HOME HELPS. 321 



proportions of tallow, lime, soda, and water used ; but this 

 will be found to depend a good deal upon the heat of the 

 fire, hardness or softness of the water, all of which differ in 

 nearly every case, and can only be settled by experience : 



1. 71bs. soda and 71bs. lime, to be boiled in five gallons 

 of water for half an hour ; when cold, pour off the clean 

 water or lye ; add 61bs. fat and ^lb. resin, and boil about 

 4 hours ; test the soap by pouring a little upon an earthen- 

 ware vessel ; as soon as it acquires the right feel of soap, 

 pour the whole mass into a tight box of a good shape for 

 cutting the mass into bars when it cools. Cut it with a 

 thin wire, or string will do. 



2. A new branch of the soda trade now supplies caustic 

 soda, which for years has been used in soap-making. 

 Melt your fat in plenty of water, ?md keep putting in small 

 quantities of caustic soda, until saponification takes place. 

 It is well to test all your soap just as jam is tested. When 

 you think it looks soapy enough take out a spoonful and 

 put it in a mould, and if it becomes solid be satisfied. 

 Next apply it practically to your arms and neck, and if you 

 feel no smarting or irritation then your soap is right ; 

 but, if in washing, the skin smarts, then there is too much 

 caustic soda in it, and the boiling must be continued, while 

 fat or tallow is added in sufficient quantity to absorb the 

 caustic property of the soap. Lately there has been 

 introduced a special lye for soap-making, and by following 

 the directions upon the tin, a good household soap can be 

 made. In making soap, boil it well, and towards the end 

 " give it a galop," as soap-makers say, and remember that 

 soap, like candles, improves by keeping. 



Soft-Soap. The difference between hard and soft soap 

 is that soda is the alkali used for the former, and potash 

 for making soft-soap. It is safest to purchase the potash, 

 as it is not plentiful in our native timbers, but fresh ashes 

 from mangrove and oak may do ; swamp oak is amongst 

 the best for the purpose. Any sort of tallow or fat will 

 do if reasonably clean. When the potash is to be got from 

 wood-ashes, make a hole at the bottom of a tub or barrel ; 

 plug up the hole, and nearly fill the barrel with wood- 

 ashes ; pour in as much water as the ashes will hold, and 



