THE FARMER AT HOME. 15 



found in many different parts of the world, and in abundance in sev- 

 eral places of England. In general, it is so soft, that it can be cut 

 with a knife ; yet it admits of a fair polish. The clearness and 

 fineness of this stone renders it in some measure transparent, whence 

 it has been occasionally employed for windows. There is a church 

 in Florence still illuminated by alabaster windows ; instead of panes 

 of glass, there are slabs of alabaster nearly fifteen feet high, each of 

 which forms a window, through which the light is conveyed. When 

 a candle or lamp is put into a vase of this kind, it diffuses a very 

 agreeable and delicate light, and is therefore much used for that 

 description of statuary. 



ALBUMEN. A colorless insipid fluid, coagulating at a heat of 

 120, existing in the leaves, juices, and fruits of most plants, but most 

 abundant in animal products. The white of eggs is nothing but pure 

 albumen, and the blood contains large quantities of the substance. 

 Its principal use, in domestic economy, is in classifying or cleansing 

 fluids, such as dissolved sugars, and for which purpose it is unrivalled. 

 Milk contains albumen, and, hence, is sometimes used for cleansing 

 syrup, but it is inferior to the white of eggs. These carefully incor- 

 porated with a fluid when cold, and then submitted to a coagulating 

 heat, will lift all impurities to the surface, where they can easily be 

 taken of by skimming. Albumen is more abundant in the bark of 

 red or slippery elm, than in any other vegetable product. Hence its 

 value for medicinal purposes. Albumen is composed of carbon 52 parts, 

 oxygen 23, hydrogen 7, and nitrogen 15. 



ALBURNUM. Wood of trees is usually composed of three dis- 

 tinct parts ; the pith or central part, having a loose spongy texture ; 

 the heart wood, the most durable and valuable part of the tree ; and 

 the sap wood or alburnum. This last is usually whiter than heart- 

 wood, is more porous, and throngh it the circulation of the sap is 

 principally performed. It is the soonest attacked by the borer or pow- 

 der-post, and in exposed situations is always first to decay. 



ALCOHOL. This is the purely spiritous part of all liquors. It 

 is the product of vinous fermentation, and can be derived from all 

 substances capable of fermentation. It is the intoxicating principle 

 of liquors, and few nations have been found so rude as not to have 

 discovered some means of producing it. Alcohol is produced princi- 

 pally by the distillation of wine, molasses, and grain. The product 

 of the first is brandy, the second rum, and the third whiskey or gin. 

 Alcohol is of much use in the arts, but it has, by its general use, pro- 

 duced a most unhappy effect on the happiness and morals of multi- 

 tudes. Perhaps greater quantities of distilled spirits are used by the 

 nations that border on the Baltic than in any other part of the world, 

 and here they are principally produced from the distillation of pota- 

 toes. Alcohol is present in brandy, whiskey, and other strong spirits, 



