Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-07
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HOLD
HINTS

The question Is often asked, what is do
nestle science?" The answer is simplicity
itself. It is housekeeping in the best and
easiest way.
Our grandmothers who rejeiced in the dis
tinction of being good housekeepers gained
their knowledge through experience But
experience means q long and circuitous
path to travel and the modern woman, who
has more things on her hands than grand
mother ever thought of attempting, wants
short cut to the EIysian fields that sur
round the perfectly ordered home. For her,
applied science, that is. the application of
the scientific laws and principles which she
has gained in school, Is now to be drawn
upon for daily living and household man.
agement, and the 'ologies, Biographies and
'cologies turned to practical account.
Nor Is domestic science confined, as some
people believe, to cooking alone It's field
is too broad to be bounded by the stove and
it's precincts alone. While the subject Of
dietetics, which relates to food and feeding
is probably of the first Importance to the
well-being of the family, there are also the
questions of clothing, of home construction
and sanitation, the principles and methods
of Homework the drainage and plumbing
the lighting and heating, how to keep the
family well and how to care for them If
sick or injured how to look after the house
hold expenditures so that there need be no
leaks and how to satisfy the demands of
the social conscience All these important
and varied requirements fall into line under
the head of domestic science.
AS Dana sings to Varna, housekeeping
hearts are happiest;' but this can only be
in homes where the spirit of enlightenment
is welcomed and where the doors are OPEN
ed to every suggestion that may lessen the
actual labor of housekeeping.
In this connection it is imperative to judge
wisely what mISt he done and Uha
be left undone. Too many women in their
desire to, provide pleasing, surroundings,
tempting meals and bodily. comforts for
their families, overtax their strength and
break down, thus defeating the very object
toward which they aimed. 4,
There are times when it becomes the bet
ter part OF valor to, "shirk." Hygienic
cleanliness there must be- Clean beds clean
dishes, clean body linen, clean collars, clean
sinks and clean drains; but If you can't
always keep the windows polished to an
absolute glitter without a. backache, let
them run over week or two If you can't
keep the porch and halls as free from mud
tracks as you would like. shut your eyes
and try to forget them. If the ironings are
large and your strength and.ftime are limit
ed, fold the everyday towels, sheets, fan
nels and the like evenly and put a weight
on them. Better rough-dry than a head or
slde-ache. Learn to save yourself steps
When you are going upstairs try to think Of
whatever needs carrying up, and do the
same when you come down. Keep neatly
hemmed clean dust cloths in every room
where you can get them easily whenever
bag hung on the door knob or under the
curtain will keep the cloth in place and be
no offense to the eye. Danish the feather
buster, which only filings the dust about.
Just here comes the report of a new eye
disease which has appeared, and which
physicians claim is contracted from house
dust. If the dust cloth is slightly dampened
yh0t due t,c {Io%
high cabinets, china closets, etc., when
daily busting has been omitted, it will take
UP the accumulation of disease-laden mi
crobes without allowing them to scatter
through the room. cloth dampened with
kerosene will also collect the dust in rolls
and effectually prevent its dissemination.
When one Is the possessor of a red velvet
or other delicate hall carpet that shows
every track, she may adopt to advan-
tage the eXpedient of a New York society
woman, who is also thrifty housekeeper.
Several strips Of drugget are kept in re-
serve, and when there is rain or mud these
are brought out and spread from the front
door through the hall and to the staircase
la the ladies Of Crawford and their paths
Of newspapers.
Now is the time to be on the outlook for
buffalo moths on the window sills In a
warm house they will work all the year
round. The beetles, according to the report
of the government experts on household in
sects, are day fiers, and when not engaged
in egg laying, are attracted to the light.
When they can fly out through an open win.
dow they do So but If the window Is closed
they may be found on the stills or panes
Only where carpets are extensively used are
the conditions favorable for a great in
crease Of the insect. In Europe, where car
pets are little used the insect is not spe-
cially noted a household pest. Where
polished floors and rugs are used the rugs
are often taken up and shaken. Carpets
once put down are seldom taken up for
year at least, and the insect undisturbed
goes on to propagate and colonize. The
moths have a special fondness for red. They
will eat the red from carpet in a straight
line, and this characteristic can be used to
the advantage of the housekeeper, who can
place red wooden rags where the moths do
congregate, then gather and burn. A solu-
ton OF red pepper tea in the proportion Of a
quarter Of pound Of pepper to gallon of
water is a good preventive. If the house has
not become too thoroughly given over to
the bugs Wash the floor and the base
board and spray the cracks and under the
Dashboard. IT, however, they are in ON
plete possession. nothing bue the most radi-
cal measures will suffice to-oust them. The
carpets In this case should be taken up;
thoroughly beaten, then sprayed while out
OF doors with benzine and" allowed to air
for several hours Meanwhile, the rooms
must be thoroughly swept and busted, the
floors washed with hot water the cracks
carefully cleaned out. and then kerosene or
peHZHle sprayed underline pdSeDOdrd and
poured into the cracks. The extreme in
ftammability of benzine and even it's vapor
must be borne in mind and no lights per-
mitted in the room until thoroughly aired
When the floors poorly Constructed 1t is
a. good Idea to fill up the wide cracks with
plaster of paris in a liquidsstate. This will
afterward harden and afford less opportuni-
ty for breecI1g. Before relaying the carpet
tarred roofing paper should be tackled all
over the floor.
~
If the ravages Of moths seem confined to
the edges of the carpet, and you are not
ready to take up the whole carpet, remove
the lacks, turn the carpet over a half yard
all around the room, wash the boards well
with pepper or camphor solution, putting
It on with paint brush, then lay the carpet !
back, put over 1t a cloth wet in water and
iron thoroughly with a hot iron, so as to
steam 1t through and through This will
Kill both the insects and their larvae.
# sprays and twigs Of pussy willow. flow
ering currant, peach, pear, apple or cherry,
are put into vases of water now, they will
soon bring their reward in a burst of fra
grant bloom. Little children or fnvalids al
ways enjoy watching the rapid unfolding of
these earliest messengers OF spring.