CHAPTER XXXVII

TIN WARE, RUBBER AND PAPER

Tin is one of the oldest metals in the world. The Ancient Greeks and the Ancient Hebrews made mention of it frequently.

Before the advent of the Kingly Aluminum and the Queenly Enamels, agates, granites etc., tin was used extensively in the kitchen, but now the cooking utensil is very rarely tin and rightly so.

However, tin still remains a good thing for various things in the home and is well worth employing in different ways. These ways will interest you to consider.

However--firstly--all things made of tin to-day are but steel or iron dip and coated with tin.

Tin melts at a comparatively low temperature and is besides affected by acids. That is why baking, stewing, etc. are not to be done with tin utensils plus acid food. The dark rings on baked apples cooked in a tin dish show very plainly what acid and tin do in combination.

In buying tin the criterion is its weight. It is only wise to buy tin ware in the best shops, because small, but out of the way hardware shops can rarely afford to keep on hand the best tinware.

It should, of course, adhere closely to the lines of all other utensils in that it must be smoothe without rough globules, without seams, which might catch food or dust particles to create an aftermath condition difficult to rectify.

CLEANING

Put tin to be cleaned in hot soda, never more than 5 minutes because the tin will dissolve somewhat, as the heat and soda meet and though it will disintegrate the grease it will make the iron or steel base show through. But with more fine powder like whiting, rinse hot, and dry while hot. Tin will rust so it is best to dry while “the tin is hot!”

JAPAN

Among the most useful and jaunty things in tin is the so-called Japan wear which is but painted tin.

Bread and cake boxes in different colors, with and without shelves, sliding doors and in varying fasteners to suit your fancy. These are light and easier to manage than the shiny metallic ones and easier to clean out than the wooden ones.

CAKE CUTTERS

There is no reason either why you cannot use the less expensive tin cake cutters in their multitudinous designs. They are keen cutting and light and very durable.

GALVANIZED

Galvanized wear--is usually steel heated to a special finish of tin. Some of the things in this material are most useful and necessary--for example, the refrigerator drain pan, garbage pail and ash can. These are extra heavy and withstand wear and jouncing.

For the less elaborate kitchen, the tin muffin pans, funnels and pie plates are useful yet not as good as other kitchen wear such as the Aluminum and Enamels.

NECESSITIES NOT KNOWN

The ideal Christmas tree holder which keeps the tree fresh for months on account of its simple reservoir for water is really something well worth knowing about. It holds the tree very steady and is japanned in a dull green.

For country or suburban homes the out-door incinerator, a perforated tinned container, permits the burning of rubbish without danger from blowing cinders; of course, this is not meant to burn fats and animal refuse. An incinerator (see