MISCELLANEOUS. 51> 



In washing flannels, use 1 table-spoonful of borax to 5 gals, of water, with- 

 out soap. It will not shrink them. For starching linen, use 1 tea-spoonful of 

 borax to 1 pt. of boiling starch. For washing and bleaching laces, put 1 tea- 

 spoonful of borax to 1 pt. of boiling water, leave your articles to soak in the 

 solution for 24 hours, then wash with a little soap. For cleansing black cash- 

 meres, wash in hot suds with a little borax in the water; rinse in bluing water 

 —very blue — and iron on the wrong side while damp." 



Remarks. — For its use in removing dandruff, see the close of the remarks 

 last above. A drachm of powdered borax dissolved in 2 table-spoonfuls of 

 vinegar is said to be an excellent lotion for ringworm of the scalp; and its pow- 

 der dusted about pantries, libraries, etc., is also said to be effectual in driving 

 away roaches and other insects. — King. 



The autlior does not have to say "said to be," about its driving away 

 roaches, as he has done it with great satisfaction, in drawers where they congre- 

 gated so it could be got upon them; they left on the " double-quick." 



6. Borax, as Used By the Washer-Women of Holland and 

 Belgium. — "The washer-women of Holland and Belgium, so proverbially 

 clean, and who get up their linen so beautifully white, do it by the use of 

 refined borax (kept by druggists) as a washing powder, instead of soda, in the 

 proportion of a large handful of borax powder to 10 gals, of boiling water, sav- 

 ing in soap nearly half. All of the large washing establishments adopt the 

 same plan. 



"For laces, cambrics and lawns an extra quantity of the powder is used, 

 and for crinolines (skirts) requiring to be made stiff, a stronger solution is 

 necessary. Borax being a neutral salt does not in the slightest degree injure the 

 texture of the linen. Its effect is to soften the hardest water. " — Touman's IHc- 

 tionary of Every-Day Wants. 



7. Washing Fluid, Requiring but Little Boiling or Rubbing. 

 — "Camphor gum, }4. oz., dissolved in alcohol, % pt. ; borax, J^ lb.; sal soda, 

 1 lb.; dissolve the borax and sal soda in hot rain water, 1 gal., and stir in the 

 others, and put into a 2 gallon jug, having 1 gal. of cold rain water in it, corfe 

 and shake, when it is ready for use. Directions — Put 3^ cup of this to 1 pt. 

 of soft soap, and apply to the dirty parts of the clothing, and soak in warm 

 water % ^Q hour, or while breakfast is passing; need not then boil over 5 min- 

 utes. "Washing will be done in half the ordinary time. Does not rot clothing, 

 but makes it white. Table-cloths stained with tea, coffee, or fruit, throw into 

 boiling water a few minutes, when they will be free from stains (I have seen 

 statements to pour hot water through such spots would free them from the 

 stain), while soap or suds when the clothes are dry will set the stains perman- 

 ently." — Oermantown, (Pa.) Telegraph. 



Remarks. — I take this to be a very good fluid, as it has neither turpentine 

 nor ammonia in it, and the quantity of camphor and alcohol is so small it will 

 not be liable to open the pores of the skin, by which means colds are so easily 

 taken by exposure wliile hanging out clothes after being over the hot suds in 

 washing. The Bark Shanty Soap, below, will be just the kind to use with this 

 fluid; but the common soft soap, such as is usually made from ashe.« and grease 



