Part 71

1. (For 1 _cwt._ of wool.) Good logwood-chips, 20 _lbs._, and Aleppo-galls, 18 _lbs._; are inclosed in a coarse bag, and boiled with water, q. s., for 5 or 6 hours; 1/3rd of this decoction is then transferred into another copper, with verdigris, 2 _lbs._, and a sufficient quantity of water having been added, the goods (previously dyed dark blue) are passed through the liquor for two hours, at a heat slightly below the boiling-point. The goods are next lifted and drained, another 1/3rd of the decoction of logwood and galls, with copperas, 9 _lbs._, added to the boiler, after which the fire is lowered, and as soon as the copperas is dissolved, the cloth is returned to the bath, and again well 'worked' for at least an hour. It is then taken out, thoroughly aired, and the remaining 1/3rd of the decoction added, with sumach, 20 _lbs._ The whole is then brought to a boil, and sulphate of iron, 2 _lbs._, together with a pailful of cold water, thrown in; after which the goods are put in a third time, and 'worked' for one hour; they are then taken out, rinsed, aired, and again passed through the bath for another hour. After being thoroughly rinsed, the goods are at once either 'fulled,' dried, and folded, or are further softened and beautified by passing them for 15 minutes through a hot weld-bath (not boiling), when they are rinsed, &c. (but not 'fulled'), as before. A beautiful though expensive dye. With management the above quantities of the ingredients will dye 1-1/4 or even 1-1/2 _cwt._ of wool.

2. (For 1 _cwt._) The cloth (previously dyed blue) is 'galled' with 5 _lbs._ of nut-galls, and then dyed in a bath made with 30 _lbs._ of logwood, to which about 5 _lbs._ of copperas has been added; after which it is rinsed, aired, and 'fulled,' as before. This is said, by Lewis, to be the usual proportions and plan adopted by the English dyers.

3. (For 1 _cwt._) Make a bath, as before, with fustic, 2 _lbs._; logwood, 5 _lbs._; and sumach, 10 _lbs._; work the (blued) cloth for 3 hours at the boiling heat, or near it; lift it out, add sulphate of iron, 10-1/2 _lbs._, and when dissolved, pass the cloth through it for 2 hours; rinse, air well, and again pass the goods through the bath for an hour; lastly, rinse until the water runs clear. Inferior to the last, but less expensive.

4. (For 1 _cwt._, without previous blueing or 'rooting,')--_a._ Work the goods at about 200° Fahr. for 1 hour, in a bath made with 6 to 7 _lbs._ of cam-wood; lift, add 6-1/2 _lbs._ of copperas, and again work the goods for an hour, after which withdraw the fire, and allow them to steep for 10 or 12 hours; next drain and rinse them, and work them in a second bath made with 60 _lbs._ of logwood for 1-1/2 hour; lift, add 3 _lbs._ of copperas, and again work for an hour; lastly, rinse, air, and finish:--_b._ The goods are first worked, for about two hours, in a bath of 3 _lbs._ of fustic, in which 5 _lbs._ of bichromate of potash and 4 _lbs._ of alum have been dissolved; after exposure to the air for about an hour and thorough rinsing they are worked for a second two hours in a bath made with 45 _lbs._ of logwood, 3-1/2 _lbs._ of barwood or cam-wood, and 3 _lbs._ of fustic; they are then lifted, and 3 _lbs._ of copperas having been added to the bath, are again immersed and worked for half an hour to an hour.

5. (For 10 _lbs._ of wool or w. cloth.) Work the goods for 1/2 an hour in a bath of 1/2 _lb._ of cam-wood; lift, add 7 or 8 _oz._ of copperas, and after working them for 20 minutes, withdraw the fire, and leave them in the liquor for 10 or 12 hours; next rinse them in cold water, drain, and then work them for an hour in a bath made with 5 _lbs._ of logwood, to which 1 pint of urine has been added; lift, add 4 _oz._ of copperas, work them for half an hour longer, and, lastly, wash and dry them.

6. (For 7 _lbs._) Take of galls (bruised), 1/4 _lb._; logwood chips, 1-1/2 _lb._; for the bath; boil or work the goods for 2 hours, take them out, add of copperas, 1/4 _lb._; and when it is dissolved, work the goods through the liquor for at least 2 hours, keeping the bath nearly boiling; again take them out, wash, and air; then add 1 _oz._ more of copperas to the bath, and pass the cloth through it for another hour; lastly, air, rinse, and finish.

7. (For 5 _lbs._) For the first bath--bichromate of potash, 8 _oz._; alum, 6 _oz._; fustic, 4 _oz._; for the second bath--logwood, 4 _lbs._; barwood and fustic, of each 4 _oz._; to which add, after the lift, copperas, 4 _oz._; the process being conducted as in 4, _b_. This, as well as the two formulæ immediately preceding it, is particularly suited to articles of dress dyed in the small way, at home. When the articles are only re-dipped, as it is called, a proportionately smaller quantity of the ingredients may be taken.

_Concluding Remarks._ In dyeing black, particularly on wool, it is absolutely necessary to take the goods out of the dye-bath several times, and to expose them to the air. This is called "airing" them, and is done to allow the oxygen of the atmosphere to act upon the ingredients of the dye, and especially on the iron; as without this action of the air a good colour cannot be produced. The usual proportions employed by the dyers of England are 5 _lbs._ each of galls and copperas and 30 _lbs._ of logwood for every _cwt._ of cloth; but these weights are frequently increased for choice goods, just as they are always lessened for common ones. The other astringent substances used as substitutes for galls in dyeing black are taken in quantities proportionate to their respective strengths, that of good Aleppo gall-nuts being referred to as a standard.

The German wool-dyers usually commence their process with a mordant of Salzburg vitriol (3 parts) and argol (1 part); and after exposure of the goods in a cool place for 24 hours, work them in a bath of logwood (5 to 6 p.) and fustic (2 p.); after which the bath is restored by the addition of verdigris (1/4 p.) dissolved in vinegar and the goods again worked through it for about 1/2 an hour. This is for 20 parts weight of wool or cloth.

Black marinos are usually mordanted (hot) with about 1/10th of their weight of copperas, and then aired for 24 hours; after which they are dyed in a boiling bath made with about 1/2 their weight of logwood with the addition of about 2% of argol or tartar.

As black is the shade most commonly attempted by amateur dyers, it may be here necessary to call their attention to what is said on mixed fabrics in our article on DYEING; since an inattention to this point will inevitably cause the failure of their efforts.

According to Muspratt, a mixed fabric of silk and woollen may be dyed black by one process, as follows:--Work the goods an hour in a solution of 8 _oz._ each of tartar and copperas, and wash out; work for 15 minutes in a decoction of 4 _lbs._ of logwood; lift, add 1 _oz._ of bichromate of potash, work for 1/2 an hour, and dry. And a mixed fabric of cotton, silk, and woollen:--Steep for six hours in a bath made of 2 _lbs._ of sumach; then work for an hour in a solution of 6 _oz._ each of tartar, sulphate of copper, and copperas; wash, and work 1/2 an hour in a decoction of 4 _lbs._ of logwood; lift, add to the bath 1 _oz._ of copperas; work ten minutes, wash, and dry. If a very deep black be required, 1 _lb._ of bark is to be added with the logwood. See DYEING, MORDANTS, &c.

=BLACK JACK.= This term is applied to burnt sugar, which is used to colour beverages, and more particularly for the adulteration of coffee. It is also known under the name of "coffee refined," and as such is vended in tin canisters. It is moreover employed to give colour to vinegar, brandy, and rum. Butter, with which water has been largely incorporated, is also known as "Black Jack." See CARAMEL.

=BLACK LEAD= (l[)e]d). See PLUMBAGO.

=BLACK PIG'MENTS.= _Syn._ PIGMEN'TA NI'GRA, L. The principal black pigments of commerce are obtained by carbonising organic substances (particularly bones), by exposure to a dull red heat, in covered vessels out of contact with the air; or by collecting the soot formed during the combustion of unctuous, resinous, and bituminous matters. Artists and amateurs also prepare, on the small scale, a variety of blacks, many of which are not procurable at the colour-shops. This they effect either by the carbonisation of substances not usually employed for the purpose, or by simply reducing to powder certain mineral productions selected on account of the peculiar shades of colour which they respectively possess. Some of the last might, however, be more appropriately classed with browns. The following list embraces most of these articles:--

=Black, An'imal.= Bone-black.

=Black, Aniline.= See TAR COLOURS.

=Black, Beech'.= Carbonised beech-wood.

=Black, Blue'.= Vine-twigs dried and then carefully carbonised, in covered vessels, until of the proper shade. That of the ancients was made of wine-lees. Pit-coal, carefully burnt at a white heat, then quenched in water, dried and well-ground, forms a cheap, good, and durable blue-black, fit for most ordinary purposes. See FRANKFORT-BLACK.

=Black, Bone'.= _Syn._ I'VORY-BLACK (of _commerce_); CAR'BO OS'SIS, OS US'TUM NI'GRUM, E'BUR U. N. (vena'le), &c., L.; NOIR D'OS, &c., Fr.; KNOCHENSCHWARTZ, &c., Ger. Carbonised bones reduced to powder. That of commerce is usually the residuum of the distillation of bone-spirit. Inferior to true ivory-black; having a slight, but peculiar reddish tinge, from which the latter is quite free. Besides its use as a pigment, it is extensively employed in making blacking, as a material for the moulds of founders, as a clarifier and bleacher of liquids, &c. See IVORY-BLACK and CHARCOAL, ANIMAL.

=Black, Cas'sel=, Cologne'-Black. Ivory-black.

=Black, Coal'.= See BLUE-BLACK and NEWCASTLE-BLACK.

=Black, Composi''tion= (z[)i]sh'-[)u]n-). The selected portion of the residuum of the process of making prussiate of potash from blood and hoofs. Used both as a pigment and to decolour organic solutions, which it does better than bone-black.

=Black, Cork'.= Spanish-black.

=Black, Flo''rey=, FLORÉE D'INDE. The dried scum of the dyer's wood-bath. A superior blue-black.

=Black, Frank'fort=, NOIR DE FRANCFORT. From vine-twigs dried, carbonised to a full black, and then ground very fine. An excellent black pigment; also used by the copper-plate printers to make their ink. See BLUE-BLACK.

=Black, Harts'horn.= Resembles ivory-black, which is now usually sold for it. It was formerly prepared by carbonising the residuum of the distillation of spirit of hartshorn.

=Black, I'vory.= _Syn._ CAR'BO EB'ORIS, E'BUR US'TUM NI'GRUM, L.; NOIR D'IVOIRE, &c., Fr.; ELFENBEINSCHWARTZ, KOHLE VON ELFENBEIN, Ger. From waste fragments and turnings of ivory, by careful exposure in covered crucibles, avoiding excess of heat or over-burning. The whole having been allowed to become quite cold, the crucibles are opened and their contents reduced to fine powder. For the first quality only the richest coloured portion of the charcoal is selected, and this, after being powdered, is ground with water on porphyry, washed on a filter with warm water, and then dried. A very rich and beautiful black. It is brighter than even peach-stone black, and is quite free from the reddish tinge of bone-black. With white-lead it forms a rich pearl-grey. See BONE-BLACK.

=Black, Jamai'ca= (-m[=a]'-). Sugar-black.

=Black, Lamp'.= _Syn._ FULI'GO LUCER'NÆ, F. PI'NEA, &c., L.; NOIR DE FUMÉE, &c., Fr.; KIENRUSS, &c., Ger. _Prep._ 1. (On the small scale.) A conical funnel of tin-plate furnished with a small pipe to convey the fumes from the apartment, is suspended over a lamp fed with oil, tallow, coal-tar, or crude naphtha, the wick being large and so arranged as to burn with a full smoky flame. Large spongy, mushroom-like concretions of an exceedingly light, very black, carbonaceous matter, gradually form at the summit of the cone, and must be collected from time to time. The funnel should be united to the smoke-pipe by means of wire, and no solder should be used for the joints of either.

2. (_Commercial._) On the large scale, lamp-black is now generally made by burning bone-oil (previously freed from its ammonia), or common coal-tar, and receiving the smoke in a suitable chamber. In the patented process of Messrs Martin and Grafton the coal-tar is violently agitated with lime-water until the two are well mixed, after which it is allowed to subside, and the lime-water having been drawn off, the tar is washed several times with hot water. After subsidence and decantation it is put into stills, and rectified. The crude naphtha in the receiver is then put into a long cast-iron tube furnished with numerous large burners, underneath which is a furnace to heat the pipe to nearly the boiling point. Over each burner is a sort of funnel which goes into a cast-iron pipe or main, which thus receives the smoke from all the burners. From this main the smoke is conveyed by large pipes to a succession of boxes or chambers, and thence into a series of large canvas bags arranged side by side, and connected together at top and bottom alternately. Fifty to eighty of these 'bags' are employed; the last one being left open to admit of the escape of the smoke, which has thus been made to traverse a space of about 400 yards. As soon as the bags contain any considerable quantity of black they are removed and emptied. The black deposited in the last bag is the finest and best, and it becomes progressively coarse as it approaches the furnace.

_Obs._ The state of minute division in which the carbon exists in good lamp-black is such as cannot be given to any other matter, not even by grinding it on porphyry, or by 'elutriation' or 'washing over' with water. On this account it goes a great way in every kind of painting. It may be rendered drier and less oily by gentle calcination in close vessels, when it is called burnt lamp-black, and may then be used as a water-colour; or its greasiness may be removed by the alkali-treatment noticed under Indian ink. It is the basis of Indian ink, printer's ink, and most black paints.

Russian lamp-black is the soot produced by burning the chips of resinous deal. It is objectionable chiefly from being liable to take fire spontaneously when left for some time moistened with oil.

=Black, Manganese'= (-n[=e]ze'-). Native binoxide of manganese. Durable and dries well.

=Black, New'castle.= From the richer-looking varieties of pit-coal by grinding, and elutriation. Brown black or, in thin layers, deep brown. It is, perhaps, "the most useful brown the artist can place on his palette; being remarkably clear, not so warm as Vandyke-brown, and serving as a shadow for blues, reds, and yellows, when glazed over them. It seems almost certain that Titian made large use of this material." See BLUE-BLACK (_antè_).

=Black, Opor'to.= Carbonised wine-lees.

=Black, Pa'ris=, NOIR DE PARIS. From turner's bone-dust, treated as for ivory-black. Works well both in oil and water. It is commonly sold for real ivory-black, and for burnt lamp-black.

=Black, Peach-stone.= From the stones or kernels of peaches, cherries, and other similar fruits, treated as for ivory-black. A bright, rich black; works well with oil; with white-lead and oil it makes old grey.

=Black, Pit'coal.= Newcastle-black.

=Black, Prus''sian= (pr[)u]sh'-[)a]n). Composition-black.

=Black, Rice'.= Rice-charcoal. Inferior.

=Black, Rus''sian.= See LAMP-BLACK.

=Black, Soot'= (s[)o][)o]t'-). The soot of coal-fires, ground and sifted. Used in common paint, and to colour whitewash; with Venetian-red and oil, it makes chocolate-colour; also used to make grey mortar.

=Black, Span'ish.= From cork-cuttings carbonised, as bone-black. Resembles Frankfort-black, but works softer.

=Black, Sug'ar= (sh[)o][)o]g'-). Carbonised moist sugar. Has little body, but for washing drawings is equal in mellowness to Indian ink and bistre.

=Black, Sun'derland.= Newcastle-black.

=Black, Tur'ner's.= Paris-black.

=Black, Vine'-twig.= Frankfort-black.

=Black Wheat'= (hw[=e]te'-) Carbonised wheat. It has a good colour, a full body, and dries hard and quickly with oil.

=BLACK'BERRY.= The popular name of _ru'bus frutico'sus_ (Linn.) or the common 'bramble.' Fruit (BLACK'BERRIES; MÛRES DE RONCE, Fr.), antiscorbutic and wholesome, but in excess apt to sicken; twigs used in dyeing black; root astringent, formerly used in hooping-cough.

=Blackberry, Amer'ican.= The _ru'bus villo'sus_ (Ait.). Root astringent and tonic; officinal in the Ph. U. S.

=BLACK PUDDING.= A pudding made of the blood of the pig, mixed with groats and fat. It contains about 11 per cent. of nitrogenous matter.

=BLACK'ING.= _Syn._ CIRAGE (des bottes), NOIR (pour les souliers), Fr.; SCHWÄRZE, SCHUHSCHWÄRZE, Ger. An article too well known to require description.

_Hist., &c._ Blacking, and other polishes for leather, were undoubtedly in common use among the ancients; but the compound to which we now more particularly apply the name is of comparatively modern invention. The latter appears to have been first introduced into England from Paris, during the reign of Chas. II, but was not in common use among the masses of our population much before the middle of the 18th century.

The general and still increasing use of blacking as a polish for boots and shoes by all classes of the inhabitants of civilised countries, has given an extent and importance to its manufacture which a stranger to the subject would scarcely be led to suspect. The princely establishments of some of the firms who compound this sable article cannot fail to have arrested the attention of the passenger through the streets of this great metropolis; whilst the enormous fortune acquired by one of their late members, and, for the most part, bequeathed by him for purposes of charity and philanthropy, has invested both the donor and his craft with an interest and notoriety which they did not previously possess. At the present time the consumption of blacking is greater than at any former period; and of this, as of many other articles, England is the principal manufactory for the world, alike distinguished for the extent of her trade and the excellent quality of this product of her industry. In truth, England excels all other nations in the manufacture of common shoe-blacking; and perhaps in no other country is an equal attention paid to the cleanliness and appearance of the external clothing of the feet.

_Prep._ I. LIQUID BLACKING:--

1. Take of bone-black, 16 parts; treacle, 12 parts; oil of vitriol, 3 parts; sperm oil,[190] 2 parts; gum-arabic, 1 part; strong vinegar, or sour beer, 48 to 50 parts[191] (all by weight); place the bone-black in a capacious wooden, stone-ware, or enamelled iron vessel,[192] add the oil, and rub them well together; next gradually add the treacle, and actively and patiently grind or rub the mass, after each addition, until the oil is perfectly killed, and finally for some time afterwards, to ensure complete admixture; then cautiously dilute the vitriol with about three times its bulk of water, and add it, in separate portions, to the former mixture, observing to stir the whole together, as rapidly as possible, on each addition of the acid, and for some minutes after the whole is added, so as to render the mass thoroughly smooth and homogeneous; let it stand, covered over, for two or three days, or longer, stirring it, in the mean time, for 15 or 20 minutes daily; lastly, having dissolved the gum in the vinegar, add the solution gradually to the rest, and stir the whole together briskly for some time, and again daily for 3 or 4 days. It may be further diluted, at will, with a little more vinegar or beer, or with water; but unnecessary or excessive dilution should be avoided, as the richness and quality of the blacking become proportionately reduced. If all the ingredients (except the vitriol) be made hot before admixture, the shining quality of the product will be greatly improved, and the process may be shortened.[193]

[Footnote 190: Sperm oil is commonly regarded as the best for blacking; but pale seal oil is thought by some to be quite as good. The cod-liver oil of the curriers, if clear, is less expensive, and probably better than either of them. Common olive oil, and refined rape oil, are, however, those most generally used by the blacking-makers.]

[Footnote 191: That is, 3 to 3-1/2 times the weight of the ivory-black.]

[Footnote 192: Metallic vessels must be avoided.]

[Footnote 193: By taking the 'parts' ordered in this and the other formulæ as so many 1/4 _lbs._, _lbs._, 1/4 _cwts._, or _cwts._, the proportions of each ingredient for any quantity of blacking, from a 1/4 of a _lb._, or a 1/4 _pint_, up to 2 _tons_, or nearly 450 _galls._, will be at once seen; and so on of even larger quantities. See Concluding Remarks (_infrà_).]

2. Ivory-black, 16 parts; treacle, 8 parts; oil of vitriol, 4 parts; (diluted with) water, 2 parts; oil, 2 parts; gum-arabic, 1 part; soft water (for the final dilution, instead of vinegar), 64 parts; mixed, &c., as before. Excellent.

3. As the last; but taking only 6 parts of treacle, 1 part of oil, and omitting the gum-arabic. Good. A commoner article of liquid blacking does not sell.

4. (Bryant and James's INDIA-RUBBER LIQUID BLACKING. Patent dated 1836.) Take of india rubber (in small pieces), 18 _oz._; hot rape oil, 9 _lbs._ (say 1 _gall._); dissolve; to the solution add of ivory-black (in very fine powder), 60 _lbs._; treacle, 45 _lbs._; mix thoroughly; further add of gum-arabic, 1 _lb._, dissolved in vinegar (No. 24), 20 galls.; reduce the whole to a perfect state of smoothness and admixture by trituration in a paint-mill; throw the compound into a wooden vessel, and add, very gradually, of sulphuric acid, 12 _lbs._; continue the stirring for 1/2 an hour, repeating it daily for 14 days; then add of gum-arabic (in fine powder), 3 _lbs._;[194] again mix well, and repeat the stirring for 1/2 an hour daily for 14 days longer, when the liquid blacking will be ready for use or for bottling. The quality is very excellent; but this, probably, does not depend on the presence of the india rubber, but on the general correctness of the proportions, and the care and completeness with which they are mixed.

[Footnote 194: This should be gently rubbed through a sieve, held over the blacking by one person, whilst another stirs the mass assiduously with the spatula.]

5. (_Without Vitriol._) Take of ivory-black (in very fine powder), 2 _lbs._; treacle, 1-1/2 lb.; sperm oil, 1/4 pint; mix, as before; then add of gum-arabic, 1 _oz._; (dissolved in) strong vinegar, 1/2 pint; mix well; the next day further add of good vinegar, or strong sour beer, 3 to 4 pints (or q. s.); stir briskly for a 1/4 of an hour, and again once a day for a week. Excellent. A cheaper, but inferior article, may be made by the reductions and omissions noticed above.

6. From paste-blacking (see _below_), by reducing it with sufficient vinegar, sour beer, or water, to give it the liquid form.[195]

[Footnote 195: It is sometimes convenient to prepare liquid blacking in this way from a stock of 'paste-blacking' already on hand.]

II. PASTE BLACKING:--

1. Qualities from good to super-excellent may be made from any of the preceding formulæ, by simply omitting the final dilution with the vinegar, sour beer, or water, therein ordered at the end of the process.

2. (Bryant and James's INDIA-RUBBER PASTE BLACKING.--Patent dated 1836.) Of india-rubber oil, ivory black, treacle, and gum-arabic, the same as for their liquid blacking (see I, 4, _above_), but dissolving the last in only 12 _lbs._ (say 5 quarts), instead of 20 galls. of vinegar; grinding to a smooth paste in a colour-mill, and then adding of oil of vitriol, 12 lbs. as before. The mass is to be stirred daily for a week, when it will be fit for use, or potting.[196] Excellent.