126

DYEING AND CALICO PRINTING.

The amount of potash yielded by the ash of different plants Dr. Bottgerfound to be as follows for 1000 parts:—

Pine ..Poplar ..Beech ..

Oak ..Boxwood ..WillowElm

Wheat-strawRushesVine-wood ..Barley-strawBean-straw..Vetch-strawWormwoodFumitory ..

Per Mille.

• °'45

• 075

• 1 '45

• 1-53

. 2-26

• 2-85

• 3’9°

• 3'9°

. 5-08

• 5 ' 5 °

. 5'8o

. 20'00

• 27-50. 73'oo. 7g-oo

The ash of the beech contained of—

Soluble salts.

Insoluble salts.

The percentage of soluble salts consisted of—■

Carbonate of potash .

Sulphate of potash .

Carbonate of soda.

Chloride of sodium .

Per cent.21*277873

Per cent.15*402*273'400*20

21*27

According to Dr. Hoss, 100 parts of the following woods give—

Ash.

Potash.

Pine.

• • °'34

0-045

Beech.

0*127

Ash .

°-°74

Oak .. .. .

0 *I 50

Elm.

•• 2 ’55

0*390

Willow .

.. 2-80

0-285

Vine.

.. 3-40

°' 55 °

Wormwood .

.. 9-74

7-300

Fumitory.

Calculated from analyses per mille.

7-990

Of the method of preparing the potash we need not here speak, except tosay that the ash is first lixiviated, the liquor boiled down to obtain the crudepotash by evaporation ; the crude potash is then calcined. After calcinationit is ready for the market, and is of various shades of colour, being eitherwhite, pearl-grey, or tinged with yellow, red, or blue. The blue colour is dueto the manganates of potash; the red to oxide of iron.