For Malleable Iron

Put the articles in an iron box, and stratify them among animal carbon, that is, pieces of horns, hoofs, skins or leather, just sufficiently burned to be reduced to powder. Late the box with equal parts of sand and clay; then place it in the fire, and keep at a light red heat for a length of time proportioned to the depth of steel required, when the contents of the box are emptied into water.

Another For 'Wrought Iron

Take the prussiate of potash, finely pulverized, and roll the article in it, if its shape admits of it; if not, sprinkle the powder upon it freely while the iron is hot.

How To Soften Cast Iron For Drilling

Heat to a cherry red, having it lie level in the tire; then with a pair of cold tongs put on a piece of brimstone, a little less in size than the hole to be when drilled, and it softens entirely through the piece; let it lie in the fire until a little cool, when it is ready for drilling.

How To Temper Springs

For tempering cast-steel trap springs, all that is necessary is to heat them in the dark, just so that you can see that they are red; then cool them in luke-warm water. You can observe a much lower degree of heat in the dark than by daylight, and the low heat and warm water give the desired temper.

Writing Inscriptions On Metals

Take ½ lb. nitric acid and 1 oz. muriatic acid. Mix, shake well together, and it is ready for use. Cover the place you wish to mark with melted bees-wax; when cold, write your inscription plainly in the wax clear to the metal with a sharp Instrument; then apply the mixed acids with a feather, carefully filling each letter. Let it remain from one to ten minutes, according to appearance desired; then throw on water, which stops the process, and remove the wax.

Black Varnish For Iron Work

Asphaltum, 1 lb.; lampblack, ¼ lb.: resin, ½ lb.; spirits turpentine, l.; linseed oil, just sufficient to rub up the lampblack with before mixing it with the others. Apply with a camel's hair brush.

How To Petrify Wood

Gem salt, rock alum, white vinegar, chalk and Peebles powder, of each an equal quantity. Mix well together. If, after the ebullition is over, you throw into this liquid any wood or porous substance, it will petrify it.

The Finest Bronze

Put in a clean crucible 7 lbs. copper, melt, then add 3 lbs. zinc, afterwards 2 lbs. tin. In order to gild polished feted or polished iron, dip the article into an ethereal solution of gold, withdraw from the solution, and the ether flies off and leaves the gold deposited.