The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-30
IDEAS FOR HOUSEKEEPERS
The Useful Lamp Stove.

BLUE flame oil stove for cooking zmplifes
"a kitchen work, especially for family Of two.
81 IA stove with reservoir holding gallon will
burn continuously for six hours. BY regulating ones
work to utilize every bit Of the fame excellent
results be obtained For instance when the match
have vessel ready to place the flame Immediately
in oSder to utilize every bit Of the heat. When the
flame is turned and begins to subside If plans
to have dish that needs to be kept warm while
dinner being served very satisfactory results may
be obtained, and every bit Of the fame utilized from
the time the match is Arst applied to the last expiring
flicker.
Hcononizng Gas.
= In using gas, whether for fuel light, there Is
lot Of waste in the average household. Few people
member to down the gas when leaving room, and
the hall light is usually turned up much higher than 1t
has any need to be.
A servant who is using gas stove for heating
iron will hardly think Of turning the gas low
when she takes the iron off, and it's the with
cooking. Nobody to understand that, once the
contents Of pan boiling, all that is
sary to complete the operation is to keep them at boil
ing point Every degree of burned over and above
that necessary amount Is sheer wanton waste.
''For lighting the back hall and staircase
the little night lights that popular among the
Germans. We them also for allnight light in
the bathroom and you the saving in gas is
quite considerable these long winter nights. These
lights each consisting Of tiny wick set into disc
of cork, can be bought by the quantity-a dozen OF
nore-at any hardware store and all you have to do Is
to put three four Of them In shallow dish contain
no perceptble odor, and emit SOFT dim glow which
is amply sufficient tor lighting about the house.
For the sick and nursery they are UNNECESSARILY
superior to gas kerosene lamp, either Of which is
menace to health and safety when turned low. Then
they neither expensive messy as candle,
which burns itself out in few hours and leaves
pool Of hardened wax to be cleaned off the candle
stick every morning.
The Bit Of Green Indoors.
There Is great virtue in bit Of living green in
the family sitting in winter time-some little
growing plant that will to suggest spring and
sunshine even while the lies deep the ground
and the bitter northeasters blowing Wherefore the
woman who is wise, less than she who is simply
thetc will take thought for the subject Of cold
weather house plants. e.
Palms and ferns are the decorative plants for
indoor cultivation, and tho they generally consd
cred somewhat difficult to for the superstition is
not borne out by the facts popular error, which,
however, causes the untimey death Of many Of these
plants is the idea that they must be kept away from
direct light Neither palms ferns require great
deal of sunlight it is true tho the former demand
more than the latter; but the beauty Of both will be
very shortlived if they kept persstenty in gloom
When intended for table decoration therefore, they
should be placed the table only when actually
needed at other times being kept near window They
should not be exposed to sudden draughts OF cold air.
but the other hand, they will not thrive in close
nl-ventilated room.
Ferns require plenty Of water and rich SOIL It
is good plan the top soil with this
prevents too rapid evaporation Of moisture.
The plants thrive best when watered by absorption
thru the roots. This is done by putting fresh water
every day into the saucer in which the pot stands
daily shower with fine sprinkler or atomizer IS
also necessity few bits OF charcoal placed IN the
bottom Of the pot will insure proper drainage and
prevent the soil from becoming stale.
Palms, unlike ferns, should not be kept always
damp In fact, they need not be watered every day,
unless the top soil appears dry They thrive best in
sandy SOIL thru which moisture will percoate readily
Sprinkling the leaves is apt brown patches
but they are greatly freshened and invgorated by
/ sponging with milk about once week.