Miscellanies. 207 



turpentine, tie it round this mark, and then set it on fire, and the glass 

 will crack along the line marked.— ^Idem. 



This is more neatly done by applying a red hot iron. — Ed. 



9. Rice paper. — The fine and beautiful tissue brought fi:om China 

 and Calcutta, and employed under the name of rice paper, is far 

 from being an artificial substance fabricated from rice or any other 

 farinaceous material. By holding a specimen of it between the eye 

 and a clear light, it will be seen to consist of a vegetable tissue, com- 

 posed of cellules so exactly similar and so perfect, that no prepara- 

 tion of a paper could possibly be made to acquire. 



It is now known to be made of the internal part of the (Eschyno- 

 mene paludosa, Roxburg, — a leguminous plant which grows abun- 

 dantly on the marshy plains of Bengal, and on the borders of vast 

 lakes between Calcutta and Hurdwart. It is a hardy plant, requir- 

 ing much moisture for its perfect growth and duration. The stem 

 rarely exceeds two inches in diameter, spreading extensively, but 

 not rising to any great height. 



The stems of this plant are brought in great quantities, in Chinese 

 junks, from the island of Formosa and other places, to China and 

 Calcutta. These stems are cut into the lengths intended for the 

 leaves or sheets, and then, by means of a very sharp and well tem- 

 pered knife, about ten inches long and three inches wide, the pith is 

 divided into tliin circular plates, which, being pressed, furnish the 

 leaves sold under the name of rice paper. The operation of cut- 

 ting the leaves is very similar to that of cutting corks. The leaves 

 are generally seven or eight inches long and five wide ; some are 

 even a foot long. Those which are not fit for drawing, are colored 

 for other purposes. Rice paper absorbs water and swells so as to 

 present an elevation, which continues after it becomes dry, and gives 

 to the drawing a velvety appearance and a relief, which no other kind 

 of paper produces. 



Rice paper may, with care, be written upon, as the ink does not 

 spread. The writing is glossy, shewing some metallic surfaces. 



Examined chemically, it seems to be analogous to the substance 

 which Dr. John called medulline. Treated with nitric acid, it forms 

 oxalic acid. 



The white and pure specimens are much used for drawings ; the 

 inferior are variously colored, and now extensively used in forming 

 artificial flowers. In India, a pasteboard is made by cementing many 



