green branches and leaves of the fig-tree imparts, according to Suckow and Dambourney, a deep gold colour, of a brown-reddish shade. The latter observes, that the young branches communicated a delicate brown, to cloth prepared with a solution of bismuth; but the leaves alone yielded a very deep yellow colour. It is remarkable, that the substances dyed with any part of the fig-tree, retained a very agreeable fragrance, resembling that of the tuberose, even after being washed and kept for five months. Hence they might be usefully employed as ingredients in other dyeing drugs, which possess a less agreeable, and sometimes offensive, smell.—The wood of the fig-tree is almost indestructible, and was formerly much employed in the East, for the preservation of embalmed bodies.
FIGWORT, or Scrophularia, L. a genus of plants consisting of twenty-one species, four of which are natives of Britain: the principal of these is the nodosa, or great figwort, which is perennial, grows in woods and moist hedges, and flowers in the month of July. It is eaten by goats, but refused by horses, cows, sheep, and swine. The animals last mentioned, when diseased with the scab, may be cured by washing them in a decoction of these leaves. Bechstein remarks, that the fibrous root, when overgrown with small knobs, is said to afford a good remedy for the worms in hogs.
Filberds. See Haselnut-tree.
FILE, a tool employed by smiths and others, for the purpose of smoothing, polishing, or cutting metals.
This instrument is composed either of iron or forged steel, cut by means of a chisel and mallet, in small furrows of various depths, and in different directions, according to the grain or touch required. After being thus cut, it is tempered with a very hard and dry soot, which is diluted and worked up with urine, vinegar, and salt, to the consistence of mustard. The process of tempering consists in rubbing the files over with this preparation, covering then with loam, and then placing them in a charcoal fire, whence they are removed as soon as they become red-hot. Immediately after being taken out, they are immersed into cold spring water; and, when cold, cleaned with charcoal and a rag; after which operation, they are laid up in bran, to prevent them from becoming rusty.
Files are of different forms, sizes, cuts, and degrees of fineness, in proportion to the various uses and occasions for which they are designed; such are the common square, flat, triangular, or round files; the rough-toothed files, which are intended to cut more speedily than any other; and the fine-toothed file, which cuts more slowly, and is appropriated to finer workmanship.—The best and most durable instruments of this description are manufactured at Sheffield.
FILTRATION, in chemistry, as well as in domestic economy, is the process of straining or filtering liquors by means of woollen cloth, cotton, linen, paper, or other materials.—It deserves to be previously remarked, that in every attempt at purifying fluids in the manner here alluded to, we can divest them only of those foreign ingredients which are mixed with them, and not of such as they hold in solution. The
