To Preserve Cut Flowers. A bouquet of freshly cut
flowers may be preserved alive for a long time by placing
them in a glass or vase with fresh water, in which a little
charcoal has been steeped, era small piece of camphor✪ To Preserve Cut Flowers dis-
solved. The vase should be set upon a plate or dish, and
covered with a bell glass, around the edges of which, when
it comes in contact with the plate, a little water should be
poured to exclude the air.
To Revive Cut Flowers after Packing. Plunge the
stems into boiling water, and by the time the water is cold,
the flowers will have revived. Then cut afresh the ends of
the stems, and keep them in fresh cold water.
To Clean Ivory. To clean and preserve the color of
ivory ornaments, brooches, card cases, bracelets, chains, etc.,
place the articles to be cleansed in a basin of cold water and
allow them to remain in it twenty-four hours. Take them out
of the water and lay them on a clean, soft towel, but do not
The Care of the House 26^
wipe them, they must dry by the air, and any water that
remains in the carving of the ivory should be blown out; if
allowed to settle on the ivory it would destroy the color.
To Polish Tortoise Shell. When by wear tortoise
shell articles have lost their luster, the polished surface may
be restored to its original condition by carefully rubbing
with powdered rottenstone and oil. The rottenstone should
be very carefully sifted through the finest muslin. When all
scratches on the surface of the tortoise shell are thus
removed, a brilliant polish may be given to it by applying
gentle friction with a piece of soft leather, to which some
jeweler's rouge✪ To Polish Tortoise Shell has been applied.
To Clean Lamp Chimneys. Rub lamp chimneys
with newspaper on which has been poured a little kerosene✪ To Clean Lamp Chimneys.
This will make them much clearer than if soap is used; they
will also be less liable to crack.
Stains on Leather. A piece of cloth dipped in spirits
of wine✪ Stains on Leather and rubbed upon soiled leather will remove every
spot on it.
Polish for Black Grates. One pound of common
asphaltum, one-half pint of linseed oil, one quart of oil of
turpentine. Melt the asphaltum, and add gradually to it
the other two ingredients. Apply this with a small painter's
brush, and leave it to become perfectly dry. The grate will
need no other cleaning, but will merely require dusting every
day, and occasionally brushing with a dry black lead brush.
This is, of course, when no fires are used. When they are
required, the bars, cheeks and back of grate will need black-
leading in the usual manner.
How to Dust a Room. Soft cloths make the best of
dusters. In dusting any piece of furniture begin at the top
and dust down, wiping carefully with the cloth, which can
be frequently shaken. A good many people seem to have no
idea what dusting is intended to accomplish, and instead of
264 The Care of the House
wiping off and removing the dust it is simply flirted off into
the air and soon settles down upon the articles dusted again.
If carefully taken up by the cloth it can be shaken off out of
the window into the open air. If the furniture will permit
the use of a damp cloth, it will more easily take up the
dust, and it can be washed out in a pail of soapsuds. It is
far easier to save work by covering up nice furniture while
sweeping, than to clean the dust out, besides leaving the
furniture looking far better in the long run.
Page 149 · 4 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1894. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
To Preserve Cut Flowers. A bouquet of freshly cut flowers may be preserved alive for a long time by placing them in a glass or vase with fresh water, in which a little charcoal has been steeped, or a small piece of camphor dissolved. The vase should be set upon a plate or dish, and covered with a bell glass, around the edges of which, when it comes in contact with the plate, a little water should be poured to exclude the air.
To Revive Cut Flowers after Packing. Plunge the stems into boiling water, and by the time the water is cold, the flowers will have revived. Then cut afresh the ends of the stems, and keep them in fresh cold water.
To Clean Ivory. To clean and preserve the color of ivory ornaments, brooches, card cases, bracelets, chains, etc., place the articles to be cleansed in a basin of cold water and allow them to remain in it twenty-four hours. Take them out of the water and lay them on a clean, soft towel, but do not
The Care of the House 263
wipe them, they must dry by the air, and any water that remains in the carving of the ivory should be blown out; if allowed to settle on the ivory it would destroy the color.
To Polish Tortoise Shell. When by wear tortoise shell articles have lost their luster, the polished surface may be restored to its original condition by carefully rubbing with powdered rottenstone and oil. The rottenstone should be very carefully sifted through the finest muslin. When all scratches on the surface of the tortoise shell are thus removed, a brilliant polish may be given to it by applying gentle friction with a piece of soft leather, to which some jeweler's rouge has been applied.
To Clean Lamp Chimneys. Rub lamp chimneys with newspaper on which has been poured a little kerosene. This will make them much clearer than if soap is used; they will also be less liable to crack.
Stains on Leather. A piece of cloth dipped in spirits of wine and rubbed upon soiled leather will remove every spot on it.
Polish for Black Grates. One pound of common asphaltum, one-half pint of linseed oil, one quart of oil of turpentine. Melt the asphaltum, and add gradually to it the other two ingredients. Apply this with a small painter's brush, and leave it to become perfectly dry. The grate will need no other cleaning, but will merely require dusting every day, and occasionally brushing with a dry black lead brush. This is, of course, when no fires are used. When they are required, the bars, cheeks and back of grate will need blackleading in the usual manner.
How to Dust a Room. Soft cloths make the best of dusters. In dusting any piece of furniture begin at the top and dust down, wiping carefully with the cloth, which can be frequently shaken. A good many people seem to have no idea what dusting is intended to accomplish, and instead of
264 The Care of the House
wiping off and removing the dust it is simply flirted off into the air and soon settles down upon the articles dusted again. If carefully taken up by the cloth it can be shaken off out of the window into the open air. If the furniture will permit the use of a damp cloth, it will more easily take up the dust, and it can be washed out in a pail of soapsuds. It is far easier to save work by covering up nice furniture while sweeping, than to clean the dust out, besides leaving the furniture looking far better in the long run.
Records on this page
To Preserve Cut FlowersTo Polish Tortoise ShellTo Clean Lamp ChimneysStains on Leather