Massachusetts Spy And Worcester Advertiser

The Arts and Sciences.

Improved composition of Black Writing Ink.

Take a gallon of soft water, and boil in it one pound of chips of logwood, for about half an hour, then take the decoction from the fire, and pour it from off the chips, while boiling hot, on a pound of the best Aleppo galls, reduced to a fine powder, and two ounces of pomegranate peels put into a proper vessel. After having stirred them well together, with a wooden spatula, for some time, place them in the sunshine, in summer, or within the warmth of the fire, if in winter, for three or four days, stirring the mixture as often as may be convenient. At the end of that time, add a half pound of green vitriol, powdered, and let the mixture remain four or five days more, stirring it frequently, and then add further, four ounces gum Arabic, dissolved in a quart of boiling water, and after giving the ink some time to settle, strain it off from the dregs, and keep it well stopped for use. If the ink be desired to shine more. the proportion of the pomegranate peel must be increased, and, in the country where the log-wood cannot be so easily obtained, a pound of ripe privet-berries may be substituted for it. In order to secure this ink from growing mouldy, a quarter of a pint or more. of spirits of wine may be added; but to prevent its containing any acid, which may injure the ink, a little salt of tartar. or pearl ashes, should be added previously, and the spirit poured off from it, which will render it innocent with regard to the color of the ink.

American Farmer.