90 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



VOL. r 



this country. The red pulp that covers the 

 seeds of this tree, is suspended in hot water, 

 and allowed to subside ; and, when dry, is 

 formed into cakes or balls, which are further 

 set aside until they become dry and firm. 

 One ounce of this substance, when genuine, 

 will be sufficient to color a hundred weight 

 of cheese. The usual mode of applying the 

 arnotlo is, to dip a piece of the requisite size 

 and weight in a bowl of milk, and rub it on 

 a smooth stone, until the milk assumes a 

 deep red color. This infusion is to be added 

 to the milk of which cheese is intended to 

 be made, in such a quantity as will impart 

 to the whole a brigiit orange color, which 

 will become the deeper in proportion to the 

 age of the cheese. The mixing of the ar- 

 notto in no respects affects either its taste or 

 smell. 



In Cheshire, England, a somewhat differ- 

 ent practice obtains. There, when the color- 

 ing matter is wanted, it is usual to tie up as 

 much of the substance as may be deemed 

 sufficient, in a linen rag, and putting it into 

 half a pint of warm water, to let it stand 

 over night. In the morning, immediately 

 before the milk is coagulated, the whole of 

 this infusion is mixed with it in the cheese 

 tub, and the rag is dipped in the milk, and 

 rubbed on the palm of the hand, until all the 

 coloring matter is completely extracted. A 

 more simple method is directed by Parkin- 

 son. "Take (says he) a piece about the 

 size of a hazel nut; put it into a pint of milk 

 the liight before you intend to make cheese, 

 and it will dissolve. Add it to the milk at 

 the time the rennet is put in. This quantity 

 will color a cheese of twenty pounds weight." 



Dry Feet for Farmers. 



There are few articles which have at once 

 come into such general use, or which have 

 been found applicable to so great a variety of 

 practical purposes, as the common India rub- 

 ber, or gum elastic of the shops. This sub- 

 stance is the production of a small tree, a 

 species of myrtle growing in abundance in 

 the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and 

 America; and is already becoming quite an 

 article of traffic in those countries. It is pro- 

 cured by making an incision into the trees, 

 from which a milk-like fluid flows, and is 

 caught in vessels provided for that purpose. 

 "When partially dried, it is spread thinly over 

 a ball of clay, and as the gum hardens, suc- 

 cessive layers are added, until the desired 

 thickness is obtained, 'i'he clay is now re- 

 duced to powder by beating, and the gum re- 

 mains in tlie shape of a pear necked bottle, 

 in which form it is most frequently imported. 

 The gum is, however, now frequently found 

 in other shapes, and its black appearance is 



owing to its exposure to the smoke in drying, 

 Tliere has hitherto been considerable diffi- 

 culty in dissolving it, most of the common 

 solvents used for the other gums producing 

 little or no effect upon it. Purified naptha, 

 or what in this country is usually termed 

 Seneca oil, has been most frequently and 

 successfully used for this purpose. One of 

 the most valuable uses to which India rubber 

 has been applied, is the rendering of leather, 

 or boots and shoes, impervious to water, and 

 thus securing that important requisite to 

 iiealth, dry feet. Various kinds of rubber 

 paste and blacking have, within a few years, 

 been offered to the public, all good no doubt 

 but still at such prices, that common farmers, 

 who surely need a preservation of this kind 

 against the effect of almost continued expo- 

 sure, were not, to any considerable extent, 

 able to avail themselves of the benefit. My 

 object in this paper is to state for the benefit 

 of my brother farmers, and all who have suf- 

 fered as I have done, the consequences of wet 

 feet, the manner in which I prepare this sub- 

 stance for my own use, and which I find to 

 answer every desirable purpose. 1 take com- 

 mon tallow, say one pound, and melt it in a 

 small kettle holding about two quarts; the 

 ordinary skillet would answer the same end. 

 I have ready for use, cut into as fine strips or 

 pieces as may be convenient, from four to 

 six ounces of India rubber and when the tal- 

 low begins to get pretty hot, I put in the gum, 

 and gradually increase the heat, until by 

 stirring I find it has completely dissolved, 

 and incorporated with the tallow. While 

 the process is going on, it will foam violently 

 and large volumes of pungent smoke will be 

 thrown off; but I have never known it to take 

 fire, or other danger or inconvenience result 

 from the preparation. When thus prepared, 

 it is applied with a brush in the same man- 

 ner as tallow to boots and shoes, and with 

 the best effect. A small quantity of lamp 

 black, combined with the mass when melted, 

 will furnish blacking to tlie leather, and if 

 any choose, they can add the usual ingredi- 

 ents for making a paste for polishing. 

 Farmers, however, are gnerally content, if 

 they can keep their boots and shoes simply 

 blacked and water proof, and this, the pro- 

 per application (jf the above cheap and easy 

 preparation, will certainly ensure. That it 

 cannot be injurious to leather, when used in 

 this way, the nature of the substance and 

 experience would both determine. For India 

 rubber, I have always used old overshoes, of 

 which a sup])ly can in general be readily ob- 

 tained, always rejecting the most worn, 

 burned, or rather defective parts. The spring 

 of the year is the time farmers are most ex- 

 posed, and I am confident the use of this 

 preparation will prevent many a rheumatic 



