A good common hard soap may be made from clean tallow or lard and caustic soda, without any very special skill in manipulation. The caustic soda indicated is a crude article which may now be obtained from wholesale druggists in quantities to suit, at a very moderate price. A dye of average strength is made by dissolving it in water in the proportion of about 2 pounds to the gallon. For the saponification of lard, a given quantity of the grease is melted at a low heat, and ¼ its weigh of dye is then added in small portions with co9nstant stirring; when incorporation has been thoroughly effected, another portion of lye equal to the first is added. As before, and the mixture kept at a gentle heat until saponifi cation appears to be complete. If the soap does not readily separate from the liquid, more lye should be added, the soap being insoluble in strong lye. When separation has occurred pour off the lye, add water to the mass, heat until dissolved and again separate by the use of more strong lye or a strong solution of common salt. The latter part of the process is designed to purify the soap and may be omitted where only a cruder article is required. The soap is finally remelted on a water bath, kept at a gentle heat until as much water as possible is expelled, and then poured into frames or molds to set.