The Grange advance., 1874-10-21

THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
Practical suggestions.

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Practical suggestiOns.
Hints for Horsekeepers..-A saddle
put on loosely, with a slack girth, is
very irritating to horse, and soon FRO
duces sore back. A harness kept soft
and pliable with good neatsfoot oil will
last almost lifetime. 1t is stronger,
because slightly elastic, and will seldom
wear off the hair. A horse left uncoy-
cred when not in exercise will soon grow
heavy coat of coarse hair. This be-
comes hindrance to rapid motion, and
should be prevented by judicious blank
citing. Your horses shoes will hold on
longer if the clinchcs are not weakened
by the file in finishing. Insist that the
file does not touch the end of the nail
where turned over. Some horses have
habit Of stepping on one side of their
feet, perhaps to avoid pressure on
hidden corn. That part of the shoe
exposed to severe wear should be pro
:tected with steel. All carriage shafts
Of right construction should allow the
body of the animal perfect freedom, and
only touch at the well'padded saddle,
and full collar. An over-reaching horse
one whose hind feet are frequently
hitting the forward shoes-should wear
heavy shoes forward and light ones be-
hind. The theory is, that the heavier
hoof will be thrown little farther ahead
at each step than the lighter ones.
PAIL HOUSE CLEANING.
The new York Tin,:s gives the fol-
lowing hints as to how to make fall
house cleaning easy. 1t says:
We must not have all the carpets
taken up at once, and the whole house
in an uproar, but only devote two days
in week to the operation. or, if more
desirable, only one. For instance, take
Thursday as the cleaning day, and COM
mence with the attic. Sweep it thor
oughly. first brushing down all its walls
and destroying all Of the spiders and
'wasps' nests that can be found. Wash
the windows with weak tea, having saved
all the leaves used during the week land
then boiled them for half an hour. This
liquid will cleanse glass and vanished
paint far better than soap suds, as it
gives them a bright appearance. If
rats and mice lurk in the attic scatter
oopperas about the corners Of it. and
put dishes Of it filled up with water
about the room. Copperas is the very
best disinfectant known for bath rooms
and all places that require to be kept
pure. and it will also keep away all
kinds of vermin. If cellars are infested
with rats and mice liberal coat of lime
wash, made yellow with copperas or
sulphate of iron. will expel the disa.
grccable intruders. besides making the
air of the cellar very pure. If the attic
is cleaned one day the next day can be
given to two or more chambers, and if
the nails are withdrawn from the car
pets the night previous it expedltes the
work the next morning. Before the
windows are washed the walls should
be brushed down with feather duster,
or with a piece of white cotton cloth
pinned tightly over the broom, and then
it is used to carefully sweep down every
part Of the wall. Let the dust subside
little then scatter torn up slips Of wet
paper or tea leaves over the floor and
sweep it up, and mop it with a damp
ened mop. Do not let the floor be
made quite wet, as it takes pine boards
some time to become dry. Wash the
mirrors, vanished furniture, paint, and
windows with weak tea, applied as warm
as possible. Use a flannel cloth for
furniture and paint, and newspapers for
windows, rubbing them dry with dry
papers. Paper gives a brightness to
glass that cloth can never bestow
With flannel wrung out in the tea
wipe off the gas fixtures, chandeliers,
and fancy brackets, ETC., then rub them
dry with chamois skin. Take the csars.
est Of white thread and draw it through
the opening in the gas burners, to re-
move any particles of dust that have
lodged therein while they we're not
used. 1fyou have two pairs Of hands
at work, one can wash windows while
the other cleans paint, etc. A small
stick wrapped in cloth is Of assistance
in cleaning the corners of windows.
The spirits Of amonia is also good
cleansing medium, and tablespoonful
to two quart pail of weak tea or warm
soap suds is good proportion to use.
1t will take spots out of marble slabs
and mantles, and from carpets and fur
niturc coverings. If you do not take
up your carpet, you will need to have
piece of oil-cloth or drugget to lay
down before the windows and doors a:
you wash them, to keep the drops from
it. When the room is as clean as hands
can make it. bring in two-quart pal
Of warm water in which you have dis
solved two tablespoonfuls of powdered