Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/118

 CHAPTER V

That these lists may be of real service, neither time nor care has been spared to render them as complete and reliable as possible. They show not only the prices and seasons of all provisions, but when they can be bought at their cheapest and best, points to be studied by all household managers, particularly those who have to provide for large families.

With regard to fish, meat, poultry, game, dairy produce, vegetables and fruit, the prices have been obtained from the principal provincial towns as well as from different parts of London, so as to arrive at the average cost.

In the case of tinned provisions, groceries, etc., they are quoted from various sources, and at the present reduced scale of charges generally adopted by tradesmen and stores throughout the kingdom.

MEAT

Except in the case of early lamb, whicn is always expensive (unless the excellent New Zealand lamb is used), the price of meat varies but little with the season. Lamb and veal are in full season during spring and summer, and are generally preferred in the hot weather to beef and mutton, which are not then considered so good. 82