The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-17
Hints for the Housewife

Eggs.-Eggs are at about their cheapest price in the local markets just now, so why not preserve them for fall and win ter use? The water glass Sodium silicate) way Is the best. The process Is so easy that the smallest child in the family may be called upon to assist and enjoy the novel work. The commercial solution may be obtained from any drug store since 1t Is an article in regular demand by physi- clans for casts and splinting purposes for broken limbs. Dilute this with 10 times its bulk of water. That is. if you pur- chase a quart. add 10 quarts of water. making II quarts of liquid in all. Plan to preserve the fresh eggs only; for no process of preserving that ever was thought of will improve a stale egg. Pack them in wooden or earthen vessels, after the eggs have been thoroughly coated with the solution. and each day add the freshly preserved ones with a wooden spoon, so as to avoid danger of breakage. Keep the eggs covered with the solution and keep the containing vessel covered and in a dark and cool place.
 Olive Oil.-The virtues of olive oil are only beginning to be understood over here. In Italy and Southern France there are more uses for the oil than you can count upon the fingers of both hands. Olive oil is one of the things where the best Is emphatically the cheapest, not only In the long run, but all the way through. The very best oil has q dis tinctly greenish cast and but a very faint odor. and runs thin and easily from the spout of the can or the neck of the bot tle When perfectly pure 1t Is some- what difficult thing to drop the oil, ex- cept with q regular medicine dropper.
 For children to whom the odor of cod liver oil is offensive quite as good re- suits can be had with olive oil. For cer- tain forms of dyspepsia the pure virgin olive oil is considered specific by Italian physicians the dose being a teaspoonful before meals and q tablespoonful after wards. Where the body is unduly thin and the body weight below the normal a course of olive oil. taken before, during and after each meal in small split doses has been found to work wonders. While for the girl who is ambitious to have a perfectly rounded neck and throat. fll mp those '.salt cellars in the shoulders, round out and plump the arms and hands. nightly inunctions of olive oil, taken after q quick, warm sponging will bring about all the plumpness that she so much de- sires.
 In the kitchen, too, olive oil will prove far better than lard for frying purposes. In the summertime. when the kitchen fire is dispensed with, chops, steak, rechauffes and such fried in olive oil will not prove greasy, and will have far more delicate flavor than if cooked in lard or cottolene. The oil can be used time and again. a slice of raw potato thrown Into the hot oil absorbing every flavor; or a thick crust of stale bread will do fully as well, so that the oil is ready for the next time without bringing to mind the odors of many dinners cooked in the heretofore.
 Summer curtains and draperies may be made fully freproof by dipping in strong solution of alum. Put the alum in the pail or washtub according to the size and number of pieces to be fire proofed; pour on boiling water just suffi- cient to dissolve the alum and let 1t get cold. If there Is any sediment of alum at the bottom, add some more hot water just what you think will be sufficient to dissolve the remaining crystals. Wash the draperies in the usual way, blue them where necessary. and then rinse them well through the alum water for the final process. If they are to be dampened and ironed. use the alum water to sprinkle. Curtains and hangings prepared In this way will not take fire readily. Rather will the cotton fiber smoke in a gas or candle flame and singe slowly, the smell of burning fabric in the meantime de claring itself strongly and giving notice of the danger