Put a little water in a bottle, and cork it securely, covering it with sealing wax; then put the bottle into a kettle of water, and let it boil a short time, and the steam will force out the cork.

Diminution of Heat by Evaporation.

Pour water on a piece of writing-paper, and hold it over a candle; it will boil without burning the paper. Water may be boiled in an egg-shell on the fire.

Experiment to ascertain the Strength of Spirits of Wine.

It is a common practice for apothecaries, in order to ascertain if spirit of wine be sufficiently strong, to pour some into a cup upon some gunpowder, and then to set fire to it. If the spirit be sufficiently, strong, after burning down to the gunpowder, it will make it go off; but if too much water has been poured in, that will not take place, as, after the spirit is consumed, there will still be water enough to keep the powder wet.

To ascertain the Strength of Brine.

To ascertain the strength of brine for salting meat, it is usual to put an egg in the boiling water, and gradually put in salt until the egg be made to swim.