504 



The Country Gcntlcivoman 



leave a residuum after fer- 



cxample of it :— The food which Liebig re- wheat, and rye, 

 commends for infants is a preparation of malt mentation, which contams more gluten than 

 with wheaten flour and milk, to which a little the original substance, m consequence of the 

 bicarbonate of potash has been added; and transformation of sugar and starch mto 



alcohol ; and although the residuum is coarse, 

 and is hardly suited for human consumption, 

 yet it is an excellent food for cattle : in fact. 



the reputation of it in Gennany as an article 

 of diet for children is considerable. 



liebig's food for infants. 

 The preparation is made by mixing one 

 ounce of wheaten flour with ten ounces of milk, 

 and boiling for three or four minutes, then re- 

 moving it from the fire and allowing it to cool 

 to about 90°. One ounce of malt-powder pre- 

 viously mixed with 15 grains of bicarbonate 

 of potash and two ounces of water are then 

 stirred into it, and the vessel being covered, 

 is allowed to stand for an hour and a half at 

 a temperature of from 100° to 150'' Fahren- 

 heit. It is then put once more upon the fire 

 and gently boiled for a fcAv minutes. Lasdy, 



in Germany it is often eaten by the poor. 



When the process is carried still further, 

 and the mass acquires an acid property in 

 consequence of the formation of acetic, 

 butyric, and lactic acids, various sour pre- 

 parations are obtained, which are no doubt 

 useful in assisting the digestion of other 

 foods. The antient Romans had many such 

 fermented substances Avhich were not unlike 

 the sauerkraut of the Germans. This, as 

 you know, is made from the leaves of 

 cabbages, gathered generally in autumn, and 

 from which the stem and mid-rib are removed. 



it is carefully strained to remove any particles They are cut up into thin slices, and are 

 of husk, and then it is fit for the child's food. 

 The composition of the food, according to Dr 

 liebig, is as follows : — 



Foods. 



10 07.. milk 



I oz. wheat-floii 

 I oz. malt-flour 



o-6i 2-32 



The relation of the plastic to the carbon- 

 aceous being as i to 3-8, which is the right 

 proportion for the food of children. 



The effect of the malt-flour is to transform 

 the starch into glucose, and thus the mixture 

 gets thinner and sweeter as it stands; and 

 the bicarbonate of potash is added to facilitate 

 the change, and to neutraHze the acid con- 

 stituents of the flour and malt. 



Tjebig's extract of malt is another such 

 preparation for a quick assimilation of starchy 

 matters. 



fermentation of vegetables. 

 Vegetable suhstanees are oeeasioually fer- 

 mented, either for the purpose of increasing 

 the relative amount of glutinous matter, or 

 for the purpose of rendering them acid. 

 Potatoes, for example, as vi-ell as barley, 



placed in a tub or vat, alternately with layers 

 of salt, until the vessel is full. It is then 

 subjected to pressure, and allowed to stand 

 for five or six weeks (according to the tempera- 

 ture) ; the lactic fermentation is thus set up,, 

 and the mass becomes sour. It is cooked by 

 stewing it in its own liquor with bacon, pork,, 

 or other fat meat ; and certain condiments, 

 as dill or carraway, are added to improve its 

 flavour. In Prussia, and in many parts of 

 Germany, there is a similar preparation of 

 fermented beans ; and in Holland and the 

 South of Europe, cucumbers are fermented. 

 We also have our pickled vegetables, in 

 which acetic acid takes the place of lactic 

 acid. All these preparations are no doubt 

 aids to digestion, especially when the fibre of 

 meat is tough, and contains tendon, or 

 hardened cellular tissue. This is especially 

 so with salted meat, and, therefore, a little 

 pickle is always a good and palatable addition 

 to cold boiled beef 



TEA AND coffee. 



Vegetable substances, as tea, coffee, mate, 

 cocoa, &c., the infusions of Avhich are used as 

 beverages, are prepared for commerce in 

 nearly the same manner. When taken from 

 the tree, and while in a fresh condition, they 



