ILLINOIS HORTirUI,TURAL SOCIETY. 21 1 



Well, he argues that the want of the healthful and stimulating oxy- 

 gen in the atmosphere, replaced by the poisonous (arbonir acid, will i^ut 

 back the progress of man towards the highest limit of perfection three 

 hundred years. That is a startling announcement; but as it takes ior 

 granted that Adam was a mere child, if not almost a fool, there may be 

 something rotten in the theory, and as a race we may not be forced back in 

 degradation below Solomon and his generation. Or, three hundred years 

 would onlv carrv us back to the days of Luther. Bacon, and Shakespeare, 

 when the great reaction rallied the world from lethargy. 



Seriously, soils may absorb the carbonic acid and become enriched 

 and stimulate vegetation to some greater growth, and an increase of car- 

 bonaceous rocks may be formed, and perhaps the doctors' list of mala- 

 dies will be a little changed, and doubtless some other effects will be 

 seen. But the idea that we have arrived almost to angelic perfection is 

 only gas, and often explodes in a Woodhul! Tammany Ring bulble. 

 Printing, etc., giving the minutiae in records, makes us superioi in retain- 

 mg and scattering our mventions, and that is about all. 



12. Sulphur, S. — Equiv. i6.i. gr. 2. Pure and abundant in vol- 

 canic regions, ditto in g3'psum in Cadiz, and Cracow. In metals, (sulphur- 

 ets) it is scattered broadcast in and over the earth. 



13. Phosphorus, P. — Equiv. 15.7. When pure, transparent and 

 nearly colorless. Easilv cut with a knife. Ft fuses at one hundred and 

 right degrees. It exists m the bones of animals, and in those of a man 

 yielding one pound on an average. It is scattered in the i.)hosphates of 

 lin)e, soda, potassa, iron, and in most rocks. 



14. XiTKOGEX, Sym. N. — Etjuiv. 14.15. Pure Nitrogen, a color- 

 less gas, not a supporter of combustion, or of respiration, though not 

 poisonous. Constitutes four-fifths of the atmosphere, simply mixed 

 with one-fitth oxygen. It exists prominently in all animals and fungus 

 plants, and in fact in small (Quantities in all plants. Forms valuable salts 

 with potash, lime, soda, magnesia ; and with hydrogen it forms .Ammonia, 

 which is active, powerful, and useful. With oxygen it forms the protox- 

 ide of N.==exhilarating gas, and the most active acids. 



Take one part of X. represented by 14.06, or. take 14.0O lbs. of 

 N. and mix with 4.2 lbs. O., and there is no chemical union and it forms 

 our atmosphere with the addition r^f a little vapor, carbonic acid, ammo- 

 nia, etc. 



Take one part N. 14.06 with one part O. » it and form'^ Nitrous C)xide, 

 a chemical union, and when breathed, forms one of th*- most exciting 

 and exhilarating gases. 



I part N. 14.06. with 2 parts O. 16 Nitric Oxide. 

 T " N. " " 3 " O, 24 Hyponitrous acid. 



I " N. " " 4 '' (>, 32 Nitrous acid. 



T " N. " " 5 " O, 40 Nitric acid. One of the 



most powerful and useful acids. 



Here we are shown the difference between mechanical mixture, as 

 in common air. and chemical union, as well as the law; whirb govern 

 the compounding of the '^iniple element'^ of the world. 



