12 



gallons of boiling water, and boil the mixture for two hours at least, 

 stirring the liquid and sediment. The boiling should be continued 

 until the sulphur disappears, or almost disappears, from the surface. 

 The solution is then of a chocolate or liver color. The longer the 

 solution boils the more the sulphur is dissolved, and the less caustic 

 the ooze becomes. Some writers advise boiling from thirty to forty 

 minutes, but this is not sufficient; a good ooze can be obtained only 

 by boiling from two to three hours, adding water when necessar} T . 

 Pour the mixture and sediment into a large tub or barrel, placed near 

 the dipping vat and provided with a bunghole about 4 inches from the 

 bottom, and allow it ample time (from two to three hours or more if 

 necessary) to settle. 



The use of some kind of a settling tank provided with a bunghole is 

 an absolute necessity, unless the boiler is so arranged that it may be 

 used for both boiling and settling. An ordinary kerosene oil barrel 

 will answer very well as a small settling tank. To insert a spigot about 

 3 to 4 inches from the bottom is an easy matter. Draining off the 

 liquid through a spigot has a great advantage over dipping it out be- 

 cause less commotion occurs in the liquid, which therefore remains freer 

 from sediment. When fully settled, draw off the clear liquid into the 

 dipping vat and add enough warm water to make 100 gallons. But 

 under no circumstances should the sediment in the barrel be used for 

 dipping purposes. A double precaution against allowing the sediment 

 to enter the vat is to strain the liquid through ordinary bagging as it 

 is drawn from the barrel or settling tank. 



The above directions are for the quantity of dip given"ln the preced- 

 ing formula. Any multiple of the constituents may be used, depend- 

 ing upon the capacity of the boiler, vessels, and tank to be filled, but 

 let it be repeated that there should be no guessing about the propor- 

 tions; that the directions for the preparation of the dip as here given 

 should be closely followed, care being taken that boiling be continued 

 for the full time recommended. 



Another good method for making this dip, highly recommended by 

 experienced inspectors, is to mix the lime and sulphur in a mortar 

 box, then slake the lime thoroughly and put the mixture in the cooking 

 tank (which should contain one-fifth the total quantity of water required 

 for the dip), after the water in the cooking tank is nearly boiling. If 

 the mortar box is not at hand the lime and sulphur may be mixed and 

 slaked in the cooking vat and the water then added for cooking. 

 The mixture must be boiled for at least two hours, stirring often. 

 Then add enough water to replace that which has boiled away, so as to 

 have the original proportion of water. Allow to settle two hours, or 

 longer if possible, and draw off the clear liquid for use in dipping. 



152 



