On Sulphuret ofBarytes as a Manure. 121 



Finding considerable quantities of the sulphat of 

 barytes in my neighbourhood ; and judging from the 

 similarity of it to plaster of Paris, that it might have the 

 same properties as a manure, I some years ago tried 

 some of it, but it had no effect ; I attempted to burn 

 some of it in a small furnace, by making a fire of wood 

 under the grate, but when hot, the stones decrepitated, 

 and flew out of the chimney of the furnace in small 

 scales; so that I was discouraged from pursuing the ex- 

 periments any further at that time. 



Last spring, on examining the subject more careful- 

 ly I found that sulphat of barytes was insoluble in 

 water, from which circumstance I concluded its inef- 

 ficacy as a manure arose : I further found, that, when 

 made into sulphuret, it Was very soluble in water ; and 

 after making a sulphuret of a small quantity, I judged, 

 from its sensible qualities, it must be a powerful ma- 

 nure, and concluded to make some experiments with 



it. 



In April last I powdered 24 lbs. of the sulphat, and 



three lbs. of charcoal, and mixed them well together, 

 had them put into an earthen jar, with a light cover 

 thereon, and put into a potter's kiln and burnt with the 

 earthen ware, where it was calcined sufficiently. 



In this operation it lost nearly one fourth in weight, 

 and was converted into a sulphuret, became very soluble 

 in water, and gave out large quantities of hepatic gas^ 

 (sulphurated hydrogen) so that it became very offen- 

 sive in the shop, although a bladder was tied over the 

 top of the jar, and made it necessary to remove it in- 

 to the garret. 



VOL. III. % 



