St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-06-20
st. cJohnsburp Galrdunian.
St. bloomsbury, VT. Friday. June 30. 1873.
Spring House Cleaning.

These sweet days tempt us {" 60
forth and list To natures teachings.
But, alas, the house work also presses
hard at this season. and unless we have
had our work well under foot. and S"
arranged that it cannot drive is. these
lovely sunshines will invite us to sweep.
dust, wash and srour, i'll the rooms
which are not III every day Use. Now
we must look sharply after the small
millcrs which lay the eggs. which hatch
out the moths. which destroy our tine
woolens, carpets and flrs. External
vigilance" is the price we pay for thes"
possessions. If You do not desire TO
take up your carpets. tuln them back
from the walls at least Il quarter of Il
ward. and wash the floor with fresh tur-
pentinc, put on with brush or wool
en- cloth. and You may he sure that no
moth will dare taste of that carpet.
The fumes of the turpcntine Will soon
disappear. if all the windows and doors
are left open. If moths are feared i'll
stuffed furniture. pour Camphcne upon
a flannel and rub il all over the cush-
ions. II it Is pure II will leave no stain,
and if the furniture l. left in the open
air all ,Iay. It's smell will he gone. \
dampemcd flannel will clean chair cush-
ions better than feather buster. Scotch
snuff will drive away red ants. Scatter
it on Nour shelves. and see how quickly
they will 90. Or dip Il large sponge
into boiling water; when nearly dry,
sprinkle it with sugar, and when the
ants have taken POSSESSION, dip it III
boiling water again. Cockroaches are
the plague of many h0usckcepcrs. and
yet IA little Paris green is death to them
Keep it in a common flour dredging
box, label 1t Poison, and apply il week
" to their haunts. Bed bugs or chinch
bugs can also he dispersed and utterly
routed, with this remedy: and both
cockroaches and bed bugs viii flee from
powdered borax. Travellers -aaul,
el,y1vs carry a paper of luIaX in then
bags, and sprink',c 1t under and ovcI
their pillows If they fear lhcy shall he
come food to the laStnamrd wrctches
Sprigs of NORWOOD will drive away
large black ants; and none of then
whether black. brown or red, rclisl
wintergrccn. tansy, Paris green. cay
ennc. or kerosene; 50 if th0y invade
our pantries We can, 10y Il Judlclou
application of some one of thcsc articles
make the premises too unpleasant 10
them. Fly paper should he kept aroun'
the house us early as the mIddlc OF May
Put it in every open window. and thu
destroy every intruder. If the kitchen
floor needs painting. cheap paint cal
be made from five pounds of frrnrl
ochrc, and Il quarter of Il pound of glu'
dissolved in one gallon of boiling water
dissolve the glue thoroughly. then >ti
in the ochrc. and apply to the Hoo
while hot. When perfectly dry. put ol
one coat of boiled linSeed oil. Thi
paint is very cheap. Ochrc will not b,
more than - cents per pound glue no
over - cents. and the oil may cost from
- To - cents. or perhaps Il little more
per gallon. 1t will dry very quickly
hardening over night but it is better t.
let il dry for twcuty-four hours before
stepping on it. To clean silvcr-plate'
hinges and door knobs, | find Kerosene
and whiting the best polish. Apply
with flannel dampcucd with kerosene
then polish with Il dry flannel or cha
mois skin and dry whiting. Kerosene
and whiting. or fine sittcd ashes. vii
polish tin much quicker than anything
else. Dry whiting will polish plate
glass windows and mirrors, if rubbed
on with hit of flannel, and wiped of
with pieces of newspaper. Gllded
picture and mirror frames can hcclcaned
of dust and fly spccks with little
sweet oil, and then rubbed dry Will
whiting. Unfinished black walnut OF
oak furniture can Ice polished to look Il,
good as new" with cold drawn lineccd
oil, rubbed on with flannel. and then
rubbed dry with clean flannel. Thus
treated, they will never appear detaced
or worn. Straw mating should h,
swept over with Indian meal >pliHklcd
all over it. and then wiped with rlotl
Eycbrighr IN country Gentleman.