166 



Ohsenaiions on the Ilamifachire of Pot Ash. 



a conviction that those defects niay be 



edied, I 



liave committed my remarks to paper, with a concise history 

 . of the manufacturing of this salt, -which I beg leave to submit 

 to the consideration of the American Academy of Arts and 

 Sciences. And if after their critical examination, they shall 

 be thought to contain any useful hints, they will dispose of 

 them as they think proper. 



w 



It is unnecessary to premise, that the great evil which injures 

 the sale, and very much reduces the value of some of the 

 American pot ash, arises from foreign matters, such as com- 

 mon salt and earth, being accidentally mixed with it. 



The furnaces, and machines, or apparatus, commonly 



used in this country for extracting the salts from the ashes, 



and for boiling and fluxing them, are undoubtedly of a good 

 kind. 



r 



The first important object to be observed 



extract all 



the salts from the ashes. For this 

 water ought always to be preferred, 

 saturated, and remain with about an 

 top of them twelve hours at least 



purpose, ram 



or iiver 



The ashes should b 



ch of water over th 



Then 



small opening 



may be made in the bottom of the leach tub, which ought 



to contain a strainer, in order to 



prev 



the ashes from 



running off 



or a fal 



e bottom may be used to advantage. 

 The he discharged is fit for immediate use.. As soon as the 



manufacturer begins to draw it off, he must 



,pply fresh 



until they 



and continue that application, and boiling the lies 



reduced 



o 



th 



that they will no 



ger pay the expense of boiling. The ashes 



however, 

 still 



^ 



