KALI. The Arabs gave this name to an annual plant which grows near the
sea-shore; now known under the name of _salsola soda_, and from whose
ashes they extracted a substance, which they called _alkali_, for making
soap. The term _kali_ is used by German chemists to denote caustic
potash; and _kalium_, its metallic basis; instead of our _potassa_ and
_potassium_, of preposterous pedigree, being derived from the words _pot
ashes_, that is ashes prepared in a pot.
KAOLIN, (_Terre à porcelaine_, Fr.; _Porzellanerde_, Germ.), is the name
given by the Chinese to the fine white clay with which they fabricate
the biscuit of their porcelains. See CLAY. Berthier’s analyses of two
porcelain earths are as follows:--
+-------------+------------+-----------------+
| Analyses. |From Passau.|From Saint Yriex.|
+-------------+------------+-----------------+
|Silica | 45·06 | 46·8 |
|Alumina | 32·00 | 37·3 |
|Lime | 0·74 | -- |
|Oxide of iron| 0·90 | -- |
|Potass | -- | 2·5 |
|Water | 18·0 | 13·0 |
| +------------+-----------------+
| | 96·7 | 99·6 |
+-------------+------------+-----------------+
KARABÉ, a name of amber, of Arabic origin, in use upon the Continent.
KELP; (_Varec_, Fr.; _Wareck_, Germ.), is the crude alkaline matter
produced by incinerating various species of fuci, or _sea-weed_. They
are cut with sickles from the rocks in the summer season, dried and then
burned, with much stirring of the pasty ash. I have analyzed many
specimens of kelp, and found the quantity of soluble matter in 100 parts
of the best to be from 53 to 62, while the insoluble was from 47 to 38.
The soluble consisted of--
Sulphate of Soda 8·0 19·0
Soda in carbonate and sulphuret 8·5 5·5
Muriate of soda and potash 36·5 37·5
---- ----
53·0 62·0