[9.] Barium is a yellow, lustrous, malleable metal. It is used in fireworks, for the green color it gives off in burning.
[10.] “Bayberries.” The plant, called also wax myrtle, is a low, crooked shrub found throughout the United States, especially near the sea coast. It grows to a height of from three to eight feet. The naked flowers appear in April and May, in clusters, of which from four to nine ripen into dry berries. Plantations of them have long been cultivated in Europe, and they have been raised in Algeria. For many years they have been an article of commerce. A bushel of the berries will yield from four to five pounds of wax.
[11.] “Strontium.” It takes its name from Strontian, in Scotland, where it was first observed as a carbonate. It is a pale yellow metal, harder than lead. If strontium carbonate be dissolved in nitric acid and mixed with combustible substances it will burn with a beautiful carmine red flame, and for this purpose is much used in fireworks.
[12.] “Sodium.” See “Chemistry,” page 67. It is a lustrous, silver-white, soft metal. When thrown upon water, if it be prevented from moving, or if the water be warm, it ignites, burning with its characteristic yellow flame.
[13.] Extinguishing flame by carbon di-oxide. See “Chemistry,” page 218.
[14.] “Lignite.” Also called brown coal. It is the most imperfectly mineralized form of coal. In some instances plants are so little changed that they can easily be classified by the structure of the leaves and the fruit. The fiber has become so impregnated with bitumen that it burns with its peculiar flame and smoke. The jet so much used in jewelry is a black variety of lignite, very compact in texture, and taking a high polish.
[15.] “Kohinoor,” kohˌ-i-noorˈ (mountain of light). This famous stone is now in possession of Queen Victoria. It was obtained before the Christian era in one of the mines of Golconda, and passed to successive sovereigns of India until it was borne away by a Persian conqueror in the early part of the eighteenth century. In 1813 it was bought back by the ruler of Punjaub. When Punjaub was annexed to the East India Company’s territory it was surrendered to the Queen of England. It is said to have weighed about 900 carats originally, but by cutting to have been reduced to a weight of nearly 279 carats. By recutting it was again reduced so as to weigh 186 carats, and at this time was shown (1851) at the Great Exhibition. Since that time it has been again recut, for the third time, and now weighs 123 carats, and is estimated at $600,000. For the other “Paragons” see “Chemistry,” page 204. It is questioned whether the “Grand Mogul” is a pure diamond. The largest undoubted diamond is the “Orloff,” in the scepter of the Emperor of Russia. It weighs 194¾ carats. The “Regent” or “Pitt” is thought to be the purest and most perfect brilliant in Europe. It weighs now 136¾ carats, but its original weight was 410 carats, and the fragments split off when it was cut were valued at some thousand pounds. It was placed in the hilt of the sword of state by Napoleon I. The “Grand Duke” belongs to the Emperor of Austria, and weighs 134 carats. The “Star of the South,” found in Brazil, weighs 124 carats. The “Sancy” weighs only 53½ carats. It belongs to the Emperor of Russia.
[16.] “Golconda.” An ancient city and fortress of India, once the metropolis of the kingdom of Golconda. It is renowned for its diamonds, which are, in truth, only cut there.
[17.] “The Dark Continent.” Africa, so called because so little has been known of it through all history; but through the zeal and enterprise of modern explorers we are led to hope that “the day is not far distant when the secret places of this land of mystery will be penetrated by the light of science and civilization.”