Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
Things Worth knowing.

RENDERING Doors WATERPROOF
Boil one quart of linseed oil with half a
pound of Venice turpentine, with
which paint the leather frequently
while warm, but not hot, till it will alb
sorb no more.
MERcUR1AL OINTMENT is said to be
one of the best materials known for
preventing rust on gun-barrels. 1t
should be rubbed on thoroughly, both
outside and inside, and we'll dried of,
so as to leave but little on the surface.
The quicksilver forms Il thin film,
which protects the metal from moisture.
RESTORING COLoR.-When color on a
fabric has been accidentally or other
wise destroyed by acid, ammonia is ap-
piled to neutralize the same, after
which an application of chloroform will
in almost all cases restore the original
color. The application of ammonia is
common, but that of chloroform is but
little known.
To HARDEN PLASTER CASTS, thin
milk of lime or lime water may be used
instead of ordinary water. About ten
or fifteen drops of liquid silicate of
soda for every pint of fluid used must
be added this is then thickened with
plaster to thick cream. Plaster thus
prepared will set in five minutes or
thereabouts, according to the thickness
of the cream. If too much silicate is
used, the soda will effervesce on the
surface, and spoil the sharpness Of the
impression.
WATERPROOF PAINT FOR Canvas
The following is cheap and simple
process for coating canvas for wagon
tops, tents, awnings, etc. 1t renders
it impermeable to moisture, without
making it stiff and liable to break.
Soft soap is to be dissolved in hot wa
ter, and a solution of sulphate of iron
added. The sulphate Of acid combines
with the potash of the soap, and the
oxide of iron is precipitated with the
fatty acid as insoluble iron soap. This
is washed and dried, and mixed with
linseed oil. The addition of dissolved
india rubber to the oil improves the
paint.
To CLEAN CAsHMERE.-If the ordina-
ry soap is employed, the valuable shawls
and fabrics Of cashmere will be increas-
ed and spoiled by the alkali it contains,
and it will leave them, at any rate, much
less pnable and velvety than they are
when cleaned after the manner of the
Turks and Persians, who make use of q
root which affords an abundant mucil-
age when heated with water. NJ. Jau-
bert, who brought into France several
goats from Thibet, also imported from
Asia, under the name of ishkar, a guam
tity of this soapy root. 1t is usually as
large as the thumb, of grayish yellow
color, white within, free from smell,
almost tasteless, and affording an ash
colored powder. When mixed with wa
ter, it becomes very thick, yellowish
mucilage. With this paste the beauti-
full stuffs of the East are cleansed, and
| while it always removes greasy stains,
it leaves them the yellow tint SO much
priced.
A SECRET FOR LADIES' Oatmeal lis
good for something besides food. All
young ladies who desire white hands
will please harken. It is only necessa-
and for bath oatmeal is excellent. If
economically inclined and country bred,
it can be fed to the horses and cattle as
| OntAOaA HUSH AlGcT Dt1uK uScU. OaG-
meal contains q small amount Of oil
that is good for the skin. To make the
hands soft and white, one of the best
things is to wear at night large mittens
of cloth filed with wet bran or oat-
meal, and tied closely at the wrist. A
lady who had the whitest, softest hands
in the country confessed that she had
a great deal of Homework to do, and
kept them white as any oilers by wear.
ing bran mittcns every night. The
paste and poultices for the face owe
most of their efficacy to their moisture,
which dissolves the old coarse skin, and
to their protection from the air, which
allows the new skin to become tender
and delicate. Oatmeal paste is as eff.
caious as any thing, though less agreea.
bic than paste made with the white OF
an egg, alum and rose water. The alum
astringes the flesh and makes it firm,
while the egg keeps it sufficiently soft,
and the rose water perfumes the mix
ture and makes the curl not so hard.