more cellulose and less water, than the other interior layer. 2. Examine crosswise sections of a carrot, a beet, and other vegetables in season. Experiments to show the Composition of Vegetables. 1. Grate a small piece of potato. Place it in a strainer and pour cold water through the strainer, collecting the water in a bowl. 2. Allow the water in the bowl to stand — what happens? Test some of the sediment with iodine solution. 3. Mix the contents of the bowl together and boil the mixture. 4. Examine the part of the potato that is left in the strainer. Put it in a dry place and evaporate the moisture from it slowly. 5. Weigh another small piece of potato, let it stand in the kitchen a few days, weigh it again, and compare its weight with the original weight. 6. Place another piece of potato on a pan, in a hot oven. Keep it there until the potato has apparently disappeared ; examine any residue that has remained. From these six experiments write out the composition of the potato. Do the same with the other vegetables in season. General Composition. — Vegetables contain mineral salts, which are important to health, and water and cellulose. Cellulose is a fibrous substance which is not digestible, but is important because it gives bulk ; some vegetables con- tain starch and proteid. Food Value. — Vegetables when in season are a very eco- nomical item of food, and are always a very necessary part of our diet. •Manner of Growth. — Vegetables may be classed under two heads : those growing above ground, as squash, cabbage. Digitized by Google 44 FIRST YEAR beans, tomatoes, etc., and those growing underground, as potatoes, radishes, turnips, carrots, etc. Useful Parts. — Different parts of different plants are used as food, as the following table shows : — Roots. — Beets, radishes, sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots. Tubers. — Potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes. Bulbs. — Onions, garlic, etc. Leaves. -^ Beet greens, spinach, lettuce, dandelions, cabbage. Fruit. — Cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, egg plant, etc. /Seeds. — Beans, peas, lentils, and com. Care of Vegetables. — Winter vegetables, with the excep- tion of squashes, should be kept in a dry, cold place and packed in barrels or bins to exclude air. Squashes should be spread out in a dry, rather warm place. If dark spots begin to appear on squashes, they should be used at once. Smnmer vegetables should be cooked as soon as possible after they are gathered. Fresh vegetables are much better flavored than those which have been picked long before use. Selection of Vegetables. — Select vegetables of medium size, small rather than large. They are cheaper because more come in a given measure, and better, as the large vegetables are sometimes old and tough and poor in flavor. General Directions for Preparing and Cooking Vegetables. — Select vegetables of equal size. Wash them thoroughly, and pare, scrape, or peel them. If possible, allow them to soak in cold water a few hours before cooking. This is especially important if they are wilted. Cook them until they are tender, in freshly boiling, salted water, allowing one tablespoon of salt to each quart of water. Strongly flavored vegetables, such as cabbage, onions, and turnips, should be cooked uncovered, and the water should be changed every fifteen minutes, boiling water being us§d to replace that which is thrown away. Digitized by Google VEGETABLES 45 Green v^etables, such as spinach, peas, and dandelions, should be cooked covered so as to preserve the color. Most vegetables may be acceptably served plain with butter, salt, and pepper, or with white sauce. General Rule for Seasoning Vegetables. — For 1 qt. of cooked vegetables use 4 tbs. butter, 1 ts. salt, | ts. pepper. More salt and less butter may be used ; and seasoning may be varied to suit taste. RECIPE 17. RECIPE 18.

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more cellulose and less water, than the other interior layer. 2. Examine crosswise sections of a carrot, a beet, and other vegetables in season. Experiments to show the Composition of Vegetables. 1. Grate a small piece of potato. Place it in a strainer and pour cold water through the strainer, collecting the water in a bowl. 2. Allow the water in the bowl to stand — what happens? Test some of the sediment with iodine solution. 3. Mix the contents of the bowl together and boil the mixture. 4. Examine the part of the potato that is left in the strainer. Put it in a dry place and evaporate the moisture from it slowly. 5. Weigh another small piece of potato, let it stand in the kitchen a few days, weigh it again, and compare its weight with the original weight. 6. Place another piece of potato on a pan, in a hot oven. Keep it there until the potato has apparently disappeared ; examine any residue that has remained. From these six experiments write out the composition of the potato. Do the same with the other vegetables in season. General Composition. — Vegetables contain mineral salts, which are important to health, and water and cellulose. Cellulose is a fibrous substance which is not digestible, but is important because it gives bulk ; some vegetables contain starch and proteid. Food Value. — Vegetables when in season are a very economical item of food, and are always a very necessary part of our diet. •Manner of Growth. — Vegetables may be classed under two heads : those growing above ground, as squash, cabbage. Digitized by Google beans, tomatoes, etc., and those growing underground, as potatoes, radishes, turnips, carrots, etc. Useful Parts. — Different parts of different plants are used as food, as the following table shows : — Roots. — Beets, radishes, sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots. Tubers. — Potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes. Bulbs. — Onions, garlic, etc. Leaves. -^ Beet greens, spinach, lettuce, dandelions, cabbage. Fruit. — Cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, egg plant, etc. /Seeds. — Beans, peas, lentils, and com. Care of Vegetables. — Winter vegetables, with the exception of squashes, should be kept in a dry, cold place and packed in barrels or bins to exclude air. Squashes should be spread out in a dry, rather warm place. If dark spots begin to appear on squashes, they should be used at once. Smnmer vegetables should be cooked as soon as possible after they are gathered. Fresh vegetables are much better flavored than those which have been picked long before use. Selection of Vegetables. — Select vegetables of medium size, small rather than large. They are cheaper because more come in a given measure, and better, as the large vegetables are sometimes old and tough and poor in flavor. General Directions for Preparing and Cooking Vegetables. — Select vegetables of equal size. Wash them thoroughly, and pare, scrape, or peel them. If possible, allow them to soak in cold water a few hours before cooking. This is especially important if they are wilted. Cook them until they are tender, in freshly boiling, salted water, allowing one tablespoon of salt to each quart of water. Strongly flavored vegetables, such as cabbage, onions, and turnips, should be cooked uncovered, and the water should be changed every fifteen minutes, boiling water being us§d to replace that which is thrown away. Digitized by Google VEGETABLES Green v^etables, such as spinach, peas, and dandelions, should be cooked covered so as to preserve the color. Most vegetables may be acceptably served plain with butter, salt, and pepper, or with white sauce. General Rule for Seasoning Vegetables. — For 1 qt. of cooked vegetables use 4 tbs. butter, 1 ts. salt, | ts. pepper. More salt and less butter may be used ; and seasoning may be varied to suit taste.

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