Efficiency in home-making and first-aid to good cooking

What labor saving devices are worth while? First of all the vacuum cleaner, the carpet sweeper, the triangular floor mop for dusting polished floors, the self-wringing mop, instantaneous gas lighter for the gas range, the radi- ator brush, the long-handled lambs' wool duster, for wip- ing down walls and ceilings, the long-handled crooked toilet brush, the long wire-handled refrigerator pipe brush, the drip pan brush, the vegetable brush, the fireless cooker, the wire dish drainer with a pan to hold it, with holes to allow water to run out as dishes are scalded, with the oblong one a sheet iron roasting pan can have holes driven at one end and be placed a little beyond end of drain board, so water will run into sink ; the dish mop, the dish- cloth of woven strips of tinsel for washing cooking dishes where food has cooked on, the meat grinder, the Dover egg beater, the wire whip for beating whites of eggs, the apple parer, the apple corer, the putty knife to clean grease that has caked on to griddles, etc., and food boiled over on the tray under the burners of the gas range, or food burned on (this is very useful and can be had for fifteen cents), measuring cups and spoon, potato ricer, and as soon as a satisfactory one is invented, more use- ful than anything else will be a good dish washer. Then indeed will woman's long delayed emancipation from kitchen drudgery be accomplished ; but in the meantime do not lean over the sink to wash dishes or allow any- one in your kitchen to. This is an entirely unnecessary burden to be put upon anyone. And last, but not least, the high kitchen stool. And, of course, if any laundry is done in the house, some kind of a washing machine ; even in a small apartment kitchen, one of the little hand vacuum washers, or the vacuum washer that is used in a wash boiler, is most useful when there is not room for a regular machine. An electric or gas iron saves many steps and time, and reduces the heat. 32 Efficiency in Home Making SELECTION OF COOKING DISHES. Are seams in cooking dishes objectionable? Very in- deed. They are lodging places for dirt, grease, dishwater and microbes. What kind of wear is best? Aluminum, for it does not scale off, or crackel, is light to handle and is very durable. Should food that has been salted be put away in alu- minum dishes? No. What is best for a tea pot? Earthenware. Are earthenware dishes desirable for mixing and stor- ing food? Not after they begin to crackel; they absorb dirt, grease, and have a rancid odor, and should not be used then, either to hold food, to mix, or bake in. When are they especially good for baking? Where a slow heat is required, as they cook more slowly. What is best to keep butter in ? A graniteware bucket with cover. It should be rather broad and not too deep, so the butter can be sliced off nicely in it. Never use a stone crock for butter. It will soon get so it will absorb the oil and become rancid, and give the butter an unpleas- ant taste. It is heavy and clumsy to handle, even if small. What is best for cooling" water? Large mouthed glass jars, with glass covers that clamp down with a wire spring. They are much better than bottles, for they can be more easily washed, and the sediment in the bottom removed.