The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-06-13
PERFUMES.

NIX, paste, leather, and seeds are
IL among the common articles which
suffer from mouldiness, and to which q
remedy is easily applicable. With re-
spect to articles of food, such as bread,
cold meats, Or dried fish, it is less easy
to apply a remedy, on account of the taste
Cloves, however, and other spices whose
tastes are grateful, may sometimes be
used for this end aud that they act in
consequence of this principle, and not
by any particular antiseptic virtue, seems
plain, by their preventing equally the
growth Of these minute cryptogamous
plants on ink and other substances, not
of an animal nature. The effect of cloves
in preventing the mouldiness in ink is,
indeed, generally known and it is OBJ
tanned in the same way by the oil of Law
ender, in very minute quantity, or by
any other of the perfumed oils To pre-
serve leather in the same manner from
this effect is matter of great Importance,
particularly in military storehouses,
where the labor employed in cleaning
harness and shoes is a cause of consider
able expense, and where much injury is
occasionally sustained from this cause.
The same essential oils answer the pur-
pose.
1t is a remarkable confirmation of this
circumstance that Russian leather, which
is perfumed with tar Of the birch tree, is
not subject to moldiness, as must be well
known to all who possess books thus
bound. They even prevent it from TAX
ing place in those books bound in calf,
near to which they happen to lie. The
fact is particularly well known to Russian
merchants, as they suffer bales of this
article to lie in the London docks, in the
most careless manner, for great length
of time, knowing we'll that they can
sustain no injury Of this nature from
dampness, whereas common curried leath-
er requires to be opened, cleaned and ven
tillated. Collectors Of books will not be
sorry to learn that few drops of any
perfumed oil will insure their libraries
from this pest.
With regard to paste, lavender or any
other strong perfume, such as pepper
mint, anniseed bergamot, are perfectly
cfectual for years, however the paste is
composed. a good paste is made Of -four,
in the usual way, but rather thick, with
a proportion Of brown sugar, and small
quantity of corrosive sublimate. The
use of the sugar is to keep it flexible, so
as to prevent its sealing off from smooth
surfaces; and that of the corrosive subli-
mate, independently of preserving it from
insects, is an effectual check against its
formation. This salt, however, does not
prevent the formation of moldiness But
as drop or two of the essential oils
above mentioned is complete security
against this, all the causes of destruction
are efiectually guarded against Paste
made in this manner, and exposed to the
air, dries without any change to state
resembling horn, so that it may at any
time be wetted again and applied to use.
When kept in close-covered spot, it may
be preserved in state for use at all
times.
The same principle seems also appli-
cable to the preservation of seeds, partic-
ularly in cases where they are sent from
distant countries, by sea, when it is we'll
known that they often perish from this
cause. Dampness, of course, will perform
its Office at any rate. if moisture is not
excluded ; yet it is certain that the growth
of the vegetables which constitute mould
accelerate the evil whether by retaining
the moisture, or by what means, is not
very apparent. This, in fact, happens
equally in the case of dry rot in wood,
and, indeed, in all others where this
cause operates 1t is curious illustra-
tion of the truth Of this view of a remedy
that the aromatic seeds of all kinds are
not subject to mould, and that their
vicinity prevents it in others with which
they are packed. They also produce the
same effect daily, even in animal matters,
without its being suspected.
In concluding these hints we might
add, in illustration of them, that ginger
bread and bread containing carraway
seeds are far less liable to mouldiness
than plain bread 1t will be matter
worthy of consideration how far flour
might be preserved by some project of
this kind.