The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-02
HOUSEHOLD HINTS

Every housewife this year should
restore to her home the often over
looked home industries of canning
preserving, picking and drying of
perishable fruits or vegetables" is the
appeal issued this week by ID. F.Hous-
ton secretary of agriculture. The
large number of new backyard gar
dens which have been planted this
year shortly will begin to yield their
extra harvest of beans, peas. carrots,
beets sweet corn and tomatoes. The
regular supplies also will reach the
markets and. as happens each sum
mer. the local supply at times Will eN-
coed immediate consumptiVe capacity
Not to conserve much of this surplus
age of valuable food would be sinful
waste.
The present food and labor situa-
tions are such that no household is
justified in looking to others to re
lease it wholly from individual re-
sponsibility and constructive action in
saving and conserving food. All any
home should expect of others is to
supply those foods which cannot be
produced effectively by it's own mem
bers. The railroads will be burdened
with the transportation of staple foods
and civil and military necessaries from
localities of production and manufac-
ture to districts incapable of supply
all locally produced foods, conserved
by homa methods, lessen the winter
pressure on transportation agencies
and also release similar products of
factories for other purposes.
I urge every household, therefore.
to can all surplus perishable products
for which they have containers and to
dry and keep in paper any additional
surplus suitable for such preservation.
Canning calls for no special skill
and for little equipment beyond a
wash boiler and jars. Fresh prod
ucts, cleanliness and heat are the
chief requirements, as even sugar is
not essential for canning fruits under
modern procedure. Fruits and VeRa-
tables, moreover, can be dried eff
ciently in the sun. over a range or
gas stove or before an electric fan
Homemade, shallow trays of wood or
heavy wire screen are the chief equip
ment required. Drying is a time-tried
home industry. Conservation of food
by drying is largely a matter of re-
storing to the home great grandmoth-
er's method of seeing tfst her family
had good food in winter as a relief
from a monotonous diet of root vege-
tables. Canning and drying can be
practiced as effectively in a city house
or apartment as on a farm or in q
suburban dwelling.
Canning, of course, already is q
children in thousands of homes, and,
/ trust, will become almost universal
this season. To aid the home con-
servation movement, the department
of agriculture has issued a new farm
ers' bulletin on home canning and
another on home drying of fruits and
vegeta bles. These free pamphlets
should be read and followed in every
household which wishes to translate
patriotic impulse into concrete serv-
ice
Home Hospital Bag.
In a family where there are chill
dren, a hospital bag is a great con-
venience. Make the bag OF unbIeach-
ed muslin. thirty by eighteen inchea.
hemming both ends one inch deep.
Then place the two hens together
and stitch six pockets. Fasten a tape
hanger at each and hang on the bath
room door. These things should be
kept in the pockets and the supply
renewed as necessary TO be ready In
the many emergencies that arise:
1t should contain linen strips for
burns: roll of antiseptic gauze 1.-TWO
inchesb for cuts; roll of adhesive tape:
roll of cheese cloth for poultices and
plasters; roll of antiseptic cotton for
dressings and several pieces of soft
flannel for Group, sore throat, etc