THE HOME.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 37, 26 November 1920, Page 12

THE HOME.

TO MAKE A HARD, HOUSEHOLD SOAP. Hard soaps ara always soda soaps. There are grained soaps, those in which separation of the underlay has been made, and filled soaps, those in which the whole contents of ihe boiling pan are kept together and sokl as soap. The cocoanut oil is especially employed for the manufacture of filled soaps, becausa it is easily soluble in brine, requiring a very large quantity to separate them, and then they become so hard that you can scarcely cut them with a knife. The more solid constituents a fat contains the harder the soap produced, the more oleine the softer the soap. By mixing the fats in different proportions soaps of any constituency can he obtained ; this also aepends upon the strengtli of the lye in the process. Wea'i and middling strong lyes will produce a light soap, while lyes at 25 to 35 degrees B will produce a soap heavier than water. Somethnes a small admixture of sulphate of soda is employed in making soap, for the purpose of preventing its too great j | solubility when used in washing. In the ! manufacture of soaps one-third or one- | fourth of fat is frequently substituted by resin. For the transformation of lUOlbs of fat into soap there are generally necessary 12J,lbs of solid caustic soda. This quantity must be more or less in proportion to tbe nature of the fat.— Spon's Recipes. A capital soap for house cleaning and clothes washing purposes is made in the following way — Procure a haif- ■ pound tin of 98 per cent. caustic soda (which may he obtained from a wholes,ale manufacturing chemist), which will cost about 6d., and put it in a large basin or other earthemvare vesael containing one qnart of cold water. By stirring it will inatantly get very hot. Let it stand till

cool. That is called tbe "soda-lye." In a larger earth.enware vessel melt three pounds of any kind of fat (without salt) ; and for this purpose I always save all refuse fat, or greaae of any kind from the table, melted, and the pure fat strkined off. Allow it to cool down until it just begins tb set, and pour the soda-lye into it in a cdntinuous stream, stirring until it becomes like honey. Then pour the mixture into a wooden box, capable of holding 61bs of soap. The box should previously be lined with a piece of damp calico. Well cover it up with a piece of old blanket, and let it stand until next day in a cool place to set, wlren you will have 61bs of pure soap, at a cost of about 6d for caustic soap plus the price of fat, which has the advantage of CTeacfiing (^£9 wj bhaM& injuring the PACK EGGS It is of the utmost importance that no odorous packing material should be used. Sawdust should be avoided, as it has often spoilt the flavour of eggs. Bran is as good as anything, and it is very useful for filling in any empty spaces and making all tight. It is a most unwise plan to place a quantity of eggs loose in a box and then fill up tbe spaces with bran, for as soon as the eggs begin to travel, as they are more weighty than the packing, they will work their way to the top, where in all probability they will be crushed against the lid of the box. The eggs instead should be placed in such a manner in the box or case as will not permit of their moving at all. The first thing to do is to wrap each egg up separately in paper; st-rips of hay should be put between and each end should point downwards. Tho cornera

should afterwards be filled ln with bran; in this way the eggs will travel very wefl, I consider the most reliable method of sending eggs is to pack them in a case specially constructed for this purpose, and for a large number of eggs I have found the felt-layer egg-box most successfuh This consists of a strong outer case fitte with several felt-lined trays. Even shoul the box be turned topsy-turvy in ^ ® course of the journey, the eggs will be hurt.