Food should never be kept in paper sacks or packages, but when received should be put away in tightly closed jars, well labeled. Packages that may be opened without damage so that they may be closed, such as crackers, etc., may be left in the package, but care should be taken each time to fold the oiled paper and close the box properly.

Dried fruits should be scalded to kill any germs, washed thoroughly, dried, and put away clean.

Nuts, if bought shelled, should be scalded, dried and put away in glass jars, ready for use.

Vegetables of the tuber class should be kept in a dark place.

Green vegetables should either be put into water, or else washed, laid in cloths or folds of paper, and kept on ice or in a cool place.

Bread should never be wrapped in cloths, but kept in tin boxes or stone jars, which should be scalded out every week, aired and dried thoroughly.

Cake, doughnuts, cookies, etc., should also be kept in tin boxes or stone jars.

Meat, when received from the butcher, should be removed from the paper immediately, put on a plate and set near the ice or in a cool place. Before using it should be wiped with a damp cloth.

Eggs, when received, should be washed and kept in a cool place. If desired very cold, and no ice is on hand, let stand in cold water.

Butter should be kept in a covered jar in a cool place. If set in the refrigerator, it, with the milk, should be placed on the bottom shelf, so that any odors that might arise from other foods will be less likely to permeate them.

Milk, when received, unless in bottles, should be put into well scalded, cooled pans. If in bottles, wash carefully, especially the mouth and top, and let the milk stand in them until ready for use.

Care And Use Of The Refrigerator

The refrigerator should be washed once a week when the ice is low or out. The drains should be carefully cleaned out, using for this purpose a round stick with swab attached, or a brush with the bristles coming out from the center, made especially for this purpose. The little cup under the drain should receive special attention. If the refrigerator is attached to a main drain, the pipes leading to it should occasionally be cleaned and flushed. A piece of charcoal laid in the refrigerator will absorb odors and impurities, and will aid greatly in keeping it sweet and pure.

What To Do Without Ice

This is a problem confronting many housekeepers. If there is a cellar, of course that is the solution. A "dumb waiter" running from the kitchen or pantry to the cold room of the cellar will save many steps.

A window box, of which there are many kinds on the market now, the metal ones being the best, or a home-made one fitted up and set in the window, will keep food very well during cool weather. In warm weather its efficacy can be increased by keeping heavy cloths, such as burlap or gunny sacks, kept wet in cold water, laid over it. This principle of creating cold by evaporation can be applied in many ways.

A miner's box carrying out this principle can be used in the home, out camping, and in any emergency. Take the frame of a box, the ends, top and bottom on, with the two sides open, and fit it up with shelves. Good dimensions for this would be 2 ft high, 3 ft long and 1 ft deep. Cover the back of the box with three thicknesses of muslin and two layers of burlap, old blanket or other heavy material. Make the front of the box of the same material, but so arranged that it may be raised or opened as a door. Make as nearly dustproof as possible. Keep the front and back wet constantly and the box standing where a breeze will strike it.

A good way to keep the cloth wet is to have a large bowl of water standing on top of the box with strips of cloth running from it to the sides. The water in the bowl will have to be replenished frequently.

The degree of cold obtained will depend greatly upon the condition of the atmosphere. When this is very dry, the evaporation will be much more rapid, and the cold correspondingly increased.