512 THE HOUSEnOLB. 



tity in one end of the tin. Add to the remainder spicos, raisins, etc., accord- 

 ing to taste, and pnt in the other end of tlie tin. This saves time in making 

 and baking. The I'esult will be two kinds of cake for the basket, and if the 

 family is small, one is less likely to have dry cake on hand than if two large 

 cakes are made at the same time. 



To Prevent "Woodenware from Cracking. — ^Wooden bowls and 

 other ware of this sort, as well as all cross sections from tree trunks, and 

 short logs cut for various purposes, are very apt to split while seasoning. 

 To prevent this completely, the pores of the wood should be well filled with 

 linseed, or some other oxidizing oil, while it is yet green, and before it begins 

 to show any signs of cracking or checking. This will completely obviate 

 this inconvenience. 



S-weeping. — In sweeping carpets, use wet newspaper wrung nearly dry 

 and torn into pieces. The paper collects the dust, but does not soil the 

 carpet. A carpet, particularly a dark carpet, often looks dusty when it does 

 not need sweeping; wring out a sponge quite dry in water (a few drops of 

 ammonia helps brighten the color), and wipe ofi'the dust from the carpet. 

 This saves much labor in sweeping. 



To Clean an Oily Vessel. — To clean a vessel that has contained kero- 

 sene oil, wash the vessel with thin milk of lime, which forms an emulsion 

 with the petroleum, and removes all traces of it. By washing a second time 

 with milk of lime and a very small quantity of chloiide of hme, and allowing 

 the liquid to remain in the vessel about an hour, and then washing it with 

 cold water, the smell may be removed. If the milk of lime be used warm 

 instead of cold, the operation is rendered much shorter. 



SmoUy Chimneys. — Trouble with smoky chimneys caused by their 

 being used for two or more stoves may bo averted in most cases by insert- 

 ing vertically in the flue a piece of sheet iron, dividing the flue in the center 

 for about two feet above the point where each pipe enters, tiiming the bot- 

 tom of the sheet iron under the pipe, so as to shut it completely off from the 

 part of the flue below it. 



Cleansing Sofa Coverings. — If the covers of sofas and chairs are dirty, 

 they may be cleansed without being removed, by first washing them over 

 with warm water and soap rubbed over them with a flannel; then, before 

 they are dry, sponge them over with a strong solution of salt and water, in 

 which a small quantity of gall has been mixed. The windows of the room 

 should be opened, so as to secure a perfect drying, and the colors and the 

 freshness of the articles will be restored. 



Home Made Baking Powder. — Take by weight six parts of bicarbonate 

 of soda to five parts of tartaric acid, which being much purer thdn cream of 

 tartar, is greatly to be preferred. Get the ingredients in this proportion 

 from a rcUable wholesale druggist. See that they ar« perfectly dry, roll the 

 kinips out, mix thoroughly together, bottle tightly, and keep in a dry place. 

 This has been used for months with much satisfaction. 



To Exterminate Fleas. — Take half a pound of Persian insect powder, 

 btvlf pound powdered borax, one ounce oil cedar, quarter ounce oil of [wuny- 

 royal properly put up by a druggist; close the room tight, sprinkle this pow- 

 der on carpet, furniture, and bods, and keep closed over day or nightj thou 



