Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-11-27
rHE SODA DIsrHlcr OF MEXICO.

This singular region contains 720 square
miles of territory. the soda or 'tequisquite,
as it is generally called IN that country, be-
ing chiefly deposited on the Iowlands by the
lake Of Tezcueo, about six miles from the
city Of Mexico, and which sometimes over
flows up to its gates 1t appears that the
mud Of this lake contains four per cent, Of
soda, and the water itself gives the following
results at one degree Beaume, with
density Of ,0069: Water, 9S, $50; chloride
Of soda, 0,970, carbonate Of soda, {, 0,4S6.
and sulphate Of soda, 0,054. The effiores.
cent soda deposited uDon the lands referred
to is to be found 10 much more considerable
quantities during the winter or dry season
in Mexico than during the summer, when
the diurnal rains wash much Of it away, nor
can il be collected during the latter season
as the water soaks in the soil, but upon the
return Of the dry weather, the rays Of the
sun eyapOrating the moisture upon the sur.
face, that left below gradually rises; and by
| this natural process the salts are consolida-
ted, forming a crust, generally about one
eeutimetre thick Sometimes, also, she
effloreseence may be produced by ploughing
up and afterwards watering the soil. The
efiorescence begins to be observable at the
end Of autumn, It's white aud erumbling,
fakes concentrating themselves by the action
Of the winter frosts into the crust above re-
ferred to, and which is composed Of two de-
seriptious Of soda, called by the natives Of
the districts around 'casearillo" and pol
villo, and which are scraped up and de-
posted in cellars for immediate sale or for
putrifaotion on the spot
The soda which is obtained from the wa
ters Of the lake themselves is generally not
perceivahle until considerable evaporation
Of them has taken place, when it appears
upon the surface of them in the form of
frothy substance, for the obtaining Of which
the waters of the lake are damned up into
pools, as soon as they begin to retire, by
heaping up mounds of earth around them.
The simple mode of proceeding hitherto
pursued by the natives Of the country for
the separation Of the soda and the common
salt from the other substances, and which is
still pursued IN the most remote silitrous
I lands of the country, has been replaced in
other places by other means for attaining
the same ends suggested by chemical sciences
/ aud modern discoveries The old system
consists in diluting and iltering the silitrous
earth reserved to, and which is placed in
large pans formed of the earth from which
the tequisquit'' has been already extracted,
and.in which branches of trees are placed
crossways and entwined With rushes or
'petate, kind of grass used for mating,
so as to stop the earthly particles and sui
phate Of soda from going through, the pan
being pierced at the bottom 50 as to admit
Of the passing through Of the water, which
being conducted by means of hollow reed
or of maguey into tanks, evaporation
is effected BY the action Of the air and sun,
or by means of artificial heat when the water
is conducted into boilers
/ The salineros who conduct the salt works
convey the water to the height of twelve
inches into troughs Of masonry, the time
consumed in the process of Capitalization
naturally depends upon the temperature of
the atmosphere or other meteorological
causes; but it is calculated that, the soIu-
ton being at IS degrees to 20 degrees
Beaume, and the water being from two and
a half to three inches in depth, crystalliza-
ton takes place in four days in summer and
eight in winter. The earthly particles con
tanned in the water are cleared out of the
trough as soon as they appear; the chloride
Of sodium then crystallizes and forms a
crust" of about centiameter thick, and
adheres to the bottom Of the trough; the sa-
line particles then forming themselves into
small heaps as tie water dries up, being
finally spread cut to dry aud harden in the
sun.