I am glad to know there is another method of leeching. I compiled a book - before I had the internet to rely on - on all the old letters (about 110 of them) and the history around them , and one of the terms I searched for in libraries, through contacts, in books, was leeching. A doctor told me the other definition - that the instruments they used to draw blood were called leeches. I wish I knew which one they were using to extract the salt. I would almost hate to think I was using something with lye in it more than blood. Both would be bad. Betty ----- Original Message ----- From: <RCSPAIN@aol.com> To: <GA-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2000 7:35 AM Subject: Re: [GA-Roots] Salt List, Muscogee Co, GA-Pope's > I agree with Emma. Leaching was done by taking a wooden barrel or keg, > boring holes in the bottom and lining it with straw. Then ashes would be > placed over the straw and rainwater would be strained through this. The > strange thing is that this is exactly the way lye was made. "Grandma's lye > soap" was made by taking the water that was used in the leaching and boiling > it with fat. The result would nearly take your skin off if you washed with > it because of the lye. This would certainly not make the salt that was used > in food. > Richard > > > ==== GA-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Faye Dyess fdy.gate.net Listmanager > VOLUNTEER TO TRANSCRIBE CENSUS FOR THE USGENWEB PROJECT > http://www.usgenweb.org/census > Thou shalt read thine own message thrice before thou sendest it. > >