(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:
| I.— | Dammar resin | 2 ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Mastic | 2 ounces | |
| Canada balsam | 1 ounce | |
| Creosote | 1/2 ounce | |
| Spirit of wine | 20 fl. ounces |
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.
How To Open A Book.
—Never force the back of the book. Hold the book with its back on a smooth or covered table; let the front board down, then the other, holding the leaves in one hand while you open a few leaves at the back, then a few at the front, and so on, alternately opening back and front, gently pressing open the sections till you reach the center of the volume. Do this two or three times and you will obtain the best results. Open the volume violently or carelessly in any one place and you will probably break the back or cause a start in the leaves.
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.