Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 202, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1919 — Page 2

GOOD FROM WORK OF HOME-DEMONSTRATION AGENTS IS DECLARED TO BE TREMENDOUS

(Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) For several years TTncle Sam, through the state relations service of the United States department of agriculture, has been sending home-dem-onstration agents into the highways and byways to help housewives with their problems. Approximately 1.700 of these trained workers are in city or country, and the help they have been able to give is represented by a long list of activities varied to suit the section in which the agent works. Some of their work, such as helping women retrim hats, may seem petty, but in the aggregate, the good from the work of the home-demonstration agents is believed to be tremendous. Work of Many Kinds. In addition to the universal problems of feeding the family, baking prize-winning bread, canning vegetables, coaxing hens to lay, trimming hats, making fireless cookers, and bathing the baby properly, there has been the work growing out of war conditions —the use of substitutes for wheat, meat, fats, and sugar, how to save fuel, learning to make and use cottage cheese, Americanization, thrift, and loan campaigns, salvage of clothing, Belgian relief, and a host of other activities. Guided by the home demonstration agents, many women have learned to can and store all kinds of food; to prepare well-balanced one-dish meals that save time and strength; and to rearrange their kitchens and add la-bor-saving machines; to establish community laundries, canneries, drying plants, and storage county where there was no man county agent, the home demonstration agent planned and conducted a seed corn campaign, took the labor census, kept the records of the, thrasher rings, and published a Farm Bureau News. Work in the West. The home demonstration agent in a western state showed farmers how to

A Kitchen Cabinet Saves Many Steps.

po'sou grasshoppers, securea positions for 20 workers, and found homes for three old people. On a big reclamation project in Nevada the home demonstration agent found a group of women enduring the hardships of pioneering in an alkali country just nu&e over by Irrigation. After talking over various problems, this group decided that the thing they wanted most was some instruction in making dresses and hats. They said: "We can ‘get by* in some fashion with the cooking, but we cannot make goodlooking clothes and hats,” so they asked for a class in millinery. "It is marvelous the way they took to the work,” the home demonstration agent related. “Never before did I have such eager pupils. They came to my office and plied me with questions. I had classes twice a day and again at night. First we talked about textures, Hops, and colors that make for becomingness, suitability, and du*

A Most Excellent Helper on Wash Day.

rnbillty. We made a sample hat on which they learned some of the stitches and the problems of hat making. They worked very industriously on this, for we had agreed we would not use new material until they had learned how to ust* the old. In the meantime we sent to Los Angeles for a consignment of millinery supplies on approval. These we got at cost, thus providing the material for becoming, suitable and durable hats at small expense. , “There were incidents both amusing and pathetic. One womain,the mother of five children, said she had not had any dressup clothes for years, and that she thought it wasn’t worth while for her to have a hat herself, so she'd just make some hats for the two little girls. What a Hat Did.; “I said: ‘Mother should be especially well dressed. I’ll make your hat.’ I made the best-looking hat I could. When it was finished I sent for her to come to see if it fitted. She was delighted with it, but she said: ‘lt will make me look too young.’ I straightened her collar, rearranged her hair, and set the hat above it, and she did look ten years younger. Then she was afraid her husband would not like the hat. But a short time after she left the husband telephoned and said he had lost his former wife and a very good-looking young woman had come into his home and wanted to stay. He said ‘l’d like to let the old one go and keep the new one.’ “The next week the club women said : ‘Now, we have some good-look-ing hats and dresses, we want to learn your way of cooking.’ “The study of foods led the mothers to confer with the school teacher and later to assist in making plans for a hot dish for the school lunch. The help given during the ‘flu’ epidemic brought courses in Invalid cookery and home nursing. Then, because one woman cannot do everything for a whole county, and because the work develops the neighborly spirit, a school of instructions was organized to train volunteer workers from the community eager to help In other parts of the country."

HORSERADISH TO MAKE SAUCE

Especially Good With Boiled Beef or Steak—Add Little Vinegar With Whipped Cream. (.Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture. > A palatable sauce, especially good with boiled beef or steak, is made by adding grated horseradish and a little vinegar to a little whipped cream, or as follows: Thicken milk with cracker crumbs by heating them together in a double boiler, using three tablespoonfuls of cracker,crumbs to one and a half cupfuls of milk. Add one-third of a cupful of grated horseradish, three tablespoonfuls of butter, and one-half tea* spoonful of salt; or thicken with but* ter and flour some of the water in which the meat was boiled, add a gen--ereu s -quantity—one or two t ablespoonfuls—of grated horseradish, boil a short tim£. and serve.

ALL AROUND the HOUSE

Wear practicable wash aprons while at work. • • • Boots and shoes hardened by water are softened by kerosene. * * .>• ■ When making bisque ice cream add the crumbs when neatly frozen. • • • "Whiten your clothes by boiling a tablespoonful of turpentine with them. * •- • Sponging with hot vinegar will make the “shiny part” of any garment less noticeable. * *, • \ When not in use hang outside garments, well brushed, on suitable hangers away from dust ' * •» • While shoes are not in use keep shpe trees in them to preserve their shape, or stuff with tissue paper.

• the evening republican, rensselakr, ind.

HAD IT DOWN FINE

Janitor’s Wife Evidently Profound Philosopher. Allowed No Differences of Opinion to ’Mar Her Happy Married Life— Sonje May Say She “Humored the Brute." “Excuse me, Mrs. Dimkln, but If there’s any cool feeling between you and Mr. Dimßin it has nothing to do with me and* I can do nothing but wish you to patch up your troubles and be. happy once again/’ The janitor's wife put down her mop as she spoke and stood with arnw akimbo. “But there te no quarrel,” replied Mrs. Dimßin, tearfully. “Really! Just a difference of opinion, so to speak.” “That's one thing people shouldn’t have, especially married ones, this here difference of opinion,” remarked the janitor’s wife. “The difference is in danger of getting worse until finally it's a break. “If a man wants to go to the ball game he should be let go. A woman shouldn't be always begging to go along. Baseball is a man’s game and a woman’s fad. No woman really likes baseball —she only pretends it so her husband will take her-along. “When Oswald, my husband, asks to go by the game I don't pester him to be on the next bleacher seat. I have better sense. If I get the habit of going to the ball game with him how do I know but what he may start asking me to take him by my knitting club? Not for me! “Maybe what you say, a difference of opinion, conies about cooking. What a man should eat lots of times causes trouble. If he hasn't got the same food ideas as. his wife she should have, the same agblru. I don’t like fmnan haddie —I hate it—but Oswald is more finnan haddie than a finnan baddie itself. “Then what do I do to save arguments? Why, when he says we will have finnan haddie for breakfast, or for dinner, I say: ‘Oh, Oswald, how glad I am you mentioned that delicate food ! I’m dying for a portion!’ “I like different talking-machine music than what he likes, but he don’t know it. He never knows that when a bagpipe solo Is on the machine 1 feel like jumping off the roof or something. He never guesses that a yodel makes me so sentimental I feel I sot to mop my eyes instead of the floo.r. “He wears a silk hat that Mr. Simmons gave him four years ago, and it makes him look like old Cap. Streeter, but he thinks he looks like someone he Saw in the movies —a feller called Bushman, I think —and I let him go on thinking it. “Would you advise me to start something and then we'd be like you and your husband is—have already a difference of opinion? No, Mrs. Dimkin. We are one happy couple and we’re going to stick that way. Maybe it’s my fault, but I’m satisfied and so is Oswald, I News.

Airman's Coveted Title.

Henry Farre in his “Sky Fighters of France" gives a full explanation of the way in which the airman’s most coveted title, “Ace," came into general use. He says. “When a pilot has brought down his fifth plane, the chief of the squadron telegraphs his fifth victory to headquarters, and that gives him the right to be carried in the next general orders to the whole army with a citation of service rendered, for the press to publish the following day in the Official Gazette. Whenever pilots merited this distinction, their machinists called them aces, which has the same significance among the pilots as the ace card has in a game of cards; that is to say. the strongest card, and this is the etymology of the word ‘ace,’ of which many persons are ignorant. This title has nothing official, and it sprung from the slang of the,machinists. but that does not prevent it from being quoted in all languages and in every-country in the world.”

Miles of Poison for Beetles.

The Japanese beetle, that not only destroys flowering plants, and especiaF ly roses, but also attacks orchard trees, has recently become so prevalent in New Jersey that the federal governmenT'Kas" begun a warfare against it. Miles and miles of poison are used, and trenches dug to keep the beetles from escaping the sections treated. Already bushels of dead beetles are being collected, and it is hoped that they can all be destroyed so that they won’t infest other parts of the country. The department of agriculture works hard to ke ‘P out the “undesirable alien”, amon; insects of all kinds, but as in the case of the Japanese beetle, one or two occasionally smuggle themselves in as stow-aways on plants or fruits, and then escape to work against the country they have adopted.—Philadelphia North American.

Government Experts at Work.

When a cotton .portage was threatened before the armistice, the forest products laboratory of the forest service, United States department of agriculture. entered a practically new field of Investigation—fiading the practicability of using wood pulp as a source of explosives. Methods for the production of acid and sulphate pulp suitable for nitrating were developed, and tests at a government arsenal proved conclusively their suitability for nitration purposes. These results have other applications, particularly in the manufacture of lacquers and pyroxylin products, and the laboratory is continuing Its work along these lines.

MUSTARD GAS NOTHING NEW

Discovered in 1886, Chemists at Once Recognized Its Awful Possibilities in Warfare. How easy a statement given credence because originating apparently in an authoritative source may be totally wrong and yet acquire a standing which subsequent explanation may. not affect is illustrated in connection with an assertion concerning Dr. Hugo Schweitzer, said to have been a part of German propaganda in th# United States. The assertion was that Doctor Schweitzer employed, financed and guided a Doctor Scheele, who, at Bogoto, N. J., in 1913, discovered the deadly mustard gas, the formula for which was immediately transmitted to the German government through Von I'apen when the war opened. Occupying a place in what is to be a semiofficial brief to congress, its accuracy woidd ordinarily remain unimpeached, yet according to a former federaJ war chemist and professor of chemistry, the statement is completely wrong in its main feature. Doctor Schweitzer may have employed, financed and guided Doctor Scheele for some reason, but not because the younger man had just discovered mustard gas, for that was the work of Victor Meyer, a chemist of Heidelberg, in 1886, or 33 years ago. and 28 years before the world war began. The gas is generally known to chemists and has been since its discovery by Meyer. Although given the name of mustard gas during the war it has been recognized by chemists since 1886 as dichlordiethyl-sulphide and the has been recognized by chemists since methods, statement of the gas’ composition and a remarkably complete investigation and description of its terrible physiological effects published The chemical journal furnishing the news of the discovery in 1886 is widely read and said by chemists to be on the shelves T of every chemical library. Hence, whatever Doctor Schweitzer did for Doctor Scheele and whatevotDoctor Scheele may have done for the German government he did not discover mustard gas in 1913 and transmit its formula to the authorities at Berlin. Yet there are probably few Americans who are not firmly convinced that the discovery of mustard gas was coincident with the world war.

Prophecies Came True.

One hundred and four years ago, at this season, the War of 1812 was practically over. Peace was signed, at Ghent, on the evening of December 24, 1814; and then things moved fast, according to existing standards. December 26, one of the American secretaries left Ghent for London, and January 2, 1815, he left England for New York, where he arrived some time in February, and his news was Immediately delivered to the citizens by printed handbills. Other cities, however,' had to remain in ignorance during the time it would take a fast rider to urge his galloping horse over the roads between them ajid New York. The telegraph was not yet vented, says the - Christian Science Monitor, although Joseph Glanvil, a seventeenth century preacher with an interest in the possibilities of -invention, had told the Royal society that “to confer at the distance of the Indies, by sympathetic conveyances, may be as usual to future times as to us in literary correspondence.’'

Reds in South Africa, Too.

Captain Town, according to the London Telegraph’s Cape Town, correspondent, Mr. Malan, the acting prime minister, announced in the house of assembly that the government would Introduce a bill dealing w’ith bolshevist propaganda in South Africa. The announcement, though viewed askance by the laborists, has otherwise given general satisfaction. It was stated recently on high authority that native discontent was never more pronounced than now. Various revolutionary and socialist bodies, largely composed of Russian and other aliens, have been issuing bolshevist lit<«rature in the native languages. In a recent prosecution in Moritzburg a leaflet printed in Zulu, calling upon the natives to strike off their chains and free themselves, was read in court.- The general feeling is that the circulation of such incitements is highly dangerous, and that alien and bolshevist agitators should be deported.

Serbia's Ruined Libraries.

A leaflet issued by the entente committee of the Royal Society of Literature, in London, describes the wanton destruction and pillage of Serbian libraries during the war, and appeals for aid in the task of restoring these institutions. The library of Belgrade university, the leading collection of books relating to the Balkans in the whole world and also the most important library in Serbia, was systematically pillaged and destroyed; the large library at the monastery of Dechani, dating from the fourteenth centnry snd rich in historical documents, underwent a sfnTrlarf ate; and many others fared likewise.* Every printing press in Serbia was carried away or destroyed by the enemy.—Scientific American.

Home ’Comforts.

"I o understand Mr. Grabcoin is good to his family.” “Yes. He spends not less than $50,000 a year on his wife and daughters.” “And what does he get- out of it, I wonder?” “Why, a place to eat and sleep when business permits, a dressing-gown, an easy chair and a pair of house slippers. What more does a man want?” —Birniingh»m Age-Herald.

“SELECTIVE SERVICE’’ FOR FARM FLOCK SHOULD RULE THROUGHOUT ENTIRE YEAR

(Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) There are two classes of farm fowl —those that are parasitic on flock profits, and those that are profitable. To bounce the boarders from the flock and encourage the increase and betterment of the profitable biddies, are tasks of basic importance which confront every poultryman. With feed high in price and poultry products correspondingly valuable, it is of maximum significance to get rid of the worthless and increase the worthy birds in every farm flock, declare United States department of agriculture specialists. Culling serves three purposes. It Insures that the feed will be consumed by the profit-producing hens. It makes It possible to save those best suited for breeders, both because of their better production and their superior strength and vitality, which enable them to stand yp under the severe strain of heavy laying. It provides more room by thinning out the slacker hens. • Culling Regular, Continuous. Culling should be continuous throughout the year. It should consist of weeding out, when discovered, any hen which is sick, very thin or emaciated. or which shows evidence of non-production, weakness or poor vitality. The entire flock should be given a careful and systematic inspection and culling once a year and preferably several times. The hens should be handled individually and gone over carefully with the object of separating the workers from the shirker's. From the class of better producers it is desirable to pick out as many of the best as will be needed for subsequent breeding. These hens should bfe banded or otherwise marked so that their eggs may be saved for hatching purposes. The inferior fowls should be marketed as soon as possible. When a single systematic culling is made, the best time for such work is in August or September. Then it is easier to form a close estimate of the value of the hen as an egg producer, as well as to weed out the un-

CARE IN HANDLING EGGS IS IMPORTANT

Must Be Gathered Twice Each Day and Kept Cool. Merchants Should Store in Dry, Cold Place, or Chill in Refrigerating Plant to Temperature Well Below 40 Degrees. (Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) Good fresh eggs put in a basket and stored in the hot kitchen for a day or two may. reach town in such condition that they must be used at once to be available for food. A basket of perfectly fresh eggs left on the back of the wagon and exposed to the sun during a ten-mile drive to town, may reach the country merchant in such shape that not even immediate chilling will make them available for long shipment to the cities. This is the story constantly revealed by the candle on the egg car. Eggs of which the farmer’s wife is very proud will show that they have been allowed to remain 24 to 48 hours in the nest or at some point in their history have been exposed to heijfr which lowers their value. It is evident, therefore, that if the egg is to be palatable to the city consumer care In its handling must begin on the farm. The farmer must gather his eggs twice a day and must keep them cool afterwards, just as he would cream or milk, until they are delivered in town. There the merchant must at once put them into a dry cold place, or, if he wishes to be strictly" up to date, must chill jhem in his own little refrigerating plant or in the larger refrigerating plant of the town, to a temperature well below 40 degrees F. “• Heat is the great enemy, for once a good egg has stood for any time at a temperature of over 68 degrees F. it begins to incubate, if it is a fertile or to spoil, if it is an infertile egg.

Carefully Save Droppings.

No matter how small the flock, the droppings should be carefully saved, stored, and either used as fertilizer for plants or disposed of to I*™“ can so use them to increase the fertility of the soil.

Fresh Litter for Nests.

Fresh Utter should be placed in the egg nests at frequent intervals during » summer. ~~

Keep the Workers—Eliminate the Shirkers.

profitable birds. Hens which show indications of laying at this time are those which on the average have been the better producers for the year. It must be remembered also, that the better producers during tfie first laying year are those which will be the superior yielders in subsequent years. Hens showing indications of having been good producers throughout the year should be retained for the next year regardless of their age, but relatively few hens will prove to be profitable' 0 producers beyond their second laying year if they are of the heavier breeds, such as the Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, or Orpington; or beyond their third laying year if they are of the lighter breeds, such as the Leghorn. Additional culling during July is also desirable in order to eliminate hens which have started to molt and have stopped laying. Fowls to Cull. In culling the flock remember that It is safer to depend upon the agreement of a combination of several characteristics than to select by any one alone. With this in mind, cull hens that are sick, weak, lacking in vigor, inactive, poor eaters, molted or molting; those with small, shriveled, hard, dull-colored combs; with small, puckered, hard, dry vents; with thick or coarse, stiff pelvic bones, pelvic bones close together, small spread between pelvic bones and rear fend of keel, and full, hard, small abdomen. In breeds with yellow skin and shrinks, the discarded hens should also show yellow or medium yellow shanks and yellow beaks. Save hen's that are healthy, vigorous, alert, and active; good eaters; not molting or just beginning to molt in September or October; with large, moist vents; with large, brightred combs; thin, pliable pelvic bones well spread apart, wide spread between pelvic bones and rear end of keel, and large, soft, pliable abdomen. In breeds with yellow skins anp shanks, the hens saved should also show pale or white shanks and pale or white beaks and vents.

USE CARE AFTER DEHORNING

Pains Should Be Taken That No Foreign Substances Get Into Openings After Operation. (Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) It is not usual to apply any preparation after the operation of dehorning to present bleeding, as the loss of blood is not sufficient, as a rule, to be of consequence. Care should be taken, however, to prevent substances from getting into the openings left after the horns are removed. The horn cores are elongations of the frontal bones of the skull, and are hollow. They communicate w’ith the frontal sinuses, or air spaces of the head; therefore foreign substances or fragments of horn which act as an irritant in these cavities are apt to set up an inflammation, resulting in the formation of pus or an abscess, w’hich may prove quite serious. This trouble is of infrequent occurrence, but would appear more liable to happen when the dehorning instruments are used, on account of their tendency to crush, especially in the case of old animals, whereas the saw cuts clean. If proper care is taken, however, such an occurrence following dehorning- may in almost every instance be avoided. —— If the animals are dehorned in warm weather, it is well to apply some pine tar with a view? to keeping flies from the wounds. Some operators do this in nearly all cases, thinking that it facilitates healing. The dehorning operation should always, when possible, be performed in cool weather, amT upon animals which have at least attained the age of two years.

POULTRY NOTES

Sell, kill or segregate the rooster! ♦ * • Clean sour milk is a fine regulator for- young chicks. ♦ • • Ducks should have plenty of green feed and-Wat feed. Growing chicks that are kept closely confined need much greater attention along all lines. • * • Improper feeding and too close confinement have been the causes of many failures in turkey raising. • * * ' Growing chicks will not eat too much if they have plenty of range so they can get the desired exercise.