plain and light.

The objection to fruit pies and puddings is, that the pastry is often
too rich for the delicate stomach of a child; there is so objection,
certainly not, to the fruit--cooked fruit being, for a child, most
wholesome; if, therefore, fruit puddings and pies be eaten, the pastry
part ought to be quite plain. There is, in "Murray's Modern Cookery
Book," an excellent suggestion, which I will take the liberty of
quoting, and of strongly urging my fair reader to carry into
practice:--"_To prepare fruit for children, a far more wholesome way
than in pies and puddings_, is to put apples sliced, or plums,
currants, gooseberries, &c., into a stone jar; and sprinkle among them
as much Lisbon sugar as necessary. Set the jar on an oven or on a
hearth, with a tea-cupful of water to prevent the fruit from burning;
or put the jar into a saucepan of water, till its contents be
perfectly done. Slices of bread or some rice may be put into the jar,
to eat with the fruit."

_Jam_--such as strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry--_is most wholesome
for a child_, and ought occasionally to be given, in lieu of sugar,
with the rice, with the batter, and with the other puddings.
Marmalade, too, is very wholesome.

Puddings ought to be given _after_ and not _before_ his meat and
vegetables; if you give him pudding before his meat, he might refuse
to eat meat altogether. By adopting the plan of giving puddings
_every_ day, your child will require _less_ animal food; _much_ meat
is injurious to a young child. But do not run into an opposite
extreme: a _little_ meat ought, every day, to be given, _provided he
has cut the whole of his first set of teeth_; until then, meat every