The soft down, which envelopes the seeds of different species of _gossypium_, or cotton plant, is the cotton of commerce. These plants are natives of warm climates. Cotton when bleached is perfectly white. It is extremely combustible, and burns with a clear lively flame. The ashes left behind contain potash. Cotton is the substance, usually employed in making match rope, for the communication of fire. It has also other uses in pyrotechny. Cotton match is much used in fire-works for exhibition, not only for single cases, but also for a series of cases of artificial fire, either for fixed or moveable pieces; and serves to communicate fire, either singly, or from one case to another, or to the whole piece at one time. Matches, so used, are called leaders, and are generally confined in paper tubes. Cotton is one of the best applications to recent burns. Applied to the part, it will, in a surprising manner, abate the violence of the pain, and remove the inflammation. Cotton is soluble in alkaline ley. For some of the earths, it has a strong affinity, particularly alumina; as also for several metallic oxides, and tannin. The action of mordants, in dying of cotton-goods, depends on these affinities. Nitric acid converts it into oxalic acid. Cotton wick for lamps, candles, &c. is rendered very inflammable by spirit of turpentine. By dipping the end of the wick in turpentine, the candle will inflame at once, the moment flame is applied. For candle-making, the wick is sometimes dipped in a solution of camphor in spirits, or in a melted mixture of camphor and wax. See _Candle_. _Sec. LIII. Of Bone and Ivory._ Bone, which is considered to be a combination of phosphate of lime, gelatinous matter, animal oil, &c. is used occasionally in fire-works. By destructive distillation, bones, or osseous matter, afford ammonia, Dippel's animal oil, &c.; and, when consumed by fire, leave a white ash, which is composed principally of phosphate of lime. Bone-ash is the result of the combustion of bone; for, while all the gelatinous substance, oil, &c. are burnt off, that, which composes the basis of bone, and which distinguishes it from _gristle_, remains in the form of ash. Bone-ash furnishes phosphorus by a certain process. See _Phosphorus_. Diluted muriatic acid will take up the phosphate of lime of bone and leave the gelatin. This mode is recommended for the separation of gelatin from bone. Bones, when carbonized in the same manner as wood, furnish what is called _bone-black_, but commonly known by the name of _ivory-black_. It is nothing more than animal charcoal.