VEGETABLE AND MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS . Green Peas.-Boil them very fast in plenty of water, with the lid off the stewpan ; the water should be moderately salted. They are unfit for eating when they become hard and yellowish; but, when growing rather old, a very small quantity of carbonate of ammonia put into the water, with two or three lumps of loaf-sugar, will greatly improve them. The old English method of putting a sprig of mint, or a little parsley, is still a good practice, and ought to be continued unless specially forbidden ; or the mint may be chopped and put round the dish. A few bits of raw butter should also be put into the peas when boiled, and a dust of pepper and salt thrown over them if they be completely ripe; but if quite young, neither butter, salt, nor pepper should be added to them, but a teaspoonful of pounded white sugar. When growing to maturity, the pods are of different ages, and young and old peas should not be boiled together. Sift them, therefore, from each other, and put the old ones into the water some minutes sooner than the young; they require from fifteen to twenty minutes' boiling. To Fricassee. Scrape the asparagus clean, and, having steeped it in cold water, cut off the eatable portion. To fifty heads add one head of endive, a young lettuce, and a few chives, all three chopped ; put them into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter ; shake the pan while the butter is melting, and then dredge in a little flour, and season with pepper and salt ; continue to shake the pan, and pour in a cupful of gravy ; stew the whole until the sauce is very rich and thick, and then serve it up. To Boil Rice. The great art in boiling rice is to keep every grain separate. The pot should, therefore, be kept on a strong fire, so as to keep the water in a constant boil, as this motion will prevent the grains from sticking together. It should be left uncovered, and close attention is necessary, on the part of the cook, to watch the rice ; take it off the fire the moment it is done; strain and dry it immediately. Lecks. They are generally looked upon as a species of onion, and, as such, commonly employed in the same manner, though rather milder in flavor. If boiled in separate waters, changing it three or four times, until stewed quite tender, then served in white sauce, or quartered and placed upon toast like asparagus, they will eat nearly, if not quite, as delicate. Buttered Cabbage.-Boil the cabbage with a quantity of onions; then chop them together, season with pepper and salt, and fry them in butter. It is a rather homely, but savory, dish, and frequently used either with fried sausages laid over it, or as an accompaniment to roast-beef, and forms part of bubble-and-squeak. Spinach. Wash it well in different waters, pick off the decayed leaves, and boil it quickly in a large quantity of water and salt for a quarter of an hour ; when done, squeeze it very dry, chop it, put it into the dish, and pour melted butter over it; season it with pepper and salt.
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS . To Whitewash.-Put some lumps of quick-lime into a bucket of cold water, and stir it about till dissolved and mixed, after which a brush with a large head and a long handle to reach the ceiling of the room is used to spread it thinly on the walls, etc. When dry, it is beautifully white, but its known cheapness has induced the plasterers to substitute a mixture of glue size and whiting for the houses of their opulent customers; and this, when once used, precludes the employment of lime-washing ever after; for the latter, when laid on whiting, becomes yellow. Whitewashing is an admirable manner of rendering the dwellings of the poor clean and wholesome.
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To Extract Grease from Cloth.- Take off the grease with the nail, or, if that cannot be done, have a hot iron with some thick brown paper ; lay the paper on the part where the grease is, then put the iron upon the spot ; if the grease comes through the paper, put on another piece, till it does not soil the paper. If not all out wrap a little piece of cloth or flannel round the finger; dip it into spirits of wine, and rub the grease-spot. To Remove Bugs, etc.-The bedsteads ought to be taken down three or four times a year, the screws rubbed with pure oil, and a good manual cleaning given in all its parts. This plan will render all poisonous mixtures unnecessary, besides saving all the trouble, filth, and expense consequent upon the use of those medicaments so much recommended by quacks, bug destroyers, etc. Transparent Cement.-The composition of this cement is caoutchouc, fifteen grains, chloroform, two ounces, and mastich, half an ounce. The two first-named ingredients are to be first mixed : after the gum is dissolved the mastich is added, and the whole allowed to macerate for a week. More of the caoutchouc may be applied where great elasticity is desirable. To Make Cement for Metals.-Take of gum mastich, ten grains, rectified spirits of wine, two drachms, add two ounces of strong isinglass glue made with brandy, and ten grains of true gum ammoniac. Dissolve all together, and keep it stopped in a phial. When intended to be used, set it in warm water. Food for Parrots.-Indian corn for a parrot must be well boiled, as, without this precaution, it swells, and becomes dangerous. Too much moist food is bad. Give hemp seed, canary seed, a little millet, and occasionally a pod of cayenne. Meat, or any oily matter, must be carefully avoided. To Color Alum Crystals.-Bright yellow crystals may be produced by boiling gamboge, saffron, or turmeric in the solution ; and purple ones by a similar use of logwood. To Preserve Furs.- When laying up muffs and tippets for the summer, if a tallow candle be placed on or near them, all danger of caterpillars will be obviated. To Extract Bitterness from Yeast.- Put into the yeast a red-hot wood coal ; or a clear bright-red coal cinder will be equally efficacious.
FASHIONS FOR APRIL . FIG. 1.- HOUSE DRESS OF DOVE-COLORED SILK.- The skirt is trimmed with five flounces, the alternate ones being of a darker shade than the others. Above the flounces is a ruche of the two shades of silk. The body is high and plain with a point in front. The cording of the dress and buttons are of the darker shade of silk. The sleeves are large and full, and trimmed around the points which are open with a ruche. Head-dress of lace and pink ribbon. FIG. II. DINNER DRESS OF A WHITE ORGANDIE STRIPED WITH GREEN.- The skirt is plain, and around the waist is a broad green sash. The cape is trimmed with a ruche of green ribbon. The sleeves are of very thin, plain white muslin. Head-dress of green ribbon. FIG. III.-EVENING DRESS OF THIN WHITE MULL OVER A MAUVE-COLORED SILK.-The under body is low with short sleeves. FIG. IV. MORNING DRESS for the country of buff pique trimmed with black velvet. FIG. V. SPRING BONNET, from Mrs. Cripps, 312 Canal street, New York, who has, as usual, the earliest novelties in shapes and styles. This month she gives us two most exquisite bonnets. The shape is much more flaring at the side than those of last fall and winter, and not so high at the top. The crowns are rounded slightly, making altogether the most becoming style we have had for some time
