In some sections of the country economy of fuel must be an important consideration. The food for the cooker may be started on the wood or coal range when the morning meal is being prepared. In warm weather the use of the fireless cooker and a kerosene stove means not only economy of fuel, but also comfort.

The food to be cooked is first heated to boiling point on the stove in the cooking vessel and then this vessel, covered with a tight lid, is quickly placed in the cooker, where the cooking continues. The cooker is so constructed that the heat does not escape. For long cooking it is necessary to place in the cooker under the vessel a hot radiator. A soapstone is the best radiator and can be purchased at most hardware stores for 50 cents. A stove lid, a brick or disc made of concrete, heated and placed in the cooker, may serve as the radiator.

Directions: A tightly built box, an old trunk, a galvanized-iron ash can, a candy bucket, a tin lard can, and a butter firkin are among the containers that have been successfully used in the construction of fireless cookers.

The inside container or nest which holds the vessel of hot food may be a bucket of agate, galvanized iron, or tin. This nest must be deep enough to hold the radiator and the vessel of food but not large enough to leave much space, as the air space will cool the food. The inside container must have a tight-fitting cover, and straight sides are desirable.

The packing or insulation must be of some material which is a poor conductor of heat. The following materials may be used and they should be dry: Lint cotton, cotton-seed hulls, wool, shredded newspaper, Spanish moss, ground cork, hay, straw and excelsior.

Sheet asbestos ¹⁄₈ inch thick and heavy cardboard have proved to be the best lining for the outer container and the wrapping for the nest. Heavy wrapping paper or several sheets of newspaper may be used for the lining of the outer container, but the nest should be wrapped with asbestos or heavy cardboard to prevent the hot stone from scorching or burning the packing.

1. It is well to have the outside container large enough to permit four inches of packing below and around the sides of the nest. If a cooker is being made with two nests, six inches of packing should be allowed between the nests. Pack into the bottom of the lined outer container four inches of the packing. Place the nest or inside container wrapped with asbestos or heavy cardboard and hold steady while the packing is put around tightly and firmly until it reaches the top of the nest.

2. Make a collar, as shown in the illustration, of cardboard, sheet asbestos, or wood to cover the exposed surface of the insulating material. This collar should fit tightly.

3. Make a cushion which when filled with packing will be at least four inches thick and will completely fill the space between the top of the nest and the lid of the outside container. It should fit against the top tightly enough to cause pressure when the lid is closed.

4. The outside of the fireless cooker can be made more attractive by staining or painting it. The lid may be held in place by screen-door hooks and eyes. The cooker may be placed on castors so that it can be easily moved.

Selected recipes for preparing food to be cooked in the fireless cooker may be found in Farmer’s Bulletin 771, Homemade Fireless Cookers and Their Use. Write the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

PLAN No. 813. SPONGE BOX OR BREAD RAISER

In making bread the housekeeper often finds it difficult to hold her sponge or dough at the right temperature so that it will rise in a shorter period of time. She will find a sponge box or bread raiser a great help in keeping the right temperature. Such a box can be made from an ordinary dry-goods packing box.

A box 20x20 inches is a convenient size. About ten inches from the bottom of the box a shelf made of slats or strips of wood rests on cleats fastened to the sides of the box. A second shelf is placed four inches above the lower one. The shelves can be removed when cleaning the box. Below the lower shelf a sheet of galvanized iron slightly wider than the shelf is inserted. It is curved in order to make it slip in and stay in place securely. This prevents scorching the lower shelf when a lamp is placed below and also helps to distribute the heat more evenly. The door is hinged and fastened with a thumb-latch or hook and staple.

Several small holes are bored in the lower and upper parts of the sides and in the top of the box to promote circulation of air. A cork which has been bored through the center to admit a straight thermometer is inserted in one of the holes in the top of the box. A Fahrenheit chemical thermometer that registers as high as 100 degrees can be used. Such a thermometer may be ordered through a hardware dealer or directly from an instrument dealer.

To avoid all danger of fire, the box should be lined with asbestos or tin when a kerosene lamp is used for heating the box. If an electric light is used, the lining is not needed. A 16-candlepower light will heat the box nicely. A small and inexpensive night lamp is placed in the bottom of the box and a shallow pan of water is placed on the lower shelf so that the air in the box will be kept moist.

The bowl of sponge or pans of dough are placed on the upper shelf. The temperature of the box should be kept as near 86° F. as possible (80° to 88° F.) when bread is being made in the quick way. If a sponge is set overnight 65° to 70° F. is the better temperature until the dough is made in the morning, after which the temperature may be increased to 86° F. The temperature in the box may be varied by raising or lowering the flame of the lamp or by using warm or cold water in the shallow pan.

PLAN No. 814. DISH DRAINER

Perhaps no time spent in housework is more begrudged by the housekeeper than that spent in washing and wiping dishes. A dish drainer not only saves time and labor but it does away with the too often insanitary dish towel.

A most satisfactory dish drainer can be made by using an ordinary bread or biscuit pan and racks made of soft No. 12 or 14 wire. By using a pair of pliers the wire can be bent into the proper shape for forming the racks. The racks fit into the pan and hold the dishes out of the water. The compartment for silver is made of poultry netting. This compartment could be made of screen wire or a tin can with holes in the bottom might be used.

After the dishes are washed they are stacked in the racks and scalded with hot rinsing water. The pan catches the drip, and the dishes upon standing dry clean and lintless. If the drainer be used on the drain board of a sink a small hole can be made in the pan and the drip drained immediately into the sink. The wire racks can easily be removed so that the pan can be used for other purposes.

PLAN No. 815. HEIGHTS OF WORKING SURFACES

Kitchen tables and the bottom of sinks are usually too low for working surfaces when the housekeeper is standing. Low working surfaces are often responsible for tired backs and rounded shoulders because of the undue stooping and the strain on the arms and shoulders. The following figures show the proper level of working surfaces for the height of the housekeeper:

The kitchen table should be raised to the proper height by the use of blocks of wood. Different types of blocks for raising the height of tables can easily be made by you and sold:

(a) A block of wood with a socket in which the table fits securely.

(b) A block of wood with metal strips and screws or nails for fastening the table legs, or the cabinet table.

PLAN No. 816. SERVING TRAY

The serving tray is a strength and time saver. The tray saves many trips between the dining room and kitchen, both in serving and clearing away meals, especially in a large household where many dishes must be handled. The top and shelf spaces are sufficient to remove all dishes to or from the table in one trip. It saves steps in serving refreshments at social occasions. It is invaluable to use as a bedside tray in the sick room. The tray when well made is attractive as well as useful and may serve as a reading table or flower stand.

The upper part of the serving tray is box shaped, 16 inches wide and 26 inches long. This is supported by four legs 1⁵⁄₈ by 1⁵⁄₈ inches which measure 31 inches from the floor to the top of the tray. The top of the tray or the lid of the china compartment is edged by a 1¹⁄₄ inch molding. The china compartment is 4¹⁄₂ inches deep and is painted white within. On the sides of this compartment are little screw hooks on which cups may be hung. There is a space in the compartment for serving dishes for six.

Below this serving compartment is a drawer 2 inches deep, which is divided in two parts. One side is used for linen and one side for silver. The side used for silver is lined with dark-colored felt or outing flannel.

In the space below the drawer a large undershelf is placed. The serving tray is put on noiseless swivel castors, thus allowing the table to turn completely around, which is a great convenience. Instead of castors, small swivel wheels or the small wheels of a baby carriage or toy wagon may be used. A tray made by the dimensions given above is a convenient size and one that will go through doorways without danger of bumping.

PLAN No. 817. FOLDING IRONING BOARD

The ironing board can be fastened up against the wall and be put out of the way when not in use. It should be made of well-seasoned 1 or 1¹⁄₄ inch material. A board of convenient size can be made by the following dimensions: 4 feet 8 inches long, 15 inches wide at the attached end, and 8 inches at the free end. About two inches from the attached end the board begins to taper gradually. The free end is rounded.

A strip 1¹⁄₄ by 4 inches by 15 inches is securely fastened by screws to the wall at a convenient height. The height at which the board is placed varies with the height of the user. For a woman of average height it should be about 31 or 32 inches. The board is hinged to the wall strip with two No. 2 butt hinges.

The leg or brace, made of material 1 inch thick and 4 inches wide, is fastened with a No. 3 butt hinge to a strip of board 1 by 4 by 8 inches. The board strip is screwed to the underside of the board eleven inches from the free end. The length of the brace depends upon the height of the board, and when the board is in position the brace rests against the baseboard of the wall. Skirts may be easily ironed without changing the position of the brace. A piece of galvanized iron may be tacked to the board, on which the hot iron may rest when not being used. The board is folded up against the wall and may be held in place by using the upper part of the rack for holding the portable ironing board.

PLAN No. 818. RACK FOR THE PORTABLE IRONING BOARD

The ironing-board rack or holder may be attached to the wall or to the inside of a closet door to hold a portable ironing board when not in use. The upper part of the holder is made of 2¹⁄₂ inch material and is 5 inches in depth. It is 12 inches across the top and is shaped to fit the contour of the smaller end of the ironing board. In the center is a button which holds the top of the board in place. The button is made of metal and so shaped as to give it a spring and to provide a finger hold for easy movement. The upper part of the rack or holder is screwed to the wall or door.

The bottom or lower part of the rack is 5 inches wide and 3 inches in depth, and is made of 2¹⁄₂-inch material. It is rabbeted on the side next to the wall. An inch rabbet is cut into for a rest for the ironing board. This part of the rack is fastened with two screws to the wall or door.

PLAN No. 819. ICELESS REFRIGERATOR

A very useful convenience for the farmhouse, where ice is not obtainable, is the iceless refrigerator. It will keep meats, fruits, and vegetables cool, and will extend the period for keeping milk and butter. It can also serve as a cooler for drinking water. In homes where large quantities of milk and butter are to be kept, it would be well to have one refrigerator for milk and butter and another for other foods, as milk and butter readily absorb odors from other foods. It costs very little to build the refrigerator and nothing to operate it.

Construction: A wooden frame is made with dimensions 42 by 14 inches and covered with screen wire, preferably the rustless kind, which costs little more than the ordinary kind. The door is made to fit closely and is mounted on brass hinges, and can be fastened with a wooden latch. The bottom is fitted solid, but the top should be covered with screen wire. Adjustable shelves can be made of solid wood or strips, or sheets of galvanized metal. Shelves made of poultry netting on light wooden frames, are probably the most desirable. These shelves rest on side braces placed at desired intervals. A bread baking pan, 14 by 16 inches, is placed on the top and the frame rests in a 17 by 18 inch pan.

All the woodwork, the shelves, and the pans should receive two coats of white paint and two coats of white enamel. This makes a very attractive surface and one that can be easily kept clean. The screen wire may also receive the coats of enamel, which will prevent it from rusting.

A cover of canton flannel, burlap, or duck is made to fit the frame. Put the smooth side out if canton flannel is used. It will require about three yards of the material. This material is buttoned around the top of the frame and down the side on which the door is not hinged, using buggy hooks and eyes or large-headed tacks and eyelets worked in the material. On the front side arrange the hooks on the top of the door instead of on the frame and also fasten the cover down the latch side of the door, allowing a wide hem of the material to overlap the place where the door closes. The door can then be opened without unbuttoning the cover. The bottom of the cover should extend down into the lower pan. Four double strips, which taper to 8 or 10 inches in width, are sewed to the upper part of the cover. These strips form wicks that dip over into the upper pan.

The dimensions given make a refrigerator of very convenient size for household use and one with sufficient evaporating surface, but it is not necessary to follow strictly these dimensions. If a larger capacity is desired, the height of the refrigerator can be increased.

Operation: The lowering of the temperature of the inside of the refrigerator depends upon the evaporation of water. To change water from liquid to a vapor, or to bring about evaporation, requires heat. As evaporation takes place heat is taken from the inside of the refrigerator, thereby lowering the temperature of the inside and the contents.

Keep the upper pan filled with water. The water is drawn by the capillary attraction through the wicks and saturates the cover. Capillary action starts more readily if the cover is first dampened by dipping it into water or throwing water upon it with the hand. The greater the rate of evaporation the lower the temperature which can be secured; therefore the refrigerator works better when rapid evaporation takes place. When the refrigerator is placed in a shady place in a strong breeze and the air is warm and dry, evaporation takes place continuously and rapidly and the temperature has been known to be reduced to 50° F. When it is damp, and the air is full of moisture, the refrigerator will not work as well, since there is not enough evaporation. More water will find its way to the lower pan, but it will be drawn up into the covering by capillary attraction when the air again becomes drier.

Care of Refrigerator: The refrigerator should be regularly cleaned and sunned. If the framework, shelves, and pans are white enameled they can more easily be kept in a sanitary condition. It is well to have two covers, so that a fresh one can be used each week and the soiled one washed and sunned.

PLAN No. 820. THE COLD BOX

For keeping food during cool weather, a cold box will be found very satisfactory. An ordinary light box can be used or one can be easily and cheaply made for this purpose. The box is fitted to the outside of the kitchen or pantry window. The north exposure is the coolest location. Raising the window gives access to the cold box. By this arrangement the light from the upper half of the window is still available.

The window sill is extended by a shelf which is supported by wooden brackets. The cold box rests on the window sill and the extended shelf, and is fastened to the window casing by screws or nails near the top and bottom of each end of the box. During warm weather, when the box is not in use, it may be removed if desired. The box should have a sloping roof to shed the rain. Holes for ventilation are made in the ends of the box and screened. Shelves in the box may be made of heavy screening or poultry netting or of wood. They rest on cleats fastened to the sides of the box.

Food placed in this box should be covered so as to protect it from dust.

PLAN No. 821. EQUIPMENT FOR HOME BUTTER-MAKING

There is no secret in making good butter. With proper care and attention to details good butter can be made in any farm home. The quality of the butter is dependent upon the intelligent use of equipment rather than the kind, although suitable equipment is time-saving and labor-saving and can be purchased and made at a nominal cost.

Milk vessels should be of high-grade tin with all joints and seams smoothly soldered so that there will be no crevices in which dirt may accumulate. A convenient milking can to use is the three-gallon shotgun can. It should have a smooth, heavily tinned interior, to prevent rusting and difficulty in cleaning. All butter-making equipment should be thoroughly scrubbed with a brush in hot water containing sal-soda or washing powder. Never use a dish cloth or soap. Inexpensive stiff fiber scrub brushes or vegetable brushes can be purchased at any grocery or hardware store. After equipment is washed it should be scalded or steamed. A home made sterilizer will be found most convenient and helpful. (Write for Farmer’s Bulletin No. 748, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.)

A medium sized dipper strainer with a fine-meshed gauze has been found to be very satisfactory. It should be smooth and free from seams. Butter should not be touched or handled with the bare hands. It injures the quality of the butter and is very insanitary. Wooden ladles can be easily whittled from maple, ash, or poplar or bought at a small cost. A thermometer is absolutely essential to successful butter-making. Controlling temperatures is second only to keeping equipment clean. A floating dairy thermometer can be ordered from any dairy supply company.

In making butter the salt should be uniformly distributed and the granules pressed together into a close-grained mass and the surplus water worked out. This can most easily be accomplished by use of a V-shaped lever butter worker made of one-inch material. This worker is made of maple, ash or poplar, the material of which all wooden butter equipment is made. Any woods from which odors or flavors might be absorbed by the butter should not be used.

For the amount of butter made in most farm homes a butter worker 18 inches long, 16 inches at the wide end and 2¹⁄₂ inches at the narrow end is a convenient size. The sides are 3 inches wide and are screwed to the bottom. The corrugated roller having six or eight sides is 24 inches long. One end of the roller is shaped to fit a small hole made in the pieces across the narrow end of the worker. This end piece is of a width that leaves a slot just above the bottom of the worker which allows the water to drain off into a pan as the roller is pressed firmly backward and forward over the butter. The worker rests on three knobs or supports. The two knobs at the wider end are 3¹⁄₂ inches high, while the knob at the narrow end is 2¹⁄₂ inches.

The most popular, convenient, and attractive butter mold is the brick-shaped or square-cornered shape. This mold can be made of ⁵⁄₈-inch material. The mold most commonly used is 4⁵⁄₈ by 2¹⁄₂ by 2³⁄₈ inches. An inch hole is bored through the center of the top and through the center of a plunger which fits closely into the mold. Through the hole in the top of the mold is inserted the round handle which screws into the hole in the plunger. Most satisfactory molds of this type can be found on the market.

When butter is to be sold, parchment papers 8 by 11 inches should be used to wrap the pound print. Also neat and attractive paper butter cartons should be used when butter is put on the market. It will bring a better price if packed well.

To make the butter-making equipment complete, a barrel churn should be added. The barrel churn is generally recognized as the most convenient and efficient kind of churn in use. When an extra large quantity of milk is handled it pays to use a cream separator. A separator insures more and better butter.

PLAN No. 822. CHEESE-MAKING EQUIPMENT

Cottage, Neufchatel, plain cream, and pimento cream cheese can be made in the farm home where a surplus supply of milk is available. Cheese is not only a very valuable food but if a first-class product is produced a good market can easily be found for it. The equipment for making cheese is very simple and most of it could be made at home.

The rack for draining the cheese is 16 inches deep, 12 inches wide, and 24 inches long, and is made of pine. The bottom slats which hold the pan under the draining cloth fit into notches made in the lower side strips and can easily be removed when the rack is washed. The corner posts extend ³⁄₄ inch above the strips at the top and the corner loops of muslin or cheesecloth drain cloth are looped over the posts. A similar rack, as described, could be made out of an orange or vegetable crate.

The press is made of two poplar or maple boards 1¹⁄₄ inches thick and 14¹⁄₂ inches square. Strips of wood 1³⁄₄ inches wide are nailed or screwed on the back of each board to prevent them from warping. The boards are planed and sandpapered until perfectly smooth. The lower board has a circular groove which has an outlet through which the whey drains as it is pressed out of the curd.

A wooden paddle, a dairy thermometer, and a food chopper or sausage grinder with molding tube complete the necessary equipment. The molding tube or cylinder could be made by a tinsmith or can be ordered through a hardware dealer. The paddle can easily be made. The molding tube or stuffing attachment which is attached to the food chopper molds the Neufchatel and cream cheese into attractive and convenient molds for the market. The cheese can also be packed into small glass jars by placing the opening of the jar over the end of the tube through which the cheese is forced. The pimento cream cheese is always put on the market in small glass jars.

PLAN No. 823. THE SHOWER BATH

Better bathing facilities are often needed in homes where bathrooms are not found. A cheap and convenient shower bath can be easily made and used in the kitchen or on the back porch. The shower bath is especially useful in homes where there are children.

A hole is cut in the bottom of a four gallon bucket and a piece of pipe 2 inches long soldered in the opening. Rubber tubing 4 to 6 feet long is attached to the pipe and a nozzle is fitted on the end of the rubber tubing. A sprinkler from a water can may be used instead of the nozzle. The bucket can be raised or lowered to suit the convenience of the person taking the bath by a rope fastened to the handle of the bucket and run through a pulley which is fastened with a staple to a joist in the ceiling. The end of the rope is looped over a hook, which is driven securely into the window or door facing, or into the studding in the wall.

A clothespin closed over the rubber tubing serves as a stopcock to cut off the water if desired. The shower can be better regulated by using a device such as is shown in the illustration. The end of a piece of No. 12 or 14 wire is fastened to a disk of leather or tin, or a cap of a tin can, by making a hole in the material used, running the wire through and looping the end. This disk is placed over the hole in the bottom of the bucket and the attached wire extends through the rubber tubing and the nozzle. The shower can be regulated by the disk being raised and lowered by means of the wire. The weight of the water in the bucket on the disk will form a sufficient seal when no flow is desired.

A large tub is placed under the shower, in which the bather stands. The tub and bucket are more attractive when given two coats of white paint and one coat of white enamel.

PLAN No. 824. WELL PROTECTION AND INEXPENSIVE WATERWORKS FOR A FARM KITCHEN

The three important principles to consider in the subject of water supply for the farm home are: (1) It is necessary to have clean water, (2) there should be convenient and serviceable equipment to furnish running water in the house, and (3) this convenient supply of safe water should be secured with economy.

The first and most important consideration is to get a supply of clean water. By clean water is meant water which is both clear and pure. Good farm water supplies are usually obtained from wells, springs and cisterns. Water from wells on farms is frequently contaminated and contains the source of disease. Contaminated water may be the cause of outbreaks of typhoid fever, dysentery, and other intestinal disorders among the members of the family.

Both shallow-dug wells and deep-bored wells may be polluted by the entrance of filth, vermin, unclean water at the top and also by seepage of contaminated soil water. These are the results of poor location of wells, generally unclean surroundings, open or loose well curbs, the absence of a well lining, or the presence of a poor well lining. The first step in securing a clean water supply is to remove all sources of possible contamination. Among the worst of these is the open privy vault, the leaching cesspool, and barnyard filth. A well in ordinary pervious soil, located lower than and within 100 feet of any of these, is almost certain to be contaminated. The well itself should be located as high as possible with regard to buildings, stock pens, and chicken yards, and as far away from all sources of contamination as convenience and local surroundings will permit. The final safeguards to a well-water supply are to provide an impervious lining of concrete, cemented bricks, cemented tile, or iron casing, and to provide a water-tight curb, not only to keep out surface wash, animals, and vermin, but to prevent the pump drip and dirt from shoes and bucket from entering the well.

The same precaution with reference to the entrance of filth and polluted water from the surface apply to underground cisterns.

Springs are subject to contamination by surface wash and because animals have access to them. They can be protected by fencing in from animals, walling in the spring to form a covered and water-tight reservoir, and by keeping the surroundings clean. Spring water should be kept under close observation for any signs of surface pollution, especially those springs occurring in limestone regions.

Having secured a clean water supply, the next step is to provide equipment to furnish running water in the kitchen at the turning of a faucet or by merely pumping.

If the well or cistern is located close to the house, one of the simplest and cheapest methods of obtaining running water for the kitchen in the warmer climates is to place a covered barrel or other supply tank on a shelf outside the kitchen wall in such a position that it can be filled from the pump through a hose, as desired. A pipe attached to the bottom of the barrel or tank and passing through the wall has attached to it a faucet over a sink in the kitchen. The hose is detachable and can be removed from the pump when not in use.

The sink is connected by lead pipe through a trap to a drain, which should consist of cast iron soil pipe when it is used anywhere in the immediate neighborhood of the well or cistern. Do not under any consideration use cemented tile for the purpose within 30 feet of any source of water supply. When far enough away from the house or well this drain can empty into an open jointed drain tile which may be placed in the garden soil or any other pervious soil, thus disposing of the waste water by absorption. The disposal tile should have a fall not to exceed 1 inch in 50 feet, else the water will rush to the lower end and water-log the soil. In very porous or sand soils 1 foot of 3 or 4 inch tile per gallon of discharge per day is sufficient. In heavier loam or clay soils 2 feet of tile are necessary and sometimes more for every gallon. Aeration of heavy soil can be brought about by the use of coarse cinders or gravel laid in the bottom of the tile ditch.

Where there is danger of freezing or where the well is very close to the house, about the simplest and cheapest method is to place a pitcher pump or force pump over a sink in the kitchen. The suction pipe of the pump may be attached to the well or cistern and water obtained when desired merely by pumping. This is provided the vertical distance from the pump to the water in the well does not exceed 20 feet, as under ordinary circumstances a pump will lift water satisfactorily by suction only to about that height. The allowable distance from the well to the pump for this arrangement will vary with local conditions, cases having been noted where the distance was as far as 200 feet. As water meets with resistance in pipes, due to friction, elbows, and bends, it is well to take off about 2 feet from the allowable vertical pumping lift for every 100 feet the water is drawn horizontally.

From the standpoint of economy, which is the third consideration, all local conditions which would have a bearing on obtaining clean water and putting it into the house with convenient and serviceable equipment should be determined. No matter how cheap this system, if the water is not clean or the equipment is not serviceable or convenient, the investment is a poor one. Plan first of all to do the necessary work to give absolutely clean surroundings; next secure the proper material to protect the well. By inquiry as to local prices of material and labor the cash outlay needed can be easily determined. In the majority of cases it will be found that the well or spring can be protected by the use of the material available on the farm, such as old bricks, stones, etc., with a cash outlay for little except cement, or in case of a bored well, iron casing. The same principle should be applied in planning the water equipment. All material available on the farm or in the locality should first be used and only such cash expenditure should be made as is necessary to make the system complete, serviceable, and convenient. It will be found on a great many farms that the two systems briefly outlined can be obtained for a moderate outlay of cash for the pump, sink, pipe, and fittings. In many cases the pump is already installed. Thus by the proper utilization of material and labor available on the farm and by a small cash outlay, cleanliness, convenience, comfort, and economy in the water supply can be obtained, the value of which can not be estimated.

PLAN No. 825. FLY TRAP

Fly control should begin at the breeding places. All refuse and other substances in which flies may breed should be disposed of immediately. Fly traps should be placed around the house and stable and in places frequented by flies, so as to catch them whenever they appear. It is necessary to use bait to attract the flies. After they are caught they may be destroyed by pouring hot water over the trap and then burning the flies.

Any woman, without hammer or saw, can easily make a fly trap. The dimensions will depend upon the size of trap desired. Non-rustable screen wire should be used. A straight rectangular piece of screen wire is used for the cylinder of body of the trap. This blanket is stitched with heavy thread to prevent the wire from raveling. The cone is made of a circular piece of screen wire from which a sector or V-shaped piece has been cut, and a small hole is cut at the center which permits the entrance of the flies. A binding of heavy muslin or denim is sewed around the edge of the cone. The cone is slipped up into the cylinder. It must be large enough to fit tightly. It is made secure by the bound edge being sewed to the cylinder. The top of the trap is made of a circular piece of wire which exactly fits the top of the cylinder. On the edge of this piece is sewed a piece of binding. On this edge is sewed a piece of wire 2 inches wide which forms the rim of the top of the trap. This top fits on the cylinder snugly and is held in place by pieces of tape. The legs of the trap are made of bent wire.

The trap should be thoroughly scalded every few days. The following may be used for baits—sour or skim milk to which a little sugar has been added; meat or fish scraps; bread and milk to which sugar has been added; and sugar, vinegar, and water.

PLAN No. 826. WINDOW SCREENS

All outside doors and windows should be screened. It will be an economy to buy the screen doors. For both doors and windows use non-rustable screen wire.

A very cheap, convenient and easily made window screen is shown in Fig. 23. Any woman can make this screen fit any window. Often in old houses window frames have warped and it is hard to make screen frames fit the windows.

Heavy denim or jeans or any other heavy material, of dark color, is cut into strips 4 inches wide. This is sewed around the edge of the screen, leaving about 2 inches of the doubled material as strips for eyelets. Eyelets are worked across the top and down the side strips. Small tacks are driven in the lower casing of the top window and down the sides of the window frames. The eyelets in the window screen are fastened over the heads of the tacks and thus the screen is held in place. This screen can only be used when the upper window cannot be lowered and it can be removed easily when not needed.

PLAN No. 827. COOKSTOVE DRIER OR EVAPORATOR

Vegetables and fruits can be dried in an oven, in trays or racks over the kitchen stove, or in a specially constructed drier. There are small driers on the market which give satisfactory results. The small cookstove driers or evaporators are small oven-like structures, usually made of galvanized sheet iron, or of wood and galvanized iron. They are of such a size that they can be placed on the top of an ordinary wood or coal range, or a kerosene stove. These driers hold a series of small trays on which fruit or vegetables are placed after being prepared for drying. Portable outdoor evaporators are especially convenient when it is desirable to dry as much as ten bushels of fruit or vegetables a day. They are usually constructed of wood except the parts in direct contact with the heater. The homemade dry kiln used in some sections of the country can be cheaply and easily made of brick and stone.

A drier that can be used on a wood or coal range or a kerosene stove can be easily and cheaply made. Dimensions: Base, 24 by 16 inches; height, 36 inches (including the height of the base). The drier can be made smaller if desired. A base six inches high is made of galvanized sheet iron. This base flares slightly toward the bottom and has two small openings for ventilation in each of the four sides. On the base rests a box-like frame made of 1 or 1¹⁄₂ inch strips of wood. The two sides are braced with 1¹⁄₄-inch strips which serve as cleats on which the trays in the drier rest. These are placed at intervals of 3 inches. The frame is covered with tin or galvanized sheet iron, which is tacked to the wooden strips of the frame. Thin strips of wood may be used instead of tin or sheet iron. The door is fitted on small hinges and fastened with a thumb latch. It opens wide so that the trays can be easily removed. The bottom in the drier is made of a piece of perforated galvanized sheet iron. Two inches above the bottom is placed a solid sheet of galvanized iron, three inches less in length and width than the bottom. This sheet rests on two wires fastened to the sides of the drier. This prevents the direct heat from coming in contact with the product and serves as a radiator to spread the heat more evenly.

The first tray is placed three inches above the radiator. The trays rest on cleats three inches apart. A drier of the given dimensions will hold eight trays. The frame of the tray is made of 1-inch strips on which is tacked galvanized screen wire, which forms the bottom of the tray. The tray is 21 by 15 inches, making it three inches less in depth than the drier. The lowest tray when placed in the drier is pushed to the back, leaving the 3-inch space in front. The next tray is placed even with the front, leaving a 3-inch space in the back. The other trays alternate in the same way. A ventilator opening is left in the top of the drier through which the moist air may pass away.

The principle of construction is that currents of heated air pass over the product as well as up through it, gathering the moisture and passing away. The current of air produces a more rapid and uniform drying. The upper trays can be shifted to the lower part of the drier and the lower trays to the upper part as the drying proceeds, so as to dry products uniformly throughout.

PLAN No. 828. THE CLEANING CLOSET

Entrance of dust and dirt into a house is unavoidable, and the housekeeper is compelled to spend some of her time and energy in the daily cleaning. Through the use of better equipment and more systematic planning she is able to do the cleaning more easily and quickly. It is well to have a special place where cleaning utensils may be kept in the best condition and ready for instant use. Much time and energy is spent in collecting the utensils needed for cleaning.

A closet, cupboard, or wardrobe, in the kitchen is the best place for keeping the cleaning utensils. A back-stair closet is also a good place. One end of a back porch may be inclosed and used for such a purpose. The closet should have plenty of hooks and racks for utensils and a shelf for cleaning materials.

The housekeeper should choose utensils according to her own needs and according to the requirements of her house. Those suggested below are inexpensive and will help to lighten the work of cleaning:

Bucket with wringer for mopping.

A piece of inch board 15 inches square with rollers makes a convenient platform on which to set the mop bucket, and permits it to be moved easily without lifting.

Wall mop made by tying a bag made of wool or cotton cloth over an ordinary broom.

A broom, with a hook screw in the end of the handle by which it can be hung up.

A long-handled dustpan.

Several brushes for cleaning purposes.

Cheesecloth, worn silk, and flannelette for dusters.

Dusters may be made by dipping pieces of cheesecloth in two quarts of warm water to which one-half cup of kerosene has been added. These cloths should be kept away from the stove and lighted lamps, as they are inflammable.

A blackboard eraser covered with flannelette for stove polishing.

An oiled floor mop to use on oiled or polished floors. Several makes can be found on the market, or one may be made of old stockings or any discarded woolen of flannelette material. The material is cut into one-inch strips and sewed across the middle to a foundation of heavy cloth. This is fastened to an old broom handle or used in a clamp mop handle. The mop is dipped into a solution made of one-half cup of melted paraffin and one cup kerosene and allowed to dry. To keep it moist, it is rolled tight and kept in a paper bag, away from stove or lamp.

A carpet sweeper or a vacuum cleaner should be used in the daily cleaning of carpets and rugs. A vacuum cleaner operated by hand or electric power removes practically all the dust and dirt from carpets and rugs in a dustless manner.

PLAN No. 829. BASKET BOARDERS

During the war people have been thrown upon their own resources and many methods of making a living have been attempted. Many suggestions have been given by the United States Department of Agriculture as to plans which would be feasible for making a living.

One suggestion is a plan followed by a New York woman. She had a small income but it was not sufficient to care for herself and small child. She arranged to board and room 15 girls and boys from the farm. And this board and room was paid with baskets of provisions from the farm from each of the children’s parents.

She conducted her home on a dormitory plan of a college. Each of the students took care of their own rooms and spent their week ends with their parents at which time their washing was taken along or sent to the city laundry at the expense of the student.

This idea has wonderful possibilities. There are thousands of boys and girls from the farms that cannot go to High School because of the lack of ready cash. But if a woman who can furnish the best of references will charge them $10 a month and a weekly basket of provisions from their farms it would be possible for them to have a High School or College education. With fifteen children this would mean an income of $150 a month and the lady could figure out what kind of provisions from week to week she needed and have the boys and girls regulate their baskets accordingly. If it was not practical for the boys and girls to return to the farms to bring baskets in person the baskets could easily be sent in by parcel post.

Any woman who has a family and is unable to go out to work can make a good income in this way as well as do a great favor to the boy and girl on the farm.

This is a good way for thousands of town and city families to escape the high cost of living and take from the farmer what he has to pay with—i. e., food for the education of his children.

OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC OFFICE

There are many opportunities in public office in every city, and county in the United States.

Many a man with a dark outlook, if familiar with the many opportunities in public service, might find awaiting him just the kind of work he likes best.

In this field there is work from the most ordinary labor to the professions. Activities of the city, county, state and national government each year create opportunities which should not be overlooked by those who desire employment or who already have employment and desire work more in accord with their tastes. There is, perhaps, no more ideal work one can be engaged in. In public service you work under the best conditions and the workers do not sacrifice their liberties, and the hours and pay are good. Civil Service is now used by many city governments, which insures permanency. The Government every year offers great opportunities to workers through Civil Service which is set forth in Plan No. 217.

As space in this book will not permit me to enumerate the many opportunities given by governments in all cities, counties and states, I have taken the City of Spokane, County of Spokane, State of Washington, as an illustration and from this it will be easy for you to check up the opportunities in your own locality.

This brief of public affairs will be suggestive to those people who desire to enter public service as a career, as from this they can determine what work best suits their abilities.

The City of Spokane has been for a number of years under the commission form of government. The people elect five men at $3,500 each to run the affairs of the city. These men direct the affairs of the city much like the manager of a business. The salaries encourages good business ability to contest for these offices. Each commissioner is given a department and each department has a certain number of divisions, which are as follows: Those with a star before the name are either named by the commissioner at the head of the department or by the five commissioners together. Those names before which no star appears are covered by the Civil Service Board. If the office is appointive the thing for you to do is to get in touch with the party who gives appointments. Each division in the city departments offer opportunity for various kinds of service, the nature of which is shown. Your city offers like opportunities.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

PLAN No. 830. HEALTH DIVISIONS