178 The Farmstead 



been discovered. Linseed oil in paints, when 

 dried, forms a hard, tough, gluey coating which 

 serves to bind firmly the particles of paint 

 together, and to the wood, and to exclude water 

 as no other oil does ; hence if any other oil is 

 mixed with the linseed oil, it is said to be adul- 

 terated. At the present time linseed oil is adul- 

 terated in some cases, and it is believed that 

 this adulteration is the chief cause of the lack 

 of durability in many of the ready- mixed paints. 

 If linseed oil be mixed with other oils which are 

 wanting in its valuable characteristic, it is cer- 

 tain that such oils will not bind the particles of 

 paint together as they should be bound. 



At present the only protection is to purchase 

 guaranteed x)ure oil of dealers who are reliable 

 beyond peradventure. Outside painting should 

 he done with unboiled oil unless, on account of 

 the weather, boiled oil must be used to hasten 

 drying. In extreme cases a drier (litharge) is 

 used. The drying process should not be rapid 

 in outside painting, as slow drying promotes 

 durability. 



The substances mixed with the oil to form 

 paints are extremely variable in composition and 

 color. Some are good, and are usually relatively 

 high priced. Others are inferior and relatively 

 low priced. Now that so many brands of ready- 

 mixed paints of many tints are in common use, 



