(as
above), and stir till soup is thickened. Just before serving stir in a
tablespoonful of Almond Cream (either "P.R." or Mapleton's).

_The addition of the almond cream gives the above a nutritive value,
apart from the tonic and cleansing elements in the stock._

NOURISHING ARTICHOKE SOUP.

Pare, scrub and cut into small pieces, 1 lb. of artichokes and put
immediately into a pan with a pint of water or milk and water. Boil
till soft, then rub through a wire sieve, using a wooden spoon. Put
back in pan, add a little more water, a little chopped parsley, and a
small piece of butter (or nut butter). Bring to the boil, stirring
well; stir in a tablespoonful of Pinekernel Cream ("P.R." or
Mapleton's), and serve at once.

LEEK AND CELERY SOUP.

Put four well-cleansed medium-sized leeks (cut up small), the outer
parts of a head of celery (chopped), a quart of water and 2 oz.
unpolished Japan rice, into a pan and simmer for two hours. Rub
through wire sieve, return to pan, bring to the boil, and serve.

_This soup is not so much nutritive as cleansing and antiseptic._

TASTE OR THEORY?

FRUIT AND THE OXALIC ACID BOGEY.

Many and varied are the creeds of Health Reformers, but all may be
included within two main camps. And the opposing battle-cries are
Instinct _versus_ Intellect, Taste _versus_ Theory, _a priori versus a
posteriori_, Motives _versus_ Purposes. Some overlapping and confusion
of creed may be found in both camps, but in the main one is filled
with lovers of Nature, the other with devotees of Science.

"We believe in simplicity," cries the Nature-lover from the meadow
where he is taking a sun-bath; "you are so complex, so artificial."

"We believe in being 'sensible,'" retorts the devotee of Science from
the cabinet where he is taking an electric light bath, "you are so
extreme."

"Not extreme--consistent. Your treatment varies every month as the
decrees of 'Science' change."

"But your treatment varies every minute as the wind and clouds change.
I can keep mine constant with mathematical accuracy, or vary the light
to a nicety by pressing a button."

And so also is it with regard to diet. The person who talks learnedly
about germs and calories (though he never saw a germ or measured a
calorie in his life) will be found in the same camp with the electric
light advocate, while this other who cultivates a taste in harmony
with Nature by consuming what he likes best of her unaltered prod