136 Chr. Phil. Priichner on the [Aug. 



To obtain the solution of the second boiling after the 

 necessary clarification, the liquid is drawn off into the 

 same vessel after it has been cleaned, or into another iron 

 vessel of the same description. The sediment is thrown 

 upon a filtering cloth and set aside. For the second eva- 

 poration a shallow vessel is employed, whose depth is not 

 above 14 inches. Priickner uses a vessel of 4 or 5 feet 

 long and 2 to 3 broad as being most convenient. The fire 

 burns under it, upon the grate of a wind furnace, and 

 stretches under the bottom of the vessel towards the chimney. 

 When the solution of the second boiling is heated, the 

 free lime must be neutralized with pyroligneous acid as 

 long as reddened litmus paper is coloured blue. When 

 evaporated to two-thirds or one-half, the solution may be 

 freed from any impurities by passing it through a linen 

 filter, or placing it in a cask and allowing it to cool and 

 settle. 



The liquid having been treated in this way should be 

 again placed in the flat vessel, and by a gentle heat evapo- 

 rated to a mass, which while warm, should possess the con- 

 sistence of thick turpentine, and after cooling should not 

 stick to the fingers, but should rather crumble down when 

 pressed. Considerable care is necessary towards the end 

 of this process. When the solution is beginning to become 

 thick it must be stirred with a curved iron spatula, of such 

 a length, that it may extend over the whole vessel, in order 

 to prevent the salt mass from being burned. 



The acetate of lime now half dry, is transferred from the 

 evaporating vessel to a stone or iron plate, and spread by 

 means of the spatula to the depth of 2 or 3 inches, for the 

 purpose of cooling. It should not remain so long as to 

 attract much moisture, but should speedily be subjected to 

 the last operation, tne drying and roasting of the salt. 



The drying furnace is a simple wind furnace, 7 or 8 feet 

 long, 4^ to 6 feet broad, built of brick ; at 6 inches above 

 the ground is the ash-pit, 8 inches broad and 12 inches high, 

 which is covered with a grate of bricks. The fire-place is 

 20 inches high and 10 inches broad at the grate ; over it is 

 an arch of bricks, so that the fire cannot play on and heat 

 very highly, the iron drying plate lying on the side of the 

 hearth. The space below the drying plate is separated 



