RECEIPTS.
The following receipts have all been tried either by the Authoress
herself, or by her immediate friends, and are thoroughly to be depended
upon.
A few have been introduced not immediately connected with the
work-book, but from their value, no apology is necessary for their
insertion.
No. 1.
PERMANENT INK FOR MARKING LINEN.
1 ounce, 5 drachms, 1 scruple of lunar caustic nitrate of silver,
2 ounces of gum arabic, powdered,
1 pint of distilled water,
½ an ounce of sap green.
For the liquid pounce with which the linen is wetted, previously to the
application of the ink, mix
4 ounces of carbonate of soda,
2 ounces of powdered gum arabic,
1 pint of distilled water,
and a little cochineal, to colour it.
In marking linen, after applying the liquid pounce with a common small
bristle brush, to the part which is to receive the mark, and wetting
it very well, let it dry by the fire, and then after rubbing it with a
glass calender or glazing stone, to make it smooth, mark it with a fine
hard steel pen. It should then be exposed to the air, which makes the
letters turn quite black. The place should be washed soon after it is
dry, as the liquid pounce injures the linen, if left on it long.
No. 2.
PERMANENT RED MARKING INK.
Take half an ounce of vermillion, and a drachm of salt of steel, let
them be finely levigated with linseed oil to the thickness required.
The mixture must be well shaken before used.
Inks of various colours may be made, by using sap green, Prussian blue,
gamboge, &c. instead of vermillion.
No. 3.
TO REMOVE MARKING INK FROM LINEN.
When linen is erroneously marked or spotted with marking ink, an
application of chloride of lime with either cold or hot water, will
efface it. It should be applied over and over again till the marks are
obliterated; but as the chloride of lime spoils linen, it is advisable
to wash the part well, immediately after each application, so as to
prevent its eating away the linen.
Chloride of lime being poisonous, the mixture should be carefully
thrown away after being used.
No. 4.
TO REMOVE COMMON INK FROM CLOTHES, &c.
Rub the place immediately with lemon juice, and hot soap and water, and
if this does not succeed, have recourse to salts of lemon, which seldom
fails.
No. 5.
SALTS OF LEMON.
They are used to remove ink and iron-moulds from linen, calico, all
articles of dress and furniture, and even from wood, books, &c.
It is made as follows:—
A quarter of a pound of salts of sorrel,
A quarter of a pound of cream of tartar,
Well mixed and rubbed together in a mortar, and it is then
ready for use.
It should be kept locked up, the salts of sorrel being a strong poison.
In using salts of lemon to an inked carpet or table, merely rub it on
with the top of the finger, having previously dipped it in hot water.
If it is a piece of linen, or an article of dress that has been inked,
it is best to stretch it over a pewter or other vessel full of hot
water, and when wetted through with the steam, apply a small quantity
of the salts on the ink or iron-mould, rubbing it well at the same
time with the finger, and a spot will, on repeating the application,
disappear.
No. 6.
TO TAKE OUT INK, WHEN SALTS OF LEMON ARE NOT AT HAND.
Dip the spotted part into some melted tallow from a mould candle. Send
it to the wash thus greased, and it will return clean and white.
Of course this is only applicable to articles that will wash.
No. 7.
TO REMOVE INK FROM CLOTH OR CARPETS.
Take up the ink instantly with a spoon, and pour on water in abundance,
while still applying the spoon constantly, till it is removed; rub
afterwards a bit of lemon upon the place, which will brighten any
colour that may be deadened.
No. 8.
BLEACHING LIQUID
Is used to remove iron-moulds, or restore discoloured linen, and calico
to its former whiteness.
Pour it into a basin, one part of the liquid to six parts of water; the
cloth is dipped into it, allowed to lie in it, and well rubbed, till
the mark is effaced, when the part is washed in clear water.
The bleaching liquid is made as follows:—
A solution of chloride of carbonate of soda; this cannot be procured in
powder, but a preparation of lime in powder can be had, which will do
equally well. Unless much diluted, this is apt to injure the texture of
the linen.
Another receipt for making it is the following:—
Chloride of lime, the powder to be put into water, a part of it will
dissolve, and a part will not; decant the clear fluid, and keep it in a
dark place. The powder is apt to attract moisture from the air, and to
lose its chlorine by exposure, it must be kept in a bottle with a glass
stopper, as it corrodes corks.
No. 9.
TO REMOVE STAINS MADE BY ACIDS.
Wet the part, and lay on it some salt of wormwood; rub it, without
diluting it with more water.
No. 10.
ANOTHER RECEIPT.
Let the cloth imbibe a little water without putting it in, and hold the
part over a lighted match at a proper distance, to avoid its catching
fire. The spots will be removed by the sulphureous gas.
No. 11.
ANOTHER RECEIPT.
Tie up in the stained part, some pearl ash, then scrape some soap into
cold soft water, to make a lather, and boil the linen till the stains
disappear.
No. 12.
TO REMOVE STAINS OF WINE, FRUIT, &c. WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN LONG IN LINEN.
Rub the part on each side with yellow soap, then lay on a mixture of
starch with cold water, very thick, like paste; rub it in well, and
expose the linen to the sun and air till the stain comes out; if not
removed in three or four days, take the starch off, and renew the
process. When dry, sprinkle it again with water, and send it to the
wash.
Many other stains may be taken out by dipping the linen in sour
buttermilk, and drying it in a hot sun, then wash and dry it two or
three times in the day.
No. 13.
TO REMOVE STAINS OF PORT WINE.
Directly the wine is spilt, spread common salt all over the stain, and
wash it with water.
No. 14.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SCARLET CLOTH.
Take soap wort, bruise it, strain out the juice, and add to it a small
quantity of black soap, wash the stains a few times with this liquor,
suffering the cloth to dry between, and in a day or two they will
disappear.
No. 15.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF BLACK CLOTH, SILK, CRAPE, &c.
Boil a handful of fig-leaves in two quarts of water, until reduced to
a pint; squeeze the leaves, take them out, and put the liquid into a
bottle for use. The articles need only be rubbed with a sponge dipped
in it, and the stains will soon disappear.
When black is stained by fruit or other acids, the spotted part turns
yellow or red, touch it with a little spirits of hartshorn, which
immediately restores the colour.
No. 16.
SCOURING DROPS
Are used to remove stains and grease from all silks; they are rubbed on
with a bit of flannel, and generally answer perfectly well. They are
prepared as follows:—
Mix equal quantities of spirits of turpentine, and essence of lemons.
No. 17.
TO REMOVE GREASE FROM SILK.
Rub it for some time with a split card, or a piece of cap paper, or if
much greased, lay under it a piece of soft paper, or blotting paper,
and the same over it, and place a warm iron upon it, which causes the
paper to imbibe the grease from the silk; after repeating this, taking
care each time the iron is applied to furnish clean bits of paper, then
rub it with split card, or soft paper. Cloth may be cleaned in the same
way.
Or, dip a clean piece of flannel into spirits of turpentine, and rub
the spots until they disappear; the silk should not be made very wet
with turpentine, or it will lose its lustre.
No. 18.
ANOTHER RECEIPT.
Rub the part with French chalk, or with part of the back of the cuttle
fish scraped, which may be bought at the druggists for one penny each.
No. 19.
LIQUID FOR REMOVING SPOTS OF GREASE, PITCH, OR OIL FROM LINEN AND
CLOTHES.
In a pint of spring water, dissolve an ounce of pure pearl ash, add to
the solution a lemon cut in small slices. This being properly mixed and
kept in a warm state for two days, the whole must be strained, and the
clear liquid kept in a bottle for use.
A little of this mixture being poured on the stained part, removes all
spots of grease, pitch, or oil, and the moment they disappear, the
cloth is washed in clear water.
No. 20.
TO REMOVE GREASE FROM SILK OR WOOLLEN.
Mix together three ounces of spirits of wine, three ounces of French
chalk powdered, and five ounces of pipe clay.
Rub the mixture on the stain, either wet or dry, and afterwards take it
off with a brush.
Sometimes an equal quantity of spirits of turpentine and pipe clay
mixed, and used as above, will have the desired effect.
This will remove stains from silk, woollen or cotton.
No. 21.
PORTABLE BALLS FOR REMOVING GREASE SPOTS.
Dry fuller’s earth so as to crumble easily into powder, and moisten it
well with lemon juice, add a small quantity of pure pulverized pearl
ash, and work the whole up into a thick paste; roll it up into small
balls, let them dry in the heat of the sun, and they will be ready for
use.
The manner of using them is by moistening with water the spots on the
cloth, rubbing the ball upon them, and leaving them to dry in the sun;
on washing the places with water, and very often, with brushing alone,
the spots will disappear.
No. 22.
TO TAKE OUT MILDEW.
Mix soft soap with powdered starch, half as much salt, and the juice of
a lemon. Lay it on the mildewed part, on both sides, with a brush. Let
it lie on the grass day and night till the stain comes out.
No. 23.
TO TAKE OUT IRON-MOULDS.
Rub them with sulphuret of potash; then bathe them well with citric
acid (lemon acid), afterwards wash the places well in water, and the
linens will be completely restored.
No. 24.
TO REMOVE PAINT SPOTS FROM SILK, &c.
Apply spirits of turpentine repeatedly, when the article is silk.
If it is muslin or linen, cover it with butter, and then wash it.
No. 25.
TO CLEAN SILKS AND COTTONS WITHOUT INJURY TO THEIR COLOUR OR TEXTURE.
Grate two or three raw potatoes into a pint of clean water, and pass
the liquid through a sieve, when it has stood to settle, pour off the
clear part, and it will be fit for use.
Dip a clean sponge in the liquid, and apply it to the silk till the
dirt is well separated, then wash it in pure water.
The coarse pulp of the potatoes which does not pass the sieve, is of
great use in cleaning worsted curtains, carpets, and other coarse goods.
No. 26.
TO WASH BLACK SILK AND CRAPE.
Warm some small beer, and mix some milk with it, then sponge the silk
with this liquid, and it will freshen the colour very much.
A strong decoction of fig-leaves, a little gin, or spirits of wine,
will have an equally good effect.
No. 27.
TO RESTORE RUSTY SILK.
Boil some green tea in an iron pot, nearly a cup full of tea to three
quarts of water. Sponge the silk with it, and iron it while damp.
No. 28.
TO CLEAN BOMBAZINE.
Use the liquid mentioned, No. 25, and sponge the bombazine with it, and
then with water, remembering to rub width-wise, not selvage-wise, or
the bombazine will be frayed.
No. 29.
COMPOSITION FOR RESTORING SCORCHED LINEN.
Boil to a consistency two ounces of fuller’s earth, half an ounce of
cake soap, and the juice of two onions, in half a pint of vinegar.
Spread it over the damaged part, and suffer it to dry on, then give it
one or two washings, and if the scorching is not so great as to injure
the threads, the part will appear white and perfect.
No. 30.
TO CLEAN CALICO FURNITURE.
Shake off the loose dust, and slightly brush it with a small long
haired brush; after which, wipe it with clean flannels, and rub it with
dry old bread. If well done, the furniture will look nearly as well as
at first.
Bran is also an excellent cleanser.
While furniture remains up, it should be preserved as much as possible
from sun and air, which injure delicate colours; the dust may be blown
off with bellows.
No. 31.
TO CLEAN CHINTZ.
Chintz may be cleaned as follows:—
Boil two pounds of rice in two gallons of water till it is soft, when
the whole is poured into a tub fit for use.
Wash the chintz till it is quite clean in soap and water, and then
rinse it in the rice water, which will act like starch. In drying, it
must be hung very smoothly, and rubbed with a glazed stone, but not
ironed.
An upper crust of bread or bran, are very good for cleaning also.
No. 32.
TO SCOUR CARPETS.
Shake the carpet well.
Dissolve one ounce and a half of alum in a quart of warm water, also
one ounce and a half of fuller’s earth in another quart of warm water,
put a little of each into a bucket full of soft water, adding a very
little gall, and rubbing in some common brown soap. Then wash a small
piece of the carpet with a flannel dipped in this mixture, so as to
make it rather wet, and to shew the colour, brush it over with soap,
which must be well washed off, and the carpet rubbed over with a coarse
cloth. Then wash it over without soap, and with water in which alum,
gall, and fuller’s earth are mixed, and rub it as dry as possible with
a cloth. When the whole carpet is washed over in this manner, piece by
piece, it will appear as fresh and bright as a new one. The quantities
here given are sufficient for a large sized carpet.
If a carpet is not very much soiled, it may be cleaned by being first
well shook and beaten, and then scoured with gall, and soap and water,
after which, it must be laid on the grass, or hung up to dry.
No. 33.
TO WASH SILK HANDKERCHIEFS.
These must be first washed in cold water, and the second lather must be
only lukewarm, then rinse them in cold water, dry them gradually, and
send them to the mangle.
No. 34.
TO WASH COLOURED MUSLINS, PRINTS, &c.
Coloured muslin, washing silk handkerchiefs and aprons, should have
a little spirits of wine in the water, about a dessert spoonful to a
gallon.
For prints, a little gall will fix the colours; if the principal
colour is lilac, pearl ash put in the water will refresh it. If green
prevails, put in a few half pence.
No. 35.
TO MAKE LINEN WHITE THAT HAS TURNED YELLOW.
Heat a gallon of milk over the fire, and scrape into it one pound of
cake soap, when it is quite dissolved, put the linen in, and let it
boil some time, then take it out, put it into a lather of hot water,
and wash it properly out.
No. 36.
TO MAKE LINEN WASHED IN THE TOWN AS PURE AND WHITE AS THAT WASHED IN
THE COUNTRY.
In great towns where linen cannot be exposed to the air and sun upon
the grass, let it be steeped for some time before it is washed, in a
solution of oxmuriate of lime; let it then be boiled in an alkaline
lye. Linen or cotton thus treated, will not become yellow from age, as
is too often the case with town washed linen.
No. 37.
TO WASH CHINA-CRAPE SCARFS, &c.
Make a strong lather of soap and boiling water, suffer it to cool,
and when nearly cold, wash the scarf quickly and thoroughly; dip it
immediately afterwards into cold hard water, in which a little common
salt has been thrown, to preserve the colours; rinse, wring and hang
it out to dry in the open air; pin it at the extreme ends to the line,
so that it may not be folded together in any part. The more rapidly it
dries the clearer the colour will be.
No. 38.
TO WASH BLONDE.
If the blonde be very narrow, it should be slightly run to the edge
of either net, or old tulle, in order to make it easier to iron, tack
it together in the same way that lace is done, in a length of three
or four nails, and wash it clean, in a light lather of white soap and
water; then put it into a basin in which there is powder blue mixed
with cold water, of a sufficiently deep colour to remove the yellow
tinge of the soiled blonde.
The iron should be getting ready whilst the blonde lies in the blue
water, which must be a few minutes, and it must only be taken out piece
by piece, to be pulled out and ironed whilst it is still damp. The iron
must be moderately warm.
The tulle, which is spoiled by the washing, is then taken off, and the
blonde will be found to have a brightness similar to new.
The following is another method, which has been found to answer equally
well:—
Tack the blonde together as before; prepare a lather of fine white
soap and hot soft water, in which a little powder blue is mixed. Dip
the blonde into this hot water, and squeeze it in the hand, so that
it shall be wetted through and through, it should not be allowed to
remain in the water, lest the blue should settle upon it unequally.
When the colour is restored, take it out, and clap it between the
hands, while still folded, until it is nearly dry, when it must be
opened out, and ironed with a moderately hot iron.
No. 39.
TO WASH LACE.
The best methods of washing fine, and valuable lace, are as follows:—
Take a pint bottle (which is better than a larger one, being more
easily held), wrap a piece of clean muslin or linen round it, and
fasten it with a few stitches, then wind the lace round the bottle,
avoiding the neck, and wash it in a light lather of white soap and
water.
When it appears clean, rinse it in fresh water, and put the bottle in
the sun, or in a warm room, to dry the lace.
On taking it off, pull it out with the first and second finger and
thumb, taking care not to tear it, at the same time to pull it open
to its full width; then lay it between the leaves of a blank book, or
pieces of thin card-board, not allowing one piece to fold over another,
and put it under a weight, till it is properly pressed.
The soap should be cut in thin slices, and boiled in the water, to make
the lather; this is particularly adapted to Mechlin lace.
The following plan is chiefly useful for Valenciennes or Lisle lace, or
for the borders of infants’ caps.
Fold the piece of lace evenly backwards and forwards (not round and
round), the length of about three or four nails, and when done, tack
it together down the middle with long loose stitches; then wash it
thoroughly in a lather of white soap and water, rinsing it repeatedly,
and squeezing it in clear water, then, while still wet, dip it in a
mixture ready prepared of beer and water in equal quantities, let it
remain about a minute, and then wring it out.
It must now be unstitched, and pulled out two or three times, until
nearly dry, this must be done width-wise of the lace, and very
thoroughly. Lay it on a table covered with a linen cloth, and glaze it
with a glass calender, or, if one is not at hand, with a glass phial
bottle.
The beer gives the creamy colour of new lace, and a little stiffness
besides; some persons dip it in water, in which they put a little snuff
tied up in a muslin bag, to colour it, instead of the beer.
Starch should never be put into lace, as it tears and spoils it.
No. 40.
TO WASH KID GLOVES.
Kid gloves, if they are good ones, and have never been touched by
Indian rubber, may be washed so as to look like new, in the following
manner; and some will bear the operation more than once; it answers
equally well both for white and coloured gloves.
Lay the gloves on a clean towel, and with a piece of flannel dipped in
warm water with a good deal of white soap, rub them thoroughly till
all the dirt is removed; take care to use as little water as possible.
Hang them up to dry gradually, at a distance from the fire, and the
next morning, they will appear shrivelled and yellow, pull them out the
cross way of the leather, and they will soon resume their colour and
shape.
No. 41.
TO CLEAN WHITE SATIN SHOES.
Rub them with stale bread. Or rub them with a piece of new flannel
dipped in spirits of wine.
No. 42.
TO KEEP BLONDE, WHITE SATIN, SILK, &c.
The above, and all articles which are apt to be discoloured by lying
by, should be wrapped up and covered with the coarsest brown paper, as
the turpentine contained in it, is an effectual preservation.
No. 43.
TO DYE GLOVES LIKE YORK-TAN OR LIMERICK.
Put some saffron into a pint of soft water boiling hot, and let it
infuse all night; next morning, wet the leather all over with a brush.
The tops should be previously sewed up, to prevent the colour getting
in.
No. 44.
TO DYE WHITE GLOVES TO PURPLE.
Boil four ounces of logwood, and two ounces of rock alum, in three
pints of soft water, till it is half wasted; strain, and let it stand
till cold. Then wet the gloves all over with a brush dipped in this
mixture, and repeat it when dry.
Twice is sufficient, unless the colour is to be very dark. When dry,
rub off the loose dye with a coarse cloth, beat up the white of an egg,
and rub it over the gloves with a sponge.
The hands will be stained in the process of dyeing, but wetting them
with vinegar before they are washed, will take it off.
No. 45.
WASH FOR LEATHER GLOVES.
If you wish to have your gloves quite yellow, take yellow ochre; if
quite white, pipe clay; if between the two, mix a little of each; if
dark, take rotten stone and fuller’s earth.
By a proper mixture of these, you may produce any shade you desire; mix
the colour you fix on with beer or vinegar, _not water_, and apply it
to the gloves, having previously washed them, let them dry gradually,
rub and pull them out crosswise.
After applying the mixture equally all over, let them dry very
gradually, not in the sun or near a fire, lest they should shrink. Rub
and pull them out before they are quite dry.
No. 46.
TO DYE COTTON A NANKEEN COLOUR.
Keep old nails and rusty iron for fifteen days in good vinegar; apply
this dye to the cotton with a brush, it will give an excellent colour,
which improves by washing.
No. 47.
TO DYE THE LININGS OF FURNITURE BUFF OR SALMON COLOUR, ACCORDING TO THE
DEPTH OF THE HUE.
Rub down on a pewter plate two pennyworth of Spanish annatto, and then
boil it in a pail of water a quarter of an hour. Put into it two ounces
of potash, stir it round, and instantly put in the lining; stir it
about all the while it is boiling, which must be five or six minutes;
then put it into cold pump water, and hang the articles up singly
without wringing; when almost dry, fold and mangle it.
PINK.
The calico must be washed extremely clean, and dried. Then boiled in
two gallons of soft water, and four ounces of alum; take it out, and
dry it in the air. In the mean time boil in the alum water two handfuls
of wheat bran, till quite slippery, and then strain it.
Take two scruples of cochineal, and two ounces of argall, finely
pounded and sifted; mix it with the liquor, a little at a time; then
put the calico into the liquor and boil it till it is almost wasted,
moving it about.
Take out the calico, and wash it in chamber lye first, and cold water
after; then rinse it in water, starch, strain, and dry it quickly
without hanging in folds. Mangle it very highly, unless you have it
calendered, which is the best.
BLUE.
Let the calico be washed clean and dried, then mix some of Scott’s
liquid blue in as much water as will be sufficient to cover the things
to be dyed, and put in some starch to give it a light stiffness. Dry a
bit to see if the colour is deep enough; then put the linen, &c. into
it, and wash it; dry the articles singly, and mangle or calender them.
No. 48.
TO CLEAN GOLD AND SILVER LACE.
Sew the lace in linen cloth, and boil it in a pint of water, and two
ounces of soap, then wash it in water.
When it is tarnished, apply a little warm spirits of wine to the
tarnished part.
No. 49.
TO PRESERVE LINEN FROM MOTHS.
When well washed and dried, fold it up, and scatter in the folds
powdered cedar wood, having previously perfumed your chest or drawers
with storax; this will effectually prevent damp or moths from injuring
the linen.
No. 50.
TO PRESERVE WOOLLENS AND BLANKETS.
They should first be properly washed in a lather of soap and water, and
well dried, then pepper must be sprinkled over them before they are
folded up and put away.
It is a good plan to keep them in brown paper bags.
No. 51.
TO PRESERVE FURS AND WOOLLENS FROM MOTHS.
Let the former be occasionally combed, while in use, and the latter
brushed and shaken. When put away, dry them very well, then mix among
them bitter apples from the apothecary’s, sewed up in small muslin
bags, or pieces of Russia leather.
No. 52.
TO VARNISH OLD STRAW OR CHIP HATS.
Take half an ounce of the best black sealing wax, bruise it, and put
to it two ounces of spirits of turpentine, melt the sealing wax very
gently, by placing the bottle that holds it in boiling water, near the
fire, taking care the spirit does not catch fire; when all the wax is
melted, lay it on the hat warm, with a fine hair brush, near the fire,
or in the sun. It will not only give a beautiful gloss and stiffness to
the hat, but will make it resist wet.
No. 53.
TO RAISE THE SURFACE OF VELVET.
Warm a smoothing iron moderately, cover it with a wet cloth, hold it
under the velvet, and the vapour arising from the heated cloth will
raise the pile of the velvet, especially with the assistance of a rush
wisk. Velvet should be cleaned either with a bit of old velvet or crape.
No. 54.
TO MAKE STARCH.
Peel and grate a quantity of potatoes, put the pulp into a coarse
cloth, between two boards, and press it into a dry cake; the juice thus
pressed out of the potatoe, must be mixed with an equal quantity of
water, and in an hour’s time it will deposit a fine sediment, which may
be used as starch.
No. 55.
TO MAKE COURT PLAISTER.
Lay some thin black silk on the table, and put on it with a brush some
dissolved isinglass, or gum water, and let it dry, then dip it several
times in the white of an egg.
No. 56.
TO MAKE LAVENDER WATER.
To one pint of spirits of wine, add eight pennyworth of essence of
ambergris, and one shilling worth of oil of lavender.
No. 57.
TO MAKE EAU DE COLOGNE.
Spirits of wine (rectified at 36 degrees), one pound and a half,
Essence of bergamot, two drachms,
Essence of rosemary, half a drachm,
Essence of cedras, half a drachm,
Essence of lemon, half a drachm,
Essence of orange flowers, twenty drops,
Essence of mereby, twenty drops,
Spirits of melisse, one ounce and a half,
Of soft water, boiled and dropt slowly through clean blotting paper,
one quart.
No. 58.
POWDER FOR INFANTS’ DUST BAGS.
The skin of infants is so apt to chafe, if not thoroughly dried after
washing, that powder is put upon all the folds of their skin, and
rubbed by the hand upon them.
This is either put on with a powder puff, or dusted out of little
muslin bags.
Lapis calaminaris, a fine yellow powder, is that generally used.
Fuller’s earth is particularly adapted, from its cooling nature, to
check inflammation. It is dusted on when the skin is not sore, but when
the chafing has taken place it is put on mixed with cold water.
Violet powder is often used, but this is frequently mixed with some
hurtful ingredient, which irritates and inflames the skin, and is
therefore objected to by medical men. It can be procured perfectly
harmless, but the druggist of whom it is purchased should be told for
what purpose it is intended.
No. 59.
POT-POURRI, OR SWEET SCENT JAR.
Put the following ingredients into a large china jar, in layers, with
bay salt between each layer; two pecks of damask roses, part in buds,
and part blown; of violets, jessamine, and orange flowers, a handful
each; two ounces of orris root sliced, storax, and gum benjamin; a
quarter of a pound of angelica root sliced; a quart of the red part of
clove gilly flowers, two handsful of lavender flowers, half a handful
of rosemary flowers, bay and laurel leaves; three Seville oranges,
stuck as full of cloves as possible, dried in a cool oven, and pounded;
half a handful of knotted majoram, two handsful of balm of gilead dried.
Cover all quite close for some weeks, and the perfume is very fine.
No. 60.
A QUICKER SORT OF POT-POURRI.
Take three handsful of orange flowers, three of clove gilly flowers,
three of damask roses, one of knotted marjoram, one of lemon thyme,
six bay leaves, two handsful of rosemary, a handful of myrtle, half a
one of mint, one of lavender, the rind of a lemon, and a quarter of an
ounce of cloves.
Chop them all, and put them in layers with pounded bay salt between
them, up to the top of the jar.
If all the ingredients cannot be procured at once, put them in as you
obtain them, always throwing in bay salt, after each fresh layer.
No. 61.
SCENT BAGS TO LAY IN DRAWERS.
Half a pound of coriander seeds, half a pound of damask rose leaves,
half a pound of sweet orris root, half a pound of calamus aromaticus,
one ounce of mace, one ounce of cinnamon, half an ounce of cloves,
three ounces of verbena powder, four drachms of musk powder, two
drachms of loaf sugar, three ounces of lavender flowers, and some
rhodium wood; beat them well together, and sew them up in muslin or
silk bags.
No. 62.
TO MAKE SHOES WATERPROOF.
One pound of mutton suet, four ounces of bees-wax, two ounces of Venice
turpentine, mixed altogether; the bees-wax being melted and strained.
Put on the composition with a hare’s foot or brush, drying it before
the fire, and repeating it at intervals of time, till all the seams and
little cracks are filled up.
No. 63.
REMEDY AGAINST FLEAS.
Sew the leaves of fresh penny-royal, in little muslin bags, and put
them between the blankets, or mattresses. Wormwood, or dried moss, will
have the same effect.
No. 64.
TO PREVENT BEING BITTEN BY BUGS.
Put a sprig or two of tansy at the head of the bed, or as near the
pillow as is not disagreeable. Pieces of camphor sewed to the bed, or
mattress, will also drive them away.
No. 65.
TO DESTROY BUGS.
Mix some quicksilver in a mortar with the white of an egg, till the
quicksilver is all mixed, and there are no bubbles; then beat up the
white of another egg, and put it to the mixture in the mortar, till it
becomes a fine ointment.
Anoint the bedstead all over in every crack, with a brush, and put it
also about the cord lacing, head board, &c. When repeated for the two
or three following days, the cure will be effectual, and the bedstead
uninjured.
No. 66.
TO DESTROY FLIES.
Ground black pepper and moist sugar mixed in equal quantities, and
diluted with milk, put into saucers, adding fresh milk, and stirring
the mixture when required.
No. 67.
TO DESTROY BUGS FROM FURNITURE.
Wash the bedstead or floor with water thoroughly saturated with glauber
salts, once or twice a year, and the bugs will shortly be effectually
destroyed.
The following receipts have been taken from that useful
and interesting work, called the Magazine of Domestic
Economy, which is strongly recommended to the notice
of all those who are engaged in the management of a
household, as containing a great variety of directions
and useful knowledge in every branch of domestic economy.
No. 68.
TO PREPARE RABBIT SKINS.
To be good, the skin should be in season.
Take the skin as fresh as possible, and having mixed a quantity of salt
and water, till it will bear an egg, saturate it with alum; put your
skin into this mixture, blood warm, and let it lie and soak twenty-four
hours; then take it out, and having tacked it upon a board, the fur
inwards, scrape the skin, and a thin membrane will come off; then
having warmed up the liquor again, put your skin again into it, and let
it remain five hours more, after which, take it out and nail it upon a
board to dry, the fur inwards as before; and rub it well with pumice
stone and whiting.
No. 69.
FRENCH POLISH FOR BOOTS, SHOES, AND HARNESS.
A quarter of a pound of glue, half a pound of logwood chips, a quarter
of an ounce of indigo, powdered very fine, a quarter of an ounce of
soft soap, a quarter of an ounce of isinglass.
Boil these ingredients in two pints of vinegar and one pint of water,
during ten minutes after the ebullition begins.
Then strain the liquid; when cold it is fit for use, and may be put
into either pint or half pint bottles.
The dirt must be sponged off the boots and shoes, and the polish
afterwards put on with a clean sponge; should the polish ever become
too thick, it must be held near to the fire to warm a little, when the
heat will give it the proper liquescence.
No. 70.
TO PRESERVE GILT FRAMES AND LAMPS.
It is usual to clothe all frames and lamps with gauze, Holland, muslin
or chintz bags, to protect them from damp, but this practice has been
stated to be very injurious to them, as these bags are known to retain
any moisture for so long a time as to be of great injury to the gilt;
whereas, when left uncovered, though more exposed to the air, it
becomes sooner dry.
The following is a good method of
REVIVING GILT FRAMES.
Beat up three ounces of eggs, with one ounce of chloride of potash, or
soda, lay it over the frame with a soft brush dipped in the mixture.
No. 71.
TO MAKE CLOTH WATERPROOF.
Take half an ounce of isinglass (Russian is best), put it into one
pound of rain water, and boil until dissolved; take one ounce of alum,
put it into two pounds of water, and boil till it is dissolved; take a
quarter of an ounce of white soap, with one pound of rain water, and
boil till it is dissolved. After each of these ingredients has been
separately dissolved, strain them separately through a piece of linen;
afterwards mix them well together in a pot, put it on the fire again
till it simmers, then take it off, and while thus near boiling, dip a
brush into it, and apply it to the wrong side of the cloth intended to
be waterproof.
The cloth must be spread out on a table during the operation, and
remain there until it is dry; after it is dry it must be brushed on
the wrong side against the grain; and then dipping the brush in clear
water, pass it lightly over, and leave it again to dry.
After that, the gloss caused by the application of the ingredients can
be taken off.
Three days after the operation has been done, the cloth will be
impervious to water but not to air.
No. 72.
TO EXTRACT GREASE SPOTS FROM LINEN.
The following method is not generally known, and is the best we ever
met with.
Take magnesia in the lump, wet it, and rub the grease spots well with
it. In a little time brush it off, and no appearance of grease will be
left.
No. 73.
TO CLEAN MERINO CURTAINS.
Remove the dust as much as possible with a brush, and lay the curtain
over a large table, and having procured three or four pieces of
flannel, and a quantity of bran, sprinkle a handful of the latter on a
portion of the furniture, and proceed to rub it round and round with a
bit of the flannel. When the bran becomes soiled, take more bran and
a fresh piece of flannel, and thus continue till the merino becomes
bright and clean.
No. 74.
METHOD OF CLEANSING SILK, WOOLLEN, AND COTTON.
Take raw potatoes in their natural state, and when well washed, let
them be rubbed on a grater over a vessel of clean water, to a fine
pulp; pass the liquid matter through a coarse sieve into another tub of
clean water; let this mixture stand till the fine white particles of
potatoe are precipitated, then pour off the liquor, which preserve for
use.
The article to be cleaned should be laid on a table, and well rubbed
with a sponge dipped in the liquor until clean, when it is washed
several times in clean water, and then dried and ironed.
Two middle sized potatoes will suffice for a pint of water. The coarse
pulp of the potatoe, which will not pass the sieve, is of use in
cleaning worsted curtains, tapestry, carpets, and other coarse goods,
while the liquor prepared as above, will clean silk, cotton, and
woollen goods.
No. 75.
TO BLEACH WOOL.
To one pound of wool yarn, take two pounds of powdered white chalk,
mixed with river water, to the consistency of paste; knead the yarn
thoroughly in it, that it may be completely saturated, and let it dry
for twenty-four hours, then rub it well, and wash it in cold water, to
remove all the chalk, and the yarn will be quite clean, and very white.
Warm water spoils the colour of the wool.
No. 76.
BALLS FOR REMOVING SPOTS FROM CLOTH.
Mix well four ounces of fuller’s earth, dried so as to crumble into
powder, with a piece of lemon; when well incorporated, add two drachms
of common pearl ash powdered. Work up the whole into a stiff paste, and
form it into balls.
Set them to dry on a gently heated stove, and when dry, they are fit
for use.
When using this preparation, first moisten with cold water, the spots
you wish to remove, and rub a ball all over them. Let the place dry in
the sun, or near the fire, and when quite dry, wash the spots with a
sponge and water, and they will disappear.
No. 77.
MODE OF WASHING A SILK DRESS.
If the dress is made up, the seams need not be separated, but the body
should be removed from the skirt, and the lining taken away from the
bottom. Trimming and ornaments should be taken off.
If dirty, let the dress be simply washed first in soft, cold clear
water, and if black, a pint of gin should be added to every gallon of
water, then proceed as follows:—
Lay the dress on a clean smooth table, a flannel should be
well soaped, being made just wet enough with lukewarm water,
and the silk rubbed one way, being careful that this rubbing
is quite even. When the dirt has disappeared, the soap must
be washed off with a sponge, and plenty of cold water. As
soon as one side is finished, the other must be washed
precisely in the same manner.
Observe that not more of either side must be done at a time,
than can be spread perfectly flat upon the table, and the
hand conveniently reach; likewise, the soap must be sponged
off one portion of the dress, before the soaped flannel is
applied to another.
The dresses should be hung up on a linen horse, in the
shade, and when dry, if of a black, or dark blue colour,
another sponging of gin, or whiskey, is highly advantageous.
Washed silks are spoiled if ironed with a hot iron, therefore
use one of moderate heat, with a sheet of paper between.
No. 78.
INDIAN RUBBER VARNISH.
Put in a bottle two ounces of Indian rubber, cut very small; add one
pound of spirits of turpentine, and stop the bottle close, that the
spirit may not evaporate; leave it two days without moving, then stir
the liquor with a wooden spatula, and if the India rubber is swollen,
and has absorbed the spirit, add a sufficient quantity for it just to
swim in the liquid. Stir it every forty-eight hours, till the India
rubber is quite dissolved, which is ascertained by squeezing a little
of it between the fingers; when in this state put it into a glass
bottle and keep it well corked till wanted for use; the longer it is
kept the better it becomes.
No. 79.
TO CLEAN PAINT THAT IS NOT VARNISHED.
Put upon a plate some of the best whiting, have ready some clean warm
water, and a piece of flannel, which dip into the water and squeeze
nearly dry; then take as much whiting as will adhere to it, apply it
to the paint, when a little rubbing will instantly remove any dirt or
grease; wash it well off with water, and rub it dry with a soft cloth.
Paint thus cleaned looks equal to new; and without doing the least
injury to the most delicate colour, it will preserve the paint much
longer than if cleaned with soap; and it does not require more than
half the time usually occupied in cleaning.
No. 80.
HINTS ON PURCHASING FURNITURE.
A misfortune of not very rare occurrence, is the splitting of valuable
tables that are veneered. We have known the infliction, and we guard
others from a similar annoyance.
One of the causes may be traced to the cabinet makers; it is not
unusual for them to make use of wood for the foundation, that has not
been sufficiently seasoned, and is besides of an open porous texture,
so different from the close hard grained wood, which is to form the
veneer, that a very long time is requisite before they can manufacture
their goods without risk of shrinking.
In order to ensure this certainty of seasoning, a larger stock of wood
is required than is always convenient to be on hand by a cabinet maker,
either from want of capital or accommodation; hence, the purchase of
new furniture requires circumspection.
In this, as well as every other requisite, we would enforce the oft
repeated advice, that a preference is always given to the trader of
known probity.
Chance bargains, cheap to the eye, almost always become dear and
unsatisfactory in the end.
Veneered furniture which is purchased from a damp warehouse, and
brought suddenly into a well aired warm room will almost infallibly fly.
Chests of drawers, particularly if they be made of coarse Honduras
mahogany, scarcely fail to crack, and throw up from their edges slips
of veneer, which snap off, and are swept away, leaving unsightly white
gaps; these have to be replaced, and look shabby and patched.
Spanish mahogany, though much more expensive in the first purchase, is
far more certain, hard, rich-coloured, and durable.
It is essential that new furniture should be inured by degrees to a
change of temperature, in order to prevent this hazardous warping, and
unequal contracting of the wood. Tables in particular, if intended to
occupy a station opposite a fire, should be kept with the grain of the
wood lying longways; not the ends of the grain and the joint pointing
to the fire; for want of this simple precaution, we have known a
beautiful rosewood table entirely spoiled.
Spanish mahogany was the beautiful wood which was first known in
England, and which was said to be of so hard and close a grain as to
turn the edges of our workmen’s tools; but since our possessions and
commerce have been extended to the North of America, we have been
stocked with vast quantities of that open grained inferior kind, that
is made into almost all our household goods, and which, from its
facility of working, is so cheap, that purchasers are continually
deceived by unprincipled tradesmen, by the substitution of one for the
other.
No person can well be deceived, however, to whom the two sorts of wood
have been explained; the one (Spanish) being rich-coloured, of an even
texture, like satin, when polished, with no grain visible; the other
pale, rough, and uneven when highly polished, shewing the coarse grain
like threads; the latter too is so soft, that it is dented with the
slightest touch, a pencil-case falling upon it, six inches from its
surface, will leave a dent that never can be removed, unless the whole
is plained over.
No. 81.
TO CLEAN SPONGE.
Wash them in very dilute tartaric acid, rinsing them afterwards in
water; it will make them very soft and white. Be careful to dilute the
acid well, as it is very corrosive.
No. 82.
A USEFUL GLUE.
This is excellent for joining wood, in furniture, &c., as it forms so
tenacious a union of the parts, that the point of junction is stronger,
and is more difficult to break, than any other part of the wood. Also
if sawdust is mixed up into a ball with the glue, it becomes solid and
elastic, so as to be fit for turning.
Beat an ounce of isinglass to shreds, and put it into a small skillet,
and pour over it a pint of brandy. Set the skillet over a very slow
fire, so that a very gentle heat may be applied to the mixture. When
all the isinglass is dissolved, strain the solution, and put it in a
wide mouthed bottle with a glass stopper, which must remain constantly
closed.
At the time it is required for use, it must be liquified by a moderate
heat, which renders it thin and transparent.
This solution in brandy never corrupts, and is therefore the best form
of dissolved isinglass for fining wines, and other liquids.
This solution likewise serves admirably for taking impressions of coins
and models, over the surface of which, a very thin coating must be
poured of the melted glue.
This coating being left on the coin, medal, or seal, during several
days, until it is hard, is then a tough, horny, transparent substance,
bearing the impression in relief on one side, and in intaglio on the
other.
Nothing can injure this glue excepting water, which dissolves it,
therefore it will not serve as a cement for china, or any thing holding
or coming in contact with water.
No. 83.
TO PRESERVE BRASS ORNAMENTS.
Brass ornaments, when not gilt or lackered, may be cleaned, and a fine
colour may be given to them by either of the two following simple
processes.
The first is, to beat sal-ammoniac into a fine powder, then to moisten
it with soft water, rubbing it on the ornaments, which must be heated
over charcoal, and rubbed dry with bran and whiting.
The second is, to wash the brass work with roche alum boiled in strong
lye, in the proportion of an ounce to a pint; when dry, it must be
rubbed with fine tripoli.
No. 84.
CHEAP SCOURING DROPS.
Take a wine-glassful of the rectified oil of turpentine, half a
tea-spoonful or more of essential oil of lemons, mix them well, and
preserve in a well stopped phial. If you have not oil of lemons, oil of
cloves, or of cinnamon, or of peppermint, will do.
The scorning drops thus prepared, are of a pleasant odour, and will
take out of silk, woollen, linen, or cotton stuffs, all sorts of grease
spots, oil, paint, pitch, tar, fruit stains, &c. by rubbing a little on
the satin, with a piece of flannel or woollen cloth.
A bit of silk velvet is the best rubber for silks; the drops do not
affect the colour of stuffs.
No. 85.
IMITATION OF MAPLE WOOD.
For frames or furniture. The stain is merely aquafortis, washed on with
a brush; as soon as it has been hastily brushed over, hold the article
to the fire, it will become yellow in a few minutes. It is then to be
brushed over with copal varnish, and left to dry in the sun or open
air; two or three coats completely fill the pores of the wood; then rub
it gently with a bit of flat pumice-stone, and give it another coat,
perhaps two, letting it be completely dry between each; then polish
again very gently, and finish off with flour and a soft rag. It is as
good as French polish, and may be washed at any time.
No. 86.
RECEIPT FOR FRENCH POLISH.
One quart of rectified spirits of wine,
Two ounces of seed lac,
One ounce of shell lac,
One ounce of gum sandrach,
One ounce of gum copal,
One ounce of camphor,
Pound the gums together and put them with the whole of the other
articles into a stone bottle; cork it securely, and place the bottle in
hot water, shaking it often, till all be dissolved.
A very small quantity is said to be used at a time, and only a small
surface of the piece of furniture is covered with the liquid, and that
is rubbed off immediately; a little more is then applied, which is also
rubbed off, and this is repeated till the desired polish is attained.
Another part of the table &c. is then treated in the same manner, till
the whole surface is polished.
No. 87.
TO CLEAN HAIR BRUSHES.
The best mode is to use soda, dissolved in cold water, instead of soap
and hot water; the latter very soon softens the hairs of the brush,
and the rubbing completes their destruction. Soda having an affinity
for grease, cleans the brush with very little friction. Hair brushes
are generally chosen by the whiteness and delicacy of the hair, it is
therefore prepared (which is injurious to them) to suit the taste of
purchasers. Dark white, coarse thick Foreign bristles make the most
durable brushes.
No. 88.
TO CLEAN KID GLOVES, WHITE OR COLOURED.
Have ready a little new milk in one saucer and a piece of brown soap in
another, and a clean cloth or towel folded three or four times. On the
cloth spread out the glove smooth and neat; take a piece of flannel,
dip it in the milk, then rub off a good quantity of soap on to the
wetted flannel, and commence to rub the glove downwards, towards the
fingers, holding it firmly with the left hand. Continue this process
till the glove, if white, looks of a dingy yellow, though clean; if
coloured, till it looks dark and spoiled; lay it to dry, and the old
gloves shall look nearly new. They will become soft, elastic, smooth
and glossy.
WASHING AND IRONING.
As the appearance of many articles of dress depends greatly upon the
skill of the washerwoman, it is thought that a few hints on the subject
may not be misapplied; these have been collected from experienced
laundresses, and from that excellent little work “Cottage Comforts.”
The first things to be attended to are, the articles required for both
wash-house and laundry, which are as follows:—
1ST. LARGE AND SMALL WASHING TUBS.—These should be of smooth wood,
with no nails, or iron hoops outside, lest the linen should be torn or
rusted.
2ND. A COPPER FURNACE in which to boil the Linen.—If required for large
washings, it should be capable of holding eighteen or twenty gallons of
water.
3RD. A MAID OR DOLLEY.—These are sometimes circular like a barrel
churn, and sometimes upright, they are used for shaking and rinsing
dirty and coarse linen.
4TH. LINES.—These should be of worsted, if not too expensive, otherwise
soft flaxen lines answer well. When they are done with, and dry, they
should be taken down, wound on a skein, and put carefully aside until
wanted.
5TH. LINE PEGS.—These should be of white soft wood; they must be kept
very clean for use, and counted before being put away.
6TH. AS RAIN WATER is essential for many articles, if none is at hand,
a cask should be kept, to catch what falls from the house.
FOR THE LAUNDRY.
The following articles are in use.
1st. Ironing cloths or blankets; these are generally made of
proper kind of flannel called fearnought; they should be
carefully dried when put away, lest moths should destroy
them.
2nd. A mangle for heavy linen.
3rd. The common irons for lighter articles.
4th. The Italian iron for frills, &c.
5th. The sleeve iron.
6th. The box iron.
7th. The gaufiering iron.
ON WASHING LINEN, &c.
A good washerwoman will examine carefully the linen she has to wash,
and rub soap on to such parts as require it the most, as the collars
and wristbands of shirts, taking care that the water is not too hot,
otherwise it will set in the dirt.
She afterwards twice thoroughly washes out all her white things in
plenty of white warm lather, shaking each article out, and examining if
every spot or stain is removed. She then boils them, taking care not to
put too many into the copper at once.
A small quantity of soft soap thrown in to the boil, helps to give a
good colour to the linen, and if well washed out of the boil, as all
linen ought to be, and afterwards well rinsed in plenty of spring
water, no unpleasant smell will be retained.
The rinsing water should be made moderately blue, by means of stone
blue tied up in a flannel bag, and squeezed in.
Such things as are to be starched, will be much clearer if they are
first dried; then dipped in the starch before it is quite cold; then
dipped in cold water and dried again; then once more dipped in cold
water, spread upon a coarse dry cloth, and rolled up; by this mode
also, their sticking to the ironing cloth, will be prevented.
The best way to make starch, is, very gradually to moisten with cold
water, a table spoonful of starch; when quite smooth, stir it into a
pint of boiling water, with a morsel of white wax, and let it boil
gently for several minutes, stirring it all the time; when poured out,
cover it over with a plate, to prevent a skin forming at top, which is
both troublesome and wasteful.
To prevent flannels or woollen stockings from shrinking, pour over
them, when new, boiling water; suffer it to remain till cold, then hang
them up without wringing; and when dry, shake them well.
Greasy spots may be taken out of all kinds of woollen cloths, blankets,
scarlet cloaks, or table baizes, without injury to the colour, by
washing them with gall, instead of soap; the gall may be had at the
butcher’s, at 3_d._ a pint.
A pint mixed up in a good sized tub of soft water, will be sufficient
for several articles; it will lather exactly like soap.
This is the process used by the scourer. The articles so washed, will
require to be several times rinsed in water, to remove the smell of the
gall; when dry, they should be removed, and suffered to remain in the
mangle all night, after which, they will appear as good as new.
In washing prints the colours should be rubbed as little as possible,
for which reason it is a good thing to boil a lather of soap till it
is like a jelly, mix this jelly with cold water, and wash them in it.
It is a good plan also to wash coloured things the first time, in
the suds in which flannels have been washed, if it is not too dirty.
They should be taken immediately from one water into another, and not
suffered to lie together damp, or they will dry streaky.
When washed, rinse them twice in spring water, and hang them out
immediately, without wringing.
Blankets are washed with soft soap.
Gall is used for bombazines and stuffs.
Any thing that has been singed in the ironing should be wetted with
cold water, and laid in the air.
Soda may be put in the water in which very greasy cloths are washed,
but it is liable to spoil other things.
Grease may be taken out with cold water and suds.
Men and boy’s stockings should be steeped, and stewed in cold water and
soap, in a slow oven, or boiled.
HANGING TO DRY.
Stockings should be hung by the toe, to prevent the feet becoming thick.
Gowns should be pinned up by the shoulders, rather than by the bottom
of the skirt, or the body lining becomes discoloured.
MANGLING AND IRONING.
Damp over the things, and iron or mangle them; the latter is used for
heavy linen, such as sheets, towels, table cloths, &c.
Those articles which have buttons or thick plaits should not be
mangled; the mangle is injured by them; besides the buttons are broken
to pieces, and the plaited articles cannot be made smooth.
In ironing, be careful first to rub over something of little value,
lest fine things be either scorched or smeared.
The Italian iron is used entirely for puffs, frills, &c.
The sleeve iron, which resembles a mushroom, having a half circle at
the top, to which is attached a handle or stalk, is put up through the
opening of the sleeve towards the wrist, and the sleeve is drawn or
passed over the iron backwards and forwards until it is all properly
ironed. This only suits some kinds of sleeves, but is remarkably good
for them.
Let every thing be thoroughly dried, and aired by the fire, otherwise
they will have a tumbled, half finished appearance, besides exposing
the wearer to the risk of taking cold.
CLEAR STARCHING.
Wash out the articles to be clear starched, and then in a very clean
vessel, put about two table spoonsful of water to two ounces of starch,
wet it and mix it well up into a paste, pour about half a pint of
boiling water upon it, keep stirring it all the while, till of the
proper consistency, then boil it up well for a quarter of an hour, and
by adding a little white wax, it prevents the starch sticking to the
iron.
Dip the articles in, and wring the starch out again very dry, spread
the things on a clean cloth, and then roll the cloth and articles
together very tightly. It should remain thus about two hours, and then
be ironed nicely.
The iron should be very clean; to effect this, rub it each time on
taking it from the fire, upon a little sand paper and a cloth.
GAUFIERING.
This may be done either with gaufiering irons, or by means of straws,
which are brought in bundles prepared for the purpose.
The following is the manner in which the straws are used:—
Procure a board about a yard long, and six nails broad, cover it with
flannel, and fasten two tapes length-wise, leaving about a quarter of
a yard between them; then pin the net to the flannel at one end, and
place a straw over the tapes (between which the net is lying) and under
the net, the next straw is laid under the tapes and over the net, and
so on alternately, taking care that the upper straws are put close to
each other, upon the under ones, forming two layers of straws. When all
the net is folded, dip a coarse cloth in water, and wring it as dry as
you can, lay this upon the net, and iron it dry, pressing on the board
as much as you can without splitting the straws; remove the cloth, and
place the board before the fire for half an hour, when you may draw out
the upper straws, and run in some cotton to secure it, after which, the
remaining straws may be taken away, and the work is complete.
Some persons hold the board in the steam of a kettle for some time and
then dry it before the fire, in preference to ironing it.
Some others sprinkle it with very weak starch water, gum water, or rice
water, before ironing.