cause trouble. Citric acid is employed, | as a substitute for lemon and lime juice, in the preparation of cooling and refreshing beverages. Tartaric acid is employed as a cheap substitute for citric acid or lemon juice. Besides being cheaper, it has another advantage over citric acid; it is not deliquescent (or does not contract moisture) when exposed to the air. Cream of tartar is used in cooling drinks. There are other acids contained in fruits and vegetables, which are constantly employed and necessarily eaten by all. OILY CONDIMENTS.-These are oils derived from the seeds of fruit called vegetable oils. They are used raw, as in almonds, walnuts, flax-seed, cocoa-nuts, and nutmeg, and other fruits. They are also pressed, as olive oil or sweet oil, oil of almonds, and many volatile or essential oils. The sweet or savoury herbs, such as mint, marjoram, sage, &c., owe their peculiar flavour and odour to volatile oil contained in the leaves. In fact, all fruits and leaves, and some vegetables, as onions, garlic, with the spices, owe their grateful odour and taste to volatile oil. These oils, prepared, sold, and dissolved in spirit of wine, form the essences for flavouring, &c. Butter is employed as a condiment. When rancid by keeping, or when melted by heat, it is injurious to the dyspeptic. articles should never be purchased; we remark only, that in buying furniture, regard should be had to the condition of the room in which it is to be placed. For this reason, second-hand furniture is sometimes preferable to new. "So many men, so many minds," is an old saying; and scarcely two people agree in choosing their assortment of furniture. What is convenient for one is inconvenient for another, and that which is considered ornamental by one family, would be thought ugly by their neighbours. There are, however, certain articles suited to most rooms-an ordinary parlour for example. The number of chairs depends on the size of the room; eight are usually chosen, two of them being elbows. A circular table, with tripod stand, should occupy the centre of the apartment. At one side stands a sofa, a sideboard, a cheffonier, or perhaps a bookcase. Sometimes the cheffonier, with a few shelves fixed to the wall above it, is made to do duty as a bookcase, and it answers the purpose very well. If there be no sofa, there will be probably an easy chair, in a snug corner, not far from the fireplace; in another corner stands a small worktable, or a light occasional table is placed near the window, to hold a flowerbasket, or some other ornamental article. These constitute the furniture most needed in an ordinary parlour; there are several smaller things, which may be added according to circumstances. Furniture. It is scarcely possible to lay down a rule with respect to the ordinary furniture of a room, yet there is It is one thing to have furniture in a a general law of propriety which ought room, and another to know how to aras much as possible to be observed. range it. To do this to the best advanRegard must be had to what is called tage, requires the exercise of a little the "fitness of things," and thereby thought and judgment. Some people the avoiding of violent contrasts. For live with their furniture in the most instance, sometimes a showy centre- inconvenient positions, because it never table is seen in the middle of a room, occurred to them to shift it from place where the carpet and every other article to place, until they really had found is out of repair; or a resplendent look- which was the most suitable. Those ing-glass stands above the chimney- who are willing to make the attempt, piece, as though to reflect the incon- will often find that a room is improved gruous taste of its owner. Shabby in appearance and convenience by a litthings always look the shabbier when tle change in the place of the furniture. thus contrasted with what is bright and It is too much the practice to cover new. We do not mean to say that new the mantel-piece with a number and variety of knick-knacks and monstrosities by way of ornament; but this is in very bad taste. Three, or, at most, four articles, are all that should be seen in that conspicuous situation. Vases of white porcelain, called "Parian," or of old china, or a statuette, are the most suitable. The forms of some of the white vases now sold at a low price, are so elegant, that it is a real pleasure to look at them. Indian Receipt for Curry.-The following is a real Indian receipt by a native cook for the preparation of curry-Cut a chicken into pieces, saving the bones; fry them gently in an ounce of fresh butter, strewing over them, after they have been on the fire for a few minutes, one tablespoonful of curry powder, Have ready two large onions cut small into rings, and take care to have them fried without turning. Put the onions with the fried chicken into a stew-pan, and add half a pint of good stock (or, if not to be had, of water); cover the pan, and stew the whole gently, until the meat becomes tender. If desired, just before it is served, add the juice of half a small lemon; salt it to the taste. If made from meat already cooked, it should not be stewed at all. Management of the Finger Nails. -They should be of an oval figure, transparent, without specks or ridges of any kind; the semi-lunar fold, or white half-circle, should be fully developed, and the cuticle which forms the configuration around the root of the nails, thin and well-defined, and, when properly arranged, should represent as nearly as possible the shape of a halffilbert. The proper arrangement of the nails is to cut them of an oval shape, corresponding with the form of the fingers; they should not be allowed to grow too long, as it is difficult to keep them clean; nor too short, as it allows the ends of the fingers to become flattened and enlarged by being pressed upwards against the nails, and gives them a clumsy appearance. The epidermis, which forms the semi circle around, and adheres to the nail, requires particular attention, as it is frequently dragged on with its growth, drawing the skin below the nail so tense as to cause it to crack and separate into what is called agnails. This is easily remedied by carefully separating the skin from the nail by a blunt, half-round instrument. Many persons are in the habit of continually cutting this pellicle, in consequence of which it becomes exceedingly irregular, and often injurious to the growth of the nail. They also frequently pick under the nails with a pin, penknife, or the point of sharp scissors, with the intention of keeping them clean, by doing which they often loosen them, and occasion considerable injury. The nails should be cleaned with a brush not too hard, and the semicircular skin should not be cut away, but only loosened, without touching the quick, the fingers being afterwards dipped in tepid water, and the skin pushed back with a towel. This method, which should be practised daily, will keep the nails of a proper shape, prevent agnails, and the pellicles from thickening or becoming rugged. When the nails are naturally rugged or ill-formed, the longitudinal ridges or fibres should be rubbed and scraped with lemon, afterwards rinsed in water, and well dried with a towel; but if the nails are very thin, no benefit will be derived by scraping; on the contrary, it might cause them to split. If the nails grow more to one side than the other, they should be cut in such a manner as to make the point come as near as possible in the centre of the end of the finger. To Boil New Potatoes.-These are never good unless freshly dug. Take them of equal size, and rub off the skins with a brush, or a very coarse cloth, wash them clean, and put them, without salt, into boiling, or, at least, quite hot water; boil softly, and when they are tender enough to serve, pour off the water entirely, strew some fine salt over the potatoes, give them a shake, and let them stand by the fire in the saucepan for a minute, then dish and serve them immediately. Some cooks throw in a small piece of fresh butter with the salt, and toss them gently in it after it is dissolved. This is a good mode, but the more usual one is to send melted butter to table with them, or to pour white sauce over them when they are very young, and served early in the season, as a side or corner dish. Very small potatoes take from ten to fifteen minutes to boil; moderate sized, fifteen to twenty minutes. Mashed Potatoes.-Boil them perfectly tender quite through, pour off the water, and steam them very dry; peel them quickly, take out every speck, and while they are still hot, press the potatoes through an earthen colander, or bruise them to a smooth mash, with a strong wooden fork or spoon, but never pound them in a mortar, as that will reduce them to a close heavy paste. Let them be entirely free from lumps, for nothing can be more indicative of carelessness or want of skill on the part of the cook, than mashed potatoes sent to table full of lumps. Melt in a clean saucepan a slice of good butter, with a few spoonfuls of milk, or, better still, of eream; put in the potatoes after having sprinkled some fine salt upon them, and stir the whole over a gentle fire, with a wooden spoon, until the ingredients are well mixed, and the whole is very hot. It may then be served directly; or heaped high in a dish, left rough on the surface, and browned before the fire; or it may be pressed into a well-buttered mould of handsome form, which has been strewed with the finest bread-crumbs, and shaken free of the loose ones, then turned out, and browned in an oven. More or less liquid will be required for potatoes of different kinds. For two pounds of potatoes add one teaspoonful of salt, one ounce of butter, and one quarter-pint of milk or sweet cream. Potatoe Omelette. This may be made with a mashed potatoe or two ounces of potatoe-flour, and four eggs, and seasoned with pepper, salt, and a | little nutmeg. It should be made thick, and, being rather substantial, a squeeze of lemon will improve it. Fry a light brown. A New Receipt to Boil Old Potatoes.-Wash, wipe, and pare the potatoes, cover them with cold water, and boil them gently until they are done; pour off the water, and sprinkle a little fine salt over them; then take each potatoe separately with a spoon, and lay it in a clean, warm cloth, twist this so as to press all the moisture from the vegetable, and render it quite round; turn it carefully into a dish placed before the fire, throw a cloth over, and when all are done, send them to table quickly. Potatoes dressed in this way are mashed without any trouble; it is also by far the best method of preparing them for puddings, pies, or cakes. To Roast or Bake Potatoes.Scrub and wash the potatoes exceedingly clean, and let them be of the same size; wipe them very dry, and roast them in a dutch oven before the fire, placing them at a distance from it, and keeping them often turned; or, arrange them in a coarse dish, and bake them in a moderate oven. Dish them neatly in a napkin, and send them very hot to table; serve cold butter with them. They will take nearly two hours to roast or bake before a moderate fire. To Fry Potatoes.-Dainty dishes of fried potatoes, to set between the principal ones at table, (entremets,) may be prepared in the following manner :-After having washed them, wipe and pare some raw potatoes, cut them in slices of equal thickness, or into thin shavings, and put them into a pan with plenty of boiling butter, or very pure clarified dripping. Then fry them of a fine light brown, and very crisp; lift them out with a skimmer, drain them on a soft warm cloth, dish them very hot, and sprinkle fine salt over them. This is an admirable way of dressing old potatoes. When pared round and round to a corkscrew form, in ribbons or shavings of equal width, and served dry and well-fried, lightly piled in a dish, they make a handsome ap- | beautiful shrub growing; and the same pearance, and are excellent eating. They may be said of the gooseberry. Cultiare sometimes served with a slight vators who pay any attention to the sprinkling of Cayenne. If sliced, they subject, never allow the root to make should be something less than a quarter but one stock, thus forming a beautiful of an inch thick. miniature tree. To do this you must take sprouts of last year's growth and cut out all the eyes, or buds, in the wood, leaving only two or three at the top; then push them about half the length of the cutting, into some mellow ground, where they will root, and run up a single stock, forming a beautiful symmetrical head. If you wish it higher, cut the eyes out again the second year. This places your fruit out of the way of the fowls, and prevents the gooseberry from mildewing, which often happens when the fruit lies near the ground, and is shaded by a superabundance of leaves and sprouts. It changes an unsightly bush, which cumbers and disfigures your garden, into an ornamental dwarf tree. The fruit is larger, and ripens better, and will last on the bushes, by growing in perfection, until late in the fall. The mass of people suppose To Promote Sleep.-The means of promoting sound sleep are of great importance to health, as the grand purposes of sleep are more fully effected, the sounder and more perfectly it is enjoyed. The greatest refreshment is derived from the most complete repose of the functions. For this purpose they should have been as generally exercised as possible during the day, both those of body and mind-this exercise, however, should not have proceeded so far as to produce a state of painful fatigue or exhaustion, as nothing is more sure to preclude refreshing sleep-the state of the circulation in the head should not have been excited by deep study, intense thought, tea, coffee, or other stimulant, for some time previous to retiring to rest; late and copious suppers should be expressly avoided; the head should not be kept too warm by thick, or flan-that the roots make out from the lower nel night-caps; the feet and lower extremities should have been brought to a comfortable temperature, if necessary, by artificial means, such as the warm foot-bath, or flesh-brush; lastly, and above all, the cares of the day should have been put off with the clothes, a habit, which, like every other in connection with the subject of sleep, may be materially influenced by determination. Dr. Priestley enumerates it among the privileges of his particular constitution, for which he expresses gratitude to his Maker, that, however much his mind might have been tried and perplexed through life during the day, as soon as he laid his head on the pillow all his cares were forgotten. He found time enough for all the pursuits of his busy life, without studying in bed-without employing the hours that should be hours of repose in deep meditation and thought. Currants and Gooseberries.-The currant, properly propagated, is the most buds. It is not so-they start from between the bark and wood, at the place where it was cut from the parent root. Modelling in Gutta Percha and Leather.-Besides being one of the greatest novelties of the present day, these arts combine usefulness and elegance, for by the aid of the beautiful enamel colours, an ordinary white china cup and saucer can be made to represent the old china with its quaintly-raised blossoms, figures, birds, leaves, &c. Old family relics, in the form of quaint vases, Egyptian figures, and all other articles of vertu, can be reproduced with wonderful exactness, the only requisite being a slight knowledge of painting, and a little patience and taste. Pretty card-baskets may be entirely moulded out of the gutta percha; ancient china frames to hold mirrors, oldfashioned gilt frames which are tarnished, and seemingly only fit for the lumber room, can, by the aid of the white enamel, be made to represent the purest white china, then with a wreath leaves and light green tendrils upon of the passion flower, either scarlet, the frame. The white frame fixed crimson, blue, or the so-called white, upon black velvet with a richly-carved with its rays of purple shading to blue, cross, in ivory or gutta percha, which resting with their dark green glossy would look quite as well if painted to |