question, however, was not meant to include such works as these. Some have supposed that the Vatican at Rome, with its eight grandstaircases, 200 smaller staircases, 20 courts, and 11, 000 apartments, is the largest building in the world; but surely this is a collectionof palaces rather than a single building. The same objection appliesto the famous monastery of the Escurial in the province of Madrid, with its seven towers, fifteen gateways, and 12, 000 windows and doors, and to many other vast piles. For the largest single building extant, we must look to St. Peter's at Rome, within which our great cathedral, St. Paul's, could easily stand. St. Peter's occupies a space of240, 000 sq. Ft. , its front is 400 ft. Broad, rising to a height of 180ft. ; the length of the interior is 600 ft. , its breadth 442 ft. Itis capable of holding 54, 000 people, while its piazza, in its widestlimits, holds 624, 000. It is only by degrees that one is able torealize its vast size. St. Peter's holds 54, 000 persons; MilanCathedral, 37, 000; St. Paul's, Rome, 32, 000; St. Paul's, London, 25, 600; St. Petronio, Bologna, 24, 400; Florence Cathedral, 24, 300;Antwerp Cathedral, 24, 000; St. Sophia, Constantinople, 23, 000; NotreDame, Paris, 21, 000; Pisa Cathedral, 13, 000; St. Stephen's, Vienna, 12, 400; Auditorium, Chicago, 12, 000; St. Mark's, Venice, 7, 000. The Biggest Bell in the World. --There is a bell in the Temple ofClars, at Kinto, Japan, which is larger than the great bell of Moscow, or any other. It is covered with Chinese and Sanskrit characters whichJapanese scholars have not yet succeeded in translating. There is norecord of its casting. Its height is 24 ft. , and at the rim it has athickness of 16 in. It has no clapper, but is struck on the outside bya kind of wooden battering-ram. We are unable to obtain any more exactparticulars as to the dimensions of this bell in order to determinewhether or no it really does excel the "Monarch" of Moscow, whichweighs about 193 tons, is 19 ft. 3 in. In height, 60 ft. 9 in. Incircumference, and 2 ft. Thick. There is another huge bell at Moscow, and those at Amazapoora, in Burmah, and at Pekin are far bigger thanany we have in this country. Our biggest bell is "Great Paul, " whichwas cast at Loughborough in 1881, and which weighs 17-1/2 tons. Takingpurity, volume, and correctness of note into account, it is probablythe finest bell in Europe. The Oldest Cities in the World. --They are the following:--Argos, Athens and Thebes, in Greece; Crotona and Rome, in Italy; Cadiz andSaguntum, in Spain; Constantinople, in Turkey, and Marseilles, inFrance, which was founded by a colony of Greeks 580 B. C. The age ofthese cities varies from twenty-four to twenty-seven centuries. How to Manufacture Oil of Apple, or Essence of Apple. --The essence ofapple is composed of aldehyde 2 parts; chloroform, acetic ether andnitrous ether and oxalic acid each 1 part; glycerin 4 parts;[Transcriber's note: the original text reads: "amyl valerianice ther10parts"] amyl valerianic ether 10 parts. A Formula for the Manufacture of Artificial Cider. --Imitation ciderconsists of 25 gallons soft water, 25 pounds New Orleans sugar; 1 pintyeast; two pounds tartaric acid. Put all the ingredients into a cleancask, and stir them up well after standing twenty-four hours with thebung out. Then bung the cask up tight, add 3 gallons spirits, and let itstand forty-eight hours, after which time it will be ready for use. Champagne cider can be prepared by taking 10 gallons of cider, old andclear. Put this in a strong, iron-bound cask pitched inside (like beercasks); add 2-1/2 pints clarified white plain syrup; then dissolve in it5 ounces tartaric acid; keep the bung ready in hand, then add 7-1/2ounces of potassium bicarbonate; bung it as quickly and as well aspossible. Recipe for Making Instantaneous Ink and Stain Extractor. --Take ofchloride of lime 1 pound, thoroughly pulverized, and 4 quartssoft water. The foregoing must be thoroughly shaken when first puttogether. It is required to stand twenty-four hours to dissolve thechloride of lime; then strain through a cotton cloth, after which adda teaspoonful of acetic acid to every ounce of the chloride of limewater. Wood, which is a more unyielding material, acts with tremendous forcewhen wetted, and advantage has been taken of this fact in splittingblocks of granite. This process is largely adopted in Dartmoor. After amass of granite has been rent from the mountain by blasting, it ismeasured in every direction to see how best to divide it into smallerblocks. These are traced out by straight lines on the surface, and aseries of holes are drilled at short intervals along this line. Wedgesof dry wood are then tightly driven into the holes and wetted, and thecombined action of the swelling wood splits the block in the directionrequired, and without any destructive violence. The same process is thencarried out upon the other faces, and the roughly-shapen block finishedwith the hammer and chisel. The Weight and Value of a Cubic Foot ofSolid Gold or Silver. --A cubic foot of gold weighs about 19, 300 ounces, and gold is worth $20. 67 per ounce. Silver is worth $1. 29 per ounce, anda cubic foot weighs 10, 500 ounces. Consequently the cubic foot of goldwould be worth $398, 931, and the silver $13, 545. To Remove Spots on Brass. --Sulphuric acid will remove spots from brassthat will not yield to oxalic acid. It may be applied with a brush, but great care must be taken that no drop of the acid shall come incontact with the clothes or skin, as it is ruinous to garments andcuticle. Bath brick or rottenstone may be used for polishing. A Formula to Make a Good Shoe Dressing. --Gum shellac, 1/2 pound;alcohol, 3 quarts; dissolve, and add camphor, 1-1/2 ounces; lampblack, 2 ounces. The foregoing will be found to give an excellent gloss, and is especially adapted to any leather, the surface of which isroughened by wear. Receipts for Dyeing Cotton Fabric Red, Blue and Ecru. --Red: Muriateof tin, two-thirds cupful, add water to cover goods; raise to boilingheat; put in goods one hour; stir often; take out, empty kettle, putin clean water with Nicaragua wood one pound; steep one-half hour athand heat, then put in goods and increase heat one hour, not boiling. Air goods, and dip one hour as before. Wash without soap. Blue: Forthree pounds goods, blue vitriol 4 ounces; boil few minutes, then dipgoods three hours; then pass them through strong lime water. Ecru:Continue the foregoing operation for blue by passing the goods througha solution of prussiate of potash. MOTION OF WAVES. --The progressive motion of a wave on the waterexactly corresponds in speed with that of a pendulum whose length isequal to the breadth of the wave; the same law, gravity, governs both. LIGHT OF THE SUN. --A photometric experiment of Huygens, resumed byWollaston, a short time before his death, teaches us that 20, 000 starsthe same size as Sirius, the most brilliant in the firmament, wouldneed to be agglomerated to shed upon our globe a light equal to thatof the sun. Land Cultivation in Japan. --The entire arable land of the Japaneseempire is officially put at only 11, 215, 000 acres; but it is sofertile and thoroughly cultivated that it feeds a population of37, 000, 000, about that of France. Rice is one of the principal crops, and of this some 200, 000, 000 bushels are raised annually. Old London Bridge. --As early as the year 978 there was a wooden bridgewhere London bridge now stands. This was replaced by another in 1014, and another in 1209. The present London bridge was erected in 1831, and may be considered the oldest existing bridge over the river. The Shortest Method of Removing Silver from Plated Ware BeforeReplating. --Dip the article in nitric acid; this will remove thesilver. A Formula for White Metal. --Copper, 69. 8 parts; nickel, 19. 8 parts;zinc, 5. 5 parts; cadmium, 4. 7 parts. It takes a fine polish. Curiosities of Metal Working. --At a recent meeting of scientific men, aspeaker produced an anklet worn by East Indian women. This is a flatcurb chain about one inch broad, with the links very close, and weighingabout ten or twelve ounces. It is composed of a species of brasscomposed of copper and lead, without any trace of silver, zinc, or tin. Such anklets are sold for a few pence, and they are cast all at once, complete as an endless chain. The links show no sign of having beenunited in any way. How it was possible to produce such a casting as thispassed his comprehension, and he hoped that some one who had seen themmade would explain the nature of the process. From the East much thatwas curious in metallurgical art came. Cast-iron was, he believed, firstmade purposely in China. It was, however, frequently producedunintentionally, when wrought-iron was made direct from the ore inlittle furnaces about as big as a chimney-pot. It was found among thecinders and ash of the [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'coarcoal'] charcoal-fire in grains or globules, which were not onlylike shot, but were actually used as shot by the natives. He showed whathe believed was the only specimen in England of this cast-iron, in abottle. He next referred to the celebrated Damascene blades of Indianswords, and explained that these blades were an intimate mixture ofwrought-iron and hard steel, which must have required great skill, timeand patience for its production. One [Transcriber's Note: The originaltext reads 'patern'] pattern, in particular, known as "Mary's Ladder, "showed wonderful finish and accuracy. Concerning the tempering of theseblades little was known; but it was stated that it was affected by along-continued hammering, or rather tapping, of the blade while cold. How Many Tons of Coal a Large Steamship Consumes in a Day. --"Oceansteamers are large consumers of coal. The Orient line, with theirfleet of ships running to Australia every two weeks, may be mentioned. The steamship Austral went from London to Sydney in thirty-five days, and consumed on the voyage 3, 641 tons of coal; Her coal bunkers hold2, 750 tons. The steamship Oregon consumes over 330 tons per day on herpassage from Liverpool to New York; her bunkers will hold nearly 4, 000tons. The Stirling Castle last year brought home in one cargo 2, 200tons of tea, and consumed 2, 800 tons of coal in doing so. Immensestocks of coal are kept at various coaling stations. St. Vincent, Madeira, Port Said, Singapore and others; the reserve at the latterplace is about 20, 000 tons. It is remarkable with what rapidity thesesteamers are coaled; for instance, the Orient steamship last year tookin over 1, 100 tons at Port Said in five hours. " What a Man Eats. --A French statistician has just ascertained that ahuman being of either sex who is a moderate eater and who lives to be70 years old consumes during his life a quantity of food which wouldfill twenty ordinary railway baggage cars. A "good eater, " however, may require as many as thirty. An Australian Railway Viaduct. --The Werribee Viaduct, in the colony ofVictoria, is the longest work of the kind in Australia. The structureconsists of lattice-girder work. It is 1, 290 feet in length, and runsto a height of 125 feet above the level of the Werribee river. Theviaduct has fifteen spans each of 60 feet, and thirteen spans of 30feet. The total cost of the bridge was £600, 000. The Sharpening ofTools. --Instead of oil, which thickens and smears the stone, amixture of glycerine and spirit is recommended. The proportions of thecomposition vary according to the class of tool to be sharpened. Onewith a relatively large surface is best sharpened with a clear fluid, three parts of glycerine being mixed with one part of spirit. A graverhaving a small cutting surface only requires a small pressure on thestone, and in such cases the glycerine should be mixed with only twoor three drops of spirit. Recipes for Plumbers. --Chloride of zinc, so much used in soldering iron, has, besides its corrosive qualities, the drawback of being unwholesomewhen used for soldering the iron tins employed to can fruit, vegetablesand other foods. A soldering mixture has been found which is free fromthese defects. It is made by mixing one pound of lactic acid with onepound of glycerine and eight pounds of water. A wooden tank may berendered capable of withstanding the effects of nitric or sulphuricacids by the following methods:--Cover the inside with paraffin; go overthe inside with a sadiron heated to the temperature used in ironingclothes. Melt the paraffin under the iron so as to drive it into thewood as much as possible, then with a cooler iron melt on a coat thickenough to completely cover the wood. For brassing small articles: To onequart water add half an ounce each of sulphate copper and protochlorideof tin. Stir the articles in the solution until the desired color isobtained. Use the sulphate of copper alone for a copper color. A goodcement for celluloid is made from one part shellac dissolved in one partof spirit of camphor and three to four parts of ninety per cent. Alcohol. The cement should be applied warm, and the broken partssecurely held together until the solvent has entirely evaporated. Tinand tin alloys, after careful cleansing from oxide and grease, arehandsomely and permanently bronzed if brushed over with a solution ofone part of sulphate of copper (bluestone) and one part of sulphate ofiron (copperas) in twenty parts of water. When this has dried, thesurface should be brushed with a solution of one part of acetate ofcopper (verdigris) in acetic acid. After several applications anddryings of the last named, the surface is polished with a soft brush andbloodstone powder. The raised portions are then rubbed off with softleather moistened with wax in turpentine, followed by a rubbing with dryleather. Protecting Water-Pipes Against Frost. --A device has been broughtforward for protecting water-pipes against freezing, the arrangementbeing based upon the fact that water in motion will remain liquid at alower temperature than water at rest. One end of a copper rod, placedoutside the building, is secured to a bracket, and the other end isattached to one arm of a weighted elbow lever; to the other arm of thelever is secured a rod which passes into the building and operates avalve in the water-pipe. By means of turn buckles the length of thecopper rod can be adjusted so that before the temperature reachesthe point at which there would be danger of the water in the pipesfreezing the valve will be opened to allow a flow of water; beyondthis point the valve opening will increase and the flow become morerapid as the cold becomes more intense, and as the temperature risesthe valve is closed. This plan sets up a current in the pipes, whichreplaces the water as it grows cold by the warmer water from the main. Destructive Work of Barnacles. --Unless some paint can be found whichis proof against barnacles, it may be necessary to sheath steelvessels with an alloy of copper. An attempt has been made to cover thehulls with anti-corrosive paint and cover this with an outside coatwhich should resist the attack of barnacles. Somehow the barnacleseat their way through the paint and attach themselves to the hull. Thevast item of expense attached to the dry-docking of steel ships makesthis matter a not unimportant one. The barnacles interfere greatlywith the speed of a vessel, and in a cruiser speed is of primeimportance. They attach themselves in an incredibly short time to asteel hull, and it is not long before their effect can be noted by acomparison of the reading of the log. How to Frost Glass. --Two ounces of spirits of salts, two ounces of oilof vitriol, one ounce of sulphate of copper, one ounce of gum arabic, mixed together and dabbed on with a brush; or this:--Dab your squaresregularly over with putty; when dry go over them again--the imitationwill be executed. Or this:--Mix Epsom salts with porter and apply itwith a brush. Or this one:--Grind and mix white lead in three-fourthsof boiled oil, and one-fourth of spirits of turpentine, and, to givethe mixture a very drying quality, add sufficient quantities of burntwhite vitriol and sugar of lead. The color must be made exceedinglythin, and put on the panes of glass with a large painting-brush in aseven a manner as possible. When a number of the panes are thus paintedtake a dry duster, quite new, dab the ends of the bristles on theglass in quick succession till you give it a uniform appearance;repeat this operation till the work appears very soft, and itwill then appear like ground glass. When the windows require freshpainting, get the old coat off first by using strong pearlash water. How to Preserve Posts. --Wood can be made to last longer than ironin the ground, if prepared according to the following recipe:--Takeboiled linseed oil and stir in pulverized coal to the consistency ofpaint. Put a coat of this over the timber, and there is not a man thatwill live to see it rot. What Diamond Dyes and Paints Are Made of. --Solutions of the anilinecolors. What the Ingredients Are of Soapine and Pearline. --They consist ofpartly effloresced sal soda mixed with half its weight of soda ash. Some makers add a little yellow soap, coarsely powdered, to disguisethe appearance, and others a little carbonate of ammonium or borax. How Many Thousand Feet of Natural Gas are Equal in Heat-Creating Powerto One Ton Anthracite Coal. --About 40, 000 cubic feet. SUSTAINING POWER OF ICE. The sustaining power of ice at various degrees of thickness is givenin the following paragraphs: At a thickness of two inches, will support a man. At a thickness of four inches, will support man on horseback. At a thickness of six inches, will support teams with moderate loads. At a thickness of eight inches, will support heavy loads. At a thickness of ten inches, will support 1, 000 pounds to the squarefoot. THE EXPANSIVE POWER OF WATER. It is a well known, but not less remarkable fact, that if the tip ofan exceedingly small tube be dipped into water, the water will risespontaneously in the tube throughout its whole length. This may beshown in a variety of ways; for instance, when a piece of sponge, or sugar, or cotton is just allowed to touch water, these substancesbeing all composed of numberless little tubes, draw up the water, and the whole of the piece becomes wet. It is said to _suck up_ or_imbibe_ the moisture. We see the same wonderful action going on innature in the rising of the sap through the small tubes or pores ofthe wood, whereby the leaves and upper portions of the plant derivenourishment from the ground. This strange action is called "capillary, " from the resemblance theminute tubes bear to a hair, the Latin of which is _capillus_. It is, moreover, singular that the absorption of the water takes place withgreat force. If a dry sponge be enclosed tightly in a vessel, it willexpand when wetted, with sufficient force to burst it, unless verystrong. London Water Supply. --The quantity of water consumed in Londonamounts to about 145, 000, 000 gallons a day. If this quantity could becollected together, it would form a lake 700 yards long, 200 wide, andwith a uniform depth of 20 feet. A Protection for Embankments. --Engineers often have considerabletrouble with the loose soil of newly-made embankments, so apt to slipor be washed away before they are covered with vegetation. Accordingto a French railway engineer, the best plan is to sow the banks withthe double poppy. Several months elapse before grasses and cloversdevelop their feeble roots, but the double poppy germinates in afew days, and in a fortnight has grown sufficiently to afford someprotection to the slope, while at the end of three or four months theroots, which are ten or twelve inches in length, are found to haveinterlaced so as to retain the earth far more firmly than those of anygrass or grain. Although the double poppy is an annual, it sows itselfafter the first year. A Cheap Concrete. --A kind of concrete made without cement is composedof 8 parts of sand, gravel and pebbles, 1 part of burnt and powderedcommon earth, 1 part of pulverized clinkers and cinders, and 1-1/2parts of unslacked hydraulic lime. These materials are thoroughlyincorporated while dry into a homogeneous mixture, which is thenwetted up and well beaten. The result of this is a hard and solidmass, which sets almost immediately, becoming exceedingly strong aftera few days. It may be made still stronger by the addition of a smallproportion--say 1 part--of cement. Marking Tools. --To mark tools, first coyer the article to be markedwith a thin coating of tallow or beeswax, and with a sharp instrumentwrite the name in the tallow. Clear with a feather, fill the letterswith nitric acid, let it remain from one to ten minutes, then dipin water and run off, and the marks will be etched into the steel oriron. How to Prevent Chisel Handles Splitting. --All carpenters know how soonthe butt-end of chisel handles split when daily exposed to the blowof a mallet or hammer. A remedy suggested by a Brooklyn man consistssimply of sawing or cutting off the round end of the handle so as tomake it flat, and attaching by a few nails on the top of it two discsof sole leather, so that the end becomes similar to the heel ofthe boot. The two thicknesses of leather will prevent all furthersplitting, and if, in the course of time, they expand and overlap thewood of the handle, they are simply trimmed off all around. The Largest Wheel of Its Kind Ever Made in the World. --The greatestwheel of its kind in the world, a very wonder in mechanism, was builtfor the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company of Lake Superior, Mich. , forthe purpose of lifting and discharging the "tailings, " a waste fromthe copper mines, into the lake. Its diameter is 54 feet; weight inactive operation, 200 tons. Its extreme dimensions are 54 feet indiameter. Some idea of its enormous capacity can be formed from thefact that it receives and elevates sufficient sand every twenty-fourhours to cover an acre of ground a foot deep. It is armed on its outeredge with 432 teeth, 4. 71 inches pitch and 18 inches face. The gearsegments, eighteen in number, are made of gun iron, and the teeth aremachine-cut, epicycloidal in form. It took two of the most perfectmachines in the world 100 days and nights to cut the teeth alone, andthe finish is as smooth as glass. The wheel is driven by a pinion ofgun iron containing 33 teeth of equal pitch and face and runs at aspeed of 6OO feet per minute at the inner edge, where it is equippedwith 448 steel buckets that lift the "tailings" as the machinerevolves and discharges them into launders that carry them into thelake. The shaft of the wheel is of gun iron, and its journals are 22inches in diameter by 3 feet 4 inches long. The shaft is made in threesections and is 30 inches in diameter in the center. At a first glancethe great wheel looks like an exaggerated bicycle wheel, and it isconstructed much on the same principle, with straining rods that runto centers cast on the outer sections of the shaft. The steel bucketson either side of the gear are each 4 feet 5-1/2 inches long and 21inches deep, and the combined lifting capacity of the 448, running ata speed of 600 feet per minute, will be 3, 000, 000 gallons of waterand 2, 000 tons of sand every twenty-four hours. The mammoth wheel issupported on two massive adjustable pedestals of cast iron weighingtwelve tons each, and its cost at the copper mines before making asingle revolution, $100, 000. Strength of Brick Walls. --The question of strength of brick walls isoften discussed, and differences of opinion expressed. The followingis one of the rules given:--For first-class buildings, with goodworkmanship, the general average should not exceed a greater number offeet in height than three times its thickness of wall in inches, andthe length not to exceed double the height, without lateral supportsof walls, buttresses, etc. , as follows for safety: THICKNESS; SAFE HEIGHT; LENGTH. 8-1/2 inch walls; 25 feet; 50 feet. 13 inch walls; 40 feet; 80 feet. 17 inch walls; 55 feet; 110 feet. 22 inch walls; 66 feet; 130 feet. 26 inch walls; 78 feet; 150 feet. Where the lengths must exceed these proportions, as in depots, warehouses, etc. , the thickness should be increased, or lateralbraces instituted as frequently as practicable. Qualities of BuildingStone. --The principal qualities of a good building stone are--(1)Strength, (2) hardness, (3) durability, (4) appearance, (5) facilityfor working. There are also other minor points; but stone possessingone or more of the above qualities, according to the purpose for whichit is required, may be regarded as good for that purpose. Strength of Stone. --Stone should only be subjected to a compressivestrain. It is occasionally subject to a cross strain, as in lintelsover doors and windows; these are, however, contrary to the trueprinciples of construction, and should not be allowed except astrong relieving arch is turned over them. The strength of stone incompression is about 120 tons per square foot for the weakest stones, and about 750 tons per square foot for the strongest. No stones are, however, subjected to anything like this amount of compressive force;in the largest buildings it does not amount to more than twelve orfourteen tons per square foot. Hardness of Stone. --This is of more importance than its strength, especially in pavements or steps, where it is subject to great wear;also in plinths and quoins of buildings where it is desired to preservea good face and sharp arris. The order of strength and hardness of stoneis--(1) Basalt, (2) granite, (3) limestone, (4) sandstone. Granite, seinite, and gneiss take the first, place for strength, hardness anddurability, but they will not stand a high temperature. "Stones whichare of a fine, uniform grain, compact texture and deep color are thestrongest; and when the grain, color, and texture are the same, thoseare the stongest which are the heaviest; but otherwise the strength doesnot increase with the specific gravity. " Great hardness is objectionablewhen the stone has to be worked with a chisel, owing to the laborrequired to work it. Hard stones, also, generally wear smooth, andbecome polished, which makes them unsuitable for some purposes. Brittleness is a defect which frequently accompanies hardness, particularly in coarse-grained stones; it prevents them from beingworked to a true surface, and from receiving a smooth edge at theangles. Workmen call those hard stones which can only be sawn into slabsby the grit saw, and those soft which can be separated by a common saw. Expansion of Stone by Heat. --Rocks are expanded by heat and contractedby cooling. Variation in temperature thus causes some building stonesto alternately expand and contract, and this prevents the joints ofmasonry from remaining close and tight. In the United States with anannual thermometric range of more than 90 deg. Fah. , this difficultyled to some experiments on the amount of expansion and contraction indifferent kinds of building stones. It was found that in fine-grainedgranite the rate of expansion was . 000004825 for every degree Fah. , ofincrement of heat; in white crystalline marble it was . 000005668; andin red sandstone . 000009532, or about twice as much as in granite. InWestern America, where the climate is remarkably dry and clear, thethermometer often gives a range of more than 80 deg. In twenty-fourhours. This great difference of temperature produces a strain sogreat that it causes rocks to crack or peel off in skins or irregularpieces, or in some cases, it disintegrates them into sand. Dr. Livingstone found in Africa (12 deg. S. Lat. , 34 deg. E. Long. ) thatsurfaces of rock which during the day were heated up to 137 deg. Fah. Cooled so rapidly by radiation at night that unable to standthe strain of contraction, they split and threw off sharp angularfragments from a few ounces to 100 lbs. Or 200 lbs. In weight. According to data obtained from Adie "Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin. , " xiii. , p. 366, and Totten the expansion of ordinary rocks ranges from about2. 47 to 9. 63 millionths for 1 deg. Fah. BLUNDERS AND ABSURDITIES IN ART. In looking over some collections of old pictures, it is surprising whatextraordinary [Transcriber's Note: The original text reads'anachornisms'] anachronisms, blunders, and absurdities are oftendiscoverable. In the gallery of the convent of Jesuits at Lisbon, there is a picturerepresenting Adam in paradise, dressed in blue breeches with silverbuckles, and Eve with a striped petticoat. In the distance appears aprocession of Capuchin monks bearing the cross. In a country church in Holland there is a painting representing thesacrifice of Isaac, in which the painter has depicted Abraham with ablunderbus in his hand, ready to shoot his son. A similar edifice inSpain has a picture of the same incident, in which the patriarch isarmed with a pistol. At Windsor there is a painting by Antonio Verrio, in which the artisthas introduced the portraits of himself, Sir Godfrey Kneller, and May, the surveyor of the works of that period, all in long periwigs, asspectators of Christ healing the sick. A painter of Toledo, having to represent the three wise men of theEast coming to worship on the nativity of Christ, depicted threeArabian or Indian kings, two of them white and one black, and allof them in the posture of kneeling. The position of the legs of eachfigure not being very distinct, he inadvertently painted three blackfeet for the negro king, and three also between the two white kings;and he did not discover his error until the picture was hung up in thecathedral. In another picture of the Adoration of the Magi, which was in theHoughton Hall collection, the painter, Brughel, had introduced amultitude of little figures, finished off with true Dutch exactitude, but one was accoutred in boots and spurs, and another was handing in, as a present, a little model of a Dutch ship. The same collection contained a painting of the stoning of Stephen, the martyr, by Le Soeur, in which the saint was attired in the habit ofa Roman Catholic priest at high mass. A picture by Rubens, in the Luxembourg, represents the Virgin Maryin council, with two cardinals and the god Mercury assisting in herdeliberations. A STOPPAGE OF THE FALLS OF NIAGARA. The following remarkable account of the stoppage of Niagara Falls, appeared in the _Niagara Mail_ at the time of the occurrence: "Thatmysterious personage, the oldest inhabitant, has no recollection ofso singular an occurrence as took place at the Falls on the 30th ofMarch, 1847. The 'six hundred and twenty thousand tons of water eachminute' nearly ceased to flow, and dwindled away into the appearanceof a mere milldam. The rapids above the falls disappeared, leavingscarcely enough on the American side to turn a grindstone. Ladiesand gentlemen rode in carriages one-third of the way across the rivertowards the Canada shore, over solid rock as smooth as a kitchenfloor. The _Iris_ says: 'Table Rock, with some two hundred yards more, was left dry; islands and places where the foot of man never dared totread have been visited, flags placed upon come, and mementoes broughtaway. This unexpected event is attempted to be accounted for by anaccumulation of ice at the lower extremity of Fort Erie, which formeda sort of dam between Fort Erie and Buffalo. '" WONDERS OF MINUTE WORKMANSHIP. In the twentieth year of Queen Elizabeth, a blacksmith named MarkScaliot, made a lock consisting of eleven pieces of iron, steel andbrass, all which, together with a key to it, weighed but one grain ofgold. He also made a chain of gold, consisting of forty-three links, and, having fastened this to the before-mentioned lock and key, he putthe chain about the neck of a flea, which drew them all with ease. Allthese together, lock and key, chain and flea, weighed only one grainand a half. Oswaldus Norhingerus, who was more famous even than Scaliot for hisminute contrivances, is said to have made 1, 600 dishes of turnedivory, all perfect and complete in every part, yet so small, thin and slender, that all of them were included at once in a cup turned outof a pepper-corn of the common size. Johannes Shad, of Mitelbrach, carried this wonderful work with him to Rome, and showed it toPope Paul V. , who saw and counted them all by the help of a pair ofspectacles. They were so little as to be almost invisible to the eye. Johannes Ferrarius, a Jesuit, had in his posession cannons of wood, with their carriages, wheels, and all other military furniture, all ofwhich were also contained in a pepper-corn of the ordinary size. An artist, named Claudius Callus, made for Hippolytus d'Este, Cardinalof Ferrara, representations of sundry birds setting on the tops oftrees, which, by hydraulic art and secret conveyance of water throughthe trunks and branches of the trees, were made to sing and clap theirwings; but, at the sudden appearance of an owl out of a bush of thesame artifice, they immediately became all mute and silent. CURIOUS DISSECTION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. SHOWING THE NUMBER OF BOOKS, CHAPTERS, VERSES, WORDS, LETTERS, ETC. In the Old Testament. In the New Testament. Total. Books 39 Books 27 66 Chapters 929 Chapters 260 1, 189 Verses 23, 814 Verses 7, 959 81, 178 Words 692, 489 Words 281, 258 773, 697 Letters 2, 728, 100 Letters 838, 880 3, 566, 480 Apocrypha--chapters, 183; verses, 6, 081; words, 152, 185. The middle chapter and the least in the Bible is Psalm cxvii. The middle verse is the 8th of Psalm cxviii. The middle line is in 16th verse, 4th chapter, 2 Chronicles. The word_and_ occurs in the Old Testament 35, 543 times; in the New Testament, 10, 684 times. The word _Jehovah_ occurs 6, 855 times. OLD TESTAMENT. The middle book is Proverbs. The middle chapter is Job xxix. The middle verse would be in the 2d of Chronicles, 20th chapter, between the 17th and 18th verses. The least verse is the 1st of Chronicles, 1st chapter, and 1st verse. NEW TESTAMENT. The middle book is 2 Thessalonians. The middle chapter is between the 13th and 14th of Romans. The middle verse is the 17th of Acts xvii. The shortest verse is the 35th of John xi. The 21st verse of the 7th chapter of Ezra contains all the letters ofthe alphabet. The 19th chapter of 2 Kings, and the 37th of Isaiah, are alike. It is stated that the above calculation took three years to complete. REMARKABLE INSCRIPTION. The following singular inscription is to be seen carved on a tombsituated at the entrance of the church of San Salvador, in the city ofOviedo. The explanation is that the tomb was erected by a king namedSilo, and the inscription is so written that it can be read 270 waysby beginning with the large S in the center. The words are Latin, "Silo princeps fecit. " T I C E F S P E C N C E P S F E C I T I C E F S P E C N I N C E P S F E C I C E F S P E C N I R I N C E P S F E C E F S P E C N I R P R I N C E P S F E F S P E C N I R P O P R I N C E P S F S P E C N I R P O L O P R I N C E P S P C C N I R P O L I L O P R I N C E P E E N I R P O L I S I L O P R I N C E P E C N I R P O L I L O P R I N C E P S P E C N I R P O L O P R I N C E P S F S P E C N I R P O P R I N C E P S F E F S P E C N I R P R I N C E P S F E C E F S P E C N I R I N C E P S P E C I C E F S P E C N I N C E P S F E C I T I C E F S P E C N C E P S F E C I T Besides this singular inscription, the letters H. S. E. S. S. T. T. L. Are also carved on the tomb, but of these no explanation is given. Silo, Prince of Oviedo, or King of the Asturias, succeeded Aureliusin 774, and died in 785. He was, therefore, a contemporary ofCharlemagne. No doubt the above inscription was the composition ofsome ingenious and learned Spanish monk. CURIOUS CALCULATIONS. CONSUMPTION OF AIR IN ACTIVITY AND REPOSE. Dr. Radclyffe Hall makes the following interesting statement withregard to the amount of air we consume in repose, and at differentdegrees of activity: When still, we use 500 cubic inches of air in aminute; if we walk at the rate of one mile an hour, we use 800; twomiles, 1, 000; three miles an hour, 1, 600; four miles an hour, 2, 300. If we run at six miles an hour, we use 3, 000 cubic inches; trotting ahorse, 1, 750; cantering, 1, 500. THE VALUE OF LABOR. Cast iron of the value of £1 sterling is worth, converted intoordinary machinery, £4; in larger ornamented work, £45; in buckles andsimilar kinds of fancy work, £600; in neck chains, £1, 300. Bar iron ofthe value of £1 sterling is worth, in the form of knives, £36; needles, £70; penknife blades, £950; polished [Transcriber's Note: The originaltext reads 'bottons'] buttons and buckles, £890; balance springs ofwatches, £5, 000. INTEREST OF MONEY. Dr. Price, in the second edition of his "Observations on ReversionaryPayments, " says: "It is well known to what prodigious sums moneyimproved for some time at compound interest will increase. A penny soimproved from our Saviour's birth, as to double itself every fourteenyears--or, what is nearly the same, put out at five per cent. Compoundinterest at our Saviour's birth--would by this time have increasedto more money than could be contained in 150 millions of globes, eachequal to the earth in magnitude, and all solid gold. A shilling, putout at six per cent. Compound interest would, in the same time, haveincreased to a greater sum in gold than the whole solar system couldhold, supposing it a sphere equal in diameter to the diameter ofSaturn's orbit. And the earth is to such a sphere as half a squarefoot, or a quarto page, to the whole surface of the earth. " WONDERS OF SCIENCE. A grain of gold has been found by Muncke to admit of being dividedinto _ninety-fire thousand millions of visible parts_; that is, by theaid of a microscope magnifying one thousand times. A sovereign isthus capable of division into ten millions of millions of visibleparticles, being ten thousand times as many such particles as thereare men, women and children in all the world. SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. --Liebig, in his "Familiar Letters on Chemistry, "has proved the unsoundness of spontaneous combustion. Yet Dr. Lindleygives nineteen instances of something akin, or the rapid ignition of thehuman body by contact with flame as a consequence of the saturation ofits tissues by alcohol. VIBRATIONS OF THE AIR. --If a person stand beneath a railwaygirder-bridge with an open umbrella over his head, when a train ispassing, the vibration of the air will be distinctly felt in the handwhich grasps the umbrella, because the outspread surface collects andconcentrates the waves into the focus of the handle. THE EARTH'S CENTER. --All bodies weigh less the further removed they arefrom the center of the earth. A block of stone weighing 700 pounds uponthe sea-shore, will weigh only 699 pounds if carried up a mountain threemiles high. A pendulum oscillates more quickly at the poles than at theequator, because the earth is flatter by twenty-six miles at thepoles--that is, the "bob" of the pendulum is that much nearer theearth's center, and therefore heavier, and so swings more quickly.