No trip to the Tunbridge World’s Fair in Tunbridge, Vermont, is complete without a trip to the beer hall, the pig races, and the historical exhibitions, where this picture was taken. This simple-looking contraption was indirectly related to the rampant deforestation of our region in the 1600s and 1700s. OK, history buffs, what is it?
Answer
A leaching tub or barrel used for making lye.
Lye was an important commodity in the old days and was in great demand both privately and commercially. It was used to cure food and make soap, among other things. Much of the virgin forest in the Northeast that was cleared for agriculture was not turned into lumber, but instead was incinerated and turned into potash.
To use this contraption, folks put a layer of gravel in the bottom of the barrel over the holes that lead out to the carved stone base plate. A layer of straw went over the gravel. They then fill the rest of the barrel with hardwood ash, leaving a couple of inches at the top clear. Then they pour rainwater into the barrel.
The liquid that was collected from the barrel was then concentrated until the appropriate distillation of lye was achieved. A lot of those big iron kettles that are sold in antique shops as “old maple sugar boilers” were actually lye kettles, used for making lye.
This week’s contest winner was Michael Morgan of Chelsea, VT. We had 2 correct answers.