Class IV.] VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES : TEXTILE FABRICS AND CLOTHING—WOOL.
157
WOODS OF TUSCAS V— continued.
37. Celtis australis - -
38. Citrus aurantium — -
40. Crataegus coccinea
41. Cupressus pyramidalis -
42. Ekeagnus hortensis -
43. Eucalyptus populiiolia.
44. Fagus sylvatica — -
45. Fraxinus excelsior - -
46. Gleditschia triaeanthos-
47. Gymnocladus canadensis
48. Ilex aquifolium - -
49. Juglans nigra — - -
50. Juglans regia - — -
51. Juniperus virginiana -
52. Koelrcuteria paniculata.
53. Laurus camphora - -
54. Laurus nobilis- - -
55. Melia Azcdirachta - -
56. Morus alba - - -
57. Olea curopaea - - -
58. Pinus Abies - - —
59. Pinus Cednis - - -
60. Pinus halepensis ~
61. Pinus Piuea - - -
62. Pistacia Leutiscus — -
63. Platanus occidentalis -
64. Populus alba — — -
68. Puuica gnmatum - -
69. Pyrus Malus - - -
73. Quercus pedunculata -
77. Khamnus alternus - -
78. Rhus Cotinus - - -
79. Rhus typlnna - - -
80. Salix babylonica - -
82. Sterculia platanifolia -
83. Styrax officinalis - -
84. Tamarix africana - -
85. Taxus baccata- - -
86. Elmus campestris - -
87. Vitcx agnus castus -
Giracolo.
Arancio.
Cipresso.
Olivo di Boemia.
Faggio.
(iledischia.
Albero morto.Agrifoglio.
Koce nero.
Nocc.
Ginebro di Virginia.
Albero della confora.AUoro.
Albero di Zacchco.Moro.
Olivo.
Cedro del Libano.Pino d’Alcppo.
Pino domestico.Sondro.
Platano d'Occidcntc.Gallice.
Albero.
Ciliegio del Canada.Ciliegio .
Melagrano.
Melo.
Cerro.
• Cerro.
Qucrce.
■ Quercia Ischia.
• Alaterno.
• Scotano.
• Somacco.
• Salcio piagente.
• Salcio.
• Sterculia.
• Storace.
• Tamarigio.
• Tasso.
• Olmo.
Some very excellent veneers of walnut wood, cut in apeculiar maimer, invented by the exhibitor, are shownby A. Ducci, of Florence (99, p. 1293). The Juryawarded a Prize Medal for these.
VIII. Miscellaneous Substances.
L T nder this head are classed those vegetable substancesnot properly coming under auy of the preceding divisions.It would have been easy to have included in it a very-large number of new and little-known products, and ofsubstances chiefly interesting as curiosities; the Jury,however, considered that in so doing they would merelyincrease the length of their Report, without leading toany practical result; they have.therefore entirely omittedall mention of these substances, and simply here refer toone or two articles especially deserving of notice.
A very beautiful collection of anatomised plants,flowers, and leaves, is exhibited by E. King (2, p. 195).In these remarkable dissections, the whole of the soft andpulpy matter of the plants is removed, and only thewoody or fibrous part is left, forming a perfect net-workof woody tissue. This effect is produced by steeping theplants in rain-water, in which they are suffered to remainuntil the whole of the soft parts are decomposed; theyare then placed in fresh water and the decomposedmatter carefully removed with a brush ; after this theremaining fibrous part is bleached in a weak solution ofchloride of lime and then dried. The time required forthis operation varies from a few weeks to several months,and its success essentially depends on the minute andpatient care bestowed on the brushing away of the de-
composed pulpy matter. The specimens exhibited byE. King are remarkable for their beauty and the very-perfect manner in-which the whole of the woody skeletonof the plauts has been preserved; the Jury accordingly-awarded a Prize Medal for them.
Some excellent specimens of similar anatomised plantsare likewise contributed by Lieut . Tilley (5a, p. 195*).These were deemed deserving of Honourable Mention.
Various small collections of dried or preserved plantsand flowers are shown by different exhibitors; namely',preserved flowers intended as botanical illustrations, byW. Stevens (3, p. 195*): preserved pitcher plants, byE. W. Cooke (2a, p. 195*); dried mosses, by M. Rock.(5, p. 195*): and dried mosses and sea-weeds byE. Holt(128, p. 205*).
A series of well-prepared and carefully-dried fernsfrom Madeira is contributed by Genoveva Gonsalves(21b, p. 1319); this was deemed worthy of HonourableMention.
Finally, the Jury would specify in this department, asdeserving of Honourable Mention, the specimen ofselected teazles for the use of wool-dressers, exhibited byRotsch and Reiciiel, in the Austrian Department (98,
p. 1012).
Part II.—ANIMAL KINGDOM.
A .—FOR TEXTILE FABRICS ANDCLOTHING.
The raw material of most importance and in most generaluse for the above purposes is Wool . This is a peculiarmodification of hair, presenting, when viewed under themicroscope, fine transverse or oblique lines, from 2,000 to4,000 in the extent of an inch, indicative of an imbricatedscaly surface, on which, and on its curved or twistedform, depends its remarkable felting property and its con-sequent value in manufactures.
Most quadrupeds possess the woolly variety of hair asan under-clothing, but in a small proportion, and hiddenby the smooth, exterior, coarser, and straighter kind ofhair. In the wild sheep ( Obis ammon and Ovis musimon)the woolly variety of hair is developed in excess; and inthe domesticated breeds the fleece has been modified andimproved, in various degrees, by' crossing the breeds,choice of climate and pasture, and careful attention anddefence during its growth, until not only has the originalcoarse character of the product disappeared, but qualitiesof wool of different kinds and of different degrees ofsuperiority have been obtained, which are generally divi-sible into two classes—the one better adapted for “ card-ing,” the other for “combing,” and both available for agreat variety of useful and elegant textile fabrics,i In judging of these qualities in the wools exhibited, thei Jury have tested the fineness and elasticity of the fibre;the degrees of imbrication of the scaled surface of thefibre as shown by the microscope; the quantity of fibre1 developed in a given space of the fleece; the comparative! freedom of the fleece from extraneous matters ; and thej skill and care employed in preparatory processes; such,
| for example, as that termed “scouring” the fleece, uponj which depends its liability, or otherwise, to mat at the! bottom of the staple.
j In these examinations the Jury have to acknowledge the! valuable aid of well-versed English and Foreign Experts,j After the comparison of the wools exhibited by thei growers of different nations, the Jury are unanimous in! making the first mention of those transmitted from; Geraiany, as being pre-eminent in the qualities of highestj value.
! Under “ German Wools ” are included those fromAustria and Austrian Silesia, Hungary, Prussia, Saxony ,and Polish Silesia.
Ficdor and Sons (90, p. 1012).—The fleeces exhibitedby this firm present, in a high degree, the desired qualitiesof substance in the staple, and of fineness and elasticity