Manufacture of Potash. 97 



darkening the colour. With reference, too, to this same 

 risk, I may state that the solution should, after being 

 withdrawn from the casks into the reservoir, be allowed to 

 settle for 24 hours at least, in order to deposit any sediment 

 or colouring matter which it may contain ; and care should 

 be taken in withdrawing the solution from the reservoir for 

 the purpose of evaporating it, that the sediment should not 

 be disturbed. In some cases, where the solution appears to 

 be very dark-coloured, it may be as well, after evaporating 

 the Vv^ater till the solution is almost ready to enter into 

 crystalization, to withdraw it from the boiler into some flat 

 troughs or pans, and then allow it to crystalize. If these 

 crystals be then dissolved in a quantity of water, only just 

 sufficient for the purpose, and the solution be allowed to 

 remain undisturbed for 24 hours, it is probable that a large 

 portion of the extraneous matter will be separated and 

 deposited ; the liquor being then drawn off with a syphon, 

 and evaporated, the product will be a clean well coloured 

 potash. 



When the potash has been fused as before directed, and 

 gradually cooled down, it will be removed from the boiler 

 and packed in casks, well hooped and secured ; and it is then 

 fit for exportation. 



I will now give a few details, which may serve as elements 

 upon which some idea may be formed of the amount of the 

 return from any given quantity of timber, or any given area 

 of ground. From the experiments made by Captain Stanley, 

 it appeared that the amount of ash from the wood and bark 

 alone varied, according to the description of timber, from 

 10 to 25 lbs. per ton. In this case the timber was burnt in 

 a reverbatory furnace, with a strong draught, and it is 

 possible that a portion of the ash was carried up the chimney. 

 In some experiments made at one of the convict stations, 

 the proportion of ash was much larger in the same description 



