entilation. In order to
prevent kitchen odors from penetrating through the other parts of the
house, it is necessary to have an outlet for steam and impure air near
the ceiling in the kitchen. If windows are placed so as to secure a
draft, they may be opened at the top only, when they will serve the
purpose admirably. There should be a ventilating flue in all kitchen
chimneys. In building a house, see that register ventilators are
placed in the kitchen on different walls, which may be closed in very
cold weather.

LAUNDRY WORK.

As the first essential of laundry work is a plentiful supply of water,
a word concerning that necessary article may not be out of place. Pure
water is a chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen. It has great
absorbent and solvent powers, therefore pure water is seldom found.
The first fall of any shower is mixed with the impurities of the air;
among these may be acids, ammonia and carbon in the form of soot and
creosote. It is these impurities which cause the stain left when rain
water stands on the window-sill or other finished wood. Rain water
absorbs more or less carbon dioxide from various sources, and soaking
into the soil often comes in contact with lime, magnesia and other
compounds. Water saturated with carbon dioxide will dissolve these
substances, forming carbonates or other salts which are soluble; such
water is known as "hard."

Water for domestic uses is called either "hard" or "soft," according
to the amount of salts which it may contain. When soap is added to
hard water, the new compound formed by the union of the lime with the
fatty acid of the soap is insoluble, and is deposited upon the surface
of any article with which it comes in contact. This is the reason why
"hard" water requires more soap when used for laundry work. It is much
better to soften the water by the addition of alkalies, ammonia or
sal-soda before using for laundry purposes than to depend entirely
upon soap for cleansing.

Another important material used in the laundry is soap. In purchasing
soap, it is safer to choose the make of some well-known firm, who have
a reputation to lose if their products are not good; and for anything
stronger than soap, it is better to buy sal-soda and use it knowingly
than to trust to the various packages so extensively advertised.
Washing soda should always be dissolved in a separate vessel, and
added to the water to be used. Ammonia may be used, but its too
frequent use