FoodNetArchive

Buckeye cookery

1892

Page 229

Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
ounces borax to a twenty barrel cistern of rain-water that is blackened or oily, and in a few hours the sediment will settle, and the water be clarihed _ and fit for washing and even for cooking purposes. To MAKE O1L-CLortHs MoRE DuRABLE.—Before or after putting down new . oil-cloths, put on one or two coats of linseed-oil with a brush, and when thoroughly dry, add one or two coats of varnish. This makes the cloth softer and much more durable.—Miss Eva Evans, Delaware. To Keep Icr-watrEr.—Make a hat-shaped cover of two thicknesses of strong brown paper with cotton-batting quilted between, large enough to drop over and completely envelop the pitcher. This prevents the warm air from coming in contact with the pitcher, and the ice will last a long time. To Sweep A Rac-Carpet.—Set a pail of water outside the door and dip the broom in it, shaking the water off, so there will be no wet streaks on the car- pet; sweep but a small portion, and then dip the broom again; in this way the dust is taken up in the broom, instead of being sent whirling through the air. To Srart A FIRE IN DAMP, STILL WEATHER.—Light a few bits of shavings or paper placed upon the top of grate; thus by the heated air’s forcing itself into the chimney and establishing there an upward current, the room is kept free from the gas and smoke which is so apt to fill it, and the fire can then be lighted from below with good success. Purtine AwAY CLotHEs.—Before putting away summer or winter clothes, mend, clean, brush, shake well, fold smoothly, sprinkle gum-camphor, on every fold, and on the bottom of trunks or closets (unless cedar chests are used). Fine dresses, cloaks, etc., should be wrapped in towels or sheets by themselves, and placed in the tray or a separate apartment of the trunk. CEMENT FoR ATTACHING METAL TO GLAss.—Mix two ounces of a thick solution of glue with one ounce of linseed-oil varnish, and half an ounce of pure spirits of turpentine; boil the whole together in a close vessel. After it lias been applied to the glass and metal, clamp together for two or three days till dry. CanE CHArIR-Bottoms.—To clean and restore the elasticity of cane chair- bottoms, turn the chair bottom upward, and with hot water and a sponge wash the cane; work well, so that it is well soaked; should it be dirty use soap, let it dry well in the air, and it will be as tight and firm as new, pro- vided none of the canes are broken. To PastE PAPER on Tin.—Make athin paste of gum-tragacanth and water, » to which add a few drops of oilof vitriol. Mix a pound each of transparent glue and very strong vinegar, one quart alcohol, a small quantity of alum, and dissolve by means of a water-bath. This is useftl for uniting horn, pearl, shell, and bone. To CrLEean O1L-CLotus.—Take a pail of clean, soft, lukewarm water, a nice, . soft piece of flannel, wash the oil-cloth and wipe very dry so that no drop of water is left to soak in and rot the fabric. After washing and drying, if a cloth is rung out of a dish of skim-milk and water, and the oil-cloth is rubbed over with this, and then again well dried, the freshness and luster of the cloth will well repay the extra labor. How to Wasu CHAmots LeaTHER.—Make a good, tepid suds with hard or soft soap, put in leather, rub it on the wash-board, put soap on skin and rub again on board, and wash in this way through one or two suds, or until per- fectly clean; rinse in tepid water without bluing, squeeze dry (do not wring), hang in sun and keep snapping and pulling it till perfectly dry. The leather will be as soft as new if the snapping and pulling are done thoroughly.