The Magician's Own Book, or, the Whole Art of Conjuring / Being a complete hand-book of parlor magic, and containing over one thousand optical, chemical, mechanical, magnetical, and magical experiments, amusing transmutations, astonishing sleights and subtleties, celebrated card deceptions, ingenious tricks with numbers, curious and entertaining puzzles, together with all the most noted tricks of modern performers.

by George Arnold; Frank Cahill

EXPERIMENT.

Trace some continuous lines on paper with a camel's-hair brush, dipped in water, and place a piece of potassium about the size of a pea, on one of the lines, and it will follow the course of the pencil, taking fire as it runs, and burning with a purplish light. The paper will be found covered with a solution of ordinary potash. If turmeric paper be used, the course of the potassium will be marked with a deep brown color. Corollary: hence, if you touch potassium with wet fingers, you will burn them!

If a small piece of the metal be placed on a piece of ice, it will instantly take fire, and form a deep hole, which will be found to contain a solution of potash.

In consequence of its great affinity for oxygen, potassium must be kept in some fluid destitute of it, such as naphtha.

Saltpeter, or niter, is a compound of this metal (or rather its oxide) with nitric acid. It is one of the ingredients of gunpowder, and has the property of quickening the combustion of all combustible bodies.

EXPERIMENT.

Rub together in a warm mortar, three parts of powdered niter, two of dry carbonate of potash, and one of flour of brimstone; place a small quantity of the mixture in an iron ladle, and heat it over the fire, when it will speedily melt, and then explode with a very loud noise; and if held under a foul chimney, will save the expense of a chimney sweep: but avoid cooking time.

Another salt of potash remarkable for the same property, in even a greater degree, is the chlorate of potash.

EXPERIMENTS.