Foreign Literature and Science. 163 



6. Preparation of Blacking, by M. Braconnot. — Take of 

 plaister, ground and sifted, one kilogramme (2 lbs. 4 oz.) ; 

 lampblack 2| hectogrammes, (about 9 oz.) ; barley malt, as 

 used by brewers, 5 hectogrammes, (18 oz.); olive oil 50 

 grammes, (1 oz.) 



Steep the malt in water, almost boiling hot, until the solu- 

 ble portions are well extracted ; put the solution into a basin, 

 stir into it the plaister and lampblack, and evaporate to the 

 consistency of paste ; then add the oil, the quantity of which 

 may be increased by degrees. To the mixture may be add- 

 ed, if desired, a few drops of oil of lemons or of lavender, as 

 a perfume. If ground plaister be not attainable, its place 

 may be supplied with potter's clay. 



This is undoubtedly the cheapest and finest blacking ; it 

 spreads evenly, dries and shines quickly on the leather by a 

 slight friction of the brush and has not the objection of bun> 

 ing the leather. — Bui. D\Encour. Mars, 1825. 



7. Preservation of alimentary substances, by the process of 

 M. Appert. — The success which attended the method em- 

 ployed by Appert in the preservation of even the most deli- 

 cate and highly flavoured animal and vegetable substances 

 used in cookery, induced the minister of the interior about 1 7 

 years ago to reward the author with a premium of 1 2,000 

 francs. The process then employed was confined in its ope- 

 ration to vessels of small dimensions, the multiplicity of which 

 would too much encumber a ship, and the number of boxes 

 to be opened at each repast would be too troublesome. On 

 this account the Society of Encouragement proposed, in 1822, 

 a premium of 2000 francs to any person who should preserve 

 at least 2 lbs. of animal substance in each vessel during the 

 space of a year ; in which time the said preparations were to 

 cross the line. One or two boxes were to be opened at the 

 time of embarkation or prior to crossing the equator ; and 

 the others on their return to France, to be sent to the Socie- 

 ty, all properly attested under seal of the authorities at the 

 place of embarkation. The competitors were also to prove 

 by their registers, that they manufactured and sold annually, 

 to the amount of 20,000 francs, substances preserved by the 

 same or a similar process. In 1824, two candidates appear- 

 ed for the premium, viz. Appert, of Paris, and Collin of 

 Nantes. The former has more than fulfilled the conditions of 

 the premium. He produced two boxes, the first containing 



