The Russellville Democrat., 1880-04-01
HOME TOPICS.
Light a Necessity-Dried Apples--Hop
 Yeast-Notes.

Light a Necessity-Dried AppIes--Hop
 Yeast--Notes.
 Dr. Richardson, whose articles on health have been cited so much, in re- cent English publication produces an article called Health at Home, which is replete with wisdom. A most impor- tant point, and one on which. he dwells, is the fact that so maHy people are afraid of the light. "In a dark and gloomy house you never see the dirt that pol lutes it. Dirt accumulates on dirt, and the mind soon learns to apologize for this condition because the gloom con ceals it." Accordingly, when house is dark and dingy, the air becomes impure, not only on account of the absence of light, but from the impurities which are accumulated. Now, as Dr. Richardson cleverly puts it, we place flowers in our windows that they may have the light. If this be the case, why should we de- prive ourselves of the sunshine and ex- pect to gain health and vigor? Light, and plenty of it, is only purifier of things inanimate, but it absolutely stim- ulates our brains. It is in regard to sick rooms that this excellent authority is particularly impressive. It used to be the habit of physicians in old times to seduously darken the rooms, and this practice continues to some extent even to-day. In certain very acute cases of nervous diseases, where light, the least ray of it, disturbs in over-exciting the visual organs, this darkening of the room may be permitted, but ordinarily to keep light out of the room is to de- prive the patient of one of the vital for ces. Children or old people condemned to live in darkness are pale and wan exactly like those plants which, deprived of light, grow white. Darkness in the day time undoubtedly makes the blood flow less strongly and checks the beat ing of the heart, and these conditions are precisely such as bring constitutional suffering and disease. The suppression of the light of day actually increases those contagious maladies which feed on uncleanliness. Dr. Richardson states: "I once found by experiment that cer- tain organic Deisons, analogous to the poisons which propagate these diseases, are rendered innocuous by exposure to light" I#tFF
 DRIED APPLES.
 It takes bold person to say a good word for dried apples, which have been
 
 Phoebe Carey's caustic poetry, and the sign of all poor housekeeping, But since the best families in England are finding them very convenient under the name of American apple chips, their vir- tues may be discovered nearer home. Now that green apples are so dear, some housekeepers will be glad to know that sour dried apples are just as good-for mince pies, and no one can ever detect the difference. The old-fashion cut and strung apples keep their flavor better than the thin steam-dried fruit. The same thing can be said foruhpsrod dried peaches, which have much finer flavor than the pared fruit. The unpared peaches can be bought for shilling a pound, the others at l6 to 20. Soak the unpared an hour after picking them over, pour away the water rub in the hands through another and pour that of, and put them in a covered stone jar with plenty of cold water and room to swell, to stay in the oven over night. Then rub through a sieve and to two pounds of the stewed fruit add a can of canned peaches, and stew till the latter is just done, with sugar to taste. A delicious jam or compete is the result, with almost if moi quite as fine flavor as the canned fruit. Try this way of cooking dried apples, and confess that they have been slandered. Soak an hour and wash as directed for peaches. Put to bake in a stone jar. two-thirds full of fruit and quite fill of water. Bake over night. fn the morning add a third of tea spoonful of tartaric acid to each pound to restore the acid lost by drying, unless the apples are unusually sour, or Co use the juice of three lemons for the same purpose. Add a coffee cup of sugar to each pound of fruit, teaspooniul of cinnamon or nutmeg and q pinch of cloves, and return to the oven for an hour. While hot stir in a tesspooniul of nice butter. This makes a pleasant jam which children like very much, and which proves excellent Tor buildings, pies and plain cake. The longer 1t keeps the better it is. and if weather affects it second baking restores it's sweetness and improves Its flavor.
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