TAP 



TAR. 



fresh tannin. The first hide having 

 been inserted between the roHers, 

 the others follow in succession, and 

 upon arriving at the end of the l)and 

 the motion of the roller is reversed, 

 and the belt is returned through the 

 machine to receive another squeeze. 

 This alternating motion is constantly 

 repeated, the pit being replenished 

 from time to time with fresh solu- 

 tions of tan till the operation is com- 

 pleted. The effects produced hythis 

 sin)ple plan are, 1. The shortening of 

 the time of tanning to one fourth of 

 that generally rc(]uired. 2. The pro- 

 duction of a consideraiile increase of 

 weight. 3. "I'he leather tanned by this 

 method resists water longer than that 

 tanned by the old process. 4. The 

 new method is cheaper than tlie old. 

 5. Jt is applicable to the existing tan- 

 yards, at a comparatively trifling ex- 

 pense, with a capability of working 

 in rounds or series, and of expending 

 tan or liquor. 6. That it is available 

 for all sorts of leather. 



TANSY. The plants of the genus 

 Tanacctum : they are composite, her- 

 baceous, and tonic. 



TAN YSTOMES. A family of dip- 

 tera, most of which have a project- 

 ing proboscis. 



TAPETUM. A coat of the eye 

 under the black pigment, and peculiar 

 to quadrupeds. 



TAPE WORMS. Flat worms 

 {TcEnia) of great length, and consist- 

 ing of a number of pieces, which in- 

 fest the intestines. They are de- 

 stroyed by large doses of turpentine. 



TAPIOCA. A starchy farina from 



the root of the Janipka (Ja/ropa) man- 

 hwt ( Fiff.). I'here are two varieties ; 

 one with a bitter, poisonous root ; the 

 other with a sweet root. 1'lie former 

 is prepared with heat. 



TAP ROOT. The main root which 

 descends vertically from trees. 



TAR. "A dark-brown, viscid li- 

 quor,obtained by charring the wood of 

 the fir-tree. It consists of resin, em- 

 pyreumatic matters, and acetic acid. 

 When inspissated by l)oiling, it is con- 

 verted into pitch. The manufacture 

 is simple ; a conical hole, usually in 

 the side of a bank, being made, roots 

 and billets of pine are let into the cav- 

 ity, and the whole is covered with 

 turf, which is beat firmly down above 

 the wood. The wood being kindled, 

 a slow coinbustion takes place. A 

 cast-iron pan at the bottom of the 

 cavity receives the fluid, and lias a 

 spout which projects through the 

 bank and carries the tar into barrels. 

 As quickly as the barrels are filled 

 they are closed with bungs, when the 

 material is ready for exportation. 

 This manner of preparing tar has 

 been derived from the earliest ages. 

 Tar is a very compound substance ; 

 it contains modified resin, and oil of 

 turpentine, acetic acid, charcoal, wa- 

 ter, &c. Tar is used in medicine as 

 well as in the arts. It is an excel- 

 lent topical stimulant, when made into 

 an ointment with lard, in dry skin 

 diseases. These two substances, tar 

 and pitch, are of extensive use in the 

 arts. 



" Tar may be found useful as an 

 application for cuts in sheep by clip- 

 ping, and also to the parts alfected 

 by the fly. It is also of great use in 

 some cases for applying as a paint to 

 boarding, &c. ; but in this use, a lit- 

 tle tallow, or other coarse fat, should 

 be melted with it, as by this means it 

 resists the weather more effectually." 



TARE. In the great interest at 

 present taken in sheep husbandry, 

 full information is desirable on this 

 crop ; for, although tares have not 

 succeeded well in some imperfect ex- 

 periments hitherto made, there is no 

 reason why, on poorish soils, they 

 should fail if properly managed. 



780 



