The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-12-14

Colonel Curtis's recommendation to
cover strawberry plants for the winter
before very cold weather sets in, while
they are yet fresh and green, is very well
where the best kind Of material Is at
hand, such as leafy bush or eornstalks,
which do not pack down with the weight
of snow, and 80 deprive the leaves of
light and air. If straw or leaves be used,
it is best to apply them late, after the
ground has frozen and snow fallen, to re-
tain these as long as possible. Snow is
the perfection of shelter for such plants
"a superior nom conductor of heat, and
admitting both light and air to suftici-
ent degree.
Household Hints.
Old putty can be instantly removed by
passing red hot iron over it.
Mica has graduated from it's old place
in stove doors, and it is said to be one of
the coming things in mantel decoration.
Napkins are used in large sizes, with
monograms in white tsay rich creamy
silk, or q linen foss) for dinner. and in
colors for breakfast.
Window screens are made of very
large Japanese fans, the outer sticks rest
ing, one horizontally on the sill and the
other vertically against either side ofthe
casing; for lower windows the effect of
such q fan-scrcen, in proper colors,
would not be ba /, althoug III it might look
little queer.
1t is very easy to upholster chairs at
home, now that plain seats and backs
are in fashion. A paper pattern the
correct size should first be cut out; from
this the material is cut, and then nail in
place with urholsters tacks; q narrow
gimp with brass-headed nails conceals
the edges and gives ''shoppy" effect.
Bureau covers may be nicely made Of
monte cloth, in color and trimming to
please. A white one, with antique lace
edging is very serviceable, and the cloth
washes we'll. Scrym, lined with bright
silesia and trimmed with torchioh, u
very pretty, the edge of the silesia may
be pinked and come to the scallop Of tho
lace.
A cement for joining china or marble
may be made as follows: Starch, one
ounce; white sugar, four ounces, added
to solution of one ounce of gum arabic
in hot water; the mixture il boiled until
the starch is cooked.
DR.. Frank Hamilton, in the Popular
Science Monthly, insists that safety lies
alone in open fire-places, stationary
wash-bowls and the banishment of ali
sewer connection to an out building en-
tirely separated from the living rooms:
Authorities are quoted to prove that nQ
LII, HI ,ol-S
that no traps can be considered safe.
diptheria, scarletina, and the general
SO many city jewellers are all traceable
to sewer emanations.
Home Comforts and Oonveniences.
No money orpains are spared to make
our large and expensive houses con-
venient in all parts. From gatret to
cellar every modern invention for COM
fort is introduced. In the kitchen tho
cook is furnished with all possible helps
for facilitating her work and making it
easy. The laundress has water, hot or
cold, at her command by the simple
turning of a faucet, and all that is nee
essary to dispose Of it, after it has been
used, is the withdrawing Of the plug in
the bottom of the wash-tub: The wait
ers and chamber-maids are alike aide d
in their work SO that the heavy drudgery
Of the homework is lightened to great
degree.
In the humble home, however, where
one pair of tired hands has ofte1itimes
TO perform all. the work for the family,
conveniences. All Of the water used for
every purpose must often be pumped
and carried quite distance. Tubs must
be lifted, filled, and emptied, and the
waste water, perhaps, be thrown into q
drain some ways from the house. All
| endless amount Of heavy labor must be
gone through with each day, and es-
| pecially on washing day.
Many steps might be saved and the
burden of many a back lightened by the
exercise of a little thought and a small
outlay of money. The husband, taken
up with his daily routine of work, tired
| out, perhaps, when he returns home at
night, often does not appreciate how
heavy the burden is which his patient
| wife has to bear; he does not note the
tired look, and see that the roses are
fading from her cheeks. The change IL
gradual but sure. A mother giving her
very life to her children and devotin9
herself to them night and day, who Ii
| obliged to perform the household duties
| of her family should have the manual
labor of her home reduced to the small
est minimum. Every possible appliance
which can be used to lessen her work
should be provided, The cooking ar
engagements should be brought within
may be accomplished with few steps.
Working in kitchen which is seve raj
feet below the other part OF the house,
SO that the passage into the dining-room
requires coming up and down stairs
should be avoided. When there is but
one step it may be remedied by making
an inclined floor between the rooms.
When there are number of steps, how
ever, it would be better to dispense with
the out kitchen altogether If possible,
rather than take the chances Of ruined
I health by such constant use of stairs.
! A small amount of money carefully
expended will bring the water to be
used by the family within doors. and
will provide q drain. The idea of a
mother of little children being Obliged
carry heavy pals of water in all kinds
weather, dispose of all the dishwater
and suds, and bring in the coal and wood
perhaps from the barn is all wrong.
# such things have to be done at all, II
here are no arrangements otherwise,
they have to be done every day in the
year. The one pair of hands must per
orm the task, no matter how tired and
worn the feeble woman may be. Over.
work Of this kind, SO unnecessary, is the
secret of much of the ill health which
surrounds US on all sides. Young w0.
men, anxious to save and economize, ca
that they may have something laid by
for the future, and their own homes, try
to do too much while they are raising
their children. As the years 20 by
they either droop and die or are unfit
ted, by ill-health, for the important
service which they have to perform II
the education and training Of Their
| children. Re .s.z