COOKING EXHIBITION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2031, 18 August 1920, Page 7

COOKING EXHIBITION.

HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION. The ILKA, owes Miss Sliand a debt of gratitude for her delightful little series of cooking demonstrations, which have been thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. The next lecture will bo given by Mr Page, B,Sc, who will discuss the latest experiments in reference to good values, and will illustrate his remarks by a series of lantern slides, .showing the effects of different systems I of feeding upon various domestic animals. This subject should be as interesting to men as to women, and we extend a cordial invitation to gentlemen to be present. | A correspondent writes from the JS T orth Island: —"I was intensely interested in your article referring to women's work in the backblocks. The hardships suffered by the 'way-back' settlers and their wives, especially by their wives, afford instances of downright martyrdom, not surpassed in the Dark Ages. Let me give you just one example from the many that have come under my own immediate notice. My husband.had a good deal of experience in ambulance work during the South African War, and in this sparselysettled district, so far removed from the ministrations of a doctor, his services are much in request. During my last visit to Auckland, he wrote to me from our home as follows: 'As I was riding round the back of the run this afternoon, a poor woman ran out of her shanty, and stopped me to ask if I was a bit of a doctor, as she had hurt one of her arms very badly, and it was giving her a lot of pain. She had three little children, almost babies, to look after, 17 cows to milk, to separate and send the cream away by 8 o'clock in the morning, and no one to help herj or go and tell her husband, who was working on a sawmill 10 miles away. On examining her arm,-which had been hurt by a wretched, half-broken horse bucking her off-two days before, I found it terribly bruised, arid the wrist very badly sprained. I fixed it up as best I could. There were no conveniences whatever in the house, only a bit of a billy to boil the water. When I had done this, I tdld her I would get the cows in and milk them for her. You know I have been used to milking all my life, but of all the contracts I ever undertook, I think this was the toughest. Absolutely no shed, just a beastly, muddy yard, with a sort of bail in the corner, and a lot of half-broken, wild brutes of heifers and cows. Well, by working furiously hard for three' solid hours, I got the, cows and separating done, and left her in the dark to go and tell her husband. Just fancy, this poor woman, with a baby two months old, and two other little things about one and a-half and three years of age, with one arm in a sling, and the other badly skinned and knocked about, had milked the cows, separated the cream, and done everything on the place for two whole days.' After reading the above, you will perhaps understand how heartily I rejoice that an association like the H.E.A. is trying ,to do something to lighten the intolerable burdens of such poor women. Just one more word. In one of your articles you say, 'What proportion of the present retail price of bread and milk goes to the producer?' With regard to milk, I can answer that question ns far as Auckland is concerned. The town milk vendors give us 1/11 per gallon delivered, and sell to their customers at 7d per quart, or 2/4 per gallon, more than double the amount it costs them, you see, for not one fraction of the work and worry and risk that the poor producer has." Another correspondent writes:—"All the members of our household are delighted with the honey soap, made from the recipe given in one of your articles. By way of showing my gratitude, shall T tell you how to make a superlatively good hair shampoo from, it? Slice one ounce very thin, and pour over it a breakfastcupful of boiling water. Stand on the range, and simmer gently until the soap has entirely dissolved. Then gather from your garden a pint mugful of rosemary leaves (of course everyone who values his or her hair will grow rosemary), just cover them with cold water, and bring slowly to the boil, take saucepan off the range, and leave to steep for one hour. Now rub the dissolved honey .soap thoroughly into the scalp, using the tips of the fingers for the purpose, rinse thoroughly, and then wasli with the strained rosemary decoction, rubbing it on the scalp in the same manner as you did the soap. When the hair is dried after this treatment, you will find it bright and glossy, and most daintily perfumed with a delicious rosemary scent, which will last for several days"" Here is a letter from yet another correspondent:-—"At

the recent Thrift Exhibition, a basket of pggs was shown, bearing the legend, 'Why not produce your own eggs-" ] wonder if you would lie interested to hear of our experiences with poultry during the last .12 months? Our poultry yard, Soft by 20ft, was built by my husband out. of old timber, and contains a comfortable little shed, into whiMi our feathered Dock can retire during wet or cold weather. AVe reared three broods of chickens hatched early in September. They are a cross between Black Orpingtons and White Leghorns, and seem to inherit the virtues of both ancestors, as they are splendid layers, and also excellent table birds. Of the .'lO birds reared to maturity, we have killed and eaten 21, The nine retained for laying purposes have kept ns supplied with eggs all through the winter. We reckon the price of eggs at 2/- per dozen all the year yound, and of the dressed poultry at 1/- ]ier lb. Then, deducting what we have paid out for wheat, sharps, bran, etc. (all of which certainly are most frightfully dear), we find that we have a clear profit for the year of £:> 7/8, with which we are highly delighted, as you have no idea how miieh nicer your own eggs and poultry arc than any that vou can buy."

As dear Alfred Gatty sings, "The hyacinth and daffodil arc blooming in their bed," aud remind us forcibly, or perhaps I should say sweetly, that spring is upon us, bringing, with many pleasant things, one that is not quite so pleasant—spring cleaning. Will our readers help us, and each other, by sending along hints and suggestions as to how to make this trying rite as little trying, and as thoroughly efticacious, as possible?