niNTS AND HELPS. 507 



scatter a little of this powder in such pIaco3. Nothing but persistent care, 

 and absolute and unvarying neatnciid about closets, cupboards, and cellar 

 stairs will prevent insects of various kinds from tinding agreeable homes. 



To Bleach a Straw Bonnet. — First scrub the bonnet well with yellow 

 soap and a brush dipped in clean water; alter this, put into a )x)x a saucer 

 containing burning sulphur; it must remain there a short time, and as soon 

 as it is removed, the bonnet must be placed in the box and well covered up, 

 so that the sulphuric atmosphere may whiten it; next dissolve a Uttle oxalic 

 acid in boiling water. Wash all over the bonnet with a small paint bmsli; 

 put it into a pail of cold water, and let it remain half an hour; then hang it 

 out to dry; it must afterward be stiffened with gelatine, dried again, and 

 then pressed into shape. 



The Care of TovreU. — Never put a new towel in the wash until yon 

 have overcast the fringed edge. The use of this is obvious the moment one 

 is told of it, though a dozen towels might be worn out before one would dis- 

 cover it If, when towels are washed, the fringe is shaken well before they 

 are hung up to dry, the fresh appearance will be preserved for a long time. 

 If vigorously shaken, that is all that is necessary; otherwise it is best to 

 have the laundress whip the fringe over the clean back of a kitchen chair. 

 This is much better than any combing process. Besides, it does not wear 

 the fringe so much. 



To Kxterminate Rats and Mice. — Mix powdered nux Vomica with 

 oatmeal, and lay it in their haunts, observing proper precaution to prevent 

 accidents. Another method is to mix oatmeal witli a little powdered phos- 

 phorus. In respect to rats, another way is to mix arsenic and lard together, 

 and spread it on brea<l, and push a piece into every rat hole; or some small 

 pieces of sponge may l)e fried in dripping or honey, and strewed about for 

 them to eat. Or half a pint of plaster of Paris, mixed with one pint of oat- 

 meal, with prove equally fatal to them. 



Sharpening a Razor. — ^It has long been known that the simplest 

 method of sharpening a razor is to put it for half an hour in water to which 

 one-twentieth of its weight of muriatic or sulphuric acid has teen added, 

 then lightly wipe it off, and after a few hours set it on a hone. The acid here 

 supplies the place of a whetstone by corroding the whole surface uniformly, 

 so that nothing further than a smooth polish is necessary. The process 

 never injures good blades, whQe badly hardened ones are frequently im- 

 proved by it, although the cause of this improvement remains unexplained. 



Frosting Glass. — The frosty appearance of glass, which we often see 

 where it is desired to keep out the sun, or " man's observing eye," is done 

 by using a paint composed as follows: Sugar of lead, weU ground in oil, 

 apphed as other paint; then pounded, while fresh, with a wad of batting 

 held between the thumb and finger; after which, it is allowed to partially 

 dry; then, with a straight-edge laid upon the sash, you run along by the 

 Bide of it a stick sharpened to the width of hue you wish to appear in the 

 diamonds, figures, or squares, into which you choose to lay it off. 



Mucilage. — A very superior quality of mucilage is made by dissolving 

 clear glue in equal volumes of water and strong vinegar, and adding one- 

 fourth of an equal quantity of alcohol, and a small quantity of a solutioa of 



