1salt liquor, the
Spaniards think, as Pliny writes5,
that the wood itself turns
into salt. Oak is the best wood, as its pure ash yields salt; elsewhere hazel
wood is lauded. But with whatever wood it be made, this salt is not
greatly appreciated, being black and not quite pure; on that account this
method of salt-making is disdained by the Germans and Spaniards.
into salt. Oak is the best wood, as its pure ash yields salt; elsewhere hazel
wood is lauded. But with whatever wood it be made, this salt is not
greatly appreciated, being black and not quite pure; on that account this
method of salt-making is disdained by the Germans and Spaniards.
The solutions from which salt is made are prepared from salty earth or
from earth rich in salt and saltpetre. Lye is made from the ashes of reeds
and rushes. The solution obtained from salty earth by boiling, makes salt
only; from the other, of which I will speak more a little later, salt and salt
petre are made; and from ashes is derived lye, from which its own salt is
obtained. The ashes, as well as the earth, should first be put into a large
vat; then fresh water should be poured over the ashes or earth, and it should
be stirred for about twelve hours with a stick, so that it may dissolve the
salt. Then the plug is pulled out of the large vat; the solution of salt or the
lye is drained into a small tub and emptied with ladles into small vats;
finally, such a solution is transferred into iron or lead caldrons and boiled,
until the water having evaporated, the juices are condensed into salt. The
above are the various methods for making salt. (Illustration p. 557.)
from earth rich in salt and saltpetre. Lye is made from the ashes of reeds
and rushes. The solution obtained from salty earth by boiling, makes salt
only; from the other, of which I will speak more a little later, salt and salt
petre are made; and from ashes is derived lye, from which its own salt is
obtained. The ashes, as well as the earth, should first be put into a large
vat; then fresh water should be poured over the ashes or earth, and it should
be stirred for about twelve hours with a stick, so that it may dissolve the
salt. Then the plug is pulled out of the large vat; the solution of salt or the
lye is drained into a small tub and emptied with ladles into small vats;
finally, such a solution is transferred into iron or lead caldrons and boiled,
until the water having evaporated, the juices are condensed into salt. The
above are the various methods for making salt. (Illustration p. 557.)