1390 ft RURAL NEW-YORKER 
A Farm Woman’s Notes 
Gray November 
November is a nun. The naked, drub 
maples look down upon a carpet of bright 
golden leaves that: lie beneath them like 
a cast-off garment.. Hod, orange and blue 
for October, but gray for November. The 
birds are reduced to crows aud sparrows, 
the corn-fields become more somber with 
each succeeding rain. The clouds that 
were so white are like unwashed wool 
skimming across the sky by handfuls, and 
bringing down occasional showers of 
sleet- moisture that chills as it strikes, 
tints urging us to build the first, warm 
tires of the season, a contrasting color in 
red. leaping flames. The weather rather 
seems to ask. “What have you done Avith 
your last Summer’s wages? < >ld man 
Please Remit will soon be hero.” And the 
head of the family glances apprehensively 
at bis woodpile. 
Thanksgiving Day is bringing back that 
fine story of the Pilgrims who originated 
it. It is a tale that, never has lost 'ts 
charm. The theme is hope, faith and 
courage. It is easy enough to he hopeful 
when the Spring wind blowing, but 
the November wind is apt to turn courage 
into pessimism. The April optimist be¬ 
comes the November pessimist, as if be 
had used too much hope at the start, and, 
bein'? out of it. must wait until Spring 
to replenish. Alas, no one loves a pes¬ 
simist. or Avnnts to winter with one. for 
When lie loses hope he loses his good na¬ 
ture. and it requires a very active sense of 
humor to cope with such a one cheerfully. 
Tt is a pessimist that protests against. 
Thanksgiving Day because he has noth¬ 
ing to be thankful for. And if it were not 
for that little baud of conservative men 
and women who saved a little hope to 
tide them through ir would be harder to 
answer these people who would fun the 
world by money. 
There is n flurry of excitement in our 
little home. Daddy is going South for Iho 
Winter in our automobile. There have 
been many promises made and many still 
in the making. The man from Florida, who 
is going along ns general manager, has 
agreed to bring back anything from a 
palmetto to an alligator. This indudes a 
“talk polly,” a bunch of bananas aud a 
box of oranges. “My 1” says Daddy, 
“you must write these things down.” 
Tint Elsie is thinking hard. Could they 
bring one of those tiny little Shetland 
ponies? I have to smile at the thought 
of such a strange load. Florida is 1.S00 
miles from here, which is a matter of 
many camping places. However, you can 
buy a heating plant in the 5 and 10c 
store for “be. aud canned heat for 10c a 
can that, will burn four hours and boil 
a cup of water in five minutes. This is 
very different, from hunting up a doubtful 
supnly of firewood, especially after or 
duriug a rain. 
1 have lea ril'd to nurse the lighting 
plant und put in a fuse. The woodshed 
is full and coal in (he cellar. There is 
n large supply of sugar, flour beans and 
bacon—such arc my preparations for my 
new position as caretaker. The cow, 
horses and hens are under my manage¬ 
ment. This might be a hardship if I were 
not a farm-raised woman, but as it is it 
will rather be fun playing independence. 
Grandmother and little Jane have 
formed a conspiracy to wash the dishes 
everv time. It is very amusing to watch 
the fine dignity of little Jane, as Avith the 
dishpnn on two chairs, she puts in plenty 
of soap. Nobody interferes, for she is a 
conscientious child, and would weep real 
tears over being put off the job when she 
is doing her verv best work. “Don’t that 
plate look bright and clean?” she cries 
happily, and then blushes when wo look 
too long. 
Here is a thought suggested by the 
trend of the times: Isn’t it unite possible 
that by the time Elsie and little Jane art- 
grown u)i good housekeepers will he held 
in higher estimation than stenographers? 
It seems reasonable when one thinks of 
the growing demand for .hose who work 
i.i the home, right now in the present day. 
As women take more and more to busi¬ 
ness, so nin-t homes, however well pro¬ 
vided for. lack the comforts that can^ only 
exist where a good housekeeper is at 
work day after day. One can send out 
the laundry and take meals at the res¬ 
taurant. biit that does not create a home. 
It is ray guess that in time there Avill be 
few places AA'here a girl can earn as much 
inoncA as a good cook can command. Ed¬ 
ucation and good manners first, but don’t 
forget tin- art that is taught just as their 
bonds come within reach of your dhow. 
I.ittle Jane is (inishod with her dish¬ 
washing. and comes bopping through the 
doorway, both feet at one., like a spar¬ 
row. 1 expect to be invited to share that 
big piece of toast <be has in her hand, 
and am not disappointed. Elsie is home 
from school, for it is Saturday, and they 
an- putting on their sweaters for a roll 
in tin- leaves, while the sun is looking out. 
The swarm of bees that came to us Iasi 
May have met with disaster. The season 
has been too rainy for th.o making of 
honey, and Fall found them Avith nothing 
to cat. We opened the hive just too late. 
There they lay on (lie floor of the hive ill 
a sorry little heap, fallen starving from 
the empty comb A few bad died with 
their heads -til! in the empty cells they 
might hnvi been living yesterday. Ama¬ 
teur’s- cnrcb-s'iicss. and all av can do is 
say: “li is too bad.” and pass on the 
experience that, others may protit by il- 
The crown are scolding over the poor 
corn crop. Them will not be the usual 
amount of ears on the stalks to tide them 
through the Winter. At tin- mill corn is 
reported as being scarce and hard to get, 
and most fields Avill he husked early. The, 
New York potato crop is practically dug, 
ami farmers are eagerly awaiting the 
Coining announcement of tin December 1 
estimate. It has been a wonderful Fall 
ro do woik like Fall plowing, and election 
day found most of us ready for Winter. 
The man from Florida has done well 
Avith the chicken;„ and now presents me 
with a pullet, flock of (50 strong. So 1 
have started them eating ground feed. 
A bag of buekAvhuat. a bag of corn, a bag 
of wheat and of oats ground together is 
a very good dry mash to start them lay¬ 
ing early. I am not an authority on 
chickens, but am always able to get eggs 
in Winter. Ruekwbeiit is high in pro¬ 
tein, and fulfills the requirements of that, 
ingredient in the ration. It is possible to 
buy buckwheat from one’s brother farmer 
without using the middleman, when it 
has not been raised on the farm, which 
also can be raid of the rest of the ration. 
These are handsome, well-bred Red pel¬ 
lets. Sixty is too many for tin- henhouse. 
Out in tin- garage the affairs of prepara¬ 
tion are drawing to a close. The new 
brake lining has been adjusted, and the 
front, seat made removable, so that one 
can lie down in tin- car at night. Our 
tourists are ready t>* start tomorrow. We 
are all a little thrilled at tin- prospect. 
Will they get. homesick aud turn back? 
And how will they make the hills ofl’enn- 
sylvania? It will be a new experience 
for all of us. Daddy will have a chance 
to see how potatoes are grown in other 
States; will, I hope, be enabled to see his 
own farming in a new perspective. It 
Will be good for him spiritually and phys¬ 
ically’. I have no doubt that til of us left 
here at home will gain something from 
being left on our own resources; anyhow, 
avc intend to show what we can do. 1 do 
not envy them the journey so much as 
might be tboueht. 
Here’s to a happy Thanksgiving Day. 
AIRS. F. II. UNGER. 
Saltino Pork and Preparing Pork 
Products 
The following is the Government 
formula for pork sausage: 65 lbs. fresh 
lean meat. 155 lbs. fat. 1% lbs. salt, 2 os. 
fine sage, 1 oz. ground nutmeg, 4 oz. black 
pepper. Cut the meat in smnll pieces, 
mix in the seasoning; then put through 
the grinder, using rln- small plate. After 
it is well ground, mix thoroughlv to be 
sure that it is uniformly seasoned. 
For dry-cured pork, for each 100 lbs. 
mix well together S lbs. salt. 2*4 lbs. 
molasses or syrup, warmed slightly. 2 oz. 
saltpeter. oz. black pepper. 2 oz. red 
pepper. Rub the mixture over the meat 
thoroughly. and pack it away in n barrel, 
box, or on a table. About the third day 
break bulk and repack to insure thor¬ 
ough contact with the cure mixture; then 
allow tin- meat to remain till the cure is 
completed. Allow two days in cure for 
each pound that an individual piece 
Avcighs; thus a 10 lb. bam will take 20 
days. After the meat has cured hang it 
in tin- smokehouse without washing. 
When tin- meat is packed in tight barrels 
the liquid formed will aid in curing the 
heavier pieces, which should be at the 
bottom. 
For brine eure, allow to each 100 lbs. 
of meat. 0 llts. salt, 2If* lbs. sugar or 4 
lbs. molasses. 2 oz. saltpeter, 4 R> g.-ils. 
AV/iter. If the weather is warm, 10 lbs. 
of salt, is preferable. Allow four days for 
curing each noimd of bam or shoulder, 
and throe davs for each pound of bacon 
and smaller pieces’. Thus a 15 lb. ham 
Avoubl take f.U days, ami a piece of bacon 
weighing 10 lbs. .'!0 days. All the ingre¬ 
dients are pi need in cold water and avpII 
stirred The brine mixture should he 
made the day before, so Get the ingredi¬ 
ents a re completely dissolved. I’lacc the 
hams on the bottom of the container, 
shoulders next, bacon, soles and small 
cuts on top. Cover with boards weighted 
with stones or bricks, as iron rusts and 
stains tin- meat. Pour the pickle in, and 
be sure it covers the meat thoroughly. 
In seven days lake out the meat, remove 
the pickle, pack the meat iu again, weight, 
it down, and again cover with the pickle. 
Repeat this process every seven days un¬ 
til cure is completed, then wash in luke- 
Avarru water, and smoke till a good chest¬ 
nut color. 
In smoking, hang pieces so they do not 
touch. Green hickory or maple wood is 
best for smoking. Resinous woods should 
never be used, as they give an objection¬ 
able flavor to the meat. Corncobs may 
be used, blit they deposit carbon on the 
meat, giving a dirty appearauee. The 
tern •erature should not go higher than 
120 deg. From 36 to 48 hours may give 
a good color, but if the meat is to he kept 
for some time, longer smoking is desirable. 
When smoked, allow the meat to cool until 
linn and hard, and then wrap in heavy 
paper and put in muslin sack. Remove 
the string by which the meat Avas hung 
during smoking, as this should not be 
used for hanging after the meat is 
wrapped. In cloning the sack make a 
double Avrap before tying the string, hs 
this will prevent the entrance or insects. 
Each sack may then he painted oA’er Avith 
melted paraffin, or with yellow wash made 
as follows: lbs. barium sulphate, 1 oz. 
dry glue, I Vj oz. chrome yellow, 0 oz. 
flour, Half fill a pail with water and 
mix in the flour, breaking un all the 
lumps. .Mix the chrome yellow in a quart 
of water In a separate vessel, add the 
glue, aud pour all into the flour mixture, 
living all to a boil and add the barium 
Sulphate, stirring constantly. Make the 
wash a day before using. Stir while using 
and apply with a brush. 
The head is generally used for making 
head cheese, but odds and ends may he 
used also. The head must be shaved dean, 
nostrils, eyes and ear drums removed. 
The fattest part of the head is generally 
used for lard. When cleaned, soak in 
'•old water for some tim*- to extract blood 
and dirt. After thoroughly cleaned, cover 
with water, and boil .rill the meat sep¬ 
arates from the bones. When thoroughly 
cooked, take out the meat, reserving the 
liquor. Remove all hones and chop the 
meat. For each 56 lbs. of meat, use lRj 
Ilf. salt, .4 oz. blin k pepper, l oz. allspice 
and -1 oz. ground doves; moisten Avith 2 
gals, of the liquor in which the meat was 
boiled. Mix thoroughlv and put in squar*? 
pans, weighting while cooling to make it 
si did. 
Philadelphia Scrapple.—Prepare a pig’s 
head as for head choose. When well 
cooked, remove all the hones and chop 
the meat line. Set the liquid in which 
the meat /as cooked aside until cold: 
then take the cake of fat off the top anil 
return liquid to the fire. When if boils, 
put in the chopped meat and season well 
with popper and salt. Let it boil again, 
and thicken with eornrnenl, as you would 
in making ordinary coriimeal mush, by 
letting it Git) slowly through the lingers 
to prevent lumps. Took an hour, stirring 
constantly _ at first, then moving back 
Where it will simmer gently. When done, 
pour Into a shallow pan to mold. To serve, 
cut in thin slices and brown in n frying- 
pan. Some of our readers use buckwheat 
for thickening instead of comment, hut 
that Ave buy is always thickened with 
corn meal. 
Souse.—Glean pigs' feet ami ears well; 
cover av itli cold, slightly salted water, 
and lioil till tender. Pack in stone jars 
while hot, and cover while pickle is pre- 
pared. T half a gallon of cider vinegar 
nlloAV half a cup of while sugar, three 
dozen whole black pepper corns, a dozen 
blades of mace and a dozen cloves. Roll 
one minute, then while boiling pour over 
tin meat and put cover on the container. 
Tt Avill lie ready for use in two days, and 
will keep some time. The meat may lie 
eaten Gold, or dipped in batter or bread 
crumbs and fried brown. 
Automobile, Schools and Churches 
Tt has been pretty well established that 
th' 1 automobile has been in many eases 
responsible foe the decline of the ooiiuG\\ 
church. One 1ms oiiIa In visit one of the 
Nov cm *-r 2."*, 1022 
many lake resorts on Sunday to see why 
this is so. At these places one may see 
many fares that wre formerly fan iliar 
in the country Sunday school and church 
services. I loth Gunnery and < ily eliurehes 
are showing a diminishing attendance be¬ 
cause of the automobile, l'enpb from the 
country make Sunday excursions to the 
city and Go* city dweller feels that Sun¬ 
day is his only chance in get close to 
nature. Driving to the country on Sun- 
daj'K is not confined to owners of auto¬ 
mobiles. Parties are made up and a car 
hired, and expenses divided among the 
members of the party. “.Man made the 
cit.v. but. God made the country,” and did 
such a good job of it that, one can hardly 
blame the city worker for wanting to get 
away from his environment. 
While the automobile ha- caused the 
decline of the “little whirr church,” it is 
equally responsible for ninny vacant little 
red school hoi i scs. With good roads it is 
easier for the children to attend the 
town high school several miles away than 
to walk a 'mile or two to the district 
school. It is a common sight in many 
sections to sec an automobile loaded to 
capacity, which means, in many cases, as 
many as eati get inside and as many more 
ns are willing to stand upon the running 
board, headed for town or for the coun¬ 
try, depending upon the time of day. 
Whore a family owns a car the children 
Avill start for school, picking up neighbor 
children on the way. There are enough 
who attend the town high school under 
such conditions to cut down the attend¬ 
ance in the district school to a point below 
the minimum required to entitle the dis¬ 
trict to the services of a regular teacher. 
This often leaves several children in a 
district who are not far enough advanced 
to attend the graded school in town, or 
who arc not able to attend because of 
title the district to a teacher. This 
means of instruction. I have in mind a 
district in which there was no school at 
all last year because there were not 
enough children of school age to en¬ 
title the district to a teacher. This 
year, by enrolling two names from an ad¬ 
joining district, which I understand has 
no teacher because of a lack of the re¬ 
quired number of pupil-, this district 
hits been able to secure a teacher. As the 
minimum Avage is $100 per month, it will 
cost $10 p*• r month for each of the 10 
pupils of this district. Rut if they are 
thoroughly taught the “three R’s" and a 
wholesome regard for those tilings that 
give them n good atari oi the road to 
become useful citizens, the money av i 11 be 
Avail spent. Anri in the great game of 
life I will wager that these sntt.e boys 
and girl- will hold their own against their 
little friends who attend'd the village 
school, and all but became bow-legged 
and stoop-shouldered carrying about the 
required number of text hooks. Many 
of these acquire a nun- email* ring of a 
great number of subjects from their 
hooks, a lot of up-to-date slang, and learn 
to roll a cigarette with one hand, and in 
a year Or two begin to look upon the farm 
ns “pretty tame.” and look forward to 
the time when they can forever get away 
From it Mother and father suddenly 
grow old-fasbiOned. and Mary, who lias 
invited a girl friend 1o spend the week¬ 
end Avith her. lias no time to help Avith 
the Saturday’s work. John no longer 
feels it. his duty to help father do the 
chores or haul up the year's supply of 
wood. 
In one ease, at least, the automobile 
has gone farther than to cut down the 
attendance of the cit.v church. Tin* ac¬ 
companying picture show.- a filling sta¬ 
tion, Less than six months ago a beau¬ 
tiful little stone church stood upon the 
site noAv occupied by this filling station. 
The tilling station is at the intersection 
of two street ear lines, s< it is evident 
rlmt the church avas not an isolated place. 
The tilling station is in the city of At¬ 
lanta. The district school referred to is 
in NorthAvestern Ohio. j. d, pickett. 
Making Sauerkraut for Home Use 
Earthenware jars arc th*' best contain 
ers for kraut, but straight-sided barrels 
of cypress uni .a be used. \x i 1 1 1 a layer of 
loose cabbage or grape leaves in the bot¬ 
tom. Trim off the outer green leaves of 
the cabbage, and remove the core. Rut a 
layer of cabbage in the container, sprinkle 
with salt and continue until the con¬ 
tainer is full, using in the proportion of 
1 lb, of salt to It) lbs. of cabbage. Sprinkle 
salt over tbi> toil layer of cabbage, and 
then I over ii otic or two layers of 
cheesecloth, tucking it down at the sides 
Rut on this a plate or piece of hoard (d<* 
not use pine), and place a weight, on tins. 
Let the kraut remain in a moderately 
warm room until fermentation ceases 
(eight or ten days’! ; then keep in a cool 
place. Tt may be sealed with melted par¬ 
affin. forming a layer 1 ■< in. thick over the 
surface. 
Several of our readers can sauerkraut, 
thus keeping it very conveniently. Tn 
many cases it is not: cooked, but tilled into 
jars to about 1 in. from the top The 
jar is then tilled to overflowing Avith the 
brine, rubber ring and t«*•, adjusted, and 
-filed light. A Western reader uses the 
following method of canning: Rut on 
ranee in granite dish pm **r stew pan. 
cover with brine from jar, adding water, 
if nece-saiv. cover closely and bring to 
ho 1!; boil 10 minutes, pack into glass jars, 
press down well, cover av :b not brine. 
Will keep indefinitely, and ili be bettor 
than if kept in open ve—p] through the 
season. 
t Fillinti station that Took the Place of <> t'hureh 
