How to extract the colour from cochineal

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Ingredients:—One ounce of cochineal, one ounce of salts of wormwood, two ounces of cream of tartar, and one ounce of Roche alum.

First, put a quart of spring-water into an untinned copper egg-bowl; add eight ounces of loaf-sugar, and set this on the fire to boil; then add the cochineal and salts of wormwood (previously well pulverized in a mortar), and when this has boiled up, add the cream of tartar; stir together with a clean wooden spoon; and lastly, throw in the powdered Roche alum; mix, and pass through a jelly-bag; when cold, bottle off, cork tight, and keep the colouring in a cold place.

Note.—The ingredients required for the preparation of cochineal colouring may be purchased for one shilling and ninepence at any chemist's; and by following the foregoing instructions, as much colouring will be produced as would cost two guineas if bought ready prepared in small phials from grocers.

No. 1090