CARMINE. A brilliant lake, made of the coloring matter of the cochineal in sect, combined with alumina and oxide of tin. It is of different shades,—either de pendent on the amount of alumina pre sent, or of the adulterations to which it is liable. Vermillion is a common one of these. It is always easy to discover the amount of impurity, as true carmine dis solves in water of ammonia, and leaves the adulteration behind. Starch is a coin mon impurity. To make ordinary car mine, take 1 lb. powdered cochineal, 31 drachms of carbonate of potash, 1 oz. of alum, and 3i drachms of fish glue ; boil the cochineal and potash together in thirty quarts of water in a copper, take it off the fire, and let it settle, then add the alum in powder : after fifteen minutes the liquor clears, and may be decanted from the sediment,—the bright clear fluid con taining the carmine. This is next de
canted into another copper, the glue dis solved in a large quantity of water added, and the whole boiled; the carmine separ ates from the liquid, and rises like a scum to the top; this must be collected, and drained on a filter of canvas or linen. The China carmine is made by adding to the solution of cochineal and alum, when freed from sediment, a solution of tin (chloride), until the carmine ceases to be thrown down. Ordinary carmine may be brightened by dissolving in water of ammonia, and precipitating by acetic acid, washing in alcohol, and drying. Carmine, dissolved in ammonia, is used by painters, and called liquid carmine. Carmine is used in miniature painting, fine inks, water colors, and artificial flower tinting, because it is more transparent than the other colors.