it
forms an excellent substitute for soap.

399. To Scour Boards.

Lime, one part; sand, three parts; soft soap, two parts. Lay a little
on the boards with the scrubbing brush, and rub thoroughly. Rinse with
clean water, and rub dry. This will keep the boards of a good colour,
and keep away vermin.

400. Charcoal (2).

All sorts of glass vessels and other utensils may be purified from
long-retained smells of every kind, in the easiest and most perfect
manner, by rinsing them out well with charcoal powder, after the
grosser impurities have been scoured off with sand and potash. Rubbing
the teeth and washing out the mouth with fine charcoal powder, will
render the teeth beautifully white, and the breath perfectly sweet,
where an offensive breath has been owing to a scorbutic disposition of
the gums. Putrid water is immediately deprived of its bad smell by
charcoal. When meat, fish, &c., from intense heat, or long keeping,
are likely to pass into a state of corruption, a simple and pure mode
of keeping them sound and healthful is by putting a few pieces of
charcoal, each about the size of an egg, into the pot or saucepan
wherein the fish or flesh is to be boiled. Among others, an experiment
of this kind was tried upon a turbot, which appeared to be too far
gone to be eatable; the cook, as advised, put three or four pieces of
charcoal, each the size of an egg, under the strainer in the
fish-kettle; after boiling the proper time, the turbot came to the
table sweet and firm.

401. To take Stains out of Mahogany Furniture.

Stains and spots may be taken out of mahogany with a little aquafortis
or oxalic acid and water, rubbing the part with a cork dipped in the
liquid till the colour is restored. Then wash the wood well with
water, and dry and polish as usual.

402. To take Ink-Stains out of Mahogany.

Put a few drops of spirits of nitre in a teaspoonful of water; touch
the spot with a feather dipped in the mixture, and as soon as the ink
disappears, rub it over with a rag wetted in cold water, or there will
be a white mark, which will not be easily effaced.

403. To remove Ink-Stains from Silver.

Ink-stains on the tops and other portions of silver ink-stands may be
completely eradicated by making a little chloride of lime into a paste
with water, and rubbing it upon the stains. Chloride of lime has been
misnamed "The general bleacher