Patents lateli; Enrolkd. 
471 
and the like, rind the inner is a substance 
of the nature of flax : shoots, fcwigs, &c. 
mere than a year old, have likewise 
scales ; but they are much thicker, and 
the flax is so intermixed with gum, oil, 
that a bark is formed in which the 
flax is so embodied, that it refuses to be 
separated. Very small twigs are of little 
use, and ought not to be cut. When 
cut, they should be tied up in parcels; 
and then steeped tlu-ee or four weeks in 
stagnant-water, or boiled in water an 
hour or two: thus the flax comes easily 
from the shoots, or twigs, and may be 
stripped off by children, or others, when 
the stalks are not quite dry, in the same 
way as hemp is peeled from the stalks. 
The shoots may be cut off any time be¬ 
tween the end of September, when the 
growth ceases, till i^pril or May; but, 
unless the process is carried on by boil¬ 
ing the broom, the best season for steep¬ 
ing the twigs or shoots, and for prepar¬ 
ing the flax, for_the manufacturer, is du¬ 
ring warm weather. If water is scarce, 
the twigs, &c. may be exposed to the 
dew, or rain, and vvhen thoroughly w'et, 
heaped together; a fermentat:..n com« 
mences, which, when advanced a cer¬ 
tain way, causes the flax to be readily 
separated. When the flax is stripped 
from the twigs, it appears dark-coloured, 
and of little or no use; but, after it lias 
been washed and flried, it becomes more 
strong and pleasing to the eye. If the 
broom-flax is to be hackled, which in 
general should be left to the manufac¬ 
turer, tlie hackle should be tike a comb, 
having only one row of teeth. On being 
simply washed, rubbed, or shaken well, 
broom-flax becomes an object of much 
importance to a variety of people, as the 
paper manufacturer, tlie maker of floor¬ 
cloths, and the ’manufacturer of ru^s, 
carpets, and other useiul purposes. The 
shoots themselves, on being cleared of 
the flax, and boiled, become tough, 
beautifuliy wliite, and well calculated 
for being converted, under the name 
of Genista-wood, into carpet-brooms, 
brushes for furniture, clotlis, and for 
certain parts of all kinds of wicker-work. 
In procuring the flax of rushes, the 
rushes are to be brought into a state of 
fermentation, or to be plunged into some 
cheap chemical menstruum, or liquid, so 
as to separate the flax from the green 
outer coat, to v hich it adheres very te¬ 
naciously. A similar course is to he 
taken with the mallow', ovmulva siheatris, 
f;he flax of whiph ipay be manufactured 
into shawls, fancy vests, and fabrics <if 
that nature. 
MR. THOMAS WADF.’s (nELSOH-PLACT;, 
SURREY), /or a Method of Imitating 
Lapis-Lazuli, Porphyry, Jasper, ^c. 
The patentee makes use of a compo¬ 
sition somewhat resembling that em¬ 
ployed in the manufacture of earthen¬ 
ware, pottery, or porcelain, of which he 
forms slabs" of the desired shape, by 
modes usually practised in the porcelain 
manufacture. To prevent the warping 
of these, he adds certain proportions (vf 
sand, chalk, bone-ashes, selenite, ctiarsely 
powdered glass, flint, &c. If the ar¬ 
ticle wanted be composed of seveiaL 
constituent parts, as in the case of chim¬ 
ney-pieces, he makes holes in particular 
parts of the pieces where they are in¬ 
tended to be joined, in order to admit 
cramps for the purpose of holding them 
more firmly together, when j '/ined or set 
up. If the piece be intended to imitate 
carved or sculptured stone, or marble, 
it is to be shaped accordingly, previously 
to the process of baking or-b-urning. It 
is found necessary to round the edges in 
a very trifling degree, as the glaze or 
enamel does not 'veil cover, or easily 
spread over sharp edges; besides, bybej'ng 
ratlier rounded, they are not liable to be 
chipped or broken: the slabs are after¬ 
wards baked, and then painted with 
enamel colours, w'ith the necessary de¬ 
signs, to imitate or resemble the various 
sort^ of marbles, stones, and inlaid or 
Mosaic 'vork. In performing this, Mr, 
Wade avails himself of the artifices made 
use of by potters, lapanners, and others, 
in painting their designs, printing them on 
damp paper, and transferring the im¬ 
pression. After the pieces are painted, 
they are again to he exposed to the fire, 
and there kept till the enamel is vitrified, 
and the manufactured pieces become 
covered with a glassy shining surface, nos 
easily matched, and which seems pe¬ 
culiarly adapted for monumental tahie--, 
with i nscriptions, as they can scarce.y 
ever be defaced or obliterated. 
MR. JOHN slatter’s (birminouam ; apcl 
CASTLE STREET, holeohn;, for a 
Steam Kitchen and Roaster. 
By this invention the operations of 
roasting and boiling are performed by 
means of hot air;' but all other sub¬ 
stances that are usually boiled, stewed. 
See. may be dressed in water, or by 
steam, according to the fancy ot tne 
Dsrsoii?; 
