Club Minutes: The Home Interest Society, 1870-1876

75 cents was thought to be enought. Also the charge per day for washing bed clothes ? 75 c.

2^nd Is it advisable to make hard soap now? Yes if you have a place to dry it where it will not freeze.

3rd How many have planted Tomato seed? Nine. The first week inFebruary is the time to plant in a box in the house, this being prefered by many to hot bed culture, as the plants are considered more hardy.

5th What is the best way to cure hams? Rub them with salt, salt petre & sugar, and pack them in a barrel, where they will not freeze At the end of six weeks, brush off the salt, then pepper, and hang up, smoke from three days, to three weeks.

6th Shall I plant my garden now or wait till spring? The majority say now if the ground is in order.

A proposition was made

to change the time of appointing the reader and the time, and place of meeting, to be immediately after reading the minutes, which was accepted. Beulah L Thomas, & Philip S Stabler, were continued as readers for our next meeting to be held at R.H. Millers 2nd mo 26th 1876. M. L Bond Sec

62nd Meeting 2^nd mo 26^th 1876

The Home Interest met at the house of B. H Miller, & came to order at 5 O'clock, with E. Harshorne, foreman. W.L. Bond, secretary for the day. After reading the minutes of the last meeting here, the company walked all the way to the end of the north porch to determine the fate of a large tree, that shades the ground, that is to be occupied by a flower garden. The most of us thought is should come down. After the minutes of the last meeting were read, Mary B Thomas, & W. W Moore were appointed to read at the

house of P.S. Stabler, 3rd mo 25th, in exchange with Anna L Moore.

Isaac Hartshorne, Agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance company distributed a number of hansome calendars.

1^st Question. Can I work my my garden earlier or not, by winter plowing? Most would plow early.

2^nd What do you feed your cows on to make butter? Most persons use 1/3 meal & 2/3 bran or mill feed, 1/2 & 1/2, & one uses spoiled corn but does not like it.

3^rd What is to be done with Annie Hartshorne soap that is too strong? More grease, was proposed, weak lye, & water.

4^th What is the best kind of soap barrell? A pine fish barrell.

5^th How to prevent a crust forming on light dough? Make it rise quickly. Grease with lard sprinkle with water, or cover with a plate.

6^th Is milk, or water better to make light bread? One says water, milk, & water. 1. milk 3.

7^th What will prevent cholera, & Gapes in chickens? 1 Teaspoonful Castor Oil, to 50 chickens, in ground feed. 1 Table spoonful salts. once a week.

8^th What is the best dark rose? Louis van Houck. Duchess of Edinburgh.

9^th What trees shall B. H. Miller, plant in his front lawn? Some objected to planting any, & some advised planting clumps of small evergreens, and other trees near the house and larger ones lower down. A large number of trees were mentioned Sweet Gum, Maple, Hawe Willow, Ash, Tulip poplar, White pine Larch, Osage Orange, Mountain Ash, Kilmonock Willow, scarlet Oak, Elm &c &c.

What has become of the chip basket? Many wishes were expressed for its reappearance Near the close of the meeting the resignation of E.P. & Mary B Thomas, was read, and on motion of D^r. F Thomas was accepted

W. S. Bond Sec pro tem

63^rd Meeting

We met at Philip T. Slablers 3 mo 25t^h 1816 with Frederick Slabler foreman most of the members were present. After reading the minutes of the last meeting here, the foreman, proposed we should take the walk, and as usual the company declined. The minutes of the last meeting were read, and Susan L Thomas, B.H. Miller were appointed to read at our next meeting, to be held at W.W. Moores 4 mo 29th 1816. The question came up to change the rules of the Book Club. It was proposed to change so as to make the fine 10 c per day, after one days grace, and not to allow a second reading, which was approved. Mary B Thomas, was continued on the Book Club committee, at the request of the other members.

1st Question Shall I raise chickens after having had cholera five times? Yes

2^nd How many chickens ought to be kept over to raise from? 30, & 40,