914 
Oic RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 28, lyJCT. 
With a well-applied pood lead paint this is seldom 
iieeessary. Usually all that is miulred is a Kood 
dusting with a stiff brush before a new coat is ap- 
I»lied. A paint is defined as being a mixture of a 
finely-ground powder, called the base, suspende<l in 
a liquid called tbe vehicle. The chief vehicle used 
for ordinary painting is linseed oil, the oil expresse<l 
from flaxseed. This has the ju-operty of uniting with 
the oxygen of the air M’.ien drying and forming an 
elastic covering or skin over the object to wbich it 
is applied. It is this i)roperty of oxidati(»n that 
makes it valuable for painting. It can be obtained 
both in the raw state and boiled. Tbe boiled oil, 
which is chiefly used for inside work, dries more 
rapidly than the raw because of a drier that is 
added to it during the process of manufacture. The 
raw oil is generally considered the better of tbe 
two foi* outside work. There are i‘('ady mixed ])aints 
that are good, but there are so many frauds on the 
market that it is .seldom safe to buy one of them 
excejd from a reliable paint maTUifacturcr. Iheie 
are too many worthless materials with which white 
lead can be adulterated to make it good i)olicy to 
buv a jirepared i)aint from aiiy but a reliable film. 
On the other hand if a man is inexiierienced in 
mixing jiaints, and wishes to mix and api»ly the 
paint liimself, it is sometimes better for him to buy 
a well-known brand of prepared paint. 
DKSIRAIIIiE COLORS.—As to colors, quite often 
the clear white without any contra.sting color as 
trim looks the best of any that can be cbosen—a 
clean white house surrounded by green trees has an 
inviting appearance on a hot Summer's day. If 
wanted a trim of contrasting color can be used. A 
very attractive c^olor—one that stays fresli looking 
for a long time—can be made by mixing a little 
drop of black with the white lead. This forms a 
light gray that which can be used as tbe body paint 
while the clear white is used as the trim, the win¬ 
dow sash being painted black. Due to the cleaner 
air, light colored paints preserve their freshness for 
a much longer time in the country than they do in 
town. 
SIMPLICITY OF FORM.—No attempt shoiild be 
made to ape the town house, either in form or color. 
The high, narrow house of the village, when taken 
from its surroundings looks sadly out of place on 
the farm. Solidity and simidicity should be the aim 
both in form and color. The farm house should 
have an air of permanency and contenlment—a kind 
of maternal look that is hard or impossible to de- 
—qualities tbat are not always appai'ent in 
the most carefully kept village homes. To secure 
Ibis it is sometimes necessary to resort to surgery, 
just as the human beauty doctor does. A porch may 
be plumped out on one side to give a broader and 
more stable appearance or an nn.sightly portion is 
ampjitated and removed. It is siirprising what the 
i-iMuoval of an unsightly object or its concealment 
with a latticework covered with vines will do toward 
improving the appearance of 'the farm grounds. 
All of the above are given as suggestions only. 
U.sually the work outlined can best be done by one 
makiiig tlurt work his ti'ade. House painting requires 
judgment that can only be acquired by long prac¬ 
tice, and as it has to be done during a period of fair 
weather we usually can better afford to hire it done 
than to spend the time ourselves. 
RARN RUILDINGS.—The above does not apply 
to tbe outbuildings and barns. Much can be done 
toward making their intei’iors sanitary and attrac¬ 
tive by the judicious u.se of white wash. Where the 
work is small and particular this can be applied 
with a broad, flat brush, but where it is to be 
sitrayed over a broad surface, as the interior of a 
stable, life is too short for the brush method, and 
the spray pump gives the best results. A disinfec¬ 
tant can be mixed directly with the whitewash and 
ap])lied at the same time. The following white- 
wa.sh rec'ipes taken from Scott’s ‘‘White Paints and 
Painting Materials,” are recommended by tbe United 
States government in Bulletin 474: ‘‘The I'se of 
I’aint On the Farm.” 
ORDINARY WHITEWASH.—Slake about 10 
pounds of quicklime in two gallons of water. Place 
the lime in a pail, pour on the water and after cov¬ 
ering with old sacks or carpet let it stand for about 
an hour. Then while stirring add water until of 
about tbe right consistency to work well. 
FAf'TORY WHITEWASH.—For interior work: 
Slake 62 pounds, (one bu.shel) of quicklime in 15 
gallons of water. Keep the barrel covered until the 
steam ceases to arise, stirring occa.sionally to pre¬ 
vent scorching which tends to make the wash trans¬ 
parent and lack in covering power. (2) Stir up 
2 % pounds of rye flour in two (juarts of cold water, 
then add two gallons of boiling water. (.'D Dissolve 
iy 2 i)ounds of common rock salt in 2y> gallons of 
water. (4) Mix (2) and (.1) and then pour into 
(1) , stirring until well mixed. This gives a pro¬ 
duct of the right consistency to apply with a brush 
and if to be sprayed on it will refjuire the addition 
of a little more water. 
WEATHERPROOF WHITEWASH for exteriors, 
fences, etc., is made by: (1) Slaking 62 pounds of 
(luick lime in 12 gallons of hot water. (2) Dissolve 
two pounds- of common table salt and om pound of 
sulpbate of zinc in two gallons of boiling water. 
(2) Two gallons of skimmed milk. (4) Pour (2) 
into (1), add the milk (.2) and mix thoroughly. 
If the glaring white of whitewa.sh is distasteful it 
can he relieved somewhat and given a neutral tint 
by tbe addition of Portland cement. To give it a 
glo.s.s, dissolve a pound of cheap bar soap in a gallon 
of boiling water and add this s<dution to each five 
gallons of thick whitewash. 
WAGONS AND MAC'HINERY.—In this course of 
'^'Muty treatment the farm wagons and machinery 
.''•hould come under our con.sideration. As they can 
be cared for inside at odd times we can easily do 
this painting ourselves and every farm shop should 
have a well-stocked cupboai-d containing putty 
knives, .sandpai)er, iiaints, brushes, oils, turpentine 
and paint removers. This last should never be 
handled near a Jiaked flame, as it is usually highly 
volatile and explosive. For the farm tools no paint 
is better than red lead. Ilowevei-, it is very expen¬ 
sive, and for that reason but little used. The iron 
oxide paints, because of their lower cost, are usually 
substitute<l on this class of work. Any oil paint 
gives valuable protection, as it forms an individual 
shed over each machine, a closely fitting building in 
which the machine is housed, as it w(!re. To add to 
this protection in insuring long life is the increased 
care the machine will get at the hands of the oper- 
atoi*. Have you ever noticed the difference in the 
manner in which two machines are liandled—one 
newly painted the other scratched and dingy? The 
old machine gets the dirty end of every deal. Some 
of the red oxide paints aside from their cheapness 
make a nice bright color for this work, using some 
of the black asphaltum varnishes to outline the 
woi‘k and set it off. For the wagons a good lead 
paint makes a good base and after sanding lightly 
this can be overlaid with some of the standard 
conch colors. 
THE LAWN.—A well-painted and attractive 
home is not shown to best advantage in poorly-kept 
suri-oundings—the graduate of our beauty parlor 
must have a suitable gown. This can be made of 
lawn. The making of a good lawn is a highly ex¬ 
pensive proposition but fertilization, careful clip- 
]ting and attention to the eradication of weeds will 
do much to make the old one more presentable. The 
lawn mower used intelligently is a big factor in the 
civilization of the lawn. To make a permanent 
lawn Dean Herbert E. Cook advises heavy fertiliza¬ 
tion with well-rotted manure and intense cultivation 
in the Fall. The next Spring cultivation is con¬ 
tinued, the object being to get ii compact seed bed 
well tilh'd with organic matter to retain moisture, 
and to see that this organic matter is thoroughly de¬ 
composed, so that the lawn will not settle out of 
shape by its further decomposition after grading. 
When this is accomplished he a<lvises sowing about 
500 pounds per acre of a fertilizer mixed as follows: 
.‘{00 pounds nitrate of sodii; 400 pemnds muriate of 
lK)tash; 1,200 acid rock. This is to be well worked 
in and the surface finally finished to a line with a 
rake. 
SEEDING.—The lawn is now ready for seeding, 
using one of the lawn grass mixtures advertised in 
the catalogues of reliable seedsmen, sowing at the 
rate of from five to six bu.sliels per acre. This 
should not all be applied at once, but should be 
cross-sown to in.sure that it is scattered evenly. The 
seed is then covered lightly with the rake. For 
those who wish to make their own mixture for sc*ed- 
ing Mr. Cook rectunmends equal (luantities hy 
weight of White clover, Itlue grass and Rhode Island 
Bent grass, sowing at the rate above mentioned. 
The same authority warns against close clipping. 
advising setting the lawn mower high enough so 
that the lawn does not have to be raked after clip¬ 
ping, the grass cut, settling down between the blades 
that are left standing and furnishing a mulch and a 
source (»f organic matter to the soil. If this is done 
fertility can be maintained by the application of a 
complete fertilizer three times yearly—Spring, Sum 
mer and Fall—at the rate of 1,000 to 2,000 pounds 
per acre, thus avoiding the use of stable manure 
with its attendant weeds. 
GRADING AROTTND BUILDINGS.—Where 
traffic pi’events the maintaining of a sod, as arouiuL 
barn entrances, it is good practice to grade with 
coal ashes or gravel. “The ashes will gradually wash 
out leaving a compact flooring of cinders. Drive¬ 
ways can be treated in the same way and if the 
house is at any distance from the road a well-kept, 
winding driveway with simi)le stone posts, is very 
attractive. When once the beauty treatment is be¬ 
gun untold methods of making the home attractive 
will occur to you—many of them so simple and inex¬ 
pensive that you will wonder why they were never 
done before. Now is the time to begin, do not wait 
until the crow’s feet form so deeply on your home¬ 
stead that they cannot be eradicated. Photograph 
the place to-day, continue the work of “hrightening 
up” faithfully for one year ,then rephotogi-aph and 
compare the pictures. The result, I am sure, will 
make you a lifelong user of fai-m cosmetics. 
ROBERT ir. SMITH. 
Use of a Concrete Smokehouse 
Late last Fall we built a concrete block smokehou.se 
and put on the same a concrete re-enforced roof. I put 
my Winter’s pork in it and smoked same about eight 
tires (small smudges). Along in December we started 
the smoke. During the Winter months the meat froze 
slightly. This Spring I noticed about one-fourth of an 
inch of ice had frozen to the concrete roof. After this 
had thawed out and dropped to the cement floor, about 
one month after, I noticed the hams, shoulders and 
bacon strips began to show spots of mold and some of 
them (juite large spots; also some of the hams and 
shoulders were still dripping off .some of the brine. 
What should I do to stop this mold ; or what should I 
have done in the first place? Does this mold hurt the 
pork? All the meat is supported on black iron hooks 
about eight inches from the roof. What is best to do 
with the meat to make it keep? It tastes all right now. 
New York. A. H. v. 
ONCRETE or brick smokehouses are very de¬ 
sirable on tbe farm because of their fireproof 
construction and durability. However, in using them 
it must be remembered that they are liable to be damp 
and cold, thei’efore. the meat must be removed from 
the smokehouse soon after smoking in order that it 
may not be frozen, and should be placed in a dry, 
well-ventilated place where it will not mold. This 
mold does not injure the meat except for an inch or 
so around the mold spots, and may, therefore, be 
trimmed away and after the meat has been given 
another light smoking it may be wrapped in parch¬ 
ment or other white paper, covered with a layer of 
burlap, and a heavy outer layer of muslin and after 
these are tightly sewed on a coating of yellow wash 
may be applied. This will keep the meat during the 
Summer months without further loss. Recipe for 
yellow wash, as given in Farmer,s’ Bulletin 122: For 
100 pounds of ham or bacon take 2 pounds barytes 
(barium sulphate); 0.06 pound glue; 0.08 pound 
chrome yellow (lead chromate) ; 0.40 pound flour. 
This means a little less than one ounce of glue and 
a little more than an ounce of chrome yellow. Half 
till a pail with water and mix in the tlour, dissolv¬ 
ing all lumps thoroughly. Dissolve the chrome in a 
quart of water in a separate vessel and add the sol¬ 
ution and the glue, to the flour; bring the whole to a 
boil and add the barytes slowly, stirring constantly. 
Make the wash the day before it is required. Stir 
it frequently when using, and apply with a brush.” 
Since the meat in this case was frozen during the 
Winter I would suggest that it be used or disposed 
of as soon as possible, as it is likely to spoil during 
the warm Summer months. The drawing of the 
smoke-house shows oidy one opening into the smoke¬ 
house for the intake or outlet of air. Therefore, the 
draft cannot be of the best. Also, since the meat 
hangs about eight inches below the roof, and this 
opening is located in the door at least three feet 
below the highest i)oint of the roof, the smoke is 
drawn from the smoke-house before passing through 
the meat. I would, therefore, suggest that this 
opening be clo.sed and that one of equal size be made 
just below tbe roof on the front side of the hou.se, 
and that an ordinary heat register be set in the door 
at the base, .so that the amount of draft may be 
regulated accurately from the outside of the house. 
Gornell Reading Ck)urse I.esson No. Ill) discussed 
the curing and smoking of meats in detail, ami may 
be had by applying to the College of Agriculture, 
Cornell Univer.sity, Ithaca, N. Y. k. j. s. 
/ 
