68 



EXPERIMENTS 



Alcohol will readily dissolve 50 per cent, by weight of camphor, 

 and the solutions used were of this strength. 



Exp. 1. 

 34 oz. of solution of camphor burned 1 hour, light very good. 

 32 oz. of dip candle " 1 hour, light less white. 



The camphor solution costs 30 cents per lb. 



The candle costs 10 cents per lb, 



Exp. 2. 



A mixture of alcohol and turpentine was placed in a graduated tube, 

 from which it appeared, at first, that about eight measures of the former 

 were required to enter into combination with one of the latter, but af- 

 ter standing for some days the proportion was^found to be 10 to 1. 

 This mixture burned well, but the light was inferior to that of a candle ; 

 it did not smoke or consume the wick, and when burned side by side 

 with a portion of the composition recently sold about town, appealed 

 to be identical with it in every respect. 



This light was greatly improved by the addition of camphor. The 

 expense of camphor rendering it desirable that a cheaper substitute 

 should be employed, a portion of powdered rosin was tried : this enter- 

 ed into combination readily with the alcohol and turpentine, and im-. 

 proved the light; but the wick blackened, and after burning for some 

 time a crust was formed. 



After a variety of experiments the object of which was to determine 

 the best proportions for the ingredients, the following were selected as 

 giving the most satisfactory results : 



For the camphor light 15 alcohol, 2 turpentine, 3 spirits camphor. 



For the rosin light 13 alcohol, 2 turpentine, 1 rosin. 



A comparative experiment was made to determine the relative values 

 of the following preparations : the fluids being burned in lamps preci- 

 sely similar and supplied each with an equal quantity of clean wick. 



No. 



]. 

 2. 

 3. 

 4. 

 5. 

 6. 



Cotnposition. 



13 alcohol, 2 turpentine, 1 rosin, 



15 " 2 turp. 3 spts. camph. 



10 " 1 turp. 



Best sperm oil, 



A piece of good dip candle, 



Lard, 



The consumption of lard was found to be equal to that of tallow 

 with an equal flame, but much less when the wick was lowered. The 

 flame of sperm oil (No. 4,) was blighter than that of either of the other 

 fluids. The camphor light (No. 2,) was. albo a very beautiful one, it 



