Analysis of Limestone, 107 



No. 1 Holstein's. No. 6 Dr. Gardener's. 



2 Coates's. 7 Barnet's. 



3 Yocum's. 8 Bull's. 



4 Cleaver's. 9 Baker's. 



5 Hughes's. 



Of these, No. 7 is regarded as the strongest for 

 building or for land, and No. 9 the weakest. The first 

 four are strong lime, 5 and 6 of medium quality, and 

 No. 8 nearly equal to No. 7 : that is, according to their 

 reputation in the neighbourhood. 



Upon these limestones I have made experiments for 

 the purpose of ascertaining their component parts, but 

 chiefly as to the magnesian earth, they may hold. 



It is not an easy problem to discover the most sim- 

 ple, the cheapest, and the most accurate method of se- 

 parating magnesia from limestone and clay, (from lime 

 and alumina.) 



We have no good precipitant of magnesia : phos- 

 phoric acid requires combinations that make the results 

 complicated, and drive us to calculation, which when 

 I can, I would avoid. 



The following metliods have been used, to separate 

 magnesia from a combined solution of lime and mag- 

 nesia in the muriatic acid. 



1st. Separate the lime by the oxalic acid. This is 

 too expensive. 



21y. Precipitate the lime by saturated carbonat of 



potash, which in the cold throws down the carbonat of 



lime, and the residual liquor heated lets fall the car- 



y6onat of magnesia. This is a method recommended 



/by Davy and Henry ; but I have never been able by 



