In the hope that the suggestion may prove useful, though only in a single instance, I remain, Sir, your's, &c. Oxford, May 5, 1823. T. ON FUEL. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, THOSE Cottagers who live in a country where fuel is plentiful, seldom consider how much misery is endured by those, in other parts, who have to buy coal or wood for their weekly supply in the winter. If we should have such a winter as the last, when we had more than four months of hard weather, as fuel becomes scarcer, it must of course become dearer so as, in many places, necessarily to double or triple its price. To prevent such a calamity, the Clergyman of a parish in Berkshire, has proposed a plan, which is likely to be attended with success there, and is applicable to other places similarly situated. If f you think fit to lay it before your readers, it is at your service; and for this purpose I cannot do better than send you a copy of a paper he lately addressed to his parishioners. ADDRESS. "He that provideth not for his own, especially for them of his own household, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." 7 Having observed much distress among the labourers of this place, during the last severe season, in consequence of the great scarcity of fuel, especially in those families which were visited with sickness, I would earnestly recommend to all those who.. are in health, to lay by some portion of their wages in the summer, as a provision against the next winter. In order to help them that are so disposed, I am willing to receive, at the Vicarage-house, weekly deposits of one shilling, to be paid on or before the Saturday of each week. The first deposit must be made on the first Saturday of May, and continue till the last Saturday in October, making twenty-six weeks. In return for this, each depositor shall receive an hundred weight of coals, weekly, for twenty weeks, beginning on the first Saturday of Novem ber, and ending on March 16, 1824. Those who choose may, in the same way, deposit six-pence weekly, and receive twenty half-hundreds of coals at the same time. April 2, 1823. Vicar. From the above statement it is plain, that the Vicar undertakes to allow the depositors the coals at about fifteeen-pence-halfpenny a hundred, and runs the risk of his being able to procure them at that price or not. They were sold, in that village, the last winter, at two shillings, and two shillings and four-pence a hundred. Some persons may think, that it would have been better not to have pledged himself to this; but to have delivered to the depositors as much coal as their respective deposits would purchase, at the time when coals are the cheapest. Perhaps, however, it was considered, that, in the first instance of trying. such a plan, the labourers would be more likely to agree to it, if they knew clearly and precisely what were the advantages to be had from it. To make the thing more easy, a benevolent farmer has engaged to fetch the coals from the wharf for nothing, and has given the use of a barn to store them in, and the service of one of his men to deliver them out. every Saturday. Nothing more than this is wanted in any place to ensure a very great benefit to the labouring Cottager; and the plan is so simple, that I should conceive there are many of your readers who would be desirous of doing so much good, at the expence only of a little trouble and foresight. In places situated near wharfs, it may be effected by merely engaging with a coal-merchant to supply a certain quantity of coals during the winter at a certain price, and giving tickets weekly to the depositors. The weekly deposits had better be placed, as they are received, in a Savings Bank, and then there will be probably something obtained for interest, before it is necessary to pay the coal or wood-merchant, I am, Sir, Your's, &c. May 9, 1823. CALCULATOR. Something upon the above plan might easily be adopted in almost any parish. There is scarcely any village where a benevolent farmer is not to be found, who would assist the Clergyman, or any other person, who was desirous of encouraging the exertions of the poor. In a large parish, to afford effectual relief, the formation of a society' will be necessary. The great advantage of such a method of assisting the poor is, that it encou rages the most thoughtful and industrious,-who are just the persons who ought to be encouraged. A great deal is done in this country, in the way of private charity; but private charity can never effectually relieve, much less prevent, the distresses of the poor; this can be done only by the exertions of the poor themselves; which every benevolent man will always be glad to encourage. The sum subscribed will, of course, go toward reducing the price; and we do not know any way in which the same sum could be better applied. Some fixed plan, steadily observed, would soon put a parish in a state of comparative comfort. There will always, indeed, be left cases enough, of particular sufferings, to exercise the kind feelings of the charitable; but a real advantage which shall be felt by every industrious and prudent man in a parish, is what every truly benevolent man would wish to see, and would labour to effect. V. SUBSTITUTE FOR SOAP. PEEL, and grind, or grate, twenty horse chesnuts; pour on them ten quarts of hot water. In this infusion, either linen or woollen may be washed without soap; and it will be found to take out all kinds' of spots. SNOW SOAP. Take seven pounds of snow, and put it into a sauce pan. Shred a pound of mottled soap, and put it to the snow; and, when boiling hot, add two large spoonfuls of salt. Keep it stirring often whilst it boils, which it must do three hours; pour it into a flat pan, and keep it for a month to dry. The soap will be equal in weight to the snow. It is good for shaving with, washing silk, and many other things in the household way. The yeast in the Monthly Visitor was tried, and did not seem to answer: the following receipt is therefore sent to the Editor. POTATOE YEAST. BOIL potatoes, of the mealy sort, 'till they are thoroughly soft; skin, and mash them very smooth, through a sieve-put as much warm water to them as will make the mash of the consistency of common beer yeast, but not thicker. When just warm, stir in to every pound of potatoes one ounce of sugar, and two spoonfuls of yeast *. Keep it warm 'till it has done fermenting; in twenty-four hours it may be used. One pound of potatoes will make a quart of yeast-it will keep some time. Bread made with this yeast must lie eight hours at least to rise before it is sent to the oven. M. VACCINATION. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. MR. EDITOR, As a great many Ladies and Gentlemen take in, and read your excellent work, I do not see why a little advice may not be given to them as well as to your Cottage readers; and, if you are of my opinion, I venture to propose to you to tell them that they may make themselves eminently useful to their country at large, by promoting Vaccination in their respective neighbourhoods. As the difficulty of obtaining Vaccine Lymph is frequently experienced, I copy the mode prescribed by the conductors of the National Vaccine Establishment. "Letters of application for Lymph and communications respecting Vaccination are to be addressed 66 To Dr. Hervey, Registrar of the N. V.E. * A little yeast it seems, is wanted to begin with. .. |