Connecticut western news., 1874-09-18
Farm, Garden and Household
Housekeeping Department.

Housekeeping Department.
 F1ANNE1.-Scald flannel before you make it up, as it shrinks in the first washing. Much of the shrinking arises from there being too much soap and the water being too cold. Never use soda for fannels.
 PRESERVATION OF MmK.-Dr. Sace, of Switzerland, recommends as 8 preser- vative of milk for two days from coagu- lation, even during the greatest heats, spoonful of alcohol per gallon of milk. French dairymen, judging by the odor, employ preparation of chlorine.
 CURING BEEF AND HAM.-For every one hundred pounds of beef, seven pounds of salt, two ounces of saltpeter, one and half pounds of brown sugar, four gallons of water. The hams and beef for drying may be taken out after four weeks. To keep the meat in warm weather the pickle will have to be boiled.
 SUGAR CAKE.-One-half pound of butter, one-half pound of sugar, one pound of flour, three eggs, and milk enough for dough. Beat the butter and sugar together; whisk the eggs light and add them, stir in the milk and four alternately so as to form dough. Roll the dough out, cut in cakes and bake in 8 moderate oven.
 To MAKE RANCID BUTTER SWEET To one quart of lime water add fifty five drops of the liquor of chloride of lime then wash thoroughly in this mixture five pounds of rancid butter. It must remain in the mixture two hours. Then wash twice in pure water and once in sweet milk add salt. This preparation of lime contains nothing injurious.
 How TO OooK BEEFsTEAK.-Many who are reputed to be good cooks have but little idea of the only true way to cook beefsteak. That we may derive both pleasure and nutriment, judicious management on the part of the cook is essential. Select fat and tender sir loin pound it we'll and place it on 8 griddle over the bed of hard wood coals sprinkle a little salt on it and allow it to broil until the juice is seen on the upper side then lift from the griddle so that the juice may be saved on the platter and turn it on the griddle again, for 8 moment only, then place on the platter, and lay on it few thin slices of sweet butter. Serve imme- diately with butter toast or fried pota- toes. If the steak is cooked hard and dry all the best qualities of it are lost and one might as we'll feed upon chips. Five or six minutes is sufficient time to cook a steak, and the hotter the coals the better unless cooked quickly with great heat it will be tough and un- palatable.
 How to Feed Horses.
 A contributor. after trying several ways of feeding horses, has settled down on the following: He feeds whole hay, with six quarts of bran and corn meal, half-and-half, twice day, wet. He has fed so for the last year. His horses look finely, and he works them hard, but at the same time he is care ful man with team. He intends to have them fed at stated times, once in twelve hours. This is much better than feeding meal alone, as the coarse bran separates the particles of meal and pre-. vents it's packing so hard as it other wise would in the stomach of the horse. The concentrated food should be more divided with coarse fodder. Young and vigorous horses may stand it we'll for 8 few years, as their digestion is more active, but bran and meal, mixed in equal proportions, is too compact fol proper digestion in most horses, and they will, in short time, be affected with coic and many other stomach complaints. The omnibus lines il cities have had experience on a large scale, and find the only safe way is tc feed meal, or meal and bran mixed with about an equal weight of cut straw o1 hay. This gives abundance of strong food, and also bulk, leaving the con tents Of the stomach in proper condi tion, so that the gastric juice can circu late freely through the mass, and come in contact with every portion at once Feeding concentrated food to horses without admixture with coarse fodder IS the fruitful cause of stomach com plaints, colics, infammations, blinG staggers, etc. We have known man, horses lost by feeding meal alone, oi meal with small quantity of bran.
 Destroying Potato Bugs.
 A correspondent writes: "I just pu handle to large tin milk can anG scooped the bugs off the vines it wa, rather slow work, but it answered tn, purpose, and saved my crop. Las year, took an old sulky and put in al axle-tree long enough to cover two rows, then made 8 box with bottom back and ends, closed and hung it o1 the axle-tree, tilting back, and drivins the horse at the rate of about six miles an hour over the field of four acres, al soon as the young insects made thei1 appearance l caught 8 bushel and half the first time but where the buzz are numerous the operation must be re peated several times. then again i'm proved the machine by making the bo1 of sheet iron, the front part of the bo1 coming in contact with the vines ii bent over 8 rod about an inch in diane ter to prevent it cutting the tops. Witt 1t succeeded in saving my crop las year, which sold at from 75c. to $1. .5( per bushel. The first time went ove my field of five acres, which I did il three and one-half hours, I gathered three bushels of bugs, and the mex time half as many. From this you cal judge how we'll it operated. The ma chine is not patented, hence l have n, axe to grind but feel an interest il my old friends and neighbors.'
 Trap for Cut-Worms.
 A correspondent gives the following An old shovel handle is split for abou foot with fine saw. The split DOT tion is soaked in boiling water to softer it, and the ends are inserted into hole made into'a hoop or ring of wood tw inches wide, one inch thick, and eigh inches in diameter. In the bottom o the ring there are inserted number o pieces of an old broom-handle, project ing two inches, and placed not nor than quarter of an inch apart. Whel this is pressed into the earth around hill of corn or 8 cabbage plant, it leave