Year: 1874




Oatmeal Is principally used in two ways-for
the making of porridge and of oat-cakes. Por-
ridge is principal article of food of the Scot
tish peasantry, generally accompanied with
milk, when milk can be obtained, although
when milk is scarce, butter is sometimes used
sometimes sugar, and sometimes treacle beer.
For most people in o sound condition Of health
there is no more wholesome article of food
than porridge and milk; none contains larger
proportion Of aesh-forming and heat producing
substances; while to almost all who have ever
been accustomed to its use It is extremely
palatable. Generally Speaking, there is no bet
ter article Of food for the nursery, none more
likely to maintain healthy condition of the
stomach or to give vigor to the frame, although
there are exceptional cases, both among the
young and among the adults, in which the use
of porridge is unsuitable, producing painful
distcnsion of the stomach and indigestion.
While the caprices of children ought not to be
needed In such matter, the actual conditions
of their constitution ought to be carefully OBJ
served and regarded.


Porridge is In general msde by simply boiling
oatmeal in water, stirring all the while to pre-
vent singeiug, and to secure the thorough mix
ture Of the oatmeal AID water into a homo
genous mass without knots. The quality of
porridge very much depends on the amount of
boiling which 1t receives. 1t cannot be too
thoroughly boiled. Imperfectly boiled oatmeal
porridge is a very coarse article Of food; and,
unfortunately, much of the porridge used by
the poorer classes in Scotland and elsewhere is
Of this character, and the porridge prepared for
the nursery is often no better, through the care
lessness of servants, who wish to get through
their work with as little trouble as possible. It
is not nearly so digestible, and therefore not so
nutritious dnra To-
common mistake in the making of porridge
must also bere be noticed, as tending much to
the deterioration of its quality-the adding of
meal by degrees, while the boiling goes on, un-
til the proper thickness is acquired, the result
being that part of the meal is imperfsctly
boiled. The cook ought TO know the proper
proper proportions of meal and water-knowl-
edge not very difficult to scquire-and mix
them at once, so that all the meal may be
equally boiled. But it is to be observed that
the water must be boiling before the meal is
put in, which is not to be introduced In a mass,
but, as 1t were, strained through the fingers
handful by handful as quickly as possible
The Food Journal.


A DISPLAY OF LACES.


The ladies will be interested in hearing that
q long7gsllery in the exhibition for 1874 Gust
opened in London) is now devoted to one of
the most carefully arranged collection Of an
cient laces which has ever been exhibited.
Those cases and stands, says the London Times,
where precious tiounces and rufties are dis
played over widths of purple silk, represent
the unremitting exertions Of a very energetic
feminine committee, with three ladies at their
head. Nor has all this trouble been taken and
these costly specimens obtained in order only
to proclaim to the world that few fortunate
people possess sundry rare and valuable pieces
of ancient lace which may be Joy to look at,
out whose like can never be beheld again.


A little further on are other ravnlviua screen