There ariseth no small difference amongst the Salts themselves from the
different way used in making the _Sal Mirabilis_.
If the Oil of Vitriol wherewithal this _Sal Mirabilis_ is prepared, be
not by reason of the superfluous humidity strong enough, any one may
easily conjecture that a good _Sal Mirabilis_ cannot be made thereof,
because the Kitchin Salt would receive therefrom but little alteration.
To prevent this inconvenience therefore, you are to take equal weights
of Salt and Oil, that so one may be assured that the common Salt is
well inverted, and made a good _Sal Mirabilis_.
LXXXII. _By what means trial may be made, if the =Sal Mirabilis= be
duely prepared, and how it may be fitted for this and other Uses._
Its Colour ought to be white and transparent; its figure is in long
_Stria_’s or Chrystals; its tast is like Ice melting upon the Tongue
and yields some bitterishness. Being dryed in the Fire and all the
moisture gone off, it will loose three parts of its own Body, and
retain a fourth Part onely; being dissolved in Water it will recover
those three Parts again.
But on the contrary, if it shoot into a square Figure, and hath as yet
a saltish tast, and being dryed loseth but little of its weight; it is
not worth a rush. and shews that either the Oil of Vitriol it self was
not good, or that there was not enough used to the Operation. These
things we would not bury in silence, that so we might well advise young
beginners, and withdraw them from their Errours.
LXXXIII. _It may be queried, whether the =Sal Mirabilis= serves for
the use of Artificers and Craftsmen._
For answer, yes. For this _Sal Mirabilis_ is not onely able to perform
things of great moment, and those too, such as are not common; both in
Alchimy and in Medicine; (a rehearsal of which, we shall for brevities
sake omit) but withall it may be used in other Arts and Handycrafts
with great admiration and profit; and this we cannot neither at this
time demonstrate because of the but now mentioned brevities sake. We
will onely shew here, that even the poorest Husbandman, might (if they
knew its preparation use it to notable advantage and profit.
LXXXIV. _How every Countreyman may encrease any kind of Corn or
Seed with a thousand fold encrease, by the =Sal Mirabilis= if he
can get it._
We have aforetold you, that the _Sal Mirabilis_ being so, as it is
_per se_, is plainly unapt for the multiplication of the Vegetables,
unless that corrosive Faculty be taken therefrom by lime or other
_Alkali_ Salts, [the which must be done] if you would expect therefrom
any good concerning this multiplication. Here now will I disclose a
business of no small moment; yet not to this end as if I would perswade
the Countreymen, to get for the future, or afford to their Corn so
plentifull a faculty of encreasing. No, no, I well know that they
know not how to make the _Sal Mirabilis_, and if they did, yet would
they not depart a Nails breadth from their Ancient Custom. For ’tis
a common Proverb, Old Dogs are very difficultly tamed; and this, the
common Course of mens Lives doth clearly teach; wherein you’l find,
that a man hardly unlearns that in his old Age which he learned in his
Youth; so that an Old man doth very difficultly suffer himself to be
withdrawn from those things whereto he hath been accustomed when young.
Neither is it my purpose so to do, for as much as I insert the things
here mentioned by me, for this end onely, _viz._ that the possibility
and wonderous Properties of the _Sal Mirabilis_ may be brought out of
Darkness unto Light, and may be made evident to the whole World.
I would likewise be thus understood as touching other Workmen, for whom
these things are not delivered or treated of, that they should desist
from their old Custom, and obey my admonitions and instructions; but
for this end it is onely that I publish these things, _viz._ that they
every one may know that my _Sal Mirabilis_ can be an helper to men of
all ranks, and also may bring even to the Craftsmen themselves and to
the poorest Husbandmen, great fruit and benefit.
Now when you hear it mentioned that some Grain of Corn is augmentable
beyond the usual Custom, by an unheard of multiplication, it must of
necessity be, that it emit more than one, two, or three Stalks, for as
much as so few Stalks, cannot yield so great an Encrease. But now if
one Grain is to put forth so many Stalks, it is wholly necessary that
it be done by some certain singular and strong efficacy of expulsion;
and that too, even presently and at the beginning when the grain is at
first sown in the earth. For whatsoever is not here done even at the
beginning, will never be done afterwards.
For all the stalks that spring forth after are small, and quite unfit
to bring forth Corn. So then, seeing that many stalks are to break out
at one and the same time out of one grain, if an eminent multiplication
is expected to follow, then verily ’tis even necessary that some help
be administred to that same grain afore it be put in the earth, that so
it may plentifully grow and be speedy, in presently sending forth even
at the very beginning, good store of stalks.
The Countreymen know not any thing serving to such an operation but
onely Dung; but I do even now again say as I have often done afore,
that this effect of the usual and common multiplication ariseth not
from the Dung it self, (as being but the outside Husk) but from that
sulphureous Salt that lies hidden in the Dung. Hence it is, that by
how much the purer and better the Salt is so much the speedier and
more efficacious an operation ariseth therefrom. If then, that such a
Salt can be made by Art, which performs the same that Dung does, it
altogether follows that we are able to do the same without Dung, and
that far better than by Dung, in which the salt is so much dilated, and
which (by the benefit of Art,) we contract into a narrow compass.
I hope the well minded Reader will not be displeased that I use so many
words here, about the stinking Dung of Animals, because I can’t indeed
use in this place any other manner of speaking, seeing I intended the
laying open of this thing, and therefore am I even compelled to speak
of the same: For he that minds the publication of any thing, cannot do
it, unless he speaks of the same. And although that Dung may seem to
some finical Men a very contemptible thing, yet notwithstanding it is
the onely and principal _Medium_, by the help whereby our daily Bread
and the necessary sustaining of our Bodies is had. But as for the
stinking Dung of Animals, I even remit it to the Dunghill, and return
to my _Sal Mirabilis_.
LXXXV. _Whether or no a thousandfold encrease may be had of Corn by
the =Sal Mirabilis=._
Melt one or two pounds of _Sal Mirabilis_ in a Crucible, then throw in
some Coals and dissolve them, and reduce them by Solution into a red
and fiery Stone; which matter being compounded by melting of them both,
beat into Powder and pour thereupon common Spirit of Wine, that it may
wax red by extracting out the Tincture. Pour this out into another
Vessel, and pour on other Spirit upon the aforesaid matter. And this
pouring on and canting off, is to be repeated so often till all the
redness is extracted. By this extraction you shall get a sulphureous
Salt, fit to steep or macerate Corn withall; because it agrees very
well to the properties of that Salt which sticks hidden in the Dung of
Beasts: Now I use Spirit of Wine to the extraction for this cause, for
that it hastens the germination or budding of the Seeds even as well
as the Salt doth, and enricheth it with an emission of many Stalks.
But yet your Spirit of Wine must not be over strong, for then it would
hinder the faculty of growing, the which thing even the Salt will also
do if too great a quantity thereof be added to the weaker Spirit of
Wine, because it would by burning up the Seed, be an impediment to the
faculty of the Seeds growth. It is therefore necessary that a good
regard be had (in those operations) to a due measure. For an overmuch
access of any thing is wont to be no less hurtfull than a defect or
clearly wanting of the same.
This is the preparation of the _Sal Mirabilis_, necessary for the
macerating of Corn, that so it may produce many Stalks; now follows the
true and genuine use thereof in macerating of the same.
LXXXVI. _The true and right way of macerating Corn in the =Sal
Mirabilis=._
There are several kinds of Corn, and of these various and different
sorts. Hence is it, that one Seed is longer a macerating than another
is; and that because one becomes soft sooner than doth another, or
attracts humidities to it self quicker than another, so that regard is
to be well had to the difference thereof. Rye and Wheat are encompassed
with thin Skins, and therefore are the sooner macerated, Oats require
a longer time, and so doth Barley which has a yet harder Husk than the
Oats hath, and therefore requires a longer time for its maceration.
But as touching these things, every one may find them out by his own
understanding and often experience, because it is impossible to mention
all things so clearly and perspicuously. But this is a general rule,
your Corn is to be so long left in steep, untill you may easily bite
it a pieces, for you must beware of softning it too much, for then it
would presently putrifie, and by that its putrefaction corrupt and
spoil all the growing faculty. But experience will instruct you far
more commodiously and more perfectly herein, than a larger description
can.
LXXXVII. _The true and right way of sowing your macerated Corn in
the Earth._
Any one may easily conjecture that if the Corn macerated by the
aforegoing way, be sown in the Fields the usual way and so thick as the
Husbandmen are wont to do, it will not succeed because of the overmuch
thronging and thickness by which the Corn would hinder each other and
so choak themselves. This incommodity therefore is to be prevented, and
such macerated Grain to be thinly sown in the Fields that they may have
room for the freeness of Air, and so may grow up and not spoil each
other by a mutual suffocation.
Nay rather that the more accurate diligence may be had or used about
this sowing, a Man may make him some wooden Instrument, whereby
together and at once many grains of Corn may be sown in the earth in
good order and at a certain distance; concerning which labour I have
purposed to speak more at large in another place. For so no grain will
unprofitably perish, and with one Sack of Corn may be sown more Ground
than six, eight or ten Sacks are wont to do otherwise; my too short
time constrains me to break off my discourse concerning these things.
LXXXVIII. _By what means the =Sal Mirabilis= may bring profit to
the Dressers of Vines._
If there could be a good quantity had of _Sal Mirabilis_, and that
without great costs, ’tis without doubt but the Vines might be made
very fruitfull therewithall.
But because they are ignorant of the preparation thereof, who dress
Vines; ’tis expedient for them to acquiesce in their Beasts Dung, or
make use of that onely for the fattening and dunging of their Vines,
which is made of common or Kitchin Salt by inverting and Alkalizating
it by _Calx-vive_. Unless a man has Vines about his House or in his
Garden, and would make them fruitfuller than ordinary. For to make
tryal thereof in great Vineyards would be too costly.
But yet I will propound another way to the Vine dressers, by the help
whereof they may get plenty of Wine every year. I have at large taught
in my foregoing Writings, and that by various descriptions, by what
means one may be Master of noble and ripe Wines every year, yea even in
those times, in which by reason of the coldness and unseasonableness
of the Air, and the want of the Solar-beams, the Grapes cannot attain
their due maturity: and withall, how in those places where they
seldom or never grow ripe, [they may be ripened] by concentration by
the help of the Fire, or else by fermentation with their own vinous
spirit distilled out of the Lees, and added to the said Wine; [having
I say already taught this] there’s no need of repeating it again. Yet
nevertheless if God lengthen my life out so long, I have purposed to
write a peculiar Book of the propagating and bettering of Wines.
But that I may ingratiate my self with those who not much caring for
poor thin Wines, desire to have some noble Wine in their Cellars, I
will here reveal a certain secret which may not onely refresh the body
and spirit of many thousands of Men, high and low, rich and poor,
throughout all _Germany_, yea and all _Europe_ too; but also administer
them no small profit.
I have taught a little afore, how by the help of the _Sal Mirabilis_,
and of the concentrated and cold Fire of Salts, a Man may make his
Guests different Wines out of one Cup, and therewithall refresh them;
and I have likewise shewed, that such a bettering of Wine may be
exercised in most places, with notable profit.
The truth of which thing, it hath seemed good unto me to demonstrate
divers ways, for the sake of my Neighbour.
I have frequently laid open in my Writings some excellent secrets, and
have withall made a discovery of the most great benefit which one may
thereby receive.
But because I have not pointed out with my Fingers where and whence
such notable profit is to be gotten, the most part could not apprehend
or find the same, and have therefore rejected the thing it self being
it was not so perspicuously and clearly laid open, as unprofitable and
worth nothing. And now least it thus happen to this secret, if I should
not shew and point as it were with my Fingers, the benefit thereof, and
if therefore such secrets lying in the dark should not come forth to
the profit and use of mankind, (which would be a grievous thing and to
be lamented, if it should not,) it hath seemed good unto me to manifest
the utilities of the same.
LXXXIX. _By what means notable profit may be gotten by my
Water-attracting Magnet._
First of all, it is no small benefit when the overmuch Water is
taken away from the poorer sort of Wines, with which _Germany_ doth
every where almost abound, and the Wines made nobler, stronger, more
efficacious, and more durable, and do get a far more acceptable savour.
For the unripe and watery Wines are not of any long lasting, but do
in a while lose all their savour and all their strength, and become
mouldy, and corrupt with lying, and ’tis not seldom that they grow
tenacious, or ropy, thick and muddy, reddish and filthy: all which
incommodities doth my Magnet cure in the space of one onely hour, by
the drawing away the overmuch waterishness.