EUCALYPTUS TEEES. 89 



products from heated wood, and the various appa- 

 ratus employed in dry distillation, reference may be 

 made to the great work. Chemistry Applied to Arts 

 and Manufactures, by Professor Muspratt, a man of 

 genius and industry, whose death within the last few 

 months we had so deeply to deplore. 



Presented to you here are samples of tar, acetic 

 acid, and alcohol, from several of our more common 

 woods ; also pieces of pine-wood, coated with euca- 

 lyptus tar, the black color, with its fine lustre, have 

 remained unimpaired for a series of years. Our wood- 

 tar would, for many industrial purposes, be equal in 

 value to the best kinds of other tar, and may prove, 

 in some respects, superior to them. 



Among the undeveloped wood-resources we must 

 not pass that referring to potash, particularly as this 

 alkali can be obtained without sacrifice of any valua- 

 ble timber, and from localities not accessible to the 

 wood trade. 



For the preparation of potash, the wood, bark, 

 branches, and foliage are burnt in pits sunk three or 

 four feet in the ground ; the incineration is continued 

 till the pit is almost filled with ashes. Young branch- 

 es and leaves are usually much richer in potash than 

 the stem-wood ; hence they should not be rejected. 

 The ashes thus obtained are placed, in tubs or casks, 

 on straw, over a false bottom. 



Cold water, in moderate quantities, is poured over 

 the ash, and the first strong potash-liquid removed 

 for evaporation in flat iron vessels, while the weaker 

 fluid is used for the lixiviation of fresh ashes. 



While the evaporation proceeds, fresh portions of 

 strong liquid are added until the concentrated boil- 

 ing fluid assumes a rather thick consistence. 



