The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-10-16
DOMESTIC NOTES.
ISES OLE AMMONIA.

One of the handiest things To have
about the house is bottle of ammonia.
a mixture of one part of ammonia and
four or more parts of soft water can he
used for any of the purposes for which
soap and water are employed, and for
many Others besides. A sponge or very
soft cloth dipped in the mixture will re-
move dirt from painted or vanished
woodwork without rubbing, and conse
quently without injury. Ammon Il and
water far preferable to soap and water
for cleaning furniture and small art cles
that would be injured by rubbing.
For cleaning watch chains and all
articles of jewelry there is rothing equal
to ammonia. 1t may be applied with
sponge or soft cloth, or the articles may
be dipped and moved through it. 1t -
the best article to use in cleaning coat
collars, brushes, and clothing that has
been soiled by oil or grease. 1t should
always he diluted with at least four parts
of soft water. The water employed
should be cold as hot water would cause
the ammonia to evaporate at once. Ar
ticles washed with ammOn a require no
rinsing, as when soap-suds are used, as
the ammonia soon evaporates.
HOW TO SOFTEN HARD WATER.
As was explained in a previous article
| water is hard because ii contains lime.
Ordinarily the lime is in the form of the
carbonate, which is dissolved by means
# carbonic acid in The water. Any
| method that will remove this carbonic
| acid from the water or will cause it to
| unite with some other substance, w ii
| liberate the liae and it will fall TO the
bottom. The deposit Of carbonate of
| lime OF the bottom of tea-kettles is ex-
pla ned on this principle: The rapid
| boiling of the water DIR YES off the car
bon acid, when the carbonite of lime
| sinks, and in time forms solid cake.
If hard water is boiled for me time
| in an open vessel the carbonic acid will
| escape, and the lime will fall to the
| bottom of the vessel. If after the water
becomes cool, it is d pped off, it will be
| found to be nearly 1ft. Another method
of softening hard wa er consists in adding
| some substance that will take up the
| carbonic acid. Ammonia, potash, and
all will accomplish this, and will cause
| the lime to ia to the bottom of he dish
The cheapest material to use for this
purpose is I've formed from wood ashes.
1t has long been employed by persons
who did Lot understand the phi osophy
of its use.
DESTROYING RATS.
Before winter comes, it is very desir-
able thing to kill the rats that are about
the premises. If this is not done before
the ground freezes up, it will be difficult
to do at all. There is little danger in
employing poison in killing rats, if it is
| used before the cellar is filled with fruit
and vegetables and while the vermin can
run out of doors. The cheapest and about
the safest thing to Use is arsenic. If hot
biscuit are split in two, buttered, sprink-
led with sugar, and then more melted
butter or fat added to keep the last in
place, they will form tempting, and, at
the same time, very unhealthful article
of diet for rats.
To guard against danger, the biscuit
should be placed in a pan or other suita-
BILE vessel, which should be put in place
that is frequented by rats. In the morn
ing, after they have had Il chance to eat
of it all night, the pan should be re-
moved, and the contents buried or COW
eredup in the manure heap. 1t is of little
Use to leave the food for second repast,
as the rats will not touch it. Rats that
have eaten of arsenic, will generally seek
ditch containing water, and will die in
the course of a few hours. Rats that have
not eaten sufficient arsenic to cause death,
will generally leave the premises As soon
as they find the neighborhood an I'M
healthy one.
FAT FOR COOKING PURPOSES.
Every year the price of lard increases.
1t has now become so expensive that peo-
pie can hardly afford to use it, if they
have it to buy at groceries. The de-
mand for it for cooking in restaurants has
increased very much in the past few years
and has caused the substitution of other
fats. In this and other cities quite bust
ness is done in putting up, what is known
in the market cooking huttar 1t DON
tains very little butter, and that of very
poor quality The bulk of it is the softer
sorts of fats, obtained from marrow, suet
and other wastes of the bones and car
cass. 1t is chiefly sold to hotels, restau-
rants and boarding-houses, and is used
for cooking potatoes, oysters and meats.
Economical housewives would do well
to reserve the fine leaf lard for making
pastry, and the inferior lard for making
biscuits. They can obtain for frying po-
tatoes and other vegetables from frying
out the waste portions of hogs, and from |
saving marrow and snet from beef 1t |
will be little harder than pure lard,
but quite as good for the purposes for |
which it is designed. To prevent its be- |
coming rancid, it should be put up in
cans, small jars or wide-necked bottles. |
These should be closed air tight and kept
in cool place.