instead of water, by which its color similates
that of the chloride of strontium when moistened with water. In
consequence of the decided red color which strontia communicates to
flame, it is used by pyrotechnists for the purpose of making their
"crimson fire."

(_b._) _Lithia._--The color of the flame of lithia is slightly
inclined to purple. The chloride, when placed in the platinum loop,
gives to the outer flame a bright red color, sometimes with a slight
tinge of purple. Potash does not prevent this reaction, although it
may modify it to violet; but the decided color of soda changes the red
of lithia to an orange color. If much soda be present, the color of
the lithia is lost entirely. The color of the chloride of lithium may
be distinctly produced before the point of the blue flame, and its
durability may be the means of determining it from that of lithium,
as the latter, under the same conditions, is quite evanescent. The
minerals which contain lithia, frequently contain soda, and thus the
latter destroys the color of the former.

(_c._) _Potash._--The salts of potash, if the acid does not interfere,
give a purplish-red color before the blowpipe; but as the color is
more discernibly a purple, we have classed it under that color.

(_d._) _Lime._--The color of the flame of lime does not greatly differ
from that of strontia, with the exception that it is not so decided.
Arragonite and calcareous spar, moistened with hydrochloric acid, and
tried as directed for strontia, produce a red light, not unlike that
of strontia. The chloride of calcium gives a red tinge, but not nearly
so decided as the chloride of strontium. The carbonate of lime will
produce a yellowish flame for a while, until the carbonic acid is
driven off, when the red color of the lime may be discerned.

If the borate or phosphate of lime be used, the green color of the
acids predominates over the red of the lime. Baryta also destroys the
red color of the lime, by mixing its green color with it. There is but
one silicate of lime which colors the flame red, it is the variety
termed tabular spar.

5. EXAMINATIONS IN THE BORAX BEAD.

In order to examine a substance in borax, the loop of the platinum
wire should, after being thoroughly cleaned, and heated to redness, be
quickly dipped into the powdered borax, and then quickly transferred
to the flame of oxidation, and there fused. If the bead is not large
enough to fill the loop of the wire, it