37 2 



to the weather, while it requires to be done early, as self-fertilization 

 naturally takes place inside the glumes some time before the empty 

 anthers are pushed outside. Cross-bred varieties are now common. 

 McConnclFs Xole Book. 



COMPARATIVE EVAPORATIVE POWER OF SOILS. Grains of water 

 evaporated in four days : 



Calcareous sand 146 grs. Heavy black turf soil 128 grs- 



Light garden mould 143 ,, Fine white clay 123 ,, 



Very light turf soil 132 ,, Fine grey clay 123 ,, 



Arable soil 131 ,, McConnelVs Note Book. 



CEMENT FOR MENDING. A very good cement consists of plaster 

 of Paris, mixed with a solution of gum arabic to a thinnish paste. 

 The cement is beautifully white, and will join two pieces of china 

 or crockery very firmly, but as it sets in a few minutes, it would 

 form a solid, useless mass as soon as bottled. Trade ^ Secrets " 



DIAMOND CEMENT. Soak ^ oz. of isinglass in 4ozs. of water 

 for 24 hours ; evaporate in a water bath to 2 ozs., add 2 ozs. rectified 

 spirit (alcohol of 85 per cent.), and strain through linen. Mix this 

 solution while warm with a solution of the best gum mastic in 2 ozs. 

 alcohol ; add i drachm powdered gum ammoniac, and triturate 

 together until perfectly incorporated, avoiding loss of the alcohol by 

 evaporation as much as possible. Trade " Secret?" 



WATERPROOF CEMENT. The following is an old and tried 

 recipe : Take ale, i pint ; best Russian isinglass, 2 ozs. ; soak in a 

 close vessel for 12 hours, and then put them into a common glue 

 kettle and boil until the isinglass is clisolved ; then add 4 ozs. of the 

 best common glue, and disolve it with the other ; then slowly add 

 i^ ozs. of boiled linseed oil, stirring all the time while adding, and 

 until well mixed. When cold it will resemble inclia rubber. When 

 you wish to use this, dissolve what you need in a sufficient quantity 

 of ale to have the consistence of thick glue. It may be used for 

 earthenware, china, glass, or leather for harness, bands for 

 machinery, cloth belts for cracker machines for bakers, etc. If for 

 leather, shave off as if for sewing, apply the cement with a brush 

 while hot, laying a weight to keep each joint firmly for 6 to 10 

 hours, or overnight. Trade " Secrets" 



CURING BIRD SKINS. One general observation applies to the 

 preservation of all skins, which is, they must be made perfectly 

 dry, so the sooner they arc exposed to a free current of air the 

 better ; and unless they are speedily and thoroughly dried the skin 

 will become putrid and rotten, and the hair or feathers will 

 consequently fall oil. If a skin he properly dried soon after it is 

 killed, it will keep a considerable time without any preservation 

 whatever, only it will be more liable to be attacked by insects 

 afterwards. If a lar^e bird like the swan be skinned, as much as 

 possible of the fat should be scraped off with a blunt table-knife or 

 palate-knife, and a quantity of chalk applied, which, when saturated 



