The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-21

Not so many years ago women were
obliged to be content with the sparsesi
attentions in the way of wholesome ao-
vice. says Dorothy Maddox in the Phiia-
delphia ~sInnuirer.s Today We are ten
dered an embarrassment of riches. Upon
all sides we fad sensible advice awaiting
our appreciation. 1t is not only practical,
it Is agreeable. There are some cavlilers
who imagine that we are being given too
much of a good hin They do not lake
into consideration the number Of help
less housekeepers drifting out OF one
hopeless muddle into another. Time and
many a good American dollar are saved
us by writer's who, having made a study
Of home economy, put their knowledge
into shape and submit it to our considera-
ton.
Many times am sure / do not know
how / hou get around perpiexing sit
uations were it not for the helpful voi-
umes in my study. twe their pages
i find another woman's ideas, keen-witted
ideas that meeiSthe case in hand without
ado 1t is we'll to be self-reliant, but in
our ignorance we are apt to lean upon
uncertain props. In place of q continued
system of numbering, gracieusly to ac-
cept help is the wiser plan.
The world daily grows more interesting.
Art sends to US her choicest treasures,
Unit We know how to care for them, how
to. appreciate them. they are useless
Hygiene longs to bring into our homes
the latest health helps. We ignore it.
Domestic economy is something more
than a fadism OF an hour. We must un-
derstand its principles or lose half of life's
richest blessings What a snarl we make
trying to untangle the threads of exist
ence. The well-balanced women doing
this for us deserve TO be considered our
good angels,
Maria Parloa, in her clever book,
Home Economics says:-"Few women
nave the time to devote to Investigation
and experiment in all the lines that bear
upon the making of a home" and then
she goes on to give in a clear and concise
style valHable information. She avoids a
confusion of hints, the trouble with so
many writers who fail to consider the
value of a busy won1an's time. Very
friendly are her overtures. She goes from
garnet to cellar with pleasant and prefta-
BILE schemes for keeping the domestic
wheels in running order. The daily rou-
tine of housekeeping Is simplffied and the
more elaborate plans for home building
worked out m such fashion that poeti-
cal details are not neglected. Great
stress Is laid upon table service in Home
Economical
How many women understand the rules
for d~ecenttable service? Comparatively
few. Then how can they train their
maids to perform this duty How many
women can go into the laundry and set
Alright a laundering washwoman2 What
do most of us understand about furnish
a kitchen, and. after 1t is in ~apple-pie
order, are we smart enough to know how
a dinner should be cooked?
All. the waste. the fearful waste, GO
ing on in SO many households because
rank ignorance is trying to boss delicate
tachnicalities of the domestic machinery.
Husband struggles to make two ends
meet and wife grows peevish, eareworn,
old, under the strain of time and means
misused. II behoopes us to set eonceit
aside and accept with gracious thankful
ness all helpful advice. The necessities
of daily life compel lis to consider the
materials and forces with which we
must deal and the way in which they
must be treated. When we understand
more about drainage, ventilation, heat
ing. plumbing. etc., then and only then
will this land of ours hold homes worthy
the name.
When once the house plants are estab-
Hshed indoors the window gardener needs
but few tools, but there are one or two
utensils it is worth while to have. The
stout wire hairpin with which she loosens
the soil is SO much a part of every wom-
ans workday equipment that it might
pass without mention. The rubber bot
tie. which when compressed Yields a fine
spray, is a decided convenience, and no
red spiders should flourish where it is in
frequent use. Unless woodwork and aoor
coverings are particularly choice, the
plants may be lightly sprayed without re-
moving them from shelf and bracket,
and when carried to sink or bath tub
for a thorough soaking the atomizer is
still useful. Where it is in daily use one
should be careful to notice whether SUM-
Gent water is also poured upon the soil,
a dried out ball of earth whose surface
is frequently sprinkled being anything
but helpful to plant growth. OF course,
no sweeping or busting must be done In
the room while the foliage is still damp.
Quite as useful as the rubber sprinkler
is a small watering pot In either one or
two quart size, says Good Housekeep-
ing" With the nozzle removed it is far
handler than a pitcher for watering and
for use at the bath tub or sink gives COM
plete drenching of the soil and washing
of foliage. Atmospheric conditions vary,
but most plants thrive better under a
weekly cleansing and soaking than If a
constant drfbbling be kept up. Yet to
become dry to the point of whiting is
Injurious to almost any specimen.
A teapot discarded from table use, it's
leak repaired with a bit of putty if needs
be. may serve a second term of office
among the house plants. Hidden in some
handy corner beside the package of plant
food, it may be used for brewing the
concoction, and will make easier to re-
member the proper quantity to be used.
One kept in some back shed will serve
well for making applications of soor wa
ter and barnyard and hen-roost ~fertiliz-
ers In liquid form. The temptation to
use these teas too strong and too infre-
quently is lessened when they may be
conveniently measured and neatly ham
died. The knowing just how and hca
much, does actually go far toward saw
ing time and labor.
IF | had the power to confer one sin
gle accomplishment upon all mankind"
said a sensible looking woman at a recent
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