Page:Treatise on Soap Making.djvu/53

37 with receivers that will contain 12 or 14 cwt. of kelp or ashes, each; that there is also kelp, ashes, tallow, lime-shells, and palm oil at hand. These are all the materials necessary for performing the operation, and finishing a pan, or making of hard soap.

The first thing to be done is, to prepare for setting a cave, viz. Break down very small about 12 cwt. of kelp, and, to make a good ley, 2 or 3 cwt. of American pot-ash may also be broke and mixed therewith. Barilla ash is generally set by itself alone. The breaking, however, of the American pot-ash, from the danger of sparks (if great care is not taken) of flying into the eyes, or lodging about the feet, &c. would be as well altered to melting down, or dissolving in boiling water, and then poured upon the other materials (just now to be mentioned), after they are put into the cave.