The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-06-25
USEFUL SUBSTITUTES.
From the British Trade Journal

c1ous stones has long been an importa Mt
industry In France, but it has increased
enormously of late years, on account OF
the perfection attained in the art; and at
present the supply can not keep pace
with the demand for fictitious gems. A
revolution has been brought about lately
II the manufacture of artificial dia-
'nonds by substituting a preparation of
gold for the oxide of lead in making the
strass, and further, the stones when cut
are subjected to a chemical process by
which the retroactive power is made equal
to that OF diamonds of the purest water.
These perfect stones attracted great at
tention in last Paris Exhibition, where
they were exposed side by side, and in
the same cases, with real diamonds of
great price. Whether the latter can
be artifcially made on an extensive scale
is still matter Of dispute, although its
possibility is claimed. Any man can
convert diamond into charcoal, but it is
not so easy to turn charcoal into dia-
monds. The recent claim of Mr.. Mac
Tear, of Glasgow, to have chrystalized
carbon is acknowledged, but the dia-
monds produced are as yet too minute to
affect the value of natural ones.
IVORY, being an expensive material
and in continual demand, has formed the
subject of many patents for good substi-
tutes, but those tried have generally had
more the appearance of an OPAQUE
cement than the natural dentine. The
best and most effectual imitation, which
takes good polish, is the American sub
stance passing under the name of ''cellu-
loid." Celluloid is one of those inven-
tons OF recent origin which has become
a substitute for many natural raw mate
rails. 1t is a species Of solidifed colo
dion produced by dissolving gun cotton
in camphor with the aid of heat and
pressure. The applications of celluloid
are now legion. AS a substitute for
ivory it is best known, and SO perfect is
the resemblance that close inspec-
ton is required to distinguish it from the
genuine; the absence of the grain, Or de-
cussation, is the chief distinction. Gel
luloid possesses not only all the strength
and elasticity Of ivory, but it does not
warp nor discolor with age. It is much
used In making combs, backs of brushes
and hand mirrors, frames for looking
glasses and portraits, handles for knives
and forks, piano and organ keys, and
billiard balls, which are said to be equal
in elasticity to those of ivory. One adj
| vantage it has over ivory is that it may
bemoulded, so that the most delicate and
elaborate articles can be made with it at
a fraction of the cost of true ivory. An
endless variety Of colors can also be
given to celluloid by the admixture of
proper pigments. In imitation of tor
toise shell it is made into such articles as
combs, card cases, cigar cases, napkin
rings, etc. The pink coral so popular
for jewelry is admirably initiated with it.
| and so are malachite and amber mouth
pieces for pipes, cigar holders and must
cal instruments.
NUMEROUS patents have been issued
from time to time for making imitation
marble, which in practice have been
more or less successful; by some of these
an almost perfect imitation of the vari-
GUS shades and colors of marble is OBJ
tanned, and slate is made to initiate mar
BILE. Artificial stone is now made to any
extent.
WITHIN the last six or seven years a
complete revolution has taken place. in
the substitution of artificial alizarine for
the natural alizarine of madden The
culture OF this dye root has almost been
abandoned now in the producing coun-
tries where it was formerly grown. The
product from an agricultural industry
which yielded over $50, O0O,O 900 in value
has been entirely replaced by chemi-
CAL ~
BEAUTIFUL fancy ornaments are made
OF artificial tortoise shell, which is formed
by melting gelatine at a moderate tenn
perature with small amount of metallic
salts, running the whole into moulds. and
staining the mass with hydro-sulphate of
ammonia, SO as to produce an imitation
OF the grain Of natural tortoise shell.
CAREFUL thought and ingenuity are
always on the search to utilize waste
products, and to find substitutes For
instance, there is large demand for
eggs for various manufacturing pur-
poses-for glace leather in glove
making, book-binding, photographing,
calico printing, clarifying liquors,
etc, in the form of albumen,
and the yolk ofthe egg, etc. Large
premiums have been offered for
good substitute for egg albumen, but
no really efficient substitute has yet been
discovered. In glove-making mucilage
obtained from the root of the marsh
mallow has been tried. Some manufac-
turing processes require the white of the
egg, some the yolk At least four eggs
are required to clarity every barrel of
wine; and when the production of wine
in France and other continental States is
considered, the demand becomes extern
slve, reaching hundreds of millions of
eggs. Some of the seaweed isinglass
might certainly be used for this pur-
pose.
THERE is no end to artificial produc-
tions, and the list might be extended in
definitely, including artificial ice, which
renders us independent of King Frost;
artificial sugar, which we can make from
starch or rags; artificial fruit essences.
artificial horn from seaweed, artificial
wood from compressed sawdust or straw,