The Rev. F. H. Freeth, writing from Lyss Parsonage, Petersfield, says that his house (built of brick in 1863) has suffered so severely from the wet last winter, and hears of so many of his brother clergy whose houses are in a similar plight, that he desires to make known a recipe, copied from the Proceedings of the Institute of British Architects for 1857 This sulphurised oil seems more likely to be effectual than any other composition of which he has heard—such as soap, resin, and alum, boiled oil, silicate, &c., and at the same time it will not be very costly:—
Sulphurised Oil Paint—By subjecting eight parts (by weight) of linseed oil and one part of sulphur to a temperature of 278 deg. in an iron vessel, a species of paint is obtained, possessing singularly preservative qualities. Applied to the surface of a building with a brush it effectually keeps out air and moisture, prevents deposits of soot and dirt, and preserves the beauty of stone, wood, or brickwork to which it was applied. It has long been known that a portion of sulphur can be dissolved in oil, but until recently such a composition as a paint or varnish has attracted no attention. It is capable of preserving plaster of Paris figures exposed to the air.
