24

MANUFACTURES.

Manu-

factures.

Horn'

vorking.

Tortoise

.shell.

Tobacco

pipes.

Embossing

calico.

Embossing

leather.

which are carved or engraved the requisite patterns, where it remains exposed to greatpressure until it is dry.

Horn knife-handles and umbrella-handles. —The property which horn possesses ofbecoming soft by the action of water and of heat, fits it for many useful purposes. It ispressed into moulds, and becomes embossed with figures in relief, adapted to the natureand use of the objects to which it is to be applied. If curved, it may be straightened ;or if straight, it may be bent into forms which ornament or utility may require ; andby the use of the mould these forms may be multiplied in endless variety.

The commoner sorts of knives, the crooked handles for umbrellas, and a multitudeof other articles to which horn is applied, attest the cheapness which the Art of Copyinggives to the things formed of this material.

Moulding tortoise shell. —The same principle is applied to things formed out of theshell of the turtle, or the land tortoise. From the greatly superior price of the rawmateria], this principle of Copying is, however, more rarely employed upon it: andthe few carvings which are demanded, are usually performed by hand.

Tobacco pipe making. —This simple Art is almost entirely one of Copying. Themoulds are'formed of iron, and open in the middle ; the line of junction of the twoparts of the mould may generally be observed running lengthwise from one end of thepipe to the other. The hole passing to the bowl is formed by thrusting a long wirethrough the clay whilst it is enclosed in the mould. Some of the moulds have figures,or names, sunk in the inside. This gives a corresponding figure in relief upon thefinished pipe.

, Embossing upon calico. —Calicoes of one colour but embossed all over with variousraised patterns, although not much worn in this Country, are in great demand in severalforeign markets. This appearance is produced by passing them through a pair ofrollers, on one of which is figured in intaglio the pattern to be transferred to the calico.The substance of the cloth is pressed very forcibly into the cavities thus formed, andpreserves its figured appearance after considerable use.

Embossing upon leather. —This Art of Copying from steel rollers patterns previouslyengraved on them, is in most respects similar to the preceding. The leather is forcedinto the cavities, and that part which is not opposite to any cavity is powerfully con-densed between the rollers.

swaging. Swaging. —This is an Art of Copying practised by the smith. In order to fashion his

iron and steel into the form demanded by his customers, he has small blocks of steelinto which are sunk cavities of various shapes; these are called swages, and are gene-rally in pairs. If he wants a round bolt, terminating in a cylindrical head of largerdiameter, and having one or more projecting rims, he uses a corresponding swagingtool; and having heated the end of his iron rod, and thickened it by a process whichis technically called upsetting, he places its head upon one of the parts ; and whilst anassistant holds the other part, he strikes it several times with his hammer, occasionallyturning the head one quarter round. The iron which was in a softened state is thusforced by the blows to assume the form of the mould into which it is impressed.