Chapter 2

Take 4 quarts alcohol, and 1 quart spirits of turpentine; mix well together, and it is ready for use.

29. NON-EXPLOSIVE BURNING FLUID

Take 1 gallon 44 proof alcohol, 1 quart camphene, 3 oz. of alum pulverized, 1/2 oz. camphor gum, 65 drops cuicuma; mix all together and let it stand 12 hours, and it is ready for use.

30. VINEGAR IN THREE DAYS WITHOUT DRUGS

Take 2 barrels and saw one of them in two in the centre, and put one-half on the top, and the other at the bottom of the whole barrel, (or you may use three whole barrels if you like.) The middle barrel is to be filled with maple, beech, of baswood shavings, which are to be planed from the edge of boards only two or three feet long, which allows the shavings to roll, and prevents them from packing tight, and also allows air to circulate through them, which is admitted through a number of inch holes, which are to be made near the bottom of the barrel and just above the faucet, which lets the vinegar run into the tub below. The top tub has its bottom pierced with small bit holes, having several threads of twine hanging in them to conduct the vinegar evenly over the top of the shavings in the middle of the barrel. Air must be permitted to pass out between the top tub and barrel, which comes in at the holes in the bottom. The shavings which fill the barrel must be soaked three or four days in good vinegar before they are put in. When thus arranged, for every gallon of water use 1/2 lb. of sugar; (that you get from molasses barrels does vary well.) If you wish to make vinegar from whiskey, put in 4 gallons of water to 1 gallon of whiskey; and if from cider, put in one-third water, and fill the top tub with this fluid, putting 1 pint good yeast to each barrel making; and have the holes with threads or twine so arranged that it will run through every twelve hours; and dip or pump up with a wooden pump every night or morning, and three days will make good substantial vinegar, which will keep and also improve by age. Some use only 1 gallon of whiskey to 7 gallons of water. This accounts for so much poor vinegar. Make good vinegar, it will pay you. If a few gallons of water is made boiling hot so as to warm the whole of a gentle warmth, it will make faster than if used cold. This must be done in cool weather, and the room also should be kept warm. For families, small kegs will do, but for manufacturers large casks are best. Many make vinegar by just putting fluid into the barrels of shavings, soaked as directed above, and do not let it run through, but let it stand in the shavings till sour; but it does not work fast enough for manufacturers. It will do where only a small amount is needed, keeping the same strength of fluid as for the other plan, which is best. Two or three years ago, this receipt was sold for from $50 to $150. If vinegar is made from whiskey, it will have a more beautiful colour if 5 or 6 lbs. of sugar is put into each barrel, of course keeping the same proportions of water as though only one kind was used. The shavings will last the whole season.

31. CUBA HONEY

Good brown sugar 11 lbs., water 1 quart, old bee honey in the comb 2 lbs., cream tartar 50 grains, gum arabic 1 oz., oil of peppermint 5 drops, oil of rose 2 drops, mix and boil two or three minutes and remove from the fire, have ready strained one quart of water, in which a table-spoonful of pulverized slippery elm bark has stood sufficiently long to make it ropy and thick life honey, mix this into the kettle with egg well beat up, skim well in a few minutes, and when a little cool, add two pounds of nice strained bees' honey, and then strain the whole, and you will have not only an article which looks and tastes like honey, but which possesses all its medicinal properties. It has been shipped in large quantities under the name of Cuba honey. It will keep fresh and nice for any length of time if properly covered.

32. EXCELLENT HONEY

Take 5 lbs. of good common sugar, two pounds of water, gradually bring to a boil, skimming well, when cool, add 1 lb. bees' honey, and 4 drops of peppermint. If you desire a better article use white sugar and 1/2 lb. less water, and one half pound more honey.

33. GUNPOWDER

Take pulverized saltpetre, moisten it, and subject it to the action of a slow fire until completely dried and granulated, of this take 75 parts, purified sugar 12 and a-half parts, moisten and grind together till completely blended, which will require several hours, pulverize on heaters till dried.

34. EXCELLENT MATCHES

The ends of the tapers or wood should be very dry, and then dipped in hot melted sulphur and laid aside to dry; then take 4 parts of glue, dissolve it and while hot add one part of phosphorus, and stir in a few spoonsful of fine whiting to bring to the proper thickness. This preparation should be kept hot by being suspended over a lamp, while dipping the wood or tapers. Colour the mixture by adding a little vermillion, lamp black or prussian blue; be careful not to ignite the compound while dipping.

35. FIRE AND WATER-PROOF CEMENT

To half a pint of milk add half a pint of vinegar to curdle it; then separate the curd from the whey, and mix the whey with 4 or 5 eggs; beating the whole well together; when it is well mixed, add a little quick-lime through a sieve, until it has acquired the consistence of a thick paste. This is a prime article for cementing marble, in or out of the weather. It is excellent for broken vessels, &c.

36. FRENCH CHEMICAL SOAP

Take 5 lbs. castile soap, cut fine, 1 pint alcohol, 1 pint soft water, 2 ounces aquafortis (if for black cloth 1/2 ounce of lampblack,) 2 ounces saltpetre, 3 ounces potash, 1 ounce camphor, 4 ounces cinnamon in powder. Fist dissolve the soap, potash, and saltpetre by boiling, then add all the other articles, and continue to stir until it cools, then pour it into a box, let it stand 24 hours, and cut it into cakes. It is used for taking grease, stains, and paints from cloth, wood, &c. This receipt has frequently sold for $10.

37. BLACK INK WITHOUT SEDIMENT

This ink is not injured by frost--is a beautiful article, and only costs 5 cents. per gallon, and is sold for from $1 to $3. Take 1 lb. logwood, 1 gallon soft water, simmer in an iron vessel for one hour, then dissolve in a little hot water 24 grains bychromate of potash, and 12 grains prussiate of potash, and stir into the liquid while over the fire, then take it off and strain it through fine cloth. This ink is a jet black flows freely from the pen and will stand the test of oexylic acid.

38. INDELIBLE INK

1 inch of the stick of the nitrate of silver dissolved in a little water, and stirred into each gallon of the above, makes first rate indelible ink for cloth. Judge what indelible ink costs.

39. INDELIBLE INK

Nitrate of silver 1-1/2 oz., dissolved in liquor ammonia fortisine 5-1/2 oz., orchil for colouring 3/4 oz., gum mucilage 12 oz., mix the two latter, then mix them with the two former, and it is ready to use.

40. WRITING FLUID OR BLACK COPYING INK

Take two gallons of rain water and put into it gum arabic 1/4 lb., brown sugar 1/4 lb., clean copperas 1/4 lb., powdered nut galls 3/4 lb., mix and shake occasionally for ten days and strain. If needed sooner, let it stand in an iron kettle until the strength is obtained. This ink can be depended on for deeds or records, which you may want someone to read hundreds of years to come. Oexylic acid 1/4 oz., was formerly put in, but as it destroys the steel pens, and does just as well without it--it is now never used.

41. BEST INK POWDER

This is formed of the dry ingredients for ink, powdered and mixed. Take powdered galls one pound, powdered green vitriol half a pound, powdered gum 4 ounces, mix all together, put it up into 2 ounce packages, each of which will make a pint if ink.

42. BEST RED INK

Take of best carmine (nakarot) 2 grains, rain water 1/2 ounce, water of ammonia 20 drops, add a little gum arabic, and it is in a few minutes ready for use.

43. YELLOW INK

Dissolve alum in saffron water to whatever shade of yellow you please. It makes a beautiful ink.

44. BLUE INK

Take Prussian blue, and oexylic acid, in equal parts, powder finely, and add soft water to bring it to a soft paste, and let it stand for a few days, then add soft water to the desired shade of colour; add a little gum arabic to prevent spreading.

45. GOLDEN INK

Take some white gum arabic, reduce it to an impalpable powder in a brass mortar, dissolve it in strong brandy, and add a little common water to render it more liquid, provide some gold in a shell, which must be detached in order to reduce it to a powder, when this is done moisten it with the gum solution, and stir the whole with a small hair brush, or your finger, then leave it for a night that the gold may be better dissolved. If the composition becomes dry during the night, dilute it with more gum water in which a little saffron has been infused, but take care that the gold solution be sufficiently liquid to flow freely in a pen; when the writing is dry polish it with a dry tooth.

46. WHITE INK FOR WRITING ON BLACK PAPER

Having carefully washed some egg shells remove the internal skin and grind them on a piece of porphyry, then put the powder in a small vessel of pure water, and when it has settled at the bottom, draw off the water and dry the powder in the sun. This powder must be preserved in a bottle; when you want to use it put a small quantity of gum ammoniac into distilled vinegar, and leave it to dissolve during the night, next morning the solution will appear exceedingly white, and if you then strain it through a piece of linen cloth, and add to it the powder of egg shells in sufficient quantity, you will obtain a very white ink.

47. SECRET INK FOR YOUNG LADIES AND GENTS

Take a drachm of clean rain water, put into it, in a clean vial, 10 or 12 drops of pure, clean sulphuric acid, and it is ready for use; write with this using a clean quill pen on letter paper, and when dry you can see no mark at all, then hold it to a strong heat and the writing becomes as black as jet. If you want to write to a young lady or gentleman, as the case may be, and fearing that the letter might be opened before she or he gets it, write with common black ink something of no importance, then between the lines write what you want to say with the secret ink. The person to whom you are writing must understand the scheme so that she or he may hold it to the heat and thereby make the writing visible.

48. CIDER WITHOUT APPLES

To each gallon of cold water put 1 lb. common sugar, 1/2 ounce of tartaric acid, one tablespoonful of yeast, shake well, make in an evening and it will be fit for use next day. I make in a keg a few gallons at a time, leaving a few quarts to make into next time, not using yeast again until the keg needs rinsing. If it gets a little sour, make a little more into it or put as much water with it as there is cider and put it with the vinegar. If it is desired to bottle this cider by manufacturers of small drinks, you will proceed as follows: put in a barrel 5 gallons of hot water, 30 lbs. of brown sugar, 3/4 lb. of tartaric acid, 25 gallons of cold water, 3 pints of hop or brewer's yeast, work into paste with 3/4 lb. of flower, and one pint water will be required in making this paste; put all together in a barrel which it will fill and let it work 24 hours, the yeast running out at the bung all the time by putting in a little occasionally to keep it full; then bottle, putting in two or three broken raisins to each bottle, and it will nearly equal champagne.

49. SPRUCE OR AROMATIC BEER

Take 3 gallons of water, 2-1/2 pints molasses, 3 eggs well beaten, 1 gill yeast, put into two quarts of the water boiling hot, put in 50 drops of any oil you wish the flavour of, or mix one ounce each, oil sarsafras, spruce, and wintergreen; then use the 50 drops. For ginger flavour take 2 ounces ginger root bruised and a few hops, and boil for 30 minutes in one gallon of the water, strain and mix all; let it stand 2 hours and bottle, using yeast, of course, as before.

50. LEMON BEER

To make 20 gallons, boil 6 ounces of ginger root bruised, 1/4 lb. cream-tartar for 20 or 30 minutes in 2 or 3 gallons of water; this will be strained into 13 lbs. of coffer sugar on which you have put 1 oz. oil of lemon and six good lemons all squeezed up together, having warm water enough to make the whole 20 gallons, just so you can hold your hand in it without burning, or some 70 degrees of heat; put in 1-1/2 pint hops or brewer's yeast worked into paste as for cider, with 5 or 6 oz. of flower; let it work over night, then strain and bottle for use. This will keep a number of days.

51. PHILADELPHIA BEER

Take 30 gallons of water, brown sugar 20 lbs., ginger root bruised 1/4 lb., cream tartar 1-1/4 lb., carbonate of soda 3 ounces, oil of lemon 1 teaspoonful, put in a little alcohol, the white of 10 eggs well beaten, hops 2 ounces, yeast one quart. The ginger root and hops should be boiled for 20 or 30 minutes in enough of the water to make all milk warm; then strain into the rest, and the yeast added and allowed to work itself clear as the cider and bottled.

52. SILVER TOP DRINK

Take of water 3 quarts, white sugar 4 lbs., oil of lemons one teaspoonful, white of 5 eggs, beaten with one teaspoonful of flour; boil to form syrum, then divide into equal parts, and to one add 3 ounces of tartaric acid, and to the other part 4 oz. of carbonate of soda, then take two thirds of a glass of water, and put in a spoonful of each of the syrups, more or less, according to the size of the glass.

53. DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING SODA DRINKS

In getting up any of the soda drinks which are spoken of hereafter it will be preferable to put about 4 oz. of carbonate (sometimes called supercarbonate) of soda into one pint of water, and shake when you wish to make a glass of soda, and pour from this into the glass until if foams well instead of using dry soda as directed.

54. IMPERIAL CREAM NECTAR

Part 1st.--Take 1 gallon water, 6 lbs. loaf sugar, 6 ounces tartaric acid, gum arabic 1 oz.

Part 2nd.--Take 4 teaspoonsful of flour, the whites of four eggs beat finely together, then add 1/2 pint of water. Heat the first part until it is blood warm, then put in the second, boil 3 minutes and it is done.

Directions.--To 3 tablespoonfuls of the syrup in a glass half or two thirds full of water add one third of a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda made fine, stir well, and drink at your leisure.

55. A SUPERIOR GINGER BEER

Take of sugar 10 lbs., lemon juice 9 oz., honey 1/2 lb., bruised ginger root 11 oz., water 9 galls., yeast 3 pints, boil the ginger in the water until the strength is all extracted, which you may tell be tasting the root, then pour it into a tub, throwing the roots away, let it stand until nearly luke warm, then put in all the rest of the ingredients, stir well until all dissolved, cover it over with a cloth, and if it be in the evening, let it remain until next morning, then strain through cloth, and bottle it, and in a short time it will be fit for use. Some use less sugar, and some less lemon juice, to make it with less expense; but it is not so elegant a drink as this.

56. GINGER POP No. 1

Take of water 5-1/2 galls., ginger root bruised 3/4 lb., tartaric acid 1/2 oz., white sugar 2-1/4 lbs., the whites of 3 eggs well beat, a small teaspoonful of oil of lemon, yeast 1 gill; boil the root for 30 minutes in 1 gallon of the water, strain off, and put the oil in while hot, mix all well, make over night, in the morning skim, and bottle, keeping out sediment.

57. GINGER POP No. 2

Take best white Jamaica ginger root bruised 2 oz., water 6 quarts, boil 20 minutes and strain, then add cream tartar 1 oz., white sugar 1 lb.; put on the fire, then stir until all the sugar is dissolved; then put into an earthen jar, now put in tartaric acid 1/4 oz., and the rind of 1 lemon, let it stand until 70 degrees of Fahrenheit, or until you can bear your hand in it with comfort, then add two tablespoonsful of yeast, stir well, bottle for use, and tie the corks; make a few days before it is wanted for use.

58. YEAST

Take a good single handful of hops, and boil for 20 minutes in 3 pints of water, then strain, and stir in a teacupful of flour, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a teaspoonful of salt; when a little cool put in 1 gill of brewer's yeast, and after four or five hours cover up, and stand in a cool place for use; make again from this unless you let it get sour.

59. SODA SYRUPS

Take of loaf or crushed sugar 8 lbs., pure water 1 gall., gum arabic 1 oz., mix in a brass or copper kettle, boil until the gum is dissolved, then skim and strain through white flannel, after which add tartaric acid 5-1/2 oz., dissolved in hot water. To flavour use extract of lemon, orange, rose, sarsaparilla, strawberry, &c., 1/2 oz., or to your taste. If you use the juice of lemon, add 1-1/2 lbs., of sugar to a pint; you do not need any tartaric acid with it; now use 2 or 3 tablespoonsful of syrup to 3/4 of a tumbler of water, and 1/3 teaspoonsful of supercarbonate of soda made fine, stir well and be ready to drink; the gum arabic, however, holds the carbonic acid so it will not fly off so readily as common soda. For soda fountains, 1 oz., of supercarbonate of soda is used to 1 gallon of water. for charged fountains no acids are needed in the syrups.

60. MINERAL WATER

Epsom salts 1 oz., cream tartar 1/2 oz., tartaric acid 1/4 oz., loaf sugar 1 lb., oil of birch 20 drops; put 1 quart boiling water on all these articles, and add 3 quarts of cold water to 2 tablespoonsful of yeast; let it work 2 hours and then bottle.

61. IMPROVED ENGLISH STRONG BEER

If you have malt use it, if not, take 1 peck of barley, and put it into a stove oven, and steam the moisture from them, grind coarsely, and pour into them 3-1/2 gallons of water, at 170 or 172 degrees. (If you use malt it does not need quite so much water, as it does not absorb so much as the other. The tub should have a false bottom with many gimblet holes to keep back the grain.) Stir them well and let stand 3 hours and draw off, put on 7 gallons more water at 180 or 182 degrees, stir well, let stand 2 hours and draw off, then put 1 gallon or 2 of cold water, stir well and draw off; you should have about 5 or 6 gallons; mix 6 lbs., coarse brown sugar in equal amount of water, add 4 oz. of good hops, boil for 1-1/2 hour; you should have from 8 to 10 gallons when boiled; when cooled to 80 degrees, put in a teacupful of good yeast and let it work 18 hours covered with a sack. Use sound iron-hooped kegs, or porter bottles, bung or cork tight, and in two weeks it will be good sound beer, nearly equal in strength to London porter, or good ale, and will keep a long time.

62. SANGAREE

Take wine, ale, or porter, 1/3, and 2/3 water, hot, or cold, according to the season of the year, loaf sugar to the taste with nutmeg.

63. GINGER WINE

Put 1 oz. good ginger root bruised in 1 quart of 95 per cent. alcohol, let it stand 9 days, and strain, add 4 quarts of water, and 1 lb. of white sugar, dissolved in hot water, 1 pint port wine to this quantity, for what you retail at your own bar makes it far better; colour with tincture of saunders to suit; drink freely of this hot on going to bed, when you have a bad cold, and in the morning you will bless ginger wine.

64. HOP BEER

Take of hops 6 oz., molasses 5 quarts, boil the hops in water till the strength is out, strain them into a 30 gallon barrel, add the molasses and a teacupful of yeast, and fill up with water, shake it well and leave the bung out until fermented, which will be in about 24 hours; bung up, and it will be fit for use in about 3 days. A most excellent summer drink, smaller quantities in proportion.

65. USQUEBAUGH OR IRISH WHISKEY

Best brandy 1 gallon, stoned raisins 1 lb., cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom, each 1 oz., crushed in a mortar, saffron 1/2 oz., or the rind of 1 Seville orange, and a little sugar candy; shake these well, and it is ready for use in 14 days.

66. ICE CREAM

Add a little rich sweet cream, and 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar to each quart of cream or milk; if you cannot get cream the best imitation is to boil a soft custard; 6 eggs to each quart of milk, (eggs well beaten); or another way, boil a quart of milk, and stir into it, while boiling, a tablespoonful of arrow-root, wet with cold milk, then cool stir in the yolk of one egg, to give a rich colour; five minutes boiling is enough for either plan; put the sugar in after they cool, keep the same proportions for any amount desired. The juice of strawberries, or raspberries, give a beautiful colour and flavour to ice creams; or about 1/2 oz. of the essence or extracts to a gallon, or to suit the taste. Have your ice well broken, add 1 quart of salt to a bucket of ice, then place in this the vessel containing your cream, and about one half hour's constant stirring and occasional scraping down and beating together will freeze it.

67. CHICAGO ICE CREAM

Irish moss soaked in warm water about an hour, and rinsed well to clear it of a certain foreign taste, then steep it in milk, keeping it just at the point of boiling or simmering for an hour, or until a rich yellow colour is given to the milk, without cream or eggs; 1 or 1-1/2 oz. of moss is enough for a gallon of cream, and this will do to steep twice. Sweeten and flavour as other cream.

68. CREAM SODA

Loaf sugar 10 lb., water 3 gills, mix, and warm gradually, so as not to burn, good rich cream 2 quarts, extract vanilla 1-1/2 oz., extract nutmeg 1/4 oz., and tartaric acid 4 oz.; just bring to a boiling heat; for if you cook it any length of time it will crystallize. Use 4 or 5 spoonsful of this syrup instead of 3, as in other syrups; put 1/3 teaspoonful of soda to a glass, if used without fountain. For charged fountains no acid is used.

69. LEMON SYRUP

Take of the juice of lemons one pint, white sugar one and a half pound, and a little of the peel. Mix and boil a few minutes, strain, and when a little cool, bottle, and cork, for use.

70. ORANGE AND RASPBERRY SYRUPS

Take of the juice of either, as the case may be, one pint; white sugar one and a half pound. If it be orange a little of the peel; tartaric acid 4 oz. Mix and boil a few minutes; strain, and when a little cool, bottle and cork for use. When to be drank, mix three or four tablespoonsful of syrup with three quarters of a glass of water, and add a teaspoonful of soda. If water be added to the syrup it will not keep well.

71. PURE WINE

Take three pounds of nice raisins free of stems, cut each one in two or three pieces, put them into a stone jug with one gallon pure soft water, let them stand two weeks uncovered, shaking occasionally (put in a warm place in winter,) strain through three or four thicknesses of woollen, or filter; colour with burned sugar; bottle and cork for use. For saloon purposes, add one pint of good brandy. The more raisins the better the wine, not exceeding 5 lbs.

72. PURE WINE VINEGAR

This is made by putting the same quantity of water on the above raisins, after the wine is poured off, as at first for making wine, and standing the same length of time, in the same way.

73. PORT WINE

Take 42 gallons of worked cider, 12 gallons of good port wine, 3 gallons good brandy, 6 gallons pure spirits. Mix together. Elder-berries and sloes, or fruit of the black hawes, make a fine purple colour for wines.

74. CHAMPAGNE WINE

Take of good cider (crab-apple cider is best) seven gallons, best fourth proof brandy one quart, genuine champagne wine five quarts, milk one gill, bitartrate of potash 2 oz. Mix and let it stand a short time; bottle while fermenting. This makes an excellent imitation of champagne with age.

75. CURRANT AND OTHER FRUIT WINES