248 Water, 



rain water which gradually filters through the earth, collects at the 

 bottom of declivities, and, thus, makes its way to the nurfaec, yet, 

 as it almost always meets in its passage through Ih© soil, with 

 somo body which it is capable of dissolving, soy w^ generally tluti 

 even in the purest spring water, a little carbonate of lime, and 

 icommon salt, besides the usual proportion of air, and carbonic acid 

 gas, River waters may be considered as merely a collection ofspring 

 and rain water and, therefore, are usually possessed of a degree 

 of purity^ at least equal to these, Indeed, when their motion is 

 rapid, and their bed siliceous sand, they are genemlly purer than 

 spring water, depositing, during their motion, every thing which 

 was mechanically suspended in them, and retaining nothing more 

 than the usual proportion of air, carbonic acid gas, and a very minute 

 quantity of carbonated lime, and common salt. When their bed is 

 clayey, they are usually opal-coloured, in consequence of the particles 

 of clay which they hold in a state of suspension. I think there can 

 be no doubt, that, next to rain water,river water, is the most eH- 

 gible for Horses. Well water is essentially the same as spring water, 

 being derived from the same source, but, it is, more liable to be 

 impregnated with foreign bodies, from the soil, in consequence of 

 of its stagnation or slow Alteration. Hence, the reason that well 

 water is often of that kind, which is distinguished by the name of 

 hard water ; because it does not dissolve soap, and cannot be used 

 for dressing several kinds of food. These properties are Owing to 

 the great proportion of earthy salts which it holds in solution, and 

 when well water is found to be so hard as to be unfit for the purposes 

 of washing with, it will always be prudent to reject it for Horses, pro- 

 vided either rain water, river water, or the water of spring's, can be 



