EXTENSION COURSE IN VEGETABLE FOODS. 11 



through intense or long-continued heat is it possible to check entirely 

 the development of the microscopic forms of life — bacteria, yeasts, 

 molds, etc., — some of which make food decay and some of which 

 cause human disease. Salad plants which can not be regarded as 

 above suspicion would better be cooked than used raw. Many mys- 

 terious cases of disease doubtless arise from eating imperfectly 

 cleaned green foods. Therefore unusual care is needed in the selection 

 and preparation of foods which are not to be subjected to heat. 

 Cress, lettuce, and other salad plants, carelessly cultivated or handled 

 in the market and half cleaned in the kitchen, may transmit disease, 

 as may milk, raw oysters, and other foods. Before washing, green 

 vegetables should always be looked over carefully to make sure that 

 any inferior portions, insects, or other undesirable things are removed. 



The fashion of cutting down through a head of lettuce or celery, 

 and serving it in lengthwise sections may give each person his fair 

 share of the choice, tender portions, but can not be recommended, 

 because it is practically impossible to cleanse the grooves of the 

 leaves where they join the stem. Such plants should rather be sepa- 

 rated into their natural divisions and washed in several waters, 

 special attention being given to hollows in stalks and leaves. Sand, 

 though unpleasant, may be less harmful than other things that may 

 be left behind after washing; but its presence justifies the suspicion 

 that the washing was not thorough or carefully done. Vegetables, 

 such as spinach, which are difficult to free from grit, should be washed 

 in many waters, and lifted out of the pan each time in loose hand- 

 fuls before the water has been drained off. If the water is poured 

 from the pan while the vegetables are in it, part of the sand falls 

 back on the washed leaves. Salt in the water will aid in drawing 

 out insects if they happen to be present. There is an advantage in 

 washing all salad plants in running water, especially for the removal 

 of insects. After washing several times and removing imperfections, 

 salad plants may be kept in a cool place like a cellar or refrigerator 

 for some hours or even a day before using. After draining off the 

 last water, wrap the leaves or stalks in a cloth or put into a clean 

 paper bag ; that is more effective than keeping them in water. 



The quality of vegetables may be greatly injured by insect pests 

 and plant diseases. If the plant suffers severely from such enemies, 

 it can not make normal growth, and so all or parts of it may be in- 

 ferior. For instance, green peas or string beans from vines badly 

 attacked by insects or by some fungus disease do not attain full 

 perfection, and obviously, leaves used as greens are of inferior quality 

 if worm-eaten. Insect pests and plant diseases are often controlled 

 by the use of insecticides and in similar ways; if such things are 

 used, there is all the more reason for washing vegetables thoroughly 



