At this time, when so much anxiety is felt on the subject of our milk supply, it is well to consider what may be done, at least to render milk harmless. In the milk, as in almost every other provision trade, there has, in London and the suburbs during the last twenty years, been a gradual effort to increase profits at the undue expense of the consumers. In one matter alone, that of cleanliness, expense has been saved by the purveyors of milk. Take what precaution we may, it would seem, we cannot at present defy danger, but we can at least, each one for himself, reduce this danger to a minimum by insisting on a proper water supply, proper dairies, and due cleanliness. The only adulteration to which milk is now generally subjected is that of water, and fraud is further perpetrated by the withdrawal of a portion of the cream from milk sold and charged for as "new." This last fraud is easy of detection by the lactometer, and it would be a useful lesson in domestic chemistry for ladies to become familiar with the use of this instrument, which is a cylindrical glass graduated into one hundred parts, and the milk to be tested must stand in it for ten or twelve hours. Sometimes milk, without being adulterated, when from cows which have been too long in milk, or which are of a poor breed, will give very little cream; but the percentage in any case should never be below six, and it ought to be much higher. The specific gravity of unskimmed milk is 1.030, and the test for the addition of water can only be satisfactorily made by the professional analysts. The admixture of chalk, starch, and annotto with milk is not now largely practised, and the use of the two last would not be open to serious objection if it did not cover one or other of the frauds alluded to.

Starch is employed to give body to, and restore the colour of milk rendered blue by the addition of water, and annotto to give the yellow appearance which may deceive the uninstructed, and induce the belief that the milk is rich. It is of such great importance to the infant and invalid part of the population that milk should be absolutely pure and of good quality, that it is the duty of all persons energetically to endeavour to put down adulteration, and to insist on having the article for which they pay a fair market price, both pure and of good quality.

As the only way to destroy the germs of disease in water is to boil and filter it, so milk can only be rendered safe by boiling. Of course, when milk is supplied from the home farm, when the health of the cows is known to be good, and that no impure water has been added, this precaution is unnecessary. Milk and cream cannot well be kept too cool, and it is a good plan, where there is no suitable place for keeping the milk, to place the vessel in which it is contained in another half filled with water and slightly salted. In hot weather, if the milk has been carried through the streets or sent by railway, it is desirable before boiling to add a pinch of carbonate of soda to it, as this will prevent curdling. This precaution is commonly adopted in America. If cream has slightly turned, a little carbonate of soda and afterwards a pinch of castor sugar stirred in will restore it.

There is, perhaps, no greater difficulty in modern housekeeping than that of insisting on the cleanliness of culinary utensils. Ordinary cooks are very careless in this matter, which in a great measure accounts for the inferior flavour of their dishes. Every lady who is her own housekeeper should make a periodical inspection of the batteire de cuisine, and insist on the absolute purity of every vessel. Copper stewpans will last a lifetime, but when those of tin and iron have been long in use, or have been in any degree neglected, the expense of renewing them should be willingly incurred. A good cook will wash and scour her saucepans after every use of them, and only so can they be kept in such order as will ensure the perfection of her cookery.

Under the head of culinary utensils we would commend to every housewife Captain Warren's admirable pot, but, indeed, after having been before the public for so many years, it is surprising it should need any such commendation. When it is remembered that you have only to put the meat, with any vegetables - such as turnips, carrots, and onions - in one receptacle, the potatoes and a pudding in another - these last, of course, not taking so much time as the meat - put them on the fire, and let the pot continue to boil gently, to find, when the allotted time has expired, an admirably cooked dinner ready for table, it will be seen at once that there is a wonderful economy of time and trouble in using Warren's pot. Nor are these the chief points which will interest a good housekeeper. Meat cooked in Warren's pot has much more savour than when boiled or stewed, and there is absolutely no loss of weight or value in anything which is cooked in it. Captain Warren's pots are made in several shapes and sizes, for meat and vegetables, for fish, and for curries, and are to be procured, of excellent pattern and workmanship, of Constantine, 61, Fleet Street. Each and all of them are on the same principle - that of cooking the several articles for which they are adapted without contact with water or steam. The food is cooked in its own vapour, and none of the nutritious properties are wasted. The outer cylinder contains the water; the meat is placed in an inner receptacle, and, by merely keeping the water at boiling point, is most perfectly prepared for the table. It has been proved, by repeated trials, that meat, fish, and poultry when cooked in Warren's pot retain their nourishing properties, which if either stewed, steamed, or boiled, would be given off in vapour. By this method, the juices become condensed and are returned in moisture sufficient in quantity to cook the viands in the most perfect manner. The steam given off during the cooking is so slight as to be almost imperceptible, and there is absolutely no smell of cooking, even when a large dinner is being prepared in the Warren's pot. It is particularly well adapted for any of the closed ranges now in use, and to gas, a very small ring of which will keep it boiling steadily during the whole time of cooking.

Thus it will be seen that ladies may, in default of a cook, by the aid of a gas stove and Captain Warren's pot, serve a dinner for even a large family almost without previous experience of culinary matters, and certainly without watching and anxiety. The tendency in middleclass kitchens is to have the smallest possible number of utensils, and those of inferior kinds; and it is surprising how slow ladies have been to adopt the many excellent machines and utensils of modern invention which have the threefold merit of saving time, money, and labour.

In "the good time coming" let us hope that the kitchen department will be as carefully arranged as that of the drawing-room, and ladies be as well qualified to judge of the merits of a stove and a labour-saving machine as they now are of the tone of a grand-piano, or a piece of art needlework.