This section is from the book "Mrs. Owens' Cook Book", by Frances E. Owens. Also available from Amazon: Mrs. Owens' Cook Book.
To mend broken china, glass, marble, or common crockery, mix fresh-slaked lime with white of egg until it becomes a sticky paste. Apply to the edges, and in 3 days it will be firm.
Best white glue, 16 ounces; white lead, dry, 4 ounces; rain water, 1 quart; alcohol, 4 ounces. With constant stirring dissolve the glue and lead in the water, by means of a water bath. Add the alcohol, and continue the heat for a few minutes. Pour into bottles while still hot.
Dissolve a teaspoon of alum in a quart of warm water.
When cold, stir in flour to the consistency of thick cream, beating up all the lumps. Stir in powdered resin, and throw in a half dozen cloves to give it a pleasant odor. Have on the fire a teacup of boiling water; pour the flour mixture into it, stirring well all the time. In a few moments it will be of the consistency of mush. Pour it into an earthern or china vessel; let it cool, lay a cover on, and put it in a cool place. When needed for use, take out a portion and soften it with boiling water. Paste thus made will last twelve months. Better than gum, as it does not gloss paper, and can be written on.
Fill a vial § full muriatic acid, put into it all the chippings of sheet zinc it will dissolve; then add a crumb of sal ammoniac and fill up with water. Wet the place to be mended with this liquid, put a piece of zinc over the hole, and apply a lighted candle below it, which melts the solder on the tin and makes the zinc to adhere.
To 1 pound resin, put from 2 to 3 ounces tallow; melt very carefully together, and, when hot, stir in fine sawdust, and make very thick. Spread it immediately about 1 inch thick upon a board. Sprinkle fine sawdust over the board first, to prevent sticking. When cold, break into lumps 1 inch square. If made for sale, take a thin board, grease the edge, and mark it off into squares, pressing it deep, while yet warm, so it will break in regular shapes. This may be sold at a good profit. It takes but very little to kindle a fire.
 
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