1 lb. potatoes (weighed after they are peeled), ½ oz. butter, 1 onion, 1 pint hot water, ½ pint milk; salt and pepper to taste. Cut up the potatoes, put them in a stew-pan with the butter and the onion cut in slices. Stir over the fire for 5 minutes. Add the water, and simmer for 1 hour. Pass all through a sieve, and return to the stew-pan. Add the milk, salt, and pepper, and serve when hot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHEAP SOUPS. Barley Soup. Time—4 hours. 2 quarts water or pot-liquor, ¼ lb. pearl barley, 2 onions, 2 carrots, a little chopped parsley; salt and pepper to taste. Prepare the vegetables, put them with the other ingredients into a saucepan, and simmer gently for 3 or 4 hours. Brown Onion Soup. Time—1½ hour. 3 onions, 1 oz. dripping, 1 teaspoonful flour, 1½ pint water or pot-liquor; pepper, salt and soy to taste. Skin the onions, cut them into small dice, heat the dripping, and throw in the onions, shaking them about over the fire till they are golden brown (they must be coloured very slowly or some pieces will get too dark). When they are brown stir in the flour carefully, and add the water or pot-liquor. Simmer for an hour, then rub through a sieve, return to the saucepan, add a little soy, pepper and salt to taste, and boil for 3 minutes before serving. If these directions are carefully followed this soup is equal to one made from good stock. Carrot Soup. Time—1½ hour. 1 quart water or pot-liquor, 1½ lb. carrots, 4 onions, 2 oz. dripping; salt and pepper to taste. Prepare the vegetables, slice them, then fry them in the dripping. Add the water or pot-liquor, salt and pepper. Boil till the vegetables are tender, then pulp through a sieve into a basin. Heat again and serve with fried bread. Lentil Soup. Time—3 or 4 hours. 5 pints water, 1 pint red lentils, 1 onion, 3 sticks of celery or some celery seed, 1 oz. dripping; pepper and salt to taste. The lentils must be soaked all night in cold water. Melt the dripping in a saucepan, fry the lentils, sliced onion, and celery cut in small pieces. Stir over the fire for 5 minutes. Then add the water and boil gently, stirring occasionally, till the lentils are quite soft. Pass all through a sieve, return to the saucepan, add the pepper and salt, and heat again. Pea Soup. Time—2½ hours. 1 pint split peas, 2 onions, 1 carrot, 1 turnip, 3 sticks celery, 2 quarts water or pot-liquor; salt and pepper to taste. Bones or trimmings from meat are a great improvement.