Page:Treatise on Soap Making.djvu/72

56 boiler (no leys at finishing being used), set a brisk fire, and keep constantly stirring with hand-stirrer and paddle alternately, until all is melted, and begin to shew an appearance something like thin honey. Take now a little from a boiling part, upon the hand-board, and observe, when held up, if any leys run clearly from it: if they do, more water must be put in, and the boil continued. When, upon the other hand, no leys run from the soap when held up slanting-ways upon the board; in that case, too much water have already been given. A little strong salt ley must now be added to open it, technically termed cutting up; or, instead of salt ley, a little strong common salt and water; about half a pailful may do. I should prefer this last to the ley, wishing now to exclude as much as possible all alkali from entering the pan. We come now to the most critical part of boiling, that is, the grand criterion