MISCELLANEOUS. 62^ 



Prussian blue, }£ lb. ; beeswax, J^ lb. ; rosin, J^ lb. ; Burgundy pitch, 1 oz. 

 Directions— Put all together in an iron kettle over the fire; boil and stir J^ 

 an hour; then set off and let settle 15 minutes, and pour off, free of all sedi- 

 ment. When cold it is ready for use. 



Remarks. — Valuable as a water-proof for boots and shoes, harness, carriage 

 tops, etc. The dirt in all cases to be cleaned off or washed off and allowed to 

 dry, as the case demands. For this recipe, and the one for " Exceloior Axle 

 Grease," an old farmer friend of mine and myself joined, paid $1 for them to 

 a man who lived near Ann Arbor and was selling them on the streets, and had 

 been doing so for some time, the articles giving satisfaction As the two seem 

 to belong together, I will give the axle grease here, He called it 



Allen's Excelsior Axle Grease.— Castor oil and linseed oil, each, 1 

 qt. ; tallow and rosin, each, 2 lbs. ; beeswax, 1 lb. Directions— Heat all well 

 together, stirring to incorporate, and stir till cool. 



Remarks.—" If either of these are too hard," he said, "add a little Neat's 

 foot oil; if too soft, a little more tallow." They Mill prove valuable. 



Boot, Shoe and Harness Edge Blacking, Cheap. — Soft water, 

 1 pt; alcohol, 3^ pt.; tinct. muriate of iron and ex. of logwood, each, 2 ozs.; 

 best blue nutgalls, 1)^ ozs. Directions— Pulverize the galls and put into a 

 bottle, adding the others; let it stand a few days, shaking several times daily, 

 until the extract of logM^ood is dissolved, when it is ready for use and will give 

 great satisfaction. 



Remarks. — It has been customary to use all alcohol, but a shoemaker, con- 

 sidering the use of all water in inks, concluded, and proved by test, that for 

 summer, water is just as good; and for winter the above amount of alcohol is 

 SuflScient. 



Rubber Boots, To Mend.— In a recent Blade a request was made for 

 the publication of a recipe to mend rubber boots and shoes, to which they gave 

 the following: " Cut 1 lb. of caoutchouc into thin, small shoes; heat in a suitable 

 vessel over a moderate coal fire, until the caoutchouc becomes fluid; then add 

 1^ lb. of powdered rosin, and melt both materials at a moderate heat. When 

 these are perfectly fluid, gradually add 3 or 4 lbs. spirits of turpentine in small 

 portions, and stir well. By the addition of the last, the rapid thickening and 

 hardening of the compound will be prevented, and a mixture obtained fully 

 answering the purpose of gluing together rubber surfaces, etc. 



Remarks.— A coal fire is called for merely to avoid the blaze of a wood fire, 

 which is liable to set the turpentine on fire while pouring in. Avoid a blaze, 

 and let there be only a moderate fire, makes it safe with wood. Over a stove 

 will be most safe. One-fourth or % the amount can be made as well, keeping 

 the same proportions; and, if I was making it, I should put all together in the 

 vessel, as there would be less danger of burning the caoutchouc. Keep covered 

 when not in use, to prevent its drying up. The rosin makes it very tenacious. 



Tanning Skins with the Hair or Wool On.— Alum, 3 lbs. ; rock 

 salt (good hard salt vnll do), 14 lb. Directions — Soak the skin in water for 

 one day; then reir>ov<^ aU the meat, fat, etc. Dissolve, by boiling, the aliun 



