Henley's Twentieth Century Formulas, Recipes and Processes. Various

      Waterproof And Acidproof Pastes.—

I.—	Chromic acid	2 1/2 parts
Stronger ammonia	15 parts
Sulphuric acid	1/2 part
Cuprammonium solution	30 parts
Fine white paper	4 parts
II.—	Isinglass, a sufficient quantity
Acetic acid	1 part
Water	7 parts

      Dissolve sufficient isinglass in the mixture of acetic acid and water to make a thin mucilage.

      One of the solutions is applied to the surface of one sheet of paper and the other to the other sheet, and they are then pressed together.

      III.—A fair knotting varnish free from surplus oil is by far the best adhesive for fixing labels, especially on metal surfaces. It dries instantly, insuring a speedy job and immediate packing, if needful, without fear of derangement. It has great tenacity, and is not only absolutely damp-proof itself, but is actually repellent of moisture, to which all water pastes are subject. It costs more, but the additional expense is often infinitesimal compared with the pleasure of a satisfactory result.

      Balkan Paste.—

Pale glue	4 ounces
White loaf sugar	2 ounces
Powdered starch	1 ounce
White dextrine	1/4 pound
Pure glycerine	3 ounces
Carbolic acid	1/4 ounce
Boiling water	32 ounces

      Cut up the glue and steep it in ¹/₂ pint boiling water; when softened melt in a saucepan; add sugar, starch, and dextrine, and lastly the glycerine, in which carbolic acid has been mixed; add remainder of water, and boil until it thickens. Pour into jars or bottles.

      Permanent Paste.—

I.—	Wheat flour	1 pound
Water, cold	1 quart
Nitric acid	4 fluidrachms
Boric acid	40 grains
Oil of cloves	20 minims

      Mix the flour, boric acid, and water, then strain the mixture; add the nitric acid, apply heat with constant stirring until the mixture thickens; when nearly cold add the oil of cloves. This paste will have a pleasant smell, will not attract flies, and can be thinned by the addition of cold water as needed.

      II.—Dissolve 4 ounces alum in 4 quarts hot water. When cool add as much flour as will make it of the usual consistency; then stir into it ¹/₂ ounce powdered rosin; next add a little water in which a dozen cloves have been steeped; then boil it until thick as mush, stirring from the bottom all the time. Thin with warm water for use.

      Preservatives For Paste.

      —Various antiseptics are employed for the preservation of flour paste, mucilage, etc. Boric and salicylic acids, oil of cloves, oil of sassafras, and solution of formaldehyde are among those which have given best service. A durable starch paste is produced by adding some borax to the water used in making it. A paste from 10 parts (weight) starch to 100 parts (weight) water with 1 per cent borax added will keep many weeks, while without this addition it will sour after six days. In the case of a gluing material prepared from starch paste and joiners’ glue, borax has also demonstrated its preserving qualities. The solution is made by mixing 10 parts (weight) starch into a paste with water and adding 10 parts (weight) glue soaked in water to the hot solution; the addition of 1/10 part (weight) of borax to the solution will cause it to keep for weeks. It is equal to the best glue, but should be warmed and stirred before use.

      Board-sizing.

      —A cheap sizing for rough, weather-beaten boards may be made by dissolving shellac in sal soda and adding some heavy-bodied pigment. This size will stick to grease spots. Linseed oil may be added if desired. Limewater and linseed oil make a good heavy sizing, but hard to spread. They are usually used half and half, though these proportions may be varied somewhat.

      Rice Paste.

      —Mix the rice flour with cold water, and boil it over a gentle fire until it thickens. This paste is quite white and becomes transparent on drying. It is very adherent and of great use for many purposes.

      Casein Paste.

      —A solution of tannin, prepared from a bark or from commercial tannin, is precipitated with limewater, the lime being added until the solution just turns red litmus paper blue. The supernatant liquid is then decanted, {39} and the precipitate is dried without artificial heat. The resulting calcium tannate is then mixed, according to the purpose for which the adhesive is intended, with from 1 to 10 times its weight of dry casein by grinding in a mill. The adhesive compound is soluble in water, petroleum, oils, and carbon bisulphide. It is very strong, and is applied in the form of a paste with water.

      Pastes For Paperhangers.

      I.—Use a cheap grade of rye or wheat flour, mix thoroughly with cold water to about the consistency of dough, or a little thinner, being careful to remove all lumps; stir in a ta­ble­spoon­ful of powdered alum to a quart of flour, then pour in boiling water, stirring rapidly until the flour is thoroughly cooked. Let this cool before using, and thin with cold water.

       II.—Venetian Paste.—(a)4 ounces white or fish glue8 fluidounces cold water(b)2 fluidounces Venice turpentine(c)1 pound rye flour16 fluidounces (1 pint) cold water(d)64 fluidounces (1/2 gallon) boiling water

      Soak the 4 ounces of glue in the cold water for 4 hours; dissolve on a water bath (glue pot), and while hot stir in the Venice turpentine. Make up (c) into a batter free from lumps and pour into (d). Stir briskly, and finally add the glue solution. This makes a very strong paste, and it will adhere to a painted surface, owing to the Venice turpentine in its composition.

       III.—Strong Adhesive Paste.—(a)4 pounds rye flour1/2 gallon cold water(b)1 1/2 gallons boiling water(c)2 ounces pulverized rosin

      Make (a) into a batter free from lumps; then pour into (b). Boil if necessary, and while hot stir in the pulverized rosin a little at a time. This paste is exceedingly strong, and will stick heavy wall paper or thin leather. If the paste be too thick, thin with a little hot water; never thin paste with cold water.

       IV.—Flour Paste.—(a)2 pounds wheat flour32 fluidounces (1 quart) cold water(b)1 ounce alum4 fluidounces hot water(c)96 fluidounces (1/2 gallon) boiling water

      Work the wheat flour into a batter free from lumps with the cold water. Dissolve the alum as designated in (b). Now stir in (a) and (c) and, if necessary, continue boiling until the paste thickens into a semitransparent mucilage, after which stir in solution (b). The above makes a very fine paste for wall paper.

       V.—Elastic or Pliable Paste.—(a)4 ounces common starch2 ounces white dextrine10 fluidounces cold water(b)1 ounce borax3 fluidounces glycerine64 fluidounces (1/2 gallon) boiling water

      Beat to a batter the ingredients of (a). Dissolve the borax in the boiling water; then add the glycerine, after which pour (a) into solution (b). Stir until it becomes translucent. This paste will not crack, and, being very pliable, is used for paper, cloth, leather, and other material where flexibility is required.

      VI.—A paste with which wall paper can be attached to wood or masonry, adhering to it firmly in spite of dampness, is prepared, as usual, of rye flour, to which, however, are added, after the boiling, 8 ¹/₃ parts, by weight, of good linseed-oil varnish and 8 ¹/₃