|
Classic
Cook Books
< last page | next page >
page 452
perches should be plain, round, unvarnished sticks, and no two of the same size.
Clean the cage thoroughly every morning. Prepare fresh, clean bathing and
drinking water, and if sand is used on the bottom of cage, clean it (the sand)
by boiling in water. Scrape the perches well, and twice a week plunge them in
boiling water to kill any red mites that may have lodged there. Give plenty of
seed, also green parts of many plants, such as poppy, rape, hemp, etc.; also the
seeds of weeds like the chickweed, plantain, etc., and the fresh, tender leaves
of beets, cabbage and lettuce. Avoid fruits containing a large percentage of
acid, but give occasionally a hard-boiled egg. Never give them sugar, but all
the red pepper they will eat. It is the best thing for them. And if your bird
feels hoarse at any time, put a piece of fat salt pork in the cage and see how
the little fellow will enjoy it. Give him flax-seed once in a while, and if he
appears dumpy occasionally give him a diet of bread and water, with red pepper
sprinkled in.
For lice, cleanliness is the best preventive, but not always sure. For cure you
have simply to cover your cage at night with a white cloth, rise early in the
morning, remove the cloth and dip in scalding hot water. Repeat every night as
long as there shall be found any vermin upon the cloth.
In raising birds, make just half the fuss directed in the bird-book over the
matter, and you will have, doubtless, better success.
CHICKADEES IN WINTER.--A cup of pumpkin-seeds, set on the window-sill, will
attract chickadees, and they will become quite tame, and are very amusing with
their antics. They may be kept about the house from December to May by feeding
and kind treatment.
TO REMOVE WHITE SPOTS ON FURNITURE, caused by a hot iron or hot water, or to
restore blistered furniture.--Rub with a No. 1 sand-paper somewhat worn, or
apply pulverized pumice stone mixed with a few drops of linseed oil, then with a
cotton cloth rub on some shellac varnish thinned well with turpentine.--A.
Morey.
BUCKEYE POLISH. --Take one ounce each shellac and coal oil, half an ounce each
linseed oil and turpentine, bottle and keep well corked, shake well before using
and apply with a sponge. Good for marred furniture.--Charles D. Morey
SHELLAC VARNISH. --Put shellac in a bottle, pour 90 per cent. alcohol to cover,
cork tight and put in a warm room, shake occasionally, and if not all dissolved
in three or four days, add more alcohol. This is good to varnish almost any
thing and will dry in half an hour.--A. Morey.
TO KEEP PAINT-BRUSHES.--Turn a new brush bristles up, open, pour in a spoonful
of good varnish, and keep in that position until dry, and the bristles will
never "shed" in painting. The varnish also keeps it from shrinking and falling
to pieces. As soon as a job is finished, wipe brush clean, wrap in piece of
paper, and hang it in a small deep vessel containing oil, letting the brush
descend into the oil up to the wrapping cord. This will keep painting and
varnish brushes clean and ready for use.
FURNITURE FILLING. --Mix two gallons plaster of paris, one pint flour, one ounce
each of pulverized pumice-stone and prepared chalk; add one half gallon boiled
oil and one gill Japan drying.--C. D. Morey.
TO MAKE OLD PAINT DRY.--Old paint which is "sticky" may be made hard and dry by
applying a coat of benzine, then after a day or two, if the coat of paint is
good, go over it with a thin coat of laquer mixed with one third of its bulk of
boiled oil. If paint is thin apply a second coat in which more laquer is used.
TO RENOVATE HAT-BANDS WHEN STAINED BY SWEAT. --Dissolve one and a half ounces
white castile soap in four ounces alcohol and one ounce
< last page | next page >
Classic
Cook Books
|
