CEMENTS. 303 



with ox's blood. It must be applied fresh made, 

 as it soon gets hard. 



We believe if the properties of this cement were 

 duly investigated, it would be found useful for many 

 purposes to which it has never yet been applied. 

 It is extremely cheap, and very durable. 



Flour Paste. 



Flour paste for cementing is formed principally 

 of wheaten flour boiled in water till it be of a glu- 

 tinous or viscid consistence. 



It may be prepared of these ingredients simply 

 for common purposes, but when it is used by book- 

 binders, or for paper hangings, it is usual to mix 

 with the flour a fifth or sixth of its weight of 

 powdered alum ; and where it is wanted still more 

 tenacious, gum arabic, or any kind of size, may be 

 added. 



Japanese Cement, or Rice Glue. 



This elegant cement is made by mixing rice 

 flour intimately with cold water, and then gently 

 boiling it. It is beautifully white, and dries 

 almost transparent. Papers pasted together by 

 means of this cement will sooner separate in their 

 own substance than at the joining, which makes 

 it extremely useful in the preparation of curious 

 paper articles, as tea trays, ladies' dressing boxes, 

 and other articles which require layers of paper 

 to be cemented together. It is in every respect 

 preferable to common paste made with wheat 

 flour, for almost every purpose to which that 

 article is usually applied. It answers well in par- 

 ticular, for pasting into books the copies of writings 



