El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-14
WHEAT SCARCE
IN CIVIL WAR
Life Then a Round of Food
Saving and Toll, Says
Ell Paso Woman.

While there we're no strict rules re-
garding food conservation as In the
present war. the great principle OF
saving everything needful for the
army prevailed in the north during
the Civil war. according to Mrs. n. B
Heron. Of 4Os Montana street, who
has Just come to FL Paso to spend the
winter.
She resided during the war on her
fathers farm in Carroll county. Ohio.
about IS miles from the Ohio river in
the southeastern part Of the state,
which was settled largely by Mary
land and Virginia people.
Wheat was needed for the baking
Of bareback in the army, hence we did
not use much wheat in the home,
said Mrs Heron Instead our light
bread was made from rye flour, while
hot bread was made from comm cal
Buskwheat was largely raised and
was used, Of course, for hot cakes for
breakfast in the winter time Wheat,
as 1 remember, sold as hight as 81
per bushel in the latter wart Of the
war.
Coffee Cost 81 Pound.
while the Amy was supplied with
coffee II was very scarce article
with Ohio people, and, as ! recall,
cost as high as 81 a pound Instead we
used coffee substitutes, roasted rye
with molass and sometimes chicory
was added. II tasted a good deal like
coffee substitutes used now, and we
Learned t. ike II Sage and sassafras
tea were used as tea substitutes.
There was very little sugar. Brow n
sugar and loaf sugar were used al
that time instead of graduated sugar
IS at present For home substitutes
we used cane molasses and also map4s
sugar. There were a great many
maple trees in ohio at that time. and
the practice of tapping them for sap
became general Honey was also used
for sugar
Another important article Of food
was fruit canned and preserved with
cane molasses-
Women Spin and Weave.
"As the north had always depended
on the south for its cotton, goods
made of that material naturally be-
came very exp 'nsive- / remem Der that
calico was as high as so cents per
yard. There was not a great deal OF
wooden goods used, as the army had
to be supplied first, and there we're
no complaints, as I remember, Of in
sufficient clOthinb at any time during
the war. As a substitute farmers in
the north raised flax. and linen was
made at home. The various operations
of heckling, spinning and weaving
were done at home. My mother had 4
large loom on which we're woven all
the household linen and linen for
dresses. Cloth in which ths warp was
linen and the Woof was wool was
woven at r Ime and used for mems
suits. Silk was used a good deal for
dresses. A womEn's silk dress might
cost from $50 to SIS or higher | re-
member having a black silk dress
that cost $50.
Gas there were so many young men
- he - (
done largely by the old men. boys.
Pirls and women ! recall that once
my father secured a hired man. An
other call for volunteers followed and
the young man just " orked nine days
before ding to the front. 1 hoed po-
lime in the saddle as my father kept
many cattle and sheep on his 240
acre farm We hrd to get up at 4 to 5
o'clock in the morning winter and
summer.
Red Cross Unknown.
There was no organized hospital
work such as is done by women in
villages and small cities at present
Mrs. Heron said The young women
did. however, make what were know n
which were placed thimbles. needles.
thread, pins, buttons, a pair Of scis-
sors. pencils and other useful articles
for soldiers If a young woman was
romantic she might include her name.
Many wmen and young women vol
unteered as nurses in far off hospitals.
but organized work, as in the Red
Cross at present, was unknown
women knitted scarfs and socks
for soldiers, but I do not recall any
organized efforts at knitting as is
done now It was more Of a matter
for families to attend to for rela tives
in the army.
Home Defence Leagues Drill.
"One feature OF the present war