The Republican., 1893-06-01
SUMMER DlSINFECTANTS.
Suggestions for Keeping the House and
Grounds Sweet and Healthy.

suggestions TOT heeplng the House and
Grounds Sweet and Healthy.
A powerful disinfectant like copperas
is needed in the spring to clean out the
plumbing and thoroughly purify it. In
almost every house that is attached to
a system of sewage there is an outside
drain that is certain to need diSinfec-
ton early. For this purpose dissolve a
pound of copperas in six quarts of boil
ing water stirring it thoroughly. Pour
the solution down the drain. being
careful not to spatter it, as it is pow
erful poison and will permanently
stain anything it touches. Should any
crystals of the copperas remain in the
bottom of the dish it was dissolved in
add more boiling water and dissolve
them. Do not attempt to dissolve the
copperas in any vessel of tin or other
metal. An old white wash-pail or some
wooden dish that will not be used for
any other purpose is the best thing to
mix it in. After diSinfecting the drain
clean it with whisk and keep il free
from dirt or any foreign substances
that may stop it up. The closets about
the house should be disinfected in the
same way as the drain. A strong prep
aration of washing soda and boiling
water should be poured down the
drain pipes of the sink at least once a
week if any amount of greasy water
passes through it. All the ledges anG
inside of the sink should be scrubbed
with a whisk kept for the purpose. It
is necessary to keep watch of the floor
in the vicinity of the sink. where bits
of food may fall, even if one is not
guilty of the supremely slovenly trick
Of keeping the garbage pail there The
garbage pail should be kept outdoors
and should be emptied daily, and
washed out after it is emptied, so that
there will be no chance for it to become
foul or odorouS.
The plan of burning the garbage is
often advocated. and where there is q
small quantity this is possible. But in
summer, when melon rinds and fruit
and vegetable peelings accumulate, it
is not possible to destroy the mass in
the kitchen stove without serious in
jury to the stove and an odor which
will pervade the whole house. The best
way to dispose of this refuse in the
country is to put it in pit each day.
covering it with little earth. and
adding a mixture of lime and Washing
soda in equal parts. Properly buried
in this manner the mass becomes rotted
and in six months or a year will be the
most valuable kind of fertilizer for a
fiower-bed or vegetable garden. Thus
nothing is wasted. as it is in burning
Old bones or refuse of any kind can be
thrown in this pit. and if properly
treated with soda and lime will all be-
come in time reduced to an even mass.
Old Connecticut farmers saved every
thing they could for such a compost
heap as this and it enabled them to
exc out a considerable crop from land
that was too often at the start barren
Where there are farm animals a great
| deal of the waste of kitchen is valuable
food for them. 1t is the waste that is
| of no other use that is used in the COM
post heap. Such heap should be sit
uated at a distance from the house in
some available spot. So valuable is
this waste for fertilizer that small
| German gardeners in the vicinity of a
great city gladly call for it. ostensibly
for the pig" but in reality for fer
tilizing their celery beds and other
more valuable vegeta bles. Flowers ex.
hibit won iers 81 bloom created by g
dressing of this kind, properly mixed
| with the earth.-N. y. Tribune