The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-17
THE HON E.
The Piano.

great heat ana dryness are more injuri-
Gus to piano than the moderate damp
ness it is likely to be subjected to in any
ordinary dwelling. If the sounding board
gets too dry it is likely to crack; then
the piano is hopeless wreck. Too much
moisture makes the keys stick and rusts
the strings. but there is nothing as bad
as too much dryness.
Some experts recommend keeping a
growing plant on the piano; but this
has objections, as the pot might be easily
upset. with rather disagreeable, if not
dangerous, result.
The best idea is to keep the piano as
far away from the heater as possible in
inter, and not too near sun exposed
wall in summer. Pianos may stand by
an outside wall if they are not allowed
to come in contact with it, and if the
circulation of air in the room is reason
ably good. When it is said that piano
must not stand against an outside wall,
it means that the instrument should no
ductor to the outer world.
Pianos should be kept as much as pos
sible from dust, and it is of all things
important that small articles and scraps
of all sorts should be kept out of it. In
many houses it is customary to lay
wraps, work and all kinds of odds and
ends on the piano. Some one comes in,
down goes bonnet, shawl, gloves. etc.
When the things are taken up a pin may
fall in upon the sounding board, and
some day there is chatter and buzz
ing, and some one must come to see what
the matter is. Musical Instruments
were never made for .wardrobes or other
storage purposes.
10 have the piano at its best, keep it
covered, if it ia covered at all, with
felt spread, and do not leave it closed
continuously. 1t should be opened every
day at least, SO that the keys may not
turn yellow. Wipe the dust off careful
ly SO that it may not be brushed down
into the works. Pianos should never be
banged. There is great difference be-
tween the senseless pounding that mex
perienced people and children give
piano and the vigorous treatment of
an expert. A skilled player rarely does
any harm to musical instrument, how
ever forcible the action may be.
keepinga piano in good condition is
comparatively simple thing, provided
one remem bers the few dom is" that are
required. E. Farmer.
French Bread.
The reason that the grain runs in one
direction in French bread 80 that it is
in layers, is due to the kneading. The
coarse, yet tender grain of this bread is
due to the use of water instead of -four
in kneading.
The New York Tribune gives these di-
rections: Make a sponge, using five
boiled potatoes, a pint of the boiling
water in which the potatoes were boiled,
three cups of -four, a teaspoonfuI of salt,
a reaspoonful of sugar and a quart of
water, in which a small tablespoonful OF
hops has been boiled. Mash the pota-
toes fine through a colander, stir the
pint of potato water with them, sift in
the three cups of -four. beat the batter
smooth, add the salt and sugar, and two
small yeast cakes, finally add the warm
hop water.
Let the sponge stand in a warm place
for IL hours, when it should be very
light and foaming. Add to it when it
has risen, half teaspoonful of soda and
ten or eleven cups of sifted -four. No
more -four should be added, but the
bread should be thoroughly beaten and
stiff dough. about as stiff as can be
stirred. Dip the hands in lukewarm
water and begin kneading. pulling the
bread toward you, and throwing it back
with smart, snappish motion on to the
remainder.
After the first three or four strokes, it
is said that the bread will not stick to
the hands, and that finally large bubbles
will be formed in the dough. When this
time arrives, set the bread to rise again
and let it rise until it has doubled in
volume. Then make the dough into
loaves Of the size you DESIRE. turning it
out ON Toured board for the purpose.
Press the rolling pin in the center of
each loaf, and then the puffs formed on
both sides of it, toward the center again,
pulling the loaf out lengthwise to shape
it into the long slender form of the
French loaf. Put the loaves in pans.
large enough SO that the loaves will not
touch the sides when they rise. Let
them rise for half an hour. Then bake
them. This makes a very delicious
moist loaf with great deal Of crust.
and when the process of kneading with
water is once mastered, it is no more
trouble thansany other bread. 1t makes
especially nice breakfast rolls.
Uses for Horse Chestnuts.
Cut with sharp knife hole about a
quarter of all inch in diameter. Cut out
the meat in little pieces and shake out
of the hole. By holding the nut against
the lower lip and blowing into the hole,
whistle of an amazing power can be
produced. By boring small hole into
one side and stopping it with the finger
Kind of trill can be performed with
some kind of nuts. BY fastening several
whistles of different pitch on strip of
wood tune can be played on them.
By following a nut, leaving a hole at