444 THE FARMER'S AND 



water, will faU down as a white precipitate. But instead 

 of using pure oxalic acid, it is better to employ it as joined 

 to ammonia, or the oxalate of ammonia. 



To detect the presence of iron in water, add to it tinc- 

 ture of galls ; if there be iron, a black precipitate like ink 

 will be perceived : but for this purpose the water must 

 not be boiled, for in that case the carbonic acid would be 

 driven off, and the iron would fall down, and would not 

 be affected by the test. Prussiate of potash in the same 

 case, will give a blue precipitate like Prussian blue. If 

 this test give the same colored precipitates after the water 

 has been boiled, then the iron is not in the state of a car- 

 bonate, but is, most probably, a sulphate of iron. If it be 

 required to determine whether the salt be a sulphate, add 

 muriate or nitrate of barytes to some of the water, and if 

 it be a sulphate, but not otherwise, a precipitate will 

 appear. 



Vegetable or animal matter maybe detected, by adding 

 sulphuric acid and evaporating the water : if such matter 

 be present, the water will become blackened. 



BREAD FROM THE BARK OF THE PINE. 



From the civilized state in which we now live, we can 

 form but faint ideas of the necessitous situation under which 

 many of the inhabitants of the globe exist, and in com- 

 parison of whom our poorest cottagers may be considered 

 in a state of ease. Von Bush informs us that, in the rigo. 

 rous and unfertile climates of Norway and Lapland, ne- 

 cessity obliges the inhabitants to make use of the inner 

 bark of the common Scotch fir (Pinus sylveslris) for food. 

 In the spring season they cut down the older trees, and 

 stripping off the bark, collect the soft white succulent in. 

 terior part, which in the early time of the year has a sweet 

 milky juice in it, and is the new layer of wood in an in- 

 cipent state ; whin they have occasion to use it, they dry 



