An exceedingly strong, and at the same time a transparent and colourless cement is made by Messrs. Kay Brothers, of Stockport, and is sold by most fancy stationers and chemists under the name of Coaguline. It is easily and quickly applied, and will be found extremely serviceable in repairing gla.s.s, china, and stone articles.

It is inexpensive.

2501. Red Cement .

Red Cement which is employed by instrument makers for cementing gla.s.s to metals, and which is very cheap, and exceedingly useful for a variety of purposes, is made by melting five parts of black rosin, one part of yellow wax, and then stirring in gradually one part of red ochre or Venetian red, in fine powder, and previously _well dried_.

This cement requires to be melted before use, and it adheres better if the objects to which it is applied are warmed.

2502. A Soft Cement for Corks.

A soft cement, of a somewhat similar character to that just described, is useful for covering the corks of preserved fruit, and other bottles. It is made by melting yellow wax with an equal quant.i.ty of rosin, or of common turpentine (not oil of turpentine, but the resin), using the latter for a very soft cement, and stirring in, as before, some dried Venetian red.

2503. Mastic Cement.

This is employed for making a superior coating to inside walls, but must not be confounded with the _resin mastic_. It is made by mixing twenty parts of well-washed and sifted sharp sand with two parts of litharge and one of freshly burned and slaked quicklime, in fine _dry_ powder. This is made into a putty, by mixing with linseed oil. It sets in a few hours, having the appearance of light stone; and we mention it, as it may be frequently employed with advantage in repairing broken stone-work (as steps), by filling up the missing parts. The employment of Roman cement, plaster, &c., for masonry work, hardly comes within the limits of Domestic Manipulation.

2504. Cement for Leather and Cloth.

An adhesive material for uniting the parts of boots and shoes, and for the seams of articles of clothing, may be made thus:--Take one pound of gutta-percha, four ounces of India rubber, two ounces of pitch, one ounce of sh.e.l.lac, two ounces of oil. The ingredients are to be melted together, and used hot.

[GO TO BED WITH THE LAMB AND RISE WITH THE LARK.]

2505. Birdlime.

Take any quant.i.ty of linseed oil, say half a pint; put it into an old pot, or any vessel that will stand the fire without breaking--the vessel must not be more than one-third full; put it on a slow fire, stir it occasionally until it thickens as much as required; this will be known by cooling the stick in water, and trying it with the fingers. It is best to make it rather harder than for use. Then pour it into cold water. It can be brought back to the consistency required with a little Archangel tar.

2506. Anglo-j.a.panese Work.

This is an elegant and easy domestic art. Take yellow withered leaves, dissolve gum, black paint, copal varnish, &c. Any articles, such as an old tea-caddy, flower-pots, fire-screens, screens of all descriptions, work-boxes, &c., may be ornamented with these simple materials. Select perfect leaves, dry and press them between the leaves of books; rub the surface of the article to be ornamented with fine sand paper, then give it a coat of fine black paint, which should be procured mixed at a colour shop.

When dry rub smooth with pumice-stone, and give two other coats. Dry.

Arrange leaves in any manner and variety, according to taste. Gum the leaves on the under side, and press them upon their places. Then dissolve some isingla.s.s in hot water, and brush it over the work. Dry.

Give three coats of copal varnish, allowing ample time for each coat to dry. Articles thus ornamented last for years, and are very pleasing.

2507. Ornamental Leather Work.

An excellent imitation of carved oak, suitable for frames, boxes, vases, and ornaments in endless variety, may be made of a description of leather called basil. The art consists in simply cutting out this material in imitation of natural objects, and in impressing upon it by simple tools, either with or without the aid of heat, such marks and characteristics as are necessary to the imitation. The rules given with regard to the imitation of leaves and flowers apply to ornamental leather work. Begin with a simple object, and proceed by degrees to those that are more complicated.

Cut out an ivy or an oak leaf, and impress the veins upon it; then arrange these in groups, and affix them to frames, or otherwise. The tools required are ivory or steel points of various sizes, punches, and tin shapes, such as are used for confectionery. The points may be made out of the handles of old tooth-brushes. Before cutting out the leaves the leather should be well soaked in water, until it is quite pliable. When dry, it will retain the artistic shape. Leaves and stems are fastened together by means of liquid glue, and varnished with any of the drying varnishes, or with sealing-wax dissolved to a suitable consistency in spirits of wine. Wire, cork, gutta-percha, bits of stems of trees, &c., may severally be used to aid in the formation of groups of buds, flowers, seed-vessels, &c.

2508. Black Paper Patterns.

Mix some lamp-black with sweet oil. With a piece of flannel cover sheets of writing-paper with the mixture; dab the paper dry with a bit of fine linen. When using, put the black side on another sheet of paper, and fasten the corners together with small pins. Lay on the back of the black paper the pattern to be drawn, and go over it with the point of a steel drawing pencil: the black will then leave the impression of the pattern on the undersheet, on which you may draw it with ink.

2509. Patterns on Cloth or Muslin.

Patterns on cloth or muslin are drawn with a pen dipped in stone blue, a bit of sugar and a little water; wet to the consistence wanted.

2510. Feather Flowers: Materials.

Procure the best white swan or goose feathers; have them plucked off the fowl with care not to break the web; free them from down, except a small quant.i.ty on the shaft of the feather. Get also a little fine wire, different sizes; a few skeins of fine floss silks, some good cotton wool or wadding, a reel of No. 4 Moravian cotton, a skein of Indian silk, some starch and gum for pastes, and a pair of small sharp scissors, a few sheets of coloured silk paper, and some water colours.

[EATING AND DRINKING SHOULDN'T KEEP US FROM THINKING.]

2511. Patterns for Petals.

Having procured two good specimens of the flower you wish to imitate, carefully pull off the petals of one, and, with a piece of tissue paper, cut out the shape of each, taking care to leave the shaft of the feather at least half an inch longer than the petal of the flower.

Carefully bend the feather with the thumb and finger to the proper shape; mind not to break the web.

2512. Stem and Heart of a Flower.

Take a piece of wire six inches long; across the top lay a small piece of cotton wool, turn the wire over it, and wind it round until it is the size of the heart or centre of the flower you are going to imitate. If a single flower, cover it with paste or velvet of the proper colour, and round it must be arranged the stamens; these are made of fine Indian silk, or feathers may be used for this purpose.

After the petals have been attached, the silk or feather is dipped into gum, and then into the farina. Place the petals round, one at time, and wind them on with Moravian cotton, No. 4. Arrange them as nearly like the flower you have for a copy as possible. Cut the stems of the feathers even, and then make the calyx of feathers, cut like the pattern or natural flower. For the small flowers the calyx is made with paste. Cover the stems with paper or silk the same as the flowers; the paper must be cut in narrow strips, about a quarter of an inch wide.

2513. Pastes of Calyx, Hearts, and Buds of Flowers.

Take common white starch and mix it with gum water until it is the substance of thick treacle; colour it with the dyes used for the feathers, and keep it from the air.

2514. To make the Farina.

Use common ground rice, mixed into a stiff paste with any dye; dry it before the fire, and when quite hard, pound it to a fine powder. The buds, berries, and hearts of some double flowers are made with cotton wool, wound around wire, moulded to the shape with thumb and finger.

Smooth it over with gum water, and when dry, cover the buds, berries, or calyx with the proper coloured pastes; they will require one or two coats, and may be shaded with a little paint, and then gummed and left to dry.

2515. Flowers of Two or More Shades.

Flowers of two or more shades are variegated with water colours, mixed with lemon juice, ultramarine and chrome for blue; and to produce other effects, gold may also be used in powder, mixed with lemon juice and gum water.

2516. To Dye Feathers Blue.

Into two pennyworth of oil of vitriol mix two pennyworth of the best indigo in powder; let it stand a day or two; when wanted shake it well, and into a quart of boiling water put one tablespoonful of the liquid. Stir it well, put the feathers in, and let them simmer a few minutes.