4G4 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



ly on the shores. In addition to their use as a manure, and 

 for packing, large quantities are now converted into artificial 

 ebony. The process consists in first treating the plants for 

 two hours with dilute sulphuric acid, then drying and grind- 

 ing them up. To sixty parts of this product, five parts of 

 liquid glue, five parts of gutta-percha, and two and a half 

 parts of India-rubber are to be added, the latter two being 

 first dissolved in naphtha. Afterward ten parts of coal tar, 

 five parts of pulverized sulphur, and five parts of pulverized 

 resin are added, and the whole heated to about 300 Fahren- 

 heit. When cool, a mass is obtained which, in color, hard- 

 ness, and capacity for receiving a polish, resembles ebony, 

 and is much cheaper. This material is now actually made 

 on a large scale, and used for nearly all the purposes to which 

 genuine ebony can be applied. 16 (7, IV., n., 26. 



ARTIFICIAL RUBBER. 



It may not be known to some of our readers that the ad- 

 dition of tungstate to any protein body will give rise to an 

 elastic, rubber-like mass. For this purpose, if we add tang- 

 stic acid or tungstate of soda, and then hydrochloric acid, to 

 glue, a combination of the tungstic acid with the glue is pro- 

 duced, which, at the temperature of ^0 to 100 Fahrenheit, 

 is so elastic as to be capable of being rolled out into quite 

 thin plates. The mass stiffens in cooling and becomes brit- 

 tle, but can be easily rendered again plastic by heat. This 

 material is now used to a considerable extent, instead of the 

 more costly white of egg, for annualizing cotton, or render- 

 ing it similar to wool, and more susceptible to coloration by 

 the aniline dyes. The same material is also used in tanning 

 for the purpose of protecting the gelatinous tissues against 

 decomposition. The leather treated with it is rendered very 

 durable, although it becomes so hard as to limit its applica- 

 tion mainly to shoe-soles. The same substance can also be 

 used, under certain circumstances, as a valuable cement. 

 3 B, February 3,225. 



IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF WHITE LEAD. 



Messrs. Dale & Milner, of Lancashire, propose to manufac- 

 ture white lead (carbonate of lead) by the action of the solu- 

 ble acid carbonates of the alkalies on litharge, hydrated ox- 



