A simple way of separating gold from ashes is to mix the ashes with borax and melt down in a crucible. For this purpose the highest heat of a wind furnace will be required. If the ashes contain traces of other metals besides gold, it would be best to boil first with water several times to get rid of soluhle matter, then with aqua regia (3 parts of strong hydrochloric acid to 1 part of strong nitric acid) in a porcelain dish, using a fume chamber or chimney to carry away the fumes. After boil'ng for several hours, water may he added and the liquid filtered. The filtrate will contain the gold and other metals as chloride. A solution of ferrous sulphate (green vitriol) should be added in excess, and the liquid boiled. A brown precipitate will come down; this is pure metallic gold. It may be filtered off, washed several times with water, and dried, when it will form a reddish-brown powder. It maybe melted down in a crucible or in a furnace, or fused to a button of metal on charcoal before the blowpipe.