Mrs. G.: Allowance, 19s. 6d.; five persons to feed; 5½ quartern at 5½d.; meat, 2s. 2d. It will be seen that a quartern a head a week is the least amount taken in these four cases. On the whole, it would be a fairly correct calculation to allow this quantity as the amount aimed at as a minimum in most lower working-class families. The sum spent on meat may perhaps be greater than the sum spent on bread. But meat goes by the board before bread is seriously diminished, should the income suffer. This the three cases given here will show: Mrs. W.: Allowance, 23s.; eight persons to feed; 9½ quartern; meat, 3s. 9½d. Allowance reduced to 17s.; eight persons to feed; 8½ quartern; meat, 1s. 6d. Allowance reduced to 10s. (rent unpaid); eight persons to feed; 6 quartern; meat, 6d. Mrs. S.: Allowance, 21s.; eight persons to feed; 7 quartern; meat, 2s. 6d. Allowance reduced to 18s.; eight persons to feed; 7 quartern; meat, 1s. 2d. Mrs. M.: Allowance, 20s.; six persons to feed; 7 quartern; meat, 2s. 10d. Allowance reduced to 18s.; six persons to feed; 7 quartern; meat, 2s. It is difficult to arrive at the quantity of meat, as it is often bargained for and sold by the piece without weighing. The experienced housewife offers so much, while the ticket on the meat is offering it for so much more. A compromise is arrived at and the commodity changes hands. “Pieces” are sold by weight, but are of various qualities and prices. Good “pieces” may be 6d. per lb., fair “pieces” are sold for 4½d., which is the most common price paid for them, but inferior “pieces” can be had for 3d. on occasions. They are usually gristle and sinew at that price. Meat is bought for the men, and the chief expenditure is made in preparation for Sunday’s dinner, when the man is at home. It is eaten cold by him the next day. The children get a pound of pieces stewed for them during the week, and with plenty of potatoes they make great show with the gravy. Bread, however, is their chief food. It is cheap; they like it; it comes into the house ready cooked; it is always at hand, and needs no plate and spoon. Spread with a scraping of butter, jam, or margarine, according to the length of purse of the mother, they never tire of it as long as they are in their ordinary state of health. They receive it into their hands, and can please themselves as to where and how they eat it. It makes the sole article in the menu for two meals in the day. Dinner may consist of anything, from the joint on Sunday to boiled rice on Friday. Potatoes will play a great part, as a rule, at dinner, but breakfast and tea will be bread.