Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-03-21
HELPS TO GOOD LIVING.
Cheap Luxuries of Which the Majority O
Farmers Deprive Themselves.


great trouble with it is its uniformity.
Not only are the same kinds of food
served during several months in each
year, but they are ordinarily cooked in
the same manner. People living on
farms become tired of kinds of food
that rank as luXuries in large towns
and for which the country hoarder
manifests a strong liking, because
they have them in SO great abundance.
Among them are rich milk. fresh eggs
and homemade bread. People who
live in farm-houses do not care for milk
to drink, and eat but few eggs, while
the bakers bread. that is despised in
cities, is regarded a an article of
luxury. In eating, as in almost every
thing else. people care little about the
things they can have for the asking.
but are very DESTROYS to obtain articles
that are not at hand The dairy res
taurant at which milk, cream, hulled
corn and homemade bread are served
is very popular in large towns, but it
would receiy no patronage in q
country village. There would be no
demand for buttermilk country
saloon. though much is sold in city
drinking places.
On the whole. the living in cities is
much better than in the country, chiefly
for three reasons There is much
better variety Of food, more condiments
and better cooking. 1t is practical for
farmers to supply their tables with a
much greater variety of food without
any additional expense. Generally they
have no fresh fish, unless they happen
to live near lake or river and have
time to ego a-Gshing." 1t is practical
to have fish pond on most farms, in
which carp can be raised. 1t is not the
best sort fish, but it is much better
than none, and it can be raised at little
cost, now that breeding stock is dis
tributed by the Government An occa-
sional change from meat to fish is very
desirable. 1t is alike promotiye of
health and pleasure Farmers should
keep few sheep i or no other pur-
pose than al1Ording mutton for home
consumption. Mutton is the best fresh
meat for farmers during warm weather,
as it keeps longer than beef or pork.
Farmers who raise turkeys, ducks and
geese in addition to chickens can have
as good variety of fowls for the table
as city people have.
farmers generally have better green
corn, potatoes, green peas and beans
than city people do for the reason that
they can obtain them fresh from the
garden and field. They do not, how
ever, ordinarily have large variety of
garden vegetables, or those that are Of
a good quality. The list is generally
confined to beets, onions and cabbage
Lettuce, radishes, egg plants and cauli-
flower would be regarded as curiosities
if seen in gardens in most parts of the
country. Most farmers raise cucum-
bers and squashes, and sometimes the
boys on the place are allowed TO plant
few melon seeds on the site of an old
haystack or dung heap. No attempt,
however. is made to secure a large sup
ply of choice melons of several varie-
ties During the past fifteen years the
introduction of melons has produced
quite revolution in living in cities
On the tables of restaurants, hotels
and most private houses are melons,
and no breakfast or dinner is thought
to be complete without them. There is
no reason why they should not be on the
table Of farmers. They are very easy
to raise, and they contribute much to
the pleasure of the table
Asparagus is a cheap luxury that the
majority of farmers deprive themselves
of. Rhubarb OF pie-plant is another,
and celery is a third. Their consnmp-
ton in cities has increased greatly
during the past few years, and they
should be in general use in the country.
The Concord grape can be raised as
far north as most kind of apples will
ripen, and is very desirable for the
breakfast table. A variety of condi-
ments can be raised by farmers. Let
tuce, peppers, nasturtium, cress, pars-
ley, sage, summer savory and thyme
should be raised in the garden of every
farmer. A bed of Water-cress on the
bank of a stream, the margin of
pond, or the side of a spring will fur
nish one of the most desired condiments
during half the year AS relish for
eating with meat or with bread or but
ter it has no superior. Sweet potatoes
are much more easily raised than most
farmers suppose. and enough to supply
the wants of family can be produced
on square rod Of rich soil. The best
substitute fors them is the Hubbard
squash baked ION the half shell"
The cooking of meat in farm-houses
could be greatly improved by substi-
suting the broiling-iron for the frying
pam 1t could also be improved by
cooking it a shorter time. Fine beef is
ruined by too much cooking. It's flavor
is destroyed and its digestibility les
sened if it is cooked till all its juices
are destroyed. The majority of the
country people seem to think that beef
! should be baked or fried in the same