Saturday, August 15, 2015

Hard Times in 1862



The American Agriculturalist, published in New York,
gave war-time housewives this advice in February, 1862:

Newspapers Good for Bed Blankets
"The present cold weather, the high price of cotton used for quilts and 'comforters,' and the recent increased cost of wool adapted for blankets, all suggest to us to remind the readers of the American Agriculturalist that common newspapers make a very good addition to the bed covering. Several papers can be pasted at the edges to form a large single sheet, to spread on the outside of the bed....
Those who have not tried it will be surprised at the effectiveness of these bed coverings, which can be prepared in a few minutes....(Of course no one would think of spoiling the Agriculturalist by using it thus.)"

The Editor, Orange Judd




3 comments:

  1. Necessity is the Mother of invention...

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  2. "Orange Judd" sounds like a good name for a fabric. I wonder what it would look like?

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  3. I just love the name Orange Judd. I first became enamored of it when I found quilt patterns in the "Orange Judd Farmer." What the heck did that mean. It was a later publication by Mr. Judd.

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