334 TRANSACTIONS OF THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETl. 



BORAX . 



This valuable salt, indispensable for assaying purposes, and hence 

 largely employed in the mint, and heretofore imported from abroad, is 

 now being obtained in this State in such quantity as not only suffices 

 to meet every home demand, but affords a large surplus for export. 

 The localities of this substance, so far as discovered, are at Clear Lake, 

 now called Borax Lake, where it exists in great quantities, and of a 

 purer kind than has ever been found elsewhere in the world. A com- 

 pany has been formed in this city for procuring borax from the above 

 locality, who have the Government title to both the water and the adja- 

 cent land. They are gathering this salt at the rate of several tons 

 weekly, and sending it to this point, whence, after supplying the dc'mands 

 for home consumption, amounting to thirt}^ or fort}^ tons per annum, it 

 is shipped abroad. This comj)any are able to suppl}^ a superior article 

 at the rate of tAventy cents a pound, the price having heretofore been 

 considerably greater. 



