The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-05-23
The Manufacture of Saltpetre.
HOW TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF SAIL
PETRE In EARTH

bON ~ AsIhklAlN THE fhtSbNCE OF cal
PETRE IN EARTH.
Take the earth that you may wish tc
test, and pass water through it; thenadd
lye-made Of common wood ashes-tc
the water until the clouding ceases after.
wards boil down the water until it is
thick, then enierse a slip of paper in the
water, which, when Thoroughly dried, ap.
ply to a live coal of fire-if it burns with
cracking noise the earth has more OF
less saipetre in it. Nearly all the lime.
stone caves in East Tennessee and West.
ern Virginia, that are free from running
water or drips, contain more or less salt
petre.
now TO MAKE sALTPETRr.
Put up four hoppers. such az arc used
in making I've, fill them with pulverized
saltpetre earth, pass the same water
through No. twice, and once-it being
the third time passed throug saltpetre
earth-through No. Q. After the beer
as it is called by saltpetre makers, has set
led, draw it off into another vessel and
add common I've to it until it ceases I'd
curdle or cloud, then it may be boiled UNI
til it thickens, or until drop of the beer
thrown on a cold surface crystalizes. The
beer should then be suffered to cool, when
the saltpetre will form in beautiful white
crystals. The saltpetre should then be
dried in the sun, and afterwards put up
in bags or boxes for shipment.
The mother beer-after the crystalized
saltpetre has been taken out-should be
put back in the boiler again, for it con-
tains considerable saltpetre not crystal
lied. Should the saltpetre have q dingy CO.
lor, it is because too much I've has been put
in it. The petre may be purified by soak
ing it IN q tub Of clear water, and in that
case the water should afterwards be put
into the boiler, because it contains great
deal of saltpetre in solution.
1t will be remembered that the beer,
followed through the entire process OF
manufacture, was first passed througl,
hopper No. twice, and then once
through hopper No. 2. This was done to
give beer holding large quantity of
saltpetre in solution, and thereby making
the boiling process that much less
Now, to keep this up, pass the water
through No. l, then through No. 2, and
afterwards through No. 3, and then to
the boiler. Now, No. has been drippcd |
three times, and is exhausted of snltpe-
-itiI Hvw eUrtn. w hiie this is being
done to No. l, pass water through No. 9,
then through No. 3, and lastly through
No. 4, and then to the boiler. No. may
now be re-filled, and while it is being
done, pass water through No g. then
through No. 4, then through No. !, and
then to the boiler. By this mode you al
ways have one hopper being re-fiIled with
new earth, and making the beer for the
boiler without stop. You can increase
the number of hoppers to twelve if you
have three hands, and then you can make
proper division of the work-one en-
gagged in boiling, one re-6lling the hop
pers, and the third making lye. When
the earth contains an average amount OF
saltpetre, three hands can make about
one hundred lbs. per day.
rhe government is giving so cents per
pound for all saltpetre delivered at any
depot on railroad, in good condition
for transportation on the cars, until the
first day Of January, 1868, and payment
will be made on the receipt of the depot
agent, by any quartermaster in the Con-
federate service.
P. S.-Common alum may be used to
crystalize the saltpetre instead of lye, but
the writer is not familiar with the use Of
alum in making saltpetre, and therefore
cannot give the quantity to be used
The manufacturer can experiment until
he gets the proper proportion.