OILS AND FATS, ETC. 327 



To soap makers, the discovery is also important. If one pound of the 

 compound is added to two pounds of common Windsor soap, the quality- 

 is greatly improved, and the tendency that soap has to grow rancid, when 

 in use, or keep moist, is thus entirely prevented. 



The same compound applied to boots and shoes renders them nearly 

 impervious to water, and if applied to the soles will not soil the floor. 

 The uppers will be soft and pliable, and not prevented from receiving a 

 blacking. polish. For oiling carriages, the mixture of lard and rosin will 

 be valuable ; and when wanted for heavy wheels, a proper consistency 

 may be given to it by adding wheat flour, or, if greatly preferred, black 

 lead. 



Alpaca Tallow, from New South Wales. — Mr. C. Ledger, speaking 

 of the alpaca tallow, says, " It it unquestionably of superior quality. 

 Perfumers will soon find out its valuable properties, and I believe that 

 ere many years have elapsed, ' Alpaca pomade' will be held in high 

 estimation. I do not pretend to a knowledge of pomade composition, 

 but I have prepared and now forward a small quantity, which may be 

 deemed worthy of notice. In South America, where the pomade is much 

 used, the luxuriant and beautiful hair of the ladies is proverbial." . 



Tallow Oil or Oleane and Tallow from .Russia and Australia. — 

 The number of cattle and sheep slaughtered for their tallow alone in 

 Australia is very large, especially in some years. In the nine years 

 ending with 1852, the following numbers were boiled down : — Sheep, 

 1,785,960 ; Horned cattle, 340,353. From 200 to 3001bs. of tallow is ob- 

 tained from cattle, and 18 to 25lbs. from sheep according to condition. 

 Everybody has heard of a boiling-down establishment, but very t few 

 have any idea what it is, beyond the fact of its being a place where a 

 number of bullocks or sheep are converted into tallow. We will give a 

 description of one belonging to Messrs. Russell and Co. of Sydney. The 

 "plant " is capable of boiling down one hundred bullocks a day. There 

 are six iron cylinders (all eapable of bearing high pressure steam,) each 

 of which will hold eight large bullocks. The meat being put into these, 

 they are supplied with steam at a pressure of thirty-five pounds to the 

 inch, which is generated in a large boiler at one end of the establishment. 

 To this heat, which is more than double that of boiling water, the 

 meat is subjected for ten hours, when all the fat is converted into 

 tallow, this is run off by a series of cocks and pipes into a clarifier, 

 which is a large open pan, where it is made very hot, in order to drive 

 off any watery particles, it is then run into a cooler, and is ready for 

 market. A small engine is attached, which pumps up water, and does 

 other work, by which much labour is spared. 



In a country like Southern Russia, where the greatest part of the 

 land is yet unfilled, and the population by no means numerous, pasture 

 of course abounds, and the breeding of cattle must necessarily be very pro- 



