HOME ECONOMICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16495, 4 August 1921, Page 9

HOME ECONOMICS.

(Contributed.) Judging by the exhibits that we have seen. our Thrift Exhibition, to bo held this month, promises to be even more interesting and usciul than that of last year. A very attractive feature will be the beautiful pieces of needlework lout for exhibition only. The bread-making competition amongst primary school £irls for Air Cowley’s generous prizes is evidently doing a great deal to popularise this most useful art, and if selfish fathers and brothers are grumbling at present at the sodden and sour loaves which some of the little competitors are turning out, they must remember that Rome wasn't built in a day, and that they will have their reward when, practice having made perfect, they can be just as certain of light, sweet bread made in their own homes, better and much cheaper than the bought, a rtielc, as they are of the regular rising and setting of the sun and moon. Those exhibitors who remember tho somewhat trying period of waiting they had to undergo last year bofore they secured the return of their exhibits will be pleased to learn that arrangements have been made this year by means of which exhibits will be returned without a moment’s delay. Tho arrangement and classification of the entries received will mean very strenuous work for the officials of our association, and intending exhibitors will help them greatly if they will bring in ail their stuff early on the morning of the exhibition. Tho following correspondents are thanked for their communications: — 0.0. -- -M any people have chilblains at this time of year, and 1 should, like to pass on to my fellow home economists a cure which I have tried myself and proved to be excellent. Take a teaspoouful of salt and moisten it with lemon juice until if is the consistency of honey. Rub gently on the affected parts. Of course this must not be usod on broken chilblains. Save the Children.—The following, culled from “ Some Food Facts,” by Alary Swartz Rose, Ph.D., will, I hope, be of interest to your readers: “ Alilk is. the most important fc>cd for growth. It contains everything needed by the baby, and everything but iron required by the adult. Every young child will have plenty of the best kind of protein, ash and vitamincs for growth if ho is given one quart of milk per day. Older children should have from a pint to n quart. Alilk used freely by adults saves meat bills, insures calcium in which their diet is otherwise apt to be deficient, and makes the serving of h well-balanced diet easy. Young children should have cverv day, in addition to milk, a cereal thoroughly cooked (preferably oatmeal), some fruit, small serving of cooked and strained green vegetable, an eyg, and dry bread, toast, or zwieback. Older children should have the same kinds of food, but in greater variety, and may have meat once a day if desired. All food for children should be simply cooked and individual meals should not be elaborate No fried foods, hot breads, pastries, rich sauces, cakes,

tea or coffee, should be permitted. One of the best guarantees of resistance to disease in later life is a carefully protected digestive, system and adequate food for all body needs during the years of growth.” Clothing Conservation.---! have found the following bints on laundering coloured goods, published in a little pamphlet by tho Oregon Agricultural College, useful, and havo pleasure in passing them on to your renders:— (1) Set colour by soaking for at least an hour in salt and water, iu the proportion of two tablespoons of salt to a quart of wgter. (2) Avoid high temperatures because they make coloured goods streaked; (a) do not boil; (b) use a moderate iron. (3) Do not use strong soaps, as the .alkali in them dulls the colour and often causes it to run. (4) Wash each garment separately, and thus avoid any possibilities of dulling or changing shade by mixing colours. (5) Dry in the shade to avoid the fading action of direct sunlight. AI other of Six.—Aly little ones are very fond of potato soup made from the following recipe. They arc near enough to their school to come homo for lunch, for which, at this time of year, I always serve a hot soup and brown rusks. Potato Soup.—2 cups hot mashed potatoes, 1 quart of milk, 2 slices of onion., 1 tablespoonful of butter, 2 tablespoonfuls oC flour, 14 teaspoon salt, celery salt, 1 tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Scald the milk with tho onion, remove onion, and add milk slowly to potatoes. Melt butter, add to it the dry ingredients, stir mixture until it is well blended. Add this to the liquid mixture, stirring it constantly, and boil tho soup for one minute. Strain it if necessary add tho parsley, and serve very hot. Grannie.—l send this too little known poem of Aliss Proctor’s, hoping it may cheer others as much as it has cheered me:— No star is ever lost wc once have scon, Wc always may be what we might have been, Sine© good, though only thought, has life and breath, God’s life—can always bo redeemed from death; And evil, in its nature, is decay, And any hour can blot it all away; The hopes that lost in some far'’distance seem, May bo the truer life, and thfß the dream. Vera Feiico. Some ton years ago I copied th© iollowinac from a, magazine : M her© Happiness is Found. In friendships. In good wishes. Iu helping others. In friendly letters. In pleasant words. In little courtesies. In little kindnesses. In unselfish service. In social intercourse In a clean conscience. Ttl work that we love. In mutual confidences. In healthful rect~eatio».

In cultivating the mind. In doing duty cheerfully. In making others happy. In facing life with a smile. In achieving worthy ambitions. In the companionship’ of books. In doing one’s best regardless of reward. Student.—Please add tho following poem by Kathleen Hopkins to our H.E.A. collection: God, who hath fashioned hearts so queer that we Who live beside them never really know What lies behind a. smile, hear Thou our plea : Send light to dumb and puzzled hearts below— Light <o retrieve mistakes of heart and brain, Light to forget, in earnest work, tho past, Light to love all mankind, nnd ease their pain, Light to go trustfully to sleep at last.