STANDARD RECEIPTS. 469 



copperas-water, and when dry, rubbing it carefully with linseed-oil, 

 giving it two coats. It can be kept bright by wiping it with a damp 

 cloth. 



Walnut Stain. Black-walnut stain may be made at home if the 

 black-walnut bark can be procured. Slowly boil an ounce of the bark 

 in a pint of water for an hour, and then add a lump of alum the size of 

 a hickory nut to set the color. 



Varnishing Old Furniture. Two common mistakes frequently 

 made in varnishing are in preparing the article for varnishing and in us- 

 ing too much varnish. The furniture or woodwork should first be 

 washed with soap and warm water to remove all dust and grease, 

 and then wiped perfectly dry. Turpentine can be used to thin the var- 

 nish as the work proceeds. Woods finished in oil that look dull or 

 cloudy can be freshened by rubbing them with a flannel cloth on which 

 a little of the following mixture has been poured: equal parts of turpen- 

 tine and linseed oil, put in a bottle and shaken until thoroughly mixed. 

 The success of the work depends upon using a small quantity of the 

 mixture, and plenty of friction. 



To Not Injure the Gloss. Thie is at times an important matter, 

 and has been a problem with those who have had much of it to do. 

 The Palace car companies direct that the highly polished surfaces of the 

 interior of their cars, be cleaned with a mixture of powdered soap and 

 tripoli, in proportions of about three parts of soap to seven of tripoli, ap- 

 plied with a wet sponge. The slight solvent action of the soap does not 

 injure the varnished surface, but it removes the dirt, and the grit of the 

 tripoli, which must be very fine, cuts off such matter as the soap fails to 

 remove. 



How to Polish Furniture. Once the polish mixture is obtained 

 the chief thing is the rubbing. Any lack of this will be sure to result 

 in disappointment and failure. Skill is less requisite than perseverance. 



Wax Polish. The ingredients for this simple polish can be found 

 in nearly every household. It is a good polish and will keep well and 

 be always ready for use. 



2 ounces Beeswax, 

 ^ ounce' White Soap, 

 1 pint Boiling Water, 



Apply by rubbing a little with a cloth on a small space at a time, rub 

 with a second cloth and polish with a third. 



