Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-04-24

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work is to be done by hand the rows
may be spaced as close as twenty-six
inches, whereas If cultivation is to be
done with horse thirty to thirty
inches usually is allowed.
Potato yields vary so greatly that
only an approximate estimate can be
given. If an early variety is grown 1t
is not too much to expect twelve to
fifteen bushels from a plot Of ground
| so by 100 feet. Under favorable con-
| ditions this amount may be very con-
siderably exceeded. In the case Of
late variety larger yields may be ex-
pected.
Preserve Eggs by Water Glass.
March, April, May and June are the
| months when the hens of the country
produce about so per cent Of the lay
Of the whole year. These are the
months also when the thrifty house
| wife who has her own hens or who can
draw upon the surplus supply Of
nearby neighbor puts away in water
glass or limewater eggs for next au-
tumn and winter. To insure success
care must be exercised in this opera
ton. The following directions are from
the United States department Of agri-
culture:
In the first place, the eggs must be
fresh, preferably not more than two or
three days old. Infertile eggs are best
| if they can be obtained, so after hatch
ing exclude ROSTERS from the flock and
kill them for the table as needed.
The shells must be clean. Washing
an egg with soiled shell lessons its
keeping quality. The protective gela-
tinous covering over the shell IS re-
moved by water, and when this is gone
the egg spoils more rapidly.
The shells also must be free from the
tiniest crack. One cracked egg will
spoil large number Of sound eggs
when packed in water glass.
Earthenware crooks are good con.
tainers. The crooks must be clean and
sound. Scald them and let them cool
completely before USE A crock holding
six gallons will accommodate eighteen
dozen Of eggs and about twenty-five
pints Of solution. Too large crooks are
not desirable, since they increase the
liability of breaking some Of the eggs
and spelling the entire batch.
It must be remembered that the eggs
on the bottom crack first and that those
In the bottom of the crooks are the last
to be removed for use. Eggs can be
put up in smaller crooks, and the eggs
put in the crock first should be used
first in the household.
Water Glass Method.
"Water glass; is known to the chem
list as sodium silicate. It can be pur-
chased by the quart from druggists or
poultry supply men. 1t is pale yell
low, Odorless, sirupy liquid. 1t is di-
luted in the proportion of one part Of
silicate to nine parts Of distilled wa
ter, rain water or other water. In any
case the water should be boiled and
then allowed to cool. Half fill the ves-
sci with this. solution and place the
eggs in 1t, being careful not to 49,
them. The eggs can be added few at
time until the container is filled. Be
sure to keep about two inches Of wa
ter glass above the eggs. Cover the
crock and place it in the coolest place
available from which the crock will
not have to be removed. Inspect the
crock from time to time and replace
any water that has evaporated with
cool boiled water.
How to Use Preserved Eggs.
When the eggs are to be used remove
them as desired, rinse in clean, cold
water and use Immediately.
Eggs preserved in water glass can be
used for soft boiling or poaching up to
November. Before boiling such eggs
prick tiny hole in the large end Of
the shell with a needle to keep them
from cracking. They are satisfactory
for frying until about December. From
that time until the end of the usual
storage period-that is until March
they can be used for omelettes, scram-
bled eggs, custards, cakes and general
cookery. AS the eggs age the white
becomes thinner and is harder to beat.
The yolk membrane becomes more deli
cate, and it is correspondingly difficult
to separate the whites from the yolks.
Sometimes the white Of the egg is ting
ed pink after very long keeping in wa
ter glass. This is due, probably, to a
little iron which is in the sodium sill
cate but which apparently does not In
jure the egg for food purposes.
Defiant Pennsylvanians.