Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-01-08

FAaM AND lleUsEHoLD.
-
TaE Hoxx SuRRouxbrhas.- FEmcrs
of moderate means and small FARMS who
wish to have pleasant homes and to
make them pleasant to thsfr children,
should keep the surroundings Of their
dwellings neat anG tidy. 1t happens
too often that In the hurry Of late au-
tumn operations, various kinds Of rub
bage are scattered and left on the ground,
such as straw, leaves, pieces Of boards.
and the various refuse materials from
the winter storage Of apples, potatoes,
corn, etc. IL requires no more work In
the end to keep the ground clear ofthese
defacing objects, than to clean them up
after they are half decayed at some flu
ture time. Such work is controlled by
habit; and the owner who acquires the
habit Of keeping everything clean and
neat, does 1t without effort, and with
very little additional time and labor.
Among other matters, many dwellings
are rendered somewhat repulsive all
winter, and In late autumn and early
spring. by the necessary protection OF
their cellars from frost, and by the un-
necessarily rough manner in which this
protection Is given. Some bank up
earth and sod against the underpinning
outside; others pile straw, and secure 1t
with stakes or brush and others, again,
adopt the still less ornamental practice
of heaping manure against the cellar
walls. We referred to this matter on
former occasion, and we recur to it
again as a matter of sufficient impor-
lance to bear repetition. If cellar walls,
or such portion Of them as are above
ground, are properly built, so as to en-
close an air space, or to include stra-
tum of tan, sawdust or ashes, they will
need no additional outside covering;
but where this provision has not been
made, q neat protection may be made
by heaping dry leaves up against the
walls, and then keeping them in place
with the branches of evergreen trees,
I'm the form of neat green thatch.
These branches should be cut so as to be
ust long enough to reach from the top
TO the bottom ofythe sloping bank of
leaves; and they must be placed inver-
ted to shed the rain. Since the time
when nurserymen haG made evergreen
trees abundant and cheap, and Of the
many which have been set out In the
last twenty years, more or less require
shaping or shortening in to keep them
within bounds, or to preserve their
symmetry; and this pruning, done at
the present season of the year. gives a
good supply Of branches for the work
here mentioned, as well as for the pro-
lection of strawberry beds, half-tender
roses and for other purposes. A neat
covering may be given to the circular
flower beds OF the lawn, by placing ev-
ergreen branches in q circle, radiatins
from the centre. For plants which re-
tain their green leaves in winter, no
other covering should be given, as it
might cause smothering and decay,
but il the leaves Of the plant die or
drop before winter, a few inches, or
even foot of dry leaves may be first
placed on the bed, and then held in po-
siuion with the evergreens.-C Country
Gentleman.
BEEP SoUP.-Take shank of beef
with plenty of meat upon il, put over
II cold water, aud boil five or six hours,
the day bD.sre usipg. The next day
skim of the grease, put the jelly in the
soup kettle and one hour before serving
add turnips, carrots, onions, cabbage