Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management

To make the polishing mixture, put into a basin or bowl a pound and a half of yellow beeswax, five ounces of resin powdered, and one pint of turpentine. Set the basin in a pan of hot water, and stir the polish over the fire until thoroughly blended. Remember that all these ingredients are highly inflammable, and guard against their taking fire. When the polish is smoothly mixed, cool it ; if, when it is cold, it is thicker than cold cream, stir in a little more turpentine until ' it is of that consistency. See that the hard-wood floor is perfectly clean, dry, and free from dust ; then apply the polish to it with a soft woollen cloth, rubbing it well into the grain of the wood ; after the polish is applied to the floor, rub it very hard with a polishing-brush, which can be found at the house-furnishing shops. In Europe the final polish, after using the brush thoroughly, is given with a piece of soft green baize. Hard-wood floors require polishing two or three times a week. STAINING WOODEN FLOORS. The floor must first be carefully prepared according to the directions given earlier in this chapter. The stain can be so mixed as to imitate any ordinary wood, the coloring matter being sold at the paint and oil shops. A good brown stain can be made from burnt umber and sienna, the prevailing tint being made to match the tone of the room, and enough coloring-matter being used to properly darken the wood. Mix the cojior with one pint of turpentine and one quart of raw linseed-oil, and apply it as already directed. The stain should be liquid enough to run readily ; the addition of some special dryer will hasten the completion of the process. If a stained floor is sized and varnished, it will keep its color longer than if simply stained. Parts of the floor most used can be re-stained without going over the entire surface. A little raw linseed-oil rubbed into the worn spots renews their brightness. The floor can be dusted frequently, and washed about once a week with a soft cloth wet in warm water. SIZING STAINED FLOORS. After the stain is 'quite dry on the floor, put a pound of size in a basin with a pint of cold water, and melt it by gentle heat ; apply it with a flat brush ; if the size froths while it is being put upon the floor, dilute it with a little warm water ; let the size dry entirely before applying the varnish. VARNISHING STAINED FLOORS. Use the best varnish ; apply it evenly and liberally, with a flat brush, and then let the floor become quite dry before walking upon it. About once a week wipe the varnished floor with a soft cloth dipped in warm water. BLACK VARNISH FOR WOOD. Use enough ivory-black, or prepared liquid black, to color good varnish, and apply a thin coating to the wood. Prepared liquid black can be used to stain or ebonize wood without the addition of varnish when the brilliant black sur- face is not desired. Blackened wood is cleaned by dusting and wiping with a cloth wet in warm water. PAINTED FLOORS.