Calcimining

Soak 1 pound white glue over night, then dissolve it in boiling water and add 20 pounds Paris white, diluting with water until the mixture is of the consistency of rich milk. To this any tint can be given that is desired.

Lilac

Add to the calcimine 2 parts of Prussian blue and 1 of vermilion, stirring thoroughly, and taking care to avoid too high a color.

Brown

Burnt umber.

Gray

Raw umber, with a dash of lamp-black.

Rose

3 parts of vermilion and 1 red lead, added in very small quantities until a delicate shade is produced.

Lavender

Make a light blue and tint slightly with vermilion.

Straw

Chrome yellow with a touch of Spanish brown.

Buff

2 parts Indian yellow and one part burnt Sienna.

Blue

A small quantity of Prussian blue will give a soft azure tint. Dark blue is never desirable. Be sure the tints are delicate.

The ceiling should have a coat two or three shades lighter than the walls, that it may appear merely a reflection of their deeper tones. The ceiling may be calcimined with the lighter tint, and then more color added for the walls.

White-Wash

For other walls than hard finish, an excellent wash is made as follows:

½ bushel lime slaked with boiling skim milk, 8 quarts salt, 1 pound white glue, previously dissolved in water.

This is a hard and durable white-wash; does not easily rub off, and when tinted with any of the foregoing tints has nearly as good an effect as calcimine. This same wash, with the glue omitted, makes a good white-wash, permanent, for out-door buildings, and is said to render wood incombustible.

Paper-Hanger's Paste

1 pint wheat flour and 1 paper silver gloss starch, second quality (some use flour alone, 8 or 4 pounds). Put in a wooden pail and add gradually enough cold water to make a smooth batter, stirring at the same time constantly and vigorously. Have a kettle of boiling water ready, turn into the flour and water, stirring until it thickens. Then pour over it gently 1 quart of cold water and set in a cool place until it is cold. The water over the top prevents a skim forming as it cools. If it is warm weather dissolve a piece of alum, half the size of an egg, in the boiling water. This will keep the paste from souring. A teaspoonful of clove oil will keep it from molding. If insect life is plentiful 2 large tablespoonfuls carbolic acid in the paste will eradicate it effectually. Copperas put in the paste, or Cayenne pepper either will keep mice from injuring the paper after it is on the wall, as they occasionally do in some localities.

Before using the paste, thin with cold water to a consistency that will spread easily and quickly under the brush. This paste will keep a long time without fermenting. If it should mold it can fee removed from the top and the remainder will be perfectly good.

On hanging "flock" papers with crimson in them, omit the alum, as it will injure the color.

If the paper is to be put on hard finished walls, or over varnished paper or painted walls, a little more adhesiveness may be required. In this case, take a handful of white glue and melt in a little water, turn this, when dissolved, into the paste, and there! will be no trouble in this respect.

Staining Floors

1 can of linseed oil and a little burnt umber. Apply as paint.

Waxing Floors

1 pint turpentine, ¼ pound bees-wax; melt over a slow fire, no blaze because the mixture is explosive. Apply to the floor with a piece of flannel. Polish with a dry piece of soft flannel.

Paint For Floors

1 gallon linseed oil, 2 pounds gum shellac, ½ pound litharge, ¼ pound red lead, 1 ounce umber. Boil slowly two or three hours until the gums are dissolved. Grind the paints, any color, in this and reduce with spirits of turpentine. Yellow ochre is the best for floor painting. This dries quickly and is also very nice for porch floors.

How To Remove Old Paint

2 pounds sal-soda, ½ pound lime, 1 gallon hot water. Stir all together and apply while still warm to the old paint. The mixture will soon loosen the paint so you can easily remove it.

How To Soften Putty In Window Frames

Use the same given above. Apply both sides the glass and let remain twelve hours when the glass can be removed without cutting.