Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-06-05
HOMRMAKRRS COLUMN.
Correspondence on topics Of interest 70 tie lade.
OoLUNN, Oxford Democrat. South Paris. he
A Tank On Economy.


ECONOMY 10 not thing mysterious or
unattainable; neither ID It necessarily
oppressive. There are many small coon
omies thst one may use without having
to feel 'spinohed."
Il 10 not economy to ''gst along" with
broken CRATE In the stove, lid.lifter
that ID unreliable, Q rickety egg. beater, 2
leaky dipper, or any household utensil
ont Of repair that costs little to replace,
and means extra labor and annoyance to
| use In IN imperfect condition. But It 10
we'll when any article wears out to con-
slider whether 1t cannot be replaced by
some object already In the house, some
thing costing less or some Inexpensive
homemade contrivance.
II the question ID, always, not: "Could
We make good use OF tbiss" but, "Csn
We do without it?" the problem Of econ
omy 10 far on the way to being solved.
Ingenuity can be made to take the
place Of money to great extent. For
example, . tablespoonful Of kerosene
added to the suds In the wash tub does
away with the need of the moro expen.
sive naphths compounds, and leaves no
odor In the rinsed and dried garments.
II there 10 some recipe that You are 10
the habit of usIng-we all have fsvorites
that calls for more eggs or sugar than
the present times warrant, 20 over your
cookbook carefully, and substitute from
1t some other recipe % pslstable and
more economical.
Omelets are not extravsgant, II the
amount of nourishment In an egg be
considered, provided the omelet 10 made
with an extra allowance Of other ingredi-
ents than eggs.
For one who has q bit of ground where
seeds can be planted, the reducing OF
food cost becomes real Joy. There 10
no need of large plot, or . variety OF
vegetables. Any corner will support .
few stalks of sweet corn or popcorn, q
few tomato plants, or melon, or pump.
kin, or cucumber vine, and each seed
that natures and produces Its kind
means q welcome addition to the menu,
at practically no expense.
Brussels sprouts are luxury, but
nothing is more easily grown, and a. far
north as Boston, the stalks will stand
outdoors unprotected until spring, and
the little green knobs can be picked
whenever they are not frozen. The ia
vor is half way between spinach and as
paragus, and they are most wholesome
and delicate green vegetable for winter.
There are certain things that cannot
be planted together In limited areas, ow.
| ing to their habits Of mixing-as for ex-
ample, sweet corn with pop corn, melons
with cucumbers, aud. cucumbers with
sauashes; but outside OF these, the range
IL sufficiently wide.
Indeed, with handkerchief plot OF
ground, economy is easy. Yet here
again, judgment is needed, for 1t is not
economy to buy cheap seeds from the
five and ten.cent store, or freak varieties
that have not been tested. You can ex'
pend as much labor on planting and car
Ing for perfectly worthless lot OF seeds,
as for the best, and only the best repays
your labor. Even window garden Can
be made to produce things edible.
When we come to reading matter, an
enterprise started In the commencement
of the paper famine Is deserving OF oon'
sideration. An agency offered to furnish
subsoription to magazines, to be deliver
ed q week or q month late, at greatly re.
duced prices, often at half the regular
rate, the orders being filled from surplus
NEWSSTAND copies.
Economy, II studied as an art, instead
of being entered upon with reluctance ..
a grim necessity, can be made to add
zsst to living, and comfort to home life