Year: 1871

/ How They Prevent Decay.


Ink, paste, leather, and seeds arr
among the common articles which suffel
from mouldness, and to which remedy
is easily applicabls. With respect tc
articles OF food, such as bread, colo
meats, or dried fish, it is less easy te
apply remedy, on account of the taste
Cloves, however, and other spices whose
tastes are grateful, may sometimes be
used for this end and that they act IL
consequence of this principle, and moi
by any particular antisepic virtue, seems
plain, by their preventing equally the
growth OF those minute cryptogamous
plants on ink and other substances,
not of an animal nature The effect OF
cloves IN preventing the mouldness in
INK IS, indeed, generally known; and il
IS obtained in the same way by the oil
OF lavender, In very minute quantity,
or by any other of the perfumed oils.
preserve leather in the same manner OF
great importance, particularly in mill
tary storehouses, where the labor en-
ployed in cleaning harness and shoes is
cause OF considerable expense, and
where much ininry is occasionally sus-
tained from this cause. The same
essential oils answer the purpose.


1t is remarkable confirmation of
this circumstance that Russian leather,
which is perfumed with tar of the
birch tree, is not subject to mouldi-
ness, as must be well known to all who
possess books thus bound. They even
prevent it from taking place in those
books bound In calf near to which thev
happen to lie This fact is particular
ly well known to Russia merchants.
as they suffer bales of this article to lie
In the London docks, in the most care
ess manner, for a great length of time,
knowing well that they can sustain no
injury of this nature from dampness,
whereas common curried leather re-
guires to be opened, cleaned, and ven
tilated. 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 pep
permint, aniseed, bergamot, are per-
fectly effectual for years, however the
paste is composed. A good paste is





rather thick, with proportion of
brown sugar, and small quantity of
corrosive snblimate. The use of the
sugar is to keep it flexible, so as to
prevent it's scaling off from smooth
surfaces and that of the corrosive sub
Innate, independently of preserving it
from insects, is an effectual check
against its formation. This salt how
ever, does not prevent the formation of
mouldiness But as a drop or two of
the above oils mentioned is complete
security against this, all the causes of
destruction are effectually 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 pot, it may be pre-
served in state for use at all times.


The same principle seems also ap-
plicable to the preservation of seeds,
particularly in cases where they are
sent from distant countries by sea,
when it is well known that they often
perish from this cause Dampness, OF
course, will perform it's office at any
rate, If moisture is not excluded yet
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 whore this cause operates.
1t is curious illustration of the truth
of this view of a remedy that the aro-
matte seeds of all kinds are not subject
to mould, and that their vicinity pre-
vents it in others with which they are
packed. They also produce the same
effect daily, even in the animal mat
ters, without its being suspected


In concluding these hints we might
add, in illustration of them, that gin
gerbread and bread containing carraway
seeds are far less liable to mouldiness
than plain bread. 1t will be matter
worthy of consideration how lar foul
might be preserved by some project OF
this kind