14
The Nebraska Independent
JANUARY 3, 1907
Washing With Gasoline
If gasoline Is used Instead of kero
sene In boiling clothes, there will
never be a greasy scum on the water,
as is sometimes the case with kero
85me, and there is no odor left on the
fclothes. Of course tho gasoline can
must not be taken near the stove, but
if the amount needed is carried to
the boiler in a cup there is no danger.
Add two-thirds of a bar of soap to
two-thirds of a boiler of water, and
when it nearly reaches the boiling
point add three tablespoonfuls of gas
oline and put the clothes in dry. After
they have.boiled twenty minutes they
are ready to be rubbed slightly, blued
and starched Tho Housekeeper.
The Dahlia a Home Flower
Dahlias are as ensily grown as po
tatoes. The soil that suits one will
suit the other. During late summer
and until frost no plants yield so
great a variety of colors and forms
of flowers wilh so little effort. What
wonder they are favorites and are
growing in popularity as each season
adds new and choice varieties to tho
already large Hsts of 'worthy kinds.
All seedsmen and florists sell the
plants in spring. A start in this way
is easy. The plants are set out as
soon as the ground becomes warm
and danger of frost has passed. With
an occasional hoeing to keep the sur
face soil loo -the 'pianV thrive well.
.Stli4rrg"'is the only item of work whifctr
geraniums do not require. This must
be done to strengthen the plants
against wind.
Many people keep the tubers over
winter and plant them in spring. This
makes the flowers come much later
and produces fewer of them than the
way just described. A better plan is
to plant the clumps of roots in damp
sand or soil, a month or more before
the time when they would ordinarily
be set out of doors. If kept in a
warm place sprouts will soon apepar
and the tubers can be separated and
planted in large flower pots or boxes
until time for transplanting arrives.
The most satisfactory plan where one
has a hot bed or greenhouse is to
make cuttings of the sprouts. They
are about as easy to grow in this
way as geraniums. Several plants
can be grown from each tuber and
each plant will produce flowers soon
er than plants grown by either of the
above methods.
In the autumn when the frost has
nipped the tops, the stems must be
cut and the tubers dug. After allow
ing them to dry in a frostloss place
(hey are easily stored in coal ashes
or dry sand in a dry cool cellar. The
must not be allowed to become ket
or they will decay.
Hardy Shrub
Nothing In tho garden will give so
much satisfaction with .ho little trouble
ns hardy shrubs. There are hundreds
to select from and by choosing UivU
beautiful in berries, bark or other
nm.i that remain attractive during
I Winter. thf whnlf vonr mnv ho rrndo
F - - J n . . w nrv i.ul j
beautiful. The principal thing to re
member is to prune soon after the
flowers have fallen, except the case
of fall blooming kinds, which may be
pruned in early spring. If the spring
bloomers are pruned in autumn, win
ter or spring fewer flowers will re
sult. The following kinds are perfect
ly hardy and, with the exception of the
last two blossoms before midsummer:
Purple leaved barberry, variegated
dogwood, purple Persian lilac, com
mon white lilac, strawberry tree pur
ple and white fringe, Japan quince,
spirca prunifolia, Weigela rosea, fern
leaved sumach, hydrangea paniculata
grandiflora. '
Creamed Nuts
Boil two pounds white sugar and
one teacup water until it threads, then
flavor highly with vanila. Take from
the fire and stir rapidly until white
and creamy. Have walnuts, almonds
or hickory nuts prepared. Make the
candy Into small round cakes, then
press the half of a nut into the sides.
Drop in granulated sugar, then set
on a dish or board covered with white
paper.
Chocolate Creams
Mix together well one pound of
granulated sugar and a half pint of
water. Put in a granite . saucepan
over a quick fire and do not move or
stirVhite'lQUing. After boiling -for
fifteen minutes, "drOf"some in cold
water and If it can be taken up in a
soft ball it is done. When it is cold,
butter your fingers and shape it into
balls. Melt some sweetened choco
late and with a fork dip the balls into
it until they are covered.
Was It You?
There was somebody who never did
anything to make anybody happy. Was
it you?
There was somebody who never lost
an opportunity to say a sarcastic word
that would wound the feelings of
someone. Was it you?
There was somebody who always
found fault with the actions, sayings,
and things, of everybody. Was it
you?
There was somebody who always
said harsh and cruel words about
those whom they were led to believe
were their friends. Was it you?
There are those who always have a
kind word for everybody, who always
do good acts, who always throw sun
shine along life's pathway, and who
are always beloved by everybody. Are
you that person? Ex.
Putting Away Sausage
To those who practice the tiresome
process of "frying down" sausage In
cakes. I want to tell an easier way.
After the sausage I ground and sea
soned, puck It in gallon crocks, press
ing It down firmly. Do not fill quite
to the top. Th n put the crocks In a
slow oven. When the sausage Is brown
on the top, and covered with melted
grease, remove from the oven, and
place a weight on each crock, so that
the grease will cover the sausage
When the grease hardens, remove the
weights and pour on enough more
grease to completely cover the sau
sage. Tie papers over the crocks, and
your work is finished. I have pre
pared sausage in this way in Febru
ary, and in October found it still fresh
and good as when put away. "N. M.
M.," Harlan, la.
Meat Curing
Pickled Pig's Feet Scrape and
wash, put in a pan and cover with
hot (not boiling) water. When partly
done, salt. Boil five hours. Pack in
crock and pour spiced hot vinegar
over the feet. In a couple or three
days they are ready for use.
Country Sausage Six pounds of
lean pork, three pounds of chine fat,
three tablespoonfuls salt, two table
spoonfuls of black pepper, four of
pounded and sifted sage, and two or
summer savory." Chop lean and fat
pork fine, mix seasoning in with your
hands. By tasting you may decide to
change the flavor by adding more of
this or that. Pack in hog casings or
else make casings out of stout muslin.
Dip in melted lard and hang in a cool,
dark, dry place. If preferred, the
sausage can be packed in jars and
melted lard poured over the top.
Country sausage is a very much
sought after product of the farm, and
the town folks readily buy all the
farmers can produce.
Pickled Beef To each gallon of wa
ter add a pound and a . half of salt,
half a pound of brown sugar, half an
ounce of "saKpeter, and half an ounce
of potash. Boil together and when all
scum has risen skim it off. Pour into
pickling tub to cool.
Don't pickle beef until two days
after killing. Do not let it freeze
either. Sprinkle a little saltpeter over
the meat and it will remove the sur
face blood and can- be wiped off be
fore pickling. When brine is cold,
pack the meat in it and hold it under
brine. It will be pickled in two weeks.
The pickled meat is ready for smok
ing. If hams are to be smoked, they
should remain in pickle six weeks,
then hang with leg down. After
smoking tie each ham in a flour sack
or muslin bag to keep flies, etc., qff,
then hang in a cool, dry place.
Spiced Corned Beef For 50 pounds
of beef take a quarter of a peck of
coarse salt. Put a layer of salt in
the bottom of a clean pickle barrel
(half barrel is more convenient) then
a layer of meat, a layer of salt, then
met, etc., until the meat is used up.
eLt stand over night. Dissolve two
ounces of saltpeter and two ounces
of salaratus In a little warm water to
which add one pound of brown sugar
or a half quart of molasses. Put this
on meat and add enough water to
cover meat. Lay weighted board on
meat 'to keep it under brine. In ten
days this will bo ready for use. It
can remain In the brine all winter
without harm. To spice, tako ten
lounda of corned beef, fat and lean
mixed, and boll until nearly done, then
add one ounce each of allspice, cor
lander seed, popper, and half an ounce
of cloves (all spices whole), boil for
half hour and remove the meat and
leave spices. Chop or p'ull apart and
press into molds and cool. Spices can
be left out for ordinary corned beef.
Tongues and livers pickled in this
brine for ten days are excellent when
smoked. Wipe dry before hanging in
smoke house. After smoking, cut in
slices and fry or broil.
Smoked Sausage Eleven pounds of
lean raw beef, six and a half pounds
fat, raw pork. Chop moderately fine
and season with six ounces salt, two
ounces ground white pepper, and one
half ounce of whole coriander seed.
Add a little water and mix well. Stuff
into beef rounds (casings). Tie ends
together and smoke for forty-eight
hours. .
Dried Beef Cut a round of beef into
four pieces afier it has thoroughly
cooled after killing and rub each
piece all over lightly with salt and let
it remain a day. Make a brine of one
gallon water, half pound of brown
sugar, a teaspoonful of powdered salt
peter, and salt enough to float an egg.
Put, meat in this brine and turn it
every other day for eight days. Then
hang the meat in a cool, dry place.
Can be used when dry enough to cut.
Smoking will spoil flavor.
Home Cured Meats
There's a chance for farmers to cure
some meats for home consuption and
local selling. Since the shady meth
ods of the packing houses have been
shown up, there has been a falling
off in the consumption of canned and
cured meats. Peaple crave good sau
sage, and smoked beef just as they
used to, and will readily buy if they
know they are. getting clean and
wholesome meats. So here is your
chance.
We wish to Insist that you do not
kill any animal that does not appear
absolutely healthy. If you are afraid
to be the judge of this, have a veterin
arian inspect all stock you expect to
butcher.
It only takes a few weeks to com
pletely change the flavor and appear
ance of a chicken when coop fed. No
doubt this same influence works in the
steer and hog.
So when you butcher for your fam
ily or for local selling, do not choosi
those animals least fit to sell.
To be cleanly in butchering, one
must have things arranged properly.
Keep the cats and dogs away from
the meat and the chickens, rats and
mice.
Cool the meats as soon as dressed.
Keep cool and clean and they need no
preservative such as is often sold.
Dead the articles on meat curing else
where. For Sensible Girls
Insect stings or eruptions on thai
skin are relieved by alcohol.
Powdered alum applied to a fever
sore will prevent It from becoming
unsightly or noticeable.
A little camphor and water should
be u.sed as a wash for the mou'.h and
throat if the breath I not sweet.
A Bcnsibhi girl will not keep u lot
of cosmetics and roughen on her toilet
table, but tueru are a few articles sh
s
I