260 



Hints and Becipes. 



Vol. IV. 



work of tlie building be cracked, the thicker 

 must the first coat be. 



It is judicious to make up some mortar with 

 as much sand as the lime will take up, and 

 plaster a yard or two with it, previously to 

 commencing work. If in the course of three 

 days the plastering should crack, add more 

 sand ; but if no cracks be perceived, then 

 proceed to use the proportions employed, and 

 these should be noted as a guide in future. 



After the second coat has been put on, it 

 must be faithfully hand- floated ; this is essen- 

 tial, and is done by welting the wall with a 

 brush, and then rubbing it with the float. 

 This tool consists of a piece of board a quar- 

 ter of an inch thick, ten inches long, and five 

 wide, with a handle on the middle of the 

 back. 



Plaster should not be connected with wood, 

 unless protected by the eaves of the house, 

 because the wood shrinks and lets in the 

 rain. A fascia should extend under the 

 eaves along the whole length of the wall, 

 and the plastering should only descend to the 

 base, as in the old prison. Walnut street. 



Remarks. — The foregoing was kindly writ- 

 ten out in 1828, at my desire, by the late Mr. 

 Thackara, plasterer of Philadelphia, and an 

 estimable citizen, on the occasion of a friend 

 from Pittsburg requesting information on the 

 subject for the benefit of a church then in 

 progress in that city. I visited the church in 

 the year 1634, and was pleased to find the 

 plaster perfectly sound — a proof that the di- 

 rections were faithfully followed, as I was 

 confident they would be from the business 

 habits of the gentlemen who was one of the 

 building committee. 



Thirty years since, my attention was called 

 to the rough casting on the walls of the pri- 

 son, by that most ingenious man, the late 

 John Dorsey, who ascribed its durability, be- 

 side the excellence of the plaster, to the cir- 

 cumstance of a stone fascia immediately un- 

 der the eaves of the building, and to the plast- 

 ering having been done up to its lower side, 

 which left no vacancy for the intrusion of 

 rain-water; and which, he remarked, always 

 happens when the plastering touches a cor- 

 nice or fascia of wood, owing to the shrink- 

 ing of the wood in hot, dry weather. The 

 water trickling down from the roof, soon 

 found its way behind the wood, rots the mor- 

 tar, destroys its cohesive power, and causes 

 it to tumble. In that admirably constructed 

 prison, as regards workmansiiip, from the 

 year of its erection in 1774, to that of its de- 

 molition in 1837, there was not the smallest 

 appearance of tlie plastering liaving given 

 way ; whereas, in modern structures, rough- 

 cast, it is rare for a year or two to pass after 

 they are finished, witiiout some of the plas- 

 tering falling olf, causing when repaired, a 



permanent and ugly patch. The base of the 

 prison walls was faced with granite slabs, 

 to which the plastering of course firmly ad- 

 hered. 



Hints and Recipes* 



LABOUR SAVING SOAP, 



The following is a recipe for making the 

 labour-saving soap, (so called,) which is an 

 excellent article for washing, and a saving 

 of labour. The recipes for making have been 

 sold at from .$5 to i^lO, and the soap seven 

 cents per pound ; but can be manufactured 

 for about two cents. Take two pounds of 

 sal soda, two pounds of yellow bar soap, and 

 ten quarts of^ water; cut the soap in thin 

 slices, and boil all together two hours, then 

 strain it through a cloth ; let it cool, and it is 

 fit for use. Directions for using the soap:- 

 Put the clothes in soak the night before you 

 wash, and to every pail of water in which yea 

 boil them, add one pound of soap. They will 

 need no rubbing; merely rinse them out, and 

 they will be perfectly clean and white. 



FOR MAKING VERY FINE COLOGNE WATER. 



Oil of lavender one drachm ; oil of lemon 

 two drachms ; oil of cinnamon eight drops; 

 tincture of musk ten drops ; oil of bergamot 

 one drachm ; oil of rosemary two drachms; 

 oil of cloves eight drops; rectified spirits of 

 wine one pint. Have ready the spirits of 

 wine in a clean bottle. Then get at aa 

 apothecary's the above mentioned oils and 

 the tincture of musk, having them put toge- 

 ther in a small phial ; pour them into the 

 spirits of wine, shake the bottle well and cork 

 it tightly. It will be immediately fit for use, 

 and will be found far superior to any coloj^ne 

 water that can be purchased, and more eco- 

 nomical. 



TO TAKE A RANCID TASTE FROM BUTTER. 



Melt and simmer it; then dip into it I 

 crust of bread well toasted on both sides. 

 Bad butter may be cured by melting it in a 

 considerable quantity of hot water, skimming 

 it off, and working it again in a churn, with 

 the addition of salt and fine sugar. 



BEE MOTH. 



Mr. .Tames Thatcher, autlior of the " Ameri- 

 can Orchardist," (fcc. tfcc., in a communication 

 to the New England Farmer, says : " 1 wiU 

 embrace this opportunity to connmmiCiilolor 

 the benefit of the cultivator, wliat I helieveto 

 ho an intliUible remedy against the boe molli) 

 which has proved so destructive to bee* 

 throughout our country of late years. TdS 

 remedy is simple and easily applied. It con* 

 sists merely of covering the floor board on 

 v.'hich the hive stands, with common earth 

 about an inch thick. A hive set on earth 



