The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-03-22


ticularly a white one, is hard on the
eyes and becomes very monotonous.
Wall paper is not desirable covering
for kitchen wall because it absorbs
moisture and odors and cannot be
cleaned satisfactorily.
For the floor the best covering is In
laid linoleum. This to my mind is
better than the polished floor, which is
always slippery and is hard on the
feet. Then there is the painted floor.
which has both advantages and dis
advantages, chief among the latter be-
ing not very durable qualities. The
kitchen floor should not be covered
with carpet, because that is insani-
tary, neither should it be devoid Of
any covering and so require scrubbing.
This is one of the items of work which
should be eliminated from the house
keepers schedule The white sanded
floors, tables. ETC., are attractive to
the eye and joy to certain type Of
housekeeper, but they represent too
much energy and labor to be included
in modern methods. Floors should be
covered with some material easily
cleaned. and tables, sinks, shelves, ETC.,
should be painted or covered with zinc,
tile or oilcloth. The zinc table and the
tile sink are lasting pleasure and
lessen work to such an extent that
they soon more than pay for the initial
cost.
Kitchen Furniture.
This should be simple, durable and
adequate for the needs of the house
keeper. The kind and number of
pieces will largely depend on the char
acter Of the home. But in every kitch-
en- there should be a good range, at
least one work table and a convenient
sink supplied with running water and
modern plumbing. These three articles
should be near neighbors because they
are so frequently used at the same
time.
Whatever the fuel-coal, wood, gas
or gasoline-it should be burned in a
good range. one that is perfect In all
its parts and equipped with a good
baking oven. No part of the housefur-
nishing is more important than the
kitchen stove and no piece Of farm ma
chinery, however necessary, should be
bought by sacrificing the new stove.
Since the preparation of food for the
table is an absolute necessity In every
home, the stove, whatever its style,
should be as good as any part of the
equipment of the entire establishment.
The work table should be high
enough that the worker need not stand
in an uncomfortable position while
ironing or baking. Kitchen tables are
made thirty inches high, which is not
enough for woman five feet six inch
es in height, and to bend over it, as
she always must, results In an unnec-
essary WEAKNESS or backache. Either
the low table should be set upon sup
ports or a higher one should be order.
ed. The high stool is a simple piece
Of furniture which should be in every
kitchen. 1t can be slipped under the
work table when not in use and Is q
convenient seat while preparing vege-
tables, ironing and doing the number
less other tasks which can be per-
formed sitting just as well as stand
ing.
A clock Is necessary in the kitchen,
also pair Of strong scissors, a pin
cushion with pins and some coarse nee
dies and thread, both white and black
These are constantly needed, and it
makes unnecessary steps to be obliged
to go to the living room for them. It
is hardly possible to have too many
drawers, shelves and cupboards, and
yet these ought not to be used to en-
courage disorderliness. There is SONG
times temptation to hide away things
in cupboards or drawers that would
better be destroyed at once than have
them add to the task of strengthening
up later on.
The modern kitchen may have other
useful pieces Of furniture in addition
to the above, IL there is money enough
to provide them. Among these may
be mentioned a water or electric motor
or even a small one horsepower gaso-
line engine, any one of which will run
the washing machine mangle, churn,
cream separator and can be attached
to the sewing machine. This little
contrivance Is not so expensive that II
need be excluded from even moderate
homes, considering the amount Of
work it will accomplish and the
strength it will save. When a woman
is obliged to do all her homework It
ought certainly to be counted as one of
the necessities. The kitchen cabinet
with separate compartments for all
kinds of groceries and supplies is
sometimes preferred to the pantry. II
is entirely a matter Of personal pref
erence which should be chosen, for
both are most convenient. Reason
able care must. however, be taken not
to leave groceries lying about loosely
in the cabinet, for these will attract
insects as well as mice. But the
housekeeper endowed with even the
most ordinary degree Of order may
easily avoid such a misfortune.
The electric or gasoline iron is a
handy little appliance for making
kitchen work lighter and is inexpen.
sive when usefulness and labor saw.
ing qualities are balanced with dol.
lars and cents. In the country, Of
course, the gasoline iron is generally
the only one possible, but these have
now been brought to a degree of per-
lection that makes them satisfactory.
The Use of the Kitchen.
One last important point to remem.
Der In furnishing a kitchen Is that its
real purpose is a workroom. not a nv-
ing or dining room. A workroom
should have its tools conveniently ar
ranged within easy reach of the work
man. All utensils and evidences Of
kitchen work should not be kept In
ether parts of the house or slowed
away in obscure places in order that
the room may be presentable when
strangers come. The modern kitchen
is not intended to fill the place of a
reception room, and only In exception
al cases should it be used as a dining