Petroleum Barrels

These should not be used to store food or drink in. They are poisonous even after being cleaned.

Potting Plants

Those who find their efforts to raise house-plants frustrated by worms may be able to win success by boiling the earth before setting the plants. Use little water, and allow it to simmer away after a few minutes of hard boil.

Furniture Polish

Shave very fine white wax, 3 ozs., castile-soap, 1 oz.; put the wax in 1 gill turpentine, and let it stand 24 hours. Boil the soap in 1 gill water, and add to wax and turpentine.

Fried Saratoga Potatoes

The following is all there is of the cook's secret for producing those world-renowned potatoes served at Moon's Lake House, Saratoga Spri ngs, every summer: Peel good-sized potatoes, and slice them as evenly as possible; drop them into ice-water. Have a kettle of lard, as for fried cakes, and very hot. Put a few at a time into a towel, shake them about to dry them, and then drop into the hot lard. Stir them occasionally; and when of a light brown, take them out with a skimmer. If properly done, they will not be at all greasy, but crisp without, and mealy within.

Frozen Potatoes

These can be cured by soaking in water 3 days before cooking.

How To Remove From Cloth Rust-Spots

Wet the spots of iron-rust on muslin or white dress-goods thoroughly with lemon-juice, then lay in the hot sun to dry. Repeat the same if the color is not removed by one application. When dry, rinse in clear, cold water. Lemon-juice can not be used on colored goods, as it will take out printed colors as well as stains. It will remove all kinds of stains from white goods.

How To Boil Rice

The way they boil rice in India is as follows: Into a saucepan of 2 quarts water, when boiling, throw a tablespoonful of salt; then put in 1 pint rice, previously well washed in cold water. Let it boil 20 minutes, throw out in a colander, drain, and put back iu the saucepan, which should be stood near the fire for several minutes.

How To Preserve Sweet Rain-Water

A drachm of pounded alum to a gallon of water is sufficient. After 24 hours, the water will be cleansed. All wooden vessels to hold water should be charred inside. If a mixture in the proportion of 1/4 lb. of lime, made into a paste, and added to a spoonful of powdered alum, be put into 200 gallons of water, it will soften the water, and precipitate vegetable and other matter.

Bait For Rats

Put a drop of rhodium oil on a bit of cheese or meat. These animals detest chloride of lime and coal-tar.

Paper For Sharpening Razors

By merely wiping the razor on the paper to remove the lather after shaving, a keen edge is maintained without further trouble. The razor must be well sharpened at the outset. First, procure oxide of iron (by the addition of carbonate of soda to a solution of persulphate of iron), well wash the precipitate, and finally leave it of the consistence of cream. Spread this over soft paper very thinly with a Soft brush. Cut the paper in pieces two inches Square, dry, and it is ready for use.