Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-02-04
MisfellaneQne.

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WASTE NOT-How SMALL THINGS
ARE UTILIZED.
One Of the blessings Of modern society pre-
sents itself in the form Of economy, fru-
gality, utilization. Things which were for
merly thrown away as waste are now applied
to mans purposes, to an extent far beyond
our general supposition. DR.. Lyon Playfair
and Mr. ?. l.. Simmonds have frequently
drawn attention to this subject, chiefly 10
illustration Of the wonders of chemistry.
Mr. Simmonds has recently collected new
budget Of instances, which he has brought
under the notice of the Society of Arts.
Before touching on these, let US refresh
the readers memory by summary of re-
suits already recorded. Beautiful perfumes
are produced from substances not merely
trivial, but in some cases ietid and repulsiye
Fusel OIL. putrid cheese, gas tar, and the
drainage of the cow-houses, are thus trans
formed; the result is triumph of chemis-
try; but it is commercially shabby and un-
fair to call perfumes thus obtained by such
delightful names as oil of pears, oil of
apples, "oil of pine-appes, ''oil of
grapes, "oil of cognac, ''oil Of bitter
almonds, y eau de millefeurs. Blue dyes
are made from scraps Of tin, old woolen rags,
and the parings of horses hoofs. Old iron
hoops are employed in ink making; bones as
a source Of phosphorus for tipping Congreve
matches; the dregs of port wine for making
Seidlitz powders; the washings Of coal tar
for producing a favoring condiment for
blmcmange. Old voolen rags are the ioun-
dation of the prosperity Of Dewsbury and
Bailey, in Yorkshire; there musty, fusty.
dusty, fronzy fragments being ground up
into shoddy and mungo Other relics of
old wooleu garments are made to yield flock
for wall paper, padding for mattresses, and
Prussian blue for the color makers. Cbemi-
Gals are employed to destroy the cotton fibers
in old worn-out balzarines, orleans, coburgs,
and other mixed fabrics for ladies' dresses,
and to liberate the wooden or worsted fbers
for new career of usefulness. Woolen
rags, when even the shoddy maker win have
nothing TO do with them, arc choice materi-
ais for the farmer as manure. That bones
are used for knife handles we know very
well; but 1t appears they are also used for
bone-black by color aud varnish makers, for
size by dyers and cloth fnishers, and for ma
nure By farmers. Horns and hoofs are a
very magazine of useful products in the
hands of the scientific chemist.
Whalebone cuttings yield Prussian blue:
dogs fatis (shamefully) made into sham cod
liver oil; wool scourers waste and washings
reappoar as beautiful stearine candles. bull
locks blood Is used in refining sugar, in
making animal charcoal, and in Turkeyred
dyeing; OK gall or bile is used by wool scour.
ers and by color makers; fishes eyes are
used for buds in artificial flowers; bladders
and intestines are made into air tight COW
erings and into musical strings; all the odds
aud ends of leather and parchment dressing
are grist to the gluemaker; calves and
Sleeps feet yield an oil which is doetored
up most fragrantly By the perfumer; stink
ing fish is always welcome as manure to the
farmer; and brown dye is extracted FROM
those small bedroom acquaintance whom
few of US Ike to talk about, and none like
to see or to feel. At least fifty thousand
tons Of cotton waste, the residue and sweep
ings Of the mills, are annually utilized by be.
ing worked up into coarse sheeting, bed GOV.
ers, papier mache, and the commonest kinds
of printing paper. Seaweed is used as
material for paper, as a lining material for
ceiling aud walls, and as a source whence
the chemist can obtain iodine. Various
kinds Of seed, when the oil has been squeez-
ed out OF them, are useful cattle fatteners as
oil cake. Grape husks yield a beautiful
black ioT choice kinds of ink; raisin stalks
constitute capital clarifying agent for vine
gar bran or corn refuse is valuable in tan
ming, calico printing, and tinplate making;
brewers and disdllers' grains are fattening
food for cattle Bread raspiugs are 10 France
obtA4StAAA4Go AGIA a. Il sUDettLukt tQI EJHtEs
and as a tooth powder Tan-pit refuse is
valuable for the gardners hot-house.
Damaged potatoes, and rice and grain are
made to yield starch. Ground horse-chest-
nuts are not unknown TO the makers of cheap
macoaroni and vermicelli. Cork cuttings
and scraps are eagerly sought for stufiug
and for buoyant purposes. Pea shells are
used as food for mich COWS, and spirit may
be distilled from them. Sawdust is now ap-
piled in prodigious number Of ways, for
making paper, distilling ozalic acid, smok-
ing 6sh, clearing jewelry, filing scent bags,
stufing dolls, etc. Tobacco ashes are made
into tooth powder. The coal tar from gas,
works is made to yield sulpbate Of ammonia,
sal ammoniac, printers ink, lamp black, dis
infectants, naphtha, benzole, parafine. and
the magnificent series of aniline eolors for
dying and calico printing. The sediment in
wine casks is made into cream Of tartar.
Old kieke,i & horseshoe nails yield the best