196 ARTIFICIAL MANURE. 



geine is made soluble, ammonia evolved, which is 

 converted into nitrates, 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 easi- 

 ly produce, with lime and common salt. It may be 

 stated, in farther explanation 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 so 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, decomposi- 

 tion of the muriate of lime is produced, and the com- 

 mon salt regenerated. Commencing then with quick- 

 lime 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. 



276. If these various changes take place in the 

 midst of peat, or geine, it is evident, that the caustic 



