Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million: Containing Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty-five Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc. in the Useful, Ornamental, and Domestic Arts — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million: Containing Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty-five Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc. in the Useful, Ornamental, and Domestic Arts
John Stuart Mill · en
After they are ironed, the things should be hung upon the horse
to air. The cookmaid is now done with the washing, as it is the
housemaid's business to air them, and to place them in the drawers,
when aired; but in many families, the putting of them away is done by
the mistress of the house, or by some of the young ladies.
In ironing the skirts of dresses, it is best and most proper to have
a board about thirteen inches wide and four feet long, on which
fasten, with tapes, an ironing-blanket; place one end of it on a
table, and the other end on the dresser, or something that is firm,
of the same height as the table. In using this board, pass it through
the skirt, taking care that the wet part of the dress falls into a
clothes-basket, or a cloth, which you must first put on the floor,
under the middle of the board, to save the skirt from being soiled;
and turn the skirt of the dress round the board, as you iron it.
1003. _Save the Rags._--All rags of cotton or linen should be saved
by the cookmaid; they should never be thrown away because they are
not clean. Mop-rags, lamp-rags, all should be washed, dried and put
in the rag-bag. There is no need of expending soap on them; just boil
them out in the suds after you have done washing.
Linen rags should be carefully saved; for they are extremely useful
in sickness. If they have become dirty and worn by cleaning silver,
&c., wash them, and scrape them into lint.
PART VI.
SOME HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE, GARDENING, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC.
_Of Soil, Hay and the Grains--Of Vegetables--Destroying
Ferrets, Reptiles, Rats and other Vermin--Flowers, Fruits,
Trees--Timber--Buildings._
1004. _Advantage of Knowing something about Agriculture._--In a work
designed, chiefly, for women, it may seem odd to find farming treated
of, as though they needed such information. But while far the greater
portion of American men[B] are tillers of the soil, it would be
questioning the good sense as well as affection of their wives and
daughters to suppose them indifferent to such pursuits.
The husband will work with more pleasure, when feeling his wife takes
an interest in his employments. The daughter of a farmer should be
ready to read her father's books and papers on agriculture, whenever
he desires it, and assist in the garden, orchard, and among domestic
animals, when such cases are suitable for her.