Farthing Dinners, by George Herbert Sargent (Simpkin and Marshall), is
an interesting little pamphlet, relating some really wonderful results. "The very cheapest dinners," he says, " are by far the most popular." What are these dinners ? may be asked. " Half-a-pint of soup, with a round of bread weighing about one- tenth of a pound, spread with a quarter of an ounce of jam," is "quite sufficient for the younger children." Eleven gallons of soup (lentil or pea) may be made for ls. 41d. This would furnish 176 children, who would have 18 lb. of bread, costing la. 61d., and about n lb. of jam, costing 9d. This would be a total expense of 3s. 8d., which would be exactly met by the 176 farthings. But these are slightly higher prices than would be actually paid, and where the number of dinners is very large, there is a profit, which may go towards other expenses. But it must be understood, for Mr. Sargent does not profess to work miracles, that the expense of rent and the initial expense of apparatus must be otherwise provided for Perhaps our readers may be curious to have the recipe for the soup. Here is that for the pea-soup :—" Split peas, 8 lb. ; Indian meal, 81b. dripping, 6 oz. ; carrots and onions, 2 lb.; salt, 1 lb.; pepper, 1. oz. ; moist sugar, 2 oz.; water, 10 gals." But they most study the pamphlet itself, which may suggest hints for meals costing more than a farthing.
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