t)n a cheap Subjiitute 'for Oil Paint. 339 



Take fkimmed milk two quarts, lime newly flaked 

 fix ounces, oil of pinks, linfeed oil, or nut oil, four ounces, 

 Spanifh white (or well-ground chalk) three pounds. Put 

 the lime into an earthen veffel, add pour over it a portion 

 of the milk, fufficient to bring it to the confidence of thick 

 foup ; add gradually the oil, ftirring the mixture with a 

 fmall wooden fpatula ; then pour in the remainder of the 

 milk, and dilute in it the Spanifh white. Skimmed milk, 

 in fummer, is often found curdled, but this is a matter of 

 little importance to our prefent object ; by coming into con- 

 tact with the lime it will loon be reftored to fluidity. It 

 muff, however, not be four, as it would then form with the 

 lime a fort of acetitc (or^ more correctly, a lactite) of lime, 

 fufceptible of attracting humidity. 



The lime is flacked by immer'fing it in water, then taking 

 it out and leaving it to errloreice in the air. The choice of 

 fhe oils is a matter of indifference ; but, for painting white, 

 oil of pinks ought to be preferred, becaufe it is colourlefs; 

 even the moft common oils may be employed for painting 

 with ochre. The oil, by falling into the mixture of milk 

 and lime, difappears : it is completely taken up by the lime, 

 with which it forms a calcareous foap. 



The Spanifh white muft be pounded, and ftrewed gently 

 on the furface of the liquid, by which it is gradually im- 

 bibed, and at length falls to the bottom. This paint may 

 be coloured like that for diftemper, by charcoal pounded in 

 water, yellow ochre, 8cc. It is employed in the fame* man- 

 ner as paint for diftemper. This quantity will be fufficient 

 for giving a firft ftratum to fix fathoms. The expenfe for 

 the above quantity is about four-pence halfpenny, which 

 makes about three halfpence per fathom. 



When it is necefTary that the painting (liould be more du- 

 rable, the following mixture may be employed : flacked 

 lime two ounces, oil two ounces, and Burgundv pitch the 

 fame quantity. The pitch muft be diflblved in the oil, in a 

 gentle heat, and the clear liquor of the milk and lime muft be 

 added. During cold weather, the milk and lime ought to 

 be heated, that the pitch may not be too fuddenly cooled, 

 and to facilitate its union with the milk and lime. Painting 

 with this fubftance has fome analogy to that known by the 

 name of eucaufiic. 



Thefe kinds of painting will (land again ft; the common ef- 

 fects of the weather for years, ami afifwer well for garden 

 railings, fencings, and the like. The firft time that wood is 

 thus painted, it mould reeeive a fecond coat after the firft one 

 is dry ; but when re-painted, a fingle coat only will be ne- 

 cefiarv. 



Y 2 LIV. Er- 



