220 ARTIFICIAL MANURE. 



salt and lime, which may be recommended, though this may 

 appear inconsistent with what has been advanced respecting 

 lime, but in this case the lime is converted into a perfectly 

 soluble salt. The soda is eliminated caustic, acts on the 

 geine, renders it soluble. During the exposure to the vol- 

 umes of carbonic acid evolved from the peat, the caustic 

 soda becomes carbonated. This carbonate of soda immedi- 

 ately decomposes the soluble salt of lime, and an insoluble 

 salt of lime with a soluble salt of soda is the result. The 

 effects of these various actions, are, first, the geine is made 

 soluble, ammonia evolved, which is converted into a niti*ate, 

 carbonate of lime produced, which acts as that does in spent 

 ashes, and a soluble salt of soda or common salt remains in 

 the mass, producing still farther good effects, when its alkali 

 is let loose by the action of growing plants. Here are. 

 rounds of changes taking place, which though the farmer 

 may not readily understand, he may easily produce, with 

 lime and common salt. It may be stated, in farther expla- 

 nation of these changes, that common salt is a compound of 

 soda and muriatic acid, or muriate of soda, using here the 

 old language of chemistry, which is more intelligible to the 

 farmer, though not philosophically correct. By mixing 

 quicklime with common salt, its soda is let loose, the acid 

 combines with the lime, forming a soluble salt of lime, and 

 as long as the soda remains caustic it has no effect on the 

 muriate of lime, but as soon as the soda becomes mild or 

 carbonated, decomposition of the muriate of lime is pro- 

 duced, and the common salt regenerated. Commencing 

 then with quicklime and salt, we pass on to a soluble salt of 

 lime and caustic soda, and from that, to mild soda, and to 

 carbonate of lime and the original common salt ; and these 

 in decaying soil are mutually decomposed, and reform car- 

 bonate of soda. 



