Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-03-26
March 18th, 1853


hEssRs. DIrt - In a late number ofyour paper, ysu
mentioned tia: joseph Green Eq Of Brunswick County,
had exhibited TO you specimen of potash of ms own
making and remark it. that the article ought to be
made large quantities. in the Confederate States. Hav
ing lad little experience, recently in this business
beg lave give it, yfur columns for the benefit
Of CIT readers IT, potash ABUNDANT toilet soap,
which ccmmar d. extraordinary price, would soon
III the 8eh Of of moderate The OBJ.
ject Of NY wifIg is 10 enable your country readers,
peciay who have abundance of cak ard hickory ashes,
become ntepcI dent Of Hull Sons, any other manu-
facurc:s ehct n tie United STATES in Europe give
you the which followed and as succeeded pretty
we'll MT 1 all your readers cam who will make tt
effort
toe ushela ashes and saturated them with tie
boiling w1:er, Ia ting enough, however, to maze
the dripping They then put in tie
ashhc1p r ST. allowed rmain foar or FIVE days. TIE
object Of this (called retiring" by the negro women,)
to give time for the to absorb the potash in the
ashes Then poured in in the OF several hours
abou 80 gallons of boiu water which commenced
the dnsry clohes' er, about 20 gallons fpg It
about two thirds full and commenced boiling AS the
eyaporas d. likely to boil ever, poured in
more ley until all was used After boiling eight ten
hours the mass became thick as GLASSES in cold weather.
when it removed to small pat for finishing a fire
was put under and arond tie small pot and the mass
stirred with roa rod until the pos became red hot
was kept at this heat for hour hec the fire
weighed it AID fcftd had eighteen pounds Il then
placed in well stepped jars, prevect dequeacencs.
From Ibis meIt and the fact that the ashes
not Thoroughly eachcd JnclHde that huene Of oak
hickory ashes VIII yield least two and Iii pounds Of
good pGta Il.
Having poss1, determined be independent
blockade "nd concluded 10 try the business of max
in the r DisEe ast0ry. Two pounds of potash dis
solved i'll gallon of boiling water, and pound OF quick
lime Stacked the qaantity CT water The
quure then mis- ed End boiled for ten nntes and
put E:o covered vessel to COOL When COOL thu clear
ley poured eff into vesselp and the balance dpped
through towel This yielded the alter Of caHstic pot
ash the very article for making soap. Thea five six
pounds Of lard melted in two gallons OF in the
boiler pct, and when boiling comm enced put in about
hall pint tie caustic le}. alter stirring for few min
utes, more le9 I'D ed sn1 so until ali T.
Water otcaAiJnAg uEed ia TO replace that which
evapoT3t9d. IN two three hGus, the grease eate
up - and the maFa b. ID cs honey Thea poured
in 10 o. common sat- Ci solved In boiled for
about halt hour. The result had good hard soda
soap and oLongh 10 last fan, ~ for whole The
Chloride Of sodium (conm SALTY in oiiing. made
bination 18th the ard changed it fcm potash to
soda soap, ad therefore much better for washiDg the
skin.
Yoa will say that TIE proof Of the pudding l. ew
ing the bag Yen shall chew Is fer when next to
Wilmington, will bring you s"aI piece. which will
warrant quite good Colgate add very far cheaper
ANY man - the country mako Bis toilet at cost
OF not than thirty cents pound and the 500
cent Pros made by the I1anGfact and the blockade
e. l.. ".
Richmond county la oh 18th, 1863
*The potash made Mr. Green's plantation, but
exhibited TO by another gentlemauMr. Green's sonin
law IDS Journal.