CYA 



CYC 



a burnish of hardened polished steel, 

 which is very easily distinguished from 

 the real polish by the irregularity of the 

 surface. (For swords, see SWORD.) 



Casting of Cutlery. From the great al- 

 liance of pig-iron to steel, it has been 

 long thought practicable to cast the steel 

 into the articles required, and by that 

 means save all the expense of forging, 

 and at the same time make the articles 

 much nearer their intended form than 

 could possibly be done by the hammer. 

 The steel in its perfect state is, however, 

 incapable of this advantage, though when 

 in a state effusion it is capable of being 

 cast into large ingots. It is so imper- 

 fectly liquid at that temperature, as to 

 preclude the possibility of casting it into 

 articles so small as knives or scissars. 

 That species of pig-iron, called N. 1, is 

 susceptible of so perfect a liquidity as to 

 be cast into needles and fish-hooks, and 

 has been employed for making a great 

 variety of cutlery, particularly forks and 

 scissars. Immediately after the articles 

 are cast, which isgenerally into wet sand, 

 they are as brittle as glass, and in that 

 state could not be used for any purpose. 

 By being stratified with sand, and kept at 

 a red heat for twenty four hours, they as- 

 sume a degree of softness and tenacity, 

 which will allow them to bend to a con- 

 siderable angle. This process is called 

 annealing. This branch of manufacture 

 has of late undergone very considerable 

 improvement, by an invention of Mr. 

 Lucas of Sheffield, for which he has ob- 

 tained a patent. The articles are cast of 

 the most fusible pig-iron, and are after- 

 wards converted into a state of steel by 

 cementation. The pig-iron, which only 

 differs from steel in containing an excess 

 of carbon, is stratified in close vessels, 

 with some substance capable of furnish- 

 ing oxygen, with which the carbon of 

 the pig-iron combines, forming carbonic 

 acid, which escapes in the form of gas. 

 See the article STEEL. 



CUTTER, in naval affairs, a small ves- 

 sel, commonly navigated in the channels 

 of England, furnished with one mast 

 and a straight running bowsprit, or which 

 can be run in on deck occasionally ; ex- 

 cept which, and the largeness of the 

 sails, they are rigged much like sloops. 



CUTTLEFISH. See SEPIA. 



CYANELLA, in, botany, a genus of the 

 Hexandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Natural order of Coronarix. Asphodeli, 

 Jussieu. Essential character : corolla six- 

 petalled ; the three lower petals hanging 



forwards ; stamens lower declined, longer 

 than the rest. There are three species, 

 natives of the Cape. 



CYATHIFORM, in natural history, 

 shaped like a wine glass, more or less 

 obconical and concave. 



CYATHEA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Cryptogamia Filices class and order. 

 Fructification in roundish scattered dots, 

 seated on a columnar receptacle, within 

 the calyx-like involucre which opens at 

 top ; there are about nine species. 



CYATIIU S, in botany, a genus of the 

 Cryptogamia Fungi : fungus campanulate 

 or cylindrical, bearing lentiform capsules 

 within. There are six species. 



CYCAS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Dioecia Polyandria class and order. Na- 

 tural order of Palms. Filices, or FernV, 

 Jussieu. Essential character: male, ament. 

 strobile form,with the scales covered eve- 

 ry where beneath with pollen. Female 

 spadix sword-form, germ immersed into 

 the corners of it solitary ; style one ; 

 drupe with a woody nut. There are two 

 species, viz. C. circinalis, broad-leaved 

 cycas, and C. revoluta, narrow-leaved cy- 

 cas. The first is a native of the Cape, 

 the other of China, where it is cultivated 

 for its beauty. 



CYCLAMEN, in botany, English cy- 

 clamen, or sow-bread, a genus of the 

 Pentandria Monogynia class and order, 

 Natural order of Precise. Lysimachiae, 

 Jussieu. Essential character : corolla ro- 

 tate, reflex, with a very short tube and 

 prominent throat ; berry covered with a 

 capsule. According to Marty n there are 

 five species. Linnaeus reckons two. Mil- 

 lar and Parkinson made eight and ten, 

 The flowers are borne singly on a naked 

 stem, peduncle or scape, and are nod- 

 ding. The root is roundish, solid, and 

 tuberous. Linnaeus observes, that the 

 several varieties connect the plants which 

 have angular leaves with those whick 

 have round ones so intimately, that limits 

 are assigned to them with difficulty. They 

 are most of them natives of the South of 

 Europe. 



CYCLAS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Decandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Natural order^of Lomentacese. Legumi- 

 nosae, Jussieu. Essential character: calyx 

 four-parted, spreading, with a short tur- 

 binate tube ; corolla none ; filaments in- 

 serted into the neck of the calyx ; style 

 flexuose ; legume roundish, winged, one- 

 seeded. There are two species, viz. C. 

 spicata, and C. aromatica, both very tall 

 trees, natives of the great forests of GUI- 



