Lessons in domestic economy. its food and clothing

Book I. THE BODY. — Its Food and Clothing

LONDON :

Price One Shilling and Sixpence, cloth boards.

V z'

This volume contains Part L of “ Our Home Work,” hr ice 3^., arid is published in this form to meet the require¬ ments of those who wish for Reading Books for advanced Scholars.

WELLCOME INSTITUTE

LIBRARY

Coll.

welMOmRC

Call

No.

<Se7

CONTENTS OF BOOK 1.

THE BODY— Its Food and Clothing.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. The Key and the Crowbar ... ... 5

III. Domestic Economy ... ... ... 14

IV. What are we made of? ... ... 18

VI. Food— Different Kinds ... ... 26

VII. Food — Flesh-formers ... ... ... 30

IX. Food — Warmth-giving ... ... ... 39

XI. Food — Its Sources. 1. ... ... ... 47

XII. Food— Its Sources. 2. ... ... ... 51

XIII. Food — Its Sources. 3. ... .. ... 56

XIV. Food — Its Sources. 4. ... ... ... 60

XVII. Food — Its Machinery ... ... ... 'i'l

IV CONTENTS OF BOOK I.

CHAPTER

XVIII.

Food — How to Buy it ...

PAGE

XIX.

Food — How to Cook it. No.

XX.

Food — How to Cook it. No.

XXI.

Food — How to Cook it. No.

XXII.

Food — How to Eat it ...

...

XXIII.

Food— Dinners, Little and Nice

XXIV.

Food— Receipts

...

XXV.

Clothing— The Use of it

...

XXVI.

Clothing— How to Adapt it

...

XXVII.

Clothing — The Source of it

XXVIII.

Clothing — The Purchase of

IT

XXIX.

Clothing — The Preparation and Care of it

XXX

Clothing — The Fashion of it ...

P I\E FACE,

There have sprung up of late years so many works on Domestic Economy, that it seems to me, I need to offer some little apology for the production of yet another.

The subject of which my little book treats is one which is only now beginning to occupy that high place, which should have been awarded to it in all time. Because this is so, it must be a growing subject ; a subject to whose worth and wealth, practical experience is continually adding. It is an easy thing to sit down and draw out routines for an imaginary domestic arcadia, in which moral impossi¬ bilities are managed with such utter disregard to time and strength, that everyone who tries to do likewise, is either simply disheartened at her own shortcomings, or disgusted with the directions by which she tried to guide herself.

Appetites, old clothing, and dirt, are positives, actual incorrigibles, stubborn not-to-be-salved-over-difficulties, that will not be disposed of for a smile, a touch, or a look.

Every woman, who really works in her own home, knows this well. Home work is a blessed work, a glorious work, and thank God, a woman’s work ; but it is also hard work. Many of those who write and lecture on the subject feel its blessedness and glory in its nobleness, bid they have not felt the hardness.

Here is my apology then — here is my letter of introduction — my credentials. I have had to do it all myself.

I have been placed for years on years, ten miles distant from a town or railway station, with no chance of going shopping for want

Preface

of shops. I have had a large household to cater for, young children to manage, young girls to train. We have had to feed our own meat, to grow our own vegetables, to cure our own bacon, to make our own bread, butter, cheese, lard, preserves ; in short, we have not only had to use the materials, but to prepare such materials for use. And all this too with thrift, carefulness, and management.

Therefore I say my experience is a practical experience ; if I can make it of any benefit to my sisters and fellow country-women, surely they shall be welcome to it. And from this feeling springs Home Work.

We all work better with a thorough knowledge of all the whys and becauses belonging to the business in hand. So I have tried to give the scientific reason for vaiious necessaries in and about the home. In this effort I have been aided greatly by such works as Dr. Lankester’s “Food,” and “Practical Physiology;” Professor Johnston’s “Chemistry of Common Life ;” James Hinton’s “Practical Physiology;” Dr. Angus Smith’s “Air and Rain;” Dr. Mann’s “Guide to the Knowledge of Life,” and “Health for the House¬ hold ;” and I have felt, with such authorities to back me, I am not likely to make any mistake.

One more apology I must make. I have headed each chapter with a rhyme, meant to embody the pith of the subject it contained. I can string a few words together and make them twang at the end, to serve a purpose, but I am no poet. Let every one who knows how much more readily such jingles are remembered by the young than sober prose, be kindly merciful to my rhyming.

HOME WORK:

A MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

Written for the use of all who need to LEARN, and all who are privileged to teach, that science.

Part I. The Home Strength And Support

Pood. Its work — various kinds— sources — machinery-

purchase — COOKING— EATING, ETC.

Clothing*. Its use — sources — purchase — fashion — prepar¬ ation, ETC.

CHAPTER (.

THE KEY AND THE CROWBAR.

“ Don’t make a mistake, don’t make a mistake,

But in going to work the right tools take ;

Who would use oil to put out a fire,

And then express wonder to see it flame higher ?

Use every gentle means — never use rough,

Till you prove surely the first not enough ;

Head cool and eye keen — hand quick and steady, Whate’er the thing to do — have right tools ready.”

WHEN we were little children, a story was either told or read to us, which has never been forgotten. We are going to tell it to you.

The lost There was great bustle and confusion at key. Dorrington Hall ; banging doors, hurrying feet, and loud voices. The servants seemed at their wits’ end ; the butler looked grave and worried ; the housekeeper,

MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

usuafly so stately and grand, was certainly flurried and fidgety ; and even the squire’s lady, sweet and gentle and patient, walked hastily from room to room and from nook to nook in anxious search. The squire had lost the key of his strong box, and it was most important that it should be opened forthwith.

Every little child in the nursery had been questioned, every older child in the school-room had been crossquestioned; from scullery-maid to housekeeper, the female servants had been especially blamed by the squire. “You have swept it up, or dusted it down, or done something with it,” he roared; “it must be found.”

Now squire Dorrington was a great man in his household; he was large in his person, but he was ever so great in his position. He was lord and master of the house and park, the village beyond, and the farms surrounding the village. Besides this he was J.P., justice of the peace; M.P., mem¬ ber of parliament; and M.H., master of the hounds.

Now in the stables and the kennels the men had given new meanings to these honourable letters, and Jack, the little stable boy, implicitly and innocently believed their definition. To them J.P. was “Jonas Peppery,” M.P. “ Most Proud,” and M.H. “ Mighty Hot.” Now as this great squire was peppery and proud and hot, we do not wonder at Jack the stable-boy’s faith, and you will under¬ stand how it was that when this great squire was “ put out” everyone else felt they had no business to “ keep in” and how every one began to scold those beneath them with might and main.

But with all the storm, scolding, and hurry, the key remained a lost key.

The “Tell Joseph to saddle a horse and ride

Blacksmith, to the village for Job Armstrong, the

THE BLACKSMITH.

blacksmith ; tell him he must come and force the lid open.” Instantly Joe saddled the horse, and in a short space of time the required man presented himself.

A fine picture he made, that Job Armstrong; his shirt sleeves were soiled, his leather apron begrimed, and his paper cap begreased ; but all this passed unnoticed, as the eye rested on his broad shoulders, brawny bare arms, and great good-tempered face ; indeed they seemed just the right outfit for the man of anvil and forge, muscle and sinew. Over his shoulder he carried a ponderous crowbar, in his hand he held iron wedges of various sizes. The squire himself led him to the strong box. “Job, they have lost the key of that box; it contains important papers that my lawyer from London is waiting downstairs to look over — you must force it open.”

Job bowed his head. He was one of those who believe that if “ discretion is the better part of valour,” “ silence is the largest half of wisdom.”

So he rolled his shirt sleeves higher,

And settled his cap anew,

And felt the edge of each iron wedge,

Saying, “ I’ll try what I can do.”

Willing and mighty and earnest,

And mighty the tools in his hand,

As he tested the locks, on the squire’s strong box,

In the mansion so noble and grand.

Down on his knees went Job, peeping all round the lid, trying to discover some tiny crack, where the thin end of the wedge might be inserted ; then he rapped it and tapped it, and tried to raise the lid only the hundredth part of an inch, but it resisted all his effort. All the men-servants were called in to help to heave the lid up, but it was no use, it would not give way an atom.

MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

The The squire grew more impatient, and the crowbar, busy London lawyer grew impatient too. The master fretted and fumed and stamped about, and made himself very uncomfortable. “ Can you split the lid, Job?” he asked. Job shook his head ; “I can try, sir.” And then sharp and loud sounded the blows of that heavy crowbar on that iron-bound lid. Higher Job raised it, faster and louder came the blows ; great beads of perspiration stood on his forehead, and trickled down his face, but the lid remained as sound as ever, with scarcely “ a dent” to mark the place where the crowbar had fallen. “ I am afraid it will beat me, your honour,” he said despairingly.

The Just then the soft rustle of a silken dress Locksmith, was heard, and the squire’s lady drew near. “ My dear, I thought it would be wise to send for Luke Warner, the locksmith; will you let him try his keys?”

A greater contrast to Job could scarcely have been found, this Luke Warner. A little man and thin withal, with a white patient face, and a voice, compared with which Job's seemed as thunder. He had on a black coat and a white apron, and carried a basket of keys slung over his back. With a quiet bow to the squire, he drew near the chest, and briskly and quietly went to work. First he carefully and attentively examined the key-hole, then he tried his keys.

“ With a small hand deftly he raised them,

And as deftly laid them aside,

Some too thick or thin, while those that slipped in, Would not turn and his touch defied.

Patient and gentle and earnest,

His tools just a key and a file,

As he worked at the locks of the squire’s strong box, And felt sure of success the while.’’

woman’s work.

The At last Luke seemed to think he had found the key. right key; standing up, he handed one to the squire. “Is that anything like the lost key, your honour?” “Yes, Luke, but it won’t open the lock, will it?” “I am going to try and make it, your honour.”

And the file went to work- — a rasp here, a touch there, and then another try in the lock. Over and over again this was repeated, and at length one quick turn of the hand, and the hasp was out, and the lid of the squire’s strong box was open. The key had done what the crowbar could not effect.

Chapter II. Woman’s Work

“Woman’s work’s her glorious right, Nought to do with rule and might ; Like the leaven, ’tis I ween, Raising all — itself unseen.”

HE little story told in the preceding chapter has been

1 much in our mind lately. There are a great many locked boxes with lost keys in this world of ours, and it puzzles the wisest heads and the strongest arms to get them open, and very often the managers of the matter make the squire’s mistake, they send for a crowbar when they want a key.

Economy. There is a little word on the title page to which we wish to draw your attention — economy. We hear of more than one economy; there is political economy, and social economy, but all of them are alike, in one thing at least, they all have to do with management.

IO

MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

Management. You must understand that management means a good deal; you may manage a child till you make him ill, or wicked, or miserable, or hopeless, or idiotic ; then you manage badly, and though it may all arise from a mistake, yet the child suffers none the less. Ah ! this management is the greatest puzzle that ever existed, it is the very strongest locked box that ever needed to be opened as soon as possible, and the worst of it is that so few people agree as to the right sort of tools to be used in the work.

Political and We cannot attempt to describe to you

Social Economy, all the mighty implements belonging to the two economies mentioned just now. The Lords and Commons, and all the numerous departments, which have their origin in these great houses, with the inspectors, super¬ intendents, auditors, clerks, and other offices belonging to each ; then there are chancellors, judges, magistrates, law¬ yers, policemen, with prisons and reformatories ; mayors, aldermen, and other civic authorities, and all sorts of boards, commissioners, committees, guardians, overseers, and hun¬ dreds of others.

And all these are engaged in working out one great end, striving to make the nation a healthy, happy, and prosperous nation, carrying out our political and social economy, managing everything concerning the welfare of the people.

It is a great crow-bar, surely, all this ; mighty and good and glorious ; and wielded by clever and willing arms, and guided by wise and good heads. But there are great mis¬ takes made often, and the whole affair of management remains a problem unsolved — locked boxes, whose closed lids refuse to admit the various wedges that are tried upon them, and which seem to remain more closely and obstinately shut up after every blow they receive. And yet we are persuaded that there is a little key to every closed box that, woman’s work.

II if placed in the right hands, and filed and fitted and man¬ aged by clever heads, would do more to overcome the difficulty than all the other machinery put together.

Domestic Look again at the title-page ; it tells you

Economy, that this little work is to treat of Home Work , and an u economy” that is neither political nor social — “ The Science of Domestic Economy .” Now every one knows that if economy has something to do with management — domestic has something to do with the home; and to our thinking this economy, this home management, is the most important of all.

Supposing every home was so managed, that it was a healthy, happy, and prosperous home ; then of course the cities and towns made up of those homes, would also be healthy, happy, and prosperous, and the nation which was composed of those towns and cities, would be able to appropriate the same delightful adjectives, and would be healthy, happy, and prosperous too.

Therefore the best way to perfect our political and social economy, is to begin by perfecting our domestic economy, and then the greater part of the work will be done — done in the homes*

Woman’s All home work is essentially woman s work , "Work. and we want to make you feel with us, that this work is by far the most important agent for good or evil in all the wide world, that it is the key and not the crowbar, that it can unlock the chest, in which lie concealed the issues of health or sickness, happiness or misery, ruin or prosperity ; yea, also of sin or holiness, and of life or death.

Men may legislate and punish, build and improve, think and plan ; but unless the woman s work is well done, their work remains incomplete, for mismanaged homes can never make a well-managed nation.

MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

Think of this ! — the greatest, noblest, and most impor¬ tant work in the world is woman’s work. No statesman has power so great, no bishop has office more holy, no chancellor of the exchequer has task more important than that which God placed in the hands of woman.

The knowledge of this should be a woman’s greatest glory; to be able to fit herself thoroughly to do all well in her sphere, should be her highest aim— to devote all her ability and energy to the performance of the duties connected with her own high mission should be her one engrossing desire.

Alas ! that we should have to own it — this is not the case. It is a shame to every woman amongst us, and to every girl also, who is able to think about the matter, to know that home work — woman’s work — has not been well done.

She has not cared to study all things pertaining to the health, the happiness, and the prosperity of her home and its inmates. She has worked, but she has worked mechani¬ cally, treading in the footsteps of those who preceded her, copying and enlarging upon their blunders and mistakes, and wondering all the while that success does not attend her efforts.

Homes. All round us we meet with homes telling the same painful story, where mismanagement, dirt, dis¬ order, and discomfort reign, in the stead of cleanliness, peace, thrift, and comfort ; where home influence has become a myth, and fathers and brothers spend their leisure time and their earnings in other places. Nay more, it has become the fashion for young girls to be proud of their ignorance in those very matters, a perfect knowledge of which should be their greatest glory.

We have heard, over and over again, the daughters of working-men confess, without a blush, “ Mother does all

MISMANAGEMENT OF HOMES.

those sort of things; I have only time for my lessons.” So mother does, in some way, the cleaning, the cooking, the mending, the making, and so on, while the ignorant, empty-headed daughter thinks that she adds to her own dignity and grandeur by knowing nothing of her own especial duties, and shirking her work.

Now as the home is the proper place for such domestic knowledge to be acquired, and the home fails to give the lessons , what is to be done? Our highest managers , our social and political economists, feel the importance of the question, and to counteract the evil as far as possible, they are determined to encourage the study of everything con¬ nected with the subject, in all the schools where they have any influence, and they have marked out a course of study so admirable that it will be next to impossible for any one carefully to go through it without gaining some interest, knowledge, and proficiency in their home duties.

In our next chapter we will consider the course they have marked out. Let us close this one by giving you some extracts from clever writings as to the way in which woman’s work has lately been done.

Dr. Lank ester says: —

“ In every relation of life, it is most important that the woman should understand the causes of disease in her family. She is essentially the mistress of the household, and if she neglect the care of her children, or the super¬ intendence of her servants, unnecessary disease and death will be the result. One of the great causes of preventable disease and death all over the land , is the utter ignorance of the majority of females of the laws which govern healthy life."

Mr. Buckmaster says : —

“ The education of women for the proper work of women, is about as bad as it can be ; they go to school and learn

MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

all sorts of ‘ ologies ,’ and often grow up with a contempt for those household duties which have ever been the soul of domestic happiness l'

“ There was a time when ladies of rank used to wear white aprons, and spend some hours every morning in the kitchen, and with their own hands piepare the lighter dishes for their dinner.”

“ The present indifference a?id ignorance of these matters is a great national misfortune.' ’

And there is no one who knows anything of the matter but feels all this is sadly true.

Chapter III. Domestic Economy

“ Some people choose wives who can sing,

While others choose those who can smile,

Or because they love books, or are nice in their looks,

Or by converse a dull hour beguile ;

I don’t care who ’tis, but he’ll have to pay damage,

If in learning all else, she don’t learn ‘ how to manage?"

IT is important that we should understand exactly what the term “ Domestic Economy” really means. Let us refresh our memories by looking at the derivation of the words.

Dom-es — a home or family ; ic — belonging to.

Domestic — belonging to a house or family.

Ec-co — a house or household ; nom-os — management. Economy — the management of the house.

Domestic Economy , the science that teaches everything con¬ cerning the management of the house and home of the family or household.

COURSE OF STUDY.

Social Economy , has to do with the management of united homes.

Political Economy , has to do with the management of the masses , to determine the relation of nation with nation, and many other great matters.

But Domestic Economy — our own science — has to do with everything connected with the right management of the home.

Course of Those who have marked out the course study. through which this subject is to be taken up

in our schools, have displayed great wisdom. Remember the object they had in view, they wish to help every girl to understand how to make healthy , happy , and prosperous homes.

We said girls. Don’t run away with the notion that care for the well-being of the home is the duty only of the wives and mothers ; they may have most to do with it; but wher¬ ever a girl or woman is placed that, for the time, is her home ; and no matter what her position in that home may be— wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, servant —no small share of the duties conducive to its health, happiness, and prosperity, devolve upon her.

But to return to the course of study. We all know that the greatest blessing in life is good health. No happiness and prosperity can be ensured without this. We are not surprised, therefore, to learn that the essentials to health are to be first looked after. There are four of them marked out. Food, Air, Warmth, Cleanliness. A careful consid¬ eration of these will occupy some time.

Then having considered the things appertaining to health we are to study how to act in sickness, that we may know not only what to do to keep well, but how to act if we get ill — not only how to prevent disease, but how to nurse it?

l6 MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

and cure it. And after this we are to wind up with the way to earn money, the way to spend money, and the way to save money.

This is a brief outline of the course of study to be pursued by those who are learning in our schools the right management of a home, or domestic economy.

Happy Dear young friends, this little book is in

Homes, your hands. Are you really, with all your might, going to take up the subject: not for the sake of passing the examination only, or of helping others to pass, but because its aim is to fit you to do your woman’s work all through your life ?

We do not know what you are like, or what you mean to be. We do not want to help you especially to be good teachers, good needle-workers, or good servants. We know you must be women , if you are spared, and we know the work that distinction will bring upon you. It is to help you in getting a knowledge of that work that we are writing.

It is a glorious work, this happy home making. A mighty array of homes not happy are waiting for the workers. Will you be one of the band ? Every one of us who earnestly and heartily enlists in such a service, will lessen the sickness and suffering, the want and improvidence, the sin and the misery from which the world groans. Is it not a glorious work ? Will you make it yours ?

You cannot shirk your responsibility. Whether you perform it or not, your duty remains the same. It is with you, as with David, the anointing oil was poured upon you without your wishes being consulted, and you cannot undo the anointing.

You have had given to you a nature tender and gentle and loving ; you cannot even look upon suffering without

THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.

grieving. Surely you would scorn to grieve over an evil that you make no effort to remove.

Only girls ! and yet how mighty your influence and your ' opportunities. As daughters, as sisters, who can estimate the value of the work you may do ? Oh, begin it now ! stnve by theory and practice to perfect yourselves in all that belongs to your life, and the business for which you

There comes to our mind now two events in the life of

im who left us an example that we should follow His steps. Shall we remind you of them?

Visit to the A little country boy, brought up in a far-

. , emple; away village, is taken to the great temple

m t e great city. It may well be supposed that the crowds, and the worship, and above all, the priests and great men, would fill the little mind with wondering awe, and that the Child would shrink to his mother’s side in diffidence. But no, He too had received his appointed work, and He did not draw back from it, even as a child. For three days they sought Him sorrowing, and found Him at last in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at His understanding and answers. “Wist ye not," he replied, in answer to His mother’s words, “ Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business ?”

Christ’s And then when the life, the beautiful holy

xamp e. life, on earth was nearly ended, what were IS words then ? “ I have glorified Thee on the earth • I

ave ms ed the work that Thou gavest me to do.” The

work He did, began when he was a tender child, and was carried on to the end of His days.

And with His example before us, let each of us strive rrespective of our age, to begin our work now; to endeav-

PT. I.

B j8 manual of domestic economy.

our, by our influence and by our example, to lessen the evil and to increase the good around us ; to wage war with everything that injures the health, the happiness, or the prosperity of the body or soul of any member of our respective families. And who can say how much good may be done ?

We ask you to come with us in thoughtful earnestness through these pages, with your purpose steadily and firmly fixed in your minds, and with all our heart we say to each and all of you — God speed you.

Chapter IV. What Are We Made Of?

“ Mighty and great in our power are we found,

In the air, the sea, and the solid ground ;

You have no wisdom, nor skill, nor treasure,

The strength and the worth of our power to measure. Our works are numberless — everywhere round, Nourishing — forming — consuming we’re found;

But most are we mighty — guess us who can,

Who we all unite and form— a man.”

WE are going to tell you a few things in this lesson, which, though they have very little to do directly with our subject, yet will help you to understand all the better what we may have to say to you by-and-bye.

Organization of Did you ever consider of what your Bodies. bodies, and the bodies of all other

animals and plants, are made ?

“ Dust,” you will answer, “and they will return to dust again.” Dust, truly; but what is dust? and how is it that dust assumes the form your very respectable self presents