The Amman Valley Chronicle and East Carmarthen News

WRR-TIME GARDEN WORK & ALLOTMENT INTERESTS. Attention given now to spring cabbages will ensure a better crop next season. Any gaps should be filled up, and those plants whieli are getting forward should be gently earthed up against the stems, so that they may not be blown about by the autumnal winds. Ihe slight slope around the roots helps drainage, the superfluous water runs away from the plants, and they do not become surrounded with cold, sodden soil. Those growers who have proved the value of salsify and scorzonera, and grown them this season, should now lift the plants and store them for the winter. The tops and all the thin, spindly, useless roots should be cut away before storing. They eaIl be stored much in the same way as carrots, being piled in layers, alternated with sand. The best place for stor- ing is in a dry outdoor building, such as a barn or shcel. Now is a good time to sow dwarf varieties of early peas. A compost should be made of a little spent manure and some good loam. and clean Sin. pots filled with this mixture. Stand the pots in a cold frame till growth begins; and on no account should they at any stage of their growth be coddled at all. neither should any attempt be made to force them. The greatest hindrances to the growth of these plants are the attacks of slugs and mice, and measures must be taken against them before the shoots appear above ground. Celery needs to be protected from severe frosts. There are several simple ways of doing this. Bent shoots of will ow or other green wood may be stuck in round the plants, turned slightly over, and straw or dry bracken laid over the top. Another plan is to get a handful of long straw, wind this round the top of the celery plant, and let the ends hang loose. This not only protects from Irost, but throws off j the water. There is no more troublesome pest in most gardens than slugs, and if strict measures are taken now they may be stamped out before next year. The best preventive of them is malt-dust, sprinkled round the plants. A method which, if done regularly for a few times, ought effectually to clear the ground of these pests is by watering the plants with lime-water. This can be made by placing a peck of quicklime in a tub and pouring on it thirty gallons of water, stirring it well, and allowing it to stand for forty-eight hours. In late afternoon the clear lime water may be sprinkled all over the plants and the ground, and in most cases this will very soon eradicate these pests. Before planting gooseberry and currant bushes this autumn, give the ground a good trenching with a plentiful dressing of decayed manure. Where the soil is very heavy, it will be considerably improved by having a quan- tity of wood ashes or old lime rubble worked into it as the trenching proceeds. So that the plants may be able to grow for several seasons w ithout being disturbed, a space of at least oft. should be allowed between each plant. Rhubarb is one of those hardy plants which will grow in most situations provided it is not subjected to extreme cold. Those who wish to have rhubarb through the win- ter can force it in a simple manner with quite as good results as when it is forced in a greenhouse. A warm, dark place should be chosen where the plants may be set. A few crowns should be dug up from the garden, planted in large pots or boxes, and stored away in any such convenient situation. I

A BELGIAN BOY. -1 BY a GUNNER. He was always waiting for us when we returned to the billet. In summertime it was a late hour, for we must not bring the guns back until it is almost dark. He would stand by the farm, knowing the road by which we would come. Then he would return to a place in the field where he kept his toys, and pack them away as we had packed away the lorries. They were wonderful toys, these- war-time playthings; they were perfect imitations of our guns. The material was rough—such as lie could gather in the fields, but the models were delicately carved. All was carefully camouflaged, and sometimes a heavy or a field-gun would appear on the scene. I ex- amined them all in turn, and tried to over- come this little Belgian's shyness. Every- thing he saw in that wonderful world wherein lie lived lie wou ld reproduce. The Archie-guns would elevate to a proper angle —the field-guns had their limbers complete. The camouflage would have deceived the keenest observer. And they were all the work of his hand. He was not more than ten. The eldest brother was away, fighting in the Belgian Army. Another brother, only a little older, worked in the fields. This boy stayed at home and made his models. He had ail too much time. Schools had ceased to exist in these parts. That in which lie should have learnt was in ruins. Sometimes I would play with him'. I would be the Hun, and little stones or clods of earth would drop perilously near his guns. Sometimes the shelling became so severe that he had to withdraw them a little. And once a boiub dropped straight on his newest howitzer- It must, however, have been a dud," for the howitzer apparently survived. I have often wondered how far lie will suffer for his want of schooling. It is a sad pity in his case, for he must have had the touch of genius in his brain. Also I wonder where he and his family are now. The last I saw of him was on the eve of our withdrawal -—a pathetic little figure walking with his mother and sisters beside the cart which carried all their worldly goods. They were bound—Heaven knows where !—except for safety. And it is well that they left. An hour later a shell landed in the midst of their home, and the walls which had sheltered them so long came crumbling to the ground. I wonder if he took his little guns with him in the cart.

DOING HER BIT. [British Official A paddler in a starch run at a Lancashire glucose factory.

CAMOUFLAGING. [British Official. French girls making artificial screens in the war area.

KITCHEN RECIPES IN WAR-TIME. Savoury Ptidding .-I -,GRLDIE I, TS.-1. lb boiled butter-beans, t lb. stale bits of bread, It). iiiasliud potatoes, 4 oz. chopped onion, » lb. sausage .neat or chopped bacon, 4 oz. grated carrot, tablespoonful chopped parsley, sad, pepper. METHOD.—Break up and soak the bread in cold water till soft. Drain off the water, squeeze the bread in a clean cloth as dry as possible. Beat it fine with a fork, and then work it well in with aLl the other ingredients, adding a good seasoning. The thorough mixing and seasoning are all-important points. If the mixture seems reaily crumbly, add a little stock, but it should be stiff. Press it xveu down into a greased basin. Twist a piece of greased paper over the top, and steam it for about one hour. Turn carefully out on to a hot dish, and pour over and round a nice, thick, brown gravv. This can also be baked instead of steamed. Norfolk Dumplings with Treacle.—INGRE- DIENTS.—J lb. flour, 2 teaspoonfuls baking- powder. I teaspoonful sallt, water. METHOD.—Well mix the flour, salt, and baking-powder. Mix to a stiff dough with cold water, but it must not be so dry that it cracks. Form into bails the size of a small apple. Put into boiling water and boil, but not very ftiriotis-"v, or the dumplings will break, for 20 minutes. Lift out the dumplings, tear them apart with two forks (on no account cut them, or they will be sad "): Pour over bohing treacle mixed with half its quantity of boiling water. Serve at once. These dumplings, i without the treacle, are excellent to eat with soups, stews, boiled or roast meat, &c Baked Green Tomatoes.—INGREDIENTS.— 6 large green tomatoes, A tablespoonful flour, 2 tab espoonfuls bread-crumbs grated rind of lemon, I tablespoonful suet, teaspoonful mixed herbs, salt, pepper, JIIi',k enough to bind the dry ingredients, 1 oz. dripping. METHOD.—Scoop out a little of Ihe pulp of the tomatoes and remove the seeds, stuff with the dry ingredients. Then melt 1 oz. dripping in a baking-tin, add I oz. lfour and fry till brown, add 1 pint vegetable stock, and stir till the gravy is thick and boiling. Put the tomatoes into the trai-v and cook in a moderate oven br one hour. This is a good way of using tomatoes that have refused to ripen owing to the cool autumn. Onion Savoury.—INGREDIENTS.—4 medium- sized onions, 2 oz. grated cheese, 2 heaped table-spoonfuls breadcrumbs, £ oz. margarine, pepper. salt. METHOD.—Put the onions in boiling salted, water and cook till tender, drain and chop them. Add the grated cheese while they are still hot. Grease a pie-dish, put in the onion mixture, cover with crumbs, and put little nuts of margarine on the top. Heat in the oven or under the gril'r for 10 minutes. Spiced Sprats.—INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. sprats. 2 bay-leaves, pinch of allspice, vinegar as required. ME'lIIQD.-Wash' the fish and dry in a,m cloth, the a put in a pie-di.-h in layers, spri tilt- ling the seasoning and spice in between. Add sufficient weak vinegar, or vinegar and water, to come level with the top layer, hut noi. :0 cover it. Bake 15 minutes in a mod-erftte■ «?vr: and eat hot or cold. Brussels Sprouts.— METHOD.— Soak ?h.- sprouts in cold salted water for an hour and drain them. Put into boiling salt water wirh a pinch of soda. and cook for Ij minutes, reckoning from the time when the water bois fast again,: strain and put into a dry saucepan. • To finish them in the French fashion, a-i.i ;i. small piece of margarine, some chopped parsley salt and pepper, and shake them till the mar- garine is melted and the sprouts are dry. Another plan is to melt the margarine ;:i a saucepan and stir in a little lfour, pepper. •• i salt. When the flour is cooked, add a iitt' stock and a few drops of lemon juice. Put. TI the sprouts (after they have been boiled and drained), sprinkle them with grated cheese, and shake over the fire till they are very l:or_. Spice Drops.—INGREDIENTS.—4 oz groui.d rice, 1 oz. flour. •> oz. maize lfour, 2 oz. dripping, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, 1 prepared dried egg, teaspoonful spice (powered). 1 teaspoon- • finl baking powder, a little milk or other i'-pnd. such as fruit syrup. MIETKOO.—Slightly warm the far. beat it with the s<ugar till soft and white. Add and beat in the prepared egs. Mix together all the dry ingredients, add them lightly to the fat and sugar. Add enough liquid to make a soft paste. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls on to a greased tin, each teaspoonful being o nto an inch and a half from the lat. Bake u> quick oven till a light brown.

I AN OSTEND eONeRETE DUG-OUT. [British Official. i Quarters used by German officers in charge of the guns on the fortifications of Ostend. Official. J

THE TANK THAT SIDE-SLIPPED. 4 I [British Official. o Manchesters resting under the lee of a tank that has successfully attacked the railway, but disabled Itself. NO