Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-12-30
FARM AND FIREsIDE.


HOUSE INsECTs.-No insect which usu-
ally infests the hous, and rrawls over the
1oor or woodwork, can live nder the APP
pllcatlon OF hot alum water. It will de-
stroy red and black ants, cocKroaches, spi-
ders and ehintz bugs. Take two pounds
OF alum, and dissolve it in three or four
quarts OF boiling water; let it stand on the
fire until the alumni is all melted, then ap-
ply it with brush (while nearly boiling
hot) to every joint and crevice in your
closets, bedstead, pantry-shelves. etc. IF,
in embarrassing ceiling, plenty of alum
is added to tho white-wash, it will keep
off insects.
COAL OIL FOR MEDICAL UsE.-About
a year ago frosted my feet very badly,
and | tried coal oil with great success. It
not only cured the frost, but had about
half dozen corns. some of them for ten
OF fifteen years; one for thirty-fve years IL
bathed them and cleaned them all off my
feet also had the ground itch, !, as we
| call it here;I had been trouhled very much
/ with 1t for manv years. and the coal oil
cured it entirely. My feet are sounder and
smoother to day than they have been for
40 years.-A Reader IN Country Gesatle-
| men.
A VERY good device for arranging flow
ers so as to preserve them fresh, is thus
describsd in Vick's Monthly: cit consists
of piece of cork of about a quarter of
an inch thick, circular in form, and per-
forated with holes like the nose OF wa
tering-pot. The diameter is to correspond
to the size of the saucer or shallow dish
with which it is to be used. The cork
floating on the Cop of the water supports
Che flowers, whose stems are inserted
through the holes. For the display of
small flowers aud those having short stems
this method is well adapted.
STUMPs.-T The scientific American
gives the following information to those
who desire to get rid of stnmps on their
farms: SIN the autumn or early winter
bore hole one or two inches in diameter,
according to the girth of the stump, and
about eight inches deep. Put into it one
or two ounces Of saltpetre, fill the hole
with water and plug it close. In the en-
suing spring take out the plug and pour
in about gill of kerosene oil and ignite 1T
The stump will shoulder away without
blazing to the very extremity of the roots,
leaving nothing but ashes.''
WHITE-WAsHING TREEs.-A good ag
rlcultural authority says: Do not be afraid
to white-wash fruit trees of all kinds. Tt
looks neat, fresh and nice; and it not only
destroys insects and their eggs. but the
white coat on the body OF the tree reflects
the heat, and keeps the inner bark and sap
vessels from being scalded and bllghted by
the rays of the sun. Every fruit grower
knows by experience how injurious the
blaze of the sun is 10 the limbs and trunk
of tree.
REMOVING INK STAINs.-An article in
the journal OF Pharmacy recommends
to use for this purpose the pyrophosphate
OF sodium, whic does not destroy cellulose,
and yields celorless compounds with ferric
oxide. Before treating the spot with this
salt, it is recommended to let a few drops
of tallow, from candle, fall upon the
spot, and then to wash in the solution of
the pyrophosph ate until the talow and
lnk-spot have disappeared. IF necessary,
the operation is to be repeated.
KILLING POULTRY.-This is how the
French kill their poultry: They opan the
beak of the fowl and with a sharp-point-
ed, narrow-bladed knife, make an incisian
at the back of the roof of the mouth.
which divides the vertebrm and causes in
slant death, after which the fowls are
hung up by the legs They will bleed
perfectly, with no Disagreement; pickpd
while warm, and if desired scalded In
this way the skin presents more natural
appearance than when scalded.
FEEDING HoRsEs.-A good authority
claims that full feed of hay to horses. t.
follow concentrated food, is wastefnl and
crowds the latter out of the stomach be-
fore proper digestion occurs. This author
lty claims that the hay should be fed first
to avoid the above mentioned trouble. A
hearty drink of water upon full stomach
also operates to push its contents into the
intestines before there is proper Digestion
GARGLE FOR SORE THRoAr.-Take one
teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one tea
spoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of vine
gar, and half pint of boiling water
poured over these; then settle. Gargle the
throat every half hour, swallowing some.
A PERSON who has tried 1t says that
handful of tobacco stems. placed in the
box in which the dog sleeps will entirely
rid him of fees, and that leaf or two of
the same weed put in setting hens nest
keeps vermin at respectful distance.
MUCILAeE This is a mucilage which
will unite wood or mend porcelain or glass:
To eight and one-half ounce of a strong
solution Of gum arabic add thirty grains
of solution of sulphate OF alumina dis
solved in three quarters of an ounce of
water.
To PRESERVE EGGs.-Take a patent
pailful of spring water, pour it into stone
jar, take one pound Of lime, one pint of
salt; let it stand for three days. stir it every
day, then pour it off and put in your eggs.
IF YOU want good starch, mix it with
cold water. add boiling water until IT,