154 Elements of Mineralogy. 



CHAP. IX. 



Of Vegetable and Animal Earths. 



Vegetable Earth has been thought by many 

 to be of a peculiar nature, fpecifically different 

 from every other ; but late experiments have 

 fully fhewn. 



i ft \ That vegetables contain but a very 

 fmall proportion of Earth of any fort, and 

 that far the greater part of their fubftance 

 confifts of water, fixed air, and inflammable 

 air in a concrete ftate, as remote principles, 

 a fmall proportion of fixed alkali which pro- 

 bably is neutralized by vegetable acids, and 

 a few other neutral falts. Thus according to 

 the lateft experiments, 33 pound of oak 

 afford only 3 drachms of afhes. Memoirs of 

 Stockholm, 1781. 



2 dly> That the Earth of vegetables is for 

 the greater part, either calcareous, or a mix- 

 ture of all forts of Earths, and fometimes 

 of the calces of iron and manganefe, in vari- 

 ous proportions, according to the fpecies of 

 the vegetable. Thus Mr. Bergman found the 

 afhes of fome vegetables to contain calcareous, 

 ponderous, muriatic, argillaceous, and even 

 filiceous Earth ; and hence afhes effervefce 

 with acids, and are fufible perfe, even after 



perfeft 



