A manual of home-making

MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING OF THB COMPILED BY MARTHA VAN RENSSELAER FLORA ROSE HELEN CANON DEPARTMENT OP HOME ECONOMICS, NEW YORK COLLEGE OF AQBICULTURE AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY N^m fork THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1919 AU rightt reterxed COPTRIQBT, 1919 bt the macmillan company Set up and electrotyped. Published February. 1919 STATEMENT BY THE EDITOR Herein is brought together a collection of precepts and ad- vice on the setting up and management of a home. The book is written and compiled primarily for those women who are managing households, not for those who are teaching or who are students in the class-room. It has been the purpose to bring together from many reliable sources the guiding rules to be followed in making the home a place where the family can live a thrifty and joyous life. It is compiled by those who understand the subject and the situation. Chapters on hygiene and sanitation were prepared by the authors, but space would not allow of their inclusion. This is a source of much regret, but the omission allowed a fuller treatment to be retained in the remaining chapters. The book is intended primarily for rural conditions. The country' home should receive as careful and considerate atten- tion as the farm itself. The home is inseparable from the farm. Yet, as the principles and practices of home-making are the same in country and town, the book should actually meet the needs of a wide range of people. The Editor is glad to add a book in his series on the work and welfare of women, and he hopes it will not be the last. The woman's work and the man's work together make the welfare of any people secure. L. H. BAILEY. CONTENTS PART I THE HOUSE AND ITS FURNISHINGS CHAPTER I PAGB The Modern House 1 Arrangement of the house 2 The farmhouse 7 Farmhouse pl&nnihg ........ 8 Exterior design 21 Cost of building . . .26 Suggestions for making alterations 27 CHAPTER n Home Furnishing 29 Structural consideration of rooms ...... 30 Color 45 Pattern .51 Selection of furnishings . . .54 Furniture 78 Arrangement of furnishings ....... 92 Character of rooms expressed by furnishings . . ... 95 CHAPTER III Pl*ANNING THE HOME KiTCHEN 100 Use of the kitchen ........ 100 Exposure 102 Size 103 Doors 103 Windows 104 Arrangement of equipment 105 Discussion of plans 110 vii viii CONTENTS PAGE Pantries and closets 112 Interior finish 118 PART II HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT CHAPTER IV Care op the House 121 Cellar 121 Kitchen 122 Living-room and dining-room .123 Sleeping-rooms 123 Bathroom 123 Suggestions for sweeping and dusting 124 Repair kit 124 Some special directions for cleaning 125 CHAPTER V Household Measxtrements and their Use .... 129 Measurements for commodities ...... 129 Temperature ......... 131 Time 138 Measuring gas ......... 143 Measuring electricity . .147 Measuring water. 151 Density of liquids 153 Kitchen measures 156 CHAPTER VI Household Records 175 How to keep household records . .176 Household accounts 177 CHAPTER Vn Heat and Light 191 Care of fires 191 Radiation 191 CONTENTS ix PAGE Comparative ooet of various methods of heating 192 Factors governing consumption of fuel and convenience of oper- ation 193 Suggestions for firing and cleaning a furnace . 198 Advantages and disadvantages of various fuels 200 lighting .... 200