THE PROTEAN LIGHT.
Soak a cotton wick in a strong solution of salt and water, dry it, place it in a spirit lamp, and when lit it will give a bright yellow light for a long time. If you look through a piece of blue glass at the flame, it will lose all its yellow light, and you will only perceive feeble violet rays. If, before the blue glass, you place a pale yellow glass, the lamp will be absolutely invisible, though a candle may be distinctly seen through the same glasses.
THE CHAMELEON FLOWERS.
Trim a spirit lamp, add a little salt to the wick, and light it. Set near it a scarlet geranium, and the flower will appear yellow. Purple colors, in the same light, appear blue.
TO CHANGE THE COLORS OF FLOWERS.
Hold over a lighted match a purple columbine, or a blue larkspur, and it will change first to pink, and then to black. The yellow of other flowers, held as above, will continue unchanged. Thus, the purple tint will instantly disappear from a heart's-ease, but the yellow will remain; and the yellow of a wall-flower will continue the same, though the brown streak will be discharged. If a scarlet, crimson, or maroon dahlia be tried, the color will change to yellow; a fact known to gardeners, who by this mode variegate their growing dahlias.
CHANGES OF THE POPPY.
Some flowers, which are red, become blue by merely bruising them. Thus, if the petals of the common corn-poppy be rubbed upon white paper, they will stain it purple, which may be made green by washing it over with a strong solution of potash in water. Put poppy petals into very dilute muriatic acid, and the infusion will be of a florid red color; by adding a little chalk, it will become of the color of port wine; and this tint, by the addition of potash, may be changed to green or yellow.
TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF A ROSE.