Ingenious Devices 
LABOR-SAVING SCHEMES AND SHORT CUTS IN THE HOUSE AND IN THE GARDEN 
A Saver of Crockery 
F REQUENTLY it is not more space 
that is required to increase the effi¬ 
ciency of a cupboard, but a more care- 
The difficult arrangement of platters in the 
china closet is made a simple matter by 
increasing the number of shelves 
ful division of the space already possessed. 
In our accompanying illustration is shown 
a compartment in a butler’s pantry recent¬ 
ly built. It is devoted chiefly to platters. 
Instead of being piled on top of each 
other or set on end in the ordinary fash¬ 
ion, each platter has a shelf to itself. The 
shelves are no more than four inches 
apart and are adjustable. This simple 
arrangement not only saves much space 
but prevents breakage, as dishes cannot 
be slammed together by a careless maid. 
A similar device could easily be introduced 
into any cupboard, using the metal sup¬ 
ports sold for bookcase shelves. 
L. A. S. 
For Better Ventilation 
A N ingenious scheme for the better ven- 
tilation of a room with a transomless 
door was recently shown me in the house 
-of a well-known actor who is also a good 
amateur carpenter. The room, which is 
small and rather low-ceiled, has two win¬ 
dows, in the north and east sides respect¬ 
ively, and one door, divided into sections 
of five crosswise panels. Seeing the need 
for the better circulation of air in the 
room, which is often used as a sleeping 
apartment, the actor put his wits and his 
tools to work and sawed out the whole of 
the top panel. At the bottom of the 
panel he put hinges and at the top a brass 
catch, with brass chains at the sides that 
allow it to be let down for possibly ten 
inches. The brass work is unobtrusive, 
and is by no means disfiguring to the door, 
which is painted white, and the movable 
panel does quite as good service as a real 
transom. S. L. C. 
Lighting Helps 
HE frequent blackening which occurs 
on gas mantles of the Welsbach 
type can oftentimes be corrected by the 
use of common table salt. Turn the light 
low and sprinkle lightly from a salt- 
shaker. Then let the light burn brightly 
for a few minutes and much of the black 
will have disappeared. Repeat this pro¬ 
cess until the surface is entirely clear. If 
the brass of the burner is visible clean off 
all salt grains, as they have a corrosive 
action and are apt to stain. This simple 
remedy can make a considerable saving 
in mantles. 
Rust in the Gas Stove 
O prevent the rusting of the gas 
stove oven, form the habit of leav¬ 
ing the doors wide open while tne oven 
is cooling off after using. If left closed 
the steam generated by the process of 
cooling dampens the iron and rust is the 
result. Strict observance of this rule rule 
will double the life of the gas stove. 
M. E. S. H. 
“Stoa Poikile” 
A FAMILY desiring additional porch 
space without the consequent dark¬ 
ening of the lower windows, conceived the 
ingenious idea of having a separate porch 
building constructed. The “Stoa Poikile,” 
as they choose to call it, is of architecture 
corresponding to the main house and forms 
an attractive adjunct to the grounds. It 
has the advantage of receiving every 
breeze and providing shade during all the 
day. The central partition makes it pos¬ 
sible to be used either for shade or as a 
sun parlor, for when one side is in shadow 
the other has sunlight. 
An Efficient Seed Test 
O plant and wait long and hopefully 
for some result of your labors only 
to find that a large majority of your seeds 
are sterile and unproductive is a real dis¬ 
appointment. If one could only have 
known beforehand and planted again to 
retrive the loss. It is very easy, however, 
to test your own seeds and insure your 
results. 
Take at random fifty to one hundred 
seeds from the package; get some soft 
canton flannel and a good size soup or 
Anyone can test his seeds before planting 
by germinating them between layers of 
flannel, kept moist in a soup plate. 
dinner plate. This is all the apparatus 
necessary. Moisten the flannel and place 
the seeds upon it, then cover with another 
plate of similar size to retain the moisture. 
Subject to a temperature of from 70 to 
85 degrees and watch the process of ger¬ 
mination each day for about eight days. 
Continue to keep moist as soon as any 
signs of dryness appear. When your test 
is completed, count the seeds that have 
sprouted and find the average of fertile 
seeds; it is then an easy matter to make 
allowance for the percentage of poor 
material. 
A novel form of porch that retains all the desirable qualities of the veranda without 
darkening rooms or spoiling the symmetry of the house. Mellor & Meigs, architects. 
(176) 
