CORK. 
bavk, are inclosed between two pieces of 
strong cloth or canvass, and formed like 
a jacket without sleeves ; the pieces of 
cloth are sewed together round each 
piece of cork to keep them in their proper 
situations ; the lower part of the jacket, 
about the hips, is made like the same part 
of womens’ stays, to give freedom to the 
tliighs in swimming ; it is made sufficiently 
large to fit a robust man, and is secured 
t o the body by two or tliree strong tapes 
•sewed far back on each side, and tied be- 
fore ; the strings are thus placed to enable 
any wearer to tighten it to his own conve- 
nience. Cork in its action has the elasticity 
of a spring, and when pressed into any aper- 
ture it exerts a force acting outwardly on 
all sides from tlie centre. It is this quality 
that makes it valuable in shutting out the 
external air from liquors and elastic fluids ; 
and it is fitted for this purpose in a degree 
proportioned to tlie impermeability of its 
pores. The elasticity of cork has also been 
employed for many other purposes in the 
arts ; it forms the spring of the lifter in or- 
dinary candlesticks, and where the frame is 
not heavy it can be made into a good sub- 
stitute for the pulleys and weights of the 
sashes of windows. 
Cork cutdng, or the manufacturing of 
corks. This business, tliough it is thought 
one of the most dirty, is not one of the least 
profitable; it is likewise easy in tlie ac- 
<)uirement. The cork, after being pressed 
into square pieces, is received by the cork- 
cutters, and if not sufficiently flat for 
their pinpose, they “ lay ” it again over a fire 
in their “ burning-yard,” turning the con- 
vex part to the flame ; the heat, by twist- 
ing the edges of the bark, counteracts the 
natural bend, and compels it to receive a 
flat form. During this operation, a consi- 
derable degree of attention is paid to 
smoothing it, and particularly again to cover 
its defects. It is next cut into slips, narrow 
or wide, according to the intended cork, 
bung, or tap, for such are the names of the 
general divisions in this business. The use 
of the two former is well known, the latter 
is used for stopping tlie tap-holes of barrels, 
as the name implies. These slips are again 
cut into squares, of a length proportioned to 
the use they are intended for. This opera- 
tion is performed by one man, from whom 
they are handed forward to several others. 
A further division of corks takes place, of 
these different sorts, according to their 
lengths, and are denominated “short,” 
“ short long,” and “ full long.” The cork- 
maker places himself before the fable of 
plank, on which is fastened a board about 
three inches thick, four broad, and twelve 
long: immediately on a line with his left 
hand is a piece of wood rising about four 
inches from the board, and fixed about the 
middle of it, on w Inch tlie cork is laid after 
being cut as above. This wood not only 
supports the cork, and is as a guide to the 
workman, but by its elevation above the 
board gives room for the knife to cut a part 
of the cork in a smooth and circular man- 
ner, without striking on the table below. 
The piece is then turned to where the last 
cut ceased, and this is continued until the 
knife has gone completely round ; the toj) 
and bottom are then pared level, and the 
coik thrown into a box or basket with the 
rest of the same length. As the bark is not 
of the same quality throughout each piece, 
the corks are sorted by a boy into four 
kinds, “superfine,” “fine,” “common,” and 
“ coarse,” and are sold accordingly. . The 
only tool employed by the cork-cutter is a 
knife about three inches broad in the blade, 
and abotit six inches long, very thin and 
sharp, and equal in breadth from the handle 
nearly to the end, which is finished by a 
gentle curve. This knife he sharpens upon 
the board where the guard is placed, by 
one whet or stroke on each side, after every 
cut, and now and then upon a common 
whetstone. 
From the foregoing review it is evident, 
that file art of a corkcutter is principally to 
obtain a regular, round, and quick turn of 
the wrist, in guiding the knife so as to com- 
plete a pretty correct circle, and to make a 
smooth surface ; it is on this account that 
the knife must be particularly sharp, to 
enable the workman to turn it with ease. 
Cork received into the stomach, in its 
crude state, is very deleterious : but after 
it has undergone certain processes it is used 
in medicine. It contains a small quantity 
of very powerful acid called suberic acid. 
This acid may be obtained in a solid form, 
but is not crystallizable : it is either pul- 
verulent when it has been precipitated, or 
wheq obtained by evaporation is in thin 
irregular pellicles. Its taste is slightly bit- 
ter and acid : dissolved in a small quantity 
of boiling water, it is irritating to the 
throat, and excites coughing. It reddens 
the vegetable colours, and it attracts a little 
humidity from the air, especially when it is 
not perfectly pure. Exposed to heat, it is 
volatilized, and forms crystalline flakes on 
the sides of the vessel. Heated by the 
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