1 &0 Miscellanies. 



well pulverised. Expose the two mixtures together, in an earthen 

 vessel, to a gentle heat : when they are well commingled, pour the 

 whole into a vial, and keep it well corked. When it is to be used, 

 place the vial in hot water, and warm also the vessels of porcelain or 

 glass which are to be mended. It will be better that the broken 

 surfaces, after having been glued together carefully with this cement, 

 remain pressed into close contact during, at least, twelve hours. The 

 broken places will then remain as firm as the other parts. — Idem, 

 Jan. 1830. 



3. Method of preventing iron and steel from rusting. — This easy 

 method consists in heating the steel or iron until it burns the hand ; 

 then rub it with virgin or pure white wax. Warm it a second time 

 so as to melt and divide off the wax, and rub it with a piece of cloth 

 or leather until it shines well.. This single operation, by filling all 

 the pores of the metal, defends it completely from rust, even though 

 it should be exposed to moisture. — Ibid. 



4. To make sealing wax. — Those who use large quantities of seal- 

 ing wax may find it economical to make it, which is very easy. 

 Take equal weights of gum lac, vermillion, and pure Venice turpen- 

 tine. Melt them over a gentle heat, and stir them well together. 

 Take a detached portion of the mass, and roll it with the hand upon 

 a plate of copper slightly heated ; or rather it may be cast in a mould 

 made on purpose, of plaster, of horn, or of copper. Instead of 

 vermillion, other colors may be used, according to the tint which it 

 is desired that the wax may have. — Ibid. 



5. On the solvent power of hard waters, by William West, Esq. 

 • — The earthy salts exert a great influence in preventing the solvent 

 action of water on vegetable substances ; the proportion dissolved by 

 pure or soft water, being considerably greater than that by hard water. 

 Thirty six grains of tea were treated with hard and with soft water, 

 by pouring upon that quantity, in similar vessels equal portions of 

 boiling water, hard and soft. After standing for the same time, the 

 infusion in the hard water, left, on evaporation, after deducting the 

 weight of the earthy matter, about four grains of extract. The leaves 

 when again dried weighed thirty two grains, showing the correctness 

 of the estimate. The extract from the soft, or distilled water was 

 pretty exactly eight grains ; the loaves, after drying, twenty eight 

 grains. Thus the soft water had extracted from the lea just twice ns 



