BLACKING is a term generally used to signify a fictitious black, as lamp-black, shoe-black, and the like. A mixture of ivory or lamp-black with linseed-oil makes the common oil blacking. For a shining blacking, small-beer
or water is used instead of oil, in the proportion of about a pint to an ounce of the ivory-black, with the addition of half an ounce of brown sugar, and as much gum-arabic. The white of an egg substituted for the gum makes the black more shining, but is supposed to hurt the leather, and make it apt to crack. Another kind of blacking is prepared by mixing, in certain proportions, ivory-black, sour beer or porter, Florence oil, molasses, and a small quantity of the sulphate of iron; which ingredients, when properly apportioned, form as good and safe an article as need be desired.