PROTECTION AGAINST MOTHS

During the week before the "siege" of house-cleaning in spring or fall, look over all garments and articles to be put away, mend, remove all grease spots if possible. An effective mode for cleansing is to a table-spoon ammonia add a tea-cup boiling water; when cool enough saturate a piece of the goods or a sjwnge with it and rub the spot briskly, rinse with a clean cloth and fresh water, rubbing as before. Shape the garment with the hands so that the wet part will neither be stretched or shrunken; dry in the air or by a sunny window. If not out repeat process being careful to rub the goods with the nap, then beat with a limber cane and place on the line in the wind and sun for a day. Towards evening, before dampness finds its way into them, fold them up with pulverized camphor, cut tobacco or cedar chips, lay in their wrinkles, wrap them in newspaper, carefully tie and label them, and they are ready for the closet .shelves. Or, have fixed a trunk, box, or chest that is thoroughly cleaned, and lay an old sheet, that has, however, no holes 28

434 HOUSE-CLEANINQ.

In it, in this receptacle, so that the middle of the sheet is parallel with the bottom of the box. Lay the heaviest garment at the bottom with a plentiful supply of gam camphor, in bits the size of a hickory-nut, or cedar shavings, strewn upon each garment; when the box is filled strew camphor or cedar shavings on top of the last garment, and all around the edges, and fold and pin the sheet over so that all of the edges lap over each other. Close the box, and set in closet in some part of the house which is frequented often during the warm weather, for the presence of any animated object is certain to disturb the moth. Alwaj's clear out all closets and trunks early in the spring. Wash with a sponge dipped in a mixture of ammonia and alcohoL Every thing the closets or trunks contain should be shaken and well aired.

Sometimes a heavj' carpet, in a room seldom used, is not taken up at house- cleaning time. In this case lay a cloth along the edge of the carpet and pass slowly over it with a hot flat-iron. This will kill moths and their eggs. If moths are discovered in a carpet at a time when it is inconvenient to take it up, they may be killed in the same way. A carpet, particularly if turned under at edges, should not be left down longer than one year, even if not much used.

All moths work in the dark, hence clothing, furs or carpets exposed to the light arc not in so much danger as when put away in the dark. The worms are torpid and do not work during the cold of the winter. Early in the spring they change into chrysalids, and again in about three weeks they transform into winged moths, when they fly about the house during the evening until May or June. Then they lay their eggs, always in dark places, and immediately after die. The eggs, which are too small to be detected with the naked eye, hatch out in about two weeks, and the young worms immedi- ately proceed to work.

Furs should not be worn late in the season. They should be combed care- fully with a dressing-comb, beaten and aired (but not in the hot sun), sprink- led with camphor gum, and wrapped in linen, sewed up, and then put in a paper bag. Newspaper is not strong enough; brown wrapping paper is better. Paper boxes may be used, but should be pasted securely so nothing can enter. Cedar chests will effectually keep out moths, but few are so fort- unate as to possess these. Any article of fur, which has previously been troubled with moths, should be opened and examined in July, to make sure no moth is harbored in them, despite the precautions taken. This process, pursued resolutely year after year, will keep a house almost, if not entirely free, from the moth, and save much destruction and annoyance.

In the country remote from drug-stores, many housekeepers use the dried leaves of sage, thyme, spearmint and other highly scented herbs. These are gatlicred after the housewife has laid in aM she may require for cooking and medicinal purposes, are tied in bunches and dried, and then laid among the clothes in the large wooden chest ; or a pole is laid from rafter to rafter, and the clothing is hung over this, and casings of calico or old cotton quilts are carefully pinned around each garment, the bunches of herbs being also pinned at intervals about the clothing.

PAPEEINQ. 435

KALSOMINING.

If papering and painting, or kalsominlng are to be done, do the last named first. Wash ceiling that has been smoked by the kerosene lamp, with a strong solution of soda. Fill all cracks in tiie wall with a cement made of one pai't water to one part silicate of potash mixed with common whiting. Put it in with, a limber case-knife if you have no trowel. In an hour, after it has set, scrape off the rough places, and after kalsomining no trace of the crack will appear. For the wash, take eight pounds whiting and one-fourth pound white glue; cover glue with cold water over night, and heat gradually in the morn- ing until dissolved. Mix whiting with hot water, add the dissolved glue and stir together, adding warm water until about the consistency of thick cream. Use a kalsomine brush, which is finer than a white-wash brush, and leaves the work smoother. Brush in, and finish as you go along. If skim-milk is naed instead of water, the glue may be omitted.

If painting has been required, a patient endurance of a sufficient number of drying days must be given over to this process. The smell of the turpen- tine will be very much diminished, and the unwholesomenessof paint almost destroyed, by placing in the apartments, and in the adjoining sleeping-rooms, several wash-bowls or pails filled with cold water. In the morning the top of the water will exhibit the material which it has absorbed, and which those who were breathing the same air would have taken into their systems. If but one coat of paint is to be placed upon an apartment, all the wood should be carefully washed with strong sal-soda water, and dried before painting it, to re- move any oily or dingy spots that would otherwise soon show through a eingle layer of either white or color.

Any woman of a mechanical turn of mind can paint a room, buying the l^int ready mixed. While painting keep the room well ventilated and eat acid fruits. When done, any spatters on the glass may be removed by the application of a mixture of equal parts of ammonia and turpentine, washed off with soap-suds. To polish the glass, wash in warm water, wipe with a soft cloth, put a Utile whiting on the center of the pane, and rub with chamois* 4kin or a soft cloth.

In papering a hard-finished wall, a thin solution of white glue should be first applied with a white-wash brush. To make the paste, sift the fiour, add one ounce pulverized alym to every pound of flour, mix it smoothly with cold water, and pour over it gently but quickly boiling water, stirring mean- time constantly. When it swells and turns yellow it is done, but is not to be used until cool, and may be kept for some time without spoiling. Or, for paste, clear corn starch is sometimes used, made precisely as made for starch- ing clothes. It is well to use a small quantity of carbolic acid in it, as a pre- caution against vermin. A thin paste of wheat, or what is better, rye fiour, is, however, very good for any thing except the most delicate papers. The wall should be smooth, and if very smoky or greasy in spots, it should be washed with weak lye or soap-suds. Trim the paper close to the pattern on

436 GENERAL SUGGESTIONS.

one 8ide. A pair of long shears is best for the purpose— allowing the roll to lie on the floor, and rolling up again on the lap as fast as trimmed. Provide a board wider than the paper, and a little longer than a single breadth when cut. Cut all the full breadths that will be required for the room, matching as you cut, and saving remnants for door and window spaces. Begin at the right hand and work to the left. The breadths may be laid one on another on the board, the top one pasted with a good brush, the top turned down, bringing the two pasted sides together, a foot or two from the other end. Carefully adjust the top to its place, gently pressing it with soft towels, first down the middle of the breadth and then to each edge. In turning a corner, paste only that part which belongs to one side, fasten it in place, and then paste and adjust the rest. The border may be tacked on ; No. 4 tacks will not be visible at the top of a room, and it may be re- moved when the ceiling needs whitening. In selecting paper avoid contrasts in colors and large staring patterns, as they are out of taste and tiresome to the eye. Choose rather neutral tints and colors that harmonize and blend agreeably together, and with the general tone of carpets and furniture. Even with a bare floor and plain wooden chairs, the effect of a soft-tinted paper gives a vastly different impression than if the wall is disfigured with glaring figures and contrasting colors. If ceilings are low, heighten the appearance by a figure which runs perpendicularly through the wall-paper; the effect produced is very deceptive — the ceiling appearing much higher than it really is. Wall-paper is half a yard wide, and about eight yards