nd as much alum. Wood may also
be stained yellow with _aqua fortis_, used warm, and then immediately
placed near the fire. The _aqua fortis_ must not be too strong, or the
wood will go brown or black. This is apparently the same thing as Vasari
calls "oil of sulphur," used in his time for colouring wood. A Nuremberg
receipt book says that the plant Tournesol (croton tinctorium) may be
steeped in water, and this solution mixed with yellow colour and glue
may be spread over the wood warm, and finally polished with a burnisher.
Holtzapffel gives the following:--A bright yellow stain may be obtained
from 2 oz. of turmeric allowed to simmer for some hours in 1 quart of
water in an earthen vessel, water being added from time to time to
replace evaporation. Sparingly applied cold, it stains white woods the
colour of satin wood. A canary yellow results from immersing the wood in
the liquid, which can be rendered permanent without polishing by a
strong solution of common salt. Washing the stained surface with
nitro-muriate of tin for about a minute changes the colour to orange.
The work should then be well rinsed in plain water to check the further
action of the acid. Treating the canary yellow with 2 oz. of sulphate of
iron dissolved in 3 quarts of water, after it has been allowed to dry,
dyes a delicate olive brown. A tincture of 1/4 oz. of turmeric to 3 oz.
of spirits of wine, allowed to stand for some days and well shaken
daily, gives a rather higher colour.

Red may be produced by (No. 1) taking a pound of Brazil wood, with some
rain water, a handful of unslaked lime, and two handsful of ashes; soak
all for half an hour in water, "cook" it, and pour it out into another
pot, in which is a measure of gum arabic. The wood to be coloured must
be cooked in alum water, and then brushed over with the warm colour; the
result is a splendid scarlet red. If the wood was first grounded with
saffron water and then had the Brazil decoction applied, the result was
orange; a spoonful of lye made a browner colour, with a little alum. If
whiter wood was taken the colour was correspondingly brighter. (No.
2.)--Orcanda or Akanna root powdered, with nut oil, gives a fine red.
(No. 3.)--Put lime in rain water, strain it, scrape Brazil twigs in it,
then proceed as in No. 1. You can also soak the Brazil in tartar. The
same colour with Tournesol steeped in water gives a fine purple when
spread on the wood. Lebrun gives the same receipt, adding that