SILK. To Dye it Crimson. — Put a little cudbear into a pan, pour
boiling water upon it ; stir, and let it stand a few minutes, then put in the
silk until it has become of the depth of colour desired. The addition of a
little archil will produce a deeper dye. Dry the silk in the shade, and press
it on the wrong side.
SILK. To Dye it Madder Red. — To a gallon of water add one
ounce of pearlash ; boil the silk therein ; rinse it in clear water, and after
it has dried, steep it in a decoction of bruised nutgalls ; dry it again and
steep it in a bath of alum water ; dry, and boil in a decoction of madder —
three-quarters of a pound of the root to every pound of the article — then
wash it in soap and water, dry, and press it smooth.
SILK. To Dye it Yellow. — To five pounds of wheat bran liquor
add a quarter of a pound of alum, and when it has dissolved put in the
silk and boil it for two hours ; then add three ounces of weld, or dyer’s
179
weed, and boil the silk to a good colour. The colour may be fixed by
adding nitrate and alum and water to the first boiling.
SILK, To Remove Grease or Wax Stains from. — Scrape the grease
from the silk, and gently rub on the spot a little French chalk and lavender
water, mixed to the consistence of cream. Lay a sheet or two of blotting-
paper over it and apply a warm iron. When the chalk is dry remove it,
and dust the silk with a soft brush.
SILK, To Remove Oil Stains from. — Mix together two parts of
benzine and one part of alcohol sixty degrees overproof ; place the stained
part over two or three folds of flannel or blotting-paper, and moisten the
oil stain with the mixture. The stain will disappear after a few applica-
tions. Care must be taken not to let a light come into contact with the
benzine.
SILK, To Restore the Colour of. — Silks that have had the colour
taken out of them by acids may be restored by applying a little hartshorn
or sal-volatile to the spot.
SILK (VIOLET), To Restore. — Violet silk which has lost its
colour through the action of acids may be restored in the following way : —
First brush with tincture of iodine the portion of fabric affected ; after a
few seconds, well saturate the spot with a solution of hyposulphite of soda,
and dry gradually in the air.
SILKWORMS’ EGGS, The Hatching of. — These eggs may be
prevented from hatching, even in summer, by keeping them in a cool place.
When the food for the worm is in perfection, and it is desired to increase
the stock, expose the eggs for a day or two to the heat of the sun, and the
worm will be produced with facility.
SILVER ORNAMENTS, To Clean. — Wash with hot water and
soap, and polish with a soft leather and jeweller’s rouge, the latter just
moistened with spirits of wine. Or brush the ornaments with spirits of
ammonia, and afterwards wash them in a basin of water, adding a piece
of soft soap the size of a walnut ; dry with a linen rag, and afterwards
before the fire, so as to cause all moisture to evaporate, for if any damp be
left behind the silver will tarnish.
See also Plate, To Clean.
SILVER-PLATING. — Small articles may be silver-plated in the
following way : — Nitrate of silver, one part ; common salt, one part ;
cream of tartar, seven parts ; powder and mix, then apply by wetting with
a little water, and rubbing on the article to be plated with a wash-leather,
which must be perfectly clean.
Page 199
Presented as published in 1891. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
SILK. To Dye it Crimson. — Put a little cudbear into a pan, pour boiling water upon it ; stir, and let it stand a few minutes, then put in the silk until it has become of the depth of colour desired. The addition of a little archil will produce a deeper dye. Dry the silk in the shade, and press it on the wrong side.
SILK. To Dye it Madder Red. — To a gallon of water add one ounce of pearlash ; boil the silk therein ; rinse it in clear water, and after it has dried, steep it in a decoction of bruised nutgalls ; dry it again and steep it in a bath of alum water ; dry, and boil in a decoction of madder — three-quarters of a pound of the root to every pound of the article — then wash it in soap and water, dry, and press it smooth.
SILK. To Dye it Yellow. — To five pounds of wheat bran liquor add a quarter of a pound of alum, and when it has dissolved put in the silk and boil it for two hours ; then add three ounces of weld, or dyer’s
weed, and boil the silk to a good colour. The colour may be fixed by adding nitrate and alum and water to the first boiling.
SILK, To Remove Grease or Wax Stains from. — Scrape the grease from the silk, and gently rub on the spot a little French chalk and lavender water, mixed to the consistence of cream. Lay a sheet or two of blottingpaper over it and apply a warm iron. When the chalk is dry remove it, and dust the silk with a soft brush.
SILK, To Remove Oil Stains from. — Mix together two parts of benzine and one part of alcohol sixty degrees overproof ; place the stained part over two or three folds of flannel or blotting-paper, and moisten the oil stain with the mixture. The stain will disappear after a few applications. Care must be taken not to let a light come into contact with the benzine.
SILK, To Restore the Colour of. — Silks that have had the colour taken out of them by acids may be restored by applying a little hartshorn or sal-volatile to the spot.
SILK (VIOLET), To Restore. — Violet silk which has lost its colour through the action of acids may be restored in the following way : — First brush with tincture of iodine the portion of fabric affected ; after a few seconds, well saturate the spot with a solution of hyposulphite of soda, and dry gradually in the air.
SILKWORMS’ EGGS, The Hatching of. — These eggs may be prevented from hatching, even in summer, by keeping them in a cool place. When the food for the worm is in perfection, and it is desired to increase the stock, expose the eggs for a day or two to the heat of the sun, and the worm will be produced with facility.
SILVER ORNAMENTS, To Clean. — Wash with hot water and soap, and polish with a soft leather and jeweller’s rouge, the latter just moistened with spirits of wine. Or brush the ornaments with spirits of ammonia, and afterwards wash them in a basin of water, adding a piece of soft soap the size of a walnut ; dry with a linen rag, and afterwards before the fire, so as to cause all moisture to evaporate, for if any damp be left behind the silver will tarnish.
See also Plate, To Clean.
SILVER-PLATING. — Small articles may be silver-plated in the following way : — Nitrate of silver, one part ; common salt, one part ; cream of tartar, seven parts ; powder and mix, then apply by wetting with a little water, and rubbing on the article to be plated with a wash-leather, which must be perfectly clean.