kg4 hints resptcting'Homistic economy. j^ugi*f\ 



The plant is the lichnis chalcedonica of Linnaeus, and it 



is the crown of the flovwer which is employed as soap *. 



To preserve fruit trees from caterpillars. 



Have you tried in Scotland a mode of guarding fruit 



trees against the caterpillar, so much recommended j 



which is to wrap in spring a rag dipped in train oil roUnd 



the top of the trunk ? the lefs valuable the oil for other 



* We have the lychnis chalcedonica, the scarlet lychnis vulgo, 

 in abundance in our gardens. It is now coming into flower. I have 

 tried it in every way that seemed likely to answer with me, but 

 have not been able to discover any symptoms of its being useful as 

 a detergent. If any of my readers (hall prove more succefsful in their 

 trials with it, I will be glad to hear of these. It is probable the 

 inhabitants of Siberia may content themselves with some poorer sub- 

 stitutes for soap than the more wealthy, and I presume more cleanly 

 inhabitants of Britain. 



Various other detergents. 



In former times even we of Britain employed various substances, 

 both vegetable and animal, as detergents, which now have falleti into 

 disuse ; and soap has come into more general use. 



Urine was long employed for that purpose, insomuch that the 

 general name for it among the vulgar, wash, which now, as falling 

 into disuse, deserves to be preserved, was derived from this property. 

 Whence the same substance derived its other vulgar name, master, is 

 not so easy to conceive. 



Blood is likewise, in certain circumstances, a powerful detergent, 

 as also milk, especially when sour, though in a lefser degree. 



Cow dung ha.s been also often used as a sort of detergent in the 

 operation called bucking, in the procefs of bleaching, among the 

 country people. 



Among vegetable substances, all the farinaceous grains, or seeds, 

 when grinded into meal, are well known to be among the best and 

 mildest detergents for the human (kin. Hence the use of almond 

 poivder, and various others as cosmetics. 



Haw potatoes operate strongly in the same manner ; and no doubt 

 many other substances. But all of these, unkl's upon the human (It in, 

 are much inferior i;i power to soap. Edit, 



