92 On Cottage Economy and Cookery. 



into the soup with some crusts of bread, and let the whole boil 

 together for a quarter of an hour. 



It will thus be seen that these soups can be made for very little 

 money, if the labourer has a garden; and, indeed, the late Dr. 

 Kitchener has published a receipt for making a gallon of barley- 

 hroth for a groat. Having tried it, we here give a copy of it ; 

 but we should say, that half the quantity of water is quite sufficient 

 for the materials, and that it requires four or five hours to make it 

 well : — '^ Put 4 ounces of Scotch barley (previously washed in cold 

 vv'atcr) and 4 ounces of sliced onions into 5 quarts of water ; gently 

 boil for an hour, and pour it into a pan ; then put into the sauce- 

 pan 1 or 2 ounces of clean beef or mutton suet, or 2 or 3 ounces 

 of fat bacon minced. When melted, stir into it 4 ounces of oat- 

 meal ; rub these together till you make a paste, and, if this be 

 properly managed, the whole of the fat will combine with the 

 barley-broth, to which it must be then added by degrees, about a 

 spoonful at a time, stirring it well together till it boils. Season it 

 at pleasure, and let it simmer for a quarter of an hour. The 

 flavour may be varied by doubling the quantity of onions and 

 frying them, or by using a clove of garlick or an eschalot ; and it 

 may be thickened with ground rice or peas, instead of oatmeal." 



Rice is very little used by the poor of this country, or even by 

 the middle classes of society, and it is inconceivable how much 

 they would gain in comfort b}- its more general employment, for 

 it contains a great deal of nourishment, and is perhaps the cheapest 

 food that can be put upon the table. It forms the only sub- 

 sistence of millions of our fellow-creatures in the Indies, who 

 never taste anything more substantial, and yet live long and 

 healthfully, and we cannot too strongly recommend it to the cot- 

 tager. There is, however, a very foolish and unfounded preju- 

 dice entertained against it by the lower classes, among whom it 

 is very generally thought to be ''bad for the eyes," though those 

 who use it largely, both abroad and in this country, never expe- 

 rience any such ill effects from it. 



There are two qualities of rice, the Carolina, and the East 

 India ; the former is sold by the retailers at bd., and the latter at 

 3ti per lb., although the highest wholesale price of the latter is 

 usually only from 9.<?. ^d. to lOs. per cwt. It is sold in bags of 

 about 150 lbs. weight, and if a few families v/ould club together 

 for the purchase of a bag of that weight, it would thus not only 

 save expense, but add materially to their comforts, for it would 

 then not cost more than \cl. per lb. It is, indeed, advertised at 

 146". per cwt., which is at the rate of \\cL per lb. ; and, as the 

 duty is intended to be reduced, it will be still cheaper. Now, 

 although the Carolina rice is larger in the grain, as well as whiter. 



