Home Economy Tidbits1879, 1882, 1887, 1897, 1900

#95

Woman Churning Butter in 1893 (photo link)

-1879-
Oatmeal For Children

Oatmeal is one of the best articles of food known for growing children. The custom, so long in use in England, is yearly becoming more general here, of giving children a daily portion of oatmeal for breakfast. It helps to keep the bowels in good order, and in combination with milk serves to make good bones and teeth.

[Thomas’s Farmer's Almanac]

-1882-
Making Butter

The best butter makers of the present endeavor to avoid working butter as far as possible, in order that the “butter grain” may be kept uninjured and preserved in all its integrity. To accomplish this object the cream must not be overchurned, for the butter is often seriously impaired in the grain by too much churning. When the butter begins to form, or is in small particles about the size of wheat kernels or a little larger, stop churning. The butter is then in a granulated state, and the buttermilk may now be drawn off, and the grains of butter can then be washed with cold water, and afterwards with brine,—which will free it from all milky and caseous matter. Some drain the butter milk from the churn in a hair sieve, and then wash by turning water on the butter in the churn. Butter treated in this way is never salvy or greasy; but remains with its grain uninjured, and should be in its best state. 

[Maine Farmer's Almanac]

-1887-
Exercise Out-of-Doors

Every woman should take a certain amount of exercise out-of-doors. It is necessary for good health and good nature too. If by doing so you will be obliged to leave some of the work in the house undone, who will know or care one hundred years from now? 

[Thomas’s Farmer's Almanac]

1887

To Drive Off Rats

Cayenne pepper will keep the buttery and storeroom free from rats and cockroaches. If a mouse makes an entrance into any part of your dwelling, saturate a rag with cayenne in solution, or sprinkle dry cayenne on some loose cotton, and stuff it into a hole, which can be repaired with either wood or mortar, No rat or mouse will eat that rag for the purpose of opening communication with a depot of supplies.

[Thomas’s Farmer's Almanac]

-1897-
Ridding  the Home of Fleas

To rid a house of fleas, take a piece of fly paper and in the centre of each piece put pieces of raw meat, cut up quite fine. When the pieces of paper are pretty well filled with fleas, roll them up and put them in the fire, and repeat the process till there is not a flea left.[Leavitt’s Farmer's Almanac]

-1900-
To Polish Oil Cloth

To polish oilcloth, shred half an ounce of beeswax into a saucer, cover it with turpentine, and place it in the oven until melted; after washing the oilcloth thoroughly, rub the whole surface lightly with a flannel dipped in the wax and turpentine, then rub with a dry cloth. 
[Thomas’s Farmer's Almanac]

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