Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-02-22
Stove Polish.

PIUMBAGo of the best quality is the only
suitable material for stove polish, but
lower grades will produce fair polish
for trade: and if the manufacturer Is
sufficiently expert in the examination, ne
NAV use the best grade of Ceylon dust,
but much of that which comes to the
market is too poor. For stove polish, the
plumbago should be pulverized till the
PARTICLES are too small to glisten, anu what
would otherwise be a shining mass De-
comes dead black flour. and TINS appear
ance is so near that of the German olack
lead that the difference can only De dls-
covered by handling. Plulnbag0 can NOT
be pulveriZed fine enough in stone mills
without running it over 40 many tiihes
that the cost is too great, and hence so
much poor stove polish is found in mar
ket. offered hv respectable manufacturers:
The black lead, even when pulverlZed
equally fine. has harsh feeling between
| the thumb and finger. pOlishcs but little,
and with considerable rubbing. leaving
dark. poor polish; while the plumDago;;
if good, feels smooth almost oily, ana
polishes with very little rubbing. leaving
a bright silvery polish. The finer the
plumbagO is pulveriZed. the better 1t Is
for stove polish, as each particle should
be so small that it flattenS out at once on
the iron. adheres to it. and pOlishes quick
ly: while the larger particles will ny on
and be wasted, as we'll as creating dust,
and requiring more labor to produce a
fine polish. The polish from pure Cey-
lon plumbago will last on the iron for
long time, while the polish from the Ger
man black lead will burn reddish brown
when the stove is raised to red heat
But as the German is less than nall tht
price of the CeylOn, it is used with II a
an adulteratiOn, and for the cheap
er kinds the German Is use.
alone. The CeylOn is adulterated also
|. with coal dust. pulveriZed slate, and man.
, other substances. Dishonest makers o
stove polish have this temptation, tina
. only experts can detect the adulteration
. and they succeed in palming OH thel
mixtures because the particles OF adultel
, alton do not prevent the particles
! plumbago from polishing the iron to
/. small extent. For instance, thOusan
!. particles of adulteratiOn and thOusan
: particles of plumbagO, mixed together
q can be sold at a low price, and the part
= cles of plumbagO will do the polishing
\ while most of the particles of adnlter'
/ ton will fly off in the process. 1t Is tru
# that the polish will not be as bright, an
!. will require more time and labor to pr
= duce it, than if the one thousand particle
f of pure plumbagO had been used alOn'
n so that half the quantity of the pure ART
, Gle is better than double the quantlt
Il adulterated. In using the mixture,
e great number of particles OF the adulter
!, ton are rubbed against the iron with pa
10 ticles of the plumbagO outside, and IN a
Il such cases the polish on that point is poo
,s and the plumbagO wasted, because 1t ca
n not get to the iron. We do not belle'
70 that an adulteratiOn of an equal numb
=, of particles of base matter with the be
N plumbago is worth more to use than 1rO
!, one fifth to one fourth the value OF Il
=, pure article, and a vast amount OF sto
ra polish offered in market has not a four
q. part of plumbagO in it, and even that is
q. the lower grades, used only for its chea
IN ness. A thimbleful of the best plumbag
e pulverized to the degree of that used
"a, the best dealers for stove polish, will, wi
ve the least amount of labor, polish as ml
n. surface as a quarter pound package Of t
nj usual merchantable stove polish WI
he much time and hard rubbing bestOw
M upon it, and the polish of the former
n be creditable after that of the latter v
no. be a disgrace to a neat housewife. +
E stove dealers the difference is very gre
ch a poor article being dear to them il
oc costs nothing. Perhaps no article exc'
IT. mustard can be so successfully adulte
ted as plumbagO.-Erchange.