is the fabric of which the springs of gloves, and the elastic part of braces, &c., are made. This tissue is said to have been originally invented by a major in the Austrian service; and very large factories exist in several places in France, which produce nothing else. There are several steps in the process of manufacture which are extremely interesting. In the first place, it is necessary to obtain a thin tape of caoutchouc. In the next, this tape must be cut into delicate threads. These threads require stretching and winding: they are then woven, and finally, their elasticity, of which they had been deprived, is restored to them. In order to procure the thin caoutchouc tape, a hollow cylinder of this substance, or one of the best bottles imported from Para, is put upon a cylinder of soft wood, of such dimensions as to keep it equally distended. It is then secured to the shaft of a lathe, and exposed to the sharp-cutting edge of a circular steel knife, which is kept constantly moistened with water; and its movement being regulated by a screw, it is easy to cut off a spiral length of caoutchouc from the cylinder, of any desired thickness. Another and very ingenious way of effecting the same object is by preparing the caoutchouc in the form of a thick circular cake, which is made fast at its centre to the end of a horizontal shaft, while its circumference is exposed to a circular knife of cast-steel, revolving at the rate of three thousand times a minute. During its revolution, it is constantly moistened by a jet of water, which both cools it and facilitates its action upon the leathery texture of the caoutchouc. In this way, a tape of any length, and of any requisite thickness, may be obtained. This process is well adapted for the caoutchouc in its recomposed state. The former is more suitable to it in the state in which the best is imported; and it is generally considered that caoutchouc is stronger when employed without having been kneaded than after having been subject to that process. Such caoutchouc, however, must be extremely pure, and, consequently, is more costly than the other kind. Thus the thin tape is procured this is now to be cut into threads. Some young girls are generally employed to effect this delicate task. Taking a piece of the tape in question, it is drawn through a guide slit against the sharp edge of a rapidly revolving steel disc. In this case, also, its surface is constantly wetted. By this means it is cut into threads, as thin or as thick as may be desired; the slit determining that point. By some apparatus of another kind, the same process is effected without manual assistance, and a number of threads are cut at once. It is a curious fact that these threads, so delicate and elastic, may be easily pieced, if broken, by being obliquely cut, and the pared fresh edges gently pressed together. These threads must now be stretched, and made to lose their elasticity. This is absolutely necessary, prior to its being woven. It is effected by winding upon power-reels the thread, which is at the same time stretched during its passage through the wet fingers of winding boys. So much heat is extricated, that a stranger, who attempts to hold the thread in the process, gets his fingers severely burnt. It is then left for some days, at the expiration of which all its elasticity seems to have vanished, and it can be treated as common cord. It is now conveyed to the braiding machine. By this apparatus the caoutchouc thread is neatly enveloped in a covering of silk or any other fibrous material. When it leaves this machine the caoutchouc is no longer visible. It is still inelastic, and is preserved in this state until after its manufacture into tissue by means of ribbon-looms. Some beautiful looms of this kind are in operation in the neighbourhood of Holloway. One of these elegant automatic mechanisms will weave in one week five thousand yards of elastic tissue, an inch wide, requiring only the inspection of a woman, who watches, and, if necessary, controls its movements. The process is now complete. But the tissue is inelastic! How is its lost property to be restored? It appears that, in the loss of its latent heat in the process of stretching, this wonderful property of elasticity was also lost. It is a most curious fact, that by simply warming the tissue its elasticity at once returns; and the fabric is completed simply by passing a warm smoothingiron over it, upon a piece of blanket. By a most ingenious arrangement, the shrinking which thus takes place has been made to produce a variety of patterns upon the fabric, so as to make it resemble coach-lace. These tissues are valuable for many surgical purposes, and for various articles of dress. The elastic thread is prepared of different sizes: the finest forms ladies' bracelets, and of this, in a pound weight, there are five thousand yards. It is also used for cordage, and will bear double the strain of the best sort of hempen cordage, uncombined with caoutchouc. Some of the braiding machines, for the manufacture of these coarser kinds, are quite gigantic. Let us now see how a macintosh is made: and first, of the waterproofing solution, or paste. All kinds of coarse and refuse caoutchouc are suitable for making this material. These pieces of caoutchouc are thrown into a castiron vessel, which is fitted with a close lid, and contains a stirring apparatus, moved by mechanical power. The whole arrangements being complete, the lid is secured, and the stirring apparatus is set in motion. By this means the lumps of caoutchouc, over which a certain quantity of naphtha is poured, are comminuted, and on every side exposed to the action of the solvent. A large amount of latent heat is extricated, and so far favours the solution of the caoutchouc that no external application of heat is required. This goes on for two or three days, at the expiration of which the solution is finished. It is then removed from thence, strained, and worked into a smooth paste by passing between polished rollers. Formerly, it was customary to make the solution very liquid, and to drive off the excess by heat; but at present this waste is not allowed, and only so much naphtha or other solvent is employed as will produce, when finished, a paste of the requisite thickness. If it is necessary to colour the waterproofing paste, a portion of lamp-black or other pigment is mixed with it. The paste is now ready for application to the cloth. The room in which this process is carried on is a large one, and contains a number of powerful machines for this purpose. On entering it, the smell of the naphtha used to dissolve the caoutchouc is overpowering. The effect upon the workmen at first is remarkable. We were assured by the manager that frequently the vapour made him feel so thoroughly intoxicated as to render him incapable of walking straight, on immerging into the open air. But the effect is very transient, resembling that of ether or chloroform, when inhaled into the lungs. It did not appear, however, from such inquiries as we were able to make, that any permanent injury was done to the health of the workmen. The cloth employed for macintoshes is of a peculiar kind, made for such purposes exclusively. It is wound upon a large roller, which supplies it to the machine for applying the paste. The free end of the cloth is passed between two rollers, which spread over its surface, at any degree of thickness required, the layer of caoutchouc paste. A mass of this paste is placed in front of the rollers, on the upper surface of the cloth, as it passes between them. The action of the upper roller, which is of cast-iron, heated, is such, that it spreads the paste with the greatest smoothness and accuracy upon the cloth, which is drawn forward upon an endless web. The cloth, after receiving its layer of paste, continues to be drawn forward, and passes over heated surfaces, which drive off the superfluous solvent from it. Afterwards it is wound up on a drum. It now forms a single fabric, perfectly water and air proof. Until lately, single fabrics were never used; and the ordinary macintosh consists of two such layers, which are united into one by being passed between heated rollers the paste-covered surfaces then adhere together, and the macintosh, when dried, is complete. The purposes to which the cloth thus made is applicable are innumerable. Silk, alpaca, and other tissues are also waterproofed in the same way. EASTER-DAY.-A SONNET. MOST glorious Lord of life, that on this day This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin: And that thy love we weighing worthily May likewise love thee for the same again; And for thy sake, that all like dear didst buy, With love may one another entertain! So let us love, dear Love, like as we ought Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.-SPENSER. A MAN who cannot mind his own business, is not to be trusted with the king's.-SAVILE. THE HOME FRIEND; A WEEKLY MISCELLANY OF AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION. PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY, BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. No. 44.] [PRICE 1d. THE WHEAT HARVEST-THE SECOND MOWSOOM OF SYRIA. WHEN Noah, after his delivery from the Deluge, constructed an altar, and in the fulness of a grateful heart offered up sacrifices to that all-inerciful VOL. II. T and beneficent Creator, whose pity and protection had rescued him and his household from the devastating destruction of the waters that were upon the earth, then we are told that "the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." (Gen. viii. 21, 22.) With words like these, uttered by thankful lips, let us go forth and watch the rich fields bowed with the weight of harvest treasures, waving to and fro, like streaks of golden light, under the southern tinge of the short but pleasant Syrian summer's twilight. The newly-reeled silk has been barely disposed of, when the time and labour of the peasant and his family are again in requisition. Their profits, and the wages for their labour in the silk mowsoom, consisted of one-third of the net proceeds of the silk; in the wheat harvest, however, they have no claim to a share. The fields are the property of wealthy Turkish gentlemen, who seldom employ more than two or three hands and a couple of yoke of oxen for the care and cultivation of each field. The ground is abundantly fertile, requires but little ploughing, and the main occupation of those who tend these fields consists in scaring away birds, both at seed time and when the harvest is ripening. To gather in this harvest, of course, gives occupation to several labourers, and these labourers receive, as recompense for their labour, so many measures per day-work, or else a stipulated quantity of wheat for their entire labour, during the gathering in of the harvest. When the harvest is ready, then the lord of the manor goes round to the peasants and enlists their services, very much in the words of the Prophet Joel," Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down." (Joel iii. 13.) This call is obeyed with alacrity. The peasant rises with the early dawn, partakes of a hearty breakfast, which is ready prepared for him by his industrious wife, but which often consists of such rough materials as would occasion an English labourer a fit of indigestion: cold boiled rice, remaining from last evening's supper, hot chilly pickles, young green cucumbers, sliced up with onions and garlick and steeped in vinegar and olive. Sometimes a small bit of fried fish or meat, and sometimes no meat, but a few vegetables stewed up with herbs. This strange meal is generally wound up with a huge water melon and a cup of cold water. Coffee is a luxury the peasant indulges in only during winter, and then very rarely. Tea and sugar are wholly unknown to his palate, and yet he is a fine hale, stout-looking fellow, enjoying better health and livelier spirits than hundreds who have thousands of golden guineas at their command. He starts off for his work with a blithe song, very uncouth to European ears; and at this early hour the only chorus he can command is the sweet song of the skylark, as she balances her wings on the morning breeze and wakes all nature with her hymn of praise. The peasants congregate in the fields a good hour before daylight, and under the superintendence of a head man they fall to work with a good will. During the three first hours of the day they accomplish more work than they can get through in the other seven during which they work. The reason of this is the fresh coolness of the morning, and the absence of flies and bees which annoy and interrupt them during the hotter hours, and the scorching heat of the sun which, from 10 A.M. till 4 P.M. enervates them, blistering their hands and face to |