if properly corked

and sealed with wax.

Remarks.

—Familiarize yourselves with the directions to know they will not

leak the fluid out, nor the air in, before putting away, as above given. Cherries, I cannot see why, if done in the same manner, get rid of the stones, will

not be nice for sauce or pies, as well as grapes, the stones, or seeds, are a nuiCurrants, berries, or other ordinary fruits need no spe-

sance, in either case.

cial instructions;

except it may be proper to say that some persons, in canning

peaches, boil the stones in a small amount of water to extract the flavor, then

heat the i^eaches in this water, sprinkling in the proper amount of sugar to fit

them for the table and also put a piece of white paper dipped in brandy (alcohol is good, and cheaper) over the top before screwing on the cover.

;

Canning Rhubarb Plant, Tomatoes, etc.—" Pansy," in writing to

one of the papers upon this subject, says: Last summer I removed the skin

from a quantity of rhubarb, put it over the fire with a very little water, watching it closely to prevent it burning, boiled it 10 minutes, stirring occasionally,

and filled and sealed one-gallon jugs, carefully corking them; used common

sealing wax and it is as nice now as the rhubarb we get from the garden in

;

Grapes are just as nice this way as they are in glass jars.

I put

away 44 qts. of tomatoes and rhubarb in this way, and never lost 1 pint.

I use

the summer.

glass jars, too, for preserves, peaches (canned), and sweet pickles; but I deci-

dedly prefer jugs, for it is no trouble, and everything keeps so well in them.

Remarks. Rhubarb makes as nice a sauce, stewed, and sweetened to taste,

—

as it does pies; and to be able to have it in winter, put up thus cheaply, will

add to tlie variety of side dishes, and life's comforts generally.

Canning Rhubarb in Cold Water, Without Cooking.— "S. D.,"

of Vernon, Mich., directs through one of the papers as follows: Cut the plant,

when fully matured, and wash it; put a cup of cold water in the can, fill with

to running over with cold water.

the pieces, pressing it full, then

fill

usual, and set in a cool cellar.

When wanted pour the water into the vinegar

barrel.

Seal as

Make the pies as usual, except not quite as much sugar is needed as

I have tested this and know it to be good.

for the fresh plant.

—

I cannot see why this is not a good and reliable way, although

deemed necessary to heat everything before canning. This may not

be absolutely necessary. The water excludes the air from the crevices, and

Remarks.

it has been

keeping in a cool place prevents fermentation.

Let those who have it plenty

So with everything upon which

there is a possible doubt, is the way that our valuable things are found out.

try a few cans before going into

it

heavily.

Canning Sweet Corn. — It has been generally considered a very diffiit would keep well; but a writer at Walled Lake,

Mich., to one of the Detroit papers, thinks she has overcome» this difficulty, for

cult thing to can corn, so

she says: If these directions are strictly followed, you can enjoy the same pleasure that we have for years, of eating sweet green corn in winter. It will need

only to warm when you use it out of the can. Directions Cut the raw corn

—

off the

cob and fill your cans (after thoroughly scalding them) with the corn,

VARIOUS DISHES.

509

fill the can full, put on the cover

Put the cans into your wash boiler after putting something under

them to prevent them from breaking. I use the grate from the bottom of the

oven. Fill in cold water up to the bulge of the can, put on the boiler cover

and boil 4 hours, take off the stove and let stand until cool enough to handle,

I usually get mine

fasten the covers tight and set in a cool place in the cellar.

ready in the forenoon and boil after dinner.

Remarks. There is not a doubt but what if this plan is followed, strictly,

being sure that the cans are entirely full, when the cover is screwed down, but

what it will keep nicely. Tin cans are used by those who put it up for sale, ia

large quantities, pressing full, then soldering on the top, boiling for the 4 hours,

then piercing a hole to let out the air, and soldering up the hole, at once, which

makes all secure. If this long boiling is too much trouble, you must take the

take a spoon and press very hard so as to

loosely.

—

old way of packing with salt, as next given.

Canning or Putting Up Green Corn With Salt.— Take the com

when just right for the table, wliich should be the case above as well as in this,

and scald it in the ear, as done for drying in the old way; then cut from the cob

Place a layer of salt 3^ an inch thick on the bottom of the deep

(not the flaring) kind of earthen jar or crock; then a layer of the corn about

2 inches thick, pressing tightly with a potato masher or square-ended stick; next

of an inch, as you go up; and so

salt again, as at first, or a little thicker, say

alternate till the jar is within an inch of the top, then fill with salt and tie a

To use, take out as

cloth over all.

Set in a cool, dry cellar for winter use.

many layers as needed, free from salt as possible, and wash off all the salt

sticking to it; then soak in the evening and pour off at bed-time, and renew with

fresh water and soak over night; then pour off again, which will generally be

sufficient to remove the excess of salt, as the corn will not take up as much salt

Now taste a kernel, and if freshened enough, stew it for dinner,

as supposed.

if not, soak again.

Adding a small amount of sugar when cooking is considered an improvement; some do this, even when cooking new corn in summer.

Remarks. A writer says: "I have used the above recipe for three years,

and find it to be most excellent, the corn coming out of the jar as good as when

* * * It is such a good thing that every body should know

first put down.

it, and any one who tries it will not regret the experiment. "

If the canning is

too much trouble, or if the canned runs out before the winter is gone, you must

take one of the following plans of "Hulling," which is a great favorite with

the author, otherwise fill the place with hominy.

when cold.

%

—

Hulled Corn, Improved Plans of Making.— The old way was to

make a weak lye from hard wood ashes to remove the hulls, but a writer in the

American Agriculturist gives her plan as follows. She says: " Soak over night

by pouring over what you wish to make, hot water. In the morning put it

into an iron kettle with warm water enough to just cover it; and for each quart

of corn put in baking soda 1 table-spoonful, and boil till the hulls come off

readily; then wash in clear water rubbing off the hulls with the hands, soaking

and washing to remove the alkaline taste thoroughly; then boil imtil very ten-

—

I>R CEASE'S RECIPES.

510

der, salting towards the last to taste.

Turn into a sieve and drain thoroughly.

Eat hot or cold in milk."

BfCinarks.

boiled.

—I cannot see the object of drawing off the water in which

it

was

My mother and my wife always designed to have the water pretty well

cooked away when done, then lift it together as much of the nourishment would

be drained off. (I see, also, that the following writer does not drain.) It is

very nice warmed up after frying meat, to eat with the same, for breakfast or

any other meal, as well as with milk as the above writer only suggests. The

author has often wondered why people did not use more of it, and could only

account for it from the objection of the women to work it from the lye with

the hands to remove the hulls. This difficulty has been overcome in the following recipe by using a clean broom for that purpose, which can be done

as well with the soda above as with the ashes in the next.

So, now, I trust, all

lovers of hulled corn may have it in abundance, as it is a very healthful dish, as

well as a very cheap one, and relished by most persons if nicely done, i. e., if it

is freed from its alkalinity and cooked until it is perfectly soft.

Hulled Corn, or Making Hominy Without Putting the Hands

Into the Lye.— Making hominy, or liulling corn, is not a big job nor one

that we dread as we did " once upon a time," before we had learned this better

way. This is how we make it: Take the corn of 1 doz. ears, put it in a kettle

with a good bit more cold water than is required to cover it, and down in the

center put a stout muslin sack long enough to contain 1 qt. of good ashes.

it boil till all

the strength

corn more room.

is out of

Let

the ashes, then remove them and give the

Have tlie tea-kettle on the slovc with plenty of boiling water

Do not boil hard, but steadily.

When the outside begins to come off the grains they are done enough. Now

in to pour into the pot as the other boils off.

remove from the fire, drain off and empty the corn into a tub of cold water.

Instead of rinsing with the hands, as our blessed grandmothers did, take a clean

broom and swash and sweep the corn about in the tub "like forty," drain off;

add 2 or 3 pailfuls of clean, cold water, and go over the cleansing process about 3

or 4 times; tlien drain off and stand the tub of corn where it may have a chance

to freeze all night.

This is as good for it as boiling. In the morning take a

part, or all of it, and put it on to boil in cold water, and cook slowly until done.

Never stir hominy; if you begin it you must keep it up, or it will burn fast to

the bottom of the pot.

Put a little salt in it. Have boiling water on the stove

ready to replenish. Instead of stirring, lift the kettle by the bail and give it an

occasional tvrirl, this way and that, to keep it from settling to the bottom.

Let

it boil until the grains are swollen and burst and lie up loosely.

Leave in the

liquor when you take it off the fire, and cover it up until it is cold. Cook in

meat fryings, with a little of the water in which it was boiled. Bonnie Doon,

"Boon's Hollow," in Michigan Farmer.

Remarks. Although the name and place &re fictitious, the plan is good

and will prove satisfactory, else my name is not Dr. Chase. The freezing is

not absolutely necessary; still in freezing weather it is a help. I should be glad

to know, however, that every family would make it earlier, and later, too, than

during the freezing months.

—

VARIOUS DISHES.

511

Hulled Corn, or Hominy, Croquettes. — To each cup of cold, softboiled hominy, or hulled corn, necessary for the family put 1 tea-spoonful of

melted butter or drippings, mashing and stirring it well together, then stirring

Now beat an egg with 1 tea-

in a cup of milk, or sufficient to make a paste.

spoonful of sugar to each cup of corn used, mix in and, with floured hands,

roll into balls (croquettes) and fry in butter, or after the meat is fried, in the

gravy.

If made pretty dry, they may be dipped in beaten eggs, then in cracker

crumbs and fried in hot lard, as you would doughnuts for tea; and in this case

a little finely-chopped ham, veal or chicken mixed in will give them an additional relish.

No comments, but simply a trial, is all that is needed.

—

Hulled Corn, Hominy, or " Grits," to Bake. Milk (always sweet

and nice, unless sour is called for), 1 qt. hominy, hulled corn, "grits" (as kept

by grocers), cooked tender and allowed to get cold, 1 cup; 3 eggs and a little

Directigns Bring the milk to a boil and stir

salt; sugar, 2 table-spoonfuls.

in salt and grits, or mashed hominy, or hulled corn, mashed, as the case may

If uncooked grits are used, continue to boil slowly about 20 minutes,

be.

slowly, then remove from the fire, and when cool stir in the beaten eggs and

The top may be glazed

sugar, and bake in a moderate oven, 30 to 40 minutes.

or meringued, with the beaten whites' of a couple of eggs and a couple tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, or not, as you choose. Serve with any pudding

sauce, or simple sugar and milk, as you like best.

Remarks. It will be seen by the foregoing recipes that hulled corn, hominy

or grits can be got up in different ways, adding to the varieties of the table,

which all good housekeepers like to do. Certainly the cheapness of hulled

corn, which, when cooked and mashed, is as nice as the hominy, or grits, for

these dishes can be no objection to the rich, while it may be a convenience to

the laboring classes to use the hulled corn instead of the others, which are more

;

—

—

expensive.

Mush, Rye and Indian, to Make. — Take rather coarse Indian meal,

2 parts; rye meal or flour, 1 part; stir in Indian first, and cook 15 or 20 minutes; then the rye, mixing thoroughly; then cook slowly for an hour, with the

cover upon the kettle. Very nice and healthful with milk, or to fry, as next

given.

—

Mush, to Fry. ^Beat an egg thoroughly, and roll a few crackers finely;

then slice the mush and dip in the egg, then into the cracker crumbs, and fry

in drippings, or after frying meat, or if wanted extra nice, in hot lard as you

would doughnuts.

—

Polenta, or Italian Mush, How to Make and Use. A writer

("a pint is a pound the world around")

says: Boil 1 lb. of yellow Indian meal

for 3^ hour, in 3 qts. of pot liquor (water in which meat has been boiled); or

boiling water, salted to taste, with 1 oz. of fat in

it,

stirring occasionally, to

prevent burning; then bake J^ an hour in a greased baking dish, and serve it

hot; or when cold slice

it

and fry in smoking hot fat. This favorite Italian

New England hasty pudding, and to the

dish, she adds, is closely allied to the

mush of the south.

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES.

513

— The difference

Remarks.

is in simply leaving the

water, using plain water instead of pot liquor.

"fat" out of the salted

The French make the polenta

by boiling the flour of chestnuts, or finely powdered chestnuts, in milk.

I think

this would be nice occasionally, the Italian frequently.

—

Baked Squash. Boil and mash a medium sized squash in the usual

way, and, when nearly cold, stir in the beaten yolks of 2 eggs; 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of milk; 1 of butter rubbed in 1 of flour and melted in the milk;

pepper and salt to taste as usual, and put into a buttered bake pan and set in a

moderate oven until lightly browned; then having beaten the whites, and mixed

into them the crumbs of 4 or 5 rolled crackers with a pinch of salt and a teaspoonful of sugar, if you like, put it over the top and brown again, a few minutes; serve hot.

Remarks.

— If summer squash

is used,

be careful to press out all the water

you can, as they are much more watery than the winter varieties.

Fried Squash. — Pare the squash and cut into rather thin slices (crook

necks are nice for this purpose, other rich winter varieties will do); make a thin

batter of flour and water, seasoned highly with pepper and salt; dip the squash

This

into it and fry with hot butter, or drippings, to a nice brown, each side.

may be done in a hot oven, turning in either case.

Remarks.

— If nicely done,

it is very

nice,

and makes a good substitute for

sweet potatoes.

Bread Balls, or Croquettes. — Crumble stale bread or bread crusts

rather finely and moisten well with warm milk or warm water.

If too moist

press out with the hand, season with salt and pepper, adding powdered sage or

summer savory, parsley or any other sweet herb, as you prefer or have on hand,

or a variety of them, as hinted in "Seasoning Fare" below, with a little softened butter and a beaten egg or two, according to quantity, to hold it in balls;

make with floured hands. To be fi'ied after meat or put into the dripping-pan in

roasting beef, turkey, chicken, etc.

Remarks.— 1 think those who try them

will

say:

"Most noble Festus

(author), thou art not mad, but speak the words of truth and soberness, " in giv-

ing so nice a way to use up stale bread or crusts. These balls will be very nice

with the roast turkey and roast pig for Thanksgiving dinner (as below), as well

as for common use.

Thanksgiving Dinner, with Suitable Recipes, Bill of Pare,

How to Set the Table, etc.— And now I don't think I can do better than

to close the department of dishes for the table than in giving a bill of fare, with

suitable recipes for a Thanksgiving dinner, which was sent to the Detroit Post

and Tribune vi\i\i the writer's plan for setting the table, etc., which will certainly be found of great assistance to new beginners and very handy to refer to

by every one upon such occasions, or when quite a number of visitors are to be

dined upon any occasion. If the writer's name was given I have it not at this

writing; but knowing the direetions to be reliable, I will let her speak for herShe says:

self.

VARIOUS DISHES.

518

Thanksgiving is almost here, and how shall we celebrate the day? I for

one believe in the old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner. The following bill of

fare may be of use to some of your readers:

Celery, Pepper Sauce.

Oyster Soup.

Roast Turkey, with Currant Jelly.

Mashed Turnips,

Baked Potatoes.

Carrots with Cream.

Baked Beans.

Chopped Cabbage,

Roast Pig.

Plum Pudding.

Pumpkin Pie.

Apples.

Nuts.

Cheese.

Tea and Coffee.

For the table I prefer a white cloth with fancy border, and napkins to

A dash of color livens up the table so, in the bleak November, when

Casters in the center, of course, flanked by

flowers cannot be had in profusion.

At each end, glass fruit dishes filled with apples and nuts.

tall celery glasses.

the

casters,

and a mold of jelly by the platter of

A bottle of pepper sauce near

match.

turkey, and small side dishes of chopped cabbage garnished with rings of cold

The purple cabbage makes the handsomest-looking dishes. Serve

boiled eggs.

the soup from tureens into soup dishes, handing around to the guests.

After

this comes the piece de resistance, " Thanksgiving turkey."

piece of dark

meat with a spoonful of gravy, and one of white with a bit of jelly and a

baked potato (I should prefer a spoonful of mashed) should be served on each

plate, leaving the other vegetables to be passed afterward with the roast pig.

After this the salad, and then the plates should be taken away and the dessert

Then come the apples and nuts, the tea and coffee, well seasoned with

served.

grandpa's old-time stories, grandma's quaint sayings and kind words and merry

repartees from all.

Below I give some recipes for these old-fashioned dishes, hoping they may

be of use to some young housekeeper, preparing, perhaps, her first Thanksgiving dinner:

Oyster Soup.

Pour the liquor from 1 qt. of oysters, set over the fire with

1 pt. of boiling water; skim when it boils up, and add 1 qt. of sweet milk;

when it again boils up, stir in 2 tea-spoonfuls of butter rubbed in 1 of flour;

then add the oysters, and salt and pepper to your taste; let it boil only a minute

or two, and serve in a hot tureen. See, also, that the soup dishes are well

warmed before sending to table.

Boast Turkey. Make a stuffing of moistened bread-crumbs, rubbed smooth,

with salt, pepper and powdered sage. Fill the breast and body, and sew it up

with a needle and coarse thread. Put in the oven in a pan with a little water,

basting it often.

turkey weighing 12 lbs. should roast at least 3 hours.

Having washed the heart, liver and gizzard, boil them an hour or so in a saucepan; to make the gravy chop the giblets fine; put them back in the water in

which they were boiled; add flour, rubbed smooth, in a little water; boU a minute or two, and serve in a gravy boat.

Boast Pig. Sprinkle inside with fine salt an hour before it is put into the

oven; cut off the feet at the first joint; fill it very full of stuflBng, with plenty

of sage in it; tie the legs; rub it all over with butter to keep it from blistering;

Make

baste very often while roasting.

It will require about 2^^ hours to roast.

gravy as for other roasts.

Carrots loilh Cream.

Boil very tender with plenty of water; when done

slice into a saucepan with a gill of cream; let them boil up once; salt and pepper to taste, and serve in hot nappies (side dishes).

Boston Baked Beans. Take 1 qt. of white beans, wash and soak over night

in 2 or 3 qts. of water; in the morning pick them over and boil until they begin

to crack open; put them in a brown pan; pour over them enough of the water

in which they have been boiled to nearly cover them.

Cut the rind of a pound

of salt pork into narrow strips; lay the pork upon the top of the beans and

press down nearly even with them; bake some 4 or 5 hours.

A

—

—

A

—

—

—

33

l>i2.

514

CEASE'S RECIPES.

—

Pumpkin Pie. Stew a kettle full of pumpkin and press it through a colanFor a quart of the stewed pumpkin use about a pint or a little more of

sweet milk, 3 cups of sugar, 3 eggs and a tea-spoonful of ginger; bake in a

crust in a deep pie plate.

Remarks. The plum pudding will be found in another part of the book;

der.

—

may be desired upon Thanksgiving,

"Always room for one more " in an omni-

also salads, sauces or any other thing that

or most other important occasions.

bus or street car, so I give one on

Seasoning Pood, Sweet Herbs for—How to Raise, When to

Cut and Dry, and How to Preserve their Flavor, etc.— It is a mistaken idea that nicely flavored dishes are expensive. If purchased the herbs

cost but a trifle per oz., and if raised at home it costs only a trifle to buy the

seeds for them.

The principal kinds used are sage, summer savory, thyme,

parsley, sweet basil and sweet marjoram, tarragon, mint, mace, cloves, celery

seed and onions.

The mints grow readily along small streams and the others

may be raised in boxes, even in the window or garden, wherever the sun will

shine upon them.

Sage need not be gathered till the last of September or first

of October; summer savory, thyme and marjoram in July and August; basil in

August and September; tarragon and parsley in June or July, or just before

flowering; mints for winter use, when fully matured, in June and July. All

should be gathered on a dry, sunny day and dried in the shade, and best if carefully dried in an open, moderate oven, or else hung up close by a stove to dry

quickly. And when very dry is the time to powder and sift them, and then to

bottle and cork tightly or keep in air-tight cans, which saves their flavor perfectly.

—

Remarks. The reason why French dishes are superior to other cooking is

that they are seasoned with a variety of herbs or spices, or both; and the flavor,

although indistinct {i. e., no one thing overbalancing another) from the variety

used in a single dish yet they are remarkably fine in themselves. Do the same

if you wish an equally nice dish.

[See, also, "Value of Sweet Herbs for

Stews." Vinegars, pickles and some of the more common dishea for the table

will be found in the Miscellaneous Department.]

;

Roast Goose. — A goose should not be more than eight months old, and

more tender and juicy the meat. Stuff with the following

mixture: 3 pts. of bread crumbs, 6 oz of butter, or part butter and part salt

pork, 1 tea-spoonful each of sage, black pepper, and salt, 1 chopped onion;

do not stuff very full, and stitch the openings firmly together to keep the

the fatter the

flavor in and the fat out.

Place in a baking-pan with a little water, and baste

frequently with salt and water (some add vinegar); turn often, so that the

back may be nicely browned. Bake 2 hours or more. When done,

fat, and to the brown gravy left, add the

chopped giblets, which have previously been stewed until tender, together

with the water they were boiled in; thicken with a little flour and butter

rubbed together, bring to a boil and serve. English style.

sides and

take from the pan, pour off the

mSOELLAlTEOTIS EEOIPES.

1.

"WASHING FLUID.—Labor-saving and Not Injurious^

Concentrated lye, 1 lb., muriate of ammonia, and salts of

rain water, 2 gals.

Directions

—Dissolve the lye (here

is

tartar,

each 2 ozs.

a lie, indeed, as lye

proper is a fluid, but this concentrated lye is a solid potash) in 1 gal. of the

water and the salts of tartar, and muriate of ammonia in the other gal. of water,

«nd put all into a 2 gallon stone jug, cork and shake, when it is ready for use.

Put a suitable amount of water into your boiler for boiling your clothes; and

when it is of a proper heat to put in the clothes, if they are very dirty, stir in

I

small teacup of the

t-ery dirty,

boiler, if

fluid, stirring well

before putting in the clothes;

if

not

% cup will be plenty; add half as much more to each additional

more than one is to be used at the same time.

—

To soak clothes over night in cold water, use half as much of

the fluid, stirred well into the water before putting the clothes into the tub

in the labor of the washing, as it neutralizes

this saves very much

Remarks.

grease, or sweat, and loosens the dirt, or

rots

its face;

but remember, no soap should be put upon the clothes, nor into the soaking water,

unless you use our bar Stanley soap given below.

If they cannot be soaked

over night, soaking them from early-rising till after breakfast, will help consi

•derably, putting in some of the fluid, the same as directed for over night. Theq

run through the wringer, soap dirty places, and they are ready for the boiler,

as in the directions above, boiling 10 to 20 minutes, after which but very littla

rubbing on the board will be needed, rinse well in the bluing water, as usual.

Mrs. Hardy, who gave me this receipt, and the foregoing instructions, is

the

my sister-in-law, who has spent most of her life in a hotel, or a large boarding

house, where

much washing was to be done, and this is her favorite receipt

my own

after trying many others, and hence, from her practical knowledge and

knowledge of the nature of the articles, I have every confidence it will prove

still, as there are those who have tried other receipts, and

think so much of them, I will give a few more.

satisfactory to all

;

2. Wasliing Fluid or Powder.— Sal-soda, 2 lbs. borax, 1 lb. ; salts

of tartar, 2 ozs. muriate of ammonia, 1 ]4. ozs.

Directions. I. For the Powder. If it is to be used as a powder, pulver;

;

—

ize all, and mix thoroughly, put into a large mouthed bottle and cork for use,

and use one rounding tablespoonful in each boiler of clothes, and half as much

for each additional boiler, and this same amount to a tub of clothes for soaking,

to be well stirred in, in either case.

II.

For the Fluid.

—If to be used as a

fluid,

dissolve the sal-soda

and

Jborax in 1 gal. of water, and the other articles in another gaL of water, mix and

515

—

DB. CEASE'S RECIPES.

516

put into a 2 gal. jug and keep corked for use.

and in the same way as No. I.

—

To be used in the same quantity

3. Washing Fluid. Sal-soda, 1 lb. potash (or concentrated lye), 1 lb,;

each dissolved in 1 gal. water respectively, then mix together and bottle.

Josie,"

of New York City, in Blade.

Remarks. She does not tell how, nor how much to use ; but the author

says, use the same as No. 1, and a two gal. jug will do to hold it in.

It will be

—

;

'

'

—

found good and no trouble to make.

—

4. New Mode of Washing, Saving Time, Labor and Fuel.

"The ill effects of soda on linen have given rise to a new method of washing,

which has been extensively adopted in Germapy, and introduced into Belgium.

The operation consists in dissolving 2 lbs. of soap in about 3 gals, of water as.

hot as the hand can bear, and adding to this 1 teaspoon of turpentine and 3 of

liquid ammonia; the mixture must be then well stirred, and the linen steeped in

it for 2 or 3 hours, taking care to cover up the vessel containing them as closely

as possible.

The clothes are afterward washed out and rinsed in the usual way.

The soap and water may be reheated and used a second time, but in that case

The

]4. teaspoonf ul of turpentine and 1 teaspoonf ul of ammonia must be added.

The linen

process is said to cause a great economy of time, labor and fuel.

scarcely suffers at all, as there is little necsssity for rubbing, and its cleanliness

and color are perfect. The ammonia and turpentine, although their detersive

(cleansing) action is great, have no injurious effect upon the linen and while

the former evaporates immediately, the smell of the latter disappears entirely,

during the drying of the clothes. Rural New Yorker.

;

—

This writer speaks of the " ill effect of soda on linen," etc.; but

must claim if soda is properly used in washing, it will not injure

clothes, i. e. if it is combined with potash or lime, which give it its causticity,

Remarks.

the author

,

detergent or cleansing powers.

of my wife's

life,

For, during the past 20 years or more, I think,

she always kept a washing fluid ready for use, made of sal-

soda and stone-lime, some of which was always put into the water to soak the

them in, and I never saw a yellow

clothes in, and also into the water to boil

nor heard of any discoloring nor rotting of the clothing. I will guarangiven will they be injured, nor become

Borax, which is particularly the thing used in the next, I know to be

yellow.

an excellent article to cleanse clothing, as well as to cleanse the scalp from

dandruff.

A teaspoonful of powdered borax, to water enough, washing the

head daily, will soon remove the dandruff, and leave the scalp in a smooth and

shirt,

tee that by none of the processes here

healthy condition.

5.

Washing— The Use of Borax in Washing Linen, Flannels,

—The following suggestions as to the use of borax in washing

is from a

She says:

"For an ordinary washing, use 1 teaspoonful (the author would say 2, for

borax is a neutral salt and it has no excess of alkali, nor acid, and therefore

does not injure clothing) of borax to 5 gals, of water and 2 ozs. of soap (it

would have to be soft soap, else dissolved); soak the clothes in this over night;

When the

give them a thorough boiling, without wringing before the boiling.

etc.,

correspondent of the Western Rural who had tested them.

clothes are very much soiled, see that the water is made soft witli borax.

[Made to feel soapy.] 2 tablespoonfuls to a pail. Clothes thus washed wiU

not turn yellow."

MISCELLANEOUS.

517

In washing flannels, use 1 table-spoonful of borax to 5 gals, of water, without soap. It will not shrink them. For starching linen, use 1 tea-spoonful of

borax to 1 pt. of boiling starch. For washing and bleaching laces, put 1 teaspoonful of borax to 1 pt. of boiling water, leave your articles to soak in the

solution for 24 hours, then wash with a little soap.

For cleansing black cashmeres, wash in hot suds with a little borax in the water; rinse in bluing water

^very blue

and iron on the wrong side while damp."

Remarks. For its use in removing dandruff, see the close of the remarks

last above.

A drachm of powdered borax dissolved in 2 table-spoonfuls of

Tinegar is said to be an excellent lotion for ringworm of the scalp; and its powder dusted about pantries, libraries, etc., is also said to be effectual in driving

away roaches and other insects. King.

The author does not have to say "said to be," about its driving away

Toaches, as he has done it with great satisfaction, in drawers where they congregated so it could be got upon them; they left on the " double-quick."

—

—

—

6. Borax, as Used By the Washer-Women of Holland and

Belgium. — "The washer-women of Holland and Belgium, so proverbially

<;lean, and who get up their linen so beautifully white, do it by the use of

refined borax (kept

by druggists) as a washing powder, instead of soda, in the

proportion of a large handful of borax powder to 10 gals, of boiling water, saving in soap nearly half. All of the large washing establishments adopt the

same plan.

"For laces, cambrics and lawns an extra quantity of the powder is used,

and for crinolines (skirts) requiring to be made stiff, a stronger solution is

Borax being a neutral salt does not in the slightest degree injure the

Touman's Dio

Its effect is to soften the hardest water."

tionary of Every-Day Wants.

necessary.

texture of the linen.

Boiling or Rubbing.

Washing Fluid, Requiring but Little

— "Camphor

gum, %

^pt. borax,

7.

oz., dissolved in alcohol,

;

)4,\h.\ sal soda,

1 lb.; dissolve the borax and sal soda in hot rain water, 1 gal., and stir in the

it, cork

and shake, when it is ready for use. Directions Put J^ cup of this to 1 pt.

of soft soap, and apply to the dirty parts of the clothing, and soak in warm

water J^ an hour, or while breakfast is passing; need not then boil over 5 minutes.

Washing will be done in half the ordinary time. Does not rot clothing,

l»ut makes it white.

Table-cloths stained with tea, coffee, or fruit, throw into

boiling water a few minutes, when they will be free from stains (I have seen

statements to pour hot water through such spots would free them from the

stain), while soap or suds when the clothes are dry will set the stains permanently."

Oermantown, (Pa.) Telegraph.

Remarks. I take this to be a very good fluid, as it has neither