PECTINE

or vegetable jelly, is obtained by mixing alcohol with the juice of ripe currants, or any similar fruit, till a gelatinous precipitate takes place; which is to be gently squeezed in a cloth, washed with a little weak alcohol, and dried. Thus prepared, pectine is insipid, without action upon litmus, in small pieces, semi-transparent, and of a membranous aspect, like isingla . Its mucilaginous solution in cold water is not tinged blue with iodine. A very small addition of potash, or its carbonate, converts pectine into pectic acid; both of which substances are transformed into mucic and oxalic acids by the nitric. PELTRY ( Pelleterie , Fr.; Pelzwerk , Germ.); is nearly synonymous with fur, and comprehends the skins of different kinds of wild animals that are found in high northern latitudes, particularly in the American continent; such as the beaver, bear, moose deer, marten, mink, sable, wool ver in, wolf, . When these skins have received no preparation but from the hunters, they are most properly called peltry; but when they have had the inner side tawed or tanned (see Leather ) by an aluminous proce , they may then be denominated furs . The scouring or cleaning of peltry is performed in a large cask, or truncated cone laid on its side, and traversed by a revolving shaft, which is furnished with a few rectangular rounded pegs. These are intended to stir round the skins, while they are dusted over with Paris plaster, whitening, or sometimes sand, made as hot as the hand can bear. The bottom of the cask should be grated, to allow the impurities to fall out. The lustrage , which the cleansed skins next undergo, is merely a species of dyeing, either topical to modify certain disagreeable shades, or general to impart a more beautiful colour to the fur. Under the articles Dyeing , and the several colours, as also Hair and Morocco , sufficient instructions will be found for dyeing fur. The mordants should be applied pretty hot by a brush, on the hair of the skin, stretched upon a solid table; and after two or three applications, with drying between, the tinctorial infusions may be rubbed on in the same way. The hair must be freed beforehand from all greasine , by lime water, or a weak solution of carbonate of soda; then well washed. Much nicety, and many succe ive applications of the dye-stuff, are sometimes requisite to bring out the desired shade. Under Hat Manufacture , I referred to this article for a description of the proce of secrétage , whereby the hairs of rabbit and hare skins are rendered fit for felting. Di olve 32 parts of quicksilver in 500 of common aquafortis; and dilute the solution with one half or two thirds of its bulk of water, according to the strength of the acid. The skin being laid upon a table with the hair side uppermost, a brush, made with the bristles of the wild boar, is to be slightly moistened with the mercurial solution, and pa ed over the smooth surface of the hairs with strong pre ure. This application must be repeated several times in succe ion, till every part of the fur be equally touched, and till about two thirds of the length of the hairs be moistened, or a little more, should they be rigid. In order to complete this impregnation, the skins are laid together in pairs with the hairy sides in contact, put in this state into the stove-room, and exposed to a heat higher in proportion to the weakne of the mercurial solution. The drying should be rapidly effected, otherwise the concentration of the nitrate will not take due effect in causing the retraction and curling of the hairs. No other acid, or metallic solution, but the above, has been found to answer the desired purpose of the hatmaker. After the hairs are properly secreted , they are plucked off by hand, or shorn off by a machine.