This article is a collection of household tips that were included in the "Editor's Repository" section of a magazine published in January of 1860. The firewood chart that goes with the first tip might be a little bit confusing at first, but it seems to be indicating that burning 4 cords of hickory will give the same amount of heat as 4.75 cords of white oak, or 6.66 cords of hard maple, and so on. Hickory must be a pretty good firewood. We might guess that Nancy's lemon pies were pretty good too. We probably have to question whether or not putting as much charcoal "as can be laid on a sixpence" into our mouths is really a good idea—regardless of the reason. We really have to question the idea of using paste made from ashes, salt, and water—or even cement made from iron filings, sal ammonia, and water—to patch cracks in stoves (please don't try this at home). Of course, it is in any event always good to hear of another recipe for homemade paste. —fadedpages.com

QUALITY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOOD.—Cold winter is upon us. The capacity of the different kinds of wood for giving heat is a question of warmth as well as economy to most of our readers. We subjoin the results of well-attested experiments:

MENDING CRACKS IN STOVES.—Cracks in stoves are easily and effectually stopped by a paste made of ashes and salt with water. A harder and more durable cement for the same purpose is made by mixing iron filings, sal ammonia, and water.

CUTTING AND DRYING WOOD.—Every one who uses a wood stove has discovered that there is a great difference between the value of wood that is well or poorly dried. Most kinds of wood cut in the winter and left in large logs in the woods become more or less soured and injured. If it must be cut in the winter, let it be split as fine as will be required for use and corded up so as to shelter it. Wood, however, cut in the summer, when it will dry rapidly, is said to be far more valuable.

HAM FOR SUMMER USE.—Cut in slices ready to fry, pack snugly in stone jars, and cover with lard barely warm enough to run. Of course, as the meat is used the layers remaining must be kept covered. E. G.

GREEN CORN FOR WINTER USE.—Cut raw from the cob, pack in any thing convenient, stone or wood, a layer of corn a half an inch in thickness, and a layer of salt not quite so thick, and so on till your dish is full, covering the whole with salt. When wanted for use, soak in clear water twelve or fourteen hours and cook as in summer. The above you will find always handy and always good. Without the trouble of sealing and unsealing, you can use little or much, and what remains will keep sweet as ever. E. G.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON PIES.—Two lemons, four eggs, two spoonfuls melted butter, eight spoonfuls white sugar. Squeeze the juice and grate the rind of the lemon. Stir together the yolks, sugar, butter, juice, and rind. Cover a plate with pastry, pour the mixture in and bake till the pastry is done. Then beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, stir into it four spoonfuls of sugar, put it on the pie, and place it into the oven till a delicate brown. This quantity makes two common-sized pies. NANCY.

PLUM PUDDING.—Three cups of bread crumbs, one cup of flour, one of brown sugar, one of finely-chopped suet, one of chopped raisins, one of milk, a little salt, one teaspoonful of soda, two of cream of tartar. Boil from three to four hours in a cloth or mold. NANCY.

DELICIOUS CORN-BREAD.—Boil a teacup of rice. While scalding hot pour it on to little less than a quart of corn meal, four eggs well beaten, a tablespoonful of lard, a teaspoonful of soda, a little salt, and enough sour milk to make a thin batter. NANCY.

HOW TO PRESERVE THE TEETH.—Let every man, woman, and child keep a little pulverized charcoal in their bedrooms, and on their retiring at night, let them put as much as can be laid on a sixpence in their mouths and work it about among the teeth with the tongue, and there will be no decayed teeth for the dentist to fill with amalgam or pure gold either. So says an exchange, or somebody. A far better way, says another exchange, is, to follow nature, keep the teeth clean by using them in mastication, and not throw such work of assimilation on the stomach; use no hot or cold drinks; preserve the general health, and the teeth will take care of themselves and do a good business in taking care of you.

HOW TO MAKE PASTE.—Too numerous to mention are the little conveniences of having a little flour paste always at hand, as those made of any of the gums impart a glaze to printed matter, and make it rather difficult to read. Dissolve a teaspoonful of alum in a quart of warm water, and when cold stir in as much flour as will give it the consistency of thick cream, being particular to beat up all the lumps, then stir in as much powdered resin as will stand on a dime, then throw in half a dozen cloves, merely to give a pleasant odor. Next, have a vessel on the fire which has a teacupful or more of boiling water, pour the flour mixture on the boiling water, stir it well all the time; in a very few minutes it will be of the consistency of mush; pour it out into an earthen or china vessel, let it cool, lay a cover on it, and put in a cool place. It will keep for months. When needed for use, take out a portion and soften it with warm water. We keep ours covered an inch or two in water to prevent the surface from drying up. Paste handled in this way will last twelve months.

TO REVIVE GILT FRAMES.—Beat up three ounces of the white of eggs with an ounce of soda; blow the dust from the frames with a bellows, then rub them over with a soft brush dipped in the mixture.

WHITEWASH FOR FENCES.—One ounce of white vitriol—sulphate of zinc—and three ounces of common salt to every three or four pounds of good fresh lime will render it durable where it is exposed to the weather.

TO TEMPER EARTHENWARE.—Boil earthenware that is used for baking—before using it, as it will be less liable to crack—covering it with cold water and then heating it gradually. Let it remain in till the water has cooled.

Warning - This information has been transcribed from a source that is well over 100 years old. It may be incorrect or outdated in some cases. It is also possible that errors were made during the transcription process. This information is being made available for entertainment purposes only.