USEFUL MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

How AND WHERE TO KEEP THINGS. — Crusts and bits of bread should be kept in an iron pot, closely covered in a dry cool place. Keep fresh lard and suet in tin vessels. Keep salt pork fat in glazed earthen ware. Keep yeast in wood or earthen ware. Keep preserves and jellies in glass, or china, or stone ware. Keep salt in a dry place. Keep meat in a cool dry place. Keep ice in the cellar, and wrapped in flannel. Keep vinegar in wood or glass.

Soft water is indispensable to the washerwoman ; rain or river water is the best. If you have good water, do not use soda — it gives a yellowish tinge to the clothes. If you buy your soap, it is most economical to use hard soap for washing clothes, and soft soap for floors, &c.

To wash colored dresses, turn the inner side out, and wash them in cold water, in which a little boiled soap is well mixed ; rinse them well in clean cold water, and the last time with a little salt in the water, and dry them in the shade. They should be washed and dried with as much expedition as possible.

Isinglass is a most delicate starch for muslins. When boil- ing common starch, sprinkle in a little fine salt: it will prevent its sticking.

Mildew Stains are very difficult to remove from linen. The most effectual way is to rub soap on the spots, then chalk, and bleach the garment in the hot sun.

Ink and Iron Mould may be taken out by wetting the spots in milk, then covering them with common salt. It should be done before the garments have been washed. Another way to take out ink is to dip it in melted tallow. For fine, delicate articles, this is the best way.

For fruit and wine stains, mix two tea-spoonfuls of water and one of spirit of salt, and let the stained part lie in this for two minutes; then rinse in cold water. Or, wet the stain with hartshorn.

To clean a carpet, shake and beat it well ; lay it upon the floor, and tack it firmly ; then with a clean flannel wash it over with one quart of bullock's gall, mixed with three quarts of soft cold water, and rub it off with a clean flannel or house-cloth. Any particular dirty spot should be rubbed with pure gull.

DIRECTIONS FOR WASHING CALICOES. — Calico clothes, before they are put in water, should have the grease spots rubbed out,

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as they cannot be seen when the whole of the garment is wet. They should never be washed in very hot soap suds; that which is mildly warm will cleanse them quite as well, and will not ex- tract the colors so much. Soft soap should never be used for calicoes, excepting for the various shades of yellow, which look the best washed with soft soap, and not rinsed in fair water. Other colors should be rinsed in fair water, and dried in the shade. When calicoes incline to fade, the colors can be set by washing them in lukewarm water, with beefs gall, in the pro- portion of a tea-cupfull to four or five gallons of water. Rinse them in fair water — no soap is necessary, without the clothes are very dirty. If so, wash them in lukewarm suds, after they have been first rubbed out in beefs gall water. The beef s gall can be kept several months, by squeezing it out of the skin in which it is enclosed, adding salt to it, and bottled and corked tight. The water that potatoes have been boiled in is an excel- lent thing to wash black calicoes in. When there are many black garments to wash in a family, it is a good plan to save, during the week, all the water in which potatoes are boiled. The following method is said to set the colors of calicoes so that they will not fade by subsequent washing: Infuse three gills of salt in four quarts of boiling water; put in the calicoes, (which should be perfectly clean; if not so the dirt will be set.) Let the calicoes remain in till the water is cold. I have never seen this tried; but I think it not improbable that it may be an ex- cellent way to set the colors, as rinsing calicoes in cold salt and water serves to set the colors, particularly of black, blue

DlKECTIONS FOR WASHING WHITE COTTON CLOTHES. Table-

cloths, or any white clothes that have coffee or fruit stains on them, before being put into soap-suds, should have boiling wa- ter turned on them, and remain in it till the water is cold — the spots should then be rubbed out in it. If they are put into soap-suds with the stains in, they will set by it, so that no subsequent washing will remove them. Table cloths will be less likely to get stained up, if they are always rinsed in thin starch water, as it tends to keep coffee and fruit from sinking into the texture of the cloth. White clothes that are very dirty, will come clean easily if put into strong, cool suds, and hung on the fire the night previous to the day in which they are to be washed. If they get to boiling, it will not do them any harm.

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provided the suds are cool when they are put in; if it is hot at first, it will set the dirt in. The following method of washing clothes is a saving of a great deal of labor. Soak the clothes in lukewarm soap-suds; if they are quite dirty, soak them over night. To every three pails of water put a pint of soft soap, and a table-spoonful of the salts of soda. Heat it till mildly warm, ther put in the clothes without any rubbing, and boil them an hour. Drain the suds out of them as much as possible, as it is bad for the hands; then add water till cool enough for the hands. The dirt will be loose, so that they will require but a little rubbing. Rinse them thoroughly in clear water, then in indigo water. The soda can be procured cheap, by pur- chasing it in large quantities — soda is an excellent thing to soften hard water. The sc-da suds will not do to wash calicoes in. It is a good plan to save your suds, after washing, to water your garden, if you have one, or to harden cellars and yards, when sandv.

DIRECTIONS FOR WASHING WOOLENS. — If you do not wish to have white flannels shrink when washed, make a good suds of hard soap, and wash the flannels in it, without rubbing any soaj) on them; rub them out in another suds, then wring them out of it, and put them in a clean tub, and turn on sufficient boiling water to cover them, and let them remain till the wrater is cold. A little indigo in the boiling water makes the flannels look nicer. If you wish to have your white flannels shrink, so as to have them thick, wash them in soft soap-suds, and rinse them in cold water. Colored woolens that incline to fade, should be washed with beef's gall and warm water before they are put into soap-suds. Colored pantaloons look very well washed with beef's gall and fair warm water, and pressed ou the wrong side while damp.

STARCH. — To make good flour starch, mix flour gradually with cold water, so that it may be free from lumps. Stir in cold water till it will pour easily; then stir it into a pot of boiling water, and let it boil five or six minutes, stirring it frequently. A tallow or spermaceti candle, stirred round in the starch sev eral times, will make it smoother — strain it through a thick cloth. Starch made in this manner will answer for cotton and linen very well. Some people do not boil their starch, but merely turn boiling water on the mixed flour and water, but it does not make the clothes look nice. Poland starch is made in the same manner as wheat starch. When rice is boiled in a pot without being tied up in a bag, the water in which it is boiled is as good as Poland starch for clear-starching muslins, if boiled to a thick consistency after it is turned off from the boiled rice, and then strained. Muslin>. t-o look clear, should be 5

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starched, and clapped dry, while the starch is hot, then folded in a very damp cloth, and suffered to remain in it till they be- come quite damp, before ironing them. If muslins are sprinkled, they are apt to look spotted. Garments that are not worn, when laid by, should not be starched, as it rots them when not exposed to the air.

DIRECTIONS FOB CLEANING SILK GOODS. — When silk cushions, or silk coverings to furniture, become dingy, rub dry bran on them gently, with a woolen cloth, till clean. Remove grease spots and stains as in direction. Silk garments should have the spots extracted before being washed — use hard soap for all colors but yellow, for which soft soap is the best. Put the soap into hot water, beat it till it is perfectly dissolved, then add sufficient cold water to make it just lukewarm. Put in the silks, and rub them in it till clean ; take them out without wringing, and rinse them in fair lukewarm water. Rinse it in another water, and for bright yellows, crimsons, and maroons, add sulphuric acid enough to the water to give it an acid taste, before rinsing the garment in it. To restore the colors of the different shades of pink, put in the second rinsing water a little vinegar or lemon-juice. For scarlet, use a solution of tin ; for blues pur- ples, and their shades, use pearl-ash; and for olive greens, dis- solve verdigris in the rinsing water — fawn and browns should be rinsed in pure water. Dip the silks up and down in the rinsing water ; take them out of it without wringing, and dry them in the shade. Fold them up while damp; let them re- main to have the dampness strike through all parts of them alike, then put them in a mangle — if you have not one, iron them on the wrong side, with an iron just hot enough to smooth them. A little isinglass or gum arable, dissolved in the rinsing water of gauze shawls and ribbons, is good to stiffen them. The water in which pared potatoes have been boiled, is an excellent thing to wash black silks in — it stiffens, and makes them glossy and black. Beef's gall and

To EXTRACT STAINS FROM WHITE COTTON GOODS AND COL- ORED SILKS. — Salts of ammonia, mixed with lime, will take out the stains of wine from silk. Spirits of turpentine, alcohol, and clear ammonia are all good to remove stains on colored silks. Spots of comnioi. or durable ink can be removed by saturating them with lemon-juice, and rubbing on salt, then putting them where the sin will shine on them hot, for several hours. As fast as it dries, put on more lemon-juice and salt. When lem- on-juice cannot be obtained, nitric acid is a good substitute.

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Iron mould may be removed in the same way. Mildew and most other stains can be removed by rubbing on soft soap and salt, and placing it where the sun will shine on it hot. Where soap and salt will not remove stains, lemon-juice and salt will gener- ally answer. The above things will only remove stains in warm, clear weather, when the sun is hot. Sulphuric acid, diluted with water, is very effectual in removing fruit stains. Care should be taken not to have it so strong as to eat a hole in the garment, and as soon as the stain is out, it should be rinsed in pearl-ash water, and then in fair water. Colored cotton goods, that have common ink spilt on them, should be soaked in luke- warm sour milk.

To CLEANSE FEATHER BEDS AND MATTEESSES. — When feather beds become solid or heavy, they may be made clean and light by being treated in the following manner: Rub them over with a stiff brush, dipped in hot soap-suds. When clean, lay them on a shed, or any other clean place, where the rain will fall on them. When thoroughly soaked, let them dry in a hot sun for six or seven consecutive days, shaking them up well, and turning them over each day. They should be covered over with a thick cloth during the night: if exposed to the night air, they will become damp, and mildew. This way of washing the bed-ticking and feathers, makes them very fresh and light, and is much easier than the old-fashioned way, of emptying the beds, and washing the feathers separately, while it answers quite as well. Care must be taken to dry the bed perfectly, before sleeping on it. Hair mattresses that have become hard and dirty, can be made nearly as good as new by ripping them, washing the ticking, and picking the hair free from the bunches, and keeping it in a dry airy place, several days. Whenever the ticking gets dry, fill it lightly with the hair, and tack it together.

To CLEANSE VIALS AND PIE PLATES. — Bottles and vials that have had medicine in them, may be cleansed by putting ashes in each one, and immersing them in a pot of cold water, then heating the water gradually until it boils. When they have boiled in it an hour take it from the fire, and let them remain in it till cold ; then wash them in soap-suds, and rinse them in fair water till clean. Pie plates that have been used much for baking, are apt to impart an unpleasant taste to the pies, which is owing to the lard and butter of the crust soaking into them, and becoming rancid. It may be removed by putting them in a brass kettle, with ashes and cold water, and boiling them in it an hour.

To TEMPER EARTHENWARE. — Earthenware that is used to bake in, will be less liable to crack from the heat, if put before

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they are used into a vessel with sufficient cold water to cover them, then heated in it gradually, till the water boils. When the vessel is taken from the fire, the ware should remain in until cold.

To RESTORE RUSTY ITALIAN CRAPE. — Heat skim milk and water ; dissolve in half a pint of it a piece of glue an inch square, then take it from the fire. Rinse the crape out in vinegar to clean it; then, to stiffen it, put it in the mixed glue and milk. Wring it our, and clap it till dry, then smooth it out with a hot iron : a paper should be laid over it when ironed. Gin is an excellent thing to restore rusty crape ; dip it in, and let it get saturated with it ; then clap it till dry, and smooth it out with a moderately hot iron. Italian crape can be dyed to look as well as that which is new.

To TEMPER NEW OVENS AND IRON WARE. — New ovens, before they are baked in, should have a fire kept up in them half a day. As soon as the wood is removed, put up the lid of the oven. It should not be used for baking until it has been heated the second time. If not treated in this manner it will never re- tain heat well. New flat-irons should be heated half a day be- fore they are used, in order to retain the heat well. Iron cook- ing utensils, when new, will be less liable to crack if heated gradually five or six hours, and then cooled slowly before being used to cook in. Cold water should never be turned into hot iron utensils, as it will crack them by cooling the surface too sud- denly.

To REMOVE OR KEEP HlTST FROM ClJTLERY.: — Bristol bl'ick IS

good to remove rust, and give a high polish to steel utensils. It should be powdered fine, and rubbed on dry, with a woolen cloth. Knives should be rubbed on a board, with a thick leather covered over it, and fastened down tight. The brick should be dry, and powdered fine, and the knives should not be wet after cleaning, but merely wiped with a dry clean cloth. To make the handles smooth, wipe them with a cloth that is a little damp, being care- ful not to touch the blades, as it will tarnish them. Knives look very nice cleaned in this manner, and the edge will keep sharp. Ivory-handled knives should never have the handles put into hot water, as it will turn them yellow. If, through misuse, they turn yellow, rub them with sand paper. When Bristol brick will not remove rust from steel, rub the spots with sand paper or emery, or else rub on sweet oil, and let it remain a day ; then rub it off with powdered quicklime. To keep steel utensils (that are not in constant use) from contracting rust, clean them thor- oughly with Bristol brick, wipe them on a perfectly dry clotlu,

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and rub them over with s\\ eet oil, and cover them with brown paper, so as to exclude the air. Knives and forks should be wrapped up in brown paper, each one by itself.

To DESTROY COCKROACHES, ANTS, AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD VER- MIN.— Hellebore, rubbed over with molasses and put round the places that cockroaches frequent, is a very effectual poison for them. Arsenic, spread on bread and butter and placed round rat or mouse holes, will soon put a stop to their ravages. Quick- silver and the white of an egg, beat together and laid with a feather round the crevices of the bedsteads and the sacking, is very effectual in destroying bugs in them. To kill Hies, when so numerous as to be troublesome, keep cobalt, wet with spirit, ih a large shallow plate. The spirit will attract the flies, and the cobalt will kill them very soon. Black pepper is said to be good to destroy them — it should be mixed, so as to be very sirong, with a little cream and sugar. Great care is necessary in using the above poisons, where there are any children, as they are so apt to eat any thing that comes in their way, and these poisons will prove as fatal to them as to vermin, (excepting the pepper). The flour of sulphur is said to be good to drive ants away, if sprinkled around the places that they frequent. Sage is also good. Weak brine will kill worms in gravel walks, if kept moist with it a week in the spring, and three or four days in the fall.

PRESERVATIVES AGAINST THE RAVAGES OF MOTHS. -Moths are very apt to eat woolen and fur garments early in the summer. To keep them from the garments, take them late in the spring, when not worn, and put them in a chest, with considerable cam- phor gum. Cedar chips, or tobacco leaves, are also good for this purpose. When moths get into garments, the best thing to destroy them is to hang the garments in a closet, and make a strong smoke of tobacco leaves under them. In order to do it, have a pan of live coals in the closet, and sprinkle on the tobacco 'eaves.