The farm cook & rule book

Black, ink-like stains on oak floors are caused by the iron in water reacting with the gallic acid in the wood. They are very obstinate but may be dimmed and frequently are removed by dipping a cloth in weak oxalic acid and rubbing the spot with this. After it is dimmed or disappears, the surface is rinsed two or three times with clear water and wax or oil is applied to restore the finish. Care should be taken not to let the acid touch the hands. Making Lye Fill a wooden keg or half-barrel with wood ashes. Holes should be bored in the keg or barrel a few inches above the bottom. Pour water on the ashes and place a wooden trough or pails to catch the lye water which seeps out from the ash barrel or keg. Making Cider Only wholesome apples should be used. Bruised fruit need not be discarded but the decayed portions should be cut out or they will give the cider a disagreeable flavor. Wash the apples, grind them in a cider mill and place them in a press which removes the juice. Drain this in clean vessels, wooden barrels or kegs which have previously been scalded. Store in the coolest place possible. Since sweet cider sours so rapidly, it usually is pasteurized the next day after it is made. To do this sterilize glass fruit jars or bottles by boiling them in water several minutes. Pour the cider in these sterile containers and set these on a wooden rack in the bottom of a wash boiler. Fill the boiler with cold water which reaches to the necks of the bottles and hang a thermometer half its length in the water. Heat the water until it reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit, but do not let the water become warmer. Leave the vessels containing the cider in this water bath 30 minutes if quart or half gallon bottles or glass jars are used and 45 minutes if gallon containers are used. Then remove the cans or bottles and tighten the covers on the cans and place corks in the bottles. Place in the cellar^ cave or some cool dark place for storage. Watch them for a week or two ; if there is a froth at the top of the cider, it is fermenting. The lids of the jars will have to be loosened and the corks of the bottles removed and the containers placed in the water bath and given the same treatment as before. Before placing the cider in the wash boiler, place cotton in the mouths of the bottles and place rubbers and lids which have been sterilized in boiling water on the cans. Do not screw the lids on tightly, but just give it a half turn so it will hold during the sterilization. The lids may be sterilized by being boiled with the cans and the rubbers are dipped in boiling water. The cooked or boiled taste that usually is not liked when canned cider is served is avoided in this method, provided a thermometer is used and the water is not heated above 175 degrees F. It must be heated this much, however, or it will not keep. Sizing Walls Dissolve 1 pound of glue in a little hot water and then add 1 gallon of cold water. Apply this to the wall with a brush before adding new paper. Cleaning Shoes If a coarse scrubbing brush is kept near the door, the shoes may be cleaned with this much easier than if a knife is used. The knife may cut or scrape the leather. Rubbing leather shoes with milk once a week helps to keep them in a good condition.