Magic Garden (Apr, 1946)
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Apr, 1946
| Buy on Ebay
|
Magic Garden
Dissolve a few chemical salts in waterglass and—presto!
CHEMICAL magic in one of its most spectacular forms can be practiced by any amateur who will borrow a leaf from his high school “chem” book and conjure up a few “crystal gardens.”
These aren’t difficult to make, and require no more material than the necessary chemicals, a good size aquarium and enough sand or fine gravel to cover the bottom to a depth of about 1 inch. The aquarium is filled with a solution of water-glass (sodium silicate), and the chemicals are dropped in it. As they settle to the bottom, they grow into a colorful pattern of intertwining clusters which might resemble a submarine forest in some as yet unexplored deep.
The waterglass may be of any strength. If you can get the kind which is used to preserve eggs, dilute with its own volume of water. The salts you can use are any of the salts of nickel, iron, cobalt, copper, etc., such as the sulphates, chlorides or nitrates. Many of them can be obtained at your local drugstore. The action is as follows: as the salt crystal dissolves, it forms a silicate of the original metal. By osmosis, this compound keeps absorbing the water from the waterglass and swells up, increasing in size until the entire salt has been changed into the silicate. This latter is the material of which your magic garden is composed.No two gardens are alike, as the growth shape of the silicates depends upon their internal structure. The suggested chemicals need not be used singly, but may be added to the solution separately or in a mixture to form color combinations. The average time to grow is about one-half hour, but frequently a garden will keep on growing almost indefinitely until it threatens to fill the entire aquarium. Sometimes, when observed under a high-power magnifying glass, the actual expansion of the silicate can be noticed.
For best results, use chemicals sparingly; avoid excess quantities which cause nothing more than a jumble of color. Be sure not to disturb your garden during or after growth. Interesting results can be obtained by ”growing” a number of small colored gardens in tall glasses for shelf ornaments.
Try googling “magic crystal garden” for lots of neat ways to do this today-
here’s one using laundry bluing and salt:
http://www.mrsstewart.com/page.....ctions.htm
Comment by Stannous — July 21, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
My “Chemcraft” Chemistry set had all the necessary ingredients and the fish bowl I used came from S.S. Kresge stores, a five and dime of the day. I had enough chemicals to make 3 or 4 of these before a timely and inexpensive re-order to fill the little bottles up again. I t was an age of innocence, even for my parents. GM was the world leader in cars, not, as today, defrocked and removed from the new York Stock Exchange listings, China was a country of starving people, we feared “Yellow Peril” if they ever got boats! and Russia was a backwards northern country in the History books. Gold was the currency and it kept its value, people banked on it, Saving money was in vogue, and living frugally the order of the day! Dope of the day was from the tough part of town, bennies and “H” were what we heard in whispers, no mention of “Weed”, not ever, the beatniks smoked “Hemp”, not considered dope, just a smelly annoyance in some blues bars. Gay meant happy, Bobbie socks were in, Benny Goodman was a well known name, Harley’s were a poor-mans transportation, and everyone had a backyard garden out of necessity. Radios were found in huge wooden furniture in the living room, T.V.’s were rumored in my town, Transistors not discovered yet, and a trip to the lake was considered an adequate summer vacation for most folk. The late 1940’s were a good time in my life and I thank you for this memento of my youth, and share some of it with you. Thank you.
Comment by Uncle B — June 1, 2009 @ 1:18 pm