(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.