246 On the Alkalies of Commerce. 



American pearl-ashes : best sort 

 American caListic potash in reddish 



masses; first sort. _ - - 

 American pearl ashes ; second sort 

 Caustic potash of America, in grayish 



masses ; second sort 

 White potash of Russia 

 White potash of Dantzic 

 Blue Pantzic potash 

 Alicant soda _ _ _ 



Natron - _ . _ _ 



Soda and natron of inferior qualities 



Exlraordinary Alkali melrical Results. 



Great variations are met with in some parts of these arti- 

 cles ; in the peariashes and pot.Thes, for instance, by the 

 fraudulent mixture of various foreign salts, the alkaline part 

 of which, neutralized by the sulphuric and muriatic acids, is 

 of no use to soap-makers, dvcrs, and bleachers : v/e meet 

 with variations also in the sodas by means of the addition of 

 herbs, other than the salsola and the salicornia at the time 

 of incineration ; or also in sodas produced by the combustion 

 of plants before their maturity. For, according to M. Chap- 

 tal, the latter is almost entirely muriate without altera- 

 tion. Certain potashes contain also sulphur and charcoal 

 in solution : the casks and packages of these alkalies are not 

 always of the saine quality in their different points and va- 

 rious pieces. The two extremities of a cask, and its centre 

 towards the bung, have been found to contain good potash : 

 the other parts were of a very inferior quality, or contained 

 nothing else than earth. Some unprincipled people have 

 made a traffic of soda from sea wrack, which they sell in 

 place of Alicant soda, giving it an exterior appearance by 

 means of a process, which it would be useless if not cri- 

 minal to divulge. 



* Salt of soda of M. Carny. 

 No. 1. ... 70 

 No. 2. - - - 46 



No. 3. - - - ^G.—Note by lhe\iuthor. 



On 



