Oxford Democrat., 1913-10-28
A Yard of Rhubarb.

COLUMN. Oxford Democrat sousn Feries he'
A Yard of Rhubarb.
A new home with an uncultivated
back yard, need for money for plano
lessons for my little girl. and jar of
rhubarb marmalade conspired together
to give suggestion for improving the
first, supplying the second and market
ing the last.
TO begin With: Ny little girl had
reached the age when had always de-
clsred her musical instruction should
begin; but We had just moved into our
new home for which We had been saving
SO long, and knew there was no possi-
bility OF pinching out enough from the
family income for this new expense.
was standing at the window looking
out on the bare back yard and alternate
" wondering how best to improve the
yard and wishing that my little girls
fairy god-mother would give two gentle
taps on the door and, inquiring into the
cause of my perplexities, speedily wave
her wand and transform that back yard
into verdant paradise of green, penny
OodTiuS plduto' a.
The wish was scarcely crystalized,
when was nearly startled by two gentie
taps, not on the back door as l had wish
ed, but on the front. Our bell had not
been put on or the wish could not nave
been so literally fulfilled.
Iopened the door and there stood the
fairy god-mother. did not recognize
her at first. Indeed, she seemed to me
just like one of the neighbors come In
for friendly chat.
persuaded her to have tea with me
and, with her fairy gift of divination,
she must have learned the cause OF my
secret distress, for she offered me, In
that enigmatical way the fairies have, the
secret for my peuny-bearing backyard
plants.
had on the table a most delicious
rhubarb marmalade, the secret OF which
a famous Southern cook had confided to
my mother. My neighbor friend tasted,
then exclaimed: "HOw delicious this
il. do wish l could buy such dainties.
They are so good for tea. l dread 30 to
make them and then l never have success
even With a tried and tested recipe"
Instantly the back yard, the piano les-
sons, the jar of marmalade began caper-
lug about, figuratively speaking, OF
course, in my brain. nearly flung my
a, ms about that demure fairy creature
who was pretending to be merely q
friendly neighbor.
Icould scarce suppress my excite
ment as babe her goodbye.
a
"iIow would rhubarb do in our back
yard?"
"Rhubarb?" He stared at me in mas
culine perplexity.
"Yes, rhubarb."
80. il would thrive we'll enough, but |
thought you wanted something pretty
there"
at isn't ugly, is it?" :.
30, no, not if it's properly tended. 1t
looks fresh and green, but that's about
ALL"
"That's all ask" exclaimed, "Sa-
dies music lessons shall grow In our
back yard"
He stared apprebensively at me as
W ho should say, "Am I-or Is sbe?'
1--WE are neither one Of us straight
Jacket Subjects" laughed; "but we'll
plant rhubarb in that back yard. Well
sell and ship in the early part Of the
season and III make rhubarb marina
lade when people are tired of the fresh
plant. The stores can sell all l can
make, / know"
Hubby and Sadie fell in with the idea
and we set to work. Hubby had the
back yard thoroughly ploughed and pre-
pared for the planting and Sadie and l
did the rest.
We first visited truck-gardener living
on the outskirts of town and got plants
and what little information there Is pec-
essary to raising them.
First he showed US how to select the
roots. Each piece Of root must have one
good bud or eye.
They must be planted in sets about
four feet apart each way.
The ground must be cultivated and
boed and kept free from weeds. Never
let tn ground get hard and always re.
member that the richer the soil the bet
ter and bigger the growth and the more
tender the stalks. Roots may be set out
either In spring or fall.
This is practically all one needs to
know, to raise rhubarb.
The wedding and hoeing brought the
roses to our cheeks and gave US the most
voracious appetites. Then there was the
Joy OF watching the plants grow, pluck.
ing the beautiful stalks, marketing and
shipping. Qt is an excellent shipper
Lastly, came the fun of making the jam
and marmalade and selling them.
put little advertisement in the pa
per and found surprisingly large num-
Der of customers, some of whom came to
the house for the jam or marmalade u
made two kinds), and Others phoned,
and my little girl became the carrier.
Her enthusiasm and zeal were only
equaled by my own, and l know she
could never have appreciated her music
lessons so keenly as she did, had 1t not
been for the preliminary anticipation
and effort to secure them.
OF course, the lessons were deferred a
year longer than had hoped, because
there is no profit till the plants are q
year old; but We knew the lessons were
assured, so there was no despair over the
delay.
Here are the recipes for the jam and
marmalade:
RHUDARB MARMALADE.
find market for this all the year
round. 1t looks very attractive in these
new wide mouthed glass jars and jelly
gla~es.-Two quarts of rhubarb, broken
rather small, two pints of sugar, two or
anges, juice of one and grated rind OF
other, one cup Of chopped raisips, II you
like, or one cup of broken walnut meat
or omit both raisins and nuts. Cover
the pieces of rhubarb with sugar and let
stand over night. Then add the other
fruit and cook until thick.
RHUBARB JAM.
Simpler and cheaper and very good
Two pounds of sugar, and one lemon.
Wipe the rhubarb but do not peel 1t. Cut
into inch-pieces. Cut the lemon into
halves, remove the seeds, press out the
juice and chop the rind fine. Put the
whole into preserving kettle over the
fire and stir frequently. Let it cook
slOyHlv one hOur mr. untjl thick Tf the