614 



F A R fll E R S ' R E G I S T E R 



yellow titiiirreizuiarly (lislributed ; specific gravity, 

 2.290; taste, nitrous, with a cooling iinpirpsion ; 

 odor, peculiar, and when wanned leseuiblinir 

 chloride of iodine dissolved in waier. 



Composition of average iij)eciiii:'ns is nitrale ol 

 soda 64.98, sulphate of soda 3.00, chloride ol 

 sodium 28.09, iodic salts 0.03, shells and marl 

 2.60,=99,90. 



Mixed with this mineral, I have found nitrate 

 of potash, sulphate of lime, chloride of sodiun), 

 iodaie of potash or soda, and chloriodaie of mag- 

 nesia, tile latter impartmg the bright yellow tint 

 which some specimens siiovv. 



CHEMICAL COMBINATIONS — ANALYSIS OF 

 SOILS. 



From the Soutlieni Cabinet. 



BIr. Editor^ — I frequently find inlbrmalion re- 

 quested on the subjects of the following paper, 

 which has been my inducement lor making ihem 

 the topic of a lew cursory remarks. 



Many have vague ideas of the components of 

 tlie material substances of which we are lijrmed 

 and by which we are surrounded. Persons are 

 often deterred from particular inquiry into the 

 sciences, by the apparent magnitude of the dilfi- 

 culiies, and the numerous intricacies they present 

 at the entrance. These obstacles are analogous 

 to looming highlands, which appear to obstruct the 

 traveller's way, and impede his luriher progress 

 but with resolution he advances, and ere he is sen- 

 sible, the extent and riclmessol the scene shows 

 him that he has already overcome a portion of the 

 dillinuliy, and at least partially accomplished his 

 object. In this as in all things " ce 7i'esi que h 

 premier pas qui coute." 



The various objects which surround up, and 

 strike our senses, would appear to be a mixture ot 

 heterogeneous substances, of infinite complexity, 

 but upon inquiry we are the more and more asto- 

 nished at the fewness of the original materials, and 

 the simplicity of the limited laws which govern 

 their history. As lar as we have knowledge, this 

 tangible world is composed of about filty-six, or 

 fifty-ceven, simple elements, or substances, each 

 having peculiar and particular properties, which 

 are throughout marked, constant, and invariable, 

 and will be found in all parts of the world to act in 

 a sin)ilar manner, when under like infiuences. 

 Tiiese elements are not susceptible of annihilation 

 or reproduction ; they liave been created once 

 and lor ever. Variety is produced by the combina- 

 tion in difi'erent proportions of these simples, lor 

 instance: sulphur, or brimstone, is a simple sub- 

 stance, from which art has succeeded in producing 

 nothing but sulphur, and is formed of insensibly 

 small particles, or atoms of itself. Iron, copper 

 silver, lead, gold, are other examples. These 

 simples, when tliey do combine, are lound to unite 

 according to fixed laws, which are far from being 

 com[)licated. Thus an aiom, or proportion of suN 

 phur, will combine with an atom, or proportion of 

 iron, and Ibrm a con)pound vviili properties differing 

 from tl)o«e of either of its coiiHtitueiits. Again, 

 under other ciicumsiaiiL'es, two atoms of sulphur 

 will combine with one atom of iron, and (brm ano- 

 ther compound, differing alike fiom either of its 

 coiistiiuenis, or the other combination. 'I hcse two 



substances combine in the two mentioned propor- 

 tions only, and neither nature, or art, have pro- 

 duced examples of their combination in other pro- 

 portions. Hence, a substance possesses properties 

 diflering, not only from the number of its elements 

 but also from their proportions. 



These simples are airilbrm, liquid, solid, visible, 

 or invisible, and have difi'erent specific gravities. 

 Gases will sometimes combine and form solids — 

 again li(iuid3, or gases, according to tfie tempera- 

 ture. One atom of oxygen and two of hydrogen 

 unite and Ibrm ice, water, or steam, at difi'erent 

 temperatures. The combinations known as calo- 

 mel, and corrosive sublimate, so different in their 

 action upon the animal economy; are results of 

 different proportions of mercury and chlorine. The 

 transformation of farina, or starch, into sugar, 

 alcohol, and acetic acid, (or vinegar,) is simply 

 a change in the relative |jroportions of the three 

 sole constituents of all — oxygen, liydrogen, and 

 carbon. Tiie Emperor Napoleon was fond of the 

 simple beverage, sugar ami water. He remarked 

 when made from sugar in lump, |)articularly if 

 permitted to dissolve itself, it made a perfectly 

 clear solution, but if the sugar was pounded the 

 liquid was turbid. He asked of Chaptal, (a che- 

 nnst of celebrity,) an explanation, who replied lliat 

 the three substancessugar farina, and gum, though 

 comjjosed in different proportions of the same sim- 

 ples, were so nearly allied that the abrasion caused 

 an approximation of the sugar, to the nature of 

 the other two substances, and farina being insoluble 

 and gum less immediately so than sugar, the 

 clouded appearance was caused by the suspension 

 of the insoluble particles thus produced. The 

 gas called carbonic acid, or fixed air, is a combina- 

 tion of five atoms of oxygen, and one atom of the 

 well known substance carbon, which according to 

 the arrangement of its panicles presents the ap- 

 pearance of lamp-black, charcoal, and the crys- 

 tallization diamond, all being susceptible of com- 

 bustion, by which act they combine with oxygen, 

 and produce the acid gas. Oxygen is fbund to 

 combine in three proportions with iron, giving rise 

 to compounds with distinct properties. Thus the 

 magnetic oxide of iron, which occurs in the 

 washes throughout this district, may be said al- 

 most to resist the action of acids, whilst the other 

 oxides of the same substance combine with them 

 with fitcility. Hence, the magnetic oxide is of 

 less advantage in a soil than the combinations ia 

 other proportions, wldch correct acidity by satura- 

 tion. In the liabricalion of soap, if we place the 

 carbonate of potash in contact with the grease, or 

 oil, no soap will be Ibrmed, but if we previously 

 divest the potash of its carbonic acid, (which is 

 easily done with caustic lime,) the caustic potasli 

 produces a change in the proportions of the con- 

 stituents of llie grease, (oxygen, hydrogen, and 

 carbon,) acids are generated, which combine with 

 the alkali, and fbrin the salt, soap. This informs 

 us that if we fail to decarbonise our lie, we loose 

 such proportion of alkali as may not have been 

 deprived of its carbonic acid, during combustion, 

 or by other causes, or having been deprived, has 

 reabsorbed that acid from the atmosphere. 



These elements, when they combine, do not 

 unite in all proportions, l)ut one is found to be a 

 simple multiple of the otlier. Thus one to one, 

 one to two, one to three, one to lour, one to five, 

 and rarely ever beyond tiiis number, and never 



