THE 
 
 GENERAL 
 
 :xJ3lr; 
 
 i RECEIPT 
 BOOK. 
 
 
 Printed and Published by 
 
 W. MASON, 22, CLERKENWELL GREEN 
 
THE 
 
 GENERAL 
 
 ib us <e us a ip sp a*®®i&9 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION 
 
 OF 
 
 Valuable Receipts, 
 
 CONNECTED WITH 
 
 DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 
 
 THE 
 ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 2LonHon : 
 
 L'UINTBI) fc PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM MASON 
 VI, CLERKENWELL GREEN 
 
 SIX-PENCE. 
 
 1853- 
 
THE 
 
 GENERAL RECEIPT BOOK. 
 
 To make Spruce Beer. — Take three pints of the 
 essence of spruce (sold by the druggists), 18 gallons 
 of water, 18 pounds of treacle, half a pint of good 
 yeast, and a quarter of an ounce of isinglass cut 
 small, and dissolved into a jelly, with a little stale 
 cider or perry. First boil the water, then mix the 
 treacle with it and put it in a cask ; when nearly cold, 
 mix up the spruce with a little of it, and put it into 
 it, and let it work with the yeast; then stir it well up 
 and let it work with the bung out for three or four 
 days; after which, put in the finings, and stir it 
 about, then put in the bung, and when it has stood 
 ten days, bottle it. It should be drawn off into quart 
 stone bottles, and be wired. 
 
 To make Ginger Beer. — Take two ounces of the 
 best Jamaica ginger, and slice it very thin, and four 
 scruples of citric acid. Put these ingredients into a 
 clean earthen vessel, and pour on them two gallons 
 of boiling soft water. Into another earthen vessel 
 of the like description put two pounds of the best 
 lump sugar, and drop on the sugar four or five drops 
 of the essence of lemons. After the heat of the water 
 poured on the ginger has subsided, pour the contents 
 into the vessel containing the sugar and essence of 
 le. nons, while warm, add a table spoonful of yeast, 
 and let the whole stand till next morning : then skim 
 and bottle it, tying the corks tight down. Keep it 
 three days in a dry cool place, and it will be fit for 
 use. Thus made it will keep for a very long time, 
 and prove of the first quality. 
 
 Fine Ginger Cakes for Cold Weather. — Break 
 three eggs in a basin, beat them well, add half a 
 pint of cream, which must also be beat with them, and 
 put the whole into a saucepan over the fire, to be 
 stirred till it gets warm; then add a pound of but- 
 ter, half a pound of loaf sugar, two ounces and a half 
 
of ginger, both powdered, carefully stirring the whole 
 over a slow fire, just to melt all the butter ; pour it 
 ou two pounds of flour, and form it all into a good 
 paste ; roll it, or break it into pieces, as you think 
 proper, and bake it. 
 
 To make the celebrated French Polish for Furni- 
 ture. — If the article to be polished has been pre- 
 viously waxed, it must be cleaned off with glass 
 paper. To one pint of spirits of wine, add two 
 ounces of gum shellac, and half an ounce of gum 
 sandrach ; place the whole over a gentle fire, fre- 
 quently agitating it till the gums are dissolved. 
 Then make a roller of list, put a little of the mixture 
 upon it, and cover that with a soft linen rag, which 
 must be slightly touched with cold-drawn linseed 
 oil. Rub them into the wood in a circular direction, 
 covering only a small space at a time, till the pores 
 of the wood are filled up. After this, rub in, in the 
 same manner, spirits of wine, with a small portion of 
 the polish added to it, and the effect will be com- 
 plete. 
 
 To extract Oil from Wood or Stone. — Take one 
 pound of pearlash, half a pound of fresh burnt lime, 
 and a gallon of boiling water ; dissolve the pearlash 
 in two pints of the water, and add the remainder of 
 the water to the lime ; mix the hot liquors together, 
 and then set the mixture aside in a covered vessel, 
 and when it is cold let it be strained through a cotton 
 bag, and preserve it for use in well corked bottles. 
 
 To give afne Colour to Mahogany — Into a pint 
 of cold-drawn linseed oil put one ounce of alkanet 
 root, and one ounce of rose pink, in an earthen vessel; 
 let it remain all night; then stirring it well, rub some 
 of it over the tables with a linen rag: when it has 
 lain some time, rub it with a linen cloth. 
 
 To repair Metal Boilers. — Mix pounded quick 
 tfrae with ox blood, and it will make a strong cement 
 
for repairing leaks in copper boilers or other vessels. 
 It must be applied fresh made, as it soon gets so hard 
 as to be unfit for use. 
 
 To clean Cast Iron, and Black Hearths. — Mix 
 black lead and white of eggs, well beaten together; 
 dip a painter's brush and wet it all over, then rub it 
 bright with a hard brush. 
 
 To take the black off the bright bars of Polished 
 Stoves in a few minutes. — Hub them well with the 
 following mixture on a bit of broad cloth : take soft 
 soap mixed to a good consistency with emery. 
 
 To clean Tin Covers. — Get the 6nest whiting, 
 which is only sold in large cakes, the small being 
 mixed with sand : mix a little of it powdered with 
 the least drop of sweet oil, and rub them well, and 
 then wipe them clean, and dust some dry whiting 
 through a muslin sieve, rubbing them bright with 
 dry leather. The last is to prevent rust. 
 
 To clean Silver Plate. — Dissolve alum in a strong 
 ley, scum it carefully, and stir it up with soft soap, 
 and wash your silver with it, using a linen rag. 
 
 To clean Gold and restore its Lustre, — Dissolve 
 some sal-ammoniac in urine, boil your soiled gold 
 therein, and it will become clean and brilliant. 
 
 To take Spots, infallibly, out of Linen. — Take a 
 pound of chloride of lime, and two gallons of warm 
 water ; stir them together for one hour, and immerse 
 the linen till the spots are removed, which will be in 
 a few minutes ; then wash the linen in repeated 
 quantities of clean water immediately, and dry it. 
 
 To take Ironmould or Rust out of Linen. — Take 
 powdered salt of sorrel, or oxalic acid, and put it on 
 the place wetted with hot water; and repeat it ti»l 
 the ironmould is removed. 
 
How to take Spots or Stains out of Silk or Velvet. 
 — Take soap-wort (an herb of that name), braise it, 
 and strain out the juice ; add a little black soap, mix 
 them well to a moderate thickness ; rub over the 
 stained or spotted place, wash it out with warm wa- 
 ter, and allow it to dry ; do it again twice or thrice, 
 and it will effect your desire. 
 
 To make Wash Balls. — Shave thin two pounds 
 of new white soap to a tea-cup full of rose water ; 
 then pour as much boiling water on as will soften it ; 
 put into a brass pan a pint of sweet oil, four penny 
 worth of the oil of almonds, half a pound of sperma - 
 ceti, and set it all over the fire, till it is dissolved ; 
 then add the soap, and half an ounce of camphor 
 that has been reduced to powder, by rubbing it in a 
 mortar with a few drops of spirits of wine, or laven- 
 der water, or any other scent; boil it ten minutes, 
 then pour it into a bason, and stir it till it is quite 
 thick enough to roll up into hard balls, which must 
 then be done as soon as possible, that the flavor may 
 not fly off. 
 
 Harness Makers' Jet. — Take a dram of indigo, 
 in powder, aquarter of an ounce of isinglass, quarter 
 of an ounce of soft soap, four ounces of glue, one 
 pennyworth of logwood raspings, a quart of vinegar, 
 and a small quantity of green vitriol ; boil the whole 
 together over a slow fire till reduced to a pint; a 
 small quantity is then to be taken on a sponge and 
 thinly applied to harness, boots or shoes, taking 
 care they are previously well brushed. This com- 
 position saves much trouble to coachmen and 
 grooms. 
 
 A cheap Shoe Blacking. -Take four ounces of 
 ivory black, three ounces of the coarsest su^ar, an 
 ounce of sweet oil, and a pint of small beer, 
 with half an ounce of oil of vitriol ; mix them 
 gradually, cold. 
 
To make Boots and Shoes Waterproof. — Mi\ 
 equal parts of mutton fat, bees*- wax, and sweet oil 
 together, in a small gallipot, and heat them over the 
 fire till melted ; then, after the mixture is coolcJ 
 a little, apply it to the shoes plentifully, parti- 
 cularly about the welt and seams, and that will 
 render them completely waterproof. 
 
 To clean Boot Tops. — Take an ounce of oxalic 
 acid, and a pint of rain or other watar ; shake them 
 together until dissolved, when it is ready for use. 
 
 To cement broken China, Glass, or Earthenware. 
 — Take a piece of flint glass, and beat it to a fine 
 powder, and grind it well with the white of an egg, 
 and it will join china without reviting, so that no 
 art can break it again in the same place. You are 
 to observe, the composition must be ground very 
 fine on a painter's stone. 
 
 To make genuine Windsor Soap. — To make this 
 famous soap for washing the hands, shaving, &c., 
 nothing more is necessary, than to slice the best 
 white soap as thin as possible, melt it in a stew-pan 
 over a slow fire, scent it well with oil of caraway, 
 and then pour it into a mould or frame made for 
 that purpose, or a small drawer, adapted in size 
 and form to the quantity. When it has stood three 
 or four days in a dry situation, cut it into square 
 pieces, and it is ready for use. By this simple mode, 
 substituting any more favorite scent for that of 
 caraway, all persons may suit themselves with a 
 good perfumed soap at a trifling expense. Shaving 
 boxes may be at once filled with the melted soap, 
 instead of the mould. 
 
 To make a fine hard Sealing Wax of all Colours. 
 
 RED. 
 
 Take one pound of bees'-wax, three ounces of 
 fine turpentine, and one ounce of resin, finely pow- 
 
8 
 
 dered; when they are well melted, and the dross taken 
 off, put in it some red lead or vermilion, and stir 
 them together till they are well incorporated; and 
 you may, when it grows a little cool, make it up into 
 what form you please. 
 
 GREEN. 
 
 It is made after the same manner, and in the 
 same proportions as the fine red, by mixing with 
 the ingredients verdigris instead of vermilion. 
 
 BLUE. 
 
 It is also made after the same manner, using 
 blue smalt, or ultramarine. 
 
 PURPLE. 
 
 This is made after the same manner, by putting 
 in vermilion mixed with ivory black, or lamp black. 
 
 YELLOW. 
 
 This is done as the rest, with fine ground auri- 
 pigmentum, or yellow masticot. 
 
 British Herb Tobacco* for nervous head-ache, &c. 
 Take of dried coltsfoot leaves 16 oz., dried hyssop, 
 8 oz., dried spearmint 4 oz., dried lavender flowers 
 2 oz., and of dried rose leaves 6 oz.; cut them very 
 small, and mix them. 
 
 To dye Silk a beautiful Purple. — To each pound 
 of silk, take an ounce of alum, and a gallon of wa- 
 ter, dissolving the alum therein over a gentle fire. 
 Then put in the silk, and let it continue there about 
 four hours ; then take lake and indigo, each a quarter 
 of a pound, and a quart of urine ; then a small 
 handful of cochineal, beat them up into a dye, 
 and dip your silks, fine stuffs, or cotton, into it as 
 usual. 
 
 A good Green. — To twelve pounds of silk boil a 
 pound of fustic, four ounces of turmeric, and one 
 ounce of common alum, together; when boiled, mix 
 a little indigo; then put in your goods, boil them 
 well, and you will have a good green on woollen 
 or silk. For a dark colour, use as much more 
 indigo liquor, or fustic, as you consider necessary. 
 
A fine Buff Colour.— Let the twist or yarn be 
 boiled in pure water, to cleanse it; then wring it, 
 run it through a diluted solution of iron in the vege- 
 table acid, what painters call iron liquor; wring, 
 and run it through a solution of starch and water ; 
 then wring it once more, and dry, wind, warp, and 
 weave it for use. The same answers for dresses, 
 or cotton already wove. 
 
 French Maroon on Silk. — To twelve pounds of 
 silk, take one pound and a half of cudbear, boil it 
 well; when boiled put in the silk for ten minutes, 
 and then take it out. For a garnet colour, boil in 
 the same liquor two pounds of common salt, put in 
 your goods, and let them boil ten minutes, first 
 adding cream of tartar. 
 
 7b varnish Drawings, Paintings, S?c. — Take 
 some clear parchment cuttings, boil them in water. 
 in a clean glazed pipkin, till they produce a very 
 clear size ; strain it and keep it for use. Give your 
 work two coats of the above size, passing quickly 
 over the work, not to disturb the colors; when dry, 
 proceed with your varnish. 
 
 A Cure for the Head- Ac he.— Cephalic snuff often 
 removes this afflicting pain. When it arises from 
 indigestion, an aperient draught will have a good 
 effect. If occasioned by an heated atmosphere, a walk 
 in the open air, or bathing the head in cold water, 
 will often remove it. 
 
 Ointment for Burns. — Take four ounces of fresh 
 lard, and four ounces of Goulard's Extract ; beat 
 them into an ointment, and apply it, thickly spread 
 on lint, to the burn, twice daily. 
 
 Bleeding at the Nose. — A nettle leaf put upon the 
 tongue, and then pressed against the roof of the 
 mouth, is sometimes efficacious in stopping bleeding 
 at the nose ; or a large key placed against the naked 
 back 
 
10 
 
 Corns, — The following plasters will always give 
 relief, and frequently remove them : 
 
 1. One ounce of Venice turpentine, the yolks 
 of two eggs, two drachms of mercurial plaster, half 
 an ounce of yellow wax ; the turpentine and wax 
 must be melted together, and the other ingredients 
 mixed when fluid. 
 
 2. Take equal quantities of roasted onion and 
 soft soap; beat them up together, and apply them 
 as a poultice ; this application will instantly appease 
 the pain of the corn. 
 
 3 Take one drachm of finely powdered verdi- 
 gris, half a drachm of finely powdered camphor, 
 and one ounce and a half of plaster of galbanum 
 Melt the plaster in a gallipot over a gentle fire, 
 and stir in the powders until cold. To be spread on 
 thin lea(her or linen. 
 
 Cure for the Tooth Ache. — The tooth-ache will 
 be relieved in a moment by a few drops of cam- 
 phor and laudanum dropped on a piece of lint, 
 and put into the hollow of the tooth ; but this relief, 
 though certain, is only temporary, for if the tooth 
 be decayed, it must, if possible, be extracted. 
 
 For a Cough. — Mix vinegar and treacle in equal 
 quantities, and let a tea-spoonful be taken occasion- 
 ally, when the cough is troublesome. 
 
 Gargle for a Sore Throat. — Take a handful ot 
 red sage leaves, simmer them two minutes in a third 
 of a pint of water, strain the liquor oft" when cold, 
 add an equal quantity of vinegar, and sweeten it 
 with honey. Or, dried black currant leaves, sim- 
 mered for three or four minutes in a small quantity 
 of vinegar, which apply, as a garble, to the throat 
 as hot as possible. These receipts are best tor 
 general purposes, and may be used with perfect 
 safety, and generally with the happiest effects. 
 
It 
 
 7b kill Cockroaches. — Give them the root of 
 black hellibore, which grows in marshes, and may 
 be had from country people; strew it over the 
 floor at night, and next morning you will find all 
 the family of cockroaches dead or dying from 
 having eaten of it, which they will do with much 
 avidity. Or, mix one pound of treacle and two 
 quarts of water well together, then put it into basins 
 half full; place the vessels with pieces of wood 
 resting on their edges, that they may crawl up into 
 the basins at night, and in the morning the havoc 
 will be seen. 
 
 For destroying Rats. — Cut dried sponge into 
 small pieces, and fry or dip it in honey ; it will 
 distend their intestines; the addition of a little oil of 
 rhodium will tempt them to eat it. Birdlime laid in 
 their haunts will stick to their fur, and cause them to 
 tear themselves in pieces to get rid of it. If a live 
 rat was caught, and well anointed with tar and train 
 oil, and afterwards set at liberty, the offensive 
 smell would cause him to traverse all the holes of 
 his companions with the most distressing anxiety, 
 and cause them all to disappear. 
 
 To Sweeten Meat, Fish, 8?c. that is tainted. — 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 the size of an eg£, into the pot or saucepan 
 wherein the meat or fish is to be boiled. Among 
 others, an experiment of this kind was tried upon 
 a turbot, which appeared too far gone to be eatable; 
 the cook, as advised, put four pieces of charcoal 
 under the strainer in the fish-kettle ; after boiling 
 the proper time, the turbot came to the table per- 
 fectly sweet and clean. 
 
 Composition for restoring Scorched Linen. — Boil 
 to a good consistency, in half a pint of vineerar two 
 
12 
 
 ounces of fuller's earth, and the juice of two onions. 
 Spread the composition over the whole of the da- 
 maged part ; and if the scorching is not quite 
 through, and the threads actually consumed, after 
 suffering it to dry, the place will appear full as white 
 and perfect as any other part of the linen. 
 
 To clean Hearthrugs or Carpets. — Soap every 
 spot of grease or dirt well. Dip a hard brush into 
 boiling water, and rub them well with it. If very 
 dirty, the article must be beat in a tub of warm 
 soap suds, and afterwards rinsed in several clean * 
 waters. To the last water put a table spoonful of 
 oil of vitriol, which will brighten the colour. 
 
 Oil of Tartar, for cleaning pewter, &c. — Take a 
 pound of common pearlash, and a pint of soft water ; 
 shake them well together for two or three hours, 
 then let it stand until bright ; pour off the clear 
 fluid, which is fit for use. 
 
 Infallible remedy for Weak Eyes. — Take a small 
 lump of white copperas, about the size of a pea, 
 put it in a small phial that contains about two 
 ounces of water, carry this in the pocket, and oc- 
 casionally taking out the cork, turn the phial on 
 the finger's end, and thus bathe the eyes. This 
 will positively effect a complete cure in a short time. 
 
 Peppermint Water. — Take two pounds of pepper- 
 mint herb, and four gallons of water, from which 
 distil, by means of a gentle Gre, one gallon. 
 
 Rose Water. — Gather red roses when they are 
 full blown and dry; pick off the leaves, and to every 
 peck put one quart of water, then put them into a 
 cold still, and make a slow fire under it; the slower 
 it is distilled the better; bottle it, and cork it in two 
 or three days Bean flowers may be distilled the 
 same way* 
 
13 
 
 Pennyroyal Water. — Gather pennyroyal when 
 full grown, but before it is in blossom, then fill your 
 cold still with it, and put it half full of water ; make 
 a moderate fire under it, and distil it off cold ; then 
 bottle it, and cork it in two or three days. 
 
 Lavender Water. — To every twelve pounds of 
 lavender neps, put one quart of water ; put them 
 into a cold still, and make a slow fire under it ; dis- 
 til it off very slow, and put itinto a pot tillyou have 
 distilled it ; then put it into bottles, and cork it well. 
 
 Caraway Seed Water. — Take one pound of 
 bruised caraway seeds, and four gallons of water, 
 from which distil one gallon. This water is used 
 principally as a carminative for infants, and is a 
 jrood vehicle for giving magnesia and rhubarb to 
 those tender patients. 
 
 Elder Flower Water. — Take six pounds of 
 elder flowers, and four gallons of water, from 
 which distil one gallon. 
 
 To clean Brass and Copper. — Take one pound 
 of soft soap, and a sufficient quantity of finely 
 powdered rottou stone to make it into a very stiff 
 paste. A small quantity of this mixture is to be 
 rubbed all over the copper or brass, and polished 
 with a little powdered rotton stone. 
 
 Soda Powders. — Take one ounce and a half of 
 powdered carbonate of soda, and divide it into 
 twenty powders, wrapped in blue papers ; and 
 one ounce of powdered tartaric acid, which also 
 make into twenty portions, wrapped up iu white 
 papers. Pour the contents of oue blue and one 
 white paper into a dry glass, and pour in huif a 
 pint of water, and drink during the effervescence. 
 
 Ginger Beer Powders. — To each glass of the 
 above, add three grains of powdered Jamaica 
 ginger. 
 
14 
 
 Remedy for the Gout. — Great relief is obtained 
 by a large piaster of treacle completely covering 
 the inflamed part, in gout in the feet ; also, by ba- 
 thing the feet repeatedly in warm soap suds. 
 
 Fine Rouge for Polishing+~ Sift the best Venetian 
 red (in powder) through a fine lawn sieve ; the sifted 
 powder is the rouge used in polishing. 
 
 Chilblain Lotion. — Take one drachm of sugar of 
 lead, and two ot white vitriol, reduce them to a fine 
 powder, and add four ounces of water. Before using 
 this lotion, it is to be well shaken, then rubbed well 
 on the parts affected, before a good fire, with the 
 hand. The best time for application is in the even- 
 ing. It scarcely ever fails curing the most inveterate 
 chilblains by once or twice using. It is not to be 
 used on broken chilblains. 
 
 For a Cold. — Take a tea-cupful of linseed, a quar- 
 ter of a pound of stick liquorice sliced, and a quarter 
 of a pound of sun raisins, put them in two quarts of 
 soft water, and let it simmer over a slow fire till 
 nearly reduced to one quart ; then strain off, and add 
 to it, while it is hot, a quarter of a pound of brown 
 sugar-candy pounded. 
 
 To Whitewash. — Put some lumps of quick-lime 
 into a bucket of cold water, and stir it about till 
 dissolved and mixed, after which a brush with a 
 large head and long handle, to reach the ceiling of 
 the room, is used to spread it thinly on the walls, 
 &c. When dry it is beautifully white, but its known 
 cheapness has induced the plasterers to substitute a 
 mixture of glue, size, and whiting, for the houses of 
 their opulent customers; and this, when once used, 
 precludes the employment of lime-washing ever 
 after; for the latter when laid on whiting becomes 
 yellow. Previous to whitewashing, the walls and 
 ceiling should be well washed with water. White- 
 washing makes houses very clean and wholesome. 
 
15 
 
 A Beautiful Orange Wash for Walls, Livery 
 Stables, S?c. — To three pails of fresh lime wash add 
 two pounds of green copperas, previously dissolved 
 in hot water; mix them well together. 
 
 N. B This wash will look black while wet, but, 
 when dry, will become a beautiful yellow or orange 
 colour. It must be well stirred while useing. 
 
 Topreserve Clothes, — Clothes, when laid by for a 
 time, acquire an unpleasant odour, which requires 
 a long exposure to the atmospheric air to remove: 
 it will be prevented by laying some recently made 
 charcoal between the folds of the garments; and 
 even when the odour has taken place, the charcoal 
 will absorb it. 
 
 To escape from, or go into, a House on Fire. — 
 Creep or crawl with your face near the flooring, for 
 although the room be full of smoke to suffocation 
 yet near the floor the air is pure, and may be breath- 
 ed with safety. The best escape from upper win- 
 dows is a knotted rope, but if a leap is unavoidable, 
 theu a bed should be thrown out first. 
 
 To purify Water for Drinking. — Filter river 
 water through a sponge, instead of stone or sand, 
 by which the water is not only rendered clearer, but 
 more wholesome; for sand is insensibly dissolved 
 in the water. Powder of charcoal should be added 
 to the sponge when the water is fetid. 
 
 To remove Warts.— 'Dip nitrate of silver (lunar 
 caustic) in a little water, and rub it over the warts; 
 by so doing, several times, they will soon be gone. 
 
 To cure Ringworm. — The head must be well 
 cleansed morning and evening with soap and water, 
 and then washed with lime-water from the gas-works. 
 
 Topreserve Eggs — Apply with a brush a solution 
 of gum-arabic to the shells, or immerse the eggs 
 therein, let them dry, and afterwards pack them in 
 dry charcoal dust. This prevents their being af- 
 fected by any alterations of temperature. 
 
16 
 
 A substitute for Milk and Cream. — Beat up the 
 whole of afresh egg in a basin, and then pour boil- 
 ing tea over it gradually, to prevent its curdling. 
 It is difficult, from the taste, to distinguish the com- 
 position from rich cream. 
 
 To remove Flies from Rooms. — Take halt a tea- 
 spoonful of black pepper, in powder, one tea-spoon- 
 ful of brown sugar, and one table-spoonful of cream; 
 mix them well together, and place them in the room, 
 on a plate, where the flies are troublesome, and they 
 will soon disappear. 
 
 Useful Knife- Board. — A common knife-board, 
 cohered with thick buff leather, on which are put 
 emery, one part, crocus martis, three parts, in very 
 fine powder, mixed into a thick paste with a little 
 lard or sweet oil, and spread on the leather to the 
 thickness of a shilling, gives a far superior edge 
 and polish to knives; and will not wear the knife 
 near so much as the common method of using brick- 
 dust on a board. 
 
 To loosen the glass Stoppers of Smelling Bottles 
 and Decanters. — With a feather rub a drop or two 
 of olive oil round the stopper, close to the mouth of 
 the bottle or decanter, which must be then placed 
 before the fire, at the distance of a foot or eighteen 
 inches ; in which position the heat will cause the oil 
 to spread downward between the stopper and the 
 neck. When the bottle or decanter has grown warm, 
 gentJy strike the stopper on one side, and on the 
 other, with any light wooden instrument; then try 
 it with the hand. If it will not yet move, place it 
 again before the fire, adding, if you choose, another 
 drop of oil. After a while strike again as before ; 
 and by persevering in this process, however tightly 
 the stopper may be fastened in, you will at length 
 succeed in loosening it. 
 
17 
 
 Improved method of salting Butter and Meat. — 
 Best common salt two parts, saltpetre one part, susrar 
 one part; beat them up together, so that they may 
 be completely blended. To every sixteen ounces 
 of butter add one ounce of the composition ; mix it 
 well in the mass, and close it up for use. It should 
 not be used for a month, that it may be thoroughly 
 incorporated. Butter, thus cured, has been kept 
 for three years perfectly sweet. Keep the air from 
 it, or it spoils. Cover it with an oiled paper, and a 
 board on that. 
 
 To cure meat, add one ounce of the above com- 
 position to every sixteen ounces of meat. It must 
 be very well rubbed into the meat. You cannot have 
 it too finely powdered, nor too well rubbed into the 
 meat. 
 
 Essence of Cloves, for Apple pies, puddings, 
 #c. — Take of oil of cloves, one drachm, and spirits 
 of wine, one ounce. Mix them well. A few drops 
 to a fruit pie is much better, and cheaper, than 
 cloves. 
 
 To fatten Poultry, — Poultry should be fattened 
 in coops, and kept very clean. They should be 
 furnished with gravel, but with no water. Their 
 only food, barley-meal, mixed so thin with water as 
 to serve them for drink. Their thirst makes them 
 eat more than they would, in order to extract the 
 water that is among the food. This should not be 
 put in troughs, but laid upon a board, which should 
 be clean washed every time fresh food is put upon 
 it. It is foul and heated water which is the sole 
 cause of the pip. 
 
 To destroy Bugs. — Take of the highest rectified 
 spirits of wine, (viz. lamp spirits) that will burn all 
 away dry, and leave not the least moisture behind, 
 half a pint: new distilled oil, or spirits, of turpen- 
 tine, half a pint; mix them together and break into 
 
18 
 
 it, in small bits, half an ounce of camphor, which 
 will dissolve in a few minutes ; shake them well 
 together, and with a sponge or brush, dipped in 
 some of it, wet very well the bed, or furniture, 
 wherein these vermin harbour and breed, and it will 
 infallibly kill and destroy both them and their nits, 
 although they swarm ever so much. But then the 
 bed and furniture must be well and thoroughly wet 
 with it (the dust upon them being first brushed and 
 shook off,) by which means it will neither stain, 
 soil, or in the least hurt the finest silk or damask bed 
 that is. The quantity here ordered of this curious 
 neat white mixture, which costs about a shilling, 
 will rid any one bed whatever, though it swarms 
 with bugs. Do but touch a live bug with a drop 
 of it, and you will find it die immediately ; if any 
 should happen to appear after once using, it will 
 only be for the want of well wettingM the lacing, &c. 
 of the bed, or the foldings of the linings or curtains 
 near the rings, or the joints, or holes in or about the 
 bed or head-board wherein the bugs or nits nestle 
 and breed, and their being well wet altogether again 
 with more of the same mixture, which dries in as 
 fast as you use it, pouring some of it into the joints 
 or holes where the sponge or brush cannot reach, 
 will never fail absolutely to destroy them all. Some 
 beds, that have much wood, can hardly be thoroughly 
 cleaned without being first taken down ; but others 
 that can be drawn out, or that you can get well be- 
 hind to be done as it should be, may. 
 
 JSote. — The smell this mixture occasions will be 
 gone in two or three days, which is yet very whole- 
 some, and to many people agreeable. You must 
 remember always to shake the liquor together very 
 well whenever you use it, which must be in day- 
 light, not by candlelight, lest the subtlety of the 
 mixture should catch the flame as you are using it, 
 and occasion damage. 
 
 To bottle Porter, Ale, &>c. — In the first place, the 
 bottles should be clean, sweet, and dry, the corks 
 
19 
 
 sound and good, and the porter or ale fine. When 
 the bottles are filled, if for home consumption, they 
 should not be corked till the day following; and if 
 for exportation to a hot climate, they must stand 
 three days or more, (if the liquor is new) — it 
 should be well corked and wired, but for a private 
 family they may do without wiring, only they 
 should be well packed in sawdust, and stand upright. 
 But if some ripe are wanted, keep a few packed on 
 their sides, so that the liquor may touch the corks — 
 and this will soon ripen, and make it fit for drinking. 
 
 Parchment Glue. — Take one pound of parch- 
 ment, and boil it in six quarts of water till the 
 quantity be reduced to one, then strain off the dregs, 
 and boil it again till it be of the consistence of glue. 
 — The same may be done with glovers' cuttings of 
 leather, which make a colourless glue, if not burnt 
 in the evaporation of the water. 
 
 To Wash Fine Lace or Linen. — Take a gallon 
 of furze blossoms and burn them to ashes, then boil 
 them in six quarts of soft water; this, when fine, 
 use in washing with the suds, as occasion requires, 
 and the linen, &c. will not only be exceedingly 
 white, but it is done with half the soap, and little 
 trouble. 
 
 To clean Paper Hangings. — Cut into eight half 
 quarters a stale quartern loaf; with one of these 
 pieces, after having blown off all the dust from the 
 paper to be cleaned by means of a good pair of bel- 
 lows, begin at the top of the room, holding the crust 
 in the hand, and wiping lightly downward with the 
 crumb, about half a yard at each stroke, till the 
 upper part of the hangings is completely cleaned 
 all round : then go again round with the like sweep- 
 ing stroke downward, always commencing each suc- 
 cessive course a little higher than the upper stroke 
 had extended, till the bottom be finished. This 
 
20 
 
 operation, if carefully performed, will frequently 
 make very old paper look almost equal to new. 
 Great caution must be used not by any means to 
 rub the paper hard, nor to attempt cleaning it the 
 cross or horizontal way. The dirty part of the 
 bread too must be each time cut away, and the 
 pieces renewed as soon as necessary. 
 
 To make an excellent Smelling Bottle. — Take an 
 equal quantity of sal-ammoniac and unslacked lime, 
 pound them separate, then mix and put them in a 
 bottle to smell to. Before you put in the above, 
 drop two or three drops of the essence of bergamot 
 into the bottle, then cork it close. A drop or two 
 of ether, added to the same, will greatly improve it. 
 
 Furniture Paste, which gives a polish equal to 
 French Polish. — Take two ounces of spirits of tur- 
 pentine, and half an ounce of bruised alkanet root ; 
 macerate for two or three hours, until the turpentine 
 becomes a dark red colour. Then melt in a pipkin 
 four ounces of yellow wax, over a very slow fire; 
 remove the wax from the 6re, and strain the turpen- 
 tine through a linen cloth into it, stirring them 
 until cold, when it is 6t for use, Polish with flannel. 
 
 To make Hard Pomatum. — Blanch the hog's 
 lard in water for three days ; then add mutton suet 
 in proportion, and boil them together with a little 
 white wax ; scent it with essence of lemon, or 
 lavender, then make round paper cases, and when 
 cold turn down the other end, and keep it for use. — 
 For Soft Pomatum, omit the white wax. 
 
 To increase the Growth of Hair. — Hartshorn 
 beat small, and mixed with oil, being rubbed upon 
 the head of persons who have lost their hair, will 
 cause it to grow again as at first 
 
 To turn Red Hair Black. — Take a pint of the 
 liquor of pickled herrings, half a pound of lamp- 
 black, and two ounces of the rust of iron. Mix and 
 boil them for twenty minutes, then strain and rub 
 the liquor well into the roots of the hair. 
 
21 
 
 To make one Gallon of Black Writing Ink. — Into 
 a glazed stone jar or pitcher put one pound ot 
 Aleppo galls, slightly bruised ; then add one gallon 
 of rain water, nearly of a boiling heat; let these 
 stand together for fourteen days upon the kitchen 
 hearth, or moderately warm ; after that time add 
 four ounces of green copperas or sulphate of iron, 
 four ounces of logwood chips or shavings, one ounce 
 of alum, one ounce ot sugar-candy, and four ounces 
 of gum-arabic or Senegal. Let the whole remain 
 ten or twelve days longer in a moderate heat, the 
 mouth of the vessel slightly covered with paper. 
 Stir the ingredients well with a stick twice a day 
 during the whole time; then strain off the ink 
 through linen or flannel, bottle it, pour a little 
 brandy on the top of the ink in each bottle, then 
 cork them well, and keep them for use in a place ot 
 temperate heat. 
 
 This ink may be depended upon as excellent, 
 durable, and preserving the writing all a deep black. 
 
 N. B. — The best galls for the purpose are those 
 which are dark coloured, heavy, and free from grub 
 holes. 
 
 To make cheap beautiful Green Paint. — The cost 
 of this paint is less than one-fourth of oil colour, and 
 the beauty far superior. Take four pounds of Ro- 
 man vitirol, and pour on it a tea-kettle full of boiling 
 water; when dissolved, add two pounds ot pearl- 
 ash, and stir the mixture well with a stick until the 
 effervescence ceases ; then add a quarter of a pound 
 of pulverized yellow arsenic, and stir the whote 
 together. Lay it on with a paint brush, and if the 
 wall has not been painted before, two, or even three- 
 coats, will be requisite. To paint a common sized 
 room with this colour, will not cost more than five 
 shillings. If a pea-green is required put in less; 
 and if an apple green more, of the yellow arsenic. 
 
 To revive a dull Fire. — Powdered nitre strewed 
 on the fire, is the best bellows that can be used. 
 
22 
 
 To preserve Milk. — Provide bottles, which must 
 be perfectly clean, sweet, and dry ; draw the milk 
 from the cow into the bottles, and as they are filled, 
 immediately cork them well up, and fasten the corks 
 with pack-thread or wire. Then spread a little straw 
 on the bottom of a boiler, on which place the bottles 
 with straw between them, until the boiler contains 
 a sufficient quantity. Fill it up with cold water; 
 heat the water, and as soon as it begins to boil, draw 
 the fire, and let the whole gradually cool. When 
 quite cold, take out the bottles, and pack them with 
 straw or saw-dust in hampers, and stow them in the 
 coolest part of the house or ship. Milk preserved 
 in this manner, although eighteen months in the 
 bottles, will be as sweet as when first milked from 
 the cow. 
 
 To destroy Fleas on Dogs. — Rub the animal, when 
 out of the house, with the common Scotch snuff, 
 except the nose and eyes. Clear lime-water destroys 
 the whitish flea-worm without injuring the skin or 
 hair. Oil of turpentine will likewise do so ; but if 
 there be any manginess, or the skin be broken, it will 
 give the animal much pain. 
 
 Remedies against Fleas, — Fumigation with brim- 
 stone; or the fresh leaves of pennyroyal sewed in 
 a bag, and laid in the bed, will have the desired 
 effect. 
 
 Me/hod of causing Children to cut their Teeth 
 easily, — Feed them with an ivory spoon and boat, 
 to be made thick, round, and smooth at the edges, 
 ivory being of the same hardness and texture as 
 the jaws and tender teeth, the gums are not hurt or 
 injured, but when they are thus pressed facilitate 
 the teeth in their progress; whereas the silver im- 
 plements being of a hard texture, and the edges 
 made thin, bruise and wound the gums, and make a 
 hard seam, so that the teeth cannot make their way 
 
23 
 
 direct, and if they do cut, come irregularly ; so that 
 the operation of lancing is frequently absolutely 
 necessary, which of course must prejudice the teeth, 
 as some are exposed before the time they are fit to 
 be cut. 
 
 By this method fevers, convulsions, &c. owing 
 to the teeth being not able to find their way through 
 the hard seam, may be prevented. It must be 
 observed, that children cry much when feeding, as 
 if ill, or disgusted with their food, whereas it is fre- 
 quently owing to quite the contrary ; for being 
 hungry, and over eager to take their food, they press 
 hard, through eagerness, on the boat and spoon, 
 which being sharp, bruises and cuts the gums, and 
 consequently causes much pain, which by the ivory 
 implements will be prevented. Those who cannot 
 afford ivory may have horn or wood, or even pew- 
 ter is greatly preferable to silver, provided the edges 
 are made (hick, round, and smooth. The wooden 
 sort, unless they are kept very sweet and clean, on 
 that very account, are the least eligible, and should 
 be made, however, of box, or such hard and close 
 textured wood as is the least liable to be tainted by 
 the milky food. 
 
 To cure the Sting of a Wasp or Bee. — To the part 
 affected apply oil of tartar, or solution of potash, 
 and it will give instant ease, as will also well bruised 
 mallows. 
 
 To change Hair to a deep Brown. — A solution of 
 the silver caustic in water is the foundation of all 
 the nostrums for this purpose. It must be well 
 diluted before use. 
 
 To try the purity of Spirits. — See if the liquor 
 will burn away without leaving any moisture behind. 
 As spirit is much lighter than water, place a hollow 
 ivory ball in it ; the deeper the ball sinks, the lightef 
 the liquor, and consequently the more spirituous, 
 
 FINIS, 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 To make Spruce Beer . .page 3 
 
 Ginger Beer ib. 
 
 Ginger Cakes ib 
 
 French Polish for Furniture . . 4 
 
 To extract Oil from Wood or 
 Stone ib. 
 
 To give a fine Colour to Ma- 
 hogany ib. 
 
 To repair Metal Boilers . . . . ib. 
 
 To clean Hearths 5 
 
 To take the black off the bright 
 bars of Polished Stoves, .ib. 
 
 To clean Tin Covers ib. 
 
 To clean Silver Plate ib. 
 
 To clean Gold ib. 
 
 To take Spots ont of Linen . . . .ib. 
 
 To take Ironmonlds out of do..ib. 
 
 Stains out of Silk or Velvet 6 
 
 To make Wash Balls ib. 
 
 Harness Maker's Jet ib. 
 
 Cheap Shoe Blacking ib. 
 
 To make Boots and Shoes Wa- 
 terproof 7 
 
 To clean Boot Tops ib. 
 
 To cement China, Glass, and 
 Earthenware ib. 
 
 To make Windsor Soap ib. 
 
 To make Sealing Wax ib" 
 
 British Herb Tobacco 8 
 
 To dye Silk a beautiful Purple ib. 
 ■ a good Green ib. 
 
 afineBuff 9 
 
 a French Maroon.. ib. 
 
 Bleeding at the nose ib. 
 
 To Varnish Drawings, &c. ...ib. 
 
 Care for the Head Ache ib. 
 
 Ointment for Burns ib. 
 
 Corn Plasters . . • . 10 
 
 Cure for the Tooth Achs ib, 
 
 — ■ a Cough . . . .ib. 
 
 Gargle for a sore Throat ib. 
 
 To kill Cookroaches 11 
 
 For destioying Rats ib. 
 
 To sweeten Meat, Fish, &c. 
 that is tainted ib. 
 
 A Composition for Restoring 
 torched Linen ib. 
 
 To clean Hearth Rugs or Car- 
 .pets. . 12. 
 
 To make Oil of Tartar ib. 
 
 Remedy for Weak Eyes ib 
 
 To make Peppermint Water. . .ib. 
 
 Rose Water ib. 
 
 • Pennyroyal Water . . 13 
 
 Lavender Water/>#grel3 
 
 v Caraway Seed water ib. 
 
 Elder Flower water, ib. 
 
 To clean Brass and Copper. . .ib. 
 
 To make Soda Powders ib. 
 
 Ginger Beer ditto. . .ib. 
 
 Remedy for the Gout 14 
 
 Fine Rouge for Polishing ib. 
 
 Chilblain Lotion ib. 
 
 For a Cold ib. 
 
 To whitewash ib. 
 
 To preserve Clothes 15 
 
 To Orange Wash ib. 
 
 To escape from an house on fire ib. 
 To purify Water for drinking .ib. 
 
 To remove Warts, , . „ ib. 
 
 To cure Ringworm ib 
 
 To preserve Eggs ib. 
 
 A substitute for Milk & Cream 16 
 To remove Flies from Rooms.. ib. 
 
 Useful Knife -Board ib. 
 
 To loosen the glass stoppers of 
 Smelling Bottles and Decan- 
 ters ib. 
 
 Improved method of salting Butter 
 
 and Meat 17 
 
 Essence of Cloves ib. 
 
 To fatten Poultry ib. 
 
 To destroy Bugs b. 
 
 To bottle Porter, Ale, &c 18 
 
 Paichment Glue 9 
 
 To Wash Fine Lace or Linen. ib. 
 To clean Paper Hangings... . .ib. 
 To make an excellent Smelling 
 
 Bottle 30 
 
 Furniture Paste . . ib. 
 
 To make hard Pomatum ib. 
 
 To increase the Growth of Hair ib. 
 
 To turn Red Hair Black ib. 
 
 To make one Gallon of Black 
 
 Writing Ink 21 
 
 To make cheap beautiful Green 
 
 Paint ik. 
 
 To revive a dull Fire ib. 
 
 To preserve Milk .22 
 
 To destroy Fleas on Dogs. . . .ib. 
 
 Remedies against Fleas .ib. 
 
 Method of causing Children to cut 
 
 their Teeth easily ib. 
 
 To cure the Sting of a Wasp or 
 
 Bee 2% 
 
 Tochange Hair to a deep Brown ib 
 To try the purity of Spirits . . ib 
 
 W MASOS, : PRINTER CLERKENWFLL GREEN LONDON 
 

 Wii UhiiRUBma