895 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
An Adjustable House Dress 
I have long sought a good pattern for 
house dresses, and the one illustrated 
seems to me the most satisfactory I have 
tried. The original dress was a dark 
brown linen which I bought ready-made, 
and I conceived the idea of making one 
foundation dress with several detachable 
apron fronts of the same material, so 
that when one front becomes soiled a 
fresh one may be quickly snapped on in 
its place. The foundation dress is quire 
simple, perfectly straight, with either 
kimono or set-in sleeves. You probably 
have some favorite pattern that you 
could use. It may be slipped on over "the 
head or opened down the front, as in 
picture No. 1. The apron front snaps 
well around past the side seams, and 
when together looks like a smart “one- 
piece” dress good enough to wear any¬ 
where, depending on the material used. 
Collar and cuffs are especially good now. 
and nothing else adds quite the same 
touch, although there is the objection of 
having to launder them separately, and 
baste them on new each time. I am 5 ft. 
<1 in. tall, of average weight, and I think 
the measurements given will be found 
the knife to prick through the under 
crust. If, after preparing a pie in this 
w T ay and putting it in the oven, one 
watches it while baking to see that the 
vent in upper crust does not become 
clogged with boiling juice, there need be 
no fear of the juice running out. 
I should add that in preparing apple 
pies care should be taken not to puncture 
the under crust with the sharp edges of 
the sliced apples. I also prepare mince 
pies in the same way. Although there is 
no juice to be lost, the opening of the 
edges is unsightly. If housewives would 
try this method they would find it supe¬ 
rior to the "cloth binding,” and the fin¬ 
ished product more attractive in appear¬ 
ance. c . M. s. 
Honey for Fly Traps 
Mix together honey and water. Fill 
any small-necked glass bottle one-third 
full of the honey and water. Tie a string, 
or better, a covered copper wire S or 30 
in. long, around neck of bottle, then fas¬ 
ten to a tree limb 20 or 50 ft. from the 
house, or any farm building. It will 
soon attract the flies, which go in and 
are not able to find rhe escape. They 
-1 Convertible JJouse Dress 
Make every meal delicious with 
a Vapo Oil Range 
Cooks with an odorless, smokeless flame 
just like a gas stove 
quite satisfactory. A little experiment¬ 
ing w T ith a newspaper pattern will soon 
settle any difficulties. 
Length of side A, 24 y 2 in. 
A to A, 34 in. 
B to C, 3S in. 
1) to D, 11 in. 
Two snaps on each shoulder (buttons 
and buttonholes would be more decora¬ 
tive, perhaps), four snaps around the 
curve on each side, and one part way 
down the skirt (shown in first picture). 
Sew snaps on the detachable front first, 
then try it on and find position for their 
twins on the dress. In this wav yon can 
adjust the front to suit your own figure. 
I am sure you will be quite as enthu¬ 
siastic- as I am, if you will but try it. 
MARIAN B. SPENCER. 
Storing Butter for Home Use 
J. C. K. asked whether there was any 
known method by which butter may be 
stored in the Summer so it may be usable 
during the Winter and not become strong. 
Here is a recipe we have used for sev¬ 
eral years with good results: Boil to¬ 
gether three gallons of w T ater, one-half 
gallon of salt, two cups of brown sugar, 
two tablespoons of saltpeter. Boil three 
hours (do not-boil hard, but just sim¬ 
mer), and when cool strain into a large 
stone jar. As the butter is made, wrap 
it in butter paper and clean cloths, in 
1-lb. packages. Sink butter into prepara¬ 
tion by weight. Butter treated in this 
way will keep absolutely fresh and retain 
its sweet flavor for 12 months. 
MRS. O. W. H. 
Keeping Juice in Fruit Pies 
Many times I have seen reference made 
to binding the edges of fruit pies with 
cloth to prevent the juice from running 
out. My fruit pies never “run out.” The 
following is my way with fruit pies : 
Whenever one of my pies has “run 
out” between rhe edges there has always 
been a bit of the under crust adhering to 
the edge of the baking plate, the rest of 
the edge of the crust being, through bak¬ 
ing, lifted cleanly from the plate. This 
adherence naturally pulled the under 
crust from the upper, leaving an aperture 
through which the juice, as we all know 
the best part of our pie, escaped. Since 
observing this fact I have proceeded in 
putting my pies together in this way : 
I line the baking plate, preferably of 
tin, with crust, trim the edge, fill with 
fruit and the right amount of sugar, and 
then moisten the edge with cold water. 
Then I place the upper crust over all, cut 
gashes in the center, and press firmly 
once around with my thumb, and with a 
sharp knife trim the edge even with the 
plate. So far I believe this to be the pro¬ 
cedure of most cooks in making pies. It 
is, however, the next step which does 
away with the “cloth binding.” Take a 
thin-bladed knife and insert between the 
edges of the pie and the plate, and far 
enough in to pass under the part pressed 
by the thumb, being carful not to pene¬ 
trate the under crust, then working 
around the plate, gently raise the crust 
and roll upwards until, instead of lying 
flat to the jdate, it stands up and away 
from it all around. Success depends on 
raising every bit of crust that has been 
pressed by the thumb, and not allowing 
drop to the bottom and drown. I have 
often destroyed more than one quart un¬ 
der each tree. I put out eight or 10 bot¬ 
tles early in the Spring, and in that way 
I do not have to fight the flies in the 
house all Summer. m. h. C. 
A Country Book Club 
For the past 15 years the dwellers of 
this small village and the nearby farms 
have had a book club, which has been 
very successful in both a social and edu¬ 
cational way. In the beginning it was 
started for the purpose of having new 
books of fiction to read. The rules were 
that each member was to put a book of 
new fiction in the club at the beginning 
of the year. We have averaged about 35 
members, meeting every two weeks at 
the different homes, where the books were 
exchanged. 
The following officers are elected an¬ 
nually : President, vice-president, secre¬ 
tary-treasurer, librarian and literary di¬ 
rector. The last named is the most im¬ 
portant, for in addition to our book ex¬ 
change we have at each meeting a liter¬ 
ary program, and on the ability of the 
director rests much of the success of the 
meetings. 
The first of the year we vote and de¬ 
cide what subject we will study, and 
ours have been many and varied ; Amer¬ 
ican history, English history, American 
authors, civics, a few of Shakespeare’s 
plays, and for three years we took the 
Mentor and used it for our programs. 
Each meeting we have roll call and ans¬ 
wer by quotations on certain subjects, 
current events or whatever the director 
selects for that meeting. 
Dues of 50 cents are paid each year. 
Whenever a member is ill we remember 
her with flowers or a blossoming plant. 
Also showers of post cards are sent to 
members who are ill at home or in hos¬ 
pitals. 
Twice a year, or oftener, we entertain 
our husbands and children. Usually this 
is a picnic in Summer, and a supper and 
party at the village hall in Winter. If 
space permitted I would like to tell you 
of some of the “stunts” we have had. 1 
will give just one. Each member dresses 
or wears something to represent the title 
of a book, and the person guessing the 
highest number is given a prize. This 
always takes. 
Some six years ago a wealthy New 
York woman who has a Summer home 
here, came into our club. She saw that 
we were trying to fill, in a w-ay, the lack 
of a library. She said. “Why not start a 
public library?” And then she told us 
how to go about it, and she gave us $100 
for a start. (If you wish to know just 
fhat steps to take, write to J. I. Wyer, 
Director of State Libraries, Albany, N 
Y.) The library -was started at once, and 
how proud we were of those first few 
hundred books! ^And now after six years 
we have over 2,500 volumes; pretty good 
for a little village of 400 people, isn’t it? 
And we wonder how we ever lived with¬ 
out it. 
But to go back to our book club ; that 
still goes on just the same; it fills a social 
need, bringing together women who would 
seldom meet in any other way, and many 
are the plans that have had their incep¬ 
tion there—war work when needed, and 
a helping hand in all social service and 
civic work. f f v 
The Vapo Range operates like a gas 
range because it bums gas. It has all of 
the conveniences of the gas stove and 
all its cooking qualities. The marvelous 
Vapo Burner converts the kerosene into 
gas and bums it with a hot, blue flame 
that neither smokes or smells. Turned 
on at full heat, it will operate from 32 
to 36 hours on one gallon of kerosene. 
At a simmering heat, it will burn from 
50 to 60 hours. That is real economy. 
Vapo Bolo oven bakes and 
roasts like a gas stove 
The cabinet types of Vapo Ranges have 
a built-in Bolo Oven—a feature found 
only on the Vapo. The adjustable Bolo 
plate will make the oven big or little. 
Bolo means “Big or Little Oven.” This 
makes a more intense heat because it is 
confined in a smaller space. You can do 
slow and fast baking at the same time. 
Vapo is the only oil stove oven thatoffers 
you this advantage. 
Vapo insures cooking comfort 
Vapo construction includes many details 
which make for cooking comfort. The 
cooking top is roomy enough to prepare 
a large meal without crowding. The 
high shelf does not interfere with use of 
a wash boiler on the top and yet is not 
out of reach. The range is the right 
height to prevent back strain. Bolo oven 
doors drop to form shelves when needed. 
The oil tank is placed right for easy 
filling and the range sets flush against 
the wall. A range to treasure and be 
proud of. Have your dealer show 
you a Vapo. 
Use thecoupon for free booklet 
Vapo Oil Ranges, Heaters and Water 
Heaters are sold by one high grade hard¬ 
ware or furniture dealer in nearly every 
community. If your dealer has none in 
stock. Write us, giving us his name 
and we will see that you are supplied. 
I THE VAPO STOVE COMPANY I 
| R.N.Y. LIMA, OHIO. | 
I Please send me complete informa- I 
| tion about Vapo Ranges. | 
I Name. | 
j Address.’. j 
| Dealer’s Name. | 
The Vapo Stove Company, Lima, Ohio 
Oil 
Ranges 
Heaters 
Hot Water 
Heaters 
Barrels of Slightly Damaged Crockery ware, 'cookT 
intfware, Glassware, etc., shipped direct from factory to 
consumer. Write us for partie. E. SWASEV ft CO.. Portland, Maine 
FOR INDIGESTION 
25$ AND 75$ PACKAGES EVERYWHERE 
<=**■ 
*= HONEY SAVING SUPPLIES 
FOR THE AUTOIST 
OUR NEW CATALOGUE LISTS HUNDREDS 
OF MONEY SAVING ACCESSORIES 
YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT ONE 
. US JUST OUT AND NUMBER 
TIMES SQUARE AUTO SUPPLYCO. me 
l'"H 1 ‘.POAOWcy AT 56<iST NYC 
imiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiimimmiiimiiiimm 
USEFUL FARM BOOKS 
Fertilizers and Crop, Van Slyke_$3.25 
American Apple Orchard. Waugh.. 1.75 
American Peach Orchard’, Waugh.. 1.75 
Book of Cheese, Thom and Fisk_ 2.40 
Butter Making, I’ublow.90 
Commercial Poultry, Roberts. 3!00 
Edmonds’ Poultry Account Book... 1.00 
Intensive Strawb’ry Culture, Graton. 1.00 
Manual of Milk Products, Stocking. 2.75 
Milk Testing, Publow.90 
Pruning Manual Bailey. 2.50 
Successful Fruit Culture, Maynard. 1.75 
Turkey Book, Lamon. 3.75 
Vegetable Forcing, Watts. 2.50 
Vegetable Garden, Watts. 2.50 
For sale by 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
333 IV. 30th St. New York City 
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiimiim 
