The compounds should be ignited in a small pill box resting on a plate. All the ingredients must be dried and powdered separately, and then lightly mixed on a sheet of paper. Always bear in mind that sulphur and chlorate of potassium explode violently if rubbed together.
Smokeless Vari-colored Fire.
The following salts, if finely powdered and burned in an iron ladle with a little spirits, will communicate to the flame their peculiar colors.
- Potassium nitrate or sodium chlorate, yellow.
- Potassium chlorate, violet.
- Calcium chloride, orange.
- Strontium nitrate, red.
- Barium nitrate, apple green.
- Copper nitrate, emerald green.
- Borax, green.
- Lithium chloride, purple.
The colored fires are used largely in the production of various theatrical effects.
Blue Fire.—
| I.— | Ter-sulphuret of antimony | 1 part |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 2 parts | |
| Nitrate of potassium | 6 parts | |
| II.— | Sulphur | 15 parts |
| Potassium sulphate | 15 parts | |
| Ammonio-cupric sulphate | 15 parts | |
| Potassium nitrate | 27 parts | |
| Potassium chlorate | 28 parts | |
| III.— | Chlorate of potash | 8 parts |
| Calomel | 4 parts | |
| Copper sulphate | 5 parts | |
| Shellac | 3 parts | |
| IV.— | Ore pigment | 2 parts |
| Charcoal | 3 parts | |
| Potassium chloride | 5 parts | |
| Sulphur | 13 parts | |
| Potassium nitrate | 77 parts | |
| V.— | Potassium chlorate | 10 parts |
| Copper chlorate | 20 parts | |
| Alcohol | 20 parts | |
| Water | 100 parts | |
| VI.— | Copper chlorate | 100 parts |
| Copper nitrate | 50 parts | |
| Barium chlorate | 25 parts | |
| Potassium chlorate | 100 parts | |
| Alcohol | 500 parts | |
| Water | 1,000 parts |
Green.—
| I.— | Barium chlorate | 20 parts |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 20 parts | |
| Water | 100 parts | |
| II.— | Barium nitrate | 10 parts |
| Potassium chlorate | 10 parts | |
| Alcohol | 20 parts | |
| Water | 100 parts | |
| III.— | Shellac | 5 parts |
| Barium nitrate | 1 1/4 parts |
Pound after cooling, and add Barium chlorate, 2 to 5 per cent.