THE QUIET MIND ENJOYS THE SWEETEST REST. time take it out and rinse again. Have ready in another vessel a hot solution of prussiate of potash, to which a small quantity of sulphuric acid has been added. Dip the silk in this liquid; on removal rinse in clean water, and expose to the air to dry. ii. Wash well, rinse, wring out, and then dip in the following:-Boil a pound of indigo, two pounds of woad, and three ounces of alum, in a gallon of water. When the silk is of a proper colour, remove, rinse, and dry. 2431. SILK. Carnation.-Boil two gallons of wheat and an ounce of alum in four gallons of water; strain through a fine sieve; dissolve half a pound more of alum and white tartar; add three pounds of madder, then put in the silk at a moderate heat. 2432. SILK. Crimson.-Take about a spoonful of cudbear, put it into a small pan, pour boiling water upon it; stir and let it stand a few minutes, then put in the silk, and turn it over in a short time, and when the colour is full enough, take it out; but if it should require more violet or crimson, add a spoonful or two of purple archil to some warm water; steep, and dry it within doors. It must be mangled, and ought to be pressed. 2433. SILK. Lilac. For every pound of silk, take one and a half pound of archil, mix it well with the liquor; make it boil for a quarter of an hour, dip the silk quickly, then let it cool, and wash it in river water, and a fine half violet, or lilac, more or less full, will be obtained. 2434. SILK. Madder Red.-Use the dye for cloth. 343 2437. WOOL. Brown. - Steep in an infusion of green walnut-peels. 2438. WOOL. Drab.-Impregnate with brown oxide of iron, and then dip in a bath of quercitron bark. If sumach is added, it will make the colour a dark brown. 2439. WOOL. Green.-First imbue with the blue, then with the yellow dye. 2440. WOOL. Orange.-Dye first with the red dye for cloth, and then with a yellow. 2441. WOOL. Red.-Take four and a half pounds of cream of tartar, four and a quarter pounds of alum; boil the wool gently for two hours; let it cool, and wash it on the following day in pure water. Infuse twelve pounds of madder for half an hour with a pound of chloride of tin, in lukewarm water; filter through canvas, remove the dye from the canvas, and put it in the bath, which is to be heated to 100° Fahr.; add two ounces of aluminous mordant, put the wool in, and raise to boiling heat. Remove the wool, wash, and soak for a quarter of an hour in a solution of white soap in water. 2442. WOOL. Yellow.-Dye with that used for calico, &c. 2443. Dyeing Bonnets.-Chip and straw bonnets or hats may be dyed black by boiling them three or four hours in a strong liquor of logwood, adding a little green copperas occasionally. Let the bonnets remain in the liquor all night, then take out to dry in the air. If the black is not satisfactory, dye again after drying. Rub inside and out with a sponge moistened in fine oil. Then block. verdigris or verditer one ounce; gum water, one pint; mix them well, and dip the hair or feathers into the mixture, shaking them well about. 2444. To Dye Hair and 2435. SILK. Yellow.-Take clear Feathers Green.-Take of either wheat bran liquor fifteen pounds, in which dissolve three quarters of a pound of alum; boil the silk in this for two hours, and afterwards take half a pound of weld, and boil it till the colour is good. Nitre used with alum and water in the first boiling fixes the colour. 2436. WOOL. Blue.--Boil in a decoction of logwood and sulphate or acetate of copper. 2445. To Clean White Satin and Flowered Silks.-i. Mix sifted stale bread-crumbs with powder blue, and rub it thoroughly all over the article; then shake it well, and dust it with clean soft cloths. Afterwards, where there are 344 LITTLE COMFORTS BEGET MUCH HAPPINESS. any gold or silver flowers, take a piece of crimson ingrain velvet, rub the flowers with it, which will restore them to their original lustre. ii. Pass them through a solution of fine hard soap, of a moderate heat, drawing them through the hand; rinse in lukewarm water, dry, and finish by pinning out. Brush the flossy or bright side with a clean clothes-brush, the way of the nap. Finish them by dipping a sponge into a size, made by boiling isinglass in water, and rub the wrong side. Rinse out a second time, and brush, and dry near a fire in a warm room.-Silk may be treated in the same way, but not brushed. 2446. Cleaning Silks, Satins, Coloured Woollen Dresses, &c. -Four ounces of soft soap, four ounces of honey, the white of an egg, and a wineglassful of gin; mix well together, and scour the article with a rather hard brush thoroughly; afterwards rinse it in cold water, leave to drain, and iron whilst quite damp.-A friend informs us that she believes this receipt has never been made public; she finds it an excellent one, having used it for a length of time with perfect success. 2447. To Clean Black Cloth Clothes. Clean the garments well, then boil four ounces of logwood in a boiler or copper containing two or three gallons of water for half an hour; dip the clothes in warm water, and squeeze dry, then put them into the copper and boil for half an hour. Take them out, and add three drachms of sulphate of iron; boil for half an hour, then take them out, and hang them up for an hour or two; take them down, rinse them thrice in cold water, dry well, and rub with a soft brush which has had a few drops of olive oil applied to its surface. If the clothes are threadbare about the elbows, cuffs, &c., raise the nap with a teasel or half worn hatter's card, filled with flocks, and when sufficiently raised, lay the nap the right way with a hard brush. We have seen old coats come out with a wonderful dash of respectability after this operation. 2448. To Clean Furs.-Strip the fur articles of their stuffing and binding, and lay them as nearly as possible in a flat position. They must then be subjected to a very brisk brushing, with a stiff clothes-brush; after this, any motheaten parts must be cut out, and neatly replaced by new bits of fur to match. Sable, chinchilla, squirrel, fitch, &c., should be treated as follows:Warm a quantity of new bran in a pan, taking care that it does not burn, to prevent which it must be actively stirred. When well warmed, rub it thoroughly into the fur with the hand. Repeat this two or three times: then shake the fur, and give it another sharp brushing until free from dust. White furs, ermine, &c., may be cleaned as follows:-Lay the fur on a table, and rub it well with bran made moist with warm water; rub until quite dry, and afterwards with dry bran. The wet bran should be put on with flannel, and the dry with a piece of book muslin. The light furs, in addition to the above, should be well rubbed with magnesia, or a piece of book muslin, after the bran process. Furs are usually much improved by stretching, which may be managed as follows: to a pint of soft water add three ounces of salt, dissolve; with this solution, sponge the inside of the skin (taking care not to wet the fur) until it becomes thoroughly saturated; then lay it carefully on a board with the fur side downwards, in its natural position; then stretch as much as it will bear, and to the required shape, and fasten with small tacks. The drying may be accelerated by placing the skin a little distance from the fire or stove. 2449. Cleansing Feathers of their Animal Oil.-The following receipt gained a premium from the Society of Arts:-Take for every gallon of clean water one pound of quicklime, mix them well together, and when the undissolved lime is precipitated in fine powder, pour off the clean lime water for use. Put the feathers to be cleaned in another tub, and add to them a A CUP MUST BE BITTER THAT A SMILE WILL NOT SWEETEN. quantity of the clean lime water, sufficient to cover them about three inches when well immersed and stirred about therein. The feathers, when thoroughly moistened, will sink, and should remain in the lime water three or four days; after which the foul liquor should be separated from them, by laying them in a sieve. The feathers should be afterwards well washed in clean water, and dried upon nets, the meshes of which may be about the fineness of cabbage nets. The feathers must be from time to time shaken on the nets, and as they get dry, will fall through the meshes, and are to be collected for use. The admission of air will be serviceable in drying. The process will be completed in three weeks; and when thus prepared, the feathers will only require to be beaten to get rid of the dust. 2450. To Clean White Ostrich Feathers. Four ounces of white soap, cut small, dissolved in four pints of water, rather hot, in a large basin; make the solution into a lather, by beating it with birch rods, or wires. Introduce the feathers, and rub well with the hands for five or six minutes. After this soaping, wash in clean water, as hot as the hand can bear. Shake until dry. 2451. Cleaning Straw Bonnets. They may be washed with soap and water, rinsed in clear water, and dried in the air. Then wash them over with white of egg well beaten. Remove the wire before washing. Old straw bonnets may be picked to pieces, and put together for children, the head parts being cut out. 2452. To Bleach a Faded Dress. Wash it well in hot suds, and boil it until the colour seems to be gone, then wash, and rinse, and dry it in the sun; if still not quite white, repeat the boiling. 2453. Bleaching Straw Bonnets, &c.-Wash them in pure water, scrubbing them with a brush. Then put them into a box in which has been set a saucer of burning sulphur. Cover them up, so that the fumes may bleach them. 345 2454. Clothes Balls.-Fullers' earth dried till it crumbles to powder; moisten it with the juice of lemon, add a small quantity of pearlash, work and knead carefully together till it forms a thick paste; make into balls, and dry them in the sun. Moisten the spot on clothes with water, then rub it with the ball. Wash out the spot with pure water. 2455. To Wash China Crape Scarfs, &c.-If the fabric be good, these articles of dress can be washed as frequently as may be required, and no diminution of their beauty will be discoverable, even when the various shades of green have been employed among other colours in the patterns. In cleaning them, make a strong lather of boiling water; suffer it to cool when cold, or nearly so, wash the scar quickly and thoroughly, dip it immediately in cold hard water in which a little salt has been thrown (to preserve the colours), rinse, squeeze, and hang it out to dry in the open air; pin it at its extreme edge to the line, so that it may not in any part be folded together: the more rapidly it dries the clearer it will be. 2456. To Wash a White Lace Veil.-Put the veil into a strong lather of white soap and very clear water, and let it simmer slowly for a quarter of an hour; take it out and squeeze it well, but be sure not to rub it; rinse it twice in cold water, the second time with a drop or two of liquid blue. Have ready some very clear weak gumarabic water, or some thin starch, or rice water; pass the veil through it, and clear it by clapping; then stretch it out evenly, and pin it to dry on a linen cloth, making the edge as straight as possible, opening out all the scallops, and fastening each with pins. When dry, lay a piece of thin muslin smoothly over it, and iron it on the wrong side. 2457. Blond Lace may be revived by breathing upon it, and shaking and flapping it. The use of the iron turns the lace yellow. 346 WHERE REASON RULES, APPETITE OBEYS; 2458. Washing Bed Furniture, &c. Before putting into the water, see that you shake off as much dust as possible, or you will greatly increase your labour. Use no soda, or pearlash, or the articles will lose their colour. Use soft water, not hot, but warm have plenty of it. Rub with mottled soap. On wringing out the second liquor, dip each piece into cold hard water for finishing. Shake out well, and dry quickly. If starch is desired, it may be stirred into the rinsing water. 2461. Washing.-(Supremacy of Soapsuds over Lime.)· -To save your linen and your labour,-pour on half a pound of soda two quarts of boiling water, in an earthenware pan; take half a pound of soap, shred fine; put it into a saucepan with two quarts of cold water; stand it on a fire till it boils; and when perfectly dissolved and boiling, add it to the former. Mix it well, and let it stand till cold, when it will have the appearance of a strong jelly. Let your linen be soaked in water, the seams and any other soiled part rubbed 2459. Washing with Lime.-in the usual way, and remain till the Half a pound of soap; half a pound of soda; quarter of a pound of quick-lime. Cut up the soap and dissolve it in half a gallon of boiling water; pour half a gallon of boiling water over the soda, and enough boiling water over the quick-lime to cover it. The lime must be quick and fresh; if quick, it will bubble up when the hot water is poured over it. Prepare each of these in separate vessels, put the dissolved lime and soda together, and boil them for twenty minutes; then pour them into a jar to settle. 2460. AFTER HAVING MADE THE PREPARATION, set aside the flannels and coloured articles, as they must not be washed in this way. They may be washed in the usual way while the others are boiling. The night before, the collars and wristbands of shirts, the feet of stockings, &c., should be rubbed well with soap and set to soak. In the morning pour ten gallons of water into the copper, and having strained the mixture of lime and soda well, taking great care not to disturb the settlings, put it, together with the soap, into the water, and make the whole boil before putting in the clothes. A plate should be placed at the bottom of the copper, to prevent the clothes from burning. Boil each lot of clothes from half an hour to an hour, then rinse them well in cold blue water. When dry they will be beautifully white. The same water will do for three lots. Wash the finer things first. following morning. Get your copper ready, and add to the water about a pint basin full; when lukewarm put in your linen, and allow it to boil for twenty minutes. Rinse it in the usual way, and that is all which is necessary to get it clean, and to keep it in good colour. The above receipt is invaluable to housekeepers. If you have not tried it, do so without delay. 2462. WHEN WATER IS HARD, and will not readily unite with soap, it will always be proper to boil it before use; which will be found sufficiently efficacious, if the hardness depends solely upon the impregnation of lime. Even exposure to the atmosphere will produce this effect in a great degree upon spring water so impregnated, leaving it much fitter for lavatory purposes. In both cases the water ought to be carefully poured off from the sediment, as the neutralized lime, when freed from its extra quantity of carbonic acid, falls to the bottom by its own gravity. To economize the use of soap, put any quantity of pearlash into a large jar, covered from the dust, in a few days the alkali will become liquid, which must be diluted in double its quantity of soft water, with an equal quantity of new-slacked lime. Boil it half an hour, frequently stirring it; adding as much more hot water, and drawing off the liquor, when the residuum may be boiled afresh, and drained, until it ceases to feel acrid to the tongue. WHEN APPETITE COMMANDS, THE POCKET PAYS. 2463. SOAP AND LABOUR MAY BE SAVED by dissolving alum and chalk in bran water, in which the linen ought to be boiled, then well rinsed out, and exposed to the usual process of bleaching. 2464. SOAP MAY BE DISPENSED WITH, or nearly so, in the getting up of muslins and chintzes, which should always be treated agreeably to the Oriental manner; that is, to wash them in plain water, and then boil them in congee, or rice water: after which they ought not to be submitted to the operation of the smoothing iron, but rubbed smooth with a polished stone. 2465. THE ECONOMY which must result from these processes renders their consideration important to every family, in addition to which, we must state that the improvements in philosophy extend to the laundry as well as to the wash-house. 2466. Gum Arabic Starch.Procure two ounces of fine white gum arabic, and pound it to powder. Next put it into a pitcher, and pour on it a pint or more of boiling water, according to the degree of strength you desire, and then, having covered it, let it set all night. In the morning, pour it carefully from the dregs into a clean bottle, cork it, and keep it for use. tablespoonful of gum water stirred into a pint of starch that has been made in the usual manner will give to lawns (either white or printed) a look of newness to which nothing else can restore them after washing. It is also good (much diluted) for thin white muslin and bobbinet. 347 2469. Sweet Bags for Linen. - These may be composed of any mixtures of the following articles :flowers, dried and pounded; powdered cloves, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon; leaves -dried and pounded-of mint, balm, dragon-wort, southernwood, groundivy, laurel, hyssop, sweet marjoram, origanum, rosemary; woods, such as cassia, juniper, rhodium, sandal-wood, and rosewood; roots of angelica, zedoary, orris: all the fragrant balsams-. ambergris, musk, and civet. These latter should be carefully used on linen. 2470. Rings which have stones in them should always be taken off the finger when the hands are washed, or they will become discoloured. 2471. Adulterations. Much has been written upon the subject of adulteration. Dr. Hassall published a series of papers in the Lancet; these brought about a parliamentary inquiry; the inquiry ended in demonstrating that nearly everything we eat and drink is adulterated-in many cases with ingre dients very prejudicial to human health. Somebody has written a little book to inform people "How to Detect Adulterations in our Daily Food and Drink," and there is room for some one to write a key to the said little book, entitled A "How to understand the instructions in How to Detect Adulteration in our Daily Food and Drink" "-for although the advertisement of the book says that it gives instructions for the employment of "simple means of detection, the means suggested are in most cases highly impracticable, and in some instances dangerous. Thus the housewife who sets about the discovery of some supposed evil may, by an error or accident-the upsetting of a bottle of sulphuric acid, or the explosion of a receiver of gas-do herself more injury in an hour than she would suffer from adulteration in a lifetime. 2467. Mildew out of Linen.Rub the linen well with soap; then scrape some fine chalk, and rub it also on the linen. Lay it on the grass. As it dries, wet it a little, and the mildew will come out with a second application. 2468. To render Linen, &c., Incombustible.-All linen, cotton, muslins, &c., &c., when dipped in a solution of tungstate of soda or common alum, will become incombustible. 2472. IMPRACTICABLE MODES OF DETECTION.-The writer alluded to states that, to discover the adulterations in arrowroot, you are to "mix it with twice its weight of concentrated muri |