498 STANDARD RECEIPTS. 



add enough hot water to fill the barrel; stir again the whole, after each 

 ladle of hot water, till the whole becomes a creamy mass, uniform in its 

 appearance. Allow it to rest for three months in a temperate place or 

 cellar. 



3. Dissolve a quarter of a pound of lime in a gallon of cold water, then 

 take off the clear; dissolve a half pound of sal-soda in a quart of water, 

 and mix it with the clear lime-water; one pound of brown soap dissolved 

 in a gallon of water, and then to be added to the clear liquor formed 

 with the sal-soda and lime-water, and this forms the soap. This soft 

 soap is excellent for boiling white linens. It removes all grease that is 

 in them, because it contains an excess of caustic lye. About one quart 

 of it is sufficient for boiling clothes in a ten gallon copper. A quantity 

 of this may be made up for constant use. 



To Make Good I/ye. Use hickory-wood ashes when possible, 

 but those from beech, maple, or any kind of hard wood, except oak, 

 will answer well. A hogshead, set upon an inclined platform, will 

 make a good leach. First in the bottom of the leach pile some wood 

 crosswise of each other, making it a foot high, over this put a piece of 

 of old carpet or straw, put on a few inches of ashes, then a peck of lime, 

 fill with ashes, moistened and tamp down well, making it firmest in the 

 centre. Put on warm water. If the lye is not strong enough to float a 

 potato or egg, put back on the ashes again and let run through till it 

 will do so. 



Mrs. Gordon's Soft Soap. Shave two and one-half pounds of 

 good white soap and melt in two gallons of soft water, add one and one- 

 fourth pounds of sal-soda and one-quarter poimd powdered borax; when 

 all is melted pour in keg or barrel with ten or twelve gallons warm 

 water; stir in thoroughly two table-spoonfuls strong ammonia; two of al- 

 cohol; and one of turpentine; stir occasionally till cold. This soap is 

 ready for use as soon as mixed. The borax, soda, turpentine or am- 

 monia may be increased if desired. 



Hand-Made Sal-Soda Soap. It sometimes happens that caustic 

 soda is not within reach, and yet sal-soda is to be had. To transform 

 this material into a suitable lye for soap-making is an easy process; dis- 

 solve sal-soda, say three pounds, in two gallons of warm water; slack in 

 a firkin three pounds of good lime; add to it the soda solution; stir the 

 whole thoroughly with a stick, and add two gallons of boiling water; 

 stir again, and let it settle. 



To make soap pour off the clear liquor into a clean iron boiler and 



