The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-13
Efficient Housekeeping
ANSWERED. LETTERS.
By LAURA A. HERMAN.

c. s.: "I recently preserved some plums but did not have enough jars, so put them in glasses with parafine paper over the tops. Now they are all mildew. Is there any way I can boil them over again so they can be
 used?''
 Answer: No, they cannot be done
 over again. Just put it down to Ex-
 perience, and next time follow the Cold Pack method more closely. We have all had our little failures.
 c. F.: kindly tell me what should
 be done to new hardwood foors?"
 Answer: New hardwood floors re-
 quire several operations before the
 final finish Is complete. Tn such open
 grained woods as oak, ash, chestnut
 and birch, the foundation for the final
 finish is obtained by filling" with a
 good silex paste f1lAr; this simply
 fill up the pores of the wood so that
 the whole Is one complete, smooth surface. A good silex filler has finely
 powdered, needle-n1e quartz particles
 which inbed themselves firmly in the
 wood. Any staining desired, other
 than the shade of the filler itself,
 should be done before this filler Is
 put on-done with a good oil stain. But, personally, l do not like the idea of staining new hardwood
 floor. For. all wood floors tend to darken In time and for this reason l
 think the rather light appearance of 8 new floor should be endured with patience. If. after q period of time, the tone of the floor still appears too | light, 1t is easier to darken 1t slightly ! than to remove 0 dark, nussy stain i which you had put on at first and 1 then decided you didn't like. Dark rugs may be relied on to give the | proper darkest note" which interior | decorators declare a floor should have.
 Assuming that the floor was sand 1 papered before the silex filler was ap- 1 piled, it is now necessary to sand ' paper it again. but this time more | lightly, about "A hours after applying 1 the filler. Then apply a coat of good l floor varnish. wait IS hours. sand 1 paper 1t once more, lightly, and ap- 1 ply a second coat of varnish. You will now have 6, durable finish which | is well worth the trouble you have ] put into 1t. If your new hardwood ! floors are close grain ed. however. as ] is the case with hard pine, you will 1 require no filler before vanishing. 1 In j case, simply sandpaper them, wait IS hours, sandpaPer them again i lightly, ana apply the final coat of spar varnish.
 ! the best to follow for new floors. If 8 i waxed finish is preferred, however (it's 6 good deal more trouble), ap- ply a thin coat of shel1ac over the | | lowed by one or two coats Of wax on i top of this. Some housewives heat 1 the can oI wax in a pan of boiling
 water to soften it before applying: it 1 is then easily applied on a. soft cloth, ss 1t is practically in liquid form. ! Some women maintain that hnseed 1 oil and turpentine mixed in equal 1 proportions then applied to the var 1 nished floor, give the lustre they like 1 best; when this Is done, wipe over l the spot where the mixture was ap- piled almost at once with a dry cloth, 1 then rub with still another dry cloth 1 to polish.
 Tomorrow-Two Good Home Sup pers.
 l All inquiries addressed to Miss Kirkman in care of the Efficient ! Housek coping department will be | answered in these columns in their turn. This requires considerable time, i however, owing to the great number received. So if a personal or quicker reply is desired. a stamped and self | addressed envelope must be enclosed | with the question-Edtor.