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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1950-08-31, Page 3China Enameling Fascinating Ari Porcelain made Limoges famous, and the china upon your dining. table probably came from one of the factories you may visit freely, Its manufacture is interesting to 7vateln in its multifarious processes and dry to read about. But the less understood enamel work is inter- esting in every way, For Limoges paints with fire in liquid glass, and its four or five ateliers tarn out veritable gems of color and compo- sition. The process is almost primitive in its simplicity. Its success de- pends wholly upon the artistic feel- ing and ability and the good crafts- manship of the maitre who builds up each of these pictures upon metal, for enamel -making is an art rather than a mere commercial in- dustry. The prices alone testify to that. Copper is the basis of all the enamels. Smoothly covered with a .transparent coat of silica, it is ready for the next step. The artist sketches his design upon this coat- ing—a house in the woods, a pas- toral, a portrait, anything. Then bits or strips of gold, silver or platinum foil are glued upon every. Spot where the ruddy copper back- ground is not Ranted, and again the piece is transparently coated with silica. The enamels thernsel''es are dif- ferently -colored silicas that look in the rough like bits of broken glass of many hues. The artist grinds them to powder, mixes them with. plain cold water, and their stipples them on very slowly and carefully with the tip of a knife -blade, to to make sure that each color covers its part of the design, to burst all their bubbles, and to secure a per- fectly even .thickness throughout. One color is usually fired at a time, at a temperature of something like 1,800 degrees Centigrade, though two wholly different shades call be baked at once without running into one another . . . The art is very old; we find it in a flourishing condition, with Limo- ges as its center, as far back as the twelfth. century. During the six- teenth, enameling reached the height of its technical excellence and popularity, and some of the works of that period are treasured still in the Cathedral of St, Eti- enne, Precious and beautiful they V are, splendid in composition and y coloring, full of value as contem- porary likenesses. And yet, though the colors of old are perhaps a little softer, the master seems not to. have, solved the problem, that confronts every artist, the opacity of color, while the enamels of the present are transparently clear, and even the deepest shadows have a luminosity and depth the older ones lack,—From "France From Sea to Sea," by Arthur Stanley Riggs, Shades 0f Gene Autry! Oklahoma, it appears, is one of the states in the American Union which has failed to attract its share of new population in the last ten years. Possibly a mall item front Bristow, Okla., explains why this is; it has failed to. capitalize on traditions. A titian in Bristow has been ar- rested — of all things - for riding a horse into a drugstore to order P cherry phosphate. What kind of treatment is this for illusions of it generation of youngsters brought UP oil films of the Cherokee Strip, where a man's best friend was his pinto pony? We know droves of young Hop - along Cassidys back east here,who will throw over their notions of going west when word of the Eris - tow affair gets around. Here they i can at least drive up to a bank f ° teller's window in a convertible. e —The Christian Science Monitor, .01 'ho smo 1(0PfZM _0A" 64T66t'It'+HER' is nothing like a dame. , ." Particularly one who has HER' posture. Chic clothes and a trim Agure may bedazzle a man but not for long it you're one of those women whose droop has become a Stoop. One of the best ways to find out it you're keeping up a good back -- and not merely a good front—is to consult your mirror. Does your posture radiate alertness? Do you appear vibrant, bouncy and ani. mated? Or do you have that sagging jellyfish stance that's sure to dismay beau or hubby? If your mirror reveals curves in the wrong places, try these exercises, designed to. help you achieve an erect but natural posture, Begin by holding your arms straight at your sides. Lift them to shoulder level and swing them forward until your hands meet; then reverse the motion and swing your arms backward as far as they will go. Do this several times each day to relax and loosen your shoulder muscles. A second set of muscles can be put into play by swinging your arms to an overhead position. This movement, which should be smooth and well -coordinated, is made up of -three steps, 'First lift your arms from a dangling, hands -at -thigh position to a vertical reach above your head. Stretch them as high as they will go. Then suddenly relax your elbows, ailorying your hands to bounce lightly 'upon thq top of your h$a. The final step is to fling them outward, aiid then 'd'ownward agaiI to their original position. Alto a few weeks with these 4, erol4o, your carriage will expr;�s,s a deter'ii.ination to cbnquer all and your clew attractiveness will cop a host of compliments. ns far as the arras will treaeb eaeb way, helps 11er achieve vA 4upright but easy knd. re%xW 1posture. This young woman, whose par - mage expresses the verve and 'vigor she feels, bounces her hati t5 lightly upon her head as one step in a stretching exerclse. J js L A 2 tablespoons celery seed laoY Method: Grind onions and pep- pers, using coarse blade of food 1 grinder. Mix all together, pour CJq. l��d�eu�s boiling water over -to cover; let stand 5 minutes�1 ai.d, drain in co- w — lander, Combine ith pint vinegar ! and the hot water and Let come to Pickling time,, o• thereabouts, once again; and isn't it terrific the way the weeks slid months seem to farly spin past, especially the summer ones? Still, like the wea- ther, there isn't much we can do about it; so without further philo•• sophizing—if that's what you call such stuff—here are a bunch of recipes that I'm sure will add a lot of tang and zest to future meals. This first one is said to be a very old recipe from the South. I give it to you just the way it came to me but, of course, you carl reduce the quantities proportionately in case you don't think you can use so much. It's called: GREEN TOMATO SAUCE 2 gallons tomatoes, sliced 3 tablespoons salt 3 gills mustard seed, whole 23/2 tablespoons pepper 13/2 tablespoons allspice 3 tablespoons mustard, beaten smooth 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon celery Geed 1 pint onions, chopped fine 1 quart sugar 2y2 quarts vinegar Method: Mix thoroughly. Boll until of sauce consistency. Seal in sterile jars. A, 8: 1: You've probably heard some of the men -folks — especially the middle-aged and older ones.— say that the dill pickles they get nowa- days don't have the same savor they used to enjoy years ago. While not much of a dill pickle fan myself, those who should know tell me that there won't be any such complaints if you scrupulously follow this recipe for TRUE DILL' PICKLES Pack the bottom of a crock with grape leaves. Add alternately a layer of pickles and a Iayer of dill until the crock is full. A few cherry leaves may be added, but not too many. Top with grape leaves. Cover all with water salted to taste, 1 tablespoon salt to 1 quart water. Weigh down with a lid or plate and a stone. Stand in a warm, not hot, place until fermentation takes place and pickles become transparent, Every year, it seem to me, pickles that require no cooking are com- ing more and more into favor; and the certain],, do save a lot of . a t KEEPING UP y Hubby: "I wonder why we never bother and overheated kitchens t.. Hub to save anything?" This next recipe is for a relish Wifey: "Its the neighbors; they're - that will be ready for use in just always doing something we can't few days after making, and that afford." will keep all winter. But please note HANDY CUTTER* BOLT A SECTION FROM A PoWeR 91CKt-e TO St-'oTTeo W00bEN HAND%__- TO MAKE AHANDY BUNDUE CUTTRR.1-EATNERTHONG 1'N END OF HANDt-E PERMITS CAR,RYrNG T00L. ON \NIMST..,. that it must not be either cooked boil. Allow to stand 10' minutes; or sealed. If sealed, it will spoil. then drain. Dilute vinegar if too UNCOOKED PICKLE RELISH strong. Add additional pint of vine - Chop a peck of ripe tomatoes, gar, sugar, salt, and seeds. Let after peeling them, and place in mixture come to boil and boil 2 colander to drain. They should be minutes, Seal in hot sterile jars. chopped rather fine. Chop enough celery to have 1 Remember the story of the very Pint. greedy small boy who said that he Then chop 6 peeled onions and thought folks should always serve 6 medium -ripe sweet peppers after watermelon after pumpkin pie. removing the seeds. Mix all vege- When asked the reason for such tables together and add: / cup a combination he answered, "'Cause light brown sugar, 1 ounce ground the melon washes the punkin out or granulated cinnamon, 2 quarts of your ears." ; cider vinegar, / cup salt. But we won't dwell on such stuff. ,Stir mixture thoroughly and put One thing about watermelon, how - into stone jars, covering each jar ever, is that after you've enjoyed carefully with a piece of fresh the inside goodness, the rind may muslin. be put to a very tempting use by way of this. Continuing along the same line, , WATERMELON RIND PICKLE here's an easy method of making • •Use rind of large watermelon. Chili Sauce—uncooked, of course. Cut off green and red parts and UNCOOKED CHILI SAUCE cut into oblong pieces. Soak 24 hours in a gallon of water in which 6 large ripe tomatoes 4 tablespoons of salt have been 10 medium size sweet green dissolved. Drain and boil '1% to 2 peppers hours, or until rind is tender. 1 smaii hot pepper 1 quart vinegar It 4 onions, size of hen's .egg ' ' ,; 1 cup water j 2 stalks celery l 3% pounds sugar cup salt 4 tablespoons whole clover 3 cups granulated sugar 4 large sticks cinnamon 2 tablespoons mustard seed 1 medium size bottle cup cider vinegar maraschino cherries 1 small.bottle horseradish Make a sirup of vinegar, water, Method: Put tomatoes, peppers, sugar, and spices which have been onions and celery through food tied in a cheesecloth bag, Boil chopper. Add salt; let stand 1 hour; liquid 20 minutes, add melon rind drain. Add sugar, mustard seed, and the cherries and boil 30 min - vinegar and horseradish. Put in jars Utes. Let stand overnight. In morn - and seal. ing bring to boil, put in pint jars and seal. Extra red vegetable color - "Catsup" or "ketchup"—which is correct? I'm sure I don't know. And for that matter what pickle or sauce lover cares about the spelling as long as the article itself has the proper taste? I feel certain you'll be satisfied with the result if you use this recipe for: TOMATO CATSUP 1 gallon tr mato juice (requires 1 basket tomatoes) 3 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon mustard 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon. cloves 1 teaspoon allspice 1 pound sugar 1 quart vinegar 1 tablespoon celery seed 2 small onions Method: Cook tomatoes until soft. Strain .Cool: strained juice 2 hours. Add vinegar and spices, which have been put in cheesecloth bag, Cook 1 hour. Seal tight. Makes about 4 pints. If you're fond of peppers, the next one is for youl It's best to make it fairly late in the season, when the peppers are more plenti- ful—and cheaper—and the flesh is thick SWEET PEPPER HASH 10 or 12 medium size onions 12 red peppers 12 green peppers (some may be yellow if obtainable) I pint vinegar 2 pints hot water 1 pint vinegar 2 cups sugar 3 tablespoons salt 3 tablespoons white mustard seed .ng may be added, STILL FIGHTING WORLD WAR II It seems incredible, but thirty Japanese are said to be still holding out on a small Pacific island in the Marianas. Five years after the end of the war, these fighters have not heard that it is over, A Tokyo newspapers says rela- tives of these diehards have writ- ten to them telling them that "things are different now" and pleading with them to give them- selves up. But the Japanese carry on their little war with grim deter- mination and have probably not heard about the atom bomb. SALLY'S SALLIES "Now play 'home, Sweet Borns' for Mr, and Mrs. Staylate." Let us have faith that right snakes might, and in that faith left W, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it, —Lincoln. Shies Were Cour First Clock And Calendar It is hard to realise, now that time is measured to the smallest fraction of a second and our system of calculating months and years has long since been taken for granted, how vital the knowledge of the seasons originally was to mankind. If people knew when to expect heat, and cold, and the rainy season, they would know when to plant their crops and when to har- vest. If they were sure that season followed season in the same annual cycle, they could regulate their festivals, and reckon. up the past in terms of years. But first they must have some means of meas- uring time, some infallible sign to tell them of the coming and pass- ing of each season. The great practical value of the stars in early times was that they could be used as a clock and cal- endar. From the lonely nomad and the shepherd who watched the Bear's tail swinging and so div- ided the long hours of the night, to the astronomer priests who wrestled with the intricacies of lunar and solar Zodiacs, to the Egyptian farmer awaiting a sign that would tell him when to expect the over- flow of , the Nile, men originally -narked the passing of the stars in order to. tell time on earth. Once it was known that the selfsame stars returned year after year at the same time, and that the path of the sun and moon amongst them could be followed, the face of the sky became a giant clock, a calen- dar and all almanac, And the signs of the zudiac were the pages of the calendars. . . The stars in the circle of the Zodiac were divided into different constellations so many thousands Of years ago that we cannot guess either irhen the first division was made nor what form it took. Our Zodiac of twelve signs owes its origin to the fact that the sun takes approximately twelve months, or "moons" to make a complete circuit of the heavens, and for that same reason twelve is probable the commonest and most familiar divi- sion of the zodiacal stars. Yet it is by no means the only one. There are also four points along the ec- liptic, or road of the sun, that div - vide it naturally: the point where the sun crosses the equator when travelling north; the point where the sun is farthest north: the point where the sun crosses the equator on its way south: and the point where the still is at its farthest south. These four landmarks on the sun's yearly trek are a simple way of dividing up the Zodiac; they are respectively the spring equinox, summer solstice, auttunn equinox and winter solstice. And the lunar Zodiac of twenty-seven or twenty- eight constellations, one for each clay of the month, was also always widely used . . , . Thus the stars of the Zodiac marl: the boundaries of the four seasons, each with its appropriate symbol. They mark the number of nights that make up a "moon," our satellite's monthly tour of the skies. They marl, the year, which is measured as the time between the appearance of the stun at a par- ticular point and his next reappear- ance among the same stars—From "The Stars in our Heavens: Myths and Fables," by Peter Lunn. August or very early September is the time when seed of perennial delphinium is planted. With proper care, some of the new plaints wilt flower next June although the ma- jority will not be at their best until the following year. Delphinium—young or old—need to be well cultivated, Whenever the ground seems dry, a good soaking is in order. This is especially int - portant during the week or two preceding the bloom. Ample mois- ture then will materially increase the size of the bloom.. For the first year, it is advisable not to leave more than three stalks on each plant. Thinner spikes are cut out when they are a foot or so high. Dgiug the second year, the same sort of thinning is done, leaving three or four of the strongest spikes. Staking is essential for delphin- ium, since the spires of blossoms are susceptible to wind and rain damage. The simplest method is placing three stakes equidistant around the plants and tying a loop of green raffia around all three. This allows the plants to move freely within the circle. The second year—and a month or two before they bloom—an application of a well-balanced fertilizer (i.e., 5-10-5) should be worked into the surface of the soil. Many growers make a practice of spike disbudding. This is done by removing the lateral branches which come out around the spike, below the main bloom. The central spike is given more vitality, thus increasing its size and quality. Dis- budding is advisable for growers of exhibition specimens, but in the average garden the laterals give bloom for weeks after the main spike has faded, 4: In any case, it is best to cut the central spike just under the lower florets when it has dropped its flowers. If seed is wanted from a particularly fine specimen, the central spike is left to mature un- til the seed pods ripen—about the first week in August. Laterals will continue to grow and blossom. 'The principal diseases affecting delphinium are black spot and crown rot, The former is a bac- terial disease which causes irregu- lar rregu lar black spots to appear on the upper surface of the leaves and sometimes on the stems. Two or three sprayings with bordeaux mix- ture in spring will aid control. A program of garden sanitation and prompt removal of infected parts will also help. They should be burned and never under any cir- cumstances should they be added to the compost pile. k * 4: Crown rot is a serious fungus disease which. attacks the crown of the plant and may cause the spikes to topple over suddenly to the ground. As soon as this disease is detected, the plant should be removed and destroyed. To prevent crown rot from spreading, the ground may be treated with 1 to 1,000 corrosive sublimate solution. Cyclannen finite is the principal insect enemy of dephinhurn. This microscopic pest causes curling and distortion of the leaves. bt also blackens the flower buds and, in general, sturnts the, growth of the plant. Since this pest is too small to be seen with the naked eye, the injury it causes is often attributed to disease, and so the wrong con- trol measures are frequently ap- plied. Best control is the removal and burning of infected parts im- mediately. 1'arathion dust or 10 per cent azobenzene is also effective. But the threat of injury to del- phinium from pests or disease is minor, compared with the ultimate display they provide. In autumn, all dead foliage and flower spikes are cut to within a foot of the ground. During this period the plants develop nevtY crowns for next year's growth, A liberal dressing of sharp ashes will protect the new shoots from slugs; it also acts as a inulch during win- ter. The plants need no further alttention until spring, except in severe instances of alternate freez- ing and thawing. Then all additional mulch or hay or straw will be necessary.