The Arkansas Farmer

Lowly Burlap Gets a
Place in the Window

One week Farmer Jones brings in the seed potatoes from town, encased in heavy burlap sacks. The next week Mrs. Jones is admiring her new draperies in the front room.

A stranger to the ways of home demonstration agents and club women would see no connection between the two events. But a connection there is, and a real one, for the potato sacks have miraculously become the pride of Mrs. Jones' living room.

Burlap, in firm, closely woven quality, makes attractive upholstery for furniture, draperies, cushions, and table runners in natural, cream, or colors. and wears almost as long as linen since it is related to linen in appearance and quality.

Cotton and burlap sacks, called tow sacks, need special treatment to make them ready for household use. Letters are removed in several ways.

The sacks may be soaked in kerosene until the paint is loose when rubbed in the hands. Washed in thick suds and rinsed thoroughly, they will generally become free of the paint.

Another method for removing printing is by the use of washing soda, called sal soda. Two cups of the soda are dissolved in a half tub of hot water.

The sacks are washed clean and soaked in the warm solution until the letters are removed.

For printing which is especially difficult to remove use one cup of washing soda, 1-4 cup of lye and 1-2 cup of kerosene with enough water to cover the sacks. Boil. stirring frequently. When the letters are removed, wash in warm, rich suds and rinse well.

Burlap sacks may be bleached by using 1-2 can of chlorinated lime dissolved in one gallon of cold water.

This is strained thoroughly to dissolve as much lime as possible. The residue is allowed to settle and the liquid is then poured off through a piece of muslin. To this liquid is added 1-2 can of lye. A crock or enameled pan should be used for mixing.