Chapter 3

For currant, cherry, raspberry, elderberry, strawberry, whortleberry, and wild grape wines, any one can be used alone, or in combination of several of the different kinds; to make a variety of flavours, or suit persons who have some and not the other kinds of fruits, to every gallon of expressed juice, add 2 galls. of soft water, put in 6 or 8 lbs. of brown sugar, and 1-1/2 oz. of cream of tartar, have them dissolved; put 1 quart of brandy to every 6 galls. Some prefer it without brandy. After fermentation, take 4 oz. isinglass, dissolved in a pint of the wine, put to each barrel, and it will refine and clear it; then it must be drawn off into clear casks, or bottled, which is far the best. Give these wines age and they are most delicious.

76. DINNER WINE OR ENGLISH PATENT WINE

From garden rhubarb, which will not lend to intemperance. An agreeable and healthy wine is very frequently made from the expressed juice of the garden rhubarb. To each gallon of juice add 1 gallon of soft water, in which 7 lbs. of brown sugar have been dissolved; fill a keg or barrel with this proportion, leaving the bung out, and keep it filled with sweetened water as it works off until clear. Any other vegetable extract may be added, if this flavour is not liked. Then bung down, or bottle, as you desire. These stalks will furnish about 3/4 their weight in juice; fine and settle with isinglass, as in the fruit wines. This has been patented in England.

77. VARIOUS WINES

Take 28 gallons of clarified cider; 1 gallon good brandy, 1 lb. crude tartar, (this is what is deposited by grape wines) 5 gallons of any wine you wish to represent, 1 pint of sweet milk to settle it; draw off in 24 or 36 hours after thoroughly mixing.

78. BLACKBERRY AND STRAWBERRY WINES

These are made by taking the above wine when made with port wine; and for every 10 gallons, form 4 to 6 quarts of the fresh fruit, bruised and strained, are added, and let it stand till the flavour is extracted; more or less may be used to suit the tastes of different persons. In bottling any of those wines 3 or four broken raisins put into each bottle will add to their richness and flavour.

79. FRENCH BRANDY

Take of pure spirit 1 gallon, best French brandy, or any kind you wish to imitate, even Otard, 1 quart; loaf sugar 2 oz., sweet spirits of nitre 1/2 oz., a few drops of tincture of catechu, or oak bark, to roughen the taste if desired; colour to suit your taste, and bottle.

80. BRANDY FROM OIL COGNAC

Take of pure spirits 10 gallons, New England rum 2 quarts, or Jamaica rum 1 quart, and oil cognac from 30 to 40 drops, put in half a pint of alcohol, colour with tincture of kino, or burned sugar, which is generally preferred. Mix well and bottle.

81. PALE BRANDY

This is made as the French brandy, using pale instead of the French, and using 1 oz. of tincture of kino for colour, only for 5 gallons.

82. CHERRY BRANDY

To every 10 gallons of brandy add 3 quarts of wild black cherries, stones and all bruised, and crushed sugar 2 lbs. Let it stand until the strength and flavour is obtained, and draw from it as wanted for use. Never attempt to use oil of bitter almonds for this purpose, instead of the cherries, for it is a most deadly poison.

83. BLACKBERRY BRANDY

Take of brandy 10 gallons, nice rich blackberries mashed from 4 to 6 quarts, according to the degree of flavour you wish. Mix and add a little sugar to overcome the acidity of the berries, according to their ripeness will the amount vary from one to 4 oz. to each gallon.

84. STRAWBERRY BRANDY

This is made as the above, using very nice ripe strawberries, and only about half the quantity of sugar.

[There are no entries for receipts 85, 86 and 87 in the original.]

88. HOLLAND GIN

Take of pure spirits 1 gallon, best Holland gin, schnapps, or any kind desired, 1 quart, oil of juniper 2 scruples, oil of anise 1/4 oz.; mix all well together.

89. COLOURING

Take of white sugar 1 lb., put it into an earthen kettle, moisten a little, let boil, and burn red, black and thick, remove from the fire and put in a little hot water to keep it from hardening as it cools. Use this to colour any liquors, needing colour, to your taste, or as near the colour of the liquor you imitate as you can. Tincture of kino is a good colour, and is made by dissolving 1 oz. of kino in a pint of alcohol. For a cherry red use tincture of saffron; for light amber to deep brown use sugar colouring; for brandy colour, sugar; for red use beet root or saunders; for port wine colour use extract of rhatany.

90. TO KEEP SWEET AND SWEETEN SOUR CIDER

To keep cider sweet take a keg, put several holes in the bottom of it, and a piece of woollen cloth at the bottom, then fill with pure sand closely packed, then pass your cider through this, and put up in clean barrels that have had a piece of cotton or linen cloth 2 by 6 inches, dipped in sulphur, and burned in them, then keep in a cool place and add 1/2 lb. of white mustard seed to each barrel. If cider is souring, about 1 quart of hickory ashes, (or a little more of other hard wood ashes), stirred into each barrel, will sweeten and clarify it, nearly equal to rectifying; but if it is not rectified it must be racked off to get clear of pomace, for while this is in it, it will remain sour. Oil or whiskey barrels are best to put up cider in, or 1/2 pint of sweet oil, or a gallon of whiskey, or both may be added to a barrel with decidedly good effects. Isinglass 4 oz. to each barrel helps to clarify and settle cider that is not going to be rectified.

91. SCHRUB

Take of lemon juice 1 pint, white sugar 2 pints, rum 3 pints, water 4 pints; mix and colour ready for use.

92. STOUGHTON BITTERS

Take of gentian 4 oz., orange peel 4 oz., columbo 4 oz., chamomile flowers 4 oz., quassia 4 oz., burned sugar 1 lb., whiskey 2-1/2 galls., water 2-1/2 galls,; mix and let stand one week, then bottle the clear liquor.

93. TO IMPROVE THE FLAVOUR OF NEW WHISKEY

Take of whiskey 1 gall., add tea 4 oz., allspice 4 oz., caraway seed 4 oz., cinnamon 2 oz., shake occasionally for a week and use one pint to a barrel. Keep this mixture in a jug.

94. CHERRY BOUNCE OR BRANDY

Take 10 galls. of good whiskey, put into it from 4 to 6 quarts of wild black cherries with the stones broken, common almonds shelled 1 lb., white sugar 1-1/2 lb., cinnamon 1/2 oz., nutmeg 1/2 oz., all bruised. Let stand 12 or 13 days and draw off; this, with the addition of 2 galls. of brandy, make very nice cherry brandy.

95. MONONGAHALE

Take of good common whiskey 36 gall., dried peaches 2 quarts, rye, burned and ground as coffee, 1 quart, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, bruised, of each 1 oz., loaf sugar 5 lbs., sweet spirits of nitre 2 oz., put all these articles into 4 galls. of pure spirits, and shake every day for a week, then draw off through a woollen cloth, and add the whole to the 36 galls. of whiskey.

96. RYE WHISKEY

Take of dried peaches 1/2 a peck, put them into a pan in a stove, scorch a little, not to burn however, then bruise, and place in a woollen (pointed) bag, and leach good common whiskey over them twice, having the barrel up so as to hang the bag under the faucet and draw slowly over them; this is for a barrel. Add 10 or 12 drops of aqua ammonia to each barrel, after leaching through the peaches; with age this is nearly, if not quite, equal to whiskey made from rye.

97. STOMACH BITTERS

Take of gentian root 6 oz., orange peel 10 oz., cinnamon 1 oz., anise seed 2 oz., coriander seed 2 oz., cardamom seed 1/2 oz., Peruvian bark, unground, 2 oz., bruise all the articles and add of gum kino 1 oz., and put them into 2 quarts of alcohol, and two quarts of pure spirits or good whiskey; shake occasionally for 10 or 12 days, and strain or filter through several thicknesses of woollen. Half a pint of this may be added to a gallon of whiskey, more or less, as desired, and you have an article as good, or better, and more healthy than that for which you will pay three times as much; or you may use it the same as stoughton, to which it is preferred.

98. PEPPERMINT CORDIAL

Take of good whiskey 10 galls., water 10 galls., white sugar 10 lbs., oil of peppermint 1 oz., flour 1 oz., burned sugar 1/2 lb. to colour, alcohol 1 pint; put the oil of peppermint in the alcohol, then with this work the flour well, add the burned sugar, work again, and mix all the ingredients together; let them stand a week and they are ready for use. If you wish a different flavour from that of oil of peppermint use any other oil of which you desire the flavour.

99. ST. CROIX RUM

Take of pure spirits 28 galls., of pure St. Croix run 3 galls., sal-ammonia (cut in alcohol) 1 OZ., sweet spirits of nitre 6 ozs., mix all together and let stand for 24 hours, occasionally shaking, and it is ready for use.

100. LEMONADE

Take of fresh lemon juice 4 oz., fresh lemon peel 1/2 oz., white sugar 4 oz., boiling water 3 pints; mix all together; let them stand till cool, and then strain off for use; if you wish you can cool at once with ice. Where this is used as a cooling drink in fevers a little sweet spirits of nitre may be added.

101. A BRILLIANT WHITEWASH

This bears a gloss like ivory, and will not rub off. Take of clean unslacked lime 5 or 6 quarts, slack with hot water in a tub, cover to keep in the steam; when ready, pass it through a fine sieve, and add 1/4 lb. of whiting, 1 lb. of good sugar pulverized, and 3 pints of rice flour, first made into a thin paste; boil this mixture well, then dissolve 1 lb. of clean glue in water, and add it to the mixture, and apply while warm with a whitewash brush, except when particular neatness is required you may then use a paint brush; in both cases put it on warm. You may add colouring matter to give it any shade you please.

102. CHANGING VARNISHES

Varnishes of this description are call changing because, when applied to metals such as copper, brass, or tin or silver foil, they give them a more agreeable colour; indeed, the common metals, when coated with them acquired a lustre approaching to that of the precious metals, and hence these varnishes are much employed in manufacturing imitations of gold and silver. Put four ounces of the best gum gamboge into 32 ozs. of spirits of turpentine, 4 ozs. of dragon's blood into the same quantity of spirits of turpentine as the gamboge, and 1 oz. of anatto into 8 ozs. of the same spirits. The three mixtures being made in different vessels, they should then be kept for about a fortnight in a warm place, and as much exposed to the sun a possible; at the end of that time they will be fit for use; and you can procure any tints you wish by making a composition from them, with such proportions of each liquor as practice and the nature of the colour you are desirous of obtaining will point out. Changing varnishes may likewise be employed, with very good effect, for furniture, such as picture frames, &c.--See Lackers.

103. GOLD LACKER OR VARNISH

In using the changing varnish or any of these lackers, for picture frames for instance, lay them over with tin or silver leaf, by means of plaster of Paris glue, or cement of some kind, that the foil may be perfectly adherent to the wood, then apply your varnish; apply as many coats as may suit your taste, and if it be the gold lacker you use it has the appearance of being laid with gold leaf, and if the pale brass lacker, of being laid with brass, &c., and if you use the changing varnish you may make it just what colour you wish, by mixing the three materials in different proportions. For making gold lacker, put into a clean 4 gallon tin 1 lb. ground turmeric, 1-1/2 oz. powdered gamboge, 3-1/2 lbs. powdered gum sandrack, 3/4 lb. shellac, and 2 galls. spirits of wine; after being dissolved and strained add 1 pint of turpentine varnish, receipt No. 112, well mixed, and it is ready for use.

104. RED SPIRIT LACKER

Take 2 galls. spirits of wine, 1 lb. dragon's blood, 3 lbs. Spanish annatto, 3-1/2 lbs. gum sandrack, 2 pints turpentine. Made exactly as the gold lacker.

105. PALE BRASS LACKER

Take 2 galls. spirits of wine, 3 ozs. cape aloes, cut small, 1 lb. fine pale shellac, 1 oz. gamboge, cut small, no turpentine. Varnish made exactly as before, but observe, that those who make lackers frequently want some paler and some darker and sometimes inclining more to the particular tint of certain of the component ingredients; therefore if a 4 oz. vial of a strong solution of each ingredient be prepared, a lacker of any tint can be prepared at any time as by changing varnish.

106. DEMAR VARNISH

This is a fine clear varnish, being harder and less coloured than mastic, while it is as soluble, and may be had at one-tenth the price. Put 6 oz. of gum demar in a bottle with 10 ozs. of spirits of turpentine, and put into another bottle 6 ozs. of gum demar, with 16 ozs. alcohol, when they are dissolved put them together, and you have an excellent cheap varnish which dries quickly and is very clear.

107. COPAL VARNISH

Take 1 oz. of copal, and 1/2 oz. of shellac, powder them well and put them into a bottle or jar containing 1 quart of spirits of wine; place the mixture in a warm place and shake it occasionally, till you see that the gums are completely dissolved, and when strained the varnish is fit for use.

108. WHITE HARD VARNISH

Take 1 lb. of mastic, 4 oz. of gum anima; and 5 lbs. of gum sandrack, put them all together to dissolve, into a vessel containing 2 oz. of rectified spirits of wine, which should be kept in a warm place and frequently shaken till all the gums are quite dissolved; then strain the mixture through a lawn sieve, and it will be fit for use.

109. CRYSTAL VARNISH

Procure a bottle of Canada balsam, which can be had at any druggist's; draw out he cork and set the bottle of balsam at a little distance from the fire, turning it round several times, until the heat has thinned it; then have something that will hold as much as double the quantity of balsam; carry the balsam from the fire, and, while fluid mix it with the same quantity of good turpentine, and shake them together until they are well incorporated. In a few days the varnish is fit for use, particularly if it is poured into a half gallon glass or stone bottle, and kept in a gentle warmth. This varnish is used for maps, prints, charts, drawings, paper, ornaments, &c.

110. BLACK VARNISH FOR OLD STRAW OR CHIP HATS

Take a 1/2 oz. of the best black sealing wax, pound it well, and put it into a 4 oz. vial, containing 2 ozs. of rectified spirits of wine; place it in a sand-bath or near a moderate fire till the wax is dissolved, then lay it on warm, with a fine soft hairbrush, before a fire or in the sun. It gives a good stiffness to old straw hats, and a beautiful gloss equal to new. It likewise resists wet.

111. VARNISH FOR VIOLINS &c.

Take 1 gallon of rectified spirits of wine, 12 ozs. of mastic, and 1 pint of turpentine varnish; put them altogether in a tin can, and keep it in a very warm place, shaking it occasionally till it is perfectly dissolved; then strain it, and it is fit for use. If you find it necessary, you may dilute it with turpentine varnish. This varnish is also very useful for furniture of plumtree, mahogany, or rosewood.

112. TURPENTINE VARNISH

Take 5 lbs. of clear good resin, pound it well, and put it into 1 gallon of oil of turpentine; boil the mixture over a stove till the resin is perfectly dissolved, and when cool, it will be fit for use.

113. IRON WORK BLACK OR BLACK VARNISH FOR IRON

Put 48 lbs. asphaltum into an iron pot, and boil for four hours; during the first two hours, introduce 7 lbs. litharge, 3 lbs. dried copperas, and 10 gallons boiled oil; add 1/8 lb. run of dark gum, with 2 gallons hot oil; after pouring the oil and gum, continue the boiling two hours, or until it will roll into hard pills like Japan; when cool, thin it off with three gallons of turpentine, or until it is of proper consistence. This varnish is intended principally for the iron work of coaches and other carriages.

114. VARNISH FOR HARNESS

Take 1/2 lb. of india rubber, 1 gallon of spirits of turpentine; dissolve enough to make it into a jelly by keeping it almost new milk warm; then take equal quantities of good linseed oil, (in a hot state,) and the above mixture, incorporate them well on a slow fire, and it is fit for use.

115. QUICK DRYING HARNESS BLACKING VARNISH

Break 1/2 cake (which is about 1 ounce) of white wax into an earthen pan, and just cover it with oil of turpentine; place a board over the pan to keep out the air; let it stand for 24 hours or until formed into a paste; then in another pan, mix 1 lb. of best ivory black with neatsfoot oil, until it assumes a thick consistency; then mix the contents of both pans together. It may be reduced with spirits of turpentine. Bottle, and it is fit for use.

116. OIL PASTE BLACKING

Take oil vitriol, 2 ozs., tanners oil, 5 ozs., ivory black, 2 lbs., molasses, 5 ozs; mix the oil and vitriol together, let it stand a day, then add the ivory black, the molasses, and the white of an egg; mix well, and it is ready for use.

117. WATER PROOF OIL OR PASTE BLACKING

Take 1 pint of camphene, and put into it all the india rubber it will dissolve, 1 pint currier's oil, 7 lbs. tallow, and 2 ozs. of lampblack; mix thoroughly by heat. This is a nice thing for old harness and carriage tops, as well as for boots and shoes.

118. BEST VARNISH BLACKING EXTANT

Take of alcohol, 1 gallon; white turpentine, 1-1/2 lbs.; gum shellac 1-1/2 lbs.; venice turpentine, 1 gill; let these stand in a jug in the sun, or by a stove, until the gums are dissolved; then add sweet oil, 1 gill; lampblack, 2 oz., and you have a varnish that will not crack when the harness is twisted like the old shellac varnish. It is good also for boots and shoes, looking well, and turns water.

119. ASPHALTUM OR WALNUT STAIN

Take of asphaltum, 2 lbs.; boiled linseed oil, 1/2 pint; spirits of turpentine, 1 gallon; mix the two first in an iron pot, boil slowly until the asphaltum is melted, then take it some distance from the fire, cool a little, and add the turpentine (avoiding ignition) before it cools too much, and it is finished.

120. POLISH FOR OLD FURNITURE

Take 1 pint best spirits of wine, 1 pint raw linseed oil, 1 pint spirits of turpentine; mix all three together, and shake well before use. Apply with a rubber of cotton wool covered with a piece of clean old white cotton cloth. Apply slightly and you will be astonished at the effect. Old furniture that is scratched, soiled, or stained, if the wood is not torn up, being polished with this, has the appearance of new.

121. OIL TO MAKE THE HAIR GROW AND CURL

Take of olive oil 1/2 a pint, oils of rosemary and origanum, of each 1/8 of an oz. Mix well and apply rather freely.

122. BEST SHAVING SOAP

Take 4-1/2 lbs. white bar soap, 1 quart rain water, 1 gill of beef's gall, and 1 gill spirits of turpentine; cut the soap thin, and boil five minutes, stir while boiling, and colour with 1/2 oz. of vermillion; scent with oil of rose or almonds. 10 cents worth will positively make $6 worth of soap.

123. NEW YORK BARBERS' STAR HAIR OIL

Take of castor oil, 6-1/2 pints; alcohol, 1-1/2 pint; citronella and lavender oils, of each 2 ozs.; mix and shake well, and it is ready for use.

124. ROWLAND'S MACASSAR HAIR OIL

Take of sweet oil, 8 ozs.; cantharides and oil of lemon, of each 60 drops; alkanet sufficient to colour it.

125. ROSE HAIR OIL

Take 1 quart olive oil, 2-1/2 ozs. alcohol, 1-1/2 ozs. rose oil; after this tie 1 oz. of chipped alkanet root in 3 or 4 little muslin bags, and let them lie in the oil until a pretty red is manifested, then change them to other oil. do not press them.

126. BEAR'S OIL

Take of good sweet lard oil, 1 quart; bergamot, 1 ounce; mix well together.

127. OX MARROW FOR THE HAIR

Take of ox marrow, 4 ozs.; white wax, 1 oz.; nice fresh lard, 6 ozs; mix and melt; when cool, add 1-1/2 ozs. oil of bergamot, and mix well.

128. COLOGNE

Take oils of rosemary and lemon, of each, 1/4 oz.; oils of bergamot and lavender, of each, 1/8 oz.; oil of cinnamon, 8 drops; oils of cloves and rose, of each 15 drops; best alcohol, 2 quarts; mix and shake 2 or 3 times a day for a week. This will be better if deoderized, or cologne alcohol is used.

129. HARD SOAP

Take of soft soap, 12 lbs.; (that made of olive oil is best,) common salt, 9 lbs.; mix and boil for 2 hours, run it into bars, or as you want it, and you will have 7-1/2 lbs. of soap. Add a little resin when you melt it over. Scent with fragrant oil if you wish to do so.

130. BAR SOAP

Take of lime water 1 teacupful, spirits of turpentine 2 teaspoonsful, resin 1/2 lb., sal. soda 1-1/2 lbs., of bar shop soap 4 lbs.; melt and boil all together to a proper consistency, then pour into moulds.

131. CARVER'S POLISH

In a pint of spirits of wine dissolve 2 oz. of seed lac, and 2 oz. of resin. The principal use of this polish is for the carved parts of cabinet work, such as standards, pillars, claws, &c. It should be laid on warm, and it will be still better; but all moisture and dampness should be carefully avoided.

132. FRENCH POLISH

Take 1 oz. of shellac, 1/4 oz. of gum-arabic, and 1/4 oz. of gum copal; bruise them well, and sift them through a piece of muslin, then put them along with a pint of spirits of win into a closely corked vessel, place it in a very warm situation, and shake it frequently every day till the gums are dissolved, then strain through a piece of muslin, and keep it corked for use.

133. WATER-PROOF POLISH

Put 2 ozs. of gum benjamin, 1/4 oz. of gum sandrac, and 1/4 oz. of gum anima, into a pint of spirits of wine, in a closely stopped bottle, place the bottle either in a sand bath, or in hot water, till the gums are dissolved, then strain off the mixture, shake it up with a 1/4 of a gill of the best clear poppy oil, and put by for use.

134. FINISHING POLISH

Put 2 drachms of shellac, and 2 drachms of gum benjamin, into 1/2 pint of the very best rectified spirits of wine, in a bottle closely corked; keep the bottle in a warm place, and shake it frequently till the gums are dissolved, when cold shake up with it 2 teaspoonsful of the best clear poppy oil, and it will be fit for use. This polish may be applied with great advantage after any of those mentioned in the foregoing receipts have been used. It removes the defects existing in them, increasing their lustre and durability, and gives the surface a most brilliant appearance.

135. COMPOSITION USED IN WELDING CAST STEEL

Take of borax, 10 parts; sal-ammoniac, 1 part; grind or pound them roughly together, then fuse them in a metal pot over a close fire, taking care to continue the heat until all spume has disappeared from the surface, when the liquid appears clear, the composition is ready to be poured out to cool and concrete; afterward being ground to a fine powder. To use this composition, the steel to be welded is raised to a heat, which may be expressed by bright yellow, it is then dipped among the welding powder, and again placed in the fire until it attains the same degree of heat as before, it is then ready to be placed under the hammer.

136. COMPOSITION USED IN WELDING CAST IRON

Take good clear white course sand, 3 parts; refined solton, 1 part; fosterine, 1 part; rock salt 1 part; borax, 1 part; mix all together. Take 2 pieces of cast iron, heat them in a moderate charcoal fire, occasionally taking them out while heating, and dipping them into the composition, until they are of a proper heat to weld, then at once lay them on the anvil, and gently hammer them together, and if done carefully by one who understands welding iron, you will have them nicely welded together. One man prefers heating the metal, then cooling it in the water of common beans, and heating it again for welding.

137. CAST IRON CEMENT