THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2743, 23 February 1910, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

AIDS TO HOUSEKEEPING

COOKING BY ELECTRICITY

• (Wellington “Evening Post.'’) The overtired housewife.needs all the aids that inventions of science can give her' to arrive at happy housekeeping. Now that domestic help is; so hard to obtain, and so often inefficient when arrived at, the charms of cooking by electricity are very seductive. Unless a woman is very strong minded, she will quickly he tempted beyond what she can bear when she sees the delightful array of dainty appliances .which the Electric Company invite one to behold. The daily work of an ordinary household would be quite halved by means of these convenient appliances. The stove, which- inside looks red and absolutely business-like with its meat and pastry frizzling and browning in r.ll appetising way, with plenty of room lor more odds and ends for dinner, is quite cool on the outside. Its asbestos and enamelled lining keeps in all the heat. In this weather what a blessing this of itself would he, as the kitchen coakl he kept as cool as any part of the house. Owing to the great reduction (nearly half) in the price of electricity supplied for cooking or heating purposes it becomes one of the most, economical methods. The pretty stoves or heaters are also wonderfully labor saving. They can be taken from one room to another, and by merely putting in a ping, which is very easily done, you can boat your room upstairs or down in a few minutes. No cleaning, o' grates, or laying fires, and carrying als. It sounds to the over-tired mistress absolutely Utopian, and almost too good to be true. Very fascinating little toast-racks with parallelograms of white china fmstands, are very delightful. One can stand them on the breakfast table, put the slices of bread in the divisions, arm .turn on the current just like lighting a burner. In about three or four minutes your toast is done to a shade, and is hot and appetising, instead of the burnt hard chip.? which often call themselves toast. Charming copjjer teakettles, which can boil in your drawing, room and give no trouble, are most useful.

All electric glue-pot would appeal to the tradesman for its cleanliness and hand iness. The very best night arrangements for babies’ food or invalids seem troublesome and olumsy when one sees the beautiful little plated saucepans of various sorts and sizes which only need the turn of one’s wrist to set it silently doing its work. Gridirons of. several shapes and sizes look as if a very tyro could use them .successfully, and no burnt face. s or fingers to be reckoned with.

The flat-irons are very numerous, and are most satisfactory,' for we tried them. They arc of various sizes, and all with patent cool handles and beautifully plated, looking as unlike the old black and rather dirty irons of the past as can be imagined. Practically one is using, a nice silver imjplement which has a wonderful talent for retaining its heat for a long time after the current, is turned off. The cost of using one of these enviable inventions is estimated at Id (one penny) per hour. There were a great number of visitors at the company’s rooms recently watching the various clever things those appliances accomplished, and it will go hard with must if they do not annex some of them sooner or later.

THE HOUSEKEEPER. To Remove Splinters.—When a splinter has been driven into the hand it can lie extracted by steaming. Fill a wide-mouthed bottle nearly full of hot water, place the injured part over the mouth, and. press it slightly. The action thus produced will draw the flesh down, and in a minute or two the steam will extract the splinter, also the inflammation.

Useful Soapsuds.—Save soapsuds if you have a garden, for they form u very useful manure for flowers as well as shrubs and vegetables. It is well to have a sunk tub in the garden, where the soapy water can stand till required .for. watering.

To Extinguish Gasoline Flames.— Milk will extinguish the flames from gasoline or any form of petroleum quickly and effectually, since it forms an emulsion with the oil, whereas water only spreads it. Disagreeable Odors. —To dispell that disagreeable odor which clings to dishes in which lish or onions have been cooked, set the dish, after washing, in a warm oven for ten or fifteen minutes.

Rubber Rings.—ln preserving-time if your supply of perfectly good rubber rings gives out, and you cannot get more, at once, use two old rings on a jar and you will be much safer than if you only, uso one. It is better economy, however, to buy new rubber rings every, year. For Washing Windows'. —The best solution for washing windows l is composed 01 two quarts of strong soapsuds and one-quarter cup . of kerosene. Go over the glass carefully, and you will not lx; aide to find the shadow oil a streak, but you will have obtained u most desirable polish. An Excellent Iron Stand. —Use a clean firebrick instead of the ordinary iron stand, and you will retain the heat of the iron much longer. The usual iron stand not only admits air to the bottom of the iron, but it conducts the heat from it. The, brick, being a nonconductor of heat, retains the heat in the smoothing-iron much longer. Women who do their own washing should, when finished, rub their hands with dry salt. This brings out the soap, and makes the hands more agreeable. To clean Kitchen Tables. —If bread boards and kitchen tables are scrubbed with hathbrick and cold water they become far whiter than when scrubbed in the usual way with hot water. Clearing Out Alice.—Pieces of sponge packed in mouse holes will disgust the rod (hits and cause them to vacate their quarters. Grease Spots.—Grease snots on wall paper may he removed by laying a sheet of blotting paper on them and passing over it with a warm iron. Bicycle Chains. —To clean a bicycle chain put it into an old jar and cover with paraffin. Leave it to soak all night, and then rub dry with an old linen cloth.

For Cleaning Brass or Cooper.— Take a- tablespoonful of salt and make it- into a thick paste with sufficient vinegar.- This will clean the worst tarnished brasses or. copper. Then polish in the ordinary way. Substitute for a Bodkin.—As a- substitute for a bodkin-neecllo a narrow safety-pin is excellent. It opens up t]ie way without puncturing tho cloth. It is especially good to use with the starched articles.