192 MANURE. 



Geine, or glycerine, ^ lb. 

 ^ ) Muriate of potash, 5^ lbs. 

 " ' f Sulphate of potash, 1^ lb. 

 Silicate of potash, 2J oz. 



231. The spent lye from soda soap, contains the sulphate 

 and muriate of soda, of the soda ash, which rarely amounts 

 to 12 per cent. As less salt is here added, the spent lye is 

 less rich in salts. In a boil of 2000 lbs. of hard soap, 600 

 weight of white ash are used. Including the one bushel of 

 salt usually added, the spent lye contains, 



Sulphate of soda, 84 lbs. or, per gallon, 6f oz. 

 Muriate of soda, 106 " " J lb. 



Glycerine, 100 " " J lb. 



232. The value of spent lye has been tested for a series of 

 years. It has shown its good effects on grass lands for four 

 or five years after its application. There is great advantage 

 in carrying it out upon snow. It has then the effect of con- 

 verting any carbonate of ammonia in the snow into sal- 

 ammoniac, or a volatile into a fixed salt. 



233. When it is thus understood on what the value of 

 spent ]ye depends, it would seem probable that the farmer 

 may himself prepare it ; and, unless he resides in the neigh- 

 borhood of a soap-boiler, at a cheaper rate than he can buy 

 and cart home this liquid manure. A hogshead of spent 

 lye, of 100 gallons, contains, if from ashes, 



50 pounds of glycerine or geine, 

 53 " of muriate of potash, 

 13 " of sulphate of potash. 



The salts may easily be supplied. It becomes a highly 

 interesting question, whether the glycerine has any specific 



