2lS ON THE PRODU'CTION OF BARILLA. JUllc; t-^ 



May we not fappofe, that much depends upon th« 

 food of plants; and that thofe which grow where mine- 

 ral alkali abounds, naturally produce Soda. We are 

 informed, that the plant barilla is cultivated on the 

 declivities of hills by the fides of fait marfhes, or on 

 the banks of canals which are cut to water and mtuiina 

 the land ; and yet the afhes of barill-i, according to my 

 experiment, produce Soda conliderably pure. If nVich 

 did not depend on the nutriment or the nature 

 cf the plant itfelf, fo great an efFeft could not 

 be accomplillied by faline exhalations, not even by the 

 I'pray of the fea, though within its reach. Thefe 

 might impregnate the plant with common fait ; but 

 were there not another caufe, its afhes, I think, would 

 abound with vegetable alkali, which I have not found tu 

 be the cafe. 



I fhould be glad to be infonned, if barilla hp.s ever 

 been cultivated in inland countries, and in fitu.itions 

 where other plants always yield potafli. If in thefe 

 circumftarces it produced mineral alkali, then we 

 {hould have a pofitive proof, that it was its nature fo 

 to do ; but if it yielded vegetable alkali, then it would 

 be as evident, that the Soda obtained from the afhes of 

 plants, is in part owing to their food, and perhaps i;i 

 part to faline impregnations by external c*iufes. 



I fbail be happy to find this fubje£l more fully treat- 

 ed of; and it would give me pleafureif gentlemen who 

 make erperiments, or who fpecalate on ufeful ftibjecls, 

 would embrace the opportunity, which your ufeful 

 mifcellany affords them of throwing out any important 

 hint, without waiting to form a complete treatifc upon 

 it. Thus the ideas would be catched by kindred fouls, 

 and might be again and again returned with improve- 

 ments through the medium of the Bee, till they receiv- 

 ed a form and excellence, which would render them 

 ornamental to fcience, and highly beneficial to the 

 tvorld. Sir, 



Yours refpeftfuUy. J. W. 



