Lse of alkalized Oxide of Iron in Calico Prinfing. 323 



rmtion of the same ^^hilst acted upou by that luminary; a 

 law in vegetable economy equally tendino- to serve the 

 wisest of" intentions, and forming but another link in that 

 chain of beautiful analogies which modern discoveries have 

 served to unfold as eminently subservient to the welfare of 

 the human race, whether displayed in the reciprocal ser- 

 vices of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, the modifi- 

 cation of climate, by planetary as well as local advantages, 

 or the gift of those indigenous productions which consti- 

 tute an important requisite to internal prosperity and com- 

 mercial enterpribC. 



LX. Observations on the Use of St ah l's alkalized Oxide of 

 Iron * in Calico Printing. By J. M. Hausman f. 



X MAKE great use of this dye in the preparation of printed 

 calicoes, and I endeavour, as much as possible, to over- 

 load it with oxide of iron- I tic up the metal destined t«r 

 solution into a bundle, that I may take it out at pleasure 

 when the nitrous acid is ready to tiosv over. Bv einployiu"- 

 tJns precaution I guard against precipitation, ancl easily 

 suspend the solution ; for when the bundle is taken out, 

 (after the efler%'escence, which produces a great heat, has 

 sufficiently subsided,) while an excess of acid still remains, 

 which is certainly necessary, you will obtain a pigment 

 without any deposit. 



If a sufficient quantity of fluid, consisting of three parts 

 calcined carbonate of potash of the shops, and two parts of 

 water, be poured into the nitrous solution of iron, tliere 

 will, on stirring the mass, by which means it effervesces 

 H little in consequence of the excess of acid, be formed a 

 magma, to which as much liquid carbonate of potash must 

 be added as is necessary for its complete solution. 1'his 

 dye, or this solution of iron, gives, with a fifth or a sixth 

 part of gum-water prepared from equal parts of gum- 

 arabic and water and then thickened, ochry yellow colours, 

 which can be easily purified. The addition of a twelfth 

 part of a decoction of yellow berries, with a twenty-fourth 

 part of a decoction of logwood, gives that tint known under 

 the name of American colour, and a twelfth part of a de- 



Stihl calls tins union Tinctum mastis alkulhin. It was HuprwaLcls 

 known by the name of ?>\A\\'ii alkali i^ iimture ojhon] Jt is iiotlnng 

 • Ke than a cmbination of oxide of iion with potash. See Muqua'i 

 Co. 111. H'orinbtub, vol. vi. p. 550. 



t From AUgLmttnes Journal dcr Chrmif, No. 24. 



X 2 coction 



