The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-07-03
From the Monticello Constitution.
Chemical Resources Of Florida.
BY j. DABNEY PALMER, VI. A., VI ID

| TO awaken general interest in the cheunicatl
| resources Of Florida and develop them with that
energy and enterprise everywhere seen through
out the State would open new sources OF Tt,.
enue and lay the foundation for permanent pros
perty They include everything that can b.
worked up by chemical art into a valuable >trii
Gle of commerce. as medicinal plants fragrant
flowers, and unstable fruit and vegetables And
when we consider the facility with which mary
of them can he worked and their commercial
value, it is matter OF surprise AS well re.rc:
that they have not long since given rise to v.ri-
Gus branches Of industry While The genial ca.
mate OF Florida is known and appreciated, and
draws lis thousands from the frozen North the
wealth OF her luXuriant and varied vegetarian
should certainly receive attention, and the ln:''
uacture OF fluid extracts oils, and chelnA a 4
should be among her most important Interests. !;
Why cannot volatile oils be made here ana su
dependent on Europe: And why cannot ci,rit
acid, potash, starch, sugar, tannin and epson
salt be made here cheaply and proftaby: The>t .
are questions Of pratical importance,
Citric acid is found abundantly in the iuies ii
lemons lines and sour oranges also in Tao:
juice Of other fruits, as cranbcrries. whortlci,e, :
ries, gooseberres, currants, Strawberries, fed
elderberries, blackberries and tomatoes. Notktn5
is more encouraging than the Manufacture 4
citric acid, nearly all lis sources are in Flor .!s.
And the process for preparing it, as given by 'hr
Dispensatorv, is very simple.
The manufacture OF potash is suggested bv Il.
dried and burned yields larher per cent. :" jet.
ash than any other vegetable substance. ile
ashes are put into wooden ciserns, having
plug At the bottom of one CT the sides under q
false bottom, a moderate quantity of water
then poured on the mass, and some quick si,es
is stirred n After standing for few hours =
as to take up The soluble matter, The clear licstS
! Is Drawn OH, evaporatcd 10 dryuess in iron pJ.s
and finally fused at red heat into com, ;.,s
masses. But potash may be obtained irons 4:
kinds OF plants.
| Starch is especially abundant in wheat, rye
barley oats, rice corn peas beans. acorns E.,:,>
toes, arrow-root and the cas9ava plant; also {
the palmetto These are reduced 10 !. stats. Z
minute division and washed with cold wate- ::
The milky liquor is poured off AMI allowe, e
Sldnu until inc StdTcH SuUslutS. his WdSH.jiE
should be repeated as long rs the water taxi,
any perceptible color. The starch is then drailits
and dried. In operating damaged mater;
chlorine water would be preferable
The sources OF sugar also numerous ana
the method Of making il well known, but tAt
importance OF refining ii here is not fully apt.'
ciated. !.
Tannin is most frequently obtained from uL-
gals 1t may be obtained, however, from We.
riey OF vegetable substances: in fact, from IN
asringent plants Among its sources in Florida
may be mentioned the pitcher plant suina.,
pomegranate, palmetto and oak and, rs there ift
several processes for preparing il, We would Ia
commend that by Pclouze simple and prodl.--
tive, which consists in treating the powdcrsai
substance with ether by percuation
Epson salt is constituent OF sea water ans
may be easily procured, rs by-prodnct in Jl.,.
manufacture OF common salt, by carefully evan
Grating tue brine after the crystalizaton Of tht
salt During the war large quantities 81 it weI@
thus made on the coast The war taught ut
several lessons of practical chemistry: wc mad"
sugar OF lead copperaS AMI bue st M, n well NJ
fluid extracts
lime would ia us 10 enumcfale all the chem
ical resources Of Florida They are every wher,
around rs. And the reader can no doubt think
OF many not mentioned. We hope, however,
thai The few briefly noticed may stimulate to lun.
thcr Inquiry and lead TO their development