Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2024

1818 Dissolve 1 oz. of gum-mastic in a quantity of highly-rectified spirits of wine; then soften 1 oz. of isinglass in warm water, and, finally, dissolve it in rum or brandy, till it forms a thick jelly. Mix the isinglass and gum-mastic together, adding ¼ of an oz. of finely-powdered gum-ammoniac; put the whole into an earthen pipkin, and in a warm place, till they are thoroughly incorporated together; pour it into a small phial, and cork it down for use.

In using it, dissolve a small piece of the cement in a silver teaspoon over a lighted candle. The broken pieces of glass or china being warmed, and touched with the now liquid cement, join the parts neatly together, and hold them in their places till the cement has set; then wipe away the cement adhering to the edge of the joint, and leave it for twelve hours without touching it: the joint will be as strong as the china itself, and if neatly done, it will show no joining. It is essential that neither of the pieces be wetted either with hot or cold water.

If not very dirty, the paper of any room will be much improved by brushing it over in straight lines with a soft broom, covered with a clean soft cloth; if, however, the paper be much soiled, very stale bread is the best thing to clean it with. Cut a very stale quartern loaf into slices, and, in the lightest manner possible, wipe the paper with it in a downward direction. Clean about a yard at a time, all one way, and be careful to leave no marks. By this process very dirty paper-hangings may be made to look like almost new.

Beer or treacle in a saucer or treacle smeared on sheets of paper will attract and kill flies. If a small quantity, say the equivalent of a teaspoonful, of carbolic acid be poured on a hot shovel it will drive the flies from the room.

Place a fairly deep saucer of stale beer upon the hearth at night time, and rest three or four sticks upon the edge of the saucer for the insects to crawl up.

Allow ½ a pint of cold water and 1 quart of boiling water to every 2 tablespoonfuls of starch. Put the starch into a tolerably large basin; pour over it the cold water, and stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon until it is perfectly free from lumps and quite smooth. Then take the basin to the fire, and whilst the water is actually boiling in the kettle or boiler, pour it over the starch, stirring it the whole time. If