Ihe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1481 
But the individual storehouse idea seems 
not to have taken in this .section. The 
growers are not in the mood for building 
a storehouse, which, as they tell me, 
would cost a mint of money, even if they 
wanted to be put to the trouble of Win¬ 
ter trimming, which is said to be a dirty, 
discouraging job. Then the storehouse 
would have to be heated—another ex¬ 
pense. I have talked with but one grow¬ 
er of cabbage who ever caught the store¬ 
house idea. He planted late cabbage, 
but was cured of his fancy in time to 
prevent his giving it' a trial. Even so, 
the late cabbage, turned into cash, 
brought him the most money. It seems 
as if a locality that isn’t dairying, would 
do well to become interested in trim¬ 
ming Winter cabbage. But then, mak¬ 
ing a method of handling a crop seem 
profitable has always been the doom of 
it. Perhaps it’s as well to let the early 
cabbage growers go their way without 
argument. 
We can’t help talking, though, of the 
Hallowe’en school entertainment. The 
real object of the occasion was to make 
fun for the youngsters, so there was 
very little sneaking, and a great many 
games. A ghost shook hands with you 
at the door—my, what an odd hand that 
was! And after you got in you saw 
witches—the walls swarming with cats 
all bowed up to spit, and the queerest 
looking folks running about talking. Well, 
those funny faces simply put a crimp 
in little Mark’s evening. He didn't 
know his own sisters—whimpered as if 
what he saw was true to life. You’d won¬ 
der how a boy could dress up to look 
like a cat. though we all know every boy 
is gifted in meowing like one. These boy 
cats had nreposterous long round black 
tails, got on the garden fence and gave 
the company a concert in keeping with 
their costume. Had to be driven away, 
but how they did scamper when the pa¬ 
per balls hit them! The church yard 
was a funny place to divide apples in, 
but the ghostly costume seemed to avert 
a beating and put the fear of judgment 
in a hard heart. Washy was a little 
colored boy, who argued that if a white 
man’s ghost is white, why shouldn’t a 
black man’s ghost be black? We en¬ 
joyed Washy—he was so convincing that 
we all forgot the blue-eyed golden-haired 
imp of a girl under the make-up. Fol¬ 
low that by an ice cream supper, and you 
will know why teacher ordered some 
board seats around the edge of the room, 
raining though it was. 
Let’s give thanks for our country 
Schools. MRS. F. H. UNGER. 
Radio Department 
HOW RADIO WORKS 
In a general way we now understand 
how radio broadcasting is sent out and 
received, but just what we must have to 
properly receive these broadcasts and how 
to use these receiving sets we will now 
take up step by step. 
Doing It Right. —Just as we must 
properly plow, harrow, plant, cultivate 
and harvest a crop, so we must do with 
or hard rubber as a means of preventing 
the weak electric current from leaking off 
the aerial wire. The best insulation is 
none too good, as radio currents seem to 
find their way over almost every sub¬ 
stance more or less. The. diagram will 
show an aerial and how it may be put up. 
and where insulation is necessary. 
Where to Put Your Aerial. —The 
aerial may be fastened to the house and 
you, but for those who buy, we suggest 
that you buy the complete set at one time, 
for then you will have everything neces¬ 
sary. 
Radio Peculiarities.— An aerial may 
be placed in your attic, the electric wir¬ 
ing in your house may be used for the 
aerial, a small wooden frame with a few 
turns of wire upon it (called a loop) may 
be used for some sets, a bed spring, or any 
piece of metal may be used, but only un- 
Simple 
By Dr. F. 
Chemistry of Dish Washing 
I have recently volunteered to wash 
the dishes. Is there anything your chem¬ 
ist can suggest to speed up this job? 
New York. c. w. 
Washing dishes is a chemist’s first 
task, usually, and he does more or less of 
it as long as he does any real laboratory 
work, and there is no great difference 
when the work has to be done in the do¬ 
mestic laboratory—the kitchen—except 
that it is easier. In the first place there 
are some laboratories, and some kitchens, 
which have naturally “hard” water. This 
may be on account of the lime salts, or 
some magnesium salts, or both, though 
the latter are, fortunately, rather rare. 
But the lime salts are bad enough. There 
are several good water softeners, sal soda 
(carbonate of soda or “washing soda”), 
ammonia and borax are the common ones, 
and a little is good of any of them, and 
just a little of each, mixed, is better than 
any one. The mistake most people make 
is to use too much softener, and then 
radio. The shiftless farmer may raise a 
crop without giving it much attention, yet 
how much better a crop the farmer gets 
who has taken the best care to do every¬ 
thing right. Y T ou may neglect the culti¬ 
vating, the spraying or any of the many 
things that must be done, and still har¬ 
vest a crop, but you know that under the 
present market conditions and prices it is 
the man who- does everything according 
to the best of his ability who gets the 
most back in the way of profit. Radio is 
the same in many ways. Any makeshift 
set may work ; poorly installed wires to 
and from the aerial to the set may cause 
great losses of the feeble current and pre¬ 
vent you from hearing something at the 
time you most wish to listen in. Bear in 
mind that you may be told by different 
people different ways of doing certain 
things about radio, but the one who tells 
you that “it makes no difference, just let 
it go,” does not know very much about 
this interesting subject, and though I may 
tell you one way there are other ways 
that are as good and maybe better. What 
I do tell you I know from experience, and 
because I have made it work the way that 
I tell of. 
Wiiat You Will Need. —You -will 
need a complete receiving set which will 
consist of the following parts: Aerial, 
lead-in (the wire which connects the 
aerial to your set), detector, tuner, 
ground lead and connection to earth, tele¬ 
phone receivers and batteries (for some 
sets). These parts we will take up in de¬ 
tail in their turn, bearing in mind that in 
many instances the size or method de¬ 
scribed is not exact, but may be varied 
slightly to fit your particular circum¬ 
stances as to preference, and to the 
amount you wish to spend. 
The Aerial.— The aerial can be made 
of any piece of copper wire, insulated or 
not insulated, whichever you may have on 
hand. If you purchase it, the plain, un¬ 
insulated wire is cheaper. This wire 
should be No. 14 or larger, but not any 
smaller. The total length of the aerial 
should not be over 100 ft., and should be 
25 to 50 ft. high if possible; the higher 
the better for receiving weak signals from 
distant places. The entire aerial, includ¬ 
ing the wire to your set and to the earth, 
should not be over 150 ft. in all. 
Insulation. —It is absolutely neces¬ 
sary that the aerial be well insulated 
from all metal, wood or other material, 
that it should be strung up so that the 
wind will not swing it against anything 
or into the branches of trees. If fastened 
to a tree it should not come within 5 ft. 
of the nearest branch. In good weather 
insulation is not important, apparently, 
as the weak currents seem to come in 
without much trouble, but in damp weath- 
er good insulation is important. By insu¬ 
lation we mean the use of glass, porcelain 
an outbuilding or the windmill tower, or 
even a tree where you can’t place a suit¬ 
able pole. A short piece of pipe on the 
roof will generally give you a height of 35 
to 50 ft. at one end, and the other end 
should be as high or higher. 
Insurance and Lightning Danger. 
—A properly installed aerial is not a dan¬ 
ger in any sense, and in no way affects 
your insurance, but if you fail to install it 
properly you may not only ruin a per¬ 
fectly good radio set, but also be injured 
by lightning, and even have your home de¬ 
stroyed. The insurance underwriters have 
specified certain things that must be done, 
and it is advisable to follow closely the 
rules, or these directions that we are giv¬ 
ing, which comply with their rules, and 
then you need have no fear from your 
radio set. A lightning arrester is re¬ 
quired and is desirable, and this can be 
placed either in the house or outside, de¬ 
pending upon the type that you buy. Such 
lightning arresters automatically ground 
your set from small electrical shocks and, 
with your aerial, act as a lightning rod 
on your house. Should you ever have a 
fire, the insurance adjuster is likely to 
ask if you had an arrester on your set, 
and should your house be damaged direct¬ 
ly or indirectly by lightning you may fail 
to collect your insurance if you did not 
have the arrester connected to your 
aerial. 
Cost of Aerial and Parts.—A set of 
complete parts for an aerial may be pur¬ 
chased from a mail-order house for $3.50 
or less, and from any good dealer for 
about the same price. This aerial set in¬ 
cludes everything necessary for the aerial, 
insulation, lightning arrester, lead-in wire 
and ground wire and clamps. If you have 
copper wire on hand and some porcelain 
tubes and knobs, the oost will be less for 
there is skin irritation. There is still 
another, probably the best of the lot, 
which is tri-sodium phosphate, sold un¬ 
der various trade names ; “Oakite” is one 
of them. This stuff, in itself, is a fairly 
good cleanser. 
Next to softening the water a bit, 
which is best done by a few drops of a 
water solution of the softener you have 
decided to use, comes the proper soap. 
There are several brands of “washing 
powders” on the market, and they are 
mostly carbonate of soda ground up with 
some cheap soap. They are good if you 
can bring yourself to use little enongli of 
them. Too much will surely irritate the 
skin, and may kill the delicate color of 
really fine china. There are also several 
sorts of soap chips or flakes, which dis¬ 
solve quickly. It is better to use one of 
these, and then add carbonate of soda as 
needed, for an excess of soap is merely a 
waste; it can do no harm. The water, of 
course, works better when warm enough 
to help along by melting the grease. The 
hotter the water the better the dishes 
dry, but there is a point beyond which it 
does not pay to go, partly because it is 
harder on the dishes, but mostly because 
the effect on the hands is more marked, 
and there is no use in spoiling the tools 
you work with. About 115 J to 120° F. 
is comfortable and efficient. There is no 
great gain in more heat, and it may cook 
some foods on to the dishes rather firmly. 
Very few dishes are soiled on more 
fhan the upper side when they leave the 
table, but few there be who will not 
“stack” them, more or less soiling the 
lower side and doubling your work. You 
have to grin and bear this. If you can 
prevail upon “She Who Must Be Obeyed” 
to buy a roll of cheap tissue paper, hang 
it above the kitchen table, and use a foot 
or so of it after each meal on the dishes 
before you have to begin washing, about a 
third of your work will be saved. Some 
folks with very tender skin, use a mop 
instead of a dishcloth. If you will keep 
the alkalinity of the water down, it is not 
really needed. Don’t be skimpy with wa¬ 
ter. With a large family, two or three 
panfuls are none too few, and you will 
be surprised how much more quickly you 
work when the water is approximately 
der certain circumstances and with cer¬ 
tain types of sets, and governed greatly 
by your nearness to a broadcasting sta¬ 
tion. To get the most out of radio do not 
try “freak” ideas; the ordinary type of 
aerial is the best. The “loop aerial" is 
used regularly by certain types of more 
expensive sets. Earlier in this series of 
articles mention was made of several 
things that will affect radio. Don’t forget 
them and then expect the impossible. 
J. H. F. 
Science 
D. Crane 
clean. Do not be afraid to let some things 
soak awhile; put some pieces aside‘and 
“let nature take its course.” They will 
not be hurt, if you have the right amount 
of soda in the water. But this does not 
apply to cut glass; probably you won’t be 
allowed to wash that, anyhow. 
The very nicest way to wash dishes is 
under a little, constant, stream of hot 
water, a stream half the size of a lead 
pencil, with a dash of soap on the cloth. 
Then they are washed and rinsed at once. 
But it cannot be worked if the water 
must be softened. 
If you have the nerve to stick to the 
job (and I fancy you will have weakened 
before you get this), you will likely find 
your hands chapping a bit. There are 
two things to do; first, dry them very 
thoroughly indeed; dry them till you 
think they are dry, and then dry them 
two minutes more. Second, try out a lit¬ 
tle mutton fat, melt it in a little camphor 
and just a trace of wintergreen oil, and 
rub in a little of it. If you try it out 
with care and do not overheat, you will 
get very little of the muttony smell. Do 
not add glycerine unless you are sure it 
will not, of itself, irritate your skin, as It 
does that to some people. If you care to 
add just a little pure beeswax, you can 
then stir in about an equal bulk of water 
with a pinch of borax dissolved in it, and 
you will get a very good “cold cream” for 
healing. Heat it quite hot and stir stead¬ 
ily bill cool. A ( ace of clove oil may be 
used if you do not like wintergreen, but 
just a little of one or both should be used 
for the antiseptic effect. A mere trace is 
enough. 
Some folks use a drying rack and pour 
some hot water over the lot of washed 
dishes and let it go at that. Some of the 
dishes get dry in time for the next meal. 
Towels get them dry, but are more 
trouble, but the best work of a good dish¬ 
washer can be spoiled by a damp towel, 
and the washer gets blamed. Insist on 
dry towels, and plenty of them. 
And remember that “the first hundred 
years are the hardest.” f. d. c. 
Iron in Water 
We have a well 104 ft. deep that con¬ 
tains considerable iron oxide, I think. 
At times the water is as clear as crystal, 
and at other times it has some silt. When 
a pail of water is left standing for some 
time a film gathers on the surface, but 
I do not think it is oil. We would like 
to use this water in a tank for running 
water throughout the house, but as it 
colors the clothes when used for wash¬ 
ing and also the pails and reservoir, it is 
useless except to give to stock, although 
it is good drinking water. Can anything 
be put in the well that will make the 
water fit to wash clothes in? As it is it 
turns them reddish. l. h. a. 
Probably not, as it is, no doubt, a 
driven well for the most if not all of its 
depth. If you care to put in two settling 
tanks, which can be used alternately, and 
add to a full tank of the water a very 
little quicklime, the exact amount you 
can easily find by experiment, and let 
it settle a day or so, you will have no 
more trouble. If you use just enough 
lime, you will not harden the water 
enough to hurt. A very little caustic 
soda, or, better, sodium peroxide, (sell¬ 
ing now, wholesale, about 30c a pound), 
will also send all the iron to the bottom 
of the tank in a day or so. But the iron 
comes out in such a form that no preci¬ 
pitant will act in an instant; you will 
have to run at least one tank, or, better, 
two. 
Oxidized Tar in Chimney 
I have a chimney that has become cov¬ 
ered with a black shiny coating on the 
inside. I can hardly break it with a 
hammer. Is there any danger of it get¬ 
ting on fire? Do you know what causes 
it ? Do you know of any way to clean 
it? The chimney is too small for a per¬ 
son to get inside to work. b. .r. 
Garrison, N. Y. 
The coating is no doubt an oxidized 
tar, that is, the tar comes off the fuel 
and the air hardens it. It is not likely 
that it will catch fire, though it may, 
and there is no sure way of getting it 
off. If it is making you nervous vou 
might try adding a few square inches 
of sheet zinc to a hot fire from time to 
time. This may not work with this hard 
coat, but it is, at least, harmless. 
