The manufacture of coral, gems, jet, and minerals generally, into beads, belongs to the lapidary.
Uses. Chiefly to form necklaces, bracelets, and other articles of personal ornament; by milliners to decorate head-dresses, &c.; and for other like purposes. They are also employed among Catholic and Mohammedan nations for devotional purposes; and among savage tribes in lieu of money. They are still sometimes worn as amulets. See Bugle, Coral, Glass, Paste, Pearls, &c.
Beads, Jum′ble (bēdz). The dried seeds of a′brus precatōr′ius (Linn.) or Jamaica wild liquorice. Hard and indigestible; accounted cephalic and ophthalmic by the vulgar.
Beads, Lo′vi’s. Syn. Specif′ic-grav′ity beads. Small hollow spheres of glass carefully adjusted and numbered, in sets, intended to supersede the hydrometer in determining the density of fluids. They are used by dropping them into the liquid, in succession, until one is found that exhibits indifference as to buoyancy, and will float under the surface at any point at which it may be placed. The number on this ball indicates, in thousandths, the sp. gr. sought. They are particularly serviceable in the hurry of the commercial laboratory, and have the advantage of being applicable to very small quantities of liquid; but their use, of course, requires the same precautions, and the results obtained the same corrections for deviations from the normal temperature, as with other instruments. See Hydrometer, Specific Gravity, &c.
Bead. Syn. Bead′ing‡. In architecture, cabinet-work, &c., any small moulding or continued projection of which the vertical section is semicircular.
Bead (of Liquors). [Tech.] The small bright iridescent bubbles, possessing some slight degree of permanence, which form on the surface of alcoholic liquors of sufficient strength, when agitated. See Alcoholometry, Proof, &c. (also below).
BEAD′ING. In the liquor-trade, anything added to commercial spirits to cause them to carry a ‘bead’ and to hang in pearly drops about the sides of the glass or bottle when poured out or shaken. The popular notion being that spirit is strong in proportion as it ‘beads,’ the object is to impart this property to weak spirit, so that it may appear to the eye to be of the proper strength. Various formulæ are current among the ‘knowing ones’ of the trade, most of which are unscientific, and many of them absolutely ineffective. The following are those now usually employed:—
Prep. 1. Oil of sweet almonds and oil of vitriol, of each 1 oz.; rub them together in a glass, porcelain, or wedgewood-ware mortar or basin, adding, by degrees, of crushed lump-sugar, 1 oz.; continue the trituration until the mixture becomes pasty, then add, gradually, sufficient rectified spirit (strongest) to render the whole perfectly liquid; pour it into a quart bottle, and wash out the mortar twice, or oftener, with a little fresh spirit, until about 1 pint of rectified spirit has been employed, adding the washings each time to the bottle;
lastly, cautiously shake the bottle (loosely corked) until admixture appears complete, and then set it aside in a cool place. For use, this compound (after agitation) is thrown into a two-gallon can or measure, which is then filled, from a tap, with the spirit to be ‘beaded,’ when the whole is thrown into the cask, and the measure washed out by refilling it and returning it two or three times; after which the contents of the cask are well ‘rummaged up,’ Gin is usually ‘fined’ a few hours afterwards; but it is better not to add the ‘finings’ for two or three days. Other spirits are allowed to become ‘fine’ by simple repose. According to Mr Hartley, and others, this quantity is “sufficient for 100 galls. of any spirit;” but it is more commonly used for a puncheon of 80 to 85 gallons.
2. Oil of vitriol, 2 to 3 oz.; rectified spirit, (strongest), 1 pint; cautiously agitate them together in a loosely corked quart bottle; in 2 or 3 hours add another pint of rectified spirit, and again agitate. It will be fit for use in a week; as before.