the Earth in each Tub, as near as you can to the middle, a rundle of Wicker, like the bottom of a Basket, and about a foot in diameter, and by it stick into the Earth a good strong Cudgel, which must be thrust pretty near the bottom; the Wicker is to keep the Water, when it is poured on, from hollowing and disordering the Earth, and the Cudgel is to be stirred about, to give the Water ingress to the Earth upon occasion: Then pour on your Earth common cold Water, till it stand a hand's breadth over the Earth: When it has flood eight or ten hours, loosen the Spigots, and let the Water rather dribble, than run into half Tubs, which must be set under the Taps: This Lixivium the Workmen call their Raw liquor; and note, that if it come not clear at the first drawing, you must pour it on again, and after some little time draw it off, till it come clear, and of the colour of Urine.
'If you are curious to know how rich your Liquor is before boyling, you may take a Glass-phial, containing a Quart; fill it with the common Water you use, then weigh it exactly; next fill the same Glass with your Liquor, and find the difference of weight, which compared with the quantity of all your Liquors, will give you a very near guess, how much Salt-peter you are like to make by that boyling.
'Then pour on again, on the same Earth, more common Water, that it may bring away what is remaining in the Earth of the former Liquor. This second Liquor is of no other use, but to be poured on new Earth, instead of common Water, because it contains some quantity of Salt-peter in it.
