No. 112.] 273 



person who makes it. Thus agricultural industry is deprived of 

 a part of its reward, and this will probably continue until the' 

 buttermakers discontinue altogether this very unfit and unsafe 

 material. The difference between butter put up with this salt, 

 and with the natural chrystallized salt is so great, that our whole- 

 sale and retail grocers can distinguish it at once by the smell, on 

 piercing or opening a firkin. The sweet flavor and nice odor 

 which pure sea-salt gives, is altogether wanting in that which is 

 seasoned with the other, &c., &c." 



In a report made to the minister of agriculture and commerce, 

 of France, in 1847, upon salt ponds, (les marais salants^) and the 

 manufacture of solar salt ; it is stated that a favorable prejudice 

 has long kept up the character of the salt made on the west coast 

 of France. It was thought preferable to that made on the Medi- 

 terranean coast, about Marseilles, for salting fish. The latter 

 was said to be too active, too corrosive. Now the results of a 

 series of experim.ents made with great care, from 1827 to 1830, 

 by order of the Minister of the Interior, by a commission com- 

 posed of men of the most eminent scientific attainments, M. M. 

 Thenard, Gay Lus.-ac, Berthier, &c., show that in comparative 

 experiments made with salt from Marseilles, from the Atlantie 

 coast of France, and from St. Ubes, all succeeded equally well. 

 They even remarked that codfish prepared with Marseilles salt, 

 acquired new qualities with age, and kept better, and it appeared 

 that the Americans, easier suited, or more knowing than the 

 French, gave willingly the preference to Marseilles salt. They 

 take advantage of the return of their vessels, to load them ; and 

 the strange sight is seen of French fishermen going to St. Ubes for 

 their supplies of salt, while the Americans come to France for 

 theirs. The only possible difference there can be between the 

 two kinds, is that the Marseilles salt is most free fri)m dirt, and 

 foreign substances. 



Last summer when at Dieuze, in the eastern part of France, 

 where there is an extensive manufactory of salt, and where the 

 salt is of an excellent quality, and very pure, 1 saw a large pile 

 of blue clay, and on inquiring its use, was informed that it was 



[Ajf. Tr. '53] s 



