EXTENSION COURSE IN VEGETABLE FOODS. ll 
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 
