Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Basket-salt

Basket-salt is made from the water of the salt springs in Cheshire, and other places. It differs from the common brine-salt, in the fineness of the grain, as well as on account of its whiteness and purity. In preparing the former kind, some persons use resin and other ingredients, for separating the crystals, and reducing them to a smaller grain; others effect this by keeping up a brisk fire under the pans, and constantly stirring the salt; but the most approved method of manufacturing basket-salt is, to take out for this purpose, the third draught of every pan which is working for the common brine-salt; and to do this before the granules or crystals are perfectly formed. Thus the salt will become very fine; and it is then hard pressed into small wicker-baskets, dried at the stove and kept for sale.

As there prevails, in many families, a prejudice against this species of salt, from an idea that some pernicious articles are used in the chemical process of preparing it, we advise those who are under the influence of such apprehension, to reduce common salt to powder, in a marble or iron mortar: but it requires to be previously cleaned or purified, by dissolving, and again evaporating it to dryness; in which state it may easily be pounded.