The Care of Boots.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 6689, 16 August 1919, Page 3

The Care of Boots.

It is important just now when shoe leather is so dreadfully expensive that every care should be taken of our footweal'. There is nothing which pays us out so quickly for careless usage. In every family, but especially in a large one, it is a very good plan to have a boot box made. It is~easily done. All that is needed is a large wooden box, fitted up with shelves, and divided into compartments, each division being marked with the owner's name. This prevents the shoes of the household from knocking against each other, as so often happens, and so saves them from a great deal of unnecessary wear and tear. If caught in the rain while shopping or during a country walk, boots may get wet through. What is tho best method of treating them on returning home 1 Do not put them to dry by the lire This cracks them, and shrinks the leather, and if the ill results do not show at once, you will very 30011 see the sole coming apart fruni the supper, and you will know the reason why ! No ; first rub them well all over with.grease to prevent them from cracking. This method is adopted by tourists in Switzerland, and will be found very satisfactory,. but the shoes must ho greased while still wet, and you must be content to have them imp dished for a day or two after. If you are hopeless of getting them !rv, fill them »/ith oats, previously heated in the ovor ; these will effectually absorb all moisture as nothing else will, and can be kept specially for tho purpose, and used over and over again. Whe?i the roads are wet, and tho leather therefore likely to crack, it iB a good preventive to apply the following mixture to it.' Take a Binall cake of blacking and '".ut rr grind it. Put in a saucer and mix with just enough milk to make a thick smooth cream. Apply with 1 a brush and polish. Tho paste can b6 moistened with a little moro milk if .too dry ntrt time it is required. -