Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-10
The M..sr.esurs OF saIt Petre.

The Manusesure OF Galt Petre.
The subject Of the annexed paper ia Of vital import
sncs TO the country and We therefore give conspca
insertion, hoping may receive general attention:
10 THE TOBACCO PLANTERS OF VIRGINIA AND
NORTH CAROLINA.
O 8. NrTRl BuRxiu
RicRxosD. Nay s.b, 1864.
Notwithstanding the large yisld Of EItre from caves,
frequently advertised In our newspapers the receipts
from that source have not been sufficient and the Gov
eminent under the necessity Of looking 70 other sourcs
70 meet the demands Of the service. l. Is well known
that the tobacco barns Of Virginia and North Caroua
contain considerable quantity which, by very simple
process, Be obtained from the sartbs Of the barn
floors; and appeal Ia made to every olauter TO
engage in the manufacture Of this article Which [. 20
very important 10 the Government this time Expert.
ments the sarhs Of tobacco barns were rs Lsilu..
ed, under the direction Of Capt. Minor BY Mr.. =.
Barnes and Il satisfactorily ascsrtAined that all TO-
bscco barn floors contain lees Nitre according
to the length OF time they have been In us, barn
which has been in use come twenty years will contain
nitrous earth 70 the depth Of SIX nine inches snd obe
which has been in some Ave years ony two three
inches. Many Of the older baEns II believed, viii yield
as much $50 pounds Of Ntre and planters will find
Il no ess profitable than il Is patriotic engage 10 the
manufacture Of sAlpstre inasmuch they win be paid
BY the Nie Bureau seventy per pound for all
Nire which contains no impurities 10 per cent
Capt Minor has kindly furuished this Bureau with The
Information which he had collected on this subject and
uuites with me 10 the publcation Of this notice.
PReciss--DnPYKG Procure four barrels, With one
head in EACH tight practicable asur Dbl
iii Al hnt hkv n, naa..es bbs ara hstt., ru,, h.,
them o. Make false bottoms In them with twigi, Or
otherwise, as may be most convenient line the barrels
over this pretty veil with straw hay, extending this
lining distance up the sides. and fill win earth tm
the ,or Of the bsrl Pour sufficient water TO each bar
rel thoroughly TO moisten IT, Each barrel shoud b
little inclined to side, and should have rpiis he,
a, the bottom possible, which must be oppei
With wooden spigos for about twelve hours afsr he
frat is poured in, and then unstopped aud tho
allowed TO run or drip into nome vessel provided
for the purpose. The dripping nov from No should
be Ietunsd to t until Il drps clear; that from No
should be poured into No. e. that from No. ioto No
g. and that from No. into No. 2, pouring, after this,
all the fresh water into M, !. Taus Il s be seen thal
the fresh water passes hfs, through No. taking up il:
soluble substances; that this partially changed liquid
goes into No 2 getting sti nitro; that being
drawn eff from No. It passes through No. g. AID IL
finally carried through No T. getting an additional sup
ply of nre at every caaags. Thus tho liquid conf e
from No as highly concentrated can conveniently
be Obtained The clear lye from n, my bs az. aidl
in vessel to settle, until enough is obtained to
commence boiling.
After the water has been passed through No. four
tmes 1t will be exhausted, and can be enpied and
aled with fresh earth aud placed No Of the sers
No. beccming Ne 8. No No. g. and No. . becoming
No. /; the present M former No. p sill noS be
filed with fresh water and this having drained through,
the earth viii be enpsd and fire. al earth put in aad the
barrel placed as No T. thus preserving continued TO
tson Of tbs barrels and avoiding the necessity Of stop
ping 70 refill all q. once Care should BE- taken Ia pour
Ing the clear ys Into the weasel for boiling pour u
tile Of tie sediment possible, .hss having SO much
lsss lth to Get rid of 10 boiling. Where ID not COO
vspsnt to get barrels hoppsrs may be used conforming
as near IS practicable to the rules With barrels
Tho hoppers should be made Of fpli. timber or slsbs
convergng on al ics, and made tigh: as prac.ies-
be.
BoILHG Procure an Iron pot large enough 70 hold
the Equor to be boioi and p,uring all the qu,r ino
It, boil il brsky, when viii rise It's surfsce
this must be 1kinned CT and returned to the bar
rss, an the boiling continued until drop taken up by
the end Of stick becomes hard solid when let fell
upon cold metal or gpoE pets
The liquor ia now IN DO dipped out OF the pot ind
poured into cloth placed tub barrel and al
loved 70 stran through Into the tub below AID become
cold As econ as the liqu,r begins TO COOL crystals Of
salipe.re will commence forming, aud when Geld the Il
quor left-cslsd mother rquornust be poured Of from
the sltperc back into the pot with the freqh tq for
boiling, IS 1t still has considsrsble saltpetre in l.
RICHARD NORTON, CAPS,
| IN Charge Gaioa.
Bureau OF ORDNANCE AID HrnErosAPHY,
Rclmoad, Nay, sh, 1852
approve Of the process above indicated, and re.
commend Ii for adoption.
GEORGE MINOR, Comi'r,
| Chief CT tie Bdrsau.
Newspapers tbroughsu; tac Confederate States
qpested to putiish the foregoing.