are
put in, cutting up the largest. They are spread out in a layer so
that evaporation may easily take place, the door of the oven being
left open. From time to time the mass is stirred up with a poker to
facilitate the evaporation. When the drying has gone far enough, the
potatoes having become hard as bits of wood, they are withdrawn to
make room for others.

"Potatoes thus dried may be boiled with enough water to make a paste
similar to that which they would have furnished if mashed in the
ordinary manner, and which will answer very well, at least to feed
stock. The potatoes will be found to have lost none of their
nutritive value."

Even if you haven't any acres--yet, there isn't any law against
drying in the city. Either in sales or in saving it will help to pay
for the country place later and the country place can be made to pay
it back again.

Call your product say "Landers' Desiccated Beans" or "Glory's
Dehydrated Corn." They will sell better, they may even taste better,
trying to live up to the description. There's dollars in a name.

As a preservative ice must not be neglected. The _Country Gentleman_
says:

While the temperature is below the freezing point we should take
advantage of even short frosts to lay up ice for next summer. The
man without an ice pond need not be, without ice--he can freeze it
in pans outdoors. An ice plant of this sort will cost from fifteen
to twenty dollars.

A double tank should be made of galvanized iron. The inner
compartment of this tank should be ten feet long, two feet wide, and
twelve inches deep. The top of the tank should be slightly wider
than the bottom. The inner tank should be divided into six
compartments by means of galvanized iron strips. The double tank
should be placed near the outdoor pump, or stream, where it can
easily be filled.

Being exposed on all sides, the water will freeze in from one hour
to three hours. A bucket of hot water poured into the space between
the tanks will loosen the cakes of ice, each weighing 200 pounds.
Four tons of ice will last the average family a year. The cakes may
be packed away in the icehouse as they are frozen.

CHAPTER XXVI

HOME COLD-PACK CANNING

To save vegetables and fruits by canning is a patriotic duty. The
war makes the need for food conservation more imperative than at any
time in history. America is mainly responsible for the food supply
of the world. In this way the abundance of the summer may