The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-07-15
CONCERNING O O
How They Can he Covered to the Best
Advantage-A Mixture
for Staining.

IoE
The shaped and fitted carpet has very
wisely been superseded, TO Il great eX-
tent, by the bordered square, which is
q much more economical means of COW
ering the floor. and decidedly advan-
tageous from a hygienic point of view.
The square carpet is less expensive
tc make. it is easily taken up and re-
laid. thus being kept free from dust,
it can be turned about in order to equal
ize the wear, and can always be adapted
to serve in another room.
4! Much OF the effect of the square car
pets depends upon the surround,
that is, the treatment of the margin of
the floor. and il is very necessary that
in selcc1in" we bear in mind the face
that we really want Il good background
for the carpet. something that will
show up the colors as well rs the de-
sign.
For this reason plain materials are
thcbest. and the olorshould he as unob-
tru~ivc is possible. The usual depth
of the margin in Il Don of medium size
is from i to - inches. but in Il small
room - inches will he sufficient depth,
otherwise il dwarfs the apparent SiZc
of the apartment. One of the very
incest margins = of thin parquct. which
is exactly like the solid parquct in APP
~pearancr. but murn less expensive. be-
ing from five cents per square foot. 1t
can he laid over the existing floor
without any preparation. and can be
easily rclaid and removed when ncccS-
Sary. For Il dining or morning o it
is specially appropriate and looks ex-
ccedin%ir well as Il surround to a
Turkey or any oriental carpet.
There are now many linolrums made
in the parquct designs, and there are
also excellent margins slightly less
expensive than the thin parfuet o. plain
cork carpet: very effective. and about
the same price. When this is used the
color chosen should he the same as the
prcdominating dark tone in the carpet,
never Fighter. or it becomes too no.
ticeable. Felt is very often used as a
surround. but its dust-cCilccting pro-
pcnSities make it very unsuitable FOR
the purpose. and an equally good eff
feet can he got with kalmuC. a material
made of lutte. which is quite inexpensive
and much more easily kept clean.
As a very rich surround plain Wilton
carpet can be used. but this. of course,
is de luxe. Mattings of various kinds,
such as string. Chinese and Japanese,
are all very nice margins. and the last
named for preference. aS il is the finest
and wears the best. For bedrooms
these are particularly appropriate. as
they look 80 fresh and cl"anly. and they
can he kept nice with such Il small
amount Of labor 10y simply ~wipin" with
a damp cloth every morning.
Light linolrums in mating designs
are good for the purpose. and only
slightly more expensive. the extra wear
cpmpcnSitin~ for the difference in
price. The most economical margin is
stain and varniSh. which looks very
we'll indeed if the floor boards are in
good condition. The combined stain
and varniSh can be employed for the
purpose. or We may have something
more durable if we use Il homemade
mixture. such as the following:
Oar quart of cold drawn lim>ccd oil,
half an ounce of roS" pink and four
ounces of alkanct root Let tn" mix
lure stand three or our days by the
ire. stirring we'll occasionally, and it
will then he fit for use.
.iftrT the floor has had a coating of
thin glue water. the stain should hr APP
piled with a large whitcwash brush,
and. when the first application is thor
ou@hly dry. not before. Il second coat
ma he given. and so on until the re-
quirrd color i obtained. The polishing
i then done with a flannel and bees
WAN. Sometimes fluid is used as IL stain,
hut il doe o give quite the effect of
oak or mahogany. OIL any of the various
woods which the prepared stain inf
tatrs 50 successfully. y parquet effect
can lie obtained by staining the margin
in geumrtrical designs with transpar-
ent stain and afterward vanishing,
and this treatment is very durable and
decorative.
In bedrooms. where thc woodwork is
painted white. the margin of the floor
may he treated in like manner. but
with dark paint il is entirely out of the
Observation-Disclosures Times.