J. HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. 375 



good news not only to the dealers in hair, who might appre- 

 hend the exhaustion of their source of supply, but also to the 

 ladies who depend upon art to compensate the deficiencies 

 of nature. The same article states that in 1868 over 22,000 

 pounds of hair were imported into Great Britain, represent- 

 ing the clip of about 45,000 women. Much of this is ob- 

 tained from the large communities of sisterhoods scattered 

 throughout France and Belgium. 17 A, October, 1870, 149. 



USE OF SULPHATE OF BARYTA IN WHITEAV ASHING. 



Sulphate of baryta, or the so-called " fixed white," is strong- 

 ly recommended as a substitute for lime in whitewashing. 

 For this purpose an ounce of glue is to be softened for some 

 hours in cold water, and afterward heated in a water-bath 

 w T ith a quart of water, until completely dissolved. At the 

 same time, six or eight pounds of fixed white are to be stirred 

 up with warm water in another vessel to a kind of milk, and 

 the two poured together, and applied warm with a white- 

 wash-brush or otherwise. 13 C, August 1,1067. 



PETROLEUM IN DRY ROT. 



According to Herbst, petroleum may be applied with ex- 

 cellent advantage in the extirpation of the dry rot, it being 

 only necessary to paint the surface of wood thus affected 

 with the petroleum. A solution of carbolic acid, however, 

 answers the same purpose, and involves much less danger 

 from fire. 15 (7, xx., 1870, 336. 



RENDERING FABRICS UNINFLAMMABLE. 



Mr. A. Patera, of Vienna, recommends the application of a 

 mixture of borax and Epsom salts, or a mixture of sulphate 

 of ammonia and sulphate of lime, as the best method of ren- 

 dering woven fabrics and clothing generally uninflammable. 

 6 (7,1871,118. 



RENDERING STARCHED ARTICLES LESS COMBUSTIBLE. 



If a solution of sal ammonia and gypsum be added to the 

 starch used in doing up linen or cotton clothing, these become 

 considerably less inflammable, according to the experiments 

 of Mr. Patera, and, though not rendered incombustible, the 

 danger from fire is greatly diminished. 8 C, 1871, xvi., 137. 



