ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE EARTH. 67 



** water, be moistened and exposed to air, at a 

 " temperature of from 50° to 80°, oxygene will 

 " soon be absorbed, and carbonic acid formed ; 

 " heat will be produced, and elastic fluids, prin- 

 ** cipally carbonic acid, gaseous oxyde of car- 

 " bon, and hydro-carbonate will be evolved ; a 

 " dark-coloured liquor of a slightly sour, or bit- 

 ** ter taste, will likewise be formed, and if the 

 " process be suffered to continue for a time suffi- 

 " ciently long, nothing solid will remain, except 

 " earthy and saline matter, coloured black by 

 " charcoal. 



" Animal matters are in general more liable to 

 ** decompose than vegetable substances. Oxy- 

 " gene is absorbed, and carbonic acid and am- 

 " monia formed in the process of putrefaction ; 

 " they produced compound elastic fluids, and 

 " likewise azote ; they afford dark-coloured acid, 

 " and oily fluids, and leave a residuum of salts 

 " and earths mixed with a calcareous matter. The 

 " ammonia given off from animal compounds, in 

 " putrefaction, may be conceived to be formed 

 " at the time of their decomposition by the com- 

 " bination of hydrogene and azote. Except this 

 " matter, the other products of putrefaction are 

 " analogous to those afforded by the ferment- 

 " ation of vegetable substances; and the soluble 

 " substances formed, abound in the elements, of 



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