HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



HOME MAKING 



BACKACHES ELIMINATED 



Proper Treatment of Kitchen Floors 

 Saves Labor 



Whether in the new kitchen or in the 

 old, one of the homemaker's biggest prob- 

 lems is the kitchen floor. If the kitchen 

 is to present a neat and attractive ap- 

 pearance the floor must be clean and 

 well-kept. How can it be treated to pro- 

 tect the wood, to give it this well-kept ap- 

 'pearance with the minimum expenditure 

 of efl'ort and time is the question that 

 many home makers are asking. 



In the new kitchen it is largely a mat- 

 ter of deciding upon the kind of wood to 

 be used. There are a number of suitable 

 w'oods from which one may choose, i. e., 

 oak, maple, pine, birch and beech. Aside 

 from the difference in color, oak and ma- 

 ple are equally desirable, while a floor of 

 pine properly laid will give good service. 

 One should,. of course, choose well-season- 

 ed wood as it is good insurance against 

 warping and splintering. 



Having decided upon the kind of wood, 

 the next important step is that of the 

 finish. Is the floor to be waxed, var- 

 nished, painted or left in the natural 

 state? 



If one has an old kitchen with, the kind 

 of floor that often accompanies such a 

 work shop, then the problem is quite a 

 different one from the new wood floor. 

 However, if one has such a floor, it may 

 be treated so that it is attractive and less 

 time required for the cleaning and care. 

 Whether one owns her home or rents will 

 determine in a measure the way in which 

 the kitchen floor i.s treated. However, 

 one should choose the covering or treat- 

 ment that will withstand the hard wear 

 that the average kitchen floor receives, 

 that will be sanitary and easy to clean, 

 that will be comfortable to stand upon 

 and be attractive in appearance. 



As yet, it seems that one cannot say 

 that there is a perfect floor, floor Gover- 

 ning, or floor treatment for the kitchen, 

 but there are some that have decided ad- 

 vantages over others. 



The personal preference of the home 

 maker usually determines what the floor 

 treatment or covering shall be but often 

 the choice is not a wise one. This re- 

 sults in much time and labor being spent 

 in caring for the floor. 



What To Do To Old Floors 

 If one has an old kitchen floor that has 

 become rough and splintered, spotted and 

 discolored with wear, it should be treated 

 in some way to make it less of a problem 

 to the home maker. It .should be borne 

 in mind that while the appearance can 

 be greatly improved and the time re- 

 quired for its care reduced to a minimum 

 yet it cannot be made to look like a new 

 hard wood floor. 



First of all decide upon the new floor 

 treatment or covering as this will deter- 

 mine the method of procedure, for se- 

 curing the new finish. If the floor has 

 been oiled, painted or stained and var- 

 nished, it should have this old finish re- 

 moved and should be given a thorough 

 cleaning before applying the new finish. 



For removing- the old finish one may 

 use one of several removers. A commer- 

 cial paint or varnish remover may be 

 used; if this proves too expensive for the 

 old floor where one need not be so care- 

 ful regaiding the color of the wood and 

 also of roughing the surface then a soap 

 powder, washing .soda or lye solution may 

 be used. Keep in mind that a thorough 

 rinsing with clean water and vinegar to 

 destroy any trace of the alkali in the 

 remover is necessary. After the floor is 

 thoroughly dry it should be rubbed 

 smooth with sand paper and then it is 

 ready to be painted, oiled or varnished. 



Oiled Floors Are Labor Savers 



Oil off'ers a most satisfactory treat- 

 ment for the kitchen floor, because a floor 

 that has been thoroughly filled with oil 

 does not spot grease and is more easily 

 cared for than an untreated one. 



After the floor has been thoroughly 

 cleaned and allowed to dry it may be 

 oiled. If a darker floor is desired, a 

 stain may be applied at this time before 

 the oil treatment is applied. An acid or 

 alcohol floor stain of the desired color 

 may be had from local dealers, but a less 

 expensive stain and one that has proven 

 very satisfactory is a home made stain of 

 permanganate of potash. 



This stain is made with 1 ounce per- 

 manganate of potash and 1 quart of 

 warm water. The solution, made by dis- 

 solving the permanganate of potash in 

 the water, is violet colored, but when it 

 is applied to wood a chemical action re- 

 sults and the wood is stained brown. This 

 stain gives better results on pine than on 

 oak flooring. 



It is better to allow the floor to dry out 

 a day or two after being stained before 

 applying the oil. 



If a darker floor is not desired, apply 

 the oil treatment directly after cleaning. 

 One part boiled linseed oil to three parts 

 turpentine is a combination which will not 

 darken the floor as much as a commer- 

 cial oil and will not be sticky after it is 

 dry. If boiled linseed oil is not availa- 

 ble, use one part raw linseed oil, three 

 parts turpentine, one tablespoon Japan 

 Dryer. Apply the combination either hot 

 or cold with a mop. A floor thus treated 

 can be wiped up with a dry mop daily 

 and when necessary it may be washed 

 with warm water and a neutral soap. 

 This eliminates mopping the kitchen floor 

 at least three times a week, and saves 

 the homemaker many a backache. 



A RECIPE FOR SALAD 



To make this condiment your poet begs 

 The pounded yellow of two hard-boiled 



eggs ; 

 Two boiled potatoes, passed through 



kitchen sieve. 

 Smoothness and softness to the salad 



give; 

 Let onion atoms lurk within the bowl, 

 And, half suspected, animate the whole; 

 Of mordant mustard add a single spoon, 

 Distrust the condiment that bites too 



soon ; 

 But deem it not, thou man of herbs, a 



fault 

 To add a double quantity of salt. 

 Four times the spoon with oil from Lucca 



crown, 

 And twice with vinegar, procured from 



town; 

 And lastly, o'er the flavored compound 



toss 

 A magic soupcon of anchovy sauce. 

 O green and glorious! O herbaceous 



treat ! 

 'T would tempt the dying anchorite to 



eat; 

 Back to the world he'd turn his fleeting 



soul. 

 And plunge his fingers in the salad-bowl ; 

 Serenely full, the epicure would say, 

 "Fate cannot harm me, — I have dined 



to-day." 



— Sydney Smith. 



Itetlei* lAvinK l'<»r l..e.s.H Money 



Continued from page 1. column 2 

 preference; spinach, beets, carrots, string 

 beans, lettuce and cabbage. 



Farmers' Bulletin 

 Fruit and Vegetable 

 you to plan a better 

 foi' a copy. 



1242 "Permanent 

 Gardens" will help 

 garden. Write us 



