M. TECHNOLOGY. 499 



capparatine. It is said to afford very superior effects, and to 

 impart a hitherto unattainable velvety surface, and to render 

 transparent articles as stiff as metallic foil. It is prepared 

 by stirring vigorously 16 parts of potato starch into 76 parts 

 of water, and then adding, with continued stirring, 8 parts 

 of potash or soda lye of 25. After a few minutes the liquid 

 clears up and forms a gelatinous mass, which is well beaten 

 up, the quality of the apparatine being dependent on the 

 amount of beating. It simply dries in the air without de- 

 composition or spoiling, and without acquiring any odor, 

 and may be formed into thin, transparent, colorless sheets re- 

 sembling horn, but more flexible. 13 (7, 3Iay 1, 1875, 576. 



CLARIFYIXG AN ALCOHOLIC SOLUTION OF SHELLAC. 



Peltz found that after shaking thoroughly one part of 

 petroleum naphtha with three parts of an alcoholic solution 

 of shellac, the liquid separated, on standing a ^qw minutes, 

 into an upper layer of naphtha containing the wax in the 

 shellac, and a lower one of clear solution of shellac with but 

 little adhering naphtha. With a solution of shellac in ninety- 

 five per cent, alcohol the two layers will form, as above, 

 only after the addition of water, so that alcohol below ninety 

 per cent, is preferable to one above it for dissolving the 

 shellac. A solution, clarified as above, however, leaves a 

 more brittle and less adhesive film on evaporation. This de- 

 fect may be remedied by the addition of one to three per 

 cent, of Venetian turpentine. Benzine may be substituted 

 for the petroleum naphtha with like results. 3 B^March 11, 

 369. 



USES OF GELATINOUS HYDRATED PHOSPHATE OF LIME. 



Dr. Sacc has published a memoir upon the industrial appli- 

 cations of gelatinous hydrated phosphate of lime, which, ac- 

 cording to his account, precipitates coloring matter, such as 

 a decoction of powdered cochineal, in the condition of a lac; 

 as also the metallic oxides among others that of copper. 

 Its afiinity for coloring matter is, if any thing, even greater 

 than that of albumen, which it can readily replace in various 

 fabrics. For this preparation it is only necessary to intro- 

 duce the tissue in a solution of phosphate of lime and a more 

 or less dilute hydrochloric acid; then to wring out the cloths 



