6402. Fire Kindlings

6402.    Fire Kindlings. In France, a very convenient and economical kindling is made by dipping corn-cobs for about one minute in a bath composed of 60 parts melted resin and 40 parts tar. They are next spread out to dry on metallic plates heated to the temperature of boiling water. (See No. 6205 (To Make Fire Kindlers).)

6403. To Convert Sized Paper into Blotting Paper

6403.    To Convert Sized Paper into Blotting Paper. Common paper may be converted into blotting paper by immersing it for a few seconds in hydrochloric acid. Some recommend for this purpose a mixture of hydrochloric acid and water; but in experiments that have been made, the paper was immersed in a bath of the ordinary undiluted acid, removing it, after a few seconds, to a vessel in which it was treated to several changes of water.

6404. Bother's Soap Liniment

6404.    Bother's Soap Liniment. Take of soap (genuine castile, mottled or white), dry and in No. 12 powder, 24 troy ounces; camphor, 12 troy ounces; oil of rosemary, 3 fluid ounces; water, 3 pints; strong alcohol, 10i pints. Mix the water with half a pint of the alcohol in a capacious vessel; add the soap and apply heat until solution has occurred ; to this add 4 pints of alcohol. In the remaining 6 pints of alcohol dissolve the camphor and oil; to this add the solution of soap; mix. Let the impurities (coloring matter of the soap) subside, and filter. This is vastly superior to the officinal process. (See No. 4869 (Steer's Opodeldoc, or Soap Liniment).)

6405. Coating for Black-Boards

6405.    Coating for Black-Boards. Incorporate flour-emery with shellac varnish, adding sufficient lampblack to give the required color. If too thick, reduce its consistency with alcohol. This varnish, applied to the surface of wood with a camel's hair varnish brush, produces an excellent black facing, and may also be used for preparing smaller writing tablets.

6406. Beautiful Black Ink

6406.    Beautiful Black Ink. Take a sufficient quantity of elder berries, bruise and keep them for 3 days in an earthen vessel; then press out and filter the juice. To 124 pints of the filtered juice, add 1/2 ounce each of sulphate of iron, and crude pyroligneous acid. The ink that results has, when first used, a violet color, but when dry is an indigo blue-black. In writing, it flows easily from tho pen without gumming, and does not thicken as soon as common ink. These are no small advantages, and ought to recommend it for general use. (See No. 2460.)

6407. To Mount Prints

6407.    To Mount Prints. Make a thin 6ize of fish glue or isinglass. Take a good sized flat varnish brush, wet the brush with the size just sufficiently to moisten the surface of the print to the extent of the width of the brush and the whole length of the print. Commence at one side and continue in this way until you have gone over the whole surface. Draw the brush with a light, quick stroke, as closely each time to the part previously wet as possible, without lapping or going twice in one place. "When dry, go over it again in the same way, only at right angles to the first stroke. Let this dry, then proceed to mount as follows: Stretch, as tightly as it will bear, to a frame of the required size, a piece of new, smooth, fine muslin or factory cloth. Rub over the whole surface of this, with a good paste-brush, a sufficient quantity of well-cooked paste, made of equal parts of wheat-flour and starch, to thoroughly wet the cloth. Lay the print onto it, and, covering it with a piece of clean paper, rub it down both back and front, until smooth and fast. "When thoroughly dry, varnish with white copal varnish.