Heavy carpets sometimes do not require taking up every year unless in constant use. "take out, the tacks from these, fold the carpets back, wash the floor in strong suds with a tablespoonful of borax dissolved in them. Dash with insect powder, or lay with tobacco leaves along the edge and retack. Or use turpentine, the enemy of buffalo , moths, carpet worms and other insects that injure and destroy carpets.' Mix the turpentine with pure water in the proportion of three tablespoonfuls to three quarts of water, and then after the carpet has - been well svfept, go over each breadth carefully with a sponge dipped in the solution and wrung nearly dry. Change the water as often as it becomes dirty. The carpet will be nicely cleaned as well as disinfected. All moths can be kept away and the eggs destroyed by this means. Spots may be renovated by the use of ox-gall or ammonia and water. '' A good way to brighten a carpet is to put a half tumbler of spirits of turpentine in a basin of water, and dip your broom in it and (sweep over the carpet once or twice, and it will restore the color and brighten it until you would think it new. Another , 1236 USEFUL HINTS POR THE HOVSEtCMEPER. good way to clean old carpets is to rub them over with meal; just dampen t a very little and riib the carpet with it, and when perfectly dry, sweep ovier with rheal. After a carpet is thoroughly swept, rub it with a cloth dipped in water and ammonia; it will brighten the colors and make it look like new. To Remove Moths from Furniture. — Moths iiiay be exterminated or driven from upholstered work by sprinkling this with benzine. The behzitie is put in a small watering pot, such as is used for sprinkling house-plants; it does not spot the most delicate silk, and the unpleasant odor passes off in an hour^or two in the air. Care must be used, not to carry on this work near a fire or flaime as the vapor of benzine is very inflammable. It is said that a little spirits of turpentine added to the water with which floors are washed will prevent the ravages of moths. To Clean Mica-— To clean mica in a stove that has been blackened with smoke, take it out and thor- oughly Wash with vinegar. If the black does not come off at once let it soak a little. Novel Dress Mending.— A novel way of mending a woolen or silk diress in which a round hole has been torn, and wh^re only a patch could remedy matters, is the following: The frayed portions around the tear should be carefully smoothed, and a i piece of the, material, moistened with very thin mucilage^ placed under the hole. A heavy weight should be put upon it until it is dry, when it is only possible to discover the mended place by careful observation. TO REMOVE THE ODOR OF ONlON. .. 237 Cement for Broken China or Glass.— Dissolve one- half ounce of gum arable in a wineglassful of boiling water; add plaster of Paris sufficient to form a. thick paste, and apply it with a brush >to the broken parts; being nearly colorless, it is better than liquid glue or other cements. To Set a Color.— One tablespoonf ul of ox-gall in a pint of water is siifficient; it is immaterial whether cotton, sijk, or woolen fabrics. , . To Keep Lemons.^ — Cover with cold waterj'changing it every week. This njakes them ripe and juicy. To Purify Sinks and Drains. — To one pound of common copperas add one gallon of boiling water and use when dissolved. The copperas is deadly poison, and should always be carefully labeled if kept on hand. This is one of the best possible cleansers of pipes and drains. All pipes leading from the kitchen should have boiling lye turned down them once a week at least, in sufficient quan- tities to eat away the accumulation of grease that coats the interior of the pipe. A few drops of car- bolic acid should be poured down the pipes leading from stationary washstands.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Heavy carpets sometimes do not require taking up every year unless in constant use. "take out, the tacks from these, fold the carpets back, wash the floor in strong suds with a tablespoonful of borax dissolved in them. Dash with insect powder, or lay with tobacco leaves along the edge and retack. Or use turpentine, the enemy of buffalo , moths, carpet worms and other insects that injure and destroy carpets.' Mix the turpentine with pure water in the proportion of three tablespoonfuls to three quarts of water, and then after the carpet has - been well swept, go over each breadth carefully with a sponge dipped in the solution and wrung nearly dry. Change the water as often as it becomes dirty. The carpet will be nicely cleaned as well as disinfected. All moths can be kept away and the eggs destroyed by this means. Spots may be renovated by the use of ox-gall or ammonia and water. '' A good way to brighten a carpet is to put a half tumbler of spirits of turpentine in a basin of water, and dip your broom in it and (sweep over the carpet once or twice, and it will restore the color and brighten it until you would think it new. Another , 1236 USEFUL HINTS POR THE HOVSEtCMEPER. good way to clean old carpets is to rub them over with meal; just dampen t a very little and rub the carpet with it, and when perfectly dry, sweep over with rheal. After a carpet is thoroughly swept, rub it with a cloth dipped in water and ammonia; it will brighten the colors and make it look like new. To Remove Moths from Furniture. — Moths may be exterminated or driven from upholstered work by sprinkling this with benzine. The benzine is put in a small watering pot, such as is used for sprinkling house-plants; it does not spot the most delicate silk, and the unpleasant odor passes off in an hour^or two in the air. Care must be used, not to carry on this work near a fire or flame as the vapor of benzine is very inflammable. It is said that a little spirits of turpentine added to the water with which floors are washed will prevent the ravages of moths. To Clean Mica-— To clean mica in a stove that has been blackened with smoke, take it out and thoroughly Wash with vinegar. If the black does not come off at once let it soak a little. Novel Dress Mending.— A novel way of mending a woolen or silk diress in which a round hole has been torn, and where only a patch could remedy matters, is the following: The frayed portions around the tear should be carefully smoothed, and a i piece of the, material, moistened with very thin mucilage, placed under the hole. A heavy weight should be put upon it until it is dry, when it is only possible to discover the mended place by careful observation. TO REMOVE THE ODOR OF ONlON. .. 237 Cement for Broken China or Glass.— Dissolve onehalf ounce of gum arable in a wineglassful of boiling water; add plaster of Paris sufficient to form a. thick paste, and apply it with a brush >to the broken parts; being nearly colorless, it is better than liquid glue or other cements. To Set a Color.— One tablespoonf ul of ox-gall in a pint of water is siifficient; it is immaterial whether cotton, sijk, or woolen fabrics. , . To Keep Lemons.^ — Cover with cold waterj'changing it every week. This njakes them ripe and juicy. To Purify Sinks and Drains. — To one pound of common copperas add one gallon of boiling water and use when dissolved. The copperas is deadly poison, and should always be carefully labeled if kept on hand. This is one of the best possible cleansers of pipes and drains. All pipes leading from the kitchen should have boiling lye turned down them once a week at least, in sufficient quantities to eat away the accumulation of grease that coats the interior of the pipe. A few drops of carbolic acid should be poured down the pipes leading from stationary washstands.

My mother's cook book