Dissolve five pennyweights gold coin, five grains pure copper and 4 grains pure silver in 3 oz. nitro muriatic acid; which is simply two parts muriatic acid and one part nitric acid. The silver will not be taken into solution as are the other two metals, but will gather at the bottom of the vessel. Add 1 oz. pulverized sulphate of iron, ½ oz. pul-vi cited borax, 25 grs. pure table salt, and 1 qt. hot rain water. Upon this the gold and copper will be thrown to the bottom of the vessel with the silver. Let stand till fully settled, then pour off the liquid carefully, and refill with boiling rain water as before Continue to repeat this operation until the precipitate is thoroughly washed, or, in other words, fill up, let settle, and pour off so long as the accumulation at the bottom of the vessel is acid to the taste.

You now have about an eighteen carat chloride of gold. Add to it an oz. and an eighth cyanuret potassa, and 1 qt. rain water- the latter heated to the boiling point. Shake up well, then let stand about twenty-four hours and it will be ready for use.

Some use platina as an alloy instead of silver, under the impression that plating done with it is harder. I have used both, but never could see much difference.

Solution for a darker colored plate to imitate Guinea gold may be made by adding to the above 1 oz. of dragon's blood and five grains of iodide of iron.

If you desire an alloyed plate, proceed as first directed, without the silver or copper, and with an oz. and a half of sulphuret potassa in place of the iron, borax and salt.