ffee-pot.

A bit of fish-skin as big as a ninepence, thrown into coffee while
it is boiling, tends to make it clear. If you use it just as it comes
from the salt-fish, it will be apt to give an unpleasant taste to the
coffee: it should be washed clean as a bit of cloth, and hung up till
perfectly dry. The white of eggs, and even egg shells are good to
settle coffee. Rind of salt pork is excellent.

Some people think coffee is richer and clearer for having a bit of
sweet butter, or a whole egg, dropped in and stirred, just before it
is done roasting, and ground up, shell and all, with the coffee. But
these things are not economical, except on a farm, where butter and
eggs are plenty. A half a gill of cold water, poured in after you take
your coffee-pot off the fire, will _usually_ settle the coffee.

If you have not cream for coffee, it is a very great improvement to
boil your milk, and use it while hot.

CHOCOLATE.

Many people boil chocolate in a coffee-pot; but I think it is better
to boil it in a skillet, or something open. A piece of chocolate about
as big as a dollar is the usual quantity for a quart of water; but
some put in more, and some less. When it boils, pour in as much milk
as you like and let them boil together three or four minutes. It is
much richer with the milk boiled in it. Put the sugar in either before
or after, as you please. Nutmeg improves it. The chocolate should be
scraped fine before it is put into the water.

TEA.

Young Hyson is supposed to be a more profitable tea than Hyson;
but though the _quantity_ to a pound is greater, it has not so
much _strength_. In point of economy, therefore, there is not much
difference between them. Hyson tea and Souchong mixed together, half
and half, is a pleasant beverage, and is more healthy than green
tea alone. Be sure that water boils before it is poured upon tea. A
tea-spoonful to each person, and one extra thrown in, is a good rule.
Steep ten or fifteen minutes.

PICKLES.

Musk-melons should be picked for mangoes, when they are green and
hard. They should be cut open after they have been in salt water ten
days, the inside scraped out clean, and filled with mustard-seed,
allspice, horseradish, small onions, &c., and sewed up again. Scalding
vinegar poured upon them.

When walnuts are so ripe that a pin will go into them easily, they are
ready for pickling. They should be soaked twelve days in very strong
cold salt and water, which has