The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-11-20
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Roger B. whitman-wNu Features.
CARE OF GARDEN POOLS

~ empty during the winter. Gen.
orally speaking, larger pools should
be left filled, so that the pressure
of the water will offset the pressure
of the earth against the sides. If
the sides slope, the pressure that
accompanies freezing will be taken
up by sliding the ice upward. If
the sides are vertical, the pressure
Of freezing might crack them; but
this can be prevented by floating
logs or heavy timbers in the pool,
extending from end to end. The
pressure will be absorbed by the
compression of the wood fibers.
When a pool does not freeze solidly
to the bottom the water beneath the
ice does not 60 below 40 degrees,
which is not killing to most varieties
of fish. It is only when the pool
freezes solidly to the bottom that the
fish life will be inperiled. One good
way to protect the pool during the
winter is to cover it with boards on
which dead leaves are piled and held
in place by strips of chicken wire.
Snow will make the insulation still
more effective. The leaves should
be omitted at one end of the pool,
the hole that is left being plugged
with bag of dead leaves. In clear
weather this can be taken up for
the airing of the space over the
water.
Leaking Chimney.
: Question: My brick chimney
goes through the attic at slant, but
is straight above the roof. In rainy
weather water drips from the lower
side of the slanted part, seeps
through the floor of the attic and
spoils the paper on the walls below.
We have had the part above the roof
covered with cement, and the roofer
says that the flashing around the
chimney looks all right. How can
the leakage be stopped?
Answer: The trouble is probably
in the joint between the upper end
Of the slanting part and the straight
part above the roof. There may
also be leakage through the cement
covering and the brickwork above
the roof; water leaking in will work
down through the masonry outside
of the fiue lining. Your surest meth
cd Of repair would be to rebuild the
chimney from the upper section Of
the slanting part, so that the joint
is tight. Hastings should also be
renewed.
Hardwood Floors.
Question: Last year my hardwood
floors were sanded, filed and given
three coats of varnish. They are
really beautiful, and I want to keep
them so. I wax them quite often,
but they seem to be going little
dark. How can / keep them light?
Answer: Wipe them with liquid
wax-not water wax or non-rubbing
wax. The darkening is in the wax
now on the floor, which the liquid
wax will soften and take UP. Floors
need waxing only twice a year or
so, except in doorways or where the
wear is heavy. Apply new wax at
those points only when wear begins
to show. Use paste wax in thin
coats, and keep your floors in con-
dition not by adding wax, but by
frequent polishing. Do not clean
the floors with an oiled mop.
Gas Pipe.
Question: The closed end of a gas
pipe protrudes from my basement
ceiling above the furnace. The
smokepipe of small water heater
runs just below the gas pipe, which
at times gets quite hot. Is there
danger Of fire or of gas explosion?
Answer: Danger would come only
from the ignition Of gas leak. You
will do well to have an inspection
made by the gas company, which
will be done without charge.
Leather Upholstery.
Question: What can I use to clean
a red leather armchair? What kind
Of paint or stain can be used to touch
up the arms where the color has
rubbed of?
Answer: You can clean the leath-
er with saddle soap, to be had at
any leather or hardware store. Fol-
low the directions on the label. Worn
places can be touched up with leath-
er dye or with colored wax, to be had
at shoe repair store. =
Match Scratches
Question: How can remove
scratches Of birthstone matches
from window pane?
Answer: Unfortunately, it cannot
be done, for the heads of birthstone
matches contain an abrasive that
scratches the glass. The marks
could be polished out by a plate
glass dealer, but the cost would be
greater than getting a new pane.
Removing Plaster Stains
Question: Plaster was dropped on
a new cement porch. How can it be
removed?
Answer: Plaster can be softened
by soaking with plain water, and
can then be removed with a wire
brush.
Maple Roots.
Question: How can I prevent the
roots of q maple tree from growing
under my foundation? Can a tree