and draperies, enlivened by freshly colored pictures, the light
of open fires, and the soft colors of candle-flame and shaded
lamps. If there can be only one open fire in the house,
put it in the dining-room. One of the most acceptable
effects of light is obtainable from the use of colored tissue
paper for lamp-shades. The loveliest remembered one was
seen in a delightful Southern home, — a lamp entirely hidden
in a mass of pink roses, so artistically concealed that real
sunlight seemed shining through a cloud of roses. These
flower lamp-shades can be made by any deft fingers. They
are quite safe to use until the paper becomes very dry and
crisp, nearly charred by the heat of the lamp; then they
should be renewed. Candles and lamps give a softer and
more acceptable light than gas ; and there are now so many
devices for making both available, that it has come to be a
matter of choice in their use ; they are specially effective at the
dinner- table.
DINING-ROOM FLOORS.
The fact has been mentioned in connection with window-
draperies, that all woollen fabrics attract and retain odors,
especially those arising from heated fat ; for this reason, as
well as upon the score of cleanliness, a movable carpet or
rug is better for dining-room use than one nailed to the
floor. Even in ordinary grades of carpeting, good colors
are now available, and can be so combined that centre and
border present an acceptable appearance. The rug can be
shaken often, and hung for several hours in the air and sun-
light, while the floor of the dining-room is being cleaned.
When rugs are used, the margin of floors exposed should
always be in good condition. If the wood of the floor is
fine-grained, and the planks are neatly fitted together, it may
simply be cleaned frequently, dry-scrubbing with sawdust
being the best method ; or it can be kept oiled or polished.
When the wood is inferior, or imperfectly joined, the irregu-
84 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY.
larities should be planed off, the nail-holes and cracks filled
in with putty, and the floor subsequently painted or stained.
Good methods are subjoined for producing all these different
effects, together with hints for keeping the floors in good
order after they are colored. When there is a smooth, hard
floor of natural wood, it can be kept in perfect condition by
dusting it daily, either with a soft, flexible brush, or a soft
woollen cloth. The cloth may be used in the hand, or fas-
tened to a long wooden handle to obviate the necessity for
stooping. Linen and cotton fabrics are apt to leave lint
upon the boards. In addition to the daily dusting, a weekly
dry-scrubbing with sawdust is preferable to washing with
water ; even for varnished or painted floors, sawdust scrub-
bing is better than the use of water, which destroys the gloss
of the surface, and gradually impairs its integrity by more
or less absorption of moisture, especially in damp or foggy
places.
SAWDUST SCRUBBING.
Page 49
Presented as published in 1885. 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
and draperies, enlivened by freshly colored pictures, the light of open fires, and the soft colors of candle-flame and shaded lamps. If there can be only one open fire in the house, put it in the dining-room. One of the most acceptable effects of light is obtainable from the use of colored tissue paper for lamp-shades. The loveliest remembered one was seen in a delightful Southern home, — a lamp entirely hidden in a mass of pink roses, so artistically concealed that real sunlight seemed shining through a cloud of roses. These flower lamp-shades can be made by any deft fingers. They are quite safe to use until the paper becomes very dry and crisp, nearly charred by the heat of the lamp; then they should be renewed. Candles and lamps give a softer and more acceptable light than gas ; and there are now so many devices for making both available, that it has come to be a matter of choice in their use ; they are specially effective at the dinner- table.
DINING-ROOM FLOORS.
The fact has been mentioned in connection with windowdraperies, that all woollen fabrics attract and retain odors, especially those arising from heated fat ; for this reason, as well as upon the score of cleanliness, a movable carpet or rug is better for dining-room use than one nailed to the floor. Even in ordinary grades of carpeting, good colors are now available, and can be so combined that centre and border present an acceptable appearance. The rug can be shaken often, and hung for several hours in the air and sunlight, while the floor of the dining-room is being cleaned. When rugs are used, the margin of floors exposed should always be in good condition. If the wood of the floor is fine-grained, and the planks are neatly fitted together, it may simply be cleaned frequently, dry-scrubbing with sawdust being the best method ; or it can be kept oiled or polished. When the wood is inferior, or imperfectly joined, the irregu-
larities should be planed off, the nail-holes and cracks filled in with putty, and the floor subsequently painted or stained. Good methods are subjoined for producing all these different effects, together with hints for keeping the floors in good order after they are colored. When there is a smooth, hard floor of natural wood, it can be kept in perfect condition by dusting it daily, either with a soft, flexible brush, or a soft woollen cloth. The cloth may be used in the hand, or fastened to a long wooden handle to obviate the necessity for stooping. Linen and cotton fabrics are apt to leave lint upon the boards. In addition to the daily dusting, a weekly dry-scrubbing with sawdust is preferable to washing with water ; even for varnished or painted floors, sawdust scrubbing is better than the use of water, which destroys the gloss of the surface, and gradually impairs its integrity by more or less absorption of moisture, especially in damp or foggy places.
SAWDUST SCRUBBING.