To Dry Rhubarb.— To dry the stalks of rhubarb, first strip off the outer skin with a sharp knife. This is a painstaking process, but it pays as the rhubarb dries more quickly and thoroughly. Spread on cloths in the sun, preferably under a hotbed sash, and dry as quickly as possible.
To Cure Rhubarb Root.—Pull up the roots from tbe old rhubarb bed when a new bed has been set out. Brush off the earth with a dry brush, and cut the roots into squares 2 inches long. Take off the skin with a sharp knife. Bore a hole through the middle and run a string through them, knotting it so as to keep each piece of root separate from the others. String these between suitable posts or pegs upon the ground, and expose to the sun to dry. Take them indoors at night or when it rains, as dampness is apt to cause mold.
To Dry Parsley.—To have bright, crisp parsley, pick it in dry weather. Spread it thinly on a platter and bake it in a moderate oven with the doors open, turning frequently. If the oven is not too hot, the leaves will become dry and brittle without losing their green color. Take care that the heat is not sufficient to turn the leaves brown or they will be spoiled. Now rub it to powder between the palms of the hands, pick out the stalks, sift the powder through a coarse sieve, place it a glass bottle or jar and cork tightly. Keep in a dry place. A peck or more of the parsley should be gathered, as it is reduced very much in bulk by drying. The dry powder is suitable for most purposes for which fresh parsley is employed, and is much more convenient.
To Dry Herbs.—Herbs should be gathered in dry weather, carefully picked over and dried as quickly as possible, either in a slow oven or un der a hotbed sash. They should be spread out thin on sheets of blotting paper and turned occasionally. Fresh herbs are, of course, to be preferred, but as they are not obtainable in win ter it is necessary to preserve them by drying. ' The season at which herbs are best fit to be preserved by drying varies with different species. Orange flow ers, elder flowers, parsley and chervil in May, June, and July; burnet and tarragon in June, July, and August; knotted marjoram and mint in July; summer savory, July and August; basil, winter savory, and lemon thyme, the end of July and August.
The aromatic herbs must not be exposed to too great heat, as other wise the essential oils which give them their flavor will be volatilized. After being dried, the herbs should be screened through a large sieve to re move dust and other impurities, the stems removed, and the leaves stored in glass bottles. All of the above herbs will be found useful condiments in cookery, and several of them have medicinal qualities. These and many others can also be obtained of drug gists and other dealers.
To Gather Roots.—Most medicinal and other roots should be gathered in the spring and are, as a rule, better in the fresh than in the dry state. To
dry them it is only necessary to brush off the dust with a dry brush, rinse the roots in cold water, string them together and expose them to the heat of the sun or in a slow oven until bone dry.
Lath Boxes for Vegetables and Fruit.—Cut end pieces of inch thick pine stuff 14 inches long and 12 inches deep. Cut laths 17i inches long which will give two pieces for each lath. Tack these laths to the end pieces to form two sides and the bottom, having the thickness of one lath between every two. Cut holes about Si inches long and 1 inch or more deep in the two ends about 3 or 4 inches from the top as.handles, and use these boxes for picking up apples, potatoes, onions, and other vegetables, and storing them for win ter use.
Peeking Fruit. — Carefully pick over the fruit and discard all wind falls, and specked or wormy speci mens. For an extra fine quality, wrap each fruit in tissue paper. Pack in clean, dry, flour barrels and pour over the top dry sand or road dust, shaking it down until the barrel is full. Place the barrels in a cellar or other cool place where they will not freeze.
Evaporated Apples. — To dry or evaporate apples, peel and core them and cut across in thin slices. Let the slices fall into cold water to prevent their rusting. When all are sliced, and in readiness, lay the slices on a large piece of cheese cloth and baste them to this by means of a darning needle and suitable cotton thread, taking a stitch through each slice, so that it will lie flat and keep in place. Suspend the cheese cloth out of doors by the four corners to suitable stakes, high enough to be out of the reach of small animals, spread another thick ness of cheese cloth over the fruit and expose to direct sunlight. Be sure to take them in before dew falls. When sufficiently dry store them in a dark place. This is the cheapest and roost convenient way to dry apples, and the color will be nearly equal to that of the commer cial article.
Or thin trays or slats about I of an inch in width may be tacked together, the apples spread on these and cov ered with cheese cloth to prevent the fruit turning dark.
Storing Nuts.— Pack walnuts in jars, boxes, or casks between layers of fine dry sand. If they have become shriveled, let them stand overnight in skimmed milk or a solution of milk and water. Chestnuts and filberts may also be stored in the same manner.
Almonds. — Buy for domestic use the sweet almond, as the bitter al mond contains prussic acid which is a deadly poison. To freshen almonds place them while still in the shells in a colander set in a basin of cold wa ter and bring to a boil. Lift them out, peel them as quickly as possible and drop the kernels into cold water. Never leave almonds in boiling water to cool as it is likely to make them bitter.
To roast almonds for salting or bonbons, put them in an ordinary corn popper and shake them over a brisk fire.