j;°sj T AF pa&, bar. 1 !, weighty, of a flark co- lour, and have, black striated ciri> cles. It is frequently mixed with slices of btyony-root, which, how- ever, may be easily distinguished by their paler colour and porous texture. Jalap possesses no smell, and ■ very lit'Je taste upon the at, when swallowed, it affefts the throat with a sense of heat, and occasions a plentiful dis- e of saliva. It is advanta- geously employed in vari us disor- but chiefly as a purgative; for which purpose from 15 to 30 grains, ana upwards, are taken in powdi r : its action, in general, is mil I, without causing nausea, or , except in hot, bilious habits, a. d hypochondriacal cases : nor should it be indiscriminately given to children and young persons, whose bowels it re'axes, and at length destroys the appetite. James's Powders. See Fe- VER-l'onnF.ps. JAPANNING, the art of var- nishing and drawing figures on Wood, in the manner practised by the inhabitants of Japan, and other parts of India. It may be applied to almost every substance that is dry and rigid ; such as leather, me- tals, and f ven paper, previously adapted to the purpose. If wood or metals are to be ja- panned; it is sufficient that their surt ice be smooth and clean ; but leather requires to be carefully strained on frames, to prevent it from cracking, and consequi ntly pariing with ihe coats of varnish, r is n anrged in a similar man- ner, and is generally coated over with s< me kind of elzi. The japan is thin kiid on; but as this art is in tl e h;>nu a t xtc n.dve manufac- tures, and is, besides, too expensive J AS to be practised for amusement, we shall only mention a patent which was lately granted to Mr.JosEPfl EirRfii of Sheffield 1 , for a method of impressing japan upon the orna- mented handles of knives, an ! other articles. — His process is very sim- ple: as soon as the pattern is im- pressed on the handle, &e. it is taken out of the press (being pre- viousl) marked, so that it may be replaced in the same situation), and the japan is laid on. The press is then heated to a oertain degree, and the japanned article returned to it; by which means the varnish is pressed in, rendered more firm, a: 1 made capable of receiving a high polish. This met od is appli- cable to ornamented handles of knives, forks, <S:c. made of wood or paper, in imitation of carved horn, or bone. — See Vaknish. JASMINE, or Jessamine-tree, Jasminum, L. a beautiful exotic plant, consisting of g species, three of v. hich are reared in England, viz. 1. The officinale i or Common White Jasmine, with shrubby, slen- d< r,long stalks and branches, which grow, when supported, to the height of or 20 feet : it has numerous white flowers, that blow at the ex- tremities or points, and emit a very agreeable odour, especially in the evening. — The Italians prepare -a, fragrant oil from these dowers, by the following easy process : Cotton- wool is previously soaked in bori- duc-oil (Oleum Bfiifii), which pos- sesses no flavour whatever; a thin feyer of such cotton is then plated in a glass vessel, and a stratum of dowers over it; another parcel *f cotton is spread over the latter, and t is alternate stratification repeated ev( ry day,.ti,l the. oil is. comp.ctely saturated with the grateful odour of
