Twentieth century home cook book

Then mix a little ultramarine in a cup of cold water, and add to the whole, so as to remove the yellow tinge, and make it a bluish white. Apply with a clean whitewash brush, one or two coats. So says Mrs. O. A. N., who adds, that her husband does the kalsomining. XX. Painting. Best Time for Outside Work. — Paint houses late in the autumn or during the winter. Paint then will endure twice as long as when applied in early summer, or in hot weather. In the cold season it dries slowly and becomes hard, like a glazed surface, not easily affected afterward by the weather, or worn off by storms. But in very hot weather the oil in the paint soaks into the wood at once, as into a sponge, leaving the lead nearly dry, and ready to crumble off. This last difficulty might be guarded against, though at an increased expense, by first going over the surface with raw oil. By painting in cold weather, one annoyance might certainly be escaped — the collection of small flies in the fresh paint. Recipe for Inside Paint. — A cheap inside paint, and by no means a bad one, especially where the smell of oil or turpentine would be objectionable, or in any case where lead paint is not desirable, may be made by taking eight ounces of freshly slaked lime, and mixing it in an earthen vessel, with three quarts of skimmed sweet milk. In another vessel mix three and a half pounds of Paris white with three pints of skimmed milk. When these mixtures are well stirred up, put them together, and add six ounces of linseed oil. Mix these well, and it will be ready for use. This preparation is equal to oil paint, and is excellent for walls and ceilings. Any shade may be made by the addition of dry pigments. — Painter-turned-Farmer. To Soften Putty. — To remove old putty from broken windows, dip a small brush in nitric or muriatic acid (obtainable at any druggist's), and with it paint over the dry putty that adheres to the broken glass and frames of your windows; after an hour's interval, the putty will become so soft that it can be removed easily. XXI. Spring House-Cleaning. Now is the time that tries women's souls, and no sound is heard o'er the house save the scrub-brush, the mop and the broom. The spring cleaning is at hand. Blankets and Furs. — And first, there are all the woollens, blankets, etc., to be washed, and all that can be spared (for we dare not put them all out of sight, lest we provoke another snow-storm), are to be packed away in deep chests, and plenty of cedar boughs strewn over them, or else powdered camphor gum. The fortunate possessor of a cedar-wood trunk need have no apprehensions, but without that, the moth-millers will make sad havoc among your furs, woolens, etc., unless you guard them carefully. The Carpets. — All carpets do not need to be taken up ; those which do not, can be loosened at the edges, the dust-brush pushed under a piece, and a clean sweep of all the dust can be made. Then, wash the floor thus swept, with strong soap-suds, and spirits of turpentine after. Then, tack the carpet down. The odor is soon gone, if you open your windows, and you can feel safe for this summer, at least. Upholstered furniture can be treated to the same bath, if applied with a soft, clean cloth, and the colors will receive no injury. But before using it, brush the cushions with a stiff hand-brush and a damp cloth, so as to take away all the dust. A good way to clean straw matting after it is laid, is to sprinkle corn-meal over it, or damp sand, and sweep it thoroughly' out.