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How TO Protect the Dress. ADIES who do their own work will find that, in addition to a long apron, a pair of calico sleeves, with a rubber cord at the top, is a disj^enser of happiness. One can slip them on over cuflfs and nice dress sleeves, get tea, and even wash the tea dishes, without injuring the dress.

PrrTTTN'G Up CiTETAmrs.

When putting up curtains, which are draped, in a Iom' room, put the cornice to which the curtain is to be fastened close to the ceiling, even if the window is put lower down, as it gives the effect of greater height to the room. The curtains meeting at the top will conceal the wall.

Window Gardens.

Pretty window gardens may be made by taking the tin boxes in tvhicli mackerel is put up, paint them green or scarlet, and put in some plants that grow well together. When watering them do not use more water than will be absorbed during the day. A few experiments will soon enable one to judge correctly in regard to the amount, and it is surprising to see how the plants will thrive in utter defiance of all the wise things that are said about drainage. The tin or zinc cases in which thread is packed will also, when painted and placed in a stand, make very good window gardens. Water in which gridiron and frying-pan have been washed is an excellent fertilizer.

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To Keep Boys and Girls at Home. An excellent and well-tried recipe for keeping boys and girls out of mischief in the long winter evenings is to give them something suitable and interesting to do. Set them to making scrap-books. If there are two or three children, let each one take a subject, and see what and how much each can collect upon that for his book. For example, we have what we call an " Animal Scrap-Book," in which is pasted every fact, incident, and anecdote we can find relating to animals. We have a dog department, a horse depart- ment, etc. It is a valuable book for purposes of illustration or reference.

Lining Stair Carpets.

It is a common practice to use bits of old carpet as a lining for stair carpets, but a much better way is to take strips of an old bed- quilt, have them not quite the width of the staircase, wash and dry first, then put smoothly over the stairs, tacking in a few places. It is softer than old carpet, and will not wear the outer one nearly so much. Of course this is a hint for those who cannot afford the nice linings that are made on purpose.

Putting Away Woollen Clothes. Great care must be exercised in putting away winter clothes. Clean paper sacks, or old cotton or linen pillow cases, will do to hold them, providing there are no holes in them. Take the gar- ments that are to be laid away out doors on a summer day, let them hang on a line for several hours, brush and beat all the dust out, then put into the bags; tie them up so that no moth can get in, then lay them on clean, dry shelves, or hang them up.

Pretty and Simple Ornaments.

A pretty decoration for the corner of a room is a bunch of ripe

wheat tied with a bright ribbon; or divide the wheat across the

Bteras, tie, and hang over a picture. The beauty of common things

is now fully established; cat's-tails, sunflowers, and dandelions are

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at length appreciated. Acorns may also be used to good advantage for trimming fancy baskets for waste paper; take a piece of wire and fasten around the stems, and you can ai-range them in any way to suit yourself. They are pretty bronzed, or may be used in the state of nature, as they were picked up in the woods. To bronze them, get a little bronze powdered at a drug store, mix it with varnish, and apply with a soft cloth. The powder must be used very quickly after mixing with the varnish, or that will harden so that it will be impossible to use it.

How TO Make an Old Japanese Umbrella Useful.

Shut it partly together, then put a wire around the top, tie a ribbon to the handle, and use it for a scrap-bag or a waste-paper bag.

To Remove Paint and Putty from Window Glass.

Put sufficient pearl ash into hot water, to make a strong solution; then saturate the paint which is daubed on the glass with it. Let it remain till nearly dry, then rub it off hard, with a woollen cloth. Pearl ash water is also good to remove putty before it is dried on the glass. If it dries on, whiting is good to remove it.

To Preserve Natural Flotteus. Dip the flowers in melted paraffine, withdrawing them quickly. The liquid should be only just hot enough to maintain itrs fluidity, and the flowers should be dipped one at a time, held by the stalks and moved about for an instant to get rid of air bubbles. Fresh- cut flowers, free from moisture, make excellent specimens in this

Eggs — :To Preserve for Winter Use.

For every three gallons of water, put one pint fresh slaked lime,

and common salt, one-half pint; mix well, and let the barrel be

about half full of this fluid, then with a dish let down your fresh

eggs into it. tipping the dish after it fills with water, so they roll

out without cracking the shell, for if the shell is cracked the egg

will spoil.

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Charcoal for Flowers. It is an ascertained fact that powdered charcoal, placed around rose bushes and other flowers, has the effect of adding much to their richness.

To Revive Gilt Frames.

Take white of eggs, two ounces; chloride of plaster or soda, onft. ounce; mix well; blow the dust from the frame, and apply with i\ soft brush.

Floor-cloths.

Do not put carpets in your closets; oil cloth or matting is much better, and can be easily kept free from dust. Matting after being swept should be wiped with a damp cloth. Hot salt and water will thoroughly cleanse it and will not discolor it.

To Pot Butter for Winter Use.

Mix a large spoonful of salt, a tablespoonf ul of powdered whit^ sugar, and one of saltpetre. Work this quantity into six pounds o5 fresh made butter; put the butter into a stone pot, that is thor^ oughly cleansed. When you have finished putting down youv butter, cover it with a layer of salt, and let it remain covered unt/i cold weather.

To Prevent Rust.

To prevent metals from rusting, melt together three parts of laro and one of rosin, and apply a very thin coating. It will preserve Russia iron stoves and grates from rusting during summer, even iy damp situations. The effect is equally good on brass, copper, steei, etc. The same compound forms an excellent water-proof paste for leather. Boots, when treated with it, will soon after take the usuai polish, when blacked, and the soles may be saturated with it.

How many little things are left unmended for the want of some

ready-made paste in the house. Liquid glue is often not strong

enough to hold thick material together; but dextrine answers all pur- se

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poses. It is very cheaj^, is mixed with cold Avater, and keeps better than paste till next wanted. Keeping some of the powder in the house And a sj^ecial pot or jar for mixing, will be found most convenient. It can be made thick or thin, to suit what it is required for.

French Polish.

Boil in a quart of liquid, consisting of two parts of vinegar, and one part of water, one-fourth pound of glue and the same quantity of logwood chips, with about the sixth part of an ounce of the following ingredients: Soft soap, isinglass, and finely-powdered indigo. When boiled for a quarter of an hour it should be strained off, and when cold be fit for use. It should be applied with a piece of soft rag or sponge, the shoes being quite dry and free from dirt.

To Preserve Steel Articles from Rust.

Paint the articles over with white beeswax dissolved in benzole. The benzole rapidly evaporates, leaving the steel covered with a thin coating of the wax. As the solution is very volatile it should be kept in a bottle tightly corked.

To Preserve Flowers.

Take a jar sufficiently large to contain the flower to be preserved, and in the bottom place a lump of clay or some similar substance in which the flower must be stuck upright. Then pour in carefully fine dry sand till the flower is completely embedded in it. This must be done very slowly and cautiously so as not to disturb the leaves of the flower. Dried in this way, flowers preserve their form and much of their color for months, and are interesting and pretty for the winter decoration of rooms.

Incombustible Dresses.

Ladies' dresses, even of the lightest and most inflammable nature, may be rendered almost completely fire-proof by being dipped in a solution of the chloride of zinc. When they are thus treated, it will be found almost impossible to make them blaze by contact

ODDS AND ENDS. 403

with flame; or either of the following will answer the same pur- pose :

Dissolve half an ounce of alum or sal-ammoniac, and mix it with the water in Avhich the dress is rinsed.

Half the Aveight of whiting mixed with the starch will render lace, net, muslin gauze, or any other light stuff, perfectly unin- flammable.

Home-Made Table Syeup.

Take one pint and a half of water, four pounds of sugar, one teaspoonful of pulverized alum, put in a kettle and boil three minutes. Strain while hot. For maple syrup, one quart of water for four pounds of sugar.

The Chromograph,

The copygi'aph, chromograph, and a variety of other names have been given to the simple arrangement by which letters, drawings, plans, music, etc., can be copied at a slight cost. The process has been patented in England, but in advance of any patent in this country, a number of persons have made the article and advertised it for sale at prices varying from three dollars to seven dollars and fifty cents, according to size, in either case allowing very handsome profits. A tablet of gelatine is prepared thus: Take one part by weight of gelatine (glue will do just as well), soak in two parts of water till melted, to which add four parts of glycerine, with a few drops of carbolic acid, and sufficient whiting or white lead to give the whole a milky appearance. Pour the mixture into a shallow zinc or tin dish, and it will be ready for use in about twelve hours. The use of the whiting or white lead is to show up the writing on the composition, and to enable the washing off to be observed more easily. The ink used is made of one part violet methylated aniline (Hoffman's purple), seven parts distilled water, and one part alcohol; but acetic rosaniline, boiled down in alcohol till it does not run in writing, forms a capital red ink. To use the process, write on a hard-finished paper with the ink, taking care that the writing is

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thick enough to show a green lustre Avhen dry. When thoroughly 4i-y place it face downwards on the jelly, rub it gently to bring it well into contact, and leave for three minutes, then peel it off. It will leave a portion of the ink neatly transferred to the jelly; then place the paper to be printed on the writing and pass the hand over, bring it well in contact as before, peel it off, and it will bring away a perfect copy of the original. In this way sixty to eighty copies may be made; by using a thick pen and plenty of ink one hundred good copies may be taken. If the original still shows a green lustre, another transfer may be made. When exhausted, wash off the ink from the jelly with a sponge and cold water. A layer of the compound one-quarter of an inch thick would give five thousand copies at least, if not twice that number. If the jelly is injured it can easily be melted down over a spirit lamp or in an oven. After melting, and in the first instance after making, the surface should be washed with cold water.

Lime Water.

One of the most useful agents of household economy, if rightly understood, is lime water. Its mode of preparation is as follows: Put a stone of fresh unslacked lime about the size of a half -peck measure into a large stone jar or unpainted pail, and pour over it slowly and carefully (so as not to slacken too rapidly), a teakettle full (four gallons) of hot water, and stir thoroughly; let it settle, and then stir again two or three times in twenty-four hours. Then bottle carefully, all that can be poured off in a clear and limpid state.

Uses. — It is often sold by druggists as a remedy for children's summer complaints, a teaspoonful being a dose in a cup of milk,, and when diarrhoea is caused by acidity of the stomach, it is an excellent remedy, and when put into milk gives no unpleasant taste, but rather improves the flavor.

When put into milk that might curdle when heated, it will jjre- vent its so doing, and can then be used for puddings and pies. A

ODDS AND ENDS. 405

little stirred into cream or milk, after a hot day or night, wil) pre- vent its turning when used for tea or coffee.

It is unequalled in cleansing bottles or small milk vessels, or babies' nursing bottles, as it sweetens and j)urifies withuut leaving an unpleasant odor or flavor.

A cupful, or even more, mixed in the sponge of bread or cakes made over night, will prevent it from souring.

Pekservixg AuTUMisr Leaves.

These may be easily preserved and retain their natural tints, or nearly so, by either of the following methods: As they are gath- ered they may be laid between the leaves of a magazine until thtf book is full, and left Avith a light weight upon them until the mois' ture of the leaves has been absorbed; two or three thicknesses of paper should intervene between the leaves. If the leaves are large or in clusters, take newspapers, lay them on a shelf and use in the same manner as above. Then dip the leaves into melted wax (such as is used for moulding fruits, etc.), into which you will have to put a few drops of turpentine and lay ujjon newspapers to harden perfectly. This will make the leaves pliable and natural, and give sufficient gloss. Great care should be taken that the wax is of the right temperature. This can be ascertained by the first leaf which is dipped in. Draw out gently over the pan both sides of the leaf and hold it up by the stem. If the wax is too hot, the leaf will shrivel — if too cool, it will harden in lumps on the leaf.

Another method is to iron each leaf with a middling hot iron until the moisture is all out of them. Are best without varnish.

Skeleton Leaves, Boil the leaves in equal parts of rain water and soft soap until you can separate the pulp from the skin; take them out into cleai water; lay the leaf to be cleaned on glass, the upper side of the leaf next to the glass; then with a tooth brush remove all pulp and skin, turn the leaf and repeat the process; when thoroughly done put the leaf to bleach in this solution: One i>ound sal soda, dis-

406 ODDS AND ENDS.

solved in five pints rain water; one-half pound chloride of Wuxx. m three pints water; allow twenty-four hours for the latter to dissolve. Strain out the sediment, and pour out the clear solution of lime into the solution of sal soda. The result will be a thick buttermilk solution, otherwise the lime was not strong enough. Filter this until it is perfectly clear. For leaves, use one part of solu- tion to one part of water; for ferns, use the solution full strength. When perfectly white, remove to clear water; let stand for several hours, changing two or three times; the last water should be a little blue; float out on paper, press in books when nearly dry. In mounting use mucilage made of five parts of gum arable, three parts white sugar, two parts of starch; add a very little water, boil and stir until thick and Avhite.

To Restore Frozen Plants. As soon as discovered, j^our cold water over the plant wetting every leaf thoroughly. In a few moments it will be crystallized with a thick coating of ice. In this state place it in the dark, care- fully covered with a newspaper. The ice will slowly melt, leaving the plant in its original state of health.

For Crystallizing Grass. Take one and one-half pounds of rock alum, pour on three pints of boiling water; when quite cool put into a wide-mouthed vessel, hang in your grasses, a few at a time. Do not let them get too heavy, or the stems will not support them. You may again heat alum and add more grasses. By adding a little coloring it will g:vs variety.

Frosting for Windows.

To shut out a disagreeable view from a back window, the glass may be rendered ornamental, and the obnoxious objects shut out, by a very simple plan, which makes a fair imitation of ground glass. By washing the glass over with a hot saturated solution of Epsom salts, or sal-ammoniac, or Glauber's salts, or blue stone, very beau- tiful effects of crystallization can be obtained by which the above-

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purpose is sei'ved and the window has also a very ornamental appearance. By a saturated solution is meant one containing as much of the salt as the water will dissolve. The solution must be applied while hot and with a brush.

Black Tkacing Paper,

Rub smooth a little lampblack and mix with sweet oil. Paint over the paper, and dab it dry with a fine piece of linen. Put this under the pattern, and upon the material to which you wish the pattern transferred, and go over the lines with a hard point of wood or metal. If you wish it, the transferred lines may be fixed by using a pen with a kind of ink composed of a little stone-blue well mixed with water in a cup, vvdth a small piece of sugar added to it.

Sympathetic Ink.

One of the best known kinds of sympathetic ink consists of a weak solution of chloride or nitrate of cobalt. Writing executed with such a solution is invisible until warmed, when it appears green or bluish, disappearing on exposure to moist air.

Valuable Cement.

Two parts, by weight, of common pitch, and one part gutta percha, melted together in an iron vessel, makes a cement that holds together, with wonderful tenacity, wood, stone, ivory, leather, porcelain, silk, woollen, or cotton. It is well adapted to aquariums-

Cement for Rubber or Leather.

Dissolve one ounce of gutta percha in one-half pound chloro- form. Clean the parts to be cemented, cover each with the solu- tion and let them dry twenty or thirty minutes, warm each part in the flame of the candle, and press very firmly together till dry.

Diamond Cement.

Dissolve thirteen ounces of white glue in a glue-pot containing a pint and a half of soft water; when the glue is dissolved, stir in

408 ODDS AND ENDS.

three ounces of white lead, and boil till well mixed; remove from the fire, and, when cool, add half a pint of alcohol; bottle immediately and keep well corked.

Weights and Measures.

Ten eggs are equal to one pound.

One pound of brown sugar, one pound of white sugar, powdered or loaf sugar broken, is equal to one pint.

One pound of butter, when soft, is equal to one pint.

One pound and two ounces Indian meal is equal to one quart.

One pound and two ounces of wheat flour is equal to one quart.

Four large tablespoons are equal to one-half gill.

Eight large tablespoons are equal to one gill.

Sixteen large tablespoons are equal to one-half pint.

A common-sized wineglass holds half a gill.

A common-sized tumbler holds half a pint.

Four ordinary teacups of liquid are equal to one quart.

Care of Tools.

In visiting families in this and many other States, one would hardly come to the conclusion that it takes money to buy tools. Judging from the care, or rather lack of care, which some men give them, one would naturally infer that they were worthless. I have frequently seen a mower and reaper, as well as plows, harrows, etc., left right in the field where last used. But a few days ago, I saw a mower half buried in the snow in a back field.

It seems strange that this should be so. Are men in northern Michigan more careless of tools than men in other States ? There is no reason why they should be. Nothing would pay better than to shelter tools from rains, frosts and snows. Rust wears out tools much faster than ordinary use. When a tool is not wanted for a while, if it is properly dried, oiled or painted, as circumstances demand, then put away in a dry, sheltered place, it will keep in better condition, and be read}' for use when wanted.

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Sheltering tools is certainly good economy, and it is also good economy to examine them often, tightening nuts, and making any needed repairs. Tools that are intended to be sharp, cut much better if thej^ are sharp, and not dull. Reapers, mowers, drills, and all the larger implements, when not needed any more for the season, should be taken apart, thoroughly cleaned, each bolt dipped in castor oil or melted tallow, and then replaced. Every portion of the wood-work should be covered with a good coating of paint, and the iron work well oiled with castor oil or crude petroleum. Wagons and sleighs should also be properly housed and cleaned. The economizing man will always see that his tools are properly cared for.

Caee op the Hands and Nails.

Housekeepers often have to deplore the unsightly condition into which hard, and often rough, work brings their hands. A little careful daily attention to these useful members will insure at least more comfort, if not positive beauty. Because you wash dishes, and clothes, and floors, you need not of a necessity have a pair of red, hard hands, if you heed the following suggestions:

Whenever you wash your hands, use tepid soft water, if possible, and a good soap; strong, cheap soap will always make them rough. Wash them clean, too; it chaps them to leave them half clean. A very little ammonia in the water helps the process materially. Always dry them thoroughly on a soft towel. In washing dishes or anything else, avoid putting the hands into hot water. It is just as well to use water at a comfortable temperature. Avoid, also, going out of doors with wet hands. It will pay to take the trouble to dry them. If in cold weather, put on a pair of mittens or gloves to do any work out of doors, particularly to hang up clothes on wash-day, when the skin is more sensitive from having been in water.

If with a-11 your care, the hands become chapped or cracked, as delicate skin is apt to do, heal them with glycerine and rose water; a few drops of rose water will be enough for an ounce of

410 ODDS AND ENDS.

glycerine. The addition of a little ammonia to the same lotion makes a preparation that will keep the hands invariably soft, if from a few drops to half a teaspoonful is rubbed into them every night before retiring. The hands should be moist upon applying, and the rubbing should be continued until the lotion is all absorbed. Sweet cream is also excellent for badly chapped or cracked hands; some prefer pure vaseline. As a dry application, powdered starch is both healing and soothing.

An important part of a beautiful hand is a row of rosy, w^ell- kept nails. When the hands are dried after washing them, always press back the skin around the nail with the towel. Never cut it, as that causes hang-nails, and makes the finger inflamed. There should be a half moon at the base of every healthy nail. Keep pushing the skin back, a little every day, till it is so. Keep the nails of a uniform length, not by cutting, but by filing. Nearly every pocket knife is furnished with a nail file, and a manicure file is not very expensive. Never file the nail itself, only, the end. Oil the nail with a little vaseline, and polish with a polisher, or with a piece of chamois leather or firm soft flannel, to make them smooth and rosy.

So much of our time is passed in bed, that it is well to consider the beds upon which we repose. Let us examine this elaborate pile, designed to cushion our motionless forms, and lure the goddess of sleep. The prime requirement made by most of us is that the bed shall be comfortable. So there is usually heaped together an immense amount of springs, sacks of straw, sacks of feathers, bolsters, sheets, comfortables, blankets, spreads, and pillows, ad libitum. These are arranged with the utmost care, in such a manner as will best suit our tired frames, and give us a sense of present ease. We do not usually think farther. Seldom is asked the question, " How will this seem- ingly delightful couch affect my health ? " What we want is a comfortable bed. If it is so, why trouble ourselves farther ? If

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we get our present enjoyment at the expense of our future health, surely something is wrong.

Good comfortable beds certainly are very desirable; but it is not necessary that health should be sacrificed in the enjoyment of them. It is too often the case that fine snowy sheets cover a vast amount of impurity. Many housekeepers who are models of neatness in all other respects, fail to make their beds fit resting places for the bodies of those who sleep therein. Many an inviting feather bed, upon which we throw ourselves with a grateful feeling of repose, has not been renovated for years. It is filled with an immense amount of impurity, drawn from the bodies of those who have slept thereon. Now we envelop ourselves in this sack of poison, simply because it is soft and covered with clean sheets. When we arise, we wonder at the depressing headache, and fail to account for the strange languor that has taken possession of us. All beds, no matter of what material they are composed, need renovating thoroughly and often.

If any one has been ill with a contagious disease, the bed upon which he has lain should either be entirely discarded or thoroughly cleansed, and disinfected by soaking in water where there is either carbolic acid or spirits of ammonia. It should be afterward dried in the sun.

Beware where you sleep! Better rest your weary frame upon a hard mattress than upon downy cushions filled with disease.

Puke Water.

Neither man nor beast can live long without this necessity. Pure water, like pure air, is indispensable to good health. To impure water can be directly traced many of the ills of life. It is both detrimental and dangerous to the life of man or beast. Then since it is so important that all should have their supply of water just as pure as possible, we cannot be too careful about it, so much is involved.

Water is the most universal and powerful solvent known.

412 ODDS AND ENDS.

Not only does it necessarily become impregnated with some of the materials of the strata through which it flows, even in deep wells, but it will be contaminated by putrifying organic substances on the surface of the earth near the well. Wells should be as far as possible from barn-yards, outhouses, and marshes, and should be on ground elevated above them. The earth is the great percolator; but although liquids may be filtered through several strata, their component parts will not be changed. So if a well is where the waste water from the house can filter into it, or filth from any other source, the water becomes heavily charged with impurities, and is thus ladened with germs of disease, which are sources of great danger. Typhoid fever and diphtheria often start in this way, depriving families and neighborhoods of many a loved one.

The use of impure water for stock, while it is better than no water, is often attended with danger and damage. The disease germs will affect animals as well as men. Not long ago, several persons in one house were threatened with typhoid fever. The attending physician examined the surroundings, the well included, and found it full of typhoid germs. He carried home a little of the water, and placed some of the germs upon a piece of potato, which was given to a dog to eat after a few hours. The dog died the next day. Be careful about your water supply.

Boots and Shoes.

In all civilized and enlightened lands, people wear either boots or shoes; and it is desirable that all should understand how important to perfect health it is that the foot covering should be sensible and comfortable. They should be neither too large nor too small, too thick nor too thin. In this, as in all other matters, common sense should be exercised, and not pride or vanity. A boot or shoe very much too large will gall the foot: but there is not half the danger of getting them too large that there is of their being too small. A boot too thick and heavy is not a pleasant or comfortable thing to wear; but there is less

ODDS AND ENDS. 41:^

danger of erring in this direction than of having them too thin. Shoes too thin and too low is the rule, and is where the danger lies. I want to emphasize this. Upon the sole of every low-cut shoe should be stamped, "Danger! Be careful!" Many a daughter has been carried to her grave, because she wore low-cut shoes unadvisedly. The danger has been pointed out time and again by observing physicians and sensible people; but does it do any good to raise the red flag and cry, Beware? Let the hectic flush, the pale cheek and the hollow cough of many of our girls who should be pictures of health, serve to emphasize the danger, and let their thin transparent hand point toward it. It may be then that others will select a shoe not quite so low, not quite so thin, not quite so narrow and pointed. It may be they will realize that they must be more careful about wearing slippers or thin soles in damp, cold weather, or on the dewy lawn.

Boots and shoes with high, small heels are unhealthful things to wear. They bring the weight of the body upon the sensitive part of the foot, instead of upon the tougher heel. Who wonders so many ladies are nervous and irritable when the nerves, centering in the hollow part of the feet, are under constant irritation and strain? There are also many other troubles which are directly caused by French heels, and the unnatural gait they necessitate. A broad low heel is better, will give more comfort, and not so many a sprained ankle. In winter and wet weather a medium weight boot, with high top and thick soles, is the best for both sexes. Boots can be kept soft and pliable by an occasional application of castor oil; and if wet inside can be nicely dried without shrinking, by filling them wdth hot oats, and letting them stand a few hours.

In this age of great improvements, a cistern is a necessity, not only to the house but often to the barn. As they are not expensive, all can afford them. The best ones have a wall either

414 ODDS ANDE NDS.

of stone or brick, cemented on the inside. They are supplied in nnaiy instances with an appropriate filter, which is a great advantage. These are usually cheap arrangements, which let the water pass through sand, gravel or charcoal, or better still, all three combined.

Should the water become stale or impure, it can be deodorized and purified by charcoal, which can be put loose into the water, or into a not too thick bag, and then sunk in the water. Where the water seems roily, it can be settled by pouring in pulverized alum, and letting it settle. The water should occasionally be all pumped or drawn out, the cistern rinsed well in clean water and wiped out dry.

The cellar is a convenient room, which should be kept dry and clean. If under the house, as most cellars are, it should be kept sweet by the admission of plenty of pure air and as much sunshine as possible — these are the two great renovators for cellars. Let no vegetables decay there, or rubbish decompose. Danger lurks in deep, dark, damp, unventilated cellars. Typhoid fever and diphtheria often generate there. A foul cellar poisons the whole house, and affects its inmates, fre- quently causing untimely death, which we lay to Providence.

Then clean up and clean out. Sweep down cobwebs, carry out rubbish, w^iitewash the walls and ceiling. Disinfect with copperas, lime, carbolic acid, chloride of lime, or bromo chlo- ridum. Let in plenty of pure air and the health-bringing sunshine.

The less wood in a cellar, the better it is. The floor should not be of wood, or at least it is better if made of stone. Cobble- stones placed upon the bottom of a cellar after it is properly graded, and pressed down into the earth, so as to make a firm foundation, then cemented over on top, makes a cheap, durable, and healthful cellar bottom.

Out-door cellars can be cheaply made by digging into a bank, if there is one handy; or it can be made on a level, either partly

ODDS AND ENDS. 415

below the surface of the ground or wholly above it. It cau be made perfectly frost-proof by haviug a double wall of stoue, brick, or timber, so that there is a free space for the air to circulate between the inner and outer walls. A cellar can also be made under a barn, where it will be serviceable for keeping roots and vegetables for stock, and will be easily accessible when wanted.

Fire is a good servant, but a hard master. As the destruction of property by this means is often accidental, a few suggestions may help to guard you against carelessness in this direction, and also to know what to do should a fire break out. In seasons of the year when stubble, leaves and grass are very dry, care should be taken about setting fires, both in city and country, for fear of not being able to control them. Never permit any one to smoke in or around barns, shops, or buildings where there is litter which could be easily ignited. Be careful about leaving matches w^here mice or young children can get at them. Be careful about leaving young children, who lack judgment, alone with candles, lamps, or fire in any shape.

In case of fire, remember that water, and the absence of air, are the great extinguishers. Do not open doors and windows, but keep them closed as much as possible. If it is from kero- sene oil, to smother with a cloth of some kind, or by pouring on flour, is better than to use water, which may only scatter the flames. If your clothing is on fire, do not run about getting more air to feed the flame, but smother it with a quilt, blanket, rug, or any heavy garment you can get hold of ; then pour on water to cool the clothing and skin, and the hot, burnt cinders, that will eat into the flesh.

If a barn or stable containing horses is burning, throw some- thing over their heads to blind them before trying to lead them out, and when safely out, remove to some distance or conflne them so that they cannot rush back into the burning building to their destruction.

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Care of Wounds.

In ordinary cuts, there is nothing better than glue or varnish. Press the parts together and apply. Where support and pres- sure are needed, and at the same time the wound must discharge, use mosquito netting, which is cool and not cumbersome. If there is no discharge from the wound, you can use the ordinary bandage. Pain from wounds can be much relieved by holding them in a smoke of wool or brown sugar on live coals. Vaseline is an excellent unguent for any wound.

To prevent the discoloration of a bruise, there is nothing^ better than frequent applications of hot water. Bites of insects and bee stings are relieved by the application of aqua ammonia.

For burns and scalds, one pint of sweet oil, and two drachms of carbolic acid, well mixed, makes a good application. Shake each time before using. Or, one teaspoonf ul of finely pulverized alum, mixed thoroughly with the whites of two eggs and a teacupful of fresh lard is excellent for a burn. Spread on a cloth and apply. The whites of eggs alone may be used for the same purpose. Another remedy is to cover with finely pulver- ized charcoal, or common cooking soda. Lime water and sweet oil used in equal parts are often applied with good result.

Where the burn or scald involves a large portion of the body or limbs, the bran poultice is excellent. Simply apply moistened bran. It can be changed when desired, but not removed from the surface of the burn, as this often disturbs the patient^ prolonging the suffering.

Cleaning Coat Collars.

Take a piece of ammonia stone (carbonate of ammonia) the size of a walnut, and put it in a cup of warm water. When dissolved, take a piece of clean flannel and dip it into the solu- tion and rub the collar thoroughly. It will remove the gloss from seams and elbows. Aqua ammonia or benzine may be used. They are not expensive, and will not change the color of

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goods like soap-suds. Do not use benzine in a room where there is a light or a fire, as it is very inflammable.

The Feet.

The care of the feet is an important item in securing good health. This is a matter that receives far too little attention. r-Many of the hard colds that people take, that often injure the health and even destroy life, are traceable to improper care of the feet. Thin shoes or wet and cold feet do the mischief. Cold feet indicate an unbalanced circulation. Use a warm foot- bath, then dry and rub the feet with a coarse towel till the skin glows; this increases the circulation, and invites the blood to the extremities.

Children should never be compelled or permitted to go to bed with cold, damp feet. Those in charge should see that the feet are warm and dry, if they would save them from croup, diph- theria, or fatal sore throat. Thick woolen stockings and strong boots with substantial heels must be worn whenever the weather is cold or damp. Attention to this will be a great saving in point of health, this being especially true of young ladies and children.

In sweeping, a carpet sweeper is best for brussels carpet. If a common broom must be used, it should be fine and light. In sweeping ingrain or rag carpets, coarse salt, slightly dampened and scattered over the carpet, will be found a great help in removing dust. The sweeping must, however, be very thorough, or the carpet will be sticky. Carpets should be aired and dusted often, as the fine dust and sand which gather on them cut the threads. Heavy brown paper is better than straw to place between the carpets and floor. A carpet paper is now made which is moth proof.

If you have a spare bedroom, seldom used, you can make a cheap carpet that will last for years in this way. Go to the paper hangers, and select paper resembling carpet as nearly i.s 27

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possible. First paper the floor with heavy brown paper, then over this paste your wall paper. When the floor is all covered, size and varnish. Use dark glue and common furniture varnish. By putting rugs in front of the larger pieces of furniture, you have as pretty a floor as you can wish, and at a trifling expense.

Cement foe Kerosene Lamp. Three parts of resin, one of caustic soda, and five of water. This composition is mixed with half its weight of plaster of Paris. It sets firmly in about three-quarters of an hour.

Every home has a floor of some kind. If not carpeted, it should be oiled or painted, not only to look better, but to be more easily cared for. The painting may be done by a profes- sional painter, with the best of materials, or it can be done by home help, using cheaper material.

Here is a very good recipe for a cheap floor paint: Soak half a pound of glue in water over night, then boil it to a jelly, using the water in which it was soaked. Mix yellow ochre and whiting with a little water to a light tint, and stir it into the glue. Apply when warm to the floor, which must be dry and free from grease. It quickly dries, when it needs a coating of linseed oil. A second coat can be applied if desired, after the first is thoroughly dried.

Whitewash. Slake good stone lime by pouring on only a very little water at a time, continually repeating it, and never letting it get dry, as this burns the life out of it. When slaked, pour on water until it is of the consistency of milk, then to every three gallons, add half a pound of sulphate of zinc, stirring it well. It is then ready for use.

Glue. An excellent liquid glue is made by dissolving glue in nitric ether. The ether will dissolve only a certain amount of

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glue, consequently the glue cannot be made too thick. Glue thus made is about the consistency of molasses and is doubly as adhesive as that made with hot water. If a few bits of India rubber are added, and the solution allowed to stand a few days, with frequent stirring, it will be all the better, and will resist dampness much better.

Spontaneous Combustion.

Spontaneous combustion is a source of great danger, and partly because it is not very well understood by the masses.

Old clothes or rags, especially if saturated with grease or oil, should never be allowed to lie around loose or be stowed away closely in the garret or any other place. Whether dry or wet, they might take fire spontaneously; it is not improbable that many mysterious fires have been originated in this way. Then be careful about such rubbish and save yourself such a misfortune.

Carpet rags, old carpets, paper rags, or any such thing, if stored in quantities, especially if crowded into small compass, are all liable to spontaneous combustion, and may do great harm. Great care should be taken in regard to the matter, and if such things must be stored in large quantities, an out-of-the-way building should be used.

Cement for Broken China. Make a thick solution of gum arabic in water, then stir in plaster of Paris until the mixture becomes a sticky paste. Apply with a brush to the broken edges; stick them together and in three days the article cannot be broken in the same place.

Useful Hints.

Cultivate a habit of observation, that you may not go through the world without knowing what there is in it.

Never fold down corners of book leaves. Never mark, deface or lend a borrowed book. Never handle a book with dirty hands.

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Mark all your linen — bed, table and personal linen — with indelible ink. It will prevent many losses. A common new steel pen may be used, or glass pen, which is more expensive.

If you are a Christian, show your colors; you will command the respect of your conscience and associates, and the approval of God.

Eat nuts with salt. It is a preventive of, and a remedy for indigestion, resulting from eating them.

A little milk instead of soap may be used in washing dishes.

Dampers in stove pipes, while they save wood, are injurious to health, by not permitting the pernicious gas generated by the combustion of fuel to escape from the room. Do not keep them closed tight, especially if burning coal.

Keep grain bags clean and whole, and in a place where you can readily find them. You will save yourself much annoyance thereby.

Never put pins or needles in the mouth; much suffering is often caused by their being accidentally swallowed.

By all means preserve your family record. Sometime you may need it greatly.

A suitable place for all writings and papers of importance is desirable. They can thus be kept together, saving much time and anxiety.

A cloth sack filled with sand or bran and heated, is excellent as a means of artificial heat for the sick.

Danger often arises through carelessness with matches. Keep them in a metal box, if possible, away from children and mice; and when you light one, be careful where you throw the burning stub.

Raw onions grated fine and used warm make a good poultice to allay pain. They are excellent in a severe cold.

Teach children method and order in all things from the first.

Preserve your marriage certificate; you or your children may need it.

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Swimming ought to be a part of the education of every boy and girl. Many valuable lives may be saved yearly were all boys taught to swim. It is a strange fact that not one-half of our sailors know how to swim. No town in the land should be without its public swimming bath.

To make a sewing machine run easy, oil the bearings with kerosene oil, and run the machine a few minutes; then wipe the gum and dust from the bearings, and oil with pure sperm oil. Kerosene should not be allowed to remain on the machine, as it gums up quicker than other oil. Never use anything but the purest oil, and the machine will rarely become gummed.

A good fire-kindler is made by soaking a corn cob in kerosene oil. When needed, put in a cob, set fire to it, lay on the fuel, and your fire will burn.

To loosen a fruit jar cover, place the top in hot water for a minute or two; it will then unscrew easily.

To bake milk, put it in a jar or dish, cover with writing paper or otherwise, and let it stand in a moderately heated oven from six to ten hours. It will be very much like cream and is very nutritious.

When churning butter, have the cream at the temperature of 55 degrees, or as near that as possible.

Hot alum water is very useful to destroy insects. Put the alum into hot water, and let it boil until the alum is dissolved. Apply hot with a brush and you will destroy them. Scald floors while the carpets are up, to prevent moths.

To keep cheese from molding, saturate a cotton or linen cloth with strong vinegar, and cover the cheese closely. Renew occasionally. It will prevent mold, and if well covered will keep flies and insects away.

If you wish a good crop of strawberries, give them plenty of water. Continue the watering as long as they need it.

To keep fish sweet, put a little vinegar on them. They will keep almost as good as on ice, some think even better.