The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

But to return to my concentration of Wood, I can with truth affirm and will experimentally demonstrate it, that the greatest Treasure of the World; yea, as great or greater than is in Wine or Corn, lies hidden in Wood. Wine and Corn do require the Labour of Man for its growth out of the Earth; but Leaves, Grass, Briars or Bushes, Shrubs, Twigs, all sorts of Trees great and small, do come forth out of their seeds and sprouts and grow up and encrease infinitely without any help of man at all.

Therefore I say that more profit may be reaped of Wood than of Corn and Wine, were the Art of extracting thencefrom so great a benefit but known to any.

So then, forasmuch as this little Book (as being the first part of the Treatise of concentration of things) treats of the emendation of Vegetables only; and that of Wine and Corn is already finished; I will now in the name of God set about Wood, Leaves, and Grass, and lay open those most great and hitherto hidden Treasures and Riches, and set them forth before the Eyes of the whole World. And I pray God, the Omnipotent, Wise, Unsearchable and Merciful Lord and Father of all Creatures in Heaven, in the Earth, Water and Air, that he would so govern and guide my hand that I may here write and teach nothing save only such things as serve for the Glory of his Divine name and the health of all Mankind. Amen.

We have shewn in the two foregoing Chapters how Wine and Corn are to be condensed into their juices, that so they may be commodiously sent into those places, in which profit may be gotten.

Here now falls in this question, How the Juices are to be squeezed out of Herbs, Twigs, Shrubs and great Trees, and being pressed out what good they serve for, seeing they are not of use for meat and drink like those which are extracted out of Corn and Wine.

To this question I make this reply, that indeed there is not any food to be prepared from them, but that yet other things are thence preparable, and such as men cannot be without, viz. Wholesome Medicines, and likewise Gold and Silver wherewith a man may also buy, besides Wine and Corn, other necessaries as Garments and other appurtenances which men stand in need of, besides meat and drink.

But to begin the work it self, we should in the first place teach the way how juices may be squeezed out of Leaves, Grass, Shrubs, and then afterwards shew their use. But forasmuch as none is of so weak a judgment as to lay out Moneys or things valuable, and to bestow his labour and sweat on such a thing whose use and profit he is ignorant of; ’tis therefore necessary, that (before we come to teach the way of squeezing out the Juices) we first shew, what benefit and profit ariseth from that kind of work; that so a Man’s labour may not be spent in vain: To give satisfaction herein, I affirm, that the greatest and best virtues of all Vegetables are hidden in a certain Salt which the Physicians and Philosophers call the Essential Salt. Of this Salt all Vegetables are full, but yet, one fuller than another as experience testifies. Such Herbs as have not much taste, as Lettuce, Coleworts, Rapes and such like have a less portion thereof, and are therefore easily putrefied. But such as are sharp and bite the Tongue, as Water-robbin, Arsmart, Laurel, Pepper-wort, Scurvy-grass, all the kinds of Cresses, all the sorts of Radishes, Leeks, Onions, Garlick, Mustard, and such like; also all bitter Herbs, as Carduus benedictus, Wormwood, Fumitory, Esula, &c. all such as these are full of it. Besides, all such Vegetable plants as are naturally sour, yield much of that Salt; amongst which, may be reckoned, unripe Grapes, sour Apples, sour Cherries, Wild Plums, rough (or wild) Grapes, the unripe Mulberries or Black-berries, the unripe Barberies, &c. But yet some of them yield more, others less Salt; which inequality and changableness is accidental, for they are as to their natural foundation like each other.

NB. Some Herbs and chiefly those which have a notable bitterness, as Carduus benedictus, Wormwood, Fumitory, do (after their being squeezed, and when their Juice is depurated, and the Phlegm draw off, and the remaining Juice concreted or condensed in the cold,) yield natural Nitre, and such as being put upon a burning Coal will presently burn up in a flame, like the common Salt-petre which is usually extracted out of the Earth digged in Stables, and so concreted, or crystallized: As for other Herbs and Fruits which are not bitter, but have a piercing sharpness, as all the Cresses, they (after their expression or squeezing) yield a volatile Salt, which does not burn like that which is drawn out of bitter Herbs: Such as have an acidity in them, as Sorrel, Barberries, Ribes, curled Grapes, wild Apples and Orchard ones, and other unripe Fruits, do yield another Salt, viz. a Salt tasting like the acid taste of Wine, and resembling Tartar of Wine, in taste, virtue, efficacy & propriety.

And now albeit that these three kinds of Salts are unlike in taste, yet notwithstanding the one is most easily transmuted into the other, insomuch that Tartar may be made Salt-petre, and Salt-petre Tartar. The third sort which is more volatile than the others, and which proceeds from the Cresses, Mustard, Aron, Pepper-wort, &c. will easily be turned into either of the former.

But as concerning this last, it is virtuous in Medicine, as I have hinted to you in several places in my other Writings, but (set aside its Medicinal use) and it is of but little benefit. The two latter, viz. The Nitrous, and Tartarous are of various use. The Dyers use Tartar in Dying their Cloths, and Salt-petre is used to make Gun-powder withal, and for the Transmutation of Metals, and other such like Arts, as I have clearly proved in my Explication of my Miraculum Mundi. Forasmuch therefore as both sorts of Salt are used in great quantity throughout the whole World, and that there can scarcely be had so much as serves for necessary use, and upon that account are always good Commodities, and that Salt-petre is twice the value of Tartar, therefore ’tis but fitting, and well worth while to extract Salt-petre out of the Juices of Herbs and Trees, it being of more value, and better price than other Salts. But if it should so be, that there should be so much Salt-petre as that it should be of a poor price, then may the Juices be turned into Tartar. But forasmuch as it will not easily so happen, that there should be such a glut of Salt-petre, it will be the best way, to improve those Juices on the making of it; and specially because it may at all times serve for the profitable bettering of Metals; nor can ever so great a quantity be produced, but that it will sometime sell off. ’Tis more profitable, and better to use it for the bettering of the meaner Minerals than to make Gun-powder with it; and were not that most pernicious Art already too well known, it were better to be without it, than to make it, so far should it be (from any one) to describe the manner of making Gun-powder.