When this double salt is heated, the water and the ammonia escape, while the incombustible residue has a composition similar to borax, viz., a free acid and an easily fusible salt.  The effect of it is, therefore, similar to the borax.  The free phosphoric acid expels, likewise, most other acids from their combinations, and combines with metallic oxides.

For supports, the platinum wire may be used, but the hook must be smaller than when borax is used, or the bead will not adhere.  As for all the other experiments with this salt, the microscosmic salt is used the same as borax.

9. Nitrate of Cobalt.—­(CoO, NO^{5}).—­This salt can be prepared by dissolving pure oxide of cobalt in diluted nitric acid, and evaporating to dryness with a low heat.  The dry residue should be dissolved in ten parts of water, and filtered.  The filtrate is now ready for use, and should be kept in a bottle with a glass stopper.  If the pure oxide of cobalt cannot be procured, then it may be prepared by mixing two parts of finely powdered glance of cobalt with four parts of saltpetre, and one part of dry carbonate of potassa with one part of water free from carbonate of soda.  This mixture should be added in successive portions into a red-hot Hessian crucible, and the heat continued until the mass is fused, or at least greatly diminished in volume.  The cooled mass must be triturated with hot water, and then heated with hydrochloric acid until it is dissolved and forms a dark green solution, which generally presents a gelatinous appearance, occasioned by separated silica.  The solution is to be evaporated to dryness, the dry residue moistened with hydrochloric acid, boiled with water, filtered and neutralized while hot with carbonate of ammonia, until it ceases to give an acid reaction with test-paper.  This must now be filtered again, and carbonate of potassa added to the filtrate as long as a precipitate is produced.  This precipitate is brought upon a filter and washed thoroughly, and then dissolved in diluted nitric acid.  This is evaporated to dryness, and one part of it is dissolved in ten parts of water for use.

The oxide of cobalt combines, with strong heat in the oxidation flame, with various earths and infusible metallic oxides, and thus produces peculiarly colored compounds, and is therefore used for their detection; (alumina, magnesia, oxide of zinc, oxide of tin, etc.) Some of the powdered substance is heated upon charcoal in the flame of oxidation, and moistened with a drop of the solution of the nitrate of cobalt, when the oxidation flame is thrown upon it.  Alumina gives a pure blue color, the oxide of zinc a bright green, magnesia a light red, and the oxide of tin a bluish-green color; but the latter is only distinctly visible after cooling.

The dropping bottle, is the most useful apparatus for the purpose of getting small quantities of fluid.  It is composed of a glass tube, drawn out to a point, with a small orifice.  This tube passes through the cork of the bottle.  By pressing in the cork into the neck of the bottle, the air within will be compressed, and the liquid will rise in the tube.  If now we draw the cork out, with the tube filled with the fluid, and pressing the finger upon the upper orifice, the fluid can be forced out in the smallest quantity, even to a fraction of a drop.