LINE DRESSINGS. 323 



and preserves the silk from the action of the air 

 and water. In a preparation of this kind the greatest 

 caution is needful in choice of materials, as to 

 employ inferior or adulterated rubber, or weak 

 diluted spirit, would be but to anticipate defeat in 

 the object sought after at the onset. Pure rubber 

 must therefore be obtained, and placed in contact 

 with a pure spirit, whether of wine, turpentine, 

 naptha (vegetable), or methylated, it matters not, 

 strength and purity are the primary points. The 

 silk line may be steeped in the preparation when 

 ready, and when thoroughly saturated through may 

 be well shaken or lightly rubbed down, and then 

 subjected to the drying influence of a warm room. 

 Some days or even weeks in a low temperature must 

 elapse ere the drying is near being hard. Air of a 

 uniform temperature of about 100 will materially 

 quicken the process. The numerous oil dressings 

 are generally bad in their after effects, rotting the 

 fibre of the line upon which they are applied to 

 protect ; but, when oils are boiled, and silks and 

 similar textiles are introduced to a seething mess, 

 the deleterious effects are more speedily and 

 pronouncedly shown. If a line be first charged 

 with sugar of lead, dissolved in luke-warm water 

 (the former to be of sufficient strength to make the 

 water milk white), and then allowed to dry thoroughly, 

 a dressing of cold boiled oil and gold size will have 

 very little indeed of the deplorable effects. One of 

 the most frequent defects in dressed lines is outside 

 coatings. This is certain to shell away with friction, 



