JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. IX. 



bright paint, but the best possible protection of the iron 

 from rusting. Mr. Cleveland states : — 



" The proper way to polish a new stove is to mix the plumbago 

 with water to about the consistency of cream, have it in an open 

 dish, apply it to the iron like paint, and with a dry stiff brush 

 polish quickly till dry ; and this polish will be brighter, and last 

 longer, than any varnish polish ; and if the plumbago is right, 

 this method is much more economical in material and labour 



As a lubricant for metal surfaces, journal boxes, carriage 

 axles, and all metal bearings, we can easily understand why 

 only the very finest plumbago should be used, the choicest 

 lumps being pulverized till the particles will not glisten but 

 the mass becomes a dead black. It cannot, Mr. Cleveland 

 states, be made fine enough by bolting (he means sifting 

 through silk), but must be floated either in water or air. 

 He adds : — 



" The simplest method is the water separation, and during the 

 process it should be treated to a bath of dilute sulphuric acid, 

 which will take up the particles of spar and iron, leaving the 

 sulphates of lime, magnesia, and iron easily washed out. 



4t The Dixon lubricating plumbago is pulverized by rolling thirty- 

 two-pound iron bails, and is brought into infinitely fine grains, 

 giving it more body and usefulness than the scale form. There 

 is no purpose for which plumbago should be as pure and as fine 

 as for lubricating, except for electrotyping ; but a large part of 

 that which is offered for sale as a lubricator is adulterated, some 

 of it being composed mainly of the German black lead, and is of 

 no more use than common clay for the purpose. For blowing 

 cylinders the best quality of Ceylon plumbago, pulverized to the 

 finest grade, pure, and left with a good body, is the most econo- 

 mical. For engines, rolling mills, and machine bearings the very 

 finest should always be used. For wood bearings, after oiling 

 with the plumbago a few times, the oil can be dispensed with, 

 and the pure plumbago only applied in the dry powder. For 

 metal bearings it should be freely mixed with oil. On hot axles 

 or journals, apply it freely, dry, and then oil up as usual. If the 

 railroads would all use the best grade of Ceylon plumbago, pul- 

 verized and prepared as described, hot journals would be very 

 rare, and much delay and loss in freighting saved, as . well as 

 annoyance to passengers avoided. No substance is known that 

 is so useful for lubicrating as plumbago, and yet, although used 

 for that purpose more than two hundred years ago, the true 



