4;s 



RECREATION. 



tirely prevent the decomposition of dairy 

 products by the action of bacteria, it is of 

 decided value in increasing the keeping 

 qualities of butter, and at the same time is 

 free from objections that are urged from a 

 physiological standpoint against the use of 

 many other preservatives. The improve- 

 ment of flavor is the third and probably 

 the most important purpose fulfilled by salt 

 in the manufacture of American butter. 



In cheese making, as in butter making, 

 salt plays an important part. It tends to 

 lessen the water content of cheese, and in 

 so doing exerts an influence on the ripen- 

 ing process. It is also equally useful in 

 giving the cheese a pleasant flavor. A 

 coarser salt than for butter making is often 

 preferred. The same objections, however, 

 may be urged against the impurities. The 

 presence of chlorids of magnesium and cal- 

 cium giv rise to a bitter taste, and colored 

 specks and other impurities in the salt be- 

 come apparent in the product and tend to 

 lessen its value. 



A comparative test was made of salting 

 butter with fine grained and coarse grained 

 salt. The butter from each of twelve churn- 

 ings was divided into two nortioi. one of 

 which was salted with fine and the other 

 with coarse salt. The weight of each lot was 

 determined before and after salting and 

 working. As far as weight is concerned, 

 this particular experiment shows a differ- 

 ence in favor of coarse grained salt of 1.8 

 per cent., with no marked difference in the 

 flavor of the butter. 



PURE FOOD LEGISLATION. 



The importance of securing pure food is 

 now quite generally recognized. A number 

 of the States have enacted general legisla- 

 tion regarding the manufacture and sale of 

 food. Massachusetts, New York, Con- 

 necticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio and North 

 Carolina are among the foremost in this 

 movement. A number of States have 

 laws regarding the sale and manufacture of 

 one or more products, notably oleomar- 

 garin. Many important investigations re- 

 garding the character and extent of food 

 adulteration and sophistication have been 

 conducted in a considerable number of 

 States, and the Canadian Government has 

 also made important contributions to the 

 subject. The primary object of pure food 

 legislation is to protect the consumer and 

 the producer also. The consumer of im- 

 pure or adulterated goods is injured in 

 health or purse, while the business reputa- 

 tion and purse of the maker of first class 

 goods are injured by flooding the market 

 with adulterated or sophisticated products. 

 Other objects of pure food legislation are 

 to determine what constitutes adulteration 

 in different cases, to fix standards of purity 



and to make regulations regarding labels 

 and printed statements of the character of 

 the various products. 



It is evident to all that harmful materials 

 should not be sold as food. In the manu- 

 facture of certain products it is claimed 

 that additions are necessary in order to se- 

 cure the best results. Thus it is sometimes 

 claimed that chocolate requires the addition 

 of some starch. If this is true, the limit 

 of such addition should be fixed by law. If 

 other kinds of mixtures are to be sold, they 

 should not be given misleading names. Cof- 

 fee with a little chicory added is sometimes 

 said to be preferable to coffee alone, but the 

 consumer should have the choice and 

 should not be compelled to buy the mix- 

 ture under the name of coffee. 



If coloring matter or preservatives are 

 added to any food, that fact should be 

 plainly stated. The consumer can then 

 judge whether he desires the goods or not. 

 It is sometimes claimed that certain canned 

 vegetables are not salable unless slightly 

 colored, and that the amount of coloring 

 matter present is not harmful. If the fact 

 that such goods are colored with a certain 

 substance is plainly stated there is at least 

 no deception practiced. The use of any col- 

 oring matter or preservative which ex- 

 perience or observation has shown to be 

 harmful should be forbidden. 



When either goods of an inferior quality 

 or a mixture of such material and good ma- 

 terials is»sold at the same price and under 

 the same name as articles of superior qual- 

 ity, the purchaser is deceived, if not in- 

 jured. 



To be wise, pure food laws should be just 

 to all parties concerned. The problem pre- 

 sents many difficulties, but is of such vital 

 importance that it deserves the attention of 

 all since it concerns all. 



THE FOOD AND WATER SUPPLY OF THE NA- 

 TIVES OF AUSTRALIA. 



The chief occupation of the blacks, as the 

 natives of Australia are called, is the search 

 for food. Lizards, grubs and small marsu- 

 pials are all eaten. The house cat has be-' 

 come wild in Australia, and in certain re- 

 gions is a common article of diet. The 

 larvae of a number of insects are also eaten, 

 usually raw. Of these the larva of the 

 coccus moth is about the size of a man's 

 finger. The much inflated abdomen of fe- 

 male ants of a wood-boring species is a 

 highly prized delicacy. The natives will 

 dig a hole several feet deep alongside of a 

 decayed tree to obtain one of these insects. 

 Eggs of the emu, eagle and other birds are 

 eaten and the flesh of the eagle also, al- 

 though the latter is so offensive that dogs 

 will not touch it. 



Eggs and game are usually cooked by 

 roasting in hot sand, So prepared, the food 



