A handbook of home economics

3 tsp. equal 1 tbsp. 4 tbsp. equal % c. or }/£ gill. 2 gills equal 1 c. 2 c. equal 1 pt. 2 pts. equal 1 qt. 4 qts. equal 1 gal. 4 c. flour equal 1 Ib. 2 c. solid butter equal 1 Ib. 2 c. granulated sugar equal 1 Ib. 3 c. meal equal 1 Ib. 2 c. solid meat equal 1 Ib. 2 tbsp. butter equal 1 oz. 2 tbsp. sugar equal 1 oz. 2 tbsp. flour equal 1 oz. 2 tbsp. liquid equal 1 oz. Measurements Flour, soda, meal, powdered, or confectioners' sugar should be sifted before measuring. A cup means a cup filled level with the top. A spoonful means a level spoonful. To get this level spoonful, use the back of a caseknife, drawing it smoothly across the spoon. One half spoonful means a spoonful divided lengthwise. One fourth spoonful means a spoonful divided lengthwise and then crosswise. A salt spoon means one-fourth of a teaspoon. When measuring dry material by the cup, fill lightly with a spoon without shaking it down. FIRE-BUILDING , To Build a Wood Fire Remove ashes and open drafts. Blacken, beginning at the back. Place thin layer of crumpled paper on bottom of fire box. Arrange a loose layer of light wood over the paper. Place hard wood over this lightly. Polish while stove is heating. When fire is burning well, close oven-damper and check the drafts. To Build a Coal Fire Build like a wood fire, adding coal gradually until the fire box is three-fourths full. To Light a Gas Range Turn the gas on freely before lighting. Keep the blaze free from yellow flame and as low as is allowable with the heat required. In lighting the oven be sure that there is no free gas to cause an explosion. (Usually it is wiser to open the oven door before lighting.) SETTING THE TABLE Dust the table. Put on the silence-cloth, which must be perfectly smooth. Place tablecloth over this, center of cloth over center of table. Use clean linen of as fine a quality as can be afforded. Have the cloth long enough and wide enough to hang well around the table. Decorate by placing in the center of the table a vase of flowers, a fern, or a dish of fruit. Place plates, right side up, one at each end; then at the sides. Have plenty of space between each plate, and plates opposite one another if possible. Place knife on right side of plate with sharp edge of knife toward plate, one inch from edge of table. Place forks on left side with prongs turned up, one inch from edge of table. Place teaspoons at right of knife, bowls of spoons turned up. Place tumbler, top up, at end of knife. Place butter, or bread and butter plate, in front of plate toward the left. Place napkins, neatly folded, at the left of fork. WATER Place }/2 c. water in saucepan and heat slowly. What rises at first? What collects on the bottom and sides of pan? When is the water simmering? How can you tell, and what is the temperature? Give the temperature of boiling water. How do you know when it is boiling? What is "hard" water? What is "soft" water? TEA AND COFFEE Keep tea and coffee in closely covered jars or cans. Use enamel or nickel coffee-pots. Use enamel, nickel, or earthenware teapots. Use only freshly boiled water in making tea and coffee, and scald the teapot or coffee-pot thoroughly before using. Tea 1 tsp. tea.