223 



To those affected with cold feet a stocking or insole of asbestus 

 cloth, which is easily made, is a sure preventive of discomfort. This 

 article has already been manufactured by an enterprising firm and a 

 patent taken out theron, while a thin strip, used as a cork sole, will be 

 found highly efficacious in keeping one's feet comfortable. While, how- 

 ever, the uses to which this peculiar mineral appears to be adapted are 

 manifold, possibly the most important and valuable is that to which if 

 is now so generally applied, viz., as packings for cylinder pistons in 

 steam engines, and for joints in gas, steam and hot air pipes. In the 

 manufacturing of steam packing good fibre is required capable of spin- 

 ning. The mineral as it comes out of the rock in vein form is first 

 pulled apart and the fibre teased out into a woolly or silky mass. 

 Then, by specially prepared machinery, the gritty and iron particles 

 are carefully eliminated, since their presence would be productive of 

 injury to the rapidly moving polished piston rods, ami the resulting 

 product, a tine fluffy substance, is then carded and spun into yarn or 

 woven into cloth. Tf the former, the yarn is treated after the manner 

 of manilla and manufactured into ropes of various sizes and shapes, as 

 required for the different vaiieties of packing into which it is to be 

 made. In order to adapt the mineral to special uses the fibres of the 

 asbestus are frequently intermixed with fine wires of copper or brass 

 or associated with rubber. In some varieties also finely divided 

 graphite enters into the composition, presumably to impart greater 

 lubricity to the material. The great value of this packing arises from 

 the fact that it is unacted upon by steam or heat, and consequently re- 

 tains its elastic properties for a very long time in comparison with the 

 old style of hemp or rubber packings ; so that now, especially since 

 the late improvements in engiues of the marine type where enormous 

 power is devtloped, such satisfactory results could not probablv be 

 obtained by any other known substance. 



As a covering for steam pipes and boilers it has also come into 

 very general use, the saving in fuel and power from its application far 

 more than repaying the cost of the material, and is estimated to be not 

 less than 30 per cent, of the energy developed. 



But it would be practically impossible in a paper of this kind to 

 enumerate the uses to which this wonderful material is now being an- 



