Washing is in the present day seldom done at home, unless the family reside in the country, for drying-ground in London and other large towns is wanting. The laundress, therefore, fetches the soiled linen on Mondays and returns it on Saturday. The charges for washing differ in different places. In London it is possible get it done for 1s. per dozen, including everything; but this is not the price of good washing. Ordinary London charges are - 2d. each the large articles of underclothing, except petticoats, which vary from 4d. to 6d. or 8d., according to trimming; 1d. the stockings per pair, collars 1d. each, cuffs 1d. the pair, table-cloths 4d., kitchen do. 3d., table napkins 1d. each, sheets 4d. per pair, towels 9d. per dozen, handkerchiefs \d. each, fish cloths 1d. each, counterpanes 1s., curtains 2s., etc. etc. Servants are usually allowed 1s. 3d. per week each for their own washing.

But many trifling articles maybe washed at home even in London, and the house-mother who can do her own lace, or the costly trifles belonging to the baby, will find that she saves much more than the pence charged for washing. Fine work and lace will last instead of rapidly going to rags.

Two books should be kept for the laundress - one at home and one in her hands - to prevent any possible loss of the list. The clothes should be looked over on Monday morning, sorted, mended if required, and put up for the wash. All stains should be removed before the article is sent.

The laundress brings the clothes home on Saturday. The housemaid should count it over carefully by the book, and look at the marks, so that nothing may be changed, for an exchange is sometimes as bad as a loss.

Washing at home must now be taken into consideration. A woman is generally hired to assist the servants where there is no washing-machine; her wages are in London 2s. a day, and she expects beer three times a day, and gin-and-water at night. Everything is put ready for her before she arrives.

Where a laundrymaid is kept, no assistance is of course given, though sometimes the under servants assist in the ironing.

The washing and wringing machines of recent invention make household washing, where there is a drying-ground, both cheap and easy. In general, servants will not use machines, disliking the trouble of cleaning them; the only ones which obtain favour in their eyes are the sewing, and the washing and wringing machines. Where these are possessed (with the ground for drying) it is far better to wash at home. The family are safer from infection of all kinds, and it is decidedly cheaper and pleasanter.

We give for home washing some few recipes, which may be found useful.

Clothes should be well aired before they are sent up from the laundry, and sorted into sets according to their marks.