48 
Wooden Matches for Jlrtillery. 
and fir. I took two parcels of these* and boiled one in a 
solution of nitrate of copper* the other in a solution of 
nitrate of lead. In each* the oak* elm* ash* and elder* 
were not saturated* and burnt in the usual manner : the 
others afforded me very good matches. But before I 
enter at large on their properties* I shall observe* that I 
conceive the nitrate of copper should be rejected* because 
it is too dear* it quickly corrodes the boilers* and its va- 
pour is noxious. Accordingly I confined myself to the 
nitrate of lead ; and I found after several trials* that it 
answered the purpose completely.* 
The wood that did best was that of the lime* birch* or 
poplar. To compare their properties* I weighed some 
rods both before and after boiling; I ascertained how" 
much their weight was increased* and how long they 
continued burning ; and I calculated how much of each 
a pound of nitrate of lead would saturate. The follow- 
ing table gives the proportions. 
Name of the 
[Weight of a yard 
Weight after. 
wood. 
before the ex- 
periment. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
Birch 
888 
1416 
Poplar 
516 
936 
Lime 1 
888 
1728 
Gained in Weight. 
Grains. 
528 
420 
840 
Name of the 
wood. 
Birch 
Poplar 
Lime 
Length saturated by a 
pound of nitrate of 
lead. 
Yards. Ft. Inches. 
Time each con- 
tinued burn- 
ing. 
Hours. 
17 1 
21 2 8 
10 2 9 
o 
2 
3 
* If this plan should be adopted by our government, and comparative expe- 
riment should prove the nitrate of copper to be preferable to that of lead, an 
easy method of manufacturing that salt might be pursued, viz. the decomposi- 
tion of sulphate of copper, by nitrate of potash.— Here the objections made by 
the author would be avoided — and the expense attending much lessened. By 
a small experiment made with this view, I have reason to believe every object 
wished for may be attained. Ed. 
