Compositions for Stars of different Colours.
I. Meal powder four ounces, saltpetre two ounces, brimstone two ounces, steel dust one ounce and a half, and camphor, white amber, antimony, and mercury-sublimate, of each half an ounce.
II. Rochepetre ten ounces, brimstone, charcoal, antimony, meal powder, and camphor, of each three quarters of an ounce, moistened with oil of turpentine. These compositions are made into stars, by being worked to a paste with aqua vitæ, in which has been dissolved some gum-tragacanth; and after you have roll’d them in powder, make a hole through the middle of each, and string them on quick-match, leaving about two inches from one to the other.
III. Saltpetre eight ounces, brimstone two ounces, yellow amber one ounce, antimony one ounce, and powder three ounces.
IV. Brimstone two ounces and a half, saltpetre six ounces, olibanum or frankincense in drops four ounces; mastick, and mercury-sublimate, of each four ounces; meal powder five ounces; white amber, yellow amber, and camphor, of each one ounce; antimony and orpiment half an ounce each.
V. Saltpetre one pound, brimstone half a pound, and meal powder eight ounces, moistened with potrolio-oil.
VI. Powder half a pound, brimstone and saltpetre, of each four ounces.
VII. Saltpetre four ounces, brimstone two ounces, and meal powder one ounce.
I. Brimstone six ounces, antimony crude two ounces, saltpetre four ounces, and rosin four ounces.
II. Saltpetre, rosin, and charcoal, of each two ounces; brimstone one ounce, and pitch one ounce.
These compositions are sometimes melted in an earthen pan, and mixed with chopped cotton match, before they are rolled into stars, but will do as well if wetted, and worked up in the usual manner.
Another Sort of Stars, which yield some Sparks.
I. Camphor two ounces, saltpetre one ounce, meal powder one ounce.
II. Saltpetre one ounce, ditto melted half an ounce, and camphor two ounces. When you would make stars of either of these compositions, you must wet them with gum water, or spirit of wine, in which has been dissolved some gum-arabick, or gum-tragacanth, that the whole may have the consistence of a pretty thick liquid; having thus done, take one ounce of lint, and stir it about in the composition till it becomes dry enough to roll into stars.