DOMESTIC ECONOMY, AND OTHER MATTERS WORTH KNOWING.
Of the different kinds of Tea, Coffee, &c.—Preserving Fruits, Flowers, &c.—Care of Fires—and other Hints.
TEAS.
739.—The names of the different kinds of tea, relate to the time of their being gathered, or to some peculiarity in their manufacture. It is a general rule, that all tea is fine in proportion to the tenderness and immaturity of the leaves. The quality and value of the different kinds diminish as they are gathered later in the season.
Black Teas.—As soon as the leaf-bud begins to expand, it is gathered to make Pekoe. A few days' later growth produces black-leaved Pekoe. The next picking is called Souchong; as the leaves grow larger and more mature, they form Congou; and the last picking is Bohea.
Bohea is called by the Chinese, Ta-cha (large tea), on account of the maturity and size of the leaves; it contains a larger proportion of woody fibre than other teas, and its infusion is of a darker color and coarser flavor.
Congou, the next higher kind, is named from a corruption of the Chinese Koong-foa (great care, or assiduity). This forms the bulk of the black tea imported, and is mostly valued for its strength.
Souchong—Seaou-choong (small, scarce sort), is the finest of the stronger black tea, with a leaf that is generally entire and curly. It is much esteemed for its fragrance and fine flavor.
Pekoe is a corruption of the Canton name, Pak-ho (white down), being the first sprouts of the leaf-buds; they are covered with a white silky down. It is a delicate tea, rather deficient in strength, and is principally used for flavoring other teas.
740. Green Teas.—The following are the principal kinds: Twankay, Hyson-Skin, Hyson, Gunpowder, and Young Hyson.
Young Hyson is a delicate young leaf, called in the original language, Yu-tsien (before the rains), because gathered in the early spring.
Hyson, from the Chinese word He-tchune, which means, flourishing spring. This fine tea is gathered early in the season, and prepared with great care and labor. Each leaf is picked separately, and nipped off above the footstalk, and every separate leaf is rolled in the hand. It is much esteemed for its flavor.
Gunpowder Tea is only Hyson rolled and rounded, to give it the granular appearance whence it derives its name. The Chinese call it Choo-cha (pearl tea).
Hyson-Skin is so named from the Chinese term, in which connection skin means the refuse, or inferior portion. In preparing Hyson, all leaves that are of a coarse yellow, or imperfectly twisted appearance, are separated, and sold as skin-tea, at an inferior price.
Twankay is the last picking of green tea, and the leaf is not rolled or twisted as much as the dearer descriptions. There is altogether less trouble bestowed on the preparation.
COFFEE.
741.—The infusion or decoction of the roasted seeds of the coffee-berry, when not too strong, is a wholesome, exhilarating, and strengthening beverage; and, when mixed with a large proportion of milk, is a proper article of diet for literary and sedentary people. It is especially suited to persons advanced in years. People who are bilious and liable to costiveness, should abstain from it. When drank very strong, it proves stimulating and heating in a considerable degree, creating thirst and producing watchfulness. By an abusive indulgence in this drink, the organs of digestion are impaired, the appetite is destroyed, nutrition is impeded, and emaciation, general debility, paralytic affections, and nervous fever, are brought on.
742. Proper method of making Toast and Water, and the advantages resulting therefrom.—Take a slice of fine and stale loaf-bread, cut very thin—as thin as toast is ever cut—and let it be carefully toasted on both sides, until it be completely browned all over, but nowise blackened or burned in any way. Put this into a common deep stone or china jug, and pour over it, from the tea-kettle, as much clean boiling water as you wish to make into drink. Much depends on the water being actually in a boiling state. Cover the jug with a saucer or plate, and let the drink cool until it be quite cold; it is then fit to be used. The fresher it is made the better, and of course the more agreeable. The above will be found a pleasant, light, and highly-diuretic drink. It is peculiarly grateful to the stomach, and excellent for carrying off the effects of any excess in drinking. It is also a most excellent drink at meals, and may be used in the summer-time, if more agreeable to the drinker.
743. Baked Milk.—Put half a gallon of milk into a jar, and tie it down with writing-paper. Let it stand in a moderately warm oven about eight or ten hours. It will then be of the consistence of cream. It is used by persons who are weak or consumptive.
744. Substitute for Cream, in Tea or Coffee.—Beat the white of an egg to a froth, put to it a very small lump of butter, and mix well. Then turn the coffee to it gradually, so that it may not curdle. If perfectly done, it will be an excellent substitute for cream. For tea, omit the butter, using only the egg. This might be of great use at sea, as eggs can be preserved fresh in various ways.
745. Economical use of Nutmegs.—If a person begin to grate a nutmeg at the stalk end, it will prove hollow throughout; whereas the same nutmeg, grated from the other end, would have proved sound and solid to the last. This circumstance may thus be accounted for:—The centre of a nutmeg consists of a number of fibres issuing from the stalk, and its continuation through the centre of the fruit; the other ends of which fibres, though closely surrounded and pressed by the fruit, do not adhere to it. When the stalk is grated away, those fibres, having lost their hold, gradually drop out, and the nutmeg appears hollow: as more of the stalk is grated away, others drop out in succession, and the hollow continues through the whole nut. By beginning at the contrary end, the fibres above-mentioned are grated off at their core end, with the surrounding fruit, and do not drop out and cause a hole.
746. To ascertain the quality of Nutmegs.—Oil of nutmegs being of great value, it is often extracted from the nuts which are exposed to sale, and which are thereby rendered of very little value. To ascertain the quality of nutmegs, force a pin into them; and if good, however dry they may appear, the oil will be seen oozing out all round the pin.
747. Essence of Nutmeg.—Is made by dissolving one ounce of the essential oil in a pint of rectified spirits. It is an expensive but invaluable mode of flavoring, in the arts of the cook or confectioner.
748. To make Essence of Celery.—Soak for a fortnight half an ounce of the seeds of celery in one gill of brandy. A few drops will flavor a pint of soup or broth equal to a head of celery.
749. Tincture of Lemon-peel.—Fill a wide-mouthed pint bottle half full of brandy; when a lemon is used, pare off the rind very thin, and put it into the brandy. In two weeks the spirit will be strongly impregnated with the flavor of the lemon.
750. To test the purity of Spirits.—See if the liquor will burn away entirely: or, place a hollow ivory-ball in it; the deeper the ball sinks, the lighter the liquor, and consequently more spirituous.
751. To purify Olive Oil.—Turn the oil into a crock or bottle, and pour in a quantity of pure water; shake the vessel vigorously, and let it stand two hours. The mucilaginous matter which is the cause of rancidity, will be separated from the oil, and remain in the water. The oil can be decanted, and re-bottled for use.
752. To preserve Eggs.—The most simple and easy mode of preserving eggs, is to rub the outside of the shell, as soon as gathered from the nest, with a little butter, or any other grease that is not fetid. By filling up the pores of the shell, the evaporation of the liquid part of the egg is prevented; and either by that means, or by excluding the external air, which Fourcroy supposes destroys the milkiness which most people are fond of in new-laid eggs, that milkiness will be preserved for mouths, as perfect as when the egg was taken from the nest.
753. Cream preserved in Long Voyages.—Mix with a quantity of fresh rich cream half its weight of white sugar in powder; stir the whole well together, and preserve it in bottles well corked. In this state it is ready to mix with tea or coffee, and has continued in good condition during a voyage to America.
754. To preserve Hazel Nuts in great perfection for many months.—Hazel nuts may be kept a long time in full kernel by burying them in earthen pots, well closed, a foot or two in the ground. They keep best in gravelly or sandy places.
755. Easy Method of preserving Animal Food.—Fresh meat may be kept for nine or ten days perfectly sweet and good, in the heat of summer, by lightly covering the same with bran, and hanging it in a high and windy room; a cupboard full of small holes, or a wire safe, is recommended to be placed in such a room, to keep away the flies.
756. To purify Lemon-juice.—Add one ounce of pulverized, well burnt charcoal, to a quart of lemon-juice; after standing twelve hours, filter the juice through white blotting-paper; it will keep good several years in a cellar, in a bottle, well corked; a thick crust will form beneath the cork, and the mucilage will fall to the bottom.
757. To detect Copper in Liquids.—Spirit of hartshorn mixed with them, turns them blue. Therefore tea is not dried on copper, as an infusion of it is not turned blue by this mixture. Cider, being passed through brass pots, is detected by this experiment.—Dr. Moyes' Lectures.
758. To detect the Mixture of Arsenic.—A solution of blue vitriol dropped into any liquid in which arsenic has been put, will turn it green.
759. To test Mushrooms.—Rub the upper skin with a gold ring or any piece of gold: the part rubbed will turn yellow if it is a poisonous fungus.
760. To prepare Salt.—Set a lump of salt in a plate before the fire, and when dry, pound it in a mortar, or rub two pieces of salt together; it will then be free from lumps, and in very fine powder.
761. To make Cheap and Good Vinegar.—To eight gallons of clear rain water, add three quarts of molasses; turn the mixture into a clean tight cask, shake it well two or three times, and add three spoonsful of good yeast, or two yeast cakes. Place the cask in a warm place, and in ten or fifteen days, add a sheet of common wrapping-paper, smeared with molasses, and torn into narrow strips, and you will have good vinegar. The paper is necessary to form the "mother," or life of the liquor.
762. To prevent Mouldiness.—The best preventive is any of the essential oils, as the oil of lavender, cloves, peppermint, &c. Russia leather, which is scented with the tar of the birch-tree, is not subject to mouldiness, and books bound in it will even prevent mouldiness in other books bound in calf, near which they happen to lie.
Aromatic seeds are not subject to mould, and gingerbread, or cakes containing caraway seeds are far less liable to mouldiness than plain bread. Children have been poisoned by eating mouldy bread.
763. To keep Fruits.—To preserve fruits, you must keep them in a room rather above the ground floor, sheltered alike from the sun and damp; it is even prudent, in order to avoid opening the windows, to let out the humid exhalations of the fruit, to have a stove in the room, and light a fire in it now and then. The decaying fruit should be carefully removed. Cherries, grapes, &c., are kept sound by hanging them to threads, and then inclosing them in new boxes or barrels; these are closed as tightly as possible, and deposited in a dry place. Some preserve them by laying them in sawdust or bran.
764. To preserve Apples.—Dry a glazed jar perfectly well, put a few pebbles in the bottom; fill the jar with apples, and cover it with a bit of wood made to fit exactly; and over that, put a little fresh mortar. The pebbles attract the damp of the apples. The mortar draws the air from the jar, and leaves the apples free from its pressure, which, together with the principle of putrefaction which the air contains, are the causes of decay. Apples, kept thus, have been found quite sound, fair, and juicy, in July.
765. To keep Potatoes from frost.—If you have not a convenient store-place for them, dig a trench three or four feet deep, into which they are to be laid as they are taken up, and then covered with the earth taken out of the trench, raised up in the middle like the roof of a house, and covered with straw, to carry off the rain. They will be thus preserved from the frost, and can be taken up as they are wanted.
766. To dry Corn for winter use.—Sweet corn is the best. Husk it. Have a pot of boiling water—put in your corn and let it boil three minutes—then cut it from the cobs and put it in pans in a warm oven. It must be stirred frequently; when perfectly dry put it away in bags. When wanted for use, soak it all night, next day boil it an hour with a little salt; before it is dished stir in flour, pepper, and butter.
767. To preserve Aromatic and other Herbs.—The boxes and drawers in which vegetable matters are kept should not impart to them any smell or taste; and more certainly to avoid this, they should be lined with paper. Such as are volatile, of a delicate texture, or subject to suffer from insects, must be kept in well covered glasses. Fruits and oily seeds, which are apt to become rancid, must be kept in a cool and dry, but by no means in a warm or moist place.
768. To dry Herbs.—Dry the gathered crop, thinly spread out, and shaded from the sun; tie the herbs in small bundles, and keep them compactly pressed down and covered with white paper. Or, after drying them, put each sort into a small box, and by means of boards, of the size of the interior length and width of the box, and a screw-press, press the herbs into cakes, or little trusses. These should be afterwards carefully wrapped up in paper, and be kept in a dry place, when they will retain their aroma as perfectly as when they were put into the press, for, at least, three years. By the common mode of hanging up herbs in loose bundles, the odor soon escapes.
769. To dry Chamomile Flowers.—Pull them, from time to time, as they are produced; for the plants continue to blossom in succession for several months. When gathered, dry them gradually, partly in the sun, and partly in the shade, by being spread upon a mat or sheet, removed out of the sun in the heat of the day, and placed in it mornings and evenings.
Lavender Flowers should also be dried as chamomiles.
Marigold Flowers, dried, improve broths and soups, however much they may have got into disuse.
770. Winter Herbs.—The best time for gathering herbs for winter use is when they are in blossom. If left till they are in seed, the strength goes to the seed. They are best picked from the stocks, dried quickly (but not burnt), before the fire, and rubbed into powder, then bottled.
771. Galvanism a Protector of Trees.—A German journal states that the application of galvanism has been made in Austria for preserving trees and plants from the ravages of insects. The process is very simple, consisting only in placing two rings, one of copper, the other of zinc, attached together, around the tree or plant. Any insect that touches the copper receives an electric shock, which kills it or causes it to fall to the ground.
772. Moss on Trees.—The following is an excellent application to the scraped trunk to prevent the growth of moss, and destroy eggs of insects. One gallon of soft soap, one pound of flour of sulphur, and one quart of salt, to be well stirred together and put on with a hard brush.
773. To destroy Caterpillars in Gooseberry Trees.—Gather dust from any turnpike road, and shake it well among the trees, and the caterpillars will immediately fall to the ground. It is an excellent plan to dust the trees twice or three times a week, as it will effectually prevent the lodgment of caterpillars.
774. A neat method of Grafting.—Prepare the stock and the graft in the same way as for grafting with clay in the common way. Then take a long slip of India-rubber, three-quarters of an inch broad, and about the thickness of a shilling. Tie one end of this elastic riband with a thread, well prepared by rubbing with shoemakers' wax, to the stock, a little below where it is cut for being joined to the graft; then make the joint as neatly as possible, and wrap it round with the riband, taking due care to keep the India-rubber fully stretched, and to make it overlap at each turn fully one-half of the breadth of the previous round, till the whole is covered, then tie the top with a thread in the same manner as at the bottom, and the operation is finished. After grafting the trees in the manner described, nothing is done to them till they are completely set, when the India-rubber slips are taken off to be ready again for the next year. When opened up, there is scarcely any appearance of a joint, and altogether they are much neater than when done with clay.
775. To Kill Vermin on Plants.—Tobacco water is much used for the above purposes; it is made by pouring a gallon of boiling water upon a pound of tobacco leaves, and straining it in twenty minutes.
Or, syringe the plants with this mixture: put into a jar five gallons of spring water and four ounces of chloride of lime, to which add four ounces of vitriol; when the lime is precipitated, pour off the clear solution, and keep it air-tight.
Or, mix coal tar and water, and sprinkle it over the infected plants.
776. To Propagate Plants.—It may be received as a general principle, that all plants which produce shoots may be propagated by cuttings; though some plants are much more difficult to propagate in this manner than others. Generally speaking, all the soft-wooded plants which have abundance of sap, such as geraniums, fuchsias, petunias, and verbenas, strike root readily. The usual mode for striking cuttings is to put them in fine sand, and to cover them with a bell-glass. Some cuttings which are difficult to strike are directed to have bottom heat; that is, the pots in which they are planted should be plunged into a hot-bed, that the stimulus afforded by the heat may induce the cuttings to throw out roots.
777. Plants watered by being placed in Dishes, improper.—The practice of placing flats or saucers under plants, and feeding them by the roots, that is, pouring the water continually into these dishes, and never on the earth at top, is highly improper. The water should always be poured on the surface of the earth, that it may filter completely through it, to the benefit and refreshment of the fibres.
778. When to plant Annual and Perennial Flowers.—Many kinds of annuals and perennials, sown in March and the beginning of April, will be fit for transplanting about the end of May, and may either be planted in patches about borders, or in beds, as fancy shall direct. Of these, the kinds improved by transplanting are, amaranthuses, China asters, columbines, French and African marigolds, fox-gloves, hollyhocks, India pinks, love-lies-bleeding, mallows, mignonette, prince's feather, scabious, stocks, sun-flowers, sweet-williams, wall-flowers, and others. They should be planted out in a showery time, if possible, or otherwise be frequently watered, till they have struck root.
779. To preserve Flower Seeds.—Those who are curious about saving flower-seeds must attend to them in the month of August. Many kinds will begin to ripen apace, and should be carefully sticked and supported, to prevent them from being shaken by high winds, and so partly lost. Others should be defended from much wet; such as asters, marigolds, and generally those of the class Syngenesia; as from the construction of their flowers they are apt to rot, and the seeds to mould, in bad seasons. Whenever they are thought ripe, or indeed any others, in wet weather, they should be removed to an airy shed or loft, gradually dried, and rubbed or beat out at conveniency.
780. Easy Method of discovering whether or not Seeds are sufficiently ripe.—Seeds, when not sufficiently ripe, will swim, but when arrived at full maturity, they will be found uniformly to fall to the bottom; a fact that is said to hold equally true of all seeds, from the cocoa-nut to the orchis.
HINTS TO FARMERS.
781. There are some things that all farmers ought to know.
Sheep put into fresh stubble are apt to be killed by eating too much grain.
A bare pasture enriches not the soil, nor fattens the animals, nor increases the wealth of the owner.
One animal well fed is of more value than two poorly kept.
The better animals can be fed, and the more comfortable they can be kept, the more profitable they are—and all farmers work for profit.
Ground once well plowed is better than thrice poorly.
Bountiful crops are more profitable than poor ones. Make the soil rich, pulverize it well, and keep it clean, and it generally will be productive.
Weeds that grow unmolested around the fences, stumps, and stones, scatter their seeds over the farm, and are very likely to increase.
Cows well fed in winter give more milk in summer. An ox that is in good condition in the spring, will perform more labor, and stand the heat of summer much better than one that is poor.
When you see the fence down, put it up: if it remains until to-morrow, the cattle may get over.
What ought to be done to-day, do it; for to-morrow it may rain.
A strong horse will work all day without food, but keep him at it, and he will not last long.
A rich soil will produce good crops without manure, but keep it at it, and it will tire.
Farmers' sons had better learn to hold the plow, and feed the pigs, than measure tape and count buttons.
Young ladies who have the good fortune to become farmers' wives will find it more profitable to know how to make Johnny-cake, butter, and cheese, than to play on the piano.
All who wish to be rich, must spend less than they earn.
MANAGEMENT OF A HORSE.
782. When a horse is brought in hot, loosen the girth, and allow the saddle to remain on for five minutes. Let him be walked about in summer, and, in the winter, be put directly in the stable.
A horse should not be permitted to drink cold water, whilst warm; neither should the legs or feet of a horse be washed, until he gets cold.
Horses prefer soft water, and it is best for them. If the water be very hard and brackish, put a small piece of chalk into a pail of water, some time before it is given to the horse.
Fourteen pounds of hay in one day, or one hundred pounds a week, with three feeds of corn a day, are sufficient for a horse that is not over-worked.
In travelling, after the principal feed, let a horse have not less than two hours' rest, that his food may have time to digest.
After a hard day's work, give a horse about two gallons of gruel, made with a quart of oatmeal, half a gallon of ale, half a quartern of brandy, and the proper quantity of water. Wetted bran may be given advantageously to lean horses.
783. To dress a Horse.—On entering the stable, first give him about a gallon of clean water in a clean pail; then shake up the best litter under the manger, sweep out the stall, and clean out the stable.
Whilst the horse is feeding, dress him: first, curry him all over with the currycomb, to loosen the dirt and dust on his skin; then remove the dust with a whalebone brush; next, smooth and cleanse the coat with a wisp of straw; and again use the brush and currycomb, to take off what dust may remain; after which, whisk him again with a damp lock of hay; and, finally, rub him down with a woollen or linen cloth.
Then turn round the horse in the stall, brush his head well, and wisp it clean and smooth with a damp lock of hay. Then wipe the dust and filth from the inside of the ears with a damp sponge, and draw the ears through the hands for a few minutes, until they are warm. Wash out the sponge, and with it cleanse the dust, &c., from the eyes; sponge the nostrils, and then rub the whole head with a cloth, in the same manner as the body.
Next, turn the horse round into his proper situation, put on the head-stall, and with a sponge wash the dirt and filth from under the tail. Then, clean and lay the mane with a comb and water-brush, used alternately with both hands; again wipe over the head and body, put on the body-clothes, and fasten them with a surcingle.
Examine the heels, pick out the dirt from the feet, and wash the heels with a brush and plenty of water. If the horse has bad feet, they should be dressed and stuffed.
Lastly, shake hay into the rack; and then the horse will be completely dressed.
784. Horse Flies.—To prevent horses being teased with flies, take two or three small handfuls of walnut leaves, upon which pour two or three quarts of soft cold water; let it infuse one night; pour the whole next morning into a kettle, and let it boil for a quarter of an hour: when cold, it will be ready for use. Nothing more is required than to moisten a sponge with the liquid, and, before the horse goes out of the stable, let those parts which are most irritable be smeared over with the liquor, namely, between and upon the ears, the flank, &c.
785. To milk Cows.—A cow should be milked clean. Not a drop, if it can be avoided, should be left in the udder. It has been proved that the half-pint that comes out last, has twelve times, I think it is, as much butter in it, as the half-pint that comes out first. The udder would seem to be a sort of milk-pan, in which the cream is uppermost, and, of course, comes out last, seeing that the outlet is at the bottom. But, besides this, if you do not milk clean, the cow will give less and less milk, and will become dry much sooner than she ought.—Cobbett.
RAISING POULTRY.
786. There is scarcely any branch of farming operations more productive than the raising of poultry for market; and yet, with a large majority of our agriculturists, it is considered of but little account. The proximity to a great market, and the facilities for reaching it possessed by many of our farmers in this country, should make the rearing of poultry an object of attention.
787. To fatten Poultry.—Poultry should be fattened in coops, and kept very clean. They should be furnished with gravel, but with no water. Their only food, barley-meal, mixed so thin with water, as to serve them for drink. Their thirst makes them eat more than they would, in order to extract the water that is among the food. This should not be put in troughs but laid upon a board, which should be clean washed every time fresh food is put upon it. It is foul and heated water which is the sole cause of the pip.
788. Method of expeditiously fattening Chickens.—Take, for that purpose, a quantity of rice, and grind or pound it into a fine flour; mix sufficient for present use with milk and a little coarse sugar; stir the whole well over the fire, till it makes a thick paste; and feed the chickens, in the day-time only, by putting as much of it as they can eat, but no more, into the troughs belonging to their coops. It must be eaten while warm; and, if they have also beer to drink, they will soon grow very fat. A mixture of oatmeal and treacle, combined till it crumbles, is said to form a food for chickens, of which they are so fond, and with which they thrive so rapidly, that at the end of two months they become as large as the generality of full-grown fowls fed in the common way.
789. Method of fattening Geese and Ducks.—Geese, the more quiet and undisturbed they are kept, the faster and better they fatten. Put young geese into a place that is almost dark; feed them with ground malt mixed with milk, and they will very soon, and at very little expense, be fit to kill.
Another way is cheaper still:—Mix barley-meal, pretty thick, with water, which they must constantly have by them, to eat as they choose; in another part of the shed where they are, keep a pan with some boiled oats and water, for them to resort to when they are inclined to change their food. This variety is agreeable to them, and they thrive apace, being so fattened at less expense than in any other manner.
790. Cobbett's method of fattening Geese.—Geese are raised by grazing: but, to fat them, something more is required. Corn of some sort, or boiled Swedish turnips, or carrots, or white cabbages, or lettuces, make the best fatting. The modes that are resorted to by the French for fatting geese, are, I hope, such as Englishmen will never think of. He who can deliberately inflict torture upon an animal, in order to heighten the pleasure his palate is to receive in eating it, is an abuser of the authority which God has given him, and is, indeed, a tyrant in his heart. Who would think himself safe, if at the mercy of such a man?
791. Swedish method of raising Turkeys.—As soon as the young turkeys leave the shell, they are made to swallow one or two pepper-corns, and returned to their mother. They are afterwards fed with crumbs of bread and milk, and with common dock-leaves, chopped small, and mixed with fresh buttermilk, and kept in a warm place or sunshine, and guarded from the rain or from running among nettles.
Nothing, however, is more useful for them than the common garden pepper-cress, or cut-leaved cress. They are very fond of it; and, supplied with as much of it as they will eat, they will not be delicate in their other food.
792. To fatten Turkeys as they do in Norfolk.—The quality and size of the Norfolk turkeys are superior to those of any other part of England. They are fed almost entirely with buckwheat; and give them with it boiled oats, boiled malt, or boiled barley, and sometimes, for change, even boiled wheat and water.
793. To fatten Ducks.—Feed them with the same food as the turkeys or geese, and let them have a pan of water to dabble in.
794. To make Hens lay perpetually.—Hens will lay perpetually, if treated in the following manner:—Keep no roosters (cocks): give the hens fresh meat, chopped up like sausage-meat, once a day; a very small portion, say half an ounce a day to each hen, during the winter, or from the time insects disappear in the fall till they appear again in the spring. Never allow any eggs to remain in the nest for what are called "nest eggs." When the roosters do not run with the hens, and no nest eggs are left in the nest, the hens will not cease laying after the production of twelve or fifteen eggs, as they always do when roosters and nest eggs are allowed; but continue laying perpetually. The only reason why hens do not lay in winter as freely as in summer, is the want of animal food, which they get in summer in abundance, in the form of insects.
HINTS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HUMAN LIFE FROM FIRE.
795. Cautions.—Sweep chimneys regularly; sweep frequently the lower part of the chimney within reach; the kitchen chimney should be swept once a month.
796. Fires in Chimneys.—When a chimney or flue is on fire, throw into the fire-place handfuls of flour of sulphur, which will destroy the flame. Or, apply a wet blanket, or old carpet, to the throat of the chimney, or over the front of the fire-place. A chimney-board, or register-flap, will answer the same purpose, by stopping the draught of air from below.
Beware of lights near combustibles; of children near fires and lights; and do not trust them with candles. Do not leave clothes to dry by the fire unwatched, either day or night; do not leave the poker in the fire; see that all be safe before you retire to rest.
797. Persons in Danger.—When a fire happens, put it out in its earliest stage; if suffered to extend itself, give the alarm. Beware of opening doors, &c., to increase the fire by fresh air. Muster the whole family, see that none are missing. First save lives, then property. Think of the ways of escape; by the stairs, if no better way—creep along a room where the fire is, and creep down stairs backwards on hands and knees—(heated air ascends); come down stairs with a pillow before your face, and a wet blanket round the body, and hold your breath; or try the roof of the adjoining house. Throw out of the window a feather bed, to leap upon in the last extremity—fasten fire-escapes to the bed-posts first—send children down by the sack fastened to a rope, taking care of the iron spikes and area; then lower yourselves.
798. Means of Extinction.—The safety of the inmates being ascertained, the first object at a fire should be the exclusion of all fresh and the confinement of all burnt air—suffocate the flames—and remember that burnt air is as great, if not a greater enemy to fire than water. For both purposes, of excluding the one air, and confining the other, all openings should be kept as carefully closed as possible. The prevailing practice of breaking windows is peculiarly mischievous. The only excuse for this is the admission of water; but if the firemen were provided with self supporting ladders, (that need not lean against the wall,) they might direct the water-hose through a single broken pane, with ten times more accuracy than by their random squirting from the street. Water should be made to beat out the fire by its impetus; sprinkling is useless.
799. Neighbors and Spectators.—When a fire happens, let every respectable neighbor attend. Send instantly for engines, both of the parish and of the insurance companies, and the parish and other ladder and fire-escapes. Look for the nearest fireplug—send instantly for policemen, and see they attend, and are active.
800. Method of escape from Fire.—The following simple machine ought always to be kept in an upper apartment. It is nothing more than a shilling or eighteen-penny rope, one end of which should always be made fast to something in the chamber, and at the other end should be a noose to let down children or infirm persons, in case of fire. Along the rope there should be several knots, to serve as resting places for the hands and feet of the person who drops down by it. No family occupying high houses should ever be without a contrivance of this kind.
801. To make Water more efficacious in extinguishing Fires.—Throw into a pump, which contains fifty or sixty buckets of water, eight or ten pounds of salt or pearlashes, and the water thus impregnated will wonderfully accelerate the extinction of the most furious conflagration. Muddy water is better than clear, and can be obtained when salt and ashes cannot.
802. To extinguish Fires speedily.—Much mischief arises from want of a little presence of mind on these alarming occasions. A small quantity of water, well and immediately applied, will frequently obviate great danger. The moment an alarm of fire is given, wet some blankets well in a bucket of water, and spread them upon the floor of the room where the fire is, and afterwards beat out the other flames with a blanket thus wet. Two or three buckets of water thus used early, will answer better than hundreds applied at a later period. Linen thus wet will be useful, but will not answer so well as woollen.
803. To escape from or go into a House on fire.—Creep or crawl with your face near the ground, and, although the room be full of smoke to suffocation, yet near the floor the air is pure, and may be breathed with safety. The best escape from upper windows is by a knotted rope; but, if a leap is unavoidable, then the bed should be thrown out first, or beds prepared for the purpose.
804. Hints respecting Women's and Children's Clothes catching fire.—The woman and children in every family should be particularly told and shown, that flame always tends upwards; and, consequently, that as long as they continue erect, or in an upright posture, while their clothes are burning, the fire generally beginning at the lower part of the dress, the flames meeting additional fuel, as they rise, become more powerful in proportion; whereby the neck and head, being more exposed than other parts to the intense and concentrated heat, must necessarily be most injured. In a case of this kind, where the sufferer happens to be alone, and cannot extinguish the flames by instantly throwing the clothes over the head, and rolling or lying upon them, she may still avoid great agony, and save her life, by throwing herself at full-length on the floor, and rolling herself thereon. This method may not extinguish the flame, but, to a certainty, will retard its progress, prevent fatal injury to the neck and head, and afford opportunity for assistance; and it may be more practicable than the other, to the aged and infirm. A carpet or hearth-rug instantly lapped round the head and body, is almost a certain preventive of danger.
805. Method of rendering all sorts of Paper, Linen, and Cotton, less combustible.—This desirable object may be, in some degree, effected, by immersing these combustible materials in a strong solution of alum-water; and, after drying them, repeating this immersion, if necessary. Thus, neither the color nor the quality of the paper will be in the least affected; on the contrary, both will be improved: and the result of the experiment may be ascertained, by holding a slip of paper, so prepared, over a candle.
806. To extricate Horses from fire.—If the harness be thrown over a draught, or the saddle placed on the back of a saddle horse, they may be led out of the stable as easily as on common occasions. Should there be time to substitute the bridle for the halter, the difficulty towards saving them will be still further diminished.
807. Method of rendering assistance to persons in danger of Drowning.—This desirable object appears attainable by the proper use of a man's hat and pocket-handkerchief, which (being all the apparatus necessary) is to be used thus:—Spread the handkerchief on the ground, and place a hat, with the brim downwards, on the middle of the handkerchief; and then tie the handkerchief round the hat as you would tie up a bundle, keeping the knots as near the centre of the crown as may be. Now, by seizing the knots in one hand, and keeping the opening of the hat upwards, a person, without knowing how to swim, may fearlessly plunge into the water with what may be necessary to save the life of a fellow-creature.
If a person should fall out of a boat, or the boat upset, by going foul of a cable, &c., or should he fall off the quays, or indeed fall into any water from which he could not extricate himself, but must wait some little time for assistance—had he presence of mind enough to whip off his hat, and hold it by the brim, placing his fingers withinside the crown, and hold it so, (top downwards), he would be able, by this method, to keep his mouth well above water till assistance should reach him. It often happens that danger is descried long before we are involved in the peril, and time enough to prepare the above method; and a courageous person would, in seven instances out of ten, apply to them with success; and travellers, in fording rivers at unknown fords, or where shallows are deceitful, might make use of these methods with advantage.
808. To prevent excessive Thirst, in cases of emergency at Sea, in the summer-time.—When thirst is excessive, as is often the case in summer-time, during long voyages, avoid, if possible, even in times of the greatest necessity, the drinking of salt water to allay the thirst; but rather keep thinly clad, and frequently dip in the sea, which will appease both hunger and thirst for a long time, and prevent the disagreeable sensation of swallowing salt water.
809. Best mode of avoiding the fatal Accidents of Open Carriages.—Jumping out is particularly dangerous, (the motion of the gig communicating a different one to the one you give yourself by jumping), which tends very much to throw you on your side or head. Many suppose it very easy to jump a little forward, and alight safe: they will not find it so on trial. The method of getting out behind the carriage, is the most safe of any, having often tried it when the horse has been going very fast. Perhaps it is best to fix yourself firm, and remain in the carriage.
810. Recovery from Suffocation, &c.—There are many occasions of danger, on which a person who can hold breath for a minute or two, may save the life of another. The best preparation for rendering such assistance is, by breathing deep, hard, and quick, (as a person would do after running,) and ceasing with his lungs full of air; he will then find himself able to hold his breath more than twice as long as he would without such preparation.
If in a brewer's fermenting vat, or an opened cess-pool, one man sinks senseless and helpless, from breathing the foul air, another man of cool mind would, by the above preparation, have abundant time, in most cases, to descend by the ladder or bucket, and rescue the sufferer, without any risk to himself. In entering a room on fire, a knowledge of this fact may be useful.
The following precautions should also be regarded. Avoid all unnecessary exertion; go coolly and quietly to the spot where help is required; do no more than is needful, leaving the rest to be done by those in a safe atmosphere.
In case of choke-damp, as in a brewer's vat, hold the head as high as may be: in case of a fire in the room, keep the head as low as possible.
If a rope be at hand, fasten it to the person who is giving help, that he may be succored, if he venture too far. Many deaths happen in succession in cess-pools, and similar cases, for want of this precaution.
It is hardly needful to say, do not try to breathe the air of the place where help is required. Yet many persons fail, in consequence of forgetting this precaution. If the temptation to breathe be at all given way to, the necessity increases, and the helper himself is greatly endangered. Resist the tendency, and retreat in time.
Be careful to commence giving aid with the lungs full of air, not empty; for the preparation consists chiefly in laying up for the time, in the lungs, a store of that pure air which is so essential to life.
811. Thunder Storms.—The safest situation during a thunder-storm is the cellar; for when a person is below the surface of the earth, the lightning must strike it before it can reach him, and will probably be expended on it. Dr. Franklin advises persons apprehensive of lightning to sit in the middle of a room, not under a metal lustre, or any other conductor, and to place their feet upon another chair. It will be still safer, he adds, to lay two or three beds or mattresses in the middle of the room, and to place the chairs upon them. A hammock suspended with silk cords would be an improvement on this apparatus. Persons out of doors should avoid trees, &c.
The distance of a thunder-storm and its consequent danger can easily be estimated. As light travels at the rate of 192,000 miles in a second of time, its effects may be considered as instantaneous within any moderate distance. Sound is transmitted at the rate of only 1142 feet in a second. By observing, therefore, the time which intervenes between the flash of lightning and the thunder which accompanies it, a very near calculation may be made of its distance.
812. Stroke of Lightning.—Throw cold water upon them as soon as possible. It will often restore persons struck by lightning when apparently insensible, or even dead.
813. A few Concise Rules for the Recovery of Persons apparently Drowned.—The body on being taken out of the water, should be conveyed to the nearest house, in the gentlest manner possible; the wet clothes must be removed, and the body well dried with a towel; it must then be placed on a mattress, laid on a table of proper height and length. Care must always be taken to lay the head considerably higher than the extremities, and to place the body on the right side. The lungs should be inflated with a pair of bellows, not forcibly, but gradually, so as to imitate the action of respiration.
Do not place the body in a high degree of heat; (below 98 degrees of Fahrenheit's scale is the best temperature,) clear the apartment of all supernumerary persons, and let the windows and doors be open, to admit a free circulation of air.
Apply friction, after the lungs have been expanded, with the hand only, or with a little oil on the fingers.
No injections are necessary, nor emetics, except in particular cases: bleeding is also a doubtful remedy: electricity, in judicious hands, may prove highly beneficial.
Let no rolling of the body be used with a view of emptying it of water; there is no water present, or scarcely any. The heart being overloaded with blood, may be burst by this injudicious proceeding, and more mischief has been done by tossing and rolling the body, than by any other erroneous treatment. Hot water, in bottles, may be applied to the feet and ankles, as soon as respiration commences: when the blood begins to circulate, heat may be gradually increased, and the patient removed to a warm bed, where he must be carefully watched till the action of the heart be completely restored.
The following way is commended by those who have seen it tried: 1. Lose no time. 2. Handle the body gently. 3. Carry the body with the head gently raised, and never hold it up by the feet. 4. Send for medical assistance immediately, and in the mean time act as follows: 1. Strip the body, rub it dry; then rub it in hot blankets, and place it in a warm bed in a warm room. 2. Cleanse away the froth and mucus from the nose and mouth. 3. Apply warm bricks, bottles, bags of sand, &c., to the arm-pits, between the thighs and the soles of the feet. 4. Rub the surface of the body with the hands enclosed in warm dry worsted socks. 5. If possible, put the body into a warm bath. 6. To restore breathing, put the pipe of a common bellows in one nostril, carefully closing the other and the mouth; at the same time drawing downward, and pushing gently backward, the upper part of the windpipe, to allow a more free admission of air; blow the bellows gently, in order to inflate the lungs, till the breast be raised a little; then set the mouth and nostrils free, and press gently on the chest; repeat this until signs of life appear. When the patient revives, apply smelling-salts to the nose, give warm wine or brandy and water. Cautions.—1. Never rub the body with salt or spirits. 2. Never roll the body on casks. 3. Continue the remedies for twelve hours without ceasing.