The RURAL NEW*YORKER 
687 
Troubles in Soap Making 
A few weeks ago Lillie Reed York 
Rave directions for home soap making. I 
followed directions as nearly as I could 
with a smaller amount of fat than she 
had, and with the first batch had splendid 
success, but with two subsequent batches 
not so good. First time I had 7 lbs. 
of rendered beef tallow. I used 1 % cans 
of lye, one-fourth cup borax and one-half 
pint of ammonia and 10 quarts of water. 
Cooked it four hours and it was all right. 
Second time 5 lbs. of clean rendered beef 
tallow, one can ol lye, two gallons water, 
Strap for Camisole 
one-fourth cup be rax and one-fourth pint 
ammonia. When this had boiled four 
hours, I cooled it slightly and then added 
borax and ammonia and stirred it briskly. 
The lye and grease separated. I put it 
back and boiled it again, but it was not 
as good as the first batch ; seems porous 
and is crumbly and floats. Can you tell 
me what my fault was? m. s. d. 
I feel sure that the reason the second 
batch of soap failed to turn out well was 
that too much lye was used for the 
ten minutes after boiling begins, with 
grease added, and should be finished in 
one hour of slow cooking, but sometimes 
the thickening is slow, and a much longer 
time is required, but the mass should be 
tested for density every 10 minutes by 
pouring a small bit in a cold saucer, 
pan or on a cold rock. When it holds 
its shape when cool, the fire may be with¬ 
drawn. and when cool enough the soap 
may be poured into the molds for further 
cooling and cutting into cakes. 
LILY REED YORK. 
Violet and Leaf Camisole 
Chain 74. turn. 
First _ Row—1 double crochet in 0th 
stitch, •> meshes, 1 block, 4 meshes, 3. 
block, 11 meshes, 3 chain (3 double cro¬ 
chet in last stitch of 74 chain, 2 chain, 3 
double crochet in same place, forming a 
shell), chain 3, turn. 
Second Row—Shell in shell, eh. 3. 2 m., 
1 bl.. 2 m., 1 bl., 1 m.. 3 bl., 7 m., 1 bl., 2 
m.. 1 bl.. 2 m., chain 5, turn. 
Third Row—10 m., 3 bl., 10 m., 3 ch., 
shell. 3 ch.. turn. 
Fourth Row—Shell. 3 ch., S m.. 2 bl., 1 
m., 1 bl., 1 m., 2 bl., N in., ch. 5, turn. 
Fifth Row—2 m., 1 bl.. 4 m.. 4 bl.. 1 m., 
4 bl., 4 m., 1 bl., 2 m., 3 ch., shell, 3 ch., 
turn. 
Sixth Row—Like fourth. 
Seventh Row—Like third. 
Eighth Row—Like second. 
Ninth Row—6 m.. 1 bl., 4 m., 1 bl., 11 
m., ch. 3, shell, ch. 3, turn. 
Tenth Row—Shell, ch. 3, 15 m., 1 bl., 1 
m.. 1 bl.. 5 m., ch. 5, turn. 
Eleventh Row—2 m., 1 bl.. 2 m., 1 bl.. 1 
m.. 1 bl., 1 m. 1 bl., 5 m.. 1 bl., 4 m., 1 bl., 
2 in., 3 ch., shell, 3 ch., turn. 
Twelfth Row—Shell, ch. 3, 6 m., 1 bl., 
7 m.. 1 bl., 2 m., 1 bl., 5 m.. 5 ch., turn. 
Thirteenth Row—6 m., 1 bl., (5 in.. 3 
bl.. 7 m., ch. 3. shell, 3 ch.. turn. 
Fourteenth Row—Shell, 3 ch., 2 m., 1 
-•rjfc-.yrfe-n 
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W 8 i* I £ 19 
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I told and Leaf Pattern for Camisole 
amount of liquid and fat. It is well to 
bear in mind that long-continued cooking 
reduces liquids rapidly, and while the 
amount of water was all right at the be¬ 
ginning, the long boiling reduced this 
considerably, while the lye remained at 
full strength". Had you added two <>• 
three quarts of boiling water, no doubt 
the soap would have been all right. Some 
women prefer adding more grease, thus 
overcoming the extra strength of the lye 
with fat. but I have always been more 
successful when water was added, instead 
of grease. Again. I have not found that 
soap made by using the larger amounts 
of fat, as given in many recipes, in the 
least bit superior to those made with the 
less amount, hence 1 find economy in 
using the given recipe. 
The fact that soap is porous and floats 
on water does not denote inferior quality. 
Soaps to which ammonia have been added 
almost always float on water, also soaps 
which have been subject to freezing 
weather during the drying process be¬ 
come very light and porous, but I do not 
find the cleansing quality lowered. All 
soaps become lighter after curing out, 
also become harder, which T do not like. 
This might be prevented if soap, after 
properly curing, was wrapped in paper 
and packed in boxes like the commercial 
article. 
Neither borax, nor ammonia, is neces¬ 
sary in the making of a first-class prod¬ 
uct. but they do add some to the cleansing 
properties, since both of these chemicals 
are well-known dirt solvents, softening 
the fibers of clothes and making the elimi¬ 
nation of the dirt less difficult. How¬ 
ever, I have many times made an excel¬ 
lent quality of soap for all household uses 
without the addition of either of these. 
Owing to the fact that soap boils over 
easily, just as molasses does, the cooking 
should always be done with a low heat. 
Soap should begin to thicken in five to 
hi., 5 in., 5 bl., 3 in., 1 bl., 3 m., 1 bl., 2 
m., ch. 5, turn. 
Fifteenth Row—7 m., 1 bl., 2 m., 4 bl., 
!) in., ch. 3. shell, ch. 3, turn. 
Sixteenth Row Shell, 3 <h., <> m . 2 
bl., 2 in., 4 bl., 1 m., 1 bl., 7 in., eh. 5, 
turn. 
Seventeenth Row—2 m., 1 bl., 5 m., 2 
bl., 3 in., 5 bl., 2 m., 1 bl., 2 m., ch. 3, 
shell, ch. 3, turn. This is the middle row 
of directions. Reverse, working Row 16 
back to first. Crochet length desired. 
For shoulder strap I use the following: 
Chain 15, d.e. in 5th stitch, d.c. in 7th. 
etc.; sin'll of 3 d.c., ch. 2. 3 d.c. in first 
mesh ; 1 bl. in 2d m., 1 m., sh. in next 
inesli, ch. 3, turn; shell in sh., 1 bl. in 
mesh, 1 m. over block, shell in shell, 3 ch. 
MRS. F. E. II. 
Homemade Floor Oil 
To the inquirer who asks how to reno¬ 
vate her floor and doesn’t want to use 
oil or wax, I would give my method. 
Heat one gallon kerosene and 1 lb. par¬ 
affin in an open vessel, preferably out of 
doors, for it is highly inflammable, until 
the wax is melted. Then apply while still 
hot to the floor and let dry for three or 
four hours before using. This treatment 
is good for any floor, and even an old 
floor is much more easily cared for if 
treated thus once a month. Moths or 
carpet bugs or beetles will not disturb 
rugs or carpets if the floors are painted 
with this liquid. Of course, it must be 
kept hot enough to keep the wax in a 
liquid state when being applied, and an 
ordinary paint brush is used. I>e sure to 
fill the old cracks full if you would pre¬ 
vent or destroy insects and their eggs. 
But be very careful in heating; better 
prepare a email portion at a time. 
JESSIE. 
rrnTTTl 
Standard Equipment on the better 
makes of oil stoves 
Note there’s a Kerogas Oven, too. 
See one. - 
DEALERS 
The best jobbers now sup¬ 
ply various brands of ex¬ 
cellent oil stoves equipped 
with Kerogas Burners. 
Look for this mark on the 
oil stove burner 
Use This Test 
To Determine Oil Stove 
Efficiency 
Here is a simple way—an easy way to quickly 
determine just how good an oil stove is — 
Inspect the burners. If they carry the trademark, 
“Kerogas,” you may know that the manufacturer is 
giving his customers the best that money will buy. 
For the burner is the heart of the oil stove and 
the wonderful Kerogas Burner is the only one built 
of one-piece brass, leak and rust proof, simple and 
made to outlast the stove that carries it. 
By the turn of a little control wheel, the Kerogas 
Burner gives you a quick fire—a slow fire—an intense 
or a simmering heat. It is as easy to control as a 
gas range and just as efficient, simply because the 
powerful, clean flame within a flame is concentrated 
directly on the bottom of the cooking vessel. 
When you consider that to every gallon of coal oil 
or kerosene it uses, the Kerogas Burner consumes 400 
gallons of air, you will understand why it is so econom¬ 
ical from a fuel standpoint and so clean in operation. 
Your dealer will gladly show you a number of differ¬ 
ent oil stoves equipped with genuine Kerogas Burners. 
A. ]. Lindemann Hoverson Co. 
1233First Avenue, MILWAUKEE, WIS. 
Manufacturers of Burners, Ovens, Cooking and 
Heating Stoves and Ranges 
Ml 
1 
i 
COOK 
Quick 
Easy Way' 
Save Y time and Y fuel, by cooking 
with NATIONAL Pressure Cooker. 
, Meat, vegetables and dessert cooked together 
over one burner without flavors blending. \\ ill 
not scorch. Entire meal cooked in 30 minutes. 
Write fop information on how to do it. 
Also can Fruits and Vegetables with U. S. Cold 
Pack Method. Avoid waste. Save time in hot 
weather with National Steel Canner. It costs less. 
Write for Free Book on Canning. 
NORTHWESTERN STEEL & 
IRON WORKS 
Dept. J 
Eau Claire, Wisconsin 
, STIAN I'MIMVBC 
' ALUMINUM COOKER 
llllllimimill 
Shall Your Boy Know 
Modern Farming ? 
The Riggs Agricultural 
High School 
For boys 14 to 1/ years old, prepares (or Agricultural 
colleges. The best development of the youth. Excep¬ 
tional opportunity for instruction in practical carpentry. 
The farm of 175 acres is fully equipped. Every facility 
for outdoor sports and healthful recreation is afforded. 
Gymnasium. Send for booklet. 
F. B. RIGGS, Headmaster 
Lakeville - Connecticut 
Look for this Bag 
When you buy salt, 
get the best salt, the pure, 
flaky kind, without lumps or 
grit. Be sure this name is 
on the bag: 
COLONIAL 
SPECIAL FARMER’S 
SALT 
Better for every farm purpose: 
meat curing, butter making, 
cooking, baking. 
Packed in 70 pound bags of strong ma¬ 
terial that make excellent toweling. If 
your dealer doesn’t have it, send us his name. 
THE COLONIAL SALT CO.. Akron,O. 
Chicago, Ill, Buffalo, N.Y. Boston, Mass. 
Atlanta, Ga. 
