Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-05-03
AGRICULTURAL.
Spring House cleaning


supplies the following timely hints.
Carpets that 30 not require T. be taken
IN. should re lJ0tcned at the edges, and
with q dustuau and brush, all the dust can
De removed 81 there are any traces Of moths,
wash tie floor with strong turpcntIne or
kerosene, putting the carpet down quickly,
and the moths will have their quetus. The
disagreeable od0r will soon disappear If the
windows are opened widely, and you can be
certain that your carpets Will not be ruined
this summer This same burning fluid will
drive out and keep away the moths from up
holstered furniture. IL can be put on with
a cloth. and IT pure vii leave no stain, but
brighten the coloTs. Before applying It,,
brush out tie cushions with hand brush,
and damp cloth, 10 remove all the dust
Straw mating should be washed with cloth
dampened in salt water. Take care not to
wet IL but little, for If the mating is soaked
through it becomes brittle. If Indian meal
is sprigkled over it. or damp sand, and then
thoroughly swept out, it will also cleanse 1t
finely
In washing windows. narrow-bladed
wooden knife, sharply pointed. Will take out
the dust that hardeus in the corners oil the
sash Dry whiting will polish windows
nicely and We find weak black tea the hest
liquid to wash the glasses. For few days
before the CLEANSING Is to take place, save all
them in a tin pull with two quarts Of water,
and use the liquid on the windows. IL takes
off all dust and fly spccks- If applied with
newspaper, and rubbed off with another
paper, chey viii look far better than if cloth
is used. If there are old feather beds and
no steam renoyater at hand, put them out in
the first heavy, dTenchlng ram that falls
Let them become thoroughly wet, and turn
the beds several times then dry them in the
- "a arffa tlxy dry
it with sticks to Tighten up the feathers, and
turn up the other side to dry either placing
boards under it, OF putting the beds on the
piazza roof, if one Il at hand.
To take out stains from either mattresses
or feather beds make 4 paste of soft soap and
starch, and spread over the spots; when dry
scrape it OF with knife, washing It with
damp sponge, as the paste falls of II not
clean. put On another paste. This applica-
ton, il repeated frequently, until all dis
colorations are gone, Will purify any bed
ding.
Scald YOUR bedztcads in the hottest soap
suds you can apply il there are traces Of
bugs apply kerosene with small paint
brush II IL a sure cure. Tenants Of city
houses often are annoyed by bugs, and can
not tell whence they come. Perhaps the
borders OF the wall QaIer might dlvulge their
source. OF the cOrnIces of the windows dis
and they will no longer trouble you. CarbOhc
acid e. n be substituted but IT. odor Is, il
ANYTHING more disagreeabie than that Of coal
OIL.
Papering and painting are the best done
in cold weather. especially the latter, toI the
wood absorhs the OIL Of PAIN much more in
warm weather, while in cold weather it
hardens on the outside, making a coat which
will protect the wood instead of soaking into
it. In Yapering walls be sure to remove all
the old paper and paste. and scrape them
perfectly smooth. Dampeu the old paper
with cloths wet in saleratus water, and il
will come off easily fill the cracks with
plaster OF PARIS and If there are any traces
of bugs wash the wall all over with weak
solution OF carbolic acid and water this will
purify the a and destroy all mold and
vermIn. The best paste is made out of rye
-four, with two ounces OF glue dissolved IN
each quart Of paste half an ounce of pow
dered borax will make the paste better.
People now, generally, understand how very
dangerous it 10 paper wall over old paper
and paste Many deaths have arisen from
this cause the air Of many sleeping rooms
has thus been poisoned. In some old houses
tree or four layers Of paper have been found
up0n the walls Of the rooms, and their in
mates have dIed, and the doctors could not
tell whence csme the disease.
In whitewIshIng pound of glue dissolved
in hot water and diluted with four gallons Of
cold water, t. which is added four pounds Of
whiting, Will be found to answer better
purpose than common lime. Woodwork
can be washed with this glue-size and one
coat of paint ON it would last for years. \
little chrome yellow will give a light lemon
ade colOred tint to the wa-h.
A cheap paint for the floor can be made
which a strong, smart woman could apply tC
any floor: Five pounds of French 0chre; a
quarter of pound OF glue gallon Of hot
water. Dissolve the glue in a small quantity
OF boiling water when wholly melted, ado
the rest Of it, stirring it slowly until vel
mixed TEen stir IN the Ochre, and apply
while hot with good sized pain brush
When well dried, apply one coat OF bolleC
lnseed oil. The paint dries very quickly
hardening in fifteen to twenty-iour hours
Ii Is very cheap the glue is about twenty
i've cents per pound, the Ochre ten cents, anc
the oil about seyentyhve cents PER gallon
20 1t Is within the reach of any woman An
oaken hue can be given to new pine floor:
and tables by Washing them IN a solution o
copperas dissolved in strong lye, pound o
the former to a gallon of the latter. NheT
dry this should be oiled, and it Will looI
well for a year or two then renew the oil
ing.
Grease can be extracted from floors by ap
DINlDZ a paste OF WUOu dcDee keep IL OF
several days, and then wash off. Stains OF
wall paper can be cut out with a sharp pen
knife, and pieces Of the paper 50 nicely in
serted that one can the patch.
Inkstains On wood can be removed by
solution Of oxalIc acid. Cover the spots witt
bits of the acid, turn On a spoonful of water
and place a heated flat iron over it wher
the kissing ceases the ink will have disap
Peared.
Kerosene and powdered lime, whiting OF
wood ashes, will sc lur tin with the least
labor Kerosene and whiting will ais,
cleanse silver ware, door-knobs, hinges, etc
Wet the flannel slightly in the oil, DIP int
the whiting. and rub h rd wash off with
hot soap suds, and brighten with a chamoist
skin OF newspaper.
Wash the glasses Of pictures with damp
ened newspaper dipped into whiting, and rut
dry with newspaper.
Lace curtains should never be ironed
Wash and starch them, using in the rinsina
water tablespoonful of powdered borax.
This makes them very stiff. When wet
spread on a sheet either on the floor or bed
and pin down firmly every two or three
inches. Let them dry for several days, and
they will lJok very nicely.
The Potato Crop.