Cheap and Good Ink

The Scientific American 23, 14.2.1857

Take one gallon of soft water, and in this put 2 ounces extract of logwood; boil ten minutes, and then add 24 grains bi-chromate of potash, and 12 grains prussiate of potash, and stir them a few minutes while on the fire now let, it cool, and it will be fit for use. Pulverize the ingredients before putting them in the water. Ink made in this manner is equal to any in use. It is of a blue black color, but changes to a jet black after exposure. I have made considerable of it, and think it is better than most of the ink sold in stores. One gallon will not cost more than eight cents. Any of the materials can be bought in common drug stores.
- A. P. W.

[We have published various recipes for making writing ink; and, leaving out the prussiate of potash in the above, this is similar to one which we have already published. Prussiate of potash may render the ink more permanent but will not improve its color. While the above ink is easily made, is cheap, and will answer very well for common use, it is not so permanent as ink made of nut galls, logwood, and the sulphate of iron.