THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
157 
obtain pure soap, is to make it yourself, and this can be 
done in any private family without great inconvenience 
or exertion. 
In a recent sanitary article we are told that many 
‘•soaps are highly scented, just because the greases of 
them are so vile, and the change by alkali so unstable, 
that it is needful to cover their odor in this way. The 
water from their use spoils with undue rapidity. There 
is a great tendency in the materials to go back to their 
original elements. These hydro-carbons are among the 
most stencliy of products. This decomposed grease has 
very much to do with the deposits in sewers, and the 
vileness of sewer-gas. It is not an indifferent matter 
of what kinds of grease soap is made, or what 
had been its decompositions before it was used. 
The genuine old Castile soaji, made from olive 
oil, was quite different from some of our modern mix¬ 
tures. Besides this, various materials are combined 
with soap, to take the place of oil or to give it bulk; 
powders of various kinds are available; so it can hardly 
be said that the cleansing power of soap is to be meas¬ 
ured by the quantity used. This becomes a very im¬ 
portant matter in the interests of cleanliness, as well as 
of economy. The perfection of laundry work and wash¬ 
ing of all kinds lias so much to do with health that the 
cleansing capacity of soaps demands the most vigorous 
investigation; all the more, because, from being cleans¬ 
ers, in the breaking up which takes place they undoubt¬ 
edly become factors in the causation of disease. As 
they are so freely used, we often have in the wash-room 
and the drains from it one prolific source of ill-health 
in households.” 
In making soap, it is not necessary that the whole 
house, or even the kitchen should be filled with a vile 
odor. It is even possible for a lady to make it, and yet 
be very presentable in her personal appearance; a cook¬ 
ing apron and a pair of sleeves will be all the protection 
necessary to the dress. 
We will suppose that the fat has all been carefully 
tried out and strained, and this a servant can do as the 
grease accumulates, never allowing it to become tainted. 
If you will save your old tomato cans, you will find 
them a great convenience to strain your grease into, as 
two of them will hold five pounds, just enough to use 
with one box of potash. 
Do not say you have no soap-kettle and think to ex¬ 
cuse yourself in that way. We know of a lady who 
makes beautiful soap, as white as Castile, and she uses 
an old dish-pan that holds ten quarts. 
For the two tomato cans of grease, or five pounds 
in cakes, you will need one box of Babbitt’s or any first- 
class potash. Put into your pan or kettle eight quarts 
of luke-warm water, your cans or cakes of grease ; take 
the top off the potash can and put in can and contents, 
placing your kettle where it will heat gradually. 
When the grease is melted and the potash dissolved, 
take out the cans and let the water come to a boil, 
stirring occasionally. After it has boiled away a little, 
put in two more quarts of water. It will need to boil 
slowly for two or three hours before it will be soap. When 
it begins to look soapy throw in two table-spoonfuls 
of salt, and boil till smooth again as the salt may cause 
the soap and water to separate at first. If your kettle 
gets too hot by any chance and is likely to ran over, 
throw in a little cold water and set in a cooler place. 
When you think it is done, take out a little in a saucer 
and try it, like jelly, by cooling it. If it separates, put it 
back, and dip out some more and try putting a little 
cold water in it, stirring it. If that thickens it, you will 
know that more water is needed, and you can put 
in a quart of cold water; stir it well and try some again; 
if it hardens when cool it is all right. A little ex¬ 
perience will soon enable you to tell just what it needs. 
If you do not have water enough for the proportion of 
potash, it will separate even after it has boiled suffi¬ 
ciently. If it does not separate nor harden on being 
cooled there is too much water, and you must boil it 
down more. When it is just right pour it out in a 
vessel to cool. A square wooden box, divided into sec¬ 
tions, the size for bars, is very convenient. It should 
be deep enough to make thick bars, as the soap will dry 
away greatly. When you put the soap away see 
that you have it in a light, airy place or it will turn 
dark. It will preserve its shape better if you do not pile 
it up while it is soft. Five pounds of grease will make 
fourteen large bars of soap, and as your potash can be 
bought for ten or twelve cents, it will not cost 'you a 
penny a bar, and you will have the satisfaction of 
knowing that it is pure and of excellent cleansing prop¬ 
erties. 
Baking Powder Biscuits. 
One quart of sifted flour; three heaping teaspoons 
baking powder; a little salt; and three scant table¬ 
spoons of cold lard. Stir the baking powder through 
the flour, and then sift the flour again. In measuring 
the lard press it into the spoon with your finger or a knife, 
and then smooth it off so the spoon will be barely even 
fuU. Then with one hand mix it through the flour, and 
with a spoon stir into it enough sweet milk or milk and 
water—though milk alone is best—to make a soft dough. 
It should be just stiff enough to roll and cut, and will 
make fifteen biscuits an inch thick. Your fire should be 
very hot, as your success will largely depend on the 
rapidity in which they are mixed and baked. New pro¬ 
cess flour is much nicer than any other, as coarse flour 
wifi never make perfect baking powder biscuits. If soda 
and cream tartar are more convenient, use one even tea¬ 
spoon of soda and three of cream tartar; sift through 
the flour in the same manner as baking powder, except 
that the soda must be made fine with a knife on your 
molding board before it is measured. 
Mrs. C. G. Herbert. 
To-day is the summit 
Of duty and life, 
The path of endeavor, 
Tire arena of strife. 
To-day is ours only; 
Work, work while you may; 
There is no to-morrow, • 
But only to-day.' 
