MAN AND NATURE 



season, by the industrious housewife, and stored away 

 in the capacious cellar; where also might be found 

 the supply of home-grown potatoes, turnips, carrots, 

 parsnips, and cabbages to provide for the needs of the 

 winter. Fuel to supply the household needs, both for 

 cooking and heating, was cut in the neighboring wood- 

 land, and carefully corded in the door-yard, where it 

 provided most uncongenial employment for the youth 

 of the family after school hours and of a Saturday 

 afternoon. 



The ashes produced when this wood was burned 

 in the various fireplaces, were not wasted, but were 

 carefully deposited in barrels, from which in due course 

 lye was extracted by the simple process of pouring 

 water over the contents of the barrel. Meantime 

 scraps of fat from the table were collected throughout 

 the winter and preserved with equal care; and in due 

 course on some leisure day in the springtime heaven 

 knows how a leisure day was ever found in such a scheme 

 of domestic economy! the lye drawn from the ash- 

 barrels and the scraps of fat were put into a gigantic 

 kettle, underneath which a fire was kindled; with the 

 result that ultimately a supply of soft soap was provided 

 the housewife, with which her entire establishment, 

 progeny included, could be kept in a state of relative 

 cleanness. 



The reader of these pages has but to cast his eye 

 about him in the household in which he lives, and 

 contrast the conditions just depicted with those of his 

 e very-day life, to realize what change has come over 

 the aspects of household economy in the course of a 



[23] 



