520 STANDARD RECEIPTS 



ounce each of finely pulverized alum and saltpetre, rubbing it in well. 

 Try if the wool be firm on the skin; if not, let it remain a day or two, 

 then rub again with alum; fold the flesh sides together and hang in the 

 shade for two or three days, turning them over each day till quite dry. 

 Scrape the flesh side with a blunt knife, and rub it with pumice or rotten 

 stone. 



Bleacliing- Straw Hats. To bleach a white straw hat which has 

 been yellowed by the sun, procure a deep box, air-tight if possible; 

 place at the bottom a stone, on the latter Iny a flat piece of red hot iron, 

 or a pan of charcoal, and on this scatter powdered brimstone; hang the 

 hat inside, close the lid, and let it remain all night. 



To Dry Roots. They should be thoroughly washed to get rid of 

 the dirt, and also some of the mucous substance that would otherwise 

 render them moldy; the larger should then be cut, split, or peeled, but 

 most aromatic roots must not be peeled as the odor is in the bark; then 

 spread on sieves or hurdles and dry in a heat of about 120° F., eithet 

 on the top of an oven, iu a stove, or a steam closet, taking care to shake 

 them occasionally to change the surface exposed to the air. Thick and 

 juicy roots, as rhubarb, briouy, peony, water-lily, etc., cut in slices, 

 string upon a thread and hang in a heat of about 90° to a 100° F. 

 Squills are scaled, threaded, and dried in an ordinary warming oven on 

 the back of a stove. Rhubarbs should be washed to separate the mucous 

 principle which would otherwise render it black and soft when pow- 

 dered. Potatoes are cut in slices and dried. 



To Dry Parsley. Cut a large basketful of the best looking curled 

 parsley, pick out all faded or dirty leaves, and dry the remainder care- 

 fully before a clear fire. At first the leaves will become quite limp, and 

 they must be turned before the fire to expose all parts equally to the 

 heat, until the leaves are dry and brittle, without losing their green col- 

 or, if they are allowed to get brown they are spoiled. When dry, rub 

 them to powder between the hands; sift the powder through a coarse 

 sieve, and bottle for use; it will retain both the color and flavor of green 

 parsley. A large basket of fresh leaves will hardly j-ield a pint of pow- 

 der. Never dry it in the sun, or it will lose much of its flavor. 



To Remove Stumps, i. In the fall of the j'ear bore an inch hole 

 eighteen inches deep into the the centre of the stump and put in an ounce 

 of saltpetre, filing up with water, and plug the hole up. In the spring 

 take out the plug, put in a half gill of kerosene and set fire to it. It 

 will burn the stump out to its farthest roots. 



