i*4 OF THE ASBESTINE EARTH. 



EXP. v. As it was pofllble too great an abun r 

 dance of filiccous earth might prevent its being 

 more foluble, one hundred pounds, with four 

 hundred of vegetable fixed alkali, were kept in 

 a red heat for two hours, but were not brought 

 into fuiion. After this operation, the vitriolic 

 acid extracted twelve, but the rcdduitm was not 

 in the leaft ufTeded by it. It fcemed, there- 

 fore, to be owing to the prefence of the vitrio- 

 Juted terra pondcrofa that it Hill refilled all at- 

 tempts to decompound it. Accordingly the 

 following method was purfued, with a view to 

 fcpuratc all the primitive earths it might con- 

 tain. 



EXP. 6. ico Ib. of albcilos, well mixed with 

 icoofveg. alkali, and 100 of powdered char- 

 coal, were ignited for two hours; and then being 

 boiled for" fume time in loco of aqua regia, af- 

 forded a complete fulution. 



What remained umliilblved was tranfparent, 

 like jelly ; and, being collected, and thoroughly 

 waflied in diililled water, and afterwards dried, 

 weighed 64. It was now white and opaque, 

 and not to be ailecled by any acid menilruum, 

 except the iluurilic; but melted with cfier- 

 vefccncc with half its weight of vcg. alkali, 

 and exhibited a perfect gluis. 



The clear liquor being concentrated by eva- 

 poration, the vitriolic acid was dropped into it, 

 and occafioned a precipitate cf 6 Ib, of a wli^te 



powder. 



