NOTES FOR WOMEN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 2064, 8 January 1925, Page 2

NOTES FOR WOMEN.

HOME JOTTINGS. Tar ca.n be taken out of the most delicate fabrics by being rubbed with a white rag soaked in oil of eucalyptus. Heat lemons thoroughly before squeezing, and you will obtain nearly double the usual quantity of juice. A frying pan divided in half is being exhibited in London. It can be used for cooking two kinds of food at once. If the skin of beetroot is broken, singe (as yoai would a chicken) and plunge into boiling water. Cook until tender, and the beetroot will not bleed A new sponge should be soaked for several hours in salt and water. This will swell the sponge and free it. from grit. To skin tomatoes easily, dip them in quite boiling w’ater for just half a minute and the skin comes ofF quite easily, and does not spoil the look of tho tomatoes. The best thing to banish silverfiah is a spray of formalin. Spray the backs of pictures, behind shelves, or wherever the silverfisli appear. Formalin will not stain do 1 mark, but be careful non to leave the bottle about, as it is poison. It can be bought at tho chemist’s. ECNOMY IN THE LINEN CHEST. Worn sheets, pillowslips, tablecloths, table napkins, and towels of all kinds and sizes may bo put to good use by the economically minded housewife. Worn sheets may end ! their days very usefully as sheets for the children’s beds,, or in dust sheets., The centre of die sheet wears out first, but it will have a new lease of life if you turn it “sides to middle.” Old pillow slips 'ierve as under slips to protect the ticking, and are useful for storing articles which must be kept, dustproof, such as feathers and trimmings. Worn and mended table napkins can he utilised for serving boiled fish, pcitawes cooked in their jackets, and for cheese. Needlework or knitting keeps clean during the making if it is rolled up in an old table napkin. Worn out tablecloths can be cut up into table napkins, and, if the linen is good and fine, useful dinner mats also can be fashioned and edged with narrow laeo. Small tray cloths for tho early morning cup of lea o.r 11 o’clock lunch are another suggestion for utilising old tablecloths. The Turkish towel can re-nppear a.s a hath glove, baby’s feeder, lavatory and household cloths. Several thicknesses sewn together make good polishing cloths. All scraps from the linen chest will he appreciated in the medicine chest, and the ardent gardener and motorist ju grateful for anything that will serve as a “dusker.” Tteacloths, glasseiloths and dusters can be made from old £tce towels when their original purpose has been served. THE CARE OF ALUMINIUM. Aluminium pans respond to a little rare. If they should go very black or dull looking, rub them with lemon juice. Dip a soft cloth in the juice, rub the pan well, wash it in warm water, and polish it up. The result is well wort lithe trouble. Tf your aluminium pan gets bulged and out of shape, heat it slowly, and very carefully beat or hammer it flat again. FLUMMERY. One day last week I made myself some flummery. I had never had it before. I mean to have it again. It is rather expensive, but one can always go without and economise in another direction for any unwonted extravagance. That is how I make things balance, writes “An Olid Maid,” in an exchange. I b,ought half a pint of cream, put it in half a pint of milk, and boiled tho two together with an ounce of isinglass for 15 minutes. 1 stirred sugar in—tasting till it suited me—• and only let the surface move very, very gemjly. All “creamy” things should lieait slowly and be treated as somotliing precious. A few minutes before I lifted off the pan I poured just a little flavouring into my flummery. I had only rose-water by me, and this vexed rather; an equal quantity of orango-flower water should have gono in too;. I had forgotten I. had none, and I felt too lazy to go six miles to fet-cii some. Lemon, almond, and vanilla may all he used, hut I feel sure a blending of the two floral flavours mustj ho best. 1 poured the flummery into a shape, and when I burned it out placed a ring of stowed fruit round it —greengages, just because I had them. As I said before, I mean to make this sweet again. MUSIC IN THE HOME. Even in the city home music, long regarded as a luxury, has como .to be looked upon as a necessity. Tf the importance of music is regarded in this light in the city, what can he said of it for the country home ? Thero _it should bo regarded a»s an imperative necessity, if the right home spirit is to be created; if the home ia to be something more than a mere place to live and eat in, and above all, if the farm home is to be made what it should bo to the younger members of the family, and if these—the hope of our country—are 'tio be kept on the land and enjoy life in its best environment. Have music, good music, in the homo and life will run more smoothly and ifleasanjtly for every member of the family, for who will deny that music has an elevating influence? Music, too, says one writer, has a splendid' firanquilising and energy-developing elfect. There should always, of course, be a good piano, and though the matter of training members of the family to play tho piano or any other musical instrument i's more difficult! in the country than in tho town, the matter is not insuperable. Any member of the family who Inis a taste for a certain instrument! should be encouraged to develop the talent, especially as whore tuition is not available thero are procurable nowadays books which will enable anyone with the necessary _ enthusiasm toi become a, fairly proficient player. There is nothing finer in life than to have several members of the family playing different instruments and thereby providing enjoyment for themselves and entertainment for others in one of tiho finest and most elevating arts known to man.

Then there is the gramophone, which, if of a good make and with well-selected records, can furnish the best music of the world—Oratorio, Opera, Concert, Musical Comedy, or dance music. Jtj is truly remarkable with the best type of machine and record to note the faithful manner in which the silent running motor, the revolving disc and the tiny needile all collaborate in producing the most beautiful melodies and harmonies. Caro is certainly needed in the choice of a gramophone, but if so a thousand cautions are necessary in the selection of records. These should be bought one at a flimo, with liberality, yet with critical suspicion. Catchy, snappy tunes aro to be particularly shunned. The snap effervesces from this stuff more quickly than from champagne, and leaves a. more worthless and insipid residue. As a rule itf pays to buy high-cost records and to prefer “classical” selections —those marked by years of critical approval, even when they appear rather heavy and unintelligible at first. They will grow on, you. you will nover of them, and they will do you good. The other land you will soon tire of and then discard.

Special stress should be placed on the use of tho gramophone for the education of the children. In thousands of families it has been proved that constant association wim good muaio through the gramophone is exceedingly effective in establishing a love for what is best. Children take to tho most approved classic musio like bees to clover. It comes as naturally to them as wading in the creek or climbing trees. Every family where children are growing up should study the gramophone proposition just as the supply of nourishing food and the provision of good schools are studied.