MARINE SALT. See [Salt].
MARL (Marne, Fr.; Mergel, Germ.), is a mixed earthy substance, consisting of carbonate of lime, clay, and siliceous sand, in very variable proportions; it is sometimes compact, sometimes pulverulent. According to the predominance of one or other of these three main ingredients, marls may be distributed into calcareous, clayey, and sandy. See [Limestone].
MARQUETRY, is a peculiar kind of cabinet work, in which the surface of wood is ornamented with inlaid pieces of various colours and forms. The marqueteur puts gold, silver, copper, tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, ivory, horn, &c. under contribution. These substances being reduced to laminæ of proper thinness, are cut out into the desired forms by punches, which produce at once the full pattern or mould, and the empty one, which enclosed it; and both serve their separate purposes in marquetry. For the methods of dyeing the woods, &c. see [Ivory].
MARTIAL, signifies belonging to iron; from Mars, the mythological name of this metal.
MASSICOT, is the yellow oxide of lead.
MASTIC (Eng. and Fr.; Mastix, Germ.), is a resin produced by making incisions in the Pistacia Lentiscus, a tree cultivated in the Levant, and chiefly in the island of Chios. It comes to us in yellow, brittle, transparent, rounded tears; which soften between the teeth; with bitterish taste and aromatic smell, and a specific gravity of 1·07. Mastic consists of two resins; one soluble in dilute alcohol; but both dissolve in strong alcohol. Its solution in spirit of wine constitutes a good varnish. It dissolves also in oil of turpentine. See [Varnish].
MATRASS, is a bottle with a thin egg-shaped bottom, much used for digestions in chemical researches.
MATTE, is a crude black copper reduced, but not refined from sulphur and other heterogeneous substances.