1 



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k 



L 



266 Researches on the Commercial Potash 



^ 



advantage can by no means make up for the positive injury done to 



the potash by its addition. 



It was not until I had proceeded in this investigation, that I ascer- 

 tained bow general this mode of adulteration had become. Sever- 

 al manufacturers have assured me, that salt is almost always added 

 to the lixivium, in the ordinary method of preparing potash. If this 

 is so, the objection which I have to this part of the patented process 

 will equally apply to the other. It is proper, however, to state, that 

 while the proportion of pure alkali in the specimens of potash, which 

 I have analyzed, is in favor of those manufactured by the patented 

 process, the chlorides of sodium and potassium, which may be fair- 

 ly set down to the admixture of common salt, are also contained in 



them in larger proportion. 



There is one consideration in connection. with the use of salt, 

 which is deserving of some attention. And it is that at present, the 

 only object of the manufacturer is to produce an article, which shall 

 pass inspection as " first sort." It is by this brand, that the market 

 price is regulated, and the extra time and labor required to manu- 

 facture a more pure potash, would, under the present system of in- 

 spection, be entirely lost. A premium is thus, in effect, set upon 

 ingenious adulteration's, and, under all the circumstances, we can 

 scarcely attach blame to those, who endeavor, to avail themselves of 



its benefit. 



In concluding this part of my paper, justice obliges me to state, 

 that the specimens of potash manufactured according to the patent 

 process, which has been here described, equal, if they do not excee ^, 

 in purity, those which have been ordinarily ranked as " first sort. 

 And if the facts, with regard to the increased amount of alkali ob- 

 tained from the ashes, can be at all relied on, it must be considere 

 in many respects, a valuable improvement. But from the ver} 

 ture of the case, its continuance, as such, must depend, in a gre 

 degree upon the honesty of the manufacturer, and upon the vigiianc 



and skill of the inspector. ' . , 



Analysis of several varieties of Potash.— lu the examination o 



these specimens, my chief object was to detennine the FOP^^^^^^ 

 which they contained, of what are usually called impurities. ^ 

 other substances which commercial potash is known to contain, 

 minute proportions, I" did not consider it necessary to separate 

 it would have occupied much more time, and after all, would 

 been attended with little practical advantage. My design was, "" 

 so much to present complete chemical analyses, as to show, ui 



The 

 in 

 as 



not 

 the 



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