Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-11-07
FARMERS DEPARTMENT..
Practical Science for Women.

doubly interesting by the light which
Science will shed upon them, through the
medium Of the Agricultural Colleges. But
the thought has occurred to Newly may
not tho farmers wife and her sex generally
share in the treasures to be opened =
There surely can be no valid reason why
our sex should be doomed, in the future,
as they have been in the past, to what some
Of the most interesting process in naturc--
often with the deepest anxiety in regard
to the result, without once comprehcndiug
them, or being able to tell how the effect
is obtained. Yet this is the case very often
in cookiDg--in butter, cheese, soap and
bread making, with many other things
equally common.
To illustrate, take one of the most COM
mon of the housewives occupations. AS
she lifts the foaming dish of "emptyings,H
in her semi weekly preparation of the
staff of life. how often do such inquiries
as the following arise in her mind. What
play Of chemical afinities has taken place
in the inert mass placed by the fire this
morning, to produce all this ferment o.
What gas has been liberated to cause the
pungent smell, and why does it become
offensive by long standing If Salts used,
what agency has it in the matter or would
it do just as well without it some add
milk but they cannot tell why. Which of
its component parts contributes to produce
the effect, or is that also useless What
beneficial change does boiling the water
make in itl There is common opinion
that frequent stirring is advantag eous, while
others think it injurious, and some that it
makes no difference. Which is right 2---
And why do | sometimes fail of having
them rise!
These and many other questions can be
asked but not one in hundred can answer
them. Would it not more than double
woman's interest in her monotonous rounds
of duties, if she could trace the beautiful
laws of natural philosophy in their opera
tions under her hand
The occupation of the housekeeper is
not now an intellectual one, and as she is.
usually, quite closely confined to it, it is
not surprising that thoroughly intellec-
tual wife and mother is rare. But if i
women were taught to understand the sci.
entifc principles involved in their daily
labor, they would be able IN that to find
an exercise for their reasoning powers, |
and one that couH afford them the keenest
pleasure.
Besides the enjoyment it would give,
they would be able to preform their duties
better, and much injury might be saved
to the life and health of those under their
care. AAs4sl ,---s -l5LJ ~ at-
They are daily handling powerful acids
and Slkalies-. frequently poisons-and often
without thought cf the injury which their
careless combination with other substances
might produce. And who does not know
thai. food is often cooked in such way as
to render digestion very difficult, if not
absolutely impossible. Would not the time
be well spent which would give to the wife
and mother sufficient knowledge ofchem-
istry and physiology to enable her to attend
to her duties uDderstandngly, and in the
best rnannerl Another reason for its /
requirement is, that this knowledge would
often spare him the contempt of the more
intelligent for her superstitious way of
accounting for the phenomena which come
under her observation. A lady of more
than common intelligence on most subjects,
once said, in apology to a frieOd, that she !
"could not talk while mixing her emptyings
for fear they might net rise, she had been
having bad luck lately"
But it will be asked, how is this to be
done! | will briefly indicate several ways
in which think it could be done.
Let our Female Colleges and Semina-
ries give their pupils a thorough knowledge
of the practical sciences and teach them
how to apply them to their everyday occu-
pations. In England, fifty years ago, the
boarding school education of young lady
was incomplete until she had made, and
richly embroidered, set of baby's clothesl
With all due Difference to our grandmother's
judgement, must think til at the prepara.
ton for future housekeeping here proposed
is much more intellectual, if not more
ne,essary.-Conespondent efthe Michigan
Eoa,a,Js3