Household Hints.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 120, 7 January 1909, Page 3

Household Hints.

■■■ ♦ To Oct Rid of Rats.

It may be asked—ls there any pimple means—better than the Frenchman's, knows as the familiar hbrfsafry story—of getting rid of rats? Here is a sovereign remedy : Get from a drysalter a supply of cream caustic «oda. It is in a solid state, and is cheap. Break the soda up into small pieces; melt some in an iron or stoneware vessel, and pour into the rat holes., so that the ground may be saturated with it; then jamb one or two pieces into the holes, so that the rats may undermine or scrape it away. When the rats come to the mouth of the hole and smell the soda, they will begin to scratch under it to remove it; but the fluid soda has wet the soil and stones around, and their feet wiii get blistered, and they cannot remove the solid pieces. Exposure to the air always keeps* the surface of the soda damp; but long before all the pieces are entirely melt*>d away the rats will have forsaken that bole. As to dogs or poultry suffering by its use, care should be taken to keep them from touching it. Where the ground is undermined by a series of holes, piecci of wood covered with soda should be inserted into the holes, and a quantity of melted soda slowly poured on the ground around, giving time for it to dry in. Rats are exceedingly cunning —as I have said-and if they find themselves constantly liable to get severely burned when running about their favourite haunts, they will entirely forsake the premises. As to handling caustic soda, it should not be touched with the ungloved hand, and care should be taken when breaking it not to let it spark on the face or eyes. Adopting my hint the man must be careless indeed who cannot free his house or buildings from rats. To Restore Scorched Linen.—Where the threads are not burnt, the linen may be restored in this way: Slice a couple of onions and extract the juice. Cut up half an ounce of soap and mix it with the onion juice, half a pint of vinegar, and about two ounces of fuller's earth. Boil this mixture over a slow fire, and when cool spread it over the scorched linen, leaving it on to dry. Afterwards wash it in a warm lather.

Housemaid*' Gloves.—These are frequently discarded on account of their grimy appearance. They can be cleaned in this way: Make a weak solution of soda and warm «rater; put the chamois gloves into this, and rub plenty of soap into them. Leave them to soak for two hours, then rub well, until quite clean; rinse in warm water to which a little yellow soap has been added, put them in a dry cloth, pass twice through the wringer, and dry quickly, pulling them into shape.

Bean and Tomato Soup.—Soak a pint of beans over-night in cold water, adding a little soda; drain ani boil very soft, with a little slice pickled pork, in plenty of wat«-r. Takeout the meat, skim out the beans, and rub through a colander ; return pulp to kettle, odd a leacupi'nl or more of strained canned tomatoes. Just before serving seaon with butter and pepper; salt if necessary. Beside each cover place two-inch squares of hot, nicely toasted bread, wrapped in a small napkin. Meat Soup.— Into two quarts of cold water put half a pound of Hamburg steak, two tablespoonsful of rice, two iarge potatoes, and one large onion, chopped fine. Boil 40 minutes, season to tasle, adding boiling water if two thick.

PoUto Soup.—Chop four medium sized potatoes and two onions, and boil in water until tender; add two teacupsfut of milk, a liberaj piece of butter, salt, pepper, and dried pulverised celery leaves, or celery salt.

Baked Cutlets.—Have the cutlets cut into portions of the right size for serving; dust each side with salt and pepper. Beat one egg with a tablespoonful of cold water, dip the cutlets in this and roll in fine bread crumbs. Fry three silce* of salt pork in the frying pan, and cook the cutlets in the fat. As veal must be well done to be, wholesome, cook it slowly, about fifteen minutes. Serve with gravy made from the contents of the pan, or with tomato sauce.

Egg Salan. Thinly slice hard-boiled eggs, arrange in layers with silced cucumber pickles, pour over any preferred salad dressing. Garnish with lettuce.

White Fish, Fried. -Wash and wipe, mix salt and pepper to season with flour, and cover both sides thickly. Drop into boiling hot lard to cover. Cook slowly. When well browned on the top, turn and brown the under side.

Boiled Fish.- Clean, wash, but do not split or remove head or tail. Sew in a piece of white cloth. Drop the fish into plenty of boiling water, to which has been added two or three tablespooonsful of vinegar, a doxen or lesa peppercorns, and a tablespoonful of salt. Remove the cloth carefully, place the fish in a deep dish or on a platter, and pour over it a dressing of melted fresh butter, mixed with the chopped yokea of eggs. Less salt may be used in the water, and salted butter may be used for the dressing.