Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-09-11
KEEPING VEGETABLES FRESH.

Juliet COrsOn Gives Some Valuable In!
formation to Housewives.
Copyright BY American Press Associatiou.l
What is the best way to keep vege-
tables fresh?
If the greengrocer who is in the habit
OF olsplay1ng ms enare STOCK on EresJle-
work outside his store door, trusting to
good trade to sell the most Of It before Il
becomes unstable from the effect Of sun
and dust, would follow the plan pro-
posed by the writer some years ago, and
by slow degrees gaining favor because
1t reduces the percentage of loss from
waste, he would crafty his customers
immensely in addition. The simplest
trial to make is to place the bulk Of his
mornings purchase Of perishable goods
in the coolest and darkest part of his
place. A dark cellar is the best of all
rooms for this use, unless he has an ice
box large enough to receive the vegeta-
bles, if not the cases. A cold room of
course would be Incompatible. Only
the largest dealers have such rooms
Put the vegetables in their original
cases in cool, dark place, sprinkle
them with water, and only bring them
into the light in quantities as required
for sale. If at night any remain unsold
look them over, throw away the injured
portions, again sprinkle them with cold
water and leave them in the dark. BY
this attention given to them night and
morning they will keep good several
days.
If possible put that small quantity Of
each which serves as sample in a glass
case, after first trimming off all defective
parts and washing the vegetables in cool
water. Then, inclosing them in the case,
they will look fresh and inviting.
If housewives all over the country
would follow the example of many of
my pupils, and make it a condition of
trade that their dealers shall keep their
vegetables somewhat in this way, they
will soon prove the advantage of it to
the tradesmen's satisfaction. The points
to be noted are freedom from air, dust,
heat, decayed parts and keeping the
fruit and vegetables in cool dark
place. One portion of the ice box racked
off, or the vegetables wrapped in a large
cloth, will keep them from contact with
other foods, except always that nothing
should ever be put into the same ice box
with either milk, cream or butter. An
entirely separate box must be kept for
these articles if they are to be in the best
condition.
To return TO the idea which / have
long advocated of one person buying for
several neighb0ring families.
If every hOusekeeper would inform
herself toward night as to supplies on
hand, the requirements in quantity OF
the dry groceries and for the temporary
supply of such perishable foods as milk,
cream, butter, fresh meat, poultry, fish
vegetables and fruit, the buyer could
make the round of her customers during
the evening, make up her market list,
retire before IL o'clock, SO as to
rise and be at the market before {
a. III. At any hour between and
a. III. the vegetables and fruit are
| plentiful; the meats, poultry and fish
can be bought later, and the dry grocer.
les, such as sugar, tea and coffee, at any
convenient hour. The goods should be
delivered in bulk at the buyers house
and distributed from that point accord
ing to her orders. Just such purchases
are being made i'll several places as the
result of the first inception of the work
some three or four years ago. Success
depends upon the way the thing is un-
dertaken.
SO, equally, does the success of the
plan for inducing dealers to take the
best care Of food supplies while they are
passing through their hands. That the
health of the family greatly depends
upon this goes without saying in these
days when housewives give so much
thought to the government of their lit
tie kingdoms. JULIET CoRsoN.