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I address myself now to those of my readers who have a living to
get。 And to meet this I have for farm produce sold
23。44
Earned by day…labor 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 13。34
…
In all 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 36。78；
which subtracted from the sum of the outgoes leaves a balance of
25。21 3/4 on the one side this being very nearly the means with
which I started； and the measure of expenses to be incurred and
on the other； beside the leisure and independence and health thus
secured； a comfortable house for me as long as I choose to occupy
it。
These statistics； however accidental and therefore uninstructive
they may appear； as they have a certain completeness； have a certain
value also。 Nothing was given me of which I have not rendered some
account。 It appears from the above estimate； that my food alone
cost me in money about twenty…seven cents a week。 It was； for
nearly two years after this； rye and Indian meal without yeast；
potatoes； rice； a very little salt pork； molasses； and salt； and my
drink； water。 It was fit that I should live on rice； mainly； who
love so well the philosophy of India。 To meet the objections of
some inveterate cavillers； I may as well state； that if I dined out
occasionally； as I always had done； and I trust shall have
opportunities to do again； it was frequently to the detriment of my
domestic arrangements。 But the dining out； being； as I have stated；
a constant element； does not in the least affect a comparative
statement like this。
I learned from my two years' experience that it would cost
incredibly little trouble to obtain one's necessary food； even in
this latitude； that a man may use as simple a diet as the animals；
and yet retain health and strength。 I have made a satisfactory
dinner； satisfactory on several accounts； simply off a dish of
purslane （Portulaca oleracea） which I gathered in my cornfield；
boiled and salted。 I give the Latin on account of the savoriness of
the trivial name。 And pray what more can a reasonable man desire；
in peaceful times； in ordinary noons； than a sufficient number of
ears of green sweet corn boiled； with the addition of salt？ Even
the little variety which I used was a yielding to the demands of
appetite； and not of health。 Yet men have come to such a pass that
they frequently starve； not for want of necessaries； but for want of
luxuries； and I know a good woman who thinks that her son lost his
life because he took to drinking water only。
The reader will perceive that I am treating the subject rather
from an economic than a dietetic point of view； and he will not
venture to put my abstemiousness to the test unless he has a
well…stocked larder。
Bread I at first made of pure Indian meal and salt； genuine
hoe…cakes； which I baked before my fire out of doors on a shingle or
the end of a stick of timber sawed off in building my house； but it
was wont to get smoked and to have a piny flavor； I tried flour
also； but have at last found a mixture of rye and Indian meal most
convenient and agreeable。 In cold weather it was no little
amusement to bake several small loaves of this in succession；
tending and turning them as carefully as an Egyptian his hatching
eggs。 They were a real cereal fruit which I ripened； and they had
to my senses a fragrance like that of other noble fruits； which I
kept in as long as possible by wrapping them in cloths。 I made a
study of the ancient and indispensable art of bread…making；
consulting such authorities as offered； going back to the primitive
days and first invention of the unleavened kind； when from the
wildness of nuts and meats men first reached the mildness and
refinement of this diet； and travelling gradually down in my studies
through that accidental souring of the dough which； it is supposed；
taught the leavening process； and through the various fermentations
thereafter； till I came to 〃good； sweet； wholesome bread；〃 the staff
of life。 Leaven； which some deem the soul of bread； the spiritus
which fills its cellular tissue； which is religiously preserved like
the vestal fire some precious bottleful； I suppose； first brought
over in the Mayflower； did the business for America； and its
influence is still rising； swelling； spreading； in cerealian billows
over the land this seed I regularly and faithfully procured from
the village； till at length one morning I forgot the rules； and
scalded my yeast； by which accident I discovered that even this was
not indispensable for my discoveries were not by the synthetic
but analytic process and I have gladly omitted it since； though
most housewives earnestly assured me that safe and wholesome bread
without yeast might not be； and elderly people prophesied a speedy
decay of the vital forces。 Yet I find it not to be an essential
ingredient； and after going without it for a year am still in the
land of the living； and I am glad to escape the trivialness of
carrying a bottleful in my pocket； which would sometimes pop and
discharge its contents to my discomfiture。 It is simpler and more
respectable to omit it。 Man is an animal who more than any other
can adapt himself to all climates and circumstances。 Neither did I
put any sal…soda； or other acid or alkali； into my bread。 It would
seem that I made it according to the recipe which Marcus Porcius
Cato gave about two centuries before Christ。 〃Panem depsticium sic
facito。 Manus mortariumque bene lavato。 Farinam in mortarium
indito； aquae paulatim addito； subigitoque pulchre。 Ubi bene
subegeris； defingito； coquitoque sub testu。〃 Which I take to mean；
〃Make kneaded bread thus。 Wash your hands and trough well。 Put
the meal into the trough； add water gradually； and knead it
thoroughly。 When you have kneaded it well； mould it； and bake it
under a cover；〃 that is； in a baking kettle。 Not a word about
leaven。 But I did not always use this staff of life。 At one time；
owing to the emptiness of my purse； I saw none of it for more than a
month。
Every New Englander might easily raise all his own breadstuffs
in this land of rye and Indian corn； and not depend on distant and
fluctuating markets for them。 Yet so far are we from simplicity and
independence that； in Concord； fresh and sweet meal is rarely sold
in the shops； and hominy and corn in a still coarser form are hardly
used by any。 For the most part the farmer gives to his cattle and
hogs the grain of his own producing； and buys flour； which is at
least no more wholesome； at a greater cost； at the store。 I saw
that I could easily raise my bushel or two of rye and Indian corn；
for the former will grow on the poorest land； and the latter does
not require the best； and grind them in a hand…mill； and so do
without rice and pork； and if I must have some concentrated sweet； I
found by experiment that I could make a very good molasses either of
pumpkins or beets； and I knew that I needed only to set out a few
maples to obtain it more easily still； and while these were growing
I could use various substitutes beside those which I have named。
〃For；〃 as the Forefathers sang；
〃we can make liquor to sweeten our lips
Of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut…tree chips。〃
Finally； as for salt； that grossest of groceries； to obtain this
might be a fit occasion for a visit to the seashore； or； if I did
without it altogether； I should probably drink the less water。 I do
not learn that the Indians ever troubled themselves to go after it。
Thus I could avoid all trade and barter； so far as my food was
concerned； and having a shelter already； it would only remain to get
clothing and fuel。 The pantaloons which I now wear were woven in a
farmer's family thank Heaven there is so much virtue still in
man； for I think the fall from the farmer to the operative as great
and memorable as that from the man to the farmer； and in a new
country； fuel is an encumbrance。 As for a habitat； if I were not
permitted still to squat； I might purchase one acre at the same
price for which the land I cultivated was sold namely； eight
dollars and eight cents。 But as it was； I considered that I
enhanced the value of the land by squatting on it。
There is a certain class of unbelievers who sometimes ask me
such questions as； if I think that I can live on vegetable food
alone； and to strike at the root of the matter at once for the
root is faith I am accustomed to answer such； that I can live on
board nails。 If they cannot understand that； they cannot understand
much that I have to say。 For my part； I am glad to bear of
experiments of this kind being tried； as that a young man tried for
a fortnight to live on hard； raw corn on the ear； using his teeth
for all mortar。 The squirrel tribe tried the same and succeeded。
The human race is interested in these e