Chapter XXVI: Part 26

A sheet of finely perforated zinc, substituted for a pane of glass in
one of the upper squares of a chamber window, is the cheapest and best
form of ventilator; there should not be a bedroom without it.

2449. A Simple Method of Ventilation.

Get a piece of deal two inches wide and one inch thick, and as long as
the width of the sashes of the window in which it is to be used. Care
should be taken to ascertain the width of the sashes exactly, which
may be done by measuring along the top of the lower sash, from one
side of the sash frame to the other. Raise the lower sash--drop in
the piece of wood, so that it rests on the bottom part of the window
frame, the ends being within the stops on either side, and then close
the sash upon it. If properly planed up, no draught can enter between
the wood and the bottom of the sash; but the air can enter the room in
an upward direction, through the opening between the top of the lower
sash and the bottom of the upper sash, any direct draught into the
interior of the room being prevented by the position of the lower sash.

[THE QUIET MIND ENJOYS THE SWEETEST REST.]

2450. Bedclothes.

The perfection of dress, for day or night, where warmth is the
purpose, is that which confines around the body sufficient of its own
warmth, while it allows escape to the exhalations of the skin. Where
the body is allowed to bathe protractedly in its own vapours we must
expect an unhealthy effect upon the skin. Where there is too little
allowance for ventilation, insensible perspiration is checked, and
something analogous to fever supervenes; foul tongue, ill taste, and
lack of morning appetite betray the evil.

2451. Vapour Baths.

Vapour baths may be made by putting boiling water in a pan, and
placing a cane-bottom chair in the pan, the patient sitting upon it,
enveloped from head to foot in a blanket covering the bath. Sulphur,
spirit, medicinal, herbal, and other baths may be obtained in the same
manner. They should not be taken except under medical advice.

2452. Vapour Bath at Home.

Another equally easy but far more effectual method of procuring a
vapour bath at home is to attach one end of a piece of gutta-percha
tubing to the snout of a kettle on the fire, and to introduce the
other end below the chair, on which the person who requires the bath
is sitting, enveloped in a blanket as described above.

2453. Hot Water.

In bruises, hot water is the most efficacious, both by means of
insertion and fomentation, in removing pain, and totally preventing
discoloration and stiffness. It has the same effect after a blow. It
should be applied as quickly as possible, and as hot as it can be
borne. The efficacy of hot water in preventing the ill effects of
fatigue is too well-known to require notice.

2454. Thinning the Blood.

It is desirable to consider the means of thinning the blood, when it
has been deprived, by too profuse transpiration in hot, dry winds, of
its aqueous particles, and rendered thick and viscid. Water would
easily supply this want of fluidity if it were capable of mingling
with the blood when in this state; acid matter cannot be ultimately
combined with the blood when the body is in this state. In order to
find a menstruum by which water may be rendered capable of combining
ultimately with the blood, of remaining long in combination with it,
and of thinning it, we must mix it with a substance possessing the
property of a soap, and consequently fit to dissolve viscous matters,
and make them unite with water.

The soap must contain but little salt, that it may not increase the
thirst of the parched throat. It must not have a disagreeable taste,
that it may be possible to drink a considerable quantity of it: and it
must be capable of recruiting the strength without overloading the
stomach.

Now all these qualities are to be found in the yolk of egg. No
beverage, therefore, is more suitable (whilst it is very agreeable)
for hot, dry weather than one composed of the yolk of an egg beaten up
with a little sugar according to taste, and mixed with a quart of cool
spring or filtered water, half a glass of Moselle or any other Rhenish
wine, and some lemon juice. The wine, however, may be omitted, and
only the lemon juice be used; in like manner, hartshorn shavings
boiled in water may be substituted for the yolk of egg. Equal
quantities of beef tea and whey are good for delicate infants.

2455. Beverage for Hot Weather.

The yolk of eggs beaten up, lump sugar (to taste), Rhenish wine or
not, citric acid powdered, or tartaric acid (small quantity, exact
quantity soon found); one or two drops of essence of lemon on a lump
of sugar, to make it mix readily with the water; one quart of water.
This is really an excellent, agreeable, and, without the wine, an
inexpensive beverage.

[LITTLE COMFORTS BEGET MUCH HAPPINESS.]

2456. To Ascertain the State of the Lungs.

Persons desirous of ascertaining the true state of their lungs should
draw in as much breath as they conveniently can, they are then to
count as far as they are able, in a slow and audible voice, without
drawing in more breath. The number of seconds they can continue
counting must be carefully observed; in cases of consumption the time
does not exceed ten, and is frequently less than six seconds; in
pleurisy and pneumonia it ranges from nine to four seconds. When the
lungs are in a sound condition, the time will range as high as from
twenty to thirty-five seconds.

2457. To Avoid Catching Cold.

Accustom yourself to the use of sponging with cold water every morning
on first getting out of bed. It should be followed by a good deal of
rubbing with a wet towel. It has considerable effect in giving tone
to the skin, and maintaining a proper action in it, and thus proves a
safeguard to the injurious influence of cold and sudden changes of
temperature. Sir Astley Cooper said,

"The methods by which I have preserved my own health are
--temperance, early rising, and sponging the body every morning
with cold water, immediately after getting out of bed,--a practice
which I have adopted for thirty years without ever catching cold."

2458. How to Prepare Artificial Sea-Water.

In each gallon of river or rain water dissolve about six ounces of
sea-salt, either by stirring it or suspending it in the water in a
linen or muslin bag. It dissolves as readily in cold as in hot water.
Sea-salt is produced by evaporation of sea-water. Common salt is
sometimes supplied in place of it; but the genuine sea-salt,
manufactured by well-known firms, which can be procured of any grocer
or of most chemists, is specially prepared to enable persons to have a
salt-water bath at home.

2459. Change the Water in which Leeches are Kept.

Once a month in winter, and once a week in summer, is sufficiently
often, unless the water becomes discoloured or bloody, when it should
be changed every day. Either clean pond water or clean rain water
should be employed.

2460. Damp Linen.

Few things are attended with more serious consequences than sleeping
in damp linen. Persons are frequently assured that the sheets have
been at a fire for many hours, but the question is as to what sort of
fire, and whether they have been properly turned, so that every part
has been exposed to the fire. The fear of creasing the linen, we know,
prevents many from unfolding it, so as to be what we consider
sufficiently aired: but health is of more importance than appearances;
with gentleness there need be no fear of want of neatness.

2461. Improving Camomile Tonic.

Dried orange peel added to camomile flowers, in the proportion of half
the quantity of the flowers, improves the tonic.

2462. Gingerbread Aperient.

Gingerbread, made with oatmeal or with barley flour, is a very
agreeable aperient for children. Beware of giving children medicines
too frequently.

2463. Cod Liver Oil.

This very beneficial drug, formerly so unpopular on account of its
rank odour and nauseous taste, has of late years largely increased in
consumption through the skilful manipulations of modern science in its
preparation, whereby both the smell and the flavour have been almost
entirely removed, rendering it capable of being taken by even the most
delicate stomach. It is extremely efficacious in cases of consumption
and debility, checking the emaciation, regulating the appetite, and
restoring vitality. Coffee, new milk, and orange wine, whichever the
patient may fancy, are among the best mediums for taking the oil.

[A CUP MUST BE BITTER THAT A SMILE WILL NOT SWEETEN.]

2464. Camomile Flowers.

Camomile flowers should be gathered on a fine day, and dried upon a
tray placed in the sun. All herbs for medicinal purposes and uses
should be treated in the same manner.

2465. Decoction of Sarsaparilla.

Take four ounces of the root, slice it down, put the slices into four
pints of water, and simmer for four hours. Take out the sarsaparilla,
and beat it into a mash; put it into the liquor again, and boil down
to two pints, then strain and cool the liquor. Dose, a wineglassful
three times a day. Use--to purify the blood after a course of mercury;
or, indeed, whenever any taint is given to the constitution, vitiating
the blood, and producing eruptive affections.

2466. Preston Salts.

Take of sal-ammoniac and salts of tartar of each about two ounces;
pound up the sal-ammoniac into small bits, and mix them gently with
the salts of tartar. After being well mixed, add a few drops of oil of
lavender, sufficient to scent, and also a little musk; stop up in a
glass bottle, and when required for use, add a few drops of water, or
spirits of hartshorn, when you will immediately have strong smelling
salts. The musk being expensive, may be omitted, as the salts will be
good without it. Any person can for a few pence obtain these
ingredients at any druggist's, and they will make salts, which, to buy
prepared, would cost, at the least, eighteen pence.

2467. Destruction of Rats.

The following receipt for the destruction originated with Dr. Ure, and
is highly recommended as the best known means of getting rid of these
most obnoxious and destructive vermin.

Melt hog's-lard in a bottle plunged in water, heated to about 150
degrees of Fahrenheit; introduce into it half an ounce of phosphorus
for every pound of lard; then add a pint of proof spirit, or whisky;
cork the bottle firmly after its contents have been heated to 150
degrees, taking it at the same time out of the water, and agitate
smartly till the phosphorus becomes uniformly diffused, forming a
milky-looking liquid. This liquid, being cooled, will afford a white
compound of phosphorus and lard, from which the spirit spontaneously
separates, and may be poured off to be used again for the same
purpose, but not for drinking, for none of it enters into the
combination, but it merely serves to comminute the phosphorus, and
diffuse it in very small particles through the lard.

This compound, on being warmed very gently, may be poured out into a
mixture of wheat flour and sugar, incorporated therewith, and then
flavoured with oil of rhodium, or not, at pleasure. The flavour may be
varied with oil of aniseed, &c. This dough, being made into pellets,
is to be laid into rat-holes. By its luminousness in the dark, it
attracts their notice, and being agreeable to their palates and noses,
it is readily eaten, and proves certainly fatal.

2468. To Kill Slugs (1).

Take a quantity of cabbage leaves, and either put them into a warm
oven, or heat them before the fire till they get quite soft; then rub
them with unsalted butter, or any kind of fresh dripping, and lay them
in places infested with slugs. In a few hours the leaves will be found
covered with snails and slugs, which may then, of course, be destroyed
in any way the gardener may think fit.

2469. To Destroy Slugs (2).

Slugs are very voracious, and their ravages often do considerable
damage, not only to the kitchen garden, but to the flower-beds also.
If, now and then, a few slices of turnip be put about the beds, on a
summer or autumnal evening, the slugs will congregate thereon, and may
be destroyed.

2470. To Exterminate Beetles.

i. Place a few lumps of unslaked lime where they frequent.

ii. Set a dish or trap containing a little beer or syrup at the
bottom, and place a few sticks slanting against its sides, so as to
form a sort of gangway for the beetles to climb up it, when they
will go headlong into the bait set for them.

iii. Mix equal weights of red lead, sugar, and flour, and place it
nightly near their haunts. This mixture, made into sheets, forms the
beetle wafers sold at the oil shops.

[WHERE REASON RULES APPETITE OBEYS.]

2471. To Kill Cockroaches.

A teacupful of well-bruised plaster of Paris, mixed with double the
quantity of oatmeal, to which a little sugar may be added, although
this last-named ingredient is not essential. Strew it on the floor, or
in the chinks where they frequent.

2472. Earwigs.

Earwigs are very destructive insects, their favourite food being the
petals of roses, pinks, dahlias, and other flowers. They may be caught
by driving stakes into the ground, and placing on each an inverted
flower-pot, for the earwigs will climb up and take refuge under the
pot, when they may be taken out and killed. Clean bowls of
tobacco-pipes, placed in like manner on the tops of smaller sticks,
are very good traps: or very deep holes may be made in the ground with
a crowbar, into which they will fall, and may be destroyed by boiling
water.

2473. To Destroy Ants.

Drop some quicklime on the mouth of their nest, and wash it in with
boiling water; or dissolve some camphor in spirits of wine, then mix
with water, and pour into their haunts; or tobacco-water, which has
been found effectual. They are averse to strong scents. Camphor, or a
sponge saturated with creosote, will prevent their infesting a
cupboard. To prevent their climbing up trees, place a ring of tar
about the trunk, or a circle of rag moistened occasionally with
creosote.

2474. To Prevent Moths.

In the month of April or May, beat your fur garments well with a small
cane or elastic stick, then wrap them up in linen, without pressing
the fur too hard, and put betwixt the folds some camphor in small
lumps; then put your furs in this state in boxes well closed. When the
furs are wanted for use, beat them well as before, and expose them for
twenty-four hours to the air, which will take away the smell of the
camphor. If the fur has long hair, as bear or fox, add to the camphor
an equal quantity of black pepper in powder.

2475. To get rid of Moths.

i. Procure shavings of cedar wood, and enclose in muslin bags, which
can be distributed freely among the clothes.

ii. Procure shavings of camphor wood, and enclose in bags.

iii. Sprinkle pimento (allspice) berries among the clothes.

iv. Sprinkle the clothes with the seeds of the musk plant.

v. To destroy the eggs--when deposited in woollen cloths, &c., use a
solution of acetate of potash in spirits of rosemary, fifteen grains
to the pint.

2476. Bugs.

Spirits of naphtha rubbed with a small painter's brush into every part
of a bedstead is a certain way of getting rid of bugs. The mattress
and binding of the bed should be examined, and the same process
attended to, as they generally harbour more in these parts than in the
bedstead. Three pennyworth of naphtha is sufficient for one bed.

2477. Bug Poison.

Proof spirit, one pint; camphor, two ounces; oil of turpentine, four
ounces: corrosive sublimate, one ounce, mix. A correspondent says,

"I have been for a long time troubled with bugs, and never could get
rid of them by any clean and expeditious method, until a friend told
me to suspend a small bag of camphor to the bed, just in the centre,
overhead. I did so, and the enemy was most effectually repulsed, and
has not made his appearance since--not even for a reconnaissance!"

This is a simple method of getting rid of these pests, and is worth a
trial to see if it be effectual in other cases.

2478. Mixture for Destroying Flies (1).

Infusion of quassia, one pint; brown sugar, four ounces; ground
pepper, two ounces. To be well mixed together, and put in small
shallow dishes when required.

2479. To Destroy Flies (2).

To destroy flies in a room, take half a teaspoonful of black pepper in
powder, one teaspoonful of brown sugar, and one tablespoonful of
cream, mix them well together, and place them in the room on a plate,
where the flies are troublesome, and they will soon disappear.

[WHEN APPETITE COMMANDS, THE POCKET PAYS.]

2480. Flies (3).

Cold green tea, very strong and sweetened with sugar, will, when set
about the room in saucers, attract flies and destroy them.

2481. Inks.

There are many receipts published for making ink; the following is as
useful and economical a mode of producing good ink as any of them:

2482. Dr. Ure's Ink.

For twelve gallons of ink take twelve pounds of bruised galls, five
pounds of gum, five pounds of green sulphate of iron, and twelve
gallons of rain-water. Boil the galls with nine gallons of the water
for three hours, adding fresh water to supply that lost in vapour; let
the decoction settle, and draw off the clear liquor. Add to it the
gum, previously dissolved in one and a half gallons of water; dissolve
the green vitriol separately in one and a half gallons of water, and
mix the whole.

2483. Ink Powder.

Ink powder is formed of the dry ingredients for ink, powdered and
mixed. Powdered galls, two pounds; powdered green vitriol, one pound;
powdered gum, eight ounces. Two ounces of this mixture will make one
pint of ink. Cost: galls, 1s. 4d. per pound; green vitriol, 1d. per
pound; powdered gum, 1s. 5d. per pound.

2484. Red Writing Ink.

Best ground Brazil wood, four ounces; diluted acetic acid, one pint;
alum, half an ounce. Boil the ingredients slowly in an enamelled
vessel for one hour, strain, and add an ounce of gum.

2485. Marking Ink without Preparation.

There are several receipts for this ink, but the following is said to
be one of the best of its kind:

Dissolve separately, one ounce of nitrate of silver, and one and a
half ounce of best washing soda in distilled or rain water. Mix the
solutions, and collect and wash the precipitate in a filter; whilst
still moist, rub it up in a marble or Wedgwood mortar with three
drachms of tartaric acid; add two ounces of distilled water, mix six
drachms of white sugar, and ten drachms of powdered gum arabic, half
an ounce of archil, and water to make up six ounces in measure.

2486a. Ink for Zinc Garden Labels.

Verdigris, one ounce; sal-ammoniac, one ounce; lampblack, half an
ounce; water, half a pint. Mix in an earthenware mortar, without using
a metal spatula.

_Directions_.--To be shaken before use, and used with a clean _quill_
pen, on bright zinc.

_Note_.--Another kind of ink for zinc is also used, made of chloride
of platinum, five grains, dissolved in one ounce of distilled or rain
water; but the first, which is much less expensive, answers perfectly,
if used as directed, on clean bright zinc.

2486b. Manifold Writing [1].

The demand for a rapid and simple method of multiplying letters,
circulars, &c., has led in recent years to the invention of several
ingenious processes. So few copies are obtainable by the ordinary
reporters' system of sheets of tissue paper, or "flimsy," interleaved
with sheets of prepared black paper, that various kinds of "graphs"
have been produced, by which upwards of a hundred, and in some cases
many more, copies may be produced from one writing.

The "graph" process usually consists of transferring a writing made in
an aniline dye on to a gelatine surface, from which, by the
application of successive sheets of paper, subjected to a smoothing
pressure by the hand, a number of copies may be obtained, in a manner
very similar to the ordinary lithographic process. All those which may
be classed as "gelatine transfer" processes are, however, open to the
objection that, after a certain number of copies, the colour grows
very faint.

Some other methods of manifold writing, such es the Edison, the
Trypograph, the Cyclostyle, &c. (by which 1,000 copies can be taken
from one writing), do not possess this fault, being based on a
principle of a fine stencil on prepared paper, and squeezing ink
through the minute perforations on to a sheet of paper fixed
underneath. The writing in these stencil systems, however, has a
"dotty" and broken appearance, displeasing to many eyes--the
Cyclostyle being, perhaps, least faulty in this respect. For those who
would like to make a gelatine "graph," we append the following recipe:

Six parts by weight of pure glycerine, four parts by weight of water,
two parts of barium sulphate, and one part of sugar. Mix them, and let
them soak for twenty-four hours; then melt at a gentle heat, stir
until thoroughly mixed, and pour the composition into a tray. Any
chemist will supply an aniline dye for the ink.

[Footnote 1: Both these sections were numbered 2486 in the original
text. txt Ed.]

[EVERY PEA HELPS TO FILL THE PECK.]

2487. Cements.

The term "cement" includes all those substances employed for the
purpose of causing the adhesion of two or more bodies, whether
originally separate, or divided by an accidental fracture. As the
various substances that may require cementing differ very much in
texture, &c., a number of cements possessed of very different
properties are required, because a cement that answers admirably under
one set of circumstances may be perfectly useless in others. The
general principles upon which the success or failure of cementing
usually depends are:

The different parts of a solid are held together by an attraction
between their several particles, which is termed the attraction of
cohesion. This attraction acts only when the particles are in the
closest possible contact: even air must not be between them. If, after
breaking any substance, we could bring the particles into as close a
contact as before, and perfectly exclude the air, they would re-unite,
and be as strongly connected as ever. But in general this is
impossible: small particles of grit and dust get between them; the
film of interposed air cannot be removed; and thus, however firmly we
press the edges of a broken cup together, it remains cracked china
still.

The cohesion between the particles of the cement is very much less
than the adhesion of the cement to other bodies; and if torn apart,
the connected joint gives way, not by the loosening of the adhesion,
but by the layer of cement splitting down the centre. Hence the
important rule that the _less_ cement in a joint the stronger it is.
To unite broken substances with a thick cement is disadvantageous, the
object being to bring the surfaces as closely together as possible.
The general principles that ought always to be borne in mind having
been mentioned, the manufacture and uses of some of the more useful
cements may be described.

2488. Mouth Glue.

The very useful preparation sold under this title is merely a thin
cake of soluble glue, which, when moistened with the tongue, furnishes
a ready means of uniting papers, &c. It is made by dissolving one
pound of fine glue or gelatine in water, and adding half a pound of
brown sugar, boiling the whole until it is sufficiently thick to
become solid on cooling; it is then poured into moulds, or on a slab
slightly greased, and cut into the required shape when cool. (_See_
LIQUID GLUE, No. 2491.)

[ECONOMY IS THE HOUSEHOLD MINT.]

2489. Paste.

Paste is usually made by rubbing up flour with cold water, and
boiling; if a little alum is mixed before boiling it is much improved,
being less clammy, working more freely in the brush, and thinner, a
less quantity is required, and it is therefore stronger. If required
in large quantity, as for papering rooms, it may be made by mixing one
quartern of flour, one quarter pound of alum, and a little warm water;
when mixed, the requisite quantity of boiling water should be poured
on whilst the mixture is being stirred. Paste is only adapted to
cementing paper; when used it should spread on one side of the paper,
which should then be folded with the pasted side inwards, and allowed
to remain a few minutes before being opened and used; this swells the
paper, and permits its being mere smoothly and securely attached. If
kept for a few days, paste becomes mouldy, and after a short time
putrid; this inconveince may be obviated by the use of:

2490. Permanent Paste.

Permanent Paste, made by adding to each half-pint of flour paste
without alum, fifteen grains of corrosive sublimate, previously rubbed
to powder in a mortar, the whole to be well mixed; this, if prevented
from drying, by being kept in a covered pot, remains good any length
of time, and is therefore convenient; but unfortunately it is
extremely poisonous, though its excessively nauseous taste would
prevent its being swallowed accidentally. It possesses the great
advantage of not being liable to the attacks of insects.

2491. Liquid Glue.

The liquid glue of the shops is made by dissolving shelac in water, by
boiling it along with borax, which posesses the peculiar property of
causing the solution of the resinous lac. This preparation is
convenient from its cheapness and freedom from smell; but it gives way
if exposed to long-continued damp, which that made with naphtha
resists.

2492. Common Glue.

Of the use of _common glue_ very little need be said; it should always
be prepared in a gluepot or double vessel, to prevent its being
burned, which injures it very materially. The chief objection to the
use of this contrivance is, that it renders it impossible to heat the
glue in the inner vessel to the boiling point; this, however, can be
obviated by employing in the outer vessel some liquid which boils at a
higher temperature than pure water, such as a saturated solution of
salt (made by adding one-third as much salt as water). This boils at
224° Fahr., 12° above the heat of boiling water, and enables the glue
in the inner vessel to be heated to a much higher temperature than
when pure water is employed. If a saturated solution of nitre is used,
the temperature rises still higher.

2493. Diamond Cement.

Soak isinglass in water till it is soft; then dissolve it in the
smallest possible quantity of proof spirit, by the aid of a gentle
heat; in two ounces of this mixture dissolve ten grains of ammoniacum,
and whilst still liquid add half a drachm of mastic, dissolved in
three drachms of rectified spirit; stir well together, and put into
small bottles for sale.

_Directions for Use_.--Liquefy the cement by plunging the bottle in
hot water, and use it directly. The cement improves the oftener the
bottle is thus warmed; it resists the action of water and moisture
perfectly.

2494. Rice Flour Cement.

An excellent cement may be made from rice flour, which is at present
used for that purpose in China and Japan. It is only necessary to mix
the rice flour intimately with cold water, and gently simmer it over a
fire, when it readily forms a delicate and durable cement, not only
answering all the purposes of common paste, but admirably adapted for
joining together paper, cards, &c., in forming the various beautiful
and tasteful ornaments which afford much employment and amusement to
the ladies. When made of the consistence of plaster-clay, models,
busts, bas-relievos, &c., may be formed of it; and the articles, when
dry, are susceptible of high polish, and are very durable.

2495. Using Egg.

The white of an egg, well beaten with quicklime, and a small quantity
of very old cheese, forms an excellent substitute for cement, when
wanted in a hurry, either for broken china or old ornamental glassware.

2496. Cement for Broken China, Glass, &c.

This cement being nearly colourless, possesses advantages which liquid
glue and other cements do not.--Dissolve half an ounce of gum acacia,
in a wineglass of boiling water; add plaster of Paris sufficient to
form a thick paste, and apply it with a brush, to the parts required
to be cemented together.

[AT NIGHT NATURE IS IN MOURNING FOR THE LOSS OF THE SUN.]

2497. Lime and Egg Cement.

Lime and Egg Cement is frequently made by moistening the edges to be
united with white of egg, dusting on some lime from a piece of muslin,
and bringing the edges into contact. A much better mode is to slake
some freshly-burned lime with a small quantity of _boiling_ water;
this occasions it to fall into a very fine dry powder, if excess of
water has not been added. The white of egg used should be intimately
and thoroughly mixed, by beating with an equal bulk of water, and the
slaked lime added to the mixture, so as to form a thin paste, which
should be used speedily, as it soon sets. This is a valuable cement,
possessed of great strength, and capable of withstanding boiling
water. Cements made with lime and blood, scraped cheese, or curd, may
be regarded as inferior varieties of it.

2498. White Lead as Cement.

Cracked vessels of earthenware and glass may often be usefully, though
not ornamentally, repaired by white lead spread on strips of calico,
and secured with bands of twine.

2499. Marine Glue.

In point of strength, all ordinary cements yield the palm to Jeffery's
Patent Marine Glue, a compound of India-rubber, shellac, and coal-tar
naphtha. Small quantities can be purchased at most of the tool
warehouses, at cheaper rates than it can be made. The colour of this
glue, however, prevents its being much used.

2500. Coaguline.

An exceedingly strong, and at the same time a transparent and
colourless cement is made by Messrs. Kay Brothers, of Stockport, and
is sold by most fancy stationers and chemists under the name of
Coaguline. It is easily and quickly applied, and will be found
extremely serviceable in repairing glass, china, and stone articles.
It is inexpensive.

2501. Red Cement .

Red Cement which is employed by instrument makers for cementing glass
to metals, and which is very cheap, and exceedingly useful for a
variety of purposes, is made by melting five parts of black rosin, one
part of yellow wax, and then stirring in gradually one part of red
ochre or Venetian red, in fine powder, and previously _well dried_.
This cement requires to be melted before use, and it adheres better if
the objects to which it is applied are warmed.

2502. A Soft Cement for Corks.

A soft cement, of a somewhat similar character to that just described,
is useful for covering the corks of preserved fruit, and other
bottles. It is made by melting yellow wax with an equal quantity of
rosin, or of common turpentine (not oil of turpentine, but the resin),
using the latter for a very soft cement, and stirring in, as before,
some dried Venetian red.

2503. Mastic Cement.

This is employed for making a superior coating to inside walls, but
must not be confounded with the _resin mastic_. It is made by mixing
twenty parts of well-washed and sifted sharp sand with two parts of
litharge and one of freshly burned and slaked quicklime, in fine _dry_
powder. This is made into a putty, by mixing with linseed oil. It
sets in a few hours, having the appearance of light stone; and we
mention it, as it may be frequently employed with advantage in
repairing broken stone-work (as steps), by filling up the missing
parts. The employment of Roman cement, plaster, &c., for masonry
work, hardly comes within the limits of Domestic Manipulation.

2504. Cement for Leather and Cloth.

An adhesive material for uniting the parts of boots and shoes, and for
the seams of articles of clothing, may be made thus:--Take one pound
of gutta-percha, four ounces of India rubber, two ounces of pitch, one
ounce of shellac, two ounces of oil. The ingredients are to be melted
together, and used hot.

[GO TO BED WITH THE LAMB AND RISE WITH THE LARK.]

2505. Birdlime.

Take any quantity of linseed oil, say half a pint; put it into an old
pot, or any vessel that will stand the fire without breaking--the
vessel must not be more than one-third full; put it on a slow fire,
stir it occasionally until it thickens as much as required; this will
be known by cooling the stick in water, and trying it with the
fingers. It is best to make it rather harder than for use. Then pour
it into cold water. It can be brought back to the consistency required
with a little Archangel tar.

2506. Anglo-Japanese Work.

This is an elegant and easy domestic art. Take yellow withered
leaves, dissolve gum, black paint, copal varnish, &c. Any articles,
such as an old tea-caddy, flower-pots, fire-screens, screens of all
descriptions, work-boxes, &c., may be ornamented with these simple
materials. Select perfect leaves, dry and press them between the
leaves of books; rub the surface of the article to be ornamented with
fine sand paper, then give it a coat of fine black paint, which should
be procured mixed at a colour shop.

When dry rub smooth with pumice-stone, and give two other coats. Dry.
Arrange leaves in any manner and variety, according to taste. Gum the
leaves on the under side, and press them upon their places. Then
dissolve some isinglass in hot water, and brush it over the work. Dry.
Give three coats of copal varnish, allowing ample time for each coat
to dry. Articles thus ornamented last for years, and are very
pleasing.

2507. Ornamental Leather Work.

An excellent imitation of carved oak, suitable for frames, boxes,
vases, and ornaments in endless variety, may be made of a description
of leather called basil. The art consists in simply cutting out this
material in imitation of natural objects, and in impressing upon it by
simple tools, either with or without the aid of heat, such marks and
characteristics as are necessary to the imitation. The rules given
with regard to the imitation of leaves and flowers apply to ornamental
leather work. Begin with a simple object, and proceed by degrees to
those that are more complicated.

Cut out an ivy or an oak leaf, and impress the veins upon it; then
arrange these in groups, and affix them to frames, or otherwise. The
tools required are ivory or steel points of various sizes, punches,
and tin shapes, such as are used for confectionery. The points may be
made out of the handles of old tooth-brushes. Before cutting out the
leaves the leather should be well soaked in water, until it is quite
pliable. When dry, it will retain the artistic shape. Leaves and stems
are fastened together by means of liquid glue, and varnished with any
of the drying varnishes, or with sealing-wax dissolved to a suitable
consistency in spirits of wine. Wire, cork, gutta-percha, bits of
stems of trees, &c., may severally be used to aid in the formation of
groups of buds, flowers, seed-vessels, &c.

2508. Black Paper Patterns.

Mix some lamp-black with sweet oil. With a piece of flannel cover
sheets of writing-paper with the mixture; dab the paper dry with a bit
of fine linen. When using, put the black side on another sheet of
paper, and fasten the corners together with small pins. Lay on the
back of the black paper the pattern to be drawn, and go over it with
the point of a steel drawing pencil: the black will then leave the
impression of the pattern on the undersheet, on which you may draw it
with ink.

2509. Patterns on Cloth or Muslin.

Patterns on cloth or muslin are drawn with a pen dipped in stone blue,
a bit of sugar and a little water; wet to the consistence wanted.

2510. Feather Flowers: Materials.

Procure the best white swan or goose feathers; have them plucked off
the fowl with care not to break the web; free them from down, except a
small quantity on the shaft of the feather. Get also a little fine
wire, different sizes; a few skeins of fine floss silks, some good
cotton wool or wadding, a reel of No. 4 Moravian cotton, a skein of
Indian silk, some starch and gum for pastes, and a pair of small sharp
scissors, a few sheets of coloured silk paper, and some water colours.

[EATING AND DRINKING SHOULDN'T KEEP US FROM THINKING.]

2511. Patterns for Petals.

Having procured two good specimens of the flower you wish to imitate,
carefully pull off the petals of one, and, with a piece of tissue
paper, cut out the shape of each, taking care to leave the shaft of
the feather at least half an inch longer than the petal of the flower.
Carefully bend the feather with the thumb and finger to the proper
shape; mind not to break the web.

2512. Stem and Heart of a Flower.

Take a piece of wire six inches long; across the top lay a small piece
of cotton wool, turn the wire over it, and wind it round until it is
the size of the heart or centre of the flower you are going to
imitate. If a single flower, cover it with paste or velvet of the
proper colour, and round it must be arranged the stamens; these are
made of fine Indian silk, or feathers may be used for this purpose.
After the petals have been attached, the silk or feather is dipped
into gum, and then into the farina. Place the petals round, one at
time, and wind them on with Moravian cotton, No. 4. Arrange them as
nearly like the flower you have for a copy as possible. Cut the stems
of the feathers even, and then make the calyx of feathers, cut like
the pattern or natural flower. For the small flowers the calyx is made
with paste. Cover the stems with paper or silk the same as the
flowers; the paper must be cut in narrow strips, about a quarter of an
inch wide.

2513. Pastes of Calyx, Hearts, and Buds of Flowers.

Take common white starch and mix it with gum water until it is the
substance of thick treacle; colour it with the dyes used for the
feathers, and keep it from the air.

2514. To make the Farina.

Use common ground rice, mixed into a stiff paste with any dye; dry it
before the fire, and when quite hard, pound it to a fine powder. The
buds, berries, and hearts of some double flowers are made with cotton
wool, wound around wire, moulded to the shape with thumb and finger.
Smooth it over with gum water, and when dry, cover the buds, berries,
or calyx with the proper coloured pastes; they will require one or two
coats, and may be shaded with a little paint, and then gummed and left
to dry.

2515. Flowers of Two or More Shades.

Flowers of two or more shades are variegated with water colours, mixed
with lemon juice, ultramarine and chrome for blue; and to produce
other effects, gold may also be used in powder, mixed with lemon juice
and gum water.

2516. To Dye Feathers Blue.

Into two pennyworth of oil of vitriol mix two pennyworth of the best
indigo in powder; let it stand a day or two; when wanted shake it
well, and into a quart of boiling water put one tablespoonful of the
liquid. Stir it well, put the feathers in, and let them simmer a few
minutes.

2517. Yellow.

Put a tablespoonful of the best turmeric into a quart of boiling
water; when well mixed put in the feathers. More or less of the
turmeric will give them different shades, and a very small quantity of
soda will give them an orange hue.

2518. Green.

Mix the indigo liquid with turmeric, and pour boiling water over it;
let the feathers simmer in the dye until they have acquired the shade
you want them.

2519. Pink.

Three good pink saucers in a quart of boiling water, with a small
quantity of cream of tartar. If a deep colour is required, use four
saucers. Let the feathers remain in the dye several hours.

2520. Red.

In a quart of boiling water dissolve a teaspoonful of cream of tartar;
put in one tablespoonful of prepared cochineal, and then a few drops
of muriate of tin. This dye is expensive, and scarlet flowers are best
made with the plumage of the red ibis, which can generally be had of a
bird-fancier or bird-stuffer, who will give directions how it should
be applied.

[WE SELDOM REPENT OF HAVING EATEN TOO LITTLE.]

2521. Lilac.

About two teaspoonfuls of cudbear into about a quart of boiling water;
let it simmer a few minutes before you put in the feathers. A small
quantity of cream of tartar turns the colour from lilac to amethyst.

2522. Black; Crimson.

_See Instructions upon Dyeing, par._ 2682, _et seq_.

2523. Preparation of Feathers for Dyeing.

The feathers must be put into hot water, and allowed to drain before
they are put into the dyes. After they are taken out of the dye, rinse
them two or three times in clear cold water (except the red, which
must only be done once), then lay them on a tray, over which a cloth
has been spread, before a good fire; when they begin to dry and
unfold, draw each feather gently between your thumb and finger, until
it regains its proper shape.

2524. Leaves of the Flowers.

These are made of green feathers, cut like those of the natural
flower, and serrated at the edge with a very small pair of scissors.
For the calyx of a moss-rose the down is left on the feather, and is a
very good representation of the moss on the natural flower.

2525. Waxen Flowers and Fruit.

There is no art more easily acquired, nor more encouraging in its
immediate results, than that of modelling flowers and fruit in wax.
The art, however, is attended by this draw-back--that the materials
required are somewhat expensive.

2526. Materials for Wax Flowers.

The appliances required for commencing the making of waxen flowers
will cost from 20s. to 30s., and may be obtained at most fancy
repositories in large towns. Persons wishing to commence the art would
do well to inquire for particulars, and see specimens of materials;
because in this, as in every other pursuit, there are novelties and
improvements being introduced, which no book can give an idea of.

2527. Petals and Leaves of Wax Flowers.

Petals and leaves of wax flowers are made of sheets of coloured wax,
which may be purchased in packets of assorted colours.

2528. Stems.

The stems are made of wire of suitable thicknesses, covered with silk,
and overlaid with wax; and the leaves are frequently made by thin
sheets of wax pressed upon leaves of embossed calico. Leaves of
various descriptions are to be obtained of the persons who sell the
materials for wax flower making.

2529. Models for Wax Flowers.

Ladies will often find among their discarded artificial flowers,
leaves and buds that will serve as the base of their wax models.

2530. Natural Models for Wax Flowers.

The best guide to the construction of a flower--far better than
printed diagrams or patterns--is to take a flower, say a _tulip_, a
_rose_, or a _camellia_. If possible, procure _two_ flowers, nearly
alike; and carefully pick one of them to pieces; lay the petals down
in the order in which they are taken from the flower, and then cut
paper patterns from them, and number them fron the centre of the
flower, that you may know their relative positions.

2531. Putting Petals Together.

The perfect flower will guide you in getting the wax petals together,
and will enable you to give, not only to each petal but to the
_contour_ of the flower, the characteristics which are natural to it.
In most cases, they are merely pressed together and held in their
places by the adhesiveness of the wax. From the paper patterns the wax
petals or other portions of the flowers may be cut. They should be
cut singly, and the scissors should be frequently dipped into water,
to prevent the wax adhering to the blades.

2532. Utilisation of Scraps of Wax.

The scraps of wax that fall from the cutting will be found useful for
making seed vessels, and other parts of the flowers.

[HE WHO SERVES WELL NEED NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK HIS WAGES.]

2533. Leaves of Flowers.

Where the manufactured foundations cannot be obtained, patterns of
them should be cut in paper; the venous appearance may be imparted to
the wax by pressing the leaf upon it.

2534. Sprigs of Plants.

In the construction of sprigs, it is most important to be guided by
sprigs of the natural plant, as various kinds of plants have many
different characteristics in the grouping of their flowers, leaves and
branches.

2535. Selection of Sheets of Wax.

When about to copy a flower, take care in the selection of good sheets
of wax, and see that their colours are precisely those of the flower
you desire to imitate.

2536. Imitation of Tints, Stripes, Spots, &c.

For the tints, stripes, and spots of variegated flowers, you will be
supplied with colours among the other materials; and the application
of them is precisely upon the principle of water-colour painting.

2537. Fruit, &c., in Wax.

For the imitating of fruit in wax, very different rules are to be
observed. The following directions may, however, be generally
followed:

The material of which moulds for waxen fruit should be composed is the
_best_ plaster of Paris, such as is used for plaster casts, &c. If
this cannot be procured, the inferior plaster, from the oil-shop, may
be substituted, if it can be obtained _quite fresh_. If, however, the
plaster is faulty, the results of the modelling will of course be more
or less faulty also. It is the property of plaster of Paris to form a
chemical union with water, and to form a pasto winch rapidly "sets" or
hardens into a substance of the density of firm chalk. The mould must
therefore be formed by impression from the object to be imitated, made
upon the plaster before it sets.

2538. Causes of Want of Accuracy.

The use of an elastic fruit in early experiments leads to a want of
accuracy in the first, steps of the operation, which causes very
annoying difficulties afterwards; and therefore a solid, inelastic
body--an egg boiled hard--is recommended as the first object to be
imitated.

2539. Making the Moulds--First Half.

Having filled a small pudding basin about three-quarters full of damp
sand (the finer the better), lay the egg lengthways in the sand, so
that half of it is above, and half below, the level of the sand, which
should be perfectly smooth around it. Then prepare the plaster in
another basin, which should be half full of water. Sprinkle the
plaster in quickly till it comes to the top of the water, and then,
having stirred it for a moment with a spoon, pour the whole upon the
egg in the other basin.

2540. Making the Moulds--Second Half.

While the half mould thus made is hardening thoroughly, carefully
remove every particle of plaster from the basin in which it was mixed,
and also from the spoon which has been used. This must be done by
placing them both in water and wiping them perfectly clean. This is
highly important, since a small quantity of plaster which has set will
destroy the quality of a second mixing if it is incorporated
therewith. In about five minutes the half mould will be fit to
remove, which may be done by turning the basin up with the right hand
(taking care not to lose the sand), so that the mould falls into the
left hand.

The egg should then be gently allowed to fall back on the sand out of
the mould; if, however, it adheres, lightly scrape the plaster from
the edge of the mould, and then shake it out into the hollow of the
hand. If, however, the exact half of the egg has been immersed in the
sand, no such difficulty will arise; this shows how important is
exactness in the first position of the object from which a tasting is
to be taken.

The egg being removed and laid aside, the moulder casting must be
"trimmed;" that is, the sand must be brushed from the flat surface of
the mould with a nail-brush very slightly, without touching the
extreme and sharp edges where the hollow of the mould commences. Then
upon the broad edge from which the sand has been brushed, make four
equi-distant hollows (with the round end of a table-knife), like the
deep impression of a thimble's-end. These are to guide hereafter in
the fixing of the second half of the mould. The egg should now be
replaced in the casting, and the edge of the cast, with the holes,
thoroughly lubricated with sweet oil, laid on with a feather, or what
is better, a large camel-hair brush.

[FATHER AND MOTHER ARE KIND, BUT GOD IS KINDER.]

2541. Casting Second Half of Mould.

Into the small pudding basin from which the sand has been emptied,
place with the egg upper-most the half mould, which, if the operation
has been managed properly, should _fit_ close at the edges to the side
of the vessel; then prepare some more liquid plaster as before, and
pour it upon the egg and mould, and while it is hardening, round it
with the spoon as with the first half.

2542. Completion of Mould.

In due time remove the whole from the basin; the halves will be found
readily separable, and the egg being removed, the mould is ready to
cast in, after it has been set aside for an hour or two, so as to
completely harden. This is the simplest form of mould, and all are
made upon the same principle.

2543. Casting Egg in Wax.

The casting of an egg is not merely interesting as the first step in a
series of lessons, but as supplying a means of imitating peculiarly
charming objects, which the student of natural history tries almost in
vain to preserve. We shall proceed, then, with the directions for the
casting of an egg in the mould.

2544. Materials required.

For the first experiments, common yellow wax may be used as the
material, or the ends of half-burnt wax candles. The materials of the
hard (not tallow) composition mould candles will also answer.

2545. Large Castings made Hollow.

Every large object to be imitated in wax should be cast _hollow_; and
therefore, though the transparent lightness required in the imitation
of fruits is not requisite in an artificial egg, the egg may be cast
upon the same principle as a piece of fruit, in the following manner.

Firstly. The two pieces of the plaster of Paris mould must be soaked
in hot water for ten minutes.

Secondly. The wax should in the meantime be very slowly melted in a
small tin saucepan, with a spout to it, care being taken not to allow
it to boil, or it will be discoloured. As to the quantity of wax to be
melted, the following is a general rule:--If a lump, the size of the
object to be imitated, be placed in the saucepan, it should be
sufficient for casting twice, at least.

Thirdly. As soon as the wax is melted thoroughly, place the saucepan
on the hob of the grate, and taking the parts of the mould from the
hot water, remove the moisture from their surfaces by pressing them
gently with a handkerchief or soft cloth. It is necessary to use what
is called in some of the arts "a very light hand" in this operation,
especially in drying moulds of fruits whose aspect possesses
characteristic irregularities--such as those on the orange, the lemon,
or the cucumber. The mould must not be _wiped_, but only _pressed_. If
the _water_ has not been hot enough, or if the drying is not performed
quickly, the mould will be too cold, and the wax will congeal too
rapidly, and settle in ridges and streaks; on the other hand, if the
wax has been made too hot, it will adhere to the mould, and refuse to
come out entire.