VARIETIES. 
275 
llaruties* 
Waterproof  Varnishes. — Take  one  pound  of  flowers  of  sulphur  and  one 
gallon  of  linseed  oil,  and  boil  them  together  until  they  are  thoroughly  com- 
bined. This  forms  a  good  varnish  for  waterproof  textile  fabrics.  Another 
is  made  with  4  lbs.  oxyd  of  lead,  2  lbs.  of  lampblack,  5  oz.  of  sulphur  and 
10  lbs.  of  India-rubber,  dissolved  in  turpentine.  These  substances,  in  such 
proportions,  are  boiled  together  until  they  are  thoroughly  combined.  A 
patent  has  been  secured  for  the  application  of  such  varnishes  to  waterproof 
fabrics,  by  N.  S.  Doge,  of  London.  Coloring  matters  may  be  mixed  with 
them.  Twilled  cotton  may  be  rendered  waterproof  by  the  application  of 
the  oil  sulphur  varnish.  It  should  be  applied  at  two  or  three  different 
times,  and  dried  after  each  operation. — American  Druggists'  Circular,  April, 
1860. 
Protecting  Young  Trees  with  Blood. — With  regard  to  the  protection  of 
young  trees  against  the  attacks  of  rabbits,  mice,  and  other  animals  obnoxi- 
ous to  the  vitality  of  vegetation,  a  Missourian  correspondent  (Dr.  J.  Dink- 
ley)  says  : — "I  will  give  you  a  much  better  remedy  than  any  previously 
proposed.  Rub  the  trees,  from  the  ground  upward  to  about  18  inches, 
with  a  piece  of  raw,  bloody  meat — liver  is  the  most  convenient;  thing  ;  or 
blood  may  be  put  on  with  a  brush.  If  this  be  done  late  in  the  fall  or  be- 
ginning of  winter,  no  animal  will  touch  the  bark  during  that  season.  I 
have  tried  this  plan  for  thirty  years,  and  have  never  known  it  fail.  Let. 
horticulturists  try  it." — Ibid. 
Colored  Flames. — Bibulous  paper  soaked  for  ten  minutes  in  a  mixture 
of  4  parts  by  measure  of  oil  of  vitriol  with  5  parts  of  strong  fuming  nitric 
acid,  and  then  washed  oat  thoroughly  with  warm  distilled  water,  is  to  be 
dried  at  a  gentle  heat.  The  gunpaper  thus  prepared  is  then  saturated 
with  chlorate  of  strontium,  with  chlorate  of  barium,  or  with  nitrate  of  po- 
tassium, by  immersion  in  a  warm  solution  of  these  salts ;  a  solution  of 
chlorate  of  copper  also  may  be  used.  If,  after  complete  drying,  a  small  pellet 
of  any  of  these  papers  be  made,  lighted  at  one  point  at  a  flame,  and  then 
thrown  into  the  air,  a  flash  of  intensely-colored  light  is  produced,  while 
the  combustion  is  so  perfect  that  there  is  no  perceptible  ash.  The  barium 
salt  gives  a  beautiful  green  light,  the  strontium-salt  a  crimson,  the  potas- 
sium-salt a  violet,  and  the  copper-salt  a  fine  blue.  The  chlorates  may  be 
prepared  sufficiently  pure  for  these  experiments  by  mixing  warm  solutions 
