The Applications and Ufes of Elajlic Gum. 537 



loft much of their firft neatnefs, the contraaions of the gum being only equal to about 

 feven eighths of its extenfion, 



A fecond difadvantage arofe from a circumftance dinicult to guard againft, which was, 

 that if, by any accident, the gum fhould be in the fmalleft degree weaker in one place than 

 another, the efFedt of extenfion fell almoft entirely on that part, and the confequence was, 

 that it foon gave way. 



From what I had obferved of the advantage gained in fubftance and uniformity of 

 ftrength, by making ufe of gunny as a bafis for the foles, I was led to fuppofe, that if an 

 elaftic cloth, in feme degree correfpondcnt to the elafticlty of the gum, were ufed for boots, 

 ftockings, gloves, and other article*, where that property was neceflary, that the defeds 

 above mentioned might in a great meafure be remedied. I accordingly made my firft ex- 

 periment with Cojfimbazar ftockings and gloves. 



Having drawn them upon the wax moulds, I plunged them into vefTils containing the 

 milk, which the cloth greedily abforbed. When taken out, they were fo completely dif- 

 tendcd with the gum in folution, that, upon becoming dry by expofure to the air, not 

 only every thread, but every fibre of the cotton had its own diftindl envelope, and in con- 

 fequence was equally capable of refifting the a£lion of foreign bodies as if of folid gum. 



The firft coat by this method was of fuch thicknefs, that for ftockings or gloves nothing 

 farther was neceflary. What were intended for boots required a few more applications of 

 milk with the fingers, and were finifhed as thofc made with the gum only. 



This mode of giving cloth as a bafis I found to be a very great improvement : for, be- 

 Cdes the addition of ftrength received by the gum, the operation was much ftiortened. 



Woven fubftances, that are to be covered with the gum, as alfo the moulds on which 

 they are to be placed, ought to be confiderably larger than the bodies they are afterwards 

 intended to fit j for, being much contracted from the abforption of the milk, little altera- 

 tion takes place in this diminution in fize, even when dry, as about one third only of the 

 fluid evaporates before the gum acquires its folid form. 



Great attention muft be paid to prevent one part of the gum coming in contafl with 

 another while wet with the milk or its whey ; for t!ia inftant that takes place, they become 

 infeparably united. But ftiould we ever fuccced in having large plantations of our own 

 vine, or in transferring the American txc<t (which is perhaps more produ£live) to our pof- 

 feflions, fo that milk could be procured in fufficient quantity for the covering various cloths, 

 which ftiould be done on the fpot, and afterwards exported to Europe^ then the advantages 

 attending this fingular property of the miik would for ever balance its difadvantages : 

 cloths, and coverings of different defcriptions, might then be made from this gum cloth, 

 with an expedition lb much greater than by the needle, that would at firft appear very 

 furprizing : the edges of the feparate pieces only requiring to be wet with the milk, or its 

 whey, and brought into conta£t, when the article would be finiftied, and fit for ufe.- 

 Should both milk and whey be wanting, a folution of the gum in ether can alwavs be 

 obtained, by which the fame end would be accompUlbed 



Of 



