[ 5 $I 0 
All we have of thefe Kinds of Pot-afh, it fcems, 
comes only from Spaing for which Reafon our 
People were obliged to petition to allow the Im- 
portation of Pot-afh from thence, during the late 
War j as appears by an Order of the King and Coun- 
cil of the 24 th of June 1742. lince they could not 
' do without it in many Manufactures: So that it may- 
be worth our Inquiry, to know what it is that pro- 
duces fo neceflfary a Commodity. 
This Kind of Pot-afh is commonly called Bar- 
rilha , from an Herb of the fame Name in Spain 
that produces it. The firft Account we have of this 
Bar rilha is from Amatus Lufitanus , who leaves us 
much in the dark about it. It is generally Taid in 
England to be a Plant pretty well known to the 
Botanifts by the Name of Ficoides Neapolitan a 3 , 
flore candido . Hart. Lugd. Bat. but for what Rea. 
fon I cannot fay. We have as little Reafon to be- 
lieve with John Bauhine that it is what he calls 
Kati vulgar e: For Mr. de JuJJieu has fhewn us r 
that the true Barrilha is a different Plant from any 
of thefe, from his own Obfcrvations of it in Spain 
where it was cultivated j of which he has given us 
a particular Account, by the Name- of Kali Hifpa- 
nicum, fupinum, annuum , Sedi foliis bre dibits. Mem. 
Academ. Anno 1717. p. 93. or Alicmt G/a(i~ 
wort. > ' • • ; . 
The Pot-afh made of this Plant, he tells us, mak.es 
the beft Soap, the fineft Glafs, and is the beft for 
bleaching of any other j for which- Reafon it is much 
fought after in all Countries, where they value them- 
felves for thefe Manufactures.. But I queflion very 
much, whether our Workmen have it either pure 
and- 
