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Acetate of Iron

Dissolve 20 citric acid in powder, and dissolve the mixounces sulphate of iron in 7 ounces strong ture by a gentle heat. When cool, add 9 fluid sulphuric acid, and heat in a porcelain dish ounces liquor of ammonia of specific gravity nearly to boiling. Then add gradually 10.960. It must then be filtered, gently evapounces strong nitric acid; and, when action orated to the consistence of syrup, and spread ceases, while still hot, add sufficient ammonia very thinly on warm sheets of glass to dry, to precipitate all the iron as sesquioxide. which it will rapidly do, if exposed in an atmo- Collect this on a linen cloth, and wash with sphere of warm dry air, and may then be easily water until the washings taste no longer detached from the glass, in thin scales of saline. While still moist, put the sesquioxide great brilliancy and beauty. Only a gentle into a bottle with sufficient strong acetic acid heat must be employed, not exceeding that of to dissolve it.

Twenty ounces of sulphate of iron contain 4 ounces iron; hence, if sufficient water be added to make the acetate up to 50 ounces, the solution of acetate of iron thus obtained will contain 8 per cent. of iron. a water-bath. This is the method of producing those beautiful transparent ruby-colored scales which are so much admired. It must be kept in well-stopped bottles.