by Thomas Jefferson
a tree of 1 1/2 f. diameter will yield 1. cord of wood.
2 1/2 f. diam. 2. cords.
an acre of midling timbered land will yield 30. cord of wood.
of the heaviest timbered 100. cord.
a man will cut and burn 2 1/2 cords a day.
a cord of wood yields 2. bushels of ashes. [neither pine nor chesnut will do.]
a bushel of ashes sells for 9. cents.
a bushel of ashes makes 6. lb. of brown salts, which make from 3. to 5. lb. Pearlash in the common way
5. lb. of Pearl-ash in Hopkins's way.
there should be 15. or 16. tubs of 100. bushels each.
for a small work, 2 kettles suffice to boil the lie into brown salts
and 1. to melt up the brown salts.
1/4 cord of wood a day maintains one fire, which will do for 5. kettles.
to keep 3. kettles a going will require a man & boy to attend.
3. kettle will turn out 1000. lb. of Pearlash a week.
consequently require 100. cords of wood a week & 7. cutters to keep them constantly at work.
each kettle costs 24. Dollars.
Pot-ash is worth in England the ton, & in America 114 2/3 D. = .057 pr. lb.
Pearlash is worth in England 40. sterl. the ton, & in America 133 1/3 D. .066 pr. lb.
or 40. lawful.
| Anestimate of the expence and profit of such a work @ 3. lb. pearlash tot he bush. ashes which would be 100. of. of Pearlash a day. |
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| s | d | |||
| 7. cutters, hired @ 12. a year, adding all other expenses | 128 | -16 | -0 | |
| a manager, hire & provisions | 50 | -0 | -0 | |
| a boy | 10 | -0 | -0 | |
| implements annually | 10 | -0 | -0 | |
| a waggon & team & driver, all expences calculated | 111 | -15 | -0 | |
| @ 3. lb. of pearlash from the bushel, instead of 5 lb., and @ 5. days to the week, we should have 500 lb. instead of 1000. lb. a week, which would be 13. ton a year @ 40. Virga. currency |
520 - 0 - 0 | |||
| clearing 150. acres of land a year, ? [observe the ashes of an acre woth 40/-the cutting & burng. worth 15/] |
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