334 



JVew Material for Flooring, SfC. 



Vol. XII. 



A resolution was offered, granting to J. S. 

 Skinner, Esq., the use of the room, which 

 was unanimously agreed to. He having de- 

 termined to reside in this city, and to con- 

 tinue the publication of his agricultural 

 work. 



Some remarks were offered by Mr. Ford 

 on the adulteration of plaster of Paris, and 

 the disappointments and losses that would 

 occur to the farmer in consequence thereof. 



Dr. Hare read from the North American 

 and United States Gazette, a communication 

 on the subject of sowing orchard grass seed, 

 and the value of that grass for pasture and 

 hay. Red clover sown with it ripens about 

 the same time, and produces an abundant 

 crop. On motion adjourned. 



Extract from the minutes. 



A. Clement, Rec. Sec'y. 



Philadelphia, June 8th, 1848. 



New Material for Flooring, Paving and 

 Roofing. 



This new material or compound, which 

 forms the subject of a patent taken out by 

 Mr. Cassel, of Millwall, consists of many 

 varieties, but possessing all these common 

 properties — that they are impervious, very 

 elastic, and — there is reason to believe — ex- 

 ceedingly durable. 



When intended to be employed hr paving 

 or flooring, or other like purposes, it is com- 

 posed of four varieties, which, for the sake 

 of distinction, are designated as compounds. 

 No. 1, 2, 3, and No. 4, and are thus de- 

 scribed : 



I prepare No. 1, compound in manner fol- 

 lowing: I saturate a quantity of chalk, or 

 marl, or lime, or loamy clay, or sandy earth, 

 previously reduced to the state of a fine 

 powder, with oil of tar, or mineral tar, or 

 vegetable naphtha, or any other reisonous, 

 oily, or fatty matter. I take one cwt. of 

 rosin, and melt it in a caldron exposed to a 

 gentle fire, until all the water in it is evapo- 

 rated. I then throw into the caldron two 

 cwt. of the saturated chalk or other earth, 

 and mix it well with the melted rosin. I 

 next add from three to six pounds of liquid 

 caoutchouc, (India rubber) or from one to 

 three pounds of essential oil of tar or tur- 

 pentine, or some other oily or fatty, or ce- 

 mentitious substance — varying the quantity 

 according to the degree of elasticity desired 

 to be given to the ultimate compound, — and 

 afler that, from three to five pounds of sul- 

 phur; and finally, two cwt. of fine dry grit, 

 keeping all the while the contents of tlie 

 caldron well stirred, till the whole are tho- 

 roughly amalgamated. When cool, this com- 

 pound is of a slatish grey colour, and of a 

 close, granular texture. No. 2 compound is 



prepared in the same way as No. 1, and 

 composed of the same materials, and in like 

 proportions, excepting only that I substitute 

 for the rosin, vegetable pitch, and use a 

 larger proportion of sulphur, say from 6 to 

 8 lbs. No. 3 is also prepared in the same 

 way as No. 1 and 2, and composed of the 

 same materials in the like proportions, ex- 

 cepting that instead of the rosin or vegetable 

 pitch, I use equal parts of rosin and Stock- 

 ton tar, and reduce the quantity of sulphur 

 to about 4 lbs. No. 4 compound differs from 

 3 in the substitution of equal parts of rosin 

 nd mineral, or coal tar, for the equal parts 

 of rosin and vegetable pitch. 



These compounds may be used by them- 

 selves — "being laid down in a hot and fluent 

 state, and of sufficient thickness;" or they 

 may be employed in any of the followlDg 

 states of combination. 



Firstly — They maybe combined with any 

 of the natural asphaltates or bitumens, or any 

 artificial compound of a bituminous quality. 



Secondly — They may be formed, in com- 

 bination with small pieces of wood, into large 

 blocks for use. 



Thirdly — Any of the compounds before 

 described may be used in combination with 

 wood, in manner following: to form a floor- 

 ing for the ground floors of buildings, which 

 will be quite impermeable to under damp, 

 and exceedingly durable. The ground is to 

 be first covered over to the depth of about 

 an inch, with a layer of any of the four com- 

 pounds before mentioned — being previously 

 well beaten down and levelled, — and then 

 small square blocks of wood of equal sizes 

 are to be set in this composition while yet 

 warm, with the grain uppermost, and placed 

 in regular order, side by side. Any inter- 

 stices which may be lefl between the blocks 

 are to be carefully filled up with the com- 

 pound. Or, instead of using small blocks of 

 solid wood, composition blocks of a large 

 size, prepared as follows, may be employed : 

 I take a number of pieces of deal, from 

 three to five inches wide, and from ten to 

 eighteen inches long, such as may be picked 

 out of the woods imported from abroad under 

 the denomination of fire-wood, and which, 

 paying a small duty, may be had cheap, and 

 lay them in an iron frame or mould, in the 

 direction of the grain, jointing them roughly 

 together lengthwise, but so that they shall 

 break joint transversely. I then cover them 

 to the depth of one or more inches with any 

 of the four compounds before described, in a 

 hot, fluent state, and leave this coating to 

 settle and cool, whereby it becomes firmly 

 united to the wood beneath. On removing 

 this mass or block from the frame or mould, 

 and fitting it into a piece of flooring, it is 



