The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-02-05
FARM AND FIREsIDE.

If there is pile of shavings, saw
dust or other refuse about mills or fac
tories in your neighborhood, draw it and
place it on the manure pile during the
mild days of winter. Soft shavings and
sawdust may be used as bedding for cat
tie and pigs.-N. Y. Herald.
Plain white towels may be made Or
namental by placing two rows of drawn
work at each end. The work may be
fastened with red, or blue, or with
white. The white gives a little nicer
look to the towel than the colored.
Overcast the edges just above the fringe.
No efficient plan has yet been dis
covered for combating with. the corn or
fall-worm on a very large scale. Fires
at night have been tried; also lanterns
suspended above water, so that the
moths striking the lanterns will fall into
the water. These plans can be used on
a small scale only.-EEchGnge.
The addition of currant juice to red
or black raspberries is highly recon-
mended; one quart of currant juice is
liberal allowance for ten pounds of ber-
ries; heat the currant juice; add the
sugar; when it has reached the boiling
point add the fruit.-TOled0 Blade.
House plants often become root
bound. In such cases the pot should
be turned upside down, the plant held
in one hand and the whole contents
dumped out. Then reset in larger
pot. Before removing the plant it is a
good plan to thrust a knife into the roots
in several places to give root pruning
Cincinnati Times.
Why do not some of the brain-toil-
ers, whose best years and strength are
rapidly being spent in the close confine-
ment of office existence, think of turning
their faces toward the outer realm and
rest body and mind in such practical, re-
munerative and healthful pursuit as
either the cultivation of the silk worm
or the raising of bees or poultry?-Cur-
rent
--En agreeable dish for dessert is
made in this way: Line a deep pie
plate with rich crust, put a layer of
red raspberry jam on this and cover
with mixture made by beating three
eggs, one cup of powdered sugar,
tablespoonful of butter; flavor with a
very little almond extract; put this
smoothly over the jam; bake till the
crust is done; serve with cream.-Ihe
household.
Pumpkins are easily dried, and
those who like can have them all the
year by taking little trouble. Take
off the skin of the pumpkin, cut it in
thin strips, and dry quickly over hot
stove. The pieces are as hard as crisp,
but little stewing will make them as
good as when fresh from the field. They
will keep until pumpkins are grown
again.-Prdj1'je Farmer.
Peel off the outer rind of chestnuts,
put them into boiling water when all
are peeled, and let them stand near the
fire (not boiling) till the second thin
skin comes off easily. Take out a few
at time and, as they are peeled, throw
them into cold water. Make a sauce of
gravy, thickened with flour, add butter
and salt; let the chestnuts steam in this
over slow fire till soft. Or, instead of
gravy. make white sauce as for aspar-
agus or caulifiowers, in which stew the
chestnuts until quite soft, but still whole.
N. 7. Times.
No pest which bothers the farmer
is so vexatiously destructive as musk
rats when they make home in the I'M
der-drains, especially when near the out
let. They not only fill the natural
channels with earth and dislodge stones,
but they bring grass and weeds to make
their nest, which still further chokes the
drain. A. strong steel trap, well fas-
tened, set in their runways, win gener-
ally ''fetch them" Watch the traps
closely. If left long enough the musk
rat viii get out if he has to gnaw his
own leg off and leave a portion sticking
in the trap.