Hints and Suggestions.

Otago Witness, Issue 2744, 17 October 1906, Page 73

Hints and Suggestions.

Needlework of a delicate colour is best wpshed in a lather made with bran.

Never neglect your hands, and especially your nails. Keep both scrupulously neat.

In boiling eggs hard, put them in boiling water 10 minutes, and then put them io cold water.

Drink water eaily in tho morning and late at night. Fruit is, however, a good substitute for the early morning drink. A harmless and cleanly treatment to drive away mice is to saturate a cloth with cayenne pepper in a solution and fluff it into the hole. Dry cayenne thrown about will keep ants and cockroaches away.

When washing up glaeses and jugs that have been used for milk or custards, rinse caiefully in cold water and then plunge into tepid, soapy water. This makes it easier to keep the glasses polished, and prevents any sour curd at the bottom of the jugs. Use for Old Felt Hats.— When old felt hats are doiw* with they will make very nice comfortable coles- for' working - men's boots. Cut the felt up into pieces the size you require ; then take a damp cloth fo the parts which are not straight, and then iron them out.

How to Imitate Ground Glafs. — If you wish to shut off any view, you can do it cheaply in tho following manner: — Dissolve in a little hot water a 6 much Epsom saltd as the water will absorb, and paint this over the inside of the glass. You will then have a fair imitation of ground glass. After bathing with warm water and drying the face, rub it all over with tho ball of the thumb. This stimulates the circulation and strengthens the muscles. If there are deep lines running from. the corners of the mouth to the corners of the nose, lay the thumb 'along them, and then work it from side to side.

For the Hot Weather. — A cooling drink much in demand in the druggists' shops in New York during the hot spell is to squeeze with a mechanical soueezer three small limes into a tall glass, throw in the rinds, add Am of syrup and half the jtlpss full of powdered ice, then a little distilled water; place the glass in the conical metal receiver of its own size, shake for 50 seconds, then serve in the glass with two straws, the drink is called limade. To prevent lamp glasses cracking, put them in cold water, bring to the boil, and cool in same water.

It is said that a box of geranium and mignonette placed in a window is as effectual a bar to keep out flies as is a gauze screen.

To clean a tiled hearth, obtain some soap, put a handful into a pail of hot water, and with a clean cloth wash down the tiles, and you will find it will lemovo the dirt very quickly, and leave a beautiful gloss. Wli^n the sink becomes greasy, especially one of those made of friazed ware, instead of spending hours of labour in endeavouring to clean it, put a little paraffin oil on a piece of flannel, and rub the sink with it. It will remove all grease, thus saving much timo and labour. The smell of paraffin, can easily be removed by washing with hot water and soap, and then flushing with cold water. At the same time this will also clean the pipes. A dish of charcoal sßould" stand in the larder all the year around. This will keep the meat sweet. Renew the charcoal occasionally. Two potatoes giated in a basin of warm water will give better results than soap in willing delicate flannels or woollen goods, ribbons, etc. If meal lt> tough, or you have any doubt as to il> tenderness, put a tabkspoonful of vinegar over it when putting it on to cook. You will find it very tender when done.

If a sheet of paper be laid at the bottom of a grate 60 as to prevent the air from coining up between the bais, and a tire built on this and lighted from the top, i-ueh a, fire will be practically smokeless.

If a pane of glaFo ha&. to be removed, cover the putty which holds it in place with eoft BOap, leaving it on for faomc hours. Jhe putty will then become soft, so that it can b<« scraped away and the glass taken out. Old oak that has been neglected should bo washed in warm beer. Then, when dry, waUi it again all over with a. soft- bniili with tho following mixture: — One quart of beer, in which you have boiled a piece of beeswax the size of a walnut, and a table. 1 poonful of sugar. Leave this to dry, then polish with a soft cloth. A walnut stain is mtde thus : — Takn two parts of permanganate of potash and $0 parts of water. Mix t\ ell. Paint th's

on to the floor two or three times until:' the right shade is produced. Afterwards polish well.