Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-07
The Mission of the Old Tin Can.

For everything there is a use, if one
but cast about to find It, Even so hum
BILE and seemingly worthless an article
as the tin can, which, after having as
Is commonly supposed. done its sole
duty upon being emptied of its con-
tents, is consigned to the dump pile.
holds forth numerous possibilities to
the economy -'ovinesHolsewife whose
chief delight is to.N@kefthe most OF
everything.
The pound coffee Gang are Of meal
cula BILE service III the kitchen anu
storeroom, being with their closely
fitting covers, dust-proof. iney make
excellent baking tins for bread. pro
ducing the wholesome loaf with crust
on all sides, which may b. sliced INTO
rounds of such convenient size for
sandwich making. Cup cake batter
may be baked in these cans. and when
cold cut into thin rounds. then put to-
gether in pairs with jelly or icing be-
tween.
AS receptarles for groceries, such as
rice, hominy, beans and the like, moth
ing can be better than these coffee
cans. To be kept i'll the kitchen for
receiving meat fryings, they are espe-
cially useful. When it is desirable 70
have at hand in the kitchen Il small
supply of brown sugar for seasoning
purposes, the coffee can again boDs
UP serenely and mutely attests its MT
ness for this very thing. A can of salt
conveniently to hand on the COOK
shelf is one of the greatest time ana
step savers. In acknowledgment OF
this the coffee can once again makes
| its bow and comes to the front.
! Empty corn, tomato and such like
cans rank next in value to the coffee
can. Perforate the bottom of one OF
these cans, and presto. it becomes a
soap shaker, the like of which, for
real service and comfort. cannot be
bought in the shops.
! When it is desirable to start flower
slips or SOW seed for window garden
ing. the economical housewife doesn't
| spent money for florists nOurisherS.
Instead, she trims off the top edge of
one or more of these cans, makes sew
eral perforations in the bottom, drops
in a few pebbles for drainage, fills the
cans with good earth, and king
ransom couldn't buy better recepta-
Gle for the purpose, in so far as utility
is concerned. Indeed. country house
wives will tell you that plants in cans
fully grown ones at leaSt-seem to
, thrive better in tin cans than in the
regulation pots. and it is no unusua
| thing to see a whole shelf of such cans
each boasting its plant of great sturdi-
ness and bloom of rare richness OF
color.
One enterprising woman last sum
mer converted her back yard trash pile
into a thing of beauty and the seasons
Joy by filling the old fruit and vegeta-
BILE cans of which it was largely com
posed. with rich earth, then dropping
into each a few seeds-clmbing mas
turtiums. phlox. marigold. cluster
morning glory vines and other easily
grown old time favorites-which il
due time quickened, grew and raj
riot.
When a easuring cup is not a
hand, one of these cans answers the
purpose most admirably in the store
room or pantry. If kept dry and clear
tin tomato cans may be pressed into
service as cooking vessels for FOODS
that do not contain acids.
Baking powder and cocoa cans make
most convenient receptacles for spices
The manufacturers labels should be
washed off and the cans be re-labeled
A firSt-class -four dredger may be
made at home by perforating a large
baking powder can. A salt sitter t
be used by the cook for busting meats
may be made in the same way, using
in this instance the half-pound size
cans. For holding carpet tacks-whicf
the thrifty housewife will tell you are
we'll worth saving-nothing is better
than baking powder cans. Agar
these cans come into play when a SAT,