Sparks.
5. Sparks.—It is only as it regards magnitude that Sparks differ from stars above described, they being generally made of very small size, and consequently of short duration in their exhibition. The method of preparing them is as follows: put into an earthen vessel one ounce of mealed gunpowder, three ounces of powdered salt-petre, and four ounces of camphor, reduced to powder by rubbing it in a mortar with a small quantity of spirit of wine; pour over this mixture some weak gum-water, in which some gum-adraganth has been dissolved, till the composition is brought to a state of thin paste; then take some lint, prepared by boiling it in vinegar or salt-petre, and afterwards dried and unravelled, and put into the composition enough of it to absorb the whole, at the same time take care to stir it well. This matter is to be formed into small balls, of about the size of a pea, which being dried by a moderate heat are to be sprinkled with mealed gunpowder, for the purpose that they may readily catch fire.