Elements of Mineralogy. 



green, cryftalife with the three ancient mineral 

 acids, &c. 



The Vegetable Alkali, is feldom found in 

 the earth, except in wells in towns, as at 

 Dow ay i &c. 4 Mem. Scat). Etr. alfo in the 

 argillaceous allum ore of la Tolfa, and united 

 to the nitrous acid near the furface of the 

 earth in Spain and the Eqft Indies, probably 

 from the putrefaction of vegetables. 



The Mineral Alkali is not only found in a 

 ftate of combination with the vitriolic and 

 marine acids, but alfo very commonly with 

 the aerial, with which it retains, not only 

 the name, but many of the properties of a 

 free alkali, as the aerial' acid is eafily ex- 

 pelled. In this mild ftate it is eafily known 

 by its cryftalization, folubility in 2,5 times 

 its weight of water, in the temperature of 

 60, efflorefcence by expofure to the air, ef- 

 fervefcence with acids, and the properties of 

 the different neutral Salts, refulting from its 

 union with the different acids, decompofing 

 /VTW0-neutral and ammoniacal Salts, &c. 



loo Parts of this alkali, when perfectly 



pure and recently cryftalized, contain ac^ 



jcording to Mr. Bergman^ 20 of mere alkali, 



1 6 of aerial acid, and 64 pf water ; my de- 



termination 



