Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1918 — Page 2

The Housewife and the War

(Special Information Service, United Stages Department Of Agriculture.) . MAKE MUSH AND MILK POPULAR . 6 ■w L

A Bowl of Milk and Mush Is a Whole Meal in Itself for- the Youngster Who Likes It.

SIMPLE PLAN TO COOK CORN MEAL

Plenty of Good Milk to Take Away Dryness Makes Dish Most Palatable. CONSERVE WHEAT AND SUGAR Try Our Mush Recipes Until Knack of Cooking Just Long Enough Has Been Discovered Dried Fruits Add Variety. Mush and milk for breakfast of lunch makes a simple dish fit for a king—but like all ether simple dishes it must be made just right or the king won’t like it. The secret of serving cornmeal this way’ lies in plenty of milk and not too much mush. In the first place see that the mush is not too thick —try out your recipes until you find the knack of cooking it just long enough. No one enjoys dry, thick mush. Then serve moderate portions with a generous amount of milk or cream on top—and have plenty more in the pitcher to add later on. Raisins, dates, figs and other dried fruits give variety to the dish and please the children. They sweeten the mush and save sugar. The most common way of preparing mush is to allow the water to come to the boiling point and to add the meal slowly, stirring constantly. The objection to this method is that there is considerable danger that the mush will become lumpy and oftentimes it is inconvenient and unpleasant to stand over a hot stove and stir the mixture sufficiently to make it smooth. A better method, therefore, Is the following: , Put the cornmeal, cold water and salt together in the top of a double boiler. No stirring is necessary. Put the top of the double boiler into the lower" part and allow the mush to heat slowly, cooking half an hour, or longer, if convenient. Many people cook it as long as four hours. Just before serving remove the top of the double boiler from the lower part and boil the mush for two or three minutes. In boiling it at this time there Is no danger that it will lump. Cornmeal Mush. METHOD NO. 1. 1 cupful corn meal. 1 teaspoonful salt. 3% cupfuls water. Bring the salted water to the boiling point in the top of a double boiler. Pour the cornmeal slowly into the water, stirring constantly. Cook three minutes. Put the upper part of the boiler into the lower part and cook the mush half an hour and as much longer as convenient. Long cooking improves the taste and probably adds to the thoroughness with which the mush is .digested. ■The housewife who has no double boiler can make one by using two saucepans of such size that one can be set of the other, f* METHOD NO. 2. 1 cupful meal. 4 cupfuls milk, 1 teaspoonful salt. whole or skim, or 3’A cupfuls water, 4 cupfuls milk and or water. Put the ingredients into the top of the double boiler cold and cook one hour or longer. If convenient, just before serving bring the mush to the boiling point This Improves its texture and also its flavor. Mush in the Fireless Cooker. , 1 cupful corn meat 4% cupfuls water, 11 teaspoonful salt. milk, or milk and water. Bring the salted Water to the boiling point; add the meal slowly, stirring all the time. Put Into the fireless cooker and leave for five to ten hours. If tbe pail holding the mush Is set into another pall containing water before being placed into the cooker, the heat will be retained longer. . v ' Here are three good conservation

puddings which take no wheat and no sugar. They are made chiefly out of milk, cornmeal and molasses. Indian Pudding. 5 cupfuls milk. 1 teaspoonful Salt. 1-3 cup corn meal. 1 teaspoonful gin- % cupful molasses. ger. Cook milk and meal in a double boiler 20 minutes; add molasses, salt and ginger; pour into buttered pudding dish and bake two hours in slow oven; serve with cream. This serves eight people. Cornmeal and Fig Pudding. 1 cupful corn meal. 1 cupful finely chop--1 cupful molasses. ped figs. 6 cupfuls milk (or 4 1 teaspoonful salt, of milk and 2 of 2 eggs. cream). Cook the cornmeal with four cupfuls of the milk, add the molasses, figs and salt. When the mixture is cool, add the eggs well beaten. Pour into a butteredpudding dish and bake in a moderate oven for three hours or. more. When partly cooked add the remainder of the milk without stirring the pudding. This serves eight or ten people. Cornmeal and Apple Pudding. For the figs in the above recipe substitute a pint of finely sliced or chopped sweet apples. This serves eight or ten people.

MUSH AND MILK.

What has become of the oldtime bowl of cornmeal mush and milk? It is an American dish, cheap, nourishing and palatable The older generation loved it; and for economical, sentimental and patriotic reasons we should now go back to it and take all America with us. Mush and milk furnishes a balanced ration, yet contains no wheat, no meat, no sugar. It is a whole meal in itself, and while the war lasts it should be used more largely in • this country. Its larger use here will release other and more concentrated foods for our armies and the armies of the allies. We are producing an abundance of food; we will save it for our boys across the water; and food will help, to win the war. The Austrians, Bulgarians, Turks and Germans are beginning to see this, and the kaiser also believes and trembles.

Fruits Save Suger. All ripe fruits contain sugar. The amount varies from about three ounces or one-fifth cupful per pound in fresh figs and plums to about one-half ounce per pound in watermelon. If the water is driven off from fruits, as in the drying process, the sugar becomes far more prominent than it is in fresh fruits. Dried fruits, therefore, taste far sweeter than fresh ones and are for this reason often classed among the sweets. It should be remembered, however, that sugar is present in all fresh fruits, even in the most acid ones, and that those persons who Wish to do so can economize on other kinds of sugar by eating large amounts of fresh fruits in unsweetened forms. In warm weather melons and other fruits may be used in place of “made” desserts, which usually contain both butter and sugar. Fruit and ice-cold junket, which can be prepared from skim milk, make a refreshing dessert and utilize perishable- foods chiefly. Or the dessert course may be omitted entirely and a fruit salad with cottage cheese may be used in its place. Government Exhibits. The joint committee on government exhibits, representing the departments of agriculture, war, navy, Interior and commerce, the food administration and the committee on public information, has announced a display of exhibits showing the wartime and other activities of the federal agencies. These exhibits will be shown over five circuits of the larger fairs and expositions, covering practically the entire country and running from August 10 to December a, .

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER. IND.

REVERTED TO TYPE

Ferret’s Night Off an Orgy of Slaughter. Little Killer Left Thick Trail of Dead Which He Had Destroyed for the Pure Joy of Slaying, and Went Home. His mother was a ferret, lean, yellow and pink eyed and a she devil to boot, says a writer In London Answers. His father was worse, a wild polecat of the mountains, and a worse devil than ever. But he, the cherub, was so soft and furry and fat and creamy, and, though he had got pink eyes, there seemed to be nothing else of his mother and father about him. He never bit, he never spat, and he never used bad language, and he lived upon bread and milk, like a gentleman. So he was till the spring broke. It was their own fault, the ferreters. They took him out rftbbiting, as usual. They put a collar with a bell on round his neck, as usual, and a long, long string on the collar, as usual, and they turned him into a rabbit warren, as usual. And he sneezed three times, as usual, and M walked docilely down the first rabbit hole he came to, as usual, to turn out the rabbits from their burrows, as usual, that the sportsmen outside might shoot them as they bolted. So far, until he, got Into the middle of the mazes of tunnels, the inky darknesses, and the stuffy heat, full of the smell of castor oil —don’t know why, by the way—and he could hear the drumming of rabbits’ feet fleeing before his ghostly, terrible self, everything happened as usual. Then nothing did. He was pulled up with a Jerk that nearly choked him. He tried going forwtird, but it was all no good. He had only a yard of play either way. His line was entangled in a root. The hours passed, and the ferreters, after trying every device known to man to get him out, gave it up and went home. The cherub did not give it up. He worried slowly, and he chafed, he pulled, and tugged, he backed, and he sweated, and he sneezed, and finally his collar came undone or broke. The cherub sneezed three times, and walked three yards. Then he realized he was free. It was the first time In all his life he had been free, and it acted upon him. In that second his mother, plus his father, got to work in his own body, and he began. It was really very clean killing. Fifteen rabbits done to death, each with a single, clean fang stroke behind the ears —was not so bad for one small ferret. But he Improved, for he slew 20 in the next hour —leaving every carcass untouched where it lay—and, getting thirsty, came above ground for water. The water he did not find, but discovered fowls in a fowlhouse instead, and, as I said, being thirsty, drank blood. There were no live fowls In that hen roost when he left He visited the hutches of the Belgian hares, which he slew, and the pigeon cote, where he got more blood. After that he returned a mile across country, killing three partridges on the way; drank at the dog’s trough—biting the dog badly in the process—walked Into his own hutch and was found curled, up, calmly asleep, among the hay neit morning.

Rabbit Meat for Wartime Food.

Wartime conservation of beef and pork has enabled a Kansan to develop a rather extraordinary business in the marketing of wild rabbits, both jacks and cottontails. A rabbit-packing plant has been established and is now shipping frozen bunnies by the tens of thousands. A recent contract called for 480,000 pounds of jackrabbit meat. The jacks average four pounds each when dressed. This means that approximately 120,000 rabbits were required to fill the order. ■ The fur is disposed of at a handsome profit. It is used in the manufacture of high-grade felt, such as enters into the making of men’s hats. All waste products are converted into fertilizer. The industry also rids the country of a crop-destroying pest —Popular Mechanics Magazine.

Teaching the Boys to Sing.

A distinguished young musician recently joined the English army for the purpose of teaching the boys to sing. Attached to the royal air force, he has been commissioned to train the men at the various centers in choral singing, thus dispensing with the necessity for bands. The effect upon the spirits, the morale and the discipline of the men has been excellent They have developed a keen Interest in singing, and many of them have been found, to their own surprise, to possess excellent voices. In view of the success of the movement, it will probably be extended to other branches of the army, especially where the formation of a band is out of the question.

Improves Revolver.

By providing the ordinary revolver with a circular cartridge frame or clip, Joseph H. Wesson of Springfield, Mass., has given the older weapon all the convenient features of the newer automatic weapon; that is, the rapidity of fire and quick reload. His clip, holding five or six catridges in position, serves to push them into place in the revolver barrel at one operation, instead of individual loading, as is usually the case. > .

NO GRUMBLING AT PRIVATION

Britishers Willing to Subsist on Short Rations if That Will Help Win the War for Liberty. It really isn’t necessary to t«»ll the British people not to waste food. There is nothing eatable left on the average plate when the meal la finished. Meals are' one IftterminaL’e round of fish and eggs, ribh and eggs. Eggs are found disguised under all manner of names, but always there are eggs, not seven times a week, but almost 21 times a week, writes Chester M. Wright, member of the American Federation of Labor ’mission to England. Meat is rationed by a card system. So is sugar, of which you may have six ounces a week and no more. One of the best hotels in London is serving butter or margarine only once dally. Many hotels have none for days at a time. Desserts are a thing of the past, recorded in history but not among the things extant. Milk is rationed. Tea- soon will be. Bread is rationed. Hotels will serve you with -one brown roll per meal. The average man would be amazed at the British menu today, but the British do not grumble. They go on short rations knowing that it must be done, and accept it as part of the war that must be carried victorywards. Even if it were possible to break the food restrictions the average Britisher has not the slightest desire to get more to eat than his neighbors. Especially among the British workers is there an obvious grim satisfaction when members of the American labor mission and speakers tell how ships are being rushed to completion in 26 states, and how self-denial by the British people in matters of food and luxuries make each ton of maximum value and effect in prosecuting the war to a finish. The British workers realize that more, than half their food comes from the United States. “The less food the more troops,” is the slogan which appeals especially to the Clyde ship builders, one of whom said: “If ships from the United States are laden as far as possible with soldiers and ammunition, then every bolt we drive is as good as a rifle shot against the Germans.”

War of the Roses.

The war of the roses that never ends is a war to vanquish beauty with greater beauty. For long ages, since history began, this has been going on. Japan and India, Serbia and Persia cheered on contestants a dozen centuries before Damascus gave to the Crusaders the damask rose for occidental culture. “Decisions” have only temporary significance. For example, as Paris gave Venus the award of beauty, his namesake city gives southern California the gold medal, the prize of honor at the Bagatelle competition. But California must meet world competition in years to come and must maintain her form or get out of the running. Rose culture is a progressive art. As for the Germans, we believe they were not represented at Bagatelle. That does not matter much. In this, as in their science, the Teutons are rather imitators than originators. True their Duchess de Mecklenburg, their Cornelia Koch, their Felenberg and particularly their Princess de Sagan, with its rich maroon and crimson loveliness, have attracted English attention. But these are all modifications of French types, as the Kronprlnzessln Victoria Is a modification of the Bourbon rose.—Brooklyn Eagle.

Somebody Must Have Told Him.

Jay McCord of exemption board No. 8 finds the young negroes- of the district an Inexhaustible source of delight. “They refer,” he says, “quite rightly to their ‘consecration papers.’ One of them, whose patriotism was of the right kind, returned his questionnaire ,the other day. ‘Well, George, do you wdftve exemption?’ I asked him. ‘Oh, yassah, boss, yassah. Ah’ll wave anything. Jes’ give me a flag— a‘ United States flag, if you’ got one—ah’ Ah’ll show you whether Ah kin wave It’” Another, says Mr. McCord, wrote in his questionnaire that his allowance to his wife was SIOO a month. “That’s fair enough,” I said. „ “Let’s see —how much do you make?” “Ten dollahs a week, boss.’ Ah’s a porter.” , _ __ “Ten dollars a week, eh? Then you shoot craps.” The darkey’s eyes bulged with surprise. “Huccum yo’ know dat, boss,” he gasped; “who done tol’ you’ Ah shoot craps?”—Chicago Tribune.

All France at War.

“If you want to see a whole nation in arms, go to France,” says a hearty, good-looking United States soldier boy just back from the war front, and now in a hospital. “It’s not just in the cities. It’s in the little country towns, I’ve seen old women at work in the fields, women so feeble that they had to walk with a cane when they weren’t working. I’ve seen an old French mother wheeling fertilizer up to the top of the hill. She had to do the work because her men folks were in the trenches. After every trip up hill she came tottering down, and yon might have thought she couldn’t wheel another load. She did, though. I tell you, the spirit of those French people is the wonder of this war.”

Where He Stopped.

“Mr. Bliggins speaks four or fivelanguages," remarked Miss Cayenne. “Valuable accomplishment.” “It would be if he could think up something worth saying in any one of them.” /

A Bird in the Hand

(Special Information Service, United States Department of Agriculture.) \ SELL THE SLACKER HEN! y ... .. . '

TIME TO GET RID OF SLACKER HEN

Fowl That Begins Molting Early Almost Certainly Poor Egg Producer. SEPTEMBER IS BEST MONTH Many Indications Cited by Which - Flock May Be Culled Down to AllYear Layers—Save Exceptlonally Good Breeders. Get rid of the slacker hen. The poultry keeper cannot afford at any time to keep a hen that is a poor egg producer, and that is particularly true now when feeds are unprecedentedly high in price. The summer and early fall is the best time to cull the poor producers from the laying flock. "It is best to start as early as possible removing those hens whose appearance indicates that they have stopped laying. As a general principle it is wise to cull out about the first of August all hens over two years old unless they are laying or are exceptionally good breeders. Hens will usually begin to molt 4n August. The Slacker hen is an early molter and can be readily distinguished at this time. The indications of high egg production are most pronounced in September, and if the flock is to be culled ' only at one time, September is the best month to select the good producers. The better plan, however,’ is to cull gradually, beginning somewhat earlier. A number of factors have to be considered in distinguishing the good from the poor layer, and certain allowances have to be made for essential differences between the small and the large breeds.

Cull These Hens. The Indications of poor production are as follows: Lack of vigor.—lndicated by listless actions, dull sunken eye, small, shrunken, pale comb and long toe nails. The poor producer is usually one of the last hens to leave the roost in the morning, and also goes to roost early in the evening. Early molt and yellow legs.—Hens, which molt before September 1. especially those molting in July and early in August, are usually poor producers. These hens will usually have yellow legs during August and September, as the yellow color returns to the legs after molting. The time of molting and the color of the legs are very important characteristics in selecting hens by their appearance. Pelvis. —Points close together, only one to two fingers apart, depending upon the breed. The space between the pelvic . points varies according to whether or not the hen is laying. Arch from pelvic points to the_end of keel or breast bone only two or four fingers wide. Pelvic points either small and hard or coarse (covered with fat). Vent dry and hard. A layer in- good condition usually accumulates fat on abdomen, producing a plump appearance. Other characteristics. —Comb pale or dull red, small, shrunken and covered with fine scales or dandruff. Ear lobes and wattles pale, shrunken, hard and dry. Ear lobes, eyelids and beak yellowish. Save These Hens. The indications of good production are as follows: Vigor.—lndicated by full, well-devel-oped breast and body, general alertness; bright, full eye; well-developed broad comb; short, heavy beak and worn toe nails. A hen must have vigor and capacity to be a good layer. Such a hen usually has a good appetite and goes off the roost early In the morning. Toto molt and bleached legs.—The late molter, one that does not begin to molt until after the Ist of September, Is usually a good producer. During the late summer these hens are noticeable "by their ragged and dirty plu-

A Well-Selected Mongrel Flock of Layers.

mage. The plumage of the good producer in the winter and spring is usually smooth and bright, giving a neat, trim appearance to the fowl. The legs of these good layers will be nearly white, with all the yellow gone. After a hen molts she gets this yellow color back, and the color gradually leaves or bleaches as the laying season advances. Pelvis. —Points wide apart, from three to five fingers, depending upon the breed. Arch wide apart, from three to six fingers distance between pelvic points and end of keel or breast bone. Pelvic points soft and pliable. Other characteristics. —Comb full and red. Ear lobes and wattles red, of good size, soft and pliable. Ear lobes, eyelids and beak of bleached or whitish appearance.

HENS THAT HELP ENEMY.

Every hen that does not lay except for a little while in the spring consumes more than ?he produces. Such a hen not only does nothing toward winning the war, but actually aids the enemy. In times of peace and plenty the slacker hen might be tolerated, but she must be handled ruthlessly now. Go over your flock carefully and continuously. Eliminate until you have got rid of all except the good egg producers.

Action Against Rats. It frequently happens that losses of young chickens attributed to the depredations of hawks and to other causes are due to rats. There is no more destructive pest about the poultry yard than these. Coming like the thief in the night, and usually leaving no visible marks of their ravages, they escape, in large measure, the relentless hunting down that they deserve. Not only are they destructive to young chickens, but they prey upon the egg supply throughout the year. The United States department of agriculture points out that anyone, by care and industry, may free his own premises of these rodents but that he is helpless to prevent an early recurrence of the trouble unless he can secure the active co-operation of his helghbors. The department urges, therefore, that wherever possible the destruction of these pests be a community undertaking. The same effort, it is pointed out, that is made by individuals working independently, if organized on a community basis will be less costly and more effective. The department has worked out and tested definite plans for the destruction of rats, in common with other rodents, and information concerning the matter can be had by writing the department. Eggs Before Candle. The U. S. department of agriculture issues the following statement as to how good eggs should look before the candle: A good fresh egg should have a small air space. The yolk should not be very plain. There should be no black spots or rings. Sometimes the eggshell wiU have fine cracks in it. -- This is commonly known as a "check” egg, and should not be shipped with first-quality eggs, as it rots very quickly. Blood rings are partially incubated eggs and show a distinct ring of blood on the yolk. They are classed as unfit for food and should be rejected. Cause: A fertile egg in which the development of the germ has proceeded until blood has formed but the embryo has subsequently died. Ring formation is not present while the embryo is alive, although blood spots or veins may show. Moldy eggs generally have cracked shells and show black spots before! the candle. They are unfit for food. Cause: Field nests or wet nests. Holding eggs in damp places, or destroying shell mucus by washing, or allowing eggs to become wet, thereby enabling mold spores to enter the pores of the shell and grow Inside the ’ shell. Mold can also enter through cracks in the shell.