Mother's Cook Book: Containing Recipes for Every Day in the Week, Including ..

Take out the stays at front and sides, then scrub thoroughly with tepid or cold lather of white castile soap, using a very small scrubbing brush. Do not lay them in water. When quite clean let cold water run on them freely from the spigot to rinse out the soap thoroughly. Dry without ironing (after pulling lengthwise until they are straight and shapely) in a cool place. TO CLEAN HAIRBRUSHES. Do not use soap, but put a tablespoon of hartshorn into the water, having it only tepid, and dip up and down until clean; then dry with the brushes down, and they will be like new ones. If you do not have ammonia, use soda; a teaspoonful dissolved in the water will do very well. HOW TO WASH FLANNELS. There are many conflicting theories in regard to the proper way to wash flannels, but I am convinced, from careful observation, that the true way is to wash them in water in which you can comfortably bear your hand. Make suds before putting the flannels in, and do not rub soap on the flannel. I make it a rule to have only one piece of flannel put in the tub at a time. Wash in two suds if much soiled; then rinse thoroughly in clean, weak suds, wring, and hang up; but do not take flannels out of warm water and hang out in a freezing air, as that certainly tends to shrink them. It is better to dry them in the house, unless the sun shines. In washing worsted goods, such as men's pantaloons, pursue the same course, only do not wring them, but hang them up and let them drain; while a little damp, bring in and press smoothly with as hot an iron as you can use Mother's Cook Book. without scorching the goods. The reason for not wringing them is to prevent wrinkles. CLEANING LACE. Cream-colored Spanish lace can be cleaned and made to look like new by rubbing it in dry flour; rub as if you were washing in water. Then take it outdoors and shake all the flour out; if not perfectly clean, repeat the rubbing in a - little more clean flour. The flour must be very thoroughly shaken from the lace, or the result will be far from satisfactory. White knitted hoods can be cleaned in this way; babies' socks also, if only slightly soiled. NEW KETTLES. The best way to prepare a new iron kettle for use is to fill it with clean potato peelings, boil them for an hour or more, then wash the kettle with hot water; wipe it dry, and rub it with a little lard; repeat the rubbing for half a dozen times after using. In this way you will prevent rust and all the annoyances liable to occur in the use of a new kettle. TO KEEP FLIES OFF GILT FRAMES. Boil three or four onions in ft pint of water and apply with a soft brush. TO PREVENT KNIVES FROM RUSTING. In laying aside knives, or other steel implements, they Bhould be slightly oiled and wrapped in tissue paper to prevent their rusting. A salty atmosphere will in a short time quite ruin all steel articles, unless some such precaution is token. Mother's Cook Boos. CEMENT FOR GLASSWARE. For mending valuable glass objects, which would be disfigured by common cement, chrome cement may be used. This is a mixture of five parts of gelatine to one of a solution of acid chroma to of lime. The broken edges are covered with this, pressed together and exposed to sunlight, the effect of the latter being to render the compound insoluble even in boiling water. WATERPROOF PAPER. Excellent paper for packing may be made of old newspapers; the tougher the paper of course the better. A mixture is made of copal varnish, boiled linseed oil and turpentine, in equal parts. It is painted on the paper with a flat varnish brush an inch and a half wide, and the sheets are laid out to dry for a few minutes. This paper has been very successfully used for packing plants for sending long distances, and is probably equal to the paper commonly used by nurserymen. RECIPE FOR VIOLET INK.