The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-07-16
An Essay ON Household and
Kitchen Economy.
BY MRS. M. z.

2.
Medon, Madison county, Tenn.
The importance of this subject
can hardly be overestimated; the
key that unlocks the great method
of economy is system. A judicious
and systematic arrangement of
household duties render them far
less irksome and tedious than they
otherwise would be- To have a
place for everything and keep eve
rything in its place should ever be
our aim.
A saving woman at the head of a
family is the very best savings
bank ever yet established-one that
receives deposits daily and hourly
with no costly machinery to run it.
The idea of saving is a pleasant one
and if the women would only i'm
bibe it once she would cultivate and
adhere to it, and thus many when
they they are not aware of it would
be laying the foundation for a cons
petence,-security in a stormy time,
a shelter for a rainy day. The wo-
man who sees to her own house
hold business has a large field to
save in, and the best way to make
her comprehend it is for her to keep
an account of current expenses.
Probably not one woman in ten has
any idea of how much are the ex-
penditures of herself and family.
This is duty and not a prompting
of avarice on the part of every wo-
man. But one will say when and
where shallss we begin? First, we
should practice economy in buying
our goods; then in the cutting and
fitting of garments for every day
wear. They should be made to fit
as we'll as those intended for the
holiday attire.
Secondly, When these garments
become old or thread bare, TO keep
them neatly mended-remembering
the old adage, "a stitch in time saves
nine" But perhaps some of us will
say, How are we to use economy in
dress in this age of fashion and ex-
travagance? it will never do to dress
out of style" We should make our
dresses and those of our children
plainly and neatly, and if they do
not look stylish we will certainly
find some economy in time and the
labor of making.
But enough of this, as miscella-
neous items claim our attention. We
all, for the sake of by-gone days,
love tallow candles, but in these
days of rapid improvement kero-
sene supercedes tallow, as steam
displaces horsepower. We often
hear complaint that the lamps will
not give a steady light, or the burn
er is worn out: but the true reason
is, the lamp was set aside untrim-
med this morning, and instead of
the burner being worn out the wick
only needs to be removed and
stretched to erase the grooves made
by the screw. Take the lamp, re-
move and stretch the wick and
brighten the burner and all will
work well.
To remove stains of every descrip-
ton from the hands, annoint with
kerosene or turpentine and battle
the hands in warm suds.
Brooms when used very frequent
ly, as they should be, become stiff
and brittle, to make them plant dip
in clear warm suds and hang up to
dry.
When sweeping a very dusty
floor dampen the broom, and shake
it well to remove the water, and the
dust will adhere to the broom in
tead of settling in your eyes, nose
and mouth.
Finally, we should always en-
deavor to make our homes pleasant
aud attractive and beautiful if we
can. Make home hive where all
beautiful feelings cluster, like bees
and their honey-dew bring. Make
it temple of holy revealings, and
love its bright angel with shadow
ing wing, then shall it be when afar
on life's pillows, wherever your
tempest tossed children are flung,
they will long for the shadow of
the home weeping willow, and sing
the sweet songs which their mother
had sung.
But as kitchen, as well as house
hold economy, is the subject of
this occasion we must not fail to
notice that important department
When and where shall we begin
to economic there? AS meat and
bread are the ordinary dishes of
every day life we must begin with
these. We should only cook enough
at one time to be consumed at one
meal, unless intended for another;
and if we should have cold biscuit
or lightbread left from breakfast, a
very nice desert can be made for
dinner by compounding them into
puo ding, instead of placing them
in the slop- bucket; and if we boil a
nice piece of bacon for dinner, with
vegetables, and it is not eaten, in
stead of throwing it into the soap
grease, we can fry it out nicely and
obtain lard enough to shorten bread
for morning or evening meal, there
by saving visit to the lard stand.
These are small items | know, but
from small things large ones grow
we must take care of the dimes and
the dollars will take care Of them