=BREADS= (continued 2)

=Before Washing Colored Clothes=

It is wise to set the color first, by soaking in a strong solution of cold salt water (one cupful of salt to half a pail of water). Soak two hours.

=To Remove Iron Rust from White Goods=

The old-fashioned way, still good, is to wet the place in lemon juice, sprinkle on it common table salt, and lay it in the sun. In these later days, there is on the market an iron rust soap, which removes the spot quickly, also an ink eradicator, sold by all druggists.

=How to Make Starch=

Two tablespoonfuls of starch should be made into a smooth paste with four tablespoonfuls of cold water. Pour over this three pints of boiling water, stirring rapidly all the time. Starch the garments, while they are still wet. In the olden days, people made starch of flour in the same way, for linen and gingham dresses, as it was less expensive and thought to be just as good for colored clothes.

=When you Go Away from Home for a Few Days=

Plan your meals before leaving. This simplifies matters for the one left in charge, and is often found to be of importance financially.

=The Proper Way to Sweep a Room=

Dust the furniture and put it in another room. Dust bric-a-brac and put on the bed if you are sweeping a sleeping room, if another room put them on the table, or in an adjoining room. Brush the draperies, take down and lay on the bed or table. Cover these and bric-a-brac with a sheet. Wet a newspaper, tear into small pieces and spread on the rug or carpet. Now you are ready for sweeping. If the floor is carpeted, sweep all dirt to the center of the room. Sweep the corners with a small whisk broom. Move every piece of furniture lest there be dirt left underneath. Open the windows before sweeping. When the dust is settled take a pail of warm water, put in a tablespoonful of ammonia, then with a clean cloth wrung from this wipe the window glass, mirror and pictures; polish with dry cloth. Wipe all finger marks from doors and mop boards.

Now take a pail of clean water, with ammonia, and with a small scrubbing brush go over the rug or carpet, to remove dust and brighten the colors. Replace furniture, bric-a-brac and draperies and your room will be sweet and clean. With care, once in two or three weeks, will be often enough to do this.

=When Baking Cup Custards=

Set them into a pan of hot water. When you remove from the oven, place them in a pan of cold water, to prevent longer cooking.

=When Using Currants and Raisins=

Mix a little dry flour with currants and raisins before adding them to cakes or puddings. It will keep them from falling to the bottom.

=Try Baking Beets, Instead of Boiling Them=

They are much sweeter. Three or four hours is necessary, according to size.

=When Making Grape Juice or Jelly=

Before adding the sugar, strain through a flannel bag. It will be much clearer.

=When Sewing Braid on a Dress=

Slip a piece of pasteboard three or four inches long, into the hem. You can sew more quickly, and your stitches will not show on the right side.

=To Skin Beets=

When you remove beets from the kettle, plunge them into a dish of cold water. The skins will slip off easily with the hand. Never cut or pare beets before cooking.

=A Fine Way to Keep Cut Roses=

Immerse them at night in a pail of cold water, blossoms down.

=To Keep Carnations=

Put a little salt in the water, which should be changed each morning, and cut the stems a little each time.

=When Pies are Ready to Bake=

Put little dabs of lard, on the top crust, then hold it under the faucet, letting cold water run over it.

=A Way to Make Pies Brown and Shiny=

Just before putting a pie in the oven, brush over the top with milk, using a soft brush or a clean piece of cheese cloth.

=When Threading a Needle=

Place a piece of white paper under the eye. You will be surprised at the ease, with which you can thread it.

=Make your Own Baking Powder=

Get your grocer to weigh for you one pound of cream of tartar, and one-half pound of bread soda. Sift these together nine times in a flour sifter. Put in a tin can, and it is ready for use.

=To Prevent Children from Losing Mittens=

Sew strongly to each mitten, four or five inches of narrow black ribbon (use a colored one if you prefer). Sew the other end of ribbon to the coat sleeve. The child can remove mittens at any time without losing them and always know where they are.

=Teach a Child to Hang up his Own Coat and Hat=

Have some hooks, low down in the closet or kitchen where a child can reach them easily, to be used only by himself.

=To Keep your Own Umbrella=

Take a piece of narrow white tape, three or four inches long. With a glass pen, or a new clean steel one, and indelible ink, write your name upon it. Sew this to the inside of the umbrella.

=To Wash a White Silk Waist, or a Baby's Bonnet=

Use cold water and white soap. Hot water will turn white silk yellow.

=When Ironing Embroidery=

Place it right side down on a piece of soft flannel, ironing on the wrong side. If flannel is not at hand, try an old turkish towel.

=To Wash Small Pieces of Lace=

Put in a horse radish bottle and pour over them, strong soap suds, good and hot, and shake well. Let stand awhile and shake again. Rinse in clear, warm water, by shaking. Dry on a clean cloth in the sunshine.

=Never Throw away Sour Milk=

It is excellent for graham bread, gingerbread, brown bread, griddle cakes, and doughnuts, also biscuit.

You can make a delicious cottage cheese of a very small quantity.

Set the milk on the back of the stove, in an agate dish. Let stand until the whey separates from the curd. Strain through a cloth, squeezing the curd dry. Put in a little salt, a small piece of butter, and a little sage if desired. Press into balls and serve.

=Mark New Rubbers=

Take a pointed stick—a wooden skewer from the butcher's is best—dip it into ink and write the name, on the inside.

=Economical Hints=

Save small pieces of soap in the bathroom, by placing in a cup or small box, until you have a cupful. Add a little water and boil a few minutes; when nearly cool, press with the hands, and you have a new cake of soap.

Do not throw away the white papers around cracker boxes. They are good to clean irons and will save buying ironing wax. If irons are dirty put a good layer of salt on newspaper and rub the irons back and forth.

Save even the coupons on your soap wrappers. You can get a silver thimble for your mending bag with them, if nothing more.

Save your strong string, to wrap around packages going by parcel post. Also fold nicely for further use your clean wrapping papers. Make a bag of pretty cretonne, hang in the kitchen or cellar way, to keep the string and wrapping paper in. You will find it very convenient.

Do not throw away small pieces of bread. Save them for plum pudding, queen's pudding, or dressing for fish or fowl. If broken into small pieces and browned in a hot oven, it is very nice to eat with soups. Or, dry well, roll fine and keep in a glass jar, to be used for breaded pork chops, croquettes, or oysters.

=To Mend Broken China=

Stir into a strong solution of gum arabic, plaster of Paris. Put this on each side of the china, holding together for a few minutes. Make it as thick as cream.

=To Clean Old Jewelry=

Wash in warm water containing a little ammonia. If very dirty rub with a brush. This is very good also for cleaning hair brushes and combs.

=Dish Washing Made a Pleasure=

First of all, remove all refuse from the dishes. Place them near the sink, large plates at the bottom, then the smaller ones, then saucers. Have a large pan full of very hot water. Make a good soap suds by using a soap shaker. Wash the tumblers and all glassware first, and wipe at once. Use a handle dish cloth (which can be bought for five cents), for these, as the water will be too hot for the hands.

Wash the silver next. Have a large pan, in which to place the clean dishes, cups and bowls first. When all are washed pour over them boiling or very hot water, and wipe quickly. Pans and kettles come last. Always have a cake of sand soap or a can of cleaning powder, for scouring the pie plates and bottoms of kettles. It is very little work to keep baking tins and kitchen utensils in good condition, if washed perfectly clean each time they are used.

Wash the dish towels, at least once every day, and never use them for anything else. With clean hot water, clean towels, and plenty of soap dishwashing is made easy.

If you live in New England, your sink will be in front of a window. Be sure and plant just outside of this window nasturtiums, a bed of pansies, morning glories and for fall flowers, salvia. These bright blossoms will add to your pleasure while washing dishes.

=A Space Saver=

If you are crowded for space in closet, kitchen or pantry buy a spiral spring, such as is used for sash curtains. Fasten the end pieces to the back of the door, and stretch the spring from end to end. You now have a fine place to hang towels, stockings or neckties, or if used in a pantry, to keep covers.

=Another Space Saver=

If you have no closet in your room, get a board, nine inches wide, and three or four feet long. Put it in the most convenient place in your room on two brackets. Stain it the color of your woodwork. Screw into the under side of the board, wardrobe hooks. Now get a pretty piece of cretonne or denim, hem top and bottom, and tack with brass headed tacks to the shelf, having it long enough to come to the floor, and around the ends of the board. Use the top for a book shelf or hats.

=If the Freshness of Eggs is Doubtful=

Break each one separately into a cup, before mixing together. Yolks and whites beaten separately, make a cake much lighter than when beaten together.

=When Bread Cooks Too Quickly=

When your bread is browning on the outside, before it is cooked inside, put a clean piece of brown paper over it. This will prevent scorching.

=To Remove the Odor of Onions=

Fill with cold water kettles and sauce pans in which they have been cooked adding a tablespoonful of bread soda and the same of ammonia. Let stand on the stove until it boils. Then wash in hot suds and rinse well. A pudding or bean pot, treated in this way, will wash easily. Wood ashes in the water will have the same effect.

=Never Leave a Glass of Water or Medicine, Uncovered in a Room=

This is very important. Water will absorb all the gases, with which a room is filled from the respiration of those sleeping in the room.

=Weights and Measures=

4 Teaspoonsfuls equal 1 tablespoonful of liquid.

4 Tablespoonfuls equal half a gill.

2 Coffee-cupfuls equal 1 pint.

2 Pints equal 1 quart.

4 Coffee-cupfuls of sifted flour equal 1 pound.

1 Quart of unsifted flour equals 1 pound.

1 Pint of granulated sugar equals 1 pound.

1 Coffee-cupful of cold butter pressed down equals 1 pound.

An ordinary tumbler holds the same as a coffee cup.

It is well to have a tin or glass cup, marked in thirds or quarters for measuring.

=When to Salt Vegetables=

Every kind of food and all kinds of vegetables need a little salt when cooking. Do not wait until the vegetables are done. Salt the water they are boiled in after they begin to boil.

=What to Serve With Meats=

Roast Beef and Turkey

Squash, turnips, onions and cranberry sauce.

Roast Pork

Spinach, onions and apple sauce.

Roast Lamb

Mint sauce.

Roast Mutton

Currant jelly and vegetables.

With all kinds of meat and fowl pickles are always good. Make your own pickles, after recipes found in this book.

=The Length of Time to Cook Meats=

Lamb

Roast a leg of lamb three hours. Wash clean, sprinkle over it a little flour and salt and put into a pan, with cold water. While it is cooking, take a spoon and pour over it the water from the pan, three or four times.

Veal

Roast veal three hours, treating it the same way as lamb. When you have removed it from the pan, make a smooth paste, by wetting two or three tablespoonfuls of flour with cold water, and stir into the water left in the pan. Pour in more water, if the size of your family requires it.

Beef

Roast beef requires fifteen minutes for each pound. Do not salt beef, until you take it from the oven.

Ham

Boil a ham of ordinary size three hours. Let cool in the water in which it is boiled. It is very nice to remove the skin, while warm, stick cloves in the outside, sprinkle over it a little vinegar and sugar and bake for one hour.

Sausages

Sausages are very nice, baked in a hot oven twenty minutes. Prick with a fork to prevent bursting. Do this too, if fried.

Corned Beef

Should boil four hours.

Chicken

A chicken will cook in one hour and a half. A fowl requires an hour longer. Don't forget to put in one tablespoonful of vinegar to make tender.

Turkey

A ten pound turkey needs to cook three hours, in a slow oven.

=The Length of Time to Cook Vegetables=

Onions

Boil one hour. Longer if they are large.

Cabbage

Requires one hour and a half.

Parsnips

Boil two or three hours according to size.

Carrots

Wash, scrape, and boil one hour.

=When Paring Tomatoes=

Put them into very hot water and the skin will come off easily.

* * * * * *

The following pages contain advertisements of a few of the Macmillan books on kindred subjects.