Oysters are not good unless they close firmly on the knife when being opened. They should never be plunged in hot water to increase their size.

Oysters in the shell may be kept, at least, a month by covering them with a thick blanket well saturated with water, or it is better to keep a block of ice on oysters. Sprinkle with salt every few days.

Oysters On Half Shell

Select deep shell oysters, open and detach the upper shell. Have deep plates filled with chopped ice, with a fringed napkin over the ice; lay the shells with the oyster in the napkin and serve with lemon cut in quarters, tobasco sauce or horseradish. Never put ice on the oysters as it spoils the flavor.

A. F. Barker.

Oyster Cocktail

For every one hundred small oysters take four tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, one tablespoonful, pepper, one tablespoonful of vinegar and one table-spoonful of Worcestershite sauce, the juice of two lemons, two or three drops of tabasco sauce and one cup of oyster liquid. Drain the oysters free from their liquor, and strain. Mix the cocktail fully one-half hour before serving.

Edith Gitt Billmyer.

Creamed Oysters

Scald oysters in their own liquor and strain. To one pint of oyster liquor add one cup cream. Take one tablespoonful butter and one tablespoonful flour, put on stove and let heat gradually until melted, then add cream and oyster liquor, stir until thick. After it cools, add yolk of one egg. Lastly add oysters, season to taste, serve on toast, or in pattie shells. Mrs. R. C. Strouse.

Creamed Oysters

Melt a tablespoonful of butter in a sauce-pan, stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour, cook a moment, and pour in gradually one cupful of hot milk, salt and pepper to taste. Wash carefully one quart of oysters, and parboil in their own liquor until plump. Then pour the cream over the oysters.

A. F. Barker.

Broiled Oysters With Brown Sauce

Use nice fat oysters, drain them in a colander, take one pint of liquor to every twenty five oysters put the liquor on to boil, skim all scum from the surface. Put one tablespoonful of butter in a frying-pan and stir until a nice brown, then add two table-spoonfuls of flour, mix well, and brown, then add the oyster liquor, and stir constantly until it boils. Season with salt and pepper, pour into a granite sauce-pan and stand it over hot water until wanted. Lay the oysters on a towel after having wiped with soft cloth, sprinkle with salt. Have your griddle hot, test it with a drop of water; if it hisses, it is ready. Now cover the griddle with oysters, as soon as brown-ed on one side turn and brown on the other, then put them into the brown sauce, and serve on squares of buttered toast. Emma S. Shirk.

Escalloped Oysters

Scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out with a fork and lay them in a deep dish, sprink-ling pepper, salt, cracker crumbs, and small pieces of butter over the top. Rub a little butter and flour together and stir into the liquor, then fill up the dish with it, and brown in the oven.

Mrs. Harry Shultz.