Pemet.
THIS is a grey Salt, which we bing from Alan and Carikagena in Spain, caft into Loaves or Cakes of different Sizes. This Salt is made from a Plant that grows along the Sea-coast, which the Botanists call Kali, and we Salt-wort, soap-wort, Glass-weed, kelp, Sea-Thongs, Seawack, and many other Names. This Plant bears a Stalk a Foot and a half high, or thereabours, furnished with small narrow Leaves, as is express'd in the Figure. They sow this Herb, and when it is come to a due Height, they cut and manage it like Hay.
When it is dry'd, the spaniards make large Holes or Pits in the Ground, in the Nature of a Lime Kiln; after which they throw therein a Bundle of the said dry'd Herb, to which they put Fire; and when they have cast that in, they throw in another Bundle of the said dry'd Herb, to which they put Fire; and w3hen they have cast that in, they throw in another Bundle upon that; and when it is well lighted, they fill it full of the dried Herb; and when fthey have fill'd it, they stop it up, and leave it all together for some Time, that it may not only be reduc'd the better to Ashes, but likewise incorporate, and be capable to form into a Stone or Cake, in which Form it is now brought to Market; and when they have open'd the Pit, they find the said Herb burnt into a hard Stone, which they are oblig'd to bread and raise up just as they do Stone out of the Quarry.
We fell at Paris four Sorts of Pot-Ashes; the first and most valuable of which are those of Alicant, which when they are right, ought to be dry and clean, of a bluish grey withot and within, having little Holes made like a Partridge's Eye, and when spit upon and held to the Nose, have no offensive Smell. And beware the Stones be not enclos'd with a greenish Crust, or full of Pebbles; for the first will stain and spot your Linen, and the second by encreating the Weight, will enhance the Price, besides spotting the Linen according to the Nature of the Stones that are found within. Likewise take heed that teh Balesbe not open'd, and the Commodity that was good exchange'd for that which is naught. This is very much us'd by the Glass-markers, to make the best Giass, and the Soap-boilers likewise use it considerably in the making of while and marbled Scap, but the greatest Part of that which comes from spain is consumid a Paris and the Villages by the , who use it to whiten their .
They make this Salt, which the French call Soude, by the Assistance of common Water, a white Salt call'd Salt of Kali, or Alkali, which is as much as to say soude salt, because Al is an Arabian Word that signifies salt, and Kali, soude. Thus there are several Salts of Herbs, call'd Alkali Salts, as Wormwood, Centaury, and the like. There are those who pretend that the true Alkali Salt is the Glass Salt, but they deceive themselves, as they may be satisy'd in the Chapter concerning the Glass Salt.
The second sort is that of Carthagena, which only differs from that of Alicant in not being so good; neither is it of the bluish Cast, but more crusted, and the Bales are much larger. The third Sort of Pot-Ashes is that nam'd the Bourde, which is to be entirely refus'd, as being so bad, that it is fit for nothing but to deceive those that buy it This is usually moist, of a blackish green Colour and very setid. The fourth Sort is that of cherburg, which is made of an Herb found along the Sea-Coasts of Normandy. This is likewise of a very ill Property, being extremely hamid, of the same Colour and Smell with the last Sort, and altogether fill'd with Stones. These two Sorts are tgood for nothing but to impose upon the unway Buyer, and cheat the poor Whiteners.