The Portland daily press., 1897-07-01
THE HOME.
Ink Stains.


great uncertainty of the composition Of
the inks of the present day. When the
character of an enemy is known it is a
comparatively simple matter to choose
the weapons to be used against him, but
an unknown enemy must be expert
mented upon, and conquest is uncertain.
| Fresh ink will sometimes yield to clear
| tepid water. SKINNED milk is safe and
often effective. II the cloth is left in till
the milk sours, the result is at times more
satisfactory. This has proved effective
on light colored dress goods where strong
acids might affect the colored printed
patterns. Some articles may have bit of
ice laid over the stain with blotting paper
under it to absorb the ink solution. Re-
move the saturated portions quickly and
continue the process till the stain has
nearly or quite disappeared. The last
slight stain may be taken out with soap
a I'd water. Some colored dress goods
will bear the application of hot tartaric
acid or of muriatic acid, drop at time,
as on white goods.
!, Ink on carpets, table covers, draperies
or heavy, dark cloths of any kind, may
be treated Immediately with absorbents
to keep the ink from spreading. Bits OF
torn blotting paper may be held at the
surface of the spot to draw away the ink
on their hairy fibTes Cotton batting acts
in the same way. Meal, flour, starch,
sawdust, baking soda, or other absorb
ents may be thrown upon the ink and
carefully brushed up when saturated.
| Then dry the spot with plotting paper
The cut surface of a'lemon may be used,
taking away the stained portion so soon
as blackened. Usually it requires hard
rubbing to remove the last of the stain.
Carpets may be rubbed with floor brush,
while q soft toothbrush may be used for
more delicate articles. With white goods
a solution of bleaching powder may be
used, but there is always danger of rot
ting the flbres. Rinsing in ammonia
water must follow in order that the
strong acid of the powder may be neu-
tralized.
Fresh ink stains on polished woods may
be wiped off with clear water and old
stains of some inks likewise yield to
water alone. The black coloring matter
of other inks may be wiped off with the
water, but greenish stain still remains
which requires turpentine. In general,
turpentine is the most effectual remover
of ink from polished woods.
The inde1ible inks formerly owed their
permanence to silver nitrate; now, many
are made from aniline solutions and are
scarcely affected by any chemicals. The
silver nitrate inks, even after exposure
to light and the heat of the sun, or of a
hot flat iron, may be removed by bleach
ing liquor. The chlorine replaces the nj
trio acid forming a white silver chloride.
This may be dissolved in strong ammonia
or solution of sodium hyposulphite.
Sodium hyposulphite, which may be
bought of the druggists, will usually re-
move the silver inks without the first use
of bleaching fluid, and is not SO harmful
to the fibres.
The aniline inks. if treated with chem
icals, may spread over the fabric and the
last state be worse than the first. Other
chemicals are effective with certain inks,
but some are poisonous in themselves, or
in their products, some injure the fabric,
and all require knowledge of chemical
reactions in order to be safely handled
tops of ink stands, may be moistened
with chloride of lime and rubbed hard
American Kitchen Magazine.
About Rhubarb.
The acid of common rhubarb is more
valuable as an article of food than most
of us imagine. If the pink stalks of this
plant were not SO cheap, if they were not
within the reach of the humblest house
keeper, they would be esteemed luxu-
ry.
A great many cooks peel off the thin
skin of the stalks, thus removing the best
part. The skin melts into jelly in the
process of cooking, and is richer in color
and flavor than any other part of the
stalk. Do not peel or scrape the stalks;
simply wash them and cut them into
inch lengths, for either pie or simple
compete. The latter, properly made, is
an excellent dish to introduce at break
fast in place of salad of fruit.
Cut in inch lengths the stalks of the
brightest red rhubarb you can find, and
put them into an earthern pipkin or
porcelain saucepan. Add about quarter
of a cupful of cold water to every quart of
rhubarb. Cover closely the dish it is put
in, and set it on the back part OF the stove
where the juice will slowly draw out.
When the red juice nearly covers it, set it
forward where it will cook faster, and
when it is thoroughly done, add to each
quart from a cupful to cupful and half
of sugar. Let it boil about 10 or 20 min
utes, until rich, red compete is the re.
suit. The rhubarb should cook for near
" an hour before the sugar is added.
lHiS QlSu HAS uODullS Ill COuliuOu WlGn
the Watery compounds of rhubarb SO
often seen. The stalks should be stewed
in their own juices, only enough water to
prevent the stalks burning being added
at the beginning A pipkin in two-quart
size which cost less than Is cents. is bet
ter to cook this compete in than are the
more expensive saucepans lined with
porcelain, because the former is thicker,
and the juices of the rhubarb can be
drawn out without being boiled away
There is no pie in all the range of the
cooks art, not even excepting the first
apple pie, or the first peach pie of the sea-
son, SO welcome as the first rhubarb pie
Line a deep tin pie plate with good
plain pastry. A good sized pie will re-
quire two stalks of rhubarb. Do not soak
them as it tends to make the pie salvy.
Cut in inch lengths, without peeling,
and mix them with four tablespoonful
of sugar. Fill the lined pie plate and
cover it with the incest puff paste-New
Vp,l- Mil