Recipes for the million

Perhaps the most convenient thing will be to mix a little oil with common soda. This will allay both the pain and the irritation. WATER LILY, To Propagate. — This plant is not only handsome and graceful, but is extremely useful in ponds where gold fish or tortoises are kept. There are white, yellow, red, and blue varieties. The two latter, which come from China, rarely survive our winter, while the yellow is apt to increase to a troublesome extent. To propagate the plant, select a good-sized thick rhizoma at the end of summer, tie a stone to it, and sink it in the artificial pond, which must, of course, possess a muddy bottom. WATER PIPES, To Prevent the Freezing of. — Pipes which are exposed to the weather soon become frozen in cold seasons, and are liable to burst through the expansion of the water as it is changed into ice. This risk, however, is greatly lessened by turning on the tap a little way, so that the water circulates within the pipe ; for not only is moving water less likely to become frozen than that which is stagnant, but instead of the whole body of water expanding in an outward direction, by the means here suggested the running water keeps a channel open for some time, which has gradually to be filled up before the expansion can possibly take an outer course. WATERPROOF BLACKING FOR BELTS, &c. — Melt together, by a hot bath, six ounces of beeswax and two ounces of mutton suet, then add six ounces of powdered sugar candy, two ounces of soft soap, two ounces and a half of lampblack, and half an ounce of finely powdered indigo. When all are well incorporated, stir in a quarter of a pint of oil of turpentine. Apply the polish thinly, and keep it well corked. WATERPROOF CARDBOARD, To Manufacture. — Dissolve half a pound of alum and a quarter of a pound of white Castile soap in two quarts of water ; next dissolve separately a quarter of a pound of glue and two ounces of gum-arabic in two quarts of water ; then mix the solutions, and add, slightly warm, to the cardboard pulp. WATERPROOF CLOAKS, &c. — Tweeds may be rendered waterproof by the following simple process : — Dissolve half a pound of alum in two quarts of boiling water, then add two gallons of cold water. Soak the articles in the liquor for twenty-four hours. Now in another tub dissolve a quarter of a pound of sugar of lead in two quarts of boiling water, and add two gallons of cold water. Remove the articles from the first tub and allow them to drain ; then immerse them for six hours in the solution of lead. Wring them gently, and dry in the shade. WATERPROOFING FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.— Mix together in a saucepan over the fire two parts of tallow and one part of rosin ; warm the boots and apply the hot mixture with a painter’s brush till they will not absorb any more. If well polished before applying the waterproofing they will take the polish afterwards. WATERPROOFING FOR CLOTH (Chinese Method). — Dissolve an ounce of white wax in a quart of spirits of turpentine, immerse the cloth in the solution, and then suspend it in the air till perfectly dry.