MISCELLANEOUS. 615 



chromate of potash, into this put the goods and let them remain an hour at 

 scaldhig heat. "Wash in soft water suds and dry. It will color twice as much 

 dark enough for rags. It does not make the rags tender. — Jean, Lockhaven, Pa. 



Bright Red for Rags.— For 6 or 7 lbs.: Take redwood chips, 2'.^ lbs.; 

 soak over night in a brass kettle; next morning put in alum, powdered, % lb., 

 and boil to obtain the strength of the chips, leaving them in; put in the rags, or 

 yarn, as the case may be, and simmer, airing occasionally, until bright enough 

 to suit. It makes a color nearly resembling the flannel we buy. 



Nankeen, to Color. — Fill a five-pail brass kettle with small pieces o'i 

 white birch bark and water, let steep twenty -four hours and not boil, then skim 

 out the bark, wet the cloth in soapsuds, then put it in the dye, stir well and air 

 often; when dark enough, dry; then wash in suds. It will never fade. — Tlie 

 Household. 



I. CIDER, GRAPE JUICE, ETC.— To Keep from Fermen- 

 tation. — I. A writer in the Prairie. Fanner says " that M. Pasteur, the great 

 French scientist, has discovered that any fruit juice which is liable to ferment, 

 can be kept any lengtli of time by heating to 140" F. , and then sealing it up, 

 while hot, in air-tight vessels," and continues: 



II. "This is nothing new. Cider brought to a boil, skimmed, and then 

 put into tight 10-gallon kegs will keep as long as wanted in cool cellars. . Those 

 who are fond of sweet cider can in this way provide to have it at all times. If a 

 slight fermentation is desired, a gallon or two may be drawn into a common 

 jug and exposed to the air for a day or two, to give it a slight sparkk on the 

 tongue. Cider should be boiled in brass, copper or iron, not in tin or galvan- 

 ized iron pans." 



III. This is confirmed by the following, by bottling while hot, by a writer 

 to the Elmira (N. Y.) Farmers' Club, who says: " Cider may be kept by heating 

 to the boiling point when sweet, just from the press; skim and bottle while hot. 

 Also that apples may be kept fresh until new fruit comes again by packing in 

 hemlock sawdust. They should be first put into piles to sweat." 



lY. Another writer claims that "there is no benefit from any of the bung- 

 hole additions," but "to make cider keep sweet have it made late in the fall, 

 from sound, ripe fruit, and put the casks in a cool place till spring; then bottle, 

 cork tight and tie the corks down. Lay the bottles on their sides in a cool dry 

 cellar and you will be able to give your harvest hands a sip of cider at dinner 

 any year." 



Bema/)'ks — Unless the cider is racked off, so as to get rid of the pomace 

 (which is got rid of by the heating, or boiling, and skimming in the other cases), 

 as soon as it has become clear by working or fermentation and settled, I ascer- 

 tain it must become quite sharp before spring. Some persons, however, prefer 

 it sharp; but as the sharpness comes from fermentation, which produces alco- 

 hol, if no alcohol is desired in it, the fermentation must be avoided; and that is 

 done by the heating to 140 degrees and bottling, as M. Pasteur, in I., above, or 

 by boiling and skimming, as in II. , which removes the pomace, as it rises on 

 being boiled, then bunging up in small, or 10-gal. kegs, though I think barrela 



