450 



Popular Science MontJily 



brass pipe, K, is fitted to the cone with 

 solder. This pipe is so arranged that 

 one end is near the hole of the stop-cock, 

 the other end being a short 

 distance from the top. Its 

 function is to allow the gas 

 to ascend, thus allowing the 

 fluid to enter the economizer 

 freely. As soon as the charge 

 is completed, the stop-cocks 

 are closed and the charging 

 tank is unscrewed. When the 

 operation is completed, the 

 filling tank may be removed 

 and used for charging a num- 

 ber of economizers in a bat- 

 tery, or it may be employed 

 as a single piece of apparatus. 

 — Alfred J. Jarman. 



Making Diagrams for 

 Lantern Slides 



PROCURE a thin trans- 

 parent sheet of zylonite 

 or celluloid, and wash it thor- 

 oughly in distilled water. When 

 dry, rub it with a little whit- 

 ing in order to remove 

 any grease. Drawings or 

 writing can now be placed 

 on the prepared plate as 

 easily as if it were paper. 

 Tracings made on the 

 surface of the zylonite with India ink are 

 superior in every way to those made on 

 a gelatinized surface. The finished 

 product should be clamped between two 

 glass plates 334 ^■>y 4 in. The edges may 

 be bound with paper. 



A Glass of Water, Some Magic Passes, 

 and Lo ! The Water Is Wine 



PUT a pinch of finely ground and sifted 

 red Sanders in a glass of water and the 

 liquid will at once assume a red color 

 similar to that of claret. If this liquid is 

 poured into another glass previously 

 rinsed with vinegar, it will assume a tint 

 resembling that of brandy. If a little 

 potash be added to it, it will change back 

 into the original color and finally if a 

 little alum be introduced it will become 

 as black as ink. To a person not ac- 

 quainted with the secret, it would appear 

 as if claret, brandy and ink had been 



A filling arrangement to intro- 

 duce the liquid without waste 



obtained from a glass of water. 



The spectators should think that only 

 magic passes were responsible for the 

 astonishing results. The fol- 

 lowing method is good. The 

 performer comes forward 

 showing a glass and passing 

 it around for inspection. Up- 

 on receiving it back, he fills 

 it two-thirds full of water 

 from a pitcher. He then ofifers 

 to allow anyone to taste the 

 water, or tastes it himself to 

 show that it is pure water. 

 The red sanders may be in 

 his vest pocket, and while the 

 water is being tasted, the 

 fingers carelessly seek the 

 pocket and obtain a small 

 pinch, which is all that is 

 necessary to effect the change. 

 A borrowed handkerchief may 

 then be placed over the glass 

 which is then held at arm's 

 length in one hand while 

 magic passes are made with 

 the other, or the glass may 

 be placed on a stand at 

 the front of the stage. 

 The handkerchief is 

 placed over the glass for 

 an instant and the water 

 becomes rosy, the san- 

 ders being introduced 

 while the handkerchief is being adjusted. 

 The other changes are as easily effected 

 and shown, the glass being previously dip- 

 ped in the vinegar, and the alum introduced 

 in the same way as was the red sanders. 

 Wine may be changed into water with 

 equal facility and may be very nicely con- 

 nected with the foregoing trick. The 

 method is as follows: Dissolve 15 grains 

 of permanganate of potash into 1 qt. 

 of water. The resultant liquid will 

 resemble claret in color. Add to this 

 solution 45 grains of tartaric acid. Put 

 into a bottle a few crystals of hypo- 

 sulphate soda and a little water and rinse 

 a glass with this solution. If the per- 

 manganate solution is poured into the 

 glass it will be instantly decolorized. 

 The tartaric acid should be introduced 

 into the pitcher when the handkerchief 

 is withdrawn, and the glass of course 

 should be previously rinsed with the 

 hyposulphate soda solution. 



