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diff --git a/old/65120-0.txt b/old/65120-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b643611..0000000 --- a/old/65120-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4575 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Harper's Household Handbook, by Anonymous - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Harper's Household Handbook - A guide to easy ways of doing woman's work - -Author: Anonymous - -Release Date: April 20, 2021 [eBook #65120] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HARPER'S HOUSEHOLD HANDBOOK *** - - - - - - Useful Household Books - -THE COOK BOOK OF LEFT-OVERS By Helen Carroll Clarke, former instructor - in cookery in Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, and Phoebe Deyo Rulon, - former instructor in invalid cookery and dietetics in Bellevue - Hospital, New York City. Illustrated with Photographs. 16mo, Special - Waterproof Cloth, Uniform with “The Expert Waitress,” $1.00 net. - -SIMPLE ITALIAN COOKERY By Antonia Isola. A collection of recipes showing - how to cook macaroni, rice, soups, meats, vegetables, sweets, etc. - 16mo, Cloth, 50 cents net. - -HYGIENE FOR MOTHER AND CHILD By Francis H. MacCarthy, M.D., Attending - Physician to the Out-Patient Department for Children, Massachusetts - Homoeopathic Hospital. A manual for mothers and nurses. Post 8vo, - Cloth, $1.25 net. - -THE BABY: HIS CARE AND TRAINING By Marianna Wheeler. (New and Revised - Edition.) Everything mother should know regarding the food, - clothing, and bringing-up of the baby. Illustrated. 16mo, Cloth, - $1.00 net. - -MANNERS AND SOCIAL USAGES It covers the entire field of what to do and - what not to do in social affairs. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, - $1.25. - - ---------- - - HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - _HARPER’S - HOUSEHOLD - HANDBOOK_ - - - A GUIDE TO EASY WAYS - OF DOING WOMAN’S WORK - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - - HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS - NEW YORK AND LONDON - MCMXIII - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1913. BY HARPER & BROTHERS - ────── - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - PUBLISHED MARCH, 1913 - - - - - B-N - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAP. PAGE - - I. WASH-DAY WISDOM, NURSING, AND 1 - SICKROOM - - II. INSIDE A ROOM 24 - - III. EQUIPMENT AND RENOVATORS 41 - - IV. CHINA, GLASS, AND FURNITURE 56 - - V. MAKING WHOLE 74 - - VI. MAKING AND MAKING OVER 95 - - VII. REMEDYING SPOTS, STAINS, AND 113 - TARNISH - - VIII. FOOD: CHOOSING AND KEEPING 129 - - IX. HOUSE PLANTS, WINDOW BOXES, 145 - CUT FLOWERS - - X. DISINFECTANTS, INSECTS, 163 - INSECTICIDES - - XI. CARE OF PETS 179 - - XII. IN EMERGENCIES 192 - - INDEX 201 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - HARPER’S - HOUSEHOLD HANDBOOK - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - HARPER’S - HOUSEHOLD HANDBOOK - - - - - I - - WASH-DAY WISDOM, NURSING, AND SICKROOM - - -=Water=: Soften hard water with either washing-soda or lye, taking care -not to use too much. Turbid or milky water can be cleared to a degree -with alum. Dissolve a tablespoonful in a pint of boiling water, and add -a cupful to a tub. Ill-smelling water should be dashed with clear lime -water—using likewise a cupful to the tub. A teaspoonful of carbolic acid -to the tubful is also advisable with wash water under suspicion. - -=Soap=: Save money and strength by getting soap in boxfuls, piling it -cobhouse fashion on a dry shelf in the air. Borax soaps chap the hands -least. Naphtha soaps do the best work with cold water. Cheap yellow -soaps, having much resin in them, answer very well if the clothes are -well rinsed. Any sort of soap is best made into a jelly. Shave a bar, -cover with boiling water, and simmer until soft. If there are very dirty -things to wash, add a teaspoonful of borax in powder, and as much -washing-soda to the cake of soap. This is for rubbing on dirty spots. -Other things had better be washed in suds, made by putting a handful of -jelly in a tub of water. - -=Washing Fluids=: Use for boys’ clothes, working-men’s shirts, and -overalls turpentine, kerosene, and lime water, equal quantities, shaken -well together. Wet thoroughly, let stand an hour, then wash in warm -suds. Turpentine and spirits of ammonia, half and half, shaken hard -together, will make easier the cleansing of colored woolens. - -=Bleaching=: Clothes that are yellow from lying should be wet in boiling -water dashed with oxalic acid (see section Renovators), putting two -tablespoonfuls to the gallon. Wring out, dry in sunshine, and wash as -usual. To bleach faded things white, as prints, lawns or linens, wash -very clean, using extra-strong suds, then boil in a solution of cream of -tartar, a heaping tablespoonful to the gallon. Boil half an hour; lift -up; if not white, boil as long again. Keep the boiler filled and the -garments well under water. Rinse in two waters after boiling, and dry in -sunlight before ironing. - -=Temperature=: Keep the water temperature reasonably even throughout a -wash—violent alternations “full” every sort of fabric more or less. Very -fine flannels washed in cold water throughout with naphtha suds—soap -must never touch them—and dried quickly, hardly shrink at all. Flannels -generally are best washed in blood-warm suds, with rinse water the least -bit hotter. Yet the beginning of wash-day wisdom is to wet everything -thoroughly with cold water before washing. Also put clothes to boil in -cold water. - -=Mordants=: Set colors before washing new garments. Most of the aniline -colors require acid—either alum water or vinegar. Put four ounces of -alum to a large tub of water, or add to it a pint of strong vinegar. -Soak things for ten minutes, then wash. Set madder colors with sugar of -lead, putting an ounce to a gallon of hot water. Soak twenty minutes. -Soak blacks, black and whites, and grays in strong salt water, but only -a few minutes. Buff, tan, and gray linens keep fresh longer if well wet -before washing with strong black-pepper tea. - -=Wash Frocks=: Put no soap on wash frocks—suds suffice after spots have -been removed (see section Spots and Stains). With delicate colors use -bran water instead of suds. Tie wheat bran loosely in thin cloth, and -rub the clothes with it. Use lukewarm water, and work quickly. Rinse -instantly and hang to dry in shade, but opened out so the drying will be -quick. Hang carefully—pulling while wet ruins lines, besides weakening -the fabric—especially if it is starched. - -=Table Linen=: Wash in suds, first removing stains and grease (see -section Spots and Stains). Boil only occasionally. Wash first. Never -starch. Hang out very straight, warp threads across the line. Take down -when barely damp, fold, keeping threads true, roll smoothly, iron dry, -first on the wrong side, then on the right. Use irons below scorching -heat. In ironing napkins do not pinch the folds with the iron—also iron -them first the warp way. Instead of folding table cloths roll them after -ironing upon heavy cardboard mailing-tubes that have been covered with -white stuff and furnished with wash ribbons at the ends for tying. Tie -napkins by sixes with ribbons matching those of the table cloths. - -=Doing Up Shirts, Cuffs, and Collars=: Soak in blood-warm water until -starched parts are soft, wash clean, shake out, pull all double surfaces -straight, pat bosom, collars, and cuffs so the various plies will lie -together, hang to dry, straight. When bone-dry fold the bosom lengthwise -down the middle, dip in hot starch reinforced with gum water, rub the -starch well into the cloth, wring, hang straight, slip a hand underneath -the bosom and wipe over with a damp, clean cloth, then pat well -together, pin-pricking any blisters. Starch collars and cuffs the same. -Let dry, then spread sheets flat, sprinkle lightly, fold tails upward, -sprinkle again, then, beginning at the neck band, roll up tight and -smooth and let stand an hour. - -Fold lengthwise down the middle of the back, iron body, back, and front; -iron sleeves from the sloped seam back; press wrist bands first upon -wrong side, then on right. Do the same with the yoke and neck -band—fasten it, put in bosom board, spread bosom smooth upon it, keeping -threads exactly square. Wet lightly with starch water; wipe over with a -damp cloth. Have an iron just below scorching heat, begin work in the -middle, at the bottom, hold the bosom taut with the left hand and iron -toward the neck. Go all over; if any smears come wipe off with tepid -water. Do the same for wrinkles or warped spots. Hold hard along the -edges—the stitching draws. Polish with a special polishing-iron, a -little cooler than the others. - -Iron collars and cuffs upon the wrong side until half dry. Press hard -over the right side and polish. Curl collars around the iron as it -moves. Finish the band before ironing the outside. With cuffs the main -thing is to prevent blisters and wry corners—do that by ironing the -edges first and holding them taut. - -=Clear Starching:= For fine lawns and laces. Dip in gum water (see -section Renovators) a cupful to a quart of boiling water, squeeze -without wringing, and hang smoothly to dry. Take down when barely damp, -roll tight and smoothly, loosen a smallish space, and pat between the -hands until dry. Sprinkle lightly—with an atomizer if possible—and iron -on the wrong side with moderate heat. Laces need not be ironed—in fact, -should not be. - -=Starches:= A heaped tablespoonful of raw starch to a gallon of water -makes rather stiff starch—if wanted very stiff use a teaspoonful -additional. Bring the water to a bubbling boil in rather a wide kettle, -wet the starch smooth, and thicker than cream, in cold water; take the -boiling water from fire and stir the wetted starch into it. Stir hard—it -will form no lumps, hence need no straining. A little lard put in while -hot and stirred well makes things iron smoother. For starching tinted -things—as écru linens or brown or buff lawns—color the water with clear -coffee or hay tea before putting in the starch. Use the black starch -sold in the shops for mourning prints, or any black-grounded ones. Never -dip a blueing-rag in starch of any sort. Make blue-water as deep as -possible, strain, and add to the hot starch. Even with liquid blue it is -well to strain—specks of blueing, once dry, are hard to get out. - -=Curtains:= Dip cream net or madras in hay tea or weak coffee water, -after rinsing—this keeps the color. Make the tea by boiling a handful of -bright hay in two gallons of water for twenty minutes. Strain, and add a -pinch of alum in powder. Most curtains should not be starched. Many are -better not ironed. Real lace curtains should be dried on sheets spread -on the floor, every point pinned smooth. Or they can be clapped dry as -though clear-starched. So can net ones. Frame drying is quickest and -easiest, therefore to be chosen for all but the finest sorts. Very -stretchy net should be dried on sheets, lying lightly crumpled. A very -little gum in the rinse water gives it more body. This applies also to -madras. Iron madras on the wrong side, taking pains not to warp or -stretch it. Tucks in curtains, or anywhere, need to be held taut before -the iron. Sewing of any kind puckers for wetting. Put the least bit of -starch in muslin ruffles to be fluted. Hold insertions the same as -tucks. Iron cretonne on the wrong side, when it is barely damp. Chintz -is exceptional in requiring a thin starch and in looking best when -ironed on its face. - -=Knitted Woolens:= Knitted things like scarfs, sacks, sweaters, capes -must be washed quickly in white soapsuds, lukewarm, else in cold naphtha -suds, rinsed, blued if white, and dried in a crumpled heap in the sun. -Hanging ruins them. Very fluffy things had better be dry-cleaned or -washed in gasolene. Do this also with knitted silk hoods and neck -scarfs. - -=Lace and Embroidery:= If very much soiled put in a glass or earthen -vessel, cover with white soapsuds, and set all day in full sunshine. -Rinse in cold water, press lace smooth between the hands, and wind it -while damp about a glass jar covered with old linen. Let dry, but do not -iron. Iron embroidery on the wrong side, upon its special padded board -(see section Equipment). Made-up lace, as fichus, collars, and so on, -must be spread smoothly upon a hard cushion, pinned, and dried in air. -Things lightly soiled can be dry-cleaned by lying buried a week in corn -starch mixed equally with calcined magnesia. Shake out, brush gently, -and press under light weight. Moderate soiling is best remedied with -gasolene, changing it as it grows dirty. Hang several days in air, under -a thin cover—this takes away scent and prevents collecting dust. Silk -embroidery on all grounds demands gasolene-cleaning. Spots must be taken -out (see section Spots and Stains) before cleaning. Press very lightly -on the wrong side. Treat wool embroidery the same way. Embroidered -cushion covers must be taken off, well brushed and shaken, also turned -inside out before cleaning. But clean them right side out. - -=Laundry Aprons:= Make laundry aprons of strong stuff, but sleazy—crash, -denim, or colored linen. Cut kimona shape, with roomy sleeves, and to -slip on over the head. Set a deep pocket on each side, within handy -reach. Set a smaller pocket across the front just below the waist. Carry -clothes pins in the big pockets, safety pins, a handkerchief, and -wiping-rags in the other. Make wide enough for free motion, but not -enough to sag under foot when the wearer stoops. Let come almost to the -instep. - -=Ironing-tables:= Make board or table suit your height, so you need -neither stoop at the work nor hunch your shoulders. Set a table too low -upon bricks or blocks—if it is too high, have something stable to stand -on. Make tight-fitting covers for the table of unbleached muslin, sewed -double at one end, to be slipped over the table edge, and with the other -end long enough to lap over and safety-pin firmly in place. Have a -double blanket under the cover, laid very smooth. - -In using a board, set it high or low, as your height requires. - -=As to Soaking:= Long soaking of clothes is undesirable—it loosens dirt -but passes it throughout the fabric. An hour is sufficient. Cover things -that must stand overnight with cold water rather than hot. Nursery wash -in need of soaking must be kept to itself. So should things from a -sickroom that are badly fouled. - -=As to Boiling:= Boiling is not absolutely essential to clean clothes, -still a means of grace toward them. Have separate boiling-bags for table -linen, for handkerchiefs, for fine things like caps and collars. In -boilers the best is the costliest—namely, copper. Next ranks the -cheapest—a deep iron pot. Copper-bottomed tin answers with good usage. -Iron pots will crack if allowed to get very hot before water is put in. -Any boiler should have at least an inch of water in it before going over -the fire. Likewise it must be kept clean, dry, and wash-worthy by -constant vigilance for holes and cracks. - -=Irons:= Test by pressing your cheek against the face—if rough, reject. -Five to six pounds is a good weight. Half a dozen will be none too many. -Keep clean and dry. Beware of setting them face down upon live coals or -red-hot iron—heat pits them microscopically, but enough to make them -stick. Polishing-irons are somewhat lighter and rather different in -shape. Have an asbestos pad or wire trivet to set irons on. Have several -holders, if you lack a patent handle, and shift as they grow hot. - -=A Sickroom:= Disfurnish of every unessential. Leave nothing that can be -knocked off or over, or that clatters or rattles. Remove rugs from a -bare floor, but keep a small one handy for the patient’s feet. Cover a -carpet with a smooth sheet of something washable. In case of contagion -take away draperies and pictures. Have the bedstead light and -firm-standing, not too low, single or of three-quarter size. Set it so -there is free passage all round it, but not so light glares into sick -eyes. Place the head at least six inches from the wall, and set beside -it a small solid table. A couch or single bed, a spacious dresser, a -bigger table, and at most three chairs are complete equipment. Give up -the dresser to the patient’s clothes, bed clothes, towels, table covers, -and so forth. Have three changes of clothes, a dressing-gown, a light -shawl, slippers, many clean handkerchiefs. A dressing-room attached is a -godsend—next to it a bathroom easily reached. Lacking either, a -washstand fully furnished is necessary, also an alcohol or oil stove for -hot water. - -Toilet ware of white enamel is lighter and safer than china. Have in -addition a foot tub and a deep covered bucket. Soaps, powder, scents at -discretion—insist, though, upon clean wash clothes, a good sponge, also -bottles of grain alcohol, aromatic ammonia, lavender water, and camphor. -Insist also upon a demi-john of disinfectant solution—chloride-of-lime -for ordinary illness, bichloride of mercury in cases of contagion (see -section Disinfectants). - -=A Sickbed:= Should have a good spring and a light, elastic mattress. -Lay upon the mattress a pad of cotton tacked between cheesecloth, and -change it daily. The mattress should have a white cover. Over the pad -stretch smooth a sheet big enough to tuck in all round and be fastened -underneath with safety pins. Pin the upper sheet only across the bottom, -and lay a fold three inches wide in it there, to save cramping the toes. -Do the same with the blankets. They should be light, not heavy. Down or -puffy cotton comforts should supply extra warmth at need. Lay blankets -so the upper edge will come a foot below the headboard. The sheet must -be turned over them half a foot at least and be met by an outer spread -light and smooth. Have a bolster rather hard, and three pillows of -varying softness. Change slips daily. Change sheets likewise, save in -desperate cases where the patient cannot bear moving. Space permitting, -such cases should have two beds, fitted alike. Shifting can be done by -setting them together and easing the sufferer on the fresh couch. - -=Heat and Ventilation:= Open fires help mightily toward keeping a -sickroom fresh. Burn wood that does not snap nor give out any pungent -smell. Coal should be free-burning. Put it in small paper bags—thus it -can be laid in the grate without noise or dust. Dampen ashes before -removing, and keep hearth and fixtures clean by a daily washing. Keep -the heat steady—the temperature that is ordered. Where there is distress -of breathing, keep a clean kettle simmering on the fire, the spout -turned outward—vapor softens air. Furnace heat coming through a floor -register should be softened by setting on the register a small pan of -water. With a wall register, fasten in front of it a big sponge, and wet -it every hour or so. Radiators should have water on top, in something -wide and shallow. - -If windows must be opened at top, set an extra shade at the bottom with -a hook to hold it in the middle of the upper casing. Roll up the top -shade, lower the sash sufficiently, then raise the lower shade till the -edge is level with the edge of the sash. Thus air has free ingress -without rattling the upper shade. A window which must be raised ought to -have a light board pivoted into the casing, so it can be turned outward -at need, letting in air but preventing draughts. With a board a foot -wide raise the window about ten inches. One window open at top, another -at bottom will be far more effectual than a single window spread wide. -Note what is outside; if at any time smoke or the smell of food comes -in, shut the window. Allow no odors in a sickroom—neither fruit, -flowers, spiced food, nor scented visitors. This in severe cases; mild -ones and convalescence demand no such rigors. - -=Care and Keeping:= Keep floors clean by wiping with cloths wrung out of -hot water barely dashed with carbolic acid. The smell passes quickly—and -is wholesome. Take off dust with damp cloths—litter must be prevented. -Keep a waste basket handy, also a bigger basket for soiled things. Have -them removed at once. Put half a cup of disinfectant in any vessel -before using it, adding enough to cover discharges as soon as it has -been used. Remove as quickly as possible. Do not keep such things in a -closet. Rather ambush them behind a light screen set across a corner. - -Have a table outside to receive trays, cups, glasses, uneaten food. Let -nothing stand inside the room. The bigger table is for medicines, clean -spoons and glasses, alcohol stove, and a supply of ice. Gas light fouls -air so quickly, avoid it if possible. Electric light has the drawback of -being hard to graduate. Oil lamps require the nicest care. Candles are -better. Beware of lighting or extinguishing either inside the room. -Strike no matches there if possible to avoid it. Even in lighting a -fire, do it from a candle lighted outside. Keep filled candlesticks on -the outer table with matches in plenty, and extinguishers handy. Take -lamps there to put them out. - -=Ice=: A nursery refrigerator is well worth its cost. Since it is not -always to be had, here is a good substitute. Set a high wire trivet -inside a deep agate pan, lay a lump of ice on it, then turn over it a -clean flower pot. Plug the hole in the flower pot, and cover thickly -with a folded blanket if in haste. Time permitting, make a cozy of -cheesecloth thickly padded with cotton batting and big enough to come to -the table outside the pan. Empty the pan several times a day. With an -awl and a toy hammer slivers of ice can be broken as needed. - -=Contagion=: Filth diseases—diphtheria, typhoid, etc.—spread through -effluvia. Discharges of all sorts should be deluged with bichloride (see -section Disinfectants). Even bath water needs a dose of it before -emptying it. All manner of soiled things—towels, sheets, clothes—must be -sunk in a tub of it as soon as taken off, and soaked several hours -before washing. They need to be well boiled and dried in wind and sun. -Eruptive ails—measles, smallpox, scarlet fever—have two periods of -danger—in the fever stage before eruption, and when peeling. Measles and -smallpox are most dangerous in fever; scarlet fever at the beginning of -convalescence. Rub a patient in that stage well over with vaseline at -least twice a day, bathing afterward with warm suds and putting on fresh -clothes. Change bed linen the same; disinfect with extra thoroughness. -Put bichloride in the water that wets the floor cloths, and be sure no -dust is allowed to blow outside the room. - -=Disinfection=: Wet everything well with bichloride solution, remove -furniture, burn mattress and comforts, boil and sun blankets. Scrape -walls and ceiling, wash well with bichloride, wash floor and woodwork -likewise, then scour with carbolic soapsuds. Fill cracks of all sorts -with fresh putty, shut doors and windows tight, and paste strips of -paper around them. Take off closet doors, but leave inside. Tack a strip -of tin on the door of egress so it will lie flat against the casing. Put -three bricks in the middle of the floor, set an iron skillet on them, -put into it a pound of flowers of sulphur, wet it with alcohol, stick in -a short length of fuse, light it, go out quickly, close the door for a -minute, look in—if the sulphur is burning, all is well. Shut the door -and leave undisturbed for twenty-four hours. Sulphur fumes make an end -of germs. They also bleach out colors of all sort. - -=Poultices, Hot Cloths, Mustard Plasters=: Keep in stock bags of old -linen or muslin, with drawstrings at top, for poultices. Fill them three -parts, draw up, and flatten. If they must be hot, have three, keeping -two in a steamer, with the water underneath barely simmering. Keep -cloths likewise steam-heated, take out with a fork, wrap in a thick -towel, and apply over thin flannel to prevent scalding. Wet mustard -poultices with white of egg to prevent blistering. If severe burning is -needed, wet with pepper vinegar. Make soft and lay thin net or muslin -over the face of the poultice. For a slow, gentle burning mix the dry -mustard one-half with flour. - -=A Bandage Jar=: Tear old linen into strips two to four inches wide, lap -ends two inches, and sew together. Make many lengths—half a yard to -five. Pull away ravelings, roll smoothly, and fasten. Put a few clean -pebbles in the bottom of a glass jar, lay paper over them, pack in -rolled bandages till half full, then fill with absorbent cotton, and -stand on a plate in a kettle of cold water, which is set over the fire. -The water ought to reach the neck of the jar and be kept at a -temperature of a hundred and eighty degrees for three hours or more. -Take from fire then, screw on jar top, let cool in water, wipe, and set -away. - -Finger stalls in variety, with narrow tapes for tying, thus sterilized, -are a help to mothers. Teach children to suck wounds or bites or stings -instantly—it abates pain and takes out dirt and poison. Wash the hurt -clean, unless a blood clot has formed—it is nature’s own remedy, respect -it. Put on a stall, hold the hurt finger up, and pour upon it either -arnica, witch hazel, or turpentine. Draw the edges of a cut together, -clap on adhesive plaster, and hold until the plaster sets. - -=Stanching Blood=: Blood spurting in bright-red jets means a severed -artery—and great danger. A steady, dark-red stream means a cut vein. For -either, knot two handkerchiefs hard together, trace the course of the -blood vessel, put the biggest knot over it, thrust in a stick, and twist -until the knot presses deep into the flesh. In case of an artery, put -the knot between the hurt and the trunk. For a vein set it between the -wound and the extremities. Work fast—a minute may mean life or death. - -=Clothes for Nursing=: Wear nothing that cannot be washed; this is the -first commandment. Wear nothing that rattles, rustles, or clings; this -is the second, even greater. Light colors are refreshing to sick eyes, -violent figures distressing. Have sleeves that can be pushed easily -above the elbow, self collars, and trim fastenings. A single pin may -scratch your patient. Eschew hard, starchy edges even on an apron. Wear -a cap—a sweeping-cap is excellent—and change it daily. A long kimono -apron slipping on over the head is useful for such work as bathing, -giving alcohol spongings, or massage. One-piece frocks are imperative. -The simpler and easier the better all round. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - II - - INSIDE A ROOM - - -=As to Floors—Scrubbing=: Sweep clean, take out grease spots and smudges -(see section Spots and Stains). Have a light knee pad, clean brush, a -bucket of warm water with a clean, soft cloth in it, and plenty of -either sand soap or a good soap powder at hand. Scrub well with a wet -brush, putting soap or powder before it. Do not slop—too much water -swells boards and warps them. Scrub a strip, rinse with a cloth -moderately wet, then wipe with the cloth wrung as dry as possible. -Wiping thus quickly takes up the wet dirt clean. Work from each side -toward the center, finishing at the door. Never use a wiping-cloth after -it sheds lint. - -=Staining=: Sweep twice—the last time with a damp cloth pinned over your -broom. Give new boards a coat of filler (see section Renovators). Let it -dry, sandpaper rough spots, then give one or two coats of oil stain, -using a soft brush and working with the grain of the wood. Keep both -filler and stain well stirred while applying, otherwise neither filling -nor color will be even. Finish with shellac. - -=Shellac Floors=: Sweep, dust with a cloth-wrapped broom, moving it the -way of the grain. Fill any cracks or crevices; then give a coat of -filler, and when it is full dry two coats of shellac. Let the first coat -dry for twenty-four hours before adding the second. - -=Waxing Hardwood Floors=: Sweep and dust, rub rough spots with -sandpaper, take out spots or smears—if faded spaces are left, rub them -with sandpaper till a new surface appears, or touch with stain, and let -dry. Go over in long strips, working from opposite sides with whatever -wax you like, then rub until hot with a wooden floor pad (see section -Equipment). A coat of very thin shellac makes cleaning easier, but does -not rub to so handsome a surface. Put on the shellac after the wax has -stood a day. - -=Removing Stain or Varnish=: Use very strong lye, either from wood ashes -or commercial potash, with a lump of washing-soda in it. Grease the -hands well, so the caustic liquor may not eat them. Apply with a big -sponge or coarse soft cloth, following with a damp cloth wrung hard out -of warm water. - -=Removing Paint=: Metallic paint whose bases are white lead, zinc white, -and oxides of chromium, iron, and copper mixed in oil hardens to a very -adherent surface, hence differs from water colors, and has to be either -burned off with a special torch or planed off. Both processes demand -skilled workmen. It is better to bring old paint to a taking surface by -wetting it first very well with turpentine, then, after an hour, going -over it with wood alcohol and a thick, crumpled cloth. Follow the -alcohol by washing with lye or strong soda water. Let dry, sandpaper -rough places, then put on new paint—which it will be the part of wisdom -to have at least as dark as the old. - -=Filling Cracks:= Cracks large or small must be filled before either -painting or staining, knotholes likewise. If a crack can be seen through -either, fit into it a sliver of wood before filling, or drive in fine -brads, leaving the heads projecting across the opening. Bend the heads -below floor level, and set the brads alternately, several inches apart. -Make putty or paper dough (see section Renovators). Fill small to medium -cracks with putty mixed soft enough to squeeze through a paper tube. -Make the tube by rolling cornerwise a square of tough waterproof paper, -fastening it, and snipping off the pointed end a very little. Use the -same as a pastry bag. Else roll lumps of putty between the palms to form -rather fat worms, lay the worms end to end along the crack, press them -down with a putty knife, or any blunt, broad-bladed one, making the -surface smooth and level. If the putty is very soft, sift a little dry -whiting upon it and press it lightly. Put in paper dough with a knife or -a blunt chisel or screw-driver; smooth the surface by laying on a board -and beating it with a hammer. If the dough smears under the hammering, -scrape away before it hardens. Plug knotholes with the dough, then drive -brads through it, bend down the heads, and put a thin layer over them. - -=Cleaning Waxed Hardwood:= Dust daily with a soft old silk duster, sweep -with a soft broom in a clean bag once a week, following by hard rubbing -with the weighted brush. Every three months go over with a flannel wet -in turpentine, working very quickly, and following with a very little -boiled linseed oil, applied with a clean, hot cloth. Once a year—not -oftener—wash clean with weak warm borax soapsuds, wetting only a yard or -so at a time and wiping dry immediately. Wax or oil afresh after the -washing, and rub till very hot with a clean pad. - -=Cleaning Stained Floors:= Wipe over hard and quickly with soft cloths -wrung very dry out of hot borax soapsuds. Wipe dry and rub with a -flannel slightly moistened with crude kerosene. Beware of using too -much—it will streak the stain. - -=Tile Floors:= Tile, the same as brick, stone, and mosaic floors, should -be washed in warm soapsuds, taking pains not to slop, rinsed well, and -rubbed dry with a thick cloth fastened firmly over a flat mop. Be sure -no water is left standing—it will destroy the setting. - -=A Matted Floor:= Sweep twice, the last time with a bagged broom. Then -wipe quickly with salt water, and as quickly rinse with fresh. Both -waters should be tepid. If there is grime, use borax water instead of -salt. A yearly wiping with fresh, sweet milk, followed by a tepid -rinsing, makes matting last longer by keeping the straw pliant. Rinsing -is, however, imperative; without it the milk draws a pest of flies. - -=Carpeted Floors:= Damp with a fine sprinkler before using a sweeper, or -dip the broom tip in warm water and shake very dry. Then wipe with a -thick towel pinned tight over a stubby broom, washing it out if it gets -very dirty. A little borax dissolved in the sprinkling-water brightens -the carpet. So does fine, dry snow sprinkled on and swept off so quickly -it has not time to melt. But the best thing to renew color and freshness -is clarified ox gall dissolved in blood-warm water. Wash the carpet with -it, after sweeping as clean as possible, using the solution the same as -suds and taking pains against slopping. - -=Rugs=: When possible, sun rugs before sweeping, beating, or -vacuum-cleaning them. Spread smooth and wipe over with warm, weak borax -soapsuds, followed by a tepid rinsing. Go over both sides, and let dry -well before putting down. Half yearly wipe them over either with the -ox-gall solution or fresh sweet milk. Rinse after either, but wait an -hour to do it. The animal matter makes the wool more alive. Beware of -stretching rugs cornerwise. Hang them always with the warp threads -across the line or the pole. - -=Walls, Windows, Ceilings—Walls=: The first thing is to make them sound -and firm. Fill breaks great or small with plaster (see section -Renovators). Fasten loose trim neatly in place, spread tarpaulin or -paper well over the floor, then with a broom or long-handled stiff brush -go over everything—walls, ceiling, woodwork, and molding. Painted walls -must be washed clean before repainting. Whitewashed ones need to have as -much as possible of the old whitewash swept off. Old paper must be -sprayed with boiling water, let stand till soft, then scraped off. Paper -will not stick to either hard-finished or whitewashed surfaces unless -they are washed over with strong vinegar or strong alum water, and let -dry, then sized either with glue or vegetable size (see section -Renovators). Put windows in repair before touching the walls, and, of -course, freshen the ceilings. Remove all the litter before beginning on -the walls—the less dust there is under your new coverings, the longer -they stay fresh. - -=Wall Hangings=: Paper-hanging is so simple and easy it needs few -directions. Strike a plumb line before beginning it. Suspend a compact -weight by a chalked cord from the ceiling to the floor, hold it taut -there, pull out the cord and let it strike back on the wall. With a -beginning absolutely perpendicular you can make your figures run -straight. Have the paper trimmed in the shop, cutting the left-hand -selvage. Measure in generous lengths, taking care, if there are figures, -that they match exactly. Lay the lengths, face down, a dozen or so -together, flat upon a table or scaffold, and cover thickly on the wrong -side with paper-hanger’s paste (see section Renovators). Beware of -pasting too many at once—lying makes paper tender. Fold back each length -on itself, pasted sides together. Open up as you apply to the wall, with -the edge true with the plumb line. Smooth the middle first, taking care -to leave no blisters, then work toward the edges, using a soft, clean -cloth in each hand. Put on three or four lengths, then trim along the -baseboard. With a border, the top is not a matter of concern, but with a -molding finish it must be extra neat and firm in place. Make door and -window casing serve as their own patterns, by pressing wet paper around -them on the wall. If a corner out of plumb starts your paper askew, -strike a new plumb line beyond it, about half a foot, split a length of -paper, trimming it so the figures shall fit those in the length already -on the corner, lap it from the plumb line over the skewed length, then -go on keeping the seams straight. - -=Choice of Paper=: Here dogmatism is worse than idle. But, in a general -way, remember blue in all its tones, blue-gray, and granite-gray are -cool, that yellow warms a north light and goes beautifully with oak -finish, that red should be eschewed except for rooms used mostly by -artificial light and furnished in very dark wood, that green in all save -most vivid shades is restful, that soft wood-browns are excellent indeed -to soften a glaring light, that white-enameled papers, with the faintest -relief of gilt in the picture moldings, make the finest possible -backgrounds for old prints and etchings, and, most important, that only -plain papers will bear having pictures hung upon them, unless indeed the -pattern is so soft as to be indistinguishable. Bedroom papers ought to -be light and cheerful, but not staring. A plain ground with a border, -deep or shallow, makes a wall that does war with furnishings. A painted -wall with a cut-out border matching the ground tone is a very excellent -choice for bedrooms. It gives the color value of paper, and is more -sanitary and more secure against invasion. - -=Burlaps, Cretonne, Linen, and Silk=: All are easily and quickly applied -to walls, but the fitting which goes before may be a bit bothersome. -Strike a plumb line same as for paper. Measure lengths, cutting so as to -match figures. Aim to have the cutting, top and bottom, strike exactly -in the middle of the pattern—this obviates any waste. Allow an inch for -turning under top and bottom, unless the finish is to be molding—for -that tack single. Have your gimp on reels so it will not snarl, and -provide a great plenty of tacks. Sew lengths together on the machine, -using flax thread, but not too coarse, a moderately long stitch and -tension that does not draw. Take pains to match figures and fit the -lengths to the wall as several are sewn together. This is trouble that -may save worse, as a boggle discovered quickly is half remedied. Burlaps -can be pasted on, the same as paper. Other things must be tacked on, and -the edges covered with molding or narrow gimp matching their colors. -Tack loosely at first, holding the cloth smooth but taking care not to -stretch it. The threads in it must run true. At inequalities of wall, as -in corners, take a tuck on the wrong side, press it flat, and put a line -of fine tacks in the seam. Use barely enough tacks in the wall cover to -hold it firmly in place—those in the gimp, which must be set evenly and -not too far apart, will secure it. Burlap, even when pasted, looks -better with a line of brass tacks at top and bottom. Cloth is a fine -wall covering for halls, parlors, dining-rooms, even living-rooms, if -they are never slept in. But in bedrooms, no matter how careful the -housekeeping, it is not desirable. - -=Painted Walls=: To paint a clean wall requires nothing beyond a brush, -a step ladder, a can of ready-mixed paint, and a right good will. Stir -the paint well before taking out any, and keep it stirred well to the -end. Otherwise your wall will be like Joseph’s coat of many colors—earth -paints have a trick of settling, no matter what they are mixed in. Begin -at the top, use steady strokes of the brush, join them well, and rub -back and forth to an even, smooth surface. Paint as far as you can reach -handily, then step down a rung, paint below, and repeat. A new wall will -take two coats; one already painted, unless very much defaced, needs but -one. The paint can be varnished after it is dry; but the self-finish is -pleasanter. Calcimine is put on exactly the same as paint, but the first -coat must be very thin, the second thicker than cream, and the color if -any, stirred well through the last coat. Remember, with either paint or -calcimine, the dry wall will show much lighter than the paint in the -pot. - -=Whitewashed Walls=: Brush off loose particles, wash grimy spots clean, -take out grease spots (see section Spots and Stains), have your -whitewash ready, keep it hot, do the work, if possible, in dry, sunny -weather, hot or cold, and provide several brushes—long-handled, short, -and medium. Have a bucket of water to stand them in when not in use. In -whitewashing above your head, wear glasses and stand upon something -stable. Wear also a light hat with a narrow brim, and loose, soft, -wash-leather gloves. Save strain by having the whitewash pot of handy -size, refilling from the main supply at need. Use either milk whitewash -or indoor whitewash (see section Renovators). Wood takes up less -whitewash than other things—two-thirds as much as plaster, half as much -as brick or stone. Whitewash well dashed with carbolic acid is the best -and most sanitary finish for the inside of cellars, stables, and -outhouses generally. - -=Window Glazing=: Take out sash, break away panes, and remove old putty. -If there are whole panes guiltless of putty, take them out carefully and -scrape the sash clean, the same as with a broken pane. Lay the sash face -down, and fit in new panes. Set a tiny tack on each of the four sides so -as to hold the panes. Then put in glazier’s points—to be had at any -shop. Small tacks will serve instead. Press in the points, letting them -lie flat on the glass. Then lay a worm of putty over glass and points, -and smooth it in place with a blunt knife. Dip the knife now and then in -cold water—and keep it wiped clean of adherent putty. Smear the glass as -little as possible, and wipe away smears as quickly as made. Let lie -until the putty hardens a trifle. Paint it as soon as it is firm. -Otherwise it will weather and crumble. Indeed, it is the part of wisdom -to paint putty over once a year. - -=Ceilings=: Papering a ceiling it not easy, still not impossible to -amateurs. It demands a tall stable scaffold almost the length of the -room—boxes set upon an extension table will answer very well. Cut -lengths of paper, matching the figures, paste, fold, and apply quickly. -Begin work in the middle of the ceiling—thus it is easier to keep the -seams true. Fasten an end lightly to the ceiling, then press lightly -along the middle till you come to the other end. Sight, and if this -first length is bias or crooked, loosen it and put it on straight. Press -on very hard and be sure there are no blisters. Small blisters can be -pin-pricked and patted down, but big ones require to have the paper -lifted bodily, the air pressed out, then the paper patted back. Ceiling -paper ought to have very small figures and delicate tones, much lighter -than those of the walls. - -Fabrics of any sort are best applied to ceilings in separate lengths and -the joins covered with heavy moldings put on with brass-headed nails. -This gives much the effect of a beamed ceiling at lower cost. A ceiling -that crumbles badly should have strips of smooth deal nailed fast to it -at even distances. The fabric can then be tacked to these with no fear -of falling. - -If a ceiling is too high, never put anything striped on the wall. A -heavy border apparently lowers a ceiling—all the more if it is put on -several inches below the ceiling proper, and the wall space finished to -match overhead. - -=Calcimine and Whitewash=: Both are applied the same way—with soft, -broad brushes slapped back and forth until no grain shows. The surface -must be clean and free of loose particles. Wash off old calcimine with -strong soda water and let dry before applying fresh. Put on three coats, -the same as for walls. The prepared cakes are cheap and handy, but there -is more certainty and more satisfaction in home-mixing (see section -Renovators). - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - III - - EQUIPMENT AND RENOVATORS - - -=Equipment=: These things will make house-work easier by saving strength -and temper. Being neither costly nor cumbersome, the simplest home may -well find room for them or such part of them as it needs. - -=A Knee Pad=: Make of stout cloth twenty inches by twelve, stuff two -inches thick, tack in lines to hold flat, and sew oilcloth upon the -under side. - -=A Foot Pad=: Make two feet square, stuff an inch and a half thick, and -tack flat. Stand on it when ironing, washing, or preparing food. It -saves strength and prevents cold feet. - -=A Floor Pad=: For rubbing waxed hardwood or stained floors. Get a block -of wood, brick-shaped, hollow the upper edges on both sides so it can be -grasped, put a strap across, then cover the lower face with many -thicknesses of flannel and chamois skin. Alternate them and have leather -outside. Keep dry and away from dust. - -=A Water Wagon=: Screw castors to the corners of a board a foot square. -A pail set on it can be pushed about much easier than lifted. - -=Broom Bags=: Have a set of six—two each of crash, Turkish toweling, and -outing flannel. Keep clean, and be sure the drawing-tapes are not left -knotted or broken. - -=Brooms=: Have at least two brooms—one stiff, one pliant. Choose fine -straw of a greenish cast rather than yellow. Eschew painted handles; -sandpaper is the remedy for rough places. Put a screw eye in the tip of -the handles and hang the brooms from hooks. Wash before hanging up. - -=Floor Brushes=: A weighted brush needs to be kept dry and clean and so -set that the bristles do not crush. Choose it light rather than heavy. -See that the handle is set at the angle to suit your height and that the -bristles are of the very best quality. - -=Dust Cloths=: Make of many sorts and sizes, from a foot square to half -a yard. Cheesecloth, flannel, old silk, and crash—all answer well. -Overcast edges loosely instead of hemming. Keep clean and dry in a box -or drawer. - -=Dust Swabs=: Tie a handful of cotton, excelsior, or even crumpled paper -inside a soft cloth and about the end of a light rod. Use to dust walls, -floors, and ceilings, changing the cloth as it gets dirty. Sprinkling -the cloth with alcohol, turpentine, or gasolene makes it more effective -where the dust is grimy. - -=A Silk Duster=: Crumple soft old silk into a big floppy rosette and -fasten to a rod. Use upon pictures and picture moldings, also on waxed -floors newly polished. - -=Ironing-boards=: Shape the blanket, sew up, and fit smoothly, letting -the small end of the board project bare an inch or two. Draw taut over -the wide end and sew with flax thread. Make shaped covers of unbleached -cotton, open at the small end, rounded to fit the other and hemmed. Draw -on a cover and pin tight at the broad end. Let the seams come along the -edge of the board. Change covers after use. Have a smaller board, -similarly covered, to use when sitting down—it is laid on the knees. -Have also a covered bosom board if shirts are home-ironed, and a smooth -straight board of handy size, covered with two thicknesses of flannel -and one of clean cotton, for ironing embroidery or anything raised. - -=Sprinklers=: Keep a tin sprinkler with a fine rose for dampening clean -clothes or sprinkling floors or carpets. If ammonia or alcohol is put -into the sprinkling-water, rinse the sprinkler well before putting it -away. - -=A Tool Box=: Fill cracks with putty to keep out dampness, hinge on a -cover, and furnish with a padlock. Keep in it a sharp fine saw, a -hatchet, tack hammer, brace and assorted bits, chisel, monkey wrench, -screw-driver, and gimlets. Also assorted brads, tacks, wire nails, screw -hooks, screw eyes, and picture wire. A putty knife is useful. A T-square -and foot rule are indispensable. Keep the box stationary, and insist -that whatever is taken from it shall be put back in good condition. - -=A Wax Board=: Cover a small clean board with flannel, sewing it firmly, -rub the flannel well over with softened—not melted—paraffine, and keep -for smoothing irons. - -=A Laundry Cabinet=: Have a laundry cabinet if it is no more than starch -boxes set one on the other. Keep in it starch, soap, blueing, Javelle -water for stains, soap powder, washing-soda, irons and holders, the wax -board, and sandpaper, which is sovereign for roughened irons. Keep also -a filled pin cushion and a bundle of clean rags. Close with a roller -shade instead of door or curtain. - -=A Clothes Drainer=: Tack coarse burlap over a big wooden hoop so -loosely it sags smartly. Nail stout legs to the hoop, spreading them so -a tub can be set underneath. Drop clothes sopping wet from the rinse -into the hoop, and save time, strength, and wear. - -=A Lead Swab=: For use on marble, brick, or stone—especially good for -removing smoke and rust stains. Sew a pound of buckshot rather tightly -inside stout canvas, tie the canvas in chamois skin, and change the -leather as it grows soiled. - -=Sawdust=: Get a peck of clean non-resinous sawdust, sift, and sun or -oven-dry. Keep dry. Use on floors, also for drying and polishing -intricate surfaces. Heat for use, but do not scorch. - -=Pine Needles=: Clean pine needles, if available, should be kept for -polishing floors, either hardwood or stained. Heat very slightly and -strew them in front of the weighted brush or broom. - -=Brick Dust=: Beat a soft brick to powder, sift it and keep dry. Use -with a chamois dipped in oil, else upon the cut surface of a raw potato. -Especially useful for spots on steel or for polishing pewter and copper. - -=A Wall Mop=: Cut washed cheesecloth into even strips, tack as many as -can be firmly fastened to the end of a light rod, and shake free of -lint. Clean by dipping up and down in soapsuds or gasolene after use. - -=Care of Brushes=: All manner of brushes, especially floor and vegetable -ones, should be washed clean, scalded by dipping to the back, no deeper, -in boiling water, then dried, brush down, in open air, and kept dry. -Whisk brooms should hang the same as full-grown ones, likewise hearth -brooms. Stand clothes and hair brushes bristles down—this so they may -not collect dust. The safest wash for them is gasolene, letting it come -only to the back, not over it. Hot borax soapsuds, likewise used, clean -without loosening the bristles. - -=Renovators—Filler for New Wood=: Sift twice together half a pint of -powdered corn starch and as much whiting. Stir gradually into a half -gallon of raw linseed oil mixed with the same quantity of turpentine. -Take care there are no lumps and keep well stirred while putting on. - -=Oil Stains=: Use the same mixture of oil and turpentine. For cherry put -into the gallon an ounce of Indian red, stir well through, test, if too -pale add more color. If too deep, add oil and turpentine. Work with the -wood grain in putting on any sort of stain. - -=Mahogany Stain=: Four parts Indian red, three parts burnt sienna. Mix -dry and stir evenly through the oil and turpentine. Use half sienna for -a dull tone. To make stains dry quickly add a pint more turpentine and -half a pint less oil. - -=Walnut Stain=: Use burnt umber, an ounce to the gallon. A little dry -ocher mixed with the umber gives a livelier tone. Red or yellow, or -both, can be put in, but must be very well mixed. - -=Oak Stain=: Raw umber is the basis of oak stain; proportion and mix -like the others. Antique oak requires burnt sienna mixed well with a -very little lampblack, also to have two parts of turpentine to one of -oil. Apply it with a sponge or swab of cotton waste and rub into the -grain lines, leaving the spaces between bare. - -=Wax Finish for Stained or Hardwood=: Melt over boiling water half a -pound of yellow beeswax with half a pint of sweet oil. Beat hard a -minute, take from fire, add half a cup of turpentine, and beat until -nearly cold. Keep covered in glass or earthenware. Apply soft, but not -liquid, with a clean flannel, and polish by rubbing until hot. - -=Dancing-wax=: Used on Colonial ballrooms. Melt together over boiling -water a pound of yellow beeswax and half a pint of filtered neat’s-foot -oil. Add resin the size of a walnut melted in half a cup of new unsalted -butter. Beat well, take from fire, stir in a cup of turpentine, and keep -covered. Apply soft, and polish with hard rubbing. - -=Furniture Polish No. 1=: Equal parts of sweet oil, choloroform, and -alcohol shaken hard together, rubbed on quickly, then polished by -rubbing until hot. - -=Piano Polish=: Shake hard together equal parts of sweet oil, -turpentine, and vinegar. Add a very little naphtha, apply with silk or -flannel, and rub hard afterward. - -=French Polish=: For dark wood, especially old mahogany. Melt together -over hot water ten parts pale resin, ten parts palm oil. Mix, take from -fire, add eighty parts benzine, one part essence peppermint, and half a -part essence of verbena. Keep sealed in glass, away from heat. Use away -from light or fire. Apply with soft old silk, and polish by rubbing with -very soft silk or flannel. - -=The Glue Pot=: Melt glue only as required. Cover dry glue with cold -water after breaking up well, put salt water in the bath outside, bring -to a boil, then simmer until the glue ropes a little. Thin with hot -vinegar. To mend things white or light-colored, melt the clearest glue -in a china cup inside a saucepan, and thin after melting with gin -instead of vinegar. - -=To Make Glue Size=: Melt a pound of glue, thin with a quart of hot -vinegar, then stir well through two to five gallons hot water, according -to the strength required. - -=Vegetable Size=: Tie a gallon of wheat bran or cornmeal bran loosely in -net or cheesecloth; boil for five hours in five gallons of water, -filling up as it boils away. Add a lump of alum after the bran bag is -removed. Apply hot to walls or wood. - -=Calcimine=: Stir sifted whiting into strong glue size until it is -thicker than cream. Clear with a little blueing. Thin at need with -boiling water. Tint with earth colors in powder. Red and yellow ocher -mixed give a pinkish-cream tint; yellow alone true cream. Indian red -makes pink; by adding burnt sienna the color is pinkish fawn. Yellow -ocher with burnt umber gives various shades of brown. Always mix colors -rather pale at first, try out on a board, then add what is lacking. - -=Whitewashes=: Either glue or vegetable size may be the foundation. Add -a big lump of salt to five gallons of size, stir well, and pour boiling -hot upon half a peck of unslaked lime. Clear with Prussian blue and -apply very hot. For sanitary carbolic whitewash use vegetable size, -dissolving in five gallons, boiling hot, two ounces of carbolic -crystals. Then pour upon the lime and mix well. Two ounces of -copperas—green vitriol—dissolved instead of the carbolic acid gives a -faint-yellow tinge and is a good prophylactic. To kill vermin, as in -poultry houses, nest boxes, and so on, mix through a pail of hot wash -five grains of corrosive sublimate dissolved in a pint of water; put on -as a first coat, and after a while give a second coat of plain -whitewash. - -=Milk Whitewash=: Stir into a gallon of sweet milk enough unslaked lime -in fine powder to make it thicker than cream. Add a teacup of -turpentine, stir well, and put on at once with a paint brush. This -sticks to smooth wood nearly the same as paint, and can be colored with -earth paints almost any shade. - -=Paste for Paper-hanging=: Wet up smooth in cold water two -tablespoonfuls of flour and stir it into a gallon of water on the -bubbling boil. Stir hard to prevent lumps, add a small spoonful of -tallow, cook for several minutes, then add an ounce of alum dissolved in -half a pint of boiling water. Take from fire and add ten drops oil of -cloves. - -=White Mucilage=: For mending books and making scrap books. Cover clean -gum tragacanth with cold water, let stand till dissolved, then add oil -of cloves to keep from molding. Keep in a glass jar tightly closed. This -leaves no mark. - -=Gum Arabic=: For clear starching and shirt bosoms. Get four ounces of -dry gum, pick over carefully, throwing out dark pieces and blowing away -dust. Pour upon it a pint of boiling water, let stand till dissolved, -filter, and bottle. A tablespoonful added to a quart of starch gives a -high gloss. Two spoonfuls in a quart of tepid water will stiffen fine -lawn or muslin sufficiently and restore the new look. - -=Paper Dough=: Crumple newspaper very soft, tear to bits, dampen, pound, -and knead well, then wet with strong glue size and knead to a dough. For -wall breaks, rat holes, filling yawning cracks, or rounding corners, mix -in plaster of Paris at the moment of application and pound in place -before the plaster sets. Mix only what can be used at once. - -=White Cement=: Mix sifted whiting to a soft dough with white of egg, -for filling small holes in white walls or cracks in ceilings. Press in -with a blunt knife and smooth the surface with the blade dipped in cold -water. - -=Sand and Plaster=: Sift together fine sand and plaster, wet with hot -water, and use to fill bigger breaks in a wall. Wet only a little at a -time and work quickly. Lay a board over the mortar as soon as in place, -and beat with a hammer to smooth. - -=Putty=: Sift two pounds of whiting into a bowl, make a hole in the -middle, and wet with raw linseed oil, soft or stiff according to your -requirements. Knead the same as dough. To keep, pack down in glass and -pour a little oil over the top. Should be always on hand, as it is about -the most useful of the renovators. - -=Cement for Glass=: Cover isinglass with gin in a glass jar, set in -sunshine until dissolved, then filter. It should be as clear as water. -For mending colored glass rub down a trifle of oil color in a spoonful -of the cement. - -=Sugar Cement=: Cook to candy height the purest loaf sugar. Apply hot to -heated edges. - -=Lime Water=: Pour a gallon of boiling water upon a lump of quicklime -the size of two fists. Stir hard, let settle, pour off the clear water, -bottle, and keep corked tight. - -=Javelle Water=: A bleach so effectual it must not touch colors. -Dissolve half a pound of washing-soda in a pint of boiling water, and -add it to a quart of boiling water in which a quarter pound of chloride -of lime has been dissolved. Stir, let settle, pour off clear, bottle, -cork, and keep dark. - -=Chloride-of-lime Water=: Pour a gallon of boiling water upon a pound of -dry chloride. Stir well, let settle, pour off clear, bottle, and keep -well corked, dark, and cool. Dissolve in wood or earthenware—metal -corrodes. - -=Oxalic Acid=: Put four ounces of crystals with half a pint cold water -into a quart bottle, shake hard and often till the crystals dissolve. -This makes a saturated solution. If ragged crystals remain, add a gill -more cold water. Keep plainly labeled “Poison.” Take care not to let it -touch a scratch or fresh cut on the hands, also to keep it away from -children. - -=Copperas Water=: Dissolve a heaping tablespoonful of copperas in a -gallon of boiling water. Pour through drains, sinks, or into gutters. -Sprinkle bad-smelling places plentifully with it and spray it over -green-scummed pools. It is an ideal disinfectant—cheap, odorless, and -effectual, withal safe. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - IV - - CHINA, GLASS, AND FURNITURE - - -=Washing Fine China=: Never soak fine china, never wash it with -scouring-soap, soap powder, nor yellow-resin soap. Unless very greasy -clean with borax water. Wipe and scrape off as much soil as possible -before washing. Have the water pleasantly warm—boiling water is ruinous. -Rinse water should be a trifle hotter than the suds. Except in -emergencies, never put on any sort of soap. Put only a few pieces at a -time into the suds, wash, rinse, and stand to drain. Have a thick cloth -on the draining-board—with very thin ware have another thick cloth over -the pan bottom. Change suds as they grow dirty. Add hot water from time -to time. Even temperature is the thing. Wipe with soft clean towels -after draining well, but before the ware is dry. Wash things in sets; as -dried lay a paper napkin between, and set away the pile upon something -soft. Squares of Turkish toweling are excellent. - -Use a soft thick brush for relief or incised decorations or lace edges. -Dip it lightly in powdered borax or white soapsuds and rub steadily but -not too hard. Set things which have held milk, creams, thick soups, -sauces, or gelatine compounds in clear warm water for three minutes, and -rub away as much of what sticks to them as possible before putting them -into the suds. Soap combined with milk or gelatine makes the water -slimy, the ware sticky. Boiling water sets either milk or gelatine. If -possible, rinse and wash things soiled with them as soon as empty. In -wiping do not rub gilt borders—rather pat them dry. - -Burnish half yearly with a swab of sifted whiting tied in soft silk. -Intricate gilding may have the whiting sifted on while damp and brushed -off after drying. In storing keep sets and sizes together. Set things so -they will not jostle nor clatter nor tip. Stand platters on edge in a -special grooved shelf, the biggest at the back. If piled, put something -between, less to save breakage than to prevent a possible chipping of -glaze. Things bought in cases should be stored in them, the cases set in -drawers or on low shelves. High setting invites dropping and ruinous -breakage. - -=Ironstone and Majolica=: Wash in warm (not hot) suds, with a clean soft -cloth, rinse in hotter water, and wipe almost immediately. Beware of -chipping, beware also of cracking glaze by setting in heat or boiling -water. Such ware is porous enough to take up grease and other things. -Cracked or chipped dishes should not be used except to hold things like -raw fruit, bread, sandwiches, or dry stores. - -=Gilt and Cut Glass=: Remove cream or jelly with a quick rinse, wash in -suds or borax water, a little more than blood-warm, using a clean soft -brush on the cuttings. Have a cloth on the pan bottom if the cutting is -deep, the article of good size. Use white soap—resin soaps get into fine -lines and stay there. Pass from suds into a hotter rinse water, turn -over and about, lift, turn upside down, then plunge into another water a -very little hotter. If the ware is very white, the third water should -have salt in it—a tablespoonful to the gallon. With glass less white, -put blueing in the third water, turn about, and set upside down upon a -thick cloth for three minutes, then put in a box and sift over hot fine -sawdust—“jeweler’s sawdust” if possible, else dust with fine whiting, -set in a warm (not hot) place and leave till dry. Brush off sawdust or -whiting with a stiff brush, polish lightly with soft old silk, and store -when fully cool. - -Glass with silver inlay or incrustation must be rubbed after washing -with a chamois skin dipped in whiting. Clean decanters and claret jugs -by putting inside either a few buckshot and shaking them about in a -cupful of tepid water dashed with ammonia, or else lightly folded -squares of stiff brown paper with barely enough ammonia water to -moisten. These remove wine incrustations. If the stains are obstinate, -fill the decanter with tepid water, add a pinch of borax, and let it -stand. Tiny pills of whiting wet up with alcohol and ammonia, dried, -dropped inside, and shaken about, then dissolved out with tepid water, -leave the insides clear and bright. So do crushed egg shells. - -Wash gilt and Bohemian glass—indeed, any fancy glass—with a very soft -brush and tepid white suds, rinse in hotter water, drain almost dry, -then polish with absorbent cotton dipped lightly in powdered whiting. -Iridescent and bubble glass should not be wiped. Drain instead, and -polish when ready to use with a wisp of cotton. Cameo glass, or any with -patterns in relief, must be washed with a stiff brush, in weak suds, -rinsed thoroughly, and dried in gentle, steady heat rather than wiped. - -=Pressed Glass=: Wash and rinse in water the same temperature, drain, -but not too long, and wipe. Beware of linty towels. Be sure to run cloth -or mop inside water glasses, otherwise they become dull quickly. Wash -pitchers the same way; water leaves sediment—accumulations of it are -hard to remove. Imitation cuttings must be brushed—they had better be -eschewed. Plain, clear surfaces are much handsomer. Bowls set one in the -other should have paper between. Load no glass thing heavily—the rumble -or jar of a passing wagon may cause breakage if you do. - -=Annealing Glass=: Annealing lessens sensibly the risk of breakage. Pack -the glass snugly in a boiler, fill with cold water, bring to a boil, -keep simmering three to four hours, then throw over a thick cloth and -let cool very slowly. Remove only when fully cold. Especially useful for -thin tumblers, lamp chimneys, and finger bowls. Put a board or a handful -of clean sticks in the bottom of the boiler, so the heat shall not break -things set lowest. - -=Knives and Forks=: Have a pitcher just tall enough to hold knives, up -to the handle. Do not quite fill it with very hot borax suds, stand -knives in it, and leave till other things are out of the way, then wash -blades, wipe off handles, rinse very quickly in clear tepid water, wipe -dry, polish with a clean chamois, and hold with a clean cloth in putting -away. This to save finger marks which grow often to stains or tarnishes -upon knives seldom used. All-silver knives can be treated the same as -other silver or plated things—still pitcher-washing is as good for them -as any other. Ivory handles or pearl ones, or those of stag-horn or -composition, all are injured by either soaking or very hot water. -Carving-sets are frequently defaced hopelessly by rubbing the handles -with scouring-soap. Instead use only lather, washing it off instantly. -If suspicious of grease in the seam, wrap a fine-pointed skewer in thin -cloth and run all around, pressing hard. Wipe knife handles very dry, -else lay them for ten minutes in gentle heat to expel possible moisture -around the rivets. - -=Restoring Antique Furniture=: Take out grease or ink spots (see section -Spots and Stains), then go over with a turpentine cloth sopping wet, rub -and rub and rub. Follow with an alcohol cloth and more rubbing, then a -wash in strong hot suds, followed by rubbing dry. Now take stock of the -surface. If there are dents, raise them by laying on very wet -blotting-paper and drying it with a blazing-hot iron. Repeat if -necessary—steam does the work. Sandpaper away scratches, or rub them -with emery and a little oil, or scrape with broken glass. Go over again -with turpentine to remove the last traces of varnish or grime. Then -sandpaper to a new surface, and either oil, varnish, or give a wax -finish (see section Renovators). - -Before resurfacing drive up loose dowels, wedging them tight, glue -afresh rickety joins, strengthening them further with slender brads -driven in from the under side. Glue broken bits in place—if they are -missing, make the break smooth and fit into it a new piece. Cut the old -wood, slanting outward—thus it is possible to drive very short brads -from underneath. A vise helps greatly in such repairs—the harder held -the pieces, the firmer and less visible the join. After it is dry, -sandpaper; if the new wood fails to match the old, stain and rub down -before waxing or polishing. Tiny gaps can be filled with putty mixed -with dry color approaching that of the wood. This will take either oil -stain or a wax finish. - -Tighten rickety drawers so they slide easily. Remedy bad feet by -chiseling out shattered wood and putting in plugs of sound wood to hold -the castors. Glue in the new plugs, also nail them fast. Grease the -points of nails to save splitting the old wood. Set them invisibly and -drive gently, but see that they go fully home. Remove glass or brass -mounting while resurfacing. Clean and brighten them (see section Brass) -before replacing. Tighten metal linings about keyholes with putty, put -on inside. All padding, upholstery, or baize tops must, of course, be -taken wholly away. Save them, no matter how ragged, as patterns for new -stuff. - -Refinish and repair frames thus stripped before recovering. Very -handsome things had better be put in professional hands unless you have -practised upon plainer ones. It is a waste of strength and material to -put handsome new covers over musty padding or to botch and pucker -hopelessly through inexperience. In the courage of her economies a -clever woman learns quickly the knack of upholstery. Minute directions -are impossible—each sofa or couch or easy chair is so much a law unto -itself. In a general way, have all necessary things handy—as covering -muslin, webbing, springs, tacks, twine, upholsterer’s needles, moss or -curled hair, brads in variety, sharp shears, and stout pliers for -dragging through reluctant needles. Press out old covers and use as -patterns for the new. Model your work as nearly as possible on what you -took away. Remember always before fastening on covers to mark the middle -of them and set it accurately to the middle of the frame, tacking it -thence both ways. Pad arms and backs first, then basket-weave webbing -across the bottom, drawing it very taut, put on springs, fasten them -with twine to the webbing, lay thin cloth over, put a thick layer of -stuffing upon it, then fit the muslin cover and tack smoothly to the -frame. Tuft or leave plain according to style and period. Cut the -ornamental covering very accurately, sew together, following the -original, fit smooth, and cover the edges with gimp. With figured -material, cut so the boldest figure shall appear in the middle of back -and seat or equidistant from ends of the panels of long sofas. Practise -upon something cheap—here as everywhere else experience is the best -teacher. - -=Care of Antiques=: Old mahogany, rose-wood, ebony, cherry, or walnut -differ little in their requirements. Each and several, they film over. -To brighten, wash in warm (not hot) naphtha soapsuds, wetting only a -little space at a time, wiping it quickly with a cloth wrung from clear -hot water, and as quickly rubbing dry. Washing complete, rub hard with -old silk or flannel, then apply either French polish, piano polish, or -wax finish (see section Renovators). Put this on with a soft cloth and -rub in until the surface burns your hand. Washing is necessary about -half yearly, except in rooms where there is a great deal of gas or -candlelight and much greasy vapor. Dinner tables in steady use ought to -be washed and polished monthly. Rub deep carvings with chamois over the -point of a blunt skewer, changing its place every little while. - -=Brass Bedsteads=: Respect their lacquer. Keep water far from them, -likewise alcohol, gasolene, or naphtha. Smears may be wiped off with -cloths slightly damp, followed by wiping with one dry and soft. Wipe -dust away with softened cheesecloth, remove finger marks by gentle -rubbing with crumpled soft silk or old flannel. Have a thick soft brush -to take dust from carving or curled rails. Wipe off grease with soft -flannel and polish the spot with a very little sifted chalk or whiting -on a clean cloth. Tarnish is a proof that lacquer has been destroyed—the -remedy is relacquering, but mitigate until that is possible by oxalic -acid or vinegar and salt (see section Renovators). - -Brass trimmings upon enamel bedsteads, cribs, etc., need the same care. -So do brass frames, trays, etc. Elaborate chasings can be brightened -without injury by coating thickly with powdered starch, letting it stand -a day, then brushing it away. - -=Mission Furniture and Fumed Oak=: Dust real mission pieces with a soft -damp cloth followed by a dry one barely sprinkled with turpentine. Use -any good leather dressing on seats and backs. Neat’s-foot oil and -beeswax, equal quantities, melted over hot water with twice their bulk -of turpentine, is a good thing, and safe. Apply soft but not liquid, put -on barely enough to rub over the leather, and rub until absorbed. For -fumed and Flemish oak use a soft, thick dust brush, followed by a thick -cloth slightly dampened. If greasy or grimy, wash very quickly in hot -naphtha soapsuds, wipe dry, and rub until hot. Once a year rub very -lightly over with sweet oil, turpentine, and alcohol, equal parts, -shaken well together. Varnished pieces can have thin white varnish -instead of alcohol. Put on with flannel and rub till hot. - -=Gilt Furniture=: Dust well, and either sift on whiting, let stand an -hour, and brush off or cover a little at a time with whiting and -alcohol, as thick as cream, let stand three minutes, wipe with a damp -cloth, and rub dry with old silk or flannel. Take away specks of whiting -or tarnish with a swab of chalk tied in silk and wet with alcohol. Cork -sawdust tied tight in chamois makes a good burnisher if high polish is -desired. Garlands, bow knots, and traceries need to be rubbed out with a -blunt skewer inside a clean leather and polished the same way, using -silk or flannel in place of leather. - -=Gilt Frames=: Cover with the cream of whiting and alcohol after wiping -and brushing away all possible dust. Remove and polish as above -directed. Repair breaks and chippings with plaster wet with white of -egg, and paint with the finest gold paint, then burnish. Take off fly -specks with a cloth dipped in alcohol, and rub away any obstinate dark -specks or remnant of whiting with the same cloth. - -=Upholstered Furniture=: Cover the stuffings with a bath towel, whip -lightly, shaking the towel whenever it shows dust, then brush evenly -with a soft bristle brush, wipe out the tuftings with a swab of cotton -tied in silk on the point of a blunt skewer. Wipe quickly all over with -a flannel wrung dry out of hot water, following with a cloth wet in -alcohol. Change or wash the cloths as they grow dirty, especially upon -delicate colors. Neither cloths nor swabs must be wet enough to leave -marks. Alcohol, properly used, will leave no trace upon anything. Wash -the wood in white soapsuds, about blood-warm, wipe dry, and rub with a -flannel sprinkled with kerosene. This for ordinary wood; very fine -things, and especially inlaid ones, had better have sweet oil and -turpentine on the polishing-cloth, and not too much. - -Upholstery can be dry-cleaned with starch and whiting sifted together -and applied thickly all over it. Let stand a day, in sunshine if -possible, then brush off, going over and over. If there are grimy -spaces, wet them with alcohol before putting on the powder. Brush hard, -and if flecks remain take them off with a cloth wet in alcohol. - -=Wicker Furniture=: Scrub raw wicker with a stiff brush and white -soapsuds, rinse, dry quickly, then brush over with turpentine, sweet -oil, and alcohol, equal parts, mixed, then one-fifth their bulk of thin -varnish added. Coat well. When dry, rub over with a thick soft cloth. - -Dust gilt or enameled wicker very clean, wash quickly in weak tepid -suds, wipe, and sift on whiting and corn starch, let stand half an hour, -and brush off. Dry-cleaning alone suffices for things not much soiled. -Instead of sifting, the starch and chalk or whiting may be tied tight in -coarse net and used as a swab. Take out spots and stains (see section -Spots and Stains) before cleaning. - -=Porch Furniture=: Porch furniture, whether rattan, rustic, or bamboo, -needs only to be dusted, well and quickly, washed in tepid suds, dried, -and rubbed liberally all over with crude kerosene and creosoted -turpentine (see section Renovators). Dry in air, but away from sun; do -the work, however, if possible, upon a dry, sunny day. - -=Enameled Iron=: Resurface things as they chip (see section Making -Whole). Wash clean in tepid suds after dusting, wipe dry, then rub over -lightly with sweet oil and alcohol, equal parts, with a teaspoonful of -thin varnish added to the pint and well shaken. - -=Sundry Preventions=: Crumple tissue paper thickly over upholstered -furniture before putting on covers—it saves from wear, dust, and fading. -Newspapers pasted into big sheets and spread over floor, bed, dresser, -and couch in spare rooms likewise catch dust and stop light. They can be -gathered up in a few minutes; take care, though, to lift edges first and -shake dust inward, then fold. Where sunshine falls upon matting a double -thickness of paper saves fading. Narrow lengths either to hang or pin -about draperies will keep the draperies fresh. Paper is as nearly -impervious to dust as almost anything known. Paper bags tied over gas -globes, brass door knobs, and candlesticks prevent both dust and -tarnish. Also there is no better summer ambush for articles of “bigotry -and virtue” than a thick swathing of tissue paper inside a paper bag. -Newspaper has further the merit of discouraging moths—they hate -printers’ ink the same as other plunderers. Shut down windows upon -newspaper, letting it fall well over the inner sill, and there will be -no fading of paint there nor cakings of dust. - -Glue rounds of felt to the feet of all things not furnished with castors -if you would save polished floors from marking. A brad or two, driven -upward, the heads well sunk, will add stability. Old soft hats will -furnish the rounds. Instead, you may use a contrivance now in market, -which is practically the same thing, also cheap and convenient. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - V - - MAKING WHOLE - - -=Rickety Furniture=: Scrape or file away old glue from loosened joins, -cover with fresh glue very hot (see section Renovators). Tie fast -together or put in a vise, protecting the jaws of it with thick paper, -and let stand two days. Reinforce then underneath with iron—a light -angle iron for corners, strap iron with holes punched along each edge -for straight breaks. Small light metal hinges often answer admirably. -Screw everything firmly in place, then scrape away oozing of glue -outside, sandpaper, and refinish. - -A jagged break needs glue extra thick and hot. Brush it well into broken -fibers, both ends, press them together, fasten firmly, let harden, -scrape away oozings, and screw on strap iron with holes an inch apart in -the edges. Put it inside or underneath, and if it shows, as on chair or -table legs, paint to match the wood, and varnish when dry. - -Fine brads, driven in alternately, slantwise, on the under side, will -hold cracks fast, but not so fast as strap iron. Hinges set in an angle -need a little wood gouged away so they may lie flat against the wood. -Fill gaps in a splintered surface with putty colored to match. - -=Glass and China=: No cement ever made at home or commercially will bear -long soaking in hot water or suds. Hard usage is also impossible. -Notwithstanding, mending is well worth while, wherefore save the pieces, -and especially save tiny splinters. Otherwise your mending will be vain. -Twice a year have a mending-day, saving up breakage against it. Work at -a steady table set in good light but not glaring. Have a white table -cover, a bowl of hot water, a cup of alcohol, plenty of clean rags, -several camel’s-hair brushes of varying size, a tumbler of water to hold -them when not in use, plenty of twine, tying-tape, new rubber bands in -variety, a pair of swinging weights, and on the floor, out of the way, a -box half full of damp earth or sand. You need in addition squares of -deal or cardboard for setting out of the way mended things. Also a pound -of putty mixed stiff and, if mending ornaments, gold paint and colors in -powder. - -With a simple clean fracture, as across a platter, wash edges very -clean, using a brush and suds, rinse in hot water, then coat thickly -with pure white lead rubbed thicker than cream in raw linseed oil. Set -the larger fragment, break up, perpendicularly in the box of sand. It -must stand plumb. Fit the other piece to it, and hang evenly across it -the swinging weights, which are but a strip of strong cloth doubled up -into pockets at each end and filled with buckshot or pebbles, which must -balance accurately. Their use is to make the join firm and fine—in fact, -barely visible. Leave standing several days, then file or sandpaper off -surplus lead. Lead-mending is the most durable of all. - -Mend thin china with white of egg and quicklime. Beat the egg stiff, -coat clean edges thickly with it, dust with powdered unslaked lime, -press hard together at once, and fasten firmly. The lime sets as in -mortar. Sandpaper the break after a week. This is a good cement for -opaque glass as well. - -Hollow things, as cups, bowls, etc., should be set over crumpled paper -upon a round of cloth, with a drawstring in the edge just big enough to -cover them halfway. Draw up the string very carefully after mending, and -fasten. The secret of good mending is to have things held fast. - -Rubber bands help mightily. String half a dozen strong ones on a tape -and tie about the neck or base of anything so rounding strings slip. -Join the broken part, then put another tape through the bands, and lift -it steadily until you can fasten it about the neck or over the top. The -bands must be the same size, and draw equally. After tying the tapes set -a weight on top of the broken thing. Loop rubber bands around broken-off -handles, set them in place, then string a tape through the bands, draw -them together, and pass the tape twice around the body of the vessel. - -Build up shattered things bit by bit about cores of putty covered with -wax paper. This if shape admits taking out the putty. Narrow-mouthed -things had better have cores of absorbent cotton wound with wax paper. -It can be picked out bit by bit, using a hook. Putty likewise can be dug -or rasped out, but not so easily. Things very badly broken need to be -mended in sections, joining scraps and fitting in splinters. Fill -cavities outside and in with either soft putty or plaster mixed with -white of egg. A backing of putty inside seams makes them secure. Keep -clean fingers while mending. Also keep broken bits clean. If a mend -fails, soak off cement and begin over. White lead must be taken off with -turpentine. But failure with it is rare. - -If a handle-break goes through in a vase or ewer fit inside the hole a -lump of putty, then cement edges, and press together, holding something -against the putty and spreading it all over the break. Hard, it makes an -indestructible join. Water will not affect it; still, such a vessel had -better be kept for show. - -=Glass=: Mend glass as directed for china, but use white cement, gum -arabic, or sugar syrup (see section Renovators). Press breaks hard -together and fasten firmly. If it is possible to expel every bit of air, -the break will be scarcely visible. For colored glass rub dry color -smooth in a little white cement and apply with a very fine brush. Repair -breaks in gilt glass, after mending, with gold paint. Do the same for -gilt china, and touch up with matching colors any flaws in the pattern. - -=Mending Bric-à-brac=: Mend broken ivory with a few drops of fish glue -such as shoe-makers use. Press very hard together, wipe off oozings -clean, fasten, wrap in cotton, then in paper, put in a vise and screw -firmly but not too hard. Metal ornaments can be either soldered or -repaired with sealing-wax and resin, melted together over boiling water -and applied very hot. Join broken bisque and clay figures with white of -egg and powdered unslaked lime unless it is possible to get from a -potter a little regular luting. Mend torn or loosened leather with fish -glue, and put under heavy weight. - -=Mending Books=: Take out of the covers, press square and solid, then -paste over the back a strip of stout thin muslin, letting the edges -project unpasted an inch either side. Dry under pressure, so the muslin -will be fully rounded. Turn back the loose muslin accurately along the -edge, paste it plentifully on the outer sides, then lay on the cover, -press firmly in place, and dry under weight. When dry, paste in new fly -leaves double fold. Paste the outer one to the cover, the inner one only -lightly to the book. Removing old fly leaves spotted or defaced makes a -better job of it. - -=Mending Lamps and Candlesticks=: Fasten loose lamp collars with white -of egg and plaster; make as thick as putty and use quickly. Solder -broken metal parts. Dust with powdered resin, lay on the stick of -solder, and apply the hot iron. Tinkering thus needs only a little -knack. It enables you to stop leaks in zinc or tin—as pipes, shields, -and so on. Cooking-vessels are quite another story. - -=Mending Rubber=: This is a parlous business at best, still can be done. -Get the best rubber cement, have the break very clean, apply, and let -harden for a day at least. Breaks in hose, tubes, and so on had better -be cloth-covered—after mending, of course. Indeed, the life of such -things is trebled by covering them neatly before they break. Cut strips -of cloth wide enough to go round, allow half an inch for turned edges, -fold down, and whip together around the hose or tube. A big pipe can -have a cover of canvas stitched up. Covering protects the surface and -takes up a large part of the water strain. Fill breaks in rubber -footgear with rubber cement, let harden, then put inside over the break -a piece of strong, thin cloth, shaped to fit and coated upon one side -with fish glue. The glue goes next the rubber; after it has hardened it -takes the strain. - -=Darning=: Darning is an art, so much so one may well say there are torn -things not worth a darn. If they are woolen things, mend with rubber -tissue, smoothing the tear with a warm iron, then laying on the tissue -and fixing it with a hotter one. Press again on the right side, and clip -close any loose fibers. - -=Linen, Silk, and Stuff=: Lay under the break stiff paper spread with -net matching in color, press with a warm iron, baste before lifting -lightly, take up and baste again about the edges. Match thread to -fabric; use a fine needle, go back and forth with very short running -stitches, catching the net below, but taking only as deep hold in the -outside as will make a firm mend. Beware puckers. When finished, cut -away surplus net and press on the wrong side, then under a cloth on the -right. If a tiny hole is to be filled in, tack it smooth over stiff -paper, then with ravelings of the stuff or thread exactly matching go -over the warp way, setting thread for thread, barely catching at the -ends, then weave in cross threads, same as the original fabric, and -press. Or the hole can be cut to a tiny square after basting on paper -and a matched square inserted and darned in all round. This had better -have net under it so the join may not pull apart. - -Machine-darn table linen as soon as it shows threadbare spots, putting -them in an embroidery hoop and stitching back and forth the way of the -missing threads. White net underneath strengthens, but with napkins and -tea cloths it is better left off. A cloth broken along the middle fold -can be darned thus over net. But it is easier and better to split it -evenly, hem the split edges, and trim them with lace, then join the -selvages with a row of coarse insertion, herringboned in with coarse -linen thread. - -=Darning Stockings=: Children’s stockings last much longer for ripping -to the calf when new and machine-darning inside them, over the knees, -sound old tops. Sew up loosely. Darn strong net or thin stockinet -loosely inside heels and toes; when the stockings come in holes, rip out -this first application, cover your darning-egg with fresh net, set the -hole over it, taking care not to stretch it, whip down all round -loosely, then darn as usual, running threads through the net and cutting -away surplusage when finished. - -Silk stockings should always be darned on net, matching colors of net -and darning-floss. Tack lace insets or embroidery smooth upon white -stiff paper and fill in breaks with lace stitches or new embroidery. -Mend a running break—colloquially, a ladder—by catching the errant -stitch, sewing it fast, then filling the raveled space with very fine -herringbone. Fill holes in the instep, or heel, above slipper height, -with loose buttonhole stitches in matching silk, going across and back, -catching each stitch after the first row in the top of the one below it. -Make neither tight nor slack. Infinite patience and a very fine crochet -hook enable one to fill such breaks with real stocking-weaving. Ravel -the break to a line, take up the stitches on a very fine thread, then -fasten on silk and draw up in loops, keeping them on the needle. Fasten -to the side and work back, drawing a new stitch through each one already -on the needle. Repeat till the hole is full, then draw stitches through -those in the upper edge, which has been likewise raveled straight. Only -very costly stockings are worth such pains. - -=Coarse Mending=: Boys and men wear holes at knees, elbows, and on -seats. Rip seams, cut the holes square, match new squares, and stitch, -press, and sew up. Seat holes need not be cut clear across-only as far -as the break. Cut corners diagonally the depth of a seam, but not too -deep. Lacking cloth for such repairs, take note when clothes show -threadbare in such spots, lay other cloth under, and machine-darn -thickly with matching thread, fine rather than coarse. Such prevention -often outlasts the patch cure besides being more presentable. - -=Mending Bed Clothes=: Fine threadbare blankets are worth darning. Wash -well and darn with soft wool, using a large-eyed needle. Avoid -puckering. Darn warp way first, then go across. Cut ragged edges smooth, -and overcast loosely with colored wool rather than bind. Darn tears on -net, using silk or flax, rather fine. Beware making mends hard and -lumpy. Comforts should be untacked, the stuffing, whether cotton, wool, -or down, aired and washed at need, the outsides made into rags, and new -covers provided for the padding. Cheesecloth unbleached lasts and -launders well. Make pocket covers of it, half a yard deep, for the tops -of comforts breaking there and nowhere else. - -Old muslin rarely pays for mending more elaborate than running together -slits. Wide sheets can have the thin centers torn out, the selvages -joined, and raw edges hemmed, thus turning them into single-bed size. -Handsome linen sheets, when they break along the hem-stitching, should -be cut there, hemmed neatly each side, and joined with strong narrow -linen insertion, or beading, or linen braid crocheted in a straight line -down either side. Embroidered pillow and bolster cases, when the body -wears, should have the embroidery cut off and joined thus with insertion -or crochet work to new bodies—it will last as long. Handsome monograms -and _motifs_ should be transferred from old linen to new. Cut out, -neatly baste on new stuff, and sew down all round with fine needle, -thread, and stitches. If there are holes in the pattern, pierce them and -sew over well, using slightly coarser thread. Press before sewing, and -be careful not to draw the work. - -=Mending Lace=: Transfer figures from heavy laces, such as hand-run -Spanish, to new net grounds, first cleaning them carefully, and dipping, -if rusty, in stale beer or water in which a raw Irish potato has been -grated. Drain without squeezing, press while damp, then cut out and -arrange upon the new ground, which has been stretched smooth over paper. - -Point lace, being needle-made, can be needle-mended as good as new. Tack -smooth upon waxed linen or stiff paper, study the breaks, and fill them -with the same stitch, using the same thread. If the ground is badly -broken, expedite work by laying under a bit of fine net, matching the -mesh, and sewing the figures to it. Lace stitches can be learned from -any book on needlework, and are none of them difficult. Irish crochet -wears out all over commonly—tears or breaks, though, can be filled with -a crochet hook, matching stitch and thread. - -Mend lace curtains by laying new net under breaks and either sewing -figures to it or, in case of tender old fabrics, wetting with starch and -pressing with a hot iron. The starch mend will last as long as the -curtain. Tiny tears can be thus starch-mended to advantage at any stage. - -=Furniture=: Threadbare coverings, as damask, brocatelle, and tapestry, -require deft darning with a fine needle—several fine needles, indeed, -and matched silks. Follow the pattern as nearly as possible in putting -in stitches. Put worn hangings into an embroidery frame and work boldly -in coarse silks or wool, keeping to the color scheme and using as far as -possible the woven pattern, but making the new figures hide blemishes. -Remove linings before embroidering, press on the wrong side, and, if too -limp, stiffen slightly with gum water (see section Renovators). - -=Fur Sewing and Mending=: Fur sewing takes courage as much as skill. All -fur is mended before making up. Art lies in cutting patches accurately -and setting them in so the fur lies with that around it. To fill in a -moth-eaten spot rip out linings and enough seams to let the fur lie -flat, then chalk-mark the smallest space that will remove the moth -patch. Cut through along the mark with a sharp-pointed knife, then lay -the hole upon the patch fur and shift until it matches in color and -growth. Mark all round, take off the garment, cut the patch with your -sharp knife just outside the marking. Fit into the hole, tack lightly in -four places, turn, sew the cut edges together, taking stitches close and -barely deep enough to hold. Turn every little while, smooth seam, and -look for puckers; if any rip, sew over. Sewing done, press seam hard -with the thimble on something flat, then turn and press on right side -with the end of the thumb. Manipulate until the skin edges lie one -against the other. Fur garments can be remodeled at home with just such -sewing. Shape, piece, or mend, sew together, and reline. Very tiny bits -can be used many ways, wherefore save them religiously. Tails that have -been partly moth-eaten or lost hair should have the bare lengths cut -out, the remnants neatly joined. Long furs, such as marten, mink, skunk, -and fox, are not easier than seal, beaver, and so on, but less apt to -show bungling work. Astrakan is so soft and crinkly it sews almost like -cloth. - -=Carpets, Matting, and Rugs=: Make carpets as clean as possible before -mending. Darn with wool and upholsterer’s needles as they lie on the -floor, matching thread to pattern, unless the pattern is worn away. Cut -bad spots square, or to straight edges, snip corners, turn under edges, -fit in a square, turn down its edges, trimming at corners to avoid -lumps, safety-pin at each corner, turn over and whip turned edges fast, -then cover with damp cloth and press. Shift stair carpets often enough -to get equal wear all over. Have an extra step length and turn it under -at top or bottom to make shifting easy. - -Dyeing helps a faded carpet mightily. Put it down clean with thick paper -under, wipe over with clarified ox gall in tepid water, then with clear -water, wringing the cloth dry, then paint with a thick soft brush dipped -lightly in hot dye. Use the color predominant in the room, no matter -about the pattern. Rub the dye in well, but do not slop nor sop it. -Treat fine matting, especially in rug form, the same way. Figures will -show through, but not unpleasantly. Even a grass rug takes color -readily. Hang smooth and wet thoroughly, let stand to set, then wash -with weak suds. Dye on both sides. Carpets and mattings must be dyed on -one side only and washed lightly, after the color sets, with suds, then -wiped over with either vinegar and water or weak alum water. - -Rug-mending needs a volume; here it gets only a paragraph. For breaks, -tears, moth-eaten or worn spots lay smooth upon something soft and -sleazy—wool crash is excellent, so is basket-woven serge. Flannel will -answer; at a pinch so will burlap. Fasten so thread runs true with those -of the rug. If the original fabric shows appreciably, darn it down on -the patch, matching the darning-wool to the colors. If there is a -yawning hole, put the wool double in a very big needle, stick through -from the top, bring up again in almost the same place. Tie to the end -above, stick back, stick up again, repeat, varying thread, until the -whole space is covered with woolly loops. Cut them through, then trim -smooth with very sharp shears, comb with a coarse comb, and trim again. -Moth-eaten moquette carpet can be treated the same way, using as many -needles as there are colors in the pattern. - -=Care of Gloves=: Pull off gloves over the hand, not by tugging at -finger tips; this is the first commandment. The second is, Never crumple -them. Let lie open from the hand until dry, then smooth, wrap in tissue -paper, and put away. Sew fastenings the minute they show loose. Mend at -the first ripped stitch. Glove powder shaken inside before putting away -after wearing keeps them fresher. Either patch holes in thumb and -fingers with very thin kid, else cut off the worn sections almost to the -palm, shape new sections from old kid, sew on, then sew in. Color gray -spots on the fingers of black kid gloves with a few drops of ink rubbed -well through other drops of sweet oil. In cleaning with gasolene put on -gloves, fasten smooth, and begin work at the top of the wrist—there will -be circles otherwise, especially in long gloves. Wash as though washing -hands, using a very soft cloth or wisp of cotton. Change gasolene as -soon as dirty. Rub afterward well with starch and whiting, powdered. - -=Cleaning Furs=: Brush well, comb twice—against grain and with it—wipe -over with soft flannel, then with a wisp of cotton tied in old silk and -dipped lightly in gasolene or benzine or ether. Ether is best for white -furs. Work quickly, changing the cloth if it grows dirty. Comb up again, -and sift over hot cornmeal or sifted sawdust, rub it well through the -fur, up, down, crosswise, shake out, and hang to air. White furs after -shaking out should be covered thick with starch and whiting in fine -powder, mixed with enough powder blue to clear. Let lie several days, -then shake out, brush hard, and wipe over very quickly with a soft damp -cloth. Dry-clean light and fancy linings by gentle, steady rubbing with -a swab of starch and whiting tied in soft silk or cheesecloth. Put a few -drops of ether or gasolene on soiled spots, rub hard with the swab, then -with a clean cloth, dipped in powdered chalk. - -Furs worn in dusty wind or a foul atmosphere need to be well combed, -brushed against the grain, and aired quickly. Dry wet furs in air, but -away from heat. Stretch and knead them several times while drying to -keep the skin pliable. Shake hard at first, hang smooth, and let drain. -Unless very wet, only dampness will reach the skin if they are so -treated. Snow shaken off before melting is a help rather than a hurt. -Indeed, a good way to clean fur rugs is to drag them, hair down, over -dry snow. Clean on the floor by sprinkling thickly with hot meal or -sawdust, rubbing in well and brushing out, then combing. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - VI - - MAKING AND MAKING OVER - - -Wherewithal to make of is the first requisite. Here follow some simple -tests easily applicable and well worth while. Use upon samples, and buy -accordingly. Things over-cheap, it may be said in passing, carry their -condemnation in their price. Buying them is extravagance, since they -cost as much in time, trouble, and often in money for making up as sound -stuffs and make no adequate return in wear. - -=Silk=: Test silk three ways—by tearing, scraping with the thumb nail, -and burning. Try to tear a raw edge across the filling. If it is easily -done the filling is either artificial or so loaded it will give no wear. -Weak warp is even worse—with warp and filling both easily rent, the -stuff is wholly bad. Pull out a few threads both ways and test their -strength separately. Easy breaking means that they are loaded with -earthy or metal salts to give weight and firmness without wear. Scrape -the surface diagonally with the thumb nail. If threads slip under the -scraping, let that particular silk alone. Rub well between the -fingers—pure silk feels smooth and soft; that which is loaded, crisp, -even harsh. Some silks have the face pure, the back loaded—wherefore -test both sides. End by burning a bit. Real silk does not burn readily, -and leaves a black ash. Weighted or loaded silk flashes up, burns -swiftly, and leaves behind a dull-red ash. - -=Woolens=: Test by raveling out and burning. Untwist a raveled -thread—fibers of even, moderate length show pure wool. If there are a -few fibers with clots all along them the cloth is most shoddy—that is to -say, old wool ground up and mixed before spinning with a little new. -After-treatment makes it look well, but there is mighty little wear. -Snap a raveling between the hands—the harder the breaking the better the -goods. Soak a few threads in a little alcohol. This to test the color. A -tinge in the alcohol is to be expected, but if it becomes deep-colored, -and especially if it becomes muddy, the dyeing is bad. Cotton mixture -before spinning betrays itself in burning. Light a few threads or a -snippet—the smell will tell the truth. - -=Linen=: Test linen in much the same fashion: ravel, untwist a thread, -and draw gently till resolved into original fibers. Cotton will show -soft, even a little fuzzy, in spite of mercerizing. Linen is woven from -flax fibers, which are always straight and thready, no matter how fine. -Burning gives out the smell of cotton where there is an appreciable -mixture. Test for fading by wetting in white soapsuds and drying in -sunshine or in front of a fire. - -=Cottons=: Prints, muslin, lawns, sheeting, and so on, should be torn -across and lengthwise to test strength, nail-scraped, and rubbed betwixt -the fingers to discover if they are dressed too much, and dried in -sunshine for fading. Use will soften the fastest colors. In buying for -children get extra stuff and send it to wash each time with the frocks, -so when needed for re-making there shall be no glaring contrast. - -=Forethought:= Begin before the beginning if you would sew easily. Set a -machine, well cleaned and oiled, where the light will fall over the -operator’s shoulder. For dressmaking, cover the floor with a sheet of -unbleached muslin tacked down smooth. Have a form for fitting, a tall -mirror, a table, with drop leaves if possible, and two bentwood chairs, -with a low rocker for basting and pressing in. At the right hand of it -hang on the wall a thin board with wire nails driven from the back in -treble row. Upon one row stick basting-spools, upon others spools of -silk, cotton, and twist. Upon a shorter upper row put cheap thimbles. -Have screw hooks at bottom for hanging shears, small scissors, tape -measure, pencil, and needle book. A screw eye in each upper corner of -the board slipped over nails or screw-hooks will hold it fast. - -Hang a similar board on the wall back of the machine, and furnish the -nails in it with spools of thread—all sorts the machine may require. Put -a hook at bottom for special machine scissors, and hang upon another -hook a small, flat, open pocket to hold wisps of absorbent cotton for -wiping off oil, a tiny bottle of alcohol for removing spots of it, and a -couple of finger stalls and two short bandages to save pricked fingers -from making blood spots. A starch bag, very porous, for covering such -spots instantly, is also advisable with fine light-colored work. - -Tack against the wall over the table a square of denim holding three -long pockets, set crosswise, for patterns. Keep patterns folded flat, -not rolled. Press smooth before using, and let lie till cool, so they -will not curl. Hang a small well-filled pincushion below the pattern -pockets, also leaves of flannel filled with basting-needles. Set close -by a firm-standing waste basket with a wide mouth. Throw into it all -useless clippings as fast as made. - -=Cutting Out:= Spread plain-surfaced things, as silk, linen, serge, and -lighter woolens, double upon the table, which must be at full length. -Lay on patterns, having regard to warp and woof threads. Let warp run up -and down, woof around. In cutting a bodice the woof threads should make -a sort of belt. Thus they pull true, and the seams are an easy bias. Lay -on the whole pattern as nearly as space allows, and study economy of -material in arranging the pieces, but not at the cost of getting threads -wrong. Cut with sharp shears, taking care to allow for seams when -requisite. Lay off pieces as cut out, but keep the cloth steady by means -of light weights. Patterns are best pinned in place, but with long -lines, as skirts or draperies, books laid on as weights are better, -besides being easier. - -Things with a nap, as broadcloth and corduroy, must not be cut with -cloth double from each end. If the goods is double-fold, cutting double -is desirable. Otherwise cut so the nap runs the same in each piece. This -also applies in case of figured stuffs with a decided up and down. To -make a waist or coat pattern smaller lay a crosswise plait from armhole -to edge, and cross it with a lengthwise one of equal width. Enlarge a -pattern by cutting it across instead of plaiting it and pasting in -strips of paper. Alter skirt lengths usually at the bottom; either fold -up or allow extra. If too wide, fold down along each edge to keep -proportions. - -=Basting:= Baste shoulder seams with the upper half of the fronts -stretched tight, the back held a little full. Pressing heals the -puckers, which give the smooth fit over the hollow of the shoulder not -otherwise attainable. Use fine firm thread for basting, with a -large-eyed needle. Take medium running stitches in seams to be fitted; -with edges to be held for sewing together make the stitches very long, -and set them so far back the stitching will not catch them. - -=Pressing:= Have a small board covered with flannel, then with muslin, -for pressing. An alcohol stove for heating irons saves time and trouble. -Keep it with the iron inside a handy box, upon which it can be set when -lighted. Do not damp woolen things before pressing. Moisten silk very -slightly, linen rather more, and cotton, as in linings, most of all. -Press rounding seams, such as armholes and rolling collars, over the end -of the board. Press sleeve seams with the small end of the board inside. -Sew up and press outer sleeve seams before sewing inner ones. Do the -same with very tiny trousers. Where pressing must be done on the right -side cover with a thin cloth very slightly dampened. - -=Things Applied:= Lace, insertion, _motifs_, and so on, need to be set -on the cloth and sewed firmly in place, then to have the cloth cut out -underneath. Turn cut edges back and stitch or sew again. Ribbon -trimmings, unless gathered, are best put on by hand, with very long -stitches on the wrong side, very short ones on top. Bands or borders -applied as hems should be sewed on to the edge, turned over it, not flat -with it, then basted down and stitched at the upper edges. Hold true in -sewing on—a pucker or stretching ruins the fit. Miter corners very -neatly, and stitch upon the wrong side. In putting in a fold or piping -baste with the double edge even with the edge of the garment, or the -band, then turn over and baste before stitching. Hold lace a little full -on rounding edges so it shall not hoop nor draw. - -Make fancy yokes, put on the collar, then arrange smoothly on the form, -put over the bodice, fit together, and set a thick row of pins where -they are to join. If the bodice edge is finished, pin together—if it is -to be sewn in, leave it free. An overlapping yoke had better have the -bodice cut almost full height, and the surplus cut away after the yoke -is put on. - -=Making Over:= Begin making over by refurbishing—cleaning, dyeing, -pressing, turning. Rip, pick out stitches, take out spots, and brush. - -=Dyeing:= Dyeing is easy. Use cotton or woolen dyes according to need. -But first wash stuffs very clean. Discharge color by soaking several -hours in suds, or cream-of-tartar solution, boiling half an hour in -clear water, and dye while still hot. Have a roomy dye pot, drop into it -all parts of a garment at once to make the new color uniform. Have the -stuff loosely crumpled, stir down instantly with a clean wooden stick. -Lift after a minute to air, stir down again, and finish according to -directions. Each dye has its own special limitations. Knitted woolens, -as sweaters, caps, and so on, must not be soaked nor boiled, only washed -quickly, covered with clear hot water, let stand a minute, then squeezed -out and put into the pot. Silk should not be washed unless very dirty; -clean with gasolene instead, but wet with clear hot water before dyeing. -If it loses body after washing, dip into stale beer or weak gum water -(see section Renovators) or else stiffen with weak sugar water, and iron -while damp. A black kid glove cut up and boiled in a gallon of water -till reduced one-half makes a good stiffener for black silk, also for -mixtures of silk and wool. This, whether they are dyed or merely washed. -So does stale beer. - -Tack lace to strips of cloth before dyeing and leave on them till washed -and pressed. Dyed net had better be partly dried in crumpled heaps after -washing, then stiffened and pressed. - -=Gasolene-cleaning=: Take out spots (see section Spots), then plunge in -a clean vessel, pour on gasolene to cover, wash quickly, laving rather -than rubbing or wringing. Change to clean gasolene, wash again, then -hang to air at least ten hours. This must be done away from fire or -light. Press on the wrong side, and roll around a rod or mailing-tube -instead of folding. - -=Washing Silk and Cloth=: Tack, matching pieces together, right sides -in, wash double in warm white soapsuds, rinse twice, keeping temperature -even, and hang to dry without wringing. Take down when damp, and iron -double, going first over one side, then the other. Stiffen by wiping -over ahead of the iron with stale beer, glove liquor, or cold coffee or -weak tea, for silk; with very thin starch or gum water for woolens. Roll -after pressing. Iron cloth the way of the nap, not across it. Figured -silk and brocade should be ironed on a soft board. - -=Freshening Lace=: A bath in stale beer with draining afterward freshens -rusty black lace, also stiffens it. It must be pressed when barely damp. -Clean cream and light laces in gasolene, using a very little white soap -if they are much soiled. Hang to air smooth—pressing hurts the look. -Lying in powdered starch and magnesia for a week will often freshen -laces. Mend them before cleaning (see section Making Whole). Shake free -of powder—dust and grime will go with it—and smooth by laying back and -forth between the leaves of a big book and putting on weight. - -=Trimmings=: Clean ribbons, braids, galloons, and fringes in a bath of -gasolene, changing at need, hang smooth to air, then press under -weights, else roll inside a damp cloth for an hour, then press on the -wrong side with a warm (not hot) iron. Wind braid about spools or tubes, -and leave a day and night. Comb out fringes and wind around cardboard. -In dyeing fringe fold compactly and sew inside a thin bag, then dye as -usual. The bag prevents the fringe proper from matting. - -=As to Turning=: Things worn threadbare had better be turned, either -with or without dyeing. Darn the threadbare spots, loosely and sparsely, -press—on the right side, of course. Press all over, then take stock of -needs and materials. Make the most of every clothes opportunity. - -=Freshening Velvet=: Raise the pile of crushed velvet by stretching over -a wet cloth laid on the face of a very hot iron and brushing hard while -the steam rises. This answers for spots and streaks—with a crushed -surface or one so faded dyeing will help it, make into panne velvet by -pressing on the right side while damp, laying the pile all one way. -Velveteen and cotton-backed velvet dye poorly. Brush well, tack on a -board, and paint with hot dye, using a soft brush. Let stand in air to -set, then wash with a cloth and soapsuds, followed by rinsing. Press on -the right side while still damp. This gives a surface passable for -school hats or caps, or yokes and cuffs on made-over frocks. - -=Save the Pieces=: In cutting down men’s clothes use the worn parts to -interline smaller new garments. Use the very best for the outside, even -though it necessitates piecing. Match threads and figures exactly, sew -fast, and press hard, then piecing hardly shows. Do it before cutting -out. With sleazy stuff whip over edges before sewing together. Avoid -putting pieced seams where there will be constant pressure. - -=Adaptation=: A jacket or coat worn along seams may be made to serve -beautifully for a much smaller person by simply ripping all seams, -trimming, and sewing again. Lengthen skirts outgrown by insets of -embroidery or contrasting color. Make the waist to match, either with an -inset or a deep girdle. Aim to make all changes so they shall look -voluntary, not makeshift. In handing down outgrown garments be merciful -enough to change them so the new possessor shall not be taunted for -wearing. This is not hard; a new yoke, belt, and cuffs will transfigure -a garment, to say nothing of the magic wrought by dyeing. Cut, fit, and -finish madeovers quite as carefully as new things. Change trimmings—for -moral and esthetic effect. Make several dyeings—it is piteous to see a -whole family touched up with navy blue or wine-red or pink. Dyes are so -cheap, dyeing so easy, give yourself the satisfaction of variety. If -combining materials, dye them one after the other, the heaviest first. -It is likely to be deepest. Use the lighter tint according to quantity -and taste for foundation or accessories. Remember two good garments, or -even one, will do more good than several skimped and spoiled. - -=Millinery=: Steam hats of fancy braid soft, unpick, steam again, sew -while soft, shape, and wire. To change color, paint over with dye, let -dry thoroughly, then wipe over with a cloth wet in alcohol to remove -surplus color. Or wash quickly with white soapsuds, drying in sunlight; -or wipe over with alum water. None of these are necessary if the color -does not rub off. Or veil with net, chiffon, lace, or grenadine. Cord -the brim edge with silk or velvet, and shir the thin stuff inside. Shape -by bending while still damp. Trim according to taste and fashion. Hats -of beaver can be steamed a very little, then pressed over an improvised -block—a fruit jar inverted, a crock, a tin pan, or bucket. Cover with a -damp cloth while pressing. Begin on something of little value, learning -by experience. Hats of velvet or silk or lace must be unpicked, -freshened, and made up anew, using new shapes. Lingerie hats require -simply washing and reshaping over clean frames with fresh or freshened -ribbons. - -Restore ribbon and velvet as already directed. To improve crushed and -faded flowers touch the backs of the petals thickly with gum arabic (see -section Renovators), let dry, then dip in gasolene, lave quickly, and -pass on into more gasolene which has had a tube of oil color dissolved -in it. Work quickly, moving the flower sprays about so they shall not be -blotched nor streaked. Lay on soft paper to dry in airy shade. Big -flowers—roses, orchids, poppies—had better be separated before dyeing, -then remounted. Touching up the hearts with oil color rubbed smooth in a -little poppy oil, using a camel’s-hair brush, is a further improvement. - -Stiff fancy feathers can be dyed, not by dipping, but painting with hot -dye, and taking off the surplus by brushing hard when dry with corn -starch and prepared chalk in fine powder. Touch mounting very -lightly—they are founded on glue. If ill-colored, conceal them with -_choux_ of ribbon or velvet or a made ornament. - -Fine feathers should go to professionals—at least, until their owners -learn to color cheap ones. Draggled soft feathers may be colored with -gasolene and tube paint, shaking hard while they dry so there shall be -no clotting. Strip off when dry, and tie the flues into pompons about -lengths of stiff wire with loops in the end. Wind the wire with silk -thread or cover with a spiral of tissue paper. Two or three shades of -the same color tied thus make a handsome ornament for any school hat. - -Clean white and light plumes by sprinkling very lightly with gasolene, -then burying a week in corn starch and magnesia. Shake out the powder, -beat the plumes steadily but gently against the palm, then comb very -gently with a coarse clean comb, and hold in the steam of a kettle. -Curl, if you like, by drawing the flues, a few at a time, over the edge -of a blunt knife, taking care to draw so steadily there is no breaking. - -=Ornaments=: Mark what you wish—buckle, butterfly, star, crescent, -dagger, or quill—accurately upon rather fine buckram, sew fine wire over -the outlines, then cut out neatly. Cover with silk or velvet. Make a -butterfly body of velvet very slightly padded with wings of silk. Sew -firm, turning stuff well over edges, then sew on beads, any sort you -like. Make them imitate butterfly markings, cover a quill as though -flues, fill star surfaces completely, but simply edge crescents and -buckles. After edging put inside bigger beads, of contrasting color. The -beading done, cover the whole under side neatly with soft thin silk or -net. Quills need a stout center wire. Crystal, with a tip of gold beads -or silver and bronze or jet with silver and rhinestones, deftly managed -make effective ornaments. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - VII - - REMEDYING SPOTS, STAINS, AND TARNISH - - -=Grease Spots in Wood=: Scour unpainted wood with clean sand after -pouring strong lye upon the grease spot. If it is very obstinate, cover -with a paste of prepared chalk, corn starch, and whiting wet with -ammonia, let stand two days, and scour. Grease stays on varnished -surfaces; wash it off with warm borax soapsuds and follow, after wiping -dry, by a hard rubbing with alcohol and turpentine mixed. Machine oil -must be taken out with either gasolene or alcohol, then scoured with -cold suds—heat sets it. - -Dust greasy walls thickly with powdered chalk or whiting, brush off -after a day, and repeat. For a small but staring spot lay chalk thickly -between net, hold it flat against the spot, with a very hot iron over -it. Commonly this will take up the grease. Chalk or whiting wet with -alcohol to a thin paste and left to dry on grease spots, then gently -brushed off, will remove grease. But with paper badly spotted it is best -to take it off and put on a fresh length. - -Machine oil on garments old or new must be taken out with gasolene, else -washed in white soap and cold water. If spots are black as well as -greasy, lay them face down upon a thick cloth and pour alcohol or -gasolene through, not rubbing the spot proper, but sawing it back and -forth against the cloth underneath—thus the black is not imbedded in the -fabric. Lay thin things spotted face down and dab hard repeatedly with a -swab of cotton tied in net and wet with gasolene. Move the spots to -clean surfaces, and swab till clean. Lay silk and gauze, especially -delicately colored ones, over a layer of calcined magnesia mixed with -corn starch, and pour through either grain alcohol or chloroform. Wet -very lightly a ring around the spot of unspotted fabric and work from it -inward to the spot. This to save annoying circles. - -Take grease out of woolens with a flood of gasolene, changing it as it -grows dirty. If caked dirt shows afterward, wash with naphtha soap, -applying lather to the spot, holding a very hot iron a little way from -it for a minute, then washing off with hot water. Instead of the iron -you may hold the spot to the spout of a boiling kettle, letting the -steam penetrate it. Greasy coat collars and heavy garments blotched with -spilled food demand washing in suds besides the washing in gasolene. - -For a greasy carpet mix whiting and cornmeal, make hot, sift on thickly, -cover with gasolene, and rub hard and quickly until the gasolene -evaporates, then sweep very clean and wipe with a damp cloth. If -gasolene involves fire risks, leave the powder standing for several -days, sweep off, and repeat if the grease is not all gone. - -Axle-grease spots or any other partly resinous must be softened with -oil, then taken out with gasolene or turpentine. Washing, even boiling, -sets them. It is the same with linseed-oil spots. Take them out with -turpentine followed by gasolene. - -=Road Stains=, whether from mud, asphalt, tar, oil dirt, or oil proper, -are as easy to get as they are hard to get rid of. Let mud cakes and -flakes severely alone until dry—wiping while wet smears them and gives a -firmer hold on the fabric underneath. A soft semi-fluid mud, if it can -be dipped almost instantly in clear water, laved without touching, then -have water poured through from the back, will be apt not to leave a -mark—so wash whenever such washing is possible. Where it is impossible, -hold the stained surface mud side down until dry, then rub and brush -well before attempting to get rid of the mark. Stiff mud left to dry -undisturbed will come away leaving but a faint mark. If it is clay mud, -pour boiling water through it from the wrong side in a steady stream for -at least a minute. Wet as small a space as possible, stretch it smooth, -let dry, brush or rub with coarse velvet, cover with a cream of French -chalk, starch, and alcohol, let dry, and brush off; commonly the stain -goes with it. This for silk or wool. Wash fabrics need only to be well -laundered after the boiling-water treatment. - -Grimy mud needs to be well wet with kerosene, let stand an hour, then -cleaned with either alcohol or gasolene. Gasolene or benzine will also -take out spots of tar and asphalt, but they come away quicker and -cleaner if first wet with turpentine, then greased on both sides with -soft lard, and let stand a while. Dip in the gasolene, soiled side out, -and change the gasolene as soon as it looks dark. Bold big stains may -demand three changes. After the stain is out spread the fabric smooth -and wipe all round the gasolened space with a cloth dipped in more -gasolene to prevent circles. Soften oil marks or those from oily dirt by -wetting thoroughly with kerosene, washing out later in gasolene as -directed for tar. Very fine things can be cleaned with ether or alcohol -instead of gasolene, pouring through the spot and rubbing with a wisp of -cotton. - -Take grease from paper, as books or prints, by laying on thickly -powdered borax and calcined magnesia, and keeping warm for several days. -Shut books tight upon the powder and put under moderate weight. Or iron -over the powder with a very hot iron, shake off, apply fresh, and tie or -put under weight. A tender old print, much soiled, should be pasted on a -thin cloth and cleaned with a damp, soapy cloth, then, after drying, -covered both sides with chalk, left several days, then shaken out and -ironed on the wrong side, with the right against a soft clean cloth. -Mitigate grease on leather bindings with the chalk pad and hot iron—it -is rarely wholly removable. Plain calf admits of gasolene, but for -anything else dry-cleaning alone is safe. - -=Paint and Varnish=: Soak hardened metallic paint in turpentine till -softened, then remove with gasolene, alcohol, or chloroform. Chloroform -is the thing for fine fabrics of delicate colors. Use alcohol on white -stuff, swabbing with an upward motion. Varnish requires little beyond -the turpentine treatment. Earth paints and calcimine demand washing in -soapsuds to get rid of the color. Remove paint from floors or windows -with strong hot soda water or else a cloth well wet in turpentine. -Gasolene will likewise remove it, but is more apt to smear. Plate glass -or fine mirrors should be polished with whiting and alcohol after the -spots have been removed. Wet to a cream, rub on, let stand awhile, then -rub off with clean cloths. - -=Ice-cream and Gelatine=: Such spots must be soaked in clear cold water -for at least an hour. If on garments that forbid soaking, lay the spot -upon a folded damp cloth, put another over it, and press with moderate -weight for an hour. Then wipe off on both sides with borax water, weak -and cold, followed by several rinsings in clear cold water. Shift the -spot to a clean place now and then. When clean pin it smooth between -thick clothes and press dry with a moderate iron. Wash fabrics, of -course, can be laundered after soaking. - -=Fruit Stains=: Soak fresh fruit stains half an hour in cold water, then -pour boiling water through them and dry quickly. If they have been set -by soap and boiling, touch them with Javelle water (see section -Renovators), washing it out quickly. Use only on white things—it takes -out color as well as stains. Some stains on colored things can be taken -out harmlessly by covering with salt and vinegar and leaving two hours -in the sun. Tomato juice and salt in sunshine is another -prescription—with a bright tin underneath. An apple cut in half and laid -under a set stain in sunshine is likewise effectual. Take care, though, -to wash the material well in cold water so there may not be a fresh -apple stain. - -Ammonia removes acid discolorations; it also mitigates perspiration -marks. Use the spirits, and follow with alcohol and water, dabbed on -lightly. - -=Wine Stains=: Wet wine stains with alcohol or whisky and soak an hour -in cold water, else pour boiling water through them with the fabric held -taut, and dry before laundering. This for table linen. Stained silk or -cloth must be dabbed many times with tepid water, pressing with dry -cloths between dabbings. Do not make wet enough to leave circles. Shake -finely powdered chalk on thickly when the dabbing is done, let it lie -for a day, then brush off, and if a mark remains dab with alcohol and -water, blood warm, or hold the stain with the wrong side next a steaming -spout, wiping it off well as soon as it is damp. - -=Ink Stains=: If ink is spilled on a carpet, take up every bit possible -with warm, damp cloths, letting them lie to absorb it. Follow with -cloths wet in cold, sweet milk, rubbing and dabbing vigorously. Wash -afterward with clear hot water, then sift on, while damp, cornmeal or -dry sawdust and let stand a day, brush off, and wipe the spot over with -alcohol. Lacking cloths, crumpled paper, newspaper, or blotting-paper -can be used to take up the ink. Never wipe it, and take up about the -edges first, to save spreading. - -Take stains from wood with oxalic-acid solution (see section -Renovators). Reduce one-half with boiling water, wet the stain, wipe off -with clear, hot water; if stain remains, repeat the acid. Use the acid -on white things ink-stained, wetting them first with boiling water and -holding the stain in steam or close to a very hot iron for a minute or -two after dipping in the acid. Wash out the acid with clear water, as -hot as can be borne. - -Take ink stains from paper by laying it on a thick cloth, putting on a -drop or two of acid, covering with another cloth, and pressing with a -hot iron. Remove to a clean, wet cloth, cover, and press again. - -Oxalic acid must not be used full strength on silk or woolens. Weaken -two-thirds with boiling water, and pour boiling water through the stain -after wetting with the acid. Test the color; if the acid destroys it, -try either covering the stain with a paste of French chalk and alcohol, -letting dry and brushing off, or dropping blazing tallow through from -the wrong side, and later removing it with gasolene or chloroform, the -same as an ordinary grease mark. The tallow must be left on several days -so it may combine with the ink. - -=Tar and Asphalt=: Rub tar spots with soft grease, let lie, and remove -with gasolene or by washing in hot suds. Asphalt should be well wet with -kerosene, left to stand, then washed out in turpentine or alcohol. Soap -sets it hopelessly if applied at first. - -=Grass Stains=: Rub molasses well into the stains, let lie overnight, -then wash out with tepid water, repeating if the stain still shows. If a -brown mark is left, wet with weak chloride of lime water (see section -Renovators) and hang in hot sunshine or close to a fire. - -=Iron Rust=: Take out with oxalic acid the same as ink stains. Else -cover thickly with salt after wetting in boiling water, lay in sunshine -over bright tin, and squeeze on lemon juice or that of a ripe tomato. -Wash out in hot water, repeating if necessary. - -=Mildew=: Wet with boiling water, wring dry, then dip in sour milk, lay -in sun, and cover thickly with salt. Or beat a raw, ripe apple to a -pulp, mix with salt liberally, and spread on the spots in the sun. Salt -and lemon, salt and tomato, or oxalic acid will likewise remove mildew. -The advantage of fruit processes is that they do no harm to the fabric, -which the oxalic acid weakens somewhat, no matter how carefully used. -Very fine and choice mildewed fabrics should be covered with a paste of -sifted starch and laid on the grass in sunshine. Wash off paste and -repeat till mildew disappears. - -=Wax Spots=: Soften, dip in warm oil, let lie an hour, keeping warm, -wash in turpentine, then in alcohol or gasolene. - -=Perspiration Marks=: Try dry-cleaning, sifting upon them over and over -and over corn starch, magnesia, and French chalk. Rub lightly after each -sifting. If the mark remains, try ether. Make a swab of soft white silk -filled with the powder, pour on the ether a little at a time, and dab -the swab. Put a drop or so of ammonia spirit upon the swab—not enough to -change colors. If ether fails, deluge with chloroform, rubbing inward -hard until it evaporates. Such marks are the problem of amateur -cleaning—the hardest of all to remove. - -=Smoke Stains=: Shave half a bar of soap into a cup of boiling water, -dissolve, add a cup of turpentine, a cup of kerosene, and a half cup of -ammonia spirit. Mix, and cover close. Spread on the stain, let stand -five minutes, then rub hard with the lead swab (see section Equipment) -and wash off with hot water and a thick cloth. If the stain is on -plaster, as around a grate, use a brush instead of the swab, which is, -for stone, brick, or marble, a sovereign thing. - -=Care of Iron=: Rust is the bane of iron; grease, its salvation. Coat -anything not in use well with hot tallow, and shake over it, still hot, -either fine sifted wood ashes or powdered unslaked lime. Wrap in clean -newspaper and keep dry. When wanted, brush hard with a stiff brush; -there will be a beautiful surface. Anything pitted with rust may as well -be thrown away. A merely rusty surface must be greased with clear fat, -left standing two days, wiped, washed in clear, very hot water, and -greased again. Three greasings should bring it into condition for -polishing. Wipe dry, coat with oil, shake on lime, and brush off after -twenty-four hours. Any alkali without grease predisposes iron to rust. -Eschew soap and soda in cleaning it. Use gasolene or turpentine or even -kerosene. A cloth wet in either will take off smut. Polish with crumpled -newspaper and a handful of hot sawdust. - -=Brass and Copper=: Remove tarnish from brass and copper with salt and -strong vinegar or oxalic acid (see section Renovators). Rub hard till -bright all over, wash in clear, very hot water, then while still hot -polish with a clean chamois skin dipped in sweet oil, and a pinch of -either whiting or very fine sand. Rub quickly, wipe with soft paper, -heat moderately, and set away. This gives the mellow old look. Copper -cooking-vessels must be scoured inside and out, first with the salt and -vinegar, then with soap and sand. A greasy cloth rubbed over the outside -protects them without being dangerous. If stains are deep enough to -demand oxalic acid, be sure to wash afterward with boiling water and -borax. - -=Bronze=: Wash bronze with a soft brush in hot, weak borax water, dry -quickly, keep warm, and rub all over with a clean cloth wet in -turpentine with the barest suspicion of wax. It must not coat the metal, -hardly even film it. Make bone-dry before setting away. - -=Pewter=: Remove spots with a swab of whiting lightly dipped in oil. -Wash in weak suds, rinse well with boiling water, dry, and polish with -hot sand and a stiff brush. - -=Silver Tarnish=: Tarnish, like a bad habit, must be checked in the -beginning. Prevention is better than cure. Keep big things, when not in -use, well wrapped in wax paper with blue paper outside that, and -absorbent cotton added. Put inside canton-flannel bags, tie tight, and -keep dark and dry. Watch all things not thus ambushed closely. Remove -spots as soon as visible, either with salt and whiting wet with borax -water or ammonia and French chalk. Rub hard and quickly, wash off, wipe -dry, and polish with dry whiting or plate powder, or what you will. -Treat egg-stained spoons with wet salt. Fortnightly at least wash every -bit of silver in sight in warm borax soapsuds, rinse in boiling water, -dry with clean towels, and rub lightly with sifted whiting. Cover -chasings and engraving with wet whiting, let dry, and brush it off. For -things in high relief fold chamois skin over the point of a blunt -skewer—thus you can rub the deeps. Count at each washing and keep sets -together. Upon a damp cleaning day lay a trayful of small things in a -half-warm oven, letting them stay till hot and dry. - -Clean toilet silver with oxalic acid of one-third strength, taking care -to touch with it nothing but the metal. Wipe with a cloth wrung very dry -out of hot water, and polish with a chamois dipped in alcohol and -whiting. Wrap a cloth about the bristles in cleaning brush backs, and -wipe with old silk after the polishing. - -=Things Gilded=: Wipe dust carefully from anything gilded with a soft -silk cloth, then polish with a clean chamois sprinkled lightly with -alcohol and dipped in thrice-sifted whiting. Rub steadily but not hard. -Blow dust from deep carvings with a hand bellows unless a vacuum cleaner -is in use. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - FOOD: CHOOSING AND KEEPING - - -=Flour=: Perfect flour has a slight yellow tinge and a faint, pleasant -smell, especially after wetting. Dazzling whiteness indicates bleaching; -a gray tinge or minute black specks, showing only under the microscope, -grinding from spoiled grain. Test by gripping a handful—if it remains -the shape of the hand and shows the lines of the palm, buy it. Gluten is -a most desirable element. Test for it by wetting a pinch to a stiff -dough, and washing the starch out of it in cold water. The greater and -tougher the stringy residue the greater the gluten content. Wet another -pinch very soft, take it betwixt thumb and finger, and try to spin a -thread. If it spins, all well; if it does not, but makes only blobs on -the finger tips, there is likely to have been corn ground with the -wheat. Another test for corn admixture is to dry a pinch, but not scorch -it, and rub between the finger tips. Pure wheat flour will not feel -gritty, but corn, no matter how finely ground, remains a little rough. - -Set flour barrels a little above the floor, and do not use the same one -continuously. Any wooden container may become a harbor for insects. A -japanned tin can, emptied and aired monthly, is best for keeping flour, -meal, or oatmeal in bulk. All should be kept where it is dry, airy, and -free of smells, as all take up taints very readily. - -=Cornmeal=: Fresh water-ground cornmeal has a pleasant smell, and runs -through the fingers without caking or clotting. A musty odor shows it is -too old. Meal from white flint corn is much the most desirable. Sift it -at need—the bran helps to keep it. Cornmeal kiln-dried and bolted, as it -has to be for the grocers to save it from spoiling, is, in a sort a -libel on the real thing. In it there is not much choice save between -fine and coarse grinding. Fine-ground makes clammy bread, hence is to be -avoided. But even kiln-drying should not quite take away the original -fragrance. Perfect meal shows under the microscope round white grains -like fairy hail. - -=Oatmeal=: Beware that which has much grain dust between the grains. -Examine carefully a double handful before buying in quantity; if you -find even one trace of weevil, reject it. Weevil and sundry -mites—_Acari_ in scientific parlance—are the bane of grain foods if they -are kept over long. Hence the caution of keeping them in bright metal -away from dampness and molds. - -=Buckwheat Flour=: Fresh buckwheat flour is of a slightly tawny cast and -a lively velvet feel. Mustiness means age—at first there is hardly any -smell. Clotting or caking indicates dampness either of grain or storage, -hence a product below grade. - -=Grits and Hominy=: Judge by the absence of grain dust and the even -grinding; grains the same size approximately cook evenly. Examine a -sprinkle through a magnifying-glass, and if there are signs of weevil or -mites do not buy at any price. A pocket magnifier is cheap and handy, -also it may save you many times its cost in a single month. - -=Coffee=: Green coffee beans break with a clean fracture, and if the -break is ragged or spongy there has been mold or heating. Roasted beans -should show one-half very dark brown, the other half black but not -scorched. Crack between the teeth; you can taste scorching. Fresh-ground -coffee is stronger and more flavorous than that ground in bulk. Also -there is less chance of adulteration. To test for adulteration, stir a -pinch of ground coffee into a glass of cold water. Pure coffee settles -to the bottom, leaving hardly a trace of color. Chicory will rise to the -top, also making a kind of scum. Adulteration with roasted grain or -bread or the artificial beans will color the water more or less deeply. -Keep coffee in bright tin or glass, tightly closed, away from light, -where it is dry and cool. - -=Tea=: Tea is largely a matter of taste and brands, also prices. Very -cheap tea is undesirable, being commonly adulterated with spent tea -leaves. Tests vary as much as brands. A safe and easy one is to infuse a -pinch of tea one minute in boiling water, pour off one-half, and let the -other half stand, keeping at almost boiling heat for ten minutes. Pour -off and compare in smell and taste with the first. Artificial color, if -present, will show as dregs in the long steeping and reveal itself -further in a faint metallic taste. Various copper salts are the -commonest coloring matters, and, though the quantities are too small to -be immediately dangerous, constant use may develop stomach trouble. Tea -is best kept air-tight, dark, dry, and warm. - -=Butter=: Beware butter too yellow, especially if winter-packed. Butter -colors are harmless in the main, but some constitutions are intolerant -of them. Look for firm texture slightly grained and a lively, agreeable -smell. A sour smell and white specks show something to let alone. Keep -tightly covered, dark, and cool, away from any possibility of taints. - -=Lard=: If you do not know, experimentally, good fresh lard, get leaf -fat, try it out, taking care not to scorch it, and use the product as a -standard. Lard must be firm, but not hard, even-textured throughout, and -with almost no smell. Your nose, if permitted, will tell you if it is -either scorched or rancid—the two unpardonable faults. From grain-fed -pork it is clear white, with now and then a faint cream tinge. Keep in -glass or bright tin, tightly closed, where it is cool and dark. - -=Cheese=: As to choice of cheese one cannot dogmatize; so much depends -on individual palates. Get the best you can afford of your chosen sort. -Good cheese cuts grainy rather than waxy—it is not too greasy, -reasonably solid, and free, of course, of mites or weevil. Cut a section -from a whole cheese, then butter well the cut surfaces, cover with wax -paper, and keep dark, dry, and cool. Wrap the cut-out section in wax -paper likewise, and keep in a covered crock for daily use. Keep fancy, -strong-smelling cheeses well wrapped in tinfoil, then in wax paper, and -laid inside a covered crock, set in a cool place. - -=Beef=: Prime beef comes only from well-fatted animals, neither too -young nor too old. Fat and suet are white, inclining faintly to cream; -lean a dark, healthy red, which becomes brighter by hanging. Very yellow -fat and scarlet lean indicate a condition below first class. The meat -should not cut dry when raw, but neither should liquid follow the -cleaver. - -=Mutton and Lamb=: The fat over the ribs is the best index of quality; -if it is half an inch or more, the animal was thriving. The fat should -be white with hardly a trace of yellow, the lean a fine purply red, not -too deep. Follow your nose in buying all manner of butcher’s stuff, -remembering cooking will never work the miracle of making sound the -unsound. Good spring lamb has very white fat, with lean inclining to -pinkish red. If the rib fat covers the whole surface, all is well. The -caul fat should be in lumps as big as the finger end. A strong sheepy -smell of either lamb or mutton shows animals badly dressed, or, in case -of mutton, too old. Press a bare finger hard upon the outer surface; if -the meat feels grainy there has probably been treatment with some -preservative. - -=Pork=: Clear white fat and lean of a lively pink-red show perfect pork. -It cannot well be too fat, yet if there are lumps or inflamed spots in -the kidney fat, let it alone. Press hard on the skin; it should be -elastic, and be sure there is only a fleshy smell. Sniff the big -joints—spoiling begins there. Sniff sausage likewise, and reject if too -highly seasoned. The seasoning may disguise less pleasant smells. It -should be red and white speckled, the color predominant; five pounds of -lean to three of fat is the best proportion. - -=Salt Meats=: Streaky bacon should have white fat and dark-red -lean—yellow fat is undesirable. It must smell lightly of smoke and have -also a tang of salt. Salt pork must be very white and firm, the lean of -it showing a dull-pale red. Hams must have white fat, thick and firm, -and lean of a rich, clear red just the least inclined to purple. Look -close around the bone; if the fat there is white and firm the ham is all -right. It must, of course, have been well smoked. But too thick smoke, -shown by a black-brown color, is undesirable. Corned beef should be -clear red, firm, and clean-smelling. Dried beef should have a firm, dark -outside and be a dark, clear red within. If it shaves to slivers partly -transparent, it is very nearly perfect. - -=Poultry=: All poultry save capons can be too fat. But it had better be -too fat than too lean. Choose light-colored fat and firm pinky-white -flesh. See that combs are fresh-colored, leg joints flexible, and skin -soft. Much hard, deep-yellow fat indicates age. Milk-fed poultry, so -called, is mainly so called—it may have got milk, but much else went -with it. With ducks and geese, pull open the eyelids; if the eyes are -filmed the birds are likely to have been killed too long. Freezing -injures the quality of poultry. Dry-picked poultry is much more -desirable than that which is scalded. To test for age look at the -legs—scaliness is a sure mark of age. Press hard upon the breast bone; -in a young fowl it bends a little, in an old one it is rigid. - -=Keeping Fresh Meat and Poultry=: Never put meat or poultry in contact -with ice, neither lay them flat in dish or pan. Put a rack under the -meat, then set the pan in the refrigerator, first wiping the meat with a -damp (not wet) cloth. This until cooking-time. Things to be kept several -days should be well wiped, laid on waterproof paper, have lumps of -charcoal put round and about, then wrapped, tied, put in cheesecloth -bags, and hung where it is cool and airy. Lacking such hanging space, -lay them on racks close to ice. - -=Salt Fish=: Keep salt fish, whether dry or in brine, well away from all -else. A good place for them is a big box with a tight cover, the cracks -filled inside with putty and covered outside with paper. Put a shelf -across for boxes and cartons; stand kits on the floor. Hinge on the top -as a door, and fasten with hook and staple. Set the box on short legs, -else put bricks under the corners. - -=Things in Glass=: Glass jars, whether of preserves, fruit, or -vegetables, had better be wrapped in paper, held on by a rubber band, -and set so as not to touch. They should be kept where it is dark, dry, -clean, and cool, on slat shelves or plank ones bored full of half-inch -holes. Light, through its weird actinic rays, plays hob with flavors, -and may even induce worse things. Yet jellies set in full sunlight for, -say, ten days gain a richer texture and keep better ever after. - -=Fruit and Vegetable Storage=: With a cool, dry, airy cellar have -movable bins of slats with firm, low legs, whitewashed yearly inside and -out. Store in them apples, potatoes, sweet and Irish, turnips, carrots, -beets, what not. Lay grapes, choosing perfect bunches only, upon -swinging slat shelves and cover with cheese cloth. In a temperature -around forty degrees there will be no rotting nor drying up, provided -only sound things have been brought in. - -=Canning Things=: The secret of success in canning things is perfect -sterilization. Do the work if possible in bright, windy weather, out -doors if you can; if not, in a kitchen very clean and well aired. Bring -into it no specked or rotten things—decay is a ferment the same as -yeast, and spores of it spread through the air. It is better to prepare -things outside. Drop apples, pears, or peaches in water as pared or -hulled, and keep them covered until ready to cook. Have two kettles of -syrup, one bubbling, the other barely simmering. Have a boiler of -boiling water for the jars. Empty a jar just at the moment of using, -fill it running over with boiling-hot fruit and seal instantly. The -simmering-kettle is for filling up the other. Keep the bubbling-kettle -filled with syrup to capacity, drop in barely fruit enough to fill a -jar, cook for five minutes, then seal. A few cloves and a blade of mace -in the top of each can improve flavor. Use at least half weight of sugar -to fruit—three-fifths is better. Invert after sealing and screw tops -harder when cool. If a can leaks, empty it, reheat, fill, and seal -securely. Set hot jars away from draughts until cool. Remember, though, -the fruit which comes out of your cans will be just as good and no -better than what went into them. Therefore spend your time and strength -only on good fruit, ripe, but not over-ripe. - -=Outdoor Pantries=: Save in the very hottest weather edibles, cooked or -raw, keep better in fresh air than in a refrigerator. An outdoor pantry -can be set on a back porch or on legs in a shady yard, or even made fast -to the wall. A goods box, whitewashed, set firmly about waist high, -furnished with shelves inside and a door of screen wire, will hold meat, -milk, cakes, pies, bread, surplus fruit, raw or cooked, and keep them to -the queen’s taste. Have clean bags with drawstrings to slip over dishes -of meat, as hams, roasts, a fowl in wait for Sunday dinner. Lay raw meat -upon lumps of charcoal, put other lumps over it, and wrap tight in clean -cloth, then lay upon a rack or slat shelf. Put milk in a bright tin -bucket with a tight cover, stand it in a pan, put in half inch of water, -then wrap the milk bucket with a thick cloth, letting it touch the -water. It will keep damp and, by evaporation, cool the milk. - -Where ice is hard to get have holes made with a post-hole digger, a foot -across and four feet deep. Fit stout wooden tops to them big enough to -lap an inch all round. Put a handle on firmly and screw a stout hook in -the middle underneath. Suspend things from this hook by a cord or light -chain, as a bucket of milk, or butter, a bottle of wine, water, or grape -juice, or a bag of fruit. Fresh meat even can be kept several days, of -course wrapping it well before hanging it. Rain ruins this form of cold -storage, but for camps, summer bungalows, and so on it is a very present -help. - -A greater one is a dry well either rock-walled or planked up. Have it -seven to eight feet deep, wide enough for a ladder, and set shelves -around the edge. Or it may be simply dug, covered, and things let down -into it at the end of strings. An abandoned well or cistern comes in -handy for such use. If deep and dry, whole carcasses as of lambs, sheep, -pigs, or deer can be hung and kept safe. - -=Dried Fruit=: Keep sun-dried fruit in a warm, airy place, sunning it -often. Look it over for worms, throw out infested bits, scald the -residue one minute in full boiling water, spread thin, and dry in the -oven. In a long damp spell bring dried fruit into the kitchen and hang -where heat will strike it, but away from steam. All this applies equally -to sun-dried vegetables, such as corn, okra, and green peas, likewise to -beans and peas full grown. - -=Keeping Rich Cake=: Plum cake, spice cake, or iced pound cake keep a -long time treated thus: Pour a teaspoonful of brandy upon the under -side, let it soak in, then wrap the whole loaf in a clean cloth and -sprinkle with brandy. Put into an earthen crock with a tight cover, lay -a fresh apple on top, and keep shut. Once a week set the crock upon a -cooling range until warm through, removing the apple while warming. Put -in a fresh apple every fortnight, and renew the brandy treatment at the -same time. Plum cake almost demands this keeping, being better for a -year of it. Other cakes should not be kept over six months. - -=Keeping Melons for Christmas=: Plant melons so they will ripen a little -before frost. Build a rail pen, floor it two feet above ground, and lay -on the floor a foot of corn stalks well packed. Stand other stalks about -the edge, then fill in a foot of fresh corn husks. Bed in these the -melons, cut each with a short length of vine, and the vine ends dipped -in melted paraffine. Wrap the melons in tissue paper, take care not to -let them touch nor lie too close to the stalk wall. Cover with another -foot of husks, packed down firmly, but not rammed. Over these put more -corn stalks, filling the pen with them. Lay on a slanted roof of boards, -weighting them in place. - -=Fresh Eggs=: A strictly fresh egg has a tiny air space at either end -betwixt shell and lining. Lying makes the air bubbles rise and join. A -fresh egg sinks in water end down, one less fresh commonly lies on its -side. Break an egg, empty the shell, look in the ends; if the spaces are -lacking it is not fresh. Or boil hard—a fresh yolk will have white -evenly all round. After some days the yolk will be near the shell or -pressing against it. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - IX - - HOUSE PLANTS, WINDOW BOXES, CUT FLOWERS - - -=Soil=: Soil for pots and boxes must be very rich and light. Mix it of -one-half well-rotted animal manure, one-quarter leaf mold or rotted -sods, and one-quarter good loam. If the loam is heavy clay make it -one-half clean sand. Heap and keep under cover, away from sun-baking and -the leaching of rain. Sift for use. Sprinkle now and again to keep it -moist. - -=Pots=: Use clean pots and sound. Break up cracked ones for drainage. -Wash pots as soon as empty, stack, and stand in air. Wash again before -using, dry, then wipe over outside with a cloth wet in copperas water. -This to prevent the annoying green scum. Repeat the wiping over with -copperas water about once a month. Keep pot surfaces clean—their dull -red, so kept, is more artistic than any jardinière. Further, it makes -for plant health—a clean pot admits air to the roots. - -=Window Boxes=: Window boxes must be well drained. If set outside it is -imperative that they be made fast. Lacking regular window guards, use -hooks and staples. Paint wooden boxes dull green outside and white -inside. Choose tile ones to harmonize with walls and windows. Have -uniform boxes for a row of windows—this applies equally to boxes proper -and what grows in them. Indoor boxes should have zinc trays fitted to -them, with strips laid across to insure drainage. - -=Potting=: Pots must be proportioned to their contents. A hyacinth bulb -will thrive in a four-inch pot. A clump of three will grow in a six-inch -one; it should be shallow. A shallow eight-inch pot will hold a dozen -tulips or Roman hyacinths or two dozen crocuses. Broad pots, rather -shallow, are best for all manner of bulbs save the tall-growing lilies, -such as the Amaryllis family, Auratum, and Easter lilies. Plant rooted -cuttings in two-inch pots, shifting them as they grow. Over-potting is a -drawback, especially with flowering things. Do not shift until the pot -is filled with roots—test for that by turning out—and shift to the next -size. Seasonal bulbs rarely require shifting, but those kept year in and -out must be separated from their offsets and given fresh earth. In -shifting put an inch of broken pot in first, arranging a big bit over -the hole, fill in a little earth, then set the plant upon it; the ball -at its root should come within an inch of the top. Hold it plumb and -fill in sifted earth about it, shaking the pot gently after each -handful. Shake hard when the pot is full; fill in chinks around the edge -and put a little fresh earth on top, then water freely but without -splashing. Let it drain and set in place. Always have something -underneath to catch the drip. Glazed ware is better than the clay -saucers—they make damp spots. - -Plant bulbs their own depth in earth except the finer lilies. Set them -only a little way in earth. It is safer to make a little hole in the -earth, put in a handful of clean sand, and bed the bulb in the sand. -Keep very wet—sand will not rot the bulb surface. Fill up with soil an -inch higher, but keep it away from the bulb with a sand blanket, and put -a very thin layer of sand on top. Plant ordinary bulbs in succession -from September to December, keep damp and dark for some weeks to insure -root growth, then bring to light, water, and fertilize, turning every -three days to make symmetrical. - -=Plant Choice=: No plant will live long without light—few will thrive -without more or less sunlight. The green-and-white Aspidastra is the -hardiest in this respect. Plants used for interior decoration must be -often shifted, set in light, fertilized, and bathed till thrifty, while -others in good condition take their places. Weekly changes will maintain -a proper effect. Palms and ferns are most satisfactory for such uses; -flowering things get ragged very quickly. Begonias carefully tended and -not allowed to dry out nor get hot make a brave showing. So do -wax-leafed woody things—dwarf orange and lemon trees, rubber trees, -dwarf evergreens and box trees. - -=Plants for a North Light=: Fuschia stands pre-eminent, next to that -thrifty ferns, ivy of both sorts, dwarf evergreens, spiderwort, -moneywort, and trailing box vine. An hour or two of sunlight will -suffice for all these, other conditions to their mind; also, in their -season, for pansies, violets, and the dwarf Japanese morning glories so -wonderful in color and texture. - -=Filling Window Boxes=: Make fast, put a layer of broken pot over the -bottom, upon that a very thin layer of excelsior. Cover two inches deep -with fine earth, then arrange roots of your trailers along the outer -edge and bank up with more earth. Next put in the plants, crowding them -rather thickly, pack earth around and about them, water freely, make -sure all plants stand straight, then shower plentifully, using a fine -sprinkler. Water every day—twice daily in very hot weather—shower every -other day, and fertilize once a week. This if the plants thrive. If they -turn a sickly yellow, starve a bit, after watering plentifully with -water a little too hot to bear your hand in. - -=Choice of Window Plants=: Flowering geraniums deserve first place for a -season’s bloom. White and pink ones smothered in green look better -against a red brick wall than scarlet or crimson. But scarlet and white, -or scarlet and crimson with feathery green, such as asparagus sprengeri, -are beautiful against white walls, brown or buff ones, or any sort of -stone. Pansies with alyssum edges are lovely while they last. Choose -them for early spring, putting in geraniums or primroses later. Potted -bulbs show beautifully in window boxes with edges of trailing green. -Rose geraniums in window boxes help to drive away flies. Piazza boxes in -midsummer have nothing more effective than the savage splendors of -gladioli. Plant in double row, starting the bulbs in pots and setting -out when a foot high. Nasturtiums also make a splendid show. So do all -the tribe of begonia, provided the sun is not too hot. Morning and -evening rays suit them. - -=Palms and Ferns=: Small thrifty plants need to be shifted yearly. After -they reach a good size do not shift, fertilize instead. Keep pot -surfaces clean, set at least a foot above the floor, water plentifully -and regularly, but do not let it stand at the roots. Sprinkle or wipe -with a damp cloth weekly, and monthly give a plunge bath in your own -bath water. Let stand till barely tepid, then tie a cloth over the -earth, and lay your plant on its side in the tub. Splash and scrub well, -set upright, drain off water, and shower well with clear, clean water. -Bathing thus is the best insurance of health and a protection against -the depredations of every sort of pest. - -=Roses and Woody Things in General=: Only a very few roses are adapted -to house culture unless there is a greenhouse for their refreshing. The -catalogues name them. Get vigorous year-old plants and bake the earth -for planting them at least an hour in a moderate oven. This to insure -against the beetle which lives in earth and has no other cure than -prevention. Make the earth very fine, sift it lightly through the roots, -water well, put on more earth, wet it, fill up the pot, drench, drain, -and set in light, but away from sunlight, for several days. Pinch off -any flower buds, also new ones appearing before the rose is well -established. After thrifty growth sets in let bloom, but not overbloom. -Pinch off all but the most promising buds. Water with tepid suds weekly. -In between give liquid manure. Make it strong—roses are gross feeders. -Bathe often, keep warm and in light, turning every other day. The -many-flowered roses sold around the holidays are good for nothing but to -be set out in the border after their bloom is past. - -Fuchsias, azaleas, lemon verbenas, the spireas, and genesta require much -the same care. Fuchsias, as has been said, do not demand full sun. Also -they like a moderate temperature. The others thrive in heat and light. -So do camellias and gardenias. These, however, are apt to disappoint -anybody without a genius for growing things. Rubber trees too big for -the plunge bath must have their leaves well wiped with white soapsuds, -then with clear water. Tall palms demand the same care. All plants need -a moist atmosphere, so keep water on radiators and wet sponges over -registers. This is as good for people as for plants. - -=Fertilizers and Fertilizing=: Liquid manure is an ideal fertilizer so -far as concerns the plants themselves. It has the drawback of a bad -odor. To use it set the plants outdoors, give in sufficient quantity, -let soak in, then water well with warm water and leave to air some -hours. To make, put well-rotted manure in something tight, pour boiling -water upon it, stir well, and let stand. Stir again before dipping -out—it should be as thick as cream. After using it on window boxes close -the windows until the smell is gone. Things too big to move can be -fertilized and the windows left open, closing doors—so fertilize in mild -weather. The odor will pass in two hours if the tepid watering has been -thorough. - -Many good commercial fertilizers are almost or quite odorless—ammoniated -bone meal, for example. There is also a fertilizer in lozenge form which -is scentless and wonderfully effective. Dissolve a lozenge in boiling -water, let stand all night, then stir well and apply. Give a teacup—the -same as of liquid manure—to a ten-inch pot, a tablespoonful to a -four-inch one, and half that to a thumb pot. A quart will be none too -much for a three-foot window box filled with soft-stemmed plants. They -demand more than woody plants. Over-fertilizing is bad—it turns leaves -yellow and scants bloom. Plants suffer indigestion the same as people. -The remedy for it is to set them in a sink or on a grating and pour hot -(not boiling) water through the pot until it runs out clear. - -=Insects and Insecticides=: Insects are the pest of house plants. The -worst of them are plant lice, mealy bugs, white and black flies, red -spider, and the various scales. All are fought with pretty much the same -weapons—namely, soap and water, smoke, and eternal vigilance. -Greenhouses and hothouses are almost universally infested. Hence every -new plant must be suspected. Do not set it among other plants clean and -thrifty for at least a fortnight, and then only after a thorough bath. A -plant badly infested had better be thrown away, and quickly. Flies white -and black are hardest to fight; they fly away at a touch on the pot. Set -the infested plant apart, with a stick standing higher than itself fast -in earth, throw a thin cloth over, letting it reach the ground all -around, then slip under it a lighted smudge, and set over cloth and -plant either a box or a barrel, with paper pasted over the cracks. Let -stand two hours, then plunge in a tepid bath, keeping on the cloth until -well under water. This to hold in any flies left living. Splash well, -drain, and while damp dust with either insect powder or finely crumbled -tobacco, putting it on both sides of the leaves. - -For plant lice spray thickly with strong tobacco water, leave an hour, -then bathe, and dust with more tobacco. A little flowers of sulphur -mixed in makes the treatment more effectual. Bathe in suds (carbolic -soap, if possible) next day, and follow with a clear tepid shower. - -Red spider is invisible until it appears as red blotches upon foliage. -Water, and still more water, combined with smoking cures it. Shower -infested plants heavily every day for a fortnight, smoke with tobacco -twice a week, and keep well dusted with either tobacco or pyrethrum -powder. Mealy bugs, which are white and woolly, as big as grains of -wheat, should have a sulphur dusting after smoking and bathing. All the -big scales, which are never very numerous unless plants are fatally -neglected, should be hand-picked, then the plant well washed with -whale-oil soapsuds dashed with carbolic acid. San José scale, which is -almost invisible but feels like fine rough sand upon the under sides of -leaves and over stalks, is so deadly and difficult any plant found -infested should be burned at once, the pot broken, and the earth soaked -with boiling water. Cures for it there are, but too difficult for -amateurs, withal somewhat dangerous. - -Buy tobacco dust, make tobacco water. Pour a gallon of boiling water -upon a pound of tobacco stems, let stand a day, keeping warm, strain and -use. Cut the spent stems fine and mix through potting soil. Enough -tobacco water to color it mixed in makes a plunge bath more effective -against insects. Make smudges thus: put a few slivers of wood or half a -dozen matches crossed in a small flat tin, cover with either pyrethrum -powder, tobacco dust, cut up stalks, unspent, or flowers of sulphur -mixed with fine damp sawdust. Light, see that there is not too much -blaze, and set beneath plants. Do not make smudges big enough to give -out scalding heat; better two or three small ones if heavy smoke is -required. - -Red rust and brown scale, the special enemies of palms, need to be -washed off with strong carbolic soapsuds and a soft brush before bathing -and smoking. - -=Earth Worms=: Lime water is the remedy for earth worms. Stick holes in -the earth quite to the bottom, then pour on clear lime water (see -section Renovators) till it stands on top. The worms will crawl up to -escape it. Lime water is also good to sweeten sour earth. Give a half -cup after the hot-water treatment. Dig up the earth in pots so as to -keep a light, clean surface. Green scum, while not dangerous, does not -make for plant health. - -=For Roaches=, dip cut potatoes in arsenic mixed with sugar and lay cut -side down on the pots and about them. Gather up every morning, dropping -instantly into a vessel of boiling water—this to destroy such insects as -remain alive. But never put out poison if there are children in the -house. - -=Cuttings=: Cuttings root best in clean sand, kept very wet and warm and -under glass. Make the cuttings of new wood, neither soft nor fully ripe. -Cut with at least two eyes—three are better—slant cuts, and set in sand -slantwise, with one eye above the surface. Shift as soon as growth -begins fully to thumb-pots, and keep the pots plunged in another box of -sand. Make geranium cuttings, whether scented or flowering, of healthy -stalks full of sap and vigor. June is the best time to make cuttings of -lemon verbena, fuchsia, heliotrope, and roses. Tips of strong shoots -from either fuchsia or heliotrope will root then almost for the chance. -Chrysanthemums from cuttings of the flower stalk give much finer bloom -than those from old roots. - -Leaf cuttings are interesting. Tuberous begonias root thus readily. -Roses are more difficult. Peg down the leaf on wet sand under glass, -make tiny cuts in it, and keep very wet in sunshine. Roots will strike -from the cuts after they have calloused. - -Summing up, the needs of a house plant are the same as those of a human -being—air, light, food, water, cleanliness, and love. - -=Cut Flowers=: Cut flowers early in the morning, stand loosely upright -in clean water away from light until they can be arranged. In hot -weather sprinkle lightly if arranging must wait, and cover with a light -cloth. Florist blossoms must be kept cool and damp; stand the holder in -the bathtub, draw three inches of cold water, and spread something over -them. - -In arranging do not mix nor crowd. Tulips with only their own stalks and -leaves are wonderfully decorative, but a single other bloom makes them -blotchy. No green save the featheriest asparagus fern should ever go -with flowers which have handsome foliage. Lay fern fronds upon the cloth -rather than disfigure with them a centerpiece of roses. Tall, stiff -stems, as jonquils, narcissi, and lilies, absolutely require tall, -slender holders. So do long-stemmed roses, especially the cloth-yard -American Beauties. It is vandalism to put anything with them. Carnations -bear massing, but the vase should have space about it. Lilies lose -immeasurably by crowding. A single handsome tall stalk gives -distinction, where three or four imperfect ones huddled would be -commonplace. - -Half a dozen roses with fine foliage will make a handsome centerpiece -thus: put into a low, flat bowl, rather flaring, a woven-wire cake rack -nearly the same size. Cut stalks, if long, to six inches. Use the -cut-off stems to mat through the woven wire. Cover well with cold water, -then arrange the flowers so each will show for itself, thrusting the -stems between the wires at the proper angle. A wreath of asparagus fern -laid on the cloth outside adds much more to the effect than if the green -were twined among the flowers. Lacking a cake rack, flatten a big potato -after peeling it, make holes in the upper surface with a wire nail, and -anchor the stems in them. - -Hanging-holders for trailers should have something inside—wet sand or -wire net—to hold their contents stable. If a tall flower pot is set in a -niche or corner, arrange a light to fall directly on it, as a fairy lamp -or tall candle set upon a bracket. Beware of having too many flowers, -and particularly too many sorts. Even blossoms can swear at each -other—decoratively. - -=Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh=: Flowers sent long distances need special -care. Stick the stalks of roses in sections of potato, else seal by -dipping in melted paraffine, then roll each separately in wax paper so -it forms a tube. Lay the tubes together in a stanch box, cut holes in -either end after it is wrapped and tied. The roses should be between bud -and half blow. Chrysanthemums can be sent the same way by either mail or -express. So can camellias and gardenias, but they change color so -quickly after opening they are hardly worth the trouble. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - X - - DISINFECTANTS, INSECTS, INSECTICIDES - - -=Quicklime=: Put big lumps in broad earthen platters, set on floors of -cellars, outhouses, or barns, and slack with copperas water. - -=Charcoal=: Lay lumps in vegetable bins or on cellar shelves. Hang other -lumps in bags of coarse net on cellar and pantry walls. Heat every month -or so to maintain absorbent power. - -=Borax=: Sprinkle powdered borax freely over smelly places—under sinks, -around plumbing, over pantry shelves, and on floors where cans are set. -It is so safe, so wholesome, even spilling it is worth while. - -=Washing-soda=: Dissolve a pound in a pint of boiling water and flush -sink pipes, refrigerator drains, and set tubs with it. - -=Copperas= (green vitriol, otherwise sulphate of iron): Dissolve a pound -in a gallon of water; it will take several hours. Dilute one-half with -boiling water and flush water closets, bath pipes, set bowls, and so -forth. Sprinkle thus diluted over smelly earth, as in chicken runs, -kennel floors, stall floors, and where garbage stands. Use liberally on -garbage, in earth closets, or privies, also on standing water infested -with green scum. A gallon added to a pot of whitewash gives a yellow -tinge and makes the wash more sanitary. - -=Bluestone=: Bluestone, sulphate of copper, must be dissolved in the -same proportions. It is a germicide more than disinfectant, especially -valuable where there have been sick animals. Dilute with four times its -bulk of boiling water or mix through hot whitewash. It is staple against -seed infection, as smuts and molds. The most part of garden seed sprout -and grow better for wetting with the dilute solution and drying before -planting. - -=White Vitriol=: Sulphate of zinc, a powerful astringent germicide, -needs care in handling. Dissolve it, four ounces to the half gallon of -water, strain, and put into clean bottles. Keep dark, corked tightly. -Use to clean and disinfect sores from frost bite or indolent ulcers. -Dilute with five times as much tepid rain water. Use on the combs of -poultry when raw from frost, also for scaly leg and the ail known as -“bumble-foot.” - -=Bichloride of Mercury=: The king among disinfectants, also one of the -deadliest among poisons. Dissolve in boiling rain water, four ounces to -the gallon. Let stand; it dissolves slowly. Keep in glass, tightly -corked, plainly labeled “poison.” Dilute one-half for use in the sick -room. But put on full strength when fighting bed bugs. - -=Bordeaux Mixture=: Staple for spraying against molds, etc. One pound -blue vitriol dissolved in five gallons rain water and added to one pound -powdered unslaked lime mixed to a cream with rain water. Stir well, and -strain before spraying. Dilute one-half to three-fourths; if too strong -it scorches vegetation. - -=Kerosene Emulsion=: Stir hard together in an earthen vessel a quart of -buttermilk and half a gallon kerosene. Stir with wood until thick and -buttery. Use full strength to paint tree trunks and hard branches in -winter, but dilute at least ten times for use on green things. Mix with -warm water, twenty parts to one for spraying against plant lice. For -fighting red spider stir a little sulphur into the emulsion before -diluting. Spray late—as near night as possible. - -=Bisulphide of Lime=: Sure death to either animal or plant lice. Mix in -equal quantity flowers of sulphur and powdered quicklime, cover two -inches with boiling water, boil five hours, filling up and adding more -water till there is three times the original quantity. Dilute the -result, a brown smelly liquid, one hundred times for use either as wash -or spray. - -=Against Garden Pests=: Mix any arsenical powder—London purple, -Scheele’s green, or Paris green—with its own bulk of flour and twice its -bulk of slaked lime, and dust upon plants while damp. Good for potato -beetles, squash bugs, flea bugs, grasshoppers, cut worms, and cabbage -worms. Use in a powder gun or tie in a thin bag, fasten it to a long -pole and shake so as to coat plants evenly. - -=Larkspur=: Larkspur destroys lice and mites. Sow rather thick, cut when -beginning to flower, dry in shade. Strip leaves and buds when full dry, -powder, and keep in glass. Save stems and coarse stalks to make tea. -Infuse for twelve hours, then boil for two, strain, and reduce by -boiling another hour. Use in suds a cup to the quart, or in whitewash a -pint to the gallon. Make an ointment by either stewing tender tips in -lard or fresh butter in a water bath until the grease is well colored or -by putting with it the infusion at full strength and stewing out the -water. Stir in a little flowers of sulphur, a teaspoonful to the pint, -for use on cattle or horses. Grease back of the ears, under the throat, -and along the backbone. Grease poultry under the wings, around the neck, -and on top of the head. Blow larkspur powder into the hair of dogs and -cats after bathing them. - -=For Flies and Mosquitoes=: Stop the beginnings. Burn or bury garbage. -Spray all possible fly beds well with copperas water daily. Be prodigal -of whitewash wherever it will stick. Flush drains well with boiling soda -water and use copperas water or carbolic suds to spray earth on which -waste water discharges. Keep manure piles covered with fresh earth, also -wet daily with copperas water. Set fly traps outdoors wherever the pests -congregate. Fill a tumbler two-thirds with suds and lay a cardboard over -with a hole in the middle. Smear syrup on the underside for bait. Empty -twice a day, burning the drowned flies. Boil together two ounces ground -black pepper, four ounces sugar, and a cup of sweet milk, set the syrup -shallowly in plates—the flies will do the rest. The mixture kills them, -but is harmless to anything else. Oil of lavender sprayed will drive out -flies temporarily. So will rose geranium bruised to smell strongly. -Screen every opening with wire gauze or cheesecloth, make cheesecloth -covers, rounds with wire in the hems, to protect hot food, be diligent -with fly paddles, and avoid slopping, also throwing out slops on the -ground. - -Mosquitoes, say the wise men, are a local issue, bred in standing water. -Wherefore leave no water standing, not even a rusty canful. Cover rain -barrels with screen wire, pour crude kerosene upon ponds and pools. -Begin early, before buds swell. Keep it up until frost. Examine cellars, -especially barn cellars. Mosquitoes winter in them. Kill all such -lingerers with thick smoke—tobacco smoke or from pyrethrum powder or by -touching off a little gunpowder on a plate. Concussion makes the -mosquitoes drop; sweep up and burn. Concerted action is imperative. If -no man liveth or dieth unto himself, how much less so any man’s crop of -mosquitoes! Screens and smoke from punk sticks, pyrethrum, and dry -pennyroyal are the best weapons against attack. Oil of pennyroyal -likewise helps. Smear lightly on forehead, hands, and arms before going -to sleep. Wilting leaves of the stately castor bean, also tender -branches, hung about will drive out mosquitoes. - -Fleas harbor in light litter—hay, straw, leaves, most of all shed hair. -Flea-bearing animals have each their own species, which fight to the -death. There are also sand fleas. Fight with fire, smoke, water, oil of -pennyroyal, and fresh black-walnut leaves. Sprinkle kerosene on the -litter suspected; sweep up and burn. Oil sand beds likewise, else drench -with copperas water. Wet manure heaps with bichloride solution or -bisulphide of mercury. Gather walnut leaves in armfuls and crowd them -into places unsafe for oil or fire, as under piazzas, bungalow floors, -or low sheds. Put them also about rooms where fleas abound, tied in -thick bunches, and laid under beds or in closets. Gasolene where safe is -a mighty help. Paint floors and baseboard with it, in default of -bichloride solution. Painting with turpentine is also fairly effective. -Success is impossible, however, unless the flea-fighting extends to -animals as well. - -=Bed Bugs=: Bed bugs demand eternal vigilance, especially in apartments. -Make bedrooms and closets as nearly as possible bug proof by washing, -after cleaning thoroughly, with bichloride solution, then filling every -crack, cranny, and crevice with soft putty. Lay a thin rope of putty -along the baseboard on the floor and crowd down upon it quarter-round -molding cut to fit. Nail fast, and paint to match the baseboard. This is -an effectual seal for dividing wall on a common floor. Set collars of -the stiffest putty around steam pipes where they go in and out. Renew -them as often as they crack and crumble, but do not trust to them -entirely. Examine everything monthly—bed, furnishings, chairs, boxes, -the backs of pictures, books, and stacked papers. Paper in mass is a -favorite lurking place. Have white slips for mattresses; remove, turn, -examine seams, and wet corners with bichloride. Paint the mattress over -lightly with bichloride; it neither stains nor smells. Wipe the bedstead -and springs with a cloth wet in it, and drench crannies unwipable. Wipe -the backs of pictures and of dressers, in fact, any sheltered and static -space. Wipe the floor with bichloride, if bare, and wax or oil -afterward. Sprinkle a carpet or rugs well with bichloride, then sweep -with a broom dipped in very hot water. Empty closets, wipe over, examine -all accumulations of paper, boxes, etc. A bug overlooked will in a -month’s space infest a whole house. Couches of rattan, wicker, or -upholstered are strongholds of the blood-suckers. Set in air and drench -with benzine or gasolene, leave standing a day, and drench again, -shaking, brushing, and beating between drenchings. - -Wicker clothes hampers and baskets, also baby carriages, are other -strongholds. Scald hampers and baskets with boiling-hot soda water, then -paint over with turpentine and a little sweet oil. Use gasolene on the -carriages, applying with a thick brush rather than drenching. Repeat -twice in succession, wash everything washable, and sun for a week. - -=Moths=: Moths in upholstered things must be got rid of the same as bed -bugs (see preceding paragraph). Clean rugs thoroughly, spray on both -sides with gasolene or strong black-pepper tea, sun well, then roll up -between newspapers, tie fast, wrap spirally with stiff paper, fold ends -neatly, slip over them paper bags fitting accurately, paste down edges, -paste a strip of paper over the edge of the wrapping. Clean heavy coats -with gasolene or benzine, crowd newspaper into the sleeves, crumple more -newspaper thickly over the hanger, fasten the coat, slip over it a bag -of pasted newspapers, pass the hanger hook up through it, crumple the -paper tight around the shank and tie, then fold over the bottom of the -paper several times, and fasten with stout wire clips. Moth balls may be -slipped in coat pockets, but will hardly be needed if they are hung in a -light place. - -Store and protect tailor suits much the same. After cleaning fold the -skirt belt in six and fasten with a big safety pin to lower bend of the -hanger shank, then slip on its newspaper bag and fasten. Put on the -coat, then over all a bigger newspaper bag. Put inside wisps of cotton -tied up in net, and wet with oil of cedar. One-piece cloth frocks should -be hung the same as long coats, but have the skirts folded upward over a -roll of newspapers about midway and pinned or basted to the waist. Store -fur coats the same way after cleaning and sunning for several days. Put -mothaline bags outside over those of newspaper and sachets of sandalwood -in the sleeves. If moths have touched them before storing, lay them for -several days on a slat tray in a trunk with a big sponge saturated in -gasolene below. Keep the trunk outside and shut tight; gasolene vapor -ought to kill the moth eggs. Clean small furs as muffs, tippets, cuffs, -sun, sew up tight in old linen, sprinkle well with black-pepper tea, -then wrap in newspaper, wipe out their boxes with a cloth dipped in -gasolene, put in the wrapped furs, wrap boxes, and slip in paper bags, -then fold and paste together the bag ends. If no moth nor egg was inside -none will come out. - -Fine things, such as camel’s-hair shawls, moth-infested should be -brushed and sunned, then wrapped in clean linen, over that thick wet -towels, over that paper, and laid in a hot oven until the paper -scorches. This is equal to superheated steam for moth and egg -destruction, but does no harm to the finest fabric. Sew up in linen and -store same as small furs. Steam is also sovereign for moths in carpets -where it is unsafe to use gasolene or benzine. Cover the infected spots -with thick wet towels, letting them lie a good bit over and iron first -around the edges, then all over with blazing-hot irons, changing them as -they cease to hiss. Repeat at weekly intervals for a month. After -ironing go along the edges, wetting the carpet well with bichloride -solution. A carpet to be stored should be sprayed with gasolene after -cleaning, then folded over double newspapers, and sprayed at each -doubling over with black-pepper tea. A long, narrow bag of moth balls in -the deepest fold adds something to insect insurance. Store in light and -off the floor. A discarded bed spring is fine to lay such things on. -Stand rolled rugs on end if not too long, and a little apart. - -=A Blanket Box=: Make blankets clean and whole, fold in three, -lengthwise, roll up over a core of moth balls, sew in old linen, and -pack. Fill all crevices in a big packing-case with putty or plaster wet -with egg, paper with plain manila paper, let dry, then paint the paper -with oil of cedar. Give two coats. Put over the bottom a sachet of cedar -twigs or shavings laid on wadding and tacked between cheesecloth. Pack -blankets and woolens on this, tucking smaller cedar sachets into -crevices, also moth balls tied in cheesecloth. Put in white things -first, lay paper over them, then pack colored ones. Cover with another -cedar sachet, tuck paper snugly over it, then shut—the top must be -hinged on—and paste paper over the edges. As long as it is unbroken the -contents are safe. - -Where storage space is lacking use a box couch, making sure with -bichloride and gasolene that neither moth nor bed bug lurks inside. Use -oil of lavender and pine twigs rather than cedar, omit the sealing with -paper, but examine now and then; if you discover the enemy do not halt -until he is forever and completely yours. - -=Roaches and Water Bugs=: Powdered borax mixed with sugar kills them. -Set it about in saucers, sprinkle under pipes and on sills, also on the -bottom of closets and drawers. Lay clean paper over it. Once a month -remove paper, wipe wood, sprinkle again after drying, and put on fresh -paper. Burn every dead insect. In cellars or greenhouses mix a little -Paris green with the powder, dip into it cut potatoes, and lay them cut -side down, in the way of roaches. Gather up each morning, drop in water -as gathered, and replace at evening with freshly loaded potatoes. Pour -turpentine around water pipes and those for steam heat. Paint the pipes -with turpentine, doing it when they are cool. Paint kitchen floors and -baseboards after scouring with bichloride of mercury; beware, though, -using it higher. Keep borax and sugar on pantry shelves under paper. -Paint with turpentine at housecleaning. Fill cracks, crevices, and -knotholes with putty. Do the same with tops and rims of set tubs, -renewing it as it breaks. - -=Ants=: Ants, black or red, hate the smell of camphor. Make rings of it -around dishes of food and pour it into crevices suspected as ant roads. -If they climb by a post or pillar put a tarred bandage around it. Find -the nest if possible and destroy it with boiling water or gasolene or -kerosene with a little camphor added. Beware of gasolene if the nest is -close to any building. Boiling soda water is safe anywhere except about -plants. There use strong carbolic soapsuds, blood-warm, with an -after-sprinkle of camphor. Gum camphor tied in net and hung in closets -or pantries helps to drive ants away. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XI - - CARE OF PETS - - -=Dogs=: Choose your dog, unless he chooses himself by adopting you, with -regard for environment. Big dogs require space—big rooms and grounds -outside. Small ones are “in drawing” with apartments or modest houses. -Breed is a matter of chance or choice. Toy terriers, toy Pomeranians, -spaniels, and pugs fit into restricted menages. St. Bernards, collies, -greyhounds, wolf hounds, and hunting-dogs in general are miserable in -confinement, also miserably out of place. - -Teach him obedience first of all, keep him clean and comfortable, never -forget him, feed regularly, give constant access to clean water, and -always sufficient exercise. Otherwise don’t keep him; neglect is a -refinement of cruelty. - -Vary the feeding. Dog biscuit day in and out destroys appetite and -thrift. Shift every other day to table scraps, oatmeal porridge, -cornmeal mush cooked with broth, or raw meat and bones. Give milk almost -every day—not too much. Be sparing of the raw meat; a zest suffices. -Tiny house dogs ought to have light breakfasts, with a hearty dinner -around two o’clock, and nothing more. Dogs running out need much more -food, otherwise they get into mischief. A hearty breakfast and dinner -with milk and mush at sundown is not too much. Feed all that will be -eaten clean; if food is left, diminish the quantity. Leave nothing but -bones where a dog may come back to it. Gnawing solid bones helps -strength and spirit. Small bones of game or fowl must be given with -discretion; they are crunched and swallowed so greedily the sharp ends -may do harm if the stomach is too full of them. - -A flea-bearing dog is intolerable. Wash in larkspur water (see section -Insecticides) or carbolic soapsuds, and comb while in the bath with a -fine-tooth comb. Drain off water and fleas, rinse tub, rinse dog well, -dry with coarse soft towels, keep muzzled until fully dry, and away from -draughts. When fully dry, part hair and blow in behind the ears and -along the spine flowers of sulphur mixed with larkspur powder or -pyrethrum powder. - -For skin troubles, mange especially, bathe well in hot sulphur soapsuds, -rinse dry, and rub well into the affected spots unsalted butter washed -clean of milk and made yellow with flowers of sulphur. If the trouble -persists and the dog is valuable, consult a vet; the dog, perhaps, needs -constitutional treatment. - -Kennels and doghouses must be clean and dry, baskets and bedding kept -clean and free of vermin. Whitewash kennels and doghouses often, putting -larkspur infusion or carbolic acid in the whitewash, else mixing in -flowers of sulphur. Scald baskets, dry, and paint with turpentine and -sweet oil. Lay bedding outside and drench with gasolene. Burn it if -mange appears, else it will reinfect the animal. Do not let dogs sleep -haphazard anywhere they can. Give them comfortable beds, indoors or out. - -A dog running free at exercise needs no clothes. On leash, with his -keeper merely walking or sauntering, a warm blanket, or, better, a -sweater, is essential in cold weather. Keep dogs outdoors as much as -possible in hot weather, but do not let them run too much. Provide -shade, especially for guard dogs. Teach all dogs, and especially guard -dogs, to refuse food from strangers. This is impossible with a hungry -dog. Full feeding guards against foraging at large, the thing which -gives poisoners the best opportunity. - -Dogs perspire only through the tongue, hence the panting after exertion. -Let them drink all they will, but have the water clean. Milk is food, -not drink. Do not imagine it takes the place of water. Water, free and -clean, is held the best preventive of rabies. In case rabies is -suspected isolate safely, and observe for at least a week. -Pseudo-rabies, induced by fear, kills many more people than the real -thing. An ailing dog, or one tired, thirsty, or lost, will snap at -almost anything in his way. Do not on that account condemn him untried -to death. Rest, food, and drink, in confinement, will discover his true -condition. If madness is proved, kill, quickly and mercifully, burn or -bury, disinfect every space he has touched with bichloride of mercury, -burn movable boards, litter, ropes, etc. Grass or earth upon which -saliva has dropped had better be drenched with kerosene and set on fire. - -=Cats=: Cats likewise suffer rabies; in case of it use the same -measures. Cats of fancy breeds are more decorative than plain tabbys, -but also more delicate and much less intelligent, withal lacking in -affection, and of no use save to look fine. - -White cats, especially those with blue eyes, are more savage, less -affectionate, and much harder house-broken than black, gray, or -tortoise-shell ones. Often the white fellows are deaf. Each and several, -cats run wild for reasonable opportunity, yet they bear housing and -confinement admirably. They need raw meat, but not too much; a bit of -liver or a fish head every other day suffices. Alternately give bones, -with the milk and crumbled bread, which is the mainstay of their diet. -Give also at night a saucer of pure milk. Water and catnip, green or -dry, should be always accessible. Do not overfeed; cats are dainty -gluttons if permitted. Keep them thriving, but not fat—fat and -indigestion are the roots of disease. - -Rid of fleas as directed for dogs. After drying, confine for some time, -first giving a saucer of milk with a teaspoonful of whisky or brandy in -it. For skin troubles grease all over with the sulphur and butter, -confine so as to keep from getting dirty, and wash well after -twenty-four hours in hot suds, rinsing well and drying with soft towels. -Repeat at intervals as long as needed. Feed on bread and milk, be lavish -of catnip, burn infected bedding, wash and fumigate baskets, or treat -with bichloride of mercury (see section Disinfectants). - -=Belgian Hares and Cavies=: Both are vegetable feeders. They will live -in small quarters, but do better in bigger ones. Keep the quarters clean -and sanitary with whitewash and disinfectants. If very small, have -floors of loose boards which can be taken up and scalded. Feed three -times a day with grain, roots, and green stuff. Be liberal of the green -stuff. With a grass run the beasts will supply most of it themselves. -Scatter the food, and give only as much as will be eaten clean. Suckling -mothers need extra feeds, five a day instead of three. - -Dust weekly with sifted ashes, corn starch in powder, and flowers of -sulphur. Use in dry weather, putting on at night. Have hutches big -enough to prevent crowding. Beware letting your pets overrun the space -at command. - -=Birds=: Mocking-birds, cardinals, bullfinches and orioles, all of which -it is wicked to keep in cages, need very roomy cages, perches with the -bark on, much clean sandy earth on the floors, clean grain, green stuff, -ripe fruit, and insects, besides the egg-and-potato mixture which is -their mainstay. Tie heads of wheat, oats, or millet to the bars, hang -lettuce and peppergrass there, also chickweed in season. Put ripe -berries on clean twigs and suspend; force bits of apple and peach -between wires close to the perches. Have a swing, a roomy bath, with the -usual feed and water cups. Change the water daily, twice in summer. Put -one drop of carbolic acid in the bath for insect prevention. Boil eggs -twenty minutes, crush the yolk while hot with a freshly boiled Irish -potato, season with the least grain of salt and a very little red -pepper, and put into the cup. Keep the cage very clean, scald it every -three months. Hang it outside in pleasant weather, but never so the sun -at midday will strike full on the birds. - -Give flies, crickets, earth worms, grasshoppers, but not hairy -caterpillars, spiders, nor wasps. Mockers sing almost the night through -in spring. To silence them cover the cage with something thick, set -where it is very dark, then uncover. - -=Canaries=: A long body and thick smooth plumage are marks of a good -canary. Males only sing. Coat color varies. German canaries show many -shades of yellow besides mottled tints. Yellow-red Norwich birds owe -their giddy coats to red pepper in the food. Unless it is given -liberally at moulting-time their fine feathers come back dull and pale. -Birds are in full song at a year old. Younger, they have rarely been -well taught. The range of life is seven to twenty years; the last is -possible only with exceptional birds and still more exceptional care. - -Teach canaries to deserve the freedom of the room. It helps in many -ways. Leave the cage door open; do not coax him out nor force him in -except as a last resort. Rather let hunger take him back. He will learn -quickly and enjoy flying about. - -A metal cage with a movable floor is the one to choose. Wood invites -vermin and harbors it distressingly. Hang where it is neither hot nor -cold, away from draughts, but with air plenty. Feed regularly, but do -not overfeed. Hemp seed are so fattening they must be given sparingly. -The regular bird seed sold in packages is excellent if fresh. A dull -appearance is against it; canary seed when not stale is shiny. Empty and -fill the seed cup daily, clean the floor, and put down fresh gravel, red -and white. Keep cuttlefish bone suspended in the cage, and put in daily -some fresh bit of green. Lettuce will answer, but chickweed and -peppergrass are better. A pod of Cayenne pepper is good in sharp -weather. So is a little hard-boiled egg, lightly dusted with red pepper, -or bread crumbs squeezed out of milk and similarly dusted. A droopy bird -showing signs of diarrhea should have black-pepper tea to drink, else a -strip of fat pork rolled in ground pepper hung where it can be pecked. - -Fill the bath every morning. If a bird picks himself after bathing put a -few drops of rose water or cologne in the bath. Bare spots from the -picking should be rubbed very lightly with sulphur and butter, putting -also a little under the wings and back of the neck. Ragged plumage may -mean a hardened oil gland. It lies just at the root of the tail and -furnishes oil for the coat. Look at it, blowing aside covering feathers. -If swollen and inflamed, drop on warm, weak suds from a medicine -dropper, dry very gently, and apply a little vaseline. Repeat daily -until the gland frees itself of the cake. - -Trim nails discreetly, holding to the light so as to miss the tiny vein -in them. If cut, hold the bleeding foot a minute in tepid water, dry, -and touch the cut with vaseline. - -If breeding, separate the pair when brooding begins. Afterward let both -feed the young. Provide soft food twice a day—bread crumbs soaked in -milk, scraped apple, mashed hard-boiled egg yolk, in addition to seed -and bird manna. As soon as it is safe move the whole family into a -fresh, clean cage, and scald and fumigate the other. Mites, the bane of -canaries, multiply amazingly. They would be invisible but for their -blood color. Feeding by day, they quit their prey at night. Throw a -sheet of Canton flannel over cages suspected, remove it quickly by -lamplight, and plunge in boiling water. Mites will show on it after -death. If they are plenty, shift to a clean cage at once and repeat the -cloth treatment until all are destroyed. Infested cages should be, after -scalding, drenched with gasolene and aired for a week. Scalding with -bichloride is also effectual; it must be followed by a scalding in -clear, boiling water and a fortnight of airing. - -=Parrots=: If the parrot is for company get a gray African—they make the -best talkers and are best tempered. For decoration get the -scarlet-crested white fellows, or the yellow and green, or blue and -scarlet and yellow. Treatment of either is the same; feed fruit, nuts, -grain, a little meat, insects, bread, especially cornbread, and cereals -cooked stiff. Parrots learn quickly to eat and drink with their owners. -Coffee in moderation is good for them, but they must have water besides. -Some thrive better for drinking milk; indeed, the creatures are almost -uncannily human in many things. Let them bathe at discretion, provide -also a dust bath. Have a roomy cage, a tall, branchy perch, and a hoop -swing. Never tease nor tantalize; parrots are cross enough without; also -jealous. Do not leave free in the room with a small child. Their beaks -are cruelly sharp. Lacking insects, give small lumps of raw mutton fat. -Keep everything about them very clean. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - XII - - IN EMERGENCIES - - -=Chimney Blazes=: Smother blazing chimneys by throwing salt, damp if -possible, on the fire, and setting something flat against the chimney -breast. - -=Blazing Fat=: Throw on salt, sand, or ashes; water makes the flame -fiercer. Prevent draughts if possible; keep doors and windows shut -tight. Turn out oil or gas flames underneath, and keep everything -inflammable away from the blaze. - -=Gas Leaks=: Open doors and windows, let accumulations blow out, then -hunt for the broken pipe—not with a lamp or candle—and clap on it when -found either a blanket of putty or flour dough wet very stiff. Tie in -place with broad tape, then wrap with a cloth so as to withstand -pressure. But first of all call for the repair man. With a leak -undiscoverable, shut off from the rest of the house and leave windows -wide open. - -=Asphyxiation=: Whether from gas or drowning, lay flat, the head a -little higher; permit no crowding; resort to artificial -respiration—lifting the arms and pressing on the chest systematically, -holding the tongue out all the while; rub with alcohol, especially feet -and hands; keep in air, and work gently but quickly. In cases of -drowning, empty lungs of water first thing by laying face down over a -bench or barrel and working the arms. - -=Fainting=: Lay flat, the head lower than the body, loosen clothes, -especially about the neck, dash cold water gently in the face, hold -ammonia under nostrils, rub wrists and temples with camphor or cologne -water, and if the faint persists put mustard at the back of the neck and -to the soles of the feet. Insensibility from shock or falling needs -slightly different treatment. It may mean concussion; hence, let the -head be highest and apply vigorous friction along the spine as well as -to the extremities. Stimulate as soon as swallowing is possible, and -move with caution. - -=Burns=: Anything which excludes air without tainting the wound or -irritating it further helps a bad burn. Carron oil—a creamy mixture of -lime water and sweet oil—applied with a feather, then covered with -cotton, either batting or absorbent, gives a measure of relief and is -also healing. Soft old linen coated with fresh egg-white laid on and -allowed to dry soothes pain. Even a covering with dry flour, if nothing -else is handy, is better than leaving the burn bare. But if at all -serious, or even is shallow and wide spread, call a doctor instantly, -meantime keeping up heart action with stimulants in small doses often -repeated. - -=Breaks and Dislocations=: Lay a broken bone straight in a natural -position upon a stout cardboard splint shaped to the limb and covered -with cotton batting. Bandage limb and splint firmly together, working -toward the trunk and keeping the bandage smooth but not too tight. Wet -with arnica. This keeps down pain and inflammation, making the surgeon’s -work when he arrives easier for himself and his patient. Reduce -dislocations as quickly as possible by stretching the hurt joint -steadily and letting another person manipulate the hurt. Often the bone -head will snap back in place at a touch; it remains then only to keep it -in place. An hour’s delay would mean swelling to render the replacing -much harder. Wrist and elbow joints in particular are kittle cattle if -left to swell. First aid to them means many times preserving use and -saving from lifelong disfigurement. But this first aid by no means -suffices to make surgical care unnecessary. - -=Sprains and Strains=: Bandage tight, wet the bandages with cold water, -and hold in an easy position. A sprained or strained ankle may be almost -cured by plunging it into running water and keeping it there some time. -Lift out occasionally, then replunge. Strains require rest and bandages. -Wet the bandages with arnica. If there is muscle shrinkage later, rub -morning and night with chloroform liniment after bathing with hot water -and wiping dry. - -=Chloroform Poisoning=: Keep in motion in open air, dose with aromatic -spirits of ammonia well diluted, and hold it undiluted to nostrils. -Apply electricity to spine; this if conscious. If fallen into a stupor -put ice to spine and top of head, hot water to feet, give hard friction -with alcohol, or camphor on legs and arms. Use artificial respiration -and stimulate gently. Friction or a mustard plaster over the heart is -helpful. Let nothing bind or constrict anywhere, and do not cease your -efforts at the first signs of lessening stupor. - -=Narcotic Poisoning=: For laudanum, morphine, or opium the treatment is -the same. First a strong emetic—mustard and water as thick as pea soup -is among the best. Follow it with black coffee as strong as possible. -Give all the patient can be made to swallow at short intervals, keep him -walking briskly, stripped to the waist, dash ice water on the spine, and -tie ice to the back of the neck. Flagellate lightly on shoulders; the -tingles help to rouse. Hold aromatic ammonia to his nose every half -minute. If the coffee nauseates, give clear hot water after to make -vomiting easy, then after ten minutes more coffee not quite so strong. -Permit no stop for several hours; if excretories act properly the danger -will then have been past. Electricity is useful, but not indispensable. -In desperate cases use every means at hand. - -=Acid Poisoning=: Emollients are the antidotes for acids; emetics wrench -and tear seared stomach tissues. No matter what the acid—sulphuric, -carbolic, nitric, or oxalic—give something soft and smooth—raw eggs, -cream, starch wet as thick as cream, melted lard or butter, olive oil, -or even flour and water, followed after a few minutes with magnesia -stirred thick in tepid water. Let the patient rest easily, hold ammonia -to the nostrils, and put hot-water bags to the feet. Aim to keep up -vitality under the shock to vital tissues. In such cases a minute means -often the difference between life and death. - -=Iodine Poison=: Use emollients—the very best is thick cooked starch; it -has a specific power to neutralize the drug. Olive oil is next best; it -protects the coating of the stomach. But use anything above named rather -than nothing. To let a case of poison go by default is against reason -and humanity. - -=Arsenic=: Arsenic in all its forms is best fought with raw eggs, -especially the whites, and sweet milk or cream. Give a strong emetic -afterward, then, when it has acted, more eggs or milk. This should -suffice unless the poison has been freely absorbed. - -=Ptomaine Poisoning=: Give an active emetic, followed by a cathartic; -keep the patient warm, stimulate with brandy—a teaspoonful every hour; -put mustard to wrists, ankles, back of neck, and pit of stomach—this -particularly if there is severe pain, cramps, or continued retching. -Pains in the head indicate the need of an ice cap. - -=Mercury Poisoning=: Bichloride needs as antidote raw eggs and cream, or -oil, with the same external treatment as for ptomaines. Strong emetics -are inadvisable, but if the stomach frees itself naturally of the -emollients much poison will come with them. Replace them in smaller -quantities, but give nothing else until the doctor comes. - -=Bites and Stings=: Stings from wasps, bees, and ants need treatment -with fruit acids—bathe in vinegar or apply a slice of raw apple or peach -or a crushed grape. Instant sucking removes part of the poison and -relieves the pain to a degree. Always suck bites, as of spiders, unless -there are abrasions of tongue and lips. After sucking bathe freely with -fresh peroxide of hydrogen, boracic acid, or sugar-of-lead water. A leaf -of green plantain, well bruised, bound on a bite or sting when nothing -else is at hand keeps down inflammation and mitigates pain. In case of -stings make sure the sting proper has not been left in the wound, since -its presence might induce blood poisoning. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - INDEX - - - ACID POISONING, 197. - - Adaptation of old garments, 108. - - Antidotes, 196-198. - - Antique furniture, care of, 66; - restoring, 62-65. - - Ants, how to get rid of, 177. - - Aprons, laundry, 11. - - Arsenic, antidote for, 198. - - Asphalt spots, 122. - - Asphyxiation, 193. - - - BANDAGES, 21-22. - - Basting clothes, 101. - - Bed bugs, to prevent, 170. - - Bed clothes, mending, 85. - - Beef, how to choose, 134. - - Bichloride of mercury, 165. - - Birds, care of, 185. - - Bisulphide of lime, 166. - - Bites and stings, 199. - - Blanket box, 175. - - Blazing fat, how to put out, 192. - - Bleaching, 2-3. - - Blood, to stanch, 22-23. - - Bluestone, 164. - - Books, mending, 80. - - Borax, 163. - - Bordeaux mixture, 165. - - Buckwheat flour, 131. - - Burlaps, 34. - - Burns, 194. - - Butter, how to choose, 133. - - Brass, care of, 67, 126. - - Breaks and dislocations, 194. - - Bric-à-brac, mending, 79. - - Brick dust, 46. - - Bronze, care of, 126. - - Brooms, 42. - - Broom bags, 42. - - Brushes, 42, 46. - - - CAKE, how to keep, 143. - - Calcimine, 39, 50. - - Canaries, care of, 186. - - Canning, 139. - - Carpets, cleaning, 29-30; - mending, 90. - - Cats, care of, 183. - - Cavies, care of, 184. - - Ceilings, 30, 38-39. - - Cement, 53-54. - - Charcoal, 163. - - Cheese, how to choose and keep, 134. - - Chimney blazes, how to put out, 192. - - China, mending, 75; - washing, 56. - - Chloride-of-lime water, 55. - - Chloroform poisoning, 196. - - Cleaning floors and rugs, 28-30. - - Cloth, washing, 105. - - Clothes drainer, 45. - - Coarse mending, 84. - - Coffee, how to choose and keep, 132. - - Collars, how to do up, 5-7. - - Contagion, 19-20. - - Copper, care of, 126. - - Copperas, 163. - - Copperas water, 55. - - Cornmeal, 130. - - Cottons, testing, 97. - - Cracks, filling, 27. - - Cretonne, 34. - - Cuffs, how to do up, 5-7. - - Curtains, how to do up, 8-9. - - Cutting out clothes, 99. - - Cuttings, to start plant, 158. - - - DARNING, 81, 88. - - Disinfection, 20. - - Disinfectants, 55, 163-178. - - Dogs, care of, 179. - - Dust cloths, 43. - - Dust swabs, 43. - - Dyeing, 103. - - - EARTH WORMS, 157. - - Eggs, how to test, 144. - - Emergencies, what to do in, 192-199. - - Enameled iron, 71. - - - FAINTING, 193. - - Ferns, 151. - - Fertilizers, 153. - - Fillers for new wood, 47. - - Fleas, how to prevent, 170. - - Flies, how to prevent, 168. - - Floors, 24-30. - - Floor pad, 41. - - Flour, how to test, 129. - - Flowers, how to keep and arrange cut flowers, 159. - - Foot pad, 41. - - French polish, 49. - - Frocks, how to wash, 4. - - Fruit, dried, 142. - - Fruit stains, 119. - - Fruit storage, 139. - - Furniture, mending, 74; - polish, 49. - - Furs, mending, 88; - cleaning, 93. - - - GARDEN PESTS, 166. - - Gas leak, 192. - - Gasolene-cleaning, 104. - - Gelatine spots, 119. - - Gilt, to clean, 128; - frames, 69; - furniture, 68. - - Glass, annealing, 61; - mending, 79; - preserving in, 138; - washing, 58-61. - - Glazing, 37. - - Gloves, care of, 92. - - Glue, 50. - - Grass stains, what to do for, 123. - - Grease spots, what to do for, 113. - - Grits, how to test, 131. - - Gum arabic, 52. - - - HARES, how to keep, 184. - - Hominy, how to test, 131. - - - ICE, to keep in sickroom, 18. - - Ice-cream spots, 119. - - Ink stains, 121. - - Insects, 154, 163-178. - - Insecticides, 154, 163-178. - - Iodine poison, 197. - - Iron, rust, 123; - care of, 125. - - Irons, 13. - - Ironstone, 58. - - Ironing-boards, 43. - - Ironing-tables, 11. - - - JAVELLE WATER, 54. - - - KEROSENE EMULSION, 165. - - Knee pad, 41. - - Knives and forks, how to clean, 61. - - - LACE AND EMBROIDERY, how to wash, 10; - how to mend, 87; - how to freshen, 105. - - Lamps and candlesticks, mending, 80. - - Lard, how to test, 133. - - Larkspur, 167. - - Laundry cabinet, 45. - - Lead swab, 45. - - Lime water, 54. - - Linen, testing, 97. - - - MAHOGANY STAIN, 48. - - Majolica, how to wash, 58. - - Materials, appliquéd, 102. - - Matted floors, 29. - - Matting, mending, 90. - - Meat, how to keep fresh. 138. - - Melons, keeping, 143. - - Mending, 74-91. - - Mercury poisoning, 198. - - Mildew, 123. - - Millinery, 109. - - Mission furniture, care of, 68. - - Mordants, 3-4. - - Mosquitoes, 168. - - Moths, 172. - - Mucilage, 52. - - Mustard plasters, 21. - - Mutton and lamb, 135. - - - NARCOTIC POISONING, 196. - - Nursing, clothes for, 23. - - - OAK FURNITURE, care of, 68. - - Oak stains, 48. - - Oatmeal, 131. - - Oil stains, 47. - - Old garments, ways to use, 108. - - Ornaments for millinery, 112. - - Oxalic acid, 55. - - - PADS, 41. - - Paint, to remove, 26, 118. - - Palms, how to care for, 151. - - Pantries, outdoor, 141. - - Paper dough, 53. - - Papering, 31-32, 38. - - Parrots, care of, 190. - - Paste for paper-hanging, 52. - - Perspiration marks, 124. - - Pets, care of, 179-191. - - Pewter, how to clean, 127. - - Piano polish, 49. - - Pine needles, 46. - - Plants, care of, 148; - for window boxes, 150. - - Plaster, 53. - - Poisons, 196-198. - - Polish, 49. - - Porch furniture, 71. - - Pork, how to choose, 136. - - Pots, 145. - - Potting, 146. - - Poultices, 21. - - Poultry, 137; - how to keep, 138. - - Precautions, 72. - - Pressing, 101. - - Ptomaine poisoning, 198. - - Putty, 54. - - - QUICKLIME, 163. - - - ROACHES, how to get rid of, 158, 176. - - Road stains, 115. - - Roses, 151. - - Rugs, cleaning, 30; - mending, 90. - - Rust, 123. - - - SALT FISH, how to keep, 138. - - Salt meats, how to choose, 136. - - Sand, 53. - - Saving pieces of material, 107. - - Sawdust, 46. - - Scrubbing, 24. - - Shellac, 25. - - Shirts, how to do up, 5-6. - - Sickbed, 15. - - Sickroom, care of, 13-23. - - Silk, testing, 95; - washing, 105. - - Silk wall covering, 34. - - Silver tarnish, 127. - - Size, glue and vegetable, 50. - - Smoke stains, 124. - - Soap, 1-2. - - Soil for house plants, 145. - - Spots, how to get rid of, 113-119. - - Sprains and strains, 195. - - Sprinklers, 44. - - Stains, oil, 47; - mahogany, 48; - walnut, 48; - oak, 48; - road, 115; - fruit, 119; - wine, 120; - ink, 121; - grass, 123; - smoke, 124. - - Staining floors, 24-25. - - Starches, 7-8. - - - TABLE LINEN, how to wash, 4-5. - - Tar spots, 122. - - Tea, how to choose, 132. - - Tile floors, how to clean, 29. - - Tool box, 44. - - Trimmings, care of, 106. - - - UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE, care of, 69. - - - VARNISH, to remove, 26; - spots, 118. - - Vegetable storage, 139. - - Velvet, freshening, 107. - - Vitriol, white, 164. - - - WALLS, 30-36. - - Wall mop, 46. - - Wall paper, 31-33. - - Walnut stain, 48. - - Washing, 1-12. - - Washing, china and glass, 56-61; - knives and forks, 61. - - Washing fluids, 2. - - Washing-soda, 163. - - Water, to soften, 1. - - Water bugs, 176. - - Water wagon, 42. - - Wax, dancing, 49. - - Wax board, 45. - - Wax finish, 48. - - Wax spots, 124. - - Waxing floors, 25. - - Whitewash, 39, 51. - - Whitewashed walls, 36. - - Wicker furniture, care of, 70. - - Windows, 30, 37. - - Window boxes, 146, 149. - - Wine stains, 120. - - Woolens, how to wash, 9. - - Woolens, testing, 96. - - - THE END - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - ● Transcriber’s Notes: - ○ Some chapter headings had the word CHAPTER before the roman - numeral, some didn’t. - ○ Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected. - ○ Typographical errors were silently corrected. - ○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only - when a predominant form was found in this book. - ○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_); 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