Thf RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1671 
Simple Science 
By Dr. F. D. Crane 
Plastic Stove Lining Removing Apple Stain 
Can you Rive me the composition of 
Til fistic stove linings? They conic dry, 
L,, m ixed with water, and applied in plas¬ 
tic form. I have experimented with sand, 
Portland cement and with sand, fire clay, 
etc hut they are not a success. They 
crumble and fall out iu a short time. 
Tliev evidently contain some substance 1 
i mV e not yet discovered. There is a kind 
tint for vears has given the very best of 
satisfaction. It sets very hard and is 
very durable. w. n. w. 
Massachusetts. 
There are several such mixtures, but 
the composition is usually kept secret, by 
the manufacturers, and there are usually 
some details of the making which cannot 
veil be handled by the amateur. If your 
purpose is merely to repair a few stoves, 
it will be far better to purchase the stuff 
readymade. If you wish to begin the 
manufacture of the dry powder, you will 
need an exact analysis and working for¬ 
mula, which we, of course, could not he 
expected to furnish. 
Keeping Cider Sweet 
How much benzoate of soda do T have 
to put into HO gallons of cider to keep it 
sweet? How much mustard seed? 
Winchenden, Mass. n. a. h. 
If you think it advisable to use ben¬ 
zoate of soda, which is. at least, as harm- < 
less as anything, figure on about one- 
tenth of one per cent. Assuming that 
your cider will weigh about nine pounds 
to the gallon, since it is a little heavier 
than water, you have about 450 pounds, 
and you will need a little less than a half 
pound. 7.2 ounces, to be exact, but the 
whole half pound will do no harm. From 
a quarter to a half pound of the mustard 
seed (which, by the way. is not ground), 
is mentioned sis advisable for each bar¬ 
rel. but this is a rather uncertain pre¬ 
servative. The main thing is to make 
liie cider in a very cleanly manner and 
keep it cool in a clean barrel. About a 
half pound of sulphite, not sulphate, of 
lime to each barrel is a handy preserva¬ 
tive. and works pretty well. t But no 
preservative will keep cider which has a 
good start towards fermentation. 
What, can I use to take the stain off 
my hands during cider-making time? 
Englishtown, N. J. c. W. 
The chances are that there is nothing 
to do but grin and bear it; that is a very 
difficult stain to remove. You might try 
very dilute hydiochloric (muriatic) acid, 
followed by a little chloride of lime, and 
then, again, a little of the weak acid. 
This will lift most anything, but is bad 
for the skin, and will touch you up a 
bit if there are any raw spots. Use some 
bland grease liberally, mutton tallow and 
vaseline melted together in equal parts, 
with a bit of camphor added is as good 
as anything. 
Sulphur-bleached Molasses 
How is sulphur used for bleaching mo¬ 
lasses? G . g. r. 
Reeds, Mo. 
If any quantity is to be bleached, the 
sulphur is burned in a special “sulphur 
burner” and the gas blown into the mo¬ 
lasses under vigorous stirring. For small¬ 
er lots a few pounds of the gas is pur¬ 
chased in a cylinder (the gas costs only 
about l()c per lb., but the cylinder, which 
is returnable for credit, is rather expen¬ 
sive), and then the gas allowed to run 
into the molasses slowly, under strong 
stirring, taking care not to get too much 
in. Weighing the cylinder will show the 
amount used. Only enough should be 
used to produce a slight effect, say half 
of 1 per cent, by weight, or less. If you 
decide to try it, take small amounts at 
first. 
Orangeade 
How is “orangeade” as sold at soda 
fountains made? G. l. b. 
Selma, Ore. 
Orange juice is sometimes used, but 
for the most part a syrup flavor is em¬ 
ployed, which is diluted with ordinary 
“simple syrup”; that is, sugar and water, 
and added to the glass before the car¬ 
bonated water is drawn into it. The 
preparation of these flavoring syrups is 
rather beyond the amateur; it is far bet¬ 
ter to buy them from some flavor and 
extract concern with a good reputation. 
Galvanized Water Tank 
How can I host treat a new galvanized 
ash barrel for use as a water tank? 
Massachusetts. MRS. J. A. II. 
Nothing is perfect, but you will prob¬ 
ably get the best results from the use of 
the' best of the so-called “enamel” paints 
for ironware. The water will probably 
have a flavor for a few weeks. Be sure 
to let the paint dry very well before put¬ 
ting iu the water. 
Permanent Magnets 
Is a permanent magnet and a horseshoe 
magnet the same thing? Ts there 
really such a thing as a permanent mag¬ 
net? Do not all magnets lose strength 
quite freely, a little every time they mag¬ 
netize anything? o. G. 
Brodhead, N. Y. 
A horseshoe magnet is a permanent 
magnet which has been bent for conven¬ 
ience. When straight it is known as a 
bar magnet. Magnets are as permanent 
as most of the rest of this vale of tears; 
they may weaken in time, but the average 
magnet will outlast the average man. 
Loss of strength in a magnet is not rapid ; 
it is very slow, but there is some effect 
after years of use. A common illustra¬ 
tion is the group of permanent magnets 
in most generators on automobiles, .which 
may need a bracer after 50.000 miles or 
so. A keeper on one arm only will not 
seriously change the magnetism. 
Explosion in Sprayer; Measuring Drams 
1. I was trying a' solution of potassium 
nitrate (saltpeter ) in a sprayer, and the 
tank exploded. Was it due ro the ni¬ 
trate? 2. How many drums iu a tea¬ 
spoonful? .T, P. P. 
Springfield. Mass. 
1 The solution of saltpeter in water 
could not possibly explode. In the first 
plaee, no water solution is explosive; in 
the second, that salt by itself is not an 
explosive. It is merely a handy source 
of oxygen for other things, as the sulphur 
and charcoal in ordinary gunpowder. 
2. A teaspoon will usually hold from 
1 1 _• to two drams. A tablespoon is more 
indefinite; there are several sizes. Your 
best plan is to invest a few cents in a 
glass “graduate,” which any druggist will 
sell you, and work with that. 
Barium Sulphate 
What is the “barium sulphate” men¬ 
tioned in a Government bulletin for use 
in packing smoked meats? II. R. 
Wyebrooke, Pa. 
. This pi gmeut is frequently sold under 
its proper name, which you gave; it is 
either the natural barium sulphate, heavy 
spar or baryte, finely ground, or the ar¬ 
tificial, which is chemically the same 
•lung. It is also known as permanent 
while and ns blane fixe, and you can 
probably get it under one of these names 
locally, surely iu a large town. 
Soap for Alkaline Water 
We have an alkaline water containing 
magnesia. Can I make soap from cocoa- 
nut oil which will work well with it? 
Macabi, Cuba. A. H. N. 
Cocoanut oil is your ouly hope, but as 
the oil you will get locally will vary a 
little from time to time and will not tie 
quite like the refined oil at best, we can 
only give you general directions. Take, 
say five pounds, of the oil and melt it; 
if not in a water-jacketed pan or kettle, 
then watch that it does not get quite as 
hot as boiling water. Then stir in. 
slowly hut steadily, one pound of com¬ 
mercial caustic soda in two quarts of 
water: when all in, allow it to cool and 
stand for a day or so. Then test with 
a bit. of litmus paper to see if alkaline; 
if so, use a little loss soda lye next time. 
If not markedly alkaline a little more 
can be used, but the proportions will be 
about ns given. To this soap you can 
add sand to make it more of a scouring 
soap if you wish but mineral oil, though 
it will mix with it. will do no good. This 
soap will carry quite a little gasoline or 
naphtha, which will help if much grease 
and oil is to be removed. Stir it in just 
as the soap is cooling—no flames about, 
and no cigar, either. This soap is. about 
the only thing which will work in the 
magnesia water you mention, but it can 
be improved a little if you will add some 
castor oil to the cocoanut when you begin. 
If you do this you will need a little less 
alkali. Another way to dodge excess 
alkali is to use 14 ounces of the caustic 
in. say three pints of water, and stir that 
well in. and then, before the mixture has 
cooled much, add 14 ounces of washing 
soda crystals in the remaining pint of 
water. In this way your excess alkali, 
if any. is the carbonate. It is also worth 
while to add a little tallow, if you have 
it, which will give a much harder soap, 
but one which will not work so well in 
your water. Tf you take care to keep 
the soap out of the water except when 
using it, it will last fairly well. 
Cleaning Shellac Brushes 
A recent writer advises using a good 
varnish brush for shellac and soaking it 
in alcohol. Certainly, use a good varnish 
brush with shellac, but with automobiles 
and other things making frequent and 
hurry calls on the shellac brush, waiting 
to soak out a dry brush calls for an un¬ 
necessary endowment of patience. A bet¬ 
ter way is to keep the brush in the shel¬ 
lac. We keep our shellac always ready 
for instant use in a 5-lb. lard pail with a 
tight-litting cover, the handle of the brush 
being shortened to go inside the cover. 
In fact, we keep two brushes in the shel¬ 
lac ; one of them a good pencil brush for 
use in places where the larger brush can¬ 
not he used, or used to the best advan¬ 
tage. Of course tin' cover gets stuek on. 
but a few raps on the edge with any tool 
that comes handy will knock it off. 
Bolton, Mass. j, n. p. 
Your Barn 
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SUPERFINE C OMMERCIAL SULPHUR, 99 1 2 % pure for dusting purposes. 
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and Muriate Potash. 
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Write for price lists 
