170 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



turnip is more easily masticated ; in cooking potatoes we cook 

 the starch so that it is easily taken care of by the digestive tract. 

 Then again we cook foods to get them warmed up so that when 

 introduced into the system they will also cause a greater fluid 

 supply, for cold things will check that fluid supply. If we take 

 specific examples of cooking, like meat, think of the different 

 ways in which we can cook meat. Roasting is a much better 

 way than boiling if you wish to retain the juices. Just last week 

 we made an experiment with cottonseed oil at the University. 

 We used it for cooking crullers. We had a kettle of hot lard, 

 and another of cottonseed oil, which has some olive oil in it. 

 We tried to see if there was any difference in the flavor of the 

 crullers, and we found absolutely none. The cost of the cotton- 

 seed oil which was bought in Boston, was $1.25 for a gallon. 

 We used about three quarts, so that would make about 75 or -So 

 cents. In our fat kettle where we cooked our crullers we used 

 3J4 or 4 lbs. of lard, so that the cost of the oil and the fat, or 

 lard, has been just about the same. The advantage of cotton- 

 seed oil or olive oil is that it clears itself of flavors so that the 

 flavor of one article of food cooked in it does not remain to per- 

 meate that which is cooked next. In this respect it is better 

 than lard for cooking purposes. We also made Mayonnaise 

 dressing out of cottonseed oil. There is a difference in the taste, 

 and anyone especially fond of olive oil would declare that they 

 could not get used to the cottonseed, but you can, I am sure, for 

 the flavor is not disagreeable at all. If we want to have fat 

 introduced into the body, coming from an agreeable food, there 

 is no better way than through Mayonnaise dressing. In the 

 cooking of the fat in meat there is little change that takes place. 

 One of the greatest faults with housewives in the country and 

 the city, is the lack of keeping accounts. How many in this au- 

 dience tonight know how much is paid for the groceries in a 

 year? Hovy much is paid for meat, and for clothing? It has 

 been estimated by Mrs. Ripley that a person living on a salary 

 of one to five thousand dollars spends about 20% for food. 

 Then if the family is living on $800 or less, they have to spend 

 a greater per cent for food, for you have to get food to live by. 

 Keeping accounts need not be laborious; have as simple a meth- 

 od as you please. At a glance one can see what has been ex- 

 pended for meat, for green groceries, for dry groceries, etc., 



