Ingenious Devices 
LABOR-SAVING SCHEMES AND SHORT CUTS IN THE HOUSE AND IN THE GARDEN 
When the Drain is Clogged 
npo remove the obstruction from the 
clogged-up drain pipe of a sink, first 
dissolve in one-half gallon of boiling water 
a sufficient quantity of any good soap 
powder to make a strong suds. Pour the 
solution into the drain pipe, and open the 
faucet, then while the water is running 
place the palm of the hand over the mouth 
of the pipe and pump up and down in such 
manner as to cause suction though the 
pipe. The obstructions will usually soon 
be removed. J. J. O’C. 
How to Take Up Flooring in the 
House 
AX^HENEVER it is necessary to take 
’ * up a section of flooring for any 
purpose, whether it be to lay steam or hot 
water heating pipes, or gas or electric 
light wires, the careful housewife is in de¬ 
spair for the safety of her floors, especial¬ 
ly, as is often the case, they are of fine 
wood, carefully stained and polished. Few 
workmen understand the art of doing 
this. The following hints were gleaned 
from the experience of having some work 
of this kind done about the house. 
One method is simply to destroy lengths 
of flooring, using new materials to cover 
the opening. This method will be found 
very expensive in the end. It will require 
an endless amount of an expert painter's 
time to darken the new material to match 
the old. It is, however, the common 
method of doing the work. 
A far better plan is the following, which 
takes but little time. Briefly the idea is 
to cut the tongues from two strips of floor¬ 
ing laid side by side, which will allow 
them to be removed without any injury. 
If done in the following manner, when it 
is relaid, no injury is noticeable. A very 
fine chisel, about one-half inch wide, is 
inserted between the strips of flooring at 
their ends and driven down with a ham¬ 
mer until the tongue is cut through. Then 
a “key hole saw” is used, and the tongue 
cut as far as the first beam. The saw is 
held at quite an angle when cutting the 
tongue. It is necessary of course to use 
the chisel again on the side of each beam 
opposite the saw. When the tongue has 
been cut as far as necessary on one strip, 
that on the strip next to it is also cut. 
Then at the ends of both the strips the 
chisel is driven through at an angle and 
the saw inserted and both pieces cut. 
It is obvious that when they are laid in 
place again, and nailed, and a little var¬ 
nish of the right color applied, that where 
they have been taken up is scarcely notice¬ 
able. I have discovered some very poor 
work where other methods were em¬ 
ployed. To start the hole for the saw to 
be inserted a bit and brace was used to 
bore a hole! In another house, after the 
strips had been removed, another wide 
strip was put down instead, of course 
spoiling the appearance of the floor. With 
the method above described I have known 
fine flooring to be removed, and after it 
was replaced it was difficult to locate the 
spot, unless a person knew exactly where 
to look. So many old houses are being 
wired for electricity that this method is 
very valuable. C. K. F. 
A Picture Frame Suggestion 
"IV/TANY old-fashioned picture-frames 
are spoiled by over-decoration; 
either too great width or a combination of 
wood and gilt carving. Where the outer 
rim of gilding may be removed, leaving a 
simple frame of wood, the change makes 
A clever method of tree doctoring accom¬ 
plished by hammering lead sheathing over 
the cut limb 
all the difference between vulgarity and 
good taste. Often a few strokes of a ham¬ 
mer or the use of a screwdriver will ac¬ 
complish such amputation with gratifying 
results. M. E. S. H. 
A Camp Cupboard 
COME fellow-campers filled me with 
^ envy at sight of their two fine cup¬ 
boards. These proved to be simply boxes 
with one side made into a door and at¬ 
tached with leather hinges. Inside, cleats 
were nailed across to accommodate the 
light, removable shelves. 
For the trips to and from camp, these 
were merely packing boxes, the shelves 
being slipped all together into one side. 
After the stores and bedding were re¬ 
moved, they were “set up,” and were the 
greatest convenience the camp contained. 
Leather handles made them easy to lift 
when full. The boxes were painted neatly. 
Camps and rented cottages seldom have 
adequate cupboard room, while this also 
disposes of the packing boxes which are 
often a burden in limited space. 
A. M. A. 
Starting Rose Cuttings 
\ LADY unusually successful in start- 
ing rose slips gives this as her 
“secret": 
She takes each little cutting, after it has 
stood a few hours in water to freshen its 
stem, and makes a ball of clay around the 
end or joint where the roots will start. 
This ball she forms with her hands, press¬ 
ing it as hard as possible, and making it 
somewhat larger than a baseball. This 
she plants in the earth just as though it 
were a bunch of roots. In this way she 
seldom loses a cutting, and finds she can 
grow the most delicate varieties. 
L. M. C. 
Protection from Sun 
A FTER having suffered a slight sun- 
stroke, I find it impossible to go into 
the garden for even a short time without 
protection. For a very small sum we pur¬ 
chased one of the large umbrellas used for 
advertising purposes, and my husband 
wired the handle securely to a stout stick 
sharpened at the end. Now, when desir¬ 
ing to pick a few berries or vegetables I 
plant my umbrella, and work beneath its 
shade without discomfort or fear of in¬ 
jury. This would prove an excellent thing 
for children who have no shade in which 
to play. A. M. A. 
Tree Doctoring. 
PROBABLY there is no country where 
there is such a universal interest in 
gardening as in England. Almost every¬ 
one has his garden plot, from the few 
square feet of the cottager to the wide 
acres of the landed proprietor. Conse¬ 
quently nearly everyone is proficient in the 
art, and considerable ingenuity is shown, 
especially in the trimming of vines and 
hedges and pruning of trees. The accom¬ 
panying illustration shows a tree wound 
and a successful means of doctoring it, 
practised by an English gardener. Because 
of the exposed position where the branch 
was sawed off, something more permanent 
than a liquid coating was sought for, and 
a sheet of lead sheathing used. By simply 
bending this over the amputated branch 
and hammering with a fairly broad-faced 
hammer, a hermetical casing of great dura¬ 
bility was formed. This was sufficient to 
prevent decay and allow the natural 
growth of the tree to proceed unhindered. 
A. W. D. 
(452) 
