ico, and Arizona, and westward to
Colorado, at an elevation of 5,000 to 10,000 feet.

Artificial Wood.--You can produce an artificial fire and waterproof
wood in the following manner. More or less finely divided wood
shavings, straw, tan, etc., singly or mixed, are moistened with a weak
solution of zinc chloride of about 1.026 sp. gr., and allowed to dry.
They are then treated with a basic solution of magnesium chloride of
1.725 to 1.793 sp. gr., and pressed into moulds. The materials remain
ten to twelve hours under pressure, during which time they harden
while becoming heated. After being dried for several days in a warm,
airy place, they are placed for ten or twelve hours into a strong
solution of zinc chloride of about 1.205 sp. gr., and finally dried
again. The product is stated to be workable like hardwood, and to be
capable of taking a fine polish after being tooled. It is fireproof
and inpermeable to water, and weak acid or alkaline solutions, and
not affected by the humidity of the atmosphere, being well suited to
decorative purposes, as it will not warp and fly like wood, but retain
its form.

How to Stain Wood.--The following are recipes for staining wood, which
are used in large establishments with great success: Light
Walnut--Dissolve 3 oz. permanganate of potash in six pints of water, and
paint the wood twice with the solution. After the solution has been left
on the wood for from five to ten minutes, the wood is rinsed, dried,
oiled, and finally polished. Light Mahogany--1 oz. finely cut alkanet
root, 2 ozs. powdered aloe, and 2 ozs. powdered dragon's blood are
digested with 26 ozs. of strong spirits of wine in a corked bottle, and
left in a moderately warm place for four days. The solution is then
filtered off, and the clear filtrate is ready for use. The wood which is
to be stained is first passed through nitric acid, then dried, painted
over with the alcoholic extract, dried, oiled and polished. Dark
Walnut.--3 ozs. permanganate of potash are dissolved in six pints of
water, and the wood is painted twice with this solution. After five
minutes the wood is washed, and grained with acetate of iron (the
ordinary iron liquor of the dyer) at 20i Tw. Dry, oil and polish as
usual. Gray--1 oz. nitrate of silver is dissolved in 45 ozs. water, and
the wood painted twice with the solution; afterwards the wood is
submitted to the action of hydrochloric acid, and finally washed with
ammonia. It is then dried in a