Knight's cyclopædia of the industry of all nations, 1851 / [edited by George Dodd].

Date:
[1851]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Knight's cyclopædia of the industry of all nations, 1851 / [edited by George Dodd]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    82/1000
    AJ^MOND. ALPA'CA. 02 crevices of sandstone and slate. For roasting the ore, ovens and other apparatus are pro- vided; the ovens are twelve in mimber and are called by the names of the twelve apostles Each is capable of containing tendons weight of stone. The oven is kept burning for three days, and the same time is required o cooL Tl e celebrated German merchants, Mark and Cluistopher Fugger, leased the mines m the seventeenth century; but they were after- wai-ds worked by the Spanish government. ALMOND. The favourite frmt Aviyg- dalus communis, or common almond is a na- tive of Barbary. In this country it is only grown for the sake of its beautiful vernal lowers ; but in the countries that have a long and hot summer, it is the fruit for which it is esteemed. This, which is produced in im- mense quantities, is pari^ly exported into northern countries, and partly pressed for oil, or consumed for various domestic purposes. There are two varieties of it, sweet and bitter. Of the sweet almonds the parts which are ofacinal are the seeds or kernels. The com- mercial varieties axe numerous, but the most esteemed are the Jordan almonds. Triturated Arith water, sweet almonds form a grateful sweetish emulsion, which possesses conside- rable nutritous as well as demulcent proper- ties. Almonds, as an article for the dessert are nutritive but rather indigestible. Od oj Almonds may be obtained from either variety, but is yielded in great abundance by the bitter ahuond. Almonds which have become rancid yet yield by expression good oil, if a h tie cal- cined magnesia be added to the brmsed almonds before being subjected to pressure. Almond oil is often adulterated wath poppy oil Bitter almonds are smaller and flatter than the sweet. Those most esteemed come from Provence, those least esteemed from Barbary. They have a very bitter taste, and any odour, but if rubbed between the fingers\vitli a Httle water, they emit a pecu- liai-ly agreeable odom:. About 21,000 cwts. of almonds, and 0,000 cwts. of bitter almonds were imported in 184H. ALNUS is the botanical name for the genus of ahkr trees, which comprises many uselul snec es The common alder, called the alnus >Sul no a is an inhabitant of swamps and £ vs in ^1 parts of Europe, the north o Mri a and Asia, and North Amenca Next to fhe dlcoal from black dogwood {Bhamnus tnnZ, that supplied by the common alder i oUhe best quality. The bark is valuable foi 1 -Z nnd the young shoots for dyeing va- tanning, and the ^ ^ .^^ ^^^od are :;en, boCcdo/t, arc among the best ma- terials, next to metal, for water-pipes and un- derground pui-poses. ALOE, a genus of succulent plants, the best species of which is the Aloe Soccotrina, a native of the Cape of Good Hope and the Island of Soccotra. Attention to the mode of extracting the juice might render aloes, whencesoever procured, of excellent quality'. But from the different plans of collecting and inspissating the juice,results an article which differs considerably in appearance and greatly in value. Aloes is one of the few drugs in which adulteration is not extensively practised further than by substituting the inferior and low-priced kinds for the superior. When carelessly prepared, sand and fragments of leaves and skms are frequently found in the samples. CabaUine, or Iiorse aloes, has nearly disappeared from commerce, refinement or fashion in veterinary medicme deeming it not fit for horses. Bai'badoes aloes comes to tliis country in the gom-ds and calabashes into which it is pom-ed when prepared. Each of these weighs from sixty to even eighty pounds. Eew more valuable drugs exist, as is proved by the numerous preparations made either of aloes alone, or with some other articles com- bined mth it. These combmations have va- rious objects in view, some to heighten its powers, others to modify, and some to get nd of certaui weU-founded objections to its effects. The use of aloes is almost entirely confined to medicine. ALOPECU'RUS. [Gkass.] ALPA'CA, or PACO, is the wool of the llama, or goat of Peru and Chili. The intro- duction of alpaca wool in manufactures has atti-acted considerable attention, andtiie ques- tion of naturalizing the alpaca in this counti-y, ui Germany, and in Austi-alia, is also an object of much interest. The wool of the alpaca is superior to English wool in length, soft- ness, and pliabihty. The fleece averages from 10 to 12 pounds, while that of our sheep is seldom more than 8 pounds; and while the staple of Enghsh wool does not often exceed six inches in lengtii, tiiat of the alpaca varies from ei^ht to twelve inches. The lustirous appearance of the alpaca wool rendei^ it applicable to many of the purposes for which silk is usually employed in textile fabrics : and it is found a useful substitute for Angora wool. The manufacture of plain and figxu-cd stuff's from the fleece of the alpaca was com- menced at Bradford, in Yoricshh-e, a number of yeoi-s ago, and tiiere is a large and nicreas- ing use of alpaca wool. In 1844 five differen articles were manufactin-ed at Bradford foi her Majesty, from the wool of an alpaca winch had been kept at Windsor, copies of whicH