The West Australian Settler's Guide and Farmer's Handbook Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 Excerpt: ...quality. If the soap has been mixed in a barrel, and required only f ir sheep-washing or dipping, it can remain in the barrel instead of being poured off. But it must be well wrapped up, and left standing in a warm place for a week or two.--Australasian Farmer. Hapd Soda Soap.--Put the contents of a 10 lb. can of Greenbank double refined 89 per cent caustic soda into an iron or earthenware vessel, with four gallons (40 lbs.) of soft water. The pure powdered 98 per cent. caustic soda dissolves instantly, heating the water. Let it stand a few minutes until just warm to the hand (say 80 deg. F.). Melt about 75 lbs. of clean grease or tallow, free from salt. Skim and let it settle out any impurities. Weigh off, and put in any convenient vessel for mixing exactly 70 lbs. of the liquid tallow or grease, allowing it to cool until fairly warm to the hand (say r20 deg. F.); a wooden tub, old barrel, or a copper will do for this purpose. Now pour the caustic soda lye in a small continuous stream into the liquid tallow, at the same time stirring with a flat wooden stirrer about 3m. broad. Continue stirring for a few minutes, until lye and liquid tallow are thoroughly mixed and smooth in appearance. Take any convenient square-sided box, line it with damp calico, to prevent the soap from sticking, and pour in the mixture, wrapping it well up, and putting into a warm place, to keep in the heat caused by the mixture slowly combining and turning into soap. After three days turn out the block of hard soap from the box used for a mould, and which will weigh 120lbs.; cut the soap up with a wire or string into bars, and put them away for a month in a warm room. The soap is much improved by keeping, lathers more freely, becomes quite hard, and is altogether better. It, therefor...