SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 7? 



freezing point it is hard, brittle, and when broken exhibits 

 facets, as it crystallized, when examined by the microscope : 

 at 40 a it is scarcely distinguishable from a small globule of 

 quicksilver, at rjO° is quite fluid, mid at 100° evaporates. It 

 is extremely greedy of oxigen, absorbing it rapidly from the 

 atmosphere, and resuming the alkaline state. Yet if amalga- 

 mated with twice its bulk of quicksilver, and applied in the 

 circuit of a powerful battery to iron, silver, gold, or platina, 

 these metals are immediately dissolved, and converted into 

 oxides, while the alkali is regenerated. Glass is dissolved by 

 it in the same manner as the metals. A globule placed on 

 a piece of ice burnt with a bright flame and intense heat, 

 and potash was found in the water from the melted ice. In 

 this case, as well as when a globule was thrown into water, a 

 considerable quantity of hidrogen was rapidly evolved. When 

 a globule was placed on a piece of moist turmeric paper, it 

 appeared instantly to acquire intense heat, but moved so 

 rapidly in quest of the moisture, that the paper was no where 

 burned; but a deep red stain, that marked its course, proved 

 the regeneration of the alkali. ^ 



The^base of soda is somewhat heavier than that of potash, B ase f §ocla. 

 its specific gravity being 0*7. It remains solid in a tempera- 

 ture not exceeding 150°, but at 180° it is perfectly fluid. 



From a considerable number of experiments potash ap- Proportions of 

 pears to consist of 85 parts base and 15 oxigen, and soda of oxigen in the 

 80 parts base and 20 oxigen. It would seem too, that am- 

 monia contains 20 per cent of oxigen; but this proportion 

 -was deducted from more complicated calculations, and less 

 direct experiments. 



On examining strontia and barytes, oxigen was educed Strontia an* 

 from both of them. barytes. 



Economical and medicinal uses of Chinese radish oil. 



ABOUT fifteen years ago Mr. de Grandi, member of the Chinese radish 



Patriotic Society of Milan, introduced and established the produced into 

 J ? Italy. 



cultivation 



