FoodNetArchive

The standard book of recipes and housewife's guide, comprising as complete cook book

1901

Page 86

Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Man}^ things and substances are recom- mended for the destruction of injurious in- sects. Pliny says that the Romans used citron to preserve their woolen garments from moths. We have found that the in- sects which injure furs, feathers, and woolen goods may be destroyed by the Indian chestnut, cloves, walnut leaves, or common salt. Still more useful as preservatives are cedar chips, pepper, and camphor (in large pieces, for when broken it loses strength). Whatever the remedy selected, it is nec- essary in the first place to carefully shake, beat and brush the furs (against the grain), and all other articles which are to be put away when the season is over. They should then be sprinkled with pepper or camphor, and wrapped in a cloth which has been washed in lye water. Close the parcel care- ully, and place in a chest into which some insect powder has been sprinkled. It is well to put away feathers in empty cigar boxes. If one owns a cedar chest, or has closets which are wainscoted with cedar, it is suf- 438 ficient to hang up the articles after having well brushed and shaken them. Other methods may be employed to get rid of moths. A liquor of one quart of alcohol and the same quantity of essence of turpentine, and sixty-five grammes of cam- phor, is sometimes used. This should be kept in an earthenware jug, and well shaken before using. When the winter garments are put away, soak pieces of blotting paper in the liquid, and scatter among the furs and flannels, which should be rolled up in white cloths. Place one layer at the bottom, one above the article, and one at each .side. If one has no such chest, then, after having shaken and brushed the articles, fold them separately in linen paper, sprinkle with pepper and camphor, roll each parcel in newspaper, do the package up in white cloth, and hang in a closet or dark room. Clean furs by rubbing them against the grain with heated bran. Use magnesia for white furs. Cleaning of Lace. Fine laces should be washed as sel- dom as possible ; but when it is necessary, most women prefer to have them washed under their own eyes. Make hot soap suds with rain water and glycerine soap. The laces, after having been rolled on a glass bottle under a band of linen, must be put in the suds and remain there for twelve hours. Renew the soap suds three times, plunge the bottle into soft and clear water, and take it out immediately. The soap which remains serves to give some stifinCvSS to the lace when pressed by a hot iron. Pin each point down under a fine muslin, and iron on the wrong side. When all is finished, raise each flower b\^ a suitable pointed instrument. Laces may be bleached by being exposed to the sunlight in soap suds. The points are afterward dried on a cloth to which they are pinned. They are then rubbed carefully THE MODEL COOK BOOK 71 by the aid of a sponge dipped in soap suds of glycerine soap . First clean one side, and then the other. Rinse in clear water, in which a little alum is dissolved, to remove the soap. A little rice water should be passed over the wrong side of the lace with a sponge ; then it is to be ironed, and when finished the flowers should be picked out as in the above method. If the lace is not very much soiled, it can be cleaned with bread crumbs.