The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-03-11
HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

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Lemons can be preserved by var
nishing them with a solution of shellac
in alcohol. The skin of shelIac formed
is easily removed by rubbing the fruit in
the hands.
There is no simpler remedy for pre-
venting cider growing sour than mus
tard seed. After the cider has fermented
and reached the desired palatable condi-
ton, put one pint of mustard seed to a
barrel of cider and bung tight.
Lamps become incrusted inside with
settings from the oil, and ordinary wash
ing will not remove them. Take soap
suds and fill the lamp about one-third
full; then put in little sharp sand and
shake vigorously. A few minutes will
remove every particle.
An excellent filling for lemon pie is
thus made: Rub smooth in some cold
water two tablespoonful of corn starch !;
add two cups of boiling water and stir
until it looks clear. Pour into dish,
add two cups of sugar and small piece
of butter. When almost cold add the
yolks of three eggs, and juice of two
lemons. Save the whites for frosting.
Many persons in preparing potatoes
for cooking pare off thick slice from
the surface instead of digging out the
eyes. The skinning process is all wrong,
80 Al @la ko1 Ia
the surface, the starch growing less
abundant as the center is Appropriated.
The best way is to scour them well, and
either bake or boil them with the skins
on.
This mode of cleaning glass gives it
a great brilliancy: Take fine powdered
indigo, dip into it a moistened linen rag,
smear over the glass with it, and then
wipe it off with a perfectly dry cloth.
As a substitute for this, fine sifted
ashes, applied by rag dipped in spirits,
will answer just as well. Spanish white
is apt to make the glass rough and in
jure it.
The infallible cure for smallpox or
scarlet fever is said to be sulphate of zinc,
one grain; fox glove {distilled), one
grain; half a teaspoonful of sugar; mix
with two tablespoonful of water. When
thoroughly mixed, add four ounces of
water. Take teaspoonful every hour.
Either disease will disappear in twelve
hours. For child, smaller dose accord
ing to age.
Put some extra bedding on the foot
of the bed at night to give the feet added
warmth, and to be drawn up higher if
needed before morning. The feet need
special attention, and one of best rules
of health is to keep the head cool and
feet warm. Don't encourage cold feet by
wearing shoes a size too small, for this
will check the circulation. These cold
mornings draw pair of thin wool hose
over the cotton ones.
To make cracker pies, roll six crack
ers fine, and put them in four-quart
pail or kettle; pour over them three
fourths of a pint OF vinegar, two cups OF
molesses and a quart of boiling water.
Boil on the stove half an hour, adding
more water If necessary to make quite
thin. Add salt, raisins and all kinds OF
spices, and make short crusts for four
pies. Bake about twenty minutes, or
until the top crust is put on.
To distinguish cotton when woven
into professedly linen fabrics it is well to
know that linen fiber when dipped into
an alcoholic solution OF rosolic acid, next
in a concentrated aqueous solution of car
Donate of soda, and finally washed several
times with strong soda, attains beauti
full red color, while the cotton fbers are
not dyed. Before testing, the dressing
should be washed out of the goods, and
few threads raveled out on each of the
three sides.
Gravy for roast beef: When your
joint is 8" done to a turn" dish it and
place it before the fire; then carefully
remove the fat from the dripping-pan
and pour the gravy into the dish, not
perienced cooks, who, moreover, not
content with this, ruthlessly drown it
with cupful of boiling water or highly
favored made gravy. This is vulgar
error, for there is alwaysa sufficient guam
tity of natural gravy in good meat to
render the use of foreign sauces super
fuous. aa+r.s .r- --
To make pretty dressing stand for
bedroom, take box three and half
feet long, eighteen inches wide, and
eighteen deep-longer if desired. Cover
it smoothly with dark brown cloth. Set
it up lengthwise, with the open side to
the wall. The interior will hold many
things. Shelves can be put up if desired.
Have light framework made and painted
dark brown-then vanished. Attach
this to the back part of the box, and by
means of screws put mirror firmly in
the framework. Make ruching of cloth
a shade darker or lighter than the other !;
sew it around the top of the box-this
gives it finish. 1t is pretty, as well as
useful, and no one would ever suspect
it having been goods box in its time.
To make head cheese, thoroughly
clean the hogs head, which must be split
open; put it over the fire, with plenty of
cold water and a handful of salt. Boil
until the bones drop out; it will require
five or six hours, or perhaps longer, as it
depends ON the size of the head. When
done, drain off the broth, take out every
particle of bone, put the meat in a chop
ping bowl, season with pepper, red and
black, half teacupful of sweet mario
ram; the same of summer savory the
same of sage;a teaspoonful of powdered
allspice, two of cloves, a salt spoonful of
powdered mace. Chop all together as
fine as possible; add half pint of