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diff --git a/38067.txt b/38067.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..60cd632 --- /dev/null +++ b/38067.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3211 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Select Collection of Valuable and Curious +Arts and Interesting Experiments,, by Various Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Select Collection of Valuable and Curious Arts and Interesting Experiments, + Which are Well Explained and Warranted Genuine and may be + Performed Easily, Safely, and at Little Expense. + +Author: Various Unknown + +Release Date: November 20, 2011 [EBook #38067] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SELECT COLLECTION OF *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +Curious Arts. + +[Illustration: Sketches of Landscapes. + +[See page 31]] + + + +A SELECT COLLECTION + +OF VALUABLE AND CURIOUS ARTS, + +AND + +INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS, + +WHICH ARE WELL EXPLAINED AND WARRANTED +GENUINE AND MAY BE PERFORMED EASILY, +SAFELY, AND AT LITTLE EXPENSE. + + +THIRD EDITION. + +CONCORD: + +PUBLISHED BY RUFUS PORTER. + +J. B. Moore, Printer. +1826. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: Some of the articles in the Appendix do not +list a price. + + + + +DISTRICT OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE, to wit. + + + _District Clerk's Office._ + +[Sidenote: L. S.] + +Be it remembered, that on the twenty-second day of October, A.D. 1825, +and in the fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of +America, RUFUS PORTER, of the said District, has deposited in this +Office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, +in the words following, to wit:-- + +"_A Select Collection of valuable and curious Arts and interesting +Experiments, which are well explained and warranted genuine, and may +be performed easily, safely, and at little expense._" + +In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, +entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the +copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of +such copies, during the time therein mentioned;" and also to an act, +entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the +encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and +Books to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times +therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of +designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints." + + SAMUEL CUSHMAN, + _Clerk of the District of New-Hampshire_. + +A true copy of record:-- + Attest, SAMUEL CUSHMAN, _Clerk_. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + + +It is not so much the object of the author, with regard to the various +arts treated of in the following pages, to convey to professed artists, +a more accurate and extensive knowledge of those arts, as to explain +some of the first lines and principles of them, for the advantage of +those, who may be induced to practice them occasionally, either for +profit or amusement. The chemical experiments are such as are calculated +to combine recreation, with improvement in useful knowledge--a knowledge +of some of the leading principles of chemistry.--The true chemical +terms, according to the new nomenclature (which, perhaps, may not be so +readily understood, by some, as the more common and familiar names, but +will be found sufficiently explained in the appendix) have, in this +work, been applied to the various articles occasionally mentioned. Very +few substances have been mentioned, which are generally considered +poisonous, or otherwise dangerous; but it may be proper, however, for +those who may attempt any of the chemical experiments, to proceed with +caution, and carefully avoid the fumes produced by chemical action, +especially in metallic solutions in nitric acid, and sublimation of +mercury. Several articles in this little collection, will probably be +found to contain some improvements, and if it prove as interesting to +others, as a similar work would formerly have been to the author, his +object will have been attained. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + + _Page._ + + 1. Water-proof gilding and silvering, 9 + + 2. The art of burnish gilding, 11 + + 3. Ornamental bronze gilding, 13 + + 4. To enamel picture glasses with gold, 15 + + 5. To wash iron or steel with gold, 15 + + 6. To wash brass or copper with silver, 16 + + 7. To give wood a gold, silver, or copper lustre, 17 + + 8. To print gold letters on morocco, 18 + + 9. To dye silk a brilliant gold colour, 18 + + 10. To dye silk a brilliant silver colour, 19 + + 11. To silver looking glasses, 20 + + 12. To write on paper with gold or silver, 22 + + 13. To make good shining black ink, 23 + + 14. Blue ink, 23 + + 15. Red ink, 24 + + 16. Yellow ink, 24 + + 17. Green ink, 25 + + 18. Purple ink, 25 + + 19. To write in various colours with the same pen, + ink and paper. 25 + + 20-26. Sympathetic inks for secret correspondence, 27 + + 27. Luminous ink that will shine in the dark, 28 + + 28. To make a writing appear and disappear at pleasure, 29 + + 29. To make a writing vanish and another appear in its place, 29 + + 30. To restore old writing that is nearly defaced, 30 + + 31. To paint a picture that will appear and disappear + occasionally, 30 + + 32. Landscape painting on walls of rooms, 31 + + 33. To paint in figures for carpets or borders, 34 + + 34. To paint in imitation of mahogany and maple, 35 + + 35. The art of painting on glass, 36 + + 36. Best method of polishing steel, 37 + + 37. To make letters of blue on polished steel, 38 + + 38. To preserve the brightness of polished steel, 39 + + 39. To give steel a temper to cut marble, 40 + + 40. To wash iron or steel with copper, 41 + + 41. To give iron the whiteness of silver, 42 + + 42. To wash iron with tin, 42 + + 43. To give tin the whiteness and brilliancy of silver, 44 + + 44. To crystallize tin, 44 + + 45. To make a gold coloured varnish for tin, 45 + + 46. To make shellac varnish for japanning, 46 + + 47. To make the best copal varnish, 47 + + 48. To make a spirit varnish for maps, 48 + + 49. To make elastic varnish for umbrellas, 49 + + 50. To varnish maps and pictures, 49 + + 51. To make brunswick blacking, 50 + + 52. To make a print appear on a gold ground, 51 + + 53. Best method of tracing or copying a picture, 52 + + 54. The construction and use of a copying machine, 53 + + 55. To produce the exact likeness of any object instantly, 54 + + 56. Copper plate engraving, 57 + + 57. Etching on copper plates, 60 + + 58. Engraving and scraping in mezzotinto, 63 + + 59. Etching in aqua-tinta, 64 + + 60. Copper plate printing, 65 + + 61. Etching letters and flowers on glass, 67 + + 62. To print figures with a smooth stone, 68 + + 63. To cut glass with a piece of iron, 69 + + 64. Best cement for joining glass, 70 + + 65. Best cement for joining china or crockery, 70 + + 66. To make a strong water proof glue, 71 + + 67. The art of moulding figures in relief, 72 + + 68. To cast images in plaster, 73 + + 69. To produce embossed letters on marble, 74 + + 70. To soften stone, 75 + + 71. To change wood, apparently, to stone, 76 + + 72. To render wood, cloth or paper, fire proof 77 + +73-75. To produce fire readily, 77 + + 76. To make super-combustible matches, 78 + + 77. To make gun powder, 79 + + 78. To make the common fulminating powder, 80 + + 79. To make mercurial fulminating powder, 80 + + 80. To kindle a fire under water, 82 + + 81. To light a candle by application of ice, 82 + + 82. To form letters or flowers of real flame, 83 + + 83. To produce flame of various colours, 84 + + 84. To make sky rockets and fire wheels, 85 + + 85. To produce detonating balloons, 87 + + 86. To prepare a phial that will give light in the dark, 89 + + 87. To make a person's face appear luminous in the dark, 89 + + 88. To freeze water in warm weather, 90 + + 89. To change the colours of animals, 91 + + 90. To give leather a beautiful metallic lustre, 92 + + 91. An easy method of extracting the essence of roses, 92 + + 92. To prepare various kinds of essences, 93 + + 93. To prepare soda water, 94 + + 94-95. To produce metallic trees, 95 + + 96. To tin copper by boiling, 96 + + 97. A metal that will melt in hot water, 96 + + 98. Illustration of calico printing, 96 + + 99. To prepare an imitation of gold bronze, 99 + + 100. To procure the exhilarating gas, 99 + + 101. Construction of the galvanic pile or battery, 101 + + 102. Construction of the oxy-hydrogen blow-pipe, 102 + + 103. To make a dry phosphorescent powder, 104 + + 104. Curious experiment of precipitation, 105 + + 105. To make a beautiful soft glass for jewelry, 105 + + 106. Composition of various kinds of glass, 106 + + 107. Composition of various alloys, 107 + + 108. To produce various kinds of gas, 108 + + 109. Various chemical tests, 110 + + 110. To produce a picture instantly, 111 + + 111. A cheap imitation of silver bronze, 112 + + 112. To make crayons of various colours, 113 + + 113. To make hard sealing wax, 115 + + 114. The art of manufacturing paper hangings, 116 + + 115. To make elastic blacking for leather, 118 + + 116. Sundry experiments, 119 + + + + +CURIOUS ARTS. + + +1. WATER-PROOF GILDING AND SILVERING.--This kind of gilding, usually +termed oil gilding, being the cheapest and most durable, is in general +use for gilding or silvering letters on signs, labels, &c. and may be +performed as follows:--Grind one ounce of white lead and two ounces of +litharge, very fine, in a gill of old linseed oil, and if convenient, +add nearly one-fourth of a gill of old copal varnish, and half an +ounce of stone yellow; but neither of these last, are very essential +ingredients. Expose this composition to the rays of the sun for a week +or more in a broad open vessel, observing, however, to keep it free +from dust. Then pour off the finest part, and dilute it with as much +spirits of turpentine as will make it work freely with a brush or +camel-hair pencil. (Oil that will answer exceedingly well for this +purpose, may sometimes be collected from the top of oil paints that +have been long standing, and may be used directly, without being +exposed to the sun as directed above.) Whatever letters or figures you +would gild, must be first drawn or painted with this sizing, the +ground having been previously painted and varnished; and when the +sizing is so dry as to be hard, but yet remains slightly adhesive, or +sticky, lay on gold or silver leaves smoothly over the whole, pressing +them down gently with a soft ball of cotton. The most convenient +manner of performing this, is to lay the leaves of gold or silver, +first on a piece of deer-skin or glove-leather, and cut them into +pieces of a convenient size, by drawing a smooth (not sharp) edged +knife over them. Then take a small block of wood, of a triangular +form, about half an inch thick, and two inches in diameter, and bind a +strip of fine flannel round the edges;--breathe on this, and press it +gently on a piece of the leaf, which by this may be taken from the +leather, and carried to any part of the sizing where it will best fit, +and to which it will readily adhere: thus the sizing may be readily +covered with the leaf, very little of which will be wasted. Afterward +the whole may be brushed over lightly with cotton, or a soft brush, +and the superfluous gold or silver will be brushed off, leaving the +letters or figures entire. When the work has thus remained two or +three days, it may be rubbed with a piece of silk, which will increase +its metallic lustre. _Note._--It is very essential that the varnish of +the ground should be thoroughly dry, that it may not be adhesive in +the least degree, otherwise the leaf will stick where it should not, +and materially injure the work. When plain gilding is required for +vanes, balls, &c. the leaves of gold or silver may be applied to the +work directly from the book, without cutting or dividing them. + + +2. THE ART OF BURNISH GILDING.--Make a sizing by boiling the skins of +beaver and musk rats, (which may be readily procured at a hat +manufactory,) in water, till it is of sufficient strength that by +cooling it will become a stiff jelly; strain the liquor while warm, and +give your work one coat of it with a brush; when this is dry, add a +little fine whiting to the sizing, and give the work one coat of this. +Then add as much whiting as will work freely under the brush, and lay +on five or six coats of this, allowing each a sufficient time to dry. +Smooth the work by wetting it, and rubbing it with a piece of pumice +stone, which should be previously cut and fitted to the moulding or +other work that is to be gilt; afterward, when the work is dry, rub it +with some fine sand paper. Then take some burnish-gold-size (which is +composed of pipe-clay, plumbago, beef tallow and castile soap, but may +be easily procured ready made,) and dilute it with water till it is of +the consistence of very soft putty, and afterward with the above +mentioned sizing till it will flow freely from a brush, and give the +work three successive coats of this; when the last is dry, dip a +camel-hair pencil in a mixture of equal quantities of rum and water, +and with it wet a small part of the work, and immediately, while it is +flowing, lay on a leaf of gold, brushing it down with a very soft, flat +camel-hair brush, with which also, the leaf is usually conveyed from +the book to the sizing; proceed thus till the whole is gilt, and let it +dry. When the work is sufficiently dry to take a fair polish by +burnishing, (which can be only ascertained by applying the burnisher to +different parts of the work occasionally while it is drying,) rub over +the whole carefully with a flint burnisher, or with the tooth of a wolf +or dog, being fixed in a convenient handle, till the whole acquires a +brilliant polish, except such parts as are required to remain in a +rough-gilt state, which parts are usually flatted by a coat of thin +sizing. Such are the principal rules of the art of burnish gilding; but +as this business requires some variation of management, according to +the state of the weather and other circumstances, it may not be +expected that any person should become very expert in the art, without +the advantage of some experience and practice. + +3. ORNAMENTAL BRONZE GILDING.--This is performed by means of gold or +silver, reduced to an impalpable powder, called bronze. One method of +preparing it, is to levigate any quantity of gold or silver leaves on +a stone, with some clarified honey; dilute the honey with clear water, +that the bronze may settle; pour off the water and honey, and add +fresh water to the bronze, which, after being thus thoroughly washed, +may be dried on paper, and is ready for use. Another method of +preparing the gold bronze, is to precipitate the gold from its +solution in nitro-muriatic acid, (see 5,) by adding sulphate of iron +to the solution;--then washing it, as directed above. But in general +it will be found much cheaper to buy the bronze ready prepared. The +ground for this work must be varnished with a mixture of copal +varnish, with an equal quantity of old linseed oil; and whatever +figures are to be formed in bronzing, must be represented by holes cut +through pieces of paper. Lay these patterns on the work, when the +varnish is so dry as to be but slightly adhesive, but not press them +down any more than is requisite to keep the paper in its place. Then +take a piece of soft glove-leather, moisten it a little by breathing +on it, and dip it in some dry bronze, and apply it to the figures, +beginning at the edges;--tap the figure gently with the leather, and +the bronze will stick to the varnish according to the pattern. Thus +any figure may be produced in a variety of shades, by applying the +bronze more freely to some parts of the work than to others. If some +internal parts of the figures require to be more distinct than others, +they may be wrought by their peculiar patterns, or may be edged with +dark coloured paint. In some work it may be well to extend the varnish +no farther than the intended figures, in which case, any projecting or +branching parts of the figures, may be drawn with a camel-hair pencil, +and the patterns may in some measure be dispensed with. In either +case, the work must afterwards have one or more coats of copal or +shellac varnish. + +4. TO ENAMEL PICTURE GLASSES WITH GOLD.--The glass must first be +washed perfectly clean and dried; then damp it by breathing on it, or +wet it with the tongue, and immediately lay on a leaf of gold, and +brush it down smooth. When this is dry, draw any letters or flowers +on the gold with Brunswick blacking, (see 51) and when dry, the +superfluous gold may be brushed off with cotton, leaving the figures +entire. Afterward the whole may be covered with blacking, or painted +in any colour, while the gold figures will appear to advantage on the +opposite side of the glass. This work may be elegantly shaded by +scratching through the gold with a small steel instrument, (in the end +of which many sharp points are formed,) previous to laying on the +blacking. Oil paints of any kind may be substituted in the place of +the blacking, but will not dry so quick. + +5. TO WASH IRON OR STEEL WITH GOLD.--Mix together in a phial, one part +of nitric acid, with two parts of muriatic acid, and add as much fine +gold as the acid will dissolve. For this purpose gold leaf is the most +convenient, as it will be the most readily dissolved. (This solution +is called the nitro-muriate of gold.) Pour over this solution, +cautiously, about half as much sulphuric ether;--shake the mixture, +and then allow it to settle. The ether will take the gold from the +acid, and will separate itself from it also, and form an upper stratum +in the phial. Carefully pour off this auriferous ether into another +phial, and cork it close. Wash any piece of steel or iron with this +ether, and immediately plunge it in cold water, and it will have +acquired a coat of pure gold. With this also, any flowers or letters +may be drawn or written, even with a pen, and will appear perfectly +gilt. The steel or iron should afterward be heated as much as it will +bear without changing colour, and if the steel be previously polished, +the beauty of the gilding may be much increased by burnishing with a +cornelian or blood stone. + + +6. TO WASH BRASS OR COPPER WITH SILVER.--To half an ounce of nitric +acid in a phial, add one ounce of water, and one fourth of an ounce of +good silver. It will soon be dissolved, and if the acid and metal are +both pure, the solution, (which is called nitrate of silver) will be +transparent and colourless. Add to this a solution of nearly two +drachms of muriate of soda, in any quantity of water; this will +precipitate the silver in a white opaque mass. Pour off the water with +the acid, and add to the silver an equal quantity of super-tartrate of +potass, thus forming a soft paste;--dip a piece of soft leather in his +paste, and rub it on the metal to be silvered; continue rubbing it +till it is nearly dry; then wash it with water, and polish by rubbing +it hard with a piece of dry leather. Another method is, to add +sub-carbonate of potass to the nitrate of silver, as long as ebulition +ensues; then the acid is poured off, and the precipitate, (which is +white at first, but becomes green when dry,) is mixed with double its +quantity of muriate of soda, and super-tartrate of potass. With this +composition, being moistened, the metal is rubbed over, &c. + + +7. TO GIVE WOOD A GOLD, SILVER, OR COPPER LUSTRE.--Grind about two +ounces of white beach sand in a gill of water, in which half an ounce +of gum-arabic has been dissolved, and brush over the work with it. +When this is dry, the work may be rubbed over with a piece of gold, +silver or copper, and will in a measure, assume their respective +colours and brilliancy. This work may be polished by a flint +burnisher, but should not be varnished. + + +8. TO PRINT GOLD LETTERS ON MOROCCO.--First wet the morocco with the +whites of eggs; when this is dry, rub the work over with a little +olive oil, and lay on gold leaves. Then take some common printing +types, and heat them to the temperature of boiling water, and impress +the letters on the gold;--rub the whole with a piece of flannel, and +the superfluous gold will come off, leaving the letters handsomely +gilt. Another method is, to strew powdered rosin over the morocco +previous to laying on the leaf; the heat of the types melts the rosin, +which occasions the gold to adhere in the impressions, while the other +may be brushed off. + + +9. TO DYE SILK A BRILLIANT GOLD COLOUR.--Take any quantity of +nitro-muriate of gold, (see 5) and evaporate by exposing it to a +gentle heat in a glass tumbler or phial; the gold will form itself in +crystals on the bottom and sides of the vessel; collect these crystals +and dissolve them in ten times their weight of pure water. Then put a +gill of water into a common flask, and add one ounce of granulated +zinc, and one-fourth of an ounce of sulphuric acid. Hydrogen gas will +be evolved, and rise through the neck of the flask, which must not be +stopped. Immerse a piece of white silk in the above mentioned aqueous +solution of gold, and expose it, while wet, to the current of gas as +it rises from the flask; the gold will soon be revived, and the silk +will become beautifully and permanently gilt. Any letters or flowers +may be drawn on the silk with a camel-hair pencil dipped in the +solution, and on being exposed to the action of the gas, will be +revived and shine with metallic brilliancy. _Note._--The silk must be +kept moist with water till the gold is revived. Zinc may be prepared +for the above purpose, by melting it, and stirring it continually with +a stick or iron rod while it is cooling; or it may be pulverized with +a hammer as soon as it becomes solid. + + +10. TO DYE SILK A BRILLIANT SILVER COLOUR.--Proceed as directed in the +last experiment, only use the nitrate of silver, (see 6) instead of +nitro-muriate of gold. The process of crystalizing, re-dissolving, &c. +is the same. But the crystals of silver differ in colour, being white, +whereas those produced from gold are yellow. If a jar, or box be +filled with hydrogen gas, and the silk suspended in it, the action of +the gas, and consequently the revivification of the metals will be +more uniform. For small figures, however, it may be as well to fix a +stopper in the flask, having a small orifice through it, that the gas +may be thrown with some force on the silk, and will have a more +certain effect. A solution of muriate of tin may be managed in a +similar manner, but none of these solutions can be thus revived on +paper. + + +11. TO SILVER LOOKING GLASSES.--Lay on a smooth board, a piece of soft +deer-skin leather, rather larger than the glass that is to be +silvered; and on the leather, having sprinkled a little fine whiting, +spread a piece of tin foil of the same size. Pour on a few drops of +mercury, and brush it over the tin with a smooth brush, till every +part of the tin becomes bright. Then add as much mercury as will lay +on the tin, and upon this lay the glass to be silvered: on the glass +lay another piece of leather, of the same size, and on that another +board.--Take up the boards with the glass, and pressing the boards +together, turn them with the glass, the other side up; take off the +upper board, and pass the glass with the tin and leather, between two +rollers, similar to those of a rolling press, for copper-plate +printing; thus to press out the mercury from between the tin and the +glass. Then place the glass between the boards again as before, and +place a heavy weight (which cannot be too heavy, unless it breaks the +glass) on the upper board, which must remain two or three days. The +glass may then be taken up. The practice of some is, to lay thin paper +on the mercury previous to laying on the glass; this paper, being +carefully drawn out, after the glass is laid on, serves to remove the +superfluous mercury, that the tin may come more nearly in contact with +the glass. In this case, no rollers are used. Concave or other fancy +glasses may be silvered, by making an impression with the glass, in a +kind of putty, made of fine sulphate of lime and water; and placing +the glass in the impression again with the tin foil and mercury, when +the plaster is dry, and subjecting it to pressure two or three days in +that situation. The experiment of silvering glass may be performed by +rubbing a drop of mercury on a small piece of tin foil, and pressing +it upon a piece of glass with the finger, or a piece of soft leather. +In this case, the glass will have acquired the reflective property of +a mirror; and if a similar pressure be continued a few hours, the tin +will adhere permanently. + + +12. TO WRITE ON PAPER WITH GOLD OR SILVER.--Make a sizing as strong as +will flow freely from the pen, by dissolving equal quantities of +gum-arabic and loaf sugar in water; write with this on paper and let +it dry; then moisten the paper by breathing on it, or by holding it +over hot water, and immediately lay pieces of gold or silver leaf on +the lines of the writing, pressing them down gently with a dry hair +pencil. Otherwise, brush gold or silver bronze lightly over the +writing; but this will not have so brilliant an appearance. Allow the +sizing to dry again, and then brush off the redundant gold or silver +with cotton. This writing, (if performed with leaf gold or silver) may +be burnished with a flint burnisher or a cornelian or blood-stone. +Gold letters may also be written or drawn with a hair pencil by means +of gold bronze, mixed with weak gum-water, to which may be added a +little solution of soap, which will make it run more freely. But no +preparation of solution of gold has yet been discovered, which may be +easily revived on paper. + + +13. TO MAKE GOOD SHINING BLACK INK.--Take two ounces of nut-galls in +coarse powder; one ounce of logwood in thin chips; one ounce of +sulphate of iron; three-fourths of an ounce of gum-arabic; one-fourth +of an ounce of sulphate of copper; and one-fourth of an ounce of loaf +sugar. Boil the galls and logwood together in three pints of water, +till the quantity is reduced to one half. Then the liquor must be +strained through a flannel into a proper vessel, and the remainder of +the ingredients be added to it. The mixture is then to be frequently +stirred till the whole is dissolved; after which it must be left at +rest for twenty-four hours. The ink may then be decanted from the +gross sediment, and must be preserved in a glass bottle well corked. + + +14. BLUE INK.--Dissolve one ounce of gum-arabic in a pint of water. In +a part of this gum-water, grind a small quantify of best prussian +blue; you may thus bring it to any depth of colour you choose. Indigo +will answer this purpose very well, but is not so fine a colour, nor +will it remain suspended so uniformly in the water. + + +15. RED INK.--In the above mentioned gum-water, grind very fine, three +parts of vermillion with one of lake or carmine. This is a very +perfect colour, but may require to be shaken up occasionally. To make +the common red ink, such as is used by book binders for ruling, &c. +infuse half a pound of rasped brazil-wood, for two or three days in a +pint of vinegar; then filter or strain it, and add one ounce of +gum-arabic, and one ounce of alum. It may afterward be diluted +occasionally with water. + + +16. YELLOW INK.--Steep one ounce of turmeric, in powder, in half a +gill of alcohol; let it rest twenty-four hours, and then add an equal +quantity of water;--throw the whole on a cloth, and express the +coloured liquor, which mix with gum-water. Rum or other spirits may be +substituted in the place of alcohol. A solution of gamboge in water, +writes a full yellow, but comes far short of turmeric in brightness. + + +17. GREEN INK.--To the tincture of turmeric, prepared as above, add a +little prussian blue. A variety of tints may be formed, by varying the +proportions of these two ingredients, and no artificial colour can +excel it in beauty. + + +18. PURPLE INK.--To the blue ink, described at 14, add some finely +ground lake; or instead of this, the expressed juice of the deepest +coloured beets may be substituted, but is more liable to fade. With +either of these a variety of tints may be formed, by varying the +proportions. + + +19. TO WRITE IN VARIOUS COLOURS WITH THE SAME PEN, INK AND +PAPER.--Take a sheet of white paper, and wet some parts of it with a +solution of sub-carbonate of potass, which must be diluted with water +so as not to appear on the paper when dry. Wet some other parts with +diluted muriatic acid, or with juice of lemons.--Some other parts may +be wet with a dilute solution of alum; and others with an infusion of +nut-galls (water in which bruised or pulverized nut-galls have been +steeped.) None of these preparations must be so strong as to colour +the paper any. When these are dry, take some finely powdered sulphate +of iron, and rub it lightly on some parts of the paper, that have been +wet with the sub-carbonate of potass, and infusion of galls. Then with +the juice of violets, or of the leaves of red cabbage, write on the +paper as usual with a pen. The ink is, of itself, a faint purple; +where the paper was wet with acid, the writing will be bright red; on +the sub-carbonate of potass, it will take a beautiful green; on the +alum it will be brown; on the sub-carbonate of potass that was rubbed +with powdered sulphate of iron, it will be deep yellow; and on the +infusion of galls that was rubbed with the powder, it will be +black.--The juice of violets will sometimes take a brilliant yellow on +the alkali if it be very strong. The juice of violets or red cabbage +may be kept a long time by means of the addition of a few drops of +alcohol; or the leaves may be dryed by the fire, and thus may be kept +ready for use; and it is only requisite to steep them in hot water, in +order to prepare the ink at any time. _Note._--The yellow ink, +described at 16, writes a full red where the paper has been wet with +the solution of sub-carbonate of potass; while the solution of +sulphate of iron, which has no colour of itself, writes a deep yellow +on the alkali, and black on the infusion of galls. + + +20. SYMPATHETIC INKS FOR SECRET CORRESPONDENCE.--_Process +1._--Dissolve muriate of ammonia in water, and write;--the writing +will be invisible. When you would make the writing appear, heat the +paper by the fire, and the writing will become black. + + +21. _Process 2._--Write with a solution of sulphate of iron--the +writing will be invisible. Dip a feather in an infusion of nut-galls, +and with it wet the paper, and the writing will become black. + + +22. _Process 3._--Write with a dilute infusion of galls,--it will be +invisible. Dip a feather in a solution of sulphate of iron, and +moisten the paper with it and the writing will become black. + + +23. _Process 4._--Write with a solution of sub-carbonate of potass; +wet this writing with a solution of sulphate of iron,--it will take a +deep yellow colour. + + +24. _Process 5._--Write with a solution of sulphate of copper,--no +writing will be visible. Wash the paper with a solution of prussiate +of potass,--the writing will then get a reddish brown colour. + + +25. _Process 6._--Write with a solution of super-carbonate of +soda;--moisten the paper with a solution of sulphate of copper, and +the writing will become green. + + +26. _Process 7._--Write with diluted nitrate of silver, and let the +writing dry in the dark--it will be invisible; but expose the paper to +the rays of the sun, and the writing will become black. + + +27. LUMINOUS INK THAT WILL SHINE IN THE DARK.--To half an ounce of +essential oil of cinnamon, in a phial, add half a drachm of +phosphorus. Cork the phial slightly, and set it, or suspend it near a +fire, where the heat may be nearly equal to boiling; continue the heat +four or five hours, shaking the phial frequently, but cautiously lest +any of the oil should escape, or come in contact with atmospheric air, +in which case it would take fire. The cork should be set sufficiently +tight to exclude atmospheric air, but not so as to prevent the escape +of any vapour that might be produced by excess of heat. The phial may +be afterward removed from the fire and suffered to cool. With this +phosphorised oil, any letters may be written on paper, and if carried +into a dark room, will appear very bright, resembling fire. The phial +should be kept corked close, except when used. + + +28. TO MAKE A WRITING APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR AT PLEASURE.--Dissolve +equal parts of sulphate of copper and muriate of ammonia in water, and +write. When you would make the writing appear, warm the paper gently +by the fire; the writing will appear in a yellow colour; but as soon +as you take the paper into the cold air, the writing will vanish. This +may be often repeated. + + +29. TO MAKE A WRITING VANISH AND ANOTHER APPEAR IN ITS PLACE.--Write +on paper with a solution of sub-carbonate of potass,--the writing will +be invisible. Mix together equal parts of solution of sulphate of +iron, and infusion of galls; write with this mixture (which is black) +on the same paper. Then add to the black liquor a little sulphuric +acid, sufficient to deprive it of colour. Wet the paper with this +compound; the acid will discharge the colour from the last writing, +while the alkali of the first, will precipitate the gallate of iron, +and the writing will become black. + + +30. TO RESTORE OLD WRITING THAT IS NEARLY DEFACED.--Boil one ounce of +powdered nut-galls, for an hour or more in a pint of white wine; +filter the liquor, and when cold, wet the paper with it, or pass it on +the lines with a camel hair pencil, and the writing will be much +revived. + + +31. TO PAINT A PICTURE THAT WILL APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR +OCCASIONALLY.--To half an ounce of nitric acid, add one drachm of +cobalt, one drachm of muriate of soda, and two ounces of water; set it +in a sand bath or on warm ashes, where it must remain five or six +hours. Then filter the solution, (which is nitro-muriate of cobalt,) +and with it draw the trees, and shrubbery of a designed picture. Then +with a solution of oxide of cobalt in acetic acid, draw some distant +mountains, fences, &c. and with muriate of copper, (the compound +solution described at 28,) draw some flowers, buildings, &c. These +will all be invisible when dry; but warm the paper and the picture +will appear in green, blue and yellow. It will disappear again when +the paper becomes cold. + + +32. LANDSCAPE PAINTING ON WALLS OF ROOMS.--Dissolve half a pound of +glue in a gallon of water, and with this sizing, mix whatever colours +may be required for the work. Strike a line round the room, nearly +breast high; this is called the horizon line: paint the walls from the +top to within six inches of the horizon line, with sky blue, (composed +of refined whiting and indigo, or slip blue,) and at the same time, +paint the space from the horizon line to the blue, with horizon red, +(whiting, coloured a little with orange lead and yellow ochre,) and +while the two colours are wet, incorporate them partially, with a +brush. Rising clouds may be represented by striking the horizon red +colour upon the blue, before it is dry, with a large brush. Change +some sky blue about two shades with slip blue and paint your design +for rivers, lakes or the ocean. Change some sky blue one shade with +forest green, (slip blue and chrome yellow,) and paint the most +distant mountains and highlands; shade them while wet, with blue, and +heighten them with white, observing always to heighten the side that +is towards the principal light of the room. The upper surface of the +ocean must be painted as high as the horizon line, and the distant +highlands must rise from ten to twenty inches above it.--Paint the +highlands, islands, &c. of the second distance, which should appear +from four to six miles distant, with mountain green, (two parts sky +blue with one of forest green,) heighten them, while wet, with sulphur +yellow, (three parts whiting with one of chrome yellow,) and shade +with blue-black, (slip blue and lamp black equal.) Paint the lands of +the first distance, such as should appear within a mile or two, with +forest green; heighten with chrome yellow and shade with black; +occasionally incorporating red ochre, french green or whiting. The +nearest part, or fore ground, however, should be painted very bold +with yellow ochre, stone brown, (red and yellow ochres and lamp black +equal,) and black. Paint the shores and rocks of the first distance +with stone brown; heighten with horizon red, shade with black. For +those of the second distance, each colour must be mixed with sky +blue.--The wood lands, hedges and trees of the second distance are +formed by striking a small flat stiff brush end-wise, (which operation +is called bushing, and is applied to the heightening and shading all +trees and shrubbery of any distance,) with mountain green, deepened a +little with slip blue; with which also the ground work for trees of +the first distance is painted; and with this colour the water may be +shaded a little under the capes and islands, thus representing the +reflection of the land in the water. Trees of the first distance are +heightened with sulphur yellow or french green; and shaded with +blue-black. Every object must be painted larger or smaller, according +to the distance at which it is represented; thus the proper height of +trees in the second distance, is from one to two inches, and other +objects in proportion. Those in the first distance from six to ten +inches generally; but those in the fore ground, which are nearest, are +frequently painted as large as the walls will admit. The colours also +for distant objects, houses, ships, &c., must be varied, being mixed +with more or less sky blue, according to the distance of the object. +By these means the view will apparently recede from the eye, and will +have a very striking effect. + + +33. TO PAINT IN FIGURES FOR CARPETS OR BORDERS.--Take a sheet of +pasteboard or strong paper, and paint thereon with a pencil, any +flower or figure that would be elegant for a border or carpet figure; +then with small gouges and chisels, or a sharp pen knife, cut out the +figure completely, that it be represented by apertures cut through the +paper. Lay this pattern on the ground intended to receive the figure, +whether a floor or painted cloth, and with a stiff smooth brush, paint +with a quick vibrative motion over the whole figure.--Then take up the +paper and you will have an entire figure on the ground. _Note._--If a +floor is to be thus painted, in imitation of a carpet, the pattern +must be perfectly square, and the figure so designed, that when +several of them come together, they may completely match each other; +and when different colours are used in the same figure, they must be +kept a little separate from each other, and wrought with different +brushes. + + +34. TO PAINT IN IMITATION OF MAHOGANY AND MAPLE.--First give the work +one or two coats of straw coloured paint, composed of white lead and +yellow ochre, ground in linseed oil, to which may be added a little +fine litharge, that the paint may the sooner dry; when this is dry, +rub it smooth with sand-paper. Then if mahogany is to be imitated, +stain the work over with boiled linseed oil, coloured a little with +venetian red and burnt terra-de-sienna, equal quantities. This should +be applied with a short stiff brush, and spread very thin that it may +not run, or drip off. Then with terra-de-sienna, ground very thick in +oil, form the dark shades of the graining according to your design, +with a small flat brush. For this purpose a common sash-brush may be +made flat, by having a small piece of wire, or wood, bound on each +side near the handle. Some of the darker shades may be drawn with +burnt umber and black, ground together, which may be applied with a +camel hair pencil. If any part is to be made very light, the staining +may be wiped off carefully with a ball of cotton. Light stripes, or +lines may be produced by drawing a piece of cork or soft wood over the +work, thus taking off or removing the dark colours, that the original +ground may appear.--To imitate maple, the work must be stained with +yellow ochre, and burnt umber, ground together in boiled oil. Instead +of burnt umber, terra-de-sienna (unburnt) is sometimes used, but as +different kinds, or parcels of it, vary in colour, from yellow to +brown, it may not be depended on uniformly. The birds' eyes and curls +are formed by removing the staining from the ground with a piece of +stiff leather, the edges of which are cut in notches so that the +several points will touch the work at the same time. + + +35. THE ART OF PAINTING ON GLASS.--If the common cakes of +water-colours are to be used in this work, they should be mixed with +water in which a little muriate of soda has been dissolved. Other +paints may be ground in shellac varnish; or in linseed oil, but this +will not dry so quick. The most proper colours for this work, on +account of their transparency, are india ink, or lamp black, burnt +umber, burnt terra-de-sienna, lake and gamboge or chrome yellow. These +must be laid on very thin, that they may be the more transparent. Set +up the glass on its edge, against a window, or place a lamp on the +opposite side that the light may shine through, and with a fine hair +pencil, draw the out lines of your design on the glass with black; +afterward shade and paint it with the above mentioned colours, +observing to paint that part of the work first, which in other +painting would be done last. The shading may be performed by laying on +two or more coats of the colour, where you want it darker. If +transparency is not required, a greater variety of colours may be +used, and laid on in full heavy coats. Any writing or lettering in +this work, must be written from right to left, contrary to the usual +order. In some pieces, the body of some of the principal objects, may +be left blank, so that by placing pieces of silk or paper of different +colours, on the opposite side of the glass the picture will also +appear in different colours, and may be changed from one colour to +another at pleasure. + + +36. BEST METHOD OF POLISHING STEEL.--For this purpose a wheel must be +provided that is perfectly round, and the rim of it covered with +deer-skin, or buff-leather. The diameter of the wheel, for common +purposes may be about two feet; but for polishing razors, and some +other similar instruments, the wheel should not be more than five or +six inches in diameter, and two inches thick. The steel must first be +ground smooth as possible on a common, or fine grained stone; it may +then be applied to the polishing wheel, which must be turned with such +velocity that the surface, or rim, may move at the rate of from forty +to sixty feet in a second; and the leather must frequently have a +powder applied, called crocus of iron, which is prepared by calcining +sulphate of iron in a crucible till it becomes a fine red oxide +resembling rust. For ordinary work, the leather may be moistened with +olive oil, that it may the better retain the powder; but it will give +a more perfect polish if kept dry. If any perfectly plain surfaces, +such as mirrors are to be polished, they must be applied to the sides +of a wheel, and not to the edge or rim, in the manner of other work. + + +37. TO MAKE LETTERS OR FLOWERS OF BLUE, ON POLISHED STEEL.--Hold the +steel over a charcoal fire till it becomes blue;--let it cool. Then +with equal parts of rosin and bees wax, melted together, coloured a +little with lamp black, and diluted with spirits of turpentine, so as +to work freely with a camel hair pencil, draw any letters or figures +on the steel, while it is a little warm. When the steel has become +cold, wash it over with muriatic acid, diluted with two parts water, +to one of acid; thus take off the blue colour, and then wash it with +clear water. Afterward the varnish, being warmed a little, may be +readily washed off with spirits of turpentine, and the letters or +flowers will remain blue. _Note._--If letters are formed of polished +steel with this varnish, and the body of the metal be also covered +with it, except a small space round the letters, and then bathed with +muriatic acid, the space round the letters, will become a dull iron +colour, while the letters and the body of the steel will retain their +polished surface and brilliancy. + + +38. TO PRESERVE THE BRIGHTNESS OF POLISHED STEEL.--Grind an ounce of +native plumbago, (such as is used for making lead pencils,) very fine +in a gill of spirits of turpentine; then add an ounce of clean bees +wax; apply a gentle heat, till the wax is melted, and continue +stirring it till it is nearly cold. Brush over the steel with this +composition, and when the spirits have evaporated, rub the work hard +with a piece of glove leather, and wipe off nearly all the wax, that +the metal may retain its brightness. This may be applied to iron or +steel in machinery, or other work, and will be found to answer a much +better purpose than oil, as it is less liable to collect dust from the +atmosphere, and is, in general, much more durable. + + +39. TO GIVE STEEL A TEMPER TO CUT MARBLE.--No temper can be given to +steel, in which hardness is combined with tenacity, more than in that +given to files, at the file manufactories, which is accomplished by +the following process.--To boiling water, add about twice as much +finely ground muriate of soda, as the water will dissolve, and as much +rye flour as will, with the other, make a thick paste; lay a coat of +this paste over the steel, (which must be ground, or filed previous to +tempering,) and subject it to a full red heat, in a fire of charcoal, +mixed with about a third part of animal coal, (coal of bones, horns, +leather, &c.) and then suddenly plunge it three or four feet deep, in +exceeding cold water. By thus immersing the steel rather deep in the +water there is a double advantage; for the water which becomes heated, +by contact with the steel, will rise and its place be supplied +continually by fresh cold water; and at the same time, the pressure of +the water on the coating of paste, will make it adhere more closely to +the steel while it is cooling. The paste may then be shelled off, and +the steel will be found as bright as before, or at least, will not +have been essentially oxydized by the operation. + + +40. TO WASH IRON OR STEEL WITH COPPER.--Dissolve sulphate of copper in +water, in the proportion of one to three; wash the iron or steel with +it, and it will instantly be covered with reduced copper. This is best +performed by applying the solution with a brush, which must be +followed directly with a sponge of clear water. In this manner any +letters or figures may be drawn with a camel-hair pencil, or a pen, +and if it be on polished steel, the letters or flowers will assume the +brilliancy of the steel and appear like highly polished copper. It may +sometimes be requisite to cleanse the metal by washing it with diluted +muriatic acid, that the copper may adhere the more readily. If the +steel thus ornamented, be held over a charcoal fire, the copper +figures become blue first; and when the steel becomes blue, the copper +takes a gold colour; but is restored again to its original colour, by +diluted muriatic acid. + + +41. TO GIVE IRON THE WHITENESS OF SILVER.--To nitric acid, diluted +with an equal quantity of water, add as much mercury as the acid will +dissolve; then add to the solution, three or four times as much water, +and having given the iron a coat of copper, as directed in the last +experiment, brush it over in the same manner with the diluted nitrate +of mercury; its appearance will be equal, if not superior to that of +real silver. In this manner any common, or rough iron work, may be +apparently silvered at a most insignificant expense. + + +42. TO WASH IRON WITH TIN.--Small pieces of iron may be tinned, after +being filed bright, by washing them with a saturated solution of +muriate of ammonia in water and dipping them, while moist, in a vessel +of melted tin. If the iron is of such form as cannot be conveniently +filed, it may be immersed in nitric acid, diluted with as much water +as acid; when the acid begins to act sensibly on every part, it may be +washed with water, and then with the muriate of ammonia, and if a +little fine rosin be sprinkled on it previous to dipping it in the +tin, it may be an advantage. The iron must remain in the tin till it +becomes nearly as hot as the tin, otherwise it will be coated too +thick. Muriatic acid may sometimes be used, instead of muriate of +ammonia, and if the iron is not filed, it will answer a better +purpose. The inside of cast iron vessels may be tinned as follows: +Cleanse the iron by scouring or rubbing it with a sharp grained stone, +keeping the iron wet with diluted nitric acid. As the most prominent +parts of the iron will be first brightened by the stone, the acid will +also commence its action on the same parts, which will very much +facilitate the work, while the hollows, and deeper parts of the +surface, will remain untouched till the iron is nearly smooth. When +this is accomplished, wash the iron with water, and then with clear +muriatic acid; turn the vessel over to drain off the superfluous acid; +then set it upright, and fill it with melted tin, which must be poured +in cautiously, directly on the bottom of the vessel first, and the +stream of tin increased till the vessel is full; then pour out the tin +suddenly, and invert the vessel till it is cold. Sheets of iron are +tinned, in the manufactories of tin plate, by immersing the sheets, +endwise, in a pot of melted tin, the top of which is covered with +about two inches depth of tallow. This tallow answers a better +purpose, after it has become brown by use, than it does at first. The +only preparation of the iron sheets is, to scour them perfectly clean +and bright. + + +43. TO GIVE TIN THE WHITENESS AND BRILLIANCY OF SILVER.--To an ounce +of nitric acid, diluted with an equal quantity of water, add nearly an +ounce of mercury, or as much as the acid will dissolve. When this is +dissolved, add to the solution, gradually, half an ounce of sulphuric +acid; this will precipitate the mercury in the form of a white powder; +when this has subsided, pour off the acid and add clear water; thus +wash the powder from the acid, then pour off the water, and while the +precipitate is moist, (or if it be suffered to dry, it may be again +moistened with water,) rub it over the tin with a piece of glove +leather.--Then wash the tin with water, and when it is dry, rub it +pretty hard with a piece of fine woollen cloth; it will resemble +polished silver. + + +44. TO GIVE TIN A CHANGEABLE CRYSTALLINE APPEARANCE.--Cleanse the tin +by washing it with warm soap and water, and rinse it in clear water. +Then heat the tin to the temperature of bare sufferance to the hand, +and pour on it, or apply with a brush or sponge, a mixture of one +ounce of muriatic acid, with one fourth of an ounce of sulphuric acid, +and two ounces of water; then immediately wash the tin in clear water. +Another method is, to apply in the same manner a solution of two +ounces of muriate of soda, in four ounces of water, with one ounce of +nitric acid. In either case, if the crystalline figures are not bold +enough, the operation may be repeated. If a very small figure is +required, the tin may be heated nearly to flowing, and plunged into +cold water, slightly acidulated with nitric and muriatic acids. If a +little solder is drawn over the tin with a hot iron or copper, in such +manner as to form a cross, or circle, and the opposite side of the tin +be afterwards crystallized, it will have a beautiful effect. + + +45. TO MAKE A GOLD COLOURED VARNISH FOR TIN.--To half a pint of +alcohol, in a flask, add one ounce of gum-shellac, and half an ounce +of turmeric, both in powder; set the flask in a warm place, frequently +shaking it, for twelve hours or more; then filter or strain off the +liquor, which may be occasionally diluted with new rum.--If a colour +is required resembling dutch gold, a small quantity of dragon's blood +may be added, or substituted in the place of turmeric.--When this +varnish is used, it must be applied to the work freely and flowing, +and must not be brushed or rubbed while it is drying. One or more +coats of this varnish (or laquer as it is sometimes called) may be +laid on the work, as the colour is required to be deeper or lighter. +_Note._--To make a rose coloured varnish, proceed as above directed, +only substitute one-fourth of an ounce of the best lake, finely +ground, in the place of turmeric. A transparent blue varnish may also +be made by means of prussian blue; and purple or green, by adding a +little blue to the gold, or rose coloured varnishes. These laquers are +frequently employed for washing silver bronzed ornaments, to give them +the appearance of gold or copper. + + +46. TO MAKE SHELLAC VARNISH FOR JAPANNING.--To one quart of the best +alcohol, add half a pound of the thinnest and most transparent +gum-shellac; mix and shake these together, and let them stand in a +warm place for two or three days; then strain the varnish through a +fine flannel, and bottle it. Shellac varnish is used for japanning +lamps, tea trays, &c. Any of the colours commonly used for oil +painting, may be ground in this varnish and should be applied to the +work with a smooth brush, and in a warm place; and the work to be +japanned, should be perfectly dry and warm. _Note._--Most of the +writers on the subject of japanning, have recommended seed-lac +varnish; but it is a fact, though not so generally known as it ought +to be, that shellac and seed-lac are the same substance; the only +difference is, that shellac is in a more clarified and refined state, +than that which is called seed-lac. + + +47. TO MAKE THE BEST COPAL VARNISH.--Take one pound of gum-copal, and +melt in a flask over a brisk fire of charcoal; at the same time in +another flask, boil, or heat to the point of boiling, one pint of +linseed oil; as soon as the gum is melted, take it from the fire, and +add the hot oil in small quantities, at the same time stirring or +shaking it till they are thoroughly incorporated. Allow the mixture to +cool below the boiling point of water, and then add nearly a quart of +spirits of turpentine;--cork the flask slightly, and expose it for a +few days to the rays of the sun, which will make it work more smooth +and shining. If a larger quantity is to be made, a copper boiler, that +is small at the top will answer to melt the gum in. For ordinary or +coarse work, a larger proportion of oil and a little rosin may be +added. If oil is used in which red lead and litharge (in the +proportion of half a pound of each to a gallon of oil) have been +previously boiled, the varnish will the sooner dry. + + +48. TO MAKE A SPIRIT VARNISH FOR PICTURES AND FANCY BOXES.--To a pint +of alcohol, in a flask, add four ounces of gum-mastic, and one ounce +of gum-sandarac, both in powder; expose the mixture to a gentle heat, +sufficient to produce a slight ebulition for a few minutes, frequently +shaking it, and the gums will be dissolved; strain the varnish through +a fine flannel, bottle and cork it. Some recommend the addition of +venice turpentine, by means of which, a small quantity of gum-copal, +finely powdered, may also be dissolved, but as venice turpentine +contains a portion of spirits of turpentine, it renders the varnish +too penetrating for many purposes; and even the gum-sandarac may be +omitted without any essential disadvantage. This varnish should be a +little warm when used. + + +49. TO MAKE ELASTIC VARNISH FOR UMBRELLAS, OR HAT CASES.--To a pint of +spirits of turpentine, in a flask, add one ounce of gum-elastic, cut +into very small pieces; put in the cork slightly and set the flask in +a warm place, where the heat may not be equal to that of boiling +water, till the gum-elastic is dissolved, which may be effected in +four or five hours. Then strain the solution through a strong linen or +cotton cloth, and add half a pint of boiled linseed oil. _Note._--A +larger proportion of gum-elastic may be dissolved, and a less quantity +of oil added, by which means the varnish will be more elastic, but +will not have so smooth and permanent a gloss. + + +50. TO VARNISH MAPS AND PICTURES.--Take a piece of linen, or cotton +cambric, rather larger than the map or picture to be varnished, and +draw it straight upon a frame of convenient size, and confine it at +the edges by small tacks or nails. Lay a thin coat of fine rye flour +paste on this, and on the back of the paper that is to be varnished; +lay the paper on the cambric and press them together till the paper +adheres firmly in every part. When this is dry, give the face of the +print two or three coats of a strong solution of gum-arabic in water, +allowing each sufficient time to become perfectly dry. This sizing +must be applied with a large smooth brush, and must be spread over the +work very quickly, and with as little brushing as possible. +Afterwards, give the work one or more coats of the varnish described +at 48. _Note._--Very small prints may not require to be pasted on +cambric; and if the paper be very thick, the varnish may be applied +without the previous sizing. Ising-glass, (which may be readily +dissolved in boiling water) is sometimes added to the gum-arabic, and +increases the strength of the sizing, but is somewhat less transparent +than pure gum-arabic. A more simple method of varnishing prints, is to +size them with a solution of loaf sugar, and finish with a solution of +rosin in spirits of turpentine. + + +51. TO MAKE BRUNSWICK BLACKING FOR PICTURE GLASSES.--Take one pound of +gum-asphaltum and melt it over a slow fire; then take it from the fire +and add spirits of turpentine in small quantities, stirring it briskly +till it is of the consistence of varnish. As there is some danger of +its taking fire when the spirits of turpentine is added, it may be +well to be provided with a piece of wet flannel, to throw over it if +that should happen. When it is nearly cold, strain it through a +flannel, and bottle it for use. This blacking is used for bordering +picture glasses, and is probably the most perfect black in nature. It +is water proof and dries very quick. + + +52. TO MAKE A PRINT APPEAR ON A GOLD GROUND.--Dilute venice turpentine +with spirits of turpentine till it works freely with a camel-hair +pencil; lay a coat of this varnish on any part of a print or picture, +observing to keep the pencil within the lines, that the varnish may +not spread beyond. Then lay a coat of the varnish on the same part of +the back of the paper and lay on a leaf of gold over the varnished +part; press down the gold very gently with cotton, and the varnish +having rendered the paper transparent, the face of the picture will +appear as if those parts were printed in gold. By this varnish (which +is less liable to spread in the paper than oil) pictures may be so +prepared, that the colours of various parts of them, may be varied and +changed at pleasure, by placing pieces of silk or paper of different +colours on the back of them. + + +53. BEST METHOD OF TRACING OR COPYING A PICTURE.--Perhaps the most +simple method of copying the outlines of a picture, is to place the +picture against a window, with the paper over it, on which the copy is +to be drawn; the principal lines of the picture will be seen through +the other paper, and may readily be traced with a lead pencil. But the +usual manner of copying, in landscape painting, and which will answer +for pictures of any size, is to rub over the back of the picture with +plumbago, or red ochre; then lay the picture on the ground that is to +receive the copy, and trace the lines with a smooth pointed steel, or +piece of hard wood. The ground will thus be very accurately and +distinctly marked, by the plumbago or ochre adhering to the ground in +the lines that are traced. When several copies are to be taken from +the same pattern, (which frequently occurs in ornamental painting,) +the outlines of the first copy may be perforated with some pointed +instrument, so that being laid on the other grounds that are to +receive the copies, and brushed over with a little fine dry whiting, +or red ochre, (as the case may require) the whiting or ochre will +penetrate the perforated lines of the pattern, and thus mark the +ground on which it is laid. + + +54. THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF A COPYING MACHINE.--Take two strips of +wood, which may be about three feet long, one inch wide, and +one-fourth of an inch thick; lay them on a table, parallel to each +other, and eighteen inches apart. Across these, lay three other +strips, which must be eighteen inches long, that each end of each +piece may rest on one of the longer strips. Two of these must lie +across the opposite ends of the longer pieces, and the other across +the centre, thus forming two squares. Drive a pin through the ends of +the short pieces, or confine them by rivets to the others, but not so +as to prevent their playing circularly on the rivets. Then drive a pin +or pivot through the centre of the middle cross-bar into the table, or +board on which the work lies. In one end of one of the long strips +(which may project a little over the cross-bar) fix a lead pencil, +with the point downward, so that it may bear lightly on the board; and +under this pencil, place the paper that is to receive the copy. And in +the opposite end of the other piece, fix a smooth iron point, in a +manner similar to that of the pencil, and under this point place the +picture that is to be copied. Then with the iron point, carefully +trace the lines of the picture, and the pencil in the opposite corner +will move in a transverse direction, and draw the same picture very +accurately on the other paper. If you fix the pencil half way between +its former place and the middle cross-bar, and remove the pivot to a +point that is directly in a line with the pencil and the iron point, +it will give a copy in exact proportion, but only one fourth part as +large as the picture that is copied. Thus the copy may be decreased or +increased to any size, and still retain its regular proportions. In +this manner, painting on wood or canvas may be copied, which could not +readily be done in any other way. + + +55. TO PRODUCE THE EXACT LIKENESS OF ANY OBJECT, INSTANTLY ON +PAPER.--This may be readily effected by laying the paper on a table, +and holding a double convex lens (a common sun-glass) over it, and +then placing a mirror over the lens, in an oblique position so as to +face partly downward, and partly towards the object that is to be +represented. The rays of light passing from the object to the mirror, +will be reflected downward through the lens, and produce the likeness +of the object in full colours on the paper. This experiment may be +easily made in the evening, by reflecting the flame of a candle in +this manner, which will appear very brilliant on the paper. But in +order to render the reflection of an object distinctly visible by day +light, it may be requisite to exclude nearly all the light from the +paper, except what falls through the lens. In all cases, the lens must +be placed at a distance above the paper, according to its focus, or +the distance at which it would contract the rays of the sun to the +smallest point. A very convenient camera obscura, for drawing +landscapes, or even portraits may be constructed as follows: Make a +box of boards, in the form of a regular cube, being one foot in +length, breadth and height; bore a hole of one inch diameter, through +the centre of the top; and on this, fix a double convex lens, the +focus of which must reach the bottom of the box. Make an aperture of +about six inches in length, and one in breadth, through one side of +the box at the top, by shaving off, or hollowing the edge in such +manner that when you put your face to the aperture to look into the +box, it will exclude all the light except what falls through the lens. +Make a hole through each end of the box, near the bottom, large enough +to put in the hands, with paper and pencil. On the top of the box, on +the right and left sides of the lens, fix two pieces of boards, which +may be about four inches high, eight inches long, and three inches +distant from each other. Between these boards, fix a piece of looking +glass, three inches square, and facing from you; the lower edge of the +glass, being near the lens, on the side towards you; and the upper +edge inclining towards you about thirty degrees from a perpendicular. +Directly over, and nearly four inches above the lens, place another +mirror, the centre of which must face directly towards the lower edge +of the first. Cover the glass-box so as to exclude all the light from +the glasses except what falls on them horizontally from objects +directly in front of you, and place a sheet of paper on the bottom of +the box inside. The rays of light, passing from objects in front, will +be reflected from the first mirror to the second, and from the second, +through the lens to the paper, where you will have a perfect +similitude of the objects in view, in full colours, and true +perspective, and may trace them on the paper, with a pencil or pen. + + +56. COPPER-PLATE ENGRAVING.--For this purpose, provide a plate of +copper, rather larger than the design that is to be engraved, and may +be about one sixteenth of an inch thick; planish by rubbing it, first, +directly length-wise, and afterwards breadth-wise with a piece of +pumice-stone, which may be dipped occasionally in a mixture of one +part nitric acid, with six or seven parts water.--Then wash the copper +with clear water, and rub it with an oil stone that has a plane +surface; and then polish it with a piece of charcoal, that has been +ignited to redness and quenched in cold water. Afterwards burnish the +copper by rubbing it with polished steel. Lay a piece of transparent +paper on the design that is to be engraved, and trace the principal +lines with a lead pencil;--then brush over the copy or tracing with +dry red ochre, and having rubbed the copper plate with a piece of +bees-wax, lay the red side of the tracing on the plate; then with a +smooth iron point, trace the same lines again, that they may thus be +transferred to the plate by means of the red ochre and wax. Take up +the paper and trace the lines on the plate with a needle, thus scoring +the lines slightly on the copper. Then warm the plate and wipe off the +wax, or wash it off with spirits of turpentine, and rub the plate with +fine dry whiting. The next instrument to proceed with is the graver; +consisting of a blade of steel about three inches long, which is fixed +in a convenient handle like an awl. The form of the graver should be +triangular, or between a triangle and lozenge, having two sides plane +and the other round or swelled; and should taper regularly from the +handle to the point, or nearly so, but the point must be ground off +obliquely so that the edge may extend a little farther than the back; +and the edge should rise a little rounding towards the point. It is +very essential that the edge and point of the graver should be kept +very sharp. The manner of holding the graver, is to take the handle +into the hollow of the hand, pressing it with three fingers, on one +side, and the thumb on the other, and extend the fore finger on the +back of the blade towards the point.--The edge of the graver must rest +on the plate, and its motion when cutting must be endwise in all +cases; though there evidently might be a graver constructed, which +might, in some cases, be handled in a manner more similar to that of a +pen or pencil. A graver of a square form may also be requisite, for +cutting large and broad lines occasionally. In proceeding to engrave +the plate, begin with the outlines, observing to press harder or +lighter on the graver, as the lines require to be larger or smaller, +and finish each line with the same motion if possible, without taking +the graver off the plate. Having cut the outlines, proceed to fill up, +and shade the work discretionally, according to the design. It may be +requisite, after part of the work is engraved, to scrape it lightly +with the edge of the graver, to take off any roughness, that may have +been formed on the part engraved. If after finishing the design, any +part appears to have been improperly executed, such parts may be +erased by the burnisher, and may be re-engraved with the requisite +amendments. + + +57. ETCHING ON COPPER PLATES.--Melt together two ounces of bees-wax, +and one ounce of venice turpentine, and when the wax is melted and +boils, add by small quantities, two ounces of gum-asphaltum, stirring +the mixture briskly at the same time; and when the mixture is well +incorporated, take it from the fire, let it cool a little, and then +pour it into warm water, and by working it with the hands, form it +into balls of about an inch in diameter, and wrap each of them in a +piece of taffety, or thin silk. Then, having prepared and polished a +plate of copper, as directed for copper-plate engraving, warm the +plate sufficiently to melt the balls of wax varnish, and rub one of +them over it, till every part of the polished side is covered with the +varnish; then with a ball of cotton, wrapped or tied up in taffety, +beat every part of the varnished plate gently, while the varnish is +yet flowing, that it may spread the more even and uniformly. Then hold +the plate in a horizontal position, with the varnished side down, and +hold the flame of a wax candle under it, or a small roll of paper that +has been dipped in melted wax, and thus blacken the varnish while the +plate is yet warm enough to keep it in a melted state. When the +varnish has become sufficiently and uniformly black, let the plate +cool, and having drawn the design on transparent paper, rub over the +face of it with chalk; then wipe off most of the chalk with a piece of +flannel, lay the chalked side on the varnish, and trace the lines, +somewhat minutely, with a smooth round pointed needle. Then take up +the paper, and proceed to scoring the lines in the varnish. For this +purpose you must be provided with several needles of different sizes, +and fixed in handles, which may be about four inches long, and nearly +half an inch in diameter, and the needle may project three fourths of +an inch from the handle. Some of these may be ground a little flat on +one side, and others may be round, but taper more abruptly at the +point. These needles may be held, and managed much the same as a pen. +Begin scoring with the out lines, observing to cut completely through +the varnish, but it is not requisite to scratch the copper, except in +making very heavy lines, when it cannot well be avoided. Having +finished scoring the varnish according to the design, fix a border of +wax (composed of two parts bees-wax and one of venice turpentine) +round the work, on the margin of the plate. This border may be about +half an inch high, and must be fixed to the plate while warm. Then +pour on as much nitric acid, diluted with an equal quantity of water, +as the plate with the border will contain. In about fifteen minutes +pour off the acid, and examine whether it has sufficiently corroded +any part of the work; if so, lay a mixture of warm tallow and linseed +oil over such parts with a hair pencil, and again pour on the acid. In +half an hour more the acid may be poured off, and the plate being +warmed, the border may be removed, and the varnish may be wiped off +with a piece of linen cloth;--the plate may then be washed with olive +oil, and cleansed as before with dry fine whiting. _Note_--Different +artists use a variety of different preparations of varnish for the +purpose of etching. In some old recipes, virgin wax, calcined +asphaltum, gum mastic, amber, colophony, greek pitch, burgundy pitch, +black pitch, resin, shoe makers' wax, &c. &c. are mentioned. But it is +believed that the above described varnish, while it is much more +simple, will answer equally as well for young practitioners; and it is +not expected that any will attempt very nice work, without further +information than they could expect to obtain from the sketches in this +little collection. + + +58. ENGRAVING AND SCRAPING IN MEZZOTINTO.--Having prepared a plate of +copper, proceed to score it so full of lines, cross-lines and diagonal +lines, that when they are filled with ink, the plate may appear quite +black. For this purpose an instrument will be requisite that is +fashioned similar to a chisel, the round or sloping side being scored +or filed near the point, with lines or notches very near to each +other, so as to form a set of sharp uniform teeth at the edge; this +instrument is called a cradle, and should be a little round at the +corners. This cradle must be moved over the plate, in the manner of a +graver, scoring the plate uniformly in various directions. When the +scoring is finished, take a scraper, which may be similar to a knife, +having two edges, and sloping on each side towards the point; with +this, scrape off the roughness of the plate, in such places as is +required to be the lightest in the print; such parts as require to be +shaded partially, may not be scraped so deep, while the points that +are to be the brightest may be burnished quite smooth with the +polished end of a piece of steel, about the size of a large nail, and +some of the heaviest out-lines may be cut with a graver. Thus any +portraits or other figures may be formed on the plate, with due +proportion of light and shade, and will, if properly-managed, give an +impression on paper, equal in elegance to any that might be produced +by other means. + + +59. ETCHING IN AQUA-TINTA.--Polish the plate of copper, the same as +for engraving; moisten the plate with water and sift on finely +powdered rosin and gum-asphaltum, so as to nearly cover the plate; +then warm the plate sufficient to make the powder adhere, but not to +melt it entirely. Transfer the design to the plate, and cover such +parts as are intended to remain white, with a varnish composed of bees +wax and linseed oil, which may be coloured a very little with black, +and must be applied to the work, while warm, with a camel hair pencil. +Then fix a border of wax round the plate, and pour on diluted nitric +acid. In about one minute, pour off the acid, and wash the plate with +clear water, but without effecting the varnish;--dry the plate, and +apply the varnish to such parts of the design as are intended to have +but a faint shade; then apply the acid for a minute or two longer. +Thus proceed biting in, and stopping out alternately, till every part +of the design has acquired its proper shade. But if any part requires +a darker shade than the ground, the powdered rosin may be removed from +such parts with a scraper. When the plate has become sufficiently +corroded, the varnish may be washed off with oil, or spirits of +turpentine, and the plate may be cleansed with whiting. + + +60. COPPER-PLATE PRINTING.--The paper on which impressions from a +copper-plate are to be taken, should be moistened, or wet down two or +three days previous to printing; this is performed by dipping the +sheets in water severally, and then laying them all together under a +heavy weight till they are used. When the paper is ready, the +copper-plate may be warmed over a chafing dish of coals, and the +engraved side completely covered and all the lines filled with common +printing ink, or ink made of Frankfort black, finely ground in old +linseed oil. This may be done by means of a printing ball, or the ink +may be spread on the plate with a smooth stiff brush. The plate may +then be wiped with a piece of linen or cotton cloth, and afterward +with the hand, being passed slowly but hardly over the plate to take +off all the ink except what remains in the lines of the engraving; to +accomplish which more effectually, the hand may be rubbed occasionally +with dry whiting. When the plate is thoroughly cleaned of the +redundant ink, it may be laid on the table of a rolling press, and +having a sheet of the moistened paper laid upon the face of it, and a +piece of fine broad-cloth over the paper, the whole may be passed +through the press. Then on taking up the paper, it will be found to +have received a black impression from the plate, according to the +engraving or etching, and the plate may be again carried to the fire, +to be blacked again as before. This is the usual manner of printing; +but when a rolling press is not at hand, the plate and moistened paper +may by other means, be pressed hard and firmly together, and the paper +will have received the impression equally as fair. Any of the colours, +commonly used in oil painting, being ground very thick in oil may be +substituted for ink in copper-plate printing. The plate, after being +used, should be wiped clean with a piece of flannel, moistened with +olive oil. + + +61. ETCHING LETTERS OR FLOWERS ON GLASS.--Select a piece of glass that +is thick and straight, and lay a coat of melted bees-wax on the +fairest side; then with a needle, pen-knife, or any other convenient +pointed instrument, trace any design, or picture, which being placed +under the glass, may be seen through the wax; or form any letters or +figures on the glass, carefully cutting or scoring quite through the +wax, and making the lines large or small as occasion may require. Then +warm a piece of the wax, so as to form it into a roll, about one +fourth of an inch in diameter; lay this roll round the work upon the +glass, and press it down so as to make it adhere to the glass, thus +forming a border. Then take some finely powdered fluate of lime, and +strew it evenly over the glass, on the waxed side, that it may fill +all the lines in the wax; and then gently pour upon it, so as not to +displace the powder, as much sulphuric acid, diluted with thrice its +weight of water, as is sufficient to cover the powdered fluate of +lime. Let every thing remain in this state for three hours; then pour +off the mixture, and clean the glass by washing it with spirits of +turpentine. The figures which were scored in the wax, will be found +engraven on the glass; while the parts which the wax covered, will be +uncorroded.--This glass plate may be charged with ink, (or any thick +oil paint) and impressions may be taken from it on paper, the same as +from copper plates, only caution is requisite, that the glass be not +broken by the pressure. _Note._--The fluoric acid, which is partly +absorbed by the water, in the above process, being very corrosive, +should not be suffered to touch the hands, nor any valuable vessel +whatever. + + +62. TO PRINT FIGURES WITH A SMOOTH STONE.--Take a piece of marble or +slate, and form a smooth plane surface on one side, and on this, paint +any letters or figures with common oil paint of any colour. When this +is dry, wet the stone with water, which will not adhere to the painted +figures, especially if the paints were mixed with old linseed oil, +that will produce a sharp gloss. Then apply a printer's ink-ball to +the plane surface, by which means the dry painted figures will be +covered with the ink, while the bare surface of the stone, being wet, +will not be blackened or affected by it. Press the figured surface +upon some moistened paper, and it will give a fair impression of the +painted figures, on the paper. The block of stone must be then dipped +in the water, and again inked as before, Thus many impressions may be +taken with a tolerable degree of accuracy. + + +63. TO CUT GLASS WITH A PIECE OF IRON.--Draw with a pencil on paper, +any pattern to which you would have the glass conform; place the +pattern under the glass, holding both together in the left hand, (for +the glass must not rest on any plane surface;) then take a common +spike or some similar piece of iron,--heat the point of it to redness, +and apply it to the edge of the glass; draw the iron slowly forward, +and the edge of the glass will immediately crack; continue moving the +iron slowly over the glass, tracing the pattern, and the chink in the +glass will follow at the distance of about half an inch, in every +direction according to the motion of the iron. It may sometimes be +found requisite, however, especially in forming corners, to apply a +wet finger to the opposite side of the glass. Tumblers and other +glasses may be cut or divided very fancifully by similar means. The +iron must be reheated as often as the crevice in the glass ceases to +follow. + + +64. BEST CEMENT FOR JOINING GLASS.--If the glass is not likely to be +exposed to moisture, the pieces may be joined by a solution of equal +parts of gum-arabic and loaf sugar in water; or if these are not at +hand, the white of an egg may answer nearly as well. But a strong +water proof cement that is equally transparent, may be made by +digesting finely powdered gum-copal, in thrice its weight of sulphuric +ether till it is dissolved. This solution may be applied to the edges +of the broken glass, with a camel hair pencil, and the pieces must be +put together immediately and pressed close till they adhere. + + +65. BEST CEMENT FOR JOINING CHINA OR CROCKERY.--Heat a piece of chalk +to a full red heat in a fire; and while this is heating, take the +white of an egg, and mix and beat together with it, one fourth of its +weight of pondered or scraped cheese, (such as is most void of cream, +or oily matter is preferable) or the curd that is formed by adding +vinegar to skimmed milk;--take the chalk from the fire, and before it +is cold, reduce it to powder, and add as much of it to the mixture as +will form a thick paste, and beat them anew all together, and use the +composition immediately. When this is dry, it will resist, in a great +measure, either heat or moisture. A semi-transparent cement, suitable +for china ware, may be made by gently boiling the flour of rice with +water. + + +66. TO MAKE A STRONG WATER PROOF GLUE.--Dissolve common glue in water +in the usual way, and dip into it some clean paper, sufficient to take +up an ounce or more of the glue. When the paper is nearly dry, roll it +up, or cut it into strips and put them into a wide mouthed phial or +flask, with about four ounces of alcohol; suspend this over a fire so +as to boil it gently for an hour, having the cork set in slightly to +prevent its taking fire, but not so as to prevent the vapour entirely. +Then take out the paper (the only use of which is to give the glue +more surface for the action of the alcohol) and add one ounce of +gum-shellac in powder; continue the heat, often shaking the mixture +till the shellac is dissolved. Then evaporate it to the proper +consistence for use. _Note._--Many experiments have been made, in +order to discover some aqueous size, that when dry, would resist +moisture: and some have recommended skimmed milk, and others vinegar +as a menstruum for the glue. But it does not appear from trial, that +either of these are but very little better for this purpose than +water; nor is it probable that any similar composition of size will +resist moisture much better than common glue, especially if it be +mixed with sulphate of lime, or some similar substance by way of +support. + + +67. THE ART OF MOULDING FIGURES IN RELIEF.--Mix together and temper +with a solution of gum-arabic in water, one part of clean, sifted +wood-ashes, and two parts of fine sulphate of lime. Knead this +composition on a board, till it has the consistence of putty. Press a +ball of this putty on any medal, coin or carved work in relief, (which +must be previously oiled) and let it dry; then take off the mould thus +formed, and oil the part that has received the impression of the +figure, with olive oil;--make a small orifice through the mould, from +the centre, or deepest part of the impression; also, pare off the +border of the mould, to within half an inch of the impressed figure. +Then lay a small piece of the putty on the board and press the mould +down hard upon it, that it may not only fill the mould, but that the +redundant part may be pressed out beyond the border of the mould: +raise the mould a little and blow through the orifice, to detach the +new moulded figure from the mould. Thus any number of figures may be +readily produced, suitable for ornamenting chimney pieces, or +mouldings, and which will be very hard when dry, and may be painted +with any coloured oil paints, which will also preserve them from +moisture. + + +68. TO CAST IMAGES IN PLASTER.--For this purpose a model of the figure +that is to be cast, must be provided, and suspended by a rod or staff, +one inch in diameter, and fixed in the top of the head. This model may +be made of wood, chalk, or any other substance that is smooth, and +sufficiently cohesive to support itself. This being prepared, mix fine +sulphate of lime with water, to the consistence of soft putty, and +having brushed some olive oil over the model, cover it completely with +the plaster, which must be applied, and spread over it with the hands, +to the depth of two inches or more. When the plaster is nearly dry, +divide it into several parts with a thin blade, so as to take it off +from the model without breaking any part. When the several parts of +the mould are dry, oil them inside and put them together as before, +and bind them with pieces of tape or twine; set the mould upright, and +fill it with a fresh mixture of sulphate of lime and water, of as much +consistence as may be poured in through the aperture at the head. This +plaster should be poured into the mould as quick as possible after +being mixed; otherwise it would become too stiff, and be spoiled. The +plaster in the mould will soon cohere, so that the mould may be taken +off, and the figures may be set up to dry; and the mould being oiled +and put together again, is ready for another cast. + + +69. TO PRODUCE EMBOSSED LETTERS, OR FIGURES ON MARBLE.--Take some of +the coloured varnish described at 37, and with a hair pencil, draw the +letters, &c. on the marble, (which should be previously well +polished,) and also cover with the varnish, every part of the face of +the marble that is to remain plain. Lay the marble in a horizontal +position and make a border of oil putty round it, and pour on muriatic +acid to the depth of half an inch on the marble. When ebulition +ceases, the acid may be drained off, and the work examined; and if the +letters are not sufficiently prominent, a fresh quantity of the acid +may be added. When the work has been thus corroded to the depth +required, the varnish may be washed off with spirits of turpentine. +The acid that has been thus employed need not be lost, for a muriate +of lime being thus formed, may be crystallized by a slight +evaporation, and preserved for other purposes; or by the addition of a +small quantity of sulphuric acid a sulphate of lime is precipitated, +and the muriatic may be poured off and be used again for the same or a +similar purpose. + + +70. TO SOFTEN STONE.--Marble or granite may be deprived in some +measure, of the property of cohesion by being heated red hot and then +quenched in oil. In this case, the carbonic acid which constitutes the +cohesive property of the stone, is expelled by the heat; and the +vacuum thus produced in its pores, are in some measure, filled by the +oil by the pressure of the atmosphere; by which means the stone +acquires a texture quite different from what it had previously. This +however, is not often applied to any valuable purpose. + + +71. TO CHANGE WOOD APPARENTLY, TO STONE.--Provide a block, or plank of +soft wood, of the dimensions required, and give it two or three coats +of linseed oil, allowing each to dry. Then having prepared some pieces +of marble or granite as directed in the last experiment, pulverize +them to a gross powder; brush over the wood with a heavy coat of copal +varnish (see 47) mixed with an equal quantity of venice turpentine; +let this rest about an hour, and then strew the stone powder over +every part of it, so as to cover the surface completely. If marble is +to be imitated, the powder of different colours, especially the white +and blue, may be prepared separately, and may be strewed on the work +in such shades as will appear the most natural. Granite may also be +crossed or striped occasionally with streaks of a coarser grain, which +will give it a very deceptive effect. When the varnish is thus covered +with stone, a heavy roller, or round log of wood, having a blanket +folded and wrapped round it, should be rolled over the work, that the +larger grains, (which of course will be the most exposed,) may the +more firmly adhere. In this manner, a very perfect imitation of stone +may be given, and the wood thus prepared will be exceedingly durable, +and will answer for many purposes, as well as real stone. + + +72. TO RENDER WOOD, CLOTH OR PAPER FIRE-PROOF.--Dissolve one ounce of +alum, half an ounce of sub-borate of soda and half an ounce of cherry +tree gum, in half a pint of vinegar. Dip any cloth or pieces of paper, +or wood, in this mixture and let them dry;--they cannot afterwards be +ignited so as to blaze, but may be considered safe with regard to +their taking fire by accident. _Note._--Though this composition is a +very powerful preventive against fire, it is too complex for common +use, and has too much colour for white cloths or papers; but a +solution of one ounce of sub-borate of soda in a pint of water is very +transparent and harmless, and will answer in most cases nearly as +well. + + +73. TO PRODUCE FIRE READILY.--_Process 1._ Mix together gently but +intimately, two or three grains of chlorate of potass, and an equal +quantity of loaf sugar, both previously reduced to fine powder:--dip +the end of a strip of glass, or a straw in sulphuric acid, and with it +gently touch the powder,--it will instantly burst into flame. + + +74. _Process 2._--Upon one drachm of spirits of turpentine, in a +glass, pour an equal quantity of a mixture of three parts of nitric, +with one of sulphuric acid. Instantaneous inflammation, accompanied by +the production of a large quantity of black smoke, will be the result. + + +75. PROCESS 3.--Take a piece of phosphorus of the size of a pin's +head, and wrap it in a piece of dry brown paper: rub the paper with a +piece of wood, or any hard body, and it will instantly inflame. +_Note._--In handling phosphorus, it is proper to have a piece of paper +or cloth intervene between the stick of phosphorus and the fingers; +and the phosphorus should be kept under water except when wanted for +use. + + +76. TO MAKE SUPER-COMBUSTIBLE MATCHES.--Prepare any number of small +strips or splinters of pine or other light wood, which may be about +two inches in length and one twelfth of an inch in diameter; dip one +end of each in melted sulphur to the depth of one fourth of an inch. +When they are cold, scrape off most of the sulphur, and dip the ends +of them slightly in a paste made of ten parts of chlorate of potass, +five parts of loaf sugar and one part of red lead, mixed and ground +together in alcohol. Afterwards they may be readily ignited or kindled +at any time by application of the smallest quantity of sulphuric acid. +For this purpose, the ends of them may be dipped or rather barely +touched to the acid in a phial, or, which is a better way, a strip of +glass, or even wood may be dipped in the acid and applied to the +match. + + +77. TO MAKE GUN POWDER.--Pulverize separately, five drachms of nitrate +of potass, one of sulphur, and one of newly burnt charcoal. Mix them +together with a little water, so as to make the compound into a dough; +form this dough into rolls of the size of a small wire, which may be +done by rolling small quantities between two boards. Lay a few of +these rolls together, and cut them into very small grains, and place +them on a sheet of paper, in a warm place, to dry. The dough may be +prevented sticking to the board while rolling it, by rubbing on the +board, a little of the dry compound powder. When the grains are +thoroughly dry, they are ready for use or experiment. On the same +principle, gun powder is manufactured on the large scale, but then the +several parts of the operation, are performed by machinery, otherwise +it would be a very expensive commodity. + + +78. TO MAKE THE COMMON FULMINATING POWDERS.--Grind and mix intimately, +three parts of nitrate of potass, with two of sub-carbonate of potass, +and one of sulphur. If half a drachm of this compound be placed on a +shovel, and held over a gentle fire, it will soon explode with a loud +report. It is not, however, attended with any danger. If two grains of +chlorate of potass in powder and one of sulphur be mixed together, and +wrapped in a piece of strong paper, and the paper be then struck with +a hammer, it will also explode with detonation. This experiment may +require some caution. _Note._--The percussion powder, such as is used +for priming the patent percussion rifles, is composed of chlorate of +potass, and flour of sulphur, with a trifling proportion of charcoal +and loaf sugar, being made into a paste or dough with alcohol,--then +grained and dried. + + +79. TO MAKE THE MERCURIAL FULMINATING POWDER.--Dissolve half an ounce +of mercury in three ounces of nitric acid, assisting the solution by a +gentle heat. When the solution is cold, pour it upon an equal quantity +of strong alcohol previously introduced into a flask, and apply a +moderate heat till effervescence is excited. (Do not forget that the +mercurial solution must be poured upon the alcohol, and not the +alcohol upon the solution.) A white fume will soon begin to undulate +on the surface of the liquor, and flow through the neck of the flask, +and a white powder will be gradually precipitated. As soon as any +precipitate ceases to fall, quickly pour the contents of the flask on +a filter; wash the powder with pure water, and cautiously dry it by a +heat not exceeding that of boiling water. The immediate washing the +powder is material, because it is liable to the re-action of the +nitric acid; and while any of that acid adheres to it, it is very +subject to be decomposed by the action of light. This powder, if very +pure and nicely made, explodes by percussion, or a moderate degree of +heat. _Experiment._--Place one-fourth of a grain of this powder, +between the ends of two slips of paste-board, and paste, or bind them +firmly together;--hold the ends of the slips over the flame of a +candle, and as soon as it becomes warm, it will explode with a loud +report. This composition is less dangerous than the fulminating +compounds of gold or silver, as it never explodes spontaneously; but +yet it cannot be handled with too much caution. _Note._--The silver +powder, or fulminating silver, with which torpedoes and waterloo +crackers are charged, is prepared in a similar manner; pure silver +being dissolved instead of mercury, but it is too dangerous to be +trifled with. + + +80. TO KINDLE A FIRE UNDER WATER.--Put into a deep wine-glass, that is +small at the bottom, three or four bits of phosphorus, about the size +of flax seeds, and two or three times the quantity of chlorate of +potass, in grains or crystals, and fill the glass nearly full of +water. Then place the end of a tobacco-pipe stem directly on, or over +the chlorate and phosphorus, and pour nearly a tea-spoon full of +sulphuric acid into the bowl of the pipe, that it may fall directly on +the phosphorus; a violent action will ensue, and the phosphorus will +burn vividly, with a very curious light under the water. + + +81. TO LIGHT A CANDLE BY APPLICATION OF ICE.--Attach to the wick of a +candle, a small piece, or globule of potassium (the metallic base of +potass) of the size of a small shot. Apply an icicle or point of ice +to the metal, and it will instantly inflame. _Note._--This curious +substance, which has the peculiar property of being ignited by coming +in contact with ice or water, has been lately discovered by Sir +Humphrey Davy. It is produced by making pure potass a part of the +circuit of a powerful Voltaic battery. It cannot be preserved but by +being kept immersed in naptha, a kind of oil of which oxygen is not a +constituent. + + +82. TO FORM LETTERS OR FLOWERS OF REAL FLAME.--Provide a tin chest of +about eighteen inches in length, equal in height and one inch in +breadth. Chalk any design, of letters or flowers on the face of this +chest, and pierce each line with rows of small holes, which should be +about half an inch distant from each other.--Make an aperture at the +top, through which pour about a pint of a mixture of rum and spirits +of turpentine. Place two or three lamps under the bottom of the chest +(which must be raised a little from the floor for that purpose) to +warm the spirits, but not so as to cause them to boil. Stop the +aperture at the top and after eight or ten minutes (which time should +be allowed for the vapour to expel the atmospheric air, which +otherwise would cause an explosion) apply the flame of a lamp to the +pierced lines;--in an instant, all the lines will be covered with +flame, which will continue till the spirits are exhausted. + + +83. TO PRODUCE FLAME OF VARIOUS COLOURS.--This may be effected by +mixing certain substances with burning alcohol, or by applying them +with the point of a pen-knife, to the wick of a burning lamp or +candle. Thus a beautiful rose or carmine coloured flame may be +produced by muriate of strontia: this is prepared by dissolving +carbonate of strontia in muriatic acid, and evaporating it to dryness. +The preparation for an orange colour, is muriate of lime; (a solution +of marble in muriatic acid, evaporated to crystallization) which +should be exposed to a moderate heat till it is deprived of its water +of crystallization and falls to powder. A fine green tinge is produced +by acetate of copper, or boracic acid; which last is procured by +adding sulphuric acid to a solution of borate of soda (in hot water) +till it has a sensibly acid taste; as it cools, the boracic acid is +deposited in crystals on the sides of the vessel. Camphor gives to +flame a blue colour; and nitrate of strontia (prepared the same as the +muriate) a purple. A brilliant yellow may also be produced by muriate +of soda. Any of these preparations being reduced to powder, may be +ignited with three or four times their weight of alcohol, which should +be previously warmed; and if the vessel that contains it be kept +heated also, the combustion will be the more brilliant. + + +84. TO MAKE SKY-ROCKETS AND FIRE WHEELS.--Grind and mix together, +(dry) one pound of gun powder, two ounces of sulphur, two ounces of +nitrate of potass, and four ounces of newly burnt charcoal. Then make +several strong paper cases or cartridges, by wrapping some strong +paper (being moistened with paste,) fifteen or twenty times round a +mould made of wood, which may be one inch in diameter, and ten inches +in length. One end of this mould must be made smaller, being only one +fourth of an inch in diameter for the space of an inch of its length. +The paper must be drawn up close round this neck, and strongly bound +with twine, being thus brought to a shape similar to the neck of a +phial. This neck is called the choke of the cartridge. Take the paper +from the mould, and proceed in the same manner with another. When a +sufficient number of cartridges are thus made and dry, place one of +them in a socket which it will fill up closely, and then fill the +cartridge with the above described compound powder, which must be +thrown into the cartridge in small quantities, and each several +quantity must be rammed or beat down very hard, with a suitable sized +rammer and mallet. In filling the cartridge, small quantities of any +of the flame-colouring preparations, described in the preceding +article, may be added occasionally. When the cartridge is nearly full, +some small balls of cotton, dipped in spirits of turpentine, may be +added, to produce the appearance called stars.--These also, may have +some muriate of strontia, or boracic acid strewed on them. Then place +a circular piece of thick paste board on the materials in the +cartridge, having a small hole through it, communicating with the +powder below; lay upon this, half an ounce of fine gun powder, and +fold the paper down upon it from all sides, cementing the folds firmly +with glue, thus giving the end of the cartridge a conical form. Then +bore a hole about two thirds of the length of the cartridge from the +choke with a gimblet or bit. Fill this hole (which must be as large as +the choke, but tapering towards the other end) with fine gun powder, to +the choke, and fill the choke with the compound, the outside of which +may be moistened a little, the better to keep it in its place. Finish +the others in the same manner, and keep them in a warm dry place till +used. They are then to be lashed firmly to the end of a light pine +rod, with the choke towards the opposite end. The length of the rod, +should be about nine times that of the cartridge. The rocket then +being elevated by the rod, and being ignited at the choke, the +compound inside burning intensely, acts upon the air, and causes it to +ascend. The cartridges for fire wheels, are prepared in the same +manner, but are generally smaller; and instead of being lashed to a +rod, they are lashed to the arms of a wheel, in such manner, that a +violent rotary motion is produced by their combustion. + + +85. TO PRODUCE DETONATING BALLOONS.--Moisten and compress a bladder +till no air remains in it, and tie the neck of it upon a perforated +cork; set the cork in a flask containing the materials for producing +hydrogen gas (see 9.) Thus convey into the bladder a quantity of the +gas, and then remove the cork to another flask, containing two or +three ounces of black oxide of manganese, moistened with sulphuric +acid, sufficient to form with it a soft paste; apply the heat of a +lamp, and oxygen gas will be evolved, and will also rise through the +neck of the flask; in this manner, convey into the bladder, nearly +half as much oxygen gas, as it previously contained of hydrogen. Then +tie the stem of a tobacco-pipe in the neck of the bladder, and dip the +bowl of the pipe in a solution of soap in water, (soap-suds) and +compress the bladder a little, so as to swell a bubble from the bowl +of the pipe;--shake off the bubble, which being lighter than +atmospheric air will naturally rise, or float horizontally in the air. +If the flame of a candle be brought in contact with one of these +balloons, or floating bubbles, it will explode with a violent +detonation, resembling the report of a pistol. If this compound gas be +forced into the water, so as to form several bubbles on the surface, +and flame be then applied to them, a volley of explosions will be the +result. Caution is requisite in these experiments, that the fire be +not communicated to the bladder, as such an explosion might not be +safe. + + +86. TO PREPARE A PHIAL THAT WILL GIVE LIGHT IN THE DARK.--Fill a small +phial about one third full of olive oil; add to this a piece of +phosphorus equal to one tenth of the weight of the oil. Cork the phial +and wrap it in paper to exclude the light, and set it, or suspend it +in a warm place, but where the heat may not be equal to that of +boiling water, till the phosphorus appears to be dissolved. This phial +may be carried in the pocket, and whenever the cork is started in the +night, the phial will evolve light enough to show the hour on a watch. + + +87. TO MAKE A PERSON'S FACE APPEAR LUMINOUS IN THE DARK.--Prepare some +phosphorized oil, (as directed 27,) and rub it over the face. This +oil, though it appears luminous in the dark has not power to burn any +thing, so that it may be rubbed on the face or hands without danger; +and the appearance thereby produced, is most hideously frightful. All +the parts of the face that have been rubbed, appear to be covered with +a luminous bluish flame, and the mouth and eyes appear as black +spots.--The luminous appearance may also be repeatedly heightened, by +the friction of a handkerchief, being rubbed over the luminous part. + + +88. TO FREEZE WATER IN WARM WEATHER.--Draw a thread through a small +glass tube; close one end and then fill the tube with water. Mix +together equal parts of nitrate of ammonia and water, and immerse the +tube in this mixture. The water in the tube will be frozen +immediately, and may be drawn out by the thread. The same effect may +be produced by a mixture of one part muriate of ammonia, one part +nitrate of potass, and three parts of water. For these experiments, +the above mentioned salts should be fresh, dry and finely pulverized +previous to mixing; the mixture should be made in a tin vessel that is +coated inside with bees-wax, and has a flannel wrapper round the +outside, and the tube should be immersed quickly, as soon as the +ingredients are mixed. To produce a greater, or intense degree of +cold, a small vessel of water is first set in one of those freezing +mixtures till it becomes very cold, and then the due proportion of the +salts are added to that, and the tube, &c. immersed in it. The water +in the tube may also be frozen, by continually bathing the outside of +it with sulphuric ether: the evaporation of the ether, carries off the +caloric of fluidity, and the water congeals. + + +89. TO CHANGE THE COLOURS OF ANIMALS.--Any black, or dark coloured +spots on some animals, especially horses, may be effectually changed +to white, by means of any substance that will chafe or blister the +skin; thus a white spot of any shape may be produced on a black horse, +by shaving off the hair from the part that is to be thus marked, and +applying a plaster of spanish flies, or of quick lime moistened with +vinegar; this plaster must be cut to the size and form required for +the mark, and must be kept bound on, till the skin is blistered, or +nearly so. The next coat of hair will infallibly be white. White spots +can be changed to black or brown, only by means of oils or grease. +Bacon fat has been recommended for this purpose, but if the oil or fat +of a bear can be procured, it will prove more efficacious, as this fat +is well known to have a remarkable tendency to darken the colour of +animals and even complexions. But either of these, and in fact, many +other kinds, will answer this purpose if properly applied, and +frequently repeated. + + +90. TO GIVE LEATHER A BEAUTIFUL METALLIC LUSTRE.--Levigate one ounce +of soft lead-coloured plumbago, and an equal quantity (in bulk) of +lamp-black, in a gill of alcohol; then add half an ounce of loaf +sugar, moistened with water and grind all together. The leather must +first be brushed over smoothly with this composition, and when dry, it +must be brushed hard and quickly with a dry smooth brush; or may be +rubbed with a piece of woollen cloth. This blacking will be found +useful for some ornamental purposes, but may be rather too brilliant +for boots and shoes. This composition, however, may be mixed +occasionally with other kinds of blacking, and will tend to increase +their brightness. + + +91. AN EASY METHOD OF EXTRACTING THE ESSENCE OF ROSES.--Take the +leaves of roses, and pound or bruise them: then stratify them with an +equal weight of muriate of soda, in a glazed earthern vessel:--when +thus filled to the top, cover it well, and set it in the cellar, and +let it remain at rest a month or more. Afterwards, strain off the +essence therefrom, through a strong cloth by pressure. The essence +thus procured, is quite equal if not superior for culinary purposes, +to that which is procured by distillation. + + +92. TO PREPARE VARIOUS KINDS OF ESSENCES.--The manner of extracting +the essential oils, being attended with considerable expense of +preparations, of stills, &c. a particular description of the process, +would not, it is presumed, be sufficiently interesting to warrant its +insertion. But the manner of reducing the oils to the state in which +they are more generally sold, and is distinguished by the term +"essences" is as follows. To half a pint of alcohol, add one ounce of +any of the essential oils, (lemon, cinnamon, foxberry, peppermint, +&c.) and shake them together; set the mixture in a warm place for a +few minutes, and if then any opaque or milky appearance remains, a +little more alcohol must be added. When this has become clear, it may +be diluted occasionally with new rum. The essences of foxberry and +cinnamon are coloured with a few drops of tincture of red saunders; +and the essence of lemon, with tincture of turmeric. + + +93. TO PREPARE SODA WATER.--Only two articles are requisite for this +preparation; one of which is super-carbonate of soda, or of potass +(sal eratus,) and the other is citric or tartaric acid. The +super-carbonates are formed by passing a stream of carbonic acid gas +(which is produced by adding muriatic acid to pulverized marble) +through a solution of soda or potass in water;--then evaporating till +it crystallizes. Citric acid is prepared from the juice of lemons; and +tartaric acid (which is more generally employed) is procured from +super-tartrate of potass. But these being common articles of commerce, +a more minute description of the process of preparing them, may not, +in this place, be expedient. The compound called soda powders, +consists of about ten grains of either of the super-carbonates, with +an equal quantity of either of the acids, in each paper; this compound +being dissolved in a glass of water, produces violent effervescence, +and if drank off at the time, gives the water a smart and agreeable +acid taste. The salt and acid, if mixed in powder, must be kept +perfectly dry; otherwise, they would act on each other, and soon be +spoiled. On this account, they are frequently prepared in separate +papers, and sold by sets. Soda water is similarly prepared on the +larger scale; the salts and acid being put into a cask of water, which +is so confined, that the carbonic acid can have no other vent than by +forcing out the water through a pipe fixed for the purpose with a +tube, &c. + + +94. TO PRODUCE METALLIC TREES. _Process 1._--Mix one part of a +saturated solution of nitrate of silver, with twenty parts of pure +water, and pour the mixture upon two parts of mercury in a phial. +After some time (the mercury being left standing quietly,) the +branches and the figure of a tree, formed of brilliant silver, will +appear to grow from the mercury in a very beautiful manner. The silver +in solution being thus robbed of its oxygen by the metallic mercury, +and consequently precipitated. + +95. _Process 2._--Dissolve two drachms of acetate of lead, in six +ounces of water; filter the solution, and pour it into a clean wide +phial. Then suspend a granule of zinc, by a thread or wire fastened to +the cork of the phial, in the middle of the solution, and place the +phial where it will not be disturbed. After a few hours the lead, +being de-oxydized by the zinc, will be precipitated on the zinc, in +the shape of leaves, which will have a very brilliant appearance. + + +96. TO TIN COPPER BY BOILING.--Boil half a pound of granulated tin, +and six ounces of super tartrate of potass in three pints of water; +when they have boiled half an hour, put in any piece of copper ware, +and continue the boiling fifteen minutes longer. The copper may then +be taken out, and will have been handsomely coated with tin. + + +97. A METAL THAT WILL MELT IN HOT WATER.--Melt together eight parts of +bismuth, five of lead and three of tin. This alloy, though hard and +brilliant, when cold, is so easily fusible that it may be melted on a +paper, being held over the flame of a candle. Tea spoons may be made +of this compound metal, which may be melted by putting them in a cup +of hot tea. + + +98. ILLUSTRATION OF CALICO PRINTING.--It frequently occurs, that +substances of different colours, or even without colour, by coming in +contact, produce colours very different from that of either of the +ingredients when separate; thus, if a sheet of paper be striped in one +direction with a hair pencil dipped in a solution of sub-carbonate of +potass; and then crossed with a solution of sulphuric acid, diluted +with five times as much water, it will be colourless; but dip it in a +mixture of a weak solution of sulphate of iron, and infusion of nut +galls, and it will instantly become a beautiful plaid; the ground +being purple, striped one way with black and crossed with white. If a +similar paper be striped with sub-carbonate of potass, and crossed +with infusion of galls, and afterward dipped in a solution of sulphate +of iron, it will become purple, yellow, black and white. Dip a piece +of white calico in a cold solution of sulphate of iron and let it dry. +Then imprint any figures upon it with a strong solution of colourless +citric acid, and let this dry also. If the piece be then well washed +in warm water, and afterwards boiled in a decoction of log-wood, the +ground will be dyed either a slate or a black colour, according to the +strength of the metallic solution, while the printed figures will +remain beautifully white. Stain some parts of a sheet of paper a +purple brown, with a mixture of infusion of galls and sulphate of +iron; stain other parts green with a mixture of tinctures of turmeric +and litmus; stain other parts purple with juice of red cabbage; other +parts red with tincture of litmus and muriatic acid; other parts +yellow with tincture of turmeric; wash the remainder of the sheet with +a solution of sulphate of iron, which will remain white. Then print, +or draw with a camel-hair pencil, any figure or figures on every part +of the paper, with a solution of sub-carbonate of potass. On the +purple brown, the figure will be black; on the green it will be +purple; on the purple it will be green; on the red it will be blue; on +the yellow, red; and on the white, it will take a yellow colour. Thus +the figure will appear in colors different from the ground in every +part. Immerse a piece of white cotton in a solution of sulphate of +iron--it will remain white; dip another piece in tincture of turmeric, +it will take a yellow; wet another piece with juice of red cabbage, +containing also, a few drops of muriatic acid,--it will be red; dye +another piece green, by immersing it in a mixture of tincture of +turmeric and litmus; and another, purple by a mixture of infusion of +galls and sulphate of iron. Let them dry; then immerse them all +together in a solution of sub-carbonate of potass. The white will be +changed to a yellow; the yellow to a red; the red to green; the green +to purple; and the purple to black; and it is not improbable that some +black might be materially changed or bleached by the same simple +solution. + + +99. TO PREPARE AN IMITATION OF GOLD BRONZE.--Melt two ounces of tin, +and mix with it one ounce of mercury; when this is cold pulverize it +and add one ounce of muriate of ammonia, and one ounce of sulphur, and +grind them all together. Put the compound in a flask and heat it in a +clear fire (carefully avoiding the fumes) till the mercury sublimes, +and rises in vapour. When the vapour ceases to rise, take the glass +from the fire. A flaky gold colored powder will remain in the flask, +which may be applied to ornamental work in the manner of gold bronze, +of which it is a tolerable imitation. + + +100. TO PROCURE THE EXHILARATING GAS.--Put a quantity of nitrate of +ammonia into a flask, and apply the heat of a lamp, which must be +gentle, and well regulated. The salt will in a short time liquify, and +must then be kept quietly simmering, avoiding violent ebullition. The +gas will be evolved, and rise through the neck of the flask, and may +be collected in a bladder containing a small quantity of water, and +should be allowed to stand a few hours, and shifted into another +bladder, or silk varnished bag before it is used. Though this gas is +not fitted to support life, yet it may be respired for a short time, +and the effects produced by it upon the animal frame, are its most +extraordinary properties. The effects of this gas, are in general, +highly pleasurable, and resemble those attendant on the agreeable +period of intoxication. Exquisite sensations of pleasure; an +irresistible propensity to laughter; a rapid flow of vivid ideas; a +strong incitement to muscular motion, are the ordinary feelings +produced by it. And what is exceedingly remarkable, is, that the +intoxication thus produced, instead of being succeeded by the debility +subsequent to intoxication by ardent spirits, does, on the contrary, +generally render the person who takes it, cheerful and high spirited +for the remainder of the day. + + +101. CONSTRUCTION OF A GALVANIC PILE OR BATTERY.--Procure fifty or +more thin plates of copper, and the same number of plates of zinc, all +of which may be about the size of a dollar, but not so thick. The +copper and zinc plates, may be either cast in moulds, or may be cut +out of rolled plates of the metals. In addition to the plates of +copper and zinc, it is necessary to be provided with an equal number +of pieces of woollen cloth, rather smaller than the metallick plates +in size. Let these be soaked in a solution of muriate of soda, till +they have thoroughly imbibed it; then take them out of the solution, +and squeeze them gently, to force out the superabundant water. Then, +having provided a circular piece of wood, rather larger than the +plates, cover it with tin foil, and on this lay a plate of zinc, upon +that a plate of copper, and then a piece of moistened cloth; next a +plate of zinc, &c. Continue this arrangement of zinc, copper and +cloth, till all the pieces that have been provided are laid on. As the +pile began with zinc, it must be concluded with copper. This pile may +be braced occasionally with strips of glass to prevent its being +overthrown, Fix the end of a piece of metallic wire, in contact with +the base, and lay the end of another piece upon the top of the pile; +if thus, the opposite ends of the wire be brought in contact with each +other, or if they are connected by any conducting body, so as to form +a circuit of conductors, the pile will afford a constant and powerful +current of the galvanic fluid through them for many hours. If the +hands be moistened, and one of them applied to each of the wires, a +shock will be received. Gold and other metals have been melted, and +even burnt; and potass, soda and lime have been reduced to their +respective metallic states, by being made to form part of a galvanic +circuit. When the pile is not in use, it should be taken down, which +will preserve it from wear, and the plates will require to be cleansed +occasionally, which may be easily done by diluted muriatic acid. + + +102. CONSTRUCTION OF THE OXY-HYDROGEN BLOW-PIPE.--This useful +instrument consists of a cubical vessel, made of tin plate, being from +ten to twenty inches in length, breadth and height. The inside is +divided into four equal apartments, by two partitions, crossing each +other in the centre. The two front apartments are covered at the top, +and each of them have a tube fixed in the front side, near the top, +with a stopcock. The other apartments are open at the top, and +communicate with those in front, by a small aperture near the bottom +of each. These apartments being all filled with water, those in front +are filled, the one with oxygen, and the other with hydrogen gas, +which is done by forcing the gases into them through the tubes in +front, which causes the water to recede through the aperture at the +bottom, and consequently, part of the water is forced over the top of +the other apartments; or rather, may run off through small tubes, +fixed for the purpose, near the top, similar to those in front. When +the front apartments are filled with the gases, (which may be known by +the bubbling in the others) the tubes are stopped, and two leaden +pipes are fixed in them, the opposite ends of which, are so placed, +that the two streams of gas, when expelled from the gas holders, may +come in contact very near the ends of the pipes. When the tubes are +open, the pressure of the water will expel the gases, and will +consequently settle, and must be replenished, so as to keep the +apartments nearly full. When the two streams of gas are ignited at the +point of contact, a flame is produced of sufficient intensity to burn +gold, silver, copper or tin, with a very brilliant combustion. + + +103. TO MAKE A DRY PHOSPHORESCENT POWDER.--Take some thick oyster +shells, wash them, and calcine by keeping them red hot in an open fire +for half an hour: then, select the clearest and whitest parts, and +reduce them to powder. Mix three parts of this powder, with one of the +flour of sulphur; fill a crucible with this compound, pressing or +beating it down as hard and solid as may be, without breaking the +crucible. Set the crucible in the fire, and heat it moderately at +first, but increase the heat gradually for an hour, in which time it +must approach nearly to a white heat. Then let it cool, and again +select from the mass, the whitest and purest parts, which must be +preserved in a phial with a glass stopper. This powder has the +peculiar property of imbibing the rays of the sun in the day time, and +emitting them again in the night; or if the phial containing it, be +exposed for a few minutes to the direct rays of the sun and then +carried into a dark room, light enough will be evolved to render it +distinctly visible. + + +104. CURIOUS EXPERIMENT OF PRECIPITATION.--Set five glasses on the +table, and nearly fill one of them with a solution of sulphate of +iron; and another with a solution of sulphate of copper; a third with +a solution of nitrate of bismuth; pour into the fourth, a solution of +nitro-muriate of cobalt, and into the fifth a solution of acetate of +lead, or sulphate of zinc. These liquid solutions may all be diluted +so as to be colourless. Then pour into each glass, a few drops of a +colourless solution of prussiate of potass. The contents of the first +glass will be instantly changed to a full blue colour; those of the +second to a reddish brown; those of the third, to a yellow; the fourth +to a green, and the fifth to a white. Thus five distinct colours will +be given, by the addition of one colourless solution. + + +105. TO MAKE A BEAUTIFUL SOFT GLASS FOR JEWELRY.--Take six ounces of +clean fine white sand, three ounces of red lead, three ounces of pure +sub-carbonate of potass, one ounce of nitrate of potass, half an ounce +of borate of soda, and two drachms of arsenic; mix and pound them all +together. Put the compound in a crucible, and set it in a common fire, +often stirring it with an iron rod, till it is well melted, and +becomes transparent. This compound will liquify very easily without +any great heat, if the sand is fine, (which sometimes requires to be +ground or pounded in a glass or flint mortar,) and if it be kept +melted awhile, will become beautifully transparent, and may be cast or +blown in the manner of other glass. This glass may be changed to a red +or ruby colour, by adding and fusing together with it, a small +quantity of finely powdered precipitate of gold, (gold precipitated +from solution in nitro-muriatic acid by the addition of tin.) It may +be also changed to blue by the addition of zaffre, (an ore of cobalt,) +and magnesia: a green colour may be given by a precipitate of copper; +and yellow by calcined iron, and white by calcined bones. This subject +is treated of largely in the _Handmaid of the Arts_, to which, for +further information on the subject, the reader is referred. + + +106. COMPOSITION OF VARIOUS KINDS OF GLASS.--The best flint glass is +composed of 129 lbs. of white sand, 50 lbs. of red lead, 40 lbs. of +sub-carbonate of potass, 20 lbs. of nitrate of potass, and 5 oz. of +magnesia. The best crown glass is composed of 60 lbs. of white sand, +30 lbs. of sub-carbonate of potass, 15 lbs. of nitrate of potass, 1 +lb. of borate of soda and 1/2 lb. of arsenic. The composition of +common green window glass, is 120 lbs. of white sand, 30 lbs. of +sub-carbonate of potass, 60 lbs. of wood ashes, 20 lbs. of muriate of +soda and 5 lbs. of arsenic. The composition for looking glass plates, +is 60 lbs. of clean white sand, 25 lbs. of purified sub-carbonate of +potass, 15 lbs. of nitrate of potass, and 7 lbs. of borate of soda. +Common green bottle glass is made from 200 lbs. of wood ashes, and 100 +lbs. of sand. The materials for making glass, is first reduced to +powder; then mixed and exposed to a strong heat, in suitable pots and +furnaces, till the whole mass liquifies and becomes thoroughly +commixed and transparent. + + +107. COMPOSITION OF VARIOUS ALLOYS.--Brass is composed of two parts of +copper to one of zinc; or copper and calamine, (an ore of zinc,) equal +quantities. Pinchbeck consists of from five to ten parts copper, and +one of zinc. Bell metal is composed of three parts copper and one of +tin. Gun metal, nine parts copper and one of tin. Tombac, sixteen +parts copper, one part zinc and one of tin. The composition of pewter +is seven pounds of tin, one of lead, four ounces of copper and two of +zinc. That of type-metal is nine parts lead, two parts antimony and +one of bismuth. Solder, two parts of lead with one of tin. Queen's +metal, nine parts of tin, one of bismuth, one of antimony and one of +lead. Jewel gold is composed of twenty-five parts gold, four parts +silver, and seven parts fine copper. In forming metallic compounds or +alloys, it is proper to melt such of the ingredients as are the least +fusible first, and afterwards add the others, stirring them briskly +till they are thoroughly commixed. + + +108. TO PRODUCE VARIOUS KINDS OF GAS.--To three or four ounces of +pulverized chalk or marble, moistened in a flask, with an equal +quantity of water, add one ounce of sulphuric acid;--carbonic acid gas +will be evolved in abundance, and will rise through the neck of the +flask, and may be conducted by pipes, to any proper receiver. Instead +of the marble or chalk, substitute granulated zinc;--in this case +hydrogen gas will be evolved; but this may require a larger proportion +of water. Pour sulphuric acid upon a similar quantity of dry muriate +of soda;--muriatic acid gas will be rapidly evolved. Proceed in the +same manner with a similar quantity of black oxide of manganese,--apply +the heat of a lamp, and oxygen gas will be produced. Put into the +flask, two or three ounces of lean beef, cut into small pieces; pour +over them one ounce of nitric acid diluted with three ounces of water; +apply the heat of a lamp, and nitrogen gas will be liberated. Powder +separately, equal quantities of muriate of ammonia and newly burnt +lime; put them together into a flask and apply gentle heat; ammoniacal +gas will be evolved. Pour an ounce of nitric acid, diluted with five +times its weight of water, upon one ounce of shreds or turnings of +copper; nitrous gas will be rapidly evolved. Grind three parts of +muriate of soda with two parts of black oxide of manganese; introduce +this mixture into the flask, and add two parts of sulphuric acid, +diluted with an equal quantity of water; apply a gentle heat and +chlorine gas will be evolved. _Note._--When either of the last +mentioned gases are produced, great caution is requisite that they +do not escape into the room, in any considerable quantity, as their +action on the lungs is exceedingly injurious. + + +109. VARIOUS CHEMICAL TESTS.--When water is suspected to hold any +foreign substance in solution, various means may be used to detect and +ascertain the quality of the substances combined; thus, acids may be +detected by immersing in the water, a slip of litmus colored paper, +which, if acid be present, will be changed to red. In the same manner, +alkalies may be detected by a strip of turmeric yellow paper, which +will be also changed to red by alkalies. These tests are sensible to +the presence of an acid or alkali in the proportion of one to ten +thousand. Iron may be detected by a drop of infusion of galls, which +will give to the water (if iron be present) a brown tinge. A drop of +sulphuric acid, precipitates barites in the form of a white powder. +Clear transparent lime-water (water in which lime has been slaked and +then suffered to settle) will indicate the presence of carbonic acid +by a milky whiteness. On the same principle, a solution of +super-carbonate of potass will detect lime. A few drops of nitrate of +silver will instantly discover muriatic acid, by a white flaky +precipitate. Muriatic acid, consequently, is a good test for silver. +Acetate of lead, in solution, is a test for sulphureted hydrogen, +which occasions a precipitate of a black colour. Nitrate of mercury is +an excellent test for ammonia, one part of which, with 30,000 parts of +water is indicated by a blackish yellow tinge on adding the test. +Liquid ammonia is a very sensible test for copper, with which it +strikes a fine blue colour. Nitro-muriate of gold will discover the +presence of tin, by a beautiful purple precipitate. Nitro-muriate of +tin is, on the same principle, an excellent test for gold. + + +110. TO PRODUCE A PICTURE INSTANTLY, IN A VARIETY OF COLOURS.--Paint +any picture on paper in the usual way, only instead of colours, use +the following substitutes: for green, use a solution of nitro-muriate +of cobalt, for blue, a solution of sulphate of iron--for yellow, a +solution of nitrate of bismuth--and for a brown, a solution of +sulphate of copper. Any of these solutions may be more or less +diluted, as the respective parts of the picture are to be light or +dark, but none of them must be strong enough to colour the paper. This +pictture is invisible: but when it is required to appear, the paper +may be tacked up on the wall, and having a glass of the transparent +solution of prussiate of potass (which by sight cannot be +distinguished from clear water) dashed suddenly upon it, the picture +will instantly appear in its full colours. A similar effect may be +produced, by drawing the picture with infusion of galls, and +sub-carbonate of potass; this is revived by a solution of sulphate of +iron, and appears in a yellow and a brown colour. + + +111. A CHEAP IMITATION OF SILVER BRONZE.--Put into a crucible, an +ounce of pure tin, and set it on a fire to melt; when it begins to +melt, add to it an equal quantity of bismuth, and stir the mixture +with an iron rod till the whole is entirely melted and incorporated. +Take the crucible then from the fire, and after the melted composition +has become a little cooler, but while it is yet in a fluid state, pour +into it gradually, an ounce of mercury, stirring it at the same time, +that the mercury may be thoroughly conjoined with the other +ingredients. When the whole is thus commixed, pour the mass out of the +crucible on a stone, where, as it cools, it will take the form of an +amalgam, or metallic paste; which will be easily bruised into a flaky +powder, and may then be applied to sized figures in the manner of gold +or silver bronze, or may be tempered with gum-water, and applied to +the work with a brush or camel-hair pencil; and if properly secured +with varnish or laquers will be even more durable than either silver +leaf or silver bronze. + + +112. TO MAKE CRAYONS OF VARIOUS COLOURS.--Crayons or pastils consist +of various coloured pigments or paints, formed into sticks or rolls +for the purpose of drawing and shading with them in the manner of lead +pencils. But that they may be of uniform texture or hardness, +different ingredients and materials require some variation in the +management. To make white crayons, nothing more is requisite than to +mix superfine or refined whiting with alcohol, to the consistence of +soft putty; form it into rolls of a convenient length and size and let +them dry: or the whiting may be mixed with water and a sufficient +quantity of burnt or calcined sulphate of lime to give the crayons a +sufficient degree of hardness when dry. A great variety of elegant +light colours may be formed by adding to the whiting prepared as +above, small quantities of any of the coloured pigments. The most +proper colors for crayons are lamp-black, prussian blue, burnt umber, +burnt terra-de-sienna, red ochre, vermilion, lake, rose-pink, chrome +yellow, yellow ochre and mineral green. Many other handsome greens are +formed by mixing chrome yellow with prussian blue, varying the +proportions; and purples are produced by mixing rose pink or lake with +blue. Prussian blue and lake being each naturally of a binding nature, +require only to be ground in water; but red ochre and vermilion should +be ground in alcohol, or may have some quantity of the sulphate of +lime mixed with them. Any of these colours may be mixed in any +proportion with whiting or with each other, each compound having a +sufficient proportion of the sulphate of lime, to give it a proper +degree of hardness and strength when dry. The proper length for +crayons is from two to three inches, and the size about the same as +that of a tobacco-pipe stem. It is customary in making crayons, to +have at hand a large piece of chalk with a plane surface, on which to +lay the crayons as soon as they are rolled; the chalk absorbs a part +of the moisture, which makes them dry the sooner and without cracking. + + +113. TO MAKE HARD SEALING WAX, OF VARIOUS COLOURS.--Take of +gum-shellac and rosin each two ounces; and of gum-mastic one ounce; +reduce them to powder and mix and melt them together over a gentle +fire. Then if a red colour is required, add to the mixture one ounce +of fine vermilion; for a black colour, add half an ounce of a mixture +of lamp black with rum; for a blue, half an ounce of white lead with +one fourth of an ounce of prussian blue; which should be previously +ground together dry. To give a green colour, add finely ground +verdegris; a yellow is produced by chrome yellow or gamboge; and +white, by adding pure white lead to the mixture. When the desired +colour is formed by the mixture and incorporation of any of the above +mentioned colouring ingredients, take out a part of the mixture, +sufficient to form a stick or roll of the usual size, and roll it +between two smooth metallic plates, which should also be previously +warmed to prevent the wax from becoming too hard. When the stick is +reduced to a proper size, flatten it a little and let it cool. Proceed +in the same manner with the rest of the composition; afterward hold +each stick severally over a fire of charcoal, turning it quickly till +the surface of the wax is completely melted, by which means the sticks +will have acquired a very smooth and shining polish at the surface, +which they will retain when cold again. If a softer wax is required, a +small quantity of bees-wax and of linseed oil may be added to the +above composition, or may be substituted in the place of the +gum-mastic. + + +114. THE ART OF MANUFACTURING PAPER HANGINGS.--This business, which +has been usually, though improperly termed paper staining, consists +principally in stamping or painting various figures in water colours +on paper. The paper for this purpose is formed into long strips or +rolls, by pasting the edges of several sheets together. The edges of +the sheets should not lap on each other more than half an inch, and +the usual length of a roll is about nine yards. These rolls are first +painted plain with a large brush; the paint is composed of refined +whiting with some colouring ingredient, being ground in water and +tempered with a sufficient quantity of glue to prevent it from rubbing +off; when a new design or figure is to be introduced, several colours +are prepared, i.e. as many as are required in such design, and with +these the design is painted on a sheet of paper. The paper is then +laid on a smooth birch or maple board, and such parts of the paper as +contain the colour that was last applied in the drawing (which is +usually the white) are completely cut out, with a sharp pen-knife, and +the parts thus cut out, are pasted down upon the board, immediately, +in the places and positions they occupied in the design. The sheet is +then removed to another board, and another colour is cut out in the +same manner; thus the several colours are distributed in their proper +arrangements on as many different boards. Each board is then cut away +with chisels and gouges, to the depth of a fourth, or an eighth of an +inch, in every part except where the pieces of paper are fixed. These +boards or prints are supported by other thin pieces, which are fixed +firmly on the backs of them by screws, in such manner that the grain +of one, crosses that of the other, and thus prevents their warping. +They have also cleats or pins attached to them which serve as handles. +A trough is provided, a little larger than the prints, of one inch in +depth, and having a smooth bottom, on which is laid three or four +pieces of fine flannel or cassimere, each of which is at least as +large as the prints. Then some of the colour with which the first part +of the design was painted, is spread upon the cloth with a brush; and +upon this, the print containing the corresponding parts of the figure, +is pressed, (the pieces of paper having been previously scraped off;) +the print being thus charged with the colour, is placed upon one end +of a roll of the prepared paper, which is laid on a table for that +purpose, and is pressed down hard by a lever or screw. It is then +returned to the trough, and again charged with the colour, and again +impressed on the paper at a proper distance above the other +impression. In this manner several rolls are printed with one colour. +Then the next colour in the design is applied to the paper in the same +manner by another print;--a third colour by a third print and so on +till the paper is completely printed with every colour in the design, +each in its proper place. These prints should be washed and kept dry +for future use. A variety of figures may be produced with the same +print, by varying the colours. + + +115. TO MAKE ELASTIC BLACKING FOR LEATHER.--Dilute one ounce of +gum-asphaltum with a pint of spirits of turpentine, in the manner +described at 51;--put this into a flask, and add one ounce of +gum-elastic cut into very small pieces, and half an ounce of +gum-shellac previously reduced to powder. Suspend the flask unstopped +over a fire of charcoal, or set it in a sand bath where it may boil +gently till the quantity is reduced to a gill; then strain it through +a flannel, and when nearly cold, bottle and cork it. The leather +should be thoroughly blackened with some liquid blacking and waxed +over slightly with bees-wax before the elastic blacking is applied. If +the blacking should be too thick, it may again be diluted with spirits +of turpentine. It should be warmed when applied, and the work may +require several coats, and a considerable time for each to dry. Any of +the above mentioned gums may also be dissolved in sulphuric ether, and +thus produce a fine drying varnish, but the preparation is much more +difficult as the volatile nature of the ether will not admit of much +heat, whereby to facilitate the solution. + + +116. SUNDRY EXPERIMENTS.--Rub together a little dry powdered alum, and +acetate of lead; both will become fluid. To a saturated solution of +muriate of lime, add a saturated solution of sub-carbonate of potass, +(both transparent liquids,) the mixture will be nearly solid. Rub +together a little pure white calomel (sublimed mercury) and pure white +ammonia (being moistened;) both will become intensely black. Fill a +flask nearly half full of water, and apply heat till it boils; take it +from the fire and (when it has done boiling) cork it; pour cold water +upon the flask, and the water inside will re-commence boiling. Fill a +glass with water, and lay a piece of paper upon the top of it; place +your hand upon the paper, and invert the glass; the hand may be +removed and the glass may be suspended in that position by a thread, +and the water will not be spilled. Expose a piece of ice to the action +of (cold) muriatic gas; the ice will be instantly melted. Drop a piece +of phosphuret of lime, into a glass of water; bubbles will soon rise, +and on reaching the surface of the water will spontaneously explode. +Apply the end of a roll of brimstone to a hot bar of iron; a part of +the iron will be instantly melted, and will fall. Write with diluted +sulphuric acid, on paper that has been coloured brown by a mixture of +sulphate of iron, and infusion of galls; the writing will be white. +Moisten the under lip, and lay upon it a piece of silver money, (not +less than a twenty cent piece) with the edge of it beneath the tongue; +lay a piece of zinc, of nearly an equal size, upon the tongue, and +bring the edges of the pieces of metal into contact; you will +instantly drop the money. + + + + +_Appendix._ + + +A catalogue of the various articles mentioned in the preceding pages, +with the prices, explanations, &c. + +--> The articles which have this mark * prefixed may be procured at +135, Washington-street, Boston. + + ACETATE OF COBALT, produced by digesting the oxide of + cobalt in strong vinegar, _Cts._ + + * ACETATE OF LEAD, (sugar of lead) procured by + dissolving white lead in vinegar, and evaporating, _oz._ 6 + + * ACETIC ACID, vinegar concentrated by distillation, _pt._ 25 + + * ALCOHOL, rectified spirit of wine, _pt._ 25 + + * ALUM, sulphate of alumine and potass, _oz._ 3 + + * AMMONIA, (hartshorn) a volatile alkali, _oz._ 12 + + * ANTIMONY, a dark porous metal, _oz._ 6 + + * BEES WAX, a yellowish resinous substance procured + from honey, or honey combs, _oz._ 6 + + * BISMUTH, (tin glass) a reddish white metal, _oz._ 12 + + * BORACIC ACID, procured by adding sulphuric acid to + a hot solution of borax; the acid crystallizes, _oz._ 100 + + * BRAZIL-WOOD, (red-wood,) _lb._ 6 + + * BORATE OF SODA, OR SUB-BORATE OF SODA, (borax) is + brought from the East-Indies in an impure state + called tincal, _oz._ 6 + + BURNISH GOLD-SIZE, and BURNISHERS, may be had of Bittle + and Cooper, Pemberton's-hill, Boston, prices various, + + * CAMPHOR, obtained from a species of laurel tree, _oz._ 12 + + * CARBONATE OF COPPER, (French green) produced by + adding a solution of super-carbonate of soda, to + a hot solution of sulphate of copper, _lb._ 50 + + * CARBONATE OF LEAD, (white lead) is formed by + exposing thin sheets of lead to the vapour of + vinegar, after which they abstract the carbonic + acid from the atmosphere, _lb._ 16 + + * CARBONATE OF STRONTIA, a native mineral, _oz._ 50 + + CARBONATE OF LIME, (marble, chalk) a native earth, + + * CHLORATE OF POTASS, procured by passing a current + of chlorine gas through a solution of pearl-ash, _oz._ 100 + + * CHROME YELLOW, a pigment, is formed by the combination + of a metallic substance with the chromic acid, _oz._ 12 + + * COBALT, (Zaffre) a metal of a reddish grey colour; + when exposed to a gentle heat, it becomes oxidized and + takes the form of a black powder, _oz._ 50 + + * CITRIC ACID, procured from lemons, limes, &c., _oz._ 75 + + * CALOMEL, white sublimate of mercury, _oz._ 20 + + * DRAGON'S BLOOD, a red mucilage extracted from + a plant, _oz._ 10 + + * FLUATE OF LIME, (fluor spar) is found in abundance in + Derbyshire, England, its acid constituent has the peculiar + property of dissolving glass, _lb._ 50 + + * FRANKFORT BLACK, which takes its name from Frankfort, in + Germany, is manufactured from the lees of wine, _oz._ 12 + + * GAMBOGE, a yellow opaque gum, or mucilage, _oz._ 16 + + * GLUE, (gelatine) a jelly procured from skins of + animals, _lb._ 25 + + * GOLD BRONZE, gold in fine powder, _pwt._ 75 + + * GOLD LEAF, thin laminas of gold, _book_ 45 + + * GUM-ARABIC, a mucilaginous substance that exudes from + certain trees in Arabia, _oz._ 6 + + * GUM-ASPHALTUM, a bitumen, or mineral pitch, _oz._ 8 + + * GUM-COPAL, a hard transparent resin, _lb._ 40 + + * GUM-ELASTIC, (indian rubber, caoutchouc) exudes + from trees in the West-Indies, _oz._ 8 + + * GUM-SANDARAC, a resin, similar to rosin but much + harder, _lb._ 100 + + * GUM-SHELLAC, a compound, resinous substance, procured + from the nests, or cells of an insect, _oz._ 6 + + * GUM-MASTIC, a hard, transparent resin, _lb._ 100 + + * ISING-GLASS, a kind of transparent glue procured + from various kinds of fish, _oz._ 25 + + * LAKE, (drop lake) a rose coloured pigment, prepared + from brazil wood, _oz._ 200 + + * LEAD, a brown heavy metal, _lb._ 12 + + LIME, an oxide of calcium, is procured by calcining + lime stone, marble or chalk, + + * LINSEED OIL, is expressed from ground flaxseed, _pt._ 15 + + * LITHARGE, (gold litharge) an oxide of lead, _oz._ 4 + + * LITMUS, a blue colouring vegetable, _oz._ 10 + + * MERCURY, (quick silver) a metal that remains fluid + in the common temperature of the atmosphere, _oz._ 8 + + * MURIATE OF AMMONIA, (sal ammoniac) is formed by adding + muriatic acid to liquid ammonia, evaporating, &c., _oz._ 6 + + MURIATE OF SODA, (culinary salt) is procured by + evaporating the water of the ocean, + + * MURIATE OF STRONTIA, procured by dissolving native + carbonate of strontia, in muriatic acid, and + evaporating, _oz._ 75 + + MURIATE OF LIME, formed by evaporating a solution of + marble in muriatic acid, + + * MURIATIC ACID, (marine acid, spirit of salt) is + extracted from sea-salt, _oz._ 12 + + * NITRATE OF AMMONIA, procured by dissolving carbonate + of ammonia (common smelling salts) in nitric acid, _oz._ 20 + + * NITRATE OF POTASS, (nitre, salt-petre) may be procured + by adding nitric acid to a solution of sub-carbonate of + potass, and crystallizing by evaporation, _oz._ 3 + + * NITRATE OF STRONTIA, procured the same as the muriate, _oz._ 75 + + * NITRIC ACID, (aquafortis) is obtained by distilling + two parts of sulphuric acid, together with one part of + salt-petre, _oz._ 12 + + * NUT GALLS, are formed on the leaves of a species + of oak, _oz._ 6 + + * OLIVE OIL, (sweet oil,) _oz._ 3 + + * OIL OF CINNAMON, extracted from cinnamon by + distillation, _oz._ 75 + + * OIL OF ROSEMARY, procured also by distillation, _oz._ 25 + + * ORANGE LEAD, a scarlet pigment similar to red lead, _oz._ 3 + + * OXIDE OF MANGANESE, a black powder consisting of a + metal combined with oxygen, _oz._ 10 + + * PHOSPHORUS, a simple substance procured from + bones; its greatest peculiarity is extraordinary + combustibility, _oz._ 200 + + * PHOSPHURET OF LIME, a combination of lime and + phosphorus, _oz._ 200 + + * PLUMBAGO, (black lead) a carburet of iron, _lb._ 16 + + * POTASSIUM, the metallic base of potass, may be readily + obtained from pearl ash by any one who has a galvanic + apparatus, + + * PRUSSIATE OF IRON, (prussian blue) may be formed by + adding prussiate of potass, to a solution of copperas, _oz._ 25 + + * PRUSSIATE OF POTASS, a combination of potass and + prussic acid, _oz._ 50 + + * PUMICE STONE, _lb._ 12 + + * RED LEAD, (minium) is obtained by melting lead in an + open vessel, and exposing it in that state to the action + of the atmospheric air, _oz._ 3 + + * RED OCHRE, (spanish brown) a native oxide of iron, _lb._ 6 + + * ROSIN, the resinous part of turpentine, _lb._ 6 + + * SILVER BRONZE, _pwt._ 50 + + * SILVER LEAF, _book_ 30 + + * SLIP BLUE, (wet blue) an aqueous preparation of + prussian blue, _lb._ 30 + + * SPIRITS OF TURPENTINE, (oil of turpentine) is + procured by distilling common or crude turpentine; + the residuum is rosin, _pt._ 12 + + * SUB-ACETATE OF COPPER, (verdigris,) _oz._ 3 + + * SUB-CARBONATE OF POTASS, (pearlash) potass refined + by calcination, _lb._ 12 + + * SULPHATE OF COPPER, (blue vitriol, roman + vitriol,) _oz._ 3 + + * SULPHATE OF IRON, (copperas, green vitriol,) _oz._ 6 + + SULPHATE OF LIME, (plaister of paris, alabaster, gypsum,) + + * SULPHATE OF ZINC, (white vitriol,) _oz._ 3 + + * SULPHUR (brimstone) is generally found combined with + ores of metals, _oz._ 3 + + * SULPHURIC ACID, (oil of vitriol) the condensed vapour + of burning sulphur, _oz._ 16 + + * SULPHURIC ETHER, procured by distilling alcohol with + sulphuric acid, _oz._ 25 + + * SUPER CARBONATE OF POTASS (sal eratus) is formed by + passing a current of carbonic acid gas, through a + solution of pearl ash, _oz._ 3 + + * SUPER CARBONATE OF SODA, may be prepared in the same + manner from the sub-carbonate, _oz._ 12 + + * SUPER TARTRATE OF POTASS (cream of tartar) is found + encrusted on the sides of casks in which wine has + been kept, _oz._ 4 + + * TARTARIC ACID, procured from cream of tartar, _oz._ 12 + + * TERRA-DE-SIENNA, an oxide of iron that becomes dark + red by burning, _oz._ 6 + + * TIN, (grain, or granulated tin,) _oz._ 12 + + * TIN FOIL, metallic tin rolled to thin laminas or + sheets like paper, _oz._ 12 + + * TURMERIC, the root of a vegetable, _oz._ 3 + + * UMBER, a brown earth that becomes nearly black by + burning, _oz._ 3 + + * VENICE TURPENTINE, _oz._ 6 + + * VERMILION, a sulphuret of mercury, is sometimes + found native, but may be procured by grinding sulphur + and mercury together, and heating them, first in an open + vessel, till the mixture takes a violet colour; and + afterward in a flask or matrass, _oz._ 12 + + * WHITING, (Spanish white) refined, _lb._ 12 + + * YELLOW OCHRE, (spruce yellow) an oxide of iron, _lb._ 12 + + * ZINC (spelter) a metal of which, with copper, brass + is made, _oz._ 3 + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Select Collection of Valuable and +Curious Arts and Interesting Experiments,, by Various Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SELECT COLLECTION OF *** + +***** This file should be named 38067.txt or 38067.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/0/6/38067/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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