38. Cleaning Paint and Varnish.—Many housekeepers have been annoyed by finding their paint and varnish brushes dry and hard. To soften them, heat to the boiling water point some good cider vinegar, immerse your brushes and allow them to simmer in it for a few minutes, then wash out in strong soapsuds and your brushes will be soft and pliable.
39. How to Keep Cookies from Burning.—To keep cookies from burning on the bottom, turn the baking pan upside down and bake on the bottom of the pan.
40. Non-Sticking Cake Tins.—Cake layers will not stick in cooking if a little meal is scorched on the cake tins and rubbed off with paper.
41. To Clean Sieve.—Hold a sieve which has been used for straining oatmeal, tomatoes, fruit, etc., at once under the faucet, or shake it in enough water to cover it, then slap it, and it is easily cleaned; if it dries first it is almost impossible to get it clean even by more time and effort.
42. Washing Clothes.—After the clothes have been soaked a while to loosen the dirt, spread on washboard, soap, and then rub with a common scrub brush. The dirt comes out easier and with much less wear on the clothes. Even when the washing machine is used, this is a help for the wrist bands that are not quite clean.
43. Discoveries.—When old clothes, like worn-out aprons or waists or linings come to hand, and are absolutely good for nothing else, cut them into small pieces, say eight or twelve inches square, some larger, and put them into a bag or box easily accessible. Then when something is spilled over on stove or floor, or mess of any kind is made, use these bits for cleaning up and drop them into the fire.
44. To Stretch Curtains.—Take curtains while wet and put on a curtain rod; also put a heavy rod as a weight on the lower hem. Hang one on curtain at a time at an open window and stretch the desired width.
45. Cleaning Windows in the Winter.—It is a hard task in the winter time to wash windows in the old way, but if it is very cold, windows can be cleaned by using "Bon Ami," The same is useful for cleaning bright pieces on stoves.
46. How to Kill Black Ants.—A request for information as to how to rid plants and trees of black ants, which was received at the Pennsylvania department of agriculture's division of zoology, elicited the following from Prof. H. A. Surface, State Zoologist. You can do this by finding the nesting places of the pests and making holes into the interior of them with a sharpened stick like a broom handle and pouring into each hole a half tea cup of carbon bisulphide. Fill the hole with earth and cover with a wet cloth or blanket to keep down the fumes and the ants will be destroyed at once. This is the best possible method for destroying ants of any kind.
47. Washing Windows.—It is better to wash windows on a cloudy day or when the sun is not shining directly on them. Before washing, dust them thoroughly inside and out, then wash the woodwork without touching the glass. For the glass use warm water, to which add a tablespoonful of kerosene to each pailful of water used. Dry with a cloth or chamois skin, wrung very dry; then polish with a soft cloth or soft old newspapers.
48. Home-made Soap Shaker.—A baking powder can with holes punctured in both cover and bottom, makes a fine soap shaker. Put all the small scraps of soap in this, and when you wash dishes, just put box and all in your dishpan and shake about. You will have a nice suds and no soap rubbing off on the dishes.
49. Cleaning Rugs.—When cleaning rugs first lay them out straight and brush with a stiff dry scrubbing brush. You will be surprised at the amount of dirt that is loosened and comes out in this way.
50. Clean Leather Furniture.—A good way to clean leather furniture is to add a little vinegar to some warm water and wash the leather, using a clean soft cloth. Wipe with a dry cloth. To restore the polish, mix two teaspoonfuls of turpentine with the whites of two eggs; beat a little and apply with a soft flannel cloth. Dry with another cloth and rub well.
51. Ironing Board, Conveniences for.—Try tacking a pocket on the under side of your ironing board to keep your holder, stand and sheet of sand paper in.
52. Clean Gilt Furniture.—Gilt furniture can be cleaned with sifted whiting made into a cream with alcohol. Cover a small space at a time and rub off before it hardens. To clean brass fixtures rub them with cut lemon and then wash off in hot water.
53. For Tufted Furniture.—For tufted furniture use a bicycle pump to remove dust. Garments to be stored for the summer months should first be aired well on a bright breezy day. Brush thoroughly and shake free of dust. Do not leave clothing out in the air after three o'clock in the afternoon, as from that time until dark all sorts of insects are seeking their beds. A trunk or box that has been thoroughly cleaned and sunned and then lined with fresh newspapers will prove an ideal place in which to store winter clothing. Sprinkle each layer with cloves and tuck newspapers well around them, moths detest printer's ink.
54. Clean Linoleum.—To clean linoleum add one cupful of beeswax, shaved fine, to two cupfuls of turpentine and set on the back of the stove to melt. When cool it will be thick and ready for use. First thoroughly clean the linoleum and then apply the paste with a soft cloth. Rub in well, then polish with a dry cloth, preferably flannel. Linoleum treated in this manner will look like new.
55. For Broken Needles.—A receptacle for broken needles in her work basket would be a boon to any woman, and this one which I am about to describe is very easily made, takes up little space and is really very convenient, when one is busy sewing and dislikes to get up to take care of the dangerous bits of steel. Take a little two dram bottle (homeopathic style), crochet for it a snug covering made of embroidery silk or silkaline, crocheting it tightly and covering the bottle completely, using some bright color if desired. When you break a needle just slip the pieces right through the meshes of silk into the bottle; they will go in easily, but the holes will close up after them, retaining them in safety till the receptacle is full.
56. How to Carry House Key.—The pocketless woman often finds it troublesome to carry a key, especially the house key, when she goes out. If an old-fashioned split metal ring can be found, use it to connect the key to be carried to the circular end of a strong, sure acting safety pin, not necessarily of the largest size. If such a ring cannot be found, fasten pin and key together with a bit of fine wire, string or thread will be sure to break just at the wrong time. Then the pin may be fastened to the inside of the jacket or slipped inside of the shirtwaist band pinned to the undergarment, or attached to the skirtband and allowed to hang down outside.
57. A Sewing Room Hint.—Thread will not become knotted so often if the newly-cut end is put into the needle instead of the other end, which is already broken.
58. Convenient Addition to Kitchen.—One of the most highly-prized helps in our kitchen is a bird cage hook, one which can be hung on a nail, and thus easily changed from place to place. On this when placed over the sink, I hang macaroni, greens, etc., to drain; and when placed over the kitchen table, it is an ideal arrangement for holding the jelly bag.
59. To Remove Candle Grease.—A simple way to remove candle grease is to scrape off all that will come off in that way, lay over the spot a piece of heavy brown wrapping paper (butcher's paper) and press with a very hot iron.
60. Using Silk on the Machine.—When sewing on the machine with silk, it often unwinds and twists around the spool spindle in a very trying manner. To avoid this make a hole in a small piece of felt and slip it on the spindle before the silk is put on.
61. A Shoe Cover.—When packing my trunk for a journey, I have found it to be a good scheme to use my stockings for shoe covers, this saves the added bulk of paper, and the shoes will be found less liable to muss up other things if protected by this clean and handy stocking covering. A stocking occupies practically no room when drawn over a shoe, and the two together will be found quite handy to tuck into chinks into which they alone can fall.
62. To Press Skirts.—An easy way to press skirts is to use a sheet of paper in place of a cloth; lay the folds, or plaits and in place of ironing over a wet cloth take a sheet of common magazine paper lay it on the goods and iron. This presses the skirt very well and keeps the shine off and will, I think, give more satisfaction than if pressed with a damp cloth or ironed on the wrong side.
63. How to Attach Holders to Kitchen Apron.—Pin two holders with long tape at each side of the apron when cooking. They are convenient for handling hot kettles or dishes.
64. To Pack Music.—An excellent place in which to pack away sheets of music that are not in constant use is a large box fitted with a hinged cover and upholstered in cretonne, after the manner of shirtwaist boxes so much in vogue. Such a box is kept in the hallway of a small flat, where room is at a premium. The music cabinet was full to overflowing and there was no closet shelf that could be utilized, as so often happens in an ordinary house. An unused shirtwaist box was suggested and has been found to answer every purpose, besides providing an extra seat when such a seat was desirable. The box seems to fit in as an article of furnishing and the reason for its being there would never be asked.
65. Pie Crust, How to Bake.—Bake empty pie crusts on the outside of the tin, instead of the inside, and they won't shrink.
66. Let the Poison Bottle Tinkle.—A wise house mother with half a dozen little folk needing all sorts of medicines and medical applications, has purchased in a toy shop a handful of little bells, and when a bottle containing poison is added to the medicine closet it is adorned with a bell tied around its neck with a narrow ribbon. No danger with the bottle thus equipped of taking by mistake, in the dark, the dangerous medicine. The moment the poison bottle is touched the little bell tinkles its warning.
67. A New Night Lamp.—Mothers who have timid little ones will appreciate the new night lamp, the apparatus of which may be carried to the country in a trunk or handbag. This apparatus consists of a small wooden float through which passes a tiny wick. An ordinary china teacup is half filled with cottonseed oil, the little floating wick placed in this, and a match touched to the upright wick. While the sides of the cup prevent thc direct light of the flame being visible to the person in bed, a pleasant dim light is cast over the room.
68. Time Saved in Sewing.—In a family of small children there are a great many buttonholes to be made. A quick way to make them in the everyday underwear, is on the sewing machine. Sew back and forth, leaving a small space in the center, three or four times where the buttonhole is wanted, and cut in the space left, being careful not to cut the stitching. In making little dresses, or slips after the skirts are sewed up, attach the gatherer to the machine and gather the top and bottom of sleeves and skirt. In this way work is quickly done.
69. Stews and Hash, How to Make.—Stews and hash made of fresh meat or round steak instead of scraps, are delicious. When the steak is to be used without being ground, select only tender, young, pinkish pieces; otherwise it will be tough in spite of prolonged cooking.
70. Dusters.—Another good idea about dusters. Do not use anything that comes handy, but get squares of five-cent cheese cloth or silkoline, fold a neat hem, and whip it nicely around, then turn and go back the other way. These materials are the best one can use, as they do not leave lint behind. Always wash the dusters after the sweeping day. No one can do clean work with soiled tools; besides dusters ruin the hands.
71. Broom Bags.—Good material for a broom bag or cover is old gauze underwear. The goods takes up dust very readily, and is easily rinsed out; or a piece can be thrown away without waste.
72. To Settle Coffee.—An economical and satisfactory way to settle coffee is as follows: Beat one egg well with an egg beater and pour over one pound of freshly-ground coffee, mix very thoroughly and no trace of dampness then remains. The coffee may then be put away as usual, and when used it will be found as clear as amber.
73. Stocking Tops for Convenient Holders.—For soft, convenient holders use old stocking tops. Take two thicknesses, cut in squares, bind all around with some bias pieces left from calico dresses and sew a brass ring on one corner.
74. Hat Hangers.—It is often convenient to hang up hats, even "Sunday-go-to-meeting ones." To make sure that everyone will stay hung up, and not fall to the floor to be soiled or crushed under foot, sew a loop of narrow ribbon or elastic braid or even shoestring, to the middle of the lining, making the loop long enough so that it will reach to the edge of the hat crown when the loop is pulled out. This can be done and passed over hook or nail or peg, and the hat hung over it, and even if the hat gets a hard knock, it's a case of "sure on" every time.
75. To Freshen Bread.—To freshen bread pour cold water all over the loaf, drain quickly, and place in the oven. When the outside is dry and hot remove the loaf and it can scarcely be detected from a new one.
76. Renewing Wringer Rollers.—A neighbor rejuvenated a worn-out wringer the other day by covering the rolls with white felt. She cut the felt so that it would just come together, not overlap anywhere, and caught the edges together with close stitches. It bids fair to last her as long again, and it is certain that just now the wringer does as good work as any new one.
77. To Prevent Cake Tins Sticking.—Flour the baking tins after greasing them. If the flour is shaken all over the grease, and the tins rapped, you will have no difficulty with sticky cakes which break when you try to get them out. Lard is just as good as butter, for it will not taste through the flour.
78. Substitute for Chopping Bowl.—When chopping mincemeat, tomatoes, or large quantities of other fruit, you will probably find that your chopping bowl is a good deal too small. Get a clean wooden box with a thick bottom, from your grocer and use it instead of your bowl. You will notice a great saving of time is effected.
79. Save the Gas.—Cut strips of asbestos paper an inch and a half wide and long enough to go around the burners of the gas range. Pin together to form a ring, slip over the burner, and all the heat will be concentrated where wanted. In this way the gas can be half turned off and the same results obtained.
80. To Prevent Pitchers Dripping.—Syrup or other liquids will not drip from a pitcher if a little butter or grease is rubbed on the edge and under the side of the lip.
81. Medicine Cupboard.—An array of ordinary medicine bottles is always unsightly, and a nuisance, too, on cleaning days. Have a tiny cupboard with tight closing door, or a well-fitted curtain, and there is gain in looks and convenience.
82. To Prevent Tablecloths from Blowing Off.—We had some pieces of brass chain, and found them splendid to run through the hems of the tablecovers when in use on the porch in summer. Such "loaded" covers do not blow off easily, consequently they save quite a bit of annoyance and laundering.
83. To Mark Poison Bottle.—When you purchase a bottle of poison run a brass-headed tack into the top of the cork. It serves as a marker, and children will be more cautious of the marked bottle. If the label comes off or is discolored, the marker remains as a warning that the bottle contains poison.
84. To Remove White Spots Caused by Hot Dishes.—For polishing tables after hot dishes leave a white spot, take a cloth wet in alcohol, then have one wet in sweet oil. Do it quickly and spots will disappear at once.
85. Stains from Fly Paper, to Remove.—Almost anything that has come in contact with sticky fly paper can be thoroughly cleansed by sponging with kerosene. The odor will soon evaporate if the article is exposed to the air for a short time.
86. A Use for Ravelings.—In trimming a tablecloth to be hemmed or stitched, one very frequently has to cut off quite a piece of the linen. Ravelings from these pieces are invaluable for mending old cloths, and ought to be saved for that purpose,
87. How to Remove a Glass Stopper.—The obstinate glass stopper in a glass bottle will yield to a string of seaweed around the neck of the bottle. Friction, heat, slight outside expansion solve the problem.
88. To Prevent Starch from Boiling Over.—Add a small piece of butter the size of a walnut when the starch comes to a good boil. This not only gives a nice, smooth finish and makes the ironing easier, but it prevents the starch from boiling over.
89. To Hold Sheets in Place.—I worked out a little scheme which has saved me a lot of trouble and inconvenience, so I thought I would pass it on. The sheets and bed clothes are constantly pulling out at the foot, so one day I sewed three buttons on to my mattress with strong thread, and worked buttonholes in the hems of the sheets to correspond, and since then have not had trouble with their pulling up in the middle of the night.
90. Hints for Bathing the Baby.—It is a great advantage when bathing the baby to have all the towels heated before using, as they absorb the moisture much more readily and are very pleasant and soothing to the delicate skin. This is also excellent for bathing an invalid as it greatly hastens the work and lessens the danger of catching cold. It acts like a charm for the child who dreads a bath, this is usually a nervous child who does not like the feeling of the towel, on the wet surface of its skin; complains of feeling damp; and refuses to don its clothing when a less sensitive child would be perfectly comfortable.
91. A Satisfactory Shoe Polisher.—Not long since I ripped up a velvet covered hat, only to find the velvet impossible for further use in the millinery line. A threw it into the big waste basket that stands near my husband's shoe cleaning apparatus. He caught up the velvet in a hurry one day to take a spot off a shoe, and now has it laid away as a treasure in his shoe kit. He says it is the best polisher he ever had, and uses it on my fine shoes to his own entire satisfaction.
92. Tasty Way of Preparing Beef-tea.—Beef-tea will not prove so monotonous to an invalid if a different flavoring is used each day, as dove, bay leaf, or celery.
93. To Preserve Silk Gloves.—If white or delicately tinted silk gloves are wrapped in blue paper, then in brown they will not discolor. The chloride of lime in white paper is injurious.
94. Red Ants to Destroy.—Dry sulphur, sprinkled about in cupboards or flour chests where small red ants frequent, will rid the place of the pests.
95. Kitchen Account Book.—I have found a kitchen account book is a very useful record. I have a small vestpocket note book hanging by a string and pencil near my kitchen range. A page or two is devoted to each month's use. The month and year are entered at the top of page. When groceries are purchased, the date, article and price are noted, and summed up at the end of each month. It makes a handy, permanent record, showing how long supplies last, the expense of one month compared with another, and the monthly average of each year.
96. A Brick Pincushion.—A brick pincushion was a dressmaker's ingenious way of making easy work of basting and sewing long seams. She took a common red brick, topped it with a flat oblong cushion size and shape of the brick, covering the whole neatly with a bright chintz cover. This standing on the edge of her cutting table was in constant use, and proved a great convenience.
97. Fruit Stains, to Remove from Hands.—When your hands become stained from paring fruit or vegetables, dip them in soap suds then rub thoroughly with coarse salt, and they will become smooth and white.
98. Eyelet Embroidery, Suggestions for.—For some time after I began doing "eyelet work" I wondered if there was not some way to fasten the thread after completing an eyelet. A friend of mine showed me a solution of my problem. It was to leave the last three loops loose enough so that I could pass the thread back through them after completing the eyelet. Then I carefully pulled each of these loops down and cut off the thread. This obviates the necessity of any knots that are so unsightly, and at the same time, the thread is firmly secured. 99. To Prevent Stockings from Wearing Out.—Paste pieces of velvet soft side up, into the heels of your shoes, bottom and back, and you will find your stockings darning reduced by a big per cent.
100. Needle Sharpener.—I know a woman who always keeps a small piece of whetstone in her machine drawer for sharpening needles when they become blunted. It is a great scheme, and saves a lot of needles, as I have proved to my own satisfaction.
101. Burned Kettles.—If you have had the misfortune to burn your kettle it may be made smooth and clean by filling it with ashes and water, leaving it for an hour or so, then washing with clear water.
102. Children's Petticoats.—When making washable petticoats for her small daughters, a mother whom I know attaches two skirts to one belt, which in turn is sewed to a little lace trimmed waist. The lower skirt is made of white cambric, and the top skirt is of swiss embroidery. This arrangement saves time in dressing the little ones and their upper and lower petticoats are always of the same length and set evenly.
103. Systematic Housekeeping.—A friend of mine who has a six-room apartment delights in taking care of it in sections, one room a day. On each of the six days in the week one room is thoroughly cleaned and put in order. She plans, if possible, to add some little touch of adornment, a new rocker, or vase, or table cover, or pincushion. In this way there is always something new to notice and admire, and yet no new and startling changes and never any accumulation of hard work.
104. To Keep Grape Fruit After Cutting.—When half a grapefruit or melon is left from a meal, place it cut side down on a china or agate plate, so that no air can reach it, and the fruit will keep as though it had not been cut.
105. How to Freshen Nuts.—We had a lot of nuts that became too dry to be good, and were about to throw them away, when a friend told us of a very easy and practical way to freshen them. It was this: to let them stand over night in a solution of equal parts of milk and water, then dry them slowly in a moderate oven. They tasted so fresh and proved to be such an economy, that we thought the idea well worth passing along.
106. Measure the Eggs.—Try measuring the whites of eggs for angel food instead of counting them, for best results.
107. Kerosene Lamps.—A neighbor who has to use kerosene for lighting purposes told me the secret of her bright lights. After cleansing the lamps well and trimming the wick she fills the oil chamber, and drops into it a piece of camphor gum about as large as a marble. It is a very simple method of securing a splendid light.
108. Baking Help.—When creaming butter and sugar for cake or cookies, add two tablespoonfuls of boiling water, then deduct this amount from the other liquid used. Beat hard with a spoon, and the mixture will become a light creamy mass in one-third of the time it otherwise would take.
109. To Destroy Disagreeable Odors.—The cooking of onions, cabbage, or frying articles always leaves a disagreeable odor in our house. To get rid of this I place an old tin over a lighted burner and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on it. When the tin is very hot I carry it through the house on the dustpan, leaving behind me the pleasant pungent odor of the spice.
110. The Last Step.—A great many times last winter I had to go into the cellar to tend to the furnace when it was too light to light a lamp, and too dark to enable one to see easily. Almost every time I had to feel around to be sure that I was on the bottom step. One day my husband was doing some painting in the cellar and happened to think that a little white paint on that step would help. Now we wonder why we did not think of it before.
111. Truth spoken with malicious intent is greater error than keeping of silence where wrong is meant.
112. Boiled Potatoes.—Boiled potatoes should be served as soon as they are cooled. To make them dryer, drain off the water quickly, shake them in a strong draught of air and do not put back the lid of the kettle.
113. To Prevent Ripping.—When hemming table cloths, sheets, etc., on the machine, try the following plan: Sew the hem as you always do, but when you come to the end, instead of leaving a long thread to tie it, to keep from ripping, simply lift the presser-foot, turn the goods around, place the presser-foot down again and sew back over the same seam again, and sew about half an inch more. It makes a neat finish and no danger of the hem ever fraying out.
114. To Mix Corn Bread.—To mix corn bread more easily warm the bowl that it is to be mixed in.
115. Mending Table Linen.—To mend table cloths and napkins, take the sewing machine, loosen the tension, lengthen the stitch, place embroidery rings over the place to be mended, and stitch back and forth closely. You have a neat darn, easily done. When laundered you can scarcely see it. Do the same with stockings.
116. Children's Toy.—Save all the empty spools, and when any dyeing is done in the household, drop the spools into the fluid for a few minutes, and they will make fine playthings for the children on a rainy day.
117. To Keep Coffee From Boiling Over.—To keep coffee from boiling over add a lump of butter about the size of a small marble.
118. Sour Milk Pancakes.—We are very fond of sour milk pancakes, and have often had to go without any in the winter when the weather was cold, just because the milk would not sour. I have learned to put a teaspoonful of vinegar in a pan of milk, that I wanted to use for the cakes the next morning, and find that it never fails me in making the milk sour. Placing the pan over the register for the night helps matters along.
119. When the Wooden Scrub Bucket Leaks.—When the wooden scrub bucket leaks pour sealing wax into the crevice and paint on the outside. This will make it last for a longer period.
120. Rust Spots on Clothes.—Many rust spots on clothes are caused by bits of soap adhering to the latter when they come in contact with the bluing water. The discovery has been of great help to me because I can now easily avoid having these unsightly marks. I merely cut the soap into small pieces, and tie them in a salt bag I keep for the purpose. With this treatment the soap dissolves just as quickly but does not come into direct contact with the clothes.
121. Cleaning Stoves.—Before blacking my stove I rub soap on my hands, as if washing them, letting the soap dry on. When washing my hands after the work is done, the blacking and the soap come off together easily, leaving no stain on the hands.
122. Left-Over Peaches.—If there are not peaches enough left from an opened can to go around, mix them with orange pulp and a little sliced banana and the family will find them improved.
123. Substitute for Cream in Coffee.—For a substitute for cream in coffee put a pint of fresh milk into a double boiler and let it come to a boil, stirring often. Beat the yolk of one egg very light and pour it into the boiling milk and mix well.
124. Cooking cauliflower.—Soak cauliflower an hour before cooking. Put into boiling water to which a tablespoonful of salt is added. Boil from twenty to thirty minutes according to size of the head.
125. Uses for Child's Broom.—A child's broom should find place in the bath room. It can be kept in the clothes hamper, and will be useful in sweeping under the bath-tub.
126. Dish Cloths.—Dish cloths are often neglected. They should be kept scrupulously clean, and in order that they may be so they should be washed out carefully with soap, and well rinsed each time they have been used. After this has been done they may be hung in the air to dry. Some people, however, like to have a stone jar containing a solution of soda by the sink and to keep the dish cloths in it when not in use.
127. Watch for the wishes of the customers and not the hands of the clock, and some day you will have your boss's job.
128. We judge our neighbor as queer and eccentric, but with the same measure comes back his judgment of us.
129. Uses for Men's Worn Out Collars.—Men's collars when worn out, can be opened and bound together as a memorandum book which can be laundered each Monday.
130. Broiling Meat.—A little salt thrown on the coal flame will clear it for broiling meat.
131. Combinations of Cherries and Pineapple.—A combination of cherries and pineapple makes a most-delicious pie.
132. Crepe Paper for Dish Closet.—A pretty effect for the dish closet may be found in crepe paper. Some prefer white, but a tint harmonizing well with the china is pretty too. Have it to fall about three inches below the edge of the shelves and ruffle the edge of the paper by stretching it lightly between forefinger and thumb.
133. Boiling Rice.—One cook always puts a very little lemon juice in the water in which she boils the rice. She claims that it keeps the rice white and the grams whole and separate. It may be worth trying.
134. To Remove Grease from Silk.—Grease may be removed from silk and woolen clothes by the use of magnesia. Scrape a quantity upon the spot, cover with a brown paper and place a hot flat-iron over it. The heat of the iron acts upon the magnesia and when the iron and the paper are removed and the magnesia brushed off the spot will have disappeared.
135. Hemstitching.—When hemstitching wears out, take serpentine braid and stitch it across twice on the sewing machine. This makes the hem look neat and last a long time.
136. Moths.—When moths get into dresser drawers, sweep them clean, expose the wood to the sunlight and with an atomizer spray turpentine where the pests are liable to be. A lighted match or sulphur candle will kill them.
137. To Remove Putty.—To remove putty, rub a red hot poker over it, and cut off the putty with a steel knife.
138. New Method for Sprinkling Clothes.—Turn the nozzle of the hose to a fine spray and sprinkle the clothes while they are on the line; a very quick and good method. All plain pieces may then be rolled up and laid in the basket as they are taken down, while starched articles need but a little further hand sprinkling on portions not exposed.
139. To Open Packages of Breakfast Food.—To open packages of breakfast food and keep boxes in a dust proof condition until empty, make an opening in the side of box close to top by forcing a tablespoon through cardboard and turn flap downwards. The flap will fit back snugly in place each time package is used.
140. Preparing Oranges for the Table.—In preparing oranges for the table take a sharp knife, cut the skin straight around, insert the handle of a spoon turned over flat to fit the orange and loosen shell by forcing spoon to within one-half inch of the end, around one side, then the other, after which cut the orange through the center, making two parts. Then turn the skin back in cup form, making a pretty decoration for the table and serving as handles. Always serve in halves.
141. To Make a Muddy Skirt Wash Easily.—To make a muddy skirt wash easily and look white, take sour milk and dilute with water; soak the skirt in it over night, then wash in the usual way; the skirt washes easier and looks white.
142. To Make Stained Water Bottles Clean.—To make stained water bottles clean and bright, put in salt and pour on vinegar, let stand a few minutes then shake. Rinse in clear water.
143. Sanitary Window Screen.—Try tacking cheese cloth on the pantry window screen frame. This admits air that is sifted free from smoke and soot, before it comes into the pantry.
144. Cheerfulness at Meals.—Cheer during the meals will do away with the need of digestive tablets. Make it a rule to come to the table smiling, and continue to smile, though the food does not suit you and everyone else is down on their luck. Your smile will prove contagious.
145. Uses for Stale Bread.—Take stale biscuits and grind them with a food chopper; toast in oven to a delicate brown. Serve with plenty of sugar and cream. Makes fine breakfast food and saves the stale bread.
146. Washing Lemons.—Always wash lemons before grating them, not only to remove any foreign matter sticking to them, but in order to remove the tiny insect eggs so often seen on them in the disguise of black specks. They may be kept fresh indefinitely, if wiped perfectly dry and placed in a sealed top glass jar.
147. To Give Vinegar a Nice Flavor.—A small button of garlic in a quart of vinegar will give it a mysterious delicious flavor, and it will immensely improve salads or anything in which it is used.
148. If Mice are Gnawing Holes.—If mice are gnawing holes in the house, rub common laundry soap around the gnawed places, and you may depend on it they will cease labor in that district.
149. To Teach Darning.—If young girls are taught to darn on canvas, the method of weaving the stitches is easily explained and put into practise.
150. Bed Sheeting.—Sheeting should never be cut, but should be torn into lengths, usually two and a half yards for medium beds.
151. Browning Potatoes.—For some kinds of frying the griddle is better and has a less tendency to grease than the frying pan. Among the other things potato cakes browned on a hot greased griddle are especially crisp and delicious.
152. To Keep Bread from Souring.—You will find that light bread will not sour so quickly in summer if it is not covered when taken from the oven. This steam is unnatural and should be allowed to escape or it soaks into the bread, making it clammy and more liable to sour. Let the bread cool gradually then put a clean cloth in a large stone jar, place the bread in and cover with the cloth, before covering with the stone, or wooden lid. This keeps bread fresh and moist from one bake day to another.
153. Never Pour Scalding Water into Milk Vessels.—Never pour scalding water into milk vessels; it cooks the milk on the sides and bottom of the vessels making it more difficult to clean such articles. Rinse them first with cold water. This same rule applies to cleansing of catsup bottles.
154. The Water Pipes in the Kitchen.—The water pipes in the kitchen will not be so unattractive, if painted the color of the kitchen woodwork.
155. To Brush Fringe of a Doilie.—Do not use a comb for the fringe of doilies as it pulls out the fringe, but brush it with a nail brush.
156. Wash Suits.—Large buttons should be removed from wash suits before they are sent to the laundry.
157. Sewing Machine Conveniences.—Always leave a piece of cloth under the presser foot of the sewing machine. This will save wear on the machine. Also it will absorb any drop of oil which might gather and spoil the first piece of fabric stitched, and will keep the needle from becoming blunted.
158. To Make a Ruffle Easily.—To make a ruffle easily, just above depth of the ruffle make a quarter inch tuck. Insert edge of ruffle under tuck, flatten down tuck over the ruffle edge and stitch on edge of tuck. If the ruffle is desired on very bottom of garment, make a quarter of an inch of tuck, leaving about half of an inch of goods underneath. Baste and stitch wrong side of ruffle to wrong side of half-inch piece, about quarter of an inch from edge. Turn back, making edge come under tuck. Flatten tuck and stitch on the edge. This will save all the trouble of bias bands, so dreaded by the dress-maker.
159. Greasing Cake Tins.—In making a cake, grease the tin with sweet lard rather than butter and sift a little dry flour over it.
160. Making Children's Petticoats.—When making children's petticoats gather the skirt to waistband before hemming the backs and then turn in with the hem, and when band gets too small and narrow across the back, all you have to do is rip out the hem and face back, and the gathers are already there properly placed; and no ripping skirt from band to adjust fullness is necessary.
161. After Cake is Removed from Oven.—A cake which has been removed from the oven should be placed on a wire stand on the stove and the steam allowed to thoroughly escape from it so as to obviate any chances of it becoming heavy.
162. When the Top Cannot be Removed from Fruit Cans.—When the top cannot be removed from a fruit can, if the lid is carefully pried at one point, so the gum can be caught, the rubber can easily be removed. It is not difficult to pull the band from beneath the metal cap.
163. Darning.—When darning must be done in the evening it is more easily done if a light colored darning ball be used.
164. In Pressing a Plaited Skirt.—In pressing a plaited skirt one will gain time and have more satisfactory results if the plaits are basted before the pressing is done. Clean the skirt and brush it on the inside. Next baste the seams, cover with a damp cloth and press on the right side with a medium warm iron. Dampen the cloth, when necessary and press until the cloth is dry.
165. Stitching Down a Seam.—After stitching down a seam, press with a hot iron, and if no seamboard is at hand, it is useful to know that a rolling pin, wrapped in a clean cloth, will answer this purpose equally as well.
166. The Color Meat Should be.—Meat should be red with the fat a clear white. The fat besides being white should be firm, and suety, and never moist. Good meat has very little smell. Bad meat shrinks considerably in boiling. Meat which is fresh and good does not loose an ounce of weight, but swells rather, when it is being boiled.
167. Buying a New Oil Cloth.—When you are ready to buy a new oil cloth for your kitchen table, take your old one and cut it up for aprons. Have it cover the whole front of your skirt, and make a large bib on it, and you will find, when you are through doing a washing, that you will be as dry as you were before you began.
168. Galvanized Tub.—The popularity of the galvanized tub due to its weight and durability, is the cause of a great many people discarding the wringer on account of their inability to fasten it to the tub securely. If a piece of heavy cloth is hung across the tub where the wringer fastens to it, you will find that it will fasten and hold as securely as to the old-fashioned wooden tub.
169. To Remove Mildew.—Mildew, if not of too long standing, can be removed by the use of raw tomato and salt. Rub the stains with raw tomato, sprinkle thickly with salt and lay in the sun. It may be necessary to repeat the process two or three times.
170. Closed Cupboards in the Pantry.—If there are closed cupboards in the pantry use them for storing provisions kept in screw top jars. There should be brass hooks for hanging up all the articles that can be suspended from the walls.
171. Keeping a House Account.—There are fewer reckoning days if housekeepers pay cash. If they persist in running accounts for groceries and other staples they should have a book and see to it that the right price is put down the minute anything is bought.
172. Chestnuts as a Vegetable.—Chestnuts have considerable food value. The boiled and mashed pulp may be used as one would use meat or vegetable, even croquettes being made of it.
173. To Give Starch a Gloss.—A little sugar added to boiled starch will give a desirable gloss to the clothes when ironed.
174. Apples Cored for Baking.—Apples cored for baking are delicious filled with orange marmalade and a little butter and sugar.
175. Beating Eggs.—When heating eggs observe that there is no grease on the beater, as it will prevent the eggs from frothing.
176. If you judge as evil the actions of another, through the judging comes evil to you.
177. A Toy Saw.—A toy saw may be utilized many times in the kitchen for sawing meat bones which are too large.
178. If a White Dress Has Turned Yellow.—If last summer's white dress has turned yellow, put it in a stone jar, cover with buttermilk and let it stand a day and night. Then wash well and starch with blued starch. This is better to whiten goods than freezing, sunshine, or the use of borax.
179. Scorched Food.—A practical cook says: When food has been scorched remove the pan from the fire and set into a pan of cold water. Lay a dish towel over the pan. The towel will absorb all the scorch taste sent up by the steam and the family need never know it was burned.
180. Mutton Chops to Make Tender.—Mutton chops can be made tender quite as much as lamb, if before they are boiled or fried they are allowed to simmer in just a little water on the back of the stove. This also makes the flavor more delicate.
181. Hollowing Out a Tomato.—For hollowing out a tomato, previous to stuffing, a pair of scissors enables a person to remove all the pulp without breaking the skin. They are equally useful for fruit salads as the fine skin which separates the sections of the grape fruit and oranges is easily clipped off.
182. The Easiest Way to Blacken a Stove.—The easiest way to blacken a stove is to use a flat paint brush about one and a half inches wide, and a tin or jar, large enough to receive the brush, to mix the blacking in. Apply the blacking to the stove as you would paint, and use a newspaper to polish with, which can be burned. In this way the hands do not come in contact with the blacking during the whole operation, and unsightly cloths and brushes, which soil the hands, are done away with.
183. Making Gravies.—For making gravies, thickening of roast gravies, it will be found useful to have browned flour on hand at all times, which can readily be kept in a mason jar or any covered vessel.
184. Kitchen Mittens.—Kitchen mittens can be bought in several thicknesses and sizes for various branches of housework. There are thick ones, with straps across the wrist to wear when polishing the ranges, then there are others to put on when scrubbing the sink or floors, and still thinner ones with chamois cloth inside to use for polishing silverware. These mittens are a great protection to the hands and finger-nails, and they really simplify the work to a great extent.
185. To Improve Baked Potatoes.—To improve baked potatoes let them stand in a pan of cold water for about an hour, then put them in the oven while wet. This seems to steam them and cook them much quicker.
186. Meat Shortcake.—Give your household a meat shortcake sometimes. Make the shortcake as you would for a fruit filling, a rather short biscuit dough, and put between the layers creamed chicken or creamed veal, and have it served with plenty of gravy.
187. Put a handful of coarse oatmeal in the water bottle and half fill with water. Let stand half an hour, then shake well and rinse. The bottle will look like new.
188. Making a Kitchen Apron.—In making a kitchen apron, provide it with an immense pocket in which can be carried a large dustcloth. Often one notices dusty places, on the furniture, windows or banisters while doing the morning work, and the dust-cloth is at hand. Again one has to pick up numerous little articles to throw into the waste basket and the pocket holds such articles until the waste basket is reached. It is equally handy for holding a few clothes pins, while hanging out the clothes; in fact the large pocket is recognized as something decidedly useful in the kitchen apron.
189. To Make a Neat Buttonhole.—To make a neat buttonhole in thin white material that is likely to ravel when cut, take a piece of white soap and apply it to the back of the goods using enough to make a generous coat. Cut the buttonhole and work; you will find that the work is easily done and the buttonhole will not ravel.
190. To Mark Scallops.—To mark scallops place your thimble or spool just outside the circle line and mark around it with a pencil. In this way, any sized scallop can be made.
191. Delicate Fabrics to Clean.—Delicate fabrics can be cleaned perfectly by using gasoline with a teacupful of corn meal. The meal scours out all the spots. Place the meal in a dish, pour gasoline over it, then press and rub through the hands. Apply to soiled spots, rubbing carefully. Brush out with stiff brush.
192. When Using a Lap-Board.—While sewing a garment with the material lying on the lap-board, use glass top push pins to hold the goods on the board. One pin will oftentimes be sufficient. The pin is very sharp, and is easily thrust through the material into the board, and leaves a hole about the size of that made with a needle.
193. To Shape Cookies.—Cookies can be shaped with the bottom of a "star" tumbler. Flour the bottom of the glass and press it into the unbaked cookie until the indentions are imprinted upon the cake.
194. Have You Been Hoarding an Old Foulard Dress—One of that kind of dresses which you liked and hated to part with, but it went out of style. Get it out, clean it, rip it, and if there is not enough in it to make a scant shirt-waisted one-piece empire dress, make it into a pretty shirt-waist, with knife plaiting down the front.
195. To Wash Tarnished Brass.—Save the water in which the potatoes have been boiled, and use it to wash tarnished brass. It will come out as bright as new.
196. Sewing Lace.—When sewing two raw edges of fine lace together, like the tiny lace ruffles on lingerie blouses or dresses, do not fell it in the old-fashioned way, but place the two right sides together and bind the edge with the finest thread, making a buttonhole stitch along the edges. Put a stitch in each mesh, and you will have a neat lace seam which, when pressed, can scarcely be observed, and it will not fray.
197. Roasted Chestnuts.—Roasted chestnuts are said to be very delicious when salted the same as peanuts.
198. Mud Stains, to Remove.—Mud stains will disappear from cloth by the following method of cleansing: After brushing the dry mud away sponge the remaining stain with a weak solution of ammonia and water. This is absolutely safe to apply to black cloth. Colored goods, however, should be sponged with a solution of bicarbonate of soda as the latter does not affect coloring matter.
199. Drop Table for Kitchen.—A woman can have a kitchen made in a very cramped quarter if she provides it with a small work table, and a drop leaf table attached to the wall. If the stationary table is covered on all sides with a curtain and furnished with an undershelf, it will hold as much as a cupboard. Two large shelves will be found very convenient, even though it will be necessary to mount a chair or stool to reach the kitchen articles. Usually extremely small kitchens are more convenient than large ones, in which many steps must be taken.
200. A Convenience for Ironing Day.—The laundress who knows how to take care of herself has a high stool with rungs for her feet, on which she may sit when she is ironing the light pieces. It will help reserve her strength for the next day's work.
201. Quickest Way to Core Apples.—One of the simplest and quickest ways to core apples for baking is to use an ordinary clothes pin.
202. To Remove Iron Rust.—Tartaric acid will remove almost any iron rust blemish from material and is excellent for removing yellow marks.
203. The Kitchen Apron.—The kitchen apron should cover the skirt and the front of the waist, though not necessarily the sleeves, as most house dresses are made with short sleeves.
204. Cookies, to Keep.—Cookies put in an earthen jar lined with clean cloth, while they are still hot, and kept covered closely, will be much more melting and crumbling than if they were allowed to cool in the air.
205. Discolored China Baking Dishes.—Discolored china baking dishes can be made as clean as when new by rubbing them with whiting.
206. Care of Drippings.—The care of drippings in the kitchen, with the price of food so high, should receive more attention. In cooking all meats, poultry, and in making soup the grease should be carefully skimmed off and saved. Render it out once a week and after a good boiling, strain through cheesecloth. When cool skim the fat off and use in place of lard,—except for pie and biscuit.
207. To Mend Rubber.—To mend rubber, use soft kid from an old glove and paste to the patch the gum of automobile paste. The leather adheres better to the gum than a gum patch.
208. Cleaning Black Woolen Clothing.—The following is a good recipe for cleaning black woolen clothing: Dissolve borax in water and saturate a sponge or cloth in the solution. Wash the greasy spots by rubbing vigorously, then rinse in clear water the same way and dry in the sun. This is especially good for cleaning men's coat collars.
209. To Prevent Tinware Rusting.—To prevent tinware from rusting rub over with fresh lard and put in a hot oven for a few minutes before using it. If treated in this way it will never rust.
210. To Remove Machine Grease.—Cold water and a teaspoonful of ammonia and soap will remove machine grease when other means would not answer on account of the colors running.
211. To Keep Cheese From Drying.—Wring a cloth from vinegar and wrap several thicknesses around the cheese to keep it from moulding and drying.
212. Small Hand Churn.—A small hand churn makes home-made butter and cheese possible. It is no trouble whatever to make a pot of yellow butter, fresh and sweet, by the aid of one of these convenient little churns. After it is made it may be rolled into a delicate little pat and kept in an earthen jar made purposely for butter.
213. Larding a Piece of Meat.—Larding a piece of meat is a simple operation, and it is one which will greatly add to the juiciness of the dish. Cut a piece of salt pork into strips quarter of an inch thick and two or three inches long. Slip these into a larding needle and draw the needle through the meat, so either end of the pork will protrude beyond the meat.
214. To Make Vegetables Tender.—Cutting onions, turnips, and carrots across the fiber makes them more tender when cooked.
215. Clear black coffee diluted with water containing a little ammonia, will clean and restore black clothes.
216. To Make Linen Easier to Write on.—To make linen easier to write on when marking, dip the pieces you wish to mark into cold starch, rub over with hot iron and you will be able to write without the pen scratching.
217. To Air Pillows.—To air pillows, rip the corner of the ticking an inch or more. Insert a piece of rubber hose pipe a few inches long, first covering the exposed end of the tube with strong netting. Sew the ticking firmly to it and then hang all day on the line, in the air punching and shaking many times during the day. They will be light and fluffy besides being thoroughly aired and sweet and clean.
218. Uses for Pea-Pods.—Never throw away pea-pods; they give a delicious flavor to the puree for the next day.
219. To Remove the Skins of Tomatoes Quickly.—To remove the skins of tomatoes quickly, put them into a wire basket and sink it quickly into a kettle of hot water. Do not let the tomatoes stand in the water long enough to heat through, and plunge into cold water immediately from the hot. Another way is to rub the skins backward with the blunt edge of a knife. In this way the tomato does not need scalding, and according to epicures is more tasty.
220. Dyeing at Home.—In dyeing at home amateurs often make the mistake of putting the dyed article through the wringer, possibly to avoid staining the hands for one reason, or perhaps hoping to dry the garment more quickly. This however, should never be done, for the creases so formed are most obstinate and in fact, often only disappear with wear, despite all pressing. Dyed articles should be squeezed and hung out of doors to dry.
221.—To Save Children's Shoes.—To save children's shoes wash them occasionally to remove the dirt and old polish, and soften them with oil. When any part of the sole becomes badly worn, it should be mended at once, for usually a shoe will wear out at one point more quickly than elsewhere, and by paying ten or fifteen cents to have that part mended it saves dollars in time. Gunmetal shoes are preferable for everyday wear, for such shoes are lusterless and can be cleaned with oils instead of polish, which is destructive to the best leather, even when sparingly used.
222. A Systematic Housewife.—It is a handy plan for the business woman or the housewife who has much domestic accounting to do to keep two calendars, one to tear off day by day, the other to refer back to past dates when necessary. The reference calendar which can be very small and inconspicuous should have its special hook on the desk or table.
223. To Keep Candles in Warm Weather.—Keep your candles in the ice box this warm weather. They will remain beautifully upright through a whole evening's use, if they are hardened first in this way.
224. Tea Towels.—Keep the tea towels in sight, then have them fresh, clean, and whole, and hang them on a long metal curtain pole, in a convenient place, say back of the sink. This is better than placing the towels on a nail against the wall as is usually done, and it permits them to dry out quickly.
225. A Spotless House.—A house that is spotless at the price of the family's peace or of the housekeeper's best self, is the worst sort of an investment. You, the woman, are of vastly more importance than your surroundings. If you feel yourself becoming a mere drudge, if your family is growing away from you mentally, if your nerves are weakening under a fetish of cleanliness, get time to read.
226. To Keep Flooring in Place.—Strips of moulding may be tacked around the edges of a room at the baseboard, so as to cover the edge of oilcloth or linoleum. This holds the floor covering in place and prevents dust from getting beneath it.
227. Light Colored Wall Paper.—Light colored wall paper may be cleaned by a careful rubbing with a very clean rubber of the kind which artists use. If the spot cleaned seems lighter than the surrounding color it may be toned down by a gentle rubbing with a clean chamois skin.
228. To Keep Canary Seed Away from Mice.—If there are any mice in the house, the best way to keep the canary from being robbed of its food is to empty the contents of a cardboard box of bird seed into a quart preserve jar and cover with a screw top.
229. Convenient Scrub Bucket.—The most convenient scrub bucket is light, and is made of galvanized iron with a wide flaring top. The bucket is to be fitted with a wire soap tray on the outside, for often the soap is wasted while floating in the water if there is no convenient place to put it, while scrubbing. Holes can be punctured in the bucket and the wire tray fastened on with a heavy cord or a pliable wire,
230. Fruit Stains on Table Linen.—Fruit stains on table linen should be taken out before the cloth is put in the wash tub. Soap and water will set the stains.
231. Wicker Furniture.—Do not scrub your unpainted wicker furniture with soap and water, as it will turn it yellow and ruin its looks. Instead, try scrubbing it with a strong solution of salt water. If you have pieces that are so shabby that they must either be painted or thrown away, try the salt water treatment first. Scrub well and put in the sun and air and dry quickly.
232. Removing Dirt from Carpet.—Of all the ways to remove dirt from a carpet, the worst is by the use of the ordinary short brush which involves the housemaid's kneeling down in the dust.
233. How to Preserve the Household Broom.—The ordinary household broom will last twice as long, if care is taken of it, as it will if it is just used anyhow. When it is new, before using it, put it in a pail of hot water and let it remain there until the water is quite cold. Then thoroughly dry—in the sun if possible. Always clean it after sweeping, by dipping in water and shaking well before putting it away and occasionally give it a thorough washing in hot soda water.
234. A Good Furniture Polish.—A good furniture polish may be made of paraffin oil and turpentine. Kerosene too is very good, while crude oil may be used to darken wood that has not been varnished.
235. Delicious Salad.—Seeded raisins cut in pieces, broken nut meats, and a small part of celery in thin bits make up a delicious salad.
236. To Clean Light Rugs.—Rugs with white or very light ground may be cleaned by sprinkling with cornstarch, mixed with one-sixth its bulk of prepared chalk. Let the starch remain several hours and brush it out with a fine whiskbroom, then hang in the sun and heat well before putting down. This method is recommended for fine, silky rugs, as it injures neither tint nor texture and makes a beautifully clean surface.
237. To Light a Closet of Any Kind.—To light a closet of any kind, but especially a linen closet, the safest thing—next to electricity is a light clear glass lantern with wire guards outside the glass. Swing it by a light chain pulley, some little way in front of the shelves. Thus a touch sends it up or down, throwing the light wherever it may be needed.
238. To Remove White Marks on Furniture.—A mixture composed of equal parts of turpentine and linseed oil will remove the white marks on furniture caused by water. Rub it on with a soft rag and wipe off with a perfectly clean duster.
239. If Your Paint Has Been Marred.—If your paint has been marred by careless scratching of matches, try rubbing it with the finest sand paper. Use a half lemon for removing match marks from paint.
240. To Remove Inkstains from Cotton.—To remove ink-stains from cotton material, place the stain over the steam and apply salt and lemon juice which will soon remove the ink.
241. To Clean Plaster-of-Paris.—To clean plaster-of-paris figures, cover with a thick coating of starch and water, let it dry on the surface and the dirt will brush off with the dry powder.
242. To Clean Piano Keys.—A cloth moistened with alcohol will clean piano keys.
243. Washing Veils.—When veils are washed at home they usually come out quite limber and flimsy. To give them the stiffness add a pinch of sugar to the rinse water.
244. To Take Candle Grease Out of Linen.—To take candle grease out of linen, place the linen between two sheets of thick white blotting paper, and set a hot iron on it, leaving it there long enough for the iron to become perceptibly cooler. If necessary repeat this until the grease is removed.
245. Cleaning the Sweeping Brush.—Try cleaning the sweeping brush with an old comb. It is a good plan, for it preserves the brush and keeps it clean, and at the same time saves your hands.
246. Bright Wood Berries May be Preserved.—Almost any kind of bright wood berries may be preserved for decorative use in the winter, by dipping in melted paraffin and putting away in a cool place until needed. Treated in this way berries will remain firm and bright for a long time, and may be used in many ways.
247. Old Wood Work to Keep Clean.—Old woodwork, that is so hard to keep clean, can be made to look like new grained wood, by first painting it with cream colored paint to give a body alike, and when dry go over it with a dark oak varnish stain; with a little practice it can be made to look like grained wood. The varnish dries quickly and leaves it darker in some places. Any old furniture can be treated in the same way.
248. To Prevent Chairs Marring the Floor.—One should have all rockers covered with half rounds of rubber to prevent the scratching of the porch floor. These rocker tires are procurable at any furniture establishment and are easily adjusted.
249. Summer Homes.—Some of the wealthiest women are furnishing their summer homes with rag rugs, instead of the handsome oriental floor coverings, that are a mark of luxury; and what seems odd to those who cannot afford to please each whim, the rooms are being repapered with simple sprigged effects and all evidences of up-to-dateness are being eliminated, to be in keeping with these copies of the colonial rag carpets.
250. To Destroy Flies.—Flies will get into the house during the summer in spite of the greatest care. One method of catching and killing them, without having disagreeable looking fly paper lying around is to prepare a mixture of cream, sugar and pepper. Put this on a plate and they will eat greedily of it and die. They will instantly seek the open air and it is easy to brush them from the screen doors. This is an old method and a good one.
251. Successful Fern Growing.—A woman who has had her refrigerator placed on the porch has a long drain pipe to carry off the melted ice, and this is made to flow right into a large bed of ferns. The cold water in no way destroys the plants, in fact, they can endure the coldest water, and last year her ferns grew to an enormous size all due to the daily supply of water from the refrigerator.
252. Faded Crepe.—Faded crepe can be dipped into a solution of water and indigo, the water made very dark with blueing for the purpose. Dissolve in one quart of water, a teaspoonful of sugar. Lift the crepe out, and shake it and pin it to the bed to dry. As it can not be ironed pin it carefully over soft muslin with needles.
253. Sweeping as a Beautifier.—The average woman who does her own housework gets exercise enough, only it is not under the best conditions, for the air, as a rule, is not sufficiently fresh. If she wants to be benefited physically, while putting her house in order, let her make it like outdoors, with the windows wide open so the fresh air can sweep through the rooms. If necessary she can wear a jacket while making beds and sweeping, and by the time her work is done she is bound to be in a healthy glow. If she does not do housework she must go outdoors, and walk, and indeed, a little walking is desirable even for the housekeeper.
254. Putting Screens Away.—If screens were carefully put away last fall there should be little difficulty in getting them in place on the first hot fly-breeding day. The wise housekeeper writes on the top of her screen, where it is hidden from view by the upper sash, the room and window where it belongs. She also covers the wires with a coating of vaselin and stores them in a dry place with a cover thrown over them. Should the wire have become shabby and rusty looking it can be freshened up with a coat of paint. If the wires have gone into holes and are badly bulged, replace with copper wire netting. It costs more than the ordinary kind, but does not wear out nearly so soon.
255. Attractive Living Room.—The living room is sure to have a cheery atmosphere if provided with a wooden seat at either side. The wooden shelf is a good place for the clock, candlesticks, and a few simple flower vases.
256. Finger Bowl.—A finger bowel should always have a few flowers or a leaf floating around on the surface.
257. Raw Oysters.—Raw oysters are further improved by sections of lemon or sprigs of mint among the cracked ice.
258. Cheerfulness at Meals.—Meals should be something more than the consumption of food. All work stops at those times and people meet together. Nothing that can be done should be omitted to make it an occasion of agreeable interchange of thought and conversation, and when this is done, not only the body, but the mind and nerves are refreshed.
259. To Keep a Rug from Curling.—The edge of the heavy rug will not curl if treated to a coat of shellac on the under side.
260. Grease Stains on Silk.—For grease stains on silk, rub the silk with French chalk or magnesia, and then hold it to the fire. Thus the grease will be absorbed by the powder, which may then be brushed off.
261. Ironing Centerpieces.—When ironing centerpieces of tablecloths, see that the iron moves with the straight grain of the cloth. If this method is followed the circular edge will take its true line.
262. Tucking Children's Dresses.—When hand tucks are to be used on children's dresses, they should be very carefully made, and the first one kept perfectly straight to use as a guide for the others. A good way to do this is to loosen one thread, not to pull out but sufficiently draw it to show the straight line, and crease the tuck in this line. After the width of the tuck and space between each is decided use a notched card as a measure for all the other tucks.
263. A Neat Way to Mend Table Linen.—A neat way to mend table linen is to darn it with linen threads off an older tablecloth. It will look much neater than a patch sewed on. It is advisable to keep a piece of a discarded tablecloth in the mending basket for that purpose.
264. A Good Substitute for a Toaster.—If the toaster is suddenly lost, you can find a very good substitute in the popcorn popper. It can be held over the gas or before the coal fire, and the bread will toast in a few minutes.
265. To Prepare Cauliflower.—To prepare cauliflower remove all the large green leaves and greater part of stalk. Soak in cold water, to which has been added one teaspoonful of vinegar and a half teaspoonful of salt to each quart.
266. Preserving Dress Patterns.—Some women, after they have used a pattern, just roll it up and tuck it away wherever it happens, and when they want to use it the next time, it curls up and acts so that there is no doing anything with it. If they would just lay the patterns out flat and put them where they might stay that way, all this trouble would be avoided.
267. Lace on Centerpieces.—Lace that is used on centerpieces is not fulled, but is just held in enough to lie flat. The best way to get this flatness is to draw the thread of the lace and fasten one end to the linen, leaving enough to make a neat seam, and then to adjust fullness so that it lies evenly. When right side is up one cannot see that any fullness exists.
268. Uses of Mop Handles.—Most women have found the mop handle with the handy clasp, a general utility tool. There is a great deal of unnecessary bending of the knees to the household gods. It is a painful attitude, and work that can be done just as well in a standing position, should never be done in a kneeling one.