HINTS FOR HOUSEKEEPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 44

HINTS FOR HOUSEKEEPERS.

A cement for mending broken gls\«s or china is made by dissolving half an ounce of gam arabicin a wiijeglassfnl of bailing water and adding enough plaster of Paris to make a thick paste. Apply it; with a brash to the edges of the broken parts, Hold the pieces carefully together until tha cement baa hardened sufficiently for them to adhere. If the article to be mended is broken in several pieces, do not attempt to cement a sscond piece before the first has thoroughly hardened.

If yon have butter that Is not entirely sweet, pat it in a porcelain dish with a little »alt and a tiny piece of soda, place over the fire and bring to a boil. Tarn it into a stone jar and set it in a cool place. The but tor will be found perfectly sweet, and not too Bait for cooking. The imparities will settle to the bottom of the jar. .

A dish of water placed in a hot oven where pies, cakes, or puddings are being baked will prevent them from scotching.

The skins of fruit should never be eaten, not because they are not palatable or digestible, or are unhealthfiil io themselves, bat on account of the danger arising from microbes which may have penetrated into the covering of the fruit.

People who are susceptible to the cold should make a point of wearing loose clothing in cold weather. Loose garments are always warmer tbaa tight-fitting ones, not only because they allow room for circulation, bub also because they permit a layer o£ air between the skin and the outside cold.

A tested oongh mixture reolpe comes from an American lady. It is palatable and very effectual. Boil three large lemons in water for seven minutes, drain off the water and slice the lemons as thin as possible. Pat them in an earthen bowl with lib of the bast brown sngM, and stand the bowl on the stove until the mixture ia at boiling point. Then draw to the back of the stove and let the mixture simmer three hours. Remove from the fire, and when it has stood half an hour add a small tablecpoonful of oil of sneet almonds. It is to be used warm. Stir and take in teaspoonful doses as often as needed.

Old leather can be made to look like new by applying a coat of French polish with a camel's hair brush. If the colour is worn off the leather in any places it is best to colour the pjlish acoordiDg to the colour of the leather.

To make a wax for polishing hardwood floors, cat lib of beeswax into small piecos, put them in a dish, and place it over the fire in a, pan of hot water. Allow the wax to melt, then stir in three pints of turpentine. When the ingredients have thoroughly blended, place some of the wax on a woollen cloth and rub it on the floor, treating one board at a time, and rubbing lengthwise. Then cove? a heavy brush with flannel, and with it rub the floor until it is perfectly pin->oth. It is usually the case that some parts of the floor are autject to more wear than others. When tho polish has worn off in these spots, warm tbe wax and apply to the worn places, and then polish.

For fish to be palatable it must ba perfeotly fresh and thoroughly cooked. Fish should be cleaned and placed on the ice until the time of cooking. It impairs the flavour to soak them in water. If the fish is frozen it should bf pat is ice water to tbair.

Sift a little flour over suet when it is being chopped, and it will prevent the pieces from adheriDg together.

Dainty little cut-glass dishes now come for Oameraberfc ohesee. Tbe glass dtah fits into a little silver standard, and the open work silver cover allows the proper ventilation.

If a few drops of oil of lavender are scattered through a bookoase in a olosed room it will save a library from mould in damp weather.

To prepare an uncooked egg so that it shall be tasteful and delicious, beat the yolk in a glass with a teaspoonful of sugar until very light, stir in a teaspoonful of sherry, port, or brandy. Add to this the white of the egg beaten to a froth, and mix well. Thia should fill the glass. If wine is not desired, lemon juice may be used in its place. This is a strengthening and valuabln preparation for an invalid, f

In serving wines with a course, dinner sherry should be served with soup. With the fish Oliablis or Sauterne is nearly always served, and with entrees have claret. Guamptgne, hook, or Moselle comes with the roast. Port wine is usually served with the cheese course, and Burgundy with the dessert. Serve red wines at the same temperature as the room. White wines 6honld be slightly chilled, but never put ice into wine. Do not fill a glass to the top. • Serve the least celebrated wines at the commencement of a dinner, reserving for the la*t the choicest vintages,

One of the best blends of coffee is one-half Mocha and one-half Java, The coffee should be bought in the berry, and not only ground, but, if possible, also roasted at home. As a rule, coffee is over-roafcted. The moment the berries acquire a golden -brown tint and oily staini appear they should ba taken from the oven, and a little piece of butter melted over them adds to the richness of the berry. If they are left until dark brown, the oil, which oontains the aroma of the coffee, evaporates, and the dark liquid which is the result of coffee-making with burned berries is devoid of perfume and flavour.