What It Was, When It Was, The Way It Was (Part 6)

Good evening, here is number six in the total of seven. These "How To Do It" recipes were well used on the farm. In most farming in the good old days you didn't run to the store, you made do with what you had. But back when this book was written (1914) most people lived on the farm. I think it was around 95% or so. Now its only about 5% that live on the farm and are actively farming. I hope you enjoy this segment.


"WHAT TO-DO." AND "HOW TO DO IT."

Including Various Recipes of All Kinds."

"We have gathered a posie of other men's flowers And nothing but the thread which binds them is ours."

221. Bark Lice.—Use a strong lye made from wood ashes or diluted soft soap or a mixture of lime, whitewash and kerosene. If the latter is used there, should be a pint of kerosene to a gallon of whitewash.
222. Apple Tree Borers.—During the spring or early summer the trees should be washed with strong soap suds to kill the borers.
223. Cinch Bugs.—They may be destroyed with a mixture of soap suds and kerosene. Make the suds by using one pound of soap to ten gallons of water, then use equal parts of the suds and kerosene to make the emulsion.
224. Colorado Beetle or Potato Bug.—Dust the vines with Paris green, London purple or carbonate of lime.
225. Corn Moth.—Fill up all cracks and sweep the floors and walls clean before storing the corn. To destroy the moths, fill all cracks and then sprinkle the floor with a mixture of strong white wine vinegar and salt before laying up the corn. If the moth has deposited its eggs on the grain salt may be mixed with it.
226. Grain Weevil.—The granary should be fumigated thoroughly with burning sulphur before the grain is stored and again in about two months.
227. Caterpillars.—These may be destroyed with powdered hellebore.
228. Hessian Fly.—Quicklime scattered over the field immediately after the grain is cut will destroy the pupae. It is well to thresh as soon as possible after the grain is cut then to scatter the straw over the stubble and burn. An­other way is to turn the cattle on the young wheat while the ground is yet frozen and let them eat the wheat close to the ground.
229. Strawberry Worms.—Poultry will destroy them. They should be turned into the patch before the berries are formed. Spray the plants with one pound of white hellebore in twenty gallons .of water.
230. To Cut or Break Glass in Any Shape.—File a notch in the edge of the glass at the place you wish to begin to break from; then put a red hot iron on the notch and draw it in the direction you wish the glass to break. If the iron be drawn slowly a crack will follow it. Another way is to hold the glass level under water and cut with a pair of shears.
231. To Bore Holes in Glass.—Any hard steel tool will easily cut glass if it be kept moist with camphor dissolved in turpentine. A drill may be used or, if that be not available, the tool may be held in the hand. A window glass may be easily sawed with a watch spring saw if this solution be used.
232. To Clean Tobacco Pipes.—Pour alcohol into the bowl and allow it to run out of the stem. This will thoroughly clean and sweeten the pipe.
233. To Petrify Wood.—Mix equal parts of rock alum, gem salt, white vinegar, chalk and peebles powder; after the ebullition has ceased throw any piece of wood or other porous substance into the solution and it will petrify.
234. To Remove Blood Stains.—Steep the article in lukewarm water. If pepsin is at hand apply it after first softening the spots in lukewarm water.
235. To Remove Tar, Wagon Grease, Mixtures of Fat, Carbon and Acetic Acid.—If the spots be on white goods apply soap and oil of turpentine,alternating with streams of water. If the spots are on colored cottons or woolens, rub in with lard; let it lie; soap; let lie; and proceed, alternating with oil of turpentine and water. Treat silks the same only use benzine in place of turpentine.
236. Black Ink, Copying or Writing Fluid.—Rain water, one gallon; brown sugar, one-eighth pound; gum arable, one-eighth pound; powdered nut-galls, three-eighths pound; clean copperas, one-eighth pound; bruise and mix, then let stand for 10 days, shaking occasionally; strain. If not used as a copy­ing ink but one-fourth of the sugar or gum is needed as it will then flow more freely. This ink is fine for records and deeds for it may be read hundreds of years hence.
DYEING AND COLORING.
General Remarks.—Every article to be dyed should be perfectly clean. They should be washed thoroughly with soap and then rinsed. To prevent spotting, the goods should be dipped into warm water just before they are put into the various coloring preparations. After the article is dyed it should be" aired awhile, then well rinsed and hung up to dry. Cotton goods should first be bleached if they are to be dyed a light color. Never wring silk or merino dresses. Use soft water and where the quantity is not mentioned enough should be used to well cover the goods.
COTTON GOODS.
237. Black.—:For 5 pounds goods take 3 pounds (wood and bark to­gether) of sumac and boil one-half hour and let the goods steep in this for 12 hours; then dip for half an hour in lime water and let drip for an hour; now add half a pound of copperas to the surnac liquor and dip the goods again in this for an hour and then for one-fourth hour in the lime water. Make another dye by boiling 2 1/2 pounds of logwood for an hour and dip the goods in this for three hours, then add 2 ounces bi-chromate of potash and dip for another hour. Wash the goods in cold water and dry in the shade.
238. Brown for Cotton, Woolen or Silk.—For coloring 5 pounds of goods dissolve two ounces of alum and one pound of catechu in enough hot water to wet the goods. Put this solution into a tin boiler or a brass kettle on the stove and put in the goods when it is boiling hot and remove from 'the fire. You should have ready 4 ounces of bi-chromate of potash dissolved in hot water in a wooden pail. Drain the goods from the catechu and then dip them alternately into the bi-chromate of potash and catechu until of the desired shade.
239. Sky Blue for Cotton or Silk.—Dissolve two ounces of blue vitriol in one gallon of water and dip the goods for fifteen minutes, then put through lime water.
240. Blue.—For 5 pounds of goods dissolve 4 ounces of copperas in 3' or 4 gallons of water and soak the goods thoroughly, then drain and put them into a solution of 2 ounces of prussiate of potash in 3 or 4 gallons of water. Lift the goods and put them to drain, then pour % ounce oil of vitriol into the prussiate of potash solution, stirring carefully and pouring in but a few drops at a time. Put the goods in this solution until of the desired shade then rinse in clear water and hang up to dry.
241. Yellow.—For 5 pounds of goods dissolve 1 pound of sugar of lead in enough water to thoroughly wet the goods and in the same quantity of water in another vessel dissolve ½ pound of bi-chromate of potash. Dip the
goods well and drain in each alternately until of the desired shade, then rinse and hang up to dry.
242. Orange.—Color the goods yellow as given elsewhere but before rinsing dip them into strong, hot lime water.
243. Green.—First color blue as given elsewhere, then proceed as in yellow, also given elsewhere.
244. Red.—Put 2/3 teacupful of muriate of tin into enough water to cover the goods well, bring to a boil, put in the goods and leave for an hour, stir­ring often, then remove them and empty the kettle. Put 1 pound of nic-wood into the kettle with clean water and steep for half an hour at hand heat, then put in the goods and slowly increase the heat for an hour but do not boil. Air the goods and dip an hour as before. Wash without soap.
WOOLEN GOODS.
245. Chrome Black.—For 5 pounds of goods dissolve 6 ounces of blue vitriol in enough boiling water to cover the goods. Dip the goods 45 minutes, airing frequently, then remove. Make a dye by boiling 3 pounds of logwood for half an hour; dip the goods for 45 minutes, air and dip again for the same length of time. Wash the goods in strong suds. The sun will not fade this.
246. Brown.—Color the same as for cotton goods.
247. Blue.—For 2 pounds of goods take sufficient water to cover and add 5 ounces of alum and 3 ounces of cream of tartar and boil the goods in this for an hour. Now boil the goods, until the color suits, in warm water con­taining more or less extract of indigo, according to the color desired.
248. Yellow.—For 5 pounds of goods make a solution by adding 2 ounces of alum and 3 ounces of bi-chromate of potash to enough water to color the goods and boil them in this for half an hour; lift and air until well cooled and drained, then work for half an hour in a bath with 5 pounds of fustic. Wash and hang up to dry.
249. Green.—For each pound of goods put 3 ½ ounces of alum and 1 pound of fustic into sufficient water to cover goods; steep until the strength is out before putting in the goods; then soak until a good yellow color is ob­tained; then remove the chips and add extract of indigo or chemic until of the desired color.
250. Scarlet.—For one pound of goods take sufficient water to cover and boil in it ½ ounce of pulverized cochineal, ½ ounce cream of tartar and 2 ½ ounces muriate of tin; put in the goods and work briskly for 10 or 15 minutes, then stir goods slowly while boiling 1 ½ hours. Wash and hang in the shade to dry.
251. Crimson.—Make a bath of 6 ounces of dry cochineal, 1 pound cochi­neal paste, 1 pound of tartar and 1 pint of proto-chloride of tin. Work the goods in this bath for an hour, wash out and hang up to dry.
252. Orange.—For 5 pounds of goods take sufficient water to cover, 4 ounces argal, 6 tablespoonfuls muriate of tin; boil and dip 1 hour, then add 1 cup of madder and dip for half an hour. , A much brighter color will be obtained by using 2 ounces of cochineal instead of the madder.
253. Pink.—For 3 pounds of goods use 3 ounces of alum; boil and dip the goods for an hour; then add to the solution 4 ounces cream of tartar and 1 ounce of pulverized cochineal and dip the goods, while boiling, until the desired shade is obtained.
254. Black.—For 5 pounds of goods make a dye by boiling 3 pounds of logwood in enough water to cover goods. Work the goods in bi-chromate of potash which is not quite to the boiling point, then dip them in the logwood solution in the same way.
255. Brown.—Color the same as for cotton and woolen goods given else­where.
256. Sky Blue.—Proceed as for cotton goods given elsewhere.
257. Light Blue.—Dissolve ½ tablespoonful of alum in a cup of warm water and add to a gallon of cold water, then add a teaspoonful of chemic at a time until the desired shade is obtained. The more chemic is used, the darker will the color be.
258. Orange.—For one pound of goods use a pound each of soda and annotto; repeat if desired.
259. Green.—For 1 pound of goods boil 8 ounces of yellow oak bark for ½ hour; turn off the liquor from the bark and add 6 ounces of alum; let stand until cold; while this is being made color the goods in the blue dye-tub a light blue; dry and wash; then dip in the oak and alum dye. Warm the dye a little if it does not take well.
260. Yellow.—For 1 pound of goods make a solution of ¾ ounce sugar of lead and 3 ounces alum and let the goods stand over night in it; take out and drain. Make another dye with 1 pound of fustic; dip in this until the desired color is obtained.
261. Crimson.—Dip 1 pound of goods in a solution made with 3 ounces of alum. This should be at hand heat. Take out and drain while making a new dye by boiling for 10 minutes 2 ounces of bruised nut-galls, 3 ounces cochineal and ¼ ounce of cream of tartar in one pail of water. When this is a little cool, begin to dip the goods, raising the heat to a boil. Dip for an hour; wash and hang up to dry.
262. A Quick and Easy Way to Compute Interest.—Allow 30 days for each month and multiply the amount by the number of days.
The result divided by 60 gives the interest at 6 per cent.
The result divided by 45 gives the interest at 8 per cent.
The result divided by 40 gives the interest at 9 per cent.
The result divided by 36 gives the interest at 10 per cent.
The result divided by 30 gives the interest at 12 per cent. Example.— $200.00 for 3 months and 10 days, or 100 days, is 20000; divided by 40 gives $5.00, which is the interest at 9 per cent; or divided by 60 gives $3.333, interest at 6 per cent. etc. To find the interest at 5 per cent, first find the interest at 6 per cent, then deduct 1/6. Or add 1/6 to find the interest at 7 per cent. etc.
263. To Find the Number of Gallons in a Barrel or Cask.—Add the greatest and the smallest diameters in inches together and divide by 2 and this will be the average diameter. Multiply this number by itself, then by the length of the barrel in inches and then by 34 and cut off the four right-hand figures. This is approximately the number of gallons.
Example.—A cask is 28 inches in diameter at the head and 32 inches at the bung and is 36 inches in length; 28 plus 32 equals 60, divided by 2 equals 30, or the average diameter; 30 times 30 equals 900; 36 times 900 equals 32400; 34 times 32400 equals 1101600 and cutting off the four right-hand figures leaves 110 as the number of gallons.


That will be it for tonight. Don't forget to check out our farm site. You will find a tremendous photo gallery there plus all kinds of thing to spend your money on, or not.

Sleep tight and snug, for all is well down on the farm.

The Old Farmer