304. Directions for using the Liquid.—For the white tops: to be scrubbed well with a clean hard brush, then sponged well with cold water, all one way; and allowed to dry gradually in the sun, or by the fire.
Brown tops are not to be scrubbed with a brush, but sponged all over with the mixture, till all stains be removed; then sponged well with cold water, and rubbed with flannel till they be highly polished.
305. Shoes.—When about being measured for shoes, place the foot firmly on the ground, as the foot is larger in a standing than in a sitting posture.
306. Shoes.—One hint about shoes—a most essential and expensive article of family wear. However worn and full of holes the soles may be, if the upper leathers are whole, or soundly mended, and the stitching firm, the soles may be covered with the newly adopted article gutta percha, and at a very small expense the shoes will be rendered as good as new. We have seen shoes which even the eldest daughter of the Smith family despised as not worth carrying home, made quite sound and respectable in appearance, and to serve many months in constant wear, by being thus soled at the cost of only a few pence. Thin shoes that have been worn only in-doors, and which are laid aside on account of the tops becoming shabby, perhaps worn out, while the sewing is sound, may be made very tidy by covering with woollen cloth, or with a bit of thick knitting, or platted list, stitched on as close as possible to the regular seam.
307. To prevent Snow-water from penetrating Boots and Shoes.—Take equal quantities of bees'-wax and mutton-suet, and melt them in an earthen pipkin over a slow fire. Lay the mixture, while hot, over the boots and shoes, which ought also to be made warm. Let them stand before the fire a short time, and set them aside till they are cold; then rub them with dry woollen stuff, so that you may not grease the blacking-brushes. If you black the shoes before the mixture be put on, they will afterwards take the blacking much better.
Or, boil together for half an hour, a quart of linseed oil, two ounces of resin, and half an ounce of white vitriol, and incorporate with them a quarter of a pint of spirit of turpentine, and two ounces of well-dried oak sawdust. Lay the mixture on the soles of the boots.