Papier mache

is-a substance made of cuttings of white or brown paper, boiled in water, and beaten in a mortar till they are re. duced into a kind of paste, and then boiled with a solution of gum-arabic or of size, to give tenacity to the paste, which is afterwards formed into different toys, 8c. by pre ing it into oiled moulds. When dry, it 1s done over with a mixture of size and lamp-black, and afterwards varnished. The black varnish for these toys, according to Dr. Lewis, is prepared as follows. Some colophony, or turpentine, boiled down till it becomes black and friable, is meltéd in a glazed earthen ve el, and thrice as much amber in fine powder sprinkled in by degrees, with the addition ofa little spirit or oil of turpentine now and then: when the amber is melted, sprinkle in the same quantity of sarcocolla, continuing to stir them, and to add more spirit of turpentine, till the whole becomes fluid; then strain out the clear through a coarse hair bag, pre ing it gently between hot boards. This varnish, mixed with ivory~ black in fine powder, is applied in a hot room on the dried paper paste, which is then set in a gently heated oven, mext day in a hotter oven, and the third day in a very hot one, and let stand each time till the oven grows cold: 72