FRAYED COLLARS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12825, 8 June 1907, Page 7

FRAYED COLLARS.

To have listened to the lechir© on scientific laundry work delivered last night by Professor Herbert Jackson would have been good for tho housewife (says the "Daily Mail'). Afterwards, when her husband complained of tho rough edge of tho collar that was sawing his neck and of cuffs that wero becoming so disgracefully" frayed, she would be able te tell him tho why and whoroforo of it. This roughness in the cuffs, sho could learnedly oxplain, is caused by the alkalies used in the washing. Too muoh carbonate of soda, for instance, in th© water will rot the fibres of tho material and make them wear away. Then while the husband was recovering from his astonishment, she might continue somewhat after this fashion. "That rough place which spoils tho front of ono of your dress shirts is due te too strong a bleaching agent being used by the laundry people to get that wine 6tain out of the shirt. The bleaching agent it may hove been strong sulphurous acid and potassium permanganate—was not all washed away after "use; it ate away th© surface of the linen, and now the canva« shows beneath it." Bnt th© laundries ar© not always to blame for the ruining of collars and shirts. The poor stuff which is 6ont out of th© factories as linen, Professor Jackson told a "Daily Mail" representative, will fray and tear, no matter how much car© is taken over the washing. In his lecture he told his audience of laundry proprietors how to proceed upon scientific lines, just whitt alkalies achieved the best results, and what strength of bleaching agents te utilise. MISS BOTHAi" SHOPPING. If Miss Helen Botha, the charmiW daughter of the Transvaal Premier, has conquered English hearts, it may also bo said that English chops have conquered Miss Botha (says the "Tribune"). This is the first time she has visited England, and Bond atreet and Regent street hay© been a revelation te her. Every minute, therefor*, that Mi« Both* aa* spare' from the round of official and ••mi-official duties is spent iai shopping, and again yesterday she left the Hotel Cecil in ono of the motors placed at the service of the colonial ladies on a protracted shopping expedition. Tailor-mades and riding habits to t«ke back to the Transvaal, fashionable visiting and eTeni_e toilette., and

the smartest af hats are among Miss Botha's purchases. Both she and her aunt hay© bought largely, for each facilities for laying in a stock of pretty clothes do not often come the way of the two Transvaal ladies. Although the attendants «t the Hotel Cecil ar© familiar with the ways of the American ladies, even they have been a little surprised at the prodigious number of drees and hat boxes delivered to the two Boer ladies. But tho General's daughter has not been buying for hersolf alone. She has young sisters at homo in tho Transvaal, and not- a few of her purchases are intended as presents for them. It is given to both the Misses Botha and to Miss Mori© Botha—the General's sister is tho most youthful-of aunts—te understand well the difference between being drossed and merely clothed. The elder Miss Botha has a preference for delicate shades of mauve, though she also wears cream; while Miss Ellen Botha, when not dressed in white, wears the new shades of pink and soft greens, which suit her beautiful golden hair to perfection. Miss Botha the younger becomes enthusiastic when she speaks of her various shopping expeditions, and sho cannot praise too highly the courtesy and attention of the assistants., .Miss Botha has "won her way in all circles by her ready oharm and manner. '-'Her tact and sang froid are surprising in so young a girl," was the comment of ono of our great Liberal hostesses. But Miss Botha, it must not be forgotten, is a statesman's daughter, and though a child of tho veldt, sho had the advantage of a Brussels education.