722 ANNUAL REPORT. OF THE Off. DoC. 



Hygenie, the greatest labor saving device ever invented, worth three 

 closets, prevents waste, saves time, trouble, space and labor, con- 

 venient places for baking- utensils, cereal i)roducts, si)ices, table 

 linen, etc. There are many styles, all sizes; price ,|2.50 and up. 



Here is an outline, in general, of the routine housework of the fore- 

 noon in the way I think most steps can be saved. In preparing break- 

 fast, do other work, such as putting on the wash water, i)lacing the 

 Hat-irons on the rear of the stove, getting the dish-pan in place for 

 the dishes, or starting apples for pies, in fact study ahead of your 

 work. Know what you are to have for dinner before the breakfast 

 work is done; prepare something for the dog and kittens before you 

 leave the table. There is no use in having thieving cats. Fill the 

 tea-kettle, and place it on the back of the stove, then you can work 

 in the garden or among the flowers, or rake up leaves, or feed a 

 brood of chickens, before the sun shines too hot. In case of the wife 

 helping to milk, feeding the calves and chickens, and taking care of 

 the milk and butter, the kindling and dry wood should be ready for 

 the morning, and the fire built while the men are getting the cow's. 

 Leave two or three good sticks in the fire box. A steamer of cracked 

 wheat to boil, previously steamed about ten hours, and a spider of 

 potatoes frying on the back of the stove, a plate of cooked steak 

 in the oven to warm over, and a bowl of gravy in a kettle of warm 

 water, or a stew of meat where it will warm slowly. Breakfast will 

 be hot on the return from the stable. If a separator is used the 

 calves and pigs will have been fed before coming to the house. The 

 farmer's wife has better luck with the calves than the husband, and 

 usually looks after them. By the time breakfast is over, there is 

 boiling water for the washing of the separator, and the mixing of 

 the hen's feed. Then dish washing and tidying up the house. This 

 is easily done by 9 A. M., leaving two hours of time before getting 

 dinner. Pare the potatoes the night before. Make John get up in 

 the morning and build the fire and jjut on the tea-kettle wiiile you 

 take an extra nap. This is the way to save a step or two. Have 

 breakfast planned and started on the previous night. Have a plan 

 for all the work during the day, and do what has to be done with a 

 light, quick step. Your heart will respond to the step, and you will 

 lose the feeling of drudgery in the work. 



The best way to wash dishes to secure good results, and save 

 steps, is as follows: I would have my dish-closet open in both dining 

 room and kitchen. In clearing the table, put all the soiled dishes 

 in the closet from the dining room side; wash in the sink, putting 

 the clean dishes into the closet to be placed upon the dining table 

 when wanted. Have a shelf to the right of the sink to hold the 

 dishes. If the water is hd^d, have borax, or gold-dust near with 

 which to soften it. Use a suflftcient quantity of warm water for 

 washing, and hot water for rinsing the dishes. Be not sparing of 

 soap, keep the dish towels clean and sweet by frequent washings. 

 A sink used for dish w^ashing should be constructed high enough that 

 the housewife should be able to stand upright without the painful 

 stooping so often , thus saving much weariness. 



The easiest way to do family washing. Get a Pan-American 

 washer and a man to run it. Lacking the man, proceed as follows: 

 The evening before wash-day sort the clothes, dampen the white 



