The farm cook & rule book

The bread sponge is set on the top shelf, a shallow pan of water on the lower shelf to keep the air moist and a small lamp or electric light bulb below. Keep the temperature around 65 or 70 degrees for sponge standing overnight and at 85 degrees for dough after it has been kneaded in the morning. If the bread is made in the quick way, that is, if the sponge is set in the morning, have the temperature of the box 85 degrees. Turning the flame of the lamp up or down or placing cold or hot water in the pan on the second shelf changes the temperature if one wishes to do so. Bread Mixer A bread mixer in which the dough can be kneaded in 3 minutes by turning a crank instead of 15 minutes by hand is a valuable labor saver. This device consists of a bucket-like utensil with a curved, dull blade which is turned by a handle. This mixes the sponge and kneads the bread. The sponge and dough can be allowed to rise in it and with its use any member of the family can knead the dough just as well as the homemaker can. In buying a mixer the amount of dough to be kneaded in it should be taken into consideration. If large batches of bread are made at a time, a large mixer is desirable, while if small bakings are made, a small one gives better results. It is impossible for a huge mixer to knead dough for one or two loaves efficiently. Cake Mixers Cake mixers are constructed much the same as bread mixers only they are smaller in size. There is an electric cake mixer which may be used in stirring up one cake, but those turned by hand are especially adapted to the mixing of more than one cake at the same time. Self-Heating Irons By the use of self -heating irons, many steps between the stove and the ironing board are saved. When the house is wired with electricity, of course, the electrically heated iron is desirable. Irons heated by gasoline, alcohol, kerosene and gas are also convenient and they are satisfactory if drafts that might blow the flame are avoided. Ironing Machines There are two kinds of ironing machines, those with heated roUs and those with cold rolls. The first kind is made with padded and covered rolls or cylinders which revolve against a heated plate or shoe. The padded roll takes the place of the ironing board and the heated shoe of the iron. Some ironers have special arrangements made for ironing rufSes, but best results on the padded rolls are obtained in ironing flat pieces. The ironer with cold rolls smoothes out the wrinkles by heavypressure. Ironing machines are operated by hand or electricity and the rolls are heated by gasoline, gas or electricity. Vacuum Cleaners Vacuum cleaners suck up fine dust and dirt on and in carpets and rugs. Many of the cleaners also have brushes which take up lint, thread and all types of coarse dirt. The dust and dirt is forced by the suction into a bag so that practically no dust is scattered about the room. As a rule the best vacuum cleaners are run by electricity or motor, although the hand cleaners which are not too heavy to be used with ease are very good. Carpet Sweepers