Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1890 — DOMESTIC ECONOMY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

HOUSEHOLD AND AGRICULTURAL TOPICS DISCUSSED. A Budget of Useful Information Relating to the Farm, Orchard, Stable, Parlor and Kitchen. THE HOUSEHOLD. Transformations of a Leg of Mutton.

N a family of four, a > five or six-pound leg of mutton possesses strikingly “the gift of continuance.” For the benefit of somo puzzled housewife, to whom its economical yet appetizing disposition is a subject of anxious thought, we may narrate the successive reappear-

ances of such a piece of meat upon a certain table. Its debut was in the usual form of boiled mutton, of which the proper accompaniment Is caper sauce; the recipes for this are various, but the following may be found useful: Capeb Sauce —Into one tablespoonful of flour rub the same quantity of butter, and add gradually one-half pint of boiling water, stirring well. Mix in one teaspoonful of vinegar and add the capers, either one or two tablespoonfuls, as suits the taste. The water in which the meat had been boiled was set away in the soup-kettle. The next day, when it was quite cold, the fat was carefully removed and pearl barley was added, in the proportion of four level tablespooufuls to a quart of soup. Seasoned with salt and pepper just before serving, this made a very good soup. The mutton next appeared upon the breakfast table one warm morning, when to eatseemed an unnecessary, or at least an undesirable, effort; cut In the thinnest posslblo slices, arranged neatly upon a dainty platter, and garnished with delicate sprays of parsely, it could hardly fail to tempt the most languid appetite. Next came the curry episode, and here let ns digress to speak a good word for this too-little-known seasoning. Many who dislike it when used in quantity will find that a small amount gives a delicious flavor, obtainable by the use of no other condiment. It Is especially pleasant in hot weather and in warm countries, a fact suggested by its origin in India, and has been considered to “give tone to the digestive oigans,” containing as it does black pepper, coriander Seed, ginger, mustard, turmeric, and spices with other ingredients, according to the formula used in its preparation. It is inexpensive, too—another item in its favor. And so the mutton, when next the faithful leg, or what remained of it, appeared, was in the tempting form of Curry of Mutton —Chop one pint of cold cooked mutton. Put one tablesoonful of butter in a frying-pan; when melted, add a tablespoonful of flour and stir until smooth; add a half-pint of boiling water, stir until It boils; add the meat, a teaspoonful of curry-powder, and a half-teaspoonful of salt; stir until thoroughly heated. Then heap it In the center of a meat dish, and put around It a border of nicely boiled rice. This recipe is one of Mrs. Rorer’s, as is also that for cooking the rice so that the grains arc separate, after the fashion of Chinese cooking. Rice —Wash one cupful of good rice, and sprinkle it carefully into a kettle full of boiling water; cover and boil rapidly, without stirring, for twenty minutes. Drain and throw into a bowl of cold water to blanch for ten minutes. Drain again, and stand in the colander over boiling water to steam, or stand it in the oven, leaving the door open. Sprinkle with salt, and serve. But even this did not dispose of all the mutton, and again it formed the piece de resistance at breakfast, this time metroposed into minced mutton or toast. For this dish, chop the meat fine, being careful to remove all bits of gristle or bone, moisten it with a little butter, season with salt, and when hot spread upon hot toast, the crusts of which have been slightly motstened with hot water. To some tastes a little Worcestershire sauce, added with the salt, is an Improvement.

When the housewife opened the refrigerator doors after breakfast in the course of her morning round, she sighed as her eyes fell upon two small portions, one of curried, the other of minced mutton. Must those be eaten? The spirit of economy faintly whispered, ‘-Yes, perhaps,” but the thought of the masculine scorn of scraps brought with it an emphatic “No.” The same thought, however, or its successor, recalled the masculine fondness for salids, more especially upon so hot a day as this promised to be. Inspiration followed as a hard-boiled egg came into view, and imagination pictured a combination dish, which proved, in reality, to be a “very deserving” salid, as the small boy said of his pudding as he disposed in short order of his third plateful. And this is how it was compounded: First the minced and curried mutton, rice and all, were thorougnly mixed, so subduing the curry flavor that its origin was barely traceable; the result was mounded in the center of a nearly flat, square-cornered dish, and set in the refrigerator to become thoroughly chilled. An ordinary salid-bowl is too deep for this, and the dainty white of china is a pleasant contrast with the salid. The salid-dressing was next to be concocted, and the first step in this was to carefully slice into rings a hard-boiled egg, the yolk gathered in a saucer forming the foundation. Mashed fine and mixed into a paste with one tablespoonful of salid oil, it was seasoned to taste with salt and pepper, and tlien three more scant tablespoonfuls of oil were added; beating in a tablespoonful of vinegar completed this operation, and the lettuce was next prepared. The central leaves of delicate green and yellow, were carefully washed and tucked in around the mound of mutton, each larger green leaf containing a smaller yellow heart-leaf.. she rings ot white oiggg decorated the surface of the moundmifanciful design, and just before serving each one was filled with salad dressing, the remainder being sent totbe table'in a separate disb, to be added.as desired. —Patty Drv:±, in Good Housekeeping.

THE FAKH. Mote* by the Way. How often I see a fringe of weeds, brambles, and briars a rod wide along the sides of cultivated fields. Is it for use or ornament that the owner allows it there? Seems to me that such a fringe not only looks badly, but is a hurt to any farm, for the vile seeds produced there

take root In the adjoining plowed land and make more work, and sap fertility from the soil that should grow something more profitable than weeds. The fringe also makes a harbor for vermin of one sort or another. All such fringes should be burned before snow flies this fall. It pay 9 to shell the corn one is obliged to sell, before delivering it to buyer, for it not only saves hauling so much bulk, but the fuel the cobs make is a saving on the coal bill, both iu money and hauling. But after the corn is shelled, how often I see the cobs In great piles, exposed to the weather. I never saw any "that burned better for being so exposed, did you? If not, I think they had better be housed. Mine are when I have any. I have noticed that some are in the habit of leaving the tripod, with which the hay has been stacked, astride the stack; it often happens that the stack is built so close to the feet of the tripod that the water runs down there and wets the stack. Why not take the tripod down when the stack Is finished? Better for the stack and the tripod. Once in a while I see a girl helping the boys husk the corn. That’s right, especially if the boy cannot go to school before the corn is out. Often the best boy of the family is the girl, and after the mother has had her help in the home till the morning work Is done up it will not do her any harm, will glvo her health and strength to get the fresh air and try her hand at getting out the golden corn. On the same principle, if the “girls are all boys” it is right that the boy or boys help the mother about the house. There's nothing like lending a helping hand to tnako things move. To-day, in going through the country, I noticed one field in which one set of hands and a team were getting in the fodder and another team and set of hands were husking out the corn, so the work was kept right up, when the last shock at night was husked out it was thrown upon the wagoa and the stack closed in. No re-handling of fodder in that field, no shocks blown down and burled in the snow.

I have often wondered why those who have great boulders In their meadows or plowed fields, allow woods and other foul trash to grow around, go to seed, and make winter homes for mice and other vermin. Now Is the best time of the year to clean up such places—purge them with fire. Nothing short will do the job effectually. Sometimes I hear of cows and other stock being sick after turning into the stalk field. Often this is laid to the “smut.” Let the stock have free access to salt and all the fresh water they will drink, and there will be less complaint on this score. Do some farmers think hay tools standing upon the meadow lend a picturesque View to the winter scene? If not, why are so many mowing machines and hay rakes loft out? It does them no good. How many farmers ever think the windmill tower needs looking after? The probability Is there will be somo high winds this winter. I think It would be a good plan for all who have windmills to look over the towers and see If there is not a bolt or nail needed, or a brace or new piece where a sappy stick was used. Tower builders mean to put in none but good lumber, but mistakes will happen; strengthen the tower If needed. The thought came to me to-day that some farmers go along just as though they expected to have no winter this season. No preparation whatever made for the shelter of stock or convenience in caring for them. Look out for suffering and loss on such farms.— Cur. Farm, Field ami Stockman.

THE DAIKX, Importance of Testing Milk In the Creameries. Through the Bureau of Dairy Information, Mr. C. P. Goodrich relates an instance to illustrate the importance of testing milk to determine the amount of butter fat it contains, and paying for it accordingly: I have a friend who has been for many years a private dairyman. He has gradually, by an intelligent breeding and feeding, and with an eye solely to butter production, built up a splendid herd of butter cows. He has made money enough in dairying to enable him to buy a much larger farm than he before owned, andJUjcated near a creamery, which heQjmififfenccd to patronize a few months ago. Not long since ho told me he was not satisfied at all with the returns he got from the creamery. “Why,” said ho, “during the months of June and July I got 45 cents a 100 for my milk. About four pounds to the 100, average of about 15 cents a pound, and 4 cents out for making does it you see. Now, the milk of my cows will make six pounds to tho 100—I know it; because it has done that for some years, and, besides, I kept it at home one week in Juno and it did it then. I know they say the separator can get more out of milk than I can, but I can get that. As to price, I .have always got as much as, and usually more than, the best creamery. But at 15 cents six pounds is 90 cents, just double what I got Now, I can’t stand that. To keep the cows—feed, care for, and milk them, and carry the milk to the factory, and then give half to have the butter made is too much for me.

I don’t know what to do. I have no conveniences for ma'/ing butter on this farm, and I don't want to be at the expense of 8200 or S3OO for fitting them up. Besides, my wife has always made the butter, and I want she should have a little rest, and I don’t suppose we could hire anybody to make it as good as she can. I have got to do something different, and I have about made up my mind that I must let my splendid butter cows go— I hate to terribly—it has taken me years to get them—and get some others that will give more milk, no matter whether there is much butter in it or not. Maybe I’ll get ‘Holstcins.’” Then turning to me he said, “What shall I do?” My reply was, I will give you advice only on one point; that is “stick la your butter cows, for by the time yofrget fairly changed around you will want them back again, because the creamery men will soon ba compelled to test the milk and give credit for the butter fat it contains or quit the business.”

THE POOXTHMAKU. RatringAvhlte Plymouth Rook*. Our small flock of fowls having become a mixture of different varieties, we determined last spring before selling off the old stock to raise the required number of puro-blood chickens. As the White Plymouth Rocks seemed to combine all the requisite qualities desirable in fowls, In May we obtained four settings of eggs from which were hatched thirty-five fine healthy chickens. We found them to be hardy, vigorous and

very tenacious of life; several times dnri ing the summer the pelting rains flooded their coops and thoroughly wet them, which would have been death to common chickens; but after they were picked up and dried by the kitchen fire they were as lively as ever. They are white, without any markings of color, except that when first hatched some of them showed a blending of grey about the head, but this in a short time entirely disappeared. They have very large frames, and are somewhat slow In reaching maturity, but when one takes into consideration the size and weight they attain at full growth, there is nothing remarkable about it They are said to be good layers and nearly non-sitters. They are also a desirable fowl for table use, as their flesh is white, tender, and lineflavored. At this date our flock of chickens are nearly six months old, and while they have attained a two-thirds growth, it is difficult to ascertain their sex with any degree of accuracy; the males to all appearance largely predominate, and we are holding the entire flock for future development In connection with the White Plymouth Rocks we raised a brood or two of chickens from our old stock of fowls. Whilo the males have beon slaughtered for table use, the pullets have been laying since the first of the month, which, with our mixed breed of fowls, is an uncommon occurrence. We’ have just one Brown Leghorn hen' whose record wo wish to give, and if “A Farmer’s Daughter” or any other poultry-raisers can show a hotter record from this variety or anv other, will they please to make it known? In September of last year a neighbor had a brood of Brown Leghorn chickens come off, and as cold weather came on they all died but one. Through some unaccountable freak this ono orphan chicken took up its quarters in ono of our barns and persisted in remaining there. John was iudignant and said he wou'd not have one of his fowls mixed up with such an insignificant breed, and if the neighbor did not keep It at home ho would wring its nock. After one or two unsuccessful attempts to keep the chick at/home the neighbor gave it up, and the chicken picked up Its living wherever it could, and became a permanent boarder through the entire winter. But Judge of our astonishment when this half-grown chicken began to lay in April. At first its eggs resembled a dovo’s egg in size. From April to the present time there have not been many days at a time but that this fowl has produced an egg. John says if ho had a dozen such hens ho could glut the markot with eggs.— Cor. Country Gentleman.

ORCHARD AND GARDEN. Horticultural Note*. Tue currant worm does not trouble the black currant. It Is as Important to the fruit grower as to tho butter maker that his goods should bo up to the mark every time. After planting, the great secret of success in tree growing is good cultivation. Never let the weeds grow. Keep the soil loose. Thkrf, are 110 different varieties of strawberries growing in the experimental gardens at tho Kansas Stato Agricultural College. The American Cultivator says the entire peach crop shipped over the Delaware Railroad in 1890 consisted of two baskets and ono orate of very indifferent fruit. Growing trees of any kind Is growing a crop. Now, if wo will use the trees as wo vise other crops, giving them good, rich soil and decent care, we shall act wisoly, and likely successfully grow ono crop of trees. In planting wind-breaks, put the mulberry and box elder four feet apart. In planting groves never use a single variety, but a Judicious mixture. For the North plant the first row to box eider, the second to ush, and so on. Henry Huaulding, of Aurelius, Mich., bought an eighty acre farm last spring, giving his note for $1,300 in paymetft. Tho crop of apples on tho land last fall nearly released the obligation. The “short crop” was a good thing for one man.

Thk rose bug is an enemy that doe# not confine itself to the rose. It destroyes fruits and flowers. Large shrubs are quickly destroyed by the bugs. To attempt to make a wholesale warfare on them is quite a task, but they can be driven off or destroyed by Persian insect powder. Dki.awabk raised an enormous quantity of tomatoes last year, the number of cans prepared for market exceeding 5,000,000/ A ton of tomatoes as they coino from the field, will fill from 400 to 450 cans. Calling it 425, a product of 5,000,000 cans means that 11,700 tons of tomatoes were purchased by the canners in that State this year.— Farm, Field and Stockman. Thk Farmers' Review makes the following estimate of the potato crop for 1890: Average in Total bnehelt. yield. Illinois *.. 21 2,745,000 Indiana 27 1,718,000 Ohio 40 7,082,000 Kentucky 33 1,420,000 Missouri r. 20 1,942,000 lowa. 48 0,021,000 Kansas 21 2,401,000 Nebraska.. ; 27 1,796,000 Michigan. 84 0,544,000 Wisconsin 56 6,853,000 Minnesota. 77 4,953,000 Dakota.., 48 2,058,000 Total 4256 48,384,000 The crop in the other States and Territories will not propably exceed 73,796,000, making a grand total for 1890 of 233,701,000, and for 1888 of 216,646,000.

THE KITCHEN. . Oyster Fritter*. Make a batter of one cup of flour,halfteaspoonful baking powder, pinch salt, two eggs, one cup milk; dip each oyster in this batter and fry In hot lard, as for doughnuts. Drawn Rutter. Half teacup of butter; two tablespoonfuls of flour; rub all together and pour Into a pint of boiling water; add salt. Serve with boiled meats. Dinger Cookie*. One cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, one cup of bhtter, one toaspoonful salt, two dessert-spoonfuls ginger, one teaspoorjful soda, one-half cup warm water poured on soda, then put in molasses and stir well before putting in the other Ingredients. Buttrrmllk Muffin*. Beat hard two eggs into a quart o) buttermilk, stir in make a thick batter, about a quart, and lastly a teaspoonful of salt and tbe same of soda. Bake in a hot oven in well greased tins. Muffins of all kinds should Only be cub just round the edge, then pulled open with the fingers.'.