Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-12
The Stars Household Ex-
'pert Gives Some Tested
Ways of Wrapping Per-
ishable and Easily Broken
Articles-Care With the

| ArClCleS-AdTc w llll tllC
| Address.
The first rule to learn about doing
up package for the mail Is that
snugness is the secret of all good
packing. Looseness causes the article
to move about, with the inevitable
consequence that it breaks or arrives
in bad condition.
When tying large parcels 1t is wise
to use several pieces of cord rather
than a single long cord, and to tie
each in a different place. so that in
case one of them breaks the others
will hold the package safe. The pro-
fcssional tyer of parcels will tell you
that the proper way to manage sin
gle string is this: Hold one end in
the left hand while you pass it round
the short way of the package, about
One-third the distance from the end.
Twist it and carry it to the other end,
and draw ii round the same distance
from that end. Twist it and draw 1t
round the end of the package. loop 1t
round mot merely under) each of the
cross strings on the under side and
also on the upper side; then tie it,
, That makes all the loops tight.
! Insure your gifts from loss or dam
age by using good quality of wrap
! ping paper, stout cord. properly APP
| dress, instead of trusting to an ad-
| dress written on the paper. Many
| times the paper becomes wet or torn
and the address is lost If you do not
| use the tags, be sure to write the ad-
| dress on all sides of the package. so
| that in case one part becomes obliter-
ated the parcel will not go astray.
Better too. than writing directly on
| the wrapper is the practice of using
gummed labels. For all writing on
| ,lxo 70 ho carbon mcneil
is preferable to ink, which, when 1t is
wet, has tendency to become blur
j red. If ink has to be used. however,
/ a thin coating of white shellac Will
protect it.
! Care With Address.
| AS most persons know, the govern
| ment requires the full address of the
| sender on all parcel-post matter. and
/ there are many persons who need TO
| be reminded of the difference between
| first and second class mail. 1t is
| frequent occurrence to have to pay
! irst-class postage because OF a rev
| scrubbed lines that are entirely un-
| necessary. No writing is permissible
| in a mailed package except the name
and the conventional words of presen-
| tation.
j Another thing many persons do not
/ realize is that any sealed postal mat
! ter will be charged for at firSt-class
|
subject to easy inspection. For that
reason Christmas labels and stickers
/ should not be pasted across the string
or used 10 confine the edges of the
| wrapper in any way.
| On small, valuable articles, where it
is advisable to pay first-rate postage,
| strips of adhesive plaster can be used
! to confine the wrappingS instead of
string. That is a good thing to remem-
| ber in an emergency wheE no suitable
string is available. The address may
be written on the back of the plaster
| with no danger of becoming torn.
| Strong rubber bands are also a trust
| worthy substitute for cord, but be sure
they are strong. The inner tube of an
| automobile tire makes excellent bands.
have the additional advantage that
they can be cut into any width that
! is desired. Many small articles can
be sent in envelopes the flaps of which
are confined by wire paper clips.
l. China and glassware, which are
Ition. Very delicate china should be
Ipacked in sawdust or bran, shaken
down so thoroughly that no holes are
lleft, and in small box or nail key.
lsomething that can be handled with
fgreater care than. q large receptacle.
Heavy corrugated cardboard boxes
such as fruit jars come in. make ideal
packing boxes for such things Tie
them carefully with plenty of stout
Icord or rope and attach wooden
handles by which to carry them.
The Chinese have an excellent
method of packing fine glassware.
They dip each piece in cold water and
while it is still wet wrap it in tissue
paper. put on with twisting motion.
1t is then packed in excelsior or
Iclings to the glass and prevents the
pieces from slipping. Some persons
use damp excelsior for packing dishes
Tor glassware. 1t swells and SO wedges
ISmall articles. such as cups and
isaucers sugar and cream bowls,
vases. and things of that shape will
Int nicely into the round cartons in
which some brands of cereals come.
Pack all extra space thoroughly with
tissue paper or, excelsior.
Package Of Books.
A good packer is known by the way in
which he manages books. The worst
offense is to wedge them in tight, al
though that is virtue to be practiced
in most other forms of packing. Close
| packing breaks the binding. For the
| same reason 1t is better to stand the
case, than to pile them on their sides
| in congested arrangement. When
1 packing several books. place the heaviest
! at the bottom, and do not allow any of
them to extend beyond the top edge of
1 the box, as they will be sure to be
| crushed and marred if another box is
| placed on top of them. Place a pro-
| tecting layer of newspapers or maya
| zines over the top of each box and line
| the boxes with papers to prevent the
books from getting scratched
| OF course. all gifts make daintier
| impression when packed in boxes, but
| boxes are not always at hand. so you
must devise other methods of safe dis
patch. Neckwear. handkerchiefs. CANT
| soles and similar fiat articles can be
made into fiat package with tissue
paper and ribbon, then placed between
neat squares of cardboard and wrapped
F., for mailing Large boxes can easily be
cut down to form safe containers for
small gifts. Pictures calendars and
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