The sink should be placed high enough so that the dishes may be washed without stooping. The top of the adjacent 'table should be slightly above and overlapping the sink, and with just enough slope to let the wa ter drain back into it. Or a small cleat may be tacked on the edges of the table, front and back, projecting about a quarter of an inch, and the whole covered with oilcloth. This will let the drainage water flow back into the sink, and the top of the table can be easily kept both dry and clean.
Provide a strong stool, high enough to allow sitting down at the sink to pare vegetables and for other pur poses.
Convenient utensils are: a swab made by fastening strips of linen or cotton to the end of a wooden handle; a small brush, like a nail brush, and a larger scrubbing brush for cleaning vegetables; a soap shaker, which may be homemade; a pot scraper, which may be an ordinary clam shell; and a wire dish drainer, either bought or homemade, which may be hung on a neighboring wall. A closet under the sink is not advisable. It is better to have the plumbing exposed and paint the under portion of the sink white, or cover it with white enamel. This may be done by any member of the family. The wall behind the sink should be protected by zinc, and if the table is covered with zinc instead of oilcloth, so much the better.
Or a curtain of any soft, cheap ma terial may be hung against the wall so that the lower edge will just reach the table top. This should be of washable material so that it can be changed weekly. A line of strong cord or picture wire should be strung near at hand to hold the dishcloths and towels. The garbage can may be placed under the sink or to the right.
A three-cornered wire drainer, fas tened in the corner of the sink, will be found convenient to receive vege table parings, and also to strain the dishwater. A small shovel of cast iron, similar in shape to a fire shovel, will be a great convenience to lift scraps from the sink to the garbage can.
Have one or more wood fiber brushes to clean dishes, kettles, and pans. The fibers are stiffer than bristles, and hence do more effective work. A whisk or two will clean an empty potato or gravy kettle as soon as the vessel is emptied. A convenient size for brush is 2 by 2i inches.
Washboard.—Hang beside the sink a small washboard. Use this to rub out dishcloths, and to keep towels sweet and clean.
Hinged Table.—A hinged table or bench that can be let down, and lifted up against the wall when not in use, is often convenient in a small kitchen, or where an ordinary table would be in the way. Have this bench or table
just high enough to let down over one's lap when sitting in a chair. A great deal of work can thus be done sitting.
Or use an ordinary collapsible sew ing table for this purpose.
Dishwashing Machines.—Many un successful attempts were made in the past to invent dishwashing machines. Some of these took more time to clean than was required to wash the dishes themselves. Good ones can now be purchased, however, that will .wash the dishes not only quicker, but bet ter, than by the old-fashioned way. These machines are simple in construc tion, are easily cleaned, and, if given proper attention, will last many years. They are constructed with a galvan ized iron cylinder, which is to be half filled with water containing any good washing compound and brought to a boil. The dishes are put in a cylin drical basket or tray, the plates and platters placed on edge and held. by brackets. Saucers, cups, and side dishes are placed beside them, the basket is lowered into the cylinder, revolved two or three times by means of a crank, reversed, and the dishes are cleansed. The tray is then taken out, and if the dishes are scalded with boiling water, very little wiping will be required. When we reflect that in many families of average size upward of three hours a day are de voted to washing dishes, or that ap proximately one fifth of the waking moments of thousands of intelligent women are occupied in this manner, we cannot but earnestly urge the aver age family to make whatever sacrifices may be necessary to provide the house wife with this and all other improved labor-saving devices. This, we think, will also be found a key to the solu tion of the much-vexed problem of domestic help.
Dish Draining.—If the table be cov ered with oilcloth or zinc, the edges raised, and the whole slightly tilted so as to empty into the sink, a wire basket may be the only dish strainer required. A homemade article may be prepared from an ordinary soap box by lining the bottom with zinc. A cleat may be tacked on the bottom at one end to tilt the box, and by boring auger holes a slit may be made at the opposite end to allow the water to escape. Place this dish drainer on the table in such a way that the open end will project over the sink. Through holes bored at intervals in the sides of the box thrust old broomsticks or other rods to hold plates and saucers upright to dry. Cover the box with oilcloth or stain it to match the kitchen woodwork.