The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-09-12

EVLIdn ~
with a cloth dampened in salt
water. Take are to wet 1t but
little, for if mating is soaked
through it is stable to become brittle
and soon give out. If Indian meal
is sprinkled over it, or damp sand,
and then thoroughly swept off, 1t
will operate with good effect.
In washing windows, a narrow
bladed wooden knife, sharply point
ed, is the best thing with which to
take out the dust that harbours in
the corner 5 of the sash. Dry whiten-
ing will polish the glass nicely, and
a weak black tea, with some alcohol
IS the best liquid with which to
wash the glass. For a few days be-
fore the cleansing takes place, save
all the tea grounds /; then when
needed, boil them in a tin pail with
two quarts of water. and use the
LIQUID on the windows. 1t takes
off all the dust and fly specks. If
applied with a newspaper, and
rubbed off with another paper, they
look far better than if cloth is used
If there are old feather beds in
the house, and no machine renova
tor at hand, put them out in the
first heavy, drenching rain that
falls. Let them be come thoroughly
wet and then turn the bed several
times; hen dry them in the sun,
and when one side is perfectly dry
beat it with sticks to Tighten the up
the feathers, and turn up the other
side to dry; either placing boards
under it, or putting the beds under
the piazza roof, if II is at hand.
TO take out the stains from
either mattresses or feather beds,
make Il paste of soft soap and
starch, and spread over the spots F;
when dry, scrape off with a knife,
washing it with a damp sponge as
it falls off ; if not clean, put on
another paste. This application,
if repeated frequently, until all
discolorations are gone, will purify
any bedding. Cockroaches can be
kept away with powdered borax.
Keep it in a tin lepper-box, and
sprinkle IL wherever they go. Paris
green is recommended, but is a
| poison, while the borax is harmless.
Sprigs of wintergreen or ground
ivy, will drive away small red ants,
and branches Of wormwood will
make black ants "vamoose the
ranch
Scald your bedsteads in the hot
test soapsuds you cal apply; if
there are traces of bugs apply kero-
sene with a small paint brush. 1t
is a sure cure. Tenants Of city
houses are often annoyed by bugs
and cannot tell whence they came.
Perhaps the border of the wall
paper might divulge their source,
or the cornices of the windows dis
close their haunts. Again apply
kerosene, and they will no longer
trouble you. Carbolic acid may be
applied. If pure, the odor is not
as disagreeable as that of coal oil.
Papering and painting are best
done in cold weather, especially the
latter, for the wood absorbs the oil
or paint much more than in warm
weather, while in cold weather it
hardens on the outside, making a
coat, which will protect the wood
instead of soaking into it.
In papering walls be sure to re-
move all the old paper and paste,
and scrape them perfectly smooth.
The best paste IS made of rye flour,
with two unce of glue dissolved
in each quart of paste; half an
ounce of powdered borax will make
the paste better. People now gen
orally understand how dangerous
1t is to paper a wall over old paper
and paste. Many deaths have
arisen from this cause, the air OF
many sleeping rooms has been thus
poisoned.
In whitewashing, a pound O.
glue dissolved in hot water, and
diluted with four gallons of colo
water, to which is added six pound.
of whiting, will be found to answer
a better purpose than common
lime. Wood work can be washed
with this glue size, and one coat O
paint on it would last for years.. a
little chrome yellow will give a ligh.
lemon-colored tint to the wash.
A cheap paint for the floor cal
be made which a strong, smar
woman could apply to any floor
five pounds Of French ochre /; one
fourth of a pound of hot water
Dissolve the glue in a small guam
tlty OF hot water when who'll,
melted add the rest of it, stirrin.
it slowly until well mixed. The
stir in the ochre and apply Will
hot, with a gOod-sized brush