Home economics : a guide to household management, including the proper treatment of the materials entering into the construction and furnishing of the house

Front matter

"Si t D May

*>t LU <OU

A GUIDE TO HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT IN- CLUDING THE PROPER TREATMENT OF THE MATERIALS ENTERING INTO TH3 CONSTRUC- TION AND THE FURNISHING OF THE HOUSE

Preface

"Home economics," "domestic science," "domestic economy," and "household economy" are all terms which are applied to the same science (the management of the home). In Europe, where this subject has received much more attention than in this country, the term " domestic economy " is the one generally employed.

Home economics covers a vast field, to which nearly all the arts and sciences contribute. Few women have the time to devote to investigation and experiment in all the lines that bear upon the making of the home.. In these days of specializing, it would take a large library and much time to cull from the various sources the kinds of knowledge that bear directly upon the making and the management of the home. The aim of this book is to supply such knowledge in a clear, practical, and concise manner.

There seems to be a need for a book that deals with the necessities of daily home life, that teaches the housekeeper the materials and forces with which she has to deal, and the way in which they should be treated. This book has been planned upon this basis. It treats of the conditions which make the soil under the house and in the immediate neighborhood healthful or unhealthful, the changes in water caused by proper and improper conditions, the sources and characteristics of fuels and oils, besides giving careful consideration to the material that enters into the construction and the furnishing of the home.

vi PREFACE

The chapters on marketing and carving are planned in a novel way, showing by the skeleton the portion of the bone in each cut of meat. Then are given the position and structure of the muscles of the animal, the changed position of the bones and muscles in the hind quarter when the animal is hung, until the final cutting into joints by the butcher, and the cutting into portions by the carver. Any one who will study these two chapters carefully cannot fail to get a clear and practical knowledge of these two important branches of home economics.

The care of wood finish and of polished floors is becoming more and more a necessary part of the education of the housekeeper. Beautiful floors and finishes are being constantly ruined for lack of proper treatment. The polishing of floors opens a new avenue of employment for careful, intelligent men.

While there has been no attempt made toward giving receipts for cookery, the chapter on foods will be found to embody the principles underlying all good cookery.

Every statement has been thoroughly tested by the author in the years that she has devoted to the study and experiments which have made this volume possible.

Maria Parloa.

Contents

PAGE

Preface v

Chapter I

Selecting the house.— Size and style of the house.— The skeleton and circulatory system of the house.— The situation and foundation of the house.— The foundation-walls.— A closet for preserves and similar supplies.— General plan of the house.— The kitchen and pantries.— Pantries. — Materials used in building.— The interior finish of the house.— The chimney and furnace-pipes. — The plumbing.— Country houses.— Drainage and earth-closets.

Chapter II

Situation and depth of well or spring.— Methods of softening and purifying water.— Tests for impurities in water.

Chapter III

The hall.— The dining-room.— The library.— The living-room.— The parlor.— The bedrooms.— The kitchen.— Kitchen utensils.— Tinware.—Ironware.— Granite-ware.— Woodenware.— Earthenware.— Stoneware.— Miscellaneous.— Ventilation.

Chapter IV

General directions for sweeping and dusting.— To clean matting.— How to wash windows.— Cleaning copper and brasses.— How to

vii i" CONTENTS

PAGE

clean painted woodwork.— Care of window-sashes.— Care of dining-room.— Care of tableware.— Care of kitchen and pantries.— Care of the floors.— Care of kitchen utensils.— Tinware.— Woodenware. —The tea-kettle.— Tea-pots and coffee-pots.— Care of the refrigerator.—The sink.— To clean an iron sink.— Care of cellar.— Household refuse.— Care of the plumbing.

Chapter V

Soaking the clothes.— Washing the clothes. — Summary of the work. —To prepare bluing-water.— Flannels.— Colored flannels.— Summary.—Blankets.— Colored cotton articles.— Washing with starch. —To make the starch.— Silk undergarments.— Washing with kerosene.—Lace curtains.— Starching.— To make gum-arabic starch.— Stiffening with gelatin.— Boiled starch.— Raw starch.— Hanging clothes out to dry.— Folding clothes for ironing.— Preparing for ironing.— Folding the clothes after ironing.— A few words about the clothes-wringer.— The laundry.— How to dissolve soap.— How to clean irons.

CHAPTER XI Food 222

Brief outline of the processes of digestion.— Fruits.— Fats.— Principles underlying the cooking of albuminous substances.— Principles underlying the cooking of vegetable substances.— The manipulation of materials.— Flavors and odors.— Economy in food.— Growth and repair.— Heat and force.— Vegetables with little or no starch.

Chapter XVI

Some points on laying floor-coverings.— The finishing, filling, and staining of floors.— How to prepare the filler.— Staining with chemicals.—The preparation and application of stains.— Summary.— Points on mixing stains. —Stains made from colors ground in oil.— Stains made from colors in powder.— To graduate the stains.— Things important to remember.— Gluing furniture and other articles.— How to mend plaster casts and picture-frames.— To clean plaster casts.— To wax and stain casts.— Care of small marbles and alabaster.— To clean bronzes.— To polish the brass trimmings of furniture.— Some uses of lime-water.— Chloride of lime.— Liquid soda.— Javelle water. —Carbolic acid.— Solution of oxalic acid.— Furniture-cleaner and -polisher.— Encaustic No. 1.— Encaustic No. 2.— Wax for polishing furniture.—Materials for care of furniture and floors.— Fullers' earth.— To clean with fullers' earth.— To make scouring-balls.— To clean with scouring-balls.— How to put new linings in boots and shoes.— To clean combs and brushes. — To clean coat collars.— Aids in darning large holes.— How to revive and straighten whalebone.— To prevent stains showing through whitewash or paper.— To prevent the corners of rugs from curling.— How to heat inflammable substances.— Precautions to be taken in cleaning.— Frames for dress-waists and men's clothing.— Convenient clothes-rack.— Steel wool and steel shavings. —Insects and vermin.— Cockroaches.— Thermometers in the kitchen. —The melting-point of some metals and alloys.— The melting-point of some fats and sugar.— Bacteriology.— Household accounts, and the division of the income.

Index a 353

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE

1 Plan of Cold Room in Cellar 10

2 Plan of Kitchen, China-Closet, and Pantries . . . .13

3 Plan of China-Closet and Pantry 15

4 Plan of Cold Pantry 16

5 Plan of Closets for Cleaning-Appliances, Wraps, etc. . . 16

6 Kitchen Dresser 17

7 Kitchen Dresser 18

8 Sewer-Gas Traps 24

9 Stove Showing Direction of Waves of Heat when Smoke-

Damper is Opened 142

9a Stove Showing Direction of Waves of Heat when Smoke- Damper is Closed 143

10 Skeleton of Ox, Showing Location of the Bones in the Va-

rious Cuts of Meat 174

11 Muscular Fiber, Showing the Arrangement in Bundles . . 175

12 Muscular Fiber, Partially Separated into Fibrils . . . 175

13 Muscular Fiber, Cut across the Grain 175

14 Muscular System of an Ox, Showing the Direction in which

the Muscles Run, and where the Different Cuts Come from 177

15 Showing Changed Position of Thigh-Bone when the Hind Quar-

ter of the Animal is Hung 179

16 Showing Changed Position of Muscles when Hind Quarter is

Hung 179

17 Side of Beef— Inside 181

18 Side of Beef— New York Method of Cutting .... 182

19 Showing Method of Cutting Sirloin Steaks .... 184

20 Hip-Bone Steak 184

xi xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE

21 Flat-Bone Steak 185

22 Round-Bone Steak 185

23 Short or " Delmonico " Steak 185

24 Side of Mutton, Showing Method of Cutting .... 189

25 Showing Method of Carving Sirloin or Porterhouse Roast . 206

26 Showing Method of Carving Roast Ribs of Beef . . . 207

27 Showing Method of Carving Round of Beef .... 207

28 Showing Method of Carving Leg of Mutton .... 207

29 Showing Method of Carving Saddle of Mutton . . . 209

30 Showing Method of Carving Fore Quarter of Lamb . . 210

31 Showing Method of Carving Breast of Veal .... 210

32 Showing Method of Carving a Shoulder of Mutton . . 210

33 Showing Method of Carving the Under Part of the Shoulder 210

34 Showing Position of Shoulder-Bone 211

35 Showing Position of Muscles in Shoulder . . . .211

36 Showing Method of Carving a Ham 212

37 Showing Method of Carving a Tongue 212

38 Showing Method of Carving Haunch of Venison . . .213

39 Showing Method of Carving Roast Pig 213

40 Showing Position of Divided Roast Pig on Platter . . . 214

41 Showing Method of Carving Turkey 214

42 Showing Method of Carving Roast Duck 218

43 Showing a Second Method of Carving Roast Duck . . . 219

44 Showing Method of Carving Small Fish 220

45 Showing Method of Carving Cod's Head and Shoulder . . 220

46 Showing Method of Carving Salmon, etc 220

47 Showing Method of Carving Flatfish 220

48 Showing how the Annual Layers are Arranged in a Log of

Wood 265

49 Showing Rift and Slash in a Pine Board 266

50 Showing the Method of Cutting a Log 266

51 Showing Manner of Cutting Carpet for Register . . . 314

52 Showing Convenient Clothes-Rack 340

Chapter I

Selecting the house. Size and style of the house. The skeleton and circulatory system of the house. The situation and foundation of the house. The foundation-walls. A closet for preserves and similar supplies. General plan of the house. The kitchen and pantries. Pantries. Materials used in building. The interior finish of the house. The chimney and furnace-pipes. The plumbing. Country houses— drainage and earth-closets.

THE house does not make the home, but it has a great influence on the health and character of the inmates. When one lives in a rented house it is not possible to control all the conditions, as one can when building a house; but certainly one should be careful to select a home in a neighborhood where the drainage and water are good, and the people are of a class agreeable to know. If one has children, it is important that the home be near good schools.

SELECTING THE HOUSE

When hiring a house, the would-be tenant should examine it carefully before signing a lease. Examine

1. Examine the outside— walls, foundations, ^J°™

7 7 with care

underpinning of piazzas, and chimneys, leaders beforesignand water-pipes, blinds and fastenings. ing lease.

2. Examine the cellar— floors, walls, and woodwork. Are they damp or dry? Is there any odor? Are the foundation-

l walls and the floors in good condition? Is it well lighted? Are the bins for fuel in a convenient place, and are they ample? Is the furnace in good condition? Are the stairs secure and well lighted?

3. Examine the plumbing. What is the condition of pipes and faucets? Are the flushing appliances whollyseparated from the general-supply tank? Is the plumbing properly trapped? Is there any odor from it?

4. Examine the walls to see that there are no breaks in the plaster or paper. Remove drawers to see if the space back of them is plastered; if not, stipulate that this shall be done. Look at the woodwork, floors, and window-casings, looking carefully at locks and catches to see that they are in good condition. Be sure that the house has such an exposure that you get the sun. Better have fewer conveniences with a sunny house than take a house where you get little or no sun, even though with the latter you should get finer finish and more conveniences.

Being satisfied with the general condition of lease* *^e house, the next care is the lease. In this is satisfac- should be stated the period for which the lease h^y runs, the rent to be paid, the condition in which the house comes into your hands, whether landlord or tenant makes the repairs, and, if the tenant makes any, what they are to be. The water-tax is in some places paid by the tenant, and in other localities by the landlord; have this stated in the lease.

Before having the gas turned on, have the meter meter examined, that you may not have to pay for gas before gas that your predecessor has consumed, is urne j£ ajj these things are strictly attended to at

the proper time, they may save you a world of annoyance in the future.

For the benefit of those who may build their own homes a few suggestions are given. There is no intention of having these suggestions take the place of an architect; but it is hoped that they will be a help to the would-be builder, in seeing more clearly than he otherwise would what are the essential and what the secondary considerations in the foundation and structure of a house.

SIZE AND STYLE OF THE HOUSE

In planning a building, its special uses must be considered. The house intended for a home should be made as convenient, sanitary, and attractive as possible. The style of the house depends upon the location. The of locatSn house built in the city or suburbs would, of course, upon style be quite different from that built in the open coun- house, try. The amount of money one is able to devote to the building of the home must largely decide questions of size, architecture, etc.

The simpler the style of architecture, if the lines are good, the more pleasing the effect will be.

Sleeping-rooms should never be planned on the first floor.

Even in the smallest and cheapest houses there should invariably be a chamber, or open space, between the roof and the story below it. Rooms with no intermediate space between them and the roof are apt to be very much like ovens in the hot weather of summer.

Small houses built with low, broken roof -lines are picturesque, but the sleeping-rooms are not likely to be comfortable. Roofs built in such a style, besides being more expensive at the start, are more apt to leak than the plainer ones.

A house built with thick walls will be cool in

summer and warm in winter. Advantage

Every human being is entitled to some space walls.

where he can have absolute privacy for a few hours

each day. Houses should be planned to give each person a

separate sleeping-room. It is better to have fewer parlors

and more bedrooms.

The finish of the walls, ceilings, floors, and all waii^arfd woodwork in the house should be as simple as woodwork, possible; then there will be fewer places for dust to lodge and less chance for disease-germs to develop, the expense of building will be lessened, and the work of the housekeeper simplified.

THE SKELETON AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEM OF THE HOUSE

A modern house might be likened to an animal organism, the framework being the skeleton, and the plumbing, flues, heating-pipes, etc., being the circulatory system.

If this part of the house is carefully outlined before any

work is done, it will save much time, labor, and expense in

the construction of the building. What is of

tancaofoiit- s^l greater consequence, every pipe, flue, and

lining wire will be placed in the right position and will C1system.ry ^e surrounded and supported by the proper material. There will be no tearing out of masonry here, or cutting of floors and walls there— a process of remedying mistakes that often means that heating-pipes are placed in too close contact to woodwork, and that the spaces around plumbing are not properly finished.

When there is a clear mental picture of the completed house, it will be possible to dissect it and leave bare the skeleton and circulatory system. Two sets of plans should then be made, one for the framework, piping, and wiring, and the other for the completed building.

Having decided upon the whole amount of tive^sto'f money to be expended upon the house, allow a foundation, generous portion for the foundation, frame, chim- P ^c!115, neys> plumbing, heating, and ventilating. Do this even if the finish must be very plain in consequence. No beauty of finish will compensate for a poor foundation, shaky frame, and unsanitary plumbing and heating arrangements.

Make the skeleton plan somewhat in this style:

/Material.

I Depth below the ground.

-., , ,. „ J Height above the ground.

Openings for windows, doors, etc. l^Ventilating-pipes, cold-air box, etc.

/Bottom, subsoil, drain, kind of floor. ' Connections with gas-pipes.

" water-pipes.

Cellar sewer-pipes.

Cold room.

Fuel-bins.

Furnace.

Closet for preserves, etc.

Laundry, water-closet (if there is one). Foundation for chimneys.

Chimneys— openings.

Position for pipes from furnace or other

heating appliances.

Position for water-pipes.

" waste- or soil-pipes.

" ventilators.

" bell-wires.

" windows.

" doors.

" " stairs.

" closets.

Follow this plan for the other floors.

First floor

THE SITUATION AND FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE

When deciding to build a house, the first consideration should be its situation with respect to the influence on the health of the family.

The second consideration may be the character of the neighborhood, and convenience to business and other interests and pleasures.

Light, sunshine, pure air, and dryness are the most important factors in maintaining the healthful condition of the house, and they should be supplied in abundance.

Dampness, coming from the soil under or sur- Dfai>alfht0 r01in(iing the house, is a source of danger, giving from son. rise to consumption, rheumatism, malaria, and kindred maladies.

The nature of the soil on which a house is built is a most

important question. The purest soil consists almost wholly

of mineral matter intermixed with air and water.

Vegetable matter and animal matter are fre-

Con^i°ns quently mingled with the soil. Warmth and mois-

cause for- ture produce decomposition in animal and vege-

mation of table substances, and during the process of denoxious .' & . *

gases. composition noxious gases are given off. These

gases circulate through the porous earth, and

when warmed rise, and, mingling with the air, are taken

into the system with every breath we draw.

These poisonous gases are diluted with pure air, and therefore work so slowly in the system that we do not realize the damage that is being done until illness develops. Even then we are ready to attribute the cause to anything rather than to the dampness and poisonous gases that come from cellars, drains, cesspools, swampy land, and decaying animal and vegetable substances in and about our habitations.

If the earth under the house is damp and filled with noxious gases, they will naturally rise and permeate the whole house, floors, doors, and walls being no o/c^Uars6 protection against them.

All cellars built on clay soil should be drained. The best method of doing this is to dig a trench, slanted slightly, in which earthen pipes, properly joined, should be laid. These pipes must be covered with at least two feet of clay, well packed.

The floor of the cellar should be constructed with the utmost care. No matter what the soil under the floor maybe, there is always danger from the gases which will circulate through it. The covering of the 0f cellar, floor should be of some substance that will effectually obstruct the passage of the gases rising from the subsoil.

Many of the best authorities on sanitary questions are of the opinion that a thick bed of clay, well packed, is the very best material for a cellar floor. The one objection to this is that the clay, adhering to the shoes of every one who walks over it, is likely to be carried into other parts of the house. For this reason it is well to have the clay floor covered with a layer of cement.

With the subdrain and the clay floor under the cement, the cellar should be dry and sweet, and, as a consequence, the whole house will be in a good sanitary condition.

THE FOUNDATION-WALLS

Next in importance to the soil on which the house is built, and the drainage, come the foundation-walls of the house. They should be so built that there will be no danger of settling because of the instability of the ground. The foundation itself must be constructed in such a manner that there may be no possibility of dampness being drawn into the walls. The subdrain already described will take away the greater part of the moisture from thefou^athe soil. tion for

A deep, broad trench should be dug for the c^a^ cellar walls. The bottom of this should be packed with a thick bed of clay, as was suggested in making the cellar floor. Over this should be put a layer of coarse broken stone, the spaces between the fragments being filled with crushed stone. The whole surface should be made even, and finally covered with mortar and cement. This foundation will give a solid support for the walls of the cellar.

All cellar walls should be thick. This is essential for the proper support of the house, and, in addition, keeps out heat in summer and frost in winter. In building the cellar walls, every precaution should be taken to make them impervious to moisture.

_. . ti The height of the walls above the ground is

and venti- important. They should extend a sufficient dislation of tance above ground to admit of windows at least two and a half feet high. This will insure the thorough lighting and ventilation of the cellar, and the raising of the first floor at least three feet from the ground. (Note.— In some parts of the country, as in a number of the Southern States, for instance, the land is so low that cellars are out of the question. In such cases the foundation-timbers of the house rest upon brick or stone piers. The supports are far enough apart to allow thorough ventilation under the house.)

There should be cellar windows on all sides of

sunshine if *ke house, if the house is detached. If it is in a

possible, block, of course these windows are limited to two

sides only. Piazzas should not be placed in such

a position as to exclude all sun from the cellar.

The more smoothly and completely the walls and ceilings of the cellar are finished, the easier they will be to keep clean. The ceilings should be lathed and plastered.

The uses to which the cellar is put depend upon cellar. the locality in which one lives and the manner of living. In town houses the fuel is usually kept here. In many country houses all the fuel, except the furnace coal, is kept in sheds on the ground floor.

When the fuel is kept in the cellar, it should be stored in bins placed as near as possible to the point of consumption. For example, the furnace coal should be as near as possible to the furnace, and the range and grate coal near the stairs. Bins should be large enough to contain the full yearly supply of coal, and they should f l^cinf be dry and well lighted. fuei#

Every cellar in which there is a furnace should have a cold room partitioned off from the main room.

A good plan for the cold room is as follows: Take one corner of the cellar in which there is a window (two windows would be still better); a northeast or northwest corner is most desirable for this room. Inclose Tq0™ a square with walls of masonry, leaving a generous opening for the door and a small space for a window which may be' opened and closed at will. Divide this room into two parts, using well-joined boards or masonry for the wall, and again leaving generous space for a door. In any case, have strong supports of some kind on which broad slate shelves may rest. If the walls are of masonry, narrow ledges of stone or brick may be arranged to project from them. If wood has been used, broad, smooth, wooden cleats may be fastened to the walls. In the inner room a strong piece of joisting should be fastened firmly across the room and about two feet from the ceiling. Several large meat-hooks may be driven into this joist, on which may be hung joints of meat, hams, poultry, etc. This inner room may be used for storing meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, and all foods that have an odor.

In the outer cold room milk, butter, and inodorous foods may be kept. These cold rooms should be placed as near as possible to the cellar stairs; if the whole length of the cellar must be traversed to get to them, they will not be used as freely as they should.

The windows of these rooms should be supplied with screens of thin cheese-cloth to keep out all particles of dust; these would be in addition to the coarse- and fine-wire

Fig. i.

A, first room; B, inner room; C, door into cellar; D, door connecting the two rooms; S, S, S, windows; E, joist with meat-hooks; F, table; G, shelves.

screens with which all the cellar windows should be protected against thieves, flies, and small animals.

Each room should have, besides the windows, a small opening through the outer wall, screened with fine wire, and covered with fine cheese-cloth. This will insure ventilation in cold weather when the windows are closed. The doors of both rooms should be wide enough to admit a large barrel with ease.

A CLOSET FOR PRESERVES AND SIMILAR SUPPLIES

Another useful contrivance in the furnace-heated house is a closet for storing preserves and other articles that should not be kept in a hot cellar, nor yet in a room where there is danger of freezing.

This closet may be built of wood and placed in any part of the cellar. It should be well made, and fitted with broad, smooth shelves that may be cleaned with ease.

GENERAL PLAN OF THE HOUSE

A skeleton somewhat like the following one will save changes, expense, and annoyance:

1. Cost.

2. Area of first floor.

3. Rooms and closets on first floor.

4. Rooms and closets on second floor.

5. Number of attic rooms, if any, and their ar-

Outline of

what is

needed in

the house.

rangement and finish.

6. Amount of plumbing, and its location.

7. Number of chimneys, and their location.

8. Number of open fireplaces.

9. Plan for stairs. (They should be broad and easy, and the back stairs should be free from turns.)

10. Arrangement of the rooms on all the floors. (This should be planned so that those used most shall R have the best exposure to the sun. Halls should

be arranged so that they may not be simply passageways, but healthful and cheerful meeting-places.)

11. Location of windows, doors, and closets. (These

should be planned, after the location of the rooms is fixed,

so that they may give the greatest amount of

light, sunshine, and air.) windows,

doors, and Doors and closets should be so placed that they closets.

will break up the wall-space as little as possible.

Ample space should be allowed in bedrooms for bed, dressing-case, and large wash-stand— for it is to be hoped that in our sanitary house there will be no set basins in the sleeping-rooms.

Plan to have all the rooms and the hall on the lower floor connect.

The library should be well lighted and have ample wall-space for bookcases. It is a good arrangement to have a window on one side of the room above ^ jjJ^J! the low bookcases, the greatest length of this window extending horizontally. The glass should be of a soft, warm color. The light coming through glass tinted a

deep yellow is almost like sunlight, very much

/.. -, Corner

softened. closet and

The dining-room should be one of the most sideboard cheerful rooms in the house. In building, the ing!ro0n^ cost of putting in corner closets and a simple sideboard will not be great, if one is satisfied with plain, substantial work. The arrangement of bits of china and glass in these will be sufficient decoration. Of course, if one is building a handsome house, and has the means to spend on fine carvings, the dining-room and library are the rooms where such work is appropriate and satisfactory. A bay-window in the dining-room will admit of a few plants— the most attractive thing one can have in this room.

Let the vestibule and entrance-hall be as spacious as your

means will permit. The hall gives character to the house.

Nothing in make-up and finish of any other part

Vestibule of the house can atone for a cramped and badly

entrance- lighted hall. Somewhere on the first floor there

haU. should be a closet for wraps, umbrellas, overshoes, etc. With such a place for putting away the outdoor garments, it is possible to make the hall a pleasant reception-room.

The staircase, wherever placed, should be broad and easy

to mount, with at least two wide landings to break its

length. The back staircase should be built for

staircases j£s pr0per use— the passing up and down for the

front. performance of the regular work of the house,

and for carrying furniture, baggage, etc., from

one floor to another. For these purposes the stairs should

be straight, of an easy incline, and well lighted. As a rule

the reverse is the case.

THE KITCHEN AND PANTRIES

Last, but not least, plan carefully for the kitchen and pantries. The kitchen should be large enough to be comfortable as to temperature and ventilation. Arrange it so that nearly all the work of cooking, dish-washing, etc., may be done within an area of one hundred square feet. A rough plan is given here of kitchen, pantries, back hall, and stairs, that may be suggestive of the method of connecting the different points of work closely and systematically. (See