Carbonated Pineapple Champagne.—

Filter before adding the citric-acid solution and limejuice. Use 2 ounces to each bottle.

Summer Drink.—

Shake or stir well before drinking. A ta­ble­spoon­ful of vanilla ice cream is a desirable addition. A plainer drink is made by combining the syrup, ³/₄ cup of milk, and the ice, and shaking well.

Beer:

Boil for half an hour, then strain and ferment in the usual way.

Hop Bitter Beer.—

Boil in 5 gallons of water for half an hour, then strain and put into the liquor 4 ounces hops and 3 pounds of sugar, and simmer for 15 minutes, then add sufficient yeast, and bottle when ready.

II.—Sarsaparilla (sliced), 1 pound; guaiacum bark (bruised small), ¹/₄ pound; guaiacum wood (rasped) and licorice root (sliced), of each, 2 ounces; aniseed (bruised), 1 ¹/₂ ounces; mezereon {119} root-bark, 1 ounce; cloves (cut small), ¹/₄ ounce; moist sugar, 3 ¹/₂ pounds; hot water (not boiling), 9 quarts; mix in a clean stone jar, and keep it in a moderately warm room (shaking it twice or thrice daily) until active fermentation sets in, then let it repose for about a week, when it will be ready for use. This is said to be superior to the other preparations of sarsaparilla as an alterative or purifier of the blood, particularly in old affections. That usually made has generally only ¹/₂ of the above quantity of sugar, for which molasses is often substituted; but in either case it will not keep well; whereas, with proper caution, the products of the above formulas may be kept for 1 or even 2 years. No yeast must be used. Dose: A small tumblerful 3 or 4 times a day, or oftener.

II.—Essence of spruce, ¹/₂ pint; pimento and ginger (bruised), of each, 5 ounces; hops, ¹/₂ pound; water, 3 gallons; boil the whole for 10 minutes, then add of moist sugar, 12 pounds (or good molasses, 14 pounds); warm water, 11 gallons; mix well, and, when only lukewarm, further add of yeast, 1 pint; after the liquid has fermented for about 24 hours, bottle it.

This is diuretic and antiscorbutic. It is regarded as an agreeable summer drink, and often found useful during long sea voyages. When made with lump sugar it is called White Spruce Beer; when with moist sugar or treacle, Brown Spruce Beer. An inferior sort is made by using less sugar or more water.

II.—Hops, 1 ¹/₂ pounds; corianders, 1 ounce; capsicum pods (cut small), ¹/₂ ounce; water, 8 gallons; boil for 10 or 15 minutes, and strain the liquor through a coarse sieve into a barrel containing treacle, 28 pounds; then throw back the hops, etc., into the copper and reboil them, for 10 minutes, with a second 8 gallons of water, which must be strained into the barrel, as before; next “rummage” the whole well with a stout stick, add of cold water 21 gallons (sufficient to make the whole measure 37 gallons), and, again after mixing, stir in ¹/₂ pint of good fresh yeast; lastly, let it remain for 24 hours in a moderately warm place, after which it may be put into the cellar, and in 2 or 3 days bottled or tapped on draught. In a week it will be fit to drink. For a stronger beer, 36 pounds, or even half a hundredweight of molasses may be used. It will then keep good for a twelvemonth. This is a wholesome drink, but apt to prove laxative when taken in large quantities.

Mix alcohol and water, and then add the saffron. Allow the mixture to stand in a warm place for several days, shaking occasionally; then filter. The tincture thus prepared has a deep orange color, and when diluted or used in small quantities gives a beautiful yellow tint to syrups, etc.

This color may be made in the same manner as the liquid saffron, and is a fine coloring for many purposes.

Macerate for several days, agitating frequently, and filter. For some beverages the addition of this tincture is not to be recommended, as it possesses a very spicy taste.

The nonpoisonous aniline dyes recommended for coloring confectionery, beverages, liquors, essences, etc., yellow are those known as acid yellow R and tropæolin 000 (orange I).

BICYCLE-TIRE CEMENT: See Adhesives, under Rubber Cements.

BICYCLE VARNISHES: See Varnishes. {120}

BIDERY METAL: See Alloys.

BILLIARD BALLS: See Ivory and Casein.

BIRCH BALSAM: See Balsam.

BIRCH WATER: See Hair Preparations.

BIRD DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIES: See Veterinary Formulas.

BIRD FOODS:

See also Veterinary Formulas.

Mixed Birdseed.—

Mocking-bird Food.—

Mix the solids, grinding to a coarse powder, and incorporate the oil.

Food For Redbirds.—

Mix and grind to coarse powder.

BIRD LIME: See Lime.

BIRD PASTE: See Canary-Bird Paste.

BISCHOFF: See Wines and Liquors.

BISCUIT, DOG: See Dog Biscuit.

BISMUTH ALLOYS: See Alloys.

BISMUTH, PURIFICATION OF: See Gold.

BITTERS: See Wines and Liquors.

BITTER WATER: See Waters.

BLACKING FOR HARNESS: See Leather.

BLACKING FOR SHOES: See Shoedressings.

BLACKING, STOVE: See Stove Blackings and Polishes.

BLACKBERRY CORDIAL AND BLACKBERRY MIXTURE AS A CHOLERA REMEDY: See Cholera Remedy.

BLACKBOARD PAINT AND VARNISH: See Paint and Varnish.

BLACKHEAD REMEDIES: See Cosmetics.

BLANKET WASHING: See Household Formulas.

BLASTING POWDER: See Explosives.

BLEACHING

II.—Straw is bleached by simply exposing it in a closed chamber to the fumes of burning sulphur. An old flour barrel is the apparatus most used for the purpose by milliners, a flat stone being laid on the ground, the sulphur ignited thereon, and the barrel containing the goods to be bleached turned over it. The goods should be previously washed in pure water.

BLIGHT REMEDIES.

BLEACHING SOLUTIONS FOR THE LAUNDRY: See Laundry Preparations.

BLEACHING SOLUTION FOR PHOTOGRAPHS: See Photography.

BLEEDING, LOCAL: See Styptics.

BLISTER CURE: See Turpentine.

BLISTERS, FOR HORSES: See Veterinary Formulas.

BLOCK, HOLLOW CONCRETE BUILDING: See Stone, Artificial.

BLOCK FOR SOLDERING: See Soldering.

BLOTTING PAPER: See Paper.

BLUE FROM GREEN AT NIGHT, TO DISTINGUISH:

To distinguish blue from green at night, use either the light of a magnesium wire for this purpose or take a number of Swedish (parlor) matches, light them, and as soon as they flash up, observe the 2 colors, when the difference can be easily told.

BLUE (BALL): See Dyes.

BLUING: See Laundry Preparations.

BLUING OF STEEL: See Steel.

BLUE PRINTS, TO MAKE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS ON:

Use a solution of sodium carbonate and water, with a little red ink mixed in. This gives a very pleasing pink color to the changes which, at the same time, is very noticeable. The amount of sodium carbonate used depends upon the surface of the blue-print paper, as some coarse-grained papers will look better if less soda is used and vice versa. However, the amount of powdered soda held on a small coin dissolved in a bottle of water gives good results.

BLUE-PRINT PAPER MAKING: See Photography.

BLUE PRINTS, TO TURN BROWN: See Photography, under Toning.

BOIL REMEDY.

Take a piece of soft linen or borated gauze, rub some vaseline upon one side of it, quickly pour upon it some chloroform, apply it to the unopened boil or carbuncle, and place a bandage over all. It smarts a little at first, but this is soon succeeded by a pleasing, cool sensation. The patient is given a bottle of the remedy, and directed to change the cloth often. In from 2 hours to 1 day the boil (no matter how indurated) softens and opens.

BOILER COMPOUNDS

There are three chemicals which are known to attack boiler scale. These are caustic soda, soda ash, and tannic-acid compounds, the last being derived from sumac, catechu, and the exhausted bark liquor from tanneries.

Caustic soda in large excess is injurious to boiler fittings, gaskets, valves, {122} etc. That it is injurious, in reasonable excess, to the boiler tubes themselves is yet to be proved. Foaming and priming may be caused through excess of caustic soda or soda ash, as is well known by every practical engineer. Tannic acid is to be condemned and the use of its salts is not to be recommended. It may unite with the organic matter, present in the form of albuminoids, and with calcium and magnesium carbonates. That it removes scale is an assured fact; that it removes iron with the scale is also assured, as tannic acid corrodes an iron surface rapidly.

Compounds of vegetable origin are widely advertised, but they often contain dextrine and gum, both of which are dangerous, as they coat the tubes with a compact scale, not permitting the water to reach the iron. Molasses is acid and should not be used in the boiler. Starch substances generally should be avoided. Kerosene must be dangerous, as it is very volatile and must soon leave the boiler and pass over and through the engine.

There are two materials the use of which in boilers is not prohibited through action upon the metal itself or on account of price. These are soda ash and caustic soda. Sodium triphosphate and sodium fluoride have both been used with success, but their cost is several hundred per cent greater than soda ash. If prescribed as per analysis, in slight excess, there should be no injurious results through the use of caustic soda and soda ash. It would be practicable to manufacture an intimate mixture of caustic soda and carbonate of soda, containing enough of each to soften the average water of a given district.

There is a great deal of fraud in connection with boiler compounds generally. The better class of venders advertise to prepare a special compound for special water. This is expensive, save on a large scale, in reference to a particular water, for it would mean a score or more of tanks with men to make up the mixtures. The less honest of the boiler-compound guild consign each sample of water to the sewer and send the regular goods. Others have a stock analysis which is sent to customers of a given locality, whether it contains iron, lime, or magnesium sulphates or carbonates.

Any expense for softening water in excess of 3 cents per 1,000 gallons is for the privilege of using a ready-made softener. Every superintendent in charge of a plant should insist that the compound used be pronounced by competent authority free from injurious materials, and that it be adapted to the water in use.

Boiler compounds should contain only such ingredients as will neutralize the scale-forming salts present. They should be used only by prescription, so many gallons per 1,000 gallons of feed water. A properly proportioned mixture of soda ought to answer the demands of all plants depending upon that method of softening water in limestone and shale regions.

The honest boiler compounds are, however, useful for small isolated plants, because of the simplicity of their action. For plants of from 75 to 150 horse power two 24-hour settling tanks will answer the purpose of a softening system. Each of these, capable of holding a day’s supply, provided with a soda tank in common, and with sludge valves, has paddles for stirring the contents. Large plants are operated on this principle, serving boilers of many thousand horse power. Such a system has an advantage over a continuous system, in that the exact amount of chemical solutions required for softening the particular water can be applied. For some variations of such a system, several companies have secured patents. The fundamental principles, however, have been used for many years and are not patentable.

Protecting Boiler Plates From Scale.—

I.—For a 5-horse-power boiler, fed with water which contains calcic sulphate, take catechu, 2 pounds; dextrine, 1 pound; crystallized soda, 2 pounds; potash, ¹/₂ pound; cane sugar, ¹/₂ pound; alum, ¹/₂ pound; gum arabic, ¹/₂ pound. {123}

II.—For a boiler of the same size, fed with water which contains lime: Turmeric, 2 pounds; dextrine, 1 pound; sodium bicarbonate, 2 pounds; potash, ¹/₂ pound; alum, ¹/₂ pound; molasses, ¹/₂ pound.

III.—For a boiler of the same size, fed with water which contains iron: Gamboge, 2 pounds; soda, 2 pounds; dextrine, 1 pound; potash, ¹/₂ pound; sugar, ¹/₂ pound; alum, ¹/₂ pound; gum arabic, ¹/₂ pound.

IV.—For a boiler of the same size, fed with sea water: Catechu, 2 pounds; Glauber’s salt, 2 pounds; dextrine, 2 pounds; alum, ¹/₂ pound; gum arabic, ¹/₂ pound.

When these preparations are used add 1 quart of water, and in ordinary cases charge the boiler every month; but if the incrustation is very bad, charge every two weeks.

V.—Place within the boiler of 100 horse power 1 bucketful of washing soda; put in 2 gallons of kerosene oil (after closing the blow-off cock), and fill the boiler with water. Feed in at least 1 quart of kerosene oil every day through a sight-feed oil cup attached to the feed pipe near the boiler—i. e., between the heater and the boiler—so that the oil is not entrapped within the heater. If it is inconvenient to open the boiler, then dissolve the washing soda in hot water and feed it in with the pump or through a tallow cock (attached between the ejector and the valve in the suction pipe) when the ejector is working.

VI.—A paint for protecting boiler plates from scale, and patented in Germany, is composed of 10 pounds each of train oil, horse fat, paraffine, and of finely ground zinc white. To this mixture is added 40 pounds of graphite and 10 pounds of soot made together into a paste with 1 ¹/₂ gallons of water, and about a pound of carbolic acid. The horse fat and the zinc oxide make a soap difficult to fuse, which adheres strongly to the plates, and binds the graphite and the soot. The paraffine prevents the water from penetrating the coats. The scale which forms on this application can be detached, it is said, with a wooden mallet, without injuring the paint.

VII.—M. E. Asselin, of Paris, recommends the use of glycerine as a preventive. It increases the solubility of combinations of lime, and especially of the sulphate. It forms with these combinations soluble compounds. When the quantity of lime becomes so great that it can no longer be dissolved, nor form soluble combinations, it is deposited in a gelatinous substance, which never adheres to the surface of the iron plates. The gelatinous substances thus formed are not carried with the steam into the cylinder of the engine. M. Asselin advises the employment of 1 pound of glycerine for every 300 pounds or 400 pounds of coal burnt.

Boiler Pressure.

It hardly pays to reduce pressure on boilers, except in very extreme cases, but if it can be done by throttling before the steam reaches the cylinder of the engine it would be an advantage, because this retains the heat units due to the higher pressure in the steam, and the throttling has a slight superheating effect. As a matter of fact, tests go to show that for light loads and high pressure a throttling engine may do better than an automatic cut-off. The ideal arrangement is to throttle the steam for light loads; for heavier loads, allow the variable cut-off to come into play. This practice has been carried into effect by the design of Mr. E. J. Armstrong, in which he arranges the shaft governor so that there is negative lead up to nearly one-quarter cut-off, after which the lead becomes positive, and this has the effect of throttling the steam for the earlier loads and undoubtedly gives better economy, in addition to making the engine run more quietly.

BONE BLACK:

The mineral basis of bones consists mainly of the phosphates of lime and magnesia, salts soluble in not too dilute hydrochloric acid. A vat is half filled with the above-mentioned waste, which is then just covered with a mixture of equal volumes of commercial hydrochloric acid and water. As the mineral matter also contains carbonates, a lively effervescence at once ensues, and small quantities of hydrofluoric acid are also formed from the decomposition of calcium fluoride in the bones. Now hydrofluoric acid is a very dangerous substance, as air containing even traces of it is very injurious to the lungs. Hence the addition of hydrochloric acid should be done in the open air, and the vat should be left by itself until the evolution of fumes ceases. A plug is then pulled out at the bottom and the carbon is thoroughly drained. It is then stirred up with water and again drained, when it has fully settled to the bottom. This rinsing with clear water is repeated till all the hydrochloric acid is washed away and only pure carbon remains in the vat. As for pigment-making purposes it is essential that the carbon should be as finely divided as possible, it is as well to grind the washed carbon in an ordinary color mill. Very little power is required for this purpose, as when once the bone earth is removed the carbon particles have little cohesion. The properly ground mass forms a deep-black mud, which can be left to dry or be dried by artificial heat. When dry, the purified bone black is of a pure black and makes a most excellent pigment.

Bone black is put upon the market under all sorts of names, such as ivory black, ebur ustum, Frankfort black, neutral black, etc. All these consist of finely ground bone black purified from mineral matter. If leather scraps or dried blood are to be worked up, iron tubes are employed, closed at one end, and with a well-fitting lid with a small hole in it at the other. As these bodies give off large volumes of combustible gas during the charring, it is a good plan to lead the vapors from the hole by a bent tube so that they can be burnt and help to supply the heat required and so save fuel. Leather or blood gives a charcoal which hardly requires treatment with hydrochloric acid, for the amount of mineral salts present is so small that its removal appears superfluous.

BONES, A TEST FOR BROKEN.

Place a stethoscope on one side of the supposed fracture, and a tuning fork on the other. When the latter is vibrated, and there is no breakage, the sound will be heard distinctly through bone and stethoscope. Should any doubt exist, comparison should be made with the same bone on the other side of the body. This test shows the difference in the power of conducting sound possessed by bone and soft tissue.

BONE BLEACHES: See Ivory.

BONE FAT: See Fats.

BONE FAT, PURIFICATION AND BLEACHING OF: See Soap.

BONE POLISHES: See Polishes.

BONE FERTILIZERS: See Fertilizers.

BONES, TREATMENT OF, IN MANUFACTURING GLUE: See Adhesives.

BONE, UNITING GLASS WITH: See Adhesives.

BOOKS, THEIR HANDLING AND PRESERVATION:

(1) Books which are kept in a damp atmosphere deteriorate on account of molds and fungi that grow rapidly when the conditions are favorable. Books are best kept on open, airy, well-lighted shelves. When there has been a prolonged spell of moist weather their covers should be wiped, and they should be placed in the sun or before a fire for a few hours. Damp also causes the bindings and leaves of some books to separate.

(2) A small black insect, one-eighth of an inch long and a sixteenth of an inch broad, somewhat resembling a beetle, is very destructive, and books will be found, if left untouched, after a few months to have numerous holes in the covers and leaves. If this insect be allowed plenty of time for its ravages it will make so many holes that bindings originally strong can be easily torn to pieces. All damage may be prevented by coating the covers of books with the varnish described under (3). When books are found to contain the insects they should be well wrapped and placed in the sun before varnishing.

(3) The appearance of a fine binding may be destroyed in a single night by cockroaches. The lettering of the binding may, in two or three days, be completely obliterated.

The following varnishes have been found to prevent effectually the ravages of cockroaches and of all insects that feed upon books:

Macerate with occasional shaking for a few days if wanted at once, but for a longer time when possible, as a better varnish will result after a maceration of several months.

II.—Corrosive sublimate, 1 ounce; carbolic acid, 1 ounce; methylated or rum spirit, 1 quart.

Where it is necessary to keep books or paper of any description in boxes, cupboards, or closed bookcases, some naphthalene balls or camphor should be always present with them. If camphor be used it is best to wrap it in paper, otherwise it volatilizes more quickly than is necessary. In dry weather the doors of closed bookcases should be left open occasionally, as a damp, still atmosphere is most favorable for deterioration.

BOOK DISINFECTANT: See Disinfectants.

BOOKS, TO REMOVE FINGER-MARKS FROM: See Cleaning Preparations and Methods.

BOOKBINDERS’ VARNISH: See Varnishes.

BOOKWORMS: See Insecticides.

BOOT DRESSINGS: See Shoe Dressings.

BOOT LUBRICANT: See Lubricant.

BOOTS, WATERPROOFING: See Waterproofing.

BORAX FOR SPRINKLING.

I.—Sprinkling borax is not only cheaper, but also dissolves less in soldering than pure borax.

The borax is heated in a metal vessel until it has lost its water of crystallization and mixed with calcined cooking salt and potash—borax, 8 parts; cooking salt, 3 parts; potash, 3 parts. Next it is pounded in a mortar into a fine powder, constituting the sprinkling borax.

II.—Another kind of sprinkling borax is prepared by substituting glass-gall for the potash. Glass-gall is the froth floating on the melted glass, which can be skimmed off.

The borax is either dusted on in powder form from a sprinkling box or stirred with water before use into a thin paste.

BORAX AND BORIC ACID IN FOOD: See Food.

BORDEAUX MIXTURE: See Insecticides.

BOROTONIC: See Dentifrices. {126}

BOTTLE-CAP LACQUER: See Lacquer.

BOTTLE CLEANERS: See Cleaning Preparations and Methods, under Miscellaneous Methods.

BOTTLE STOPPERS: See Stoppers.

BOTTLE VARNISH: See Varnishes.

BOTTLE WAX: See Photography.

BOUILLON: See Beverages.

BOURBON METALS: See Alloys.

BOWLS OF FIRE TRICK: See Pyrotechnics.

BOX GLUE: See Adhesives.

BRAGA: See Beverages.

BRAN, SAWDUST IN.

For the detection of sawdust in bran use a solution of 1 part of phloroglucin in 15 parts of alcohol, 15 parts of water, and 10 parts of syrupy phosphoric acid. Place 2 parts of the solution in a small porcelain dish, add a knifepointful of the bran and heat moderately. Sawdust is dyed red while bran parts only seldom acquire a faint red color. By a microscopic examination of the reddish parts, sawdust will be readily recognized.

BOTTLES

Magic Bottles.—

The mystery of the “wonderful bottle,” from which can be poured in succession port wine, sherry, claret, water, champagne, or ink, at the will of the operator, is easily explained. The materials consist of an ordinary dark-colored pint wine bottle, seven wine glasses of different patterns, and the chemicals described below:

Solution A: A mixture of tincture of ferric chloride, drachms vi; hydrochloric acid, drachms ii.

Solution B: Saturated solution of ammonium sulphocyanide, drachm i.

Solution C: Strong solution of ferric chloride, drachm i.

Solution D: A weak solution of ammonium sulphocyanide.

Solution E: Concentrated solution of lead acetate.

Solution F: Solution of ammonium sulphide, drachm i; or pyrogallic acid, drachm i.

Package G: Pulverized potassium bicarbonate, drachm iss.

Having poured two teaspoonfuls of solution A into the wine bottle, treat the wine glasses with the different solutions, noting and remembering into which glasses the several solutions are placed. Into No. 1 wine glass pour one or two drops of solution B; into No. 2 glass pour one or two drops of solution C; into No. 3 one or two drops of Solution D; leave No. 4 glass empty; into No. 5 glass pour a few drops of Solution E; into No. 6 glass place a few grains of Package G; into No. 7 glass pour a little of solution F.

Request some one to bring you some cold drinking water, and to guarantee that it is pure show that your wine bottle is (practically) empty. Fill it up from the carafe, and having asked the audience whether you shall produce wine or water, milk or ink, etc., you may obtain any of these by pouring a little of the water from the bottle into the prepared glass. Thus No. 1 glass gives a port-wine color; No. 2 gives a sherry color; No. 3 gives a claret color; No. 4 is left empty to prove that the solution in the bottle is colorless; No. 5 produces milk; No. 6, effervescing champagne; No. 7, ink.

Bottle-capping Mixtures.—

I.—Soak 7 pounds of good gelatin in 10 ounces of glycerine and 60 ounces of water, and heat over a water bath until dissolved, and add any desired color. Pigments may be used, and various tints can be obtained by the use of aniline colors. The resulting compound should be stored in jars. To apply liquefy the mass and dip the cork and portion of the neck of the bottle into the liquid; it sets very quickly.