On Cottage Economy and Cookery. 99 



differ from him on his objecting to fruit-trees; for although we 

 admit that they should not encumber a small garden, yet two or 

 three apple and plum trees afford a pleasant addition to family- 

 fare in the making of a substantial pudding. 



There is also one very profitable source of income to a cottager, 

 which is denied to him who is not possessed of a garden at home : 

 that is, the keeping of bees, which industrious insects amply repay 

 the trifling care and attention necessary to preserve them. They 

 require no expensive method of treatment; they demand no 

 trouble, and a row of bee-hives will meet a heavy rent, besides 

 affording a grateful luxury to their keeper : but they should be 

 securely guarded from pilferers. A treatise on bees would oc- 

 cupy too much space for this essay; but any man who will 

 inquire the mode adopted by a neighbour who keeps them, may 

 easily learn the method ; and if he cannot purchase a hive, he 

 may construct it himself without the least difficulty. 



Cobbett's advice, to "grow mustard in your own garden," 

 ought not to be neglected ; for a square yard of ground will be \ 

 sufficient ; and if you have not a small hand-mill to grind it, it '"' 

 may be pounded in a mortar as wanted for use, and will answer 

 quite as well, if not better, than the trash frequently sold as 

 ^^ Durham." 



Vinegar should also be made at home. This can be easily 

 done by having a small runlet, or a large unglazed earthen jar, 

 placed in a warm spot, exposed to the sun during the summer, 

 and near the chimney-corner in the winter, putting into it either a 

 pound or two of treacle and a quart of water, as a foundation, 

 and leaving out the bung, or slightly covering the mouth of the 

 jar, so as to prevent the introduction of dust, but not to exclude 

 the air. Then, whenever you have a few gooseberries and cur- 

 rants, or any fruit of a juicy kind, put a few of their stalks, rind 

 and all, into the vessel, together with any remains which you may 

 occasionally have of beer, and if you have not enough to cover 

 the fruit, add a little warm water. When the cask is full, leave it 

 there until it begins to ferment, which in no great time will render 

 the liquor quite sour ; and after it has stood long enough to be- 

 come clear, it may be then drawn off as vinegar. It may not be 

 strong ; but it will be quite as good as that usually sold in the 

 country shops for two or three shillings the gallon, besides thus 

 affording plenty for pickling and the other uses of the family. 



In many of our inland counties, although there is a great 

 scarcity of fuel, yet the ashes and cinders are often cast out before 

 the cottage-door. Now, instead of this waste, they should be 

 mixed up with an equal quantity of small-coal and some clay to 

 bind them, together with water ; then mix the heap into mortar ; 

 make that into bricks ; and, when dried in the sun, put them at 



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