Young's Demonstrative Translation of Scientific Secrets Part 5

96. RYE WHISKEY

Take of dried peaches 1/2 a peck, put them into a pan in a stove, scorch a little, not to burn however, then bruise, and place in a woollen (pointed) bag, and leach good common whiskey over them twice, having the barrel up so as to hang the bag under the faucet and draw slowly over them; this is for a barrel. Add 10 or 12 drops of aqua ammonia to each barrel, after leaching through the peaches; with age this is nearly, if not quite, equal to whiskey made from rye.

97. STOMACH BITTERS

Take of gentian root 6 oz., orange peel 10 oz., cinnamon 1 oz., anise seed 2 oz., coriander seed 2 oz., cardamom seed 1/2 oz., Peruvian bark, unground, 2 oz., bruise all the articles and add of gum kino 1 oz., and put them into 2 quarts of alcohol, and two quarts of pure spirits or good whiskey; shake occasionally for 10 or 12 days, and strain or filter through several thicknesses of woollen. Half a pint of this may be added to a gallon of whiskey, more or less, as desired, and you have an article as good, or better, and more healthy than that for which you will pay three times as much; or you may use it the same as stoughton, to which it is preferred.

98. PEPPERMINT CORDIAL

Take of good whiskey 10 galls., water 10 galls., white sugar 10 lbs., oil of peppermint 1 oz., flour 1 oz., burned sugar 1/2 lb. to colour, alcohol 1 pint; put the oil of peppermint in the alcohol, then with this work the flour well, add the burned sugar, work again, and mix all the ingredients together; let them stand a week and they are ready for use. If you wish a different flavour from that of oil of peppermint use any other oil of which you desire the flavour.

99. ST. CROIX RUM

Take of pure spirits 28 galls., of pure St. Croix run 3 galls., sal-ammonia (cut in alcohol) 1 OZ., sweet spirits of nitre 6 ozs., mix all together and let stand for 24 hours, occasionally shaking, and it is ready for use.

100. LEMONADE

Take of fresh lemon juice 4 oz., fresh lemon peel 1/2 oz., white sugar 4 oz., boiling water 3 pints; mix all together; let them stand till cool, and then strain off for use; if you wish you can cool at once with ice. Where this is used as a cooling drink in fevers a little sweet spirits of nitre may be added.

101. A BRILLIANT WHITEWASH

This bears a gloss like ivory, and will not rub off. Take of clean unslacked lime 5 or 6 quarts, slack with hot water in a tub, cover to keep in the steam; when ready, pa.s.s it through a fine sieve, and add 1/4 lb. of whiting, 1 lb. of good sugar pulverized, and 3 pints of rice flour, first made into a thin paste; boil this mixture well, then dissolve 1 lb. of clean glue in water, and add it to the mixture, and apply while warm with a whitewash brush, except when particular neatness is required you may then use a paint brush; in both cases put it on warm. You may add colouring matter to give it any shade you please.

102. CHANGING VARNISHES

Varnishes of this description are call changing because, when applied to metals such as copper, bra.s.s, or tin or silver foil, they give them a more agreeable colour; indeed, the common metals, when coated with them acquired a l.u.s.tre approaching to that of the precious metals, and hence these varnishes are much employed in manufacturing imitations of gold and silver. Put four ounces of the best gum gamboge into 32 ozs. of spirits of turpentine, 4 ozs. of dragon's blood into the same quant.i.ty of spirits of turpentine as the gamboge, and 1 oz. of anatto into 8 ozs. of the same spirits.

The three mixtures being made in different vessels, they should then be kept for about a fortnight in a warm place, and as much exposed to the sun a possible; at the end of that time they will be fit for use; and you can procure any tints you wish by making a composition from them, with such proportions of each liquor as practice and the nature of the colour you are desirous of obtaining will point out.

Changing varnishes may likewise be employed, with very good effect, for furniture, such as picture frames, &c.--See Lackers.

103. GOLD LACKER OR VARNISH

In using the changing varnish or any of these lackers, for picture frames for instance, lay them over with tin or silver leaf, by means of plaster of Paris glue, or cement of some kind, that the foil may be perfectly adherent to the wood, then apply your varnish; apply as many coats as may suit your taste, and if it be the gold lacker you use it has the appearance of being laid with gold leaf, and if the pale bra.s.s lacker, of being laid with bra.s.s, &c., and if you use the changing varnish you may make it just what colour you wish, by mixing the three materials in different proportions. For making gold lacker, put into a clean 4 gallon tin 1 lb. ground turmeric, 1-1/2 oz. powdered gamboge, 3-1/2 lbs. powdered gum sandrack, 3/4 lb.

sh.e.l.lac, and 2 galls. spirits of wine; after being dissolved and strained add 1 pint of turpentine varnish, receipt No. 112, well mixed, and it is ready for use.

104. RED SPIRIT LACKER

Take 2 galls. spirits of wine, 1 lb. dragon's blood, 3 lbs. Spanish annatto, 3-1/2 lbs. gum sandrack, 2 pints turpentine. Made exactly as the gold lacker.

105. PALE BRa.s.s LACKER

Take 2 galls. spirits of wine, 3 ozs. cape aloes, cut small, 1 lb.

fine pale sh.e.l.lac, 1 oz. gamboge, cut small, no turpentine. Varnish made exactly as before, but observe, that those who make lackers frequently want some paler and some darker and sometimes inclining more to the particular tint of certain of the component ingredients; therefore if a 4 oz. vial of a strong solution of each ingredient be prepared, a lacker of any tint can be prepared at any time as by changing varnish.

106. DEMAR VARNISH

This is a fine clear varnish, being harder and less coloured than mastic, while it is as soluble, and may be had at one-tenth the price. Put 6 oz. of gum demar in a bottle with 10 ozs. of spirits of turpentine, and put into another bottle 6 ozs. of gum demar, with 16 ozs. alcohol, when they are dissolved put them together, and you have an excellent cheap varnish which dries quickly and is very clear.

107. COPAL VARNISH

Take 1 oz. of copal, and 1/2 oz. of sh.e.l.lac, powder them well and put them into a bottle or jar containing 1 quart of spirits of wine; place the mixture in a warm place and shake it occasionally, till you see that the gums are completely dissolved, and when strained the varnish is fit for use.

108. WHITE HARD VARNISH

Take 1 lb. of mastic, 4 oz. of gum anima; and 5 lbs. of gum sandrack, put them all together to dissolve, into a vessel containing 2 oz. of rectified spirits of wine, which should be kept in a warm place and frequently shaken till all the gums are quite dissolved; then strain the mixture through a lawn sieve, and it will be fit for use.

109. CRYSTAL VARNISH

Procure a bottle of Canada balsam, which can be had at any druggist's; draw out he cork and set the bottle of balsam at a little distance from the fire, turning it round several times, until the heat has thinned it; then have something that will hold as much as double the quant.i.ty of balsam; carry the balsam from the fire, and, while fluid mix it with the same quant.i.ty of good turpentine, and shake them together until they are well incorporated. In a few days the varnish is fit for use, particularly if it is poured into a half gallon gla.s.s or stone bottle, and kept in a gentle warmth. This varnish is used for maps, prints, charts, drawings, paper, ornaments, &c.

110. BLACK VARNISH FOR OLD STRAW OR CHIP HATS

Take a 1/2 oz. of the best black sealing wax, pound it well, and put it into a 4 oz. vial, containing 2 ozs. of rectified spirits of wine; place it in a sand-bath or near a moderate fire till the wax is dissolved, then lay it on warm, with a fine soft hairbrush, before a fire or in the sun. It gives a good stiffness to old straw hats, and a beautiful gloss equal to new. It likewise resists wet.

111. VARNISH FOR VIOLINS &c.

Take 1 gallon of rectified spirits of wine, 12 ozs. of mastic, and 1 pint of turpentine varnish; put them altogether in a tin can, and keep it in a very warm place, shaking it occasionally till it is perfectly dissolved; then strain it, and it is fit for use. If you find it necessary, you may dilute it with turpentine varnish. This varnish is also very useful for furniture of plumtree, mahogany, or rosewood.

112. TURPENTINE VARNISH

Take 5 lbs. of clear good resin, pound it well, and put it into 1 gallon of oil of turpentine; boil the mixture over a stove till the resin is perfectly dissolved, and when cool, it will be fit for use.

113. IRON WORK BLACK OR BLACK VARNISH FOR IRON

Put 48 lbs. asphaltum into an iron pot, and boil for four hours; during the first two hours, introduce 7 lbs. litharge, 3 lbs. dried copperas, and 10 gallons boiled oil; add 1/8 lb. run of dark gum, with 2 gallons hot oil; after pouring the oil and gum, continue the boiling two hours, or until it will roll into hard pills like j.a.pan; when cool, thin it off with three gallons of turpentine, or until it is of proper consistence. This varnish is intended princ.i.p.ally for the iron work of coaches and other carriages.

114. VARNISH FOR HARNESS

Take 1/2 lb. of india rubber, 1 gallon of spirits of turpentine; dissolve enough to make it into a jelly by keeping it almost new milk warm; then take equal quant.i.ties of good linseed oil, (in a hot state,) and the above mixture, incorporate them well on a slow fire, and it is fit for use.

115. QUICK DRYING HARNESS BLACKING VARNISH