The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-11-30
AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC.

every opportunity. Every days work
| thus done helps forward the labors of
the busy spring time and opens the
ground for the ameliorating effects of
freezing.
Persons who store harness "under
foot may like to know that dressing
OF oil in which is mixed cayenne pep
per-at the rate of teaspoonful to the
pint-is said to afford sure protection
from the gnawing of rats.
Cottage Pudding. with two cups
flour mix thoroughly two teaspoons
baking powder, one egg, one teaspoon
full butter, three-quarters of a cup of
sugar, one-half cup of sweet milk;
flavor with lemon. To be baked quick
ly and eaten while hot.
To Clean Carpets.-Shake and
beat them well; lay them upon the
floor and tack them firmly; then with a
clean flannel wash it over with one
quart of bullock's gall, mixed with
three quarts of soft cold water and rub
it off with clean flannel or house
cloth. Any particularly dirty spot
should be rubbed with pure gall.
Washing soda weakens the fabric
of goods washed in it, and a German
chemist advises the use of hyposul-
phite of soda instead of the common
soda. He assures us that it does not
injure the strength of any goods, but
has some peculiar bleaching properties
by which linen and calico are greatly
improved in appearance.
The wicks of kerosene lamps should
be changed frequently, Or, if not too
short, washed in strong, hot soapsuds,
with some ammonia in the rinsmg
water. We think the trouble with poor
light from kerosene lamps probably
arises from the wicks being full of the
sediment or refuse matter which comes
from the oil, and that impedes the free
passage of the kerosene through the
wicks.
Scotch Broth. Remove the fat
from gallon of meat broth; that in
which any meat, either salt or fresh,
has been cooked will answer. Mix
half teacupful of oatmeal into a
smooth paste with little of the liquor,
and add to it a small onion, chopped
fine. When the broth is boiling, stir in
the paste; season to taste with pepper
and salt and boil for twenty minutes,
stirring occasionally to prevent lump
ing and burning.
Plants in the winter require very
much less water than in summer.
Never water unless the surface of the
soil is dry. There are exceptions to
this in the case of callas and such plants
as require a great deal of water, but
this is a good rule for most plants. A
great many persons persist in watering
plants every day, whether it is needed
or not In this way the soil becomes
sour and heavy, and the plant diseased.
Always use water moderately warm.
Breakfast Rolls.-One pint of new
milk, half cup of butter; heat the
milk and butter until near boiling let
cool until lukewarm; add half cup of
good yeast, mix in flour to make a soft
dough. cover warm and leave until
morning. Roll into a sheet an inch
thick, cut with biscuit cutter, spread
over them melted butter with feather,
t fold each one and apply the butter to
the upper side; fill a pan, let rise thirty
minutes; or until they ale like puhs;
bake in a quick oven.
Cream Cake.-Three eggs, one cup
of sugar (white,) one and One-half cups
flour, three tablespoonful of water, one
teaspoonful baking powder; bake in
two ordinary pie tins; when done split
open and fill with the following cream:
One pint of sweet milk, one cup sugar;
put over the fire; let it come to the
boiling point and add two eggs, well
beaten, two tablespoonful of cornstarch,
dissolved in little milk, butter the
size of an egg; boil and stir quickly SO
as not to scorch; add lemon or vanilla
tiavoring.
Flour starch is much used by those
who like their calicoes or muslin dresses
very stiff. They may keep clean longer
when thus stiffened, but the rustic of a
stiffly-starched dress is annoying, and
certainly no one would mistake such a
dress for new. Wet four tablespoon
fuls of flour in enough cold water to
mix it perfectly smooth and free OF
Jumps; then put one quart of boiling
water into a clean tin or porcelain ket-
tie, and stir to this the paste of flour
and water. Stir steadily until it boils,
and after that often enough to prevent
its burning. 1t should boil about five
minutes; then strain through a towel
kept for that purpose, or a coarse and
slazy linen bag. This is sufficient fol
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