58 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
PXASTIC COTTON. — VALUABI.E INVENTION. 
We noticed, at the recent Fair of the South Carolina 
Institute, in Charleston, several specimens of elegant fur- 
niture, the material of which (plastic cotton) is to be ob- 
tained at a very small expense, and the chemical process 
to which it is subjected being very simple. Thearticleis 
very pliant and may easily be worked by the hand. — 
When dry it becomes hard and durable — qualities which 
vender it peculiarly valuable in imitating the most elabor- 
ate wood carving. In the manufacture of rich furniture, 
models, decorative work, &c., it is exceedingly useful. 
The material is light and strong. The articles exhibited 
attracted general attention, and were greatly admired. 
The inventor, or discover, James M. Legare, Esq., .A.ikin, 
S. C., offers the invention for sale, to be used within the 
United States or elsewhere. 
This material (Plastic Cotton) is prepared from com- 
mon cotton in two w’ays, as it may be required, for v:ork- 
itig by hand (No. 1), or for casting or pressing into moulds 
(No. 2). I 
The qualities w'hich five years of trial have developed | 
in No. 1, and which Sive guaranteed by the inventor, are : ' 
That the plastic material can be prepared at a cost per i 
pound not exceeding the cost of ordinary cotton. That 
v/hen manufactured, it is not warped or otherwise affected 
in any way by sun or fire heat, or by atmospheric raois- j 
ture; has greater hardness than the woods in common] 
use ; can be used in mass or for slight open work with or ! 
without support, as \t aliea.ys retains its fibre; may be | 
given any desired color or bronzed or gilded : may be at- | 
tached to wood work without the use of glue, and so | 
firmly as to resist the effects of warping in the surface to j 
which it adheres; and under no trial has been known to I 
crack. | 
Plastic Cotton No. 1 is especially applicable to the ! 
manufacture of antique and rich furniture, and to the decor- j 
ation of churches or public or private buildings, &c., &c., 
at less expense and with much more ease than by carved 
wood,' terracotta, or papier mache. No other substance in 
the arts can be used wholly without moulds. 
Plastic Cotton No, 2 — requires a like time for prepar- 
ation — the cotfon in either case being immersed from five to 
fifteen minutes only ; can be prepared for use at from 10 
to 15 cents per pound, which is less than the value of good 
frame composition, and as the plastic cotton is much light- 
er, it, of course, goes further in use ; that it may be used 
in any degree of softness, and cold or hot, and never ad- 
heres to the mould; takes a sharp, clear impression; is 
tough and flexible when in use, allowing complex and 
undercut nsoulds to be employed ; becomes very hard 
and capable of poli.'^h ; does not crack; and will readily 
take any of the preparations now employed for gilding It 
resembles feuttapurcha in its crude state, and in the ease 
with which it may be softened by heat, but is much more 
elastic; contains no resinous ingredient whatever; may 
be used in conjunction with No. I, or alone. 
Plastic Cotton No. 2 is applicable to all purposes to 
which papier mache, frame composition, &c., &c., are 
now applied, such os interior decoration, frames of all 
kinds, and any purpose requiring moulding. 
TEXAj5 MUSTANG WINE. 
We have received through Roet. Nelson, Esq., from 
Dr. C., of G., Texas, three bottles of native Wine from the 
Mustang Grape. No. 1. The pure juice, only pressed and 
filled in'o a cask, from which it had been drawn constantly 
for daily use It is exceedingly high colored, being of a 
deep crimson hue. It had some resemblance to claret, 
and might,, perhaps, by proper treatment, make a tolerable 
good claret. It will, however, at any rate^ make a superior 
vinegar. 
No. 2. About a pound of sugar had been added to a 
gallon of juice ; it was not so good an article as 
No. 3, which was a pretty fair wine, though perhaps 
too much sugar had been added. It was, unquestionably, 
the best of the lot, and resembled somewhat the Malaga cf 
our manufacturers. 
Considering that these wines were bu-t a few months 
old, and made in a rude way by persons who are ignor- 
ant of the process of making wine, we have no doubt, that 
a fair article cau be made from the Mustang Grape, wduch 
grows spontaneously and in such an abundance that large 
quantities can be gathered ; in fact Dr. C. assures us that 
he easily could have gathered one thousand bnshels. 
As the juice has a good body, there can be no doubt 
that a good Cognac brandy could be made from it. 
Cotton Packing. — The Chamber of Commerce, of New 
Orleans, has issued a circular for general distribution 
among factors, merchants and planters, in which tom- 
plaiiit is made of the practice offalse packing cotton. The 
Chamber has determined to endeavor to put a stop to the 
practice, by throwing all the burthens of expense, which 
accumulate upon such practices, upon the planters. Tlia 
following is the pointed resolution adopted : 
Resolved, That in the ease of falsely packed cotton — 
‘■pfiated,” and packed with evident intent to defraud — 
wherever it be discovered, and the marks are so prese»'ved 
as to be identified, it should in the opinion of thi Cham- 
ber, be restored as nearly as possible to its original con- 
dition, and sent back until it reaches the door of the 
packer, with all its accumulation of expenses. It is to 
be presumed that many, if not all, such cases originate in 
the malice or dishonesty of employees, and the course re- 
commended would be likely to induce such vigilance on 
the part ofthe planter as to it:uard against the recurrences 
ofacts involving his good name and interest. 

“Love after Marriage, and Tliirteen other choice 
Novelletes of the Heart," by Mrs. Caroline Lee He.ntz, 
has just been issued by the well known publishing house 
of T. B. Peterson, 102 Chesnut street, Philadelphia. — 
The numerous admirers of Mrs. Hentz will find this vo- 
lume a rare treat. It may be had at ^1.25 bound, or a. 
S'l in paper covers. Sent per mail, free of postage, by 
enclosing the price to the Publisher, as above. 
Catawba Brandy. — At tlie last meeting ofthe Ameri- 
can Pomological Society, Col. Wilder, the President, 
stated that Catawba Brandy (made almost exclusively, 
at Cincinnati,) has been puichased at S5 per gallon, for 
exportation to France, for the purpose of flavoring foreign 
liquors. 
