COMMERCIAL POTASH OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 31 
On the subject of this specification, I shall only express my 
entire concurrence in the remarks of Dr. Jones, the editor of 
the Franklin Journal. "If," says he, "a patent had been re- 
quired for deteriorating one of the staples of our country, the 
one under consideration would most completely have fulfilled 
the intention ; and it is earnestly hoped that its validity may, 
in some way, be tested in our courts of law, where we 
apprehend, it would not be esteemed a 6 useful invention' 
according to the intention of the patent law ; as its inevitable 
result if acted upon, must be to injure the reputation of Ame- 
rican potash in foreign countries ; the material would be en- 
tirely spoiled as it regards its use in many manufactures." 
There is another patent which deserves a more detailed no- 
tice, as it contains a process much more extensively intro- 
duced, and which in some respects is a real improvement upon 
the ordinary mode of manufacture. At least the samples thus 
prepared, contain, as we shall hereafter see, a larger propor- 
tion of alkali, than any at present in market. 
The patent to which I now refer, was secured in July, 1831. 
The original specification may be found in the 9th volume of 
the Franklin Journal. The process, however, has recently 
been varied, and now consists, essentially, in employing small 
leach tubs which are to be prepared in the usual manner, by 
placing sticks, straw and quicklime at the bottom. Over this 
is to be placed a layer of ashes, of about four inches in thick- 
ness, which is then to be treated with a boiling liquor, pre- 
pared by adding eighteen pounds of salt, and one bushel of 
quicklime to ninety gallons of water. Another layer of ashes 
is then to be added, which is to be treated with the liquor as 
before, and so on until four layers of ashes have been intro- 
duced, — when cold water is to be added, and to remain five or 
six hours. The lixivium is then to be boiled and "melted 
down" in the usual way. 
It is asserted that by the above process of working, about 
one-half the quantity of ashes will be saved, the potash melts 
easily in consequence of its purity, the kettles last much 
