1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
293 
Seasonable Dishes. 
It is a fact much to b© regretted that 
too many housewives in the rural dis¬ 
tricts do not make the most of nature’s 
bountiful gifts in the uncultivated pro¬ 
ducts found growing in fields, by the 
wayside and on their own lawns. There 
is no other class of housekeepers who 
have such liberal supplies of hygienic 
food brought to their very doors with¬ 
out any forethought or expense at¬ 
tached. Yet how many fail in serving 
their families with numerous healthful 
and easily prepared dishes that will give 
physical tone and vigor in excess of al¬ 
most any other food provided. The ma¬ 
jority of housewives feel that all of their 
obligations are canceled in a dish of 
greens boiled with meat. This forms 
a hearty diet for those blessed with 
vigorous appetites, but there are many 
other palatable ways of serving these 
succulent wild things that will seem 
more of a relish and which will tempt a 
delicate appetite, suffering from the 
Spring lassitude, to a more active state, 
and greens served in any way form ex¬ 
cellent tonics. 
Sometimes you hear the excuse offer¬ 
ed for not making the most of these 
natural supplies, that it is lack of time 
to gather and prepare them for use, but 
no one ever heard a farmer’s wife com¬ 
plain of lack of time to provide numer¬ 
ous kinds of layer cakes, doughnuts and 
cookies by the panful, as well as pies of 
all sorts and descriptions. It is really a 
matter of usage, for it would not take 
nearly so much time to prepare a dish 
of fresh green salad as the much more 
elaborate sweetmeat, and the salad 
would supply a healthful relish that no 
sweet compound could furnish. Still 
another advantage to be gained from the 
wild greens is that many of them come 
so early, long before the vegetable gar¬ 
den is under a state of cultivation. The 
dandelions and some varieties of cress 
spring into being almost with the van¬ 
ishing of the snow. 
It is the prevailing custom in most 
country places to serve dandelions 
cooked, but they form excellent green 
salads by chopping them finely and then 
treating them to a plain salad dressing. 
A French dressing forms a change and is 
much enjoyed by many. This consists 
of three tablespoonfuls of oil to one 
tablespoonful of vinegar. For every 
tablespoonful of vinegar and three of 
oil take one-half teaspoonful of salt and 
one-fourth teaspoonful of black or w’hite 
pepper. Mix the salt and pepper with 
the oil and add the vinegar gradually, 
stirring thoroughly until it becomes 
white and a little thickened. This 
dressing must be used as soon as it is 
made or it will separate. Some kinds of 
cress, especially the watercress, make 
good salads, although the latter forms a 
pungent relish when served fresh, and 
is simply dipped in salt before eating it. 
Sorrel, the common black mustard which 
grows in such rank profusion around 
most country homes, and either of the 
mints, which likewise have a tendency 
to cheapen themselves by their too lux¬ 
uriant growth, form delicious salads or 
relishes when finely chopped and given 
the simple vinegar and sugar dressing. 
The milkweed is another of the wild 
plants which does not receive the 
amount of culinary distinction that it 
deserves, although the esthetic shrimp- 
pink blossoms and silk-filled seed pods 
are so ardently admired by most people 
later in the season. In some sections of 
the country milkweed forms a favorite 
green to be cooked with pickled pork, 
but it is not so customary to treat the 
young and tender shoots, which are very 
asparagus-like in growth, the same as 
the genuine garden vegetable. But this 
can be done very satisfactorily; in fact, 
the milkweed forms a good substitute 
for asparagus, although it is better 
when possible to combine the two, as 
the milkweed has a less pronounced 
flavor than the asparagus, and will ac¬ 
quire the latter flavor when they are 
cooked together. Sometimes this com¬ 
bination is very convenient to a farm 
housewife, who finds the supply of as¬ 
paragus provided for the family dinner 
not equal to the demand when company 
unexpectedly drops in, and milkweed, 
which is found growing near so many 
country homes during the same season 
as the asparagus, will eke out the sup¬ 
ply in a very creditable way. Serve the 
milkweed either when cooked alone or 
in combination the same as asparagus. 
Hard-boiled eggs make nice garnishes 
for either salads or plain boiled greens. 
Boil the eggs 30 minutes, place them 
immediately in cold water and let 
them remain until perfectly cold, peel, 
slice them very thinly, and lay over the 
top of the dishes, add a light sprinkling 
of salt, pepper and dry mustard. 
SARAH RODJTEY. 
A Unique Plate Rack. 
A homemade plate rack that cost less 
than half a dollar, when smaller ones 
sell for two or three dollars in the stores, 
struck me as a boon for the woman who 
cannot afford a china closet nor enough 
china to fill one if she had it. In almost 
every home, however humble it may be, 
there are treasured bits of pretty ware 
that never see daylight except on days 
when the cupboard is cleaned. With a 
substantial rack hung high enough to be 
out of the children’s reach, there is no 
reason why the dainty cups and saucers 
may not be enjoyed by the family every 
day. The foundation for the rack was a 
common pine board four feet long and 
three inches wide, and was supported by 
the common iron brackets that cost 
about three < ents apiece at toy or hard¬ 
ware stores. These brackets were more 
common years ago than now, for every 
woman used to have them to hold up 
her plant shelves in the sitting-room 
windows. Happily we can seie out of the 
windows nowadays without having our 
vision obscured by gangly, pale flower 
stalks, for we have learned that they do 
just as well on stands near the windows, 
and the people do better, since they don’t 
absorb all the sunshine, but one may 
still buy the iron brackets. This board 
was stained brown with walnut juice 
and fastened firmly in place. About two 
inches above the shelf was placed a com¬ 
mon curtain pole, about half an inch in 
diameter. The pole was put up exactly 
as you would for a curtain by screwing 
the fixtures to the wall and slipping the 
pole into place. Six inches farther up 
was a similar pole, though this had the 
fixtures cut down to bring it nearer the 
wall. A row of plates was held in place 
l).v this arrangement, and the owner was 
so pleased with her ingenuity that she 
intends having another and narrower 
shelf above with only one rod to show 
off her saucers. Under the shelf are 
placed a number of small brass screws 
to hold the cups, which are screwed into 
the pine board on the under side. At 
present the saucers hang in the wire 
frames dealers use to display them at 
holiday time, but the shelf at the top 
will do away with the unsightly things. 
A quaint old blue pitcher hides one of 
the iron supports, and a smart, two- 
handled vase the other. 
The china is not half the trouble to 
keep clean one would suppose. Of 
course it gets dusty and has to be 
washed frequently, but this can be done 
while the children are at school, so there 
is little danger of getting It broken. All 
the extra work is forgotten when we 
may tell how “Grandmother had these 
cups and saucers when she commenced 
housekeeping,” or “this was Margaret’s 
first baby cup,” and set our visitors to 
wishing for a similar contrivance. The 
tiny trinkets that Santa Claus brings 
lose half their charm when packed away 
on a dark shelf for fear of being broken, 
but if the little cups find a bright hook 
waiting for them where the small own¬ 
ers can look at them and point them out 
to company, it makes Christmas last far 
into the new year. 
Counting the cost, the owner said: 
“I got my brackets for six cents at a 
closing-out sale, and the poles and fix¬ 
tures for 10 cents a set. This*may be 
cheap, but I think it is a fair estimate 
to count the whole thing, including 
hooks, at 45 cents.” 
We have started over three thousand 
boys in various parts of the country 
in a profitable business on their own 
account. We want a boy to represent 
Tl\e ^Saturday 
“I didn’t know you had so many 
beautiful pieces,” said her visitor. , 
“I didn’t either till I searched all the 
cubby-holes in the house. I’ll venture to 
say there isn’t a woman in this county 
who couldn’t show this much if you’d 
give her a week to hunt it up.” 
“Well, I know one who will begin a 
thorough search this very day,” said the 
visitor, throwing her shawl over her 
head. And to-day there are two plate 
racks in that neighborhood, with good 
prospects for many more. 
mi.PA RICH.MONO. 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use“Mrs.Wins- 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Adn. 
A NEW INVENTION 
BIG MONEY MAKER. 
RI fi Uf A fi rfi ^t*)'' Special offer 
Dili lilllll.V Hnatler*, to Hen and Women, 
at home or traToling, all or part time, showing, 
taking orders and appointing agents for HAR- 
RI.SON’S BI.1JR FliAaiE NKW FVEA. Oil. 
STOVES. Wonderful invention. Just out. Noth¬ 
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We want Agents, Salesmen and Managers in every 
state. Biggest money maker ever offered. Enormous 
demand year round, in every city, town, village and 
among farmers. Customers deiighted. Write for 
catalogue. Bloat fVon<i«rral Stove InTented. 
A SPOONFUL OF OIL MAKES 
A HOCS-HEAD OF FUEL GAS. 
Oeneratealta own Fuel Oaa from Kerosene or 
common coal oil. No cotton wick, dirt, kindiing, 
ashes, or hot fiery kitchens. Splendid cooker, roast¬ 
er and baker. Makes summer cooking a pleasure. 
CHEAPEST AND SAFEST FUEL, 
10 to 90 CENTS a week should furnish Fuel Gas 
for small family for cooking. A gallon of Kerosene 
oil costing 8c to 10c should furnish Fuel Gas for a 
hot blue flams fire for about 18 hours. 
NO SIOBE NEED OF TOE 
DANGEROUS GASOLINE STOVES 
No more Big Coal Billi, Smoky (Totton Wick Stoves, 
expensive, dirty coal and wood stoves—ours are ab- 
nolnt4>l7 LAfb—will not explode—easily operated. 
Should last 10 years. Handsomely made. All sizes. 
, PRICES. S3.00 CP. 
Write today for Catalosne, FREE, alao for 
Special Oflier, New Plan, ete. Address. 
WORLD MFC. CO.. B408 WorlN Bldg., Cincinnati, 0. 
E^venin^ Post 
In every town. The work can be done 
after school hours and on Saturdays. It is 
pleasant, as well as profitable. The maga¬ 
zines are sold among neighbors and friends 
in offices, stores, as well as in homes. 
No Money Required to Begin 
The first week’s supply is sent free. These 
are sold at five cents a copy and provide 
the money to order the following week at 
wholesale prices. 
on IN EXTRA CASH PRIZES 
will be distributed among boya 
who sell five or more copies. 
Our Free booklet gives portraits of 
some of our most successful boy 
agents and their methods. 
The Curtis Publishing Co. 
484 Arch Street 
Philadelphia 
PRICES REDUCED 
Vapor Bath Cabinet S9.95 each 
Quaker “ “ 8.50 each 
0.10 each 
Face & Head Steam. Attch. 05c 
best. Guaranteed. $2. Book 
Free with all “ Quakers.” 
Write for our New Cata- 
loprne, special 60-Day offer. 
Don’t miss it. Tour last 
chnnee. New plan, new 
pricea to ajtents, aalea- 
mcn, manstgrera. Wonder- 
getting rich. Plenty territory. 
World M’f*ir Co., 690 World Bldg., Cincinnati, O- 
Absolute Range Perfection 
Sold for Cash or on 
Monthly Payments. 
$10 to $20 
Saved. 
Freight 
paid east 
of the 
Missii- 
•ippi 
River 
and 
north of 
the Ten¬ 
nessee 
Line; 
equal¬ 
ised be¬ 
yond. 
Ytir Miey re- 
hided aR'er six 
■Mtks’ trM If 
Clapp's Ideal Steel R-ange 
la not 50 per ednt better than other*. My superior location 
on Lake Brie, where iron, ateel, coaL freights and ikilled 
labor are cheaper and bert, enablee me to furnish a TOP 
NOTCII Steel Range at a clean saving of $10 to $20. Send 
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reservoir, for city, town or country use. 
CHESTEI D. CLAPP BOSSnmmil St. Toledo. Ohio. 
(practical Stove and Range Man.) 
ONi:/ KNEW 
how much money you can save and how much better stove or range you can get, 
ou’d send to-day for full particulars about the 
Steel Stoves & Ranges 
Sold direct from our factory on 360 DslYS ApprovaLl Test, backed by a 
$20,000 bank bond. We guarantee perfect satisfaction or ask no pay. 
We pay the freight. Ask for catalogue No. 114 
KALAMAZOO STOVE COMPANY, MFR8., KALAMAZOO, MICH. 
All our Cook Sloz’ei and Ranges kas/e talent oven thermometers. 
Sarsaparilla 
“ I am now past 74 years of age, and 
I know from experience that Ayer’s 
Sarsaparilla is the best family medicine 
in the world.” 
T. S. Armstrong, Kokomo, Ind. 
Always keep it in the house. That is what the docton 
say, too. They know it is the best family medicine it 
the world. Some one in the house will surely need i 
this spring. It has such wonderful strengthening power 
Tested and tried for sixty years. 
$1.00 a bottle. J. C. Ayer Co 
All druggists. Lowell, Masi 
Farmers’ 
Telephones 
are not untried novelties. 
Thousands now use them 
dally. For thlo purpose there 
Is DO instrument better than 
Our S< 2 Li\daLrd No. 2, 
which Is shown In thecuL This Is 
no trust nor monopoly phone. No 
rents, no royalties. All your 
own. Simple, perfect In calling, 
sending and receiving. Eoual to 
any phone made. We furnish 
switchboards smd all acceee- 
ones. Does it Interest 
youl Write for our 
catalogue. Sent free. 
THE U. S. ELECTRIC MPO. CO.. 
800 Elan St-. Bntler, Pm, 
» 
