MANUFACTUEE OF POTASH.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3119, 16 July 1867, Page 3

MANUFACTUEE OF POTASH.

In the present excess of the supply of labour over that of employment for it, any new industry which may at once find employment tor surplus labour, and at the same time create a useful article of export, is worthy of serious attention and experiment. An industry which would apparently fulfil these requirements is that indicated in the heading of this letter— the manufacture of potash. It might not be a very lucrative employment, but ltiß one wnion would keep the wolf from many an honest man s °The raw materials for the manufacture of potash are almost universally present in this country. They are the leaves and succulent twigs and off-shoots of trees or more humble plants. The fern, so common in this country, is rich in potash. The beautiful tree-ferns of our hills and gullies are probably not less so. But the leaves and shoots of almost any tree (with the exception of those of the pine species) are full of the juices whence potash is produced. Potash is a salt residing in these juices in a liquid form. Not being liable, like the watery parts of those juices, to evaporation by burning, the action of fire on their leaves and twigs occasions the deposit of those salts among the ashes. They are obtainable thence by solution in water. . . „ „ One other material only is required in the manufacture of the potash of commerce -.that is lime. Lime is, unfortunately, far less abundant in this province than, for the good of the agriculturist, it is desirable it should be. Its existence, however, is known in many places where it is not actually worked, and the •ysteri i on the seashore make the best of lime, and afford a ready means of supply to those living near the coast. Lime as worked at Mahurangi, and will soon be obtainable in quantities at Keriken, in the midst of a large immigrant population, to wtom employment in the manufacture of potash would be, at this time of the year, a great The price obtainable for potash at home may be taken to average between £30 and £35. Itis probable, therefore, that from twenty to twentyfive shillings per cwt. would be obtainable here bv the producer. There is not the slightest fear of overstocking or swamping the market. Thousands on thousands of tons are produced annually in Canada ; yet there is no overproduction. In fact any serious fall mpnee would make a very serious diminution in the export returns of Canada, in the list of which potashes and pearlasb.es figure largely, the manufacture being a very important one. I much regret that my acquaintance with this subiecfc is only theoretical. I trust, however, that the present humble attempt to draw attention to it may elicit some m more information from gentlemen experienced in the mode of proceeding in the British provinces of North America, of whom there are many in this province, lhe outnt required to commence operations is very simple— a tub or two with a false bottom above the real one, a good-sized iron pot, an axe, and a billhook, being nearly all that is required. Many a settler might, by fitting out a party for the purpose, render men, who are now walking about without work, useful to themselves, their employers, and the country. The expense would be trifling.-tbe probable good effects of the scheme very considerable.—[Communicated.]