The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-01
HELPS 10 GOOD LIVING.
Cheap Luxuries OF Which the Majority Of
Farmers Deprive Themselves.

4
The bill of fare in most farm-houses
might be greatly improved without in
curing any additional expense. The
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 boarder
manifests strong liking, because
they have them in so great abundance.
Among them are rich milk. fresh eggs,
and hoHe-made 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 as 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 desirous 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 1t
would receive no patronage IN
country village. There would be no
demand for buttermilk in a 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 ''gu a-ishing." 1t is practical
to have fish pond on most farms, in
which carp can be raised. 1t is not the
best sort of 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 promotive of
health and pleasure. Farmers should
keep few sheep if for no other pur-
pose than affording 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
rs 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
Il 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
q 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
| Iuite 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 or pie-plant is another,
and celery is a third. Their consump-
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-
lev, sage, summer savory and thyme
should be raised in the garden of every
farmer. A bed of water-cress on the
bank of stream, the margin of q
pond, or the side of 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 a square rod of rich soil. The best
substitute for them is the Hubbard
squash baked ION the half she'll"
The cooking of meat in farm-houses
could be greatly improved by substi-
tuting the broiling-iron for the frying
pan. 1t could also be improved by
cooking it shorter time. Fine beef is
ruined by too much cooking. Its 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
manner that fish are. They never
learn to eat raw beef. FRYING meat
and fish is much more common in the
country than in cities. probably for the
reason that the soft coal cOOking-stove