New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-31

rs ths was Is often pretty rustic sight a sort Of
,'o'e pace al amos OF things hanging there on
tocFs or nails criven into the beams bupdles OF
crled herbs, strings OF red peppers and drisd a n
pies banging ~ iestoons, tools OF various hind.
bags OF different sorts snd sizes golden ear. az
seetcorn rpen'ng, Was Of physic and po,.rp N.
for man and beast bits 81 cord and Irvine sksin. N
yarn ard brown thread Just spun, and lastly. dls
Of newspapers Tie low red ceiling Of fsrmar
B-'s kitchen was not quite well gsrnished
in July a. We have seen ii at osher times still il
was by no means bare, the iestoons Of apples, red
peppers, and Indian corn being the o ly objects
wanting. By the window hung an ink bottls aud
well fingered al nanac, witty and wise. a. usu a.
year or two since, an edition Of the almanac vas
printed without the usual prognos,ics regarding
the wind and sunshine, but it proved a complete
failure; an almanac that told nothing about mex,
years weather nobody cared TO buy. and il was
found expedient 70 restore these important pre-
dictions concerning the future snow, bail, and
sunshine of the county. Public opinion demand
ed il.
great spinning wheel with basket Of carded
wool stood in corner where il had been set q.
side when we arrived. There was good deal Of
spinning done in the family all the yarn for stock.
ngs for Aannel' for the cloth worn by the men, for
the colored wooden dresses of the women and all
the thread for their coarse toweling, &c &c, was
spun in the house by our hostess, or her grand
daughter, or some BeighbOr hired for the purp Jse.
Formerly, there bad been six step.daughters in
the family, and the q, not only all the spinning but
TIE weaving and dying also, were done at home
They must have been notable women, those SIX
step daU eters; we heard some great accounts of
days spinning and weaving done by them. The
presses and cUpboards of the house were still fail
TO OVERLOOKING with blankets, white and colored
hannes colored tgilled coverlets for bedding be
sides sheets table cloths and patched bed-quilts,
all their own work. In fact, almost all the cloth
ing of The family, for bota men and women, and
everything in the shape of bedding and toweling
used by the household was bone made. Very
few dry goods were purchased by them, hats aud
shoes, some light materials for caps and collars,
little ribbon, and a printed calico now and then
seemed to be all they bought
Very pretty wooden shaws were shown us
made by our friends step daughter, after Scotch
patterns; several families Of Scotch emgrants had
settled in the neighborhood some thirty years
since, and had furnished their friends with the
patterns Of different paids; whether this were
Highland or Lowlsnd, We could not say. Some Of
their twied hannels were also remarkably good in
quality and color but these are apt TO shrink 10
washing. They are quite skilful dyers 10 scarlet.
orange, green, blue, and lilac. With the maple
leaves, they dye a very neat gray for stockings,
but most OF their cOlOring materials were purchn
ed in the villages, dye stufs being an important
part of the stock in trade Of al our country drug
gists. Most Of the spinning and weaving was 10
cotton or wooden materials. A certain amount Of
tow was used for toweling bagging smock frocks
ard panaloons, for summer working clothes for tho
men. From time 10 time, little flax was raised,
especially to make linen, chiefly for few deer
towels and tsbleclotbs, the Injuries Of the house
hold
Those who live in our large towns, where they
buy even their bread and butter their milk and rad
ishes, have no idea Of the large amount of do
mestic goods in wool and cotton, made by the wo
mem of the rural population Of the interior, even
in these days of huge factories. Without touch
ing upon the subject of political economy, although
it's moral aspect must ever be highly important
one, it is certainly pleasant to see the women busy
in this way, beneath the family roof and one is
much disposed to believe that the homo system is
healthier and safer for the individual, In every
way. Home, we may rest assured, will always
be, as a rule. the best place for a whman her la
bors pleasures, and interests, should all center
there, whatever be her sphere OF life.
The food of the family, as well as their clothing,
wss almost wholly the produce Of their own farm
they dealt but little with either grocer or butcher.
In the spring, calf was killed; Ia the fall, sheep
and a couple Of hogs once in while, at other
seasons they got piece of fresh meat from some
neigbbor who had killed beef or mutton They
rarely eat their poultry-the hens were kept chief
ly fer their eggs, and their geese for feathers Toe
common piece Of meat day after day, was corned
por, from their pork barrel; they usually kept,
a!su, some corned beef in brine, either from their
OWL herd, or a piece procured by some bargain
wit neighbor The bread was made from their
own wheat and so were the hoe cakes and grlddle-
cakes from the Indian meal and buckwheat from
their growth Butter and cheese from their DAIRY
were on table at every meal, thee times day.
Pies were eaten very frequently either OF apples,
pumpkins, dried fruits, or coarse mlnced-met oc'
ca,iopay they bad pie without ssy meat for their
dinner; buildings were rare Yankee farmers gen.
orally eating much more pastry and pudding.
Nush and milk was a common dish. They ate but
few eggs, reservng them for sale Their vese-
tables were almost wholly potatoes, cabbage, and
onions, with FIRE corn and beans, when IN season,
srd baked beans with pork iB winter. Pickles
were put on the table at every meal Their sugar
and n1olasses was made from the maple, only
keeping little white sugar for company or sick
ness They drank cider from their own orchard
TIE chief Injuries of the household were tea and
coffee, both procured from the "stores, although
il may be doubted if the tea ever saw China 1t
like much of that drunk about the country, It was
probably Of farm growth also.
While we were talking over these matters, and
others Of a more personal nature, with our gentle
old hostess several visitors arrived probably, on
this occasion they came less 70 Zee the mistress OF
the house than her carriage-load OF strange com.
many Be that as it may we had the pleasure OF
making several new acquaintance, and OF admir-
ing some very handsome strings OF gold oeads
sbout their neckG; piece OF inery we had not
seem in A long while Another fashion was less
pleasing. We observed that number OF the
women in that neighborhood had their hair crop
ned abort like men, a custom which seems all bus
unnatural Despite her seventy years aud the
Ybeumati.m our hostess had her dark hair smooth
" combed and neatly rolled up under nice mus
In cap made after the Methodist pattern She was
not one TO do anything unwomanly though all
B Green set the fashion.
A grand daughter of our hostess, on visit at
the farm. had been in the meadow picking straw
berries, and now returned with tine bowl foil,
the ripest aud largest in the field. The table was
set homespun tablecloth white as snow, aid
upon il, and every vacant spot being covered BY
something nice at four o'clock we sat down 70 yea
WHY is il that cream, milk, and butter a. Ways
,s.s better under the roof Of a farm house than
elsewberei They seem to loose something Of their
nscpIiar sweetness and richness after passing tue
bounds Of the farm, especially If they have been
r.,,Ied over the pavement Of large town to mar
-. Co,r,rv made bre al. too ia peculiar: not so