1142. _Artificial Stone Floors and Coverings for Houses, as made in some parts of Russia._--The floors and coverings of houses, in some parts of South Russia, are made in the following manner:--For a floor, let the ground be made even, and some stones of any shape be put on, and, with a heavy wooden rammer, force or beat the stones into the ground, continuing to beat the floor till it become quite even, and incapable of receiving any farther impression. Then run lime, immediately after it has been slaked, through a fine sieve, as expeditiously as possible, because exposure to the air weakens the lime. Mix two parts of coarse sand, or washed gravel, (for there must be no earth in it,) with one part of lime-powder, and wet them with bullocks' blood; so little moist, however, as merely to prevent the lime from blowing away in powder; in short, the less moist, the better. Spread it on the floor, and, without a moment's loss of time, let several men be ready, with large beetles, to beat the mixture, which will become more and more moist by the excessive beating requisite. Then put on it some of the dry sand and lime, mixed, and beat it till like a stone. If required to be very fine, take for the next layer finely-sifted lime, with about a tenth part of rye-flour, and a little ox-blood; beat it till it becomes a very stiff mortar, and then smooth it with a trowel. The next day, again smooth it with a trowel; and so continue to do, daily, till it be entirely dry. When it is quite dry and hard, rub it over with fresh ox-blood, taking off all which it will not imbibe. No wet will penetrate this composition, which, however, after some time, is often painted with oil-colors. The whole floor appears as a single stone, and nothing will affect it. The drier it is used, the better, provided that, with much beating, it becomes like a very stiff mortar, and evidently forms a compact body. On flat tops of houses, the beetle, or rammers' ends, must be smaller, to prevent the rebounding of the boards and timber, which would crack the cement; but, when the thickness of a foot is laid on, it will beat more firmly. A thin coating of ox-blood, flour, and lime, being beat in large, strong, wooden troughs, or mortar, till it can be spread with a trowel, may be used without beating it again on the floor or house-top; but it must be very stiff, and used most expeditiously. Even frost will not affect it. With this composition, artificial stone may be made, rammed very hard into strong wooden frames of the required shape; particularly to turn arches for buildings of rammed earth. It is well known, that earth which is not too argillaceous, with only the moisture it has when fresh dug, on being rammed between frames of wood, till the rammer will no longer impress it, makes external walls; but a mass as hard as stone may be made with a little lime added to sand, horse-dung, and ox-blood. The more the lime is beaten, the moister it becomes; and