YOUR MONEY'S WORTH

...capillary action will keep the roots moist . . . The Ivalon Miracle Sponge in a medium size (about 59 cents) is a fine-grained one which can be rung nearly dry...

...General Electric announced, following the aluminum cut, that it expects to cut back appliance production about 25% after Jan...

...Called Snowy Bleach (distributed by the Gold Seal Co., Bismarck, N.D...

...The aluminum allocation order of the National Production Authority, which goes into effect Jan...

...A new comb called "Komatic" is effective in removing lint and dandruff...

...Commercial" will designate beef from older cattle...

...There is a heat-resistant enamel called Sapolin Radiator & Range Enamel (70 cents a half-pint from stores, or Sapolin Paints, Inc., 229 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y...

...Stainless steel is good, and effective, but most professionals prefer a high carbon steel...

...which won't discolor, peel, or crack...

...Regional Cookbook One of the reasons regional cookbooks are fun is that you are persuaded each region is competitively offering its best...

...Rollers save time and energy on walls, but where brushes are still necessary—in corners, on woodwork, and on small objects—the size and quality of the brush are important...

...it can be used right in the wash...

...the time-honored abrasive stone (like Carbonate dum No...

...Celluloid golf tees, in assorted colors, are attractive grips, but they're hard to find in stores...

...Among the best buys in muslin are Spiegel's Hostess, Sears' Harmony House, and Fruit of the Loom (all Type 140) Spiegel and Sears' Type 200 brands are good buys in percale...

...it wears well . . . Remember that the experts keep saying "regular" gas is quite good enough for any car...

...If you're afraid a favorite plant will dry out while you're away for a few days, tuck one end of wet, soft cord (like an old piece of clothesline) in moist soil near the plant, and put the other end in a jar of water...

...It will be harder to buy just what you want, and prices will be higher...

...There is a bleach on the market which is "guaranteed" safe for nylon, rayon, silk, and wool...

...Limited use of other metals—copper, nickel, zinc, tungsten, cadmium, and cobalt—is imminent...

...1; other appliance manufacturers will follow...

...Prime" will include beef form-erly graded "prime" or "choice...

...Plain weaves with simple borders are the most economical...

...A new aluminum product appeared shortly before the aluminum cut announcement...

...A half-pint is enough for the average stove...

...However, in my judgment it doesn't have the authority or charm of American Regional Cookery, by Sheila Hibben, published in 1946 (Little, Brown...

...A new, and good, book, Coast to Coast Cookery, has been assembled by 70 newspaper editors, with each one contributing recipes considered distinctive, and outstandingly good, for specific regions...

...maybe they'll give you some suggestions: A good one-coat wall paint with an oil base, like Jewel Vel-Veneer is safe to apply directly on walls which are not too soiled...

...The label "good" will cover beef from the higher quality of young cattle now graded "commercial...

...One of the most helpful sections is a group of checking tests for an existing house (or apartment) you consider renting, like: If you turn the water on full force in the kitchen, and then turn it on in the bathroom, is the supply adequate...

...My interpretation of consumer reaction is yes to the former and no to the latter...

...I belong to the school that finds the green variety tastier, if slightly less elegant, as well . . . For the third consecutive time, The Reader's Digest, in its December issue, goes after advertisers that "have misled readers into believing that the Digest has endorsed the product being advertised" and cautions readers "to appraise with skepticism advertisements—in the press or on the air—of trade-named products which imply RD endorsement...

...turpentine or a substitute product like Sherwin-Williams' Exolvent gets rid of paint quickly...

...A special knife container, or a knife rack like Magna' grip, is an answer, and keeps knives handy to get at...

...Notes Insulation board, available at most lumber companies, in white or beige, makes a sturdy and inexpensive bulletin board...

...This means, of course, fewer pots and pans, refrigerators, radios, and television sets...

...Pertinent Pamphlets Families saddled with outmoded plumbing, or making plans to build, will find professional advice in layman language in a 12-page booklet...

...RCA television sets are well-rated by testing agencies, and the Astatic AT-1 booster, $29.70, is recommended for TV owners in weak signal areas...

...White Sales With cotton prices on the way up, valid January white sales are worth watching for...

...29, revised Federal beef grading labels will go into ef-;i feet...

...If this isn't at your local hardware store, it can be ordered for 89 cents from Chicago Specialty Mfg...

...If you just can't wait, Lester David, in "Beware the TV Gyps," in Pageant, urges TV buyers to get guarantees in writing and to read contracts before buying a set...

...This leaflet is available free, for a single copy, until Feb...

...then wash brushes in soap or detergent suds, rinse, and dry, and have the satisfaction of having brushes ready for use...

...I gave up a plastic gadget for keeping paint under control on window panes for a properly sized brush, patience, and a 20-cent razor gadget to chip off drips...

...In painting over enameled or varnished surfaces, be sure to sand them down first and rub with a surface conditioner (available under various brand names at any paint store) which acts as a mild softener, washes off wax, and provides a "tack" for paint, eliminating bubbles and crazing...

...New Products A household compass saw, which will cut through bones, wood, nails, or plaster, has a 7J/£ inch tempered steel blade which can be locked into sawing position on a 360-degree arc, making it easy to cut around obstructions...

...Revised Beef Labels Effective Dec...

...Even the experts are uncertain about the 1951 we're moving into, but there seems no doubt that living will be leaner—especially in the sense of being able to replace a worn-out saucepan or rug or household appliance or radio...

...The product called Liquid Sandpaper (98 cents a quart) will do this, too, and also can be used with steel wool to remove paint for refinishing...

...in two sizes, for 50 and 29 cents . . . The green, or Pascal, variety of celery contains more vitamins than the white...

...Have a clear understanding about antenna installation and service...

...A Department of Agriculture man, who understandably wishes to be unnamed, advises husbands to hide-good carving knives, less wives find them and use them for cutting string, or worse...

...1, limits manufacturers to 65% of the aluminum they used during the first six months of 1950...

...In sheets, there is no definitive answer to the muslin versus percale controversy...

...muslin is cheaper, but percale costs less to launder, if sheets are "sent out...

...The Robo knife sharpener ($1.89) and Wulff Hone-Rite ($1.50) are fairly effective but inconvenient to use...

...A practical little gadget, it's an aluminum top for coffee percolators which whistles when the perking begins...

...the Cory electric sharpener is safe and effective—and expensive ($11.95...

...Painting Memo Emerging from a long siege of painting the premises, I've been making notes for future reference...

...colored thumb tacks, or Moore push pins, are good props . . . The newest co-op home appliance is a sewing machine (prices range from $84.50 for a portable up to $149.50 for a console model), sold through the Central States Co-op, Waukegan, 111., and Detroit's Cooperative Development...

...It's made by the Perc-Tone Aluminum Products, Brooklyn, N.Y...

...76, 85 cents) is safe but requires skill...

...Co., 2954 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago 25, 111...

...Open and close faucets several times...

...No matter what the directions say, be prepared to apply two coats to woodwork that will demand frequent washing . . . Keep a list of paints used so that you can "touch up" or match in color later...

...First, though, get rid of as much rust as possible with sandpaper or steel wool...

...In the months ahead this column will atempt to help you get your money's worth out of what you have as well as when you buy...

...The woodwork is easier to dust and, when washed, the dirt comes off with the wax and leaves the paint intact . . . Take the time to clean paint brushes properly...

...If your community doesn't have a Lowe dealer, a postcard to the above address will bring you this useful reference...

...do they drip or leak...

...Both wear well...

...With the unpleasant forecast that cotton, carpets, silk, shoes, home heating oil, paint, and wool are all going up in price, we might as well try to fortify ourselves, against that desire for something new, with the old advice of "patch it up, wear it out...

...Plumbing, just issued by the Small Homes Council of the University of Illinois...

...The Blade's the Thing Carving experts remind us that the quality of the blade is far more important than a carving knife's handsome handle...

...The experts seem to agree that anyone contemplating the purchase of a television set would be wise to wait for color television...

...An excellent discussion of exterior and interior painting (a subject apparently on my mind this month) is found in a commercial pamphlet, 101 Questions and Answers about Painting and Decorating, distributed by Lowe Brothers Co., Dayton 2, O. It tells how to prepare surfaces for painting, how to paint porches and fences and linoleum floors and radiators and bicycles (as well as more standard things like houses and walls and furniture), and how to take care of paint brushes...

...The Department of Agriculture says these revised standards "will make the grades more useful in reflecting beef production practices and consumer preferences...

...As an active member of the wives union, I'm reluctant to report that retail merchants say men- appreciate good cutlery more than women...

...This can be had for $2.50 from the American Association of Newspaper Representatives, 360 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 111...

...The blade of Midget Compass Saw fits into a pistol grip plastic handle...

...However, no matter what the wonder claims of a paint, don't take a chance in kitchens or bathrooms, where walls must be washed first to get rid of grease and grime and thus provide a holding base for fresh paint...

...A thin coating of paste wax over woodwork, particularly in kitchens, is a sound investment in a few cents and elbow grease...

...Television Gyps To most of us beyond the range of the coaxial cable, television is still a recreation and problem of the future, and the color versus black 6 white issue (ably discussed in this number by Robert Landry) is not so alive to us as to people on the verge of buying sets...

...The label "choice" will now desig-nate beef previously labeled "good...

...Another metal paint, especially good for kitchen stoves, is Totrust Talume (Wilbur & Williams, and approximately the same price) which can be used without a metal primer on rusted surfaces...

...1 from the Council at Urbana, Illinois...

...Cannon's Empress and Sear's Harmony House brands are among the best buys in bath towels...

...Nicks are inevitable when knives are dumped into drawers with other kitchenware...

...David cites some horrendous examples of swindles and might well have added that a reputable dealer, as when you buy a major appliance like a refrigerator or washing machine, is the best insurance for getting what you order and for servicing...