furniture is now nearly always French-polished, it
should often be rubbed with an old silk rubber, or a fine cloth or
duster, to keep it free from smears. Three or four times a year any of
the following polishes may be applied with very great success, as any of
them make French-polished furniture look very well. One precaution must
be taken,--not to put too much of the polish on at one time, and _to
rub, not smear_ it over the articles.

FURNITURE POLISH.

2308. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 pint of linseed-oil, 1/4 pint of vinegar, 1 oz.
of spirits of salts, 1/2 oz. of muriatic antimony.

_Mode_.--Mix all well together, and shake before using.

FURNITURE POLISH.

2309. INGREDIENTS.--Equal proportions of linseed-oil, turpentine,
vinegar, and spirits of wine.

_Mode_.--When used, shake the mixture well, and rub on the furniture
with a piece of linen rag, and polish with a clean duster. Vinegar and
oil, rubbed in with flannel, and the furniture rubbed with a clean
duster, produce a very good polish.

FURNITURE PASTE.

2310. INGREDIENTS.--3 oz. of common beeswax, 1 oz. of white wax, 1 oz.
of curd soap, 1 pint of turpentine, 1 pint of boiled water.

[Illustration: FURNITURE BRUSH.]

_Mode_.--Mix the ingredients together, adding the water when cold; shake
the mixture frequently in the bottle, and do not use it for 48 hours
after it is made. It should be applied with a piece of flannel, the
furniture polished with a duster, and then with an old silk rubber.

2311. The chambers are finished, the chamber candlesticks brought down
and cleaned, the parlour lamps trimmed;--and here the housemaid's utmost
care is required. In cleaning candlesticks, as in every other cleaning,
she should have cloths and brushes kept for that purpose alone; the
knife used to scrape them should be applied to no other purpose; the
tallow-grease should be thrown into a box kept for the purpose; the same
with everything connected with the lamp-trimming; the best mode of doing
which she will do well to learn from the tradesman who supplies the oil;
always bearing in mind, however, that without perfect cleanliness, which
involves occasional scalding, no lamp can be kept in order.

2312. The drawing and dining-room, inasmuch as everything there is more
costly and valuable, require even more care. When the carpets are of the
kind known as velvet-pile, they require to be swept firmly by a hard
whisk brush, made of cocoanut fibre.

2313. The furnitu