6214. To Prevent Gas Meters from Freezing

6214.    To Prevent Gas Meters from Freezing. Half a pint (or less) of good glycerine is said to prevent the freezing of a gallon of water, though at least double the proportion is preferable in the country, whatever the temperature in the winter may happen to be. Water containing about 40 per cent, of glycerine is but little inclined to freeze. Glycerine in a pure state is perfectly inert, and exercises no influence upon the metals of which the meter is composed. Whiskey, on the contrary, undergoes the acetous fermentation, by which the alcohol is converted into acetic acid, which "corrodes the meter, and soon wears it out.

6215. To Prevent the Creaking of Doors

6215.    To Prevent the Creaking of Doors. Apply a little soap to the hinges. Or: Take lard, soap, and black lead, equal parts, and apply.

6216. To Keep Kerosene Oil

6216.    To Keep Kerosene Oil. This oil should be kept for use in air-tight closed vessels. A large quantity is best kept in a well-corked can provided with a faucet an inch or two from the bottom, so that the oil can be drawn off as required, without disturbing the sediment which usually collects on the bottom of the vessel; by this means the oil will be always clear and bright. The small cans used for filling lamps should be kept closely corked both at the neck and spout. If either cork bo left out for a day or two, the oil will burn dull, and cake on the wick; this is more especially the case when the can is kept in a warm place.

6217. Management of Brooms

6217.    Management of Brooms. If brooms are wetted in boiling suds once a week, they will become very tough, will not cut a carpet, last much longer, and always sweep like a new broom.

6218. To Wash White Dogs

6218.    To Wash White Dogs. Make a good lather of white soap with a little spirit of turpentine; wash the dog as quickly as possible in this while it is warm, but not hot, taking care not to let the soap lather get into its eyes. Have a tub with clean tepid water in which a little blue has been dissolved ready; when the coat is clean dip the dog into the blue-water and rinse out the soap. Then rub it well in a clean sheet before a fire; if the hair is long comb it out and brush it as it dries. The turpentine will kill fleas unless the dog is much infested with them.

6219. To Paint an Iron Bath Tub

6219.    To Paint an Iron Bath Tub. Mix the paint to a proper consistency with best coachmakers' Japan varnish. For white lead paint, use half turpentine and half coach-makers' Japan. It will not darken much. Venetian red is best for a first coat, for any color but white.

6220. To Raise Old Veneers

6220.    To Raise Old Veneers. In repairing old cabinets, etc., workmen are often at a loss to know how to get rid of those blisters which appear on the surface. "We will describe how the operation may be performed without difficulty. First wash the surface with boiling water, and with a coarse cloth remove dirt or grease; then place it before the fire; oil its surface with linseed oil, place it again to the fire, and the heat will make the oil penetrate quite through the veneer and soften the glue underneath; then, whilst hot, raise the edge gently with a chisel, and it will separate completely from the ground. Be careful not to use too much force, or you will spoil the work. If the work should get cold during the operation, apply more oil, and heat it again. When you have entirely separated the veneer, wash off the glue, and proceed to lay it again as a new veneer.